Cutting Edge 1/48 & 1/32 Seamless Intakes By Chris Banyai-Riepl

The latest batch of resin accessories from Cutting Edge provide excellent replacements for the intakes of several popular subjects. Each of these sets contains parts in gray resin, with the main seamless trunk cast in white resin. The white resin is an excellent choice, as the interior of these intakes is generally white. This will make finishing them much easier, as you will not have to paint the long trunks, risking paint runs. You will still have to mask the inside lip, according to your references, to get the proper demarcation for camouflage, but that should not be too difficult.

CEC48504
A-6/EA-6A/EA-6B Seamless Intakes

This set is designed for the Revell/Monogram kits, and there is a bit of work required to use them. You will have to trim part of the fuselage back to get these to fit, but the result will be well worth the effort. The intake shape is noticeably different from the kit piece and much more accurate, making this a nice update to the Revell/Monogram kit.

CEC48505
F-15E Strike Eagle Seamless Intakes

Designed for the Revell Strike Eagle, these are a bit different from the arrangement of the A-6 set in that the intake front is cast in gray resin. This will make painting much easier. Like the A-6 set, there is a bit of cutting required to get these to fit, but nothing that is too difficult.

CEC48506
F-8 Crusader Seamless Intakes

The Hasegawa F-8 kit is quite nice in its own regard, but this intake will eliminate quite a bit of work. You will have to cut a fairly large chunk off the nose to get it to fit, but that is far less work than trying to eliminate the seam in the kit part. As the piece you need to remove is good sized, I would strongly recommend cutting inside and slowly sanding back to get a perfect fit.

CEC48507
F/A-18E Super Hornet Seamless Intakes

Designed for the Revell kit, these should be a direct replacement for the kit pieces, with no cutting required.

CEC32182
F/A-18C/D Seamless Intakes

Designed for the superlative Academy kit, these intakes are a direct replacement for the kit pieces. The intake faces are in gray resin, which will make painting quite simple, with a clean demarcation.

Overall, these sets are well cast and should be an improvement over the kit pieces. Even with the extra cutting some of the sets require, the amount of work is far less than sanding out the intakes on the kit pieces. My thanks to Meteor Productions for the review samples.