Airfix Model World Issue 049 (December 2014)

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ISSUE 49

EUROPE'S BEST-SELLING MODELLING MAGAZINE

WIN! CL

AIRFIX KITS

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EXCLUSIVE BUILD!

ALCONBURY GOMER AFV Club's F-5E Aggressor Airfix DEC UK.indd 1

DEC 2014 £4.20

We build Airfix's all-new Blenheim MK.IVf

DIRT, DESPERATION & CHAOS Tommy's War ‘L’ Battery RHA

MARTIAN WAR MACHINE Pegasus Hobbies' Tripod 20/10/2014 15:57

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EDITOR'S DESK WELCOME

Editorial

Editor: Assistant Editor: Editor's Secretary:

Chris Clifford Stu Fone Vanessa Smith

Contributors

Andy Bayley, Mike Grant, Craig West, Richard Benedikz, Robert Sheward, Jennifer Wright, Wayne Dippold, Glenn Sands, Malcolm V. Lowe, Dr James Whalen, Johan Augustsson

Design

Art Editor: Group Art Editor:

Production Production Manager:

Tom Bagley Steve Donovan

Janet Watkins

Advertising

Commercial Director: Ann Saundry Group Advertising Manager: Brodie Baxter Advertising Manager: Tom Lee Production Manager: Debi McGowan

Marketing

Group Marketing Manager: Marketing Manager: Subscriptions Manager: Mail Order:

Martin Steele Shaun Binnington Ann Petrie Joan Harwin Liz Ward

Managing Director: Executive Chairman:

Adrian Cox Richard Cox

Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ, UK. Distributed by: Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PP. Tel: 020 7429 4000. Fax: 020 7429 4001. Printed by: Warners (Midland) plc, Bourne. Printed in England (ISSN 1471-0587).

Subscriptions Please refer to main advertisement within the magazine. All applications stating name, address, date to commence and remittance to: Subscriptions Department, Airfix Model World, Key Publishing Ltd, P0 Box 300, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1NA, UK. Telephone/9.00-5.30 Monday-Friday GMT +44 (0) 1780 480404, Fax: +44 (0) 1780 757812 E-Mail: [email protected] Airfix Model World (ISSN: 1471-0587) is published monthly by Key Publishing Ltd, P0 Box 300, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1NA, UK and distributed in the USA by Mail Right Int., 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Periodicals Postage Paid at Piscataway, NJ and additional mailing offices. Readers in the USA can place subscriptions by visiting www.airfixmodelworld.com or by calling toll free 800-676-4049 or fax 757-428-6253 or by writing to Airfix Model World, 3330 Pacific Ave, Ste 500, Virginia Beach, VA23451-9828. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Airfix Model World, Key Publishing Ltd, c/o Mail Right International Inc.,1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway NJ 08854. All items submitted for publication are subject to our terms and conditions. These are regularly updated without prior notice and are freely available from www.keypublishing.com The entire contents of Airfix Model World is © copyright, and no part of it may be reproduced in any form or stored on any form of retrieval system without the prior permission of the publisher. “AIRFIX’’ is a registered trade mark of Hornby Hobbies Limited and is used under licence. We are unable to guarantee the bona fides of any of our advertisers. Readers are strongly recommended to take their own precautions before parting with any information or item of value, including, but not limited to, money, manuscripts, photographs or personal information in response to any advertisements within this publication.

The average sale for the period Jan – Dec 2013 was 11,488 print and digital copies monthly.

I

WELCOME

find there’s nothing quite like a darned good read to gain modelling inspiration. A bonus (or perhaps a curse if one looks at it another way), is that my job involves reviewing many types of book. Flitting from subjects such as the Ferrari 250 GTO to the Henschel Hs 123 can certainly spawn build ideas not previously considered. My latest read, though, has gripped me intensely; The Millionaires’ Squadron, from Pen & Sword (see next issue for a review). The book charts the history of 601 (County of London) Squadron Auxiliary Air Force...a unit launched by the then Lord Grosvenor, and whose pilots were almost entirely from the ‘upper crust’. An entry qualification early on was that one must be a member of the exclusive White’s Club in London. The high jinks of these bluebloods made for fascinating reading but, ultimately, they bled just the same as the common man in the skies over Blighty and Malta. In short, it was riveting stuff and it prompted me to pick up Lions Rampant, the history of 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, which is currently just as enthralling. I am now in full Battle of Britain mode and can’t help rifling through my decal stash for appropriate Spitfire markings...this will only get worse as next year’s BoB 75th anniversary draws closer! Another treat this month has been receiving from Pocketbond Trumpeter’s new 1/48 F-106...a type I’ve long loved (after the mighty F-4) and hoped to see in more modern kit form for many years after building Monogram’s quarter-scale example. It did prompt nostalgia for other Century Series aircraft from Monogram which, essentially, were great kits apart from the raised line detail. Assistant editor Stu recently imparted a neat trick for highlighting panel lines on these older kits, without the need for re-scribing, so I’ll give it a try when I have time and, if I like the result, you’ll see how it’s done in AMW. I’d better get cracking...

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE! MAKE GREAT SAVINGS BY SUBSCRIBING TURN TO PAGE 56 TO FIND OUT HOW

Chris Clifford, Editor Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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CONTENTS INSIDE

60

ADVANCED BUILD ‘L’ BATTERY RHA, NÉRY

REGULARS 06 News The latest happenings in the world of plastic modelling.

10 Show Scene A comprehensive and up-to-date calendar of model-related events.

32 Your Airfix Readers gets the chance to showcase their own Airfix builds.

56 Subscribe and save! 80 On the shelf Thirteen pages of reviews bring you the latest modelling products.

98 Kit Court Put forward your case to AMW, as to

WIN! AIRFIX KITS See page 21.

why a particular ‘missing’ kit subject should be made available.

12

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ADVANCED BUILD BOEING 737-200

70

ADVANCED BUILD ALIEN TRIPOD

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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CONTENTS

INSIDE

34

INTERMEDIATE BUILD F-5E USAF AGGRESSOR

FEATURES 12 Advanced build – Boeing 737-200 Mike Grant modernises Airfix’s old 1/144 Boeing 737 with resin engines, home-made decals and good old-fashioned scratch-building.

22 In Focus – Boeing 737-200 Richard Benedikz and Craig West from Airliner World magazine detail the history of this classic regional airliner sub-type.

28 Pilot Profile – S/L Ronnie Sheward DFC Robert Sheward charts the course of his father’s wartime career, which is linked to a 1/72 Airfix release.

52

EXCLUSIVE BUILD BLENHEIM MK.IVf

34 Intermediate build – F-5E USAF Aggressor AMW newcomer Wayne Dippold tackles AFV Club’s 1/48 Northrop F-5E, in splendid ‘dog-fighting’ colours.

42 In Focus – USAF 527th TFTAS F-5Es AirForces Monthly’s Glenn Sands explains the role of what was Europe’s only dedicated ‘Aggressor’ unit.

46 Intermediate build – Yakovlev UT-1 Mike Grant sees triple with three fine examples of Micro-Mir’s diminutive 1/144 Russian trainer.

52 Exclusive build – Bristol Blenheim Mk.IVf Airfix already please many with its recent 1/72 Blenheim Mk.I. Here, Jennifer Wright offers a test-shot build of the company’s forthcoming Mk.IVf sub-type.

58 Out and About – Modelfest 2014

28

PILOT PROFILE S/L RONNIE SHEWARD DFC

The annual show organised by IPMS Farnborough gets a visit from Malcolm V. Lowe

60 Advanced build – ‘L’ Battery RHA, Néry Johan Augustsson revels in a stunning new 54mm Tommy’s War release, which depicts a famous Victoria Cross action.

68 Out and About – Sutton Coldfield Show Dr James Whalen reports from a popular Midlands’ modelling event...despite its last-gasp change of venue!

70 Advanced build – War of the Worlds Alien Tripod Ever wanted to add lighting to a model? Andy Bayley shows us how with a stunning rendition of Pegasus Hobbies’ cinematic alien machine. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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NEWS BULLETIN

LATEST UPDATES

GRACEFUL TRAINER

MODELLERS OF a certain age will welcome the return of an old favourite...the Airfix Fouga Magister in 1/72 scale. For a kit first released in 1976 (in Patrouille de France colours), the detail is still actually quite respectable, with just the raised panel lines being a bug-bare for some.

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ANYONE WANTING to introduce their offspring to modelling should investigate Airfix’s Quick Build range...whose latest addition is this superb Lamborghini Aventador (J6007). Like other sets in the range, the subjects are built via components with Lego-style attachment points and this example of the famous supercar comes in 33 parts. Suitable for ages 5 plus, it’s a great way to get youngsters into modelling. Other new Quick Build kits include the Challenger Tank (J6010) and Harrier (J6009).

Simple re-scribing will reap great benefits though, along with after-market help and/or scratch-building if desired, and the kit (A03050) now comes with a choice of Irish Air Corps (metal with Dayglo panels) and Belgian Air Force (three-tone camouflage) schemes.

FLYING WING

OCCASIONALLY, A kit arrives at the AMW review desk which causes jaws to drop...Zoukei-Mura’s Horten Ho 229 had just that effect. Packed with 12 grey and seven transparent styrene runners, the latter featuring a mixture of clear and frosted finish, the level of detail is staggering. Most kits offer a choice of colour schemes, but the Ho 229 has three construction options: structural skeleton, transparent wing/fuselage coverings or fully painted model. The cockpit and Jumo 004 engines are beautiful renditions, the latter so detailed it looks like it would actually work given fuel! However, by far the most impressive feature has to

KIDS’ KITS

be the internal skeleton, including the massive upper wing structure. Anyone building this will end up with a lesson in aeronautical engineering, but at the same time the kit isn’t completely overwhelming; there's also scope for super-detailers to include control cables and hydraulic lines. Two RLM 81/82/76 schemes for fictitious aircraft are included, although the only surviving example did have a large swastika on the upper fuselage ‘tail’. Accompanying the release will be a series of accessories, including pilot and ground crew, weighted tyres, photoetched metal details, and a two-seat conversion set. For further details visit: www.zoukeimura.co.jp/en

AIRFIX AT ASDA!

NOT ACTUAL kits...but cool Airfix t-shirts via Asda Direct’s website. To celebrate the fact that thise licensed apparel is now available from the wellknown supermarket chain, Airfix fan Denn Mogg put together this amusing montage of ‘handsome’ models wearing the aforementioned garments. Boys, the camera loves you! For further details visit Asda Direct at: www.asda.com

JET REPLENISHMENT

A COMMON sight at NATO and US airbases, the ubiquitous R-11 Fuel Truck has operated around the world, with examples seen in Iraq and Afghanistan. This release from Skunkmodels continues its range of ground support vehicles and will be welcomed by any modellers who build airfield dioramas, but would also make an excellent stand-alone subject. With three dark green styrene runners and one clear, there is a surprising number of parts for what is in effect a large fuel tank on wheels. All parts

are crisply moulded with basic detail, although the cab area is more than adequate for this scale. Disappointingly, no refuelling hoses are included in the kit, so modellers will have to scratch-build those items. Three schemes are provided on the excellent decal sheet from Cartograf, two in overall green and one in stone/sand: • US Air Force JP-8/F-34 • US Air Force JP-8/F-34, desert scheme • US Air Force JP-8+100/F-37 For more details visit: www.luckymodel.com

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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NEWS BULLETIN

LATEST UPDATES

EXPERTEN’S TALE

THE SECOND-highest-scoring ace of all time, Germany’s Gerhard Barkhorn, is the subject of a stunning new book from Luftfahrtverlag-START. Already renowned for its excellent Luftwaffe im Focus volumes, the publisher was approached by author Bernd Barbas who had interviewed Barkhorn just four months before he died in January 1983, having already been granted full access to the

Experten’s photographs and documents. Rocked by the ace’s death, Barbas shelved his book idea or many years until he revisited the material… which was more fruitful than first realised. With help from Barkhorn’s former comrades, Barbas finally completed this impressive hardback, packed with photographs of the ace, his aircraft and fellow JG 52 flyers, such as Hartmann and Krupinski. German-English text reveals much about Barkhorn's early life and career, while the images (especially those in colour), provide highly useful views of hisaircraft, several of which were named ‘Christl’. Claes Sundin colour profiles complete one of the finest books of its kind…but the treat doesn’t end there. START has

also released 1/48 decals for 15 of Barkhorn’s aircraft, including the Bf 109E/F/G, Fw 190D-9 and Me 262. For further details on ‘The Forgotten Ace, Fighter Pilot Gerhard Barkhorn’, visit: www.luftfahrtverlag-start.de

GET A GRIP! A NEW modelling clamp set by Trumpeter will make life much easier during the build process. From the Master Tools brand, this package (09951) offers spring-loaded ‘pincers’ with circular profile jaws to grip, for instance, tank gun barrels. There are also push-fit grips, perfect for clamping wings along the trailing edges (used with elastic bands), and cross-shaped spacers to hold off the elastic

bands from the plastic. There’s even a paint jar opener which can be used in two different ways. All parts come on runners like a proper kit, and some basic construction is required. Also available is a new ‘sandpaper’ set (09950), which offers five 20cm x 6cm abrasive strips, from 600 to 2000 grades, with 3M adhesive film backings for strength. For further details, visit: www.pocketbond.co.uk

GRAND-DADDY TANK DRAGON’S BLACK LABEL release, the MBT-70 is regarded as the ‘grandfather’ of the German Leopard and US M1 main battle tanks. The MBT/Kpz.70 was a joint US-German project from the 1960s to develop a next-generation MBT, but was discontinued due to budget over-runs. Dragon’s kit, though, is actually of the German Kpz.70 and not the US MBT-70, which had structural differences. Dragon’s kit designers travelled to Germany to measure the surviving prototype at the Deutches Panzermuseum Munster, so accuracy should be assured.

The parts are moulded to Dragon’s usual exacting standards, with the cast mantlet and turret section being particularly well rendered, and the tracks have been reproduced in

DS-styrene. Two German ‘unidentified unit’ options are provided on the kit's tiny decal sheet, one of which is the actual Munster museum example. For further details visit: www.hobbyco.net

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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NEWS BULLETIN

LATEST UPDATES

{in brief} EAGERLY AWAITED ‘SEA JET’

EYE-POPPING ROTORCRAFT After-market firm S&M Silk has released a lovely second set of markings for helicopters used by non-military operators. Civilian Choppers Part 2 (SSM72-009) offers smart 1/72 schemes for the following : • AB-206B, G-AWGU, British European Airways • Wessex Mk.60, G-AZBY, Bristow Helicopters • S-61R, N61EV, Evergreen Helicopters (two versions) • S-61R, N4263A, Carson Helicopters • SA-365N, G-HEMS (Express Newspapers and Virgin) For further details visit: www.sandmmodels.co.uk

STAY HEALTHY We should all wear masks while airbrushing, especially where solventbased enamels and lacquers are concerned. With that in mind, The Airbrush Company now has this excellent Force8 twin cartridge half mask respirator to help protect our lungs. It has a four-point suspension harness and quick release buckles, and can accept various filters from the Force8 range (two filters are included). At just over £26 it’s a small price to pay to protect one’s respiratory health. www.airbrushes.com

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KINETIC’S SEA Harrier (SHAR) FA.2 has arrived and first impressions kit are excellent. Input from the IPMS Harrier Special Interest Group has resulted in this being the most accurate SHAR kit to date, and the good news is that Kinetic may follow with

other variants. Detail is first-rate, particularly in the cockpit, and an excellent weapons selection includes AIM-9 and AIM-120 and two sizes of fuel tank, although only the larger version should be used on an FA.2. One or two shortcomings are apparent,

NOCTURNAL SCANDINAVIAN

CYBER-HOBBY’S release of the night-fighter version of de Havilland’s Venom, the first in this scale, has been eagerly awaited. The moulding and detail is without fault, and the Ghost engine is truly a work of art. However, by using the same moulds as the Sea Venom (with just minor changes to the rear fuselage), it has compounded the errors from the earlier kit. Thus, the upper fuselage unfortunately has an incorrect cross-section, the outer wings are slightly too long and the cannon shell case ejector chutes are wrong in number and position. In addition, when the artwork was first released, modellers

were delighted that a Swedish version would be included; yet Sweden never used the NF.3. Instead it operated a licence-built version of the NF.2A, which was not equipped with ejection seats and had a different nose radome. All this considered, Cyber-hobby’s kit will build into a very good NF.3, remembering that this variant did not have folding wings. Two schemes are provided, and although an NF.2A would require considerable conversion work, the markings for the Swedish version are accurate for F.1 Wing: WX913, 125 Squadron, RAF Stradishall, 1956 and ‘N’, F.1 Wing, Swedish Air Force, Vasteras, 1959. For further details visit: www.amerang.co.uk

including the wrong colour annotations for the cockpit (which should be Dark Admiralty Grey), nose wheel bay (which should be white), and the blue for one of the schemes, which should be Admiralty Blue. Furthermore the kit includes both FA.2 and FRS.1 instrument panels as optional, yet for an FA.2 the correct part is C19, while the gun pods lack exhaust vents and there is an option for dropped ailerons...not a feature of first-generation Harriers. sadly, there are no BOL-equipped missile rails or proper UK 1,000lb bombs, but hopefully later releases will address these omissions. The striking decal sheet offers five schemes, including ZD613 ‘Satan 1’ in 800 NAS retirement markings, and ZH809 in 899 NAS 25th anniversary Admiral’s Barge scheme. For more details visit: www.luckymodel.com

RESIN RUSSIAN SPACE-SHOT REAL SPACE specialist LVM Studios has released a kit of the Russian Angara 1.2pp rocket. The 11-part affair in 1/144 scale, which comes with a well-printed decal sheet and circular base, depicts the ‘peryy polyot’ (first flight) of this particular type on July 9, 2014. Angara is the first new rocket built by Russia since the break-up of the Soviet Union, and it’s intended that the machine will replace older craft such as the Proton-M, Zenit and Rokot. LVM’s resin is respectable, although with slightly soft panel lines, but construction should be very simple with easy sanding and part removal from the casting blocks. For further details visit: www.LVM-Studios.com.

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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21/10/2014 13:34

NEWS BULLETIN

LATEST UPDATES

NEW DECALS

NEW 1/35 items have been released by Archer Fine Transfers, for vehicles and scenic modelling, and they are: • AR35377 Simca and Bussing Nag instruments,

AFV Club 35170/Tamiya 35321 • AR35381 German WWII ambulance markings (includes helmet insignia/ armbands) • AR35382 Jeep instruments and placards, Bronco kits CB35306/307 • AR35383 German road signs and civilian signage - includes translations/ templates • AR99065 US Army, Corps and Special Service Patches – 6th Army, 5th and 7th Corps and Special Service • AR99066 US Army and Corps Patches – 3rd Army, 2nd and 6th Corps For further details visit: www.archertransfers.com

MEET THE ARTIST

BOX ART wizard Roy Cross has produced another book packed with his evocative Airfix illustrations. Due to be published by Crowood, the book can be signed personally by Roy at a special event at The Aviation Bookshop, Tunbridge Wells, on December 6. To reserve your signed copy, or for more information, tel: 01892 539284 or visit: www.aviation-bookshop.com

NORTHERN EXPOSURE

‘POSH’ SHOW VENUE EAST ANGLIA’S largest model event is moving to a new, state of the art location. The East of England Model Show, organised by Peterborough Scale Model Club, is switching from the city’s Town Hall to Voyager Academy, just north of the city centre. Previously a Saturday event, the show will now go ahead on Sunday, March 1 to enable more traders to participate. The Academy is a new building that provides excellent facilities and all at ground level. Free off-road parking is on site, and there’s a direct bus route to and from the city’s Queensgate

shopping centre. Admission to the show, which opens at 10am until 4pm will be £2, with under-15s free. Club Chairman Allan Haines said: “We had used the Town Hall for 17 years and felt it was time for a change to enable us to provide an even better show. The old venue involved traders and clubs having to negotiate stairs, but this venue will provide much better access, avoid town centre congestion and revitalise the show." More details and location maps will appear in due course on the club’s website: www peterboroughscale modelclub.co.uk

LANGLEY MOOR Model Club is a friendly group, launched in 2011, which exhibits at several model shows throughout the year...some on our doorstep and one or two further afield. For a small outfit the members have taken quite a few competition prizes, but we are always on the lookout for new members, young or old, male or female. The club meets on Tuesday evenings, 7-9pm at the Meadowfield British Legion club, just a short drive from Durham City. We welcome any modelling genre, be it card, balsa or plastic. The only requirement is one must be 16-plus years. For further details e-mail: [email protected] Let AMW know what your club has been up to, whether it’s a competition, local display or change of personnel, venue or contact details. Simply e-mail the editor, chris. [email protected], and include any good quality photos of 1Mb or larger.

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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SHOW SCENE

DIARY DATES

SHOW SCENE

At-a-glance model and airshow calendar

Scale ModelWorld 2014 Hosts:

IPMS (UK)

Address: Telford International Centre, Telford, Shropshire, TF3 4JH

8-9 NOV, 2014 TELFORD INTERNATIONAL CENTRE

Times:

Saturday: 10am-6pm Sunday: 10am-4pm

Prices:

Adult £10 for one day, £15 for two, concessions £7 per day, children and IPMS members free

Web:

www.smwshow.com

NOV 15

IPMS MIDDLE TENNESSEE MODEL CONTEST

DEC 6-7

THE MODEL SHOW (STOCKPORT)

JAN 25

BOLTON IPMS SCALE MODEL SHOW 2015

FEB 15

HUDDERSFIELD SHOW

Hosts:

IPMS Middle Tennessee

Hosts:

Friends of the Model Show

Hosts:

Bolton IPMS

Hosts:

IPMS Wakefield and District Branch

Address: Rutherford County Agricultural Center, 315 John Rice Boulevard, Murfreesboro, TN 37129, USA Times:

9am-5pm

Prices:

Adults $2 admission donation, under-16s free

Web:

www.ipmsmiddle tennessee.com

NOV 23

AIRCRAFT ENTHUSIAST FAIR AND MODEL SHOW

Hosts:

Aerobilia on behalf of Museum of Army Flying

Address: Museum of Army Flying, Middle Wallop, Hampshire, SO20 8DY Times:

10am-4pm

Prices:

£5

Tel:

01264 334779

Email:

mark@roberts15863. fsnet.co.uk

Web:

www.armyflying. com/2014/11/

KEY

E MODEL DISPLAY

)

m

MODEL COMPETITION AIRCRAFT DISPLAY

Address: Poynton Leisure Centre,Yew Tree Lane, Poynton, Stockport, Cheshire, SK12 1PU Times: Prices:

Saturday 10am-5pm Sunday 10am - 4.30pm Adults £5.50, 14-18 yrs £3.50, accompanied under-14s free, UK Forces Personnel (with ID) £4

Address: St Joseph’s RC High School, Chorley New Road, Horwich, BL6 6HW Times:

10am-4pm

Prices:

Adult £4, OAPs £3, under-16s £2, family (2+2) £10

Email:

enquiries@themodelshow. co.uk

Tel:

N/A

Email:

[email protected]

Web:

themodelshow.co.uk

Web:

N/A

DEC 7

DECEMBER MODEL FAIR

FEB 14

ON TRACK MILITARY MODELLING SHOW

Hosts:

Midland Air Museum/ Coventry IPMS

Hosts:

Matador Enterprises Ltd

Address: Midland Air Museum, Coventry Airport, Baginton, Warwickshire, CV3 4FR Times:

10am-4pm

Prices:

Adult £6.50, concessions £6, children over 5 £3.25

Email:

enquiries@ midlandairmuseum.co.uk

Web:

midlandairmuseum.co.uk

 

J

Address: Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent, United Kingdom, CT20 2DZ Times:

10am-5pm

Prices:

Adults £5, accompanied under 16s free

Tel:

N/A

Email:

[email protected]

Web:

www.ontrackshow.co.uk

MILITARY DISPLAY



Address: Huddersfield Sports Centre, Southgate, Huddersfield, HD1 1TW Times:

10am-5pm

Prices:

Adults £4, concessions £2

Tel:

0113 2893152

Email:

huddersfieldshow@gmail. com

Web:

www.huddersfield modelshow.co.uk

FEB 20-22

BRIGHTON MODELWORLD

Hosts:

Brighton Modelworld Organising Group

Address: The Brighton Centre, Kings Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 2GR Times:

10am-5pm

Prices:

Adult £9.50, children £5.50, senior citizens £7.50, family (2+2) £26

Email:

info@brightonmodelworld. com

Web:

brightonmodelworld.com

REFRESHMENTS

AUTOMOTIVE DISPLAY

FREE PARKING

TRADE STANDS

AIRFIX ROADSHOW ATTENDING

IMPORTANT: It is worth noting that ALL events are subject to change or cancellation. This information has been collated from a variety of sources and was believed to be correct at the time of going to press. To advertise your event here, email: [email protected]

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Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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09/10/2014 16:53

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO MODELLING THE F-4 PHANTOM

NE

W

Produced by the Airfix Model World team, Scale Modelling F-4 Phantom is a new 100-page guide, vital for anyone contemplating scale kit builds. Fascinating history text, reference photos and colour illustrations accompany five fantastic model builds, in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scales. Features Include: Tamiya 1/32 F-4J This is built as an RAF F-4J (UK), with accompanying text by former Phantom navigator Ian Black. Academy 1/48 F-4C Our expert uses this recent kit to portray a MiG-killer in later US Air National Guard colours.

£5.99

There are also 1/48 scale colour weapons drawings, after-market product listings, a paint scheme reference chart and much more!

894/14

JUST

Hasegawa 1/48 F-4J This ageing kit is backdated to QF-4B status and wears eye-popping ‘drone’ colours.

JUST £5.99+FREE P&P*

Available Thursday 13 November at

and other leading newsagents

*FREE P&P valid on UK and BFPO orders. Overseas charges apply. **Cover subject to change.



Free P&P* when you order online at www.keypublishing.com/shop

OR



Call UK: 01780 480404 Overseas: +44 1780 480404 Monday to Friday 9am-5:30pm

SUBSCRIBERS CALL FOR YOUR £1.00 DISCOUNT SUBSCRIBERS CALL FOR YOUR £1.00 DISCOUNT SUBSCRIBERS CALL FOR YOUR £1.00 DISCOU

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23/10/2014 11:23

ADVANCED BUILD BOEING 737

A

irfix’s venerable 1/144 Boeing 737 recently hit the shelves again, and the latest excellent box art shows a colourful Southwest Airlines aircraft. Although it’s been around in various guises since 1969, the kit is fairly accurate in shape but typical of the era, with simplified detail and raised panel lines. The model represents a 737-200 series airliner, but one of the earlier aircraft

THE

BABY BOEING

Mike Grant takes a civil approach to Airfix’s classic airliner

The fit of the doors was poor; they were glued proud of the fuselage surface so they could be sanded perfectly flush.

No mention of nose weight was made in the instructions, but lead shot was CA-glued into the nose as a precaution.

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Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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10/10/2014 08:22

ADVANCED BUILD BOEING 737

 A few tiny hairline seams were treated with home-made filler, made from off-cuts of styrene and liquid cement.  Certain gaps between parts were wide enough to warrant lengths of stretched styrene as filler, which were then sanded smooth.

 Left in a jar overnight, the styrene dissolved in the liquid cement to produce a smooth paste. When applied as a filler and left to cure, it could be sanded, scribed and painted just as the original plastic.  Comparison of the BraZ castings (right) with Airfix’s engines show the wider pylon and nacelle differences.

 As kitted, Airfix’s Boeing 737 was equipped with the original engines, and though many earlier aircraft went into service with this configuration, the majority of -200s were fitted with revised engines with wider pylons. Replacement resin engines were sourced from BraZ.

MODEL SPEC

with shorter engines and narrow pylons, applicable only to the first 279 airframes. After that wider pylons were used, the length of BOEING 737 By:

Airfix

Stock Code: A04178A Scale:

1/144

Price:

£14.99

Available from: Airfix, www.airfix.com

the engine’s tailpipe having also been increased. Replacement resin engines with wider pylons were sourced from Bra.Z (part no. B4KC28) which increased the options for colour schemes, since the vast majority of -200 series 737s flew in this configuration. One might assume that an airliner would be a fairly quick build. Most have little or no cockpit detail – there’d certainly have been little point in adding any to this kit since the tiny windscreen was so thick – and no bombs or rockets to assemble and paint. The parts count also tends to be smaller than a similarly sized military aircraft kit. Offsetting this however is often the challenging masking

and painting required; gloss finishes, sharp cheat-lines and complex decaling. Reflecting the kit’s simplicity, the instructions were illustrated across just three stages. Work began with the fuselage, and with no interior it was just a case of gluing in the cockpit bulkhead to help add rigidity, dealing with the windows (see separate panel) and installing nose weight. No mention was made of this in the instructions, but it was considered prudent. Once the fuselage halves were mated, passenger and baggage doors were attached. The fit of these was poor, so they were glued in place slightly proud of the fuselage surface so they

could be sanded flush...and any gaps treated with cyanoacrylate (CA) glue. Next to be tackled were the flying surfaces. On 1/144 airliners, one of the most dramatic, yet simple improvements is to thin the trailing edges and this was done with various grades of sanding sticks, and finished with polishing cloths. Some of the engraved flap/aileron

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ADVANCED BUILD BOEING 737

Glazing upgrade The fuselage windows on airliner kits are always a dilemma. Too small to actually see anything through, they’re also virtually impossible to mask individually before painting. In this scale, window decals provide what is arguably the cleanest solution. For many years Airfix supplied clear strips of windows, but the most recent releases of the kit no longer include them. It’s no great loss; the parts were thick and full of sink marks, but at least they were useful to plug the window apertures which could then be further filled and sanded smooth. One option on new kits would be to glue strips of styrene inside the fuselage behind the window holes, then smother filler over the apertures and sand flush. But to achieve a perfectly smooth result would require multiple applications of filler, interspersed with heavy sanding, so a more efficient method was required...

 A line was scored by running a sharp knife along the upper and lower edges of the windows, on the inside of the fuselage.

Masking the inside of the nacelle and achieving a sharp delineation of the intake lip would have involved tedious masking, so the leading edges were sawn off and painted separately.

 The knife was used to cut through the plastic between each aperture, from the outside. Scoring from the previous step made the cut much easier.

 BraZ moulded the thrust reversers as separate parts to be glued onto the tapered rear nacelle, but photos showed the real units to be parallel to the aircraft’s centreline. To achieve this, small wedges of styrene were attached and sanded to shape.  One orifice was much easier to address than many small openings. Sanding sticks were used to smooth the edges, top and bottom.

 Two laminations of 60-thou styrene sheet were glued together and cut to fit inside the aperture. Liquid cement was then applied liberally around the insert.

 Having been left overnight for the glue to harden, the styrene insert was sanded flush. Inevitably there were a few small gaps, but these were dealt with efficiently with CA glue for filler.

 As the windscreen would be portrayed by a decal, the kit part was used merely to fill the aperture; the fit was poor and needed much filler. Sanding was also challenging, due to the complex shape.

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demarcations were lost in the process, so these were reinstated by re-scribing. The tail planes were one-piece mouldings which, with a little finessing of the location tabs, fitted well into their corresponding holes with barely a gap. Consequently they were left off and attached towards the end of the project, which eased painting/masking

around the tail. Each wing was supplied in halves. Rows of vortex generators were moulded on the upper surfaces, but comparison with photos of the real thing showed them to be hugely overscaled. In fact, they were so small in reality that they’d be barely visible, and so were sanded off completely, which also made re-scribing more straightforward. The fit of the wings and the

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ADVANCED BUILD BOEING 737

central wheel well section (part 30) to the fuselage wasn’t great, which demanded copious filling and sanding while trying to retain the complex curves in those areas. Wheel wells were much too shallow as moulded but could be cut open and enlarged with styrene sheet, should one be so

inclined. It’s worth mentioning that Airfix provided alternative parts with which to display the undercarriage retracted for an in-flight display, although no

stand was supplied. The last task in Stage 1 dealt with the engines. For representation of an early 737 the kit engines looked more than adequate, and a dry-run showed they fitted well below the wings. For this build, though, they were discarded in favour of the wider Bra.Z resin replacement pylons. These needed considerable

neatening, and separation from their large casting blocks required multiple passes of a scribing tool but, after sanding, polishing and re-scribing certain panel lines they looked fine. One of the engines fitted the lower wing without problem, while the other demanded a lot of trial fitting and sanding...probably a result of the author’s over-

 Two small teardrop fairings on the upper wings were inadvertently sanded off while the pylons were faired into the wing trailing edges, so new items were replicated. A section of styrene was held to a candle flame until the plastic became soft and glossy...

...and then the molten plastic was pushed through a suitably sized teardrop template. When cooled and hardened, the blister was sliced off and glued to the model’s wings.

Filing and filling were required to achieve a satisfactory fit of the engines to the wing undersides.

 Tamiya White Fine Surface Primer was decanted from its aerosol can so it could be airbrushed, and the model was then given several light coats. Once dry, Tamiya TS-26 Pure White, also decanted, was applied to create a hard and glossy white finish.

Before the blue paint could be airbrushed, the entire under-surface was masked with a combination of Tamiya tape where precision was required, and cling-film, useful for covering large areas speedily.

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ADVANCED BUILD BOEING 737

zealousness while removing them from the casting blocks.

Prime time With the main airframe assembled and re-scribed, the model was primed with white ready for painting. The choice of livery was a tough one; a

Re-scribing the 737 search of www.airliners.net for Boeing 737-200 schemes turned up more than 26,000 photos! Everything from the ubiquitous Lufthansa fleet to obscure Caribbean and South American charter aircraft, but it was the flowing blue and white scheme

The decision was taken to add panel line detail. There was already subtle raised detail on the kit parts, mostly on the wing surfaces, but re-scribing them and adding a few recessed lines on the fuselage helped to define the threedimensional shape of the aircraft and prevented it from appearing featureless.

The colour had to be built slowly with many misted coats, spraying away from the masks to prevent paint build-up along the tape edges.  Straight lines were the most straightforward: a section of DYMO tape was attached to the surface of the model, and then several light passes with the scriber created the engraved panel line. Once the line was deep enough for the scriber to follow without the tape, it was peeled off. This created a slightly raised edge on either side of the line, so these were sanded and the process repeated to produce clean, well-defined engraving.

Removal of the masks revealed a pleasing white swoosh along the Boeing’s airframe, with just minor overspray in a couple of areas.

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 Curved panel lines, such as those surrounding the wing-root fairing, were more problematic as DYMO tape was too rigid. The 3M product proved useful as it could be curved to shape. But flexibility was also its disadvantage, as the softer plastic yielded easily under the needle's pressure. To overcome this, several light passes were made with just the weight of the scriber itself, without pressure.

 The Lion Roar templates came with many useful shapes, which included round-cornered squares and rectangles, but nothing of the correct shape or size to replicate the asymmetric cargo door in the rear fuselage. The outline was traced from the kit part and transferred to sheet styrene, then carefully cut out and sanded to create a custom scribing template, held in place with tape.

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ADVANCED BUILD BOEING 737

 The underside grey was the final fuselage colour, which was also airbrushed on the upper wings. Masking and painting of the undercarriage bays was done later.

of SAHSA Airlines that really caught the author’s eye. Now defunct, SAHSA was the national carrier of Honduras until the early 1990s, with a fleet of 13 Boeing 737-200s. The livery went through several iterations during their service. A further web search revealed an after-market decal set for one of the SAHSA schemes, an old and out-of-production Microscale sheet (44-26), which occasionally appears on auction sites. The set included all of the blue areas for the aircraft, on the one hand an easy solution since it required just a simple white/grey paint job, but on the other very difficult to match paints when it came to inevitable touch-ups. Ultimately it was decided to replicate the colour scheme through masking, painting and home-made decals. Determination of the actual shade of blue proved quite difficult, as it varied dramatically between images, and ranged

from a dark navy blue to almost turquoise. Microscale’s sheet didn’t help either as its interpretation seemed too light. With no guarantee of accuracy, the eventual shade selected was a 50:50 mix from two Tamiya spray cans: TS-15, and TS-54. As with any fairly complex scheme, more time was spent in planning and masking than actual airbrushing, which generally took only a few minutes per colour. All the paints used were lacquer based for their robust, fast drying properties. A gloss finish before decaling was achieved with two hand-brushed coats of Pledge floor polish... each allowed 24 hours’ drying time. This product had amazing self-levelling properties and dried with no traces of brush marks.

 More masking was required, this time for the Corogard areas on the wing upper surfaces. Fortunately it was a fairly simple shape on the 737 compared to some aircraft.

 The exact shade of Corogard seems to vary depending on the aircraft. A reasonable approximation was achieved by mixing the light grey with a hint of black and silver.

Decal detail Although the writer was fortunate in owning an ALPS printer capable of printing white and metallic silver decals, there was little from this colour scheme apart from the white SAHSA logos and door outlines that  SAHSA 737 engines were in polished natural metal, and for this the model’s powerplants were primed with gloss black acrylic before they received Alclad II Polished Aluminium.

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ADVANCED BUILD BOEING 737

Creating curves

Somewhat resembling a blue killer whale, the fully painted model really came to life once the gloss finish was applied.

The most striking feature of the SAHSA livery was the flowing white swash that ran from the aircraft’s fin to a point just behind the windscreen. Having decided to paint the scheme, it was necessary to create masks for both sides of the fuselage.

 A gloss coat was essential for troublefree decal application, and for this two coats of Pledge (the re-branded Future/ Klear) were applied with a soft, chiseledged brush, with 24 hours’ drying between each.

 Overlapping pieces of ¾in (19.5mm) Tamiya masking tape were attached to the fin and fuselage. While referring to photographs of the real aircraft for shape and placement, the curves were drawn loosely onto the tape. Several attempts were required before a reasonably accurate outline was achieved, although it didn’t have to be perfect as it would be tweaked later.

 Having carefully peeled off the tape, it was transferred to a sheet of paper and scanned into a computer. The image was then opened in a vector drawing programme and used as a template for tracing the shapes; this enabled curves to be edited and finessed with great precision, and only one side of the aircraft needed to be drawn as it could then be flipped to create an identical mirror image for the other side.

 Once the shapes were satisfactory, they were laser-printed onto a sheet of Tamiya masking paper, cut out with a sharp scalpel and applied to the model’s fuselage.

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could not be achieved with an ink-jet or laser printer. One of the earlier schemes had the logo in black (the same livery featured on the Microscale sheet, in fact) and windows and white door outlines are available from Draw Decal (www.drawdecal.com). For this particular model, markings were created in a vector drawing programme, with help from reference photographs (windows on airliners are useful guides for assessing the comparative sizes and positions of the different elements). Experimentation achieved a match of the blue printing to the paintwork, but once that had been determined the decals were printed on clear decal paper and applied as usual, with Micro Set to help move them into position and aid adherence.

Panel lines were highlighted with watercolours and allowed to dry. Usually at this stage of a build a final sealing coat of varnish (either matt or gloss) would be airbrushed. However, encouraged by the success of the earlier coats of floor polish, the decision was made to hand-brush this final coat of Pledge…with disastrous results. The wet varnish dissolved the watercolour wash, which came oozing out of every panel line and began spreading over the surface. Little could be done while the Pledge was still wet, so the model was left to dry completely before a cotton-bud dipped in Isopropyl Alcohol was

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ADVANCED BUILD BOEING 737

 All of the wheel wells were much too shallow to be in scale, but spraying them matt black added an illusion of depth. This of course required yet more masking.

 Small blobs of Blu-Tack acted as masks for the recessed wheel hubs, while discs of masking tape produced with a punch-and-die set were used for the flat, outer wheel centres.

 Light grey paint was sprayed on the treads to simulate dust and wear, and a watercolour wash accentuated the simplified hub detail.

Application of the decals was a long, slow process, as some had to be applied over the top of others, and the first layer needed to be dry before the second transfer was overlayed. A final coat of Pledge sealed everything in.

used to rub carefully at the worst affected areas. This did indeed remove the dissolved paint, except in one spot on the lower starboard engine, which resisted all attempts at removal. A black stain remains there as a reminder to use oil wash when finishing with an acrylic gloss coat. The alcohol-soaked cotton bud had also erradicated the Pledge of course, so another coat was brushed on the model, and when dry, panel lines were highlighted once again. Although airliners are often perceived as being immaculately clean, in reality they’re often quite weathered, particularly on the undersides where hydraulic fluid and dirt accumulate. Consequently, staining was replicated on the model with Tamiya X-19 Smoke. Little else needed to be done other than

 The seam inside the forward undercarriage bay was almost impossible to fill and sand, so a blanking plate cut from five-thou styrene sheet was glued over the top.

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ADVANCED BUILD BOEING 737

A section of Multiple Density Fibreboard (MDF) left over from a kitchen renovation served as a base for the model. The edges were shaped with a router bit.

Only the sides needed spraying with Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black

 A computer image of an airport apron section was output onto thick paper via inkjet printer, glued on to black mounting board and then attached to the base with double-sided tape. A .jpg of this image can be downloaded for personal use from: http://mikegrantdecals. com/airport_apron.jpg

737 REFERENCE This special magazine from Key Publishing, in association with Airliner World, offers history and reference not just on the Boeing 737 but the manufacturer's other types, the CFM56 engine and future projects. It's available from www.keypublishing. com/shop or Tel: 01780 480404.

to add the undercarriage, and antennae apparent on reference photos. Four tiny L-shaped fuse wire antennae below the cockpit proved particularly troublesome, as several launched themselves from the tweezers or fell into the puddle of CA, but eventually they were glued in place.

continues to give sterling service to airliner modellers. It would be great to see Airfix reissue the kit with new parts for the later engines and pylons, but the Bra.Z resin set works well. The beautifully

printed new decal sheet in the box ensures a new lease of life, but there’s virtually endless scope for alternative liveries, with either readily available after-market sets or homeprinted markings.

❚

Old faithful Like its full-size counterpart, Airfix’s Boeing 737 kit has been around for decades but

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COMPETITION

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21/10/2014 10:35

IN FOCUS

BOEING 737-200  Out of 1,114 Boeing 737-200s built, fewer than 200 are believed to remain in operation. This example, XA-TVN (c/n 22752), was used by five different carriers over its 27 years in service, and ended its days in Mexico with AVIACSA. (Craig West)

BOEING’S

BEST SELLER

Airliner World’s Richard Benedikz and Craig West recount the early development of the world’s best-selling jetliner, the Boeing 737

B

oeing’s 737 represented an obvious progression from the long-range 707 and medium-range 727. It was developed as a means for the Seattle-based manufacturer to enter the short-haul market, even

though it was already crowded with the Douglas DC-9, British Aircraft Corporation 1-11, Fokker F-28 and Sud Aviation Caravelle. Boeing was reluctant to proceed with the 737 unless it secured a large-volume order from a leading

domestic carrier such as United Airlines or Eastern Airlines. Ultimately, it was the intervention of Germany’s Lufthansa that decided the future of the new aircraft. Having been in discussion with Boeing, the airline

 The prototype Boeing 737-100, N73700 (c/n 19437), was rolled out in December 1966 in the manufacturer’s distinctive house livery. It was one of six used during a 1,300-flying hour certification programme. (Boeing)

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threatened to walk away unless it made a firm commitment to build the type – and it was on the back of this that the programme was officially launched on February 15, 1965 with a 21-aircraft order. Neither Eastern nor United felt the 737 (or DC-9) met their future capacity requirements. Keen to land further orders, Douglas and Boeing immediately offered stretched versions of their respective models; the latter proposed the 737-200 – with a 76in (193cm) fuselage extension, which increased seating capacity from 100 to 112. Crucially, this was sufficient to attract a 40-aircraft order from United. Design and production of the first six prototypes began in earnest during the spring of 1965. A priority for Boeing was the simultaneous development of the -100 and -200 series, particularly given the low number of orders at that time, though savings were gained in tooling, design, manhours and workforce training by fitting the new jet with the same, six-abreast fuselage and nose design of the 727 (itself similar to the 707’s). Where the 737 really stood out from its older siblings was with its wing, which was designed to provide good lift and low-speed handling characteristics for short-field operations, economic high-speed performance at the relatively low altitudes of shortrange commuter services and

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IN FOCUS

BOEING 737-200 space to accommodate sufficient fuel for flights of up to 1,000 miles (1,609km). Low running costs were also a key design requirement, and Boeing incorporated several novel features to reduce weight. When retracted, the main landing gear folded into an opening in the fuselage, effectively sealing itself and eliminating the need for heavy doors. The 737 also inherited Pratt & Whitney (P&W) JT8D-7 engines from the 727, but their low-slung position created problems. Conventional pylons would have required long landing gear struts, so Boeing mounted the engines directly on the wing to save weight and allow for a shorter and lighter undercarriage.

This in turn lowered the height of the fuselage and provided easier access for loading and maintenance. The prototype 737-100, N73700 (c/n 19437), was officially rolled out in December 1966. Adorned in the manufacturer’s distinctive yellow and brown livery, the jet departed from Boeing Field on its maiden flight on April 9, 1967. In the hands of test pilots Brian Wygle and Len Lewick, it successfully completed a two-and-a-half-hour sortie before landing at another of the company’s facilities at nearby Paine Field, Everett, ready to start a 1,300-hour, six-aircraft certification programme. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted official certification for the series -100 on December 15, 1967 and for the longer 737-200 six days later. The Boeing jet was also the first airliner to be approved for automatic approaches under Category II weather conditions (ceiling of 100ft/30m and forward visibility of 1,200ft/366m) from the outset. Lufthansa took delivery of its first 737-100 on December 28, 1967 and began operations

 Boeing was reluctant to push forward with development of the 737 without a large-volume order from a leading domestic airline. The programme was eventually launched in February 1965 on the back of a 21-aircraft order from Germany's Lufthansa.

 The Boeing 737’s ability to operate from unpaved airstrips led to the type being acquired by several African airlines, including TAAG Angola. This aircraft, 737-2M2, D2-TBP (c/n 23220), was delivered new in 1985 and remained with the carrier until it was destroyed in a fatal accident at M’Banza Congo Airport in June 2007.

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IN FOCUS

BOEING 737-200

 The excellent performance and low running cost of the Boeing 737 made it popular with many European charter operators, including Britannia Airways. Clearly visible here are the low-slung P&W JT8D engines and exposed main landing gear.

with the type the following February. The 737-200 meanwhile entered service with United Airlines soon after on April 29. The jet’s airframe was upgraded in mid-1971 when Boeing introduced the 737-200 Advanced, which incorporated major wing improvements to increase lift and reduce take-off and approach speeds...and raise maximum takeoff weight by 5,000lb (2,268kg). Initially, sales of the 737 were relatively slow, particularly in the US domestic market where United remained the only customer for a number of years. This was due in part to the strong Air Line Pilots Association union, which had successfully lobbied the FAA for a three-person crew. The aircraft was designed for just two pilots, and without a flight engineer’s station, the third crew member on the 737 flight deck was officially employed in an observer role. This

 The flight decks of the Boeing 737-100 and -200 series were similar to the larger 727’s. Analogue gauges were replaced by electronic flight information screens on later variants. (All photos Key Collection unless stated)

made the jet more expensive to operate than its rivals, and caused it to be overlooked by several potential customers. Despite these problems, orders started to build, and on December 9, 1983 the 1,000th 737 rolled

off the Renton production line, destined for Delta Air Lines.

End of a Classic By the early 1980s, sales of the -100 and -200 series far exceeded the manufacturer’s expectations.

Boeing moved to upgrade the 737 and announced plans for a ‘new generation’ of aircraft, the -300, -400 and -500 series, the former being launched in March 1981. The most notable differences were their more powerful CFM56 highbypass turbofans and electronic flight instruments instead of analogue gauges. By the time production of the -200 series ended – with the last one, 737-25C, B-2524 (c/n 24236), delivered to Xiamen Airlines in August 1988 – its long-term successor, the 737-500, was poised to take over. The introduction of the Aviation Noise and Capacity Enhancement Act by the US Government in 1990 had a significant impact on the original JT8D-powered 737 – the legislation aimed to regulate noise by mandating the introduction of ‘stage 3’ sound-suppression technology on all aircraft by 2000. Carriers were faced with a choice of buying new, compliant aircraft or reducing the noise of their existing fleets, creating a large market for ‘hush kits’. The equipment, which could be retrofitted to the engines of ageing 737-100s and -200s, would bring the aircraft within the requirements, but they were still significantly noisier than new-generation models. However, with legislation becoming increasingly stringent and the hush-kit-equipped jets consuming almost 50% more fuel than their new-build counterparts during take-off alone, most early-model 737s were effectively forced out of ❚ Europe and the US.

 Honduran national carrier SAHSA took on its first 737-200 in October 1974 and acquired this example, N401SH, in 1992. It was written off the following year after it skidded off the runway following a hard landing in bad weather at Augusto C Sandino International Airport, Nicaragua. (AirTeamImages.com/Andy Martin)

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10/10/2014 08:38

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17/10/2014 09:34

PILOT PROFILE

RONNIE SHEWARD DFC With ZH-Q codes, Ronnie Sheward’s Typhoon Mk.Ib sits on pierced steel planking at Mill airfield (B.89) in the Netherlands, sometime after February 8, 1945. (All photos Robert Sheward)

r a W s e i ' n n o R Robert Sheward couldn’t believe his eyes last year, when Airfix released its 1/72 Hawker Typhoon in the ZH-Q markings of the aircraft flown by his father. Here, he describes the career of Ronnie Sheward DFC

R

onnie Sheward was born on May 9, 1913 in Buenos Aires, Argentina; the son of an expatriate English stockbroker. As was the family tradition, he was sent back to England to be

educated, firstly at Boxgrove School in Guildford and then Worcestershire’s Bromsgrove School. After this, he returned to Argentina to enter the family stockbroking business. He found however, that he detested office

 With film star looks, Squadron Leader Ronnie Sheward appears every inch the archetypal fighter pilot in this official RAF portrait.

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PILOT PROFILE

RONNIE SHEWARD DFC life and far preferred the open air. Ronnie therefore started to learn the business of fruit farming in Argentina. Having witnessed the Battle of the River Plate and sinking of the Graf Spee in 1939 - and with the Battle of Britain in progress in 1940 - he volunteered for service in the RAF. As he was regarded as being rather old to be a fighter pilot at the ‘ripe’ age of 27, and was informed that he would actually be a wireless operator/air gunner. It occurred to him initially that as he’d come of his own free will more than 6,000 miles, and that such a position would not be particularly good for his health, he decided that it would be much better to become a pilot. Luckily, an acquaintance knew that 164 (Argentine British) Squadron needed flyers and the unit agreed to take him on, given the country of his birth.

A retrograde step Having completed flying training Ronnie soloed in a Spitfire Mk.I on May 13, 1942, and then joined

 A post-mission reconnaissance photo of the German Gestapo headquarters in Amsterdam (circled), after it was attacked by Ronnie Sheward and fellow 266 Squadron pilots. Timing was critical to ensure the safety of children in a nearby school.

Escorting Typhoons attacked and damaged a small coastal vessel and three tugs.” Almost everyone was hit by flak which was very heavy, and Ronnie’s Hurricane vibrated heavily all the way home across the North Sea. Upon landing, he found a large hole in the propeller but no other damage. Ronnie was posted in January 1944 to 137 Squadron, to convert

to Typhoons, and was promoted to Flight Lieutenant as a flight commander. But in May 1944, a new squadron commander arrived and wanted flight leaders from his previous unit to follow him. Therefore, Ronnie left 137 Squadron to spend time as an instructor at RAF Annan, where he met Wing Commander Johnny Deall, who invited him to join 146 Wing, Second Tactical Air Force.

This wing included 266 (Rhodesia), 193, 263 and 197 Squadrons. After joining 266 Squadron, Ronnie was involved in an attack on the Gestapo headquarters in Amsterdam. In his own words: “Squadron Leader Rutter led 266 and I was number two to him. Four of us were detailed to go in at low-level with 1000lb bombs with 11 second-delay fuzes. We found the target straight away as we had a model made of the whole thing, with the help of the Dutch underground. They told us exactly where the building was – luckily it had an open space lawn in front of it which gave us a run-in. It had to be done at a certain time because the children in the school at the back would have gone off to the have their lunch and the Gestapo people would be having theirs, and so would be in the target area.” What was not generally known at the time was that a live telephone connection existed between occupied and unoccupied Holland. This enabled the exact details of the target to be communicated. After the mission, Ronnie said: “It was a good day, we went in at nought feet and Rutter let fly and I was next to him. As far as we could gather from later reports the bombs went through the front door and front windows. In a short while the whole place went up. There were a whole lot of people supporting us, keeping the guns quiet and others dive-bombed the HQ with incendiary rockets.

164 Squadron and converted to the Spitfire Mk.V that July. After handing over its Spitfires to the Free French, 164 Squadron’s pilots awoke one morning to find sitting on the dispersal brand new (but as a type, rather obsolete) Hurricanes. They were less than delighted! On September 2, 1943 164 Squadron was called upon to cross the North Sea to attack the canal gates at Hansweert, Holland. Of the eight aircraft that took part, four were shot down, three pilots were killed and one was missing. The Air Ministry issued the following statement: “Hurricanes, escorted by Typhoons, destroyed the lock gates at the southern end of the Hansweert canal in Holland.  Ronnie Sheward sits on the wing of his Spitfire after joining the RAF’s 164 Squadron. These aircraft were eventually diverted to Free French pilots. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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PILOT PROFILE

RONNIE SHEWARD DFC We just belted in as quickly as we could for the element of surprise.”

Promotion calls On March 7, 1945 Ronnie Sheward was appointed commanding officer of 266 Squadron. The unit carried the code letters ZH- and he usually flew the aircraft with the Q identification. Operations consisted of lowlevel attacks against trains, gun emplacements, flak positions, marshalling yards, bridges, tanks and other motor vehicles…and general targets of opportunity in support of the army. During the return from a sortie in poor visibility, Ronnie was attacked by two hostile Spitfires, which had no squadron markings. He turned inside one of them and could have shot it

down, but decided that he should radio his base; he was told that no Spitfires should be in the area. The two same Spitfires then turned tail and fled. He thought they were captured Spitfires being flown by Germans who were scouting. This occurred on March 14, 1945. Just five days later a German repair depot north of Emmerich, which contained approximately 500 vehicles including tanks and armoured cars, was attacked. Ronnie’s logbook of the day contains the following entry: “Led the wing, four squadrons at 10.00 hours. Low-level 500lb bombs. Target well britched (sic). Considerable flak.” Apparently, the photographs of the results were

displayed at Churchill’s HQ so he could see the damage for himself. During the first half of April 1945, 266 Squadron flew a whole variety of sorties almost daily and often more than once. Flying time for each sortie tended to be short as being just behind the army, they were not far from their intended targets. On April 11, the squadron went airfield strafing, as did some of the other elements of 146 Wing. Ronnie was flying his usual Q-Queenie aircraft. They hit Varrelbusch aerodrome and His logbook records: “1 Ju 88

 RB478/ZH-Q, seen with Squadron Leader's pennant on the forward fuselage. This dates the addition to after February 1945, as the device is missing from the aircraft in the photo on p.28. (Profile: Chris Thomas)

exploded, Fw 190 destroyed, Me 109 damaged – shared, on ground. Lots of light flak.”

From fighting to farming After the end of the war Ronnie took 266 Squadron to Lasham airfield, Hampshire, to be disbanded, and returned to briefly take over the command of 197 Squadron (also part of 146 Wing) to bring it back for disbandment at the same place. Very soon, he found himself to be the last RAF commanding

officer of Lasham, which meant that everyone else had left! After a short time inventing job titles for himself such as ‘officer in charge of movements’ and ‘president of the mess’ while reading the Daily Mirror with his feet on the desk, Ronnie left the RAF and returned to Argentina. He was awarded his Distinguished Flying Cross by the British ambassador in Buenos Aires later that year. But Ronnie found the corrupt nature of Argentina under the rule of Peron very much not to his taste and he returned to England permanently in 1949. After a post-war career in farming (he never flew again, considering that he’d already pushed his luck too far in Typhoons) he moved to Alton, Hampshire, very near Lasham airfield... where he was a frequent visitor until his death in 2010 at ❚ the age of 96.  The official photograph of 266 Squadron taken at the end of World War Two, with Ronnie Sheward seated in the front row, third from left. Note the four-bladed propeller of this Typhoon.

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YOUR AIRFIX

SEAFIRE FR.46

YOUR

AIRFIX Andy Moore's 1/48 Airfix Seafire FR.46

A

s a kid I was an avid modeller, but of the countless kits I built I never made a Spitfire. After returning to the hobby in 2012 I decided to rectify this and built Airfix’s 1/72 Mk.I, but I was keen to try something larger and acquired the 1/48 Seafire FR46/47. To make the most of the kit I decided

to splash out on after-market extras, such as a Quickboost seat and exhausts, Barracuda wheels and a Rob Taurus vac-form canopy. Extra cabling was added to the cockpit, internal structures were scratch-built behind the camera ports to prevent see-through, while gun barrels were replaced with brass tube. The markings for this aircraft do seem a little contentious; Airfix recommended just Extra Dark Sea Grey for the uppersurfaces, but I chose the regular temperate sea scheme of Extra Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey, both of which were replicated with Gunze Mr. Hobby acrylics. To make accentuate the surface detail I tried Montex masks; there was apprehension over the intricate masking involved, and mixing colours for the roundels wasn’t easy, but in the end I was very happy with the result. Kit decals were used for the codes and stencils. Final weathering was done with oil washes and glazes...a little over done, perhaps, but I think it adds character to this classic fighter. There’s certainly room for improvement and there’s a lot more I could have added, but that’s good reason to buy another! Andy Moore Derbyshire Are you proud of a particular Airfix build? Then let AMW know by providing us with 200-250 words on the project and what was involved, along with 6-8 good quality photos against a clean white background. Photo file sizes should be 1Mb or larger. Please e-mail your submissions to the editor: [email protected]

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INTERMEDIATE BUILD

F-5E USAF AGGRESSOR

RED STAR RISING Wayne Dippold has his own form of dogfight with AFV Club’s F-5E Aggressor

N  The kit seat (left) reflected an early version not used on USAF Aggressors, but Quickboost provided an accurate later version (QB48-484) and the detail was excellent. The fit of the gun bay doors was horrible but Superglue and re-scribing solved the problem.

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orthrop’s F-5 was originally designed as a light, low-cost fighter to arm allies of the United States. The US Air Force never intended for the diminutive fighter to be procured in large numbers for its own use. An order to supply South Vietnam with F-5Es was never fulfilled due to the overthrow of that country in 1975, but a number of these aircraft were diverted to four USAF ‘Aggressor’ squadrons, the 64th and 65th based at Nellis AFB, Nevada, the 527th at RAF Alconbury UK, and the 26th at Clark AB, Philippines. The 527th began to receive its new jets early in 1976, and in total 20 Tiger II aircraft equipped the squadron, which made it the only Aggressor unit in Europe to provide dissimilar air combat training (DACT) to US/NATO and foreign ally air arms. These ‘Gomer’ jets were camouflaged in various colourful schemes to mimic the look of Warsaw Pact aircraft (Gomer is a slang term used by fighter pilots for a dogfighting adversary, and Aggressor flyers even wore red stars on their helmets to further their Soviet persona). The 527th flew its F-5Es until it transitioned

to the decidedly less characterful F-16C in 1988.

Fits like a… Most modellers would never consider jumping in a cage and wrestling with a tiger, but from the moment the box was opened on AFV Club’s F-5E Tiger II, it was a fight to the finish. Firstly, it must be said that almost nothing fitted well on this kit. All inserts and tabs were oversized and would not fit in their respective holes or slots. If the part needed to fit into

another, it was probably too wide, too tall or too thick; more than likely it was a combination of all three. Fortunately being armed with ‘modelling skills necessary,’ careful trimming and sanding eventually produced an

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INTERMEDIATE BUILD

F-5E USAF AGGRESSOR

Going Gomer Aggressors are known for highly attractive schemes and the 527th TFTAS was no exception. Thus, Two Bobs Decals' 48-217 ‘Alconbury Gomers’ was a great choice. Included were markings for five options, all with insignia and stencilling: • Black 32, 74-1532, New Blue scheme • Red 34, 74-1534 and Black 35, 74-1535, Grape • Red 44, 74-1544 ADC Gray • Red 47, 74-1547 Old Ghost Do note that different scheme names were used by paint shops at Nellis AFB in the US, and Alconbury in the UK (see In Focus, p.42-44, for alternative names).

 Eleven parts went into the kit wing subassembly…ailerons, flaps and slats could be posed in different positions.

MODEL SPEC

 AFV Club’s intakes comprised four separate pieces but no internal trunking was provided.

NORTHROP F-5E USAF AGGRESSOR By:

AFV Club

Stock Code:

48102

Scale:

1/48

Price:

£35.99

Available from: Pocketbond www.pocketbond.co.uk

exceptional marriage, with little or no filler needed, but dry-fitting was vital throughout construction. It could be this sample was just an anomaly, though, as no reviews read previously mentioned any problems with fit.

What’s included? AFV Club released its newtool F-5E in 2010. The kit comprised 182 parts, 162 in light grey styrene, seven transparencies, four vinyl sleeves and three photoetched (PE) metal pieces. Surface detail was

excellent, with fine recessed panel lines and rivet impressions. The instructions provided 16 stages, plus painting illustrations and runner diagrams. Paint colour call-outs were for Gunze Sangyo, Humbrol, Revell, and Lifecolor, and an 8x10in (203mm x 254mm) fullcolour print of the box art was also included. The AFV Club decal sheet had the gold portions slightly out of register but all colours appeared correct. Four marking options were provided: • 1573, 64th Aggressor Squadron, 57th Fighter

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INTERMEDIATE BUILD

F-5E USAF AGGRESSOR

 Alumilite clay was used as filler on Superglued seams where inserts were added. Synthetic by design, it contained no oils and would accept paint readily.

 Taping of the major components and balancing on a hobby knife handle at the location of the main struts, was an easy way to determine if the model would require nose weight.

 The cockpit was adequate right from the box and detail was highlighted with careful painting. KASL Hobbies makes a resin interior for those who desire even better results.

 Fourteen components went into the fuselage proper…a high parts count for a 1/48 scale kit of this size.

Weapons Wing, USAF • 23, VFC-13, US Navy • M29-14, 12 Squadron, Royal Malaysian Air Force • 823, 144 Squadron, Singapore Air Force

Tackling a tiger Cockpit parts were well detailed and quite suitable out of the box; the only deviation here was to replace the kit seat, which

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echoed an early version used in the F-5A and initial F-5Es, with a more suitable resin option from Quickboost. All the main components for this area were sprayed with Model Master Dark Gull Gray (FS 36321) enamel. A thoughtful touch was the provision of side consoles as separate pieces, which made painting easier. Canopy actuator parts A32 would not fit into their respective slots in the cockpit tub, though, and required much sanding; the Tiger was beginning to reveal its claws. The instrument panel and side consoles were painted with Model Master Aircraft Interior Black (FS 37031), while

raised detail was rendered with various appropriate colours and drops of gloss varnish portrayed glass in the instrument bezels. The mouldings for the fuselage were made in a way to optimise the number of variants possible, which resulted in a fuselage that comprised 18 separate pieces, including the intakes and radome. AFV Club provided the two gun bay doors for the left side as separate items, to allow the option of an open gun bay…but provided no interior detail. The Tiger then became more cantankerous in that the gun bay doors, parts B2/ B3 wouldn’t fit...not even close. Drawing on the aforementioned

modelling skills, cyanoacrylate (CA) glue was used to close the gaps, due to its strength while being sanded. When the panels were smoothed, lost detail was restored by re-scribing, with a standard sewing needle in a pin vice and a small triangular file.

Round two The completed interior was installed and the forward fuselage halves glued, thankfully without issue. Fuselage bottom part C5 was not installed as per the instructions at this point, but instead was set aside for addition once the front and rear fuselage were assembled. The radome sat off-centre which

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INTERMEDIATE BUILD

F-5E USAF AGGRESSOR

Assembly of the rear fuselage required clamping after gluing, as this produced seams that required no filler.  Photo-etched (PE) metal was provided for the grilles on the splitter plates. Considering the quality of the rest of the kit, surely these details could have easily been moulded.

 The horizontal stabiliser connecting rod was cut to ease construction and painting.

required scraping of the inside edge to align it with the fuselage. Also, the radome was not keyed and could be put on upside down if one wasn't familiar with the F-5E so care was needed for correct positioning. Rear fuselage construction was straightforward and AFV Club provided the option of open or closed auxiliary air doors. Since the model was being built as an at-rest jet, the latter was used. These pieces would not fit without being trimmed and a step was present, which was eliminated by scraping the rear of each part.

Each intake consisted of four parts per side, plus one PE boundary layer grille. The PE was designed to fit into a depression in the intake splitter plate and required bending, but the instructions were vague on where this bend should be so a ‘best-guess’ approach was taken. Again, added time was needed for sanding and trialfitting, but all seams were on panel lines and no filler was necessary. The upper engine cover and fuselage mating surfaces were sanded lightly and glued together, and the lower wing section was glued in place and clamped. The horizontal stabiliser was designed to be installed into the lower engine cover before being added to the fuselage. Instead, the stabiliser was cut to make two separate parts that could be installed after the fuselage was completed. Part H19, a vinyl

 Panel lines were restored with a small triangular jeweller’s file or a sewing needle in a pin vice, while rivet restoration came via a wheel manufactured by RB Productions.

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INTERMEDIATE BUILD

F-5E USAF AGGRESSOR

sleeve, was retained as an anchor for the cut parts and fuselage holes were enlarged to accept the stabilisers. It was then time to add the upper wing surfaces, which fitted well and required just minimal filler at the root.

Streamlining Wing stores were a rare sight on Aggressor aircraft so the locating holes in the lower wing were not drilled to accept pylons. Flaps and slats were installed in a neutral position, although they could also be attached in the deployed setting. Once again, the poor fit was apparent as the ailerons were too wide for their openings in the wing; the fix was easy but added more time to the build. The ailerons were sanded and attached, and the addition of the leadingedge extensions and wingtip AIM-9 Sidewinder missile rails completed the wing construction. Minor sanding was required

on the vertical tail to match the contour of the rear fuselage. F-5Es had a shallow oval VHF Omnidirectional Range/Instrument Landing System antenna located at the top of the tail, but these were added later in the aircraft’s service life. Research showed aircraft ‘32’ to have the antenna installed at the time of the paint scheme carried. Do check references, and if the antenna is needed do not cut off the alignment pins as indicated in Stage 9 and install part P22. The rudder was added after sanding the top and bottom to ensure a proper fit. Upper forward and rear fuselage assemblies were joined and, remarkably, fitted perfectly but the lower fuselage part C5 had a large step at the back where it met the rear fuselage. Plenty of detail was also apparent on the undercarriage and included retraction links, while two sets of inside main doors were included,

 Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black simulated the interior framing of the windscreen and canopy, before camouflage shades were applied.

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to pose open or closed. The speed brake doors also had the option of being installed open or closed and included actuation struts. But the ill-fitting two-piece kit wheels were swapped with Royale Resins’ excellent after-market alternatives, which were a direct replacement for the kit parts. A wash of Citadel Nuln Oil (black) along with Citadel Agrax Earthshade (brown) was applied to accentuate the detail, and then all parts were coated with Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic Matte Varnish. These items were set aside for inclusion after painting of the airframe. All openings on the model were then taped to protect them from the forthcoming colour coats. After masking the windscreen and canopy, Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black was applied to replicate the interior framing. All surface detail lost during assembly was restored with a small triangular jeweller’s file or needle for panel lines, and

an RB Productions rivet wheel for the rivets. An overall coat of grey primer was then applied via airbrush. Once dry, a thorough buffing with a paper coffee filter (made for drip coffee makers) smoothed the primer to a fine satin finish. This was followed by a wipe-down with a tack rag to remove sanding dust. The afterburner section’s appearance was achieved via Alclad Polished Aluminium over the grey base coat, which toned down the brilliance of the paint. Panels were then accented lightly with Alclad Jet Exhaust, and this section was then masked for painting

Colour matching From the Two Bobs after-market decal sheet (see panel), Black 32’s New Blue camouflage was the obvious eye-catcher for this modeller. Two Bobs provided the colour call-outs as Federal Standard numbers and gave three

 A coat of grey primer was applied to give a uniform colour on which to apply the top coats, and to check for flaws in assembly.

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INTERMEDIATE BUILD

F-5E USAF AGGRESSOR manufacturer numbers for each shade; Model Master, Humbrol, and Gunze Sangyo. The New Blue scheme required three shades, FS 35414 Blue, FS 35190 Pastel Blue, and FS 35164 Intermediate Blue. It was this modeller’s preference to use Model Master’s paint, but

FS 35190 was not available so Humbrol was used here instead. A coat of FS 35414 Blue was applied overall, then it was determined that paper masks would be employed for the complex camouflage; copies of the painting guide were enlarged on a copier and cut out for use. Silly putty, a compound

similar to Blu-Tack, was used to give the masks ‘stand-off’ from the model’s surface, and both products would work well for this process. The other colours were sprayed from lightest to darkest, first the FS 35190 then FS 35164. After each colour coat the model was buffed with a coffee filter and cleaned with a tack rag, while the radome was masked and painted with Aircraft Interior Black. A coat of Winsor & Newton Galeria Gloss Acrylic Varnish then prepared the aircraft for decals. The markings from Two Bobs were a work of art, performed flawlessly and needed just a hint of Micro Set to snuggle down into the recessed detail. Panel lines were highlighted with Faber-Castel Shades of Grey Pitt pens…these come in six shades of grey and can be used directly over an acrylic gloss coat. A quick wipe with a damp cotton bud removed excess from outside

Home coffee filter paper was used to gain a smooth finish by buffing the primer and all colour coats. This was followed by a wipe-down with a tack rag.

A #71 drill was used to make a hole in the radome for the pitot tube.

 After an overall coat of FS 35414, paper masks were used for the complex camouflage scheme. More experienced airbrush users may wish to freehand this pattern.

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INTERMEDIATE BUILD

F-5E USAF AGGRESSOR

of the panel lines. But do not delay here, as removal becomes more difficult the longer one waits. Once satisfied with the results, a coat of matt varnish harmonised the different tones, and the radome was masked and coated with satin varnish. Alconbury Aggressors were kept impeccably clean and no photos were found that showed dirty aircraft, and so no additional weathering was added.

Fiddly bits The last major item was the addition of the undercarriage and this proved to be the most

frustrating part of the project; the main struts and retraction arm tabs would not fit into the slots in the wings; all three were too wide, too tall and too thick. After correcting the tabs to fit, though, another issue occurred - the round strut of the main undercarriage extended into the tab area that should fit into the slot. This would not allow the part to sit flush, but the fix was as simple as eliminating the extra length. The real frustration, though, emerged with the main strut doors. AFV Club made the attachment of these parts incredibly difficult. The doors were to be joined to the strut

with three very small rods, just as on the real aircraft with the door not touching the strut at all. This operation seemed to require the skills of a neurosurgeon, as the parts were not keyed and it was up to the modeller to determine the correct angles for attachment. After numerous attempts, and ‘tweezer-pulting’ one of the parts into the nether regions of the hobby room, this Tiger came very close to winning the fight. The doors were eventually glued to the struts, with the remaining rod parts positioned and fixed afterwards. This compromise worked well and conformed to international TLAR

(that looks about right) rules! Next, the white lights on the vertical tail were masked with Bare Metal Foil and painted. Navigation lights on the wings and anti-collision beacons on the tail had Bare Metal Foil applied to represent reflectors, were trimmed and then coated with Tamiya X-27 Clear Red or a mixture of X-23 Clear Blue and X-25 Clear Green as needed. Aggressors at this time carried captive AIM-9s on the wingtip rails, so the kit missiles were assembled and painted with Model Master FS 35109 True Blue and white. Various other pieces such

Silly Putty was the medium used to provide ‘stand-off’ for the paper masks, when the camouflage pattern was sprayed.

 After all colours had been applied the paper masks were removed. Buffing with coffee filter paper and a coat of gloss varnish then prepared the model for decals.

 The tail hook was painted white and then thin strips of tape were used to mask, ahead of the black stripes being sprayed.

Bare Metal Foil was applied to the navigation light portions, and then over-painted with Tamiya Clear Red. The foil mimicked the look of a reflector under the paint.

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INTERMEDIATE BUILD

F-5E USAF AGGRESSOR as antennae, inner undercarriage doors, nose bay doors and speed brakes were then installed.

Gomer down! While moving the model to the photo booth it made a leap for freedom, only to hit the floor with a sickening crash. Disheartening to the extreme, certainly…but

Tiger reference Colors and Markings of USAF Aggressor Squadrons, by Bert Kinzey and Ray Leader (Squadron/Signal Publications), ISBN: 0-0-8306-8535-9

F-5E & F in Detail and Scale, by Bert Kinzey (Aero Publishers USA/ Arms and Armour Press, London), ISBN: 0-8168-5015-1

the urge to take a mallet to it was quelled and an inventory of the damage was taken. Basically, the tail and landing gear broke off during the crash, but the breaks were clean and the strut was re-attached easily. Once the tail was back on the base was filled and sanded, and careful work with the airbrush blended the seam. The Tiger had been tamed, finally… and a beautiful Aggressor F-5E was the reward. AFV Club provided a wonderful subject here. The detail was crisp and consistent, although could be considered overdone by more fussy modellers. A lack of intake

Planes and Pilots 18: Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter & Tiger II 19542012, by Gérard Paloque (Histoire & Collections), ISBN: 978-2-35250-276-0 F5 Warplane for the World, by Robbie Shaw (Airlife), ISBN: 1-85310-111-7

 The afterburner section was sprayed with Alclad Polished Aluminium, and then highlighted with the same firm’s Jet Exhaust. Dry-brushing of the nozzle interiors made for a realistic appearance. Faber-Castell Pitt pens were used for panel line accentuation. These pens have a useful brush-type point.

trunking was a disappointment, and cockpit detail was adequate out of the box, but an excellent resin version is made by KASL Hobbies for those who wish to go further. With so many great schemes available for the F-5E, and being more knowledgeable of the kit’s pitfalls, this modeller looks forward to building more versions of Northrop’s lightweight fighter. ❚  The kit wheel halves were mismatched, so a resin set from Royale Resin (R071) became a direct replacement for the originals.

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IN FOCUS

ALCONBURY AGGRESSORS

HAVE MiG - WILL TRAVEL

 RAF Alconbury Aggressors deployed routinely to bases in Europe for one week at a time to ‘fight’ with local units. This F-5E ‘Red 63’ is painted in the Old Lizard scheme, which was based on the camouflage worn by African MiGs at the time. The large drop tank indicates that this was a deployment to a NATO airbase on the continent. (All Glenn Sands collection)

Air Forces Monthly’s Glenn Sands recalls the role of the USAF’s RAF Alconbury’s 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron...and offers useful reference images for modellers

T

he F-5E Tiger II-equipped 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron (TFTAS) at RAF Alconbury was declared operational on January 1, 1977. It was formed in the UK as part of the 10th Tactical

Reconnaissance Wing, with the objective of providing dissimilar air combat training (DACT) for USAF air-defence and tactical fighter units based in Europe. The DACT programme exercised USAFE aircrews in air-to-air combat against unfamiliar

 Returning to Alconbury after a local ACM with F-15As from Bitburg AB in the early 1980s, ‘Red 53’ wears a scheme similar to VNAF fighters at the time.

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opposition, which is designed to simulate the potential enemy with as much realism as possible. To achieve this, the Aggressors adopted the relevant tactics, as well as a passable imitation of the MiG-21 Fishbed in the shape of the F-5E. It found that this

approach to air combat training removed the predictability and routine practice of engagements within squadrons which, for example, may have pitched F-4s against F-4s...with understandably mediocre results.

Air-freighted fighters The 20 F-5Es operated by the 527th TFTAS were airlifted direct to the UK, in C-5A Galaxy transports, from the Air Logistics Command Center at McClellan AFB, California, during May and June 1976; they were delivered in palletised form and re-assembled at Alconbury. During the entire period of the squadron’s activation, re-assembly of the F-5Es and the ensuing systems and engine tests took approximately 110 hours per aircraft. The first F-5E got airborne from Alconbury on June 1. Simulation of the USAF’s potential opposition by the 527th TFTAS was enhanced by its camouflage schemes on the F-5Es. There were five different finishes and using the squadron’s own records for terminology,

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IN FOCUS

ALCONBURY AGGRESSORS  A pair F-5Es wait at Alconbury’s ‘last chance’ check point prior to take off. The variety of schemes worn by the unit are clearly demonstrated. Noteworthy is a lack of Soviet-style numbers on the nose of 74-1568.

A wise choice The development of DACT was spurred by the US Navy and USAF experience in Southeast Asia, where the results of the air combat were not as favourable to US fighters as had been anticipated...particularly during short-range dogfights in which the opposition flew more manoeuvrable aircraft. To rectify the lack of experience in this form of air-to-air combat, the US Navy set up a special training course at Miramar Naval Air Station in April 1972 – the ‘Top Gun’ programme – and in July the same year the USAF established a comparable DACT facility at Nellis Air Force Base, under the control of the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing. The introduction of USAF training in dissimilar air-to-air combat was assigned to the Wing’s 64th and 65th Fighter Weapons Squadrons, which started operations in October 1972 with the T-38 Talon in the role of the ‘enemy’. The two-seat trainer was regarded as an interim solution until a more suitable aircraft could be found. It was recognised that the most suitable choice would be the F-5E/F. These more advanced aircraft reached the Aggressors in November 1975. The F-5E was in many ways a highly appropriate selection for the opposition role in DACT; it had several similarities to the MiG-21 Fishbed, notably its size, radar return, manoeuvrability, smoke-free engines and difficulty of visual detection.

these were: • ‘Snake’ - green/brown and yellow • ‘Lizard’ - yellow and brown • ‘Ghost’ - one shade of blue and two shades of grey • ‘Patches’ - three shades of blue • ‘Silver’ - aluminised silver Note: While many of these schemes utilised US Federal Standard paint numbers, modellers would be advised to check the specific aircraft they wish to portray, as there were squadron variations to both shade used and camouflage pattern within the 527th TFTAS’s paint shop. The last of these schemes, of course, resembled the customary Eastern Bloc bare metal finish – and the simulation was heightened by the presentation of Soviet-style

numbers in red on this scheme. The pilots were all volunteers, and had to have a minimum of 500 hours on fighters to qualify

for the training programme as Aggressors. On average, however, instructors each possessed approximately 2,300 hours in total on aircraft such as the F-4 and A-7. In the early days of the squadron a number of the pilots had previously flown combat sorties during the Vietnam War. The upgrading course at Nellis AFB, which provided instructors for DACT missions, involved a total of 40 flights...eight on transition to the F-5 and 32 air-to-air interception sorties, with emphasis on acquiring the skill of reconstructing various engagement techniques. Major CT Wang, Operations Officer for Alconbury's 527th TFTAS in its early days, explained: “The DACT course offered by the Aggressors covered a twoweek period. Units undergoing the training deployed a detachment of their aircraft to Alconbury, or the 527th

despatched a team of instructors to the home base of the unit concerned. During winter in the UK, much of our training was undertaken from Zaragoza, Spain to take advantage of the much better weather in the Mediterranean area. The first half of the course was devoted to a series of briefings on the threat, and on the air-to-air tactics needed to counter it.” The subjects of the academic course included: • The Soviet pilot and his training • The enemy threat and strategy • Energy manoeuvrability comparisons • Fighter armament and avionics • Fighter development in other countries • ‘The Red Baron’ – a study of the air war in Southeast Asia • Formations and tactics • Enemy weapons and tactics • Review of previous courses • Rules of engagement

 One of the classic aggressor schemes worn by 527th was the three-tone blue scheme which, during the course of its use, was known as Blue, New Blue and Patches with minor modification. ‘Black 32’ taxies out to Alconbury’s main runway...note the extended nose undercarriage leg.

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IN FOCUS

ALCONBURY AGGRESSORS

 Towards the end of their service a number of single-colour schemes were introduced to the F-5E fleet. Here, 74-1559 wears an interesting overall grey scheme. Notice the nose number ‘59’, painted in pale blue and outlined in black.

Flying and Fighting The airborne portion of the course was flexible on the number of missions available, as the requirement varied with the individual pilots in the programme. Initial training involved one-v-one fights to investigate dissimilar basic flight manoeuvres, and then missions on a two against one basis (two F-4s vs one F-5), to explore dissimilar air combat manoeuvres. The basic flight phases studied offensive/defensive training and offensive/counter-offensive sequences, while air combat missions provided for offensive familiarisation (exploring the equation between airspeed, turn rate and turning radius). The

 Caught seconds before a pairs landing at RAF Alconbury, the nearest F-5E wears a heavily faded variation of the Flogger scheme. Mounted on the wingtip is a blue ‘drill round’ AIM-9 Sidewinder.

follow-on flight phases featured more complicated scenarios represented by two F-4s vs two F-5s, three vs one, four vs two and so on, which led in due course to the assembly of larger dogfights encompassing six or more aircraft on each side.

The arena The practice dogfights took place at a minimum of 2,000ft (610m)

above ground or 1,000ft (305m) above the cloud; missions were flown in allocated airspace over the North Sea, the Northern air training area (ATA), which was kept completely free of civil and other military traffic. Sorties were conducted under the control of Eastern Radar with personnel from the 527th TFTAS monitoring the operations from RAF Coltishall.

Major Wang explained how data was collected during a dogfight: “The F-5Es were equipped with gun cameras, captive wing tip missiles and voice recorders. DACT instructors provided a running commentary on their tactics during the engagement, and firing positions secured by the Aggressor pilots were recorded visually by a ‘growl’ tone (for a missile hit) fed into the commentary recording. The crew under DACT instruction endeavoured to either escape the interception or deny the F-5 a firing position, or move from the defensive to offensive to take on the F-5 and score a kill.” Post-mission briefings included GCI controllers as well as the instructor and trainees and together, the entire team would go over the films and voice recordings to study the interceptions, evaluate faults and identify corrective action. Conclusions from the engagement would not only be passed to the aircrew involved but to the entire visiting squadron at the end of the deployment. This served to benefit all visiting crews involved in the long-term, once they’d returned to their base. In the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, when the 527th TFTAS was at its height of operations, it was in constant demand by NATO squadrons. The Warsaw Pact was still a threat and the Soviet Union, with its hundreds of MiGs (many of which were supplied to client states), ensured that NATO fighter pilots would know how to take on the waves of Fishbeds and Floggers in a shooting war. ❚

 F-5E 74-1549, ‘Red 49’ was painted in an overall anodised aluminium scheme, which was similar to Warsaw Pact MiG-19/21s at the time. A few months later a black anti-glare panel was painted on the nose of the F-5, which extended to the nose cone.

{44}

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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16/10/2014 12:12

INTERMEDIATE BUILD YAKOVLEV UT-1

 Despite the diminutive size of the models, photo-etched metal parts were included and were useful in some respects, but unrealistic in others.

Micro-Mir’s tiny Yakovlevs leave Mike Grant seeing triple!

 The box contained three identical runners, plus a smaller fourth frame for the floats and spatless undercarriage. Panel line detail was recessed but very shallow…so much so that it often disappeared in places.  The author’s Optivisor proved an absolute necessity for this project. Optional LED lights not only provided the additional illumination required, but increased the ‘geek’ factor significantly!  There were some major sink marks on both sides of the wheel spats, which had to be filled with cyanoacrylate (CA) glue and sanded. With no locating pins or tabs throughout the kit, part alignment required extra care.

MODEL SPEC

ost people would probably be hardpressed to name a pre-war Russian trainer/aerobatic aircraft. But the Yakovlev UT-1 was just such a type, and it even served as a fighter in the early years of World War Two. Its choice as the subject of this three-kitsin-one package from Micro-Mir was therefore surprising and welcome, considering the number of different variants and colour schemes that could be modelled. Arriving in a distinctly retro NOVO-like box, the package included a small but well-printed decal sheet, an instruction sheet mostly in Cyrillic, and two small frets of photo-etched (PE) metal parts besides the styrene components.

YAKOVLEV UT-1 By:

Micro-Mir

Stock Code: 144-002 Scale:

1/144

Price:

£9.99

Available from: Hannants, www.hannants.co.uk

 The small but well-printed decal sheet offered respectable opacity on the markings themselves.

{46}

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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09/10/2014 17:03

INTERMEDIATE BUILD YAKOVLEV UT-1

 Pla-Paper from Tamiya is very thin styrene in sheet form. Available in 0.1mm and 0.2mm thicknesses, it came in very useful for adding detail to the cockpits, guns and surface detail, when fixed with Tamiya Extra Thin Cement.  With three aircraft to tackle, an assembly line approach was taken to speed things along. It was decided to build one model with just minor upgrades (floatplane), while the other two would receive slightly more attention. As no cockpit detail was supplied, scratch-built sidewall features and a seat in each prevented the ‘black hole’ look. Stretched styrene was used for the sidewall framing.  No firm information about the cockpit colour could be found, so a light grey was chosen as being a likely option. All six fuselage halves were taped onto the back of a business card, and then airbrushed. Once dry, a cotton bud was dipped in Tamiya Lacquer Thinner and used to swab the paint from the gluing surfaces. Don’t try this with regular lacquer (cellulose) thinner...it will melt the plastic.

 Rudders were moulded integrally onto the starboard fuselage halves, but unfortunately the hinge lines were all but invisible. Sawing off the rudders ensured clear demarcation, and made them easier to paint and decal.

 The wing-to-fuselage fit was excellent along the wing root, but left a step and a gap at the trailing edge, so styrene was glued in place and sanded to fair the parts together. Full re-scribing seemed overkill, but the control surface outlines were deepened. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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{47} 09/10/2014 17:05

INTERMEDIATE BUILD YAKOVLEV UT-1

 It’s the fine details that really bring a small-scale model to life, and it was felt that the under surfaces as kitted were sparse. Apart from re-scribing aileron hinge lines, hinge fairings from off-cuts of stretched styrene were added, as well as raised square access panels. Wing centre-section panel lines were redefined, and light ribbing was added via stretched styrene, sanded flat.

 Fortunately Micro-Mir supplied PE struts for the floatplane version, which were simple to assemble and looked relatively in-scale. However the instructions were vague over location of the cross braces, but a photo of the real aircraft helped clarify their placement. Apart from the struts, very few of the PE parts were used…the author simply preferred to substitute stretched styrene for many of items.  Lengths of plastic rod were airbrushed in silver and rows of close lines were printed on clear decal film (a laser or ink-jet printer would be suitable), and then applied to the styrene rods. Once dry, they were sealed with Pledge and sliced into small sections to represent finned cylinders. Finally, a triangle of Pla Paper was glued on each piece and painted silver, and the replacement cylinders were installed in their new locating holes.

The floatplane engine was left as moulded, but the cylinders on the other two aircraft were replaced. Firstly, the kit cylinders were sliced off and holes drilled in their locations to accept the new components.

 Micro-Mir included pre-printed acetate for windscreens, which required cutting and bending. As an alternative, a small piece of thin acetate was wrapped around a drill bit, held in place with a paper clip, and plunged into boiling water. After 30 seconds the drill bit/acetate were held under cold water, to form the clear film into a cylindrical shape.

{48}

 Painting commenced by priming the floatplane and racer with decanted Tamiya White Fine Surface Primer. The all-red floatplane was a straightforward airbrushing job, which required no masking except for a piece of sponge pushed into the cockpit. The models were light enough to be supported by single cocktail sticks during painting.

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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09/10/2014 17:06

INTERMEDIATE BUILD YAKOVLEV UT-1

 Decals were provided for the race plane, but the builder chose a slightly different version from the scheme supplied, so it was necessary to mask and paint the red trim. The new scheme did have similar wheel spat markings but again, it was decided to airbrush them and ensure that all of the red areas matched.

 The race plane required the most demanding masking. The large ‘CCCP’ and registration number was created on a computer and printed in black on clear decal paper. For anyone wishing to model their 1/144 UT-1 in this scheme, a PDF file of the markings can be downloaded from: mikegrantdecals.com/UT1.pdfscalpel.



Floats completely transformed the utilitarian UT-1 into a sleek-looking racer in its all-red livery. The kit decals were opaque and worked well.

 PE is great for some items but the machine guns looked decidedly too flat and featureless, so new versions were scratch-built from scraps of styrene sheet, stretched styrene and hypodermic tubing for the barrels. Unusually, the guns were mounted on top of the wings.

 Having airbrushed the pale blue undersides and the upper base green on the military version, the unusual camouflage was brush-painted. Pure black would have looked too stark in this scale so it was toned down with a touch of green.

 The Micro-Mir trio provided several hours of modelling pleasure. They could be built and painted easily in a couple of evenings, but there was also plenty of scope for detailing and upgrading. While they did have a short-run feel, there were no insurmountable issues and the finished models have a certain utilitarian charm. How about MiG-3s next, please?

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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{49} 09/10/2014 17:08

 The under-belly gun tray and bomb racks make the Blenheim Mk.IV an interesting sub-type. This example, N8239/WR-L, from 248 Squadron at RAF North Coates, keeps a protective eye on Allied shipping.

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09/10/2014 17:09

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09/10/2014 17:09

EXCLUSIVE BUILD

BLENHEIM Mk.IVf

Airfix is making the most of its Blenheim tooling. Here, a test-shot of the firm’s new Mk.IVf is evaluated by Jen Wright

W

hen the RAF received the Blenheim Mk.I, it quickly became apparent that cockpit space was at a premium for the navigator/bomb-aimer.

with a four-gun belly pack and these served mainly with Coastal Command shipping protection units. The Mk.IV Blenheim served in various theatres until as late as 1943 in some areas, and the spirit and bravery of the crews was certainly remarkable, as they faced overwhelming odds in a decidedly outmoded and illequipped aircraft. As a remedy, in 1936 the Air Ministry approved development of a new variant with an extended nose and additional fuel tanks in the outer wings. Bristol’s first attempt plucked a Mk.I from the

 Wing construction began with the undercarriage bays. Two large ejector pin marks marred visible areas, so these were filled and sanded smooth. This was a tricky task, but the results were well worth it.

{52}

production line and stretched its nose by 3ft (91cm), but retained the original contours. This proved unsatisfactory due to the amount of internal reflection inhibiting the pilot’s vision. Because of this a conventional stepped windscreen arrangement was substituted, but visibility on landing was still poor, which led to the now familiar ‘scooped-out’ left side. This format was approved in mid-1938, by which time the new version had been named Blenheim Mk.IV (Bristol type 149). Initially, defensive armament was the same as on the Mk.I, but service experience prompted the fitting of the Bristol B.1 turret, which used two Brownings rather than the Vickers K. Later Mk.IVs had a rearward-firing gun under the nose in a clear turret; the Mk.Ia fighter version (IVf) was developed

Another round Modellers who have built Airfix’s recent new-tool Blenheim Mk.I will be familiar with most of the contents of this kit, as it is virtually identical (much as the real thing was). On studying the parts, Airfix seemed to have reached a great compromise with

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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09/10/2014 17:37

EXCLUSIVE BUILD

BLENHEIM Mk.IVf

FOUR INTO ONE DOES GO!

MODEL SPEC

 Careful mould seam removal from these undercarriage parts led to a much-improved appearance. These components were called out incorrectly on the Mk.I instructions as being on the D runner, but that mistake is corrected in the new release.

BRISTOL BLENHEIM Mk.IVf By:

Airfix

Stock Code: A04017 Scale:

1/72

Price:

£14.99

Available from: Airfix, www.airfix.com

The new components included in this kit were few, but significant. Like the real thing, airframe changes were not required, so the majority of the package was identical to the earlier Mk.I. Two new runners were included; one contained the substantial new transparencies, while the second dealt with plain styrene parts. The transparent runner contained the large new nose features, and included an impressively moulded complete windscreen and upper nose piece. New side windows to match were rounded-out by a lower nose with the distinctive double window of the original. Also included were two upper turrets to represent retracted and fully raised units, while the underside was catered for with two different styles of under-nose turret. Runner F contained new-style cooling flaps, two styles of gun pack for fighter variants, and AI radar. The number of unused parts suggests other variants may be forthcoming from Airfix in the future.

detail levels; pleasingly busy yet simple to assemble. Given the amount of nose glazing, a good cockpit was necessary and Airfix also delivered here. Surface detail was excellent, with fine yet pronounced panel lines and good raised embellishment. As is becoming the norm with newtool Airfix kits, the flaps could be posed down if preferred and all control surfaces were separate to allow for dynamic poses. Particular mention must be made of the wheels, with exceptionally convincing weighted effect tyres and admirable hub detail. In a break from tradition, the instructions tackled the rear fuselage components first. All fitted beautifully and with very minimal clean-up required. Control surfaces were provided as separate parts, so the elevators were drooped in typical fashion for a parked aircraft. Next in line was the wing, whose one-piece upper span included detail that was visible through the rear of the cockpit. Undercarriage mounting frames and a pair of spars were cemented to this before the lower wings were added. This  Two spars were glued into the upper wing, which resulted in a solid structure once glue was applied. The forward spar featured a pair of tanks, which were painted with Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown, while the rest of the internal areas received XF-71 for Interior Green.

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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{53} 09/10/2014 17:39

EXCLUSIVE BUILD

BLENHEIM Mk.IVf

A MASKING ALTERNATIVE Bare metal Foil is a very thin self-adhesive aluminium foil, designed for reproducing natural metal finishes (NMF). In this case, the very attribute that makes it arguably so hard to use for a NMF finish can be used to one’s advantage...the fact that every little thing remains highly visible underneath it. Starting with a small square of foil, press it gently onto the canopy part with a cotton bud or similar. Next, use a cocktail stick to burnish the foil and push it into the recesses of the canopy frames. Once all pressed down, the canopy frames are hugely visible, which makes cutting along them with a sharp hobby knife a simple task. The blade should be angled towards the frame slightly, to help it track along the frame rather than wandering off and scoring the transparency. With a little practice, it is very easy to do, especially as the foil requires very little pressure to cut through. Finish off by ‘weeding’ the excess foil, to leave just the frames to be painted visible.

resulted in a lovely, solid structure which, despite a complex wing root join, slid into place without issue.

Sub-type identity With the main airframe completed and set aside, work began on the new nose area. Airfix’s detail here might be considered a little ‘clunky’ by super-fastidious modellers, but

it was certainly deemed adequate by this builder and it ensured a busy cockpit. Painting was simple as everything received either Tamiya XF-71 Cockpit Green or a leather shade, while basic seatbelts fashioned from lead foil dressed the pilot’s seat. Fitting the nose was a source of potential worry, for fear of hard-to-neaten joins in a

highly visible area. Some trimming and shimming was required but, after test-fitting, the result was a perfect join with no filler required. In a slight deviation from the instructions, the side windows were wiggled in after the nose was fitted; this was to avoid scratching them had filling and sanding been necessary around the join. The large multiple transparencies again located with minimal issues. Very slight trimming at the rear and a little putty on one side were necessary, as the nose part was slightly wider than the fuselage sides. Finally the cockpit was masked with Bare Metal Foil, which left the main airframe ready for painting. The last construction phase concerned the engines; these were built from multi-part cowls and, although slightly fiddly, were not inherently ill-fitting. After attachment of the cowls around the engines they were removed, so the exhaust rings could be painted separately and everything mated after the main painting.

Scheme choices Kit decals were unavailable at the time of the build, so Xtradecal sheet X72203 (www.hannants. co.uk) proved a useful substitute.

KIT SCHEMES Airfix provides two liveries in its Blenheim Mk.IV boxing: • N8239/WR-L, 248 Sqn, RAF North Coates, 1940 • Z5722/WM-Z, 'Max' Aitken, CO 68 Sqn, RAF High Ercall, 1941

A 248 Squadron option was chosen as it carried the gun pack, and reference photos also showed use of the bomb racks under the aft fuselage; an earlier 248 Squadron aircraft will be one of the Airfix kit options (see panel). Painting commenced on the undersides, with Gunze Sangyo H74 Sky, not forgetting the gun pack, engines

Here’s evidence of that perfect nose seam, and of the good fit of the multiple canopy pieces. The forward horizontal edges of the canopy were slightly wider than the fuselage, which led to the area of Mr. Surfacer visible in the photo to blend in the transparency.  Although simple in construction, the overall effect of the engines when finished was convincing; they were laid in place to allow the cowling pieces to be built around them. Note the exhaust ends and cabin heater intakes were hollowed out.

 White Tack was used to demarcate the camouflage colours and the areas to be left brown were covered with Tamiya tape. This method produced a tight overspray effect with ease.

The cockpit interior continued the chunky but busy theme and looked adequate once painted. Seatbelts were added via lead foil for extra realism; fears of a tricky fit were generally unfounded.

{54}

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

52-55_Blenheim.CC.indd 54

09/10/2014 17:40

EXCLUSIVE BUILD

BLENHEIM Mk.IVf

 A panel line wash finalised the weathering...in this case, some from the new range of aircraft-specific washes from MIG were employed. They were painted along the lines to be highlighted, left until almost dry and then wiped off with cotton buds.

Fitting the exhausts after painting and construction was made possible by snipping off the tabs, and trimming the slots slightly. This removed the need for tricky masking around the cut-outs.

and flaps and once dry, it was masked for the upper colours. First applied was Gunze Sangyo H72 for the Dark Earth, which was shaded and then over-coated with Johnson’s Klear for protection. Rolls of White Tack were applied in the appropriate pattern to set the demarcation for the Dark Green, replicated by Tamiya XF-81. When everything was dry and the masking was removed, the whole model received another coat of Klear. As expected, Xtradecal’s markings performed flawlessly and just a small amount of Gunze Mr. Setter persuaded them to settle into the surface detail; a final coat of Klear sealed the decals before weathering. A heavily weathered finish was not desired, so postpaint ageing was limited to a light panel line wash and exhaust stains. A matt coat was then applied prior to final assembly, which was absolutely trouble free. The final touch was an aerial wire, created from Uschi van der Rosten Lycra thread (www.albionalloys.co.uk)

Second best? Airfix has another winner on its hands here, as this was a great kit

and thoroughly enjoyable. While absolute beginners may struggle a little, due to the need for careful parts preparation and test-fitting, more experienced modellers should have no problems at all. The kit built into a convincing replica and, if one desires, there are many options for interesting colour schemes via ❚ the after-market.

 Xtradecal's recent sheet, X72203, sufficed in the absence of Airfix kit markings for this test-shot build. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

52-55_Blenheim.CC.indd 55

{55} 09/10/2014 17:42

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16/09/2014 09:39 Airfix NOV UK.indd 1

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OUT AND ABOUT

IPMS FARNBOROUGH MODELFEST 2014

R  This lovely Aero L-29 Delfín jet trainer was an exhibit on Thames Valley Scale Model Club’s stand, and was made from the new 1/48 scale Avant Garde kit.

OVER THE

BORDER

enowned for being a friendly and very active model club, IPMS Farnborough has staged a successful show in Hampshire for more than two decades. The club’s most recent event, though, actually took place in Kings International College, ‘over the border’ in Surrey’s leafy Camberley. This venue, rather than comprising one large exhibition area, instead consists of a number of interconnected smaller rooms, which allowed the show to be spread out and offered the possibility of new and interesting displays. The exhibition is famous for its large number of traders, with several selling second-hand kits, and the 2014 event proved to be no exception. Visitors were able to discover countless bargains among the many items on sale, and with several book traders present there was a wide variety of vital reference material at good prices. Farnborough show is also well known for its large number

and varied selection of visiting clubs and individual modellers, and the 2014 event certainly did not disappoint in this respect. Particularly eye-catching were the scratch-built 1/24 scale classic racing cars made by individual exhibitor Philip Cowley. Especially interesting were the techniques mini-seminars given by this talented modeller, and these included the vac-forming of plastic body shells used on his beautiful creations. Nostalgia was provided by members of the Airfix Modelling Special Interest Group, who reminded us all of bygone kit-building with their extensive display of historic Airfix models, many of which featured super-detailing and well-researched alternative colour schemes. The success of ModelFest 2014 was illustrated by the large donation from IPMS Farnborough of what looked set to be well in excess of £1,000 for a local hospice charity. Further details of IPMS Farnborough and the annual ModelFest exhibition can be found at http://www.ipmsfarnborough.co.uk ❚ Malcolm V. Lowe 

 After using the 1/72 scale kit from AZmodel as a basis, Paul Janicki displayed this colourful Airspeed Oxford trainer at Farnborough.  This eye-catching model on the Earley Risers Model Club stand, of the Bugatti 100P speed record attempt aircraft, was made from the 1/48 scale Planet Models kit. (All Malcolm V. Lowe)

 Displayed by West Middlesex Scale Model Club was this 1/35 scale IBG Models Marmon-Herrington Mk.II armoured car.  The splendid array of 1/24 scale scratch-built racing car models displayed by Philip Cowley included this Mercedes-Benz W196, as driven by Stirling Moss in 1955.

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Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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09/10/2014 17:18

ADVANCED BUILD

‘L’ BATTERY RHA

CLASH OF CAVALRY

Johan Augustsson portrays a famous Victoria Cross action from 1914, in 54mm format

T

ommy’s War releases have been prolific in the past few years, but this first product in its Victoria Cross Heroes series is arguably the most ambitious. The full package depicts the action at Néry, France, in which ‘L’ Battery of the Cavalry Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery repulsed an entire battery of German artillery on September 1, 1914. Tommy’s War itself described the action in its own

 Construction of the ammunition limber presented no real problems, but it did require careful sanding and dry-fitting. The hatches were left off until just before painting. The limber is seen here after construction, which was completed in just one hour. The wheels where only attached temporarily at this stage, as they would be subjects for special painting treatment later.

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Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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09/10/2014 17:20

ADVANCED BUILD

‘L’ BATTERY RHA Victoria Cross for their valour; Captain Edward Bradbury, Battery Sergeant-Major George Dorrell, and Sergeant David Nelson, and L Battery itself was later awarded the honour title of ‘Néry'.

Opening the box

 The gun shield with various details added; it was difficult to determine where some of the pouches were to be placed, and so their attachment was delayed until later in the construction process. The gun cradle and wheel shaft sub-assembly was glued to the pulling pole.

promotional material in the kit, and the full story has been published elsewhere too. Briefly, though, the event at Néry was a skirmish fought between the 1st Cavalry Brigade, RHA and German 4th Cavalry Division, as part of the retreat from Mons during the early stages of World War One. As the British cavalry brigade prepared to leave its overnight bivouac shortly after dawn, it was attacked by the Germans. Both sides fought dismounted; the British artillery was mostly put out of action in the first few minutes, but a single

gun of L Battery successfully maintained steady fire for twoand-a-half hours against a full battery of German artillery. British reinforcements arrived at around 8am to counter-attack, forcing the Germans to retreat; the German division was routed and did not return to combat for several days. L Battery was almost destroyed as an operational unit in the engagement, and lost five officers and a quarter of its men (together with many horses), and was withdrawn to England in order to reform. Three men of L Battery were awarded the

The resin parts for the Ordnance QF 13-pounder gun, the ammunition limber and four figures came in a small but wellpacked box, which also included a neat fret of photo-etched (PE) brass parts for dangling braces on one of the figures, and A4-sized instruction leaflets for the gun and limber. Parts for the latter items were cast in yellow resin, which exhibited a fair amount of flash, large casting plugs and some of the detail was lost during casting. The figures were beautifully moulded in blue-grey resin; virtually flash free and with perfectly defined detail and facial expressions. A closer look on the box revealed that the gun and limber were produced in Hungary and the figures in Poland...obviously not by the same producers and this explained some of the disparity.

Take a deep breath

 Barrel and recuperator are shown after they were attached to each other via the cradle rings.

 Here, the gun shield has been attached to the gun, plus the pouches. Note the plastic card spacer at the top of the shield.  The breech block did not fit properly on this sample, so plastic card and filler were used to fill the gap.

This difference turned out to be even bigger as construction of the gun and limber commenced. It must be stated now, that the construction of the ammunition limber and 13-pounder will present a challenge for any modeller who has not worked with resin kits before. Neither the instructions nor the parts carried any numbers, nor locating indicators/ arrows to show where each part fitted to another, so as many reference images as possible

 The finished gun was ready for painting, although the wheels still awaited permanent attachment.

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ADVANCED BUILD

‘L’ BATTERY RHA

should be kept close at hand. Each step in the instructions only displayed which parts were to be used, and some looked different on the drawings, which brought in an element of guess-work but demanded constant crossreferring with images. The most time-consuming part of the build was cleaning up the bigger parts of the gun, filling air bubbles, straightening the barrel, and even having to remove very gingerly a chunk of resin from inside one of the gun cradle rings, with a 6mm drill bit. Some details were missing, such as the handles on the gun spade and on the limber hatch; the springs for the gun elevation mechanism did not fit and a section of the piston for the recuperator had to be added from stretched styrene. The traversing lever was also mistakenly attached folded in travel mode, as a result of the inconclusive instructions. Some of these errors could, of

course, be rectified with scratchbuilt items, but in this build some errors - such as the handles - were not discovered until after painting. As the build progressed, the decision was made to treat the gun and limber more as a part of the base or a stage for the figures, instead of detailed kits on their own. After all, the soldiers were awarded the Victoria Cross, not the gun. It must be said though, that Darren at Tommy’s War was incredibly helpful with information; for instance, that the rods for the break-locking mechanism were

not attached when the battle of Néry broke out, as these were removed during transport, and therefore not included in the kit. He also divulged that some of the early war artillery equipment was painted grey rather than khaki green, which allowed an option different to that on the box photo. Turning to the exquisite figures, these presented no problem during assembly, but it is advisable to build the gun before building the figures, as the exact alignment of the arms requires mating with the weapon. Likewise can be said about the soldier handling the

ammunition...dry-fitting was vital for good results. It is possible though, that the sculptor did not have the final version of the gun model at hand when creating masters of the figures handling the gun. If one builds these two straight from the box, they will either sit properly on their seats but not have their hands holding on to something, or the other way around; for full alignment, repositioning of arms would be called for. Also if the braces are left hanging straight down, the left-hand length will touch the breaking rod, and thus prevent him from sitting if not bent appropriately

Grey ordnance According to the book British Artillery 1914-1918; Field Army Artillery, by Dale Clarke & Brian Delf (Osprey Publishing), British artillery ordnance was painted UK Khaki or in some cases blue-grey when World War One broke out, later to be replaced with green and different camouflage patterns. No certain information of the actual paint scheme used by the L Battery RHA was found, even if such information surely exists.

All four figures were duly assembled and their fine detail became even more obvious. Note the lack of filler...the result of perfect design and casting!

 The captain comprised individual torso, arms and head parts, which were pinned for strength and ease of handling.

 The aimer was also made from multiple parts, and his photo-etched brass braces ensured extra interest.  Be careful when assembling the loader, as the hands are made to properly cradle a shell.  Wilder and Uschi van der Rosten products were most useful in ensuring realistic results on this build.

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Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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09/10/2014 17:21

ADVANCED BUILD

MODEL SPEC

‘L’ BATTERY RHA ‘L’ BATTERY RHA AND THE ACTION AT NÉRY, 1ST SEPTEMBER 1914 By:

Tommy’s War

Stock Code: TW54VC01 Scale:

54mm

Price:

£120.00

Available from: tommyswar.com

Many paintings show green or khaki, so the reason for choosing the blue-grey colour was simply aesthetic - it would stand out better against the drab uniforms and groundwork. Moreover, there were no painting instructions included in the kit, so after a reference check a mix of relevant Tamiya shades were airbrushed over the black-primed gun and limber, but the wheels were left off for separate treatment. The basic 50-50 mix consisted of Tamiya XF-63 German Grey and XF- 50

Field Blue, lightened very slightly with XF-2 Gloss White. A second coat with more white was used on upper areas, before details were picked out with Vallejo acrylics. Except for museum, and other display examples of the real thing, only black and white reference photos were found, so if any specific detail was rendered in the wrong colour, the reason was contradictory evidence or poor references. For example, images of built examples of this kit, as well as preserved guns, suggest

that the cradle rings around the barrel should be bare bronze, but other black and white shots show the same hue as the remainder of the gun or even a dark colour... therefore it was decided to keep them blue-grey. Leather details were first painted Vallejo 871 Leather Brown and then a fine sponge was used to dab 872 Chocolate Brown to create the look of a worn and crackled surface. A sponge, finetipped brush and 822 German Camouflage Black Brown were

used for all scratches on the grey-painted areas. The wooden seats were treated with the same technique, but with 847 Dark Sand as the scratch colour. No lettering was applied on the limber hatch, as this could only be seen in a very small number of contemporary photos. The wheels were treated slightly differently, as these were made of steel-rimmed wood and were more exposed to wear and tear. All wooden parts received a dark brown shade, mixed from Chocolate Brown and German Camouflage Black Brown; Dark sand was used to highlight the grain effect. When this had dried, a coat of Johnson’s Klear was airbrushed before a thick coat of hairspray was applied. The bluegrey mix was then added over the wheels, and then carefully treated with a stiff old brush

The gun and limber after the first primer and grey paint coats. The limber is shown inverted, to show the subtle difference between darker areas and highlights on the gun.

Both models are seen ready for weathering. Here the different treatment of leather, wood and metal is evident.

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ADVANCED BUILD

‘L’ BATTERY RHA Shadow and mid-tone skin colours were applied, not forgetting the flesh visible through the torn trousers.

 The first step...basic layers of grey on the shirt and brown on the trousers, applied over black primer.

 Shirt and trousers have been shaded, and another layer of the base paint was used for mid-tone shading.

 Highlighting of the shirt was carried out with lighter shades of grey and beige, without the paint flowing into the seams.

 Final highlights were added to the shirt, and the races/boots received their paint. Basic boot shading was done at this stage.

and a toothpick soaked in warm water. After drying thoroughly, the wheels were sealed with another coat of Klear, before metal parts were picked out in black and different metal hues.

Weathering was kept more moderate than usual for this builder, but with the time of year and climate of northern France in mind. After washes with MIG

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French dirt

Dark Wash, and streaking effects with AK Interactive Streaking Grime and Earth Effects, new products from Wilder were applied. Firstly, generous amounts of GP11 Old Grease Powder were

rendered around the wheel attachments and other moveable parts. When the result was pleasantly mucky, Dark Brown Textured Earth - what seems to be an acrylic paste - was applied to

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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09/10/2014 17:23

ADVANCED BUILD

‘L’ BATTERY RHA  More midtones and the first highlights were added. The lower lip and lining between fingers were also painted at this stage.

 The hair and moustache were painted last before the figure was ready to be attached to the base, along with the others.

Faces and uniforms

the wheels, model undersides and lower areas onto where dirt would likely spray. The effect was realistic to satisfaction, and later also used on the groundwork to tie everything together. Metal Polishing Powder - Steel Type (4009) from Uschi van der Rosten (www.albionalloys. co.uk) was rubbed on the steel wheel rims, and the models were ready to be attached to the base.

All four figures were painted with Vallejo acrylic paints, beginning with the casualty. They were first primed with black and, in the case of the casualty and fellow sporting a hat, with white from above. Brown uniforms and puttees were painted with a mix of 921 English Uniform and Chocolate Brown, highlighted with 815 Basic Skin Tone and 821 German Camouflage Beige mixed with the base colour. The reinforced parts of the trousers were picked out in 988 Khaki, with German Camouflage Beige for highlighting. Leather Brown was added to the boots and bandoleers, and then Leather Brown and 814 Burnt Cadmium

cheeks, foreheads and chins. Weathering was done later with pigments after the figures were attached to the base. Red, followed by Basic Skin Tone for highlights. For the grey shirts, a mixture of 995 German Grey and 989 Sky Grey was added and this was highlighted with Basic White from Andrea’s Whites paint set. The same set was employed for the braces and shirt collars. Extra shading came via black and sepia inks before the highlighting was added. Skin colours were painted with 876 Brown Sand as a base, in which Burnt Cadmium Red was mixed for shading. The darkest areas received a well-diluted wash of German Camouflage Black Brown, and highlighting was achieved with 955 Flat Flesh and 928 Light Flesh on the noses,

A field in France The idea for the display was to show a somewhat less glorious version of the event than portrayed in paintings and some renditions of this kit...this meant more dirt, desperation and chaos. As more than 100 horses were killed at the battle of Néry - which also can be seen in several of the paintings – Verlinden’s Dead Horses set (63) was utilised partly for this detail, while other small pieces of equipment were salvaged from the spares box to enhance the frantic scene. L Battery fought this battle in a plain and grassy field, so no particular extras

 Painting of the horse’s rear end was carried out with oils over a light brown acrylic base. The oil was removed with a large, soft brush after 30 minutes’ drying, and highlights were added later with pale yellow oils. Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ADVANCED BUILD

‘L’ BATTERY RHA

 Here are some of the features to be displayed on the base; the latter was stained and its edges were protected by masking tape.

 All details have been painted and grass tufts glued in place. The latter received pale yellow acrylic paint applied by sponge, to mimic dried autumn grass.

 The closing steps involved placing the casualty and a second layer of shells, before washes were applied and the gun, limber and remaining crew were attached.

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 Base features were pressed into the semi-wet ground, straps were made from lead foil and glued in place, and black primer was then airbrushed over the horse and equipment.

were needed for groundwork. Still, the connecting pole on the limber needed to be cut off to fit the base and therefore the wheels were pinned for the sake of balance. To suit the early 20th Century theme, a semi-oval base was purchased, stained red-brown and masked before a layer of pre-coloured household filler was spread over it. When the filler had dried for several hours, all parts were pressed into the semi-wet surface, and later any gaps were sealed with fine sand and diluted white glue. Tracks from horses were also pressed in here and there, as well as shells which later would be covered with more of the same sort. This was then painted with a black primer coat over the unpainted parts, followed by a light 50-50 mixture of Tamiya XF-49 Khaki and XF-52 Flat Earth. The horse was painted in the classic Verlinden manner, with Burnt Umber oil over a German Camo Beige acrylic base coat, and then much of the oil was removed. Light highlights were added from yellow mixed with white and

blended in. All other pieces of debris were painted with Vallejo acrylics, before grass tufts from Joefix Studios and Fredericus Rex were glued in place. Lastly, some areas were covered with diluted white glue and a mix of field floor litter was spread out, with small bushes added. When everything had dried, the more trampled and stirred parts were treated with AK Interactive Earth Effects and after the gun, limber and casualty were secured, Wilder Dark Brown Textured Earth and pigments tied everything together.

Final verdict Despite the arguably inadequate instructions, and errors in casting on the gun/limber, this vignette was an utter joy. The figures, which after all were the main focus, were of top quality, and this will ensure good results even for those with lesser experience in figure painting. This vignette was realised in around 150 hours, which is quick for this builder, and it was due to the well-considered and excellent animation of this famous military event. ❚

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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09/10/2014 17:25

OUT AND ABOUT

SUTTON COLDFIELD MODEL SHOW

HOTEL HOBBIES  Ladislav Hancar won the Aircraft Larger than 1/71st scale and Best in Show with this sublime Gloster Meteor, which served as a master-class in scratch-built detailing.

W

ith just 11 weeks to go before the event itself, Sutton Coldfield club members lost the planned venue...but rallied quickly to secure a new site. The show was held at the

 Stuart Lathe’s Japanese anime models attracted much interest. This Bandai 1/100 example is of Sazabi Ver Ka from Char’s Counterattack by Yoshiyuki, a movie developed from a TV series.

Ramada Hotel and featured two main halls, a smaller hall and a separate competition room; the latter was particularly suitable as it featured large windows and natural light. There was a good array of traders including Little Cars, Mainly Military Models,

 Displayed on Meir Model Club’s stand was this well-presented 1/48 F-15C Eagle from Chris Corbishley, who used the Academy kit boxed by Eduard and attractive Oregon Air National Guard markings.

Form-U-Lay, Models 2 U and David Lanchester Military Books. Mainly Military Models had stocks of the recently released Takom Mark IV Female Tank kit, timed perfectly for this Great War anniversary year. There was a large variety of models to admire due to the attendance of more than 30 clubs, which included ASCV Wombourne, the Airfix Special Interest Group, Brit Modeller, Locate & Cement, the Tornado SIG, the What if? SIG and Warrington. The competition had a healthy entry list with 105 high quality models to give the judges difficult choices, with the Aircraft Larger than 1/71st class being an excellent example of this daunting task. In fact the best-of-show, a stunning Gloster Meteor, was an entrant in this class. This model of Britain’s first operational jet

 This excellent Tamyia 1/12 Honda RC166 built by Richard Middleton was featured on a rotating display on the Car and Motorcyle SIG’s stand. Skilled use of after-market chain, wheels and front forks, and Mr. Color paints, made for an impressive model.

 Jake Kilshaw swept the Junior Class first-place with this 1/24 Revell DTM Audi A4, which utilised Tamiya paints and Reji Model decals to replicate Mattias Ekström’s 2009 car. Jake also placed third in the senior civilian transport class with an F1 car.

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fighter had been built by Ladislav Hancar, a Slovakian modeller resident in Norfolk for six years, but who’s been building for 45 years. His 1/48 Tamiya model featured excellent scratch-built components including the engine, flaps, undercarriage bays and nose cone; the engine was built from plastic, metal and home-made photo-etched metal parts. To achieve the texture evident on the wings a scalpel and then polishing techniques were used, before the model was painted with Alclad. Instead of decals all markings were rendered by airbrush, which demanded skilled masking. With so much to see and traders to visit the day passed very quickly, and it seemed that closing time arrived prematurely. For more information about this show, and future events, visit: http://www.scmms.co.uk/ index.html ❚ Dr James Whalen

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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10/10/2014 08:39

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05/08/2014 11:46

ADVANCED BUILD

TRIPOD TERROR ALIEN TRIPOD

Andy Bayley adds a cool lighting rig to Pegasus Hobbies’ splendid Alien Tripod

I

MODEL SPEC

n 1898 the English author HG Wells wrote the novel War of the Worlds, a story about aliens from Mars invading earth, consuming its natural resources and taking the planet for themselves. This was updated in the 1950s and sparked the idea for a film. In 1953 Paramount Pictures produced the movie The War of the Worlds...a loose adaptation of the HG Wells novel that won an Oscar for its special effects. In 1978 Jeff Wayne released his musical version of War of the Worlds - a two-disc album that remains a best-seller. It has since spawned multiple versions of the album, video games, DVDs and live tours. Steven Spielberg directed the 2005 movie version of War of the Worlds, again based loosely on the HG Wells story. As with all the

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ALIEN TRIPOD By:

Pegasus Hobbies

Stock Code: 9005 Scale:

1/144

Price:

£70.00

Available from: Amerang, www.amerang.co.uk

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ADVANCED BUILD

R

ALIEN TRIPOD

 Pegasus’ kit came with a clear-tinted canopy, which was ideal for the lighting.

All the styrene parts were very detailed and possessed crisply moulded panel lines.

 The custom-made lighting kit was relatively simple, neat and worked very well once installed.

versions, the Martians came in tripods to attack earth’s armies; three legged machines with laser weapons and tentacles with which to ‘collect’ humans. The new versions had three search lights in the tank-like head, carried by thin and flexible legs; the movements had a terrestrial buoyance to them. In 2012 Pegasus Hobbies produced a 1/144 scale alien tripod as seen in the 2005 blockbuster movie. The model was created from the original 3D computer model used in the film. With its semi-clear canopy

this kit was ripe to accommodate some form of lighting, but the methods need not be confined to sci-fi builds...

Bits and pieces The kit comprised 88 ABS (opaque) parts, which included a base and five polystyrene (clear) parts. A customised lighting kit was purchased from a friend, and this consisted of a 50mm x 50mm circuit board with a battery box for a 3V CR123 lithium battery, a micro switch and eight 3mm purple LEDs, which were soldered to the circuit board. On the underside of the board was the clever bit... an Atmel ATTiny 4313 microcontroller, which had a running code written into it to make Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ADVANCED BUILD ALIEN TRIPOD

The centre headlight section needed holes to be drilled for the 8mm LED to fit, and the back was removed so the battery box could be accommodated.

A little putty was used to neaten the hip assembly, but no alterations were needed for the lighting.

The head assemblies needed plenty of alteration, and a red marker pen was used to show all of the necessary cuts.

 Strips of 1mm-thick plastic card and adhesive foil helped reflect light from the LEDs.

the LEDs flicker and fade. A series of resistors were soldered on for each LED to keep the power flow constant. Three clear LEDs were supplied, two 5mm and one 8mm. These would be for the front lights.

Major alterations To get the lighting kit in the model there needed to be alterations made, which meant deviating from the instruction sheet. The hip assembly went together as normal with a small amount of filler down the seam, while the head assembly was in need of a few cuts and the centre light body was cut to give room for the battery box. An 8mm hole was bored through the centre headlight cowl and rim, to allow the 8mm LED to protrude (the lens that came with the kit was disregarded). The bottom half of the head assembly was cut for wires to be routed and the location pins removed so the circuit board would sit flush. Additionally, 5mm holes were bored into which the side LEDs would fit. The upper half of the head assembly had a large centre section removed to house the circuit board. Once cut, a wavy

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Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ADVANCED BUILD

ALIEN TRIPOD

With the aid of Blu-Tack, test-fitting was carried out to ensure the LEDs and circuit board would sit properly.

 The three clear LEDs were soldered to the wires and heat shrink ensured that there were no shorts. Note the foil wrapped around the 8mm LED to prevent light spill.

With diamond cutting disks and drum sanders, a Dremel tool was used to cut and sand all the parts for alterations.

line was sliced into the sides to allow light to pass through. All the cuts were done with a Dremel tool with a diamond cutting wheel, and neatened with a small sanding drum and grinding stone. A 40mm length of 1mm-thick plastic card was glued with cyanoacrylate (CA) onto the inner sides of the now two upper head assemblies. With adhesive foil attached and trimmed, this would help reflect light up into the head. Test-fitting with BluTack was carried out to ensure the circuit board and LEDs could be positioned unhindered. With this done it was decided that a small reflector in the tail of the head would also boost the lighting effect. This was done with two triangular pieces of plastic card, glued together and covered with adhesive foil. Once fixed into the tail it did a good job of reflecting the light from the tail LEDs.

that came with the lighting kit needed to be soldered in place. As with all LEDs there is a long and short terminal, and one must make sure to attach the positive wire to the long terminal - so the red wire was trimmed, dipped in lead-free flux and soldered onto the long terminal with a Portasol gas soldering iron. The black wire was soldered onto the negative terminal, and 2mm heatshrink tubing was slid over the

Soldering session Once all the holes were cut for the LEDs it was time to fit them, but first the red and black wires Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ADVANCED BUILD ALIEN TRIPOD

 The inner hood section was cut and had adhesive foil attached to the inside, and Modelmaster Chrome Silver was also applied to aid the lighting effect..

 Tamiya X-27 Clear Red, X-23 Clear Blue and X-22 Clear were mixed to make a clear purple colour, which was airbrushed over the window sections. Nine parts in total went together to create the faithfully reproduced but flimsy legs.

soldered joints to prevent the terminal shorting accidentally. The two 5mm LEDs were then glued with CA into each half of the top head assembly, and then the halves were glued together. The light that comes through the windows in the hood is a sort of pinkish-purple colour, but the eight 3mm LEDs give off a pinker colour so it was decided to airbrush clear purple over the window area on the hood. This was done by mixing Tamiya X-27 Clear Red, X-23 Clear Blue and X-22 Clear, thinned with isopropyl alcohol. Once this had dried the hood was inverted and Testors’ Chrome Silver enamel was painted on the inside to prevent light spill... this was done carefully not to cover the window areas. There was an inner hood section that needed the sides to be removed, while a semicircular cut made room for the battery. The inside of this was then covered with adhesive foil and glued into place. The pilot’s screen and side pods were CA-glued at this time, as were the spikes, which came on strips of plastic and were pushed through holes in the hood.

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ADVANCED BUILD

ALIEN TRIPOD

Once the windows were dry they were masked with 5mm Tamiya tape, ready for the body colour.

Masking tape was placed over the wires and tail reflector, and two 15mm lengths of heat shrink covered the two LEDs prior to painting.

Assembly and prep The head was connected to the hip via a flexible-looking neck, and the halves were glued together and the seam filled. Nine parts were used to make each of the three legs, and even when glued they were still quite flimsy. Lengths of 5mm Tamiya tape were employed to mask the window sections of the hood, in preparation for the main body colour, and tape was also used on the lower half of the head assembly to prevent paint getting on the wires and tail reflector. Two 15mm lengths of heat shrink masked the two side LEDs. At the back of the neck was a small

 The neck section required a hint of filler to neaten the seam line.

support, which was glued into place but left a gap, so this was filled with Deluxe Materials’ Perfect Plastic Putty. The neck was attached to the head at this time, and all main body parts (including the legs) received Vallejo Model Air metallic paint. Three colours were used to make the required shade: 71.065 Steel, 71.067 Bright Brass and 71.072 Gun Grey. This mix was sprayed with an Iwata Eclipse airbrush to obtain a pleasing, even coat. Once the body colour had dried fully, all parts received a wash of Citadel Seraphim Sepia. As these machines came from underground, heavy weathering was used to portray the fact. This was done with a large brush, with a crumpled paper towel used to remove any heavy runs but was allowed to pool in the panel lines. This technique was also Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ADVANCED BUILD ALIEN TRIPOD

 A mix of Vallejo Model Air Metallic paints was used to create a lovely platinum silver colour.

 Citadel Seraphim Sepia wash was applied to all body parts, before it was dabbed with a scrunched paper towel to produce a random weathered appearance.

used on the hood, before the masking tape was removed. To get the panel lines to stand out on the legs, a pin wash of Citadel Agrax Earthshade was applied in a dabbing action, while a cotton wool bud helped to soften the edges. The canopy was darkened with a wash of Citadel Nuln Oil.

Final assembly Once all the sub-assemblies were painted it was time to bring them all together. The centre LED was glued into place with a spot of CA and the housing was fixed to the lower head section; the

three red and black wires were numbered to save confusion. The hip was attached to the head and this completed the upper body structure. It was then time to solder the three red and black LED wires to the circuit board, which proved tricky. They had to be trimmed to length and then the sleeves of the wires were cut back and dipped in lead-free flux. A method called ‘tinning’ was used. This involved a small amount of solder being applied to the tip of each wire and then, in turn, the wires were pushed through small holes in the circuit

 The laser arms were a pleasing detail, and these were given the same body colour and wash.  The hip sub-assembly and centre headlight section were very detailed; note the round alien escape hatch.

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ADVANCED BUILD

ALIEN TRIPOD

 The three legs were pin-washed with Citadel Agrax Earthshade to accentuate the crisp panel lines.

 Once the LED wires were soldered to the circuit board, a test was carried out to ensure that all connections had been made.

The laser arms, tentacles and mandibles were next to be fitted...it resembled a metallic squid at this stage!

board and soldered carefully into place. A small diagram of where to solder the wires was supplied with the lighting kit. With all the soldering finished, it was time to flick the switch to make sure the circuits had been made...this is when it all came to life. The eight purple LEDs pulsed and the three searchlights flickered. The hood was placed on top to see how well the light came through the windows, and it was decided to

add more adhesive foil on the inner head. This was placed over the tops of the side light body and three strips on the centre light housing; half of the battery was also covered.

Armed and leggy One had the option to build this kit as a war machine with just laser arms, or as a collecting tripod with tentacles and cages. It was decided to go with both options, minus the cages. The latter were in clear plastic and

NOTES ON LIGHTING These days most model lighting is done with light emitting diodes (LEDs). These can come in all shapes and sizes, not to mention a wide range of colours. They must be used with a current limit resistor, and another requirement is a power source (a battery or two), wires and a switch. Fibre optics may also be necessary, for hard to reach areas. If this sounds far too complicated why not try a ready-made lighting kit. These come ‘good-to-go’ and all one has to do is install it in the relevant model. Some even come with a magnetic switch, so no ugly on-off devices are visible. Companies such as VoodooFX in the US make great lighting kits for sci-fi models in particular, and in the UK, Tirydium Models and Raven Scale Models producing excellent lighting for aircraft models and the like. www.voodoofx.com www.tirydiummodels.wordpress.com www.ravenscalemodels.com

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ADVANCED BUILD ALIEN TRIPOD

Following the diagram that came with the lighting kit, the three sets of wires for the headlights were soldered in place.

did not look cage-like, so were omitted from the build. Laser arms were painted with the same body colour mix and given a wash of Citadel Seraphim Sepia, while the tentacles were painted the same way and attached in number order. The mandibles were next and these were also painted and placed in order according to the instructions. The last task was to paint the base and attach the tripod legs to it - the hood placed on the

head so the lighting switch and battery could be reached easily. A great many models can look good with lighting fitted, such as landing/nav lights on an aircraft or headlights on a car. Don’t be afraid ❚ to try them on your next kit.

PAINTING THE BASE Pegasus provided an excellent feature base, which cried out for careful painting. It was first painted with Vallejo 70.990 Light Grey, and the road section received Vallejo 70.992 Neutral Grey. The remains of the building and rubble got a coat of Vallejo 70.820 Off White, followed by a wash of Citadel Agrax Earthshade, and the damaged car was painted with FW ink Rowney Blue and the tyres matt black; hubs were picked out with silver. Vallejo 70.968 Flat Green was applied to the grassy area, which was then detailed with a Citadel Agrax Earthshade wash, and the raised lettering was highlighted courtesy of FW Ink Crimson and White. Road stripes were picked out with FW Lemon Yellow and then the whole base was sprayed with Mr. Hobby’s Mr. Super Clear Flat UV Cut.

After test-fitting with the hood on, it was decided to add more adhesive foil to reflect more light from the purple LEDs.

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ON THE SHELF BOOKS

POISE, POWER AND GORGEOUS CURVES

For any sports car fan, few vehicles quicken the pulse like Ferrari’s legendary GTO...of which just 36 were made. Thankfully

extra detail and achieving the utmost accuracy on one’s build. Close-ups of the engine and its component parts are particularly useful, as are those of the car’s interior. The main factor to remember is that unlike some aircraft restorations, many cars of this ilk are usually maintained rigidly to the original specifications and fittings, so the cars shown here are as accurate as one can expect. And certain photos really do deliver, such as the large shot on P.74-75, which shows the dull metallic on the inside of the double-throated carburettor trumpets, but highly

polished chrome on the outside. Along with personal accounts from marque-related drivers, such as the great John Surtees, and individual car histories, this is a wonderful study of an automotive icon. CC

BOOK SPEC

we have excellent 1/24 kits from Revell and Fujimi, so due homage can be paid in scale form. To get either just right, though, Haynes’ new Owners’ Workshop Manual on the type will be of much value, courtesy not just of period imagery, but also the present-day shots of Nick Mason’s stunning #22 GTO (chassis 3757), operated by the Ten Tenths race team. The fascinating text aside, which does a great job of explaining the development and use of this dual-purpose powerhouse, on road and track, the many photos are a boon when it comes to adding

FERRARI 250 GTO By:

Glen Smale

ISBN:

978-0-85733348-1

Price:

£25.00

Format:

278mm x 214mm

Available from: Haynes Publishing, www.haynes.co.uk

SHORT-NOSED BUTCHER BIRDS

BOOK SPEC

The Fw 190 has always been hugely popular, and plenty of reference material has appeared. If, though, one wants a concise and up-to-date guide to the Wurger's radial-engined subtypes and their modelling, then this book is indispensible. Due to the overwhelming amount of THE FOCKE-WULF FW 190 RADIAL-ENGINE VERSIONS By:

Richard A. Franks

ISBN:

978-0-95758664-2

Price:

£18.95

Format:

A4

Available from: Valiant Wings Publishing, www.valiant-wings.co.uk

information available, the work has been expanded from its original form and split into two sections, entitled Airframe and Miniature. Profile line drawings and very informative text guide the reader through all of the prototypes, and A/F/G series airframes and their features, before the important subject of camouflage and markings is explored. Most handy for the novice (and a useful reminder for ‘old hands’) are the panels that deal with the styles of national insignia and individual symbols, such as Winkel chevrons, and bars/wavy lines/circles that denoted pilot ranks and Gruppe numbers. Excellent colour views educate on cowl decorations, camouflage

patterns, theatre ID markings, pilot heraldry and the like, and the all-important Reich defence fuselage bands, while 24 pleasing colour profiles give fine examples of colour schemes, including those of famous ‘Experten’ such as Hermann Graf. There’s much to gain from the kit guide, with honest appraisals of the various offerings in 1/144, 1/72, 1/48 (the largest section), 1/32 and even Airfix’s 1/24 Superkit of the ‘A’. Full builds are offered (four in 1/72, four in 1/48), with clear but limited step-by-step imagery, and the standard of the modelling is unarguably very good. Isometric drawings describe the structural differences between sub-types,

and original manufacturer illustrations serve a healthy portion of extra detail. Toppedoff by a thoughtful selection of revealing Fw 190 photos and foldout 1/48 scale plans/drawings, this is a splendid offering for anyone contemplating builds of the Fw 190. CC

CAT’S TALES

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and maintained. At times rather acronym and tech-jargon heavy (a glossary is included), there is plenty of humour to lighten the read, including apocryphal tales

of things almost going wrong. This could be the unforeseen consequence of a low-level flypast, or landing at Bardufoss in the winter (with the risk of sliding on the snow/ice-covered runway), to the sobering incident whereby a Jaguar was shot down accidentally by an RAF Phantom. Best of all, the stories cover the entire period of Jaguar service, from the initial impressions and sometimes unflattering perception of its performance, to training, operational missions and its twilight era. Although the aircraft was, by the mid-1990s, long in the tooth the upgrades

to GR.3A format (which often made use of components either available from or under trial for other aircraft) transformed the Jaguar’s capabilities. For anyone interested in the type, this is a great read. SF

BOOK SPEC

Originally intended as a trainer, the Anglo-French Jaguar was the backbone of the RAF’s tactical strike-attack and reconnaissance force for more than a decade, before the mantle passed to the Tornado. While not possessing the glamour of other jets, the Jaguar was one of the bestloved in the RAF, despite being described as relying upon the curvature of the Earth to become airborne! A collection of anecdotes, from former Jaguar air and ground crew, provides a fascinating insight into how the aircraft was flown, operated

JAGUAR BOYS By:

Ian Hall

ISBN:

978-1-90980815-7

Price:

£20

Format:

242mm x 162mm

Available from: www.grubstreet.co.uk

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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SEND IN YOUR PRODUCTS FOR US TO REVIEW AT: Airfix Model World, Key Publishing Ltd, Units 1-4 Gwash Way Industrial Estate, Ryhall Road, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XP, UK

MUD-MOVING BIPLANE

While the Ju 87 Stuka is arguably the Luftwaffe’s most famous dive-bomber, the Henschel Hs 123 pre-dated that

operational history with lucid text and captions. Operation Barbarossa and other Eastern Front actions are described, but the type’s service in Spain and China are also explored for extra variety. The usual mix of excellent photos, sub-type guides and inspiring colour profiles offered by MMP books is apparent here; early German splinter schemes are arguably the most pleasing, but the Spanish aircraft liveries are still relatively attractive. Supported by a handful of superb 1/72 scale drawings, and manufacturer illustrations) these show a multitude of

detail), this 136-page softback will be of great use when building any of the kits by Italeri/Esci, AModel, Avis, Alley Cat or Fly. A separate volume of 1/72 and 1/48 scale plans for the type is also available from MMP. CC

BOOK SPEC

type and was this air arm’s first proper ground-attack aircraft of its era. It blooded German pilots in the Spanish Civil War, but was also in the vanguard of World War Two Blitzkreig operations in Europe and, in particular, the French campaign in 1940; readers will be interested to know that Gen. Maj. Wolfram von Richtofen commanded the Hs 123s of II.(Schl.)/LG 2, when they attacked Belgian troop formations and bridges over the Albert Canal. This new work by MMP, in its Orange series, lifts the lid on this interesting biplane, focusing on its development and

HENSCHEL HS 123 By:

Robert Panek

ISBN:

978-83-6142148-1

Price:

£17.99

Format:

231mm x 167mm

Available from: Mushroom Model Publishing, www.mmpbooks.biz

QING VERSUS MEIJI AT SEA

BOOK SPEC

The Sino-Japanese War, fought between the Qing Dynasty of China and Meiji Japan, is often overshadowed by the Russo-Japanese War, which was waged 10 years later. However, the conflict marked the first time that Japan’s newly acquired military SINO-JAPANESE NAVAL WAR 1894-1895 By:

Piotr Olender

ISBN:

978-83-6367830-2

Price:

£24.99

Format:

A4

Available from: Mushroom Model Publishing, www.mmpbooks.biz

capability was employed, and confirmed that nation's steady rise as a Pacific military power. The author introduces both countries prior to the conflict, including the key forced ‘opening’ of Japan to trade by Commodore Perry in 1852 and the origins of the Meiji Restoration, by which the country sought to modernise rapidly and adopt American/ European military equipment and tactics. All of this led to a more expansionist nation, and Japan had already annexed territory in China before it turned its attention to the Chinese vassal nation of Korea. After an explanation of the comparative strengths and weaknesses of each side, the

author provides a chronological overview of the conflict, and analyses the tactics, weapons and vessels used. Perhaps the most critical section is the final assessment of the naval battles, with the Japanese victorious throughout. Crucially, Japanese tactics and attacking approach, combined with rapid-firing weapons, allowed greater flexibility in their war plans. All of this lends to a fascinating study of a conflict that set Japan firmly on the path to becoming a major Pacific power and laid the ground for its subsequent naval successes against Russia in 1904-1905. The wellwritten narrative is supported by excellent black and white

images of the combatants and extensive maps and diagrams of the various battles. This is a great book, which explores one of the lesser-known wars of the late 19th Century...and it has applications for modellers, wargamers and pure historians alike. SF

LEGENDARY TRAINER Stuart McKay is a Tiger Moth pilot, founding secretary of the de Havilland Moth Club and Editor of said organisation’s magazine The Moth...so he knows a thing or two about the type!

But he’s obviously undertaken an exhaustive amount of research, and it shows. No stone has been left unturned in imparting the history of the Tiger Moth (across more than 400 pages) and much of it is highly absorbing. Where the book hits pay-dirt for modellers, though, is with its motherload of excellent images (period black and white, and colour) which highlight the type’s earliest days to current restored examples. There are simply lovely colour schemes, in both civil and military guise, examples of the latter being from Swedish, French and Dutch air forces, and some

of the photographs in general are an absolute treat; Tiger Moths aboard HMS Eagle in 1964! Coupled with splendid Richard Caruana colour profiles, this is an absolute must and offers amazing value. CC

BOOK SPEC

Many a modeller keenly awaited Airfix’s all-new 1/72 Tiger Moth kit (if they hadn’t already forked out for the AZmodel offering), and in general it ticked all the boxes. Here, though, sits the perfect companion and what is arguably the ultimate reference on one of the world’s most famous aircraft; it’ll be of unending value to anyone embarking on a build project. Actually a reprint of a 1999 Midland Publishing work, it’s well timed considering the recent kit releases and will provide hours of pleasure, especially if one wants the full story. Author

TIGER! By:

Stuart McKay

ISBN:

9780859 791823

Price:

£29.95

Format:

286mm x 225mm

Available from: Crécy Publishing, www.crecy.co.uk Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ON THE SHELF

AIRCRAFT KITS

REDS’ ANNIVERSARY

OLD AGE BIPLANE

RETIRING FELINE

• B7190, 10 Sqn, Royal Naval Air Service, Teteghem, France, 1918 • B6372, 45 Sqn Royal Flying Corps, Istrana, Italy, early 1918

Price:

£16.99

Available from: Revell, www.revell.de/en

DAZZLING DUTCH DELTA

One can always rely on the Dutch to brighten even the drabbest airframe, and the AH-64D is no exception. Similarly, Hasegawa has shown it can get the most out of any mould, by constantly tweaking and updating the contents and markings. Happily, these two concepts define this release, featuring Hasegawa’s excellent AH-64D, with markings for the Dutch Army’s solo Apache display helicopter. The styrene is beautifully moulded, while AH-64D APACHE ‘ROYAL four resin parts are offerd with which NETHERLANDS AIR FORCE to reproduce the Dutch-specific selfSPECIAL MARKING’ protection system, which includes two By: Hasegawa wingtip chaff/flare pods. As a bonus, Item no: 07336 there is a spare Longbow radar, two rocket pods and eight Hellfire missiles. Scale: 1/48 The markings for the single Olive Drab Price: £47.99 scheme are a work of art, with eyeAvailable from: poping orange decals for the cheek Amerang, www.amerang.co.uk pods, and excellent register and opacity.

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

Italeri has re-released its Jaguar GR.3 kit complete with dazzling retirement markings, although the mouldings are for the original GR.1, which lacks the rectangular head-down display unit and spine-mounted GPS antenna. Unfortunately, an opportunity to address errors in the earlier kit has been missed, which means that work will be needed to correct the under-wing pylons, fuel tanks, airbrakes and cockpit. The JAGUAR GR.3 ‘BIG CAT’ decal sheet is in perfect register, By: Italeri even if the colours are (correctly!) Item no: 1357 eye-wateringly bright. In addition, first impressions are that the layout, Scale: 1/72 including ‘cuts’ into the decals, will Price: £15.99 greatly simplify application. The Available from: single scheme is: The Hobby Company, • XX119, ‘Spotty’, Wg Cdr J M www.hobbyco.net Sullivan, 6 Sqn, 2007

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It’s not often a kit is older than most people who'll build it...however, Revell’s Sopwith Camel has been around since the late 1950s, and while showing its age in terms of mould quality and detail, it is still a respectable option. Compared to modern products, the detail is limited and in places, heavily moulded, with large ejector-pin marks in abundance, although there is only limited flash. Black thread is included for rigging, with annotations on this throughout the instructions, although it does look over-scale and modellers may wish to replace this with a more appropriate material. SOPWITH F.1 CAMEL Thoughtfully, Revell has pre-drilled all the holes for the rigging. The By: Revell decal sheet has thick matt carrier Item no: 04747 film, but offers two PC-10/linen Scale: 1/28 schemes:

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

With 2014 being the 50th display season for the Red Arrows, with striking anniversary artwork on their tails, it's unsurprising that kit and decal companies are marking the occasion. Here, Italeri has re-boxed its Red Arrows Hawk (2677) in the new scheme. Accompanied by CAD-style instructions, colour quotations are for Italeri’s own acrylics; however, it should be noted that the real aircraft are painted in ‘Red Arrows Red’ and not Insignia Red as RED ARROWS 50 DISPLAY stated. All parts feature fine engraved SEASONS HAWK T1A detail...the canopy is particularly By: Italeri noteworthy, being crystal clear with Item no: 2747 delicate miniature detonating cord. The beautiful Cartograf decals enable one Scale: 1/48 to build any of the ten display aircraft, Price: £29.99 and the instrument panels are among Available from: the finest this reviewer has seen. All of The Hobby Company, the decals are in perfect register, with www.hobbyco.net the white sections suitably opaque.

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ON THE SHELF

AIRCRAFT KITS

ANATOLIAN VIPER

SPLENDID STRAFER

TANTALISING TWO-SEATER

Widely considered the best ‘26s available, Italeri’s kits have portrayed the B-26K, A-26C and a six-gun strafer. Revell amended the kit in 2007 to provide an eight-gun aircraft and it’s this that appears again under Italeri branding. While the panel lines may not be to Asian or Czech standards, they'll look good under paint. In places the detail is impressive and all engraving is consistent. While it may not be 100 per cent accurate, the cockpit and rear crew stations are busy, and one also gets alternative turrets. The weak point is that of A-26B INVADER the undercarriage bays, which are devoid of detail. Bombs on racks are By: Italeri supplied. The decals are stunning: Item no: 1358 • B-26B-51, 434287/A ‘Versatile Scale: 1/72 Lady’, 13th BS, 1951 • B-26B-51, 139396/T, 8th BS, 1951 Price: £27.50 • A-26B, 434289/E, 89th BS, 1945 Available from: • A-26B, 434377/W ‘Lady Bertie’, The Hobby Company, 8th BS, 3rd BG, Atsugi, Japan, www.hobbyco.net 1947-48

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

Another outing for Revell’s generally worthy F-16C mould, last rendered as a Block 52 airframe. Here, though, it comes with cool Solo Turk markings for the Turkish AF individual display jet (91-0011), which is a Block 40 aircraft. The parts now come moulded in black plastic, and minor surgery is required to fit the ALQ-178 ECM tail section...although the blisters on this look undernourished and too short. The wheels don’t depict Block 40 units F-16C SOLO TURK either. Weaponry is included from the By: Revell previous kit, such as GBU-10, AIM-120, Item no: 04844 AIM-9 and AGM-88, although as with the supplied pylons, these are not Scale: 1/72 relevant for the Solo Turk. The standard Price: £13.50 of moulding in general is very good, Available from: but the real gem here is the gorgeous, Revell, www.revell.de/en glossy decal sheet designed by Syhart.

LIMITED RUN ITALIAN

The best feature of this excellent release is that the fuselage halves are in clear styrene and a full vinyl mask set is supplied The plastic parts feature neat engraving, but one or two surface blemishes do mar the one-piece lower wing. One also receives a wealth of crisp resin components such as engines and exhausts, wheels and interior details, along with photo-etched brass embellishments; instrument panels, seat straps, fine chain links, control levers and bomb racks. Sadly, the sharpness of the code number CAPRONI CA.311 and insignia decals isn’t what it should By: Special Hobby be (so after-market replacements are Item no: SH 72307 recommended). Three lovely Italian Scale: 1/72 liveries are given: • 125-3, 125a Sq, 15° Gr, 22° St OA, Price: €23.00 Bolzano, 1940 Available from: • 32-4, 32a Sq, 15° Gr, Italian Libya, 1941 Special Hobby, • 128-6, 128a Sq, 61° Gr Auto, Parma, www.cmkkits.com 1940

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

Kinetic won many fans with its F-5A, so the same customers will undoubtedly welcome this two-seater. The moulding here is just as pleasing, with a beautiful cockpit, super-clear transparencies, detailed exhausts and a generous collections of stores. The latter includes fuel tanks, LAU-3 rocket pods, Mk.82s, and AIM-9B/J/Ps; the refuelling probe also features, along with photo-etched brass. A generous 19 schemes represent the US, South Vietnam, Norway, Netherlands, F-5B FREEDOM FIGHTER Greece and Canada. Choices include: By: Kinetic • F-5B, 720439/LZ, 58th TTW, Item no: K48021 USAF, 1973 • CF-5D, 116815/15, 419 Sqn, Scale: 1/48 Canadian Armed Forces, 1986 Price: US $25.99 • NF-5B, K-4001, Royal Netherlands Available from: AF, early 1980s Lucky Model, • F-5B, 14909/Z-DP, Royal www.luckymodel.com Norwegian AF, early 1970s

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ON THE SHELF

AIRCRAFT KITS

PRODUCT SPEC

Raoul Hafner was an Austrian-born British rotary-wing pioneer and designer who, after internment during World War Two, eventually became chief designer at Bristol Helicopters. One of his embryonic ideas, which never progressed past testing, was the Rotachute...designed to be towed behind an aircraft to insert agents into enemy territory. Fly offers this very basic ROTACHUTE MK.I autogyro on a single styrene runner By: Fly with 11 parts, which are complemented Item no: 32004 by photo-etched brass seat straps and Scale: 1/32 back support, and a resin Bren Gun. The components are well moulded, Price: €9.20 if somewhat Spartan as with the real Available from: thing, but construction should be Fly, www.fly814.cz simple. It’s a fascinating subject.

Any fan of Japanese aircraft would be bowled over by Hasegawa’s 1/32 George. This imposing kit offers the usual impressive moulding, with flawless panel lines and delicate rivets, the latter being especially evident around the wing roots and front fuselage. The engine is a ten-part affair and can be attached late in the construction. Exhaust pipe ends are hollowed out and there’s cooling fin KAWANISHI N1K2-J detail on the cylinders. In this large SHIDENKAI format, the cockpit is acceptable but some may feel that extra By: Hasegawa embellishment via the after-market Item no: 08883 is warranted. Two colour schemes Scale: 1/32 are provided: • A 343-15, Lt Naoshi Kanno, 301st Fighter Squadron, 1945 • B 343-03, WO Kouji Ohara, 407th Fighter Squadron, 1945

Price:

£54.99

Available from: Amerang, www.amerang.co.uk

DON MUANG TIGERS

PRODUCT SPEC

More than 100 parts go into this Bv 141, which was certainly one of the Luftwaffe’s more unconventional designs. Here, one is treated to respectable moulding in most areas, with very good flourishes of detail in the cockpit blister. Cooling gills are provided to sit between the engine and propeller, but the latter item is a little suspect in shape and one would arguably be better robbing a Ju 88 or Fw 190 prop’ from the BLOHM & VOSS BV 141 spares box. The wheel hubs are By: HobbyBoss disappointing, as they are roughly Item no: 81728 rendered and not truly circular. But redemption lies in the undercarriage Scale: 1/48 legs and bays, which look good, and Price: £31.99 the glazing which is well framed. Two Available from: colour schemes are provided: Creative Models, • Bv 141 V10, NC+RA/02 www.creativemodels.co.uk • Bv 141 GK+GH

Beautiful engraving defines this limited edition Sabre Dog, which focuses on Royal Thai aircraft. Panel lines and rivets are finely rendered (although there is some flash and mould seams), while the undercarriage bay doors have well-detailed inner faces. The missile pylons are good, too, although the Sidewinders are poor. The other let-down is the undercarriage leg moulding; while the detail is reasonable, the runner attachment is thick and clumsy. F-86L SABRE DOG Two vac-form canopies are supplied, By: Special Hobby the resin wheels are exquisite and Item no: SH72275 there’s plenty of photo-etched metal. Scale: 1/72 The main schemes are all from the 1st Wg, 12th Sqn, Don Muang AB: Price: €17.60 • 53-0853/1223 Available from: • 53-0862/1224 Special Hobby, • 53-0866/1231 www.cmkkits.com • 53-1013/1241

PRODUCT SPEC

ASSYMETRIC ASSET

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GEORGE THE NIPPON

PRODUCT SPEC

HAFNER’S NEAT DESIGN

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ON THE SHELF

MILITARY KITS

CLASSIC HEAVY MOVER

PRODUCT SPEC

Hobby Boss continues its range of World War Two trucks with the soft-top version of the ubiquitous White 666. Given that no engine is included there is a surprising amount of plastic, with 13 runners, 12 vinyl wheels, a generous photo-etched (PE) metal fret and even a small length of chain. The parts are well moulded, and the already high level of detail US WHITE 666 CARGO is enhanced by the clever use of PE (SOFT TOP) on fuel tanks and the door footrests. By: Hobby Boss The best feature is the chassis/ Item no: 83802 suspension but, despite the box-top depiction of a canvas-covered truck, Scale: 1/35 there are no supporting bars or tarp Price: £34.99 covers in the kit...which is somewhat Available from: disappointing. Just a single scheme Creative Models, is offered, for an Olive Drab-coloured www.creativemodels.co.uk vehicle attached to an unknown unit.

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Among the many roles in which the ubiquitous 4x4 pickup has been employed, that of self-propelled weapons mount must rank among the more unusual. Meng has followed its initial pick-up/ZSU-23 release with a ZPU-2 version on the same chassis, with options for a towed or truckmounted twin 14.5mm heavy machine gun. This could be appropriate for anywhere from Africa to the Middle East or Afghanistan. Inside are eleven runners, five vinyl tyres and a small photo-etched metal fret. In PICKUP W/ZPU-2 a neat touch, Meng provides parts By: Meng for the Chinese licence-built variant, Item no: VS-005 the Type 58, to be completed. A tiny decal sheet by Cartograf provides Scale: 1/35 the instrument panel details. Two Price: £22.99 schemes are offered, one tan, the Available from: other in black/grey camouflage, but Creative Models, white, or crude camouflage over www.creativemodels.co.uk white would also be appropriate.

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

The German language can lead to tongue-twisting names, never more so than here, for a prototype armoured amphibious ferry. Based upon a heavily modified Panzer IV chassis, two variants of this system were built by Magirus, although neither was accepted into service. Dragon’s release of Prototype PANZERFAHRE II GEPANZERTE II, which includes a pontoon ferry, LANDWASSERSCHLEPPER completes the set, as Prototype I PROTOTYPE NR.II was released in 2012. Composed of By: Dragon eight styrene runners, plus slideItem no: 7509 moulded upper and lower hulls and 16 individually moulded wheel hubs, the Scale: 1/72 parts are flash-free and with excellent Price: £19.99 detail. The exquisite tracks were Available from: represented in flexible DS styrene, The Hobby Company, which appears to be increasingly more www.hobbyco.net common with many Dragon releases.

GUN-TOTING TRUCK

LIGHTWEIGHT ARTILLERY

The M-108 105mm self-propelled artillery system was short-lived, and although quickly superseded by the 155mm M-109, it served with the US Army in Vietnam and was exported. Italeri’s re-release of the M-108 has updated its 1980s-era moulds, with new link-and-length tracks and the difference in quality of the new parts is apparent. Seven grey runners are provided, with four dedicated to the new track. As expected with a vintage kit, interior M-108 UPGRADED MOULDS detail is conspicuous by its absence, By: Italeri and although the moulds have been Item no: 6518 cleaned-up, there remain several Scale: 1/35 inaccuracies, particularly the turret top boxes. Three schemes are provided: Price: £29.99 • Brazilian Army, 1970 Available from: • 1st Field Force, US Army, Vietnam The Hobby Company, • 7th Bn, Royal Australian Regt, www.hobbyco.net Vietnam, 1971

PRODUCT SPEC

PONTOON FERRY PROTOTYPE

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ON THE SHELF

MILITARY KITS

HOWITZER CONVERSION

MID-WAR FELINE

Impressive detail adorns this all-styrene release, which reflects a 1943-production Panther. Well-moulded individual links with hollow guide horns allow fully workable track runs, and there are alternative wheel and mudguard patterns. There’s also a respectable amount of refinement on the engine covers, drive sprockets, tools, and hatches, while other items really do excel; the dual-position gun travel lock in particular. Interior PZ.KPFW.V PANTHER detail is limited to the turret, with (AUSF D) full gun breech, rear hatch, seat and By: Zveda floor. Pleasing touches include preItem no: 3678 shaped tow cables and clear vision blocks/periscopes. Two camouflaged colour schemes are provided, both for Pz.Abt.52 during Operation Citadel in 1943: • Black 521 • Black 824

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

HobbyBoss offers an interesting vehicle...first seen at a defence show in Paris in 1992. The subject comprises the French GCT 155mm howitzer turret and T-72 chassis. With more than 600 parts, real value is on offer although there is no interior detail; HobbyBoss concentrated on the external features but it did a fine job. The average armour modeller will find no issue and construction will be simple, but 'rubber-band' tracks are supplied and these are arguably best replaced. The gun and turret are impressive, and there’s the option to GCT 155MM AU-F1 SPH ON display the latter’s rear ammunition T-72 storage with open hatches. Cupola By: HobbyBoss detail is good, an anti-aircraft machine Item no: 83835 gun features and other highlights Scale: 1/35 include a turret stowage rack, smoke launchers and the trademark fuel Price: £36.99 tanks on the T-72 component’s rear. Available from: No markings are provided, as this Creative Models, replicates a demonstration vehicle, but www.creativemodels.uk there are photo-etched brass details.

Scale:

1/35

Price:

£29.99

Available from: The Hobby Company, www.hobbyco.net

POWERFUL PUNCH

KV-5 SOVIET SUPER HEAVY TANK By:

Takom

Item no:

2006

Scale:

1/35

Price:

£49.99

Available from: Pocketbond, www.pocketbond.co.uk

The nickname Terminator is highly appropriate, as this beast looks like the star of a sci-fi film! With a rocky development history, testing of the BMPT Fire Support Combat vehicle has come to fruition. While the design and armament has been updated, Meng’s version portrays the 2009-13 vehicle. With more than 30 individual runners FIRE SUPPORT COMBAT (mostly styrene), it’s packed with parts and stunning detail. The wellVEHICLE ‘TERMINATOR’ appointed turret features twin 30mm By: Meng guns, AT-14 Spriggan anti-tank missile Item no: TS-010 launchers and much more, while the Scale: 1/35 hull front is bedecked with mechanical and electromagnetic mine-clearing Price: £39.99 equipment. Individual track links round Available from: off an amazing kit, which offers three Creative Models, colour schemes seen at Russian Arms www.creativemodels.uk Expo events in 2009, 2011 and 2013.

PRODUCT SPEC

Chinese firm Takom answered many a Russian armour fan’s prayer with this imposing KV-5...a vehicle that never reached the prototype or production stage due to the siege of Leningrad. A sizeable model will be the result here, and the moulding is great...although ‘rivet-counters’ may struggle to level their usual criticism as little reference exists on this machine. Just build it and have fun! The eight dark grey styrene runners are accompanied by a splendid hull and turret, while photo-etched brass replicates the engine cover mesh. No interior detail is provided, but one the real bonus is that individual track links and a turned aluminium barrel are offered, along with a menacing-looking figure with a flame-thrower. Two ‘what-if’ schemes are given, one for a Soviet tank of the 2nd Army at Kursk, 1943, and a Finnish Army example from 1944...the latter with lovely tan, green and grey camouflage.

PRODUCT SPEC

PAPER SOVIET

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ON THE SHELF NAVAL KITS

NUCLEAR CRUISER

STARTER LIFEBOAT

VINTAGE FLAT-TOP

ALL-NEW CARRIER

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Scale:

1/720

Price:

£17.99

Available from: Revell, www.revell.de/en

The USS Saratoga, nicknamed the ‘Sister Sara’, was one of the few aircraft carriers in service at the beginning of World War Two to survive it. Tamiya’s all-new waterline kit is its first Forrestal-class vessel, and contains five grey runners, with exquisitely detailed parts. The most impressive feature is the single-piece flight deck, with beautifully engraved wooden plank detail and delicate raised arrestor cables. All parts are flash-free, and the kit looks to have captured the graceful lines of Sister Sara perfectly. Perhaps the only slight let-down is the number of aircraft included, with just four examples each of Avengers and Hellcats. All CV-3 SARATOGA are moulded with wing-mounted radomes for the night-fighter By: Tamiya variants, although a full nightItem no: 31713 fighter embarked force would Scale: 1/700 only be appropriate for mid- to late-1944. The single scheme is Price: £34.99 of the USS Saratoga as she was Available from: in the 1942-44 period, with the The Hobby Company, Measure 21 two-tone blue/grey www.hobbyco.net camouflage.

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

This latest release from Revell heralds the return of an old favourite, the re-boxing of Italeri’s venerable USS Nimitz from the 1970s. Comprising two light grey styrene runners and a single-piece hull, either a full-hull or waterline version can be built. Although the detail is long in the tooth, the parts are cleanly moulded, with only minimal flash on the smaller components. The single change to the basic Italeri moulding is the inclusion of two lengths of wire, which will require cutting into 15mm sections to replicate the deck edge stanchions and bridge antennae. The excellent decal sheet provides a full set of deck markings along with the ‘68’ numerals - both of the island USS NIMITZ CVN-68 numbers have simulated lighting By: Revell around the edges. A printed Item no: 5130 paper sheet provides ensign and signal flags, which will need to be cutout carefully and dampened before they are draped/attached to the respective jacks or rigging. Overall, a this is a good update to an old model.

Previously only available as an extra to the much larger Herman Marwede rescue cruiser package, Revell has now released the diminutive 31.2ft (9.5m) rescue boat as a complete starter set, which includes a container of Professional Mini cement, paints and a paint brush. Although other lifeboat kits of this vintage have reportedly suffered badly from flash, the parts here are cleanly moulded, and the one-piece hull has only slight sink marks at the SEENOTRETTUNGSBOOT – bow. Given the inclusion of large RESCUE BOAT WALTER transparent window parts, the ROSE/VERENA interior is very visible and it is By: Revell a little disappointing that this area is devoid of any detail to Item no: 05214 speak of. Two colour schemes Scale: 1/72 are provided: Price: £9.99 • Verena, Heligoland Bight, Available from: Germany, 2003-2012 Revell, • Walter Rose, Kiel Fjord, www.revell.de/en Germany, 2013

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

Cyber-hobby has added to its fleet of US Navy subjects, by re-boxing the USS Virginia kit with new decals to produce the USS Arkansas. The ship can be built in either full-hull or waterline formats, and in addition to the styrene parts there is a small photo-etched metal fret, which provides detailed radars, antennae and the deck sidings unique to that class. Although the moulding is of the highest standard, the one slight let-down is with runners B and D, which hail from the 1/700 Sky Wave/Pit-Road series of kits and really could do with updating. The kitsupplied stand has styrene finials to support the ship, and all these USS ARKANSAS CGN-41 need is a good brass finish and the By: Cyber-hobby end result will be fantastic...and Item no: 7124 much cheaper than purchasing Scale: 1/700 real items. The small decal sheet is almost identical to the USS Virginia Price: £29.99 offering, with the only difference Available from: being the hull number and ship Amerang, name, for a standard US Navy Haze www.amerang.co.uk Gray scheme.

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ON THE SHELF FIGURES

FLAT-TOP FLYER

Item no:

USN 01

Scale:

1/32

Price:

£13.50

Available from: MDC, www.modeldesign construction.co.uk

GREY WOLVES

PRODUCT SPEC

Designed to enliven Revell’s giant 1/72 Type IX U-boat, CMK’s trio of Kriegsmarine submariners could also be employed on Revell’s Type VII to good effect. All are posed standing as if on the conning tower, in wet weather gear; two men wear long coats and Sou’wester-style hats, while the other sports a shorter coat with a Kapok life-preserver over the top, and his headgear is a forage cap. Heads and hands are cast separately and will need careful removal from their casting blocks. The detail is good, though and they’ll be a worthy addition to any U-boat build in this scale.

{90}

U-BOAT U-IX – CREW IN RAINCOATS By:

CMK

Item no:

F72250

Scale:

1/72

Price:

€10.30

Available from: CMK, www.cmkkits.com

AIRBORNE ON WHEELS

What a great release from Tamiya in this D-Day anniversary year! Four Paratroopers and two Welbikes come in this splendid package which, although ripe for scenes depicting the invasion in France, they could also portray action at Anzio and Operation Market Garden. The bikes are rendered beautifully, and one also gets a special jig and former to set the correct angle on the photoetched metal spokes; PE drive chains are also supplied. One might have wished to see slightly more definition on the soldiers’ Denison smocks and trousers, and the facial moulding is slightly bland…Tamiya could take a leaf out of MiniArt’s book here, in terms of characterful faces. That said, it’s a neat set with wide appeal, and personal equipment, small arms and tools also feature. BRITISH PARATROOPERS W/ SMALL MOTORCYCLE By:

Tamiya

Item no:

35337

Scale:

1/35

Price:

£14.99

Available from: The Hobby Company, www.hobbyco.net

ELFGIRL By:

MDC

Item no: FMDC103 Scale:

90mm

Price:

£24.95

Available from: MDC, www.modeldesign construction.co.uk

are framed by thick hair, while the beautiful antlerstyle bow is cast in a separate hand. The head and pony-tail are also supplied individually, and there’s a small display base and decorative quiver provided. Apart from a little cleaning up of the parts, imaginative painting is all that’s required to create a stunning miniature.

CHINESE ADVENTURE

BE CAREFUL UP THERE

The second bust from TW, this handsome resin subject is a Captain from a littleknown campaign mounted on mainland China. As such the dress is of the tropical variety, and one has a choice of Wolseley and Brodie helmets. With just three parts to the construction, this will be a quick build and it’s really all about nuanced painting; the components are cast neatly, so no cleaning-up is necessary. A thick moustache adds character to the face, and one can have much fun in replicating the leather of the Sam Browne belt. The choice of headgear, too, is most thoughtful.

Fans of large-scale RAF aircraft, who plan to pose their subjects on a base, now have this decidedly different item with which to tell a story. The WAAF officer in a cross-wind appropriately has her skirt and tunic billowing to one side, and is tall and willowy. The resin figure is cast in just three parts; legs/ torso, head and arms joined at the hands. The pose reflects prayer or pleading, as if she’s looking up at a pilot in his cockpit, wishing him safe return. There’s also a very good anxious look on the face, which only adds to the overall effect. Great with an aircraft or for individual display.

CAPTAIN, 2ND BN SOUTH WALES BORDERERS, TSINGTAO, 1914 By:

Tommy’s War

Item no:

TW10B02

Scale:

1/10

Price:

£30

Available from: Tommy’s War, www.tommyswar.com

PRODUCT SPEC

MDC Wings Cockpit Figures

PRODUCT SPEC

By:

impressively rendered. A life-preserver drapes realistically over the coveralls and a webbing belt, canteen and two pouches raise the detail quota. He’s posed as if holding a wingtip, and also comes with a separate chinstrap for the flying helmet. Superb.

Figure painters who favour fantasy subjects have a fine option in this lithe female. Dressed in a skin-tight bodysuit with overlying stylised armour plates, and high-heeled boots, this resin pony-tailed elf oozes great detail. Pointy ears and well-defined elfin facial features

PRODUCT SPEC

US NAVY PILOT 1941-43

STATUESQUE ARCHER

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

Anyone with Tamiya’s recent Birdcage Corsair, or other earlywar US Navy fighter, can add instant interest with this superbly sculpted resin figure. Mastered in five parts by Nino Pizzichemi, of Tommy’s War fame, this flyer has a smiling face full of life but the flight gear is even more

PRETTY WAAF SECTION OFFICER By:

MDC Wings Cockpit Figures

Item no:

RAF 02C

Scale:

1/32

Price:

£13.50

Available from: MDC, www.modeldesign construction.co.uk

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ON THE SHELF

DECAL SHEETS

GLOBAL GOONEY BIRDS

DOUGLAS C-47 INTERNATIONAL LIVERIES By:

Xtradecal

Item no:

X72-207

Scale:

1/72

Price:

£7.99

Available from: Xtradecal, www.hannants.co.uk

BRIGHT AND BREEZY ‘TIGGERS’ If one loves colourful civilian aircraft then Xtradecal’s ninestrong offering for the Tiger Moth will get the (creative) juices flowing. From orange and silver dope, green and white and overall black, to blue with a blue/white chequered tail, there’s something for any fan of the type here... and it’s a refreshing change from military liveries. If one has Airfix’s new tooling, the vintage moulding or even AZmodel’s kit, then these are for you. Examples include (all UK-based unless stated): • G-ADVZ, Scottish Aviation/12

• C-47D, 26989/14+01, Luftwaffe, 1967 • C-47, 7908/13/78, 13 Wing/78, Malmen, Sweden, 1978 • C-47, ‘73’ (bare metal alternative scheme for the above) • C-47D, N817NA, NASA, 1952-1984 • C-47, TC-34, Fuerza Aerea Argentina, 1982 • C-47/CC-129, 12927, Canadian Armed Forces Training Command

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

Here’s a splendid and most colourful collection of markings for anyone with Airfix’s new C-47, or older Italeri/Esci kits. On the absolutely packed carrier sheet little space is spared, as there’s a wealth of decals for aircraft operated by Canada, Sweden, France, Germany, Argentina and even rocket science specialist NASA. Camouflage and bare metal is enlivened by yellow/orange ID bands, and the interesting nature of the insignia alone will be of huge inspiration. The seven choices are: • C-47DL, 41-18487/87, Esc. 56.S, Aéronavale, France, 1968

DE HAVILLAND TIGER MOTH PT2 By:

Xtradecal

Item no:

X72204

Scale:

1/72

Price:

£7.99

Available from: Hannants, www.hannants.co.uk

ERFTS, Prestwick, 1935 • G-ADOF, Airwork/11 ERFTS, Perth, 1936 • G-ADJJ, Magister Flying Group, Woodley, 1939 • ZK-BFH, Croydon Aircraft Works, Mandeville Airfield, South island, New Zealand • G-ANEN, Berkshire, 2009 • G-AELB, Liverpool Aero Club, 1939

DAZZLING TIGERS

PRODUCT SPEC

A brand new to AMW’s pages, Fündekals offers interesting subjects; one buys the decals on their own and then downloads the colour instructions. This sheet for the C-17A offers one USAF jet, with the remainder being from international air arms, but all are great choices for Revell’s 1/144 kit. The Kuwaiti aircraft in particular is attractive due to the white upper fuselage and national colours cheatline, while sharp printing and thin carrier film should ensure a painted-on look. Federal

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C-17A GLOBEMASTER III By:

Fündekals

Item no: N/A Scale:

1/144

Price:

US $12.00

Available from: Fündekals, www.fundekals.com

Standard codes are quoted. The choices are: • 70044, 445th AW, USAF • KAF 342, 41st TS, Kuwait AF • 100401/1223, UAE AF • 080001/01, NATO Heavy Airlift Wing, Pãpa AB, Hungary • 120204/MAE, Qatar Emiri AF • CB-8001, 81 Sqn, Indian AF

The Tiger Moth is no slouch when it comes to colour, and this generous selection provides international schemes seemingly by the bucket-load. Just three wear the familiar Dark Earth and Dark Green over trainer Yellow...the others have a myriad of shades to add plenty of interest, and one or two builds simply won’t be enough. Of the 14 choices provided, France, Poland, Belgium and the USA are among the user countries, and highlights include: • 30•107, Gruppo 30, Aviación Nacional,

PRODUCT SPEC

INTERNATIONAL HAULERS

DE HAVILLAND TIGER MOTH PT3 By:

Xtradecal

Item no:

X72205

Scale:

1/72

Price:

£7.99

Available from: Hannants, www.hannants.co.uk

Observer School, Spain, mid-1930s • ‘53’, SK.11, Flygvapnet, Swedish Air Force, 1932 • ‘152’, Imperial Iranian AF, 1938-39 • ‘002’/V, Netherlands Navy, 1950s • ‘107’, Força Aérea Portuguesa, Portugual, 1937-40 • ‘133’, Hærens flyvåpen, Norway, 1930s • 2-I-2, Marinha do Brasil, 1935

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ON THE SHELF

DECAL SHEETS

STARS AND BARS

GOLDEN WINGS TRAINERS For anyone with Sword’s limited-run T-33, or even the old Hasegawa boxing, here’s a colourful selection of markings for US Navy and Marine Corps jets. The markings themselves are relatively plain, but it’s the paint liveries that leap out once all are combined; a drone in Engine Gray, Orange Yellow and International orange, and a Marines’ machine in white and Fluorescent Red Orange are the standout examples. The schemes comprise the following options: • TV-2, 138977/146/V, NAS Glenview, Illinois

USAF POST WAR INSIGNIA By:

Fantasy Printshop

Item no:

FP711

Scale:

1/48

Price:

£5.95

Available from: Fantasy Printshop www.fantasyprintshop.co.uk

backing decals are also available for use with the insignia shown here, available from the same firm and coded FP311. Highly useful and of great quality.

TIN TRIANGLE TREATS

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

One can never have too many American ‘Stars and Bars’, particularly when some kit markings can be such a let-down. These are printed beautifully, as one would expect from this noted company, and various sizes are provided; 14in, 15in, 20in, 25in, 30in, 35in, 40in, 43in, 50in and 60in. The red is rich in tone and the blue not too dark as seen on some decals. White

NAVAL T-BIRDS By:

Iliad Design

Item no:

72012

Scale:

1/72

Price:

US $12.00

Available from: Iliad Design, www.iliad-design.com

• TV-2, 131885/29/ZZ, GMGRU-1, mid-1959 • TV-2, 138977/8/MV, Marine Air Squadron 32 • T-33B, 137952/109/4B, Naval Air Training Command, NAS Glynco, 1974 • TV-2, 141532, US Marines, MCAS El Toro, October 1961

COLOURFUL BOMBERS

{94}

AVRO VULCAN B.MK.2 By:

Fündekals

Item no: N/A Scale:

1/144

Price:

US $12.00

Available from: Fündekals, www.fundekals.com

bat, 27 Squadron’s Dumbo and the stylised ‘35’ of, er...35 Squadron! Blue Steel jets also feature, and there’s a full array of national insignia and stencils. The decals are bought and then the instructions are available in computer download form... but they are excellent and full of information. Options include: • XL426, 83 Sqn, Scampton, 1964 • XM650, 1 Group, RAF Strike Command, Giant Voice, 1972 • XH558, 230 OCU, Finningley, 1962 • XM605, 101 Sqn, Waddington, 1980 • XH534 (MMR), 27 Sqn, Scampton, 1978 • XM607, 35 Sqn, Coningsby, 1963 • XM575, 44 Sqn, Waddington, 1982

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

Got a new Great Wall Hobby Vulcan in the stash? If so, don’t ignore this comprehensive collection of markings for the RAF’s most famous jet bomber. The 24 liveries span from 1963 to 1982 and offer AntiFlash White and camouflaged machines. All the cool squadron motifs from the period are here, such as IX Squadron’s green

Sized for the HobbyBoss kits, Furball’s choice selection of schemes for the A-6A/E offers some of the most dazzling tails seen on Intruders. All ten options are for standard Light Gull Gray over white, most with Radome Tan on the nose. Old favourites such as VA-35’s Black Panther are pleasing, but it’s the rarer markings such as the stylised AG on the 1969 VA-65 jet that make the package special. Wing marking plan views for all aircraft are on the comprehensive instructions, along with AIRWING ALL-STAR: INTRUDERS PT ONE By:

Furball Aero-Design

Item no:

48-026

Scale:

1/48

Price:

US $19.99

Available from: Furball Aero-Design, www.furballaero-design.com

a full weapons load guide. Some of the aircraft include: • A-6A, 158043/50/AB, VA-34, USS John F Kennedy, 1976 • A-6A, 152942/400/AG, VA-65, USS Independence, 1969 • A-6E, 159574/500/NL, VA-95, USS Coral Sea, 1977 • A-6A, 156994/50/NE, VA-145, USS Ranger, 1970 • A-6E, 155660/50/NG, VA-165, USS Constellation, 1977

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ON THE SHELF ACCESSORIES

CMK

Item no:

7303

Scale:

1/72

Price:

€5.20

Available from: CMK, www.cmkkits.com

By:

CMK

Item no:

Q72208

Scale:

1/72

Price:

€4.30

Available from: CMK, www.cmkkits.com

CORKING KAREN

FUEL CARRIAGE

BF 109G COCKPIT By:

Eduard

Item no:

648140

Scale:

1/48

Price:

€29.95

Available from: Eduard, www.eduard.com

LITTLE PRINCE PROBOSCES

{96}

By:

Red Zebra

Item no:

N/A

Scale:

1/48

Price:

£7.00

Available from: Red Zebra, E-mail: [email protected]

KH-25ML MISSILE By:

Eduard

Item no:

648160

Scale:

1/48

Price:

€9.95

Available from: Eduard, www.eduard.com

Designed to fit the venerable Matchbox 1/72 Dauphin helicopter, these new nose sections portray those seen on nondescript British SAS (left) and gaudy US Coast Guard machines. The casting is flawless and they'll need just minor cleaning-up before being ready to fit.

PRODUCT SPEC

MODERN PLASTIC JERRY CANS

Carried generally by the MiG-27, Su-24 and Su-17/22, the AS-10 Karen (Kh-25ML) is a welcome addition to Eduard’s growing selection of scale weaponry. Parts for two stores are given here, all in resin, but there is also a full array of stencils on the small decal sheet provided. Clear seeker heads are included, but one also receives protective cover sections for ground portrayal if the jet is parked...and pylon adapter rails.

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

With a wealth of applications for 1/48 military modellers, Red Zebra’s jerry can set offers 12 fuel containers all cast on the same block. The sculpting and detail are great for the scale, although a deft swipe of a scalpel will be required to clear flash from the gaps under the handles. Once that’s done and they’ve received paint, they’ll enliven any build.

Builders of Germany’s underwater assets in World War Two will be interested in this splendid item, designed for Revell’s Type IX U-boat kit. It’s a lovely little rendition of this famous weapon, and comprises 19 resin components. A small photo-etched brass fret supplies hand wheels to boost the already excellent level of detail, and of particular note are the gun cradle and its plinth, both being superb.

PRODUCT SPEC

By:

TYPHOON MK.I EXHAUSTS

Eduard’s cockpit in its recent newtool Bf 109G is respectable, but those seeking even better detail can opt for the firm’s dedicated Brassin ‘office’. Mostly in resin, it features a complete floor, rear bulkhead, seat and alternative gun breech housing, as well as photo-etched metal for the instrument panel, rudder pedals, trim wheel, seat straps and head armour. A great set, which detail hounds will consider well worth the outlay.

U-BOAT SELF-DEFENCE

DAUPHIN HELICOPTER NOSES By:

S&M Models

Item no: N/A Scale:

1/72

Price:

£4.50 each

Available from: S&M Models, www.sandmmodels.co.uk

GERMAN SUBMARINE 8.8CM GUN By:

Eduard

Item no:

672034

Scale:

1/72

Price:

€14.95

Available from: Eduard, www.eduard.com

SCALE SOFT DRINKS No modern military scene involving troops and/ or vehicles, particularly those in Iraq or Afghanistan, should be without some form of hydration. Plus Model’s clear and clear green bottles are perfect for adding life to a diorama or vignette, and come with vague labelling akin to CocaCola, Pepsi and others, via waterslide decals. On top of a tank, in a vehicle or at a road checkpoint... the choices are legion.

PRODUCT SPEC

TAURUS KEPD 350 MISSILE

As pleasing as Airfix’s 1/72 Hawker Typhoon is, moulding restraints mean that the kit exhaust pipes are solid at the ends. These resin replacements from CMK are cast very well and have extra-fine hollow ends for that welcome bit of refinement. Careful removal from the casting block is all that’s required before fitting to the airframe.

LUFTWAFFE ‘OFFICE’

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

This air-launched world of pain is carried by German Tornados, Spanish F-18s and South Korean F-15s, but has been test-flown by Gripen and Eurofighter. CMK’s resin version is beautifully detailed, with separate fins. The folded wings are well rendered as are the intakes, and a full set of metal remove before flight tags are supplied...as is a small decal sheet and PE details.

PERFECT PIPES

PRODUCT SPEC

EXPLOSIVE BULL

PET BOTTLES By:

Plus Model

Item no:

446

Scale:

1/35

Price:

€11.90

Available from: Plus Model, www.plusmodel.cz

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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ON THE SHELF

ACCESSORIES

32519

Scale:

1/32 / 1/35

Price:

US $6.99

Available from: Squadron Products, www.squadron.com

ALTOGETHER... PULL!

PRODUCT SPEC

Here’s an incredibly useful paint set for anyone building military or maritime subjects. Lifecolor offers six acrylic shades with which to replicate the various tones of hemp ropes. Think sailing ships, patrol boats, trucks, heck...even the bumper around a Landwasserschlepper! The hemp colours come in 22ml bottles and are: Dark Umber, Medium Brown, dirty, Worn Out, Weathered and Colourless. HEMP ROPES AND TARPS By:

Lifecolor

Item no:

CS 28

Scale:

N/A

Price:

£16.99

Available from: The Airbrush Company, www.airbrushes.com

By:

Valiant Wings

Item no:

N/A

Scale:

1/72

Price:

£2.50

Available from: Valiant Wings, www.valiant-wings.co.uk

AIRCRAFT SAFETY

Any parked fighter with ordnance replicated in scale form tehnically ought to have remove before flight streamers hanging from its pylons and/or stores racks, if it’s to look accurate. Eduard’s set of two precoloured photo-etched metal RBF tags feature convincing printing of REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT, and the thin wire attachments. The lettering is in both black and white on a red background, and the streamers can be twisted to suit for realism. REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT By:

Eduard

Item no:

32501

Scale:

1/32

Price:

€7.45

Available from: Eduard, www.eduard.com

SPITFIRE MK.II EXTERIOR By:

Eduard

Item no:

32360

Scale:

1/32

Price:

€18.95

Available from: Eduard, www.eduard.com

Zvezda’s impressive kit of the multi-role Su-2 can be improved further with Eduard’s neat photo-etched brass set. It offers details such as engine ignition leads, bomb rack brackets, bomb fuze arming vanes, surface panels, bomb bay walls/door panels, engine cowling straps and undercarriage door linkages, among other features.

PRODUCT SPEC

Item no:

RAF WW2 BOMB SET

SOVIET DETAILS

SU-2 EXTERIOR By:

Eduard

Item no:

48805

Scale:

1/48

Price:

€22.45

Available from: Eduard, www.eduard.com

DAMP AND DANK

ANGLO-FRENCH JET

Kitty Hawk’s Jaguar does have issues in the accuracy department, which will take some effort to remedy. A quick detail ‘fix’, though, can be had with this great set, which offers a multitude of small and medium-sized trademark Jaguar features. Items such as the nose undercarriage bay doors are here, along with jet pipe features, wheel brakes, undercarriage leg hydraulic lines and chaff dispenser grids. JAGUAR GR.I EXTERIOR By:

Eduard

Item no: 48789 Scale:

1/48

Price:

€18.75

Available from: Eduard, www.eduard.com

Anyone building dioramas should check out this neat set, which allows one to replicate lichen and moss in damp areas, such as on old stone/concrete buildings and garden/park features, steps, docksides and the like. The package comprises four pigment powders (Sprout Green, Lush Plant, Fall Season and Rotten Plant), while the Fixer Fluids are Gloss Lime and Gloss Muddy. The process will produce convincing coatings of ‘green stuff’ and has many applications for scenic modellers.

PRODUCT SPEC

True Details

If one has Revell’s new largescale Spitfire begging to be built, why not add extra detail with Eduard’s nifty photo-etched brass parts? This package provides replacement undercarriage doors, wheelbay/leg embellishment, and extras for the radiator and oil cooler. Simple, yet more comprehensive than it first appears, it’ll make a good kit even better. Minor surgery of the base kit is required in places.

PRODUCT SPEC

By:

SPITFIRE IMPROVEMENT

PRODUCT SPEC

COUPLINGS & CONNECTORS

Having already produced 1/48 resin bombs with Trumpeter’s Westland Whirlwind fighter in mind, it now offers these 1/72 examples, which can be fitted to any number of aircraft, such as Whirlwinds, Mustangs, Spitfires and others. The casting is very good, but one must be careful in removing the casting blocks, to avoid losing any of the tail fins. There are two each in 250lb, 500lb and 1,000lb formats.

PRODUCT SPEC

PRODUCT SPEC

True Details’ resin set provides super-detailers with four complete sets of 16 different hose connectors... suitable for engines, hydraulics, wheel bays and a multitude of other uses. All are well cast and have only slight attachment points with the casting blocks, so removal should be quick and easy.

UNDER-WING STORES

PRODUCT SPEC

SUPER-DETAILING

LICHENS & MOSS By:

Lifecolor

Item no:

SPG 06

Scale:

N/A

Price:

£16.99

Available from: The Airbrush Company, www.airbrushes.com

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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KIT COURT

1/72 F-5E TIGER II

Johan de Wolf pleads for a spot-on rendition of Northrop’s ‘Echo’ Tiger

EXHIBIT 1

 Airfix's original F-5E release was followed by a Tigereye reconnaissance version... essentially the same kit apart from the new camera nose section.

M

ore than 1,000 of the real aircraft were built and sold to at least 20 countries...therefore the F-5E is one of the more enduring modelling subjects, with myriad colour schemes. Airfix’s F-5E was first released in 1983 (kit 03040) and re-issued in

1988 with extra parts for the RF-5E (03057). As far as I know the RF-5E kit is still the only example in any scale. This firm’s F-5E has hit the shelves in new boxes with different decals over the years, but neither the E or the RF has appeared in the new red box. But while basically accurate it is a child of its time;

EXHIBIT 2  Italeri released F-5E and F kits many years ago, and they are similar in quality to Airfix's ageing example. The F-model, though, is the only offering in 1/72 scale.

the fit is not great and surface detail is raised and inconsistent. The canopy is rather thick, too, leading to a distorted view of the practically bare cockpit. Italeri’s F-5E and F-5F were both first released in 1982. Again accuracy is good but, while slightly better in places than Airfix’s rendering, the detail is still lacking. The same F-5E runners also appeared in a Tamiya box and under the Testors brand. While the single-seater has been re-released several times, in later boxes with the shark nose, the F-5F has not been re-issued. There are also kits by Trumpeter and HobbyBoss. These are not straight copies of Italeri’s kit, as the parts got shuffled around, but they are basically the same components. The biggest difference is that the panel lines are now engraved. On the HobbyBoss kit this has been done better than by Trumpeter but a major problem with both is that they didn't copy Italeri’s canopy. On the Trumpeter and HobbyBoss kits the windshield is too short and the canopy overlong. Other than by replacing them with items from Italeri or Airfix, this is impossible to rectify. Airfix should examine the parts of Esci’s 1/72 F-5A/B kits, as the format resulted in consistent panel lines over the complete fuselage. I could imagine the basic F-5E kit appearing in a Series 2 box with options for the early and

EXHIBIT

 An inaccurate canopy and windshield spoils HobbyBoss' F-5E kit, but it does have engraved panel lines.

3

shark nose, and small and large fin fillets. In a subsequent Series 3 box an extra runner could be added with parts for the camera nose and an F-model. Legions of jet fans would certainly welcome a new F-5E/F of the same quality as ❚ Airfix’s other recent products.

Hearings ...

If there’s a kit you’d love to see re-released or produced then state your case to the world via AMW. What you need to supply is 300350 words for a ‘reasonable’ case, a good quality photo and two to three high-resolution box-top scans to help illustrate the subject. AMW can’t promise a new kit by the end of the year, but the industry will definitely get to hear a ‘modeller’s case!’ email: chris.clifford@ keypublishing.com

THE NEXT ISSUE IS ON SALE DECEMBER 4* *UK scheduled on sale date. Please note that overseas deliveries are likely to occur after this date.

{98}

Airfix Model World www.airfixmodelworld.com

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10/10/2014 09:09

Hobby Link Japan F_P.indd 1

16/10/2014 10:14

Revell F_P.indd 1

15/10/2014 09:49