Static Dischargers

Master, 1/32 and 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brad Fallen

Iliad Decals' 1/48 scale ANG Mustangs is available online from Squadron.com

I have used Master’s metal gun barrels in almost every aircraft model I’ve built over the past decade.  I’m particularly fond of their World War I machine gun cooling jackets, which are stronger and more detailed than their plastic equivalents, and easier to use than photo-etched jackets.

However the Master range is far broader than this, covering air, sea and land subjects in ten different scales.  Some of these subjects are very large – such as the turned aluminium barrels for Trumpeter’s 1/200 Bismarck – while others like the brass 1/32 and 1/48 static dischargers examined here are tiny.

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These three sets – for 1/32 F-16 models and 1/48 and 1/32 modern Sukhoi jets – provide dischargers with increased fidelity and strength compared to plastic kit items.  Limitations of injection moulding mean the latter are often shapeless, fragile blobs of plastic – although not as easily damaged as photo-etched dischargers, which while detailed are incredibly vulnerable given their locations on the airframe. 

The Master dischargers are superior in all respects.  A comparison with online walkaround photos suggests that both the F-16 and Sukhoi dischargers are accurate in shape, although there will be variations between aircraft so reference photos of your chosen machine will be essential.   Details are finely rendered, but the parts are strong enough to be positioned without damage.

Attaching them to your model will require care.  Master provides clear assembly instructions for each set, which includes templates for cutting and scribing attachment points.  Your cuts will need to be precise, because the parts are very small.  For glue, I’d recommend loading extra thin cyanoacrylate onto an applicator (I use a short length of nylon fishing line) and then touching this to the pre-positioned discharger; the glue will wick into the attachment join and dry very quickly.  Any overflow can then be carefully polished away.

These static dischargers are a valuable addition to Master’s range of aftermarket metal parts.  Their small size will make them trickier to install than Master’s gun barrels – but once in place they will add fine detail to your model, that is less fragile than other available options.

Thanks to Master via Creative Models Australia for the review sample.

Text and Images Copyright © 2018 by Brad Fallen
This Page Created on 30 January, 2018
Last updated 30 January, 2018

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