Barracuda Studios have added to their range of resin upgrades for Eduard's excellent 1:48 Hawker Tempest with a finely detailed set of ailerons and elevators.

The patterns were made by Roy Sutherland himself to overcome a tendency for the kit's control surfaces to have some awkward sink marks. While filling these is perfectly do-able, it means obliterating Eduard's finely rendered surface detail, which will take a long time and considerable skill to reinstate. Hence the value of Roy's set, which not only saves the hassle of filling and sanding, but boasts surface details to match the quality of the original parts, with beautifully engraved panel lines and embossed rivets.

The casting is flawless in the sample set, and the resin parts require minimal preparation before use. They are direct replacements for the kit items, so no surgery is needed to install them.

The set comes with a neatly produced sheet of step-by-step instructions, complete with excellent colour photos of the work required. With a straightforward upgrade like this, experienced modellers can safely dive in without really needling to give the instructions more than a passing glance, but I really appreciate the time and care that Roy has put into producing them, thus ensuring that the upgrade is equally suitable for newcomers to working with resin.

BR48424 Hawker Tempest Ailerons and Elevators is available now, Price: Price: $7.95

Conclusion

It goes pretty much without saying that anything from Roy Sutherland is going to be among the very best available, and Barracuda Studios' Tempest upgrades absolutely live up to that thoroughly deserved reputation. These control surfaces are beautifully produced and will be a doddle to install - plus, they won't break the bank. It's simple enough for people trying a resin set for the first time, but the quality will also satisfy the most demanding super-detailers.

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