1:48 Jaguar GR.1/GR.1a antennas for airfix

Quickboost (Aires), antennas for the SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1/GR.1a, 1:48

This item is not an airplane kit but a resin detail accessory. It contains replacement antennas for the British SEPECAT Jaguar attack aircraft in the GR.1/GR.1a versions and is designed for the plastic kit in 1:48 scale from Airfix. Quickboost is a brand of the Czech company Aires, which concentrates on small, accurately cast replacements for kit parts; the parts are usually fitted straight into the place of the originals, with no conversion work.

Why replace the antennas

Antennas are among the thinnest external features of an aircraft. For technological reasons injection-molded plastic has to mold them thicker and with softer edges, so once painted they look ponderous. Resin takes a finer profile and sharper leading edges, so the resulting silhouette of the Jaguar matches the real subject. The job is quick, and it offers one of the best ratios of visible effect to work put in.

Use and fitting

• Cut the original plastic antennas off and sand the area smooth.
• Wash the resin parts in warm soapy water to remove the mold release residue.
• Cut the casting blocks off with a sharp knife or a fine saw, and do not break them off.
• Glue with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue), as polystyrene cement does not work here.
• Sand only wet and with respiratory protection; lay down a primer before painting.

Who the accessory is for

For modelers who build the Jaguar GR.1/GR.1a in 1:48 and want to take the fineness of detail above the level of a box build. It also suits a first step into the world of resin accessories, as the fitting is simple and the risk of damaging the kit is minimal.

An accessory to a kit, not a model in its own right. The plastic kit, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.