Most modellers will know Vector for their resin engines in 1/48 scale. These were always of a very high quality. For some time, the Russian manufacturer has also ventured into full kits and aftermarket accessories for kits by other producers. The material used is still resin, which is very good for the detail that can be achieved, but requires some different construction techniques to normal plastic kits, especially for gluing.

This set is designed for Hasegawa’s beautiful Bell P-39 Airacobra that came out a few years ago. It completely replaces the kit’s main wheel wells. To use the Vector upgrade, you have to cut out the original wheel wells which are injection moulded integrally with the lower wing. This is certainly not something everybody likes doing, but this set is aimed at advanced modellers who are willing to spend the extra Euro, Pound or Dollar to achieve a more convincing result on their model. Maybe it will be necessary to thin the wing a bit to get the fit as shown in the Vector picture. Furthermore, the thin pouring “block” might need to be sanded down to fit the parts into the wing.

The detail on the parts is very good and the casting is flawless. The material used is similar to the resin you get from Aires. It smells like that and is easy to saw. Instructions only consist of a small sheet that shows the placement of the two separate parts, but you will not need more once you have fitted the resin wells to the wing. You will have to rely on your own library for the colour of the many additional details, as no hints are given.

Conclusion

This set is perfect for modellers that want that little extra detail on their model. Hasegawa’s P-39 is generally considered to be the best quarterscale kit available, and this set was designed specifically for it, but maybe you could use it on the Eduard kit too, not to mention the old Monogram one. Because of the work needed to fit the resin parts I would recommend this set to the advanced modeller.

You can buy this set via NeOmega, Linden Hill or Sprue Brothers. Thanks to Sergey Kosachev for the review sample.

Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE.