Scale Aviation Modeller International Vol.20 Iss. 09

THE No.1 MARKET LEADER MODEL MAGAZINE

D S

Cu RAW CAL r ti I E ss NG P- S! 40

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THE BIG BUILD

JACK IN A BOX

Zoukei-Mura’s J2M3 Raiden

Fall of Eagles GUNS OF SEPTEMBER – OPENING SHOTS

FEATURING

SAMPUBLICATIONS.COM Vol 20 Iss 09 September 2014 £4.25 Printed in UK

MINICRAFT’S Martin Mariner

HOW TO GUIDE

WWI Aircraft Modelling

CLARK’S FIELD Trumpeter’s Talon

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News Autumn 2014 48017

48016

1/48

“P ow

1/48

1/48

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pa

ck ”

48019

Jet Provost T.4 32003

1/32

32008

1/32

32010

1/32

Arado 234 B-2

Arado 2 B/B2N

72005

1/72 Whitley Mk III

32007

1/32 Focke Achgelis Fa 330

Westland Wessex HC.2 RAF Troop Carrier Helicopter foto: Peter Foster

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Scale Aviation Modeller International September 2014 | Volume 20 | Issue 9

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oland on the cover again? What is the man thinking of – it’s as if the Spitfire was never invented, or the Luftwaffe never flew! When do we return to the mainstream? Somebody should do something… I have to say I am a little surprised at the low-key approach generally taken to the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of WWII. Seventy-five seems to me to be a much more significant milestone than seventy, but with D-Day’s 70th and WWI’s centenary still very much in the heart and mind the small matter of Hitler’s invasion of Poland seems to have fallen through the cracks. I am guessing the Battle of Britain’s 75th next year will fare a little better. Some might suggest that beyond the nominal honouring of Chamberlain’s guarantee to Poland we have little really to celebrate here about September 1939. Perhaps someone will mark the event by dropping some leaflets somewhere…

So we offer the PZL P.11c to mark the occasion – just as we did five years ago to mark the 70th – remember? No doubt we will trot it out for the 80th as well if we are spared. Now – what can we celebrate next month? Elsewhere I am very pleased with September’s content. Dave Hooper’s Great War modelling piece in particular stands out as an excellent mixture of ‘how to’ and ‘what with’. I am frequently obliged to draw attention to the amount of ‘how to’ material this magazine offers in every feature we print, but it does seem that unless it is branded ‘HOW TO’ in huge block capitals then some readers have a job finding it. My own preference is for ‘what with’ articles, as these have a profound bearing on the ‘how to’ side of things. Dave’s piece has been put together in collusion with the Great War SIG, so is both authoritative and informative – and I particularly urge those for whom biplanes are anathema to take a look through it, as the ‘how to’ content can be

readily applied to a wide range of other subjects and historical genres. We also include a little bit of ‘why?’ in between the lines as usual. These three elements – ‘how to’, ‘what with’ and ‘why?’- pretty much cover modelling as I understand it, and constitute the bedrock on which this magazine’s monthly content is based. The ‘why’ element is the reason we run historical and reference features in both SAMI and our sister magazine Model Aircraft, and for me they constitute as important a part of the make up of these titles as their counterparts. In this issue’s ‘why?’ we are pleased to revisit the Me 262 in its Czech guise, courtesy of MMP, and elsewhere we take a look at the new HobbyBoss two-seater, a kit that I have personally been anticipating for a year or more, and for which the Lord (and UK importer Creative Models) be thanked. And who knows - I may even have some workbench space freed up to get started on it…

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Scale Aviation Modeller International

J2M3 Raiden Page 806

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Contents

Contents SAMI Forward

SAMI Spotlight 856 FIRST LOOK at the Blohm & Voss BV 141 and EC121 Warning Star

806

822 Not-so-Ancient Mariner

THE BIG BUILD

Minicraft’s Martin PBM- 5A By Richard Hourigan

Jack in a Box

836

EVERY MODEL TELLS A

STORY

Airfix Bf 109E By Alec Smith

Zoukei-Mura’s J2M3 Raiden By Andy McCabe NEWS News and forthcoming products from around the world, including our At a Glance look at this month's new arrivals

SAMI Features

818

First Air Shots in

WW2 Building, correcting and detailing Azur’s 1/72 PZL P.11c By Wojciech Butrycz

866 REVIEWS The review team look at more new and recent releases 872 ACCESSORIES New aftermarket releases this month from around the world

812

816 CZECH OUT News from the Czech Republic

860 PREVIEWS An initial glance at this month’s kits received for preview

878 DECALS This month’s new releases 826

IPMS Great War SIG

Guide to WWI Aircraft Modelling Part 1 Starting with Cockpits By Dave Hooper

832

Turbina

The Avia S-92 and CS-92 By Roger Wallsgrove

838

Clark’s Field

Freedom Fighter Trumpeter 1/48 Northrop T-38A Talon By Dick Clark

842 CLASSIC PLASTIC Our Monthly look in the Attic By Paul Bradley

SAMI Columns Lancaster B.III, the latest Benchmarks, IPMS-USA Show Report, and all the rest of our regulars in the SAMI Magazine

884 SHOW REPORT 50th anniversary of the IPMS USA National Convention

Guide to WWI Aircraft Modelling Page 826 886

846

MODELLERS PORTFOLIO

888 892 894 898

PAINT IT WITH TESTORS BENCHMARKS BOOK REVIEWS 580 MODELLERS AND FINALLY

Early P-40s Artwork and scale drawings by Chris Sandham-Bailey

Cover Illustration by John Fox www.design-phoenix.com www.sampublications.com September 2014

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SAMI Forward

The Big Build

Jack in a Box

Zoukei-Mura’s J2M3 Raiden

T

he J2M3 Raiden, Allied code name Jack, was designed by Jiro Horikoshi in 1939 as a defence interceptor for the Imperial Japanese Navy; Horikoshi’s other famous aircraft was the A6M Zero. The Raiden was designed specifically to counter the threat of high altitude bombers and was capable of high speed climb and was armed with four machine guns, however the shape of the aircraft proved to limit the aircraft’s manoeuvrability. The Raiden was powered by a single Kasei Type 23 kou 14 Cylinder Radial Engine producing 1,850hp and had a maximum speed of 407mph and range of 348 miles. It was armed with four Type 99-2 cannon in the wings. The inboard cannon had a fire rate of 190rpg whilst the outboard had a fire rate of 210rpg. The Raiden could also carry two 60kg bombs or 2 x 200L drop

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Scale Aviation Modeller International

By Andy McCabe

TECH DATA SCALE: 1/32 KIT NO: 32005 TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic

MANUFACTURER: Zoukei-Mura

tanks. 307 J2M3s were built by Mitsubishi and 128 were built by Koza KK in Japan. The aircraft saw extensive use during the Second World war by the Imperial Japanese Navy and were used amongst other roles as interceptors for the US Boeing B-29 Bombers. The Zoukei-Mura kit of the J2M3 Raiden comes in a very impressive box, which contains nine sprues of grey and two of clear injection moulded plastic, one decal

sheet, one masking seal sheet and one very impressive instruction booklet. The parts are superbly moulded with exquisite detail and clarity to them, are all individually bagged and sealed and have finely engraved panel lines and surface detail. The decal sheet is superbly printed with crystal clarity and registration. The instruction booklet is a work of art on its own, set out to look like the pilot’s operating manual on the cover and full colour throughout, including a comprehensive seethrough drawing with the design concept and descriptions of all of the major components of the aircraft. It then takes you through the various stages of the build and at each there are colour photos of the assembled sections, while across the bottom of each page the colours of the paints to be used - all of which are Vallejo - are shown as little bottles with the corresponding paint number.

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Zoukei-Mura’s J2M3 Raiden

Engine components demonstrate typical high-quality moulding

Engine components were detail-painted on the sprues

The finished engine is a lovely piece of work Detail is precise throughout, and follows prototypical construction as closely as possible

I all there are forty-three pages to the booklet and each one is superbly laid out. Pages 38, 39, 40 and 41 are the colour schemes, again with full colour views of either the finished model or graphic representations. The final two pages are the sprue layouts.

Construction The build begins by assembling the engine, in fact there are forty-three parts in the first section alone. It is worth mentioning at this point that it is very wise to study the instructions for a while before commencing building this model. Each cylinder head has its own piston and each piston has a concave head exactly as per the real thing. I painted these first and then gave them a black wash. None of this can be seen once the engine is assembled but it had to be done! Once the cylinder heads were assembled they were sprayed silver, along with the pushrods, whilst they were still on the sprues, and then the cylinder blocks were painted gloss black. The pushrods were then glued into position. The engine was gradually built up, prepainting parts as I went along before gluing them to the main body until many hours later the sub-assembly was finished.

The level of detail is superb and the fit of the parts precise and exact. To explain every part and its assembly sequence would require a book in its own right - but the instructions are excellent and guide you through precisely, and at each stage the parts are named with their actual description. Later stages of the engine assembly give you the choice of having the cowl flaps either open or closed - they had to be open, of course. The second stage is the cockpit, with fifty-five parts involved here. Again, photographs of the finished assembly are provided in colour. The cockpit floor was glued to the bulkhead, then seat adjustment shaft, lever and seat support were glued to the bulkhead. This assembly was then sprayed with Vallejo 70890 Reflective Green, and whilst I had the airbrush loaded any interior part that was this colour was also sprayed. There is a choice of pilot’s seat to fit, either with or without seatbelts – with, of course. The individual parts to this assembly were all pre-painted before fitting to the cockpit floor. The detail is superb and I make no apology for repeating myself to this effect. It is worth taking the time to detail paint these parts and a very fine paintbrush was purchased specifically for this, and of course later projects. The underside of the cockpit floor is next, even the fuel cock links are supplied and this area is represented in its entirety with perfect detail. The control stick pushes up from below into the cockpit with precision and then the carbon dioxide and oxygen bottles are fitted to the rear bulkhead. The instrument panel is next, and two options are supplied, either a clear part or a grey plastic part. A decal is supplied with all of the instruments on that can either be applied to the back of the clear part or to the front of the grey plastic part. I chose to use the grey, which had already been sprayed green, and then the individual dials were punched out of the decal sheet and applied to the instrument panel. A drop of Micro Kristal Klear was then applied over each

Rear view of engine assembly and bearers – detail is meticulous throughout Careful construction and painting adds up to a marvellous finish and bodes well for the rest of the build

The partially completed cockpit assembly

www.sampublications.com September 2014

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SAMI Forward

The Big Build

The finished interior subassemblies ready to join together

The completed instrument panel

Main fuselage tank – barely discernible on the finished model but beautifully detailed nonetheless

The radio assembly completed and painted

Full interior ready to install – all built from the box

808 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

one. This is far more time consuming but looks more authentic, I think. The cockpit sidewalls were now assembled. The two sidewalls and the instrument panel all then slot together on the cockpit floor/bulkhead assembly. The fuselage fuel tank was now assembled and sprayed and then the firewall was sprayed along with the oil tank and then all three were fitted together. The radio set was next, all very impressive when assembled, and then fitted to the cockpit assembly. After this the fuel tank/firewall was glued to the cockpit and then the engine was glued to the firewall to

leave you with an ultra-impressive interior that has to be seen to be believed, and all straight from the box! Section 3, 3-3, relates to the main wings. Thirty-five parts in total, again full colour photos of the finished parts are supplied at the start of the section, which begins by fitting the main wing spar to the lower wing section, just like the real thing. Then the ribs and bulkheads are fitted to the centre section. There are also two wing fuel tanks, which were sprayed and put to one side for a while, then the left and right wing ribs were assembled and the whole assembly sprayed silver. The wing fuel tanks were then put into place with white glue. The four machine guns were sprayed with Gunmetal along with the magazines and then they were installed into each wing section followed by the wheel well sidewalls and the pre-painted oil cooler at the centre of the wing. Finally the upper wing section was glued into place and the wings were finished. The wing outer panels that cover the guns/magazines were left loose as per the instructions. Section 4, (3-4) is the fuselage assembly, where the aircraft starts to take shape. The tail wheel strut and tail wheel linkage are assembled into the fuselage right outer panel and then the cockpit/engine assembly is inserted and glued into it. The wings are then very carefully slotted into position ensuring that the cockpit parts align with the slots and holes in the wing, it is a bit tricky but it fits like a glove. The right hand fuselage outer panel is now glued to the left hand and then the two wing fillets, one either side, are glued into place. These are exactly as per the real

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Zoukei-Mura’s J2M3 Raiden

There is little that needs to be added to the parts as supplied

Colour call-outs are meticulous throughout the instructions

thing, according to the instructions. The tail piece and tail wheel cover were now assembled and fitted to the fuselage and then the tail wheel fork was glued onto the strut. The rudder was assembled to the tail and then the horizontal stabilizers were glued together and fitted to the fuselage. These interlock together inside the fuselage and provide a very positive fit. The left and right elevators were then glued to the stabilizers, and another section was now complete. The next section is the main landing gears but this was skipped to allow the fuselage to be completed for spraying, so section 6, 3-6, was next and this was the cowling and propeller, with twenty-eight parts in total here. The Raiden featured a forced cooling fan at the front of the engine and this is faithfully reproduced in the kit. Section 7 (3-7) is the final outfitting. Here you can fit the flaps in either the raised or lowered position. The gunsight was painted and fitted along with the bulletproof glass; you now have another choice

regarding the canopy. Clear parts are supplied for the canopy either to be open or closed. Furthermore there are separate canopy frames supplied if you do not want just to use the clear parts on their own. I opted for just the clear parts. The masks were applied and the glazing was fitted. The canopy was dry fitted using Maskol, and the canopy frames were painted using the same colour as the interior and the model was then given a coat of grey primer. This highlighted a few gaps which needed filler, which considering the complexity of the assembly were remarkably few, were swiftly dealt with, and the camouflage painting could begin. The whole fuselage was then sprayed silver as I intended to weather the model later on. I sprayed along the panel lines with matt black to pre-shade the panels. I have only ever tried this once before but

This is the completed wing assembly ready to fit to the fuselage

Comprehensive detail inside the wing

Interior assemblies now fitted to the starboard fuselage half

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SAMI Forward

The Big Build

Finishing off the fuselage assembly

this kit seemed to be the one to try it on again. The underside was then sprayed with Vallejo 71046 Pale Grey Blue, masked off, and the upper surfaces were sprayed with Vallejo 70980 Black Green. The pre-shading is just visible. I think I will carry on this practice from now on as it seemed to work and I can only get better at it. The upper section of the fuselage in front of the windscreen was masked off and sprayed matt black. The wing leading edges were masked and then sprayed matt yellow. I now applied the decals, and as expected they presented no problems and did not take too long to apply. Two colour options are supplied: • J2M3 Jack, 352nd Naval Air Group, 3rd Divisional Officer, Lt. JG Yoshihiro Aoki, March 1945, Ohmura Air Base, Nagasaki. • J2M3 Jack, 302nd Naval Air Group, 2nd Divisional Officer, Lt. Susumu Ito, April 1945, Atsugi Air Base, Kanagawa. Both aircraft have the same Dark Green/ Light Grey colour scheme. A coat of Johnson’s Klear was sprayed on which was followed by a dark wash to bring out those lovely panel lines and then a coat of matt varnish was sprayed on. The cockpit glazing masking was removed and a very nice Raiden began to emerge.

Very little filler required throughout

Final assembly now commenced Aluminium sprayed over all –I had planned to chip the paintwork, but it looked too good without!

The undercarriage was now revisited. The brake pipes were painted and then fitted to each strut and then the main gear covers were painted and glued into position. The small main gear covers were now preFinal colours applied and ready now for decaling

Detail is thorough to a degree! Even the propeller nut is a separate part!

810 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

painted and fixed into position along with the wheel covers and their actuators, and the tail wheel was now fitted. The flaps were fitted and the external fuel tank assembled sprayed and fixed into position. The propeller was fitted to the prop shaft, and the detail even includes the prop nut as a separate part. The navigation and formation lights were fitted using white glue and then painted with clear blue and red paint and then the pitot tube was inserted into the port wing. Finally the pilot's steps were fitted and the model was finished.

Conclusion Wow, Love it! I have seen Zoukei-Mura Kits at IPMS Telford and in reviews in SAMI and on-line, but nothing can prepare you for getting one yourself and then having the pleasure of building it. The quality is superb from start to finish from the boxing, packaging and parts, to the decals, instructions and so on. I was going to weather the model by chipping the paint off but the pristine condition of the paint deterred me and it seemed a shame to ruin it, so I just applied the dark wash and a bit of staining here and there, and in the end it looked pretty weathered in any case. Much of the detail is hidden when the model is finished and you could add a few wires and pipes etc to the engine and fuselage if you wished, but this is the only upgrade that is required as far as I can see. The fit of the parts is exact and precise from start to finish and I suspect that the only reason filler was needed at all was down to my assembly and not the kit. Long have I wanted to review one of these kits and I am not disappointed. The level of detail is extraordinary. Zoukei-Mura have aftermarket parts available for this kit that include etched cockpit parts, turned brass gun barrels and weighted wheels, but in all honesty the basic kit is so good that I can find no fault in it whatsoever. These kits are not cheap and I can see why, as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. Again absolutely superb and I am very honoured to have been given the opportunity to review this kit, I only hope my building, review and photos do it the justice it deserves.

Mastered-Adverts-AV-0914_AV-0606 15/08/2014 14:19 Page 811

L.S.A. Models 151 Sackville Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 3HD • Tel: 01273 705420

[email protected] • www.lsamodels.co.uk BRASSIN 632039 F4U-1 cockpit 1/32 Tam..........................£27.00 648163 AGM-12 Bullpup A 1/48   ..........................£7.00 648165 AGM-45 Shrike 1/48  ................................£7.00 672043 AIM-9D Sidewinder 1/72  .........................£4.75 672045 F-16CJ Block 50 exhaust nozzle 1/72 Tam £6.50 BIGSIN       SIN64814 F-14A Weapons Set 1/48   ...................£12.75 LEPTY / PE-SETS       36278 Sd.Kfz 3b Maultier with Flak 38 1/35 Ita...£15.50 48814 A-6E ext 1/48 Hob Boss.............................£15.50 48815 Tornado ladder 1/48 Rev ............................£8.00 48816 Do 215B undercarriage 1/48 ICM................£9.50 48817 F-14A upgrade set 1/48 Edu .....................£15.50 48818 Do 215B bomb bay 1/48 ICM ......................£9.50 49689 A-6E interior S.A. 1/48 Hob Boss...............£15.50 49690 EMB-314 Super Tucano S.A. 1/48 Hob Boss £14.50 49691 Do 215B S.A. 1/48 ICM..............................£15.50 49069 F-14A seatbelts FABRIC 1/48  .....................£6.50 49693 F-14 Remove Before Flight 1/48 Edu ..........£7.00 53119 Missouri 4 - floater net baskets 1/200 Tru £16.50 53121 Missouri 5 - Bofors ammo rack 1/200 Tru .£28.00 53122 Missouri 6 - railing 1/200 Tru....................£14.50 53124 Missouri 8 - radars 1/200 Tru....................£15.50 53126 Missouri10 - hull plates 1/200 Tru ..............£9.50 53127 Pacific V-Day figures S.A. 1/200 Tru..........£72.50 73024 Seatbelts IJN SUP FABRIC 1/72  ..................£3.00 73026 Seatbelts RAF late SUP FABRIC 1/72   .........£3.00 73027 Seatbelts RFC WWI FABRIC 1/72   ...............£3.00 73028 Seatbelts France WWI FABRIC 1/72  ...........£3.00 73511 CR.32 S.A. 1/72 Ita ....................................£14.50 ZOOMY / ZOOMS       FE689 A-6E int S.A. 1/48 Hob Boss ......................£12.00

FE690 EMB-314 Super Tucano S.A. 1/48 Hob Boss £12.00 FE691 Do 215B int S.A. 1/48 ICM .........................£12.75 SS511 CR.32 S.A. 1/72 Ita ......................................£9.50 MASKY / MASKS       CX397 AH-1 1/72 Spec Hob....................................£4.00 EX434 Do 215B 1/48 ICM .......................................£7.00 EX435 A-6E 1/48 Hob Boss ....................................£5.25 EX436 EMB-314 Super Tucano 1/48 Hob Boss .......£5.25 JX171 X-15A 1/32 Spec Hob ..................................£4.00 JX172 T-33 1/32 Spec Hob.....................................£5.25 BIGY / BIG-ED sets       BIG3340 Spitfire Mk.II 1/32 Rev...........................£36.00 BIG49110 F-80 1/48 Hob Boss .............................£36.00 BIG7287 Fw-200C 1/72 Tru..................................£31.00 MODELY / KITS       1189 První doma 1/48 Ltd Ed ..............................£36.00 1192 Danger Zone 1/48 Ltd Ed ............................£70.00 BRASSIN       648144 MiG-21PF int 1/48 Edu............................£16.50 648145 MiG-21PF ejection seat 1/48 Edu..............£9.50 648146 MIG-21PF/PFM/R airbrakes 1/48 Edu .......£4.75 648164 AGM-12C Bullpup B 1/48   ........................£7.00 648173 UB-16 rocket launcher 1/48   ...................£4.75 672044 AGM-45 Shrike 1/72  ................................£6.50 672046 C-47 wheels 1/72 Air ................................£4.00 672047 F-16CJ Block 50 ejection seat 1/72 Tam....£4.00 BIGSIN       SIN64815 Mig-21PF/PFM/R Weapons Set 1/48 Edu£18.00 LEPTY / PE-SETS       32361 P-51K wings armament 1/32 Dra .............£11.00 32362 P-51K ext 1/32 Dra ...................................£15.50 32363 F-104C ext 1/32 Ita ...................................£12.00

A2Zee Models has been importing and selling the Montex range of masks in the United Kingdom for the last 6 years and slowly we have seen a growth and expansion of the range. The range has now grown to cover a wide range of subjects and offers many options to the modeller. From basic canopy masks through to very comprehensive sets that include full markings, with some including decals for fine detailed nose art and other details. Montex masks are very popular with modellers and for many are the preferred mask of choice, as they offer the opportunity to paint markings onto models rather than using decals. No other mask manufacturer offers so many marking options of masks to help create great looking models.

32819 F-104C int S.A. 1/32 Ita.............................£15.50 32821 P-51K int S.A. 1/32 Dra .............................£15.50 32824 F-104 C1 seatbelts 1/32 Ita.........................£9.50 36279 Merkava IID 1/35 Aca................................£14.50 36280 Merkava IID armour shields 1/35 Aca .......£18.00 48819 Do 215 landing flaps 1/48 ICM..................£14.50 48820 EMB-314 Super Tucano ext 1/48 Hob Boss£15.50 48821 S-30M-2 Flanker ext 1/48 Aca ..................£15.50 48823 La-5NF upgrade set 1/48 Edu .....................£9.50 49694 S-30M-2 Flanker int S.A. 1/48 Aca............£15.50 53123 Missouri 7 - superstructure 1/200 Tru.......£28.00 53125 Missouri 9 - ladders 1/200 Tru ..................£12.00 72588 C-47 landing flaps 1/72 Air.......................£15.50 73513 C-47 int S.A. 1/72 Air ................................£14.50 73514 C-47 cargo seatbelts 1/72 Air......................£6.50 ZOOMY / ZOOMS       33140 F-104C int S.A. 1/32 Ita.............................£12.00 33141 P-51K int S.A. 1/32 Dra...............................£9.50 FE694 S-30M-2 Flanker Int S.A. 1/48 Aca ............£12.00 FE692 MiG-21R W/end 1/48 Edu ...........................£9.50 SS513 C-47 int S.A. 1/72 Air ..................................£6.50 MASKY / MASKS       CX375 MiG-15 W/end 1/72 Edu.............................£3.00 CX398 Blenheim 1/72 Air.......................................£6.50 CX399 F-35 1/72 1/72 Has .....................................£5.25 CX400 F-15C MSIP II 1/72 Aca................................£4.75 CX401 C-47 1/72 Air ..............................................£6.50 EX437 S-30M-2 Flanker 1/48 Aca ..........................£6.50 EX439 Bf 109E-1 /E-3 1/48 Edu .............................£4.00 JX173 P-51K 1/32 Dra............................................£4.00 JX174 F-104C 1/32 Ita............................................£7.00 BIGY / BIG-ED sets       BIG3341 Gloster Meteor F.4 1/32 H.K ..................£29.00 BIG3342 T-6G 1/32 Kitty......................................£34.00

BIG7288 PBM-5/PBM-5A 1/72 Mini.....................£43.50 MODELY / KITS       3716 M4A1 Sherman 1/35 Profi ..........................£36.00 84120 Fw 190A-8 1/48 W/end ............................£12.00 7423 MiG-15 1/72 W/end......................................£8.00 1187 Stříbrné šípy 1/48 Ltd Ed ............................£54.00 TRUMPETER TM01638 FW-200 C4 .........................................£34.99 TM02850 Spiteful Mk XIV...................................£19.99 TM02867 Attacker FB.2......................................£23.99 TM02847 J-8F Finback .......................................£34.99 TM02888 A-37a Dragonfly 1/48th .....................£27.99 TM02298 Bf-109 G-10 1/32nd ...........................£32.99 ITALERI IT1350 Stirling Mk IV Tug...............................£39.99 IT2747 1/48th Hawk Red Arrows 50th Ann....£29.99 IT1355 EF-2000 Typhoon single seat..............£14.99 IT2740 Fiat G-91 P.A.N...................................£14.99 IT1357 Jaguar Gr3 Big Cat..............................£15.99 IT5616 Vosper Crew .......................................£17.50 IT5618 P.T Crew .............................................£17.99 IT5619 St Naszaire Raid Vosper (new Molds) .£99.99 IT2736 Harvard MkIIa.....................................£24.99

The range of masks are broken down into three main categories and mainly cover aircraft, however there are some military subjects covered. The aircraft scales covered in all the categories are 1/72. 1/48, 1/32 and 1/24.The Montex website has full tutorials on the mask application.

To expand the distribution and to help offer a one stop shop option to modellers, A2Zee Models is supplying to Hannants the best stocked model shop in the United Kingdom, also having one of the best worldwide distributions to modellers all over the world.

SM series masks - these provide masks for the canopy and in many cases for the wheel / tyre of the said model.

However, the entire range is still available through and from A2Zee Models and should you have any special requirements or if any item is out of stock please feel free to contact us.

MM series masks - these provide masks for the canopy and markings for well documented individual aircraft.

K series masks - these masks are very comprehensive supplying the canopy masks and full airframe masks / decals for two individual aircraft.

We are sure that as the masks are now made even more easily available that even more modellers will try the masks on their latest projects.

Websites:

www.a2zeemodels.co.uk

www.hannants.co.uk

www.montex-mask.com Like A2zee Models on Facebook...

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SAMI Forward

News

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News in September 2014

M

uch of this month’s News comes via my esteemed colleague Mr David Francis, who very gallantly stood in for the Editor at the US Nationals in Virginia Beach, allowing that individual to remain at home and watch My Little Pony DVDs with his children – and to finish off the Dornier Do 215 as well, of course. Thanks to everyone for their help and support throughout the show, and for being nice to David – we only hope he didn’t wear the pink Ice Hockey shirt in public... So there seem to be some nice items in hand! One or two surprises, one or two familiar reappearances, and all the rest of the modelling miscellany that usually goes to make up a good bag of stories. One item the News droids would particularly like to draw to your attention is the sad death of Zvezda’s founder Mr Konstantin Krivenko. We met and talked with Mr Krivenko on various occasions at trade shows, and he was always

…meanwhile Eduard continue to refresh the parts that other kits cannot reach… courteous and informative, and took the time to engage with anyone interested in the company’s work. Anyone who has seen the recent new kits from Zvezda will have to agree that his company was moving forward at an incredible pace, and taking Injection Moulding into new areas of excellence. We are sure that in spite of this sad news the company will continue to make its mark in these pages and others. On, then, with the News… >>STOP PRESS: Mr Francis has uploaded further scintillating footage of his travels to the SAMI Portal at http://www.sampublications.com/ sami-news/info_25.html including footage shot on some interesting military base visits. It’s worth checking out – but don’t tell Putin…

Bunny Fighter Club Got your Bunny Fighter yet? The new release from the BFC is now available as the entry kit for club membership? By purchasing and receiving this product – or the BFC MiG-21 - you will become a member of Bunny Fighter Club as soon as you receive Eduard’s confirmation email. By adding this kit to purchases on Eduard’s website you will automatically receive a 15% discount on all other products in the

Subscribers’ Monthly Prize Draw – August 2014 Mr Cook, USA – Winner Mr Milewski, USA – Winner Mr Nelson, USA – Winner Entry to the monthly prize draw is FREE to all subscribers

shopping cart. Visit the official BFC page and see Terms for more information. This means you can not only avail yourself of the huge range of Eduard kits and accessories at discounted prices, but all that new paraphernalia that has come along with the new Gustav kit as well – the beer glasses and beer mat collection that are already becoming unique collectors' items! Check out the website for full details of the beer coasters and glasses. Much more collectable than those tiresome Match Atax football cards your son keeps raving about, and much prettier to look upon as well… Get on board with the BFC! You know it makes sense...

This Month in Model Aircraft • Blackburn Firebrand Photo Essay By Tony O`Toole • Airwars Extra – Targeting Tet • Red Banner Fighter – Korean Ace Evgeniy G. Pepelyaev Part One • Mustangs of the RAF (Polish) Squadrons Part 2 • The F-104C in Combat – 1/48 Build • De Havilland Dove - Magna’s kit in 1/72 • Revell’s BV 222 • Classic Air Force – A report from the former RAF St. Mawgan

Attack Squadron Plus our usual columns and regulars in the best all-round modellers reference magazine

Eduard Late item that has missed the Czech News – images passed on from the US Nats of the impending new-tool Siemens Shuckert D.III

812 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

Latest news from Attack Squadron is another new UAV kit: 72026 MQ-8C Fire-X UAV Helicopter This is the latest US Navy helicopter drone starting service this year and is a 1/72 resin kit designed with 3D software and then master 3D printed from file. This offers outstanding quality, fit and ease of removal from casting

blocks and assembly. Etched parts are included, and the rotor head is printed in 3D for a level of detail that would be amazing even in 1/32.

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Lots of reissues this month, and some multiple releases of civil aviation subjects, so while it looks like a hefty tranche of new releases it is a little deceptive. On the other hand the Airfix 1/24 Typhoon is out, and the HobbyBoss BV 141 and Tucano are the equivalent in lustre to at least twenty other kits each, so all in all not a bad month.

Received from Zvezda:

Bridlington Show The Editor is gutted to be missing the Bridlington Show – at which he was planning on unleashing his brand new finished Do 215 on the world – but sadly a family wedding requires him to put on an ill-fitting suit instead and seek consolation in a free dinner. We can recommend the event

thanks to his foresight we have the means and destination to continue the future development of our company. He leaves his wife Maria and his children Vasilisa and Alexander, with whom are our thoughts and prayers.  The Zvezda Management

though – it’s a great day out with a friendly atmosphere and the usual bargains, traders, camaraderie, tea, chips and banter! Sunday 7th September – Driffield Showground – 9.30am – 4pm…

Airfix The biggest news from Airfix this month is, of course, the- Hawker Typhoon Mk Ib in 1/24. This features

over 500 parts and offers some intricate detail and caused a degree of excitement when unveiled at the Telford show in 2013. Also due soon is A07112 – a de Havilland Mosquito PR.XVI in 1/48.

Micro Mir Following the Yak-1, Mikro Mir are now going to provide a Valiant in 1/144, something of an unexpected announcement from this source.

CyberHobby New from this source is a 1/72 Sea King SH-3H Submarine Hunter. Improvements over the SH-3G included specialist ASW equipment (AN/AQS-13 or AQS-18 active sonar, and an ASQ-81 magnetic anomaly detector), Marconi surveillance radar and airframe modifications. A total

SAMI Forward

AT A GLANCE

Zvezda Dear Colleagues and Friends, With great sadness we have to inform you that the founder and owner of our company, Konstantin Krivenko, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on 05 July 2014 from a very virulent lung infection.  It was mainly Konstantin’s devotion, focus and personal motivation that has driven our company to the high international esteem within the Hobby and Game markets.  It is his example that will inspire us to achieve his dreams for the future. We assure you that

News

of 163 SH-3G Sea Kings were updated to SH-3H configuration for the ASW role.

A Model #14451 1/144 Beriev Be-6 reconnaissance and patrol aircraft A Model #14474 1/144 Beriev Be-6 PLO A Model #72248 1/72 Henschel Hs 123C AIM - Transport Wings #7213000 1/72 A310 Base kit Airfix #05125 1/48 Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb Airfix #19002 1/24 Hawker Typhoon Mk IB Anigrand Craftswork #4089 1/144 Short Shetland Attack Squadron #72026 1/72 MQ-8C Fire-X UAV Helicopter Dragon #3543 1/35 Bell UH-1N IAF with Paratroopers Eduard 1/48 #8177 1/48 Focke-Wulf Fw 190A Nightfighter Eduard 1/48 #8221 1/48 Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat Eduard 1/48 #84123 1/48 Mikoyan MiG-21R Eduard #4431 1/144 Junkers Ju 87B 'Stuka' Dual Combo Freedom Models #18001 1/48 Northrop Grumman X-47B UCAS F-rsin #4496 1/144 B-307 Stratoliner - Aigle Azur F-rsin Plastic #4059 1/144 Lockheed L-049/L-749 Constellation - Air France F-rsin Plastic #4060 1/144 Lockheed L-049/L-749 Constellation BOAC F-rsin Plastic #4061 1/144 Lockheed L-049/L-749 Constellation - TWA F-rsin Plastic #4062 1/144 Lockheed L-049/L-749 Constellation - Panair do Brasil F-rsin Plastic #4063 1/144 Lockheed L-049/L-749 Constellation - Ethiopian Hasegawa #02089 1/72 Mc Donnell F-4EJ KAI Phantom II ‘Air Combat Meet 2013’ Hasegawa #02090 1/72 Chinese J-11 Fighter Hasegawa #02091 1/72 P-38J Lightning & B-26B/C Marauder ‘Operation Overlord’ Hasegawa #02092 1/72 McDonnell F-15SG Strike Eagle ‘Singapore Air Force’ Hasegawa #02093 1/72 Bell-Boeing MV-22B Osprey ‘VMM-162 Golden Eagles’ Hasegawa #02096 1/72 Spitfire Mk VII & Mosquito FB Mk VI 'Operation Overlord' Hasegawa #02097 1/72 Eurofighter Typhoon single-seater ‘JG74 50th Hasegawa #02105 1/72 Mitsubishi T-2 CCV ADTW Hasegawa #02106 1/72 Grumman F-14A/B Tomcat Jolly Rogers Combo Hasegawa #07369 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7 Japanese Army Hasegawa #07370 1/48 Nakajima Ki-27 ‘1st Flight Regiment’ Hasegawa #07373 1/48 Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5 'Japanese Army' Hasegawa #07375 1/48 Nakajima B5N2 Type 97 Hasegawa #07376 1/48 Nakajima A6M2-N Type 2 Fighter Seaplane Hasegawa #07377 1/48 Douglas A-4E Skyhawk USS Midway Hasegawa #08236 1/32 Kawanishi N1K2-J Shidenkai Hasegawa #10805 1/200 Boeing VC-25A 'VC-25A 'Air Force One' Hasegawa #A01 1/72 Nakajima Ki-43-II Oscar 'Hayabusa' Hasegawa #E42 1/72 Lockheed F-35A Lightning II Hasegawa #E43 1/72 Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II Hasegawa #TH25 MV-22 Osprey 'Egg Plane' HobbyBoss #81727 1/48 Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano HobbyBoss #81728 1/48 Blohm und Voss BV 141 HPH Models #32025R 1/32 Mikoyan MiG-15UTI HPH Models #72028L 1/72 Tupolev Tu-104 Kitty Hawk Model #80115 1/48 McDonnell F-101A/C Voodoo Kora #72191 1/72 Macchi MC.200bis Kora #72192 1/72 Macchi MC.201 Magna Models #4811 1/48 Miles Master Mk 1A. Magna Models #4812 1/48 Miles Master Mk 1 MPM #72001 1/72 Schneider-Grunau Baby IIb R.V.Aircraft #72040 1/72 Mikoyan MiG-21PFM Revell Monogram #5260 1/48 Vought OS2U Kingfisher Revell Monogram #5313 1/35 Bell H-13H Revell Monogram #5327 1/48 Douglas Skyraider AD-5 / A-1E Revell Monogram #5481 1/48 Republic F-84G Thunderjet Revell Monogram #5533 1/48 Lockheed Ventura Mk II RAF Revell Monogram #5600 1/48 Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Revell Monogram #5625 1/48 Consolidated B-24D Liberator Revell Monogram #5711 1/48 Boeing B-29 Superfortress Revell 03983 1/72 Vought F4U-1D Corsair Revell 04890 1/32 Piper PA-18 with Bushwheels

www.sampublications.com September 2014

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SAMI Forward

News

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Gaspatch

Hasegawa

Marvellous news from Gaspatch is the announcement of a new series of Hs 123 kits in 1/48, a follow-up to the superb Salmsons released at Telford last year, and featured in SAMI last month. Kits will feature different wings to depict the A-1 and B-1, spatted or unspatted

Hasegawa’s new-tool Su-35 in 1/72 is looking good for a release in the third quarter of 2014 – which is pretty much around about now... Meanwhile latest releases announced include: • 08237 1/32 Me 262 V056 Nachtjäger Prototype • 10808 1/200 KC-767 World Tanker Combo • 07384 1/48 F/A-18A HORNET NASA • 02116 1/72 Tornado GR.4 12 Sqn Farewell • 07382 1/48 Ki-44-II Hei Shoki

gear, and detailed engines. The kit was announced via an insert included in Mushroom’s recent book on the type – a title we can recommend for anyone anticipating the kit.

(Tojo) 246th Flight Regiment • 02112 1/72 Mitsubishi G4M2 TYPE 1 Ryu Unit • 02117 1/72 Mitsubishi F-2A Prototype, Special Marking • 02118 1/72 MiG-29 Ukrainian Air Force • 07383 1/48 Mitsubishi F1M2 (Pete) ‘Heavy Cruiser’

Minicraft A reminder of Minicraft’s planned new releases: 11671 1/48 Beechcraft T-34A/B & C Mentor - All New Tooling! During the post-war years the US military recognized a need for a cost effective higher performance aircraft capable of good speed and manoeuvrability with gentle flight characteristics for training new pilots. A new aircraft based on the Beechcraft Bonanza was created using a tandem fuselage and sliding canopy. The Mentor was a very successful design that was used by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy and many US allied air force units. The T-34A/B series ceased production in 1959, and all are now retired from US military service, but many examples of this successful design can still be seen in flight today in private ownership. The more powerful T34C used a turboprop engine and this aircraft modernized the design so successfully that the ‘turbo Mentor’ continued to be used for training long after the earlier T-34A & B were retired. This new 1/48 kit boasts all-new tooling and includes detailed cockpit and sliding canopy,

IPMS Canada

positionable landing gear and decals with multiple marking options printed by Cartograf. Also announced: • 14707 1/144 KC-135A USAF SAC • 14709 1/144 EC-135C USAF • 14708 1/144 KC-135R USAF • 14704 1/144 Spitfire Mark V USAAF/RAF • 14713 1/144 B-25H USAAF • 11681 1/72 PV-1 Ventura USN • 14712 1/144 B-17G USAAF • 11683 1/48 P-38J USAAF • 14715 1/144 C-121R USAF Viet Nam ‘Batcat’

Revell

A press release has been received from Bob Migliardi, National Director, IPMS Canada: 2014 is the 50th year of IPMS Canada. To celebrate, we will be sending all of our members a special free decal sheet in an upcoming issue of our publication, RT. This large 8" x 12" sheet contains Canadian content aircraft markings in 1/48 and 1/72 and vehicle markings in 1/35 and 1/48. The aircraft include a WW I ‘Victory Bond’ drive Curtiss JN-4, a Hurricane flown by John Kent (aka Johnny Kentowski), a Spitfire XVI in some interesting latewar markings as flown by Stan Turner, a D.H. Vampire of 402 (City of Winnipeg) Squadron, and a Sabre from 441 Squadron with special 'rat'

ICM Following his somewhat agreeable experience with their Do 215B-4, The Editor has us all looking out for news of the follow-up B-5, a type that saw limited service as an early stopgap night fighter, and a kit that we hope will go together as quickly and painlessly as its predecessor. Then, of course, we will await further

Items for the winter release schedule from Revell-Germany:

Trumpeter

1/32

The 1/48 F-106A was on sale at the US Nationals. A nice-looking kit and long overdue in 1/48.

Bö 105 Fly Out markings 04906

1/48 F-15E Strike Eagle 04891 Jaguar GR.1/GR.3 04996

1/72 AW101 Merlin HMA.104907 Canadair CL-415 04998 Dassault Rafale M 04892 Mirage 2000D 04893

814 | September 2014

F/A-18C Hornet 04894 DHC-6 Twin Otter 04901 Buccaneer S Mk 2B 04902

Merit

1/144

A 1/18 Harrier AV-8B? You cannot be serious? Oh yes they can...

EA-18G Growler 04904

Scale Aviation Modeller International

markings. The vehicle decals include a Centurion, two Shermans, and a colourful Jeep. All members current at the time of mailing will receive these decals. After this anniversary present is sent out there will be no extras available for sale or to members joining or renewing later. So… if you are interested in this decal sheet, all you have to do is to join IPMS Canada. Visit the website for more info at www.ipmscanada.com

development in the series. CAD images on the website now suggest it may not be too long.

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The One True Scale Shed Models and Decals New models, accessories and decals continue to swell the possibilities for 1/200 modellers. To the existing spare Prop Pack (£10) Shed have added an Undercarriage Pack of about 90 assorted undercarriage parts for £20 and a Weapons Pack of about 60 assorted bombs, missiles, torpedoes and fuel tanks for £15. The Meteor NF.11, 12, 13 and 14, Hunter F.6 and F.9 and Supermarine Walrus are being cast now and will be available when the decals are done. Shed’s designer has spent a lot of time making the Hunter and Walrus absolutely superb, and went to the RAF Museum to check details

on the Walrus and found several errors on the plans used to make the master. Other plans have the same errors but the model will be correct. Also on the cards are the Convair Sea Dart, Douglas Skylancer, Cessna 172, Saunders Roe SRN1 Hovercraft, and Sikorsky S51/Westland Dragonfly. The series after that will be D.H.86A and B Express, D.H.83 Fox Moth, Cessna O-2, Piaggio Pc7, Bugatti 100 and Short Shetland. The Beech Kansan and Boeing B-17 are also waiting. Unfortunately all of these need sales of earlier models to make them possible.

Kinetic

News

SAMI Forward

AT A GLANCE Riich Models #20003 1/200 Vought OS2U-3 Kingfisher with Launcher Roden #315 1/144 Boeing 720 'Starship 1' Elton John tour 1974 Skyline #14402B 1/144 Airbus A300B4 Garuda & TNT Skyline #14403B 1/144 Boeing 737-300 WP Simpsons Skyline #14404B 1/144 Boeing 737-400 Brussels Airlines Skyline #14405B 1/144 Boeing 737-500 airBaltic Special Hobby #72274 1/72 Bell AH-1G Cobra ‘Spanish & IDF Cobras’ Special Hobby #72278 1/72 Bell AH-1G Cobra ‘Over The USA and Europe’ Special Hobby #72290 1/72 IAR-37 'Rumanian Light Bomber' Special Hobby #72293 1/72 IAR-38 Rumanian Reconnaissance Plane Stoppel Kits #697217 1/72 Kramme & Zeuthen KZ-VII 'Laerke' Lark Tarangus #48004 1/48 Saab Safir The Viscount Model Company #001 1/144 Vickers Viscount 806 - Cambrian The Viscount Model Company #002 1/144 Vickers Viscount 806 A/Ws 1970s The Viscount Model Company #003 1/144 Vickers Viscount 806 Cambrian BAS Unicraft #72102 1/72 IAI Eitan UAV Unicraft #7290 1/72 Dornier Do 19 Ural Bomber Unicraft #72961/72 Junkers Ju 89 Ural Bomber Welsh Models #CLS7204 1/72 Boeing 737/530 Lufhansa Welsh Models #CLS7223 1/72 Boeing 737-300 Welsh Models #MT36R 1/144 Boeing KC-135A J57 turbo jet Welsh Models #PJW80R 1/144 Vickers Varsity P.1 Welsh Models #PJW81R 1/144 Vickers Varsity T Mk 1 Welsh Models #SL298R 1/144 Canadair CRJ-200 Delta Comair Welsh Models #SL312P 1/144 Lockheed L-1011 Tristar 500 TAP Trans Portuguese Welsh Models #SL313V 1/144 Lockheed L-1011 Tristar 500 TAP Air Portugal.

S&M

Marvellous news from Kinetic is the promise of a 1/48 AMX-1M in December 2014

First images have been released of a 1/72 resin HS Andover kit. This will be on sale at the Nationals in November in RAF markings, with RNZAF available as an alternative

Anigrand Due next in 1/72 from Anigrand is the Arado Ar E.500 twin-boom light bomber project. This engaging device seems to have made it as far as a full size mock-up – more than can be said

Academy of many Luftwaffe projected designs that make it into kit form.

Zoukei-Mura News from Zoukei-Mura/SWS is the new range of Fw 190s, which will introduce a two-tier system of kit releases – SWS Basic, which will probably correspond to the average Hasegawa kit in terms of parts count, and SWS Standard, which will include the kind of super-detail we have become accustomed to from ZM.

The Do 335 was on show at the US Nationals, and looks spectacular – likewise the Ho 229!

On display at the US Nats was Academy’s impending 1/35 Seahawk. No – not the Royal Navy machine, but the big helicopter of course. The model looks most impressive and is a long overdue adaptation of the existing tooling. Frustrating for the ‘pure’ aircraft modeller, of course, who would have preferred it in 1/32, but there you go...

Italeri Although we are advised the 1/72 Stirling is imminent, this month’s releases comprise #1355S, an EF-2000

TYPHOON single-seater, and #2740S, a reissue of the Fiat G.91 in aerobatic markings with the characteristic Frecce Tricolori blue livery. This is billed as having ‘upgraded moulds’. Although to what extent we cannot imagine.

Airscale Airfix seem committed to 1/24, and seem to be making it their own, although we note the announcement of some accessories to accompany the Typhoon release – including some very useful cockpit instrument faces and placards from Airscale, which are

Sutton Coldfield Show the very least you will need to get the most out of a kit in this scale.

Don’t miss the Sutton Coldfield show on 14th September this year. Please note the change of venue to: Ramada Hotel, Penns Lane, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield B76 1LH For more details see www.scmms.co.uk www.sampublications.com September 2014

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SAMI Forward

Czech News

in association with

Czech Out

www.cmkkits.com

By Colin ‘Flying’ Pickett

Our monthly look at News from the Czech Republic MPM After a long and patient wait, this month finally brings us the promised nest of 1/72 Cobras from MPM. First to arrive in the Special Hobby range is the Bell AH-1G Cobra ‘Spanish and IDF Cobras’ (#72274). The model consists of five grey plastic sprues with highly detailed and finely engraved parts. On the sprue of clear parts you will find a gunsight, nose and underfuselage lights and a cockpit greenhouse split into to five parts, which means you can build your Cobra with either a closed or open canopy. The instructions are printed in full colour, as is the new standard of MPM Production. The next 1/72 AH-1G Cobra will be the ‘Over the USA & Europe’ version (#72278). This boxing includes a resin dummy turret for a training Cobra. The decal sheet enables modellers to choose one of five US machines in six different markings, as one Cobra is depicted in two different stages of its servicelife. As hinted at last month MPM will

be releasing a pair of F-86K Sabre Dogs in 1/48. The F-86K was an allweather version of the F-86D fighter and was built for European NATOmembers. The F-86K had a longer fuselage and different cannon armament. Most of the planes had longer span wings identical to that of the following F-86L version. The majority were built by Fiat in Italy, and the type served with the air forces of Italy, the Netherlands, France, Norway and Germany. The model is to be offered as the F-86K Sabre Dog ‘NATO All Weather Fighter’ (#48123), with Italian, Dutch and Norwegian markings, and ‘Armée de l' Air & Bundesluftwaffe’ (#48126). MPM Production continues to prepare its new release kits completely in 3D CAD design and inject them into metal moulds. As

previously mentioned on these pages they have already started to prepare moulds for their 1/72 Fouga Magister and its variants. These will include the CM.170 in both trainer and combat versions, including the

Sword

Fly

Following hot on the heels of the two 1/72 Lightning trainer kits from Sword is the BAC/EE Lightning F.1/2 (#72081), which will include options for a Lightning F.1 of 74 Sqn, XM137/D, and an F.2 of 92 Sqn, XN768/S. As with the previous kits, this will include coloured photoetched parts for cockpit interiors and detail, as well as resin parts for the ejection seat and jet exhaust. As if this wasn’t enough it will be joined by a Lightning F.3 (#72082), which will also include two decal

Following on from Fly’s very successful BAC Jet Provost T.5 and Strikemaster kits in 1/48 are the Jet Provost T.3 (#48017) and Jet Provost T.4 (#48019) in the same scale, which, your scribe suspects, will prove to be equally as sought after. One of Fly’s more unusual and interesting subjects is a Fa 330 towed autogyro in captured markings (#32009). The Fa 330 was designed to fit through the deck hatch of a U-boat and then be constructed on deck and towed

options, this time for 56 and 111 Sqns. Both kits are due in September this year. Also due in September will be two kits of the Supermarine Seafire, the first being a Mk IIc (#72083), and a Mk III (#72084).

816 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

IDF Tzukit, the aerobatics version with a faired over rear canopy and even the navalised CM 175 Zéphyr. These will incorporate the differences from the standard Magisters such as a lengthened fuselage, different canopy, arrestor hook and strengthened undercarriage.

behind, with a brave observer on board to provide the crew with an over-the-horizon view of the sea. In 1/32 it will no doubt prove to be a nice companion to the previouslyreleased Rotachutes.

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in association with

www.cmkkits.com

Czech News

SAMI Forward

Eduard The promised brand new 1/48 Siemens-Schuckert D.III is not far from completion. This kit was originally intended to coincide with the centenary of the beginning of the Great War, however as there are still some details that require attention, Eduard have decided to delay release for a while to complete the kit properly rather than rush and make mistakes. As mentioned last month, the 1/48 Mikoyan MiG-21R Weekend kit is due soon, and this will differ from the previous Weekend editions as it will contain two decal options - an aircraft from the Cuban Air Force in the 80s and 90s, along with a MiG21R of 263rd OAETR, Kabul, Afghanistan, 1982, so will be well worth searching out. The excellent 1/48 Grumman Hellcat is back as a straight reissue of the well-received ProfiPack kit, and as such will contain four decal options, along with the usual

canopy masks and a smattering of coloured etch. This kit easily sets the benchmark for Hellcat kits and is worth adding to any collection of Pacific WWII aircraft. The Fw190A Nachtjäger (Nightfighter) boxing (#8177) is a new offering, containing parts for the A6/R-11, A-7/R-11 and A-8/R-11. This means that there will be quite a few sprues to this kit and it will arrive in a large box. Eduard go to pains to mention that this is not a Dual Combo, but a single kit that will contain all the relevant fuselage and wing types to cover the various options. Those who would like to add the relevant components to the left-over fuselages and wings, can complete the kits using the additional overtrees, which will be available from Eduard’s e-shop. The final kit due this month is the Ju 87B in 1/144. This is a Dual Combo with two complete kits included and three decal options for the tiny dive bomber. A bit further forward in Eduard’s release schedule is the ‘Mikoyan MiG21 in CSLA Service’ Limited Edition. This kit is dedicated to the service of the second generation MiG-21s (PF, PFM, R) in the Czechoslovak Air Force in 70s, 80s and 90s and will include a book on the subject, etch and masks, along with a huge decal sheet for thirty-two marking options. Eduard state that the main problem is the

number of the plastic parts needed to enable you to make all of the different variations, which amounts to fourteen different sprues. The basic kit will contain alternative parts for all three versions, however it will only be possible to build one of them, and this won’t include the weapons as there simply isn’t room. To help remedy this Eduard intend to release additional parts as five different sets of overtrees. It will also be possible to purchase additional etch sets as well, again from Eduard’s e-shop. The 1/48 limited edition ‘First home’ kit is dedicated to the La-5FN and La-7 in Czechoslovak Air Force service during WWII and the late 1940s. The kit will also contain a book, written by Mr. Jiri Vrany, with many interesting pictures and stories of the Czech and Slovak pilots and their Russian aircraft. The box contains two kits, an La-5FN (exZvezda) and an La-7 (ex-Gavia), and includes twenty-six marking

options. The kit will be released on September 17th, 2014, which is the 70th Anniversary of the arrival of the 1st Czechoslovak Fighter regiment (USSR) in Slovakia to help the Slovak National Uprising. One kit which is certain to meet with immediate high demand is the 1/48 Limited Edition F-14A under the name ‘Danger Zone’ (#1192). This kit will include the plastic parts from the HobbyBoss kit alongside photoetched brass, resin seats, wheels and exhausts, masks by Eduard and a large decal sheet from Cartograf covering five options. Besides the photo-etched brass, there will also be an armament set available for this kit from the Brassin range.

HPH Models

Brengun

HPH continue to produce their exquisite range of large-scale resin and in some cases glass fibre model kits. Their latest developments include the impending introduction of a Mikoyan MiG-15 and MiG-15bis in 1/32, and before anyone considers comparing the HPH product with that of Trumpeter it’s worth checking out the kit parts to understand the high level of work

It looks like the team at Brengun have set their hearts on providing the modelling public with a complete set of Hawker Typhoon variants, this time adding a 1b ‘Car Door’ in 1/72 to their range of beige plastic beauties.

and model engineering which goes into each HPH kit. Also due soon is the Soviet era supersonic airliner, the Tupolev Tu-144, in 1/72. This promises to be a detail-packed kit, including a full interior as well as a

set of airport access steps. If scale soaring is more your scene, then the 1/24 Grob G-103 glider with auxiliary motor will be high on your wish list.

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SAMI Feature

1/72

FirstAir Shots

Building, correcting and detailing Azur’s 1/72 PZL P.11c By Wojciech Butrycz

S

TECH DATA

eptember 2014 marks the 75th Anniversary of the outbreak of World War Two, and consequently the first air combat shots, when PZL fighters struggled bravely against the powerful Luftwaffe in an unbalanced fight. These aircraft were obsolete by September 1st, 1939, and the Hurricanes

SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: A112 TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic MANUFACTURER: Azur

ALSO USED PART #S72019 – PZL P.11c etched details

818 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

in ww2

and Spitfires ordered never made it to Poland. Surprisingly, the PZL fighters did well in the September campaign, thanks to the pilots' skill, causing heavy losses on the German side. To commemorate this milestone anniversary, I present this article on how to get a near perfect 1/72 model of the PZL P.11c from the kit recently released by Azur. It was a nice surprise, back in 2013, when Azur released a new tool P.11c, the first in many years. There is no doubt that this is the best ‘Jedenastka’ (Eleventh) so far released in 1/72 but it still suffers from some correctible errors. I also used PART photo-etched details set S72-019, one of the best PE sets ever released, in my opinion. Also the newly released YAHU ready instrument panel and RES-IM’s coloured etch set #72012 can be used, if the PART set is not available.

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First Air Shots in WW2

Aftermarket products available include the excellent PART etched set

I was also lucky to get Yellow Box’s resin update set for fuselage, which in the Azur kit is too long by some 2.5 mm in the rear section. I said I was lucky, as Yellow Box which previously released an excellent multimedia model of the PZL P-11g Kobuz prototype - officially does not exist. Their models can only be obtained on Allegro.pl from time to time. So for those who can’t get the Yellow Box set, I would advice simply removing 2.5 mm from the fuselage halves directly behind the pilot’s headrest. Non-purists can just leave it as it is - it is not so obvious once the model is built. Since the Azur wing was taken from their earlier model of the PZL P.24, which is not correct as far as the middle part in front of the windshield is concerned, I decided to use the Yellow Box PZL P.11g Kobuz wing and tailplane. I also used a resin Mercury engine from the spares box. I started by correcting the fuselage, but did not use the whole Yellow Box halves but cut both resin and plastic right behind the pilot’s headrest and used Azur’s front parts with the Yellowbox rear. These were

later sanded smooth and polished. Next, I added riveting to the flying surfaces, which was done with the Trumpeter tool, guided by good drawings from reference sources.

Resin fuselage parts

I used the front parts of the kit fuselage and the aft parts of the resin

Yellow Box resin fuselage – hard to find but accurate

Further Yellow Box items were sourced for the flying surfaces

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SAMI Feature

1/72

Trumpeter’s tool was used to add rivets to the wing surface

Cowling and prop – and PART’s superb etched engine front

820 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

The propeller and spinner were corrected to a more accurate shape, also based on good references, and the cowling exhaust system was corrected with the use of scratchbuilt elements. The Mercury engine was inserted inside the cowling and the supporting bearers and exhaust pipes to the cowling collector ring were added. The whole sub-assembly was then attached to the excellent perforated PART photo-etched engine front. Thanks to this the ‘look-through’ effect, observed on the sole surviving P.11c at Krakow’s Aviation Museum, can be achieved. Cockpit interior components provided by PART are excellent, and once assembled according to the instructions form a model all by itself. This allowed me to remove the side panels to show the interior structure of the aircraft. I just added some coloured wire conduit imitations here and there and thinned down the fuselage inner sides to accommodate the cockpit framework. Once the cockpit was attached to one of the prepared fuselage halves and set firmly, both halves could be glued together, the

seams sanded smooth and polished. The front engine sub-assembly, prepared earlier as described, was attached to the fuselage as were the tailplanes and tail skid. All struts (wing and undercarriage were taken from an old Heller kit, cut to size, (especially the undercarriage, which in Heller’s model are too long) as the Azur parts are too thick and wrong in cross section. This then enabled me to attach the wing and undercarriage and prepare the airframe for painting. This was done using light grey-blue Vallejo acrylic paint and Modelfarb Polish Khaki. The wooden propeller was painted black and rust colour was added with a piece of sponge to the natural metal collector ring. Decals came from one of two Techmod decal sets for the PZL P.11c - # 72123 for the white ‘5’ of 111 Eskadra Mysliwska (Fighter Squadron), which continued the tradition of the famous 7 Eskadra Mysliwska of the Polish-Bolshevik war. Later on in England, 303 (Polish) Squadron adopted these markings and became one of the most successful RAF squadrons in the Battle of Britain. The whole airframe was then covered with satin Vallejo varnish to give the model a slightly polished appearance. Adding small items from PART’s set, like the gunsight, pitot probe, along with antenna wires etc. were the last tasks to be done on the model.

References • There are many, but one readily available in the UK is Mushroom Model Magazine Special No 6108, Yellow Series, PZL P.11c - B. Belcarz, T.J. Kopanski, Mushroom Model Publications/ STRATUS, 2003

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PZL P.11C Walkaround

PZL P.11c

Walkaround

Detail shots from the surviving machine in the Cracow Aviation Museum By Wojciech Butrycz, Photographs by the Author

T

he Polish Aviation Museum (Muzeum Lotnictwa Polskiego w Krakowie) is located at the site of the former Kraków-RakowiceCzyżyny Airport. The museum opened in 1964, and is widely regarded as having one of the finest and most unique collections in the world, consisting of over 200 aircraft and some 100 aircraft engines. The museum is home to the only surviving PZL P.11c in the world, and this survives in excellent condition offering invaluable reference to modellers of this striking and historically significant aircraft.

Detail under the front fuselage The mess that is a typical period aero-engine. As modellers we can only try…

Starboard fuselage front showing the louvres and the radiator among other details

Port side of the instrument panel

Port view of interior – compromised by lighting conditions in the museum A useful look at the interior from the starboard side

Light bomb in situ under the wing

Note the tailplane passes through the vertical tail surface – no cleaning up the seam on your model here!

The mass of surface detail throughout would repay a good 1/32 tooling…

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SAMI Feature

In association with Creative Models www.creativemodels.co.uk

1/72

Not-so-Ancient

Mariner

Minicraft’s Martin PBM- 5A

T

his long awaited kit comprises 165 parts on six sprues, plus a clear sprue of thirty-three windows and turrets. The two decal options are for the prototype amphibian at different stages of its life; that is with stars and bars, with or without red bars, in the US Navy, tricolour scheme. It should be noted that the serial number for the XPBM-5A in either scheme is 59349, as serial 59849 was never used on a Mariner. I study the history of every model I build as its background - the why, how and who built and operated the aircraft - provides the enthusiasm to create the replica. Researching also provides details such as correct colours, model differences, missing items such as aerials, antennas and pitot heads etc, which can be incorporated to improve the final result. As the kit was a test shot without an instruction book this meant a lot of study to determine where each part was located, but eventually a copy of the instructions was obtained

822 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

By Richard Hourigan

which answered these queries. Even though dry-fitting showed an excellent fit of parts a number of errors, omissions and problems surfaced throughout the build. Rather than write about the actual process of construction, which is covered in the instructions, I feel it would be more useful to list the problems and how they were overcome plus the additional details that were added.

Fuselage During my research I located a number of photographs of the same aircraft in the Navy Blue colour scheme with white markings, which could be made up from various aftermarket decals. Preferring the simpler one-colour scheme, this was to be the chosen subject. Even though the fuselage is the correct length it was determined that the rear fuselage after the stern post, was obviously undersized in profile. The upper line tapers too much, which places the tailplane too low by 3 mm. After much thought about correcting this

TECH DATA SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: 11669 TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic MANUFACTURER: Minicraft IMPORTER: Creative Models

without major surgery, a mount was made out of plastic card to lift the tailplane by 3 mm. The fuselage after the tailplane was also built up by 3 mm. and a length of tubing of the same height, matching the rear turret diameter, was added to the rear fuselage. A new fairing to blend the tailplane to the forward fuselage was made by wrapping a thin square of plastic card around that area, holding it in place with rubber bands and pouring boiling water over it, which shaped it to match. The edges of this new fairing were then carefully trimmed until they matched the surrounding contours. This formed a new profile up to the tailplane and once glued into position the edges were blended with filler. A straight length of brass shim was wrapped around the contours so that the panel lines could be scribed onto the new section. The over-rounded tail cone below the turret was built up with plastic putty and then sanded to a blunter shape. The elevators and fins were left off during these

822-24-FEAT-Mariner-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:28 Page 823

In association with Creative Models www.creativemodels.co.uk procedures. A cardboard template cut to 75 degrees was used to ensure that the tailplane dihedral was even on both sides of the fuselage, similarly a 90 degree template was used to check that the fins were square to the tailplane. The majority of reference photographs showed all the control surfaces in neutral with the flaps up, so the hinge pins were removed carefully from the mounts. This enabled these parts to be assembled and cleaned up separately and slid into position at a later stage. The rudders however, due to the hinge design, had to be assembled onto the fins, but only after adding the missing outline of the trim tabs. A holding fixture was assembled from plastic strips with the tab edge outlined, so that each rudder half could be clamped into place and the outline scribed. The opposite half of the rudder was then paced in the other side of the fixture and scribed thus insuring the outlines were aligned. Once the rudders were glued onto the fin mounts, the incorrect trim tab actuator fairings on the left hand sides were removed. These fairings are only on the right hand sides. This duplication of the actuator fairings also applies to the elevators, which only have them on the upper sides, therefore the lower ones were removed. The size and location of the missing pilot's door on the right hand side of the nose was determined from photos and a female template was cut and filed to size from a piece of shirt box celluloid. Being clear it could be accurately positioned between the tie-down rings at the right height and taped into position. A needle was used to scribe the outline, the template preventing any over-runs. The third fuselage problem was that the assembled wing would not fit down into the recess, which was due to interference from the inboard edges of the wing flap bays and the V-shaped area inside the wing, 25mm off the leading edge. The inside of the wing was sanded down and the top of the fuselage cut away to clear the flap bay corners until the wing fitted perfectly as intended. The last problem was the installation of the nose turret. Assembled as per the instructions at step 20, it was discovered that there was no way it could be inserted into the assembled (and painted!) fuselage at step 27 as it was bigger than the hole. The bottom of the ball (part B75) had to be cut away until the turret could be forced into place, cracking the upper seam, which meant a superglue repair and repaint. The solution is to fit the turret at step 5 when assembling the fuselage. Don’t forget to add some nose weight. The design is that the gun barrels are to be butt-glued to the transparency, but I carefully drilled through the cover so that the barrels could be glued to the gun bodies. The other two turrets were assembled with no problems, and their installation at the end of the project was straightforward. The cockpit canopy is slightly too long for its aperture, so the internal rear lip was

filed off and the fuselage opening adjusted until it would just slip into position. Research showed that the dog house radome was only fitted to the prototype, so the fact that it was too long did not matter, as I was building a production version, which used the later teardrop shaped radome. A new pitot head/radio mast was made out of brass strut and wire soldered together, as the kit item was too wide and too short. To support this item the inside of the radome had a length of sprue glued inside before assembly to provide greater depth of support. The radome nose and mast were built up with Tamiya white putty and reshaped to match the reference photos. Part E96, the radio direction finder antenna, is undersized so it was replaced with the correct sized item from a Douglas C-47 kit.

Minicraft’s Martin PBM- 5A

Fuselage parts and wing centre section showing area needing attention to ensure a good fit

Wings Not much drama here. The aft bomb bay bulkhead numbers are reversed; they were installed with their detail facing inwards. I left the bomb racks, part El, off as the doors were to be fitted in the closed position. A few tabs were added inside the wing trailing edges and the nacelles to assist in assembly and after trimming the bomb bay side walls, the lower outer wings were glued to the centre section and placed upside down onto equal height blocks of wood to ensure they dried with zero degrees of dihedral. The upper outer wings were then added, making sure the inner ends were a tight fit to the centre section. Step 11 advises to fit the radiator after assembling the air intake. It won't fit, so paint and fit it first.

A transparent template was made to scribe in the missing crew door

Floats As the sprue connections to the float halves are at each end, care was taken when sawing them off so their length was not compromised. The tie-down rings at each end were made from 0.010 inch wire wrapped half way round a lmm drill shank then glued vertically into predrilled holes. The drill shank was used as a spacer to ensure they were all the same length. The location points for the struts on the floats and wings are all angled differently to ensure the correct angle and fit - good engineering design. These parts were all assembled in one operation so that alignment could be adjusted before the glue dried. It should be noted that the XPBM-5A did not have cuffs on these struts. Tie-down rings were added to the wing leading edges and some left-over shim brass was cut to 6mm x 6mm with a folded 1.5mm lip and glued alongside the inner edge of each landing light to replicate their glare shields. The previously assembled flaps and ailerons were then slid into place in the neutral position as the aircraft had internal control locks.

Fuselage and wing completed and ready for assembly

Ensuring a tight fit for the outer wing sections

Engines Engine assembly was straightforward although care had to be exercised to ensure the cowls fitted with their panel lines correctly orientated. These assemblies

Tie-down rings added to the floats

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SAMI Feature

1/72

Glare shield added by underwing landing lights

Turrets, engines and main gear left off until final assembly

were painted but not fitted until the model was finished. The propellers were replaced by reworking leftover Curtiss Electric items from a Curtiss C-46 Commando kit. Adding the stencils and logos from a Kora propeller decal sheet improved their appearance.

Final Details and painting Other items added were the scratchbuilt radio antenna fairings either side of the radome, the ANlO4A antenna on the right

824 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

In association with Creative Models www.creativemodels.co.uk side of the nose and the fuel dump pipes under the rear turret. The two inverted Tshaped radar altimeter antennas under the right hand wing were made from short lengths of brass wire soldered together. Leftover beam approach dipole aerials from the C-47 kit were added to either side of the cockpit. Hull tie-down rings made from wire were added to the nose and rear fuselage plus some fine fuse wire lengths on the left hand nose to act as the clips for the anchor rope. The model was supported on a frame made from an old wire coat hanger and some wood, then painted Navy Blue using Gunze acrylic number H 54. After applying several gloss overcoats of floor sealer the decals were applied. The US Navy markings came from a number of generic decal sheets with the lettering and numbers applied one at a time. A long red decal sheet stripe was applied around the hull, almost in one piece, with the warning lettering from a C-47 sheet. After sealing the decals with clear gloss the model was finished off with satin clear. Gunze Tyre Black was used on the de-icing boots and gloss white on the radome nose etc. The three navigation lights came from an aftermarket resin set. The landing gear struts and wheels were all painted separately and flats were filed on the wheels as the Mariner was a very heavy aeroplane. Anchor wires were fitted into the fin tips and bent over so that the antenna wire from Eze-line could be attached to them and then wrapped around the forward mast and back to the other fin. The feeder wires to the hull outlets were then added to the antenna wires. The wing landing

light recesses were painted Chrome and the lenses inserted using gloss clear acrylic as the glue. Metallic thread attached to the bow ring and tucked under the fuse wire lengths on the side of the nose represented the anchor rope so prominent in all photos. The last items to be fitted were the engine assemblies and propellers, and the model was very satisfactorily completed. The subject chosen, PBM-5A Bureau number 122603 was photographed at the Naval Air Test Centre at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland, USA. in May 1949. Even though this kit has a number of issues, despite some brilliant design engineering, these were all surmounted with a satisfying result. For anyone wishing to replicate this build, life has been made easier by the announcement by Red Roo Models of an upgrade set for the PBM-5A incorporating all the items used in this article.

References: • PBM Mariner in Action, Bob Smith, Squadron/Signal Publications number 74 • Martin Mariner, Nico Braas, Airplane Number 1, Violaero • Martin PBM Mariner, Steve Ginter, Naval Fighters number 97 • Martin Aircraft 1909- 1960, J. Breihan, S. Piet, R. Mason, Narkiewicz and Thomson • Model Airplane News, January and February 1964, scale drawings by Willis l. Nye

SAM-MDF24-Mustang Part 2-Offer-Advert_Layout 1 11/07/2014 17:33 Page 1

E- R PR DE OR OW N

THE NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION

P-51 MUSTANG A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE

Part 2 Merlin Powered

MDF 24 By Malcolm V. Lowe

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n ‘North American Mustang Part 2 Merlin Powered’, acknowledged author Malcolm V. Lowe continues the Mustang story, looking in depth at the Merlin engined versions as used by the RAF and USAAF in World War II through Korea and beyond, describing its operators and variants, from the P-51B though to the F-82 Twin Mustang.

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This volume includes colour side profiles, walk arounds, technical diagrams, scale plans production and serial data, and looks at modelling the Mustang in popular scales, backed up with a Kitography of available models, decals and accessories. Fully illustrated throughout, North American P-51 Mustang Part 2 Merlin Powered is the comprehensive guide to one of the world’s most recognisable aircraft.

ORDER HOTLINE: 44 (0)1234 211245 ORDER ONLINE: www.sampublications.com

826-30-FEAT-WWIModelling-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:29 Page 826

SAMI Feature

As with all genres WWI model kits can range from the cheap to the expensive…

IPMS GREAT WAR SIG

Guide to WWI Aircraft Modelling Part 1 Starting with Cockpits

B

uilding WWI model aircraft has always been considered a niche area of aviation modelling. This is reflected by a general absence of subjects from the big name manufacturers who see little profit in this area. Despite this, as a modelling genre we receive more than our fair share of admirers at shows and displays and are always kept busy answering questions, the most popular being ‘How do you do the rigging?’ I have always got the impression that there are many modellers out there that would like to turn their hand to the odd WWI subject but are often put off by multiple wings and rigging, tasks that would be outside their comfort zone. Over the last four or five years the WWI modelling map has changed dramatically with the

826 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

By Dave Hooper

introduction and acceptance of Wingnut Wings kits as the benchmark and these kits have undoubtedly done more to popularise the genre and revitalise the hobby than almost anything else. Although the high standards of Wingnut Wings engineering have helped address some of the complexity of building biplanes, they still haven’t solved some of the more challenging areas of WWI modelling. The purpose of this series of articles is to provide some hints and tips aimed primarily at those who have reasonable modelling skills but are new to building early aircraft or WWI subjects. Of course, I hope these hints and tips will be useful to all, thanks to the generosity of members of the IPMS Great War Special Interest Group (GWSIG) from whom much of this series draws its information.

For the sake of these articles I am going to assume that the reader knows very little about WWI aircraft or WWI modelling. I apologise in advance if it appears that I am somewhat dumbing down the subject but my goal is to inspire all modellers to ‘have a go’ at WWI subjects. As with all modelling genres, building a decent kit out the box can be enough, however early aircraft do give a wonderful opportunity to expand beyond doing this and to try your hand at detailing and even a bit of scratchbuilding.

Selecting your First Kit There are plenty of good WWI kits out there to choose from in all scales ranging from pocket money bargains to money pits. The temptation is to rush out and buy an expensive Wingnut Wings kit or similar with the expectation of being able to shake the box and wait for the model to appear. It’s

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Guide to WWI Aircraft Modelling

Windsock publish a large range of WWI books

WWI related magazine and book series

Typical WW1 cockpit area – The Bristol F.2B

Cockpits in WWI kits are generally fairly basic (such as in this Eduard 1/72 Albatros)

The upper end of the market…

The Eduard Oeffag Albatros D.III is an excellent choice as a first WWI build, with weekend kits available at a very reasonable price

never quite that easy and I would suggest something on the cheaper side to start with, something you can practice new skills on before letting yourself loose on something that’s going to hurt financially if you get it wrong. If you have no particular scale preference, I would recommend starting with one of the many 1/48 Eduard Weekend kits. These are both relatively inexpensive and well-engineered and provide a great starting point to any collection. There are also plenty of decent 1/72 kits and top of my recommendations would be Eduard or Roden. While Roden’s decals can be problematic both companies make a decent range of small-scale kits. More basic, but easier to obtain and great to practice on are the Revell 1/72 kits while the venerable Airfix kits in this scale are a mixture of good, bad and downright awful but can be a cheap source of plastic to practice on for those who are prepared to experiment. In 1/32 the choice of cheap kits is a lot more limited but the Hobbycraft/Academy Camel and Nieuport are sound, basic and very cheap. With regard to the Camel, it’s worth noting that the Hobbycraft version is an improved/retooled version of the Academy kit. I suggest beginning with a single-bay biplane (one pair of struts each side of the fuselage) as this provides some experience of rigging without the process being overwhelming. I suggest beginners avoid subjects like the Fokker D.VII which are

understandably tempting but are actually quite complex beasts to build and will give little rigging experience. If I had to recommend one particular kit I would opt for one of the Eduard Oeffag Albatros D.III weekend kits, which are superb and reasonably recent toolings that can be picked up for not much more than a tenner. Other kits highly suitable for a first build would include the Eduard Nieuport 17 or Fokker E.III, both available in either 1/48 or 1/72 (some of the Eduard 1/72 kits such as the E.III are currently also boxed by Smer). The E.III is a particularly good type for gaining experience with rigging, which is easily accessible with no worries about getting the top wing on.

Recently modellers have been somewhat spoilt by the level of detail in Wingnut Wings cockpits

Sidewalls can be improved with the addition of framework fashioned from plastic strips

Selecting References The Internet is always a good place to start if you are looking for general information, especially for period photos. If you are going to build your own reference library, your first stop is likely to be Windsock Datafiles. This is a series of small softback books, generally about thirty pages in length, each one covering a specific aircraft subject from the Great War. They are tailormade for modellers and include a good selection of reference photos, plans and information on colours and markings. The quality of information is generally very good although there is a tendency among some modellers to treat anything published in a Windsock Datafile as the

A typical WWI bucket seat (photo courtesy of Alf Small)

A typical control column and rudder bar from the Great War period (photo courtesy of Alf Small)

Observer's seats were usually more basic than the pilot's (photo courtesy of Alf Small)

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SAMI Feature

A typical wicker basket seat (photo courtesy of Alf Small) Eduard Nieuports in 1/72 and 1/48 are also an excellent starter choice. This is the 1/72 Nieuport 23

Some of the better kit seats – The Blue Max Macchi M5…

The WNW D.H.2 wicker seat

In the smaller scales replacement wicker seats can be made from fabric hardened with superglue

The completed painted versions of the Avro 504K seats are a good example of how realistic looking seat belts can be made from masking tape.

These replacement seats were made for a 3-seat version of the Blue Max Avro 504K and included cushions made from Milliput

On the smaller scales you can get away with seatbelts made from strips of masking tape. A typical example of the German style four-point harness

Typical British seatbelts

828 | September 2014

undisputed truth which of course is not always going to be the case. Other good sources of references are the Flying Machines Press and Aeronaut books. These tend to be larger, more expensive books, but page for page can be excellent value. The most recent softback books from Aeronaut are building into a complete reference of German WWI aircraft. These books all contain scale plans. Osprey books are also a good and relatively cheap source of inspiration and are worth investing in. They are usually written by respected WWI historians and contain a wealth of photos and colour profiles. With regard to magazines, Windsock International is a good source of material and information, as is WWI Aero. For those more interested in the historical side of the Great War it is worth subscribing to Cross and Cockade or Over the Front. There are plenty of sources for threeview plans, some have been mentioned above. As with all plans no matter where they come from never take what you see as correct without checking. It’s not unknown for printers to get the scale wrong even in respected publications. Always question what is drawn by carefully comparing to photographs of the subject you are building. As a general rule never assume that any two aircraft are exactly the same, a rule which is particularly relevant to early war aircraft. Many references contain colour profiles. Always remember these are an artist’s interpretation of what the subject might have looked like. Colour schemes for WWI aircraft are very contentious with a lot of conflicting evidence and theories. This topic will be discussed in greater detail in a future article in this series.

Building your first Model Cockpit Detail

Photo-etch seatbelts benefit from being exposed to a flame which makes the photo-etch more pliable

Scale Aviation Modeller International

In most cases cockpit detail in kits is fairly simple, often consisting of a seat, control column, dashboard, and rudder pedals. This is an area that can be improved very easily with a few modest tools and materials. The Internet is a good source of material on cockpits, but beware when looking at photos of cockpits of restored or replica aircraft. Another good source of free cockpit information are the Wingnut Wings kit instruction booklets that can be

downloaded from their website. For those that don’t like to model parts that can’t ultimately be seen, a quick dry run with the upper wing in position can be useful to ascertain what internal detail or gun detail can actually be seen to avoid that ‘well I know it’s there even if you can’t see it!’ syndrome. Most WWI aircraft had a fabric covered wooden frame that would be visible inside the cockpit, so some WWI modellers begin by thinning down the kit in the cockpit area as scale thickness of the fabric skin will always be a problem for the perfectionist. Often kits don’t have any interior framing detail, or the detail provided is limited or inaccurate. This can easily be constructed using strips cut from 5 or 10 thou Plasticard. Any inaccurate detail can be sanded away before working on replacements. If you don’t want to cut your own strips, Evergreen produce a large selection of different strip sizes ready to use. I find their 0.28 x 0.56mm strips perfect for sidewalls on 1/72 models. Internal bracing wires can also be added. These can be formed from stretched sprue (an explanation of which will be included in a later part of this series) in smaller scales or your favoured rigging material for larger scales.

Seats and Seatbelts Pilot seats varied from machine to machine and kit parts are often inaccurate or oversimplified. Information on what aircraft used what style of seats is not always easy to find but as a general rule of thumb a manufacturer would use the same type of seat for most of its aircraft (for example, most Sopwith aircraft had wicker seats). There are some companies that produce replacement seats but in most cases kit parts can either be modified to a more accurate shape or replaced with something made from Plasticard or a suitable material. Wicker seats can be simulated in small scales from a roughly woven cloth. The cloth can be saturated with superglue which hardens it. The seatbase and side/back wall can then be cut from the cloth so that the weave pattern of the part simulates that of a wicker seat. In larger scales I have seen instances where wicker seats are literally woven from wire although I have not tried this technique myself. Some plywood seats had holes in the backs and sides. These can be drilled out of either the original part or a replacement Plasticard backpart. Plasticard is better in

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Guide to WWI Aircraft Modelling

The Fokker E.III is a good aircraft to practice rigging on

small scales because the scale thickness is likely to be closer than the original kit part. If building a seat from scratch the easiest method is to find a seat that is close to the shape that you require. Stick a piece of masking tape on to the base of the seat and draw around the edges. Remove the tape carefully so that it’s not stretched and stick the tape on to a piece of Plasticard. Cut a replacement base from the plasticard slightly smaller than the shape that you have drawn and if necessary clean the part up with a needle file. Use the same process to create the back of the seat, modifying the shape if required. Cushions were not usually supplied as a standard part of the aircraft but pilots often added their own. Cushions can be made from Milliput or similar modelling putty. Another method of making cushions is from Plasticard which is cut and shaped to fit the seat. Patterns can be scribed using an Olfa P-cutter, and holes can be partially punched in to represent buttons (up to 1/48). Finally add a thin coat of white glue before painting, which softens the edges. Kit seats almost never include seatbelts unless provided as photo-etched parts. In most cases the seat will be the most visible part of your cockpit so it makes sense to include seat belts if you can. These can be sourced from aftermarket photo-etch sets, of which there are many, or scratchbuilt. Check your references for the type of belt for your model. As a general rule the majority of British and French seats had one pair of lap belts. Sutton harnesses, favoured by some kit and aftermarket manufacturers, were not as universal as they would like you to believe. German aircraft were more likely to have seatbelts consisting of a pair of shoulder straps and a pair of lap belts. Smaller-scale seat belts can be made from a strip of masking tape while larger scales benefit from more realistic materials such as lead or tin foil. Photo-etch from the spares box can be useful for adding details to your seatbelt.

Instrument Dials Early aircraft generally had quite basic cockpit instrumentation. Most would not have had an instrument panel as such, although these became more common later in the war. If your kit does not include instruments (and they are appropriate for your aircraft), simple instrument dials can

be made from white plastic rod such as Evergreen. Colour the end with a permanent marker black pen. With a very fine point scratch in the instrument needle and edge markings using the sharp edge of a needle or similar. You can see where you have scratched as the white shows through. If it's not right, cut off the end of the rod and start again. Expect to repeat this stage quite a lot. For a white dial with black markings colour the end again with the marker, when dry polish the end with the fine sanding pad to take off the ink from the face, you now have a white face with black markings. Seal with gloss varnish and paint the side of the rod as desired. You can also make dials using a photocopier. Using a felt tip pen, draw around coins and pen lids to get many circles of various sizes on a sheet of A4. Still using the felt tip, draw on the detail including the needle. Reduce the dials on a photocopier to the desired size (this may mean reducing a copy of a copy depending on the maximum reduction capability of your copier). These can be carefully cut out and glued to the flat edge of plastic rod as above. The final size of photocopying can also be done on decal paper which is generally easier to handle than normal paper. Also, you can scan photos of original instruments from your references and reduce these using a photocopier or graphics software on your PC.

This D.H.6 by Steve Cox shows examples of dials made using the etching method described in the article

This Junkers J.2 by Alan Pasks sports dials made from reduced photocopies

Wingnut Wings kits always provide superb instrument panels

Cockpit Colours General colours and markings will be covered in a later instalment, however it is worth at this stage providing a brief overview of cockpit colours. The majority of early aircraft were covered in clear doped fabric, which would be the same colour or lighter on the inside of the aircraft as it would be on the outside. When protective coverings (such as PC10 and PC12) and camouflage colours came into common use these were applied to the outside of the aircraft onto the doped fabric and these would not ‘bleed through’ into the interior. Consequently the inside (as seen in the cockpit) would still be a beige fabric or linen colour (although perhaps a little darker than on a clear doped aircraft because less light would get through the camouflaged fabric). Humbrol 74 (Matt Linen) is a popular choice to represent clear doped linen fabric. Exceptions to this rule were the four and

This replica Avro 504 at Southampton Hall of Aviation is a good illustration of typical internal colours in a British aircraft of the period

Most kit sidewalls require a fabric, wood and metal colours

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SAMI Feature five-colour printed fabrics used on later German aircraft. In these cases the inside

the way metal and wooden materials were

treated between manufacturers is high. Aftermarket WWI cockpit products

In this example mending thread was used to simulate bracing wires

An example of wood framework, metal fittings and bracing as seen in the Bristol F.2b at Hendon

This F.E.2b cockpit is a good example of using paint to simulate wood

The Aviattic internal lozenge provides a good example of how German Lozenge looks from inside the cockpit

This underside shot of the Science Museum's E.1 illustrates typical rudder control lines

In larger scales control wires can be simulated using rigging materials such as mending thread or EZ line

On this Airfix Sopwith Pup the coaming has been replaced with Plasticard strip.

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Scale Aviation Modeller International

As an alternative to some of the techniques and suggestions detailed in this article there is a growing number of companies producing dedicated in-cockpit products for the WW1 market: • Aeroclub: Aeroclub stock a wide range of white metal cockpit items in both 1/72 and 1/48 including bucket seats and control columns. They also produce photo-etch sheets of instrument bezels in both 1/72 & 1/48. Aeroclub can be contacted at [email protected] • Aviattic: A relatively new company specialising in lozenge decal sheets. Their internal lozenge, available as a separate sheet in 1/24, 1/28 1/32 and 1/48 and sold as part of their upper and lower 1/72 lozenge sheets, are in my opinion the best in the market. Aviattic also have a line of Resin accessories mainly in 1/32 which include A ‘Peach’ basket style seat and high altitude gas bottles. www.aviattic.co.uk • HGW: HGW produce a huge range of photo-etch detail sets, canvas seat belts and lozenge sheets. Mainly aimed at the 1/32 market but they do produce some 1/48 seatbelts. www.hgwmodels.cz • Brian L Fawcett Models: Specialising in resin correction parts and figures. The range includes a rather nice 1/32 wicker seat. www.fawcettmodelsandpatterns.co.uk • Eduard: Photo-etch sets have included seatbelt sets and detail sets in 1/72 & 1/48. www.eduard.com • Part: Include a large range of photo-etch detail sets in 1/72 and 1/48 • Airscale: Airscale products include generic photo-etch instrument bezels and a WWI instrument decal sheet available in 1/32 & 1/48. www.airscale.co.uk

would be a paler version of the outside fabric colours but seen as a negative (that is lighter outside colours were darker on the inside and vice versa). Also, the pattern would be reversed. For aircraft with printed fabric, decals are really the only option for a realistic finish. A good example of this effect can be found on the Aviattic internal lozenge decal sheets. More than one type of wood may have been used within the cockpit area. It’s quite possible for instance that a cockpit floor would be made from a different wood than the longerons and for this reason cockpit detail looks much more effective when slightly different colours are used to represent the different woods. Methods of simulating wood will be covered in greater detail later, however perhaps the simplest way is to paint the wood parts (like the floor and interior framing) a light sand colour and once dry, apply a wash of a darker ink colour such as Coat D’Arms chestnut ink wash or Liquitex burnt sienna ink. This will run into the recesses and give an uneven finish that looks like wood grain from a distance. Once dry, apply a satin varnish to give an even finish to the wood. Some cockpits included wood or metal panels that extended from the engine area (these often supported the engine bearers), also the framing could be tubular metal rather than wood on some aircraft. Often metal components were painted in a colour determined by the manufacturer, for example metal components on Fokker aircraft were a pale grey/green colour. There are also some cases of German aircraft where it is thought the wooden parts were painted in a grey/green colour. A good example of this can be seen on the original AEG G.IV in the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, however this does not mean that all AEG G.IVs were finished in the same way. It’s even possible this plane could have been painted this way during its life in the museum. In the end you have to make your own mind up based what information you have. Most aircraft built in large numbers were built under subcontract by more than one manufacturer and therefore the likelihood of variations in

Control Wires Control wires were fairly visible in most WWI cockpits and are certainly worth adding in larger scales. The use of rigging and control materials will be covered in greater depth in a part two of this series, but I personally prefer to use elastic EZ Line more for its ease of use than for any accuracy reasons. Control wires would typically run from the rudder pedals and control column through the centre of the aircraft at floor level.

Cockpit Openings Some kits require modifications to the cockpit openings, the most common issue being absent or poorly defined cockpit coaming (the padded leather edging that provided some protection to the pilot in the case of a crash). I have seen many methods of reproducing coaming, such as modelling putty or using Plasticine or Blu Tack covered with liquid polystyrene cement which allegedly hardens it. In smaller scales I prefer cementing a thin strip of Plasticard around the opening. Once dry the edges are rounded off to create the padded look of the coaming.

Conclusion to Part 1 This article is not intended to be comprehensive. There are usually plenty of different ways of achieving the required effect and the trick is to find something that suits you. As a general rule try to keep things as simple as possible and don’t be put off if something doesn’t work, just go back to the drawing board and try something different. Part two will cover the all-important wings including various methods of rigging and assembly, including jigs. GWSIG (Hints, Tips and Suggestions compiled by Dave Hooper with the help of GWSIG members; in particular thanks to Steve Cox, Paul Thompson, Hugh Beyts, Alan Pask and Nigel Rayner) For further information on the GWSIG (Great War SIG) visit our website at https://sites.google.com/site/greatwarsig/ or visit us on Facebook

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Poor quality shot of Messerschmitt Me 262A-/1 (W.Nr. 501232) ‘Yellow Five’, which served with the Industrieschutzschwarm 1 (Industry Protection Flight 1). The aircraft was left at Ruzyně aerodrome by the Luftwaffe in May 1945

Turbína The Avia S-92 and CS-92

By Roger Wallsgrove

Adapted from Mezek a Turbína, by Bohumir Kudlička (ISBN 978 83636 780 81). This forthcoming book from MMP describes the post-war production of both the Me 262 and Bf 109 (as the S-199) in Czechoslovakia, with many rare photos, plans, colour profiles and technical details. For more information go to www.mmpbooks.biz

T

A Jumo 004B/1 engine on display for a charitable collection to support Czechoslovak aviation.

832 | September 2014

he Messerschmitt Me 262 was not the first jet fighter (preceded by the He 280), nor was it the first in squadron service (Gloster Meteor), but it was by far the most advanced and potent fighter of WW2. Swept wings and axial flow turbojets made it the forerunner of most subsequent jet fighter designs. Its Luftwaffe service is well known and well documented, but far less well known is the fact that production of the Me 262 continued post-war in Czechoslovakia. Heavy Allied bombing of German aircraft

Scale Aviation Modeller International

factories forced the Nazis to move production to new sites, especially in the occupied territories. The advanced Czech aviation industry of the 1930s was much used by the Germans after their occupation, with many second-line and training aircraft being built in what was now called the Protectorate Bohmen und Mahren. Indeed production of several types continued after Czechoslovakia was liberated - Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann (Czechoslovak type marking C-4/C-104), Bücker Bü 181B Bestmann (C6/C-106/Z-181, Z-281, Z-381), Arado Ar 96B (C-2), the multi-purpose Siebel Si 204D (C3) and the Fieseler Fi 156C Storch (C-5/K-65).

Late in the war, Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs were also produced, as was the Me 262 jet fighter. New factories for these latter two were built in pre-existing railway tunnels. Post war, several intact or incomplete Me 262 airframes were found, plus considerable quantities of parts and engines. Most of this was handed over to the Soviets, but it was decided in May 1945 to restart production of the Me 262 for the Czech Air Force, by Avia at Prague and Čakovice. Eighteen airframes, including a few two-seaters, and all available parts were gathered at the Avia plant. Letecke zavody, the national enterprise at Prague-Malešice, was commissioned to work on the Jumo 004B-1 engine, which was renamed M-04. The Czech-built engine was tested for the first time on March 5, 1946 and a month later the technical commission certified its mating with the airframes. In the meantime assembly work continued on the first aircraft. This new aircraft corresponded to the Me 262A-1a version and was designated Avia S-92.1. (Avia = producer, S = fighter, 92 = type number and 1 the work number). After taxiing runs that started on August 22 1946, finally came the historic day of the first flight of a Czechoslovak assembled jet. The Avia S-92.1 successfully took off on August 27, 1946, flown by Avia test pilot Antonin Kraus. The second and third test flights followed the next day. The 4th and 5th test flights took place on September 3, when the aircraft was introduced to the top brass of the Air Force. Thursday August 5 saw the 6th test flight, during which

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The Avia S-92 and CS-92

Take-off on the first flight. Note that the only markings are the national insignia on the fin

The Avia S-92.1 just before its first flight on August 27, 1946

Avia S-92.2 of the Czechoslovak Air Force, summer 1947

measurements of speed and altitude took place – the aircraft reached 960km/h and an altitude of 4,000 metres. During the return to base, the port engine failed and the pilot had to make an emergency landing. The aircraft touched down at 12:17 on agricultural land near Březno by Chomutov at a speed of 230 km/h and broke in two. The pilot was not injured. Avia delivered another single-seat aircraft (S-92.2) and a dual-control twoseater (CS-92.3) in October 1946. Both aircraft were unarmed, with the cannon ports sealed with tape. Testing was plagued by engine failures, caused by poor quality fuel. After some risky landings, the (C)S-92 was slightly modified. A hydraulic pump for control of the landing gear and flaps was fitted onto the starboard engine - the original Me 262 had only one pump, on the port engine. Testing of new fuel continued, with some success. In 1947, only one jet was test flown, the S-92.4. The test flight was made again by Antonin Kraus, on June 18. This aircraft was armed with two MK 108 guns of 30 mm calibre. At this stage the Yugoslav Air Force expressed an interest in the Czech jets, ordering two aircraft and six spare M-04 engines. A technical delegation arrived in May 1947 to evaluate the aircraft, and two of the Yugoslav pilots were given test flights in CS-92.3. No aircraft were ever delivered to Yugoslavia, ostensibly because of the small order, but probably because of politics – there was a Communist coup in

Avia S-92.2 again – note the CS-92 in the background

Czechoslovakia in February 1948. The S-92, by now nicknamed Turbína (‘The Turbine’), was introduced to the public at the Second International Air Show held at Ruzyně airport on Sunday, September 7, 1947, where major Jiři Maňak, DFC, swept in to make two roaring passes over the airport in S-92.2. The Monday issue of Lidova demokracie newspaper commented on Maňak’s performance in an article as follows: “A flight by our Air Force jet was the most awaited part of the program. The demonstration did not disappoint the spectators. Suddenly a low flying jet swept in from the south-east at a

speed near to 920 km/h. Only after the aircraft was disappearing from the sky did we hear the roaring of the jet, piloted by the experienced hands of 30 year old major Maňák…” Production of eight ‘Turbines’ was planned for 1948, plus twenty-five M-04 engines. Kraus test flew the S-92.6 on June 17, and on July 4, CS-92.5 was test flown. CS-92.7 was the third and last two-seater with dual controls. Kraus test flew S-92.8 on July 28, also making test flights with S-92.9 and S-92.10 on September 24, 1948. These were the last S/CS-92 aircraft assembled in Czechoslovakia. According to some unconfirmed reports, two assembled S-92s,

The first two-seat jet trainer, the CS92.3, was nicknamed ‘Turbine’ by the Czech airmen. It is seen here parked at a military airfield

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SAMI Feature

Photo Essay

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Maj. Jiří Maňák, DFC and Yugoslav Maj. Ilja Zelenika in the cockpit of CS-92.3. The aircraft now carries the code V-31 One of the Czechoslovak S-92s, code PL-01 (PL – Protiletadlové učiliště or Anti-aircraft Training Establishment), served as a static training aid at Olomouc until 1957. It then ended up in a scrap yard

S-92 exhibited at the Aeronautical Museum at Kbely

work numbers 11 and 12, were at the Avia workshops in 1949. A few BMW 003 engines, in Czechoslovakia designated M-03, were also included in the development program. The modification was intended to increase the original thrust of 7.8 kN to 8.8 kN, later even to 9.3 kN. Ing Tomaš’s working group installed M-03 engines into the airframe of Avia CS-92.7, in February 1947. A test flight of this aircraft, piloted by Kraus and Stoček, ended in an emergency landing as a result of engine failure. After this incident

Detail from a German technical manual: the 2stroke starter motor was used to fire up the Jumo jet engine

834 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

Cockpit of an Avia S-92

further work on this engine was stopped, even though another S-92 of unknown work number was ready for test flights. At the end of 1950 the Ministry decided to form the 5th Fighter Squadron as a training unit for schooling of additional jet pilots. The squadron had the status of an independent unit, and initially included in its inventory all the S-92s and CS-92s. Later, twelve Soviet Yak-23 (Czechoslovak designation S-101) aircraft were added to the squadron inventory. Six

‘Turbines’ and nine S-101s then flew over Prague during the next May Day parade. However, this spectacular appearance of locally assembled and Soviet jets was in fact the swansong of the type. Due to subsequent deliveries of MiG-15 jets from the Soviet Union, individual S-92s and CS92s were dispersed to airfields and aerodromes in the country to serve as teaching aids for pilots and mechanics. In the late 1960s they were gathered in Slovakia for scrapping. One CS-92, work number 4, code marking V-34, was handed over to the National Technical Museum in Prague and S-92.5 (original W.Nr. 51104), code number V-35, together with a Yak-23 (work number 10101, HX-51) were exhibited in the yard of the Technical Museum in Brno. Today all three aircraft are part of the collection of the Air Museum of the Military Historical Institute in Prague-Kbely. The Czech jets were painted in an overall grey-green, very similar to the Luftwaffe's RLM 02. Black code markings were applied on the fuselage sides and under both wings. National insignia were placed on the fin and above and below the wings. The career of the ‘Me 262’ in Czechoslovakia was thus rather short and insignificant, but it did introduce the Czech aviation industry to jet aircraft and engines, as well as producing a cadre of trained pilots and ground crew. Modellers wishing to build an Me 262 in unusual colours, and with no swastika, have a great option with the (C)S-92.

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SAMI Feature

1/72

Airfix Bf 109E Different Schemes By Alec Smith

M

any modellers possibly remember none too fondly the original Airfix Messerschmitt Bf 109E kit that appeared somewhere around the early 1970s with

836 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

its extra heavy rivet detail. To banish this from the catalogue (and maybe memory) a new mould was created in 2012, and this edition is rather good. Whilst the Bf 109E has been kitted by many firms over the years, it is one of those aircraft types that is both popular and quite difficult to model accurately. It is a type that has plenty of fine angles and details that have generally been produced by model firms in a rather ‘clunky’ way. Of course this is not to say that Airfix have done everything right, but they have certainly come very close to making their tooling one of the better ones, and certainly in the UK the best that is readily available. They also have added a nice touch that I believe is unique to 1/72 kits, that of dropped flaps. However, it should be noted that in the quest to produce some of the finer details in an appropriate thickness and finesse they have made some of them VERY susceptible to breaking upon removal from the sprue. The worst these is the radio aerial

mast. Out of the four I had a 50% success rate. I feel it is also only fair to say that personally I think the ‘flats’ on the tyres are overdone, especially the tail wheel, but others will disagree, and I am still unsure if the chord of the propeller blades is too small. Airfix have through various releases and editions provided several different and colourful decal and marking options for the Bf 109E that are not the normally seen ‘splinter’ schemes of either greens or greys on the upper surface. These highlight that despite the initial dominance and then fairly rapid replacement over the Channel Front area the type was very useful and effective in other theatres for a while longer. In their Bf 109E-7/Trop release Airfix give the decal options for a 1942 era 3.Orliak, Royal Bulgarian Air Force 109E-7 (otherwise known as a Strela in Bulgarian service) with an interesting and colourful variation of an early Luftwaffe scheme, but with a single green (RLM 71) top coat ending high on the

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Every Model Tells a Story

fuselage, and RLM02 covering the RLM65 fuselage side and fin. Added to this is a yellow nose and rudder along with a very attractive tapering stripe running along the fuselage side. In the same boxing the alternative decal scheme and extra parts are for a 109E7/Trop with markings for 8./JG27 Western Desert April 1941. This is an aircraft in the full Luftwaffe Desert scheme of RLM 79 over RLM 78 with splotches of RLM 80 over the upper surfaces and fuselage sides. The extra sprue contains amongst other parts the tropical filter-equipped air intake for the engine, and unlike most firms Airfix have moulded the main ‘flap’ at the front closed, as seen when the aircraft is on the ground. As a companion to the earlier desert scheme I also decided to utilise the option that was provided in the El Alamein gift set. This is essentially the plastic parts as would be found in the Bf 109E-7/Trop boxing, but with decals for an 8./ZG 1 machine El Daba, Egypt 1942. This carries the simplified

scheme of overall RLM 79 Sandbraun over RLM 78 Himmelblau, but with the addition of upper and lower white wingtips along with the spinner and fuselage theatre band, thus making for a simple yet colourful and eye catching scheme. The final model out of the four is the only one not to use decals supplied with the kit, and also the only one to use extra aftermarket parts. This is a Bf 109E-3 or E-4 equipped with PeilG IV (Peilgerat IV direction-finding equipment). These machines were also fitted with a larger rudder to address the changes to the centre of gravity and handling issues. The parts required all came from the Owl resin conversion set, and are a mix or resin, etch and vacform. The set also includes the decals required with a letter option for an alternative machine. This, with its overall RLM22 black colour scheme but with simplified white crosses and pale grey codes, is by far the most visually different, I feel.

This has of course ended up tempting me to do more, such as another desert aircraft but with a two-greens splinter replacement wing, a Royal Yugoslav machine with their odd size and position roundels and rudder stripes, and then of course a Swiss aircraft with their red and white neutrality stripes on the wings and fuselage... Each one tells a story in its own way – and one very different from the standard Battle of Britain machines with which we are so familiar.

www.sampublications.com September 2014

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SAMI Columns Clark’s 1/48Field

Available via

www.pocketbond.co.uk

Freedom Fighter Trumpeter 1/48 Northrop T-38A Talon

T

he Northrop F-5/T-38 family surely needs little introduction, although until fairly recently the type was rather underrepresented in any scale in the model world. However, that has been changing, particularly with the AFV Club range. So this T-38 trainer variant is a welcome addition from Trumpeter. Inside the sturdy top-opening box we find four sprues of crisp grey plastic and one of clear, a small fret of photo-etched parts, two decal sheets (a separate one for the cockpit), an eight-page instruction booklet and a separate double-sided colour painting and decal guide. All the parts are very clean with not a trace of flash. The kit offers two versions, one USAF and one Portuguese Air Force, respectively all black and all white, neither of which are the easiest schemes to make look convincing. TECH DATA SCALE: 1/48 KIT NO: 02852 TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic MANUFACTURER: Trumpeter UK IMPORTER: Pocketbond

838 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

Construction Construction begins with the highly detailed cockpit. Instrument panels and consoles have excellent detail straight from the box, although the instrument faces are all blank. Those of us with good eyesight and a steady hand should be able to paint these, but for those of us less blessed there are some very nice decals, which settle over the detail very well indeed. The seats are provided with etch belts; my only quibble is that the placement of these belts is far from clear. You have to decide at this stage whether you want to display the canopies open or closed as there are alternative parts for the hydraulic rams in either position. In this case I assembled the cockpit, minus the seats, before painting and decaling, but I would recommend keeping the instrument panels separate as well. The decals for the instrument panels are very thin and part of one folded under itself, and try as I might I could not get it to unfold. This would have been less of a problem, and it would be a lot easier to position these decals accurately, if they were applied before fitting the panels. This assembly fits very accurately into either fuselage half. Before closing up the fuselage the inner nose and main wheel

well parts have to be fitted. There is no indication of nose weight in the instructions and it may well not be needed, but I added a few grams anyway. The fuselage halves join very well with only minimal filling needed to blend in the seam. The inner faces of all four main parts that make up the intakes have ejector pin marks, which may not show up once they’re assembled, although I filled them to be on the safe side. I did need a little filler around the join between the intakes and fuselage. This stage in the instructions shows the baggage pod that fits under the fuselage but I left this off until after painting; I guess this could be left off altogether if you prefer. The same goes for the nose wheel and air brake assemblies. Very strangely, the instructions suggest assembling the wings and the main undercarriage parts, then fitting these assemblies to the fuselage. I ignored that, building the wings without the undercarriage and fitting them in the normal way. The wings and tailplanes are a perfect fit; however, the same cannot be said of the tail fin. This sits on two long lugs, which throw the spine join well out of alignment. I simply removed these and fitted the fin without them. Two small intake scoops fit either side of the rear spine and the

838-39-ClarksField-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:35 Page 839

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The assembled cockpit, minus the seats and prior to painting

Clark’s Field SAMI Columns

The inner faces of the two halves of one intake showing the filled ejector pin marks

The completed cockpit section before fitting it into the fuselage

Misalignment of the rear of the spine, corrected by virtue of removing the lugs upon which the fin section locates

tail pipes can be fitted at this stage. A word of warning here, though - the jet pipes can be fitted either way up, so be careful. The area that links the jet pipes is shown going to the top. I found only one photo showing the real thing with this fillet, and that not clearly; almost without exception photos show both F-5s and T-38s without it fitted at all, so you takes your choice and you may prefer to cut and file this fillet off altogether. Moving back to the cockpit, there is a front instrument coaming with a small gunsight part. The etch and clear sprues include parts for a proper gunsight, perhaps indicative of future variants to come. Let's hope so! Then there is a dividing piece of framework between the two canopies, to which two etched mirrors need to be added, although I fitted these after fixing the frame. The location of the frame is very positive although I would recommend test-fitting the rear canopy before it sets to check your positioning. If you’re fitting the canopies closed now is the time for that. These parts are crystalclear and a perfect fit. The instructions show

Trumpeter’s interior looks good built from the box

Four views of the cockpit area before fitting the canopies

two more rear-view mirrors to be fitted to the forward canopy frame, although some references show these fitted to the windscreen frame, so do check. If you plan to fit the canopies open, good luck with masking off the cockpits!

Painting and Decaling Neither all-black nor all-white colour schemes are the easiest to apply convincingly, unless your subject is fresh out of the paint shop. That’s the route I took with this: the black version, pristine in a fresh coat of paint. Besides, I have another all-white project in the pipeline… I began with light coat of Hycote Grey auto

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SAMI Columns Clark’s 1/48Field

Attempting to fit the baggage pod, it was found to foul the brake panels. The problem was solved by trimming 1mm from the brake actuators

840 | September 2014

primer, just to check all the seams. A few needed a little more filler. Once I was happy with the priming coat I sprayed the wheel and brake wells matt white, using Hycote White auto primer this time. The instructions suggest a grey colour for the wells but all photographic evidence says white, so white it was. The jet pipes were sprayed gunmetal. These areas were then masked off and the whole model sprayed with Hycote Matt Black. This was finished with a couple of coats of Tamiya TS-13 Clear Gloss. Most of the decals went on easily, with the exception of those along the sides of the baggage pod, which were very difficult to get straight. The only problem with the decals is that they are very thin and tend not to want to move once they’re on the model, so repositioning them is tricky. Incidentally, I think those problem decals are supposed to say ‘Team Stealth’, but it looks more like ‘Teum Sleullh’ a pity because in every other respect the decals are excellent. A length of black stripe was

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The underside with the wheel and brake wells, and the tail pipes, masked up after spraying. From here on in it’s a simple all-black number, unless of course you wish to do some weathering

sourced from the spares box to wind in a spiral along the pitot, a tricky but worthwhile finishing touch. It is a pity Trumpeter decided not to offer decals for the wing-tip navigation lights as this would be a far better option than picking them out by brush. The whole model was sealed with another coat of TS-13. Lastly, the forward section of the jet pipes was covered with Bare-Metal Foil to replicate the highly polished finish seen here.

Final Assembly The undercarriage parts were a doddle, fitting easily and accurately. The same appeared to be true of the speed brakes,

until I tried to fit the baggage pod which fouled the brake panels. I concluded the actuator rams are about 1mm too long; once they were trimmed by that amount it all fitted a lot better. As a finishing touch, if you opt for open canopies, there is a crew ladder to hang over the cockpit sides.

Conclusion Apart from the Bare-Metal Foil on the jet pipes, this was treated as a purely ‘from-thebox’ build and as such it is a delightful model. I really do hope other F-5 variants will follow from Trumpeter. I can highly recommend this kit to modellers of all abilities.

841-GasPatch-0914-WP_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:25 Page 1

h c t s a l e P d s o a m G Henschel HS123 1/48 scale Available in two versions A1/B1 Q4 2014

Highly detailed engine Separated control surfaces Different wings for each type Full spatted and unspatted wheels

Full resin Spandau Guns 2 types Ready to paint ed 5 Extend 1 8 0 G LM Handle Loading

15 LMG 08-

New Guns All accessories are available in scale 1/48 and 1/32 Copyright © 2014 GasPatchModels. All rights reserved.

www.gaspatchmodels.com

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CLASSIC Plastic

In association with

Peter added some basic cockpit detail to his Arcen-Ciel He scratchbuilt the pilots’ positions

Edited by Paul Bradley Submissions and correspondence for Classic Plastic should be submitted to Paul Bradley at [email protected]

Engine exhausts fabricated from thin tubing

The Heller 1/75

COUZINET ARC-EN-CIEL

By Peter Ibes

O

riginally released in 1964, the 1/75 kit of the Couzinet 70 Arcen-Ciel III (‘Rainbow’) was one of the first model kits from Heller of France and is much sought after. A very elegant and beautiful tri-motor aircraft, the Arc en Ciel truly represents the best of the French aviation industry in the early 30s. The aircraft is famous for its long distance flights across the South Atlantic with aviation pioneer Jean Mermoz, and the unique design of tail and fuselage. The aircraft was a low-wing monoplane with a fixed tail wheel landing gear and was powered by three Hispano-Suiza 12Nb inline piston engines. The two wing mounted engines could be accessed in flight through tunnels in the wing. The Arc-en-Ciel III made its first flight on 11

842 | August 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

February 1932. On 16 January 1933, piloted by Mermoz, accompanied by Couzinet, the aircraft crossed the South Atlantic from Saint-Louis, Senegal, to Natal, Brazil, perhaps its most famous record-breaking flight. After further routeproving in 1933 the aircraft was modified and re-designated the Couzinet 71 and entered service with Aéropostale in May 1934 for use on their South Atlantic mail service until 1937. During its service life the aircraft was modified several times, receiving new propellers, revised windows and several changes to the length of the fuselage. The Heller kit is actually a hybrid of some of the many guises in which the original appeared. Another member of my modelling club sent me a PDF file of a book

Peter eliminated some of the heavy surface detail

on the Couzinet Arc-en-Ciel, and combined with images that I found googling, I had a rough idea of the version I wanted to build. My kit came from a fellow modeller who passed away last year. He had already started some work on the model, with the wings and fuselage already assembled. I decided to leave the wings as they were, but the fuselage looked rather bare without some cockpit detail. I therefore split the fuselage open and using some plastic sheet, seats from the spares box, Evergreen rod, brass wire and with the help of some images from the Internet, I constructed a basic cockpit. The cockpit roof was cut out and replaced with some clear sheet as this should be transparent. The version I wanted to build has revised semi-circular windows, so I altered the ones

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Classic Plastic

In association with

The fuselage needed some reworking from the kit with a round file, with new windows cut from clear sheet. The fuselage was also missing an entrance door, which was duly scribed in. With that all done, the fuselage was closed and my attention turned to the wings. First the many seams were filled using Tamiya putty. I then added strakes from Evergreen half-round strip and brass wire for the mechanism to operate the ailerons and flaps. I also drilled out the exhausts and replaced these with stretched tube. The wings and fuselage were then joined and all seams filled. The original aircraft was made of plywood, covered with linen, which Heller choose to represent all over the surface of the model, but this was nothing that some vigorous sanding couldn’t tackle - especially since I had to do something to get rid of all the seams anyway... The kit was then assembled as per the

instructions. A final change was made to the three-bladed propellers. Two of the blades of each prop were removed and one reattached, as the version I wanted only had two. The original Arc-en-Ciel was painted in aluminium dope, with only the engine covers being made of sheet metal. To replicate this I used Tamiya ‘Silver leaf’ from a spray can applied in several thin coats. The gives a nice, even and durable finish. The propellers were painted gloss black and for the tyres I choose RLM 66 black grey from Vallejo. The decals from the kit had severely yellowed over the years. As they were wrong anyway, I designed a complete new set with red rather than black code letters on my PC and had these custom printed by Black Lion Decals. Only the tricolour bands on the wings came from an old Carpena sheet. The decals were then sealed in using Klear, after which the engines were masked and the doped sections sprayed matt clear. With that dry, the masks were removed and the exhausts painted rust with a small brush. I also added a black wash on the engine covers to add some depth to the louvres and radiator grills, and it was done – a nice representation of a true classic from the 1930s.

Inpact’s Magnificent Flying Machines

I

n 1965, one of the top cinematic theatrical releases was Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines; Or, How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes (to give it its full title!). This classic British 1960s ‘epic comedy’ can still be seen regularly on TV screens around the world and is well worth a look the next time you see it listed. The film tells the story of a fictitious air race from London to Paris in 1910 and features a number of flying aircraft, some original, most replicas, and some of these ‘film stars’ were immortalised by the Inpact model company, which gained a licence to market kits of some of the machines from the movie. These were a Bleriot, Deperdussin, Martin-Handasyde (representing Antoinette), Avro Biplane and Triplane and Bristol Boxkite. Released around the time of the film’s release, they were one

The author’s Martin-Handasyde, rigged with Aeroclub thread

James Perrin’s lovely Avro Triplane

of the earliest promotional tie-ins that now seem to be obligatory… Each kit is to 1/48, a nice size for these types, and features excellent detail for the era. Even the late Harry Woodman, that doyen of WWI models, apparently enthused over these kits. Following the demise of the Inpact company in the late sixties, the moulds were taken across the Atlantic, and these kits were issued by Life-Like, Pyro and Lindberg at various times until the eighties. Since then, the kits became collector’s items, with the Bleriot in particular going to silly money on Internet trading sites. However, the good news is that these wonderful old classics are available again through the revitalized Lindberg line for a fraction of their collectable pricing. I just picked up a Bleriot for a project in the near future and I’ll report on it in a future column. In the meantime, here are a few photos of completed Inpact’s Magnificent Flying Machines – my MartinHandasyde and a terrific Avro Triplane by James Perrin.

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CLASSIC Plastic

In association with

Starboard side fuselage painted and marked

A complete airframe – pre-accident…

LES’S WIMPY The Numbers Game

S

Andy is painting his Wimpey in desert colours – here, the topsides are masked with Blu Tack snakes

844 | August 2014

By ‘Antique’ Andy Hazell

till no news from ‘Down Under’ on the subject of Les Fisher’s war records, however, they did say it could take up to ninety days to complete the request. So what can be done while I wait for news? Well, back to the wartime pictures, as the single code letter X and an apparent Mediterranean location could be investigated further. A good friend, Oli Newbould, picked up a copy of Combat Codes by Vic Flintham and Andrew Thomas, for a couple of quid in a charity shop, which he kindly donated to the cause. Packed with information, it gave a couple of useful bits of knowledge but no conclusive answers. The key point is that during 1941 and 1942 a number of RAF units in the Middle East reverted to singleletter squadron codes for security reason. This matches the photos of Les’s Wimpy, so it looks like my search is going in the right direction? Could the pictures have been taken in Malta, for instance? Suddenly out of the blue Mr Bradley sent me an e-mail from Susan Paxton in the USA. By sheer coincidence she is also researching a distant relative who served in the RAAF. Her quest is much more advanced and to be honest far more poignant. More on this at the end of the write-up. Anyway, Susan recommended I try the

Scale Aviation Modeller International

Aussie historical website ‘Trove’ and I gave it a go. With over 380 million records available, expectations were high. I typed in Les’s details and within ten seconds I had all the hits - all one of them, yep - and just one single find. But what a find! A picture of Les sat on top of a crashed Beaufighter at RAF Langham taken on the 29th June 1944. It listed his full name and service number, yet more importantly his rank of Corporal and trade as aircraft fitter. Les may not have been aircrew after all?

And now for the Plastic Bits....... Meanwhile, back on the workbench progress has been steady. Having taken ‘a bit of punt’, I have decided that the crashed Wellington is in a Middle Eastern setting and opted to finish the camouflage appropriate to that theatre of operation. However, if I am wrong, there will be one heck of a navigational error to explain! I adopted my usual method of operation and Lifecolor Acrylic, which was airbrushed into place with my ancient, but indestructible, Aztec airbrush. Mid Sand was applied first followed by Dark Earth in standard RAF bomber pattern scheme, Blu Tack being used for masking the demarcation lines. Matt Black was added finally to the undersides to complete the scheme. This was all finished off with a few coats of airbrushed Johnson’s Klear as a base for the decals. I used the kit decals for roundels and fin flashes and the X code letters came from the Microscale set in plain grey. Despite placing the photographs under a microscope I still cannot make out the serial number, so I will just have to omit them for now. On the subject of the fuselage windows, I opted to replicate the visible geodetic framework with thin strips of interior green coloured decal sheet. I was surprised how well this worked and I will definitely use this method again. Micro Sol decal softener was used to adhere to the contours and the job sealed with some more Johnson's Klear. Now it is time for my long anticipated and

Port side completed compulsory comedy build disaster moment. As always I do not fail to deliver. Feeling very pleased with progress so far I decided to mock up the finished Wellington by dry fitting the wings. While foolishly admiring my handiwork, moments of force came into action in a most equal and opposite manner. The fuselage launched itself upwards, while both wings spiralled outwards, free of my hands. Reflex reaction kicked in and left and right hands caught the closest wing, better than any English slip fielder. Meanwhile ‘silly mid on’ helplessly watched the fuselage achieve the limit of its upward trajectory and momentarily sit motionless directly in front of my nose. Newton’s most famous law then took effect and the fuselage started its downward journey serenaded by a depressing whimper of resignation from yours truly. The fuselage struck the tiled kitchen floor with a most impressive crash and completely shattered the nose. And with that we shall end this month’s instalment...

>>STOP PRESS! Susan Paxton is also researching a relative who was a member of the RAAF, one Charlie Williams. He was tragically killed on the second wave of the famous Dambusters Raid in 1943. Susan would be thrilled to receive any information on him while serving with 617 Squadron and especially his time while flying with 61 Squadron. Particularly information on pilots Brian Frow DSO, DSM and Ian Woodward DFM, RNZAF. Please could you contact Paul Bradley through the address above with any information that would be of use to Susan? Regards: Slightly depressed Antique Andy with a Wellington jigsaw puzzle. July 2014

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MODELLERS Portfolio

Curtiss P-40

Tom, Cat or War Hawk Unravelling the P-40

T

By Jack Trent

he name ‘P-40’ will be redolent to many of a 1970s government form concerning ‘Supplementary Benefits’ that had to be trolled round various offices in the borough in order to satisfy the powers that then were, that the bearer was indeed looking for work and was not in fact a scrounging idle layabout, and like its bureaucratic counterpart the aircraft of that name is at first glance not a straightforward matter. The various designations swapped between the US and RAF and Commonwealth users have confused the subject to a tremendous degree, and with so many good kits of the type on the market, a brief recap of the main variants to accompany this month’s Portfolio does not seem inappropriate:

P-40B/Tomahawk IIA Extra 0.303 machine guns in the wings and a partially protected fuel system

P-40C/Tomahawk IIB Drop tank and bomb shackles, self-sealing fuel tanks and other minor revisions

P-40D/Kittyhawk Mk I Larger Allison engine, slightly narrower fuselage, redesigned canopy, and improved cockpit. Nosemounted 0.50in guns replaced by two 0.50in guns in each wing. Larger chin intake

P-40E/P-40E-1/Kittyhawk Mk IA As P-40D, but more powerful engine and an extra 0.50in gun in each wing. Some with underwing bomb shackles.

P-40F Packard V-1650 Merlin engine replaced the Allison, omitting the carburettor scoop on top of the nose

P-40L/ Kittyhawk Mk II/ Kittyhawk Mk IIA As P-40F, but some aircraft featured a fillet in front of the vertical stabilizer, or a stretched fuselage to compensate for higher torque

XP-40

P-40G

Converted from a P-36A by replacing the radial engine with a new Allison V-1710-19 engine. First flown October 1938

P-40 aircraft fitted with Tomahawk Mk IIA wings. Later redesignated RP-40G

P-40K/ Kittyhawk Mk III

P-40

Allison-engined P-40L with the nose-top scoop retained and Allison-configured nose radiators scoop, cowl flaps and vertical-stabilizer-to-fuselage fillet

Curtiss Model 81A-1. This was the first production version with 199 built

P-40A One P-40 modified with a camera installation in the rear fuselage

P-40M As P-40K, with stretched fuselage and Allison V1710-81 engine. Two small air scoops just before

the exhaust pipes. Most of them were supplied to Allied countries (mainly UK and USSR), while some others remained in the USA for advanced training. Supplied to Commonwealth air forces as the Kittyhawk Mk III

P-40N/ Kittyhawk Mk IV Stretched rear fuselage to counter the torque from larger Allison engine and modified rear cockpit to improve rearward visibility. Early production blocks reduced wing armament to four 0.50in guns. Later production blocks reintroduced the 6-gun armament after complaints from units in the field.

P-40P 1500 aircraft originally ordered with V-1650-1 engines, but actually built as P-40Ns with V-171081 engines

XP-40Q 4-bladed prop, cut-down rear fuselage and bubble canopy, supercharger, squared-off wingtips and tail surfaces, and improved engine with two-speed supercharger

P-40R P-40F and P-40L aircraft converted as trainers in 1944

RP-40 P-40s converted into reconnaissance aircraft

TP-40 Aircraft converted as two-seat trainers

Twin P-40 P-40C fitted in 1942 with a pair of 1,300 hp (969 kW) Packard V-1650-1 Merlin engines mounted over the main landing gear

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Curtiss P-40

Modellers Portfolio

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II AH973 Curtiss painted the aircraft destined for the RAF before being transported in a variation of the Dark Earth, Dark Green scheme using similar colours, which were available at the Curtiss factory. Arrived in the UK with only the serial number but no squadron codes

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II AK184 This aircraft did not enter operational service, instead it was used by the RAE at Farnborough, remaining in service until 1944. Standard RAF scheme but with the demarcation line going up to the tail fin unlike most Tomahawks of this period

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II AH878, 403 Squadron RCAF

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II AH882, 403 Squadron RCAF Similar markings to AH878 however the black underwing identification went all the way to the centre line of the fuselage

Colour artwork by Chris Sandham-Bailey/Inkworm www.inkworm.co.uk

The only squadron to employ the Tomahawk in a fighter role in the ETO, 403 Sqn received them on 1st March 1941 when formed at RAF Baginton. After twentynine operational sorties the aircraft were deemed unsuitable for the fighter role and were replaced by Spitfires. During this time the aircraft received identification markings of a black wing, though this was hastily painted over on many of the aircraft later, one including AH878

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Modellers Portfolio

Curtiss P-40

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II AH791, 26 Squadron RAF Operated by 26 Sqn from February 1941 as part of RAF Army Cooperation Command, the aircraft operated over France in the reconnaissance role. The aircraft were received from 403 Sqn RCAF. The aircraft is standard Dark Earth, Dark Green with Sky Blue underside and a black wing (not extended as far as the undercarriage) for identification purposes. The squadron badge is on the white bar of the fin flash. With some aircraft the original 403 Sqn codes are still visible

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II AK162, 613 Squadron Like 26 Sqn, 613 Sqn continued in the reconnaissance role and replaced its Lysanders with the Tomahawk in August 1941, continuing to use them until the following April when they were replaced by Mustang Mk Is. Based at RAF Doncaster and later Andover. Standard markings of Dark Earth, Dark Green upper surfaces and Sky Blue spinner and underside

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II AH940, 2 Squadron

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II AK490, 73 Squadron Flown by Sqn Ldr Peter Wykeham-Barnes, 73’s CO, this aircraft was only with the squadron for two months and was one of three Tomahawks temporarily supplied to the squadron. It had high visibility markings supposedly to aid squadron identification - a variation on the pre-war markings worn by the Gladiator

Colour artwork by Chris Sandham-Bailey/Inkworm www.inkworm.co.uk

As with other squadrons the Tomahawk replaced the Lysander in 1940. The squadron aircraft wore standard markings with the codes in Medium Sea Grey. Of note, A flight had red tipped spinners. AH940 made a wheels up landing at Sawbridgeworth in late 1941

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Modellers Portfolio

P-40B Side

P-40B Top

1/72 Scale Plans Curtiss P-40 Scale Drawings by Chris Sandham-Bailey/Inkworm www.inkworm.co.uk

P-40B Underside

P-40B Front

Tomahawk IIB

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MODELLERS Portfolio

Plans

P-40B Side

1/48 Scale Plans Curtiss P-40

P-40B Underside

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Modellers Portfolio

P-40B Top

Tomahawk IIB

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Modellers Portfolio

Curtiss P-40

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II AX900 Originally meant to be AH900 the serial was applied incorrectly and retained. The aircraft was at Yeovil (presumably Westlands in early 1941) and went on to serve with a number of units. Sources vary on the list of units but 41 OTU and 168 Sqn are highly probable. AX900 is reported as being struck off charge in either May or December of 1944, again depending on sources. This aircraft is unusual due to the exceptionally high demarcation line on the fuselage

Curtiss Tomahawk MkII AH899, 1683 BDTU Operated by 1683 Bomber Defence Training Flight, Bruntingthorpe & Market Harborough, Leicestershire from June 1943 to May 1944. The flight was used to familiarise bomber aircrews with fighters. Dark Green and Ocean Grey camouflage with Medium Sea Grey undersides. Codes, spinner and fuselage band were in Sky

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II AK413, 112 Squadron

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II, Royal Egyptian Air Force A total of six Tomahawks were transferred to the REAF as the RAF aircraft were replaced. The Dark Earth/Mid Stone with Azure Blue scheme was retained but Egyptian markings replaced the RAF markings

Colour artwork by Chris Sandham-Bailey/Inkworm www.inkworm.co.uk

Originally delivered to 112 Sqn during July 1941 wearing standard European camouflage, it was repainted in Mid Stone and Dark Earth upper surfaces with Azure Blue underside. 112 Sqn soon applied the shark’s mouth to all their aircraft and led to others, including the AVG, adopting the design

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Curtiss P-40

Modellers Portfolio

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II, Turkish Air Force As the RAF received newer aircraft forty-two Tomahawks were supplied to the Turkish Air Force in 1942, standard camouflage was retained with national codes painted over, tail painted red with national insignia in white. The Tomahawks and Kittyhawks were replaced by Spitfire Vs in 1944

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II, USSR 58 One of a batch of Tomahawks supplied directly from the USA, many were reconditioned and had seen service in the Army Air Corps. Originally painted in Olive Drab and Neutral Grey undersides, White was used to break up the form of the aircraft

Curtiss Tomahawk Mk II, USSR AH695

Curtiss Hawk 81-A-2, AVG P-8109 The Air Volunteer Group, better known as the Flying Tigers, operated the Hawk 81-A-2. There has been some debate about the colours used and due to the environment there was considerable weathering and fading. Colours would have been Dark Green and Light Earth with Camouflage Grey undersurfaces. This aircraft was flown by Flight Leader C.H. ‘Chuck’ Older of 3rd PS Hell’s Angels, based at Kunming, China 1942

Colour artwork by Chris Sandham-Bailey/Inkworm www.inkworm.co.uk

One of a batch of ex-RAF Tomahawks supplied to the Soviet Union. At this stage it retains the original markings with the national insignia overpainted in similar colours and the red star. AH695 was flown by Lt S.G.Ridniy, flight leader of 126 IAP who was killed in action on February 17th 1942. 128 IAP were the first regiment to receive the Tomahawk

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Modellers Portfolio

Curtiss P-40

Curtiss P-40C 39-159 (41-13357) 41-13357 entered service with the USAAC on 6th April 1941 and the aircraft was used in a variety of roles before being reconditioned and sent to the USSR in December 1941. The aircraft was recovered in the 1990s and restored to flying condition. It was decided to have a polished metal finish and wear the markings of 39-159 of Chanute Field, Kansas where it was used as a hack. Registered as N80FR it is now flown by The Fighter Collection based at Duxford, Cambridgeshire

Curtiss P-40B Warhawk 41-13297 Served with the 19th PS, 18 PG, Wheeler Field, Oahu, Hawaii. Having survived the attack at Pearl Harbour the aircraft was written off in February 1942. The remains were recovered from Hawaii in 1987 and restored. Repainted in the original scheme, 284 is the only airworthy Tomahawk to have survived the attack

Curtiss P-40B Tomahawk 160

Curtiss P-40B 39-174 A typical later version of the Tomahawk, 39-174 has the Star on a Blue circle but by this stage the meatball had been dropped. Serial on the tail in yellow. This aircraft was written off on 2nd November 1942, near Fresno, California

Colour artwork by Chris Sandham-Bailey/Inkworm www.inkworm.co.uk

Flown by Lt George Welch of the 47th PS, 15th PG, Wheeler Field, Oahu, Hawaii. Welch was one of two pilots who flew against the Japanese at Pearl Harbour, claiming four kills. The aircraft would have been painted in Matt Olive Drab with Neutral Grey undersides

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856-57-FL-BV 141-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:43 Page 856

Sponsored by Creative Models www.creativemodels.co.uk

SAMI Spotlight First Look

First Look

1/48

SCALE

Benchmark Oddity The Good Scout

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By Gary Hatcher

he Blohm & Voss BV 141 has been one of my all-time favourite aircraft since it was first released by Airfix in 1969. Back then my knowledge of aircraft types was limited to the Airfix catalogue and War and Commando picture comics, which occasionally threw up fascinating cartoon stories focussing on a specific aircraft type. Funnily enough they never did one on the BV 141, so I remained ignorant. I built the kit back then – badly – and my estimable colleague Mr Franks was good enough to run my second attempt at the kit back around 1996, when it ran as my first full build article in this magazine.

TECH DATA

BLOHM & VOSS BV 141 KIT NO: 81728 SCALE: 1/48 PRICE: £31.99 DECAL OPTIONS: 2 PANEL LINES: Recessed STATUS: New Tooling TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic PARTS: Plastic 105, Clear 9 MANUFACTURER: HobbyBoss UK IMPORTER: Creative Models www.creativemodels.com

856 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

Since then I have kept an eye on the type as far as kits are concerned. Some years ago HiPm kitted the machine in 1/48. This was an interesting tooling, with a completely transparent nacelle, and is a model I have seen built very nicely, although the limitedrun moulding looks like it will take a little bit of work to achieve the best result. This tooling is now, I believe, in the keeping of AZ Model, and this Editor has been nagging them persistently to re-issue it for years. Now, thank Heavens, he can stop… This latest new tooling from HobbyBoss has been passed on with almost unfeasible haste by UK importer Creative models, and has found its way straight to the Editorial heart. The kit is a typical example of HobbyBoss at their best, with fine engraving, and a very high level of detail in the nacelle

that will look very good straight out of the box. I am pleased to note that the interior of the BV 141 is not such a mystery as one might suppose, with good references available, and the only real downside of the kit is the sheer amount of masking required to finish it. I seem to recall cutting ninetyplus masks for the Airfix kit! This time I may well wait for Eduard… ‘How to’ and ‘what with’ are fairly obvious with this kit – although I would recommend giving the transparent nacelle parts a good bath in Klear before proceeding as there will be a lot of ‘stuff’ to attach within. As for ‘why?’ that is very much a matter for the individual. For me the aircraft by virtue of its shape alone makes for a fascinating modelling subject. Luft ’46 does not interest me overmuch, but this is something different.

856-57-FL-BV 141-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:43 Page 857

Sponsored by Creative Models www.creativemodels.co.uk

use would, of course, be welcome. So, in conclusion, this is a marvellous kit of a fascinating aircraft that did see some limited use, and was widely type-tested with considerable success. In fact, the BV 141 seems to have been regarded as a significantly better machine than the Fw 189, only its unlikely appearance ultimately deterring the powers that be from accepting it into full production and squadron service.

First Look

SAMI Spotlight

An advanced design of the times, a significant warplane, sadly not allowed to fulfil its potential, and in terms of its design, an attractive and charismatic reconnaissance machine that had all the makings of a good scout. Highly recommended!

The type dates from 1938, and around twenty prototypes were tested, some operationally, so while the Airfix box art depicting an aggressive-looking machine performing what appears to be a low-level bombing run may be a little optimistic, the aircraft did genuinely see combat. Its precise service history remains the subject of some debate, but I have heard suggestions that it saw some active service trials during the Polish campaign, which given the first ‘A’ prototypes flew in 1938, and the project was cancelled in early 1941, is not as improbable as it sounds. Any definite information on this matter, or on any other aspect of the aircraft’s

11 Pinewood Place, Blackburn, West Lothian, EH47 7NX, www.A2zeemodels.co.uk, Email: [email protected], Phone: 01506 416 444

NEW RELEASE!

Focke-Wulf Ta 154 A2/U4 “Moskito” AC48049C - £22.00 1:48th Scale Conversio Conversion on Includes detailed resin parts, mask set for markings marking and canopy. Designed for Revell, Monogram & Dragon kits.

High Altitude Messerschmitt Bf 109-H Conversion set AC32037C - £20.00 High Altitude Messerschmitt Bf 109-H Conversion set for 1/32nd Revell Bf 109G-6 kit. Includes new wing section, with radiators and a new tail & rudder. Masks included for PV + JB. See set AC32027 Bf 109 G Messerschmitt upgrade set for 1/32nd Revell kit for additional upgrade parts for the 109 H. £15.00

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858-FL-WarningStar-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:44 Page 858

SAMI Spotlight First Look

First Look

1/72

SCALE

Warning Star! Latest Kit from Aero Line By Plus Model

By David Francis

TECH DATA

EC-121 WARNING STAR SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: AL7010 PARTS: Resin 31, Plastic 78, Clear 11 Includes one etched fret MANUFACTURER: Plus Model

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his is the first in a new line of full kits from Plus Model, and is a limited edition boxing of Heller’s kit, with just 1,000 kits available. The kit has been extensively upgraded to include resin engines and an etched detail set, but a number of additional sets are available separately, or are included in the ‘Hi-Tech’boxing of this kit, #7011.

Accessories The following sets are also available separately: The Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star was a US airborne early warning radar surveillance aircraft. A military version of the Lockheed Constellation, it was designed to supplement the Distant Early Warning Line, using two large radomes, a vertical dome above and a horizontal one below the fuselage. EC-121s were also used for intelligence gathering (SIGINT). It was introduced in 1954 and retired from service in 1978, although a single specially modified EW aircraft remained in service with the U.S. Navy until 1982.

Markings offer four aircraft: • Lockheed EC-121Q, 966th AEW&C Squadron, 552nd AEW&C Wing, Keflavik, • Lockheed EC-121K, Bu No 137890, Pacific Missile Range, NAS Point Mugu • Lockheed EC-121K, Bu No 137889, Air Development Center (NADC), Johnsville, Pennsylvania, 1963 • Lockheed RC-121D, 55-126, 551 AEW&CS, December 1962

858 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

Wheel Bays for EC -121 Warning Star Kit No AL7006 Designed for: Heller or Plus Model This set supplies etched brass for the main bays, detail resin for the doors, wheels and nose bay, and decals for the placards.

Flaps Set for EC-121 Warning Star Kit No AL7007 Designed for: Heller or Plus Model This set supplies resin flaps and the bay roof with etched brass for the details.

Tail surface for EC-121 Warning Star or Lockheed Constellation Kit No AL7008 Designed for: Heller or Plus Model

Engine Set for Lockeed L-1049 Super Constellation Kit No AL7009 Designed for: Heller or Airfix

Engine Set for EC-121 Warning Star Kit No AL7010 Designed for: Heller or Plus Model

Mastered-Adverts-AV-0914_AV-0606 15/08/2014 14:19 Page 859

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860-61-Previews-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:45 Page 860

SAMI Spotlight Previews

Previews D-Day Air Assault

F-4J Phantom II VF-96 Fighting Falcons

BBMF Collection

TECHNICAL DATA

TECHNICAL DATA

TECHNICAL DATA

SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: 02064

SCALE: 1/72

SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: 50157

PRICE: US$43.00 £34.99

KIT NO: 50158

DECAL OPTIONS: 2

PRICE: £29.99 US$74.99

PRICE: £24.99 US$74.99 STATUS: Revised Issue TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic MANUFACTURER: Airfix

This boxed set combines a number of recent toolings to make up a diorama based on a 2TAF airfield in southern England during the D-Day operations and includes a Hawker Typhoon, and various

elements from the recent ground vehicles set – the BSA 500cc Motorcycle, Standard Light Utility Vehicle and Bedford MWC/MWD Truck as well as thirty-seven RAF Personnel figures. The set also includes a diorama base measuring 340mm x 240mm, paints, brushes, and cement.

PANEL LINES: Recessed STATUS: Reissue

STATUS: Revised Issue

TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic

TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic

PARTS: Plastic 109, Clear 7

MANUFACTURER: Airfix

MANUFACTURER: Hasegawa

INCLUDES: Avro Lancaster B.III, Spitfire PR.XIX, Spitfire Mk II, paints, brushes and cement.

UK IMPORTER: Amerang US IMPORTER: Hobbico

Kawanishi N1K1 Kyofu (Rex) Early/Late Combo TECHNICAL DATA SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: 02065 PRICE: US$43.00 £34.99 DECAL OPTIONS: 2 PANEL LINES: Recessed STATUS: Reissue TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic PARTS: Plastic 109, Clear 2 MANUFACTURER: Hasegawa UK IMPORTER: Amerang US IMPORTER: Hobbico

Boeing 720B Pan American TECHNICAL DATA

Piper PA-18 with Bushwheels

SCALE: 1/144 KIT NO: 319

TECHNICAL DATA

PRICE: US$38.00 £24.99

SCALE: 1/32 KIT NO: 04890

DECAL OPTIONS: 1

PRICE: US$29.95 £17.99

PANEL LINES: Recessed

DECAL OPTIONS: 2

STATUS: New Tooling

PANEL LINES: Recessed STATUS: Reissue

TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic

TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic

PARTS: Plastic 60, Clear 9

PARTS: Plastic 101, Clear 10

MANUFACTURER: Roden

MANUFACTURER: Revell Gmbh&Co.KG

UK IMPORTER: Pocketbond

UK IMPORTER: Revell UK

US IMPORTER: Squadron

US IMPORTER: Revell-Monogram

This boxing offers two complete kits that build up into both early and late versions of the floatplane design that went on to become the more successful N1K2 ‘George’. Parts include beaching trolleys, and the different cowlings specifically tooled for each version.

Albatros D.Va (OAW) TECHNICAL DATA SCALE: 1/32 KIT NO: 32047 PRICE: US$69.00 DECAL OPTIONS: 5

Nakajima Ki-84 Type 4 Hayate

PANEL LINES: Recessed STATUS: Revised Tooling TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic

‘Hitachi Flight Training Squadron’

PARTS: Plastic 149, Etched 9

TECHNICAL DATA

MANUFACTURER: Wingnut Wings

SCALE: 1/48 KIT NO: 07357

AVAILABLE FROM: www.wingnutwings.com

PRICE: US$40.00 £32.99 DECAL OPTIONS: 2 PANEL LINES: Recessed STATUS: Reissue TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic PARTS: Plastic 89, Clear 11 MANUFACTURER: Hasegawa UK IMPORTER: Amerang US IMPORTER: Hobbico

Possibly the most handsome piston-engined fighter ever, the Ki-84 ‘Frank’ has been

860 | September 2014

reissued by Hasegawa time and again, but is always worth revisiting. The kit is beautifully engineered, highly detailed, and is a treat to build. This latest boxing offers two aircraft from a training unit in June 1945, both in an Olive Drab over Grey-Green scheme.

Scale Aviation Modeller International

When the Albatros D.V started appearing at the front in May 1917 it was effectively outclassed by the improved S.E.5a, Sopwith Camel and SPAD fighters being fielded by the Allies at the time. Even after the introduction of the superb Fokker D.VII, the Albatros D.V and D.Va could still be found equipping front line Jastas right up to the armistice, although most had been relegated to training duties. This model

represents the strengthened D.Va manufactured by Albatros Werke Schneidemühl - Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke (OAW) in eastern Germany from September 1917. The kit includes five-colour lozenge decals and rib tapes. Plastic parts are identical to the previous Albatros D.Va except for the improved Axial propeller. The kit includes optional flares, windscreens, flare gun and propellers and a highly detailed Daimler-Mercedes DIIIa engine. Full rigging diagrams are included.

860-61-Previews-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:45 Page 861

Previews SAMI Spotlight

A-37A Dragonfly

Kawanishi N1K2-J Shidenkai (George)

TECHNICAL DATA SCALE: 1/48 KIT NO: 02888 PRICE: £27.99 US$48.95

TECHNICAL DATA

DECAL OPTIONS: 2

SCALE: 1/32 KIT NO: ST33

PANEL LINES: Recessed

PRICE: US$70.00 £54.99

STATUS: New Tooling

DECAL OPTIONS: 2

TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic

PANEL LINES: Recessed STATUS: New Tool

PARTS: Plastic 160, Clear 10, Etched 21

TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic

MANUFACTURER: Trumpeter

PARTS: Plastic 139, Clear 15

UK IMPORTER: Pocketbond

MANUFACTURER: Hasegawa

US IMPORTER: Stevens International

UK IMPORTER: Amerang US IMPORTER: Hobbico

This first issue of the Dragonfly looks excellent in the box, featuring some 170 parts – which adds up to some great detail on an aircraft this size. The kit includes a very detailed cockpit, optional FOD covers, etched details including parts for the ejection seats, and a good selection of weapons so you can model the diminutive machine with the typical heavy load it is

frequently pictured with on COIN operations. Another excellent kit – this particular release falling squarely into the better value section of the Trumpeter catalogue, and one that will no doubt stimulate the aftermarket.

Hasegawa’s kit features all the typical hallmarks of this manufacturer – fine tooling, excellent fit and great detail. The kit is not cheap, but is the only game in town for a 1/32 George, and at the end of the day will build into a spectacular model of this personable machine.

Aichi D3A1 Type 99 (Val) Model II ‘Indian Ocean Raid’ TECHNICAL DATA SCALE: 1/48 KIT NO: 07356 PRICE: US$40.00 £31.49 DECAL OPTIONS: 2 PANEL LINES: Recessed

Fairchild C-123B Provider

STATUS: Reissue TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic PARTS: Plastic 91, Clear 11 MANUFACTURER: Hasegawa UK IMPORTER: Amerang US IMPORTER: Hobbico

TECHNICAL DATA SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: 056 PRICE: US$73.00 £42.99 DECAL OPTIONS: 3 PANEL LINES: Recessed STATUS: New Tooling TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic PARTS: Plastic 180, Clear 24

Lockheed C-140A Jetstar TECHNICAL DATA SCALE: 1/144 KIT NO: 316 PRICE: £16.99 US$26.00 DECAL OPTIONS: 1 PANEL LINES: Recessed STATUS: New Tooling TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic PARTS: Plastic 46, Clear 5 MANUFACTURER: Roden UK IMPORTER: Pocketbond US IMPORTER: Squadron

Now this is something very special for 1/144 fans! The light business jet that joined the USAF! Rare enough in plastic, this is a very welcome addition to available kits for those Scaling Down.

MANUFACTURER: Roden UK IMPORTER: Pocketbond US IMPORTER: Squadron

Initially planned as a glider in the early postwar years by the Chase Firm, the concept was redesigned and fitted with engines. In 1953 production commenced and from 1955 the aircraft started to appear

as a successor to the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar. One of the last types equipped with radial engines within the US Air Force, the C-123 became the standard workhorse during the Vietnam War. The kit comes with eight sprues of light grey injected plastic and one of clear parts, and features engraved panel lines, detailed engines, external fuel tanks and decals for three versions: • C-123B USAF South Vietnam, early 1964 • C-123B ‘Patches’ Vietnamese Air Force, South Vietnam during 1964 • C-123B Air America, Southeast Asia, Thailand during 1966.

www.sampublications.com September 2014

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SAMI Spotlight Creative Times

Sponsored by Creative Models www.creativemodels.co.uk

Creative Times A selection of new releases now available

Tandem!

Two-Seaters from HobbyBoss TECHNICAL DATA

Brazilian EMB-314 Super Tucano SCALE: 1/48 KIT NO: 81727 PRICE: US$52.99 £27.99 DECAL OPTIONS: 3 PANEL LINES: Recessed STATUS: New Tooling TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic PARTS: Plastic 152, Clear 6, Etched 16 MANUFACTURER: HobbyBoss UK IMPORTER: Creative Models www.creativemodels.co.uk

This month HobbyBoss have really pushed the boat out with some very welcome releases in 1/48. Among these is the first issue of what we can only hope will be a series of Tucanos. This dynamic machine can be seen in its RAF form flitting about the skies of North Yorkshire, growling like a Spitfire, and a flight of them coming in low over Linton-on-Ouse is a sight and sound that you won’t forget. Who needs warbirds with these things still flying! But that is for another day. The present kit, the EMB-314 Super Tucano, also named ALX or A-29, is a turboprop aircraft designed for light attack, counter insurgency (COIN), close air support, and aerial reconnaissance missions in low threat environments, as well as providing pilot training. Designed to operate in high temperature and humidity conditions in extremely rugged terrain, the Super Tucano is highly manoeuvrable, has a low heat signature, and incorporates 3rd generation avionics and weapons systems to deliver

862 | September 2014

precision guided munitions. It is currently in service with the air forces of Brazil, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and Burkina Faso, and has been ordered by Indonesia, Angola, and the United States. This all new tooling captures the aggressive bristling look of the aircraft beautifully, with a nicely detailed cockpit out of the box, including etched details for the ejection seats, and a selection of armaments including Mk 82 500lb slicks, Mk 82 500lb Snakeyes, AIM-9L and AIM-9P Sidewinders and GBU-12 LGBs. Markings cover three aircraft, with examples from Brazil, Chile and Columbia. This is a landmark model in this scale, and very nicely executed. An RAF version would be nice – although it is not apparent from this set of parts if this is likely to happen. A chap can dream!

Scale Aviation Modeller International

By Jack Trent

From Creative Models

862-63-CreativeTimes-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:47 Page 863

Sponsored by Creative Models www.creativemodels.co.uk

Creative Times SAMI Spotlight

Messerschmitt Me 262B-1a TECHNICAL DATA SCALE: 1/48 KIT NO: 80378 PRICE: US$31.99 £16.99 DECAL OPTIONS: 3 PANEL LINES: Recessed STATUS: New Tooling

A-6A Intruder

TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic

TECHNICAL DATA

PARTS: Plastic 160, Clear 4, Metal 1

SCALE: 1/48 KIT NO: 81708

MANUFACTURER: HobbyBoss

PRICE: US$94.99 £49.99

UK IMPORTER: Creative Models www.creativemodels.co.uk

DECAL OPTIONS: 2 STATUS: New Tooling PANEL LINES: Recessed

Expert sources have endorsed HobbyBoss’s Me 262 range, and anyone who has built one of the kits released so far will be aware of the quality of tooling and the excellence of the fit. Now, to our immense satisfaction, the range has been expanded to include the two-seater variants, starting with this rather fetching B-1a. The eye-catching appearance of the nightfighter version has overshadowed the humble trainer, but this latter saw far greater use on the whole than the short-

TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic PARTS: Plastic 371, Clear 22, Metal 3, Etched 36 MANUFACTURER: HobbyBoss UK IMPORTER: Creative Models www.creativemodels.co.uk

lived B-2. This kit is largely based on previous toolings, with a new fuselage and additional cockpit parts, and the fact that HobbyBoss have tooled a complete new sprue for the fuselage and other parts bodes well for an RAF Tucano! Like previous issues the kit includes a metal insert for the nose wheel well, which should help avoid a tail-sitter, but bear in mind it is always worth checking before you seal things up. A beautiful kit of an interesting workaday type that has remained unsung

and uncelebrated. With its bulging topheavy appearance the B-1a is a real uglybug that will enhance any collection of Luftwaffe types. You can keep the nightfighter! This is the real thing.

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SAM-F-111-Mosquito-Mustang-DPS-August-2014_Layout 1 11/07/2014 17:36 Page 1

The North American

P-51 Mustang By Malcolm V Lowe he North American P-51 Mustang is one of the most wellknown fighters of World War II. Possessing excellent range and maneuverability, the P-51 operated primarily as a long-range escort fighter and later as a ground attack fighterbomber and went on to serve in nearly every combat zone during WWII, and later fought in the Korean War. The Mustang was originally designed to use the Allison V-170 engine, which had limited high-altitude performance and was first flown operationally as the Mustang Mk I by the RAF in the role of a tactical-reconnaissance aircraft and fighter-bomber. The later addition of the Rolls-Royce Merlin to the P-51B/C model transformed the Mustang's performance at altitudes above 15,000 ft, giving it an ability that matched or bettered the majority of the Luftwaffe’s fighters at altitude. The definitive

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part 1

version, the P-51D was powered by the Packard V-1650-7 a license-built version of the Merlin 60 Series, with a two-stage, two-speed supercharged engine and was armed with six .50 calibre M2 Browning machine guns. In the first of two volumes on the P-51, acknowledged author Malcolm V Lowe looks at the genesis of the P-51 and the Allison engined versions, detailing the NA.73X Prototype, the A-36 Apache/A-36 Invader, and the early P-51’s in US and RAF Service. This is all backed up with Colour Artwork by Andy Evans, fold-out Scale Plans, Understanding the Subject, Technical Diagrams and Specifications, Airframe Walk Arounds, Modelling the Mustang in Popular Scales and a comprehensive Kitography, listing all available kits, decals and accessories.

THE HAWKER

THE SUPERMARINE

HURRICANE

SPITFIRE

his is the latest re-edition from the pioneering Datafile series, and sees the very welcome return of the Hawker Hurricane to the catalogue. This second edition, while retaining all the original historical and scale modelling content unabridged, is now expanded to 176 pages and includes additional model builds and notes covering the significant new toolings that have appeared in the years since the original publication, along with an updated list of currently available kits. Out of print for many years, this second edition marks a welcome return for the very best modelling reference on the famous World War Two fighter.

Part 1: Merlin Powered

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his Second Edition, while retaining all of the original modelling content unabridged, has now expanded to 192 pages and includes additional model builds and notes covering the significant new toolings that have appeared in the years since the original publication, along with an updated list of currently available kits. Out of print for many years, this Second Edition marks a welcome return for the very best modelling reference on the famous World War Two fighter.

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SAMI Spotlight Reviews

Reviews 1/72

SCALE

TBD-1 Devastator

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TECH DATA SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: ADM 7215 TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic MANUFACTURER: AZ Model

866 | September 2014

By Bill Bunting

he TBD-1 was very much a design of the thirties. It was out of date by December 1941 and was withdrawn from the front line in 1942. The Devastator played a major role in the Battle of Midway but unfortunately nearly all them involved in that event were destroyed and many crew lives were lost. As such it is an important aircraft and a must in any collection of WW II US Navy aircraft. The AZ kit is available in two boxings and is co-branded with ‘Admiral’. This kit features TBD-1s in WW II service, the other covers prewar examples. The plastic parts are engraved but do have quite a bit of flash and there is some mould shifting evident, and sprue gates are a bit large. The canopy is very nicely done, being quite clear, if a little thick. The other clear parts are not very clear but that can be dealt with. The resin parts are really nicely done although my sample was missing one of the seven casting sets. Overall it is a bit of a conundrum - the plastic parts are OK but need a lot of clean-up and care to remove from the sprues, but the resin parts look very nice; ‘Limited Run’ defined. The cockpit consists of resin plus plastic

Scale Aviation Modeller International

parts and includes a floor, upper decking, two crew seats, a rear gunner position, bomb aimer's window, instrument panel and consoles. Unfortunately the instructions provide only a general placement idea and there are no positive locating points in the whole assembly. This trend carries throughout the build. Assembly requires constant dry fitting, trimming and rechecking of all parts before committing to glue. In the end, I believe the pilot’s seat in my model is too high but I am at a loss to figure how it could have been placed otherwise and still allow Lt Cdr Taylor to use the rudder pedals and stick. Quite a bit of trimming and sanding of the cockpit and fuselage sides was required to get it all to settle into place. I chose not to insert the supplied fuselage windows but used PVA glue at the end to simulate these. The fuselage halves fit well but did require careful assembly and clamping to ensure alignment. There are no locating pins or tabs anywhere in this kit. The wing trailing edges were thinned considerably. A great deal of material had to be removed from the cockpit floor and the torpedo recess in the wing to allow the wing

to fit to the fuselage. Even then, moderate gaps between the fuselage and wing required filling. The resin engine needed trimming to fit in the two-piece cowl and the fuselage front needed cleaning up to fit the cowl neatly. The one-piece canopy was a decent fit to the fuselage after trimming at the front but still needed a little filling all round. The landing gear was simple and you need to make a stretched-sprue support strut for each side. The rear stabilizers are a butt fit and mine ended up with a little dihedral but I believe that they should be flat. Three options are provided and all are Blue-Grey over Medium Grey. There are very few decals but they are nicely printed with the red centres done separately. Using hot water to start, it looked as if they would conform over the corrugated wing surfaces very well. The next day, however, revealed that they had shrunk a little and were not settled into the depressions.. No solutions had enough effect to fix this issue but application of high heat by a hair drier got them to stick down. Tamiya paints were used throughout this build with Alclad ‘flat’ as a finish coat. This kit requires a lot of work from the builder but a decent model can result from the parts. I have not built the Valom kit but I can say that this AZ model is far better detailed than the vintage Airfix builds I have seen. Recommended for experienced, patient modellers.

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04929 P P-47D Thunde rbolt

O D E L K I T SE S
P L A ST I C M O N E Y P R IC AT P O C K E T M

1/72

SCALE

Messerschmitt Bf 110C-6

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nother boxing of this excellent kit, and most welcome too. This version includes a pile of dark grey plastic sprues, a canopy masking set, a full colour etched-metal detail set, a bag of resin bits for the C-6 conversion, a packed decal sheet and a full colour instruction book. What more could you want? The Bf 110C-6 has early model engines and props and an underslung 37mm cannon replacing the two MGFF guns in the lower nose. Construction begins as usual with the cockpit, and a wealth of detail is provided, including coloured PE instrument panels or decal alternatives. It is necessary to cut a hole in the central cockpit floor to accommodate the upper breech of the 37mm cannon, and the large ammunition drum, both provided in resin. You also have to cut a slot in the lower nose to fit the trough for the cannon barrel, and a belly gondola is added for the rear parts of the gun, these parts also being resin. An early choice of the preferred aircraft option is necessary because different fuselage lengths are involved, two complete fuselages being supplied in the box. Construction is well detailed and

By Geoff Pike

TECH DATA

BF 110C-6 SCALE: 1/72

untless 04934 SBD-5 Da

KIT NO: 2115

04928 P-51B Mustang

TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic MANUFACTURER: Eduard

straightforward throughout after the initial bit of hacking to accommodate the cannon. The model is beautifully moulded and goes together effortlessly. Two options are provided; a splintercamouflaged aircraft of Erpr.Gr.210 at Calais-Marck airfield in the Summer of 1940, presumably fieldtesting the 37mm cannon installation, and an all-black Night Fighter of NJG-1 at Venlo, Holland in 1943. The latter, which was my choice, has the tail extension containing a life raft. A separate full stencil guide is supplied, which is very helpful although I didn't put many of them on a black aircraft. This is a terrific model, full marks for a top quality product, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

1 Corsair 04930 F4U-

Also Available: 04931 F6F-3 Hellcat 04932 P-40E Warhawk 04933 F4F-4 Wildcat 04935 P-39Q Airacobra

Available from your local Toy and Model retailer

Visit our international web site at www.revell.eu Revell GmbH, HP23 5AH. Tel: 01442 890285. Email: [email protected] © 2013 Revell GmbH. A subsidiary of Hobbico, Inc. All rights reserved. Trade enquiries welcome.

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SAMI Spotlight Reviews

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SCALE

Henschel Hs 132b

By Colin ‘Flying’ Pickett

TECH DATA SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: 92154 MANUFACTURER: RS Models TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic

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he Henschel Hs 132 was a proposed anti-shipping aircraft to meet an RLM requirement. The aircraft utilised a prone pilot’s position, with the ‘b’ version using a Junkers Jumo 004 engine. The Reich fell before the first flight could be made, and as such the type is destined to remain in the annals of Luft’46 history. RS have given modellers the chance to get a good impression of what the type could have looked like in service with the Luftwaffe by releasing a kit, and so with my mind firmly set in the world of the counter-factual it was time to open the box of kit #92154. The kit comes as two grey sprues of softish plastic with finely engraved panel lines, whilst the canopy and other glazing comes as a thickish injected sprue. There are decals included for four aircraft of suitable units for the type’s intended use.

868 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

The model has tail sitter written all over it, with tricycle undercarriage, large glazing area at the nose and a large tail. I opted to fit nose weight under the cockpit, behind the bulkhead and in the front of the engine, all of which tipped the balance in my favour. I’d suggest that anyone building the kit on its wheels does the same. The cockpit is fitted out with a couch, control column, throttle, and instrument panel. I added a few extra details, including a pair of oxygen bottles and a harness along with rudder pedals. I’m assuming that the poor prone pilot would have to be strapped to the couch prior to flight and then released again on landing as there is no way of getting out in an emergency. With the cockpit area dressed up I closed up the fuselage halves and also stuck the wings in place at the same time using small wire pins inserted into holes I’d pre-drilled to give a bit of strength. The same technique fixed the tail surfaces. As mentioned above, the canopy is quite thick, and I did consider crash forming a more suitable item, however I decided to stick with the one I had. First I painted the bullet proof section around the edges with transparent green paint to give it the correct effect, before sticking it in place with Gator’s Glue. Next the canopy itself was fitted, allowed to cure in place, and sanded in location to blend it in. I then proceeded to polish the canopy using finer and finer grades of wet and dry before a coat of Klear was applied to restore the clarity. This polishing action removed all the canopy frame lines, which were then masked off and painted black as shown on my chosen scheme. It’s not as thin as I’d have liked but it’s okay. The kit includes a large-ish bomb which is to be installed in a slight recess under the fuselage, side-on to avoid conflict with the tail surfaces to which I decided to add brace wires from fuse wire. Once painted dark

green this was set to one side for later. The gun troughs were drilled out to give them a bit more depth and visibility. The kit comes with decals for five ‘What If’ aircraft, which cover a range of schemes in Luftwaffe, Japanese and American markings. I chose to go with the KG 66 Markings with a black underside and a lattice of RLM 76 over RLM 74 with a large ‘B’ marking on the tail section. Starting with the dark RLM74 I airbrushed the whole airframe before selecting the RLM 76 and coating the airframe in a criss-cross fashion. Once I’d managed a finish I found acceptable I coated the underside with black. The whole airframe was then coated with Klear floor polish to leave a decal-ready finish. The kit decals are wonderfully thin and in prefect register, however I found they needed careful handling to avoid damaging them. With decals sealed in place by a second coat of Klear, followed by a coat of matt varnish, the masking was removed. Detail painting included a coat of Mr Hobby metal finish Dark Iron to the engine intake and exhaust area, whilst I also gave the panel lines a toned-down wash before adding the final details. The undercarriage and wheels were fixed in place, followed by the doors and single bomb. The pitot tube is a length of fuse wire.

Conclusion A must for the Luft’46 modeller, and indeed those with a desire to build something a bit left of field. Whilst it needed a bit more work than the average mainstream kit I really enjoyed this build, and it was a pleasurable experience to get away from the fixed regime of ‘Correctness’. If you’ve not built a limited-run kit before and fancy a bit of a change then I can heartily recommend this to you.

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Reviews SAMI Spotlight

1/72

SCALE

Douglas A/B-26 Invader

By Geoff Pike TECH DATA

A

nother reboxing of the Italeri kit - there must have been around half a dozen, I'm not counting, or complaining - sees the solidnose, eight-gun variant in end-of-war and Korean War service. This aircraft was the A26 in World War Two to avoid confusion with the B-26 Marauder (why did they use the same number?), then became the B-26 in Korea when all the Marauders were gone. The kit is neatly moulded in light grey plastic, and contains a few odds and ends for other variants, but it isn't possible to build any other version from the box. The cockpit is reasonably detailed, with an instrument panel decal included, and a gunner's periscope is provided for the remotelycontrolled twin-gun turrets where fitted. Don't bother installing the bombsight as per the instructions, it will simply disappear into the solid nose! The cockpit canopy is a bit flat. The early flat canopy top was soon replaced with a bulged raised one - which actually prevented the upper turret being aligned forward for ground strafing - and Italeri haven't really represented this. Some nose weight is required. Construction is simple and straightforward, a typically neat Italeri offering. A little filler is needed here and there around the joints, and the small boundary layer finlets on the starboard fin should be removed according to the instructions, they are appropriate to the previously-boxed B-26K Counter-Invader. I did replace the nose gun barrels with more robust-looking plastic rod. The wheels are weighted, and look most convincing. Some World War Two-style bombs are supplied, but some additional detailing will be required to make a convincing open bomb-bay. The

SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: 1358 TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic MANUFACTURER: Italeri

underwing gun pods in the box are shown as not for use with this kit, and no other underwing stores or pylons are provided. The decal sheet is superb, crisp and opaque, applying beautifully. Optional markings for four aircraft are provided: • 1) B-26B 434287 Versatile Lady of the 13th BS/3rd BG, Iwakuni, Japan, Korean War, in overall black with red trim.

• 2) B-26B 139396 of the 8th BS/3rd BG Iwakuni, Japan, Korean War, in natural metal with yellow trim. • 3) A-26B 434289 89th BS, Philippines, 1945, in Olive Drab over Medium Grey • 4) B-26B 434377 8th BS/3rd BG Atsugi, Japan, 1947/48, in Olive Drab over Medium Grey I chose the all-black option with the lower gun turret deleted, an optional flush plate cover being provided. This aircraft has actually appeared in a previous issue of this kit, and has striking nose art, which was apparently often presented to visiting VIPs! This is a simple and enjoyable build, and the only 1/72 Invader available until the promised Special Hobby version arrives. I was a bit surprised at the £27.50 RRP on this new issue, but I suppose that's just a sign of the times.

www.sampublications.com September 2014

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SAMI Spotlight Reviews

Exquisite X craft Something Left of Centre…

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he Czech company BrenGun has always had a talent for subject matter that fascinates. Most of their output is aviation related but every now and then they go off at a tangent - and their replica of Britain’s midget submarine is no exception. These tiny craft were used amongst other things to attack the Tirpitz and also served in the Far East. One can only imagine what conditions must have been inside it but some extremely brave and daring exploits were to ensure their place in history. The model comes as a one-piece main hull with the detachable ‘sponson’ charges, fins and some details in resin. The fine detail is provided by etched brass, which as ever with this manufacturer is delicate and minutely detailed. There is a painting guide but no decals as there were no markings. The single-sheet instruction leaflet makes construction look simple – that it may be but it certainly isn’t quick with all the tiny etch to fit. The end result, however, is more than worth the effort. Once assembled my trusty Halford’s Grey provided the base coat with the upper hull needing to be masked and sprayed dark grey. Once this was done oil-washes and rust streaks, finished with subtle dry-brushing, popped out the considerable detail. I worked on the premise that whilst the hull might be quite weathered the charges were only fixed for a mission and would therefore be much cleaner.

870 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

1/144 SCALE

By Mike Verier

My main problem was how to display it – you could of course just do the mounted-ona-base-with-two-brass-pegs approach and it would look fine – but I fancied a diorama. The real things were often craned onto a mother ship and taken closer to the target before launch, I envisioned a dockside at a small harbour ‘somewhere discreet’ – the submarine is being made ready for an operation and the men from the Admiralty have turned up with the secret instructions…it may not be historically perfect but including figures provides scale. The question arises of what would said harbour look like in the 1940s? I based mine on various elements of small fishing ports I had pictures of. The next problem was searching out materials but luckily the local model shop also does a great deal of model railway stuff including Slater’s wonderful plastic textures in N Gauge, and etched-brass ladders. The base was a simple MDF rectangle with a suitable block of wood glued on to provide the basic harbour shape. The remaining three sides were edged with evergreen strip to provide depth for the ‘water’ later. It was then a question of fettling the Plasticard to shape for the walls and surface. I added tie-down rings and the big piling timbers using Evergreen stock and stretched sprue. The oil drums came from Sweet and the life-ring from another BrenGun set intended for a landing craft. I added an outfall pipe for no other reason

TECH DATA

X CLASS MIDGET SUBMARINE KIT NO: 144017 SCALE: 1/144 TYPE: Resin MANUFACTURER: BrenGun

than to fill a space and cut ‘railway sleepers’ for the sub to rest on. These disguise two brass pins used to ensure the boat stays on the base. The figures were adapted from the ever valuable Preiser range, passengers and an airline pilot being used to approximate the effect I wanted. My only regret is that I haven’t yet managed to replicate seagulls in 1/144! This project was huge fun and a challenge as it’s outside my normal comfort zone – I will confess to not being 100% happy with the water but I will get it right eventually – this will matter as I already have BrenGun’s delightful Tupolev Torpedo Boat in the pending pile. If you have a modicum of experience with etched brass and resin these models are a delight, and the manufacturer is to be congratulated on their choice of subject matter.

Mastered-Adverts-AV-0914_AV-0606 15/08/2014 14:19 Page 871

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1:72 HPL072002

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SAMI Spotlight Accessories

Accessories Mitches Military Models In 2013 the 70th anniversary of what has to be the most famous bombing raid ever was celebrated by Mitches Military Models with the release of their 200mm figure of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the leader of the Dam Buster raid. The figure was released in two forms, a Bronzed version with only 617 available, and a kit version. Many modellers were of the opinion that there was something lacking with the figure, Gibson’s dog, a black labrador called Nigger. The dog was popular with all the squadron and the ground crew, often having the run of the base, but alas on the day leading up to the raid he was killed

in a road accident. MMM has now released a figure of a labrador to accompany their figure of Guy Gibson. The casting is very good with some clean-up required, including some casting plugs, but on the whole the dog is very well presented. Adrian Cowdry

www.mitchesmilitarymodels.co.uk

Albion Alloys/ Flex-i-file Flex-i-file products have been distributed for a while by Albion Alloys but one of the product ranges they import has missed us until now. Many modellers will buy an expensive airbrush and compressor but do not invest in anything to keep it working properly. Now, I am one of the worst at not cleaning my brush well, but there is no excuse if you have this package of cleaning materials on the bench, as it supplies all you need in one place.

Flex-i-File Air-Brush Cleaning Set Each pack supplies 20 Cotton Swabs, 4 Eye Droppers, 20 Pipe Cleaners, 4 Mixing Cups, 1 pair of Rubber Gloves, 1 Small Funnel, 1 Bottle for Thinner, 2 Cleaning Brushes, and 2 Wiping Clothes.

Conclusion A simple idea that should be available from any model shop selling the Flex-i-file range.

Eduard This month highlights the dilemma faced by many modellers when a new kit comes out. To wait for Eduard or not to wait! Take the Minicraft Mariner, for instance. The kit has been out for a year now – and is featured nicely built up in this issue – but Eduard have now weighed in with a marvellous selection of exquisite detail, including bomb bay and full interior. What to do? To wait and add all this marvellous detail, or to build from the box? This is an even bigger dilemma when confronted with a masking nightmare like the HobbyBoss BV 141. Modelling greybeards shake their heads sadly and lament those great days when there was no aftermarket and they botched everything up with slivers of bone and filler mixed from oatmeal. Alas, they sigh. What has happened to ‘real modelling’? It has become much better, some of us might say. But there you go. The choice is now there…

1/32

32354 T-6 exterior and landing flaps for Kitty Hawk kits 32358 Gloster Meteor F.4 exterior for HK Models kits 32804 Gloster Meteor F.4 interior for HK Models kits 32809 A-6A seatbelts for Trumpeter kits 32810 T-6G interior for Kitty Hawk kits 32813 A-6A interior for Trumpeter kits 32816 Gloster Meteor seatbelts for HK Models kits 33134 A-6A interior for Trumpeter kits 33137 T-6G interior for Kitty Hawk kits 33139 Gloster Meteor F.4 interior for HK Models kits

1/48

49682 MiG-29 Fulcrum 9-12 early interior for Great Wall kits EX427 A-6A masks for HobbyBoss kits EX429 Alpha Jet masks for Kinetic kits EX43AS.365F/SA.565 masks for Kitty Hawk kits FE682 MiG-29 Fulcrum 9-12 early ZOOM for Great Wall kits

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72576 PBM-5/PBM-5A exterior for Minicraft kits 72582 Lancaster B Mk III exterior for Airfix kit 7258 PBM-5/PBM-5A bomb bay for Minicraft kits 73499 PBM-5/PBM-5A interior for Minicraft kits 73504 PBM-5/PBM-5A seatbelts for

872 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

Minicraft kits 73508 F-16CJ block 50 for Tamiya kits CX389 Vampire F.20 masks for Cyber Hobby kits CX39 Il-2 masks for Zvezda kits CX390 Hurricane Mk I masks for Airfix kits CX392 Su-27SM Flanker B masks for Zvezda kits CX393 Su-27 Flanker B masks for Trumpeter kits CX394 F-16CJ block 50 masks for Tamiya kits SS499 PBM-5/PBM-5A interior ZOOM for Minicraft kits SS508 F-16CJ block 50 ZOOM for Tamiya kits

Conclusion Fantastic stuff this month. Eduard get better and better, and really have so much to offer the modeller. If you have not yet tried their

products then be advised they are unique, but once tried it is very hard to break the habit. One puff and you are hooked! Especially those masking sets! Check out the full range at www.eduard.com Creative Models are currently carrying the full range in the UK, as are Hannants and LSA, while a wide range of mail order houses stock Eduard in the US.

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Accessories SAMI Spotlight

AK-Interactive There certainly seems to have been an explosion in weathering products recently, with several companies bringing new ranges on to the market. One notable source is AKInteractive, another manufacturer that has been prominent in the armour field until recently. This manufacturer has passed on a number of weathering sets as well as some dedicated camouflage paint sets. The weathering products comprise both enamel-based washes and pigment powders, and are packaged in sets pertaining to specific areas of the aircraft. The paint sets, branded under the ‘Air Series’ label, are particularly interesting products, coming in boxed packages of eight colours, and offering all the dedicated colours needed to paint either Luftwaffe or RAF WWII aircraft. They come in 17ml plastic bottles with both a lid and a user-friendly nozzle, which is handy for decanting them into an airbrush cup with minimal wastage. I found the paints excellent to spray – in fact I used them unthinned from the bottle to touch up in a couple of places, on the kind of job where heavily thinned paint simply won’t do, and also on a couple of canopies where thinned paint seeping under the masking would spell disaster.

Air Series AK2000 Aircraft Engine Effects Weathering Set Includes three enamel-based washes that can be diluted with white spirit to taste. This set includes three colours: AK2019 Aircraft Engine Oil, AK2033 Aircraft Engine Wash, and AK2039 Kerosene Leaks and Stains AK2001 Luftwaffe Camouflages This set of eight colours has been formulated to paint early WWII German aircraft. The acrylic paints can be used with both brush and airbrush and are water soluble, which prevents odours and the need for aggressive thinners. Includes RLM02/65/66/70/71/74/75/76, basically the two early and mid-wartime camo schemes plus interior colours, although bear in mind RLM02 was widely used on the exterior of

Model Design Construction/Wings Cockpit Figures Model Design Construction produce one of the best arrays of pilot figures and air crew for modellers in 1/48 and 1/32. The casting is superb and so far I haven’t found a casting seam to clean up. The range covers World War 1 and World War 2 as well as the Allies and Axis personnel and pilots. In the range there are personalities such as Pappy Boyington and Douglas Bader as well as Goering and others – due to careful consideration the personalities are not named but they are easy to spot as they are based upon famous images of such personalities.

These figures will stand alone as single studies or indeed on a diorama with an aircraft or even in small vignettes with one or two figures. They really are superb and the results can be seen on the box art that comes with some of the figures or on the MDC website. These figures are highly recommended and will be proud additions to a modeller's collection. Adrian Cowdry

www.modeldesignconstruction.co.uk

early fighters as well as on nearly all wheel wells and bays and you will almost certainly get through this bottle twice as fast as the others. AK2010 RAF Camouflages Like the Luftwaffe set this comprises eight 17ml bottles of water-based paint, and includes Dark Green, Dark Earth, Medium Sea Grey, Ocean Grey, Sky, Middle Stone, Azure, and Interior Grey Green AK2030 Aircraft Landing Gear Weathering Set This set includes three colours: AK2029 Landing Gear Wash, AK2031 Landing Gear Dust, and AK2032 Grease Shafts and Bearings AK2037 Exhaust Stains Weathering Set This particular set focuses on aircraft exhaust stains. Includes four pigments and

one wash: AK2038 Smoke, AK2040 Exhaust Wash, AK2041 Burnt Jet Engine, AK2042 Dark Rust, and AK2043 Ochre Rust

Conclusion Well-researched and backed up by some reputable modelling, these products look very good. The paints apply beautifully and the weathering products will certainly enhance any model they are used on with a little care and attention. Check out the website at www.ak-interactive.com

True Earth The second weathering product received this month is also based on a range of products originally designed for track heads but is now being expanded to include aviation subjects. True Earth's filter sets are acrylic-based and also work predominantly as filters, so I will pass you to the manufacturers website for an explanation: Our Transparent Filters are waterbased resins, with a pureness like inks and smooth like diluted oils, with a residue free formulation. They are really easily workable. For hand brushing: you can achieve smooth, feathered effects, like oils, by moistening the area with the thinnest layer of water. When applying the washes you can produce selective washes and shaded streaks. By airbrushing: use them pure or diluted with a little water directly on to the model. Pressures up to 2 bar-30 psi, depending upon airbrush and thinning. This is suitable for overall filters to blend, light, highlight, fade, darken, shadow or lighten, a paint or a camouflage. Selective washes can be added around details. These filters are best applied on an

enamel painted surface and a big plus is that any effect can be easily removed for approximately thirty minutes by using a sponge soaked in water with no detriment to the base camouflage scheme. True Earth Jet Set This set supplies the following five filters 1. TETF 01 Dark Ageing 2. TETF03 Light Ageing 3. TETF06 Paint Fading 3 4. TETF07 Neutral Filter 5. TETF13 Grey Blue Ageing

Conclusion This is a simple and almost foolproof wash system that certainly looks effective. Have a look for yourself at www.true-earth.com to see the tutorials, as well as how to order this and other weathering products that may have a crossover use from the dark side of armour to the light side of aircraft!

www.sampublications.com September 2014

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SAMI Spotlight Accessories

Airbrush Heaven An airbrush and compressor is a basic tool that most of us will have to purchase at some point, but for many this is something you have to save for over a period of years before you can purchase. Now Airbrush Heaven have produced a set that includes everything you need at a price not much more than a couple of 1/48 or one 1/32 scale kit. The basic set we received for review is made up of three major components: Compressor – AS18-2 The basic compressor is a single-piston type. Now, in the past I have always thought this would be incredibly noisy but

I was pleasantly surprised that this compressor just produces a light knocking noise. The compressor has a water trap and an adjustable control so you can change the air pressure from 5 to 50Psi - more than enough for most modelling needs. A separate holder is supplied that can be attached to the compressor and will hold two brushes. Airbrush – BD 128 This is a utility dual action airbrush that is fed from a bottom-mounted source. You have the choice of a metal cup or a closed-lid glass jar. You are also supplied a second glass jar as a spare or to enable quick changes. The brush has a screw adjustment in front of the trigger, which enables you to preselect the forward position enabling you to spray a consistent line. Airbrush 2 - BD-132 That’s right, this set includes two airbrushes. The first is what I would describe as a utility airbrush or a Ford. This is the Mercedes. The brush feels heavier in the hand and is very balanced, and instead of a screw in front of the trigger this set has a screw on the rear of the brush, which is a bit more accurate in setting the line width the airbrush will supply. This airbrush is a side mount type, which means you can set the cup at any angle. It also supplies three needles and three heads - 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5mm - so is capable of doing very fine detail work in the smaller scales. Both set includes a spanner to help disassemble the brush, plus a selection of connectors, and the basic brush also includes a vinyl hose.

Extras Also in the box are a number of extras including a T adaptor, which will enable you to run both brushes off the compressor, and two braided hoses, one 3m long and the second 2m long.

Conclusion I was incredibly impressed with both the compressor and the BD-132, which I used on my latest armour project, with a complicated camouflage, to very good effect. (To see the brush in action visit our website www.sampublications.com and go to the SAMI portal where you will find this and many other videos). So two brushes a compressor and all the connectors and hoses you could possibly need. How much is this going to cost? If you had asked me I would have reckoned about £125 pounds would be a fair price

so I was amazed when I was told that this basic set retails for just £63.99. In fact if you are in need of just a compressor or an airbrush these are available separately at equally outstanding prices. Spares are also reasonably priced, especially needles, which I tend to go through rapidly, which can be had for just a few pounds. There are also a number of other combined deals to be had which add cleaning tools and even a spray booth (also on a video in the SAMI portal) for equally reasonable prices. These items can be purchased from the website at www.airbrushheaven.co.uk and the company will be present at Scale ModelWorld in November for those who want to play before they buy.

BarrucudaCast The recent release of Revell’s Bf 109G-10 in 1/32 has sent Roy Sutherland into overdrive with no less than three sets to make a more accurate 109. We start with a set that replaces the upper wing section, which in the kit supplies the larger bumps on the wings where many G10s had small wheel bulges. The second set provides a new oil cooler fairing, which captures the subtle shapes of the original better than the slab-sided kit parts. Finally the last set replaces the spinner and propeller blades with correctly shaped and profiled items and can also be used as drop-in replacements for the Hasegawa G-

10 and K-4 as well as the Revell kit. In 1/48 we have a couple of pairs of wheels. We start with a set of smooth tread Hawker Tempest wheels, while the second set has the same four-slot hubs but fitted with block tread tyres. This tyre is suitable for a wide selection of postwar types including the Firefly, Hornet, Sea Hornet and Firebrand as well as postwar Tempests. All of the sets are perfectly cast and will only require minimal clean-up before use and are just drop-fit replacements for the kit parts. In fact the only set that supplies an instruction leaflet is the propeller and spinner set, which uses a mix of colour photographs and clear text to ensure that the propellers are assembled with the right pitch and angles.

1/48 Hawker Tempest Wheels-Smooth Part No. BR48150 British 4-Slot 32” Wheels –Block Part No. BR48151

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1/32 Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 & K-4 Propeller and Spinner Part No. BR32123 Designed for: Hasegawa, Revell Messerschmitt Bf 109G-10 and K-4 Oil Cooler Part No. BR32160 Designed for: Revell Messerschmitt Bf 109G Upper Wing with small bulges Part No. BR32169 Designed for: Revell

Conclusion As with every Barracudacast set I have reviewed, the Messerschmitt sets are simple, perfectly cast and an instant improvement over the parts supplied in the kit. The wheels are far better than plastic kit ones thanks to the better detail that can

be included on resin casting especially noticeable on the block tread example. Visit www.barracudacals.com where you can see the full range of resin masks and decals.

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Scale Aircraft Conversions This month we have a set for the 1/32 Lightning that corrects the sit of the model by shortening the legs and is a must have for anyone with this kit on the bench. One thing I have noticed is the number of new companies that appear in the list this month as well, with a set for Freedom Models’ first plastic kit the X-47B, while relative newcomer Kitty Hawk get a set for their brand new F-101C Voodoo.

Designed for: HobbyBoss Price: $17.95 F-101 Voodoo Landing Gear Product No: 48266 Designed for: Kitty Hawk Price: $17.95

Sukhoi Su-27 Landing Gear Product No: 72092 Designed for: Zvezda Price: $12.95

1/32 E.E Lightning Landing Gear Product No: 32084 Designed for: Trumpeter Price: $18.95

1/48

1/72

X-47B Landing Gear Product No: 48264 Designed for: Freedom Models Price: $17.95

F-35A/B Lightning II Landing Gear Product No: 72091 Designed for: Hasegawa Price: $12.95

Northrop YF-23 Landing Gear This set has been modified to increase the security of the main gear legs in the undercarriage bay. Product No: 48265

PLEASE NOTE NEW VENUE!

Model Spectacular September 14th 2014 10:00am - 4:30pm Ramada Penns Hall Hotel, Penns Lane, Sutton Coldfield B76 1LH

Visiting clubs, traders, competition and refreshments Admission: £3.50 Adults, £2.50 Children and Senior Citizens Traders contact: Andy Keane

Clubs contact: Mark Knight

[email protected] 07732 333292

[email protected]

For a full and up to date schedule of events, more information and photos, visit our website:

www.scmms.co.uk

These samples were provided by Scale Aircraft Conversions and will be available to purchase in the UK from Hannants and www.oxonianplasticfantastic.co.uk The manufacturers also have their own website at www.scaleaircraftconversions.com

BRENZETT AEROJUMBLE

The Biggest Aerojumble & Aviation Collectors Event!!

At Romney Marsh Wartime Collection (Brenzett Aeronautical Museum), Kent On

Sutton Coldfield Model Makers proudly present:

The Sutton Coldfield 2014

Conclusion

Saturday 27th September 2014 Admission – Adults £6 – Children FREE All Day Refreshments Gates Open: 10.00am (trade passes available from 8.00am)

Stall Holders Apply to Telephone: 01424 753356, Mobile: 07710 154606, Email: [email protected]

KINGKIT

THE ORIGINAL KIT DEALER (Est. 1983)

Due to the continued success of our new web site, we are looking to buy all types of second hand models, accessories and related books....please contact us for a quote

www.kingkit.co.uk NEW

ADDRESS!

Unit 8, Cedar Court, Halesfield 17, Telford TF7 4PF

TEL: 01952 586 457 e-mail [email protected] www.kingkit.co.uk

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Ammo by Mig Jimenez I have been a major fan of MIG washes on my armour projects and will honestly say that they are responsible for the biggest improvement in the appearance of my occasional forays into the world of targets - sorry tanks. Now they have launched a whole range of washes aimed at aviation modellers and these look to be of equally high quality, though their application will be slightly different as these washes are designed to highlight panel lines rather than be applied more liberally as one does on armour. Each of the sets released supplies three colours aimed specifically at a specific colour scheme. As an example the early Luftwaffe set is aimed at aircraft painted in RLM 65/70/71 so we have a dark black

A.Mig-7415 German Late Fighters A-Mig-161308 PLW Blue Grey for RLM 76/78 A-Mig-1611 PLW Black Night for RLM 81/82 A-Mig-1612 PLW Green Brown for RLM 83

green colour for use on the top surfaces, a light grey for use on the light blue lower surfaces, while the third bottle supplies an orangebrown tint for use on RLM 04 Yellow areas. A visit to the MIG site will give you a simple pictorial tutorial on how to apply them. The only thing is to bear in mind that these washes will work best on an acrylic painted surface, so if you use enamel make sure you have applied a couple of coats of Johnson’s Klear or Acrylic varnish to act as a barrier coat to prevent any risk of the camouflage paint lifting. Set 8 Airplane dust effects is slightly different and is an overall wash, which will lift out all the details, while pigments reproduce dust effects which can be used in the cockpit and on the tyres to good effect. A.Mig-7414 German Early Fighters and bombers A-Mig-1608 PLW Dark Green Grey for RLM 70/71 A-Mig-1610 PLW Tan Grey for RLM65 A-Mig-1616 PLW Orange Brown for RLM04

A.Mig-7416 Early RAF Fighters and Bombers A-Mig-1609 PLW Storm Grey for RAF Undersides A-Mig-1614 PLW Neutral Blue for RAF green and brown camouflage A-Mig-1615 PLW Stone Grey for Black A.Mig-7417 WWII Pacific US Navy This set is the only one that has a streaking wash as seen in the armour sets; this is used to add dirt to the undersides and areas of wear and if combined with dark coloured pastels looks effective for exhaust staining. A-Mig-1603 PLW Dark Sea Blue For Sea and Intermediate Blue A-Mig-1604 PLW Pacific Dust for Sea and Intermediate Blue A-Mig-1201 Striking Grime A.Mig-7418 WWII Japanese Aircraft A-Mig-1605 LW Dark Red Brown for Hinomaru A-Mig-1606 PLW Medium tan for late aircraft in black-green A-Mig-1607 PLW Sky Grey For early light grey/amiro grey A.Mig-7419 US Navy grey Jets A-Mig-1600 PLW Light Grey wash for light grey tones A-Mig-1601 PLW Medium Grey for medium grey tones A-Mig-1602 PLW Deep Grey for dark grey tones A.Mig-7421 Airplane dust effects A-Mig-3011 Airfield Dust Pigment for dust

effects on undercarriage or cockpits A-Mig-1403 Earth Wash to create dust and earth effects A-Mig-3002 Light Dust Pigment for general dust effects A.Mig-7422 WWII Soviet Fighters A-Mig-1612 PLW Green Brown for Light Green A-Mig-1615 PLW Stone Grey for Black A-Mig-1619 PLW Blue Dirt for undersides

Conclusion If these work as well as their armour equivalents I will be very pleased. Generally I am not a fan of inking every line, as seen at many European shows, however used subtly they can be incredibly effective. They also last a long time. I have had some of my original MIG washes for nearly five years and I am nowhere near the bottom of the bottles.

Eduard Brassin This month Eduard continue to focus on the new Bf 109G-6 kit, with further sets to add to the avalanche released last month. New armament sets are added to the range too, and that 1/72 Mk 44 torpedo is particularly handy.

1/48

648154 Bf 109G bronze legs for Eduard kits 648155 GBU-12 bomb 648157 Bf 109G radio compartment for Eduard kits 648158 Bf 109G-10 wheels for Eduard kits 648160 Kh-25ML missile 648162 SC 500 German bombs 648163 SC 250 German bombs

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672035 Mk.44 torpedo 672036 AIM-9B Sidewinder

Scale Aviation Modeller International

Conclusion More excellent drop-in sets from Eduard. Brassin now has a huge selection to chose from, and the growing range of weaponry constitutes a stunning scale arsenal. A certain Editor of this parish has

been casting loving eyes over the Bf 109G sets – so look out for further meddling from Himself elsewhere in coming issues… Check out the full range at www.eduard.com Creative Models are currently carrying the full range in the UK, as are Hannants and LSA, while a wide range of mail order houses stock Eduard in the US.

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Decals Starfighter Decals US Navy subjects from Starfighter again this time round, and unusually not a single yellow wing in sight! There are, however, some marvellous options provided, and the printing on the compact sheets is absolutely spot on. Of note is the famous Sea King ‘66’ celebrated for its role in the Apollo 13 recovery mission in April 1970, although my personal favourite is the Seagull in landplane configuration, which looks ungainly and down to earth, and is exactly the kind of unsung second-ranker that makes life so interesting.

Coastal Craft So not really aircraft decals at all, but these 1/72 Hull numbers are worth a mention as more of our readers are tempted into crossing over to subjects that share one of the mainstream aircraft scales. In particular MTBs and their ilk seem to strike a chord.

1/72 72001 Fairmile D Hull Numbers, Black with White Outline

72002 BPBCo 71ft 6in Hull Numbers Black, Rounded 72003 Vosper 73ft Type I & II MTB Hull Numbers 72004 Vosper Hull and Sprayshield Numbers Black, Rounded

Conclusion A useful selection, and we can recommend a look at the Coastal Craft website, where a growing number of aircraft modellers are finding themselves drawn by the fascinating selection of 1/72 products there. Check out www.coastalcraftmodelsuk.com

Fantasy Printshop

1/72 72143 Bent Wing Birds Part 1 Includes markings for six different F4U1D/FG-1D Corsairs. All aircraft are Gloss Sea Blue: • 1. F4U-1D VF-5 USS Franklin March 1945 • 2. F4U-1D VFB-6 USS Hancock March 1945 • 3. F4U-1D VMF-216 USS Wasp February 1945 • 4. F4U-1D VFB-85 USS Shangri La April 1945 • 5. FG-1D VF-83 USS Essex (kill markings) May 1945 • 6. FG-1D VMF-112 USS Bennington February 1945 72144 Seagulls at War SOC-1/3 This set provides markings for six different Curtiss SOC-1/3 Seagulls, both floatplane and landplane versions. Markings cover aircraft from VCS-5 USS Northampton in December 1941, VS-201 USS Long Island April 1942, J-1 USS Charger 1944, VCS-8 USS Philadelphia 1942 and VCS-7 USS Tuscaloosa May 1942. Designed for the Hasegawa Kit.

Conclusion Small but perfectly formed, Starfighter’s sheets offer all unique markings for the aircraft covered with perfect register and a nice selection of machines on each sheet. The Old 66 sheet is produced in conjunction with Old 66 Decals, and offers stencilling and national markings, and is designed for the Fujimi, Revell and Cyber-Hobby kits. Check out the full range at www.starfighter-decals.com or these sets are available from Hannants in the UK.

AD7202 Old 66 The Navy’s most Famous Sea King SH-3D 152711 ‘Old 66’ Apollo 13 Recovery

Readers will be no strangers to the excellent Airfile series of books currently being edited by Mr Neil Robinson, and the latest titles in the series – reviewed elsewhere – are accompanied by new decal sheet releases in conjunction with Fantasy Printshop. Received for review have been the first two sheets in 1/72 for both single- and twin-seat Hawker Hunters. The sets show all the hallmarks of Mr Robinson’s hand – artwork by Jon Freeman and detailed captions showing decal placement, with great attention to detail. The colour instructions occupy seven sides of A4, and leave nothing to chance. All in all a real modellers' product! Prices are £12.95, and with no fewer than thirty-two single-seaters and twenty-seven twins, these are thoroughly excellent packages. 1/48 and 1/32 versions are to follow.

1/72 72001 Hawker Hunter Single-Seaters This first set covers thirty-two aircraft from all areas of RAF service, and includes two A5 sheets offering all codes, serials and individual markings, plus roundels and fin flashes for two aircraft. 72002 Hawker Hunter Twin-Seaters This colourful selection includes some bare metal and Red/White/Grey trainers as well as the usual camo schemes, and covers a mass of units and users. Very wellresearched and thoroughly comprehensive.

Conclusion If you have missed Model Alliance’s excellent sheets then you will welcome these as they are redolent of the very best of that company's

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prodigious output. Of course the absence of Navy Hunters is regrettable, but the theme is RAF so we shall have to grin and bear it! There are excellent kits of the Hunter in all major scales now, so plenty of scope for a lot of models, and some of the schemes on these two releases are simply splendid. Buy the book, buy the decals, and get building! Check out the website at www.fantasyprintshop.co.uk or look out for the books at www.airfilepublications.com

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Syhart Decals I have always been a big fan of Syhart decals as I like the attractive one-off schemes they specialise in. Then last year they blew my mind by producing a wonderful sheet covering the Canadair/Bombardier CL-415 and C-130 Fire Bombers of the French Sécurité Civile. Now we have a second sheet that covers the earlier piston-engined Canadair CL215 as well as both piston and turbo versions of the Grumman Tracker or more correctly the Conair Firecat as well as the Fokker F-27 Friendship. The CL-215 can be produced straight from the box if you can find the old Heller kit, while the Piston Firecat can be produced with only a few changes to the Hasegawa kit. To

produce a Turbo Tracker you will need to purchase a Conair Turbo Firecat conversion from Wolf Model. Finally, for the Friendship, the old Airfix kit and a little scratch building skills will reproduce the ventral tank for which the instructions supply 1/72 plans. The plans also supply details on how to reproduce both first- and second-generation versions of the CL-215, and as well as these you are given very clear full colour instructions with detailed bilingual French/English text

1/72 SY 72-913 Sécurité Civile Française Part 2 • 1. Canadair CL-215, F-ZBBT, Pelican 19, 1971-1973 • 2. Canadair CL-215, F-ZBBM, Pelican 40, 1974-1995 • 3. Canadair CL-215, F-ZBDD, Pelican 24, 1969-1976 in the early light yellow scheme. • 4. Canadair CL-215, F-ZBBR Pelican 01, 1972-1983 • 5. Canadair CL-215, F-ZBBW, Pelican 47, 1976-1995 • 6. Canadair CL-215, F-ZBBT, Pelican 19, 1971-1973 • 7. Canadair CL-215, F-ZBBJ, Pelican 28, 1970-1976 in the early light yellow scheme. • 8. Conair Firecat (Grumman Tracker), FZBBL, T10 1986 to 1989, then converted to Turbo and marked as T19 until lost in 2005 • 9. Conair Firecat (Grumman Tracker), F-

Print Scale •

Two useful sheets for fans of postwar Naval subjects in 1/72. Typically ‘no frills’ the sheets are compact and well-printed with a small amount of stencilling and colour instruction sheets

1/72 72085 Blackburn Buccaneer • 1. Buccaneer S Mk 2B XX895 G,

•

•

•

•

• •

•

• •

•

Jaws/Lynn/Glenfiddich. Transit from Muharraq Air Base, Bahrain to RAF Lossiemouth 17th March 1991 2. Buccaneer S Mk B XW547 R, Guinness Girl/ Pauline /The Macallan. Transit from Muharraq Air Base, Bahrain to RAF Lossiemouth 17th March 1991 3. Buccaneer S Mk2B XV863 S, Sea Witch/Debbie/Tamnavoulin. Transit from Muharraq Air Base, Bahrain to RAF Lossiemouth 17th March 1991 4. Buccaneer S Mk 2B XX901 N, The Flying Mermaid/ Kathryn/Glen Elgin (10th Feb. to 17th Mar) 5. Buccaneer S Mk 2B XW533 A, Miss Jolly Roger/Fiona/Glenfarclas (27th Jan. to 17th Mar) 6. Buccaneer S Mk 2B XX885 L, Hello Sailor/Caroline/Famous Grouse (7th Feb. to 17th Mar) 7. Buccaneer S Mk 2B XX899 P, Laser Lips Laura/Linkwood (26th Jan. to 17th Mar) 8. Buccaneer S.2B XZ 430/G of 208 Squadron during 1979. Matt Dark Green and Dark Sea Grey 9. Buccaneer S.2B XV/333/l 16 Squadron during 1979. Matt Dark Green and Dark Sea Grey 10. Buccaneer S Mk 2B XN 976 208 Squadron, Lossiemouth, 1991 11. Buccaneer S.2 XT 271/LM-240 of 700B Squadron 1965. Gloss Extra Dark Sea Grey and White 12. Buccaneer S.50 414, 24 Squadron South African Air Force 1974

ZBAU, T2, 1982-2006 • 10. Conair Firecat Turbo ( Grumman Tracker), C-FKUF, T77, 1988 • 11. Conair Firecat Turbo (Grumman Tracker), F-ZBFO, T16, 1988-1996 • 12. Conair Firecat Turbo (Grumman Tracker), F-ZBEW, T11, 1988-1996 • 13. Conair Firecat Turbo ( Grumman Tracker), F-ZBAZ, T01, 1995 • 14. Conair Firecat Turbo (Grumman Tracker), F-ZBMA, T24, 2002, this aircraft carries special markings for the 20th anniversary of the Firecat comprising flames along the forward fuselage and a panther on the tail and nose • 15. Conair Firecat Turbo (Grumman Tracker), F-ZBEY, T07, 2012, this aircraft carries special markings for the 30th anniversary of the Firecat comprising a panther on the nose and the dates 19822012 on the upper wings • 16. Fokker F-27-600 Firefighter, C-GSFS, Pelican 627, 1988-1989 • 17. Fokker F-27-600 Firefighter, C-FBDY,

72086 Fairey Firefly • 1. Firefly FR Mk 5 812 NAS, 206/R HMS Glory, Korean coast, circa 1951 • 2. Firefly FR Mk 1 827 NAS, 273/P (PP 596) HMS Triumph, Task Force 77 (US Navy), Yellow Sea, July 1950. This aircraft took part in the first air strike (on Haejo airfield) of the Korean War on 3rd July 1950 • 3. Firefly FR.5, 810 Sqn, WB 266, HMS Theseus 1952 • 4. Firefly TT.5 WB271 725 Squadron, Royal Australian Navy, New South Wales 1959 • 5. Firefly Mk l, Royal Thai Navy 1952 • 6. Firefly F Mk I Evelyn Tentions, 1771 NAS, HMS Implacable, British Pacific Fleet, March-April 1945

Pelican 628, 1988-1989 • 18. Fokker F-27-600 Firefighter, F-ZBFG, Pelican 72, 1990 -2004 • 19. Fokker F-27-600 Firefighter, F-ZBFF, Pelican 71, 1990-2004

Conclusion I am hoping that Syhart might consider looking at other aircraft of this type from around the world after the third part of the Sécurité Civile Française series is released later this year, covering the Catalina and DC-6. All of these sheets are also available in 1/144 and can be seen at www.syhartdecal.fr along with the complete range of available decals and a full list of dealers around the world.

Conclusion These sheets offer excellent value, with plenty of options and a visit to the website will confirm the manufacturer’s tastes run wild and free – pretty much every period and subject covered and well worth a browse at www.printscale.org UK importer is Hannants.

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intermediate blue. This simple scheme really suits the sharklike shape of the F-5 and has me wishing for this sheet to be scaled up to 1/32.

Twobobs By the time you read this SAM Publications should have released our new title covering Aggressor aircraft of the USN, USAF and US Marines. So it is with perfect timing that Twobobs, a long-term producer of many Aggressor sheets over the years, have produced yet another beautiful sheet covering the colourful sunburst marking of VFC111, previously carried on F-4s, F-14s and F-8s, and now a feature on the tails of F-5 single- and two-seat aircraft. Add to this an attractive range of aggressor colour schemes in greys, sands and blue and you can see why Aggressor aircraft are such popular subjects. But the highlight of the sheets for

1/48

me does not have a sunburst or an aggressor camouflage, instead it is the commander’s F-5 painted in a 1943-45 retro tricolour scheme of white and dark blue separated by

F-5F/N Defenders of the Conch Republic (NAS Key West 2013) • 1. F-5N, Bu No 761547, 105, 70th anniversary retro scheme • 2. F-5N, Bu No 761548, 101, grey scheme, full sunburst tail fin • 3. F-5N, Bu No 761562, 102, sand and green scheme, sunburst rudder and sharkmouth • 4. F-5N, Bu No 761531, 104, grey scheme, sunburst rudder and sharkmouth • 5. F-5N, Bu No 761575, 114, sand and brown scheme, sunburst rudder and sharkmouth • 6. F-5N, Bu No 761574, 103, grey scheme, sunburst rudder and sharkmouth • 7. F-5F, Bu No 810834, 100, grey and blue scheme, full sunburst tail fin and sharkmouth

Conclusion A simply stunning set that has enough stencils to produce two complete schemes and many more if you raid your kit’s decal sheet. The instructions clearly show the camouflage schemes and the colours are keyed to Testors MM, Humbrol, Gunze and Xtracrylix, though you will have to mix and match as no range supplies all the colours you need to produce each of the schemes. A wonderful sheet that deserves to sell well and if you get the Aggressor bug visit www.twobobs.net to see what other sheets are currently available.

BarrucudaCals The release of the 1/32 Revell Bf 109G-10 has seen a number of resin update sets reviewed elsewhere in this issue, but also two sheets of decals. Each sheet supplies seven options and they cover almost the full range of colours applied to the type from the RLM 74/75/76 with mottles of varying degrees to late war 81/82 with natural metal undersides, and even one scheme which mixes both schemes. Most of the aircraft include Reich defence bands, which are not supplied on the sheet, and this is my only disappointment as masking some of the more complicated examples may be beyond my basic skills. Each sheet supplies one plain aircraft fresh off the production line, and this includes the only known Erlabuilt K-4. The decals are very well printed and come with two complete sets of stencils. The colour instructions are very complete with a history of each

aircraft where known as well as detailed colour notes, and a larger version of these is available for you to print out from the Barracuda website. If 109s are not your thing maybe you can be tempted by Barracuda's sheet for the Tamiya Birdcage Corsair, which has also been released in 1/48 and 1/72. This one sheet covers all three main scheme carried by the Corsair in WW2 from the original Blue Grey over Light Grey normally associated with the birdcage, through the tri-colour scheme to the overall gloss Sea Blue seen on a Birdcage being used as a trainer in Florida during 1945. Add to that some attractive artwork, and what’s not to like?

1/32 BC32-144 Erla Bf 109G-10s part 1 • Bf 109G White 14. Ex-II./JG3 aircraft flown by Waldemar Wagler, JG51, Garz, April 1945 • Bf 109G-10 Yellow 6, JGr.300. Pilot unknown, Neubiberg, June 1945 • Bf 109G-19 (Erla built), Black 13, JG27(?) Location unknown, mid June 1945 • Bf 109G-10 Red 5, 2./JG300. Flown by Friedrich-Wilhelm ‘Timo’ Schenk, Borkheide, February 1945 • Bf 109G-10 Blue 1, JG301, pilot and base unknown. Spring 1945 • Bf 109G-10 Black 22, 5../JG52 Pilot and location unknown • Bf 109G-10. No identifying markings. Squadron and location unknown. June 1945 BC32-145 Erla Bf109G-10s part 2 • Bf 109G-10 Black 4, JGr 300. Pilot unknown. Found at Langensalza, June 1945 • Bf 109G-10 Yellow 2, KG (J)27. Pilot unknown. Kaufheuren, May 1945 • Bf 109G-10 Black 10, I./JG4. Pilot unknown. Giessen, June 1945 • Bf 109G-10 Black Chevron. JGr.300. Pilot and base unknown

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• Bf 109G-10 Green 7, II/JG300. PragueKhely, May 1945 • Bf 109G-10 Yellow 24, 6./JG27. Flown by Staffelkapitän Antonius Woffen, March 11, 1945 • Bf 109K-4 W.Nr. 570375. Unit, pilot and location unknown. BC32-130 F4U-1 Birdcage Corsairs part 1 • F4U-1 Corsair. Bu No Dangerous Dan – Eight Ball VMF-213. Pilot varied day to day. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, June 1943 • F4U-1 Birdcage Corsair. Bu No 02310, Viva! VMF-124. Flown by 2nd Lt Kenneth Ambrose Walsh, Henderson Field, Guadalcanal 28 May 1943. Walsh became the first Corsair ace on 13 May 1943 when he shot down 3 Zekes and damaged a 4th • F4U-1 Corsair. Bu No 02576. Marines Dream VMF-222. Pilot varied day to day, Bougainville on December 11th 1943 • F4U-1 Corsair. Bu No unknown. Tojo Eats Shit!. VMF 222. Pilot unknown. Munda Airfield, New Georgia, Solomon Islands • F4U-1 Corsair. Bu No 03821 White 485 OTU VF-4. Flown by pilots in their final phase of training before joining the Fleet. NAS Jacksonville. Florida, February 1945 • F4U-1 Corsair. Bu No 02386. Ramblin Wreck VMF-121. Espiritu Santo on May 8th 1944.

1/48 BC48-153 F4U-1 Birdcage Corsairs part 1 As above

1/72 BC72-152 F4U-1 Birdcage Corsairs part 1 As above

Conclusion One thing you can guarantee with BarrucudaCals decals is an interesting choice of colour schemes perfectly realised with detailed instructions and high quality decal sheets. Combine their sheet with the Tamiya F4U or Revell’s Bf 109 and you will have an attractive addition to your model shelf. Visit www.barracudacals.com where you can see the full range of decals and resin sets. Alternatively, in the UK, the range is stocked by Hannants.

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Decals SAMI Spotlight

Authentic Decals Two more sets received from Authentic – and as usual the A5 sheets are packed with images and options. The Ju 88 sheet includes no fewer than ten options in a variety of camo schemes, some of them quite striking, and includes three styles of swastika – although these are in two halves. The Rafale sheet is a labyrinth of stencils, codes and lo-viz items, and looks very comprehensive, including an impressive ‘Normandy-Niemen’ anniversary special scheme.

1/72

Conclusion

7256 Junkers Ju 88A Anti-Shipping Units • Ju 88A-4 4D+MR, 7./KG30, Catania 1941/42 • Ju 88A-4 B3+MH, 1./KG 54, Dubendorf 1943 • Ju 88A-10 L1+OK, 2./LG1, Catania 1941/42 • Ju 88A-4 F1+CT, 9./KG76, Bergamo 1944 • Ju 88A-4 S4+AH, 1./KGr506, Leeuwarden 1942 • Ju 88A-4 Torp A8+CM, 4.(V)KSG102, Grosetto 1942 • Ju 88A-4 Torp 1H+EW, 12./KG26, Westerland/Sult 1942 • Ju 88A-4 or A-17 1H+FL, 3./KG26, Bardufoss 1945 • Ju 88A-4 or A-17 1H+QN, 5./KG26, Bardufoss 1945 • Ju 88A-17 3Z+BH, 1./KG77, Marseille 1944

Two really effective and comprehensive sets offering a mass of options. The Rafale set really does take you round the houses with some overseas deployments represented, while the Ju 88 set covers pretty much the entire European continent. Anyone tackling these sheets can make up a very nice collection indeed, although they will need a steady hand and eye to depict some of the Luftwaffe squiggle patterns in 1/72. Check out the full range at www.olimpmodelsgroup.com UK importer is Hannants.

7264 Dassault Rafale B/C/M • Rafale C, 108, Kandahar 2010 • Rafale C, 122, Libya 2011 • Rafale C, 105, Afghanistan 2008 • Rafale B, 305, Lybia 2011 • Rafale C Normandy-Niemen anniversary scheme, Mont de Marsan, 2012 • Rafale B, 333, Lybia 2011 or Mont de Marsan 2011 • Rafale M, 12, Charles de Gaulle, off Lybia 2011 • Rafale M, 31, BAN Landivisiau 2012 • Rafale M, 2, Charles de Gaulle, 2005

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We are now stocking Swann-Morton products on our website We are also stocking a variety of Albion Alloys Precision products

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Early Beaufighter 1/48th Conversion Set (for Tamiya kit) £12.50 Kit Number: RA4912

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Heinkel He111. An Illustrated History The Heinkel He 111 was the most recognisable German bomber aircraft of World War 2. This book forms a heavyweight study of its development and operational history, exploring the many variants pf this famous and longserving Luftwaffe bomber aircraft.Hardback.328 pages.

£60.00

Blackburn Skua & Roc The Blackburn Skua was the Fleet Air Armís first monoplane and its first dedicated dive bomber. Its derivative the Roc was the only turret fighter to see action with the Royal Navy. This book charts the development and service history of the two aircraft.160 pages,Black/white and colour photos,colour profiles,line drawings.

£15.00

Warpaint 97. North American RA-5C Vigilante

Complete and detailed history,1:72nd scale plan,In detail pictures, Kit, decal and accessory list,Pages of superb colour camouflage drawings, colour, and black and white photography,Complete production list,Squadrons, units and individual aircraft serials and codes.60 pages.

£15.50

Airframe Album No.4 The Westland Whirlwind

Luftwaffe im Focus 22 Aviation History from the enthusiast for the enthusiast.65 photo's,12 in colour,5 colour profiles,2 emblems.1 map, Readerforum ï Tails: An Hs 129 ìCan Openerî with an Impressive Scoreboard.

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How to Build Airfix 1:24 Hawker Typhoon. The complete guide to building the amazing Airfix 1:24 scale Hawker Typhoon, written by Brett Green of HyperScale and Model Military fame. This new book features an exhaustive step-by-step guide to construction with modelling contributions by Brett, Marcus Nicholls and Chris Wauchop.74 pages,full colour.

£17.50

Hawker Hunter in RAF Service Covers one of Britainís classic post-war jet aircraft, which first entered RAF service in July 1954. This special edition includes numerous colour photographs. 88 pages,Colour photos,colour profiles.

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Night Cats & Corsairs The threat of enemy aircraft striking American naval forces at night with impunity during World War II led the Navy to seek fighter aircraft capable of stopping this threat. Trace the history of radar-equipped night fighter aircraft produced for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps by the American aircraft companies Grumman and Vought before the arrival of jets with nocturnal capabilities.Hardback,216 pages.

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This is an initiation DVD which shows the first steps using a double action airbrush,how to clean, basic maintenance, basic use.This DVD is designed to help the novel modeler and keep away his fears using this tool 57 min. In English narration.Produced by AK Interactive

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Henschel Hs123 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.

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The Henschel Hs123 was a single-seat biplane dive bomber and close-support attack aircraft flown by the German Luftwaffe during the Spanish Civil War and the early years of World War II.136 pages,superb colour illustrations of camouflage and markings, rare b&w archive photographs, and scale plans. Essential reading for aviation enthusiasts, historians & scale modellers..

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WWI Aces High is a new, specialized magazine for scale aircraft modellers. The magazine is divided into several articles, which guide the reader step by step through the processes of building amazing models.70 Pages,full colour.

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Our fourth title in the Airframe Album series provides an excellent contrast to our previous three titles and is perfectly timed for the release of the new 1/48 Trumpeter kit. Contents include: ïA wealth of historical and modern photographs ïDetailed study of the structure, equipment and armament used ïPeriod diagrams, data from flight manuals and spare parts catalogues 82 pages.

Affectionately known as the “Stringbag” by its crews, the Fairey Swordfish is one of World War Two’s most iconic and recognisable biplane aircraft. Includes photographs. Publication coincides with the recently released 1/72 scale kit by Airfix.72 pages,Colour Profiles,black & white photos.

Aces High magazine issue 2

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Planes and Pilots 19. Spitfire Mk1-Mk2-MkV. This book is the first of a series of three volumes devoted to the most famous fighter of the Royal Air Force. This one combined with the equally famous Hurricane gave to the British control of the skies against the Luftwaffe. It covers the different version of the plane from the Spitfire Mk I to the Spitfire Mk V which appeared in February 1941 and was equipped with Rolls-Royce Merlin 45, one of the most powerful engines of the Second World War.98 pages,colour profiles.

Douglas SBD Dauntless

Naval Fighters 98 Douglas AD/A-1 Skyraider Part One. Covers: Development, Testing, Variants, Test/R&D, CAG, FASRONs, Training Squadrons, Base/Carrier/Air Group/Squadron Hacks and Marine Skyraiders.257 pages,169 illustrations, 472-photos.

£37.99

Researched over twenty years, this incredible body of work brings together details from the official RAF intelligence and interrogation reports, and combines them into a definitive guide to every enemy aircraft that came down over the UK during WWII.Over 200 photos in each volume.

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The Design and Development of the Hawker Hunter Superbly illustrated with both colour and black-and-white photographs of the Hawker Hunter ñ which has always been one of the most photogenic of all aeroplanes ñ this new title is the first devoted specifically to the Hunterís design and development: how and why the aircraft came into being, the troubles it experienced on the way, its flight test programme and what it was like to pilot..

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Art of Modelling Issue 4 Techniques: Dragon Bergepanzer Tiger (P) 'Heavy Metal Tow Truck' Techniques: Porsche 917 'Langheck' A, Le Mans Legend Techniques: Eduard 1186 Phantom F-4B 'Good Morning Da Nang!' Painting Techniques 1: Painting and weathering panzer gray Painting Techniques.: Weathering buildings with chipping fluids Painting Techniques.66 apges,full colour,

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History, drawings and technical detail of the important of US Navy most successful W.W.II diving bomber. This work includes superb colour artwork illustrates the many camouflage schemes and markings found on operational Dauntless; it features walk-around colour photographs and rare b+w archive photographs and documents.136 pages.

£15.00

Listening In. RAF Electronic Intelligence Gathering since 1945 A highly detailed work illustrated throughout with over 180 photographs and drawings, Listening In tells the full story of this secret world and it’s aircraft (both actual and proposed) and is a natural companion to Chris Gibsonis best selling ‘Vulcanis Hammer’ and ‘Battle Flight’.

£29.95

Realistic Wood Effects First book of this new collection.The collection is oriented to help modelers through different modeling tasks.This volume is dedicated to paint different types of wood, planes, ships, tools, accessories etc.Becasuse of its low price it will be a great help for all modelers and a stand out collection. Published by AK Interactive

£10.99

The Weathering Magazine 8 This time focused on the Vietnam War. Inside you will find how to create a jungle diorama, how to obtain the characteristic earth and dust colors of Vietnam, and realistic painting of helicopters and airplanes as seen in the war. This, and so much more. So much, that the magazine includes 8 bonus pages full of tricks and techniques to cover the topic in depth and have even more fun..

£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

884-85-ShowReport-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 15:00 Page 884

SAMI Feature

Show Report

The BIG Show! A

s usual the US National Convention saw a staggering wealth of modelling skills on display, with every scale and genre represented, including some stunning dioramas. The US competition differs vastly from Telford, as with no club displays it is all down to the individual. The distances involved in the US

884 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

preclude the kind of group displays UK shows are accustomed to, but this is more than compensated for by the sheer amount, and quality of the competition entries. Thanks to IPMS Tidewater for hosting the event in this, the 50th anniversary year of IPMS See you next year in Columbus…

884-85-ShowReport-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 15:00 Page 885

The Big Show!

www.sampublications.com September 2014

| 885

886-87-Testors-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:59 Page 886

SAMI Columns Testors 1/48

Sponsored by

www.testors.com

Airfix Avro Lancaster B.1 (F.E.) /B.III

By Andy McCabe

TECH DATA

T

his is the latest release of Airfix’s new tooling following on from the B.II with radial engines. The kit contains six sprues with 236 parts of grey and one sprue of clear injection moulded plastic, one decal sheet, one colour markings sheet and one instruction booklet. The parts are vastly superior to the early Airfix Lancaster kits, with finely engraved panel lines, nicely moulded parts and no half-man/half-machine gunners for the turrets. The instructions are nicely printed and the full colour making sheet gives the paint colours and decal placement for two versions. Work begins by firstly spraying all of the interior parts with Interior Green or Matt Black depending on the part, and the build then starts by fitting the two bomb bay bulkheads to the cabin floor and then fitting the two wing spars to this. Next is the pilot’s seat which was prepainted and then assembled and fitted to the cockpit floor. The main instrument panel consists of a plastic panel and decal for the instruments. Eduard have released a

886 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: 08013 TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic MANUFACTURER: Airfix

complete upgrade for the interior should you wish to purchase one but this kit was built straight from the box. The cabin floor assembly slots into place in the port fuselage half, and there are clear parts for the fuselage windows but I did not use these, preferring PVA later on, as it saves masking all of those windows - there are plenty enough without these.

The bomb sight was fitted into the nose and then the navigator’s desk was assembled complete with maps supplied as a decal. The navigator’s position is just visible through the cockpit glazing when the model is finished. The main landing gear ribs are now glued to the main spars and look very impressive when assembled. The aft gear bay bulkheads then fit to the spars and then the upper wing surfaces are glued to the spars, the fit is excellent with no filler required as yet. The lower wing surfaces are then glued to the upper wings, again another nice fit. The tailplanes were now assembled and fitted to the fuselage, these slot and lock together inside the fuselage and provide a really positive fit. The engines are next. The radiator rear parts were all assembled, painted and then fitted to one half of each engine cowling and then the other halves were joined to them. There is a choice of exhausts, unshrouded or shrouded, and these were fitted along with the intakes on all four engines and then the engine assemblies were fitted to the wings. When fitted there

886-87-Testors-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:59 Page 887

Sponsored by

Colour RAF Dark Earth RAF Dark Green RAF Dull Red RAF Interior Green RAF Medium Sea Grey RAF Night RAF Sky Type S (ANA 610) RAF White RAF Yellow NOTES: (~) = approximate

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FS 595A/B FS30118 (~) FS34079 (~) FS30109 FS34226 (~) FS36293 FS37038 FS34504 (~) FS37875 FS33538

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ModelMaster Enamels 2054 Dark Earth (ANA 617) 2060 RAF Dark Green 1705 Insignia Red + black (20:1) 2062 RAF Interior Green 2058 RAF Medium Sea Grey 1749 FS37038 Black 2049 RAF Sky Type "S" 1768 FS37875 Insignia White 2063 RAF Yellow

ModelMaster Acryl 4846 Dark Earth (ANA 617) 4849 RAF Dark Green 4714 Insignia Red + black (20:1) 4850 RAF Interior Green 4761 Dark Ghost Gray + black (30:1) 4768 FS37038 Black 4840 RAF Sky Type "S" 4769 FS37875 Insignia White 4721 FS33538 Insignia Yellow

Polly Scale F505252 Dark Earth F505250 Dark Green F404079 Oxide Red F505270 Interior Grey Green F505258 Sea Grey Medium F505350 NATO Tricolor Black F505254 Sky (Type S) F505011 White F505282 Deep Yellow

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Testors® Paints — Avro Lancaster

is a gap between the wing and engine at the top; this I assume is due to the wing moulds being utilised for the B.II version. The flaps were now assembled and put to one side. These can either be fitted dropped or raised. The tailplane-mounted fins were assembled and fitted to the tailplanes, the bomb brackets were fitted into the bomb bay, and the machine gun turrets were painted and assembled. A lengthy period of masking now began, starting with the cockpit canopy and then the gun turrets - this is where masking sets are extremely useful! The canopy was glued into position and the gun turrets placed into their respective locations and then the model was sprayed with primer. Any gaps were dealt with, and there were very few, and then the upper surfaces were sprayed with Dark Earth, masked, and then Dark Green was sprayed on. The upper surfaces were then masked off and the undersides were sprayed with Matt Black. The decals were then applied and no problems were encountered. A dark wash revealed all of the nice panel lines and then a coat of matt varnish sealed it all into place.

Testors SAMI Columns

A few heavy streaks of exhaust staining were applied to the wings and the fuselage dirtied up a bit and then a mix of matt and satin varnish was sprayed on randomly. The masking was now removed and final assembly began by fitting the undercarriage. This is nicely modelled and looks very effective. The props were painted, assembled and fitted to the engines and then finally the aerials were fitted and the model was complete. Two colour schemes are supplied:-

moulded, with engraved panel lines and not a rivet in sight! The parts assemble very nicely, the instructions are good and the decals likewise. There are no bombs supplied in the kit but these are available in an additional kit, the WW2 Bomber Re-supply set, which is worth purchasing for the mass of bits and accessories included. A thoroughly enjoyable build. I must get on with the B.II now so they can sit side by side.

• Avro Lancaster B.1 (F.E) Tiger Force, No.35 Squadron, Royal Air Force Graveley, Cambridgeshire, England, 1945, Matt Black/Matt White colour scheme • Avro Lancaster B.III. “Frederick II” flown by Wing Commander Frederick Campbell Hopcroft, Commanding Officer, No.57 Squadron, RAF Scampton, August 1943. Dark Earth/Dark Green/Matt Black camouflage Scheme

Conclusion This is a great kit and a lot different from Airfix's early offerings. The parts are well www.sampublications.com September 2014

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SAMI Columns Benchmarks 1/48

Sponsored by Hobbylink Japan

Benchmarks

Seen here approaching completion. The transparencies fit so well I added them after painting and decaling

A surprisingly easy build – more on this next month

Dornier Done

I

The chaps discuss the likelihood of the Editor finishing another kit this year

888 | September 2014

t’s been a hugely exciting month on the workbench for Yours Truly. Firstly, the Dornier is finished and in the modelling cabinet, the first successfully competed kit to make the grade since the last Bf 110 towards the end of last year. That was the EprG. 210 machine you may recall – A model that may well find its way onto the Battle of Britain SIG table at Telford - and the last Cyber-Hobby D I said I would build for some time. Since then there has been an awful lot of kerfuffle with Ju 88s with no successful conclusion, and an Ar 196 just awaits final detailing, but that project ran out of steam when ICM’s kit turned up. Of course there was Eduard’s Bf 109G-6 as well, of which more anon… So the Dornier Do 214-B-4 is finished

Scale Aviation Modeller International

successfully. So successfully, in fact, that it is going to have a feature all to itself next month. All I will say at this point is that it offers the most astonishing quality of parts, superb fit, and builds up into a stunning model that bodes very well for future versions of the kit. I cannot wait for the Do 17Z – and I only hope someone will get some aftermarket out soon for this kit, as I intend to line them up, and there are areas that would benefit from the attentions of our friends in the Czech Republic… So this produced the next inevitable dilemma. What to do next? My natural inclination was to hurl myself onto the newly-arrived HobbyBoss BV 141 and slap it together, but there is the prospect of all that glazing, and this has stayed my hand so far. It is not so onerous a task – and I did just make my own masks for the Dornier – but it is inconceivable that Eduard will not address the matter, with etch too I hope, and as I plan to build more than one I want the fairly visible interiors to be standard. The same went for the Me 262B-1a, which landed at the same time. Eduard’s sets for the previous versions are so good it would be a crime not to wait and fit them to the two-seater. Groans from the ‘proper’modellers who would have fabricated a complete interior by now, from bark and old lino. Sorry chaps – go and read Classic Plastic. Benchmarks is strictly for the dilettante.

By Gary Hatcher

This decision was partially influenced by the growing pile of part-built kits underneath the workbench, and the earnest desire to finish one of them first. It was also coloured by the fact that the Do 215 fits so beautifully into the cabinet, and got me all excited about Kampfgeschwaders again, a matter somewhat dampened by my experiences with the Ju 88. The look of the interior through the greenhouse nose has me so satisfied that my initial immediate impulse was to fire off an email to Mr David Francis, at the time trading at the US Nationals, to the effect that the Editor needed a Monogram Do 217 urgently, and to sally forth to Dean’s Hobby Stop and procure one immediately. In the meantime there was the small matter – or not so small in 1/48 – of the He 111 that ground to a halt last year after I not only managed to push in one of the side windows, but also decided I didn’t want to arm it with torpedoes, and ripped out the external pylons and fuselage insert, intending to replace the whole works with Eduard’s etched bomb bay.

888-89-Benchmarks-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:59 Page 889

Benchmarks SAMI Columns

Sponsored by Hobbylink Japan

Elements of Eduard’s Brassin radio compartment for the Bf 109G-6. This has been a pleasant and enjoyable project so far, with 1001 little bite-sized tasks that can be tackled in odd moments when other stuff is out of bounds. Very little of this will be visible through the hatch in the fuselage, but the effect is impressive and it all adds up to what I plan to be the ‘ultimate Gustav’

Brassin’s engine. Assembly has started but paused while the cockpit and radio compartment go together first

The Brassin cockpit set has also been prepped, with most of the parts removed from casting blocks and cleaned up ready for assembly and painting to commence. I had intended starting with the engine, but whilst the fuselage halves have been cut in preparation, it became apparent that fitting the cockpit first would be a better plan

Looking ahead. One open cannon bay under the port wing will offset the canopy hanging to starboard

Resurrected He 111 after a great deal of cleaning up

This had resulted in enormous traumas – in fact I had ripped the fuselage in half, snapping it on the port side short of the tail. As I left it, it looked horrible, and it took several hefty sessions of remedial surgery to get it looking plausible again. These involved lengthy periods of glue and filler curing, so for light entertainment I have undertaken another project that I plan to let roll on alongside whatever else is happening on the table. Enter Eduard’s Gustav again. This time I plan to build one with all the trimmings – quite literally! I am not generally a fan of open panels, engines, cockpits etc, but this kit and the Brassin sets provided for it, offer

such amazing opportunities that I have already made a start with the radio compartment, cockpit and engine, with cannon pods and undercarriage to follow. So there we have it. A trinity of modelling projects – one finished, one started, and one picked up and continued. In the meantime I keep returning to the modelling cabinet to inspect the rather awesome greenhouse nose on the Dornier. It has to be one of the best kits out this year! I have to take my hat off to ICM, and look forward enormously to the next variant, and to the one after that. Guided tour here next week. See you soon.

The engine and armament set have been thrown into the mix

A toast on the workbench – courtesy of Eduard on the release of the impressive Royal Gustav packaging

‘We’ve had the builders in…’ Eduard’s etched bomb bay will help put off the terrible task of trying to find a colour scheme that matches the armament configuration. Luckily I have both types of exhaust and a vacform transparency for the front end of the gondola. Looking for an H-4 or an H-6 with black undersurfaces and nothing too messy on the upper sides…

The nose glazing has been glued together and shims are being added to the fuselage front to maximise fit. I plan to paint this entirely separate and blend it in with localised filling and painting once the interior is complete

www.sampublications.com September 2014

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892-93-Books-0914_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:58 Page 892

SAMI Columns Books & Media

Books

Fairey Swordfish In British, Canadian & Netherlands Service In World War Two TECH DATA AUTHOR: Neil Robinson. Illustrations by Peter Scott PUBLISHER: Airfile

Hawker Hunter

ISBN: 978 09575 513 12 FORMAT: Softback, 72pp

TECH DATA AUTHOR: Neil Robinson. Illustrations by Jon Freeman PUBLISHER: Airfile ISBN: 978 09575 513 29 FORMAT: Softback, 88pp

A close second contender for ‘Book of the Month’. More of the same from Airfile, with a stunning collection of artwork, compiled again by Neil Robinson, with extended captions, four-views, historical notes and photographs and all those little details that are so essential to modellers. And that are so often overlooked. This book covers the type in its RAF service, both single- and twin-seaters, and like the Swordfish book is backed up by a separately available pair of decal sheets that are reviewed elsewhere in this issue. Another superb reference work from

Continuing the Airfile series in typical style, this volume is another packed collection of fine colour artwork with extended captions this time offering a chronological picture of the Swordfish from 1936, and through the war years to 1945. The aircraft is depicted in all its various colours schemes from the initial Aluminium and Cerrux Grey, through the colourful carrier bands of the late 1930s and early war years, to the camo schemes typical of its most famous actions at Taranto and hunting the Bismarck. The of the wide variations in colour With a decal sheet due in demarcations and black three scales from Fantasy distempers is particularly Printshop, and some marvellous fascinating. kits available of the famous The change in 1943 to white Stringbag, this book is a perfect lower services paved the way for those Dinspiration, as well as being a first class Day scheme that sit so well on the aircraft, reference put together by someone who followed by the well-known Black RAF really understands what a modelling schemes of 119 Squadron in 1945. There reference should be about. Highly are even a couple of post-war schemes to recommended. wrap things up. www.airfilepublications.com

Book Month!

Airfile. www.airfilepublications.com

Walk Around #23

Focke Wulf Fw 190D Luftwaffe Crash Archive Volume 5

TECH DATA AUTHOR: Steve Muth PUBLISHER: Peregrine Publishing FORMAT: CD-ROM

TECH DATA AUTHOR: Nigel Parker

Another in-depth walkaround, this time covering the Fw 190D, with internal images of an aircraft in unrestored condition. A useful aid to those building the new HobbyBoss kits. Available for US$10 from Peregrine at: Glen Head, NY 11545USA, email: [email protected]

PUBLISHER: Red Kite ISBN: 978 19065 921 72 FORMAT: Softback, 125pp

One of the most impressive pieces of research yet to be published on WW2 aviation. Researched over twenty years, this incredible body of work brings together details from the official RAF intelligence and interrogation reports, and combines them into a definitive guide to every enemy aircraft that came down over the UK during WWII. With over 200 photos in each volume, drawn from dozens of expert sources, this lavishly illustrated series is a must for any Luftwaffe enthusiast or indeed

Arrival of Eagles Luftwaffe landings on Britain 1939-1945 TECH DATA AUTHOR: Andy Saunders PUBLISHER: Grub Street ISBN: 978 19098 081 26 FORMAT: Hardback 192pp

An interesting selection of stories covering various unexpected ‘arrivals’ of Luftwaffe aircraft on British soil during World War 2. A number of incidents punctuated the conflict - not all of them through 'conventional' combat circumstances. Some had got lost, others were brought by defectors; some were lured through electronic countermeasures by the RAF, others brought down in unusual combat circumstances. All manner of types appeared – He 111, Go 145, Me 110, Ju 88, Me 109 F and G, Fw 190, Do 217 - and in many cases aircraft were repaired and test flown, betraying vital and invaluable information. In this highly readable book the author draws upon his own research,

892 | September 2014

interviews, official reports and eye-witness accounts to animate these unusual incidents, all nicely illustrated with contemporary photographs. www.grubstreet.co.uk

Scale Aviation Modeller International

anyone with an interest in the Air-War 1939-1945. Volume Five covers the period 28th September 1940 – 27th October 1940. This period covers the final phase of the Battle of Britain when large formations of bombcarrying Bf 109s were roaming over southern England, forcing the RAF to launch standing patrols to intercept them. As such this book mainly contains Bf 109s in various states of disrepair along with a selection of bombers mainly brought down at night as The Blitz started to intensify. This whole series is most highly recommended. www.wingleader.co.uk

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Books & Media SAMI Columns

Britain’s Forgotten Fighter Ace Captain Albert Ball VC TECH DATA

Spitfire Aces of Northwest Europe 1944-45 TECH DATA

AUTHORS: Walter Briscoe and H. Russell Stannard

AUTHOR: Andrew Thomas

PUBLISHER: Amberley

PUBLISHER: Osprey

ISBN: 978 14456 223 61

ISBN: 978 17820 033 80

FORMAT: Softback, 224pp

FORMAT: Softback, 96pp

Entirely appropriate to this centenary year, this biography of Ball was first released after his death and features tributes by then Prime Minister David Lloyd George, Field Marshal Haig and Major General Sir Hugh Trenchard, founder of the RAF. It tells the story of a boy, barely twenty at the height of his fame, who scored forty-four confirmed kills, and was described by no less than Richthofen as ‘by far the best English flying man’. Ball was killed in May 1917, during a dogfight with Richthofen’s Jasta 11; his body was buried with full military honours, and when the death was announced it was international news. WWI flying aces have never received the attention afforded their WW2 counterparts, so it is good to see this book back in print

and available from a reputable publisher. www.amberleybooks.com

US Air Force, Navy & Marine Aggressors

escort for the RAF's daylight heavy bomber raids against German industrial targets. Follows Osprey’s usual successful format, with a fine historical narrative hanging on the colour plates and plenty of period photographs. www.ospreypublishing.com

This title details the exploits of thirty-seven pilots that achieved ‘ace’status flying Merlin-engined Spitfires in the final years of World War II. As Allied forces entered Germany, the Spitfire units were often engaged by the Luftwaffe in savage air combat over the shrinking Third Reich. These encounters resulted in high scores for the Allied fighter units. The 2nd TAF squadrons were formed into mobile wings, many of which were commanded or led in the air by some of the most successful RAF Spitfire aces, and many others would also command squadrons. This book also covers the exploits of those Merlin Spitfire squadrons that remained under ADGB control, which were employed on long-range

TECH DATA AUTHOR: Andy Evans PUBLISHER: SAM Publications

To be sure of future copies of Scale Aviation Modeller International, fill in your details and hand this form to your newsagent

ISBN: 978 19069 593 64 FORMAT: Softback, 108pp

This long-awaited publication from SAM has finally seen the light of day in time for the US Nationals, and is a very welcome collection, drawing together a mass of colourful schemes, useful modelling data, and the expertise of our own Andy Evans, an author widely published and wellrespected in the aviation community. It’s a first rate book about a fascinating subject that has inexplicably escaped this kind of coverage in the past, and with a brand new decal sheet out from Twobobs

it is clear the marketplace is still interested in the subject! Get a copy, get a kit, and get inspired! www.sampublications.com

Please reserve/deliver* a copy of Scale Aviation Modeller International on a regular basis, commencing with the .......................................... issue *delete as appropriate

Aces High

Title/Mr/Mrs/Ms First name: ........................................... Surname:..........................................

Night Fighters of the Luftwaffe

Address:........................................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................

TECH DATA PUBLISHER: AK Interactive

........................................................................................................................

FORMAT: Softback, 82pp

A new magazine format publication from AK-Interactive, and the first in a regular series that promises to cover a single subject in each issue. This first volume covers Luftwaffe night fighters and consists of a series of model builds, nicely photographed, and largely showcasing AK’s products, so there are plenty of tips on using washes and weathering techniques in these pages. Builds include ZoukeiMura’s He 219 and Hasegawa’s Fw 190 in 1/32, MPM’s He 177, Eduard’s Bf 109E and Dragon’s Me 262B-1a/U1 in 1/48, and Eduard’s Bf 110G-4 in 1/72.

......................................................................................................................... Postcode:................................................................................ Daytime Telephone No: ...........................................................

Some excellent modelling and some very useful ‘how to’ tips. www.aceshighmagazine.com

www.sampublications.com September 2014

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SAMI Columns 580 Modellers

A 1/72 Academy Typhoon out of the box, by our own Mark Housley, won Class 2

Spoilt for Choice IPMS Staffordshire Moorlands Show, Stoke, Sunday 06th July By Geoff Cooper-Smith

W

imbledon Mens' Final? Waddington Air Show? British Grand Prix? Tour de France in the UK? Staffordshire Moorlands Model Show? Well that’s an easy one! So off to Stoke-on-Trent (The TA Centre at Corbridge to be more exact) no less than seven of the 580 crew jolly well went to enjoy a catch-up and show off our latest efforts. This new show has established itself so quickly that it is difficult to believe this was its fifth iteration. However, the exceptional

organisation means everything runs very smoothly, and wisely there is evolution each year to keep things fresh and ensure the show progresses. There were all the usual facilities including the ever-popular bar at lunchtime but this time the organisers had taken the most welcome step of moving the competition to a room with windows, which appeared to result in an increased entry. Not surprisingly the organisers are already having to wrestle with the problem of trying to find more area for the increasing number of clubs, groups and traders who wish to attend (see, I keep telling you the The main hall replete with silk parachutes hanging from the rafters

There were many good models in the hosts’ display including this big gunned Me 262A-1a/U4

894 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

show scene is getting bigger and more buoyant with each passing show) and you have certainly ‘made it’ when Collectakit attends and occupies the whole of the back wall! Our Mark Housley marched ever onward, taking first again in Class 2 with yet another new 1/72 masterpiece melded from an old kit (this time an Academy Typhoon) and Rob Cookson naturally collected something too. Worthy winners of Best Display were the World War 2 SIG who don’t just fill their tables with models but items from the war itself, which is quite different and very informative. So congratulations to IPMS Staffordshire Moorlands (in association with 235 (City of Stokeon-Trent) Sqn ATC) for their efforts and we look forward to supporting them again next year.

Show News It’s been a difficult twelve months or so for Sutton Coldfield Model Makers as their venue of many years, the wonderfully ornate Town Hall, has become rather difficult. Last year, despite having the floor plan approved, the club found they couldn’t have the full main hall requiring some on-the-day changes, which made it all rather fraught. This year they were informed (and only very recently) that a lot of the Town Hall environs, including the adjacent free parking, had been sold. The club therefore decided to move the show and fortunately found what appears to be an excellent alternative venue at the other end of town: the Ramada Penns Hall Hotel, Penns Lane, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, B76 1LH. Unfortunately

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580 Modellers

SAMI Columns

UK Model Show Calendar Compiled by Geoff Cooper-Smith of 580 Modellers

Shows in September and early October 2014 Sunday 31st August IPMS Lancashire

Saturday 20th September IPMS Farnborough

presents their Northwest Kitswap 2014 at the Canberra Club, Samlesbury Aerodrome, Balderstone, Lancashire, BB2 7LF. Doors open at 10am and the event closes at 4pm (with no admission after 3.30pm) Table hire is £4 each and includes one admission. Admission is £1 adult, children under 16 free. There is free parking plus hot and cold food available until 1.30pm. Further details can be obtained from [email protected].

presents Modelfest 2014 at Kings International College, Watchetts Drive, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 2PQ. Doors open at 10am and the show closes at 4pm. Admission is £4 adult, £2 concessions with accompanied under 16s free. For further details visit www.ipms-farnborough.co.uk.

Sunday 07th September The Aero Space and Vehicle Club IPMS Wombourne present Fantastic Plastic at the Community Centre, Church Road, Wombourne, South Staffordshire, WV5 9EZ. Doors open at 10am and the show closes at 4pm. Admission is £3.00 adult, £2.00 concessions, with accompanied children under 16 free. There are three halls, a ‘make and take’, an open competition, refreshments, disabled access friendly and with free parking. For further details visit www.asvc.org.uk.

This British Navy Corsair, with its clipped wings, was placed in the Junior class

Sunday 07th September IPMS Bridlington & Wolds Scale Model Club, in association with Driffield Showground Events Ltd, present The East Riding of Yorkshire Model Show at the Driffield Show Ground, Kelleythorpe, Driffield, East Yorkshire, YO25 9DN. Doors open at 9.30am and the show closes at 4pm. Admission is £2.50 adult with accompanied children under 15 free. There is free parking, a ‘make and take’, an informal model competition, hot and cold refreshments, free parking and the venue is disabled access friendly. Further details can be obtained from [email protected].

Sunday 14th September (note change of venue) Sutton Coldfield Model Makers proudly present the Sutton Coldfield Model Spectacular at the Ramada Penns Hall Hotel, Penns Lane, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, B76 1LH. Doors open at 10am and the show closes at 4.30pm. Admission is £3.50 adult, £2.30 children and senior citizens. There is plenty of car parking, a competition, disabled access and hot and cold refreshments. For further details visit www.scms.co.uk.

Saturday 20th September and Sunday 21st September Euromilitaire

Smile for the birdy! Yet another Airfix 1/48 Spitfire PR.XIX on the 580 stand, this time in Turkish markings

580 Modellers are unable to attend on September 14th but please don’t let that deter you! Also coming up (and I raise it now so you can start making your travel arrangements) is the IPMS Nederland Euro Scale Modelling 2014, which claims to be Europe’s largest one-day model show. Now in its 26th year the show is held at Nieuwegein’s Business Centre, Blokhoeve 1, Nieuwegein, which is close to Utrecht, on the 25th October 2014, and entrance is just 6 Euros. There will be 150 exhibitors from across Europe and an open competition with 250 or so entries anticipated. The 580 crew keep discussing a foray abroad and if they do eventually pull their finger out and get organised this is the sort of event they will probably attend. And finally, the South Wales branch

of MAFVA are holding an open day at St John’s Church Hall, Danescourt, Cardiff, CF5 2SH on Sunday 05th October and cordially invite you to attend and see their work.

The Egg Plane Movement is growing and this competition entry took my eye in the diorama class

In its 29th year and as usual will be at Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 2DZ. Doors open at 10am and the show closes at 6pm (4pm on Sunday). Admission prices have not yet been announced. There will be a competition, demonstrations and traders from across the world. Further details can be obtained from [email protected]

Sunday 21st September IPMS Fenland and Spalding present Wings & Things 2014 at Spalding High School, Cley Lake, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 2PJ. Doors open at 10am and the show closes at 4pm. Admission is £2 adult, £1 Old Age Pensioner and children. There is free parking, disabled access, make & take, refreshments and a competition. For further details visit www.ipmsfenlandandspalding.moonfruit.com

Sunday 28th September IPMS Brampton presents the St Ives Model Show at Burgess Civic Hall, Westwood Road, St Ives, Cambridgeshire, PE27 6WU. Doors open at 10am and the show closes at 4pm. Admission is £1.50 adult, 50p concessions. There is free parking, disabled access and refreshments. For further details contact Alec Smith at [email protected].

Saturday 04th October Abingdon IPMS present the Abingdon Show at Larkmead School, Farringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1BB. Doors open at 10am and the show closes at 4pm. Admission prices are yet to be confirmed. There is free parking, a competition and refreshments. Further details can be obtained from simonfisher2008btinternet.com.

Saturday 04th October North Surrey Military Modelling Group presents their Annual Show and Open Competition at the Thomas Wall Centre, 52 Benhill Avenue, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 4DP. Doors open at 10am and the show closes at 4pm. There is a competition, refreshments. Unfortunately no further details are available. Further details can be obtained from [email protected].

Sunday 05th October The South Wales branch of MAFVA are holding an open meeting at St John’s Church Hall, Rachel Close, Danescourt, Cardiff, South Wales, CF5 2SH. Doors open at 2.30pm and close at 5pm. There is free parking available. Further details can be obtained from [email protected].

If you would like your event listing then please contact Geoff Cooper-Smith on 07841 417680 or at [email protected]. Full details of all coming shows and photo reports on those attended can be obtained by visiting www.580Modellers.co.uk.

Time to broaden your horizons! This is a 1/16 Bandai kit released over twenty-five years ago and still makes into a truly wonderful model

www.sampublications.com September 2014

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Promote your company here and appear in all 3 titles – Scale Aviation Modeller International, Model Aircraft and Scale Military Modeller International – with a total 126,000 circulation. Contact Rebecca Harris on +44 (0)1234 224995 [email protected]

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We stock: Aoshima, Vallejo paints, Trumpeter, Italeri, Tamiya, Hobbyboss, Academy ...and many more!

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SAMI Columns And Finally

And Finally…

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 Editor nor any of the contributors are at Media House on a daily basis and the 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.

Brengun’s Blohm & Voss By Geoff Pike

T

he BV 40 glider was designed in 1943 to be towed aloft by a Bf 109 or Bf 110, and released at a suitable height above a daylight bomber formation from which it would attack the intruders with two 30mm cannon. It was a simple wooden design in which the pilot lay prone in an armoured cockpit. The wheels were jettisoned on take-off, landing being made on an under-body skid. Six prototypes were flown, but the project was abandoned late in 1944. Possibly the idea of towing a heavy glider into position was by this time a

suicidal proposition considering the menace of marauding American fighter escorts. The kit  is a short-run style mould, with a nice etched metal fret and a small decal sheet. Some cockpit

BRENGUN’S BLOHM & VOSS BV 40 GLIDER FIGHTER SCALE: 1/72 KIT NO: 72011 TYPE: Injection Moulded Plastic MANUFACTURER: Brengun

Company/Suppliers Addresses & Enquiries Please note that the 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 Scale Aviation Modeller International 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 Editor nor contributors will undertake specific or general aviation research for enquirers. Thank you.

detail is provided, and the model is very quickly assembled. Care is needed to add the tiny etched parts, but it's worth the effort, and an unusual and interesting model results. Markings are provided for the first and sixth prototypes, both in dark green over light blue. It isn't the tiniest model that I've ever built. Thanks to Brengun for an unusual and different review item.

Coming Next Month

Samples for Review Scale Aviation Modeller International is always happy to review new products 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 products reviewed within Scale Aviation Modeller International should send them directly to the editorial address and clearly mark them for the attention of the 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.

Copyright Warning Due to the growing misuse and breach of copyright apparent on the web Media House 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.

Next Month’s eclectic helping of modelling resources and techniques offers the usual broad coverage, up to the minute News coverage, columns and regular features: • The Big Build – Black Cat over Korea – HobbyBoss kit in 1/72 • Analog Dialogue – Further manifestations from Tony Grand’s forested mind • Fighting Falcon – Tamiya’s New Tooling • Benchmarks notches up another Has the Editor really finished a build? • Modellers Portfolio – Blackburn Buccaneer – scale plans and colour profiles by Chris Sandham-Bailey (and probably another whinge from on high about that mysterious1/48 tooling we’d all like to see released) Plus Clark’s Field, Classic Plastic, and more than ever in the only printed magazine offering a considered alternative to the Internet…

898 | September 2014

Scale Aviation Modeller International

© Media House 2014 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.

Scale Aviation Modeller International is published monthly by Media House and is distributed to the news trade on the second last Saturday of each month. Next on sale 25 September 2014

899-Revell-Spitfire-0914-WP_Layout 1 15/08/2014 14:22 Page 1

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIa

ND A R B EW N NG! LI TOO 03986 0398

1:32 1:3

Visit our brand new website and online shop

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The Legendary Spitfire

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