Master has released several sets of turned brass gun barrels and pitot tubes for the F-5/T-38 Talon Series of aircraft. There is the option of displaying the inline or staggered barrel positions found on the F-5’s. The staggered position is possible via a small extension tube. The gun barrels feature at the tip thin walls and a drilled out hole, they are not tubes. The pitot tubes have a superb shape to them and the tip is very fine. Some pitots are two part and others are a single piece. The quality of the brass parts is quite superb and offers a look and robustness that you just don’t have with plastic or resin parts.

AM-32-111 – Pitot Tube and 20mm Gun Barrels - 1/32 Scale
F-5 Tiger II – F-5E and F-5F Shark Nose Versions

Contents:
2 x gun barrels
1 x gun barrel extension
2 x part pitot tube

The gun barrels feature a more definite flare towards the breach. A 1.0mm needs to be drilled into the plastic breach of the gun supplied with the kit. If fitting the staggered gun arrangement then a 1.8mm hole needs to be drilled into the gun port. The pitot is made from two parts. The forward part of the pitot has more polished aluminium look to it a feature that replicates the real thing. A 1.0mm hole need to be drilled into the nose for the base of the pitot. The tip is then fitted into the attached base. Master quite rightly recommends attaching the tip at the end of the build.


AM-48-149 - Pitot Tube and 20mm Gun Barrels – 1/48 Scale
F-5 Tiger II – F-5E and F-5F Shark Nose Versions
Contents:
2 x gun barrels
1 x gun barrel extension
1 x pitot tube

This set features a one piece pitot that needs a 0.4mm hole drilling in the tip of the nose. Both inline a staggered guns can be used. The extension barrel on the right-side needs a 1.2mm hole drilling. The gun barrels themselves require a 0.8mm hole drilling.

AM-48-151 – Pitot Tube and 20mm Gun Barrels – 1/48 Scale
T-38 Talon, F-5B and RF-5A/E/S

Contents:
2 x gun barrels
1 x extended pitot tube

This set features a longer single piece pitot tube that protrudes 14mm. A 0.6mm hole needs to be drilled with a generous amount of the pitot tube fitting into the fuselage. The RF-5 early version is fitted with a single gun barrel; the latter version has two barrels. A 0.8mm hole needs to be drilled for the gun barrels The T-38 and F-5B has no guns, so just the pitot tube fitted

AM-72-140 – Pitot Tube and 20mm Gun Barrels – 1/72 Scale
F-5 Tiger II – F-5E and F-5F Shark Nose Versions
Amazingly for this scale the pitot is made from two parts. A 0.5mm hole need to be drilled into the nose for the base of the pitot. The tip is then fitted into the attached base. Master recommends attaching the tip at the end of the build. Both inline a staggered guns can be used. The extension barrel on the right-side needs a 0.8mm hole drilling. The gun barrels themselves require a 0.6mm hole drilling.

Conclusions

These are great looking sets for the F-5/T-38. The sharp detail and even sharper points in the case of the pitot’s] offer detail similar to resin parts, with the added advantage of more robustness. It’s almost a shame to paint them.