! S N T I L KI TEST-SHOT BUILD 1/32 FOCKE-WULF 190F-8 WVEL CL
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ISSUE 55
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product reviews
JUN 2015 £4.30
DEVIL DOG
UP WITH THE LARK
HARRIER BASIC BUILD
1/72 Kramme & Zeuten Lærke
We explore Airfix’s new 1/72 AV-8A Harrier
LAST BRITISH GUNFIGHTER
ENGINE TROUBLE
THROWING STYX
1/48 Sea Harrier FA.2
1/35 Israeli Tiran 5 Tank
1/72 Russian OSA-1 Missile Boat
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EDITOR'S DESK
WELCOME
Editorial
Editor: Assistant Editor: Editor's Secretary:
Chris Clifford Stu Fone Vanessa Smith
Contributors
Chris Jones, Steve Abbey, Malcolm V. Lowe, Jennifer Wright, David Fisher, Tom Ross, Dave Oliver, Mike Grant
Design
Art Editor: Group Art Editor:
Production Production Manager:
Tom Bagley Steve Donovan
Janet Watkins
Advertising
Commercial Director: Ann Saundry Group Advertising Manager: Brodie Baxter Advertising Manager: Tom Lee Production Manager: Debi McGowan
Marketing
Group Marketing Manager: Martin Steele Marketing Manager: Shaun Binnington Subscriptions and Mail Order: Liz Ward Managing Director: Executive Chairman:
Adrian Cox Richard Cox
Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ, UK. Distributed by: Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PP. Tel: 020 7429 4000. Fax: 020 7429 4001. Printed by: Warners (Midland) plc, Bourne. Printed in England (ISSN 1471-0587).
Subscriptions Please refer to main advertisement within the magazine. All applications stating name, address, date to commence and remittance to: Subscriptions Department, Airfix Model World, Key Publishing Ltd, P0 Box 300, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1NA, UK. Telephone/9.00-5.30 Monday-Friday GMT +44 (0) 1780 480404, Fax: +44 (0) 1780 757812 E-Mail:
[email protected] Airfix Model World (ISSN: 1471-0587) is published monthly by Key Publishing Ltd, P0 Box 300, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1NA, UK and distributed in the USA by Mail Right Int., 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Periodicals Postage Paid at Piscataway, NJ and additional mailing offices. Readers in the USA can place subscriptions by visiting www.airfixmodelworld.com or by calling toll free 800-676-4049 or fax 757-428-6253 or by writing to Airfix Model World, 3330 Pacific Ave, Ste 500, Virginia Beach, VA23451-9828. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Airfix Model World, Key Publishing Ltd, c/o Mail Right International Inc.,1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway NJ 08854. All items submitted for publication are subject to our terms and conditions. These are regularly updated without prior notice and are freely available from www.keypublishing.com The entire contents of Airfix Model World is © copyright, and no part of it may be reproduced in any form or stored on any form of retrieval system without the prior permission of the publisher. “AIRFIX’’ is a registered trade mark of Hornby Hobbies Limited and is used under licence.
F
WELCOME
ans of the iconic ‘Jump Jet’ will be delighted that we offer two Harrier builds in this issue. Those devoted to the type have never had it so good, as Airfix has added new parts and decals to its 1/72 GR.1 from last year to provide an AV-8. For quarter-scale modellers though, Kinetic’s new Sea Harrier FA.2 whipped up a storm of excitement and Jen Wright has built a splendid rendition for us all to enjoy. Editing the SHAR material got me excited about Harriers yet again, and in no time I started to re-read my coveted copy of ‘Sharkey’ Ward’s Sea Harrier over the Falklands. While no longer in print, this book is still fairly easy to find and, in short, it’s thrilling! Commander Ward stands as one of the truly great fighter leaders of the modern era. A no-nonsense officer, his account of the Sea Harrier’s performance in the South Atlantic is riveting, and it’s fascinating to read about the differences between Sharkey’s SHAR group aboard HMS Invincible, and the counterparts on HMS Hermes. It re-qualifies my belief that for all the good modelling books that are available, there’s still nothing quite like a darned good and proper ‘read’ to get the creative juices flowing. If you can’t find a copy of Sharkey’s book to buy, simply beg, steal or borrow one...it’s the perfect way to get revved-up for Kinetic’s likely FRS.1. On a tangent, our last issue with the Beaufighter supplement prompted very complimentary messages from readers, and I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Terry Higgins offered a wonderful array of reference material, and I’m sure it has many of you drooling at the thought of Airfix’s imminent kit. I’ll close by thanking AMW readers old and new, as we have received our latest ABC circulation certificate; an independent assessment of our monthly sales, and I’m delighted to reveal that we have gained, on average, approximately 500 new readers per month in the past year...and in a climate in which many magazines of all types are dropping in sales. It’s encouraging for the hobby and for all at AMW. Rest assured that we’ll continue to provide useful and up-to-date build coverage, and we have more special supplements planned for the coming months.
FREE MODEL! CLAIM YOUR FREE AIRFIX SPITFIRE PR.XIX OR GLADIATOR MMk.I WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO AMW. SEE PAGE 72.
We are unable to guarantee the bona fides of any of our advertisers. Readers are strongly recommended to take their own precautions before parting with any information or item of value, including, but not limited to, money, manuscripts, photographs or personal information in response to any advertisements within this publication.
Chris Clifford, Editor
[email protected] The average sale for the period Jan – Dec 2014 was 12,005 print and digital copies monthly.
Follow us at www.facebook.com/airfixmodelworld Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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CONTENTS INSIDE
REGULARS 06 News The latest happenings in the world of plastic modelling.
10 Show Scene A comprehensive and up-to-date calendar of model-related events.
72 FREE MODEL! Claim your free Airfix Supermarine Spitfire PR.XIX or Gloster Gladiator Mk.I when you subscribe to AMW.
74 Your Airfix Readers get the chance to showcase their own Airfix builds.
76 On the shelf Fifteen pages of reviews bring you the latest modelling products.
98 Kit Court Put forward your case to AMW, as to
56
ADVANCED BUILD TIRAN-5 TANK
why a particular ‘missing’ kit subject should be made available.
36
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TEST-SHOT BUILD Fw 190F-8
52
BASIC BUILD AV-8A HARRIER
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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CONTENTS
INSIDE
28
INTERMEDIATE BUILD OSA-1 MISSILE BOAT
FEATURES 14 Intermediate Build – The Last British Gunfighter Kinetic’s splendid new 1/48 Sea Harrier FA.2 is made into a real show-stopper by Jennifer Wright.
24 In Focus – Back to Sea SHAR Tom Ross offers exclusive reference photos of the first Sea Harrier FA.2s to reach frontline service.
26 Out and About – Peterborough Show Assistant Editor Stu Fone was hugely impressed with Peterborough Scale Model Club’s smart new venue for its annual show. VIEW MORE ONLINE airfixmodelworld.com
28 Intermediate Build – Throwing Styx Dave Fisher highlights a Cold War icon with his out-of-the-box build of Merit’s stunning 1/72 OSA-1 Missile Boat.
67 COMPETITION Win suberb Revell model kits!
35 Out and About – Yeovilton Show Editor Chris Clifford returns to the Fleet Air Arm Museum after a 20-year gap!
36 Test-Shot Build – Schlachtflugzeug! After a sneak-peek preview in last month’s issue, Revell’s forthcoming (and allnew) 1/32 Fw 190F-8 is built in full by Steve Abbey.
46 In Focus – Fighting Friedrich
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD LÆRKE KRAMME & ZEUTEN LLÆ RKE
Fascinating history and period images of Focke-Wulf’s Fw 190F series are provided by Malcolm V. Lowe.
52 Basic Build – Ooh-Rah! Harrier Airfix’s new 1/72 AV-8A is finished as a US Marine Corps aircraft, by Chris Jones.
56 Advanced Build – Engine Trouble AMW newcomer Dave Oliver explains how he created an award-winning diorama, with Tamiya’s 1/35 Tiran-5 tank as its centrepiece.
66 Out and About – Southern Expo 2015 Dave Oliver reports on one of the south of England’s most popular shows.
68 Intermediate Build – Up with the Lark Mike Grant indulges in a bout of light aircraft action with Stoppel Hobby’s Kramme & Zeuten Lærke. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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NEWS BULLETIN
LATEST UPDATES
AIRFIX SAVES WATERLOO DIORAMA
AN IMPRESSIVE diorama that depicts the Battle of Waterloo has been restored with help from Airfix.The ambitious 1/72 scale exhibit ‘With the Rifles to Waterloo’, which measures 24ft x 17 1/2ft (7.3m x 5.35m), is housed at Hampshire’s Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum, Peninsula Barracks, Winchester, and was completed in 1973 by Mike Buxton of Valhalla Models...
although it didn’t go on general display at the museum until 1989. Time had taken its toll on the diorama, and it was in desperate need of restoration. Airfix came to the rescue and donated around 300 spare Waterloo Battle Sets, and these have been used extensively to rejuvenate and repair the scene over the past three years. Statistically, the exhibit is staggering; it features
MAMMOTH BOMBER
WINGNUT WINGS’ latest release, the 1/32 AEG G.IV Early (32034), has continued the firm’s reputation for stunning Great War subjects. A combination of 17 styrene runners and photo-etched metal will satisfy even the most ardent detailer. Not as well-known as the Gotha IV, the AEG G.IV carried a heavier bomb load, and its internal and external weapons racks have been replicated perfectly. While the cockpit and associated machine gun positions are rendered in a highly refined fashion, the standout features are the two intricate engines, both of
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which can be displayed uncovered. Equally impressive are the five Cartograf-printed decal sheets, four of which provide the darktoned lozenge camouflage. The five schemes include: • 155/17, early to mid-1917 • 157/16, Kagohl IV, August 1917 • 1118/16 ‘V’, Bogohl IV?, 1917 to early 1918 • 1125/16, Bogohl III?, Bosta 15?, December 1917 AEG G.IV aficionados should also be aware that a late version of this bomber (32042) is also available: www.wingnutwings.com
21,500 figures and 9,600 horses, and tells the story of the entire day over a scale area of 2 ½ miles from east to west, and 1 mile from north to south. The diorama had remained untouched since it was acquired and, while it had glass screens around it, the top was open to the 40 years’ accumulation of dust. It has now been conserved, re-housed in a temperaturecontrolled, dust-free case, with a new light and sound commentary. Apart from creating the main storyline, Mike Buxton went to extraordinary to make many detail vignettes. There is a remarkable barn with all its contents, a flooded road and, of course, the principal characters of Wellington, Napoleon, Blücher, Ney, Picton, Ponsonby and others. The display can be viewed from now until September 30, 2015. For museum opening times, visit: www.rgjmuseum.co.uk
JUNIOR CLASSICS
TWO NEW Quickbuild items are now available from Airfix, in the shape of the North American P-51D Mustang (J6016) and the iconic VW Beetle (J6015). Aimed at younger modellers, each set features easy-to-handle parts, akin to Lego, which are all prepainted and look great fun to build, with no glue necessary.
ON TOUR THE AIRFIX Roadshow will be undertaking its annual pilgrimage to the Royal International Air Tattoo between July 17-19, 2015.
BULGARIAN CARP
MIRAGE HOBBY has made a name for itself by producing well-researched Polish aviation subjects. Its latest release is a re-boxing of the 1/48 PZL.43 Karaś (Carp), specifically the Bulgarian Air Force version (481316), known as the Chayka (Seagull). As the PZL.43 shared several components with the earlier PZL.23, Mirage has followed the same design ethic, and offers at least two runners from the latter kit and this mixture highlights the improvements in its moulding technology, with
the newer parts featuring finer detail. The standout elements are the well-appointed cockpit, which includes full interior framing and photo-etched metal embellishments, and the crystal clear canopy, with options for opened or closed panels. Decal instructions are a little vague, but at least two Bulgarian schemes are offered, for aircraft ‘1’ and ‘4’ of the 2nd Flight, Training Squadron, based at SofiaVrazhdebna Aerodrome during spring 1940. For further details visit: www.mirage-hobby.com.pl
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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NEWS BULLETIN
LATEST UPDATES
ORIENTAL FLANKER LAUNCH TRUMPETER WOWED modellers with its land-based Su-27/30 and J-11 Flankers, and has gone nautical for its latest release, the 1/72 Chinese J-15 with flight deck (01670). Given the commonalities between land and sea-based Flankers, it is surprising that just one runner is shared between this and earlier releases. External detail is impressive, with finely rendered panel lines, and this also extends to the weapons. Options include raised/lowered wings and a launch configuration, but there are several inconsistencies... which includes the lack of lowered slats for the raised wings. Notably, while the fuselage length is spot on at 304mm, the wingspan appears marginally too long
by approximately 2mm in 1/72 scale. What makes this release stand out is the carrier deck, moulded as a single piece, with separate blast deflector and actuators, although the wheel hold-backs are not included. Six prototype/trials schemes are offered, four overall primer
yellow and two in grey, one of which has a shark logo in the vertical fins. Although there may be some quibbles about the wingspan, this is a splendid kit, and looks to be the first in a series of maritime Flankers. For more details visit: www.pocketbond.co.uk
MATHO MAGIC A NEW Belgium-based aftermarket company, Matho Models, has recently released its first items. In resin, there are a several sets of German water cans (5, 10 and 18 lit sizes), and a combination set that contains three examples of each (35011). Other products cover more generic items, such as wooden barrels (35012) and pallets
(35007) and could feature in various dioramas. A neat photoetched metal (PE) stencil set (35006) should make creating German ammo/storage box labels easy...just place over the box and spray the required colour and hey presto!...instant
label. Other PE sets include buckets (35002) and oak foliage (35005). Finally in 1/35 scale, there is a gorgeous set of World War One US propaganda posters (35003), and Matho even produces its own-brand varnish glue (99001) with which to attach them. For more details visit: www.mathomodels.com
STORMING MUD-MOVER ACCESSORIES GIVEN THE popularity of Airfix’s imposing 1/24 Typhoon, it’s no surprise that aftermarket companies have made efforts to improve upon it. Eduard has produced a veritable feast of photoetched metal (PE) and fabric embellishments, and the latest address several of the Tiffie’s more visible features. For the cockpit there is a prepainted interior (23 019), which provides replacement side consoles, with control column and throttle enhancements... seat belts are also available as fabric (23 020) and coloured PE (23 016) items. Externally,
the engine receives refined framework (23 017) and the styrene landing flaps can be completely replaced by PE components (23 018). The final
set improves the cannon bays (23 021), with internal framing and replacement ammunition trays. For further details, visit: www.eduard.com Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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NEWS BULLETIN
LATEST UPDATES
{in brief}
SPRAY TUTORIALS
SUPER SUNDRIES Having aving the right tools is always vital for success in modelling. With that in mind, Revell has released these neat new items, suitable for novices or more experienced builders alike. The Precision Saw set (39067) has many applications, from surgery on kit parts and removing components from runners where heavy attachment gates have been used, to the separation of resin items from their casting plugs. Three different blades are provided. Revell’s Tweezer Set (39063) speaks for itself and provides two straight and three curved versions, while the very useful Hand Drill (39064) comes with three differently sized bits (0.7/1/1.3mm), and is perfect for drilling our holes for wing pylons and antennas, or for scratch-building tasks on various portions of a model. Lastly, Revell now offers its own masking tape (39696) on a 10m x 20mm roll. For further details visit: www.revell.de/en
FLEDGLING MARITIME FIRM Builders of 1/700 ships will soon benefit from accessories by a new company, Starling Models. Initial photo-etched metal releases will be generic sets of ladders, hatches, railings (British and US) and water-tight doors (British). A Grimsbyclass sloop will feature as the first resin kit release. For further details visit: www.starling-models.co.uk
GET INVOLVED! Are you a passionate aircraft, armour, space, car or ship modeller who's keen to see their work in print? If you can follow certain criteria, your article could soon grace the pages of Airfix Model World. Email:
[email protected]
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ARE YOU considering buying an airbrush for the first time...or have one but not getting the desired results? A wise move could be to book an Airbrushing for Modelmakers tutorial with airbrush expert Fred Crelin. With a degree in 3D design and commercial model-making,
Fred is the author of the Crowood book ‘Airbrushing – The Essential Guide’, and now runs airbrushing courses after spending many years teaching art and design in secondary schools. The tutorials are limited to 4-6 students per day, and all the fundamentals of airbrushing theory and practice are
FATEFUL WARSHIP
REVELL HAS re-boxed its excellent 1/150 Swedish Regal Ship Wasa kit as a gift set (item no. 05719). Moulded mainly in styrene, it features incredible detail, particularly the intricate ornamentation that adorned the hull of this vessel, which is famous for sinking on her maiden voyage in 1628. Just a full-hull option is provided, but a small stand does feature too. Gun decks are provided as balcony-style inserts although, while these are adequate in terms of detail, a full deck would arguably have been better for hull rigidity. The vacuum-formed sails are excellent, with moulded
creases where ropes would have secured them to the mast arms; ratlines are included as styrene parts, with thread provided for the rigging. As this is a gift set, the relevant paints and a brush are supplied, but the latter will only suffice for larger areas...the ornamentation will need a much smaller brush. The painting steps are probably the most intricate yet seen on a model, with hundreds of individual colour annotations. A small decal sheet provides nameplate markings for the stand, and paper flags are included for the mastheads. For further details visit: www.revell.de/en
covered, such as masking, detail painting, weathering, varnishing and more. Kits and airbrushes can be provided (Harder and Steenbeck, Iwata etc) for use on the day and spray booths are also present at each student’s desk. Fred has airbrushed everything from motorcycle helmets, petrol tanks and mobile phones, to fleets of full-sized trucks...so he knows what he’s doing...and bed and breakfast accommodation nearby to Fred’s Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire studio can also be arranged. It’s easy to think that a course such as this might be a luxury, but airbrushing is arguably a skill whereby it’s beneficial to see the techniques actually being performed, and then one can try them oneself. If you’re interested, contact Fred at The Airbrush Experts, tel: 01594 542030 or e-mail:
[email protected]. www.airbrushexperts.co.uk
SPLINTER MADE EASY HOW OFTEN have Swedish aircraft fans admired the splinter scheme on SAAB’s mighty Viggen...only to be daunted by it when it comes to rendering the pattern on a model? The anxiety can cease now, though, with Maestro Models’ new set of 1/48 scale masks designed for the Tarangus kit (built in AMW’s April 2015 issue), to portray any single-seater; at the time of writing, Special Hobby was due to release its attack Viggen in 1/48 scale. Three separate sheets of tape masks are provided, and all the camouflage shades are given as Federal Standard numbers and Gunze paint codes. Job done! For further details visit: www.maestromodels.com
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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NEWS BULLETIN
LATEST UPDATES
ANTI-SHIP BLACK PANTHER
SOME HASEGAWA re-releases do leave one thinking “why bother?”... but this latest offering is a cracker
as it portrays Japan’s F-4EJ in the maritime-attack F-2 camouflage. The 1/48 limited edition re-issue
of the ‘Kai’ offers the standard plastic parts from previous years, but it also has a large new decal sheet, which mostly comprises the myriad stencils seen on these highly attractive aircraft, with their two-tone blue scheme. The other trademark is the black panther marking on the tail, which signifies Japan’s 8th Squadron/3rd AW, which ended its Phantom operations at Misawa Air Base in 2009. Serials for two aircraft are offered, as is the F-15style centreline fuel tank. These jets carried the ASM-1 missile, but these are not included and must be sourced from Hasegawa’s JASDF Weapons Set A. Kit stores are limited to Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles. For further details visit: www.amerang.co.uk
CRAIG GARDINER 1957 - 2015 BELVOIR MODEL Club is mourning the loss of long-time member Craig Gardiner, who died from pneumonia in March 2015. Craig, from Grantham, Lincs, secured more than one gold medal at Telford’s ScaleModelworld, and a wealth of competition success at various regional shows; his last award was a Commended at Huddersfield Show this year. I previously had the pleasure of interviewing Craig at several shows for AMW in the past few years, as photographing his work was always a must and he was always more than happy to explain his methods and techniques. Having been a member of Newark club, Craig then became a part of Grantham Model Club in the early 1990s and then the current Belvoir Model Club, for whom he was treasurer for a short while. Craig is survived by his wife Jackie, and stepdaughters Katy and Amy. Our sympathies go to Craig’s family and all at Belvoir Model Club. Chris Clifford
BEGINNERS’ SESSIONS BUDDING MODELLERS in Cambridgeshire may be interested in the series of Make and Paint events being run by Brampton Scale Model Club at St. Neots and Huntingdon Libraries. As the name suggests, these are an opportunity for children to build and paint an Airfix kit, with Brampton Club members on hand to assist as required. Admission is free and the aspiring modellers also get to take home their
finished model. Future events include May 30 (St. Neots), June 6 (Huntingdon), August 8 (St. Neots) and September 27 (Burgess Hall, St. Ives). Additionally, the club will be running Make and Paint sessions at several Shuttleworth Museum airshows between May and October 2015. For further details visit the Brampton Scale Model Club page on Facebook or email: bramptonsecretary@ hotmail.co.uk
GERMAN PANELS GUIDE
ANYONE WITH Luftwaffe builds planned should consider a new book from Mushroom Model Publishing. German Aircraft Instrument Panels vol.1 does a creditable job of visualising various panels in a large format, via excellent colour illustrations and black and white period photos. After one has turned the book through 90 degrees, the top page shows the panel with instruments in situ, and then the page below has the panel without instruments and replaced with numbers, which correspond with a list of what each device actually is. Some instruments are also portrayed separately at an impressive size, to reveal every single detail facet. Even gunsights are featured to some extent, with colour illustrations, and photos/drawings from original technical manuals. The chosen subjects in this volume are: Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4, Fieseler Fi 156 Storch, Henschel Hs 123, Messerschmitt Bf 110E, Focke Wulf Fw 190A-3 and Junkers Ju 88A-4. Diehard Luftwaffe fans will almost certainly have most, if not all of these on their build list, so the book is highly useful...particularly for those who work in larger scales such as 1/32 or 1/24. For further details, visit: www.mmpbooks.biz
Let AMW know what your club has been up to, whether it’s a competition, local display or change of personnel, venue or contact details. Simply e-mail the editor,
[email protected], and include any good quality photos of 1Mb or larger. Search: 'Airfix Model World' Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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SHOW SCENE
DIARY DATES
SHOW SCENE 26 JULY, 2015 LEASOWES LEISURE CENTRE
MAY 17
AUTOMODELLISMO 5
MAY 30
SALISBURY MODEL SHOW
JUN 21
DOWNHAM MARKET SHOW
Hosts:
Paul Fitzmaurice
Hosts:
Salisbury Model Club/ IPMS Branch
Hosts:
West Norfolk IPMS
Address: Hanslope Village Hall, Newport Road, Hanslope, Bucks, MK19 7NZ
Address: Wyvern College Sports Hall, Church Road, Laverstock, Salisbury, SP1 1RE
Address: Downham Market Town Hall, Downham Market, PE38 9DE
Times:
10am-4pm
Prices:
Adults £2, accompanied under-16s free
Times:
9.30am-4.30pm
Prices:
Adults £3, children £1.50
Tel:
01234 711980
Tel:
07950 703564
Tel:
01760 755596
Email:
[email protected]
Email:
[email protected]
Email:
Web:
www.hamex.co.uk
Web:
www.salisburymodelshow. co.uk
Web:
JUN 7
THE NORTHERN MODEL SHOW
Hosts:
IPMS Tyneside
MAY 24
NORTH MIDLAND MODEL EXPO
Hosts:
Meir Model Club and Black Pyramid Gaming
Times:
10am-4pm
Prices:
Adults £2, concessions £1
Tel:
N/A
Email:
midland.expo.publicity@ gmail.com
Web:
www.midlandexpo. blogspot.co.uk
JUN 21
COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE IPMS MODEL SHOW
Hosts:
Coventry & Warwickshire IPMS
Address: The Midland Air Museum, Coventry Airport, Baginton, Warwickshire, CV3 4FR
ipms.covandwarks@ hotmail.co.uk
Web:
midlandairmuseum.co.uk
JUN 21
IPSWICH IPMS MODEL SHOW
JUL 4-5
CAPEL MILITARY VEHICLE SHOW
Hosts:
Ipswich IPMS
Hosts:
East Surrey & West Kent Military Vehicle Trust
Prices:
Adults £2, concessions £1, under 16s free
Adults £3.50, concessions £2
Tel:
01207 561971
Tel:
N/A
Email:
Tel:
07761 792954
Email:
[email protected]
robsullivannms@gmail. com
Email:
[email protected]
Web:
Meir Model Club Facebook
Web:
IPMS Tyneside Facebook
Web:
www.ipmsipswich.co.uk
KEY
Adults £4, OAPs/under-16s £2, family (2+2) £10
Email:
9.30am-4.30pm
J
10am-4pm
Prices:
www.westnorfolkipms. co.uk
Prices:
AIRCRAFT DISPLAY
Times:
[email protected]
Times:
m
Address: Leasowes Leisure Centre, Leasowes High School, Kent Road, Halesowen, B62 8PJ
Adults £6.50, concessions £6, children £3.25
10am-4pm
MODEL COMPETITION
IPMS Birmingham
10am-4pm
Times:
)
Hosts:
Prices:
Address: The Parks Sports Centre, Howdon Road, North Shields, NE29 6TL
Midland Expo 2015
Times:
Address: Sir Stanley Matthews Academy, Beaconsfield Drive, Blurton, Stoke on Trent, ST3 3JD
E MODEL DISPLAY
At-a-glance model and airshow calendar
Address: Greshams Sport and Social Club, Tuddenham Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 3QJ Times:
10am-4pm
Prices:
Adults £1, accompanied under-16s free
MILITARY DISPLAY
Address: Aldhurst Farm, Temple Lane, Nr Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5HJ Times:
Sat 10am-5pm Sun 10am-4pm
Prices:
Adults £5, children/OAP £3
Email:
donna.sheehan16@gmail. com
Web:
www.capelmilitaryvehicle show.org
REFRESHMENTS
AUTOMOTIVE DISPLAY
FREE PARKING
TRADE STANDS
AIRFIX ROADSHOW ATTENDING
IMPORTANT: It is worth noting that ALL events are subject to change or cancellation. This information has been collated from a variety of sources and was believed to be correct at the time of going to press. To advertise your event here, email:
[email protected]
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Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD SEA HARRIER FA.2
THE LAST BRITISH
GUNFIGHTER Jen Wright goes overboard with Kinetic’s newly tooled 1/48 Sea Harrier FA.2
The kit cockpit parts as supplied, with a carved plastic card headrest already applied. Note the overly long back cushion on the seat, and incorrect raised instruments on the side consoles.
Perhaps the biggest omission was the lack of sidewall detail. This was remedied with small pieces of plastic card and wire, following reference photographs from the Sea Harrier datafile.
G
reat expectations accompanied the release of Kinetic’s new FA.2, as until then the only 1/48 option for a Sea Harrier (SHAR) had been the ageing Airfix offering. With 243 parts in grey styrene, all featuring finely moulded detail, and 16 transparencies, Kinetic appeared to have answered modeller’s prayers. Even better, the impressive Cartograf-printed decal sheet included two main schemes, the attractive blue and white Admirals Barge, and Satan One from 800 Naval Air Squadron (NAS). On top of that, sufficient squadron badges and serials were included to model virtually any Royal Navy SHAR, along with full airframe and weaponry stencilling; a neat touch indeed.
Strapping in... The somewhat complex instructions began with the cockpit, complete with a multi-part ejection seat. Initially, everything looked impressive but on closer inspection several errors were noted, and corrections began with the aforementioned ‘bang’ seat, which featured an inaccurate
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backrest, and lacked seatbelts. First, the extended seat back was trimmed and a flat piece of plastic card glued to the thennaked frame, before the head rest was replicated by a suitably shaped scrap of styrene. Next, Magic Sculp putty was used to create the seat cushion, which was also missing from the kit item. While these changes served to make the basic seat appear more accurate, it made the lack of straps more apparent.
Although at first glance they may seem horribly complicated, they were in fact relatively simple to make, although good references were essential to determine where to put what. Lead foil was used throughout, with belts and harnesses added one at a time until the desired effect was achieved. Generic photo-etched metal (PE) buckles were sourced from an old Reheat set, and small
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SEA HARRIER FA.2
VSTOL VENTILATION Look at a real Harrier and it can be seen that, relatively speaking, it’s full of holes! The ability to hover required complex engineering, which included ducts and vents in the nose, tail and wingtips, and although this kit’s representations were adequate, it was decided to improve them. This was achieved by simply drilling them, since they were circular, then carefully thinning the inner face of the styrene with a flat-faced milling bit, held in a pin vice, until it was wafer-thin around each vent. Brass mesh was then attached with Superglue to complete the illusion.
Much use was made of tiny paintbrushes for the cockpit details, while the various placards were sourced from Airscale and Reheat.
pieces of plastic card were pressed into service as receptacles, located on either side of the head box. The major alteration to the cockpit tub was to remove the raised bulges from each side console, as these represented details which should actually have been on the cockpit sidewall. Brass wire was used for the throttle and nozzle position
levers, and lead wire replicated the prominent control column cabling. As the kit sidewalls were featureless, small strips of plastic card imitated structural detail, and larger pieces formed boxes and instrument clusters. The bulges cut from the side consoles were re-used in the correct positions as depicted by references. Painting came next, with the main colour of all cockpit components being Dark Admiralty Grey, which is best matched by the addition of a hint of white to Humbrol 164 Dark Sea Grey. This was supplemented with an oil wash of Paynes Grey, the dark blue-grey colour being ideal to provide relief and outline features; details were painted with Medium Sea Grey, black, red and yellow where appropriate. The kit-furnished rear bulkhead sported elements of fine moulding, which was picked out with the same colours...reference images kindly supplied by Nick Greenall of the IPMS Harrier Special
MODEL SPEC
After corrections and the addition of a lead foil harness and straps, the seat was much more in keeping with the real thing.
Sea Harrier FA.2 By:
Kinetic
Stock Code: K48041 Scale:
1/48
Price:
US $39.99
Available from: Lucky Model, www.luckymodel.com
"KINETIC APPEARED TO HAVE ANSWERED MODELLER’S PRAYERS"
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD SEA HARRIER FA.2
"KINETIC DID A GREAT JOB OF PROVIDING A SENSIBLE CHOICE OF WEAPONRY, WITH MORE THAN 100 PARTS DEDICATED TO ORDNANCE"
Mould imperfections were present on the intake walls, in the form of small styrene lumps in the notches...which had to be trimmed for a good fit.
The instructions suggested building the nose parts into one unit before fitting, but that route was not taken to help with the final fit.
interest Group aided this process greatly. Do make sure to use the correct instrument panel of the two supplied, as part C18 was for the FRS.1, points to a future Kinetic release. Airscale decals were used for all the dial faces, while the display screens were
with Gunze H423 (RLM 83) for the seat cushion and parachute pack. Highlighting and shading was achieved with black and white to shift the base colour either way, while the seat harness was painted with H422 (RLM 82), and the straps with H402 Green Brown. An Airscale decal sheet provided random placards for the headbox, while others were hand-painted. Once this was done, the seat was fitted to the cockpit tub, and the lap belts formed and painted in-situ, which enabled a naturallooking drape across the side consoles. Lastly, a lead wire seat pan firing handle and leg restraint cords were added.
painted dark grey, with a thin coat of transparent green over the top. Painting the ejection seat was actually more complicated, and started with overall Dark Admiralty Grey, before the emergency pack under the seat cushion was painted yellow. This was followed
Airframe additions As well as the mesh-filled vents, these circular items behind the cockpit were opened and tiny plastic card vanes added; there should actually be five, but who’s counting…
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An unfortunate side-effect of the cockpit work was that it seemed
a shame not to continue with improvements everywhere else! Careful checking of references confirmed the kit parts were, on the whole, very accurate. One act that would really lift the finished model was to hollow the vents and ducts, as even a shallow depression can create the illusion of depth where otherwise none existed. With this in mind, any solid airframe ducts, vents and intakes were drilled or hollowed. Unlike the Hasegawa Harrier II kits, there was no belly plate to struggle with, but there were still plenty of internal parts to juggle into position before the halves could be mated. As this modeller had decided to prioritise the work for a good join between fuselage and intakes, construction deviated from the instruction
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SEA HARRIER FA.2
AERODYNAMIC IMPROVEMENTS
Sea Harrier intakes were white and the kit part was painted and then weathered, with suitable smudges and dirt added via pastels. The fan blades themselves were handnumbered with an extremely sharp pencil.
sequence. This meant the halves of the nosewheel bay were glued to their respective fuselage halves, before the cockpit tub was added. A test-fit highlighted that the two vertical locating bars on the rear of the ‘office’ were not spaced correctly, but once removed it slotted into place. After the main undercarriage bay and airbrake bays were added, the fuselage halves could be joined. Subsequently, it was noted that
While the kit wing fences were PE items, the vortex generators on the wing upper surface were moulded in styrene, and many modellers may want to replace them with PE since they were quite thick. A simpler option, though, was to trim them in situ with a fresh scalpel blade, and so each lump was shaved carefully until it resembled the knife-edged appearance of the real thing. Although time consuming, there were no alignment problems, or any tiny pieces to knock off constantly! The kit aerials received the same treatment, since they were also overly thick.
there was a slight tapering gap at the top of the nosewheel bay... this highlighted that the fit would have been problematical had everything been assembled as per the instructions. No filler was necessary on the fuselage join, but a small amount was required around the airbrake bay and flare panel for a perfect finish.
Fan-tastic After a little trimming, it was easier to slot the engine fan into place through the wing seat after fuselage assembly, to ensure it The cockpit fitted snugly with no modification; however, the instrument panel was trimmed slightly to bring it into line with the moulded tabs on the side consoles, and avoid a slight gap in the upper nose.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD SEA HARRIER FA.2
Thick plastic card was used to improve the look of the auxiliary intake doors and provide a less uniform appearance; the fourth and fifth doors were portrayed as being almost closed.
In the revised construction sequence, the first parts committed to glue were the nosewheel bay/intake sides, which fitted perfectly, although the small gap at the bottom was caused by slightly over-zealous trimming! An interior view allows inspection of the painting and weathering applied with neutral (brown) coloured washes, with grey and silver tones used for the detail painting.
Probably the most ill-fitting part the kit had to offer was the infill for the lower rear boom, as it was too short and too narrow, and required tricky filler work.
sat square and central to the rest of the interior; all that remained was to fit the intakes. Indeed, there were few jet aircraft where these were such a major part of its appearance. The kit intakes came in three parts, an inner duct, outer shell, and a ridged piece which was positioned between the two to represent either open or closed auxiliary intake doors. The latter were lightly springloaded on the real aircraft to allow differential pressure to open them when the engine required more air. Consequently the upwardfacing doors drooped open at rest, while the other doors could easily be blown open by the wind. As rendered by Kinetic, the upper doors were fully open but this was modified with thick plastic card, so that each side was different, with several doors just partially open. Fitting the intakes was achieved without issue, and a smattering of filler was used to ensure there
were no visible joins around the intakes or between the auxiliary intake doors. Notches were then scribed into the door rear edges, and tiny slices of plastic card added to the rear faces of the intakes to represent guide rails. Previous test-fitting of the transparent parts revealed that work was necessary to fair them in. In the case of the windscreen and main canopy, the moulded shelf on the fuselage was slightly too wide. A micro-chisel was used to gently pare away the styrene until it was almost flush; the last few microns were then removed with fine Wet & Dry. Gunze Mr. Surfacer was pressed into service to fill any remaining imperfections and, when totally dry, the area was re-scribed.
Winging it By comparison to the fuselage, corrections to the wing were
"MODELLERS HAVE WAITED A VERY LONG TIME FOR A GOOD OFF-THE-SHELF REPRESENTATION OF A FIRST-GENERATION HARRIER"
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
SEA HARRIER FA.2
simple. Initial work was directed at the surface detail, as it was noted that the panel lines were inconsistent and the surface itself was quite grainy. After gentle sanding to remove the stippled finish, several panel lines were deepened slightly with a scriber. Once the vortex generators had been rectified (see panel), the moulded fuel dump pipes were replaced with 0.5mm brass tubing. Corrections to the APU intake and exhaust were slightly more involved, as the flat representations on the upper fuselage were not very realistic. For the intake, which
was on the right-hand side, the recessed detail was removed to allow fine brass mesh to be fitted. At the same time, the generator exhaust duct was hollowed with small drill bits and the point of a scalpel blade. The exhaust duct itself, which curves towards the centreline, required reshaping to represent the correct profile, while the duct was made from very thin aluminium sheet.
Control tweaks Attention then turned to the control surfaces, and modellers should note that, contrary to the instructions, the ailerons did not
droop on first-generation Harriers, and so these were attached in the ‘neutral’ position. Comments on issues with the wing fit have surfaced on the Internet, but in this case any encountered were remedied easily. To achieve a flush join, the mounting shelf at the rear edge was trimmed and the front corners of the engine bay access panels were bent carefully downwards to conform to the shape of the forward fuselage. Finally, a tiny amount of plastic was trimmed from both sides of the fuselage/wing seat just forward of the leading edges; the result was a virtually perfect
fit all round, with just minor filling required.
Colour in monotone After what seemed like forever, it was finally time to apply the paint, always an enjoyable part of a build. Priming was kept to a minimum, since remedial work had been relatively minor. Decanted Halfords Grey was used, and once dry was smoothed with a fine sanding sponge. Although decals were included for two colourful schemes, it was decided to finish the model as ZH803 from 801 NAS. Several reference photographs indicated that this aircraft had a torn Those modellers who wish to articulate the exhaust nozzles may do so by fitting this mechanism, which will enable all four to move at once.
The kit-supplied transparent plastic HUD support was painted partially to help replicate the framework of the original. Also visible were the modified auxiliary intake doors, and deepened NACA duct. Photo-etched (PE) wing fences were fitted with the aid of a razor saw. This was used to deepen the mounting lines, so the part was able to slot neatly onto the wing.
Primer was used sparingly to check all seams before paint was applied. Initial work began with the radome and antenna housings, which were masked in preparation for the main coat of Tamiya XF-53 Medium Sea Grey.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD SEA HARRIER FA.2 Once the top coat had been airbrushed, work began to enliven the monotone scheme. Selected panels were painted with Gunze Medium Sea Grey and Barley Grey, while faded areas were represented by adding white to the Tamiya colour.
All decals were taken from the kit sheet, to represent ZH803/004 from 801 NAS. The decals were superb throughout, well-printed and easy to use, with occasional assistance from Gunze’s Mr. Set.
chequer rudder decal, along with fairly extensive weathering and filth. Although the overall Medium Sea Grey scheme could be described as monochrome, it was easy to see many variations of the base shade in photographs, which would add much-needed viewing interest. The radome was painted with H333 Extra Dark Sea Grey, although a grey/brown tone was used on the very tip, and Dark Admiralty Grey was used for the band around the rear edge. Dielectric panels on the tailfin and rear boom were picked out in H402 Green Brown, and these areas were then masked before Tamiya XF-83 Medium Sea Grey was applied. This was sprayed until full coverage was attained; the object of this was purely to achieve a solid colour base for further work, which consisted of highlighting various panels with slightly different shades of Medium Sea Grey. Some were ad-hoc mixes and others were simply other brands of paint, since they all vary slightly in tone... reference photographs were used to determine where each hue would be applied. Finally, faded areas were added with muchlightened XF-83 Medium Sea Grey, and after two coats of Johnson’s Klear, the model was set aside to dry thoroughly.
Fighting fit Kinetic did a great job of providing a sensible choice of weaponry, with more than 100 parts dedicated to ordnance. These included Sea Eagle, AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinders, 30mm Aden gun pods and two sizes of fuel tank (although just the larger types
were used on the FA.2). For this build a pair of AIM-120 missiles was chosen. It was possible for the aircraft to carry four of these weapons, but this occurred rarely, as acoustic fatigue from the engine nozzles affected the missile warheads. Assembly was straightforward, and in short time all was ready to paint. This followed the same process as the main model; slightly different shades were used here and there, as well as varying levels of sheen, so they didn’t look monotone. Notably, reference photographs indicated that Dark Sea Grey pylons, gun pods and tanks were fitted occasionally, and this was another way to add interest. The last element of building work was centred on the undercarriage and, armed with more lead wire and plastic card; the legs were
It was intended all along to employ dark washes for the weathering effects. The first layer comprised a medium grey shade, which was blotched onto the surface with a paintbrush and then carefully blended when dry.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
SEA HARRIER FA.2
"THE KIT IS ACCURATE, POSSESSES DECENT DETAIL AND A GREAT SET OF OPTIONS" detailed to echo references. Although simplified, the finished result looked far more intricate and in keeping with the original. Beware when painting, because SHAR undercarriage legs were light grey in colour, not white. The same was true for the wheels, because although the front wheels appear to have regularly been finished in white, the mainwheels were mostly varying shades of grey. Kit-supplied wheels were replaced with items from Two Mikes Resin, and the nosewheel from Hasegawa’s GR.9 kit. As well as the small parts from the kit,
a set of bungs and blanks were created from small lengths of rod and foil. The intake blanks were made from sausages of Magic Sculpt, shaped to the intakes before they were fitted. All of these were removable, so the model could be displayed with or without intake blanks and Remove Before Flight tags. All of the ancillary parts received the necessary washes and weathering
at this stage, so that everything was ready for final assembly.
Decals and dirt While it would have been satisfying to write reams of information on the decaling stage, it would be entirely superfluous as Kinetic’s decals were every bit as good as they appeared on the sheet. A little Mr. Setter solution was used to help bed them down and the whole job was completed in about three hours. Then, a coat of Klear was applied to seal and protect all of the markings, before it was time to get down and dirty! There is an old maxim that speaks of radial engines that ‘marked their territory’ through leaking, and the Harrier’s Pegasus engine obviously took this to heart. Study of virtually any photograph of an in-service Harrier revealed extensive evidence of oil and hydraulic fluid leaks along the underside. When mixed with the heavy soot and staining created by the exhaust nozzles, the result was extremely obvious. To replicate this soiling, three shades of enamel wash were used in multiple layers – red-brown, neutral brown and green-brown. These were applied in the required areas before they were blended in the direction of airflow. It is worth noting that airflow direction on the SHAR was not necessarily straight back...again, check references! Weathering effects such as this cannot be attained in one layer, but should be built gradually. The last touch was to add the exhaust staining itself with a very thin black-brown mix in the airbrush. A matt coat was achieved with
Oily streaks were achieved with the same washes, but applied with different techniques. Instead of blending when dry, these were brushed and smoothed into streaks and smears, in much the same way as oils are used to achieve wood effects.
Black soot pigment powder was applied to the area behind the blast shield, and then removed in part with a cotton bud to form an edge; reference photographs were used to determine the extent of the stains and the brown tint to the exhaust nozzles.
A weapon load fit for fleet defence; a pair of AIM-120 missiles and 190lit fuel tanks. Slightly different shades of Medium Sea Grey provided tonal variation, and the missiles and associated launch rails received a satin finish. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD SEA HARRIER FA.2
All of the ancillary parts painted and weathered. Note that the outrigger undercarriage units come modelled as if the ‘gags’ (red sleeves on the oleos) are fitted. These would need to be removed if a crewed/active aircraft was being built.
Tamiya tape was used to mask the dielectric panels around the tail; with strips this thin, even delineating the curve of the fin was simplicity itself.
especially considering the use of the different items.
A handsome result
Before final assembly, the model was matt-coated with Ammo-mig’s acrylic satin varnish. Despite the name this is actually very matt, with just a slight sheen, and was the ideal finish to represent this late-service aircraft.
Ammo-mig’s satin clear coat, which is actually quite matt. In a few places, such as on top of the nose, the same brand of varnish was used for a ‘super matt’ finish. This just left final assembly, which
It cannot be denied that an awful lot of work went into this model, but it must be stressed that the majority was self-induced. Modellers have waited a very long time for a good off-the-shelf representation of a first-generation Harrier, and in this release from Kinetic, they very much have it and out-of-the-box would rightly
be considered a basic build. The kit is accurate, possesses decent detail and a great set of options. While not quite in the same league as Tamiya, neither the build nor the corrections were outside the skill-sets of the average modeller, and thankfully, the kit did not have a similar price tag. No doubt most of the big Harrier fans have already bought the Kinetic offering, but for any modellers that might still be unsure, wait no longer, because ❚ this is a truly excellent kit.
was quick and simple as the parts had already been prepared. Even the traditional Harrier hassle of getting all the wheels on the floor at the same time wasn’t too much trouble,
REFERENCES Modellers Datafile: Sea Harrier, by Andy Evans, SAM Publications, ISBN: 0955185823 Sea Harrier: The Last British Fighter, by Jamie Hunter, Midland Publishing, ISBN: 1857802071
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Fine resin accessories for 1/48 scale model aircraft.
www.royaleresin.net
[email protected]
eduard
IN FOCUS
SEA HARRIER FA.2
BACK TO SEA SHAR Tom Ross takes a brief look at four of the first Sea Harrier FA.2 aircraft to enter service
O
n a bright but overcast day in July 1994, four 899 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) Sea Harrier (SHAR) FA.2s arrived at RAF Coltishall, Norfolk, to refuel. All were conversions of existing FRS.1 airframes and among the first eight of an eventual 33 conversions and 18 new-build airframes. The designation of the upgraded aircraft went through several iterations, initially FRS.2, and then altered to F/A.2 in May 1994, and subsequently to FA.2,
which reflected its fighter (F) and attack (A) roles, having lost nuclear strike (S) and reconnaissance (R).
XZ455/717 This was the eighth conversion (P.8) and one of the first painted in overall Medium Sea Grey (MSG), which emphasised the type’s enhanced air defence role. As an FRS.1, XZ455/12 was credited with two Dagger kills during the Falklands War, and served with 800 NAS on HMS Hermes, having
transferred from 899 NAS where it was coded 712. Alas, XZ455 did not serve long as an FA.2, as it crashed during Bosnian operations on February 14, 1996. Although the airframe was MSG, the gun pods, under-wing fuel tanks, outer wing pylons and Sidewinder launch rails retained the FRS.1’s Dark Sea Grey (DSG) camouflage. The winged fist emblem was in outline form in an intermediate grey, with codes and titles in white.
ZA176/716 Another 800 NAS aircraft assigned to Hermes during the Falklands War, ZA176 was in the same formation as XZ455 when the latter scored its second
Dagger kill on May 21, 1982. It achieved notoriety on June 7, 1983, when it force-landed on the Spanish freighter ‘Alraigo’ due to lack of fuel and navigation and communications systems failure. Damage was minimal and ZA176 was back in service less than a month later with 899 NAS. As P.6, it was the first FA.2 to be assigned to 899 NAS in August 1993, rather than to the Operational Evaluation Unit (OEU) element. It would transfer to 801 NAS in October 1994, coded 000, where it again operated alongside XZ455/001, and deployed aboard HMS Illustrious as part of Operation Deny Flight. Initially, ZA176 retained the overall DSG colour scheme
Resplendent in its overall DSG scheme, ZA176/716 displayed little sign of weathering, although several fin panels appeared to be a slightly darker shade.
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IN FOCUS
SEA HARRIER FA.2 XZ455/717 seen at RAF Coltishall. Note the heavy frame around the fin-mounted pitot tube and the camera aperture on the starboard side of the nose; the latter was a characteristic of all SHARs, as opposed to RAF Harrier GR.1/3s, which had the camera located on the port side.
Further colour interest was apparent on the port side of ZD612, as the fuel tank sported a dark green/ light grey front section. Note the white interior to the intakes, which was a common feature on all FA.2s.
with black codes and titles and 899 NAS insignia, with a black ‘6’ inside the airbrake. Several other aircraft retained the DSG colours after conversion; these included ZA195 (P.1) as well as ZD611 (P.15) and ZE695 (P.2).
ZD612/724 One of a batch of 25 new Sea Harrier FRS.1s ordered after the
Falklands War, ZD612 entered service in January 1986. It was the seventh conversion airframe and joined 899 NAS on February 9, 1994. Almost identical in appearance to XZ455, the only difference was that the front section of the port under-wing fuel tank was painted dark green/light grey, presumably from an old RAF Harrier item.
ZD615/723 Assigned to 899 NAS OEU shortly after it was formed, ZD615 was probably the second aircraft to be painted MSG after XZ439 (P.2). The OEU was formed in June 1993 to integrate the new aircraft into the Fleet Air Arm, although the majority of 899 NAS continued to train FRS.1 pilots until that variant was removed from service. In
Occasionally mixed paint schemes were exemplified by ZD612/724, which had DSG outer weapons pylons, fuel tanks and gun pods. On all of the SHARs, the cannon ports appeared to weather quickly, which revealed the Zinc Chromate primer.
Of the four aircraft that landed at RAF Coltishall in July 1994, only ZD615/723 wore an example of OEU lettering, which was positioned on each side of the fin tip. This aircraft also had a much paler version of the 899 NAS insignia. (All photos - Tom Ross)
September 1994 the OEU sent four aircraft, including ZD615, to HMS Invincible, from which they operated over Bosnia, alongside six FRS.1s from 800 NAS. For these missions the FA.2s carried just a fuel tank and single Sidewinder missile under each wing. ZD615 was overall MSG with white titles and codes, with the addition of a white OEU logo at the top of the fin; the 899 NAS insignia was light grey. As with all of the MSG aircraft, the inner wing pylon was also repainted as this was attached permanently to the wing...a legacy ❚ of the nuclear strike role. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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OUT AND ABOUT
PETERBOROUGH SCALE MODEL SHOW A standout feature of West Norfolk IPMS’s display was this excellent 1/9 Model Cellar bust by Billy Campbell, entitled ‘Over the top’, which portrayed a Captain from 2/5th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment and featured impeccable painting and shading.
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POSH RENEWAL ‘ W
ot, no stairs?’ was probably the first thought in everyone’s mind at the Voyager Academy building, where Peterborough Scale Model Club hosted the East of England Show on March 1. Compared to the previous Town Hall venue, this new facility was far more spacious and there were no stairs or narrow balconies to negotiate. Although just half of the venue was available this year, that still enabled 36 clubs to attend, as well as a host of
traders, including S+M Models, Tyridium Models and Mr. Models. On entering the building, visitors walked down an open and airy ‘street’ lined with club displays, which led to the main gymnasium; this was arranged thoughtfully with traders around the outside, clubs in the centre and plenty of space between tables that allowed easy access for all. Arguably, it seemed that attending clubs had been inspired by the new location and brought out some
A rather unusual subject on the IPMS World War Two SIG stand was this 1/32 Azur Dewoitine D.520 by Kevin Flackney, as the chosen aircraft was captured twice...by the Germans in 1940 and then by the Allies in 1943!
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of the best displays I’ve seen for a while, which combined all aspects of the hobby; it was also refreshing to see so many varied subjects. Rather than hold a formal competition, Peterborough runs a completely ‘open’ event, and every model at the show is considered an entrant. After numerous circuits of the hall and street by yours truly, the ‘Best in Show’ award, which included one year’s free subscription to AMW, went to Ramon
Leading into the main hallway, visitors walked down an indoor ‘street’, which was lined with clubs and traders...a far more airy and spacious format than in previous years. (All Key – Stu Fone)
Wilson’s exquisite natural metal 1/32 Armée de l’Air F-100D Super Sabre. The Best Club Display was awarded to Fenland and Spalding, whose stand featured everything from wacky rickshaws to a brilliant World War One Centenary section. In another change from previous years, the show was held on a Sunday, but this did little to deter the punters, and more than £1,000 was raised for various charities. With the venue already booked for 2016’s show, bigger things are definitely ❚ on the horizon. Stu Fone
Winner of the Best in Show award, Ramon Wilson’s eye-catching and realistic natural metal finish on this Trumpeter 1/32 F-100D Super Sabre was simply stunning. French markings added a dash of extra colour.
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Airframe Extra
1
•historical narrative by Richard A. Franks •colour profiles by Richard J. Caruana •model builds by Dani Zamarbide Steve A. Evans Libor Jekl Alan Bottoms
OUT NOW
Q U A R T E R LY
2 3 4
The Korean War
– The First Jet-v-Jet Air Battles
June 2015
The Battle of Britain – Their Finest Hour
August 2015
The Battle of Taranto T – Judgement Day
October 2015
Full details at www.valiant-wings.co.uk
•80 profiles •92 pages •7 models Only
£7.95 + p& p
INTERMEDIATE BUILD OSA-1 MISSILE BOAT
Throwing Styx David Fisher appraises Merit’s imposing 1/72 Russian Naval Missile Boat, in a straightfrom-the-box build
T The hull measured 22in (59mm) in length and the deck was a complete one-piece unit, which meant easy attachment. In Stage 1, all the holes required were drilled through and a cocktail stick was used to remove any burrs for a clean finish.
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his intimidating vessel was commonly known by NATO as OSA (Wasp), a class of missile boat developed initially for the former Soviet Navy in the 1950s. Classified originally as a large torpedo boat, it was then altered to launch missiles and was arguably the most numerous class of missile boat ever built, with more than 400 constructed between 1960 and 1973, and these included exports to ‘allied’ countries. Two main variants -1 had boxwere built; the OSA-1 shaped missile containers, while -2 sported cylindrical the OSA-2 launch tubes. These missile craft were much bigger than the previous Komar class missile boat, which carried a smaller crew of around 11, whereas OSA boats were manned by around 30 sailors. Three diesel engines in the OSA produced in the region of 1,200hp, which produced a speed of 40 knots.
All hands on deck Initial inspection revealed an impressive amount of plastic and exceptional detail...very crisp and mostly flash-free with approximately 750 parts packed in sealed bags. A one-piece hull and well-detailed single-level
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD OSA-1 MISSILE BOAT
The hull rim had a slight curve, and so the deck required plenty of tape to secure it while the glue hardened.
MODEL SPEC
This assembly of the MR-104 Rys Drum Tilt fire control radar and platform displayed exceptional detail.
While some might think this subassembly looks fairly simple …the completed control panel took some time to build. A 1/8in (3.1mm) brass tube was used to form these parts, and although this was a one-piece item it was easier to separate the top section for bending.
Russian Navy OSA Class Missile Boat OSA-1 By:
Merit
Stock Code: 67201 Scale:
1/72
Price:
£89.99
Available from: Pocketbond, www.pocketbond.co.uk
deck featured, as did two small photo-etched (PE) brass detailing frets, one clear runner, three lengths of metal rod and a small decal sheet. The 24-page instructions displayed an excellent pictorial guide, but lacked any additional painting notes throughout the construction stages; just one A4 coloured sheet depicted one variant.
After perusing the instructions, the only area that looked to be a potential challenge would be in the PE department and, in particular, construction of the radar array, a control panel and various smaller sub-assemblies. The hull and deck was the obvious place to start, as this would provide a sturdy platform with which to test-fit parts as the project progressed. Firstly, several holes had to be cleared on the deck before it was mated with the hull, and these were drilled from the underside with
a 0.5mm bit. The drawing at the top of p.5 indicated clearly which holes to open; however, one must be mindful this drawing displays the underside of the deck. The propeller shaft assembly was fixed in place with the help of the metal rods supplied, and used as a temporary alignment tool…but the rudders were not installed yet. All the smaller components were dealt with first; items such as hatches, hose reels, vents and the like were test-fitted to highlight potential problems further down the line. If one chooses to go
This was a wonderful kit straight out of the box
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Brass Details Merit was clever in covering the PE fret with a thin plastic film, as all one needed to do when a part was required, was to cut off a section of the film and remove the brass without any worry of damaging or losing these delicate components. The fire control station and radar array on p.10 was built with several PE parts, but one should muster plenty of time and patience here, as one mistake could be costly and very frustrating.
Just these few radar antenna parts took up to two hours to complete, and a pair was required.
Both PE frets were wrapped in a thin sheet of plastic, which was a great help when it came to removing the small parts as it was slightly tacky.
Various PE and plastic components required delicate assembly; while it’s hard to ascertain actual size from this photo, they were quite small.
with the all-grey colour scheme, then almost every part would be glued in place before painting (which would make for a very plain subject). But this modeller decided to take it a step further and so painted the deck with a rusty red hue often seen on Soviet craft of this ilk, to add vibrancy to the finished subject. The main
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top deck structures were built in sequence, with the MR-104Rys (NATO: Drum Tilt) Fire Control Radar, although the latter was not secured to its station at this stage.
Another section of the radar antenna...6mm aluminium tube was used to give the PE part its cylindrical shape.
components from Stage 10. Not only were they rather fiddly to construct but very fragile…thus they required a safe home during and after construction. Both the
front and rear missile housings went together well, but one must make sure that one doesn’t mix the front components with the rear and vice versa. Staying with
Radar rendering Completing the radar array tower at this stage was necessary to attach safely all the radar
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There was only one way to bend this pylon, by using an RB Productions’ tool. Do resist the temptation to bend it by hand, as the results will be sub-standard.
Merit was clever in covering the PE fret with a thin plastic film the pods, the rear port housing required holes to be drilled from the inside out, in readiness for attachment of the grab rails...a task missed by this modeller and it was hard to rectify. The intension at this stage was to display the forward housings open and with the missiles on show, but with the rear launchers glued shut. This left just two of the missiles to receive
additional paint detail if necessary Reference for the Styx missiles was sparse, but after lengthy Internet searches details were obtained from www.ausairpower. net, an Australian defence site. Anti-aircraft guns, searchlights, seats, control station and levers were all completed with their PE components, and positioned via Blu-Tack on the ends of cocktail sticks, to assist with painting at a later stage; the detail on these assemblies was exceptional for a styrene kit. Completion of the main cabin’s central spine involved two main pieces and many smaller PE items. The addition of these at this stage would not affect the painting process, but it also reduced the need to use BluTack and cocktail sticks. Glazed components, though, were not added until later.
Assembly of the AK-230 30mm guns was straightforward and required just a little neatening to ensure a good fit. The detail was excellent.
Adding colour As mentioned earlier, if one chooses to adhere to the painting guide the finished subject would look rather plain, but Internet
These two piles of plastic would eventually produce 29 stanchions!
Alclad2 lacquer provided an excellent finish on the screws. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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The large and minor PE pylons were also shaped with RB Productions' bending tool, while the cylinders were rolled with 1/8in (3.1mm) brass tube.
several products were used to achieve a fair level of sea-going dirt and grime
Detail on the bridge was excellent, and even minor weathering would bring it to life.
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searches provided help with this. Once every item was constructed and prepared for paint, two coats of Alclad 2 Micro Primer were applied with an airbrush at 14.7psi (1 bar), and sanded gently with 3,600-grade
Wet and Dry paper between coats…avoiding the large number of smaller items of course, to prevent damage. Excluding the deck and the bottom section of the hull, the entire stock was airbrushed again at 14.7psi with two coats of Gunze Mr. Hobby Grey H308 mixed 50-50 with acrylic thinners. With such a large model, every drop of paint from the tiny jar was used, so one would be wise to have an extra bottle to hand just
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in case. After allowing a suitable time to dry, the hull was masked around the edge of the deck ready to receive two coats of Humbrol 82 Matt Orange Lining. Next the boot line was masked and pressed down firmly to avoid paint seepage while applying two coats of Mr. Hobby H17 Cocoa Brown. Once the base coats were completed, hull number decals on the side were secured with Micro Set solution, and then all that was required to achieve a more realistic finish (and to lift the exceptional detail) was to introduce a level of maritime decay. First, though, the boat required a steady platform and the kit base seemed sturdy enough for this purpose, but slight adjustment to the base was needed for the hull to sit snuggly and stop it wobbling; the forward section required a small ‘V’ shape consistent to that of the hull to be cut in the centre. Once attached firmly to the base, the weathering
process kicked-in and several products were used to achieve a fair level of sea-going dirt and grime. First to be applied was MIG Productions’ Neutral Grey Wash over the entire hull, but this was removed immediately with small swabs of tissue and cotton buds to leaving a subtle change in the grey base coat. While the wash was still wet, two additional products from AK Interactive’s Weathering Color range were employed; AK 305 Streaking Grime in small sections at a time and, once applied, a little was removed gently with a clean paintbrush, working from the top down beyond the boot line. One can leave as much or as little of these washes as one chooses – there are no set rules. Then, AK 306 Salt Streaking was added and the product seemed to react quickly, so was only applied in small areas at a time and removed immediately with a cotton bud in a rolling motion, as wiping would leave nasty smudges. The exhaust ports on both sides received varying levels of Pinnacle Modelling Supplies’ Exhaust Black and Coal Dust pigment, applied dry with a paintbrush, and when completed the hull was put aside and allowed to dry for several hours. Weathering continued with the final rust elements, which comprised three Pinnacle rust products, which can be watered down or brushed on dry…have fun and experiment. Once satisfied with the outcome the pigments were fixed with two coats of Alclad 2 Klear Kote 314 varnish. One
This may seem extreme, but to achieve a perfect finish one must resist any other masking method than low-tack masking tape and paper towel (or Clingfilm).
A freestyle session with weathering started to produce the required results. Pinnacle Products’ Exhaust Smoke around the ports made for a realistic appearance.
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A hint of rust courtesy of Pinnacle was applied with a brush and a little water.
Before all the pylons, ariels and tall structures were added, the missile pods were dirtied with MIG Productions’ Nuetral Wash.
One should try to avoid weathering this superstructure when attached, to prevent the effects creeping onto the deck.
must remember that adding weathering is a very personal and subjective task, and varying levels can be achieved, but the key is not overdo it and lose the plot completely! With the hull finished, the top deck components could be added
Just two of the PP-15 Styx cruise missiles were constructed, and as they were housed in the pods there was no need to add any more detail than absolutely necessary.
gradually and weathered to suit. Do be mindful that this area may not have weathered as much as the hull. To add further realism, 0.5mm elasticated thread was fed through the eyes of the stanchions, set in place and coloured with Neutral Wash.
A refreshing change Every modeller has their favourite subjects, but try something different occasionally is no bad thing…and Merit’s OSA could provide that ‘once in a while’ moment. This was a wonderful kit straight out of
the box, and suffered from no major vices to trip-up the unwary beginner; in fact this would be a perfect test-bed with which to explore PE for the first time. And for the super-detailing fraternity, the embellishment possibilities ❚ are endless.
For the superdetailing fraternity, the possibilities are endless
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OUT AND ABOUT
FLEET AIR ARM MUSEUM MODEL SHOW
Convincing rust, achieved by the salt technique and pigments, was created by Richard Clarke on his Revell 1/24 Beetle.
FLAT-TOP FUN
I
t had been 20 years since this modeller had visited the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton, but the backdrop of real carrier aircraft and helicopters really does ensure an evocative atmosphere. This February's show was very busy, too, with a whole range of clubs from far and wide. With the theme of the venue devoted to naval aviation, it was no surprise to see many models of this ilk on the display tables, but one thing that did hit home was the variety across the board... many other types of aircraft were ably supported by armour/ military, cars, ships, sci-fi and more. While the low light level in the main hall posed challenges photographically, one couldn’t help but snap away at some of the fascinating builds on show; the
with a taste of the hobby, while indoor model flying and radio controlled tanks defined other facets of modelling. If one has yet to make the journey to this twice-yearly show, it's well worth the effort...and with such treats as the full-size Corsair and Martlet to provide inspiration, what’s not to ❚ like? Chris Clifford
other halls were lit more brightly though. Attending clubs were many, and included the Coastal Command and Harrier Special Interest Groups, Trowbridge Composite Wing and the Airfix Modelling SIG. Trade-wise, the proceedings were busy and a healthy portion of kits, books and after-market goodies were on offer. It was also pleasing to see Nick Greenhall and Andy Donovan, of the Harrier SIG, launch their new reference book on the Harrier II, a thumping tome which will surely (and very quickly) become the bible on the type (see Books, May 2015 AMW for a review). Welcome distractions such as the Airfix Make and Paint Workshop provided youngsters
This 1/35 Churchill 'Funny' by Richard Amphlett was built from AFV Club's kit, and featured Resicast wading trunks and an Imaco bobbin.
Peter Grist of IPMS Southampton created real atmosphere with his dynamic 1/72 Airfix Vosper MTB, crashing through the waves. (All photos Chris Clifford)
The markings of Norwegian pilot Rolfe Arne Berg adorned Tim Rowley's lovely 1/32 Tamiya Spitfire Mk.IXe. Tim, of IPMS West Cornwall, used Alley Cat's conversion. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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TEST-SHOT BUILD
FOCKE-WULF Fw 190F-8
After previewing a test-shot of Revell’s all-new1/32 Fw 190F-8 in May’s issue, Steve Abbey gets to grips with the actual build
The one-piece lower wing had flashed-over weapon hardpoints and display stand holes, along with plastic ridges to locate the main spar. Also visible are the flashed-over outer wing gun openings and mounts …another version in the pipeline?
Just nine parts went together to complete the cockpit. Later, an after-market seatbelt set was added.
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he Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was a German single-seat, singleengined fighter designed by Kurt Tank, and used widely during World War Two. Based on the A-8 fighter, and with a BMW engine tuned for low-level work, the F-series encompassed dedicated groundattack versions. The F-8 had additional internal armour built into the airframe and could carry a wide range of additional stores under the wings and fuselage, at the expense of wing armament. In the second half of 1944, to improve the pilot’s side-forward visibility, a widened ‘blown’ cockpit canopy was added. In a desperate attempt to improve performance, though, many F-8
airframes had their additional armour removed.
A new thoroughbred After more than a decade, Revell has produced a newly tooled Fw 190 F-8 in 1/32 scale. When it arrived in a very large plastic bag, the test-shot was found to include more than 200 grey parts on nine runners, with a further frame of 12 clear parts. Luckily, the manufacturer had supplied draft instructions, which comprised 16 pages and more than 78 construction stages. In addition, there was a well-printed decal sheet with markings for two aircraft, Black 2 and Black 6, both from Schlachtgeschwader 10 based in Czechoslovakia
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TEST-SHOT BUILD
FOCKE-WULF Fw 190F-8
Both instrument panel decals were applied, although the side panel decals were not used as they didn’t seem to match any reference.
during 1945. Unfortunately, there were no swastikas, either complete or, as some manufacturers supply them, in separate pieces.
Where to start?
MODEL SPEC
Straight away the modeller had to decide which armament was to Focke-Wulf Fw190 F-8/R1 By:
Revell
Stock Code: 04869 Scale:
1/32
Price:
£36.99
Available from: Revell, www.revell.de/en
be carried under the wings and fuselage…and if the model was to be posed on its rather grand display stand. Revell supplied 50, 250 and 500kg bombs along with large auxiliary 300 lit fuel tanks, similar to those found on Bf 110s. Once a choice had been made, appropriate flashed-over holes in the lower wing section were opened ready to take the drop tanks and 500kg centerline bomb. This model was always going to be displayed on its own undercarriage, and so lastly, before construction started, the opening for the pilot’s access step was cut out. Rudder pedals and the control column were fixed to the one-
As not much of the sidewalls would be visible on the completed model, only thin layers of cockpit and engine bay colours were hand-brushed.
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TEST-SHOT BUILD
FOCKE-WULF Fw 190F-8
piece cockpit tub before a coat of Lifecolor UA 731 Dirty Black was painted overall. This was followed with a thin wash of black to enhance the shadows. Decals for the side panels were discarded, as they didn’t appear to resemble the moulded in detail, which was picked out with various dabs of
black, white and silver instead. Upper and lower instrument panels had their detail accentuated with Lifecolor 735 Deep Cockpit, before decals were floated on with setting solution. When dry, the panels were glued to the underside of the cockpit coaming and set aside to dry
Unfortunately, the seatbelts in the kit were supplied as decals and, as such, were very two-dimensional and unrealistic. To improve the ‘office’, Eduard fabric seatbelts (32773), made by HGW, were used instead.
In a departure from the suggested build sequence, the fuselage sides were glued together first. The opening between them was made wider when the cockpit tub was then clicked into place from below.
Once removed from its support frame, each section of seatbelt was fed through the appropriate PE buckle and pulled taut. The process, while quite fiddly, was made easier by keeping each metal part attached to its fret until pulled into place with tweezers. To obtain the correct upper fuselage width, the upper breech panel was inserted before the instrument panel and cockpit coaming were squeezed into place.
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When all four belts were completed, they were twisted into shape and held in place with cyanoacrylate (CA) glue. As a final act, the belts were weathered lightly with a wash of thinned Tensocrom Smoke.
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TEST-SHOT BUILD
FOCKE-WULF Fw 190F-8
After the wheelbays clicked into place, ammunition canisters and the engine mount mated without issue. It was worth remembering to clear the flashed-over hole for the pilot’s step at this stage.
Heavy-duty clamps were needed to ensure both main and undercarriage bay spars held the one-piece lower wing at the correct dihedral.
thoroughly. The pilot’s seat and cushion were left off until later on in the build, when the rather disappointing decal seat straps were discarded in favour of after-market replacements (see separate panel). As the tailwheel assembly was to be sandwiched between the fuselage halves, the modeller had to decide at this stage whether to pose the model with its wheels retracted or deployed …Revell naturally supplied parts for both versions. Because much of the sidewalls would not be visible on the completed model, just thin layers of cockpit and engine
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What a great little engine! The beautifully moulded 17-part BMW 801 exhibited a wealth of detail rarely found within a ‘standard’ kit boxing.
bay colours were applied to the relevant areas. After checking the fit of the internal fuselage components between the sides, it was decided to depart from the suggested build sequence. Firstly, the fuselage sides were glued together and, when dry, the completed cockpit tub was clicked into place from below. This pushed the sides further apart, so in order to obtain the correct upper fuselage width, the upper breech panel was inserted before the combined instrument panel and cockpit coaming sub-assembly was squeezed into place. While the fuselage dried,
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TEST-SHOT BUILD
FOCKE-WULF Fw 190F-8
Once assembled and painted, the powerplant appeared quite compact. Test-fitting showed no misalignment.
Rather odd thin, raised lines represented the fabric-covered internal structure of the separate control surfaces, and so these were sanded nearer to the format of the real thing.
attention turned to the wings. Heavy-duty clamps were needed to ensure both main and undercarriage bay spars held the one-piece lower wing at the correct dihedral. Raised mould lines enabled these parts to be located easily and correctly... clever thinking by Revell. By
issue. It was essential to ensure the rather flimsy, scale thickness support arms and engine mounting collar were aligned correctly before the application of glue. When completed, the wheel bay, engine mount and interior were treated to a coat of Lifecolor UA 071 RLM 02.
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inspection, it was found that the wing root cannon barrels could be inserted through the wheel well openings after the model was painted, for easier sanding and masking later on. After clipping the wheel bays in place, the ammunition canisters and engine mount fitted together without
In the main, the wing and fuselage join was quite good, although the wing leading edge fillet halves needed a certain amount of persuasion to meet properly. When the upper wing halves were put in place, they too needed clamping
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FOCKE-WULF F Fw 190F-8
to hold them in position. In fact, a little Gunze Mr. Dissolved Putty was needed to close the ensuing gaps. Revell supplied alternative parts for wing flaps to be displayed either stowed or deployed; the latter position was chosen and they were clipped into place after painting. At the painting stage, unwanted stowed flaps were used to mask the pre-painted flap bay in the upper wing. The horizontal tailplane, elevators and rudder were built as sub-assemblies, and their
mating surfaces did require sanding to ensure a good fit when clamped together. Time was also taken to remove the rather odd raised surface that Revell used to represent fabric stretched over the separate control surfaces. Except the rudder, which was primed separately and painted yellow, all were fixed to the rear fuselage.
Great engineering Not content with supplying just a mere representation of an engine front hiding behind a In general, the wing and fuselage join was acceptable...although the wing leading-edge halves needed a certain amount of persuasion while being glued.
The cooling fan was pressed into place to hold the distinctive two-part annular intake ring in position. This enabled both carburettor covers and gun troughs to be held in location accurately with masking tape until set. The fit of these, as well as the engine cowlings, was not that tight.
Undercarriage legs and wheels exhibited excellent detail, faithful to the real aircraft.
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TEST-SHOT BUILD
FOCKE-WULF Fw 190F-8
Alclad (www.alclad2.com) ALC 600 Aqua Gloss Varnish AK Interactive (www.ak-interactive.com) AK 082 Engine Grime Lifecolor (www.airbrushes.com) CS 27 Shades of Black set
Two 300 lit fuel tanks and a single 500kg bomb were well shaped.
Spare undercarriage doors and stowed flaps, held in place with White-Tak, were used to mask the wheel well and flap openings.
rather large cooling fan, Revell did itself proud with a complete, 17-part BMW 801, and what a great little engine! The beautifully moulded powerplant, which incorporated cylinder banks, push rods, manifolds and cooling fan, exhibited a wealth of detail rarely found on a mainstream kit. Built over three stages, the complete assembly was given a coat of Tamiya X-32 Titanium Silver, while Lifecolor’s UA 731 Dirty Black and UA 736 Burnt Black were used on the crankcase and rear plate. Highlights were picked out in matt black, copper, aluminium and silver before
a diluted wash of Tamiya X-19 Smoke was flowed through all the nooks and crannies, to enhance the details. Construction of the complex exhaust system, a nightmare on most Fw 190 kits, was made easier by bundling the 14 pipes into just four moulded pieces. Via the employment of slide-moulding techniques, Revell even managed to feature depth to each hollow pipe. Once in place, the exhausts were painted in Burnt Black before various colours from Lifecolor’s Rust range were applied. The compact powerplant was test-fitted to the engine mount and showed no
apparent misalignment, and so was glued into place. The Fw 190’s distinctive twopart annular intake ring was well portrayed. The cooling fan was pressed into place in order to hold the ring in position, and this enabled the carburettor covers and gun troughs to be held in location correctly with masking tape until set. The fit of these, as well as the engine cowlings, was certainly not the tightest. In order to test the fit of the engine and cowlings, it was decided early on to have one set of cowlings open and the other shut. To
TSC 208 Tensocrom Smoke UA 071 RLM 02 UA 073 RLM 75 UA 409 RLM 76 Xtracrylix (www.hannants.co.uk) 1226 RLM 83 Tamiya (www.tamiya.com) XF-56 Metallic Grey X-32 Titanium Silver X-11 Chrome Silver X-19 Smoke Vallejo (www.creativemodels.co.uk) 74.600 White Primer 26.518 Matt Varnish
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TEST-SHOT BUILD
FOCKE-WULF F Fw 190F-8
ensure a reasonable fit, internal detail was trimmed and filler was applied to the joins. To help matters, it was decided to glue shut the cannon access panel in front of the cockpit. References suggested that this part should really have had a more detailed interior…exemplified by the engine cowlings. Undercarriage legs and wheels exhibited splendid detail, and captured faithfully the original. RLM 02 was used overall, with
the oleos picked out in Tamya X-11 Chrome Silver. Both subassemblies were put aside to be fixed in place after the underside camouflage colour had been applied. Revell supplied closed (narrow) and open (wider) versions of the later ‘blown’ canopy. Although not applicable to the markings supplied, standard canopies also appeared on the clear runner, which pointed towards future releases. Both canopies were prepared
After automotive primer and a white undercoat, the yellow Eastern Front theatre band was applied and masked. Most of the fuselage and lower wings were then sprayed with Lifecolor RLM 76.
with Tamiya masking tape for painting. After the canopy was painted and had its internal structure added, a pilot hole was drilled in front of the integrally moulded pulley wheel. Grey knitting-in elastic, available from haberdashers, was fed through the hole and held in place with cyanoacrylate (CA) glue. Munitions racks, plus the chosen load of two 300 lit drop tanks and a single 500kg bomb were built. But all three items were warped
slightly and in spite of clamping and binding with tape, needed a smear of filler at each end.
Painting by numbers In preparation for the first priming coat, wheel wells and flap openings were masked with the unwanted closedposition undercarriage doors and flaps, held in place with White-Tak. The engine intake was stuffed with damp tissue and the cockpit opening was
Beware unusual colours…this was the result when Polish manufacturer Hataka Hobby’s RLM 83 was used (right). Arguably, it looked much too bright in comparison to Xtracrylix’s RLM 83 Dark Green (left).
Following the instructions, masks were fashioned from card to reproduce the complicated camouflage pattern. Once the camouflage was completed, the model received several liberal coats of Alclad Gloss Varnish. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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TEST-SHOT BUILD
FOCKE-WULF Fw 190F-8
Wing cannons were inserted after the painting was completed. Weathering began with AK Interactive Engine Grime.
FW 190 vol. 1, by Krzysztof Janowicz (Kagero). ISBN: 83-89088-11-8 FW 190 vol. 3, by Krzysztof Janowicz (Kagero). ISBN: 83-89088-56-8 German Aircraft Cockpits 1911-1970 by Peter W Cohausz (Schiffer). ISBN: 0-7643-1873-X Aircraft Archive - Classics of World War Two (Argus), ISBN: 0-85242-985-1
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sealed with masking tape. To provide a key for the camouflage colours, automotive grey acrylic primer was used to cover the whole model and, after a white undercoat, the distinctive yellow theatre band around the cowling was painted and masked. Most of the fuselage and lower wings were then sprayed with Lifecolor RLM 76 Light Blue. White-Tak ‘worms’, held in place with masking tape, were used to form an irregular edge when Lifecolor RLM 76 Grey Violet was sprayed over the upper wing and fuselage surfaces. With the instructions used as a guide,
masks were fashioned from card to create the complicated squiggle pattern in Xtracrylix RLM 83 Dark Green. Once the camouflage was completed, the model was given several generous coats of Alclad Aqua Gloss Varnish in preparation for the application of decals. Not only did the comprehensive decal sheet contain well-printed markings for two machines from the same unit, it was also filled with numerous stencils, walkways and labels. Most of the decals behaved well with setting solution, but unfortunately, several of the tiny red creep marks either died or disappeared;
missing swastika decals were sourced from the spares box. Wing root cannons were then inserted and all the little fiddly bits, such as aerials and so forth, were added and the open engine cowlings were glued in place with two-part epoxy, before Vallejo Matt Varnish was used to seal everything in. A small amount of AK Interactive AK 082 Engine Grime was used to weather the panels behind the engine exhausts. Lastly, the elastic radio cables were stretched and fixed in place with CA. Although not used here, a large display stand, which comprised a plinth, pillar and mounting frame
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TEST-SHOT BUILD
FOCKE-WULF Fw F 190F-8
was included. If the finished model were to be displayed in ‘flying’ mode (even without a pilot figure), the modeller had only to open two large flashedover holes in the lower wing.
Fab Friedrich This model was obviously designed to have all the access panels fixed open, to show the well-detailed engine and gun bay. But there will be more than a little work to do for those who like to have everything ‘buttoned-up’, to emulate the clean lines of the real thing. Although it’s difficult to pre-judge the quality of the final production model against this test-shot, much fettling was required to achieve a good result....but Revell seems to have delivered another bargain largescale classic. Judging by the flashed-over panels and unused canopy in particular, one shouldn’t be surprised if further marks of Fw ❚ 190 appear in future.
Open and closed versions of the ‘blown’ canopy were supplied, and both were masked with Tamiya tape.
After the canopy was painted and internal structure added, a pilot hole was drilled in front of the integrally moulded pulley wheel. Grey knitting-in elastic was then fed through the hole and fixed with cyanoacrylate.
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IN FOCUS
FOCKE-WULF Fw 190F The clean, purposeful lines of the Fw 190 series are displayed by these two ‘Friedrich’ groundattack aircraft, probably Fw 190F-2 versions, displaying to advantage the lower fuselage centreline ETC 501 stores carrier, in this case with no ordnance. (Peter Walter Collection)
Luftwaffe specialist Malcolm V. Lowe examines the F-series of groundattack derivatives of Focke-Wulf’s famous Fw 190 fighter design
ntering service in 1941, FockeWulf’s iconic Fw 190 became, together with the equally renowned Messerschmitt Bf 109, the mainstay of Germany’s single-engine frontline fighter and fighter-bomber force in the mid-
and late-World War Two period. Although the majority of Fw 190 versions were dedicated fighters, there were very important fighterbomber models in the Fw 190 line as well, both as conversions of existing fighters or as stand-alone
specifically tasked close-support derivatives. The design of the Fw 190 dated back to the immediate pre-World War Two era, under the leadership of Focke-Wulf’s famous designer Kurt Tank. The first prototype made its initial flight at the company’s Bremen facility on June 1, 1939. Although the Fw 190 became a very important warplane for Nazi Germany’s air force (Luftwaffe), initial problems with the type’s BMW 801 radial engine installation resulted in the Fw 190
not gaining operational status in its initial fighter form until the late summer of 1941. Progressive development of the basic Fw 190 design led to a multitude of versions and sub-types. Throughout the rest of the war the Fw 190 was a warplane that always needed to be treated with respect by the Allies. The type operated on all the war fronts on which the Germans fought during the midand late-war phases, and it was still fully operational in its final production forms at the end of the war in Europe during May 1945.
Growth potential
Several Fw 190 airframes pioneered the ‘Schlacht’ Fw 190F layout. This aircraft is believed to be an Fw 190F-3/R1/trop (possibly coded KO+MD) or an Fw 190A-5/U17, which pioneered the F-3/R1 production model. (Focke-Wulf, Bremen)
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The possibility of the Fw 190 performing more than just air-toair combat had been recognised from an early point in the creation of the type. Focke-Wulf’s design team had built into the Fw 190’s structure the strength and growth potential for it to be a versatile multi-role combat aircraft. Indeed, from early in the production of the Fw 190A fighter series, a number of conversions had been performed to create specific models for air-to-ground work. These had included versions with the Umrüst-Bausatz factory conversion sets U1, U3 and U8, although as the production of
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IN FOCUS
FOCKE-WULF Fw 190F the Fw 190A series continued an increasing number of combat roles and weapons possibilities were created. The use of the Fw 190 in air-to-ground operations raised the opportunity for upgrading the Luftwaffe’s attack capabilities, which had been the preserve of such types as the Henschel Hs 123
that employed at least one of the original A-0 pre-production batch of Fw 190s under the designation Fw 190A-0/U4. This work may have commenced as early as May 1941, and had continued with other trials of early production Fw 190s, and it eventually culminated in the adoption of
A winter-camouflaged Fw 190F-8/R1 of SG 2 on the Eastern Front, in Hungary during the final winter of the war. When operating from snowcovered or other poor surfaces, the lower part of the main undercarriage doors was often removed, as seen here. (Peter Walter Collection)
Family ties
Pictured almost certainly at the Tarnewitz weapons testing facility, this Fw 190F-8/trop (probably Werk Nummer 580383, factory codes CM+WL) was used in weapons development trials and stores rack proving for this model of the short-range ground-attack Fw 190F. (Focke-Wulf, Bremen)
biplane and Junkers’ Ju 87 ‘Stuka’ during the early part of the war. Employment of the Fw 190 for missions against ground targets fell into two broad categories. These were, firstly, short-range ground-attack and battlefield support operations, for which the Fw 190F series was created. Secondly, there were longer range fighter-bomber missions for which the Fw 190G series was developed. Both the F and the G-series existed alongside the main Fw 190A production versions, and there were important links between them. Indeed, later in the war it was possible to find attack models of the Fw 190 that had been built using parts re-cycled from damaged earlier fighter models, in addition to those put together with completely new components. The generic term Jabo (short for Jagdbomber, or fighter-bomber) has often been used to describe these specialist attack models of the Fw 190, although the Fw 190F is better called a Schlachtflugzeug (groundattack aircraft). The Fw 190G was more correctly a Jabo-Rei for longer-range missions. Work to determine air-to-ground configurations and armament for the Fw 190 had started with trials
the A-4 and A-5 production series for attack operations with a number of Umrüst-Bausatz factory conversion sets; although, due to the increased weight of the armament carried, often the standard outer wing 20mm MG FF cannons of the earlier fighter models were removed to save
weight. With the successful initial service use of the Fw 190 in airto-ground operations, and its growing importance in this sphere of operations from the second half of 1942 onwards, FockeWulf looked at putting specific attack models of the Fw 190 into production in their own right.
Initial examples of the Fw 190F ‘Friedrich’ series had a direct link with the Fw 190 fighter models already modified for Jabo operations. The Fw 190F-1, in effect, was created out of the Fw 190A-4/U3 version already in existence. This ground-attack derivative of the standard Fw 190A-4 fighter retained the latter model’s armament of a 20mm MG 151/20E cannon in each wing root, and two 7.9mm MG 17 machine guns in the upper forward fuselage, without the type’s outer wing MG FF cannon. Significantly it featured an ETC 501 stores carrier beneath the fuselage centreline, able to carry a single 250kg (551lb) or 500kg (1,102lb) bomb, or four 50kg (110lb) bombs on an ER 4 rack attached to the ETC 501. There is speculation that between 18 and 30 new-build F-1 models An early Fw 190F-series aircraft, probably an F-1 or A-4/U3, displaying an ER 4 rack for four 50kg bombs on its standard ETC 501 lower fuselage centreline stores carrier. (Focke-Wulf, Bremen)
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IN FOCUS
FOCKE-WULF Fw 190F were also manufactured. The next version, the Fw 190F-2, was directly linked to the Fw 190A-5/ U3. This model was redesignated Fw 190F-2, although a number of new-build F-2 aircraft were also manufactured; production comprised around 271 aircraft built primarily by Focke-Wulf, seemingly from the Sorau factory, but Arado at Warnemünde was also involved.
June 1943 and April 1944, this model was produced by Arado at Warnemünde but only 530 examples appear to have been built there, possibly fewer. Like several of the other F-series models, the F-3 had armoured (thicker) lower fuselage panels, cowling front and additional armour plating around the fuselage fuel tanks. Although planned for production,
A peacefully grazing cow stands beside the wreckage of Fw 190F-8/ R1, Werk Nummer 580434, of II./SG 4, at Hradec Králové airfield in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (later Czechoslovakia) at the war’s end. (via Lubomír Hodan)
An abandoned Fw 190F-8/R1 captured by the Allies at Pardubice in the German-created Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia during May 1945. Note the underwing bomb racks. (via Lubomír Hodan)
Production took place between late 1942 and approximately May 1943. Modifications for operation in North Africa or the Mediterranean (or, indeed, the dusty heat of the Russian summer) were included, and these comprised a ‘tropical’ filter on an externally mounted air intake fitted on the engine cowling sides. The Fw 190F-3 was the first F-series model not to be linked directly to Jabo modifications and conversions from the Fw 190A fighter series production. This model was based loosely on the Fw 190A-6 in that it used the strengthened wing of that fighter version, but also derived some of its features from the Fw 190A-5, such as the A-5/U17 modification. The latter included the fitting of two ETC 50 racks beneath each wing for the carriage of 50kg bombs (as the Fw 190F-3/R1). In addition, a Robot-type 35mm strike camera was often fitted inside the port wing leading edge. Between approximately May/
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the F-4 to F-7 models were not manufactured, which made the F-8 the next F-series version to be produced. In fact, the F-8 was arguably the most important of the 'Friedrich' variants and was built in much larger numbers. It was similar to the Fw 190A-8 fighter model as a starting point, but some examples of this version
featured a rounded-top cockpit canopy to improve pilot vision for close-in ground-attack missions. Production of the F-8 commenced in the early months of 1944 by Arado at Warnemünde, and by Norddeutsche Dornier at Wismar in the spring of 1944. Many different weapons combinations were subsequently tried out on the F-8.
The type’s BMW 801D-2 engine of 1,700hp (take-off power) could be fitted with a supplementary fuel injection system for short-period boost of the power available at low altitudes; many F-series aircraft spent most of their operational lives at low level. The exact number of F-8 aircraft built remains open to considerable debate. It is possible that the total could have been as low as several hundred, but more recent research suggests more than three thousand - although this high number would probably have contained many rebuilt and recycled airframes from other Fw 190 models. The two MG 17 upper forward fuselage weapons of earlier models were replaced by a pair of harder-hitting MG 131 13mm machine guns. The final production example of the F-series was the Fw 190F-9, although a variety of projected models were planned after this version. The F-9 was roughly equivalent to the late-production Fw 190A-9 fighter, and had a rounded-top cockpit canopy as standard. Some examples also
Photographed during the war’s finale, this Fw 190F-8/R1 shows the two small underwing bomb racks and latewar toned-down national insignia. (Malcolm V. Lowe Collection)
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IN FOCUS
FOCKE-WULF Fw 190F
sported a wide-chord vertical tail resembling that fitted to the Ta 152 high-altitude fighter. Production began in late 1944 and was carried out by Arado and, possibly, Dornier as a follow-on to the Fw 190F-8 manufacture. In January 1945, 147 F-9s were built according to contemporary official figures. It continued until the war ended, but the total number produced of the F-9 remains unknown. The F-9 introduced some alterations in the underwing and fuselage weapons racks, the common ETC 501 beneath the fuselage being replaced on some aircraft (and some F-8s) by an ETC 504, while the ETC 50 underwing racks could be replaced by the ETC 71.
Operational woes There is no doubt that the ground-attack versions of the Fw 190 series performed sterling service for Germany’s Luftwaffe, specifically from later in 1942 onwards for the A-series conversions, and from 1943 for the Fw 190F itself. However, as the war continued the Germans were increasingly forced into a
defensive struggle as the Allies gained the upper hand in Italy, on the Eastern Front, and latterly, in the west following D-Day during June 1944. Nevertheless the Fw 190F proved to be a fast, powerful warplane that could look after itself even if confronted by Allied fighters. The basic operating unit for many of the Fw 190F was the Schnellkampfgeschwader (SKG or fast fighter-bomber wing), latterly called a Schlachtgeschwader (SG or ground-attack wing). The importance of the type is typified by the fact that at the war’s end, a large number of Fw 190F examples were captured by Allied forces on many airfields across Germany as well as Central and Eastern Europe, in addition to Italy. Supplementary to Luftwaffe service, the Fw 190F was also operated by an ally of Nazi Germany, namely Hungary. The Hungarians received a total of 72 Fw 190F-8s, starting in the second half of 1944. The type was mainly engaged in close-support missions on the Eastern Front in the final months of the war, including the harsh winter of late ❚ 1944 and early 1945.
Fw 190F-8/R1, Werk Nummer 580434, of II./ SG 4, at Hradec Králové airfield sits among many other wrecked Luftwaffe aircraft at the end of hostilities. (via Lubomír Hodan)
Captured in 1945 by the British and given the ‘AIR MIN’ number AM 111, this Fw 190 in F-8/ R15 layout was a forerunner of a planned torpedocarrying maritime strike production version; note the raised tailwheel layout. (Malcolm V. Lowe Collection)
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After British success, it didn't take the US Marine Corps long to appreciate the value of the Harrier as a closesupport tool. Here, an AV-8A of VMA-513 operates at its base of Misawa, Japan, in the mid-1970s.
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BASIC BUILD
AV-8A HARRIER
Chris Jones investigates the new elements in Airfix’s Harrier AV-8A
OOH-RAH!AHARRIER New runners New Sidewinder pylons and fins featured on the second runner, along with several interesting extras that weren’t for use on this particular kit.
Cockpit fit was excellent, with interior detail moulded onto the sidewalls...the four-part Stencel seat assembled easily and fitted perfectly.
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Airfix’s new AV-8A came complete with all the runners needed to make a standard RAF Harrier GR.1 along with two brand new frames that contained parts for an AV-8A or indeed an AV-8S, should one go with the Spanish Navy version on the decal sheet. All of the UK-specific parts, which included a Martin Baker Mk.9 seat and SNEB rocket pods, were added to the spares pile. Externally, the Harrier GR.1 and
AV-8A were very similar, with the main addition being a tall dorsal antenna midway along the fuselage. The AV-8S also had an extra blade antenna behind the wing join line, which wasn’t present on USMC machines... helpfully this was provided in the kit. Although AV-8As tended to have two small antennas side by side just behind the canopy, the second wasn’t supplied. However, it wouldn’t be too taxing to make one from plastic card, although having said that, this author didn’t bother! A new ejection seat was also catered for, in the form of a Stencel SEU-3A. Reference photos of AV-8As seemed to
MODEL SPEC
The first new runner provided LAU-10 rocket pods, Sidewinders, a Stencel SEU-3A seat and two antennas.
fter the Harrier GR.1 entered RAF service in 1969, the US Marine Corps (USMC) began to pay special attention to Britain’s new ground-attack asset. The vertical/short take-off and landing capability of the Harrier allowed it to operate either from rough field conditions or ships. The USMC quickly realised that it was the perfect platform to provide rapidly deployable, highly responsive close air support, which would operate initially from the sea and then from improvised locations just behind the Marines as they moved inland from their beachheads. After modifying the standard GR.1 to meet certain US requirements, the AV-8A entered US service in 1971.
Hawker Siddeley AV-8A Harrier By:
Airfix
Stock Code: A04057 Scale:
1/72
Price:
£14.99
Available from: Airfix, www.airfix.com
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BASIC BUILD
AV-8A HARRIER
KIT COLOUR SCHEMES Airfix’s boxing provides two distinctly different liveries: • AV-8A, Bu.No.158976/WF/5, VMA-513, US Marine Corps, Misawa AB, 1976 • AV-8S, 008-10, Spanish Navy, Rota AB, 1982
Tamiya tape was used for seatbelts, although it was found that the instrument panel decals needed to be trimmed substantially.
The intake trunking and cockpit all fitted together well...there was a gap in the nose wheel well, but it can’t be seen on the final model unless one really looks for it.
show seats with and without twin firing handles above the head rest and it was eventually decided to scratch-build these, while Tamiya tape was used to add seat belts. New armament options included a pair of LAU-10 Zuni four-shot rocket pods and two Sidewinders and their associated pylons. There were also a number of additional items on the new runners that weren’t for use on this kit. One of these parts included a fixed refuelling probe, which was sometimes fitted to Marine Harriers – certainly a useful spare.
Get it together Beginning with the cockpit, Tamiya XF-66 Light Grey was mixed with X-22 Clear and airbrushed, which achieved a glossy surface. The instrument decal needed plenty of trimming to fit, followed by a dark grey oil wash to simulate grime and shadow. After a coat of Xtracolor Flat Varnish, a silver Prismacolor pencil was used to add chipping effects to the edges and floor. The fit of the fuselage halves, intake trunking and cockpit was excellent, although the rear wheel well/airbrake bay needed
Tamiya tape held the fuselage halves together while the glue set, before the remainder of the airframe was assembled.
With everything attached, Milliput White filler was used sparingly to eliminate any join lines.
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BASIC BUILD
AV-8A HARRIER
Rather late in the day, it was decided to add scratch-built upper firing handles to the ejection seat.
encouragement to ensure a good join. The wing halves were assembled separately, with fit once again being rather good. There
were two faint depressions on each wing running from the root to the trailing edge, but these were left alone owing to their subtlety. Raised mould lines were present on the fuselage halves, but light sanding made short work of them, although assembling the outer intakes was tricky and an element of modification was required...but otherwise all was well. Once the entire airframe was assembled and the seams had been sanded, the gun pods were added. Milliput was applied to the under surface wingto-fuselage joins, lower halves of the outer intake/fuselage, around the tailplane locating block and between the inner faces of the gun pods and fuselage. The advantage
of this two-part epoxy filler was that while wet, it could be removed with just damp cotton buds and no sanding was required. After locations had been indented with a scribing tool, a pin vice was used to drill the various holes and inlets on the fuselage. Considering the uncluttered aesthetics of the GR.1/ AV-8A nose, it was decided to pose the canopy closed to avoid spoiling such sleek lines. The plastic rear canopy frame/sliding section was attached to the fuselage with Tamiya Extra Thin Cement, with the transparencies used as a guide, and once dry the clear parts were fixed in place with Micro Kristal Klear. Eduard masks facilitated the build process, although a little
trimming was needed here and there. They were certainly useful for the mainwheels, as the hubs were very faint.
Time to paint Ordinarily, priming seams is worthwhile but on this occasion, thanks to the excellent fit of the fuselage halves and upper wing section, it wasn’t necessary. A 2:1 mix of white and XF-80 Light Grey was used to replicate the Light Aircraft Grey undersides and this was sprayed and left to dry. Thanks to the camouflage overlapping the underside leading edges, masking took considerable time. Tamiya’s XF-54 Dark Sea Grey was used as an initial
Masking took ages, due in no small part to the leading edge camouflage overlap and the curvy fuselage of the Harrier.
After the base coat of Dark Sea Grey had dried, a mottled finish was created with lightened and darkened tones.
Thin layers of paint were used to build the outlines, before slightly thicker paint shaded the remaining areas.
For the green camouflage, a similar approach to weathering was taken, with light and dark tones applied to break up the otherwise monotone colour.
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BASIC BUILD
AV-8A HARRIER
Once the green mottling was completed, it was noted that the grey tones were still muted so they were re-done. Annoyingly, they remained too subtle under the gloss coat.
The decal carrier film was matt, so another heavy coat of gloss was required to cover it and prevent any silvering.
A light grey wash was mixed for the underside...this prevented the final finish from being too stark and provided subtle weathering.
After a coat of gloss white, the front of each rocket pod was given a grey wash, before matt varnish paved the way for detail painting. A 2B pencil provided chipping effects.
base coat, before lightened and darkened mottles were applied over the top. Next, XF-81 RAF Dark Green 2 was sprayed freehand, before tonal variations were added. At this stage, the tinting on the grey seemed less obvious in comparison to the green, so it was re-done. Annoyingly, even the touch-ups proved to be too subtle, because they disappeared under the gloss coat. The same process was repeated over the grey right at the end of the build...third time
Grey was sprayed over the stars and bars (to mute them slightly), mottled on the under surfaces and applied to select panel lines to suggest accumulated muck and grime. Afterwards, underside streaking and staining was added with a very thin mix of black and red brown. Final assembly involved widening the locating holes for the outriggers to ensure better fit, and enlarging the pylon locating slots, which were slightly too narrow. The jet nozzles were also very tight, so be prepared for paint touch-ups if needed. Dark grey/ black pastel was rubbed carefully into the vents and puffer jet
lucky! This type of painting is tricky to perfect; if it is too stark the model will look like a caricature, too subtle and varnishing will hide all the hard work, but practice makes perfect. After picking out the relevant fin panels with faded Olive Drab, the airframe was glossed. The decals bedded down easily, but the carrier film was matt which came as a surprise, so a heavy coat of gloss was required afterwards to blend them in. A very light grey oil wash was mixed for the under surfaces, while a mid to dark wash was used over the uppers. After a coat of Xtracolor Flat Varnish, very thin Dark Sea
nozzles to suggest shadow, while a .005 ultra-thin marker was used to colour the windscreen wiper. To avoid breakages, the pitot was sliced off at the start, before being re-applied right at the end.
Delectable ‘Devil Dog’ Airfix’s standard Harrier GR.1 has been thoughtfully embellished with the extra components necessary to produce an AV-8A. There are areas where one should take care, but given the overall levels of detail the end result is well worth it. It was a fun project and one can’t go wrong with a ❚ Harrier carrying rockets!
"TO AVOID BREAKAGES, THE PITOT WAS SLICED OFF AT THE START"
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ADVANCED BUILD TIRAN 5 TANK
ENGINE TROUBLE
Dave Oliver super-details Tamiya’s 1/35 Tiran 5 kit with a host of after-market products
The very comprehensive engine detail set from CMK contained all the items for the Soviet V12 engine, which was retained in the Tiran. Very little scratch-building was required, apart from the addition of a few wires and ignition leads.
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T
he Soviet T-55 Main Battle Tank had a long and distinguished combat career that spanned nearly six decades. Numerous countries purchased the type and appreciated its rugged and simple design, along with its low-slung profile, which made it a difficult target on the battlefield. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) captured many examples during the 1967 Six Day War and, after modifying them, duly pressed these war prizes into service. Renamed the Tiran-5, the tank served with the IDF in a number of roles, and ended its days with Israeli reserve units in the mid-1990s.
Plan, prepare...build! Tamiya’s Tiran 5 kit builds into a great model straight from the
box, but it was felt there was room for improvement. With this in mind, a variety of after-market accessories was assembled; these included an exterior detail set from Legend Productions, engine and interior sets from CMK, metal tracks from Spade Ace and a turned metal barrel from Aber. Lighting the model was a completely new experience, and Tirydium Models kindly supplied a custom set, which comprised three interior lights, fibre-optic cable for the welder and an inspection light for the engine compartment. A rather impressive workshop plaster casting was obtained from Add on Parts; this provided a base and backdrop. Other items such as workshop tools and machines were obtained from Plus Model and Verlinden, with figures from
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ADVANCED BUILD TIRAN 5 TANK
BREECH FUN Reference material for the L7 breech mechanism was rather thin on the ground, but with the aid of a photo of the US M68 licence-built version, albeit fitted in an M48 from the same era, an educated guess was made as to its appearance. After experimentation, the rather complex circular tapered unit was scratch-built from a plastic pipette, modified appropriately and then painted, with detail added from the spare parts box and plastic strip. This was added to the Aber turned aluminium barrel, which subsequently required alterations to CMK's recoil carriage for the new structure, and frequent test-fitting was required to ensure it slotted in the rather cramped turret.
After careful painting, the main engine sub-assemblies were ready to add to the hull, complete with a scratch-built radiator, which was about the only item not included.
MODEL SPEC
Royal Model, while Meng’s Middle Eastern figure set provided the curious child to peek in the garage window. Israeli Tank Tiran 5 By:
Tamiya
Stock Code: 35328 Scale:
1/35
Price:
£34.99
Available from: The Hobby Company, www.hobbyco.net
Work commenced on the engine compartment, and the first task was to clean and prepare CMK's resin parts...large casting plugs were removed outdoors to avoid a profusion of resin dust in the house and smaller parts were neatened with a scalpel blade. Constant dry-fitting was required to ensure everything was aligned correctly, an example being the engine mount, which had to be sanded significantly to sit flush with the powerplant's deck. After all parts had been primed with Alclad Grey, the engine block was sprayed with Citadel Bolt Gun Metal. Verlinden’s War Machines book provided useful reference here, as the IDF repainted many engine components. A rather unusual brown colour, noted on
photographs of the rocker cover was achieved by mixing Citadel Scorched Brown and Blood Red. Once the ancillary items had been attached and plug leads added from lead wire, a black oil wash was applied over the whole assembly to pick out the
details, while Lifecolor TSC207 Tensocrom Oil was used to give a grimy appearance to the engine recesses. A rusted effect was created on the exhausts with a base coat of Vallejo 70.302 Dark Rust, before MIG Productions' rust pigments were added. The
“LIGHTING LIGHTING THE MODEL WAS A COMPLETELY NEW EXPERIENCE”
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ADVANCED BUILD TIRAN 5 TANK With all parts painted and assembled, the engine bay was complete. Note the scratch-built yellow injector between the exhaust manifold, which would inject diesel to create an instant smoke screen.
With all of the engine and fighting compartment accessories installed, the cramped and cluttered nature of the T-55/Tiran-5 interior became apparent. Note how the weathering effects are consistent throughout.
CMK’s excellent detail set required minimal clean-up and provided most of the major details; only items such as the breech and radio set required scratch-building or replacing. However, testfitting was required to ensure alignment with the engine compartment and turret aperture.
engine bay was pre-shaded with black, and several thin coats of Lifecolor UA021 FS 36622 Light Grey were applied. Areas likely to have suffered from wear and tear were then highlighted with matt white. Chipping effects were applied with a fine brush and UA207 Panzer Grey; this modeller’s preference was to do this well before the final weathering stage, as it tended to make what can be a tricky process look a little less stark when blended with pigments. Again, a black oil wash was added to pick out raised details, with a thicker wash applied on the floor of the bay to add to the grubbiness, and
then several different shades of washes and pigments were applied. After final assembly, the engine bay still looked too clean, and Model Mates Oil Effect was airbrushed lightly over the whole compartment to dirty it further. Before assembly of the fighting compartment and driver’s area could begin, it was realised that several items needed to be replaced. The Soviet radio supplied with the CMK set was replaced with a Verlinden NATO item, as it was more suitable for the time period and had a better resemblance to the Israeli unit. A more significant issue was the breech for the main gun, which
“AFTER FINAL ASSEMBLY, THE ENGINE BAY STILL LOOKED TOO CLEAN ”
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ADVANCED BUILD TIRAN 5 TANK
INNER WEAR Painting and weathering the interior took several stages:
had to be scratch-built (see panel p.57), as the IDF replaced the Soviet 100mm D-10T with the British 105mm L7.
Interior enhancements Although the exterior of the Tiran was already good, it was decided that the standard should match that of the interior. Therefore, Legend Productions' Tiran 5 set, which contained resin and photoetched (PE) metal, designed to replace many of the kit exterior parts, was acquired. One of the most complex assemblies was the large turret stowage basket, which was unique to the Tiran. This was provided as one large PE item, which was bent to fit the compound curve at the rear of the turret. A complex internal framework of copper wire was then added; this required meticulous attention to ensure
it followed the internal contours, before delicate mounting points were glued in place with cyanoacrylate (CA). These were adjusted so that all four corners of the sub-assembly could be attached to the turret exterior. Smaller items, such as fender brackets, required tiny resin bolt heads to be added with CA, and while time-consuming and fiddly, the effect was worth the effort. Larger items, which included jerry can baskets, were relatively simple to construct, although a dedicated PE bending tool and set of pliers made this job much easier. Finally, the basket on the front left-hand side of the hull was intentionally bent slightly out of shape and left empty to add interest.
Desert weathering After the model had been cleaned thoroughly, several thin coats
The CMK driver’s position, effectively a kit in its own right, was pre-shaded with black to add depth to the base coat and break-up the otherwise uniform colour; this also acted as a reference point when applying washes and chipping effects. Lifecolor Light Grey was used as a base coat, before the details (which included the wiring and controls) were painted. Chipping effects were applied to the edges and any areas which would have received heavy use. A MIG Black Oil wash was applied, followed by a MIG Shadow Brown oil wash. Final weathering with pigments took place after the interior was assembled, as this allowed consistent effects to be applied to the whole area.
The turret interior also benefitted from the Legend detail set, as it received resin and photo-etched metal embellishments; cabling was added from thin wire. Once painted, the effect was stunning and it complemented the scratch-built breech and busy turret ring. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ADVANCED BUILD TIRAN 5 TANK
“A MORE SIGNIFICANT ISSUE WAS THE BREECH FOR THE MAIN GUN, WHICH HAD TO BE SCRATCH-BUILT”
The Legend exterior set comprised both resin and PE replacement parts, which provided an exhaustive set of details for the already well-appointed kit exterior. The instructions were very concise, with each part’s location indicated clearly.
of AK Interactive Soviet Green primer were applied. This was left to dry for two days, before a coat of AKI Worn Effects fluid was sprayed over the entire tank and left to dry for 45 minutes. The first coat of UA902 IDF Sand Grey 2 was then airbrushed, with another coat applied as soon as the first was dry to the touch, before a degree of colour modulation was added to accent dark and light areas of the hull and turret. Experimentation with chipping fluid on various spare parts over the course of the build revealed that time really was of the essence, so as soon
Several light coats of AK Interactive Soviet Green primer were applied and left to dry thoroughly. A good base layer was crucial to the following painting stages and therefore a great deal of care was taken to ensure this was applied smoothly.
The next stage was time critical...first AK interactive Worn Effects was sprayed, and then after 45 minutes the first coat of Lifecolor IDF Sand Grey was applied, with a second added just 20 minutes later.
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as the final coat was relatively dry, the hull and turret was ‘distressed’ with an old brush and fine grade Micro-Mesh cloth. This produced the desired effect, with the original green colour of the captured tank visible on areas of wear on the rather hasty re-spray by the IDF. After a coat of Johnson’s Klear, it was time for the markings. The decals were airbrushed lightly with Tamiya XF-57 Buff to give a dusty appearance, before each was roughened with a scalpel to ensure a worn effect. Once in place, several coats of Micro Sol decal solution were applied, with
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ADVANCED BUILD TIRAN 5 TANK
LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT To provide the lighting effects, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were positioned and glued in place on the underside of the upper hull; wires were then fed through a small hole drilled through the underside of the tank, just beside the driver’s compartment. Once completed, the hull halves were mated and a few of the smaller exterior PE parts added. At this point it was discovered that the resin turret assembly required the removal of the moulded turret ring...this was achieved with a scalpel, but unfortunately cut the wires to one of the interior LEDs. After a rather tense session with a soldering iron, the damage was repaired, with the model thankfully unscathed.
As soon as the top coat was dry to the touch, a damp brush was used to distress the paint and reveal the underlying Soviet Green. Special attention was given to the turret top and front fenders and anywhere where the crew would have climbed onto the vehicle. After a dust coat of XF-57 Buff, the decals were scratched and scuffed before being applied to the tank, as pristine markings would have looked very out of place on a weathered vehicle.
layers of Klear and Lifecolor satin varnish added subsequently. As with the interior, the chipping effects were started as soon as the last coat of paint had been applied. AKI Chipping and UA207 Panzer Grey were used on areas of raised detail, as well as highlighting some of the previously applied chips. Further abrasions were added with a fine sponge dipped in Panzer Grey; this process was repeated throughout the weathering process to add depth. MIG Brown Enamel wash was used to provide a pin wash, as well as a more general wash on larger areas, which gave the vehicle a grubby appearance. After a few days, this was repeated
on areas of high wear, such as the turret top and around the engine compartment. Subtle effects were added with AKI Streaking Grime and a wash of MIG Standard Rust. The bottom of the turret was airbrushed very lightly with Modelmates Oil Brown Weathering Dye to simulate the build up of oil and grease, while the same product was used to portray streaks of hydraulic fluid at the back of the commander’s cupola. A dust coat of XF-57 Buff was then applied to the
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ADVANCED BUILD TIRAN 5 TANK
“ALMOST EVERY ASPECT OF THE BUILD WAS ENJOYABLE”
whole model to provide a key for weathering pigments. This proved to be quite difficult, as the T-55 design had very few vertical surfaces and plenty of research and practice was required to achieve a natural, dusty appearance. Once completed, Lifecolor Sand Pigment was used in various quantities to accentuate the weathering.
Back in the workshop With the tank almost complete, work started on the diorama. Many of the smaller items, such as the work bench and pillar drill,
were assembled and painted over the course of the build and provided a welcome change of pace. The desk and pallet at the front of the diorama were painted with Lifecolor's Wood Effects set and then weathered. Parts from several different workshop sets were utilised to make the scene look like a busy, functioning facility. Random tools and containers were then assembled and painted, with most items being given a dust coat of XF-57 Buff to blend in with the rest of the scene. Both the welder and tank
mechanic were supplied by Royal Model and required just slight modifications to make their poses fit the scene. The figure having a crafty cigarette at the front of the diorama came from Djiti’s Productions and needed
minimal alterations to his posture, although the head was replaced by a more detailed ‘smoking’ item from Hornet. Similarly, few changes were required for the figure of the boy looking through the window, which came from
MAKING TRACKS Spade Ace’s white metal tracks were excellent and required minimal clean up, and once assembled were very flexible, which allowed them to conform to the road wheels. No glue was required, but the steel wire supplied to join the links required a heavy duty pair of wire cutters to trim the track pins to length. A test-fit showed that they gave a weighted look which would be hard to achieve with the kit supplied ‘rubber band’ tracks. AK Interactive (AKI) Burnishing Fluid was used to create a rusted appearance, with separate track lengths simply submerged in the fluid and then given a comprehensive scrub with an old tooth brush to achieve a uniform finish.
MIG Productions Brown wash was used to pick out details and as a general wash. As with all weathering, a ‘less is more’ approach was adopted, with successive coats applied to produce a realistic yet controllable effect.
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ADVANCED BUILD TIRAN 5 TANK
AFTER MARKET
Providing a focal point at the front of the diorama was a rather foolhardy individual lighting a cigarette!
Legend Productions (www-legend.co.kr/) IDF Tiran 5 Detailing set - LF1263 Czech Master Resin (www.cmkkits.com) T-55 Interior set – 3047 T-55 Engine Set – 3046 Aber (www.aber.net.pl) Israeli 105mm M-68 Tank Barrel for Tiran - 535L-144 Spade Ace (www.spade-ace-models.com) T-55 white metal tracks – SAT35007 Verlinden Productions (www.verlindenonline.com) T-55 Dozer Blade – 1957 Workshop Stuff- 2541 Plus Model (www.plusmodel.cz) Workshop Equipment – 094 Djiti’s Models (www.realmodel.cz) Smoking Figure - DJ35054 Meng Model (www.meng-model.com) Middle Eastern Figure Set – HS001 Royal Model (www.royalmodel.com/en) Mechanics – 590 Welder no.1 – 683 Gas Welding Set – 682 Workshop Accessories – 039 Italeri (www.hobbyco.net, www.italeri.com) Field Tool Shop – 419 Add On Parts (www.addonparts.com) Factory Interior - 35-0078
Some of the figures required a little modification in order to position them correctly into the diorama; here small plastic card fillets were used to fill joins, before they were covered with Andrea Sculp putty.
Meng’s Middle Eastern Figure Set. Careful handling was the order of the day for the Add on Parts workshop diorama, which was cast in plaster and chipped easily... or broke easily, as discovered after one particularly unfortunate incident! As the door was to be located on the right-hand side of the diorama, a few small modifications to the base were needed before everything fitted into place. Several coats of Alclad Grey Primer were applied, as the porous nature of the plaster absorbed the first coat and left an uneven finish. The walls were then given several coats of LFC616 Faded Brick and dry-brushed lightly with a mix of the same colour and white. A thin coat of UA739 Plaster was then used selectively as a pin wash, as this picked out areas of mortar, before random bricks were painted with
Many of the diorama items were built and painted over the course of the project, and provided a welcome distraction from the main build. The concrete floor was a particular challenge though, as just about every weathering product known to man was used to try and produce a realistic finish!
Citadel Scorched Brown, which made the walls look less uniform. Next, the lower halves of the wall were white-washed with a thinned mix of white and light grey. The workshop doors were primed and sprayed with various shades of Vallejo Rust and once dry, a coat of AKI Ultimate Chipping was applied, with the paint rubbed
away vigorously and chipped to achieve a used and abused appearance. The supplied resin window was deemed unsuitable, and a replacement was scratchbuilt from acetate sheet and plastic card, with the outer surface given a hazy appearance by sanding it lightly with MicroMesh cloths.
Tirydium Models (www.tirydiummodels.co.uk) Custom Lighting set
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ADVANCED BUILD TIRAN 5 TANK
Taking a look
“HOPEFULLY THE END RESULT WAS CONVINCING”
The walls proved relatively straightforward to paint, although they had to be handled carefully, with lightened coats of the base colour used to give depth to the brick work.
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The final, and in many respects most difficult stage was to paint the concrete workshop floor. After a base coat of UA094 FS36270 Medium Grey, a black oil wash was applied to highlight the various joints and cracks. An oil wash of MIG Shadow Brown was used selectively to make things look grubby, and then the floor was dry-brushed lightly with the base colour. As the overall finish still looked too clean, a clay-based concrete wash was utilised, followed by selective airbrushing with various colours from the Lifecolor Leaking and Stains set. Finally, a dust coat of Lifecolor Sand Pigment was applied in appropriate areas, with extra emphasis around the doorway and where the tank would be positioned, as well as the fixtures and fittings.
After a few last-minute bugs with the lighting had been ironed out, the project was finished. Almost every aspect of the build was enjoyable, from detailing the interior to building a busy but balanced diorama, and the basic kit was a joy to assemble. This took a lot of work to achieve but, drawing from personal experiences from my first job, which was working in a council workshop with all its health and safety shortcomings, hopefully ❚ the end result was convincing.
REFERENCES War Machines No.10, IDF Tiran 4 (T-54), Tiran 5 (T-55), Tiran 6 (T-62) by Michael Mass, Verlinden Publishing, ISBN 978-1930607026 TIRAN in Lebanese wars, by Samer Kassis, AMMO of MIG Jiminez, A.MIG 6000 The Beast/The Beast of War, Colombia Pictures/Warner Bros, 1988
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Scale Aircraft Conversions White Metal & Resin Aircraft Parts Since 1990
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scaleaircraftconversions.com
OUT AND ABOUT
SOUTHERN EXPO 2015
This Trumpeter 1/32 Douglas Skyraider was built by Dick Francis, of the Modelworks online club, and all the cutaway/interior was rendered from scratch.
Merit’s impressive 1/16 88mm gun was completed to a high standard straight from the box, by Tony Diggle. Tony is a member of Gravesham Military Model Society.
John Simmons added extensive detailing to convert this 1/16 Fordson Super major tractor, which was actually a diecast model to begin with...but it won best in show.
Peter Buckingham’s class-winning 1/72 Indian Navy Lockheed L1049G started life as the Heller TWA kit, but was converted with Fisher resin parts and scratch-building.
SOUTH-EAST TREAT
N
ow in its 30th year, Southern Expo is often the first show in the calendar for many modellers based in the south. The drive on a beautiful spring Sunday morning was a pleasure, made even better by the thought of seeing all the new builds people had been working on over the winter, which often seem to see
the light of day at this particular gathering. Held over two days, Hornchurch Model Club has always managed to provide a good balance of clubs and vendors, with plenty of room to wander around and admire the breathtaking variety on display. So much stood out as being worthy of mention,
IPMS Sci-Fi SIG and Mid-Sussex club member Matthew Peerless scratch-built the battle damage on his 1/350 Polar Lights USS Constellation.
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but the Tornado Special Interest Group display, complete with items from real 'Tonkas', was especially eye-catching, while the Sci-Fi SIG table groaned under the weight of original and beautifully executed builds. The competition was another highlight, in which newly installed lighting removed the green
tint that afflicted photographs taken there in previous years. The superb 1/72 Lockheed L0149G by Peter Buckingham was a favourite, along with the heavily modified 1/16 Fordson Super Major tractor by John Simmons; it was good to see both receive a first place in their respective categories, as well as best in show for the tractor. Having heard reports that the Saturday was also busy, it is good to report that this friendly and eclectic show is going from strength to strength...long may it ❚ continue. Dave Oliver
The only kit items on Modelworks club member Dick Francis’ staggering scratch-built 1/25 Chieftain ARRV were Tamiya tracks and wheels! (all photos Dave Oliver)
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COMPETITION REVELL KITS
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For further details of all the kits shown, please visit www.revell.de/en Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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20/04/2015 12:04
INTERMEDIATE BUILD
KRAMME & ZEUTEN LÆRKE
G
Mike Grant indulges in a little Danish light aircraft action
the Lark Up with
one are the days when the only likelihood of seeing an obscure subject was as a vac-form or resin kit. Even the mainstream manufacturers are now releasing models of long ignored types; who’d have thought we’d be able to buy an injection-moulded F-107, for example? However, the subject of this article has to rate as one of the most unusual aircraft kit subjects produced recently: a Danish lightutility aeroplane of which only 60 were built shortly after World War Two. Several were used by the Royal Danish Air Force as trainers and observation aircraft, and many more carried civilian registrations. Stoppel is a Danish manufacturer that has been producing aftermarket decals for many years, so it’s not surprising that this new kit comes in several boxings with different markings options. First impressions were very favourable. Moulded in grey plastic, the parts reminded this writer of a Special Hobby or RS Models kit, with fine surface detail, sharp moulding and no alignment pins. The canopy was supplied in halves, but was very clear with well-defined framing. Three styles of propeller were included, but with no apparent instructions as to which was applicable to any particular decal option. Reference material for the Lærke wasn’t exactly plentiful, but Internet searches resulted in several useful photographs, including several in the livery of the aircraft being modelled.
Let’s go!
Stoppel Hobby’s styrene parts were cleanly moulded, with a minimum of flash. The cockpit detail was more than adequate, and quite visible through the expansive canopy.
{68}
Two-part canopies can be troublesome, but fortunately the seam fell along frame lines, which made it easier to hide.
Stage 1 of the instructions dealt with the Lærke’s cabin, which came well equipped with four seats, rudder pedals, the ‘Y’
With minor modification the upper framework was attached to the rear bulkhead, so the seat harnesses could be connected to the overhead bar.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
KRAMME & ZEUTEN LÆRKE
Decal Options KZVII Ambulance Plane Falcks Flyvetjeneste 1947 – 1955 Overall FS1136 Red KZVII Ambulance Plane Falcks Flyvetjeneste 1955 – 1959 Overall FS1136 Red KZVII AOP 0-620/621 1961 – 1977 Overall aluminium with Dayglo orange panels
MODEL SPEC
shaped dual control column, centre console and instrument panel. Humbrol paint references were quoted for the various details, and the two-part decal looked great on the control panel. Some reference images revealed that the front seat harnesses were attached to a framework on the canopy ceiling...a distinctive configuration that’s worth replicating. Stoppel provided the framework (part A8) but the instructions indicated that it be attached to the canopy; doing so, however, meant that it would be impossible to then attach the seat straps before gluing it Kramme & Zeuten KZ VII “Lærke” (Lark) By:
Stoppel Kits
Stock Code: 697217 Scale:
1/72
Price:
£22.99
on to the fuselage. The solution was to glue a short rod to the frame, drill a small locating hole in the rear cockpit bulkhead and attach the frame to it. Each seat harness could then be glued to seat and frame; a simple-sounding procedure which actually took almost an hour to achieve. Only another modeller would understand why we do it… The fuselage halves fitted together perfectly, and on such a small model the lack of locating pins wasn’t even a factor. A positive fit was also found with the tailplane – a little too tight in fact, but gentle sanding of the slot ensured correct horizontal alignment. The two-part canopy was approached with some trepidation, but without cause. Having dipped the clear parts in Pledge floor polish and allowed them to cure, the halves were held together while liquid cyanoacrylate (CA) glue was applied to the seam with a fine, disposable make-up brush. After leaving it overnight to harden, the next task was to eradicate the seam, but fortunately the Lærke had frames running down the centre of the canopy, which made it easier to disguise the join. The seam was sanded flush and the plastic polished with varying grades of sanding sticks, followed by another bath in Pledge to restore the clarity. Thin strips of Scotch Magic Tape were then cut and applied over the seam, which would later be painted in the fuselage colour. The Lærke’s wings had quite prominent aileron hinges on the undersides, but these were not reproduced in the kit, although strangely, slots for them were moulded in place...perhaps a photoetched metal set was intended
After sanding and polishing with progressively finer grades, then coating the part with Pledge, the seam in the canopy was reduced to a fine line easily covered by the framing.
Parafilm was used to mask the canopy, and soft rubber-tipped Colour Shapers helped to force the film into tight recesses. Colour Shapers are available with different-shaped tips. This flat chisel profile was perfect to achieve a tight seal around the base of the windscreen.
“High-quality tooling, great decals and an off-beat subject”
Available from: Hannants, www.hannants.co.uk
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
KRAMME & ZEUTEN LÆRKE Small sections of styrene were pushed into the wing-tab holes to prevent overspray getting inside the canopy.
Aileron hinges were cut from thin styrene; recesses for these were already moulded into the wing undersides.
at some point? Regardless, it was a fairly simple task to make the hinges from thin styrene sheet. A few words of caution: the fit of the wings into the slots in the canopy was very tight, especially after two coats of Pledge, and once the canopy was glued in position there was no way of opening the slots without risking sanding debris falling inside the cockpit. Forcing the wings would almost certainly have crazed the clear parts or snapped the canopy in two. This was realised too late on the subject build, and it resulted
in the wing tabs having to be sawn off and the wings butt-joined in place. Fortunately the V-struts added rigidity to this arrangement, but a far easier solution would have been to check and adjust the fit of the wings before attachment of the canopy.
Lærke ‘plumage’ It was decided to paint the major components before final assembly, in order to facilitate masking. The canopy was covered in Parafilm and the frame lines cut with a fresh scalpel blade, then this area was
sprayed dark grey to simulate the internal framing colour. Tamiya White Primer was then airbrushed over the whole model, followed by the Dayglo orange areas. Gunze Mr. Color 173 Fluorescent Orange was used for these, a lacquer paint which sprays superbly and dries almost instantly. These areas were masked before the model received its overall coat of Tamiya AS-12 Bare-metal Silver, decanted from an aerosol can. Despite its name, this colour replicates silver-doped fabric very well. Decals were applied next, over a
coat of Tamiya X-22 Clear. As would be expected from a company with Stoppel’s decal pedigree, these went on beautifully and settled into every detail. Once these had cured overnight, a final coat of Tamiya X-35 Semi-gloss Clear sealed everything, and then it was time for final assembly. Struts are often a pit-fall in modelling biplanes and high-wing monoplanes, but it’s a testament to the manufacturer that on the Lærke kit these required just the slightest trimming on the under-wing and undercarriage assemblies. With the wheels and prop in place, the model was finished with a fuselage whip aerial and the cable from the tailwheel, both from stretched styrene.
Spice of life
“A straightforward and thoroughly enjoyable project”
Ready for final assembly: Stoppel provided black edging decals for the dayglo areas.
{70}
It’s a great time to be a modeller, with so many kit releases of familiar and obscure subject matter. Stoppel’s Lærke falls firmly in the latter camp, and further blurs the line between shortrun and mainstream kits. High quality tooling, great decals and an off-beat subject combined to make this a straightforward and thoroughly enjoyable project. ❚
The completed model had a wingspan of 5in (12.7cm), and looked highly attractive.
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YOUR AIRFIX
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Amanda Deville makes her own Dambusters tribute with Airfix’s Lancaster and Tornado kits ike many of us I built Airfix kits as a child during the 1960s and 70s...usually pocket money treats from Woolworths. I hadn’t seriously tackled an Airfix kit for quite some time, but while browsing the shelves of a local model shop last year I was impressed by the artwork on the new Airfix Dambusters Lancaster kit, so I thought I would give it a go. Incidentally, the date I bought the kit was exactly 70 years from the date of 617 Squadron’s iconic Dams raid. While building the kit, I was very impressed by the standard of detail and quality of the parts, and although the project seemed daunting to start with, the good instructions and great fit made it a very enjoyable build project indeed. After the Lancaster was completed, I pondered how to display it, then after seeing the Airfix 617 Tornado commemorative kit, I decided on creating my own personal tribute to the brave crews who carried out a very daring mission, especially those who did not return. The Tornado also proved to be a pleasant experience, and once I’d got over my trepidation of the complex-looking decals, it turned out to be a very attractive model. A wooden base was used to display the two aircraft, with the Lancaster on the ground and the Upkeep mine on its bomb trolley, while the 617 Tornado was placed above on a length of dowel, as if saluting the crews who put their lives on the line 70 years previously. Amanda Deville, West Riding of Yorkshire
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ON THE SHELF
BOOKS & DVDS
BACK IN BLACK Systems jets and a lone raspberry ripple example; the Red Arrows also take their well-deserved place. Where the book falls down, arguably, is that so many of the photos show black aircraft in very similar settings, and this feels repetitive after a while (no historical low-vis grey or earlier schemes are featured). The other issue is that, despite the type’s worldwide success, almost no effort has been made to provide photos of export examples, save for the odd Saudi, Indian or Finnish Hawk in exactly the same settings; disappointing considering how attractive
some of the international liveries actually are. If one’s focus is primarily on the black British Hawks of recent years, metaphorical boots can be filled to the brim. But if older RAF or foreign schemes are desired, it may pay to look elsewhere. CC
BOOK SPEC
The Hawk is a global success as it is flown in the USA, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Saudi Arabia to name a few users; an important machine, then, in the sphere of military jets. This book, based heavily
on photographic portrayals, offers plenty of reference for anyone contemplating a build project. Six chapters explore the Hawk mostly in the air, and the standard of photography is generally very good. The studies, most of which are taken from hillside vantage points around the UK, offer an in-depth visual appraisal of today’s ‘legacy’ Hawk and the mountainous settings provide extra drama. Special schemes also feature (the RAF Hawk has been a splendid canvas for these), the next-generation T.2 appears fleetingly, and several ‘non-standard’ aircraft turn up in the shape of BAE
The British Aerospace Hawk A Photographic Tribute By:
Michael Leek
ISBN:
978 1781 592946
Price:
£30
Format:
227mm x 285 mm
Available from: Pen & Sword, www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
EYE IN THE SKY
BOOK SPEC
The latest volume in Valiant’s Airframe Album series examines the Luftwaffe’s Fw 189 Uhu, nicknamed the ‘Flying Eye’. Designed as a reconnaissance asset to replace the Henschel Hs 126, its twin-engined configuration actually breached RLM specifications, which sought Airframe Album 6: The Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu By:
Richard A Franks
ISBN:
978-0-95758668-0
Price:
£16.95
Format:
A4
Available from: www.valiant-wings.co.uk
a single-engined design. However, it was regarded as being more conventional than its competitor, the asymmetric Bv 141. A glossary of terms is provided at the beginning, before the author launches into an introduction of the Fw 189 and its operational history. Technical descriptions occupy almost half of the pages and these are packed with drawings, maintenance manual extracts and closeup photographs of the majority of components, which will please even the most fastidious detailers. The standout feature, however, is the 15-page section devoted to differences between the
various prototypes, production aircraft and proposed variants. With an isometric view of each sub-type, this will be a boon for anyone intending to build one of the lesser known versions or address shortcomings in Airfix’s ageing kit. Period photographs of the Fw 189 accompany the narrative throughout, and closeups are provided for several unit badges. Colour profiles illustrate the great variety of schemes for this aircraft, along with the unit markings applied to the Fw 189 during its service life. Perhaps the most useful section for modellers will be the two build articles, of the 1/72 Condor and 1/48 Great Wall Hobby kits respectively, with handy notes
on accuracy, fit and necessary improvements or corrections. A final touch is the provision of three appendices that list available kits, accessories, decals and reference books for the Fw 189, including the soon-to-bereleased 1/32 resin kit from HpH Model. SF
GALLIC HEAVY METAL
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Frot-Laffly and lightweight Archer of 1914-15, to AMX mine-clearing tanks in 1940. Firstly, this is not a walk-round-style publication, so no close-up detail shots are provided, but there is a huge collection of
black and white photos and wellrendered colour profiles to inform and inspire. The quality of the mono shots is mostly excellent and these serve to bring context, as well as to show various exterior details. Several flow charts reveal the best performers in terms of speed, weight and strength, and the text is useful, but the best feature, without doubt, is the artwork that depict the sometimes wacky camouflage used on French vehicles, from the cartoonlike scene on a Renault 18/20 Armoured Machinegun Car, to the intricate brush strokes seen on heavier machines such as the St
Chamond and Somua S35. This is a beautiful book, and anyone with even a passing interest in French military vehicles should buy it immediately. CC
BOOK SPEC
While it might lack the sheer presence of German favourites such as the Tiger and Panther, older French armour is arguably more interesting...and in colour scheme terms it’s a real winner. Luckily, vehicles from across the Channel have been kitted more by manufacturers in recent years (Takom, Tamiya and HobbyBoss spring to mind), and if one is seeking a good reference work on the subject, this is a worthy option. A thumping tome at almost 170 pages, and in large format, H & C’s hardback catalogues a wealth of French vehicles, from the basic and boxy
The Encyclopedia of French Tanks and Armoured vehicles 1914-1940 By:
François Vauvillier
ISBN:
978-2-35250-322-4
Price:
€39.95
Format:
250mm x 322mm
Available from: Histoire & Collections, www.histoireetcollections.com
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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SEND IN YOUR PRODUCTS FOR US TO REVIEW AT: Airfix Model World, Key Publishing Ltd, Units 1-4 Gwash Way Industrial Estate, Ryhall Road, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XP, UK
MODELLING MASTERCLASS a stark contrast between tones and is part of the ongoing debate between ‘realistic’ and ‘artistic’ interpretations of weathering finishes. However, modellers can relax, as all of the techniques can be applied to whatever results one prefers. Although there is a heavy emphasis throughout on the use of airbrushes, fans of the ‘hairy stick’ should be able to achieve similar effects through the use of dry-brushing and various washes and filters. All build stages are accompanied by a series of excellent colour photographs which, in conjunction with the captions, provide plenty of handy hints for modellers of all experience levels. The final section rounds out this excellent
guide by providing a handy list of tools and techniques and ends with a biography of the two authors. For anyone looking to either improve their modelling skills or try something different, this is the perfect addition to one’s library. SF
BOOK SPEC
‘How to’ guides can be informative and yet a little daunting, and this collection of builds by two master modellers (who are also the authors) is no exception. It features eight World War Two subjects, which
are used to demonstrate a variety of construction and weathering techniques and can be used in conjunction with a sister publication, Aircraft Modelling Techniques, previously released by the same company. Each kit receives a series of improvements, either with resin or photo-etched metal after-market accessories or through scratchbuilding. For the latter, there are step-by-step instructions of how to replicate the effects. Best of all, there are comprehensive guides on how to achieve the stunning weathering results, with all paint types featured. Incredible as the finished models may look, they do adhere to the ‘Spanish school’, which favours
The Greatest Guide: Airplanes in Scale 1 By:
Ricardo Abad Medina & Javier López de Anca Garcίa
ISBN:
978-84-95464-81-1
Price:
€39.50
Format:
A4
Available from: www.euromodelismo.com
HIGH SPEED OVER THE WAVES
BOOK SPEC
The floatplanes built by Italy’s Macchi company are arguably some of the most gorgeous designs in the history of aviation. They found fame via the glamorous Schneider Trophy races (for which they were designed), Idrocorsa Macchi – Macchi Seaplane Racers By:
Various
ISBN:
N/A
Price:
€25
Format:
A4 Softback
Available from: La Bancarella Aeronautica, www.bancaero.it
and make for fascinating and attractive modelling subjects. With this in mind, it’s great to see the re-print of this superb book from La Bancarella Aeronautica. From the very stylish front cover onwards, it’s packed with splendid photos of types such as the MC 72, M 39, M 52/52 and M 67, along with the M 33 singlehull miniature flying boat. The choice of period imagery is as enjoyable as it startlingly clear, and atmospheric shots include studies of aircraft on the slipway at Calshot, Hampshire, where the Schneider Trophy event was held in 1929. In dual
English and Italian, the lucid text is also supported by lovely colour profiles, four-view drawings (some 1/72, others not to set scale), colour cutaways, evocative period advertising and several maps. Proceedings from various races are covered in the text, and the travails and successes of different Macchi types, and there’s much food for thought in terms of vignette and diorama modelling, whereby the aircraft could be posed on beaching trolleys, or in water. The latter will demand extra effort, sure, but there are excellent ‘fake’ water products now on the market. For anyone with Aerotech’s 1/32 M
39 or M 52, Smer’s 1/48 MC 72, or Delta or Artiplast’s MC 72 in 1/72 scale (or if one is a keen scratchbuilder), this book is invaluable for detail reference and historical context. CC
LUFTWAFFE...SPANISH STYLE novice and ‘old hand’ alike, but the methods do adhere to the Spanish School, which means high contrasts for much more vivid effects. This comes into play particularly with the cockpit, and the style won’t appeal to everyone,
but the highly accentuated results do ensure that dark cockpits are much more pleasing to the eye. Subjects include priming, and mixing Tamiya shades with an Eagle Editions RLM chart as a guide, filters, washes, highlighting and post shading, and more intricate tasks such as re-scribing, riveting with a dedicated tool, dealing with photo-etched metal parts and airbrushing markings by using the kit decals to create templates. The camouflage and weathering look splendid on the finished item, and it’s all well filmed and easy to understand... and to put into practice. Much is done with an airbrush (in this case
a Badger 150), but brush-painting techniques are not ignored, and in some cases are the best way forward. It’s a great DVD, well worth watching. CC
DVD SPEC
Here, noted modeller JM Villalba offers a step-by-step tutorial on how to produce show-stopping results when painting and finishing Luftwaffe types...by using Eduard’s 1/48 Fw 190D-9 as an example. There is no narration, just inoffensive gentle guitar and English sub-titles to impart the information in support of the actual modelling being filmed. Initially, one would be forgiven for thinking the coverage is, pardon the pun, like watching paint dry due to the relatively slow pace. But the viewer benefits from this relaxed approach and it all very soon becomes highly absorbing; there is much to educate the
RLM Painting and Weathering Luftwaffe WWII Aircrafts By:
JM Villalba
Price:
£14.50
Format
Available in PAL and NTSC
Running time:
80 mins
Available from: The Aviation Book Centre, www.aviationbookcentre.com Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITS
DISPLAY FAGOTS
AGEING TANKER
• XH672 ‘Maid Marion’, 55 Sqn, Operation Granby/Desert Storm, 1991 • XL163, 57 Sqn, RAF Marham, 1983
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Combo-sets appear to be all the rage, particularly in 1/144 scale, and Eduard has re-released its excellent MiG-15/MiG-15bis kit in this form. The moulding is outstanding, with crisp detail; it has razor-thin trailing edges to the wings and tailplanes. A canopy mask set is also a neat touch in this diminutive scale. One of each aircraft variant is included, and in addition to the alternative fuselages, there are choices for under-wing fuel tanks and even a full bomb load. Seven Czechoslovakian schemes are provided, five MiG-15bis and two MiG-15 sans suffix, including: • MiG-15bis, 3234, 15th Fighter Československé Patnáctky Regiment Display Team, Cottbus AB, By: Eduard GDR, 1957 Item no: 4441 • MiG-15, NO-37, 5th Fighter Regiment, Plzen-Line AB, March 1953 Scale: 1/144 • MiG-15, EP-02, 1st Fighter Division, Price: €11.96 Ruzyne Airport, September 1955 Available from: • MiG-15bis, 3934, 11th Fighter Eduard, www.eduard.com Regiment, 1957-1958
It’s been many years since Matchbox’s original Victor tanker has been available on general re-release, so this reappearance of the Revell boxing is most welcome. Yes it’s old, but with the requisite re-scribing and a little detailing work, a fine model can be built...and it serves as a great basis for upgrades/conversions from the likes of Freightdog and Flightpath. The parts come on three large runners and once built, the model will be imposing at almost 50cm in length and wingspan. In tune with the air-refuelling role of this sub-type, the kit comes with under-wing refuelling pods and the under-belly unit, and one can also Handley Page Victor K Mk.2 pose the flaps down and airbrakes By: Revell open if desired. Decent decals for Item no: 04326 two colour schemes are offered: Scale:
1/72
Price:
£22.99
Available from: Revell, www.revell.de/en
While the real aircraft was simple in design, Trumpeter’s kit seemingly displays all the type’s subtleties. With fine engraving and rivets, there are 117 parts and some of the best detail is in the undercarriage bays, but other flourishes include lightening holes on the base plates for the all moving tails, hollow fuselage air inlets and engine trunking with front fan and rear afterburner unit. The cockpit is reasonable; decent Soviet Su-9 Fishpot enough for many modellers but old By: Trumpeter hands will want to scratch-build or Item no: 02896 wait for after-market help. Fuel tanks are provided, as are four AA-1 Alkali Scale: 1/48 beam-riding missiles. The decals are Price: £34.99 fine and represent two Soviet Air Available from: Force bare-metal schemes: Pocketbond, • Red 01, 1st Sqn, 179th FAR, 1970 www.pocketbond.co.uk • Red 09, 1st Sqn, 894th FAR, 1962
Hasegawa’s geriatric MiG-21F-13 Fishbed has received another re-release, this time in the guise of a two-kit ‘combo’ set of the Chengdu J-7, the Chinese licence-built version. As would be expected given the age of the moulds, the detail is very basic and heavy in places, particularly the weapons pylons and fuel tank, both of which are oversized. Modellers may wish to re-scribe the raised panel lines and to replace the underscale vents, intakes and cannon barrels on the fuselage. To cater for J-7 Chinese Air Force Combo the split instrument panel, one is By: Hasegawa directed to cut the decal from the Item no: 02102 sheet and attach it directly...a rather Scale: 1/72 old-fashioned approach! Three schemes are provided for Chinese Price: £29.99 People’s Liberation Army Air Force Available from: aircraft, with examples in overall Amerang, natural metal, tan/blue and grey/ www.amerang.co.uk blue camouflage.
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PRODUCT SPEC
ORIENTAL INTERCEPTORS
PRODUCT SPEC
THE FLYING PIPE
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITS
PRODUCT SPEC
Eduard’s brilliant Fokker Dr.1 triplane has received the ‘Weekend’ treatment, and while lacking the photo-etched metal refinements of the ProfiPACK series, it's still a great product. The plastic is to this company’s usual high standards, and features restrained fabric details, representation of stitching on the single-piece wings and a wonderful engine. The cockpit is excellent, and includes framework, complex rudder assembly, machine-gun magazines and spent cartridge collectors. With Fokker Dr.1 minimum rigging required, and By: Eduard helpfully identified by Eduard, this Item no: 8492 would be a perfect kit for a beginner, and either of the schemes will be Scale: 1/48 of interest (one is rather more wellPrice: €14.95 known than the other): Available from: • 425/17, Manfred von Richthofen Eduard, www.eduard.com • 213/17, Ltn. Friedrich Kempf
NOCTURNAL HUNTER
ICM has answered the prayers of many modellers with its release of the Do 215B-5, which, with its B-4 stablemate (48241) are the only 1/48 kits of this aircraft. For those who have seen the 1/72 offering, this is even better, and benefits from improved panel lines, and even two complete DB 601 engines...but it does lack the spare MG 15 ammo canisters and twin MG 151 cannon pod of its Do 215B-5 WWII German smaller-scale brethren. The canopies Nightfighter are crystal clear, and given the parts breakdown, which includes a full By: ICM bomb load, let’s hope the wait for a Item no: 48242 B-0/B-1 variant isn’t too long! There Scale: 1/48 are two colour schemes offered: • R4+DC, Stab II./NJG 2, Price: £24.99 Leeuwarden, Spring 1942 Available from: • R4+SN, Stab II./NJG 2, GiltzeICM, www.icm.com.ua Rijen, Autumn 1941
PRODUCT SPEC
THE BARON’S DREIDECKER
If Revell’s UH-60A looks rather familiar, that’s because it is a re-boxing of Italeri’s Desert Hawk kit, which has been around since the early 1990s and features raised panel lines, suspect fuselage shape and heavy detailing. That aside, it does provide a fully equipped interior, including main cabin seats (the front row will need one seat removing) and ceiling. One provision destined for the spares box will be the external stub wings, pylons and associated weapons, which were rarely seen on UH-60A Transport Helicopter standard UH-60s. The busy decal By: Revell sheet gives two US Army options, Item no: 04940 one overall Olive Drab, the other with an Olive Drab/sand camouflage: Scale: 1/72 • 27078, 10th Mountain Division, Price: £11.99 Iraq, March 2008 Available from: • 87-26000 ‘Tinnin’, Operation Revell, www.revell.de/en Desert Storm, Iraq 1991
Hasegawa has revisited the developmental stages of the F-2A with its latest release, after covering the aircraft in its in-service form. In reality though, the only difference between this and the previous iterations of the single-seat variant is the decal sheet. The styrene runners are moulded to Hasegawa’s exacting standards, and there are several parts for the two-seat variant that can be added to the spares box. As this kit was designed prior to the release of the Hasegawa's JASDF weapons sets, Mitsubishi F-2A Prototype No1 it contains a selection of AAM-3 Special Marking and ASM-2 missiles, as well as a full By: Hasegawa complement of external fuel tanks. Item no: 02117 Just a single scheme is provided, Scale: 1/72 in dazzling white and red trim, with a shark mouth on the intake. Price: £29.99 Fortunately, all of the red areas are Available from: provided as decals, which will make Amerang, www.amerang.co.uk painting much easier.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRIM NIPPONESE PROTOTYPE
PRODUCT SPEC
BASIC BLACKHAWK
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITS
EVERYMAN TRAINER
PERFECT PEACOCK
1/48
Price:
£24.99
Available from: The Hobby Company, www.hobbyco.net
WELL-APPOINTED VIPER
IMPROVED ‘TONY’
PRODUCT SPEC
Once one reconciles with the retail price, there is much to enjoy in RS Models’ new ‘Tony’ kit. Despite being limited-run in nature, the two tancoloured runners (and one clear), offer beautifully detailed parts. The engraved panel lines are well executed, the raised detail restrained and some areas, such as the cockpit, are very impressive; the latter is akin to that of a good-quality, mass-produced Asian kit, or the best Eduard can offer. Blemish-free clear parts are accompanied by resin wheels, Ki- 61-II Kai and exceptionally good areas By: RS Models include the radiator assembly. Two Item no: 48002 under-wing fuel tanks are provided, along with a splendid decal sheet Scale: 1/48 that caters for two Japanese Army Price: £35.80 colour schemes, the latter being a Available from: ‘what-if’ example: Hannants, • 56th Sentai, Itami AB, Japan, 1945 www.hannants.co.uk • 55th Sentai, Sano AB, Japan, 1945
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PRODUCT SPEC
Scale:
Produced as a joint venture between Platz and F-Toys, this is the only known kit of the Mitsubishi MU-2, also known as the Peacock, in 1/144 scale. As with previous releases, there are parts for two kits, each with options for four different versions: MU-2A and MU-2S search and rescue, LR-1 liaison and photo recce and MU-2B-20 flight inspection aircraft. External details are JASDF Search and Rescue represented by fine engraved panel Aircraft MU-2 lines, and the interior features a neat cockpit, with seats and By: Platz instrument panel. Cartograf printed Item no: PF-22 the decals, with four schemes: Scale: 1/144 • MU-2B-20, JA8770, Department of Transportation Aviation Bureau Price: £11.99 • LR-1, JG2001, JGSDF, 1967 Available from: • MU-2A, 63-3228/228, 1986 Platz, www.platz-hobby.com • MU-2S, 13-3209/209, JASDF, 2014
Tamiya’s recent F-16CJ is a beauty but Viper fans were disappointed by the meagre weaponry. To remedy the paucity of stores (at £5 extra), the maker has re-issued the kit with new weaponry in the shape of anti-radar AGM-88 HARMs, an ALQ-184 jammer, HARM Targeting System and Sniper pods... the latter provided on the clear runner (the kit’s previous weapons are still present; AIM-9M/X and AIM-120C). Detail-wise the kit is a dream, and F-16CJ (Block 50) Fighting highlights include ‘bird-slicer’ antennas Falcon w/Full Equipment on the nose and a great cockpit with By: Tamiya moulded instruments. The three colour Item no: 69788 schemes remain the same: Scale: 1/72 • 92-884/WW/5 AF, 5th AF Commander, PACAF, Misawa, Japan, 2010 Price: £24.99 • 91-352/SP, 52nd FW, Spangdahlem, Available from: Germany, 2011 The Hobby Company, • 91-0379/SW, 79th FS, 20th FW (Tiger www.hobbyco.net Meet), Buckley AFB, Colorado, 2001
PRODUCT SPEC
• 54131, RB-1, AMI, 3a Regione Aerea, Italy, 1960 • 16064, 10/80, Svenska Flygvapnet, Helsingborg, Sweden, 1970 • H-139, Royal Belgian Air Forces, Kamina, Congo, 1959
PRODUCT SPEC
By their very nature, trainers are not the most glamorous subjects, but it’s good to see the return of a quarter-scale Harvard in this re-release from Italeri. Originally by Occidental, the kit features engraved panel lines, a wellappointed cockpit and raised or lowered flaps and undercarriage. Best of all, the canopy is split in separate sections, which allows all the interior detail to be visible. What really makes this kit stand out is the incredible decal sheet, which offers five colourful options: • KF998, E-9X, RAF Ashton Down, Harvard Mk.IIa England, 1946 By: Italeri • 2815, OJ-815, RCAF Penhold, Canada, Item no: 2736 1958
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
MILITARY KITS
PRODUCT SPEC
CMK’s recent release, the Škoda PA.II Želva, portrays a rare armoured car developed for the Czechoslovakian Army. Cast in grey resin, the detail is extraordinary, and includes surface rivets and hollowed gun barrels. The turtle-like upper shell is simply stunning, although it looks more like a prop from a 1930s Flash Gordon film than a military vehicle! However, there is a considerable amount of flash, particularly on the two-piece undersides and no interior parts are provided. The decal sheet provides 15 schemes, all in fourŠkoda PA.II Želva (Turtle) colour camouflage, some of which are: By: CMK • .18/NIX-58, Assault Vehicles Regiment, Item no: RA 052 Milovice, 1925-1932 • .21/13.270, Police HQ Liberec, 1938 Scale: 1/35 • .24/NIX-64, XIX International Price: €92.50 Exhibition of Cars, Prague, 1927 Available from: • .28/NIX-68, Assault Vehicles CMK, www.cmkkits.com Regiment, Milovice, 1925-1932
UTILITARIAN PICK-UP
Takom has followed its T3 Transporter with the cargo/pick-up truck variant. The main differences are in the cut-down single-piece body and interior fittings, whereby with the latter a bench-style seat replaces individual items in the rear cab. There’s also a new runner for the cargo area. Although options are limited to open/closed doors on the main cab, the rear panels could be fitted in the down position with work. No T3 Transporter Truck equipment or boxes are provided, By: Takom and these will have to be sourced Item no: 2014 from after-market items or spares. In addition to two military schemes, Takom provides a civilian vehicle: • Y-828 539, Bundeswher, Germany • Unknown registration, 12th Mech. Brigade, Lebanon, April 2011 • Unknown registration, ‘Stichel’
PRODUCT SPEC
GUN-TOTING CHELONIAN
Scale:
1/35
Price:
£34.99
Available from: Pocketbond, www.pocketbond.co.uk
Revell has recently re-released both of its Tiger II kits, and this item features the earlier Porsche turret, which was discontinued by the Germans in favour of the Henschel version. With a well-detailed exterior and MG 34 anti-aircraft gun mount, this is a great little kit, which also features separately moulded tools and towing cables, although blanking plates will be required for the engine grilles. The tracks are link-andTiger II Ausf.B length, and additional sections are By: Revell provided for turret armour. Just two camouflage schemes are provided: Item no: 03138 • 332, 3./s Pz. Abt. 503, Mailly de Scale: 1/72 Camp, France, August 1944 Price: £11.99 • 314, 3./s Pz. Abt. 503, Available from: Szarkerestes, Hungary, January 1945 Revell, www.revell.de/en
Having found many fans with its previous Morris light truck releases, this Czech firm now offers another version, this time with the Mk.III body. This is a case of ‘experienced modellers only’ due to the mixed media...mostly resin parts but there is also a comprehensive photo-etched metal fret and vac-formed glazing. The detail is exquisite, but separation of the resin from the casting blocks, and the requisite clean-up of fine flash, will demand Morris Commercial CS8 with much patience. Several components body Mk.III did have pin-holes, but these are filled By: Plus Model easily. A spare wheel is provided for Item no: 441 the mounting on the body roof, and Scale: 1/35 the cab well appointed. Two colour schemes feature (Olive Drab and black), Price: €83 courtesy of the small decal sheet; the Available from: registrations are: Z 5832027 and Z Plus Model, www.plusmodel.cz 5354962.
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PRODUCT SPEC
MIXED-MEDIA HAULER
PRODUCT SPEC
KING OF THE PANZERS
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
MILITARY KITS
COLD WAR CLASSIC
SOVIET BRUISER
LOW-PROFILE SOVIET
PRODUCT SPEC
Revell’s Sd.Kfz. 7, which was co-produced with Maco, has been re-released as the 7/2 variant, and features a 3.7cm Flak 37 anti-aircraft gun on the rear flatbed. The standard of moulding is excellent; there’s exquisite surface detail, a complete cabin and a 43-part gun. Pleasingly, Revell has included a trailer for the vehicle, which was used to carry the rounds for the gun as well as other equipment. Tracks are provided as lengths of moulded styrene, which Sd.Kfz. 7/2 must be immersed in hot water By: Revell before being draped over the running Item no:
03207
Scale:
1/72
Price:
£11.99
Available from: Revell, www.revell.de/en
Armour fans used to the refinement of, say, Dragon kits may not be swayed by Zvezda’s T-72B. It’s not as crisp as the former’s products, but for a budget price one can realise an interesting type and it’s a worthy kit for the less fussy. Although the main gun appears slightly too thick in diameter, there’s plenty of plastic to make this as suitably busy as the real machine. It comes with reactive armour tiles and the upper hull decking is good, but there is no T-72B interior despite a commander figure By: Zvezda being included. Towing cables come as Item no: 3551 styrene parts, as does the unditching beam with wood grain texture. The Scale: 1/35 tracks are link-and-length items. Just Price: £19.99 one colour scheme is suggested Available from: by the rather pedestrian black and The Hobby Company, white instructions, and Humbrol paint www.hobbyco.net numbers are quoted.
PRODUCT SPEC
HALF-TRACK FLAK
gear. A tiny decal sheet provides four schemes, two of which are: • WL-571 665, Heeres-Flak-Abt. 300, 8. Armee, Hungary, 1944 • WL-427 228, 5. Batterie, FlakRegiment 12, Italy, 1944
Despite there being T-34s already available from Dragon, AFV Club and Academy, ICM has given us an all-new early 1943 production vehicle. It displays a healthy amount of refinement, from the cast texture on the turret, mantlet and machine gun cover, to the splendid wheels. Other notable features include a wellmoulded upper hull and suspension T-34/76 (early 1943 springs. Seats for the driver and production) machine gunners are present, as are By: ICM separate hatches. The ‘rubber band’ Item no: 35365 tracks are reasonable, while six schemes (green and whitewash), are Scale: 1/35 offered. Two of these are: Price: £22.99 • E-327,’Komsomolets-Severomorets’ Available from: Tank Column, winter 1942/43 ICM, www.icm.com.ua • 52-02, Stalingrad, 1942/543
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Dragon’s new Black Label series offers simplified construction, but this route has brought some criticism over refinement and accuracy. These factors do creep in with the firm’s new Saladin, although it’s great to see a styrene kit of this important vehicle. As usual, Dragon’s moulding is superb, and this is certainly evident on the upper hull, but the maker has failed to provide any tow cables, machine gun/mount, canvas gun cover or exhausts. There British Armoured Car Saladin are DS Styrene tyres, which are great, Mk.2 but the photo-etched brass engine By: Dragon grille is not as refined as those seen Item no: 3554 in other Dragon kits. No interior detail Scale: 1/35 features, either. The decals are varied and colourful, with six schemes, some Price: £49.99 of which include: Available from: • 01 CC 69, B Sqn, 1 RTR, Cyprus, 1975 The Hobby Company, • 04 CC 45, Queen’s Royal Irish www.hobbyco.net Hussars, Brunei, 1963
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
MARITIME KITS
FAR-EASTERN AEGIS
IMPERIAL DREADNOUGHT
RARE U-BOAT
Revell’s release of the Gangut battleship is a re-boxing of Zvezda’s Sevastopol kit, with just a different set of decals. Full-hull and waterline options are offered and, although a stand is provided for the former, there are no interior bulkheads or bottom plate for the latter, and modellers may wish to add internal bracing. Surprisingly for a modern kit, there were numerous sink marks on this sample, particularly on the hull sides and turret tops...otherwise the level of moulding and detail is good. Despite the likelihood of being Russian WWI Battleship a great build straight from the Gangut box, it will benefit from the many By: Revell accessory sets designed for Item no: 5137 Zvezda’s release. Just a single scheme is provided, for Gangut Scale: 1/350 as she appeared in 1912, which Price: £49.99 includes hull stencils, funnel Available from: bands and the bow/stern Imperial Revell, www.revell.de/en Russian crests.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Not one to neglect an unusual subject, Hasegawa’s latest addition to its ‘famous ship’ series is the Atago, which is the most powerful destroyer class in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Thanks to clever design and stunning mould quality, there is a relatively low parts count... the entire superstructure and mid-deck section comes as a single piece! The excellent surface detail extends to the vertical launch system covers and ancillary deck components, with all of the smaller parts similarly wellJMSDF DDG ATAGO rendered. This kit looks as if it will be By: Hasegawa an easy, yet impressive build, but the Item no: 40152 unusual scale means that there are few accessories available. Although Scale: 1/450 decals are provided in waterslide and Price: £39.99 self-adhesive forms, and feature full Available from: hull and deck stencils, there is just one Amerang, www.amerang.co.uk scheme provided, for Atago.
WOLFPACK ACE
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Revell has chosen to re-release a very old product here (in an odd scale), and even if one wishes to build straight from the box there’s much work involved. Basically, what’s on offer is a Type VII U-boat dressed as Gunther Prien’s U-47...the craft that sank HMS Royal Oak and amassed a war tally of 66,587 tons. The novelty is that one hull side has a large cut-out (and so does the conning tower), to view the supplied internal detail, such as the engine, torpedo room and more. Due to the kit’s vintage nature there is much flash that needs to be removed, and some of the moulding is rather unrefined. Arguably, the best component is the hull upper U-47 with interior decking, and the flooding slit pattern By: Revell is fairly accurate. There’s also a Item no: 05060 runner with 15 crew figures, and a very good decal sheet that carries Scale: 1/125 instrumentation, that all-important Price: £17.99 tonnage figure and individual Available from: conning tower artwork. A display Revell, www.revell.de/en stand also features.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Fans of the Kriegsmarine’s underwater assets should celebrate this release, as it fills a gap in U-boat kit coverage. The Type XVIIB was a Walter-designed coastal submarine, three operational examples of which were completed (U-1405, U-1406, U-1407), but another three under construction were never finished. Mikro-Mir’s kit is a good representation, which offers around 30 styrene parts (these include a display stand with two pintles), and eight in photo-etched (PE) brass; these are dominated by the long upper decking component, sandwiched between the hull and conning tower. This is a typical limited-run product, with slightly heavy moulding here and there, but the hull’s engraved Type XVIIB Walter Boats detail is pleasing. Periscope parts By: Mikro-Mir are included, and extra refinement Item no: 144-006 is added by the PE rails on the tower, and this unit’s top deck, Scale: 1/144 also in PE and with tiny anti-slip Price: £18.99 circles. No decals are provided, Available from: but the painting guide does Hannants, suggest a yellow band around the www.hannants.co.uk tower for U-1407.
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF AUTO KITS
PRODUCT SPEC
Toyota’s Phaeton was just one of 15 vehicles exhibited to the public in 1936. As Japan recovered from the Great Kanto Earthquake, Nipponese society was ready to embrace cars of this ilk but in reality, of the 353 ABs built, most were snapped-up by the military; this is undoubtedly why Tamiya chose 1/35 scale, to fall in line with its other military products, and the driver figure is uniformed as such. While the engineering is first rate as one might expect, the kit is Toyota Model AB Phaeton simple with just two runners and a By: Tamiya separate body shell. The parts are Item no: 35338 beautiful, though...particularly the Scale: 1/35 wheel/tyre units and front grille. The folded roof mechanism is also a joy, but Price: £21.50 one also has the option of a deployed Available from: roof, and the clear frame carries the The Hobby Company, windscreen, headlamp lenses and rear www.hobbyco.net glazing. A small decal sheet is included.
Fans of historic automobiles have a real gem here, in the Model T touring version from 1911. This is a class act; the one-piece floorpan has refined non-slip texting on its floor and running boards (and ‘Ford’ badges on the latter), and the leaf spring suspension units are enviable. Lovely moulding of the buttoning on the two padded bench seats is apparent, Model T 1911 Touring the wheels are deftly done and By: ICM there are brass-plated components, Item no: 24002 such as the front grille, headlamps, windscreen frame and support, horn Scale: 1/24 and wheel hubs. The transparencies Price: £24.99 are impressively clear, and a Available from: detailed engine and white vinyl tyres ICM, www.icm.com.ua complete this excellent package.
HAULAGE KING
PRODUCT SPEC
Based on the same platform as Lamborghini’s Gallardo and named after the five-time winner of Le Mans, the Audi R8 was first released in kit form by Revell in 2007. Just 7.24in (184mm) long, there is a high parts count, mainly taken up by the excellent engine and transmission, although both will be hidden once completed. The single-piece body shell is blemish free, with mould seams cleverly hidden, yet there are small amounts of flash on several runners. Chrome parts are limited to Audi R8 the alloy wheels, and these are twoBy: Revell part items that neatly sandwich the Item no: 07057 vinyl tyres and styrene brake discs. Real R8s are a variety of colours, Scale: 1/24 but Revell offers just black here. A Price: £19.99 broad range of licence plates are Available from: provided, which include German, Revell, www.revell.de/en Dutch, French and British numbers.
Crammed with styrene, Italeri has re-boxed its MAN TGT as the XLX version, and although not as intricate as other offerings, it does have an eye-catching finish. Despite lacking an engine or hinged cab, a full transmission is provided, along with a well-appointed left-hand-drive cabin interior, albeit one without foot pedals. Chrome-plated runners carry alloy wheels and exterior furnishings. The standout features are the liveries, which are catered for MAN TGX XLX by a combination of decals and selfBy: Italeri adhesive chrome stickers. Two schemes Item no: 3895 are offered, one overall gloss black, and Scale: 1/24 the other a white or silver cab with a black lion’s head logo. As usual, Italeri Price: £52.50 provides a multitude of registration Available from: plates, and here there are at least 17 The Hobby Company, choices, complete with nationality www.hobbyco.net stripes for the front of the truck.
PRODUCT SPEC
QUATTRO COUPÉ
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HENRY’S LEGEND
PRODUCT SPEC
FOUR-WHEELED DREAM
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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Airfix F_P x4.indd 2
10/04/2015 14:35
ON THE SHELF FIGURES
RUSSIAN TANKER
BUILDING SITE BLOKE
CMK
Item no:
F48 264
Scale:
1/48
Price:
€9.80
Available from: CMK, www.cmkkits.com
COLD WAR BRITS
PRODUCT SPEC
If one favours pilot figures in aircraft models, but poor kitsupplied items cause frustration, why not check out PJ’s excellent resin items. This package supplies two seated RAF jet pilots from the 1970s, whose poses differ slightly in terms of hand and head position. The detail is very good and they could be used singly, or to man a twinseat aircraft such as a Lightning, Buccaneer or Phantom. Oxygen masks are cast on the faces.
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RAF Pilots seated in a/c (’70) By:
PJ Production
Item no:
721132
Scale:
1/72
Price:
€4.20
Available from: PJ Production, www.pj-production.be
AUTOMOTIVE ICON
Release to complement ICM’s Model T Ford kit (see p.86), this three-figure set provides a likeness of the great man himself, Henry Ford, along with a colleague and a mechanic. For styrene subjects the detail is excellent, and they would make the perfect accompaniment to the either of the ICM Model Ts, but can also be employed on their own for other dioramas and vignettes. There are 27 parts on one tan-coloured runner, and the 'colleague' figure is especially good, with its well-detailed suit. Ford & Co By:
ICM
Item no:
24003
Scale:
1/24
Price:
£8.99
Available from: ICM, www.icm.com.ua
comes in three pieces... legs, arms/torso and head (but is shown complete here for effect). The head is adorned with an appropriate builder's hard hat, which is beautifully detailed and even sports the tensioning device at the rear and chin strap wrapped over the peak. The arms are posed folded and the facial features are very good. Considering how many truck kits are available in 1/24 scale, this is a handy item indeed and is perfect for a diorama or vignette.
Male Construction Worker By:
Red Zebra
Item no: N/A Scale:
1/24
Price:
£9
Available from: Red Zebra, redzebramodels.co.uk
SIXTIES ‘JOCKEYS’
If NATO aircraft of the 1960s are one’s focus, PJ’s resin pilots are the perfect choice to bring an ‘in-action’ feel to a build. As with all the firm’s figures, they exhibit slightly different hand/arm/head positions and the detail is crisp indeed. Oxygen masks are cast in situ and these flyers, used individually, could be ripe for a wealth of subjects...from an F-84 or Mirage to an F-100, and many in between. NATO pilots seated in a/c (’60) By:
PJ Production
Item no:
721133
Scale:
1/72
Price:
€4.20
Available from: PJ Production, www.pj-production.be
CINEMATIC SOLDIERS
Red Zebra has started to import Oniria Miniatures’ products, and most pleasing is this fun quartet that obviously depicts four characters from the much-loved 1970 war film Kelly’s Heroes. Provided here, all in white metal and with sharp definition (and very impressive facial likenesses) are Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland and KarlOtto Alberty. These splendid figures are begging to enliven a diorama, but could as easily be displayed on their own.
PRODUCT SPEC
By:
is particularly convincing...but there’s also much to enjoy on the well-sculpted body, such as impressive creasing of the tunic and trousers, and a well-rendered map case. Carefull painting and shading really will pay dividends on this figure.
PRODUCT SPEC
Soviet WW II Tank Commander
PRODUCT SPEC
In a departure from its more usual 1/48 and 1/35 resin and paper military items, Red Zebra now offers this very useful 1/24 scale construction worker, which is ideal for posing with a truck, pick-up or other building site vehicle. He wears trousers, work boots and a crew-neck jumper over an open-necked shirt, and
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Got a 1/48 Soviet armour build and want to add more life? Look no further than CMK’s cool resin commander figure, which comes in four parts. The head, adorned with the classic padded Russian tanker’s helmet,
The Deal By:
Oniria Miniatures
Item no:
N/A
Scale:
1/48
Price:
£18
Available from: Red Zebra, www.redzebramodels.co.uk
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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Airfix F_P x4.indd 3
10/04/2015 14:36
ON THE SHELF
DECAL SHEETS
CANUCKS OVER THE WATER
Venturas in Canada 3 By:
Aviaeology
Item no:
AOD72034
Scale:
1/72
Price:
Can $10.59
Available from: Aviaeology, http://stores.ebay. ca/Aviaeology
CARGO CLASSIC Whether one has Airfix’s superb new tooling, or older products from Esci or Italeri, it’s worth considering this decal option. One American and one British aircraft are catered for, the latter belonging to what was/ is our most famous and
Slate Grey over White. An all-white Met Flight aircraft also features, and the instructions carry a wealth of airframe and livery information. Options include: • 2244/D, 8(BR) Sqn, • 2189/Q ‘Polar Bear/Pat’s Pile’, 8(BR) Sqn • 2194/B, 149(BR) and 8(BR) Sqns • 2227/M (Mickey Mouse artwork), 115(BR) Sqn
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
With its usual fastidious research, Aviaeology provides a third instalment of its Ventura coverage, via eight individual schemes. These are all for GR.Vs from 8, 115 and 149(BR) Squadrons of Western Air Command, Royal Canadian Air Force. The camouflage encompasses the US Navy colours of Sea Blue, Intermediate Blue and White, but there are others in the late-service ‘saddleback’ livery...seemingly inspired by RAF Coastal Command, as they wear Extra Dark Sea Grey and
Douglas Dakota By:
Kits World
Item no:
KW172124
Scale:
1/72
Price:
£10.20
Available from: Kits World, www.kits-world.com
controversial Army ‘boss’. National insignia is included, although any stencilling is conspicuous by its absence: • C-47B-35-DK, KN628 (ex-USAAF 44-76950) Field Marshall Montgomery, 24 Sqn RAF, July 1945 • C-47A, 42-100882/3X/P ‘Drag ‘em oot’, 87thTCS, Greenham Common, September 1944
ICONIC MILITARY VEHICLE
ONE-O-WONDER
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Suitable for a host of 1/35 Jeep kits, Toro’s interesting markings depict 12 Willys MB Jeeps used by Polish forces in World War Two and the post-war period. Unsurprisingly, the colour schemes will all be the same (Olive Drab) but the arm of service
F-101A/C Voodoo By:
Caracal Models
Item no: CD48052 Scale:
1/48
Price:
US $14.99
Available from: Caracal Models, www.caracalmodels.com
• F-101A, 54-1455, 81st TFW, RAF Bentwaters, UK, 1961 • F-101C, 56-0200, 78th TFS, RAF Woodbridge, UK, 1960 • F-101A, 53-2434, NACA, Langley AFB, Virginia, USA, 1956 • JF-101A, 53-2426, Operation Firewall, 1957
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
McDonnell’s mighty Voodoo always seemed to look resplendent, due to the colourful markings of the period. Here, Caracal offers four liveries for A/C sub-types in their heyday...and all are very smart. The options include a jet that broke the world speed record, and there’s plenty of stencilling too. ‘Buzz’ numbers, ‘US Air Force' and 'USAF’ legends, and insignia sit on two other separate sheets also supplied. This classy quartet comprises:
Willys Jeep in Polish Service By:
Toro Model
Item no:
35D33
Scale:
1/35
Price:
€7
Available from: Toro Model, www.www.toro-model.com.pl
devices and other motifs (such as ‘Military Police’, Red Cross and white star insignia will all add splashes of colour. The printing is very good and examples include: • 4789399 ‘Zandarmeria’, 11th Military Police Sqn, 2nd Polish Corps, Italy, 1945 • 663 Air Observation Post, Italy, 1945 • 4702142, Light Artillery Co., 1st Ind. Parachute Bgde., Bersenbruck, Germany, 1946 • 5237189, 3rd Carpathian Rifle Btn., 3rd Carpathian Rifle Div., Italy, 1945 • M5535015, Medic Co., 1st Independent Parachute Bgde, Arnhem, Holland, 1944
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
90_Decals.CC.indd 90
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ON THE SHELF
DECAL SHEETS
LUFTWAFFE ARTWORK
Here’s a very useful sheet, with Sky numbers in various styles for use with Xtradecal’s X72189, which carries the corresponding code letters. With 18, 24 and 30in numerals, in a shade that’s not too vivid as is sometimes seen, these apply to various World War Two RAF fighters. Also supplied here, though, are 58 prototype
7./JG 53 Cartoon Aircraft By:
Iliad Design
Item no:
32001
Scale:
1/32
Price:
US $12
Available from: Iliad Design, www.iliad-design.com
ZERO TO NINE AND FIRST OF THE LINE
• White 5+I • White 6+I • White 8+I • White 9+I ‘Seemann’
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Perfect for decorating Revell’s Bf 109G, this set provides the famously adorned ‘Gustavs’ of JG 53, which flew from Sicily in June 1943. Six schemes are given, all with their individual cartoonstyle artworks, and it’s thought that the renderings refer to pilot nicknames, events or ‘in’ jokes among the crews. One set of crosses are provided, along with nine Swastikas and six ‘Pik As’ cowl badges. The aircraft are: • White 2+I • White 3+I
BRITISH FORTRESSES
RAF Sky Numbers and Prototype Ps By:
Xtradecal
Item no: X72213 Scale:
1/72
Price:
£3.99
Available from: Hannants, www.hannants.co.uk
P symbols, in rounded and squared fonts, and these are vital for any British prototype build from the same era. The Ps are sized at 30, 36 and 54in.
EXOTIC DELTAS
B-17 Flying Fortress By:
Kits World
Item no: KW172125 Scale:
1/72
Price:
£10.20
Available from: Kits World, www.kits-world.com
Earth and Dark Green over Night. Kits World states that the latter was a Coastal Command asset, but it was actually a radio countermeasures asset with 100 Group. Beautifully printed, the sheet carries well-rendered nose art and national insignia, but no stencilling. If building the first two aircraft, MMP’s book, Boeing B-17 Fortress in RAF Coastal Command Service, is highly recommended. Here are the choices: • Fortress Mk.II, FA696/AD-B ‘Borganes Bess’, 251 Sqn, Iceland, 1943 • Fortress Mk.II, FA699/AD-H ‘Hekla Hettie’, 251 Sqn, Iceland, 1943 • Fortress Mk.III, KJ177/BU-E ‘Take it Easy’, 214 Sqn, Downham Market, UK, 1944
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Non-US B-17s are always refreshing, and Kits World’s new sheet is ideal for use with Academy/Revell/Hasegawa B-17F boxings (with the relevant conversion work). The three options depict RAF Fortresses, two in classic Coastal Command Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey over White, and the other in more traditional Dark
The release of Kinetic’s new Mirage III was welcome indeed, and so is this eight-strong decal collection that offers tantalising schemes, mostly for export users. Only two French schemes are present, but all are superb and some could also be employed on the Esci/Italeri kit if one desires. The liveries are varied, as desert shades and low-vis grey are accompanied by more standard green and grey, while the bare metal Aussie jet from the late 1960s is very smart in its simplicity. Standout choices include: • IIIO, 90-560, 7 Dassault Mirage III By:
Xtradecal
Item no:
X48142
Scale:
1/48
Price:
£7.99
Available from: Hannants, www.hannants.co.uk
‘Bandits’ Tactical Attack Sqn, Pakistani AF, Masroor, 1990s • IIIEZ, 842, 3 Sqn, S. African AF, Waterkloof, 1980s • IIIO(F), A3-42, 77 Sqn, Royal Australian AF, Williamtown, 1969 • IIIRS, R-2112, Fliegerstaffel 10, Swiss AF, Buochs, late 1980s • IIIE, 4-BE, EC 2/4 La Fayette, French AF, Luxeil, 1980s Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
DECAL SHEETS
UNIT RECOGNITION
VENERABLE RAF TWIN-JET
UK & Commonwealth AOS Signs AFT Decals
Item no:
AR77033
Scale:
1/35
Price:
US $9.50
Available from: Archer Fine Transfers, www.archertransfers.com
separate white bars, to make one’s own Army/Army Group, or Corps units. Ultimately, this set is great value because it can be employed for a great many build projects in 1/35 scale.
NON-US PIRATES
PRODUCT SPEC
Vought’s ‘bentwinged bird’ arguably looks much more interesting in British and Commonwealth markings. To make that point, Xtradecal now has these four schemes with Tamiya’s new 1/32 F4U-1A kit in mind; note that most FAA-flown Corsairs had clipped wings, so some light conversion of the aforementioned kit will be necessary. There is a pair of aircraft with camouflage, but even the Gloss Sea Blue examples are cool, with their large roundels, very slim tail flashes and yellow propeller bosses. Xtradecal’s colour instructions are great, with
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FAA/RNZAF Corsairs By:
Xtradecal
Item no:
X32055
Scale:
1/32
Price:
£7.99
Available from: Hannants, www.hannants.co.uk
The re-release of Freightdog’s ‘Cranberry’ sheet reminds us that it really is time that a manufacturer offered us an allnew Canberra B.2 kit. Still, if one
PRODUCT SPEC
By:
EE/BAC Canberra in RAF Service By:
Freightdog Models
Item no:
FSD72019
Scale:
1/72
Price:
£9
Available from: Freightdog Models, www.freightdogmodels.co.uk
is in the mood to convert Airfix's B(I).6 or Italeri B-57, then this is a splendid set of markings. HighSpeed Silver and camouflage mix with RAF training colours, and national insignia/stencilling also feature. The five options are: • B.16, WH570, 6 Sqn, Akrotiri Strike Wing, Cyprus, 1968 • E.15, WH948, 98 Sqn, RAF Cottesmore, 1972 • B.6, WH970, 12 Sqn, Hal Far, Malta (Suez Crisis), 1956 • B.6, WH948, 101 Sqn, Butterworth, Malaya (Operation Mileage), 1955 • B.2, WK116, 100S, RAF Raynham, 1973
FAR NORTH PUDDLE-JUMPERS
plenty of paint quotations. These are the choices: • FG-1D, NZ5632/62 ‘Kathleen’, 14 Sqn, Royal New Zealand AF, Japan, 1946 • Corsair II, JT260/P54, 757 NAS, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Unicorn, 1944 • FG-1D, NZ5632/62, 14 Sqn, Royal New Zealand AF, Japan, 1948 • Corsair II, JT634/13-7/P, 1834 NAS, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Victorious, 1944
Thunderbird excels with its unusual civilian liveries for more esoteric types, and this example upholds the trend. And while Revell’s recent Twin Otter re-release (of the old but
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
A boon for all builders of Allied vehicles from World War Two, Archer’s collection of Arm of Service symbols caters for machines used between summer 1943 and spring 1945. In particular, the focus is on armoured divisions, and signals within infantry divisions; the green, and green/ blue squares with white numbers also come with
Nordair DHC-6 Twin Otter By:
Thunderbird Models
Item no:
72-006
Scale:
1/72
Price:
£4.50
Available from: Thunderbird Models, www.thunderbirdmodels.co.uk
reasonable Matchbox kit) looks smart in its yellow Canadian AF scheme, these after-market liveries for Quebec’s Nordair are a very pleasing alternative for civil aviation modellers. The maker offers type and airline history information on the colour instructions, and the decals themselves do a superb job of portraying Nordair’s particular shade of blue. The aircraft in question are CF-NAN and C-GNDN. The former carries an ‘Arctic’ legend and appropriate Polar Bear badge on the fuselage.
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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Airfix F_P x4.indd 4
10/04/2015 14:36
ON THE SHELF ACCESSORIES
Item no:
35L-124
Scale:
1/35
Price:
€11.65
Available from: www.aber.net.pl
OPEN DOOR POLICY
PRODUCT SPEC
Eduard’s involved photo-etched (PE) brass bomb bay will make Airfix’s recent Dornier a real centrepiece of any Luftwaffe collection. Some of the necessary work may prove slightly laborious, such as adding PE fins to all the bombs, but the work will be worth the effort. The set includes details for the bay doors, and full racking.
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Do 17Z bomb bay By:
Eduard
Item no: 72 569 Scale:
1/72
Price:
€22.45
Available from: www.eduard.com
Item no:
AK 4060
Scale:
N/A
Price:
€10.50
Available from: www.ak-interactive.com
PRODUCT SPEC
AK Interactive
Gloster Gladiator Spoked Wheels Set By:
SBS Model
Item no:
72019
Scale:
1/72
Price:
€4
Available from: www.sbsmodel.com
JUMO CHOICES
UPGRADED ‘HOSE NOSE’ Amazing as the Tamiya 1/32 F4U-1 Corsair is, there is still room for improvement in a few areas and this set from Mk1 Design adds that masterpiece touch. Three photo-etched brass and steel frets provide embellishments for the cockpit (including replacement instrument panel), engine cowling, flaps and wheel wells. There are even complete sets of filters and baffles for each of the oil filters and supercharger intakes. However the highlights of the set are the resin main and tail wheels, which are moulded with realistic flat spots to represent aircraft weight. F4U-1 Corsair Detail-Up Set By:
Mk1 Design
Item no:
MA-32010
Scale:
1/32
Price:
£22.99
Available from: www.ka-models.com
Three-colour camouflage does take patience and care, but if one plans to build either Academy’s or Hasegawa’s Israeli F-15I kits, this handy mask set will make life much simpler if airbrushing the paint. Full colour instructions are provided, with each separate mask section having its own code number for accurate placement on the model. Liquid masking fluid will be necessary to fill in the gaps.
PRODUCT SPEC
Aber
By:
These superbly designed cast resin replacements will improve the look of any Airfix Gladiator, and feature excellent hub interior detail, photo-etched metal spokes and separate resin centre nuts. As with most of SBS Model’s other wheels, these can be modified easily to fit other 1/72 offerings of this classic biplane.
ISRAELI BOMBER
IAF F-15I Bomber Scheme masks By:
J’s Work
Item no:
PPA5018
Scale:
1/48
Price:
US $8.99
Available from: www.luckymodel.com
JUMP JET GEAR
This neat little set from Profimodeller will update the engine nacelles and propellers of Revell’s 1/32 Ju 88. Comprising 20 well-cast resin parts and a small photo-etched metal fret, either early or late versions of the Jumo 211 engine nacelles can be built. Thoughtfully, VS11 broad-bladed wooden propellers and spinners are included for the later engine, although it is advised to check references as to which engine was used on a particular airframe. Ju 88 Alternate Engine Parts By:
Profimodeller
Item no:
32159
Scale:
1/32
Price:
€18.07
Available from: www.profimodeller.com
SBS Model has added to its growing range of high-quality resin wheels with this release for Airfix’s newmould Harrier GR.1 and GR.3. With minor modification these could also grace any 1/72 land or sea-based first-generation Harrier, which would improve its appearance greatly. Unlike the Airfix offerings, these wheels do not have flat spots, but otherwise provide superior hub and brake details.
PRODUCT SPEC
By:
Dust & Dirt Deposits Weathering Set
LANDING STOCK
PRODUCT SPEC
Russian 14.5mm Heavy Machine Gun KPVT Barrel
Ever gaining in popularity, AK Interactive’s products are a great way to add realism to a model. This three-bottle package offers liquid weathering fluid in the following shades: AK 4061 Sand Yellow, 4062 Light Dust and AK 4063 Brown Earth. With an enamel base and in 35ml containers, they should last even the busiest modellers a good while.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
With the recent profusion of Soviet/ Russian armoured vehicle kits, this Aber set for the 14.5mm KPVT, which equips BTR-series, BRDM-2 vehicles and ZPU anti-aircraft guns, is particularly welcome. Designed with a separate turned metal barrel and jacket, the latter with finely machined cooling vents, this is a direct replacement for any kit barrel and includes photo-etched metal carriage/installation brackets and muzzle flash caps.
GUNK AND GRIME
PRODUCT SPEC
SOVIET CANNON
Harrier GR.1/GR.3 Wheel Set By:
SBS Model
Item no:
72021
Scale:
1/72
Price:
€4
Available from: www.sbsmodel.com
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF ACCESSORIES
Aber
Item no:
35L-151
Scale:
1/35
Price:
€16.27
Available from: www.aber.net.pl
By:
Alley Cat
Item no:
AC32010C
Scale:
1/32
Price:
£7
Available from: www.a2zeemodels.co.uk
MIGHTY MERLIN
N1K2-J Shiden Kai By:
Brengun
Item no:
BRL32017
Scale:
1/32
Price:
€13.67
Available from: www.brengun.cz
PUBLIC KIOSK NO.1
Eduard
Item no:
72599
Scale:
1/72
Price:
€14.95
Available from: www.eduard.com
Spitfire Mk.VIII engine By:
Eduard
Item no:
648200
Scale:
1/48
Price:
€33.75
Available from: www.eduard.com
What could be more eye-catching on an English village or town diorama than a classic public telephone box? Hauler’s photoetched metal and resin booth is a faithful reproduction of the first design, the K1, right down to the hinges, wrought-iron finials, door handle and rotary numbers dial. All that will be required to complete this miniature kiosk will be a small amount of acetate sheet to represent the glazing.
PRODUCT SPEC
By:
A bumper crop of crisp resin comes in Eduard’s Spitfire engine package, and the detail is enviable. If one wants an involved addition to the firm’s own Mk.VIII released recently, why not go for this product, which offers everything to portray the Merlin engine beautifully. Photoetched brass fuselage framing is supplied, and the cowling panels are in thin resin. Not cheap, but it’ll make the world of difference.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Blenheim Mk.IVF exterior
IHC M9A1 Half-track Conversion Set By:
Dan Taylor Modelworks
Item no:
C-76106
Scale:
1/76
Price:
£15.50
Available from: dantaylormodelworks.com
DRINK ANYONE?
BRISTOL BITS Make a real masterpiece out of Airfix’s Blenheim with this busy brass set from Eduard. It offers much external detail, from surface panels and strengtheners in the undercarriage bays, to the often-seen under-fuselage bomb rack. There are also fine brake lines and braces for the undercarriage legs.
Dan Taylor has delivered another gem with its M9A1 conversion for Airfix's M3A1 half-track (A02318), and allows British and Commonwealth versions to be made. A complete interior and rear cargo bay is provided in a combination of resin and photoetched metal, and includes full internal and external stowage boxes. Plenty of fun for more experienced military modellers.
PRODUCT SPEC
By:
Spitfire Mk.XVI Canopy and Markings Masks
For any modeller who seeks that extra ‘zing’ to their 1/32 Hasegawa N1K2-J ‘George’, then Brengun’s update set is just what the doctor ordered. The single photoetched metal sheet adds a huge amount of new detail to the cockpit area and engine, and includes a replacement instrument panel, side console and a host of levers, pedals, wheels and seatbelts. A fair amount of surgery will be required to incorporate this set, but the end result will be well worth the effort.
MIXED MEDIA
Phone Box By:
Hauler
Item no: HLH72035 Scale:
1/72
Price:
€4
Available from: www.hauler.cz
Water and rations are an everyday element of life, and here, Plus Model offers a set of 12 boxes for a certain well-known American carbonated drink, gulped extensively during World, War Two, Korea and Vietnam. Made from laser-cut wood, with stencils and logos cleverly burned onto the surface, assembly is easy.
PRODUCT SPEC
Armament for MBT-70
Devised for Tamiya’s 1/32 Spitfire, this great set from Alley Cat includes airbrushing masks for the canopy, national insignia for the wings, fuselage and tail, serial numbers and airframe codes. Three options are provided: • TB675/4D-V, 74 Squadron RAF, Drope, April 1945 • Unknown serial, AE-Q, 402 (RCAF) Squadron, Fassberg, June 1945 • TE215/AP-A, 130 Squadron RAF
GORGEOUS GEORGE
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Anyone with Dragon’s MBT-70/Kpz.70 should consider upgrading the kit’s main and cupola-mounted weapon barrels with this excellent 1/35 set of turned brass/aluminium and photoetched metal. It offers a superb three-part barrel for the 152mm main gun and a two-part replacement for the 20mm weapon. Minimal work is required to fit these in place of the kit items and the improvement is substantial, particularly with the rifling on the main barrel and the muzzle flash on the smaller gun.
LATE-WAR LIVERIES
PRODUCT SPEC
HEAVY WEAPONRY
US Wooden Boxes for Bottles By:
Plus Model
Item no:
450
Scale:
1/35
Price:
€10.60
Available from: www.plusmodel.cz
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
RECENTLY RELEASED EDUARD
48835 Spitfire Mk.VIII surface panels (Eduard)
1/35 W39 Omnibus Ludewig Early
1/700
49074 Spitfire Mk.VIII seatbelts Superfabric (Eduard)
17037 Bismarck (Revell)
49707 Gnat T.1 S.A (Airfix)
Photo-etched metal/resin/masks www.eduard.com
TM01580 T-64AV Mod 1984
URO-807 Opel Blitz 3.6-47 Type
49708 Spitfire Mk.VIII (Eduard) 648189 M 117 bomb late 1/72
648191 B-17F/G engines (RevellMonogram)
TM01639 Fw 200 C-8 Condor
648 193 A-6 wheels (Hobbyboss)
SCALE AIRCRAFT CONVERSIONS White metal undercarriage www.scaleaircraftconversions.com 1/144 14419 C-119 Boxcar (Roden) 1/72
17038 Tirpitz (Revell) 1/72 CX411 Do 17Z masks (Airfix) 672 050 GBU-8/B HOBOS
648199 Spitfire Mk.VIII cockpit (eduard)
XTRADECAL
72103 Rafale M (Revell)
Waterslide decals www.hannants.co.uk
72104 Folland Gnat T.1/F.1 (Airfix)
1/72
1/35
1/48
36306 Pz.Kpfw.V Panther Ausf.D
48281 SAAB Viggen (Tarangus)
X72199 RAF White Code Letters 18, 24, 30in
(Zvezda)
48282 Spitfire Mk.I/V (Airfix)
X72210 RAF Red 48” x 24” x 6”
48283 Mirage III/V (Kinetic)
Bomber Codes
48284 Focke Wulf Ta 152 (ZoukeiMura) 1/32 32094 Pfalz D.IIIa (Wingnut Wings) TRUMPETER Plastic kits www.pocketbond.co.uk 1/700
72597 Do 17Z landing flaps (Airfix)
TM05772 USS West Virginia BB-48 1945
72598 Blenheim Mk.IVF landing flaps (Airfix) 73521 Lightning F.6 S.A. (Airfix) 73523 Blenheim Mk.IVF interior S.A. (Airfix)
1/350 36307 Pz.Kpfw.V Panther Ausf.D Schürzen (Zvezda)
TM05336 HMS Abercrombie
Monitor
1/48
36308 Pz.Kpfw.V Panther Ausf.D Zimmerit (Zvezda)
X72211 RAF Red 48” x 30” x 6” Bomber Codes
EX453 MiG-21R R Weekend (Eduard)
36312 Sd.Kfz.251/1 Ausf.B (Zvezda)
X72212 RAF Red 48”x30”x6”
48834 Spitfire Mk.VIII landing
1/24
flaps (Eduard)
Bomber Codes
624 002 Typhoon guns (Airfix) 1/200 RODEN Plastic kits www.pocketbond.co.uk
{96}
TM06633 WWII US Navy Figures Set - 60 figures 1/35
1/144
TM01532 BMP-3 UAE w/ERA Tiles
URO-310 Douglas AC-47 Spooky
& Combined Screens
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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MODEL MART
CLASSIFIEDS
PRODUCTS Stands to reason
www.sphereproducts roducts.co.uk .co.uk
BESPOKE BE SPOKE STORAGE SY SYSTEMS STEMS TRANSIT TRANSI T CASE CASES, S, TOOLS AND WOR WORKSTATI KSTATIONS ONS + 4 4 (0) 0)14 1473 7363 6367 6787 87 e: spherepr sphereprodu oducts cts@bt @btinternet internet.com .com 19 Anson Anson Road, Road, Martlesham Ma rtlesham Heath, Ipsw Ipswich ich,, IP5 3RG
AVIATION ANTIQUES Unmade or already built, any quantity, especially large collections, Will collect nationwide and pay best cash price.
Please call 01202-976974. or 07901-890461. Thank you.
All plastic kits & Diecast models wanted. Airfix, Corgi,Tamiya, Armour, Revell. Collections Purchased/ collected 27, A, The Grove, Biggin Hill Kent TN16 3TA
07973 885754
To advertise here please call Ben Harrison on 01780 755131
or email
[email protected]
You can also view and buy from our huge selection of Eduard kits, etch and Brassin, as well as our massive range of kits from Valom, A-model, Pavla, Sword and many other hard to find brands.
www.oxoniansplasticfantastic.co.uk
[email protected]
Fast and friendly service Easy to navigate webshop Large range of over 3500 models, figures, tools and accessories from Revell, Airfix, Italeri, Tamiya and many more, ready for immediate despatch Based in the Midlands since 2001 with worldwide shipping available
Web: www.models2u.co.uk Email:
[email protected]
Phone: 01543 433999
Freightdog Models
Home of Blue Max and Pegasus Models Online shop for kits, decals ands accessories www.freightdogmodels.co.uk +44 (0) 1342 716004 Fairlight, Sandy Lane, Crawley Down, Crawley, RH10 4HX
Tel: 01530 231407 www.aviationbookcentre.com
Email:
[email protected]
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
{97}
KIT COURT
SAAB J 21
Eric Larson pleads the case for 1/48 prop and jet versions of the SAAB J21
(Key Collection)
EXHIBIT 1
Still an attention-getter after 35 years, the author’s Heller 1/72 J21A. Only the raised panel lines hint at the model’s age.
M
y fascination with the Swedish twinboom pushers began with a gift from my mother; a bound copy of Aircraft in Profile Volume 6 that included a monograph on the SAAB J21. To a young boy just starting to learn about aircraft outside the more common types, this unique machine seemed almost otherworldly. First flown in 1943 as the prop driven J21A, it was eventually developed into Sweden’s first jet fighter, the J21R. For years I never thought such an esoteric and rather obscure plane would be released in kit form until one day, in the early 1980s, much to my delight, I discovered Heller’s 1/72 J21A. It proved to be a straightforward build and certainly
looked the part when completed. That was almost 35 years ago and even though the fine Heller
example is still readily available, we now have a pair of excellent stateof-the-art 1/72 SAAB J21 kits from Special Hobby – another J21A and for the first time in any scale, the jet powered J21R. But while well represented in 1/72 scale, sadly, no one has thus far released a quarter-scale injection-moulded J21. Being the preferred scale for many modellers of single-engine aircraft, 1/48 kits of the prop and jet versions should be good sellers. Not to mention numerous other SAAB military aircraft recently kitted in 1/48: the J29 Tunnan, A32 and J32 Lansen, Draken, Safir, Gripen, and the mighty Viggen. It is this court’s opinion that the logical choice to bring us J21s in this scale is Tarangus, which has made
EXHIBIT 3
Along with its J21A, Special Hobby delighted SAAB J21 fans with the first decent kit in any scale of the jet powered J21R. Like its prop-driven brother, it too is a multi-media offering.
recent modelling headlines with its magnificent new 1/48 Viggen. Who better than a Swedish company specialising in Swedish aircraft to fill this obvious gap in the quarter-scale SAAB line-up?
❚
HEARINGS
EXHIBIT 2
About four years ago, Special Hobby released a superb new 1/72 SAAB J21A, but being a multi-media kit containing resin and photo-etched metal parts, it is recommended for modellers experienced in working with these materials.
If there’s a kit you’d love to see re-released or produced then state your case to the world via AMW. What you need to supply is 300350 words for a ‘reasonable’ case, a good quality photo and two to three high-resolution box-top scans to help illustrate the subject. AMW can’t promise a new kit by the end of the year, but the industry will definitely get to hear a ‘modeller’s case!’ email: chris.clifford@ keypublishing.com
THE NEXT ISSUE IS ON SALE JUNE 4* *UK scheduled on sale date. Please note that overseas deliveries are likely to occur after this date.
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Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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