BOSS BONES
EXCLUSIVE!
Tamiya’s new 1/48 F-14A Tomcat
Airfix Shackleton AEW.2 May 2017 Issue 78
FIRST LOOK
EARLY
SHOW SCENE Peterborough, Bovington and South Cheshire show reports
WARNING Airfix’s Shackleton AEW.2 gets the aftermarket treatment
CANINE CAVALRY
Takom’s 1/32 Mk.A Whippet
TEUTONIC SPY
1/48 RF-84F Thunderflash from Tanmodel
£4.50
EDITOR'S DESK WELCOME
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WELCOME TO ISSUE 78
A
family trip to London (just four days before last month’s tragic Westminster terror attack), left a real impression on me as a modeller. The aim was for my wife, our
two sons and I to visit the O2’s Star Wars Identities exhibition; we all love the films, and the opportunity to see real props, costumes and the like was too good to miss. We enjoyed the entire experience, but the display that grabbed me the most was that of the actual models built for filming and special effects… these being dominated by a huge Imperial Star Destroyer. With my modeller’s head on, the peepers soon picked out finer details, and it immediately became apparent that many of the finer features consisted of plastic tank and warship kit components. How wonderful that our humble hobby contributed to such a major Hollywood franchise, but in a seemingly oh-so-subtle fashion.
It did bring about a twinge of sadness though, since movies these days mostly employ computer-generated effects, with little need for real modelmaking. Think of how many cinematic and TV releases have relied on the talents of nimble-fingered and imaginative designer-modellers. Shows from the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, such as Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Space: 1999, Battlestar Galactica (the list goes on) all made splendid use of models…many of which absorbed plastic kit components to portray more delicate structural nuances. Assistant Editor Stu has seen the actual model of the alien spacecraft used for filming Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and he can testify, that too is
obviously littered with ‘kit bits’! Luckily, there is a respectable array of sci-fi models on the market, so we can at least pay homage to our favourite TV shows and films by building associated subjects. If you’re a fan of sci-fi modelling, I urge you to summon British resolve, travel to London and see the Identities exhibition before it ends this September. It could well be the biggest dose of inspiration you’ll ever receive.
Chris Clifford, Editor
[email protected]
FREE GIFT! Subscribe to AMW and claim your free 1/72 Hurricane Mk.I model kit or 5-piece diamond file set. See page 76. Editor: Chris Clifford Assistant Editor: Stu Fone Editor's Secretary: Tuesday-Maria Osborne Contributors this issue: Johan Augustsson, Bjørn Olsen, José Pires, Massimo Santarossa, Mikael Terfors, Gary Tobiss, Jen Wright Art Editor: Tom Bagley Group Art Editor: Steve Donovan Group Editor: Nigel Price Production Manager: Janet Watkins Commercial Director: Ann Saundry Group Advertising Manager: Brodie Baxter Advertising Manager: Sarah Jarman Advertising Sales Executive: Elizabeth Ridge Classified Sales Executive: Hollie Keeling Ad Production Manager: Debi McGowan Group Marketing Manager: Martin Steele Marketing Manager: Shaun Binnington Subscriptions and Mail Order: Liz Ward Managing Director: Adrian Cox Executive Chairman: 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 800-428-3003 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.
The average sale for the period Jan – Dec 2016 was 12,730 print and digital copies monthly.
www.airfixmodelworld.com 3
CONTENTS WHAT'S INSIDE?
REGULARS 06 News
BUILD F-14A TOMCAT 28 BASIC
The latest happenings in the world of plastic modelling.
12 Show Scene At-a-glance model show calendar.
76 Free Gift! Subscribe to Airfix Model World and claim your free 1/72 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I model kit or 5-piece diamond file set.
78 On the Shelf Fifteen pages of reviews highlight the latest modelling and reference products from around the world.
98 The Plastic Surgery Quiz AMW’s team of contributors, history writers and industry contacts regarding your own modelling mysteries.
SHOW SCENE 36 East of England show report
16
4
INTERMEDIATE BUILD RF-84F
Airfix Model World
INTERMEDIATE BUILD Mk.A WHIPPET
56
CONTENTS WHAT'S INSIDE?
FIGURE BUILD WORLD OF FANTASY
40
FEATURES 16 Intermediate Build – Teutonic Spy José Pires builds Tanmodel’s impressive 1/48 Republic RF-84F Thunderflash, and finds there’s detail galore under the covers.
24 Out and About – Bovington Brilliance AMW’s Editorial team takes a trip to leafy Dorset, to report on The Tank Museum’s inaugural Model Expo.
28 Basic Build – Fear the Bones! Tamiya’s superb engineering makes for a quick build, as Gary Tobiss discovers with its all-new 1/48 F-14A Tomcat.
36 Out and About – Bigger & Better
24
OUT AND ABOUT TANK MUSEUM MODEL EXPO
Another excursion for the Editorial team, this time at Peterborough Scale Model Club’s bustling show at the city’s Voyager Academy.
38 Out and About – Northwest Delights Assistant Editor Stu Fone takes in the light and airy new venue for South Cheshire Military Modelling Club’s annual event.
40 Figure Build – Beauty and the Beast Johan Augustsson delves into the realms of otherworldly modelling, with Master Box’s rather unusual 1/24 fantasy female rider and mount.
48 Advanced Build – Cypriot Sunbather Airfix has tweaked its popular 1/72 Shackleton to produce the AEW.2, and Jen Wright gives it suitably sun-bleached treatment for a Cyprus scrapyard relic.
56 Intermediate Build – Canine Cavalry BUILD NORTHROP N-3PB 70 INTERMEDIATE
It’s mud and grime to the fore, as Takom’s delightful 1/35 Mk.A Whippet receives a typical Western Front finish, courtesy of Mikael Terfors.
64 In Focus – Nordic Grit Bjørn Olsen reveals the hazards of long-endurance missions undertaken by Norwegian N-3PBs, over the North Atlantic during World War Two.
70 Intermediate Build – Floatplane in Exile Special Hobby’s 1/72 Northrop N-3PB floatplane proves a challenge as Massimo Santarossa builds a Nordic maritime patrol machine.
Your favourite magazine is available digitally. See airfixmodelworld.com for more details. You can also find us on:
Search ‘Airfix Model World’
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NEWS BULLETIN LATEST UPDATES
BREAKING
BACK IN BLACK… AND WHITE!
AIRFIX HAS re-released its superb 1/72 new-tool BE2c biplane with fresh markings, via kit no A02104. The first is a bold option indeed, as it’s a 1916 aircraft with black and white chequers over most of the fuselage and empennage, based at Turnhouse in Scotland. A 12 Squadron Royal Flying Corps machine, in doped linen and based at Mariuex, France, in September
1915, is the alternative. The decal sheet is splendid, with excellent printing and register, and the chequered airframe will be relatively easy to produce as the black squares are applied with multi-part decals (over a painted/ sprayed layer of white. As with the original product, a useful rigging diagram is supplied on the instructions. For further details visit: www.airfix.com
NOCTURNAL HUNTER
SPECIAL HOBBY has added a bunch of new parts and decals to ICM’s Ju 88 tooling, to offer Luftwaffe fans a C-4 night fighter sub-type. While some purists have criticised this kit, citing inaccuracies, some are arguably minor and unlikely to bother less fastidious modellers. Ultimately, a thoroughly goodlooking model should be the result. The package is now more comprehensive though, through Special Hobby’s beautifully cast resin parts, which include all three wheels (and strut/mudguard on the tailwheel), shrouded exhausts, undercarriage bay doors, an instrument panel, machine gun
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magazines and other items. That’s not all, though, because the Czech firm also provides new styrene components, such as a nosecone with gun ports, gun barrels and the required underfuselage gondola…and new clear parts that offer alternative rear cockpit glazing/gun fits. Three colour schemes feature, and these comprise two all-black aircraft (R4+DL, Sicily, 1942 and R4+MK, Gilze-Rijen, 1941), along with the RLM 74/75/76 R4+MT, also from the previously mentioned Dutch airfield in 1942; all are from NJG 2. For further details visit: www.cmkkits.com and www.specialhobby.eu
NEWS
NEW-TOOL PROGRESS
IF THIS photo is anything to go by, Airfix’s forthcoming 1/48 Supermarine Walrus is going to be an absolute stunner. This developmental test-shot has been built as part of Airfix’s quality control process, and wears the expected kit markings.
As one can see, the detail is impressive, and once rigging is applied it enhances the look tremendously; the model emulates the real machine incredibly well. Look out for a full build of this important kit in AMW later in the year.
MUSCULAR MOVER
BUILDERS OF modern British military subjects are undoubtedly enjoying the current crop of releases in 1/35 and 1/72 scales, but S&M Models’ new 1/76 Alvis Stalwarts will be equally welcome. The basic Mk.1 (SMK76-01) shares its two runners with the Mk.2 (SMK76-02), which is also available in Royal Artillery Gun Limber configuration (SMK7603). The main visual difference is the cab glazing (‘square’ on the Mk.1 and angled on the Mk.2); the cleverly designed three-part assembly is moulded in clear
styrene, with windows integral to the side panels. A basic interior is supplied, complete with steering wheel and gear/ differential levers. There is crisp detail on the side panels and tyres, although a modicum of flash is present on smaller items. Wheel hubs, windscreen wipers, and exhaust grilles are supplied on a small photo-etched brass fret. The single scheme depicts a standard British Army green and black camouflage pattern, with a choice of three licence plates. For further details, visit: www.sandmmodels.co.uk
SMALLER DOWN-UNDER SPITS SPITFIRE ENTHUSIASTS favouring 1/72 scale may have felt aggrieved when Eduard released its multi-media 1/48 Aussie Eight combo. This stunning package provided two Spitfire Mk.VIII kits, resin, photo-etched (PE) metal, more Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) colour schemes than one could shake a stick at…and a superb softback reference book. Now, though, a very similar deluxe offering is available in 1/72 scale. This boxing (2119), provides two Eduard Spitfire Mk.VIIIs, pre-coloured and plain PE, resin wheels, tape masks and a ridiculously generous 32-livery decal selection (with heaps of national insignia). Best of all,
the original reference book comes in 2nd edition form, with revisions, and offers a wealth of information on RAAF Spitfire Mk.VIII pilots/ aces (such as Clive Caldwell and Bobby Gibbes), and their colour schemes and personal
markings. And with Eduard’s Overtrees service, one can always buy more runners to complete extra models, therefore using many more of the decals provided by Aussie Eight. Visit www.eduard.com for further details.
BULBOUS-FRONTED TRANSPORT
BRISTOL’S STOP-GAP Type 170 Freighter has received little attention from kit manufacturers, so modellers will be pleased with Oz Mods’ 1/144 offering. A typical short-run production, its Bristol 170 Freighter Mk.31 (OMK 14419) might appear slightly daunting at first.
However, once the mould seams and slight flash have been removed and surfaces prepared for painting, one can appreciate its delightful detail. There is an option for solid or transparent windscreens (depending on one’s preference for airliner-style tinted windows); for the latter, both
styrene and vac-formed transparencies are provided. The excellent decal sheet supplies national markings and basic airframe stencils... notably, the bright orange cheatline for the UK airframe is included. The two schemes couldn’t be more different, with XJ470, RAF Boscombe Down, in the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment’s striking white/red/grey livery, and NZ5910, New Zealand Air Force, in three-colour camouflage. This kit is also available in a Safe Air/British United Airlines boxing (OMK 14418): www.ozmods-kits.com
FLEET AIR ARM ACCOUTREMENTS NAVAL MODELLING is currently enjoying a golden age, notably with aftermarket accessories; even the carrier air wings are now treated to serious photo-etched metal embellishments. Tetra Model Works’ Royal Navy Fleet Aircraft Set 1 (SA350009) is breathtaking in scope, providing detail for Fairey Swordfish and Fulmars, and Blackburn Skuas. In addition to the usual propellers and undercarriage doors, there are wing-folds, canopy
frames and cockpit interiors for all types, while Swordfish also receive rigging. Although aimed at more experienced modellers, this set may also provide inspiration to others
wanting to take that next step in detailing their 1/350 ships, and is one of several sets available to embellish Merit’s HMS Ark Royal (see p.8): www.tetramodel.com
NEWS BULLETIN LATEST UPDATES
{in brief}
TRIGGER HAPPY?
FANCY FLOATPLANE One of Special Hobby’s Romeo RO.43 IMAM boxings offers an attractive colour scheme, with red stripes on the wings. Decals for said stripes are provided in the kit, but for those who prefer the look of actual paint instead, MH Models offers a handy vinyl mask set (X48004). For further details, visit: www.mhmodels.cz
WHEELY GOOD GEAR Recent additions to Scale Aircraft Conversions’ (www.scaleaircraftconversions. com) white metal undercarriage range are as follows: 1/72 • 72133 Su-33 Flanker-D (Trumpeter) • 72134 MiG-29 Fulcrum (Zvezda) • 72136 Jet Provost T.3 (Airfix) • 72137 Fairey Barracuda (Special Hobby) • 72138 B-17 Flying Fortress (Airfix)
MOST MODELLING airbrushes employ a single/dual-action lever on the top, but many artist/ tattoo devices utilise a trigger mechanism underneath. Airbrush Heaven’s BD-116C
combines aspects of both, offering three needle diameters (0.8, 0.5 and 0.3mm) with the latter actuator style. While the 0.8mm nozzle would be applicable to large area coverage, the smallest is ideal for
SCALED-DOWN GEM
fine work. This is a single-action airbrush, but a secondary air valve (below the paint cup socket), provides extra means of varying the pressure. Three different paint cup sizes are supplied (2ml, 5ml, 13ml), and the screw fitting will make cleaning much easier. For each needle, there is a bespoke nozzle tip and collar, the former fitting via rebate into the main body, with the latter then screwed in place to secure it. Swapping needles is relatively easy–the airbrush is stripped as for cleaning, but the tip and collar are removed and then replaced with one of the alternative sizes, before being reassembled as usual. There is a 9ft 10in (3m) braided hose, and adapters for 5mm braided or vinyl hoses further increase its utility. While the trigger mechanism will take getting used to for some, this seems a good all-round airbrush, and at £24.99 it’s a great starter set. Further information, along with PDF and video user guides are at: www. airbrushheaven.co.uk
GOING WITH THE GRAIN
1/48 • 38319 IAR-80 (Hobby Boss) • 48324 Junkers Ju 88 (ICM/Special Hobby) • 48325 BAe Hawk T.1 (Hobby Boss) 1/35 • 35003 HH-65, AS 365/565, Z-9 (Trumpeter) 1/32 • 32112 Pfalz D.XII (Wingnut Wings) • 32113 L-19/O-1 Bird Dog (Roden) • 32114 Sopwith Snipe (Wingnut Wings) • 32115 Me 262B-1/U-1 (Revell)
REVELL’S 1/32 Spitfire Mk.IIa pleased many modellers on its release in 2014. Now, though, the company has released a 1/72 version…and it’s generally very good indeed. Kit 03953 offers delicate engraved panel lines, moulded instrument panel detail, alternative windscreens and four/five-spoke wheels. The Coffman starter bulge on the starboard nose does look slightly undernourished, and the cockpit sidewall features could
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have been more pronounced in places, but the pilot’s seat and its support framing (and rear bulkhead) are pleasing. Interestingly, there is the notable presence of spare cropped wingtip parts, undoubtedly heralding a future Spitfire Mk.V release. The single colour scheme is for P7290/AF-V of the Duxfordbased Air Fighting Development Unit, in 1942, sporting Dark Green and Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey. www.revell.de/en
RADU BRINZAN’S RB Productions now offers these cleverly designed wood pattern airbrush stencils. Most useful for biplane builds and similar, where varnished wood is the order of the day, items RB-TO28, ‘29, ‘43 and ’44 are a boon as they allow modellers to apply convincing grain effect over the desired undercoat; this is a handy alternative to using woodgrain decals, and in some cases it’s easier and quicker. Got an Albatros or other Great War fighter on the cards? Then why not trial these stencils. For further details on these and other items in the RB range, visit: www.radubstore.com
NEWS BULLETIN LATEST UPDATES
OLD-SCHOOL RACERS
UK-BASED auto aftermarket specialist Motobitz has two cool new decal sheets, printed with Belkits’ recent 1/24 Ford Escort Mk.1 in mind. Item 24007 offers liveries for four cars (#16, 87, 104 and 34) operated by Alan Mann Racing in the late 1960s, and driven at events such
as the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park (Graham Hill’s XOO 344F supplied). With sheet 24011, it’s possible to produce one of four cars from the Broadspeed outfit, and one of these was co-driven by Jackie Stewart (with Chris Craft) in the 1970 TT at Silverstone. www.motobitz.uk
QUARTER-SCALE BOUTIQUE THE 48ERS is a dedicated website for builders of 1/48 scale post-World War Two aviation subjects, providing a broad range of accessories. To AMW’s knowledge this is the first site dedicated to a specific genre and scale, and www. the48ers.com has been ‘live’ since February 2017. Inspiration came from modellers “always facing the issue of having to order…for a specific project from different e-shops” with all the associated differences in availability and postage time. All one’s favourite aviationorientated brands are featured on
The 48ers, currently with 20 lines of products covering 1,700-plus aftermarket items. The founder, Ilias Gkonis, is keen to expand the range further, aiming eventually to provide modellers “with any sort of accessory to detail their postWorld War Two project in 1/48”.
REVIVED RUSSIAN
FLOTILLA FLAGSHIPS
WITH MORE and more aftermarket products for naval models, it’s inevitable kit manufacturers would emulate them, and Hasegawa has responded with ‘Super Detail’ versions of its standard ships. Tenryu (30038) and Tatsuta (30039) were initially released as newly tooled styrene in 2015, but have been updated with a comprehensive photo-etched (PE) brass fret. This supplies railings, davits, gun firing platforms, watertight doors, funnel details and even intricate depth charge
storage racks. Minor differences between the vessels are contained in the PE frets and the provision of runners D and Q for Tenryu and C and T for Tatsuta respectively. However, both kits offer the same configuration options: either December 1941 or post-1942 refit. The main differences were the boosting of anti-aircraft weaponry, including additional guns to the rear of the aft funnel. Other small changes include the main mast, boat layout and searchlights. More details are available at: www.amerang.co.uk
JAPAN’S PLATZ has re-boxed Zvezda’s excellent Su-27SM Flanker-B…released originally in 2014 and also re-issued subsequently by Revell. New decals are provided with kit AE-2:5600, and Platz has also released three aftermarket extras, but more on these later. The model itself oozes fine detail, from the delicate panel line engraving and well-rendered multi-part exhausts, to the boarding ladder and two (standing/seated) pilot figures. Wheel chocks are also included, but arguably the most impressive feature is that of the weaponry, which comprises not just air-to-air stores (radar/ infra-red Alamo, Archer and Adder missiles), but also the Krypton air-to-surface missile. Two-part cockpit glazing and an open or closed airbrake are other highlights, and the colour schemes reflect modern airframes; Red 76 from last year and the 2011
jet Red 82. There’s also a neat display stand/transportation jig, to be cut from the lower box half. Platz’s aftermarket for the Flanker comprises a pre-coloured photoetched (PE) metal cockpit detail set (M72-37), extensive plain brass PE for the exterior, wheel bays etc (M72-38) and tape masks (MS72-2). www.platz-hobby.com
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NEWS BULLETIN LATEST UPDATES
SCANDY BUG DETAILS
SUPER-USEFUL photo-etched (PE) metal parts for Tamiya’s 1/24 Volkswagen Beetle have been released by Finland-based Highlight Model Studio. A label under the umbrella of multiskilled designer Eero Kumanto, HMS offers various sets, and not just for the abovementioned kit.
Airfix Model World has received the following items: HME-015, -016 and -018, which provide superb replacement features such as EMPI-style steering wheel spokes, door handles, a gearstick, grilles, wind deflectors and headlight covers, among other features. The brand also offers PE for Safari-style Beetles, licence plates/ frames, floor mats, safety belt sets and more; the quality of the design and etching is first-rate, and the components will be of much use to auto modellers. For further details, visit: www.riemudesignshop.com
SPECIAL POLSKI VIPERS
MODELLERS WHO favour nonstandard colour schemes should welcome Hasegawa’s latest dual-kit offering. Item 02214 provides runners for two whole 1/72 Block 52 Advanced F-16Ds, which represent Polish Air Force NATO Tiger Meet participants from 2014 (low vis) and 2013 (full colour). Special artwork decorates the tail and conformal fuselage-top fuel tanks, although with the latter’s sharp angles, how well the large decals will
conform is anyone’s guess! The decals are printed beautifully though, and the styrene has all the sub-type-specific features, such as fat spines with chaff/flare panels, fuselage-top antennas and ‘bird slicer’ fairings ahead of the canopy. Stores comprise wing and centreline fuel tanks, AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder, but no Sniper XR designator pod as shown on the box-top photo. For further details, visit: www.amerang.co.uk
HENSCHEL’S HEAVY METAL BEAST VOLKER RUFF’S stunning Der Tiger series provides yet more unseen photographs from German heavy tank battalions (s.Pz.Abt.) in this stimulating historical account. The subject of the second volume is s.Pz.Abt.502; the photos and dual German/English text cover events between the unit’s formation in 1942, and its eventual reformation as
CRESCENT-WING SCHEMES HANNANTS’ OWN brand Xtradecal has released a comprehensive new sheet for Handley Page Victor variants in 1/72 scale. Printed with Airfix’s new kit in mind, of course, X72265 offers 12 Victor liveries, representing B(K).Mk.1, K.Mk.1, B(SR).Mk2, B.Mk.1A and B.Mk.2. These could also be employed on the Matchbox/Revell Victor, but both kits will need conversion work if using some of Xtradecal’s options. A smaller sheet with serial numbers accompanies the main attraction, which is packed with more serials, national insignia and, best of all, stunning unit heraldry and spot-on rendering of Day-Glo
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markings, such as the 57 and 214 Squadron badges. This splendid collection is available from www.hannants.co.uk
s.Pz.Abt.511 in January 1945. Its 128 pages are divided into nine sections, the size of each determined by actions depicted…unsurprisingly, major battles and the initial training period receive most attention. Diorama modellers will find much inspiration here, with maintenance stations, muster points, combat and abandoned vehicles all captured in
black and white, in all seasons and situations. Finer details, such as the lack of track guards on early vehicles are highlighted, and where possible each vehicle is identified. Whether researching the vehicle, unit or German armour in general, this is a worthwhile reference, and at just £26.99 is great value: www.panzerwrecks.com
BROSNAN 007 PROMO AUTO AFTERMARKET specialist Decalpool mixes motorsport with the movies, courtesy of its new 1/24 BMW decal/resin combo. Set DP110 provides stunning Cartograf decals, depicting BMW Motorsport’s British Touring Car Championship BMW318i in 1995 'Goldeneye' livery…Pierce Brosnan’s debut film as spy James Bond. Besides the decals, one also receives crisply cast resin wing mirrors, front spoiler and tail, and the whole package is designed to fit Hasegawa’s kit. The car’s bodywork is white overall, but is enlivened considerably by the sheer weight of sponsor markings and chequered trim, and two sets of numbers are supplied; Johnny Cecotto’s #16 and the #17 vehicle of David Brabham. www.decalpool.com
SHOW SCENE DIARY DATES
s re
hows on
e lin
Mo
SHOW SCENE
At-a-glance model and airshow calendar
Moson Model Show Date:
April 22-23
Hosts:
Mosonmagyaróvár Modelling Club
Address: West-Hungarian University, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Science Hall, H-9200 Mosonmagyaróvár Vár 2 Times:
Sat 8am-7pm Sun 8am-5pm
Prices:
Free
Email:
[email protected]
Web:
www.mosonshow.hu
APR 23
14TH MODELLBAUFREUNDESIEGEN MODEL SHOW
MAY 13
LANCING MODEL SHOW
MAY 14
IPMS GLOUCESTER MODEL SHOW
MAY 27
MODEL 2017 EXHIBITION
Hosts:
Modellbaufreunde-Siegen
Hosts:
Southdowns’ Model Group
Hosts:
IPMS Gloucester
Hosts:
IPMS Torbay and South Devon
Address:
Festhalle Wilnsdorf, Rathausstrasse 9, D-57234 Wilnsdorf, Germany
Address:
Lancing Parish Hall, 96 South Street, Lancing, BN15 8AJ
Address:
Churchdown Community Centre, Parton Road, Churchdown, GL3 2JH
Address:
Torquay Town Hall, Castle Circus, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 3DR
Times:
10am-4pm
Times:
10am-4.30pm
Times:
Times:
10am-5pm
Prices:
Free
Prices:
Prices:
Adults €2, under-12s free
Email:
Prices:
Email:
[email protected]
info@lancingmodelshow. org.uk
Adults £3.50, under-15s and OAPs £1.50
Adults £2.50, over-65s £1.50, under-13s £1
Email:
[email protected]
Adults £2.50, over-65s £1.50, under-13s £1
Web:
N/A
Email:
torbayandsouthdevon.
[email protected]
Web:
www.ipmstorbay.com
MAY 28
GMMS OPEN DAY
Hosts:
Gravesham Military Modelling Society
Address:
Meopham Fitness and Tennis Centre, Wrotham Road, Meopham, Kent, DA13 OAH
Web:
Web:
www.modellbaufreundesiegen.de
www.lancingmodelshow. org.uk
MAY 20
NIMCON 6/2017 MIDWEST REGIONAL CONTEST
Hosts:
Lakes Region Scale Modellers
Thomas Risley Church, Glover Road, Locking Stumps, Birchwood, WA3 7PH
Address:
McHenry County College, 8900 US Highway 14, Crystal Lake, Illinois
Times:
10am-4pm
Times:
9am-5pm
Prices:
Adults £2.50, OAPs £2, children £1.50, under-3s free
Prices:
Adults US $5, under-12s and military free
Times:
10am-4pm
Prices:
£2
MAY 13
BIRCHWOOD MODEL SHOW
Hosts:
Paul Gemmell
Address:
MAY 6-7
ZURICH NATIONAL CONTEST AND MODEL SHOW
Hosts:
IPMS Zurich
Address:
Zwicky-Fabrik, 8117 Fällanden ZH
Times:
Sat 10am-6pm Sun 10am-6pm
Prices:
Free
Email:
[email protected]
Email:
[email protected]
Email:
phil@
[email protected]
Email:
[email protected]
Web:
www.ipms-zuerich.ch
Web:
N/A
Web:
lakesregionmodelers.com
Web:
www.gmms.org.uk
KEY
E MODEL DISPLAY
) MODEL COMPETITION J TRADE STANDS
m
AIRCRAFT DISPLAY
MILITARY DISPLAY AUTOMOTIVE DISPLAY
REFRESHMENTS FREE PARKING MAKE AND PAINT
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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29th
30th
2017
Hattons DPS.indd 1
23/03/2017 10:39
Hattons DPS.indd 2
23/03/2017 10:39
INTERMEDIATE BUILD RF-84F THUNDERFLASH
TEUTONIC T
SPY
José Pires applies scratch-built detail and a dazzling colour scheme to Tanmodel’s RF-84F Several conspicuous ejector pin marks marred the camera bay. Note the awkward position of the injection gates (arrowed), on the gluing surfaces of the fuselage halves.
he story of the Thunderflash begins with an attempt to elevate F-84 performance to that of the F-86 Sabre Therefore, after the engineering team introduced a swept wing and tail, the project was expected to be a low-cost improvement of the ‘plank-wing’ Thunderjet. A second prototype was built with wing root intakes, but although this feature took a toll on performance, it allowed extra room in the nose for photographic equipment, thus giving origin to the reconnaissance version of the Thunderstreak… appropriately named Thunderflash. This aircraft introduced several technological advancements, such as computerised camera settings, voice recording for the pilot (which allowed for narration of the photos) and a periscope to aid with target visualisation. The production run resulted in 715 airframes and these remained in service with several air arms until 1991, when the Greek Air Force retired its Thunderflashes.
Tanmodel supplied a construction booklet filled with 3D drawings of the stages, a smaller guide with colour schemes and, thoughtfully, a display base printed on flexible rubber sheet, much like a mouse pad. Decal-wise, there were markings for nine schemes, which represented aircraft from the USAF and other NATO air arms. The plastic parts were very well moulded and
free of flash; fine panel lines and rivets boosted the refinement, although the detail was somewhat soft in certain areas, especially towards the edges of the fuselage halves. A strange feature was the distribution of the injection
New player This is Tanmodel’s first ownbrand subject in 1/48 scale…and what an effort! Inside the sturdy and attractive box were seven individually bagged runners, carrying 186 injection-moulded parts. Together with the styrene,
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gates. On several parts, these were aligned with the edge of the part, however, on others, they were on the gluing surface. On initial inspection, though, this was generally a pleasing package.
INTERMEDIATE BUILD RF-84F THUNDERFLASH
Lensman’s office While Tanmodel’s cockpit components were well detailed, they received extra embellishment with plastic scrap, copper wire and several spare photo-etched (PE)
metal parts. The ejection seat was devoid of any harnesses, so these were fashioned from tin sheet and copper wire. Then, a small piece of guitar string was glued to the base of the ejection seat and bent
MODEL SPEC
to shape, representing the oxygen hose and connector. All the parts that constituted the cockpit were primed in matt black and when dry, received several light coats of Mr. Hobby H-334 Barley Grey. These layers were applied very thinly, to manipulate Republic RF-84F Thunderflash By:
Tanmodel
Stock Code:
2201
Scale:
1/48
Price:
£49.99
Available from: www.umpretail.com
the level of shadow cast by the primer coat. Highlights for the base shade were applied via highly diluted Vallejo Model Air 71.045 US Light Grey. This colour was also used to paint the seatbelts. Both the head and arm cushions were decorated with Humbrol 60 Scarlet enamel, and once dry, the paint was sealed under two light coats of satin varnish. Then, a dark wash mixed from Black and Burnt Umber oil paints was applied, first as a filter and then, to enhance definition and depth, worked around the detail and structural features. To complete the painting, the edges were enhanced with light grey dry-brushing. Matt varnish then sealed and harmonised the entire cockpit.
The intake lip was glued to the wing sub-assembly with support from a plastic pillar, which minimised the need for filler in the joint.
Say cheese! A major focal point (pardon the pun) on this model would be the camera bay. It is possible to display it open, along with all the inherent paraphernalia. Tanmodel provided all the parts necessary to inhabit this area, and the only extra work needed was the removal of the camera bay doors from the fuselage halves, with separate hinged doors supplied as stand-alone items. The decision was made to take advantage of this opportunity, so the same materials used to detail the cockpit were also employed in upgrading the camera bay. Before any paint was committed, the contact surfaces to receive glue were protected with masking
Ejector pin marks also spoiled the nose undercarriage bay. They were filled with Vallejo Plastic Putty and sanded.
An assortment of copper wire, tin sheet strip and scrap plastic was employed in detailing the basic plastic parts.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD RF-84F THUNDERFLASH
The main landing gear legs and front wheel bay were also detailed with copper wire and small sections of plastic tubing.
tape which allowed for a stable bond between the styrene parts. The front landing gear bay was integral to the camera area, as it served as a support for the cameras and as a structural element between the bulkheads of both. Of note was the presence of prominent ejector pin marks on the parts that formed the bay, and these were filled with Superglue and sanded flush. All the cameras were then assembled and detail painted as per the instructions. However, after studying several reference photos, the film cartridges on the cameras were painted with Barley Grey on one level and a lightened version of this colour on top. This added a point of extra interest to the cameras.
Black isn’t black
a pleasing illusion of depth and volume. A dark wash followed suit, while structural features received a detailing pin wash. The last step was to seal the paint with matt varnish.
When dry, the camera subassemblies were glued to the starboard fuselage half…but then an element of paranoia took hold: Would the fuselage halves close? Attention to this was vital, as some of the modules were flimsy and the location of the parts a little vague. Construction went ahead as the intake duct and compressor fan were assembled and painted aluminium. The exhaust nozzle was also assembled and painted, and the fuselage lip around the
The black surfaces of the camera bay were painted Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black over black primer. The second layer was a highly-diluted coat of German Grey followed by a third stage – this involved Neutral Grey being brush-painted on all relevant edges, pipes and flat surfaces. Together with light grey dry-brushing, this process created
DASHING ‘FLASHES Tanmodel’s RF-84F is generous with its colour schemes, as the large and wellprinted decal sheet carries markings for nine airframes, some in natural metal, others in camouflage: • 7450, 114 Filo, 1st AB, Turkish AF, 1956-72 • 52-7292, 32nd TRS, USAFE, West Germany, 1955-58 • EA-244, AKG 51 ‘Immelmann’, Luftwaffe, Erding AB, West Germany, 1959 • 27394/3-44, 132 Grupo, 3 Aerobrigata, Italian AF, Villafranca AB, 1968 • 37621/33-X / 37566/33-TJ, ER 3/33 ‘Moselle’, French AF, Cognac AB, 1956 • 27300/33-CP, ER 4/33 ‘Belfort’, French AF, Akrotiri, Cyprus (Suez Crisis), 1956 • 28736, 338 Mira, Greek AF, Larissa AB, Crete, 1972 • 52-7367, 171st TRS, Michigan Air National Guard, Detroit, 1968 • P-4, 306th RS, Netherlands AF, RAF Laarbruch/Deelen AB, 1961 Detail was conspicuous by its absence on the cockpit sidewalls. Following reference photos, these were dressed with scrap material. Note the fuselage mating surfaces protected with masking tape; no paint on these would ensure a strong bond.
Compressor fan and intake trunk sub-assemblies were painted Vallejo Model Air 71.061 Aluminium.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD RF-84F THUNDERFLASH
“COPPER WIRE, TIN SHEET STRIP AND SCRAP PLASTIC WAS EMPLOYED IN DETAILING”
Edges of the detail parts were highlighted with Neutral Grey and light grey accordingly; this forced the eye to perceive volume on the detail.
exhaust was thinned with a scalpel blade. This simple procedure enhanced the appearance of the fuselage rear end. Next came the installation of the glazing parts, which was crystal clear. These parts were glued to the fuselage with Tamiya Extra Thin Cement and the resulting seams treated,
first with Mr. Surfacer 500, and on heavier lines with a Superglue and talcum powder mixture. The camera bay windows did not fit as expected, though, and had to be blended with care into the fuselage surfaces. This procedure was possible as the clear parts were previously dipped in Future Floor
Polish, therefore creating a barrier that prevented the dreaded fogging effect that cyanoacrylate can induce.
Closing in With all the sub-assemblies installed, the fuselage halves were put together and the fit was near perfect; Tanmodel did a
The fuselage was cut as per the instructions to open the camera bay. Several extra details were incorporated and Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black used as the main colour. www.airfixmodelworld.com 19
INTERMEDIATE BUILD RF-84F THUNDERFLASH
great job here. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement was employed for this task and it produced a strong bond. The fuselage was then set aside for several days to cure fully, and any blemishes were treated with
The cockpit was first primed in black, then painted with Mr. Hobby H-334 Barley Grey. Detailing was executed with a paintbrush and several Model Color acrylics.
The main clear parts were very well moulded. They were dipped in Future floor polish (to enhance clarity) and masked with Tamiya tape. The various sub-assemblies were glued in the starboard fuselage half. Thankfully, the halves closed without drama.
a mixture of Superglue and talc. It was important to let everything dry properly, to prevent dreaded
‘ghost’ seams that are tough to disguise when a natural metal finish is applied. All the seams were finished with sanding sticks, first a coarse grade, followed by progressively finer versions. Tamiya XF-54 Dark Sea Grey was sprayed on all the join lines and any remaining blemishes were dealt with. Lost surface detail was reinstated with a scriber and Verlinden templates. Horizontal tail surfaces, flaps and ailerons were glued in position and the model was then ready for paint. Worthy of mention was the solution Tanmodel offered on the windshield…part of a moulded piece that formed a section of the fuselage. This avoided the usual obvious and hard-to-treat seam around the windshield structure.
Prep work One drawback of this release was the inconsistency of certain panel lines, towards the edges of the fuselage halves. The problem was solved in short order throughout,
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD RF-84F THUNDERFLASH
“THE MAIN CLEAR PARTS WERE VERY WELL MOULDED”
with the aid of a scriber and a needle held in a pin vice. Another drawback with this kit was the slightly pebbly surface on the plastic parts, which was remedied with an all-round light sanding (8,000-grade). This step was essential in preparing for a natural metal finish; always an unforgiving process. After the windshield, canopy, camera windows and rear clear panels were masked with Tamiya tape, the entire model was washed in mild soapy water to remove dust and grease. The foundation layer for the metallic surfaces was Tamiya X-1 Gloss Black. Three thin layers of this acrylic paint provided an extrasmooth undercoat for Alclad lacquers.
Three light coats of ALC-119 Airframe Aluminium acted as the base metal layer, onto which several variations were applied on choice panels; ALC-101 Aluminium, -102 Duraluminium, -103 Dark Aluminium, -106 White Aluminium and -113 Jet Exhaust. The chosen scheme, an RF-84F coded EA-244, from the German Luftwaffe’s Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 ‘Immelmann’, sported striking splashes of colour on the main fuselage and fuel tanks (Tanmodel
offered nine schemes in total). All the areas to receive primary colours were masked and primed with white acrylic paint, to ensure good colour density…especially on the red and yellow areas. Primary shades were painted with Mr. Hobby H-3 Red, H-25 Sky Blue and H-329 Yellow, and these performed flawlessly. The dielectric panel on the vertical tail also needed detail painting with Model Air 71.051 Barley Grey. When dry, the leading edge of this panel was masked and sprayed gloss black. Basic colour application terminated with the landing gear bays, and these were masked and sprayed H-58 Interior Green. All this work was then sealed under two layers of Tamiya X-22 Clear.
Added pedigree The decals were separated from the main sheet and trimmed as closely as possible, with a metal rule and new scalpel blade, which minimised the possible presence of carrier film on the model’s surface. These were applied with the Micro Set and Sol system, and conformed very well to surface detail on the fuselage parts. Strangely, however, the numbers on the decal sheet did not match those printed on Tanmodel's instructions. Another glitch was confusion over where stencil markings were to be applied, so studying reference photos was of primary importance. The most vital step in emulating a natural metal finish is to break up the homogeneity of the finish
Poor fit hampered the camera bay window parts, so they were glued with Tamiya Extra Thin cement and blended in with Mr. Surfacer 500. A mix of Superglue and talcum powder was employed on wider gaps.
Detail on the fuselage surface tended to be soft on the edges of the parts. This was remedied with a scriber, several templates and patience.
The instrument panel coaming was painted to force contrast, and ensure greater visual presence under the windshield. Gunsight glass was substituted by clear acetate.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD RF-84F THUNDERFLASH
– achieved mainly via different metallic shades being added to selected panels, followed by enamel filters. This technique took advantage of the satin varnish layer, which protected both the metallic lacquers and decals. Several panels were tinted with thin layers of enamel paint. After allowing two hours for the paint to dry, it was coaxed around with a brush dampened with odourless enamel thinner. Two days’ curing time was afforded to the enamel paint before washes were run into panel lines, and AMMO MIG (A.MIG 7423) Metallic Airplanes & Jets weathering set was employed for this task. On horizontal panel lines, A.MIG-1602 PLW Deep Grey was pressed into service. Around the fuselage and on zones prone to more dirt or shadow, A.MIG-1617 PLW Blue Black was a very useful shade, and finally, A.MIG-1618 PLW
Deep Brown was used around the engine panels. This procedure was done over several sessions, to allow for a ‘fresh’ eye evaluation before each subsequent attempt, therefore preventing the weathering being overdone; this airframe appeared relatively clean in reference photographs. To round off the weathering, the black walk lines received a light tan enamel filter.
provide positive seating. So, blobs of Blu Tack were used to maintain proper alignment while the Superglue cured. The same statement is true for the front leg, which was detailed with a scratchbuilt headlight as fitted to Luftwaffe airframes. The gear bay doors
were also secured with Superglue, as were the pre-painted and weathered wing pylons. When cured, the previously painted drop tanks were attached to the latter, with care taken to
Final touches With the finish almost in sight it was time to attach the undercarriage legs. Locating points for the main landing gear were poor, as they did not
“ “AREAS TO BE PAINTED IN PRIMARY COLOURS WERE UNDERCOATED WITH WHITE”
The areas to receive metallic paint were treated to several thin layers of Tamiya X-1 Gloss Black, which left a smooth surface for the forthcoming Alclad lacquers. The entire fuselage was sprayed with three thin coats of Alclad ALC-119 Airframe Aluminium. This acted as a base for subsequent variations on the metallic theme.
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ensure the correct angles. On the other hand, items such as the aerodynamic brakes benefited from a very positive fit, which allowed for hassle-free installation.
The canopy and respective structures were also added at this final stage, without issue, along with the pitot tube, which was previously painted white and then masked to obtain the red helical stripe. This kit certainly provided hours of modelling fun; ultimately, a very attractive model that conforms very well to the lines exhibited by the real machine. However, several frustrations arose, namely the slightly pebbly finish of the
styrene’s surface, annoying injection gates on the mating surfaces of certain parts, and inconsistency of location. Despite these challenges, which were fixed easily and should not deter anyone who wants an RF-84F Thunderflash in their collection, this build was thoroughly enjoyable…and looks extremely ❚ fast on the shelf!
AMMO MIG’s Metallic Airplanes & Jets weathering provided washes for the panel lines, as well as filters on selected access hatches and surface panels.
Areas to be painted in primary colours were undercoated with white, to provide the correct colour density and brightness.
The final appearance of the surface, ready for decals, and the pleasing panel variation. Tamiya XF-62 Olive Drab was used for the anti-glare section.
OUT AND ABOUT TANK MUSEUM MODEL EXPO
Model Expo took place among The Tank Museum's stunning armour exhibits, which ensured a full day's entertainment and education for all. It's one of the best destinations of its type.
Bovington Brilliance T
he Tank Museum threw open its doors on a chilly February morning, to offer a warm welcome at its inaugural Model Expo. Created at short notice following the demise of the Fleet Air Arm Museum’s winter event, this was (to AMW’s knowledge) its first all-encompassing model show, although the venue is familiar to armour modellers
as the home of the annual Tank Mod display. And what a location…traders and clubs were fitted effortlessly between vehicles that encompassed the history of the tank as a fighting vehicle, all of which were easily accessible, with even a Victoria Cross-associated Whippet Mk.I (see AMW website for walkround shots). The museum staff couldn’t have been more helpful,
Thames Valley Scale Modellers' Greg Woodbridge applied a flawless finish to Airfix's 1/48 Gnat T.1, which wore 4 Flying Training School markings. It took just three weeks to finish!
Believe it or not, but Simon Orrell’s CAT Bulldozer started out as a children’s toy, on which he practiced various painting and weathering techniques.
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The Model Militia’s Dan Brooker combined Tamiya’s 1/35 King Tiger and 8.8cm FlaK, with realistic weathering for this what-if creation, even adding a section of US armour plating.
OUT AND ABOUT TANK MUSEUM MODEL EXPO
Nutz Planet's Dick Winters bust was finished superbly by Michael Hazell. The facial features of actor Damian Lewis, who played Winters in Band of Brothers, are clearly visible.
Revell’s 1/24 London Bus was entered in to the scrapheap challenge by IPMS Salisbury modeller Richard Clark, replicating a burnt and vandalised machine.
Ian Gaskell portrayed Hasegawa’s 1/48 Harrier GR.7 in the famous ‘bowing’ display manoeuvre, taking centre stage on IPMS Portsmouth’s stand.
West Berks Scale Model Club was the home of bad diorama puns, including Dragon’s 1/25 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.M and MiniArt figures in his ‘Snow Rest for the Wicked’ scene.
and aided many a modeller seeking their stand, as it was a bit of a maze to the newcomer. Attendance seemed to be high, and it was a universally popular event, based on discussions with exhibitors and visitors alike. For those wanting to visit the museum, it is usually open between 10am-5pm daily, and can be contacted either by telephone (01929 405096) or email (info@ tankmuseum.org). More details are at: www.tankmuseum.org Stu Fone and Chris Clifford
VIEW MORE ONLINE www.airfixmodelworld.com
Tony Horton’s excellent finish, seascape and careful use of red stripes on aircraft wings to depict lowered flaps and slats made his Trumpeter 1/700 CVN-71 USS Theodore Roosevelt stand out on IPMS Salisbury’s table. www.airfixmodelworld.com 25
OUT AND ABOUT TANK MUSEUM MODEL EXPO
Modellers of a certain age will instantly recognise the SHADO 3 Mobile from Gerry Anderson's 1970s TV show UFO. This was the IMAI kit, modified heavily by Allan Simpson.
Meng Model's 1/35 Renault FT-17 benefited from excellent modelling by its builder Dan Sankey, who also produced an inventive 'Vive la France' base.
Airfix’s 1/72 Shackleton MR.2 is a big beast, and Romsey modeller Tony Adams took advantage of this large canvas to produce this eye-catching, yet subtly weathered airframe.
Paul Crocker, of the Modern British Armour SIG, made a fine job of Accurate Armour's 1/35 Spartan CVR(T). This First Gulf War example was kitted out with convincing stowage.
Also on the Romsey stand, Paul Adams’ flawless painting and decal application drew plenty of attention on this Fujimi 1/24 BMW A4 GT3 race car.
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Airfix Model World
Airfix Model World contributor Kev Smith broguht this impressively lifelike 1942 Afrika Korps vignette, which comprised Dragon's 1/32 Sd.Kfz.250/11, and Dragon/Tristar figures.
BASIC BUILD F-14A TOMCAT
FEAR THE BONES!
Surface detail on Tamiya’s Tomcat was rendered as fine engraved panel lines, with delicate depressions to represent rivers and fasteners.
Garry Tobiss builds Tamiya’s new 1/48 F-14A Tomcat straight from the box
E The forward fuselage, plus the mass of parts that created the workstations for the pilot and RIO prior to assembly, which highlighted the moulding quality and detail.
xpectations are always high when a Tamiya kit arrives and its new Tomcat certainly didn’t disappoint. This F-14 package comprised ten light grey styrene runners, clear parts, two decal sheets and a small packet of metal screws, washers and poly-caps. Moulded detail was exceptional, with restrained panel lines and delicate rivets/fasteners in keeping with the scale. A foldout full-colour painting illustration was also provided. Scrutinising the instructions revealed Tamiya’s usual logical approach to construction, with everything engineered in modules. The fit of parts was excellent throughout; it was even possible to build the main sections (such as the forward fuselage), and complete them (including decals and panel line wash) before adding them to the rest of the model.
Kitty’s workplace There were plenty of features to cram into the cockpit, so the first job was to paint everything in a base colour – Mr. Hobby H-53
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Neutral Gray, supplied by Albion Hobbies (www.albionhobbies.com) was utilised here. It was diluted with Mr. Leveling Thinner and applied via airbrush in a series of thin coats. The use of thinner meant no primer was required, because the solvent ‘keyed’ onto the styrene. Instrument panels and circuit breakers were then
BASIC BUILD F-14A TOMCAT
FELINE COLOURS, BABY! Three schemes were provided; two were for US Navy aircraft (including a Commander Air Group airframe) with FS 16440 Light Gull Gray uppers and FS 17875 Insignia White undersides. The third was an Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force jet in four-tone ‘Asia Minor’ camouflage. • 160393/AJ/200, VF-84 ‘Jolly Rogers’ CAG, USS Nimitz, 1979 • 159625/NK/201, VF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’, USS Enterprise, 1979 • 160377/3-607, Tactical Fighter Base 8, IRIAF, Isfahan, 1980
Two well-appointed seven-piece MartinBaker GRU-7A ejection seats were provided, but these lacked moulded belts.
MODEL SPEC
picked out in black, highlighted with dark grey and detailed with a combination of paint and pencils. DACO’s book (see panel) provided close-up photos of every part of the ‘office’, and quickly became a trusted guide. Tamiya provided decals for the main screens–thoughtfully including a transparent item for the Radar Intercept Officer’s (RIO) main Grumman F-14A Tomcat By:
Tamiya
Stock Code:
61114
Scale:
1/48
Price:
£74.99
Available from: The Hobby Company, www.hobbyco.net
display–but nothing for the analogue dials. The spaces for these were too small even for Airscale’s 1/48 scale decals, so they were left plain black. All cockpit components were then assembled, resulting in a well-appointed interior. As this unit was attached to the nosewheel bay, parts for the latter were painted white, then highlighted with a dark brown wash. Why are undercarriage legs/bays painted white, one asks? Well, DACO’s book explained this colour makes it easy for deck crew to spot hydraulic leaks. The wheel well and cockpit were then joined and sandwiched between the forward fuselage halves…making sure the inside of these pieces had been painted black beforehand, as per the instructions. In typical Tamiya fashion, all pieces virtually fell into place. There was an option to position the refuelling probe either stowed or deployed, and the former was chosen for this build.
The main decal sheet supplied the requisite national and unit insignia, major airframe placards and a bonus in the form of edging for the crew ladder (if deployed).
Masses of tiny stencils packed the second item, including many for the Tomcat’s various air-to-air weapons.
Masks were a handy inclusion for aiding canopy painting, easing this process greatly.
“MOULDED DETAIL WAS EXCEPTIONAL”
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BASIC BUILD F-14A TOMCAT
The near-completed cockpit, in which detail was highlighted with a very subtle dark grey wash; note the RIO’s main screen with its transparent green decal applied.
“MASKS WERE A HANDY INCLUSION FOR AIDING CANOPY PAINTING”
Each ejection seat was finished while studying DACO’s excellent reference book as a guide. Tamiya provided decals for the seat straps. Simple in design, yet most effective once built, parts for the nosewheel bay were painted and weathered separately prior to construction.
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Although out of sequence, the two ejection seats were built, painted and detailed; seatbelts weren’t moulded integrally–instead they were provided as decals. The various covers for the cockpit consoles were then painted by hand; one obvious feature in many reference photos was the two-tone cover for the RIO’s console. This apparently had to be replaced frequently on the left side where the crew entered, due to wear and tear…resulting in a very visible colour difference.
Prowling around Two fuselage panels were then added, which created an assembly for almost the whole forward fuselage. Then came the large main body section, which contained the swing-wing mechanism (see panel). Before construction could proceed, four runner segments must be removed from the underside component. One had to pay careful attention to the instructions at this stage, as elements of the surface detail had to be adjusted to build the specific sub-types of Tomcat depicted in the kit. Two tiny sections by the engine exhausts had to be removed entirely, as did two small protrusions on the starboard air intake, while a panel on the latter
had to be filled. Further detail must be removed if modelling the Iranian version. There were two sets of parts for the jet exhausts…closed or fully open. Curiously, the instructions specified that a combination of both should be used, but DACO’s book explained this was due to the reduction in hydraulic pressure when the engines are shut down, leaving one nozzle closed and the other open. Construction then moved to the complex undercarriage. Despite several delicate pieces being present, everything came together
perfectly ready for painting. Three weapons configurations were offered in the main instructions, although various other options were shown on a supplementary sheet. This build used the ‘decklaunched intercept’ load, with two AIM-54 Phoenix, three AIM-7 Sparrow and two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. A four-Phoenix fit was possible, but research indicated this wasn’t usual, as weapons would potentially need to be dumped before landing back on a carrier. Each store was a multi-
BASIC BUILD F-14A TOMCAT
After receiving white, detail in the undercarriage bay was highlighted with a dark brown wash. Once dry, it was attached securely to the cockpit floor.
KING OF THE SWINGERS The kit was engineered to position the famous swing-wings either extended or swept for high-speed flight, but did not offer lowered flaps and slats. They were not designed to be moveable once a position was chosen, because the large airbags behind the wings had a different shape depending on the wing configuration…so parts were supplied accordingly. Careful thought went into how to re-create the wings:
these were listed as unused, hinting at further F-14 releases from Tamiya.
Navy hues
component item, but Tamiya’s quality engineering ensured all parts assembled perfectly. Different adapters were supplied to attach the weapons to their respective launchers (as per the configuration chosen), including the unusual cranked wing glove pylons. Note that Phoenix adapters were supplied for the latter, but
Mr. Color lacquer paints from Mr. Hobby are superb, with fine pigment and, when diluted with Mr. Color Leveling Thinner, can be applied via an airbrush to create a smooth semi-gloss finish. Obtaining the full range in the UK was previously quite difficult, but they are now imported by Albion Hobbies, which supplied the colours used here. One note of caution is that lacquer paint and thinner must be treated with care because of the toxic vapour, so a respirator, eye protection and good ventilation are essential. Personally, I’ve moved to a fully enclosed face-mask respirator for all airbrush work, regardless of the paint brand. It may look strange, but keeps lungs and eyes safe. The scheme for the Tomcat
The mechanism for the mainplanes was anchored to the top panel of the airframe. Tiny poly-caps were used to attach the horizontal stabilisers to the fuselage.
Six metal screws and two washers secured the structure and allowed the wings to move. Interlocking teeth ensured correct alignment, and the core of each wing was designed so the external sections simply slid into place.
was simple, most upper surfaces being painted H-11 Light Gull Gray. Masking with White Tack ‘worms’ then created the slightly soft delineation with the lower surfaces, which received H-316 White. Considerable time was spent masking the hardedged boundary between white and grey
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BASIC BUILD F-14A TOMCAT
The upper fuselage was a two-piece section, and provided locations for the vertical stabilisers. Note the extreme end of the ‘beaver tail’ at top right, which housed the fuel dump vent and was attached to the rear of the fuselage.
To build the any of the airframes specified in the kit, a panel on the starboard fuselage, and two small areas on the beaver tail had to be filled and removed respectively. Unsurprisingly, two pairs of different exhaust styles were supplied, to denote open and closed nozzles... one of each was selected to depict powered-down engines.
“THERE WAS A HUGE NUMBER OF ITEMS, NOTABLY STENCILS (EACH PHOENIX MISSILE HAD 20), TO APPLY...” 32
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on the wing upper surfaces, but was finally achieved with many tiny pieces of masking tape. Note that painting each sub-assembly separately meant checks were required to ensure paint coverage was the same at the joins, otherwise there would have been a difference in tone. The vertical tails were painted black and then everything received several coats of Johnson’s Future/ Klear, followed by a light rub with 8,000-grade Micro-Mesh polishing cloth, to create a solid base for the decals. This was all to avoid the dreaded silvering effect (caused by trapped air bubbles), and was particularly important
BASIC BUILD F-14A TOMCAT
for the all-black tailfins. There was a huge number of items, notably stencils (each Phoenix missile had 20), to apply, but Tamiya’s attention to detail was extraordinary. For example, one of the decals for the ‘200’ Modex number (below and forward of the cockpit) was located over a section of raised surface detail. The scalpel was just about to be deployed to make a suitable hole in the transfer to aid settling, when it became clear Tamiya had already added one. All markings were applied to the sub-assemblies before final construction, because it was much easier than if the model had been built completely. The arrester hook was then painted white; DACO’s book showed nine black stripes on this item, so it was masked and painted accordingly, but note the kit’s other two schemes had different patterns. Tamiya supplied self-adhesive masks for the canopy, but they were not pre-cut; trimming these from the surrounding paper was still much easier than creating one’s own, though. After applying them to the canopy, it was painted black, with the central glazing on the windscreen receiving X-23 Clear Blue. Decals were supplied for the black panels around the cockpit, but these were not used. Instead, further masking and painting ensured matching tones on the canopy and upper fuselage.
ULTIMATE REFERENCE If one seeks a nitty-gritty guide for building or super-detailing an F-14 Tomcat in any scale, this is it. Released originally in 2006, it has been re-issued with new and enhanced photographs, plus minor corrections to captions and line drawings. There are 160 pages, usually with at least four high-quality colour shots per page; that’s more than 700 stunning photos, depicting every nook and cranny of A, B and D variants. Each section is indexed by a line drawing with the featured airframe part highlighted in red. A handy header per page allows the reader to flick through the book and locate the section of interest easily. All aspects of the aircraft are covered in jaw-dropping detail; engines, wheel bays, instrument bays, external fixtures and weapons. The cockpit photos are especially noteworthy for providing massive amounts of information, which should keep even the most ardent detailers happy. Images of the aircraft in service also show weathering effects on the paint, including intriguing shots of scrape marks, exposed when the wings are swept forward for take-off and landing. Explanatory notes add further information to interpret the photos. There are also two gatefold line drawings of the cockpit instruments and airframe. In summary, a brilliant publication.
To enable the vertical stabiliser bulges to be moulded accurately, Tamiya supplied each as a two-part item, as was the forward section of the lower fuselage, which incorporated three of the four recessed Sparrow missile bays.
The kit provided an option for a deployed crew access ladder, and although well detailed, it wasn’t used for this build. A neat touch was the provision of a section of fuselage with the windscreen, negating the need to fair it with the nose section.
Uncovering the Grumman F-14 A/B/D Tomcat By: Danny Coremans ISBN: 978-90-8198-902-2 Price: €34.75 Format: 240 x 210mm Web: www.dacoproducts.com
A soft demarcation between the Light Gull Gray uppers (already applied) and white undersides was created with White Tack worms and masking tape.
Next came the addition of the undercarriage, and everything (including the doors) slotted into place perfectly. The DACO book revealed Tomcats deployed during conflicts such as the First Gulf War looked weather-worn, but those during routine non-combat operations were more pristine. The latter demeanour was preferred for this build, so a simple dark grey panel line wash (mixed
Each exhaust nozzle was finished with Alclad II colours; ALC-112 Steel, followed by -113 Jet Exhaust and -104 Pale Burnt Metal. www.airfixmodelworld.com 33
BASIC BUILD F-14A TOMCAT
REFERENCES Colors & Markings (ebook) of US Navy F-14 Tomcats, Part 1: Atlantic Coast Squadrons, by Bert Kinzey (Detail & Scale), ISBN: 978-0-9860677-2-3 Grumman F-14 Tomcat, by Jon Lake (Aerospace), ISBN: 978-1-88058-813-0 Grumman F-14 Tomcat in Combat, Frédéric Lert, Nicolas Gohin (Histoire & Collections); ISBN 978-2-35250-073-5 Tomcat Alley: A Photographic Roll Call of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, by David F Brown (Schiffer Military History), ISBN: 978-0-76430-477-4
from black and white oils, thinned with white spirit) was applied to accentuate all the wonderful surface detail. Washes can be applied all over and then wiped off, but my favoured approach is to apply the wash to each panel line and rivet individually. Capillary action helped, so this task was not as onerous as it seemed; excess
liquid was removed with a clean brush. The superb weapons were then added to the pallets and pylons and, last of all, came the addition of small features such as antennas and pitot tubes.
Purr-fect? Tamiya has produced yet another splendid kit. The engineering was It was much easier to finish each module (including decals) before bringing them together at the end of the build. Note the two-tone cover on the RIO console, which was painted to match a photo in the DACO book. Be prepared for a few quiet hours of applying decals to the weapons… but the effort is worth it.
With the wings fitted (here in the forward position), the F-14’s graceful lines were completed. One must choose between this configuration and swept rearwards, because the dark grey airbags and wing covers were different for each.
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superb and the logical, modular construction meant this would be a suitable choice even for relative novice modellers. All parts joined well, making this a most enjoyable build. The only area of graft was the application of the masks to the wings but who knows, maybe suitable items will be produced as ❚ aftermarket products?
Pennine Models at Haworth
Large stock of rare items (enquire for details) Broad range of plastic kits available including: • Aircraft both military & civilian • Cars & trucks • Military, armour & softskin • Railways: rolling stock, buildings and people • Scenics and paint • Boats from over the ages • People (including soldiers from romans, vikings to modern day)
Wednesday to Sunday 11am - 5pm 33/35 Mill Hey, Haworth, Keighley BD22 8NQ Tel: 01535 642367
[email protected]
OUT AND ABOUT EAST OF ENGLAND SHOW
Bigger & Better Apparently, IPMS Rutland’s Keith Shelvey got a little bored with the prospect of low-visibility paint on his 1/32 Academy F/A-18A Hornet, and with great imagination created this dazzling what-if Australian ‘Mardis-Gras’ livery.
Keith Hills did a splendid job with this 1/20 Bandai Armoured Votons Brutish Dog mecha figure.
M
ore than £2,000 was raised for charity at Peterborough Scale Model Club’s event, which was even more impressive this year. A busy thrum was felt all day due to the greater visitor numbers, 49 clubs and 22 traders; the event is blossoming but will be even larger
in 2018, as the organisers have secured the Voyager Academy in its entirety, rather than just in part. Airfix Model World sponsored the show again, which meant free goody bags on entry and the presence of parent company Key Publishing’s retail stand. As usual with this show, there was no dedicated competition area…everything displayed by clubs is considered for judging, and this year’s Best in Show accolade was secured by a marvellous 1/32 Wingnut Wings AEG biplane, built by the Luftwaffe Special Interest Group’s Aaron Scott. Garry Tobiss, AMW's seasoned
Airfix’s 1/48 Meteor F.8 looked amazing after being converted to an Australian U.21 drone by Steve Roberts. The Coventry and Warwickshire IPMS member used a Red Roo Models set to modify the kit.
Peterborough’s Stuart Young relied on impressive airbrushing skills to make the most of Hasegawa’s 1/48 Macchi MC.202 Folgore.
Subtle but very smart, this College of Air Warfare ‘Macaws’ livery was applied beautifully to Airfix’s new-tool Jet Provost T.3 by Glenn Woodruff, of Norfolk Scale Model Group.
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The Best in Show accolade went to Aaron Scott for his wonderful 1/32 Wingnut Wings AEG bomber, which benefited from enviable airbrushing.
build contributor, brought some of his excellent completed models from features already published, and these were sold in aid of the RAF Benevolent Fund, the sale making £375 for this worthy cause. Speaking of benevolence, the proceeds from two raffles (kits and an AMW subscription), visitor entry and tombola will be donated to the chosen charity of Voyager Academy, and this year it’s Comic Relief. In turn, it’s hoped the charity will help Voyager sixth-formers travel to Kenya on a volunteering mission. Next year’s show is set for Sunday, March 4, and promises even more, so don’t ❚ miss it! Chris Clifford
Daryl Gamble’s stunning Takom Krupp 420mm Big Bertha sat on a beautifully rendered base, with convincing groundwork. The Leicester Modellers member was a class winner with this excellent build.
Norfolk’s John Turner used his ingenuity to create a spoof scheme on Tamiya’s 1/24 Nissan R-90 endurance racer. His inspiration (and the decals), came from a Miller Lite-sponsored Indy Car.
OUT AND ABOUT UNIVERSAL MODEL SHOW
Northwest Delights
Richard Wood disguised the articulated limb joints on this Bandai 1/12 Star Wars Biker Trooper, before posing it and the Speeder Bike in an Endor-like setting, which included trees fashioned from broken twigs. The build drew plenty of attention on North Staffordshire’s stand.
W
Universal Modelling Society’s Martin Abraham was inspired by Ray Harryhausen’s movie creations to produce this Undead Warrior from Airfix’s old 1/6 Human Skeleton. All armour was scratch-built, with muslin chainmail, and the skull was altered to make it look more 'evil'.
Vignettes don’t come much better (or smaller) than this wonderful example of a 1/72 Churchill AVRE by Jaymes Crowther, who combined exquisite paintwork with modified figures (including cat!) and a scratch-built base.
ith a new, spacious venue, South Cheshire Military Modelling Club’s event showcased all forms of modelmaking, from Lego, through railways to kits and dioramas. The organisers exploited the spacious environment at Malbank Sixth Form College in Nantwich to its full, providing large halls for modellers, with whole rooms devoted to wargamers and model railway aficionados. Exhibitors and visitors alike were greeted by a parade of vehicles, including a Pinz Gauer 4x4, Land Rover Defender and US Army Jeep. Along with the presence of Armed Forces charities (Help for Heroes and Royal British Legion) and period re-enactment societies, this set the tone for a military-heavy display, although there were plenty
At the other end of the modelling spectrum, Anthony Green’s 1/32 Tamiya Spitfire Mk.IXc benefited from careful airbrushing and weathering techniques, and flawless decaling.
This class-winning 1/35 kit-bashed Hobby Boss VK 45.02 Bergepanzer, by Ian Tranter has certainly seen better days, and it’s difficult to see the original components under all that rust!
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of aircraft, ships, sci-fi and figures on view. There was a definite family feel to the proceedings, as the huge Lego display attracted much attention (I don’t remember those famous little bricks being quite that intricate!) and Star Wars cosplayers kept youngsters entertained. Given the varied stands, there was a huge variety of subjects to choose from, and occasional reminders that one doesn’t require the most up-todate, slide-moulded extravaganza to produce an eye-catching model…children’s toys and figurines are equally good starting points. This was a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable event, and is sure to grow into its new venue ❚ in the coming years. Stu Fone
VIEW MORE ONLINE www.airfixmodelworld.com
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FIGURE BUILD WORLD OF FANTASY
Our fantasy female’s main components were assembled, but gaps were obvious around the shoulder and neck joints.
without using metal colours – in this case Scale75’s SSE-019 Shades of Doom package; and Nocturna 7402 Malefic Flesh Set, developed by the figure company Nocturna but manufactured by Vallejo.
Plastic pros and cons
and the
Master Box is known for its unorthodox figure sets, but last year the firm took an even bigger leap with fantasy subjects. Here, one of these gets the Johan Augustsson treatment
A
s stated by others and many times before, figure painting often becomes personalised, based on both one’s
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skill level, subjects, colour brands/ combinations and favoured materials; it’s sometimes quite easy to see who painted which figure at a show.
Furthermore, with historical subjects, or figures based on comics or film, there are references to help, but with fantasy, science fiction or ‘Steampunk’ subjects, fewer or no such limitations are present. When this Master Box figure was presented by AMW’s Editor, I came up with several techniques I hadn’t tried before, and a couple of new paint sets seemed fun to try. This included glazing, ‘non-metallic metal’; where one paints the sheen of metal
MODEL SPEC
Beauty BeAST
Fantasy figures are usually produced in resin or white metal, which means they are expensive, and the casting technique also results in smaller batches of 300-500 copies before a new mould is needed. This Master Box release was, therefore, a welcome addition as it was made of styrene and thus less costly. This range might compel more modellers wanting to try this genre, but who don’t want to spend large amounts of cash. The figure and her unusual steed came in a box adorned with a wonderful illustration of the subject by artist V Fyodorov. On the rear of the box were two images of the assembled and painted kit, with instructions on where all the pieces should go; World of Fantasy Kit No. 2 By:
Master Box
Stock Code:
MB24008
Scale:
1/24
Price:
£13.99
Available from: www.creativemodels.co.uk
FIGURE BUILD WORLD OF FANTASY
Here the joints have been redeemed with Magic Sculp after sanding. The leg armour has also been attached.
Initial painting steps were tricky, but by the third try, Purple Shadow and Vallejo Airbrush Thinner were sprayed to good effect.
The remaining three hues were airbrushed, such as the Purple Shadow, with much better results for forthcoming detail painting too.
Boots, leg armour, straps and helmet were base-painted with Vallejo brown shades and Scale75 Decay Black.
Non-metallic metal painting has begun, using Necro Grey, Despair Green, Innismouth Blue and Miskatonic Grey – on the helmet and leg armour. A first try though and not even close to a master painter result! The boots have received a black ink wash as well.
The waist and torso belts were painted with warmer hues, such as Rlyeh Grey and Tindalos Red under the highlights; the latter with Miskatonic Grey and Purity White. Fine lining was also added along the belts, with thinned Decay Black.
Facial details were added with different shades of the basic colours, together with Vallejo German Camouflage Black Brown for the deepest shadows. Purity White has been added to the leg armour, as well as blackbrown base paint for the gloves.
The gloves were highlighted with Sunny Skin Tone added to the base paint. More details have been added to the face, as well as glazes to the skin areas. The latter did even out some harsh gradients, and this process was repeated several times on all areas.
paint shades were also suggested. Two runners with all parts for the woman, her mount and equipment were provided, and there was also an extra head for the beast. The other release also has these two heads, but uses the same animal body. The sculpting, which was good for styrene, was by A Gagarin; the woman’s face, some of the armour and the boots were notable, but slightly less so on the moulding of the hair tassels, and the metal belting around the waist and torso. The fit of parts turned out to be a whole other story, even if some clever solutions for the multi-part animal heads had been made, but more of that later. Compared to the box art, the rider did not sport the lower leg armour and some minor strap details were missing. It also seemed like the mean appearance of the beast in the illustration
The tassels were painted with different Vallejo brown and yellow hues, and here the arm and shoulder parts have been added too. At this point the figure was almost finished; high highlights to the armour and boots have been painted, and the scale plate back ribbons added.
The kit’s hair tassels (grey parts) did not fit satisfactorily, so new tassels were sculpted using Kneadatite two-part epoxy putty. The result was much closer to flowing hair than with the original parts.
www.airfixmodelworld.com 41
FIGURE BUILD WORLD OF FANTASY
Alternative heads assembled; the right-hand item was chosen as it was the version shown in the box art. Both were made from several parts, resulting in good shapes and detail. The front legs were added and there was a rather visible seam on the join, as well as the larger gap along the spine.
wasn’t conveyed by the kit, making it look more confused or surprised than menacing.
Gluing and filling Construction was tackled with ease of painting in mind, thus leaving some parts to receive colour separately. As mentioned, the fit of the components here and there wasn’t the best, and
Gaps were redeemed by using Magic Sculp, with the right tools and old brushes at hand.
much filling and smoothing of joins was required. Starting with the animal, the body halves were warped, and Milliput was used to fill major gaps; when the head and tail were attached, Magic Sculp was used in most of the joins to recreate the detail. When attaching the woman’s head to the neck, the best position meant her face pointed downwards more than
The tail, paws and head have been added, but the filling was ongoing. Note the millimetre-wide gap, as well as the less than perfect fit around the shoulder and paws. After all gaps were filled, the beast received black primer.
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The body halves of the steed were to some extent warped, resulting in a very prominent gap.
portrayed in the painting or the rear-box example. And even so, a rather hefty mismatch resulted in a hard-to-reach join that needed both sanding and filling with Magic Sculp. The rest of her body parts fitted better, but filling was needed on all joining parts. The hair tassels and arm plates were left off and painted separately, along with the helmet cheek plates, knife and
all the packs. The blade was not present on the box art and neither was it very interesting, so it was omitted. After letting the putty dry overnight, both beast and rider were pinned and received a coat of Citadel Chaos Black primer.
Malefic skin tones One of the great things about painting fantasy figures is there
Tamiya Black Green was airbrushed from below and Mr Hobby H-403 Dark Yellow from above; while Tamiya Sky was added later. Vallejo 70.896 Extra Dark Green was used for the first dots.
FIGURE BUILD WORLD OF FANTASY
are no limits to the colours, and one’s imagination can run riot. The Nocturna Malefic Flesh Set included eight acrylic paints for painting skin tones requiring hints of green, blue or violet, to obtain an artistic illustration effect. An instruction leaflet was included, and it showed which colours one could use for different results, and it also stated the paint was “self-levelling”. I’m not sure what this meant, as nothing beyond the usual with Vallejo paints happened, but four of the hues for a violet canvas were selected; Malefic Flesh, Pale Flesh, Purple Shadow and White Flesh. For top results, the use of good sable brushes of sizes 1 to 00 is recommended, along with excellent lighting. The approach was to use zenith light painting, meaning all light coming directly from above, which creates various shadow effects where less and less light would reach. Sadly, two tries with an airbrush (then painting with brushes) looked awful, and resulted in a full stripping of the paint. The third attempt worked better, first with the paints mixed more carefully with Vallejo 71.161 Airbrush Thinner, which resulted in a smoother base on which to continue brush painting. After several passes, the gradual shading and highlighting still looked very harsh, so one evening was spent with YouTube research on how to make smoother transitions and glazes with acrylic paints. Many tutorial clips showed the cure was a much higher number of layers, using much thinner paints than I had used until then; some painters add up to 15 layers for basic shades on
“Horns and claws were painted with progressively whiter glazes” smaller areas, and up to six glazes depending on the desired effect. Glazing, by the way, is similar to filtering on tanks and aircraft than actual painting, and the paint should barely be evident when unloaded onto white paper. It must be pointed out here that, naturally, the time it took to paint
Vallejo Turquoise and Light Turquoise were used for the spine plates, and for complementing some of the green dots. The belly plates were painted with Dark Yellow lightened with Iraqi Sand and White, and the eyes area received Decay Black washes.
was extended considerably from the original plan with this new knowledge. Several repeated passes of the different skin tones, and mixes of the four, were applied over several evenings. When all major areas were painted, Vallejo 70.833 German Camo Black Brown and pure black were also added for
lining around straps and clothing, as well as complementary colour glazes (dark greens in this case) for deep shading.
Metal conundrum The technique for ‘non-metallic metal’ was even harder to manage, and several evenings were spent
Horns and claws were painted with progressively whiter glazes, and with pure white on the tips. The protruding hide areas did receive light applications of Scale75 Miskatonic Grey for highlights.
www.airfixmodelworld.com 43
FIGURE BUILD WORLD OF FANTASY
Colour shopping Vallejo Model Color shades listed here include several not mentioned in the main text. Some were used for the base alone, and others simply for tinting the Scale75 paints: Vallejo 70.950 Black 70.951 White 70.819 Iraqi Sand 70.833 German Cam. Black Brown 70.857 Golden Olive 70.896 German Cam. Extra Dark Green 70.871 Leather Brown 70.914 Green Ochre 70.886 Green Grey 70.966 Turquoise 70.840 Light Turquoise 70.810 Royal Purple 70.978 Dark Yellow 70.953 Flat Yellow 70.845 Sunny Skin Tone Scale75 Shades of Doom Set: SFG00 Decay Black SFG42 Necro Grey SFG43 Despair Green SFG44 Tindalos Red SFG45 Rlyeh Grey SFG46 Innismouth Blue SFG47 Miskatonic Grey SFG01 Purity Whit White Nocturna Malefic Flesh set: 74011 Purple Shadow 74012 Malefic Flesh 74015 Pale Flesh 74016 White Flesh
“Scratches were represented by thin lines with the lightest hue” Time to fit the rider to her steed, and once she was in place the equipment and rifle were positioned. Despite careful alignment during construction, a perfect fit was not possible.
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on the thigh armour plates alone, using the Scale75 paint set Shades of Doom. This also contained an instruction leaflet, with two options; one for warmer shades and another for colder. The latter was selected first, via green, blue and grey hues, and the result was far from perfect…but in the right direction. At this stage, it must be said the detail on the leg armour wasn’t the crispest ever seen, and this made painting more difficult. Scale 75’s guidance suggested painting a layer of Necro Grey over a Decay Black base, followed by Despair Green on the raised detail. When the Green was dry, Innismoth Blue was glazed over the green and then a mix of the latter blue and Rlyeh Grey started the real highlighting. With thinner and thinner mixes, the highlights were enhanced first with Miskatonic Grey and Purity White, and then just white. Later the highest points were accentuated with Vallejo 70.951 White, as the Purity White wasn’t, well…all that pure. For the waist and torso belts, the warm
Tamiya paints XF-21 Sky XF-27 Black Green XF-49 Khaki XF-51 Khaki Drab XF-52 Flat Earth Andrea Whites Set 1 to 6: six numbered grades of white Mr. Hobby H-403 Dark Yellow Citadel by Games Workshop ‘Shade Nuln Oil’
Paint and effects sets from Nocturna, Scale75 and Lifecolor were used on this build.
FIGURE BUILD WORLD OF FANTASY
The equipment was painted with regular Vallejo acrylics and techniques, and the base with its details was also trialled.
for inspiration. Paintings by Rodney Matthews, famous for creating fantasy illustrations and around 130 album covers since the 1970s, for rock bands such as Magnum, Nazareth, Praying Mantis and Diamond Head, were scrutinised closely. Over a dark green base, a dark yellow basic highlight was sprayed with Mr Hobby H-403 Dark Yellow, and a second coat with Tamiya XF-21 Sky and yellow was added; just like any German World War Two tank! The belly scales received more bleak yellows, using Vallejo 70.978 Dark Yellow, 70.819 Iraqi Sand and white, but no highlights were created other than on the tail. Then the spine bone plates were
painted 70.966 Turquoise and highlighted with 70.840 Light Turquoise, and shading was done with glazes of Despair Green. The same green was used later to emulate a vein pattern on the tail’s end, and for shading the dark yellow main body. The dotted pattern was rendered almost like the camouflage on German army camouflage smocks, with both 70.896 German Camouflage Extra Dark Green and turquoise dots, and the eye area received glazes of Necro Grey and Despair Black. White catchlights were added to the eyes, but a red glaze was then utilized as the first try didn’t look right; this was supposed to be a mean animal, right?
The rifle and foot holds were painted using the same ‘nonmetallic metal’ technique as on the armour, but with a more greenish tone, as the blue was left out. Note also the painted scratches on the boots and footholds.
mix was chosen, and the same procedure of working from black to shiny white was repeated, but with Tindalos Red and Rlyeh Grey in the mid-tones. The weapon, helmet cheek plates and arm guards then received the same mixes as the leg armour, all done before they were attached to the figure. The leather shorts and boots were painted with different mixes of brown Vallejo acrylic shades, such as Saddle Brown and Leather, and highlighted with Sunny Skin Tone, Green Grey and Miskatonic Grey. The lacing on the boots was painted with Dark Yellow and highlights from yellow and white, while Tindalos Red, plus Games Workshop Nuln Oil ink was used for shading. Scratches were represented by thin lines with the lightest hue, followed by a blackbrown line just above to mimic the recess.
Lastly, the hair was to be attached, but as often with such details, the tassels did not fit. Everyone knows that long hair should be flowing, and these plastic pieces didn’t, so strands of hair were sculpted directly onto the figure via Kneadatite two-part putty. This medium hardens within a few hours, but stays slightly elastic and is also very forgiving when it comes to detailing, and the result – which even if not up to the standard of a master sculptor – looked much more natural than the plastic pieces in the kit. The next day the hair was painted with different yellows and light browns, to achieve a light blonde finish.
With the main colouring finished, the paint was touched-up several times with glazes, washes and extra highlights via pure white.
Painting the steed As the variations of clothing and armour on the woman weren’t too high, the steed would get a more colourful guise, and several fantasy art books were consulted www.airfixmodelworld.com 45
FIGURE BUILD WORLD OF FANTASY
Roots and liana plants were sculpted from Kneadatite and a small white metal dead tree was added, together with the futuristic gun and giant skull. Household filler and coarse sand was used to cover the Styrofoam base and rocks, made from the same material.
Finally, the claws and horns were glazed with different white tones from Andrea’s Whites set; gradually going from almost the same hue as the rest of the figure, out to the tips, which were painted pure white.
The sum of all parts
After acrylic black primer, the base received sponged hues before it was airbrushed with Tamiya Khaki Drab and a mix of Khaki and Flat Earth.
surgery and repainting, so it would have to do this time. Sticking to economic matters, a base from Styrofoam was created to look like parts of the temple in the box art. Cutting and filing, and filling and sprinkling of debris were carried out, as well as sculpting roots and liana climbing
When time came to put the woman on her animal, the so-so fit of parts again became obvious, even if care was taken during construction to make all pieces fit as well as possible. After all; she sat in a stance close to the intended, and rearranging it would need more extensive
The skull, pistol and roots were brush-painted before the Lifecolor Lichens & Moss set was utilised. ‘Sprout Green’ over Lush ‘Plant’ powders were secured with ‘Gloss Muddy Fixer’.
plants, before it was painted with sandy shades from Vallejo, to contrast from the model. Static grass and photo-etched metal leaves were used here and there, together with liberal use of Lifecolor’s Lichens and Moss set SPG06 (available from www. airbrushes.com). The giant’s skull was a gift from some producer at Euro Militaire many years ago, and the gun came from a Michael Kontraros kit; both painted as described earlier with acrylics.
Fantasy fun
“Roots were sculpted from Kneadatite” 46
Airfix Model World
This was a satisfying project, which provided the chance to try new techniques and colours; such as the 'non-metallic metal' method of painting with the Scale75 set. What was initially thought of as a two- or three-week project became a two-month odyssey instead, but if one needs to learn new skills, it takes time. As the adage goes… practice makes perfect! ❚
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ADVANCED BUILD AVRO SHACKLETON AEW.2
CYPRIOT
SUNBATHER Jen Wright models an expat retiree with Airfix’s new Shackleton AEW.2
Eduard’s flap set (72616) includes parts to create all four flap sections and the upper falsework to fit in the wings. It is left to the modeller to provide rod or tube for some of the segments; details of what’s required are in the instructions.
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Shackletons that, to this day, sit in a similarly forlorn manner under the harsh Mediterranean sun at Paphos airport in Cyprus, was revelatory. I was suitably thrilled when the Editor gave the green light to reproduce the aircraft in its current state, and although a looming deadline forced shortcuts, the story of this build is shown here.
MODEL SPEC
W
hen I built the original test-shot of Airfix’s Shackleton MR.2 kit, it was a project I enjoyed immensely, but I suspect (like many others) the version I was really looking forward to was the Airborne Early Warning (AEW) variant. And echoing countless numbers of modellers, much of what drives me in this hobby is a love of real aircraft, and the memories tied up in them. My overriding recollection of the venerable Shackleton is not of gleaming MR.2s or even MR.3s, but a dirty and worn ‘forgotten hero’ sitting on the edge of an airfield. I am, of course, speaking of WL756 at RAF St Mawgan, which was visible from the road down to Watergate Bay. Studying what came in Airfix’s package, and researching aftermarket decals, the discovery that WL747 (the subject of this build) is in fact one of two
Avro Shackleton AEW.2 By:
Airfix
Stock Code:
A11005
Scale:
1/72
Price:
£44.99
Available from: Airfix, www.airfix.com
ADVANCED BUILD AVRO SHACKLETON AEW.2
Building the interior into suitable sub-assemblies for painting was no small task with this kit. Even without adding Eduard PE to the mix!
Rear seats were treated to slight armrest modifications, for interest. This was later shown to be incorrect as pictures revealed that at least some of the seats should have fixed armrests. The red-marked area on the fuselage should be sanded to obtain a good fit.
AEW ADDITIONS Pre-cut masks from Eduard (CX434) were a massive time-saving boost for a model with copious glazing. This set provided masks for all transparencies in the kit as one would expect, but also for the wheels.
Options for four aircraft were offered by Xtradecal’s sheet X72235, which covered schemes from the earliest version through Phase 1 and 2 aircraft, as well as the AEW with interesting options selected.
To update the original MR.2 release to AEW standard, Airfix provides a new runner with the necessary parts. This includes new, shorter bomb bay doors with a bulkhead to close the area. The main new part is the bulbous radome so synonymous with the type, and on top of this, there are several aerials. Airfix’s decals will depict two aircraft of 8 Squadron RAF; namely WR960 ‘Dougal’ and WR963 ‘Ermintrude’.
Here’s Eduard’s full detail package (SS542 and 73542), which includes parts for the wheel bays, radiators and various external features. If a simpler set were required, the coloured fret on the left is what would be received if purchasing the ‘Zoom’ version.
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ADVANCED BUILD AVRO SHACKLETON AEW.2
Basic colouring of the interior was mostly black or dark brown. There was variation in colour found in photos, so the use of specific references is advised where possible.
As befitted a derelict aircraft in a dusty climate, a tan wash provided the base for further weathering. Pigment powders and tiny fragments of crushed herbs (the latter to depict dried leaves) were sprinkled wherever open panels were to be represented. Spare PE scraps were utilised to represent stripped-out components, with small cardboard boxes created from fragments of suitably coloured paper.
Having cut out certain sections to show removed components, fine wire was placed into the open cavities. Along with the removed elements, escape hatch and boxes, the interior looked suitably busy.
The rear component was based on photographs of the real thing, to include a barrel, a removed electronic unit and an old plastic bag. The box and the ladder were my own inventions, and again dust was added due to the open crew door section.
Dealing with these troublesome ejector pin marks could have been tricky, until the idea of using tape was considered. Pressed into the shape and then cut to fit, the tape hid the blemishes beautifully.
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ADVANCED BUILD AVRO SHACKLETON AEW.2
The PE set included pleasing extras for the wheel bays, although care must be taken when placing them into position, as they could easily cause fit issues when assembling the nacelles.
One of the photos of the original showed a damaged and slightly opened engine panel, which looked like fun to replicate. The first step, once the panel was identified, was to cut a piece of thin litho plate aluminium to size. After cutting the panel to shape, a hole was made in the nacelle. The panel was bent and distressed to resemble the photo after it was glued into place. If litho plate is unavailable, brass shim in several thicknesses can be obtained from many model/hardware stores. A recess was cut with a Mission Models micro-chisel for the panel to sit into. This was done carefully and slowly as it had to be neat.
With all easy work out of the way, it was time to tackle the PE flaps. As the kit is designed for lowered units, less work is needed here than is often the case, but considerable thinning and trimming of the trailing edge areas was required.
While in cutting mode, the ailerons were also removed as they were to be posed in a deflected position. Doing this weakened the outer wings terribly, so supplementary spars were made from U-channel plastic, trimmed to fit within the wing.
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ADVANCED BUILD AVRO SHACKLETON AEW.2
There are relatively few situations when a PE bending tool is essential, but making flaps is one of them. Most Eduard flaps follow a roughly similar process to that detailed here, the first fold being to get the ribs into position.
Very often, stringers from the PE fret must be passed through slots in each rib; other times wire or plastic rod must be obtained from different sources to finish each part. Take plenty of time to study the parts before folding, as the order of each bend is not always obvious.
After folding, each rib is twisted through 90˚. The base of the flap has a slot where each rib should be aligned and held in place with a tiny drop of cyanoacrylate (CA).
“ONE THING THAT HAD TO BE ADDRESSED WAS THE EXCESS OF AIR IN THE KIT TYRES...”
The result of all the cutting and folding, shown here compared to the original kit parts. As good a job as Airfix did here, it simply cannot compete with the fidelity and complex appearance of the PE.
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In another modification to match photos, a section of the wing was removed, along with a small inspection panel. After cutting out the external panel, a small rib end piece was made from plastic card.
ADVANCED BUILD AVRO SHACKLETON AEW.2
Despite the best efforts of your humble scribe, this engine nacelle required attention from the putty fairy! There were gaps around the rear part and steps at the front; the other three fitted without issue, using CA as both adhesive and filler.
Before adding the last tiny PE details, the canopy was modified to remove one of the escape hatches. This meant the sunshade also had to be cut away, as can be seen here. Note the removed hatch resting on the pilot’s seat.
Since a certain amount of texture had been noted on the surface of the plastic, it was decided to use primer. In this case, Halfords’ aerosol primer was decanted and applied by airbrush. Primer cannot erase surface texture without also sanding, and this was carried out with 800-grade Wet and Dry paper.
FEELING DEFLATED? Due to the derelict nature of the aircraft being modelled, one thing that had to be addressed was the excess of air in the kit tyres. Yes, flat tyres were required, but how? Harking back to younger days reminded me of candles and melting, so out came a candle and the kit wheel was heated carefully while being held in pliers. After a few seconds, it was pressed onto the desk surface to produce a lovely flat tyre, complete with bulges. It took a few attempts to get it flat enough, and a fine line was trodden between this and a melted wheel. As an unfortunate by-product of this loss of air, the beautiful Eduard Brassin wheels the Editor sent with the kit couldn’t be used. They would, however, make an excellent addition for those who prefer to keep their tyres properly inflated!
Here’s the somewhat heart-breaking task of making all the Perspex windows look old. A very thin mix of white and light grey was used to imitate the associated crazing and fading. Yellowing was produced with a transparent yellow, while the glass windscreens were left alone. www.airfixmodelworld.com 53
ADVANCED BUILD AVRO SHACKLETON AEW.2
On to paint. It was elected to leave the model in major sub-assemblies, to ease handling. The colour, being heavily faded, was a custom mix of Ocean Grey, Medium Sea Grey and white at a 50:30:20 ratio, with three drops of Tamiya X-4 Blue. Two light coats left the primer just visible.
This was followed by a lighter custom recipe, this time starting with the first mixture, with Medium Sea Grey and white again added at a 50:30:20 ratio. This was sprayed sparingly and blotchily over the entire surface; the variation is hard to see here though.
Once dry, the paint was smoothed with a fine sanding sponge and water. This removed small amounts of the lighter colour in an extremely random way, making some areas appear darker, and with a very realistic texture.
A frustrating task was masking the wing walkways, since the aftermarket decal sheet contained no stencils. The lines were mapped out following Airfix’s decal placement guide, using thin strips of tape.
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ADVANCED BUILD AVRO SHACKLETON AEW.2
Adding the decals was fast and trouble free, since there were no stencils to worry about. Xtradecal’s items lived up to their deserved good reputation, being thin and easy to work with. At this point the bright markings clashed markedly with the careworn paintwork.
The burnt-paint look on the propellers was vexing. In the end, the blades were first painted silver-grey, before masking of the white tips. Instead of just adding red, a pale pink mixture was applied to one set of props, and then varying amounts of this and black to the others.
Wet and Dry was used to age the markings. This time 1,500-grade paper was employed to very carefully abrade the colour where it had faded on the original. In an ideal world, masks could have been used instead of decals.
The first part of the solution to the brightness was the addition of a pale grey filter. This worked to blend and mute the decals, while also providing the basis for the desired rain-streaked effect.
After the whole decal (and the walkways) had received attention, they were straight away much more in keeping with the rest of the finish, although still quite bright and visually jarring.
Although a filter should traditionally be left alone to dry, on this occasion it was blended into the model's surface with a soft brush...and occasional moistening with odourless turpentine.
The final step was to add selective wash. The colour was AK Interactive’s Streaking Grime, added in specific areas, and left to dry for a few minutes. Rather than removal with a cloth or cotton bud, it was neatened with a turps-moistened pointed brush for far greater control. The finished wing surface shows a blotchy colouration, rain streaks, dirt, and grime streaks to good effect. A minute amount of white oil paint was used sparingly on the roundel, to dull the colours a little more and ensure a sun-bleached look.
Ringing endorsement If attempting this kit again proved anything, it’s that I was right to recommend it in the first build feature (AMW November 2015). This time the supplied sample was a production item rather than a test-shot and on balance, the fit and finish were even better. The tight tailplanes from that first offering have been fixed, and other parts had also been changed. I have shown in the in-progress photos how to fix the tight rear fuselage, along with very careful checking of
the internal fitting guides, as a couple of these may need a trim if sanding alone doesn’t work. For such a large and complicated kit to have so few vices, is of great credit to the Airfix designers, and it certainly offers great value for money when the hours spent during the build are counted. So, having thoroughly enjoyed this second build (despite the Editor’s best efforts to drive me mad with his request that photoetched brass flaps be fitted!), I wholeheartedly recommend this ❚ tooling again.
The tyres were weathered by using a sponge to apply a dark grey colour, then applying a light dusting of pigment for a dirty effect. Note the wheel cover, made by cutting and gluing appropriately shaped sections of lead foil, which were then painted olive green. www.airfixmodelworld.com 55
INTERMEDIATE BUILD Mk.A WHIPPET
Mikael Terfors builds a long-awaited Great War armour icon in the form of Takom’s 1/35 Whippet
CANINE CAVALRY Appropriately marked eggcups served as parts repositories, each containing a different type of wheels from the Whippet’s running gear. There were plenty of smaller components to keep track of during the initial stages. Road wheels, grousers and air intake louvres demonstrated the kit’s refinement.
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stages, this was never realised. In combat, the concept of a ‘break-out’ vehicle was proven during the Allied offensive at Amiens. On August 8, 1918, several Whippets breached enemy lines and caused havoc among German artillery units. One tank became separated from the rest and for nine hours it roamed freely behind opposition lines, destroying everything that came in its way, before eventually being knocked out.
MODEL SPEC
I
n 1916, William Tritton proposed a cheaper and lighter vehicle that would complement the British Army’s heavy tanks… and exploit gaps larger machines might create in enemy lines. This was traditionally a job for cavalry, but the Western Front was ill-suited for this formation; the idea of a lighter ‘cavalry tank’ was innovative and far-sighted. The War Office concurred and the design went ahead in autumn 1916 under the project name ‘Tritton Chaser’, but it was known as the Whippet in service. Though perhaps out of his jurisdiction, Field Marshall Haig viewed the new machine favourably, and ordered production to go ahead. In October 1917, initial production vehicles were delivered to frontline units. Weighing 14 tons (14.2 tonnes) and with a crew of just three, the Whippet was capable of speeds up to 8 1/3mph (13km/h), much faster than the Mk.IV at 4mph (6.4km/h). However, its armament was light, with just four Hotchkiss machine guns, and though a revolving turret was considered during the design
WWI Medium Tank Mk.A Whippet By:
Takom
Stock Code:
2025
Scale:
1/35
Price:
£39.99
Available from: Pocketbond, www.pocketbond.co.uk
INTERMEDIATE BUILD Mk.A WHIPPET
Battling boxes World War One armour fans had waited years for a decent 1/35 Whippet, when Meng and Takom released kits almost simultaneously. The latter’s offering arrived in a relatively small box, adorned with an illustration of a Whippet navigating a muddy battlefield. Its contents certainly appeared auspicious, with clean, crisp injection-moulded parts, together with a small photo-etched (PE) brass fret and a well-printed decal sheet. The instruction booklet and colour guide both gave a clear overview of construction and painting, with the latter produced in collaboration with AMMO MIG. As there was a relatively low parts count, construction promised to be speedy; although the various liveries did not appear too varied or challenging, the weathering potential seemed high.
Simple and straightforward Construction started with the element most armour modellers dislike…road wheels. In the Whippet’s case, this meant four variants of fairly similar assemblies, which needed to be separated prior to attaching them in sequence. A handy tip to aid keeping track of these small items is to use egg cups (marked A to D) as containers. If one wanted, the wheels could be mounted sans glue for fully working tracks. This option was
not explored though, and with a careful eye on the instructions the wheel pairs were positioned, with the outer panels acting as alignment guides. As noted previously, the kit was superbly detailed straight from the box. One item that perhaps could be improved was the exhaust. His was done by hollowing with a drill bit, before they were wrapped in surgical tape to simulate the conspicuous asbestos covering. Side armour plates and the ‘dirt chutes’ (vents in the running gear sponsons, which allowed mud from the upper tracks to fall without fouling the lower units) were the next items tackled. These comprised several wellmoulded pieces, and were typical of Takom’s approach. While other manufacturers may have strived for fewer parts in this kind of assembly, Takom provided each plate as a separate piece. This made alignment a critical issue, and as each item was added, the sides were held in position with tape while the glue hardened. When all elements of the driving and running gear and the dirt chutes were secured safely, the side armour was finally attached, resulting in two complete sides of the tank. It was then time to tackle the flooring and the petrol tank; the
Surface detail on the two large side panels was excellent; these were the initial building blocks on which the wheels and other smaller parts were mounted later.
Takom’s exhaust pipes were improved by hollowing the ends and adding simulated asbestos coatings, made from surgical tape.
The ‘dirt chutes’, which were supplied in separate sections, were located with the side armour acting as a guide.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD Mk.A WHIPPET
The completed petrol tank and rear armour were ready for mating with the side sections. Crisp rivet detail was apparent on all exterior components. The petrol tank was supplied as a five-piece assembly, and the fit was excellent…if one made sure the parts were aligned correctly.
As with the petrol tank, careful alignment was crucial with the fighting compartment’s exterior plates; note the fine detail on the Hotchkiss machine guns.
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The tracks comprised easy-to-assemble individual links, and both units were built in less than 20 minutes.
latter comprised several parts that fitted well and assembled easily; this was kept separate from the main body to facilitate painting. The floor was supplied as a single piece, to which a number of small components were added, before it was mated with the previously completed sides. Once these were installed, the Whippet stood upright for the first time, but also started to look more like a tank. The upper structures came as a
mixture of large and small parts, and while the bonnet was installed easily, the fighting compartment required careful alignment of the angled components, to prevent them coming askew. Though the door and roof hatch could be positioned open, in reality this wasn’t an option as no interior was included. Otherwise, assembly was straightforward and could probably be achieved over the course of two or three evenings. Even the track
INTERMEDIATE BUILD Mk.A WHIPPET
“A NEAT PE FRET WAS SUPPLIED”
SPEEDSTER SCHEMES
Takom’s excellent decal sheet supplied markings for eight different machines, ranging from British Army subjects, German ‘Beute’ (trophy) and Freikorps Whippets, to post-war Russian tanks: • A321, British Army, Achiet-le-petit, France, August 1918 • A326, 6th Bn, British Army, Biefvillers, France, August 1918 • A347 ‘Firefly’, B Coy, 6th Bn, Tank Corps, British Army, Amiens, August 1918 • A378, Irish Civil War, Dublin, January 1919 • Repair 111, Lieu-Saint-Amand Training Ground, 17th Army, September 1918 • 53, Freikorps, Berlin, 1919 • A322, ‘Stenka Razin’, 1st Red Russian Tk Det, Red Army, 1920 • A358 ‘Stepnya’, 2nd Tk Pl, White Army, September 1920
links, supplied as click-together items, were simple to construct, and both sides were completed in less than 30 minutes.
Canine colouring As there is currently a fad for the black and white pre-shading technique, it was decided to attempt this painting process here. The thought was the upper Although hatches could be opened, the interior was almost devoid of detail; here the engine cover and turret sides have been attached. The petrol tank was left off to aid painting.
structure’s angled armour plates would be a prime candidate for this system. Tamiya TS-29 Semi-Gloss Black was applied directly from an aerosol as a precursor, and once dry, X-1 White was airbrushed onto the centre of panels and any horizontal surfaces, which created highlights– but it was constantly born in mind that the aim was to accentuate the effects of natural light on the vehicle. Note the lower parts of the hull received little or no white at all. At this stage, the model looked rather stark; however, this was precisely the point, as the contrast would be muted during the later stages of top-coating and weathering. In preparation for the latter, a dark red-brown acrylic mix was airbrushed on the lower hull. Next was to add a rather bright green tone, made from a combination of XF-3
Flat Yellow and XF-13 JA Green. This would provide interesting modulation in preparation for light applications of XF-58 Olive Green, taking care to limit coverage to allow the underlying black/white/green to remain visible. In all fairness, the hue should possibly have been more Olive Drab to be correct, but in the end the finish tended towards the brighter side of drab green. Most Whippets had white-redwhite identification markings on the rear of the running gear. As
these weren’t supplied as decals by Takom, they had to be painted, and although it may have been easier to apply white first, then red, on this occasion the process was reversed. This was because masking was easier to achieve over the surface detailing this way round. The finish wasn’t perfect, with a slight overspray in places, but weathering would take care of this. The tracks were mounted on a box for easier handling during the painting process. As they would
A neat PE fret was supplied, which furnished retaining straps and a small weather board on the turret top, in addition to handles.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD Mk.A WHIPPET
After black primer, the two-tone shading process was completed with white, which was kept to the middle and upper parts of the armour panels.
Weathering preparation began with a redbrown treatment around the running gear, before a lime green mixture of XF-3 Flat Yellow and XF-13 JA Green was applied as a modulation filter for the next stage.
The exhausts and grousers were mounted on a large matchbox with tape, before they were airbrushed in brown and black to replicate rust tones.
The top-coat was sprayed in several light layers, ensuring the underlying tones were still visible; the chosen colour for this was XF-58 Olive Green.
be on a war-weary vehicle, they received XF-10 Flat Brown and XF-63 German Grey to simulate a patch, rusted surface. Attention then turned to decals, and these were applied after a short dunking in tepid water. A small amount of Microscale Micro Sol and Set were needed to help them conform to the heavily riveted surfaces, but ultimately, all appeared to be satisfactory.
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Once the markings had dried, the model was wiped to remove excess decal adhesive and any annoying fingerprints. The Whippet then received a coat of Alclad ALC-600 Aqua Gloss acrylic varnish to seal the underlying work, and prepare the surface for weathering.
Accessorising The kit was supplied with track grousers (wooden on the real
vehicle), as well as large storage boxes, usually located behind the cab section, and the latter cried out to be filled with equipment and tools. Armed with ICM’s WWI
British Infantry Weapon and Equipment Set (35683), British WWI-style Boxes and Crates from MR Modellbau (35520) and a towing cable (ER-3517) from EurekaXXL, enlivening of the Whippet began. Two tarpaulins were crafted from aluminium foil–one was folded over the driving compartment, and the other served as a stowage cover
INTERMEDIATE BUILD Mk.A WHIPPET
“TRACK-LINKS, SUPPLIED AS ‘CLICK-TOGETHER’ ITEMS, WERE SIMPLE TO CONSTRUCT”
(partly so the entire container needn’t be filled with accessories). The boxes were filled with crates and petrol cans, while the included grousers were distributed on and around the cab. A towing cable was then folded into place on the side of the tank, on small PE hooks. Most of the additions were sprayed with acrylics and then finished with oil colours. The aluminium tarpaulins had to be handled with care, as the paint was easily chipped from the shiny surface. To make the equipment match the battered condition of the tank, most were fixed prior to the weathering stage.
Something about the Whippet’s unusual shape demanded heavy mud treatment. This however, was an effect that must be built in stages, with the first step being an obligatory wash. A mixture of Winsor & Newton Raw and Burnt Umber oils was diluted liberally with white spirit, before being applied to the entire tank. This
was removed in certain places, and enhanced in others, with the intended effect of muting the stark green tone, while highlighting fine surface detail. Once this treatment had dried, a series of mud streaks were placed on the hull sides, especially on the dirt chutes. The effect was achieved by dragging a moistened brush over one or more oil paint dots, with the trick being to not use too wet a brush, and to feather the effect in its natural direction. This was followed by more pin washes, whereby various pigments and oil colours were employed to create variations of dust, dirt and machinery residue. At this stage, paint chipping and scratches were added. The areas around the crew compartment received special attention here, and the step behind the cab was treated with a small sponge
Similarly, the completed track sections were wound around a larger box before they too received muted brown shades.
The usual process for creating the identification marks was reversed, due to difficulties in masking.
Layers of gloop
To add further interest, extra equipment, tools and stowage were added to the exterior, ranging from scratch-built tarpaulins to spare parts from other builds. Weathering started once the accessories were painted and mostly in place. The first stage was a liberal wash of Umber and Burnt Umber oil colours.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD Mk.A WHIPPET
Pin washes constituted the second phase of weathering. At the same time, paint chips and rust patches were created, along with mud streaking on the dirt chutes.
Mud and gravel effects were created with a homemade oil paint and plaster mix; by varying the consistency, dried and damp areas were formed on the hull and running gear.
and dark grey paint. This was later washed with rust pigments and dirt to blend it with the rest of the tank. With this foundation in place, it was time to take the plunge with more serious mud and earth effects…quite a daunting task. Why run the risk of ruining a perfectly good finish? But the results would be well worth the effort. A mud blend was made from oil colours and a measure of plaster powder to thicken it slightly. This mix was then distributed over the lower areas of the hull, with an old stiff brush. Initially, the effect looked out of place, and while this may have raised concerns, the way forward was simply to persevere.
few smaller items to mount, along with minor touch-ups, before the model was finished.
After two sessions with mud and subsequent washes, the tank started to look very muddy indeed, with a combination of damp and dry patches evident. This was the desired effect, which could only be achieved over several treatments, gradually building the layers. As a final touch, splashes of dry mud were created with a stiff brush filled with loose pigments, flicked through the fingers. The tracks were installed once most of the weathering was in place, and they were then blended with the rest of the vehicle, receiving a similar treatment of mud and washes. After they’d been completed, there were just a
“THE WHIPPET’S UNUSUAL SHAPE DEMANDED HEAVY MUD TREATMENT”
For Whippet walk-round photos, visit: airfixmodelworld.com
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Crossing the line This was a thoroughly enjoyable build, with very few hitches or pitfalls. While it may have felt occasionally that the subassemblies had relatively high part-counts, the fit was spot on. However, testing how components joined (before glue was committed), and using subsequent parts as guides to ensure everything aligned correctly, was vital. Takom’s by now de rigueur snap-fit tracks were a boon, and made a potentially arduous task a
piece of cake…and took less than half an hour. Should one pick a difficult element, it would probably be the many road wheels and the need to keep these separate prior to installation. Painting and weathering was also satisfying on many levels. The angled bodywork was ideal for a trial of black-and-white preshading. It also provided a great canvas for a heavy mud and dirt treatment, and accessorising could lend further realism if desired. This is recommended highly to all armour fans, especially those in the mood for a smooth build of one of the first ❚ truly mobile assault tanks.
IN FOCUS NORWEGIAN NORTHROPS
A formation of Northrops over Iceland in summer 1941. While these aircraft carry RAF roundels and fin flashes, they still retain their original Norwegian serial numbers. Note also the small Norwegian flag on the fuselage. (Conrad Skjoldhammer via Northrop)
W
Long missions over the North-Atlantic in mid-winter, in small single-engined floatplanes operating from isolated bases. These were the demanding sorties of Norwegian N-3PB crews, as recounted by Bjorn Olsen
N-3PB No. 1 on a test flight from Lake Elsinore in California. The aircraft later served with 330 (N) Squadron in Iceland and went missing on April 25, 1942. No trace of the aircraft or crew was ever found. (via Bjørn Olsen)
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ith World War Two into its seventh month, the Norwegian Government signed a final contract for 24 N-3PB patrol bombers with the newly established Northrop aircraft company in Hawthorne, California, on March 12, 1940. The high-performance machines were purchased for operations along the Norwegian coastline with the country’s Naval Air Force, operating from sheltered harbours. Fortunately, the original design was modified and strengthened considerably at the drawing-board stage by Captain Kristian Østby, a naval pilot and aircraft designer, and a member of the purchasing commission. Eventually, Norway became sole customer for the N-3PB. Even if both Australia and New Zealand expressed an interest in the aircraft, they were unable to obtain the engines and no further orders for the type materialised. Just after the order had been signed, on April 9, Norway was invaded by the Germans. Following a two-month campaign, the King and Government evacuated to Britain to continue the fight from there. The service of the Northrops (as they were always called) was offered to the British authorities which, in November 1940, accepted the establishment of a Norwegian unit equipped
IN FOCUS NORWEGIAN NORTHROPS
with these aircraft, in Iceland. Somewhat disappointing for the independently minded Norwegians, the squadron operated within RAF Coastal Command and carried RAF markings, but on April 25, 1941 it was officially established as 330 (Norwegian) Squadron. Britain had occupied Iceland in May the previous year to prevent German interference, and Coastal Command squadrons on the island formed a combined Iceland Command, along with aircraft from the Fleet Air Arm (FAA).
Training in Canada Northrop completed the first aircraft nine months after the contract was signed, and testing from Lake Elsinore, further inland from Hawthorne, began. To prepare for Icelandic operations, six aircraft were destined for the Free Norwegian training camp ‘Little Norway’ established in Toronto, Canada. However, by the time they were ready for delivery, Lake Ontario had frozen and so instead they were sent to Jericho Bay near Vancouver. The first course of student pilots began their elementary training with Toronto Flying Club in September 1940, flew Stinson Reliant floatplanes from Little Norway later, and then finally came to Vancouver for advanced instruction on the type they were to operate in Iceland. The Northrops proved a handful, and sadly two aircraft and four men were lost in crashes there, before GS-U, seen here with C Flight at Budareyri in 1942, is now preserved at Gardermoen in Norway as the sole existing Northrop N-3PB. (Olaf Reed Olsen)
Northrop GS-F undergoing maintenance at Corbett Camp, Reykjavik, in summer 1941. (via Bjørn Olsen)
the remaining four machines were transferred to Toronto in AprilMay 1941. A happier experience for the Norwegians was that they proved very popular with Canadian girls. One student, Bredo ThurmannNielsen, told this writer: “They often nurtured the rather romantic notion that we’d escaped from Nazi-occupied Norway, by skiing across the frozen North Sea! To be honest, we did little to dissuade them”, he added. Student pilots in the second and third courses followed much the same procedure as the first, with added formation and aerobatic training on Fairchild There is plenty of detail for modellers in this photo of student pilot John Buer, posing on a Northrop in Little Norway. Buer eventually flew Northrops and Sunderlands on operations and won the DFC, as well as Norwegian decorations. (via Bjørn Olsen)
PT-19s before they began flying Northrops. Simultaneously, navigators, wireless operators and groundcrew also received their training in Canada. On June 20, a third Northrop and its crew of two were lost when it crashed into a ferry serving the channel between Toronto city and its Island Airport. In October, the remaining three Northrops went into storage until being sent to Iceland in March 1941.
Island life By late March 1941 all 24 aircraft had been completed and the remaining 18 were ready for shipment to Iceland. They were first sent by rail to New York, then hoisted aboard the www.airfixmodelworld.com 65
IN FOCUS NORWEGIAN NORTHROPS
The three Northrops in Little Norway, Toronto. Nos 2 and 4 later served operationally in Iceland. (via Bjørn Olsen)
Norwegian freighter Fjordheim along with spare engines and other equipment, as well as depth charges and ammunition. Further cargo was taken on board in Halifax, Canada, before the ship set out for Iceland. Shipping all aircraft and equipment on one keel was taking a considerable risk, but the journey went well and Fjordheim arrived in Reykjavik safely on May 19. Iceland was of great strategic importance to the Allies, which is why it was occupied by British forces on May 10, 1940. U-boats operated far out into the Atlantic, and Allied merchant shipping began to suffer crippling losses. Consequently, naval and air bases were established on the island for operations in northern areas. Ships coming from Canada and the US bound for Britain, and from late 1941 also Russia, used Hvalfjord as a base. Protection of this facility, and later the arctic convoys
between Iceland and Murmansk, were among 330 (N) Squadron’s main tasks. The unit was split into three flights; A Flight at Reykjavik, in the so-called Corbett Camp, used formerly by 701 Squadron FAA with its Supermarine Walrus amphibians. B Flight went north to Akureyri, Iceland’s second biggest town, and established Camp Valhalla there, while C Flight found itself at Budareyri, a remote fishing village on the east coast and a place with numerous nicknames, few of which can be repeated here! Conditions were raw. Bad weather was the rule rather than the exception, intense cold made maintenance a nightmare, and uninsulated Nissen huts provided little comfort in offduty hours; the locals were often just as cold as the climate, since the Norwegians were considered part of an occupying force.
Summer debut The first operational flight was undertaken on June 23, and from then on the squadron was in continuous action. Not long after came the first loss, when a Northrop failed to return from a training sortie on July 30. The first, but unfortunately unsuccessful, attack on a U-Boat took place on August 27. The squadron was manned mainly by naval personnel, some of which were experienced aircrew from the pre-war years. Others were wartime volunteers, who came from Canada with often as little as 25 hours’ solo flying time before being sent on operations (after brief local training). One such was young Bredo Thurmann-Nielsen, who ended his wartime career with a Distinguished Flying Cross and several Norwegian decorations. Another was Oluf Reed Olsen who, after flying Northrops from
This colourised photo shows Northrop’s test pilot Vance Breese taking off from Lake Elsinore in the first aircraft. The lake gave technicians and test pilots smooth water, and a relatively uncrowded location to conduct the trials. (Roy L Wolford/Northrop)
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Iceland, transferred to the Secret Intelligence Service and operated as a radio agent in his occupied homeland, dicing with death almost every day. Usually, Northrops carried a crew of three; pilot, navigator and wireless operator/air gunner. For up to six hours over hostile waters, often in atrocious weather and without de-icing equipment, they were dependent upon their single Wright Cyclone R-1820G205A engine and equally, much upon the unimaginably hard and punishing work of the groundcrew in servicing and maintaining the aircraft. The soundness of Capt Østby’s modifications now became apparent, but maintenance still proved a major challenge. That serviceability was mostly above 70%, testifies to the efficiency and spirit of the groundcrew working in often primitive conditions. Their operational area covered most of the ocean around Iceland, with B Flight patrolling the Denmark Strait, hunting German warships on their way to raid Allied shipping. C Flight was well placed to cover the passage between Iceland and the Faroes, where longrange Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft appeared frequently. From Reykjavik, A Flight escorted convoys along the west coast and into the Denmark Strait.
A lucky miss Petty Officer Hans Holdø and his crew were involved in an episode that has cemented itself in combat history, while flying Northrop GS-U on August 28, 1942. They took off from Reykjavik at 5.15am for
IN FOCUS NORWEGIAN NORTHROPS
Running the engine of a Northrop on a slipway at Akureyri. (Bredo Thurmann-Nielsen)
the air…20 minutes more than the Northrop’s advertised endurance. This was not Holdø’s day! He was, however, commended for his aggressiveness in a signal received from C-in-C Royal Navy in Iceland: “It is such fighting spirit we need to win this war.”
Summing up
a patrol and exactly 100 minutes later, Holdø spotted a U-Boat. Close by lay a British destroyer and several smaller vessels, and Holdø naturally believed the German was preparing for a dawn attack on the convoy. He put his Northrop into a screaming dive, aiming for the U-Boat’s conning tower, and his two depth charges fell so close they almost lifted the boat out of the water. Preparing for a second attack, the Norwegians suddenly noticed the British destroyer signalling for all it was worth: “Do not drop more depth charges. The U-Boat has surrendered. Will take care of her”. It was U-570, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Hans Rahmlow, which after being damaged the previous day by bombs from a 269 Squadron Lockheed Hudson, was now surrounded by several British ships. What the Norwegian crew did not realise, was that they had been in great danger themselves. They made no reply to recognition signals from HM Trawler Northern Chief so the latter opened fire, stopping just when they saw the aircraft’s markings. Resuming his patrol, Holdø spotted another U-Boat at 8.06am, raked it with machine gun fire and dropped his last depth charge, without visible results. On the return flight, a faulty compass sent them halfway to Greenland before the error was discovered, and finally bad weather forced him to make an emergency landing away from base with dry petrol tanks, after seven hours and 20 minutes in
Final preparations for take-off with GS-K in Akureyri. Modellers should note the details and layout of the dedicated beaching gear. (Bredo Thurmann-Nielsen)
During its time in Iceland, 330 (N) Squadron flew a total of 1,041 operational sorties; 1,011 by Northrops and the rest by Catalina IIIs also serving with the squadron from July-November 1942. Of these, 379 were convoy protection patrols, 246 antisubmarine sweeps and 250 reconnaissance sorties, with additional army co-operation and other non-operational flights which could occasionally turn out to be far from routine. Indeed, after US forces had assumed the defence of Icelandic airspace from July 1941, they nearly shot down several Northrops during army co-operation exercises or non-operational flights. The Norwegians also carried out at least 18 ambulance missions, which had the side effect of easing relations somewhat between them and the Icelanders. Fifteen U-Boats were spotted, nine attacked and seven claimed damaged. Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor, Blohm & Voss Bv 138 and Junkers Ju 88 aircraft were also encountered and attacked; the Northrop’s four wing-mounted .50 cal guns packed quite a punch. Two additional .30 cal flexible machine guns were carried for protection. When Bredo Thurmann-
Flying long hours over the North Atlantic in winter was hardly a task to be envied. Here, a Northrop prepares for another patrol. Note that in this photo, from late 1942 C-type roundels replaced the older versions and the squadron code has disappeared, in accordance with RAF Coastal Command practice. Just the individual aircraft letter G remains, although it’s almost invisible here. (via Bjørn Olsen) www.airfixmodelworld.com 67
IN FOCUS NORWEGIAN NORTHROPS
Investigations showed that although conditions were difficult, recovery was possible. More parties became involved, and after demanding diving and recovery work, what remained of the N-3PB broke surface in mid-August 1979. It was then transported to Northrop in Hawthorne, where volunteers logged more than 150,000 hours of unpaid work, in a truly amazing effort to restore the aircraft. On November 10, 1980, it was rolled out to a stunned audience. The Northrop arrived in Norway in 1982 and is
GS-V, here seen at Akureyri, had been used for training in Canada before it went to Iceland. Stored for a while, it was assembled in April 1942, but written off after a crash seven months later. (Northrop)
Nielsen’s crew attacked a Condor on July 23, 1941, in the first of his three air actions, the German became one of eight enemy aircraft credited to the squadron as damaged. But it was a far from one-sided war. Ten Northrops, two Catalinas and 21 men were lost in combat. Thurmann-Nielsen recalled why Northrop crews carried parachutes on operations: “They were to sit on. Nobody would have jumped. If we came down in the ocean, we would only have survived for a few minutes anyway. So why prolong the ordeal by first bailing out?”
End of Icelandic ops Wear and tear on the Northrops was considerable, and on December 1, 1942, A and B Flights ceased flying from Icelandic bases; 330 (N) Squadron reformed at Oban in Scotland, receiving its first Short Sunderland II in February 1943. C Flight was left to fly Northrops until April 5, 1943, resorting to cannibalising grounded aircraft to keep others in the air. When they too ceased operations, most remaining Northrops were scrapped. Just two N-3PBs were finally flown to Norway after the war’s end. By the mid-1950s, both had been scrapped unceremoniously. Miraculously, though, another Northrop surfaced, literally, approximately 25 years later. On April 21, 1943, Lieutenant 68
Airfix Model World
WW Bulukin and Petty Officer Leif Rustad took off from Budareyri in aircraft U-20, the same flown by Holdø in the infamous attack on U-570. Their destination was Reykjavik, where the Northrop faced being scrapped. They encountered bad weather en route, which worsened until they could continue no further, so Bulukin had to land on the glacial river Thjorsa, where the aircraft sank in approximately 6ft (1.8m) of water. The two on board were unhurt and swam ashore, but the airframe was soon forgotten...almost, that is. Contact between Icelandic and
U-20 when recovered in August 1979. After 36 years under water, a strange mix of markings were evident; the original serial number 20 combined with a C-type RAF roundel. (Northrop)
Norwegian aviation historical societies in the mid-1970s, led to involvement by the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum and Northrop Corporation, and eventually it was decided to try to recover this unique aircraft.
now on permanent display in the Norwegian Armed Forces Aircraft Collection at Gardermoen, north ❚ of Oslo. *With Special thanks to Bjørn Hafsten On display in the Gardermoen museum January 2016. (Bjørn Olsen)
IPMS F_P.indd 1
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD NORTHROP N-3PB
FLOATPLANE IN Massimo Santarossa tackles the limited-run traits of Special Hobby’s N-3PB…with pleasing results
T
he question has been asked in more than one quarter…is Special Hobby a mainstream or limited-run kit manufacturer? An argument can be made for both. Recent products from this Czech producer rank along side the best kits the market has to offer.
Its 1/72 Mirage F.1 is a treat to behold and the 1/32 Tempest V is creating a buzz in many corners of the modelling community. The same cannot be said of some of the company’s other older kits; arguably, examples such as the 1/72 Grumman F3F and Northrop Nomad fall squarely
The interior of the kit was basic, but what was there could be highlighted with a wash for depth, and dry-brushing for highlights.
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Main interior parts: there wasn’t much to shout about, but the inclusion of PE belts added much to the appearance of the seats.
Due to the thickness of the parts and a lack of positive location points, marrying everything was a tricky affair.
INTERMEDIATE BUILD NORTHROP N-3PB The rear hatch was designed to be displayed open, but in posing it closed, a shim of styrene was needed as the hatch itself was undersized, and too small to meet its opening.
Here, the floats were tacked in place with white glue to check their alignment. Fiveminute epoxy would later secure them permanently. A cotton swab dipped in Tamiya lacquer thinner was used to wipe away excess Mr. Surfacer. Note the putty needed along the bottom edge of the float.
MODEL SPEC
Water rudders came in PE form, but the control horns had to be replaced with plastic as they were too thin to be drilled without damage.
The tops of the float pylons were shimmed with sheet styrene, and then sanded to achieve the correct mounting angle.
Northrop N-3PB ‘Little Norway Service’ By:
Special Hobby
Stock Code:
72299
Scale:
1/72
Price:
€20
Available from: www.cmkkits.com
into the limited-run category, with oversized interior parts and buttjoin construction. Regardless of the provenance, Special Hobby offers unique kits, all of which are buildable. Perhaps, as with many such things, each model must be judged on its own, even if it comes from the same
‘house’. In the case of Special Hobby’s 1/72 Northrop N-3PB, I personally feel it’s a traditional limited-run experience all the way. The plastic features finely engraved panel lines along with excellent clear parts, though there are no locating pins, small pieces are over-scaled, and various components must be neatened considerably before assembly.
Launch time Construction started naturally enough with the aircraft interior. A decent array of detail was
provided considering the scale, however, the parts do not simply fall together. Several components were thick and locating points were either non-existent or very faint. The resulting butt-joins made assembly tricky, as sometimes three hands were needed to hold everything together long enough for the glue to dry. This would have implications later when it was time to close the fuselage, as filing and adjusting the interior parts would be necessary for the halves to mate properly. The seats of an aircraft, even
in smaller scales, always attract the eye so it was handy that photo-etched (PE) metal belts were supplied. The whole interior received US Interior Green, with various small parts being picked out in other appropriate detail colours. Once gloss-coated, an oil wash helped add depth to the structural detail, while drybrushing with lightened shades of the base colour, and metallic paint, completed the weathering process. The main wings came in three parts; two upper and one lower, stretching from wingtip to
“WATER RUDDERS CAME IN PE FORM”
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD NORTHROP N-3PB
DRILL TEAM
Most people will not notice if the openings in a model have been drilled, but they do stand out if they’re left in solid plastic. Here are some simple improvements that will pay dividends: the carburettor and oil cooler intakes (1 and 2), exhaust (3) and the gun ports (5 – these were enhanced further with hypodermic needles for the barrels). The kit’s PE float tie-downs were rather two-dimensional, so they were replaced with new versions fashioned from brass wire (5).
1
2 3
Peewit pre-cut masks eased the task of preparing the canopy for paint. They fitted perfectly and left no nasty adhesive when removed, as some masking agents can.
4
5
wingtip. Experience has shown that assembling the wings first, then attaching them to the fuselage, can result in gaps at the wing root if any misalignment or moulding errors are present. As such, the bottom wing was glued to the airframe first, the unglued upper wings being employed purely to set the alignment along the wing root and wing join fairing. Later, when the upper halves were secured, a small step resulted at the wing tips, which was easily made good with a sanding stick.
No wheels The N-3PB was designed as a patrol/torpedo bomber floatplane, so it did not have landing gear, thus making assembly easier. What it did have was a pair of large floats,
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and although they had fewer parts than conventional landing gear, they did require attention. Whereas the airframe went together without the use of putty, the floats did not. Mr. Surfacer was used to fill the step along the lower edge of the floats, as the bottom part was narrower than the upper. It was also employed to help fill the gap around the base of the pylon, where it mounted to the float. However, all this was more time-consuming than difficult, and posed no real problem. Trickier, though, was mounting the floats at the correct angle. Unlike other floatplanes, the pylons on the Northrop were not vertical to the wing, but canted outwards, which normally would not be an issue…but for the fact that the tops
INTERMEDIATE BUILD NORTHROP N-3PB
“PRE-CUT MASKS EASED THE TASK OF PREPARING THE CANOPY FOR PAINT” of the pylons were not moulded taking this into account. To remedy the situation, a sheet styrene shim was glued to the top of the pylon, which was then sanded to the correct angle. Drawings included in the instructions provided a good appreciation of how this should look. Final installation of the floats was left until after all painting had been completed.
Who needs decals? As with so many aircraft of this era, the N-3PB had an expansive ‘greenhouse’ canopy, which for some modellers can be a real pain to mask. Thankfully, help is available from Czech Republicbased aftermarket producer Peewit, which makes a set of dedicated pre-cut masks that are a real treat. With this task
accomplished, it was then time to press the airbrush into service. Norwegian national markings of this era were unique, in that they wrapped the leading edges of the wings and bottom of the tail, and they consisted of straight lines. Since painted markings always look better than their decal counterparts, it was an easy decision to go with the former
method. With insignia protected under tape, the Temperate Sea Scheme of Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey over Sky (all Model Master) was applied. As is the norm, this process started with the underside Sky which, when cured, was masked for the upper colours. Dark Slate Grey was applied first, followed by Extra Dark Sea Grey, the two
After each base colour was sprayed, a highly thinned, lightened version was applied to start the weathering process.
Masking for the national insignia was made easy by the fact they were simply a collection of straight lines, so all three colours were applied in quick succession.
Removing all the masking revealed the Temperate Sea Scheme. Any minor touch-ups were then carried out, along with painting the wing walks.
An oil wash mix of Raw Umber with a touch of Lamp Black (diluted with odourless Turpenoid) was then applied to the panel lines.
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INTERMEDIATE BUILD NORTHROP N-3PB
Via silver Prismacolour pencil, and a sponge dipped in metallic paint, chipping was added to the airframe to give it a well-worn look.
Painting small items, such as navigation lights, requires a small brush. In this case, a sharpened cocktail stick proved to be the ideal tool for just such a task.
Once the oils ‘looked’ to be dry, after about an hour, all excess was wiped away with a dry cloth. This left the oils in the panel lines and a pleasing patina around them. The controls for the water rudders were replicated with black quilting thread. The runs were installed into holes drilled previously in the floats, then passed through the control horns.
Fitting the rear fuselage windows proved more finicky than it was worth; the simple and effective solution of filling them with Krystal Klear was employed.
colours being separated with a soft-edged mask. Fading of the paint was done immediately after each base shade was sprayed, by using a lightened version of paint and randomly highlighting areas of the airframe; paying attention to fabric-covered control surfaces, as they tended to fade faster than the rest of the aircraft. After the model was sealed with several coats of gloss varnish, the four remaining decals were applied. Aircraft ‘White 4’ was
chosen, if for no other reason than it was the only option included where the crew was not lost. After another layer of gloss, the panel lines were accentuated with oil wash. It was decided to keep the model’s overall weathering somewhat restrained, showing just enough wear to be realistic, but not overly garish. With everything under a matt coat, the final few delicate bits could be added. In the case of the floats, these were butt-joined to
the bottom of the wing, as the previous sanding had obliterated what locating pins had been there. To ensure the longevity of the join, two-part epoxy was the adhesive of choice. Not only would this provide overall strength, but the slower setting time would allow minor adjustment to get them in the correct position.
Fun on floats The final replica was well worth the effort, and built
into a pleasing representation of Northrop's singular and characterful floatplane design. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the kit lacked some of the features many of us come to expect from a mainstream manufacturer. However, it is still highly buildable by anyone with average modelling experience, and may very well whet the appetite for some to tackle more of Special Hobby’s older, if more ❚ challenging items.
“CHIPPING WAS ADDED TO THE AIRFRAME TO GIVE IT A WELLWORN LOOK” 74
Airfix Model World
HISTORY • REFERENCE PHOTOS • COLOUR PROFILES Key Publishing’s first reference book in the new Combat Machines series is a detailed 84-page study of the famous B-17G bomber, timed perfectly for the release of Airfix’s new 1/72 kit of the type. Written by Malcolm V Lowe, the development and history of the B-17G, including its post-war service are covered in full with rare black and white (and colour) photos, more than 30 specially commissioned colour profiles, a two-page cutaway drawing and walk-round images of a restored aircraft. This is a vital research and reference tool for modellers and aviation enthusiasts alike, and seeks to correct erroneous information published in other books. Besides offering useful material about the aircraft itself, Combat Machines B-17G also explores the flight crews, their clothing and Medal of Honor awards, as well as missions flown by the RAF and USAAF’s numbered air forces.
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ON THE SHELF BOOKS
BUILDING AND WEATHERING
Airplanes in Scale, The Greatest Guide Vol.2: Jets By: Javier López de Anca ISBN: 978-8-495464-82-8 Price: €38 Format: 290 x 210mm Web: www.euromodelismo.com Modellers are increasingly well served with step-by-step guides, but thankfully, there is a broad range of skill levels and genres to address. This is Acción Press’ second volume (the first dealt with World
War Two subjects), and is devoted to jet-powered aircraft. There are seven builds, each depicted in meticulous detail and accompanied by comprehensive notes. In general, the photography is excellent, and the clarity goes a long way to explaining the various techniques and processes; although those portraying movement don’t translate well. Types covered include the MiG-21, Harrier GR.7, Su-33 and F-14A, and an informative section on improving the engine in Great Wall Hobby’s MiG-29. The final pages provide a combined summary and index of techniques, also acting as a handy quickreference guide. At first glance, this Airplanes in Scale product is aimed at the more experienced modeller, due to the heavy use of aftermarket products and advanced techniques, notably those favouring the ‘Spanish School’ of weathering. On reflection, the fulsome explanations of these processes also make it applicable for less-experienced modellers seeking to ‘up their game’, and perhaps sets it apart from the seeming multitude of other ‘how-to’ publications. SF 160 pages
FURY MONOPLANE
Hawker Hurricane By: Marek Ryś ISBN: 978-83-63678-88-3 Price: £25 Format: 305 x 216mm Web: www.mmpbooks.biz As with the Spitfire, one could be forgiven for wondering if there’s any need for another book on the Hurricane. The answer is yes… because other titles go out of print, information gets updated and designs/artwork can be
200 pages
changed to offer something fresh. There’s a pleasing mix of content in this new hardback; a potted two-page history introduction eases the reader into the versions chapter, which examines each variant. This first look, thankfully, explores fabric and woodenwinged examples of the Mk.I and supplies good-quality 1/72 drawings and period photos. The official and unofficial Mk.I Variations section is revealing as it investigates aircraft such as the Mk.I (Trop), Tac R.Mk.I and PR Mk.I. Copious colour profiles and plan views give a good appreciation of the Hurricane’s appearance throughout its career, and some of the illustrations are inspiring, such as the all-red 247 Squadron Mk.I P2992, and the South African Air Force Mk.X in aluminium dope and red/blue fuselage band. Foreign airframes are also shown, as well as Sea Hurricanes, and stats charts help one to understand the technicalities of the aircraft. Many close-up photos of museum exhibits round off a useful book, which is very good value. CC
WINGS OF THE BEAR
251 pages
Russia’s Warplanes Volume 2 By: Piotr Butowski ISBN: 978-0-9973092-0-1 Price: £34.99 Format: 280 x 211mm Web: www.casematepublishers.co.uk Last year we reviewed the first volume of Russia’s Warplanes and were suitably impressed. Now, the second instalment under the Harpia imprint is available, completing the focus. This time, Piotr Butowski describes long-range bombers, trainers, maritime aircraft, helicopters, strategic tankers and transports. The same style is followed, but in a quest for accuracy, an extensive addenda updates Volume 1. It’s then a case of exploring each type in turn, and here the text is concise and the images are generally clear and helpful; most are of whole aircraft, although some close-ups do feature where appropriate. A useful approach is that the various sub-types of each aircraft are investigated, and their idiosyncrasies duly imparted. Another satisfying aspect is
MOONSHOT MUSCLE
that not all types are depicted in Russian guise…examples being the Mi-14PL Haze in attractive Ukrainian livery; even more useful for modellers in terms of variety. Some of the aircraft covered include the Tu-22M Backfire and Tu-160 Blackjack, Il-38 May, Il-76 Candid, Tu-142 Bear-F and Ka-27 Helix and, in several cases interior views are provided. This is an impressive technical and visual reference, and a worthy partner to the preceding book. CC 172 pages
NASA Saturn V 1967-1973 (Apollo 4 to Apollo 17 & Skylab) By: W David Woods ISBN: 978-0-85733-828-0 Price: £22.99 Format: 276 x 214mm Web: www.haynes.co.uk The number of modellers who’ve built Airfix’s Saturn V rocket must be legion, since the kit’s release in 1970. Many of us assembled it quickly when young, keen to play out our own missions. Serious ‘real space’ enthusiasts, though, know the inaccuracies (even with the improved re-release) and will be keen to ensure total authenticity; this new Owners’ Workshop Manual will help tremendously in that goal. Appropriately, the book opens by focusing on the rockets that had gone before, such as Redstone and Jupiter, to set the scene. While the Cold War raged, a new battle between the Soviet Union and the West had both sides pitching to get to the Moon, and the developments of this are told here. The winning content, arguably, is that of the superb photos of the Saturn V’s different stages (and
official drawings), which show the intricacies of these sub-sections. A good example is the double-page image of the engine on the S-IVB stage. Unsurprisingly, the brutal F-1 main engines are explored in full, but Skylab also gets a look-in. This is, pardon the pun, a two-stage book, as on one hand it gives modellers vital visual detail. On the other, it does a fine job of describing the operational systems and how, from a technical perspective, this amazing machine made history in the most exciting and breathtaking manner. CC
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ON THE SHELF BOOKS
COMMANDERS AND MEDICS
Zelda M113 in IDF Service – Part 2 Command and Medevac By: Michael Mass and Adam O’Brien ISBN: 978-965-7700-04-4 Price: £26.99 Format: 279mm x 215mm Web: www.aviationbookcentre.com Desert Eagle’s IDF Armor Series benefits from both author and editor being avid modellers, and this factor is well evidenced in its second volume on the M113, or Zelda as it’s known in IDF service. Here the command (Pikud) and medevac (Pinuy) variants are
83 pages
featured in exhaustive detail, with each receiving equal attention, after a short introduction to the basic vehicle type (also featured in the earlier product). Extensive walk-round collections cover every aspect of these machines, including differing stowage (unit-specific configurations are notable) and add-on armour packages. The interior isn’t neglected, with plenty of information provided on colours and the arrangements of seating and equipment in the command variants, and the cramped space in which four stretchers are fitted in the medevac Zeldas. As always, most of the high-quality photographs (all in colour) depict vehicles in operational settings, capturing the various colour schemes, effects of weathering in differing environments, and overall abuse suffered due to wear and tear…and the occasional bumps with terrain/vegetation/other vehicles. Desert Eagle continues to cement its reputation as the go-to reference for those modelling Israeli armour, and this volume is dedicated to the late Major General Moshe ‘Musa’ Peled, one of the pioneers of the IDF Armored Corps. SF
CAMM’S CLASSIC IN COMBAT
World War II Soviet Field Weapons and Equipment By: Keith Ward ISBN: 978-1-909384-99-6 Price: £25 Format: 297 x 210mm Web: casematepublishers.co.uk Modellers interested in World War Two-era Soviet equipment would be well advised to buy this data file, as it covers the full range of weaponry and support vehicles. Sub-divided into ten sections, it starts with the individual soldier and his/her small arms and personal equipment, before
153 pages
progressing to larger section-level items (such as anti-tank weapons and heavy machine guns), and then onto the more well-known armour and artillery. The imagery is digital throughout, which allows the author the flexibility to highlight basic ammunition types and even how weapons were disassembled for cleaning. Neat features include how artillery shells were marked and labelled, and there are cutaways of mines to illustrate how they were deployed and functioned. Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of examples of improvised mounts, whether on a vehicle or positioned on a stack of bricks, which should offer much inspiration for diorama builders. The last few pages are a ‘what-if’ modeller’s dream, with Beutepanzers (Trophy tanks) and either field-modified or hypothetical anti-aircraft machines. It’s a shame the paper stock is of lesser quality than used for previous publications, as the otherwise excellent images appear slightly grainy. That aside, this is a great reference for World War Two Soviet kit. SF
64 pages
Hawker Hunters at War By: Tom Cooper & Patricia Salti ISBN: 978-1-911096-25-2 Price: £19.95 Format: A4 Web: casematepublishers.co.uk If anyone should be chosen to write about Middle East aviation it’s Tom Cooper, who has already done such a sterling job with his Arab MiGs series. Here, the author unpeels the intricacies of how the Hawker Hunter was secured for service by Iraq and Jordan. The journey was rocky, with politics, a coup, other-nation allegiances/ pressures, and competition from the US (at the time, keen to pitch sales of the F-86 and F-84), all hindering and expediting matters at different times. The Hunters in question are notable as they were the first of the type to enter combat, and as such they are arguably more interesting (not that peacetime Hunters were ever boring!); then there are the attractive markings that provide a refreshing alternative to RAF garb. Cooper’s softback book tells the
RED ARMY CORNUCOPIA
MILITARY BUILDS…SPANISH STYLE!
151 pages
Encyclopedia of Armour modelling techniques 1 By: Mig Jiménez, Diago Quijano ISBN: 978-84-944741-5-6 Price: €25 Format: A4 Web: www.migjimenez.com
full story of how these jets tussled with Israeli Mirages in the June 1967 War. There’s a pleasing mix of period photography, information tables (orders of battle etc), colour profiles and even a handful of modern-day images of Iraqi Hunters, albeit in a sorry state on a dump at the former Habbaniyah Air Base. With an engaging narrative, this is a must for any student of Arab aviation, with plenty of detail for modellers. CC
Having already found success with its multi-volume Encyclopedia of Aircraft Modelling, AMMO MIG has now adopted the same approach for armour. Volume 1 deals with construction and is divided into three distinct sections…Tools and Part Preparation, Assembly of Vehicle Interiors, and Exterior. If one thing elevates Mig Jimenez’ modelling books, it’s the quality photography, with great lighting and everything being pin-sharp and in focus. The trait is immediately evident here. The how-to imagery leaves nothing to the imagination, being clear and obvious, and both the expert and novice can learn much from this book. Working with (and detailing) engines, resin, photo-etched metal, scratch-building and battle damage are just some of the subjects covered, all in a highly visual manner. One thing the book
does reinforce is that there’s no real mystery to convincing and realistic modelling; give it enough time, patience and practice, and almost anything is possible. Those wavering in confidence about tackling certain techniques, should feel suitably buoyed and better armed after reading this very useful tutorial, which is also enlivened by photos of real military vehicles to give context. CC
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com 79
ON THE SHELF AIRCRAFT KITS
ANNIVERSARY HOG
A-10A/C Thunderbolt II By: Italeri Item no: 1376 Price: £15.99 Web: www.hobbyco.net Of all current 1/72 A-10s, Italeri’s is arguably the best, with engraved panel lines and a reasonable First Gulf War weapons fit. Its weak points are the pre-LASTE modifcation airframe and inaccurate nose, but in this 25th anniversary package, the former isn’t an issue…at least for two liveries. Italeri has supplied the necessary lumps and bumps for the A-10C upgrade, but omits the interim
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LASTE changes to the tails and nose. Note the tail markings and fuselage artwork is incorrect for the 74th TFS airframe during its 1991 deployment, while the 706th TFS example lacks the ladder door coalition flags motif. The four choices are: • A-10A, 80-186/EL, 74th TFS, 23rd TFW, King Fahd AB, 1991 • A-10A, 87-205/NO, 706th TFS AFRES, 23rd TFW, 1991 • A-10C, 82-661, 163rd FS 'Blacksnakes', Indiana ANG, 2012 • A-10C, 81-975, 107th FS ‘Red Devils’, Michigan ANG, Selfridge AB, 2012
FAR EASTERN WHAT-IF…
Ki-100 II and P-51H By: RS Models Item no: 92196 Price: €25 Web: www.rsmodels.cz RS Models has combined its delightful 1/72 Ki-100 and P-51H to produce a ‘what-if’ adversary combo. Both are basic kits, with two styrene runners each, but they have resin accoutrements: engine, exhaust and radiator on the former, and drop-tanks, wheels and small airframe fittings for the latter. There is flash on most parts, a consequence of their short-
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run nature, but assembly should be simple, with the resin adding refinement to the styrene. Interior detail is adequate, represented by integrally moulded features, while the exterior has fine engraving and rivets. A single notional scheme (for September 1945) is supplied for each, and the decal sheet also provides full airframe stencils and walkway lines: • P-51H, 464676/68 ‘Stinger VIII’, Iwo Jima • Ki-100 II, Red 62, 244th Sentai, Japan
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
DIAMOND TRAINERS
Kawasaki T-4 ‘JASDF 60th Anniversary Part 2’ By: Hasegawa Item no: 02142 Price: £34.99 Web: www.amerang.co.uk While getting the maximum from most of its moulds, Hasegawa derives inspiration from Japanese military units, and their anniversaries/commemorative events. This two-kit offering supplies attractive T-4 trainers with bespoke decals. Parts are unchanged from previous iterations, supplying fine engraving, a well-appointed
interior and crystal-clear canopies. Assembly is easy and would be ideal for any standard of modeller, with options for raised/lowered undercarriage and open/closed canopy. The markings may be slightly thick and have matt carrier film, but the colours are bright, boundaries pin-sharp and colour registration is perfect. Separate logos and Hinomarus are included for those preferring to mask and paint the red trim. The white and red/orange liveries from November 2014 are: • 06-5789, 13 FTW, Ashiya AB • 26-5806, 13 FTW, Ashita AB
CHARLIE-ROMEO RECCE
Mirage F.1CR By: Special Hobby Item no: SH72347 Price: €16.70 Web: www.cmkkits.com Special Hobby’s Mirage F.1 family arguably represents the company’s best 1/72 kit to date. Here, it’s released in fighter-recce format. The CR was one of the series’ most ubiquitous and participated in various conflicts, so one can make good use of the varied stores provided; these include ASTAC, RP-35P Cyclope, GBU-49, Barracuda and Barax ECM pods. The panel
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line engraving is crisp, there’s ample detail in the wheel bays, the airbrakes have convincing indents and alternative camera/sensor fairings are provided. Three schemes are provided, for desert-camouflaged aircraft and a traditional NATO green/grey over metallic airframe; one example wears a fierce-looking shark mouth: • 661/33-TA, ER 3/33 ‘Moselle’, Red Flag, Nellis AFB, 1990 • 603/33-NR, ER 2/33 ‘Savoie’, Reims, France, 1988 • 630/33-CY, ER 1/33 ‘Belfort’, France
ON THE SHELF AIRCRAFT KITS
COLD WAR CLASSIC
RB-66B Destroyer By: Italeri Item no: 1375 Price: £15.99 Web: www.hobbyco.net This kit was released as a B-66B in 1986, then an EB-66. Now, Italeri issues it as an RB-66B. The parts are typical of this manufacturer, with pleasing detail in many areas, although some panel line engraving is inconsistent. Notable features are the wheels and seats, but the cockpit in general is reasonable, especially when one considers many kits from Hasegawa still offer decals alone for instrument/switch detail; here, it’s
BASIC FLAT IRON
Gloster Javelin FAW Mk.7 By: Mistercraft Item no: 040260 Price: £6.99 Web: www.amerang Mistercraft’s Javelin is a re-boxing of ZTS Plastyk’s offering, and appears to be based on the Frog moulds, albeit with engraved detail and tweaked wings/ fuselage. While the detail is basic at best and clunky in many places, it’s currently the only FAW.7 kit available. This is ideal for novice modellers, as the plastic is thick and forgiving of most mishaps, and represents great
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moulded. The decal sheet is large, with rich colouring, and four aircraft are represented…although one (44542) is shown after conversion to EB-66E standard, with copious antennas. Italeri has repeated a scheme on its instructions, therefore omitting one in drawing form: • RB-66B, 30415, 4417th CCTS, 363rd TRW, Langley, Virginia, USA, 1969 • RB-66B, 40520, 1st TRS, 10th TRW, Spangdahlem, Germany, 1964 • RB-66B, 40543, 19th TRS, 10th TRW, Alconbury, UK, 1964 • EB-66E, 44542, 363rd TRW, Yokota, Japan, 1968 1/72
value. However, to overcome its deficiencies and turn it into a truly accurate Mk.7, much work is needed. Unfortunately, the four depicted schemes are strewn with errors; just two are actually FAW.7s (note the artwork for these is transposed), and according to references there was no Javelin with an XH858 serial: • FAW.9, XH893/V, 64 Sqn, Tengah, Hong Kong, 1967 • FAW.7, XH754, RAE Farnborough, 1964 • FAW.7, XH754, RAF Changi (TSR.2 Trials), 1961
SVENSK DOUBLE-DELTA
J-35J Draken ‘Swedish Air Force’ By: Hasegawa Item no: 51403 Price: £22.99 Web: www.amerang.co.uk This famous Japanese firm’s re-release juggernaut runs on unabated. This time it’s Hasegawa’s 1/72 Draken that gets the comeback treatment, but this is no bad thing as the kit’s peachy in general. Fine engraving is supported by well-moulded parts, notably the air intakes with very thin leading edges. In addition, the trademark flat fuselage is split into horizontal
halves, which also encompass the inboard wing sections; the outers are separate solid pieces. Missile rails are provided, but no actual armament…so the spares box and references must come into play here. Decals alone provide cockpit instrument detail. The two colour schemes are excellent and varied, offering the Dark Olive Green and Dark Blue over metallic livery (with yellow overwing swordfish artwork), plus later low-vis grey with large red wing numbers: • Yellow 62, Div.3/F10 • Red 39, Div.2/F10
GLAMOROUS GLENNIS
X-1 Mach Buster ProfiPACK By: Eduard Item no: 8079 Price: €29.95 Web: www.eduard.com Originally from 1997, Eduard’s kit depicting the X-1 (which broke the sound barrier and is forever associated with legendary test pilot ‘Chuck’ Yeager), seems a little pedestrian when compared to its more modern releases. Still, while the engraving and raised features are slightly ‘soapy’, it’s far from awful and a perfectly good model can be the result, especially with the provided resin wheels, and
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pre-coloured photo-etched metal for the cockpit. The latter includes three alternative instrument panels, and tape masks are also offered; useful, considering the type’s heavily framed canopy. The decals are well printed, and depict the X-1 at different stages of its groundbreaking career: • 46-062 ‘Glamorous Glennis’, Muroc Dry Lake Base, 1947 • 46-062 ‘Glamorous Glennis’, Edwards AFB, 1950 • 46-063, Muroc Dry Lake Base, late 1946 • 46-063, Edwards AFB, October 1947
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com 81
ON THE SHELF AIRCRAFT KITS
JOLLY ROGERS ‘JULIET’
F-4J Phantom II By: Revell Item no: 03941 Price: £13.50 Web: www.revell.de/en Now here’s an oldie but goodie. Monogram’s venerable F-4J makes a reappearance in a Revell box, and if one isn’t fussy about raised panel lines (here quite subtle), then it’s a respectable option given its age. One issue, though, is that of flash; this negative element has crept in on Revell releases of late, and it’s back again with this kit. Frustratingly, we’ve seen Monogram’s own original mouldings and they are flash-free!
Still, there is good engraved detail here and there (grilles under the air intakes, wheel and airbrake bays… and the cockpit is fair), but the exhaust nozzles are very basic and the slotted stabilator is rather underpronounced. Wings and centreline fuel tanks are offered, as well as Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles (separate rails for the latter) and Mk.82 Fuze Extenders. Triple ejector racks are moulded integrally with the inboard pylons. Just one colour scheme is given via a semi-mattfinish decal sheet: 155861/200/AE, VF-84 ‘Jolly Rogers’, August 1970
TWIN-TAILED KARAS
PZL P.42 By: Mirage Hobby Item no: 481320 Price: €36.86 Web: www.mirage-hobby.com.pl Mirage has already pleased many fans of Polish aircraft with its excellent PZL.23/43s. Now, it has cleverly added new parts to offer the PZL P.42 prototype… essentially a PZL.23 Karas, but with a twin tail and retractable belly machine gun gondola. Simple surgery (one saw cut on each fuselage half), allows the fitting
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of the new empennage. Detailwise there is much to savour, with plenty of moulded features in the cockpit, a convincing radial engine and PE wing flaps, cockpit and airframe embellishment. Two colour schemes are provided for, via well-printed Polish national insignia and generic serial numbers in red and black; both liveries are green over pale blue: • Prototype, Aviation Technical Institute, Warsaw, April 1936 • Military colour scheme, autumn 1939
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
MUD-MOVING FRIEDRICH
Fw 190F-8 By: Eduard Item no: 70119 Price: €18.75 Web: www.eduard.com Eduard’s Fw 190 series has incorporated the ground-attack F-8 in Weekend and ProfiPACK (reviewed here) formats. The standard ‘A’ runner, common to all its 190s, is joined by an ‘F’ frame, which supplies this sub-type’s wings and fuselage, and two bespoke F-8 photo-etched (PE) metal frets. The big addition is a dedicated armoury, offering SC 50 and 250 bombs (with a choice of styrene or PE fins) and long- and
short-rail sextuple launchers for Panzerblitz rockets. The detail is first-class throughout, with delicate engraving and a wellappointed interior. Five interesting schemes are provided: • Black 11+ –, Cottbus, Germany, early 1945 • < Red 2, SG 2, Hungary, late 1944 - early 1945 • White 1, 1./SG 4, Piacenza, Italy, 1944 • Wk Nr 584592, Yellow 14 + –, SG 2 or SG 10, Germany, May 1945 • < Yellow K, SG 10, České Budějovice, Czechoslovakia, May 1945
NOCTURNAL HEAT-SEEKER
Dornier Do 17Z-10 ‘Kauz’ By: Revell Item no: 03933 Price: £17.99 Web: www.revell.de/en ICM’s Do 17Z-10 night fighter is re-boxed by Revell, with minimal changes to the decals. The styrene contents, comprising four runners (plus one clear) with crisply moulded parts are identical, which means there is a fully detailed interior, including bomb bay fuel tanks. Exterior panel lines are engraved and well rendered, and all parts are flashfree. This variant’s gun- and cannon-
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armed nose (with central infra-red searchlight), is replicated faithfully, as is the cockpit-mounted sight. The engines are superb, with separate firewalls and bearer assemblies, onto which a seven-part radial unit is attached. Revell supplies full blackand-white Balkenkreuz, as opposed to the outline format offered by ICM (notably both kits feature the same R4+LK airframe), although it’s uncertain which type was applied. The two schemes are: • R4+LK, I./NJG 2, 1940 • PK+DH (Prototype)
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A12010 EIGHTH AIR FORCE: BOEING B-17G™ & BOMBER RE-SUPPLY SET
EIGHTH AIR FORCE: BOEING B-17G™ & BOMBER RE-SUPPLY SET
As the US Eighth Air Force began to step up their bombing campaign against targets in occupied Europe and Germany itself, airfields once manned by British Squadrons began to resemble little American communities. Not only did the area reverberate to the sound of American engines, but much of the equipment used on these airfields had also made the journey across the Atlantic and when not preparing the B-17s and Liberators for their next mission, a game of baseball was a great way to relax
Boeing (Douglas built) B-17G-35-DL Flying Fortress™
Length 320mm Width 438mm
Cushman Model 39 Package Car Length 34mm Width 17mm
500 lb bomb L x4
Chevrole t ® M6 bomb se r vice truck Length 74mm Width 25mm
Autocar U-7144-T 4X4 tractor unit Length 72mm Width 33mm
1,000 lb bomb x2
M5 bomb trailer Length 77mm Width 33mm
F-1 fuel trailer Length 129mm Width 36mm
Official Product
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ON THE SHELF MILITARY KITS
ARMOURED SNOW LEOPARD
T-80UM1 Main Battle tank By: Modelcollect Item no: 02142 Price: US $21.99 Web: www.modelcollect.com Modelcollect’s 1/72 armour is simply stunning, and puts some 1/35 kits to shame considering how much detail is offered. This package, which offers nine styrene runners (yes, really!), allows one to build the T-80UM1 variant, or Bars (snow leopard) as it’s otherwise known. Rendering of the turret and engine deck is excellent (the latter featuring welldefined air intakes), and items such
as the Arena self-protection system, spaced/reactive armour and snorkel housing are all present. Even the unditching beam has texture… impressive in this scale. Link-andlength tracks are provided, and to boost the appearance further, there’s a turned-brass barrel and fine photo-etched brass details. The colour scheme artwork has been designed by Mig Jimenez, and shows a plain green tank, #218, and the same vehicle in three-tone camouflage. No unit information is offered, but the generic cross-kit decal sheet is well printed. 1/72
ARMY TOW TRUCK
Chevrolet C60S with Holmes Breakdown By: IBG Models Item no: 72032 Price: €9.80 Web: www.ibg.com.pl IBG Models’ 1/72 scale vehicles have a well-earned reputation for detail, and this Chevrolet C60S is no exception. Modellers will recognise several runners from its excellent C15 offerings, notably the two cab styles (11 and 13, although the instructions specify just the latter) and basic fittings. Four additional frames (one
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MOBILE AIR DEFENCE
Autocannone 3Ro with 90/53 AA Gun By: Italeri Item no: 7508 Price: £10.50 Web: www.hobbyco.net While Italeri’s self-propelled antiaircraft gun is aimed at novice modellers and wargamers, there’s plenty to pique the interest of more experienced builders. Comprising just a single runner for the Lancia 3Ro 4 x 2 truck and gun platform, the clever parts design ensures a comparatively well-appointed vehicle. Most of the assembly can be achieved
FLAK-HAPPY
duplicated) provide the necessary parts to build the larger 3-ton chassis and twin-boom vehicle towing crane…IBG even includes a length of thread for the latter. The inclusion of acetate sheet for the cab glazing adds a final touch of refinement. Two overall Olive Drab schemes are supplied: • CH 4426267, 16th Lt Aid Det (A), 4th Canadian Inf Bde, 2nd Canadian Inf Div, England, 1942 • CH 4207561, 4th Canadian Armd Bde Workshop RCEME, 4th Canadian Armd Div, Normandy, France, 1944
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
Bergepanzer 38(t) Hetzer mit 2cm FlaK 38 By: Dragon Item no: 02142 Price: £59.99 Web: www.hobbyco.net Dragon excels with flak guns, and here it’s mated its superb 2cm FlaK 38 with a Hetzer hull. This was no ‘what-if’ combination, though…it was just one of many last-ditch attempts at marrying tanks with anti-aircraft weapons, to fend off Allied ‘Jabos’. Detail is abundant on Dragon’s offering. The gun is highly impressive, with a well-rendered
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without the use of glue, and the one-piece cab/engine cover simply snaps into place. Note the truck is configured in the firing position; all six stabilising arms will need surgery for a machine in transit. The eight figures and 90mm gun are supplied as soft styrene items, which is surprising for the latter, and removal of mould seams may be more challenging. However, construction will be simple and two schemes are offered: • RE 95884, 131st Tank Div ‘Centauro’, Tunisia, early 1943 • RE 95887, Italian Army, Sicily, July 1943 1/35
cradle and slide-moulded hollow muzzle, but another impressive feature is the octagonal ‘tray’ on which the gun/mount fits. Extra refinement comes via the splendid transmission…highly effective moulding, which is a joy to see. The rear bulkhead in the fighting compartment has radio gear, and there’s also a scattering of photoetched brass, and link-and-length tracks to ease assembly. Two schemes are suggested, one in camouflage, the other overall Dark Yellow, from unknown units in 1944.
ON THE SHELF MILITARY KITS
VANILLA GENERAL
M60 Patton By: Dragon Item no: 3553 Price: £59.99 Web: www.hobbyco.net If a ‘vanilla’ M60 is one’s modelling goal, Dragon’s 1/35 version offers various pleasing features, but is not perfect. Plus-points include items corrected from Dragon’s M60A2 for this release, such as the hull length and front slope, and reworked (equal) distances between road wheels, and removal of the left-hand hull fuel filler cap for accuracy. Niggles, though, include the look of the lower
MINI WURF-ER
UE(f)-sWG 40/28cm self-propelled rocket launcher By: Mirage Hobby Item no: 835097 Price: €18.57 Web: www.mirage-hobby.com.pl Mirage Hobby’s 1/35 Renault UE has been around for 20 years, and this Wurfrahmen 40 variant is a Model Set re-boxing of its 1998 iteration, with the addition of five pots of acrylic paint, a brush and tube of polystyrene cement. Preparatory work before assembly is a must, due to the presence of flash on smaller parts, though
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hull front, an oversized DS Styrene mantlet cover and too-small M48 driver’s hatch. The same is also true for the searchlight. Real metal tow cable is provided, as are DS Styrene one-piece track runs. It’s a shame Dragon faffed about with depicting main gun rifling one can barely see, but got vital details wrong. That said, with effort, a good model of the M60 can be built…and it’s the only option in 1/35 scale without resorting to old kits with conversions. A single colour scheme is suggested, that of vehicle from the US Army’s 2nd Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment, in 1964. 1/35
thankfully the link-and-length tracks are not affected. Otherwise, it’s a surprisingly well-detailed kit, notably the engraved wood grain on the launcher frames, although it lacks an interior (which would be tiny). The firing units are quite complex; care taken to align the 17 components for each will be rewarded handsomely as they dominate the machine’s appearance. Just a single scheme is supplied (the decals are solely for the rockets and frames), for a vehicle assigned to a Dieppebased German unit during 1944.
PETIT CORSAIR
Panhard 178 AMD-35 Command By: ICM Item no: 35375 Price: £24.30 Web: www.icm.com.ua Sharing most parts with ICM’s previous AMD-35 offerings (scout car or German versions could be built, albeit with aftermarket decals), the contents of its command vehicle will no doubt be familiar to builders of French armoured cars. Indeed, the changes are minimal, comprising an extra set of parts for the radios
SUPREME SOVIET
T-54-1 By: MiniArt Item no: 37003 Price: £57.99 Web: www.miniart-models.com If the enjoyment is equal to the weight of parts, then armour modellers are onto a winner here. The extra bulk in this offering is due to a complete (and highly impressive) interior. A portion of this comprises a 40-part engine, but the real meat in the sandwich sits further forward. One gets a splendid non-slip floor, full suspension, fire extinguishers, seating, driver’s
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and vehicle-mounted aerials, and a new decal sheet. ICM is to be commended for capturing the characteristics of this four-wheel scout car accurately, down to the prominent raised rivets on the outer hull plates and unusual fore and aft driving positions. The four early war French liveries include: • M 18000 ‘La Corsair’, 2nd GRDI, spring 1940 • M 91663, 3rd Pl, 6th CUIR, 1st DLM, spring 1940 • M 99797, 3rd Pl, 8th CUIR, 2nd DLM, spring 1940 1/35
controls, ammo racks with shells, and extra refinement that enlivens the bulkheads and turret innards. Outer features are rendered beautifully too, with fuel tanks, stowage boxes, a textured unditching beam, track cover-mounted machine gun casemates, and 12.7mm DShK on the cupola. Individual-link track and photo-etched brass details complete a jaw-dropping package, which has three colour schemes. One vehicle (224) is overall green, the next (222) has traces of whitewash over green and the final machine (sans number) wears three-colour camouflage.
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com 85
ON THE SHELF AUTO AND BIKE KITS
TRACK LEGEND
Trust Porsche 962C By: Hasegawa Item no: 02142 Price: £39.99 Web: www.amerang.co.uk Hasegawa has gone all-out in re-releasing its various old Porsche 962C boxings. This just-issued version depicts the Trust Racing #99 car driven by Keiichi Suzuki and Franz Konrad, in 1988’s Fuji 500km, a race the car failed to finish. The plastic differs not from the firm’s other basic 962C toolings in this series, but is moulded in white to aid with the final colouring of this livery,
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which is overall white but with Trust branding and trademark dark blue, light blue and pale orange trim (and other sponsor logos). The decals’ colour matching is very good indeed. Finer highlights parts-wise include brake-heat extractors on all four wheels, a reasonable seat (but with no moulded or separate harness detail) and great clear components. It’s a shame this firm’s 962s don’t have separate rear covers and full engine detail…but for a ‘curbside’ build they certainly suffice and can always be embellished with aftermarket accessories.
…AS LONG AS IT’S RED
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LITTLE GREY TRACTOR
Ferguson TE-20 ‘Petit Gris’ By: Heller Item no: 81401 Price: €29 Web: www.heller.fr Every now and then, a real gem of a kit crosses the review desk, such as Heller’s new Ferguson tractor. It comprises four styrene runners, one vinyl item for the tyres and a decal sheet supplying Ferguson logos, dashboard dials and simulated lenses for the optional headlights. The quality moulding yields well-formed and detailed parts, including several rods and actuators with Heller’s
MIYAGI-SAN’S MOUNT
Model T 1914 Firetruck By: ICM Item no: 24004 Price: £24.99 Web: icm.com.ua ICM’s delightful Model T has been re-released as a 1914 Firetruck, with an extra runner catering for water tanks, ladders, fire extinguishers, spotlight, stowage basket and the all-important bell. As with all its 1/24 kits, the parts are superb, with crisp detail (notably on the seat covers and floor panels) and are flash free. The mesh panels for the
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equipment basket are particularly well rendered. A complete powerplant is included, but this is hidden as there’s no provision for open covers. Unfortunately, there are sink marks on the side panels, which must be filled and sanded as they are highly visible, but this should be a simple task. There’s just a single scheme (no decals supplied), for a sumptuous gloss red and polished brass livery; the latter tone requiring flawless seams for the radiator cover, lamps, and fire extinguishers.
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
Honda NSR500 1989 All Japan Road Race Championship GP500 By: Hasegawa Item no: 021717 Price: £59.99 Web: www.amerang.co.uk Hikaru Miyagi’s #3 NSR500 is the subject of this re-release by Hasegawa, as it depicts the bike on which he secured four podium places out of eight in 1989’s All Japan series. As with the firm’s other bikes, this is a comprehensive affair, with five grey styrene runners, three in white for much of
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signature scale thickness, and the radiator grilles are commendably deep. Heller’s attention to detail is highlighted by the inclusion of the complex attachment framework for various towed farming implements (the latter are not provided). There are also plenty of alternative fits, with different types of front tyres, under-seat springs, high- or lowmounted exhaust and whether to add road lights. The two schemes depict an overall light grey tractor, and a grey/red machine, either of which will add panache to any display or diorama. 1/12
the bodywork, and a clear frame. Refinements, such as ‘Honda’ being moulded on engine block parts make all the difference, but the detail levels are also heightened by vinyl tubing to portray brake cabling etc. The racing slick tyres are good, as are the brake discs, although the latter can be replaced to better effect by aftermarket items. Decal-wise, the large sheet is sublime; much of the branding is segmented to ensure better adherence, and there’s a stunning array of sponsor markings.
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MITSUBISHI A6M2B ZERO
A01005A MITSUBISHI A6M2B ZERO Possessing exceptional manoeuvrability, the Zero quickly earned a reputation as a dogfighter and Allied pilots quickly learned to avoid a slow, turning fight with this beautifully balanced aircraft. As the fighter aircraft to beat in the Pacific, American pilots soon developed tactics that avoided playing into the hands of the Zero and began to score victories. As newer fighters began to enter service, the A6M Zero began to show its weaknesses, which were a lack of armour protection for the pilot and no self-sealing fuel tanks in the wing. Using their ‘boom and zoom’ hit and run tactics, the Americans finally began to get the measure of the feared Zero.
Length 126mm Width 166mm Pieces 47 Official Product
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ON THE SHELF FIGURES
GALLIC PANACHE
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French Officer World War I By: Stalingrad Item no: S-1124 Price: £11.99 Web: www.stalingrad.diorama.ru
50s & 60s Seated Driver Figure By: Etzels’s Speed Classics Item no: ESCA-3 Price: US $20 Web: www.americanracing miniatures.com
This delightful resin figure by Stalingrad portrays a French Infantry Captain, enjoying a smoke break during a quiet spell on the battlefield, with a Gauloise held nonchalantly in his left hand. A four-piece ensemble, the quality of sculpting and casting is outstanding, with fine detail on the tunic and kepi rendered perfectly (the rank was determined by analysing the braid on the top of the latter!). Regardless of which vignette or larger diorama this is added to, it will add panache to any scene. Note that Stalingrad figures are now available in the UK via www.fieldsofglorymodels.co.uk
EARLY BARBAROSSA
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Battles of Smolensk and Roslavl By: Dragon Item no: 6791 Price: £14.99 Web: www.hobbyco.net Dragon continues its periodspecific releases with a three-figure package, which comprises Wehrmacht troops involved in battles around Smolensk and Roslavl in 1941. There are six parts for each basic mannequin, with extra components provided on three standard weapons/equipment runners. Specific items, such as stick-grenades, VZ26 machine gun (and ammunition) are on a dedicated frame. The poses are workmanlike at best, but the detail is sharp, and extra interest is provided by one soldier, depicted in the act of cocking his MP40 sub-machine gun. There are two bonuses in this set; five DS-styrene items (four tunics and a pair of boots) and the plethora of spare personal weapons and pouches, which ensure better value.
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This figure set will be of great use to anyone building American racing cars from the years in question, but they can also be re-worked to emulate drivers of other countries’ cars, and painted accordingly. The emphasis here is on Indy winners, with names such as Sweikert, Hanks, Foyt, Flaherty, Bryan, Ward, Parnelli and Rathmann shown on the instructions’ decal/painting guide decals are supplied, although not
STORM DRIVER
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British Tempest Pilot, sitting By: CMK Item no: F32 316 Price: €14.50 Web: www.cmkkits.com Special Hobby’s Tempest boxings have filled a long-time gap in the market, and these 1/32 kits are truly splendid. CMK’s bespoke pilot figure, though, will bring extra life and contex two one's build. Cast in grey resin, the detail is admirable, especially regarding the integrally cast parachute/seat straps. The separate head, shown here fitted to the torso temporarily, also exudes quality and the facial features are very well defined. With careful painting and shading, this will be a wonderful addition to the Special Hobby Tempest’s cockpit, but the figure could also be adapted to fit other 1/32 fighters.
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US SPEEDSTERS
FEROCIOUS FIGHTERS
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shown here). Three heads, two sets of legs, two torsos, four feet and the same number of arms are provided, for a mix-and-match approach, and all items are cast reasonably well. Two seats are also given with this package.
FLANKER JOCKEY
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Eritrean Battalions of the Italian Colonial Army (1939-1940) By: ICM Item no: 35567 Price: £7.40 Web: www.icm.com.ua ICM has again surprised modellers, this time with four fearsome Eritrean Ascaris (soldiers), which formed part of the Italian Royal Corps of Colonial Troops. There are four subjects; two Ascari (one running and one kneeling), one running Muntaz (Corporal)–all three carrying M1891 Carcano rifles–and a single pistol-wielding Sciumbasci (Sergeant), who also holds a battalion flag. All parts are moulded crisply, and the splendid detail includes a variety of facial expressions and accurate depictions of the rank armbands. Ammunition and map pouches are supplied as separate items, as are the characteristic tarbush (tall fez) headgear. The waist sashes and battalion flag are portrayed with blue/white stripes, representing X Battalion Indigeni (Eritrean Ascari).
Pilot Su-27 By: Plusmodel Item no: AL4065 Price: €8.10 Web: www.plusmodel.cz Plusmodel’s pilot figures always display excellent detail, and this example is no different. Depicting a Flanker ‘driver’, the resin figure appears to wear a standard Russian two-piece summer flight suit, and the belts and survival vest in particular are impressive. The helmet is mastered with visor down, which means one doesn’t have to worry about getting amazing results on the entire visage. Oxygen hose and mask are held in the left hand, which is a pleasing detail.
ON THE SHELF DECAL SHEETS
BRIGHT TUTORS
Stearman Kaydet Collection By: Xtradecal Item no: X72258 Price: £7.99 Web: www.hannants.co.uk Xtradecal has scaled down its colourful Stearman Kaydet decal selection, to suit Revell’s 1/72 offering (there is a Pavla kit, but it’s difficult to find), and provides much needed variety to the single livery in the kit. There are 12 schemes
1/72 in total, most with a strong yellow component, although Guatemalan, Israeli and US Army Air Corps machines supply overall silver dopecoloured options and there is a comparatively dull DuPont Dark Green USAAF machine. Just basic identification and national markings are included, with occasional fuselage and rudder stripe items, but the quality is superb. To avoid register issues, there are separate ‘meatballs’ for the US Army and Navy pre-war insignia. Choices include: • PT-17, 216546, USAAF, Kunming, China, 1943 • PT-17, 31, Israeli Air Force, Kfir Sirtain, Israel, 1953 • PT-17, 404, Peruvian Air Force, Santiago de Surco/Las Palmas, Peru, 1940 • PT-17, 33, Guatemalan Air Force, Ciudad de Guatemala/La Aurora, 1943 • PT-17, 215977, Republic of China Air Force, 1942 • PT-27, FJ888, 36 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF Pierce, RCAF, Canada 1942
Designed to fit Revell’s 1/144 A350 900-series kits, these transfers from 26Decals provide for Thai Airways’ opulent purple/ gold/fuchsia livery. While the airline branding is replicated in full, just the gold and fuchsia trim (and adjacent white section) are
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Presentation Spits, Part.1: Spitfire Mk.II By: Foxbot Item no: 48-002 Price: £8.70 Web: www.foxbot.com.ua There are many themes one can explore when building Supermarine’s finest, but that of Spitfires paid for by World War Two's version of crowd funding is intriguing. The populations of many towns (and individual organisations) donated money so extra fighters could be built; the town/group in question usually got a thank you by having its name on the aircraft. This collection from Ukraine’s Foxbot has five options but, pleasingly, they are not the most well-known of Presentation Spits. They are all Mk.IIa airframes: • P8044/EB-J ‘1st Canadian Division’, 41 Sqn, Catterick, April 1941 • P8528/PK-J ‘Township of
WOLVERINE SCHEMES
Shipley/Janka’, 315 (Polish) Sqn, Northolt, summer 1941 • P8505/UO-H ‘Stamford’, 266 Sqn, Wittering, autumn 1941 • P7923/DB-R ‘Venture I’, 411 (Canadian) Sqn, Hornchurch, early 1942 • P8394/UM-J ‘Gibraltar’, Portreath, summer 1942 1/35
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ROYAL REGALIA Thai Airways Airbus A350-941 By: 26Decals Item no: ST44266 Price: £9 Web: www.26decals.com
FUND-RAISER FIGHTERS
supplied as decals. This means the regal purple areas will need to be masked and painted, but a block of this tone is supplied for colour-matching purposes (as are the other hues for those who intend to reproduce this scheme without decals). The big bonus is the provision (on a separate sheet) of markings for all windscreens, windows and cargo/passenger doors, replacing the ‘empty’ frames offered in the kit. Serials are included for all 12 A350s operated by the carrier, and supply the correct English- and Thai-language names for the left and righthand fuselage sides (aft of the windscreen), respectively.
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Polish APC Rosomak Vol 2 By: Toro Model Item no: 35D37 Price: €7.50 Web: www.toro-model.com.pl Toro has released more decals for IBG’s 1/35 Rosomaks, the latest being for Poland- and Afghanistan-based vehicles. While military camouflage won’t set the world alight with originality, there are helpful notes on the correct colours (and suggested Lifecolor equivalents) for Afghanistan machines and the Polish Army’s three-tone pattern, in use since 2014. Register and colour density appears spot on, and the
delineations are sharp. Additionally, a convoy warning sign (keep your distance!) decal is supplied. The nine schemes include eight turreted and one turret-less variant: • UB 02065, 0827, 17th Mech Inf Bde • UB 02039, K31, 17th Mech Inf Bde (turretless) • UB 02006, 17th Mech Inf Bde • M1, UB 02045, Polish Task Force (PTF), Afghanistan, 2010 • WEM 2 (PM2), UB 02020, PTF, Afghanistan, 2010 • M1M, UB 02324, PTF, Ghazni Base, Afghanistan, 2011 • M1, UB 02175, PTF, Ghazni Base, Afghanistan, 2010
ON THE SHELF DECAL SHEETS
SCARLET PERFORMER
Alpha Jet AT 26 ‘Solo Display 2001-2003’ Belgian Air Force By: Syhart Decal Item no: 72-084 Price: €9 Web: www.syhartdecal.fr Also available in 1/48 and 1/144 scales, this gorgeous overall gloss red livery is probably one of the brightest to adorn an Alpha Jet.
Syhart has simplified this scheme greatly by supplying all the aluminium trim in decal form, although one could use them as templates for painting masks if desired. All necessary markings are provided, and while the full-colour diagrams are clearly designed, reference photos should remove any doubts as to the exact locations of airframe stencils. Neat touches include miniature detonating cords for each canopy (to be attached to the underside) and the ‘horns’ immediately in front of the hinge mechanisms. Note references will need to be checked as to whether this aircraft had received an upgraded ‘glass’ cockpit and GPS receiver by 2001 (a fleet-wide programme was initiated in late 2000): • AT 26, 1st Wing, Beauvechain, Belgium 2001-2003
INVADING COMMANDOS
RMASG Shermans in Normandy By: Star Decals Item no: 35-C 1020 Price: US $8 Web: www.star-decals.net Anyone contemplating builds of Allied armour involved in D-Day (and its aftermath) should consider this fascinating set, for its quartet of Royal Marines Armoured Support Group tanks. Sherman Mk.Vs all, they wear
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standard Olive Drab but three examples have azimuth gradients painted on the turrets. These tanks were supposed to stay in their landing craft, and the markings were used in concert with a line on the vessel’s deck, to aid the commander in fine-tuning the turret position for firing. Star Decals says that vehicle ‘1422’ was on Sword Beach, but references indicate these units were on Juno. The schemes are: • ‘Fox’, 2 Bty, nr Tilly-SurSeulles, June 13 • T147535 ‘Warspite’, 5 Bty • ‘Hussar’, 2 Bty • 1422, 3 or 4 Bty, BernieresSur-Mer, Sword Beach, June 6
BLUE SWASTIKA BIPLANES
Gloster Gladiator Mk.II in Finnish Service By: SBS Model Item no: D48008 Price: €8 Web: www.sbsmodel.com Owners of Roden or Merit 1/48 Gladiator kits have a worthy option in SBS Model’s sheet, which gives four Finnish Air Force liveries…three being in this air arm’s Olive Green and black over light grey or light blue-grey (RLM 65). The fourth is more colourful, as
it sports four RAF paint hues (with different shades on upper and lower wings), over black and white wing undersides… these also having yellow outer portions. This attractive quartet comprises: • GL-264, 2/LeLv 16, Hirvas, summer 1942 • GL-265, 1/LeLv 16, Vitska, summer 1943 • GL-276/1, 2/LeLv 16, Hirvas, summer 1943 • GL-267, 1/LLv 14, Utti, summer 1941
ATTRACTIVE GUSTAVS Bf 109G-6 & G-14 part 1 By: BararcudaCals Item no: BC48231 Price: US $12.95 Web: www.barracudacals.com Barracuda has gathered a wonderfully colourful array of schemes here, and they can be used on many manufacturers’ kits. The mix of mid- and late-war RLM shades is pleasing, and notable is ‘Black 10’ with its partly whitewashed fuselage, upper wings and empennage, and yellow Eastern Front ID patches. Oddly, though, kill markings are offered for one of the aircraft, but none are shown on the placement profiles. Besides the sheet shown here, another carries the necessary ‘spiralschnauze’ spinner helixes. Seven options are provided: • G-6, Black 10, IV./JG 54, Dorpat, Russia, early 1944 • G-6, Yellow 20 + I, 3.EKG(J), Ansbach, Germany, March 1945 • G-6, Double chevron
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+ –, Günther Specht, II./JG 11, Germany, February 1945 • G-14, White 21 + ~, Franz Wienhusen, IV./JG 4, autumn 1944 • G-6, White double chevron, Friedrich Eberle, III./JG 1, Eelde, Germany, 1943 • G-6, Yellow 6 + I, 9./JG 3, Normandy, July 1944 • G-6, Wk Nr 781993/Blue 62, JG 110, Finow, Germany, spring 1945
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com 91
ON THE SHELF DECAL SHEETS
SCANDY SHIP-SMACKERS
Coastal Strike Wings – The Outriders: 333 (Nor) Sqn 1943-45 By: Aviaeology Item no: AOD32033 Price: Can $17.79 Web: www.aviaeology.com Aviaeology’s Terry Higgins is arguably the best authority on RAF
Coast Command Mosquitos and Beaufighters. As such, this decal collection’s accuracy is arguably unquestionable. The set provides eight ‘Mossie’ options, representing aircraft of 333 (Norwegian) Squadron, based at Leuchars, then Banff. The markings have been designed with Tamiya’s recent 1/32 kit in mind, but modellers with Revell’s same-scale B.IV and Paragon’s conversion can also make use of them. There is a mix of camouflage, and the instructions offer a wealth of historical and aircraft detail, such as revealing period photos and superb drawings of a Gee Mk.2 unit. Three individual sheets are in the pack (one shown here), and some of the choices include: • FB.VI, HP864/H-3, June December 1944 • FB.VI, HP904/E-3, May - December 1944 • FB.VI, HR569/KK-F, December 1944 - February 1945 • F.II, DZ700/H, Leuchars, summer 1943 • F.II, DZ744/G, Leuchars, May 1943 April 20, 1944 1/72
BIG BIRD OF PREY Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor C-2/3/4/8 By: Xtradecal Item no: X72262 Price: £7.99 Web: www.hannants.co.uk Whether Trumpeter or Revell, either Fw 200 kit would benefit
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from Xtradecal’s new nine-strong menu of markings. Most options wear RLM/72/73 splinter over RLM 65, but one aircraft has whitewash while another features applications of RLM 76 over its camouflage. A third non-standard machine has black undersides so it looks extra-menacing. Hohentwiel radar antennas are fitted to some of the airframes, and one of these carried Hs 292 missiles. Options include: • C-2, Wr Nr 0016/F8+BW, 12./KG 40, Bordeaux, 1941 • C-4/U1, CE+1B, VIP transport of Regierungstaffel, Eastern Front, winter 1942-43 • C-3, 4./KG 40, Demyansk Pocket, Russia, Feb 8 – April 21, 1942 • C-4, F8+CS, 8./KG 40 • C-8, + HT, 9./KG 40, October 6, 1944 • C-3, Wk Nr 0037/F8+BB, Stab.I./KG 40, BordeauxMerignac, January 11, 1941
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MULTI-COLOURED LAWN DARTS
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F-16C WA WA WA Vipers By: Two Bobs Aviation Graphics Item no: 48-254 Price: US $14 Web: www.twobobs.net This set’s unusual title stems from the inclusion of three Nellis AFB machines (code WA), but Two Bobs has pulled out all the stops in replicating the unusual camouflage on these aggressor F-16s. The decals are sized for Tamiya’s 1/48 kit, but would also apply (with slight tweaking) to Hasegawa’s early-block F-16s. There are variations on Lizard and Arctic liveries, with one machine painted in a striking splinter pattern. The main sheet supplies all necessary markings for the different schemes and white and black stencils; an addendum provides black walkway lines and grey airframe placards. Note one US insignia is split into black and white sections to correspond with a camouflage boundary on the Arctic-toned aircraft’s upper mainplane. All schemes are for 57th Wing airframes:
GREAT WAR POPPERS Balloon-Busting Aces of WWI Part 3 By: Print Scale Item no: 72-226 Price: £9.99 Web: www.printscale.org Print Scale’s third batch of World War One pilots who gained ‘ace’ status by downing enemy dirigibles covers flyers from Belgium, the United States and British Empire. In addition to national and personal markings, rudder stripes are supplied for all options, simplifying painting greatly. Additional interest is provided by a potted history of each aviator’s exploits, including the honours they received and whether they survived the war. Osprey’s book (by the same name as this set) will be an invaluable reference. The six schemes, all for Francebased aircraft, are: • Hanriot HD.1, Willy Coppens de Houthulst, 9ème Escadrille Belge, September 1918 • Spad S.XIII, Frank Luke Jr, 27th Aero Sqn, Rembercourt, September 1918 • Spad S.XIII, Frank Luke Jr, 27th Aero Sqn, Verdun,
• F-16C Block 25, 85-0418, 64th AS, USAF Weapons School, September 2016 • F-16C Block 32, 87-0313, 64th AS, March 2015 • F-16C Block 32, 86-0271, 414th CTS, August 1996 1/72 September 29, 1918 • Sopwith Camel, Richard B Munday, 8 (Naval) Sqn, St Eloi, November 1917 • SE.5a, Sidney W Highwood, 84 Sqn RAF, Assevillers, September 1918 • Sopwith Camel, Henry W Woollet, 43 Sqn RFC, Touquin, spring 1918
1:72 NORTH AMERICAN P-51D MUSTANG™ A01004A NORTH AMERICAN P-51D MUSTANG™ Without question, the North American P-51D Mustang was one of the finest fighter aircraft of the Second World War and helped to secure air superiority for the Allies over occupied Europe. Able to escort USAAF bombers all the way to their targets deep into Germany, Mustang pilots would pounce on any Luftwaffe fighters sent to challenge them.
The distinctive ‘blue nosers’ of the Bodney based 352nd Fighter Group became one of the most decorated USAAF units of the Second World War, producing many of the leading aces of the European Theatre. As the war progressed, these accomplished pilots were prevented from increasing their victory tallies due to a marked lack of Luftwaffe aircraft to engage in combat.
Length 136mm Width 157mm Pieces 53
Official Product
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ON THE SHELF ACCESSORIES
‘SUITCASE’ ADD-ONS
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SHACK GEARS
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ARMOUR IMPROVEMENTS
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Shackleton AEW.2 Wheels By: Eduard Item no: 672098 Price: €7.45 Web: www.eduard.com
Su-24M By: Eduard Item no: 73563 Price: €17.25 Web: www.eduard.com Trumpeter’s Fencer-D can be made into a stuner with this photo-etched, pre-coloured metal and plain brass detail set. The former frame carries a mass of cockpit parts, such as instrument panels, side and centre consoles, seatbelts and the like, while the brass collection is even more comprehensive, with items such as new blades for the pitot tube, static wicks, undercarriage brake lines, inserts for the undercarriage doors, chaff/flare dispensers, and more.
‘STIFF’ ACCESS
Intended for Revell’s offering of the venerable Shackleton, Eduard’s resin main and tailwheels are a quantum leap over the styrene parts. The tread (block on the former and circumferential on the latter) is far more refined, as are the brake housing and cooling vanes on the two larger units, while the sidewalls boast ‘Dunlop’ logos. Painting these items is simplified by the self-adhesive mask set, while the casting lugs are cleverly placed at the bulged lower part of the tyre.
STRAPPING IN
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Luftwaffe Seatbelts Beige Standard By: RB Productions Item no: RB-P320061 Price: €6 Web: www.radubstore.com
Ladder for F-104 By: Plusmodel Item no: AL4061 Price: €7 Web: www.plusmodel.cz Regardless of brand, why not decorate your next quarter-scale Starfighter with Plusmodel’s neat styrene boarding ladder? With 15 parts, it features excellent moulding and will lend extra authenticity to one’s build, especially if it’s posed on a base.
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Luftwaffe fans will appreciate these stunning paper/textile and photoetched metal seatbelts, which are suitable for most German World War Two fighters and bombers. The complex design has been rendered superbly, with 28 parts (sufficient for a single seat), and the use of two tones for the straps to emulate the hemp/cotton mix harnesses and leather pads. Compared to fabric alternatives, these do not fray and exhibit a realistic texture, and when dampened slightly can be positioned most realistically.
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Tufts of Grass - Green By: Plusmodel Item no: 471 Price: €8.30 Web: www.www.plusmodel.cz T-80/T-80BV By: Hauler Item no: HLH72059 Price: €8.42 Web: www.hauler.cz Hauler’s neat brass upgrade set is designed for Revell’s 1/72 T-80s, but certain elements may fit Modelcollect’s offerings. The main changes are to the side skirts, engine deck grilles and exhaust, with PE components far superior to the styrene. Extras include light guards, ammunition box and pivot for the DShK heavy machine gun, stowage racks and snorkel supports. This is a grea-value update, which will improve the model greatly.
RECORD BREAKER
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VEGETATION CLUMPS
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Royal Navy 15in Mk.I Gun Barrels By: Tetra Model Works Item no: SA-70010 Price: £10.50 Web: www.tetramodel.co.kr The Royal Navy’s 15in Mk.Is were regarded as one of the best heavy guns fitted to a battleship, and achieved the longest range hit in a ship-ship confrontation at 26,400yds (24,100m). Tetra’s eight turnedbrass barrels replicate the stepped construction faithfully, have hollow muzzles and should fit any relevant 1/700 warship. There are sufficient items for a full complement on a battleship/ cruiser, including HMS Hood.
Replicating grass can be a challenge for many modellers, so Plusmodel’s pack of 49 tufts is manna from heaven. There are varying sizes and densities, with apparently random tonal differences, which should go a long way to ensuring realism. Adding these to dioramas is simple; merely detach the tuft from the backing sheet with tweezers (holding it by the base) and then secure with either PVA or Superglue, depending on personal preference.
EINDECKER WEAPON
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Spandau 08 Early By: GasPatch Models Item no: 48073 Price: €7 Web: www.gaspatchmodels.com If one hasn’t laid eyes on GasPatch’s machine guns before, they are a serious treat with sublime detail. This pair is ideal for the Fokker Eindecker sub-types, and finer features include open holes on the cooling jacket, separate ammunition belts and alternative barrels and gunsights (the latter being in photoetched metal). Gorgeous detail at a reasonable price.
ON THE SHELF ACCESSORIES
FRENCH ROTARY
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BIG GALLIC BLIVET
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Mirage F.1 Irakien Centreline Tank By: CMK Item no: 7355 Price: €9.30 Web: www.cmkkits.com SA-316B Allouette By: Brengun Item no: BRL72122 Price: €8.42 Web: www.brengun.cz For those who enjoy breathing much-needed life into old kits, this comprehensive array for Heller’s Allouette III is just the ticket. It’s not just the cockpit that benefits well here, as there are also replacements for the tail rotor (and guard), engine grilles steps, antennas and even the rescue winch. A splendid set, which will turn a fair kit into a real dazzler.
QUAD BATTERY
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Vickers .50 machine gun By: Tetra Model Works Item no: SA-35010 Price: £13.50 Web: www.tetramodel.co.kr Ship modellers are in for a treat with this set. It supplies four quad Vickers 0.5in gun mounts... common feature on many British World War Two naval vessels. This PE/turned brass package provides the tiniest details, from individual magazines to the complex twin-sight system. Helpfully, there are spares for the smaller components in the event of those dreaded tweezer ‘ping’ moments. The turned-brass barrels are notable for their fineness and quality, and will add much to the completed units.
Special Hobby’s Mirage F.1 is arguably one of the company’s best kits but, despite a wealth of stores, it does not come with the large ‘Irakien’ underbelly fuel tank employed by the French Air Force’s multirole CT sub-type. So, sister firm CMK now offers this hefty fuel carrier in wellcast resin. It just needs to be removed from the casting block, as do the separate fins.
TOUCAN ‘FEATHERS’
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Short Tucano T.1 Control Surfaces Set By: CMK Item no: 7356 Price: €11.50 Web: www.cmkkits.com One can make a reasonable facsimile of the Tucano straight from the box with Airfix’s kit, but CMK’s details will elevate the build considerably. This package provides crisp resin horizontal stabilisers and elevators, a rudder, ailerons and flaps. Very simple razor saw and scalpel work is necessary, in removing the kit plastic to accommodate CMK’s replacements, but the effort expended will result in sharp trailing edges and true-to-scale appearance.
CLASPS AND BUCKLES
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Panther Ausf.D Handles and Holders By: Eduard Item no: 36332 Price: €17.25 Web: www.eduard.com
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US 108gal paper tanks By: Eduard Item no: 648233 Price: €9.95 Web: www.eduard.com
Intended to augment Eduard’s standard Ausf.D accessories (36327), this busy photo-etched (PE) brass fret supplies tool and equipment holders and racks. Whether it’s fire extinguishers, axes, barrel-cleaning rod containers or general stowage boxes, all have their hinges, clasps and mountings replaced by superior PE items. There’s even what appears to be a bracket for holding an unditching beam at the rear of the vehicle, complete with PE chains.
FAR EASTERN TAKE-AWAY
CELLULOSE ‘BAGS’
It’s surprising how much effort can be put into the production of something simple, such as fuel tanks. Eduard’s 108gal versions, emulating the real units toted by P-51s and P-47s, are a superb example. Besides the three-part resin tanks (which have alternative fronts), there are photo-etched brass retaining straps, filler caps, fuel lines and mounting lugs. Small stencil decals feature too, but are not shown here.
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TRAINER OFFICE
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Japanese Military Field Kitchen Equipment By: Plusmodel Item no: 488 Price: €22.30 Web: www.plusmodel.cz Japanese culinary items aren't plentiful, but Plusmodel’s excellent resin and photo-etched (PE) brass field kitchen is perfect for a World War Two Far Eastern diorama. With 40 parts, this caters for soldiers to at least company level, with individual/ group rice cookers (the latter with lids, stand and smoke stack), all of which have PE handles. Three sizes of rice bag are included, and there’s a small table, complete with rice bowls, tea urn and cups, and even bottles for rice wine or beer.
Short Tucano T.1 Cockpit Set By: CMK Item no: 7358 Price: €11.50 Web: www.cmkkits.com Lift the detail on Airfix’s 1/72 Tucano instantly with this new and very sharp resin cockpit; the ‘office’ in this aircraft is a prominent feature after all, what with the sizeable canopy. Here, one receives a splendid bathtub for instructor and pupil, with side console detail cast in situ, as well as sidewalls, instrument panels (with acetate sheet details), coaming parts, control columns and a rear bulkhead.
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ON THE SHELF ACCESSORIES
TAKING AIM
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WWII German 12.8cm FlaK 40 Zwilling By: Eduard Item no: 36329 Price: €12.75 Web: www.eduard.com Takom’s mighty FlaK 40 Zwilling receives minor photo-etched brass embellishments, courtesy of Eduard. It’s a testament to the styrene quality that this fret is so small, but it still adds refinement in the form of rifling for the muzzles, and detail for the loading tray, breech cover and azimuth/elevation instrument displays. The actuator motors aren’t neglected, with moulded features replaced by PE and wire (the latter isn’t provided in this set), all of which will add to a most impressive model.
STEALTHY UPGRADE
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F-117A Update Set By: Shelf Oddity Item no: SO21444 Price: £8.90 Web: coastalcraftmodelsuk.com Dragon’s F-117A gets a PE makeover from Shelf Oddity, and modellers attempting the upgrade will need fine tweezers and magnification! The exterior is revamped, replacing undercarriage doors, grilles and exhaust troughs; the latter two require relevant sections to be cut from the main fuselage. Despite its small size, the kit will be improved vastly.
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MARITIME METAL
1/700
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ZEKE ‘PIMPLES’
Master’s splendid turned-brass barrels make life a whole lot easier for ship modellers. This set exhibits the company’s usual jaw-dropping quality, and are suitable for use on kits of the following vessels: New Mexico (BB40), Mississippi (BB-41), Idaho (BB-42), Tennessee (BB-43) and California (BB-44). All one has to do is cut off the kit barrels, drill holes and fit the new items. It's totally simples!
If one has Airfix’s 737 kit, there are many windows to protect while airbrushing…unless the chosen route is to fill the holes and use decals. If opting for the former, Thunderbird’s pre-cut flexible vinyl masks are a whizz for covering the glazing, and the wheel hubs. These masks can be left on the model for up to six months, but for the best results should be removed soonest.
SUKHOI REFINEMENT
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Mitsubishi A6M5c Zero By: HGW Models Item no: 321020 Price: €25.20 Web: www.hgwmodels.cz If one is planning to build Hasegawa’s Zero, HGW’s custom riveting set is a boon. The rivets come via textured waterslide decals, and should be applied over a smooth, clean surface, but before the final coat of paint. Gentle sanding of the paint should then allow the rivet heads to emerge optically in appropriate places. The instructions are clear and concise, and the only other requirement is patience and a few quiet evenings!
BETTER MUDGUARDS
SU-76M By: Eduard Item no: 36343 Price: €27.75 Web: www.eduard.com While styrene parts are improving considerably in terms of moulding quality and detail, there are still areas where photo-etched (PE) brass remains the best option. This is true even of Tamiya’s newly tooled SU-76M, and Eduard’s upgrade set is tailored perfectly, replacing overthick kit items where needed and supplementing moulded features. From the engine grille to the saw blade and ammunition stowage rack frames, the PE provides scale thickness, along with an option for exhaust covers and open 76mm shell storage compartments.
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Boeing 737-200 masks By: Thunderbird Models Item no: TBM-003 Price: £2.95 Web: thunderbirdmodels.co.uk
USN 14in/50 Gun Barrels By: Master Model Item no: SM-700-051 Price: €4.60 Web: www.master-model.pl
ENHANCED ARTILLERY
GLAZING PROTECTION
Su-9/Su-11 (Fishpot/Fishpot-C) Pitot Tubes and Missile Rail Heads By: Master Model Item no: AM-48-120 Price: €6.40 Web: www.master-model.pl Trumpeter’s quarter-scale Fishpot is a decent kit, but extra quality can be ensured by adding these superb turned-brass nose and wing leading-edge pitot tubes, and missile rail heads. A resin part is supplied, with which to replicate the bladed portion of the nose pitot, and marker lines are scribed onto the wing pitots for correct depth positioning. Holes will need to be drilled in the wings and missile pylons to accept these parts.
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SU-76M Fenders By: Eduard Item no: 36344 Price: £22.95 Web: www.eduard.com Complementing the basic upgrade set (36343), Eduard’s photo-etched (PE) brass replacement mudguards are a surprisingly complex affair. The basic plates are augmented with braces and bolt heads, while the separate end sections have individual hinges, enabling them to be posed in raised or lowered configuration. These PE mudguards offer a realistic thickness, and are more amenable to portraying damage, than the styrene parts.
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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
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PLASTIC SURGERY ASK THE EXPERTS
Quiz AMW’s team of contributors, regarding your own modelling mysteries... WEATHERING
Oil dot frustration
Q
“I have recently attempted the ‘oil dot’ technique on Meng’s Whippet tank, but ended up washing it all off. What is the best way to apply this and ensure that it’s permanent.” Rhys Duffin, Llantwit Major, Wales
AMW’s Toni Canfora replies: “The oil dot technique is used to create subtle colour variety on a model. There are two ways (at least) of applying the technique, depending somewhat on the desired effect. Both start the same way however; first select
PAINT
Paint shelf-life
Q
“How long can one store acrylic paints? I was applying the basecoat on a 1/48 MiG-23 and everything went wrong. First, the airbrush flow was not constant, despite using enough thinner and mixing the paint thoroughly. And when at last the surface was painted, it displayed a grainy and dusty appearance, as if the model were coated in a dry and fragile powder. To make matters worse, when I added white paint to enhance the centre of the panels, the proverbial matter hit the fan… with small blobs of white all over the place. Soon the airbrush refused to work and a full cleanup revealed that it was clogged with a disgusting white/grey ‘mud’. These Tamiya XF bottles were a few years old to begin with, and had been used several
times. Could it be the paint is simply too old? How long can one store acrylics? Laurent Schmitz, Borlo, Belgium AMW’s Steve Budd says: “Tamiya acrylics have no defined shelf life in my experience. I still dip into bottles 10-plus years old with no issue. Your additional information mentioned the spray is “…almost dry when it touches the model.” Go closer. The paint
several oil paint shades in a variety of nuances, from light to dark. Then squeeze a small amount of each colour on a piece of cardboard. This will allow the paper to absorb some of the actual oil, and make the paints less greasy…this usually takes around two hours. Then, with the help of a fine brush, small dots of oil paint can be placed onto the model in a random pattern. From here, two avenues can be followed. One is to take a wide flat brush, dampened with thinner, and gradually wipe off the oils in a vertical motion, which will create a subtle streaked effect. This should be done in several sequences, and the brush should not hold too much thinner or the oil paint will come off completely. The brush can be cleaned on a piece of cloth or tissue between
pigment relies on the presence of ‘vehicle’ on the surface in a ‘wet’ (but not running) condition to allow the particles to distribute, settle and adhere. Avoid mixing the paint in the airbrush, using ‘blowback’ pressure to bubble the mix; instead, prepare it in a 35mm film canister and blitz it with an electric paint mixer (Badger, Trumpeter, etc) and transfer to the airbrush with an eye dropper. A ratio of 60% thinner to 40% paint should be your densest mix…70:30 should be the standard operating ratio. Tamiya XF acrylics spray even better with 20% to 40% of the paint element comprising the firm’s X-22 Clear. It helps make the paint ‘decal ready’ too. If you use isopropyl to dilute, rely solely on the ‘lab quality’ 99.9% version and omit water. Also, try Tamiya’s acrylic paint retarder (up to 10% of the paint element). This smooths the finish even further but don’t exceed the 10% ceiling. Wish you well with it Laurent!”
each sequence, until a satisfying result is achieved. The second way is to work the oils into the surface with a stabbing motion, which will create a stronger effect. First, prepare the model as already described, with tiny dots of paint. Then with a damp brush, work the oils into the surface. Depending on how much thinner (and how often the brush is cleaned), the effect can be controlled. This latter method is very useful for enlivening large, monotone surfaces. It should be noted there are many techniques that essentially achieve the same result, and this certainly isn’t an exact science. Even the terminology can be confusing, as modellers sometimes apply different names to the same method. Experimentation is the key!” Do you have a modelling conundrum regarding techniques or references? If so, why not quiz our band of contributors, history writers and industry contacts? Simply send your query via e-mail (with The Plastic Surgery in the subject line), to:
[email protected], or a typed letter by post to: The Plastic Surgery, Airfix Model World, Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ, United Kingdom. Please provide your postal address. Each question printed will receive a selection of Ultimate Modelling’s sanding sticks worth approximately £15. For further details on Ultimate Modelling Products, please visit www.umpretail.com Sponsored by
* * THE NEXT ISSUE SALE: MAY 4, 2017 THE NEXT ISSUE IS IS ONON SALE: FEBRUARY 4, 2016 *UK scheduled on sale date. Please note that overseas deliveries are likely to occur after this date.
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Airfix Model World
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MOSQUITO
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The Mosquito was one of the most famous and capable aircraft of World War Two. This 100-page special from the team behind Airfix Model World magazine celebrates that fact with five full model builds, type histories, kit/decal/accessory listings and exclusive scale drawings. Learn about the real Mosquito, and receive great instruction and advice on assembly, scratch-building, detailing and more. History features are provided by the renowned authors Dana Bell, Malcolm V Lowe and Terry Higgins, and all are accompanied by superb period images and colour profiles. The five in-depth Mosquito build projects are: AIRFIX 1/24 FB.VI COASTAL COMMAND TAMIYA 1/32 FB.VI SEAC HASEGAWA 1/72 FB.XVIII ‘TSETSE’ HK MODELS 1/32 B.IV AIRFIX 1/48 USAAF F-8 CONVERSION
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