| Date of Review |
September 2007 |
| Manufacturer |
Cutting Edge |
| Subject |
SR-71A/B, YF-12A, & A-12 Blackbird Super Detailed Nozzles |
| Scale |
1/48 |
| Kit Number |
CEC48516 |
| Media |
Resin |
| Pros |
Significant improvement in look and
detail over kit |
| Cons |
|
| Skill Level |
Intermediate |
| MSRP (USD) |
OOP |
Cutting Edge Modelworks is back again with some interesting
new products and a hint at the near future. Check out that
title above. SR-71A/B, YF-12A, A-12. We know that Testors has
released the SR-71A and SR-71B kits as well as the YF-12A in
1/48 scale. Rumor has it that there may be an A-12 conversion
in the wings as well. Kiwi Resin produced a conversion for
the A-12, but it is my understanding
that the conversion is no longer in production.
According to several online stores, the 1/48 scale SR-71 kit
is still available while the YF-12 is only available through
kit swaps and eBay. Both are still available in 1/72 scale.
So back to this release, Cutting Edge has produced some beautiful
castings of the rather complex exhaust nozzle and afterburner
chamber for the monstrous J58 engines that power the SR-71A/B/C,
YF-12A, and the A-11/A-12.M-12. I had a chance to see the masters
under development along with the reference photos from the
National Air & Space Museum's SR-71 display. I was intrigued
enough to stop by there myself for my own photo
reference.
Each assembly is three pieces, the dish-like afterburner spray
ring array that caps on one end of the afterburner chamber.
On the other end of the chamber is the ring section of blow
(suck)-in doors that mounts to the rear of each engine nacelle.
Over this goes another length of tailpipe that ends in a standard-looking
nozzle. The instructions clearly show how all of this goes
together and when you put these three pieces together with
some good painting and weathering, you'll have a very realistic
afterburner section on your model.
This set is definitely recommended!
My sincere thanks to Meteor Productions for this review sample!
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