01-Cover-AM-1015_01-Cover-AM-0607.qxd 11/09/2015 15:18 Page 1
Hasegawa EA-18G
shadowhawks
Time for Tiffy
growler
Hawker Typhoon Mk 1B
HTERS G I F U A BE RVICE
IN SE
COMBAT EDGE
E SPITFIR E N I R MA SUPELTRIMATE FIGHTER
THE U
S STRIPE D N A S ER CHETQOLUM.IC
BRIS
SAMPUBLICATIONS.COM
Vol 14 Iss 10 October 2015 £4.50
Vulcan Valedictory Printed in the UK
02-Shesto-1015-WP_Layout 1 11/09/2015 16:20 Page 1
Mastered-Ads-AM-1015_15-Ads-AM-0707.qxd 11/09/2015 16:17 Page 3
HANSEN FINE ART Aviation, Naval & Military Art Specialists
In The Beginning - Supermarine Spitfire Prototype K5054 by Charles J. Thompson GAvA, ASAA Price £24.00
Supermarine Speed Machine - Supermarine S.6b by Charles J. Thompson GAvA, ASAA Price £24.00
Night Fighter - Boulton Paul Defiant by Charles J. Thompson GAvA, ASAA Price £26.00
Dogfight - S.E.5a by Roger H. Middlebrook GAvA Price £24.00
A Fairey With Big Boots - Fairey Swordfish by Roger H. Middlebrook GAvA Price £24.00
Wanna Cuppa? Hawker Hart & Rolls Royce A/C by Roger H. Middlebrook GAvA Price £24.00
Email:
[email protected]
750+ EXCLUSIVE PRINTS ORIGINAL PAINTINGS & GREETINGS CARDS WWW.HANSENFINEART.CO.UK
Tel: 020-3371-9462
04-05-Contents-MA-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:33 Page 4
Contents
4
www.sampublications.com
A Question of Balance
O
ne of the things I wanted to achieve when I took over reigns at Model Aircraft was to bring the right balance of reference articles and model builds, looking at both contemporary and historic subjects. I feel it is important for articles and models to be relevant, which is the main reason that you will see a number of ‘themed features’ in every issue, where you have a reference article followed by a model build on the subject. For example, this month Malcolm Lowe takes an historic look at the Beaufighter, and this is followed by builds from Chris McDowell and Angel Esposito. Likewise our Model Aircraft Extra on the Grumman Intruder and our Combat Edge feature on the SEPECAT Jaguar gives you a concise package of modelling and source material. Built around these is an eclectic
mix of other features presented in a style that you just don’t get in any other magazine! I also want to introduce you to a new series from Neil Atterbury of ‘Four Elements Photography’. Neil will be providing some atmospheric and exciting images for your enjoyment, and he kicks things off this month with a look at the iconic Avro Vulcan. Next month it will be the English Electric Lightning and as many readers also take aviation photographs, Neil will bringing a ‘PhotoWorkshop’ series in 2016, so you can hone your techniques for the airshow season ahead! Other highlights this month are Bob Cantrell’s big scale Hawker Typhoon, Adam J. Philipp’s ‘Flying Tank’ and Any Leffler’s MH-6 ‘Little Bird’. So I hope you continue to enjoy the new style of Model Aircraft, and happy modelling!
Andy Evans Group Editor
In this Issue 14
Beau-Desert
28
Chequers and Stripes
32
Casemate Competition
46
The Ultimate Fighter
72
Shop & Web Guide
74
And Finally
Angel Esposito details the 1:72 Hasegawa Beaufighter Mk.IV in the markings of No.89 Squadron, North Africa, 1942
Neil Pinchbeck has a colourful time with the 1:32 Special Hobby Bristol M.1C
Messerschmitt Bf 109 Early Versions
James Dickerson looks at the 1:32 Tamiya Spitfire Mk IXc
6 Bristol’s Beautiful Beaufighter
Malcolm V. Lowe looks a the history of this iconic aircraft
10 Torbeau Chris McDowell builds a torpedo armed Beaufighter TF Mk X using the 1:48 Tamiya kit
16 Combat Edge –
Fighting Colours ‘Cats Coats’ SEPECAT Jaguar Camouflage with a full model build from James Dickerson
50 Building Russia’s ‘Flying Tank’
Adam J. Phillips takes an ‘Out of the Box Adventure’ with Trumpeter’s 1:35 Mil Mi-24V Hind-E
04-05-Contents-MA-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:33 Page 5
5
Model Aircraft | October 2015
CONTENTS – VOLUME 14 ISSUE 9
33 A-6 Intruder Scale Plans and Background plus a walk around, and a full model build from James Ashton
24 Vulcan Valedictory Neil Atterbury of Four Elements Photography provides some stunning imagery
54 Combat-Zone - When
Sadaam Fled the Skies
Anthony Tucker-Jones recounts how Saddam Hussein’s powerful Iraqi Air Force was a no show in 2003
58 Time for Tiffy
62 Little Bird
68 MIG Masterclass –
Bob Cantrell builds the 1:24 Airfix Hawker Typhoon Mk.1B
Andy Leffler converts the 1:35 Dragon AH-6J to an AH-6M courtesy of Black Ops Models, with photography by Holly Geeslin
Mario Serelle details the 1:72 Hasegawa EA-18G
Shadowhawks Growler
06-09-Beaufighter-History-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:31 Page 6
6
BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER
www.sampublications.com
Wearing ‘Invasion Stripes’, this 1944 Coastal Command Beaufighter Mk.X NE543 of 455 Squadron, RAAF, fires its underwing rocket armament. ‘Home-based’ Coastal Command Beaufighter and Mosquito squadrons were eventually concentrated into highly effective strike wings located at several specific airfields (Photo – John Batchelor Collection)
The Battling Beaufighter
Malcolm V. Lowe examines the story of one of Britain’s classic ‘twins’ from World War II, the powerful and hard-hitting Bristol Beaufighter
R
adial engine power plants found their heyday during World War Two and the immediate post-war period. One of the greatest exponents of this type of piston engine was the Bristol Aeroplane Company, which produced a series of twin-engined light bombers and powerful ground-attack warplanes powered by ‘radials’, which were of great importance to the RAF. Bristol also designed and manufactured its own engines, under its separate but related engines division, leading to the existence of a line of warplanes designed, built and powered by this very prolific British aviation company. Highly successful amongst Bristol’s stable of ‘twins’ for the RAF was the Beaufighter, a big, powerful heavy fighter and ground-attack aircraft that also found fame on anti-shipping operations and as a night-fighter.
Gleaming and purposeful, the initial Beaufighter prototype was allocated the British military serial number R2052. It first flew during July 1939. The Beaufighter was known as the Type 156 in Bristol’s own numbering system (Photo - Bristol)
Bristol created a powerful beast with great growth potential that was nevertheless something of a handful to fly
Beaufort Ancestry Design studies that led to the Beaufighter actually started out as a development of an existing Bristol project. This was the Beaufort twin-engined torpedo bomber and ‘general reconnaissance’ aircraft, which first flew in October 1938. Powered by the Bristol Taurus radial engine, the Beaufort was an adequate if unspectacular performer, but Bristol’s designers could see the growth potential of the general configuration of the Beaufort, if
06-09-Beaufighter-History-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:31 Page 7
7
Model Aircraft | October 2015
THE BATTLING BEAUFIGHTER Hardly elegant, but very powerful, the Beaufighter successfully fought worldwide. As a ground-attack fighter in the Mediterranean and North Africa the type was highly prized, but as can be seen in this image the Beaufighter’s general appearance was subjected to very genuine weathering in that area of operations (Photo – John Batchelor Collection)
Illustrating the configuration of the early Beaufighter Mk.IF and the overall black appearance of these aircraft, X7583 was built at the ‘shadow factory’ at Old Mixon (Weston-super-Mare) in Somerset (Photo – Bristol)
powered by the new and much more powerful Bristol Hercules sleeve valve radial engine. Private venture studies by the company during 1938 concerning the development of the Beaufort layout into a long-range heavy fighter led to sufficient official interest for the construction of four prototype airframes, the first of these flying on July 17, 1939. Utilizing the wings, undercarriage, and much of the tail and rear fuselage configuration of the Beaufort but with a new fuselage design, and the Hercules rather than the Taurus power plant, Bristol created a powerful beast with great growth potential that was nevertheless
something of a handful to fly. Its design layout necessitated a short nose with the two big Bristol engines sticking out in front, but this configuration allowed a hard-hitting internal armament of four 20mm cannons to be installed in the lower forward fuselage. Six 0.303in (7.7mm) machine guns, four in the starboard wing and two in the port (this asymmetric layout caused by the port wing landing light installation) made the Beaufighter one of the best-armed fighters in the world at that time. A flexible-mounted rearwards-facing 0.303in machine gun in the fuselage mid-upper blister (later a formal cupola) was also possible, although some operational Beaufighters did not carry the latter armament depending on the role of the particular aircraft. A number of issues with the Beaufighter’s design did not prevent the aircraft being accepted rapidly for wide-
Many aircraft types are associated with the Allied war effort in North Africa and the Mediterranean, but one that has been largely overlooked in that theatre is the Beaufighter, which played a very important if largely forgotten part as a heavy fighter and ground-attack aircraft, exemplified here by Mk.VI V8079 (Photo - Malcolm V. Lowe Collection)
The comparatively rare Beaufighter Mk.IIF was powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin engines rather than the more commonplace Hercules radials. The dihedral horizontal tailplane made an appearance in quantity with the Mk.II, illustrated here by R2270, but was not uniform in Beaufighter production for some time (Photo – Bristol)
scale production, the RAF of the 1939-1940 period being in great need of as many hard-hitting warplanes as possible. Initial production Beaufighter Mk.IF (Fighter) airframes were under construction as the Battle of France was ending and the Battle of Britain commenced. The new aircraft was very obviously powerful enough, with sufficient room inside, to carry aloft the new AI Mk.IV airborne interception radar, and it was as a night-fighter with this radar installed that the Beaufighter first made its name. Initial deliveries to the Fighter Interception Unit for trials in the late summer of 1940, and subsequently to the RAF’s 25 and 29 Squadrons, came just in time to begin countering the growing threat of night-time raids by the Luftwaffe. At the same time, the Beaufighter’s potential as a heavy fighter for Coastal Command’s growing needs saw a related version, the Mk.IC (Coastal)
06-09-Beaufighter-History-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:31 Page 8
8
BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER being produced. The Bristol Hercules radial proved popular, and was required not only for Beaufighter manufacture. An expected shortage of these engines therefore led Bristol to experiment with the installation of the famous Rolls-Royce Merlin in a Beaufighter Mk.I derivative known as the Mk.II. The initial production example flew during March 1941. However, in the event Hercules engines were never in such short supply that the Merlin would be needed for long-term Beaufighter production, and the Mk.II was built in much smaller numbers compared to overall Hercules-powered manufacture. In addition, the Merlin-engined examples tended to swing on take-off, making them even more of a handful than the Hercules-powered Beaufighters. Many of the Mk.II were used by the RAF as night-fighters (Mk.IIF) with radar installed. The Beaufighter was a prime example of the effectiveness of the dispersal of aircraft production in Britain during World War Two. The major production centre was Bristol’s Filton factory on the northern outskirts of the city of Bristol itself. This facility was bombed several times during 1940, including one particularly destructive raid, and although production was not halted there by any means, several other manufacturers became involved in Beaufighter production – in addition to many smaller companies that provided components. Important production locations for the Beaufighter in addition to Filton eventually included Weston-super-Mare (sometimes referred to as Old Mixon) in Somerset, and the Fairey factory at Stockport. The car manufacturer Rootes was also drawn into Beaufighter construction. The Hercules engine made its comeback for Beaufighter production in the Mk.VI series, which included both daylight heavy fighter and strike (Mk.VIC)
www.sampublications.com
British-built Beaufighter A19-77 and two other ‘flat’ tailplane Beaufighters fly in formation in this atmospheric view, taken in the vicinity of the RAAF airfield Wagga near the town of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, in 1942. The aircraft belonged to 5 Operational Training Unit. The Beaufighter was an outstanding success in RAAF service (Photo – RAAF)
and night-fighter (Mk.VIF) models. The former were destined for Coastal Command, while the latter featured the improved AI Mk.VIII airborne interception radar resulting in revised nose contours (the so-called ‘thimble’ nose). However, by the mid-war period, the de Havilland Mosquito was becoming available in sufficient numbers to replace the Beaufighter as the primary night-fighter of the RAF. The Beaufighter’s RAF career subsequently
A number of post-war Beaufighters were converted into target-towers with the designation TT.10, as illustrated by NT913 fitted with the additional dorsal fin (Photo – Bristol)
became more and more that of a dedicated heavy fighter and strike aircraft with Coastal Command.
Growing Potential Further development of the Beaufighter led to several additional versions primarily for Coastal Command use, with more powerful Hercules engines and an increasingly wide range of weapons options. They included the torpedo-carrying Mk.VIC ITF, which was the first to be nicknamed ‘Torbeau’ (for ‘Torpedo Beaufighter’), and the most numerous of all Beaufighter models, the Mk.X (often referred to as the TF.X). A bomb-carrying spin-off from the latter was the Mk.XIC with a revised wing. Power for the Mk.X was provided by two Hercules XVII radials of 1,735hp each optimised for low-level operations, giving a maximum speed of approximately 303mph (488km/h) at 1,300ft (396m). The massive loaded weight was some 25,400lb (11,521kg) with a torpedo. The Mk.X entered service in mid-1943 and proved to be a versatile strike aircraft, with over 2,200 produced. The type could carry a torpedo beneath the fuselage, bombs or unguided but very effective 25lb
Several USAAF night-fighter squadrons flew the Beaufighter in combat. This radar-equipped Mk.VIF, KV912 named ‘Fluff’, was operated by the 416th NFS in Italy (Photo – USAAF)
06-09-Beaufighter-History-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:31 Page 9
9
Model Aircraft | October 2015
Several ‘export’ customers flew the Beaufighter. These smart post-war Mk.10s with the additional dorsal fin and rocket rails beneath their wings were destined for the Dominican Republic (Photo – Bristol)
(11.3kg) or 60lb (27kg) ‘3-inch’ rockets beneath the wings (four on each side). These later Beaufighters featured revised tail surfaces, an obvious change being the substitution of dihedral for the ‘flat’ horizontal tail of the initial models (although this is not a particularly good distinguishing point between versions, because there was a mix of ‘flat’ and dihedral tail planes in several of the Beaufighter production runs, and more than one design of dihedral tail appears to have existed). Later examples of the Mk.X featured an additional dorsal fin. ASV (air-tosurface vessel) radar could be carried in the fuselage nose. Coastal Command Beaufighters were highly successful in attacking German shipping and even surfaced U-boats, especially in the North Sea, in Norwegian waters and along the Dutch coast as the tide of the war turned decisively in favour of the Allies. In the Far East during the war against Japan, the Beaufighter saw outstanding service with the Australians. This included not only operations with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), but also licence manufacture in Australia of the Beaufighter, with the mark number Mk.21 – Beauforts were also license-built in Australia. Manufacture was by the Department of Aircraft Production (DAP). Following the supply of British-built Beaufighters to Australia earlier in the war (Australian serial prefix A19), the Australian Government gave the go-ahead for the manufacture of 350 Beaufighters in January 1943, with the Australianbuilt examples being fitted with imported Bristol Hercules engines. The initial DAP Beaufighter (A8-1) flew for the first time in May 1944. Orders were later increased, but with the end of the war in the Far East the programme was terminated after just over 360 had
been built (serial prefix A8), with further partially completed airframes undelivered. RAAF Beaufighters played a vital role in the war against Japan, especially attacking Japanese shipping. In addition to successful RAF and RAAF service, the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) also employed Beaufighters during World War Two. This mainly involved the use of radar-equipped Mk.VI night-fighters by the 414th, 415th, 416th, and 417th Night Fighter Squadrons (NFS) of the US Twelfth Army Air Force in the Mediterranean and Southern Europe. For the Americans the Beaufighter was something of an interim warplane until the USdesigned and produced Northrop P-61 Black Widow dedicated night-fighter could be brought into service, although at least one of these four squadrons still had some Beaufighters on strength at the end of the war in Europe. From late 1944, some RAF Beaufighters were involved in the civil war in Greece, this action continuing into 1946, and post-war Beaufighters were also present in the Far East during the RAF’s participation in what became Operation Firedog against terrorists in Malaya. Total Beaufighter production in Britain is nowadays generally accepted as 5,564 examples. Additional to successful service with the Allies during World War Two, the Beaufighter was also used by a number of ‘export’ customers including the air arms of Portugal, Turkey and the Dominican Republic. Some otherwise redundant examples were converted to the target-towing role post-war as the TT.10, and flew with several RAF support and training units until 1960. What is generally regarded as the last flight of a Beaufighter in RAF service was made by a TT.10 from RAF Seletar (Singapore) in May 1960. MA
The unsung heroes of the RAF’s Coastal Command, who are often overshadowed by the more ‘glamourous’ Fighter Command and Bomber Command, were enthusiastic and successful users of the Beaufighter. As early as 1940 the Beaufighter was identified as a potentially formidable heavy naval escort fighter and strike aircraft, and the first of many Beaufighters that were eventually issued to Coastal Command squadrons was received by 252 Squadron in late 1940. This unit was duly the recipient of its first true Coastal Commandequipped Beaufighter Mk.IC aircraft and flew its initial operations in early April 1941 (although it subsequently moved to the Mediterranean/Middle East, where Beaufighters were later very active, including examples flown by the South African Air Force). April 1941 was thus the start of significant operations with Coastal Command that lasted to the end of the war in Europe, and later included all of the various main strike versions of the Beaufighter. The considerable potential of the Beaufighter to carry an increasingly varied weapons load was used by Coastal Command to the full, and the type eventually completely replaced the Beaufort from which it had originally been developed. From the original ‘Coastal Fighter’ concept of gaining air superiority for protection over and ahead of incoming convoys, Coastal Command Beaufighters were evolved to carry out anti-shipping strike with unguided rockets and torpedoes, and anti-flak with rockets and the formidable forward-firing 20mm cannon battery in the lower forward fuselage. The far less hard-hitting wing-mounted 0.303in machine guns became less important for Coastal Command operations, with some aircraft having some or most removed and replaced by extra fuel, this weapon eventually being more useful for sighting the underwing rockets – the four under each wing being carried on launch rails. In addition to ‘home-grown’ RAF squadrons, several Empire/Commonwealth countries also contributed Beaufighter-equipped units to Coastal Command, including 455 Squadron, RAAF, and 489 Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force.
The formidable battery of four rockets below each wing in addition to the hard-hitting internal cannons in the lower forward fuselage was one of the armament combinations available to latewar Beaufighters. This aircraft also has a long-range fuel tank beneath its fuselage developed for Beaufighter operations against the Japanese (Photo – Bristol)
THE BATTLING BEAUFIGHTER
Coastal Command Triumph
10-12-Torpedo-Beau-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:28 Page 10
10
TORPEDO ARMED BEAUFIGHTER
www.sampublications.com
Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X Manufacturer: Tamiya Scale: 1:48 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 61067
Torbeau Chris McDowell builds a torpedo armed Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk X using the 1:48 Tamiya kit
T
amiya’s 1:48 Beaufighter has been around for a few years now and comes in three main versions, the Mk VI, the Mk.VI night fighter and the TF Mk X. It is probably the best plastic kit of this classic fighter on the market, and in my opinion still one of the best models available in this scale. The kit is well engineered with well-defined detail and crisp panel lines, with no evidence of any flash. The only area I thought was lacking in detail, and one that I new would add greatly to the finished model was the exhausts. The Mk X used a porcupine exhaust and Tamiya’s rendition is a little lacking in definition, so I used Quickboost resin replacements, and they made all the difference. To help speed things along I also used Eduard canopy masks, which offer a quick and easy solution to assist in painting, and to protect the clear plastic parts. Construction began with the cockpit. The floor of the cockpit consists of a single
part, which helps with limiting any alignment issues when closing up the two halves of the fuselage. Added to this are the gunner’s seat, pilot’s seat and main bulkhead that will add some separation and strength to the internal cabin. I airbrushed the interior with Tamiya’s suggestion of mixing XF-5, XF-21, and XF-65, which gives a pretty good RAF interior green. This color was then lightened with some white to highlight areas of the cockpit floor, and the internal structure on the fuselage halves. A heavily diluted mix of black and brown was also used to add shadows and help create a more three-dimensional look to the interior. Details were picked out using Vallejo shades before adding a dark wash to the stringers and frames in the fuselage. The heart of any cockpit is the seat and having a good set of seat belts really transforms any build. There are some great aftermarket solutions available, but in this case I scratchbuilt my own using Tamiya tape and fine electrical wire. The interior was finished off with a light coat of Vallejo matt varnish.
The Mk X used a porcupine exhaust and Tamiya’s rendition is a little lacking in definition, so I used Quickboost resin replacements
The two halves of the fuselage fitted together with little to no fuss, and after a light sanding around the joint, I was able to move on to the next stage. The kit gives you two options for the vertical stabiliser. There is a larger tail fin that extends further forward, almost to the gun cupola, but this is for the later of the two variants, and was added to the spares box. Once the correct vertical stabilizer was secured in place, the fuselage was set to the side and construction began on the wings. Tamiya cleverly designed the wings to be made up from five separate parts. This ensured the correct dihedral was easily obtained, and it also helped to limit any seam line corrections when the time came to attach the wings to the fuselage. I had to fill the gun ports on the leading edge of the wings with putty as these were used on the Mk VI variant, and was redundant on this build. I painted the lights on the leading edge of the port wing, adding the detailed framework around the lights. Another area that with a little extra effort can really help is the lights on the edge of the wing tips. There are four of them, and they are quite large, so it’s easy enough to drill them out from the inside to simulate light bulbs. The holes were filled with Tamiya clear blue and clear red before being set to the side to fit later. The wheel wells and landing gear have been cleverly designed so that once they had been constructed and painted, they could easily slip into the underside of the wing nacelles as a single unit. This is a great idea, and I’d
10-12-Torpedo-Beau-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:29 Page 11
11
Model Aircraft | October 2015
TORPEDO ARMED BEAUFIGHTER
love to see this approach taken by other manufacturers. Tamiya would have you fit them now but I left them to the side so I wouldn’t have to mask them up for the painting stage later. The wings were then attached to the fuselage and in typical Tamiya fashion, there was little clean-up required on the joints. The area just below the cockpit did need a little more sanding, but nothing too taxing. I began work on the two engine nacelles next. I decided to not glue the engine pieces together permanently just yet, due to the masking of the leading edge of the nacelle, which would come later. The parts did fit snugly enough together that they stayed in place for painting but could be taken apart later. I then removed the Quickboost exhausts from their resin blocks to dry fit them to the kit. They fit perfectly and even before painting made a big difference to the overall look. The horizontal stabilizers were fitted next, and although Tamiya have engineered the mating surfaces well enough that they sat at the correct angle, I would still advise supporting these until the glue has had time to set. The nose, for which there are two versions depending again on the variant you are building, was added, and required a little clean-up to create a smooth overall transition between the nose and the fuselage. The clear parts were fitted next using Micro Crystal Klear, and any excess was cleaned up with a cotton bud dipped in water. I added the
Eduard masks to all of the glazing before giving the kit a quick clean with isopropyl alcohol. This removes any fingerprints and dirt from the surface of the model in preparation for primer. Before the painting started though I did finish off the other small sub-assemblies like the propellers, the torpedo and rocket pylons. As I was fitting the torpedo to my build you have to remove the moulded-on rockets from the pylons as they were normally never fitted at the same time, but it didn’t take long to have everything ready for painting.
Once everything was primed with Vallejo’s grey primer, I started work on the invasion stripes. I airbrushed light coats of Tamiya XF-2 White, building up the paint until it was nice and solid. Once this was dry, and using the decals as a guide I added masking tape to protect the white stripes. Using Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black I airbrushed between the strips of masking tape, keeping the coats again very light. If you spray too heavy a coat when doing this, there is a much bigger chance of the paint bleeding under the mask. Once the paint was
10-12-Torpedo-Beau-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:29 Page 12
12
TORPEDO ARMED BEAUFIGHTER
dry I masked up the black stripes and made a start with the main camouflage. Over the last few years I’ve got away from any kind of pre-shading, so here I used some Tamiya XF-21 for the underside, thinned with acrylic thinner, before I airbrushed on a flat even coat, ensuring full coverage was obtained. I then cut this colour with white, usually to the tune of 50:50 and highlighted the panel centres. Then using the original shade of XF-21 I heavily thinned this with lacquer thinner in a 5:10 paintto-thinner ratio. I then airbrushed light coats of this mix over the previously painted surfaces. This acts almost like a glaze, and due to using the lacquer as a thinner it dries
www.sampublications.com
very quickly. After a short while, the two tones began to merge and the stark contrast was blended away. Once this was dry I masked up the lower surfaces, and repeated the same procedure on the upper surfaces, this time using Tamiya’s XF-82 Ocean Grey. Once everything had dried I removed all the masks, including the ones over the invasion stripes, leaving just the canopy masks in place. At this stage I dismantled the engine nacelles and masked up the leading edge to spray with Tamiya XF-6 Metallic Copper. Once dry the engine, nacelle and exhausts were finally glued in place. I then airbrushed a light coat of Johnson’s Klear before adding the decals. The decals were then sealed with
another layer of Klear before using various Flory Model washes to highlight the panel lines. I started to add chipping to the airframe using a very fine brush and Vallejo’s Model Air Aluminum. I researched some images online to try and ensure I was adding the chips to the right places, and in the right amount. The good thing about this method is that as you’re painting onto a gloss coat and if you’re not happy with the results you can always wipe it off with a damp cloth! The next stage of the weathering is done with Tamiya X-19 Smoke. I slowly build up the exhaust stains before going over the panel lines to add a bit more definition to these areas. Next I added all the smaller parts that had been airbrushed separately, including the wheels, torpedo, and rocket pods. I then gave everything a final light coat of Vallejo Matt Varnish, and then removed the masks from the canopies and secured the wing tip lights before adding the antenna wire using EZ Line thread. I was really pleased with how this one turned out, but a lot of the credit has to go to Tamiya for producing a beautifully engineered and well-detailed kit. You can go the full distance by adding all the resin and photo-etch sets available for this kit, but as I’ve stated before, I don’t think a lot of it is warranted. If you haven’t got round to making one yet, do yourself a favour and get one. Trust me, you’ll not regret it! MA
13-LuckyModel-1015-WP_Layout 1 11/09/2015 16:20 Page 1
14-15-Desert-Beau-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:27 Page 14
14
BEAUFIGHTER MK IV
www.sampublications.com
Beau
Desert Angel Esposito details the 1:72 Hasegawa Beaufighter Mk IV in the markings of No.89 Squadron, North Africa, 1942
S
urely Hasegawa produces the best model of the iconic Bristol Beaufighter in 1:72, and although there are other brands, none have the kind of detail we have here, with such as finely engraved panel lines or the quality of the plastic. In order to improve the cockpit I added a set from Aires, which again gives some excellent detail including some etched parts for the dials. You just need to take your time when fitting the Aires parts to the Tamiya kit. The cockpit was painted with Gunze H-58, and I weathered and chipped the interior using various Vallejo shades. The rear cockpit received the same amount of work and I added some wiring and seat belts, which were made from Tamiya tape and copper wire for the buckles. The wheel wells were also detailed and given various washes to make them stand out. The engine cylinders were painted with Vallejo Metallic Grey and given a black oil wash for depth, and the edges were highlighted with Vallejo Silver Grey. I wanted with the painting, to recreate the sort of wear that this aircraft would have had given the harsh conditions it was operating in, so I pre-shaded all of the panel lines in black, and then I added coat of Gunze H71 Middle Stone. Then I added a another slightly lightened coat of Middle Stone followed by yet another lightened coat. Then I repeated the same process using Gunze H72 Dark Earth for the camouflage pattern. The underside was painted in Gunze H12 Black and I used several oil paint washes to accentuate the panels. I then added some grey and earth tones with my airbrush to create even more interest. Once I was happy I added a coat of Gunze Gloss and applied the decals, and then sealed them in with another gloss coat. Time now for more oil washes, this
Beaufighter Mk IV
time around the rivet heads and the underside panel lines. I also added some subtle chipping to the upper surfaces The main landing gear was painted black, and I used some dark tan sprayed through
my airbrush to create a dusty look. The propellers were also painted black, with yellow tips. The exhaust cowlings were painted with Gunze Bronze and ModelMaster Rust. The wingtip lights were also drilled out and filled with Tamiya Translucent Green and Red to simulate the bulbs. I thoroughly enjoyed this build, which I would like to dedicate to my friends and fellow modellers from CMT, Tenerife. MA
I wanted to recreate the sort of wear that this aircraft would have had given the harsh conditions it was operating in
Manufacturer; Tamiya Scale: 1:72 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 13
14-15-Desert-Beau-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:28 Page 15
Model Aircraft | October 2015
15
DESERT BEAUFIGHTER
16-22-COMBAT-EDGE-Jaguar-GR1-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:23 Page 16
Sponsored by
16
COMBAT EDGE JAGUAR CAMOUFLAGE
COMBAT EDGE
F IG H T ING
COLO U R S
A French Air Force Jaguar taking on gas
The Indian Air Force Jaguars have worn a variety of camouflage schemes during their careers
Cat’s Coats
SEPECAT Jaguar Camouflage
T
he Anglo-French Jaguar was one of the most iconic strike aircraft of the 20th Century. On the verge of retirement at the outset of the Gulf War, the RAF’s Jaguar fleet proved its worth as a hard hitting striker and caused the RAF to reconsider and reinvest in the ‘Cat’, adding even more years to its ‘ninelives’, with the GR.1B, GR.3 and GR.3A upgrade programs.
The French Air Force also took the Jaguar to War in the Gulf and in the support of its various protectorates around the globe. The Jaguar enjoyed some considerable export success, being sold to India, Oman, Ecuador and Nigeria, and as a result wore many diverse and colourful ‘coats’. The Indian Air Force also operate the Jaguar IM with a radar nose, bringing to fruition what would have
COMBAT EDGE
F IG H T ING
COLO U R S
been, had the ill-fated carrier-based Jaguar M prototype entered service. The Jaguar was produced in both singleand two-seat versions, and all but those in Indian service have now been retired.
16-22-COMBAT-EDGE-Jaguar-GR1-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:23 Page 17
Sponsored by
COMBAT EDGE
F IG H T ING
17
www.albionhobbies.com
COLO U R S
COMBAT EDGE JAGUAR CAMOUFLAGE
The Jaguar GR.1 in its so-called ‘Desert Pink’ during Operation ‘Granby’ in 1991
A No.54 Squadron GR.3 in the final two-tone grey scheme worn by the RAF Jaguar fleet
The most colourful of all the ‘Cats’ were those of the Nigerian Air Force
A Germany-based Jaguar in more the familiar grey/green wrap-around scheme
The Indian radar-nosed Jaguar IM
For operations over the Balkans the RAF Jaguars were given a new light grey scheme
16-22-COMBAT-EDGE-Jaguar-GR1-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:23 Page 18
Sponsored by
18
COMBAT EDGE JAGUAR CAMOUFLAGE
COMBAT EDGE
F IG H T ING
‘Going Up’! XZ112 in the vertical
The Omani Jaguars wore a two-tone desert scheme
COLO U R S
16-22-COMBAT-EDGE-Jaguar-GR1-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:23 Page 19
Sponsored by
COMBAT EDGE
F IG H T ING
www.albionhobbies.com
19
COLO U R S
COMBAT EDGE JAGUAR CAMOUFLAGE
16-22-COMBAT-EDGE-Jaguar-GR1-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:24 Page 20
Sponsored by
COMBAT EDGE JAGUAR CAMOUFLAGE
20
COMBAT EDGE
F IG H T ING
RAF Cat
The cockpit just had some etched harnesses added
James Dickerson builds the 1:48 Revell Jaguar GR.1
E
uropean built fighters are ‘de rigueur’ for me at the moment and life wouldn’t be complete without a Jaguar build. The Revell Jaguar GR.1/GR.3 is actually a re-boxing of the Airfix kit dating back to 1994. Though over twenty years old, once completed, the kit holds up well to modern standards and looks great on the shelf. Work on this kit began in the cockpit, and typical with kit of this era there is no moulded dial or button detail, and these are provided as decals, and I also opted to add some etched seat harnesses from my spares-box to dress up the bang-seat. The cockpit tub was painted with Hobby Color Light Grey #338 and Flat Black #33 where appropriate. I then sprayed on a gloss coat for decal application, and once dry I applied a black wash to add depth. The cockpit was then finished off with a coat of satin varnish. SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1A Manufacturer: Revell Scale: 1:48 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 04996
Closing the fuselage up was a breeze, and everything aligned nicely. I also added a couple of fishing weights to the nose just to ensure that the aircraft wouldn’t be a ‘tail-sitter’ when complete. Surprisingly for an older kit, I didn’t need any major filler work, although you do need to do some test fitting around the intakes, and some flash needs to be removed. Once glued in place some seam clean-up is needed, but once the fuselage was closed the build progressed quickly. Another area to pay special attention to is the landing gear. The Jaguar’s struts are pretty complex and the kit’s pieces are a little lacking on location mechanisms, and you’ll want to mock-up the gear pieces before committing to glue. Also, the horizontal stabiliser connection stubs are adequate, but will be easily broken, so I thought it best to leave them off for painting.
With the body assembled I focused my attention to the gear sub-assemblies and cleaning up the peripheral parts to be added at the end of the build. When these were out of the way I broke out my airbrush and laid down a coat of Mr Primer Surfacer #287. I then began painting by coating the model with an even application of Hobby Color Dark Sea Grey #331. When this layer had dried I mixed up a lightened batch adding 80% White and then I post-shaded a marble pattern as per my usual routine. This was then blended with a heavily thinned layer of the basecoat to bring things back together, but leaving the paint with a worn looking finish.
COLO U R S
16-22-COMBAT-EDGE-Jaguar-GR1-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:24 Page 21
Sponsored by
COMBAT EDGE
F IG H T ING
21
www.albionhobbies.com
COLO U R S
We Recommend Hobby Color Light Grey #338 Hobby Color Dark Sea Grey #331
Adding the first camouflage colour…
Hobby Color Dark Green #330 …and applying a blending layer… Mr Metal Aluminium #218 Mr Metal Dark Iron #214 The Hobby Color paints used in this feature are distributed in the UK by Albion Hobbies and available to order directly from the SAM Shop and from other UK modelling outlets and stores
…with a little post-shading
The camouflage pattern was applied free-hand with Hobby Color Dark Green #330, following the same blending technique. I then moved onto painting the landing gear, doors, the ordnance and the fuel tank. Painting was wrapped up by masking off the leading edges of the wings and the vertical stabiliser and painting in the black bands. I then masked off the tail area and painted the exhaust heat shielding with Mr Metal Aluminium #218, and the exhaust cans were treated with Mr Metal Dark Iron #214. Then the model was coated with a couple of layers of Hobby Color Gloss and it was time to decide on which aircraft to represent from the decal sheet. I chose an airframe from No.41 Squadron from RAF Coltishall. The kit decals held up well and didn’t have much problem settling into surface detail. However, they did fight back a bit with some silvering!
If you like to build fast jets then your shelf isn’t complete without a Jaguar
COMBAT EDGE JAGUAR CAMOUFLAGE
Model Aircraft Choice
16-22-COMBAT-EDGE-Jaguar-GR1-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:24 Page 22
Sponsored by
22
COMBAT EDGE JAGUAR CAMOUFLAGE
COMBAT EDGE
F IG H T ING
COLO U R S
Now the disruptive wrap-around green is applied
The decals were sealed in with another coat of gloss, and I then gave the model a dark wash to pick out the panel lines and add some light weathering. The wash was allowed to dry on the surface for about an hour, and then I removed the excess in the direction of airflow, or gravity, with a soft towel. At the same time the gear and other details were pin-washed to add depth. Finally, the model was coated in Hobby Color Flat, and I began adding the finishing touches. I opted to replace the clunky plastic pitot with a thick sewing needle cut down to the correct length. The landing gear and ordnance were added as well as the horizontal stabilisers, and this build was complete. If you like to build fast jets then your shelf isn’t complete without a Jaguar, and this is a great kit to fill that void. MA Thanks to Revell for the build sample.
www.revell.de/en
Mastered-Ads-AM-1015_15-Ads-AM-0707.qxd 11/09/2015 16:17 Page 23
eduard
24-26-Vulcan-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:22 Page 24
24
FOUR ELEMENTS PHOTOGRAPHY – AVRO VULCAN
www.sampublications.com
Vulcan
Valedictory
The November issue of Model Aircraft will be a ‘Cold War Special’ and as a precursor to that, Neil Atterbury of Four Elements Photography provides some stunning imagery of one of the icons of the era - the Avro Vulcan
W
ith the impending retirement of XH558 at the end of this year's airshow season the iconic shape of the Avro Vulcan will be lost from our skies forever. The shape and power of the mighty Avro beast carried Britain’s nuclear deterrent for many years during the Cold War, and whilst the last flying Vulcan has grabbed many headlines, around the UK a handful of aircraft continue to provide a living reminder of Britain’s ‘V-Force’. One such example is XM655, based at Wellesbourne in Warwickshire and is one of the few remaining Vulcans kept in ground running condition. XM655 is the only example fitted with the most powerful Bristol Olympus 301 engines, and the aircraft is now looked after by 655
Maintenance and Preservation Society (655MaPS). Engine runs are carried out several times a year and a ‘fast taxi’ event is a regular feature of the airfield’s ‘Wings and Wheels’ summer show. There are also a number of evening and twilight events where atmospheric photography of the aircraft is possible, and ground and aircrew dress in period garb to add to the feeling of times gone by! I hope you enjoy this selection of images from such a shoot. MA You can see more of Neil’s work at:
www.fourelements.photography you can also follow him on Facebook and Twitter or:
[email protected]
24-26-Vulcan-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:22 Page 25
Model Aircraft | October 2015
25 VULCAN VALEDICTORY
24-26-Vulcan-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:22 Page 26
26
FOUR ELEMENTS PHOTOGRAPHY – AVRO VULCAN
www.sampublications.com
27-Osprey-1015-WP_Layout 1 11/09/2015 16:20 Page 1
The Destination For Military History
A NEW LOOK FOR OSPREY’S AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES & COMBAT AIRCRAFT TITLES THE LAUNCH TITLES PREPARING FOR TAKE-OFF IN JULY 2015 COMING SOON
AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES
COMING SOON
COMBAT AIRCRAFT
www.ospreypublishing.com
28-30-Chequers-Stripes-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:42 Page 28
BRISTOL M.1C
28
www.sampublications.com
Chequers and Stripes Neil Pinchbeck has a colourful time with the 1:32 Special Hobby Bristol M.1C
F
or some while I had been reluctant to move up to 1:32 but once I had completed two or three biplanes there came an unexpected bonus, as this was when my wife casually remarked in passing that she liked ‘those big colourful ones.’ When Special Hobby announced their ‘Checkers and Stripes’ edition of the Bristol M.1C it immediately grabbed my attention. Whilst we may not agree on how to spell ‘checkers’ or ‘chequers’, this certainly qualified as both big and colourful! The Bristol airframe had a cross-braced timber structure and more cross-members and ply bulkheads joined the side frames, and a piece that represents the front of the main fuel tank seals off the rear of the cockpit area. The floor section contains metal leg rests and the mechanism for both the rudder bar and
Bristol M.1C Manufacturer: Special Hobby Scale: 1:32 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded with etch Kit Number: SH32057
the control stick. All of the wooden structure was painted a light reddish brown shade mixed from Humbrol enamels. The wood grain effect was then applied by scrubbing the area
with Burnt Umber acrylic, applied using a small, stubby, stiff bristle brush. The metal elements were painted with various shades of Humbrol Metal Cote. The front of the fuel tank was painted light grey and stained and streaked with soft pastels. The M.1C belonged to a time before ergonomic science was applied to cockpit design, and a variety of dials were attached to the structural frame in diverse places. The dial faces came from the decal sheet and fitted their various locations very well. The real star of the cockpit area, however, was the resin portrayal of the wickerwork pilot's seat. I was so pleased with this that I left out the seat cushion so that more of the wickerwork would remain visible.
The ‘chequers and stripes’ of C 4995 must have looked all the more striking against the North Yorkshire Moors around Marske
28-30-Chequers-Stripes-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:42 Page 29
29
Model Aircraft | October 2015
The portrayal of the wicker seat is particularly good
Good quality dial faces are provided on the decal sheet
Once the fuselage halves were joined a great deal of this detail was obscured, but fortunately the lovely seat remained at the centre of the cockpit opening. My only slight reservation amongst all of this was that the seat harness provided on the etched sheet was very much of the ‘Sutton Harness’ pattern, and I am moderately sure that nothing like this appeared in an aircraft of 1918. It is well documented that many pilots of this period had a great fear of fire and refused to be strapped in, so I never mind leaving seat belts and harness out of models of machines of this vintage. The final element of the interior was to paint the inside surfaces of the fuselage halves. Here the forward panels were Matt Aluminium, done with a mix of Humbrol Matt White and Metal Cote Aluminium #27002. Behind these, the stringers were painted Light Brown and the inside of the canvas-covered surfaces a pinkish orange shade to better represent the real thing.
…and at a diagonal through the clear squares
The interior cross-bracing wires were made from synthetic brush bristles
The large chequer decals were cut in two…
It seemed a bit strange to be building a Bristol aircraft without a Bristol engine, but in this case it was a Le Rhone 9J rotary powerplant. The engine was built up from a main cylinder ring in two halves, and once these were joined, there were individual cylinder heads to add. A distributor ring went on the front with push rods to attach to the rear of each cylinder. The main cylinder block was painted with Humbrol Metal Cote Steel #27003, which was burnished with a stiff brush once thoroughly dry. This then received an oily dark brown acrylic wash and a final dusting with homemade graphite powder from a 6B pencil. The distributer pipes were copper and for this I mixed some Humbrol Scarlet and Gold having found copper paints too grainy. If you are a fan of moving parts, the engine hub can be fixed to the fuselage in such a way that the engine rotates. Once fixed, the engine was shrouded with a cowl, and this was painted Matt Aluminium and weathered and stained with soft pastels and graphite powder. The wooden propeller was painted a light brown mix of Humbrol enamel before
CHEQUERS AND STRIPES – BRISTOL M.1C
Special Hobby provide plenty of scaleappropriate detail which is a joy to paint
28-30-Chequers-Stripes-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:42 Page 30
30
BRISTOL M.1C
www.sampublications.com
diagonal line through the clear squares. This was in order to avoid aligning cut squares on the model. Application of these decals needed to be done before fixing the wings in place, since the scheme ran under the wing roots. All this worked very well and Special Hobby are to be congratulated on a considerable feat of three-dimensional geometry in getting the proportions and shape of the decals and individual squares just right to fit around the tapering cigar shape of the fuselage.
Special Hobby is to be congratulated on complex chequered decals, which fit so well around the tapering fuselage, no mean feat
being scrubbed with Burnt Umber artists' acrylic to give the grained effect. I decided to represent some paint chipping on the large spinner. This was first painted Metal Cote Aluminium, which was sealed with clear acrylic varnish. The areas to be chipped were then dabbed with Humbrol Maskol. Once this was dry, the spinner was painted white. Masking tape was rubbed on to the Maskol treated areas and sharply pulled off. This removed white chips to reveal the aluminium surface beneath. Although there are more sophisticated ways to produce chipped effects, this is a useful basic technique. The main attraction of this boxing was always the decal sheet and the colourful schemes representing the life of the Bristol M.1C as a training aircraft. C 4994 was finished in a standard scheme of PC12 all over except for the undersides of flying surfaces, which were natural linen. This utilitarian scheme was embellished with a splendid winged red dragon running the whole length of both sides of the fuselage. The fin was roundel blue, edged red with red serial number. The outer wheel covers had concentric red and blue rings, and this scheme was featured on the replica aircraft at the RAF Museum at Hendon, West London. There are two schemes representing C 5071, one
during its time at No.1 Aerial Fighting School at Turnberry and later serving at South Eastern Area Flying Instructors School at Shoreham. The canvas-covered areas were aluminium dope and initially the nose panels were light grey. Later the nose was repainted white with concentric blue and red rings on the spinner. Whilst these schemes were all attractive, there was only ever one choice for me. The name of this whole edition is taken from C 4995 serving at No.2 Aerial Fighting School at Marske in Redcar and Cleveland. The spectacular scheme of C 4995 consisted mainly of large red, white and blue chequer squares, which enveloped the fuselage. Attractive though this was, it did represent a real decal application challenge. The scheme was in the form of four large decals for fuselage sides, top and bottom. There was no white element to the scheme, these squares being clear. This meant that the whole fuselage had to be painted white before decal application could begin. The white painted surface was finished with gloss acrylic varnish to receive the decals, which were then applied using Humbrol Decalcote as a setting solution. I was concerned that handling and aligning the large decals would be difficult so cut each one in half on a
Once the fuselage was completed, final assembly and the rest of the decal scheme were straightforward. The fixing of the wings by a butt joint looked rather risky but in this scale there was sufficient surface area in the joint for adhesive to be effective. The rigging was done with synthetic brush bristles. Despite a reputed excellent performance, the Bristol M.1C was relegated to the Middle East for active squadron service and never reached the Western Front, and in Britain it was confined to the flying schools. The ‘chequers and stripes’ of C 4995 must have looked all the more striking against the North Yorkshire Moors around Marske, the home of No.2 Aerial Fighting School. It was here between April and August 1918 that the author W.E. Johns served as an instructor, so it seems highly likely that he would have flown this aircraft, and out of these experiences the adventures of ‘Biggles’, ‘Bertie’ and ‘Ginger’ and all the rest of the crew were born. Tally-Ho and Chocks Away! MA
31-SAC-1015-WP_Layout 1 11/09/2015 16:20 Page 1
Scale Aircraft Conversions White Metal & Resin Aircraft Parts Since 1990
32096 F-86D Sabre Dog Landing Gear (KH)
48287 Hurricane Mk.I Landing Gear (AX)
(replacement for 1/32 Kitty Hawk) MSRP $17.95
(replacement for 1/48 Airfix) MSRP $12.95
72105 F-35A/B Landing Gear (Aca)
72106 T-2C Buckeye Landing Gear (WP)
(replacement for 1/72 Academy) MSRP $12.95
(replacement for 1/72 Wolfpack) MSRP $11.95
Cold Weather Cat … Jaguar GR.1A in Winter Camo
Master modeller Brian Wakeman sent us this photo of his 1/48 Airfix/ Revell Jaguar GR.1A in the markings of 41(F) Sqdn participating in NATO winter exercises at Bardufoss Norway. To prevent tail sitting, ballast was added to the forward fuselage so Brian chose to use SAC gear # 48037 for the additional support it provides.
scaleaircraftconversions.com
32-Casemate-Comp-MA-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:42 Page 32
32
Messerschmitt
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 change to win a copy of: Messerschmitt Bf 109 Early Versions, Just answer this simple question:
During which war did the Bf 109 first see operational service? A) World War I B) Spanish Civil War C) World War II
Send your entries to Model Aircraft/Casemate Bf 109 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 30th October 2015, when the prize draw will take place.
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:36 Page 33
www.kineticmodel.com
33
Model Aircraft | October 2015
Table Text Table Text Table Text Table Text Table Text Table Text Table Text
A quartet of Intruders from US Marines squadron VMA(AW)-242
A-6 Intruder Grumman’s Bulbous Bomb-Truck
T
he A-6 Intruder was the US Navy and Marine Corps prime all-weather, long-range, carrier based attack aircraft with the ability to operate by day or night. It was a subsonic, two-seat aircraft with the ability to carry up to 15,000lb of munitions. Later A-6Es were fitted with the Target Recognition and Attack Multisensor (TRAM), which included a Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) for precision-guided weapons. In December 1957, the Grumman corporation was selected by the Navy to fulfill their new long-range,
An ‘electronic’ E-6B from VMAQ-2 based at MCAS Cherry Point
One of Grumman’s bomb-trucks get airborne from the USS Midway
low-level tactical strike aircraft requirement, with their A6 Intruder. The A-6A's first flight took place on April 19, 1960, and the first of 482 production aircraft were delivered in February 1963. The A-6A introduced the new Digital Integrated Attack Navigation Equipment (DIANE), which proved to be excellent in all weather conditions. Some nineteen A-6Bs were converted from A-6A standard for SAM suppression duties, and twelve A-6Cs were converted with FLIR and LLLTV equipment for improved night-attack capabilities. The upgraded A-6E first flew on February 27, 1970 and introduced a multi-mode navigation/attack radar system. The A-6 had excellent slow-flying capabilities, with full span slats and flaps and side-by-side crew seating under a broad canopy. The aircraft was also equipped with a miniaturised digital computer, a solid state weapons release system, and a single integrated track and search radar.
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6 INTRUDER
Table Head
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:36 Page 34
34
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6 INTRUDER
www.luckymodel.com
A Marines Intruder from VMA(AW)-121
A-6s worked around the clock in Vietnam, conducting attacks on targets with a pinpoint accuracy which was unavailable from any other aircraft at that time. The later A-6E proved once again that it was the best all-weather precision bomber in the world during the Operation ‘El Dorado Canyon’ strikes on Libyan terrorist-related targets in 1986. Navy A-6E Intruders penetrated the sophisticated Libyan air defence systems, and evading SAM missiles, flew at low level in complete darkness to hit their targets. A-6E aircraft were used extensively during Operation ‘Desert Storm’, again providing precision bombing against a wide range of targets.
A-6A The initial version of the Intruder was built around the complex and advanced DIANE (Digital Integrated Attack/Navigation Equipment), intended to provide a high degree of bombing accuracy even at night and in poor weather. DIANE consisted of multiple radar systems: the Norden Systems AN/APQ-92 search radar replacing
Chasing a pair of ‘Skippers’
the AN/APQ-88 on the YA-6A, and a separate AN/APG-46 for tracking, AN/APN-141 radar altimeter, and AN/APN122 Doppler navigational radar to provide position updates to the AN/ASN-31 inertial navigation system. An air-data computer and ballistics computer integrated the radar information for the bombardier/navigator (BN) in the right-hand seat. TACAN and ADF were also provided for navigational use. When it worked, DIANE was perhaps the most capable nav/attack system of its era, giving the Intruder the ability to fly and fight in even very poor conditions (particularly important over Vietnam and Thailand during the Vietnam War). Total A-6A production was 488, including six pre-production prototypes, and many surviving aircraft were converted to other variants.
A-6B
An NAWC Intruder drops a Walleye II glide bomb
To provide Navy squadrons with a defence suppression aircraft to attack enemy anti-aircraft defence and SAM missile systems during the Vietnam War, a mission dubbed ‘Iron Hand’ in Navy parlance, nineteen A-6As were converted to A-6B standard from 1967 to 1970. The A-6B had many of its standard attack systems removed in favour of special equipment to detect and track enemy radar sites and to guide AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-78 Standard AntiRadiation Missiles, with an AN/APQ-103 radar replacing the earlier AN/APQ-92 in A-6A and an AN/APN-153 navigational radar replacing the earlier AN/APN-122 set in the A-6A. Five were lost in combat, and the rest were later converted to A-6E standard in the late 1970s.
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:36 Page 35
www.kineticmodel.com
35
Model Aircraft | October 2015
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6 INTRUDER
A-6C Twelve A-6As were converted in 1970 to A-6C standard for night attack missions against the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Vietnam. They were fitted with a ‘Trails/Roads Interdiction Multi-sensor’ (TRIM) pod in the fuselage with FLIR and low-light TV cameras, as well as a ‘Black Crow’ engine ignition detection system. The radar was also upgraded, with AN/APQ-112 replacing the earlier AN/APQ-103 of the A-6B, and an AN/APN-186 navigational radar replaced the earlier AN/APN-153. A much-improved Sperry Corporation AN/APQ-127 radar also replaced the earlier AN/APG-46 fire control radar in the A-6A/B. One of these aircraft was lost in combat; the others were later converted to A-6E standard after the war.
A KA-6D in company with a flight of A-7E Corsairs during Operation ‘Desert Storm’
A rather weary looking Intruder over the Iraqi desert
KA-6D In the early 1970s seventy-eight A-6As and twelve A-6Es were converted for use as tanker aircraft, providing aerial refuelling support to other strike aircraft. Their DIANE system was removed and an internal refuelling system was added, sometimes supplemented by a D-704 refuelling pod on the centreline pylon. Because it was based on a tactical aircraft platform, the KA-6D provided a capability for mission tanking, the ability to keep up with strike packages and refuel them in the course of a mission. A few KA-6Ds went to sea with each Intruder squadron, and the retirement of the aircraft left a gap in USN and USMC refuelling tanker capability.
A-6E The definitive attack version of the Intruder, the A-6E was introduced in 1970, with its first deployment on 9 December 1971, and carried some highly upgraded
A brace of grey-clad A-6Es from VA-65 during 1987
navigation and attack systems. The earlier separate search and track radars of the A-6A/B/C were replaced by a single Norden AN/APQ-148 multi-mode radar, and onboard computers with a more sophisticated IC based system. A new AN/ASN-92 inertial navigation system was also added, along with the CAINS (Carrier Aircraft Inertial Navigation System), for greater accuracy. Beginning in 1979, all A-6Es were fitted with the AN/AAS-33 DRS (Detecting and Ranging Set), part of the ‘Target Recognition and Attack Multi-Sensor’ (TRAM) system, and a small, gyroscopically stabilised turret was mounted under the nose of the aircraft, containing a FLIR, boresighted with a laser spot-tracker/designator and IBM System/4 Pi computer, and the TRAM was matched with a new Norden AN/APQ-156 radar. TRAM also allowed the Intruder to autonomously designate and drop laserguided bombs, and in addition, the Intruder also used AMTI (Airborne Moving Target Indicator), which allowed the aircraft to track a moving target and drop ordnance on it. In the early 1990s some surviving A-6Es were upgraded under SWIP (Systems/Weapons Improvement Program) to enable them to use the latest precisionguided munitions, including AGM-65 Mavericks, AGM-84 Harpoons, AGM-84E SLAMs, AGM-62 Walleyes and the AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile. After a series of wing-fatigue problems, about 85% of the fleet was fitted with new graphite/epoxy/titanium/aluminum composite
An A-6E prepares for a ‘cat-shot’
wings. An advanced A-6F and A-6G Intruder II was proposed, but not taken up.
EA-6A An electronic warfare version of the Intruder was developed early in the aircraft's life for the USMC, which needed a new platform to replace its elderly F3D-2Q Skyknights. This version was initially designated A2F-1Q and subsequently redesignated EA-6A, and first flew on 26 April 1963. It had a Bunker-Ramo AN/ALQ-86 ECM suite, with most electronics contained in a footballshaped pod atop the vertical fin. They were equipped with AN/APQ-129 fire control radar, and an AN/APN-153 navigational set. Only twenty-eight EA-6As were built (two prototypes, fifteen new-build, and eleven conversions), and they served with Marine Corps squadrons in Vietnam, until being phased out of frontline service in the mid-1970s, with them being retired completely by 1993.
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:37 Page 36
36
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6E INTRUDER IN DETAIL
www.luckymodel.com
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:37 Page 37
www.kineticmodel.com
Model Aircraft | October 2015
37
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6 INTRUDER
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:37 Page 38
38
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6 INTRUDER
SCALE PLANS 1:72 Drawn by Andy Evans
www.luckymodel.com
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:37 Page 39
www.kineticmodel.com
Model Aircraft | October 2015
39
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6 INTRUDER
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:37 Page 40
40
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6 INTRUDER
www.luckymodel.com
SCALE PLANS 1:72 Drawn by Andy Evans
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:37 Page 41
www.kineticmodel.com
Model Aircraft | October 2015
Grumman A-6A Intruder 154144 of VA-52. The aircraft is finished in standard US Navy Gull Grey over White
Grumman KA-6D Intruder 151826 of VA-115. The aircraft is finished in standard US Navy Gull Grey over White
Grumman A-6E Intruder 161083 of VA-65 aboard the USS Dwight D Eisenhower during the 1991 Gulf War. The aircraft is finished in overall Gull Grey
Grumman A-6E Intruder of 155678 ‘Double Nuts’ of VA-85 during the 1991 Gulf War. The aircraft is finished in a twotone grey tactical camouflage scheme, and note the mission symbols under the windshield
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6 INTRUDER
Grumman A-6A Intruder 151819 of VA-65 aboard the USS Constellation in 1966. The aircraft is finished in a two-tone green over white scheme to test the effectiveness of camouflage during sorties over Vietnam
41
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:37 Page 42
42
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6E INTRUDER
www.luckymodel.com
Iron-Works Bomber James Ashton builds the 1:48 Kinetic A-6E
W
hen first released this kit caused quite a stir of excitement, as the only kits available of this significant aircraft were getting rather long in the tooth. Upon opening the box your level of approval begins to rise as you are greeted with a significant amount of plastic.
Grumman A-6E Intruder Manufacturer: Kinetic Scale: 1:48 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number 48023
The surface details are excellent and as always Kinetic have provided an abundant supply of underwing stores. The cockpit looks very busy and benefits from detail painting and weathering, as it is highly visible through the large canopy. The quality of the model is of a high standard and the main parts virtually snap together, although I did have to watch out for one or two small ejector pin stubs on adjoining surfaces. Regarding areas where care needs to be taken are the fit of the cockpit which does not have any connection points. After aligning and test fitting it carefully it was then fixed with Cyanoacrylate into position, after that I had no further problems with it. The other tricky area was around the engine exhausts, even after aligning them with the fuselage I found that inside there were gaps that will need filling. An outstanding feature of this kit is the option to have all the flaps deployed as well as the access steps.
I was blown away by the decals Fightertown included in the kit – they are the best I have ever used
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:38 Page 43
www.kineticmodel.com
43
Model Aircraft | October 2015
The features of the cockpit benefits greatly from a wash using Ammo by MIG products as these highlight even the finest of details The fuselage goes together superbly. Even the inserts present no fit problems and it virtually snaps together
Never take chances with tricycle undercarriage models, so Deluxe Materials ‘Liquid Gravity’ is a very quick solution
These will make for an eye-catching display model especially as they are painted red inside. The reason I decided to close everything up was for the sake of simplicity and speed, as I had already decided I was going to do a heavily weathered airframe. My last words regarding potential difficulties are the multi-part canopy this did present some ‘heart in mouth’ moments, and here I used a combination of Odourless Cyano Glue and Microscale Krystal Klear. Do not be put off by these issues as they are not game breakers and this kit soon builds up into an impressive model. My favourite area of model making is the art of weathering and a quick search on the Internet proved fruitful with a number of heavily weathered examples of the Intruder to choose from. For me the weathering process starts with the
base paintwork using the airbrush to achieve faded and patched up areas. Do not forget that the markings also need to show the same signs of weathering - so not long into the painting process you need to apply the decals. This brings me nicely to the decal sheet; to say I was blown away by these decals is an understatement! I have heard of Fightertown decals before however, this is the first time I have had opportunity to use them. Quite simply they are the best decals I have ever used, apart from being in perfect register and with good colour saturation, they have an amazingly fine carrier film. It was this particular feature that stood out to me, as there are a number of high quality decals available from other manufacturers with the same characteristics. In the case of these decals they actually embedded themselves into the finest surface details without any need for setting
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6 INTRUDER
The cockpit does not have any locator pins so you will need to fix it into position carefully or it will cause problems when closing the fuselage
33-44-MA-EXTRA-A6-Intruder-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:39 Page 44
44
MODEL AIRCRAFT EXTRA A-6E INTRUDER
www.sampublications.com www.luckymodel.com
The weathering process began with my airbrush to create some post-shading to fade the base coat before application of the decals
After applying the decals more airbrush effects, and enamel pin-washes were applied. If applied judiciously to a matt coat Ammo can be used to achieve authentic feathered staining
solution, there was no sign at all of silvering either, a high gloss surface is essential to this process. I did find that they grip the surface immediately so a lot of water was necessary until you have them in position. Kinetic are also to be commended on their underwing stores, unlike some manufacturers they do not skimp when it comes to this area and with the amount of ordnance carried by the Intruder you would feel somewhat cheated if these were not provided in the kit. Back to the subject of weathering, there are many products and methods that can be employed such as oils, pigments, washes and airbrush techniques. Often it is a case of combining different mediums to different areas of the project and so you may use them all, or just one product, depending on what effect you are trying to achieve. For some time now I have been interested to see how Ammo from MIG performs, as I have seen and heard many good things about them. On this particular project I have had the opportunity to use the ‘Enamel Washes’. Immediately it was evident that these are high
quality products, they are made from very fine pigments and are thinned to perfection. The darker washes are superb for ‘pin-washes’ their nature is such that they immediately capillary along panel lines, and their cockpit washes help to pop-out and highlight the finest of details. The Grey Wash was used for a general overall application to add a dusty worn effect to the floor and instrument panels, as well as the wheel wells. Certainly I will make more use of these products on future projects and highly recommend them.
The Intruder certainly makes for an impressive display piece with all the ordnance, and especially if you choose to open up all the flaps. Now where did I put that Prowler….? MA
45-Mig Jimenez-Alclad-1015-WP_Layout 1 11/09/2015 16:20 Page 1
46-48-Spitfire-Ultimate-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:35 Page 46
TAMIYA SPITFIRE MK IXC
46
www.sampublications.com
The Ultimate
James Dickerson looks at the 1:32 Tamiya Spitfire Mk IXc
I
f you say to me "fighter aircraft" then my mind will draw an image of what I think a fighter should look like, and that image has and will always be a Spitfire. I probably don’t even need to explain that to you. You either get it, or you will never get it. The Spitfire epitomises everything an aircraft should look like. It’s my favourite only behind the F-4 Phantom. Even then, as far as aesthetics go, the Spitfire is ‘the airplane.’ Add in its storied reputation in the skies over Europe, from the Battle of Britain until the end of the war, and it’s impossible not to love the Spitfire. My build of Tamiya’s Mk IXc Spitfire came at an interesting time for me, and it was every bit a watershed moment in my modelling career. Up until this build I was strictly an ‘out-of-the-box ‘1:48 kind of guy, but things were changing. My participation in forums was showing me that 1:32 was gaining popularity. I was also seeing large amounts of aftermarket going into these builds. I eventually decided I was going to see what all the rage was about and try one of these larger scale kits, and I was going to attempt to load it up with some aftermarket goodies, something I’d avoided entirely until now. At the
time I made this decision, Tamiya had just released their 1:32 P-51 to rave reviews. The temptation of that kit definitely called to me, but for the reasons above, the Spitfire won its place on my bench. For the aftermarket I decided to give Barracuda Studio’s products a try. I opted to go all out on this build by adding their Spitfire cockpit upgrade sets 1 and 2, cockpit sidewalls, crew access door, and resin mainwheels. My final aftermarket item came in the form of vinyl paint masks from Scale Precision Masks. Two reasons here. First, I wanted to build Johnnie Johnson’s aircraft and second, I wanted a painted-on look to the markings that decals sometimes struggle to provide. The masks worked wonderfully, but unfortunately Scale Precision has since shut up shop and the other masking solutions I’ve found just don’t hold up, but I’ll explain that later. Tamiya’s 1:32 kits are masterpieces in fit and engineering. However, they are a bit complex. Actually, the Spitfire being the second in the series (behind the Zeros) isn’t nearly as complex as the recent Corsair, but you still need to be mindful of the instructions. With that in mind I opted to forgo the skipping around I usually do and began work in the cockpit. To install the Barracuda sidewall you do need to remove some of the moulded-on detail from the kit piece. For someone who’s never done such a thing it can
be intimidating, but the Barracuda part fits wonderfully along with the kit pieces, so don’t hesitate to hack the plastic away. Just be sure to use a good adhesive. I opted for two-part epoxy. Next, I moved on to dealing with the small, but very nice, added details of the cockpit upgrade sets. These include things like throttle quadrant, flight control stick, gunsight, some plumbing and other bits and pieces. Barracuda’s quality is outstanding, and their bits don’t break the bank, but their real advantage is the nice colour printed instructions. Using these as a guide for painting I used some assorted wires to add some detailing and moved to adding colour. The cockpit was a custom mix of ModelMaster enamels, and I used Cockpit Green with some RLM 02 to grey it out a bit, but felt the colour could have been mixed better in
46-48-Spitfire-Ultimate-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:35 Page 47
47
Model Aircraft | October 2015
THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER
e Fighter Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXc Manufacturer: Tamiya Scale: 1:32 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 60319
From the Battle of Britain until the end of the war, it’s impossible not to love the Spitfire retrospect. The fuselage aft of the cockpit was finished off with Alclad Aluminum as per Tamiya’s instructions. I then applied some light weathering to the cockpit by drybrushing some enamel Aluminum over areas that would become worn. I also added a Burnt Umber oil wash. Work now moved to the engine. Normally I’m not really a fan of open panels, as I like my builds to be buttoned up. However, Tamiya’s Merlin engine is a kit in its own right
and a really nice one at that. So I decided I’d build it up (which you must do anyway) and paint it, but I opted not to add any scratchbuilt details since I’ll display it with the cowling panels attached. The engine block was painted Black and I added some interest by picking out bolt heads with Aluminum paint.
The oil tank and various details were painted with shades from Alclad. The engine was then attached to the firewall. This allows you to save the installation to the end of the build, and it also aids in painting, since you don’t have to mask the engine and framework off. With the cockpit and engine out of the way assembly is a breeze, and the fit is darnn near perfect. The only clean-up needed was along the fuselage spine, but that was easy to handle. With the assembly completed it was time to move to painting. Like I said, this build was a watershed for me in a number of ways. It launched me into both my 1:32 and aftermarket obsession, but it also changed the way I paint models. This was my first attempt at foregoing a blanket coat of colour and trying to impart some depth to the paintwork. If you’ve seen my builds in the pages of Model Aircraft in the past you have seen my technique of a black base and post-shading my models. Admittedly I did not create this technique, but as with many others we use in the hobby it was borrowed from my peers. The first step is to lay down a Black primer coat and then add a Black base layer. Once this dried I broke out my ModelMaster enamels and began painting. First up was to paint the underside, and for this I mixed up RAF
46-48-Spitfire-Ultimate-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:36 Page 48
48
TAMIYA SPITFIRE MK IXC
Medium Sea Grey with White in a roughly 30:70 mix. This lightened version of the base colour was sprayed on with the main concentration on the centre of the panels. Once this coat had dried a thin coat of the base colour was mixed straight from the bottle. This was then thinly misted over the previous coat to suit the eye. What results is a look similar to pre-shading, and creates depth at the panel lines. The bottom is masked off and the process is repeated on the upper surfaces with Ocean Grey. To mask
www.sampublications.com
off for the Dark Green I used Blu Tack ’snakes’ to mark out the camouflage lines, and the areas surrounding the ‘Tack’ that need to be masked are done so with masking tape. The trick to getting good lines is to paint at ninetydegrees from the surface. The ID band and spinner were painted with Tamiya XF-21 Sky. With the camouflage complete I moved to painting the markings. The aforementioned Scale Precision Masks are unique in the way they handle multiple colour markings like the roundels. There is a mask piece for each shade. You lay it down, paint the colour, remove that mask and add the next layer. Other masking sets that have come along do things differently. You’re usually given one mask that you add inserts to and you change colours. This can really complicate their application especially on complicated designs like the Balkenkreuz found on German planes. So, I started the painting with the yellow of the roundels and worked my way out. The masking worked
beautifully with no issues of bleeding or any other problems. When working with vinyl masks just make sure to burnish the edges down nicely and you shouldn’t have any problems. A gloss coat was applied and the few decals (the Maple Leaf and a few stencils) were added. When those settled another gloss coat was sprayed to protect things and weathering began. This build was weathered entirely with oils, something I’ve recently moved away from in favour of pre-mixed enamels. The model was given a pin-wash of Burnt Umber for the panel lines, and I then added some streaking by thinning the oil paint and then using a fine brush I added streaks in areas where leaks and staining would likely occur. I also added some choice chipping effects with a silver artists' pencil and coated the model with a final clear coat. The final step was to add some black pigment around the shell casing ejector ports and this one was finished. Did I say watershed? This build ushered in a love of the larger 1:32, especially for World War II aircraft. In this scale detail can become sorely lacking, so my aftermarket choices looked to improve that, although Tamiya kits are some of the best ‘out-of-the-box’. This was also the beginning of an adventure in painting that kicked off my ever-growing bag of tricks to begin the weathering process with the airbrush. If you’re a Spitfire fan, and why wouldn’t you be, you can’t go wrong with this kit. Load it up with aftermarket, or build it ‘out-of-the-box’. Either way, you’ll have a winner! MA
Mastered-Ads-AM-1015_15-Ads-AM-0707.qxd 11/09/2015 16:17 Page 49
eduard
50-53-Mi24-Flying-Tank-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:34 Page 50
MIL MI-24V HIND E
50
www.sampublications.com
Building Russia’s
‘Flying Tank’
Adam J. Phillips takes an ‘Out of the Box Adventure’ with Trumpeter’s 1:35 Mil Mi-24V Hind-E
I
wonder how many times have I gone to the local hobby-shop or online retailer to purchase a brand new kit, only to go on and spend more money on aftermarket items than the kit itself? Part of it may be that as a modeller it’s in my DNA to continually strive to create the most accurate model possible. Either that or I’ve fallen victim to the idea that the only way a model will look good is by slapping on as much etch, resin, decals, and ‘authentic paint’ as can find. In truth, I’ve seen many models that have been built ‘straight-from-the box’ that stand up well on their own next to the highly accurate builds I’ve been trying so hard to create. This is where my journey with Trumpeter’s 1:35 Mil Mi-24V Hind-E helicopter began, a challenge to myself to build a model ‘straight-from-the box’, focusing on quality of construction, paint, and finish. I would be lying if I didn’t admit that after picking out the Hind I spent hours upon hours researching all the available aftermarket items, such as etched sets for the cockpit, interior and exterior as well as weighted resin wheels, decals and
figures! I could fill these pages with a list of what I found. In the end, I resisted temptation and settled on a plain old masking set from Eduard! Construction, as with most helicopters, began with the cockpit and cargo compartment, and here I found that with careful construction and painting I was able to bring the interior to life. A quick dry brushing and a few washes really brought out the finely moulded details of the kit-supplied instrument panels. Etched seatbelt buckles are provided in the kit, leaving the modeller to create the harness straps, and here I used Tamiya tape, which allowed me to paint and weather accordingly.
Mil Mi-24V Hind E Manufacturer: Trumpeter Scale: 1:35 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded with etch Kit Number: 5103
As soon as the interior was done I moved on to constructing the engines and associated compartments. The kit-supplied engines do provide a fair amount of detail but I thought the engines would benefit from some additional plumbing detail in the form of lead wire. ModelMaster Metalizers have become my ‘go to’ paint for metal finishes and they didn’t fail me here. After my
The kit went together very well with only a few problem spots, and certainly nothing a little Mr. Surfacer couldn’t handle
50-53-Mi24-Flying-Tank-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:34 Page 51
51
Model Aircraft | October 2015
usual treatment of Tamiya clear the engines were given an enamel wash from AK Interactive, as well as some Smoke Pigment from MIG Productions, and a splattering of AK Interactive Oil and Grease. Then came the laborious process of gluing up the two fuselage halves, filling seams, rescribing panel lines and replacing rivet details. This is where I typically start to loose motivation in a build, as nothing slows me down more than large seams, misaligned panel lines and shallow rivets. In all honesty, the kit went together very well with only a few problem spots, and certainly nothing a little Mr. Surfacer couldn’t handle. A process
BUILDING RUSSIA’S ‘FLYING TANK’
that normally takes me a week or more only took me a few nights, and the Hind began to show its true potential. The rest of the build followed with little drama and I quickly found myself powering up the airbrush in preparation for primer and paint. Most modellers have become accustom to priming in grey and pre-shading panels with black. However, my primer of choice has become Alclad II Black Primer with Microfiller. Rather than needing to cover both black and grey with the base colour, this method gives me greater control over fading and mottling effects. It can take a little longer to paint the model this way, but it’s a process that I thoroughly enjoy. After allowing the primer to cure for a few days and touching up a few areas I was ready to lay down some
50-53-Mi24-Flying-Tank-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:35 Page 52
52
MIL MI-24V HIND E
colour. My choice of paints for this build was the AKAN line, and this was my first time using them, and I cannot recommend them enough. I began the painting process with the Blue undersides and worked my way up the aircraft with a Sandy Light Olive shade, adding the Green camouflage last. I then gave the Hind a nice solid coat of Tamiya clear, heavily thinned with Mr. Color Leveling thinner. After letting the clear coat sit for a few days the decal process began. The kit-supplied decals were used in conjunction with Micro Sol and Micro Set solutions, and as you can see the results were pretty good. After letting the decals sit for 24 hours I gave the model another coat of clear. At this point the Hind was looking very nice, but it needed a little more fading. I began the process by highlighting the panel and rivet lines with Tamiya Smoke, and to ensure an even finish, I made sure to go over the decals. Once the panel line highlights were complete I went back over the entire model with a highly thinned coat of the Sandy Light Olive, as this toned down the contrast that the Smoke created as well
www.sampublications.com
as softening the overall look of the camouflage. Once I was happy with fading, the model was again covered with a clear coat., and I finished the weathering with some AK Interactive Dark Grey Wash from their ship line,
50-53-Mi24-Flying-Tank-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:35 Page 53
Model Aircraft | October 2015
Hand picked selection for Summer 2015 NEW TOOL
04869 Focke Wulf Fw190 F-8, 1:32 Limited Edition
04900 B-1B Bomber, 1:48
and blast of Tamiya Smoke helped replicate some exhaust staining. Last but not least the entire model was given a coat of Vallejo Matt. Once all was said and done, and with the model sitting on the shelf, I gave a sigh of relief. After years of pushing myself towards creating the perfect model I was able to sit back and appreciate what I had created.
Whilst I know the model is far from accurate, and the colours aren’t a perfect match, the rotor head is missing some plumbing details, and the troop compartment is bare, at the end of the day I built a model that stands on its own two feet, and straight-from-the box’! MA
04997 Concorde, 1:72 NEW TOOL
07008 BMW i8, 1:24 Available from branches of
and all good Toy and Model shops and online at
Visit our brand new website and online shop
w w w. r e v e l l . d e/e n facebook.com/Revell
@RevellGermany
Revell GmbH, Unit 10, Old Airfield Industrial Estate, Cheddington Lane, Tring, HP23 4QR Tel: 0845 459 0747, Fax: 01296 660041, Email:
[email protected] ©2015 Revell GmbH. A subsidiary of Hobbico, Inc. All rights reserved. Trade enquiries welcome.
54-57-Combat-Zone-Saddam-Fled-Skies-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:48 Page 54
54
COMBAT ZONE WHEN SADDAM FLED THE SKIES
www.sampublications.com
Two US F-16 Fighting Falcons dropping decoy flares over Iraq
COMBAT-ZONE
When Saddam Fled the Skies Anthony Tucker-Jones recounts how Saddam Hussien’s powerful Iraqi Air Force was a no-show in 2003
A
merican troops triumphantly burst into Saddam International Airport and Rashid Military Airbase, both just outside Baghdad, in early April 2003. Only at the former was there any real resistance and to the Americans' amazement there was no sign of the once powerful Iraqi Air Force (IrAF). Two no-shows in three major wars is a remarkable achievement, yet during Operation ‘Iraqi Freedom’, as in ‘Desert Storm’ in 1991, the IrAF decided discretion was the better part of valour. Little was expected of the IrAF in 2003,
after all it had only put up token resistance twelve years earlier, however no one expected it to vanish completely. After years of military sanctions it was assessed by Western intelligence that the IrAF might still have 130 attack aircraft and 180 fighters, but of these only 100 were deemed to be operational, enough to thwart any internal unrest but not the powerful United States Air Force (USAF). The IrAF was probably the most educated of the Iraqi armed forces, with a greater appreciation of the impossible task facing them in 2003. The Americans had made a point of showing that they dominated Iraqi airspace. The IrAF knew they could not survive and did not intervene at all; the Iraqi Air Defence Command did
what it could, but was simply overwhelmed and Regular Army efforts were at best half hearted. In August 2002 Iraqi President Saddam Hussein boasted ‘If they come, we are ready. We will fight them on the streets, from the rooftops, from house to house. We will never surrender.’ However, history has a nasty habit of repeating itself. On 14 January 1991, General Wafic al-Samurrai, head of Iraq’s military intelligence, briefed Saddam Hussein, stating Iraq would suffer a swift defeat. In late March 1991 when the fighting following Operation Desert Storm had finished al-Samurrai went before Saddam again to inform him they had suffered the biggest defeat in military history. One of al-Samurrai’s successors, former intelligence chief Farouk Hijazi,
54-57-Combat-Zone-Saddam-Fled-Skies-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:48 Page 55
55
Model Aircraft | October 2015
COMBAT ZONE – IRAQI AIR FORCE
Iraqi Army Soviet-supplied S-60 57mm anti-aircraft guns; such weapons were deployed in public places to avoid being targeted
Photographed in late March 2003 this RAF Tornado is subjected to a blinding sandstorm at an unspecified air base in the Middle East
Iraqi Air Force Il-28 bombers at al-Taqqadum air base in Iraq
captured on 24 April 2003, had a similar tale to tell, Saddam would simply not accept that they could not successfully resist the technological array of weapons facing them when the US led Coalition conducted Operation Iraqi Freedom. By this stage the loyalty of many of Saddam’s generals had reached breaking point. Along with the elite Republican Guard elements, the IrAF knew they could not avoid the war altogether, but sought a way to safeguard themselves and their remaining airworthy fighters. It appears the Americans agreed that if they did not fight, al-Asad about 170km
Iraqi SA-6 surface-to-air missiles. This system requires two vehicles: the tracked launcher seen here and a second vehicle mounting the Straight Flush search, acquisition and tracking radar
An RAF GR.4A Tornado armed with Storm Shadow missiles on 22 March 2003, the missiles are visible on the belly of the aircraft
54-57-Combat-Zone-Saddam-Fled-Skies-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:48 Page 56
56
COMBAT ZONE WHEN SADDAM FLED THE SKIES northwest of Baghdad, home of the IrAF’s Fighter Command and the second largest base in Iraq, would be spared. Secretly across Iraq the order went out not to resist. Intelligence analysts felt that the superior educated air force personnel had a better appreciation of the situation and were viewed as a threat by the very regime that they were supposed to defend. Saddam Hussein knew he faced betrayal. For example, former IrAF General Ali Hussein Habib was arrested just before the Coalition air attacks commenced on Baghdad. His headless body was located outside Abu Ghraib prison in a shallow grave on 15 April 2003. Habib had been involved with the Iraqi Chemical Weapons programme and was prepared to be interviewed by UN inspectors without minders. It may have been that Saddam’s regime suspected he was already collaborating. On 16 March 2003 at an Iraqi council of war in Baghdad, 150 senior officers including IrAF General Kareem Saadoun dared not remind Saddam Hussein they simply could not win. In 1991 the IrAF’s pilot training was poor, as was the serviceability of its fighters, and on top of this it was operating some fifteen different types of fixed-wing aircraft. Twelve years on the IrAF was not
The Iraqi Air Force went to great lengths to hide their aircraft as this exhumed MiG-25 testifies
Another Tornado GR.4 is readied for its next strike mission
www.sampublications.com
The business end of a British Harrier jump jet. Its weapons pylons are loaded with various ordnance including Paveway laser guided bombs
blind to the fact that these deficiencies had only got worse. The UN embargo ensured they received no vital spares, no new aircraft or surface-to-air missiles, though some spares for Iraqi MiG-23s and MiG-25s may have been sneaked in via Syria. Coalition intelligence on Iraqi dispersal airfields was first class, and the IrAF was only too aware of the danger from Coalition Special Forces, which were ranging far and wide in their search for Saddam and his weapons of mass destruction. One solution to this was deception. The IrAF had a lot of inoperable airframes and many of these derelict platforms were parked out in revetments as decoys. The challenge for the Coalition was to detect the ones that were operational. The IrAF lost over 100 aircraft to Coalition military action in 1991; this time
round the battle damage assessment was much more difficult because of the number of Iraqi aircraft that were already little more than junk. Iraq’s airbases and hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) were systematically targeted as were Iraq’s air defence, command and control, and intelligence facilities. In the face of up to 1,400 Coalition sorties a day none of Iraq’s armed forces showed much initiative. Nine of the Iraqi SAM sites were attacked in downtown Baghdad on 26 March 2003 and on 1 April the US DoD showed an F-15 dropping a PGM on a suspected SA-2 missile site south-west of Karbala. Missile maintenance facilities were also hit, such as the facility in Mosul, believed to service all types of missiles. The Iraqi air defences gave 35-40 AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter gunships of the US 11th Aviation a
54-57-Combat-Zone-Saddam-Fled-Skies-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:48 Page 57
Model Aircraft | October 2015
A USN F/A-18 Hornet being launched from a carrier – American airpower was simply overwhelming
nasty surprise when they attacked elements of the Republican Guard’s Medina Division. The Iraqis resorted to that old, tried and tested expedient of human intelligence. On 24 March an Iraqi a majorgeneral, in an-Najaf, was able to report the location of the Apaches’ assembly areas and the fact they were on the move to Iraqi air defence personnel using a cellular telephone. As a result the Apaches came under intense ground fire and lost a helicopter. This success was short lived for the area was soon subject to intense attack by American A-10 Thunderbolts and British Harrier GR.7s. The Iraqis had a fleet of about ten Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters, sufficient for operations against the Kurds and possible insurrections, but little else. Their Gazelles and B105 helicopters were in a similar state. Likewise it is doubtful that 100 of its transport helicopters such as the Mi-8 were airworthy. In the face of concerted Coalition attack in early 2003, hiding them away became a priority. Some of the IrAF’s potential dispersal sites were seized within the first 48 hours of the war. British and Australian SAS Special Forces were used to secure the air bases known as H2 and H3 in Iraq’s western desert. Iraqi aircraft dispersed on H-2’s airfield were destroyed on the ground by American AC-130 gunships called in by the Special Forces. From H2 Special Forces were able to hunt Scud missiles and direct aircraft, principally A-10 ‘Tankbusters', against ground targets to the west and south of the airfield. British operations in the south quickly neutralised Az Zubayr airbase near Basra. The American thrust north ensured that Karbala Northeast (a civilian site) and the military facilities at Habbaniyah and Baghdad Muthenna were non-viable. By 1 May the Habbaniyah area was occupied by the US 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, which suffered a fatality after there was an accident involving an Abrams tank. When US Marines overwhelmed the Special Republican Guard and militia forces defending Saddam International Airport, just 12 miles to the west of Baghdad, on 3-4 April 2003 they shot up the civilian aircraft, mostly already lying wrecked on the runway. The facility was both military and civilian and
the Marines made themselves at home in the airport’s HAS, which contained nothing but thin air. The US 58th Aviation Regiment soon had the control tower up and running and the airport was symbolically renamed Baghdad International. To the south of the capital US Marines having destroyed the Baghdad Republican Guard Division seized anNumaniyah airbase. US Marines secured al Amarah airbase and interceptor operations centre on 8 April. Three days later American forces entered Tikrit securing al-Bakr airbase (home to the MiG-23, Su-24, Su-22 and various transport squadrons) and Tikrit East and South. The brief war with the IrAF was all but over. However, resistance continued on some IrAF airbases. In mid April the newly arrived US 4th Infantry Division fought a brief fire-fight near al-Taji Airfield north of Baghdad, capturing amongst other things a SAM warehouse. By 16 April the Americans also had control of Samarra, thereby securing the military airbase at Samarra East. The Coalition found Iraqi air defences cynically placed in civilian sites to deter air attack. For example, in Baghdad an Iraqi artillery unit, with ammunition placed at various points, was deployed in a park in the middle of a residential neighbourhood across the street from a girl’s school. It was apparent that the Iraqis would fire a gun, move it, fire again, and continue the process as a way of avoiding being bombed. In al-Kut over twenty anti-aircraft guns were removed from an amusement park by US Marines. Evidence indicates that the IrAF were either bought off like the Republican Guard or simply threatened into submission. US military planners wanted to secure SIA and take out the main Iraqi fighter bases at alAsad, al-Taqqadum and Rashid, so they cut a deal with some elements of the IrAF. It remains unclear what level of complicity IrAF Commander Lieutenant General Hamid Raja Shalah al-Tikriti had with Washington, but the fact remains the Iraqis did not put up a single aircraft to resist the Coalition. Ultimately though, in the face of Operation ‘Iraqi Freedom’ Saddam’s Air Force had simply fled the skies and avoided battle. MA
58-61-Tiffy-Time-Typhoon-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:46 Page 58
58
HAWKER TYPHOON MK 1B
www.sampublications.com
Time for Tiffy Bob Cantrell builds the 1:24 Airfix Hawker Typhoon Mk 1B, with photography by Mike Middleton
D
esigned by Sidney Camm, the Hawker Typhoon was a single-seat fighter aircraft, intended to be a medium/high altitude interceptor, and a replacement for the Hawker Hurricane. However, several design problems were encountered and it never completely fulfilled its potential. When the Luftwaffe introduced the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the Typhoon was the only aircraft capable of catching it at low altitudes, and as a result it secured a new
role as low altitude interceptor. The Typhoon was powered by a Napier Sabre 11A, 11B o r 11C liquid cooled H24 piston engine, producing a maximum speed of 412mph at 19,000ft, and armament consisted of four 20mm Hispano II cannons and eight RP-3 unguided air-toground rockets. This release from Airfix has been a long time coming, and it was certainly worth the wait, and comes moulded in light grey plastic. The instructions are in a CAD format, which is totally different to what Airfix usually produce, and can be a little confusing, so you
58-61-Tiffy-Time-Typhoon-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:46 Page 59
59
Model Aircraft | October 2015
TIME FOR TIFFY
Hawker Typhoon Mk 1B Manufacturer: Airfix Scale: 1:24 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: A19002
This was one of those models that once you have started - you just wanted to keep going
58-61-Tiffy-Time-Typhoon-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:46 Page 60
60
HAWKER TYPHOON MK 1B
really need to study the drawings carefully until it all becomes clear. Construction began with the cockpit framework. The firewall is cemented between the two side frames, and then the two wing spars click into slots in the frames, and various other parts then fit to the upper and lower halves of the side frames. Various control levers, cables and pipes are then fixed into place. I decided to paint the framework at this point, and a quick Internet search revealed a cutaway cockpit at RAF Hendon and shows the framework painted in aluminium. I know that other photographs of Typhoons show a green chromate colour, either way it doesn’t matter because
www.sampublications.com
when the fuselage halves are joined together...you can't see that much! Next the seat was made up, painted and fitted, and then the pilot's armour plate was added. Airfix provide seat belts moulded in plastic, which are OK but replacement ones would look much better. The side consoles were then painted and fitted, as well as the control column. Next came the instrument panel, and here I painted this matt black and shaded the various bezels with red and yellow. Decals are provided for the dials, and the clear back piece was sprayed with Humbrol gloss varnish and then each dial was placed onto its
corresponding piece and then pushed through the instrument panel giving the impression of glass. Next came the engine, which was built up and then painted matt black, and dry brushed with silver and Gun Metal, and when dry the engine was installed into the framework. The ignition wiring looms were then added as well as the various pipes and cables, and finally the lower radiator was built and fitted. The lower wing section was next, and again you have to decide which underwing stores you want to use and then drill out the
58-61-Tiffy-Time-Typhoon-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:47 Page 61
61
Model Aircraft | October 2015
TIME FOR TIFFY
corresponding holes. Be sure to look at the instructions because there's a lot going on here! The different spars were then fitted into the inside of the lower wings, two for closed undercarriage, and two different for open, and they all click into slots in the lower wing. Then the machine gun bays were tackled, along with the guns and ammunition boxes. The two fuel tanks were then built and installed along with end wing sections, and then the
top wing sections were cemented onto the lower wings and the gun shrouds were fixed into place. The tail sections were then fixed to each fuselage half along with the tailwheel housing, and then the two fuselage halves were offered to the wings and cemented together. A small amount of filler was needed around the wing roots and along the spine - but nothing too much to worry about. The rear stabilizers and rudder were now fitted and I was ready to paint. The wheel wells were painted Aluminium and weathered with various washes, and once dry they were masked off, along with the gun bays and the engine, and then the entire airframe was primed with Tamiya Grey Surface Primer.
Next the panel lines were pre-shaded and ModelMaster Medium Sea Grey was applied to the undersides. Once this was dry I sealed the undersides with Tamiya Clear and masked this off. Next ModelMaster Ocean Grey was applied to the upper surfaces, followed by a freehand applied disruptive camouflage pattern of RAF Green. After a coat of gloss had dried, the ‘Invasion Stripes’ were masked off and painted on. After a slight mishap with some of the decals, I added a panel line wash over the entire aircraft and applied some light weathering to the leading edges of the wings and around access panels. Then the whole aircraft was toned down with a few coats of matt varnish. The undercarriage was next, and as this is quite a hefty model and the legs are little bit under par, in my opinion, some metal ones would be an advantage here. The underwing stores were next, and I opted for the rockets, which really looked the part when painted and decaled. The plugs were made from stretched sprue and some round plastic rod. Finally the propeller was built, painted and installed and my ‘Tiffy’ was complete. I spent around two months building this kit, and I must say that it’s one of those models that once you have started you just wanted to keep going, and with some stunning detail and loads of options this Typhoon comes highly recommended! MA
62-64-MH6-Little-Bird-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:45 Page 62
62
AH-6J ‘LITTLE BIRD’
www.sampublications.com
Little Bird BIG DETAIL
H
aving built the Dragon 1:35 AH-6J ‘Little Bird’ a while ago, I always wanted to try the same kit, but a different variant - MH-6 - the one that has the carrying planks on its sides, as seen in the movie ‘Black Hawk Down’. So when I was offered the opportunity to review a resin upgrade set from Black Ops Models that converts the Dragon AH-6J kit into a MH-6M, naturally I jumped at the chance! Getting the upgrade set was the easy part, however finding the ‘Little Bird’ kit to go with it was the
AH-6J ‘Little Bird’ Manufacturer: Dragon Scale: 1:35 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 3527 MH-6M Conversion Set Manufacturer: Black Ops Models Scale: 1:35 Kit Type: Cast resin
Andy Leffler converts the 1:35 Dragon AH-6J to an AH-6M courtesy of Black Ops Models, with photography by Holly Geeslin
challenge, as it has been out of production for quite some time. That said I was very fortunate to find one at a ‘garage sale’ by one of the local modellers. This kit is going for silly money on eBay so I was fortunate to find it at a fairly reasonable price! Hopefully, Dragon will re-
release both the ‘Little Bird’ and other 1:35 helo kits in the future – or another manufacturer may come in with a new line! The Dragon kit I knew, but the Black Ops Conversion Set was new territory. I was very impressed the moment I
I was surprised to find how many kit parts you could replace with the Black Ops pieces
62-64-MH6-Little-Bird-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:45 Page 63
63
Model Aircraft | October 2015
LITTLE BIRD – BIG DETAIL
opened their box of resin parts, which were perfectly organised in several bags, and the instructions even came with colour pictures! There were few times when I was not too sure about the instructions, so I visited Black Ops' website where I found plenty of pictures that proved to be invaluable!
So starting with the cockpit, I was surprised to find how many kit parts you could replace with the Black Ops pieces, especially the finely detailed dashboard, which made painting a lot easier. Neither the kit nor the conversion set offer any seat belts, so I turned to an etch
set to make the ‘office’ look realistic. Most of the main rotor was upgraded with the Black Ops parts, leaving just the blades as the only kit parts I used. Similar to, but including the blades, the tail rotors were completely replaced by resin parts. I also inserted metal rods to the outer resin parts so they would be more securely attached to the fuselage. As expected there was a fitting issue when the fuselage halves went together,
62-64-MH6-Little-Bird-AM-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:45 Page 64
64
AH-6J ‘LITTLE BIRD’
www.sampublications.com
and that required some additional attention and several layers of putty, especially around the canopy. The most challenging part of the whole build was cutting out the parts of fuselage on both sides to make the cabin entrances bigger. This was a nerve-wrecking experience as you can’t afford to make a mistake here or you will have to find another Little Bird kit! Masking the canopy windows was probably my at least favourite part of the build, but once done it was time for the primer, and for this I used Vallejo Black Primer. Next I did a pre-shade of all of the panel lines using Light Grey on the open spaces. Then I sprayed some heavily thinned coats of Vallejo Dark Grey over the entire model and then added some post-shading using more Light Grey until I was happy with the result. Finally I added a heavily thinned black ‘mist coat’ to bring all of the colours together. The Dragon kit doesn’t offer any decals, but after looking through the many images of the MH-6M on-line, I noticed that what markings these birds did have, were minimal at best. So I proceed to order an excellent aftermarket decal set from Werner’s Wings, and as these marking were for the ‘Night Stalkers’ – they were a good match for my ‘Little Bird’. Now here comes my favourite part - weathering! Believe it or not I used AK Interactive Blue Filter, which is actually designed for Panzer Grey, but it worked just great on the ‘Little Bird’ too. Then I applied a heavily thinned
light grey wash around the rivets to make them stand out more. Finally, I applied some MIG Productions Gulf War Sand pigment, concentrating the bulk of the application on the lower parts of the machine and the carrying planks, which received the heaviest dusting. The model was placed on a base that was simply a wooden picture frame filled with Durham Water Putty. Then I used a stiff brush to create a concrete-like texture. Once dry, the base was painted using Vallejo shades and weathered with AK Interactive and MIG Production products. Finally, I took a US Special Forces figure from Evolution Miniatures and added him to the base. The simple addition of the figure brought the piece into perspective and made me realise how tiny the ‘Little Bird’ really was. Special thanks to Black Ops Models via the Modellers Social Club for the review sample of the MH-6M Conversion Set, which I can thoroughly recommend! However, finding a Dragon ‘Little Bird’ to go with it will probably be the biggest challenge you run into! Unless of course you already have one tucked away in your stash!! MA www.blackopsmodels.com
65-Gaspatch-1015-WP_Layout 1 11/09/2015 16:20 Page 1
10 Types Lewis Guns
Salmson Late 2A2
h c t s a l e P d s o a m G Scale 1/48 Navy Vickers MKIII 0.5
9 Types Vickers Guns
Lewis RNAS Pattern
Scale 1/32 & 1/48
Scale 1/35 Spandau 08/15
www.gaspatchmodels.com
Spandau Early 08
Parabellum 14
Parabellum 14/17
Copyright © 2015 GasPatchModels All rights reserved
7 Types Metal Turnbuckles
Salmson Mid 2A2
Vickers K
Scale 1/48
Scale 1/35
SAM-Subscription-DPS-October-2015_Layout 1 11/09/2015 17:05 Page 1
to our market leading magazines...
www.sampublications.com Order hotline +44 (0)1234 211245 Secure online ordering at
...our publications are also available digitally
SAM Publications Ltd International Books & Magazines
AMMO BY MIG JIMENEZ We are now stocking a range of Weathering Sets, Filter Sets, Washes and more from AMMO of Mig Jimenez Visit our website to view the full range of products.
SAM-Subscription-DPS-October-2015_Layout 1 11/09/2015 17:05 Page 2
Magazine Subscriptions
Please start my subscription from the next issue for the following titles: Scale Military Modeller UK
Scale Aviation Modeller Europe
Model Aircraft
World
12 issues
£40.00
£50.00
£60.00
24 issues
£75.00
£95.00
£115.00
RRP based on UK prices.
Binders Available to all readers, strong, robust ‘Cordex’ binders to hold 12 issues of Scale Aviation Modeller (in green) or Model Aircraft (black) or Scale Military Modeller (Blue).
n n n
£10.99
Scale Aviation Modeller Model Aircraft
EACH inc p&p
Scale Military Modeller
Order Form DELIVERY and PAYMENT Mr/Mrs/Ms Initials
Surname
Address
Postcode/Zip
Country
Subscription Reference
Daytime Telephone Number
A
I enclose a £ Sterling cheque made payable to ‘SAM Publications Limited’
B Please charge my
Visa
Valid From
Mastercard
American Express
Expiry Date
Maestro (Switch/Solo)
Maestro (Switch)/Solo Iss No
Card Number Security Code
Signed
Last 3 digits (4 for Amex) of the Security Number on reverse of card
Today’s Date
Payable by • Cheque • Credit/Debit Card • via PayPal to
[email protected]
Please note we now accept US Dollar and Euro cheques made payable to SAM Publications Ltd. When paying by credit/debit card, please ensure you include your Security Number as payment cannot be taken without it. Please quote your Sub Ref No if known. Please allow 28 days for delivery.
Send to: SAM Publications Limited, Media House, 21 Kingsway, Bedford, MK42 9BJ, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1234 211245 • Fax: +44 (0) 1234 325927 email:
[email protected]
SAM Publications Ltd International Books & Magazines
68-70-MIG-Master-Growler-MA-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:44 Page 68
68
MIG MASTERCLASS EA-18G ‘GROWLER’
www.migjimenez.com
Shadowhawks Growler MIGMasterclass Mario Serelle details the 1:72 Hasegawa EA-18G
W
ith the introduction of the F/A18E/F ‘Super Hornet’ as the main US Navy’s multi-role platform, it was just a matter of time before they adapted this new airframe to the Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) mission, to replace the aging fleet of Grumman EA-6B Prowler. The second operational unit to receive the new EA-
18G was VAQ-141 ‘Shadowhawks’, who after twenty-two years of operations with the EA-6B, retired their last Prowler in April 2009. In July 2011 the ‘Shadowhawks’ deployed to the Middle East aboard the USS George W Bush, and conducted the first ever-combat operations with the ‘Growler’, supporting both Operation ‘New Dawn’ and Operation
‘Enduring Freedom’. This build represents the unit’s colourful CAG bird, ‘Shadowhawk 500’. The 1:72 Hasegawa EA-18G Growler is everything you would can expect from this manufacturer, nicely engraved panel lines and details, a great overall shape and a cockpit with decals to replicate consoles and panel instruments. Basically it’s the well known and respected F/A-18E/F Super Hornet kit, but with all extra bits and
68-70-MIG-Master-Growler-MA-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:45 Page 69
www.migjimenez.com
EA-18G ‘GROWLER’ MIG MASTERCLASS
69
SHADOWHAWKS GROWLER
Model Aircraft Choice
We Recommend A.MIG-032 Satin Black
Basically it’s the already well known F/A-18E/F Super Hornet kit with all extra bits and bobs for the EA-18G
EA-18G ‘Growler’ Manufacturer: Hasegawa Scale: 1:72 Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Kit Number: 01983 Eduard SS415 - EA-18G Growler Interior True Details 72409 - SJU-17/A Ejection Seats
bobs for the EA-18G. An Eduard coloured etch set and resin ejection seats were also added to transform the basic interior into an outstanding cockpit. A.MIG-1617 Black Blue Wash and some Light Grey dry-brushing gave depth to the etched details, and some careful painting highlighted SJU-17 NACES ejection seats. The kit went together beautifully, with only the only issue being an unwanted seam right in the middle of the upper part of the engine air intakes that required some CA glue and careful sanding. I left vertical and horizontal tail planes off for ease of painting, and be sure to pay attention to the instructions and remember to close off the gun muzzle and open all holes for wing pylons and extra ECM antennas before closing the fuselage and wings halves, as a number features are specific features to the EA-18G version. You also need to prepare four missiles, seven pylons; a pair of drop tanks, five ECM pods and all the landing gear parts for painting, which is a little time consuming! Now I was ready to start painting my ‘Growler’. As this is a carrier based aircraft, and like it or not, will need some suitable weathering, and that is the biggest challenge when modelling a naval aircraft. Painting started with a panel line pre-shading followed, by thin streaks all over the wings and fuselage, using A.MIG-211 Medium Grey and A.MIG-209 Light Grey layers, separated by salt masks, to create a disruptive base for the
A.MIG-7201 US Navy Colours Set A.MIG-1602 Deep Grey
A.MIG-050 White
A.MIG-7420 Engines and Exhausts Set
A.MIG-1203 Streaking Grime
A.MIG-1617 Blue Black Wash
68-70-MIG-Master-Growler-MA-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:45 Page 70
70
MIG MASTERCLASS EA-18G ‘GROWLER’
camouflage colours. The Black spine detail was painted first using A.MIG-032 Satin Black and masked off once dry. I then turned to the A.MIG-7201 US Navy Colours Set to apply the usual ‘tactical greys’. Working with much thinned paint; several thin coats were applied to preserve the pre-shading effects. Next a little White and some A.MIG-1602 Deep Grey was applied to selected panels and access doors to enhance the contrast on some areas. Then more thinned coats of the camouflage colours were airbrushed on to blend-in these added effects. I then painted all of the external stores and finally the wheel wells and landing gear parts were shaded with A.MIG-050 White. The exhausts were painted using the A.MIG-7420 Engines and Exhausts Set and a final coat of Gloss sealed everything in. The kit supplied decals were designed and printed by Cartograf, and were very easy to apply and in no time I was ready for some final weathering. To highlight recessed details and give a little more effect to the airframe, A.MIG-1203 Streaking Grime over the entire model and any excess was was removed with a paper towel, following the airflow to create some small streaking effects. Next more A.MIG-1617 Blue Black Wash was used on the landing gear parts and wheel wells, and this same wash was applied to all small grilles
on the airframe, especially around the engine area. Raw Umber artist’s oil paint was used to depict hydraulic oil leaking from the rear fuselage and close to the wing fold mechanism. This effect is more subtle on the Super Hornets, than on the Legacy Hornets, which are regularly seen full of leaking fluids, especially over the wings. Fitting the landing gear and external stores was a precise exercise, as was the canopy opening mechanism, but as always patience pays dividends. This was a lovely build, in a truly eye-catching painting scheme, which I hope you enjoy! MA
www.migjimenez.com
71-Bookworld-SAMI-1015-WP_Layout 1 11/09/2015 16:20 Page 1
BOOKWORLD wholesale
Airframe Album 7
The Arado Ar 196.The seventh title in the Airframe Album series is the first seaplane subject and will be an essential companion for anyone tackling the Revell (1/32), Italeri (1/48) and the many offerings in 1/72 scale. Contents will include,a wealth of historical photographs,Walkaround images of preserved examples,Isometric views,Colour profiles and camouflage detail by Richard J. Caruana
£15.95
Airframe Workbench Guide No.1.
The first in this new series covers building and finishing 1/72 scale model aircraft. The author Libor Jekl, is a modeller right at the top of his game with the ability to share his techniques and demystify the more complex processes of advanced model construction. Step-by-step images take the modeller through each process and explain in simple stages how to tackle modelling tasks that can baffle the most experienced of us.120 pages.
Warpaint 101. De Havilland D.H82 Tiger Moth Author Adrian Balch takes you through the typeís history, with notes on each air armís operations, and over 90 rare, top quality colour photos illustrate some of the many colourful schemes.Also there are detailed close-ups of the salient features and various modifications made to the type. Renowned artist Richard Caruana enhances the book with more of his superb authentic colourful profiles, making this a ëmust haveí book for the modeller.
£14.50
Aircraft Pictorial 8. F4UCorsair Volume 2 by Dana Bell.72 pages,Black/White & Colour photos, colour profiles.
£16.99
Air Force Legends 218 Lockheed F-94 Starfire Contents follow the publisher's proven prescription. After design and development notes, coverage recaps every operational, experimental and developmental variant. Hobbyists and detail enthusiasts: take note! Text traverses permutations of F-94 power plants, armament, cockpit, landing gear and fire-control systems. And dozens of photos, tech-manual excerpts and drawings deftly delineate specifics ñ inside and out.
£33.99
Finnish Fighter Colours Volume 2
This second illustrated book completes an in-depth history of the colours and markings of Finnish Fighter aircraft deployed during World War II. Camouflage and markings of the fighters which were obtained from France, the USA, Germany, the UK and the USSR are described in unparalleled detail by the well-known Finnish aviation expert Kari Stenman.Hardback
£35.00
£13.95
Bookworld Wholesale Ltd. Unit 10 Hodfar Road, Sandy Lane Ind Est, Stourport, Worcs DY13 9QB Tel: 01299 823330 Fax: 01299 829970 web: www. bookworldws. co. uk email:info@bookworldws. co. uk
The Macchi Mc.202 Folgore. A Technical Guide A wealth of historical photographs ‘Walkaround detail period pictures’ A mass of period diagrams from original flight manuals ‘Detailed study of structure, equipment and armament’ Colour profiles and camouflage and marking detail by Richard J Caruana ‘Lists of all kits, accessories and decals produced in all scales’ 92 pages in A4 format.
£12.95
Flying Wings. A Visual History of the Northrop XB35 & YB-49 Flying Wings By David Doyle One hundred twenty eight pages, soft cover, over 260 black & white and color images. This highly unique title provides complete coverage of the aircraft that would become the B-2 bomberóall told completely in rare period photos, many published here for the very first time.
£23.99
Famous Russian Aircraft Sukhoi Su-24 Illustrated with over 750 photographs many hitherto unpublished as well as line drawings, colour side views, insignia, unit badges and nose art this latest addition to the Famous Russian Aircraft series will be of interest to aviation enthusiasts and scale modellers alike.
£39.95
Aircraft Scale Modelling. F.A.Q. This book is a compilation of aircraft scale modelling techniques, step by step guides with hundreds of colour pictures for WWI, WWII, coldwar and modern aircraft, showing a wide range of painting and weathering techniques.380 pages, more than 2.500 images.
£47.99
The RAF's rugged twin-rotor Chinook support helicopter has been involved in most of the UK's military operations stretching back to the Falklands Conflict, Northern Ireland and in both Gulf Wars, to peacekeeping in Bosnia, operations in Kosovo, the evacuation of Sierra Leone, and most recently its high profile missions in Afghanistan.Hardback, 270 x 210mm, 160 pages, 250 colour & 25 mono illustrations.
£22.99
Airplanes in Scale
The Greatest Guide.Compilation of the most popular planes from WWII with the latest available kits and accessories. A complete guide employing the most common techniques and the latest assembly and painting tricks. Step by step explanations easy to follow.200 pages,full colour.
£31.99
Encyclopedia of Aircraft Modelling Techniques 1: Cockpits. The definitive encyclopedia of model aircraft performed by the world famous modeler Diego Quijano and a selection of the best worldwide aircraft modelers, led by Mig Jimenez.Paperback,123 pages,full colour.
Messerschmitt Bf 109 Early Versions
The monograph devoted to the early versions of the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the most famous WW2 German fighter, discusses its origins and development with coverage of changes made in its first prototypes, A-D variants and their subvariants.Hardback,108 archival photographs, 103 renders, 18 painting schemes, 32 pages sheet of scale drawings.
£25.99
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver served the U.S. Navy as a carrier-based dive bomber during the last two years of World War II. Helldivers helped sink the battleship Musashi in October 1944 and, in April 1945, sent the battleship Yamato to the bottom of the ocean the two heaviest and most powerfully armed battleships ever built. 194 photos, many in color, 80 pages
£14.99
£21.99
This book contains fabulous colour profiles (created by Dave Windle) of all three types in different operational modes, configurations and colour schemes. Martin Bowman has written detailed descriptions and photographs to create the perfect enthusiasts reference. This enhanced and revised edition (the book was initially published in 2009) comes complete with model-making content as well as a host of brand new design features, making for a lively new addition to our esteemed Flight Craft series.
£14.99
The Modeller’s Guide
£18.95
YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www. bookworldws. co. uk Stockists of the following subjects: Aviation, Military, Naval, Modelling, Railway, Motoring Major credit cards accepted, UK cheques payable to Bookworld Wholesale Ltd
£25.00
Dornier Do17/Do215 The monograph on the WW2 German bombers Dornier Do 17 and Dornier Do 215 discusses their design, development and operational history.2 double A3 sheet with drawings, 24 pages A4 sheet of scale drawings, 194 archival photographs, 13 painting schemes.
£17.99
Wingspan Volume One. 1:32 Aircraft Modelling. Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
An illustrated technical history of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter supersonic interceptor and fighter-bomber. Features 40 superb colour profiles of camouflage and markings, walk-around colour photographs and rare b&w archive photographs.
Big planes deserve a big format This exciting new series is dedicated entirely to the increasingly popular 1:32 aircraft scale. The landscape format and large photos afford the opportunity to explore the models closely, and to truly appreciate the level of detail achievable in this scale.
£19.99
£19.99
MDF Scaled Down No.3 The Fairey Firefly. Superdetailing, Painting and Weathering Aircraft of WWII, with airfield accessories, ordnance and diorama.The book is intended for both beginners and advanced modellers as it covers a wide variety of modelling tasks.178 pages,full colour
With a design lineage that stretches back to the legendary Avro Lancaster, the Avro Shackleton has a distinguished parentage. It first entered service with the RAF in 1951 serving for 40 years in many roles, with the last flying examples being withdrawn from service in 1991. Centrepiece of this manual is the Shackleton Preservation Trust's Shackleton MR2, WR963, under restoration in Coventry.
V-Bombers,Valiant,Vulcan and Victor
SB2C Helldiver in Action. RAF Chinook Owners Workshop Manual
Avro Shackleton 1949 to 1991 Owners Workshop Manual
Author Paul Bradley looks at the history and development of this important aircraft, and details the types development, its war and peacetime roles and the armed forces the Firefly served with. This book covers the variants, squadrons and operators with clear and concise text, Colour and black and white images, Colour side views, walk-arounds, a kitography and how to model the Firefly in popular scales.
£9.99
The Weathering Magazine Special World War.1 This the first Special Issue of the Weathering Magazine, the only modeling publication completely devoted to painting and weathering techniques.75 pages,200 pictures,30 colour profiles.
£13.99
The Weathering Magazine 11: 1945. The only modeling magazine in the world devoted entirely to painting and the effects of weathering. Featuring for the first time a very special and attractive subject for a lot of modelers - the year is 1945. For many, this year marks the climax of an evolution in camouflage and new designs in the German military.
£8.99
UK POSTAGE SINGLE BOOKS £2. 50 TWO OR MORE BOOKS £4. 50 OVERSEAS AIRMAIL PLEASE ADD 15% OF ORDER VALUE MINIMUM £4. 50
896-97-ShopWebGuide-0915_Layout 1 14/08/2015 12:27 Page 96
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 Rebecca Harris on +44 (0)1234 224995
[email protected]
HPM HOBBIES Producers of high quality screen printed civil aircraft decals.
www.hpmhobbies.com
CF-BXO
Secure online ordering Realtime stock levels Worldwide shipping
BXO
Stockists of kits, paints, tools, decals, accessories and modelling materials. ALASKA QUEEN
KENTING AIR
PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY CORP. LTD.
AIRLINES LTD.
KENTING AVIATION LIMITED
FALCON - JAYS - OZMODS - REDROO PJ PRODUCTIONS - FCM DECALS
GNDN
OTTAWA, CANADA
Distributors of Hobbyboss, Vallejo, MiG, AK Interactive, Miniart, Model Master and many more…
$ www.halifaxmodellersworld.co.uk Shop Hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs 10.30-17.30, Fri 10.30-17.00, Sat 9.30-17.00, Sun 10.30-16.30, Closed Wednesday
01354 760022
HALIFAX MODELLERS WORLD 3 29 Union Street, Halifax. HX1 1PR p 01422 349157 YORKSHIRE
Units 6-10 Honeysome Ind Est, Honeysome Road, Cambridgeshire, PE16 6TG www.creativemodels.co.uk
UP TO 20% OFF ALL KITS ONLINE AND MAIL ORDER Incorporating 1,000’s of deleted and new kits. 303 The Broadway, Bexleyheath, Kent DA6 8DT Tel/Fax: (020) 8298 7177 MON/TUES/THURS/FRI/SAT 9.30-5.30 CLOSED WEDNESDAY
PLASTIC & METAL KIT RETAILERS HOBBY & PASTIME MATERIALS
www.kitkrazy.com
Email:
[email protected] NEW MAIL ORDER LISTS – SEND 70p SAE
At least 5-10% discount off manufacturer’s prices Fast and friendly service Easy to navigate webshop Large range of over 3500 models, figures, tools and accessories from Revell, Airfix, Italeri, Tamiya and many more, ready for immediate despatch Based in the Midlands since 2001 with worldwide shipping available
Web: www.models2u.co.uk Email:
[email protected] Phone: 01543 433999
121 HIGH STREET, UCKFIELD, TN22 1RN
SCALE MODELS
48
YEARS
Sheffield’s Specialist Model Shop ( 0114 2449170
www.marcway.net
KITS • PAINTS • GLUES • AIRBRUSHES • TOOLS • STYRENE ETC Friendly service & advice - Mail Order Open Tuesday – Friday 10 – 5.30. Saturday 9.30 – 5.00. Closed Sunday and Monday.
www.thehobbybox.co.uk Vast selection of plastic kits - Aircraft - Tanks - Military - Ships - Cars - Bikes - Space - Trucks etc
HUNDREDS OF RARE & OBSOLETE KITS Dioramas - Scenic Materials - Plastic, Metal & Wood sheet and sections - Modelling Tools, Paints, Brushes, Airbrushes & Compressors Also Model Railways, Die Cast Models and Scalextric WORLDWIDE MAIL ORDER
598-600 Attercliffe Rd, Sheffield S9 3QS 0114 2449170
Open 10am - 5pm, 6 days • Situated 2 miles from M1 (junc 34) • 200 yds from Attercliffe Tram Stop
01825 765296
City Cycle Centre We have a large selection of Plastic Kits from Airfix, Revell, Tamiya, Italeri, AFV Club, Academy and more. Also Paint and Sprays from Humbrol, Tamiya, Revell, Vallejo and Games Workshop
CITY CYCLE CENTRE 3 7 Market Street, Ely, Cambs, CB7 4PB Q
[email protected] $www.citycyclecentre.com CAMBRIDGESHIRE
p
01353 663131
52 Holdings Road, Sheffield S2 2RE South Yorkshire England
Tel: [0114] 2761587
www.blackbirdmodels.co.uk
STANG MU
ALBION ALLOYS Precision metals for industry www.albionalloys.co.uk
MOTOR BOOKS The world's oldest motoring bookseller • AVIATION • BUSES • TRAMS • COLLECTABLES • MARITIME • MILITARY • MISCELLANEOUS • MOTORCYCLES • MOTORING • MOTORSPORT • RAILWAY • WORKSHOP MANUALS •
www.motorbooks.co.uk
HO
B BIES
Mustang-Hobbies.com Models, Decals, Books, and Much More !
896-97-ShopWebGuide-0915_Layout 1 14/08/2015 12:27 Page 97
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 Rebecca Harris on +44 (0)1234 224995
[email protected]
MATADOR MODELS and
Resin kits, conversions and upgrades
www.alleycatmodels.co.uk
Your one stop toy soldier, games & hobby shop Open 7 Days a Week
Hobby Bunker, Inc. 33 Exchange Street Malden, Massachusetts 781-321-8855 781-321-8866 (fax)
[email protected] www.hobbybunker.com
Airfield Accessories ranges
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.
B W MODELS RANGE OF MILITARY TRANSFERS www.matadormodels.co.uk
OXONIANS
GINTER BOOKS NAVY / AIR FORCE
PLASTIC
TEL: (805) 584-9732 FAX: (805) 584-6604 WEB: www.ginterbooks.com 1754 Warfield Circle, Simi Valley, CA 93063, USA NF-301 Black Knights Rule .........................................................$49.95 NF98 Douglas AD/A-1 Skyraider Part One ...........................$52.95 NFAF216 United States Air Force in Vietnam.......................$39.95 NFAF217 Curtiss XP-55 Ascender ............................................$24.95 NF97 Martin PBM Mariner...........................................................$52.95 NF96 Consolidated P2Y Ranger ................................................$32.95 NF95 Douglas R4D-8/C-117D Super Gooney.......................$32.95 NF99 Douglas AD/A-1 Syraider Part 2 US Navy Squadron ...$55.95
FANTASTIC
Specializing in white metal landing gear 3795 Shady Hill Drive, Dallas, Texas 75229, USA +1 (214) 477-7163
www.scaleaircraftconversions.com
We now have the complete Pavla Resin and SAC undercarriage ranges in stock and on our website. You can also view and buy from our huge stock of Eduard kits, etch and Brassin, Aires, SAC, Pavla, Brengun, Valom, Quickboost, Rob Taurus, Amodel and many other hard to find manufacturers.
www.oxoniansplasticfantastic.co.uk
[email protected] - DON’T FORGET ALL UK ORDERS ARE POST FREE -
www.mjwmodels.co.uk Discounted Prices and Many Special Offers Orders despatched within 1 working day
MJW Models ONLINE MODEL SHOP
Stockists & Suppliers of Model Aircraft Kits, Accessories and Paint Sets by :Eduard, LifeColor, MPM, Special Hobby, Sword, Vallejo, and many more
Email us at:
[email protected] Like us on Facebook
SPECIALIZING IN PLASTIC MODEL KITS Some of the brands we carry, AFV Club, Tamiya, Airfix, Bronco, Hasegawa, Sword, AZ Models, Special Hobby, Revell, MPM, Dragon, Miniart, Master Box, S-Model, Modelcollect, Meng, Takom, Aires, Eduard, Ace, MACO, Pontos, Wolfpack and a whole lot more! Free shipping on all domestic orders over $100.00
SCAN HERE!
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. Shipping goods online since 2000!
www.megahobby.com YOUR FAVORITE ONLINE HOBBY SHOP
Visit our retail store located at. Level 3, Unit 2, 258 Little Bourke St Melbourne 3000 Tel: 03 96545956
www.showcasemodelsaustralia.com.au
If you are looking at this... then it’s working! Promote your company here and be seen in all 3 of our quality titles – Scale Aviation Modeller International, Model Aircraft and Scale Military Modeller International – with a combined circulation of 126,000!
To be seen in our next issue, call Rebecca Harris on 01234 211245
74-Finally-MA-1015_MAM-08 11/09/2015 16:44 Page 74
And Finally...
74
The Hunters – Now the Hunted
Volume 14 – Issue 10 Produced by Media House 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
Limited
Media House, 21 Kingsway, Bedford MK42 9BJ Email:
[email protected] ASSISTANT EDITOR David Francis ASSOCIATE EDITOR Andy Renshaw EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Todd Michalak 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 PAGE LAYOUT Andy Folds SAM PUBLICATIONS EMAIL
www.sampublications.com
Jonathan Phillips
[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.
T
he US Air Force has over the years converted some of its retired aircraft into target drones, flying unmanned in order to perform tasks that would have been beyond the tolerances of a pilot and perhaps to eventually meet their fate at the hands of a missile! The latest type to see such an end is the F-16, and Boeing has retrofitted a number of these mothballed jets for further pilotless work. May they rest in peace, or pieces!
The once proud F-4E Phantom, now looking a little worse for wear! A former RF-4C converted for drone work
CONTRIBUTORS James Ashton; Bob Cantrell; James Dickerson; Angel Esposito; Yoav Efrati;
Anthony Tucker-Jones; Andy Leffler; David Lengyl; Malcolm V Lowe; Chris McDowell; Adam J Phillips
Rebecca Harris Email:
[email protected] Tel: +44 (0)1234 211245
ADVERTISING SALES
PRE-PRESS PRODUCTION Media House PRINT PRODUCTION Headley Brothers, DISTRIBUTION COMAG
UK
Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex, UB7 7QE Telephone: 01895 433600 NORTH AMERICAN DISTRIBUTION BY DISTICOR
695 Westney Rd South, Suite 14, Ajax, Ontario, Canada L1S 6M9 Tel: + 1 (905) 619 6565 Contributions and photographic material are welcome, but must be accompanied by adequate postage to cover return. Media House accept no responsibility for loss or damage to materials supplied.
© Media House 2015 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. Media House reserves the right to suspend or refuse any advertisement without giving reasons. Whilst every care is taken to avoid mistakes Media House cannot be liable in any way for any errors or omissions. Nor can the publisher accept responsibility for the bona fides of advertisers.
An eerie sight as this QF-16 flies across the water!
ISSN: 2046-5386 Media House 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 SAM Publications Limited and sent to the address above. Credit card payment accepted by phone. Subscription Hotline +44 (0)1234 211245
Next Month in Model Aircraft For the November Issue of the ‘new look’ Model Aircraft – we have something of a ‘Cold War Special’ Model Aircraft Extra –‘Mirage 2000N Nuclear Strike – Delta Force’ Background, scale plans and a full Lucky Model sponsored build of the Kinetic Mirage 2000N from James Ashton
MIG Masterclass – Painting and weathering the A-7 Corsair with AMMO of MIG. Boom-Boom! - Adam Chalinger builds the 1:48 Airfix Sea Vixen FAW.2
Supersonic Spy – Andy Renshaw looks at the incomparable Lockheed SR.71, with historic details and a full 1:48 ‘Habu’ model build
East German Border Guard - David Lengyel shares his winning build from the Model Aircraft Facebook Challenge with this 1:72 Eduard MiG-15 ProfiPack
Cold War Sentinel - Neil Atterbury of Four Elements Photography provides some stunning views of the Lightning Preservation Group’s aircraft at Bruntingthorpe, with photographic tips included!
Charcoal Lizard Hog The incomparable A-10 in 1:48
American Subscriptions Wise Owl is no longer selling subscriptions on behalf of Media House. Current Wise Owl customers can renew their subscriptions at the current rates directly with Media House: 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 14, Issue 10, October 2015, (ISSN: 2044-737X) published monthly by Media House, 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
Combat-Zone - Frontline Rhiendalen Anthony Tucker-Jones takes a close look at NATO’s air defences at the height of the Cold War Combat Edge – Fighting Colours – ‘Flash Metal’. We look at the camouflage and markings of the English Electric Lightning F.6 in is natural metal finish, with colour profiles, in action images and a full Mr Hobby painted build of the 1:48 Airfix kit from James Dickerson Make sure you reserve your copy now!
MiG-21 Soviet Supremo - Peter Marshall builds a colourful beast using the Eduard kit
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 Media House address. Neither the Group Editor nor any of the contributors are at Media House 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 Media House 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 Media House 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. Model Aircraft is published monthly by Media House
Next issue on sale 22nd October 2015.
Copyright Warning Due to the growing misuse and breach of copyright apparent on the web, Media House 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 Media House. 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 Media House. Infringement is a breach of international law, so if you see items posted on the web from this magazine other than on the official Media House website (sampublications.com) please advise the publisher immediately. © Media House 2015 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.
75-Zvezda-1015-WP_Layout 1 11/09/2015 16:19 Page 1
76-Acrylicos-1015-WP_Layout 1 11/09/2015 16:19 Page 1
