T: RY R O EP NGA R OW , HU H S ON
RAF KING AIR BUILD WITH REFERENCE PHOTOS
ISSUE 56
S MO
product reviews
JUL 2015 £4.30
HALIFAX
Airfix’s re-released 1/72 Handley Page Halifax...improved
ANTRIM’S SUB-HUNTER 1/48 Wessex HAS.3
TESTING DELTA
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
DOUGHBOY SCOUT
1/48 Javelin Mk.7 XH754
1/48 GMC 2 ½ Ton Truck
1/48 Salmson 2A2 Late Type
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EDITOR'S DESK
WELCOME
Editorial
Editor: Assistant Editor: Editor's Secretary:
Chris Clifford Stu Fone Vanessa Smith
Contributors
Jan Maes, Brian Wakeman, Toni Canfora, Andy Davies, Malcolm V. Lowe, Chris Jones, Matthew Roberts, Peter Johnson, Art Nalls
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. 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.
A
WELCOME
s Bilbo Baggins said, “It’s a dangerous business Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road and if you don’t keep your feet there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” A complimentary e-mail to Editor Chris Clifford earlier this year, was the ‘road’ that took me off my feet, with the innocent inclusion of “I thought you and Steve might be interested to know that, according to his widow, my uncle apparently had a red devil figure painted on the nose of P3576”. Jim Nicolson, nephew of James Nicolson, VC had, at a stroke, unwittingly set me on the path to chasing down the enigmatic ‘red devil’, missing from Hurricane ‘GN-A’ that I’d built in March issue’s ‘Battle of Britain special’. Google revealed a chance forum comment in 2009, by respected aviation historian Andy Saunders, that the devil was ‘…a detail often overlooked’. Intrigue gathered pace from the discovery of a red devil emblem displayed on a cabinet at Tangmere Museum, which contained Nicolson’s preserved uniform. Was it the fabled devil on P3576 or simply a German bomber Geschwader symbol? My subsequent discovery, that Andy Saunders was the founder of the museum, made establishing the origin of the devil on the cabinet an imperative and it was a eureka moment indeed when, some weeks later, Andy sent me a scan of a piece written by the USA’s Souders-Earhart IPMS chapter, sometime prior to 2000. Entitled ‘Heroic Hurricane’, its content was itself founded on an authentic painting and article in the Illustrated London News on November 30, 1940. Jointly they verified unequivocally that the Tangmere red devil was indeed Nicolson’s personal symbol on August 16, 1940 when he won his Victoria Cross. In another pleasantly unexpected twist, it emerged recently that a Eurofighter Typhoon of 29(R) Squadron recently received Battle of Britain camouflage and GN-A codes…the RAF’s 2015 tribute to Nicolson and the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain (see p.7 this issue). I shared my findings with RAF Coningsby’s media officer and suggested it should be added to the jet. As I write this, I’m told it’s now “…98.5% certain…” that Nicolson’s personal emblem will take to the skies again aboard the RAF’s commemorative ‘Tiffie’, 75 years after it last did so on that fateful August 16, 1940 over Southampton. The devil is in the detail…
FREE MODEL! CLAIM YOUR FREE AIRFIX SPITFIRE PR.XIX OR GLADIATOR MMk.I WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO AMW. SEE PAGE 72.
Steve Budd, AMW contributor 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
36
INTERMEDIATE BUILD 2 ½ TON FUEL TRUCK
REGULARS 06 News The latest happenings in the world of plastic modelling.
10 Show Scene At-a-glance model show calendar.
34 Your Airfix Readers get the chance to showcase their own Airfix builds.
74 FREE MODEL! Claim your free Airfix Supermarine Spitfire PR.XIX or Gloster Gladiator Mk.I when you subscribe to AMW.
80 On the shelf Fourteen pages of reviews highlight the latest modelling products.
98 Kit Court Put forward your case to AMW, as to why a particular ‘missing’ kit subject should be made available.
24
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD WESSEX HAS.3
30
OUT AND ABOUT MOSON MODEL SHOW
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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CONTENTS
INSIDE
14
INTERMEDIATE BUILD SALMSON 2A2
FEATURES 14 Intermediate Build – Doughboy Scout Jan Maes takes on GasPatch Models’ 1/48 Salmson 2A2 biplane.
22 Out and About – Aviation Extravaganza Assistant Editor Stu Fone reports from the Shropshire Scale Model Show at the RAF Museum Cosford.
24 Intermediate Build – Antrim’s Sub-Hunter Italeri’s 1/48 Westland Wessex HAS.3 gets its rotors folded, courtesy of Brian Wakeman and Scalewarship.
30 Out and About – Moson Model Show Editor Chris Clifford discovers high-class exhibits at Hungary’s top modelling event.
36 Intermediate Build – Under New Management Toni Canfora gives a post-war civilian identity to Tamiya’s 1/48 2 ½ Ton Airfield Fuel Truck
42 Advanced Build – Lily over the Reich Andy Davies makes a stellar effort in upgrading Airfix’s re-released Handley Page Halifax Mk.III.
52 In Focus – Handley Page Halifax Mk.III Malcolm V. Lowe explores this important RAF bomber sub-type and some of its close relatives.
56 Intermediate Build – Cranwell King MACH 2’s original 1/72 Beech King Air has been repackaged in a different form
66
ADVANCED BUILD JAVELIN FAW.9
by Two Six Decals/Model Craft. Chris Jones builds it...but not without effort!
62 Photo Focus – RAF B200GT King Air AMW offers exclusive reference photos of an RAF King Air, to help modellers with detail on the above-mentioned kit.
64 Out and About – East Midlands Show Hinckley’s long-running event, in its 25th year, held many attractions for AMW’s Stu Fone.
66 Advanced Build – Testing Delta Peter Johnson backdates Airfix’s Gloster Javelin FAW.9 to a highly attractive test and development aircraft.
76 In Focus – The Ace of Spades Following last month's 1/72 US Marines Harrier build, former AV-8A Harrier pilot Art Nalls describes how this fighting force employed the aircraft. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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NEWS BULLETIN
LATEST UPDATES
RAF GEMS IN TWO SCALES
AIRFIX’S RECENT new-tool RAF products have formed the basis of two splendid new gift sets, available now. The first item, RAF Bomber Command (A50139), has the firm’s superb 1/72 Lancaster B.I in company with ground support vehicles and equipment, which
are: Bedford MWC/MWD, David Brown Tractor, Standard Light Utility Vehicle ‘Tilly’, oil bowser, maintenance tower, motorcycle, bicycle, bombs and bomb trolleys. The bombs comprise 4lb incendiary and carriers, 500lb MC, 1,000lb MC, 8,000lb and 4,000lb HC varieties (the latter has interesting
SCUD-TASTIC!
WHEN IT was announced that Trumpeter would release a new-tool 1/35 Scud-B with MAZ-543 launcher (01019), Internet forums went into meltdown. Military modellers can now relax, though, as everything about this kit is impressive, starting with the 1,300-plus parts count. The detail is staggering, and includes a fully equipped interior with complete cab (which can be tilted to reveal the engine), control module and even a moveable launch arm mechanism. Separate decals are provided for interior and exterior, and there are three sheets of photo-etched metal. Hatches and doors can be posed open, and there are masks for the
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cab windows. A curious aspect is a moulded ‘cap’ to the missile, which was not seen on in-service examples and would benefit from removal. There is no representation of the prominent launch/ignition cables between launcher and missile, although black-coated wire is included, but is not referred to anywhere in the instructions. The tyres are in black vinyl with a faithful reproduction of the original’s tread. Seven colour schemes feature, from overall green or sand through to multi-tone camouflage and they represent Afghan, Iranian, Libyan and Russian examples. For further details visit: www.pocketbond.co.uk
artwork portrayed by a decal). A single scheme is offered for the Lancaster, being that of RF128/ QB-V ‘Victorious Virgin’, of 424 ‘Tiger’ Squadron, No.6 (Royal Canadian Air Force) Group, flown by Flt lt JF Thomas, out of RAF Skipton-on-Swale, North Yorkshire, March 21, 1945. Gift Set status means one also receives 12 pots of Humbrol acrylic paint, cement and two paintbrushes. The other package is Battle of Britain – Ready for Battle (A50172), which offers Airfix’s awesome new 1/48 Hurricane Mk.I as the centrepiece, but also with the Bedford MWD, Albion 3-Point refueller and ten groundcrew figures with accessories, such as wheel chocks, trolley accumulator, ammo trolley and oil bowser. The Hurricane’s livery is that of P3522/ GZ-V, of 32 Squadron, RAF Biggin Hill, July, 1940.
CIVILIAN GEM RETURNS
AIRLINER FANS will be delighted with the re-release of Airfix’s 1/144 de Havilland Comet 4B (A04176). While the mould is the original, anyone who has seen Mike Grant’s airliner builds in AMW will know that with care, one can make a superb job of older subjects such as this. The kit’s two period colour schemes are as follows: • G-ARGM, British European Airways, London Gatwick, UK, 1973 • SX-DAN, Olympic Airways, London Heathrow, UK, 1966 For information on all the kits shown here, visit: ww.airfix.com
BIRDCAGE TO BUBBLETOP
TAMIYA’S F4U-1 Corsair from last year cemented the company’s status as a provider of top-flight 1/32 aircraft. Now the firm has released the ‘bubbletop’ F4U-1A in the same scale, to complement its ‘Birdcage’ predecessor beautifully. This boxing (60325) updates the moulding with raised cabin and bubble canopy, and centreline weaponry...and is just as impressive. Photo-etched metal provides alternative seat harness layouts, tape masks feature for the canopy and a trio of Pacific theatre aircraft are represented by the decals; all sport the same three-tone pattern of Non-
specular Sea Blue/Intermediate Blue/White). The schemes are • 122, VMF-111, US Marines, Gilbert Islands, 1944 • I ‘Big Hog’, CO VF-17, US Navy, Ondonga Airfield, New Georgia Island, Solomons, 1943 • 883, VMF-214, US Marines, Vella Lavella Island, December 1943 If one doesn’t favour the schemes provided, Xtradecal has released 1/32 New Zealand and Fleet Air Arm Corsair decals, and with careful conversion work an appropriate clipped-wing example could be built. Tamiya's kit is available in the UK via The Hobby Company, www.hobbyco.net
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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NEWS BULLETIN
LATEST UPDATES
VC WINNER’S CODES
FURTHER TO this month’s guest editorial theme, RAF Coningsby Typhoon ZK349 displays splendid retro colours to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, and
GN-A codes in honour of James Brindley Nicolson VC...the only RAF Fighter Command pilot to receive a Victoria Cross. It’s almost certain that, by the time these
words are read, this famous pilot’s enigmatic red devil artwork will have been added to the aircraft. It will be seen at various airshows this year. (Copyright MOD/RAF © 2015)
PIRATE REFERENCE
ESTEEMED AVIATION historian Dana Bell has completed Volume 2 of a two-part examination of the F4U-1 Corsair. The softback book, in
landscape format, is a product of Classic Warships Publishing in the USA, and has 73 pages packed with useful details for anyone building this early ‘bubbletop’ sub-type. After five pages of general history, which delves into the raised cabin, external stores, guns, export and reconnaissance models, manufacturers and more, there's a photographic feast that studies the F4U-1 from every angle, and with interior views. Two basic profiles and a plan view show the camouflage
and colours for Royal Navy Corsair marks II and III, and manufacturer drawings add to the coverage. It’s the imagery that stands out, though, as it's of great quality and reveals much...particularly the handful of colour photos. Volume 1 is also still available, and this centres on the ‘Birdcage’ F4U-1 with similar treatment. Splendid reference, especially if one has Tamiya’s new 1/32 F4U-1A, featured opposite. For further details, visit: www.classicwarships.com
QUEST FOR DETAIL
IF ONE feels ready to move beyond basic assembly to attempt scratch-building and photo-etched (PE) metal, the right tools are vital. And three items from RP Toolz will certainly make life easier for many modellers in this respect. The firm’s Punch and Die set (left) offers a beautifully finished die, which can clamp the chosen material and comes with 12 punches sized from 2mm to 4.5mm, and a small hammer. RP’s Handle Bending Tool (centre) is superb for those who wish to add refinement to
armour/vehicle models with replacement grab handles made from wire; 24 different widths are offered. Lastly, the 13cm PE Tool will make short
work of bending different PE parts. Purchasing all three will mean a substantial outlay, but they’ll last a lifetime: www.rptoolz.com
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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NEWS BULLETIN
LATEST UPDATES
{in brief}
GREAT WAR COLOURS The German Lozenge camouflage scheme is one of the most difficult to reproduce and thankfully, Eduard has now produced decal sheets of this disruptive pattern in 1/48 scale. Separate, correctly toned versions are available for upper (D48022) and lower (D48023) flying surfaces for various aircraft. For further details, visit: www.eduard.com
PAINT'S NEW HOME ALBION ALLOYS has been appointed the sole UK distributor for Mr. Hobby (Gunze Sangyo) paints and finishing products. Dorset-base Albion fully intends to develop the work of Chris and Bob at Model Design Construction, which previously stocked and promoted the brand for the past 15 years; MDC is now concentrating on contract casting work and 3D printing and has an ever-expanding corporate and private customer base. Mr. Hobby acrylic paints, primers and associated items are regarded warmly by many modellers worldwide, due in part to the high pigment content and wide range of colours. Visit www.albionhobbies.com for full information on Gunze products.
RED ROSE CARRIER THUNDERBIRD MODELS has released a lovely decal set for a civilian C-47 in 1/72 scale....perfect for Airfix’s recent new tooling. The sheet (72-008) is produced by Fantasy Printshop, and offers markings for CF-JIZ ‘Arctic Rose’ operated by World Wide Airways... founded in Canada by Don McVicar after World War Two. Printing of the red rose for the tail, and the company logo along the fuselage in particular, is top notch and this is a highly attractive alternative to military liveries. To order, visit: www.thunderbirdmodels.co.uk
IRON TADPOLES and Trumpeter kits, and provides stencils for weapons, ejection seats and crew helmets. Due to the large number of schemes for sets 32-001, 48-001 and 72-001 (23, 64 and 64 respectively), the instructions are supplied in the form of a CD (which also offers weapons load lists). Further releases are planned for the OV-10 Bronco and A-4 Skyhawk: Visit www.AOAdecals. com for more details.
FANS OF US Navy and US Marine Corps A-6 Intruders are in for a real treat courtesy of fledgling firm AOA decals, whose aim is to address the lack of relevant markings for A-6s. Initial releases feature USMC A-6As in Vietnam (set -001 in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32), USN and USMC
AIRFILE AT KEY PUBLISHING THE EXCELLENT range of AIRfile books is now for sale at the home of Airfix Model World... Key Publishing Ltd. AIRfile as a company ceased trading recently, and Key Publishing has bought the remaining copies, which are all listed at our webshop. There are real reference gems packed with colour profiles and plan views, and informative text and
captions. The softback volumes available are: Hawker Hunter, Fairey Swordfish, RAF Middle East & Near East, Operation Torch, RAF Trainers Vol.1 19181945, RAF Trainers Vol.2 19452012, First Generation Harrier, Adler Gegen England, Operation Overlord, and Pearl Harbor to Coral Sea. See the advert on p.49 in this issue or visit: www.keypublishing.com/shop
FLOATPLANE PROTOTYPE
REVELL’S IMPRESSIVE 1/32 Arado Ar 196 makes a welcome return as the lesser-known B-variant prototype V4, which featured a single main and two outrigger floats.
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A-6Es in Operations El Dorado Canyon/Libya and Desert Storm/ Iraq (32-003) and full hi-visibility airframe stencils (set -002 in 1/48 and 1/32). The level of detail on the Cartograf-printed decal sheets is staggering...each set includes notes on colours and markings, how to correct the Hobbyboss
While the Ar 196A became the workhorse of the Kreigsmarine, where it was nicknamed ‘Mädchen für alles’ (maid of all work), unfortunately V4 was destroyed
after an engine fire in 1938. To cater for the new float layout, three replacement runners are provided and these are moulded to the same high standard as the rest of the kit, which is otherwise unchanged from the earlier release. While a choice of two and three-blade propellers are included, references indicate that just the former was ever fitted to the V4. Helpfully, the armament from the B-variant has been retained, as this prototype was the first to undergo weapons tests. A single pre-war scheme is provided, for Ar 196B V4, registration D-OVMB, and this will make an interesting counterpoint to the twin-float A-type. For further details see: www.revell.de/en
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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NEWS BULLETIN
LATEST UPDATES
HOME-SPUN MARKINGS GUIDE EVER SEEN mention of printing decals at home, but the process still remains a mystery? The answer for anyone wanting to explore this highly useful skill lies in a new ebook, written by US modeller Richard Marmo. ‘The Marmo Method Modelbuilding Guide #4: How To Make Your Own Decals’ is a 70-page tutorial, which explains exactly which equipment one needs, along with decal paper, fixatives, image capture and a whole lot more. Arguably, the most important aspect is that of how to use scanners/ cameras, and which actual printer types give the best results, and these subjects are covered in great detail. Even the restoration of old decals is described. This neat ebook is priced at just US $4.99, and is available from: www. smashwords.com/profile/view/ tennexican. This work follows three other ebooks by Richard; Guide #3 is Understanding Model Math & Scale Jumping (vital for scratch-builders), while the other two cover truck modelling and how to build the Bates Motel from the Hitchcock film Psyhco. The decal ebook is also available in PDF format. For further details visit: www.richardmarmo.com
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SHADES OF THE BRITISH FLEET
MARITIME MODELLERS who favour acrylic paint will welcome these new Lifecolor sets. The first pack, Royal Navy WWII Eastern Approach “early war” (CS 33), with six 22ml bottles, offers the following satin shades: Admiralty Dark Grey 507A, Admiralty Medium Grey 507B, Admiralty Light Grey 507C, Light Grey B20, Medium Green-Grey MS 3 and Dark BlueGrey B 5. For variety in camouflage
the second set, Royal Navy WWII Western Approach “late war” (CS 34), provides Hull Red, WA Blue, WA Green, White, Semtex Green and Corticene. The paints have been produced with input from IPMS Italy’s Maurizio Boverio and Robin Carpenter of UK aftermarket firm Scalewarship, and look to be bang-on in accuracy. They are available from The Airbrush Company, www.airbrushes.com
MINIATURE CLASSICS CZECH RESIN kit company Miniwing has forged a reputation for exquisite resin 1/144 scale classic jets. A Royal Navy theme pervades two of the latest releases, in the form of the Supermarine Attacker F.1 (mini074) and de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 (mini069)...a Fouga CM.170 Magister (mini073) has also been issued. A low parts count features in all three, partly due to the excellent single-piece fuselages. Each kit includes resin and vacuum-formed canopies,
INTERSTELLAR VARMINT
basic interior fittings and photoetched metal (PE) parts for smaller details. Most releases include two colour schemes, but subjects with a significant number of airframe stencils, such as the Sea Vixen, offer just one. The next planned release, for May 2015, will be a US Navy Douglas F-4D Skyray, which will be the first ‘Ford’ in 1/144 scale, and includes optional fuel tanks in addition to the resin and PE components. For further details visit: www.miniwing.cz
FORMALLY REFERRED to as Subject 89P13, but more commonly known as Rocket, the pint-sized mammalian criminal/prison-breaker from Marvel’s film ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ has been released in 1/9 scale by Dragon. As with all of this manufacturer’s recent movierelated products, the level of detail incorporated into the parts is stunning, with the fur on the head and tail particularly well-rendered. At approximately 7in (178mm) tall, the figure comprises just 11 vinyl parts, and will be easy to assemble after the large injection/release pins have been removed from the limbs, tail and neck. Fans of the film will be delighted with the styrene gun, which is almost as large as the character and is the most complex single element, with seven components, but will look very impressive once painted. A basic circular stand, common to most of the previous movieassociated releases, is included. The colour scheme is bright, but rather incomplete on the box art, as the raccoon’s back is not shown...modellers will need to refer to the film for these particular details. If one is seeking even greater scifi mayhem, Dragon has also released a set of Rocket and his tree-like sidekick, Groot (38341). For further details see: www.amerang.co.uk
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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SHOW SCENE
DIARY DATES
SHOW SCENE 13 SEP, 2015 SHIRE OAK ACADEMY
At-a-glance model and airshow calendar
Sutton Coldfield Model Spectacular Hosts:
Sutton Coldfield Model Makers Society
Address: The Shire Oak Academy, Lichfield Road, Walsall Wood, Walsall, WS9 9PA
JUN 21
DOWNHAM MARKET SHOW
Hosts:
West Norfolk IPMS
Address: Downham Market Town Hall, Downham Market, PE38 9DE Times:
10am-4pm
Prices:
Adults £2, concessions £1
Hosts:
IPMS North Somerset
Hosts:
Address: The Helicopter Museum, Weston Heliport, Locking Moor Road, Weston-SuperMare, Somerset, BS24 8PP
The Figure Modellers Collective
Address: The Midland Air Museum, Coventry Airport, Baginton, Warwickshire, CV3 4FR Times:
10am-4pm
Prices:
Adults £6.50, concessions £6, children £3.25
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
[email protected]
Web:
www.ipmsipswich.co.uk
KEY
E MODEL DISPLAY
)
m
MODEL COMPETITION AIRCRAFT DISPLAY
www.scmms.co.uk
Coventry & Warwickshire IPMS
ipms.covandwarks@ hotmail.co.uk
Email:
Web:
Hosts:
Email:
07761 792954
andy-mike-keane@ hotmail.co.uk
FIGUREWORLD 2015
www.westnorfolkipms. co.uk
Tel:
Email:
JUL 25
Web:
Adults £1, accompanied under-16s free
07732 333292
NORTH SOMERSET MODEL SHOW 2015
[email protected]
Prices:
Tel:
JUL 12
Email:
10am-4pm
Adults £3.50, senior citizens and children £2.50
COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE IPMS MODEL SHOW
01760 755596
Times:
10am-4.30pm
Prices:
JUN 21
Tel:
Address: Greshams Sport and Social Club, Tuddenham Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 3QJ
Times:
Times:
10am-5pm
Prices:
Adults £6.50, children £4.50, senior citizens, £5.50
Email:
[email protected]
Web:
www.helicoptermuseum. co.uk
JUL 12
THE MOORLANDS MODEL SHOW
Hosts:
IPMS Staffordshire Moorlands Model Club
Address: The Great Hall, Oundle School, Oundle, PE8 4GH Times:
9.30am-4pm
Prices:
£3
Tel:
N/A
Email:
elanlane13@btinternet. com
Web:
www.facebook.com/ FigureworldModelShow
JUL 26
MIDLAND EXPO 2015
Hosts:
IPMS Birmingham
Address: Aldhurst Farm, Temple Lane, Nr Dorking, Surrey, RH5 5HJ
Address: The TA Centre, Martin Leake House, Waterloo Road, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 3HJ
Address: Leasowes Leisure Centre, Leasowes High School, Kent Road, Halesowen, B62 8PJ
Times:
Times:
10am-4pm
Times:
10am-4pm
Prices:
Adults £3, concessions and children £2
Prices:
Adults £4, OAPs/under-16s £2, family (2+2) £10
Tel:
01782 721463
Email:
Email:
smmcmodelclub@hotmail. co.uk
midland.expo.publicity@ gmail.com
Web:
Web:
www.smmc.moonfruit.com
www.midlandexpo. blogspot.co.uk
Sat 10am-5pm Sun 10am-4pm
Prices:
Adults £5, children/OAP £3
Email:
donna.sheehan16@gmail. com
Web:
www.capelmilitaryvehicle show.org
J
MILITARY DISPLAY
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
SALMSON 2A2 LATE TYPE GasPatch included a sheet of laser-cut cardboard, which assembled into an excellent fuselage and wing assembly jig and guaranteed the correct wing geometry.
Two photo-etched metal (PE) frets were included, one for the engine and the other for the interior fuselage detail. Unfortunately there were no PE parts provided to replace the cooling jacket on the Vickers gun.
Scout Doughboy F
ounded in the late 19th-century as a manufacturer of steam-powered compressors and centrifugal pumps, Salmson began building radial engines and aircraft just before World War One.
After a period licence-building Sopwith designs, Salmson’s first indigenous aircraft was the Salmson A, which first flew in 1917 and bore a remarkable resemblance to the Sopwith 1½ Strutter. However, it fell short of expectations, and after substantial modifications became what we know as the Salmson 2A2, which was used for observation and photoreconnaissance, with nearly 4000 produced. The type entered service with the French Air Force, but was also used widely by the United States Air Service (USAS) and approximately 600 were built under license in Japan as
Jan Maes takes on a bi-plane challenge with GasPatch Models’ quarter-scale Salmson 2A2
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SALMSON 2A2 LATE TYPE
GasPatch displayed a touch of genius with its inclusion of a multi-part jig Fuselage Construction started with the fuselage interior, where the wooden framing was assembled ready to receive the various detail parts. Components were virtually flash-free but removing them from the runners was occasionally troublesome. A combination of brittle styrene and a multitude of runner attachment points proved quite a challenge, especially with the smaller parts and quite a few were broken during removal. Early in the build, a decision was required as to whether the engine should be displayed or not; given the detail provided, the former option was chosen. However, this did provide another test of skill, as the engine covers were moulded as part of the fuselage components. To remove them, one was directed to cut along a thin panel line, located next to a series of delicately moulded cooling louvers; these would have been very difficult to repair if damaged. After a coat of Alclad grey primer, the inside of the fuselage received a base coat of Tamiya XF-55 Deck Tan. A wood effect was achieved on the ribs and stringers with Winsor & Newton (W&N) Burnt Sienna oil paint. EZLine elastic thread was used for the fuselagecross braces, and Gaspatch thoughtfully notched the fuselage frames so the bracing in each half could be made from just two pieces of thread. Once dry, the fuselage halves received a thin W&N Burnt Umber oil wash to provide contrast. Care needed
To capture the detail on the fuselage frames, they were separate to the fuselage halves. Here they have been painted with oils to simulate wood. Although well-detailed, the stick and rudder bar construction was very delicate, and painting was hampered by the lack of comprehensive colour annotations.
MODEL SPEC
the Otsu-1. GasPatch Models’ Salmson 2A2 Late version, the subject of this particular build, comprised eight styrene runners, two photoetched metal (PE) frets, a sheet of transparent acetate and separate wheel masks. There was also a small correction sheet for decals that had been incorrectly printed on the main version. Equally impressive was the 32-page A5-format instruction booklet, which was printed in colour with CAD-generated construction steps. Of the four schemes offered, a machine from the 104th Aero Squadron, USAS was chosen for the build.
Salmson 2A2 Late Type By:
GasPatch models
Stock Code: 12-48001 Scale:
1/48
Price:
€39.50
Available from: www.gaspatchmodels.com
Assembly and painting of the pilot’s seat was very simple, with extra detail provided by PE seatbelts, which were annealed for a more realistic appearance. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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to be taken with the smaller subassemblies, such as the wireless antenna reel, which comprised several PE parts, and a little patience paid huge dividends as most of the interior remained visible when the model was completed. Detailed components including the magneto and primer
pump were painted with various acrylic paints. A minor gripe with the instructions was that there was just minimal painting information, which resulted in an element of guesswork on which colours were to be employed and reference material determined the correct shades. The fuselage
Greater care than usual was needed to ensure that the fuselage was not mis-aligned or warped when the halves were mated as this would adversely affect the rest of the build and particularly the cabane strut assembly. After a number of test-fits to ensure correct alignment of the front edges, which would support the engine, the cockpit assembly was inserted from below.
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halves were then set aside to start construction of the cockpit; this was a delicate affair made from thin struts and braces, with additional detail provided with PE components. Wooden parts were all painted with W&N Burnt Sienna, while the metal struts and fuel tank were painted with XF-18 Medium Blue. The pilot’s cushion then was painted with a combination of W&N Burnt Umber, Sepia and Burnt Sienna oils to depict a worn leather look. Separate seat belts were provided as PE parts and, once annealed to allow for a better fit, they were painted with acrylics. Closing the fuselage was more complicated and fiddly than expected, as the completed cockpit had to be inserted from below and the cabane struts needed to be attached to the fuselage halves and the cockpit floor.
and supported by the thinnest of struts. Unfortunately, these were ruined when they were removed from their runner, which necessitated their replacement by suitable metal tubing from Albion Alloys. To ensure that the frame sat flush with the top edges of the fuselage, several test-fits were necessary before any glue was committed to the joins. Gaspatch’s attention to detail was apparent in the instrument panel and engine controls, which were built
Decals Options available in the kit: • Unknown ‘Jo.4’, White 8, USAS 1st Aero Squadron • Unknown, 12.16, Polish 16th Eskadra • 1680, White 7, French Sal.32 • 5247, Red 3, USAS 104th Aero Squadron
Top decking Once the fuselage had dried, the upper framework was constructed, this held instruments, map holders, wiring and a downward looking camera, for which 26cm, 50cm and 76cm focal-length options were provided. Prior to assembly all of these parts were base-coated with XF-55 Deck Tan, followed by W&N Burnt Umber to simulate wood. A neat PE ammunition holder was provided for the rear machine gun which, after painting XF-18 Medium Blue, was installed in the rear fuselage
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from a combination of styrene and PE, with decals provided for the individual instrument bezels. The engine controls were also offered as PE sub-assemblies, and the throttle comprised seven tiny components...not for the fainthearted! These were then attached to the cockpit framework, along with the instrument panels. To capture the detail on the upper decking, GasPatch provided it as two parts that butt-joined to the fuselage halves without any locating holes. A test-fit of these parts was crucial, as they had very delicate detail on the edges, which would have been lost if there had been a need to sand the join lines.
Engine At this point a major inconsistency was discovered in the instructions. From this point on there was an apparent assumption that the engine would be covered, and
subsequent stages addressed the external detail of the fuselage, but...a number of parts could not be added until the engine was installed. Unfortunately, engine construction didn’t start until the penultimate stage; therefore this modeller deviated from the instructions and fast-forwarded to that section. The engine subassembly was effectively a kit in its own right, although construction was aided by the superb fit. After priming, the main housing was painted Alclad ALC-101 Aluminium with a W&N Burnt Umber oil wash to accentuate the detail. The cylinders were painted black and then dry-brushed to bring out the detail, before the 18 individual push-rod rocker arms were attached to the cylinder ends and then painted with X-10 Gun Metal. Further detail was added in the form of induction tubes, which were painted semi-gloss black prior to assembly, and the engine support braces, comprising a mix of PE and styrene components, the appearance of latter items was improved by drilling the lightening holes. The PE valve pushrods appeared rather two-dimensional and this was addressed with two coats of primer after a thin coat of Gunze Mr. Metal Primer had been applied to improve adhesion. These were then painted X-10 Gun Metal and finished with a thin
Correct alignment of the cabane struts, which were attached to the fuselage and cockpit floor, was essential for upper wing geometry. Once the top fuselage frame, and ammunition holder had been fitted, the interior began to take on a busy appearance.
As with the fuselage halves, the addition of the top decking sections was preceded by multiple test-fits to ensure alignment and minimise the risk of losing the fine rivet detail along the edges, from subsequent filling/sanding.
After careful masking of the cockpit openings, all of the major sub-assemblies were primed with Vallejo Acrylic White in readiness for the camouflage colours.
GasPatch’s attention to detail was apparent in the instrument panel Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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The engine assembly was a miniature kit in its own right
The four-colour camouflage scheme required careful masking, and once complete received a gloss coat in readiness for the decals. These adhered well with the aid of decal solution; oils were then used to weather the wings and tone-down the camouflage colours. GasPatch’s airframe/wing jig was a touch of genius, ensuring that the wing dihedral was perfect and that the butt-joined wings were square to the fuselage.
W&N Sepia Oil wash to simulate oil staining and the whole assembly was then ready to add to the exhaust ring, but before that the engine front cooling louvres needed to be installed. Here GasPatch seem to have missed a trick as the louvre assembly and prop shaft were moulded as a single part and a PE replacement would have offered far greater detail, especially as the assembly was in full view. The exhaust ring was then painted with a mix of X-33 Bronze and X-10 Gun Metal to simulate a heat-stained appearance. Once the engine had been married to the exhaust ring, the sub-assembly was completed with the installation of nine small pipes that connected the cylinders to the exhaust ring...not a particularly difficult task but a rather fiddly one.
Painting and decals In this modeller’s experience, bi-planes need to be painted before final assembly and therefore the wings and fuselage were primed with Vallejo acrylic primer. The camouflage colours were a combination of LifeColor
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Matt Tan, Dark Green, Interior Green, XF-10 Flat Brown and black. A mix of Vallejo Beige, White and Yellow was employed to replicate the French Ecru colour of the undersides, before a coat of gloss varnish was applied in readiness for the decals. While the markings were applied without too much trouble, they had a tendency to stick too quickly, and this modeller resorted to copious amounts of Microscale Micro Sol to rectify this and move the decals into position. The wings and fuselage were then weathered with a variety of oil paints; this toned-down the camouflage colours and provided a more realistic look to the aircraft. Although decals were provided for the tri-colour rudder, it was far easier to mask and paint the red, white and blue. Two thin coats of Vallejo’s satin varnish were then applied and everything left to dry thoroughly. In preparation for the rigging, it was noted that small
indents were provided for the anchor points. These were used as a guide to drill holes in the bottom wing, while those on the upper surface were just deepened, as this avoided any major clean-up of the wing surface later (there were 16 holes per wing panel).
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SALMSON 2A2 LATE TYPE and this was replicated with the binding areas painted XF-55 Deck Tan, followed by a thin W&N Sepia oil wash. A test-fit revealed that the strut location holes in the wing were too shallow and these were deepened with a drill bit for a more positive fit. Front and side views of the aircraft indicated that the struts were vertical and so they were glued to the top wing and their alignment checked frequently while the glue dried. The next step was to attach the rigging wire into the pre-drilled
Engine Wing assembly and rigging GasPatch displayed a touch of genius with its inclusion of a multi-part jig which aided the attachment of the lower wings to the fuselage. Not only did it ensure the correct dihedral, but it also prevented any alignment slip of these sub-assemblies, as there was just a butt join. Normally, this builder would have inserted a brass pin to reinforce this area, but in the end the wings were attached as per the instructions. Unfortunately, the runner that held the various struts for the aircraft suffered from prominent mould seams, which required all of the edges to be sanded smooth. After a base coat of XF-55 Deck Tan the struts were painted with W&N Burnt Sienna and left to dry, followed by a coat of X-22 Clear to simulate varnished wood. On the real aircraft, the struts were bound in five places to avoid splitting
The engine assembly was a miniature kit in its own right. After clean-up, the parts fitted together well, which was fortunate as the cooling fin detail was very delicate. Engine cylinders were painted and then dry-brushed to provide highlights and add depth. PE parts were used for the valve pushrods, as well as for the mounting frame and the styrene components were drilled for added realism. One criticism of this sub-assembly was the front cooling grille, which although well-moulded, would have been better if produced in PE.
Fortunately, all of the wing cabane struts were the same size, which made assembly easier; here they have all been treated with oils to simulate wood grain and strengthening strips have been painted with Tamiya XF-55 Deck Tan.
EZLine was the material of choice for the rigging wires, and these were installed first in the top wing, which avoided any damage to the upper surface.
Once the upper wing had dried, the wing rigging wires were tensioned and secured. This just left the control wires and undercarriage bracing wires to attach.
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holes in the top wing; EZLine was chosen for this, due to its elasticity. Once completed, the airframe was returned to the jig and the top wing attached to the bottom wing and cabane strut assembly. Given that there were 12 fragile struts which needed to be carefully located, this stage had trouble written all over it, but in the event was something of an anti-climax, as assembly went without a hitch. Attention then returned to the rigging, with those wires attached to the top wing now fed through
the lower section, pulled taut with tweezers and secured with a drop of superglue, before the process was repeated for other wing and wing/fuselage rigging lines.
Final stretch With the bulk of the aircraft complete, attention shifted to the remaining details. The first item was the forward fuselage-mounted Vickers machine gun, which was airbrushed black and then drybrushed with silver. Although the styrene part was satisfactorily Unfortunately, the tail plane and rudder struts did not survive removal from the runners. Here the parts have been replaced with Evergreen styrene rod.
Although this was not a heavy model, the undercarriage was very delicate and wire reinforcement was needed to support the weight of the aircraft; even then this assembly was not very robust.
detailed, it would have been enhanced greatly with a PE cooling jacket. There was an option for either a camera or twin Lewis gun mount for the observer, and here it was decided to opt for the latter. A multitude of styrene and PE parts for the scarf-ring mount produced a fantastic end result, but assembly was very fiddly. The guns were painted the same way as the single Vickers and the elevation bungee cords were simulated with pieces of knitting elastic, painted white. Disaster then struck with the five thin struts that comprised the tailplane and rudder assembly supports, as these either broke during removal from the runner or proved impossible to keep straight when removing the mould seams and were replaced by Evergreen styrene rod. The undercarriage was of traditional construction, with two V-struts that supported the main axle. However, since there was just a butt join for these parts, thin wire was added to provide additional rigidity, although the model still wobbled when placed on its
wheels. That just left the propeller and, given the narrow blades, it was fortunate that there was no need to show laminations. It received a base coat of XF-55 Deck Tan, followed by W&N Burnt Umber and, when dry, a coat of gloss varnish. Mating the engine assembly to the fuselage brought this enjoyable but at times challenging build to an end. The scarf ring with its two Lewis guns would be a focal point on the finished model. Careful assembly and painting highlighted the lovely detail.
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SALMSON 2A2 LATE TYPE Final thoughts This kit was a good first effort from GasPatch, with a model very rarely seen on show tables. The quality of the instruction sheet and the addition of a building jig were certainly commendable, but the brittle plastic, together with the placing of runner attachment points in difficult places caused periods of frustration, and there were several omissions in the instructions. Having said this, the finished item certainly looked the part and would be recommended for more experienced modellers, due to its complexity. ❚
The final step was to mate the engine sub-assembly with the fuselage, and it was satisfying to note that there was considerable detail visible on the finished model.
The finished item certainly looked the part
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OUT AND ABOUT
SHROPSHIRE SCALE MODEL SHOW
The TSR.2 on the Airfix Modelling SIG stand wasn’t quite one's average model; Richard Linnell portrayed his 1/48 Airfix example as a stunning Luftwaffe Tiger Meet ‘what-if’.
Standing proudly on IPMS Wombourne’s stand was this imposing 1/16 Tamiya Field Marshal Rommel figure by Mike Skelding, who used acrylics to achieve this great finish.
AVIATION EXTRAVAGANZA This battle-weary Great Wall 1/35 Pak 44 anti-tank gun diorama was made by Keith Jones, from East Hinckley Model Club, and sported an excellent weathered scheme.
C
osford is one of my favourite venues, with the opportunity to wander around an interwoven arrangement of clubs, traders and real aircraft exhibits. There was an unusual highlight this year, though, namely a trio of Karaoke Daleks... the ‘Timewarp’ will never be quite the same! From a modelling
perspective, clubs and Special Interest Groups pulled out all the stops, and with a 1/48 Tiger Meet TSR.2 and a 1/35 Pak 44 diorama to catch the eye. Sadly, the Dornier Do 17 restoration area was closed to visitors, but hopefully it will be open in future years. ❚ Stu Fone
Among the great display on the Cheshire Modellers’ stand was this gorgeous Kinetic Mirage 2000D in 1/48 scale by Rob Swift, which was detailed with French firm Renaissance Models’ cockpit set.
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VIEW MORE ONLINE airfixmodelworld.com John Jenkins displayed his beautifully finished 1/72 Hasegawa P-26 Peashooter in very appropriate surroundings, as a museum exhibit, complete with information board.
The World Helicopters SIG put on a great display, which included a 1/48 Revell Royal Australian Navy Wessex Mk.1, mounted on a scratch-built deck depicting HMAS Melbourne. (All Key – Stu Fone)
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WESTLAND WESSEX HAS.3
Brian Wakeman offers a stunning build of Italeri’s 1/48 Wessex HAS.3
Antrim’s
Sub-Hunter W A small amount of remedial work was undertaken early on, which included opening a number of holes. This was easier to do at this point, as the holes would not be as prominent on the outside once the fuselage halves were closed. Italeri provided a quality interior, which included a fret of photo-etched brass parts. One oversight was the floor’s rather rectangular sonar dipping location, as on the real thing this was round in shape. Detail fans will also need to build their own sonar gear above the hole and operator’s seat.
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estland’s Wessex was a licence-built Sikorsky H-34 for the British Royal Navy/Royal Air Force, and it served the nation well for more than four decades. The HAS.3 was an improved version of the HAS.1; 43 of the latter were updated to the new standard along with three newbuild examples, recognised by the cupola-style ‘Camel Hump’ dorsal radome. Other major improvements in the antisubmarine role included carriage of Mk.44/46 lightweight homing torpedoes, Mk.11 depth charges and 98 gal (445 lit) drop tanks, along with an improved Plessey Marine Systems Type 195 dipping sonar. For surface attack, French Nord SS.11 or AS.12 anti-ship missiles could be carried. The Wessex HAS.3 found fame in the shape of XP142/H ‘Humphrey’, from 737 NAS ship’s flight aboard HMS Antrim, during the 1982 Falklands War. Humphrey was one of three Wessex helicopters to insert special forces troops on Fortuna Glacier, South Georgia, and it also attacked the Argentine submarine Santa Fe with depth charges.
Getting the hump
Not too long ago on internet auction sites, the rather crude and now ancient Revell Wessex fetched silly money, with the Royal Navy boxing being the item most sought by builders and kit collectors. But one would need to throw a bucket-load of cash at it, and expend many hours, to correct the major flaws. Then totally out of the blue, Italeri announced its intension to produce two new kits, the RAF HU.5 and RN HAS.3 (with a HAS.1 on the horizon). The breakdown of the model was as expected; being generic to both boxes, but with separate parts relevant to the individual sub-types. One point of note in the naval boxing has to be the entire lack of offensive armament or pylons on which to attach them...but more on this later. Having a good set of instructions to follow, the cockpit flight deck and rear compartment bulkheads and ceiling were built, with the flight deck seat cushions painted dark blue and incorporating a set of photo-etched (PE) metal seatbelts/shoulder harnesses,
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Lifecolor makes the wonderful TSC203 Tensocrom oil wash; its replication of oil staining is realistic but it needed diluting slightly with water.
An impressive cockpit replica soon emerged; particularly the added depth from Italeri’s PE. The seat cushions were painted dark blue but green and red could also apply.
Overall, a pleasing interior was constructed and it was supported by a delightful transmission system, rotor-hub and gearbox.
manipulated then placed in situ. Most of the interior was painted standard RAF/RN (AP507A) X410 Matt Admiralty Grey from Xtracolor, and then detailpainted with various shades from Lifecolor, including UA735 Cockpit Grey onto the forward antiglare coaming, and the relevant instrument boxes. The only extra feature that helped to enliven
this would be seen. The rest of the build was straightforward, although trouble arose during fitting of the forward engine compartment for the Napier Gazelle Mk.165 turboshaft. This was rectified by smoothing in a little white putty, but this was very awkward to overcome and took several attempts. Also, care must be taken when building
the interior was a few strips of masking tape painted orange, to hang above the windows to represent webbing. With care, this area looked very convincing amid the possibility of leaving the main cabin door ajar. Italeri missed a chance to add a complete sonar winding gear suite and radio operator/observer station inside, but with the door closed none of
MODEL SPEC
Careful alignment of the plastic cockpit/cabin parts was vital, before they were glued with Plast-I-Weld liquid cement and set aside to cure overnight. Once dry, Xtracolor X410 Matt Admiralty Grey was applied.
Westland Wessex HAS.3 By:
Italeri
Stock Code: 1/48 Scale:
2732
Price:
£24.99
Available from: The Hobby Company, www.hobbyco.net
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Italeri must be congratulated on the way it tackled the quilting and overhead roof interior. Scope for extra items to be installed, such as the orange webbing, is up to the individual builder of course.
Revell’s new fine masking tape was used to fashion the orange webbing which, when viewed though the windows, looked attractive and added a sense of depth.
the radiator grille, as it needed a paper template to be cut out and positioned over the mesh provided; it would have been good if Italeri included the two gas bottles for the engine start system, which are prominent when viewed from the front. On
the other hand, if the so-called ‘Horse Collar’ late modification cover was incorporated with the protruding airspeed indicator probe sticking out, then none of the interior would be seen anyway. If an earlier HAS.3 is to be built, though, they would be in view. Care was taken to cement the EKCO dome and engine cover in place; the latter had carefully crafted and very convincing louvres. One more criticism involved the canopy fit, but after cutting a sliver of plastic card and blending white putty around it, the offending pitfall was sorted out. The only item that was replaced was the forward undercarriage legs, substituted by white metal units from Scale Aircraft Conversions (48-196). To make them more realistic, sections of Plus Model’s 0.4mm lead wire were fashioned to create brake lines and then attached with cyanoacrylate (CA). The white-coloured floatation bags demanded care when they were added to the undercarriage later in the build, and it may benefit modellers to delay their attachment to the well-moulded flattened tyres until later.
Tucked-up rotors For ease of display and aesthetics, a folded rotor blade unit from Robin Carpenter’s Scalewarship accessory range was employed (item no: WBF48, www.scalewarship.com). The package offered a fine rendition of the real thing, but its assembly demanded great care and some type of Hold and Fold tool would be a must for the photo-etched brass parts. One slightly disappointing aspect was the instruction sheet, which was a little vague and the illustrations were not that helpful. With this in mind, it is advisable to source as many photographs and reference material as possible, as having these in the armoury will make the job a whole lot easier.
Big dipper Royal Navy Wessex helicopters were originally ordered for the medium- and long-range dipping anti-submarine warfare (ASW) role and anti-shipping strikes, but
its lack of range was a concern from the moment it entered Fleet Air Arm (FAA) service. Interestingly, no weapons were provided by Italeri (a cost-cutting measure perhaps?), but the intention was to add firepower to this ‘chopper’...and so to overcome this omission, pylons and depth charges were taken from an old Revell HAS.3 kit. The pylons had to be modified, with removal of the long front strut, and extra fuselage holes were
Reference Wessex, by Patrick Allen (Airlife), ISBN: 1-85310-050-1 Warpaint No.65 Westland Wessex, by Charles Stafrace (Warpaint) Westland Wessex HAS.1/3/31/HC.2/ HAR.2/HCC.4/HU.5/Mk.50, (4+/Mark I), ISBN: 80-902559-0-6
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The additions made for a more pleasing asymmetriclooking attack helicopter
drilled, but the additions made for a more pleasing asymmetriclooking attack helicopter. These were left aside after construction until late, though, as the next step was painting. The kit decal sheet provided markings for three 737 NAS HAS.3s and a spurious RAF
yellow rescue machine; the RAF never operated the HAS.3, but this airframe was used by the RAF as a ground-instruction asset and that’s when it received the inaccurate scheme. Arguably, the most striking option was the Golden Yellow/
Italeri’s construction order echoed that of other Wessex kits, but parts unique to the HAS.3 were prominent. Careful alignment was needed.
Blue Grey airframe, but to achieve the best results on this model, the choice fell on Xtradecal’s aftermarket sheet X48-000, designed for use on Italeri’s and Revell’s kits. To take full advantage of the sheet, a decision was made to build XP150 (AN/406) of 737 NAS,
its former colours while flying off HMS Antrim in 1980. This Wessex carried a large ship’s flight flag on the port side.
Senior service The first necessary task was to assess if any more flaws
Plastic mesh was provided for the engine grille, but one must cut it to shape with help from the paper template supplied on the instruction sheet. In this image one can see how the canopy issue was rectified. White putty and a sliver of plastic card cured the problem... but not without a fight!
All of the PE parts were put to good use, although the large mesh grille was more suitable for a later version of Wessex, as the small hole was not seen on the HAS.3. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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Gunze Mr. Hobby Sol R masking fluid has great qualities, and was painted over the cutout strips of tape. This produced a total seal around the canopy frame, to prevent any form of paint creep spoiling the overall finish.
Lifecolor LC01 Matt White was a perfect undercoat for the upper fuselage, ahead of the forthcoming Golden Yellow top colour. At long last, the time and considerable effort brought great results. Colourcoats’ wonderfully rich RN21 (BS256) Golden Yellow was ideal for RAF/RN Helicopters.
Italeri incorporated a good level of detail on the underside; it was a shame nothing would be seen once the model was placed on its undercarriage.
needed correcting and filling, so Halfords’ grey primer was used to coat the kit overall, apart from the canopy frame, as this primer has a tendency to bleed through and looks very heavy on clear parts. Instead, Xtracolor’s Admiralty Grey was applied to
this well-moulded canopy area. Then, though, the principle of painting a model was turned upside down. The lighter upperfuselage Golden Yellow had to be applied first, mainly because any overspray of the FAA/RAF ACRN19 (BS633) Blue-Grey
(White Ensign Colourcoats enamel) would be harder to cover with the yellow. For the base coat Lifecolor LC01 Matt White proved a perfect key for the Colourcoats ACRN21 (BS256) FAA/RAF Golden Yellow top coat. Careful masking was carried out, as a
slight incursion to the pattern was quite apparent midway along the fuselage and along the tail section. Great care was also taken in masking the fine line around the base of the EKCO radome. With both major colours applied, the new and rather milky
Italeri’s kit provided a wonderful and rather well-detailed rendition of this famous Westland-built machine
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formula Johnson’s Klear was hand-brushed in three separate coats. Drying time was longer than the firm’s old product and finger marks can be a problem after curing if handled too much! Decal application, though, was straightforward with a mix of Xtradecal and individual kit items used and DACO medium setting solution settled them without a fuss. Once all was dry, preparation was made for an oily panel line wash mix, followed by the addition of the winch, pylons
and small aerials. These were easy to knock off so much care was taken. Before attention then turned to an important detailing phase, a 50:50 mix of Hannants’ Xtracrylix Matt and Satin Varnish was airbrushed over the airframe, with more of a matt finish apparent on the yellow top surface. The overall appearance of these helicopters was relatively neat, but operating in a saltwater environment took its toll during countless months at sea.
Westland wonder Overall, Italeri’s kit provided a wonderful and rather welldetailed rendition of this famous Westland-built helicopter and, with Robin Carpenter’s Scalewarship blade-fold set, the kit can be made into a real show-stopper. Built out of the box, this item would not be that suitable for beginners because, arguably, a little more experience and time is needed in general to get the best ❚ possible results.
To complement the upper fuselage shade, Colourcoats’ RN19 (BS633) RAF/RN BlueGrey proved perfect.
Xtradecal and Italeri markings were used on the final scheme, and they complemented each other perfectly. Note the DACO setting solution in use.
As this helicopter was to be armed, a set of Revell HAS.3 pylons and depth charges from an old kit were pressed into service. The fit was fair at best, so careful adjustment was required.
Plus-model’s fine 0.4mm lead wire should inhabit every modeller’s toolbox. Here, it was used to boost the detail on this Wessex’s winch. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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OUT AND ABOUT
MOSON MODEL SHOW, HUNGARY Stunning figures and realistic groundwork made Meng’s 1/35 FT-17, by Germany’s Volker Bembennek, a splendid inclusion.
MAGYAR MAGIC The builder’s name wasn’t available, but whoever created this atmospheric 1/35 scene, based on a StuG IIIB, did a simply stunning job.
I
t’s an undeniable fact that a high proportion of AMW’s readership has never set foot in Hungary... which is a great shame. For the Hungarian spa town of Moson, in the northwest of the country, has been home to an annual model show for the past
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19 years, and the event has grown exponentially in stature and quality. Moson also has around 150 dentists; this is the highest number in ratio to the total population anywhere in the world! Sure, dazzling Hollywood-style smiles were evident when AMW visited
Filip Bilek, from the Czech Republic, went all-out on this superb 1/72 diorama, centred on MPM’s limited-run kit but with lifelike boardwalk, rowing boat and water.
this April, but any impressive pearly whites were overshadowed by superlative modelling. Moson show is staggering and there were approximately 1,600 models entered in the competition. The choice was varied too. Although the largest genre is
military/armour, there are also aircraft, ships, figures and sci-fi/ fantasy builds. And some of the diorama work was a sight to behold, in size and detail. The gathering is split across two large buildings of Moson’s college of agriculture and food science
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OUT AND ABOUT
MOSON MODEL SHOW, HUNGARY Valentin Petrov made his trip from Svilengrad, Bulgaria, worthwhile after his scrapped 1/32 MiG-19S won best in show. Valentin used Trumpeter’s kit, and provided a photo album with shots of the real aircraft to show how much work he put in.
Dark Days: Poland's Witold Socha built Dragon's new Saladin Mk.II as a vehicle in the thick of Ireland's 'Troubles' in 1969. It displayed excellent weathering.
Czech modeller Pavel Kytlica added a beautiful airbrushed camouflaged scheme to his 1/48 Hobbyboss Me 262A-1a, which portrayed Yellow 2 from KG (J) 54.
This wonderful Trumpeter 1/35 BMP-1 was finished in Afghan National Army colours by Martin Korbelik, from Kaznejov in the Czech Republic.
A Dragon 1/35 Jagdpanzer IV was the focal point in this amazing diorama, whose surrounding structures and groundwork were highly impressive.
(just a minute’s walk separates them). In one sits the competition entries and seminars, while trade fills the other...and what a choice! It’s amazing just how many overseas brands are still never seen on our shores, and the variety on offer in Moson would have
and Profimodeller to name just a few. The latter displayed testshot runners of its forthcoming 1/32 bomber-nosed Mosquito conversion, which looked highly impressive. The social scene is vibrant too. Group together modellers from
emptied even the fattest wallet. Mainstreamers Eduard and Special Hobby/MPM were out in force, and there were many independent kit retailers selling items seldom seen in the UK. Other brands included Plus Model, RP Toolz, Limes Model, Balaton Model, Aires/ SBS Model
any country in the world and they’ll soon be like old friends, and those in Moson were no exception. It was great fun conversing with visitors from Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Norway and of course, the Hungarians, and it was pleasing to see actual modelling taking Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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OUT AND ABOUT
MOSON MODEL SHOW, HUNGARY
MOSON TRAVEL FACTS One can fly to Bratislava in Slovakia, or Vienna in Austria (both 45-50 minutes by car or train to Moson) or to the Hungarian capital Budapest, which is two hours’ drive away. Shuttle buses/taxis and trains are all available for transfers to Moson itself, and UK flights depart from major airports such as Gatwick, Stansted, Heathrow, Leeds, Newcastle and others. While the Hungarian currency is the Forint, the Euro is generally accepted in Moson.
VIEW MORE ONLINE airfixmodelworld.com
Well-painted figures are always pleasing to see, especially when they enliven a gorgeous model such as this Wingnut Wings 1/32 Fe.2b named ‘River Plate’, from 22 Squadron Royal Flying Corps in May 1916. Brach Model’s excellent 1/35 M11/39 tank was posed in a well-rendered North African scene, built by Diego Bruzzone, from Bergamo, Italy. Flawless airbrushed camouflage, and expert weathering, were the high points of Czech modeller Martin Glogar’s Eduard 1/48 Bf 109G-6, in Italian markings. A is for Victory! This ingenious scene melded a B-25 Mitchell with Marvel’s famous Captain America character. It was rendered in 1/48 scale, by Finland’s Petri Kovanen.
place on the club tables. Regarding the competition, it must have been a nightmare to judge as there was so much great work in evidence. An unusual choice secured the best-in-show accolade though, in the form of a wrecked MiG-19S diorama via Trumpeter’s 1/32 kit. The builder,
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Valentin Petrov from Bulgaria, obviously impressed the judging team with his very accurate depiction of the subject, right down to the graffiti and welding gear. Photos of the real subject were displayed with the model to support Valentin’s stellar work. All told, Moson show is an
undiscovered gem for UK modellers. Just a handful of Brits, including myself and noted UK armour modeller Lester Plaskitt (who entered the competition and held a weathering seminar) were in attendance this year. But this must surely change when word gets out about the quality of the
event, and the pleasing nature of the destination. With the spa hotels, any wife or partner can be pampered while their spouse explores the show, and one could always take an excursion to Budapest or Vienna as well. And the goulash is magnificent. Chris Clifford
❚
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Scale Aircraft Conversions White Metal & Resin Aircraft Parts Since 1990
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72105 F-35A/B Landing Gear (Aca) (replacement for 1/72 Academy) MSRP $12.95
48287 Hurricane Mk.I Landing Gear (AX) (replacement for 1/48 Airfix) MSRP $12.95
72106 T-2C Buckeye Landing Gear (WP) (replacement for 1/72 Wolfpack) MSRP $11.95
Extensive inventory of aircraft landing gear with 500 + sets and growing!
scaleaircraftconversions.com
YOUR AIRFIX
B-17 FLYING FORTRESS
YOUR
AIRFIX
Andy Tebbutt cleverly portrays an old Airfix B-17G as a seabed inhabitant
I
like many modellers I have a ‘thing’ for rust and decay, and the idea of once-great machines being left to face the elements is appealing. From a modeller’s perspective it allows us to try new techniques and capture nature’s processes in miniature. The idea here was to convey a B-17 that had ditched in the sea and sank to the bottom, coming to rest among the rocks and gradually being returned to nature until a chance discovery
by a deep sea exploration team. Airfix’s old ‘Bit o Lace’ B-17G kit had languished in my parents’ loft for at least 25 years, and was the perfect candidate for the job. The build began by drawing around various panels and drilling them out. The plastic was thinned from inside and the control surfaces were scratch-built from thin plastic card. The model was then painted with Vallejo acrylic aluminium and coated generously with Humbrol
Liquid Poly to craze the paint. Vallejo Matt Medium was then airbrushed and baking powder was sprinkled on the model randomly to simulate corrosion. Vallejo primers and acrylics were airbrushed at low pressure, before well-diluted oil paints were applied for the final touch. The base was made from MDF and wood scraps and painted black, while the model and tufa rock was bedded onto flower arrangers’ oasis...before a mix
of patching plaster and glass sand was used to simulate the seabed. The submersible is from Hasegawa and built from the box with the exception of holes drilled through internal bulkheads to fit LED searchlights, while various seed heads, lichen and moss were scraped carefully from trees and walls in the garden, to simulate the marine growth that now calls the B-17 home. Andy Tebbutt Essex
Are you proud of a particular Airfix build? Then let AMW know by providing us with 200-250 words on the project and what was involved, along with 6-8 good quality photos against a clean white background. Photo file sizes should be 1Mb or larger. Please e-mail your submissions to the editor:
[email protected]
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Halifax Modellers World REVELL 1/32 SCALE
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CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE 'www.halifaxmodellersworld.co.uk' Humbrol,Revell,Tamiya,Vallejo,Xtracrylic, AK Interactive paints in stock Iwata/Neo Airbrushes from £50
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This exciting new series is dedicated entirely to the increasingly popular 1:32 aircraft scale. Close-ups and overall views are combined with step-by-step instructions to depict each model to its full potential.
128 pages - 10 models - Order at: www.canfora.se
INTERMEDIATE BUILD
GMC 2 ½ TON TRUCK The tank section itself was engineered cleverly and made assembly trouble free.
Here’s the completed chassis which, in real life terms, formed the basis for many variants of GMC truck.
under
new management
Toni Canfora gives a military icon an eye-catching civilian identity eneral Motors’ famous 2 1/2 ton truck, nicknamed ‘Deuce-and-a-Half’ by the troops, formed the backbone of US land supply lines during World War Two It was produced in vast numbers, which were only superseded by
g
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moving around the clock. When the last example rolled off the assembly line, more than 500,000 had been built and they were used well into the Korean War. The chassis proved to be a solid and reliable platform and numerous variants were developed, including anti-aircraft, recovery and, as is the case with this article, airfield tanker.
Top of the heap There have been many kits of the standard GMC truck over the years, in various scales, but Tamiya’s offering must be considered
the best in any scale. And just as General Motors did, Tamiya took advantage of the chassis to make different variants. There are several resin conversions available as well, and it’s somewhat surprising that it took so long for a mainstream manufacturer to release it, considering how few airfield-related kits there are. Hopefully we’ll see more of this type of vehicle in the near future. As one might expect, the quality of the moulding was excellent, with very crisp detail and almost no seams to remove. The parts breakdown was also ingenious
the Willys Jeep. After the D-Day invasion, the need for supplies was enormous in order to keep the advance moving, and the famed ‘Red Ball Express’ supply line had thousands of GMC trucks in its inventory,
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
GMC 2 ½ TON TRUCK
the quality of the moulding was excellent
MODEL SPEC
and offered enough detail out of the box, but also left enough room for after-market refinements. Since the fit was nearly perfect, just a few evenings were spent on assembly, which made this a perfect subject for a GMC 2 ½ Ton Truck By:
Tamiya
Stock Code: 32579 Scale:
1/48
Price:
£19.99
Available from: The Hobby Company, www.hobbyco.net
quick, yet flawless build. Construction began with the chassis, which was rendered beautifully with the beam structure, suspension, and very delicate wheels...the latter had very fine nuts and bolts. The chassis was constructed so that it could be assembled fully and painted separately which, of course, made that process much easier. The bonnet and cab were tackled next, and looked rather simplified at first glance, but so was the real machine according to reference photos. Still, a seat, dashboard, gear stick and steering wheel were included and in the end, little of the interior was visible anyway. It was also very pleasing to see that the doors were moulded separately, to give the modeller the option of posing them open; transparent parts were glued from the inside, which ensured a perfect fit
The finished model ready for paint; major sub-assemblies were left detachable for easier painting.
The interior and chassis were painted in the truck’s original Olive Drab...
...which was followed by a base coat of blue, with a few drops of clear gloss varnish.
The cab came with separate doors, which increased the options for a possible diorama setting, and in this case also made the painting process much easier.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
GMC 2 ½ TON TRUCK The doors and wheels were painted orange, as was the stripe (rendered with masking) on the side of the tank.
Subsequently lighter shades of the blue were applied, to create a streaky and patchy effect.
without any blemishes. Olive Drab was applied to the cab interior but the roof and bonnet, which were moulded as one piece, were not glued to the unit until a later stage. The jewel of this kit was obviously the big fuel tank that sat on the rear part of the chassis; it was well detailed, with delicate weld seams, and the fit between parts was excellent. Sidewalls came complete with multi-position doors and realistic hinges, while the pump mechanism and drums for the fuel hoses were also represented... generous for a kit in this scale. Tamiya also included two figures
should the modeller want to depict the truck in a diorama during refuelling, which was useful as the market for 1/48 figures is rather limited and conversion is tricky in this scale.
Painting time The model was left in the following sub-assemblies prior to painting; fuel tank, chassis, wheels, cabin doors, bonnet/roof, and driver’s compartment, which made the process much easier. It was decided early on that the paint scheme would be something unusual, as a welcome change to typical military livery. After search on the internet,
various inspirational photos of post-war military vehicles had been collected, and these ultimately led to the civilian paint scheme of blue and orange. The chassis was painted in the vehicle’s original colour of Olive Drab to show that it had served in the Army. Colours were taken from the Tamiya range and they worked perfectly as always after thorough mixing. The blue colour was applied in several layers, with white added subsequently, to create a faded and patchy look. When dried thoroughly, masking tape was used to protect the blue areas and the orange could then
be added, in several layers, and the wheels and cab doors were also airbrushed at this stage. With the basic colours in place, detail painting followed and the tyres, cabin seat, steering wheel and other smaller components were all picked out with a fine, highquality brush.
Weathering The idea with this little scene was to depict a heavily weathered vehicle, which had been exposed to the elements for many years while serving as a commercial sign fundament. Initially, the process demanded that the
perhaps all modellers should step out of their comfort zone once in a while
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
GMC 2 ½ TON TRUCK
groundwork
Basic materials for the base; a photo frame, sheet styrene and foam board. The frame was turned upside down so the rebate inside could be used as support for the sheet sides.
The shape of the base was cut from foam board to fit into a photo frame, which added some style, while the sides of the base were covered with styrene sheet and the entire unit was painted black. A section depicting a piece of new asphalt road was made in a fairly simple but effective way. Wet and Dry paper was cut to shape and glued onto plastic card, measured to fit the base. The paper was then masked and the eye-catching yellow road markings airbrushed with acrylics. Concrete road side blocks were cut from a sheet of cork...a very versatile material for making stone patterns. These were simply fixed to the base with household adhesive and then blended-in with fine sand. The grassy section of the base consisted of a mix of fine sand, static grass and plaster, which were all mixed with water and spread out over the surface, then topped with more static grass, which was sprinkled gently into the mix. Before the surface was dry, the vehicle was pressed into it to leave a slight depression where it would eventually be glued. As a final touch, flowers and paper leaves from Plus Model and Joefix Studios were added and the base was finished.
When in place, the entire base was painted black with an aerosol can...quick and effective.
The inner space was filled with the foam board, and a piece of plastic sheet was covered with Wet and Dry abrasive paper to simulate asphalt.
The asphalt section was given a yellow roadside marking, via masking and yellow paint through an airbrush.
Cork was cut suitably to simulate stone blocks, to create the paving beside the road. The grassy area was made from a mix of fine sand, plaster, acrylic paint, covered with static grass. Flowers, paper leaves and grass tufts comprised the final touches on the base, and made it look more overgrown.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
GMC 2 ½ TON TRUCK Diluted oils were employed for the first steps of weathering, to highlight surface detail and create subtle rain marks. The process was repeated and enhanced in corners and around weld seems, for greater effect.
The seat and other smaller details in the cab were picked out with a fine brush and acrylics.
entire model receive a general wash of diluted dark brown oil paint, and this immediately gave the model more depth and helped to accentuate surface detail. Following on, darker washes were then applied in recesses and around the finest details. By then the vehicle looked faded and dirty, but not exactly worn, so it was time to add more obvious signs of weathering. Dark grey acrylic was placed on a piece of kitchen foil and diluted with tap water. Then, a very fine sponge
was dipped into the mix, the excess wiped off, and then gently dabbed on the model to simulate chipped paint. It was very important to achieve the correct consistency of colour, as it would otherwise look too stark or too transparent. The chipped effect could also have been carried out with a fine brush, but a sponge worked really well in this scale and was also much faster. Chipped paint would inevitably result in corrosion after some time, so this effect needed to be replicated. There were several
techniques to consider, but in this case traditional oil paint streaks were applied. First, a small amount of rust-red oil paint was transferred to a piece of cardboard which, after two hours, had absorbed much of the oil from the paint to making it less viscose. A fine brush was then used to place small dots of the paint on the model, and a slightly wider brush to smear it out vertically and create the streaks. It took practice to achieve the desired result, but any mistakes could
easily be wiped off with a cloth moistened with thinner. To create more variety to the streaks, some were brushed with a small amount of thinner, which made them more transparent. The final touch of rust treatment was to add subtle washes in corners where oxidisation would most likely accumulate.
Blatant commercialism As mentioned before, this model was going to be displayed a bit differently, and to further
this project was a refreshing and stress. free change
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
GMC 2 ½ TON TRUCK
emphasise the civilian setting and add humour to the scene, a commercial sign was added. This was simply made from styrene sheet cut to a suitable shape, with styrene rod supports. The actual graphic was taken from a picture found on the internet, and was modified slightly before being printed on thick paper through a laser printer. The graphics were then glued on the sign and the entire unit was given subtle washes to blend it in. Most models look more
interesting when put on a base, at least when it comes to vehicles. This provided an opportunity to create a scene that immediately signalled a modern environment to the viewer, and at the same time create contrast between the weathered vehicle and the base.
Finishing Until this stage the smallest details of the vehicle had been left off for easier handling. The glass surfaces of the wing mirrors were painted silver and
glued in place, as well as the cabin doors and fire extinguisher, which was painted red to add a splash of colour. The sign was tricky to get into position but, with the help of cyanoacrylate glue, it finally stuck and a dark wash was applied around the rods to hide any traces of remaining adhesive. Since this vehicle was a piece of American history, a small sign was made from styrene sheet and printed paper, similar to those seen in museums, and
placed in front of the vehicle. Ultimately, this project was a refreshing and stress-free change, as this modeller usually gets mired in serious study of references and historical correctness. Instead, all focus could be put into the creativity of painting and weathering, and it proved to be a surprisingly quick affair in comparison to in-depth projects such as large tanks. Perhaps all modellers should step out of their comfort zone once in ❚ a while…
A fine sponge dipped in grey acrylic created the chipped paint effect. It was important to test the consistency of the paint before it was actually applied to the model.
Heavy rust streaks were created by applying dots of oil paint, which were then blended vertically with a fine brush.
Chipping and rust treatment were carried out over the entire model, to portray the impression of a machine exposed to the elements for some time.
A simple stand for the commercial sign was made from sheet styrene and rod, painted grey. The sign itself was printed from a computer. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ADVANCED BUILD
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX B.III
Andy Davies adds a wealth of refinement to Airfix’s recently re-released Halifax B.III
LILY U pon opening the box it became immediately apparent that this was definitely a kit from a bygone age (1958), and needed to be treated accordingly. There were oversized rivets, parts that were supposed to move, thick ‘clear’ plastic, deformed smaller parts and gimmicky items including
a retracting undercarriage, revolving turrets and moving flying surfaces. Four grey runners held the major components, as well as smaller detail parts and one clear frame that carried windows, canopy and gun turret glazing. The decal sheet was beautiful and portrayed two aircraft in lesserknown markings, one belonging to
Raised flooring for the pilot needed to be built-up with plastic card and rod. Eduard parts ensured extra refinement, such as flooring and bulkhead details.
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REICH
the RAF and the other (the subject of this feature), to the Royal Australian Air Force.
Tub thumping The cockpit was almost totally devoid of detail and cried out to have scratch-built enhancements. A basic two-level platform was provided, which included the pilot's
instrument panel, control column and seat, engineer’s position and the navigator/radio operator tables. It was decided not to use any kit parts and to fabricate everything from scratch, which wasn’t as difficult as it sounded. Fuselage ribbing was added to the sidewalls via shaped 1mm plastic strips of Evergreen styrene, which started
Eduard provided plenty of embellishment in its set, which included a well-detailed pilot’s instrument panel and throttles...but the pedestal for the latter was made from scrap resin.
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ADVANCED BUILD
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX B.III
The Halifax was jammed full of radios and they replicated with help from wartime photographs and scrap resin. Eduard provided a wealth of realistic faces for these units.
MODEL SPEC
at the nose and worked back to the rear of the engineer’s station as per reference photographs. Then, 2mm plastic card was used to replicate the stations themselves, the Airfix parts being used as a guide to achieve as reasonable a fit as possible. Once completed, Eduard’s pre-painted photo-etched (PE) metal set (ED-7342) was used to usher in detail to the cockpit, such as the pilot’s seat and floor, instrument panel, throttles, engineer’s panel and various radio boxes–all of which added to the complex inner workings of this old bomber. Any parts that were missing, such as the correctly Handley Page Halifax B.III By:
Airfix
Stock Code: AO6008A Scale:
1/72
Price:
£19.99
Available from: Airfix, www.airfix.com
sized tables, floor mountings, panel detail, seats and radio equipment were scratch built, with a mixture of plastic card, lead wire and resin. The interior then received a light coat of Alclad grey primer and was allowed to dry, before being sanded gently with well-worn 6,000-grade Micro-Mesh. Several light coats of Xtracolor XA-1010 RAF Interior Grey Green were applied, while the nose section forward of the radio operator’s position just behind the large Perspex nose cone was painted Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black (apparently, black was used to cut down any reflections if caught in a searchlight). Thinned Burnt Umber oil wash was then introduced, followed by airbrush highlighting.
RAF Interior Grey Green was applied to the area forward of the radio operator’s section, which itself was painted in Night Black to reduce reflections during nocturnal missions.
BOMBING COLOURS The instructions were basic but clear and contained a two-page paint guide with full colour diagrams of both aircraft as seen in 1944: • MZ296/Z5-L ‘Lily of the Lamplight’, 462 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, RAF Driffield • NZ426/EY-G ‘Munga Taipo’, 78 Squadron, RAF Breighton
Body (not) beautiful The boxy shape of the Halifax was captured fairly suitably and, despite minor shape issues, it certainly looked the part when built. But soft moulding was apparent when the halves were butted together, there being a noticeable ‘trough’ that ran the
whole length of the fuselage. Deluxe Materials’ Perfect Putty was applied lightly between two lengths of 8mm Tamiya masking tape, which avoided mess and
aided in neatening the join. The biggest problem was that of oversized rivets, which were all sanded off with medium-grade Wet and Dry paper before
“IT WAS DECIDED AT AN EARLY STAGE THAT THE BOMB BAY DOORS WOULD BE DISPLAYED OPEN”
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ADVANCED BUILD
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX B.III
progressively smoother grades polished the finish. It was decided to add light panel lines and, with help from various reference photographs and drawings, the lines were gradually re-scribed on all sections. The DF aerial on the upper fuselage was in the wrong position, too, and so once the hole was filled and smoothed it was
repositioned just off-centre and to the left.
Big wings The mainplanes came in two varieties, one with rounded tips and the other with clipped versions...with the latter being appropriate for earlier machines (this being the only choice from
Due to slight shrinkage, dips and troughs appeared down the full length of the fuselage. The easiest way to deal with this was to apply two lengths of Tamiya tape either side of the join and cover the bare area with filler. Once dry, the tape was removed and the parts were sanded smooth with plenty of water and medium-grade abrasive paper.
the box). Once the fictitious rivet detail had been sanded off, new panel lines were scribed lightly onto the surface (photos were studied for reference) and access panels were replicated with 0.5mm card, which had been sanded to a few microns’ width; great care was taken to avoid sanding them away completely. Anti-collision lights were then cut into the front of each wing tip and the lenses fabricated from clear resin with partial 0.2mm holes drilled into them. Red and green enamel paint was then brushed into the holes to simulate the bulbs. These were attached with Gator’s Grip glue to ensure they stayed in place and, once fitted, the resin was polished to a high shine with a ‘The Edge Super Shiner’ foam polishing stick. The engine nacelles then needed to be fitted and again the age of the model really showed itself here. Inner detail was soft and basic, and so engine mounts and gearbox detail was all scratch built from 1mm plastic card and fitted into the front of each of the Hercules engines, which ensured a much busier look. Once the engine faces
were airbrushed with NATO Black, the faces were dry-brushed with Alclad Magnesium to accentuate the detail. With the parts in place and propellers added, the engines looked a great deal more presentable. One notable problem with the nacelles themselves was that the openings were too wide and needed to be narrowed. The easiest way to do this was to add strips of 1mm plastic card around the inner edges in one continuous loop, and then file and then blend them into the housings. This improved the appearance of the engines greatly and didn’t take that long to complete. The carburettor housings also needed attention as the shapes were wrong. Airfix rendered them as simple boxes, whereas the real units were quite complex. It was decided to modify parts from an old Airfix Stirling Mk.III, whereby the fronts were enlarged with scrap resin to achieve rounded inlet openings. Another feature that needed attention was the ‘gills’ around the rear of the nacelles. The kit parts were very vague and so they were sanded away and replaced with
A very noticeable problem was the width of the cowling openings, which were too wide. They were narrowed by gluing strips of 1mm plastic card around the inner edges.
The undercarriage was basic and so lead wire and 1mm plastic rod simulated the necessary extra features. The retraction jacks were the wrong way around, but these were modified to fit correctly.
The exhaust gills were too simplified and needed modifying. To do this they were sanded to 1mm thickness, which resulted in the cowling not fitting snugly to the nacelles. As a remedy, plastic card was stacked together to form a base.
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ADVANCED BUILD
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX B.III
SCRATCH-BUILT DETAIL
2
The Halifax’s bomb bay was quite complicated and demanded careful planning in scale form. It was split into many sections and had an angled rear portion, which followed the underside contours of the airframe. Construction started with the removal of the bomb doors. Drawings were made and traced onto the plastic card bay floor and everything was measured to allow for correct spacing of spars and beams. Plastic strips 4mm wide were then cut into appropriate lengths and attached to the base with Gator’s Grip glue, as this was workable for up to ten minutes, which allowed time for everything to be aligned. Lead wire was used to replicate cabling. It was then time to fit the piece to a fuselage half, before both were mated temporarily to check the fit and, except for one corner, everything aligned perfectly. Two pieces of 4mm plastic were then fixed to the outside of the floor with Superglue, to ensure a permanent hold.
1
3 more detail to the flying surfaces. The substantial undercarriage of the Halifax was represented in good order, though having been made retractable this obviously led to certain details being over simplified. Missing features were added from lead wire and 0.5 mm plastic sheet, while access hatches were cut from plastic card with a punch set. The kit wheels ideally needed to be replaced with resin items, in this case Quickboost’s
0.5mm plastic card strips; the individual gills were then scribed onto the plastic before being fitted.
Tail feathers As with the rest of the airframe these parts were festooned with rivets and so they were all duly sanded off and new panel lines scribed. However, the raised detail on the elevators and rudders was left alone as it simulated the fabric look of the original well, and added
“THE HALIFAX’S BOMB BAY WAS QUITE COMPLICATED AND DEMANDED CAREFUL PLANNING” Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ADVANCED BUILD
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX B.III
The arms were cut off and shortened at one end and lengthened at the other. New inner panels were made and the units pushed into place to check the fit.
Once all the dry-fitting had taken place, the canopy could be masked and the final detailing of the cockpit (engineer’s overhead framework) could be fitted.
Airfix’s turrets were quite basic affairs and so new inner details were added from plastic card and lead wire. The only kit pieces used were the bases.
Lancaster units (AIRE7204) were chosen, which were basically similar to the Halifax’s as they had the correct hub detail rather than raised rivets; the added bonus was flattened and slightly bulged lower sections. The main retraction arms needed turning around, (assumingly positioned the other way to aid the retraction gimmick) and small oleos added to their lower ends. The undercarriage bays also needed detail as they were basically void and here, 0.5mm plastic card was used to box the area, while rib detail was added from 2mm strip styrene and
panel lines were scribed into the plastic where appropriate with an Olfa cutter (www.olfatools.co.uk). Once constructed the area was sprayed with Tamiya Rubber Black and the extra frame detail added.
Bombay duck It was decided at an early stage that the bomb bay doors would be displayed open, which therefore meant a full bay had to be constructed. Photographs and drawings were obtained and the detailed bay was completed with a mixture of 4mm and 2mm Evergreen plastic card and Albion
“DESPITE BEING AS OLD AS ITS BUILDER, THE MODEL SHAPED UP IN FINE STYLE”
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ADVANCED BUILD
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX B.III
AFTER-MARKET PRODUCTS Eduard interior set (ED-7342) www.eduard.com Squadron canopies set (9190) www.squadron.com Montex mini masks (SM721890) www.montex-mask.com Wilder Dark Brown Shadow Wash (NL03) www.airbrushes.com Tamiya and Gunze Mr. Hobby acrylic paints Quickboost resin wheels (AIRE7204 ) Quickboost gun barrels (72 465) www.quickboost.net Evergreen styrene www.evergreenscalemodels.com Deluxe Materials Perfect Putty www.deluxematerials.co.uk The Edge Super Shiner polishing foam stick www.amazon.co.uk Solarfilm www.solarfilm.co.uk
Alloys’ aluminium rod. Aside from the complex nature of the bay itself, there was another problem that had to be resolved...namely the fact that the wing recesses intruded into the area that would form the walls of the bay. A ‘workaround’ had to be devised, which would allow the wings to be fitted without affecting the bomb bay. Once the floor was cut from 4mm plastic card it took considerable sanding and filing to get everything to sit
correctly. Once the bay was built and fitted, the inner wing areas were cut away so the wing slid into the recesses unimpeded. This in turn meant the lower side of the wing join location was weakened substantially, and so the slots were reinforced with 4mm card and cyanoacrylate to keep it all in place.
Double glazing The kit’s clear parts were overly thick and therefore distorted, with vague surface detail and something better was needed. The best solution was to obtain the vac-form replacement set from Squadron Mail Order, which included a new canopy, turrets and nose glazing. At the same time, a set of Montex Mini Masks (SM721890) were purchased, which greatly aided painting of all the complex frames. These were actually designed for Revell’s Halifax B.I/II and as such needed to be adjusted and trimmed to fit the Airfix kit. One notable problem with Airfix’s product was the oversized front of the nose, which meant that the vac-form nose piece didn’t fit correctly. The whole forward section of the fuselage would need to have been completely reshaped, which in turn would have thrown out the smooth contours of the nose. It was decided to use the kit part, this being particularly clear as well as a perfect fit. Once it had been polished with Micro Gloss liquid abrasive and a coat of Johnson’s Klear applied, the part really shone! The little Vickers gun was then added to the piece before small strips of black Solarfilm were added to simulate
the complex framing. The gun turrets themselves lacked any interior detail and so once again, with photos and reference books as guides for scratch building, they were detailed with 1mm card and 0.1mm lead wire from LittleCars.com. But the gun barrels were badly deformed and quite useless, and so a Quickboost replacement set was used; a
micro-drill was employed to make tiny holes in the new mounts, into which each barrel was fitted to give them an altogether more realistic look. Both turrets had the circular ridges around their bases removed, this being a legacy of the gimmicky ‘turning’ feature of the kit, which was supposed to allow them to be fitted once the model had been completed.
Because the turret had lost its locating ridge, a sturdy base needed to be built beneath the part to aid positive location.
With cockpit detailing and pre-painted parts fitted, it was time to finish the interior flooring and panel detail. Once done, the parts were weathered with thinned Burnt Umber oil paint and Wilder Brown Shadow Washes. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ADVANCED BUILD
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX B.III
The front of the engine cowls were dark copper-brown, and this was mixed from Alclad Magnesium and Pale Gold. Blue ‘dog tape’ was used to ensure a neatly masked finish.
The entire airframe was brought to life further with Flory Models’ Dark Wash (FMW002) in the panel lines; excess wash was removed with slightly damp tissue.
Instead of the overly thick kit parts, the landing lights were replaced with two LittleLenses 2mm clear units. These really stood out against the Night underside.
The new Airfix decals adhered to the surface well, but to be safe from silvering, Johnson’s Klear was applied with a high quality Pro-Arte 1/2in (1.2cm) sable brush.
Painting by numbers The decal sheets allowed for the standard RAF Bomber Command colour scheme...Dark Earth and Dark Green over Night Black. Gunze Mr. Hobby H72 Dark Earth and H73 Dark Green, and Tamiya X-85 Rubber Black, were airbrushed at 18psi (1.2 bar) to ensure good coverage. The colours were then muted with a lightened and thinned version of each shade. This helped to accentuate panel detail, gave a weathered look to the airframe and enlivened the black finish. As stated earlier, the decals were well printed; everything in register and with good colour density. The carrier film was commendably thin and the markings adhered well to the painted surface. Micro
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Set and Micro Sol fluids ensured a tight surface fit and there was no adverse reaction to either. A few of the decals had fairly substantial amounts of carrier film that needed removing, to reduce the risk of ‘silvering’ and this was achieved with a brand new scalpel blade. To ensure the red serials and large codes didn’t silver against the black paint, the areas of the model to receive them were coated with hand-brushed Klear floor polish and the decals applied with tweezers while this was still wet; a further coat was applied after they were in place. This worked well, as no silvering occurred and just a light mist of Klear was applied by airbrush to ensure they stayed put.
A silk purse Despite being as old as its builder, the model shaped up in fine style and served as a sound basis for a detailed representation of Handley Page’s workhorse heavy bomber. As hopefully shown here, with effort it can be turned from being almost toy-like into a great model, which wouldn’t look out of place alongside some of the latest offerings. Solid research helped enormously, Eduard’s sets added a great deal and the extra scratch building required was more of a pleasure than something to be endured. It’s a highly recommended product for those interested in this characterful aeroplane.
REFERENCE This excellent 130-page Aeroplane Monthly bookazine on the Halifax is available from Key Publishing, and offers fascinating history, period photography, colour profiles and manufacturer drawings: www.keypublishing.com/shop
❚
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Bathed in evening sunlight, Halifax B.III MZ296/ Z5-L prepares for another night-time bombing sortie. The aircraft was named 'Lily of the Lamplight' and flown by 462 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force, from RAF Driffield, Yorkshire, in August 1944.
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IN FOCUS
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX Mk.III
HERCULES HALIF Malcolm V. Lowe examines the history of the radial-engined Halifax B.III and its related versions in RAF service
T
he night bombing offensive carried out by the RAF’s Bomber Command against Nazi Germany during World War Two has become synonymous with the Avro Lancaster. No less important in the ultimately successful Allied bombing campaign, though, was the companion to the Lancaster, the Handley Page Halifax. Together with the Short Stirling,
the Lancaster and Halifax were at the forefront of Bomber Command operations in the midand late-war stages, although the Stirling eventually became less important and both it and the Halifax always received far less publicity and laurels than the Lancaster. The Halifax was, however, capable of fulfilling a number of roles additional to its primary deployment as a
nocturnal heavy bomber. The design and development of the Halifax dated to the latter half of the 1930s, and the original prototype first flew in October 1939. Initial production versions were powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin inline engines, and the Mk.I made its operational debut with 35 Squadron during March 1941. However, excellent though the Merlin engine was in such superb
The Halifax was more purposeful than attractive in appearance, as shown by B.III LV833 which later served with 466 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, but was lost on operations during July 1944. (RAAF)
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fighter designs as the Spitfire and Hurricane, it proved to be less satisfactory in early marks of Halifax and both the Mk.I and Mk.II proved to be somewhat underpowered.
Hercules-powered improvements Further development by Handley Page’s designers, particularly to address the power issue, resulted in the far more capable Mk.III and its related models, which became the most important of the type’s bomber versions. The major change introduced on the Mk.III (company designation H.P.61, later referred to as B.III) was its powerplant, the four Merlin inline engines of previous marks being replaced by four Bristol Hercules radial engines. For the Halifax Mk.III the Hercules XVI was chosen (rated at 1,615hp for take-off) and the best of the design features of
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IN FOCUS
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX Mk.III
LIFAX
Acting as a prototype/development aircraft for the radial-engined Halifax series was this converted B.II, serial number R9534, which wore a prototype ‘P’ marking on its fuselage side. (Handley Page)
The classic lines of the Handley Page Halifax are displayed to advantage in this image of B.III LV857. Illustrative of the many losses suffered by Bomber Command’s Halifax force, this aircraft was shot down in March 1944, just weeks after being delivered. (Key Collection)
previous marks of Halifax were included in the new Mk.III layout. These included the distinctive ‘D’-shaped vertical stabiliser units first introduced on the Halifax Mk.II Series IA (rather than the unsatisfactory triangular vertical tails previously used), and other improvements of that mark such as a rounded clear Perspex nose without a turret, which contained a single flexible-mounted .303in (7.7mm) Vickers machine gun. Boulton Paul turrets, each with four .303in machine guns, were fitted in the dorsal and tail positions. Some examples featured a small gun ‘blister’ in the lower fuselage for protection against night-fighter attacks from below, but the vast majority of production Mk.IIIs carried H2S scanner in a large fairing in the lower fuselage similar to that seen
on the Lancaster. The Halifax B.III could carry up to 13,000lb (5,897kg) of bombs in its lower fuselage bomb bay and small cells in the lower wing centre section. Initial production examples retained the wingspan of earlier marks – 98ft 10in (30.12m) – but this was later increased to 104ft 2in (31.75m). With the maximum bomb load of 13,000lb carried, the Halifax Mk.III had a range of approximately 1,030 miles (1,658km), and a top speed of 282mph (454km/h) at 13,500ft (4,115m). The improved power and refinements such as the increased wingspan allowed the Mk.III to operate at higher levels than previous marks, which improved the survivability of the type considerably. A Halifax Mk.II that was used by Handley Page as a general duties ‘hack’ and development airframe,
R9534, was converted from Merlin power to four Hercules VI radial engines to serve as a prototype for the new Mk.III. Successful tesing of this aircraft in conjunction with the A&AEE at Boscombe Down, which started in December 1942 and continued into the early months of 1943, led to comparatively large manufacturing orders for Handley Page and its sub-contractors for the Mk.III; the first two production aircraft, HX226 and HX227, flew in the summer of 1943.
Varied targets The Halifax Mk.III began to enter service with Bomber Command late in 1943. An early recipient was 35 Squadron, which had initially taken Merlin-engined Halifaxes into combat, and during October/ November 1943 another early user was 466 Squadron, RAAF,
With Gibraltar as an attractive backdrop, Halifax Met.VI RG778 of 224 Squadron was photographed in this atmospheric post-war image. (Malcolm V. Lowe Collection) Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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IN FOCUS
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX Mk.III
A VARIED ARMOURY
Brand new Halifax B.III bombers await delivery at Handley Page’s Radlett facility. (Handley Page)
one of several Australian units that ultimately flew the type. 35 Squadron’s first mission with the Mk.III was in December 1943. Eventually, a comparatively large number of squadrons in several
of Bomber Command’s groups, notably 4 and 6 Groups, operated radial-engined Halifaxes, and the type went on to completely replace the Merlin-powered Halifax on Bomber Command operations.
The Halifax was one of the triad of four-engined heavy bombers (together with the Avro Lancaster and Short Stirling) used by Bomber Command during its night bombing offensive. As such the Halifax could carry a range of the ordnance used by Bomber Command, including high explosive medium capacity, high capacity and incendiary bombs. Up to 13,000lb (5,897kg) of bombs could be carried in its fuselage bomb bay, and wing cells within the centre section (although the latter were apparently superseded by extra fuel on some examples, and a number of early Halifaxes actually had external bomb racks beneath their centre sections). Mixed loads of high explosive and incendiary weapons were possible, as well as aerial mines. Bombs of up to 8,000lb (3,629kg) could be carried within the fuselage, although the 8,000lb bomb was unusual for the Halifax and after 1942 the accepted load comprised bombs no larger than 2,000lb (907kg), with those of 500lb (227kg) being more usual. The Halifax did not become involved in the carriage of the type of ‘special’ weapons that were the preserve of the Lancaster, such as the 22,000lb (9,979kg) Grand Slam. Indeed, it is often said that the head of Bomber Command during that time, Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris, much preferred the Lancaster to the Halifax, and would have liked all of his squadrons to have been equipped with the Avro bomber. The Halifax was, however, more versatile than the Lancaster in other ways, and as a paratroop carrier and cargo aircraft the radialengined Halifaxes were highly successful – although the towing of gliders, another Halifax speciality, was usually the preserve of the later Merlin inline-engined versions such as the Mk.V. As a cargo-carrier, radial-engined Halifaxes could have a special pannier or fairing fitted to the lower fuselage for additional stowage.
Seen in Norway just after the country had been liberated in May 1945, this Halifax A.VII of 644 Squadron was a part of the relief effort, bringing supplies and personnel, and wore the 9U fuselage code of this airborne forces unit. (Malcolm V. Lowe Collection)
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The Mk.III was thus established in service for major offensives against German targets during the first half of 1944, as the tide of the war turned inexorably in favour of the Allies. In addition to strategic night raids against German cities, Halifaxes became increasingly involved in attacks against tactical targets as the preparations for the invasion of France in June 1944 grew in importance, the Halifaxes sometimes operating in daylight. Missions were also flown against launch sites of V-1 flying bombs. Halifaxes additionally participated in the highly successful bombing campaign against German oil production sites. Although the Lancaster usually stole the limelight from the Halifax on bomber operations, it can be argued that Hercules-engined Halifaxes had lower loss rates and
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IN FOCUS
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX Mk.III higher crew survival possibility in a crippled aircraft than Lancasters. At least four radialengined Halifaxes are known to have flown on 100 missions, probably the most famous of which being ‘Friday the 13th’ of 158 Squadron, although this number is considerably fewer in total than the comparatively longer list of Lancaster centenarians. A Halifax Mk.III pilot, Pilot Officer Cyril J. Barton of 578 Squadron, was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously for his actions during a raid in March 1944 as the only Halifax VC of the war. In addition to service with squadrons in 4 and 6 Groups, Halifax Mk.IIIs flew in 8 (Pathfinder) Group, while four squadrons (including 462 Squadron, RAAF) also participated in the electronic warfare bomber support operations of 100 Group. The Halifax Mk.III was ideally suited for 100 Group’s clandestine warfare, its fuselage being capacious enough to carry the ‘black boxes’ associated with the then state-of-the-art electronic warfare equipment, and various devices were employed including ‘Mandrel’, which was used to jam German radars.
Related developments The basic bomber Halifax Mk.III became the basis for an important derivative, namely the A.III, which was a dedicated model for airborne forces use. Two further versions of the Halifax that were related closely to the Mk.III were the Mks.VI and VII. These were in effect ‘uprated’ derivatives of the Mk.III series aircraft, retaining the B.III’s basic layout but with several important modifications. Their existence, especially for the Mk.VI, owed
One of the few Halifaxes that reached the 100 missions mark was ‘Expensive Babe’ of 578 and 51 Squadrons. The personnel leaving the aircraft showed the international nature of Bomber Command operations, with British, New Zealand and Australian crew members. (via John Batchelor)
much to the thinking that the Halifax would be needed to operate in the Pacific against the Japanese, once the war in Europe had been won. This would have necessitated more power; the Mk.VI received four Hercules 100-series radials of 1,675hp each, although the Mk.VII had to revert to the Mk.III’s Hercules XVI due to a shortage of Hercules 100 powerplants to meet demand. Both the Mk.VI and Mk.VII had a pressure-transfer fuel system, increased fuel tankage in a different arrangement to the Mk.III, ‘tropicalisation’, special carburettor filters, and other modifications that would have
made them suitable for Far East operations. In the event, some examples joined Bomber Command squadrons before the war ended in Europe, although a number did reach the Far East. Showing the versatility of the basic Halifax design, the main bomber production versions of the radial-engined Halifax had a variety of spin-off derivatives additional to the electronic warfare and airborne forces use already referred to. These included cargo/ transport operations (several examples were fitted with seating in the fuselage, and omission of the dorsal turret and H2S
radar installation), special forces employment, and meteorological work. Following the end of World War Two, bomber versions of the Halifax were withdrawn from use comparatively quickly, but some of the related sub-types continued in service (albeit in much smaller numbers) for several more years, including the cargo and meteorological aircraft. Some examples found their way into the civil market post-war, a wellknown example being former B.III G-AGXA, which was flown to Australia having formerly operated in Bomber Command with 466 ❚ Squadron, RAAF.
Famous for making an epic flight to Australia from Britain in 1946 (having been purchased by Geoffrey Wikner), former B.III G-AGXA was named ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and was converted by Handley Page as a passenger transport. (Key Collection)
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
BEECH KING AIR B200
Chris Jones puts his perseverance to the test with Mach 2’s King Air
Cranwell King With rough texture, plenty of flash and imperfections, this was going to take some preparatory work; often common with limited-run kits.
Unfortunately the transparencies were cloudy and rough, and this demanded a lot of extra work for a better look.
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Round one... After gearing up for the first bout, the harsh surface of the plastic was tackled with the aid of 400grade Wet and Dry paper before attention turned to test fitting. Although the instrument panel sat well inside its coaming, the latter was too large by far to fit inside the fuselage, and so a razor saw was brought into action to take off almost the entire front half. With this completed, it then became clear that the rear cockpit
MODEL SPEC
O
riginally designed as a twin turboprop utility and business aircraft, multiple versions of the Beech King Air operate worldwide in civilian, governmental and military roles. In RAF service, 45(R) Squadron based at Cranwell operates the type as an advanced multi-engine trainer for pilots destined to serve in the transport and tanker fleet. Mach 2’s original King Air came boxed on a limited basis by Two Six Decals and Model Craft Limited, with a sizeable single runner, two duplicated transparent frames and a decal sheet with options for RAF, BAE and Flight Precision aircraft. Upon examining the contents it became clear that perseverance would be vital during the subsequent build. The plastic was uniformly rough in texture and somewhat brittle, and was marred by flash, heavy attachment gates and troubling transparencies that were ‘pebbly’ to the touch. Panel line detail was recessed, but arguably heavy and uneven.
Beech King Air B200 By:
Two Six Decals & Model Craft Limited
Stock Code: N/A Scale:
1/72
Price:
£30
Available from: www.model-craft.co.uk
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BEECH KING AIR B200
Plenty of time was spent sanding the main parts before test-fitting could begin.
Blu-Tack was used to hold the floor and bulkhead in place to check the fit. Notches were cut into the lower edges, as the fuselage halves were of different thicknesses.
An extra window was needed to represent an RAF King Air. Tamiya tape helped to ensure alignment and correct size, and that the squadron badge decal would fit afterwards.
Kit colour schemes This 1/72 King Air boxing provided three very different liveries. • B200, ZK456, 45(R) Squadron, RAF Cranwell (includes various other serials) • G-CDFY, BAE Systems Marine Ltd • G-FPLB, Flight Precision Ltd,
bulkhead wouldn’t fit either, on account of the fuselage halves having different thicknesses along the bottom. The same problem affected the cockpit floor, so notches were cut into the bottom of the offending parts before things would align properly. Although the cockpit bulkhead wasn’t particularly accurate for RAF versions, it seemed prudent to leave it in place to give the fuselage structural integrity,
especially in the absence of locating pins or tabs. Trimming was also required on the rudder pedals; these seemed far too close to the seat so they were sliced off with a scalpel. Once convinced the cockpit would fit, the floor and bulkhead were glued together and left to set, before being attached to one of the fuselage sides. Meanwhile, the instrument panel and coaming were painted separately, before these were
A basic paint job and Tamiya tape seatbelts were the order of the day, since very little would be seen once the fuselage was together.
married with the aid of plastic rod behind the panel to create a larger and more secure mating surface. The cockpit was a fairly generic representation and would require modification for a truly accurate RAF King Air (especially if modelling a new ‘GT’ variant with its multi-function display screens). However, virtually nothing can be seen of this area on the final model, so it was decided to leave things mainly as they were, with
just the addition of Tamiya tape seat belts. The instructions made it clear that an extra window would have to be added to the starboard rear fuselage, but with the measurements given seeming a little 'off', the correct location was judged by eye from reference photos with the aid of tape to ensure alignment. Once the position was established, a pin vice was used to drill an initial hole, before scalpel slices were
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
BEECH KING AIR B200
“The prop blade masking was fiddly, but looked the part once done”
That’s more like it! After an hour or two of sanding and polishing, the ‘glass’ looked much more presentble. The black marks were from using a heated scalpel to remove thick ejector pin columns.
used to make the gap larger. This was followed by work with a round needle file to establish a good circular aperture...the key was to work slowly and carefully. At this stage it should be mentioned that the rearmost windows on each side of RAF King Airs are smaller and more oval in shape than the circular profile offerings as provided in the kit. These can be modified if desired, but it was decided to leave them as they were in this instance. With the internal work done and weight added to the nose, it was possible for the fuselage halves to be brought together. The outside edges of the cockpit floor and bulkhead seemed to snag the fit, and so trimming and sanding was in order before everything fitted properly. Thankfully, the fuselage fit was actually quite good.
King wings and canopy woes... After neatening the wings, the mainwheel well roofs were added, before the halves were brought together with the aid of Revell The fit was better than the large presence of filler suggests...the application was just a little careless! Great delicacy and tape was needed around the canopy to avoid damaging the glazing during filling and sanding
Contacta and Tamiya Extra Thin cement. One again, the fit was actually rather good. The wings were left to set, before the front engine nacelle halves were added. Unfortunately, the fit here wasn’t great and in light of the effort required, it was decided to work on the fuselage and wings separately, before the airframe was brought together. That way, any awkward sanding on the inner sides of the nacelles could be avoided, seeing as the fuselage would be in the way on a fully assembled airframe. Where appropriate, panel lines were deepened before sanding took place, which would minimise the amount of re-scribing later on. Frustratingly, the canopy and clear parts supplied in the kit were rough and translucent, and there was no option other than to indulge in a monumental amount of sanding and polishing. Making sure to cover all outer and inner surfaces evenly, Wet and Dry paper was used in various grades; 1,000, 1,200, 1,500, 2,000 and 2,500. With this completed, Micro-Mesh cloths were used from 3,600 all
With the airframe together, the next step was to mask the canopy.
The propeller units took much effort to ensure a vaguely acceptable standard. This kit's plastic was brittle, and so a heated scalpel was used to remove several parts, hence the black scarring here.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
BEECH KING AIR B200
Masking windows on a featureless transparency
Priming revealed more filling was needed around the canopy. Tamiya tape was used to protect the masked areas before remedial work began. The main undercarriage doors were seriously undersized, and so plastic card was used to create new items.
the way to 12,000 before the part was treated to a dunk in Johnson’s Klear. Although a mind-numbing and enormously time-consuming task, there was really no other way around the issue. The amount of sanding eliminated all the glass framing, but that could be tackled later. With the Klear dry, it was then discovered that the canopy sat too low and was too wide at the front corners. Plastic rod was added to each side lip of the cockpit and the mating surfaces on the glass had any Klear scraped off before Tamiya Extra Thin cement was used carefully, but fairly generously, to attach the transparent part to the fuselage. This left some unsightly gaps,
and so tape was used to mask the glazing before Tamiya filler was applied around the edges. Utmost care was vital here, to avoid scuffing the canopy with subsequent sanding.
Since primer from the can is fairly robust in its overspray, the rear fuselage windows were masked with white glue. These would later be removed during the main painting phase (care had to be taken to angle the airbrush, to avoid sending paint in the direction of the windscreen interior) and replaced with fresh glue at the end of the build, thus avoiding the kit-supplied plastic ‘transparencies’. With priming completed, the project actually looked rather good with the exception of the canopy. The primer had brought the fit issues here into stark contrast and several nail-bitingly careful rounds of masking, filling, sanding and priming took place before everything was as good as it could be in that particular area. Halfords Grey Plastic Primer works well from the can, but a Micro-Mesh 3,600-grade rub-down can help deliver a better, smoother surface.
Thin strips of Tamiya tape provided framing to align the masks. More tape was then carefully placed over the top and burnished with a cocktail stick. The rear-side curved windows were dealt with separately and cut out on a glossy tile because of the awkward curves required.
Regal assembly With seam cleaning finished, the airframe could be brought together. It was apparent during earlier test-fitting that the wing tab locating slots needed to be enlarged. The wings' halves were also misaligned at the root, which produced a step, and this was tackled with a flat needle file. Once ready, the wings were secured and with great surprise it was again discovered that after
Main and triangular window masks were cut out carefully directly on the transparency, with a new No.11 scalpel blade.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
BEECH KING AIR B200
After a blast of 50-50 gloss and flat Tamiya White, diluted with cellulose thinners, the outline of the upper leading edges and wing root were masked. With this completed, more tape was used on remaining areas that needed protection.
After the underside was sprayed with multiple coats of Tamiya X-3 Royal Blue, the underside leading edges were masked, first as an outline before the rest of the blue areas were then covered.
Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black was used on the leading edges, and with the masking removed, the scheme came to life.
The propeller blades needed to be masked carefully in various stages. It helped to get the black leading edges the right way round on the individual blades!
slight modification the fit was rather decent. After light sanding, only a smear of Miliput Superfine White, whose excess was cleaned with damp cotton buds, was required for a good wing root join on each side. The fin fillet on the kit is rather undersized, but for the sake of progress this was left as it was. Before priming could take place, limited re-scribing was in order and the cockpit
reality, so a larger replacement was found in the spares box. Meanwhile, the rear wheels themselves were atrocious. Mould slip had made them comically misaligned, meaning that no amount of filling or sanding could prevent the hub/tyre relationship from looking distorted. In the absence of after-market options or spares box alternatives, they had to be pressed into service.
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glass was masked before being sprayed with white to represent the interior colour.
One is not amused! Before the main painting took place, all the smaller parts were neatened and, for areas such as the wheels and propellers, this was a diabolical task. The nosewheel was the same as the rear wheels and much too small to represent
The two least worst wheels were chosen to face outwards, while the more grim examples would be used on the inner axle. Thankfully, four- and three-bladed props were included in the box because one of the four-blade parts was short shot and missing a blade. One was duly removed from a spare threeblade hub and the ends rounded off; the kit parts were square at the tip which was inaccurate for RAF
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD
BEECH KING AIR B200
“This really is the only injection moulded option...just be prepared for a royal amount of work”
versions. Owing to the dents and even a hole in the propeller hubs, along with a slightly wonky profile, clean-up was traumatic and led to another blade being snapped off. When finally completed, the props were covered in Mr. Surfacer 1,000 as a base for Alclad Aluminium, which was sprayed on the hubs. The rest of the prop blade masking was fiddly, but looked the part once done. With the side window white glue masks removed to ensure clean edges after priming, painting could begin which. Needless to say, the masking took quite some time! With the paint job applied, everything was sealed with multiple coats of Klear to leave a high-gloss finish. The decals were super thin and conformed perfectly to panel lines, even without setting solutions. There was colour bleed and poor register in some areas,
but overall they behaved very well. The kit's under-wing roundels had no white outline, and so a couple of spares were found, while the fuselage roundel was part of the grey cheat line decal. Since this had already been masked, two alternatives were taken from an Airfix Chipmunk decal sheet. Final assembly proved to be frustrating. Among other things, the holes for the exhaust stubs didn’t align and the mainwheel well sidewalls were different heights. This didn’t become clear until the scratchbuilt doors were added, and they didn’t sit evenly when viewed from the front. Additionally, the two main blade aerials and fin antenna stubs had to be scratch-built. Although a subtle ultra-light grey panel line wash would have been desirable, the panel line detail was too wide and/or uneven for
Despite great care during masking, the windscreen sat a little higher than it should, but nothing much could be done at this stage. Framing and sealant is much in evidence on real King Airs, so the area was simply masked.
it to look good, so a super-clean airframe was the end result.
Final thoughts This was a profoundly challenging build. The uniformly rough texture of the plastic, combined with suspect small parts and
terrible cockpit transparency, created a considerable amount of modelling struggle. That said, if an RAF King Air simply has to be in one’s collection, this really is the only injection-moulded option...just be prepared for a ❚ royal amount of work.
Rather than use the dreadful kit windows, Micro Krystal Klear white glue was used instead. Less is more here though...if it is too thick it takes ages to dry and may not appear quite as clear.
The front profile seemed stubbier than the sleek nose lines of the King Air, but it was too late to worry about that fact. Thin strips of plastic card were painted black and secured with white glue to represent windscreen wipers. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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PHOTO FOCUS
RAF BEECH B200GT KING AIR (James Vaitkevicius)
Regal
Trainer To accompany this issue’s 1/72 King Air build, we offer exclusive reference photos of a B200GT from 45(R) Squadron at RAF Cranwell
A grouping of three landing lights adorns the front undercarriage leg.
Noteworthy details on show here include the dull metallic finish on the exhaust and the three-louvre air outlet. (All photos Matthew Roberts unless stated otherwise - www.matthewrobertsphotographer.co.uk)
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The red brake line is only present on B200 GTs, and not 'Classic' B200s.
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PHOTO FOCUS
RAF BEECH B200GT KING AIR
The wingtips have clear navigation light covers, but coloured bulbs underneath; the aerial-like protrusions on the aileron and wingtip are static wicks.
Rivets are spaced evenly on the silver windscreen frame, which has a black inner portion on each glazing section.
While parked, Cranwell King Airs are fitted with propeller sleeves on bungee cords, to prevent movement. Also visible are de-icing boots on the wing leading edge.
VIEW MORE ONLINE airfixmodelworld.com
A pitot probe is mounted just above the nosegear door.
Thanks
There's a high-chrome finish on the propeller spinners (best replicated with Alclad lacquer), and note the dull aluminium hue on and inside the air inlet lip. Note that the red cheatline is only applied to B200GTs, and not Classic B200s.
AMW would like to thank the following RAF personnel for their help with this feature: Sqn Ldr Mark Hassall, Flt Lt Adam Benton, Sqn Ldr Andrew Gresham and Wg Cdr David Catlow, OC 45(R) Sqn.
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OUT AND ABOUT
EAST MIDLANDS MODEL SHOW VIEW MORE ONLINE airfixmodelworld.com
Among the fantastic military vehicles on the IPMS Cleveland stand was this 1/35 Operation Lusty M-19 transporter, with its cargo of a dismantled Me 262 fighter on an M9 trailer.
David Ulke from IPMS Stafford produced this amazing 1/9 scale ‘Franken-build’ of a Panzerfaust-equipped soldier, which mixed parts from Young Miniatures’ MG 34 and MG 42 figures, and Reedees Miniatures’ anti-tank weapon.
ANNIVERSARY lthough it was this writer’s first time reporting on the East Midlands Model Show at Hinckley, 2015 was the event’s 25th anniversary, and from what was on view, this is one event that is likely to run for years to come. A revised layout provided space for more traders and 60-plus clubs, yet still presented wide aisles for the many visitors to get around easily, and also allowed yours truly plenty of room to photograph the displays. This writer is always impressed by
the variety of subjects covered at shows, and this was no exception, with everything from a scratch-built dwarf/elf (dwelf) hybrid on the Northants stand, to a brilliant ‘what-if’ Airfix Angel Interceptor group build by Leicester Modellers. The growing popularity of 1/144 scale was exemplified by SIG 144’s cracking display, and there were plenty of the ‘half-braille-scale’ kits dotted around the main hall and side rooms. I’m already looking forward to next year’s show... ❚ Stu Fone
Imagination plays a big part in the creation of a diorama, and here one is placed right at the centre of this incredible 1/35 Kubelwagen-versus-gravity scene...right down to breathing a sigh of relief as the driver escapes! Drawing considerable attention on the Brampton Model Club stand, Dan Whitelock’s battle-damaged 1/48 Revell B-17F diorama featured a scratchbuilt structure and interior. (All Key – Stu Fone) A dazzling 1/144 Minicraft PB4Y-1 Privateer, converted to the -3 variant by Huw Morgan (in a US Naval Aircraft Modification Unit scheme), was a colourful addition to the SIG 144 stand.
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Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ADVANCED BUILD
GLOSTER JAVELIN MK.7 XH754
Peter Johnson converts Airfix’s 1/48 Javelin to the Mk.7 test-bed airframe XH754
TESTING DELTA Two leading edge inserts were provided to backdate the wing to Mk. 7 standard. The outboard segment formed a stiff backbone to remove the leading edge droop of the later wing, and the inboard segment deleted the cannon and pylon details.
Clear plastic sheet was sandwiched between the Eduard instruments and bezels to give a convincing glass appearance, while Gator’s Grip thin acrylic glue provided a strong bond.
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S
ince Airfix’s Javelin has already been featured in Issue 38 (Jan 2014), this article will concentrate on the conversion itself. Alley Cat has produced several colourful changes of identity for Airfix’s superb Javelin. This modeller has always had a fondness for the black and yellow ‘bumblebee’ striped undersides on target towing and test aircraft, and so the XH754 conversion was an obvious choice. The package comprised resin parts with which to replace the radome, aft fuselage and wing leading edges, photo-etched (PE) metal vortex generators and decals, with illustrated instructions and a short history text. The resin was well cast, with smooth surfaces and no pinholes or other defects, and the decals were in perfect register. Two inserts for the leading edges were provided to backdate the wings to Mk. 7 standard; the outboard insert removed the later wings’ leading edge droop, and the inboard insert negated the cannon muzzles and pylon bullet. Rather than using the inboard insert, the
cannon and pylon details were filed off, filled and faired into the wing, which seemed like less work than employing the replacement part. After carefully marking out for the outboard area to be removed (this was re-checked several times) a PE saw was used to cut away the section. The wing was then placed on a flat surface, the insert was slid into place and Superglued, and the join was neatened. Many of the integrally moulded vortex generators were removed by the insert, and the rest were clipped off and sanded flush. After the aileron was assembled, the wing upper and lower surfaces were
The replacement aft fuselage needed to be shimmed to fine-tune its fit, and portions of the interior were ground off to reduce its weight (to avoid tail-sitting).
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ADVANCED BUILD
GLOSTER JAVELIN MK.7 XH754
The completed cockpit tub looked the part thanks to Eduard’s details, but without artificial light very little would be seen after assembly.
Since intake and exhaust covers were being used, the engine and trunking details were omitted, which left just the wing spars to add before closure of the fuselage... but don’t forget to open the holes for the fuel tanks first!
joined, but the wheel was omitted for the moment. The droop in the lower wing leading edge was clamped to the insert above it, and Superglue was used liberally to create a strong bond.
More surgery
Eduard’s Javelin detail set was used to enhance the cockpit, whereby the raised moulding from the various panels was filed away and substituted with the prepainted PE parts. A piece of thin clear sheet was inserted between the instrument faces and bezels to provide ‘glass’ faces, and was secured with thin-formula Gator’s Grip. While the seatbelts were being added to the kit’s ejection seats, care was taken to ensure
MODEL SPEC
Alley Cat’s new rear fuselage was next on the chopping block. Dymo label-maker tape was used to mark the cut lines, which were located a few millimetres aft of the panel line
to allow for trimming and fitting. That proved to be a wise decision, since the forward end of the resin replacement was undersized slightly all around.
Gloster Javelin FAW.9/9R By:
Airfix
Stock Code: A11003 Scale:
1/48
Price:
£49.99
Available from: www.airfix.com
“THE RESIN WAS WELL CAST, WITH SMOOTH SURFACES” Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ADVANCED BUILD
GLOSTER JAVELIN MK.7 XH754 The rear fuselage part was undersized slightly all around, and so this required considerable filling and shaping to achieve a perfect join. Cyanoacrylate was used as filler, to expedite the process.
A 25g weight was glued into the new nose as per Airfix’s instructions, but with the weight of the resin rear fuselage this proved insufficient, and additional lead sheet had to be added inside the intakes.
that the seat frame ends of the lap belts didn’t prevent the seats from sliding into place, and the completed units were set aside to prevent damage to the fragile firing handles. Since engine intake and exhaust covers were to be fitted, the engine and trunking details were omitted and just the wing spars were installed, and the completed cockpit module and fuselage top and bottom were duly assembled. The replacement rear fuselage was undersized slightly, so shims were used to build-up the upper and lower edges, which in turn reduced the fuselage width slightly and produced an even 0.5mm step around the edge. Superglue was used to fair in the join, both for added strength and to give a hard surface for re-scribing lost panel lines. Once the wing modifications were completed, the wheel wells were assembled, painted, weathered and inserted into the wing roots. The fit of the latter to the fuselage wasn’t perfect, and necessitated minor filling and shaping. At this stage, the empennage was also assembled and the horizontal stabilisers and elevators were posed in a slightly drooped position. The nose pitot tube was moulded cleverly into the resin replacement nose, but
it needed to be trimmed as per the instructions. Before the new resin nose was added, though, the centre of gravity was checked by balancing the airframe (including the empennage) at the main landing gear strut attach points. An appropriate weight was then Superglued into the resin radome before the latter was attached to the forward fuselage. Quickboost resin airscoops replaced most of the Airfix parts, and they dropped into place without any fuss. The entire airframe then received several light coats of Tamiya Fine White Primer spray, with
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Following an overall coat of Tamiya Fine White Primer, detail painting started with Model Master Acryl Day-Glo Red on the nose and tail.
particular attention afforded to the upper surfaces that would stay white, and it was buffed with paper towel as soon as it was dry to the touch. Model Master Acryl 4703 Fluorescent Red was airbrushed on the nose and tail, and this produced a suitably vivid Day-Glo shade. The bottoms of the airframe and horizontal stabilisers were sprayed Model Master Acryl 4721 Insignia Yellow, and it was then that the real fun started... the painting of the distinctive underside stripes. About a week of masking, and what seemed like an acre of tape was needed
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ADVANCED BUILD
GLOSTER JAVELIN MK.7 XH754
“THE LANDING GEAR WAS ADDED NEXT, BUT NOT WITHOUT SOME DRAMA”
to cover the yellow where necessary... well, maybe not quite that much, but it felt like it at the time! Ten minutes’ airbrushing PollyScale Steam Power Black took care of the stripes, and when the tape was removed there were only a few minor touch-ups to be made. The leading edges of the wings and empennage were masked and airbrushed Tamiya XF-57 Buff, and the previously painted pylons and empennage were attached with Gator’s Grip thick formula, which produced perfect joins that needed no filling or neatening. At this point the entire airframe received a light coat of Alclad ALC 600 Aqua Gloss Clear. Serials,
portions of the underside being omitted. Although they seemed thick on the sheet, Airfix’s decals conformed well and were quite thin once dry. Gunze Mr. Mark Setter was used to settle the decals, while Mr. Mark Softer and Walther’s Solvaset were used to coax them into stubborn panel lines where needed. Panel lines were accented with washes made from Raw Sienna artist’s acrylics, with the excess wiped off in the direction of the airflow or gravity. No additional weathering was done, on the assumption that a test aircraft would be well maintained. The landing gear was added next, but not without some drama; in spite of the centre of gravity checks, the tail sat firmly on the
The kit’s ejection seats were detailed with Eduard seatbelts and ejection handles, which gave them a suitably busy look...but the paint tended to flake off easily during bending, which necessitated several touch-ups. The empennage was assembled and painted separately, before being attached to the fuselage with Gator’s Grip, which provided a perfect fit with no filling or sanding needed.
Materials • Alley Cat Gloster Javelin Mk.7 (XH754) Conversion and Decal Set www.a2zeemodels.co.uk
roundels and ‘zaps’ came from Alley Cat’s sheet, while the remaining markings were from the kit’s decals. As many stencils as possible were applied, with just those that fell entirely on the black
• Eduard 49-667 Gloster Javelin FAW.9/9R S.A. www.eduard.com • Quickboost 48-597 Gloster Javelin FAW 9/9R Air Scoops www.quickboost.net
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ADVANCED BUILD
GLOSTER JAVELIN MK.7 XH754
Disturbed air Alley Cat and Eduard produce PE vortex generators (VGs) for the Javelin, and either set will far outstrip the kit’s moulded examples. Although this modeller chose the Eduard version, Alley Cat’s set is equally good, so here’s a brief look at how they compare. Both types of VG needed about the same amount of up-front preparation before attachment. Alley Cat’s needed to have a 1mm hole drilled for each blade, but the blades needed only to be clipped off the fret and glued in place. Eduard’s required no holes, but they had to be bent before they were attached; bending them in strips saved much time and helped to keep the bend angles uniform. Leaving aside Eduard’s error in the leading edge VGs, Alley Cat’s templates were easier to position properly, since they aligned with the wings’ panel lines and each other, whereas the Eduard templates needed to be
‘eyeballed’ into position. Eduard’s templates worked better for the location of each VG, with a hole rather than a round-ended slot. The modeller must take care in drilling holes for the Alley Cat VGs, so that they’re all located at the same position in each slot, and the templates had to be moved to install the VGs after drilling; this made it more difficult to get the blades at the same angle. Eduard’s VGs were closer to the prototype, and featured the blade and the tab that secured them to the wing. But once bent properly, the modeller need not worry about the angle of each blade after attachment. With the Alley Cat VGs, each blade had to be positioned carefully normal to the wing and held until set. Eduard’s tabs also made the join stronger, and required no neatening, but the Alley Cat holes required filling and fairing. The bottom line is that either product will produce excellent vortex generators, so there is no wrong choice here.
2
1
With the template taped in place, a scriber was used to mark the locations of the blades.
Alley Cat’s templates aligned with panel lines, wing details and each other, which made them easy to position properly.
4
3
The template was then removed, and a pin vice was used to drill each 1mm hole.
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Each blade was glued into a hole, ensuring that the angle of each was the same, and that each was normal to the wing surface. Each hole needed filling and neatening afterwards. Here, Alley Cat’s VGs (top) are compared with Eduard’s. Gator’s Grip and cyanoacrylate were tested for strength, and the latter worked best for Alley's thin blades.
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ADVANCED BUILD
GLOSTER JAVELIN MK.7 XH754
“AN EYE-CATCHING VARIATION OF AIRFIX’S EXCELLENT KIT”
tarmac! The main undercarriage had a pronounced forward rake, so the tyres sat about 3/8in forward of the struts’ attach points…far enough to tip the balance. Here the engine covers came to the rescue, as they allowed extra weight to be added inside the intake lips without it being seen through the open intakes. This restored balance to both the Javelin and its modeller! With the major assembly completed, it was time to add all the usual small details, which included the small air probes on the aft fuselage, various antennas
underneath, and the resin blade aerial on top of the vertical tail. The narrow shafts of the flap actuators were cut off, the actuators were glued flat into their recesses, and the flaps were glued in place open just slightly. Airfix’s wing pitot probes were replaced with aluminium parts from Master Model, and the joins were neatened to provide a
seamless look. They were painted to match the wings’ leading edges, with the forward portions left in unpainted metal. Even after their attachment at this late stage, though, this modeller managed to bump and loosen them a few times before the build was finished, with less-than-perfect repairs each time. The PE vortex generators (VGs) were the last items to be added, and they turned out to be a mini-project in themselves. After settling on the Eduard version, the VGs were sprayed with Tamiya Fine White Primer while still on the fret. However, the lacquer cracked and flaked as soon as the first one was bent, so it was all removed with lacquer thinner. The fret was then cut into strips, which left the bottom end of the VGs attached to the strip, and the top edges of the blades were
Master Model turned aluminium pitot tubes replaced the kit parts, and were faired into the stubs on the wings to provide a smooth join. Even at this late stage, they had to be re-attached a few times due to being mishandled.
When the windscreen was fitted after painting, the seam was too visible to ignore, so it was filled, neatened and re-sprayed to blend properly into the nose...a nervewracking but ultimately worthwhile endeavour.
Eduard’s vortex generators were cut into strips, bent to a 90-degree angle, and then airbrushed with white acrylic before being separated from the frets; this ensured that the paint would not flake off while bending them. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ADVANCED BUILD
GLOSTER JAVELIN MK.7 XH754
After taping Eduard's template just forward of the aileron, each VG was attached with Gator’s Grip thin-formula. The holes were slightly larger than the base of the generators, so do butt each piece against the same edges of each hole to ensure a perfectly even row.
Alley Cat’s leading-edge template was modified by removing the black portions of the tabs, so the Eduard vortex generators could be aligned against the slots at the red marks; they were then glued with Gator’s Grip.
neatened carefully. Each strip of blades was bent with a folding tool before being airbrushed with Tamiya XF-2 Flat White and overcoated with Alclad ALC 600 Aqua Gloss Clear. Eduard’s trailing edge template was bent per the instructions, and strips of tape were applied along the raised edges to avoid marring the paint. After being positioned and taped securely to the trailing edge template, the first VG was dabbed with Gator’s Grip thin-formula glue, dropped through the first hole, and aligned against the edges. The folded edges of the template raised the holes proud of the wing and ensured that any excess glue didn’t stick the template to the wing...a thoughtful feature on Eduard’s part. That was so much fun that it was done another 12 times, until the entire row of VGs was in place. After allowing the
Eduard’s template. Minor paint touch-ups were also needed, followed by a final coat of Model Master Acryl Satin Varnish.
glue to set thoroughly, the tape was removed very gingerly and the template was lifted off, which resulted in a perfect row...result! The other wing’s trailing edge was tackled similarly, and the whole process was surprisingly easy and trouble-free. But the leading edges weren’t quite as easy, because Eduard’s template mistakenly aligned the holes parallel to the leading edge, and turned the VGs into spoilers. Alley Cat’s template had the VGs aligned properly, but the slots were too narrow to accept the Eduard VGs, so the ends of the slots were trimmed. The template was then taped to the leading edge, and the VGs were glued in place. More care was needed to ensure a straight row, since Alley Cat’s template had open slots rather than holes, but the end result was just as good as with
Great new identity Alley Cat’s Javelin conversion was a straightforward project that resulted in an exciting alternative to the usual camouflage theme, and produced an eye-catching variation of Airfix’s excellent kit. The PE vortex generators brought a new level of accuracy to a detail that’s impossible to depict well in scale form with injection moulding, and having the Alley Cat and Eduard sets gives modellers the freedom to choose which method matches their tastes and abilities. It’s unfortunate that Eduard got the leading edge wrong though, so one will need the Alley Cat set to get them right, or position each ❚ one manually.
Eduard’s engine covers were enhanced with brass wire to replace the flat PE handles, and Evergreen plastic strip for the long bars.
Reference Thunder & Lightnings http://www.thunder-and-lightnings. co.uk/javelin/index.php Britmodeller Walk Around http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/ index.php?/topic/73249-glosterjavelin/ Warpaint 17 Gloster Javelin, by Tony Buttler (Hall Park Books)
“THE CONVERSION RESULTED IN AN EXCITING ALTERNATIVE”
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IN FOCUS
US MARINE CORPS AV-8A OPERATIONS A pair of USMC AV-8As from VMA513 ‘Flying Nightmares’ on a training flight in late 1974 – note the lack of ordnance. When they entered service AV-8s had satin Light Aircraft Grey under surfaces, although this quickly became stained with jet fuel and hydraulic leaks. (Glenn Sands Collection)
THE ACE OF SPADES Lt Col Art Nalls, USMC (Ret) takes a nostalgic look at his time flying the AV-8A Harrier with VMA-231
T
he Harrier was not my first choice, as like most young Marine lieutenants, I wanted to fly fighters, having always admired the great Marine Corps aces such as Greg 'Pappy' Boyington and Joe Foss. But the Marines had different ideas and I duly reported for training at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. Harriers were everywhere...hovering, flying approach circuits, taking off and
landing. But despite my initial concerns, all it took was just one flight in a two-seat TAV-8A and I was hooked. After several months of training I was declared fit and ready to join a ‘gun’ or operational squadron, in this case VMA-231 ‘Ace of Spades’, the Marine Corps’ oldest squadron. The Commanding Officer (CO) was Major (soon to be Lt Col) William R. Spicer, a Vietnam veteran. He focussed the unit on
Art Nalls photographed at the MCAS Cherry Point Air Show. He is one of just two certified civilian Harrier pilots in the US. (Jim Winchester)
A well-weathered AV-8A, complete with low-viz markings, sports the rarely fitted ventral gun pods, which were standard on most RAF Harriers at the time. The USMC felt their additional weight during operations away from their home base at MCAS Yuma, Arizona reduced performance significantly at low speeds, so the pods rarely fitted. Note the white rocket pod under the port wing. (Glenn Sands Collection)
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being combat ready and pilots and crew trained to operate with nothing but that which we brought with us. In my first year on VMA231, I was deployed for more than 185 days, but it meant we became highly proficient at Close Air Support (CAS), the USMC’s breadand-butter mission, working closely with Marine and US Air Force Forward Air Controllers (FACs). It got to the point that if I could see the target, or be talked on to it by the FAC, I could hit it – even if it was hidden in a tree line. On one deployment, we operated two Harriers from a 90ft x 90ft (27m x 27m) landing pad in a turnip
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IN FOCUS
US MARINE CORPS AV-8A OPERATIONS
Aircrew (and a red-shirted ordnance specialist), from VMFA-321 Det. B pose with a Harrier while aboard USS Tarawa, off the coast of Beirut in 1983. It is armed with live AIM-9 Sidewinders and rockets, to support US Marines at Beirut International Airport. (Art Nalls)
patch in Norway. We ate, briefed, and slept right next to the Marines who we would be supporting the next day. In addition to Norway we made multiple deployments to the Mediterranean, Africa, and western Pacific. We learned to get everything we needed packed and to operate indefinitely from cruise boxes, yet never truly appreciated what Lt Col Spicer had done for us, until we were tasked with an urgent deployment aboard ship, alongside a sister squadron. Compared to us, they appeared disorganised, uncomfortable, and confused by the whole process but for us it was old hat and all in a day’s work.
Train to fight A typical training mission comprised a two or four-aircraft formation, each jet loaded with 12 x 25lb (11.3kg) practice bombs; these had a white smoke charge
Art Nalls’ squadron-mate Joe Anderson sits on the wing of a VMFA-231 AV-8A; of note are the low-vis national insignia, and large blade antenna and deployed Ram Air Turbine on the spine. (Art Nalls)
so we could see where the bomb had hit. A senior pilot would brief and lead the flight, and once in the target area, would contact the target control and bring the formation down the run-in line, usually at bomb release height. The formation would then split to
create separation in such a manner that each pilot would know where the other aircraft were in relation to his own. Typical practice on a scored range would be a 10-degree or 30-degree dive angle, with a bomb release at 500ft (152m) above ground
level. We also practised 60-degree patterns, which appeared nearly vertical from the cockpit...as we’re hurling ourselves earthwards at nearly 500kts a precise release altitude was essential to avoid flying into the ground. Once all the bombs had been expended, the flight would reform, and the underside of each aircraft would be checked for hung bombs. These were a serious issue as they could remain in place all the way back to the airfield, or release at the slightest provocation. So if anyone in the flight had hung ordnance, the entire formation would return to the airfield with a straight-in approach for landing. The airplane with the offending munition would taxi to a safe area, where it would be removed.
Tactical bombing Other types of practice deliveries simulated a low-level ground attack, but with a 40-45-degree offset to the final run-in. At four miles to target, the pilot would climb or ‘pop-up’ to 1,500ft (457m), and roll the aircraft inverted. If he did this correctly, he would be upside down, looking through the canopy toward the aim-point, and ready to pull the aircraft down to the final run-in line and drop his bomb on the target. Sometimes we did this knowing where the target was, for example on a scored range. However, if we were under the guidance of a FAC, he would task a mortar team to fire a round in the vicinity of the target, and then use the smoke to guide the pilot onto it. As you might imagine, there were only a few seconds for the manoeuvring pilot to see the smoke, be talked on to target by the FAC, and adjust accordingly. The timing of the mortar round
The ‘Flying Nightmares’ received their first AV-8s on April 16, 1971; at the same time the squadron was re-designated from VMFA-513 (a fighter squadron) to VMA-513 (an attack squadron) reflecting the anticipated role the AV-8s would perform within the USMC. (Glenn Sands Collection)
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IN FOCUS
US MARINE CORPS AV-8A OPERATIONS
A TAV-8A from VMAT-203 ‘Hawks’ at its home baseof MCAS Cherry Point, Nevada in early 1981. The two-seat trainers retained their colourful rudders, high-vis US insignia and white serial throughout their operational service. (Glenn Sands Collection)
was critical; too early and the smoke would drift away, too late and it risked the round and aircraft being in the same airspace at the same time...not a good idea! We practised this type of attack to be within 15secs of a time-on-target (TOT), and would use a standard, eight-mile run in to the target. At 480kts, eight miles was exactly one minute’s flight time, so navigation had to be precise, especially at 200ft (61m) above ground level. Additionally, weapons switches needed to be set properly, so that when the pilot saw the target and was ready to drop, or ‘pickle’ his bombs, he could do so. But, if one switch was wrong, the bombs wouldn’t release and we would have failed in our mission. I recall making this mistake once and my CO was rightly furious. Even though this was a practice, he’d seen similar issues in combat and unfortunately Marines had died. I vowed to never make that mistake again. Low-level navigation was also an essential skill that was practised regularly; there wasn’t a GPS or even an inertial navigation system, just a stopwatch,
PRACTICE RANGE A scored bombing range was effectively a huge bulls-eye on the ground, with spotters located in towers that could observe the hits/white smoke and provide scores. Multiple towers triangulated the results in a matter of seconds and bomb-drops were rated in feet from the centre using a clock code, relative to the specified run-in line, e.g. ‘12 o’clock, 75ft’ would be the score for a bomb that hit 75ft (22.9m) long of the aim-point. After the flight, each pilot’s scores would be averaged to determine the Circular Error of Probability (CEP), ie. 50% of all bombs would have landed within that distance, and the tighter the circle, the better the pilot. Remember, this was in the days of ‘iron’ bombs...there were no fancy computers to guide the bomb to the target, it was all down to airspeed and gravity. A 50ft (15.2m) CEP was very good...and yes, all the pilots kept score!
map, and compass. To make calculations and timing easier, we used an airspeed that was a multiple of 60kts, eg 360 kts equalled six miles per minute. We would plan our route to use significant geographical features, such as a mountain peak, river inlet, or bridge. If the feature had height distinction, that would be an excellent checkpoint. After determining the magnetic headings for each route section, or ‘leg’, the distance was measured and flight time calculated. By planning your own route, you committed most of it to memory, as you could not afford
to check the map constantly when airborne. Once a pilot mastered navigating this way, he would train to lead multiple airplanes on this type of mission. Of course the whole purpose of this was to get to the target on time without being detected; speed and surprise were essential. Particular missions were planned where artillery fire and the ground offensive would be coordinated to arrive at the same time. It wasn’t wise to be late to the party!
Dogfighting We loved to dogfight...usually after completing a training sortie
with ordnance expended, just to keep in practice and to have some fun. I admit it’s much more fun than dropping bombs, but it wasn’t our primary mission, and we lacked radar, which severely limited our capability as fighters. The communication skills required to direct a flight of multiple airplanes against several objectives, all the while navigating to and from the target, were a real challenge. It required the utmost in situational awareness to keep track of your flight, the enemy, which way was home, and how much fuel you had left in the jet. Usually, fighter missions were the remit of Navy or Marine aircraft based on aircraft carriers, not the smaller amphibious transports used by the USMC. However, on one occasion, off the coast of Beirut, the carrier had to depart the area, so we took over the responsibility. The outer wing stations were loaded with AIM-9 Sidewinders and two of our six aircraft were assigned to the fighter role. We were vectored to any threats by the ship and then tried to visually acquire the target, successfully intercepting inbound Russian Tu-95 Bears that were nosing around the fleet. Fortunately, the Harrier was good at just about everything. I came to truly love the Harrier, especially as it could operate from virtually anywhere, on land and at sea. Although I’ve had the great privilege to fly approximately 70 different types/ variants of aircraft, I have been fortunate to be able to continue this love affair with the Harrier for years, long past leaving the service. *Art Nalls currently flies his own Sea Harrier FA.2 on the USA ❚ airshow circuit.
An AV-8C, 158772, GG/00, of VMA-231 ‘Ace of Spades’ is towed to one of NAS Fallon’s main hangars for maintenance. The USMC’s Harriers occasionally received temporary camouflage schemes for deployments to Norway. This aircraft is armed with four Mk.77 napalm tanks. (Glenn Sands Collection)
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ON THE SHELF
BOOKS & DVDS
AIR BATTLES OVER THE DESERT to ground battles. Each section details periods of between four and 12 days, interleaved with period photographs of aircraft and their crews/pilots. Rather than just deal with popular types, all aircraft involved are mentioned... lesser-known examples, such as the Bristol Bombay, take their place alongside the more familiar Bf 109, Hurricane and Macchi C.202. Appendices provide lists of aircraft losses, reports on Allied squadron performance, comparisons of the main fighter types, and even naval operations and intelligence gathering. The author’s conclusions are stark, none more so than his dispelling of the wartime myth that the
Regia Aeronautica lacked ‘determination or stamina’, and in fact fought strongly and with great skill to shoot down more enemy aircraft than they lost. This will be of use to anyone with an interest in North African operations, as well as those seeking information on less-wellcovered aircraft types. SF
BOOK SPEC
In this, the first in a series to document air operations in North Africa, the author aims to examine the impact of air operations on units as well as the actual combat. Thanks to new information,
themes such as the involvement of the Commonwealth air forces, and particularly the South African Air Force, are included. A prelude reviews the North African campaign up to May 1942, and introduces the main aircraft types, before concentrating on operations between May and June 1942. This period is also known as the Battle of Gazala, when German and Italian forces were on the offensive, ultimately being halted by Commonwealth units at El Alamein. More than two-thirds of the narrative is presented as a series of operations diaries, which record missions, casualties and notable air-to-air combats, in addition to relating events
Eagles over Gazala By:
Michele Palermo
ISBN:
978-8875651688
Price:
£18.95
Format:
170mm x 240mm
Available from: www.crecy.co.uk
TWO WINGS AGAINST ONE
BOOK SPEC
When most people think of World War One aircraft, they picture biplanes and triplanes, yet there were also successful monoplanes, and none more so than the Fokker Eindecker. Here, an aerial and technological conflict is examined against the backdrop of events Nieuport 11/16 Bébé vs Fokker Eindecker By:
Jon Guttman
ISBN:
978-1-78200353-3
Price:
£12.99
Format:
170mm x 240mm
Available from: www.ospreypublishing.com
in 1916, between the Eindecker, and the French Nieuport 11/16s, and the battle to control the skies over the trenches. Although the latter looked like a biplane, the lower wing was much smaller than the upper, which led to the sobriquet of ‘sesquiplane’ or one-and-a-half wing aircraft. Packed into just 80 pages, every aspect of these two designs is covered; development, technical specifications, air-to-air combat and tactics. As described here, perhaps the most crucial aspect was that of machine gun location, with fuselage-mounted weapons far easier to aim than wingmounted. Germany’s development of the interrupter/synchronisation
gear, which allowed the gun to be fired through the propeller disc, gave the Eindeckers a huge advantage, and in part led to their nickname of ‘the Fokker scourge’. The author describes how, despite the French aircraft being the more manoeuvrable, its wing-mounted weapons were harder for the pilot to clear of stoppages, particularly if one was in a dogfight! Photographs of the proponents bring this struggle to life, and illustrate innovations such as the French ‘rocket torpedo’, which resembled over-large fireworks and were intended to down German airships, although they suffered from poor accuracy. Modellers will appreciate the
colour diagrams and profiles, which should provide all one needs in terms of interior detailing whichever kits one has, whereas aviation enthusiasts will enjoy the descriptions of the thrills and dangers of flying and fighting in these early fighter aircraft. SF
ZERSTÖRER TO NÄCHTJÄGER
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through to the night-fighter G. For each variant, the distinguishing features are identified, and here the photographs will aid modellers greatly, particularly close-ups of areas such as the inboard side of the engine cowl...
rarely shown in references. A series of excellent profiles by Fernando Estanislau accompany the narrative, and translate the black and white photographs into glorious colour. While the majority of attention is paid to the fighter and attack roles, reconnaissance types are also covered. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the gaudy wasp nose-art of Stab./ZG 1 (originally designated SKG 210) features strongly on Bf 110D/E variants and adds a dash of colour to the otherwise drab mid/late-war camouflage. Although the G-subtype became synonymous with the nächtjäger (night-fighter) roles, the early versions were still used as day-fighters in the defence of
Berlin. Surprisingly, the nocturnal mission was one which was never considered for the Bf 110, yet it became highly successful, particularly once fitted with the Schräge Musik oblique-firing cannon. Not only an excellent reference and aid to modelling the Bf 110, it provides ample material for Luftwaffe dioramas. SF
BOOK SPEC
As the author points out at the beginning of this Bf 110 study, history has not been kind to the capabilities of the Messerschmitt design. However, assisted by in-depth research from several noted military historians, this 80-page narrative goes a long way to restore the aircraft’s reputation. Modellers will appreciate the contemporary photographs, many previously unpublished, which aid in the description of the type. They will also find the sections on camouflage and aircraft/unit identification markings useful, and these helpfully precede the main part of the book, which deals with all variants of the Bf 110, from the day-fighter B
Messerchmitt Bf 110 By:
Mark Proulx
ISBN:
978-0-914144-59-5
Price:
US $23.95
Format:
215mm x 278mm
Available from: www.eagle-editions.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
100-PLUS KILLS FOR ZERO LOSSES
It was just a matter of time before the Haynes manual juggernaut tackled what is statistically the most successful
offers a mix of concise text and useful photographs, supported by manufacturer drawings and diagrams, and modellers will value the close-ups of areas such as the undercarriage, cockpit and ejection seat and various portions of the airframe. The good news is that all US marks are described, so one also gets the F-15E ‘mud-moving’ angle as well as that of the pure fighterinterceptor. The type’s operations in both Gulf Wars, the Balkans, Afghanistan and Libya are explored, and a comprehensive list of kills made by US, Saudi and Israeli Eagles is provided. Arguably, more could have been
done to show the wide range of weaponry available to the Strike Eagle than what is offered here, but at least the two dedicated pages do portray the more interesting stores such as the AGM-130 and GBU-15. CC
BOOK SPEC
jet fighter ever built. It’s amazing to think that despite the F-15’s 1976 entry into service, the type is projected to serve until 2025...such is the value of this impressive warplane. This book has been penned by two individuals who have been highly successful in their respective fields; Davies is a respected freelance aviation photo-journalist and author, while ‘Disco’ Dildy is a retired US Air Force Eagle driver with 1,400 hours on type. The combination has worked well here, in that it melds decent writing with first-hand flying experience. Haynes’ usual format is neat and
McDonnell Douglas/ BoeingF-15 Eagle By:
Steve Davies and Doug Dildy
ISBN:
978-0-85733-243-1
Price:
£22.99
Format:
212mm x 276mm
Available from: Haynes, www.haynes.co.uk
KRIEGSMARINE COLOURS
BOOK SPEC
Volume One of this excellent pairing dealt with vessels up to 1941, and yet there is more to savour here due to the comprehensive colour scheme coverage. The five chapters... German Naval Camouflage Volume Two 1942 - 1945 By:
Eric Leon and John Asmussen
ISBN:
978-1-84832223-3
Price:
£35
Format:
206mm x 261mm
Available from: Pen and Sword, www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
Battleships, Heavy Cruisers, Light Cruisers, Destroyers and Torpedo Boats...all adhere to the same format, with colour port, starboard and plan views and, in some cases, separate illustrations and period photographs for each vessel. The detail within the drawings is noteworthy and the heavy-hitters are here, such as the Tirpitz, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen. Other subjects, though, are just as fascinating and, as with Volume One, make for a rounded examination of German Navy assets. Ships such as the light cruiser Koln and Destroyer Z39 exemplify
the real range of colours and camouflage patterns used. The latter’s Baltic pattern would be challenging in model form, but therein lies the enjoyment and, potentially, a much more interesting model. The Torpedo Boats are arguably the most interesting vessels in the collection, and their camouflage is highly attractive when viewing such examples as the T12 as seen in 1942. An Alterations and Additions section seeks to correct and improve on information given in Volume One, to complete the book. About the only criticisms one could raise, are that no paint colour codes/names
are given at any stage and, as wonderful as the artwork is, one can’t help thinking that in some cases, the profiles/plan views would have been so much more enjoyable shown at a larger size. Regardless, both volumes are super references and very useful for beginners and more experienced maritime modellers alike. CC
STYLISH LARGE-SCALE BUILDS Amazingly, just one Wingnut Wings kit made it into the book, a Fokker D.VII by AMW contributor Mikael Terfors, but Toni was obviously determined to provide variety in manufacturer and subject matter. On that front, the models include HK Models’ imposing B-25 finished as the
well-known ‘Ave Maria’, by Jan Kopecký, Anders Isaksson’s stunning Tamiya Spitfire Mk.VIII (the favourite Aussie machine ‘Grey Nurse’), and Meng Model’s Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet, completed stylishly by Mats Johansson. The other builds comprise a Hasegawa Ki-84, Eduard Bf 109E and Bf 110C-1, HK Models’ Gloster Meteor F.4. and Tamiya F4U-1 Corsair, the latter two built by the publisher himself. All are crafted to a very high degree, and how-too descriptions, with easy-to-read text and quality in-progress photos, impart the finer details and ‘nitty-gritty’. This large scale has won many
new fans among modellers in the past few years, and when the results are this good, it’s easy to see why. Sure, one can revel in the great photography and classy design, but the knowledge and skill throughout the text ensures substance as well as style. CC
BOOK SPEC
Toni Canfora’s previous modelling books have almost exclusively dealt with armour of various types, and very good they are too, but this time the prolific publisher has focussed on aircraft builds...and all in 1/32 scale. Regular purchasers of Canfora titles are used to first-rate design and they are equally appropriate for the coffee table as they are a busy modelling bench. And so it is here with this impressive work, which offers a wealth of inspiration in landscape format for those venturing into this large scale, via nine beautifully finished models.
Wingspan 1 By:
Various
ISBN:
978-91-9823250-9
Price:
£19.95
Format:
209mm x 290mm
Available from: Canfora Publishing, www.canfora.se Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITS
SEA-GOING FIGHTER
PACIFIC FIGHTING KITTY
COLOURFUL GUNSHIP
PRODUCT SPEC
Hasegawa’s vintage and slightly inaccurate 1/72 Mi-24 Hind gets yet another release with bespoke decals, but at a price. When first released in 1987, this was the Mi-24 kit available, but there are clear signs of ageing, with flash present on a number of parts, and the wheel bay detail is not on a par with more modern Hinds. Just four resin components and a tiny photo-etched metal fret are added to the otherwise basic kit, but the big difference is the decal sheet. This Mi-24P Hind ‘Golden Eagles’ provides the majority of the red/ By: Hasegawa white/blue Russian display scheme, Item no: 02127 and is in perfect register, although the ‘Berkuty’ (Golden Eagle) logo Scale: 1/72 appears rather pale. Of note, at Price: £37.99 least two of the six airframes Available from: offered were occasionally painted in Amerang, non-standard brown/green or light/ www.amerang.co.uk dark green camouflage schemes.
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PRODUCT SPEC
Eduard has given its brilliant F6F-5 Hellcat the ProfiPACK treatment, and has embellished the styrene with Brassin mainwheels, two photo-etched metal (PE) frets and canopy/wheel masks. While the PE improves on the already excellent styrene components, the resin wheels address one of the kit’s few shortcomings, as the original items were too thin in crosssection. Best of all, there is a wide variety of weaponry, which includes two types each of rockets and bombs. As always, Eduard provides multiple schemes in conjunction with beautiful Cartograf-printed decal sheets; the four offered are all in the late-war Gloss Sea Blue: F6F-5 Hellcat Late • 32, VF/VBF-12, CV-15, USS By: Eduard Randolph, May 1945 Item no: 8224 • 99, VF-19, CAG-19, USS Lexington, late October 1944 Scale: 1/48 • 14, VF-29, USS Cabot, JanuaryPrice: €25.95 March 1945 Available from: • 72534, 115, VF-83, USS Essex, May Eduard, www.eduard.com 5, 1945
SHARP-LOOKING DOLPHINS
Mark I Models has expanded its range of L-29s to include aircraft with special or display schemes. Just a single kit is offered in this release, although the parts are unchanged from previous iterations. It features delicate engraved panel lines, an option for raised/lowered undercarriage and a choice of underwing weapons. Mark I does offer extra details separately for this kit. Four schemes are offered, one of which, the Czech tiger-striped aircraft, will certainly be a challenge to paint: • L-29A Akrobat, 0517/OK-SZA, Aero L-29/L-29A Czechoslovak Air Force, 1967-68 By: Mark I Models • L-29 Delfin, 3520, ‘Gen. MR Štefánik’ Item no: MKM14432 Air Force Academy, Slovak Air Force, Scale: 1/144 mid-1990s • L-29 Delfin, 2853, 1st Sqn 11th Fighter Price: €9.50 Regiment, Czech AF, summer 1993 Available from: • L-29 Delphin, 1617, Air Force 4+ Publications, Academy, Egyptian Air Force, late www.4pluspublications.com 1980s
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Revell has re-boxed Italeri’s 2012 updated release of the Rafale M with a set of attractive anniversary markings. Although this will be a quick and easy build, no effort has been made to correct the failings of the original kit, which includes a shallow cockpit and ‘squashed’ ejection seat, raised panel lines and basic weapons fit. Unfortunately, this impacts directly on the main colour scheme, as the correct 1,250 lit fuel tanks and infra-red MICA missiles are not provided. While the kit missiles can be corrected easily to resemble the latter, the fuel tanks Dassault Rafale M and associated pylons will need to By: Revell be sourced from elsewhere, as just Item no: 04892 two examples of the larger 2,000 lit version are included. Two schemes Scale: 1/72 are offered: Price: £13.50 • 32, ’90 ans 11F/10 ans Rafale 12F’, Available from: BAN Landivisiau, 2012 Revell, www.revell.de/en • 17, Flotille 12F, BAN Landivisiau, 2011
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ON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITS
CZECH-BUILT LIGHTWEIGHT
NIPPONESE ‘SPECIAL’
SEMPER FI WHISKEY
PRODUCT SPEC
Any modeller interested in VIP/government aircraft has a great option in Roden’s Jetstar, which depicts the short-range transport of the President of the United States times five; Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan. The kit has excellent detail in places, and in fact it’s better than that seen on some kits in larger scales. Highlights include well-shaped engine nacelles, fine engraved panel lines and deftly Lockheed VC-140B Jetstar moulded antennas on the fuselage By: Roden and tail; the wheels are also good Item no: 324 and the cockpit glazing comes as Scale:
1/144
Price:
£17.99
Available from: Pocketbond, www.pocketbond.co.uk
Fans of ‘Whiskey’ Cobras will be delighted that Revell has re-issued Italeri’s AH-1W. While it captures the overall shape of the real aircraft, the level of detail is rather basic...thankfully the after-market can address this particular shortcoming. External panel lines and rivets are represented by raised moulding, which modellers may wish to remove and re-scribe to achieve a more realistic finish. Unfortunately, nothing has been done to correct two issues with the original kit, which were that no BGM-71 TOW missiles (common to AH-1Ws) are included, and the main rotor blades Bell AH-1W Super Cobra are the wrong way round! Three By: Revell camouflage schemes are offered: Item no: 04943 • 162571, 42/YP, HMM-163, USS Scale: 1/48 Tarawa, 1989 • 162537, 44/XE, VX-5, China Lake, Price: £17.99 1988 Available from: • 162541, 441QT, HMT-303, Camp Revell, www.revell.de/en Pendleton, July 1991
PRODUCT SPEC
POTUS’ SHORT-RANGE RIDE
a one-piece affair. The option of window decals is not provided, and the printing of the blue fuselage trim and anti-glare panel decals could have been sharper, but overall this is a pleasing product.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Eduard’s L-39 has been around for some years now, but the moulds still do the business and this Weekend re-release is most welcome. Even without after-market help, the kit will build into a pleasing representation; the cockpit has reasonable moulded detail, with optional decals for the panels and side consoles. There’s fine panel line engraving throughout and the gun fairing is very good. Other plus-points include a full engine fan and separate canopies. The only let-down is the undercarriage legs, which are basic. Two fuel tanks Albatros L-39ZA and two OFAB-100 bombs are supplied By: Eduard to keep it busy under the wings, and the Item no: 7427 decal sheet has myriad stencilling for the two schemes, which are: Scale: 1/48 • 2430, 1st ‘Tiger’ Sqn, 11th Fighter Price: €12.75 Regiment, Czechoslovak AF, 1991 Available from: • NL-44/4144, 618th ATS, Algerian AF, Eduard, www.eduard.com Tafraoui AB
Hasegawa is going all-out with its limited editions covering Japanese celebratory schemes, and this release should please fans of the Far East air arm. The 60th anniversary of the Japanese Air Self Defense Force is the subject, with highly attractive black and red tail, cockpit/canopy area and nose markings on a 201 Sqn/2nd AW F-15J from Chitose Air Base in July 2014. The plastic comprises the F-15J Eagle JASDF 60th company’s later 1/72 kit, which has excellent cockpit and avionics bay Anniversary detail, reasonable ACES II ejection By: Hasegawa seats and engraved panel lines. But Item no: 02131 for the arguably excessive asking Scale: 1/72 price, one does not receive a single item of weaponry, and certainly not Price: £32.99 the funky-looking Mitsubishi air-toAvailable from: air missiles that are shown on the Amerang, box-front photograph (just fuel tanks www.amerang.co.uk are provided).
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ON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITS
UBIQUITOUS FIGHTER
COASTIES’ ASSET
THIRTIES TRAINER
PRODUCT SPEC
This is a beautiful little kit of an important training aircraft. All parts come on one grey styrene runner, and it’s particularly impressive how RS has portrayed the wing ribbing, in an incredibly subtle manner. Finer details include an engine radiator to sit within the cowling, excellent engraving and raised embellishmen, and photo-etched brass parts that provide seatbelts, instrument panels to replace the styrene items, and pitot tubes. There’s also a styrene blind-flying hood, small bombs and a blanking plate for the rear cockpit on a civilian version. The four liveries offer real variety Miles Magister and colour: By: RS Models • R1883, RAF, Alexandria, Eygpt, 1941 Item no: 92167 • G-AIUA/43, Coventry Airfield, UK, 1960 Scale: 1/72 • SB+AF, Sonderstaffel Buschmann/ Price: €18 coastal patrol, German Luftwffe, Available from: Gulf of Finland, 1942 RS Models, • 18/3618, Turkish AF, 1st Training www.rsmodels.cz/en Battalion, 1944
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PRODUCT SPEC
This manufacturer has taken the step of reworking its popular (but not flawless) 1/48 Black Hawk moulding into a US Coast Guard Jayhawk... thankfully in white styrene to aid painting (Kinetic had already boxed this kit as such). Sub-type-specific parts include fuel tanks, radome for the search and weather radar, and the correct layout for the HF radio antenna posts, which differs from US Navy H-60s. The under-nose FLIR turret is missing, but this is interchangeable and not always fitted to the real machines. The large blade aerials under the tail boom and HH-60J US Coast Guard between the exhausts are present, By: Italeri though, and one has the option of Item no: 2741 folding the rotors. The decal sheet is Scale: 1/48 a winner, with three liveries: • 6025, Air Station San Diego, Price: £24.99 California Available from: • 6012, Air Station Kodiak, Alaska The Hobby Company, • 6039, Air Station Clearwater, www.hobbyco.net Florida
RUSSIAN FLAG CARRIER There really is a whole lot to enjoy with this new A-320. Much refinement is obvious on the parts, although on the larger components there is a slight texture...but it is very subtle and will undoubtedly disappear under primer and paint. The choice of lowered or raised flaps is given and, in what must be a first, one can pose the wheels up, down as for parked, or down with oleos extended as if coming to land (substantial display stand included). Runs of clear windows also feature, but many airliner fans will blank-off the fuselage and use window decals instead; there are plenty of after-market decal options Airbus A-320 if one isn’t too enamoured with the By: Zvezda kit schemes. Cockpit and entrance Item no: 7003 vestibule detail also features, and the Scale: 1/144 slightly matt decals provide for three Aeroflot machines, predominantly in Price: £19.99 silver and blue, which are: VP-BLL, Available from: VQ-BCN and VQ-BEH. A well-detailed The Hobby Company, product for the experienced and www.hobbyco.net beginner alike.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Eduard’s Spitfires are widely regarded as the best in 1/48 scale and its new Mk.VIII is no exception. Although this release shares parts with the earlier Mk.IX, the wings and fuselage are new and have captured perfectly the nuances of this less-well-known Mk.VIII, including the retractable tailwheel. Detail is superb throughout, with delicate panel lines and riveting, and a well-equipped cockpit. Six schemes, from most World War Two theatres, are offered: • MD280, DG-R, 155 Sqn RAF, Burma, 1945 • JF470, HL-R, 308th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, Fano, Italy, 1944Spitfire Mk.VIII 1945 By: Eduard • JF330/HB, AVM Broadhurst, 1943 Item no: 8284 • JF404, GZ-M, 32 Sqn RAF, Foggia, Italy, early 1944 Scale: 1/48 • MT714, FT-F, 43 Sqn RAF, Ramatuelle, Price: €37.45 France, August 1944 Available from: • A58602, RG-V, 80 Fighter Wing, Eduard, www.eduard.com Dutch East Indies, 1945
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
MILITARY KITS
FLAMING PANZER
NIMBLE CASUALTY CARRIER
EASTERN LEND-LEASE
PRODUCT SPEC
Italeri has re-released its vintage Sherman as a commemorative VE Day product. While easy to build, experts will want to correct the many issues, as the upper hull represents an M4A3, and the lower appears to be that of a hybrid M4/M4A3. Grooves moulded on the underside of the engine deck will ease replacement of the incorrect grilles, but the gun M4A2 76mm ‘Wet’ Sherman barrel sleeve must be removed, By: Italeri along with the ‘doors’ on the rear Item no: 6483 hull plate. Four Soviet schemes are provided: Scale: 1/35 • 913, Unknown Unit, Austria, 1945 Price: £24.99 • 154, probably 219th Tank Bde, 1st Available from: Mech Corps, Berlin, 1945 The Hobby Company, • 79, Unknown Unit, Germany, 1945 www.hobbyco.net • 79, Unknown Unit, Poland, 1945
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figure, which makes for an instant checkpoint or “which way is it?” diorama. Two schemes are provided: • 82nd Airborne Division, Grenada, 1983 • 73, 2nd Bat., 33rd Field Art. Regt.
PRODUCT SPEC
Tamiya has capitalised on its M561 Gama Goat kit with the release of the ambulance version. The main differences are captured on a single new runner, which provides the canvas tilt and cargo bay details; this also means that one can make a standard soft-top cargo version. Assembly is simplified by clever parts design, but not at the expense of detail, M792 Gama Goat US 6x6 and the complex transmission and Ambulance Truck suspension is captured perfectly. By: Tamiya The flak jacket-wearing driver is a Item no: 35342 neat touch, as is the second standing Scale:
1/35
Price:
£25.99
Available from: The Hobby Company, www.hobbyco.net
KURSK CAMPAIGNER
Panzer IIIs seem to be a favourite for Dragon, as it continues to produce multiple versions in 1/35 and 1/72 scales. A recent release in the latter takes the previous Pz.Kpfw. Ausf.M and adds styrene Schürzen side and photoetched metal turret armour. Dragon has surpassed itself with the moulding, and the level of detail in the styrene components is staggering. Despite the scale, there are more than 100 parts, which is greater than some 1/35 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.M w/Schürzen boxings, and enables a faithful replica By: Dragon to be built. Tracks are represented Item no: 7323 by DS Styrene lengths, which Scale: 1/72 feature exceptional moulding. Three schemes are offered, for vehicles that Price: £19.99 participated at Kursk in 1943: Available from: • 5. or 6. Kompanie, Pz.Regt.3, 2.Pz.Div. The Hobby Company, • 055, 1.Pz.Gren.Div. ‘LAH’ www.hobbyco.net • 621, 6.Pz.Div.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
This unusual Panzer III variant looks to be an update of Cyber-hobby's kit, with aluminium Schürzen armour, and the Magic Track is replaced by DS styrene. However, that makes the difference in price between the two all the more head-scratching. For its size, there is a staggering amount of styrene, which Pz.Kpfw.III (FL) Ausf.M w/ features excellent detail and all external Schürzen differences of the flamethrower version By: Dragon are incorporated. The use of mainly Item no: 6776 generic runners will result in many spares, but the end result will be a Scale: 1/35 faithful rendering. Two schemes are Price: £57.50 provided, one of which was SchürzenAvailable from: equipped and probably fought at Kursk: The Hobby Company, • 851, 6.Pz.Div, Eastern Front, 1943 www.hobbyco.net • 411, Eastern Front, 1943
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
MILITARY KITS
SOVIET BLOC HAULER
THE BIG BANG
GALLIC ARMOUR
This product portrays the Great war-era weapon used by the Germans during 1942’s Sevastopol siege and elsewhere. It’s a refreshing change to more standard artillery pieces, and it’s well detailed. Plenty of bolt heads and rivets adorn the gun support carriage, and one also gets to pose the weapon on its typical turntable, itself mounted on a rectangular box base. Detail-hounds will welcome the convincing rifling inside the barrel Skoda 30.5cm M1916 Siege and one can also elevate the gun Howitzer due to vinyl grommets. Also supplied By: Takom is the wheelbarrow-style shell Item no: 2011 transporter. The colour schemes are: • 624th Schwere ArtillerieScale: 1/35 Abteilungen, Sevastopol, 1942 Price: £37.99 • 101 Artillery Group, Hungarian Available from: Army, Eastern Front, 1943 Pocketbond, • Unknown unit, Zweibrucken, www.pocketbond.co.uk Germany, April 1945
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Revell has re-released a Cold War-era Zil truck, moulded originally by ICM. In general the detail is most worthy and, even though the cab interior is relatively Spartan, it does reflect the real machine very well. The mudguards benefit from well-moulded tread-plate, wooden slats are depicted to good effect in the cargo area and the chassis (easily the busiest area, as one might expect) has much to offer. It’s the finer touches that please here, though, such as the indents on the rear of the steering wheel. The clear parts are also very good, and one gets vinyl tyres with what appears to be fairly accurate tread Zil-131 pattern...one just needs to remove the By: Revell circumferential mould seams. Revell Item no: 03245 supplies decals for four liveries, and they are: Scale: 1/35 • East German Army, 1980 Price: £22.99 • Soviet Army, East Germany, 1980 Available from: • Russian Army, 2000 Revell, www.revell.de/en • Soviet Army, Afghanistan, 1980
ANIMAL HUNTER
Don’t be fooled by the snap-fit format; this kit does a superb job of portraying the Soviet tank destroyer, famed for its ability to deal with the German Panther, Tiger and Elefant. Zvezda has added a wealth of detail and it goes to prove that small-scale armour is definitely worth considering. The one-piece upper hull and casemate is a gem, with fine engine screens, grilles and hatches. ISU-152 Soviet Tank Destroyer Impressive too is the running gear By: Zvezda and pre-shaped tow cables, along with Item no: 5026 the 152mm gun, moulded in one piece Scale: 1/72 but with a hollow muzzle. One-piece track runs must be heated and bent to Price: £9.99 the correct position, which might be Available from: tricky, but they are pretty thin. Three The Hobby Company, colour schemes feature, and two have www.hobbyco.net patriotic slogans.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Military modellers experienced with resin, especially those looking for something different, should consider Brach Model’s stunning Lorraine. The bulk of the parts are in resin and display superlative detail, mastered by company owner Luciano Brach; items such as the lower hull benefit from good rivet/bolt head rendering, while the tracks come in link-and-length format with pre-bent sections to fit around the idlers, and individual links for the drive wheels. The upper hull and rear crew area are just as impressive, with fine hatch and grille detail, and the driver’s area has everything it should; pedals, seats, transmission and a small instrument cluster. A generous fret of photo-etched metal Lorraine 37L Troop Transport components is provided, along & Ambulance with real metal crew compartment By: Brach Model cover attachment rings, and printed Item no: BM 124 acetate for the instruments. The instructions comprise step-by-step Scale: 1/35 photos, and there are three colour Price: €95 schemes...one vehicle from the Available from: French Army’s 5° BCP, and two www.brachmodel.it German examples.
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF AUTO KITS
PRODUCT SPEC
Revell’s BMW Z1 has been around for more than 25 years, yet the overall quality of the kit is excellent, even when compared with more modern releases. Despite the uninspiring box artwork, the parts are well moulded and there is a fully detailed engine compartment, along with four excellent vinyl tyres. The well-appointed interior includes foot pedals and an option for either moulded or decal instrument dials, although the seats are basic and would BMW Z1 benefit from belts and a representation By: Revell that the actual seat is separate from Item no: 07631 the back. Disappointingly, the only scheme offered is the same as that Scale: 1/24 on the box cover, but there are licence Price: £19.99 plates from ten countries on the decal Available from: sheet, so the only real limit to the Revell, www.revell.de/en model’s colour is one’s imagination.
BELARUSSIAN TRACTOR
Now here’s something different! Ideal for a pure civilian build or diorama, or mixed with military subjects, Hungarian firm Balaton’s resin kit portrays the Minsk Tractor Works product that was built from 1974 to 1995, so it’s a great addition for Cold War Soviet Bloc scenes. Besides the 60-plus resin components, which are mastered and cast beautifully, there is also a busy photo-etched brass fret MTZ-80 produced by Hungarian afterBy: Balaton Modell market specialist Slypi’s Details. Item no: BM3542 The casting gates are slight, so part removal will be relatively Scale: 1/35 simple, and the detail is very Price: €55.55 good; a splendid kit for beginners Available from: with resin (but general styrene Balaton Model, kit/PE savvy is a must) as it’s not www.balatonmodell.hu over complicated.
PRODUCT SPEC
DEUTSCHE CONCEPT CAR
FREDDIE AND NIALL CLASSIC TRUCK
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When released originally in 1981, Revell’s Mercedes-Benz 1628 represented the latest in mould technology, and despite the intervening decades, remains surprisingly good. Where the product shows its age is the presence of flash on many of the parts, but this will be simple to remove. It remains the only kit of this subject and features a fully detailed engine, transmission and cabin interior, the latter just equipped as a left-hand drive. Thankfully the cab is moveable, which allows all of Mercedes-Benz 1628S with the chassis and drive train assembly spoiler to be visible. The vinyl tyres are By: Revell excellent, with embossed Michelin Item no: 07467 logos and size information. As with Scale: 1/25 many of Revell’s recent releases, just a single scheme is offered, but Price: £36.99 the decal sheet provides a multitude Available from: of licence plates from different Revell, www.revell.de/en European countries.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Here, Hasegawa offers the 1989 Marlboro-sponsored race machine ridden by Freddie Spencer and Niall Mackenzie. With the high parts count, very busy instructions and sometimes complex nature of the build, this is arguably one for seasoned motorcycle modellers alone. But the results should be stunning due to the exceptional detail on show, particularly on the engine and cabling around the front forks/brakes (replicated by the plastic tubing provided). Thankfully, the bodywork comes on a white runner, so painting will be much easier, rubber ‘slick’ tyres are included and the decals are first rate. If one desires Yamaha YZR500 (OWA8) extra embellishment, Hasegawa By: Hasegawa has also issued a photo-etched Item no: 21712 metal detail set for this kit (see Accessories, p.94 this issue). The Scale: 1/12 schemes are: Price: £39.99 • ‘19’, Freddie Spencer, Marlboro Available from: Yamaha, 1989 Amerang, • ‘6’, Niall Mackenzie, Marlboro www.amerang.co.uk Yamaha, 1989
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
DECAL SHEETS
FAMOUS TRAINER
SMART CIVIL SUKHOI
Alpha Jet By:
Caracal Models
Item no:
CD48044
Scale:
1/48
Price:
US $13.99
Available from: Caracal Models, www.caracalmodels.com
The Czech Republic’s BOA has been producing very good airliner decals for a little while now (as well as printing for other companies), and one of its
EAC 00.314, French AF, Tours AB, 2007 • AT-15, EPA/VVS, Belgian AF, Brustem AB, 1983 • NAF471, Nigerian AF • TJ-XBU, Cameroon AF • TU-VCA, Ivory Coast AF • 5V-MBH, Togo AF • 228, Royal Morocco AF • 3501, Egyptian AF
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Caracal has pulled out all the stops here to offer a splendid array of schemes for this widely used training aircraft, and the decals are obviously printed with Kinetic’s 1/48 kit in mind. Many air arms are represented, and three separate sheets come in the pack; one carries the main national insignia and stencilling, another has wing walks and black trim for the orange panels on an Egyptian jet, while the last third carries the black codes. Printed by Cartograf, some of the 15 liveries include: • 8-NF/E150, EC 2/8, French AF, Cazaux AB, 1991 • 314-TT/E101 ‘Le Grand Pierre’,
Sukhoi Superjet SSJ10095B Moskovia Airlines By:
BOA
Item no:
BOA 14476
Scale:
1/144
Price:
€6
Available from: BOA, www.boaagency.cz
latest offerings is smart indeed. This sheet provides Moskovia Airlines markings for Zvezda’s Sukhoi Superjet, and they are simply stunning. The pretty tail artwork is sharp in definition, as is the fuselage striping and engine decoration. For those not in the know, Zhukovskybased Moskovia began its operations in 1995 but ceased in 2014. These decals also provide a full set of stencils, and codes for two of the fleet’s aircraft, those being RA-89021 and RA-89001.
CURTISS FIGHTERS
PRODUCT SPEC
Building on a theme has never been as inspiring as when the subjects are this colourful! Pheon has gathered a simply stunning collection of schemes to represent aircraft flown by Jagdstaffel 30 in World War One, and with 16 choices for Albatros D.IIIs and D.Vs, Fokker D.VIIs and a single Pfalz D.XII, this set is excellent value too. Those who enjoy replicating varnished wood fuselages are well catered for, but there are also extremely eye-catching painted examples. No lozenge pattern decals are provided, so these will have to come
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Jasta 30 Volume 2 By:
Pheon Decals
Item no: 32052 Scale:
1/32
Price:
£15.75
Available from: Pheon Decals, www.pheondecals.com
from the base kit or elsewhere. Standout options include: • Albatros D.V, D1012/17, Ltn Paul Erbguth, June 1917 • Albatros D.V, Ltn Hans-Georg von der Marwitz, Nov 1917-Feb 1918 • Albatros D.III, Oblt Hans Bethge, May-June 1917 • Fokker D.VII, Ltn August Hartmann, July-Nov 1918 • Pfalz D.XII, Ltn Hans-Georg van der Marwitz, Summer 1918
There’s a fair choice of early P-40 kits on the market (newtool Airfix, AML, Academy, Trumpeter and Hobbyboss), and so this new sheet from Iliad is most welcome... especially as it offers varied schemes. From the seldomseen bare metal of early US aircraft, and Olive Drab, to the tropical shades used in the Western Desert, there is much to savour here; one build definitely won’t be enough! Particularly attractive is the RCAF Tomahawk Mk.IIa in Dark Earth and Dark Green, but with one wing underside in Sky and the other in black. National insignia are provided for all options. The choices are: • P-40, 160/10AB, US Army Air Corps Technical School
PRODUCT SPEC
DAZZLING PRUSSIANS
Early P-40s & Tomahawks By:
Iliad Design
Item no:
72014
Scale:
1/72
Price:
US $12
Available from: Iliad Design, www.iliad-design.com
• P-40, 21/94P, 94th PS markings (non operational), New York World’s Fair • Tomahawk Mk.IIb, AK490, 73 Sqn RAF, Egypt, 1941 • P-40, 22/8P, 8th PG, September 1940 • Tomahawk Mk.IIa, AH882/KH-R, 403 Sqn RCAF, Bennington, May 1941 • Tomahawk Mk.IIb, AK431/E-D, unknown unit, Western Desert, North Africa, late 1942
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF
DECAL SHEETS
BENT-WINGED KIWIS
101 VICTORIES
RNZAF F4U Corsairs By:
Xtradecal
Item no:
X48136
Scale:
1/48
Price:
£7.99
Available from: Hannants, www.hannants.co.uk
Lt Wally Jacobs, 16 Sqn, Jacquinot Bay, New Britain, October 1945 • Vought F4U-1A, NZ5272/NZ5307, No.1 Servicing Unit, Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, October 1944 • Goodyear FG-1D, NZ5632/32 ‘Kathleen’, 14 Sqn, Iwakuni, Japan, 1946 • Goodyear FG-1D, NZ5632/32, 14 Sqn, Bofu, Japan, 1948
ROPEY AND THE DEVIL
Pheon has sunk its usual fastidious research into this subject of the 101-victory Jasta 17, and unearthed simply lovely colour schemes for the Albatros D.II (OAW), D.III/III (OAW), D.V/Va/ Va (OAW), Pfalz D.XII and Fokker D.VII (Alb). All but one Albatros have varnished wood fuselages, while the Pfalz and Fokkers sport paint and lozenge pattern camouflage. Just one aircraft is rather bland, but the rest are dazzling with various personal motifs to lend colour and individuality. Proprietor Rowan Broadbent’s colour profiles are as pleasing as ever, as is the printing of the markings themselves. Of the 14 options, some are • Albatros D.II (OAW), 933/16, Vzfw Jakob Wolff, Metz-Frescaty, February 1917
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
It’s a pleasant change to have decent schemes for non-US Corsairs, and New Zealand’s were particularly interesting, with their large insignia over US paint. Xtradecal offers four liveries from the Pacific theatre here, so if one has Tamiya, Hobbyboss or Academy kits in the stash, then these Kiwi decals are a must...and remember, unlike Fleet Air Arm examples, one doesn’t need to clip the wings. One example stands out, that of a repaired aircraft with the front half in Gloss Sea Blue, and the other in Intermediate Blue, Sea Blue and Insignia White. The options are: • Vought F4U-1D, NZ5471/471, Flt
Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 17 By:
Pheon Decals
Item no:
32051
Scale:
1/32
Price:
£15.75
Available from: Pheon Decals, www.pheondecals.com
• Albatros D.III, Ltn Gunther Schuster, St Quentin-le-Petit, June 1917 • Albatros D.V, Oblt Hubertus Frieherr von Rudno-Rudzinski, Wasquehal, October 1917 • Albatros D.III (OAW), 1694/17, Ltn Alfred Träger, St Quentin-lePetit, June 1917 • Pfalz D.XII, 1414/18, Vivaise, September 1918 • Fokker D.VII (Alb), Ltn Alfred Fleischer, Vivaise, late July 1918 • Fokker D.VII (Alb), Ltn Gunther Schuster, Vivaise, late July 1918
AEROBATIC BIG CATS
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Avro Lancasters By:
Kits World
Item no:
KW172123
Scale:
1/72
Price:
£10.20
Available from: Kits World, www.kits-world.com
Nazi Neutralizer’, with its devil nose art and toasting fork bomb tally. This aircraft was from 463 (Australian) Squadron at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, in 1945. The second choice is the B.Mk.X KB772/VR-R ‘Ropey’, with its superb shark mouth artwork on both sides of each engine nacelle. The 65-mission machine belonged to 419 (Canadian) Squadron at Middleton St George, Co Durham, in April 1945. Kits World provides stencils and insignia for one aircraft.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Two famous Lancasters are provided here by Kits World and both are highly desirable from a build perspective. The first is the B.Mk.I LM130/JO-N ‘Nick the
Any modeller interested in aerobatic display teams shouldn’t miss Furball’s Blue Angels sheet, undoubtedly sized to fit Kitty Hawk’s forthcoming F9F-8 and existing TF-9J. Of course, the blue doesn’t change on any of these options, but the team’s different aircraft numbers are supplied (1-6 for the single-seat Cougar, and 0 and 7 for the ‘twin-tubs’). Furball has collaborated with Detail & Scale on the research so all should be accurate, Blue Angel Cougars By:
Furball Aero-Design
Item no:
F/D&S-4805
Scale:
1/48
Price:
US $15.99
Available from: Furball Aero-Design, www.furballaero-design.com
and the richness of the yellow decals is impressive. Detailed paint advice is given on the instructions, along with various notes on structural details.
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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GMC 2 ½ TON TRUCK
GMC 2 ½ TON TRUCK The tank section itself was engineered cleverly and made assembly trouble free.
Here’s the completed chassis which, in real life terms, formed the basis for many variants of GMC truck.
management
Toni Canfora gives a military icon an eye-catching civilian identity eneral Motors’ famous 2 1/2 ton truck, nicknamed ‘Deuce-and-a-Half’ by the troops, formed the backbone of US land supply lines during World War Two It was produced in vast numbers, which were only superseded by
g
moving around the clock. When the last example rolled off the assembly line, more than 500,000 had been built and they were used well into the Korean War. The chassis proved to be a solid and reliable platform and numerous variants were developed, including anti-aircraft, recovery and, as is the case with this article, airfield tanker.
Top of the heap There have been many kits of the standard GMC truck over the years, in various scales, but Tamiya’s offering must be considered
the best in any scale. And just as General Motors did, Tamiya took advantage of the chassis to make different variants. There are several resin conversions available as well, and it’s somewhat surprising that it took so long for a mainstream manufacturer to release it, considering how few airfield-related kits there are. Hopefully we’ll see more of this type of vehicle in the near future. As one might expect, the quality of the moulding was excellent, with very crisp detail and almost no seams to remove. The parts breakdown was also ingenious
the Willys Jeep. After the D-Day invasion, the need for supplies was enormous in order to keep the advance moving, and the famed ‘Red Ball Express’ supply line had thousands of GMC trucks in its inventory,
the quality of the moulding was excellent and offered enough detail out of the box, but also left enough room for after-market refinements. Since the fit was nearly perfect, just a few evenings were spent on assembly, which made this a perfect subject for a
MODEL SPEC
under
new
GMC 2 ½ Ton Truck By:
Tamiya
Stock Code: 32579 Scale:
1/48
Price:
£19.99
Available from: The Hobby Company, www.hobbyco.net
quick, yet flawless build. Construction began with the chassis, which was rendered beautifully with the beam structure, suspension, and very delicate wheels...the latter had very fine nuts and bolts. The chassis was constructed so that it could be assembled fully and painted separately which, of course, made that process much easier. The bonnet and cab were tackled next, and looked rather simplified at first glance, but so was the real machine according to reference photos. Still, a seat, dashboard, gear stick and steering wheel were included and in the end, little of the interior was visible anyway. It was also very pleasing to see that the doors were moulded separately, to give the modeller the option of posing them open; transparent parts were glued from the inside, which ensured a perfect fit
The finished model ready for paint; major sub-assemblies were left detachable for easier painting.
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The interior and chassis were painted in the truck’s original Olive Drab...
...which was followed by a base coat of blue, with a few drops of clear gloss varnish.
The cab came with separate doors, which increased the options for a possible diorama setting, and in this case also made the painting process much easier.
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Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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A DRIVING WIN! EXPER IENCE!
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HORNBY BRIDGE INSPIRATIO N Closing date: June
Issue 96 June 2015
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537/15
ON THE SHELF ACCESSORIES
ATTR 32018
Scale:
1/32
Price:
£24
Available from: www.aviattic.co.uk
LATE SPIT RESIN
PRODUCT SPEC
SBS’s very neat 4-spoke wheels, in grey resin, are designed to fit Spitfire marks VII to XVI, so they are useful indeed considering how many kits are available of the aforementioned sub-types. The hub detail is particularly well rendered.
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Spitfire 4-spoke wheel set By:
SBS Model
Item no: 72027 Scale:
1/72
Price:
€3
Available from: www.sbsmodel.com
Item no:
49714
Scale:
1/48
Price:
€22.45
Available from: www.eduard.com
By:
Hasegawa
Item no:
21713
Scale:
1/12
Price:
£20.99
Available from: www.amerang.co.uk
JUG STUFF
ANTI-AIRCAFT UPGRADE
The standard of Revell’s 1/72 armour is very good, but with Hauler’s new package one can add a wealth of additional detail to the gun and its trunnion supports, mudguard/ transport units and the kit-provided telemeter. Highlights include a new seat and cable reel, tool clamps and foot pedals. Very comprehensive for such a small model! 8.8cm Flak 36 By:
Hauler
Item no:
HLH782040
Scale:
1/72
Price:
€9.64
Available from: www.hauler.cz
Think MiG-25 Foxbat and the giant R-40/AA-6 Acrid also comes to mind. In its Aero Line range, Plus Model has now introduced the semi-active radar homing R-40R in 1/48 scale, and it’s perfect for equipping the aforementioned Soviet interceptor. Separate heads are provided, to depict bare noses and those fitted with protective covers, while fuse guards for ground use are portrayed by photo-etched brass that has to be rolled to shape. The detail is praiseworthy, and stencil decals also feature.
PRODUCT SPEC
Item no:
Eduard
Yamaha YZR500 Etching Parts
BIG MIG AIR-TO-AIR
Missile R-40R AA-6A Acrid By:
Plus Model
Item no:
AL4043
Scale:
1/48
Price:
€12.30
Available from: www.plusmodel.cz
FELLED BY SHRAPNEL Intended for Hasegawa’s P-47D, this set provides a welcome upgrade. The cockpit benefits from extensive photo-etched metal embellishment, and this includes a multi-part instrument panel and complete seatbelts. In addition to turned brass gun barrels, there are many fuselage and wing access panels. Saving the best until last, there is replacement undercarriage, which comprises white metal legs and resin wheels. P-47D Thunderbolt DetailUp Parts By:
Mk1 Design
Item no:
MA-32009
Scale:
1/32
Price:
£39.30
Available from: www.ka-models.com
Anyone contemplating a Pacific Theatre diorama or vignette should take a look at these useful battledamaged palm trees. Cast in resin, the five different shapes have excellent detail, and really do look as though they’ve been cut off in their prime by shrapnel or other warfighting behaviour. If setting them into groundwork, one doesn’t even have to remove the thin casting blocks at the base.
PRODUCT SPEC
Aviattic
By:
Hasegawa has just released a ‘Marlboro Yamaha 1989’ bike kit (see car and bike reviews this issue), and to give it an after-market boost the firm also offers this photo-etched metal detail set. The main focus is on the brakes, with new disc rims which must be added to the kit components (surgery required), and two fine mesh grilles for the fairing part B2. The kit plastic is good, but real detailnuts will love these metal additions.
PRODUCT SPEC
By:
F-106A SA
RACE BIKE ENHANCEMENT
PRODUCT SPEC
WW1 Large Upright German Refuelling Cart
For those inclined to turn trumpeter’s recent F-106 into a real jaw-dropper, Eduard’s new set has everything one needs. The large photoetched brass fret provides embellishment for the undercarriage legs, bays and doors, canopy, Falcon missiles/ launchers, arrester hook and engines, while the pre-coloured components offer extras for the cockpit, such as parts for the seat, instruments and side consoles, and sidewalls.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
If one’s Gotha or AEG bomber looks a little lonely on the airfield, then this refuelling cart from Aviattic is just the thing to keep it company. With 11 finely cast resin components, this is a quick build and while there are small amounts of flash, these can be removed easily when the parts are cut from their casting blocks. The assembly and painting instructions can be downloaded from Aviattic's own website.
DELTA DART DETAILS
PRODUCT SPEC
GOTHA GAS TANK
Battle-Damaged Palm Trees By:
Red Zebra
Item no:
N/A
Scale:
1/48
Price:
£7
Available from: www.redzebramodels.co.uk
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF ACCESSORIES
BRL72087
Scale:
1/72
Price:
€8.78
Available from: www.brengun.cz
TIFFIE BELTS
PRODUCT SPEC
Nothing quite sets off a model, particular in a larger scale, than a welldetailed seat and HGW is surely onto a winner with its new seatbelts for Airfix’s hugely popular 1/24 Hawker Typhoon. This set, with the belts in lasercut microtextile, also provides a full array of buckles, harness attachment points and other accoutrements in photo-etched metal. It’ll give superb results given careful assembly and attachment. Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB By:
HGW Models
Item no:
124507
Scale:
1/24
Price:
€9.54
Available from: www.hgwmodels.cza
Taurus KEPD 350 LongRange Air-to-Surface Missile By:
CMK
Item no:
4313
Scale:
1/48
Price:
€15.80
By:
SBS Model
Item no:
72024
Scale:
1/72
Price:
€6
Available from: www.sbsmodel.com
ON GUARD!
Available from: www.cmkkits.com
HGW has now released a new set of seat harnesses for Wingnut Wings’ Early Sopwith Snipe. Make a great kit even better with this offering, which comprises laser-cut microtextile lap belts, and photo-etched metal buckles and locking mechanism. Simple, but very effective.
PRODUCT SPEC
Item no:
Panavia Tornado corrected nose and pitot
GREAT WAR SAFETY
Sopwith Snipe Early By:
HGW Models
Item no:
132520
Scale:
1/32
Price:
€8.74
Available from: www.hgwmodels.cz
LONG-WING SCHNELLBOMBER
STRAPPING STUFF
Eduard pleased many with its SSW kit late last year, and now the firm offers this neat set of Superfabric seat straps, which just need removing with tweezers from the carrier sheet and fixing to the seat with white glue. Simples! SSW D.III seatbelts Superfabric By:
Eduard
Item no:
49 075
Scale:
1/48
Price:
€8.25
Available from: www.eduard.com
With a background in architectural work, Hungary’s Limes Model also produces stunning items for military and scenic modellers. This Great War sentry box is a splendid piece for a vignette or diorama, and comes via thin sections of laser-cut wood, which just need pushing out of their carrier frames. Also supplied is a propaganda poster and a very handy set of pre-cut masks with which to complete the striped pattern on the box itself. A brilliant little item. Sentry Box WWI By:
Limes Model
Item no: 35102 Scale:
1/35
Price:
€6.84
Available from: www.limesmodel.hu
Designed for any of Revell’s 1/32 Ju-88s, this set contains everything one needs to convert either an A-1 or A-4 into an A-5. It comprises 12 fine resin parts, photo-etched (PE) metal, replacement vac-form rear canopy and decals for aircraft based in North Africa and Greece. In addition, sufficient PE sights and ‘doughnut’ mountings are provided for all of the kit's MG 81 machine guns.
PRODUCT SPEC
Brengun
Like Hasegawa, Revell didn’t quite capture the subtleties of the Tornado’s nose on its 1/72 scale offering. Enter Hungarian after-market wizard SBS Model, with its replacement resin radome and lovely turned brass pitot tube from Master Model. The latter item is incredibly fine, while the nose just has a small casting block to remove before it’s good to go.
PRODUCT SPEC
By:
TONKA SNOUT
PRODUCT SPEC
Letov Š-16
Having already produced this impressive-looking store in 1/72 scale, CMK now offers a resin Taurus for aircraft modellers who favour 1/48. A big missile in this scale, it would look superb under a German Tornado, Spanish F/A18, Korean F-15 or a test Gripen/ Eurofighter. Photo-etched metal 'remove before flight' tags are provided, as are stencil decals.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
Brengun has now released a dedicated photo-etched metal detail set for its own recent Š-16 kit, which depicts the record-setting aircraft that flew from Prague to Tokyo and back. This package offers plenty of cockpit paraphernalia, such as a throttle, trim wheel, rudder pedals and magazines for the machine guns, but external features include upper wing details, control linkages for the elevators and ailerons, radiator parts and bomb racks.
HULKING WEAPON
PRODUCT SPEC
RECORD-BREAKER METAL
Conversion Set Junkers Ju-88A-5 By:
Profimodeller
Item no:
32177
Scale:
1/32
Price:
€18.19
Available from: www.profimodeller.com
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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ON THE SHELF ACCESSORIES
Item no:
648 169
Scale:
1/48
Price:
€11.25
Available from: www.eduard.com
WE GOT THE POWER!
PRODUCT SPEC
With the rise of civilian vehicle kits in 1/35 scale, this sweet new generator from Royal Model is the perfect addition to a diorama, or it could be a load for a pickup truck. Cast entirely in grey resin, it has great detail and comes in 14 parts, which include alternative control panels. A small decal sheet features, along with beautifully sculpted resin welder’s gloves and mask. A length of wire is given, with which to fashion the side handle.
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Generator By:
Royal Model
Item no: 717 Scale:
1/35
Price:
€18
Available from: www.royalmodel.com
By:
Eduard
Item no:
72600
Scale:
1/72
Price:
€9.95
Available from: www.eduard.com
‘LINER BOOST
Extratech will undoubtedly please many airliner modellers with this comprehensive photo-etched brass upgrade for Revell’s 1/144 Airbus A 330-300. Much of the detailing is afforded to the undercarriage/ wheel units, but there are also undercarriage bay doors, exquisite engine fans and fuselage antennas. Airbus A 330-300 external details By:
Extratech
Item no:
EX 14431
Scale:
1/144
Price:
€6
Available from: www.pmilona.cz
Defiant Mk.I SA By:
Eduard
Item no:
73525
Scale:
1/72
Price:
€18.75
Available from: www.eduard.com
DESERT SUSTENANCE
This handy collection of North African fruit and vegetables in crates and pots has a multitude of applications for dioramas and vignettes. Also applicable for Middle Eastern settings, they could adorn a military or civilian vehicle in ‘quarter scale’, and the detail is very good indeed. We love the little squashes and what appears to be fennel. The time periods for the builds could vary greatly too. North African Foods By:
Red Zebra
Item no:
N/A
Scale:
1/48
Price:
£8
Available from: www.redzebramodels.co.uk
Many scoffed when 1/48 armour first started to appear...but quarter-scale military has won an army of fans, due in part to after-market support from the likes of Czech-based Hauler. The firm’s excellent new photoetched brass for Tamiya’s Dingo provides items such as radios, tool clamps, engine grilles, fuel cans, mudguards, wheel rims, a fuel filler cap and more. Vital details for a decent base kit.
PRODUCT SPEC
Eduard
Defiant Mk.I landing flaps
Not only does one receive extensive cockpit upgrade components such as precoloured instruments, throttle quadrant, a seat and straps in this set, but also exterior details and these include undercarriage bay linings, doors and linkages and radiator parts. Other benefits are a wing landing light frame and embellishment for the gunner’s station; this collection will help to make one’s Airfix Defiant a real head-turner!
ALLIED RECCE
Scout Car Dingo Mk.II By:
Hauler
Item no:
HLX48359
Scale:
1/48
Price:
€15.02
Available from: www.hauler.cz
TURBOPROP SENTRY
‘What-ifs’ are always a great way to get people interested in the hobby, and S and M Models’ new conversion is designed to modify Airfix’s Vickers Vanguard (A03171) to the proposed MR.1 variant. Four well-cast resin parts cater for radar, electronic countermeasures and magnetic anomaly detector pods/booms, and neat decals provide hatches and windows. National insignia and unit markings must be sourced from elsewhere, but this is a great conversion for beginners.
PRODUCT SPEC
By:
PRODUCT SPEC
GBU-8/B HOBOS
Airfix’s new Defiant has proved to be hugely popular, but it can be embellished to good effect with this new set from Eduard. In photo-etched brass, the parts provide fully detailed flap units, with separate ribs. Minor surgery on the base kit is required and plastic rod hinges need to be fashioned, but these are easy steps and the finished item should look stunning when built.
PRODUCT SPEC
PRODUCT SPEC
The TV-guided Homing Bomb System was first tested in 1967 and quickly made its way to F-4D Phantoms in South-East Asia; it paved the way for successive smart weapons such as the GBU-15. Here, Eduard provides two stunning onepiece GBU-8s (2,000lb) in resin, with clear electro-optical gear covers. A sheet of stencil decals accompanies the stores, which are ideal for a USAF Vietnam Deltamodel Phantom.
BOULTON PAUL ‘PIT
PRODUCT SPEC
SLOW-SPEED CONTROL
PRODUCT SPEC
VIETNAM SMART BOMB
Vanguard MR.1 By:
S and M Models
Item no:
N/A
Scale:
1/144
Price:
£15
Available from: www.sandmmodels.co.uk
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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MODEL MART
CLASSIFIEDS
Tel: 01530 231407 www.aviationbookcentre.com 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: sphere spherepr produ oducts cts@bt @btinternet internet.com .com 19 Anson Anson Road, Road, Martlesham Ma rtlesham Heath, Ipswich Ipsw ich,, IP5 3RG
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.
Email:
[email protected]
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
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
To advertise here please call Ben Harrison on 01780 755131
or email
[email protected] Bring new levels of realism to your model making
RAVEN SCALE MODELS
Available to buy from our web & eBay shops
BEACONS MODEL LIGHTING KITS www.ravenscalemodels.com tel: 01550 721099 email:
[email protected]
L IGHTING FOR A IRCRAFT, S CI -F I & MORE ... !Install into your models to see them light up & come alive !Discover our exciting developments in space & Sci-Fi modelling – including a lighting kit for Star Trek ‘Into Darkness’ USS Enterprise !Mains conversion & double-flash strobe lighting kits now available !Contact the designers regarding custom model lighting projects
Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com
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KIT COURT
BELL P-39
John Heraty makes a case for a new 1/72 scale P-39 for the 21st Century
(Key Collection)
EXHIBIT 1 Airfix first issued its 1/72 P-39 in 1965, but the kit made comebacks as late as 2011, as shown by this excellent digital artwork.
W
hich US Fighter served in every theatre of World War Two and is criminally under-represented in plastic? The P-39 Airacobra of course, of which almost 10,000 were built; the type had revolutionary airframe designed around its main 37mm gun, much like the A-10 Thunderbolt II decades later. Werner von Braun based his V2 rocket on the shape of a bullet years beforehand, but it was boasted that the P-39’s design uniquely resulted in an aircraft “with as trim and clean a fuselage nose as the snout of a high velocity bullet”. The midengine layout worried pilots, who feared it would shoot forward in a crash, although some appreciated the rear armour-like qualities of its Allison V-1710. P-39s became
notoriously unstable when the forward ammunition stores were emptied, as the centre of gravity shifted aft, which often led to an irrecoverable flat spin. The P-39’s other fatal flaw of course was its performance at altitude, due to the lack of an effective turbo/ supercharger, or indeed any at all in the RAF versions.
The Soviets on the Eastern Front put their ‘Kobrushkas’ (as they fondly nicknamed their Airacobras) to potent use. Their second- and third-highest ranking aces, Pokryshkin and his wingman Rechkalov, managed more than 100 kills between them. According to Pokryshkin his prey often disintegrated under the force of 37mm and .50 cal fire. Airfix’s 1/72 P-39, having reached the half-century mark, is long overdue an update despite a re-boxing as recently as 2011. There are a few mainstream 1/72 P-39s available and indeed if Airfix was to emulate its Folland Gnat and release a subsequent 1/48 version, that would inevitably be well received. While French, Italian and even Portuguese schemes might prove interesting, attractive RAF, USAAF and of course Soviet decal options would abound. The Airacobra would also be exceptionally easy to ‘pair-up’ in
EXHIBIT 2 Academy’s 1/72 P-39 trumps the old Airfix kit because it is more up to date and has raised panel lines...but the detail could still be better.
EXHIBIT 3 RS Models produces more than one P-39 kit in 1/72 scale, but they are of limited-run format and not the easiest to build...especially for the novice.
a Dogfight Double set. It’s hard to imagine an updated model of this feisty fighter wouldn’t recoup its investment over the next 50 years!
❚
HEARINGS If there’s a kit you’d love to see re-released or produced as a new tooling, why not state your case to the industry via AMW. Please supply 300-350 words, along with two to three cropped box-top scans and accompanying captions. All file sizes need to be 1Mb or larger. AMW can’t promise a new kit by the end of the year, but manufacturers will get to read the modeller’s viewpoint. E-mail your submissions to
[email protected]
THE NEXT ISSUE IS ON SALE JULY 2* *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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