Model Aircraft Aug21

Fire Tanker A Swedish Dragon
Shark in
A-26C Invader J35F Draken
the Sand Conversion Eduard 1:48
Revell
1:48 Scale Cold War
Phantom
FGR.2 Vol 20 Iss 08 £4.95
AUGUST 2021
Printed in UK
SIDE - AV-8B IN DET

THE PLUS AIL
ON
Manual – British Phantoms
Step by Step Build
Colour Profiles
History
Scale Plans
TM
TM
MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 3
VOLUME 20 ISSUE 08
Full Size References
I
live a very short distance for the RAF it might be me, but once again walking around seek out full size reference whenever possible!
Museum at Cosford, and up to the time the hangars, you forget just how big some of This month we welcome three new
that Covid took hold I was a very frequent these aircraft were! Ok, the heavyweights like modellers to the MAM team. Matt Owen brings
visitor. I suppose I am lucky enough to the Nimrod R.1, the Avro Lincoln, the TSR.2, the his Tropical Canadian Spitfire, Mahmod Essa
be able to walk around on days that are Argosy, VC-10, Hercules and such are givens goes large with the 1:32 Trumpeter AV-8B, and
not so busy, and some mornings I found only for their sheer presence, but I had literally Peter A Dasso converts the 1:48 ICM A-26C
a handful of other enthusiasts on site, which forgotten just how big the Spitfire, Hurricane, Invader into a Lynch Air Tanker. Elsewhere, as
made my walk around the hangars a quite Fw 190 and Bf 109, to name a few really are, not you will see from this month’s cover, we have
surreal experience! So, with the restrictions in to mention the Ju-88! I then got to thinking a superb Model Aircraft Manual on the British
the UK now easing, I decided to pay a visit. Now that we as modellers build scale replicas that Phantom, with historic details, scale plans,
we can hold in our hands, and certainly for colour side profiles and a quite wonderful build
me, the scaled-up size of the actual aircraft of the 1:48 Revell FGR.2 in the colours of No.92
sometimes gets lost as I attach pieces of Squadron, based at RAF Wildenrath from Jos
plastic, resin or etch, and its only when I come Jansen. Also keep an eye out for builds from
face to face with the actual aircraft, that the MAM regulars Grant Dalzell with his Swedish
dimensions of the parts I have been working Dragon, Chis Ferguson with his American
on become apparent! So, it’s always good to Spitfire and Stuart Barry with his
excellent Airfix Meteor
FR.9. So, as always, we
have plenty to inform
and I hope to entertain,
and all that remains for
me to say is…
Stay safe and happy
modelling!
Andy
4 CONTENTS WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
6 J35F DRAKEN WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 7 12 COMBAT ZONE – GLOSTER METEOR COMBAT ZONE
FIGHTING COLO U R S
WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 COMBAT ZONE
FIGHTING COLO U R S
13 20 SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MK.VB WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 21
TROPICAL CANADIAN SPIT

COMBAT ZONE – GLOSTER METEOR
A SWEDISH DRAGON
The cockpit ready
to be fitted
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb

Manufacturer: Airfix
Scale: 1:48
Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded
Kit Number: A05125A
THE TOPSIDE CAMOUFLAGE COLOURS WERE MR HOBBY H71

MIDDLE STONE AND H72 DARK EARTH
Matt Owen builds
the 1:48 Airfix the cockpit. On the other hand, the instrument The separate cowling is one area where
panel and its decal looked pretty good right out care needs to be taken, and I found getting a
Spitfire Mk.Vb of the box. good fit to be tricky. Ironically the alternative
part supplied in the kit fits perfectly! The wing
roots also need a fair bit of filling and sanding
t Fighter
Tropical
to get a good fit. The fuselage halves are an
E
COMBAT ZON
forces, took its first flight. In the 1950s, the shot down another V-1 using his guns in the V-1 into an out-of-control dive. At least sixteen
The British Je
excellent fit and need no filling whatsoever. A
Meteor became increasingly obsolete as more conventional way. The squadron eventually V-1s were destroyed this way.
teor
S
OUR
COL
HTI
NG nations introduced jet fighters, many of these accounted for fourteen V-1 bombs destroyed The F.1 was used to familiarise the USAAF
The intake areas FIG
Gloster Me
have a lip newcomers having adopted a swept wing before the launch sites were overrun. No.616 bomber crews with jet fighter tactics before
instead of the Meteor’s conventional straight Squadron exchanged its F.1s for the first Meteor No.616 Squadron moved to RAF Colerne to
A Swedish
wing; in RAF service, the Meteor was replaced F.IIIs on December 18, 1944. Most V-1s were shot re-equip with F.IIIs in December 1944. Four
Canadian
by newer types such as the Hawker Hunter and down by gunfire from an optimum range of 200 aircraft were detached to Melsbroek in Belguim,
Gloster Javelin yds, which provided a marginal safe distance and they later moved to Gilze-Rijen where
The Meteor F.1 entered service with No.616 for the attacking aircraft. However, many planes they were joined with the rest of the squadron.
Dragon
through my greens and ended up making a excess Kristal Klear bulges out and when it dries, Squadron, which had been a Spitfire unit based were damaged, and several pilots killed when Thereafter, they were limited to the air defence
custom mix of Mr Hobby H303 and Tamiya XF-3, it will give a look of glass over the instruments. at the RAF base at Culmhead. This was some the aircraft flew through the debris or after role so as not to be shot down in enemy-held
this was still not perfect, but a lot closer. After At this stage I glued in the remaining kit parts months before the Me 262 entered service, the V-1’s bomb exploded. Another option was territory. Four Meteors engaged Focke-Wulf Fw
this had dried, I added a floss coat and then and positioned instrument panel. which was not until October 1944. This qualified tipping the V-1. The least dangerous, but most 190s, but were forced to break off after being
affixed the coloured etch parts. The instrument Next up, gluing the fuselage halves the No.616 as the world’s first operational jet effective method was to disturb the airflow of intercepted by Spitfires and Tempests. On May
T Spit
panel is all etch, so the kit plastic is not required. together, but before you do, sure to have he Gloster Meteor was the first fighter squadron. On August 4th, Flying Officer the wing of the V-1 by sliding the wingtip of 2, 1945, a single Meteor forced down a Fieseler
If you use Kristal Klear on parts like this, when drilled out any holes required! I am adding British jet fighter and the Allies’ ‘Dixie’ Dean scored the Meteor’s first kill by the attacking aircraft to within 6in of the lower Storch and then destroyed it on the ground. By
you sandwich the pieces together, the drop tanks, so four 1mm holes were needed only jet aircraft to achieve combat tipping a V-1 flying bomb after his guns had surface of the V-1’s wing. This would tip the V-1’s the end of the war, Meteors destroyed forty-six
to be drilled in the belly. The next step in the operations during the Second World jammed. On the same day, Flying Officer Roger wing up, overriding the gyros and sending the German aircraft through ground attacks.
instructions needs a lot of careful reading as War. The Meteor’s development
it is time to add intakes, the vertical stabiliser, was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking
wings, and engine tail piece. Depending on turbojet engines, pioneered by Frank
Grant Dalzell builds the 1:48 Eduard J35F Draken which version is being made, dictates the use Whittle and his company, Power Jets Ltd.
of certain pieces of etch, or removing different Development of the aircraft began in 1940,
Draken
T
his build is of Eduard’s Limited Edition cockpit and different wheels for the different lumps and bumps. So, read instructions several although work on the engines had been and 1950s. Thousands of Meteors were built The Meteor was also used for research and
1:48 J35F Draken. This kit comes with versions. I will be doing the Swedish version. Manufacturer: Eduard times! I gave the intakes a shot of Vallejo Model under way since 1936. The Meteor first flew to fly with the RAF and other air forces and development purposes and to break several
I
Hasegawa’s sprues, some Eduard So, starting with cockpit, some raised details Scale: 1:48 Color Silver, before gluing them on as you can’t in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 remained in use for several decades. The aviation records. On 7 November 1945, the originally purchased this kit when it was for my model.
etch, both painted and non-painted, need to be removed to make way for the etch, Kit Type: plastic injection moulded with resin and etch get all the angles when they are fixed, even July 1944 with No.616 Squadron RAF. The Meteor saw limited action in the Second World first official airspeed record by a jet aircraft released in 2014, but for one reason or The kit is moulded in Airfix’s now-standard
a Eduard Brassin ejection seat, wheels so care needs to be taken to ensure you remove Kit Number: 1135 though they are blanked at the end and not Meteor was not a sophisticated aircraft in its War, however, Meteors of the Royal Australian was set by a Meteor F.3 at 606 miles per hour, another, I never got around to building light grey, slightly soft plastic. The parts fit is
and tail hook and mask set. You get four the correct areas and use correct etch for the full-length intakes. The intakes do not fit well on aerodynamics but proved to be a successful Air Force (RAAF) fought in the Korean War. and in 1946, this record was broken again it. Despite the Spitfire’s iconic status, generally good, although there are a few areas
schemes to choose from, these being Swedish, version you are making. Also, the inside of the to fuselage, so some sanding was going to be combat fighter. Gloster’s 1946 civil Meteor F.4 Several other operators such as Argentina, when a Meteor F.4 reached a speed of 616 it’s not an aircraft type I’ve built many where care needs to be taken. Construction The instrument
Austrian, Finnish and Danish Drakens. You need fuselage needs some etch added, and note this the rest of the pieces into place. There are some required to make their thickness the same from demonstrator G-AIDC was the first civilian- Egypt and Israel flew Meteors in later regional miles per hour). Other performance-related models of, however, there’s something about started in the cockpit; however, I can’t help panel is very
nicely done….
to decide early on which scheme you want to is curved. So, here I used CA SLO-ZAP to hold unpainted etched parts that need to be added fuselage to intakes, so I positioned the top for a registered jet aircraft in the world. Several conflicts. Specialised variants of the Meteor records were broken in categories including the look of a Spitfire fitted with a tropical filter, but think this is slightly over-engineered, and
do as there are different etched parts for the the etch to the curves, and Kristal Klear to glue as well, and this needs to be fixed in first and good fit and sanded the bottom. major variants of the Meteor incorporated were developed for use in photographic aerial flight time endurance, rate of climb, and speed. and some think it spoils the sleek lines, but the some vague attachment of parts doesn’t help
then painted in the cockpit colour. After the The wings also did not fit well, with a gap technological advances during the 1940s reconnaissance and as night fighters. On 20 September 1945, a heavily modified character it adds appealed to me. Neither of matters. I didn’t like the seat armour, as I felt it
unpainted etch was all in, I primed everything where joins were butted up. So, I used a sharp Meteor I, powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent the two options provided by Airfix particularly was far too thick to be realistic, so I replaced it. I
THIS WAS A GREAT KIT FROM EDUARD, WITH PLENTY TO with AK Grey Primer, then painted in the interior
colour. The colour call out for a Swedish Draken
The engine
has an etched
blade along the fuselage wing join to shave
some plastic away until the fit was good. I then THE METEOR F.1 ENTERED SERVICE WITH NO.616 SQUADRON, turbine engines driving propellers, became the inspired to me, so I started looking around for
alternatives. Some online searching turned up
also reduced the headrest part down to reduce
the thickness and made my own belts – not
first turboprop aircraft to fly. On 10 February
CHOOSE FROM IN THE BOX, AND A LOAD OF ETCH! is Mr Hobby Green H309, this however, is way
flame ring
added the wing tips, the air scoops and the WHICH HAD BEEN A SPITFIRE UNIT BASED AT THE RAF BASE 1954, a specially adapted Meteor F.8, the a colour profile of a Malta based, RCAF No.601 totally accurate, but they look acceptable once
too dark to match the coloured etch. I looked shoulder pieces where the guns are located.
AT CULMHEAD. ‘Meteor Prone Pilot’, which placed the pilot
into a prone position to counteract inertial
Squadron aircraft, which forms the inspiration painted and weathered within the confines of
6 A Swedish Dragon 12 Combat Zone – A Flashy Meteor 20 Tropical Canadian Spit

Grant Dalzell builds the 1:48 Eduard J35F Draken Stuart Barry builds the 1:48 Airfix FR.9 Matt Owen builds the 1:48 Airfix Spitfire Mk.Vb
60 A-26C INVADER WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 61 66 AV-8B HARRIER II PLUS WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 67 74 A-7E CORSAIR II WWW.MISSIONMODELSUS.COM MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 WWW.MISSIONMODELSUS.COM 75
ON THE PLUS SIDE
MISSION MODELS MASTERCLASS

Mission Models Masterclass
FIRE TANKER
ON THE
Adding the Mission
Models camouflage
colours
Mac Patterson builds The decals
settled well
the 1:48 Academy
Plus
Tomahawk IIB
AV-8B Harrier II Plus
Manufacturer: Trumpeter
Scale: 1:32
Kit Number: 02286
ALTHOUGH MANY CHANGES ARE REQUIRED TO BUILD A ‘FIRE
Side
THIS WAS A CHALLENGING PROJECT, BUT YOU DO END UP use the Eduard etched flaps set for a
TANKER’, MOST CAN BE DONE USING PLASTIC CARD AND WITH A RATHER LARGE HARRIER! little extra interest, this meant removing
STYRENE ROD the moulded flaps from the plastic wing
underside part. With this completed the
fuselage was closed without complain and
and rear with pieces of sheet metal, so I began turret, the top turret was filled in by cutting paints. The multi-piece ejection seat looks fairly the wings secured in place, once more the
good, although I don’t think the etched-metal simplicity of the parts count giving the build a retain a degree of pre-shading. RAF Dark Earth
by constructing this shape out of thick plastic out a circle of plastic card and placing it in the
seat belts and shoulder harnesses were very distinct speed advantage. At this point I took MMP-078 was then applied freehand with my
card. The hinges for the doors were once again empty hole.
convincing. a moment to research some of the aircraft airbrush, following the camouflage pattern as
designed on my computer and machine cut, The nose requires a replacement
When it came time to glue the completed available on the decal sheet and look at the shown on Academy’s instruction sheet. The I chose from the kit sheet the No.112
and the fairings at the front and rear of the bombardier’s glazing, as the one provided in
cockpit into the front fuselage halves, I noticed effect the harsh desert environment had undersides were completed with RAF Azure Squadron Tomahawk of Neville Duke, which
bomb bay were formed by placing a piece of the kit is of an early style used in WWII that has a a gap on the left side between the side wall on the look of the Tomahawks. The Osprey Blue MMP-092. I decided to work over the basic carried the iconic shark mouth so associated
masking tape over the front and rear of the cut-out on the right for two fuselage mounted and the fuselage, so I filled this with putty Tomahawk and Kittyhawk Aces of the RAF and camouflage, so the paint job was sealed with a with the desert war. This P-40, AK402, was
bomb bay, drawing the shape with a pencil .50 cal machine guns. N9425Z, as well as other Mahmod Essa Builds the and sanded it smooth. The nose landing gear Commonwealth was invaluable here, with Semi-Gloss Clear Coat of assigned to nineteen-year-old Pilot Officer Duke
A Shark
on top, then transferring the masking tape post-Korean A-26s didn’t have it. To make a
to plastic card to cut by hand. The replacement, the kit’s clear part was temporarily
1:32 Trumpeter AV-8B must be assembled and installed before the detailed information and a great selection of MMA-005 in readiness for while serving in Egypt in late 1941- claiming
nose halves were glued together, which was original photographs and colour the decaling process. five Axis aircraft before being lost on the 30th
kit includes a blank part for attached to the nose. Then, I took some clear Harrier II Plus a bit of problem! Moving onto the engine and profiles. The combination of
Peter A Dasso converts removing the bottom plastic retail packaging, and heat formed it rear fuselage, I found the intake duct had four blistering sun and abrasive sand
the 1:48 ICM A-26C Invader to the shape by warming it over a gas stove, prominent ejector-pin marks that needed obviously took its toll on the RAF
then rapidly pressing it over the nose while still filling, and sanding, however, the rear fuselage P-40 fleet, offering the modeller a great
into Lynch Air Tankers #57 warm. The cockpit canopy needs to have one section went together well and needed no opportunity to undertake some heavy
frame on the pilot’s side window removed to filler. Then completed cockpit and nose section weathering effects.
accurately represent N9425Z. The rear canopy were then fitted to the fuselage, and again this Initial steps in this process included
Fire Tanker
needed quite a bit of work. The wing assembly
in the Sand
has the rear centre window painted over, as well priming and pre-shading the Tomahawk
as a red beacon made from clear sprue added fits onto the top of the fuselage and once more ahead of breaking out the airbrush to
create the classic Desert scheme of Middle
Stone and Dark Earth over Azure Blue.
As basis of the weathering canvas, I
opted to use Mission Models RAF
Middle Stone MMP-076, applied
in a couple of light coats to
D
espite never really being considered the first Allied unit to adorn their aircraft with
to be in the top division of World the iconic shark mouth motif.
War Two fighter aircraft, the Curtiss The Academy ‘Aces of African Front’ re-
M
any A-26 Invaders found a plastic card and styrene rod, making this an
second life after the military as excellent project for an inexperienced scratch P-40 family, whether a Tomahawk, boxing of their venerable P-40C (Tomahawk
T
rumpeter’s 1:32 AV-8B Harrier II Plus Kittyhawk or Warhawk served IIB) offers four options for these famous desert
corporate transports and fire builder like me. Starting at the wings, N9425Z is just that, a plus-size model! It has with distinction in virtually every theatre of fighters, with a great decal sheet highlighting a
tankers - including the subject received a Lynch STOL-26 conversion to provide some very finely engraved panel operations- from the sub-zero Russian Front number of RAF Aces. The kit itself is very simple
for this model - serial number the aircraft with better handling characteristics lines, and offers a separate Pegasus to Pacific tropics, by way of the blistering and uncomplicated, indicating that the build
35721, registered as N9425Z. Purchased by at the low speeds. This involved fitting the wing engine, along with poseable control conditions in the Western Desert. When initially process will be fairly basic, having said that, the
Denny Lynch of Billings, Montana in 1966, it with a drooped leading edge and several wing ailerons, rudder and tailplanes, and a pretty operated by The Royal Airforce, the Tomahawk grey plastic has some lovely delicate recessed
received a number of modifications to operate fences. I represented this by fitting a length of good overall shape. The only big issue was the
was a huge disappointment in European skies, and rivet detail, all looking crisp and positive.
as aerial fire tanker #57 until retired in 1992. I 3mm half-round styrene rod to the bottom of shape and fit of the bow-in doors, which I had Tomahawk IIB
unable to complement the Spitfire or take on There is no need to fret over the simple cockpit,
first learned of this plane when watching the the wing leading edge, with a strip of 3mm flat to show closed. Despite its size you don’t get Manufacturer: Academy
the Bf 109 due to poor altitude performance. just go with the kit parts or replace them with
1989 film ‘Always’, where it features alongside styrene behind it to blend it into the wing. The much in the way of cockpit detail, however, and
Initially assigned less demanding roles, it was aftermarket resin or etch, depending on your Scale: 1:48 THE ACADEMY ‘ACES OF AFRICAN FRONT’ RE-BOXING OF
N4818E #59 as one of the ‘Fire Eaters’. I chose to wing fences were designed on my computer A-26C Invader the instruments are just shown as decals.
eventually, through expediency, that the RAF requirements. You do get some moulded side Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded THEIR VENERABLE P-40C OFFERS FOUR OPTIONS FOR THESE
paint it as it appeared in the mid-1980’s when it and cut into plastic card using a Silhouette Manufacturer: ICM Construction started with the ejector seat,
was in service with Lynch Air Tankers. Cameo 4. Scale: 1:48 and then the cockpit was painted with Mr Color
P-40’s found fame in the Desert Air Force. It was
here, legend has it, that No. 112 Squadron were
wall detail, but it is a little spartan.
Prior to closing up the fuselage, I elected to
Kit Number: 12235
FAMOUS DESERT FIGHTERS
The base kit for this conversion is ICM’s Under the fuselage, the aircraft’s bomb bay Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded
new tool 1:48 B-26C Invader. Although many has been converted to dispense fire retardant. Kit Number: 48283
changes are required, most can be done using It is a fairly boxy shape faired in at the front
60 Fire Tanker 66 On the Plus Side 74 A Shark in the Sand

Peter A Dasso converts the 1:48 ICM A-26C Mahmod Essa Builds the 1:32 Trumpeter AV-8B Mac Patterson builds the 1:48 Academy
Invader into Lynch Air Tankers #57 Harrier II Plus Tomahawk IIB
VOLUME 20 ISSUE 08
26 PZL.42 WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 27 MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 45 52 SPITFIRE MK.VB WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 53
A POLISH LIGHT BOMBER
MODEL AIRCRAFT – PHANTOMS
A SPITFIRE FOR UNCLE SAM

Now it was time left to combine the two
A Polish Light THE BIG BUILD

halves, and I am happy to say that there were
Model Aircraft Manual

no fit problems here, with just a touch of
putty needed in a couple of places. The Working on the
next stage was to prepare the wings and cockpit…
undercarriage. The wings consist of three
Bomber
elements, these being a bottom piece and
two upper parts. Again, no surprises here as
British Phantoms
everything fitted together perfectly. I glued
a transparent rectangular section into the
PZL.42 bottom part of the lower wing panel, imitating
Chris Fergusson builds the
Manufacturer: IBG the glazing. Then I masked this part with Mr 1:48 Airfix Spitfire Mk.Vb
Scale: 1:72 Adding the etched parts Hobby, Mr Masking Sol R. I then inserted the
Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded to the cockpit wheels into their housings and painted the
Kit Number: 72509
…assembly complete…
Rafał Lebioda builds the 1:72 IBG PZL.42 History Colour Profiles Scale Plans Step by Step Build
A
while ago IBG released some very …and into the fuselage
interesting replicas of Polish combat
aircraft from the Second World War,
namely the PZL.23A Karaś and the
PZL.42, both in 1:72. These models Painting the Kit part vs the
Cold War Phantom

were very warmly welcomed by modellers, interior Quickboost resin
especially those well versed in Polish technical replacement
designs. For this build I am using the PZL.42,
which differs in several essential elements from
the famous Karaś.
As always, I started by getting acquainted
with the kit, its assembly instructions and any
references collected from the Internet. This ALSO USED
allowed me to make some solid preparation for
Jos Jansen builds the 1:48 Revell Phantom FGR.2 in the colours of No.92 Squadron Eduard Set #FE256
the construction as well as some inspiration. based at RAF Wildenrath West Germany Eduard Brassin Wheels Set #648178)
The kit comes on sand-coloured sprues and Quickboost Exhaust and Cannons
at first glance the various elements look very
Phantom FGR.2 Montex Supermask Set #K48271
T
good, the moulding is of a high level and Black followed by Mr Hobby 81 Khaki. I then his iconic aircraft was, and is,
absolutely my all-time favourite Manufacturer: Revell Peewit Mask Set #M48002
the detailing very crisp. I started work by painted in all of the smaller details including the
military jet. The RAF version I. Scale: 1:48
first studying IBG’s typical clear manual and seat, the instrument panels and the controls.
removed all the cockpit parts for m their sprues. I then added a gloss coat and applied a wash am building here is the FGR.2 as Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded
You also get a small etched fret containing which was a mixture of Ammo by MIG US seen operating from RAF airbase Kit Number: 04962 but more on that later. Returning this year
several elements needed for the cockpit. After Modern Vehicles Wash and AK Interactive Dark Wildenrath in the former West-Germany after being announced for 2020 with all new
A Spitfire
installing these and building up the ‘office’ I Yellow. Once dry I removed the excess with a belonging to No.92 squadron, who markings and super daring box art (its upside
sprayed everything with Mr Hobby Mr Surfacer cotton bud and sealed everything in with a were co-located with No.19 I used an Eduard set down) I return to take a look myself!
1200 Primer. Then I sprayed on some Tamiya matt coat. Squadron and flew the Phantom in the cockpit I always take a good look through the
from from 1977 till 1991. I added box and instructions and plan out my build,
Adding the wings…. especially markings and any aftermarket I
THE KIT INCLUDES A BEAUTIFUL SHEET OF aftermarket sets, in the shape
fancy especially if it makes the build easier. I
DECALS FROM TECHMOD, AND THANKS TO THEIR
of resin seats, an etched
cockpit upgrade and AIM-
ARRIVING IN 2014, THE AIRFIX SPITFIRE MK.VB HAS SOME always like a story behind my builds and didn’t
THINNESS THEY ALMOST LOOKED PAINTED ON 9D Sidewinders from
Spitfire Mk.Vb INTERESTING MARKINGS WITH BOTH TROPICAL FILTER AND quite fancy the box choices however one, a
for Uncle Sam

Eduard, and as the
Scale: 1:48
MORE TRADITIONAL NOSE OPTIONS IN THE BOX lovely American option gave me an idea. The
highest scoring American Spitfire ace was Lt
kit does not have
Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded Sylvan Feld a young gent who tragically died
visible jet engine
inlets, I decided Kit Number: A05125A high-altitude, long-range fighter escort, while saw service in North Africa and Italy, until they after capture when the area was bombed
to install FOD the Bell P-39 Airacobra would provide escort were replaced by P-51s. United States Army Air by American B-17s. This seemed the perfect
covers from AMS resin. for the medium bombers that were coming. Force Spitfires scored almost 350 kills during chance to commemorate his story, and after
T
I always use metal pitot tubes he Mk.V was produced in greater the summer of 1942, and the low level LF allowing aircraft already under production to The first P-39 unit to arrive in England was the World War II. The Spitfire is also notable for finding I could use most of the markings from
from Model Master, so one of these numbers than any other single mark Mk.V remained in use into 1944. The Mk.V be converted to the new standard. 31st Fighter Group – the first unit to have taken being the plane that got Jimmy Doolittle the box plus a few from the Montex mask sheet
were also added. To display my model of Spitfire, and was the main version had been designed as an interim mark. The The first Mk.V was produced in January 1941, the Airacobra operational the previous year – chewed out by Eisenhower. I bought for the canopy the scene was set.
attractively, special RAF remove before flight of the fighter during 1941, replacing Mk III saw a redesign of the basic fuselage, to and tests proved it to be very nearly as good though they arrived before their aircraft. In the Arriving in 2014, the Airfix newly tooled Starting with the cockpit plus the Eduard
tags were also employed. the Mk.I and II in service in time to carry the more powerful Merlin XX engine. as the Mk.III, but without the extra complexity interim, they were equipped with the Spitfire Spitfire Mk.Vb generally reviewed well, coming etch set meant for the Tamiya kit, I judiciously
take part in the first British counterattacks over However, that engine was in short supply, and involved in that version. In March 1941 it was Mk.V. By the time the similarly equipped 52nd with some interesting markings with both worked through using parts from both sets
France. During the summer of 1941 it held an the internal changes in the Mk.III would have decided to produce the Mk.V instead of the Fighter Group arrived, the RAF had been able tropical filter and more traditional nose options until after only one evening I had a genuinely
advantage over the Bf 109, but in September delayed production. Rolls-Royce had continued Mk.III. When the Eighth Air Force began arriving to convince the Americans of the unsuitability in the box. Some curious design choices nice highly detailed little cockpit tub. Truthfully
TO CREATE MY VERSION OF A RAF COLD WAR PHANTOM I 1941 the Fw 190 made its operational debut, work on the Merlin, producing the Merlin 45. in England in 1942, it was initially planned that of the P-39 for aerial combat in western Europe. showed Airfix were still trying to innovate even only really some seat belts are really necessary
and the Mk.V found itself outclassed. Despite This engine produced 1,515 hp at 11,000 feet, what fighter units would be assigned to it As a result, both groups were equipped with with a big-name model like a Spitfire. Weather and only if you aren’t using the nice pilot figure
USED XTRADECAL #X48199 this, it remained the main RAF fighter until and could easily fit in a Mk.I or Mk.II fuselage, would utilise the Lockheed P-38 Lightning for Spitfire Mk.Vs. The American Spitfires mostly those ideas worked, was up to some debate supplied. It all went together well bar fitting
26 A Polish Light Bomber 35 Model Aircraft Manual - British 52 The Big Build – A Spitfire for
Rafał Lebioda builds the 1:72 IBG PZL.42 Phantoms - Cold War Phantom Uncle Sam
Jos Jansen builds the 1:48 Revell Phantom FGR.2 Chris Fergusson builds the 1:48 Airfix Spitfire
in the colours of No.92 Squadron based at RAF Mk.Vb
Wildenrath West Germany
78 CHECK YOUR REFERENCES WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 79

CHECK YOUR REFERENCES
CHECK YOUR
REFERENCES
Models Aircraft’s Monthly Look at New Books
Dornier Do 217
Units of World English Electric
War II Canberra
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Publisher: Osprey Author: Bruce Barrymore
Author: Chris Goss Halfpenny
ISBN: 9781472846174 ISBN: 9781472841905
Format: Softback Format: Softback
Price: £14.99 Price: £18.99
Holland 1940
T T
he Do 217 had a much larger his amazing aeroplane first
Publisher: Osprey
Author: Ryan K Noppen
bomb load capacity and had
considerably greater range
flew in 1949, and as at 2005,
is still in front-line service
Yokosuka D4Y ‘Judy’ Units
ISBN: 9781472846686
Format: Softback Mosquito than the Do 17, which it replaced in
frontline service from mid to late 1941.
with the RAF. It has served in a
variety of roles including those of
Publisher: Osprey
Author: Mark Chambers and many other Japanese
Price: £14.99 The Original Multi-Role Aircraft
Although initially used simply as a medium conventional bomber, ISBN: 9781472845057 military aircraft, it possessed
T
he German invasion of the bomber, later variants were developed tactical nuclear bomber, photo- Format: Softback design shortcomings including
Netherlands was meant to be Author: Graham M Simons to allow the Do 217 to undertake reconnaissance, night intruder, inadequate armour protection for
Price: £14.99
a lightning-fast surgical strike, ISBN: 9781472840713 the precision maritime strike role. In navigational trainer, maritime its aircrew and no self-sealing fuel
Format: Softback
I
aimed at shoring up the right flank of order to perform the latter mission, strike, electronic countermeasures, n 1938, the Yokosuka Naval tanks. As a result, when pitted
the assault on France and Belgium. Price: £14.99 the Do 217 was modified to launch atomic cloud sampling and target- Air Technical Arsenal, acting against new, advanced US Navy
With a bold plan based largely on glide bombs - units employing towing. It was manufactured under the requirements fighters suffered horrendous
D
Luftwaffe air power, air-landing uring the history of aviation these pioneering weapons enjoyed in the USA under license as the issued by the Kaigun Koku losses. During the final months of
Mistel fitted with massive hollow-charge

warheads replacing their cockpit
sections, these extraordinary
troops, and the biggest airborne
assault yet seen, a Dutch surrender
was expected within a few hours. But
there have been very few
aircraft that have achieved
immediate success when entering
some success in the Mediterranean
from the autumn of 1943. During
the course of these operations the
Martin B-57, and in Australia under
licence as the Canberra B-20. It
has been exported to Argentina,
Hombu for a Navy Experimental
13-Shi Carrier Borne specification
for a dive-bomber to replace the
World War II, it became apparent
that there would be no Japanese
victory. Acting out of desperation,
Publisher: Crecy
Author: Robert Forsyth machines were deployed for the Netherlands possessed Europe’s front-line service. The de Havilland Do 217 became the first aircraft in Chile, France, Germany, India, venerable ‘Val’ aboard carriers. the IJNAF employed the ‘Judy’
ISBN: 978147109815 the first time off Normandy first fully integrated anti-aircraft Mosquito was one such aircraft. military aviation history to deploy a Peru, Sweden, Venezuela, South The resulting D4Y Suisei ‘Comet’, in the dreaded kamikaze role,
Format: Hardback in July 1944. They were later network, as well as modern and It was not designed to an RAF precision-guided bomb in combat in Africa and other Commonwealth codenamed ‘Judy’ by the Allies, in which it excelled due to its
Price: £45.00 used in sporadic missions over competitive aircraft. On 10 May, requirement, but was the result the form of the ‘Fritz X’ radio-guided, countries. This book looks at the was initially powered by a high-speed characteristics. Most
the Western Front before the the German attack was only partly of an initiative of the designers free-fall weapon, which sank the development of the aircraft during licence-built German Daimler- notably, the D4Y mounted one of
T
his is a revised and reworked Luftwaffe used them in numbers successful, and the Dutch fought on and builders to utilise the skills Italian battleship Roma shortly after the early days of jet power and Benz DB 601 inline engine as used the last combat actions of World
edition of the author’s long in a last-ditch attempt to try to for another four days. On the fifth of woodworkers and the relative Italy capitulated in September 1943. especially at its Rolls-Royce Avon in the Bf 109E. Despite making War II when a flight of 11 Judie’s,
out of print 2001 study halt the Soviet advances across day, with its original strategy having abundance of wood in the crisis The Do 217 served on all fronts and power-plant. It was Britain’s first jet an inauspicious combat debut personally led by the instigator of
of the origins, development the Oder, Warthe and Neisse largely failed, the Luftwaffe resorted years of World War II. The result was often used on anti-shipping bomber. Each of the many marks during the Battle of Midway in the suicide attacks, Vice Admiral
and operations of Germany’s rivers during the last weeks of to terror-bombing Rotterdam to force was an aeroplane that could be strikes during the Battle of the Atlantic and variants are described and June 1942, the ‘Judy’ eventually Matome Ugaki, took off on a
composite aircraft during the the war. The Mistel’s size and a surrender. Explaining the technical built quickly, was extremely fast and against the Allied invasion fleet illustrated by many remarkable and proved to be an important ‘search mission’ on August 15,
Second World War. Known as hazardous nature meant that only capabilities and campaign plans of and extremely versatile. The pilots at Normandy. This versatile aircraft rare photographs. The type’s record asset for the IJNAF during 1945. This volume chronicles the
the ‘Mistel’ concept, the designs experienced pilots could fly it, but the two sides, and charting how the loved it. This book describes how it was also converted into a nightfighter, of service with RAF squadrons battles in the latter years of the action-packed wartime exploits
were originally intended for despite its complexity, it handled battles were fought, this fascinating was built and utilizes many hitherto seeing action in the Defense of the throughout its service life is given Pacific War. Its great successes of Japan’s finest dive-bomber of
use in peacetime as a means of well and its control systems were book reassesses this little-known part unpublished photographs from Reich through to war’s end. This together with descriptions of the resulted in the sinking of the World War II.
extending the range of aircraft, remarkably sophisticated and of World War II. The author argues the design studio and production highly illustrated study explores many experimental models that escort carrier USS Princetonian www.ospreypublishing.co.uk
but in 1942 a small team of pilots responsive. This fascinating and that while the Holland campaign lines. It illustrates and explains the the design and development of the were used in the development of an early kamikaze attack of the
and engineers adapted the idea exhaustive study is accompanied was a tactical victory for Germany, many different roles that the aircraft Do 217 and chronicles its use in the a variety of weapons and avionics Philippines and the near sinking
for military usage. Comprising Bf by hundreds of rare photographs the ability of the well-prepared but took as the war progressed. Fighter, frontline as a strategic bomber, launch systems. of the fleet carrier USS Franklin in
109 or Fw 190 fighters as upper as well as maps, colour artwork outnumbered Dutch to inflict heavy bomber, reconnaissance, night platform for first generation precision www.pen-and-sword.co.uk a dive-bombing attack off Japan.
components mounted on top and detailed technical drawings. losses was a warning of what would fighter – there were few tasks that weapons, reconnaissance aircraft and While the Judy had an impressive
of ‘war-weary’ Ju 88 airframes www.crecy.co.uk come in the Battle of Britain. this brilliant design could not adopt. nightfighter, among others. top-speed, like its predecessor,
www.ospreypublishing.co.uk www.pen-and-sword.co.uk www.ospreypublishing.co.uk
78 Check Your References

Latest Book reviews.
SHY METEOR
A FLA
ZONE
T
BA
M
35 Model Aircraft Manual

CO
- British Phantoms - Cold War

Phantom
Jos Jansen builds the 1:48 Revell
Phantom FGR.2 in the colours of No.92
Squadron based at RAF Wildenrath
West Germany
6 J35F DRAKEN WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
A Swedish
Dragon
Grant Dalzell builds the 1:48 Eduard J35F Draken
Draken
T
his build is of Eduard’s Limited Edition cockpit and different wheels for the different
1:48 J35F Draken. This kit comes with versions. I will be doing the Swedish version. Manufacturer: Eduard
Hasegawa’s sprues, some Eduard So, starting with cockpit, some raised details Scale: 1:48
etch, both painted and non-painted, need to be removed to make way for the etch, so Kit Type: plastic injection moulded with resin and etch
a Eduard Brassin ejection seat, wheels care needs to be taken to ensure you remove the Kit Number: 1135
and tail hook and mask set. You get four correct areas and use correct etch for the version
schemes to choose from, these being Swedish, you are making. Also, the inside of the fuselage
Austrian, Finnish and Danish Drakens. You need needs some etch added, and note this is curved. the pieces into place. There are some unpainted
to decide early on which scheme you want to So, here I used CA SLO-ZAP to hold the etch to etched parts that need to be added as well, and
do as there are different etched parts for the the curves, and Kristal Klear to glue the rest of this needs to be fixed in first and then painted in
the cockpit colour. After the unpainted etch was
all in, I primed everything with AK Interactive
THIS WAS A GREAT KIT FROM EDUARD, WITH PLENTY TO Grey Primer, then painted in the interior colour.
The colour call out for a Swedish Draken is Mr
CHOOSE FROM IN THE BOX, AND A LOAD OF ETCH! Hobby Green H309, this however, is way too dark
to match the coloured etch. I looked through my
A SWEDISH DRAGON
The cockpit ready
to be fitted
The intake areas

have a lip
greens and ended up making a custom mix of bulges out and when it dries, it will give a look
Mr Hobby H303 and Tamiya XF-3, this was still of glass over the instruments. At this stage I
not perfect, but a lot closer. After this had dried, I glued in the remaining kit parts and positioned
added a gloss coat and then affixed the coloured instrument panel.
etch parts. The instrument panel is all etch, so Next up, gluing the fuselage halves
the kit plastic is not required. If you use Kristal together, but before you do, sure to have
Klear on parts like this, when you sandwich the drilled out any holes required! I am adding
pieces together, the excess Kristal Klear drop tanks, so four 1mm holes were needed
to be drilled in the belly. The next step in the
instructions needs a lot of careful reading as
it is time to add intakes, the vertical stabiliser,
wings, and engine tail piece. Depending on
which version is being made, dictates the use
of certain pieces of etch, or removing different
lumps and bumps. So, read instructions several
times! I gave the intakes a shot of Vallejo Model
Color Silver, before gluing them on as you can’t
get all the angles when they are fixed, even
though they are blanked at the end and not
full-length intakes. The intakes do not fit well on
to fuselage, so some sanding was going to be
required to make their thickness the same from
fuselage to intakes, so I positioned the top for a
good fit and sanded the bottom.
The wings also did not fit well, with a gap
where joins were butted up. So, I used a sharp
The engine blade along the fuselage wing join to shave
has an etched some plastic away until the fit was good. I then
flame ring
added the wing tips, the air scoops and the
shoulder pieces where the guns are located.
The wheel bays were painted with There is some more unpainted etch to add to
Vallejo Metal Colour Silver trailing edges of the rudder and flaps. The nose
is in two parts and instructions and add plenty
of nose weight here. Depending on which
version you are building, again depends on
which antennae’s you need to add
– so another check is necessary.
The HUD unit also needs some
areas of plastic removed to taken
off to make way for more etch.
There is quite a lot going here with a
very small part, instructions also call for two
small pieces of plastic rod to be attached to it,
and these need to be built from scratch. The
resin seat has three pieces but looks pretty
good when built, and there is also a pretty
complex coloured etched harness set up. After
suitably painting the resin seat, I then gave the
cockpit a wash with my own mix and once dry I
masked off the canopy and windshield.
The rear fuselage, where the engine goes
has two etched bands that go inside, and it
helps to pre-bend these so that you can get
The front canopy

section glued in
You can see the difference in detail

with etched parts added
The black basing and marbling technique was

used to modulate the final colours
A SWEDISH DRAGON
Mr Hobby H82 Dark
Grey was used on
undersides
Mr Hobby H304
Olive Drab was the
first top colour
added
Mr Color 328 US Navy Blue

Angels was used instead of
the recommended H35
The decals were by Cartograf

and settled well
them in and then glued

in position. There is an
etched flame holder
for the burner can
as well, so once
this all in, I used
Black Stynylrez followed by a coat of Vallejo Metal Color Silver. black base, in this case, just AK Interactive
to prime this area and then painted it with Once dry I used some White-Tac to mask these Black Primer. I used AK Interactive Xtreme
Vallejo Metal Color Burnt Iron. Moving along areas. The gear doors and landing gear were Metal Aluminium for the metal work, glossed
to the undercarriage, more careful reading of done at the same time, all the same colour. I with AK Interactive Gauzy to protect it when
instructions was needed as there are some also put together the RAM air turbine system, masking it up. I then added an overall coat of
plastic sections to be cut off and replaced with which also has etched pieces to replace the AK Interactive Black Primer. I then added a
etch on the oleos. Also, the correct resin wheels plastic parts. marbling coat using various white mixes. Next,
and hubs needed to be cut from their plugs Now for the paint work. On the Swedish the underside was painted with Mr Hobby H82,
for the version being made. Then using AK scheme the underside is grey with a section thinned 70:30 to allow building up layers slowly.
Interactive Black Primer, I sprayed wheel bays of fuselage that is bare metal. I didn’t want a I then used Mr Hobby Olive Drab H304 for the
and the RAM air turbine bay. This was then shiny new look to the metal, so I used a flat green, and this is where it got interesting. The
Adding some weathering

to the undersides
A SWEDISH DRAGON
call out in the instructions is for H35 Cobalt To add
Blue, but this seemed too bright to me, so some weathering,
after searching many forums and googling I used some heavily
Draken colours, I came across one that called thinned Tamiya X-19 Smoke
for Mr Color 328, Blue Angels Blue. airbrushed over the metal
This looked darker, so I went with areas panel lines, and the
this. Once dry I added a coat of used some Flory Models
Mr Color Gloss Super Clear III Dark Dirt wash all over.
and then the tail was painted The landing gear and gear
with Mr Hobby H13 Flat Red, bays and the inside of the gear
and wing leading edges were doors received some Black Tamiya
painted AK Interactive Xtreme Panel Line Accent. I also used some
Metal Aluminium. The intakes were oil paints to add some stains along
then painted with AK Interactive Xtreme underside of fuselage. All the remaining
Metal Steel. After this another coat of Mr Color parts including a couple of etched sensors were
Gloss was applied to protect all the paint work then added. I the sprayed on a coat of Mr Color
and prepare surface for the decals. The decals Semi-Gloss Super Clear Flat, thinned heavy
are by Cartograf and as you would expect with levelling thinner. This was a great kit from
are exceptional in quality. They went down Eduard, with plenty to choose from in the box,
well with some Micro Sol. After they had set, I and a load of etch! MA
applied another coat of Gloss. I then took some
time to complete painting and preparing the
main pitot, landing gear, gear doors, wheels
and drop tanks.
12 COMBAT ZONE – GLOSTER METEOR COMBAT ZONE
F IG H T ING COLO U R S
WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
ish Jet Fight er COMBAT Z

ONE
or
Brit
S
O U R
e
COL
Th
te
NG
H T I
F IG
G loster Me
T
he Gloster Meteor was the first
British jet fighter and the Allies’
only jet aircraft to achieve combat
operations during the Second World
War. The Meteor’s development
was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking
turbojet engines, pioneered by Frank
Whittle and his company, Power Jets Ltd.
Development of the aircraft began in 1940,
although work on the engines had been and 1950s. Thousands of Meteors were built The Meteor was also used for research and
under way since 1936. The Meteor first flew to fly with the RAF and other air forces and development purposes and to break several
in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 remained in use for several decades. The aviation records. On 7 November 1945, the
July 1944 with No.616 Squadron RAF. The Meteor saw limited action in the Second World first official airspeed record by a jet aircraft
Meteor was not a sophisticated aircraft in its War, however, Meteors of the Royal Australian was set by a Meteor F.3 at 606 miles per hour,
aerodynamics but proved to be a successful Air Force (RAAF) fought in the Korean War. and in 1946, this record was broken again
combat fighter. Gloster’s 1946 civil Meteor F.4 Several other operators such as Argentina, when a Meteor F.4 reached a speed of 616
demonstrator G-AIDC was the first civilian- Egypt and Israel flew Meteors in later regional miles per hour). Other performance-related
registered jet aircraft in the world. Several conflicts. Specialised variants of the Meteor records were broken in categories including
major variants of the Meteor incorporated were developed for use in photographic aerial flight time endurance, rate of climb, and speed.
technological advances during the 1940s reconnaissance and as night fighters. On 20 September 1945, a heavily modified
Meteor I, powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent
turbine engines driving propellers, became the
THE METEOR F.1 ENTERED SERVICE WITH NO.616 SQUADRON, first turboprop aircraft to fly. On 10 February
WHICH HAD BEEN A SPITFIRE UNIT BASED AT THE RAF BASE 1954, a specially adapted Meteor F.8, the
AT CULMHEAD. ‘Meteor Prone Pilot’, which placed the pilot
into a prone position to counteract inertial
MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 COMBAT ZONE
13

forces, took its first flight. In the 1950s, the shot down another V-1 using his guns in the V-1 into an out-of-control dive. At least sixteen
Meteor became increasingly obsolete as more conventional way. The squadron eventually V-1s were destroyed this way.
nations introduced jet fighters, many of these accounted for fourteen V-1 bombs destroyed The F.1 was used to familiarise the USAAF
newcomers having adopted a swept wing before the launch sites were overrun. No.616 bomber crews with jet fighter tactics before
instead of the Meteor’s conventional straight Squadron exchanged its F.1s for the first Meteor No.616 Squadron moved to RAF Colerne to
wing; in RAF service, the Meteor was replaced F.IIIs on December 18, 1944. Most V-1s were shot re-equip with F.IIIs in December 1944. Four
by newer types such as the Hawker Hunter and down by gunfire from an optimum range of 200 aircraft were detached to Melsbroek in Belguim,
Gloster Javelin yds, which provided a marginal safe distance and they later moved to Gilze-Rijen where
The Meteor F.1 entered service with No.616 for the attacking aircraft. However, many planes they were joined with the rest of the squadron.
Squadron, which had been a Spitfire unit based were damaged, and several pilots killed when Thereafter, they were limited to the air defence
at the RAF base at Culmhead. This was some the aircraft flew through the debris or after role so as not to be shot down in enemy-held
months before the Me 262 entered service, the V-1’s bomb exploded. Another option was territory. Four Meteors engaged Focke-Wulf Fw
which was not until October 1944. This qualified tipping the V-1. The least dangerous, but most 190s, but were forced to break off after being
the No.616 as the world’s first operational jet effective method was to disturb the airflow of intercepted by Spitfires and Tempests. On May
fighter squadron. On August 4th, Flying Officer the wing of the V-1 by sliding the wingtip of 2, 1945, a single Meteor forced down a Fieseler
‘Dixie’ Dean scored the Meteor’s first kill by the attacking aircraft to within 6in of the lower Storch and then destroyed it on the ground. By
tipping a V-1 flying bomb after his guns had surface of the V-1’s wing. This would tip the V-1’s the end of the war, Meteors destroyed forty-six
jammed. On the same day, Flying Officer Roger wing up, overriding the gyros and sending the German aircraft through ground attacks.
The first three-jet fighter squadron wing began on July 29, 1951, but although they were two victories but lost four Meteors. By the end
was formed at Bentwaters in April 1946 after mainly trained for ground attack, they were of 1951, No.77 Squadron was relegated to the
the War with Nos.56, 74 and 245 Squadrons. assigned bomber escort duties. On August 29, ground attack role duties. Most were fitted
A second wing was formed soon after with 1951, eight Meteors were sent to escort B-29 with a radio compass, with a ventral antenna
Nos.222, 234 and 263 Squadrons. Meteor F.4s Superfortresses in ‘MiG Alley’ and engaged six in a small dome. Its durable construction made
and F.8s formed the backbone of the RAF until MiG-15s. One Meteor was lost and two were it more favourable for this type of operation
they began being replaced by Hawker Hunters damaged without a single victory for the No.77 where it was less likely to encounters MiGs. The
in 1954. The last day-fighter squadron was No Squadron. On October 27th, No.77 scored its last encounter with a MiG-15 was in March 1953
245, which flew their Meteors until April 1957. first probable plus two probable’s six days later. in which Sergeant John Hale recorded a victory.
The Meteor replaced the de Havilland Mosquito On December 1st, twelve Meteors mixed it up In Korea, Meteors completed 4,836 missions
in the night-fighter role until it was replaced by with forty MiG-15s and the squadron scored and destroyed six MiGs, 3,500 structures and
Gloster Javelins from 1957-58.
Meteor F.Mk.8s saw extensive service during
the Korean War with No.77 Squadron Royal
Australian Air Force (RAAF). The squadron
was originally equipped with North American
F-51D Mustangs, but in order to match the
performance of the MiG-15 jet fighter, the
No. 77 Squadron was to be equipped with jet
fighters. They were hoping to be equipped
with F-86sand Hawker Hunters, but to their
dismay they were given Meteors, which were
already outclassed by the MiG-15. Operations
15

1,500 vehicles. Thirty Meteors were lost in the
conflict with most losses due to anti-aircraft fire
during ground attacks. The Meteor had to be
held smooth and level on its firing run for its
gyro-stabilized gunsight to be accurate, making
the aircraft vulnerable to ground fire.
RAF Meteor PR.9s saw extensive use in the
1956 Suez Crisis, and Middle Eastern Meteors of
various types saw intermittent combat through
the 1950s. On September 1, 1955, an Israeli
Meteor shot down an Egyptian de Havilland
Vampire, which was the first jet aircraft to be shot
down in the Middle East. On October 29, 1956,
an Israeli NF.13 took part in Operation ‘Tarnegol’, during political unrest in 1955. At least two were forward oblique photography, which could be
in which it successfully located and shot down lost, but Meteors remained in service into the operated by the pilot with a Type 48 controller.
an Egyptian Ilyushin Il-14 that had been carrying early 1970s. Brazil ordered sixty new Meteor F.8s The camera was heated from bleed air from
several high-ranking Egyptian Military officers and ten T.7 trainers in October 1952. the starboard Derwent 8 engine, and normal
on the eve of the crisis. Israel recognized that The FR.9 featured in the model build section armament consisted of four 20mm cannons.
the Meteor was outclassed by Egyptian MiG-15s, of this feature, was a fighter-reconnaissance The first squadron to be equipped was No.208
and operations were curtailed. F.Mk.8s remained version was developed from the F.8 to replace on July 28, 1940. The majority of the squadrons
in front line service until 1956 and were then the aging Spitfire XVIIIs. 126 FR.9s were built equipped with the FR.9 were based in the
relegated to the training role. NF.13s remained by Gloster for the RAF and equipped with a Middle East and with the 2nd Tactical Air Force
in operational use, until 1962. 100 Meteors were F.24 nose camera intended for the FR.5. Three in Germany. These aircraft were later sold to
procured by Argentina in 1947 and saw action panels in the nose allowed for left, right or Ecuador, Israel and Syria.
A Flashy
FR.9
Stuart Barry builds the 1:48 Airfix photo–recce Meteor Gloster Meteor FR.9
T
he Airfix Meteor FR.9 is the third with Tamiya Rubber Black with a bit of dry Scale: 1:48
boxing of the late War jet engined brushing using Vallejo Steel to bring out the Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded
aircraft, and on opening the box you details. A decal is provided for the instrument Kit Number: A09188
are greeted with one bag of the usual panel and looks quite convincing once applied.
blue/grey softish plastic Airfix are The general construction was straightforward
known for. Overall detail is very fine indeed. with the options to have exposed engines small piece of sprue was used as a spreader
Construction as usual begins with the cockpit, and weapons bays on both sides. I opted for inside the fuselage to give a minimal join line
which consists of about half a dozen parts. The one side exposed and the other closed up. A between the wing root and fuselage This
fit here was excellent, and it impressed me removed the need for filling and sanding. A
how well they went together, whilst not being strip of lead was then folded and placed out of
overly complex, and this theme continued sight under the cockpit tub to prevent a tail-
throughout the build. The cockpit was sprayed
I CANNOT PRAISE THIS KIT ENOUGH AND AIRFIX

SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR THIS LITTLE GEM
17

A ‘flashy’ nose
You have the

option to show the
engine nacelles open
The undersides were

painted with Mr Color 72
Intermediate Blue….
sitter. A detailed, but solid and straightforward …and Tamiya XF83 Medium Sea
set of landing gear lifts everything up nicely. Grey and Tamiya XF81 RAF Dark
Green 2 for the upper surfaces
The two Rolls Royce engines can be displayed
open or on an external stand, and once again
the detailing here was very nice indeed. Also,
only a small amount of filling and sanding was
required for the fuselage halves.
Once the general construction was
complete, the entire model was primed with
Ammo by MIG One Shot Grey Primer, thinned
slightly to assist with spraying. The panel lines
were pre-shaded in Flat Black. Then the three
primary camouflage colours were Mr Color
72 Intermediate Blue for the undersides and
Tamiya XF83 Medium Sea Grey and Tamiya
XF81 RAF Dark Green 2 for the upper surface
camouflage pattern. White-Tac worms and
lots of masking tape gave a slightly soft
edge to the camouflage and looked in
scale. The paint was then sealed in with
Johnsons ‘Klear’ and once dry it was
time for the decals.
AK Interactive
Weathering
Pencils added
some subtle colour
variations
19

These were well
printed but a little on the
thick side, and unfortunately safe weathering
silvering was a bit of a problem. I medium that can be
am also starting to find that some wiped away with water if mistakes are made.
decal setting solutions do not I cannot praise this kit enough and Airfix
seem to be as effective should be commended for this little
as they used to be. In gem. I found this to be a
fact, I find myself using surprising mojo builder and
Tamiya X-20A more I was almost sad when
and more! So here I would it came to an end. It’s a
advise cutting out all of the clear panels and details. I then used wonderful little kit and I
carrier film where possible, however, patience some powder pigments along with Tamiya can highly recommend it.
along with the X-20A and a hairdryer paid Weathering Master Set A to fade the green Superb. MA
off. Windsor and Newton Matt UV Varnish and provide some variation. AK Interactive
then dulled everything down in preparation Weathering Pencils from their Blue and Grey
for the subtle weathering to follow. A home- Set then gave variation to the Medium Sea
made dark oil pin-wash picked then out the Grey shade, and being water based they are a
20 SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MK.VB WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
Matt Owen builds

the 1:48 Airfix
Spitfire Mk.Vb
Tropical
Canadian
Spit
I
originally purchased this kit when it was for my model.
released in 2014, but for one reason or The kit is moulded in Airfix’s now-standard
another, I never got around to building light grey, slightly soft plastic. The parts fit is
it. Despite the Spitfire’s iconic status, generally good, although there are a few areas
it’s not an aircraft type I’ve built many where care needs to be taken. Construction The instrument
models of, however, there’s something about started in the cockpit; however, I can’t help panel is very
nicely done….
the look of a Spitfire fitted with a tropical filter, but think this is slightly over-engineered, and
and some think it spoils the sleek lines, but the some vague attachment of parts doesn’t help
character it adds appealed to me. Neither of matters. I didn’t like the seat armour, as I felt it
the two options provided by Airfix particularly was far too thick to be realistic, so I replaced it. I
inspired to me, so I started looking around for also reduced the headrest part down to reduce
alternatives. Some online searching turned up the thickness and made my own belts – not
a colour profile of a Malta based, RCAF No.601 totally accurate, but they look acceptable once
Squadron aircraft, which forms the inspiration painted and weathered within the confines of
TROPICAL CANADIAN SPIT

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb
Scale: 1:48
Kit Number: A05125A
THE TOPSIDE CAMOUFLAGE COLOURS WERE MR HOBBY H71

MIDDLE STONE AND H72 DARK EARTH
the cockpit. On the other hand, the instrument The separate cowling is one area where
panel and its decal looked pretty good right out care needs to be taken, and I found getting a
of the box. good fit to be tricky. Ironically the alternative
part supplied in the kit fits perfectly! The wing
roots also need a fair bit of filling and sanding
to get a good fit. The fuselage halves are an
excellent fit and need no filling whatsoever. A
well-documented issue with this kit is the fit of

the undercarriage legs. For some reason, Airfix
have chosen to use a stepped join which is
always going to be problematic and susceptible
to damage. I took no chances and
pinned and glued the legs
for added strength. This also
allowed me to leave them
off until the painting had
been completed. Wheels and
exhausts are the kit parts and
look very nice in my opinion once
painted and weathered.
Painting commenced with the
undersides and for this I first applied a
coat of Vallejo Model Air Azure Blue. This was
then lightened, and a patchy coat sprayed
on to highlight the details and break up
…. As are the
cockpit side
panels….
MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021
…and they paint up very nicely…
Photo: TaktLwG31”B”
03843 Eurofighter Luftwaffe 2020 ‘Quadriga’, 1:72
the monotone appearance. The topside
camouflage colours were Mr Hobby H71 Middle
Stone and H72 Dark Earth. Again, both colours
were mottled with lightened mixes. All colours
were sprayed freehand – the only area that
was masked was the hard edge between
the Azure Blue and the upper colours.
After a gloss coat using Tamiya X-22, the
decals were applied. The main markings 03844 Lockheed Martin F-16D Tigermeet 2014, 1:72
came from a set by DK Decals, conveniently
…and we are ready

to assemble the © Richard Andrews
fuselage 03852 BAe Hawk T2 (inc. Photoetch), 1:32
03846 Gloster Gladiator Mk.II, 1:32
07677 VW T1 “Dr. Oetker”, 1:24
Available from all good model

stockists and online from
hobbycraft.co.uk/brand/revell
representing the aircraft in the colour profile

I was using. These performed flawlessly and
conformed to the surface detail with absolutely
no issues. The smaller markings came from the
Airfix sheet. The panel lines were highlighted
using oil washes and any other weathering was
applied using my airbrush. The chipping at the
rear of the propeller was achieved using AK
Interactive Heavy Chipping Fluid.
While not an entirely trouble-free build - the
fit of the undercarriage in particular has the The chipping at the rear of
potential to cause frustration – the overall the propeller was achieved
using AK Interactive Heavy
model captures the sleek lines of the Chipping Fluid
Spitfire very well and overall, I found
the kit very enjoyable to build. MA
26 PZL.42 WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
A Polish Light
Bomber
Rafał Lebioda builds the 1:72 IBG PZL.42
PZL.42
Manufacturer: IBG
Scale: 1:72
Kit Number: 72509
A
while ago IBG released some very
interesting replicas of Polish combat
aircraft from the Second World War,
namely the PZL.23A Karaś and the
PZL.42, both in 1:72. These models
were very warmly welcomed by modellers,
especially those well versed in Polish technical
designs. For this build I am using the PZL.42,
which differs in several essential elements from
the famous Karaś.
As always, I started by getting acquainted
with the kit, its assembly instructions and any
references collected from the Internet. This
allowed me to make some solid preparation for
the construction as well as some inspiration.
The kit comes on sand-coloured sprues and
at first glance the various elements look very
good, the moulding is of a high level and Black followed by Mr Hobby 81 Khaki. I then
the detailing very crisp. I started work by painted in all of the smaller details including the
first studying IBG’s typical clear manual and seat, the instrument panels and the controls.
removed all the cockpit parts for m their sprues. I then added a gloss coat and applied a wash
You also get a small etched fret containing which was a mixture of Ammo by MIG US
several elements needed for the cockpit. After Modern Vehicles Wash and AK Interactive Dark
installing these and building up the ‘office’ I Yellow. Once dry I removed the excess with a
sprayed everything with Mr Hobby Mr Surfacer cotton bud and sealed everything in with a
1200 Primer. Then I sprayed on some Tamiya matt coat.
THE KIT INCLUDES A BEAUTIFUL SHEET OF

DECALS FROM TECHMOD, AND THANKS TO THEIR
THINNESS THEY ALMOST LOOKED PAINTED ON

Now it was time left to combine the two
halves, and I am happy to say that there were
no fit problems here, with just a touch of
putty needed in a couple of places. The
next stage was to prepare the wings and
undercarriage. The wings consist of three
elements, these being a bottom piece and
two upper parts. Again, no surprises here as
everything fitted together perfectly. I glued
a transparent rectangular section into the
bottom part of the lower wing panel, imitating
the glazing. Then I masked this part with Mr
Adding the etched parts Hobby, Mr Masking Sol R. I then inserted the
to the cockpit wheels into their housings and painted the
Painting the
interior
Adding the wings….

hubs Khaki and the tyres black. I then fitted the applied a coat of gloss in preparation for the
twin Karasia tails, and again no fitting issues decals.
here. The kit includes a beautiful sheet of decals
With the airframe now together, I applied from Techmod, and these went on perfectly
a coat of Mr Surfacer 1200 and added some with Mr Mark Setter Neo and Mr Mark Softer
pre-shading using Tamiya Black. The next step Neo, and thanks to the thinness of the decals
was to lay out the correct colours according to
the paint scheme. So, I started with painting
the undersides using Mr Hobby H67 Light Blue.
I applied this in several thin layers in order to
get a slight opacity and to not cover the pre-
shading. Once dry I masked off the undersides
and began to add the upper surfaces colour, Mr
Hobby 81 Khaki. Again, I applied this is several
thin coats. I then lightened the centres of the
larger panels by adding a little Mr Hobby Dark
Yellow to the base shade. I also added a black
walkway to the port wing. I then added some
scratches and chips to the airframe. I then
….and the tail sections


they almost looked painted
on. Once dry I sealed them in
with another gloss coat. I then
added an Ammo by MIG US Modern
Vehicle Wash, and after a short drying
time I removed any excess with a soft cloth in
the direction of the airflow, thereby creating
streaks. I did two applications of the wash to
ensure good coverage across the airframe.
The undersides were

painted with Mr Hobby
H67 Light Blue…
Once dry and I was happy with the look I applied a coat
of matt to blend everything together.
I then mounted a machine gun rear cockpit and
then added steel and aluminium shades to the engine
exhausts, and then applying various pigments to
create a dirty, rusty effect. The propeller was then
painted black, with a touch of grey. Grey germanium
gently. These were then suitably chipped to denote
wear. Working on this model was a pure pleasure and …and the upper surfaces were
I can recommend it to all modellers regardless of their painted with Mr Hobby Khaki
with Mr Hobby Dark Yellow
level of experience, and especially to fans of Polish mixed in to highlight some of
aviation for whom it should be an obligatory item for the panels
their collections! MA
The Dassault
PR E
-OR
MIRAGE F1
DER
!
By Andy Evans
MDFSD 12
W
hen is a Mirage not a Mirage? the last French Mirage
MIRAGE F1
When it’s a Mirage F1! The delta F1s was retired from
wing shape was synonymous the THE DASSAULT service. Powered by
Dassault Mirage family from the Mirage III,
Mirage IV and Mirage 5 up the Mirage 2000, MIRAGE F1 a single SNECMA Atar
9K-50 turbojet engine £17.99
however, this design chain was broken with By Andy Evans
and armed with an array + P&P
the Mirage F1. During the 1960s, Dassault of French and American-
commenced development of what would sourced armaments, the Mirage
become the Mirage F1 as a private venture, F1 has been operated as a light multipurpose
alongside the larger Mirage F2. Work on fighter and has been exported to around a dozen
the F1 eventually took precedence over nations. The type has seen action in a large
the more costly F2, which was cancelled number of armed conflicts involving several of
during the late 1960s. The French Air its operators, including the Western Sahara War,
Force (Armée de l’Air) took interest in the the Paquisha War, the Cenepa War, the Iran–Iraq
fledgling fighter to meet its requirement War, the Gulf War, the South African Border War,
for an all-weather interceptor aircraft. the War in Afghanistan, the Chadian–
Accordingly, initial production units were Libyan conflict, the 2011 military
equipped with the Thomson-CSF Cyrano M DF
12
SCALED DOWN
intervention in Libya, and
IV monopulse radar. The Mirage F1 was of the Northern Mali
similar size to the Mirage III and Mirage Cover for illustrative purposes only
5, and was powered by the same SNECMA

Atar engine as had been used on the
larger Dassault Mirage IV, however, unlike
its predecessors, it shared the layout of a
swept wing, mounted high on the fuselage
and a conventional tail surface as used by the F2. Although it has a conflict. More than 720 Mirage F1s were manufactured between 1966 and
smaller wingspan than the Mirage III, the Mirage F1 nevertheless 1992, and it was succeeded in production by the Dassault Mirage 2000.
proved to be superior to its predecessor, carrying more fuel while The F1 was as noted flown by the French Air Force, and widely exported
possessing a shorter take-off run and superior manoeuvrability. to South Africa, Ecuador, Gabon, Iran, Greece, Libya, Iraq, Jordan, Congo,
During the latter half of 1974, the Mirage F1 entered service in Kuwait, Qatar, Morocco and Spain, as well as civilian defence contractors
the French Air Force. Shortly thereafter, the type was deployed as operating in the United States of America. The history, variants, systems
the main interceptor of the French Air Force, a capacity which it and war roles of the Mirage F1 are detailed in this new MDF Scaled
continued to serve in until the arrival of the Mirage 2000. It later Down, which will be a source of reference for both the enthusiast and
transitioned to an aerial reconnaissance role. During June 2014, modeller alike.
M DF
12
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MODEL AIRCRAFT MANUAL

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British Phantoms
History Colour Profiles Scale Plans Step by Step Build
36 MODEL AIRCRAFT MANUAL WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
The FG.1, FG.2 and F-4J(UK)

British Phantoms
T
he United Kingdom operated the las continued until the early 1990s. at the end of March 1969 by No.892 Naval Air
F-4 Phantom II as one of its principal The FAA received its first F-4K Phantoms, Squadron, which was commissioned as the
combat aircraft from 1968 to 1992 and which carried the British designation FG.1, in RN’s first operational Phantom unit. After trial
was the first export customer for the April 1968. These were assigned to 700P Naval aboard HMS Eagle, HMS Ark Royal embarked
Phantom. The Phantom was procured Air Squadron (NAS), which was to serve as the No.892 Squadron as part of her air group for the
to serve in both the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Intensive Flying Trials Unit. Upon completion first time in 1970, with a total of twelve aircraft.
Arm (FAA) and the Royal Air Force in several roles of the successful flight trials, No.767 Naval Air The first operational use of the RN’s Phantoms
including air defence, close air support, low- Squadron was commissioned in January 1969 had come in 1969, when No. 892 Squadron
level strike and tactical reconnaissance. as the FAA’s training unit. This was followed had embarked for training with the US aircraft
Although assembled in the United States, carrier USS Saratoga in the Mediterranean and
the UK’s early Phantoms were a special batch had undertaken air defence missions alongside
built separately with a significant amount of the ship’s own F-4Js. This deployment showed
British technology as a means of easing the the necessity for modifications to be fitted to Ark
pressure on the domestic aerospace industry Royal. During the initial launches from Saratoga,
in the wake of major project cancellations. the heat from the afterburners caused the deck
Two variants were initially built for the UK. The plates to distort, leading to subsequent catapult
F-4K was designed from the outset as an air launches being undertaken at reduced weight
defence interceptor to be operated by the FAA without the use of re-heat.
from the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers, and the During Ark Royal’s first three-year
F-4M version was procured for the RAF to serve commission, No.892 NAS, which had initially
in the tactical strike and reconnaissance roles. used RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset as its home
In the mid-1980s, a third Phantom variant was base, but moved to RAF Leuchars in Fife where,
obtained when fifteen second-hand F-4Js were during the periods when it was not embarked,
purchased to augment the UK’s air defences it undertook Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duties
following the Falklands War. The Phantom alongside the RAF’s No.43 Squadron. At the
entered service with both the FAA and the RAF same time, 767 NAS was disbanded as the
in 1969. In FAA service, it had a secondary strike RN’s Phantom training unit - the squadron had
role, while in the RAF it was soon replaced in the been the joint training unit for both the FAA
strike role by other aircraft designed specifically and the RAF in using the FG.1. In its place, an
for strike and close air support, and as such RAF-operated Phantom Training Flight was
by the mid-1970s, the Phantom had become established at RAF Leuchars in August 1972. The
the UK’s principal interceptor, a role in which it Close up on the extended oleo leg of the F-4K Phantom served in the FAA until 1978, when Ark
A quartet of Phantoms ranged on the deck of Ark Royal being readied for their next sortie

An FG.1 powers off the catapult aboard HMS Ark Royal
Royal was withdrawn from service, leaving no air support; both aircraft were to be fitted May 1969, when No.6 Squadron was formed
ship in the Royal Navy capable of operating for reconnaissance. The F-111K was cancelled at RAF Coningsby in the tactical strike role. No54
the type. The final catapult launch from Ark within a year of being ordered, but the order Squadron was formed in September the same
Royal was a Phantom from No.892 Squadron on for 150 Phantoms went ahead alongside the year, followed by No.41 Squadron in 1972
27 November 1978 during the disembarkation Phantom order for the Royal Navy, however, the as a tactical reconnaissance unit. A further
of the air group. The Squadron’s aircraft were final thirty-two aircraft for the RAF order were four squadrons were formed under RAF
then delivered to RAF St Athan in Wales, where eventually cancelled. The RAF Phantom, given Germany in 1970 and 1971, these being
they were handed over to the RAF. the designation FGR.2, was broadly similar to No.2, No.14, No.17 and No.31 Squadrons, all
Following the cancellation of both the TSR-2 the naval version, with some minor variations in at RAF Brüggen. Along with their conventional
and P.1154 programmes, the RAF was still left terms of engines, avionics and structure, relating strike role, No.14, No.17 and No.31 were assigned
with a requirement for aircraft in the long-range to its use as a land-based, rather than carrier- a tactical nuclear strike role by SACEUR, using
strike, close air support and reconnaissance based aircraft. weapons supplied by the United States. After
roles. This resulted in orders for two aircraft The first RAF Phantom unit was No.228 initial work-up, No.2 Squadron operated from
types, the General Dynamics F-111K, intended Operational Conversion Unit, which was stood RAF Laarbruch in the tactical reconnaissance
for the long-range interdiction role, and the up in August 1968. The Phantom entered role fitted with a pod containing four optical
F-4M Phantom, which would be used for close operational service as part of Strike Command in cameras, an infrared linescan and a sideways
looking radar.
In October 1974, No.III Squadron converted
from the Lightning to the FGR.2, becoming
the first unit to operate the type in the
air defence role, notwithstanding No.43
Squadron, which had used the FG.1 version
since 1969. As more Jaguars were delivered,
Phantoms were released enabling existing
Lightning squadrons to be converted. No.19
Squadron and No.92 Squadrons, the forward
deployed air defence units in Germany,
converted in 1976 and 1977 respectively, at
the same time moving from RAF Gütersloh,
which was the closest RAF base to the East
German border, to RAF Wildenrath, taking
advantage of the Phantom’s superior range
over the Lightning. Three further UK based
squadrons, No.23, No.29 and No.56, were also
converted between 1974 and 1976. No.111
Squadron, which had been the first unit to use
the FGR.2 as an interceptor, converted to the
FG.1 version in 1979 following the transfer of
the RN’s remaining airframes to the RAF. The
Phantom subsequently served as the RAF’s
primary interceptor for over a decade until
the introduction into service of the Panavia
R014 taxies for position aboard Ark Royal, and note the practice bomb carrier on the wing pylon Tornado F.2/3 in 1987.
Phantom FG.1 XT869 from No.767 Squadron
When Phantoms were first delivered to operated FG.1 training between 1972 and prior to the final withdrawal of the Phantom,
interceptor squadrons, they remained in the 1978, re-established for twelve months to it was recalled operationally as a result
grey-green camouflage colour scheme more run refresher courses on the type. As part of of Operation ‘Granby’, the UK’s participation
associated with the strike and close air support the gradual run down of the RAF’s presence in the First Gulf War, when aircraft from No.19
missions they had undertaken. During the in Germany, the two forward based units and No.92 Squadrons were forward deployed
late 1970s, the RAF began experimenting were to be disbanded, while there would also to provide air defence cover at RAF Akrotiri.
with new colours for its air defence units, be a reduction in the number of air defence This was to replace the Tornados that had
with No.56 Squadron tasked with trialling squadrons leading to the two UK based units been originally deployed there on exercise
proposed new schemes. In October 1978, a being disbanded in late 1992. However, just and were subsequently sent to the Gulf
region. Following their final withdrawal from
service, with a few exceptions, the bulk of the
RAF’s FGR.2 fleet was scrapped.
In 1984, following the deployment of a
squadron of Phantoms to the Falkland Islands,
the government decided that the resulting gap
in the UK’s air defences needed to be filled, and
so sought to purchase another squadron of
Phantoms. Because the aircraft in RAF service
were a special production batch built to UK
specifications, it would not be possible to obtain
identical aircraft, so fifteen airframes were
A No.1435 Flight Phantom in the Falklands Islands
Phantom FGR.2 of No.56 Squadron became

the first to be painted in the new air superiority
grey colour, combined with small, low
visibility roundels and markings. However,
although the roundel remained in low visibility
colours, individual squadron markings
eventually returned to more observable sizes
and colours. In May 1982, three Phantoms from
No.29 Squadron were forward deployed to RAF
Wideawake on Ascension Island to provide
air cover for the RAF’s operations during XV591 on a visit to NAS Miramar. Note the fin cap RWR
the Falklands War, replacing Harriers of No.1
Squadron, which were transiting to the war
zone. In October 1982, following the end of
the conflict and the reconstruction of the
runway, No.29 Squadron detached nine
of its aircraft to RAF Stanley to provide air
defence for the Falkland Islands. In March
1983 23 Squadron took up the role, remaining
stationed there until October 1988, when they
were replaced by No.1435 Flight.
The end of the Cold War saw the Phantom
withdrawn from service under the ‘Options
for Change’ defence review. This saw the
disbanding of No.228 Operational Conversion
Unit in January 1991, with the Phantom
Training Flight, which had previously A trio of No.56 Squadron aircraft and note the radome on the one nearest the camera

XV408/No.23 Squadron RAF at RAF Finingley in 1977
XV582 ‘Black Mike’
XT903 being scrapped A trio of F-4J(UK)s and note the open inlet doors on the rear fuselages
A No.74 Squadron FGR.2

XV586 with ‘everything

down’ gives a good look
at the FG.1’s underside
procured from among the best of the ex-USN aircraft that were selected were extensively The major difference between the F-4J
F-4Js stored at the Aerospace Maintenance refurbished at the Naval Air Rework Facility and the British Phantoms was the absence
and Regeneration Center at Davis–Monthan at NAS North Island and brought to a standard of the Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan, the former
Air Force Base in Arizona. The F-4J was chosen almost equivalent to the F-4S, which was the being fitted with the General Electric J79-10B
because it was the variant from which the RAF’s last variant in service with the USN, the only turbojet. Initially capable of carrying the AIM-7
F-4Ks and F-4Ms were developed and was thus differences being the absence of leading-edge Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, they
the closest available to the British aircraft. The slats and a helmet gun sight. were soon made compatible with the Skyflash
and the SUU-23A gun pod, bringing them
into line with the rest of the RAF’s Phantoms.
On QRA alert at RAF Stanley Despite modifications to allow them to operate
with the rest of the fleet, the F-4Js retained the
vast bulk of the equipment they were originally
fitted with, even requiring their crews to use
American flying helmets. Although the new
Phantoms were assigned a British designation
as the F.3, they were generally referred to as
the F-4J(UK) and assigned to No.74 Squadron
at RAF Wattisham, which stood up in October
1984. The aircraft remained in service through
the transition to the Tornado, which began
entering service in 1987. In 1990, thanks to the
conversion of F-4M squadrons to the Tornado,
the RAF were able to transfer the best of its
remaining FGR.2s to No.74 Squadron, which
meant that the F-4J(UK)s was able to be
withdrawn in January 1991, and with a couple
of exceptions, all were broken up for scrap.
A good view here of the contentious colour issue that surrounded the F-4J(UK)

McDonnell Douglas F-4K Phantom FG.1 XV570/Y of the Phantom Training
Flight, RAF Leuchars 1978. The aircraft is finished in Extra Dark Sea Grey
upper surfaces over White lower surfaces
McDonnell Douglas F-4K Phantom FG.1 XT859/VL of No.700P

Squadron RNAS Yeovilton 1968. The aircraft is finished in Extra
Dark Sea Grey upper surfaces over White lower surfaces
McDonnell Douglas F-4K Phantom FG.1 XT863/R of No.892 Squadron aboard HMS
Ark Royal 1977. The aircraft is finished in Extra Dark Sea Grey upper surfaces over
White lower surfaces and carries the Queen’s Silver Jubilee nose markings
McDonnell Douglas F-4M Phantom FGR.2 XV438/A of No.6 Squadron based at RAF
Coningsby in 1974. The aircraft has an overall matt finish of Dark Sea Grey and Dark
Green disruptive upper surfaces and Light Aircraft Grey lower surfaces
Phantom 1:72 Scale

McDonnell Douglas F-4M Phantom FGR.2 XV474/X of No.23 Squadron

based at RAF Wattisham in 1968. The aircraft has an overall Light Grey
experimental scheme with full colour markings
McDonnell Douglas F-4M Phantom FGR.2 XV466/D of No.1435 Flight RAF

Mount Pleasant 1982. The aircraft is finished in Barley Grey, Medium Sea
Grey and Light Aircraft Grey
McDonnell Douglas F-4M Phantom FGR.2 XV408/Z of No.92 Squadron

based at RAF Wildenrath in 1991 and finished in a special overall
Satin Blue BS681 C-110
McDonnell Douglas F-4J(UK) Phantom ZE352/G of No.74 Squadron based

at RAF Wattisham in 1984. The aircraft is finished in US colours which
approximated the British shades

Cold War Phantom
Jos Jansen builds the 1:48 Revell Phantom FGR.2 in the colours of No.92 Squadron
based at RAF Wildenrath West Germany
Phantom FGR.2
T
his iconic aircraft was, and is,
absolutely my all-time favourite Manufacturer: Revell
military jet. The RAF version I. Scale: 1:48
am building here is the FGR.2 as Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded
seen operating from RAF airbase Kit Number: 04962
Wildenrath in the former West-Germany
belonging to No.92 squadron, who
were co-located with No.19 I used an Eduard set
Squadron and flew the Phantom in the cockpit
from from 1977 till 1991. I added
aftermarket sets, in the shape
of resin seats, an etched
cockpit upgrade and AIM-
9D Sidewinders from
Eduard, and as the
kit does not have
visible jet engine
inlets, I decided
to install FOD
covers from AMS resin.
I always use metal pitot tubes
from Model Master, so one of these
were also added. To display my model
attractively, special RAF remove before flight
tags were also employed.
TO CREATE MY VERSION OF A RAF COLD WAR PHANTOM I

USED XTRADECAL #X48199
Since this is an original Hasegawa re-boxing, The cockpit now in situ

I was quite sure I would not run into any issues awaiting the ejector seats
building the kit. First, I started int he cockpit,
and this was built straight-from-the-box with
the addition of the aforementioned Eduard
etch. I then used Gunze H335 Medium Sea
Grey as the base color for the cockpit. Since the
vertical tailplane has rivets and which are not
provided on the kit, I used my favourite Rosie
the Riveter single wheel 0.75mm tool for this.
For the rest of the airframe, all seams and rivets rescribed any lost
are nice and sharp and beautifully detailed. panel lines and rivets.
The detailing on both fuselage parts and the I the set about preparing
undersides was excellent, and everything went everything that was to hang
together neatly with no visible seam lines. The underneath my Phantom. As the UK’s F-4s
inlets, on the other hand, did not close properly, didn’t have an internal gun they carried an
so I had to fill and sand a bit here, and then SUU-23A 20mm gun pod under the fuselage.
This version also had four AIM-7 Sparrows, and
provision for four AIM-9D Sidewinders
and two external fuel tanks. For
Adding a coat of Alclad

Black Primer and
Microfiller

I used Gunze colours for
the camouflage
The biggest challenge when painting

a Phantom is to finish the exhaust
parts with a wide palette of
metallic colours
Adding the decals


the Head
Up Display I
used a Hasegawa
Polarized Finish sheet
as this gives a nice greenish glow. With
construction complete, it was time to add some
paint. I began with a coat of Alclad Black Primer
and Microfiller, which gave a perfect finish for
the camouflage pattern to follow.
To begin, I pre-shaded the panel lines in
white, and once dry I applied Gunze H332 Light
Aircraft Grey to the undersides. Once dry I
masked this off ready for the upper surface
colours. First, I airbrushed the darkest
of the two camouflage colours, Gunze
H330 Dark Green, and for the second
shade of the RAF scheme, I used Gunze
H331 Dark Sea Grey. To enhance the
variety of colour tones, I did some
post-shading with slightly lighter
shades of the green and grey. To seal
in the colours I added a coat of Alclad
Aqua Gloss.
The biggest challenge when
painting a Phantom is to finish the
exhausts part with a wide palette
of metallic colours. So, here I used
a variety of Alclad shades. For the base I
used Alclad-115 Stainless Steel on a super smooth
surface, pre-treated with Alclad-305 Gloss Black.
To create various shadow effects on the Alclad
Line Wash on the green camouflage colour

and A.MIG-1601 Medium Grey Panel Line Wash
metals, I sprayed with Gunze H-95 Smoke Gray on the other grey areas. On the underside of
around the various edges of the panels. the fuselage, I subtly applied oil leaks and dirt
To create my version of a RAF Cold War using Black and Raw Umber Abteilung 502 oil
Phantom I used Xtradecal #X48199. These paints. Once all was dry, I added a final layer of
decals were excellent and settled well onto the 50% Hataka Satin and 50% Hataka Matt to seal
airframe. I then sealed everything again with everything in. I was very happy with the finished
a coat of Aqua Gloss. I then added a panel line look, which I think accurately depicted the real
wash from using A.MIG-1612 Green Brown Panel colours of the aircraft along with the metallic
areas and the right amount of weathering. I
decided to show my model in on the online
contest run by the Dutch ESM (Euro Scale
Modelling) in 2020, and I was lucky enough to
win silver in my category! MA
Cat. No. 84114 www.eduard.com
Fw 190A-8/R2 1/48
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52 SPITFIRE MK.VB WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
THE BIG BUILD

Chris Ferguson builds the
1:48 Airfix Spitfire Mk.Vb
A Spitfire Spitfire Mk.Vb
for Uncle Sam

Scale: 1:48
Kit Number: A05125A
T
he Mk.V was produced in greater the summer of 1942, and the low level LF allowing aircraft already under production to
numbers than any other single mark Mk.V remained in use into 1944. The Mk.V be converted to the new standard.
of Spitfire, and was the main version had been designed as an interim mark. The The first Mk.V was produced in January 1941,
of the fighter during 1941, replacing Mk III saw a redesign of the basic fuselage, to and tests proved it to be very nearly as good
the Mk.I and II in service in time to carry the more powerful Merlin XX engine. as the Mk.III, but without the extra complexity
take part in the first British counterattacks over However, that engine was in short supply, and involved in that version. In March 1941 it was
France. During the summer of 1941 it held an the internal changes in the Mk.III would have decided to produce the Mk.V instead of the
advantage over the Bf 109, but in September delayed production. Rolls-Royce had continued Mk.III. When the Eighth Air Force began arriving
1941 the Fw 190 made its operational debut, work on the Merlin, producing the Merlin 45. in England in 1942, it was initially planned that
and the Mk.V found itself outclassed. Despite This engine produced 1,515 hp at 11,000 feet, what fighter units would be assigned to it
this, it remained the main RAF fighter until and could easily fit in a Mk.I or Mk.II fuselage, would utilise the Lockheed P-38 Lightning for

Working on the
cockpit…
…assembly complete…
…and into the fuselage
Kit part vs the

Quickboost resin
replacement
ALSO USED
Eduard Set #FE256
Eduard Brassin Wheels Set #648178)
Quickboost Exhaust and Cannons
Montex Supermask Set #K48271
Peewit Mask Set #M48002
but more on that later. Returning this year

after being announced for 2020 with all new
markings and super daring box art (its upside
down) I return to take a look myself!
I always take a good look through the
box and instructions and plan out my build,
especially markings and any aftermarket I
fancy especially if it makes the build easier. I
ARRIVING IN 2014, THE AIRFIX SPITFIRE MK.VB HAS SOME always like a story behind my builds and didn’t
INTERESTING MARKINGS WITH BOTH TROPICAL FILTER AND quite fancy the box choices however one, a
MORE TRADITIONAL NOSE OPTIONS IN THE BOX lovely American option gave me an idea. The
highest scoring American Spitfire ace was Lt
Sylvan Feld a young gent who tragically died
high-altitude, long-range fighter escort, while saw service in North Africa and Italy, until they after capture when the area was bombed
the Bell P-39 Airacobra would provide escort were replaced by P-51s. United States Army Air by American B-17s. This seemed the perfect
for the medium bombers that were coming. Force Spitfires scored almost 350 kills during chance to commemorate his story, and after
The first P-39 unit to arrive in England was the World War II. The Spitfire is also notable for finding I could use most of the markings from
31st Fighter Group – the first unit to have taken being the plane that got Jimmy Doolittle the box plus a few from the Montex mask sheet
the Airacobra operational the previous year – chewed out by Eisenhower. I bought for the canopy the scene was set.
though they arrived before their aircraft. In the Arriving in 2014, the Airfix newly tooled Starting with the cockpit plus the Eduard
interim, they were equipped with the Spitfire Spitfire Mk.Vb generally reviewed well, coming etch set meant for the Tamiya kit, I judiciously
Mk.V. By the time the similarly equipped 52nd with some interesting markings with both worked through using parts from both sets
Fighter Group arrived, the RAF had been able tropical filter and more traditional nose options until after only one evening I had a genuinely
to convince the Americans of the unsuitability in the box. Some curious design choices nice highly detailed little cockpit tub. Truthfully
of the P-39 for aerial combat in western Europe. showed Airfix were still trying to innovate even only really some seat belts are really necessary
As a result, both groups were equipped with with a big-name model like a Spitfire. Weather and only if you aren’t using the nice pilot figure
Spitfire Mk.Vs. The American Spitfires mostly those ideas worked, was up to some debate supplied. It all went together well bar fitting
The cockpit
now in-situ
A little filling and

sanding was needed
Adding a pre-shade….
problem. The fit along the sides of the part as

it fits the fuselage are woeful resulting in a lot
of swearing and extra pieces of plastic being
added from the bits bin to widen the insert till
it fits with some accuracy. Knowing this would
the small bottle behind the pilot’s head also need to fit the canopy front later filled me
which if I ever built another would with dread but some early test fitting showed
definitely ignore the instructions this wouldn’t be a problem. I’m surprised
and fit earlier before fitting the however that no aftermarket folk have released
…and then the cockpit sides together. an exposed fuel tank section for this area, as the
underside colour It is at this point the cockpit gets lay out would suit one very easily.
sandwiched between the fuselage Next up came the wings with a good solid
sides and the first of Airfix’s latest ideas spar for strength and the second of Airfix’s
come into play. There is a clever insert innovations large chunky parts for the top of
for the coming around the instrument the undercarriage legs are fitted at this stage
panel and fuel tank cover in front of the and fit onto the legs later. Presumably to help
pilot. This removes the usual need to with the awkward splay of the spitfires’ legs.
carefully clean up attachment points Fuselage fit to the wings was surprisingly good
in a very visible area that are usually considering the earlier issues and tail parts were
present however it creates a new prepared and placed to one side for later to

aid painting. I deviated from the instructions
at this point as Feld’s airframe needs to use the
tropical filter which while not mentioned in the
instructions for these markings, are still in the Masking off for
box. I had the Quickboost resin one available for the upper surface
camouflage
another build but after cleaning and offering
both up I preferred the kit parts. Radiators
and ailerons were added quickly, and canopy
masked with the Montex sheet ready for main
paint. I opted for Eduard Brassin wheels due
to the sharper detail although to be fair the kit
ones are perfectly serviceable. The smaller parts
such as the undercarriage, aerials and cannons
were all prepped at this point.
Now, I am an enthusiastic fan of black basing an evening masking up for the dark earth. So,
so first up was a good coat of Alclad Matt Black with some Blu-Tac worms, some scraps of paper
Primer. This works two-fold, it lets me check and a lot more Tamiya tape and I was ready to
for any remedial work needed and it starts the go. Once a good coat went down, I added a
process for the technique. The rocker cover was single drop of white to each colour and using a
given another sand and re-scribe as I was not weathering template by 77propellor ran down a
happy with the seam and primed again. MRP thin layer of blotches to make some interest on
lacquers are my usual weapon of choice, and the surface. The same template was used with a everything down well before quickly masking
it was no different here. I have previously not little Alclad airframe aluminium for around the the canopy again with Molotov. masking fluid
had much luck with World War II RAF desert wing root. so I could run a quick semi matt finishing coat
schemes so I really hoped that MRP would A combination of the kit decals which went down. After letting everything dry, I discovered
behave for me as they have done in the past. down very well, Montex decals which I also had a near build ending problem. The masking
So, I started with the underside slowly building no problems at all with, and the Montex masks fluid has failed and etched into the canopy.
up a random mottle until it looked good to my were used. I tried to use the masks wherever No amount of polishing is going to save it. A
eye. I also separately masked up the tail planes possible as I love the effect they give. MRP US few hurried emails and calls later to Airfix’s
and undercarriage doors to paint at the same Navy White was used for the serials as it gave spare parts department and a week later a full
time. The MRP worked flawlessly, and I was a nice slightly off white that wasn’t too stark replacement sprue arrived. I used this time to
ready for masking for the top side before I knew against the camouflage. Once all markings order a Peewit Mask Set instead as I didn’t fancy
it. MRP middle stone went first before taking were applied a good coat of X-20A bedded using the Montex one a second time - just in
The first colour

going down….
…then some
masking….
case. This worked perfectly and I can really work, leaving no conceivable positive fit ,unlike
recommend them in future. a more traditional socket and plug or the
A good coat of Flory Dark Dirt Wash was Tamiya style one piece. So, using some careful
then applied and gently removed over the
course of a couple of evenings leaving a little
more in the centre of the underside where
famously Spitfires get can filthy. A Tamiya
pigment set was then employed for
the exhaust staining and a bit more
for the underside. Now to add all
the smaller parts. I found some sink
marks on the propeller blades and after
trying to fill and sand them away I thought
of a cunning plan. I had some Kora Decal
propellor manufacturer logos from an earlier
build, so these were applied hiding any slight
imperfection still visible, and the propellor
looked great.
Now to test that new undercarriage idea.
A woodwork style lap-joint was used on
the parts added earlier during construction.
Unfortunately, this approach really doesn’t

…and here is
the result
Adding the decals

on the upper….
pieces of blue tack and other spare parts lying

around to brace them in place I dribbled a little
thin superglue around the joint for strength and
sprayed on some kicker so they wouldn’t move.
I really must give Airfix some plaudit’s for trying
to innovate here with both the undercarriage
and the fuselage plug but ultimately, they didn’t
work.
Overall, this was a strange beast of a
build. Yes, there were issues around Airfix’s
‘innovations’, however, any other problems
were entirely my fault due to not using the
…and lower surfaces
markings in the box and having a penchant for

aftermarket parts. I now have a very handsome
A good coat of Flory example of an American Spitfire in my cabinet and Lt
Dark Dirt being Sylvan Feld has had his limelight. So, if you are in the
applied…
market for a Spitfire Mk.Vb you could do a lot worse
than starting right here.
As always thank you to Airfix for both the review
sample and the help with the spare parts. MA
…and once the excess was

removed, I was ready for
final assembly
PRE
-OR
DER
BUILDING THE
NOW
!
MiG-21 Fishbed
Model Aircraft Extra #8 MODEL
AIRCRAFT
The MiG-21 Fishbed

EXTRA
No.8
he MiG-21 NATO reporting name ‘Fishbed’ is
T a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by

the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union.
Sold to a host of countries the MiG-21 is one of the most successful
and numerous aircraft ever built. The MiG-21 was the first successful
Soviet aircraft combining fighter and interceptor characteristics in a
single airframe. It was a lightweight fighter, achieving Mach 2 with
a relatively low-powered afterburning turbojet, and was therefore
comparable to the F-104 Starfighter, the F-5 Freedom Fighter and
the Mirage III, and its basic layout was used for numerous other Soviet
designs. Like many aircraft designed as pure interceptors, the MiG-21
had a short range. This was exacerbated by the poor placement of
the internal fuel tanks ahead of the centre of gravity. As the internal
fuel was consumed, the centre of gravity would shift rearward
beyond acceptable parameters. This had the effect of making the
aircraft unstable to the point of being difficult to control, resulting
in an endurance of only forty-five minutes in clean condition. This
could be somewhat countered by carrying fuel in external tanks
closer to the centre of gravity. Additionally, when more than half the
fuel was used up, violent manoeuvres prevented fuel from flowing
into the engine, thereby causing it to shut down in flight. The short
endurance and low fuel capacity of the MiG-21F, PF, PFM, S/SM and M/
MF variants, led to the development of the MT and SMT variants. The
MiG-21 was exported widely and remains in use in many countries.
The aircraft’s simple controls, engine, weapons, and avionics were
typical of Soviet-era military designs. The use of a tail with the delta BUILDING THE
wing aids stability and control at the extremes of the flight envelope,
enhancing safety for lower-skilled pilots; this in turn enhanced
its marketability in exports to developing countries with
limited training programs and restricted pilot pools. While
technologically inferior to the more advanced fighters
it often faced, low production and maintenance costs
MAE8
MiG-21 Fishbed Compiled by Andy Evans
made it a favourite of nations buying Eastern Bloc military MiG-21

hardware. Several Russian, Israeli and Romanian firms
have begun to offer upgrade packages to MiG-21 operators,
designed to bring the aircraft up to a modern standard,
£14.99+P&P
IIICs on 14 November 1964, but it was not until 14 July 1966
that the first MiG-21 was shot down. The MiG-21 also served
with greatly upgraded avionics and armaments. The MiG- in the Vietnam War, but many VPAF pilots preferred the
21 was also used extensively in the Middle East conflicts of MiG-17. The Bulgarian Air Force received a total of 224 MiG-21s
the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s by the Egyptian Air Force, Syrian Air including twenty-six specialised reconnaissance MiG-21Rs, and
Force and Iraqi Air Force. The MiG-21 first encountered Israeli Mirage MiG-21MFs of the 25th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the National
Air Force of Angola flew ground attack sorties during the Second
Congo War, and during the Ogaden War of 1977–78, and Ethiopian
Air Force F-5As engaged Somali Air Force MiG-21MFs in combat on
several occasions. During Angola’s long-running civil war, MiG-21s
of the Cuban Air Force were frequently deployed to attack ground
targets manned by rebel forces or to engage South African Air
Force Mirage F1s conducting cross-border strikes. India is the largest
operator of MiG-21s, and in 1961, as the Indian Air Force opted to
purchase the type over several other Western competitors. Romania
received a number of MiG-21 variants, a number of which were later
modernised to the LanceR configuration, able to carry both Western
and Eastern armament such as the R-60M, R-73, Magic 2, or Python
III missiles. So, despite its age, the MiG-21 story is far from over, and
this new Model Aircraft Extra book features no fewer than seventeen
MA PUBLICATIONS model builds of the MiG-21 in all popular scales and will be a must
have for the Soviet modeller and aficionado.
PO Box 1592 | Bedford | MK40 9FD | UK

T: +44 (0) 1234 331431 E: info@modelaircraftmag.com
www.modelaircraftmag.com
60 A-26C INVADER WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
Peter A Dasso converts

the 1:48 ICM A-26C Invader
into Lynch Air Tankers #57
Fire Tanker
M
any A-26 Invaders found a plastic card and styrene rod, making this an
second life after the military as excellent project for an inexperienced scratch
corporate transports and fire builder like me. Starting at the wings, N9425Z
tankers - including the subject received a Lynch STOL-26 conversion to provide
for this model - serial number the aircraft with better handling characteristics
35721, registered as N9425Z. Purchased by at the low speeds. This involved fitting the wing
Denny Lynch of Billings, Montana in 1966, it with a drooped leading edge and several wing
received a number of modifications to operate fences. I represented this by fitting a length of
as aerial fire tanker #57 until retired in 1992. I 3mm half-round styrene rod to the bottom of
first learned of this plane when watching the the wing leading edge, with a strip of 3mm flat
1989 film ‘Always’, where it features alongside styrene behind it to blend it into the wing. The
N4818E #59 as one of the ‘Fire Eaters’. I chose to wing fences were designed on my computer A-26C Invader
paint it as it appeared in the mid-1980’s when it and cut into plastic card using a Silhouette Manufacturer: ICM
was in service with Lynch Air Tankers. Cameo 4. Scale: 1:48
The base kit for this conversion is ICM’s Under the fuselage, the aircraft’s bomb bay Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded
new tool 1:48 B-26C Invader. Although many has been converted to dispense fire retardant. Kit Number: 48283
changes are required, most can be done using It is a fairly boxy shape faired in at the front
FIRE TANKER
ALTHOUGH MANY CHANGES ARE REQUIRED TO BUILD A ‘FIRE
TANKER’, MOST CAN BE DONE USING PLASTIC CARD AND
STYRENE ROD
and rear with pieces of sheet metal, so I began turret, the top turret was filled in by cutting
by constructing this shape out of thick plastic out a circle of plastic card and placing it in the
card. The hinges for the doors were once again empty hole.
designed on my computer and machine cut, The nose requires a replacement
and the fairings at the front and rear of the bombardier’s glazing, as the one provided in
bomb bay were formed by placing a piece of the kit is of an early style used in WWII that has a
masking tape over the front and rear of the cut-out on the right for two fuselage mounted
bomb bay, drawing the shape with a pencil .50 cal machine guns. N9425Z, as well as other
on top, then transferring the masking tape post-Korean A-26s didn’t have it. To make a
to plastic card to cut by hand. The replacement, the kit’s clear part was temporarily
kit includes a blank part for attached to the nose. Then, I took some clear
removing the bottom plastic retail packaging, and heat formed it
to the shape by warming it over a gas stove,
then rapidly pressing it over the nose while still
warm. The cockpit canopy needs to have one
frame on the pilot’s side window removed to
accurately represent N9425Z. The rear canopy
has the rear centre window painted over, as well
as a red beacon made from clear sprue added
to the top. Various scratch-built antennas are

attached to the top of the fuselage and tail
to represent its modern radio and navigation
equipment.
The sides of the fuselage require some
corrections - ICM has incorrectly moulded the
additional cockpit armour fitted at the factory
as a raised ‘ridge’ below the cockpit. However,
fire tankers such as N9425Z usually had the
armour removed as it was unnecessary weight,
FIRE TANKER
so I simply sanded off the ‘ridge’ and re-scribed it. After the interior was finished, the fuselage
the panel lines. Also, the window on the side of was closed up with relatively good fit. All seams
the gunner’s compartment is an early horizontal were carefully filled and sanded, as a natural
WWII style, whereas later A-26s had a small door metal finish will highlight any imperfections
and vertical window in this place. I cut out a when the model is finished. The wings were
rectangle the size of the door from the fuselage, assembled and attached to the engine pods,
then replaced it with a piece of clear plastic which took a bit of convincing and liberal
which I masked and painted on both sides with application of CA glue to fit into place. The very
the later style vertical window. nice engines were assembled, and I added
Construction started with the fuselage an ignition harness made from fine soldering
interior. ICM provides you a sparsely detailed wire. I also added some lead weight inside
cockpit, so I added an Eduard etched detail set. the engine pods to allow the model to sit on
The gunner’s compartment has the gunsight its gear. On the topic of landing gear, the kit
mechanism for the turrets removed, and I is moulded in a very soft and pliable plastic.
scratch-built a small observer’s seat to replace From previous builds, I’ve seen the kit gear isn’t
strong enough to hold up the plane once nose

weight is added, tending to splay outwards
under the load. I recommend either replacing
it with brass aftermarket parts or drilling out
and inserting strengthening wire into the kit’s
plastic parts.
The wings and tail fit onto the fuselage
without difficulty. After final assembly was
complete, a thorough examination was
necessary to fill and polish out any small gaps,
scratches, or other imperfections. Any metal or
high gloss finish will reveal those kinds of flaws
instantly, so you need to be very careful not to
leave any part unfinished. Afterwards, I primed
the model with a smooth coat of Mr Surfacer
1000, and then a coat of gloss grey. I sanded
and polished the gloss grey to give a smooth,
even coat on which to apply my metallic paint. company where I live in Taiwan. It’s very similar logos were printed onto clear inkjet decal
I prefer gloss grey rather than gloss black in usage to Alclad Polished Aluminium or Mr paper. The engine nacelles were first painted
because it provides a lighter, more realistic Color Super Metallic Chrome. Afterwards, silver, then blue and lightly sanded to depict
tone of aluminium than black. This is the most various small panels were masked off and the worn appearance of the real aircraft. When
important step in applying a metal finish - you either painted with a different metallic shade the exterior painting was complete, I added a
absolutely must have a perfect glossy coat or polished with metal powder, to provide very precise pin wash of oil paint into the panel
underneath the metallic paint or else the final variance in the overall finish. The red and white lines. You’ve got to be very neat when doing
finish will be grainy and uneven. stripes along with the numbers and the “Lynch” this, as any oil residue will dull the shine of
I used Modo Colors MK-09 Chrome Lacquer, script on the nose were cut into masking tape your metallic paint. Finally, I re-sprayed some
a high shine metallic paint made by a local with my Silhouette cutter. Smaller text and Chrome paint into the centre of some of the
panels, to make them appear slightly shinier in
the centre and grimier on the outside.
Final details were added at this point,
including the antennas, and resin wheels from
Eduard. I scratch built brake pads from plastic
card and added brake lines from fine soldering
wire. Eduard’s wheels aren’t quite correct for
this plane; lately Res/Kit offers a set of modern
A-26 wheels with brake pads that I would have
used had I known about them at the time. The
final touches were adding the heavy exhaust
staining seen on these hard-working machines,
as well as fire retardant staining. The retardant
residue is a heavily thinned mix of flat red and
flat brown, with rain streaks added by wiping a
small brush along the fuselage sides. MA
1/48 TEMPEST MK.V
ON SALE NOW! 1/48
Scale Aviation Modeller International – AUGUST 2021
HARRIER GR.3
ALL THE LATEST
A PERFECT STORM
NATO STRIKER
THE KIT my expectations have not yet been left canopy can be posed open. Whilst on the
Since experiencing my first Eduard kit –
the ‘old-tool’ Bf 109G-6 back in 2014 – I
wanting. The Tempest Mk.V (Series 2) is no
exception. The styrene parts that fill the
subject of transparent components; the
under-wing fuel tanks and carriers are
NEWS & REVIEWS
S
cale Aviation
have become a massive fan of the Czech now familiar orange topped ProfiPACK box also moulded in clear plastic, enabling the Adding the grey
manufacturer’s products, awaiting news have to be amongst the best I have ever modeller to incorporate the transparent base colour….
Jay Blakemore is blown of each new-tool offering with gleeful seen. Arranged across five pale grey sprues inspection panels on the latter items. Also Vini Pompeo takes another look at
anticipation. Despite some of their older are 171 parts featuring sublime surface contained in the packed box is a partially
away when he builds the recent Kinetic Harrier GR.3
kits suffering from soft-edged detailing textures that include sharp-edged yet colour-printed photo-etched (PE) metal
Eduard’s stunning new-tool and others being problematic to build in restrained recessed panel lines, accurately fret, a canopy masking sheet and a lavishly
Modeller Tempest Mk.V. It is even

possible that he has found
the perfect kit
places – which includes this manufacturers
first Tempest release dating from 1997
– each new-tool release undoubtedly
raises the quality-bar ever higher and
rendered slot-headed fasteners, glorious
and extensive rivet detailing covering every
exterior surface, open spent-cartridge
ejector chute slots in the lower-wings and
hollowed-out cannon barrels and intake
printed Cartograph decal sheet featuring
six options. In short, the perfect package.
THE COCKPIT
Consisting of around fifty parts the
scoops. Everything is perfectly formed cockpit is impressively furnished. Etched
International and accurately proportioned without

a sign of flash, surface-sinkage
or ejector pin marks. The flying
control surfaces are all separately
moulded, while the crystal-clear
alternatives are provided for the foot pedals
and various levers and knobs, as well as
colour-printed harness and a multi-part
control panel featuring gloss-coated
instruments that looks truly stunning once
provides a unique
in place. The tube-framework sidewalls,
so typical of Hawker aircraft, are faithfully
reproduced though extremely delicate due
to their in-scale appearance. Two colours NATO STRIKER
NATO
are suggested for the cockpit; those being ….followed by the
black and Interior Green, though reference disruptive green
Kinetic’s 1/48 Harrier GR.3
and innovative
shade
photographs reveal several variations
including natural metal framework. The
instructions were followed in this instance
STRIKER
with the majority of components being
KIT DETAILS
finished in Colourcoats RAF Interior
Green (ACRN28). Internal details also
experience for all types

include the characteristic and accurately I chose were from the Ammo by MIG UK
rendered radiator which is provided with Aircraft Set #7203. A few drops of light
alternative oil filter housings. This too
looked superb, finished in Alclad metal
lacquer and still visible behind its PE
grey are added to the Medium Gunship
Grey shade to create a subtle difference
between darker and lighter shades. The
noted, the decals were printed by Cartograf
and settled down perfectly, and I think that
good decals correctly applied are often the
was going to be light with few leaks, grime
patches or fading effects. However, I decided
to apply some chipping on the wings, the
FIRST LOOKS
mesh screen appropriate to the THE KIT is part of Kinetic’s now familiar ‘Gold same was applied to green. The exhausts difference with a good eye-catching model. intakes and the drop tanks using the sponge • Meng 1/48 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E
of modeller, from the A PERFECT machine being modelled. The
main wheel bays are typically
Eduard, made-up as they are of
multiple walls that lock together T
he Kinetic Harrier GR.3 has already
been featured in a previous issue
of SAMI, however, as I have always
had a love for this VSTOL strike
Series’ and comes with etched parts
and a nice set of decals designed by
Crossdelta and printed by Cartograf. HARRIER GR.3
MANUFACTURER: Kinetic
were painted with Alclad Polished Metal,
highlighted with Ammo by MIG Gunmetal
and dry brushed with Ammo by MIG Copper.
WEATHERING
I then prepared the model for some subtle
weathering by adding a light panel line wash
technique. This technique consists to use a
small sponge with small quantity of paint to
create an irregular effect on specific areas.
Then some watercolour pencils were used
• ICM 1/32 AH-1G Huey Cobra (Early)
• Meng 1/24 Fokker DR.1 Triplane
STORM
almost seamlessly. There are aircraft, I thought I would take another look COCKPIT DECALS using and Ammo by MIG Black Oilbrusher to create small scratches at certain points
SCALE: 1/48
at the kit and see how it goes together. The Let’s start in the pilot’s office. I started by Once completely dry I applied a coat of and some Odourless Thinner. Any excess was on the wing and airframe. Watercolour
complete beginner to KIT DETAILS

aircraft I decided to represent was a
GR.3 for No.IV Squadron, based at
RAF Gutersloh in the early
1990’s. The model
separating all the cockpit parts, cleaning
them up and applying a coat of Ammo by MIG
One Shot Black Primer. Next, I added a base
coat of Lifecolor Acrylic Dark Sea Grey. The
instrument panel was enhanced with some
KIT TYPE: Plastic injection
moulded with etched parts
KIT NUMBER: 48060
Ammo by MIG Gloss to protect the paintwork
and prepare the surfaces for the decals. As
then removed with a cotton bud moist with
thinners. As I said earlier, any weathering
pencils are easy to use and if you make
any mistake or apply too much you can
the most experienced.

ANYZ Placards Decals and Data Sheets. The
details as buttons and gauges were then PVA glue. The Fitting of the Airframe and
BACKGROUND wings meant reduced fuel capacity. To provide hand painted with white, yellow, and red. Wings parts are excellent, and a small
he Tempest evolved because of space for an additional 76-gallon fuel tank, sanding work was needed. The rest of the
T improvements initiated by its

predecessor’s failings; namely
therefore, the engine was moved forward 21
inches. The extended nose inevitably required
AIRFRAME
The airframe body and wing sections fit
model went together without any issues.
Each month we offer

the inadequate high-altitude an increase in area of both the horizontal and was awesome, as were the windshield PAINTING
performance of the heavyweight Typhoon. vertical tail surfaces and the extra weight I HAVE BECOME A MASSIVE FAN and canopy, with just a quick clean- Time now to add some colour, and I began
These failings had been highlighted as early meant a strengthened undercarriage was up and a minimum of sanding with a coat of Ammo by MIG One Shot
as 1940 and revolved mainly around that also desirable. Because of the many changes TEMPEST MK.V (SERIES 2) OF THE CZECH MANUFACTURER’S being needed. I masked the Black Primer applied through my Harder
& Steenbeck Infinity airbrush set at 15Psi.
aircrafts thick-chord wing, which although
providing room for copious amounts of fuel
made to the basic design, a name change was
also felt appropriate. Due to supply problems
MANUFACTURER: Eduard PRODUCTS, AWAITING NEWS OF windshield Tamiya Masking
tape and fixed it onto For the camouflage I decided to create
EACH NEW-TOOL OFFERING WITH
a wide range of news,

and armament, produced increasing drag at with various power plants earmarked for SCALE: 1/48 the model using a soft edge appearance applying the
The ejector seat and
high speeds. Improved performance would be trial in Tempest airframes, the Mk.V was the KIT TYPE: Injection moulded cockpit are very nicely camouflage freehand with my airbrush. As
achieved by replacing the original wings with initial variant to enter production, delivery to plastic GLEEFUL ANTICIPATION detailed
my Harrier was going to be in a relatively
structures of a thinner, laminar flow design. the RAF beginning in the autumn of 1943. KIT NUMBER: 82122 clean condition, I decided not to apply a
This in turn led to new problems, as thinner pre-shade or a marbling coat. The colours
reviews, and full build 70 SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL 71 66 SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL 67
features from around

1/48 1/48
the world, written
P51-D MUSTANG IAF KFIR C1/USMC F-21A
TALES OF IWO JIMA
IDF LION CUB

KIT DETAILS
KIT DETAILS
by our international
Andy McCabe builds
the 1/48 Eduard North
American P51-D Very
IDF LION
CUB
Long-Range Mustang
IAF KFIR C1/USMC F-21A
team of contributors
TALES OF IWO JIMA
MANUFACTURER: Kinetic
MANUFACTURER: Eduard SCALE: 1/48
SCALE: 1/48 KIT Type: Injection moulded
A PERFECT
KIT TYPE: Injection moulded plastic
plastic KIT NUMBER: 48053
including many with a

KIT NUMBER: 11142
STORM
a choice of either pre-painted etched parts
or plastic and decals for the instrument INSIDE!
worldwide reputation panels. I used the etched parts as they were
superb. The cockpit itself was quite a lengthy
build on its own as Eduard have included
a lot of parts with a great level of detail.
Angelo Lodetti details the 1/48
DOUGLAS XB-35 -
VP CANADA’S 1/72
in their field. It is this

FUSELAGE Kinetic IAI Kfir C1 from the First THE FIRST DELIVERIES
The bulk of the cockpit is built up onto the
cockpit floor, with the fuel tank being located Fighter Squadron 1976 OF THE KFIR WERE VACFROM KIT
IN APRIL 1975 AND
TALES OF IWO JIMA -
behind the pilot’s seat. The side walls have
separate plastic ribbing to which etched
THEY WENT THE FIRST
EDUARD’S 1/48 VERY
parts are added, and it all looked very nice
when finished. The radiator intake, exhaust COCKPIT AND EJECTOR SEAT All the buttons were painted in white
combination of expert BACKGROUND
T
he Israeli Aircraft Industries
Kfir or ‘Lion Cub’ was an Israeli-
built all-weather multi-role
combat aircraft based on
striped rudders and skull marking on the fin.
These were followed by the Hornet Squadron
in February of following year with the Valley
Squadron being similarly equipped the same
year. The first true operation with the Kfir
The radome has the correct shape, but it
does not perfectly align with the fuselage.
So, to get a more realistic model I have used
the following accessories - Kfir C2 Cockpit
I wanted to upgrade the cockpit area to
include the sidewall detailing and replace
the ejection seats with resin versions. To
do this, I used and SBS Cockpit Set with
ejector seats and an Eduard detailing set. I
with some painted red. I then applied a
bespoke wash to pick out the details.
INTAKES
The first step when dealing with the fuselage
FIGHTER SQUADRON
Eduard’s 1/48 Tempest Mk.V
LONG RANGE MUSTANG
writing and content

the French Dassault Mirage 5, with was launched on November 9,1977 when Set SBS-48043, Eduard Cockpit Detailing painted the entire cockpit in Vallejo Model Air was to prepare the air intakes by gluing
AUGUST 2021
Vol 27 Issue 8 £4.95
Israeli avionics and an Israeli-built version of four to six aircraft from several squadrons Set, Aires Wheel Bay, Aires: Kfir Exhaust Black FS37038, followed by Medium Grey. together the various parts. I then sprayed
the General Electric J79 turbojet engine. The attacked terrorist bases in Lebanon. Nozzle, Reskit Wheels, Eduard Brassin
TALES OF to and from raids, however, the introduction

of the Mustang changed the balance.
first deliveries of the Kfir were in April 1975
and they went the First Fighter Squadron,
traditionally always first with new equipment
THE KIT
The kit used in this project is the 1/48
Shafrir 2, Isra Decal Israeli Air Force KFIR
#IAF52, Master #AM-48-077 Pitot Tube and
Angle Of Attack Probe. The aircraft that I
that has made our

THE KIT in the IAF, and identified by their red/white Kinetic Kfir C1/F-21, which is a very nice kit wanted to build belonged to the first series
IWO JIMA
The Eduard P-51 Mustang comes in a very with some good detailing, however, the of Kfir, the C1, without the canard wings.
impressive box, which contains six grey alignment of the wings to the fuselage was
sprues and one clear sprue, two etched metal a bit problematic, and the same goes for the WHEEL BAYS
frets, seventeen resin parts, a mask set, one front air intakes, as these areas required a The wheel bays are good, So I decided
large decal sheet and a colour instruction lot of putty, superglue and sanding work. to remove and then replace them with
title the most popular BACKGROUND subsequently the Licence built version of the mainly used on most missions, but where the
booklet. The colour call outs are for Gunze
and Mission Models paints, and the decal
sheet contains marking for no less than
twelve different aircraft, which is incredible,
but only one can be made, which is a pity!
a more detailed set from Aires.
Printed in UK
he North American P51 Mustang Rolls Royce Merlin 60 engine by Packard, aircraft was carrying underwing rockets the Even before any building begins it is evident
choice with modellers T was designed and built after a

request issued directly to North
American Aviation from the British
Purchasing Commission during World War
II. The prototype NA-73X was rolled out on
which was designated the V-1650-7 and
fitted to the P-51D model, thus allowing the
Mustang to achieve altitudes of 15,000 feet.
The P-51D was armed with six .50 calibre
Browning Machine Guns and had a range of
165-gallon tanks were used. Between April
7th and August 14th, 1945, a total of fifty-one
very long-range missions were carried out by
the USAF to Japan by the 15th, 21st and 506th
Fighter Groups as well as 171 strike missions
that the quality of this kit is outstanding.
CONSTRUCTION
The build began by assembling the cockpit,
and etched parts are supplied for the seat
not only in the UK but

the 9th September 1940 with the first flight
following on the 26th October 1940. The P-51
was originally powered by an Allison V-170
1,650 miles with the external tanks. A total
of 8,156 P-51D Mustangs were built, and the
very long-range version of the Mustang
to Bonin Islands and in excess of 10,000
hours of Combat Air Patrols around Iwo Jima.
Up until the introduction into service of the
belts, instrument panel and cockpit side
walls. The interior parts were sprayed with
Lifecolor UA004 Interior Green whilst still
IDF LION CUB EASTERN GLORY
Kinetic’s 1/48 Kfir C2/7 Hasegawa’s 1/72 F-104J
Engine which was soon replaced by the Rolls carried either 110- or 165-gallon drop tanks Mustang neither the RAF or USAAF were on the sprues. The cockpit is incredibly
Royce Merlin on the P-51B/C versions and below the wings. The 110-gallon tanks were able to escort their bombers on their way detailed straight-from-the-box and you have
62
also around the world.

58 SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL 59 SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL 63

MA PUBLICATIONS
ON SALE NOW! Scale Military Modeller International – AUGUST 2021
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MA PUBLICATIONS
66 AV-8B HARRIER II PLUS WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
ON THE
Plus
Side
Mahmod Essa Builds the
1:32 Trumpeter AV-8B
Harrier II Plus
T
rumpeter’s 1:32 AV-8B Harrier II Plus
is just that, a plus-size model! It has
some very finely engraved panel
lines, and offers a separate Pegasus
engine, along with poseable control
ailerons, rudder and tailplanes, and a pretty
good overall shape. The only big issue was the
shape and fit of the bow-in doors, which I had
to show closed. Despite its size you don’t get
much in the way of cockpit detail, however, and
the instruments are just shown as decals.
Construction started with the ejector seat,
and then the cockpit was painted with Mr Color
ON THE PLUS SIDE

AV-8B Harrier II Plus
Manufacturer: Trumpeter
Scale: 1:32
Kit Number: 02286
THIS WAS A CHALLENGING PROJECT, BUT YOU DO END UP

WITH A RATHER LARGE HARRIER!
paints. The multi-piece ejection seat looks fairly

good, although I don’t think the etched-metal
seat belts and shoulder harnesses were very
convincing.
When it came time to glue the completed
cockpit into the front fuselage halves, I noticed
a gap on the left side between the side wall
and the fuselage, so I filled this with putty
and sanded it smooth. The nose landing gear
must be assembled and installed before the
nose halves were glued together, which was
a bit of problem! Moving onto the engine and
rear fuselage, I found the intake duct had four
prominent ejector-pin marks that needed
filling, and sanding, however, the rear fuselage
section went together well and needed no
filler. Then completed cockpit and nose section
were then fitted to the fuselage, and again this
needed quite a bit of work. The wing assembly
fits onto the top of the fuselage and once more
ON THE PLUS SIDE

Leathernecks Decals, which performed well,
settling down nicely with Mr Mark Setter and
Softer. Then once dry I added a coat of Mr Color
Super Flat. This was a challenging project, but
you do end up with a rather large Harrier for
required a lot of filling, sanding and test fitting Alclad II metallics for the rear nozzles and blast your collection! MA
to get it into position. I then added the fuselage plates. Once the paint dried, I gave the model
gun pods and assembled the weapon and a glossy finish using Mr Color Super Clear,
pylons and attached them to the wings followed by a wash made of using black and
I painted my Harrier with Mr Color 317 305 grey pastel chalks mixed with water and a
and 308, using Levelling Thinner and used few drops of soap. For markings I used Flying
AV-8B
Harrier II
Plus
in Detail
ON THE PLUS SIDE

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HURRICANE
• Plastic airplane model kit
• Decals
Mk II B trop
74 A-7E CORSAIR II WWW.MISSIONMODELSUS.COM
Mission Models Masterclass

Mac Patterson builds
the 1:48 Academy
Tomahawk IIB
A Shark
in the Sand
D
espite never really being considered the first Allied unit to adorn their aircraft with
to be in the top division of World the iconic shark mouth motif.
War Two fighter aircraft, the Curtiss The Academy ‘Aces of African Front’ re-
P-40 family, whether a Tomahawk, boxing of their venerable P-40C (Tomahawk
Kittyhawk or Warhawk served IIB) offers four options for these famous desert
with distinction in virtually every theatre of fighters, with a great decal sheet highlighting a
operations- from the sub-zero Russian Front number of RAF Aces. The kit itself is very simple
to Pacific tropics, by way of the blistering and uncomplicated, indicating that the build
conditions in the Western Desert. When initially process will be fairly basic, having said that, the
operated by The Royal Air Force, the Tomahawk grey plastic has some lovely delicate recessed
was a huge disappointment in European skies, and rivet detail, all looking crisp and positive.
unable to complement the Spitfire or take on There is no need to fret over the simple cockpit, Tomahawk IIB
the Bf 109 due to poor altitude performance. just go with the kit parts or replace them with Manufacturer: Academy
Initially assigned less demanding roles, it was aftermarket resin or etch, depending on your Scale: 1:48
eventually, through expediency, that the RAF requirements. You do get some moulded side Kit Type: Plastic injection moulded
P-40’s found fame in the Desert Air Force. It was wall detail, but it is a little spartan. Kit Number: 12235
here, legend has it, that No.112 Squadron were Prior to closing up the fuselage, I elected to
MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 WWW.MISSIONMODELSUS.COM 75

Adding the Mission
Models camouflage
colours
The decals
settled well
use the Eduard etched flaps set for a

little extra interest, this meant removing
the moulded flaps from the plastic wing
underside part. With this completed the
fuselage was closed without complain and
the wings secured in place, once more the
simplicity of the parts count giving the build a retain a degree of pre-shading. RAF Dark Earth
distinct speed advantage. At this point I took MMP-078 was then applied freehand with my
a moment to research some of the aircraft airbrush, following the camouflage pattern as
available on the decal sheet and look at the shown on Academy’s instruction sheet. The I chose from the kit sheet the No.112
effect the harsh desert environment had undersides were completed with RAF Azure Squadron Tomahawk of Neville Duke, which
on the look of the Tomahawks. The Osprey Blue MMP-092. I decided to work over the basic carried the iconic shark mouth so associated
Tomahawk and Kittyhawk Aces of the RAF and camouflage, so the paint job was sealed with a with the desert war. This P-40, AK402, was
Commonwealth was invaluable here, with Semi-Gloss Clear Coat of assigned to nineteen-year-old Pilot Officer Duke
detailed information and a great selection of MMA-005 in readiness for while serving in Egypt in late 1941- claiming
original photographs and colour the decaling process. five Axis aircraft before being lost on the 30th
profiles. The combination of
blistering sun and abrasive sand
obviously took its toll on the RAF
P-40 fleet, offering the modeller a great
opportunity to undertake some heavy
weathering effects.
Initial steps in this process included
priming and pre-shading the Tomahawk
ahead of breaking out the airbrush to
create the classic Desert scheme of Middle
Stone and Dark Earth over Azure Blue.
As basis of the weathering canvas, I
opted to use Mission Models RAF
Middle Stone MMP-076, applied
in a couple of light coats to
THE ACADEMY ‘ACES OF AFRICAN FRONT’ RE-BOXING OF

THEIR VENERABLE P-40C OFFERS FOUR OPTIONS FOR THESE
FAMOUS DESERT FIGHTERS
76 A-7E CORSAIR II WWW.MISSIONMODELSUS.COM
I elected to use the salt method

on the upper surfaces to create a
bleached, mottled effect to the
paintwork
The abrasive nature of the Desert

sand meant the camouflage was
often taken back to bare metal
on specific areas
I added Pilot
Officer Duke in
his office
of November. The quality of

the decal sheet is there to be a hardworking Tomahawk in an unforgiving
seen, being well printed with solid colours, all environment. The panel lines were picked out
of the individual markings bedded down well with diluted Lamp Black oil paint.
with Micro Sol and Set. I was concerned about some Mission Models Aluminium with a small I replaced the kit exhaust with the
whether the large shark mouth decal would section sponge to areas of high wear and tear. Quickboost set, these were given a coat of
conform the complex curves of the Tomahawks A selection of weathering powders was then Mission Models Black, followed by Brown and
chin, but the end result really did look painted dragged across the airframe in the direction finally dry brushed with Silver. Before securing
on. of the airflow to further enhance the look of this in place, I created some exhaust staining
As mentioned, I really wanted to go to
town on the weathering to replicate the harsh
nature of the desert theatre. With the decals Legend has it, that No. 112 Squadron were
thoroughly bedded down, I elected to use the the first Allied unit to adorn their aircraft
with the iconic shark mouth motif
salt method on the upper surfaces to create a
bleached, mottled effect to the paintwork. This
entailed dampening the surface with water
and randomly sprinkling rock salt over the
build, this is then allowed to completely dry.
Several very light coats of buff were then over
sprayed to replicate abrasion, dust and sun
bleaching. The salt was then removed with a
soft brush, the result being a subtle weathered,
mottle effect. The abrasive nature of the Desert
sand kicked up by the aircraft propellor meant
the camouflage paint was often taken back
to bare metal on specific areas, such as wing
leading edges and access panels. The cockpit
entry areas also suffered the abrasive effects
of grit and dirt, so to replicate this I applied
MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 WWW.MISSIONMODELSUS.COM 77

pose, with elbow resting
on the edge of the cockpit.
This was a really enjoyable
across the length of the fuselage, by firstly build, getting back to basics- the
applying Black in a series of light airbrush simplicity of the Academy kit
strokes, followed by Brown and finally a series allowed me the time to
of light Grey ‘pulses’. The eye-catching red focus on the painting
spinner was similarly weathered and once more and weathering effects.
the abrasive effects of the sand was replicated Whether a shark, a tiger
by applying silver with a section of sponge to or even a parrot, the P-40
take the paintwork back to metal. always looks purposeful,
The undercarriage legs and wheels are, in and the modeller has an
keeping with the rest of the kit, fairly simple almost endless choice of types
but none the less look pretty accurate, and and markings to build and enjoy! MA
I added some brake lines made from
sections of fuse wire to enhance
the undersides. To complete the
build, I added Pilot Officer Duke
in his office, the figure being
taken from my ‘spares-box’, and
I particularly liked the
casually confident
78 CHECK YOUR REFERENCES WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
CHECK YOUR
REFERENCES
Models Aircraft’s Monthly Look at New Books
Holland 1940
Publisher: Osprey
Author: Ryan K Noppen
ISBN: 9781472846686
Format: Softback Mosquito
Price: £14.99 The Original Multi-Role Aircraft
T
he German invasion of the
Netherlands was meant to be Author: Graham M Simons
a lightning-fast surgical strike, ISBN: 9781472840713
aimed at shoring up the right flank of Format: Softback
the assault on France and Belgium. Price: £14.99
With a bold plan based largely on
D
Luftwaffe air power, air-landing uring the history of aviation
Mistel fitted with massive hollow-charge

warheads replacing their cockpit
sections, these extraordinary
troops, and the biggest airborne
assault yet seen, a Dutch surrender
was expected within a few hours. But
there have been very few
aircraft that have achieved
immediate success when entering
Publisher: Crecy
Author: Robert Forsyth machines were deployed for the Netherlands possessed Europe’s front-line service. The de Havilland
ISBN: 978147109815 the first time off Normandy first fully integrated anti-aircraft Mosquito was one such aircraft.
Format: Hardback in July 1944. They were later network, as well as modern and It was not designed to an RAF
Price: £45.00 used in sporadic missions over competitive aircraft. On 10 May, requirement, but was the result
the Western Front before the the German attack was only partly of an initiative of the designers
T
his is a revised and reworked Luftwaffe used them in numbers successful, and the Dutch fought on and builders to utilise the skills
edition of the author’s long in a last-ditch attempt to try to for another four days. On the fifth of woodworkers and the relative
out of print 2001 study halt the Soviet advances across day, with its original strategy having abundance of wood in the crisis
of the origins, development the Oder, Warthe and Neisse largely failed, the Luftwaffe resorted years of World War II. The result
and operations of Germany’s rivers during the last weeks of to terror-bombing Rotterdam to force was an aeroplane that could be
composite aircraft during the the war. The Mistel’s size and a surrender. Explaining the technical built quickly, was extremely fast
Second World War. Known as hazardous nature meant that only capabilities and campaign plans of and extremely versatile. The pilots
the ‘Mistel’ concept, the designs experienced pilots could fly it, but the two sides, and charting how the loved it. This book describes how it
were originally intended for despite its complexity, it handled battles were fought, this fascinating was built and utilizes many hitherto
use in peacetime as a means of well and its control systems were book reassesses this little-known part unpublished photographs from
extending the range of aircraft, remarkably sophisticated and of World War II. The author argues the design studio and production
but in 1942 a small team of pilots responsive. This fascinating and that while the Holland campaign lines. It illustrates and explains the
and engineers adapted the idea exhaustive study is accompanied was a tactical victory for Germany, many different roles that the aircraft
for military usage. Comprising Bf by hundreds of rare photographs the ability of the well-prepared but took as the war progressed. Fighter,
109 or Fw 190 fighters as upper as well as maps, colour artwork outnumbered Dutch to inflict heavy bomber, reconnaissance, night
components mounted on top and detailed technical drawings. losses was a warning of what would fighter – there were few tasks that
of ‘war-weary’ Ju 88 airframes www.crecy.co.uk come in the Battle of Britain. this brilliant design could not adopt.
www.ospreypublishing.co.uk www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
CHECK YOUR REFERENCES

Dornier Do 217
Units of World English Electric
War II Canberra
Publisher: Osprey Author: Bruce Barrymore
Author: Chris Goss Halfpenny
ISBN: 9781472846174 ISBN: 9781472841905
Format: Softback Format: Softback
Price: £14.99 Price: £18.99
T T
he Do 217 had a much larger his amazing aeroplane first
bomb load capacity and had
considerably greater range
flew in 1949, and as at 2005,
is still in front-line service
Yokosuka D4Y ‘Judy’ Units
than the Do 17, which it replaced in with the RAF. It has served in a Publisher: Osprey
frontline service from mid to late 1941. variety of roles including those of Author: Mark Chambers and many other Japanese
Although initially used simply as a medium conventional bomber, ISBN: 9781472845057 military aircraft, it possessed
bomber, later variants were developed tactical nuclear bomber, photo- Format: Softback design shortcomings including
to allow the Do 217 to undertake reconnaissance, night intruder, Price: £14.99 inadequate armour protection for
the precision maritime strike role. In navigational trainer, maritime its aircrew and no self-sealing fuel
I
order to perform the latter mission, strike, electronic countermeasures, n 1938, the Yokosuka Naval tanks. As a result, when pitted
the Do 217 was modified to launch atomic cloud sampling and target- Air Technical Arsenal, acting against new, advanced US Navy
glide bombs - units employing towing. It was manufactured under the requirements fighters suffered horrendous
these pioneering weapons enjoyed in the USA under license as the issued by the Kaigun Koku losses. During the final months of
some success in the Mediterranean Martin B-57, and in Australia under Hombu for a Navy Experimental World War II, it became apparent
from the autumn of 1943. During licence as the Canberra B-20. It 13-Shi Carrier Borne specification that there would be no Japanese
the course of these operations the has been exported to Argentina, for a dive-bomber to replace the victory. Acting out of desperation,
Do 217 became the first aircraft in Chile, France, Germany, India, venerable ‘Val’ aboard carriers. the IJNAF employed the ‘Judy’
military aviation history to deploy a Peru, Sweden, Venezuela, South The resulting D4Y Suisei ‘Comet’, in the dreaded kamikaze role,
precision-guided bomb in combat in Africa and other Commonwealth codenamed ‘Judy’ by the Allies, in which it excelled due to its
the form of the ‘Fritz X’ radio-guided, countries. This book looks at the was initially powered by a high-speed characteristics. Most
free-fall weapon, which sank the development of the aircraft during licence-built German Daimler- notably, the D4Y mounted one of
Italian battleship Roma shortly after the early days of jet power and Benz DB 601 inline engine as used the last combat actions of World
Italy capitulated in September 1943. especially at its Rolls-Royce Avon in the Bf 109E. Despite making War II when a flight of 11 Judie’s,
The Do 217 served on all fronts and power-plant. It was Britain’s first jet an inauspicious combat debut personally led by the instigator of
was often used on anti-shipping bomber. Each of the many marks during the Battle of Midway in the suicide attacks, Vice Admiral
strikes during the Battle of the Atlantic and variants are described and June 1942, the ‘Judy’ eventually Matome Ugaki, took off on a
and against the Allied invasion fleet illustrated by many remarkable and proved to be an important ‘search mission’ on August 15,
at Normandy. This versatile aircraft rare photographs. The type’s record asset for the IJNAF during 1945. This volume chronicles the
was also converted into a nightfighter, of service with RAF squadrons battles in the latter years of the action-packed wartime exploits
seeing action in the Defense of the throughout its service life is given Pacific War. Its great successes of Japan’s finest dive-bomber of
Reich through to war’s end. This together with descriptions of the resulted in the sinking of the World War II.
highly illustrated study explores many experimental models that escort carrier USS Princetonian www.ospreypublishing.co.uk
the design and development of the were used in the development of an early kamikaze attack of the
Do 217 and chronicles its use in the a variety of weapons and avionics Philippines and the near sinking
frontline as a strategic bomber, launch systems. of the fleet carrier USS Franklin in
platform for first generation precision www.pen-and-sword.co.uk a dive-bombing attack off Japan.
weapons, reconnaissance aircraft and While the Judy had an impressive
nightfighter, among others. top-speed, like its predecessor,
www.ospreypublishing.co.uk
80 CHECK YOUR REFERENCES WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
Teach for the Sky

MiG-31 Publisher: Crecy
Interceptor Author: James Jackson

ISBN: 978147109664
Format: Hardback
Author: Yefim Gordon
Price: £29.95
ISBN: 9781472843921
B
uilding on lessons learned
Format: Softback
during the Second World
Price: £16.99
War, there has been
T
he MiG-31 started life as an continual investment in training
advanced derivative of the aircraft and equipment as aviation
famous MiG-25P interceptor,
becoming the first Soviet fourth-
technology and aerial warfare has
evolved. The Air Staff, the Admiralty
Desert Cats
generation combat aircraft. First and British aircraft companies Publisher: Pen and Sword
flown in 1975, it differed from its developed a wide range of aircraft Author: Danny Burt had always been intended, over
progenitor primarily in having a from basic trainers to jet-powered ISBN: 9781472842458 the weeks that followed No.41
crew of two (pilot and weapons aircraft and helicopters. Drawing Format: Hardback Squadron switched to more
systems operator), a highly on research in company and Price: £25.00 unusual medium-level missions.
capable passive phased-array government archives, Teach for the In total, the men and machines
O
radar – a world first – and new R-33 Sky describes the development of n 2 August 1990, Saddam of No.41 Squadron conducted
long-range missiles as its primary training aircraft for basic, advanced, Hussein’s armed forces a total of 617 sorties during
armament. The maximum speed operational conversion and aircrew invaded and occupied Operation ‘Granby’. To complete
was an impressive Mach 2.82, training from the late 1940s to the Kuwait. A swift international this remarkable description of
the cruising speed being Mach present day. The planning and response followed, which, led by No.41 Squadron’s part in the
2.35. The type entered service in requirements behind the trainers the United States and the United liberation of Kuwait, the author
1981; more than 500 copies were such as the Prentice, Balliol, Jet Kingdom, saw the formation of a has interviewed a number of
built between 1981 and 1994. The Provost, Varsity, Gnat, Tucano coalition that formed the largest these pilots. As well as these
powerful radar and other avionics and Hawk are examined, as are military alliance seen since the end veterans’ personal reflections,
allowed the MiG-31 to operate as a many of the design studies that of the Second World War. Among Danny Burt also explores the
‘mini-AWACS’ scanning the airspace remained on the drawing board. the many RAF units deployed Jaguars’ record on air-to-ground
and guiding other interceptors to The evolution of the training under Operation ‘Granby’, the combat and its performance in
their targets; a flight of three such organisation and the challenges codename given to the British theatre, the various upgrades
aircraft in line abreast formation faced in adapting the training military operations during the the type receive, and the unique
could cover a strip 800 km (500 syllabus to new technologies from conflict, was No.41 Squadron, nose art that each aircraft carried.
miles) wide. To this day the MiG-31 1945 to the present day are also with elements taken from No.54 Many of the pictures in this
remains one of the key air defence analysed. Illustrated throughout Squadron and No.226 OCU, which highly illustrated publication
assets of the Russian Air Force. with photographs, drawings and was equipped with the ubiquitous have never been published
The book describes the MiG-31’s specially commissioned artwork, Jaguar GR.1 single-seat all-weather before. The story is completed
developmental history, including Teach for the Sky is a unique tactical strike and ground-attack by the recovery by the author
upgrade programmes, and features reference guide to the aircraft and fighter. In late 1990, the Squadron of one of the Jaguar GR.1s flown
a full and comprehensive survey of training methods developed to duly despatched a total of twelve in the Gulf War Rescued from
the various MiG-31 model-making prepare pilots and aircrew for the aircraft, which soon became an Army range in South Wales,
kits currently available on the frontline since 1945. known for their distinctive desert the aircraft was moved to RAF
market. www.crecy.co.uk pink camouflage, and twenty- Coningsby where its restoration,
www.pen-and-sword.co.uk two pilots from their base at RAF including the return of its
Coltishall. Operation ‘Granby’ camouflage,
Initially conducting low-level is underway.
strikes, for which the Jaguar Force www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
Shop & Web Guide Promote your company here and appear this magazine every month.
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82 VOLUME 20 ISSUE 08 WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM
In The Next Issue

For the September 2021 Issue of Model Aircraft,
here’s just a little of what we have planned!
Torpedo-Cara Island Tiger
Alan Kelley builds the 1:48 Kinetic IA-58 Pucara Mac Patterson builds the 1:48 Italeri P-40E
as prototype AX-04, fitted to trial the carriage Warhawk
of Mk.13 Torpedoes
An Early Riser
A German Whale Grant Dalzell builds the 1:48 Amusing Hobby
Grant Dalzell builds the 1:48 Eduard ProfiPACK Weserflug P.1003/1
Roland C.II
Beautiful Lass
French Jaguars at War – From Chad to the Gulf Sam Gaucher builds the 1:48 Tamiya P-38G
with historic details, colour profiles scale plans
and a full build of the 1:48 Kitty Hawk Jaguar A Inside the Fulcrum
from Snorre Sandviken Pascal Klasen opens up an East German 1:48
Great Wall Hobby MiG-29C
Plus much, much more!
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Fire Tanker A Swedish Dragon

SIDE - AV-8B IN DET

TROPICAL CANADIAN SPIT

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb

THE TOPSIDE CAMOUFLAGE COLOURS WERE MR HOBBY H71

6 A Swedish Dragon 12 Combat Zone – A Flashy Meteor 20 Tropical Canadian Spit

ON THE PLUS SIDE

MISSION MODELS MASTERCLASS

ALTHOUGH MANY CHANGES ARE REQUIRED TO BUILD A ‘FIRE

60 Fire Tanker 66 On the Plus Side 74 A Shark in the Sand

A POLISH LIGHT BOMBER

MODEL AIRCRAFT – PHANTOMS

A SPITFIRE FOR UNCLE SAM

A Polish Light THE BIG BUILD

Model Aircraft Manual

Cold War Phantom

for Uncle Sam

78 CHECK YOUR REFERENCES WWW.MODELAIRCRAFTMAG.COM MODEL AIRCRAFT AUGUST 2021 79

Mistel fitted with massive hollow-charge

78 Check Your References

35 Model Aircraft Manual

- British Phantoms - Cold War

The intake areas

The front canopy

You can see the difference in detail

The black basing and marbling technique was

Mr Color 328 US Navy Blue

The decals were by Cartograf

them in and then glued

Adding some weathering

ish Jet Fight er COMBAT Z

COMBAT ZONE – GLOSTER METEOR

COMBAT ZONE – GLOSTER METEOR

I CANNOT PRAISE THIS KIT ENOUGH AND AIRFIX

COMBAT ZONE – GLOSTER METEOR

You have the

The undersides were

COMBAT ZONE – GLOSTER METEOR

Matt Owen builds

TROPICAL CANADIAN SPIT

THE TOPSIDE CAMOUFLAGE COLOURS WERE MR HOBBY H71

well-documented issue with this kit is the fit of

…and they paint up very nicely…

…and we are ready

03846 Gloster Gladiator Mk.II, 1:32

07677 VW T1 “Dr. Oetker”, 1:24

Available from all good model

representing the aircraft in the colour profile

THE KIT INCLUDES A BEAUTIFUL SHEET OF

A POLISH LIGHT BOMBER

Adding the wings….

….and the tail sections

A POLISH LIGHT BOMBER

The undersides were

5, and was powered by the same SNECMA

Scale Military Modeller Scale Aviation Modeller Model Aircraft

RRP based on UK prices.

ALL THE LATEST

IDF LION CUB EASTERN GLORY

Subscription Reference Daytime Telephone Number

A I enclose a £ Sterling cheque made payable to ‘Triple Six Media Ltd’

B Please charge my Visa Mastercard American Express Maestro (Switch/Solo)

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