Quickboost

1/72 IL-2 Stormovik Stabilizer For the Academy kit

Stock Number: QB 72-199

Reviewed By  Clare Wentzel, IPMS# 1096

MSRP: € 4.50 (Approximately $6.50) Website: www.quickboost.net As we know by now, Quickboost is a line of resin parts that are designed to improve or correct plastic model kit details. They are produced by Aires of the Czech Republic and cater to those modelers who want their creations to be just a little bit more accurate. They continue to expand their line at an amazing rate. This review sample provides good, crisply molded horizontal stabilizers and elevators for the Academy IL-2 Stormovik. The resin parts feature very fine panel lines in the stabilizer, a very good simulation of the fabric covered elevators and well molded trim tabs. The parts also were accurate in outline according to my references. With the stabilizer and elevator parts being separated, the modeler has the chance to easily make his model with the elevators depressed if desired. I next checked the stabilizers from my Academy kit. I found them to be the same shape as the Quickboost parts and the elevators appeared to simulate fabric covering very well. Photo 1 shows a comparison of the two sets. The kit parts include the mounting holes for the elevator trim tab push rods, kit parts F-90. To use the resin elevators, these holes would have to be drilled or the mounting nubs cut off. With regard to the panel lines on the stabilizers, the two sets of parts look similar however the kit parts seem to feature small steps while the resin parts are engraved lines. Looking at photos and drawings of the real airplane, it appears that the construction was overlapping panels rather than butt joints. The kit parts seem to be more accurate in this case. I also noted small access panels below the kit stabilizers and not the resin parts. I next checked the fit of the two sets of parts onto the kit fuselage. Photo 2 shows the kit part test fitted to the fuselage. There is a minor step at the front edge but this would probably not show after gluing. It seemed to be a good fit. Photo 3 shows the resin parts test fitted to the fuselage. Note that the fuselage has a small step in front of the elevator line. This is not included on the resin parts but they could be easily modified to fit. Out of curiosity, I checked these Quickboost parts against some other kits. I had a Toko model of the Stormovik in my collection. Photo 4 shows the resin parts overlaid onto the Toko model. It looks like they would have provided a more accurate stabilizer. The bottom line with these parts is they are beautiful but, in my opinion, do not offer a major improvement over the kit parts. They do offer the advantage of readily allowing the modeler to depress the elevators on his model plus they can be used on most other kits of the Stormovik. It should be noted that Quickboost also make a set of Exhaust stacks and a set of Gun Barrels and Pitot Tube for the Academy Stormovik. These will greatly improve the appearance of the final model. A big thanks to Quickboost for providing these samples.