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It seems to me that Aires is the go-to manufacturer for aftermarket aircraft detail sets. I have been interested in several over the last couple of years but have not been able to actually find any to buy. I am impatient, I admit it. I have yet to find a kit that I want in stock at any retailer I have found. Where is everyone getting these sets? I know they're out there because almost no model is posted on ARC without an Aires cockpit (I'm not sure why model companies even include cockpits at all anymore!!). Anyone know a good, consistent, comprehensive, and reliable source?

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Kei Lau,

Who is the least expensive you have found, and do they have the equivalent selection as Roll Models?

No, I have not found anyone else who has the equivalent selection as Roll Models. But I usually do not start my AM parts search with Roll. Their shipping is $9 minumum. It works out ok only if I order a few parts together.

Lucky Model in Hong Kong is my starting point. They have good selection of freshly released parts. Most of the time, AM parts are shipping free. If so, their price are the best. But it takes a bit longer to ship from HK, usually 7-10 days. They usually do not restock once the parts are gone. And their stock goes fast.

Sprue Brothers is my second search. Their shipping is cheap and they ship fast. Overall, very good price and selection.

I am in the US. I buy from manufacturers when they offer free or low shipping. These include Gold Medal Models, Tom's Model Works and Scale Aircraft Conversion.

Whenever possible, I order from my LHS, but the brands that they carry are very limited. Eduard is one of the few.

Squardron has AM parts on sale every month. But it usually does not work out due to shipping making the total too high.

I am interested in hearing other's experiences too, good or bad.

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I go Ebay and luckyModels depending on availability and price. Lucky Models is hard to beat with free shipping in US and Canada For all AM stuff

I mean its crazy enouph i bout 2 small shop tools Made in the USA and if i want to buy the For the manufacturer i get 30$+ shipping each to canada but from lucky i get the exact same price with free shipping!! Go figure that one out

Hope this help

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It seems to me that Aires is the go-to manufacturer for aftermarket aircraft detail sets.

I'm not sure I'd say that. Aires stuff is positively gorgeous, but many of their sets are, in my experience, worthless, since it's impossible to get them to fit into the kit they're supposedly designed to fit. It's more often the case than not that you need to sand/file/scrape the plastic down to the point you can pass water through it, then sand the resin down to at least the same point, before you stand a prayer of getting the stuff in there. I've ruined kits trying to get Aires stuff to fit into them.

Other sets fit like a glove, but in my experience, those are pretty rare for Aires sets.

All of them are beautiful to look at though.

J

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I use Lucky Model and Hannants for Aires stuff. Lucky Model has free shipping on Aires products, but Hannants has lower prices. If you buy a bunch of items from Hannants, it will be cheaper overall, even with the shipping charge (if you choose surface mail). For example, 1/72 F-4B exhausts are $17.59 at LM, but only $12.27 at Hannants.

Edited to add prices.

Edited by Lucas C.
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I'm not sure I'd say that. Aires stuff is positively gorgeous, but many of their sets are, in my experience, worthless, since it's impossible to get them to fit into the kit they're supposedly designed to fit. It's more often the case than not that you need to sand/file/scrape the plastic down to the point you can pass water through it, then sand the resin down to at least the same point, before you stand a prayer of getting the stuff in there. I've ruined kits trying to get Aires stuff to fit into them.

Other sets fit like a glove, but in my experience, those are pretty rare for Aires sets.

All of them are beautiful to look at though.

J

I'll second that opinion I've got a number of kits like that, $ 40 kit + $20 Aires set = $60 hole in pocket

Ken :cheers:

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I'll second that opinion I've got a number of kits like that, $ 40 kit + $20 Aires set = $60 hole in pocket

Ken :cheers:

Iwould agree with that too!!! I had an almost impossible time with their MiG 29 cockpit but a much better fit with NeOmega (BEA Hawk), Legend (Sabre), and CMK. Aires have a wide range so you may not always find what you want amngst the others.

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