Military Illustrated Modeler - Issue 045 (2015-01)

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ScaleModelworld 2014 Show Report • Airfix A6M2 Zero • Wingnut Wings Rumpler • PCM Hurricane Mk.I Early • Hasegawa Ar 234 C • and more…

£6.50 - Jan’15 (issue 045)

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Kinetic Model Kits’ 1:48 Sea Harrier FA2

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OSTFRONT WURGER Hasegawa’s classic 1:32 scale Fw 190 A-5

aircraft edition

HOVERING FIST

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Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIa

ND A R B EW N NG! LI TOO 03986

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Visit our brand new website and online shop

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The Legendary Spitfire

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• Textured surfaces with finely engraved panel joints • Detailed Mk. IIa wings with MG openings • Detailed cockpit and instrument panel • Detailed seat suspension • Detailed foot-pedal control runs • Separate cockpit door • Rotating propeller • Detailed exhaust system • Detailed undercarriage • Separate cockpit glazing • Decal set for 2 RAF versions REV ELL HA S MOVE D : Revell GmbH, Unit 10, Old Airfield Industrial Estate, Cheddington Lane, Tring, HP23 4QR Tel: 0845 459 0747, Fax: 01296 660041, Email: [email protected] © 2014 Revell GmbH. A subsidiary of Hobbico, Inc. All rights reserved. Trade enquiries welcome.

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Contents

modeller deller military y ill illustrated ustratted ted

ISSUE No.045 January 2015

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NEWS

What’s happening in modelling and aviation

WINGED FIST

Kinetic 1:48 scale Sea Harrier FA2 by Brett Green

18 PREVIEW

Tamiya 1:32 F4U-1A Corsair

20 PREVIEW

HK Models’ 1:32 Dornier Do 335 B-2

22 RAG WING DEFENDER

PCM 1:32 Hurricane Mk.I by Charles Whall

28 TEST-FIT PREVIEW

Revell 1:72 F4U-1A Corsair by Rafe Morrissey

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30 ZERO ZENITH

Airfix 1:72 A6M2b Zero by Rafe Morrissey

35 PREVIEW

Tarangus 1:48 SAAB 91

36 GALLERY

Hasegawa 1:32 Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5 by Chris Wauchop.

38 PREVIEW

Kinetic 1:48 Mirage 2000-5 EI

40 RUMPLER UNDER REPAIR Wingnut Wings 1:32 Rumpler C.IV Late by Bill Hollis.

48 SHOW REPORT

IPMS ScaleModelworld 2014 by Brett Green

54 SPECIAL DELIVERY

Hasegawa 1:48 Arado Ar 234 C by Brett Green

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Aircraft Edition

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News AUSTRALIAN AIR LEAGUE 80th ANNIVERSARY REVIEW

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he recent Australian October long weekend saw cadets from all around the country descend on Gungahlin ACT for the Australian Air League’s 80th Anniversary Review. The Air League’s biennial Review is an opportunity for cadets to come together for a day of competition in a spirit of fun, goodwill and comradeship. Cadets had been preparing all year and were keen to find which units, or “Squadrons” were the champions in areas such as precision marching, physical activities, marching bands and education displays. In the education competition the cadets had the opportunity to compete in a number of categories including the classic balsa “chuck” gliders, plastic models and dioramas, with ages groups from 8 years and upward. The competitions were keenly contested with a number of stand out models including a very good model of a 1:48 Scale B-29 Superfortress built by a cadet member, a cutaway “Doolittle Tokyo Raid” USS Hornet diorama and a chess set made up of 1:350 Scale Jet fighter Aircraft. The education display competition also proved popular, giving cadets a challenge to research and construct a display on a chosen subject. This year’s subject was Prop Airliners in Australian

Service and the cadets created some interesting displays covering the “golden era” of civil aviation - DC-3s, flying boats, and Super Constellations featured prominently. The Reviewing Officer for the Review was His Excellency, the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove, who along with Lady Cosgrove and other guests were suitably impressed with the education competitions and the hard work and enthusiasm shown by the cadets.

ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN AIR LEAGUE

The Australian Air League is a youth group for boys and girls aged 8 years and older who have an interest in aviation either as a career or as a hobby. In the Air League they learn about aviation in all its forms through classes in theory of flight, navigation, aircraft engines and a variety of interesting subjects. The Air League also aims to enable them to achieve their full potential and become better citizens who can effectively serve the community. With Squadrons in most states of Australia, the Air League has been serving the community in Australia since 1934. It is entirely self-funding

BARRACUDA STUDIOS NEW RELEASES

B

arracuda Studios is proud to announce 3 new products for the recently released 1:24 scale Hawker Typhoon from Airfix. This a astounding and impressive kit that has set a new high bar for large scale aircraft models. Airfix have gone to great lengths to make this kit superbly accurate, and they have succeeded. So why are we doing resin aftermarket parts? For the simple reason that we can help make it even better. There are limitations to what can be done in injection molding, and our resin sets are for those who want to go that extra mile to make a gorgeous model even more detailed and accurate. Here’s a sneak peak of the first three sets. More Typhoon sets are in the works and will be announced shortly.

BR24208 HAWKER TYPHOON PILOT

Beautifully realized by respected sculptor Mike Good, and representing a mid to late war RAF fighter or fighter-bomber pilot, this new figure is a perfect for for the Airfix 1:24 scale Typhoon Mk Ib. Shown here in master form, the final figure will be molded in 4 resin parts to our usual high standard.

BR24201 TYPHOON LATE STYLE MAINWHEELS

These new resin mainwheels replace the kit wheels. These new wheels feature more and crisper hub detail, as well as full tire beading, logos and data on the tyre sidewalls. A simple and quick upgrade for your large scale Tiffie.

BR24202 TYPHOON CARBURETTOR INTAKE RING

This new resin intake ring directly replaces the kit part, which is well done, but has incorrect spacing between the intake tube and the outer ring due to mold tooling limitations. Our ring is properly proportioned, as well as being thinner and more scale looking. A drop fit installation that will make a nice difference in the finished model.

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and is staffed by volunteers who give their time to achieve its goals. For more information, visit www.airleague.com.au •

SOUTHERN EXPO 2015 Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd March

S

outhern Expo is a plastic model show in the South East of England. It is a display of modelling talent put on by modelling clubs and specialist interest groups to show the results of hours of work. Along side this are many trade stands where you could purchase kits both old and new plus all those longed for accessories. Southern Expo 2015 will be held at Hornchurch Sports Centre, Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch Road, Hornchurch, Essex, RM11 1JU 10am to 5pm Saturday & 10am to 4pm Sunday Entry: Adults £3.00, Children £1.00 & Senior Citizens £2.00 Open Competition (Sunday only) – the Senior competition is being sponsored by Models For Sale (www.modelsforsale.com) For further details visit the website at www.southernexpo.co.uk or email [email protected] or send SAE to Peter Bagshaw 25 Repton Drive Gidea Park Essex RM2 5LP Tel: 01708 726102

Military Illustrated Modeller - January 2015

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Tankograd Fast Track 06. Type 10TK Modern Japanese Army Main Battle Tank In action photographs and a detailed walkaround, English text. - Limited print-run 999 copies - As our series ‘In-Detail’ but half size / half price! Quantity Photos and Illustrations: Illustrated with 70 colour photographs, 40 pages. £10.99

Tankograd 9022 - Cold War Exercise SPEARPOINT 80 Joint British and American Forces face the Threat from the East. After two years of preparatory work, the field training exercise Spearpoint 80 was conducted as part of the large-scale Exercise Crusader 80 between 11 and 26 September 1980. Since NATO came into existence, this exercise was the largest British one held on West German soil.Illustrated with 86 colour photographs, 32 black&white photographs and 4 maps. £13.99

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D.A.K Profile Guide This book shows the original German camouflage of vehicles used by the Deutsche Afrika Korps, with color variants throughout the war. 108 pages, Over 170 profiles cover schemes, published by A.K Interactive. £23.99

Painting Guide for AFV of World War Two and Modern Era Much more than a new technique, this book offers you a novel approach of AFV painting. The author clearly explains, through detailled step by step photos, how to give your model the perfect enhance of contrast and a ‘eye catching’ look. 82 pages, full colour. £17.50

Camouflage Profile Guide Eastern Front Russian Vehicles In this book you will find all the inspiration you need to make original Soviet vehicles with a wide and never seen variety of colors, effects, and camouflage. Here you have more than 180 profiles which are strictly based on historical photos, many of them never seen before, in which the colors have been studied in depth. Paperback, 80 pages. £19.99

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A.K Learning Volume 3. Tracks and Wheels Tracks and Wheels is the third release from the already famous AK Learning Series. The extremely talented artists within this book, take you on a journey through every aspect of painting and weathering tracks and wheels through their very own words, guiding you through their styles and approaches. Paperback, 83 pages, full colour. £10.99

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28/11/2014 10:04

FEATURE ARTICLE: Kinetic Model Kits 1:48 Sea Harrier FA2 • Kit No. K48041

G N I R E V HO Kinetic’s 1:48 scale Sea Harrier FA2 is an all-new kit with nothing in common with earlier releases.

The Editor is pleased to see a brand-new 1:48 scale Sea Harrier FA2 from Kinetic Models.

T

he British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval short take-off and vertical-landing/ vertical take-off and landing jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft, a development of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier. It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980 as the Sea Harrier FRS1 and became informally known as the "Shar". Unusual in an era in which most naval and land-based air superiority fighters were large and supersonic, the principal role of the subsonic Sea Harrier was to provide air defence of the fleet from Royal Navy aircraft carriers. The Sea Harrier served in the Falklands War, both of the Gulf Wars, and the Balkans conflicts; on all occasions it mainly operated from aircraft carriers positioned within the conflict zone. Its usage in the Falklands War was its most high profile and important success, where it was the only fixed-wing fighter available to protect the British Task Force. The Sea Harriers shot down 20 enemy aircraft during the conflict with one lost to enemy ground fire. They were also used to launch ground attacks in the same manner as the Harriers operated by the Royal Air Force. The Sea Harrier was marketed for sales abroad, but by 1983 India was the only operator other than Britain after sales to Argentina and Australia were unsuccessful. A second, updated version for the Royal Navy was made in 1993 as the Sea Harrier FA2, improving its air to air abilities and weapons compatibilities, along with a more powerful engine; this version continued manufacture until 1998.

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Kinetic Model Kits 1:48 Sea Harrier FA2 • Kit No. K48041

The aircraft was withdrawn early from Royal Navy service in March 2006 and replaced in the short term by the Harrier GR9, now itself retired, although the intended long term replacement is Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II. The Sea Harrier is in active use in the Indian Navy, although it will eventually be replaced by the Mikoyan MiG-29K. Although withdrawn from active Royal Navy service, Sea Harriers are used to train naval aircraft handlers at the Royal Navy School of Flight Deck Operations.*

THE SEA HARRIER AND ME

I have wanted to build a 1:48 scale Sea Harrier FA2 for many years. I bought the Airfix kit when it was first released and was disappointed by its hybrid raised (on the wings from the old Sea Harrier FRS.1 kit) and recessed panel detail. The new parts were very softly moulded too, and detail was nothing to write home about. As a consequence I bought reference material and started accumulating accessories to improve the generally accurate outline of the model. Despite my Airfix Sea Harrier box bulging with resin and photo-etch, I was delighted to hear that Kinetic Models was about to release a brand-new FA2. Would this save me the trouble of largely rebuilding the old Airfix kit?

The kit features crisply recessed surface detail.

The fuselage blast guards feature impressive rippled texture.

The upper wings are moulded with the small rows of vortex generators in place.

The intake and jet fan.

IN THE BOX

Kinetic continues its commitment to modern jetage aircraft with its second British subject - a 1:48 scale Sea Harrier FA2. This is only the second Sea Harrier FA2 available in 1:48 scale, the first being an Airfix kit released in 1997, which was itself based on the early 1980s-vintage Sea Harrier FRS.1. This brand new kit from Kinetic comprises 243 parts in light grey plastic, 16 parts in clear and a small photo-etched fret. Markings for 28 aircraft are included. Surface detail looks very nice, with recessed panel lines, vents and rivets over the airframe. Moulding quality is high, with minimal ejector pin circles, seam lines or sink marks. Some of the moulding is really clever too, notably the onepiece nozzles. All four nozzles are connected by a mechanism that should, if installed carefully, make them all rotate to the same angle simultaneously. Cockpit detail is good straight from the box, with raised detail on the side consoles and instrument panels; and excellent moulding on the sides of the ejector seat. You'll need to BYO harness straps though. The canopy is split into windscreen and opening section. The latter features the prominent detonation chords moulded into the top. The stressed metal effect on the nozzle blast shields looks great. Optional parts are provided for open or closed auxiliary blow in doors; open or closed air brakes; and the control surfaces and flaps are all offered as separate parts, allowing them to be posed to taste. Landing gear doors may be fixed open or closed too.

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The cockpit tub is made up from only a few parts but comes up well after careful painting.

The wheels are split down the centreline. They are designed to trap the wheel hub between the halves.

The brake bay includes interior structural detail.

The ejection seat boasts lots of side detail.

The one-piece jet nozzles are quite remarkable.

Plenty of ordnance straight from the box.

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The characteristic big wing tanks are also included.

The clear parts on the sprue. A small photo-etched fret offers scale-thickness wing fences.

The large decal sheet allows a great deal of options. Aeroclub’s 1:48 scale resin ejection seat. It looks a bit ragged here, but comes up well after a coat of primer!

“Kinetic’s all-new 1:48 scale SHAR is well detailed, offers many useful options and alternative position parts, and provides a wealth of ordnance...”

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Kinetic Model Kits 1:48 Sea Harrier FA2 • Kit No. K48041

The modest photo-etched fret provides additional detail parts including scale thickness wing fences. Of the 243 grey plastic parts, 104 are dedicated to ordnance. On the two ordnance sprues you will find AIM120 AMRAAM, AIM-9L Sidewinder and Sea Eagle missiles plus pylons and tanks of various sizes.

MARKINGS

Decals are designed by Crossdelta and luxuriously printed by Cartograf. The decal sheet is big and colourful, with two commemorative schemes plus 26 aircraft depicted at disbandment in 2004 and 2006. Colour callouts are offered for Vallejo and GSI Creos (I believe this is Gunze-Sangyo acrylic) paints. The kit’s seat mounting post must be drilled out of the cockpit floor to permit the resin Aeroclub seat to be fitted.

PREPARATION

I found that the model fitted well after the plastic parts were carefully cleaned up. Many of the parts had flash on or near the mating surfaces, so a bit of time spent with a sharp knife and a sanding stick is a good investment. The plastic is quite soft and easy to work with, so this is no great chore. I also found that the wing saddle fitted much better when I completely cut away the front and rear locating ridges on the opening at the top of the fuselage. When I was finished the model, I was very impressed that all five wheels - two outriggers and three main wheels - touched the ground at the same time without any adjustment.

Some care must be taken to ensure that all parts fit without gaps. Make sure all flash is trimmed and/or sanded off, and clamp sub-assemblies where possible.

CONSTRUCTION

The model was mostly built straight from the box, but I did fit an Aeroclub resin ejection seat, added some detail to the bare cockpit upper sidewalls, and scratch built intake covers from Kneadatite twopart epoxy putty. Details of construction may be found in the accompanying photos and captions.

The engine fan, ducting and forward wheel are all one sub-assembly…

…over which is fitted the cockpit tub.

Base paint colours have been applied to the cockpit tub here.

A wash of thinned Future floor polish and Tamiya X-18 Semi-Gloss Black helps pop out the structural detail, and softens the contrast between the colours.

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My Mission Models Micro Chisel was just the right tool for deepening the locating slots for the cockpit. This improved the fit considerably.

The locating holes on my fuselage half were too small. These were widened by twisting with the point of a new hobby blade, although a twist drill would work just as well.

The kit’s upper sidewalls lack detail. This was addressed with thin strips of Evergreen plastic strip.

I found that the saddle wing fitted much better after I trimmed off the locating ridges moulded to the fuselage.

The kit instrument panel is simple but acceptable after painting. If Kinetic follows its previous practice, I’m sure there will be a comprehensive photo-etched detail set available soon.

Cockpit tub painted and ready for installation. I did not bother to paint the ducting or fan as I intended to fit intake covers.

The cockpit and intake assembly in place. The alarming scraping on the cockpit tub sides are from the tight-fitting resin seat, and will be completely covered once the seat is permanently glued into place.

Upper sidewalls painted and washed using the same colours and techniques as the cockpit.

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Kinetic Model Kits 1:48 Sea Harrier FA2 • Kit No. K48041

Kinetic offers a theoretically workable jet nozzle rotation system, but I wasn’t game to check it out as the fit was quite tight in the fuselage sides.

The nozzle mechanism and the speed brake housing fitted inside the fuselage.

With the enlarged locating holes and slots, the fuselage halves fitted very well.

Intake covers were formed from Kneadatite two-part epoxy putty. This handy material is cut from its strip and kneaded until it is a uniform green colour.

The intake parts were used as templates for the outline of the covers. They were simply pressed into the freshly mixed Kneadatite, then allowed to set.

Apparently these intake covers were inflatable, so I tried to subtly texture the surface to suggest soft and flexible vinyl. Handles were added from thin strips of Kneadatite too.

With the locating ridges totally cut away from the fuselage, the fit of the wing was very good. The join was clamped and taped while the glue completely set.

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A few lines of Mr Surfacer were applied to areas at the upper rear and front wing joins to cover small gaps and steps.

Fit was pretty good on the lower surfaces too. The main issue was a thin wedge-shaped gap in front of the nose undercarriage bay.

PAINTING AND MARKINGS

Fit of the nose is impressive. The masked windscreen was fitted prior to painting.

At this stage, I clumsily dropped the model on the floor. It landed on the port-side elevator, snapping a jagged section off the corner. This was later glued back in place and sanded smooth.

The cockpit opening was carefully masked with Tamiya tape.

The leading edge lens cover was masked with a piece of punched masking tape.

I had originally planned to do this as a quick build with a clean, simple paint job, but the more I looked at photos in Neil Mercer's excellent photographic study of early SHAR FA2s, "The Sharp End", the more immersed I became. The model received an overall coat of Mr Colour Lacquer paint no. 363 BS637 Medium Sea Grey. There is some really odd weathering happening on these aircraft, and I tried to reproduce some of what I could see with the dirty areas on the top mid fuselage and fanning out onto the wings, as well as apparent primer and sealer daubed here and there, in addition to the Extra Dark Sea Grey drop tanks. I used Tamiya XF-24 Dark Grey to represent EDSG on the drop tanks. Although this is essentially a single colour scheme, I tried to maximise the interest by varying the sheen in different areas - low sheen fuselage, slightly shinier radome and full gloss tanks. All paints were applied with my Testor Aztek A470 airbrush fitted with the fine tan-coloured tip I always liked the low-vis markings on the early FA2s, so I used the light grey "winged fist" decals and the associated codes from the old Airfix Sea Harrier FA2. They were pretty horrible to work with - stiff backings and lots of silvering - but I eventually achieved an acceptable result. By contrast, Kinetic's decals, printed by Cartograf, were a dream! In the end, I spent a couple more days painting the model than I intended, but I'm glad that I did.

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Kinetic Model Kits 1:48 Sea Harrier FA2 • Kit No. K48041

The nose was painted Tamiya XF-54 Dark Sea Grey, as the reference photos show these early FA2s were distinctly darker in this area.

The main radome was masked and a darker shade of grey sprayed.

A narrow band of the darker grey was masked before the entire airframe was primed with Tamiya Grey Primer straight from the spray can, then sprayed with Mr Color’s lacquer no. 363, Medium Sea Grey.

Oops! Forgot the wing fences! Oh well, it’s never too late…

The low viz winged fist, Royal Navy text and aircraft codes were sourced from the old Airfix decal sheet. Despite the glossy surface on the model, it took quite a bit of work to eventually iron out the silvering. The kit decals were used for all other markings, and these performed perfectly.

Sea Harriers sported a unique spread of weathering. I tried to copy this interesting pattern from reference photos. The grime and staining was built up from very thinly sprayed lines of a mix of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown, built up over a number of layers.

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I rubbed a damp fingertip on the top of the fuselage and the inboard wing sections, embedding some of the dirty weathering colour in the recessed detail.

Undercarriage parts were sprayed white. The parts were Blu-Tacked to a small box to make handling easier and reduce the risk of losing tiny bits to the dreaded Carpet Monster.

Other smaller parts being painted. The metal nozzles and blast covers were first painted with Tamiya AS-12 Bare Metal Silver…

Pylons and ordnance was assembled next.

Many reference photos show Extra Dark Sea Grey tanks fitted to these early FA2s. I painted mine Tamiya XF-24 Dark Grey and polished them up with a fingertip before a couple of coats of Future floor polish. White on White. Tres chic.

…then sprayed in a translucent and intentionally uneven thin coat of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown. I was trying to convey the impression of metal that is both tarnished and dirty.

The outrigger landing gear was masked and the covers painted Medium Sea Grey.

Landing gear parts painted, weathered and ready for installation.

The Aeroclub seat was the last piece painted.

One of the AIM-9L missiles, painted and decaled. The silver bands are narrow strips of self-adhesive Bare Metal Foil.

Ordnance and pylons look great straight from the box.

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FEATURE ARTICLE: Kinetic Model Kits 1:48 Sea Harrier FA2 • Kit No. K48041

I had intentionally delivered different levels of gloss to the main fuselage (pretty flat), the radome (semi-gloss) and the wing tanks (high gloss) in order to break up the single-colour finish.

CONCLUSION

This is another really nice modern subject from Kinetic. It simply blows away the hybrid 1:48 scale Airfix Sea Harrier FA2 from 1997. Kinetic's all-new 1:48 scale SHAR is well detailed, offers many useful options and alternative position parts, and provides a wealth of ordnance. Engineering appears straightforward and it is not a particularly difficult build once the flash is cleaned up. I thoroughly recommend this kit, and hope that Kinetic continues with the SHAR family so I can add an FRS.1 to my collection too! •

MODELSPEC Kinetic Model Kits 1:48 Sea Harrier FA2

Kit No. K48041

Accessories and Tools Used: Aeroclub 1:48 Martin Baker MB. Mk.10H Seat Evergreen plastic strip Kneadatite two-part epoxy putty Selected decals from Airfix 1:48 Sea Harrier FA2 Paints and Finishing Products Used: Mr Colour Lacquer – 363 BS637 Medium Sea Grey Tamiya Acrylic – X-18 Semi-Gloss Black; XF-1 Flat Black; XF-24 Dark Grey; XF-54 Dark Sea Grey; XF-64 Red Brown. Alclad II – Flat Cote; Matt Cote. Future Floor Polish High quality moulding; nicely detailed; recessed panel lines and rows of rivets; optional position flaps (extended or closed); straightforward parts breakdown; high quality decals designed by Crossdelta and printed by Cartograf. Some flash that needs to be cleaned up; a few fit issues (easily fixed though); bare upper cockpit sidewalls. Rating: 8.5 out of 10 * Historical information from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/British_Aerospace_Sea_Harrier Thanks to Lucky Model for the sample www.luckymodel.com

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After I had finished the model, I was told that the outboard control surfaces on the FA2 are not flaperons that droop when the aircraft is powered down, but dedicated ailerons. The should be in the neutral position or deflected opposite (i.e., one up, one down).

Kinetic has captured that “down on its haunches” stance that the rear Sea Harrier FA2 displays.

AIR Edition

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KIT PREVIEW: TAMIYA 1:32 VOUGHT F4U-1A CORSAIR. • Kit No. 60325

I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW The Editor takes a close look at Tamiya’s latest addition to their spectacular 1:32 scale series, the F4U-1A Corsair.

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he combat career of the F4U Corsair stretched longer than any other US Navy WWII fighter aircraft. The first of more than 12,000 Corsairs were produced in 1940, and the last of these bent wing birds were still doing battle above Central America nearly thirty years later. The Vought Aircraft company had a strong association with the US Navy during the inter war decades, but their focus in the 1930s was observation aircraft, trainers and seaplanes. In response to a US Navy specification issued in February 1938, Vought submitted two designs. With the second of these carrier-based fighter proposals, Vought adopted the simple strategy of building the smallest possible airframe around the most powerful available engine. At the same time, Pratt & Whitney was developing the supercharged R-2800 radial engine. Radial engines had recently lost favour to the sleeker inline configuration, but the US Navy preferred the ruggedness and simplicity of the radial arrangement. Vought therefore designed their new V-166B around the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 powerplant. The brute force of the R-2800 engine had to be absorbed by a correspondingly large propeller. With a diameter of 13’ 4”, the Hamilton Standard three-bladed propeller assembly was the largest fitted to a fighter aircraft to that date. This imposing propeller needed very high ground clearance. Vought’s solution was to install an inverted gull wing. The main undercarriage was fitted to the lowest point of the wing, improving ground clearance for the propeller while still permitting robust landing gear – essential for carrier landings. This design also lowered the profile of the Corsair with the wings folded, and strengthened the join with the fuselage

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via its sturdy central spar. The result was the sole prototype XF4U-1, which first flew on 29 May, 1940. The ruggedness of Vought’s design was proven at the end of that maiden flight when the aircraft flipped after a forced landing. Although the prototype was badly damaged, it was repaired and flew again within months. Indeed, before the end of 1940 the XF4U1 became the first US fighter aircraft to exceed 400 mph in level flight. Further development was required to iron out a number of undesirable flying and landing characteristics. In December 1942 the Corsair commenced carrier trials. Ongoing problems with poor pilot visibility on final approach and premature port wing stall disqualified the Corsair from US carrier operations at this time. However, the first land based Corsair Marines squadron entered front line service in February 1943. The famous Jolly Rogers, VF-17, became the first US Navy Corsair unit to see action shortly after. The Corsair immediately demonstrated its superiority over Japanese fighters with an impressive kill ratio. The performance of the F4U also proved to be at least on equal footing with its US Army Air Force fighter counterparts, the P-47 and the P-51. The Corsair was also adopted by the British Fleet Air Arm. Unlike the US Navy, Britain operated their Corsairs on carriers from their first sorties in March 1944. With their strikes against the Tirpitz, the Fleet Air Arm was the only Corsair operator to face German forces. US Navy Corsairs were eventually cleared for carrier use in April 1944, in time to deal with the Kamikaze threat later that year. The Royal New Zealand Air Force was the third Corsair operator in the Pacific. 238 F4U-

This version features a much clearer and bulged sliding canopy section.

The kit contains all the characteristics of this later version.

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Two styles of solid turtledeck are included.

A revised tail wheel assembly and doors are on the new sprues.

The big centreline tank is a welcome inclusion.

The new clear sprue.

Two styles of solid turtledeck are included.

1As, 126 -1Ds and 60 FG-1Ds served with 13 RNZAF squadrons from May 1944.

CORSAIR UPGRADED

An improved version of the Corsair was soon introduced. Although it is now popularly known as the F4U-1A, this designation was never used officially. This new version featured a taller canopy with less framing, a simplified windscreen, the pilot’s seat was raised seven inches and the tail wheel strut was lengthened. These measures improved visibility for the pilot. The rear quarter windows were also deleted on this version. Also new was a six-inch metal strip added to the starboard wing leading edge to improve stall performance, heavy-duty undercarriage oleo struts to reduce bounce on landing, and the introduction of a larger diameter pneumatic tyre for the tail wheel. All of these features meant that this was the first version of the F4U-1 Corsair to be fully carrier capable. The clear window beneath the cockpit was covered with sheet metal. The F4U-1A was also the first Corsair capable of carrying either a drop tank of a 500 lb bomb on a centreline rack.

TAMIYA AND THE CORSAIR

Tamiya released their 1:48 scale F4U-1 Corsair around 1996. Hobbycraft had the great misfortune of releasing their 1:48 scale Corsair kits around the

same time. Tamiya’s was superior in all the important areas - accuracy, detail, engineering and fit. This was the first in a line of Tamiya 1:48 scale Corsairs that included an F4U-1D and F4U-1A, released in that order. Tamiya also released 1:72 scale F4U-1D, F4U-1A and F4U-1 Bircage Corsairs between 2001 and 2006. Following the launch of their groundbreaking 1:32 scale Spitfire Mk.IX in 2009, Spitfire Mk.VIII in 2010, P-51D Mustang in 2011 and their P-51K in 2012, Tamiya released their 1:32 scale F4U-1 “Birdcage” Corsair in mid-2013. This was an outstanding kit in every respect. Tamiya has now expanded their 1:32 scale Corsair family with an F4U-1A. This variant offers a wider range of camouflage and marking possibilities. Many modellers have been hanging out for this one!

IN THE BOX

Tamiya’s 1:32 scale Vought F4U-1A Corsair comprises more than 450 parts in grey plastic; 49 parts in clear (includes 22 limited edition clear cowl parts); four black plastic pieces; two frets of photo-etched metal; one self-adhesive metallic name plate; a self-adhesive masking sheet; two vinyl tyres; two metal rods; one screw; one nut; one small screwdriver; one poly cap; and two decal sheets with markings for three schemes. The parts count may seem daunting, but quite a number of parts are for alternative versions

The self-adhesive masking sheet.

The main decal sheet.

and configurations. The engineering of the kit is straightforward too, and I can confirm from the experience of building the Birdcage Corsair last year that construction is trouble free as long as you pay careful attention to the instructions. Tamiya transforms the Birdcage into the F4U1A with two new grey sprues and another new sprue in clear plastic. The first of the new grey sprues, Sprue R, includes revised cockpit parts to permit the elevation of the pilot’s seat, a revised instrument panel, pilot’s armour, coaming and cockpit details, a choice of two styles of new turtledeck insert without the quarter windows, solid cover

Aircraft Edition

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KIT PREVIEW: TAMIYA 1:32 VOUGHT F4U-1A CORSAIR. • Kit No. 60325

Three marking schemes are included.

for the lower cockpit viewing window, plus new parts for the tail wheel, tail hook and rear undercarriage doors. Sprue T offers a centreline rack, a bomb, a drop tank, new igintion ring and magnetos, and additional tail gear parts. The new clear parts are thin and sparkling and totally free from distortion. The partially framed canopy looks good in shape and is part of the new clear sprue. Self-adhesive canopy masks are included for the new canopy and windscreen. The frames are printed onto the sheet but not die cut, so you will have to cut the individual masks out yourself (not a great chore though). Otherwise, the plastic sprues are the same

Lots of stencil markings and other details on the second decal sheet.

(and just as gorgeous) as those included in the debut Birdcage kit. Surface detail is possibly even finer than Tamiya’s 1:32 scale Mustang. Crisply recessed panel lines are supplemented with rows of extremely restrained rivets. The visibility of the rivets varies depending on the angle and intensity of available light, ranging from subtly noticeable to almost imperceptible. Several different sizes of rivets are apparent too, as are selected slotted screw heads and raised hinges. Fabric detail on the control surfaces and on the outer wing panels is restrained. The fuselage halves are each presented in two main parts. Several options are possible for

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the turtledeck, mid upper spine and the top of the aircraft nose thanks to the use of inserts. The joins for these inserts fall on natural panel lines. The cockpit is beautifully detailed and is modified for this version. The seat was raised in the -1A, and this is depicted correctly. The instrument panel follows the lead of Tamiya’s other 1:32 scale kits, with a clear part sandwiched between a grey plastic panel and decals at the rear. Photo-etched parts make an appearance in the cockpit. They are used for the harness straps and a number of other details. The R-2800 radial engine is beautifully detailed too. This is an all-plastic affair so assembly should be straightforward. The ignition leads are not included, so you might like to add fine wire to depict these. The ends of the exhaust pipes are hollowed out. Cowl flaps may be posed either open or closed. Different parts are supplied for each option. Control surfaces including the elevators, flaps and ailerons are all provided as separate parts, but they are poseable as opposed to moveable. I actually like this approach as I tend to glue my control surfaces in position anyway, and it is certainly easier and more positive than metal rods and hinges. With the optional folded wings and small wing doors associated with the Corsair’s flaps, hinged surfaces would have involved some necessary compromises in detail and scale too. Similarly, the undercarriage may be built either down or up; and the flaps can be built either extended or folded. You’ll need to decide on your model’s configuration around Step 37 of construction. The wing intakes, structure, spars and landing gear bays are intricate and authentic. Photoetched parts are employed for the intakes and some of this structural detail. The landing gear legs - all three - also look fantastic.Tyres are vinyl. The horizontal stabilisers and fin are attached to the fuselage via stout fixed locating slots.

The lower fuselage window is blanked off for this version.

My sample is a standard initial production kit for export, so it has the limited edition clear cowling parts. These are a direct duplicate of the grey plastic cowling parts but these will permit you to display your engine if you are felling that way inclined. The clear cowl parts are a little cloudy on the sprue, but a bath in Future floor polish should greatly improve their transparency. In fact, a small supplementary instruction sheet suggests spraying a thick coat of Tamiya Clear from the spray can on both sides of the clear parts. A stout black plastic stand is supplied for “in-flight” display, along with a self-adhesive metallic label. Two pilot figures round out the package – one standing and the second seated in full flight gear. I like the clear goggles provided for the seated pilot. Markings are supplied for three aircraft plus extensive stencilling. Wing walks, a reversed instrument dial decal, placards and more stencils are supplied on a second sheet. Both decal sheets are in register on my sample.

CONCLUSION

Once again, Tamiya has delivered a truly outstanding model. If you have the slightest interest in the F4U Corsair family, Tamiya’s new 1:32 scale kit will be an essential ornament for your modelling bench. Do yourself a favour and build one soon. Highly Recommended. Thanks to Tamiya Japan for the sample. Tamiya kits are distributed in the UK by The Hobby Company Limited www.hobbyco.net •

Military Illustrated Modeller - January 2015

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KIT PREVIEW: HK MODELS 1:32 DORNIER DO 335 B-2 ZERSTORER. • Kit No. 01E07

PUSH ME – PULL YOU Yes, it was a real aircraft that flew. The Editor reviews HK Models’ newest release – the 1:32 scale Dornier Do 335 B-2.

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he Dornier Do 335 Pfeil (“Arrow”) was a World War II heavy fighter. The Pfeil’s performance was much better than other twin-engine designs due to its unique “push-pull” layout and the resulting lower drag of the in-line alignment of the two engines. The Dornier Do 335 B-2 was a proposed singleseat destroyer aircraft. Fitted with 2 additional MK 103 in the wings and two 300 litre (80 US gal) auxiliary fuel tanks. Two Do 335 B prototypes, M13 and M14, were assembled and flown.

IN THE BOX

HK Models’ latest release is also their first Luftwaffe offering - a 1:32 Dornier Do 335 B-2. It is important to note that the Do 335 B was not a “what if” paper project. At least two Do 335 B prototypes flew - M13 and M14 - and HK Models offers different parts and markings to accurately build either aircraft straight from the box. This kit comprises 301 parts in grey plastic, eight parts in clear plastic, two white metal ingots and five photo-etched parts on a single fret. Markings for three schemes are included on the decal sheet. This is a long-run injection-moulded plastic kit with all the little luxuries that modellers enjoy, including locating pins, slots and tabs. The quality of moulding is extremely high. I could not find any sink marks, and there are no obvious ejector pin circles in areas that will be visible on the completed model. Sprue attachment points are quite modest too, considering the large size of some of the parts. Removal of parts from the sprues and cleanup should be quick and easy. It would appear that the basic set of sprues will be used to deliver the entire Do 335 A and B family, with separate inserts for the fuselage spine, the wing leading edges and the wing tips.

Surface detail is first class. Larger areas feature beautifully fine rows of rivets, with restrained use of crisp and finely recessed panel lines. Different sizes are represented too, including recessed circles for larger fasteners and even slotted screws. Raised structural features are also present where appropriate. Detail is also very good, but it is delivered using a relatively modest number of parts. The cockpit is simple should look fine straight from the box. Decals are supplied for the instrument dials, and the ejection seat includes photo-etched harness straps. The kit includes two nicely detailed DB 603 engines. In line with the philosophy of the rest of the kit, you won’t have to labour too long on these. Each engine is made up from less than 40 parts, but the detail looks very good. Cleverly, the front engine will enclose the supplied white metal nose weight. This will definitely be needed to keep the stalky nose wheel on the ground! The engines may be displayed via separate panels. Fuel tank detail and a bomb bay are included too. A spare fuel tank is supplied for the bomb bay. The bomb bay doors are also separate and may be posed open if desired. Control surfaces are separate and should be able to be posed to taste. The undercarriage is well detailed, and the plastic wheels are bulged and flattened. The kit offers a number of useful options including standard or extended wing tips, optional position cowl flaps (open or closed), raised or lowered undercarriage, optional position rear vents and optional gun camera. The clear parts are thin and free from distortion. Some care will be needed when fixing the bulged side windows to the canopy, but this is probably the only way for the manufacturer to

mould the prominent blister. Instructions are offered in a large A3 format 20 page booklet with clear illustrations over 39 Steps (shades of Hitchcock!). Colour callouts are provided for Tamiya and Gunze model paints.

MARKINGS

Markings are supplied on a large single decal sheet. Colour and registration look good. Markings for both prototypes, M13 and M14, are included, as well as French war prize markings and stencils. Swastikas are split diagonally to satisfy European laws. The instructions suggest that the upper surface splinter pattern comprised RLM 81 Brown Violet and RLM 82 Light Green, but it is also possible that RLM 70 Black Green or RLM 71 Dark Green may have been substituted for one or both of these latewar shades.

CONCLUSION

HK Models’ 1:32 scaler Dornier Do 335 B-2 is an excellent kit featuring crisp surface features, a high level of detail and many useful options. 300 parts is relatively modest for a kit boasting this level of detail too, so you should have a pleasurable building experience in front of you. The model will look great straight from the box, but no doubt we will see after market cockpit and engine updates for the dedicated super detailer. James Hatch has built a test shot of this kit and has nothing but praise for its engineering and fit. His impressions are detailed in a big Feature Article in Issue 43 of Military Illustrated Modeller magazine. Highly Recommended. Thanks to HK Models for the sample www.hk-models.de •

The clear sprue.

White metal nose weights are included.

Radiator and harness detail is provided as photo-etch.

HK Models plan to release four kits in the Dornier Do 335 family.

Alternative wing tips are provided, both extended… (top) …and short (below).

Aircraft Edition

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FEATURE ARTICLE: PACIFIC COAST MODELS 1:32 HURRICANE MK.I ‘EARLY VERSION’. • Kit No. PCM 32010

RAG WING DEFENDER

Charles Whall passes on his insights after building his second Pacific Coast Models 1:32 Hurricane, this time the early fabric wing version.

W

hen Pacific Coast Models announced their beautiful new 1:32 early fabric wing Hurricane Mk.I, I bought one immediately and, as usual, spent a long time deciding what aircraft/squadron to represent as I rarely use the kit offerings. So, two years later and having recently read ‘Fighter Pilot’ by Fg/Off Paul Richey of No1 Squadron - an autobiographical account of his life as a front line pilot during the Battle of France, I felt inspired to represent his aircraft (as far as references allow) as it was in France 1939. L1679 was Richey’s regular mount until it was destroyed on 10th May during a raid on Mezieres. After hearing how it was ‘sieved with bullets’, Richey lamented, “I can only hope she burned before the Huns could lay their rude hands on her”!

IN THE BOX

The parts breakdown is as expected and PCM has served the modeller very well by offering two fabulous representations of the early Mk.I. Options are provided for building a pre-war version and include relevant parts such as the distinctive ‘kidney’ exhaust ejectors, a Venturi and separate casting of the ventral fin running along the

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underside of the fuselage to the rudder. Armoured and non-armoured windscreens are provided. The famous Watts two-bladed propeller is a very good representation and, as the battle in France developed at a rapid pace during this period, so was the need for a faster fighter, so PCM have thoughtfully added a 3 bladed de Havilland version too for ‘later’ early-mark versions. Overall, the PCM kit parts are of a high standard, three well moulded main sprues with little or no flash, crisp panel lines but lacking the finer rivet detail details I would have expected in this scale as the panel fastenings around the engine cowl are quite out of scale and look like doughnuts, but nothing a little careful sanding won’t fix! The kit features some beautiful surface detail and accurately, and subtlety represents the fabric surfaces on the wings, fuselage and rear stabilisers which other manufactures tend to overdo in my opinion. The clear mouldings are suitably thin, but the canopy part was a little cloudy in my boxing but cleaned up just fine with a little polishing compound and a dip in some Future floor polish. There are a number of nicely detailed

photo-etched parts including the instrument panel, radiator grills, seat harness and a few cockpit components. The kit is surprisingly lacking other cockpit sidewall details and offers little more than a 1:48 kit! The resin parts are all very well cast and offer 4 and 5 spoke wheel versions, early and later exhausts, a superbly represented wheel well and undercarriage assembly and various cockpit details. The decal sheet is supplied by Cartograf and no less than six marking options are offered for a range of nationalities; 3 RAF, 1 Finnish, 1 Italian and 1 Belgian – choice enough for the most discerning modeller! All decals are beautifully printed and colours are in register.

INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

I had learned much about this kit through building the later version a couple of years ago, so I was much better prepared to deal with the trickier parts of construction and I was not surprised when faced with exactly the same issues (although fairly minor) with this early version. Working in 1:32 has given me the opportunity to learn and develop many new techniques – especially when it comes to detailing,

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weathering and finishing touches (this scale is also a lot easier on the eyes!). So, not feeling happy with the lack of detail in this scale, I felt I needed to make a few adjustments and additions to the basic kit, which I have outlined below: Sutton Q harness by Radu Brinzan Scratch built seat cushion from putty Gunsight glass, wiring & brass sighting bar on cowling Cockpit wiring/equipment Rebuilt castoring tailwheel Navigation light bulbs Brass canopy handles Canopy rails Radiator actuators Dorsal identification light Rudder mass balance and actuator cables Additional rivet details I felt that the cockpit required additional sidewall component detail and wiring using styrene rod and PlusModel lead wire in various sizes 0.2 – 0.6mm. The kit components went together without any

trouble and progress was made quickly. The etched instrument panel is offered in 3 parts with the dials on an acetate sheet sandwiched between. I applied a small drop of Micro Krystal Klear to create the effect of the dial glass. Acrylics were used for the instrument bezels, buttons and various knobs and levers. The starter button below the instrument panel was constructed in three parts using solid brass rod and brass shim (and gave me the opportunity to try the brilliant Waldron sub-miniature punch set). The punch set came in handy again for the gunsight glass and wiring was added. The control column was detailed by adding additional wiring, a brass firing button and a brake lever. The aileron linkage was made using lead wire squeezed with a small pair of pliers to create the individual link effect. The meticulously detailed Sutton Q harness set by Radu Brinzan is a real work of art! Constructed from over fifty parts comprising paper straps and photoetch buckles and grommits, it builds into a very realistic and satisfying representation of the real thing. I used a very small amount of light brown oils to wash over the harness straps to give them some depth and

drooped one over the side of the cockpit as seen in many photographs of the period.

PAINTING THE INTERIOR

The cockpit and sidewalls were given a coat of Aircraft Colors interior green and then oversprayed with Extracrylix interior green as a highlight. I then used Abteilung dark brown oils to wash the area to provide subtle shadows. I am a huge fan of oils as they are so forgiving and can be used to produce some very subtle shadow effects, especially when it comes to weathering. Michael Rinaldi has written a superb article on Hyperscale outlining his ‘Oil Paint Rendering’ technique which allows the modeller to manage and blend colours to provide specific effects which I will discuss in more detail later on regarding the final weathering stages of this build. A word of caution…I would strongly advise on joining the fuselage halves first and then fitting the completed cockpit tub as it is very tricky to line up separately, the same with the back head-rest section, I just slotted this in behind once cockpit was in. After a very thin final wash of Abteilung Black/ Brown oils, the whole lot was given a coat of Tamiya flat varnish before closing her up.

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FEATURE ARTICLE: PACIFIC COAST MODELS 1:32 HURRICANE MK.I ‘EARLY VERSION’. • Kit No. PCM 32010

Radu Brinzan’s amazing Sutton harness set.

The kit’s colour photo-etched instrument panel. Detail added to the control column.

‘“I can only hope she burned before the Huns could lay their rude hands on her!”, Fg/Off Paul Richey of No1 Squadron, The cockpit framing is fitted to the port fuselage sidewall.

France 1939’

Additional wiring and details really bring the cockpit to life

Only small amounts of filler were required to fill gaps in the usual areas.

Pilot’s armour and seat are added now.

EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION & DETAILS

The fuselage halves went together well but a significant ‘drop’ appeared one side of the fuselage just forward of the windscreen. No matter how hard I tried to line it up, it just wouldn’t work, so I let the whole thing dry and used green putty to fill and sanded smooth to fair in with the rest of the fuselage…issue number 1! (They do say bad things come in threes however!). A small amount of filler was needed on the cowling and on the underside where the wing centre section meets the fuselage. A major fit issue I encountered again was the joint between the radiator and fuselage. There is a large, raised moulded section on the underside wing which I assume is supposed to accommodate the shape of the radiator but the area was larger so created a very visible ‘step’ between the fuselage and radiator. Some fairly rigorous sanding eradicated the step and created a better join with a minimal amount of filler required…issue number 2! There was also a fairly large sink mark on the underside/flap section so more green putty was needed to fill it adequately. The panel fastenings around the cockpit area and cowlings are moulded quite clumsily but some light sanding was all that was needed to rectify the problem. I added some rivet detail on the wings and around the leading edge using a modified Hasegawa

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rivet wheel. The result was very subtle and I was not sure how well it would show up after the final paint job! With fuselage and wing sections completed, I mated the wing section to fuselage with a very snug fit but suddenly noticed a very large hole in the bottom centre of the wings…I had forgotten to fix in the resin wheel-well to the inside lower wing section…issue number 3 (my fault though)! So, with the well in place, wings joined with fuselage once more but not nearly as snug as before… the top of the wheel-well was interfering with the cockpit so needed sanding down until it was almost see-through! Even with this done, the wings still did not mate properly as before so required some filler at the upper wing roots. I would advise fixing the upper wings to the fuselage and dealing with the lower section separately in order to avoid these issues. Final sub-assemblies included the three-part gear doors which I assembled first before attaching them to the gear legs, to insure proper fit (a bit fiddly this area!). The gun ports are separate parts from the wings but fitted very snugly into their respective openings. The rear stabiliser joints are just a flush fit so I drilled them out and created pin-joints for a stronger join, a little filler was then required at the join.

ONTO THE FINER DETAILS

I wanted to create a castoring tailwheel so it could be offset if desired so I cut the main strut and replaced it with brass rod and inserted it loose into the fuselage. The fit was tight enough to allow the wheel to turn without falling out. With the foot stirrup extended, the mechanism also opens the pilots’ grab-handle below the cockpit in the open position so I thinned the area on the inside of the fuselage, cut the aperture and scratch-built the flap. The retractable footstep was constructed from aluminium as the kit part was oddly shaped and too thick. Elevators were cut and placed in the dropped position, no easy feat as the parts are incredibly thick and took some considerable time to carefully cut with a razor-saw. Final detailing included a sighting bar on the cowling, dropped radiator flap and added the actuator rods. The hydraulic lines on the undercarriage doors were made using copper wire and clear sprue for the rudder navigation light and identification light in front of the aerial mast. Nylon thread was used for the antennae cable with a drop of white glue for the insulator. Brass wire grab handles were added to the canopy.

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Rudder trim actuators were added from brass wire.

The wheel wells were masked with tissue paper before painting.

The canopy and the leading edge landing lights were masked with Tamiya tape. The opening for the pilot’s hand hold was cut out of the fuselage side.

The glasshouse canopy, after masking and painting.

The camouflage is the standard A Scheme of RAF Dark Green/Dark Earth.

Black and white roughly painted on the lower surface prior to masking the centreline.

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FEATURE ARTICLE: PACIFIC COAST MODELS 1:32 HURRICANE MK.I ‘EARLY VERSION’. • Kit No. PCM 32010

Gunze and Tamiya acrylics were applied in various shades and consistencies to create fading and wear.

Note the gunsight bead on top of the engine cowling.

Without modification, the open canopy rides high on the spine.

The port side landing light.

The fabric and rib texture look good under a coat of paint.

Cushion and harness detail look good.

The raised fasteners look exaggerated, even after the model is painted.

PAINTING & MARKINGS

I used a blend of Tamiya and MIG pigments brushed in various areas to create dirt and grime. Scuffing and chipping was done using a Prismacolour silver pencil and lifting off painted areas to reveal Alclad Aluminium underneath. The fabric doped patches for the gun ports were a mixture of red sprayed over decal to create the ‘patched’ effect. Final touches such as oil staining on the underside were done with, well…oils! A final coat of Vallejo Matt varnish mixed with a little satin sealed everything in with a light dusting of MIG pigments to pick out areas that were lost with the flat coat and she’s done!

The camouflage is the standard A Scheme of RAF Dark Green/Dark Earth with black/white undersides for identification. Gunze and Tamiya acrylics were applied in various shades and consistencies to create fading and wear. Montex masks were used for the codes and all other markings were sprayed too. I love the weathering stage of the build and this one I felt required a reasonable amount of dirt and grime, as the real aircraft would have spent most of its time on a muddy airfield in Vassincourt. As well as the usual post shading, I experimented a great deal with the oil rendering technique and what I enjoy most is the unexpected effects that occur when the oils are fully dried outyou never quite know what will happen! Mixtures of black, brown, and yellow were used to build up very thin layers of oil washed into various areas, left to dry and then reapplied until a satisfactory result was achieved (I would advise a good quality, odourless turpentine for prolonged use of oil paint). I find oils very forgiving as the slow drying times make them ideal for re-working if things go wrong, and can be completely removed in order to start again. Of course, this all takes time but the results are well worth it.

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Canopy rails were added to the inside of the cockpit opening.

Cockpit detail is highly visible through the open canopy.

Hydraulic lines were added to the undercarriage doors.

CONCLUSION

A kit not without its faults but they are minimal and, with a little patience, easily overcome. I think this model offers beginners enough opportunity to develop detailing skills and techniques without being too burdensome but looks great straight from the box too. For intermediate and experienced modellers, it offers scope for a great deal of super detailing and builds into a very convincing representation of the real thing. My second outing with this kit and again I have found the project very enjoyable indeed – a highly recommended kit! •

I felt it was necessary to detail the rather sparse radiator area.

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The excellent Montex masks were used for all markings with great results.

MODELSPEC Pacific Coast Models 1:32 Hurricane Mk.I ‘Early Version’. Kit No. PCM 32010 Accessories Used: Sutton Q harness by Radu Brinzan Scratch built seat cushion from putty References: Hurricane Walk Around, Squadron Signal Publications #14 Hawker Hurricane, SAM Publications Oils and pigments add another dimension to the weathering effects.

‘A kit not without its faults but they are minimal and with a little patience, easily overcome.’

Hawker Hurricane Mk.I Technical Specifications: Crew: Pilot only Engine: Single 1,030 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin III twelve-cylinder liquidcooled engine Wing span: 40ft 0in (12.19m) Length: 31ft 4in (9.55m) Weight: 7,127 lb Maximum speed: 328 mph (529km/h) at 17,500 ft Service ceiling: 36,000 feet Range: 700 miles Armament: Eight .303” wing mounted Browning machine guns High level of detail; convincing representation. Some overstated or missing surface detail. RATING: 8 out of 10 Pacific Coast Models kits are available online from their website www.pacmodels.com

Hurricane in profile. Mixtures of black, brown, and yellow were used to build up very thin layers of oil washed into various areas.

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28/11/2014 10:16

KIT PREVIEW: REVELL F4U-1A CORSAIR • Kit No. 03983

SMALL SCALE GULL WINGS Revell has released an all-new 1:72 F4U-1A. Self-confessed Corsairfancier Rafe Morrissey takes a close look.

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he F4U Corsair was one of the most significant American fighter designs of the Second World War. Though its early development was plagued with problems, its superior performance provided the United States Marines with a platform to wrest aerial superiority from the Japanese. Once certain design quirks were resolved to permit it to better operate from Carriers, it quickly proved its worth as both an interceptor and fighter bomber in the latter part of the war. Despite its importance, the Corsair was, until recently, denied the level of attention given to other designs like the Bf 109 and P-51 by model manufacturers. Most of the kits up until the 1990s were “ballpark” kits missing many of the key details. With the introduction of an excellent series of kits in 1:48, 1:72 and 1:32 scale by Tamiya over the past decade, Corsair fans have finally been treated to fully accurate, top-quality kits. It has all come at a price, however. Being a self-confessed Corsair fanatic, I am always glad to see a new kit of the Corsair. Revell-Germany has a good reputation for solid, affordable kits, so I was eager to see how they would approach a kit of my favourite airplane.

HITS AND MISSES

Inspecting the kit produced a variety of emotions. My first reaction was to appreciate the very affordable price of the kit. The Tamiya kits are very nice but even the 1:72 scale kit retails for nearly $30USD. Depending on where one looks, it is possible to acquire the Revell-Germany kit for just a bit more than a third of that price. Keeping my wallet happy is always a good start. I do wish Revell-Germany had not moulded the kit in white plastic. It may seem like a nit but not only is it hart to photograph, but it is also difficult to see the detail and make accurate cuts. Looking through the kit contents was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster. As I looked over the parts I was continually thrilled to see some details captured much better than most of the earlier efforts only to be disappointed at lapses in other areas. For example, the kit is the only one in 1:72 scale besides Tamiya to correctly depict the floorless cockpit design. While generally correct

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in the configuration, however, the kit misses some

The kit-supplied decal sheet.

however, is the later 13’1” paddle blade design.

While some of the Corsairs in VF-17 were retrofitted with these propellers, most -1As were fitted with the larger 13’4” version. In addition, the pylons and drop tanks provided in the kit are only applicable to the -1D and neither of the marking schemes in the kit would have utilized these items. Finally, while the kit provides for both open and closed cowl flaps, the open version lacks the spacers to fill to openings between each of the flaps. They can be added with bits of .005 plastic card easily enough.

DECAL CHALLENGES key details. An incorrect centre instrument panel is included beneath the main panel. The forward bulkhead is only partially represented instead of spanning the entire width of the fuselage. The seat, always the most visible cockpit element in this scale, is poorly represented having the wrong shape and lacking detail. The rear bulkhead contains cutouts suitable for an earlier “Birdcage” -1 variant but not appropriate for the -1A. (Incidentally, these cutouts and cut lines inside the fuselage halves suggest that a separate “Birdcage” version could be in the works, but it would have been nice to have the correct bulkhead included.) Perhaps the biggest issue is the fact that the kit represents a blend of details from the -1A it purports to depict and the later -1D variant. The canopy is nicely molded and reflects the semiblown, framed design of the -1A. The propeller,

Speaking of the decals, the markings are mostly well-rendered with good registration and colour values. On the other hand, there are some annoying errors. The front gear numbers for the famous “Lucybelle” propaganda mount of Maj. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington are wrong being 883 instead of 86. It is clear the designer confused his or her research as 883 was the side number for an F4U-1A that Boyington actually flew in combat.

OTHER ODDITIES

The kit provides the option for both open and closed cowl flaps, however, the open set lacks the inner flaps between the main flaps leaving incorrect slots open in between them. Inner flaps will be required if the open version is desired. The separate exhausts are shown in the wrong location in the instructions being depicted right behind the cowl ring. Inspection of the kit parts

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Sprue 1

Sprue 2 Problem parts!

Cowling fit.

Canopy fit.

Sprue 3

suggests they are in the right place on the model. Some parts like the landing gear are very crisp and delicate while others like the engine cylinder banks and wheels have soft detail. The parts breakdown is unusual with many inserts for the nose and wings. One nice feature is that the upper forward fuselage is molded as a separate part meaning that the circular fuel tank hatch will not have a seam running though it eliminating a filling challenge present on most other Corsair kits.

Fits and Starts

With any new kit, a complete test fit is critical in order to identify and plan for any fit challenges. I removed all of the airframe parts and cleaned them up so I could tape them together. I should also emphasize here that you really will do yourself a favor by test fitting the canopy at this stage. I have been lazy in the past in not fitting the canopy only to find out after the model is painted and nearly complete that there are fit issues with this essential part. If filling or modification is needed, it is best to find out right at the beginning. The test fit of the Corsair reveals some pluses and minuses. Overall, the outline of the kit looks consistent with my references and the fit is generally good. The fit of the canopy is quite good, so finishing separately and adding at the end looks like it will be a good option. There are some troubling areas, though. The cowling does not appear to fit well at all and the design is overly complex and clunky compared to Tamiya’s one piece design. Another potential challenge is the wing tips. Revell provides separate parts for these presumably to allow for doing a British clipped wing variant later. The placement of the seam is a bit odd and will require some careful filling. Perfect Plastic Putty to the rescue!

Clear parts.

The kit seat (left) and a resin aftermarket replacement.

The kit seat after modification.

Prototype model.

Conclusion

So, how does the Revell-Germany Corsair measure up? Well, the price is certainly right. The cockpit detail, while not perfect, provides a much better platform than any other manufacturer except Tamiya. The mish mash of -1, -1A and -1D details are probably only an issue for the most ardent Corsair fans and as long as one does a VF-17 aircraft, it is not necessary to source a replacement prop. It still would have been nice to have it provided, though. I am glad that companies like Revell-Germany and Airfix are releasing affordable kits to provide beginners with an entry point. Experienced modelers and Corsair fans will be able to handle the detail challenges posed by this kit without too much trouble. I look forward to completing mine as a Bunker Hill F4U-1D. General test fit with the model taped together.

Revell model kits are available from all good toy and model retailers. For details visit www.revell.de/en, @RevellGermany or facebook.com/Revell •



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Aircraft Edition

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28/11/2014 10:20

FEATURE ARTICLE: AIRFIX 1:72 A6M2B ZERO. • Kit No. A68204

Zero Zen(ith)? Building the Airfix 1:72 A6M2 Zero

Rafe Morrissey rides the Airfix train with another of their little budget champions, the 1:72 scale A6M2 Zero.

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T

? istic box top.

Airfix’s character

he Mitsubishi A6M Zero is undoubtedly the iconic Japanese aircraft of World War II. Its devastating performance in the surprise raids over Pearl Harbor and the Philippines established for it a fearsome reputation that would only give way in the face of design weaknesses revealed later in the war. Its stunning maneuverability and firepower came at the price of neither armor protection for the pilot, nor selfsealing fuel tanks. Once Allied pilots became aware of these weaknesses and began to exploit them, the balance of power inevitably shifted in their favor. In the hands of a capable pilot, however, the Zero continued to be a formidable threat until the end of the war. Given its notoriety, the Zero has been a frequently kitted subject over the decades. Beginning with Hawk in the 1950s, almost every major manufacturer has produced one Zero variant or another with varying degrees of success. Following their exquisite 1:32 scale Zero releases, Tamiya, recently released a series of small scale early model Zeroes that set a new standard for quality. With such stiff competition, I wondered how Airfix’s rejuvenated line would compare.

INSIDE THE BOX

Sprue 1.

One of the first obvious points of comparison is the price. The Airfix kit is less than a third of the list price for the Tamiya kits. I was forced to wonder if that meant the kit would be one third the quality, the old adage being, “you get what you pay for.” In this instance I was pleased to see you get considerably more than that. The kit is presented on three sprues of light grey plastic plus a small clear sprue. Whilst the thick gates I recalled from the Airfix of my youth are still present, the parts themselves are rendered with surprising finesse. The kit features engraved panel lines, a very nicely moulded three part engine, a well-detailed cockpit, albeit using decals for instruments and a crisp, clear canopy. The panel lines are rather thicker than Tamiya’s kits, but I was confident my customary use of primer would provide a better scale appearance. There are a few rougher areas to contend with. The cowling bears a number of seam lines from the multi-part mould and the seat, while acceptable is a bit on the chunky side. The cockpit is correct in the basic details but is lacking in the finesse of the more expensive kits. All of this is fixable with some basic elbow grease and a moderate amount of additional detailing, but I chose another route. Eduard offers a very nice colour self-adhesive photo-etch set for the kit and a masking set for the large multi-part canopy. Both can be had quite inexpensively and the total package is still far less than the cost of the Tamiya kit.

DECONSTRUCTION

When using an aftermarket set, the first task is to make the kit parts ready to accept the new detail parts. In the case of this kit, that means removing virtually all of the moulded detail. I found the Airfix plastic pleasingly soft and am confident it would be a fairly easy job to remove everything by hand. Having a Dremel tool on hand, however, made the removal process blindingly quick. I find it best to use the motor tool to remove most of the detail but to stop just short of taking away all of it. Such care guards against accidental gouges that have to be filled later. The final layer of detail can easily be Sprue 2.

Aircraft Edition

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FEATURE ARTICLE: AIRFIX 1:72 A6M2B ZERO. • Kit No. A68204

Sprue 3.

The one-piece canopy.

Interior – The addition of the Eduard photo-etch set elevates the cockpit to a high level of detail, but man are some of those parts small!

Extra goodies from Eduard – photo-etched detail set and masks for that glasshouse canopy.

Cockpit - The kit parts provide an excellent foundation for the photo-etch enhancements and would look pretty good on their own with careful painting and weathering.

Detail Removal- The Airfix plastic is quite soft and detail removal is a breeze with a Dremel tool and careful scraping and sanding. Centre: Port Sidewall – The sidewall details are excellent, however , the lower instrument panel boxes interfered with the fit of the cockpit floor. I ended up just using the faces. Left: Starboard Sidewall – For detail and scale appearance, photo-etch is hard to beat. It is important to match the interior colour with care. I used a mix of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black, XF-3 Yellow and a bit of XF-7 Red.

Engine- The kit engine is a real high point. It is simple but very crisp in its details.

scraped away with a number 10 X-Acto blade. A bit of polishing with a piece of sandpaper renders the part ready for the wonderful Eduard details to come.

RECONSTRUCTION

The Eduard set for the Airfix Zero contains a wealth of detail but some of the parts really strain the eyesight. The charging handles are no bigger than the letter T’s on this page! Many of the boxes and details must be folded into three-dimensional shapes, so a good folding tool really comes in handy. Honestly, a nice resin set would be a good option too as the number of tiny parts and complex folds can get very tedious. The end result, however, is a real marvel. The seat when folded, painted and detailed with the pre-painted seatbelts is light years ahead of the kit part. One note of caution, I found that the boxes on the port sidewall would not fit when the fuselage halves and interior are assembled. I double-checked the instructions and I am pretty sure I got everything in the right

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place but they interfered with the cockpit floor. I ended up just applying the face of the boxes and they are so far down, they can’t really be seen anyway, but this is something to look out for. With the cockpit complete, the construction of the basic airframe was really a breeze. There just aren’t that many parts to deal with before you have a little Zero in your hands. For the most part the fit was very nice, however, the gaps between the inner flap and fuselage underside and between the elevators and the fuselage were too wide and required the installation of plastic shims. Very little filler was needed anywhere else on the model with the exception of the cowling. The seam lines between the multi-part moulds are really pronounced and while it was easy to remove them by scraping with the X-Acto and sanding, it required a fair bit of repair work and restoration of panel lines. Perfect Plastic Putty came in really handy here as it sands very easy and minimized the loss of surrounding panel line detail.

PAINTING

With the airframe complete I turned to the painting process. The first task was the engine. What a little gem! I squirted some Alclad II aluminium on the cylinder banks and painted the crank case light grey. I then painted the push rods black and applied a wash of thinned Vallejo black to pop out the cylinder fin detail. I dry brushed the crankcase with a lighter shade of grey and added an oil wash of thinned raw umber. I considered adding the spark plug wires but after that cockpit, I was pretty fried and decided the cowling would make such detailing too invisible to merit the effort. The final engine really looked nice event without it. As I had hoped, a good coat of Alclad II grey primer provided a great surface for painting and knocked back the panel lines to a respectable level. The early Zeroes were very well maintained but I wanted to show some variation in the paint scheme. Given the light shade of the camouflage colour, I felt that some pre-shading would be worthwhile. I used

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A comparison between the kit-supplied plastic seat and the Eduard photoetched item. No contest!

The fit of the kit is pretty good, however, the gaps between the flap and elevator ends were too big for my taste. Some plastic shims solved the problem.

The final seat. The cockpit and fuselage openings were masked before painting.

Preshading isn’t always the right technique, but in this case, it really helped provide some nice, subtle variance to the final camouflage colour.

The Zero canopy is quite a “greenhouse.” Eduard’s masking set makes quick work of what could really be a chore.

Alclad II grey primer provided a great surface for painting and knocked back the panel lines to a respectable level.

Above and Below Left: Decals are provided for the tiny propeller stripes, but I didn’t want the requisite clear coats and carrier film to mar the brilliant metal effect. With careful planning, the masking was less tedious than it looks and the result was just what I was looking for.

Close-up, the panel detail is still quite heavy…

Aircraft Edition

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FEATURE ARTICLE: AIRFIX 1:72 A6M2B ZERO. • Kit No. A68204

MODELSPEC Airfix 1:72 A6M2b Zero

Kit No. A68204

Accessories Used: Eduard SS 426 – Self Adhesive Colour Photo-etch Set for Airfix 1:72 A6M Zero Eduard CX306 – Canopy Mask for Airfix 1:72 A6M Zero Tools and Materials Used: Deluxe Perfect Plastic Putty Mr. Hobby Mr. Masking Sol Neo Tamiya Extra Thin Cement Gorilla Super Glue

…but from a short distance it is acceptable. A lower view.

‘While I can’t say the Airfix kit is as nice as the Tamiya offering, I do feel confident in stating that it is a superb value and builds up into a very credible representation of this iconic aircraft.’

Paints and Finishing Products Used: Alclad II Aluminium Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black Tamiya XF-2 Flat White Tamiya XF-3 Flat Yellow Tamiya XF-7 Flat Red Tamiya XF-8 Flat Blue Tamiya XF-14 J.A. Grey Tamiya XF-21 Sky Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown Testors Flat Clear Pledge Future Excellent value, good detail and fit for scale. Tooling requires careful clean-up on some parts.

Airfix’s Zero captures the sit of the real aircraft nicely.

Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown mixed with Flat Black as I felt straight black would be too stark. Lots of new research has come to light on the early Zero colour. In my early modelling days, light grey was the consensus colour but new research suggests the colour was more of a light green. I prepared a mix of Tamiya XF-14 J.A. Grey, XF-21 Sky and Flat White to arrive at a colour that matched my references. For the wheel wells, I turned to an old friend, one of my remaining bottles of Polly Scale Anodized Blue Metal. I think this gives a really nice approximation of the Aotake interior colour straight out of the bottle. Much has been written about the Mitsubishi Cowl Blue-Black colour. I simply added Tamiya XF-8 Blue to XF-1 Flat Black until I could detect the barest blue tinge. Before applying this colour, though, I sprayed the cowl with Alclad II aluminium and dabbed some tiny patches of Mr. Masking Sol to the lip of the cowl. Once I painted the cowling with the blue-black, I wiped the patches away with some micromesh to reveal some modest chipping. I also elected to mask the stripes on the propeller, tail and the vertical stabiliser. Decals for

RATING: 8 out of 10 these are provided in the kit but I thought masking would be easier than getting the decals to conform to the tight curves. Using paint for the stripes on the propeller blades ensured that I could leave the Alclad II aluminium paint pristine and unvarnished.

DECALS AND WEATHERING

The new Airfix decals have a decidedly flat finish unlike most other kit manufacturers. While I am not sure how this would work for a glossy subject, they performed just fine with the Microscale finishing system. I pressed the decals into place with a small sponge and used the Micro Sol very sparingly. They conformed very well to the surface and settled into the panel lines. The subsequent clear and flat coats blended them into the surface very nicely. Since this was an early war aircraft, I tried to be very restrained with the weathering. While the model was still glossy in the decal stage, I used a mix of black pastel, water and a bit of dishwashing liquid to pick out the vent detail aft of the cowling. That way, any excess could be wiped away with a damp Q-tip. I did apply a light oil wash of raw umber to the panel lines on the nose behind the

engine assuming they would more quickly collect grime. I used pastels to add a bit of cordite stains around the gun openings in the leading edge of the wing and the shell ejection ports. A light spray of heavily thinned Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown provided some subtle shading around the control surfaces under wings and some random streaking effects. The machine guns on the upper deck behind the cowling were painted black and then touched with a 3B lead pencil.

CONCLUSION

While I can’t say the Airfix kit is as nice as the Tamiya kit, I do feel confident in stating that it is a superb value and builds up into a very credible representation of this iconic aircraft. Some basic modelling skills are required but the application of effort is amply rewarded. Airfix’s new line of kits offers an affordable option for new modellers and a high level of detail and the foundation for a great show piece for those with advanced skills. Keep ‘em coming Airfix! •

‘Given its notoriety, the Zero has been a frequently kitted subject over the decades.’

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Military Illustrated Modeller - January 2015

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KIT PREVIEW: TARANGUS 1:48 SAAB 91 SAFIR B/C/D. • Kit No. TA4804

BESTMANN ENCORE Mick Evans explores the latest release from Tarangus from Sweden – a 1:48 scale SAAB 91 Safir.

T

he Saab 91 Safir (Swedish: “sapphire”) training aircraft is a three (91A, B, B-2) or four (91C, D) seater, single engine aircraft. The Safir was built by Saab AB in Linköping, Sweden, building 203 aircraft and by De Schelde in Dordrecht, Netherlands where 120 aircraft were built. The SAAB Safir first flew on 20 November 1945. The aircraft was an all-metal construction designed by Anders J. Andersson, who had previously worked for Bücker, where he had previously designed the Bücker Bü 181 “Bestmann” which was an all wood design. Thus the Safir shared many conceptual design features with the Bestmann. The first version the Saab 91A had a 125 hp four cylinder de Havilland Gipsy Major 2c piston engine, or a 145 hp Gipsy Major 10 piston engine. Later versions depicted by this kit the 91B, B-2 and C have a six-cylinder Lycoming O-435A engine with 190 hp and the 91D has a fourcylinder Lycoming O-360-A1A engine with 180 hp. The Safir was used by the Swedish, Norwegian, Finish, Austrian, Tunisian and Ethiopian Air Forces.

The clear canopy.

The decal sheet is crisply printed.

Engine, undercarriage and other detail parts.

The “Safir” was later used as a platform to test at low speeds the new swept wing for the Saab 29 and Saab 32 jet fighters. Until now there have been no 1:48 scale kit of the SAAB Safir and in fact the only other kit in any scale was the very old and now very rare 1:72 scale Heller kit, one of which I have one in my collection. The Heller kit was a very nice kit but now with this 1:48 scale release by Tarangus, my Heller kit will be going to Ebay.

IN THE BOX

The undercarriage is very simple and easy to assemble.

Upper wing half showing the fabric rib detail.

One simple fuselage half.

The kit comprises approximately 60 grey styrene moulded parts and one clear plastic part. The moulding is quite crisp and has a reasonable level of detail. The kit includes a reasonable amount of detail for the engine that will be visible through the open area at the front of the engine cowl. The standard four-seat cockpit is made up from twelve pieces with the rear seat being cut in half to make the three seat version. Two extra parts are added to the three-seat version which forms most likely the fuel tank, which was moved to the wings in the later four seat version. The cockpit instrument panel and console contains a good level of detail for the amount that will be visible through the canopy. The nose and main wheel bays are bereft of detail, which is probably typical of the real aircraft. Construction is very straightforward with the only options being the different propeller and spinner, different exhausts and a different antenna for the cabin roof for the Finnish version.

COLOURS & MARKINGS

There are three options supplied in the kit: • SAAB 91B Safir in Swedish markings. The markings that are supplied are for a privately owned 91B that is finished in Swedish Air Force colours of overall yellow. • SAAB 91C of the Ethiopian Air Force finished in overall polished natural metal, with Ethiopian roundels on the fuselage and wings. • SAAB 91D The Finnish example is overall grey with high visibility orange on the nose, wings, and tail. The decals are nicely printed and look very thin. These should pose no problem when applied to the kit.

CONCLUSION

Overall an excellent kit - very little to criticise and the first of its type in 1:48 scale. Highly recommended. Thanks to Tarangus for the review sample www.tarangus.se •

Aircraft Edition

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28/11/2014 10:31

GALLERY: HASEGAWA 1:32 FOCKE-WULF FW 190 A-5. • Kit No. 08073

OSTFRONT

H

asegawa’s 1:32 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5 was released in 2004. The kit comprises 112 grey plastic parts supplied on 11 sprues. Four of these sprues are common to Hasegawa’s 2001 Fw 190D-9 kit, including the wings and undercarriage gear. As a result, there are 24 parts not used on this first Butcher Bird version. All the parts are nicely presented in shiny plastic with crisply engraved panel lines. Texture on control surfaces comprises fine raised lines. I like this lowkey approach. Probably in the interests of simplicity, the cooling vents on the fuselage sides are moulded shut. Cockpit detail is adequate, but some modellers will want to enhance this area. The engine is supplied as a single part moulded with both rows of cylinders. This is not really a problem because not much can be seen behind the cooling fan once the model is finished. Even so, Hasegawa has moulded an ignition harness onto the front of the cylinders,

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and also included a separate part with pushrods. Viewed from the front, after careful painting, this assembly looks quite effective. Unlike the Dora, the Fw 190A had a fully enclosed wheel well. The kit wheel well part is attached to the wing spar, ensuring the correct dihedral. The characteristic dimples in the top of the wheel well are a little too cylindrical - they should look more like the dimples on a golf ball. There are also a few ejector pin marks to deal with on the gear bay and covers. A 300 litre drop tank is supplied but the shape has always looked a bit suspect to me. Options are few. The landing flaps are separate parts and may be depicted dropped, but the locating tabs should be repositioned as the flaps are dropped too far without modification. Two styles of lower access panel and ejector chute for the outer wing 20mm cannon position are offered. The early, flat canopy is beautifully thin and free of optical distortion.

CHRIS WAUCHOP’S LATEST ANTON

Here is Chris Wauchop’s newly finished Hasegawa 1:32 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-5. Chris said that construction was generally straightforward, although the engine cowling parts did not want to align perfectly. He also said that the mount for one of the undercarriage legs collapsed when the leg was being test fitted. Chris rebuilt the mount. The kit pitot tube was replaced with one scratch built from brass. The wheels are resin replacements from Eagle Editions. The model is finished in the markings of one of Hauptmann Walter Nowotny’s Wurgers on the Eastern Front, wearing the two-tone green colours sometimes seen on JG 54 aircraft. All paints were applied with the Testor Aztek airbrush fitted with the fine tan-coloured tip. Eagle Cals decals were used for this project (EC#83). •

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T WURGER Chris Wauchop applies his deft airbrushing skills to Hasegawa’s classic 1:32 scale FockeWulf Fw 190 A-5.

The main wheels are resin replacements from Eagle Editions.

The red lowered undercarriage indicators are made from brass wire.

The mount for one of the undercarriage legs had to be rebuilt after it collapsed when the leg was being test fitted.

The model was painted with Tamiya and Gunze-Sangyo acrylic paints using the Testor Aztek airbrush.

Aircraft Edition

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KIT PREVIEW: KINETIC MODEL KITS 1:48 - MIRAGE 2000-5EI. • Kit No. K48045

EXPORT MIRAGE Mick Evans examines the latest in Kinetic’s growing French Delta family, the Mirage 2000-5EI.

K

inetic has followed up their release of the Mirage 2000C with this export version, the Mirage 2000-5EI. The Mirage 2000-5EI kit is identical to the previously released Mirage 2000C kit, which included all the parts to make the 2000-5 export version but this latest kit includes a small aircraft tow tractor.

THE 2000-5EI KIT FEATURES:

• Detailed cockpit and seat • Separately moulded tires and wheel hubs that allow for easy painting • Position-able elevons • Canopy can be positioned open or closed • Open and closed engine exhaust nozzles Most of the comments for the detail in the Mirage 2000-5EI kit are the same as those written for the Mirage 2000C previously reviewed here so I will only address the differences in the two kits which is mainly the colour scheme, decals and tow tractor. Externally the 2000-5 is difficult to distinguish from the 2000C except for the sharper radome and no pitot probe fitted to the tip of the radome. However it has had an expensive upgrade including its radar, armament and avionics systems. The heart of the upgrade was the Thales multimode RDY radar system which allows simultaneous detection of 24 targets and the ability to track 8 threats while guiding Mica missiles. With 9 weapons hard points, the 2000-5 can carry 4 Mica missiles, 2 Matra 550 Magic missiles and 3 drop tanks at the same time. A new cockpit layout with a wide angle head up display (HUD), hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS) controls were also adopted. Updates to the counter measures systems included the ICMS 2 suite for real time response to hostile missiles.

Clear parts.

ORDNANCE

MARKINGS

The tow tractor is made up from 53 parts and the parts are very detailed. The tyres are split in half and capture the wheel hubs between them on assembly. This allow for easier painting prior to assembly without having to mask the parts for painting. A NATO standard towbar is also supplied to connect the tractor to the aircraft. The tractor and tow bar will add that extra detail to your displayed completed Mirage 2000-5EI.

CONCLUSION

The weapons and stores provided in this kit are as follows: • 2 x Magic 1 air to air missiles • 2 x Magic 2 air to air missiles • 1 x centreline fuel tank • 2 x wing fuel tanks • 2 Export version wing fuel tanks • 2 x AS-30L Laser Guided missiles • ATLIS targeting pod • 4 x Mica air to air missiles.

Plenty of ordnance and tanks are included.

These decals are crisply printed and include a good level of airframe stencilling and weapons markings. The painting instructions are based on Gunze paints. This release has markings for any of the ROCAF aircraft operated by 499th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hsinchu: Mirage 2000-5EI, ROCAF based at Hsinchu Air Base, in Dark Grey and Light Grey upper surfaces and Light Grey lower surfaces. This is another very nice kit and certainly an improvement over all previous releases of the Mirage 2000C. The addition of the tow tractor is a very nice touch and will enhance any display of the completed kit. The simple thing is modellers of all levels of skill can easily build this kit and turn out a great result. Excellent work from Kinetic and I hope they keep rolling out the nice kits. Thanks to Lucky Model for the sample www.luckymodel.com •

Fine panel and rivet detail may be seen here.

The injection moulded jet pipe. Far Left: Some of the cockpit details. Centre: Moulding quality is high. Left: The kit decal sheet.

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Military Illustrated Modeller - January 2015

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FEATURE ARTICLE: WINGNUT WINGS 1:32 RUMPLER C.IV LATE. • Kit No. 32037

RUMPLER UNDER REPAIR Bill Hollis builds Wingnut Wings’ impressive 1:32 scale late-model Rumpler C.IV and places it is a scratch built workshop scene. 40

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W

hile not exclusively a WWI builder, I find the genre fascinating with its juxtaposition of 19th century industrial revolution innovation meeting the demands of a new budding technology of the 20th. From a model builder’s standpoint the singular admixture of old and new with all the different variation of textures, colours and materials can be both singularly appealing and more than a little challenging. I’d had something like this in contemplation for some time but I was never really sure how to bring it all together when I ran across Jose Fernandez’s excellent rendition of WNW’s RE-8 (Air Modeller’s Guide to Wingnut Wings Vol 1. That fantastic Harry Tate provided the final bit of inspiration and technical insight I needed to finally get off the dime.

spent on super detailing my miniature Mercedes, I looked around for a smaller plane that shared the Gotha’s power plant, and thus the Rumpler D.VI came to the dance. From what I’ve seen in the modelling press, at contests and on the Internet, WNW’s Rumpler seems to be one of their lesser-built kits, which is a shame, because it’s truly a top-notch model of an elegant and historic aircraft. As is the case with all of Wingnut’s products, even a modicum of care and skill will produce a truly outstanding miniature with nothing more added than glue a little paint and some string. For this project however, I decided to kick it up a notch.

THE CONCEPT

Sprucing up Wingnut’s elegant little Mercedes D-IV might seem a bit like gilding the lily, but extra work here pays high dividends given the visibility of the finished detail. A selection of aftermarket parts came into play including odds and ends from HGW’s dedicated fret as well as

As first conceived, this piece was to centre on the WNW Gotha G-IV; and so it did too until I had finished the engine. It was at that point both time and particularly space considerations began to assert their own brand of reality. Not wanting to lose work already

THE AIRPLANE ENGINE

generic bits from RB Motion, Grandt Line, Detail Associates and Archer’s. The crankcase was first up. After carving away every simulated nut and bolt head there, each was replaced by a like sized plastic replacement from Grandt Line. Likewise, the four nipples around the upper case half should be flanged, capped pipes and so were replaced with sheet plastic, stretched sprue and tubing. The prop shaft was omitted and the forward bolt flange plate from the HGW kit along with a nose cap punched from plastic sheet installed. Everything received a coat of Alclad aluminium and washes of various oil colours. Data plates are from the HGW set. After the cylinders were glued together all the material between them was carefully removed to replicate the assemblies actually being separate. First, a very thin photo etched end cutting saw from RB Production was used to clear away the bulk followed by threading a Flex-i-File strip, loop ends cut off, through the opening and carefully sanding each surface round . This easily overlooked procedure may seem like a pain but



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Aircraft Edition

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28/11/2014 10:49

FEATURE ARTICLE: WINGNUT WINGS 1:32 RUMPLER C.IV LATE. • Kit No. 32037

My selection of micro saws. Since these have come on the scene, they have fast become some of the more indispensable tools on the bench, particularly for super detailing. Their ability to cut without destruction (pull stroke) and their almost nonexistent kerf makes them utterly invaluable.

When all the unwanted plastic is removed, a tiny bit of Testor’s liquid cement applied lightly with a 00 brush melts the inevitable leftover plastic fuzz. Now, only eleven more to go…

Micro saw at work cleaning out unwanted plastic web between rocker arm and cam shaft assembly. Very delicate work, but well worth the effort. The same sort of thing was done between the engine cylinders.

The finished engine as described in the text. I have no idea how many parts were added, but there were a bunch. Note the crankcase pipes, forward engine flange plate and completely detailed ignition system.

‘WNW’s Rumpler seems to be one of their lesserbuilt kits, which is a shame, because it’s truly a top-notch model of an elegant and historic aircraft.’ doing it adds tremendously to the overall look of the finished piece, even on an OOB build. The heads were cleaned off completely and the valve springs replaced with wound 34GA beading wire which had been wrapped around a mandrel. Small pieces of wire replicated the requisite stems. Rocker arm assemblies were very delicately cleaned out to separate them from the camshaft rocker cover assemblies. A magnifying hood, patience and a new #11 scalpel blade are essential for this operation. WNW’s excellent plastic makes the job a lot easier than it might be otherwise. Cylinder and cam assemblies were painted semi- gloss black with details picked out in various metallic shades. The ignition system was entirely rebuilt, with the only retained kit parts being the magnetos which had all their connectors drilled to accept the thin solder that would represent the leads. Lead conduits were replaced with sections of miniature tubing from Albion Alloys, which had been notched at appropriate points for wires to exit. These pipes were held in place by the brackets from the kit’s plastic pieces that had been cut away and drilled to accept the tubing. Spark plugs are 1:24 scale auto machinings from RB Motion. Both plugs were placed on the left side of the engine as was appropriate for the Rumpler installation, and alternate ports on the right were capped with Grandt Line hex bolts. The cooling system was reworked by replacing

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After the micro saw has done most of the removal, a micro scalpel chisel blade finishes up.

Engine temporarily installed in fuselage to see how everything fits. Sharp eyed viewers will notice that I have the engine wired backwards, ie wrong mags to wrong plugs, but by the time I figured it out it was too late….ah, well….

all plumbing with appropriate sized copper wires. Hose connectors were fabricated from auto detailing coolant hose material with beading wire clamps. The radiator was detailed with Archer’s rivets, a scratch built shutter mechanism and filler pipe. The business end of the exhaust stack was opened up with a dental burr, while the manifold pipes were supplied with flange nuts from Taurus. The intake manifold was wrapped from carburettor to cylinders in overlapping thin strips of Tamiya paper tape and coated with superglue before being painted dark to simulate the asbestos wrapping common to these installations. Otherwise, the generator was detailed and wired, the hand fuel pump was scratch built form turned brass, and the oil tank was detailed with separate buckled straps and an open filler pipe along with cap and chain detail. Cowl attachment rings were formed from beading wire around a custom shaped mandrel and applied during final assembly as were all the open access doors from the HGW set. Lastly, since the forward Spandau gun was shown removed, the mount , feed and ejection fittings were modified and detailed as appropriate.

PROPELLER AND HUB

While wonders can and often are done with paint and masking tape, for me in this scale nothing looks like laminated wood as much as laminated wood. Several companies offer ready-made laminated wood propellers of excellent quality, but I prefer to make my own. It’s not really all that difficult; it just

takes a little time. Research indicated that the Axial propellers of the period were constructed of seven laminations. The WNW kit part was measured, the dimension divided by 7 and planks of American black walnut and maple were sanded to the resulting thickness. A 6”x4” lamination was produced by gluing up with carpenter’s glue and clamping securely overnight. Once dry, a suitably sized blank was cut out, leaving the rest for future projects. The particular specie of wood is not as important as the grain and colour variation. Large grained, open pore material will never make an acceptable miniature. Also, while in many cases you may want a light/dark alternation; but this is not invariable. Some props, very early on, especially French, were not laminated at all, others most notably of British and USA manufactures used laminations but of the same wood. Stains and varnishes also varied tremendously, so as always, it’s always good to check your references. Two paper patterns, front and side were made by the simple expedient of scanning the WNW prototype both in plan view and on its side. After cutting out the prints step one was to stick the plan view to the face of the blank with a glue stick. It was then about a half hour’s work with knives, files and sandpaper to cut the blank down to the pattern line. Next, the same was done with the side elevation pattern, only taking particular care to assure that the tips were exactly aligned with the centre lamination before cutting began, otherwise

Military Illustrated Modeller - January 2015

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‘The fuselage incorporates the vast bulk of the conversion and detailing.’ Final installation with all systems in place. It was a tight fit, particularly with the back of the instrument panel super detailed, because of the larger cases and wiring, but in the end everything got sorted into its proper place.

Since the front cowling was left off, it was necessary to modify and detail the forward bulkhead. This was done with Archer’s rivets, Grandt Line parts, auto detail pieces and some aluminium Bare Metal foil. Engine bearer ends were scratchbuilt from sheet plastic.

Prop plan view scanning glued to the front of the custom made blank ready for shaping alongside kit part used for reference.

Plan view carving done, the side elevation has been applied and sanded down to its finished dimension left and right. It extremely important at this point to keep the blank very consistent side to side.

Right: Finished propeller on a scratch built stand. Note how the laminations are concentric, the hub area circular and the blades thin. Axial logos are from the kit. Centre and far right: Modified prop hub parts as described along with the assembled unpainted assembly.

the finished product will be crooked beyond all repair. Moreover, experience has taught that his step of shaping the side elevation to the line is best carried out by sanding more than carving; but again it amounts to no more than a half hour’s hard labour. Only after the prop has been carved and sanded to its final, finished outline shape, front and side, can the proper twist be worked in. This is the painstaking part, and while not at all difficult does take some care. First, double check and make sure you’re going in the proper direction. Is it a left hand or right hand prop? Again, having the Wingnut part is a great help here, but good drawings will work too. The trick is to watch the laminations as you go. In a sense, they become their own guide in that they absolutely must stay concentric left to right. Start with very sharp knives: , new Ex-acto blades both #11 and #10, files and then sanding sticks, especially as you get closer to your finished product. I find it’s best to do the front first, getting it down to near perfect as possible, and then doing the rear blade faces. The biggest mistake many make in carving propellers is not removing enough material The blades in scale are actually very thin, and for the miniature to look right that finesse will have to worked in. Fear not, laminated wood is amazingly strong and will stand up to very close handling and shaping. I have carved several propellers in 1:72 scale using exactly the same methods and never had one break or come apart from handling.

For the boss plates and hub, one of the kit’s four props was sacrificed for the front plate which was sanded down from behind until it was all that was left. The rear plate was cut from sheet plastic, and the bolt bodies from stretched sprue. The shaft itself was turned from brass rod and the nuts are RB Motion items.

FUSELAGE

The fuselage incorporates the vast bulk of the conversion and detailing. Once the engine was complete, it was the next order of business on the bench. First, the two halves were modified by removal of a good deal of plastic. This was not as hard as it was initially daunting, because truth be told anyone whose fingers don’t shake just a little before hacking on a kit this expensive either prints his own money or is maybe just one taco short of a combination plate. But, well, “…in for a penny etc.”...and lo, it came to pass that tools of destruction were brandished and chaos was upon the face of the bench…. First, the cowling inspection ports were opened, being careful to stay inside the lines of the moulded in door to allow for the overlap of the replacement photo etched piece that would come at final assembly. After this, all the moulded-on lacing was removed. The division line of the right forward panel was scribed deeper for better scale definition and was later covered with strips of photo etch lacing from Eduard. One line on the

tail was simply obliterated as directed in the instruction sheet for the version modelled. Likewise, the foot kick plates on the left side were removed, and replaced further on by photo etch pieces from the HGW set that proved to be a total waste of time in the final analysis. With all preliminary changing and chopping out of the way, it was time for the main event; removing the left forward and right aft laced inspection/maintenance panels. It was best to do all the other work first because once modified the two halves are pretty delicate. A succession of scribers and micro-saws did the deed, and before long the point of no return was behind, and we could press on to the job at hand. With the unwanted panels removed, the resulting edges were carefully beveled to replicate thin fabric, which pretty much finished the exterior alterations. Work now moved on to the internal structure; and this is where WNW’s superior engineering made a prickly job if not a pleasure, at least immeasurably less painful. The kit’s two side frame pieces snap onto hefty lugs on the side of the fuselage shell, realigning themselves perfectly every time they were placed into position. This made the measuring, test fitting and cutting that was to come that much more sure. These side frames were cleaned up, and all the sections meant to represent metal tubing discarded to be replaced later by plastic rod. That done, the aft ends of the upper and lower longerons of both sides were carefully centre drilled to accept a short length of copper wire and each grafted to



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Aircraft Edition

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02/12/2014 12:27

FEATURE ARTICLE: Wingnut Wings 1:32 Rumpler C.IV Late. • Kit No. 32037

Fuselage halves with all cuts made. The left side is particularly delicate due to its top edge being cut away.

Right:Diagram of the assembly at each station on the scratchbuilt section.

Modified fuselage frames with scratchbuilt aft section just finished. Note the floor has been removed since the sides are flexible. Thus, everything can be dealt with individually, and brought together when the time is right.

Modified frame assembly painting underway.

a similarly drilled length of .030x.030 Evergreen strip 3 inches long. This same size strip would be used throughout the ensuing construction. When the super glue on these wire reinforced joints had set up and been filed to invisibility, each side piece with its now extended longerons was placed into its respective fuselage half and the Evergreen strip taped into position tight against the upper and lower inside edges. With the longeron extensions held in their final positions and thus in relation to one another, it was a simple matter to cut and fit the upright former pieces at their appropriate stations as derived from drawings taken from the Windsock’s Datafile. When doing this a light coat of Testor’s liquid glue was brushed lightly over each joint on the facing side only with an old 00 paintbrush; this allows just enough adhesive to lightly secure the joint without gluing the whole lot to the underlying fuselage half. Once all the uprights are in place the entire assembly can be removed, and a more thorough application of liquid glue brushed on each joint to finish. When the side frames had set up overnight they were again snapped into their respective halves and each upright secured by tape to the inside, as it is critical at this point that the frame be tight against the surface. Then, with the floor temporarily installed and the fuselage halves taped together it is then possible to measure and fit each cross member at its respective station and glue it in carefully as had been done with the upright beforehand. I did only the bottom members at this time and after leaving everything to set up for half

44

The finished fuselage extension. Everything needs to be finished before final installation in the fuselage because little of it will be readily accessible afterward. Note the .005” plastic false bottom to hide the inevitable seam when the fuselage halves are glued around it.

an hour or so, the fuselage was opened and the framework removed. At this juncture the two side frames are now permanently joined but very delicate. With the floor piece still in place as a spacer, the top cross members can now be added at each station, taking care to cut each one to exactly the same length as its corresponding bottom piece. When everything has been glued up well and dried, it is time to finish the assembly. Once again everything is clicked into place inside the fuselage halves, which are again taped together. The next step is something akin to building a ship in a bottle, but is not really all that bad. What is required the that a measurement be taken at the centreline of each frame station from the TOP of the upper member to the inside of the fuselage top decking. This dimension is very critical, and must be exact for everything to fit right later on. Once all the dimensions are noted, the frame can come out of the fuselage. What we’re about here is making the round formers which go under the top decking. To make a former a line is drawn on .020 sheet plastic with a very sharp pencil. (precision is everything here) and the EXACT width of a station is marked out along it and the centre established. Next, a line is struck perpendicular at the centre point to the exact dimension measured for that station in the previous exercise. The three points are then joined by a consistent arc, the piece cut out, and voila, a perfect former that will fit precisely against the underneath of the top decking with no gap.

(see the diagram) The above is repeated for each former moving down the line, only substituting the dimensions particular to that station. Once the formers are shaped, they can have the appropriate lightning cut outs applied and some strip plastic glued here and there to represent gussets and other small structural members and then, they can be glued into position. The stringers cut and fit in place from .020x.020 strip, very much like they would be on a balsa model. I took artistic license in keeping one stringer on the centreline to hide the fuselage seam from view once everything went together. The bottom seam was hidden by the expedient of forming a false bottom of .005 sheet suitably painted and gluing it to the bottom frame before final installation. The fit of the frame was tight enough that it was necessary to relieve the bottom longerons by .005 or so before everything would go together. Once painted the internal detail was added from the inside out. Control cables are round section EZ Line routed through fair leads formed from model car ignition detail parts and bracing rigging is stretched and straightened 34GA wire capped off with brass tube turnbuckles.

COCKPIT

Both cockpits were highly modified to upgrade the kit as well as supplying detail that would be made visible with the removal of the left and right inspection panels. Several aftermarket items were used , but the

Military Illustrated Modeller - January 2015

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Completed cockpit module. Note, it can be finished to this level before installing in the modified frame.

Rear cockpit was almost completely rebuilt. Aft bulkhead is shown completely open with scratchbuilt detail as described.

Finished forward cockpit with engine installed. Notice modified machine gun mount to show weapon removed. Feed ramp was removed from the kit part’s receiver with a micro saw.

Finished fuselage “module” ready for installation. Centre: A selection of some of the kit parts which have been modified and super detailed, clockwise from the top: Camera, radiator, prop hub, bomb sight and oil tank. Left: More details, this time entirely scratch built: oil tank cap and retainer chain, throttle quadrant and bomb release lever assembly.

majority of the work involved simply reconfiguring kit parts or scratch building various details. All moulded detail was removed from the rear of the instrument panel and replaced with a combination of scratch built components, railroad and auto findings, wire and solder. By contrast, the face of the panel left little room for improvement other than fabricating the three fuel selector handles from flattened galvanized wire. All moulded wire and conduit detail was removed from the cockpit floor both fore and aft and replaced with wire later in the process. In the front cockpit the control pulleys on the floor were scratch built, as was the throttle assembly. Kit seatbelts were replaced with the truly excellent micro-fabric products from HGW. The rear crew position received the lion’s share of the work. The aerial reel was highly modified with Grandt Line and scratch built parts, and the back of its housing covered with simulated plywood. The bomb rack was detailed with release fittings and the inside of the doors, visible because no bombs would be fitted, were covered with bare metal aluminium foil and the whole assembly topped off with a scratchbuilt release quadrant. Radios received complete wiring with machined metal terminal fittings from RB Motion. The rear bulkhead was completely scratch built from Evergreen strip show to the canvas shroud removed. This was further detailed with a completely scratch built electrical distribution box and bombsight periscope housing made from sheet plastic, tubing and Archer’s rivets into which the super detailed sight itself was installed during

final assembly. Again, HGW belts were installed in the appropriate place. It’s true that in the final analysis much of this detail can neither be seen nor appreciated. I’m not of the “at least I know it’s in there” school by any means; it’s just that given the nature of a subject opened up for inspection as this one is, it’s not always easy to know beforehand what’s going to be visible and what’s not; thus, occasionally it’s better to err on the side of conservatism just in case. Besides that...it was a lot of fun.

WEAPONS

Given that this was to be maintenance scene, it would not be fitting for the guns to be loaded or bombs, flares and grenades to be racked up if ready for a mission, or more than likely, even mounted on the airframe. This gave me all the excuse I needed to take a little different tack with the whole armament approach. Instead of showing it in situ as is most common, I took the road less travelled by either displaying it not at all...i.e. no munitions of any kinds as they would hardly be present in such a setting...or weapons themselves off the aircraft set up for cleaning and maintenance. The forward Spandau gun in the cradle like the field stripped Parabellum is a combination of kit parts, various detail findings and Master Crafter parts. The opened flare pistol is a kit part. First it was sawn asunder with a RB Enterprises photo etched micro saw (fantastic tools, these) and then the same saw was used to slit the barrel pivot. Once the chamber and barrel had been drilled

out, the pivot tongue was filed down until it fit the tiny matching kerf in the receiver, thus the pistol went back together exactly like the full sized piece. Why? Dunno, just ‘cause I could, I guess… The armorer’s bench, gun cradle, cleaning gear and several of the tools were all scratch built. Other tools were modified from different sets, such as the highly modified bench vice from an Italeri shop set and other wrenches and saws from various Verlinden offerings. The maintenance manual was created in PrintShop referencing photos of the actual 1917 edition. The guns were painted with Metalizer buffable exhaust colour which in my mind best replicates well maintained weapons in these scales, both blued and parkerised.

PAINT AND MARKINGS

All wood parts are Tamiya XF-60 Dark Yellow with a glaze of Windsor & Newton umbers, both raw and burned, thinned primarily with Holbein quick drying medium. I took Des Delatorre’s advice and built a small heat box ( http://ww1aircraftmodels.com/ page27.html) which worked wonders truncating the drying time for these pieces. They were finished off with a light mist of Testor’s semi gloss. For inside fabric my favorite colour is Testor’s Model Master Flat Interior Tan. Other colours were used in some form as called out in WNW’s instructions using a variety of brands, but keeping to Alclad colours for metal parts except for the MM Metalizer for the gunmetal. For the outside finish paints were a mixture of Humbrol and Model Master colours and were



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FEATURE ARTICLE: Wingnut Wings 1:32 Rumpler C.IV Late. • Kit No. 32037

Split needles in their package as purchased, available from any outlet selling beading products. While there, check out the myriad selections of both string and wire they stock, it can be a true treasure trove for the scratch builder and detailer.

Here’s what a split needle looks like…

Tail feathers rigged with beading needles. Wires self straighten once into position. Note ends of horns slit with micro saw and the flattened end of needle slipped into position a la the prototype. Not only does it look good, but provides a very strong assembly.

Right: Cut the ends off with a wire cutter and you’re all set to rig…

Armorer’s bench under construction: parts from the kit, Master Details, Verlinden, Italeri and scratch built.

Armorer’s bench finished. Weapon’s maintenance manual was produced in Print Shop Deluxe, printed out on regular typing paper and glued around stacked sheet. Far Left: Tool bench is primarily all Verlinden with some added detail. Table top is sheet plastic scored and scratched to show wear and painted a mixture of Model Master gloss black and leather to simulate the rubberized work surfaces common to turn of the century shops. Centre: The stove is my favourite part. It comes from Verlinden, but the flue is scratch built as is the cabinet. Crates are from Verlinden as well Real airplane mechanics don’t throw parts all over the floor. The benches for the laid out cowl parts and removed access panel are scratch built

mixed to match available colour chips as much as possible. Once happy with the basic hues, different values of each colour were formulated and stored in separate, labelled bottles. Camouflage was applied in accordance with WNW’s excellent references. Each colour and pattern was actually applied four times with all rib tapes masked with striping tape between the 3rd and 4th coats. It seems counterintuitive but I started with the lightest, greyest value of each colour and then applied darker versions in uneven, random coats with each application. This gave me the blotchy, variegated look of used, weathered painted fabric I was after. After all the colour was on, rib tape masking was removed from around areas to be decaled, markings applied and sealed with Future and when dry re-masked. Then, a very light and uneven misting of Tamiya smoke was applied overall, blending from heaviest between ribs to lightest toward tapes with the darkest application on the lower surfaces. When all was dry for about a week, all surfaces received a coat of Testor’s Dullcoat. Weathering was continued with MiG products mud spatters applied with an old toothbrush, and applied thickly to wheels and undercarriage. This supplemented, various washes and streaks applied behind engine panels particularly along the underside of the fuselage and lower wings. Contemporary accounts and research both testify that these engine were set to run very rich, and when power was applied, particularly at

46

lower altitudes, a lot of black smoke from the stack was common. The wing behind the exhaust stack was weathered and stained accordingly.

FINAL ASSEMBLY

Final assembly followed normal procedures and proceeded along established lines. Most rigging is round EZ Line with scratch built turnbuckles from Albion Alloy tubing and beading wire formed around a home made mandrel. My Gaspatch order had not arrived yet, or I would have used their outstanding turnbuckles throughout. Land gear rigging is 4lb test fishing line for strength. For the control rigging on the tail I do use something of a different medium. While I puzzled it out loud one day my better half brought something out of her own not inconsiderable hobby stash that fit the bill to the proverbial T. To wit, a small gauge split beading needle. These little treasures are not the traditional eye in the big end sewing needle, but rather consist of two very thin pieces of flexible but springy tempered steel joined by a point on each end. Cut off these points and you are left with two lengths of perfectly straight spring wire perfect for fitting into fairleads and control horns. My technique is to carefully slit the ends of each control horn with an RB micro saw and flatten one end of the cut needle wire on a small anvil so that it fits into the cut. A few moments with a file to dress and shape the flattened end and you have a perfect and accurate mechanical connection.

Cut the whole length a skosh long so the other will fit into a predrilled hole in the fairlead and viola, the wire snaps into place straight and durable, held there for all posterity by the tiniest drop of superglue at the control horn tip. As we say in the aviation industry “LGWFLLT” (Looks good, works fine , lasts a long time.) Otherwise, things went from bottom to top, back to front, with the engine and all its associated equipment and plumbing being last. The final items installed were the very delicate engine access doors from the HGW detail set, each set in place with a hinge of sheet aluminium.

THE DIORAMA BASE

The free form style base is entirely scratch built from 1:4” tempered Masonite “hardboard” and basswood. First, basic patterns for the floor and wall sections were developed from thin card board. Once satisfied with the shapes, I transferred the outlines to the Masonite which were cut on table and band saws to their general shape. I imagined the floor of roughly 1x8 planks (or some early 20th century European equivalent) and the walls covered with planks running roughly 1x6. These dimensions in 1:32 scale were close enough to 3/16” and 1:8” for government work , (….or Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte as the case may be…) which very conveniently allowed for selection of

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One of several period correct advertising posters downloaded from the internet and resized. First aid kit is from the kit; electrical plugs are modified railroad parts and wiring is solder.

pre-milled lumber at least for the first step of miniaturization. After a quick trip to the craft store to pick up the basswood planks in these two thickness, the rip fence of my Preac saw was set to 1:16” and all the wood reduced to several dozen 1:8” and 3/16” planks 1:16” thick. These smaller planks were then thickness sanded just enough to give a good finish on each side, and each one pulled through a piece of 0000 steel wool to remove all of the inevitable fuzz left over from the process. The scale 8x8 wall beams were fabricated the same way, just changing the rip fence set up to allow for the 3/16” stock to be cut 3/16” wide. (Alternately, I could have purchased 3/16 square stock, but I forgot it when at the store, and when I thought about it later everything was closed…) Out of a desire to keep everything a little less square I tried for a tad of European elegance by milling edges of the beams at a 45 degree detail. This was done by means of a 45 degree cutter and a Dremel tool set up in their miniature shaper fixture. Deciding the floor planking would be made of ten foot boards, I cut these to scale length with a stop block set up on the Preac. I had thought of just running an entire length of plank and then scoring the ends, a la ship deck planking, but this looked too regular and unrealistic in this scale. So, the bullet was bitten, and each floor plank laid in place over a skim of carpenter’s wood glue just as a real floor would have been built. When everything had dried for a couple of days under

a stack of books to keep all flat, all the ends were punched with a needle to replicate nail holes. The walls were built pretty much the same way. When everything was thoroughly dry, the edges of all the parts were worked over with an oscillating sander to smooth everything. Then, all the woodwork received a coat of sanding sealer followed the next day by light applications of oak and cherry oil stain and a final rubdown three days later of 0000 steel wool. The edges are brush painted Vellejo black, and all the pieces assembled with superglue and pins.

EXTRAS

Cabinets are scratch built from sheet plastic. The tool desk, power tools, corner crates, and stove and tools are Verlinden as are the coal stove and scuttle. Most have been enhanced in some manner, most notably the scratch built flue pipe on the stove, and the rubberized work surface on the desk/bench. Wooden workbenches are scratch built from plywood and milled basswood, and hand tools are combination of Verlinden, Italeri and scratch built items Oxy/Acetylene tank set up started life as an Italeri armor shop accessory but was enhanced with extra detail, a copper wire cart handle, and scratch built regulators, hoses and torch. Broom, dust pan, oil drip pan and propeller stand all scratch built from sheet plastic, Grandt Line parts and various findings and custom turnings. For the period specific advertising posters I did

a Google search for images. Finding some that were just what the doctor ordered I downloaded the full size jpegs. They were imported into Photoshop CS5 and converted into vector files so they could be resized without loss of fidelity. Once placed and rasterized, they were printed out on standard typing paper on nothing more sophisticated than an HP 110 printer using photo quality output. All that was left was to cut them out and attached to the walls with glue stick adhesive. Removed fabric panels are .005” coated lead sheet, primed painted and decaled. Lacing grommets are spaced with a rivet pounce wheel and deepened with a needle in a pin vice. Lacing on right side of fuselage was removed and replaced with photo etched item from Eduard applied with Johnson’s Future. The tail stand, chocks and ladders are kit parts, suitably detailed and altered as needed. The camera as well is from the kit, though enhanced with plastic sheet, rod and railroad parts.

CONCLUSION

Well, it was a lot of work spread over 13 months of on and off effort. In retrospect, do I wish I’d stuck with the Gotha? Well, I’ll let that be my little secret. But I’m pleased with the result, and was humbled and honored in equal measure when the project was selected to receive this year’s Michael L. Fritz Memorial Award for WWI modelling at the IPMS/ USA National Convention in Virginia. Wingnut Wings kits are available online from their website www.wingnutwings.com •

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28/11/2014 10:52

SHOW REPORT: SCALE MODEL WORLD 2014: IPMS UK NATIONALS

D R A C T S O P A D R O F L E T FROM The

Telford UK, the International Centre,

home of the IPMS UK

s each November.

Nationals for two day

The Editor takes a stroll around the aisles of Scale Model World 2014, the IPMS UK Nationals at Telford.

T

he IPMS UK Nationals, Scale Model World, is held each November at The International Centre in Telford, west of Birmingham in England’s Midlands. Although the weather is invariably chilly and the skies are grey, the halls provide a happy sanctuary for modellers. Traders, clubs and display models are housed in three large halls, while the competition tables are located across the hallway in a fourth area with the benefit of natural light. The tables were packed with entries in more than 100 categories from 25 different countries. The standard was very high and judging by the spectators snaking their way along the aisles, the models in competition were a real drawcard. Traditionally, the majority of competition entries are aircraft. There was certainly a preponderance of winged models at Telford again this year, but military vehicles made an excellent showing both in quantity and quality. Top competition award honours went to Barry Sharman with his Salvage Vessel, whilst Junior Best of Show was won by Euan Angus with his Char B1 bis tank. In addition to the models, the 2014 show also featured a full sized exhibit - a Chieftain ARVE from The Cordwell Collection, one of only about 14 made. This is a truly international event. Visitors flock to the show from all over the UK and Europe, and from as far afield as the USA and Australia. There is always a lively dedicated international section set up, and this year was no exception. Food and drink are the order of the day in this quarter. Whether you are thirsting for schnapps or you have a hankering for a slice of reindeer, you’ll find what you want here.

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The halls are also packed with traders and display stands. There were many mainstream manufacturers this year including Airfix, Revell, Meng, Zoukei-Moura and more. Zoukei-Mura was a hive of activity with new releases available, including their 1:32 scale Ho 229 flying wing, which sold out early on the first morning while the queue was still snaking its way to the stand. Revell caused considerable excitement with their announcement of a brand-new 1:32 scale Fw 190 series. Airfix had a hard act to follow after last year’s Typhoon announcement, but it was pleasing to hear of the forthcoming 1:72 scale Heinkel He 111 (due 3rd quarter, 2015), Boulton Paul Defiant (January 2015) and an all-new tool Sea King helicopter (Q4 2015). Other new and forthcoming releases of interest included Fly Models’ 1:32 Arado Ar 234 in two versions, Tarangus’ SAAB Viggen and the forthcoming 1:32 Tempest family from Special Hobby. As always, the local UK model clubs and Special Interest Groups were out in force with some creative and colourful displays. It is always great to see many models following a particular theme on these stands. ScaleModelworld 2014 featured more traders and exhibitors than ever before, although competition entries were understandably down on the record numbers of the 2013 50th Anniversary show. The organisers of Scale Model World are to be congratulated for another excellent show that was enjoyed by all. I will look forward to see what is in store for us next year at Telford! •

The doors open for IPMS members on Saturday morning.

The biggest hobby shop in the world!

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Here is a 3D rendering of the forthcoming 1:32 scale Zoukei-Mura Dornier Do 335 A.

PJ Productions.

The Horten Ho 229 was briefly on sale before it sold out early on the first day.

Mike Belcher made the long trip from Canada.

Belcher Bits Texan and Harvard conversions.

One of the most impressive conversions announced here was AIMS’ 1:32 scale Junkers Ju 388.

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SHOW REPORT: SCALE MODEL WORLD 2014: IPMS UK NATIONALS

MPM’s stand was as busy as always. On display were the forthcoming F-86K Sabre Dog and…

…sprues from the 1:32 scale Tempest family.

Accion Press was on hand with their aircraft and military publications.

Above: Valiant Wings Publishing were at the show with all their new releases and growing back catalogue.

RS Models had their new (and first 1:48 scale) release on hand, the Fokker D-XXIII.

Left: The new 1:72 scale Heinkel He 111 will be released in the third quarter of 2015.

Above, Left and Below; This 1:32 scale Supermarine Spiteful from Iconicair was new to me.

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Above: …and their recent 1:32 scale La-7 on sale.

‘This is a truly international event.’

HpH Models had their impressive 1:4 scale instrument panels…

The Airfix stand was as busy as usual, with several new releases announced on the Saturday.

Above: Presentation on the ADH Publishing stand. Above Left: The newest Wingman Models releases were on display.

Left: The man behind RS Models – Robert Schneider. Far Left: Fly Models’ 1:32 scale multimedia Arado Ar 234.

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SHOW REPORT: SCALE MODEL WORLD 2014: IPMS UK NATIONALS

The all-new 1:72 Boulton Paul Defiant will be available from January 2015.

Defiant clear parts – lots of them!

Roy Sutherland from Barracuda Studios made the Atlantic crossing too.

Above: Freightdog also are offering a Z Nose conversion for Revell’s Halifax.

Right: Tarangus’ new 1:48 SAAB Viggen looks sweet! We’ll have a full review soon. A newly tooled 1:72 Westland Sea King is due at the same time.

More 1:72 scale recent releases from RS Models.

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Wingman Models.

Above: Lots of new Neomega releases. Left: Colin from Freightdog Models.

Right: The 4+ / Czech Master Resin stand.

‘Airfix had a hard act to follow after last year’s Typhoon announcement.’

On the Freightdog Models stand, the newest Silver Cloud release is a Spitfire Mk.V Floatplane.

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28/11/2014 10:57

FEATURE ARTICLE: HASEGAWA 1:48 SCALE ARADO AR 234 C-3. • Kit No. 09845

l a i c e p s

y r e v i l e d

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The Arado Ar 234 B was fitted with two Junkers Jumo 004 jet engines, while the Arado Ar 234 C was the first four-engined operational jet aircraft, equipped with a pressurised cockpit and two paired sets of Jumo 003A-1 engines. The Editor builds Hasegawa’s 1:48 scale Ar 234 C.

T

he Arado Ar 234 holds the distinction of being the world’s first operational jet bomber, but it was originally conceived purely as a fast reconnaissance aircraft. The design featured a narrow fuselage and two Jumo 004 jet engines slung under slim straight tapered wings, with the pilot seated inside a Plexiglas dome in the front of the aircraft. High fuel consumption meant that much of the fuselage interior was occupied by fuel tanks. As a result, there was no room for internal landing gear. Early Ar 234 prototypes were fitted with a dolly that was jettisoned after take-off, and a retractable skid in the bottom of the fuselage plus smaller outrigger skids in the engine nacelles that were deployed during landing. The Luftwaffe was doubtful about the operational use of the dolly/skid arrangement on operational aircraft and insisted on the fitting of

conventional tricycle undercarriage. This was done, but only with the reduction of the capacity of the fuselage fuel tanks and hence operational range. The upside, however, was that space was freed up to fit bombs under the fuselage and the wings, resulting in the development of the Arado Ar 234 B-2 bomber, displacing the original B-1 dedicated reconnaissance variant. A total of 210 Arado Ar 234 B-2s were produced. Despite its bomber designation, the majority of operational sorties were reconnaissance. Development of the type continued, with other variants including a night fighter and dedicated reconnaissance versions.

The four-engine Arado Ar 234 C also reached the production stage, although only a small number were produced. This aircraft was fitted with a pressurised cockpit and two paired sets of Jumo 003A-1 engines delivering a maximum speed of 873 km/h. Some considered that the Ar 234 C was actually overpowered, but pilots appreciated its high speed. Unlike the unarmed Ar 234 B, the Arado Ar 234 C was fitted with either two or four MG151:20 20mm cannon, and was produced in reconnaissance (C-3) and bomber (C-4) versions. In addition to being the world’s first jet bomber, the Ar 234 set a number of key milestones. The Ar 234 C was the first operational four-engine jet aircraft, and the fastest jet to fly of the war. It was also the last German aircraft to fly over England in the Second World War.

HASEGAWA’S 1:48 SCALE ARADO AR 234 KITS IN THE BOX

Hasegawa released their 1:48 scale Arado Ar 234 B-2 kit in 2002. This was followed later the same year by an Ar 234 C in an oversized Revell box, but also tooled by Hasegawa. Much later, Hasegawa also released the Ar 234 C under their own label. The Arado Ar 234 C kit is much more than a few parts substituted on the Ar 234 B. In fact, the wings, engines, cockpit, forward fuselage and nose wheel are all totally new. Some smaller details are also inserted in the original rear fuselage part, including the rear-firing cannon in a ventral panel. The basic layout of the Ar 234 C kit cockpit will look familiar to modellers who have built the Ar 234 B, but most of the parts are new. The seats, side consoles and control column are all excellent. The new style of main instrument panel, however, is a bit oversimplified in my opinion. It looks more like a chunky crash pad rather than the complex panel it represents.

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FEATURE ARTICLE: HASEGAWA 1:48 SCALE ARADO AR 234 C-3. • Kit No. 09845

Most clear parts with compound curves suffer from raised seam lines, and Hasegawa’s Ar 234 C is no exception. This will be very obvious from certain angles if it is not dealt with. It is much easier to eliminate the raised seam now before the canopy is assembled.

First, the raised seam is scraped to the level of the surrounding plastic using a sharp hobby knife.

The next step is to polish the seam and the surrounding areas with progressively finer grades of Micro Mesh polishing cloths. I started with 400 grit and moved down to 12,000 grit.

The tricky cockpit bulkhead that caused some problems in the earlier kit is not used on the Ar 234 C, so the fit issues in this area are not such a problem. I still recommend that plenty of time should be allocated to test fit the main fuselage to the nose though. The clear parts are simpler than those in the Ar 234 B kits. The top and sides of the canopy are moulded thinly and clearly as a single part. The new nose piece shares the same problem as the original kit though - a very noticeable seam line top to bottom along the centreline. My only issue with the new parts is that the shape of the intakes for the paired BMW engines. The intakes seem to gape too wide open, and the characteristic slope at the top of the intakes does not look quite pronounced enough to my eye.

BUILDING THE HASEGAWA 1:48 SCALE AR 234 C

As I had already built Hasegawa’s 1:48 scale Ar 234 B, I wanted to do something a bit different for my Ar 234 C build. This was harder than it sounds though as, apart from some examples of disruptive winter camouflage, painting and markings were

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There are specialised model polishes available but Colgate toothpaste does a pretty good job too. A modest amount of toothpaste was smeared onto the clear plastic part and allowed to dry before it was polished with a clean fingertip - another inexpensive and accessible modelling tool!

pretty uniform across the Arado Ar 234 range. After scouring the Monogram Monarch Ar 234 book I found a couple of photos of Ar 234 V19 - the very first four-engine Arado Ar 234 C series prototype. I was intrigued to see the wings and engines in the partial views offered by the photos appeared to be bare metal, but the fuselage was certainly camouflaged. I had found my unique subject.

THE FRONT OFFICE

Starting at the front office, I decided that Hasegawa’s kit parts were good enough to use with only a few additions. I still had an old Cutting Edge Ar 234 resin seat with harness straps cast in place, so this was used. This seat is no longer in production, but it appears to be identical to that used in the Me 262, so an Ultracast Me 262 seat could be used instead. Hasegawa supplies decals for the starboard side console as well as switches and quadrants on the port side. I cut these decals into multiple sections and applied them to the consoles after the

The frosty remains of the seam are now sanded with a fine abrasive stick.

A ghost of the seam is still visible here, but this and any tiny lingering scratches will be hidden after a bath in Future floor polish.

cockpit parts had been sprayed and gloss-coated. Although I was less than thrilled with the main instrument panel, I thought that this and the supplementary vertical panel might be enhanced with cables running from the rear of the dials. I usually drill the plastic parts attach the wires before painting, but I reversed the procedure this time. Some fine tin wire was primed with Tamiya White Primer straight from the can, followed by a coat of TS-34 Camel Yellow. The yellow wire was cut into sections a little longer than I thought I needed and glued into pre-drilled holes in the back of the painted panels. The excess wire was then trimmed off. This procedure worked well and resulted in a very clean and precise join at the back of the instrument panel. The only other addition to the kit cockpit was placard decals from Aeroscale. Once the smaller details were picked out with acrylic paints and a fine brush, the cockpit received a final coat of Flat Clear. Individual instrument dials were each coated with a spot of Future floor polish to represent glass lenses.

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The big glasshouse canopy exposes some of the workings hidden in more conventional cockpits. The cable bundles behind the instruments are very obvious on the Arado Ar 234. Fine soft wire was primed then sprayed yellow and blue in preparation for the cabling job.

Hasegawa’s cockpit is very well detailed straight from the box, The main addition was a replacement pilot’s seat from Cutting Edge, but an Me 262 seat from Ultracast will be more widely available today and will do the job at least as well. Here, the cockpit parts have been painted with Tamiya XF-63 German Grey and gloss-coated with Future floor polish.

Hasegawa supplies decals for the side consoles. The instrument decal on the starboard side is particularly effective. Only the rearmost section of the port side decal was used. The raised detail forward of this area was picked out with a fine brush.

The rear of each instrument was drilled out to accommodate the fine yellow painted wire.

CMK offered a detail set for Hasegawa’s 1:48 scale Arado 234 B that included flaps and flap bays, but these are narrower on the Arado Ar 234 C due to the greater width of the engine nacelles.

Left: The slightly thicker blue wire represents the pilot’s oxygen hose. The harness straps, switches and handles have been painted with Vallejo acrylics over white primer. This ensures better coverage for temperamental colours like yellow and red.

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FEATURE ARTICLE: HASEGAWA 1:48 SCALE ARADO AR 234 C-3. • Kit No. 09845

All four landing flaps were measured, marked and cut to size with a razor saw. The resin landing flap bays received the same treatment.

The hinge lines of the flaps moulded into the kit wings were scored gently but repeatedly with a scriber in preparation for cutting them out.

A new hobby blade finishes the job.

With the plastic moulded flaps removed, the modified resin flap bays may be glued in place. CMK’s instructions are vague about the exact location, so this was my best guess!

The flaps were removed from the full-span upper wings too. The long section removed from the top of the fuselage will reveal one of the resin fuselage fuel tanks.

The raised locating pins on the inside surfaces of the wings were cut off, as they are slightly misaligned and will result in fit problems further down the track. Tamiya tape and plastic clamps were used to hold the pieces together as the Revell Contacta cement set.

The engine intakes and exhausts are well detailed and fit together nicely.

PLASTIC SURGERY

CMK has released a detail set for Hasegawa’s 1:48 scale Arado Ar 234 B that includes fuselage fuel tanks, flap bays, flaps and main wheels. Some of these could be used without modification but others would need to be adapted to the new kit. The wings were prepared for the flaps in the same way as the Ar 234 B wings, but the flaps themselves had to be shortened. The wider engine nacelles on the Ar 234 C meant that there was not as much room for the flaps on the four-engine variant. Two rectangles were also cut from the top of the fuselage to accommodate the fuselage fuel tanks. The wings and engines were now assembled. I cut off the raised locating pins on the wings to improve the alignment between the top and bottom halves. Before the fuselage halves were joined, the main landing gear had to be fitted.

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Scale Aircraft Conversions’ white metal undercarriage parts were used for this project. SAC’s metal parts were perfectly cast with very little clean-up required.

A FEW THOUGHTS ON REPLACEMENT WHITE METAL UNDERCARRIAGES I have to say that I had mixed feelings when I first saw Scale Aircraft Conversions’ white metal replacement undercarriage sets. On the one hand, there is a feeling of luxury when working with high quality metal parts, and a certain satisfaction at their “scale weight”, but it seemed to me that many of the items were just duplicates of plastic kit parts. I have taken a closer look at a recent batch of 1:32 and 1:48 scale releases though, and I have noticed that a number have incorporated improvements when compared to their plastic kit counterparts. In some instances, where the kit’s plastic parts have obvious sink marks (a common situation with undercarriage legs), the metal parts are perfectly cast in these areas. In other instances, lightening holes for oleo scissors are hollowed

out where no holes are moulded in the plastic parts; and of course the white metal parts do not suffer from raised seams lines – also common on plastic undercarriage legs. In some cases, SAC supplied additional nose weight for tricycle undercarriage models, while others have hydraulic lines cast in place. I have also heard the argument that the stronger metal will hold up the weight of a model more effectively, but I think it would be very rare for a model to overload a plastic undercarriage. This project was my first opportunity to use a set of Scale Aircraft Conversions’ products. SAC’s metal parts were perfectly cast with very little cleanup required. Hasegawa’s plastic undercarriage legs both featured prominent sink holes near the axles and raised moulding seams on either side of the legs. The oleo scissors were simplified too, with seam lines and no lightening holes.

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SAC’s parts were smoother than the kit parts and free from imperfections. The oleo scissors were supplied as separate parts and these were cast with lightening holes in place. The oleo scissors were glued to the legs, then all the metal parts were sprayed with Tamiya’s Grey Primer.

Hasegawa’s parts breakdown demands that you install the undercarriage legs before the fuselage halves are closed, so the robust medium of white metal comes in very handy during later heavy handling of the model in the painting stage.

‘Hasegawa’s 1:48 scale Ar 234 C is a great kit – well detailed and accurate.’

Structural fuselage ribs are supplied as resin strips. These have been fitted inside the rectangle cut for the forward fuselage fuel tank.

Lots of weight is needed to keep the nose wheel on the ground. Two large fishing weights were pounded flat with a hammer so that they fitted snugly beside the nose wheel bay. This was more than enough to prevent tail-sitting.

Another benefit of the malleable white metal legs is that they can be adjusted after the parts have been glued in place.

The wing and engine sub-assembly was painted prior to fixing it to the model. The first step was a coat of Tamiya Grey Primer, straight from the can. This helps identify any persistent gaps, steps or scratches

The wings and engines then received an overall coat of Tamiya AS-12 Bare Metal Silver. This and all the subsequent metallic colours were decanted from the spray can into glass jars so they could be sprayed with my Iwata HP-CH airbrush. The rear sections of the nacelles were masked in preparation for a coat of black.

The wings were masked and sprayed in a number of different Tamiya metallic shades. These included TS-17 Aluminium Silver, and a mix of AS-12 Bare Metal Silver and a small amount of TS-14 Black. A few panels received a coat of flat lacquer to offer variation in sheen.

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FEATURE ARTICLE: HASEGAWA 1:48 SCALE ARADO AR 234 C-3. • Kit No. 09845

The black rear sections of the engine nacelles offer a stark contrast to the bare metal of the wings.

The reverse surface of CMK’s resin rear fuselage fuel tank was ground down with a Dremel motor tool to improve the fit between the plastic kit parts.

The bright green of the fuselage tanks was based on photos of an unrestored fuel tank in the fuselage of the unrestored Heinkel He 219 at the National Air and Space Museum’s storage facility in Silver Hill, Maryland.

The time spent on detail painting and weathering the tops of these fuel tanks was worthwhile, as they are quite prominent under the ribs of the fuselage.

‘The four-engine Arado Ar 234 C also reached the production stage, although only a small number were produced.’ By comparison, SAC’s parts were smoother and free from imperfections. The oleo scissors were supplied as separate parts and these were cast with lightening holes in place. I started by gluing the oleo scissors to the legs, then prepared all the metal parts with Tamiya’s Grey Primer straight from the spray can. The SAC legs were then glued into the Arado’s main gear bays. The white metal medium made it easier to attach the separate retraction struts, as I could bend the attachment point without breaking the super-glue bond at the other end. Hasegawa’s parts breakdown demands that you install the undercarriage legs before the fuselage halves are closed, so the robust medium of white metal will come in very handy during later heavy handling of the model in the painting stage. Another unexpected benefit popped up as I set the fuselage on its main gear legs. One wing was noticeably lower than the other. However, thanks to the malleable white metal medium, I was able to push one of the legs further back into the gear bay, effectively adjusting the length of the undercarriage. Try doing that with plastic gear legs!

SEQUENCE IS EVERYTHING

I decided to paint the bare metal wings before adding them to the fuselage. This would make it much easier to undertake the complex masking

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of the wing. The three shades of metallic paint were all from Tamiya’s spray can range. The base colour is AS-12 Bare Metal Silver. The others were TS-17 Aluminium Silver, and a mix of AS-12 Bare Metal Silver and a small amount of TS-14 Black. A few panels received a coat of flat lacquer to offer variation in sheen. The metallic frames above the fuselage fuel tanks were also sprayed at this stage. I visited the National Air and Space Museum’s Silver Hill restoration facility back in 2004. While I was there, I saw their Heinkel He 219, unrestored and largely disassembled. I was particularly interested to see the lurid green colour of its fuselage fuel tanks. One day I’ll do something like that on a model, I thought to myself at the time. The opportunity finally presented itself with my Arado Ar 234 C. The tops of the resin fuel tanks were sprayed Vallejo acrylic 70891 Intermediate Green, followed by detail painting of the lines, caps and fittings with various colours. The tanks were weathered with a wash of Tamiya X-18 SemiGloss Black heavily thinned with water and run alongside raised features. Chips and spills were also represented with dark brown paint applied with the tip of a fine brush. The bottom of the rear fuel tank was thinned

The painted wing is mated with the fuselage. The fit was tricky, especially at the trailing edge due to the complication of the fuel tank, but a fairly satisfactory result was achieved after tight taping.

significantly by grinding with my Dremel motor tool. This was then lined up and glued to the top of the fuselage. The forward fuel tanks was glued in place too.

MASKING AND MORE MASKING

The kit painting instructions were scaled up to 1:48 for making canopy masks. Two sets of plans were printed, as a separate set of masks would be required for the inner and outer window frames. Tamiya tape was applied to the back of the plans and first the inner windows were cut out with a small pair of scissors. These in turn were stuck to the kit canopy. The masked top canopy section was glued to the forward fuselage, then the rounded nose section was added. Thankfully, the join between the clear parts was close to perfect. The nose was sprayed Tamiya TS-17 Black and the inner window masks were removed. Now the slightly larger outer window masks were carefully stuck to the canopy, ensuring that the edges lined up with the outermost frame lines. The camouflage pattern was sprayed using a combination of Tamiya tape and pre-cut selfadhesive masks. The wings had been completely covered with wide Tamiya tape before this final phase commenced.

Military Illustrated Modeller - January 2015

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A few steps on the rear fuselage were smoothed with Milliput White two-part epoxy putty.

The bottom of the nose section incorporating the majority of the cockpit parts was glued to the front of the fuselage. A bulkhead is supplied for the open front of the fuselage, but I found that it interfered with the fit of the nose parts so it was left off.

The kit painting instructions were scaled up to 1:48 for use as a template for making canopy masks. Two sets of plans were printed, as a separate set of masks would be required for the inner and outer window frames.

Tamiya tape was applied to the back of the plans and first the inner windows were cut out with a small pair of scissors. These in turn were stuck to the kit canopy.

The masked top canopy section was glued to the forward fuselage, then the rounded nose section was added. Thankfully, the join between the clear parts was close to perfect.

The nose was sprayed Tamiya TS-17 Black and the inner window masks were removed. Now the slightly larger outer window masks were carefully stuck to the canopy, ensuring that the edges lined up with the outermost frame lines.

The wheel wells were stuffed with tissue paper, and the undercarriage legs carefully wrapped in masking tape.

The upper surface and fuselage sides were painted RLM 82 Light Green. Masks were cut for the fuselage camouflage pattern and stuck straight on to the surface of the model.

Cutting Edge’s 1:48 scale lost wax brass cast DF loop is sadly now out of production. This is a luxurious touch for the project.

The RLM 81 Brown-Violet colour was represented by Gunze-Sangyo acrylic H304 Olive Drab. A couple of coats of Future floor polish followed as a good base for the decals.

Aircraft Edition

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FEATURE ARTICLE: HASEGAWA 1:48 SCALE ARADO AR 234 C-3. • Kit No. 09845

The rear fuselage and the top of the fin were not visible in the few reference photos that I could find of this aircraft, but a book noted the radio codes and Werknummer of V19. The decals were individual characters from several Fantasy Printshop decal sheets.

The unveiling! The masking tape has been removed from the wings and the canopy, revealing the patchy appearance of this hybrid prototype.

The various bits and pieces are readied for final assembly. The flaps have been painted in a primer finish of Tamiya acrylic XF-4 Yellow Green.

FOD guards were made using thin plastic sheet and an Olfa circle cutter. Three were painted red, while the fourth featured a white stripe down the middle. This was based on a photo of an Ar 234 B-2 intake cover found in the excellent Monogram Monarch book on the Ar 234.

The big 1,000 kg bomb was painted RLM 65 Light Blue as a bit of contrast against the paler RLM 76.

The pitot tube is made from an industrial light filament.

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MODELSPEC Hasegawa 1:48 scale Arado Ar 234 C-3.

Kit No. 09845

Accessories Used: Gaspatch „Type A“ buckles Tectan Fluorcarbon Fishing Line 0,012mm/0,004in Well detailed; accurate; generally good fit. Prominent seam line on canopy. RATING: 8.5 out of 10 The extra mucking around with the multiple masking layers pays off with the final effect. The dark framing is a high-gloss finish, suggesting that the clear Plexiglas has been fixed over the top of the panels.

Photographs of this aircraft showed sealing tape around the join between the main fuselage and the nose. This was masked and sprayed with Tamiya XF-55 Deck Tan.

Hasegawa kits are available from hobby shops worldwide.

FINISHING TOUCHES

Being a prototype, weathering was kept to a minimum. Just a few of the key fuselage panel lines were highlighted with a very thin wash of Tamiya X-18 Semi-Gloss Black and a sprayed application of the XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown mix.

Although V19’s Werknummer and radio code was not visible in the wartime photographs, they were both listed in the Appendix of the Monarch Arado Ar 234 book. Individual letters and numbers were cut from a couple of Fantasy Workshop decal sheets to replicate these. The decals were applied over a glossy coat of Future floor polish. The large expanse of bare metal on the wing and engines would be interesting, but I decided to add a few more custom features. I had seen a photo of an Me 262 with one solid-coloured FOD cover and one with a broad white centre stripe covering the other intake. I cut four covers from thin plastic sheet using my Olfa circle cutter. This left a small hole in the centre of each cover where the compass needle had penetrated, so I filled these with Milliput and sanded them before priming the parts in white. One of the circles was then masked with a stripe down the middle, and the covers were sprayed red. Everything received a flat coat at this point and all the masking was removed from the wings and the canopy. I was pretty happy with the shiny black framing on the canopy parts, although a rogue speck of white dust had managed to attach itself to the inside of the starboard side window and resisted all efforts to dislodge it. The ailerons were painted in RLM 81 Brown Violet and RLM 82 Light Green for a little more variety, while the flaps received a coat of Tamiya XF-4 Yellow Green representing late-war factory primer. The wartime photographs showed that the forward fuselage seemed to be sealed with tape. This was masked and sprayed with Tamiya XF-55 Deck Tan.

CONCLUSION

The dropped flaps were secured with super glue. It is a shame that we can’t see any of the nice resin flap bays behind them!

Hasegawa’s 1:48 scale Ar 234 C is a great kit – well detailed and accurate. I was very happy with the impact of the dropped flaps and the fuel tanks from the CMK update set. Although I was initially dubious about the value of Scale Aircraft Conversions’ white metal undercarriage legs, I am now more convinced. The more that I worked with the Ar 234 C white metal legs, the more that I liked them. In summary, these were both enjoyable projects covering two pioneering jet aircraft. •

Aircraft Edition

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ISSUE No.045 January 2015

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Tony Bell upgrades Hasegawa’s 1:32 scale Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9.

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Tailpiece ANNIVERSARY ALPHA JET Wingman Models 1:48 Dornier Alpha Jet A‚ German Anniversary Alpha Jets. Kit No. 48009

Mick Evans is impressed with Wingman Models’ update to the Kinetic 1:48 scale Alpha Jet.

The resin parts are the jewel in the crown.

T

he Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet is a light attack jet and advanced trainer aircraft co-manufactured by Dornier of Germany and Dassault-Breguet of France. Adopted by many air forces worldwide, the Alpha Jet continues to be widely used even after its useful service life was over for its primary operators, France and Germany. The French Air Force decided to use the Alpha Jet primarily as a trainer, while the Luftwaffe used the type mainly in the light strike role, preferring to continue flight training in the south-western United States on American trainer types instead of performing training in Germany, although Germany also used Alpha Jets based at Beja, Portugal for weapons training.* Other operators included Belgium, Cameroon, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Portugal, Qatar, Thailand, Togo, and private contractor companies in Canada and the United Kingdom. The Alpha Jet was considered by the RAAF as a replacement for the Macchi 326 trainer aircraft that was due to retire in 1994, but it lost out to the BAE Systems Hawk Mk 127.This release from Wingman Models follows on from the Kinetic release of the Alpha Jet A/E earlier in 2014. The kit includes the very nice Kinetic Alpha Jet kit with some extra inclusions such as very nice extra parts cast in resin, etch metal, turned metal and paper masks. As I reviewed the original Kinetic Alpha Jet earlier this year I will not provide an overview of the plastic parts but rather concentrate on the additional extras supplied by Wingman models.

66

The kit clear parts. Canopies may be posed to taste.

The key thing to notice with the release from Wingman is the amount of resin parts supplied with this kit. The resin is beautifully cast with superb detail and no air bubbles. The resin parts include: • Cockpit tub • Front instrument panel • Rear instrument panel • Front cockpit bulkhead • Rear cockpit bulkhead • Control columns • Cockpit sidewalls • Main and nose wheels • Ejection seats • 2 x tail cones (not used for this version) • Various antennas and scoops (not used for this version) • Etched metal parts include: • Ejection seat handles • Canopy mirrors • Gun sight • Turned metal parts include: • Pitot probe • Angle of attack probes

MARKINGS

There are three anniversary schemes provided by Wingman for this kit. They are as follows: • Alpha Jet A, 40+44, JaboG 43, Oldenburg Air Base, in November 1984. The aircraft is finished in the 25th anniversary of Fighter Bomber Wing 43 with colours of RAL 5012 Light Blue and RAL 9001

The seats are beautifully mastered and cast.

White fuselage and RAL 1007 Yellow, RAL 1007 Red, RAL 9001 White and Black striped main wings, tailplane and fin. • Alpha Jet, 40+80, JaboG 43, Oldenburg AB, 1993, Blue finished in commemorative colours for the disbandment of Fighter Bomber Wing 43 on 31 December 1993. The aircraft is finished in colours of RAL 5007 Blue, RAL 9001 White and RAL 1007 Yellow fuselage and RAL 9001 White wing under surfaces and RAL 5007 wing upper surfaces with RAL 1007 Yellow jet plane silhouette pained on the upper surfaces. • Alpha Jet, 41+09, JaboG 49, F√ºrstenfeldbruck AB, 1994, finished in commemorative colours for the disbandment of Fighter Bomber Wing 43 on 24th March 1994. The aircraft is finished in colours of RAL 5012 Light Blue and RAL 9001 White fuselage and RAL 1007 Insignia Yellow, RAL 1007 Insignia Red, RAL 9001 White, RAL 5012 Light Blue and Black striped main wings and tailplane.

CONCLUSION

This is another excellent kit. Big kudos to Wingman for their release. The kit is dedicated to Luftwaffe Alpha Jet A in the very colourful anniversary schemes and the three schemes look amazing.. Highly recommended. * Historical summary courtesy of Wikipedia http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dassault/Dornier_Alpha_Jet Thanks to Wingman Models for the sample http:// wingmanmodels.com/ •

Military Illustrated Modeller - January 2015

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NEW in the ‘HOW TO BUILD...’ series HOW TO BUILD... REVELL 1:32 SPITFIRE MK.IIA The name Spitfire has now become synonymous with an entire island people, and their battle to maintain their freedom in the shadow of the Nazi jackboot. The very shape and sound of the Spitfire seems to still invoke and embody the usually reserved pride of the British person. It is probably true to say that Reginald Mitchell’s beautiful aircraft design is one of the most easily recognised and much-loved shapes that ever took to the skies. When actual mass production of the Spitfire ceased in 1948, over 20,000 machines had been built, and operated by over thirty countries around the world. This iconic series saw service with the RAF right up until the mid-1950s. It also saw service with the Irish Air Corps as late as 1961; a full 26yrs after the flight of the prototype K5054. Revell has now released an all-new 1:32 scale Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIa. With some minor modifications, this model may also be built as a Mk.I or a Mk.Va. Over the course of five Chapters, James Hatch examines the kit contents in detail, describes construction of the model with lavish illustrations, and points out the areas of the kit that may be improved and corrected. This new book features an exhaustive step-by-step guide to construction; plus a painting and weathering tutorial. A number of essential reference resources are also included. More than 200 photos, a reference guide, and photos of the kit sprues are all included - a must have before you build the model!

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