Model Aircraft 2017-03

Rid TO ID ers R S on NA t he D O Sto rm

EXCLUSIVE - MIG MASTERCLASS

F-89 Scorpion

jet stinger TH STE A L

F K SLU R A H S -7D USAF A

combat edge

F-117 nighthawk

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T SOVIIET-50 PAK-FA SUKHO

South Atlantic

Arctic Harrier Cold Weather GR.9

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HOON P Y T R AWKE ATIONS

E SED OP DISPER

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MARCH 2017 Vol 16 Iss 03 £4.50 Printed in UK

Scooter

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CONTENTS

37  Model Aircraft Extra – The Vought A-7D With background details, scale plans, a walk around and a 1:48 model build from Angel Exposito

Model Aircraft Extra

6  Arctic Harrier

James Ashton adds a ‘cold winter’ finish to the 1:48 Eduard GR.7/9 kit

Turning the Pages

I

t hardly seems a few scant years ago that many magazines were looking over their shoulders at the juggernaut that is the Internet, with all it could bring to the modellers workbench. It seemed that the printed media’s days were numbered, and that digital was the face of the future. However excellent cyber-space is, it seems for many that the printed page is still the best source of ‘information and inspiration’, and these are the cornerstones on which Model Aircraft is built. Every month we bring an eclectic mix of ‘inspirational modelling’ together with ‘informative reference’ features to the printed page, in what is a ‘complete package’ for the aviation modeller and enthusiast! This month again is no exception, as we have some superb features such as James Ashton’s Arctic Harrier, Jezz Coleman’s F-89, Chad Summers South Atlantic

Skyhawk and Bri Wakeman’s Soviet Stealth Fighter! I am also very pleased to have some fabulous colour profiles from Andrew Borovyh of Tailhook Prints, and some excellent ‘how-to’ features from Olivier Soulleys with his Finnish LaGG-1 and George Roidis with his Su-33 Flanker. We also have our regular Combat-Zone feature from acknowledged historian Anthony Tucker-Jones and our ‘one-stop’ modelling and information features ‘Combat Edge’ with the F-117 and our collectable ‘Model Aircraft Extra’ section, this month looking at the A-7D. So I hope you continue to enjoy reading Model Aircraft!

12  Casemate

Competition

Gator on the Rise

48  Combat-Zone -

The Desert Air War

In the first of a two-part feature, Anthony TuckerJones examines the much neglected air war fought over the wastes of North Africa during World War II

Happy modelling

Andy

62  South Atlantic Scooter Chad Summers builds the 1:48 Hasegawa Skyhawk as an A-4Q of the Argentine Navy

70  Step-by-Step - Finnish Fighter

Olivier Soulleys converts the 1:48 ICM LaGG-3 to a LaGG-1 using an Eduard Set

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5 VOLUME 16 ISSUE 3

32  Eagle Strike! Toby Knight details the 1:48 Revell F-15E as used over Iraq in 2006/7

14  Combat Edge - The

F-117 Nighthawk

20  Riders on the Storm

24  Dispersed Operations

Stealth Attack, with background details and a full 1:48 model build from Danumurthi Mahendra

Craig Sergeant details the 1:72 Hasegawa Tornado IDS in Italian Service, with added SCALP EG Missiles

Andrew Root builds a very personal 1:24 Typhoon diorama

– Shades’

52  Soviet Stealth

56  A Trojan Work-Horse

66  Silver Stinger

76  Modelling with MIG -

Bri Wakeman delves into the 1:72 Zvezda Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA, with a ‘what-if’ Egyptian Air Force version

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Dirk Eikholt builds a colourful 1:32 T-28B US Navy trainer using the Kitty Hawk kit

Jezz Coleman looks at the 1:72 Revell F-89 Scorpion

28  Photo Recce - ‘Shader

RAF Tornadoes in the fight against ISIS

Finishing a Flanker

George Roidis guides you through painting and finishing the 1:48 Kinetic Su-33 using Ammo of MIG products.

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COLD WINTER HARRIER

James Ashton adds a ‘cold winter’ finish to the 1:48 Eduard GR.7/9 kit

E

duard has a tradition of taking already excellent kits from various manufacturers and boxing them as a ‘Special Edition’. What makes them ‘Special’ is the addition of resin and etched parts from their superb aftermarket range. In this instance they have taken the Hasegawa Harrier II kit and bundled it with some aftermarket goodies that raise an already excellent kit to a new level of detail. One addition to this comprehensive package was the addition of Eduard’s Brassin Harrier

Exhaust Nozzles, which I feel are an absolute necessity on this kit. This is not the first time I have built this kit as I have done the USMC version in its original Hasegawa boxing. Armed with this previous experience under my belt I already had an idea of what to expect with regard to possible construction challenges. As with many kits from Hasegawa, it is modular in nature and this means careful test fitting and alignment of the multiple parts are needed. Thankfully the engineering is

crisp and makes for a relatively painless experience. I would recommend special attention be given to the fit of the wings and the Intake cowlings, as there is little room for error. A small spot of Mr Hobby Putty was used to seal the upper wing to fuselage join and also around the underside of the LERX. I have always had mixed feeling when it comes to using etched parts, this is usually connected with the incredibly small fiddly bits which can test my patience to the limit. On the other hand you cannot beat it for such things as colour instrument panels and larger parts that

Harrier GR.7/9 Manufacturer: Eduard Scale: 1:48 kit Type: Multi-media Kit Number: 1166

Eduard has worked their magic by adding those necessary aftermarket upgrades along with an exciting choice of markings and colour schemes

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7 ARCTIC HARRIER

Combine the etched parts with a resin ejection seat, and the basic plastic cockpit is transformed into a miniature replica of the Harriers office

Nothing can compare with a coloured etch instrument panel for detail and authenticity

An invaluable reference companion to this model is Modellers Datafile 17. Despite the modular nature of this kit very little filler is needed if you are careful when fitting the parts together

require the correct scale thickness. I think it true to say that Eduard has set the benchmark for ‘etch excellence’ and certainly nobody does it better. Couple this with the beautiful resin ejection seat and the spartan plastic cockpit becomes a busy eyecatching feature, which captures perfectly the look of the Harrier’s compact office. The second non-colour etched fret contains the numerous antennae and some panels which all make for a more scale authentic appearance.

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Alongside the ejection seat you also get a superbly cast set of resin wheels which are weighted. Hasegawa cast the outrigger wheels as one piece so the resin replacements are a welcome detail with the wheels separate from the leg oleo. One word of warning, these parts are incredibly fragile so I would recommend not attaching the outriggers until the very end of the build. Even then be very careful when putting the model down on its undercarriage as too much of an impact will break them off. Although something you will have to purchase separately the final resin parts are a pure joy to behold and a must have on any Harrier kit. Those who model jet aircraft are familiar with the seamline problems that are inherent with jet intakes and exhausts. The Harrier is a particularly

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COLD WINTER HARRIER

RAF Greys are notoriously difficult to find in model paint ranges. However, I found Alclad Mil Spec to be a perfect match for the Medium Sea Grey

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I could not stop myself staring in wonder at the beautifully cast resin parts, especially the Exhaust Nozzles. Just handle the outrigger parts with the greatest of care To avoid silvering of the decals and also for weathering with Hogwash, an acrylic gloss coat is essential. Alclad Aqua Gloss dries quickly and self-levels superbly

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9 ARCTIC HARRIER

tricky one as it has the louvres in the way that make it virtually impossible to get inside to remove seams. The Eduard Brassin replacements are (insert your own superlative); and I spent many minutes just admiring the quality and craftsmanship of these parts. Finally the model is together and the moment I have been eagerly working toward arrives, that is the painting weathering and markings of my chosen subject. Although Eduard provide a brilliant selection of options on the outstanding decal sheet, the only choice for me was made as soon as I saw the NATO Winter camouflage option. This is one scheme I have always wanted to model but for some reason never have? The decals are in perfect register, are very comprehensive and have a fine carrier film, which

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when applied to a gloss surface appear painted on and do not silver. This for me has been a very satisfying project both in the construction and finishing stages. Hasegawa’s Harrier is a great starting point, Eduard has worked their magic by adding those necessary aftermarket upgrades along with an exciting choice of markings and schemes. I highly recommend getting your hands on this kit especially if you are a fan of the RAF Harrier. MA

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COLD WINTER HARRIER

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Photo-Reference

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ADVENTURE XXL!

THE FASCINATING WORLD OF AEROPLANE MODEL CONSTRUCTION 05 – 09 APRIL 2017 MESSE DORTMUND GERMANY

PLEASE VISIT ALSO

THE WORLD’S LARGEST EXHIBITION FOR MODEL MAKING AND MODEL SPORTS www.intermodellbau.com

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CASEMATE COMPETITION

Gator on the Rise

Competition

M

odel Aircraft has got together with Casemate Publishing to bring you an exclusive monthly competition to win one of their latest military titles. Founded in 2007, Casemate UK is a major specialist publisher and book distributor in the UK, European and Commonwealth markets.

The publishing arm of Casemate is one of the leading publishers in the fields of military history, defence studies, and military science worldwide. Casemate’s publishing list covers subjects as diverse as Roman History, Napoleonic Wars and the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts of today.

So for your chance to win a copy of: Gator on the Rise – Kamov’s Hokum Helicopter – Just answer this simple question:

What was the nickname to the Kamov KA-52? A) Crocodile B) Aligator C) Raptor

Send your entries to... Model Aircraft/Casemate Hokum Competition Media House, 21 Kingsway, Bedford, MK42 9BJ Or email: [email protected]

Competition Rules Employees/volunteers working for SAM Publications Ltd, Casemate Publishing and associated companies or their families are not permitted to enter. Entries are limited to one per person/household. No correspondence will be entered into. The judges’ decision is final. Winners’ names will be published in a future edition of Scale Military Modeller International. All entries must reach Media House by 31st March 2017, when the prize draw will take place.

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14

COMBAT EDGE – NIGHTHAWK

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COMBAT EDGE

F IG H T ING

COLO U R S

Stealth Attack The F-117 Nighthawk

COMBAT EDGE

F IG H T ING

COLO U R S

T

he F-117A ‘Nighthawk’ stealth fighter and attack aircraft was developed by Lockheed Martin after work on low observable technology with the ‘Have Blue’ project, which was carried out in secret from 1975. Development of the F-117A began in 1978 and it was first flown in 1981, but it was not until 1988 that its existence was publicly announced. The Nighthawk was the world’s first operational stealth aircraft, and the first example was delivered in 1982 and the last in 1990, with sixty-four being built, fifty-nine of which were production versions with the other five being demonstrators/prototypes. The F-117A aircraft was also known as the ‘Frisbee’ and the ‘Wobblin’ Goblin’ and was designed to penetrate dense threat environments and attack highvalue targets with high accuracy. Nighthawk was used operational service in Panama, during Operation ‘Desert Storm’ where the F-117A flew approximately 1,300 sorties and scored direct hits on 1,600 high-value targets, in Iraq. The F-117 was also used over Kosovo, Afghanistan and during Operation ‘Iraqi Freedom’. One F-117 (82-0806) was lost in combat during Operation Allied Force’ in March 1999. The surfaces and edge profiles of the F-117 were optimised to reflect hostile radar into narrow beam signals, directed away from an

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COMBAT EDGE

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STEALTH ATTACK

enemy radar detector. All the doors and opening panels on the aircraft had saw-toothed forward and trailing edges to reflect radar. The aircraft was mainly constructed of aluminium, with titanium for areas around the engine and exhaust systems. The outer surfaces were coated with a radar-absorbent material (RAM) and the aircraft had a radar cross-section estimated at between 10cm² and 100cm². Two low-bypass General Electric F404-GE-F1D2 turbofan engines powered the F-117A with rectangular air intakes on both sides of the fuselage, covered by gratings, coated with radar-absorbent material. The wide and flat

structure of the engine exhaust area also reduced the infra-red and radar detectability of the aft section of the engines and the two large tail fins were slanted slightly outwards to provide an obstruction to infra-red and radar returns from the engine exhaust area. The cockpit had a Kaiser Electronics head-up display (HUD) and the flight deck was equipped with a large video monitor, which displays the infrared imagery from the aircraft’s on-board sensors. The cockpit also had a full-colour moving map and fly-by-wire controls. The aircraft could carry a range of tactical fighter ordnance in the weapons bay, including BLU-109B low-level laser-guided bomb, GBU-10 and GBU-27 laserguided bomb units, Raytheon AGM-65 Maverick and Raytheon AGM-88 HARM air-to-surface missiles. In January 2004, an F-117 successfully released a 2,000lb JDAM for the first time, and the integration of JDAM and other precisionguided weapons on the F-117 was coupled with the Block II software upgrade and achieved initial operating capability (IOC) in 2006. The aircraft was also equipped with a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) and a downward-looking infra-red (DLIR) system with laser designator. The first ten aircraft were retired in December 2006, and the rest in March 2008. MA

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COMBAT EDGE

F IG H T ING

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The Wobblin’ Goblin Danumurthi Mahendra builds the 1:48 Academy F-117A Nighthawk

I

have always wanted to build a legendary aircraft such as the F-117 Nighthawk, and having recently added the 1:48 Academy kit in my collection I set about a build. The most obvious question is how you paint an aircraft black, as many of my reference photographs show that black painted aircraft are really not

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that black, more varying shades of dark grey! So although the Academy kit is wanting in a lot of areas, I decided to put more emphasis on the aircraft’s weathered appearance, by building various but subtle tonalities into the colour way. My first order of business was to work on the ‘office’. I always like to show my models with the canopy open, however, to do that, I needed to add some additional details. On the ejection seat, I added texture to the cushion, and made the harness out of masking tape and copper wire, and to make the whole area look busier, I added some 0.2mm sheet styrene, bits of copper wires, aluminium tubing, and plastic rod. After quick priming, I painted the interior XF-53 Neutral Grey and panel’s Flat Black, and followed this

F-117A Nighthawk Manufacturer: Academy Scale: 1:48 kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 2118

with some dry brushing of XF-19 Sky Grey. Once the cockpit was complete, it was just a matter of putting the diamond-shaped fuselage halves together, along with the wings, and V-tail section. For the landing gear struts, I added stretched sprue for the wiring and used aluminium foil for the oleos. The original tyres were too large so I replaced them with a pair from an F-15C that I found in my ‘spares-box’. I primed all these pieces and painted them Flat White, and painted the tyres with XF-85 Rubber Black. Finally, I gave all the pieces a wash with Ammo of MIG Interior Wash and to save time, I also worked in parallel

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STEALTH ATTACK Fluid leaks were added to the undersides….. The cockpit was a bit sparse so some scratchbuilt detailing was added

on the weapons bay and cradles, wheel wells, and landing gear doors. Next I masked and placed the canopy onto the cockpit, and gave the entire airframe a shot of Mr. Surfacer 1500 Black. Once dry, I started marbling with XF-69 NATO Black, spraying this in small controlled circles, keeping everything irregular in nature, and this was followed by spots of diluted XF-63 German Grey. Originally all of the panels were taped to reduce radar signature, and these tapes leave unique marks on the surface. To imitate this, I used Tamiya Tape cut in 2mm strips. With the help of a drawing compass, I measured the lengths and locations for the strips. I then tightly sprayed a much diluted mix of XF-63 German Grey and XF-52 Flat Earth over the strips. This was quite laborious but well worth it. To mimic the exhaust stains, I masked the required area before spraying XF-52 Flat Earth and lightening it with layers of XF-57 Buff.

The most obvious question is how you paint an aircraft black?

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COMBAT EDGE – NIGHTHAWK

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COMBAT EDGE

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…..and any excess removed in the direction of the airflow

Detailing the GBU-27 laser-guided bombs……

…..and adding them into the bomb bays

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After a gloss coat I added the decals for a jet from the 415th TFS during the F-117’s early days in Tonopah. After attaching all of the smaller pieces, I gave the aircraft a decent dose of flat clear, and removed the masking tape from the canopy. The last part of the process was to replicate streaks across the

lower surfaces. Some images show the F-117’s undersides are covered with leaking fluids, so to create that effect, I brushed a diluted X-19 Smoke in the direction of the airflow. Now for the GBU-27 laser-guided bombs, and you will need some patience here as it involves quite a lot of masking. After a black primer coat, I masked and painted the guidance unit XF-58 Olive Green, and the bombs and tail unit XF-62 Olive Drab. To make it more interesting, I decided to build them as inert bombs, and to do that I masked off part of the bomb and guidance unit and gave it a mix of XF-18 Medium Blue and XF-4 Flat Blue, followed by a wash of Ammo of MIG US Modern Vehicle Wash and filter them with thinned XF-49 Khaki and XF-57 Buff.

So how hard is it to paint an aircraft black? It’s not as hard as you think. Like any colour, black has different ranges and tonal values, and with a little effort, you can build this type of model a notch higher by understanding colour and by adding some weathering techniques. MA

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TORNADO IDS ITALIAN AIR FORCE

Riders on the Storm Craig Sergeant details the 1:72 Hasegawa Tornado IDS in Italian Service, with added SCALP EG Missiles

T

he Panavia Tornado was first delivered to Italy in 1988 under an order for 100 of the Interdictor/Strike (IDS) fighter-bomber variant. Sixteen of the IDS aircraft were later converted to the Electronic Combat/ Reconnaissance (ECR) variant, designed to be used to carry the AGM-88 HARM missile for suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD). The Tornados of the Aeronautica Militare have seen action in most NATO air operations since Desert Storm/Operation Locusta in 1991, including Operation Allied Force over Kosovo in 1999, and Operation Unified Protector over Libya in 2011. The IDS variant has been through two upgrades in Italian service. The first upgrade in 2002 was for eighteen aircraft, which introduced improved navigation systems and the ability to carry new weapons such as Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) GPS guided bombs, Storm Shadow standoff cruise missiles and Paveway III laser-guided bombs. The second upgrade in 2010 added new digital displays, communications capability, and night-vision goggles compatibility. Storm Shadow cruise missiles were first launched in action by Italian Tornados in Operation Unified Protector. 2013 saw the 25th anniversary of the type in Italian service and aircraft MM7006 from 6° Stormo ‘Diavoli Rossi‘ (Red Devils) was painted in an appropriate scheme to commemorate this anniversary. It was this aircraft, which was also one of the aircraft to launch Storm Shadows in Libya, which was to become the subject of my model.

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Tornado IDS Italian Air Force 25th Anniversary Manufacturer: Hasegawa Scale: 1:72 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 02049

Hasegawa’s 1:72 Tornado was first released in 1989, and even almost thity years later, is still a nice rendition of this multi-national multi-role fighter, but there are a few shortcomings to the kit which need addressing to bring the kit up to current standards, and correct a few issues. The kit was also released as a limited edition kit in 2013 by Hasegawa, which included the markings for MM7006 in the anniversary scheme. The cockpit was built mostly out of the box, as the kit features nice raised details for the side consoles and instrument panels. The kit’s seats however, are a simplified renditions of the real Martin Baker Mk.10s, and so these were replaced with a pair of resin seats from Aires. Once the cockpit

was finished, and installed, the forward fuselage halves were joined, and it was time to sort one of the main issues with the Hasegawa Tornado – that nose! The nose of the Tornado has a very distinct shape which the kit fails to capture correctly, being too short and too blunt. A friend in England sent me a corrected PP Aeroparts replacement resin and etch nose, now available under the Flightpath label, and goes a long way to addressing some of the kit’s issues. The kit nose was removed with a razor saw and then the resin replacement radome attached

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21 RIDERS ON THE STORM

with CA. There is a panel line just behind the radome and some protective strips missing from the resin part, so the panel line was scribed, and the strips added from some thin sheet styrene strips. At this time, the tip of the nose cone had a hole drilled to enable the addition of a Hobby Decal aluminium pitot, at a later stage of assembly Before the upper and lower fuselage were joined, there were a couple of prominent vents that needed opening. The first is on the port fuselage just below the intake. In the kit, the vent is represented by a decal, but the vent is too large to get away with using the decal. This vent was carefully drilled out, and then shaped with a sharp blade, before being backed with some sheet styrene. There is also a large square vent on the port side behind the wings, also provided as a decal, so the same corrective surgery procedure was carried out as for the previous vent. The hole through the wings, that allows the wings to pivot after assembly, was opened up, by removing a wedge between the pivot hole

and wing inside edge, so that the wings could be added, after the fuselage was assembled. The removed section would be hidden inside the fuselage. With the upper and lower fuselage joined, and seams and panel lines taken care of, the forward fuselage and the tail fin were attached to this fuselage assembly. At this time, another shortcoming of the Hasegawa kit was addressed. The forward edge of the fin tip is too square, and so the tip was rounded to the correct profile using a sanding stick, while comparing shape against a good reference photo, printed to scale, to get the radius correct. With the fuselage fully assembled, attention was turned to adding details applicable to the Italian IDS aircraft. A small GPS dome was added, from some shaped styrene rod, on the spine just behind the canopy. The cone-shaped ECM antenna, on the underside of the fuselage, was added from some more shaped rod. Five small blade antennae’s were added around the aircraft, as per my references, using the etched antenna parts from the PP Aeroparts

The kit was released as a limited edition kit in 2013 and included the markings for MM7006 in its anniversary scheme

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set; one under the nose; two just in front of the windscreen; two under the rear fuselage. At this stage, the tip of the refuelling probe was drilled out of the kit housing piece and the opening enlarged to accept a turned aluminium NATO refuelling probe from Master Models. The kit piece was too shallow and incorrectly shaped, and the turned aluminium piece adds a touch of fidelity to the kit. A Carl Zeiss FLIR was created from an ECM blister in the spares box and added on one side of the nose gear bay, and a large blade antenna added on the other side. The tail planes and wings were positioned appropriately and glued in place. Reference images show that the wings tend to

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TORNADO IDS ITALIAN AIR FORCE be left in the partially swept position when the aircraft are on the ground, so this position was replicated on the model. Cutting the slots in the wings earlier meant it was easy to position and attach them at this stage. Fuselage wing sweep seals were taken from an Eduard set for the Tornado F.3 and modified to suit the position of the partially swept wings. Last steps prior to masking for paint were installation of the nose and main gear legs and nose gear doors. The nose gear doors were made from the PP Aeroparts etched pieces. The nose gear leg was modified to match images of the real aircraft, having one of the scissor links removed, and the other replaced with another etched piece from the PP Aeroparts set.The same etch set also contributed the ice sensor on the leading edge of the tail fin, the heads up display frame, the tail plane pivot seals, and the engine thrust reverser actuators. The two gun barrels on the nose and the intake part under the fuselage were drilled out. The kit stores include a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinders, two drop tanks, a pair of ECM pods for the outer underwing pylons, which are not applicable to Italian aircraft, and a pair of Kormoran missiles. The missiles were not relevant for this aircraft, and as this was an upgraded aircraft that had carried and launched Storm Shadow in combat, I wanted to add a prototypical load for the mission. The kit drop tanks were used, but the AIM-9s and Storm Shadows came from the Eduard Brassin range of weapons, which feature amazing detail and are very faithful to the full size weapons they portray. The weapons and kit drop tanks were assembled and painted as per their respective

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instructions, then attached to the assembled and painted weapons pylons, which were left off the model until painting was complete. To complete the stores, a pair of BOZ-107 chaff/flare dispensers were required. As none are provided in the kit, two were taken from a pair of Revell Tornados, but the pod for the port wing had to have the rear section cut off and rotated ninety-degrees, as the rear end faces outboard on both sides. Holes were drilled in the back end to represent the expendable cartridge openings. The radome and various antennae and protective panels on the spine and tail fin were painted with Gunze matt black and then masked. Wing glove sweep and tailplane pivot areas were painted with a Gunze medium grey and masked. The metal areas of the exhaust were painted with Gunze burnt iron, then salt used as a mask for differing

metallic shades to give a heat stressed effect. The exhaust area was then masked, and the model covered in thinned black paint ‘scribbled’ randomly over the airframe and also along panel lines as a type of pre-shade. Salt masking was again used to give the paint some tonal variation and wear. The main airframe was painted with Tamiya XF-19 Sky Grey. A lightened mix of Sky Grey was ‘mottled’ in a random pattern over top to add to the tonal variation of the main colour. Once this was dry, the spine was masked and painted Gunze H2 Gloss Black. This was then polished using micro mesh to give a smooth high gloss surface. Various details around the airframe were masked and painted to cover all of the necessary detail painting prior to decals. The whole model was glossed with Tamiya X-22 clear gloss ready for decalling. Kit decals were applied according to the instructions. There were errors with the names of the pilots so these had to be modified with some careful painting. Once decals were applied and allowed to dry overnight, the model was then glossed again, and a wash of turpenoid was applied to panel lines, and raised details, and various streaks and grime added around the airframe, before the model was finished with ModelMaster acrylics flat varnish mixed 50:50 with water. The final steps, after unmasking the canopy and spine of the model, were to add some resin wheels from Armory, which included very nice tyre tread and hub detail, and even had nice Dunlop logos embossed on them. With a few minor additions and corrections, the Hasgeawa kit builds into a very nice replica of Panavia’s multi-role attack jet, and I will definitely be building another in the near future, improving on the lessons learnt from this model as I still need to add an Operation ‘Granby’ RAF ‘Tonka’ to my line-up. MA

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White Metal & Resin Aircraft Parts Since 1990

Scale Aircraft Conversions

The B-17 Flying Fortress continues to score high on the favourites list with modellers. Excellent kits of this iconic bomber are available in a full range of scales from 1/144 to 1/32 and SAC has metal gear to fit most of them including the new 1/72 Airfix B-17G.

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24

TYPHOON DIORAMA

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MODEL AIRCRAFT MARCH 2017

25 TYPHOON DIORAMA

Dispersed

Operations I Andrew Root builds a very personal 1:24 Typhoon diorama must start by saying the Hawker Typhoon holds a very personal interest for myself, as my late grandfather served as an armourer with No.257 Squadron, so I’m a bit obsessed with this aircraft type. This is my second 1:24 Airfix Typhoon build, so I wanted to do something a bit different from the first. I have a large collection of books and images of the Typhoon and the Second Tactical Air Force,

and amongst these photographs, I came across shots of Allied aircraft types operating from captured German airbases, and I decided that these photographs would form the basis of my next diorama build.  The aircraft build began as always with the cockpit, but unlike most kits, the Airfix Typhoon is a bit more advanced, in that you actually build the framework for the forward section, including wings and engine frame, much like the actual aircraft. Of course, being 1:24 there is a lot of detail in the cockpit, which took me quite a while to do, I’ve seen a lot of Typhoon kit builds with Zinc Chromate tubing, most allied planes of that time indeed had this primer, however, the few

Hawker Typhoon 1B Manufacturer: Airfix Scale: 1:24 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: A19002

images I’ve seen of the Typhoon framework, and interior of the wings show the tubes and ribs in Silver, so this was the choice here.  Once the framework and cockpit were completed, my attention turned to the mighty Napier Sabre power plant, a monster twentyfour-cylinder engine. The build of the here was quite time consuming and fiddly, with lots of pipes and hoses to weave in-between the frames, and it’s a shame it will never be seen underneath the cowling, but I know how good it looks, and that’s the important thing. The wings were

The Hawker Typhoon holds a very personal interest for myself, as my late grandfather served as an armourer with No.257 Squadron

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TYPHOON DIORAMA

fitted next, and again a framework provided the structure to which the wing skins are fitted. The gun bays, which hold the four 20mm Hispano cannons are very well detailed as are the magazines and shell drums, and again I decided to have mine covered on this build, as they are open on my other model.  The fuselage sections were fitted next; this is when you find out how well you have built the framework! Any part you’ve not quite fitted correctly will show its ugly head at this point, and

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fortunately, this being my second Typhoon, the fit was good. The next stage was the cowling, and again be very careful how you build the engine, any parts not fitted exactly with mean a poor fit here, which will really show up. It’s now starting to look like a Typhoon, but there is still a lot to do, and the ailerons, rudder, stabilator, flaps and landing gear were fitted next. For the armament, I decided to go for the drop tanks, again, just to be different from the other build, and found that drop tanks were fitted to No.263

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27 TYPHOON DIORAMA

Squadron aircraft, and this is what I decided to depict. I wanted to give this Typhoon a very weathered look, so I painted the roundels which squadron markings, using a custom mask set from Maketar, as in some of the photographs I’d seen of aircraft in the final months of the war, they looked very beaten up and well used.  For the diorama, I started with the building, this was just a Styrofoam sheet, carved and painted, and for the rubble in front of the

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building, I used 1500 individual bricks, which I had to paint the same colour as the building, and took ages, but I think it was worth it. The figures were made by a company called King and Country, and show the armourers at work, which was very important for me, to show the roll my grandfather played in his service with the RAF. I must give a special mention to Widdowsons Limited for the amazing custom build display case in which the model now resides.  MA

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PHOTO-RECCE

Shader – Shades RAF Tornadoes in the fight against ISIS

O

peration ‘Shader’ – is the operational code name given to the UK participation in the ongoing military intervention against ISIS. The operation began in Iraq on 26 September 2014, following a formal request for assistance by the Iraqi government. By 21 October 2014

the intervention had extended onto Syria with surveillance flights, with airstrikes being approved in December 2015. At the forefront of the strike role are Eurofighter Typhoons and Panavia Tornado GR.4s. MA

A brace of GR.4s prepare to take off

A pair Tornado GR.4s prepare to depart RAF Akrotiri

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MODEL AIRCRAFT MARCH 2017

29 RAF TORNADOES FIGHT ISIS

A Tornado GR.4 refuels over Iraq

Brimstone anti-armour missiles are a key part of the Tornadoes armoury

A pilot readies himself for another sortie

Paveway LGBs ready to be loaded

Storm Shadow cruise missiles fitted to a GR.4

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PHOTO-RECCE

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The Tornado, despite its age is a very effective platform

Paveway IV LGBs on the shoulder pylons

Groundcrew prepare a GR.4

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SAM-MDSD-05-Tiger-Ad_Layout 1 10/02/2017 15:34 Page 1

NEW ARRIVAL OUT NOW! The Northrop

MDFSD 5 F-5 TIGER

£14.99 + P&P

F-5 TIGER

Freedom Fighter, Tiger II and Tigereye MDF Scaled Down #5 By Andy Evans One of the most enduring military aircraft designs ever produced, the F-5 series has served for more than four decades since its initial flight on July 31, 1963. The F-5 remains an agile, highly manoeuvrable, reliable supersonic fighter; lead-in trainer and ‘aggressor’, combining advanced aerodynamic design, engine performance and low operating costs. More than 2,600 were built by Northrop and with even more built under coproduction and licensing agreements with Canada, the Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, Spain and Switzerland. From the F-5's first delivery in 1964 to its final one in 1989, every aircraft has delivered the performance as promised, and approximately two-thirds of the original production F-5's remain operational in twenty-six countries, including the United States. Being smaller and simpler than contemporaries such as the F-4, the F-5 cost less to both purchase and operate, making it a popular export aircraft. The F-5A ‘Freedom Fighter’ entered service in the early 1960s, and although the USAF at the time had no acknowledged need for a light fighter, it did procure roughly 1,200 T-38 Talons, which were directly based on the F-5 design. After winning the International Fighter Aircraft competition in 1970, a program aimed at providing effective low-cost fighters to American allies, Northrop introduced the secondgeneration F-5E ‘Tiger II’ in 1972. The F-5 was also developed into a

Cover: Illustration Purposes Only

dedicated reconnaissance version, the RF-5 ‘Tigereye’ and the ill-fated F-20 ‘Tigershark’. For the F-5 it has been a fast ride into aviation history! The story of the F-5 is brought to life in this new MDF Scaled Down from SAM Publications, and the types background; operators, colour schemes and roles are all included, along with colour profiles, technical diagrams and extensive walk arounds. This is a must have book for the enthusiast and modeller alike.

M DF 5

SCALED DOWN

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F-15E STRIKE EAGLE

Eagle Strike

F-15E Strike Eagle Manufacturer: Revell Scale: 1:48 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 4891

Toby Knight details the 1:48 Revell F-15E as used over Iraq in 2006/7

I

have been looking forward to delving into a Strike Eagle for some time, so here I go! I began with the cockpit and once assembled I painted it Black using Mr Surfacer 1500, before spending some time masking-up the Grey FS36231side panels. As soon as this was dry I added a wash and removed the excess with a cotton bud leaving a lightly weathered interior. Then a light dry brush gently popped out the details. With the main cockpit painting completed Lifecolor White was used to paint the buttons and switches, then the insides of each fuselage halves

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were painted Dark Gull Grey, and given a wash with the raised detail painted a Light Grey colour. The nose near well attaches to the underside of the cockpit tub, and here I used a Wolfpack Update Set, which required a dampener to be fitted. The nose wheel gear bay is basic in detail, but with the nose wheel fitted, not a lot can be seen. This had a few light coats of Tamiya White Primer mixed with some gloss and Mr Levelling Thinner. A wash then made from AK Interactive Dark Wash and some Ammo of MIG Panel Line Washes, to bring out the detailing. Then a coat of

gloss sealed everything in. All the separate cockpit parts were now glued in place, except the instrument panels, and these given a matt coat to dull the gloss down. The instrument panels had a mix of Tamiya Clear Green added to some of the screens and then some gloss was added, before carefully painting on the CRT panels. I used Aires seats, which were painted Grey, followed by some gentle dry brushing. Lifecolor acrylics were then used to hand paint the cushions, head rests and other ancillary parts. Highlights and shadows were then

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33 EAGLE STRIKE – F-15E

added before a gloss coat and wash was applied. The seats were then sprayed with Mr Hobby Matt, and the seat buckles were painted Tamiya Flat Aluminium and then washed with Ammo of MIG Black Panel Line Wash, and put to one side for fitting later. Moving now onto the fuselage and wings, the engine intake ducts were quickly glued together with the compressor blades added. An exhaust port in-between the engines is shown as a meshed part, and should be open with plenty of staining around it. So I opened the hole up with a drill and added some brass tubing to imitate the exhaust. The intake ducts are then glued in place along with the front of the M61A1 Vulcan cannon. The wing panels need careful fitting, and by not over gluing them, you will reduce any likelihood of glue spilling out. The front fuselage halves were then joined around the cockpit, and there was a stubborn seam line that took some sanding and filling to get rid of, and don’t forget to add some weight to the nose area prior to gluing the fuselage halves. The intake assembly consists of two additional parts for each side, and some ejector pin marks needed some work. I then painted the interior of each intake and then fixed each carefully to obtain a good fit. Before fitting the Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFT’s) you need to sand them down. Start slowly at the front and apply small amounts of thin glue, allowing capillary action to do its work. If you take this stage slowly and don’t rush it, you will get perfectly fitting CFT’s. For the external stores and pylons I began with, what are known as Tangential Carriers, which are stub pylons attached to the outside of the CFT’s. Here updated parts one from the Wolfpack Set replaced the front pylon on each side and I also drilled out the holes in the sway braces to allow a small piece of brass rod to be fitted to correspond with pins in the ordnance. With the outer pylons fitted, I then went about adding the two inboard pylons in the same manner. The landing gear assembly was quite straightforward. The inside of each well and gear door was sprayed with Tamiya White Primer mixed with some gloss. Once dry, another wash

was added with the excess removed with a cotton bud. A replacement tyre set was sourced from North Star Models, as I damaged the kit ones. The tyres were painted separately and left to one side. Most of the photographs I have seen of the F-15E’s show relatively clean tyres, so the oleos were painted Aluminium using AK Interactive’s Xtreme Metal paint, and then sealed with a gloss coat. For the engines, I replaced the kit parts with the Aires set due to the superior detail and single piece casting. A fair amount of painting and weathering is required for the compressor blades and afterburner cans and a series of washes was used over Tamiya White Primer along with some matt varnish, followed by pigments very carefully applied. The next part was adding the control rods to

the nozzle segment. This was somewhat fiddly but once complete I left it to completely dry before adding any paint. To paint the engines I used a variety of different lacquer paints, ranging from Mr Hobby Super Metallics to Mr Paint Metallics and Alclad. I began by adding a coat of Alclad Gloss Black Base to the engines, and then various Silver and Bright Aluminium shades were airbrushed on, followed by additional thinned down mottles of other metallic colours. Once dry the engines were masked off after a thin coat of Mr Hobby Gloss. There are two small areas either

Prior to the build I had done a fair amount of research around types of ordnance and loads that the F-15E’s would carry whilst in Iraq around 2006/2007

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side of the exhausts that have metal plates and these were painted in the same way. The Lantrin system pylons were approached in the same way as the other pylons by drilling and pinning with brass rod. The AN-AAQ/13 Navigation pod was from the kit, and it required a little bit of work to remove the seam lines and create the vent at the rear. This was then painted FS36118, glossed and washed. The small aperture at the front was masked and painted Gloss Black followed by a thin layer of Tamiya X-23. I chose not to fit the AN-AAQ/14 Targeting Pod as I replaced it with the AN-AAQ-33 Sniper XR Targeting Pod that was included in the Wolfpack update set. This was simple to build and only required the glazing to be left off whilst the external body was painted FS36118 and the interior painted Gloss Black. Once dried, I airbrushed the glazing with thinned down Tamiya X-19 to give the impression of a tint. The fuel tanks were glued together and seam lines removed, and note, there are raised seams on the underwing fuel tanks, which should be there and are visible on photographs of the aircraft. Most images seem to show an AIM-9M on the inner launch rail, and an AIM-120 B or C on the outer rail. Having sourced two AIM-120C’s from a Kinetic F-16D and cleaned them both up, they were pinned with thin wire and then holes were drilled into the Wolfpack LAU-128 launch rail to accept the missiles. The Wolfpack set also includes the newer ADU-552 adapter unit, which is glued in between the LAU-128 rail and the SUU-59/A pylon. With all four missiles pinned, the launch rails were mounted to the SUU-59/A pylons via the ADU-552 adapter. I left the pitots and sensors off in order to scratchbuild the relevant covers, and the landing lights would be added as one of the last items. For the canopy and windscreen I finished off the HUD panel, spraying the bottom with Mr Paint Super Matt Black and then further masking to give it that green tint using Tamiya X-25. The canopies were both masked up and sprayed Mr Surfacer 1500 Black and then FS36118 Gunship Grey, both externally and internally, as the internal structure would be on display with the main canopy open. The canopy support arm was painted red with a small chrome section at the bottom. I was given Plus Models Boarding Ladder to try out, and it was an excellent kit, that requires a bit of dexterity due to the manipulation of several parts at once! All I had left to add was the few remaining pieces from the Wolfpack set and the ordnance. Some of the antennae needed changing dependent upon

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F-15E STRIKE EAGLE Strike Eagle

Gallery

the year you are modelling, as well as the specific airframe, so check your references. Prior to the build I had done a fair amount of research around types of ordnance and loads that the F-15E’s would carry whilst in Iraq around 2006/2007. The GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs were still relatively new but were fitted around that time. I had a Skunkmodels NATO Modern Weapons Set in that I raided for these. Painting them required some masking due to the various colour bands and nose cones. I added a gloss coat followed by the decals, another gloss coat and then various washes The AIM-9M’s had their bodies painted in FS36375 with the Guidance Control Section at the front being painted a darker iron colour. The yellow and brown bands were both masked and painted, as the decals weren’t that good, and after a gloss coat and light wash, they were put to one side. The seeker head cover was painted RLM2 yellow and then given a light wash before I attached a Remove Before Flight Tag. The entire unit was then glued onto the nose of the AIM-9. The AIM-120’s were painted using Tamiya White Primer, then the front was masked off and the body sprayed with FS36375. Again the coloured bands were masked and airbrushed on before gloss coats, decals and washes were added. The GBU-12’s were a combination of both Hasegawa and Kinetic parts which were in my ‘spares-box’ and suitably weathered. The GBU-10 was completed in a similar vein to the GBU-12 although I added some salt to give it a patchy weathered look. The airframe was painted with Mr Paint FS36118 and then glossed. My reference images

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showed most F-15E’s at Lakenheath with a silky finish with very little weathering. I then spent forever adding all the tiny markings and stencils from the various decal sets. The entire aircraft was then given a panel line wash using Ammo of MIG Deep Grey Panel Line Wash and once dry and excess was removed using a cloth and cotton buds in the direction of the airflow. I then added some additional using Ammo of MIG Streaking Grime, which was being dotted onto specific areas and wiped off again in the direction of the airflow. A further build up of grime was added under the cockpit where the pilots climbed down. The ordnance was attached to the pylons with tiny amounts of CA glue, and once dry each pylon was carefully attached in its relevant place. The undercarriage was fitted and holes drilled for the Remove Before Flight tags. Several vents were also covered with plasticard and covers made from wine bottle tops and Milliput for the pitots. The RBF covers were painted Red and given a wash, then attached to the aircraft using CA glue and RBF tags attached. Then the entire model was given a coat of thinned Tamiya Semi-Gloss. The final pieces were then added such as the cockpit canopies and additional RBF tags on the canopy support arm as well as the seats. The nose landing gear lights were fixed in place along with the ladder and the build was complete. This was a really pleasant project. I am a huge fan of some Revell kits, as they provide excellent quality for a low price, and I am already planning its 1:32 big brother!!! MA

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MODEL AIRCRAFT MARCH 2017

Colour Artwork By JP Vieira

EAGLE STRIKE – F-15E

McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle prototype 710291 finished in European ‘Lizard’ camouflage

35

McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle 870209 of the US Air Force based at Seymour Johnson AFB

McDonnell Douglas F-15I Strike Eagle of the Israeli Air Force

McDonnell Douglas F-15K Strike Eagle of the Republic of Korea Air Force

McDonnell Douglas F-15S Strike Eagle Royal Saudi Air Force

McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle 05005 of the US Air Force based at Mountain Home AFB

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SKYRAIDER By Andy Renshaw and Andy Evans

6 F2 W! MDT NO OU

THE DOUGLAS A-1

A

ble to carry a greater payload than a four-engine B-17 Flying Fortress, the single-engine A-1 Skyraider was considered one of the finest attack and close air support aircraft ever built. Skyraider’s proved critical during the Korean War and over the jungles of North Vietnam. The airplane that became the AD Skyraider (redesignated A-1 in 1962) evolved from a 1943 Navy decision to combine the dive-bombing and torpedo mission into one aircraft. First flown in 1945, the Skyraider entered US Navy service the following year. Later nicknamed ‘Spad’ for its ‘old-school’ design and appearance, reminiscent of the famous World War I aircraft, the Skyraider earned a reputation for ruggedness that not only packed a punch, but also brought back many an airman, despite taking heavy damage from enemy fire. Some AD pilots also trained for an atomic war, practicing long-range flights to deliver nuclear bombs at low altitude. A-1s were also part of the first attacks against North Vietnam following the Tonkin Gulf Incident, and in June 1965, a pair of Skyraiders even shot down a North Vietnamese MiG-17 in air-to-air combat. It was perhaps in the ‘Sandy’ Combat Search And Rescue role the USAF Skyraider earned most respect, and its heavy payload and long loiter time proved vital in rescue of downed airman in Southeast Asia. The Skyraider was also used by the air forces of South Vietnam, France, Cambodia, Chad and Gabon, and the Royal Navy operated a dedicated airborne early warning version from her aircraft carriers, and the Swedish Air Force used the Skyraider as a target tug. All told, 3,180 Skyraiders rolled off the Douglas Aircraft Company assembly line, and in this new Datafile by Andy Renshaw and Andy Evans; the Skyraider story is brought to life. Packed with many never before seen images, concise text, colour profiles, technical diagrams, scale plans and how to model the Skyraider in popular scales, this book is a must have for the enthusiast and modeller alike.

M DF 26

A-1 SKYRAIDER

MDF 26

SKYRAIDER

£19.99 +£3.00 P&P

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MODEL AIRCRAFT MARCH 2017

37 THE VOUGHT A-7D

Model Aircraft Extra

An A-7D form the 76th TFS drops ‘Snakeye’ bombs

The Vought A-7D

T

o meet its need for close air support of its troops in South Vietnam, the US Army pressured the Air Force to procure a specialised subsonic close air support fixed-wing aircraft that would suit its needs better than the general-purpose supersonic aircraft that the USAF preferred. The Vought A-7, already in service with the US Navy seemed to be a relatively quick and inexpensive way to satisfy this need. However, the USAF was initially reluctant to take on yet another Navydesigned aircraft, but decided to order a version designated A-7D, for Tactical Air Command. The A-7D differed from the Navy’s aircraft in several ways. For one, the Air Force insisted on significantly more power for its version, and selected the Allison TF41-A-1 turbofan engine, which was a license-built version of the RollsRoyce Spey, which offered greater thrust than that of the TF30 that powered the Navy’s Corsairs. Other changes included a head-up display, a

new avionics package, and an M61A1 rotary cannon in place of the two single-barreled 20mm cannon, and also included was a computerised navigation/weapons delivery system, with an AN/ APQ-126 radar and a head-up display Two YA-7D prototypes were completed with

The USAF was initially reluctant to take on yet another Navydesigned aircraft, but decided to order a version designated A-7D, for Tactical Air Command

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TF30-P-6 engines, and the first of these flew on 6 April 1968, and the first Spey-powered A-7D flew for the first time on 26 September 1968. The seventeenth production aircraft introduced a provision for boom flight refueling in place of the Navy’s probe/drogue system, with the boom receptacle being on the top of the fuselage behind the cockpit and offset to port. The A-7D entered service in 1970 with the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing at Luke AFB Arizona, and the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach

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MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA Rolling in with Mavericks

Grey clad 124th TFS A-7K

AFB South Carolina was equipped with four squadrons of A-7Ds by 1972. The 355th TFW at Davis-Monthan AFB was equipped with four squadrons in 1972, and in 1973, the 23d TFW at England AFB, Louisiana was fully equipped with A-7Ds. The 354th TFW first deployed two squadrons of A-7Ds to Korat AFB Thailand in September 1972 as part of Operation ‘Cornet Dancer’, and the A-7Ds were quickly assigned the ‘Sandy’ mission’ of providing air cover for Combat SAR role of protecting downed pilots. With the end of US involvement in South Vietnam, the 354th TFW, deployed at Korat, began flying combat sorties in Cambodia to support the Lon Nol government in support of Khmer National Armed Forces against the Khmer Rouge. Rotational deployments

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began to Korat from the 355th TFW and 23d TFW, with pilots and support personnel beginning six-months deployment cycles. In March 1973, the 354th transferred a squadron of A-7Ds to the 388th TFW, the host wing at Korat RTAFB at

the time, which re-established the 3rd Tactical Fighter Squadron and created a permanent USAF A-7D presence in Southeast Asia. A-7Ds from both wings stationed at Korat engaged in combat operations in Cambodia until 15 August 1973. In March 1974, the 354th TFW transferred several more aircraft to the 3rd TFS prior to its return to Myrtle Beach AFB. The USAF A-7D flew a total of 12,928 combat sorties during the war with only six losses, and the aircraft was second only to the B-52 in the amount of ordnance dropped on Hanoi, and dropped more bombs per sortie with greater accuracy than any other US attack aircraft. With the pullout of the USAF from its Thailand bases in late 1975, the A-7Ds stationed at Korat initially went to Clark AFB in the Philippines, and later returned to the United States where they were reassigned to several Air National Guard squadrons. In 1974, selection of the A-10 was made as the replacement for the A-7D, and

120th TFS A-7D

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MODEL AIRCRAFT MARCH 2017

39 THE VOUGHT A-7D

the first examples were received by the 354th TFW in 1977 at Myrtle Beach AFB, followed by the 355th TFW at Davis-Monthan AFB, who began replacing its A-7Ds in 1978, as well as the 23d TFW at England AFB in 1979. When in 1981 the 23d TFW sent its last A-7Ds to Tonopah Nevada for clandestine use in the F-117 Nighthawk development program, fifteen ANG squadrons were equipped with the A-7D. In 1978, a two-seat A-7 trainer was developed for the Air Force, designated the A-7K. One prototype was built by modifying an existing A-7D airframe, however production A-7Ks were new builds. The A-7K was a fully combat capable aircraft as well as a dual-control training aircraft, and all ANG squadrons were assigned an A-7K trainer as well as their complement of A-7Ds. During the post-Vietnam era, the Air National Guard frequently deployed its Corsairs on annual operational exercises to NATO and USAFE bases 124th TFS A-7D and A-7K

Corsair Colours - Arizona ANG style

in West Germany and Denmark as part of training exercises. Beginning in 1977, and the phase out of the A-7D from active-duty units, the Air National Guard began taking over this mission. In December 1989, the South Dakota 175th TFS and the 112th TFS were at Howard AFB on a ‘Coronet Cove’ deployment when President George HW Bush announced Operation ‘Just Cause’, the United States Invasion of Panama. ANG squadrons participated in the invasion, flying thirty-four combat missions, expended 71.7 flying hours and expended 2,715 rounds of ordnance. F-16s began replacing the ANG Corsairs at the beginning in the late 1980s and the last were retired in 1993.

New Mexico ANG A-7K

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MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA

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MODEL AIRCRAFT MARCH 2017

41 THE VOUGHT A-7D

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MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA

A Shark SLUF from E T Angel Exposito builds the 1:72 Fujimi A-7D in the markings of the 23rd TFW he 1:72 Fujimi kit, despite its age is still excellent, although there are other manufacturers that more justice to this aircraft. Fujimi does give you some quality details, however, the worst part of the kit is the intake, and the best advice here is to scratchbuild a cover! Armament includes ten Mk.82s, a pair of Sidewinders and two underwing fuel tanks, a fairly typical load out for the SLUF. I began by painting the cockpit, and adding some seatbelts for more detail, and then progressed to the wheel wells and engine nozzle, followed by assembling the wings and finally joining the fuselage halves. A quick search on the Internet showed infinite of possibilities for painting this aircraft, so my was to depict a unit of the Air National Guard in SEA scheme, but with faded paintwork. So I began with some black pre-shading in specific areas, and especially on the sides of the front fuselage and in the area of the engine nozzle. Then I added a coat of Gunze H310 Light

A-7D Corsair

Manufacturer: Fujimi Scale: 1:72 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 25011

Brown, and applied some highlights by adding a little white. Then it was on with some Blu-Tac and then Gunze H303 Light Green. I again repeat the masking process and then added Gunze H309 Dark Green. Both greens also had some highlights added on certain panels. This all looked nice, however, I wanted to go a little

The worst part of the kit is the intake, and the best advice here is to scratchbuild a cover!

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THE VOUGHT A-7D

m England

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MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA

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45 THE VOUGHT A-7D

further and do some chipping, so I added small salt masks in specific places and then applied a lightened colour of the base shade. The salt was then carefully removed and the paintwork touched up as required After a gloss coat I added the decals and sealed them in. Then I began to add oil paint washes to pick out the panel lines and add some weathering. The Mk.82s were painted in Olive Drab, and also benefitted from salt

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masks, and some careful detail painting. The MER and TER racks were painted white with a little dark grey used to make small chips. The entire aircraft was then sprayed with a thin layer of Alclad Klear Kote Matt. The canopy and windscreen were then painted in the appropriate colours and finally are added some scratchbuilt RBF tags and an intake cover. MA

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MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA

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THE DESERT AIR WAR

The Fiat CR.32 biplane was the slowest fighter in North Africa

COMBAT-ZONE

The Desert Air War In the first of a two-part feature, Anthony Tucker-Jones examines the much neglected air war fought over the wastes of North Africa during World War II

T

he dramatic air war fought over North Africa during the Second World War has long been overshadowed by the war on the ground. It was after Benito Mussolini’s ill-advised ‘Blitzkrieg’ into British controlled Egypt came to a standstill and he was rolled back into Libya that Adolf Hitler had to step in and help his hapless ally. Rommel’s subsequent dogged air campaign, apart from the bitter battle for Malta, is little known. In reality the air forces of both sides were locked in deadly combat in the skies over Egypt, Libya and Tunisia for three long years. After the British evacuation from Dunkirk in June 1940 the military position in the Mediterranean looked precarious. At sea, on land and in the air Mussolini’s armed forces had overwhelming superiority. The RAF and Royal Navy were effectively neutralised by the land based Regia Aeronautica Italiana, which from the outset could muster around 2,000 aircraft against the RAF and Fleet Air Arm’s largely obsolete types. When Mussolini spoke of the

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Mediterranean being mare nostrum it was not an idle boast. However, many of Mussolini’s aircraft were obsolete when Italy entered the war, especially his bombers and ground attack aircraft. His fighters were not much better. The Fiat CR.42 Falco (Falcon) biplane was the most numerous fighter possessed by the Regia Aeronautica in North Africa. During the early operations it enjoyed a slight edge over the RAF, but as British forces built up in Egypt the aircraft was restricted largely to ground support activities along with the older CR.32. Similarly, the Fiat G.50 monoplane was not a great success. The Macchi Saetta and Folgore monoplanes were an improvement, but were still no match for Allied fighters. When Italy declared war in June 1940 it had 324 CR.32 and 272 CR.42 in front-line service. With a top speed of only 233mph the CR.32 was the slowest fighter in North Africa, and although it continued in service until 1942 its deployment was confined to night operations.

The fighter-bomber variant of the CR.42 known as the Caccia Bombardiere arrived in North Africa in the Spring of 1941 and was followed in July 1941 by the CR.42 Africa Settentrionale (or North Africa) which were fitted with dust filters and bomb racks. Despite its ancient appearance the CR.42 only entered service in 1939. It was armed with one 7.7mm and one 12.7mm Breda machine

British air defence in Egypt was provided by the Gloster Gladiator

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The CR.42 Falco was the most numerous Italian fighter in North Africa

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COMBAT-ZONE

gun fitted above the forward fuselage. With a top speed of 267mph it was slightly faster than the British Gladiator, but had a comparable operating ceiling, and was equally manoeuvrable. Mussolini committed 50 to the Battle of Britain, sustaining heavy losses. The Fiat G-50 had seen service during the Spanish Civil War in the mid-1930s and had a maximum speed of 293mph and an operational ceiling of 32,800ft. It was armed with two 12.7mm Breda machine guns housed in the forward fuselage. The G-50bis introduced in 1940 was not comparable to British and German fighters and was used as a fighter-bomber. The most modern fighter in Mussolini’s arsenal was the Macchi C200 Saetta (Thunderbolt)), powered by a Fiat 860bhp engine it could out climb and out manoeuvre the Hurricane. However, its 312mph maximum speed was slightly slower and its operational ceiling of 29,000ft was substantially less. Although only armed with two 12.7mm machine guns fitted above the cowling, the Saetta had a good combat record and its pilots often held their own against the RAF. The obsolete Breda Ba.65 ground attack aircraft was also involved in the fighting in North Africa. Although capable of delivering over 1,100lb of bombs its engine did not like the desert conditions and serviceability was poor. The Savoia-Marchetti SM79 Sparviero (Hawk) was a robust and reliable medium bomber. Capable of 270mph, it carried a 2,200lb bomb load and was protected by three 12.7mm machineguns, with an additional 7.7mm machine gun that could be fired from the beam windows. The SM79 required five crew and was powered by three Piaggio 1,000hp engines. In contrast the SM.81 Pipistrello (Bat) and SM.82 Canguru (kangaroo) although designed as bombers were mainly used as transports. Some Pipistrello were deployed as night bombers in North Africa. The CRDA Cant Z.1007 medium bomber also known as the Alcione (Kingfisher) carried a bomb load of 2,645lb. The aircraft was powered by three 1,000hp Piaggio engines. Its maximum speed was 236mph with an operational ceiling of 26,900ft and a range of over 1,000 miles. The Piaggio P.108 was Mussolini’s only four engine bomber but it was no way comparable to British and American designs. Nonetheless it saw service in the Mediterranean and North Africa where it suffered heavy losses.

49

In 1940 Mussolini had a powerful air force but many of its aircraft types were obsolete

Interestingly the Regina Aeronautica possessed an aircraft that had been purpose built for conditions in Libya. This was the Caproni Ca 309 aptly named the Ghibli (Desert Wind). This was designed to act as a reconnaissance bomber and light transport. Powered by two Alfa Romeo engines it could manage 155mph with a range of 416 miles and could carry up to 740lb of bombs. Some of these aircraft fell into British hands when

El Adem was overrun. Mussolini’s key forward airfields were at El Adem and Sidi Rezegh to the south and south east of Tobruk. When Mussolini declared war the RAF in Egypt had a handful of Gloster Gladiator fighters, some Blenheim light bombers, and a few Wellington and Bombay medium bombers. From the outset this tiny force pursued an aggressive policy of attacking the enemy’s airfields, El Adem being raided on

Italian Zant Z.1007 medium bomber operating from Sicily

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THE DESERT AIR WAR the first day of the war. While old fashioned, the Gladiator was a highly manoeuvrable aircraft that remained in service until 1942. At one point Malta’s fighter defence consisted of just three of these aircraft dubbed Faith, Hope and Charity (in reality there were in fact at least half a dozen). The Gladiator was a single seater biplane powered by a Bristol Mercury 840hp engine giving a maximum speed of 253mph and an operational ceiling of 33,000ft. It was armed with four .303in Browning machine guns, two in the fuselage and one under each lower wing. An air ferry route was soon established across Africa from the Gold Coast to Egypt and the very first modern Hurricane fighters began to arrive. In various guises the Hawker Hurricane single seat fighter saw combat in almost every theatre of war, including the Eastern Front. Those deployed by the RAF against the Regia Aeronautica in 1940-41 had a top speed of 322mph and a service ceiling of 36,000ft. The 1,020hp V-12 Rolls-Royce Merlin engine could produce a climb rate of 2,520ft per minute. They were armed with eight wing mounted .303in Browning machine guns. Tropicalized Hurricanes were fitted with Vokes filters to protect the ventral radiator and oil cooler from sand and dust. The Blenheim could carry a bomb load of 1,000lb and was armed

British soldier posing on a crashed CR.42

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Once war was declared Hurricanes were quickly despatched to Egypt

with a machine gun in the nose and one or two machine guns in the dorsal turret. Powered by two Bristol Mercury 840hp engines its top speed was 266mph with an operational ceiling of 31,500ft and a range of 1,950 miles. The Blenheim though was very vulnerable to enemy fighters. During the battles for Norway and France it

suffered heavy losses due to the inadequacy of its defensive armament. Sand played havoc with aircraft engines, which required the installation of filters. As did heavy rains and mud which often grounded aircraft on both sides. Shortages of spares on both sides also presented a challenge for the ground crews. Ingenuity was called on and in the early stages of the air war members of the Royal Australian Air Force soon discovered that Italian aircraft with licence built Bristol engines could be cannibalised for their Gladiator biplanes. Mussolini’s invasion of Egypt on 13 September 1940 was met by fragmentation bombs dropped by the Blenheim’s. Also the slow but agile Gladiators machine-gunned Italian transport vehicles and those men marching up the coast road. High above them the few Hurricanes in Egypt flew to intercept the Fiats and Macchis. Five days later the Italian Army reached Sidi Barrani and dug in. This invasion highlighted one of the most remarkable failures of any operational aircraft to see service during the Second World War. Attacks on Sidi Barrani by twin engine Breda Ba.88 Lince (Lynx) fighter-bombers had to be aborted after the aircraft proved wholly inadequate for the job. Although fitted with sand filters the Piaggio engines still overheated and failed to deliver enough power. The aircraft could not gain sufficient altitude for the attack or maintain formation because the engines delivered less than half the speed claimed by the manufacturers. The Regina Aeronautica deemed the Lince to be all but useless and swiftly grounded them. To support Operation Compass Britain’s limited riposte to Mussolini the RAF had to strip out units from elsewhere in the region. Plus, the requirement to help the Greeks against Mussolini was also an unwanted drain on resources. This meant that for many weeks Aden and Sudan were without their Blenheim and Gladiator squadrons. For a time even Alexandria had to rely on just two Sea-Gladiators of the Fleet Air Arm to provide fighter defence. As a result two

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Once the Tobruk bases had been overrun the Regia Aeronautica could take little further part in the campaign, since with the exception of the airfield at Benghazi the remaining bases near Tripoli were out of range. When Australian troops entered Benghazi on 6 February 1941 the Italian ground crews had fled. The airfield was littered with abandoned unserviceable aircraft, including Ba.65s, which the Italians had made no attempt to destroy. Throughout the 1940-41 campaign more Italian aircraft were destroyed on the ground than in aerial combat. Compass envisaged as a limited raid proved so successful that it led to the surrender of the Italian Army at Beda Fomm, south of Benghazi on 7 February 1941. Mussolini’s Regina Aeronautica had also been humiliated suffering heavy losses after many of its aircraft proved woefully inadequate. A squadron of the South African Air Force chalked up its 101st kill on the fuselage of a captured Italian CR.42 on 9 June 1941. By this point Mussolini had turned to Hitler for assistance. MA

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squadrons of Hurricanes and one of Gladiators, some 48 fighters, plus three squadrons off Blenheim’s, three of Wellingtons and one of Bombay’s, totalling 116 bombers, were placed at the disposal of the Desert Air Force under Air Commodore Collishaw. To facilitate close cooperation with the army Collishaw’s HQ was at Maaten Baggush alongside General O’Connor’s, while an additional Army/Air Component was placed directly under O’Connor. This comprised two squadrons plus one flight of mixed fighter and reconnaissance aircraft. Their task was to be O’Connor’s eyes before and after the battle. The RAF’s main job though was to keep Mussolini’s aircraft away from the British build-up. Until the loss of its tactical airfields around Tobruk the Italian bomber force did what it could to slow up the British advance that commenced on 9 December, but despite its persistent efforts they could not make up for the lack of organised defence on the ground. These attacks were at best a nuisance, but they also caused loss of life with their own troops by bombing PoW enclosures. The last of the Breda Ba.65 ground attack aircraft were lost during the British attack. The surviving Ba.88 fighter-bombers were stripped of salvageable equipment and left on operational airfields as decoys for British aircraft.

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SUKHOI T-50 PAK-FA

Soviet Stealth Bri Wakeman delves into the 1:72 Zvezda Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA, with a ‘what-if’ Egyptian Air Force version

F

ollowing in the footsteps of the United States Air Force, with their mighty fifth generation stealth platform the Lockheed F-22A Raptor, the Russian Federation followed suit to create a low observable strike-fighter. The Sukhoi OKB bureau was given the task to produce such an aircraft for the Russian Air Force, with a small radar cross section (RCS), intended to replace or supplement their fleet of ageing eighties era Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum and Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighters. Seven airframes are now in the test flight program, with one being lost to fire. Zvezda were the first on the market with a T-50, although this kit also appears in a Revell/ Academy boxing, closely followed by HobbyBoss. Inside the box you have five grey sprues and one clear, a small decal sheet with option for

one aircraft. The plastic has a slightly rough feel, but once a coat of primer was applied this soon disappeared. Building is straightforward with a small but adequate cockpit painted Lifecolor UA094 Medium Sea Grey and UA735 Deep Cockpit, complete with a nice K-36 ejector seat including two pilots. The overall airframe quickly took shape with only two main sections to form the shape. Things slowed down when mating the inner wheel-bays and the tricky-to-fit three parts forward intakes. The intakes themselves required gentle persuasion with copious amounts of CA plus three attempts with Squadron white and green putty for a decent fit. The interior of the intake trunking was sprayed Lifecolor LC01 Matt White, and then sealed before any further painting. Zvezda

The split fusealge works very well

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Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA Manufacturer: Zvezda Scale: 1:72 kit Type Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 7275

supply the undercarriage in plastic, but due to the availability of white metal items from Scale Aircraft Conversions # 7250 they were put to use instead. The enormous four-part NPO Saturn-

Working on the wheel bays

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53 SOVIET STEALTH

Not too much available in the cockpit department

The Airbrush Company and the overall effect looked pleasing, and once dry they can be gently buffed before sealing with a coat of Lifecolor LC73 Gloss. With all the tensions and up-risings on the African Continent, running the length of the Mediterranean coast, so ‘what if’ one of the more stable countries Governments may choose to purchase a small number of fourth or fifth generation hyper-fighters. Egypt is a prime candidate to

The enormous NPO Saturn-Lulka engines were converted to mimic the way they move in flight Lulka engines were converted to mimic the way they move in flight, taking a note out of their Su-35 Super Flanker stable. If you do go down this route you will need to remove the backplates of parts C21/22 for a decent fit. To paint the engines I used Darkstar Molten Metal’s DM2291 Bronze, DM141 Cooper, DM271 Steel and DM2251 Tarnished Steel. These paints are available from Purple pegs and filler…… ….and more filler

Scale Aircraft Conversions landing gear was used in preference to the kit parts

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SUKHOI T-50 PAK-FA

I modified the engines to give a slightly canted look

supplement their recently delivered Dassault Rafael DM/EM and Lockheed F-16C/D Falcons. For this purpose the idea was put into practice on the bench, and produce an Egyptian bird with high-visibility Orange as applied to most of her front-line fighter squadrons over the years. Painting was straightforward, but extremely time consuming to instigate, because of the overall wrap-around pattern. LC01 Matt White formed the base for the Xtracolor X104 FS12197 International Orange, and the Black outline was decal cut to length. Three Blue-Grey splinter colours formed the backbone of this major scheme. In reverse order we used Xtracolor X124 FS15109 Blue, Lifecolor UA037 FS35350 Air Superiority Blue and Lifecolor UA043 FS16515

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Grey with the nose cone Xtracolor X141 FS17875 Gloss White. All were carefully masked-off with low-tack tape and left to cure overnight on each separate colour. The crumpled engine covers were hand made from masking tape and painted Lifecolor LC06 Matt Red, inscribed with hand painted Arabic script for the serial number ‘2907’ using Citadel Matt White. All the decals were sourced from my ‘spares-box’ and the ladder was painted Colourcoats ACJ20 Hinomaru Red, and everything was then sealed with a flat coat MA

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55 SOVIET STEALTH

Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA

T

he PAK FA is intended to be the successor to the MiG-29 and Su-27 for the Russian Air Force and will serve as the basis for the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft being codeveloped by Sukhoi and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the Indian Air Force.

Darkstar Metallic’s ready for action……

I chose a three-tone Grey splinter-scheme with Orange highlights ….and the effects are pretty good!

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T-28BD TROJAN

A Trojan Work-Horse Dirk Eikholt builds a colourful 1:32 T-28B US Navy trainer using the Kitty Hawk kit.

W

hen considering this build I originally thought about doing a USAF T-358D, but after checking some references I saw that the ‘D’ cockpit was not fully supported in the kit, specifically the area behind the front seat. That said there are missing parts to do a ‘B’ too, but nothing a little work could not resolve. One area to work on was the rear of the instrument panels, to which I added wiring and tubing, and then left off the cover plate to show these off. For the instrument panels I used the kits decals, which were more than adequate. The engine is also very nicely produced and benefitted form some extra painting work to bring out the detailing. I also decided to open up the engine cowling on the one side to show off the powerplant, and I also shortened the

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propeller, as it was a bit too long. I also added plenty of nose weight before I added the engine. With the build complete I began to paint, and first added a coat of Alclad White Primer, followed by an application of Black along the panel lines. Then I added thinned some coats of Mr Color White, and the relevant panels were masked off. I then added the high visibility Red using Mr Color #3. This was followed by some oil paint panel line washes and for the engine exhaust staining I used AK Interactive and Ammo of MIG Pigments. The T-28B’s have a sunshade fitted into the insides of the canopy and these were reproduced from a sheet of clear Perspex I had in my ‘spares-box’, tinted with Tamiya Green Clear, with some scratchbuilt etch hinges. I also added aircrew helmets, a rear blind, and antennae for added interest. MA

T-28BD Trojan Manufacturer: Kitty Hawk Scale: 1:32 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded with etch Kit Number: KH32014

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57 A TROJAN WORK-HORSE

There is plenty of scope to add even more detailing to this impressive kit

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T-28BD TROJAN

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North American T-28 Trojan

A

fter becoming adopted as a primary trainer by the USAF, the United States Navy and Marine Corps adopted it as well. Although the Air Force phased out the aircraft from primary pilot training by the early 1960s, the aircraft continued to be used as a primary trainer by the Navy (and by default, the Marine Corps and Coast Guard) well into the early 1980s. The largest single concentration of this aircraft was employed by the US Navy at NAS Whiting Field, in the training of student naval aviators. The last US Navy training squadron to fly the T-28 was VT-27 ‘Boomers’ based at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, flying the last T-28 training flight in early 1984.

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Encyclopedia of Aircraft Modelling Techniques 2. Interiors and Assembly.This second volume covers in depth through its 160 pages the following subjects: Assembly, preparation and painting of landing systems, including wheels, undercarriage and landing gear. From basic painting to the most advanced detailing, scratchbuilding, making pieces in metal and resin, etc. Detailed and painting of interiors of any aircraft. For example: open panels, avionics systems, kit parts, scratch-built,and aftermarket kits.

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A-4B/C FALKLANDS

South Atlantic

SCOOTER

Chad Summers builds the 1:48 Hasegawa Skyhawk as an A-4Q of the Argentine Navy

I

wanted to build an Argentine Skyhawk but the Hasegawa A-4P/Q Falklands release is a little tough to come by. I had an early A-4B in my collection, so converting it to an A-4Q was pretty straightforward. To make the radio compass, I used a piece of clear resin, cut and sanded to shape based on a set of drawings I had on hand. The kit provided dorsal navigation light could be fitted on the scratchbuilt

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navigation post after painting is complete. The grab handle VOR/ILS antenna were made from small rod and inserted into small holes drilled into both sides of the vertical stabilizer. The build started off with the cockpit, which is nicely detailed. I wanted a little extra detail in the office so I spiced things up with the addition of a Quickboost ejection seat. All the cockpit parts, including fuselage sidewalls were primed with

A-4B Skyhawk Manufacturer: Hasegawa Scale: 1:48 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 09784

Flat Black then airbrushed with a coat of Neutral Grey. This was followed by a lamp black oil wash to pick up all the details in the various parts. Once dry I airbrushed various shades of progressively lighter grey to give a little more depth to the cockpit parts. With the base painting complete, I used Vallejo Acrylics for all the detail painting. Using a toothpick, I applied five-minute epoxy to each of the instrument panel gages to represent

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MODEL AIRCRAFT MARCH 2017

63 SOUTH ATLANTIC SCOOTER

The cockpit is nicely detailed, and I added a Quickboost ejection seat

A scratchbuilt the fairing on the spine

the glass bezels. The nose wheel bay was attached to the cockpit floor prior to installing the assembly into the fuselage. Before the fuselage halves can be joined, the intake/compressor is assembled, painted, and installed. Likewise, the exhaust tube is also installed prior to joining everything together, and don’t forget to add the requisite nose weight prior to closing everything up or you’ll end up with a tail sitter!

Wing assembly is straightforward with upper sections being glued to a single piece lower half. The only challenge was that the slat actuators are exposed for the entirety of the build after the wings are installed to the fuselage, so just be careful not to break them. Different exhaust shrouds are provided for multiple variants and after painting and weathering the early style exhaust, it can be snapped into place. The tailplanes were installed and then all seams

FCM provides some really unique decals, and their Skyhawk set is no exception

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64

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A-4B/C FALKLANDS

Pre-shading underway Adding weathering on the undersides

Adding the Argentine colours to the tail

The red adds a new dimension to the build FCM’s Skyhawk decals are superb

The tail markings settled down well over the Skyhawk’s tail

were treated with Tamiya Liquid Putty. Once dry, everything was sanded and polished with progressively finer grades of sandpaper. I preshaded all the panel lines with a highly thinned mix of Tamiya NATO Black, as I think this provides a subtler look than a flat black pre-shade. The under surfaces were sprayed with Tamiya Gloss White and the upper surfaces with a custom mix of Tamiya Sky Grey, Flat White, and a touch of Deck Tan to create the requisite Gull Grey. Some panels were lightened slightly by adding a few extra drops of flat white to the Gull Grey mix. The leading edge slat surfaces and airbrake bays were painted with Tamiya Flat Red, and

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the anti-glare panel was masked and painted. Hasegawa provides separate engine intake lips, which are a real nice touch in that they can be painted Flat Red prior to installing them. I masked and painted the light blue and white rudder and elevators. With all the paint down, I gloss coated the entire model prior to adding the decals. FCM provides some really unique decals, and their Skyhawk set is no exception. The only ones that provided any challenge were the sunbursts on the rudder and the ‘Armada’ decals on the rear fuselage, as the raised features on the rudder make getting any decal to settle in these areas a bit of a challenge. The issue with the ‘Armada’ decals is that they are single piece and I wanted to have the airbrakes deployed. To cut them correctly, I used the kit airbrake part to trace on the back of each decal and then cut them along the trace line. Each piece could then be applied separately to the fuselage and airbrake. After the decals were applied, I sprayed another coat of acrylic clear gloss so that the oil washed could be applied. I used a combination of custom oil mixes along with a couple from the Ammo of MIG range. Everything was then treated to a coat of AK Interactive Ultra Matte Clear.

All the smaller bits were painted and assembled including windscreen and canopy, landing gear and gear doors, lowered flaps, blade antenna, and navigation lights. All of these parts fit well with only the main canopy providing a little challenge, given the fact that no actuator is provided. I set it in place and then cut down a toothpick to use as a ‘jack stand’ of sorts to keep the canopy in place while the glue set. I robbed some ‘dumb’ bombs from my spares box along with a triple ejector rack, although the fuel tanks were provided within the kit. An Internet search turned up some

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MODEL AIRCRAFT MARCH 2017

nice ‘bomb art’ with the words ‘HMS Invincible’ painted on one of the bombs. I thought this would add a nice touch to this Falklands attacker so I hand painted this on one of the front bombs. The last part to be painted and installed was the delicate refuelling probe. The Hasegawa kit is really nice although these early variants are bit challenging to come by. The blue and white striped tails of the Argentine Naval aircraft look great on the little Scooter and provide a unique looking model when compared to the more typical US Navy markings. MA

SOUTH ATLANTIC SCOOTER

Argentine Skyhawk’s

Ready to add the smaller details

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65

A

rgentina was the first foreign user of the Skyhawk and it had nearly 130 A-4s delivered since 1965. The Argentine Air Force received twenty-five A-4Bs in 1966 and another twenty-five in 1970, all refurbished in the United States prior to their delivery as the A-4P although they were still locally known as A-4B. In 1976, a further twenty-five A-4Cs were ordered with five weapon pylons the ability to fire the AIM-9B Sidewinder. The Argentine Navy also bought the Skyhawk known as A-4Q in the form of sixteen A-4Bs plus two for spare parts, modified with five weapon pylons and to carry AIM-9B Sidewinders. They were received in 1971 for use aboard the aircraft carrier Veinticinco de Mayo by the 3ra Escuadrilla Aéronavale de Caza y Ataque. During the 1982 Falklands War Argentina deployed forty-eight Skyhawk’s (twenty-six A-4Bs twelve A-4Cs and ten A-4Qs). Armed with iron and lacking any electronic or missile self-defence, Skyhawk’s sank HMS Coventry and Antelope and inflicting heavy damage on several others. A-4Qs, also played a role in the bombing attacks against British ships, and in all twenty-two Skyhawk’s (ten A-4Ps, nine A-4Cs, and three A-4Qs) were lost to all causes during the war.

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F-18D/J SCORPION

Stinger

Jezz Coleman looks at the 1:72 Revell F-89 Scorpion

A

lthough I have been modelling for more years than I care to mention, I still don’t have a particular type or aircraft or era that grabs me. However, I do have a hankering for more unusual aircraft types, and the F-89 Scorpion is one of those very things, with its high tail, sleek lines and red appendages! The Revell F-89 has been around since the early 1990s, and has been released under various boxing’s over the years. Inside are three sprues of silver plastic and one small clear sprue, and the moulds have held up remarkably well over the years. Construction began with the cockpit, and Revell has done a nice job here. The ‘office’ is made up from quite a few part and the seats are five-part affairs and have captured the

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differences between the front and back. Once the cockpit was assembled it was inserted between the main fuselage parts, and required a little patience and dry fitting first, not forgetting to add the front engine faces and the all important nose weight. Following this the fuselage belly insert was glued into place, leaving almost no seams to be cleaned up, followed by the engine intakes and exhausts. The wings were then built up and attached to the fuselage. At this point you need to decide if you are going to model the ‘D’ or ‘J’ variant, as you need to drill the appropriate holes in the wings for the payload. As I was going to be building the ‘D’ variant I needed to assemble the tank/rocket pod combinations that would be mounted on the wing tips. Time now for painting, and I was out of

F-18D/J Scorpion Manufacturer: Revell Scale: 1:72 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 04848

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67 SILVER STINGER

I wanted to show a battle beaten bird that could tell a story or two

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F-18D/J SCORPION

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my comfort zone here as I have a love hate relationship with natural metal finishes. So I decided to stick with what I know and use Tamiya X-11 Silver for the main airframe which was applied over a Black Primer. This was left overnight to dry fully and then I proceeded to seal the paint with a coat of Johnsons ‘Klear’, as I didn’t want the silver to tarnish while handling and masking the Red areas. Once completely dry I removed the masking and added another coat of ‘Klear’ prior to adding a panel line wash using my bespoke oil mix. Any excess was removed with

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69 SILVER STINGER

Northrop F-89 Scorpion

T

he F-89 Scorpion was an early American jet fighter designed from the outset as an all-weather interceptor, and was among the first USAF fighters with guided missiles and the first combat aircraft armed with Genie air-to-air nuclear weapons. Production was authorised in January 1949, with the first production F-89A flying in September 1950. Only eighteen F-89As were completed, and these were mainly used for tests and trials, before the type was upgraded to F-89B standard, with new avionics. The type entered service in June 1951, although they had

a soft cloth and yet another thin layer of ‘Klear’ was then applied, and then it was time to get the decals down on the model. The decals sadly were old and brittle and took quite some time to coax on the model, however, with a little patience saved the day! Finally the undercarriage, canopy, fuel tanks and pods were added. I wanted to add some weathering, just enough to show an aircraft in service. So I set about using thinned Tamiya Smoke and applied this through my airbrush along various panel lines and around the rocket pods, to stimulate a battle beaten bird that could tell a story or two. The idea was not to go crazy at this stage, and once I was happy with the look I sealed the model with a coat of Humbrol Matt. Overall I enjoyed really this build and once complete you get a very striking aircraft! MA

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considerable problems with engines and other systems, and soon gave way to the F-89C. The major production model was the F-89D, which first flew 23 October 1951 and entered service in 1954, with a new Hughes E-6 fire control system with AN/APG-40 radar and an AN/ APA-84 computer, and armed with two pods of fifty-two 2.75in ‘Mighty Mouse’ FFAR rockets. A total of 682 were built. Proposed re-engined F-89s, designated F-89E and F-89F, were not built, nor was a proposed F-89G, however the subsequent F-89H entered service in 1956, had an E-9 fire control system like that of the early F-102 and massive new wingtip pods each holding three Falcon air to air missiles (SARH GAR-1s and three IR GAR-2s) and twenty-one FFARs. Problems with the fire control system delayed the -H’s entry

into service, by which time its performance was notably inferior to newer supersonic interceptors, so it was phased out of USAF service by 1959. The final variant was the F-89J, based on the F-89D, but replaced the standard wingtip missile pod/tanks with 600gal fuel tanks and fitted a pylon under each wing for a single MB-1 Genie nuclear rocket (sometimes supplemented by up to four conventional Falcon airto-air missiles). The F-89J became the only aircraft to fire a live Genie during Operation ‘Plumbbob’ on 19 July 1957.

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LAGG-3 TO A LAGG-1

STEP

by STEP

Finnish Fighter H

1

The interior is Grey, near a weathered RAF Medium Sea Grey and I add some black and brown electrical wires.

Olivier Soulleys converts the 1:48 ICM LaGG-3 to a LaGG-1 using an Eduard Set

aving built a couple of LaGG-3’s, I thought it might be nice to produce a Finnish Air Force LaGG-1, however, before I went blindly ahead with a conversion, I made a list of all the differences from the nose to the tail between LaGG-3 and LaGG-1.

Here are the points I picked up: a) An upper engine cover with armament fairings b) One vertical panel line under the exhaust pipe to be engraved

70-73-Finnish-LAAG-MA-0317.indd 70

c) A long tubular exhaust pipe d) A hard wing with no movable leading edge e) Five apertures under and above the wings f) A short pitot tube located on starboard leading edge instead of a long one under the wing g) A long antenna mast behind cockpit f) A different shaped rudder with a top weight compensator

In fact, the sprues in the ICM kit contain a mix of the two versions, so you have to check the parts you need according to your research. MA

LaGG-3 Manufacturer: ICM Scale: 1:48 kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 48091 Eduard LaGG Landing Flaps #48-603 Eduard LaGG Cockpit Set #48-427

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71 FINNISH FIGHTER

3 2

The rear armour plate, and a beautiful Eduard instrument panel

4

……and the upper wing……..

5

Using my references I began to convert the lower wings…..

……and after drilling and sanding to obtain the correct shape here, I sealed the hole with styrene strip.

But before I went blindly ahead with a conversion I made a list of all the differences between LaGG-3 and LaGG-1

6

7

Adding the excellent Eduard flaps

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8

New fuel caps were added in right place for LAGG-1 on each side

The wing flaps shown in the lowered position

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LAGG-3 TO A LAGG-1

9

11

10

Eduard canopy masks make all the difference

I used a mix of 50% of Yellow and 50% thinner for the fuselage band, nose and under wing tips

13 70-73-Finnish-LAAG-MA-0317.indd 72

12

Working on the markings

To get the basic Finnish Blue-Grey, it’s close to RLM76, so I made my own mix

The Finnish camouflage is Olive Green and Black Grey with soft edge splinters

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MODEL AIRCRAFT MARCH 2017

15

I replaced the kit exhaust with a REXX part

FINNISH FIGHTER

14

73

My LAGG-1 finished with ailerons slightly deflected, canopy opened and landing flaps down

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I added some chipping and wear on the high traffic areas

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SAM-MDF27-Jaguar-Ad_Layout 1 14/11/2016 16:58 Page 1

JAGUAR

7 F2 W! MDT NO OU

THE SEPECAT

A C O M P REHENS IVE G U ID E

Cover for illustration purposes only

British, French & International Versions By Andy Evans

B

orn out of Anglo-French accord and later discord, the SEPECAT Jaguar became one of the most capable and formidable fast jets of the 20th Century. The Jaguar has served with distinction in the Close Air Support and Reconnaissance roles with the Royal Air Force and Armée de L’Air, and enjoyed some export success with Oman, Ecuador, Nigeria and India, who are now the last operators of the aircraft. Slated for retirement from RAF service in the early 1990’s, the Jaguar was suddenly thrust back into the spotlight with the Gulf War, and proved to the decision makers just what a capable and versatile aircraft they had, and one worth future investment rather than just the scrapman's torch. This new Datafile from SAM Publications is not only an account of the Jaguar's airframe, operators, roles and systems, but also a celebration of a much-loved aircraft, and one sadly missed in our skies. Includes full details of the aircraft in service, comprehensive walk arounds, colour profiles, scale plans and how to model the Jaguar in popular scales.

THE BIG

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MDF 27 JAGUAR

£19.99 +£3.00 P&P

M DF 27

JAGUAR

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MDF • 27

OUT NOW!

THE SEPECAT

JAGUAR A C O M P R E HENS I VE GUI DE

British, French & International Versions by Andy Evans

The SEPECAT Jaguar

SAM Publications

M DF 27

JAGUAR

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76

KINETIC SU-33

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MIG Masterclass

Finishing a Flanker George Roidis guides you through painting and finishing the 1:48 Kinetic Su-33 using Ammo of MIG products.

H

ot on the heels of Alan Kelly’s build in the last issue of Model Aircraft, here’s my handy ‘how-to’ guide to painting the Flanker. MA

After a painless construction I washed the model with soapy water to remove any grease and then applied a coat of A.MIG-2002 Grey Primer

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77 FINISHING A FLANKER

For the camouflage on model I used the Ammo of MIG-7208 Su-33 Colours, and began on the lower surfaces with Compass Ghost Grey A.MIG-203 and A.MIG-209 Light Grey

I then began to add the upper surface camouflage using Dark Grey Blue A.MIG-229……

…..and then I added a custom mix of A.MIG 209 and A.MIG 210 for the Grey Blue……

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…..followed by A.MIG-224 Skyline Blue

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78

KINETIC SU-33

For the engines I began with a coat ALC-305 to create a good base for the metallic colours

WWW.MIGJIMENEZ.COM

I used a number of Alclad shades to complete the exhausts.

Then I sprayed all the leading edges of the model using Dark Aluminium and Aluminium according to images of the real aircraft

….and these were left to cure for twenty-minutes……

For the weathering I used A.MIG-1603 Dark Sea Blue Panel Line Wash for the upper surfaces, and A.MIG-1602 Deep Grey for the lower surfaces……

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79

We Recommend Ammo of MIG Products Used in This Build

FINISHING A FLANKER

Model Aircraft Choice

• A.MIG 7208 Su-33 Colours

• A.MIG-1603 Dark Sea Blue Panel Line Wash

……then any excess was removed with a damp cloth…….

…..for a very pleasing result

76-79-MIG-Master-Flanker-MA-0217.indd 79

• A.MIG-1602 Deep Grey Panel Line Wash • A.MIG-2002 Grey Primer

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MegaHobby offers over 35,000 hobby products, from plastic model kits to detail sets, from a fully-stocked paint store to all the tools and accessories. Browse our website to see the amazing selection of products we have to offer. Place an order and we guarantee you will be a customer for life.

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EXTENSIVE 1/76TH ARMOUR AND WHEELED VEHICLE KITS AND CONVERSION RANGES, FROM WWI TO THE 2000’S and Airfield Accessories 1/48th. 1/72nd. 1/76th. 1/144th scale ranges of British and German airfield vehicles and equipment including ambulances, refuellers, tractors, G.S. and specialist vehicles, figure sets etc.

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Promote your company here and appear in all 3 titles – Scale Aviation Modeller International, Model Aircraft and Scale Military Modeller International – with a total 126,000 circulation. Contact Mark Willey on +44 (0)1234 224992 [email protected]

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Stockists & Suppliers of Model Aircraft Kits, Accessories and Paint Sets by :Eduard, LifeColor, MPM, Special Hobby, Sword, Vallejo, and many more

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VOLUME 16 ISSUE 03

Produced by HobbyZone Limited under licence from SAM Publications 21 Kingsway, Bedford MK42 9BJ Telephone: +44 (0)1234 211245 Fax: +44 (0)1234 325927 Email: [email protected] PUBLISHER SAM Publications GROUP EDITOR Andy Evans EDITOR Andy Evans HobbyZone Limited, 21 Kingsway, Bedford MK42 9BJ Email: [email protected] ASSISTANT EDITOR David Francis ASSOCIATE EDITOR Andy Renshaw EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Mario Serelle EDITORIAL CONSULTANT (EUROPE) Vitor Costa The above editorial email is ONLY to be used for editorial submissions. It is NOT for subscription payments or queries, back issues or Modellers Datafile orders. Please send all of these to [email protected] STUDIO MANAGER / DESIGN Jonathan Phillips PAGE LAYOUT Andy Folds SAM PUBLICATIONS EMAIL [email protected] Use this address for back issue orders, subscriptions or subscription enquiries or book orders. Note that we cannot undertake research into specific or general aviation queries and that there may be some delays in responses from the contributors, as they are not based at the editorial address. CONTRIBUTORS James Ashton; Andrew Borovyh; Jezz Coleman; Dirk Ekholt; Angel Exposito; Anthony Tucker-Jones; Toby Knight; Danumurthi Mahendra; George Roidis; Andrew Root; Chad Summers; Olivier Soulleys; Bri Wakeman ADVERTISING SALES Mark Willey Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)1234 224992 PRE-PRESS PRODUCTION HobbyZone Limited PRINT PRODUCTION Stephens and George Print Group, UK DISTRIBUTION COMAG Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex, UB7 7QE Telephone: 01895 433777 NORTH AMERICAN DISTRIBUTION BY disticor 695 Westney Rd South, Suite 14, Ajax, Ontario, Canada L1S 6M9 Tel: + 1 (905) 619 6565

And Finally... T-X Training for the Future

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oeing-SAAB T-X is an all-new aircraft designed specifically for the US Air Force training mission, and takes advantage of the latest technologies, tools and manufacturing techniques. It is an advanced aircraft designed to evolve as technologies, missions and training needs change. The design is more affordable and flexible than older, existing aircraft. The T-X has one engine, twin tails, stadium seating and an advanced cockpit with embedded training. The T-X is looking to replace the Air Force’s aging T-38 aircraft, with an initial operating capability planned for 2024.

Contributions and photographic material are welcome, but must be accompanied by adequate postage to cover return. HobbyZone Limited accept no responsibility for loss or damage to materials supplied. © HOBBYZONE LIMITED 2017 Articles, photographs and drawings published in Model Aircraft Monthly are protected by copy­right. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without prior author­ity of the publishers. Opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. HobbyZone Limited reserves the right to suspend or refuse any advertisement without giving reasons. Whilst every care is taken to avoid mistakes HobbyZone Limited cannot be liable in any way for any errors or omissions. Nor can the publisher accept respon­sibility for the bona fides of advertisers. ISSN: 2046-5386 HobbyZone Limited is a member of The paper used in this magazine is made from timber sourced from sustainable managed forests; the pulp is ECF (elemental chlorine free); the manufacturing mill is accredited with ISO14001 and EMAS for their environmental controls. SUBSCRIPTIONS Cheques/Money Orders in Sterling only made payable to HobbyZone Limited and sent to the address above. Credit card payment accepted by phone. Subscription Hotline +44 (0)1234 211245 AMERICAN SUBSCRIPTIONS Wise Owl is no longer selling subscriptions on behalf of HobbyZone Limited. Current Wise Owl customers can renew their subscriptions at the current rates directly with HobbyZone Limited: Subscription hotline +44 (0)1234 211245 – we are happy to call you back to take your order! Email ordering and customer support: [email protected] Website secure online ordering: www.sampublications.com Model Aircraft, Volume 16, Issue 03, March 2017 (ISSN: 2044-737X) published monthly by HobbyZone Limited, 2221 Niagara Falls Blvd, Niagara Falls NY 14304-5709. Periodical postage pending Niagara Falls NY. U.S. Postmaster. Send address corrections to Model Aircraft Monthly, PO Box 265 Williamsville, N.Y 14231 QUESTIONS TO CONTRIBUTORS If you have a question or query you wish to raise with any of the contrib­utors to this magazine, they should be made IN WRITING to the HobbyZone Limited address. Neither the Group Editor nor any of the contrib­utors are at HobbyZone Limited on a daily basis and the Group Editor asks for all enquirers to appreciate this fact and be patient. Please understand that the staff at HobbyZone Limited do not have access to the information you require and therefore cannot answer your questions on the phone. Please enclose a stamped SAE with all enquiries, if you anticipate a reply. Thank you. SAMPLES FOR REVIEW Model Aircraft Monthly is always happy to review new books within its pages. Any item which you feel is appropriate will be given due consideration for inclusion in the title. Any company, trade representative, importer, distributor or shop which wishes to have books reviewed within Model Aircraft Monthly should send them directly to the editorial address and clearly mark them for the attention of the Group Editor. Confirmation of receipt of the samples will be supplied if requested. For all international companies etc the above applies, but please ensure that the package is clearly marked for customs as a ‘sample, free of charge’ to reduce the risk of unnecessary delays. Thank you. COMPANY/SUPPLIERS ADDRESS DETAILS & GENERAL ENQUIRIES Please note that the Group Editor and staff at HobbyZone Limited cannot help with general enquires about contact details for companies, importers or model shops whose products may be mentioned in Model Aircraft Monthly if the address information is not included with the review etc. Please check the advertisements in this journal for all suitable UK sources and only contact the firm directly if it is noted that there is ‘No UK stockist’. We are sorry, but we cannot help with details of companies which do not advertise in this magazine. Also note that neither the Group Editor nor contributors will undertake specific or general research for enquirers. Thank you. COPYRIGHT WARNING Due to the growing misuse and breach of copyright apparent on the web, HobbyZone Limited hereby gives notice that no-one is permitted to reproduce in any way, (in original form or ‘modified’), anything published in this, or previous editions of this magazine. All design, layout and studio photography is the copyright of HobbyZone Limited. All profiles, scale plans and supporting photographs are the copyright of the individual authors. None of these may be used without prior written agreement from both the author/artist and HobbyZone Limited. Infringement is a breach of international law, so if you see items posted on the web from this magazine other than on the official HobbyZone Limited website (sampublications.com) please advise the publisher immediately.

Next Month in Model Aircraft – April 2017 Close Air Support – Chris McDowell builds the 1:48 Kinetic single-seat AMX International in Italian livery The Grumman S-2 Tracker – background details, with a full model build of from Chad Summers A Civilian Spitfire – Andrew Root builds the 1:32 Tamiya Spitfire XIc in a colourful post-War scheme A Model with A Mission – Andy Renshaw builds and ‘inflight’ version of the 1:48 Tamiya F4U-1D Corsair in the markings of USMC World War II Ace Colonel Jim Swett

Combat-Zone - The Desert Air War – In the second part of his feature, Anthony Tucker-Jones recounts how Rommel’s supply lines were strangled in North Africa after failing to overcome Malta’ defences Azerbaijani Air Force ‘Avant Garde’ Colours! – George Johnson adds an unusual finish to the 1:48 Academy MiG-29U Diamondbacks Super Bug – Angel Expositio builds a VF-102 bird Mission Profiles – The British F-4 Phantom

China’s B+ Flanker – Jezz Coleman builds the 1:48 HobbyBoss Shenyang J-11  Photo-Recce – ‘Fulcrums in Focus’ – Daniele Falconi provides some stunning air-to-air imagery of Bulgarian MiG-29’s during the NATO Exercise ‘Thracian Star’. Model Aircraft Extra – The A-7E Corsair II - background details, walk around and a full super detailed model build from JM Villalba

Millennium Falcon – Alex Sidharta builds the 1:48 Kinetic F-16 in Indonesian Colours Eye of the Tiger – Mario Serelle builds a Taiwanese RF-5E using the 1:48 AFV Club kit MIG Masterclass - ‘In the Pink’ – Ricardo Rivas shows you ‘how to’ create an authentic RAF Gulf War finish on the 1:48 Kitty Hawk Jaguar GR.1 using Ammo of MIG products

© HOBBYZONE LIMITED 2017 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted (including posting to a website) in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. MODEL AIRCRAFT IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY HOBBYZONE LIMITED NEXT ISSUE ON SALE 23RD MARCH 2017.

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