Scale Aircraft Modelling 02.2019

4012 FEB (Page 01).
qxp_Layout 1 14/01/2019 23:48 Page 1
First and Best for Reference and Scale

February 2019 • £4.75
Volume 40 • Issue 12
www.guidelinepublications.co.uk
Messerschmitt 209 V4
Special Hobby in 1/72
Scratch-built Scout - Martinsyde S1 in 1/144 Martlet I – Kitbash and Serial Breakdown

Walkaround – Bell P-63 Kingcobra How to Guide – Canopies Continued…
Leiston’s Mustangs – 357FG P-51s in 1/48 American Patrol –More US Miscellany
Call Sign ‘Victory’ Kamov’s Coaxial Clear Prop First Jet F-35A Lightning II
A Tomcat at War Russian Ka-27 Helix Gloster E28/39 Pioneer Easy as ABC
Grumman F-14B in 1/72 HobbyBoss in 1/48 New Kit in 1/72 Meng Models in 1/48
4012 FEB (Page 02).qxp_Scuttlebutt 14/01/2019 02:34 Page 1
Military & Civil Aviation – Military Weapons & Equipment – Naval Vessels
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Condor M Ledet ‘Steinhoff’ JG73- Profile Book No.8 Waterplanes: Flying Russian Aircraft Ty Liberator Handbook Mitsubishi A6M Zero Edition 28
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looking at this iconic D Kehl A detailed lustrated book con- and Amphibians photos, equipment CZECH TEXT. A study A6M7, A6M8 Part 2 guage magazine.
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illustrations. Colour modern Luftwaffe. In additional illustrations 1909/10 to the post- service. RUSSIAN ground of the aircraft. monograph covering emblems, documents
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HB 320pp £58.50 SB 64pp £15.99 HB 136pp £42.00 SB 304pp £37.00 HB 540pp £119.00 HB 127pp £39.90 SB 160pp £28.99
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4012 Showcase 4-5.qxp_Scuttlebutt 14/01/2019 21:05 Page 4
SHOWCASE
S H O W C A S E
Gloster E28/39 Pioneer
By Andy McCabe
Kit No: 72001

Scale: 1/72
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic
Manufacturer: Clear Prop
www.clearpropmodels.com
T
he E28/39 was the forerunner to Britain’s
first operational jet fighter, the Gloster
Meteor, which was powered by the Rolls-
Royce Welland engine, the next stage
development of the Power Jets W.1 engine
employed in the Pioneer. Clear Prop’s kit of the
Gloster E28/39 Pioneer is a brand new release
and features ninety one plastic parts, eighteen
resin, thirty nine photo etch parts, one brass
pitot tube, one decal sheet, one die cut masking
sheet, one instruction booklet and one full
colour painting and marking guide. A complete
engine is included in resin and is beautifully cast,
while etched parts are supplied for the cockpit,
engine and engine intakes, and again are very
nicely made.
The plastic parts are supplied on four sprues
of grey and one clear sprue and parts have very
finely engraved surface detailing.
The instructions are nicely printed in full
colour and have colour call outs for Humbrol
paints. The engine can be displayed either in or
out of the aircraft with the latter being mounted
on its own mounting frame.
For such a small model there are an immense
amount of parts in the box, all of which,
including the box itself, are superbly made and
will make up into a highly detailed model of
Britain’s first jet aircraft.
The Build
I sprayed all of the parts for the interior with
Humbrol 78 Cockpit Grey/Green whilst they
were still on their sprues, then applied a dark
wash and finally dry brushed them with light
green. The assembly then commenced.
There are two main instrument panels
supplied with the kit. You can either use the
injected one with a decal or the acetate and
etched assembly. I used the latter.
The pilot's seat was now assembled, and there
are etched seat belts supplied for this. The
cockpit rear bulkhead was fitted to the cockpit
floor and the pilot's seat, control yoke and
rudder pedals all fitted, resulting in a nice
enough interior assembly for this scale.
The next step was to assemble the air intakes
for both sides. These have three etched vanes for
each, which locate precisely in the slots provided
in the plastic parts. These were then painted
silver and set to one side.
Next up was the engine, which is a resin and
etched assembly and is very nicely detailed in
this scale. Assembly was quite tricky but the end
result does look good. You can either fit the
4 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
4012 Showcase 4-5.qxp_Scuttlebutt 08/01/2019 14:37 Page 5
SHOWCASE
engine into the fuselage or leave it out and fit it

to its own stand. You cannot fit it into the
fuselage and have the engine cover on as well
though, as the cover will not fit properly with the
engine in.
I fitted the engine into the fuselage and then
added the exhaust tube. The intake sides were
fitted into each fuselage half and then the
cockpit was attached before the two fuselage
halves were then glued together.
The main gear bays were now built up in the
upper wing half and then the lower wing half
was glued to the upper part. The flaps were
fitted and then the wings were fitted to the
fuselage.
Two types of tail plane are supplied, either with
mini fins or without. These were fitted to the
fuselage and the tail fin added.
The cockpit glazing was now masked using the
masks provided and then the glazing was glued
into place. There is no provision to leave the
canopy open.
The model was now sprayed with Ultimate Grey
Primer, then the underside was sprayed with
Revell 36310 Lufthansa Yellow, then masked and
Tamiya XF-82 RAF Ocean Grey was sprayed on.
When dry Mr Hobby H73 RAF Dark Green was
sprayed on to complete the camouflage scheme.
The decals were then applied. The numbers for
their location on the instruction sheet do not
conform to the numbers on the decals. The large
decals are easy to work out but the smaller ones
not so. They are however very nicely printed and
apply without any problems.
Decals are supplied for four options:
• Gloster E28/39 W4041 at RAF Cranwell, May
1941
• Gloster E28/39 W4041 at RAE Farnborough,
December 1944
• Gloster E28/39 W4046 at RAE Farnborough,
July 1943
• Gloster E28/39 W4041 at Brockworth, April
1941. This aircraft is left in overall Aluminium
whereas the other three wear the Dark
Earth/Dark Green/Trainer Yellow colour
scheme
A coat of sealant was then applied followed
by a dark wash from Ultimate and a coat of gloss
varnish. The undercarriage was then assembled
and painted and fitted to the model along with
the gear bay doors.
Finally the brass pitot tube was fitted and the
small but perfectly formed model was finished.
Conclusion
This is the first release from Clear Prop and I
have to say I am very impressed with it. For such
a small model there are lots of parts and it is
loaded with detail. This kit takes me back to the
very first model I ever built, which was the
Gloster Whittle Pioneer by FROG if I recall
correctly. This release however is significantly
more detailed.
The Gloster E28/39 was and remains a piece of
British aviation history as it was the first jet
powered aircraft built in Britain, and as such was
a model that was sadly lacking from my
collection. The parts are nicely moulded and fit
together reasonably well, but what sets this kit
apart is the detailed engine. It had to be
modelled fitted, though it’s a pity that the
engine cover wouldn’t fit, but all in all an
excellent kit from Clear Prop of the Gloster
E28/39 Pioneer.
FEBRUARY 2019 • VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 12 5

4012 Contents 6-7.qxp_3601 14/01/2019 20:59 Page 6
CO N T E N T S
SCALE T H I S M O N T H ’
AIRCRAFT
MODELLING
VOLUME: 40 ISSUE: 12
February 2019 Proudly
www.guidelinepublications.co.uk 04 16
Published by Guideline Publications
& printed in the UK
Unit 6, Kensworth Gate, 200-204 High Street South,
Dunstable,Bedfordshire LU6 3HS
Telephone: +44 (0) 1582 668411
Distributed to the UK and International news

trade by:
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MarketForce (UK) Ltd.
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Editor: Gary Hatcher, blisterwhelk@outlook.com
Assistant Editor: Karl Robinson
Associate Editor: Neil Robinson
Newsdesk: Colin 'Flying' Pickett
Book Reviews: Ernie Lee

34 30
News & Industry Editor: Tom Foxon,
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4012 Contents 6-7.qxp_3601 14/01/2019 21:07 Page 7
E D I TO R I A L
’ S F E A T U R E S
I
should like to extend a
warm welcome this
month to the gentlemen
from Crusader Aviation
Photography whose first
article for SAM appears as
our Aircraft in Profile feature.
The provenance of the
Polish Fulcrums is a fascinating topic,
and they have demystified the matter
unequivocally, providing some beautiful
photographs in the process. I can only
regret the limited space I had as there
were so many to choose from. Thanks
chaps, I’ll look forward to your next
piece!
Elsewhere Mr. Brian Derbyshire has
18 unburdened himself of another weighty
piece of research, collating deliveries
and serial numbers of Martlet Is through
04. First Jet 64. Colour Conundrum
the early war years, managing to make
Gloster E28/39 Pioneer Colloquial Colour Conundrums of the
the numbers tally whilst simultaneously
By Andy McCabe Luftwaffe Part One
effecting an excellent kit bash of the
Upper Surface Colours 1939-45
By Paul Lucas type n 1/72.
16. Scratch Built Scout
With Artwork by Jan Polc Readers may have noticed some style
Martinsyde (Martin-Handasyde)
changes throughout the magazine. We
Scout S1
68. Easy as ABC are constantly mindful of feedback from
By Huw Morgan
Lightning II in 1/48 the readership and this attempt to
by Andy McCabe spread some of the articles out a bit is in
18. Call Sign Victory response to comments received from
A Tomcat at War some of our overseas readers at Telford
By Kitti Tatsumaki 87 Martlet I
for whom our graphic style is apparently
The AZ Kit of the Grumman G-36
And Martlet Serial Round-up quite British and might, they feel, benefit
21. Spiral Scratch by Brian Derbyshire from a more Continental approach in
Kamov’s Charasmatic Coaxial some areas.
By Rick Greenwood
Without wanting to fill the magazine
with enormous cut outs of aircraft on
30. Walkaround stark white backgrounds we have been
Bell P-63 Kingcobra happy to give the matter some thought,
By Steve Muth
while taking some pains to ensure our
Peregrine Publishing
core content is not compromised.
34. Leiston’s Mustangs With: As a reader of both Private Eye and

8. Update – our monthly news round-up Railway Magazine, neither of which has
A Selection of 1/48 Scale P-51
Mustangs to a Common Theme 76. Marketplace – product previews and changed their appearance in the last
By Neil Robinson reviews forty years, I suspect I may have been a
84. Stash in the Attic – Trevor Pask works little conservative in my approach of late.
40. Guide to Scale Modelling through the loft insulation Let’s strike a balance…
86. Sub-Cutaneous – under the skin with
Canopy Matters Continued By Gary Hatcher
by Gary Hatcher Paul Lucas
Editor
90. IPMS UK Column with Chris Ayres
92. Books – edited by Ernie Lee
45. Aircraft in Profile 94. American Patrol – US modelling Distributed to the UK and International news trade by
Polish Fulcrums matters with Steve Palmer Intermedia
By Crusader Aviation Photography: http://www.inter-media.co.uk/
via MarketForce (UK) Limited
Patrick Roegies, Paul Gross, Theo 110 Southwark Street, London SE1 0SU
van Vliet and Hans Antonissen http://www.marketforce.co.uk/
Scale Plans and Colour Profiles
By Jan Polc
STORE FINDER
Books-A-Million, Inc. presently operates over 200 stores in 18
58. Racer? Fighter? Cover Artwork:72221 Messerschmitt states and the District of Columbia. To find the store nearest
Messerschmitt Me 209 V-4 Me 209 V-4 by kind permission of your location visit:
By Huw Morgan Special Hobby www.booksamillioninc.com/store_finder/index.html

4012 news page 8-14.qxp_Scuttlebutt 14/01/2019 21:18 Page 8
NEWS BY SORGE
A L L T H E L AT E S T N E W S
a decent price…) or forget about the choice of either using the
accuracy and simply use the plastic injected panel or creating a
Revell Mk IIb, which is more a Mk I more sophisticated replica using
than a Mk II. So the time is ripe no less than six etched parts for
and again it has taken a smaller this.
manufacturer from our friends on
Two sets of propellers with three
the Continent to do an accurate
types of propeller spinner (DH,
Mk I for us.
Rotol and late Jablo-Rotol) are
Following on from a line of Polish- provided along with a Vokes filter
related subjects Wojciech from for a tropical version. Four-spoke
Arma, not unknown to the scene wheels are included - which might
for his excellent PZL-11 to name need a little inflating
only one of Arma´s kits, has
stepped into the gap and Out of the box you can build one
produced a new kit, which topped of the following four aircraft:
Hannant´s best-selling list in less P3059 SD°N, 501 Sqn RAF August
than a fortnight. 1940
AMODEL
The kit comes in an end-opening V7234 SD°A, 501 Sqn RAF August
Two very exciting impending
box with a marvellous painting of 1940
releases from Amodel depict the
two No. 501 Sqn RAF aircraft
remarkable Hansa Jet in 1/72, a R4175 RF°R, 303 Sqn RAF August
scrambling. The downward facing
machine the Editor once craved in 1940
landing light of SD°N indicates
1/144 more than anything back ??284 J, 3 Sqn SAAF Diredawa,
landing but the flaps-up-position
when he was building the Ethiopia 15 March 1941
would more point towards a
Luftwaffe in the smaller scale. Kits
starting scene. The decals are printed by
will be:
Two sprues of hard grey plastic Techmod and contain the
#72328 HFB-320 Hansa Jet necessary markings for the aircraft
with a minimum of flash and
'Lufthansa'
almost no injector marks contain together with two sets of stencils.
#72365 HFB-320 Hansa Jet fifty four parts for a later type Mk I This all leaves little room for the
'Charter Express' with the rectangular hatch on the after-market industry but we will
port side of the fuselage. Forty no doubt see the usual suspects
five further parts are on the offering additions for this kit, too.
5x3cm etched fret to model even
the smallest visible detail of the So to answer the question – is it
aircraft. ‘the ultimate’ Mk I? Yes it is, so well
done Arma! I just started the build
There seem to be a few minor sink
and look forward to sharing the
marks at the tailplane (15) and
results shortly.
undercarriage doors (33, 34) but
we will see after painting if this
might be an issue.
The last sprue contains the
windshield, one canopy each for
both closed and open positions
together with lens and landing
light covers. With the kit comes a
ARMA set of masks for the canopy, lights
Hawker Hurricane Mk I – and wheels, too.
Expert Set Given that A. Bentley´s first set of
By Michael Hase plans are correct (or so we all
AFV CLUB Scale: 1/72 believe) the kit is almost spot on
Kit No: 70019 with regard to dimensions and
UK importers Pocketbond have outlines. Still one can argue about
notified us of two impending
Type: Injection Moulded
Plastic the odd .5mm (and I love to do so)
releases from AFV Club – neither but this seems an academic
of them tanks so take note! Two
Manufacturer: Arma-Hobby
www.armahobby.com discussion in this case. The panel
new-tool 1/48 kits of the U-2 will lines are very subtle and sharp,
make very welcome additions to Did the community need a new
and the fabric covered parts are
many collections. The first is metal-wing Hawker Hurricane Mk AVI MODELS
the best replica I have seen yet on
expected in January 2019 with the I in 1/72? The answer simply was
a Hurricane in 1/72. New from Avi is a de Havilland
follow up expected around April: yes. Until the end of last year you
only had the option of mating the A complete cockpit interior with DH-83 Kiwi Fox Moth in New
#48112 Lockheed U-2A/B Dragon Zealand Service, offering four
‘rag-wing’ Airfix fuselage to an more than twenty five mixed-
Lady (includes sunshade) schemes including the RNZAF. The
AlleyCat resin-wing or try to work media parts as well as a detailed
#48114 Lockheed U-2A Dragon out something acceptable from replica of the boxed in kit, #72007, is injection moulded
Lady RoCAF Black Cat the over rated Hasegawa Mk I (in undercarriage bay are musts for in 1/72.
www.pockebond.co.uk case you were able to get one for nowadays requirements. You have Hannants
NEWS BY SORGE
BUNNY FIGHTER CLUB and indeed all Eduard kits at a knock-

down price, you simply need to join the
Keep up at the back. Bfc membership BFC! This will get you a 15% permanent
entitles you to a host of benefits and club discount at Eduard’s Store, unique
bargains at the most crucial shop online valuable club kits and accessories, even
– and if you are wearing your Bfc better prices at the Eduard event stand
members T-shirt you can, of course, go and a BFC t-shirt with a unique design
and claim additional discounts on and special barcode, used for event
Eduard’s products at various shows at discounts. This exclusive t-shirt will only
which they are trading! be available to members of BFC. You’ll
So be sure to grab the new Bfc boxing also get free entry at E-day so check out
and keep an eye on the website for more the website for full details.
special editions. These are always worth www.eduard.com/bfc/
getting your hands on, but some are
available only to loyalty club members so
if you want to be sure of getting these,
#72014 Percival Proctor Mk III

Hannants
DORA WINGS EDUARD

Time for an update from Dora The next Limited Edition due from
GREAT WALL HOBBY
Wings. Kits due soon: Eduard is a real corker offering New releases scheduled from
1/48 one Fw 190D-9 and one Bf 109G- GWH:
#48005 Percival Vega Gull 14 (G-14/AS) in 1/48 scale - the #1006 1/144 Messerschmitt Me-
#48006 Percival Proctor Mk III very first release of the Bf 109G- 323D-1
1/72 14/AS version in this scale. The kit #4821 1/48 Lockheed T-33A Late
#72007 Westland Wallace is focused on German aircraft that Version
#72008 Westland Wapiti participated in Operation #4810 1/48 Sukhoi Su-35S ‘Flanker
#72009 Fairey Delta FD.2 Bodenplatte on January 1, 1945 E’ PLAAF
#72013 Bellanca CH-400 www.eduard.com Hannants/Stevens International
NEWS BY SORGE
We look forward to seeing what a rather uncomfortable amount of

the aftermarket is going to make cash.
of this one… Long-time readers of these pages
Creative Models/Squadron will recall the editor bemoaning of
the lack of such a kit, and now
suitably silenced he can move
onto a new subject (Blackburn
Blackburn perhaps…).
In addition to the Gannet, Alan
also has a resin kit of the Bristol
Brabazon in 1/144. This is a
substantial tooling with a solid
HAWKEYE fuselage and wings consisting of
an array of resin parts, including
Thanks to Hawkeye Models clear windows and windscreen
Australia for pointing out an error should you wish to hollow out the
in our piece on the Boeing P-8 requisite areas to install them. For
Poseidon, Volume 40 Issue 07 those of you not wanting to do
September 2018. Reference is this the kit also includes decals for
made to the availability of a the windows, along with a set of
conversion set for the RAAF markings for this last hurrah of the
Wedgetail, which is attributed to large British prop-liner.
OzMods. Please note the set is
Alan lives in Iceland, so it’s best to
produced by OzMods for Hawkeye
contact him by email at
Models Australia who sell this
alanwilson042000@yahoo.co.uk or
conversion set. Check out the HOBBY 2000 find him at select UK shows as he
website at A new name to us here. Hobby intends to bring a small stock with
www.hawkeyemodels.com.au for 2000 have three 1/72 kits him to demonstrate his wares.
further details. announced for impending release: Rumour has it he may be at the
#272006 Macchi MC.202 Folgore Huddersfield/Halifax show, so
North Africa 1942 keep an eye open!
#272007 Macchi MC.202 Folgore
Russia 1942
#272008 Macchi MC.202 Folgore
370a Squadriglia, Italy 1943
These are reboxings of the
Hasegawa kit. UK importer is
Hannants
MACH 2
Forthcoming 1/72 releases from
Mach 2:
#095 Bristol Britannia Monarch
#096 Bristol Britannia Caledonian
#097 Bristol Britannia British Eagle
#098 Bristol Britannia BUA/British
United
#099 de Havilland Comet 4C Dan-
Air London
#100 de Havilland Comet 4C RAF
ICELANDIC FINE ART Hannants/Stevens International
A very exciting and complete
surprise to the editorial staff
present at the London Show was
the arrival of Alan Wilson’s resin
1/48 kit of the Fairey Gannet
AEW3. Consisting of a number of ICM
resin parts (forty six in total) plus
New releases from ICM have
four clear resin parts for the
included the 1/48 Ju 88C-6b
canopy and windows, the kit parts
Nightfighter and the Bu 131B in
are free from air bubbles. The kit
1/32, this latter complemented by
includes a set of decals as well.
a set of Luftwaffe cadet figures.
Alan was at pains to explain that
Looking ahead we note a number
the kit is very much a starting
of interesting new releases
point for the modeller, allowing
HOBBYBOSS them to add and alter the parts to
including a 1/32 Ki-86a/K9W1
The HobbyBoss 1/32 B-24J detail the Gannet to their taste,
Cypress, a Bucker Bu-131A, and MINIWING
most welcome of all, a 1/32 The next upcoming plastic kit in
Liberator is now among us, and and certainly on first viewing the
Gloster Gladiator Mk I. This latter is 1/144 from Miniwing will be a
the D is on its way. First box contains the parts to build
due in the fourth quarter of 2019. General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper.
impressions suggest very good something very special indeed.
value for money, with a retail price Previous to this the only way to In 1/48 the big news is the Expected release date is Spring
of £149.99. If you want to go large produce a model of the Gannet announcement of two new tools – 2019. This kit features detailed
and can’t wait for all those AEW.3 was to hunt down that rare a Dornier Do-217N-1 and a B-26B- undercarriage full armament, and
Lancasters then here is a good creature that is the Dynavector 50 Invader. many more details.
place to start! vacuum formed kit and part with Hannants/Stevens International www.miniwing.cz
NEWS BY SORGE
floatplane (#92225). The Nakajima engine cowling already included.

E8N was a Japanese ship-borne, The resin radiator is different, and
catapult-launched, the new issue includes a vacuum-
reconnaissance seaplane of the formed canopy for the rear
Second Sino-Japanese War. It was observer's position. The thirty six
a single-engine, two-seat biplane resin parts look to offer some very
with a central main-float and nice detail for the interior, which
underwing outriggers. During the should be visible through the
Pacific War, it was known to the extensive glazing.
Allies by the reporting name Special Hobby have gone to town
‘Dave’. A total of 755 E8Ns were SWORD
on the markings, with four
built by Nakajima and Kawanishi, interesting schemes offered; two Three new 1/72 releases are due
production continuing until 1940. in aluminium with black hull from Sword:
RODEN www.rsmodels.cz bottoms, of SHM 2, Saigon in 1940 #72121 Republic P-47N
Marvellous isn’t it! Just when a and esc. 19S-1 (Vichy) Tripoli in Thunderbolt
really good book appears on the 1941, an olive/black/red airframe #72122 McDonnell F3H-2 Demon
type a whole bunch of kits start to of esc. 1/CBS, Cochin in 1944 and
appear. Latest on the Bird Dog is #72123 McDonnell F3H-2N/M
an aluminium/black aircraft of esc.
another 1/32 release from Roden: Demon
17S.2 (Vichy) Martinique 1942,
# 629 L-19/O-1 Bird Dog complete with yellow and red Hannants/UMM-USA
Floatplane Vichy stripes. At the time of
A small number of О-1s were writing there's not much available
converted into seaplanes with the as add-ons from the aftermarket, -
usual wheeled undercarriage masks from Montex and MH
removed, and replaced by floats. models and decals from Berna
In order to improve the being all that I could find.
aerodynamic characteristics and Well done to Special Hobby for
counter the significant air continuing to offer this fascinating
resistance offered by these, the subject.
vertical tail also underwent Further releases for early 2019 will TRUMPETER
changes, it being necessary to include the following: Two new releases from Trumpeter
install two small additional notified by Pocketbond:
#72372 Blohm Voss BV 155B-1
vertical fins. O-1E seaplanes could
'Luftwaffe 46 High Altitude #03227 1/32 P-40F Warhawk all
be flown from relatively small
Fighter' metal version with Packard Merlin
bodies of water, such as small
#72397 1/72 Breda Ba.88B Lince engine
lakes, or rivers with narrow
channels. #72375 1/72 Fouga CM.170 #05806 1/48 L-59 Albatros
Its use was rather limited, and the Magister/IAI Tzukit 'IAF' www.pockebond.co.uk
army did not show great interest. SPECIAL HOBBY www.specialhobby.eu .
Today, there are only a few extant Loire 130Cl 'Colonial'
Huw Morgan UK Importers
examples of these floatplanes, all Scale: 1/48
privately owned by enthusiasts. Kit No: SH48173 Pocketbond:
The kit offers markings for L-19/0- Type: www.pocketbond.co.uk
1E, S/N 51-15081, unknown unit, Injection Moulded Plastic 01455 841756
USAF, mid 1960s. The Hobby Company:
With its far-flung colonial www.hobbyco.net 01908 605686
www.roden.eu presence in South-East Asia and Hannants: www.hannants.co.uk
Africa in the 1920s and 1930s, the 01502 517444
French Navy made widespread Creative Models:
use of flying boats in policing its www.creativemodels.co.uk
possessions and protectorates, 01354 760022
each of its major warships usually Amerang: www.amerang.co.uk
carrying detachments of two or 01482 887917
three aircraft. Wingnut Wings:
In 1933 a need arose for a new www.wingnutwings.com
reconnaissance and light bomber
aircraft to be catapult launched US Importers
and having an endurance of more Atlantis: www.atlantis-models.com
than seven hours. Whilst a Dragon USA:
number of companies bid for the www.dragonmodelsusa.com
contract, the winner was the Loire 626-968-0322
130, a shoulder-wing monoplane STRANSKY KITS Linden Hill Imports:
with a 720hp Hispano-Suiza V12 Two useful new releases from www.lindenhillimports.com
in pusher configuration that gave Stransky in 1/144: 914-734-9616
it a cruising speed of just over MRC: www.modelrectifier.com
100mph (164km/h. The 130 was #1403 Gates Learjet 35A with
decals for Wards Express, Air Net 732-225-2100
produced in two versions; the Rare-Plane Detective: www.rare-
130M for service in and around Systems N27TT ‘Remembering
9/11 USA’, and ADAC Ambulance planedetective.com 702-564-2851
Metropolitan France, and the Sprue Brothers:
130Cl for overseas use, this latter #1404 Gates Learjet 35A with www.spruebrothers.com
having a strengthened airframe decals for C-21A Air Mobility 816-759-8484
and bigger radiator. Command, USAFE, a US Air Squadron: www.squadron.com
Special Hobby have had a 1/72 Ambulance, the Austrian 877-414-0434
scale Loire 130Cl in their Auromobile motorcycle car club Stevens International:
catalogue for several years, and and GFD GmBH a German www.stevenshobby.com
RS MODELS this latest appears to be a re-issue company for dragging aerial 856-435-7645
Due soon from RS Models is a new of the Azur 130M of 2006, which targets UMM-USA: www.umm-usa.com
tool of the Nakajima E8N2 had the plastic parts for the larger Hannants/Stevens International 847-537-0867
2 Scout Pages 16-17.qxp_Scuttlebutt 08/01/2019 12:09 Page 16
M A R T I N S YD E S C O U T S 1
Martinsyde (Martin-Handasyde) Scout S1

By Huw Morgan
Drawings are essential for shaping the main

components. Scaled down, they can be
printed and used as templates
T
he IPMS Special Interest Group for 1/144 a leading operator of the Thor IRBM, finally
scale, SIG144, is often compared to a game disbanding for good in August 1963.
of two halves; whilst some members tend With around thirteen aircraft types
to build from available kits, sometimes with representing the squadron's history, my modest
some modification, an equal number of our contribution would be somewhat outside my
members push the boundaries by scratch comfort zone in the form of a scratch built
building models of all sorts of exotic, bizarre and Martinsyde S1. I borrowed some parts from
obscure items, mostly aircraft but also vehicles elsewhere, so purists probably wouldn't agree
and medieval siege engines. Springing out of a with the scratch built description.
conversation at Scale ModelWorld 2017, we
decided for the 2018 event to build a model of Founded in 1908 by partners H.P. Martin and
The barrel top to the front deck was formed George Handasyde, the original company of
by bending strip in hot water one of each of the aircraft operated by RAF 144
Squadron in its rather chequered history. Martin and Handasyde built a series of
indifferent monoplanes but their biggest
144 Squadron was formed initially in Port Said success came with the biplane S1 (Scout) single
in Egypt in March 1918, deployed to provide seater, prompting a change of company name to
reconnaissance support to the army in Palestine, Martinsyde in 1915. The company went on to
and equipped with a ragbag of B.E2e, R.E.8, build a series of aircraft for the RFC, including
B.E.12 and Martinsyde S1 aircraft. This some B.E.2cs and S.E.5as under subcontract
deployment was short lived however and by before realigning to concentrate on
mid 1918 the unit was reconstituted as a day manufacturing motorcycles.
bomber squadron equipped with Airco D.H9s,
and helped chase the Turks out of Syria. The The first step with scratch building is to
squadron was disbanded in February 1919. undertake as much research as possible,
Reformed in January 1937, initially using including sourcing drawings if at all available.
Boulton Paul Overstrand aircraft temporarily Fortunately, whilst information on the
supplemented by Ansons and Hawker Audaxes, construction of the S1 is sparse, the Internet
the squadron's equipment was eventually does offer several sets of drawings and colour
updated with Blenheim Mk Is, converting to profiles, although as ever some caution is
Handley Page Hampdens in 1939. By 1942 the needed since many images are wrongly
With flat sides and floor, the fuselage is
squadron had transferred to Coastal Command captioned.
relatively straightforward
and moved to Leuchars, where its Hampdens Having found what looked to be a
were modified for torpedo bombing and the representative set of drawings, I was able to
unit was detached to the USSR to protect resize these to 1/144 scale using a basic photo
northern convoys. On their return to the UK in editing package, printing them out and using
1943, 144 Squadron converted to the cut out pieces glued to plastic card to form the
Beaufighter Mk VIc and subsequently the main airframe components. The upper and
Beaufighter TF Mk X. Following a spell with the lower wings were straightforward, after cutting
Banff Strike Wing, the unit suffered its second to shape from 0.75mm stock they were sanded
disbandment in May 1943. Resurrected for a on the upper surface to form the aerofoil
second time in December 1959, the unit became section, although I didn't bother trying to
I masked the wings and tail between the rib

locations and spayed heavy coats of primer
over the whole lot. Gentle sanding back left
the ribs proud of the surface
2 Scout Pages 16-17.qxp_Scuttlebutt 14/01/2019 20:53 Page 17
M A R T I N S YD E S C O U T S 1
replicate the under surface camber. There are a had for the sake of convenience. Copying what I
number of options for representing the wing tend to do on larger scale biplanes, I did the bulk
ribs, including drawing them in with pencil, of the rigging before fitting the upper wing
home printed decals or scribing. I decided using Uschi van der Rosten standard thread, not
however to represent the slightly raised ribs by stretched too hard in deference to the fragility of
masking to leave narrow strips at the rib the whole ensemble. I find that the trick with
positions, which I emphasised with several coats this material is to use only very fresh superglue
of primer. Removing the masking and gentle to bond it, and if the first attempt fails, cut back
sanding left some convincing raised detail. I the thread by a centimetre or so to offer a clean
used the same technique on the tailplanes, end. Dipping the thread in accelerator does help
which were cut from 0.5mm card and slightly the bond but one has to be super precise in
profiled. It's worth pointing out that the wing positioning, since there's no second chance.
sections are 60mm in span and 10mm in chord! I'd intended doing the majority of the
The S1 has a conveniently flat sided fuselage painting before final assembly, but a couple of
with a flat floor and peaked upper rear deck, all incidents of hamfistedness convinced me to add
lending themselves to being built up from flat the upper wing to provide some rigidity to the
sections. The only complex part is the barrel structure.
shaped forward deck and the compound curve
The nature of biplane model construction
of the nose. I formed the deck by bending a
means that painting tends to occur throughout
piece of plastic card around a tube, setting the
the build. In this case the bulk colour of Mr
curve by immersing in hot water then cold, and
Hobby Hemp (H334) was applied before fixing
used ribs padded out with filler to form the A simple jig was used to align the brass
the upper wing, and the forward cowling was
shape of the nose. I added a tiny instrument interplane struts
brush painted with diluted Vallejo 994 Dark
panel under the curved deck, and made a seat
Grey, which was also used for the tyres. Mr
from a piece of thin walled tube to which I
Hobby H30 clear prepared the wing and
added lead foil belts. At the front of the fuselage
I made a representation of the Gnome engine fuselage surfaces for decals. The roundels came
using various sizes of plastic rod, although the from a Blue Rider sheet marketed by Miniscale
bulk of it ended up hidden behind the cowl. (MS-006) of World War I markings and the
individual numbers for the 240 serials from an
With the lower wing fixed to the completed Xtradecal sheet.
fuselage The locations of the interplane and
cabane struts were measured and marked, Final additions were a wire tail skid and a
shallow drill marks being made at the locations Lewis gun from an indeterminate gun body
of the former on the upper surface and lower dressed up with a disc magazine, gun grip and
surface of the lower and upper wings wire mount.
respectively. I made the struts themselves from This was my first real nearly scratch built
brass strip 0.1mm by 0.8mm, tapering the ends, project, complicated by the small scale, but
and made the cabane struts from plastic strip. I hugely satisfying nonetheless. My respect for my
made a simple jig to help in gluing the struts to SIG144 colleagues and other modellers who do Most of the rigging could be fixed before the
the lower wing, although I did need to reglue this all the time has increased substantially. Will I upper wing. Note the plastic strip
one or two several times. I built up the do another? Definitely, provided it has flat sides, undercarriage and representation of the
undercarriage using plastic strip and rod and although I confess I'm looking at those Valom Gnome engine
stole a pair of S.E.5a wheels from a Valom kit I kits with a new eye...

4012 Tomcat Pages 18-20.qxp_Scuttlebutt 07/01/2019 22:09 Page 18
F - 14 B TO M C AT
A Tomcat at War
By Kitti
Tatsumaki
The level of detail offered and the quality of this

set is really top-notch, being both easy to fold gone
and nicely produced. The only tricky part was on completely, and all
the port side of the nose where I spent a good that is required is a little sanding work to make
two hours just to cut out and touch up three sure everything is smooth and round again, after
slots for boarding steps and ladders. which I rescribed any missing detail, again with
After spraying the cockpit interior with Mr. the 0.2mm scriber.
Hobby 317 I started to hand paint the The exhaust nozzles were a prototype set
instrument panels. I use Vallejo AV 70.950 for the kindly sent by Dream Model from their factory in
main panels with various details picked out in Shanghai. These were painted initially with a
white, red and blue. gloss black base, then Gunze 28 Steel, followed
Kit No: 80277 by AK841 Polished Aluminium and then with a
The clear canopy had a long seam line in the
Scale: 1/72 middle but after some careful sanding and few layers of very diluted Gunze 09 Gold. I added
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic polishing using Tamiya’s Polishing Compound a light filter with Burnt Umber oils.
Manufacturer: HobbyBoss the seam line was history. I polished the canopy Intake and landing gear bays are painted with
Creative Models/Squadron with coarse grade first, to remove most of the Gaia 031 Ultimate White, and any gaps around
seam line and to level the surface. The medium the intakes were made good by using Perfect
T
he Grumman F-14 Tomcat has been one of grade improves the smoothness and finally the Plastic water based putty. By using a preprinted
my favorite jets for as long as I can fine finishing compound more or less polishes masking set I’d been able to make short work of
remember. This sleek supersonic fighter, the canopy to a clear sheen. the windshield and canopy.
with its unmistakable variable sweep wings, is
With the cockpit assembled and painted I was After a session of filling and sanding any flaws
recognized all over the world. My latest project
able to join the upper and lower fuselage halves around the airframe I primed the whole model
has been a HobbyBoss F-14B Tomcat which I will
and to add the nozzles. I found quite a problem with Mr. Finishing Surfacer 1500 Grey. With this
be building using the VF-103 marking. VF-103,
with the fit in the area of the rear formation done I then wet sanded the airframe with a 3M
Fighter Squadron 103 (FITRON 103), nicknamed
lights where there was a bit of a step between Microfine sanding sponge to remove all
The Jolly Rogers, was established in 1952. The
the two fuselage sections. I applied some three unwanted particles that might form on the
squadron's radio call sign is Victory and it is
second superglue to the area and sanded it a surface due to humidity and air pressure issues. I
assigned to Carrier Air Wing Seven. VF-103 was
few times with different grit sanding sponges find wet sanding is essential after the application
among the Navy's last fighter squadrons to
until it all looked smooth. Panel lines were of Surfacer to avoid any unpleasant blemishes.
transition to the Tomcat
rescribed with a 0.2mm scriber and the rivets While waiting for the Surfacer to cure I started
I used Dream Model’s etched detail set deepened by using a needle. the detailing work on boarding ladders and
DM0540 to dress up the cockpit and fuselage.
I added pylons for AIM-54, AIM-7 and AIM-9 landing gear. The
Everything went smoothly, and eighty percent of
missiles. All under wing stores were provided by trickiest part about the
the etched
HobbyBoss except for the LANTIRN pod, which ladders was fitting
parts
came from Hasegawa’s Aircraft Weapons Set IX 0.3mm copper rod
went on
35114. I removed the seam lines with a through a needle
without
handy ceramic knife. With just a few hole. By
any big
scrapes they are
problems.
US Navy F-14B Tomcat BuAerNo. 162918/AA100 of VF-103 Jolly Rogers, Operation Iraqi Freedom III, USS John F. Kennedy CV-67 NAG, November 2004
18 w w w. s c a l e a i r c r a F t m o d e l l i n g . co. u k
F - 14 B TO M C AT
Dream Models etched

nozzles compared to
the kit parts
referring to photos of the real preshadings. This trick will make

aircraft I was able to add further the fading effects look more
details to the landing gear, such as natural. Finally, with a combination
hydraulic hoses, pipes, wires and of Tamiya XF-2 Flat White and XF-10
springs, a task that occupied me for Flat Brown I did some colour
some three hours in the end. balancing. Once I was satisfied I
I had decided to open up the sealed the model with Mr. Color
radome and show the radar. Dream GX100 Super Clear III to prepare it
Model fortunately make a set of for the next stage, decalling.
etched parts for the AN/AWG-9. It is HobbyBoss’s decals are very thin
designed to be used with and have good adhesion, and with
Hasegawa F-14A so the size was a these in place another
little bit off when installed into the coat of Super Clear III
HobbyBoss F-14B, but it still looks was added to protect
okay. the decals.
With the fuselage, wings and tail I used AK2072

fins assembled the aircraft was now Paneliner for Grey and
ready for the painting stage. I Blue Camouflage for
began by preshading the panel panel lining and
lines with Gaia Notes 032 Ultimate washing.
Black. Using Gunze 315 FS16440 as This
the main colour, I did
some light random
spraying so as not to
completely cover the
earlier
FEBRUARY 2019 • VolUmE 40 • IssUE 12 19

F - 14 B TO M C AT
product is very simple but very away with AK Odorless Thinner,

effective. All you have to do is to X-20 Enamel Thinner or even
apply the enamel based wash, Zippo lighter fluid. Then you
leave it to dry for about thirty have a fresh clean slate to work
minutes and then clean the excess on again. Think of every Super
with a cotton bud. For the hydraulic Clear III coat as a new canvas.
fuel stains on the wings and fuel The weapon load provided
tanks I used both AK2039 Kerosene by HobbyBoss consists of the
Leaks and Stains and AK 084 Engine standard AIM-7, AIM-9 and
Oil. For each layer of weathering AIM-54.A couple of spots of
and wash, I add a protective coat of my usual three second
Super Clear III. This is a very superglue made short work of
challenging stage for me because mounting them to the Tomcat.
once these effects sealed, there is The final stage was to give the
no going back and you can only model a topcoat of semi gloss. For
correct the current layer. So getting the finishing touch both sides of
them absolutely right is very the canopy were cleaned with an
important. antistatic window cleaner to ensure
Finally we reach the post a crystal clear finish.
shading stage. Here I used And with that, the F-14B
Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black, XF-2 Flat Tomcat of VF-103 Jolly
White and AK2071 Paneliner for Rogers was finished
Brown and Green Camouflage.
These are enamel based and will
not affect the previous layer, which
is protected by the lacquer based
Super Clear III. If you’re not happy
with the effects done on the
current layer, you can wash them
20 w w w. s c a l e a i r c r a F t m o d e l l i n g . co. u k
4012 Helix Pages 21-28.qxp_Scuttlebutt 15/01/2019 11:42 Page 21
K A M O V K a - 27
Kamov’s Charasmatic Coaxial

By Rick Greenwood
W Then the major cockpit items were also secured

white. in place using Tamiya Extra Thin Cement. The
The large rack located on the starboard side was
parts map then constructed and the joints cleaned up in
is featured preparation for priming. All the remaining
on page two interior parts except the seats were then sprayed
Russian Ka-27 Helix
while with AK interactive grey filler primer and set
Kit No: 81739 construction commences on page three. Colour aside to dry.
Scale: 1/48 call outs where provided are by name and Gunze
Aqueous range numbers. A small paint cross Painting of the major assemblies was carried
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic reference guide is provided at the bottom of out using Gunze Medium Sea Grey for the floors
each page of the glossy full colour paint and and structures. Equipment boxes and the various
Manufacturer: HobbyBoss
decal diagrams in A4 format. radar and instrument panels were painted in
Creative Models/Squadron Soviet Cockpit Green before detail painting of
Markings for two helicopters are included in the dials and gauges took place. A pleasing
What’s in the Box? the kit, these being Russian and Ukrainian Navy effect was obtained by careful hand painting
examples in similar blue grey camouflage and an application of a dark wash to add depth
H
obbyBoss box artwork can leave a lot to colours. The decals are just passable and look to
be desired at times, but in this case and shadow. To finish off the panels they were
be quite well printed with no registration issues dry brushed with Light Aircraft Grey to add the
reasonable digital artwork adorns the lid noted in the review kit. An A4 product
featuring the Helix in action. Lifting the lid highlights.
information sheet concludes the box contents.
reveals well packaged components presented The instruments themselves were replicated
admirably, whetting the modellers appetite for using thinned Tamiya clear green pooled into
the build to come. Let’s Get Started the raised circles of the instrument bezels to
The ten plastic sprues feature the company’s Taking a look at the first few stages of the depict the powered down appearance of a blank
normal mid grey coloured plastic that exhibits instruction book shows a good level of internal screen.
well rendered surface detail with engraved and detail for the rear cabin areas along with a well The rear cabin area was weathered in the
raised features where required. A single clear appointed cockpit. To get things off to a start all same manner using Flory Models dark wash to
sprue contains the single part windscreen and the parts were identified and removed from good effect to create depth around the raised
nose along with the front cabin doors. Another their sprues to have the prominent parting lines detail while dry brushing the lighter shade of
three small windows are included for the and sprue attachment scars cleaned up. grey made the high areas stand out more. The
fuselage side and rear access door. Quick The two rear most racks and equipment boxes effect was purposefully overdone to compensate
inspection revealed no obvious shortcomings were built up and glued in place before for the dark interior as little light would
with the plastic. attaching the larger of the two side wall detail penetrate this far back when complete.
A metal rotor shaft and a small etched metal parts.
sheet are welcome additions to the plastic parts.
The instruction booklet is spread
over twelve pages and
printed in black
and

K AMOV Ka-27
Plastic contents
provided
Printed
material
contain
ed in Closer inspection of
the kit the main runners
The fuselage sports nicely

rendered surface detail that is both
raised and recessed as required
All the internal parts were painted

after some basic construction
Take a Seat matt varnish sealed all the effects in place and Simply sanding the edges to reduce its size
work to join the fuselage could commence. corrected the fit and so little remedial work
Or should that be four?
The roof of the interior is a bare featureless bit would be needed later on.
The kit supplied items are okay and are made
of plastic that needed the addition of a couple of Don’t forget to add the fuselage side windows
up of a solid seat bucket to which the modeller
items before it could be glued in place. The at this point as they can’t be added from the
adds the seat cushions and backrests. They
overhead control console for the cockpit was outside.
should suffice with the addition of added seat
added before the gear system for the coaxial The fuselage sides were then joined together
harnesses if the cabin doors are to be in the
rotor blades. HobbyBoss give the modeller the and secured with rubber bands. Cocktail sticks
closed position. I opted for the resin Quickboost
inner geared tooth system so in theory the were inserted each side of the seam to raise the
examples for this build, as the cockpit side doors
model could have workable rotor blades but in band to keep it clear of the Tamiya Extra Thin
were to be posed open, as well as the rear side
practice the rotor head and blades are a bit on cement when applied. This avoids any little
door. These were painted up using a variety of
the delicate side so they were glued in place. accidents with the glue seeping under the
colours, to represent the different areas of the
seat and its restraining system. Test fitting revealed that the pre-assembled rubber bands and destroying the surface of the
interior floor fitted well with the exception of the plastic in that area.
They were then given a dark dirt wash and
rear bullhead. This wanted to push the rear of On the whole the fuselage fit was good with
superglued in their respective locations around
the engine decking apart when the fuselage was just the belly needing a bead of filler running
the cabin area.
closed up resulting in a small gap that would along it to blend it all together.
With the interior now completed a coat of require the use of filler.
K A M O V K a - 27
The internal areas

completed sans
seats and waiting
to be installed
Internal detail is
good as seen here
The detail
contained on
the instrument
and equipment
panel looks the
part after
careful painting
Painted up the resin seats add real interest to

the front of the internal cockpit area and will
be really visible when the model is completed
Bits and Pieces Life was made a little easier by crossing the cementing together. Hub detail is adequate for
part numbers out in the instructions as work the scale.
As with most helicopters the outside of the
progressed. After a quick seam check and With the fuselage now completed the first
airframe is covered in a mass of fixtures and
application of Mr Surfacer 500 the remaining coat of primer was applied to check the surface
fittings. The first of these to be tackled was the
grab handles were added so they weren’t put at for finger prints, glue smudges, and any other
rear tail section. Pay attention to the orientation
risk of breakage through handling. remaining seams and flaws.
of the horizontal surfaces as they can only be
installed one way round. Failure to do this will To finish the major build part of the project
result in the modeller not being able to add the the landing gear was attached in place. This was
supporting braces underneath. To avoid found to be a little tricky aligning the parts but Spinning Around
confusion each of the parts was removed in turn with careful application of Tamiya Extra Thin the Attention now turned to the other major part
and added to the airframe as suggested in the various items were held in place while their of the build, the rotor blades.
instruction booklet. Then it was a case of arrangement was checked. Once dry the parts The Helix features a coaxial rotor blade system
working around the airframe following the are surprisingly strong. that uses contra rotating blades rather than the
instructions and adding the individual parts as All four wheels are split vertically into two traditional single set of blades utilising a tail
suggested. sections that require rotor to combat the torque

K AMOV Ka-27
The kit seats

were
replaced by
resin
aftermarket
items from
Quickboost
The fuselage
sections were
held together
with rubber
bands while the
glue set
Careful dry fitting results in a

neat joint with only minimal Some of the larger airframe details added and
remedial clean up required a little Mr Surfacer to take care of some seams
generated. The plastic blades feature some nice replica of the completed area was easily painted in Light Gull Grey and not as suggested
detail both raised and engraved and a small reproduced from the box and would look great with the undersides painted in a darker shade.
amount of blade droop is moulded in place. with some added lead wire to replicate the The leading edges of each blade were then
Constructed followed the suggested sequence original’s hydraulics etc. masked and painted in the suggested H301
in stage three CC of the instruction booklet. Checking references for the colour of these Engine Grey. Each tip was first masked and a
The lower portion of the assembly was built parts was required as HobbyBoss fail to inform coat of Alclad White Primer laid down in
up first and allowed to dry fully. It was found the modeller of any matches. References used preparation for the addition of the orange. Once
easier to fit parts G2 in the first instance without for this build showed a darker Blue/Grey colour the paint had dried weathering was
glue. This facilitated the insertion of the control than the airframe so XA1126 FS15237 was used accomplished with a dark dirt wash to highlight
rods G14. Their fixed end was secured in place from the Xtracrylix range. The rotor stubs were the raised ribs on each blade, before sealing in
with a small amount of liquid glue to part E50. then painted black as with another coat of MRP flat varnish.
described in the instructions.
Each of the rotor stubs was then aligned with The blades were then added to each
A dark wash was then
the uppermost part of the now static G14, and respective rotor head and attached to the model
applied to accent the detail
simply glued in place. This meant their and a matt varnish coat for a visual check. The lower head engages with
alignment was consistent across all three blades from MRP gave the a hexagonal nut within the upper fuselage while
and once totally happy a little liquid glue was desired flat finish. a metal shaft runs down the centre to attach the
then run into the attachment point of parts G2 counter rotating upper head.
Turning to the blades
to secure them permanently. The fit was found to be nice and tight, which
themselves the main
The same procedure was then repeated for surface areas were meant no glue would be needed thus ensuring
the lower section of the rotor head. A convincing the blades could easily be removed for storage
K A M O V K a - 27

K AMOV Ka-27
As with most helicopters there are

loads of lumps and bumps to add
to the fuselage. Crossing them off
as they were added helps to keep The now completed
track of what was needed airframe in primer
The well The rotor

detailed heads
coaxial rotor painted up
head in before the
place for the blades were
first time added
and transportation of the finished model. references for the machine you intend to depict. checking the reference photos for the areas that
The kit offers a good representation of the real Flory Models dark dirt wash was then applied to seemed to accumulate deposits.
moving parts, and a focal point of the model add shadow to the hub centre sections. This was The vertical tails looked to bear the brunt of
that will be highly visible when on display. then sealed in with a matt varnish coat. the engine efflux so these were made a little
The main colour of the fuselage was dirtier than the fuselage areas. To add stark
discovered to be a pale blue colour when contrast maintenance touch ups were then
Colouring In checked against Internet references available of applied with the original Gunze H323 Light Blue.
Before any painting could be done the glazing the actual machine being reproduced. Checking The whole process took many hours to build
had to be prepared. As many helicopter through the paint stocks nothing really matched up, allowing each coat to dry and checking of
modellers will testify, the glazing on this type of what I was seeing so a custom mix was called for. the results before adding more to ensure the
model can be a deal breaker with the final Starting with Gunze it was felt that H323 Light process wasn’t overdone. Once totally convinced
appearance of the model at risk. Blue was not a million miles off in terms of the the look had been created as planned the model
The framing for the front windscreen is well blue. This was then mixed with FS36270 to tone was given a sealing gloss coat to protect the
pronounced so no need for aftermarket canopy the blue down slightly. A substantial amount paintwork and weathering during the remainder
masks. was mixed, to ensure adequate supply during of the build.
the painting process, and stored in a clean
Using Tamiya masking tape the most Tamiya paint bottle. An overall base colour was
convenient place to start was the straight edge then applied in thin coats mixed with Gunze Self Decal Dilemma
down the centre of the canopy. With a piece of Levelling Thinner to generate a smooth finish.
tape laid along this edge the masking tape was It had already been decided early in the build
careful rubbed down to ensure it was attached Reference photos show that this particular that the Ukraine Navy option was to be
securely. Then taking a sharp pencil the airframe ranged from a relatively clean looking modelled on this occasion as it featured some
framework was traced over like a brass rubbing. machine, to a very well-worn and touched up nice artwork on the rear cabin door. HobbyBoss
look over the course of several images. I decided decals can be a real weak point in their kits and
A new 10A Swan Morton blade was then used to aim for somewhere just short of the well-worn to be honest this kit is no different. Whilst well
to cut cautiously through the tape to leave the example. Using differing tones of the original printed some of the colours for the wording on
clear areas perfectly masked. paint mix random patterns were sprayed across the Ukraine machine are printed in the wrong
The bulged door glass was a little more the airframe. Darker tones were used towards colour and the cargo bay door art is crudely
challenging but as the whole part is clear it was the bottom of the fuselage sides while lighter done. On a plus point however the stencil data
preferable to having a separate glazed section. ones were used on the top and uppermost parts while a little clumsy worked well when used in
Luckily the doors and canopy are more or less a of the fuselage. the interests of this review.
perfect fit so they were attached in place with These mixes were achieved by adding a Begemot decal sheet 4838 was acquired as
Gator Grip Acrylic model glue. darker or lighter grey to the paint mix as needed the lettering down the fuselage sides and the
When dry the parts are secure with the and not getting too hung up about how door artwork looked far better than the kit
advantage of being easily removed afterwards accurate the colour looked but more how the supplied items.
as the doors were to be posed open. result portrayed what was seen in comparison to The yellow door outlines aft of the rear cabin
To commence the painting process, and a the set of photos available. door were used first to check their suitability and
simple job to start with, the tyres were painted Streaking and general grime were then reaction to setting solutions as any mistakes
in Gunze H73 Tire Black while the hubs were applied by using a clay based wash applied by could easily be hidden when the cabin door was
painted in Soviet Wheel Hub Green. These were airbrush slowly over time building up each layer posed open. They were found to be very delicate
often seen painted the same colour as the around pronounced airframe features such as and the carrier film needed to be trimmed away
airframe as well, so it is worth checking the grab handles and engine panels, again in order for them to fit the outlines of the door.
K A M O V K a - 27
The lower blades were

the first to be attached
The uppermost blades

added to complete
the assembly
Starboard side fresh from Portside completed. The black antisoot panels
the weathering session were corrected later being too small here
The HobbyBoss items were used for the other they still looked stark in contrast to the canopy masking was carefully removed.
panels after that with the nose markings made surrounding paintwork. A knife blade was very cautiously run around
from strips of yellow decal from Xtradecal. the framework to cut through the many layers of
Once all the decals had dried any excess water Final Countdown paint and varnish that had been applied so as
marks were gently removed with a moist cotton not to tear or lift any paint during removal. Good
As with any project the final aspects of the
bud before an application of gloss varnish. This results had been obtained and the side doors
build seem to take longer than the main build
offered some protection to the decals as they had their PVA glue cut and carefully removed
itself. The smaller details were painted up and
needed to be weathered in to match the rest of before being super glued in the open position.
added to the model, including foot pegs, mirrors
the airframe at this stage.
and grab handles around the windscreen and The rear door was treated in the same manner
After the application of Flory Models dark dirt access doors. The red anti-collision beacons were but needed a little cut to the bottom edge to fit
wash another clear coat was added to stop the painted Alclad Silver and allowed to dry before around the undercarriage leg if left in the closed
wash being removed accidently by subsequent being tipped with Tamiya Clear Red. The small position. Again this was removed and posed
handling. navigation lamps on the tail were masked and open but not too much can be seen of the
The final step in this process was to mix up a painted in the same manner with green being internal structure so painstakingly prepared at
very dilute mix of the original light blue grey used instead of the red for the starboard side. the start of the build. The resin seats up front are
colour and mist coat the entire model to blend The model was then given its final coat of a matt worth the effort though as they dominate the
all the effects into each other, and tone the varnish. front of the cockpit especially with the side
white and yellow of the markings down a bit as The moment of truth had arrived and the doors open.

K AMOV Ka-27
Close up of the rear tail section

that seems to weather more
than the rest of the airframe in
the reference photos available
All the painting and weathering

complete and ready for decals
Decal process
underway and
tools used Job done
Not much can be seen behind the seats and in all things Russian grows this kit is a welcome harnesses.
of the instrument panel, unless looked at with addition and has added charisma to boot, by Overall fit of the parts was good with only a
the head tilted at strange angles! virtue of the coaxial rotor system. little trouble found on the upper rear fuselage
With the fuselage now completely finished The overall size is quite large and the rotor that was down to the rear internal bulkhead not
the rotor system was added to conclude a very diameter will need careful consideration to fitting well. Surface detail is well rendered and
enjoyable build. display but is well worth the effort as it captures consistent.
the look of the real helicopter very well. Recommended to any modeller who has a
Summing Up The detail for the interior is adequate as not grasp of the basic modelling skills, as a fine
much can be seen on the completed model. If strange looking replica will adorn their display
This is not a new kit as such but has been on the modeller elects to close the front cabin cabinet without too much effort.
my must do list for some time having been first access doors then the kit seats would be Until Next time…
released in 2014. As the interest and popularity serviceable with the inclusion of some seat
4012 Walkaround 30-32.qxp_Scuttlebutt 01/01/2019 16:06 Page 30
WA L K A R O U N D
Portrait of the port side of the P-63E-1-BE S/N

42-11727 at the Pima Air and Space Museum
Walkaround P-63 Kingcobra By Steve Muth
T
he Bell P-63 evolved from the P-39. The P- 1942 and deliveries began in October 1943. In ruggedness contributed to their successes. Their
39E was the final iteration of that design February 1944 the Soviet government sent test first victory in the Pacific theater occurred on
but the performance improvement was not pilot Andrey Kovchetkov and aviation engineer 15th August 1945 when a Ki-43 Hayabusa was
sufficient, and it was not put into production. Fyodor Suprun to work with Bell to develop the shot down off the coast of North Korea.
Instead the USAAF placed an order on 27th June P-63 for use by the Soviet Union.
This walkaround looks at two aircraft, the P-
1941 for two prototypes of an enlarged version The first version supplied to the USSR was the 63E at the Pima Air and Space Museum in
based on the same V1710-47 engine and P-63A-7 with a higher vertical tail and reinforced
designated it XP-63. A third prototype was later Arizona and the P-63E at the National Museum
wings and fuselage. A total of 2,300 of all types of the US Air Force.
ordered featuring a Packard built Merlin. The of P-63 were delivered under the Lend/Lease
wing span of the XP-63 was increased to thirty program. These were delivered via Nome, Alaska The Pima Air and Space Museum P-63E-1-BE is
eight feet and four inches and a second over the Bering Strait. Some sources say they S/N 43-11727, registration number N9003R, and
supercharger was fitted, which added 10,000 were prohibited from use in the European was photographed on 22nd February 2002. Only
feet to the service ceiling. A large four bladed conflict by a 1943 agreement, but others say thirty two P-63Es were built. The museum’s
propeller was fitted and the gun access covers they saw significant use against Germany and example was undergoing a full restoration just
were enlarged to provide easier servicing of the apparently scored an impressive number of before these photos were taken in the
nose mounted cannon. aerial victories. Low ceilings, short missions, restoration shop. This aircraft is ex Honduran Air
The prototype first flew on 7th December good radios, a sealed warm cockpit and Force FAH400 and was traded for combat ready
Starboard front view of the spinner and the Starboard nose gun. Note the flash suppressor Port engine bay from the front. Note that the
37mm cannon and the dark Olive Green antiglare panel aircraft structure is yellow zinc chromate
The carburetor air scoop on the P-63 was

higher off the fuselage than the P-39 to avoid This little noticed opening behind the Starboard side view of the nose landing gear
the boundary layer air carburetor air scoop has a screen with silver wheel
WA L K A R O U N D
Cockpit port forward view. Note the interior Starboard cockpit

of the windscreen is internal green too door interior details

WA L K A R O U N D
Starboard cockpit door

open showing the
Cockpit floor to port
Cockpit seat
Aft canopy turtle deck is dull black
Starboard wing air intake has black and green zinc chromate interior
Corsairs by Bob Bean and flown back to the US. It but having black wing walkways and a narrow
was parked at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix for black stripe from wing tip to wing tip. Some
several years before winding up at the Pima Air Soviet P-63s were apparently repainted with
and Space Museum where it is now on display. pale blue undersurfaces, which extended to the
The National Museum of the USAF P-63E-1-BE landing gear and wells. National insignia were
Port main landing gear well roof. The interior
is S/N 43-11728, registration number NX41964. It applied to the fuselage sides and lower wing
of the wheel well is yellow zinc chromate
was photographed on 20th May 1980 and 4th surfaces only.
December 1982. According to a Flypast photo
caption (December, year unknown) it was one of
two converted for two seats to be used to These Aircraft
accommodate an observer during unspecified The Pima P-63E-1-BE is painted overall silver
tests. It was built as a P-63E-1-BE and went on to with a white spinner and Olive Drab antiglare
serve in Honduras. Bell acquired it in 1957 and panel. The national insignia are in the standard
undertook the two seat conversion. Apparently places. There are limited stencils however the
it was reconverted back before Bell data block near the glycol fillers appear
delivered/donated it to the NMUSAF in 1958. complete. The propellers are dull black with
yellow tips and yellow stencils. The landing gear
Camouflage and Markings struts, linkages and wheels are silver while the
wheel wells and wheel well door interiors are
There were three different basic color
yellow zinc chromate. Wing walkways are black.
schemes used on the P-63; Natural metal, Olive
Drab and Neutral Gray, and International Exposed airframe, when the engine covers are
Orange. Common to all was a cockpit color removed, show the structure also to be yellow
known as Bell Interior Green used in the cockpit. zinc chromate. It is more or less the same as the
This included the control column, canopy natural metal finish P-63s were supplied in at the
framing, seat and rudder pedals. The instrument end of the war except it is painted silver instead
panel, turtle deck, equipment and control of being natural metal. The sub panel located
column grip were black, as were the instrument below the instrument panel in the cockpit is
faces. Propellers too were dull black with yellow either aluminum or light gray and the flexible
tips and stenciling. Fuel filler caps were red, and brake lines are black. The canopy interior is
all aircraft had a narrow black stripe from almost interior green as is the cockpit interior generally.
one wing tip to the other on the top surface of The turtle deck is black as are all the equipment
the wing. External tanks were natural metal with boxes and assemblies, instrument panel and
Port main landing gear inboard. While the well red filler caps. control column grip. Instrument faces are black
is yellow zinc chromate, the wheel, struts and with white pointers and numbers. The seat is
All Soviet P-63s were delivered in Dark Olive
links are painted silver
Drab over Neutral Gray without antiglare panels interior green while the seat belts are khaki.
Leiston Article Part 1 rev.qxp_Yoxford Boys 10/12/2018 15:37 Page 34
YOX F O R D B OYS PA R T 1
Leiston’s Mustangs
Neil Robinson builds a selection of 1/48 scale P-51 Mustangs to a common theme
Part 1: A brief history of the 357th Fighter Group and reviews of
the P-51 Mustang kits that are generally still available in 1/48 scale
8th AF The 357th
Fighter Group (All model photos by Bill Newton) Fighter Group
A
s a modelling project, I decided to build a who broadcast Nazi propaganda to Britain from Fighter Groups in the wartime USAAF.
selection of 1/48 scale P-51 Mustang kits Germany during the war, was apparently The unit was de-activated in Germany on
to a common theme – that of the 357th transmitted on the night of the 357th’s arrival at 20 August 1946, while serving as part of the
Fighter Group, USAAF, based at RAF Leiston in RAF Leiston, and referred to them as the ‘The Forces of Occupation, and redesignated as the
Suffolk in 1944/45. However, before actually Yoxford Boys’ after a small village near the base, 121st Fighter Group, Ohio Air National Guard,
getting into the modelling, perhaps a few words which is why the 357th is often, albeit on 21 August 1946.
about the unit itself might be appropriate. erroneously, referred to by that title.
After forming in California on P-39 Assigned to the 66th Fighter Wing, the Modelling the 357th Fighter Group
Airacobras, the 357th Fighter Group moved to 357th FG was the first all P-51-equipped Group
the UK in November 1943. Initially based at RAF in the 8th Air Force, and flew its first combat Part 1 – The available 1/48 scale kits
Raydon in Suffolk, as part of the 9th Air Force, mission, on 11 February 1944. It was soon I built eight models in all – four P-51Bs and four
which was tasked with tactical support of the regularly flying long range missions over P-51Ds – from kits that are generally still
Allied ground forces following the planned Germany escorting USAAF B-17s and B-24s, and available, and it turned into an interesting
invasion of France, they began working-up on in its first month of operations, flew fifteen exercise, seeing the different (and sometimes
P-51B Mustangs. However, the 8th AF’s need for missions, losing fourteen P-51s, but was very similar) ways each manufacturer tackled
long-range escort fighters resulted in the credited with 59 kills. Between then and the the subject.
decision to give it priority for re-equipping with 25th April 1945, the 357th flew a total of 313 Before we get on to the colour
the Mustang, and as such, the 357th was re- such combat missions and is officially credited schemes and markings, (see Part
assigned to VIII Fighter Command in exchange with having destroyed 595 Luftwaffe aircraft in 2), a brief review of each
for a P-47-equipped Fighter Group, the 358th, the air and 106 on the ground, with over forty manufacturers’ kit
that had already begun combat operations, pilots attaining ‘ace’ status (ie might be of
and swapped bases with them, moving to five kills or more), making it interest and
RAF Leiston, also in Suffolk, on 31 January one of the most use...
1944. successful
A ‘greeting’ by William Joyce, an Irish-
American fascist, nick-named ‘Lord Haw-Haw’
Monogram/ProModeler P-51B
(C5•R ‘The Shillelagh’) P-51B-5, 42-
106826, C5•R ‘The
In the mid-1990s, Monogram cleaned-up and Shillelagh’ of the
partially re-tooled the moulds from their original 364th FS, 357th FG,
late-1960s vintage P-51B, which included decals flown by Major
for Colonel James Howard’s 354th FG iconic Ding John Storch, May
Hao!. They replaced the raised panel lines with 1944.
engraved ones, added a few other items, and re-
released the kit in their ProModeler range.
Moulded in medium grey plastic, (unlike the
original kit’s olive brown), the condition of the
parts is surprisingly good with hardly any flash
present. The interior is relatively simple, as you
might expect of a kit of this vintage, comprising
instrument panel, seat (with engraved belts and
integrally-moulded armour plate and First Aid
pack), control column and separate sidewalls Wings come as a single full span lower
with raised detail. Monogram were always good section with two upper halves and mate to the being
at reproducing raised cockpit detail in their kits fuselage without the need for any filler. The main joined but with
of the 1960s and 70s, and this one is no wheel well interior detail is acceptable, a bit of trimming of the location pins can be
exception, which, after a bit of careful detail notwithstanding the ‘error’ that plagues all added afterwards allowing ease of painting. The
painting, dry-brushing followed by a subtle Mustang kits – with the exception of the new exhaust manifolds are separate and can also be
wash, provides a sufficiently adequate effect Airfix and Meng P-51D kits (see later) – the left off until after painting, but the tailwheel
after the fuselage halves are joined. Like most incorrectly boxed-in main wheel wells. In reality doors are moulded open integrally with the
Mustang kits, there is a separate nose intake the main wing spar formed the back wall of the fuselage halves, which at least makes them a
piece and radiator intake lip. wheel well, so ideally the kit’s rear bulkhead sturdy fit.
needs cutting away from the lower wing and a Although the cockpit windscreen is a
replacement spar fitted from plastic card, separate item, the standard framed canopy and
trimmed to match the wing taper and dihedral – rear quarter windows are moulded together. A
but only if it bothers you that much! The main separate Malcolm hood is also included, which
undercarriage legs are more than adequate, as will require the rear quarter windows being
are the main wheels (which have separate outer carefully cut from the framed canopy, if it is to be
hubs), and the undercarriage doors, which have fitted. The ProModeler kit also comes with a new
moulded detail on the inside faces. Underwing three-part pilot figure.
racks are integrally-moulded on the full span Despite being a relatively basic kit, it
lower section, for the pair of 75 gallon drop appears generally accurate in outline and
tanks that are provided. dimensions and is an easy build and still
The one-piece tailwheel assembly is provides a good addition to any display shelf
designed to be fitted prior to the fuselage halves despite its age.
However, once it is can be pre-assembled and the join line sanded

in place and the before the blades are inserted, which helps with
fuselage halves painting the spinner.
are joined These observations aside, the only other
you'd be hard- error in this kit is the generic one that plagues all
pressed to tell Mustang kits, with the exception of the new Airfix
whether the cockpit floor is curved P-51D and the new Meng kit – the incorrectly
or flat, but for the fastidious amongst boxed-in main wheel wells mentioned previously.
you, if you want it totally accurate, you could The kit has separate underwing racks, for
simply replace the curved section with one of which the location holes need to be opened if
flat plastic card cut to the same you want to fit them, and offers optional 108
dimensions. Thankfully what Tamiya gallon ‘paper’ drop tanks or 500lb US GP bombs,
did notice was that the P-51B to hang off them; a choice of open or closed
had a less pronounced standard framed canopy (later boxings with RAF
leading edge angle at the decals also included a Malcolm hood);
wing roots, which was positionable flaps (albeit with that erroneous
noticeably more recessed inboard section as mentioned); and a
acute on the P- choice of shrouded or unshrouded exhaust
P-51C-5, 43-6637, G4•K ‘Rubber 51D/K due to changes manifolds.
Check’ of the 362nd FS, 357th FG, flown in the undercarriage design. Fit of the parts is exemplary as you’d expect
by 2/Lt Walter Perry, July/August 1944. As a concession to make the from a Tamiya kit, and the Tamiya P-51B (and D)
separate flaps fit flush with the Mustangs are the easiest of models to construct,
Tamiya P-51B wing upper surfaces when in the ‘up’ produce great results from a minimal of effort and
(G4•K ‘Rubber Check’) position, Tamiya moulded a shallow recessed are an absolute joy to build.
section on their inboard ends where they fit
Tamiya’s P-51B was actually the second Mustang under the wing root/fuselage fillet, which on the
in their 1/48 production line, following the P-51D real aircraft wasn’t there, the flaps being smooth
(see later), but for sub-type continuity it is all way along their length. NB: By default the ICM
included here. Moulded in medium grey plastic, kits suffer from the same problem as they are
detailing is finely engraved throughout and well essentially copies of the Tamiya P-51B and D, with
up to Tamiya’s expected standards. Unfortunately a few items ‘borrowed’ from the Accurate
the cockpit floor is depicted with a curved Miniatures P-51B/C for good measure. But that’s a
surface. All the Merlin-engined variants like the story for another time perhaps?
P-51B/Cs (and D/Ks), had flat, plywood covered, The individually-moulded cuffed Hamilton
floors. It was the Allison-engined variants that Standard propeller blades appear just a little too
had curved floors, (actually the upper surface of wide in chord at the cuff and slightly too narrow
the wing which ran through the cockpit). at the tips, but the two-piece propeller spinner
Accurate Miniatures P-51B/C scale kits on the market (until the Airfix and surfaces (aileron, flaps, elevator and rudder) are
(B6•S ‘Old Crow’) Meng P-51Ds were released) it has incorrectly integrally-moulded in the neutral position, but
boxed-in main wheel wells. What Tamiya also there are options in the kit that include fully
When Accurate Miniatures started producing got wrong, but Accurate Miniatures got right, round or bulged main wheel tyres, two types of
1/48 scale Mustang kits in 1994, they began was the type’s flat cockpit floor, which is exhaust manifolds, and a standard framed
with the early Allison-engined versions and integrally-moulded with the central fuselage canopy, (that in some boxings has an open
immediately acquired a well-deserved fuel tank and ‘roof’ to the radiator exhaust option provided), and a Malcolm hood.
reputation for quality and precision. Almost outlet.
Captain Clarence ‘Bud’ Anderson’s first ‘Old
inevitably, they continued with the Mustang The only items that are missing in the kit
Crow’, 43-24823, B6•S as it would have looked
legacy, and in 1996 released a P-51B/C, which is are the armour plate and First Aid pack at the
in February 1944, in the original Olive Drab 41
still regarded as one of the best P-51B/C kits on rear of the pilot’s seat, just the A-shaped roll-
over Neutral Gray 43 scheme with white pro-
the market and has been subsequently released over frame being included, and the
peller spinner and Quick Identification Mark-
under different manufacturers’ labels such as aerodynamic fairings on the wings just in front
ing bands around the nose, wings, tailplanes
Academy. of the ailerons – two on the upper surfaces and
and across the fin and rudder.
Moulded in medium grey plastic, with a one underneath – another legacy from the
single clear sprue, in order to maximize on the Allison-engined Mustang toolings as the earlier
tooling investment from their earlier Allison- P-51s didn’t feature these wing fairings.
engined Mustangs, some parts, such as the However, these omissions can easily be rectified
three-bladed propeller, are included on with a bit of thin plastic card.
common sprue trees. The kit’s fuselage halves Other than these observations, the kit is
are truncated at the rear transportation join, good and makes up into an accurate (no pun
and two rear-end halves, one with, and one intended) P-51B/C Mustang.
without the extended fin fillet, are All the control
included in most of the boxings, although
some boxings only have the fillet-less rear
end halves.
As with their earlier Allison-engined kits,
the P-51B/C kit is well designed and engineered,
but like most of the other manufacturers’ 1/48

Pegasus Hobbies E-Z Snapz P-51B propeller blades

(B6•O ‘Berlin Express’) are moulded in
with the
As the name might suggest, this is a snap- spinner front
together kit, so bearing that in mind, don’t expect cap, which attaches
the detail and finesse of say a Tamiya kit, but I to the rear hub,
have included it in this round-up as, once requiring
assembled and painted, a surprisingly some very
respectable model can result, albeit with a little careful sanding
help. to erase the join.
The parts are moulded in a silver-coloured Unfortunately the
plastic, with rather deeply engraved ‘soft’ surface drop tank/bomb
detail (reminiscent of the old Matchbox kits) racks are
which none-the-less doesn’t look too bad under a moulded onto
coat of paint. Cockpit interior is surprisingly well the wing
detailed, if a little heavily done, and features a undersides and are
correct flat cockpit floor, and when assembled possibly the crudest
and carefully painted, looks more than adequate part of the kit and could really
under the clear but very thick standard frame do with cutting off and
canopy, which comes as a single item complete replacing with alternatives
from another kit if possible. I replaced mine with P-51C-3,
with windscreen and rear quarter panels
spares from an ICM kit. Similarly, the 108 gallon 42-103309, B6•O
moulded integrally.
‘paper’ drop tanks that are included as the ‘Berlin Express’ of the
As it is a snap-together kit, the pin and hole
underwing stores, are very basic, but if you 363rd FS, 357th FG, flown by
joints are very large. The main landing gear legs
haven’t got any replacements to hand from Captain William ‘Bill’ Overstreet, June 1944.
are basic, and the leg doors are very thick with
enormous location holes, but when assembled another kit, they will suffice – at least they’re an exit flap (with side walls) from plastic card.
look passable. Main wheels are one-piece under the wing and pretty much hidden away You can literally have this kit assembled and
mouldings but have acceptable hub detail, as from general view. The exhausts are the shrouded ready for painting in a matter of hours and it is
does the tailwheel. There is an optional one-piece style, look okay and can be fitted after the ideal for anyone wanting to put together a kit
‘retracted undercarriage’ wheel cover moulding, fuselage halves have been joined. quickly, (or maybe a number of aircraft, say for a
(for in flight mode), although the tailwheel doors However, there are two things you can’t really diorama), and still have a respectable looking
are integrally moulded in the open position. The ignore: model at the end of the process. So, even though
(1) There is no landing light in the port wing these Pegasus Hobbies E-Z Snapz kits are aimed at
leading edge, (although the surrounding panel youngsters or modellers new to the hobby, they
line detail is there). Having said that, it’s easy shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand by
enough cut out and file a suitably-shaped hole, fill ‘experienced’ (sic!) modellers, as for a relatively
it with some clear sprue and then sand and polish modest asking price you can end up with an
the clear sprue to shape. acceptable looking model for a fraction of most of
(2) There is no main radiator exit flap on the its big name competitors. Some of the parts can
underside of the fuselage. The easiest option is be replaced if you really want, (by aftermarket
simply to scribe in the rectangular exit flap detail replacements from the likes of Ultracast), but
on the fuselage underside, or as I did, cut out the that’s rather defeating the object of buying
area of fuselage on the underside and construct this basic low-cost kit in the first place.
Tamiya P-51D defined and

(G4•O ‘Sebastian Jr’) the parts
breakdown
Until the release of the new Airfix kit, the Tamiya and
offering, first released in 1994, was probably the engineering
best way to go for an accurate, easy to construct ensures
P-51D, especially if you purchased the Korean trouble-free
War F-51D version boxing, which provides two assembly. The
styles of canopy – both the bulged Dallas hood cockpit is more
and the standard one; two choices of propeller than
blades, the cuffed Hamilton Standard (which like adequately
their P-51B’s, appear just a little too wide in furnished,
chord at the cuff and slightly narrow toward the including
tips), and the uncuffed Aero Products; and both sidewall detail, the
the blunt and pointed spinner styles. There is central fuselage
also a good selection of underwing stores fuel tank and
comprising 5" HVARs, 500lb US GP bombs, and the
75 gallon drop tanks, plus both shrouded and prominent
unshrouded exhaust manifolds. radio boxes,
The main parts are moulded in Tamiya’s and has the correct flat wooden floor. A decal is
familiar mid grey plastic with one sprue for the provided for the instrument panel and the K-14
P-51D-5, 44-13517,
clear pieces. The engraved surface detail is well gunsight is nicely done. The seat and control
G4•O ‘Sebastian Jr’ of the
column are both good representations of typical
362nd FS, 357th FG, flown by
P-51D styles.
Captain Robert Becker, July/August 1944.
The main wheels have separate hubs,
allowing pre-painting for a neater finish. The and the engine cowl top is a click fit. The
only assembly feature to cause concern is the problem with the flaps remains, moulded with
sliding canopy which, when the clear hood is cut the recessed inboard section, (for which
from the sprue runner, leaves a slight blemish, Ultracast resin replacements are available), and
and then it has to be carefully glued to the lower there’s the generic undercarriage rear spar error,
frame. Not as well thought out as Hasegawa’s but despite these relatively minor irritants, this
one-piece item approach (see later). kit is an excellent candidate for an out-of-the-
No filler is required on any part of the kit box model.
YOX F O R D B OYS
Hasegawa P-51D items that do

(C5•T ‘Hurry Home Honey’) not require a
lower frame to
Originally released in 1991, the Hasegawa P-51D fit on to.
was still in production in the first decade of the Formation and
2000s, even seeing the light of day under the wingtip lights
Italeri label in 2014, but I’m not sure if it is still and K-14
currently available. Following the release of the gunsight are
1/48 scale Tamiya kit, Hasegawa's P-51D included on the
Mustang has generally been considered by the clear sprue.
modelling fraternity to be second to the Tamiya, The full span
but after building it for this feature, I now lower wing half
consider it to have some points that match, if (which includes the
not better, the Tamiya offering. integrally-moulded
With over 100 parts moulded in pale grey main undercarriage
plastic, and ten in clear, construction presented bay – which looks a
no problems, and no filler was needed, although little shallow and of
the chin intake and radiator intake fronts course should have
required a bit of care to achieve smooth joints. ribs backing on to
the main spar) and the two upper wing halves fit P-51D-5,
Panel lines are almost perfectly engraved and
well and there were no gaps at the wing root 44-13586, C5•T
not overdone.
when fitted to the assembled fuselage. The ‘Hurry Home Honey’ of
Cockpit detail includes a full length flat floor
tailplanes also fitted without problems or gaps. the 364th FS, 357th FG,
with integrally-moulded central fuel tank, on to
The main undercarriage legs are adequately flown by Capt Richard Peterson,
which is added the instrument panel, rudder
detailed and the tight fit ensures the rake is August/September 1944.
pedals, control column, seat with moulded-on
belts, armoured back plate with padded perfect – when looking directly down on the rockets with separate launch rails. The kit also
headrest, and the radio boxes, all of which, with model, the wing leading edge should be provides alternative sway braces for either the
some careful painting and weathering, results in approximately in line with the axle. The main bombs or the drop tanks, and as with all the
a more than acceptable interior through either a wheels are well detailed but are single other P-51 kits reviewed here (with the
closed or open canopy. Talking of which, the mouldings so care will be needed in painting exception of the Pegasus E-Z snaptite offering),
cockpit transparencies are crystal clear and the hubs and tyres. The undercarriage doors are the radiator cooling flap is separate and can be
feature two styles of hood, standard and ‘Dallas’, also nicely detailed and the tailwheel is separate fixed in any position.
both of which are thinly moulded one-piece from the tailwheel leg, which is a nice touch, and Another good thing about the Hasegawa kit
eases painting. is that the fin fillet extension is moulded thick
Both cuffed and uncuffed Hamilton enough to allow it to be cut and trimmed off to
propellers are included, plus two types of produce an earlier P-51D-5… which is what I
exhaust manifolds, (shrouded and unshrouded – did!
the only slightly negative feature here is that Overall, this kit still rates highly in the great
they are designed to be fitted from inside the scheme of things, comparing very favourably
fuselage). Also provided are a pair of 75 gallon with the Tamiya kit, although perhaps not quite
metal and 108 gallon paper drop tanks, a pair of in the same league as the new Airfix offering,
500lb US GP bombs, a pair of M10 triple-tube but if you have one to hand, it is still
bazooka rocket launchers, and ten 5 inch HVAR well worth the effort.
Airfix P-51D interior is well done,

(B6•W ‘The Tender Terror’) with an
instrument
The 1/48 scale Airfix kit arrived at the end of panel that
2017*. Well-tooled and moulded in the looks good
company’s trademark light blue-grey plastic, the after the decal
engraved panel line and rivet detail is superbly instrument dials
done. The finesse of the component parts is are added, a
high, however, I personally felt that the parts control
breakdown is a little overly complicated in column, and
certain areas – where several sub-parts are used seat with
to create something that could have been moulded belts
achieved in a single moulding. The wings are a and a quilted effect
case in point. Having the traditional two upper backrest. Cockpit
wing halves to fit on to the full span lower wing sidewalls are
section, you then have to add a separate wing- provided by panel
to-undercowl fairing that also includes the inserts with raised
leading edge of the inboard wing area and main detail, and additional separate throttle boxes,
undercarriage bay. trim wheels and oxygen piping. P-51D-15,
The cockpit floor, fuel tank bay and The fin halves are separate items, to be 44-63775,
tailwheel well form a continuous interior, which added to the appropriate fuselage halves prior B6•W ‘The Tender
includes the radiator and radiator hot air outlet. to them being joined – two types being Terror’ of the 363rd FS,
It seems strange at first, but works. The cockpit included, both with the extended fin fillet, with 357th FG, flown by Lt
just minor panel line differences. Ralph Mann, late 1944/early 1945.
Going back to the wings, the machine gun with a subtle bulged ‘under weight’ effect. The
ports are provided as block inserts that slot into undercarriage legs are nicely detailed and
the leading edges, which is a good idea but they realistically fit to the leg doors, while the inner
do need careful positioning to avoid any u/c doors have a unique system of location that
misalignment. The main wheel wells are well involves them being joined together prior to
done, (with the rear wing spar correctly placed being fitted into the u/c bay, which allows them
at last!), as are the main wheels, albeit with the to realistically hang open. A separate, single-
hubs integrally-moulded, but both diamond and piece closed u/c door part can be fitted for those
linear tread pattern options are provided, both Continued on next page

that want their model in flight, as is a pilot figure and large) are separate and can be fixed open or separate canopies – although I’ll be damned if I
with separate arms to allow you to fine tune closed, and there is a choice of shrouded and can see what the differences are – that can be
their position in relation to the cockpit seat and unshrouded exhaust manifolds, which fit into a posed open or closed.
control column. recessed slot from the outside of the fuselage, The general shape looks accurate, the
All the control surfaces – ie ailerons, elevator meaning you can add them after painting. instructions, in booklet form, are clear and easy
and rudder – are separate, as are the flaps, of The four-bladed cuffed Hamilton Standard to follow, and as long as you follow them to the
which two options are included – deployed and propeller is well formed but needs to be trapped letter, you should have no problems. There is no
retracted; the retracted ones having a shallow between the spinner cap and back plate (rather need for any filler anywhere, but the parts fit is
recessed section on their inboard ends to allow than having the ability to fit individual blades very precise, so be sure to trim off any sprue tabs
them to fit under the wing root/fuselage fillet (à after the spinner halves are joined), which will or excess paint on the mating surfaces before
la Tamiya), the deployed ones being smooth all require a bit of extra care when painting. trying to attach the part.
way along their length as they should be. A pair of 75 gallon metal and 108 gallon
Also like the Tamiya kits, the single-piece paper drop tanks and a pair of 500lb US GP *This kit has subsequently been re-released as a
upper engine cowl is formed along a natural bombs are included, for which underwing racks Korean War F-51D and features essentially the
panel line, which avoids any unsightly join lines, with separate sway braces are provided, plus a same mouldings but has an alternative uncuffed
and the cowling lower side panels have optional pair of M10 triple-tube bazooka rocket launchers. Hamilton Standard propeller with the later square
breather plates (one with circular holes and the On the blemish-free crystal-clear sprue tips and eight 5 inch HVARs on zero-length
other with louvres), which need to be fitted from there are two windscreens (which include a launchers, offered as an alternative offensive load
inside before the fuselage halves are joined. section of the forward fuselage top), one with a to the pair of M10 triple-tube bazooka rocket
The two underside radiator exit flaps (small minute notch for a rear-view mirror, and three launchers, plus different decals.
Meng P-51D instrument panel,

(G4•C ‘Nooky Booky III’) rudder pedals, control
column and central fuel
I believe this kit was actually released a little tank onto which fit the
earlier than the Airfix kit, and it is interesting to radio boxes. Careful
see how each manufacturer has tackled the painting and
subject, including the differences, and several weathering with a
remarkable similarities. subtle wash will
Beautifully moulded in a dark blue-grey bring all this detail to
plastic, somewhat surprisingly, the kit’s basic life. The upper cowling is
construction is very similar to a ‘snap-tite’, with a separate part as is the
large locating pins/holes on some of the major forward section in front
parts such as the fuselage halves and wings... but of the windscreen. The
that is where the similarity stops, as not only are interior anti-glare
the majority of the mouldings far superior and shroud is fitted after the
much more detailed than a ‘snap-tite’ kit, the kit’s gunsight is mounted
asking price is substantially more too – at the time underneath it and then the
of writing, at least a third more than the windscreen, which forms part of the
contemporaneous Airfix kit (in the UK at least). upper fuselage, can be fitted.
Care also needs to be employed when There are two choices of propeller unit – P-51D-
removing some of the parts from the sprue cuffed Hamilton Standard and uncuffed Aero 15, 44-114896,
runners, as some are joined in very delicate areas, Products blades, and appropriate spinners and G4•C ‘Nooky Booky III’
the seat’s thin arm rests being a case in point. Also, backplates. of the 362nd FS, 357th FG,
some of the sprue runners run on to the mating As with the Airfix kit, there are some unique flown by Capt Leonard ‘Kit’ Carson.
surfaces, so again care has to be exercised when construction features. For example the tailwheel
removing and sanding flush the affected areas. well is pre-fitted into a separate section of the mode. A separate, single-piece, closed u/c doors
What is also noticeable is that the mainplanes rear fuselage underside before joining to the part, can be fitted for those who want their
have hundreds of engraved rivet heads when in main fuselage, and there is a separate engine model in flight, although in this instance, Meng
fact they should be smooth – North American cowling underside that includes the leading have not included a pilot figure.
employees spent hours filling in and sanding the edges of the inboard wing area and main gear Separate ailerons are provided and the flaps
wing surfaces of Mustangs to achieve the bay similar to the Airfix kit. There is also a are separate, although they are designed to be
smoothest possible finish before applying a silver separate upper rear fuselage section. All these fitted only in the down/deployed position and as
lacquer. What to do about this is up to the fitted along panel lines and required no such are smooth all the way along their length.
individual modeller, but once they are covered by additional filling or sanding except the upper rear The rudder is also separate, although the
a coat of paint they are much less noticeable. fuselage section, which may have been down to tailplanes and elevators are moulded together.
The cockpit is well detailed with a multi-part me, but be aware. Two canopy hoods are The main wheels and tailwheel are moulded
seat, side wall detail, forward bulkhead, provided – standard and Dallas – both blemish- as separate tyres with one-piece hubs that push-
free, and crystal clear, and moulded integrally fit into them, which can then be attached to the
with the frame. nicely detailed oleo legs. The main wheels have
The wings are formed in the traditional two diamond tread pattern but no ‘under weight flats’.
upper and single full span lower halves, which Separate wing pylons with separate sway braces
click-fit to the fuselage when joined and again are included, together with a choice of a pair of
like the Airfix kit, feature the machine gun ports 100lb US GP bombs, 75 gallon metal drop tanks
as block inserts that slot into the leading edges. and 108 gallon paper drop tanks.
The main wheel doors also feature the same The instructions are clear and
construction design as the Airfix kit, in that they straightforward, (similar in style to Tamiya
are to be joined together at the hinge and then instructions), but only quote Meng paint
fitted into the u/c bay, in the hanging open references.
Part 2 will cover the colour schemes and markings applied to the models, reflecting the
changes during the period from when the 357th Fighter Group started operations in early
1944 from Leiston to the end of the war in May 1945.
4012 how to 40-44.qxp_Scuttlebutt 12/01/2019 22:44 Page 40
G U I D E TO S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G
C A N O P Y M A T T E R S PA R T F O U R By Gary Hatcher
Spoilt… for Choice
B
efore proceeding too far into this final
section on canopies and transparencies an
additional diatribe on the matter of ‘choice’
may be of some help to those modellers
uncertain whether they are being offered a
bonus or not. Many manufacturers offer a choice
of canopy open or closed, and while this may
initially appear an attractive selling point for the
modeller who wants to display the interior
detail, in some cases it has been provided at the
expense of buildability. There are of course many
instances where two complete sets of parts have Meng’s Me 410 is a beautifully engineered and
been provided. Both Eduard and Airfix for highly detailed kit but the multipart canopy is
example provide optional parts for their Spitfire not something to be approached by a
canopies, which may look identical but one will modeller with little experience. Part of the
be designed to sit across the rear of the cockpit issue here is the complex overhang that
in the open position, and being slightly larger
Eduard’s Spitfire kits typically provide a choice requires the parts to be moulded in two
will not fit in the closed. In this instance it is
of different parts to pose the canopy either halves at the very least, as was the case with
important to note which you remove from the
open or closed. This makes for an easier build. the older Monogram kit
sprue as they can be very difficult to tell apart.
Make your decision and consign all unwanted Generally the fewer parts that make up the
parts to the spares box. canopy, the easier and the better the finish, for
the average modeller at least
But there are many cases where a complex set
of parts has been offered that has clearly been
designed be built in the open position. Meng’s
He 410 springs to mind as a very fine kit but with
a transparency that will need some planning to
put together if you are not intending to display it
open. In this instance the shape of the parts
replicated defy the injection moulding process
to some extent, so at the very least it needs to be
cast in two halves, but with the separate access
hatches it becomes a tortuous exercise in
attaching fragile parts together with the barest
minimum of glue. A sort of house of cards in
clear plastic. It can of course be done as the This He 111’s nose has been tooled in four
parts are accurately engineered and fit well, but parts to allow multiple options to be kitted.
you need a steady hand. Some care will be needed with its assembly,
which essentially requires unsupported butt
Eduard’s 1/48 Bf 110 is another case in point, joins of thin clear plastic bonded with an
Of course it can be assembled beautifully, as
although this is comparatively easy to put adhesive that will neither fog nor damage the
this image from the manufacturer’s website
together as long as you are aware of one thing. parts
proves
There is a slight bevel on the pilot’s opening side
panels, but only, as I recall, along one edge. If
building this closed it is imperative to get these
pieces the right way up or there will be a The open hatch will provide
misalignment in what should be a tightly sealed useful access for cleaning the
gap free assembly where none of the joins show, inside of the windows, something
for all the world like it had been moulded as a that can be achieved with careful
single piece… manipulation of a small wad of
The point is, when confronted with these tissue on a piece of wire
options be aware of the pitfalls and make sure
you take extra care. It may even be worth
thinking twice about your choice of kit if you feel
you may be biting off more than you can chew.
Be aware, take extra care, and pay the closest
possible attention to the instructions as there
may be some essential information that has not
been sufficiently highlighted.
It is also worth reflecting on why you want to
leave the canopy open in any case. An
approximate rendition of the staggering
complexity of an aircraft’s cockpit interior can
often look far more realistic through the
transparency. Don’t feel you have to leave it
open just because you can, and if you have to
leave it open because you are unable to build it
closed then you may be better off building
something else.
The Greenhouse Effect

There will of course be occasions when the
manufacturer has no option but to provide
multiple parts for the canopy. Most Luftwaffe
bombers fall into this category, and modellers
will often find themselves obliged to butt join
delicate clear parts together. Once again a good
study of the parts is essential before attempting
to glue anything, as the nature of the part will
define which type of adhesive is appropriate.
If you are assembling another house of cards
that is going to require some handling, and a
solid bond is going to be essential, be sure to
soak the parts in Klear and allow them to cure
completely. This will then allow superglue to be
employed. In most cases a look at some
The scratchbuilt details in the nose may not photographs of the real aircraft will show that
the greenhouse on the front of the fuselage is
be entirely accurate but were designed to be
actually an integrated part of the airframe, so it
viewed obliquely through the transparency, is essential that your clear parts do not look like
The ICM Do 215. Access to the interior
where they bear a passing resemblance to they have been tacked on as an afterthought.
through the nose is available thanks to the
images of the real thing The manufacturers may have designed the part
excellent fit, which meant it could be lightly
so that some elements of the transparency can
tacked in place with PVA
be overpainted and actually represent the solid
fuselage skin, so there may be some blending in
required to hide where the transparent part has
been glued to the rest of the fuselage in order to
depict what is in reality a seamless transparency
from solid fuselage to glass.
This of course leads onto another issue, that of
debris on the inside of the transparency. Where
possible try to ensure that any corrective work,
or filling and sanding, can be done while it is still
possible to access the interior of the canopy.
There may be a final piece that can be added at
the end that will allow access for a clean-up if
necessary. ICM’s Do 215 is a classic case in point.
The nose cap is such a good fit that it can be left
off until after painting, allowing a steady hand to
Turrets with lower glazing that rotates behind reach into the interior and wipe any specks off
the fuselage sides will need to be masked the inside of the window. In fact it fitted so well
before fitting between the two halves. This on mine that I simply tacked it on with a little
The turret glazing on this vintage Matchbox PVA so it can be removed in the event of any
can then be removed after the airframe is
Halifax can be fitted later in the build by the stray spots of dust appearing in the future. These
painted, but will be impossible to apply once things do have a habit of happening…
simple removal of the moulded lug on the
the turret is in situ
bottom that allows it to swivel The modeller will also need to balance the
need to mask a delicate assembly before gluing
it with the equally important need to leave it
unmasked until work is complete. Clear parts
lightly fixed together with a something less toxic
than superglue or liquid poly may not have the
strength to endure the removal of the masks
after several coats of paint. On the other hand
there is nothing more frustrating than removing
the masks at the end of the build and finding the
inside of the canopy covered with dust. There is
no easy solution. Each kit will be different and
while we can’t help to make it easy, we can,
hopefully, make you aware of the issues that are
Vacform canopies – Brengun’s 1/144 Hornet
likely to arise.
parts. Lower is designed to be separated into
two pieces and posed open. Upper is The safest option if you are deterred by all this
is to build a tank, as it has no windows to make a
designed to be cut out in one piece and fitted
Visible refraction along the line where the mess of.
closed
transparency is attached to the fuselage can
be avoided by painting the edge of the clear Turrets
part before attachment There are two types of turret, those that can
be assembled separate from the airframe and
dropped into place at the end of the build, and
those that need to be fitted before the fuselage
halves are joined. All of them need to be masked
to paint the transparencies of course, and it may
well be that this will need to be done before the
part is mounted, and here most Grumman
Avenger kits spring to mind. Again there are
instances where dropping the turret in later has
been made impossible because the kit has been
designed for it to rotate. As we are not tiny
children we can probably live without this
Two uses for vacform transparencies are facility, so it is worth making a dry run to see if
upgrades and conversions. These Falcon parts the simple removal of a flange, or the addition of
included optional items for the front of the He a couple of internal supports, will allow you to
Barracuda’s Firefly canopy. The three sections 111’s gondola. The part for the upper gun build and paint the turret entirely separate from
are moulded in one piece but with breaks to position will offer a better scale appearance the main airframe. This is an issue that tends to
arise with more vintage kits where spinning
allow ease of separation on the finished model
props, rotating wheels, and wobbly ailerons with

over scale hinges were of more account than painting. If assembling multiple parts it may be and bring a model to life. If done badly they are
accuracy and ease of build. necessary to paint facing edges before joining best not done at all.
Bear in mind as well that the aperture for the them to ensure there is no visible refraction in Nowadays manufacturers are more often
guns is going to cause an issue with overspray, the finished assembly. It is less of an issue in providing clear resin parts, where vacforms used
so far better if the turret transparency can be these instances than in others, especially in more to be the norm, and while from the point of view
painted and added separately. If this is modern kits where the transparencies are of construction this may make for an easier
thinner, but it is worth bearing in mind.
impossible then do not forget to fill any holes build, the vacform canopy still has a role to
with damp tissue paper before spraying the Where it is likely to be a problem is in those serve. If you are planning on modelling your
model. wretched instances where the manufacturer has aircraft with the cockpit open then a vacform is
provided the clear part of the canopy as a essential for a scale appearance.
separate piece from the frame. Presumably this is
Refraction intended to make the part easier to paint? If so it The advantage of course is that vacformed
doesn’t. All it does is make for a tortuous job of parts are wonderfully thin. Essentially formed by
‘The fact or phenomenon of light, radio waves etc. stretching a piece of clear acetate over a mould,
being deflected in passing obliquely through the applying glue to the edge of a clear part where
there is absolutely no room for error. Crucially they offer a scale appearance to an open canopy
interface between one medium and another or that cannot at present be matched by an
through a medium of varying density.’ though, the edge of the transparent part needs
to be painted before it is attached or there will injected or cast resin part. The downside of
In other words, the effect of the solid edge of be a very visible joint. course is that they need to be cut to shape and
the canopy leaving a visible ‘silver’ line where it size. This isn’t so much of a problem if you are
joins the fuselage. This is an occasional posing the part open, as it doesn’t really matter
phenomenon that you will need to watch out Vacform Canopies if it is actually an accurate fit or not. It’s when you
for, and it can be easily remedied by painting the There was a time when the words ‘includes come to try and cut a vacformed part to fit
edge of the transparent part with the interior vacform canopy’ might be added to a box top as accurately in the closed position over a cockpit
colour. It happens most often where a fairly thick a selling point, usually on a limited run or resin recess that the problems start, especially as in
transparent part is joined to a solid body and can kit where its inclusion was a necessity due to the the case of resin kits of a certain vintage there
be very unsightly if not dealt with. It can also limits of manufacturing rather than a desirable can be slight variations in the size of the fuselage
happen where transparent parts adjoin, if they option for the modeller. Vacform canopies, like parts, depending on how they have cooled.
are fairly thick, so it may be worth ensuring that Luftwaffe mottles and weathering, are a two Given that the vacformed part will not have
all edges of all transparencies are included when edged sword. If done well they can be excellent undergone the same variable there is inevitably
A plastic strip has been added round the The transparency test fitted in place. It will
aperture to allow the front transparency a need the gun and its gasket mounted before
better purchase being fitted to the model
Here we are stymied. On the one hand the
transparency is over scale in thickness, but on
the other it is moulded integrally with a
section of the fuselage. My solution would be
to replicate the actual windscreen as
described in the text here, then to remove the
integral piece of fuselage and mount it in
place on the airframe. The windscreen can
then be added later
Eduard’s Bf 108. The sun

blinds appear prominently
in many pictures. The thin
wires that they are mounted
on are also clearly visible
The beauty of a closed canopy. Built from the

box, even the average modeller’s work can The sheer amount of detail visible in this
look effective when viewed through the glass image that will not be provided in your kit
may give you pause for thought
going to be a compromise. look at scratch building. Simple when you know with multiple crew positions and certainly those
Fitting vacformed canopies open is how, it’s not something that we mere kit carrying passengers, will have some kind of
comparatively easy. The main issue is cutting assemblers need concern ourselves with at this internal system of blinds or curtains that can be
them to shape as they inevitably come still juncture. We have enough on our plates already. deployed to protect the crew, and to shield vital
attached to the rest of the sheet of plastic they instruments, from bright sunlight, flares,
were moulded on. There are four steps involved searchlights or other distractions. While not
Biplane Windscreens
in cutting the part out. Firstly, mark where you always the most prominent of features, they are
need to cut. I find adding strips of masking tape One of the most frequent disappointments rarely included in kits and their absence or
as guidelines is the best way to do this. Secondly, with vintage kits is the transparency, and this is omission is as big an inaccuracy as any other, so
fill the canopy with Blu-Tack. This will stop it especially the case with biplanes, or aircraft with it’s all very well getting hung up about that extra
bending under pressure, as if it does it may open cockpits and just a tiny windscreen in panel line on the wing root fairing, but what
buckle and crack, and you will be left with an place. Injection moulded windscreens have, it about that huge visible crescent of cream
unusable part. Thirdly, trim the part up to the must be said, improved over the years, but they coloured fabric around the interior of the canopy
lines you have marked. I have had more success can still offer an over scale appearance and spoil frame that appears in every picture of the
in this endeavour with a sharp pair of nail a beautifully built and rigged model by offering
prototype but isn’t a factor at all in your critique
scissors than with anything else, although a fine a window frame that in reality would be some
on Hypermodeller?
razor saw can also be useful. CMK market a two inches thick. Fortunately, as long as they are
particularly user friendly one with replaceable of simple design and don’t involve any complex There tends to be little in the way of reference
blades that is useful for a number of curves, they are easily replicated using the material available on this sort of thing, so it’s
applications. following technique: often a case of simply looking at as many
Take the over scale kit part and fold a piece of photographs as possible and producing
Finally, once you have trimmed the part up to something that is a best guess, and will recreate
the lines you marked, you can finish it with a masking tape around it. Trim this closely all
around so there is no overlap. the appearance of what is actually there
sanding stick, ensuring a clean edge. With the sufficiently. Often a simple folded up piece of
part trimmed from its backing you may well now Next, remove the masking tape and attach it
painted masking tape is all you will need to add,
need to divide the canopy into two or even more to a small piece of clear acetate. You will, in
unless of course you are opening the canopy
parts, in which case leave the Blu-Tack in place effect, have a flat version of the kit windscreen in
and use your razor saw with great care, again tape upon the plastic. Mark with a pencil where and intend an accurate scale replica of the
using a strip of tape to mark where you need to the frame lines are, as you will need to fold along interior, in which case good luck to you and I
cut. them once the part has been cut from the hope you find more information than I have
acetate sheet. been able to.
Fitting the part in the closed position is less of
a walk in the park. Given the wafer thin edge you Carefully cut around the edge of the tape. These details will need to be added to the
have to attach to the fuselage it is advisable to Remove the excess plastic then fold it along the interior of your transparency before fitting. They
mount a flange of some sort around the sill of pencil lines. If you are using thin enough acetate do tend to be overlooked, they are rarely
the cockpit. A thin strip of Plasticard will suffice. it should fold against a steel ruler without any essential, but they can make a real difference
This will give the vacformed part some kind of problem. and in many instances they really should be
mating edge to be glued to. In the event of an there. Roll cages and interior bracing are likewise
Finally remove the masking tape. You should
indifferent fit you will then hopefully find that theoretically have a replica of the kit part in often overlooked, or in some cases erroneously
the ensuing gap is backed by this same flange wafer thin acetate that will look far better on interpreted as exterior canopy frames. It’s all
and can be filled, leaving you ultimately with a your model than the chunky piece of plastic you relevant detail and it all needs to be borne in
flush fitting canopy. are replacing. mind if you are attempting to build an accurate
For all the compromise and work involved a replica.
The part can be finished and painted like any
vacformed transparency invariably affords other transparency and mounted at the end of So that’s enough canopy matters for now. No
greater clarity, allowing a much better view of the build with PVA. doubt there is plenty more to say on the matter,
the interior detail. It is down to you to decide but hopefully we have touched upon the main
whether this is desirable or not… issues here on what is the most essential aspect
You may, of course, decide to ‘plunge mould’ Curtains for You of your build. The canopy, as we have seen, is the
your own transparencies, a technique that has Before we move on from canopy matters one eyes on the face, it’s the focal point of any model
been mastered by modellers for decades. This is last matter needs to be considered. Many and as such is well deserving of all the column
a matter we will come to in due course when we aircraft, especially bombers, transports, those inches we have devoted to it in these pages.
The blinds and the straps that hold them in place all add
colour and detail to the front end of your model, colour
and detail that will be conspicuous by its absence
4012 anp 45-56.qxp_Scuttlebutt 10/01/2019 12:37 Page 45
ISSUE 35
Former Czech Fulcrum 59 taxis with its

brake chute deployed (Hans Antonissen)
By Crusader Aviation Photography: Patrick Roegies,

Paul Gross, Theo van Vliet and Hans Antonissen
Images by authors as stated
Introduction
T
he Polish Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29 fleet is a diverse one. A number of
the Fulcrums in operational use were originally acquired as new
aircraft directly from the MiG-MAPO factory. The larger part however
were acquired from other air forces that considered the MiG-29 as surplus
aircraft. The Polish Air Force received a number of MiG-29s from the Czech
Republic, which had been operated in the Czechoslovakian Air Force prior
to the division into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The MiG-29s received
from Germany were initially delivered to the German Democratic Republic
(Lufstreitkräfte/Nationale Volks Armee LSK/NVA) and after the reunion of
both Germanys they were integrated into the operational structure of the
German Air Force (Luftwaffe). This article describes the history of the Polish
Air Force MiG-29s and their previous owners.
Czechoslovakian Fulcrums
The Czechoslovakian Air Force received its first Fulcrums in 1989. A total
of eighteen single seat and two dual seat Fulcrums were delivered. The
MiG-29s were assigned to the 11 SLP based at Zatec airbase. Only shortly
after their arrival Czechoslovakia was peacefully divided into two
independent states, these being the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The
MiG-29s were equally divided over the two newly born states as can be
seen in the table as presented below:
Aircraft 15 displays its striking 303 Squadron commemorative
Nation Version Type Origin Number of Year badge and of course the portrait on the tail fin (Hans Antonissen)
aircraft
MiG- 18 to Czech
Czechoslovakia 9.12A MiG-MAPO 1989
29A and Slovak
MiG- 2 to Czech
Czechoslovakia 9.51 MiG-MAPO 1989
29UB and Slovak
MiG-
Czech Rep 9.12A Czechoslovakia 9 to Poland 1995
29A
MiG-
Czech Rep 9.51 Czechoslovakia 1 to Poland 1996
29UB
MiG-
Slovakia 9.12A Czechoslovakia 9 1993
29A
MiG- East German MiG-29UB 181 passed into Luftwaffe service on

Slovakia 9.51 Czechoslovakia 1 Crashed 1993
29UB reunification, receiving its new identity 29+24. In 2003 it passed to the
Polish Air Force as a MiG-29GT, receiving the number 4105 (Hans
MiG- Antonissen)
Slovakia 9.12 Russian AF 13 1994
29A
MiG-
Slovakia 9.51 Russian AF 1 1995 Former East German MiG-29A 29+01 carries its former NVA
29UB
identity at the tip of its tail fin. The aircraft passed into Polish
service as 4116 (Patrick Roegies)
The Czech Republic formed two new squadrons in a newly formed wing,
1 SLP, based at Ceske Budejovice. The Czech Republic only operated the
MiG-29s for a short period before they were stored at Ceske Budejovice
and subsequently offered for sale. The government of the Czech Republic
choose to upgrade a total of thirty MiG-21s. Israeli Aircraft Industries
received the order to carry out this upgrade program. Amongst others
anew radar had to be integrated, the navigation system would be
improved and the possibility to carry modern western weapon systems
had to be integrated. A total of twenty four MiG-21 MFs and 6 MiG-21UMs
were updated and would be assigned to LOK at Kbely.
The Czech government decided the MiG-29s were surplus and offered
MiG-29GT 29+23, still in its Luftwaffe guise but

29+15 still carries its former East German camouflage following its upgrade. This two seater joined
scheme prior to its ICAO I package upgrade (Patrick Roegies) the Polish Air Force as 4115 (Patrick Roegies)
the aircraft for sale. After being stored at Ceske Budejovice for two years, in In the former East German Air Force the Fulcrums were assigned to JG 3,
December 1995 a deal was made with the Polish Air Force. The result of this and were reassigned to Test and Evaluation Wing MiG-29 within the
was that the nine MiG-29 single seaters and one dual seater were Luftwaffe. Two single seaters and two dual seaters were transferred to
exchanged for eleven PZL W-3 Sokol helicopters in February 1996, after Manching for a test programme at the hands of the German Armed Forces
only four years in operational service. The W-3 Sokols were to replace the Test and Evaluation Centre (WTD 61), and another four single seaters took
older Mi-2s. part in a series of training flights and Air Combat Training (DACT) in
Wittmund in March 1991, home of the F-4F ICE (Improved Combat
Efficiency) Phantoms of JG 71 Richthofen. A month later six German
German Fulcrums Fulcrums were deployed to Decimomannu, Sardinia for the first NATO
The premiere of the MiG-29 in East Germany took place in 1986 when exercise air combat training missions against a variety of jets from other
the first Fulcrums were delivered to the Soviet squadrons permanently NATO nations. The MiG pilots were enabled by their helmet mounted
deployed in East Germany in support of the Warsaw Pact treaty. The first sights, which at that time were unique, to fire R-73 missiles at targets at
regiment to receive the MiG-29 was the 33 IAP based at Wittstock airbase. angles of up to seventy five degrees and thus to take many opponents by
The German MiG-29s were delivered when the country was still divided. It surprise. This resulted in a loan to the USAF for eighteen months of testing.
was only two years later on 12th March 1988 that the first four MiG-29As of A completion report was drafted after the test and evaluation period
the LSK/NVA bound for East Germany flew in to Preschen airbase near and was submitted to the German Defence Minister, Gerhard Stoltenberg.
Cottbus, signifying the start of a new era for the East German air force. The Finally he came to a decision on 25th July 1991. The MiG-29s were to
next batch followed in quick succession with another eight single seaters remain in service with the Luftwaffe for another twelve years.
and three MiG-29UB two seaters. In May 1988 3 Fighter Wing (JG 3 or Jagd
Geschwader 3) Vladimir Komarow commenced flying operational missions Construction Serial East German
Aircraft type Serial Luftwaffe
as the first foreign air force within the Warsaw Pact to operate the type. A number AF
total of twenty MiG-29A (production type 9.12) and four MiG-29UB
(production type 9-51) were assigned to JG 3. 2960525106 MiG-29A 604 29+01
It was planned to equip all three squadrons of JG 3 with the MiG-29. The 2960525108 MiG-29A 607 29+02
newly built MiG-29 replaced the MiG-21, which had served within JG 3 2960525110 MiG-29A 615 29+03
until then. It was also planned to equip JG 2 at Neubrandenburg Air Base
with the MiG-29. The reunion of the two Germanys in the early nineties 2960525111 MiG-29A 628 29+04
made this expansion of the MiG-29 fleet unnecessary. The total delivery of 29605251113 MiG-29A 635 29+05
MiG-29s to Germany was as follows:
2960525114 MiG-29A 661 29+06
Nation Version Type Origin Number of Year 2960525115 MiG-29A 668 29+07
aircraft
2960525118 MiG-29A 669 29+08
MiG- 20, 19 to
East Germany 9.12A MiG-MAPO 1988 2960525212 MiG-29A 670 29+09
29A Germany
MiG- 2960525124 MiG-29A 676 29+10
East Germany 9.51 MiG-MAPO 4 1989
29UB 2960525128 MiG-29A 677 29+11
MiG- 19, 1 lost 2960525132 MiG-29A 679 29+12
Germany 9.12A East German AF 1990
29A due to crash Unknown Trabant Unknown 29+13
2960525800 MiG-29A 684 29+14
MiG-
Germany 9.51 East German AF 4 1990 2960526300 MiG-29A 693 29+15
29UB
2960526301 MiG-29A 699 29+16
The NVA MiG-29 Fulcrum As were able to carry two nuclear weapons.
2960526302 MiG-29A 745 29+17
This task was never practiced in exercises however because the MiG-29
was assigned to the air defence roll. Between then and German 2960526310 MiG-29A 777 29+18
reunification, 1 and 2 Squadrons were deployed on constant readiness for 2960526314 MiG-29A 778 29+19
action, the Warsaw Pact equivalent of NATO's Quick Reaction Alert, or QRA.
All necessary electronics and avionics built in for the nuclear task were 2960526315 MiG-29A 785 29+20
removed after delivery. The identification system PAROL was removed 2960526319 MiG-29A 786 29+21
shortly before the reunion of both Germanys for secrecy reasons. The MiG-
29As (izdelyie or production number 9.12) of the NVA were the equivalent
N50903006448 MiG-29UB 148 29+22
of the Russian MiG-29s when they were delivered. The Russian MiG-29s N50903006526 MiG-29UB 179 29+23
however were upgraded to the standards of izdelyie 9.13 where the NVA N50903006604 MiG-29UB 181 29+24
MiG-29s remained as izdelyie 9.12 standard.
On 3rd October 1990 the future was somehow unclear. As a result of
N50903011408 MiG-29UB 185 29+25
reunification all aircraft of the NVA/LSK were added to the inventory of the
Luftwaffe but the Luftwaffe put a large number of aircraft of the types Fulcrum 29+03 went to the Berlin Gatow Museum and is currently
inherited from the NVA inventory into storage awaiting their fate. The preserved.
Luftwaffe Command however chose to continue operational flights with Aircraft serial 29+09 crashed on 25th June 1996 near Brudersdorf about
the MiG-29. As one of the latest fighter aircraft from the Soviet MiG factory fifty kilometres east of Laage. The German Luftwaffe skipped the 29+13
it had a key role to play in the functional requirements for the Eurofighter serial because the number thirteen is considered to be the bad luck
development program, which was being specified at that time. It therefore number. A Trabant which is an iconic car brand built in the former German
seemed appropriate to carry out a thorough investigation of the Democratic Republic was given the serial of 29+13 and was used as the
capabilities of the MiG-29. squadron car at Laage and presented during multiple European air shows.
In 1993 the Polish Air Force received a total of ten MiG-29s from the NVA MiG-29A 777 seen here sporting its original camouflage scheme
Czech Air Force, among them former Czech Air Force 8906, now coded prior to assumption into the Luftwaffe as 29+18. The aircraft went on to
89 (Patrick Roegies) serve with the Polish Air Force as 4120 (Patrick Roegies)
29+19 was registered as 98+06 and used to be one of two Fulcrums upgraded. Two underwing tanks, each holding 1,150 litres of fuel,
which was assigned to the German air force test and evaluation squadron combined with the auxiliary fuselage tank increased its action radius to
WdTSt 61 at Manching airbase in the South of Gemany. The 29+21 was the over 1,850km, which was a hundred percent increase of the combat radius
second Fulcrum assigned to this unit and was registered as 98+08 at that the MiG-29 had with internal fuel tanks. By adding a centreline tank this
time. could be increased by an additional 550km. In addition a GPS satellite
To adapt the Fulcrums to the standards prescribed by NATO for use in navigation system was integrated into the avionics suite.
NATO air space, all twenty four aircraft were upgraded by DASA to MiG-29G Finally, in the autumn of 1999, six MiGs were deployed via Scotland and
standards between 1991 and 1995. The ICAO I package, as the modification Greenland to North America, where they took part first in ultra low-level
was referred to, included the following items: flying training of Luftwaffe pilots in Goose Bay, Canada and then in the US
• TACAN navigation system Air Force's Red Flag 2000 edition 1 exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
• IFF (identification friend or foe) system Here the Luftwaffe's Fulcrums took the role of aggressor, simulating the
• SIF (selective identification facility) part of enemy forces.
• Modernization of avionics up to NATO standards For cost reasons many of the MiGs did not get the promised 1, 300 hour
• New VHF/UHF radio equipment to replace the old UHF equipment workshop overhaul and a decision was subsequently made to hand the
• Emergency radio equipment jets over to the new NATO partner, Poland, to help it build up its strength.
• Anti-collision lights The Polish Air Force was already equipped with the MiG-29 and showed
• Cockpit labelling and displays changed from Russian to English interest in the German MiG-29s. The Polish Air Force had already received a
• Paint was changed from a green/green/brown to a grey/grey scheme number of the surplus Fulcrums from Czech Republic.
The aircraft were also to be registered within the Luftwaffe. The former
NVA serial was removed from the intake of the aircraft and was initially Polish Fulcrums
placed on the fin tip of the aircraft. During this time the aircraft still flew in
their original camouflage scheme. After the new grey camouflage was As earlier described the Polish Air Force received multiple batches of
introduced the former three digit NVA serial disappeared. MiG-29s. In the table below an overview is given concerning deliveries of
the type:
After this modification programme the single seater Fulcrum was
referred to as the MiG-29G, for Germany, and the trainer Fulcrum as MiG- Nation Version Type Origin Number of aircraft Year
29GT, for German Trainer. On 1st June 1993 the unit lost its test and
evaluation status and was renamed JG 73. Poland 9.12A MiG-29A MiG-MAPO 9 1989/90
In this newly formed wing (JagdGeschwader in German) former East
Poland 9.51 MiG-29UB MiG-MAPO 3 1989
German pilots and JG 71 Phantom pilots that had completed their
conversion training operated the Fulcrums. From that moment the MiG-29 9 Traded for 11 1995/96
was remained on QRA in Preschen. Poland 9.12A MiG-29A Czech rep WZL-3 helicopters
In the opinion of Luftwaffe Command in the long term plan Preschen,
close to the border with Poland, was not a suitable home for the newly Poland 9.51 MiG-29UB Czech rep 1 1996
formed unit. An alternative location was sought and found in the northeast
of Germany. The airbase at Laage near Rostock was to become the new Poland 9.12A MiG-29G German AF 19 2003
home of JG 73. Laage had been used by the NVA to operate the Su-22
fighter bomber and the airbase was suitable for the MiG-29. From 1997 this
Poland 9.51 MiG-29GT German AF 4 2003
squadron also operated a number of F-4 Phantoms in order to fly air
combat training missions with and against the MiGs. These F-4Fs were
mainly provided by JBG 35 which was based at Pferdsfeld, and was recently The Polish Air Force received its first MiG-29s in 1989. The initial delivery
disbanded. In October 1994 the relocation operation began, and on 15th received from the MiG-MAPO factories included nine MiG-29As and three
December the last aircraft left Preschen. In February 1995 the fighter wing MiG-29UBs. The MiG-29 was assigned to the 1.plm wing at Mińsk
was assigned to NATO, and National Quick Reaction Alert became Quick Mazowiecki northeast of Warsaw. The MiG-29s were to replace the MiG-21,
Reaction Alert. The German MiG-29s were the first Fulcrums to join the which was the backbone of the Polish air defence at that time.
NATO forces. The MiG-29s were delivered in two batches. The first batch obtained
Training missions were flown in exercises with most of the NATO from the MiG-MAPO factory arrived in August of 1989 and the serials were
partners but the most frequent sparring partners were the F-4Fs from their as follows:
sister squadron, which, formed out of the two flying squadrons of ex
Construction Number Aircraft Type Serail Polish Air Force
Fighter Bomber Wing 35 in Pferdsfeld, and moved to Laage in June 1997.
JG 73, the new merged unit, was given the tradition steeped name 2960526365 MiG-29A 65
Steinhoff on 18th September 1997. Up to the Phantom Phly-out in March
2960526366 MiG-29A 66
2002, JG 73 was the only unit of jets in the Luftwaffe to have two different
operational types. On exercises the two types would frequently fly as a 2960526367 MiG-29A 67
tactical pair so as to combine their advantages, the F-4F in air combat at
long distances and the agile Fulcrum in dogfights. 2960526370 MiG-29A 70
There was an ongoing interest by the USAF to test and evaluate the
capabilities of the MiG-29. The MiG-29 however was not equipped to be N50903014615 MiG-29UB 15
able to perform air to air refuelling. To overcome the lack of an air-to-air
N50903014642 MiG-29UB 42
refuelling capability and enable the jets to cross the ocean, the ICAO II
programme was designed to improve its long-range navigation and N50903014664 MiG-29UB 64
extend its range. Between 1996 and 2000, seven single seaters were
AIRCRAFT IN PRoFIle
MiG-29A, 5918, 1st Flight, 11th Fighter Regiment, 3rd Division of

Air Defence, Czechoslovak Air Force, Zatec Air Base,
Czechoslovakia 1992. This aircraft was sold to Poland in 1995.
Note the incorrect position of the national marking
MiG-29AS, 0619, 1st Tiger Fighter Squadron, Slovak Air Force, Sliac
Air Base, Slovakia 2008. The aircraft carries a very attractive digital
camouflage scheme
MiG-29A, 14, unit unknown, Russian Air Force,

Chkalovskyi Air Base, Russia 2015
MiG-29A, 9 Squadron, Iraqi Air Force, January 1991. The aircraft is

painted in a typical Soviet camouflage scheme.
AIRCRAFT IN PROFIlE
MiG-29A, 56, Russian Aerobatic Team ‘The Swifts’, MAKS exhibition,

Zhukovskyi Air Base, Russia 2001
MiG-29A, KB 713, No. 28 Squadron, Indian Air Force, Poona Air

Base, India late nineties. One of the very colourful Fulcrums of the
Indian Air Force
MiG-29A, 59, 1st Fighter Regiment, Polish Air Force, Minsk Mazowiecki Air Base,
Poland, 22nd December 1995. This aircraft was acquired from Czechoslovakia still
in its original camouflage scheme
MiG-29A, 679, JG 3 ‘Wladimir Komarow’, East German Air Force,

Preschen Air Base, East Germany 1990
AIRCRAFT IN PROFIle
MiG-29UB, 1303, 1st Tiger Fighter Squadron, Slovak Air Force, Sliac
Air Base, Slovakia 2011. Note the tiger emblem on the engine
fairing
MiG-29UB, KB 903, No. 28 Squadron, Indian Air Force, Poona Air

Base, India 1991
MiG-29UB, 15, 1st Fighter Regiment, Polish Air Force, Minsk

Mazowiecki Air Base, Poland. This Fulcrum trainer is painted in the
new NATO style camouflage scheme
MiG-29UB, 27, Hungarian Air Force. This Fulcrum wears the older
Soviet camouflage scheme. All Hungarian Fulcrums got received
NATO style camouflage in the late nineties
AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE
AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE
AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE
The second batch followed in October of 1990:

Construction Number Aircraft Type Serail Polish Air Force
2960535105 MiG-29A 105
2960535108 MiG-29A 108
2960535111 MiG-29A 111
2960535114 MiG-29A 114

The Czechoslovakian Air Force received its first Fulcrums in 1989
2960535115 MiG-29UB 115
with eighteen single seat and two dual seat Fulcrums delivered.
Following the division of the state the aircraft were equally divided
In early 1992 the conversion was completed although the MiG-21 between the new Czech Republic and Slovakia (Patrick Roegies)
remained operational until the arrival of the MiG-29s from the Czech
Republic. Over the years the Polish air Force MiG-29 fleet expanded due to
acquiring additional aircraft.
Only two years later, after the initial delivery and conversion were
completed in 1993, the Polish Air Force received a total of ten MiG-29s
from the Czech Air Force originally delivered to the Czechoslovakian Air
Force. With the delivery of the extra ten MiG-29s the total operated by the
Polish Air Force was raised to twenty two, of which four were trainers. The
first batch was delivered in December 1995:
Construction Number Aircraft Type Serail Czech Rep Serail Polish Air Force
2960532038 MiG-29A 3810 38 The Czech Republic only operated the MiG-29 for a short period
before they were stored at Ceske Budejovice and subsequently
2960526377 MiG-29A 7702 77 offered for sale (Patrick Roegies)
2960526383 MiG-29A 8304 83
2960526389 MiG-29A 8906 89

MiG-29A 83 is a former Czech
2960526392 MiG-29A 9207 92 Republic machine, 8304,
delivered to the Polish Air Force
N50903014528 MiG-29UB 4402 28 in December 1995 (Paul Gross)
The second delivery took place in January 1996 and contained the
following aircraft:
Construction Number Aircraft Type Serail Czech Rep Serail Polish Air Force
2960532040 MiG-29A 4012 40
2960532354 MiG-29A 5414 54
2960532356 MiG-29A 5616 56
2960532359 MiG-29A 5918 59
N50903014528 MiG-29UB 02 28
After the arrival of the Fulcrums received from the Czech Republic the
entire Fulcrum fleet was upgraded by WZL-2 at Bydgoszcz in order to make
them compatible with NATO operations. During this program the aircraft
were repainted in an attractive new grey colour scheme.
The Fulcrums modified by WZL-2 in Bydgoszcz received the following
systems:
• Rockwell Collins ANV-241MMR VOR/ILS
Former German Fulcrums had been upgraded by DASA when they
• AN/ARN-153 (TCN 500) TACAN
were in operational use by the German air Force. 4101 seen here,
• Trimble 2101AP GPS receiver
carried the former Luftwaffe identity 29+07, and prior to that the
• Thompson-CSF SB-14 radar warning receiver
NVA number 668 (Paul Gross)
• Polish made Radwar SC-10 Suprasl IFF
• Unimor-Radiocom RS 6113-2 VHF/UHF radio with new R-862 control
panel
• New anti-collision lights
• New NATO two tone grey camouflage
• GPS, TACAN and VOR/ILS systems were integrated with the aircraft
navigation system via TGR-29A interface
Sixteen fighters of 1.elt Squadron (former 1.plm Squadron) became
operational to this standard while the rest of the aircraft were put in
storage.
After the arrival of the Czech MiG-29s in 1996 the MiG-21s were
reassigned to other squadrons and the older MiG-21 types were flown to
the Polish Air Force storage facility at Mierzecieze. From this point forward
1.elt, based at Mińsk Mazowiecki northeast of Warsaw, was only operating
the MiG-29. The striking juxtaposition of the red and white Polish chequerboard
The next delivery of Fulcrums to the Polish Air Force followed in 2003 onto the contemporary grey tactical camouflage makes the Fulcrum, like
when the Luftwaffe sold its former East German MiG-29s to Poland. As the F-16 in Polish service, an eminently attractive subject for a modelling
project (Paul Gross)
discussed these Fulcrums had been upgraded by DASA when they were in
AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE
AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE
operational use by the German air Force. The aircraft delivered to the Polish 41.elt. The aim is to realize one standard of the MiG-29 within the Polish Air
Air Force are presented in the table below: Force. The Polish Air Force is planning to use the MiG-29 until 2025.
Construction Number Aircraft Type Serail Luftwaffe Serail Polish Air Force By the time the Kurpie upgrade program was completed both active
squadrons, 1.elt and 41. elt, were expected to operate eighteen aircraft
2960525106 MiG-29G 29+01 4116 each, comprising fourteen single and four dual aircraft.
2960525108 MiG-29G 29+02 4117 The extended lifetime upgrade program included the upgrade of the
following avionics:
2960525110 MiG-29G 29+03 Berlin Gatow Museum
• Rockwell Collins ANV-241MMR VOR/ILS
2960525111 MiG-29G 29+04 4111 • AN/ARN-153 (TCN 500) TACAN
• Trimble 2101AP
2960525113 MiG-29G 29+05 4118 • GPS receiver
• Thompson-CSF SB-14 radar warning receiver
2960525114 MiG-29G 29+06 4107 • Polish made Radwar SC-10 Suprasl
• IFF and Unimor-Radiocom RS 6113-2 VHF/UHF radio with new R-862
2960525115 MiG-29G 29+07 4101 control panel
• New anti-collision lights
2960525118 MiG-29G 29+08 4112 • New NATO two tone grey camouflage
• GPS, TACAN and VOR/ILS systems were integrated with the aircraft
2960525121 MiG-29G 29+09 w/o 25jun96 navigation system via TGR-29A interface
2960525124 MiG-29G 29+10 4119 Aircraft of 1.elt have already received the avionics upgrades with the
airframe overhaul planned later. 41.elt aircraft receive both the avionics
2960525128 MiG-29G 29+11 4102 and the airframe upgrades simultaneously.
In 2011 another modernization program was submitted to upgrade the
2960525132 MiG-29G 29+12 4113 MiG-29 further. This order however comprised the modernization of only
sixteen aircraft instead of the entire fleet. The purpose of this
2960525800 MiG-29G 29+14 4114 modernization program was the digitalization of the aircraft management
system, achieving the standards set by NATO and improving the data
2960526300 MiG-29G 29+15 4108 management system available to the pilot. This would extend the technical
and operational lifetime of the Fulcrums for another ten to fifteen years, as
2960526301 MiG-29G 29+16 4103 w/o 06jul18 the Polish Air Force did not have a designated successor for the MiG-29.
2960526302 MiG-29G 29+17 4104 By 2014 the upgrade of the MiG-29 fleet was completed by WZL.2 with
the modernization of sixteen MiG-29 Fulcrum aircraft. The modernization
2960526310 MiG-29G 29+18 4120 program was a joint venture between WZL.2 and the company Israeli
Aerospace Industries (IAI). The modernization included the
2960526314 MiG-29G 29+19 4109 implementation of modern avionics, advanced mission computers and a
NATO compatible communication suite. On 4th November 2014 the final
2960526315 MiG-29G 29+20 4121 MiG-29 was delivered to 23 Air Base Minsk Mazowieki where all the
modernized Fulcrums were assigned to 1.elt.
2960526319 MiG-29G 29+21 4122 The actual changes included a inter alia, installation of a two band radio,
N50903006448 MiG-29GT 29+22 4110 better global positioning system and modernized aerodynamic computer.
The new avionics suite is equipped with a MIL-Std-1533B data bus, a
N50903006526 MiG-29GT 29+23 4115 mission computer that facilitates mission planning and post flight analysis.
However the change that is the most visible is the new data visualization
N50903006604 MiG-29GT 29+24 4105 system, consisting of a five foot by four foot MFD and modern HUD display
in the cockpit.
N50903011408 MiG-29GT 29+25 4123 The Polish Armament Inspectorate has also started a market analysis
within the scope of equipping the aircraft with IFF Mark XIIA systems,
Fulcrum 4112 is currently in use as an instructional airframe at the Air which would be compliant with the latest NATO standard, mode 5. This
Force flying school at Deblin. Fulcrum 4119 is currently prepared for the would be a follow up upgrade for the aircraft already upgraded.
same purpose.
Upon delivery the aircraft flew to WZL-2 for an overhaul at Bydgoszcz, Legendary 303 Squadron
however four were already delivered to 41.elt at Malbork following a
limited overhaul. These aircraft entered service in 2007 and were assigned A number of Fulcrums bear on top of their fuselage the emblem of 303
to the 41.Eskadra Lotnictwa Taktycznego (41.elt) based at Malbork . The Squadron, a legendary unit consisting of Polish pilots who fought with the
Fulcrums replaced the older MiG-21 aircraft. Royal Air Force during World War II. In addition many jets are decorated
with portraits of these pilots.
The former German MiG-29s were in very bad shape. The Polish Air Force
maintenance facility at Bydgodzcz decided that only fourteen aircraft of
the twenty two Fulcrums received (fifteen TCAO I conversions and seven The Future
TCAO II conversions) were to be assigned to the active squadron 41.elt at Although it has been rumoured that the MiG-29s were to be replaced
Malbork. In 2006 about ten Fulcrums had passed the Kurpie upgrade there are currently no concrete plans for this. A study was to be started in
program, which was a joint venture between MiG-MAPO and WZL-2. With 2017 but no concrete conclusions have been presented until recently.
this update the airframe lifetime was extended until 2015. The avionics There are currently no active plans to acquire fifth-generation aircraft that
were upgraded into a standard comparable with the MiG-29s from 1.elt. would eventually replace the MiG-29 Fulcrum aircraft, currently operated
The only remaining exception was the navigation systems already installed by the Polish Air Force alongside the F-16. The decision has recently been
on the ex German Fulcrums. All the Fulcrums that have been received by postponed by the leadership of the Polish Ministry of Defence and it is
41.elt have been submitted to the Kurpie upgrade program currently planned to have the MiG-29 in operational service until 2022-
The 1.elt MiG-29s have also been submitted to the airframe lifetime 2025. This means that for the foreseeable future the MiG-29 will remain the
extension program, equal to the Fulcrums that preceeded them from backbone of Poland’s air defence.
One of a number of Polish Fulcrums celebrating the legendary 303

Sqn. #56 is another ex-Czech machine, delivered with the second
batch of aircraft in January 1996 (TheovanVliet)
The serpentine MiG-29UB 64 was among the first batch of aircraft

obtained from the MiG-MAPO factory, arriving in Poland in August
1989 (Paul Gross)
4012 Me-209 Pages 58-60.qxp_Scuttlebutt 13/01/2019 23:42 Page 58
M E 209
Improving the Breed

By Huw Morgan
Special Hobby's kit of the Me 209V4 is relatively

simple, being made up of fifty six parts
machine,
Surface detail is well being a
rendered and very uniform completely
unique
airframe and
sharing no
significant
structural
parts with the
Bf 109.
Designed to
be small and
lightweight,
Messerschmitt Me 209 V-4 the aircraft's
Kit No: 72221 Daimler Benz
DB 601ARJ
Scale: 1/72
engine drove it
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic to a world
Smaller parts are very cleanly moulded, albeit Manufacturer: Special Hobby speed record for a piston engined aircraft of
slightly thick in places 756km/h (469mph) on 26th April 1939, whilst
www.specialhobby.eu
carrying the German civil registration D-INJR.
Interestingly, this record stood until broken by
T
he designation Me 209 is something of a
confusing label, there being at least two Darryl Greenamyer 's Bearcat Conquest in
projects using the title, both loosely August 1969, although there remain some
associated with the much more famous Me 109 doubts as to the veracity of the German timing
fighter. The first use of the 209 designation was methods.
for a purpose built, high performance single Given its performance, it was probably
seater intended solely to establish records in inevitable that the Me 209 would be considered
speed and altitude, and as such the 209 was as a potential warplane, to replace the Bf 109
deliberately linked to the existence of the 109 for whose deficiencies had been shown up during
propaganda purposes. The second use of the the Battle of Britain. Converting a
209 tag came in 1943 after the demise of the single use racer to a versatile fighter
first, and was assigned to an attempt to develop was never going to be easy
an enhanced version of the Bf 109 to counter the however and the former's
superior performance of the Fw 190 and Ta 152, marginal, short life
an attempt which failed miserably. evaporative cooling
There are some concessions to simplify system was the first
moulding, such as the separate propeller The original Me 209 was an
interesting thing to go,
blades the
conventional radiators
replacing the flush wing
Separate mounting bosses need to be added

for the undercarriage
M E 209
Not very surprisingly, the fuselage joints need

some work. I used my preferred filler of
brushed on superglue
panels Special Hobby's sister company CMK's resin

and adding wheels, which whilst not much better than the
so much drag that the kit plastic in hub detail, do have a more distinct
speed dropped to very little better tread pattern.
than the Bf 109. With the added weight Construction is entirely straightforward, some
of nose and possible wing guns, it quickly representative cockpit side wall detail moulded
became clear, that the 209 was no saviour in on the inside of the fuselage being enhanced by
waiting, and the programme was abandoned. a floor with rudder pedals and control stick and a
Special Hobby have issued a couple of seat suspended on a short rod jammed between
versions of the Me 209, as the V1 out and out the fuselage halves, there's a small instrument
racer in its rather fetching blue colours, and in panel, which gets a decal to represent the
the case reviewed here, as V4, the prototype for gauges. This is certainly no click together
a fighter version carrying nose guns and the experience, but neither is it particularly hard to
under wing radiators. do. I added some life to the plain seat with some
The kit is presented in a typical Special Hobby generic seat belts.
end opening box with attractive box art and a Where the fit of the cockpit parts wasn't too
summary of the two marking schemes on the bad, the wing-to-fuselage joint wasn't great. At The kit's seat is very bland, so I added some
back of the box. Both schemes are overall RLM the wing trailing edges it was reasonable, but at generic belts from an Eduard set I think
02 and are for spurious use by fictional units. the leading edges there were large gaps, which
The fifty six plastic parts are presented on two needed several iterations of filler and superglue
frames with a handful not for use (presumably to fix, and even now the result isn't as tidy as I'd
for the V1) and a one piece clear part for the like. There's more work needed in fitting the
canopy. Surface detail is quite nice and the tailplanes, which seemed strangely reluctant to
smaller parts are well moulded with only slight stick to the fuselage, and which needed some
flash and mould joint lines visible. The shortish significant fillets of filler to blend them in. The
run nature of the moulding is revealed by the one piece cockpit moulding is very thick, albeit
need to assemble components that in other kits pretty clear, and needs some minor carving to
might be moulded in one piece, like the get the best fit. It was glued in place using Pacer
propeller with separate blades, and 560 and masked using narrow strips of tape
the tiny undercarriage mounting infilled with masking fluid before Deluxe Perfect The CMK alternative wheels have marginally
bosses, which need to be Plastic water soluble filler was used to better hub detail but much more aggressive
glued into the upper wing blend the edges. tread
skin. As a minor Painting is
enhancement I had pretty
available
Whilst the bulk of the wing-to-fuselage joint is

reasonable, the leading edge fit is very poor,
needing some serious filling

M E 209
Here's the basic airframe unpainted, showing

the degree of filling needed
straightforward with the single with some Bare Metal Chrome foil
colour scheme with Halfords on the oleo sections.
primer, polished, before Mr Hobby Overall an interesting stroll
H70 RLM 02 diluted with their own around the margins of the late
levelling thinner, which has the 1930s aeronautical scene, for which
advantage of drying to a smooth, Special Hobby are to be
near gloss finish. There are commended as they continue to
relatively few decals to apply, given bring us fascinating subjects in
the prototypical nature of the workmanlike kits. Yes there are
airframe. I went for the more some fit issues, and yes the detail is
colourful scheme with the snakes, a bit skimpy, but from where else
the decals working well using water can you get a 1/72 scale kit of what
to position them and a light was arguably an important
overcoat of MicroSol to help them development in extending
adhere. I protected the decals with technical boundaries? Many thanks
a very light overspray of Citadel to Special Hobby for the sample.
Purity Seal satin varnish, and in
terms of weathering added only a
hint of exhaust stains and wing
With some minor reshaping the canopy fits root dirt using
pretty well and is relatively easy to mask pastel chalks
in greys and
browns.
Finishing only
needs the
undercarriage
fitting, which
I dressed
up
4012 Preview Pages 62.qxp_Scuttlebutt 13/01/2019 09:50 Page 62
S O LU T I O N S …
The root albums page. Clicking on the album will open it. Flickr allows
considerable versatility in managing, sorting and arranging albums and images
What to do with a growing collection?
By Gary Hatcher with Andy McCabe
I
was talking with Andy McCabe at It’s something I have pondered
Telford. Andy and I have worked myself, although having barely a
together for as long as I have dozen or so surviving aircraft in my
been editing scale model collection, and not having Andy’s
magazines, in fact I think he may skill with a camera it’s something
even predate me as I am pretty sure that withered on the vine, but Andy
his work was on file when I first has taken up the suggestion and
took over from Richard Franks in a posted over 2,000 photographs
former employment. That was going back years on his own Flickr
some fourteen years ago now, and pages. This awesome collection is Opening an album reveals its contents. You can adjust the
the combination of his modelling neatly divided into albums, can be size at which images appear with simple keyboard controls
skills, excellent photography and viewed by anyone who chooses,
rate of throughput have ensured he and enables its author to revisit his
has been kept well stocked with model collection time and again, to
review kits over the years. In fact reorganise them into sub
Andy is one of my first ports of call collections by type, genre, scale,
if I need something built in a hurry, manufacturer or whatever, and best
as witness the Clear Prop Pioneer in of all takes up no space and doesn’t
this issue, which was actually built gather dust or fall foul of prowling
in less than a week from his cats and the like.
receiving it at Scale ModelWorld
and only didn’t make it into the last So it’s just a thought. If you have
issue because the inbox preview a sprawling collection, even your
was already in and laid out. unbuilt stash, showcasing it online Individual images
is a way of accessing it readily and can then be enlarged
One of the topics we touched
sharing it with whoever you and enjoyed
upon, possibly after a lengthy
choose. I personally chose Flickr for
discussion on my ongoing failure to
my own collections at is user
complete the Mach 2 Argosy, was
friendly, afforded exactly the kind
where he kept his by now
of showcase I wanted and is
remarkable collection of finished
currently free, although I
models. ‘Oh, they’re boxed in the
understand this is due to change
loft… or around somewhere,’ he
replied. I was aghast. soon for those hosting more than a One of
couple of thousand photographs. my
All that astonishing body of work
vanished into storage, and some of So check out Andy’s albums at favourites
his personal projects have been www.flickr.com/people/127733864@ , Andy’s
pretty remarkable. The 1/32 N08/ and see if you think this could Broplan
Beaufighter springs to mind, not to be a solution for you, whether you vacforms
mention the Sunderland with the have models, unbuilt kits, box loads album
complete scratch built interior from of rusty aviation artefacts from
front to back. My own favourite crash site digs, or anything that you
elements of his collection are the value and would like to make the
many Broplan vacforms I passed his best of. Maybe it’s something that And there is no limit
way a dozen or more years ago. clubs or SIGs could work together to what you can add
They always got built in record on to share photographic skills and to your albums. The
time, and always to a consistently the like? choice is yours…
high standard. It’s just a suggestion, but all that
I couldn’t bear the thought of all hard work we put in, and the
that work lost and abandoned so marvellous models we produce
skilfully managing to swing the deserve better than a dusty attic
conversation round to the unlikely and obscurity. I can think of one or
subject of my collection of railway two of this magazine’s contributors
photographs I suggested he start a who probably have a body of work
virtual collection online, using a similar to Andy’s that I would love
photo hosting website, such as my to be able to wander through at
own first choice Flickr… will. Think about it…
4012 Colour Conundrum 64-67_Scuttlebutt 12/01/2019 12:22 Page 64
Co Lo u r C O N U N D R U M
Colloquial Colour Conundrums of the Luftwaffe

Part 1
Upper Surface Colours 1939 – 1945
By Paul Lucas
Starboard side view of He 111P , 1,H+JA of Stab KG 26, October 1939. Standard 70/71/65 camouflage scheme with the exception of the fin and rudder
which appear to be a single colour, possibly as a result of having the earlier swastika/White circle/Red band marking painted out.
D
uring the Second World War, the subject 'On 28th October No.602 Squadron Red Section distance under some lighting conditions
of the camouflage and marking of and 603 Squadron Red Section intercepted a however, a sufficiently dark green might be
enemy aircraft was of some interest to Heinkel 111 over the Firth of Forth and shot it down perceived and described colloquially as being
the RAF and Intelligence reports, which were the 8 miles W.S.W. of Haddington. The aircraft was black.
result of either encountering enemy aircraft in camouflaged dark green and grey'. With regard to the under surfaces, the terms
combat or technical examination of captured The issue of 'The Aeroplane' magazine published 'grey', 'grey-blue' and 'light blue' are sufficiently
enemy aircraft in varying states of repair, on 5 January 1940 contained an article entitled similar to be taken at face value and in the light
frequently mention the colour schemes that 'The Heinkel Dissected' which described the colour of known Luftwaffe practice almost certainly to
these aircraft carried. The problem for the scheme thus: have been Farbton 65 Hellblau (light blue).
researcher reading this material today is that all
'Another point which the wreckage shows well is The one thing that all four descriptions have
the colours are described colloquially with
the new German system of camouflage. All the in common is that they only refer to the
apparently no attempt having been made to
undersurfaces are painted a light grey-blue. All the presence of two colours, the dark green or black
standardise the colloquial nomenclature. This
upper surfaces are sombre black for camouflage of the upper surfaces and the grey, blue-grey or
means that one Pilot or Intelligence Officer
when seen from above against the ground'. pale blue of the under surfaces. This is contrary
might describe a colour using one colloquial
In contrast, the 7 March 1940 issue of 'Flight' to the known production colour scheme of the
term whilst a second Pilot or Intelligence Officer
magazine described the Heinkel as follows: Heinkel He 111 introduced from 1937, which
might see the same colour on either the same or
featured two shades of green on the upper
different aircraft and describe it using a different '...the Heinkel 111K shot down on October 28th had
surfaces, Farbton 70 Schwartzgrun (black green)
colloquial term. This leads in some cases to the all its upper surfaces painted in a dark green,
and Farbton 71 Dunkelgrun (dark green) whilst
colloquial descriptions of the colour schemes similar to the green in our own camouflage
the under surfaces were to be Farbton 65
given in various reports perhaps not agreeing colours, while the under side was pale blue'.
Hellblau. Of these four descriptions, perhaps the
with what we think we currently know.
1H+JA found its way to the Royal Aircraft most reliable, and what might be expected to be
Establishment at Farnborough who wrote the most technically competent is that of the
The First to Fall separate reports on many aspects of the aircraft RAE who had ample opportunity to examine the
including the paint finishes found. With regard aircraft in great detail, and they refer to ‘a matte
A specific example of the problems with
to the external colours, RAE report E.A. 1/45 dark bronze green’ (singular) as being present on
eyewitness accounts and colloquial descriptions
'Examination of Paints on Metal Parts' stated the upper surfaces.
of colour is provided by the following four
that:
descriptions, presumably by different people of Photographs of the aircraft however show
the colour scheme of the same aircraft. The first 'The exterior of the aircraft was painted on the that it was in fact finished in a two colour
enemy aircraft to be brought down on the upper surface with a matte dark bronze green and disruptive scheme on the upper surfaces with
mainland of Britain in World War Two was a on the under surface with a pale sky blue'. those segments of light and dark colours that
Heinkel He 111H coded 1H+JA of Stab KG 26, With regard to the differences in colour are visible on the upper surfaces of the wings
which was shot down by the Spitfires of 602 and perception and description of the upper appearing to match the 'A' Scheme for the He
603 Squadrons on 28 October 1939. As the first surfaces, they were clearly not actually black as 111P. This difference is quite difficult to see, a
enemy aircraft to fall into British hands, this photographs of the aircraft show a clear contrast trait which seems to affect many photographs of
Heinkel drew a great deal of attention and it was between the black used to apply the code letters Luftwaffe aircraft thus making them appear to
widely reported on, both in the popular aviation to the side of the fuselage and the rest of the be a single monotone
press and official intelligence and technical upper surface finish. If seen in situ
reports. With regard to the camouflage scheme, on a Scottish
Fighter Command Intelligence Summary (FCIS) hillside from a
No.20 dated 31 October 1939 stated:
Port side view of Bf 109G-6 Trop, W/Nr 26037, 'Yellow 6'. Italy. circa late 1943. Upper surfaces painted in RLM 24, under surfaces in RLM 78.Yellow '6' and
bottom of cowling in RLM 04. White RLM 22 theatre markings.
64 w w w. s C a L e a i r C r a f t m o d e L L i n g . Co. u k
CO LO U R C O N U N D R U M
Upper surfaces in RLM 24 with a RLM 76

mottle. No crosses visible on the upper
surface of the wings. Spinners in RLM 70
Upper surface plan view of JU 88S-3,
Z6+BH, I./KG66, 1944.
colour
on the upper surfaces were a duck-
surfaces. egg blue instead of the usual dark green colour.
It is perhaps surprising that the RAE did not The sides and under surfaces had been sprayed
notice that two shades of green were present on black'.
the upper surface, or if they did, that they did As ever, the question here is what exactly was
not see fit to mention it in the report. It would meant by the colloquialism 'duck-egg blue'? Is
appear that they simply did not notice as this an attempt to describe a light blue colour of
evidenced by RAE report EA 14/7 dated October some description such as Farbton 76, which is
1940 on JU 88 7A+FM, which had been brought known to have been specified for the upper
down on 19 September. The relevant part of this surfaces of Luftwaffe Night Fighters, or is it being
report states: used in an RAF context where the term is
'Attention is called to the existence on this enemy frequently used to describe the colour officially
aircraft (stamped June 1940) of a scheme of called 'Sky' of which there does appear to have
camouflage apparently copied in several been a German equivalent? Whatever this colour
particulars from British aircraft... was, it brings us to the subject of the use of a
blue colour as an upper surface camouflage
All the upper surfaces of the wings, nacelles, colour.
fuselage, tail-planes and elevators, spinners
and the vertical surfaces of the fuselage, fin,
and rudder, are painted in a banded camouflage Farbton 83 Dunkelblau?
scheme obtained by overpainting, in 6 ft. wide upper surface The big question with regard to the use of
bands of lighter green, the original uniform dark colours of Luftwaffe blue on the upper surfaces of Luftwaffe aircraft
green of the upper surfaces. The form of the bands Bombers is made in surrounds the discovery by Michael Ullman of
resembles the British scheme, but the outlines are RAF Intelligence reports during 1940-41 unless documents originating at Travermunde in 1943
rectilinear instead of irregularly curved. The lighter they have been painted black and the colloquial that identify Farbton 83 as 'dunkelblau' (dark
green is similar to, though rather darker than, the description of 'dark green' seems to suffice. This blue). In a previous article on the subject
British Dark green aeroplane colour. The darker practice persisted until 1943. For example A.I.2 published in the December 2017 issue of SAM,
green colour is similar to, though darker than, the (g) Crashed Enemy Aircraft Serial No. 181 dated this author made an attempt to incorporate this
British Extra Dark Sea Green. The colour contrast 12 February 1943 described the colour scheme new information into a new interpretation of
between the two shades of green, is quite small'. of a pair of crashed Do217s in the following what we think we currently know by making the
There are two relevant points to consider terms: suggestion that whilst Travermunde colour
here. Firstly, specific mention is made of the 300/III was suggested for adoption by the RLM
A Do 217 which crashed on 7 February 1943
'original uniform dark green of the upper surfaces', as Farbton 83, this suggestion was not accepted
W/Nr 4433 U5+GP (G outlined in yellow).
which implies that the RAE did not notice that and the number was instead assigned to a re-
1H+JA was finished with two shades of green on 'The camouflage was dark green upper surfaces issue of a pre-war colour, Farbton 64, which was
their upper surfaces. Secondly, specific mention with spray painted black lower surfaces with the a dark green, based on the research of the late
is made of the 'quite small' difference in the two sides of the fuselage also black. The spinners were Ken Merrick.
German hues found upon 7A+FM. Thus it is quite dark green with yellow tip'.
On the face of it, we have here two respected
possible that the difference was so small as to A Do 217 E2 which crashed on 10 February authors, both considered to be authorities in
escape notice by the casual observer at a 1943 W/Nr 5437 F8+IN. their field, who have both engaged in extensive
distance or to some types of film that were not 'Camouflage greenish upper surfaces with black research using primary sources over a great
sensitive enough to the relevant part of the spray painted lower surfaces'. many years, who have come up with two
colour spectrum to detect and register such a completely different interpretations as to the
Do 217 Es were usually finished in the
small tonal differences. hue of Farbton 83. Unfortunately, they cannot
maritime scheme of Farbton 72 and 73, so whilst
The idea that German aircraft were a single the description is accurate in general terms, both be correct, unless a course of events similar
shade of dark green on the upper surfaces was there is still no apparent awareness of there to that suggested by this author in the
included in official British aircraft recognition being two shades of green present and December 2017 issue took place. This would
documentation from early 1940. For example, apparently absolutely no awareness of a allow both interpretations to be correct, but at
Confidential Admiralty Fleet Order 477/40 difference between the 70/71 land plane and different times.
entitled 'Colouring and Markings of British, French 72/73 maritime schemes. That a new colour, which had been proposed
and German Aircraft' dated 28 March 1940 gave by a research establishment, should be rejected
An apparent change in policy with regard to
the following information by the Ministry responsible for the formulation
the camouflage finish on the upper surfaces of
'German Military Aircraft the Luftwaffe's Night Bombers was first noticed of policy should not be considered to be an
(A) Camouflage and Colouring in Britain in August 1943. A.I.2(g) Crashed Enemy unusual event. In Britain for example, during
Aircraft Report Serial No. 205 dated 21 August 1941 the RAE proposed the introduction of a
(i) Upper surfaces are painted dark olive green. new colour, which they called 'Olive Grey', for use
described the camouflage of the first Do217M-1
(ii) Under surfaces are usually painted light sky to fall over the UK, W/Nr 2852 U5+??, in the on the upper surfaces of Day Fighters. Following
blue'. following terms: service trials, this colour was rejected with the
For some reason, almost no mention of the Air Ministry choosing to retain Dark Green
'The camouflage was unusual in that the upper

Port side view of JU 88S-1, Z6+BH of 1./KG66 1944. Painted in RLM 76 with a RLM 24 mottle. Note the replacement nose painted in RLM 02. No crosses on
upper surfaces of wings. Under surfaces Black Code letters on fin with 'B' in white and all others in black. Spinners in RLM 70 with white ring .
instead. Given that the original intention was Allied Intelligence Officer. Given that its German forces who did not know the date of the crash.
that Farbton 83 be a shade of dark blue, the colloquial description is 'dunkelblau' (dark blue) The camouflage was described as 'blue on top
question as to its hue arises. Its stated proposed this is the obvious place to start. In addition to surface and wing tips. Mottled light blue under
use was that it be used in conjunction with this, if 300/III was similar to Light Mediterranean surface. On each side of fuselage the following
Farbton 70 on land planes and Farbton 72 on Blue, then any Luftwaffe aircraft that is marking was found 4 cross - '. The number and
maritime aircraft operating in the Mediterranean colloquially described as having 'blue' or 'blue dash were painted in yellow, the cross was black
Theatre. Given that these two colours are the grey' camouflage from 1943 onwards might be outlined in white. The marking on the wings
darker of the two elements in their respective worth consideration. were unobtainable.
schemes, it might be reasonable to assume that
Farbton 83 would be lighter than either so as to
give a disruptive effect, which would break up Blue Upper Surfaces Over the Blue Upper Surfaces Over the UK
the outline of the aircraft. Mediterranean By the turn of the year 1943-44, the use of
In view of the fact that Farbton 83 was some sort of blue as an upper surface
As far as is currently known, no sample of
originally fabricated as a dark blue colour for use camouflage colour on Luftwaffe night bombers
300/III has been found so we have no idea what
in the Mediterranean theatre it might be operating over Britain seems to have become
it actually looked like. That it is described as
expected that documents that originate with more widespread following the A.I.2(g) Crashed
'dunkelblau' might mean absolutely nothing as
RAF Middle East might throw some light upon Enemy Aircraft Report Serial No. 205 dated 21
the Dornier 335 manual describes both Farbton
the subject. Unlike Fighter Command August quoted above.
80 and 81 as being 'dunkelgrun' (dark green)
despite the relatively light hue of Farbton 81 Intelligence Summaries, RAF Middle East A.I. 2(g) Crashed Enemy Aircraft Report Serial
which, depending on who is to be believed, is Intelligence Summaries make almost no No. 217 dated 24 January 1944 and its
either a bright grass green or a more subdued mention of the camouflage and markings of addendum, dated 8 February 1944 in part refer
olive green very similar to the RAF colour Light enemy aircraft, and the few reports of the use of to a JU 88, which crashed at Dover on 21
Green. a blue colour on the upper surfaces to hand at January. The full code combination was
the time of writing come from technical reports impossible to discern but the last two letters 'LM'
By way of comparison, the RAF had two
on individual aircraft. Perhaps surprisingly given were black with a white outline. The addendum
shades of blue that had been specifically
the colour's association with the Ju 88 in makes the following comments on the colour
designed for use as upper surface camouflage
published literature, both the technical reports scheme:
colours in a disruptive camouflage scheme
that specifically cite 'dark blue' on the upper 'Some very deep blue paint was found on the upper
considered suitable for use in the
surfaces of aircraft in the Mediterranean surface of the aircraft and it seems probable that it
Mediterranean. These were Dark Mediterranean
concerned Bf 109s, the remains of which were had been operating on the anti-shipping sorties in
Blue for use with Extra Dark Sea Green and its
found in Italy in the second half of 1943. These the Mediterranean area at a very recent date'.
'shadow shade' Light Mediterranean Blue, which
are as follows:
was to be used in conjunction with Dark Sea From these comments, it can be seen that RAF
Green. Of these, Dark Mediterranean Blue is a Mediterranean Allied Air Forces APO 650 Intelligence was aware of the existence of a dark
very similar colour to Farbton 24, which is known Technical Report No.301 Italy – Abandoned blue camouflage scheme along with its
to have been used on the upper surfaces of Enemy Aircraft Schedule No. 34. This document geographic and operational association by the
some Luftwaffe aircraft, so on the face of it, appear to be undated, but the same information end of 1943.
Farbton 24 should have been quite acceptable is included in A.I.2.(g) Aircraft Examined in Italy
A.I. 2(g) Crashed Enemy Aircraft Report Serial
for the upper surfaces of Luftwaffe aircraft Report Serial No. 220 dated 22 February 1944.
No. 223 dated 28 February 1944 describes the
operating over the Mediteranean. That said 1541. Messerschmitt 109 G-6 camouflage of a Ju 188 E-1, W/Nr. 260339 being
however, it might not have had sufficient marked on the fin, coded U5+LN ('L' in black
This wreckage consisted of a damaged
contrast with the Farbton 70 and 72 to provide a outlined red) as follows:
fuselage only. The W/Nr 26037 was taken from
disruptive effect. This might have led to Farbton
the fin. The squadron markings were described 'The under surfaces were black, the upper surfaces
24 being used as a single colour in the same
as '+6 (yellow) with white band round fuselage'. being blue-grey sprayed with irregular black lines'.
manner that Dark Mediterranean Blue was
The camouflage finish was described as 'dark Under the heading 'German Night
apparently used as a single colour on the upper
blue upper surface, light blue lower surface'. Camouflage' Air Defence Great Britain
surfaces of some of the Malta Spitfires during
1942. 1542. Messerschmitt 109 G-6 Intelligence Summary No. 15 also dated 28
In the light of this, might it therefore be the Again, this wreck consisted of only the February 1944 noted some variation in German
case that Travermunde 300/III Farbton 83 was a damaged fuselage of W/Nr 26125. The night camouflage as follows:
similar sort of hue to Light Mediterranean Blue, identification markings consisted of a chevron in '13. Some variations in German night camouflage
falling somewhere between Farbton 24 and black with a white outline forward of the cross are revealed by the inspection of recent crashed
Farbton 78? Despite its name, Light with a White band aft of the cross. Camouflage is aircraft. A Me 410 was found with its upper
Mediterranean Blue is not a particularly light described as 'mottled dark blue on the upper surfaces painted in two shades of grey and its sides
colour, having a theoretical specular reflectivity surfaces, light blue on the lower'. painted mottled blue-grey. A Ju 188 had all its
of 16% compared with the 30% of Azure Blue. At A more ambiguous reference can be found in upper surfaces painted pale blue mottled black. In
the moment, there is no way of knowing. Headquarters Mediterranean Allied Air Forces the case of both aircraft, the undersurfaces were, as
In looking for evidence for the use of Farbton APO 650 Technical Intelligence Section Report usual, black'.
83 the question has to be asked as to how it No.210, which featured another Bf109G-6 the Air Defence Great Britain Intelligence
might be described colloquially by an RAF or remains of which were discovered by ground Summary No. 16 dated 7 March 1944 noted
Upper side plan view of JU 88S-1, Z6+BH of

1./KG66 1944. Painted in RLM 76 with a
RLM 24 mottle. Note the replacement nose
painted in RLM 02. No crosses on upper
surfaces of wings. Under surfaces painted
in Black. Spinners in RLM 70 with white ring.
under
the heading
'German Night Camouflage' that:
'37. Inspection of further crashed aircraft discloses THINNING 7200:00, 40 KG A/C PAINT (BLACK)
that the German policy in night camouflage is to 7160.22. 30 KG A/C PAINT (BLUE) 7160.24.
paint the under surfaces of the aircraft black, but FOR OPS., IMMEDIATE ALLOCATION (COLLECTION
experiments with camouflage for upper surfaces BY RECEIVING AUTHORITY) REQUESTED'.
seems still to be in progress. The following schemes
have been noticed in addition to those referred to This confirms that I/KG 66 were requesting a
in A.D.G.B. Intelligence Summary No.15. supply of black 22 and blue 24 to camouflage
their aircraft in the summer of 1944. From this, it
Ju 188. Underneath black. Sides of fuselage and
might be reasonable to extrapolate that the dark
top upper-surfaces, olive green with greeny grey
blue colour being applied to Luftwaffe night
wavy lines superimposed. On the lower half of the
bombers operating over the UK during the first
rudder the wavy lines were blue-grey.
half of 1944 where such a colour is mentioned in
Do.217M. Under-surface and sides of fin and the Intelligence reports quoted above was also
rudder black. Upper surface and sides of fuselage Farbton 24. Unless the aircraft that were
dull blue with black wavy lines superimposed. reported as being dark blue in the
Do 217M. Under-surfaces black. Upper- Mediterranean were part of a service trial
surfaces, greenish blue mottled with black. of dark blue Farbton 83, it is perhaps most
He 177. Under surfaces black. Sides and upper likely that Farbton 24 was being employed there
surfaces, mottled grey-blue'. Report No. 9/26 as well.
A.I.2(g) Crashed Enemy Aircraft Report Serial concerned a Ju The document trail from Travermunde that
No. 236 dated 4 May 1944 describes the 88G-6 W/Nr. 621586 relates to the dark blue colour given as 300/III,
camouflage of a Me 410 coded 9K+Z? ('Z' black coded 'D5' (in small which was suggested for introduction as Farbton
outlined in yellow) as being camouflaged 'Blue- characters) + AX all in black, which crashed near 83 discovered by Michael Ullmann, comes to an
grey on the top surfaces, spray painted black on Elvington airfield at 0200 hours. Its camouflage end in November 1943 with this colour being
the undersurfaces'. It was also noted that 'On the finish was described as follows: suggested for introduction. As far as is currently
base of the tail-fin 42 was painted in black and 'Under surfaces were light blue, mottled with white. known, there is no documentary evidence to
below this on the fuselage, 750 in black on a white This continued up the sides of the fuselage and fin. show that it was actually introduced to service.
background'. The upper surfaces were a dark blue mottled with By the time that this recommendation was
A.I.2(g) Crashed Enemy Aircraft Report Serial grey and white'. made, Luftwaffe aircraft with a dark blue colour
No.261 dated 1 January 1945 report 9/21 With regard to exactly what shade of blue that on their upper surfaces had already been
concerned a Bf 109 G-14 W/Nr 463224, which any of these reports might have been making encountered in combat and were falling into
was wrecked whilst attempting a wheels down reference to, the only hard documentary Allied hands.
landing at Dyce airfield on 26 December 1944. evidence that specifies a particular colour in this There is no evidence known to this author
The identification markings on this machine context to have come to light at the time of that Farbton 83 was ever introduced to service as
were described as being a yellow equilateral writing is Ultra Intercept CX/MSS/T221/70 dated a dark blue. On the contrary, such solid
triangle forward of the cross 2 feet long along 20 June 1944 in the files of the National Archives documentary evidence that does exist from the
the base, which had been very roughly applied. at Kew of which the author has now been able to
summer of 1944, specifically cites Farbton 24 as
The camouflage was described thus: obtain a copy and can therefore confirm that the
the blue colour being used for upper surface
'The aircraft was sprayed mottled pale blue text reads as follows:
camouflage. Thus it is the author’s opinion that
underneath while the upper surfaces were a dull 'FROM (ROMAN) I/KG66. ABT TO FIELD LUFGAU W. where Intelligence reports make mention of
greyish blue. The spinner was painted black with a FRANCE, QM-QM 1 ARMS AND EQUIPMENT. 'dark blue' or 'dull blue' or something similar,
superimposed white spiral'. (SMUDGE) 4 ON 15/6: they are colloquially describing Farbton 24 whilst
Finally, A.I.2(g) Crashed FOR REPAINTING NEWLY ALLOCATED A/C (13 JU 88 mention of 'blue' or 'blue grey' is perhaps most
Enemy Aircraft Report No. 267 of 6 March 1945 S-3) THE FOLLOWING IS REQUIRED: 100KG likely to be a colloquial description of Farbton 76.

4012 F102 68-71.qxp_Scuttlebutt 31/12/2018 14:07 Page 68
F - 35 A L I G H T N I N G I I
Lightning II in 1/48 By Andy McCabe
The bomb bays do include some nice moulded

detail but as they were to be modelled open I
felt a little extra scratch building would not be
out of place
couple of the F-35s now I know the amount of

work involved in masking up the entire airframe.
The Build
Work commences with the cockpit, or more
specifically the ejection seat, which has etched
seat belts and when assembled and painted is
very good compared with other standard kit
Bomb bays, main gear and nose wheel bays all items. The F-35's cockpit is quite bland
suitably embellished with an assortment of compared to other fighter jet cockpits as the
copper and lead wires Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II multifunction displays take the place of virtually
every other display and switch in the cockpit. A
Kit No: LS-007 decal is supplied for the display and apart from
Scale: 1/48 the rudder pedals, control sticks and ejection
seat that is all there is to the cockpit.
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic
I added the green oxygen bottle on the back
Manufacturer: Meng Model of the ejection seat and also a few boxes behind
Creative Models/Stevens International the seat as there is no detail in the kit parts, but
finding decent photos of this area is very difficult
T
he Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is so I did what I could with what I had.
available in three configurations, STOVL, With the cockpit painted and finished I was
Short Take-Off Vertical Landing, CTOL, relatively pleased with the end result. There
Conventional Take-Off and Landing and CV really is not that much to detail in the F-35
Carrier Based. cockpit…
The F-35A is the CTOL variant and is powered I now moved on to assembling the internal
by a Pratt & Whitney F135-100 afterburning weapons bay, and it was here that I could go to
turbofan giving a top speed in excess of Mach town a bit and add extra pipe work and cable
1.6. The aircraft can carry a vast array of weapons runs using electrical wire and lead wire. This
on six external hard points and two internal bays does take a lot more time but the end result is
that each have two pylons within them. well worth it. The same process was applied to
DN Models basic masking set for the canopy The Meng Model of the F-35A consists of the main and nose landing gear bays.
and wheels eleven sprues and two fuselage halves of grey The engine intake was now assembled and
injection moulded plastic, one clear sprue of sprayed gloss white, after which the intake area
injection moulded plastic, one etched brass fret, was masked off prior to installing it in the
one decal sheet, one colour painting and fuselage. This saves doing this tricky job later on
marking guide and one instruction booklet. when it will be much more difficult to access.
Colour call outs are given at various stages of the
build for Meng’s own brand of paints, which are The engine front was painted and glued into
produced by AK Interactive position, but it cannot be seen when installed so
not too much time was spent on it.
The parts are nicely moulded with ample
The exhaust nozzle was now sprayed with a
surface detail, which means lots of masking will
variety of Vallejo Metal spray paints and fitted to
be necessary around the RAM panels on the
the lower fuselage half along with the weapons
fuselage. The good news is that DN Models make
bays and the nose gear bay. The two main
a set of masks for this
landing gear bays then slot very neatly into
kit, Art.No 48/827-
position as does the intake
035. Without a
trunking.
doubt this is a
serious must The cockpit
have set of assembly was
masks for this
model, as
having made a
These are the instruction sheets for DN

Models’ excellent RAM panels masking set, an
essential addition to any F-35 build if the
modeller wants to maintain their interest and
not succumb to masking fatigue
68 w w w. s c A l e A i r c r A F t m o d e l l i n g . co. u k
The upper sides with masks applied. Masking and painting this model
Here the vinyl masks have been applied to the underside, with some was the single biggest focus of this build, and any F-35 project will need
areas around the edges filled in with regular Tamiya tape. DN do all the to take into account how best to achieve the unique finish seen on these
hard work for you! aircraft
On the under surfaces the finish is even more

satisfactory. I could not have hoped to have
Hataka’s Have Glass finish is the nearest I have achieved these results without the aid of a The very tidy cockpit of the F-35 is reflected in
come to the real thing over the course of masking set, not without losing both patience the sparse kit detail. Meng provide a decal for
several builds and interest in the project altogether! the main instrument panel
Meng have gone all out for the F-35, with a dedicated set of stealth paint colours and no less than three weapons sets available for modern US
subjects. With nothing provided in the kit for the under wing pylons UK importer Creative Models kindly provided the means to arm the F-35A
then fitted to the upper fuselage half, after I did not notice that there are no munitions separately although they cannot be modelled in
which the two fuselage sections can then be supplied for these pylons in the kit but Meng the deployed position. The pylons were left off
glued together. This is always a tricky part as the have three different sets that can be purchased until after the model had been painted, but the
F-35 has sharp edges along the join between the separately which are as follows: clear navigation lights on the wing tips were
two, which on previous models has not gone too • SPS-043 U.S Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles drilled out on the inner edges and drops of clear
well. However on this kit the joints were perfect green and red paint filled the holes before they
• SPS-044 U.S Long/Medium Range Air-to-Air were fitted to the wings.
and I did not have to use any filler or superglue
Missiles
to get them flush. The rear elevators can be positioned at either
• SPS-045 U.S Satellite Guided Bombs zero degrees or ten degrees depending on how
The next step was to assemble under wing
store pylons. If you are going to fit them that is. I As I had already drilled the holes out on the you want to assemble them. Zero degrees was
chose to on this occasion, which also meant wings I decided to carry on and fit the pylons. my choice. The tail planes were then assembled
opening the holes out on each of the lower wing The wings were now assembled. The leading and fitted along with the port and starboard fins.
halves. edge slats and trailing edge flaps are all supplied The cockpit canopy was now masked, and

Now fully
armed. The
aircraft can carry
an impressive
payload for its
size, with a wide
range of stores
applicable
The under wing pylons were duly
stocked up with appropriate items
from the two Meng US weapons sets
The main weapons bays armed with such items as the kit provides, eight
GBU 53 small diameter bombs and two AIM 120Cs.The holes for the As easy as ABC. Left to right are the present Meng Models F-35A CTOL,
wing pylons need to be opened if they are to be fitted. I had attended to Kittyhawk’s F-35B, the STOVL variant and the carrier capable F-35C, again
this before realising that the kit offered no weapons to load them with from Kittyhawk
here I have to offer my first thank you to A coat of Ultimate Grey Primer was applied Hataka Have Glass Grey A058 before and this has
DN Models for supplying their mask sets for this first. Meng, in association with AK Interactive, the metallic finish to it so this was my choice
model. Set 48/827-033 has masks for the cockpit have produced their own paint set MC815for again.
canopy, wheels and optical sensor below the this and other Stealth models, which I duly The next job, and one that normally takes a
fuselage. These masks are very easy to use and if purchased. few days to do, is to mask off the RAM Panels,
carefully applied and removed they can be re- The Stealth Camouflage Dark Grey in this set however DN Models mask set dramatically
used on other models. does not have the metallic look that the Have reduced the amount of time it took to do this
The cockpit canopy masking was completed Glass Grey does. Anyone that has seen the F-35 and was far more precise that cutting little bits
using Wilder Quick Mask Green masking fluid in the air will know that it changes colour of masking tape. This set has four sheets of
kindly supplied by The Airbrush Company. The depending on the light and the angle from masking in it and covers all those parts of the
canopy was then dry fitted using the same which it is airframe where the RAM panels are. This is a
masking fluid. viewed. I have marvellous set and an absolute must have if you
It was now time to start applying the paint. used the intend to make an F-35A.
As easy as ABC. Left to right are the present Meng Models F-35A CTOL, Kittyhawk’s
F-35B, the STOVL variant and the carrier capable F-35C, again from Kittyhawk
70 w w w. s c A l e A i r c r A F t m o d e l l i n g . co. u k
They are currently developing a set also for the These were kindly supplied by Creative Conclusion
F-35B. All hail the paint mask manufacturers! Models, who provided us with the US Short- This is the third F-35 I have built, the last one
The MC-351 Stealth Camouflage Light Grey Range Air-to-Air Missiles set SPS-043 and the US being the Kitty Hawk F-35B and before that the
from the AK set was now applied and when dry Satellite Guided Bombs SPS-045. Each set F-35C from Kitty Hawk so I now have a complete
the masking was removed and lo and behold contains injection moulded plastic parts and set.
nicely defined RAM panels emerged thanks to decals to build a comprehensive range of
weapons. The Meng kit of the F-35A is slightly more
the masks. refined than the Kitty Hawk ones and has
I now set about the landing gear. The parts sharper detailing and RAM Panels. What really
were firstly sprayed gloss white on their sprues SPS-043 US Short-Range Air-to-Air Missiles makes a difference to this build was the mask
and then the DN Mask applied to the wheels and AIM-4C; AIM-4; AIM-4F; AIM-4G; AIM-9B; AIM-9D; from DN Models to whom I am eternally grateful.
the tyres sprayed with Tamiya-XF85 Rubber AIM-9E; AIM-9L/M; AI-9N/P; AIM-9X (four of each) KASL Hobby supply resin upgrade sets for the
Black. The main landing gear legs were detailed F-35A although they are difficult to get hold of in
by adding brake lines from styrene rod and SPS-045 US Satellite Guided Bombs
the UK and Eduard have lots of etched sets also
Albion Alloys fine metal tubing, a fiddly job but GBU-54; GBU-31-V1; GBU-31-V3; AN/AAQ-33;
while Scale Aircraft Conversions have white
well worth it. The landing gear was then BRU-61 (two of each); GBU-39; GBU-53 (eight of
metal landing gear, so the kit is well catered for
assembled and fitted to the model. each)
by the aftermarket. This aside the basic kit can
The gear bay and weapons bay doors were Curiously though the sets do not contain the be made without these and you can still get a
now sprayed white on the inside and Have Glass launch rails for the multiple loading of the really nice model of the F-35A. I did spend some
Grey on the outside, masked and then sprayed weapons, such as on the GBU-54 where multiple time detailing areas on this one because the
the light grey, then assembled and fitted to the bombs can be loaded onto each pylon, neither bomb bay doors are open and are quite a
model. does the main kit have them in either, and as prominent feature on any F-35 model.
The decals were applied next. The decals there are only two in set SPS-045 only two can
This is an excellent model of the F-35A from
sheet is quite small with a lot of decals on that be fitted. They are however superbly moulded
Meng and I hope that they release the B and C
are very closely packed together with very small and complement the main kit perfectly. I used
versions as well. I was a little annoyed with
identification numbers so cutting them from the two GBU-54s, two GBU-3(V)1s and a pair of AIM-
myself as I had disposed of all of the spare
sheet needs to be done very carefully. They do 9N/Ps from the two sets and I now have spares
weapons sprues from previous models that
however settle very well without the need for for
could have been used on this kit. Lesson learned.
setting solutions. A coat of Satin Varnish sealed other builds.
Creative Models came to my rescue with the
them into position. The cockpit excellent Meng weapons sets. It is an odd
The decal sheet has options for two aircraft: canopy was fitted oversight though that Meng do not supply the
and the model multiple weapons rails in any of the kits,
• F-35A 13-5071, 34 FS, 388th FW, Hill AFB, 2016 was especially for the GBU range of weapons.
• F-35A 11-5033, 33 FW, Eglin AFB, 2015 complete.
An excellent kit, an enjoyable build and a
I now started work on the few weapons satisfactory result!
supplied in the kit, which are eight GBU 53 small
diameter bombs and two AIM 120C medium
range air-to-air missiles, all of which fit into the
missile bays. Like the rest of the kit they have
some very fine detailing to them including very
finely printed decals. All I needed now were the
weapons for the pylons.

4012 Arado 72-74.qxp_Scuttlebutt 14/01/2019 21:36 Page 72
A R A D O 2 34
By Gordon Scott
extent. I didn't look at it when he easily pay £30 for it as an

passed it to me but hoped that it aftermarket set for the cockpit and
was the promised C-3 variant as wheel bays. Armament (bomb) is
this kit has been around a couple of illustrated on the box top but not
years now. supplied, although a pair of drop
So, what's in the box, or carrier tanks is included.
bag in this case? Five injected tan There are fifty six stages involved
plastic sprues, a clear plastic sprue in constructing the aircraft, and as
that includes night fighter specific always we begin with the interior.
glazing, a small etched brass sheet, Here there are nineteen stages to
three dozen or so resin parts and a construct the cockpit that includes
decal sheet covering three options, heel boards, instrument framework,
an S-3 preproduction aircraft in instrument cases, side consoles,
70/71/65 greens and two throttle box, compass and even the
operational B-2 aircraft in late war flare pistol. The instruments are all
moulded with detailed faces that
81/82/76, colour schemes, all of
will show up nicely if you either dry
which are reproduced in colour
brush them, use a white pencil, or
with Humbrol and AK paint
you could just use the decals
have a bit of a break from reference numbers. The images are
supplied. Without going into a ‘stick
Kit No: 32025 modelling when the Editor rather small and this becomes
part 1 to part 2’ description, and
Scale: 1/32 wandered up looking for food and important later when you're trying you losing the will to live, I think
said he had something I might like. to locate and identify the many red that you'll struggle to find a better
Type: Injection Moulded Later that day (after he'd been fed) stencils and walkway decals against cockpit in any other largely plastic
Plastic a couple of plastic bags full of parts a camouflaged background. 1/32 World War II era kit. The only
and a battered box top were safely The construction diagrams are slight disappointment is that the
Manufacturer: Fly Models inside the same carrier bag as that large and clear with paint colours rear of the starboard electrical
Hannants/UMM-USA day’s purchases. The kit had annotated throughout the panel is visible through the canopy
travelled back from Eday in a construction sequence. The plastic glazing on the prototype and that's
T
he world's first jet suitcase with a number of others, has lightly engraved panel lines not been reproduced in the kit,
reconnaissance/jet bomber so had been flat packed to some and the resin is first class - you'd while the MDC kit has it beautifully
and in 1/32 scale, what's not
to like? Cleverer people than me
have described the real aircraft's
genesis so I'm not going to try
within the limited space I have. I've
always liked the shape of this
aircraft. In my youth I built the 1/72
Lindberg, Frog, then Revell reboxed
kits, later the Hasegawa kit in 1/48,
and latterly, as the fingers have
gotten more sausage like, I bought
the MDC offering and this kit, both
of which are currently resting in the
loft.
I was in the closing stages of a
complex conversion I'd wanted to
do since childhood and waiting in
the queue to enter the Nationals on
Saturday morning thinking that I 'd
A R A D O 23 4
Very little filler was employed

overall, in what is in fact a
comparatively simple build
The finished
cockpit straight
from the box apart
from the addition
of seatbelts and a
little wiring
done. The aftermarket industry sanding back the bay roof I arrived width of the extension has never Thread is provided if you want to
hasn't rushed to address this, bathe at the obvious conclusion that been verified, so before attaching use it to tether the parachute pack
the kit in coloured etched metal, or gluing the bomb bay into the the cockpit/wheel bay/front to the support structure but I used
issue a multitude of corrected or fuselage then sanding the raised fuselage and fearing fit issues with some painted lead wire as it's not
accurised parts and that speaks edges flush was the way to go and lots of associated sanding I hairy.
volumes for the kit because it no filler was required. attached the wings, tail surfaces The undercarriage legs come
doesn't really need it. YAHU The tail surfaces, engines and and the engine nacelles to the next and are very well done in
produce a set of colour printed wings were then glued together wings first. I need not have worried plastic with resin oleo links. Once
instruments but all I used were and left to set. It was here that I as fit issues did not occur. assembled they are as functional as
some Eduard bomber seatbelts found the elephant in the room. The cockpit/front fuselage and the prototypes were. The bays
because I'm hopeless at painting The elevators should be the full front undercarriage bay quickly themselves are very well detailed.
these. I painted some lead wire a width of the stabiliser but aren't. A followed with a couple of heavy The wheels and tyres are all plastic
fawn/beige colour for use as the smear of filler and a scriber will nuts from the car spares in the but none the worse for that.
instrument wiring but that was it. soon sort that out, and to be fair to garage to prevent a tail sitter. Again This brings us to the canopy,
Fly many Luftwaffe servicing no fit drama, and I had a more or which is moulded laterally in two
Stage 20 has you inserting the drawings in documents show the less complete airframe. I broke out parts. Earlier I had dipped both
resin wheel bays within the elevators as they've moulded them. the can of Tamiya primer, gave the parts in Klear to help the clarity and
fuselage halves. You can't glue the Getting the resin engine fronts airframe a blast, then left it to set attached the lower clear part prior
fuselage together and then slide flush with the nacelle air intake for a few days in the airing to attaching the cockpit module to
them in through the open front front edge was quickly cupboard. the fuselage just in case I needed to
unless your fingers are at least ten accomplished with a smear of Whilst the primer was curing I sand it flush (I didn't), which only
inches long. Mere mortals, like me, Deluxe Perfect Plastic Putty filler went to Step 35, which has you left the upper part to attach.
have to re-open the glued fuselage, smoothed around the intake with a constructing the resin and plastic The instrument panel was
sand the edges flat and start again damp cotton bud. JATO units. The plastic braces are a attached, then the etched brass
if they haven't taken notice of the bit thick and didn't really look the support, bombsight and flare
instructions. Closing the fuselage At this point you need to choose part so I substituted some rolled pistol. I test fitted the upper canopy
up (again) posed no issues and the which variant you want to make as wire. The locating holes for the but found it sat just a bit too high
fit was very good. The recessed the S-3 requires a resin fuselage units are very faintly moulded on so I gradually sanded the lower
bomb bay area was a bit too deep extension located between the the lower wing and I found that it's edge, carrying out a number of test
due to the close fitting wheel bays, fuselage and cockpit module. I better to drill the rear hole first fits until it was level with the
but after considering cutting into chose the bomber as the S-3 was a then mark the front two with the fuselage top line. Once happy I ran
the now secured wheel bays or preproduction model and the JATO before drilling them out. some Tamiya extra thin cement

A R A D O 234
along the canopy/fuselage join. once dry I used Alclad gloss varnish You may have noticed that I've sized kit in the same scale with less
Feeling happy with the joint I prior to decalling. The decals are not fitted the Peil GIV, although a detail I think its a hard argument to
began considering which of the really very good but don't use hot plastic brass combo is provided. make as some far eastern 1/72 and
two bomber paint schemes to water as this causes the clear carrier This is because I can't locate an 1/48 reruns from the 80s and 90s
choose, however a brushed coat of film to wrinkle. Tepid, almost cold image showing that it was fitted are just as expensive. Ultimately
primer showed a hairline gap that I water works best, the biggest when a DF loop was present. though it’s up to you to choose
filled with Deluxe putty. Instead of difficulty being that the Research revealed that these were whether hand and wallet interface.
rubbing a damp finger along the camouflage diagram is so good and an either/or fit, not both, so I stuck Was it complex? It's a
joint as I should have done I so small you can't see where the with the DF loop created with a bit straightforward build, hardly
decided to dry sand it and once all warning and walkway decals go. A of wire, and it’s worth remembering complex at all. All that's required
trace of the joint was eradicated I simple black and white drawing that this could be located in a are basic techniques. I don't think it
saw that it looked as though it had would be so much easier to use. number of locations on the upper was any harder to make than many
snowed on the battery inside the The swastikas look a bit on the fuselage. The kit clear navigation other eastern European
cockpit. I quickly realised that the big side when compared to period lights followed and that pretty manufacturers’ offerings. In fact it
lesser of a number of potential evils images and the upper wing crosses much wrapped things up. was easier than some costing a lot
would be to open up the cockpit look the wrong type. Although Weathering was restricted to hinge more money.
entrance hatch then blow or photographs of the prototype from lines as these aircraft seemed to be There's a lot more you could do
vacuum out the dust. above are rare they seem to show well cared for and most had a short with it such as install an engine or
both the thicker kit style and the operational life.
I used dymo tape to mark out two from an ME 262 kit, or install
more usual B5 thinner armed type
the hatch and to keep the saw To sum the build up, I admit to CMK's HE-219 fuel bays in the
in place. I'll replace the swastikas
blade from wandering and began using the F word - filler, but only a upper fuselage, both of which I
with a size smaller and use the
sawing. I now realised just how smear. The parts are well moulded, intend to do with my other one. I'm
thinner B5 type on the upper wings
thick the canopy parts are, but after panel lines are well executed, no really looking forward to the C-3
when I make my other kit. The
fifteen minutes patient work the canopy clear vision panel decal is a trenches here, there's very little variant.
hatch was out and no damage had brilliant idea, but it’s a shame flash and the resin is very, very Let's be honest. Other than
been caused to either the still there's not one for the canopy good. If you want to categorise this perhaps Revell, who else is going to
attached canopy or the interior entrance hatch hand hold as well, as a limited run kit it's on top of the give us Luftwaffe kits of this calibre
(huzzah!). A piece of clear plastic and even more of a shame that modern pile, and every bit as good in this scale? I've made other Fly
was dug out of the spares box and after I cut out the centre carrier film as some modern mainstream 1/32 kits and not had any issues, so
detailed to replace the bit I'd just it folded over on itself so I couldn't manufacturers’ efforts. grab one of these and enjoy
hacked out to be attached after the use it. No amount of soaking, So is it expensive? That's always making it. Well done and thank you
paint had been applied. persuasion with a wet paint brush going to be subjective but when Fly. Any chance of getting the C-3
And so to painting. Vallejo Air or pleading with it to play the game you consider what other out now and putting out a 1/32
paint was used throughout and helped. manufacturers charge for a similar DO-17Z in the future?
4012 MP Page 75-82.qxp_Scuttlebutt 14/01/2019 15:38 Page 75
M A R K E T P L AC E
EDUARD something near to acceptable but this could be frustrating if you’re not
www.eduard.com confident eliminating joins. Next up the various internal tanks were
sprayed aluminium and fitted, along with their top covers, onto the
Weekend Fokker fuselage. The front firewall was assembled along with associated gubbins
By Ade Bailey on the rear face, something with hindsight I would omit completely for a
Fokker E.II Weekend Edition future build as it both remains completely hidden and affects fitting later
Scale: 1/48 down the line, more of which later…
Kit No: 8418 The engine is next and it couldn’t be easier, with it being a single piece
Type: Injection Moulded plastic representation. Engines are a particular favourite of mine to paint,
Manufacturer: Eduard especially these crude radial machines. I sprayed it first with some Mr
Creative Models/Hannants/Squadron/Sprue Brothers Surfacer 1500 black to get a nice base, then gloss coated it with some new
Eduard’s Eindecker has been around for a few years now in various guises Hataka Orange Line gloss lacquer I’d been sent by the company as a
and it has always been on my wish list of builds. Three sprues of nicely sample. This gave a very nice surface to apply some Alclad lacquer,
moulded beige plastic make up this boxing and it offers two decal options Aluminium being chosen for the engine colour. Once dry, the magic Tamiya
for aircraft operating on the Western Front in late 1915. panel liner came out again to give it depth. Finally a wash with AK
Interactive Engine & Turbine product gave it that authentic castor oil look.
As with most World War I subjects, an awful lot of your time will be taken The engine was then set aside until the main paint job was completed.
up in constructing the interior and this kit is no exception. Although it’s a
1/48 kit, the aircraft is very small, resulting in a quite fiddly cockpit I now turned my attention to the engine cowling and side cowlings. I
construction. The interior builds up with the bracing framework being figured that this part of the finished build would be the place your eyes
glued to the side walls of the fuselage, with a fair bit of painting and prep would be drawn to so I set about making it as neat and striking as I could. I
needed before it all comes together. The interior walls are split between a began with the same gloss black base as I had used previously for the
metal coloured front section, which I sprayed with Vallejo Metal Colour engine, but this time using Alclad’s Polished Aluminium as the main colour.
If you’ve not used Alclad before, slowly building up the layers with a low
Aluminium, and the doped fabric shade that makes up the main colour of
PSI (12-15) on the airbrush is the key. Although the result is stunningly
the aircraft. This is called out in the instructions for Mr Color C45 Sail
good, the actual cowls of the aircraft had a turned effect on them during
Colour, and having this in my collection I duly put it to good use. The
manufacture, which I set out to try and replicate. I brush painted faint and
interior framework and seat were assembled next and painted in RLM02
subtle swirls using Vallejo acrylic Steel from the bottle and eventually
prior to fitting to the cockpit floor, likewise the joystick and pedal assemble
arrived at something that would pass scrutiny from a distance without
were fitted at this point.
being overdone. Again, I set these parts aside to fit towards the end of the
I took the decision not to overwork the interior as a lot of it will be hidden build.
deep inside, so I avoided the time consuming wood effect using oils on the
I then assembled the tail skid to the rear of the fuselage, a tricky little
foot pedal spar, simply spraying that RLM 02 like the rest of the interior. I
process that benefitted from liquid cement and a very steady hand. Next
gave everything a little run of Tamiya Panel Line accentuator to bring out
up the instructions call for the tail assembly to go on but I chose to leave
bit of depth and prepared to close the fuselage up. Prior to this, I applied
this off. The fit of these World War I aircraft tail assemblies is very fragile and
the decals that represent the seat belts which are not ideal as Eduard’s can be a weak point, therefore I’ve learned over a few builds to leave this all
photo etch belts always look better, but as I was building this Weekend separate and attach right at the very end. Trust me, you’ll thank me for this
version straight from the box, I stuck to this less than ideal solution. One advice. I did make a slight modification at this point though, again from
thing I did find useful was to omit part C40 (the joystick grip) and put it experience, discarding the six parts (C31) that make up the control horns
aside to fit at the end, thus avoiding this very delicate part getting broken on the tail and rudder. These are impossibly small and you’d be creating a
and lost during handling. massive amount of work both to fit them cleanly and make them strong
Bringing the fuselage halves together I encountered a little bit of a fit issue, enough to survive the rigging process. In their place, I drilled through the
which betrayed the age of this kit. Lots of sanding and fettling finally got it tail and rudder and inserted small lengths of brass rod secured with

superglue. This little modification is well worth the minimal effort I think. to the central strut at its centre. If you repeat this for all four main control
With the fuselage together and the wings sitting there on the bench, it was cables, then attach them to the wing points either side, you’ll halve your
time to fire up the airbrush and give this lovely aircraft some colour. work load and make the central strut attachment look a lot neater, having
Happily, this is a no fuss all over scheme with the only tricky matter being only four threads tacked on instead of eight. Eduard’s rigging diagram is
how to make the beige seem less beige and boring. straight forward and, providing you just apply the tiniest of glue spots with
a cocktail stick you’ll find the rigging comes together surprisingly quickly. A
I began with some Grey Mr Surfacer 1500 to prepare the plastic, which
tip here with the thread is that too much glue will render it unstickable. If
dries to an unbelievably nice finish. I decided to try and bring out the
you see the end curling up and it appears saturated, trim it and start again
variations in colour you’d see where the wing spars and fuselage frame
with less superglue. The underside rigging, which mirrors the top side,
pushed up against the fabric covering it. Tamiya XF1 was preshaded along
again is incredibly easy as the cables all meet at points on the
the spars and the natural edges of the fuselage frame. Once dry, the main
undercarriage frame. In short, for not an awful lot of work or stress, you can
coat of Sail Colour was applied, leaving the usual faint preshade showing. I
produce an impressively rigged aircraft. My only other top tip is to invest in
then lightened the Sail Colour with some white and carefully highlighted
a new set of tweezers for handling the rigging thread, as any worn or
between the spars and inside the fuselage frames. Finally, I darkened the
slightly out of shape tweezers will make life difficult.
Sail Colour mix with a little sand-brown and went over the raised areas,
again very subtly. This technique is pretty much trial and error until you Once the main rigging was complete I set about attaching the engine and
find something that looks pleasing to you and there are a myriad of cowling and it was here I encountered a major problem. I’m not sure as to
opinions, methods and colours when it comes to replicating World War I whether it was my error or the actual kit but a dry fit of the front cowl
aircraft fabric, so try this or just crack on and find what works for you. revealed it sat too high on the nose. Puzzled, I made a quick check of a
Once done, I sealed it all with the Hataka gloss lacquer prior to decalling. At reference picture and of the Wingnut Wings Eindecker sitting in my display
this point I also sprayed the tail in a similar manner and the unassembled cabinet – the cowl should sit flush with the upper deck panel. Refitting and
undercarriage RLM02 while still on the sprue. examining it, it seemed that the firewall was the issue, forcing the cowl up
higher than it should be. I gently cut it and removed it and set about
I opted for the black tailed aircraft of Lt. Von Crailsheim with its black and making it right. Firstly, I removed all that gubbins inside that I previously
white fuselage flash although the second option is equally as striking. The mentioned (not needed or seen) but still no joy. Next I began sanding the
large wing decals went on a treat, settling down with Micro Sol/Set
top edge of the firewall so it sat more inside the fuselage opening than
superbly over the wing detail. However it was when I attempted to apply
outside, finally I removed a full two millimetres of plastic from the top edge
the small serial numbers and stencils that I encountered issues. These small
to make it accommodate the cowl. Annoying, but it happens I guess. With
decals just broke up in the water, somewhat surprising in a kit of Eduard’s
the cowl now sitting correctly, the Spandau MG was sprayed Tamiya NATO
quality. I had to omit several of these markings which. Similarly the
Black and then rubbed with Van der Rosten Iron metal polishing powder
fuselage flashes began to show signs of breaking up as I applied them and
and fitted in place. The wheels were tacked on as were the pilot’s footstep
I had to take real care to avoid a proper disaster with these major markings.
bars, leaving only that tricky tail to do.
You have been warned.
Tiny dabs of superglue were used to attach the tail surfaces, although the
Once dry, I quickly sealed the decals with gloss lacquer to protect them
fitting is a little vague in the instructions and there doesn’t seem to be a
during handing and then gave the wings and fuselage a final seal of
suitable recess in the fuselage to sit it in. Then the rudder was tacked on in
Hataka Matt Orange Line lacquer.
a similarly vague and rickety manner and I held my breath. Final rigging
The undercarriage was the next thing to attend to and it all looked very lines were run from the control horns to the fuselage, again with no actual
straight forward until I examined the pieces on the sprue. Part C50 (the points in the plastic to indicate where. If I had noticed this prior to painting,
main support frame) appeared to have been short moulded at the rear tip I would have drilled out some small holes to represent where the cables
of the frame. Rather than await a replacement from Eduard, I broke out the exit the fuselage, although the result I got was satisfactory. All that
brass rod again and managed to repair the missing spars. Having fixed remained now was the propeller.
what could have been a real problem, the rest of the spindly undercarriage
went together very easily and was a surprisingly sturdy frame on which to Again, there are as many different methods of painting a wooden prop as
sit the aircraft. A nice touch is the separate wheel hubs and tires, which there are modellers, and this is my technique. I sprayed the prop in the Sail
make painting easy. I then attached the wings using superglue, which are Colour of the main body and sealed with gloss lacquer. I then brushed
very heavy and will require some care to ensure a strong bond, and left Burnt Umber oil over it and dragged a wide brush across, removing as
everything to cure and settle down overnight prior to rigging. much oil paint as I could whilst leaving a nice woodgrain effect. A couple of
days to dry and I sealed it again with gloss lacquer, applied the decals and
Always a thorny subject and one that can put off a novice World War I then sprayed matt varnish to finish. The central metal boss was painted
builder, I’m of the opinion that rigging should be grasped with both hands
with Tamiya NATO Black.
and just tackled without fear. The Eindecker is a wonderful way to
introduce yourself to this aspect of the hobby because it’s easy to hold,
access and work on without the constant worry of damaging struts and Conclusion
upper wings. So, here we go.
The Eindecker has always been my favourite World War I aircraft, as it has
The wing warping method of controlling the aircraft means that all the that cobbled together look coupled with sleek, effortless lines and I
rigging cables converge at the frame above the engine cowling (part C53) thoroughly enjoyed this build. The gripes addressed remain; the seatbelt
Although the small scale of this kit doesn’t afford a massive amount of decals are very poor and I’d probably spend the few extra pounds on the
detail (there was an intricate pulley system on the real aircraft) a Profipack version to get the photo etch ones for another time. The issues
reasonable representation can be achieved. I use Uschi Van der Rosten Fine with the decal break-up is concerning and maybe due to the age of the kit,
rigging thread for all my rigging tasks and it’s a great product once you get likewise the firewall/cowling problem may have been down to my
used to its little foibles. shortcomings. Having said that, this is a terrific introduction to building
Rather than attaching separate lines to each wing point, I opted to cut a aircraft of this era. The rigging is hugely satisfying when it’s completed and
long length of thread and attach it with a tiny (very tiny) dab of superglue looks the business. I will definitely build more of these in the future.
PEREGRINE PUBLISHING simplicity, the author presents clear detail and Space Museum were taken with the co-
P-63 Kingcobra Walkaround photographs of the cockpit, landing gear, operation of the museum thus assuring
A Detailed Photo wheel wells and other details of interest. This adequate access to the cockpit and other
Essay on CD CD follows on from the acclaimed twelve page details.
By Steve Muth booklets and other previously published CDs Priced at an affordable $12.00 including
This CD on the P-63 by Peregrine Publishing. postage in the US. Foreign orders add $15.00
Kingcobra features The photographs were taken at the National for postage. These CDs may be ordered from
detailed colour Museum of The USAF at Dayton, Ohio, Pima Air Steve Muth at Peregrine Publishing, 70 The
photographs aimed and Space Museum, Tuscon, Arizona and Promenade, Glen Head, NY 11545, USA, by
at the scale Lackland Air Force History and Traditions telephone on (516)759-1089, by Fax on
modeller and aero Museum in Texas over the time period from (516)759-1034 or email sgmuth@optonline.net.
enthusiast. Published in word and 1980 through to 2002. Most of the Payment by check on a US bank in US dollars or
JPEG format for near universal access and photographs at the NMUSAF and the Pima Air PayPal.
M A r K e T p l Ac e
brengun BRS144039 German staff Car Cabrio canopy (for Brengun kit)
www.brengun.cz 1/72 Accessories BRL72159 Ohka MXY7-K1 KAI (two seat) canopy
BRL72151 Antonov An-12 etched details (for mask (for Brengun kit)
New releases from Brengun have included the
usual eclectic range of accessories sets in both Roden kit) 1/48 Accessories
etched brass and resin, as well as the two kits BRL72152 Ki-61-Id Hien etched details (for BRL48099 FUG 200
previewed elsewhere in this issue. Tamiya kit) BRL48100 FuG-10 FuG-101 FuG-227 FuBi-2
BRL72153 Ki-61 Id Hien wing racks and drop BRL48101 US bomb 250lb AN-M57A1 (8 pcs)
1/144 Accessories BRL48102 US bomb 500lb AN-M64A1 (8 pcs)
BRL144141 AV-8B/ Harrier GR.7 engine nozzles tanks
BRL72154 C-130 E/H engine set (for Italeri kit) BRL48103 Japanese 250kg bomb with rack
BRL144142 Spitfire wheels set (three types of BRL48104 Spitfire PRU camera set
tires and spokes) BRL72155 Mk 24 Mine Fido torpedo
BRL144143 Ho-229A etched details (for Brengun BRL72156 PBJ-1H wing mounted radar 1/32 Accessories
kit) BRL72157 Ohka MXY7-K1 Kai (two seat) etched BRL32031 Fw190D interior etched details (for
BRL144144 F-18 Super Hornet wheels set details (for Brengun kit) Hasegawa kit)
BRS144038 US staff car BRL72158 Ohka MXY7-K1 KAI (two seat) vacform Hannants/UMM-USA
res/KiT
www.reskit.com.ua
The latest wheel set received
from this source offers a
complete replacement set of
resin wheels for the Yak-130.
The set comprises seven
pieces, one nose wheel and
the two main wheels in three
pieces, inner and outer hubs
and tyre. The wheels are not
moulded with flats or bulges.
Hannants/Hobby Zone
A-squAred
A-Squared are a new garage company from the
Ukraine producing aftermarket accessories in
1/72. We have received their first releases this
month in the shape of two sets for the
Trumpeter Su-34. Mh Models
ASQM72001 Su-34 Exterior Painting Masks www.mhmodels.cz
This very fine lo-tack set offers twelve pieces for Three new masking sets have been released from this Czech source, all
masking the main canopy and other elements aimed at kits from Special Hobby/Mpm. These products are thin vinyl and
around the airframe very lo-tack.
ASQ72001 Su-34 Exterior Etched Details 1/72
This is a very finely produced fret of parts for X72014 Douglas Havoc Mk II Turbinlite for MPM kit
Trumpeter’s kit 01652. The set is exquisitely X72017 CASA C-212-100 for Special Hobby kit
made and will make a real difference to the
1/48
finished model.
X48028 Junkers Ju 88C-4 for Special Hobby kit (Camo A only)
We don’t have any information concerning
international distribution or a website, but the Also received from MH is a decal sheet offering two colourful schemes for
products are advertised on Max Models’ site, the Zlin Z-42, neither of which would look out of place on the SA Bulldog,
and the manufacturers can be contacted at to which the Z-42 bears a superficial resemblance. The sheet includes a
asquaredaftermarket@gmail.com replacement resin prop.
Thunderbird Models
www.thunderbirdmodels.co.uk
No decal sheets from Thunderbird this month, but three very
useful masking sheets, all aimed at older kits with a civilian
theme.
1/72
TBM-013 DHC-3 Otter
Sized for the Hobbycraft kit, the set includes an extra set of door
and cabin window masks for painting the interior.
TBM-014 Lockheed 1049 Super Constellation
For the Heller/Airfix kit. Cabin masks are sized to fit the openings
in the fuselage with an extra two pieces provided as spare.
TBM-015 Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor
Includes windows and main wheel masks for the Hobbycraft kit.
The masks are sized to fit the frames on the kit, which are not
moulded symmetrically. Note that the fault lies with the kit not
with this masking set!
FebruArY 2019 • VoluMe 40 • issue 12 77

FOXBOT printed decal sheet. All individual markings and The quality here is particularly good and the
www.foxbot.com.ua: numbers are provided, along with three sets of whole package is a solid piece of good
national markings, but no stencilling. All aircraft workmanship that will be as collectable as it is
72016 Ukrainian Foxbats Mig 25 are in the attractive two tone grey scheme. useful.
More Foxbats from Foxbot, and this time no less The instructions are printed on both sides of an Paint call outs are listed for Humbrol, Tamiya and
than ten machines are covered by this neatly A3 sheet of thin card and are in full colour. Federal Standards.
PLASTIC PLANET CLUB • Hawker Hurricane Mk I R4085 NN -A 72005 Allied Bombers in the Battle for Greece
www.plasticplanet.cz • Hawker Hurricane Mk I P3143 NN -D •Martin Maryland Mk II 39. Sqn. RAF
• Hawker Hurricane Mk I V6643 NN -Y • Bristol Blenheim Mk I 84. Sqn. RAF
A selection of very handsome World War II decal • Hawker Hurricane Mk I V6619 NN -V •Bristol Blenheim Mk I, 211 Squadron RAF
releases in 1/72 have been passed on by Plastic • Hawker Hurricane Mk I V6556 NN –E •Vickers Wellington Mk Ic, 37 Squadron RAF
Planet. Some of these are already available with •Vickers Wellington Mk Ic, 37 Squadron RAF
variations in 1/48. These are exceptional sets at a 72002 312 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron in •Westland Lysander Mk I, 208 Squadron RAF
very reasonable price and available in the UK the Battle of Britain
from Hannants. • Hawker Hurricane Mk I P3268 DU -M 72008 Junkers Ju 87B/R Over the Mediterranean
• Hawker Hurricane Mk I V6885 DU -W • Ju 87B-1, S2+AC, StG 77, 1941
72001 310 Czechoslovak Fighter Squadron in • Hawker Hurricane Mk I L1841 DU -H • Ju 87B-1, T6+IH, 1/StG 77, 1941
the Battle of Britain • Hawker Hurricane Mk I L1822 DU -G • Ju 87R-2, S2+AB, 1/StG 3, 1941
As per the 1/48 sheet, but with the addition of • Hawker Hurricane Mk I P3612 N • Ju 87R-2, S1+AB, 1/StG 3, 1941
the Tutor and the Miles Master. • Hawker Hurricane Mk I P2575 DU -P • Ju 87R-2, 6G+KT, StG 1, 1941
• Avro Tutor K6118 • Hawker Hurricane Mk I V6678 DU –L • Ju 87B-2, 237 Squadrigia, Winter 1940-41
• Miles Master N7884 • Ju 87B-2, 239 Squadrigia, Winter 1940-41
FANTASY PRINTSHOP sheets are identical in everything except size, Fantasy Printshop
www.fantasyprintshop.co.uk and offer a complete set of stencilling for one Under their own name, another useful set of
aircraft, including parts for the pylons and drop generic codes/serials has been added to the
With so many excellent kits around of the
tanks. range in 1/32.
Tornado in all scales, most of them from Revell,
it’s nice to see some top quality decal sheets Euro Decals FP1080 RAF 8” Serial Numbers and Letters WWII
keeping pace with them. Fantasy Printshop’s in- ED32118 Tornado Stencil Set and 1946 in Dull Red and Black
house brand Euro Decals have released a set of ED48118 Tornado Stencil Set The two A5 sheets include a mass of letters and
stencils for the GR.4 in all three major scales. The ED72118 Tornado Stencil Set numbers in both solid and stencilled styles.
BRENGUN find a new Vertical Take Off UAV (VTUAV) missiles.

MQ-8B Fire Scout capable of lifting a 90kg payload and having an Brengun have produced a very neat model of
Scale: 1/72 endurance of more than three hours at altitudes
the MQ-8B comprising thirty seven superb resin
Kit No: BRS72009 up to 6,000m. The winner of the competition
parts cast by collaborators Attack Squadron,
Type: Resin was a collaboration between Teledyne Ryan and
Swiss light helicopter manufacturer Schweizer, together with a small photo etch fret with detail
www.brengun.czs parts and the tail rotor. Markings are provided
the winning proposal being based on the latter's
The use of unmanned autonomous aerial model 333 powered by a Rolls-Royce 250-C20 for three primary airframes, one from HSM-35
vehicles (UAV) has become ubiquitous in almost turbine engine and known as the RQ-8A/B. Magicians at Fort Worth in 2013 and two from
all combat arms across a truly international Although the Navy became rather disillusioned Afganistan in 2012 although a bonus decal sheet
environment, with increasingly sophisticated with the original concept, continued gives codes and additional markings for several
devices being used not only for reconnaissance, development funded by the US Army led to an others. All the markings are lo-vis dark grey, to
but increasingly for attack. improved MQ-8B model, with a smaller diameter be placed on overall FS36375 Ghost Grey.
The US Navy has made extensive use of UAV four bladed rotor and stub wings for weapons
The quality of the cast parts is exemplary, and it
flying from its smaller ships, but in early 2000, carriage. The MQ-8B is already in operational use
anticipating the need for a replacement for its with the US Navy and is believed to be capable looks like a straightforward build.
RQ-2 Pioneers it began a competitive process to of carrying Hellfire and APKWS Hydra 70 Huw Morgan

AERONAUT BOOKS These two volumes are English translations of a details each of the German airmen awarded the
book by Michael Dusing that tells the story of Pour le Merite in World War I tells the stories of
August Euler and his Airplanes 1908-1920
Euler. Volume one covers the period up to the Walter von Bulow-Bothkamp, Curt Wusthoff and
The first paragraph of the preface speaks end of World War I and includes a section Erin Boheme. As with previous books in the
volumes about this book; ‘August Euler – who detailing all of his aircraft designs. Volume two series, each pilot is given a generous amount of
still knows him now? Who knows that for this continues the story from the immediate page space in which their story is told. There is
man monuments were erected, that an airfield aftermath of the Armistice. The translation has also a section for each airman that details the
carries his name, and that many towns named been well done and gives the impression that known aircraft that they flew and in some cases
streets, routes and places after him? Or the fact the book had been written in English. Like many
the aircraft of their victims. The book is heavily
that the Technical University in Darmstadt of Aeronaut’s two volume sets, much of volume
illustrated with photographs and colour profiles
awards an August Eluer prize regularly?’ two is given over to appendices that include
by Jim Miller. None of the airmen detailed in this
details of all of Euler’s patents and a large photo
August Euler was a German Pioneer. In the same volume survived the Great War. Of the three
gallery of aircraft pictures, not included
way that Bleriot, Voisin and Farmen created pilots covered, Erin Bohme is perhaps the most
elsewhere. The book also includes a selection of
businesses around their infatuation with flight, well-known, in part as a result of a tragic
drawings of some of Euler’s wartime designs,
Euler designed and manufactured a large incident that occurred on the afternoon of 28th
useful for modellers wishing to scratch build
number of aircraft types (forty two in total), October 1916 when he collided with Oswald
these subjects.
founded a flight school, and even served as Boelcke as both pilots attacked the same DH2.
Germany’s Secretary of State for Aviation after These books are an interesting and useful
addition to Aeronaut’s ever growing range of Boheme survived, but Boelcke did not. This book
World War I. Euler, who was Germany's first contains a wealth of information on both the
licenced pilot, also had the foresight to design books. They tell the story of a pioneer who even
in World War I circles is largely forgotten and pilots and aircraft and as such is invaluable to
and patent a method of mounting a forward modellers and historians alike and is highly
provide details of aircraft that most of us never
firing machine gun on to the fuselage of an recommended.
knew existed. Highly recommended.
aircraft so that a single pilot could control the
machine gun. This design was used by Fokker The Blue Max Airman by Lance J. Bronnenkant Many thanks to Jack Herris and Aeronaut for
and others during the war although not Volume Eleven these review samples.
surprisingly a legal battle ensued. Volume eleven in Aeronaut’s ongoing series that Dave Hooper
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PLASTIC MODELLING SHOW

SUNDAY 8TH DECEMBER 2019
HAVERSTOCK SCHOOL
24 HAVERSTOCK HILL · CHALK FARM
LONDON · NW3 2BQ
Enter your model into the Competition, Trophies
winners will be published in our magazines.
A host of excellent traders - do not forget your
Wallets & Purses !!! Full list on our web site.
Over 12 Club stands displaying some exceptional
builds and always willing to give advice
Meet Jason Salkey aka Rifleman Harris from
Sharpe hosting a Q & A
Meet and chat to our editors, demonstrations
and talks through out the day…
Drinks and snacks available all day
Free trader and club parking, visitors £5
www.londonplasticmodellingshow.co.uk
For reservations and tickets contact
kim@guidelinepublications.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 1582 668411
Unit 6 Kensworth Gate, 200 - 204 High Street South, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 3HS
www.guidelinepublications.co.uk
NOY’S MINIATURES bomber model, or several 1/144 for many years now by the Israeli During its long period of service,
fighters. Less meticulous Air Force. The kit includes twelve this HAS housed many IDF/AF
The latest new addition to the
enthusiasts may use it for other resin parts, four photo etch parts, a aircraft types, so nice dioramas can
Noy's Miniatures collection is a
scales as well. Because of its size full colour tarmac print and full be built with KFIRs, A-4s, F-16s and
1/144 tarmac sheet designed for colour assembly instructions. It
the item is plotter printed on heavy other types. It is also used for
Soviet/Russian/Warsaw Pact enables the modeller to build
paper, not cardstock, and is housing foreign machines
military aircraft enthusiasts. This various sized HAS dioramas,
shipped rolled in a sturdy carton deployed to Israel for international
large print represents the complex according to their preferences, and
tube, just like a poster. air exercises, a fact that opens
elements that compose the is designed to show a partial area
concrete and asphalt surface upon Comprises a single 1/144 sheet further display options for
of the structure's inside, as well as
which large Soviet bombers roll to approximately length 55cm/21.65 the external vicinity. modellers. We recommend adding
and from the runway. Created inch, width 39cm/15.31 inch. some ground equipment and any
In order to build the version
according to actual reference, this Noy's Miniatures have also released other enhancements the modellers
depicted on the kit's box,
unique item authentically captures a unique, very limited edition see fit. The Sky's the Limit!
additional styrene sheets, rods and
the wealth of tones and colours mixed media kit in 1/72 scale, strips are needed. These items' UK importer is Hannants or contact
that characterize the real thing. The representing the typical HAS details are specified on the kit's box the manufacturer direct at
print will easily take any 1/144 (Hardened Aircraft Shelter) in use and in the instructions. noypines@netvision.net.il
4012 Stash in the attic 84-85.qxp_Scuttlebutt 14/01/2019 21:39 Page 84
S TA S H I N T H E AT T I C
Airfix
Spitfire
Mk. I
By Trevor Pask
One general criticism of panel detail and the

Airfix is that that they tend to be ribbing in the wheel
moulded in a softer plastic than is the wells and flap
norm for other mainstream recesses. A charcoal
manufactures. This kit suffers slightly from pencil smeared
that trait and as a result feels a little less sharp with a wet fingertip
than it is. The recessed panel lines are a little created the exhaust
indistinct in places, more like a limited run kit staining as well as
than a mainstream. A little cleaning up and the residue from the
rescribing solves that problem, and the panel wing guns.
Kit No: 05115 detail can quickly be made to look very neat. The red cloth patches, which were doped over
Scale: 1/48 Construction presents no problems at all. The the gun ports of early World War II RAF types
cockpit detail fits as it should between the were replicated by cutting some squares from an
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic fuselage halves, but while the fit of the two old scrap decal sheet, although 1/48 scale is
Manufacturer: Airfix halves and the wing are good, some clamps and large enough for something like Tamiya masking
heavy duty elastic bands were needed to hold tape to be used instead. The purpose of these
Aftermarket:
everything together. Only minimal amounts of patches was to try and protect the guns from
Eduard RAF Early Seat Belts EDFE811 filler were required. The upper wing root to moisture and cold as the aircraft gained height,
fuselage joint was particularly good. The only as well as serving as a warning that the aircraft
S
ince their acquisition by Hornby, Airfix have area where a little bit of work was required was was armed if the patches were not damaged.
been gradually issuing a range of newly around the fillet where the lower wing joins the Airfix provide these patches on the kit’s decal
tooled Spitfire kits in 1/48 scale. The project rear fuselage, but this was a minor issue. In very sheet but the images were slightly too small and
seems to involve producing a kit of every variant little time the model was ready for painting. regular as I wanted to make the model look a
and possibly predates Hornby’s involvement as little bit rough and ready. It is important not to
the first two newly tooled kits appeared before All of the model was painted with Humbrol
acrylics. Aerosols were used for the main overdo things, but the gun port patches were
Airfix received a makeover and injection of often hurriedly cut from old pieces of fabric and
camouflage and brush painting for the more
capital. A new Mk I appeared in 2007 just a few just a little detail can make a difference even
detailed features. Dark Earth was first hand
years after a Mk 24/Seafire Mk 47. These two with a build that is mostly straight out of the
painted along the major joint lines to indicate
releases bracketed the aircraft’s history, and one box.
where some extra preparation may have been
by one the intervening versions have continued
required. Matt White was then applied as an A thin coat of Humbrol Matt Varnish was
to appear. The Mk I was reissued in 2014 in the
undercoat over the entire airframe. The classic dusted over the model when everything was dry
new style packing, but confusingly a virtually
early World War II scheme of Sky, Darth Earth to seal the decals and the charcoal pencil lead in
new Mk I kit was issued in 2015 as Airfix were
and Dark Green was then applied in that order the model. The canopy was finally added. The kit
not satisfied with the early pre Hornby tooling.
with each colour being masked out before the component was polished with a nail buffer and
Both kits are now on the shelves in similar boxes,
next. Tamiya masking tape and Humbrol Maskol dipped in Johnsons Klear before it was attached
but I decided to build the original Mk I kit, which
were used with the aim of achieving a fairly hard to remove a few blemishes. The movable hood is
had been on the to do pile for too long.
demarcation between the colours. A current a little thick, but a spare vacform I had for a Mk V,
I have heard that the 2007 Mk I is based upon modelling style is to create very soft edges which should have been a fit, simply didn’t and
the 1970s vintage Mk V kit, which itself got a between colours. This can be effective, but in so I stuck with the Airfix component. One day I
makeover with new parts in 2008. Things 1/48 the demarcations on a Spitfire should be may replace it, but for the moment it is
however are not that simple. While the moulding more sharp than fuzzy. acceptable.
is not to the post Hornby standards, the kit is not Following a little touching up, the model was The purist would probably opt for the new
a simple rehash of the 1970s production or even coated with Johnsons Klear and the decals Tamiya kit, but this Airfix hybrid can be picked
from modified moulds. My suspicion was that it applied. The kit provides two options and the up for a fraction of the price and builds into a
drew upon some of the drawings and design sheet was of good quality and no problems good replica. The discipline of building a less
work for the earlier kits and so has a slight whatsoever were encountered. Another coat of than perfect kit is also good and for a little more
vintage feel to it although it was newly tooled. Johnsons Klear was applied to seal the decals in effort the sense of achievement at finishing is
The cockpit detail is not as crisp as one would and the model was then weathered a little. A reward enough. The important thing is to enjoy,
expect in a modern kit, but with aftermarket brown/black wash was applied over the entire and realise that good results can be got from
photo etched seatbelts and some careful model both to emphasis some of the deeper many inexpensive and slightly more basic kits.
painting it can be brought to life.
4012 FEB (Page 85) .qxp_Scuttlebutt 14/01/2019 17:31 Page 1
4012 subs Cutaneous pg86.qxp_Scuttlebutt 13/01/2019 13:30 Page 86
S u b - C U TA N E O U S
The Birth of a Colloquialism and the resurrection of a Colour Conundrum? By Paul Lucas
E
lsewhere in this issue is a 'Colour day Signal X.39 which stated: book, it was apparent that the Eau-de-Nil colour
Conundrum' article that deals with the 'Ref my X.915 June 7th the colour of camouflage could have been MJF Bowyer's 'rich duck egg
colloquial terms given to Luftwaffe colours sky type S repeat S may be described as Duck Egg green' whilst the Sky Blue colour could have
by RAF Officers. In connection to this it was Bluish Green. been one of the pale shades of blue he referred
interesting to find the earliest use of the well- to or even, dare I say it, a 'duck egg blue', as it has
known British colloquialism 'duck egg blue' that I Whether the use of this terminology owed a very slight greenish tint to it. The problem lies
have come across at the time of writing was in anything to the colloquialism 'duck egg blue' as in explaining how and why these colours came
connection with a German colour. The used in S/Ldr Halahan's report is unknown, but it to be present. MJF Bowyer put it down to
colloquialism was used in HQ Advanced Air did describe the colour as being a shade of attempts to mix a 'duck egg blue' colour at
Striking Force 'Report of Comparative Trials of green. Perhaps unfortunately, by the time that Stations, whilst I suggested that in view of the
Hurricane Versus Messerschmitt 109' dated 7 DTD Technical Circular No. 83 was issued on 23 known shortage of Sky paint, in addition to
May 1940, written by Squadron Leader P.J.H. August 1940, this colloquial description had mixing, whatever was immediately available that
Halahan, the Commanding Officer of 1 been changed to 'duck-egg blue' and it was this met the description 'duck egg blue' was used.
Squadron, that was equipped with Hurricanes colloquialism that passed into common use.
Whilst there is no room to go into this matter
whilst serving with the AASF in France during For a long time, it was thought that 'duck egg any further here, it might now be necessary to
the Spring of 1940. blue' and Sky were different colours, an idea that look at the subject again because of a document
The report described the results of a combat was perhaps given some credence by writers I only recently came across. The document is a
trial between a section of Hurricanes from 1 such as MJF Bowyer who referred to seeing telegram from HQ Fighter Command to 10, 11,
Squadron and a captured BF 109 which took Fighter Command Fighters during the summer 12 and 13 Groups dated 8 July 1940, which was
place on 2 May 1940. Paragraph 7 stated: of 1940 in a variety of different colours. He repeated to the Air Ministry. This stated:
'During these tests one point became abundantly specifically mentioned a colour he referred to as 'Reports received point to fact that enemy may be
clear, namely that the 109, owing to its better 'duck egg green', which he stated was a richer operating British types of aircraft against us,
under camouflage, was very much more difficult to deeper colour than the 'Sky' of the later war especially Hurricanes and perhaps Spitfires.
spot from underneath than was the Hurricane. This years, 'pale shades of blue' (plural) and specifically Standard markings on all 8 gun fighters as follows.
difference gives the 109 a definite tactical mentioned the Hurricanes at Debden and Red and blue only roundels on top of wings. Red
advantage, namely when they are below us they Duxford, which he described as having 'deep centre white and blue roundels inside yellow circle
can spot us at long distances, which we when blue' under surfaces. The two different colours on fuselage. Red forward white and blue aft
below them find most difficult. As in all our idea gradually became discredited from the mid- vertical stripes, one on each fin. 2 code letters and
combats at the moment initial surprise is the ideal 1970s as wartime documents were released into one letter to indicate individual aircraft, 48 inches
at which we aim, I strongly recommend that the the public domain that made it clear that 'duck high in grey paint placed before and behind the
underside of Hurricanes should be painted a duck- egg blue' and Sky were one and the same colour. roundels on the fuselage. Code and individual
egg blue, the roundels remaining the same, as it is The idea that different colours to the official letters may be two before and one behind roundels
the contrast between black and white only which is 'Sky' colour were applied to the under surfaces or vice versa. Aircraft number consisting of a letter
so noticeable from below.' of Fighter Command aircraft during the Battle of and four numbers at after end of fuselage. Green
It is apparent that S/Ldr Halahan was not Britain took on a fresh lease of life following the or blue undersurface of wing. Aircraft not marked
alone in his opinion of the superiority of the publication of my book 'Battle for Britain', which in accordance with standard marking are to be
German colour. In addition to S/Ldr Halahan's was published by Guideline Publications in 2000. engaged as enemy. All Unit Commanders must
comments in his report, Fighter Command take special care to ensure that no aircraft flies
During the research I carried out for the book, I
Intelligence Summary No. 101 for the period 13/ without correct markings as above'.
came across a number of artefacts from the
May to 20/ May 1940 recorded that: Battle of Britain period that appeared to be This is the first document I have found that
'Pilots of 242 Squadron of which some have just finished in BS 381 Eau-de-Nil and BS 381 Sky clearly and unambiguously states that, for a time
returned to Church Fenton from France stress with Blue. Though I made no mention of it in the at least during the summer of 1940, Fighter
the greatest Command Fighters
emphasis the could have either a
extreme effectiveness green or a blue
of the pale blue paint colour on their
on the underside of under surfaces. The
enemy aircraft. They last two sentences
say that it renders clearly illustrate the
E/A almost invisible operational
when these are imperative in
above our fighters dispensing with the
whereas our own black and white
black and white marking despite
underside marking the shortage of the
makes our aircraft correct Sky colour.
extremely easy for The green could
the enemy to see.' have encompassed
BS 381 No.16 Eau-
As we now know, de-Nil whilst the
the first official blue could have
instruction issued encompassed BS
with the intention of 381 No.1 Sky Blue
deleting the black as found on the
and white markings various artefacts.
from the under The challenge
surfaces of British remains to try
Fighters in favour of convincingly to
the then new explain why these
camouflage colour colours were used
'Sky' was issued on and from where the
7 June. This was paint came...
followed the next
86 w w w. S c a l e a i r c r a f t m o d e l l i n g . co. u k
4012 Martlet Pages 87-89.qxp_Scuttlebutt 09/01/2019 12:17 Page 87
MARTLET I
The AZ kit of the Grumman G-36

By Brian Derbyshire
I
found the AZ G-36 kit at Huddersfield, 2016. It lip radii I expected to need a lot of filler here, but
looked not only promising on Mk I features, it went surprisingly well - on the outside at least.
Kit No: 7322
but very similar to the Sword FM-2 - which I'd I bushed the engine to take a shaft
Scale: 1/72 just learnt how to fix. Sold..! compatible with the Airfix SBD prop. The hub
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic On building this kit, it is important to start by detail had to be carved a bit, and the blades
Manufacturer: AZmodel cleaning up the fuselage halves and the canopy, shortened to 10' - 0" diameter (not 9' - 9" as per
and checking the fit. Ensure that the spine ends P&W.) Strips of card glued to some of the
Hannants/UMM-USA up narrower than the canopy, and do this before cylinder heads keep it central within the cowl
trimming the cockpit interior to fit. The Sword kit and nicely spaced back from the lip.
had been OK, but in this case I found myself Once shortened, the fuselage between
trying to slim down the spine without cowling and windscreen needs to be scored
destroying the innards. Said innards are fair to inside and wedged along the top joint to match
middling, but do construct the fuel tank under the new cowling. Once this is satisfactory we can
the floor, or its absence will be obvious. start to worry about the cooling air exit slot - no
Like the Sword kit, the AZ nose was much too gills on this fish! I used a piece of card to extend
short and pointy. But by how much, exactly? Cue the fuselage forward of the cowl rear at the top.
Research Interrupt, which went on for some This provides something to round off and also
time: those interested may like to look up the delineates the extent of the slot. The upper rear
Britmodeller website. For the purposes of this cowling is then shaved out to suit.
model, I concluded that the cowling length is The bottom of the fuselage, ahead of the
27.5", and that Bruce Archer's dimension of 22" wheel well, needs some heavy reinforcing so
The ‘traditional’ use of an Airfix Dauntless between cowling and wing is correct. The that the exhaust channels can be filed out in
cowling, suitably modified with the intske Hamilton propeller hub adds around 24", and so both fuselage and cowl. These are surprisingly
removed from the kit part the overall length was 28' - 7". The R-1820 engine big and brutal considering the teeny pips
was about 7" greater in diameter than the P&W supplied by AZ as exhaust pipes, but that's 1200
but rather more closely cowled, giving a horsepower for you. Check sources for the
diameter of approx. 57" at the aft end of the original exhausts - they got modified later.
nose radius. The traditional fix, Airfix's old SBD-5
Dauntless cowl, measures only 55" but at my age In the course of the Research Interrupt, I
it'll jolly well have to do. found that the Martlet I canopy differed from
later versions. Rubbish I thought, surely I'd have
Having cleaned up the Airfix part, filled the noticed? But it's true. Compared with the F4F-3
gun channels (which go underneath in this case) and all points South, the Martlet I’s windscreen is
and trimmed the trailing edge to a chord of 5" further aft. The sliding hood's front
0.038"/9.7mm, a bit of surgery is required to cut and rear panels are 3" and 2" shorter
the carburettor intake from the kit's cowling and respectively. So as not to waste the
inset it into the top lovely AZ canopy, I used the
rim. Given the windscreen section from the
different Airfix F4F-4 ‘closed’
The modified exhausts suitably recessed in transparency, and
the reinforced lower fuselage the middle section
from the SBD
The Martlet I canopy differed from later

versions and some corrective work was
necessary as outlined in the text

MARTLET I
glasshouse. This I trimmed back to the frame line more since I shifted from enamel to acrylic. Sigh. G-36As, which took over the designation, and so
all round, except for the nibs at the rear end of the G-36Bs became Mk IIs. Before construction
the canopy track. The frames I restored by began, the RN heard of the XF4F-4 and asked for
scribing with spring-bow compasses. Given a Another, bigger, postscript folding wings (and six guns) on its G-36Bs.
couple of home-made adaptors, these are quite For those who, like me, struggled to make However, the development of the folding wing
versatile. The result wasn't bad, though the sense of the Martlet Mark and serial numbers in proved difficult and slow, so the first ten aircraft
decking needed a lot of hacking about and Bruce Robertson's 'British Military Aircraft Serials, of the order were accepted with fixed wings, 'to
filling. 1912-1963' and later editions, I append a spin-off be updated later.' These were initially referred to
Wings and undercarriage were tackled as per from the Research Interrupt. An international as 'non-standard (fixed-wing) Mk IIs' or 'interim'
the Sword kit. Card inserts glued to the wing effort has finally cracked the anomalies, and Mk IIs' and this designation was used by the
roots and progressively shaved down until the matched numbers off to Mark and Serial, as aeronautical press well into the 21st century.
wings fit exactly are the way to take the follows. They differed from 'real' Mk IIs in their
uncertainty out of the butt joints. The tailplanes, carburettor air intakes as well as their wings, and
thankfully, have proper tabs. They need some were effectively pre-production F4F-3As. In July
Martlets, Marks I to III 1941 the 'non-standard Mk II' was quietly - too
fettling, but it's easier than Sword's butt joints.
On the other hand, the small tailwheel looks Bruce Robertson's tome on RAF/FAA serial quietly! - redesignated 'Mk III' - which may have
nothing like the original. I ended up sculpting a numbers suffers from confusion between the reflected the abandonment of the intent to
replacement from the spares box - 1960s Revell Martlet I, II, II (interim) and III. The same applies upgrade, as well as a recognition of their true
Spitfire I, probably. I hope you can find to fleetairarmarchive.net/aircraft/martletwildcat. nature. None received either folding wings or six
something nearer. The undercarriage htm, which supplies the extremely useful guns. The first was retained by Grumman for
instructions are still seriously in error, so refer to delivery dates. The various works of Ray development, and the other nine used up,
the real thing and solve the jigsaw puzzle Sturtivant supply corrections and explanations, mostly by 802 Sq. FAA.
yourself. With a little extra packing and cutting and close examination of innumerable The G-36A was based on the pre-production
the whole U/C can be made to be added late in photographs have verified the results. F4F-3 (BuNos. 1844-45) and was originally
the build. Airfix's notorious Parts A3 and C9 intended to use a similar armament
(which prevent late U/C fitting) are not present Relevant orders etc: arrangement, with two synchronised rcmg in the
on this kit, but if lengths of rod are run from just fuselage decking and two more in the wings in
above the aft end of the U/C beam to the inside October 1939 France Contract F292 81 G-36A the positions of the USN's 0.50". The French
of the shortened fuselage nose at the 3 and 9 (plus ten aircraft as spare parts) added two more, further outboard. The R-1830-
o'clock positions, they won't be missed. Guns 'Mid 1940' UK Job No.127 100 G-36B 76 was to be replaced by the export-cleared
and pitot boom are from wire. 17th May 1940 81 G-36A offered to RN, and Wright R-1820-40, and French throttles and
Undersides are my own USN Intermediate accepted. (NOT 90 or 91, as per some sources) instruments fitted. On taking over this order, the
Blue mix. Uppersurfaces are Revell Sea Green 48 BPC had the fuselage guns deleted, the four-
11th July 1940 As of this date, RN orders were
and my own Tyre Grey. I reckon that's close wing guns changed to 0.50" calibre, and controls
for 181 Grummans. ('some fitted to fold')
enough to the FAA's restored survivor and standardised. The first few had to be retro
5th August 1940 Greece Contract No.75736 30 converted from French standards on arrival in
hugely different from the usual Temperate Sea
F4F-3A (the first of the run) the UK.
Scheme - no wonder 804's skipper insisted on a
repaint. 30th April 1941 30 F4F-3A, en route to Greece, Deliveries, by date (ref. fleetairarmarchive.net/
transferred to UK as Martlet IIIs. aircraft/martletwildcat.htm)
The G-36 decals don't suit - there's a separate
Mk I kit, but it wasn't in stock - so most of the Total ordered: 81 + 100 + 30 = 211 August 1940
markings are straight Modeldecal. For the The RN-ordered G-36 was to have been similar AX824 - AX829 Mk I
fuselage roundel, though, I needed to to the early F4F-3 (BuNos. 3856-3874) Assembled Prestwick. 6-off
overlay a 30"A over an Almarks 36" A1. but with the R-1830-76 replaced These were thoroughly photographed: they had
I printed my own serial. I don't know by the export-cleared P&W novelty value, and were much featured in
where Osprey found 'AL254', but it's engine equivalent to the R-1830- recognition manuals and training films. The
at least plausible - which their profile 90 later used on the F4F-3A. serials were allocated from the ‘oddments’ block
painting certainly isn't! The 'R' - They were to have been called AX659 - AX975 due to the short notice of
strangely shaped, and 21" high - Martlet Is (and may possibly delivery - they were not so much ‘off the shelf’ as
was cobbled from an old have been referred to by ‘off the ship to France!’
HisAirDec sheet of 24" letters. Grumman as 'F4F-3Bs.') (August 1940)
A sad little However, they were (AL231 - AL235) Mk I Not taken up
postscript: I can't get overtaken by the ex-French (Ref. Air-Britain) (5-off - notional only)
a decent finish any
MARTLET I
(Detail & Scale No.30 states that the first seven swept-back boom rooted just inboard of the them as Mk Is - which has
Martlets were converted from complete French port aileron. The F4F-4 ‘hook’ style pitot was in confused the issue ever
G-36s and flown to Canada, there to become place by AM990. since. Interestingly, not all
AX753-4 and AL 231-5. This appears to be a well- December 1941 these aircraft have the
meaning but erroneous attempt to match the AJ100 - 153 Mk II AJ107, external carburettor intake
numbers.) 109-111 lost at sea which is supposed to be a
September 1940 54-off recognition feature of the
BJ507 - BJ527 Mk I Definitive Mk IIs, delivered after the AM F4F-3A.
Processed by Blackburn's at Brough - series. Most (47-off ) to Bombay (for 888 Therefore total Mk IIIs:
standard procedure. 21-off Sqn?) 24( AX724-747) +
(Some reports state that these were a Belgian Therefore total Mk IIs: 3(AX753/754/761) + 3(HK840-
order. There was a Belgian enquiry, but they 10(‘Interim’) +36 (AM...) 842) = 30, as ordered.
ordered only F2As) +54 (AJ...) = 100, as Martlet/Wildcat IVs, Vs, and VIs are
September 1940 ordered not a problem, apart from a
BJ554 - BJ570 Mk I 17-off (though only conviction among some authors
c. October 1940 95 received) that the FAA had some genuine
BT447 - BT456 Mk I Lost at sea with (December six-gun F4F-4s as Wildcat Vs (Ref
SS Ruperra 10-off 1941 Guy Williams, ex 846/882
'to 805 Sq.': Sqs.) - and
October - December 1940 this may be
AL236 - AL262 Mk I Most delivered to the date of
Donibristle 27-off original serial
AL246 is of course The Survivor. allocation)
Therefore total Mk Is:- August 1941
6 (AX...) + 21(BJ...) + 17(BJ...) + 10(BT...) +27(AL...) AX724 - AX747 Mk III, this
= 81, as ordered (though only 71 arrived) ex-Greece - Whatever just may be so!
March 1941 Bruce Robinson et al may The first FM-1 was BuNo 14992,
AM954 - AM963 Mk II (Mk IIIfrom July 1941) say! and the first
10-off (but only 9 delivered) By the end of August 805 Mk V was JV325. JV415 was ex-
Ordered as 'non-standard fixed-wing Mk IIs’ and was operating some of BuNo 15402.
variously reported as standard F4F-3As or as these aircraft, using their No earlier tie-ups are known, but Mk Vs were
stiff-winged, six-gun IIs. Grumman kept '954 for BuAer numbers as taken from the line at intervals, in small batches,
'development' as NX-26874. serials. Later, serials so it is possible that the FAA received some of the
October 1941 AX724 - 747 were very first FM-1s - and the first ten (only) had six
AM964 - AM999 Mk II Last 3 to Bombay 36-off allocated by Middle East guns…!
The first ‘proper’ Mk IIs. Up to at least AM986, Command, followed later still by AX753-754, Grateful thanks to Bruce Archer and Claudio
they had a unique pitot head mounting, on a AX761, and HK840-842. Narduzzi, without whom I'd still be five short.
Middle East Command apparently reported

4012 IPMS Pages 90-91.qxp_Scuttlebutt 13/01/2019 16:46 Page 90
IPMS UK
IPMS (UK) Column

Presented by Chris Ayre
volunteers. These ‘official’ posts
Adhuc Cresente are held by those Society
members, with at least 3 years
H
appy New Year to one and all… yes, I
continuous membership,
know it may be a touch late, but it’s the
willing (daft?) enough to put
first chance I’ve had to wish it! Before I go
themselves forward and
on, a question. How many of you spotted the subsequently be voted in at
not-so-deliberate mistake in the last column? I the Society AGM. Posts are
imagine that, if you read it, you noticed it…. My open for contested election
intention was to report that IPMS (UK) every two years and the
Membership had risen by some 15% (that’s per reality is that certain EC
cent, in case it happens again) over the last year. members may serve for
Quite an impressive figure, I thought. What was many years whilst others
actually printed was that membership had risen choose to ‘do their bit’ and
‘by some 15 over the previous 12 months…’ then step down at some
Somewhat less impressive perhaps - and, taken point. As might be
at face value, making me look a bit of a numpty! I imagined, it is not always
don’t think that this was a seasonal joke on the easy to recruit new
editor’s part. I can’t be 100 per cent (!) sure of volunteers, particularly
course but he has always struck me as a for the more specialised
reasonably decent chap. He reckons it was down (and sometimes
to a technical glitch so I’ll give him the benefit of demanding) roles. Each
the doubt… and he has kindly offered to wear of the roles requires a
the egg on his own face (rather than let me take different skill-set but, to
the beating…!). be honest, most aren’t This is IPMS (UK) Magazine
All of this nonsense got me thinking about overly onerous and rely 6/2018, the current issue
just how much IPMS (UK), and the wider IPMS on the post holder
world ’family’ for that matter, has grown over the having the time and
last few years. When I first got involved in inclination to do the job.
production of the Society journal and IPMS A system that allows ‘shadowing’ of existing EC The next
promotional material I think the membership members is in place and is a great way for new few roles might be considered to
totalled not much more than a quarter of the volunteers to learn the ropes before (hopefully) be more ‘front of house’ inasmuch as the general
current figure. Funnily enough I do recall that, a being voted into post. membership might be more familiar with them.
few years ago, concerns were raised that It’s important for IPMS (UK) to have an The Scale ModelWorld Manager, as you might
growing numbers might prove too difficult to Executive Committee (technically a Board of expect, is extremely busy in the run-up to the
manage - with the increased financial Directors) as the Society is a company limited by main event each November but this doesn’t
responsibilities, logistics, and EC time guarantee, although there is no legal mean that the rest of the year is an easy ride. No
requirements. To be honest though, I think that requirement to have twelve directors of course. sooner is a SMW over than the planning for the
the few folks raising those concerns were those Having people in place who are committed to next one starts and this means liaising with the
that didn’t like the idea of change… the Society ensuring that things run as smoothly as possible venue and traders to organise just who can be
had been a fairly ‘static’ entity for a while and is very reassuring and, personally speaking, I’d accommodated and exactly where! It’s an all
some people preferred it that way. There was say that these volunteer committee members year round job but an immensely satisfying one
another, related, issue - in some parts of the have contributed greatly to the stability of the (and there’s a bit more to it than that…). The
wider modelling ‘community’ there was a view Society. Without mentioning the names of current SMW Manager has a wealth of
that the IPMS was somehow ‘elitist’. A minority specific members, as there have been a number experience in the role and this is one job where
of, let’s say, ‘independently-minded’ modellers of changes in recent years, I’d just like to take a an ‘understudy’ in place to shadow the role is
seemed to think that being a member of a look at the various roles, starting with the crucial to ensure a seamless handover, should
modelling society meant that you thought President. This role is sometimes seen as one be required! Working in conjunction with
yourself somehow better. I’ve personally never something of a ‘figurehead’ position but, as the the SMW Manager is the Competition Secretary -
known this to be the case (far from it, in fact) but senior director has to take charge of various the annual National Championships take place
perhaps the attitude of some of those resistant proceedings and ‘steer the ship’ as it were, there at Scale ModelWorld each year and, although
to change contributed to that perception. is obviously much more to it than that. The this is perhaps more ‘seasonal’, there is much to
current incumbent has held the post for a longer do in preparing for an influx of modellers from
However, as I’ve already said, the Society has
period than any previous President and might around the world and ensuring that, as much as
subsequently gone from strength to strength
therefore be considered to be a steady hand at is possible, every one of their models ends up in
and is currently in a very healthy state.
the wheel! IPMS (UK) has both an Honorary the right place at the right time on the
Membership is at an all-time high, the network
Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, two roles that competition tables. Again, the current ‘Comp
of Branches and Special Interest Groups (SIGs) is
do require a certain amount of specialist Sec’ is very well experienced in the role and it
widespread and growing, there is also an
knowledge and which are crucial to the secure constantly amazes me just how smoothly all of
increase in the number of model shows being
running of the Society. As you might imagine, this happens.
run by IPMS Branches around the country and
the Treasurer of an organisation such as this The Magazine Editor is one of the more
Scale ModelWorld continues to justify its place
needs a thorough understanding of financial familiar faces of the Society as, obviously, the
as the event of the year. None of this has
matters and we are very lucky to have in post a Society journal is one of the major benefits of
happened by pure chance and, although the
fully qualified accountant with experience of membership - all members receive a copy of the
reasons for joining may be as varied as the
internal auditing and other legal and full-colour, professionally produced magazine six
individual modellers who do so, the real driving governance issues. The Hon Sec role requires
force has been the willingness of the Executive times a year. Not all Editors have had previous
organisational and management skills and an editorial experience and, in fact, I’d say that the
Committee (EC) to adapt and develop - to understanding of business processes is also
change, if you like - so that IPMS (UK) appeals to ability to encourage and marshal contributors
useful. The current post-holder has these bases and to adapt to changing circumstances are as
that wider group. I’ve written about the EC in the covered - but don’t forget that all of the EC
past - and indeed some of the members of the important to the role as being able to make
positions are held by volunteers. These are not sense of the various submissions. Being able to
committee have contributed to this column from full-time jobs and time management is probably
time to time - but I’d like to give an overview of work to a deadline is fairly crucial too but there is
another important attribute. a little more flexibility in that regard than there
the make-up of this group of (currently) a dozen
4012 IPMS Pages 90-91.qxp_Scuttlebutt 13/01/2019 16:46 Page 91
IPMS UK
would be with a commercial publication. In lapsed memberships, changes to address or

some ways, the role of Publicity Officer is related personal details, etc. An accurate, up-to-date
to that of the Editor. It is all about presenting the mailing list for the magazine (and other
face of IPMS (UK) to the world. Promoting the important material) has to be generated at the
Society, its aims and its benefits, involves the appropriate time and subscription payments
production of advertising, merchandise, news have to be processed. Thanks to the efforts of
stories and generally raising awareness successive, recent Membership Secretaries
throughout the wider modelling community. much of this work has been automated (online
Promoting SMW is also an important part of the renewals, Direct Debits, etc.) and this, as much
remit. as anything, has played a part in the success of
I mentioned earlier the growing network of the Society.
Branches and SIGs and IPMS (UK) has two
Liaison Officers (LOs) to maintain this network. Showtime
The UKLO has a direct responsibility to look after
the Branches and SIGs that form the central core Because I got a bit carried away with the copy
of the Society - it is they that you will find above, I will keep Showtime to a minimum…
providing the vast majority of the displays at luckily February isn’t TOO busy. We start with an
Scale ModelWorld (and indeed at model shows event that I hope to be able to get to - the
up and down the country throughout the year). Halifax Show on Sunday 10th. Despite the
Each group must submit an annual return to the location, this isn’t actually a new show, being
UKLO so that IPMS has an official record of all of previously known as the Huddersfield Show.
those under its umbrella. This entitles each Organisers IPMS Wakefield and District have had
Branch and SIG to such benefits as Society to find a new venue and so have settled on the
insurance coverage and a ‘non-return’ would North Bridge Leisure Centre in Halifax (HX3 6TE).
preclude a place at SMW for the guilty party! The show should otherwise be similar to to one
Any members wishing to set up a new Branch we know and love. Doors open at 10.00am but
(or SIG) need to make contact with the UKLO to email huddersfieldshow@gmail.com (only
start the ball rolling. The Overseas Liaison Officer slightly confusing) if you’d like more
has a different remit in that it involves information.
maintaining contact with the various IPMS The following weekend (16th/17th Feb) sees
groups around the world, facilitating overseas the spring edition of the South West Model
clubs to attend SMW and, occasionally, visiting Show at The Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset
some of their national events. The various IPMS (BH20 6JG). I’ve never been but it’s in the
groups around the world are self-governing museum and, particularly if you like your
bodies that have adopted the IPMS (UK) ideals armour, it’s got to be worth a visit. I find the
and, on formation, are granted their charter by admission prices a little complicated so have a
the founding body - IPMS (UK). The charter is look for yourself at
signed and issued by the President and the OLO. www.tankmuseum.org/home. Also on this
The Technical Advisory Service Officer has a weekend but Sunday 17th only, is another
slightly awkward title and is generally just museum show. The Shuttleworth Scale Model
referred to as TAS. The ‘job description’ for this Exhibition has become a fixture on the calendar
role would suggest that it is purely to run a and is held in the engineering hangar at the
service providing IPMS members with answers Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden
to their technical queries, whether they be Aerodrome near Biggleswade (SG18 9EP).
about kits or full-size subjects. In fact, this role Admission to the show includes access to view
has evolved somewhat since online research has the famous collection. Contact Kevin Panter on
made access to information a little easier, enquiries@shuttleworth.org if you’d like to know
although the service is still used quite more.
frequently. Other duties include the Moving on a week and we find the two final
maintenance of archives and the current TAS shows for February. Saturday 23rd sees the long
also runs the very popular Kit Swap at Scale established On Track take place at Leas Cliff Hall
ModelWorld. Role number eleven is that of in Folkestone (CT20 2DZ). This is apparently ‘the’
Webmaster - and it only takes up that position show for the miniature military vehicle
because, in the great scheme of things, it is enthusiast and there will be plenty of traders
comparatively new. After a shaky start, the catering for those tastes… Harold Hanna is the
Society’s online presence has grown man to contact via on.track@live.co.uk. Sunday
significantly with constant updates on events 24th brings us to the next event that I’m likely to
and Society news, in particular, being managed attend, mainly because I don’t live too far away
by the Webmaster. The ability to join or renew but also because it’s an excellent, mixed bag of a
membership online, and to purchase show! The South Cheshire Militaire/Universal
merchandise, is a fairly recent and popular Model Show is now in its 35th year and boasts
development. There is much potential here and everything from wargaming to real live Star
the opportunity to work with the Publicity Wars characters and RC boats and aircraft to
Officer on promotion of the Society is self- wartime dioramas…. don’t worry, there are
evident. This is an increasingly important role. plenty of plastic models on display too. Malbank
The EC member that people new to the 6th Form College in Nantwich (CW5 5HD) is the
Society will be most familiar with is, naturally, place and 10,00am the time - Steve Morris is the
the Membership Secretary and I’ve deliberately contact and you can email him on
left this role until last. That’s because this is morris_sj@live.com.
where we came in… the fact that Society Until next time, enjoy your modelling.
membership has grown exponentially in recent Chris
years is, as I’ve said, due to a variety of reasons
but managing that growth has required some ipmsuk.org
serious organisation. Systems have been put in Membership enquiries: Cliff Bassett, West Barn,
place that have improved this management no Duken Lane, Wootton, Bridgnorth, Shropshire,
end. The role involves much more than simply WV15 6EA
signing new members up - a database has to be Email: memberAdmin@ipmsuk.co.uk or visit
maintained that takes into account renewals, ipmsuk.org/membership/ to join online.

4012 Books 92-93_Scuttlebutt 13/01/2019 16:02 Page 92
BOOKREVIEWS
A look at some of the latest publications

received for review Edited by Ernie Lee
Cessna Bird Dog Warpaint Special had decided after the revolution to use the This book deals with the facts and not the
No 4 red five point star, however as previous emotion, speculation and fantasy which has
volumes show, they could not decide how the plagued the subject for so long. It presents a
Author: Des Brennan star should be depicted. In 1919 a resistance detailed, factual and very readable account of
Publisher: Guideline Publications movement emerged. This was known as the the development and subsequent demise of
Format: Paperback, A4, 62 pages plus Armed Forces of South Russia. Earlier, at the the TSR.2 project.
covers beginning of 1918, the Air Force of South For this new edition an additional chapter
This is a small Russia was formed, equipped with redundant concerning the F-111K, extracts from the
aeroplane that aircraft, mainly French, German, British and TSR.2 Crew Manual and other declassified
every air force Italian. This is where this volume comes in. technical TSR2 documentation, has been
seemed to have Modellers with an interest in lesser known provided by Tony Buttler, the author of our
need for, and markings will have a field day, but how the respected British Secret Projects series, who
certainly Soviet pilots could recognize friend from foe has researched this era of British military
Warpaint have is anybody's guess. aviation for many years.
done it proud. Pilots were a mixture of foreign volunteers
The text is well www.crecy.co.uk
and Russian nationals. One impossible
written and is Ernie Lee
machine to recognize was a Sopwith Camel
supported with F1955 in full English markings yet flown by
a very large the White Russians. Further into the book you TaktlwG 73 Steinhoff
number of will find a gradual change. A second Camel,
photographs, JG 73 - JaboG 42 - leKG42
still with RAF roundels but large badges on
and there the fuselage sides, such as a skull and cross Teil 1: 1959 - 1975
certainly needs to be! To give you some idea, bones, and a third Camel with British Author: Daniel Kehl
here is a list of operators; Australia, Austria, markings removed and replaced with the Publisher: AirDoc
Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, France, Italy, insignia of the Georgian Air Force. German ISBN: 978 39356 872 32
Japan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, South aircraft had the same treatment, for instance a Format: Paperback, A4, 64 pages
Korea, North Korea, Philippines, South Friedrichshafen FF-49 with Imperial roundels
Vietnam, Taiwan, Spain, Saudi Arabia, This volume
in the usual positions, but with a V in national covers the early
Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom and the colours on the fuselage. Another completely
United States. As well as illustrations of years of Fighter
different set of markings was on a Voisin, Wing 73 from
complete aircraft, modellers will find the featuring light grey with black triangles on a
thirteen page walkaround of use. I presume 1959 to 1974,
white circle on both wings and tail. I could go operating the
as this is a small aircraft the scale drawings are on forever with different examples but I will
this time in 1/48. Canadair Sabre
just add that you will find seventy two colour Mk 6, Lockheed
With the inclusion of four sets of multiview schemes, plus photographic evidence and a T-33, Piaggio
artworks and thirty one colour profiles, this is fair amount of text to sort the lot out. P.149 and the
a cracking monograph. Although it seems This must be the only set of books in English, Fiat G.91R/T.
that only Airfix have produced a 1/72 kit to to cover this subject in such detail. When you The book
date, you should have no trouble getting hold think you have seen everything, along comes follows the
of one in 1/144, 1/48 or 1/32. As well as these Mushroom with an absolutely superb customary
kits, the accompanying list indicates that reference. If you are into World War I aviation AirDoc format
there is a multitude of aftermarket items on then this is a must have. with text and captions in both English and
sale.
www.mmpbooks.biz German and includes a host of original
It is good that Warpaint have not lowered photographs in both colour and black and
their standards over the years and at these Ernie Lee
white that will prove invaluable to anyone
sort of prices you can build up a convincing modelling the post war German air force.
library. TSR2 The historical text is comprehensive and well-
www.guidelinepublications.co.uk Paint Schemes from World War II to the presented and this book adds another brick
Ernie Lee Present Day to the formidable wall of information on the
Author: Tim McLelland Revised and subject that has made AirDoc the first port of
Expanded Edition by Tony Buttler call for the modern Luftwaffe enthusiast.
Russian Aviation Colours V4 Publisher: Crecy Publishing Ltd Very highly recommended
Author: Marat Khariulin ISBN: 978 1 91080 913 www.shopofphantoms.com
Publisher: Mushroom Model Publications Format: Hardback, A4, 184 pages
ISSN: 978 83652 This book was last
819 82 printed in 2011 and Messerschmitt Bf 110 Vol. II
Format: knowing how some Top Drawings 61
Hardback, A4, books are soon out
128 pages Author: Maciej Noszczak
of print there could
Publisher: Kagero
Of all the great be a number of
ISBN: 978 83951 575 92
powers, Russia aviation
Format: Paperback, A4, 20 pages plus plans
seems to have enthusiasts who
had the most are not familiar This second volume on the much neglected
problems with it. Originally Bf 110 covers the later variants, from E to G
deciding written by the and comprises seventeen pages of scale
exactly what talented Tim drawings to 1/48 and 1/72 as well as four
the national McLelland, who pages of colour artwork. On top of this two
emblem should sadly died well loose A2 sheets of 1/48 drawings offer full
be. The Soviets before his time. plan views as well as an assortment of further
4012 Books 92-93_Scuttlebutt 14/01/2019 21:42 Page 93
BOOKREVIEWS
scrap views and reading and referring to it in connection with destruction of the FNLC as fighting force.
side elevations. future modelling projects. Illustrated with contemporary photographs of
A set of vinyl www.helion.co.uk the various military forces and equipment
masks is also deployed, this places the aviation assets in
included sized context and will provide both inspiration and
for Eduard’s Bf F-15 Eagle
impetus to modellers looking to branch out
110G kits in Author: Bertie Simmonds into less familiar territory.
both 1/72 and Publisher: Mortons
www.helion.co.uk
1/48. Text is in ISBN: 978 19112 766 85
both Polish Format: Paperback, A4, 130 pages Latin America@War 8
and English This is another Aerial Operations in the Revolutions of
but is limited bookazine 1922 and 1947 in Paraguay
to a brief release from
introduction Author: Antonio Luis Sapienza
Mortons,
and a handful of Publisher: Helion
covering the F-
captions, as the meat of the book is the ISBN: 978 19123 905 88
15 in all its
drawings themselves. Format: Paperback, A4, 40 pages
variants from
A useful addition to any Luftwaffe library development In the first half of
to the present the twentieth
www.kagero.pl
day, including century, there
a full account were several
Latin America@War 9 Mexicans of its revolutions in
at War deployment Paraguay, starting
and combat in 1904, then
Mexican Military Aviation in the Second 1908, 1911-12,
operations.
World War 1941-45 1922-23, 1936
Nicely illustrated with plenty of
Author: Santiago A. Flores colour photographs, the book has a definite and finally 1947.
Publisher: Helion feel of a magazine to it although its perfect This useful and
ISBN: 978 19123 900 69 bound format will ensure it sits nicely on the interesting
Format: Paperback, A4, 216 pages shelf with the rest of your reference library. volume covers
Priced at £7.99 it is a cheaper and more the aviation
This volume
authoritative account than some currently on that came to be
covers Mexican
the market and if I have a criticism it is that used between the years 1922-47, starting
participation in
many of the larger images have been printed with various ex World War I machines, and
World War II for
across the page break, and are somewhat winding up with sundry ex US trainers. There
the first time
spoilt as a result. This seems to be a practice is even an Anson in the colour profiles, which
using photos,
common to all these releases and is depict a varied and colourful collection of
documents and
regrettable as they are on the whole excellent machines.
testimony from
official and value for money, and it is to be hoped that Another excellent reference and a worthwhile
personal the series continues. addition to any library.
archives. www.mortonsmediagroup.com www.helion.co.uk
Following the
sinking of
Mexican ships Africa@War 32 Luftwaffe Secret Project Profiles
by German U- Operations Leopard and Red Bean Author: Daniel Uhr and Dan Sharp
boats the first North American Kolwezi 1978 Publisher: Mortons
Texan armed trainers entered service in the French and Belgian Intervention in Zaire ISBN: 978 19112 766 92
Gulf of Mexico, earning the title of the Format: Paperback, A4, 130 pages
Mexican Dive Bomber. Due to the necessities Author: Daniel Kowalczuk
Publisher: Helion This stunning
of the war, the service had to reorganize its collection of
aviation assets to be able to receive a larger ISBN: 978 19123 905 95
Format: Paperback, A4, 72 pages artwork and
number of American built lease aircraft, informative
which started the modernization and This book
accounts brings
reorganization process that is felt even today. provides a history
together a mass
The war affected all aspect of Mexican of the roots of
of data and
military aviation from tactical units, to the FNLC (Front
history on one of
training, to logistics and military doctrine. for the National
the modelling
This also led to the establishment of Mexican Liberation of the
scene’s favourite
Naval Aviation which led, in turn, to the Congo) in
subjects. Again
creation of its first naval squadron to patrol Angola and
in the bookazine
the Gulf of Mexico. Zaire, the
format it offers
As Mexico was securing its coasts and political
amazing value
sending aviation personnel to train in the situation under
for money, including over
USA, it would later field its fighter squadron the Mobutu
200 colour profiles and a fascinating account
to participate in the liberation of the regime, FNLC
of the Luftwaffe’s sometimes bizarre projects
Philippine islands. By the end of the war the incursions
spanning the period 1939-45.
Mexican Air Force had experienced its most across the
border into Zaire and ensuing Again my only regret is the layout of the
rapid growth since it was officially established beautiful artwork across the spine, which
back in February 1915. hostage taking in the mining town of Kolwezi.
The author describes the subsequent French rather spoils ones appreciation of how good
A unique book on an important and unsung Foreign Legion and Belgian Para Commando they really are. That aside, it’s well worth the
element of World War II history. Anyone with airborne operation and freeing of the £7.99 asking price. Recommended!
an interest in the broader scope of military hostages, together with the practical www.mortonsmediagroup.com
aviation will benefit from and enjoy both

4012 American Patrol 94-96_Scuttlebutt 14/01/2019 21:49 Page 94
A M E R I C A N PAT R O L
Origins of the Convair B-58 Hustler and the Super Hustler By Steve Palmer
T
he Convair B-58 Hustler has to be one of fly at high altitudes at speed, but the shootdown bigger and better than the rest of us over here.
this writer’s favourite airplanes, although I of a U-2 over the Soviet Union sort of burst this This view has spawned numerous jokes about
confess to not having built a model of one bubble. The B-58 mission profile changed to a Texans, most of which are unprintable, at least
for many years. When the Cold War was at its low-altitude penetration scenario, but most here.
height, my friends and I often speculated about accounts say that the bomber was a failure as a To say that there was a lot going on at Convair
what aircraft was the source of the previous low-altitude bomber. It would take a great deal in the 1950s is an understatement. Convair
night’s sonic boom (Sonic booms were not of wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth enabled the United States Air Force to
uncommon if you lived near a major air base, as I before the Air Force got a real low-altitude investigate a number of fantastic (as in
did, in the late 1950s and early 1960s). These bomber in the form of the FB-111, which proved outlandish) concepts that the Short Brothers
were usually events that occurred in the wee its mettle in Operation Desert Storm. would have called ‘composite aircraft.’ Engineers
hours of the night and made an impression on 8- As an American, I think it is fitting, somehow, over here decided to call the larger, ‘carrier’
year old minds already obsessed with airplanes. that Convair was a Texas-based manufacturer. aircraft the ‘mother ship’ and the smaller fighter
Our most fanciful guess about the source of the Texans are Southerners, which brings a plethora or reconnaissance aircraft the ‘parasite.’
boom was always the Hustler. of jokes and insults to begin with, but Texans, it Americans have a wonderful way of butchering
From what you read, the B-58 was designed to is said, like to think that they can do things the English language. One would think that the
MX-1626 later used three non-afterburning

The initial design for the world’s first engines. Note the decompression chamber for It is no coincidence that the parasite aircraft
supersonic bomber—the MX-1626. It was a the crew. The carrier aircraft appears to be shown here looks very much like the B-58
small, delta-wing aircraft with a two-man crew a B-36 Hustler
This is a 1955 concept for

an extended-range B-58
Yet another provisional view of what looks much like a

B-58 slung from a possible variant of the Convair B-60
The expendable, unmanned rear section of the Super Hustler was

powered by two ramjet engines and carried fuel for the outbound
Here is a lineup of various concepts for a B-58 with improved portion of the mission. This rear section detached from the manned
performance. Some of the ideas here, such as folding wing tips and non- forward section and was designed to deliver a large weapon in the nose
turbojet propulsion, were considered for the Super Hustler (shown in a checkerboard pattern here)
larger aircraft in the bellies of B-36s, or, even worse, Project MX-1626 was the culmination of the
would be suspending the aptly named Goblin ‘parasite Convair bomber projects. In its final form, it
referred to as fighter’ (and test pilot’s nightmare) from a could have been the world’s first supersonic
the ‘host’ Peacemaker. Against this checkered bomber, however, the initial design used three
aircraft. background, Convair produced numerous non-afterburning turbojets to power the aircraft.
In the design studies for what would become the B-58 Interestingly, one of the engines was to be
1950s, Hustler, and what might well have become the housed in the jettisonable weapons pod. The
Convair got a Super Hustler. pod concept survived to be standard on the
lot of Air As early as 1946, the Air Force conducted B-58. As the design evolved, it became the
Force money what were called Generalized Bomber (GEBO) progenitor of the production B-58 Hustler.
to mess studies, which allowed the service to take As with any aircraft, engineers sought to
around with advantage of cutting-edge technology to improve the performance of the production B-
goofball develop a bomber that would replace the 58. Convair undertook design studies between
and already Convair B-36. Myriad designs combining all sorts 1955 and 1957, resulting in a proposed aircraft
discredited of wing planforms and propulsion systems were with larger engines, a longer fuselage, folding
concepts evaluated against performance requirements, wingtips, and side-by-side seating for the crew,
that including range, bomb load, and gross weight. and a longer range to target. This aircraft would
involved Not wishing to be left out of the action, be superseded as the design for the Hustler, but
hanging Convair developed a series of design studies for some of its design elements were revisited when
F-84s supersonic bombers—parasite aircraft that were the Super Hustler concept emerged.
from to be launched by a B-36 or B-60 mother ship. Yet another study sought to upgrade the B-
trapezes The B-60 was an elegant derivative of the B-36 58’s performance to the supersonic category.
This artwork depicts the preliminary escape that competed against the B-52. Like the This performance was to be achieved through
Superfortress, it would have employed a swept the use of still bigger engines than the
arrangement and the escape sequence previously proposed version, a redesigned wing,
wing and turbojet power.
An artist’s A scale model of the Super Hustler with both

concept the front and rear components shown as they
of a Super would be carried beneath the B-58 mother ship
Hustler
climbing
away from
the B-58
mother
ship
These are sketches of parasite concepts that would

be carried by ‘stretch’ versions of the Hustler
A front three-quarter view of a model of the manned component of the

Super Hustler. The nose is shown in the angled landing position
This is Super Hustler Configuration 110, which utilized twin, streamlined

pods on either side of the B-58 nose gear to house one crew member each
This is a rear three-quarter view of a model of the Super Hustler crew Here is a cutaway of the Super Hustler, showing side-by-side crew
section. Landing on the puny nose gear and those skids would certainly seating, and a General Electric J85 turbojet installed in the lower aft
be no picnic section ahead of a Marquardt MA24F ramjet engine

and a canopy that was flush with the fuselage. departure location, with the aircraft returning on maintaining the unreliable, complex, high-speed
Flying at Mach 2, this version would have a 3000 its own to the home base. B-58 was beginning to raise many questions. Many
mile combat radius. The engines were the same A big problem with using the B-58 as a individuals in [Strategic Air Command], including
as those used to power the SR-71. The range was mother ship was the design of the Hustler’s the [Commander-in-Chief] Curtis LeMay, began to
considered inadequate, so this concept was landing gear. The gear seriously restricted the question whether these aircraft were worth the
shelved. width of the parasite aircraft. An outside trouble particularly when the reliable, long-range
Various other ‘paper’ aircraft used exotic contractor designed the first parasite aircraft Boeing B-52 began to enter service and could be
materials, expensive high-energy fuel, ramjets, configuration. Twenty more designs followed! operated at much lower cost. More importantly,
turbo-ramjets, folding ventral fins, canards, and Judging from some of the unorthodox solutions the idea of a parasite bomber gathered little
expendable rockets. One paper design would to the gear clearance problem, one wonders if support and the concept never received
have had a gross weight of around 400,000 ‘Operation Paperclip’ engineers from Germany government funding. However, the CIA were still
pounds, while another would have flown at were involved in some of the designs: one interested in a supersonic reconnaissance aircraft
Mach 4. Cooler heads prevailed; all of these proposal featured twin pods, each housing a and encouraged Convair to continue to develop
designs were considered ‘impractical.’ What an crew member, that straddled the nose gear. And their parasite proposal.’
understatement! another design required the aircrew to fly in We will endeavour to tell you about further
prone position. Sound familiar?
Convair marched on with the parasite aircraft exotic designs that were put forth by Convair in
concept. Near the end of 1957, the firm When Convair finally settled on the 21st a future installment. My thanks to Mr. Erich Hehs
conducted design studies for a B-58 parasite configuration, they presented it to the Air Force. (‘Mr. Code One’), who retired from Lockheed-
that would fulfil the role of a Mach 5 ‘strike While the USAF showed much enthusiasm for Martin in February 2016, and to Lockheed
bomber. All of the preliminary designs were for the design, the eventual outcome was another Martin Aeronautical Systems Corporation for
aircraft that were to be launched form the B-58 forgotten proposal. As one source puts it: generously providing most of the illustrations in
aircraft about 2000 nautical miles from the ‘The reality was that the cost of operating and this column.
A detailed view of the Super Hustler crew compartment showing crew

This is a general arrangement drawing of the Super Hustler, with some stations with dual flight controls and seats reclined 45 degrees to
key dimensions and specifications minimize compartment height. Metal covers shielded the glass area of
the cockpit enclosure during high-speed flight, with a closed-circuit
television system to provide an outside view
Here is a detailed view of the expendable rear section of the Super

Hustler. The expendable stage had a gross weight of 25700 pounds and
weighed 7400 pounds empty. The forward section contained a fuel tank
and a warhead bay. The aft section contained a second fuel tank,
This drawing depicts the crew compartment in the landing configuration, shoulder-mounted wing, and two Marquardt MA24F ramjet engines
with the rear landing skids shown in detail
This is ‘standard’
mission profile
in graphic form
Another general arrangement drawing of the Super Hustler, shown along

with the B-58. This drawing shows a top view and frontal view
4012 Next Issue Page 97.qxp_Masthead / Next Issue 14/01/2019 21:03 Page 97
CO M I N G N E X T M O N T H
PREVIEW
PLANNED FOR SCALE AIRCRAFT MODELLING
NEXT ISSUE: Volume 41 · Issue 01 ·March 2019
Brengun’s Latest By Huw Morgan

1
Blackburn NA39 Sixtieth
Anniversary
1/72 Conversion
By Ray Ball
2
Mustangs of 357 FG
Part Two
A 1/48 Multi Build
By Neil Robinson
3
Aircraft in Profile
Fiat CR.32
Scaled Up and Scaled Down
by Richard Mason. With Scale Plans
and Colour Profiles by Jan Polc
4
Airfix Blenheim in 1/48 piece wing and a pair of horizontal
P-39 Airacobra D/F/K
By Rick Greenwood stabilisers making up the bulk of
Kit No: BRP144011 the airframe, to which are added
Scale: 1/144 the undercarriage, with separate
main wheels and undercarriage
Type: Injection Moulded legs, and a rudimentary cockpit
Plastic
5 Manufacturer: Brengun
with a seat and instrument panel.
There are a couple of points to
Volksflugzeug www.brengun.cz be aware of, most significantly the
Gotha Go 150 one-piece wing, which while
B
rengun have once again having very nice surface detail,
By Huw Morgan extended the envelope of also suffers from two sink marks at
1/144 scale kits of iconic its thickest section near the root,
World War II aircraft that are readily probably not too difficult to fill, but
available with this offering of a some of that nice surface detail
midlife, P-39 D/F/K Airacobra
6 typical of those used extensively
may be compromised as a
consequence. Secondly, the
Airfix B-25C/D Mitchell by the Russians in the ground undercarriage doors will look
attack role. This variant carried the pretty thick when attached, and
Airfix in 1/72 four 0.303 calibre wing guns in since their shape is simple will be
By Brian Derbyshire addition to two nose mounted best replaced with thin plastic
machine guns and the hefty card.
cannon firing through the spinner.
There have been a few attempts at Four schemes are offered, all in
the Airacobra in 1/144 scale before Olive Drab over Neutral Grey, three
7 now, Ftoys having released a
Gashapon as part of a WingKit
from the USAAC in Alaska in 1943
and 1942 and New Guinea in 1942,
Perry Collection (7). Revell have issued and a fourth airframe in Russian
FineMolds 1/48 Kawasaki Ki-10-II one in their MicroWings simplified hands over Kuban in 1943. The
series, and OzMods have one decals look to have good colour
By Mike Williams density, but the colours appear
listed.
rather bright.
Moulded as with other Brengun
kits by JACH, the kit is produced on Despite the existence of earlier
two small frames of thirty grey options in the marketplace, it's
All this and more plus the latest from the Newsdesk, the
plastic parts together with a tiny good to see Brengun bringing out
continuing efforts of the Harrogate Model Club, and the usual
clear injected canopy, moulded a modern moulding of the P-39. If
Marketplace round up and showcases.
Please note we receive a constant stream of interesting and informative articles, and in the closed. The relatively low parts JACH can tweak the moulding
interest of balanced and up to the minute coverage content may change at short notice. count reveals that this is a simple conditions to eliminate the sink
The above listing is provisional and may be subject to change.
build, two fuselage halves, a one- marks, it'll be superb.

4012 Hannants DPS.qxp_3405 14/01/2019 15:36 Page 98
NEW DECALS KW72191 1:72 North American B-25D Mitchell (2) ‘Labor Pains’ 498th Bomb Squadron,
‘Charmin Lady’ 17th Reconaissance Squadron £10.20
Avalon KW72192 1:72 North-American B-25C Mitchell (2) ‘Worth Fighting For’ 380th Bomb
AVD7013 1:72 German lozenge - 5 colour, topside pattern (1 sheet) £7.40 Squadron, ‘Here’s Howe’ 90th Bomb Squadron, 345th Bomb Group £10.20
AVD7014 1:72 German lozenge - 5 colour, underside pattern (1 sheets) £7.40 KW72193 1:72 North American B-25C Mitchell (2) ‘FLOOGIE’ 12th BG, 83rd BS, ‘Midge’
AVD7015 1:72 German lozenge set - 5 colour, topside and underside patterns (2 sheets) £10.60 12th BG, 83rd £10.20
KW72194 1:72 North American B-25C Mitchell (2) ’SeaSweep’ 310th BG, 428th BS,
Begemot ‘The Strawberry Roan’ 12th BG, 434th BS £10.20
BT32018 1:32 Additional Russian Air Force insignia (type 2010) For all main types of
RuAF aircrafts and helicopters. 5 big size decals, one standard size sheet and Mark 1 Decals
2-pages A4-size instruction. £12.99 DMK14477 1:144 German Air Force WWI crosses 1916-17, 2 sets (size 500,600,700,1000,
BT4845 1:48 Sukhoi Su-34 From the Prototype to the ones used in Syria with mission 1200,1400 mm), 2 sets scale size: 3.5;4.2;4.9;6.9;8.3;9.7 mm £2.40
markings. Stencils for 1 aircraft £20.99
BT7267 1:72 Sukhoi Su-34 From the Prototype to the ones used in Syria with mission Model Maker Decals
markings. Stencils for 1 aircraft £18.60 D144111 1:144 Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Polish service + Century of Polish
Air Force + full stencilling £8.99
BERNA decals D48112 1:48 Spanish Typhoons stencils and insignias £8.99
BER48141 1:48 Sud Aviation Alouette III African Air Forces: Including Ivory Coast, Sierra D48113 1:48 Spanish Typhoon NATO Tiger Meet 2016 (includes sheet 112 stencils) £12.99
Leone, Chad, Ethiopia £13.20 D72111 1:72 Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Polish service + 100 years of Polish Air
Force + full stencilling £12.99
DK Decals D72112 1:72 Spanish Typhoons stencils and insignias £6.70
DKD72050 1:72 Back in stock! Curtiss P-40K/P-40N Kittyhawk in RAAF Service D72113 1:72 Spanish Typhoon NATO Tiger Meet 2016 (includes sheet 112 stencils) £8.99
(Includes 18 camouflage schemes) £17.50
Rising Decals
Foxbot Decals
RD72076 1:72 Back in stock! Bucker Bu-131 in Japanese Service
FBOT48036T 1:48 Ukrainian Foxbats: Mikoyan MiG-25RB and Stencils £21.60
(8 x camouflage schemes) £8.60
FBOT48041 1:48 Digital Rooks: Sukhoi Su-25UB, Ukranian Air Forces £8.30
RD72077 1:72 Back in stock! Japanese Early Birds Part II (10 x camouflage schemes)
FBOT48042 1:48 Ukrainian Rooks: Sukhoi Su-25UB £8.30
FBOT72015 1:72 Ukrainian Rooks: Sukhoi Su-25UB £8.30 Nakajima-Nieuport 83 E.2 c/n 504 (trainer version of Nieuport 10), Avro 504L,
FBOT72015T 1:72 Ukrainian Rooks: Sukhoi Su-25UB and Stencils £13.30 Avro 504S, Hansa Type (Hansa-Brandenberg W.29), Nieuport IV, Sopwith Pup
FBOT72016T 1:72 Ukrainian Foxbats: Mikoyan MiG-25 and Stencils £18.30 (Loire et Olivier built Pup) £11.30
FBOT72034 1:72 Stencils for Sukhoi Su-25UB £4.50
Ventura
HAD Models VA48501 1:48 Mustang. New Zealand 1960’s Civilian Mustang. “Mobil Oil" colours.
HUN48152 1:48 Consolidated B-24D Liberator 'Green Dragon' USAAF £8.99 Two options £17.99
HUN48196 1:48 Grumman F-14A Tomcat VF-84 Jolly Rogers part 1 USS Theodore VA48502 1:48 Mustangs. RAAF kangaroo roundels. Two options. £17.99
Roosevelt 1987 £8.99 VA72501 1:72 Mustang. New Zealand 1960’s Civilian Mustang.
HUN48197 1:48 Grumman F-14A Tomcat VF-84 Jolly Rogers low visibility USS Nimitz 1986 £8.99 “Mobil Oil" colours. Two options. £11.99
HUN72116 1:72 Focke-Wulf Fw-190A-8/R2 (ur Sau red 16, red 4 Schwarzer panter) £5.40
HUN72196 1:72 Grumman F-14A Tomcat VF-84 Jolly Rogers part 1 Xtradecal
USS Theodore Roosevelt 1987 £7.308 X48198 1:48 Bristol Blenheim Mk.I/Mk.If (5)
K7090 ZK-V 25 Sqn RAF North Weald February 1940.
Kits-World L1327 RO-I 29 Sqn RAF Digby June 1940.
KW72190 1:72 North-American B-25C Mitchell (2) 'Red Headed Gal' 3rd Bomb Group, serial unknown YN-B 601 Sqn RAF Hendon Summer 1939.
5th Bomber Command, ‘Sand Blower’ 486th Bomb Squadron, 340th Bomb Serial unknown WQ-P 604 Sqn RAF Hendon Spring 1939.
Group £10.20 K7107 VT-B 30 Sqn Ismailia, Egypt 11 April, 1940 £7.99
NEW KITS BRP72032 1:72 Yokosuka Ohka MXY7-K1 KAI (two seats) £11.40 IT1421 1:72 Northrop-Grumman X-47 UCAV £31.99
IT2783 1:48 Panavia Tornado IDS £29.99
AA & A Models Aircraft kits (injection) Eastern Express Aircraft kits (injection)
AAM7211 1:72 Ilyushin Il-102 Experimental ground- EA14506 1:144 Mil Mi-6 Hook early version £32.99 Kovozavody Prostejov Aircraft kits (injection)
attack aircraft (Sukhoi Su-25’s rival) £33.30 EA14507 1:144 Mil Mi-6 Hook late version £32.99 KP-CL4801 1:48 Mil Mi-2 Hoplite (snap-tite, ex-Smer) £9.99
AAM7220 1:72 Ye-2A Pre-series light interceptor (MiG-21’s EA14508 1:144 Mil Mi-6 Hook late version Aeroflot £32.99 KPM72114 1:72 Aero L-159T Alca "Trainer" £16.99
predecessor) £27.20 KPM72119 1:72 Aero L-159A/E Alca £16.99
Eduard Aircraft kits (injection) KPM72127 1:72 Junkers Ju-52/3M Czechoslovak
A Model Aircraft kits (injection) EDK11125 1:48 Bodenplatte Limited Edition kit offers service (ex-Heller) £24.99
AMU72328 1:72 HFB-320 Hansa Jet 'Lufthansa' £33.20 one Focke-Wulf Fw-190D-9 and one
Messerschmitt Bf-109G-14 (G-14/AS) £58.70 Lukgraph Aircraft kits (resin)
AIM - Rug Rat Resins Aircraft kits (mixed-media) EDK82121 1:48 Hawker Tempest Mk.V series 1 LUK3211 1:32 Lublin R-XIIIG float plane £152.99
RR4803005 1:48 Cessna 310F £62.50 ProfiPACK edition £38.80
RR4803006 1:48 Cessna U-3B £62.50 EDK8227 1:48 Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat ProfiPACK £32.30 Micro-Mir Aircraft kits (injection)
RR4803008 1:48 Cessna 310G £62.50 EDK84151 1:48 Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk.IXc Weekend MM72-013 1:72 BAC/EE Canberra T.17 £38.80
RR7203005 1:72 Cessna 310F £42.70 edition £19.40
RR7203006 1:72 Cessna U-3B £42.70 Modelsvit Aircraft kits (injection)
RR7203008 1:72 Cessna 310G £42.70 Hobby 2000 Aircraft kits (injection) MSVIT480081:48 Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender £30.99
HOB272006 1:72 Macchi MC.202 Folgore North Africa MSVIT720451:72 Dassault Mirage IIIE £28.30
Airfix Aircraft kits (injection) 1942 (ex-Hasegawa) £13.99
AX04062 1:72 Messerschmitt Me-262B-1a £18.99 HOB272007 1:72 Macchi MC.202 Folgor Russia 1942 Revell Aircraft kits (injection)
AX06017 1:72 McDonnell-Douglas FGR.2 Phantom £24.99 (ex-Hasegawa) £13.99 RV3916 1:72 Transall C-160D Transall ESS-NG £36.99
AX09185 1:48 Hawker Hunter F.6 New Tool £36.99 HOB272008 1:72 Macchi MC.202 Folgore 370a Squadriglia, RV3920 1:72 Douglas C-54D Blue Angels
Italy 1943 (ex-Hasegawa) £13.99 Platinum Edition £69.99
Big Planes Kits Aircraft kits (injection) RV4958 1:144 Antonov An-225 Mrija £89.99
BPK14407 1:144 Bombardier CRJ-700 Lufthansa Regional £21.99 HobbyBoss Aircraft kits (injection) RV4981 1:32 Westland Lynx Mk.8 £39.99
BPK14408 1:144 Bombardier CRJ-700 American Eagle £21.99 HB83211 1:32 Consolidated B-24J Liberator £149.99 RV4982 1:32 Eurocopter EC135 Heeresflieger/
HB85809 1:48 McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18C German Army Aviation £29.99
Arma Hobby Aircraft kits (injection) Hornet RAAF £36.99
AH70019 1:72 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I Expert Set. Silver Wings Aircraft kits (resin)
Features "metal wing and tropical filter. £16.99 Hong Kong Models Aircraft kits (injection) SVW32021 1:32 Yakovlev Yak-9 £139.30
HKM01E06 1:32 Avro Lancaster B.I/III all our stock is the
Armory Aircraft kits (injection) limited edition kit that includes EXTRA Smer Aircraft kits (injection)
AR14305 1:144 Messerschmitt Bf-109E "Mediterranean FUSELAGE AND NOSE SECTION in SM72922 1:72 Mikoyan MiG-19S ex Kopro (ex KP) £7.50
TO Aces" £10.99 CLEAR PLASTIC £399.99 SM72923 1:72 Shenyang J-6/F-6 ex Kopro (ex KP) £7.50
AZ Model Aircraft kits (injection) IBG Models Aircraft kits (injection) Special Hobby Aircraft kits (injection)
AZM7597 1:72 Douglas X-3 Stiletto "US Experimental IBG72508 1:72 PZL.23 Karas II - Polish Light Bomber £10.40 SH32070 1:32 Back in stock! Hawker Tempest Mk.V
Plane" £16.80 IBG72515 1:72 PZL.37B II Los - Polish Medium Bomber £21.60 "Hi-Tech 2" £76.99
AZM7598 1:72 Douglas F-3 "Stiletto in Service" £16.80 SH48021 1:48 Back in stock! Fairey Barracuda Mk.II £33.80
ICM Aircraft kits (injection) SH48180 1:48 Back in stock! Brewster model 239
BIGMODEL Aircraft kits (injection) ICM32011 1:32 Polikarpov I-153 (winter version on skis) £35.99 Buffalo "Taivaan Helmi over Finland"
BIG1440021 1:144 Ilyushin Il-14 Interflug £18.99 ICM32031 1:32 Bucker Bu-131B German (ex Classic Airframe) £23.40
BIG1440042 1:144 Jak-40 SP-GEA LOT Instytut Lotnictwa £18.99 Training Aircraft £29.99 SH72140 1:72 Back in stock! Blackburn Skua Mk.II £18.99
ICM72173 1:72 Mikoyan MiG-25RB Soviet SH72232 1:72 Back in stock! Grumman FF-1 'Fifu' U.S.
Brengun Aircraft kits (injection) Reconnaissance Plane £22.40 Navy Two-seat Fighter. £16.99
BRP144010 1:144 Horton Ho-229A Night Fighter £10.70 SH72272 1:72 Back in stock! Vought SB2U-1
BRP144011 1:144 Bell P-39D/P-39-F/P-39K Airacobra £10.70 Italeri Aircraft kits (injection) Vindicator NEW MOULD!! £17.99
4012 Hannants DPS.qxp_3405 14/01/2019 15:36 Page 99
SH72350 1:72 Back in stock! Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver bay (Fujimi) £6.99 (Great Wall Hobby) £15.99
"The Final Version" £26.70 AIRE7362 1:72 Kawasaki Ki-61-Id control surfaces EDFE950 1:48 McDonnell F-15C Eagle MSIP II seatbelts
SH72380 1:72 Curtiss Kittyhawk Mk.III £14.60 (Tamiya) £3.60 STEEL (Great Wall Hobby) £7.20
SH72392 1:72 Dornier Do-27 IDF, SAAF and Portuguese AIRE4751 1:48 Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker B exhaust nozzles EDFE951 1:48 Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat seatbelts STEEL
Service. £15.70 (HobbyBoss) £16.99 (Eduard) £4.99
SH72396 1:72 Breguet Br.693AB.2 French Ground- AIRE4757 1:48 Sukhoi Su-17/22M3/M4 Fitter K covered EDFE952 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-21MF seatbelts STEEL
Attack aircraft £19.30 chaff/flare dispensers (Hobby Boss) £12.60 (Eduard) £6.60
AIRE4758 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-23BN early exhaust nozzle - EDFE953 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-21PF seatbelts STEEL
Trumpeter Aircraft kits (injection) opened (Trumpeter) £13.99 (Eduard) £6.60
TU01687 1:72 Tupolev TU-128M Fiddler £44.99 AIRE4759 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-23BN late exhaust nozzle - EDFE954 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-21PFM seatbelts STEEL
TU04201 1:200 Vought Kingfisher OS2U-1 (5 IN BOX) £9.50 opened (Trumpeter) £13.99 (Eduard) £6.60
TU04202 1:200 Kamov KA-27 (5 IN BOX) £9.50 EDFE955 1:48 North-American B-25G Mitchell (Italeri) £12.99
TU04206 1:200 Douglas TBD-1 'Devastator' (5 IN BOX) £6.99 Blackbird Models Aircraft conversions (resin) EDFE956 1:48 North-American B-25G Mitchell
TU04207 1:200 Douglas SBD Dauntless (5 IN BOX) £6.99 BMA48001 1:48 de Havilland Mosquito NF.XII/Mk.XIII seatbelts STEEL (Italeri) £7.20
TU04208 1:200 Supermarine Walrus Float Plane Conversion (Tamiya) £3.99 EDSS648 1:72 Curtiss P-40K-1/5 Warhawk
(5 IN BOX) £9.50 BMA72043 1:72 de Havilland Mosquito T.III Conversion (Special Hobby) £9.70
TU06278 1:350 Arado Ar 195 (qty 6) £5.99 (Tamiya) £10.99 EDSS649 1:72 Mikoyan MiG-25RBT (ICM) £9.70
TU06279 1:350 Messerschmitt Bf-109T (qty 6) £5.99 BMA72047 1:72 de Havilland Mosquito FB.VI ASH Radar Aircraft paint masks (self adhesive)
TU06280 1:350 Junkers Ju-87C-1 'Stuka' x 6 (qty 6) £5.99 Nose (Tamiya) £1.99 EDCX533 1:72 Mikoyan MiG-25RBT (ICM) £8.40
TU06281 1:350 Fieseler Fi-167A-0 x 6 (qty 6) £5.99 BMA48002 1:48 Junkers Ju-87 'Stuka' Unspatted EDCX534 1:72 Curtiss P-40K-1/5 Warhawk
Undercarriage £3.99 (Special Hobby) £7.20
Welsh Models Aircraft kits (resin and vacform) EDEX626 1:48 Back in stock! Bristol Blenheim Mk.IF
WHMT7216 1:72 Boeing P-8A Poseidon-Royal Australian CMK/Czech Master Kits Aircraft detailing sets (resin) (Airfix) £8.40
A.F. £122.20 CMK4364 1:48 Boulton-Paul Defiant Mk.I/NF-1 Pilot`s EDEX627 1:48 Back in stock! Bristol Blenheim Mk.IF
WHSL422P 1:144 Douglas DC-8-73CF CFM56-2B4 engines, Cockpit set (Airfix) £9.20 TFace (Airfix) £10.99
vacform fuselage, remainder in resin and CMK4366 1:48 Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk.X Cockpit set EDEX634 1:48 Heinkel He-219A-7 TFace (Tamiya) £12.99
metal undercarriage-Evergreen International £43.99 (Revell) £12.40 EDEX635 1:48 McDonnell F-15C MSIP II TFace
CMQ72330 1:72 Bell AH-1G Early - Emerson Electric (Great Wall Hobby) £10.99
Wingnut Wings Aircraft kits (injection) TAT-102 (single weapon) turret (Revell and EDEX636 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-21MF TFace (Eduard) £9.70
WNW32004 1:32 Back in stock! Bristol F.2B Fighter. £118.99 Special Hobby) £4.70 EDEX637 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-21PF TFace (Eduard) £9.70
WNW32014 1:32 Royal_Aircraft_Factory Fe.2b early CMQ72331 1:72 Bell AH-1G Early - Emerson Electric M28 EDEX638 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-21PFM TFace (Eduard) £9.70
version £128.99 (dual weapon) turret (Revell and EDEX639 1:48 North-American B-25G Mitchell (Italeri) £9.70
WNW32019 1:32 Back in stock! Pfalz D.XII £88.99 Special Hobby) £4.70
WNW32050 1:32 Back in stock! Felixstowe F.2a (Early) CMK7417 1:72 Klimov VK-105PF WWII Soviet Inline Eduard Brassin Aircraft detailing sets (resin)
Flying Boat. £268.99 Engine £6.30 ED644009 1:48 Focke-Wulf Fw-190A-2 LööK (Eduard) £8.40
WNW32054 1:32 Back in stock! Sopwith Snipe CMQ48328 1:48 Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk.X Pilot’s Seat ED644010 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf-109F LööK (Eduard) £8.40
late version. £78.99 (Revell) £3.60 ED644011 1:48 Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat LööK (Eduard) £8.40
CMQ48329 1:48 Bristol Beaufighter TF Mk.X Pilot’s Seat ED648440 1:48 Focke-Wulf Fw-190A-8/R2 engine &
Zvezda Aircraft kits (injection) with backpad and belts (Revell) £4.30 fuselage guns (Eduard) £38.80
ZVE4821 1:48 Yakovlev Yak-130 Russian Trainer £34.99 CMK5114 1:32 MA-1A USAF Start Cart with ED648443 1:48 Kawasaki Ki-61-Id Hien fuel tanks
ZVE7029 1:144 Ilyushin IL-76TD Russian Ministry of etched parts £27.20 (Tamiya) £9.70
Emergency £29.99 Figures (resin) ED648444 1:48 SUU-30B/B £9.70
CMF72349 1:72 Bell AH-1 Sitting pilots (2 figures) and ED648445 1:48 R-13M missiles £9.70
ground crew (1 figure) (Special Hobby) £9.20 ED672213 1:72 Kawasaki Ki-61-Id Hien fuel tanks
NEW ACCESSORIES (Tamiya) £8.40
Eduard Aircraft detailing sets (etched) ED72681 1:72 Curtiss P-40K-1/5 Warhawk landing flaps
Aerobonus (by Aires) Aircraft seats (resin) ED48975 1:48 Back in stock! Bristol Blenheim Mk.IF (Special Hobby) £12.99
QAB320124 1:32 German Luftwaffe Pilot WWII with life landing flaps (Airfix) £25.80 ED72682 1:72 Boeing B-52G Stratofortress bomb bay
jacket for Messerschmitt Bf-109 £8.60 ED48981 1:48 Fairey Albacore bomb racks (Trumpeter) £15.99 (Modelcollect) £58.70
QAB320125 1:32 German Luftwaffe Pilot and Gunner WWII ED48982 1:48 North-American B-25G Mitchell exterior ED72683 1:72 Boeing B-52G Stratofortress
with seats for Junkers Ju-87 'Stuka' £17.60 (Italeri) £25.80 undercarriage (Modelcollect) £34.99
ED48983 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-23MF F.O.D. for Brassin set ED73648 1:72 Curtiss P-40K-1/5 Warhawk
Aims Aircraft detailing sets (resin) (Eduard) £14.99 (Special Hobby) £14.99
AIMS32P04A 1:32 Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6 lower engine ED48984 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-23ML F.O.D. for Brassin set ED73649 1:72 Mikoyan MiG-25RBT (ICM) £19.40
plug and cowl (Revell) £12.60 (Eduard) £14.99 SIN64853 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-23MF ADVANCED
AIMS32P05 1:32 Messerschmitt Bf-109G-10 lower engine ED49935 1:48 Back in stock! Bristol Blenheim Mk.IF (Eduard and Trumpeter) £56.99
plug and cowl (Revell) £12.60 (Airfix) £19.40 SIN64854 1:48 Mikoyan MiG-23ML ADVANCED
AIMSP48008 1:48 Junkers Ju-87B-1/Ju-87B-2 'Stuka' ED49947 1:48 Heinkel He-219A-7 (Tamiya) £25.80 (Eduard and Trumpeter) £58.70
replacement radiator (Airfix) £2.00 ED49949 1:48 McDonnell F-15C Eagle MSIP II interior ED648442 1:48 M2 Brownings w/handles £9.70
(Great Wall Hobby) £25.80
Aires ED49955 1:48 North-American B-25G Mitchell interior Master Aircraft detailing sets (metal)
AIRE4755 1:48 McDonnell F-15 Eagle electronic bay (Italeri) £19.40 AM144026 1:144 Mikoyan MiG-15 - gun barrels, antenna
(Great Wall Hobby) £11.40 EDFE935 1:48 Back in stock! Bristol Blenheim Mk.IF base & Pitot Tube £4.40
AIRE4760 1:48 McDonnell F-4J Phantom II electronic (Airfix) £12.99 AM144027 1:144 Mikoyan MiG-21 (Fishbed J/L/N) - Pitot
bay (Zoukei-Mura) £7.99 EDFE947 1:48 Heinkel He-219A-7 (Tamiya) £15.99 Tube £3.40
AIRE4761 1:48 McDonnell F-15E Strike Eagle cockpit EDFE948 1:48 Heinkel He-219A-7 seatbelts STEEL AM144028 1:144 Mikoyen MiG-29A (Fulcrum) - Pitot Tube £3.40
set (Great Wall Hobby) £19.99 (Tamiya) £7.20 AM144029 1:144 Dassault Mirage III and Mirage 5 - Pitot
AIRE7361 1:72 McDonnell F-4B Phantom II electronic EDFE949 1:48 McDonnell F-15C Eagle MSIP II Tube £2.20
A & A MODELS A MODEL AZ MODELS EASTERN EXPRESS Eduard EDK82121 1:48 HOBBYBOSS s HONG KONG MODELS
AAM7211 1:72 AMU72328 1:72 HFB-320 AZM7597 1:72 Douglas EA14507 1:144 Mil Mi-6 Hawker Tempest Mk.V se- HB83211 1:32 Consolidated HKM01E06 1:32 Avro Lan-
Ilyushin Il-102 Hansa Jet 'Lufthansa' X-3 Stiletto Hook late version ries 1 ProfiPACK B-24J Liberator caster B.I/III r
£33.30 £33.20 £16.80 £32.99 £38.80 £149.99 £399.99
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Scale Aircraft Modelling 02.2019

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4012 FEB (Page 01).

qxp_Layout 1 14/01/2019 23:48 Page 1

First and Best for Reference and Scale

Scratch-built Scout - Martinsyde S1 in 1/144 Martlet I – Kitbash and Serial Breakdown

Order via our

Kit No: 72001

engine into the fuselage or leave it out and fit it

FEBRUARY 2019 • VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 12 5

Distributed to the UK and International news

Sales and Marketing Director: Tom Foxon,

Editor: Gary Hatcher, blisterwhelk@outlook.com

Assistant Editor: Karl Robinson

Associate Editor: Neil Robinson

Newsdesk: Colin 'Flying' Pickett

Book Reviews: Ernie Lee

Design: Lincoln Rodrigues

North American Contact: Larry Weindorf

SAM Subscriptions, SAM Shop & Back Issues:

USA / Canada Subscriptions: $127.00

Alternatively we can bill you and send an invoice for

The Legal Bits:

34. Leiston’s Mustangs With: As a reader of both Private Eye and

FEBRUARY 2019 • VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 12 7

BUNNY FIGHTER CLUB and indeed all Eduard kits at a knock-

#72014 Percival Proctor Mk III

DORA WINGS EDUARD

We look forward to seeing what a rather uncomfortable amount of

floatplane (#92225). The Nakajima engine cowling already included.

Martinsyde (Martin-Handasyde) Scout S1

Drawings are essential for shaping the main

I masked the wings and tail between the rib

FEBRUARY 2019 • VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 12 17

The level of detail oﬀered and the quality of this

Dream Models etched

referring to photos of the real preshadings. This trick will make

With the fuselage, wings and tail I used AK2072

FEBRUARY 2019 • VolUmE 40 • IssUE 12 19

product is very simple but very away with AK Odorless Thinner,

Kamov’s Charasmatic Coaxial

W Then the major cockpit items were also secured

FEBRUARY 2019 • VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 12 21

The fuselage sports nicely

All the internal parts were painted

The internal areas

Painted up the resin seats add real interest to

FEBRUARY 2019 • VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 12 23

The kit seats

Careful dry fitting results in a

FEBRUARY 2019 • VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 12 25

As with most helicopters there are

The well The rotor

The lower blades were

The uppermost blades

FEBRUARY 2019 • VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 12 27

Close up of the rear tail section

All the painting and weathering

Portrait of the port side of the P-63E-1-BE S/N

Walkaround P-63 Kingcobra By Steve Muth

The carburetor air scoop on the P-63 was

Cockpit port forward view. Note the interior Starboard cockpit

FEBRUARY 2019 • VOLUME 40 • ISSUE 12 31

Starboard cockpit door

Cockpit floor to port

Aft canopy turtle deck is dull black