Bristol Blenheim Propellers, and Wheel Sets for P-40N, Spitfire Mk.I-V & JAS-39C/D Gripen

SBS Model, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Mark J. Davies

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SBS Model is a Hungarian brand that offers a range of aircraft and vehicle accessories in the more popular scales, plus some1/72 scale aircraft kits. Their products are well worth checking out by clicking here.

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Each of the sets reviewed here comes in a small resealable plastic bag with card stiffener. All sets are cast flawlessly with easily removable casting blocks.

Blenheim Propellers

The propellers are particularly nice and will enhance the scale fineness of the intended Airfix or any other brand Blenheim kits. I compared the SBS and the new-tool Airfix Blenheim props. Airfix did a good job as far injection moulded blades go, but the SBS items are undoubtedly finer.

I could not help but notice how different the Airfix and SVS hubs were. The image below compares the SBS and Airfix parts (remember part of the Airfix hub is incorporated with prop-blades.

SBS’s are much larger and incorporate weights, and look just like the originals in the image you can see by clicking here.

Airfix’s hubs, or at least the pitch-change mechanism, look far too small. However I could not help but note that the Airfix props look much more like those of a restored Bolingbroke which does not have weights, please see here (As it happens, the kit was based largely on a restored Bolingbroke).

SBS also offer similar paired prop set with spinners to suit Finnish Blenheims (see SBS 72023).

Unfortunately, SBS does not provide an assembly jig with this set (or their other propeller sets). No doubt this helps keep the price down a little, but if someone is prepared to buy aftermarket props I think they will spend a dollar or so more for ease of assembly. Not having a jig is not a deal-breaker however.

P-40N Wheels

The P-40N wheel appear nicely cast and well-mastered; certainly better than what most kits have to offer. I could not help but think SBS’s wheel looked a bit small for a P-40; so I compared them to a selection of different brand kits covering the P-40 from E to N variants, plus one example of a resin after-market wheel. This comparison soon showed the SBS wheel to be very small next to the other P-40 wheels that I had, all of which were roughly the same size.

However, after this was was first posted, I was advised that the P-40N used a 27” wheel rim in place of the 30” rim used by other P-40 variants, which would account for the smaller size of the SBS wheel..

Spitfire Mk.I-V 5-Spoke Wheels

The Spitfire 5-spoke wheels are nicely rendered and seem OK for size after comparing them against some Spitfire kits. They are certainly better than kit wheels, and of good quality as resin wheels go, but not quite up with the very best (such as Barracudacast).

JAS-39C/D Wheels

My original review incorrectly advised that the SBS wheel were undersized based on comparison to the Revell kit’s wheel and to those contained in a JAS-39C/D conversion set by Maestro. I have since been provided with evidence by SBS that their wheels are indeed the correct scale size based on careful measurement of the actual wheel and photographic evidence. My error was made in good faith, but I unreservedly apologise to SBS.

The JAS39C/D wheels are very nicely rendered, and at first I thought they were undersized compared to the Revell kit wheels, but it now seems that Revell’s wheels are too large in diameter. The image below compares the SBS product to the Revell kit’s wheel.

The Blenheim propeller set gives a good indication of the quality SBS Model is capable of, with refined mastering, flawless casting, and a significant improvement on the kit parts; I thoroughly recommend it.

The Spitfire 5-spoke wheels are much better than kit items. Despite their apparent small size, the P-40N wheels are presumably correct in reflecting the 3” smaller wheel rim used by this P-40 variant. I am happy to recommend both of these sets of wheels.

The JAS-439C/D wheels correct what appears to be an over-diameter main-wheel in the Revell kit, and provides superior detail all round. I happily recommend them.

Thanks to SBS Model for the samples.

Text and Blue Background Images Copyright © 2015 by Mark Davies
This Page Created on 13 November, 2015
Last updated 4 December, 2015

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