info@mpmhobbies.com
Call: 1-(904) 507-3327
9297 Ford Rd.
Bryceville, Fl 32009
Transform your 1/48 scale aircraft models with museum-quality 3D-printed resin engine upgrades from MPM Hobbies. This specialized collection features precision-cast radial engines including the R-1830 radial engine and R-3350 radial engine, each capturing intricate cylinder detail, cooling fins, push rod housings, and mechanical components with exceptional accuracy that replaces simplified kit parts for open-cowling displays and competition-level builds.
MPM Hobbies delivers the most detailed and accurate radial engine upgrades available for 1/48 scale aircraft modeling, featuring two essential powerplants that defined aviation history. The R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engine represents one of the most widely produced aircraft engines in history, powering iconic aircraft including the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, Grumman F4F Wildcat, Consolidated PBY Catalina, and Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber. This 14-cylinder twin-row radial engine produced between 1,000 and 1,350 horsepower depending on variant, and MPM Hobbies captures every critical detail including individual cylinder heads with cooling fins, ignition harness routing, push rod housings, accessory section with magnetos and generators, intake manifolds, and exhaust collector rings. The R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone radial engine powered the heaviest and most powerful piston-engine aircraft of WWII and beyond, including the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Douglas A-1 Skyraider, Lockheed Constellation, and Grumman F7F Tigercat. This massive 18-cylinder twin-row radial engine produced up to 3,700 horsepower in late variants, and the MPM Hobbies replica showcases the complex cylinder arrangement, dual-stage supercharger installation, intercooler ducting, propeller reduction gearbox, and intricate accessory drives that made this powerplant an engineering marvel.
Every engine upgrade in this collection is manufactured by MPM Hobbies using advanced 3D-printing technology that captures microscopic details impossible with traditional injection molding or conventional resin casting. The R-1830 features individually defined cylinder cooling fins with accurate spacing and depth, authentic push rod tube configurations following the actual engine architecture, precisely scaled ignition harness with individual spark plug leads, detailed accessory section including magnetos positioned at correct locations, and accurate carburetor and intake manifold assemblies. The R-3350 showcases even more complex detailing with 18 individual cylinders arranged in proper twin-row configuration, authentic supercharger housing with intake and discharge ducting, detailed propeller reduction gearbox with correct gear ratios visible, intercooler plumbing and ducting specific to turbocharged variants, and comprehensive accessory drives including generators, hydraulic pumps, and oil pumps positioned according to technical drawings and photographic references.
These engine upgrades are specifically designed for modelers who want to display their aircraft with open or removed cowlings, showcasing the mechanical complexity that powered these historic aircraft. The level of detail captured in these 3D-printed resin engines far exceeds anything available in standard injection-molded kits, where engines are typically simplified or entirely omitted. Each engine component is engineered to fit seamlessly into popular 1/48 scale aircraft kits from manufacturers including Tamiya, Hasegawa, Eduard, Revell, and Academy, though some minor fitting adjustments may be required depending on the specific kit. The resin material accepts paint readily, allowing modelers to replicate authentic engine finishes including natural metal aluminum cylinder heads, black crackle-finish accessory cases, steel exhaust components, and weathered operational wear patterns. Detailed painting and weathering of these engines can transform a standard model into a museum-quality display piece that captures the attention of judges at competitions and fellow modelers at exhibitions.
MPM Hobbies develops each engine upgrade through extensive research using technical manuals, maintenance handbooks, photographic references, and measurements from preserved aircraft and museum examples. The R-1830 Twin Wasp was produced in numerous variants from the 1930s through the 1950s, and the MPM Hobbies replica represents the most common configuration seen on WWII-era aircraft, making it suitable for a wide range of modeling projects. The R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone similarly represents the standard configuration used on B-29 Superfortress bombers and other major aircraft types, with detail appropriate for both WWII and early postwar applications. Each engine includes the characteristic features that define these powerplants, from the distinctive twin-row cylinder arrangement to the complex accessory drives that kept these massive engines running reliably under combat conditions.
Pair these engine upgrades with complementary MPM Hobbies detail parts and ordnance to create fully detailed aircraft models. Explore 1/48 MPM Bombs for authentic ordnance loads, 1/48 MPM Missiles for guided weapons, 1/48 Rocket Pods for unguided rocket systems, 1/48 MPM Torpedoes for naval strike aircraft, and 1/48 Fixed Weapons for machine guns and cannons. Additional aftermarket detail parts are available from 1/48 Reskit Aftermarket Parts, 1/48 Tamiya Aftermarket Parts, and 1/48 Kinetic Aftermarket Parts to enhance every aspect of your build. Whether building a Douglas C-47 Skytrain with detailed R-1830 engines visible through open cowling panels, a Grumman F4F Wildcat with exposed engine for maintenance diorama display, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress showcasing the massive R-3350 powerplants that enabled strategic bombing missions over Japan, or a Douglas A-1 Skyraider with weathered R-3350 engine reflecting combat operations in Korea and Vietnam, these MPM Hobbies engine upgrades provide the authentic mechanical detail that elevates your aircraft model from standard kit to competition-winning masterpiece. Visit MPM Hobbies on Scalemates for complete product specifications, compatibility information, and historical references that support your modeling projects.
