Company: Heroshark, UK
Product: Custom and modified airsoft face masks and goggles

Every since I first started airsoft the search for the perfect face protection has been uppermost in my priorities for kit. I have tried countless permutations, military goggles, airsoft face masks, polycarbonate, steel mesh, low profile and high profile, full masks and half-masks - but each seems to have it's own advantages and disadvantages, so the perfect mask is still an elusive creature!

However, the chances of getting close to that ideal protective eye and face wear just got considerably better now that I have discovered HEROSHARK.

This small one-man operation has been involved in making personalised airsoft face protection since 2000, when the founder started - as these things always seem to start - by making a mask for himself and then hrs friends. From there the word simply got around and he now ships his custom products worldwide.

But Heroshark's flagship product is a fully personalized mask making service which relied on a very individual touch...

"To get the ideal mask suited just to your shape idealy I need a cast of your face. I can supply a guide on how to do this easily or, if you're prepared to travel, you can pop in and visit me for a mold session. As this isn't always possible for people. So I can also work directly from photos of the face, and measurements."

This results in some very unique designs which have the great advantage of being tailor made to your own dimensions. This is very important as many of the plastic face masks out there are made in Asia, and I find this a problem as the smaller Asian sizes mean that these mass-produced masks seldom fit properly, can be uncomfortable and don't always give full face coverage.

Above: Here you see how Heroshark masks excel in comfort and fit. This is an area where cheap mass-produced masks fall down big time - it really is worth spending the extra money for this level of customization. Remember, the more comfortable a mask is the less likely you are to have to adjust it, or worse remove it, so the safer it is.

Aside from this fantastic product Heroshark also breaths new life into your old favourite masks and goggles. Perhaps you own a very comfortable pair of goggles but are fed up with the constant fogging problem - no problem, Heroshark can replace the polycarbonate lenses with it's own punched steel mesh.

I am sending a pair of my faithful Bolle X500s to Heroshark to have this mesh replacement done and I am also ordering a custom mask (am just working on teh design at the moment), so I will do a full report on the quality of these items when they arrive. But for sheer uniqueness and custom fit, you can't get any better than Heroshark!

Check out their website and galley: Heroshark - Performance without Compromise

At the end of this month I will be buying the final parts to complete my BE Type 89 project. I really fell in love with this gun the first time I took it out into the field - the 3-round burst function was just so amazing and the whole package felt sturdy and well put together. My original intension was to use the BE Type 89 as a fill-in while I saved up for the Ares FNC (a similar type of gun), but after using the Type 89 just once I couldn't see the point.

So I started planning a slow upgrade path using Laylax accessories to build a tricked out version with EBR stock and RIS system...

This month I can buy the RIS system, only there are two versions and I am at odds about which one to get! One keeps the long rifle format while the other turns the Type 89 into a nice little CQB buster (Laylax also produce the special outer barrels require to finish off the custom job).

Decisions, decisions!

And finally, a very frustrating video!
While on the subject of my Type 89 upgrade process I happened across this frustrating video on You Tube. Someone has managed to get an electric blow-back system working with the Tokyo Marui Type 89 (which means it would work with my BE version) - but being in Japanese there is no further information I can glean about who made it, if it's an upgrade kit or whatever! How bloomin' frustrating!

...Postscript...And even more frustratingly, I tracked down the kit - it's made by TOP - but it turns out it's a Goddam GAS blow-back conversion kit! :(

I managed to finish all the missions of the game in 'ACE' mode at the weekend, so thought it would be nice to celebrate by putting together a little slide show of the aircraft you can fly. This video shows just the Allied aircraft - I may follow this when I have time by a similar one for the Axis planes.

In conclusion, Heroes of the Pacific is most defiantly showing it's age now and will not pose any significant challenge to contemporary gamers. Having said that, as a budget title it passed some time and was fun in a very casual sort of way. Normally I would look for an updated version of this franchise, but reviews of the sequel - Heroes of Europe - are quite scathing, so I will wait until I can afford a proper flight stick and buy 'Wings of Prey' instead.

Yes, when I do get the chance to have a game, I am still trying to complete Heroes of the Pacific (not bad seeing as I only got the game as a filler). Today's shot is of the F.47 Seafire, one of only three British marked aircraft in the game - it also happens to have one of the nicest colour schemes of the game...

Info from www.spitfiresociety.demon.co.uk: A good aircraft, too late. 2200HP of Griffon 87 drove a contra-rotating propeller, which virtually eliminated the torque reaction from the power available. It had the huge Spiteful tail section, and a folding wing. Unfortunately it was overtaken by technology (mostly the jet) and only 90 were built.

Source: JTSA, Japan Toygun Shooting Association

Q. How much space do you need to run a fun airsoft game?
A. Not a lot!

The overwhelming dependency of woodland airsoft in the UK has a rather adverse effect of denying access to the game to a lot of individuals, by it's very nature woodland sites tend to be some distance from urban areas and if you don't have your own car, or understanding car-driving friends, then it's game over! Despite the slow growth of so-called CQB sites over the past year or so these sites are simply mimicking some of the worse aspects of the average airsoft site owners propensity to think that all that is needed to make money in 'this business' is to have a plot of land or a run down old building - it's what I call the 'build it and they will come' theory (but without much building).

Yet few of these people actually put much thought into what people want over and above an area in which to play airsoft. By and large there is a complete lack of imagination as to what makes for an interesting play format.

Above: Airsoft fun on a shoe-string! Now come on guys, surely we all have access to some indoor facilities where we can set up some interesting shooting exercises like this? Why aren't there more urban airsoft clubs in the UK? Source: JTSA, Japan Toygun Shooting Association

At the other end of the scale there is SSA - Small Site Airsoft - ideally suited to inner-city locations where floor-space is at a premium. Naturally, this idea started in Japan but the template is just as relevant to British towns and cities where airsofters want to practise their game skills at a regular interval but do not have easy access to larger out of town sites.

Above: While to the uninitiated some of the exercises performed in this video might seem a bit silly, they are all based on *real* tactical firearm competition formats. In particular they follow the example of 'Practical Firearm' or 'Three Gun' competition events - but as you can see, the minimal props make this just as ideally suited to a small group of dedicated urban airsofters.

I recently posted some information about the new Grimsby based Arena Airsoft and mentioned that what impressed me most about this venture was the high level of imagination that was behind the idea. Despite it's (relatively) small space the team who run it are placing much emphasis on themed fabrication to make an lively arena of obstacles and props for players to use.

But even if money and time are in short supply creating a SSA site is within many players grasp - as the above video demonstrates - especially if they have an interest in 'practical' or 'tactical' gun operations. For me this niche area has huge potential particularly as by it's very nature encouraged competitive sport. Not to mention the fact that it finally gives pistol and shotty lovers a platform which really panders to their particular guns.

I would hope that in the future we might see many more of these small site airsoft arenas around the country, not least because their would provide a convenient community hub for urban airsofters where they could congregate to practise, hone and develop their skills on a more regular basis than the usual once a month trip to the countryside!

Above: Perhaps at the extreme end of SSA, but exemplifies what a bit of imagination can do to turn a empty bit of warehouse into a pretty cool indoor arena. There are some full-blown 'CQB' sites in the UK that aren't this interesting!

Aove: At the other end of the scale, and very minimalist, here the guys (and gals!) of the PSSC Cologne practical airsoft club undertake one of their speed pistol competitions. This sort of comp could be done in minimal space - an old church hall or factory space, how many unused industrial buildings are standing idle in your town?

Heroes of the Pacific: Splash another meatball! My P38F-15 Lightning takes down this nimble Zero despite my heavy bomb load!

Heroes of the Pacific: Dusk dogfight as my Corsair F4U1 gets the better of this Nakajima Ki-84 'Frank'.

This is brilliant! Someone has designed a papercraft model of a Russian Spetsnaz soldier. You can download and make the model by following this link: Papaercraft-Replika.com - Spetsnaz GRU

I am gonna have a go at this - will let you know how mine turns out!

Source: Airsoft Arena Ltd.Airsoft Arena Ltd., 5/6 King Edward Street, Grimsby, DN31 8JD‎ - 07752 404 060‎

I have been trailing the news on this brand new airsoft site for a while now and was really excited to hear that they have now conducted their first live 'play test' and are open for business. Arena Airsoft of Grimsby offer me, and those from the Humberside & Lincolnshire region, a very novel and exciting indoor facility right on our doorstep (well, compared to some of the treks one has to do to get to a decent site these days).

"Imagine 10,000sq ft of purpose built arena, complete with atmospheric lights, sound effects and some of the coolest looking equipement and props. Grab your shotgun and pistol and head off into the claustrophobic corridors of a spaceship chasing aliens."

There is obviously a lot of grass-roots enthusiasm at the heart of this project as these guys have put an extraordinary amount of effort into the preparation and planning for this site. The first thing that caught my eye is that the Grimbsy gang are willing to fabricate imaginative 'sets' in which players can conduct themed games. This approach has to be applauded - and supported - as too many site owners think that just having a pice of land is all that is required to create a site these days.

Please give the Arena Airsoft site a quick look - I am sure you will be impressed, despite it's smaller size it has huge promise...

Link: Arena Airsoft Ltd., Lincolnshire UK

View Larger Map

Expensive. That's the one over-riding view of Tokyo Marui's new(ish) range of blow-back recoil system based AEGs. But I have to say that I'm slowly becoming more interested in TM's 'GBB' killers.

I am not a fan of the new trend towards GBB rifles in airsoft - I do not trust gas. It's not consistent, it's over complicated and it has several technical and practical disadvantages for use in the field. BUT, it does have that lovely blow-back effect. TM's new recoil-system is supposed to be the AEG answer to the GBB onslaught.

Aside from this TM is very much trading on it's reputation for quality, it's excellent hop-up design and reliability. The Popular Airsoft review of it's AKS74U is very interesting as it does confirm that Tokyo Marui do continue to be the innovative driving force within airsoft - but the question is still, does this innovation justify the extraordinary high price?

Link: Popular Airsoft review of the Tokyo Marui blow-back AKS74U

My thoughts...
Well, it's all very positive - with the caveat regarding the small battery - and this isn't an isolated view of the TM recoil system AEGs either. But, again, what would induce you to pay the premium to own one of these guns?

For me the argument is exemplified by the views about this gun - and it's bigger brother, the TM AK74MN - on the RED ALLIANCE forums. The Red Alliance members are hard core Soviet/Russian milsimmers whose primary goal is authenticity in their loadouts for airsoft, as such the AEGs of choice are VFC and Kalash brands. Despite TM's well deserved reputation for quality, the *fun* aspect of the blow back system and the almost legendary reputation of their 'out of the box' hop-up system the members of Red Alliance spurn the new TM AKs as 'counter revolutionary', preferring the superficial accuracy and steel construction of the VFC/Kalash replicas!

This serves to highlight one major division among airsoft players - those that enjoy the out and out *fun* nature of the game, and those for whom it is less a game and more a serious hobby for which portraying historical accuracy of loadouts is the primary goal. And never the twain shall meet?

Well, I have always called myself a 'milsimmer lite' - yes, I have an interest in the authenticity of loadouts, but I am also aware that military authenticity is sometimes counter-productive when it comes to playing a game of mainstream airsoft. While my Kalash AEGs have allowed me to have my cake and eat it - being both reasonably accurate replicas and sturdy and reliable - they are hardly cutting edge technologically and have internals which do put you at a disadvantage when running along side a TM made model.

Both Kalash and the expensive VFC replicas need a resonable amount of upgrading to achieve a comparable level of reliability, efficiency and accuracy to the Tokyo Marui models.

My view is that I would rather spend the extra money to buy a AEG that has the kind of reliability, accuracy and quality of internals out of the box that I desire than to buy an AEG that I will have to tinker with in an attempt to achieve an exemplary performance. As testament to this almost every review I have read on the new TM AK74 series has pointed out that the lower power Maruis have outshot more powerful AEGs in terms of consistent accuracy and range due to their superb hop-up quality.

I play airsoft to *play* and not to spend my spare time as an airsoft mechanic. TM AEGS - like the new AK74 range - give players like myself peace of mind without messing about. Is it an extra premium worth paying for - in truth that comes down to whether you have the money to spend...

Once again - as so many things in airsoft - you pay your money you make your choice!

Alternative reviews of the TM AKS74U:

> Digital Wastlands (nice photos)
> Sacairsoft.com (again, some nice close ups)