AMS Resin 1/48
RF-84F Detail Set (Early)

AMS Resin is a new company with an interesting product line. They've created not one, but NINE different cockpit configurations for the 1/48 F-84F Thunderstreak and RF-84F Thunderflash kits. There are three different configurations targeted at three different kits. The starting line-up is listed at the end of this review.

AMS Resin presents the RF-84F cockpit in its early service life configuration with the G-type ejection seat used in the early block aircraft aircraft. This set included a new cockpit tub, forward cockpit bulkhead with rudder pedal wells, instrument panel, control stick, G-type ejection seat, rear tank housing, instrument panel cover/gun sight, tailpipe (ejector in Republic-speak), and nosewheel well.

Take a look at those images, there are some beautifully cast parts in this set and you can see details down on those side consoles as well as everywhere else. There is some really nice engineering done to render these sets!

Some of you will recall the first set we looked at (48001 here) and I had assumed incorrectly that the cockpit tub would have essentially the same details and only the shape would change to accommodate the different kits. Wrong! Look at the rear bulkhead and side consoles in that first set and then look at this one. Incredible detail!

The instrument faces are deep with needles cast into place to make painting and detailing easy. Paint the instruments black, the needles white (yellowed white actually), fill the instruments with Future, and you're all set. This set has two instrument panels provided, I presume to cover variations in instrument panel layouts in the early block RFs while still retaining the early ejection seat.

This set now includes a set of seamless resin intake inserts for the RF-84 so you won't have to look inside that styrene wing any longer. Nice!

Despite the fact that AMS resin is providing you with a completely new super-detailed cockpit, a very nice nosegear well up inside that intake splitter, a new nosegear strut, and even a new exhaust tailpipe, each of these sets is only selling for $24.95 plus S&H. Contact AMS Resin directly for shipping costs to whereever you are (especially since US Postal Rates have gone up).

If you have one of the Revell/Monogram 1/48 F-84Fs, the Heller or Fonderie Miniature (FM) F-84Fs, or even one of Heller's classic RF-84Fs, AMS Resin has a detail set tailor made for you.

AMS Resin also noted that there are some subtle differences in fit between the Monogram and Kinetic kits, so they've engineered some special parts for the Kinetic kit. While the Monogram and Kinetic cockpits share the same part numbers, be sure to tell them which kit you're building.

Recommended for experienced modelers!

You can order this or any of the cockpits in the series directly from AMS Resin http://mysite.verizon.net/resqt29j/

My sincere thanks to AMS Resin for this review sample!