ARCTIC SWIFT JUMP JET PIONEER

1/32 Wessex HC.2 1/72 Short SC.1 from

from Fly Model Planet Models and history
Mar 2018
Issue 88

60+
PRODUCT
REVIEWS

SHAR
FLIES
AGAIN
Improving Airfix’s
re-issued Sea Harrier FA.2

PLUS 1/35 T-34/76 TANK • 1/48 DASSAULT OURAGAN AND HISTORY

NORFOLK & SUFFOLK AVIATION MUSEUM • LATEST NEWS...

JOLLY GREEN EMILY

Hasegawa’s new 1/72 Kawanishi H8K2 £4.50

BRITISH BATTLE TAXI

1/35 FV 432 Mk.2/1 from Takom
 MISSION
MODELS
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PAINT

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IMPORTERS/DISTRIBUTORS: UNITED KINGDOM - https://www.tigerhobbies.co.uk GERMANY - http://www.modellbau-koenig.de
UNITED STATES - https://www.micromark.com AUSTRALIA - http://www.airbrushmegastore.com

MissionModels_FP.indd 1 12/01/2018 09:18


I
’m sure I’m not alone in this,
but have you ever had a
certain kit release prompt a
particularly frenzied period of
pre-build research?
It happened to me just before
Christmas, when S&M Models’
Editor: Chris Clifford
Assistant Editor: Stu Fone
Editor's Secretary: Melissa Smith
Contributors this issue:
Garry Tobiss, Brian Wakeman, Kev Smith,
Ra’anan Weiss, Bill Curtiss, Dave Oliver,
Tony Buttler
Designer: Tom Bagley
Chief Designer: Steve Donovan
Group Editor: Nigel Price
Production Manager: Janet Watkins
Commercial Director: Ann Saundry
Group Advertising Manager: Brodie Baxter
Advertising Manager: Sarah Jarman
Advertising Sales Executive: Elizabeth Ridge
Classified Sales Executive: Hollie Keeling
Ad Production Manager: Debi McGowan
Group Marketing Manager: Martin Steele
Marketing Manager: Shaun Binnington
Subscriptions and Mail Order: Liz Ward
Managing Director: Adrian Cox
Executive Chairman: Richard Cox
WELCOME TO ISSUE 88
new 1/72 Canberra kits finally
became available. We all have
certain pet subjects that still
seem to remain unaddressed
properly in kit form, and the
Canberra B.2 was mine. When
Airfix released its 1/72 PR.9 and
B(I).8 boxings, I had everything
crossed that a bomber canopy
variant would follow…but alas,
no. Italeri did tentatively throw
its hat in the ring for a Canberra
B.2, but nothing materialised.
Airfix’s decision not to tool
what’s arguably the most popular
‘Cranberry’ sub-type has always
puzzled me, but no matter…
S&M’s move lit a real fire within
me, which burned right up until
I received the kits I bought – and
there’s still no sign of the flames
dying down!
Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100,
Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ, UK.
Distributed by: Seymour Distribution Ltd,
2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PP.
Tel: 020 7429 4000. Fax: 020 7429 4001.
Printed by: Warners (Midland) plc, Bourne.
Printed in England (ISSN 1471-0587).
Subscriptions:
Please refer to main advertisement within
the magazine. All applications stating name,
address, date to commence and remittance to:
Subscriptions Department, Airfix Model World,
Key Publishing Ltd, P0 Box 300, Stamford,
Lincolnshire, PE9 1NA, UK.
Telephone/9.00-5.30 Monday-Friday GMT
+44 (0) 1780 480404, Fax: +44 (0) 1780 757812
E-Mail: subs@keypublishing.com
Airfix Model World (ISSN: 1471-0587) is published
monthly by Key Publishing Ltd, P0 Box 300,
Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1NA, UK and
facebook.com/airfixmodelworld
www.airfixmodelworld.com
Reference books have been
plucked from the shelves, and
decal folders opened at the
relevant points; I’ve always been
a ‘decal hound’, and luckily
purchased every Canberra
sheet I could find in anticipation
of a B.2 being released. I’ve
now decided on the scheme,
a fetching 9 Squadron B.2
in Medium Sea Grey, Light
Slate Grey and white…but
there’s no question that other
Canberra builds will follow this
inaugural project. From my own
experience, the wonderful thing
about research is there’s always
something new to discover…
whether it be a technical detail,
colour scheme or something
from the subject’s history. This
is why, for me, modelling is such
distributed in the USA by UKP Worldwide,
3390 Rand Road, South Plainfield, NJ 07080.
Periodicals postage paid at Rahway, NJ and at
additional mailing offices. Readers in the USA
can place subscriptions by visiting
www.airfixmodelworld.com or by calling toll
free 800-428-3003 or fax 757-428-6253 or by
writing to Airfix Model World, 3330 Pacific Ave,
Ste 500, Virginia Beach, VA23451-9828.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
Airfix Model World, Key Publishing Ltd, c/o 3390
Rand Road, South Plainfield NJ 07080.
All items submitted for publication are subject
to our terms and conditions. These are
regularly updated without prior notice and are
freely available from www.keypublishing.com
The entire contents of Airfix Model World
is © copyright, and no part of it may be
reproduced in any form or stored on any
form of retrieval system without the prior
permission of the publisher.
EDITOR'S DESK
WELCOME
Like us!
Visit us!
a multi-faceted, engaging and
enjoyable pursuit.
There never seems to be any
lack of inspiration either, with so
many products being released.
I’m always pulled in different
directions while editing AMW,
but I’ve found this edition’s
build subjects especially
fascinating, and FV 432 and
Short SC.1 models will fill my
display cabinet in the future. I
hope your own modelling will
be invigorated by this month’s
content. Enjoy the issue!
Chris Clifford
Clifford, Editor
chris.clifford@keypublishing.com
SUBSCRIBE
AND SAVE!
A subscription to Airfix Model World
offers great savings on cover price.
See pages 76-77 for details.
“AIRFIX’’ is a registered trade mark of Hornby
Hobbies Limited and is used under licence.
We are unable to guarantee the bona fides of
any of our advertisers. Readers are strongly
recommended to take their own precautions
before parting with any information or
item of value, including, but not limited to,
money, manuscripts, photographs or personal
information in response to any advertisements
within this publication.
To find a stockist near you,
visit airfixmodelworld.com
The average sale for the period
Jan – Dec 2016 was 12,730 print
and digital copies monthly.
www.airfixmodelworld.com 3
 CONTENTS
WHAT'S INSIDE?

REGULARS
06 News
The latest happenings in the world of
plastic modelling.
12
10 Show Scene
At-a-glance model show calendar.

76 Subscribe
and Save!
A subscription to Airfix Model
World offers great savings on
cover price. See pages 76-77
for details.

78 On the Shelf
Fourteen pages of reviews highlight
the latest modelling and reference
items from around the world.

98 Archive
Treasures
Our new closing item each month

22
offers a stunning reference
photograph. This month, the Sea
Harrier FA.2 takes centre stage.

60+ REVIEWS
Latest modelling
products

36 56

4 Airfix Model World

 CONTENTS
WHAT'S INSIDE?

28

FEATURES
12 Advanced Build – Jolly Green Emily
Garry Tobiss adds Eduard aftermarket details to Hasegawa’s recently released
Kawanishi H8K2 flying boat.

22 In Focus – Arctic Swift

Fly’s substantial 1/32 Westland Wessex receives a wintry finish, courtesy of
Brian Wakeman.

28 Intermediate Build – British Battle Taxi

Kev Smith relies on his past Army service to ensure accuracy with Takom’s
FV 432 armoured personnel carrier.

36 Advanced Build – Accidental Warrior

IsraCast’s 1/48 multi-media Dassault Ouragan is built and weathered superbly
by Dave Oliver.

44 In Focus – Middle Eastern Hurricane

64 Ra’anan Weiss makes his AMW debut by telling the story of Dassault’s
Ouragan in Israeli service.

48 Intermediate Build – Deliberate Force SHAR

Assistant editor Stu Fone employs scratch-building and aftermarket on a test-
shot of Airfix’s pending 1/72 Sea Harrier FA.2 re-release.

56 Intermediate Build – Soviet Scrapper

Bill Curtiss builds ICM’s 1/35 T-34/76 almost straight from the box…and has
fun with weathering.

64 Out and About – East Anglian Gems

Modelling reference aplenty awaited Dave Oliver at the Norfolk and Suffolk
Aviation Museum.

66 66 Advanced Build – Jump Jet Pioneer

Dave Oliver enjoys a slice of British flight test history with Planet Models’
1/72 Short SC.1.

72 In Focus – A Short Trip in the Vertical

The fascinating career of the Short SC.1 is explored by aviation historian
Tony Buttler, AMRAeS.

Your favourite magazine is available digitally.

See airfixmodelworld.com for more details.

You can also find us on:

Search ‘Airfix Model World’

www.airfixmodelworld.com 5
NEWS BULLETIN
LATEST UPDATES
BREAKING
LUFTWAFFE AND
RAF GEMS
A RE-WORKING of Airfix’s
new-tool 1/48 Stuka is now
available (A07115), allowing
modellers to portray Ju 87B-2
and R-2 sub-types.
Just as with the B-1 from last
year, there’s a detailed engine
and a well-appointed cockpit,
but this boxing provides the
different engine cowling and
exhaust layout, and external
fuel tanks for the ‘R’. The two
Luftwaffe colour schemes
represent aircraft in standard
splinter camouflage, but one of
these (B-2) has over-painted
swathes of RLM 79 Sandgelb.
Also from the World War Two
arena is the re-released 1/72
Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV
(A04061), but with new
parts for the undernose
gun turret fitted to
some examples of this
variant. One scheme is
for an RAF 107 Squadron
aircraft in Dark Earth and
Dark Green over Night,
while the second option
(with nose turret) is a
6 Airfix Model World
NEWS
Free French Air Force machine in
North Africa desert tones.
The final release from Airfix
highlighted this month is a
special three-kit 1/72 Gift Set,
dubbed RAF Centenary (A50181)
which, obviously, marks 2018’s
100 years of the Royal Air
Force. Here, one receives
the new-tool Spitfire Mk.Ia,
original Eurofighter Typhoon
and Sopwith Camel. The latter
two items are not brand-new
toolings; the Tiffie is actually the
1990 kit, and the Camel is the
vintage 1957 2F1. Gift Set status
also means acrylic Humbrol
paint, brushes and cement are
included. www.airfix.com
TANDEM HOVER
FANS OF Harriers have waited a long
time for a 1/48 first-generation two-
seater, but with Kinetic’s stunning
‘T-Bird’, it’s been worth it.
Comprising eight styrene runners,
its Harrier Two Seater Trainer
(K48040) can be built as one of
seven different sub-types (T.2, T.2A,
T.4, T.4N, T.8, TAV-8A and TAV-8S),
which served in the RAF, Royal Navy,
US Marine Corps, or the Spanish
or Thai Navy. Thankfully, all the
necessary nose cones, panels and
vertical stabilisers are supplied, with
options for open/closed canopies,
airbrake and auxiliary intake
doors. The detail, both internal and
external, is very impressive, notably
the single-piece cockpit tub, and the
wheel and airbrake bays, while the
four-piece (including internal rear
windscreen) glazing is crystal clear.
BAD AND GOOD NEWS
REVELL-GERMANY’S parent
firm, Hobbico Inc, has filed for
relief under Chapter 11 of the US
Bankruptcy Code…while it seeks
finalisation of its comprehensive
restructuring. In conjunction,
Hobbico also announced its plan to
sell Revell-Germany.
Because Hobbico’s bankruptcy
filing was made in the US and is
strictly limited to the company’s
US operations, Revell-Germany is
unaffected. Additionally, Revell-
Germany suppliers, vendors and
customers will not be impacted by
the process.
“Our Revell-Germany operation
is not filing for bankruptcy
There is a huge selection of
weaponry, shared with the firm’s
earlier single-seat releases, but
just the fuel tanks, gun pods and
rocket pods are applicable to trainer
Harriers. However, the kit lacks
Stencel ejection seats for the TAV-
8s, and accurate instrument panels
for the T.8, along with any practice
bombs/dispensers or US rocket
pods (the latter applicable to USMC,
Spanish and Thai aircraft).
Where this kit really scores, though,
is the number of schemes; the
markings are printed by Cartograf
with typical pin-sharp accuracy,
offering three RN T.8s, two RAF
T.4/4As and single examples of RAF
T.2, RN T.4N and USMC, Spanish and
Thai Navy TAV-8s. For more details,
visit: www.luckymodel.com or
www.kineticmodel.com
protection,” said Louis Brownstone,
President of Hobbico Inc. “It will
continue to provide the same high
level of service to our customers.
We are optimistic the filing will
better position US operations for
future growth.”
Stefan Krings, President of Revell-
Germany, says it’s very much
business as usual: “Looking ahead,
our top priorities remain continuing
to build our business with our high-
valued vendors and suppliers, while
simultaneously providing the same
high level of product support to our
customers.”
Unbowed by Hobbico’s Stateside
turmoil, Revell-Germany exhibited
at the Nuremberg Toy Fair with
new products for 2018, and Krings
added: “We are convinced we
can continue the growth path of
2017 with our attractive range of
novelties.”
 TON-UP THISTLES
(Belgian Air Force – Bart Roselle)
CRANBERRY LANDING
MODELLERS HAVE waited
years for a decent mainstream
1/72 Canberra B.2, but S&M
Models’ 1/72 'Cranberry' kits
are now available.
They were due to be on
sale at Telford last year, but
production issues meant they
were delivered not until just
before Christmas. But there’s
not just the B.2, as a T.4 has
also been issued. Both kits
share identical runners, save
for an additional transparency
with the B.2, for the frontal
bomb-aimer’s glazing with
direct vision window.
The standard overall is
REVELL HAS re-released
its 1/72 F-16 in a Belgian Air
Force special scheme.
As exemplified here by this
stunning official BAF photo,
kit 03905 will represent the
100th Anniversary F-16 MLU
of 1 Squadron, as rendered
last year at Florennes. The kit
has 98 parts and reflects Mid
Life Update features, such as
‘bird slicer’ antennas on the
nose. For further details visit:
www.revell.de/en
This is a traditional limited-
run product, so there are no
locating pins, and minor niggles
include incorrect mainwheels,
missing mudguards on
the nosewheels, and no
real rendition of the B.2’s
characteristic engine starter
breech covers. Many modellers
will have a lot of fun with these
kits, though…especially with
the myriad liveries possible via
aftermarket decals. Visit:
www.sandmmodels.co.uk
good, with fine panel line
engraving and choice
detail in areas such as
the undercarriage bays.
Moulded instruments
can be found on pilot and
back-seater panels and,
pleasingly, the bomber-style
cockpit glazing integrates
the upper fuselage behind
it, so all one must do is
mask the two windows
before painting/airbrushing.
Decals for one RAF scheme
are provided with each kit;
the B.2 is WK162 of 100
Squadron, while the T.4 is
WT488, of 231 OCU.
 NEWS BULLETIN
LATEST UPDATES

HIGH SCHOOL ARMOUR TUNIC TONE BOX SETS

JAPAN’S PLATZ has mined the
country’s rich vein of anime/manga
culture to produce two new themed
releases.
Girls und Panzer is a TV show
and comic, in which school girls in
another universe partake in tank
battles for sport…yes, really! Two
machines from this imaginative
arena have been boxed in 1/35 scale
by Platz, both in branded packaging;
the first is a re-issue of the TASCA/
Asuka Firefly Vc, while the other is
AFV Club’s Centurion, which has
been re-worked to depict the first
iteration of the A41, with 17-pdr and
co-axial 20mm machine gun, sent for
live combat trials (the tanks arrived
in Antwerp on May 19, 1945, but the
war ended before they could join the
fighting). To the best of our ken, it’s
the first time this variant has been
available in 1/35 scale.
The kits are being imported to the
UK by Tiger Hobbies and should
arrive this month. For further details
visit: www.platz-hobby.com and
www.tigerhobbies.co.uk
LIFECOLOR’S LATEST
camouflage paint compilations
deal with Russian and British
infantry uniform colours
employed during World War Two.
Both are a refreshing change to
the seemingly endless aircraft
and vehicle sets, and the firm
is to be commended for the
superb selections…with the
caveat these colours became
worn and faded to varying
degrees once issued to 'Ivan'
and 'Tommy'. Each contains six
22ml bottles of acrylic paint,
and there are suggestions for
additional shades to cater for
different styles of battledress.
The Russian Infantry Uniforms
WWII set (CS42) supplies the
following: UA446 Helmet, UA
447 M35 Tunic, UA448 M35-
41 Tunic, UA449 M43 Tunic,
UA450 M35-41 Trousers and
UA451 M43 trousers, suitable
for soldiers throughout the war.
Similarly, the British Infantry
Uniforms WWII package covers
the standard camouflaged attire
and equipment colours: UA440
Water Bottle Bag, UA441 Green
Tone Gears, UA442 Yellow
Tones Gears, UA443 Battledress
Light Tone, UA444 Battledress
Dark Tone and UA445 Leather
Jacket. All Lifecolor painting
and weathering products are
available in the UK from The
Airbrush Company:
www.airbrushes.com

SPIRIT IN THE SKY SLICK SHADES

BOEING’S B-2 bomber has been
on many modellers’ wish-lists,
but with AMT/Italeri offerings
becoming increasingly rare,
it’s step forward Chinese firm
Modelcollect, with its all-new
1/72 tooling.
And what a beast this is! The
famous blended-wing design
measures more than 30in
(76.2cm) across, and features
engraved panel lines on the
six-piece body/flying surface,
with each of these parts
packed separately in foam for
protection. It comprises eight
styrene runners (including one
clear), and offers a fully detailed
cockpit/rest area interior (with
pre-printed photo-etched metal
instrument panels and consoles),
entrance ladder and full-length
intakes and exhausts. There are
busy undercarriage and bomb
bays; the highlights in the latter
are the accurate eight-position
staggered rotary launchers,
although both areas are ripe for
extra embellishment. Options
include open auxiliary intake
doors, with visible General
Electric F-118 engine core
exteriors.
When compared to reference
photos, this kit may lack ‘gold-
standard’ refinement, but most
features are included; even the
characteristic ‘puffer’ ducts
(as decals). A full bomb load is AMMO-MIG has released more
offered, but these are BDU-56/ colours in its super-handy
Mk.84 bomb shapes, rather than Oilbrushers range.
the combat load of JDAMs or Splendid for creating washes,
Massive Ordnance Penetrator. rendering oil-dot weathering and
As a final plus, the Two Bobs- other tasks, these are useful in
printed decal sheet is stunning, the extreme, but the new hues are
with options for three of the superb, particularly for chipping
early B-2s ('Spirit of America', effects and other work involving
'New York' and 'Mississippi') and metallic substrate. They are:
full airframe stenciling. More A.MIG-3535 Gun Metal, -3536 Steel,
details are at www.modelcollect. -3537 Aluminium, 3538 Silver and
com, and UK distributor -3539 Gold. More on the range and
www.tigerhobbies.co.uk other AMMO-MIG products is at:
www.migjimenez.com

8 Airfix Model World

 AIRFIX AT COSFORD
THE RAF Museum Cosford is
hosting exciting Airfix-related
events in the coming months.
Firstly, half-term Airfix
Make and Paint days are
scheduled for February 17-23,
and October 27-November
2; these are run jointly by
Cosford staff of members
EARLY BUBBLETOP
MUSTANGS ARE popular in
all scales, but there has been
a notable increase in 1/32 kits
over the past few years, but
these have now been joined by
Revell’s newly tooled offering.
It’s an early version P-51D-
5NA (03944), which doesn’t
have the characteristic
vertical tail fillet featured
in other releases, and the
labelling and box contents
hint at follow-on versions with
said item…and potentially
a Commonwealth machine.
There are nine styrene
runners, plus separate upper
and lower full-width wings
(ensuring perfect dihedral),
with delicate engraved panel
lines and rivets. The interior
is dominated by the highly
detailed cockpit and oil cooler
of the local Shropshire
Scale Modellers Club, with
entry priced £3 per person.
Available 1/72 kits will include
the Sopwith Pup, Sea Harrier,
Mitsubishi Zero and Albatros.
Also of note is the free-to-
enter talk being given by
Airfix’s Researcher Simon
intake, and Revell is to be
commended for the accuracy
in the former, including an
N-9 gunsight as fitted to early
P-51Ds. It may not challenge
Tamiya’s 1/32 Mustang
directly, but appears accurate
dimensionally and at £36.99
Owen, on February 21, in
which he’ll discuss recent and
pending Airfix tooling, and
how it relates to this year’s
RAF centenary celebrations.
Places for the talk can be
booked on the RAF Museum
Cosford website: www.
rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford
has the budget market nailed,
with a balance of intricacy
and parts count that should
appeal to most modellers.
Plenty of options are
offered, with raised/lowered,
undercarriage, flaps and
ailerons, open/closed canopy
and engine vents, and a choice
of underwing drop tanks and
bombs. Two colour schemes
are included: 44-13410/E2-C
‘Lou IV/Athelene’, Colonel
Thomas Christian, 375th FS,
361st FG, Bottisham, summer
1944; and 44-13714/B6-B
‘Desert Rat’, Captain Herschel
Pascoe, 363rd FS, 357th FG,
RAF Leiston, 1944.
Further information is at:
www.revell.de/en
 SHOW SCENE
DIARY DATES

SHOW SCENE
At-a-glance model show calendar
E MODEL DISPLAY
) MODEL COMPETITION
J TRADE STANDS
m AIRCRAFT DISPLAY
 MILITARY DISPLAY
 AUTOMOTIVE DISPLAY
 REFRESHMENTS
FREE PARKING
MAKE AND PAINT

East of England
Model Show 2018
Date: March 4
Hosts: Peterborough Scale Model
Club
Address: Queen Katharine Academy,
Mountsteven Avenue,
Walton, PE4 6HX
Times: 10am-4pm
Prices: Adults £3, under-15s free
Email: peterboroughscalemodel
club-show@outlook.com
Web: www.peterborough
scalemodels.co.uk

March 17-18 Southern Expo 2018 April 14 Scale Model Exhibition

Hosts: Peter Bagshaw, Robin Bellamy Hosts: IPMS Dorset and Poole Vikings
3 Aldingbourne Modelex Address: Hornchurch Sports Centre, 7 Welling 2018 Model Club
Hosts: Aldingbourne Modellers Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch Hosts: Welling Model Club Address: Parkstone Grammar School,
Address: Aldingbourne Community Sports Road, Hornchurch, Essex, RM11 1JU Address: Falconwood Community Sopers Lane, Poole,
Centre, Olivers Meadow, Times: Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm Centre, The Green, Welling, BH17 7EP
Westergate, Chichester, West Prices: Adults £3, senior citizens £2, Kent, DA1 2PG Times: 10am-4pm
Sussex, PO20 3YA children £1 Times: 10am-4pm Prices: Adults £3.50, children £1
Times: 10am-4pm E-mail: SouthernExpo@tiscali.co.uk Prices: Adults £2 E-mail: sweejas@uwclub.net
Prices: Adults £2.50, under-16s free Web: www.myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ E-mail: josephperera335@yahoo.co.uk Web: www.poolevikingsblog.
E-mail: Aldingbournemodellers@gmail.com southernexpo Web: TBC wordpress.com
Web: Aldingbourne Modellers (Facebook)

24 Yeovil Model Show 7-8 Modellexpo 08 – Open 2018 14 Sword And Lance 2018
3-4 16th Exposition Internationale Hosts: Ken Bugler Hosts: IPMS Stockholm Hosts: Darlington Military Modelling
Hosts: Le Maquette Club Thionvillois Address: Bucklers Mead Academy and Address: Skytteholmsskolan, Society
Address: Jean Burger Hall, Pasteur Street, Leisure Centre, Yeovil, BA21 4NH Ankdammsgaten 14-16, Address: Darlington College, Haughton
57100 Thionville, France Times: 10am-4pm Solna, Sweden Road, Darlington, DL1 1DR
Times: Sat 2-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm Prices: Adults £5, children £2.50, Times: Sat 12-4pm Times: 9.30am-4.30pm
Prices: Adults €3, under-13s free under-5s free Sun 10am-3pm Prices: TBC
E-mail: loloskymaster@aol.com E-mail: yeovilmodelshow@gmail.com Prices: Adults SEK 80, IPMS members E-mail: c20hms@gmail.com
Web: www.mct57.org Web: Yeovil Model Show (Facebook) and under-15s free Web: www.swordandlance.co.uk
E-mail: 08-open@ipmsstockholm.se
Web: www.ipmsstockholm.se
17-18 Fantazmagoria 2018 25 Stoke-On-Trent Model Show 21-22 Moson Model Show
Hosts: Film & TV Model Club Hosts: Stoke-on-Trent Model Club (IPMS) Hosts: Mosonmagyaróvár Modelling
Address: The Locomotion Museum, Address: Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews 8 Shropshire Model Show Club
The National Railway Museum, Academy, Beaconsfield Drive, Hosts: Shropshire Scale Modellers Address: UFM Aréna, Városi Sportcsarnok,
Dale Road Industrial Estate, Stoke on Trent, Staffs, ST3 3JD Address: RAF Museum Cosford, Shifnal, Mosonmagyaróvár, Gorkij út 1
Shildon, DL4 2RE Times: 10am-4pm Shropshire TF11 8UP Times: Sat 8am-7pm
Times: Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm Prices: Adults £3, accompanied Times: 10am-4pm Sun 7am-5pm
Prices: Free under-16s free Prices: Free Prices: Free
E-mail: ah.ftvmc@gmail.com E-mail: stokeontrentmodelclub@gmail.com E-mail: info@shropmodels.org.uk E-mail: msz.kormospeter@gmail.com
Web: Fantazmagoria 2018 (Facebook) Web: www.stokemodelclub.co.uk Web: www.shropmodels.org.uk Web: www.mosonshow.hu

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

10 Airfix Model World

 ADVENTURE
XXL! THE WORLD’S LARGEST
EXHIBITION FOR MODEL
MAKING AND MODEL SPORTS
19 – 22 APRIL 2018
DORTMUND, GERMANY

PLEASE VISIT ALSO

The great world of aircraft model-making –

and much more:

∂ Forum with exciting lectures for

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∂ Flight shows
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Westfalenhalle_FP.indd 1 12/01/2018 11:41

IMB18_40_AZ_Flugzeug_A4_Bullets_E_RZ.indd 1 10.01.18 16:06
 ADVANCED BUILD
KAWANISHI H8K2 EMILY

Garry Tobiss tackles Hasegawa’s

superb new-tool 1/72 Kawanishi
H8K2, with extra help from Eduard
aftermarket offerings

D
eveloped to a 1938
Imperial Japanese Navy
Air Service requirement,
and entering service in
1941, Kawanishi’s H8K (Allied
codename ‘Emily’) was the
fastest flying boat to enter
service in significant numbers
during World War Two.
The H8K2 was the most
numerous variant with 112
produced. Despite its large
size, Allied pilots treated
the Emily with great respect
because the heavy defensive
armament made it extremely
difficult to destroy. A crew of
with raised panel lines and
limited detail compared to
modern offerings…although
in 1967 it was regarded as
a game-changer. The firm’s
announcement of a newly
tooled version of this enigmatic
and impressively sized aircraft,
engineered with the latest
moulding technology, had
modellers champing at the bit.
The parts were supplied on 22
styrene runners (including two
clear), plus four poly caps for
the propellers. A large decal
Kawanishi H8K2 Type 2 Flying
MODEL SPEC

 In columns from left to right – Eduard’s resin engine components, Hasegawa’s styrene ten manned the aircraft and Boat Model 12
equivalents, followed by the exhausts, and cowling and nacelle. the four Mitsubishi MK4Q Kasei
By: Hasegawa
22 engines gave a top speed
of 290mph (465km/h). Emilys Stock Code: 01575
were active throughout the Scale: 1/72
Pacific theatre, being used for
Price: £119.99
transport and reconnaissance,
and were armed with bombs, Available from: Amerang,
depth charges or torpedoes for www.amerang.com
attack missions.

Old favourite revisited

Hasegawa first released a
1/72 Emily more than 50
 Eduard’s Brassin engine set (672158) also supplied a small PE fret with push rods and years ago, and that was
ignition coils, as shown here. definitely a product of its time,

12 Airfix Model World


sheet, together with painting
masks for some of the clear
parts, completed the package.
As a bonus, a colour poster was
included with this particular
release, which showed the
interior detail, although builders
will need to brush up on their
Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana
characters…the descriptions
are just in Japanese!
Emily markings
Three options were provided but the only difference between them was the
markings on the tailfin.
• T-31, Takuma Naval Flying Group
• N-26, 802nd Naval Flying Group
• 801-86, 801st Naval Flying Group
 Each of the wings, and horizontal/vertical stabilisers was constructed from upper and
lower halves; note the four small holes drilled into the lower wing section between the
engine nacelles, for the bomb racks.
ADVANCED BUILD
KAWANISHI H8K2 EMILY
Long-legged patroller
In a break with the usual
sequence, the build started
with the engines and wings.
Hasegawa’s engines were
acceptable, but as Eduard’s
aftermarket replacements
were available, these were used
instead. Each unit comprised
a large number of resin and
PE components, including vast
numbers of tiny tubes for the
rear of the powerplant. As none
of these minute items would be
visible after assembly, they were
left off, but everything else was
assembled and then painted
ready for their installation on the
mainplanes.
There were options for the  When completed, the aftermarket engines featured a breathtaking amount of detail; even
stores, namely a choice of more was provided for the rear, but as this would be hidden once the nacelles were closed,
it was omitted.
torpedoes or bombs, which
required different holes to be
drilled in the wing underside for
the respective pylons/adapters.
The latter was chosen for this
build, after which the wings
were assembled, followed by
 Hasegawa is to be commended for its rendering of the wing surfaces, combining fine
engraved panel lines with subtly textured and scalloped areas, to represent fabric-covered
sections and control surfaces.
www.airfixmodelworld.com 13
 ADVANCED BUILD
KAWANISHI H8K2 EMILY

Big Ed -ons
Eduard’s (www.eduard.com) aftermarket products were used extensively during this
build, and these included resin and photo-etched (PE) brass engines (672158) and
machine guns (672157). It also combined a series of individual PE brass and metal
sets for the interior and exterior into a substantial ‘Big Ed’ pack, specifically for this
model. In total, BIG72128 H8K2 Emily comprised the following:

 Numerous upgrades, mainly for the fuselage, were provided in H8K2 Emily exterior
(72652), although the engine parts weren’t used here.

 H8K2 maintenance platforms (72653) enabled all eight wing leading-edge engineering
 H8K2 Emily nose interior (72650) supplied components for the vicinity of the nose stands to be added, but these weren’t used.
gunner’s position, including new access hatches and equipment.

 H8K2 Emily rear interior (72651) offered enhancements for the mid-section of the
fuselage and tail gunner’s position.

 The H8K2 Emily cockpit interior (73592) comprised pre-painted PE metal

enhancements for the instrument panel, sidewall equipment and brass interior seats,
framework and bulkhead details.

the addition of the completed Colours were identified with

engines and cowlings.
Next came the interior. This was
also relatively well detailed out
of the box, but a large amount
of Eduard PE was added to
provide a substantial degree
of enhancement. A reasonable
question would be what’s the
point, when virtually nothing
will be seen once the aircraft is
complete? Each to their own, but
personally I enjoy understanding
the interior of the aircraft when
building, and once the brass
 Wing spars/supports were moulded integrally with one of the interior bulkheads, to which items had been added, the
an aft unit was connected by five sturdy styrene braces. innards were ready for painting.
numbers from the Mr. Hobby
Aqueous and Mr. Color
ranges. The main colours can
be mixed to obtain the correct
hues or alternatively, Mr. Hobby
produces a specific three-tone
Mr. Color set for Kawanishi
aircraft. This package (CS668)
wasn’t available in the UK for
this build, so was sourced from
Germany; however, Albion Alloys
(www.albionhobbies.com) will
be importing this set to the

14 Airfix Model World

 ADVANCED BUILD
KAWANISHI H8K2 EMILY

 These parts formed the base of the main crew areas, specifically the cockpit (left) and
mid/rear fuselage (right); the latter included a bulkhead for the tail turret (upper right).
 All areas of the interior benefited from plain brass enhancements, such as these in the
Hasegawa’s kit can be built into an excellent forward fuselage, notably the crew ladders and equipment racks.
model straight from the both, with plenty of
detail supplied for the cockpit and other  Similarly, the mid-section was improved by Eduard’s aftermarket products, specifically
crew stations. However, many of these the rear element, with the styrene replaced entirely by PE.
parts were replaced with PE items,
with the latter medium also
providing bulkhead
embellishments and
features omitted
in the kit.

UK shortly. Mr. Color paints
are lacquer-based, so must be
treated with extreme care. The
use of a respirator — ideally a
full-face unit to protect the eyes
— plus something for
vapour extraction is
essential.
Preparations
began with a coat of Mr. Surfacer
1500 Gray primer from a rattle
can, which blended the PE
with the styrene to provide a
uniform super-smooth surface.
The paints were diluted with
roughly equal amounts of Mr.
Leveling Thinner and, as usual
for Mr. Color, these responded
superbly when airbrushed. First
to be applied was C384 Cockpit
Color (Kawanishi), which turned
out to be a light green/yellow
shade. Once this had dried fully,
pre-painted PE components
from Eduard’s cockpit interior
set (73592) were added; it
would have been difficult, if not
impossible to mask these items
if attached prior to painting.
Checks were needed before and
after the PE was added, just to
ensure nothing affected the fit of
the kit parts.
Employing so many aftermarket
products inevitably meant there
was duplication, and examples

www.airfixmodelworld.com 15
 ADVANCED BUILD
KAWANISHI H8K2 EMILY

"various
areas were
highlighted
with a silver
pencil"

included the ammunition storage
racks, which came as resin parts
in the guns set (672157) and
PE items in the rear interior
product (72651). Back to the
painting, and once the cockpit
colour was applied, surface detail
was then enhanced with a dark
wash, before various areas were
highlighted with a silver pencil.
A decision on how to display
the waist gunner positions was
needed at this point, because
the glazing was attached to the
inside of the fuselage. Open was
chosen, so the appropriate clear
parts were added and the
fuselage halves were then
joined, followed by adding the
assembled nose area. Speaking
of the crew, a very detailed set
of 11 crew figures was supplied
(from a total of 16, which would
leave plenty of spares), but not
used for this build.
The problem of how to
avoid breaking the delicate resin
guns during assembly meant
none were added until the very

 Eduard’s Brassin cannon and machine guns also supplanted the kit items as shown here
(styrene gun at bottom left, below the resin replacement). Note this set duplicated the PE
ammunition parts, with the resin item favoured.
 Not to be outdone, the tail gunner’s position also received aftermarket enhancements.

16 Airfix Model World

 ADVANCED BUILD
KAWANISHI H8K2 EMILY

 Mr. Hobby’s CS668 N1K2-J Kawanishi Color set comprised C383 Dark Green (Kawanishi),
C384 Cockpit Color (Kawanishi) and C385 Red (Japanese Navy Marking). These shades are
only available in this set.
 Replicating the instrument and engineering panels was simplified greatly by Eduard’s
pre-painted PE components, which matched the peculiar interior shade of Kawanishi
aircraft faithfully.

 Remaining pre-painted items were added to the forward fuselage halves, after they’d
been primed and then airbrushed Mr. Color C384 Cockpit Color (Kawanishi).
 While the basic styrene parts exhibited pleasing detail, Eduard’s comprehensive PE
 The completed right-hand fuselage, highlighting the interior’s busy nature. additions were a whole new ball-game in terms of replicating the fixtures and fittings.

last stages of the build. This
meant constructing the glazed
nose and rear gunner positions
temporarily, so they could be
painted and then removed to
have the guns added later.
To PE or not to PE?
Eduard’s exterior upgrade set
(72652) was substantial, but
many parts weren’t used. The
engine ignition wires were
duplicates of those in the Brassin
engine set (672158) and all the
window outlines remained on
the fret. This was a personal
preference, because at 1/72
scale, even thin PE seemed
over-scale compared to photos
of the actual aircraft. One area
enhanced significantly was
around the main beaching gear,
where various PE parts were
formed to create two impressive
and very visible structures.
Note, surface detail on the kit
fuselage had to be removed to
allow the new additions to fit
correctly (see photos).
Brass components were also
provided to replace the moulded
control surface actuators on the
wings, but it was decided they
provided marginal improvements
for much additional work, and
these were omitted. Finally,
the radar aerials for the nose
were also supplied; rather than
supplant the styrene items
entirely, these were instead used
to augment the kit parts in a
‘blended’ approach.
With the fuselage complete, it
was time to add the tailplane and
wings, with the latter designed to
fit onto support brackets/spars.
Brief consideration was given to
sandwiching the wings around
these, because of concerns they
wouldn’t slide onto the frames
very easily, but this approach
was rejected. The spars did need
plenty of scraping and sanding
to allow the wings to slide over
them and position correctly,
without running the risk of

www.airfixmodelworld.com 17
 ADVANCED BUILD
KAWANISHI H8K2 EMILY
splitting the wing halves.
The glazing – all pre-dipped
in Johnson’s Future Klear floor
polish – was then added. As
well as the main windscreen
and turrets, this included many
tiny windows, which all had be
masked subsequently. Hasegawa
provided masks, but so did
Eduard and the reader may ask,
reasonably, why? The answer
was the kit offering catered for
just the main areas, which left
the many small fuselage and
wing windows to be masked
separately. Happily, Eduard filled
 Each fuselage side was modified by removing all moulded detail around the undercarriage/
this minor oversight with its own
beaching gear assembly, to enable the aftermarket-enhanced unit to be attached.
product (CX 493), so both were
Although the kit and used. Patience was required
Eduard self-adhesive during this stage, as there were
masking sets eased 110 tiny masks in the Hasegawa
the process greatly, set and another 43 from Eduard!
application of more than
150 individual pieces
Big green blob
was laborious, but well
worth the result. The Emily had a simple colour
scheme, with silver undersides
and dark green upper surfaces.
Primer was used for any parts
of the model with PE, but
this did not include the wings
and fuselage. Pre-shading
was also avoided, to allow
experimentation with other
techniques. Alclad’s ALC-305
Black Gloss was applied to the
undersides first, followed by ALC-
101 Aluminium. The areas around
fabric-covered parts of the wings
were then masked, before they
received ALC-117 Dull Aluminium.
Glazed areas were painted the
interior colour and then the
upper surfaces airbrushed C383
Dark Green (Kawanishi). Another
masking extravaganza around
the upper wing fabric sections
 The painting guide suggested the fabric-coated sections of the undersides should be a followed. This was not identified
different hue to that of the aluminium areas; in this case Alclad’s Dull Aluminium sufficed, in Hasegawa’s painting guide,
creating a subtle, yet visible tonal variation. but wartime photos of Emilys
Although not specified in the As described by one critic: the “big green
instructions, colour differentiation blob” after decaling and detail painting,
was also represented on the and ready for weathering.
upper surfaces to match wartime
photos, while also disrupting the
monotone upper surfaces.
18 Airfix Model World
Materials
at a glance
Alclad II
(www.alclad2.com)
ALC-101 Aluminium
ALC-117 Dull Aluminium
ALC-305 Gloss Black Base
Eduard
(www.eduard.com)
672157 H8K2 Emily Guns
672158 H8K2 Emily Engines
BIG72128 H8K2 Emily
CX 493 H8K2 Emily fuselage windows
Infini Model
(www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk)
IR-0701B Fine Black Lycra Rigging 70
Dernier
Mr. Hobby
(www.albionhobbies.com)
CS668 Kawanishi N1K2-J Colors
Lifecolor
(www.airbrushes.com)
LC-LP03 Liquid Pigments Rain and
Dust set
Ultimate Modelling Products
(www.umpretail.com)
Dark Dirt Weathering Wash
showed a distinct difference in
weathering patterns, between
the aluminium and fabric
surfaces. The latter was then
recreated with a lightened
version of the Kawanishi green.
This also served to add visual
interest to what would otherwise
have been a monotone finish.
Two coats of Klear were then
hand-painted, with care taken to
ensure brush strokes followed
the direction of the airflow.
All the decals came next.
Walkway decals had huge areas
 ADVANCED BUILD
KAWANISHI H8K2 EMILY

"wartime
photos of
Emilys showed
a distinct
of clear carrier film, but it
difference in
looked rather thick, so all lines weathering
were carefully cut and applied
separately, to minimise the risk patterns"
of silvering. This took time, but
paid dividends because even
small amounts of film seemed
to show evidence of the dreaded
silvering – produced when tiny
air bubbles are trapped beneath
the clear carrier film. The same
technique was used for the
lettering; everything was cut
back to just the coloured parts.
Acrylic matt varnish covered the
upper surfaces to seal everything
in preparation for weathering.

Any thoughts of pride
in the work so far were blown
out of the water by helpful
passing remarks from my
wife – “it looks like a big green
plastic blob” – ever my fiercest
critic. This merely inspired
the efforts to weather
the Emily. The process
began with Ultimate
Modelling Products’
(www.umpretail.
com) acrylic ‘Dark Dirt’,
which is designed to be applied
generously all over the model,
left to dry and then any excess
removed. Previous builds
highlighted this can darken
the entire surface, so the dirt
was painted just along panel
lines and other features. This
particular wash didn’t adhere
to the Alclad-coated surfaces,
so a dark oil wash was used for
those areas.
Next was Lifecolor’s LPW 11
Rain Marks from the Liquid
Pigments Rain and Dust set (LC-
LP03), which was brushed onto
the green areas with random
squiggles and left to dry. A wide
brush was then dampened with
Lifecolor’s Remover product
(from the same set) and the
pigments worked around the
surface. The result was a

 The kit’s beaching gear and wing floats were complex affairs, with the former benefiting  Weathering demonstrated via the floats – first was the basic wash (left). Once dry, any
from PE upgrades, courtesy of Eduard. excess was removed and the rain marks added randomly.

www.airfixmodelworld.com 19
 ADVANCED BUILD
KAWANISHI H8K2 EMILY

"This was a superb kit of a

fascinating subject"

realistic degraded surface
appearance.
Panel lines were then partially
picked out with a silver pencil.
A combination of dark brown
and silver pencils emphasised
the lines in the large Hinomaru
decals, which also stopped them
appearing as large red blobs. The
same effect was created on the
yellow leading edges. A slight
disaster occurred while detailing
the underside, though, when
a piece of stray masking tape
stuck to one of the Hinomaru
and partly ripped it. Extremely
careful surgery was then
required to tease the decal from
the masking tape and re-apply
it. The moral of the tale was to
keep the construction area clean
and tidy!
Problem solved, it was time
to tackle the finishing touches.
All the masks were removed to
reveal virtually no paint bleed
below them, and a surprising
amount of interior detail could
be seen through the glazing.
Each wing float was assembled,
painted and weathered in the
same way as the rest of the
aircraft, and the small amount
of rigging created with Infini
Model’s Fine Black Lycra Rigging
(www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk).
The beaching undercarriage
was then attached, followed
by removing the nose and tail
glazing to allow the guns to be
added, before the clear parts
were re-secured. For the waist
gun positions, the weapons were
positioned by passing them
through the window opening on
the opposite site, after which
glue was applied. Final additions
included the nose aerials,
followed by the various antenna
fittings on the fuselage top. Note,
Eduard’s H8K2 maintenance
platforms (72653) set was partly
assembled, but not used here.
Feet wet
This was a superb kit of a
fascinating subject, which filled
the box admirably and was a
real pleasure to build, with a
very substantial model being
the result. Eduard provided the
usual excellent standard of both
resin and PE upgrades, and this
made a great kit even more
detailed and impressive. The final
response from the local critic
was that it now looked like a
proper aircraft!

 Next came the flat brush, dampened with Lifecolor’s Remover product, to blend the  One of the eight maintenance platforms supplied in the Eduard set. These provided
mark, before the final stage to highlight panel lines with a silver pencil. options for an interesting diorama, but were not used for this build.

20 Airfix Model World

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p021_AMW_Mar18_ad.indd 1 23/01/2018 10:09

 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
WESTLAND WESSEX

Brian Wakeman
up-scales to Fly
SWIFT
Models’ 1/32 Wessex,
and includes
aftermarket
extras for good
measure

Westland Wessex HC.2

MODEL SPEC
By: Fly Model
Stock Code: 32010
Scale: 1/32
Price: £79.99
Available from: www.fly814.cz

ritain’s Wessex helicopter was
a licence-produced version of
Sikorsky’s S-58, and was the
workhorse of the RAF and
Royal Navy (RN) for four decades.
Manufactured by Westland
Helicopters at its Yeovil plant, it
entered service in 1961, continuing
a licensing ‘tradition’ between
the two manufacturers. This
relationship began with the
Dragonfly (S-51) in 1950, followed
by the Whirlwind (S-55/H-19)
and ended with the Sea King/
Commando (S-61/H-3) anti-
submarine, rescue and troop
transport helicopter.
The type has been relatively
well served by kit manufacturers,
but many boxings focus on
RN versions. When Fly Model
announced three different
packages of this magnificent
machine in 1/32 scale, helicopter
fans were bowled over. First to be
released (and the subject of this
build) was the RAF HC.2, followed
quickly by an RN HU.5 and HAS.3.
Impressive contents
Fly’s fine rendition of the Wessex
comprised eight styrene runners
(including one clear), two photo-

 Minimal preparation was needed; parts were sanded to remove a slightly rough texture  Test-fitting revealed the fuselage halves would not join properly when the roof section
and ejector pin marks were filled. Each interior rib was numbered to ease construction. was in place, so approximately 5-6mm was removed from the rear of the latter.

22 Airfix Model World


KIT COLOUR SCHEMES
Fly supplied four liveries, including
civilian and military options, with
brightly coloured and camouflaged
machines. Full airframe stencilling
was supplied, with markings in two
tones, to cater for light and dark
backgrounds.
• XT680, 84 Squadron, RAF Akrotiri,
Cyprus 2003
• G-BYRC (ex-XT671), Daniel
Brem-Wilson, Biggin Hill, 2009
• XR503, Royal Aircraft Establishment
Bedford, Thurleigh, 1994
• XV728/A, 72 Squadron, RAF
Aldergrove, Northern Ireland, 2002
etched (PE) brass frets, a paper
sheet (seat covers) and 59 crisply
cast resin parts. In hindsight, it
would have been ideal to somehow
have a spare pair of hands,
especially for the aftermarket
folded rotor mechanism (see panel)
and small aerials, as I couldn’t help
but break several items on several
occasions. Frustrating it may have
been, and at times it felt as if I was
fighting to finish the model, but
perseverance won in the end, with
the result being a faithful replica of
this rotary workhorse.
Despite being a limited-run
offering, the lack of moulding
blemishes was pleasing, and overall
INTERMEDIATE BUILD
WESTLAND WESSEX
there were minimal ejector-pin
marks to eredicate on the fuselage
interior (and these were addressed
easily with filler). The resin
components were a real highlight,
notably those for the cockpit and
rotor assembly, and were packed
with detail.
Inner space
From the start, it was necessary
to refer constantly to the 20-page
instruction booklet, along with
reference photographs, as the  Turning to the cabin floor and cockpit bulkhead, diluted Wilder’s Nitroline NL32
former was poorly designed in Dark Rainmarks Wash provided a realistic effect, highlighting the engraved detail and
places. Initial efforts dealt with representing a grimy surface.
removing the floor pan, ceiling
and bulkheads carefully from their
runners, to avoid damaging the
moulded detail. The fuselage’s
inner rib structure was provided
as a series of separate styrene
lengths, and these were measured
and cut to size before fitting.
Alignment was tricky, despite being
numbered on the instructions
(numbers were pencilled onto the
fuselage interior to aid assembly), The resin cockpit
and the individual lengths were components were superb,
fiddly to attach. PE fishplates both in terms of quality
and detail, but required
finished the 3D effect, with a few
careful removal from
manipulated lengths of Plus Model their casting blocks.
0.5mm lead wire (www.plusmodel.
cz) added to replicate pipes, cables
and other trunking.
Time was taken with the inner
assemblage, notably the various
resin parts for the cockpit (seats,
central consoles, cyclics and
collectives), as much would be
visible though the extensive
glazing; the latter also incorporated
optional open/closed side windows.
The kit’s high-quality resin parts
required little preparation after
they were removed from their
casting blocks, and painted after
assembly. Similarly, the way Fly
captured the rear bulkhead and
 A ‘Hold & Fold’ tool is recommended
for the seat ‘fabric’, which was
represented with printed paper.
This was one of the more
frustrating aspects
of the build.
www.airfixmodelworld.com 23
 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
WESTLAND WESSEX

 With all interior components attached, the cabin looked busy; of course, modellers have  Sub-assemblies were painted before attachment and decals were supplied for the
the option of super-detailing this area should they wish. instrument panel dials. Test-fitting the gearbox revealed it could be added after painting.

The cockpit was highly visible through

the kit’s extensive glazing, so painting
and weathering efforts were well
rewarded. Much filler was needed to
smooth the seam immediately
in front of the canopy,
which required several
treatments for
an invisible join.

 Thick plastic card shims ensured a snug fit for the one-piece underside, which was
detailed with PE grilles and panels before being added to the fuselage. Any remaining gaps
were treated with filler and sanded.

ceiling soundproof quilting was
truly exquisite.
Once the main interior had
been assembled, it was sprayed
Lifecolor LC632 Admiralty Medium
Grey 507B and LC631 Admiralty
Dark Grey 507C (www.airbrushes.
com). For the cockpit and cabin
insulation quilting, Colourcoats’
ACRA08 Verde Mimetico 53192
(www.sovereignhobbies.
co.uk) was chosen, as this
appeared the closest
match to the
fabric’s tone
in reference photographs.
Fixtures in the 16-troop cabin
proved more troublesome, as the
canvas fabric seats (provided as
a combination of styrene/metal
frame and thick paper items)
proved rather time-consuming, but
effective once assembled. Each
paper ‘seat’ (comprising the floor
and back, with extra to wrap round
the frame) was removed from the
backing sheet and folded with a PE
‘Hold & Fold’ tool. Floor detail, with
the circular tie-down points, was
painted and weathered separately,
followed by dry-brushing. This
was deemed realistic in
appearance after
application of
Wilder’s
NL32 Nitro-line Dark Rainmarks
Wash (www.airbrushes.com) to
highlight the engraved lines and
rivet detail; excess was removed
with a moist cotton bud.
Polished interior
Prior to mating the fuselage
halves, dry-fitting revealed a small
5-6mm section of the aft roof
must be removed; this was done
with a razor saw, before the part
was attached to the bulkhead.
Strips of plastic card strengthened
all major joins on each fuselage
half, notably the forward engine
compartment. One element that
could be overlooked easily at this
stage was the four cabin windows,
which must be added before the

“THE RESIN COMPONENTS WERE

A REAL HIGHLIGHT, NOTABLY THOSE
FOR THE COCKPIT AND ROTOR ASSEMBLY”
24 Airfix Model World
 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
WESTLAND WESSEX

 Fly provided an option for a folded tail rotor section; as this wasn’t in keeping with
an RAF machine, styrene tabs were added to reinforce the butt join. PE mesh grilles
were bent to shape carefully around a small metal cylinder.

seating…these were secured with

white glue, before the fuselage
halves were mated. Lastly, the
single-piece lower fuselage (and
its PE accoutrements) was
attached — again a test-fit revealed
a less-than-perfect join, so thick
styrene shims were added to the
underside of the cabin floor —
before any remaining gaps were
filled and sanded.
The tail rotor section was a neat
little unit, comprising a main
styrene structure with PE grilles
(these must be bent to shape
before being secured). Fly provided
an option for this section to be
folded, which was a common sight
on RN airframes (for ship-board
stowage), but not RAF machines.
As this was a land-based Wessex, it
was joined directly to the fuselage,
with small styrene tabs added to
reinforce the butt join.
With the kit being of the
limited-run variety, perseverance
was needed when attaching
the canopy. Fine scratches
were polished with Novus 1 & 2
compounds (www.novuspolish.
com), before the frames were
masked carefully. Wilder’s QM04
Quick Mask Yellow was brushed
over the top to prevent leakage,
before the glazing was attached to
the fuselage with white glue. Fly supplied numerous small PE; these were painted Xtracolor
Additional refinement, in the airframe vents and steps as PE X255 RAL7001 Silbergrau, along
shape of two Scalewarship detail items, and these were folded and with three of the four main rotor
sets (see panel) improved the kit’s secured to their allotted positions, blades. The final item was coloured
exhausts and rotors markedly; the before being primed with UA026 X19 (BS356) RAF Rescue Yellow,
latter were portrayed in the folded FS 36375 Light Compass Ghost as depicted on several reference
position, decreasing the overall Grey. Similarly, the tail rotor and photos. At the same time, the
size of the finished model. main hub were enhanced with gearbox was assembled, adding

SPIN DOCTOR
Scalewarship (www.scalewarship.com) is perhaps better known for its large-scale
maritime accessories, but also offers extras for 1/48 and 1/32 helicopters. Its Wessex
Exhaust Panel Set (PE0183) and Wessex Rotor Blade Folding Parts (PE0182) were
employed here. Assembly was time-consuming, but having previous experience of
a similar (albeit 1/48 product) for a 1/48 Wessex build (see AMW, July 2015) helped
immensely. Both the blade cradle and stirrups were sprayed Xtracolor X31 (BS538) Post
Office Red after being primed. Perhaps the most challenging aspect was locating the
3D-printed rotor ‘knuckles’ on the hub, but study of reference photos aided this process.
To prevent inadvertent damage during handling, all parts were left off the model until
the final stage, with 0.4mm lead wire replicating various hydraulic cables.

 The rotor folding package is more comprehensive, with separate hub- and blade-heads,
a replacement upper rotor plate and a PE fret with blade holders, brackets, stiffeners and
support straps. It’s worth spending time studying the instructions and working through
the stages without glue first, as this modeller found them confusing at times.

 There are several options within the exhaust set, depending on how much surgery
one is prepared to undertake, including spacers, circlips, mounting brackets and a
complete replacement fuselage panel. The 3D-printed exhausts are commendably thin,
but correspondingly delicate. A small length of brass rod was needed for the half-ring
at the exhaust edge.

www.airfixmodelworld.com 25
 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
WESTLAND WESSEX

 Before the canopy was added, the overhead console had to be attached to the inside,  White is just as challenging in terms of creating an authentic result. Not being a fan
before CA was applied with a cocktail stick to the glazing; this was then held in position of pre-shading, a combination of diluted Lifecolor and Xtracolor paints were airbrushed
until the glue had set. Blemishes were then removed with Novus 1 & 2 compounds, before freehand, allowing hints of the primer to show through. Note the resin engine cover,
the windows were masked with tape and Wilder’s QM04 Yellow. provided by Fly in place of an intake mesh assembly.

 The green colour had immediate impact, this being applied with a slightly feathered edge  Combining the Scalewarship folding set and kit rotors was tricky, but once painted and
to replicate the occasionally haphazard application of the temporary winter camouflage. decaled the result was stunning. The by-now separate rotor hub was detailed with lead wire.

resin struts to the main structure to opt for a more unusual subject. worn on ‘Arctic Express’ exercises Colourcoats’ ABB 16 (BS986C)
(a test-fit highlighted this could Two schemes sprang to mind, in Norway. The latter was chosen, British Army Blue-Black Disruptive,
be added after main painting, and either a former RAF 2 Flying given its stark appearance and several panels being
not before as suggested in the Training School airframe in its potential for subsequent highlighted with LC02
instructions). Tamiya AS12 Bare Uruguay Navy colours or an RAF weathering. Matt Black and X02
Metal Silver acted as the base winter scheme, similar to those The underside received (BS642) RAF Night
colour, while the supports were
picked out with LC24 Matt Natural
Metal, before the whole unit
received a diluted LPW24 Frame
Dirt wash to highlight the detail.

Arctic warrior
While the kit decal options
were varied (see panel),
it was decided

REFERENCES
Warplane No.68 (Orbis) Wessex,
by Patrick Allen (Airlife),
ISBN: 978-1-85310-050-1
Warpaint 65: Westland Wessex,
by Charles Stafrace (Guideline)

26 Airfix Model World


Black. Once cured and masked,
the gangly undercarriage (minus
the wheels) was assembled,
followed by small PE steps on
the fuselage sides; these were
positioned with fine tweezers,
but were tricky to attach. Added
realism was provided by scratch-
built undercarriage brake lines,
inserted into drilled 0.5mm holes.
Final additions included the four
defensive aids sensors, which
were a common feature on RAF
Aldergrove-based helicopters.
At last the major painting
began. It was felt there was little
point applying the full late two-
tone NATO Green/Lichen Green
camouflage, as the white distemper
would cover one of these colours. A
matt white undercoat prepared the
surface for thin layers of X141 Gloss
White, which were applied unevenly
to produce a mottled finish. A
similar approach was made with
the green areas, with X18 (BS285)
NATO Dark Green airbrushed
freehand over a base layer of
UA546 Matt Dark Green. This was
applied more uniformly, to produce
 The camouflage was sealed with gloss
varnish, before an oil wash was added
and a further varnish layer applied in
preparation for the kit decals. A selection
of Wilder’s Weathering Oils (LS02 Winter
White, LS09 Black Brown and LS10 Dark
Grey) provided the basis for the final
detail and panel line wash.
 Assembling the PE rotor saddle was
a slow process, but patience here was
rewarded by the results, as this sub-
assembly (and attached rotors) was a
delicate structure. Note, small pieces of
plastic card strengthened the brass saddle,
as recommended in the instructions.
an overall glossy sheen.
The kit decals were applied over a
coat of LC73 Clear Gloss, followed
by light weathering with a mixture
of Lifecolor Liquid Pigments and
Wilder oils; these appeared perfect
for recreating wear and tear.
Careful positioning of aerials, radio
wires, the rescue winch, a partially
open cargo door and cockpit
sliding window ensued, after which
the rotors were attached. With all
openings sealed with low-tack
tape and damp tissue, a final
varnish mix of 75:25 Xtracrylix
 Further weathering, in the form of diluted LPW06 Deep Rust and LPW07 Eroding Dark
Rust streaks on the fuselage sides, added to a worn appearance…while harmonising any
underlying tones.
Aeroclub’s Lycra thread replicated the
exterior antenna cables, this being attached
to the two ‘double-T’ masts with CA. The wires
were then painted Citadel Boltgun Metal.
INTERMEDIATE BUILD
WESTLAND WESSEX
Satin/Matt varnish created a
suitable airframe sheen.
In the hover
After approximately 250 hours’
work, the impressive Wessex
was complete, and what a
spectacle it turned out to be,
despite the occasional frustration.
Perhaps the only real ‘fly’ in the
ointment was attaching the rotors,
and in hindsight, keeping the
blades in their in-flight
configuration would have
been quicker and easier.
www.airfixmodelworld.com 27
 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
FV 432
Kev Smith appraises Takom’s FV 432 Armoured
Personnel Carrier…a vehicle he knows intimately
through his own Army service
BATTLE TAXI
I
n 1962, GKN Sankey (now BAE
Systems) was awarded the
contract to design and develop
the FV432 Family of armoured
personnel carriers (APCs).
The first production vehicles were
delivered to the British army in
1963 and, besides standard troop
carriers, the company was also
charged with producing the FV
 Takom has reproduced the floorplate detail faithfully, which looked superb after painting
and weathering.
28 Airfix Model World
434 Armoured Fitters’ Vehicle.
Around 3,000 FV432s were built
by 1971 when production ended
and remarkably, approximately
1,500 are still in frontline service
The first production vehicle was
the Mk.1, followed by the Mk.2 and
finally the Mk. 1/2. Late-production
‘432s are distinguished by the
Nuclear, Biological, Chemical
(NBC) pack on the right side of
the vehicle, which is almost flush
against the hull. The ‘432 replaced
the Saracen 6x6 APC, but in turn
was usurped extensively by the
GKN Sankey/BAE Warrior.
Boxing clever
Takom offered 496 parts spread
across eight grey styrene runners,
 There were several annoying ejector pin marks on the interior details, but careful
scraping/sanding rectified the issue.
and one clear frame, and in
addition there were two photo-
etched (PE) brass frets; the larger
of these carried components
for the large stowage cage seen
usually on command and support
vehicles, while the smaller fret
housed the light guards and more
diminutive details. A small decal
sheet included dials for the driver’s
station, and a handy jig was also
provided to help with construction
of the link-and-length tracks.
The instruction booklet was well
presented, and the diagrams laid
out logically…and large enough to
follow without any problems. All

KIT COLOUR
SCHEMES
Takom’s FV 432 came with decals for
four schemes:
• Berlin Brigade, 1980 (urban ‘block’
camouflage)
• Royal Scots, 7th Armoured Brigade
(desert sand)
• Unknown unit (NATO green/black)
• OPFOR - training unit (green/sand)
very useful, and a huge bonus was
that a colour guide was included
for the painting of the interior…
something other manufactures
should consider. Enough decals for
four different liveries were present.
After the customary inspection
of the instructions, it became
apparent very quickly there would,
before any major assembly, be
a serious amount of interior
detail painting. With that in mind,
basic sub-assemblies were built
 A small photo-etched brass
fret carried enough to add
finesse, but the finer parts were
best left off the model until the
last possible moment.
INTERMEDIATE BUILD
FV 432
in preparation. Just a command
vehicle would have the three
Clansman radios fitted, while a
standard section machine would
usually carry a single unit. After
painting, the radios and batteries
were detailed with plastic rod and
thin wire to represent the vast
amount of cabling crammed into
these vehicles. The two banks of
batteries also needed wiring to
bring them in line with the rest of
the interior. Takom’s driver’s station
was also well detailed, but the
aircraft-like harness was missing so
was scratch-built with Tamiya tape
cut to length, and painted with the
appropriate enamels.  The firewall benefited from the
addition of electrical cables running to the
Interiors of Army ‘432s changed
communication junction box.
from silver to white from 2002…a
factor that must be considered  The driver’s station was superb, but
if an earlier vehicle is being could be improved by adding the missing
replicated. As this build would seat harness.
emulate a later ‘432, this was a
detail that couldn’t be ignored.  For setting the road wheels and tracks,
Starting with the floor plate, this Takom included a handy jig. It was used
for assembling the runs of link-and-length
was undercoated with Tamiya X-2
track, but caution must be observed, as the
Matt White. The anti-slip tread jig needs to be changed for the right- and
was detailed beautifully, and left-hand runs.
benefitted immensely from dry-
brushed dark aluminium acrylic
paint, enhanced further with
dark oil paint washes. The side
plates were left unattached at
this stage, but the spatter panels
received lightly misted AMMO-
MIG A.MIG-025 US Modern Sand,
over the top of Tamiya XF-61 Dark
Green. The NBC pack was painted
satin white and weathered as a
separate part, then glued to the
sidewall. Takom’s interior came
www.airfixmodelworld.com 29
 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
FV 432
 Swing arms were attached to the lower hull, courtesy of a strong butt-join, without
locating pins. The arms were left for 15 minutes after they were glued, before alignment
was checked with the supplied jig.
together gradually, and much
time was spent on plumbing all
of the communication boxes
fitted around the vehicle; these
allowed the crew to talk to each
other through the intercom
system. It has been known for a
vehicle commander to point out
his driver’s errors in no uncertain
30 Airfix Model World
Wear on the wheels’
rubber portions was
replicated by scuffing with
a modelling saw blade.
terms ‘live’ over the battle group
net by mistake!
Two Bergen rucksacks, a ration
box, and three roll mats were fitted
into the stowage area, to give that
lived-in look. In reality, every space
would be crammed with equipment
during exercise/deployment, but
this isn’t always possible in scale
modelling. Bench seats were the
last of the details to be attached
before the top of the hull was
fitted. These were designed to fold
up on the real vehicle, and this
feature was used to expose the
rear battery bank. There are two
splatter panels missing from the
commander’s/driver’s roof, but if
FAR-EASTERN
REFINEMENT
Released after this build was completed,
but worthy of mention,
is the photo-etched metal detail
package available from Korea’s Tetra
Model Works. This comprehensive array
of mostly brass parts (ME-35049, 1/35
British APC FV 432 Detail-up Set) offers
a wealth of replacements/additions for
Takom’s kit, and they include:
• mesh stowage bin
• mudflaps with light units
• GPMG ammo box and cartridge
collector
• Toolbox fasteners/padlocks
• Light guards
• Tool clamps
• Mounts for smoke grenade launchers
• Striped high-vis boards for road use
• Pre-coloured driver instrument cluster
• Number plates
For details of this and other items in
the range, visit: www.tetramodel.com
Tetra products are available in the
UK via Sovereign Hobbies:
www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk
the modeller wishes, the items can
be scratch-built easily from 10-thou
(0.25mm) plastic card.
Tread carefully
Attaching the suspension and
running gear was relatively
straightforward, but problems
could occur because there aren’t

any pins or rods to align the swing
arms in the correct position on
the lower hull…just the jig alone.
The swing arms have a curved
joint that lines up with the hull
and care must be taken when
fitting them; the jig sits over the
top of the swing arms and aligns
them correctly. Drive and rear
idler wheels were then fitted to
the jig, and the track links were
built to fit the shape of the jig. A
pleasing touch was that track sag
 The kit’s tow cables were a little weak and lacked definition, so picture hanging wire was
employed to great effect in replicating the real material.
 Instalment of the radio and electrical cabling underway. Plastic rod and thin wire
detailed this area of the model.
had been taken into consideration.
In this instance, Takom employed
link-and-length tracks, which in
this modeller’s opinion makes this
phase painless. Do note, though,
the jig has a wrong way, and a
correct way for the left and right
track run, so be sure to set the
correct direction before the track
sections are mated. Once the track
was constructed, Tamiya Soil Effect
Brown Diorama Texture Paint
was worked between the links to
replicate a build-up of soil. Road
wheels weren’t fitted at this stage,
but their ‘rubber’ portions were
distressed before all parts were
constructed and placed to one side.
Put a lid on it
Attention turned to the vehicle’s
roof, the underside of which was
detailed with the trunking for the
NBC System. When building the
exterior, though, it’s just a case of
following the instructions. There
 The NBC filtration pack (centre) is dry-fitted, and would eventually be painted and
weathered separately. Missing cabling has been added, and note the ejector pin marks,
which would later be hidden behind bulkheads.
 Like all the other electrical installations,
no wiring was moulded in any way. In this
case, plastic rod was used to replicate the
missing detail.
 The replaced tow cables looked
convincing when manipulated to replicate
natural sag.
INTERMEDIATE BUILD
FV 432
was a slight fit issue when the
roof was offered to the lower hull,
where the bulkhead married with
the roof itself; the walls needed
minor sanding to thin them, then
it was a case of running Tamiya
Extra Thin Cement around the
join and holding all in place until
set. The modeller then has two
decisions to make…mortar hatches
can be modelled open, and a large
stowage bin is offered as another
option. A compromise was made
www.airfixmodelworld.com 31
 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
FV 432

 Areas of the driver’s station under construction…with even more home-spun cables!

 A combination of airbrushing and hand-painting was employed while adding colour and
life to the interior sections.

The firewall was

a superbly detailed
assembly, which
responded well
 From 2002, the FV 432’s interior changed from silver to white. Padded panels were to painting and
coloured as per the instructions, but they could be painted darker tan if desired. The two subtle weathering.
bulkheads need a little sanding, for a good fit when marrying the roof to the hull.

Considered weathering
accentuated the superb
detail Takom achieved
in reproducing the
floor sections.

 In reality, any space would be crammed with personnel kit, stores and ammunition
during exercise/deployment. To replicate this, a dive into the spares box produced a
few appropriate items, while scratch-built roll mats were cut from paper and positioned
suitably. The Bergens were reworked so they would fit among the other items.

Hull walls have been dry-fitted

to ensure good alignment. This is
always a good idea… especially
in this case, with the amount
of extra cabling added.

The splendid PE stowage

bin was an optional part
(as was the side bin) and, as a
later command version was being
modelled, these were duly attached.

32 Airfix Model World

 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
FV 432

until an appropriate shade was Warriors came with the new

achieved. After application of said
mixed green, XF-85 Rubber Black
was used for the camouflage black
bands. To break up the overall
appearance, raised details were
then picked out with Humbrol
226 Interior Green; this was a
subtle effect, but contributed to a
pleasing finish overall. While the
upper hull was set aside to dry. The
rubber tyres were painted Tamiya
XF-85 and weathered separately.
To create better adhesion,
the decals were laid on top of
 Early stages of weathering: damp areas are hand-painted over the dust layers. Aluminium previously applied Tamiya X-22
builders’ tape was used to great effect to create the tarpaulins. Clear Varnish.
camouflage system, which
incorporates poles and hanging
basket-style attachments, which
form a cocoon over the vehicle.
By the end of 2002, though, the
Army’s ‘432s were upgraded
with the same equipment so to
add interest, it was decided to
incorporate this into the model.
Plastic rod was cut to length and
inserted into the holders, and the
net was made from commercially
bought netting, cut to size. After
draping the net over the frame,
diluted PVA glue was applied by
brush to set the net in place.

on this model, with one hatch
left open to display a modicum of
interior detail. The commander’s
hatch came with a finely rendered
7.62mm General Purpose Machine
Gun (GPMG), but three-quarters
of the flash eliminator was
removed, to represent a blank-
firing barrel. The weapon was also
missing a carrying handle, so this
was fashioned from plastic card
and rod, then secured in place.
Meanwhile, the rear crew door was
home to the boiling vessels (BVs,
and these were topped up with
water constantly, so the crew could
enjoy a ‘brew’ at every opportunity.
Two blue electrical cables for the
BVs were fashioned from thin
wire twisted together, while other
details include adding the two
missing handles from the tops of
the vessels. The web strap and
buckle were brought to a higher
standard with Tamiya tape and
plastic card.
Green and black cab
The model was undercoated
with grey auto primer, and left
overnight to dry thoroughly. This
is an important step, as primer
covers minor blemishes, and acts
as a suitable key for the following
base coats. Before a mix of Tamiya
XF-67 NATO Green and X-28 Park
Green was sprayed on the model,
all workable hatches were closed
and any openings and clear parts,
were masked and protected. No
ratios were recorded though; the  Just one of the mortar hatches could be posed open with the chosen format, but it was
paint was simply mixed by eye essential to expose all that work on the interior.

www.airfixmodelworld.com 33
 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
FV 432
After this had dried, a thick paste
made from PVA glue and tea
leaves was then applied to the
net. The process was repeated
numerous times, until a convincing
appearance was achieved.
In need of a wash
To fade the rather bright green,
Humbrol 83 Ochre was misted over
the model… concentrating mainly
on horizontal panels, particularly
at the front and rear where dust
would accumulate. Further brush-
 Airbrushing of the dust layers was concentrated to the lower and rear areas of the vehicle.
34 Airfix Model World
applied washes followed to build
the layers in all the nooks and
crannies. To further the effect, pin
washes accentuated all the model’s
numerous raised details. Slowly,
a very convincing impression
of a dust-covered vehicle was
emerging. The darker, wet areas
were addressed by gradually
applying runs and streaks via AK
Interactive 2032 Grease, by brush.
Care was taken to build the effect
slowly, as the contrast between
dark and light areas needed to
 Tamiya Soil
Effect was worked
into the tracks,
then removed with
a finger, leaving
the material
between
the links.
Taxi for ten
The kit was a joy to build, and
there’s something to excite
every Cold War armour modeller,
whether it’s built from the box,
or as in this article, with minor
scratch-building. Having served
on the ‘432 myself, I can say the
accuracy is impressive. Takom is to
be congratulated on a producing
a model of an important British
military vehicle which, until now,
has been ignored by mainstream
manufacturers. The firm has since
also released the more modern
Bulldog version, which would make
a fine display case partner to
the model built here!
FV 432 Mk.2/1 w/Interior
MODEL SPEC By: Takom
be very high…and it would be
easy to overdo the effect. Lower Stock Code: 2066
areas of the vehicle then became Scale: 1/35
the main centre of interest. Price: £41.99
Streaks were tracked down from
logical areas, where moisture Available from:
would linger around fixtures and www.pocketbond.co.uk
fittings. With an airbrush, the two
contrasting areas were softened
subtly in selected areas, via a light
overspray of 83 Ochre. Lower
areas were then harmonised with
the upper hull by applying dark
washes and splashes.
 Base colours were hand-painted over the weathering coat, to suggest use by the crew.
 code can’t be used with other offers.

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 ADVANCED BUILD
ISRAELI OURAGAN

Dave Oliver tackles

IsraCast’s 1/48 Dassault
Ouragan multi-media
kit, adding extra detail
along the way

including four clear items for

A C C I D E N T A L the fuel tanks and blue-coloured
undercarriage legs (apparently
a different formulation of resin),
two vacform canopies and a small
photo-etched (PE) brass fret.
Before the build commenced, all
parts were removed from their
casting blocks, which posed an
issue with the outer wing sections,
as these were located along the
leading edges. The solution was
eginning any advanced to cut the waste resin a short

B model project can be

slightly daunting, whether
it’s deciding on which
aftermarket items to include, or
the age-old issue of getting the
correct paint for the intended
scheme in a timely manner.
This is doubly true for resin
models, as these require
additional planning in that quite
often, the established sequence
of assembly isn’t the best way to
distance from each wing, with the
remainder sanded carefully, to
preserve the profile. Throughout
this process it was checked
constantly against the wing root
to prevent subsequent alignment
problems. Once assembled, the
join was relatively good, with
just minimal filling and sanding
required to eliminate small gaps
Dassault Ouragan MD-450
MODEL SPEC

progress; careful consideration

 Resin casting was first class, with no air bubbles or imperfections, even in the larger must be given to which items By: IsraCast
components. Careful removal of the large resin plugs was the order of the day, to protect should be assembled or painted Stock Code: 48042
the superb detail. first. Such was the case with
Scale: 1/48
 When attaching the outer wings to the centre-section, due diligence was vital to IsraCast’s (perhaps better known
maintain the correct dihedral. Note the well-detailed undercarriage bays. for its decals) very comprehensive Price: $82
1/48 multi-media Ouragan. Available from: IsraCast,
However, the firm’s reputation www.isradecal.com
for quality, combined with clear
CAD-based instructions, made the
build much easier.

Joining the dots

There were more than 70 resin
components in the sturdy box,

36 Airfix Model World


 As each fuselage half was, in fact, composed from two-piece assemblies, much dry-
fitting was required to produce a satisfactory join.
PICK AN
OURAGAN
IsraCast’s generous markings
options involved eight schemes,
which covered the Ouragan’s two
decades in IAF service, with bare
metal, blue/brown/grey and tan/
brown/green/blue-grey camouflaged
airframes. There were French (for
transit aircraft) and Israeli stencils,
along with spare numerals; the latter
enable almost any Israeli Ouragan
to be built. A concise painting guide
contains detailed profiles of each
specified livery:
• #28, 113 Sqn, November 1956
• #75, 113 Sqn, 1957
• #47, 113 Sqn, 1958
• 4X-FEE, ferry flight markings 1962
• #22, 113 Sqn, 1964
• #93, 107 Sqn, 1966
• #80, 107 Sqn, June 1967
• #22, 113 Sqn, 1971
ADVANCED BUILD
ISRAELI OURAGAN
and any height discrepancies
between components.
Each fuselage half was in
two sections, with the rear  Removing excess resin from the wing leading edges required a methodical approach, which
involved much wet sanding and constant checking to ensure the correct shape was retained.
third needing to be secured
to the forward section with
cyanoacrylate (CA) adhesive,
after much dry-fitting to ensure
no problems arose later in the
build. Rather than provide a
separate cockpit tub, this was
cast integrally into each fuselage
half, and this required a degree
of fettling to enable as seamless
a join as possible. Having finished
preparing the larger items for  The cockpit sections were cast integrally with the fuselage halves, and required judicious
painting, it became apparent (from modification to ensure a smooth seam.
numerous reference photos) that
the real aircraft was a veritable
pin-cushion of rivets, a feature
not replicated in the kit. It was
decided to rectify this by marking
the rivet lines onto the fuselage
and wing exteriors by pencil,
with lengths of Dymo Tape used
as a straight-edge guide. Once
completed, an RB Productions
Riveting Tool (www.radubstore.
com) then produced the desired
scale rivet effect. At first, curved
metal templates were employed,
to try and follow the pencil guide
lines, but this was problematic
due to the fuselage’s compound
curves. After a deep breath, they
were riveted freehand instead,
which was a character-building
experience to say the least!
 To reproduce the type’s extensively
riveted exterior, a guide was drawn on the
wings and fuselage with a pencil…it was
vital to cross-check the separate parts
while matching the detail.
www.airfixmodelworld.com 37
 ADVANCED BUILD
ISRAELI OURAGAN

“THE SIDEWALLS AND

FLOOR BENEFITED
FROM RESIN AND PE
ENHANCEMENTS”

Pilot’s pit treatments. random switches were painted

After much finishing and test- Seat cushions red and yellow to add colour.
fitting, work started on the were dry-brushed With all major parts finished, the
cockpit, by attaching many of with progressively whole area was highlighted with
the smaller intricate PE details to lighter shades of UA256 AMMO-MIG’s Oilbrusher A.MIG-
areas such as the sidewalls, which Olive Drab Base Colour 3500 Black, before the floor and
could otherwise have easily been to produce a worn effect, ejection seat received a pin wash
damaged or lost during the clean- while the harness was painted of A.MIG-3512 Brown.
up process. Tamiya 87042 Surface UA029 Grey, before being
Primer Gray prepared the sub- highlighted. Warload and wings
assemblies, before each received The PE instrument panel was a Period photos of the aircraft
LifeColor UA735 Deep Cockpit. real pleasure, due to the high level showed a mixed weapons load,
All parts were then dry-brushed of detail present. Dials received a consisting
lightly with Citadel Runefang Steel, heavily diluted white mix, which of rockets
with areas of high wear (such created the illusion of and bombs,
as the cockpit floor and ejection depth due to capillary but just the
seat) being subjected to heavier action, while other former

 Although time-consuming, the riveting added a subtle level of extra detail to the  References highlighted the type’s typical mixed weapon load, so the kit’s four rockets
aircraft’s exterior. were supplemented with two 500lb bombs from the spares box; these were stippled with Mr.
Surfacer 500 to replicate a cast texture.

 The sidewalls and floor benefited from resin and PE enhancements, but these weren’t  Two sizes of wing tanks were provided, with the larger items deemed appropriate for
added until after the exterior rivets had been replicated, to avoid any damage/breakages. this subject. Clear resin nose cones provided the transparencies for the navigation lights.

38 Airfix Model World

 ADVANCED BUILD
ISRAELI OURAGAN

 Two well-rendered vacform windshield/canopy transparencies were supplied, and these

demanded careful trimming of the excess plastic (although one acted as a spare).

 IsraCast’s PE instrument panel was a delight, and responded well to a thinned white wash
in the dials. The lower section was a separate resin/PE combination, including rudder pedals
which had to be bent to the correct shape.
 The ejection seat was a fine miniature
replica, the only additions being a harness and
firing handle…a well-worn appearance was
created by dry-brushing with LifeColor acrylics.
 Cast in blue resin, the undercarriage legs
required minimal assembly, but care must be
exercised when attaching the scissor links.
Once painted, a black wash highlighted the
crisp detail.

 Despite careful preparation when preparing the fuselage halves, there was still a mismatch at
the rear. The parts were immersed in hot water until they were malleable enough to be pushed
into the correct position. This process was aided by the deliberately unglued vertical fin slot, to
allow adjustment when the latter was fitted.

were supplied in the kit. However, fuselage halves, otherwise the Despite major efforts throughout offending sections were pushed
a brief rummage through the cockpit and panel lines would not the build to ensure this, it was into shape. Fortunately, it was
spares box yielded two suitable match correctly. To allow time apparent immediately on mating decided prior to this to leave the
500lb bombs, which were pressed to correct any issues, 60-minute them that the rear sections tailfin cut-out unglued deliberately,
into service. Belatedly it was epoxy glue was employed; while it weren’t straight. To rectify the so the latter could be adjusted to
discovered IsraCast also provides allowed for plenty of adjustment, problem, the aft fuselage was sit correctly.
suitable resin aftermarket items this decision also entailed holding immersed in hot water, until the Returning to the model the next
(IC-48048), with six 250kg units the fuselage halves for at least 50 resin warmed sufficiently to evening, it was obvious plenty of
per pack. minutes until it had set! become malleable, after which the filling would be necessary to
The undercarriage legs were
cast superbly in blue resin, and
required just minor enhancement,
in the form of lead wire lengths
to replicate hydraulic cables. No
significant modifications were
needed for the associated bay
doors once they’d been neatened.
With no locating tabs on the
mating surfaces, extra care was
necessary when aligning the

www.airfixmodelworld.com 39
 ADVANCED BUILD
ISRAELI OURAGAN

“THE EJECTION
SEAT WAS A
FINE MINIATURE
REPLICA”

as once in case of damage to the first. Two-tone time

correct the
rather large
gaps, but this can
often be the case with
resin kits. Mr. Surfacer 500
was duly applied with a cocktail
stick and then sanded, before the
seams were finalised with a light
coating of Mr. Dissolved Putty.
Any panel lines lost during this
process were reinstated with an
RB Productions’ scribing tool.
Dry-fitting the wing and fuselage
revealed several issues, which
resulted in the former’s entire
centre section being sanded
until it conformed to the latter’s
contours. This paid off, however,
glued to
the rest of the
model, just minor
filling was necessary
on the upper surfaces,
while significant steps at
the front and back of the wing
assembly were addressed,
before the panel line
and rivet detail was
restored. Wing-tip
tanks were then
attached, during
which the most
troublesome aspects
were the delicate stabiliser
fins, which were re-attached on
numerous occasions after being
knocked off.
Canopy cutting
The vacform transparencies
were well moulded, and IsraCast
helpfully supplied two items,
one of which served as a spare
Separating vacform parts from
their surrounding styrene is always
a delicate process, particularly
when dealing with clear items.
The outer edges were trimmed
gradually (with a new blade fitted
to the scalpel), to ensure sufficient
material was retained to match
the aircraft contours; an act that
involved repeated dry-fitting of
the item against the airframe.
Once a satisfactory fit had been
achieved and the piece had been
masked, the canopy was tacked
with Microscale Kristal Klear
(www.microscale.com). However,
on its own, this adhesive proved
insufficient to hold the part in
position, so CA, applied sparingly
on the tip of a scalpel blade, was
used to form a much stronger
bond. A bead of Mr. Dissolved
Putty was then added to conceal
any gaps…once dry, the model was
ready for its camouflage.
Having experienced issues when
painting resin models in the past,
nothing was left to chance to
ensure the best possible surface
on which to apply the top coat.
First, the model was washed with
diluted detergent and left to dry,
after which it was only handled
when wearing latex gloves. Alclad’s
ALC-302 Grey Primer & Microfiller
then served to harmonise the
surface and helped identify any
areas that needed further work,
such as the air intake, tail and
spine. Once rectified, a further
primer layer was misted onto
the model, before it was sanded
lightly with 800-grade Micro-Mesh
abrasive cloth.
A pre-shade of UA207
Schwarzgrau/Panzergrau was
added to the panel lines and
areas that would receive minimal
light, contributing to the eventual
irregular finish and acting as a

 Addition of the intake lip, exhaust nozzle, tail and wings resulted in significant gaps,
despite earlier efforts to ensure correct alignment and fit.
 With all major gaps filled, and any rivet detail and panel lines reinstated, the tip tanks
were added; these required little additional work.

40 Airfix Model World


 After priming and pre-shading, misted layers of HTK-A172 Medium Brown were applied,
ensuring the pre-shade remained visible, notably at panel lines and the wing-fuselage join.
useful reference when spraying
the top coat. Due to the relatively
obscure nature of the aircraft,
sourcing an accurate paint
set took a little research, but
eventually, Hataka’s HTK-AS34
Israeli Air Force (IAF) set (www.
hataka-hobby.com) was obtained.
This provided an
accurate match
for early IAF
colours. Not
having
ADVANCED BUILD
ISRAELI OURAGAN
 Camouflage demarcation was set by cutting Tamiya tape to shape with a handy Gyro-Cut tool.
used the paint before, online
research, along with advice
from friends, proved invaluable.
A bottle of UMP002 Ultimate
Airbrush Thinner (www.umpretail.
com) was also purchased and
painting began.
The underside received
airbrushed HTK-A173 Silk Grey in
three misted coats, followed by
post-shading with progressively
lighter shades of the base coat
colour, to produce a worn effect.
 Once the disruptive pattern was added, selected panels were post-
shaded with lighter mixes of the base colours. The initial effect
looked quite stark, but would be muted during weathering.
Once the upper/lower surface
demarcation line was masked,
the top surfaces and fuselage
sides were sprayed HTK-A172
Medium Brown, with care taken
to preserve the pre-shading. The
camouflage pattern was then
created by cutting Tamiya tape
to shape with a Gyro-Cut tool
(www.craftyproducts.co.uk). Early
IAF aircraft featured an unusual
dark camouflage tone, and this
was matched with HTK-A171
www.airfixmodelworld.com 41
 ADVANCED BUILD
ISRAELI OURAGAN
 With the markings applied, a tan filter was hand-brushed over the aircraft; this helped to
harmonise the camouflage and make the decals appear painted.
REFERENCE
GOLDMINE
IsraDecal Publications (www.isradecal.
com) has produced an invaluable
reference guide (IAFB14) to the type,
to accompany the kit release. Compiled
by renowned authors Ra’anan Weiss
and Shlomo Aloni, it offers a wealth of
information on the Ouragan, including
detailed service and operational history,
weapons and explanation of IAF colours
and markings. The mainly black and
white photos cover all aspects of its
IAF career, including the inevitable
crashes and accidents, along with more
humorous interludes such as dousing
pilots after their first solo flight. Close-
ups of the cockpit, weapons, ejection
seat and undercarriage bays will aid
modellers greatly, while the narrative
also serves as an insight into the
difficulties of operating an early jet
fighter…and expands greatly on this
issue’s Ouragan In Focus feature.
42 Airfix Model World
Grey-Blue. Unfortunately, the
initial application resulted in an
uneven surface, which had to be
sanded and repainted before a
satisfactory finish was achieved.
Post-shading was then added in
a similar fashion to the Medium
Brown, with the palest shades
focussed on areas of high wear,
such as the wing leading edges
and aircraft spine. Two overall
coats of Johnson’s Klear were
then brushed and left to dry
overnight.
BIG shark mouth
Cartograf’s decals were a joy
to work with, and settled into
panel lines with minimal decal
solution; even the large nose
artwork required very little fettling
to conform with the fuselage
contours. The markings were then
 Final weathering employed AMMO-MIG’s Oilbrusher products to create dust effects and
detail pin washes. LifeColor’s Liquid Pigments then added the final touches.
sealed with airbrushed LC77 Satin
Varnish, which also served as a
base layer for weathering.
The rather stark appearance
of the two-tone camouflage was
softened with a Sin Industries
P242 Tan filter, followed by an
overall MIG Productions P221
Brown Wash, to highlight the rivet
and panel line detail. Specific
areas were then treated to
A.MIG-3516 Dust and A.MIG-3512
Dark Brown pin washes. Finally,
the model received an overall
coat of LifeColor Liquid Pigment
LPW05 Colonial Dark Sand, to
simulate a dusty patina, with
special emphasis around the
cockpit and wing roots; this was
complemented with P037 Gulf
War Sand.
After the ordnance and
undercarriage had been attached,
“A TAN FILTER WAS HAND-BRUSHED
OVER THE AIRCRAFT”
a similar process was conducted
on these items, to harmonise them
with the rest of the airframe. Fine
details were then highlighted with
the aid of A.MIG-3500 Black, to
complete the build.
Storming results
Early jets have always been an
area of interest for me and many
other modellers, and this aircraft
proved a relatively obscure and
enigmatic example from that era…
one whose identity baffled many
aviation enthusiasts at my local
model club! As with all resin kits,
slightly more preparation was
required than with their styrene
counterparts, but the rewards are
well worth the extra effort, and
helped to create a splendid scale
representation of this unusual
and overlooked aircraft.
 MIL-SPEC
AIRBRUSH-READY
QUICK-DRYING
ENAMEL PAINT

sales@alclad2.co.uk
www.alclad2-online.co.uk
Phone: 01692 500700

PO Box 56023
St. Petersburg, FL 33732-6023

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 IN FOCUS
ISRAELI OURAGAN
M I D D L E
Ra’anan Weiss offers insight into Israel’s unplanned
acquisition of the French Dassault Ouragan
srael explored then-currently
I available first-generation jet
fighters from 1950 onwards, but
just a small number actually
entered service.
France had no ready-for-purchase
indigenous designs at that time,
but was sympathetic and willing to
sell other aircraft. Israel ordered
the Dassault Mystère II in 1954
and was thus expected to become
the first Middle East nation to
introduce second-generation jet
fighters. Soon afterwards, the
Israelis realised the Mystère II
44 Airfix Model World
was plagued with issues. A group
of six Israeli Air Force (IAF) pilots
commenced the conversion course
in August 1955, and would form
the nucleus of 113 Squadron (also
known as Tayeset Ha’Tsira’a —
Hornet Squadron), which was to
operate the type from Hatzor
Air Base. The course covered
eight sorties in the Ouragan
(Hurricane) from August 9, 1955
and introduced Israeli pilots to
French-designed cockpits and
local flying procedures. A lack of
available Mystères delayed Israeli
E A S T E R N
conversion though, and the first
flights were only accomplished on
September 9.
Ouragan introduction
The French were fully aware of
the Mystère’s deficiencies and
delays, and offered an immediate
delivery of 12 Ouragans as a
stop-gap solution; this was duly
accepted by the Israeli Ministry of
Defence, which then negotiated
(successfully) for the acquisition of
a further 12 airframes. As a result,
113 Squadron was probably the
first IAF unit to convert from one
aircraft type to another before it
had been activated formally, doing
so on October 4, 1955.
Those first 12 Ouragans were
drawn from the French Air
Force inventory and prepared
for immediate delivery to Israel
under the auspices of Operation
OurIs (Ouragan-Israel), which
commenced on October 6, 1955.
The additional dozen aircraft were
delivered by November 26, 1955.
Introduction into IAF service on 113
Squadron was rapid, smooth and
trouble-free, with the initial pilot
cadre of six tripled on October
28, when a dozen 117 (The First
Jet) Squadron Meteor pilots were
Ouragan #42 after the October 1956
hostilities. This aircraft was one of the
first metal-finished airframes to be
applied with the standard shark’s teeth,
while still retaining yellow and black
identification stripes.

Aircraft number 42, shortly after entering service with the IAF, still with the civil registration letters applied.
posted to the unit.
On April 12, 1956 the Ouragan
was credited with its first air-to-air
kill, when a pair of 113 Squadron
jets intercepted Egyptian Vampires
over the Negev Desert and shot
down one of them. This clash
was a dot along the timeline of
escalation between Egypt and
Israel, leading to the October-
November 1956 Sinai War (known
in the West as the Suez Crisis).
Israel’s Ouragan complement
was boosted in May 1956 by the
delivery of a further six airframes.
Dozens of pilots were trained to fly
the Ouragan during that year, but
many were assigned subsequently
to 101 (The First Fighter) Squadron
and converted onto Mystère IVs.
Sinai involvement
Exactly one year after activation,
113 Squadron went to war; its 18
pilots conducting 134 operational
sorties between October 29 and
November 3, 1956 in support
of Operation Kadesh, Israel’s
involvement in the Sinai War. The
Ouragan proved an extremely
robust airframe and none were
lost to ground fire.
Notably, two formations of
Ouragans (each comprising six
aircraft) escorted C-47s during
the initial parachute drop on
objectives near the Mitla Pass,
during the afternoon of October
29 (Day 1). On Day 2, Ouragans
flew just ten air support missions
over Sinai, but at least 50 the
following day, which represented
the peak of the IAF air campaign.
Generally, air-to-air engagements
between Israeli Ouragans and
Egyptian MiG-15s on October
31 were inconclusive, except
for two encounters. In the first,
113 Squadron’s junior deputy
commander ran out of fuel after
disengaging from combat, and
belly landed his Ouragan in the
IN FOCUS
ISRAELI OURAGAN
Jet tutoring
Post-Suez, the IAF revamped
and improved its flight training
programme, and altered the
syllabus to reflect the shift from
piston- to jet-engined fighters.
Previously, primary training was
conducted on PT-17 Stearmans,
followed by advanced training with
T-6 Harvards and post-graduate
training on the P-51 Operational
Training Unit (OTU). The new
syllabus retained the Stearman
during the primary phase, but
the Harvard became the basic
flight trainer, with the advanced
section conducted on Meteors.
Post-graduate training was to be
on Ouragans, and 113 Squadron
was re-roled as an OTU — Course
1’s Solo Day was on November 29,
1956, with its cadets graduating
as fully fledged fighter pilots on
February 21, 1957.
Running the OTU had two
important implications; the unit’s
flying hours were relatively high
compared to others, which also led
to the Ouragan’s high peacetime
attrition rate. To counter this,
Israel purchased an additional 40
airframes from surplus French Air
Force stocks (many of these came
from storage at Chȃteaudun),
which were ferried in six batches
Groundcrew arm this Ouragan, tail-code 47, with T-10 rockets; these were the type’s from 1962 to 1965.
main air-to-ground armament during most of its IAF service. During operation By April 1, 1965 there were 54
Kadesh, Ouragans fired approximately 460 rockets at Egyptian targets. Ouragans in IAF service, and this
led to the formation of a second
desert; fortunately, he was unhurt IAF air activity declined from Day Ouragan unit, with 107 (Knights
and the aircraft returned to 4; the squadron reportedly flew of the Orange Tail) Squadron
service after repairs. The result 28 attack sorties on that day, 18 activated at Ramat David in
of the second was a claim by the on November 3 and just three the October 1965. This enabled 113
senior deputy commander for a following day, bringing the type’s Squadron to focus on OTU activity,
damaged MiG. involvement to a close. while 107 Squadron was
Pilots from 113 Squadron pose in front of Ouragan #70,
after participating in Israel’s 12th Independence Day flypast in
early May 1960. Note the Mickey Mouse motif on the fuselage side.
www.airfixmodelworld.com 45
 IN FOCUS
ISRAELI OURAGAN
An OTU pilot receives a traditional ‘wash’ after completing his first solo flight in March 1966. Ouragan #62 was lost in an
accident on January 1, 1968, when it stalled after taking off with a towed target, then struck the runway. Fortunately, pilot
Yosef Har’el was injured just slightly.
designated as a regular fighter
unit. During this same time-frame,
the IAF selected a successor to the
Ouragan and Mystère, with its first
order of McDonnell Douglas A-4
Skyhawks placed during 1966.
Time was supposedly running out
for the Ouragan as an IAF fighter,
but this final phase of service
lasted longer than expected,
including two further wars.
Pre-emptive strike
By 1967, the Ouragan was the
least advanced fighter in the
IAF, and with its relatively low
Ouragan #45 before a flight, shortly
after the Six-Day War. The aircraft
is armed with 66gal (300lit) napalm
bombs and T-10 rockets. It was
withdrawn from service in 1973.
46 Airfix Model World
speed was considered easy
prey. However, due to the IAF’s
undersized fighter order of battle,
it was pressed into service during
the June 1967 Six-Day War as a
ground attack asset, participating
in the initial pre-emptive strike
on Egyptian air bases. Planners
produced four ‘range circles’;
the first extended over the Sinai
Peninsula, with subsequent zones
covering the Suez Canal, Nile
Delta and Upper Egypt areas
respectively. Naturally, Ouragan
squadrons were tasked to attack
air bases within the first zone, but
the IAF’s fighter shortage dictated
Ouragan sorties would also be
conducted against targets over
the Suez Canal itself, well within
the second circle.
Unlike other IAF assets, which
utilised just bombs or specialised
anti-runway munitions, Ouragan
pilots targeted the runways
initially with bombs and then
rockets. This combination was
extremely successful; in several
cases, when bombs missed the
runway due to crosswind, the
rockets completed the mission.
Damage was obviously maximised
when both bombs and rockets
struck designated targets.
Ouragans attacked four Egyptian
air bases during the opening
wave, with four 107 Squadron
formations (each comprising two
aircraft) striking Bir Tamada and El
Arish. Bir Gafgafa was targeted by
four pairs from 113 Squadron, with
three tasked against Fayid and
one supporting 107’s efforts at Bir
Tamada. This division of assets
reflected the units’ comparative
sizes, with 113 Squadron equipped
with 35 Ouragans, and 107
Squadron 16, of which 33 and 15
respectively were serviceable on
the morning of June 5, 1967.
The first wave was an
overwhelming success, with the
majority of Egyptian aircraft at
Bir Gafgafa and Fayid, most (if
not all) at Bir Tamada and all at
El Arish destroyed. Few Egyptian
aircraft took-off from these
locations during the attack, and
an Ouragan was credited with
a MiG-21 kill over Bir Gafgafa,
shooting it down during a strafing
pass when the Egyptian fighter
attempted to get airborne.
Three Ouragans were lost to
the heavy anti-aircraft artillery
encountered over Egyptian
airfields, and many others were
damaged. However, the type’s
ruggedness meant pilots could
return to base despite being hit...
three were so badly damaged they
played no further role during the
short-lived conflict.
 IN FOCUS
ISRAELI OURAGAN

1969, fighting between Egypt and

Israel escalated into the War of
Attrition, with Ouragans flying
air-to-ground missions west of
the Suez Canal, until a ceasefire in
August 1970.
An experimental Skyhawk
OTU was formed that year to
evaluate its potential as an
Ouragan replacement. Following
its success, parallel Ouragan
and Skyhawk OTUs eased the
transition period as the former
was retired from service.
As with the type’s arrival, its
Aircraft #49 in 1968, after being painted at one of Israel Aircraft Industries' workshops, before being returned to the IAF.
departure was marked by a major

The aircraft line of 107 Squadron at

Ramat David, prior to the deployment
to Lod AFB and during the ‘waiting
period’ before the Six-Day War.

Friendly fire The combined combat loss ratio therefore relinquished its training syllabus revision, with
During the second wave, the of the two Ouragan squadrons Ouragans in July 1967. the Skyhawk replacing the Fouga
Ouragan squadrons flew was therefore 0.013% (1.3 Magister as the Flight School’s
seven close support and five combat losses per 100 sorties), Fighting to retirement advanced trainer in October 1972.
air superiority missions. Two despite being less advanced than Hostilities between Israel and its The Ouragan remained in service
Jordanian airfields, Amman and other assets...although this was Arab neighbours continued in for one more term before a flypast
Mafraq (two and four formations achieved with total air superiority. the immediate post-Six Day War was staged at Hatzor on March
respectively) and two Syrian However, a consequence was the period, and Ouragans conducted 8, 1973, followed by a memorable
bases, Damascus-Mezze and Marj’ available fleet had shrunk to the missions primarily over Jordan, parade to honour 20 years' service
Ruhayyil (one formation apiece) point by which two units were and against Palestinian Liberation from a type the IAF hadn’t
were attacked. Despite heavy anti- unsustainable; 107 Squadron Organisation targets. From March originally planned to acquire.
aircraft defences, just one Ouragan
was lost over enemy territory, but
one damaged 113 Squadron aircraft
was shot down by IAF Hawk
surface-to-air missile batteries,
after the pilot, Yoram Harpaz
(due to either aircraft damage or
injury), failed to respond to radio
calls from the formation lead and
strayed into the Dimona nuclear
reactor no-fly zone.
Over the remaining five days,
Ouragans flew just air support
missions, suffering a further
five losses. In total, 113 Squadron
flew 450 sorties and lost seven
Ouragans, with 107’s crews Aircraft #28 (formerly 58) during Operation Kadesh. The aircraft is painted with yellow and black identification stripes on both
sides of the fuselage, and above and below the wings. The original large digits were erased and replaced with new, uniformly
conducting 325 sorties for the loss
sized numbers below the cockpit and on the tail.
of three aircraft.

www.airfixmodelworld.com 47
 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
SEA HARRIER FA.2

DELIBERATE FORCE

SHAR
Navy would continue to operate
Stu Fone casts a critical eye over Airfix’s the Harrier, in the form of the
re-released 1/72 Sea Harrier FA.2 and ground-attack GR.7/9, as part of
Joint Force Harrier until 2010.
corrects some of its shortfalls
SHAR examined
the contents of the reissue were
identical, with four styrene runners
(including one for transparencies),
with external detail represented
via engraved panel lines…but these
were considered generally to be

R
egarded as the last all-
British-designed fighter, the
Sea Harrier (SHAR) FA.2
represented a necessary
upgrade to the earlier FRS.1, in light
of lessons learned from the 1982
Falklands War.
Chief among these was the
addition of a beyond-visual-range
air-to-air missile, the AIM-120B
AMRAAM and a Blue Vixen pulse-
doppler radar. Combined with a
more powerful Mk.106 Pegasus
engine, fully integrated chaff/flare
dispensers and a ‘glass’ cockpit,
the FA.2 had much improved
capability over its predecessor. The
type served from 1988 to 2006,
notably supporting operations
in the Balkans and Middle East,
before being phased out due to
defence cuts, although the Royal
Airfix’s 1/72 Sea Harrier FA.2 first
emerged in 2010, sharing many
components with the earlier
FRS.1 release. Those (including
myself) who were wowed just
three years later by its GR.1 were
underwhelmed with the naval
variant (despite it building into a
reasonable model), as it suffered
from several accuracy issues.
Apart from new decals (see panel)
too deep.
Cross-checking with references
and scale drawings revealed the
rear fuselage was tapered too
sharply from behind the airbrake.
It was also apparent both upper
and lower fuselage ‘humps’ were
misshapen, and the wings were
too narrow in chord (from leading
to trailing edge), with a poorly
shaped tip section. The drop tanks

To enable Pavla’s resin office

to fit, styrene must be removed
 While Eduard’s PE details (left) resulted in an immediate improvement to the cockpit,
from the L-shaped locating frame
these were unfortunately based on Airfix’s colour guide and were far too light, while lacking
and the rear cockpit decking.
the depth and finesse of Pavla’s resin components.

48 Airfix Model World

 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
SEA HARRIER FA.2

featured an incorrect tapered-
teardrop profile, while the gun pods
were undersized and the outrigger
housings were featureless. By
comparison, the wheel bays were
much better, and the airbrake
bay had the correct internal
structure, but the undercarriage
was oversimplified, with extended
oleos. Finally, there were panel line
inconsistencies, notably on the
upper wing surface.
Start your cutting
Initial construction involved the
cockpit, with Pavla’s resin items
favoured generally over Eduard’s
photo-etched (PE) metal items,
although the opportunity was
taken to fit the latter to the
otherwise discarded styrene parts
for comparison. Styrene was
removed from the fuselage halves
to allow the tub (with integral
rear panel) to sit snugly. A test-
fit revealed no initial problems,
so the office components were Both rear fuselage fins were removed in
primed and then airbrushed preparation for the aftermarket products
with Humbrol 164 Dark Sea Grey, and corrective work on the rear. Note
to which a drop of white was the ‘keep’ notice on the lower unit to
added (to replicate Admiralty (hopefully) prevent it being thrown away!
Grey). Unfortunately, the resin
was rather brittle, so eventually
the kit control column was
reinstated. Details were hand-
painted with various Vallejo (www.
creativemodels.co.uk) and Tamiya
(www.hobbyco.net) acrylics,
before being treated with a dark
grey wash.
The vertical and dorsal fins were
cut from the fuselage halves, in
readiness for corrective work and
replacement resin items to follow.
Where the underside item had
been, a 30-thou (0.75mm) thick
triangular fillet was added to each
half, to ensure the resulting ‘keel’
was vertical.
Intake bell inners and outer
elements were primed white,
before the fan blades received

KIT SCHEMES
Airfix opted for a frontline 1990s overall Medium Sea Grey machine with four bomb
tallies on the forward fuselage (of an eventual total of six), and the well-known
blue/white ‘Admiral’s Barge’, which commemorated 25 years of SHAR operations.
• ZD608/128, 800 NAS, HMS Invincible, Operation Deliberate Force, July 1995
• ZH809 ‘Admiral’s Barge’, 899 NAS, NAS Yeovilton, 2004

 Other standout areas included the wheel and airbrake bays, which required careful work
with a micro-chisel to reduce the height of the moulded relief as provided (bottom left) to
approximately 2mm (bottom right)

 Milliput was employed to correct the aft airframe, and was blended to the approximate
profile while still wet. After being left to cure properly, it was sanded and any blemishes
treated with filler. When compared to the original parts, the improvement is very noticeable.

www.airfixmodelworld.com 49
 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
SEA HARRIER FA.2
airbrushed Alclad ALC-112 Steel
(www.alclad2.com) and all parts
were then assembled, before
the complete unit was secured
in the right-hand fuselage. Both
wheel bays were added without
modification, but a micro-chisel
was employed to reduce the depth
of the airbrake bay’s moulded
structure to approximately
2mm. Because of the expected
extra weight from the deepened
rear fuselage, a small
RESIN AND BRASS
 Eduard’s Sea Harrier FA.2 Set (73356)
supplied a wealth of interior and exterior
detail and fittings.
 Initially, Pavla’s Control Surfaces seemed perfect, but the brittle and warped resin (on the
vertical fin) caused significant problems.
50 Airfix Model World
Airfix’s initial SHAR FA.2 release
generated a flurry of aftermarket
detail/upgrade products. The following
were employed for this build:
Eduard (www.eduard.com)
• 73356 Sea Harrier FA.2
Freightdog Models
(www.freightdogmodels.com)
• 190gal fuel tanks
Pavla (www.pavla.cz)
• C72096 Sea Harrier FA.2 Cockpit
• U72117 Harrier/Sea Harrier 30mm Gun Pods
• U72118 Sea Harrier Intake and Exhausts
• U72122 Sea Harrier FA.2 Nose
• U72123 Sea Harrier FA.2 Control Surfaces
 Resin air intakes and exhaust nozzles by
Pavla were a major improvent on the styrene
components, eliminating any seam lines.
 Pavla's resin cockpit set was a delight,
with crisply cast detail.
amount of Liquid Gravity (www.
modellingtools.co.uk) was added
in front of the intake section, after
which the cockpit sub-assembly
was secured with cyanoacrylate
(CA) adhesive and the main body
halves mated. The fit was excellent,
with minimal filler required, and
the soft styrene made scribing new
panel lines much easier — notably
around the engine access hatches
(using metal templates and a vice-
mounted pin).
Pavla’s aftermarket components
were added next; while the
nosecone was a simple drop-in
replacement, the intakes were a
challenge as they had a different
inner radius to the styrene bell.
So, the edges of the latter were
thinned, along with the removal
of resin from the former’s aft
section, until a good fit was
achieved. The resin intakes were
then primed white and secured to
the fuselage with CA.
Once satisfied with the fuselage
joins, the rear section was
deepened by adding Superfine
White Milliput (www.milliput.com),
which was blended while still wet to
the existing curvature and plastic
card keel. This was left for two days
to harden, before it was sanded
and checked for flaws; several
filling/sanding sessions followed
until the desire effect was achieved
and the dorsal fillet reinstated.
At this point, it was decided to
check how well the windscreen
fitted over the new coaming.
Unfortunately (and despite claims
 A test-fit of the windscreen revealed the Pavla coaming was slightly too wide and featured too steep a profile, and
excess resin was removed with a sharp knife. Note the PE head up display, which replaced the fragile resin item.

of Airfix’s item being too wide), the styrene strip on the wingtip,
coaming was too broad and high, the shape problem too. Once
and a gap remained at the front everything had dried, the leading
even after judicious trimming. edge and tip were sanded to the
To remedy this, small shims correct profile, before gaps and cut
were added on either side (also marks were filled. Any detail lost
correcting the windscreen angle), during this process was reinstated
while filling/sanding blended the later in the build.
front section with the fuselage The kit flaps and ailerons were
contours. removed, before test-
fitting revealed the Pavla
Winging it items were undersized
To correct the incorrect slightly, so 20-thou shims
chord and wingtip profile, it was were added. Again, the resin’s
decided to remove the outer brittle nature came to the fore,
leading edge, from immediately with the (broken) fuel dump
aft of the vertex generators, and sections, being discarded in favour
insert a 20thou (0.5mm) shim. of replacements fashioned from
This would solve the chord issue styrene and Albion Alloys’ 0.5mm
and, in conjunction with additional tube (www.albionhobbies.com).

Sea Harrier FA.2

MODEL SPEC

By: Airfix
Stock Code: A4052A
Scale: 1/72
Price: £18.99
Available from: www.airfix.com
The rear section
was deepened by
adding Superfine
White Milliput
 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
SEA HARRIER FA.2

Reference documents revealed

several inaccuracies on the kit
wings, notably the chord between
the inner and outermost fences,
wingtip shape and several panel
lines (highlighted in red).

 The kit’s outrigger housings were featureless mouldings (left), so these were removed
and new units scratch-built from strip and block styrene (right), including sidewalls, fairings
(with RCS vent) and leading-edge strake.
 Plastic card shims increased the wing chord, while resin ailerons and flaps came from
Pavla. Fuel dump vents were replicated with styrene and brass tube. Inaccurate panel lines
were filled and sanded in readiness for scribing.
 Airfix’s undercarriage was rather basic in appearance, but a combination of PE tie-downs
and brake lines, and scratch-built details made a big difference.

Corrections to the outrigger
housings started with the moulded
underside items being removed,
after which a new fairing and
strake were fettled from styrene
rod and strip, with apertures for
the reaction control system (RCS)
cut with a micro-chisel. Creating
new side walls was much simpler,
with 2mm and 3mm high strips
of 20-thou plastic card fitted and
then trimmed to the correct size
and shape. After any blemishes
had been remedied, the wing
was secured to the fuselage with
liquid cement, and any gaps made
good with Vallejo Acrylic Putty
and Squadron White Stuff (www.
squadron.com). All vents and grilles
were added next, with recesses
cut for the underside RCS nozzles
and chaff/flare dispensers; most
were from the Pavla and Eduard
sets, but two small inlets above the
intakes came from an old Esci kit.
Wheel trouble
Airfix’s undercarriage was basic
and inaccurate, but rather than
replace these items completely,
it was decided to modify them
instead. The nosewheel required
a new door anchor mechanism,
as just half was moulded on the
kit part (this wasn’t a short-shot
issue, the part is misshapen);
it also benefited from tie-down
points, an extra light and PE door.
Similar work was undertaken on
the mainwheels, although Eduard’s
PE brake lines and door helped
immensely. By far the most difficult
alterations were the outriggers,
which required a scratch-built
lower fairing and retraction
arm, with PE tie-down points.
Undercarriage legs received 127
US Ghost Grey, with any fairings
painted 165 Medium Sea Grey and
the wheel hubs satin white…these
would later be weathered as per
the rest of the airframe.
It had been intended to use
Pavla’s vertical fin, but it was
warped badly, and broke in several
places when straightened, despite
being immersed in hot water.
Instead, the kit tail was recovered
from the spares pile, with the
resin intake and pitot housings
transplanted, before gaps were
filled and sanded. A final addition
was the short vertical strip on the
port side of the rudder, which was
fashioned from scrap styrene.
The pitot was created from Albion
Alloys’ 0.5 and 0.3mm tubing.
Motley munitions
Airfix supplied a decent weapons
selection, with single and dual
AIM-9 Sidewinder rails (the latter
rarely seen on FA.2s) and
underwing AIM-120
AMRAAM

52 Airfix Model World


launchers for the outboard pylon,
two fuel tanks, Aden gun pods and
a pair of excellent Sea Eagles. As
this was an Operation Deliberate
Force airframe, the load was two
AIM-120Bs, two fuel tanks, two
gun pods and a centreline 1,000lb
bomb (other examples substituted
Eduard suggested the RCS ducts and
chaff/flare dispensers were attached
to the fuselage surface, but these were
actually flush and recessed respectively.
A micro-chisel was employed to remove
unnecessary styrene, with filler
repairing any surrounding damage.
After Pavla’s vertical fin snapped
during attempts to straighten it, the kit
part was rescued from the spares box
and a ‘franken-fin’ created by adding
the resin pitot housing and leading-
edge inlet. A small bracing strip, fitted
to the port side of all Harrier rudders,
was fashioned from styrene.
AIM-9L Sidewinders for the
AMRAAMS, and not all carried
bombs and gun pods). Rather
than cut and refit the incorrectly
positioned kit AIM-120 fins,
replacements were taken from a
Hasegawa weapons set (7209),
along with two LAU-129 rails,
converted into UK-style launchers.
As mentioned previously, the
fuel tanks and gun pods were
replaced with aftermarket
items (Freightdog and Pavla
respectively), while a Flightpath
(www.djparkins.com) bomb was
scrounged from the spares box,
 This spread of the kit (left of 1,000lb bomb, centre) and aftermarket ordnance highlights
the incorrectly shaped styrene fuel tank and gun pod (also undersized), and the wrongly
placed fins on the AIM-120.
INTERMEDIATE BUILD
SEA HARRIER FA.2
…fuel tanks and
gun pods were
replaced with
aftermarket items
and an arming vane robbed from a
Revell Tornado GR.1 kit.
Navy greys
Compared to the build stages,
painting was fairly simple, although
it took several attempts to achieve
the desired appearance. After
With all major components added, the
model was ready for painting…it was
surprising just how many changes
were made to the basic styrene
offerings during the build.
www.airfixmodelworld.com 53
 INTERMEDIATE BUILD
SEA HARRIER FA.2
 “Make it mucky” was the editor’s guidance, and thanks to an excellent underside study
of the SHAR in a reference book, the sooty, grimy exterior was replicated with airbrushed
matt black and various oils (applied in a similar fashion to oil dot weathering) respectively.
being primed with Mr. Surfacer
1000 Gray (www.albionhobbies.
com), the model received
airbrushed 165 Medium Sea Grey
(including the airbrake bay),
with lighter and darker mixes
added subsequently for tonal
variation. Equivalent shades
from Tamiya (XF-83), Mr.Hobby
(C335) and Vallejo (71.050)
were then employed to create
further difference on individual
panels. Humbrol 164 Dark Sea
Grey was used for the nosecone,
with the radome collar and tip
painted 123 Extra Dark Sea Grey.
Undercarriage bays were then
masked and sprayed satin white.
After two days’ drying, gloss
varnish was applied in preparation
for decaling. The chosen scheme
was ZD608, which participated
in Operation Deliberate Force in
1995. At that time, no GPS was
fitted (from personal
experience, the
nearest RAF
54 Airfix Model World
Jaguars got to ‘integrated’ GPS in
the mid-1990s was a Garmin unit
attached with Velcro to the cockpit
coaming!), so there should be two
blade antennas immediately after
the cockpit, and the aft upper
antenna should be omitted. It also
required a Doppler panel on the
underside (this unit was plated
over when GPS was fitted), and
this was taken from the spares
box. Note decals 19 and 20 should
not be used for this option, as they
represent GPS antennas. While
time-consuming, no problems were
encountered as Airfix’s markings
conformed well to the fuselage and
wing contours, without silvering.
A further gloss varnish layer
readied all necessary parts for
weathering. This was kept to a
minimum on the upper sides, but
as the brief was for a ‘mucky jet’,
the undersides received extensive
exhaust and oil stains, with a photo
from the Aeroplane Icons Harrier
book (see References) acting as
a useful guide. Due to the kit’s
deep panel lines, just dark grey
oil wash was applied, and in areas
 Before the underwing/fuselage stores, canopy and ladder were fitted, the airframe
received its final embellishments, in the form of pitot tubes, pitch/yaw vanes, various
antennas, anti-collision lights and the prominent refuelling probe.
such as the engine covers and
wings, this was lightened further
to avoid being too stark. Details
REFERENCES
and weapons were then painted Hawker Harrier Warfare with Vertical
with a variety of Vallejo acrylics Velocity, by Tim McLelland (Key),
and Humbrol enamels. Once a ISBN: 978-1-909786-82-0 (available
final matt varnish layer had cured from www.shop.keypublishing.com)
fully, the various sub-assemblies
Aeroguide 32: Sea Harrier,
and smaller, delicate parts were
by Roger Chesneau (Ad Hoc),
brought together and added to
ISBN 978-0-946958-44-0
the model. Eduard’s PE miniature
detonating cord presented a final Sea Harrier: The Last All-British
challenge, as this must conform Fighter, by Jamie Hunter (Midland),
with the interior of the canopy… ISBN: 978-1-85780-207-1
which wasn’t the easiest place to
Modellers Datafile 11: The British
get thin brass to bend against.
Aerospace Sea Harrier,
by Andy Evans (SAM Publications),
Balkans SHAR
It’s always useful for a modeller to ISBN: 978-0-9551858-2-3
have a crack at modifying a less- World Airpower Journal Volume 41,
than-perfect kit, and while there BAe Systems Sea Harrier, by Jon Lake
was the occasional frustrating (AIRTime), ISBN: 978-1-86184-047-0
aspect, in the end this was a
satisfying experience. For those Aviation News Volume 11 Number 22,
wanting a good basic SHAR FA.2, Scale Plans BAe Sea Harrier,
this will build into a decent model by Mike Keep (Alan W Hall)
straight from the box, but for those
desiring accuracy, more work is
needed...but for me that was
half the fun!
 Pennine Models at Haworth

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p055_AMW_Mar18_ad.indd 1 23/01/2018 10:18

 BASIC BUILD
T-34/76

 Building commenced with the rear engine deck and grilles, before the glacis plate was  The hull rear plate received exhaust shrouds and pipes before it was added to the
populated with a machine gun mount and driver’s hatch. upper hull.

Soviet ScrApper
Bill Curtis tackles ICM’S 1/35 T-34/76 valuable asset on the battlefield.
In 1942, the hexagonal cast turret
suspension (developed from the
American Christie design) with a
almost straight from the box (known locally as the ‘nut’) was
introduced, with a commander’s
diesel powerplant (as pioneered
by Germany). While the T-34 did

r
ussia’s T-34 was the
most-produced tank of
World War Two – with
35,467 of all marks built
– and one of the longest-serving;
examples were active during the
Balkans conflict of 1991-99.
Its longevity stems from its
development at the Kharkov
Plant 183, under the leadership
of Mikhail Ilyich Koshkin in 1938,
which combined thick, sloped
armour, an efficient main gun
and good speed…the holy trinity
of tank design. The type’s rugged
quality was a bonus, and its
reliability, ease of manufacture
and maintenance made it a
cupola incorporated in the spring
of 1943.
The T-34/76 came as a nasty
surprise for German troops in
the latter part of 1941, when it
was first committed en masse. It
proved to be a winning concept
and a significant leap forward in
tank design, combining robust
have deficiencies, its influence
on the future designs and
concept of the main battle tank is
unquestionable.
Contents check
ICM’s T-34/76 late 1943 offering
was the second release of this
Soviet tank by the firm, and

56 Airfix Model World


comprised five styrene runners,
separate upper and lower hulls
and four lengths of vinyl track,
which incorporated accurate
waffle-pattern tread. It featured
the correct hexagonal turret
and raised commander’s cupola,
along with exterior fuel tanks
and several stowage items.
Mould quality was generally
good, with minimal neatening
needed before assembly.
Work commenced on the upper
hull, with the engine deck and
glacis machine gun housing
secured with Tamiya’s Extra
Thin liquid cement. Engine
grilles were then fixed into
their respective covers and,
once dry, these sub-assemblies
were joined to the hull. As
the vehicle hatches were to
 Assembly of the internal mounts for the running gear suspension arms was challenging,
as their orientation was crucial to the wheels fitting correctly.
be closed, it was decided not
to fit a full machine gun at
this stage; instead, just the
protruding barrel section would
be employed later.
Next, four vents were attached
to the underside (these were
hidden after the grilles were
fitted), although if desired, one
could use aftermarket photo-
etched metal mesh in place
of the styrene items, to allow
visibility of the innards. A four-
part driver’s hatch was then
added, before the rear plate
sub-assembly, complete with
exhausts and armoured covers,
was connected. Here, the fit
was poor, but gaps were treated
with Vallejo filler, which was
smoothed with a wet brush and
then allowed to dry.
Running gear
The lower hull was a one-piece
item, into which were added the
eight axle holders, with care
taken to ensure correct location
and orientation. As all hatches
would be closed on the finished
model, both the driver’s steering
levers and seats were omitted at
this point, and consigned to the
spares box. The rear track guard
ends were attached after their
profile was thinned with a sharp
scalpel blade and file, to give a
more accurate scale appearance.
Running gear suspension arms
were then connected in their
respective positions; close
attention was needed here, to
ensure those next to the idler
wheels were fitted correctly.
Once satisfied, the two-piece
 The upper and lower turret join required attention, as did the top of the recuperator
housing, immediately aft of the vertically split main gun barrel.
BASIC BUILD
T-34/76
drive sprocket housing was
added, and this fitted perfectly.
Finally, the hull halves were
joined with liquid cement, and
held with masking tape; after this
had dried, filler and sanding were
required to eliminate the seams.
Idler and drive wheel halves
were then neatened with a file
and mated.
The running gear comprised
ten sets of double wheels, which
all required the seams to be
removed prior to assembly.
As the aim was to represent a
relatively new vehicle, the tyres
weren’t damaged or distressed in
any way, and the wheels were set
aside to await priming.
ICM represented each of
the T-34’s six hull-mounted
equipment hangers/grab rails
www.airfixmodelworld.com 57
 BASIC BUILD
T-34/76

as a single-piece rod of varying
length, with integrally moulded
brackets at each end. Four of
these fragile items were fitted to
the hull side, with a further two
on the engine deck but, despite
cautious handling, two were
broken…thankfully, repairs were
a simple matter. Front tow hooks
were also attached to the hull at
this stage.
Firepower
Construction on the turret
commenced with the gun breech,
to which the co-axial machine
gun was added. The turret shell
was then neatened, before the
mantlet housing/sides were
attached, along with the gun/
barrel mounting and breech
assembly. A poor join between
the turret and its base revealed
itself after test-fitting and, once
secured, this was subsequently
filled and sanded.
The mantlet front plate was
next; to this, the three-piece
barrel housing and vertically
split barrel was attached,
and the joins sanded. There
were five components for the

 Prior to dry-fitting the assembled running gear, it was decided to attach all hull fittings,
including external fuel tanks and equipment hangers/grab handles. The latter were notably
fragile, and broke easily despite careful handling.
 Both hull and turret were primed black initially; after being left for 24 hours to dry, AK
Interactive AK177 White was then airbrushed on panels and edges.
 Rather than produce a standard overall green machine, it was decided to replicate two-
tone camouflage. Here Russian Brown has been airbrushed freehand over the base layer of
Russian Green.

 Wheel painting was eased greatly by securing them temporarily to cardboard, with
double-sided tape, before airbrushing A.MIG-023 Protective Green. Once dry, the wheels
were mounted on bamboo sticks, to facilitate tyre painting and weathering.

58 Airfix Model World

 BASIC BUILD
T-34/76

 The minimal decals were applied onto a gloss-varnished surface, after which pin washes  Detail painting began with the spare track links and exhausts, which received four
were used to highlight panel lines and weld seams. different rust hues from a Lifecolor paint set.

commander’s cupola, and this as the chosen scheme was next was applied, otherwise the and stripes. The wheels were
was constructed in the closed applied to an earlier T-34 variant. paint may lift when sanded. A finished in A.MIG-023 Protective
configuration, before it was glued The model was washed and similar airbrushing concoction Green, before the tyres were
to the turret roof, along with the allowed to dry before AK was mixed with AK177 White brush-painted Vallejo Panzer
loader’s hatch, grab rails, vision Interactive’s AK178 Black Primer Primer, which was sprayed onto Aces 70.306 Dark Rubber. ICM’s
ports and ancillary equipment/ (www.ak-interactive.com), edges and any panels that would decal sheet supplied the ‘34’
fittings. The type’s characteristic diluted with proprietary thinner potentially reflect sunlight, turret number, which was applied
hull-mounted external fuel tanks and a drop of Vallejo’s 71.362 creating a suitably stark base for after the model received two light
comprised six well-moulded Flow Improver, was applied in a modulated finish. AMMO-MIG’s coats of 71.058 Gloss Varnish. In
parts, including the brackets, and thin coats. Each layer was left A.MIG-7107 Soviet Camouflage preparation for detail painting
these were added prior to the to dry thoroughly before the Colour Set (www.migjimenez. and weathering, satin varnish
spare track links, antenna mount, com) was employed for the was misted onto the model in
a selection of engineering tools, disruptive pattern, and the two sessions, which sealed and
the two cable and light (minus whole hull received A.MIG-019 harmonised the finish.
the lens). 4BO Russian Green, followed by The saw blade was painted
A.MIG-020 6K Russian Brown, 70.864 Natural Steel, with 70.310
Which colour? which was airbrushed freehand Old Wood for the handles, and
Initially, an overall Russian Green in a series of irregular shapes when dry, a Dark Umber oil
machine was considered, but
perusal of various online and
archive references revealed
this livery wasn’t universal.
Numerous variations were
studied, such as a three-colour
scheme echoing a German
pattern, and several with even
more elaborate attire. However,
it was decided to attempt a
two-colour camouflage of 4BO
Russian Green and 6K Russian
Brown. At this point a confession
must be made: the model doesn’t
represent a specific ‘real’ vehicle,

T-34/76 Late 1943 Production

MODEL SPEC

By: ICM
Stock Code: 35366
Scale: 1/35
Price: £22.99
Available from: www.icm.co.ua

www.airfixmodelworld.com 59
 BASIC BUILD
T-34/76
 Mixed pigments were applied dry and then fixed with Tamiya X-20A Thinner, dripped from
a brush; this relied on capillary action to wet the entire surface.
wash was applied, to create depth
 Chipping effects on the engine deck were achieved via a sponge loaded with A.MIG-023 and imply wear on the wooden-
Protective Green, while those on the turret were 70.822 German Cam Black Brown, applied painted sections. Oxidisation
with a fine-pointed brush. of the exhausts and spare
track links was replicated by a
combination of Lifecolor hues:
UA701 Rust Dark Shadow, UA702
Rust Base Color, UA703 Rust
Light Shadow and UA704 Rust
Light Shadow 2 (www.airbrushes.
com), which were applied while
the underlying shades were wet,
to enable blending.
Wear and tear on the main hull
was created with an A.MIG-023
Protective Green-laden sponge
which, after the excess had
been removed, was then dabbed
lightly onto areas that suffered
chips and scratches. This was
 AK Interactive’s Streaking Grime replicated subtle rain and dirt marks on the vertical and kept to a minimum, to avoid
sloped surfaces; this was built gradually, to prevent a stark appearance. Once dry, light green overdoing the effect. Chipping
washes were applied to the engine deck, followed by a brown wash to both hull and turret. on the turret was achieved
60 Airfix Model World
with 70.822 German Cam Black
Brown, applied with a fine
pointed brush.
Thinned mixes of dark- and
mid-brown oils formed suitable
pin washes; these highlighted
panel lines, weld seams and
raised features, with heavier
treatments enhancing colour
variations on the hull. AK’s
Streaking Grime (AK02) was
applied to turret and hull sides, in
various densities — a flat brush,
dampened with thinner, was used
to draw the wash downwards and
vary its concentration. A further,
thin wash of a SIN Industries’
Green Filter (no longer in
production) was applied to the
forward engine deck, followed
by a brown wash to the sides
and turret top, before a further
green-toned wash was applied in
selected areas.
Pigment time
Dark-, medium- and light-toned
mixes of various AK Interactive,
AMMO-MIG and Pinnacle
(www.model-supplies.org.uk)
pigments were readied,
with the darker blend
applied first. The
vehicle was
positioned
on its side,
so the dry
powder could
be added to
a horizontal
surface, and
was concentrated
around the axle
housings and hull/
track guard join. As
progressively lighter
pigments were applied, they
generally overlapped the
previous layer(s) and expanded
onto surrounding areas, but
were built gradually, to guard
against excessive accumulations.
 BASIC BUILD
T-34/76

Finally, the lightest shade was

applied with less density, before
everything was sealed with
acrylic thinner. This process
was repeated (albeit to a lesser
degree) on the turret,
and hull front and
rear, with that
on the former
scrubbed into
the underlying
paintwork with
a brush. Lastly,
pigment was applied
randomly to the top
of the track guards, to
represent thrown earth
from the tracks and any
nearby shell explosions.

Getting it straight
The running gear was dry-
fitted, followed by the drive and
idlers…a quick check revealed
the latter two weren’t aligned
with the roadwheels. After a
failed attempt to adjust the
styrene axles to address this, it
was decided to remove the drive
and idler axles and fit a metal rod
instead. The correct spacing was
measured with Vernier callipers,
and this was transferred to the
metal rods before they were
trimmed to size with a rotary
cutter. Superglue secured one
idler to the new axle, before it
was inserted through the vehicle
and the remaining item attached;
this process was also repeated
for the drivewheel.
ICM’s vinyl tracks were rather
troublesome as, even after
several washes in warm soapy
water, they defied all attempts
to glue them together. Instead,
MiniArt’s T-34 Wafer-type
Halved Workable Track Links
Set (35216) was employed

Subsequent applications of the mixed

pigments added depth, notably to those
deposits around the suspension and
rear of the hull, as these areas were
inevitably muddier than others.

 Similarly, pigments were added to the hull front, but this time they were made
permanent with thinner airbrushed at 6psi/0.42bar, sprayed from approximately 12in After discovering an
(30cm) distance. alignment issue with the
drive and return wheels,
The same process was employed remedial work commenced
at the rear, but with differing by filling the original holes,
distribution and density. and drilling replacements
for the new metal rods.

www.airfixmodelworld.com 61
 BASIC BUILD
T-34/76

 The drive sprocket axle housings also required modification to accept the new items, with  To replace the kit’s vinyl tracks, MiniArt’s T-34 Wafer-type Halved Workable Track Links
holes drilled for the metal rods; the return roller casing was altered in the same manner. were used. These clip together, but the soft styrene led to several broken pins.

 The tracks were built in a series of sections on a wooden jig; individual links being  This was invaluable considering the insufficient room to pass the tracks between the
secured with Tamiya Thin Liquid Cement and fitted before they had dried fully. mudguards and wheels. Guide horns were removed for those specific links.

(www.miniart-models.com).
Although these were designed
to simply click together, the
styrene was soft, which resulted
in several broken pins, so
they were brushed with
liquid cement, and fitted
before this had dried
fully. With the reworked
drivewheel in place, it
was realised the tracks
wouldn’t fit between the latter
and the track guards. This was
resolved by removing the guide
horns from those links around
the drive wheel, sliding the track
into position and then wrapping
it around the rearmost wheels.
A combination of folded paper
and tweezers held the track
securely, until the glue dried. To
ease construction, links were
assembled in batches, and each
then added to the model before
the ends were joined.
Masking tape discs were
cut and placed over the
wheels, before the tracks were
airbrushed suitable brown, rust
and metallic hues. Further rust
and earth colour pigments were
added with a brush, and then
fixed with X-20A Thinner. A final
touch was the simulation of
polished sections of track and
guide horns, created by rubbing
lightly with a 2B pencil.

62 Airfix Model World

 As the model was handled
a great deal during this saga,
much of the previously applied
pigments were damaged or
otherwise smeared. It was
scrubbed with an old brush, to
rework the existing treatments;
on the horizontal plates, circular
motions were used, while on
vertical surfaces the pigments
were dragged downwards. Where
necessary, additional pigment was
added to achieve the final finish.
 Further weathering included oil and grease marks at the base of the
An aerial was fashioned
turret, where it abutted the hull. Once dry, circular masking tape templates
from heat-stretched sprue were cut to cover the wheels, while the tracks were painted.
and attached with Superglue,
before a clear Little Lens (www.
modellingtools.co.uk) light was
fitted with the aid of white glue.
A final check of the wheels
deemed it necessary to add more
pigment, but essentially the
project was completed.

Looking back
This was my second ICM build
for AMW, the first being a
German P 204 (f) Panhard,
and the difference couldn’t be  Metallic and rust hues were airbrushed onto the tracks, before the same
more apparent, with the T-34 pigment mixes as the hull were applied, both wet and dry.
inferior in terms of quality and
fit. The amount of filler needed
on the turret and hull was
not excessive…but the wheel
alignment problem caused much
remedial work.
My personal thoughts are still
not completely resolved, as the
latter could have been a self-
inflicted issue, due to the lack of
a proper dry-run to check the fit
and alignment earlier in the build.
Nonetheless, the finished model
certainly looks like a T-34, and  Extra dry pigments were applied randomly to the track guards, glacis
the painting and finishing and rear plate to simulate earth thrown by the tracks…and from shells
were a joy. exploding near the vehicle.
 OUT AND ABOUT
NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK
AVIATION MUSEUM

East Anglian Gem

N
estled just outside
Flixton, the Norfolk
and Suffolk Aviation
Museum contains a
comprehensive collection of
aircraft and more than 30,000
individual items on display,
 A significant number of exhibits are devoted to the rich local aviation heritage, including this beautiful replica Boulton & Paul P.6, complete
with a comprehensive history of the Norwich-based manufacturer. In fact, the museum’s main hangar was built by the company in 1937. requiring the best part of a day to
view in its entirety.
Most of the larger aircraft
exhibits are outdoors, along with
a Bloodhound surface-to-air
missile, and those preferring the
fresh air can enjoy the Adair Walk,
set in approximately two acres of
the museum’s grounds. Indoors,
there are sections devoted to the
USAAF 446th Bomb Group (which
operated B-24s), RAF Bomber
Command (including components
from a 9 Squadron Wellington and
a Lancaster prop from the film
‘The Dam Busters’), RAF Coastal
Command and Sea Rescue, Flight
Training and the Royal Observer

 The ubiquitous Jet Provost T.3A was

represented by XN500, which was purchased
by the collection in 2012. This aircraft led
a hard life as a trainer, with no fewer than
three crashes and rebuilds in its log book!
It now enjoys a quiet retirement, and is
displayed in the museum grounds.

 The Ken Wallis Hall contained a wide

selection of modern and historical aircraft,
with a rare English Electric Lightning F.1DB
(one of just two pre-production examples
to survive in the UK) accompanying a
Falklands War veteran, Sea Harrier FA.2,
ZA175. 801 Naval Air Squadron Commander
Nigel ‘Sharkey’ Ward RN scored one of his
three kills in this airframe (at the time an
FRS.1) on May 21, 1982, shooting down an
Argentine Mirage V/Dagger.

64 Airfix Model World

 This Gloster Meteor F.8 was purchased
by the museum in 1975, after years of active
service both at home and overseas. Restored
and repainted as WF643, 611 Squadron
Royal Auxiliary Air Force, it now stands as a
museum gate guardian, along with a rather
imposing Gloster Javelin FAW.9R and Dassault
Mystére IVA.
 A wide selection of classic model kits,
plus boxes and artwork, was exhibited most
effectively in a period setting, and brought
back many happy childhood memories.
 A separate building is dedicated to RAF
Air-Sea Rescue and Coastal Command, with the
scratch-built launches just a small selection
of the many scale models on display. Other
smaller buildings house memorabilia from local
squadrons, including such novelties as a fully
functioning World War Two-era link trainer.

Corps. This is a great venue, with

an almost overwhelming amount
of reference material for the
scale modeller, including a useful
line-up of Martin-Baker ejection
sets. Special mention must also
be given to the enthusiastic and
friendly volunteer staff, whose
in-depth knowledge (and often
first-hand experience) of the
exhibits contributed to a very
enjoyable and educational
day out. Dave Oliver
Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum
The Street, Flixton, Bungay, NR35 1NZ
Opening times:
November to March – Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday; 10am to 4pm
April to October – Sunday to Thursday; 10am to 5pm
December 15 to January 15 – closed
Free admission (donations appreciated)
Telephone: 01986 896644
Email: nsam.flixton@tesco.net
Website: www.aviationmuseum.net
 ADVANCED BUILD
SHORT SC.1
Dave Oliver builds Planet Models’
diminutive 1/72 Short SC.1
mixed-media kit
JUMP JET PIONEER
T
he first impression of
Planet’s offering was the
small size of the subject,
with the resin fuselage
sections measuring just 9cm long!
Nevertheless, the company
Rivet detail was applied
to the fuselage and wings
with a Rivet-R Mini tool
from RB Productions.
66 Airfix Model World
managed to get a great deal of
detail into such a small surface
area, with the high standard
of moulding being apparent
immediately. Panel lines and
other various external features
were all well represented, with
no air bubbles or distortion in
the main wing or fuselage pieces;
just the nose boom required
gentle straightening with the aid
of hot water.
The only noticeable omission
on the surface was rivet detail,
but this was rectified by an RB
Productions riveting tool and
Dymo Tape, to add extra finesse
to the surface…a feature readily
apparent in reference photos of
the actual prototype.
Cockpit in detail
A YouTube video showing the
aircraft tethered to a platform
during flight trials provided
inspiration for creating an
‘in-flight’ vignette. A pilot figure
was purchased to fill the vacant
ejection seat, and add a focal
point in the highly visible cockpit
interior. The kit instrument panel
was very crisply moulded, but
unfortunately no instrument
decals were supplied. Several dials
from an Airscale 1/72 instrument
decal sheet, along with discarded
 ADVANCED BUILD
SHORT SC.1

decals from the spares box, were

removed with a punch-and-die set
and then positioned carefully, with
a drop of Micro Sol keeping them
in place.
The large vacform cockpit
transparency was then addressed.
Great care was necessary while
removing the excess clear
plastic without cutting into the
moulding, or hazing the clear part
by applying too much pressure.
A new scalpel blade was used,
with approximately 2mm of clear
plastic being left so the part could
be trimmed to shape, once the
fuselage was assembled.

Micro-modelling  The lift jet intakes were painted and weathered with a black oil wash before assembly of
With the rivet detailing having the fuselage, as the part would be covered by photo-etched brass intake mesh.
been applied before assembly,  Markings for three schemes were offered on the decal sheet, representing the two
and no undercarriage bays to prototypes and modified final version.
worry about, joining the fuselage
halves was a time-consuming, Once the major sub-assemblies completed they were glued in place, with no significant
but relatively straightforward fit issues, apart from a minimal amount of work required on the main engine intake.
operation. The cockpit tub fitted
into the front of the fuselage
with a minimum of fettling, as did
the engine intakes and exhaust…
testament to the care taken by

Office decor
The already highly detailed cockpit
section was a prominent feature on
the model, and several aftermarket
items were used to embellish this
focal point.
Planet Models in the kit’s design seam line was left on the upper to be covered by the tail fillet on
and production. Extra focus was fuselage, and Mr. Hobby’s Mr. final assembly. After this process,
needed when gluing together the Dissolved Putty filled the gap at some panel line detail had to be
fuselage halves, due to the lack the front of the fuselage. The restored with a sewing needle in
of locating pins. Unfortunately, more pronounced space in front of a pin vice before the wings were
though, a rather pronounced the tail required more work, only fitted, requiring a minimal amount
of filler on the trailing edge of the
wing root. Final preparation of
the canopy then took place. Being
such a focal point, great care was
taken to ensure it fitted correctly,
and one had to be careful not to
squeeze this large and delicate
 A pilot figure was essential to part out of shape; damage that
portray the aircraft in flight. The only
other extra refinement added to the
cockpit was ejection seat handles,
fashioned from lead wire.

 No decal was supplied for

the instrument panel, so various
instruments from a 1/72 Airscale decal
sheet were utilised to ensure more
authenticity.

www.airfixmodelworld.com 67
 ADVANCED BUILD
SHORT SC.1
 Extra detail
was added to the
diminutive undercarriage
legs, with copper wire employed
to simulate oleo scissors,
and lead wire for hydraulic lines.
would be impossible to remedy.
A match made in… Once the glazing was attached, it
was masked with Tamiya Masking
Ensuring the halves of a resin fuselage are aligned correctly can be a fraught
Tape for Curves and, being a
process when constructing any limited-run kit… vinyl-backed adhesive tape,
there was much less chance of
any paint leaching underneath…
providing crisp lines to the
finished canopy framing.
A shining example
With the major assemblies fixed
permanently, the fuselage was
cleaned thoroughly with warm
soapy water. From this point, the
model was only handled while
wearing latex gloves, as bitter
experience has shown how any
misplaced fingerprints can easily
spoil a delicate natural metal
paint finish. Alclad ALC-309
 Aligning the fuselage halves was a case of much dry-fitting and careful placement Black Primer was then sprayed
of internal components. Despite care being taken, there was still a pronounced seam over the model to provide a key
running along the length of the join. Thankfully the wings just slotted in place with for the subsequent metal coat,
minimal fettling.
 With all gaps filled, items such as the camera pod, pilot and ejection seat were glued
in place. The very fine photo-etched brass intake cover had to be rolled gently into
shape with use of a modelling knife handle.  After all the smaller surface parts had been attached, the model received a coat of
Alclad Black Primer, to reveal any small imperfections in the finish.
68 Airfix Model World
 Cutting the detailed but delicate
vacform canopy was laborious; Super
Glue was necessary to secure the large
transparency in place, so much of the
masking was left off to establish that the
glue had not fogged the canopy.
but missing surface detail (and
a rather stubborn seam on the
nose) became apparent so these
were dealt with accordingly. The
first metal paint used proved
unsatisfactory, more to this
modeller’s inexperience with
the product than anything
else. Once the paint had been
stripped, primer was reapplied
and five coats of Alclad were
then sprayed, with the surface
being buffed gently between
applications to achieve the high
shine present on the real aircraft.
Planet’s decals went on easily,
conforming to surface detail with
a small amount of Micro Sol. The
relatively clean appearance of
the airframe meant weathering
would be kept to a minimum, with
an AMMO-MIG Dark Brown Oil
Brusher wash to highlight selected
panel lines and rivet detail.

 Achieving a realistic metal finish was a challenge. Five coats of Alclad Chrome were applied
to produce the same appearance as on the real aircraft (its smooth finish allowed the decals to
adhere perfectly). Once the decals had cured, all panel lines were infilled with a pin wash.
Scratch-built base
Providing a suitable display setting
for the model was the final job.
Reference photos of the aircraft
tethered to a specially built test
pad provided the inspiration to
scratch-build an approximation
“Five coats of
Alclad Chrome were
applied to produce the same
appearance as on the real aircraft”
of the real thing. Various types of
plastic card girder sections were
used to create the supporting
frame, while PE anti-slip sheet
(manufactured by Airscale) was
cut into sections to provide a
realistic upper surface. Suspending
ADVANCED BUILD
SHORT SC.1
 With the undercarriage attached, the model was effectively finished. Minor repairs to the
rather delicate Alclad lacquer finish were required, but imperfections and chips in the red
wingtips and tail were left untreated to simulate wear.
the aircraft from the tethers to
give the appearance of flight Aftermarket,
required experimentation, to paint, tools
provide a scale representation
of the cables that would also Airscale (www.airscale.co.uk)
realistically support the aircraft. AS48-RAF RAF Cockpit Instrument
Precision steel wire from Albion Dial Decals
Alloys was used, with 0.3mm wire
Airwaves (www.hannants.co.uk)
for the cable and 0.4 wire for the
AEM035 Floor Plate Diamond Pattern
anchoring points. Small holes of
corresponding diameter were then PJ Production (www.pj-production.be)
drilled into the base to secure PJ721131 1960s RAF Pilots Seated in
them in place. The loading ramp Aircraft
at the front was constructed
Eduard (www.eduard.com)
00113 Mesh/Gauze Hexagonal
Alclad (www.alclad2.com)
ALC309 Black Primer and Microfiller
ALC107 Chrome
RB Productions (www.radubstore.com)
RB-T010 Rivet-R-Mini
Tamiya (www.hobbyco.net)
Masking tape for Curves
www.airfixmodelworld.com 69
 ADVANCED BUILD
SHORT SC.1

 Construction of the test pad was relatively simple. The anti-slip plate and mesh came via
a PE sheet cut to size. Wooden coffee stirrers provided the raw material for the ramp.

 The model was test-fitted to the tethers, to ensure a realistic in-flight appearance.

from wooden coffee stirrers cut Top test-bed

to shape, while supporting struts
were made from plastic card.
After priming, the assembly was
airbrushed with Lifecolor UA714
Warm Base Color from the firm’s
Weathered Wood set. Areas of
wear were then dry-brushed with
UA717 Cold Base Color, before
Mig Productions’ ABT015 Shadow
Brown Oil Wash was applied to
unify the finish.
 Tethers were fixed to the base by drilling small holes in the plastic card, then
gluing them in place with cyanoacrylate (Spuer Glue). The whole assembly
was coated with Tamiya Grey Primer.
This was certainly an unusual
subject, and the quality of
moulding and design made
it relatively straightforward
compared to some other
limited-run kits on the
market. Although not without
minor challenges, it would
be a suitable project for any
modeller wishing to attempt
their first mixed-media kit.

Short SC.1
MODEL SPEC

By: Planet Models

Stock Code: PLA26672
Scale: 1/72
Price: ¤44
Available from: www.cmkkits.com

70 Airfix Model World

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 IN FOCUS
SHORT SC.1

XG905 performs an
untethered hover, in a
view that provides good
underside detail. Note
the downward-facing air
nozzles under the nose
and rear fuselage, and
beneath the outer wing.
These provided control
during jet-borne flight.

A SHORT TRIP IN THE

of 1953, but this ‘test rig’ was
not designed for conventional

VERTICAL
flight. A follow-on was needed,
and the outcome was the
two extraordinary Short SC.1
prototypes. First designed as the
Short PD.11, these aircraft carried
the serials XG900 and XG905.
The diminutive SC.1 was
designed to investigate the
Tony Buttler AMRAeS explores Britain’s first true Vertical problems associated with
VTOL and to make transitions
Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft, the Short SC.1 to and from horizontal flight,
at altitudes of up to 5,000ft

T
he S.C.1 was designed (1,524m). Its powerplant
specifically to explore was five 2,130lb (9.5kN)
the new realm of vertical Rolls-Royce RB.108 engines
take-off and landing – designed specifically for VTOL
together with transitions to and applications, with four mounted
from conventional forward flight. vertically in a central bay, plus
As such the SC.1 was the first one propulsion unit in the tail.
British jet-powered vertical The lightweight RB.108 was
take-off aircraft to also be able first run in July 1955 and the
to fly normally. Two examples four vertical units could swivel
were built; they proved a great through a range of 35°, to
success, had long careers and assist during acceleration and
did much to clear the ground for deceleration transition. The
the critical Hawker P.1127 Harrier propulsion installation was
programme that would follow. conventional, except that its
axis was inclined to make up
Airframe a difference in the level of the
The first British jet-powered dorsal air intake, and the central
‘aircraft’ capable of performing a propelling nozzle.
Test pilot Tom Brooke-Smith poses on top of the SC.1, showing how roomy the
vertical take-off and landing was The air intake for the lift
cockpit appears to have been.
the Rolls-Royce ‘Flying Bedstead’ engines was protected by

72 Airfix Model World


wire mesh, and included a set
of spring-loaded longitudinal
louvres, pivoted at their ends
so that they would normally
assume a closed position. When
the lift engines began to run,
the resultant depression in the
plenum chamber over the louvres
was enough to pull them open,
to provide an uninterrupted
intake. Ahead of this came a set
of forward-facing retractable gills,
which were closed during normal
flight but usually open when the
lift engines were running.
SC.1 had a two-spar delta wing,
swept 54° at the leading edge
(10% thickness/chord ratio at
the root), a stumpy body with
an all-metal structure, and a
non-retracting wide track fixed
undercarriage (with twin wheels
on each of the cantilevered
legs). The fuselage was built
around channel-section frames
with stringers attached to the
skin, and a large unpressurised
cockpit contained a Martin-
Baker ejection seat. The rear
fuselage was built integrally with
the fin, and titanium sheet was
positioned all around the engines
for fire resistance. A total of
200gal (909lit) of fuel was
carried in the wings.
Conventional elevators, ailerons
and a rudder were fitted for
traditional flight (flaps were
not considered necessary), but
in low speed jet-borne flight
the aircraft was controlled by
downwards-facing air nozzles
positioned under the nose and
XG905 on public display at the
Farnborough Air Show in 1960.
(Terry Panopalis)
 No decal was supplied for
the instrument panel, so various
instruments from a 1/72 Airscale decal
sheet were utilised to ensure more
authenticity.
IN FOCUS
SHORT SC.1
The first SC.1 was XG900, seen here in the hover.
(All photos Key collection unless stated)
rear (for pitch), and under both
outer wings (for roll). In addition,
the fore-and-aft nozzles could
swivel differentially to provide
yaw control by sideways rotation.
Bleed air for this system came
from all five engines, since it was
necessary to provide control
not just during vertical ascents
and descents, but also in the
transition to standard forward
flight. Although Short held prime
responsibility for producing
the aircraft, both Rolls-
Seen here are the Royce and the Royal Aircraft
aircraft’s nosewheel, Establishment Farnborough
and the exhausts of made vital contributions
the four lift engines. to the development of the
autostabilisation and control
systems, for management at all
forward speeds down to zero.
Debut ‘hop’
The first SC.1 XG900, with just
the propulsion engine installed,
made its maiden flight from
Boscombe Down on April 2, 1957,
with company chief test pilot Tom
Brooke-Smith in the cockpit. In
this form, XG900 could be flown
purely as a conventional aircraft
and the type’s aerodynamic flight
trials, as such, were concluded
in autumn 1957. XG900’s lift jets
were installed during the winter
of 1958/59.
However, the first trials with lift
engines (and tethered cables)
were conducted at Belfast with
the second machine, XG905,
in a specially designed gantry,
positioned over a grid. The
gantry had a raised platform,
and the grid floor deflected
www.airfixmodelworld.com 73
 IN FOCUS
SHORT SC.1
hot exhaust gases away from the
aircraft to prevent re-ingestion.
A first restricted gantry flight
was made on May 23, 1958; free
hovering flight trials over the
grid (with the tethers removed)
This view of XG905 on the test grid shows the forward retractable gills in their open position, while the louvres over the four vertically mounted RB.108s are closed.
74 Airfix Model World
began on October 25, and in
November the aircraft was
landed deliberately on the soft
turf of a football pitch. Tom
Brooke-Smith did most of the
early flying, though Jock Eassie
XG905 performs a tethered flight.
Note the extended undercarriage.
assisted during the gantry
hovering trials.
XG900 went to the September
1958 Farnborough Show on
static and XG905 was present
at the September 1959 event. At
the latter, Flight reported how
the SC.1 “provided unexpected
evidence of its efficiency as
a vacuum cleaner”. In fact,
operating from the freshly mown
Farnborough grass, XG905
picked up so much greenery that
this clogged and masked the
wire mesh intake guard over the
lift jets, and effectively starved
them of air. Brooke-Smith had
to terminate this first public
performance very abruptly.
Both SC.1s were at Farnborough
in September 1960, and in 1961
XG900 was displayed both at
Farnborough and in June at the
Paris Show.
Transition
The biggest objective, of
course, was to complete double
transitions…that is to complete
transitions both to and from
jet-supported flight. Prior to this
the two machines had steadily
narrowed the gap in the flight
envelope, between wing-borne

A well-detailed study of XG905’s rear
fuselage and jet pipe.
and jet-borne flight. They had
been flown extensively in the
latter regime up to a maximum
forward speed of around
35kts (65km/h), and as wing-
supported aircraft down to the
lowest possible speed of 134kts
(248km/h). Now the speed was
reduced very gradually in the
wing-supported condition to
75kts (139km/h) via jet lift, while
at the lower end the speed was
increased in increments of l0kts
(18km/h) to 80kts (148km/h).
The gap was then bridged at
RAE Bedford for the first time
on April 6, 1960, making the
SC.1 the first fixed-wing, jet-
powered aircraft to perform a
double transition anywhere in
the world. Later in the 1960s, the
SC.1 would complete transitions
with a full electrically signalled
control system (rather than just
the mechanical/manual version
employed previously).
To begin a conventional flight,
the SC.1’s propulsion engine was
pushed to full power and the
aeroplane would take off at a
high angle of attack, at around
140kts (259km/h). After the four
lift jets had been brought into
action the aircraft could switch
to hovering flight, by shutting
down the propulsion engine and
then changing the lift-engine-
tilt angle to provide a negative
thrust component (tilting the lift
units created a very powerful
effect). At the same time the
SC.1’s nose would be brought up
to about 10°, to help reduce the
speed without losing altitude
(as the only significant attitude
change made during normal
flight). As a result, the aeroplane
could be brought to a standstill
from 140kts (259km/h) in
approximately 1,200ft (365m).
To reverse the process, the
propulsion RB.108 was opened
and the lift engines moved to
provide 15° positive inclination.
Aerodynamic controls took effect
at 30kts (56km/h), and when
140kts (259km/h) had been
reached, the lift units could be
shut down and the upper surface
restored to ‘clean’ condition.
Forward acceleration here was
comparable to a modern jet
fighter’s take-off and indeed, this
process overall was not unlike
a conventional take-off, except
that the SC.1 was not on the
ground. Conventional landings
were made at a fairly brisk speed
with a nose-high touchdown, the
braking parachute being used to
slow the aircraft.
The SC.1 was also capable
of performing a then new
manoeuvre called a ‘rolling VTO’,
which permitted an increase in
take-off weight. Here the aircraft
would build sufficient forward
speed to reduce any possible
effects of hot gas ingestion, but
not to a velocity that produced
any lift.
In March 1961, XG900 was
allocated to RAE Bedford’s
Aero Flight and in June 1967,
XG905 joined XG900 at Bedford
to undertake VTOL research
XG905 photographed at Bedford during flying trials. Note the open cockpit canopy.
IN FOCUS
SHORT SC.1
with the Blind Landing and
Experimental Unit...but tragedy
lay waiting. On October 2, 1963,
XG905 suffered the loss of the
gyro input to the autostabiliser,
which made the aircraft
uncontrollable and it turned
over and crashed, killing test
pilot JR Green. Airframe XG905
was not repaired until May 1966
and XG900 was grounded at
the same time. Back in the air,
XG900 flew until September
1968, and then in March 1969
was allocated to ground running
operations. XG905 was finally
retired in April 1971. Today the
first SC.1 is preserved in the
Science Museum in London,
while XG905 resides in the Ulster
Folk and Transport Museum.
The SC.1 was a demanding
aircraft, in part because it had
five engines…four of which
had to be shut down during
conventional flight, primarily
because they would soon drain
the fuel supply. This meant
they all had to be started again
in preparation to land, which
meant high pilot workload in the
circuit. However, in the air the
type proved easy to handle and
simple to fly, but with a mundane
performance. The SC.1 was not
handsome, but its arrival was
a landmark in British aviation
history and the two examples
contributed substantially to
VTOL research.
In completing this article the author is
indebted to the Flight Global Archive.
(Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust)
www.airfixmodelworld.com 75
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 ON THE SHELF
BOOKS
WINGNUT EXTRAVAGANZA
Stringbag! A Modeller’s Guide to
the Art of WWI Aircraft
By: J Veen and F Hendrickx
ISBN: 978-0-993258-83-1
Price: £25 Format: A4
Web: www.insidethearmour.com
Sir Peter Jackson’s Wingnut Wings
has revolutionised the production of
large-scale World War One aircraft
kits, supplying staggering detail, with
almost encyclopaedic instruction
booklets. It’s also generated a host
COOL VIPER GUIDE
F-16 Fighting Falcon
By: N Deboeck, R Pied
ISBN: N/A Price: €22
Format: 240 x 240mm
Web: www.hmh-publications.com
One could be forgiven for thinking:
“What, another F-16 book?”
Sure, there has been much
published on this iconic
lightweight fighter over the years,
but there’s always a fresh spin
to employ, and airframe updates
are always worth studying for
accuracy. This second book from
the Duke Hawkins imprint delves
into F-16s (almost universally now
SEND IN YOUR PRODUCTS FOR US TO REVIEW: Airfix Model World, Key Publishing Ltd, Units 1-4 Gwash Way Industrial Estate, Ryhall Road, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1XP, UK
78 View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
135 pages
of ‘how-to’ guides, with advice on
how to extract the last drop from
each of these styrene offerings;
this compilation adds a neat twist.
There are six builds, comprising
the AEG G.IV (late), Hannover CI.II,
DH.9A Ninak, Roland D.IVA, Hansa
Brandenburg W.29 and Albatross
B.II, with three by each author, both
talented modellers in their own right.
What makes this different from the
average tome, however, is the clear
separation of technical aspects from
the general build chapters (which
are also busy with hints and tips).
This allows full attention to be paid
to the nuances of each process, all
tailored to World War One subjects
and applicable to any kit of this
time period. It covers creating
leather and wood effects, castor oil
stains, carving a wooden propeller,
adding rigging, and simulating the
‘see-through’ appearance of canvas-
coated wings in comprehensive
detail. The narrative is accompanied
by high-quality photographs
throughout, with extensive captions,
and offers masses of information for
modellers to absorb. SF
106 pages
branded ‘Vipers’) from around the
world, and the stunning imagery
focuses on various sub-types
from the USAF/Air National
Guard, UAE, Greece, Romania,
Poland, Belgium, Pakistan, Oman
and others. The walk-round style
afforded to many photos is not
uncommon, but here the shots are
sharp and well lit, aiding modellers
no end. Studies of jets in deep
servicing reveal a wealth of detail,
but there’s also plenty of outward-
lying features to savour, such as
the recent airframe strengthening
strips, different air intakes for
Pratt & Whitney and General
Electric engines, Mid Life Update
refinements and stores such as
ALQ-131 (shallow) ECM, HARM
and Maverick missiles, and JDAM
GPS/GBU-12 laser-guided bombs.
The captions give just enough
information without crowding the
imagery, while certain studies,
including those of the magnificent
Royal Singapore Air Force Black
Knights machines, are truly
inspiring. A great-value book for
jet fans. CC
TEUTONIC PATTERNS
32 pages
German Camouflages
By: Carlos Royo, Jaume Ortiz
ISBN: 978-84-96658-62-2
Price: €12
Format: 210 x 149mm
Web: www.andreaeurope.com
For a novice figure painter (and
even those with more experience),
the recreation of German Army
camouflage in any scale can be one
of the most challenging aspects of
the genre.
This splendid little booklet from
Andrea, though, is the perfect
primer for the task…and offers
easy-to-follow steps in reproducing
Pea Dot, Palm Tree, Splinter, Oak each stage, and there are photos of
Leaf and Italian uniform patterns the finished item to help the visual
convincingly. Unsurprisingly, the study. Weaponry is not ignored
example figures (in 1/35 and 1/16) either, because painting advice for
are also Andrea products, but this small arms wooden furniture and
matters not, as the techniques gunmetal is also imparted. The
can be applied to any subject. The publication closes with two colour
recommended paints are from the panel pages showing Andrea
same maker, although it’s easy to paints/codes from the ACS and
match equivalent brands and a XNAC ranges. All in all, this is a
degree of mixing will undoubtedly highly useful product, for very little
come into play. It’s fascinating to money, and it certainly punches
see how the patterns progress in above its weight. CC
SUPER-DUPER JUMBO 188 pages
Airbus A380
By: Robert Wicks
ISBN: 978-1-78521-108-9
Price: £25
Format: 276mm x 214mm
Web: www.haynes.co.uk
Just when airliners seemed to
have reached a maximum size
with Boeing’s 747, along came
Airbus to prove everyone wrong,
with its massive A380 double-
deck design, capable of carrying
a maximum of 853 passengers. In
typical Haynes style, the type is
dissected methodically, addressing
its inception, design, and troubled
development and introduction and how groundcrews conduct a
into service, before delving into full turnaround (including technical
its anatomy and powerplants. A checks, anti-icing procedures and
chapter is devoted to the various pushback/towing). With more than
innovations that arose from the 250 colour photographs, almost
project, with groundbreaking work every aspect of this huge airliner is
on large-scale composite materials, captured, and this is supplemented
wing design, corresponding fuel- by profiles, seat layouts, access, and
management system and complex turnaround diagrams, and cutaways
22-wheel undercarriage, all to bear of the airframe and engines. For
and lift the airliner’s 575 tonnes. modellers with offerings from Revell
There are also two covering how and/or Heller, this manual is manna
airports must be managed to ensure from heaven, providing a wealth of
compatibility with this huge aircraft, detail on this impressive beast. SF

SVENSKA DEFENDERS
Swedish Jet Fighter Colours
By: Mikael Forslund, Thierry Vallet
ISBN: 978-83-65281-01-2
Price: £40
Format: 303 x 216mm
Web: www.mmpbooks.biz
Vintage fighter aircraft operated by
Sweden have already been explored
by MMP in a previous volume. If one
wishes to extend the knowledge
base and modelling reference to
further forward in time, though,
here’s the perfect accompaniment.
WEHRMACHT’S PREMIER UNIT
Panzer Regiment 1
By: Wolfgang Schneider
ISBN: 978-3-935107-81-1
Price: £24
Format: 301 x 215mm
Web: casematepublishing.co.uk
Many histories have been
produced on German World War
Two armoured units, but this
chronicle by Wolfgang Schneider,
himself a former soldier, serves
to provide a tanker’s view of
the Wehrmacht’s oldest Panzer
unit. It charts the regiment from
conception in the early 1930s
(as part of Panzer Division 1),
through ‘official’ formation
on October 1, 1935, to its
eventual surrender to American
272 pages
This weighty hardback begins with
coverage of SAAB’s twin-boomed
J 21R, via historical text and period
photos. A camouflage and markings
sections for that type follows,
which includes excellent colour
profiles, plan and scrap views.
The same format is afforded to
every other successive Swedish jet
fighter; de Havilland Vampire, J 29
Tunnan (including the camouflaged
machines flown on UN duty in the
Congo), J 32B Lansen, DH Venom,
Hawker Hunter and J 35 Draken,
before arriving, of course, at the
mighty J 37 Viggen. The latter
pioneered the famous Swedish Air
Force ‘splinter’ pattern, and there are
enough photos and artworks to help
recreate this pattern from scratch,
rather than employing (arguably
much easier) aftermarket masks.
Finally, the JAS 39 Gripen gets its
own section, and many modellers
may not know one example also
wore the splinter camouflage, while
the remainder of the fleet received
the standard low-vis greys. Technical
data tables, and illustrations/photos
showing special liveries, round off a
splendid study. CC
112 pages
troops in May 1945. The text
is in German and English and
offers an insightful operational
overview, starting with the
Polish Campaign in 1939, but
also addresses issues such as
unit identification markings
(non-standardised until 1938),
organisational structure,
tank allocation and tactics
development (a surprisingly
ad-hoc process). There are
more than 270 black and white
photographs, with a notable
emphasis on people rather than
tanks, and the pre- and early war
periods feature predominantly,
as they are sourced from
personal archives. This lends
the book a degree of emotional
context not seen in other
publications, as it reflects the
lives of individual soldiers, their
colleagues, unit camaraderie and
how they were able to survive
the war. It also means the photos
aren’t all pin-sharp, although
there is plenty for modellers to
appreciate in terms of specific
vehicle appearance and potential
for diorama scenes. SF
LONG-LIVED ARMOUR
T-54/55 The Soviet Army’s Cold
War Main Battle Tank
By: Anthony Tucker-Jones
ISBN: 978-1-47389-109-8
Price: £14.99 Format: 195 x 247mm
Web: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
For the Soviets, the T-54/55
was the equivalent to Britain’s
Centurion, being the first
armoured vehicle designed
purposely to be a main battle
tank (MBT), rather than a light,
medium, heavy, cruiser or infantry
machine. It outlasted several
successors, and examples remain
in service worldwide; more than
70,000 were built, serving with at
least 80 countries. This makes the
author’s task to produce a visual
study of this ubiquitous machine
even more challenging, but he
rises to it with aplomb, packing
the 136 pages with 150-plus
black and white photos. Eleven
chapters chart the types’ genesis
as the T-54, development into the
T-55 and subsequent specialised
variants, licence-produced
machines (both Warsaw Pact and
Chinese), upgrades, involvement
in conflicts worldwide (including
the wholesale destruction of Iraqi
THE BEAR BIBLE
Tupolev Tu-95 & Tu-142
By: Y Gordon, D Komissarov
ISBN: 978-1-85780-378-5
Price: £44.95 Format: 289 X 224mm
Web: www.crecy.co.uk
Few books that pass across AMW’s
review desk are this weighty and
impressive, but the same attributes
apply to the subject in question.
The members of Tupolev’s Bear
family have always been fascinating
subjects, and while I worked at RAF
Leuchars, I often wondered what
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com 79
ON THE SHELF
BOOKS
136 pages
T-54/55s by Coalition forces in
1991) and its various swansongs.
Close-ups of the T-54 are ideal
for modellers with MiniArt’s
offerings, while those of the
later T-55 will benefit the latter’s
and Takom’s 1/35 kits. Similarly,
diorama builders will appreciate
the assembly point, combat and
aftermath scenes, notably the
coverage of blown-up vehicles in
Iraq and Bosnia. While many sub-
types are touched upon lightly
(notably engineering, bridge-
laying and anti-aircraft versions),
this is a useful introduction to the
myriad variants of T-54/55. SF
560 pages
it must have been like for the F-4/
Tornado aircrews to intercept these
huge aircraft. Crecy’s thumping
study is an expanded and revised
edition of a previous book, and
leaves no stone unturned in
describing every single facet of
the Tu-95 and Tu-142 sub-types.
Illustrated profusely with period
photos, from development and
very early service, to present-
day operations, any modeller
contemplating a build of Trumpeter/
Dragon/Revell offerings (or more
boutique kits), has the mother lode
in reference. Besides Soviet/Russian
Air Force and Navy machines, those
operated by Ukraine and India are
also explored, and there are detailed
fleet lists for each nation. The line
drawings are useful, in helping to
understand structural differences
across variants (although just
profiles are offered, no plan views),
and there are even illustrations of
unit badges and aircraft names, force
titles and mission marks. Also with
many factory drawings and photos of
weaponry, it would be impossible to
produce a more detailed account. CC
 ON THE SHELF
BOOKS
FEET-WET FIGHTERS AND BOMBERS
USN Legendary Jets
By: Dani Zamarbide
ISBN: 843-6-535572-42-2
Price: €29.90 Format: A4
Web: www.ak-interactive.com
AK Interactive’s Scale Modelling
Guides are rapidly becoming ‘must
have’ items, if the USN Legendary
Jets volume is anything to go by.
This step-by-step tutorial features 12
stunning builds by noted modellers,
all employing varying degrees of
DESERT ABRAMS
M1A1 SA in Iraqi Service
By: Chris Mrosko, Brett Avants,
Pearce Browning
ISBN: 978-1-947552-01-2
Price: US $25 Format: 217 x 279mm
Web: www.sabotpub.com
Sabot has released another
indispensable photo study of
the M1 Abrams, covering the
M1A1 SA sub-variant in Iraqi
service for its fourth volume of
Warmachines. With more than 90
top-quality colour photographs
and eight profiles (depicting four
machines), this type’s service is
80 View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
186 pages
scratch-building and aftermarket
accessories — and accompanied by
excellent colour photographs. If this
wasn’t enough to whet modellers’
appetites, there’s a gorgeous
29-page gallery devoted to a photo
study of CVN-77 USS George W
Bush’s 2017 deployment in support
of operations over Syria, which is
packed with aircraft, weapons and
even deck-handling equipment. Onto
the builds themselves…there’s a 1/32
A-4E Skyhawk and F-8E Crusader,
1/48 A-7E Corsair, F-4J Phantom,
F-14A Tomcat (2), A-6E Intruder, F-5E
Tiger II Aggressor and F-21 Lion, and
a 1/72 A-7E, AV-8A Harrier and F-18F
Super Hornet. Each receives a precis
on the additional work conducted,
before the construction phases are
laid out in extended-caption format;
unsurprisingly, AK Interactive’s
products feature heavily. Techniques
shown vary from basic additions
(drilling chaff dispensers or adding
brake lines), and adding pin-washes,
to extensive work on undercarriage
bays and wing-fold mechanisms; at
times, small-scale models appear
much larger, such is the breadth of
detail and quality of work. SF
186 pages
documented faithfully. Phase I
training of Iraqi recruits is covered
initially, highlighting wear and
tear on the sand-coloured paint
(revealing the underlying Olive
Drab) and includes close-ups of
boresight alignment of the main
gun barrel. Attention then focuses
on the unit markings, before the
author’s modelling backgrounds
lead to a busy section devoted to
weathering and battle damage.
Rust, chipped paint, heat staining,
improvised explosive device
spatter, collision marks and dents
all feature, and there are walk-
rounds of field-modified Abrams
with add-on wire mesh armour
fitted to the turret. There’s a
bonus of Cartograf-printed 1/35
decals of Iraqi Army unit markings
(including self-adhesive and spray-
painted examples for the 9th and
Special Divisions), national insignia
and registration plates (not fitted
to all). Colour definition, opacity
and register is perfect and would
be applicable for any suitably
modified 1/35 M1A1 kit. In short, for
modellers building an Iraqi Army
Abrams, this is THE guide. SF
MORE UNDERWATER EXPLOITS
U-Boot im Focus No15
By: Luftfahrtverlag-Start
ISBN: 978-3-941437-35-7
Price: €22
Format: A4
Web: wwwluftfahrtverlag-start.de
It’s amazing to think this
engaging U-Boat series is on its
15th issue, but Luftfahrtverlag-
Start obviously isn’t running
out of stories or imagery. This
edition offers the usual variety,
DEFENDING THE REICH
Jagdgeschwader 1 ‘Oesau’ Aces
1939-45
By: Robert Forsyth
ISBN: 978-1-4728-2291-8
Price: £13.99 Format: 248 x 185mm
Web: www.ospreypublishing.com
Arguably the most famous Luftwaffe
fighter Geschwader, JG 1 was
home to many well-known aces, or
‘Experten’…not least Walter Oesau,
whose name was inherited by the
unit after his death in May 1944,
after being shot down while at low
level by USAAF P-38s.
Other fighter pilot luminaries in
the ranks of JG 1 included Heinz
Bär, Hanz Philipp, Herbert Ihlefeld,
Hans von Hahn, Wilhelm Moritz and
Alfred Grislawski. Their stories, and
the travails of the Geschwader itself,
are narrated splendidly by author
Robert Forsyth. The beginnings of
the unit, in that it was formed from
the assets of other fighter gruppe
pilots and groundcrew, are explained,
before the real ‘meat’ of Luftwaffe
Reich Defence missions and tactics
are imparted. A true plus-point of
this, the 134th in Osprey’s Aircraft
of the Aces series, is how it explores
individual pilots. A fine example
58 pages
and highlights include two
splendid colour conning tower
illustrations (and period photos),
showing a one-off Mediterranean
scheme worn by the Type VII
C U-431. The extensive Boat
in Focus chapter explores the
patrols off Newfoundland,
America and in the Caribbean
by U-84, a Type VII B, while very
human photos and narrative
tell the story of the last voyage
of Kptlt Joachim Schepke
(U-100). Photos with a Story
offers fascinating photos with
captions, showing views of
U-704 and U-260, and U-Boat
crew graffiti on the walls of the
St Nazaire pens, among other
treats. There’s also an excellent
black and white image of radio
aerial repair being conducted by
a U-Boat captain and one of his
crewman, and useful deck detail
is apparent. Anyone interested
in U-Boats, from a historical and/
or modelling perspective, should
purchase all releases in this fine
series...which provides plenty of
variety in coverage. CC
96 pages
involves the passages on Heinz
Bär, whose transfer from JG 77
(prompted by a difficult relationship
with commanding officer ‘Macky’
Steinhoff), placed him in JG 1, after
he commanded a training unit.
Despite (unjustly) being accused of
cowardice in the face of the enemy,
Bär became one of the Luftwaffe’s
foremost (and toughest) fighter
leaders. Words on the unit’s brief
spell flying the He 162 jet close the
book, which also contains 33 colour
profiles of various Bf 109s, Fw 190s
and He 162s. Cracking stuff. CC
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 ON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITS
SPLENDID BIPLANE COMBO
Avia B.534 Early Series
By: Eduard Item no: 70103
Price: €29.95 Web: www.eduard.com
Low cost, and comprehensive
extras, seem a rare mix so Eduard’s
re-packaging of its B.534 as two-kit
ProfiPACK edition is a boon. It shares
the clear/small parts and control
surface runners with previous B.534
releases, but two new frames depict
two- and early four-gun fuselages,
for I. and II. Serie variants. Two small
pre-painted PE frets are supplied
for the interior, and masks cater for
KEEP ON REFUELLING
Vickers Type 1170 VC10 K4 RAF
Tanker
By: Roden
Item no: 328 Price: £31.99
Web: www.pocketbond.co.uk
At last there’s an injection-
moulded 1/144 K.4, thanks to
Roden. Its parts are identical to
the firm’s K.3, as both were Super
VC10s, but the K.4 lacked the extra
internal fuselage fuel tanks as it
retained its passenger seating, and
there’s a different arrangement
of windows (and 76 individual
82 View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
1/72
the windshield, wingtip and tailplane
edging, and undercarriage. There’s a
comprehensive rigging diagram and
decals for eight khaki/natural metal
aircraft; notable examples include:
• I. Serie, D8, 34th FS, Air Regt 4,
Hradec Kralove, July 1937
• I. Serie, G4, 36th FS, Air Regt 2,
Olomouc, June 1937
• I. Serie, 55, Jagdfliegerschule 4,
Fürth, Germany, 1940
• II. Serie, S14, Research and Test
Establishment, Prague, 1936
• II Serie, H1, 38th FS, Air Regt 3,
Vajnory, August 1937
1/144
masks). Engraved panel lines are
complemented by pleasing grilles
on the engine nacelles, but there
are no retracted drogue cones
for centreline- or wing-mounted
refuelling units. Being a limited
run kit, there are no location
pins, and more than the average
amount of flash, but the latter
is remedied easily. The decals
feature gloss carrier film, and full
airframe stencilling. The single
scheme represents the former 101
Squadron airframe currently at
Bruntingthorpe, ZD241/N.
MULTI-ROLE HUNTER
Russian MiG-31B/BM Foxhound
By: Trumpeter
Item no: 01680 Price: £39.99
Web: www.pocketbond.co.uk
After the glut of modern 1/48
Foxhounds, Trumpeter’s 1/72
MiG-31B/BM is a welcome sight.
There are 19 styrene runners and
a separate lower fuselage half;
mould quality is first rate, with
the undoubted highlight being
the single-piece upper fuselage
and wings…at last, no unsightly
seam! Best of all, the firm’s ‘mad
riveter’ has been suppressed, so
surface detail is delicate and well
UBIQUITOUS JUNKERS
Ju 88A-14
By: ICM Item no: 48234
Price: £27.99 Web: www.icm.com.ua
ICM’s Ju 88 range has expanded to
include the first 1/48 release of the
Ju 88A-14. For those familiar with
its earlier offerings, there are the
same nine styrene runners as the
Ju 88A-4 kit, all featuring superb
engraved and moulded detail.
This means one gets a sumptuous
interior (all visible through crystal-
clear glazing) and two delightful
Jumo engines (with separate panels
to allow these to be displayed). There
1/72
rendered. A busy cockpit is covered
by a four-piece canopy (which can
be posed open/closed) and other
options include a raised/lowered
infra-red sensor. While there’s a
full complement of AA-6 Acrid,
AA-9 Amos, AA-11 Archer and AA-12
Adders to hang under the fuselage
and wings, no AS-17 Krypton are
supplied for the multi-role BM
variant. Unusually, there is even
unit data provided for the two
liveries (although generic numbers
are also included):
• MiG-31B, Blue 74, 786th IAP, 3rd
AD, VVS, Moscow Military District
• MiG-31BM, Red 34
1/48
is one recurring omission, and that
is the lack of a raised platform in the
cockpit, but ICM’s Ju 88s are easily
the best on the market (in this scale).
Four schemes are supplied, but there
is debate over whether the last two
are late A-4s, as they are fitted with
dive brakes (removed on the A-14):
• 3Z+GP, 6./KG 77, East Prussia,
summer, 1941
• S4+AL, 3./KGr.106, France, summer
1942
• 3Z+EH, 1./KG 77, Sicily, autumn
1942
• 3Z+DB, Stab I./KG 77, Sicily,
summer 1943

LANCERS, ROCKETEERS AND CHIEFS
USAF F-15E ‘333rd Fighter
Squadron’
By: Academy Item no: 12550
Price: £24.99 Web: pocketbond.co.uk
Academy’s F-15E is the second newly
tooled example of the type in the
past year (with Great Wall Hobby’s).
It comprises nine styrene runners,
and supplies jaw-dropping rendering
of airframe rivets and full-length
intakes. However, Academy’s design
approach has its pros and cons.
RAF 1946-ISH…
Martin Baker MB.6 Night Ferret
NF Mk.2
By: AZ Model
Item no: AZ7581 Price: €16
Web: www.azmodel.cz
With all the Luftwaffe ‘what-if’
subjects available, it’s encouraging
to see AZ Model do the same for
the RAF, providing a two-seat
MB.6 night fighter (based on the
MB.5 prototype). It builds upon
the firm’s earlier MB.5 release,
and comprises the two main
runners from the latter, with a
third for the new fuselage (with
1/72
There is excellent moulded detail,
and large locating pins…yet parts are
occasionally oversimplified. Weapons
include AIM-120C, AIM-9X, a full
complement of 12 GBU-38 JDAM
bombs and LANTIRN or Sniper
targeting pods. All three featured
aircraft are SJ-tailcoded Seymour
Johnson-based 4th Operations
Group, 4th FW machines:
• 881674, 333rd FS ‘Lancers’
• 881700, 336th FS ‘Rocketeers’
• 890503, 335th FS ‘Chiefs’
1/72
superior surface detail), wing-tip
fuel tanks, an extra cockpit, and
a separate lengthened canopy.
Despite the relatively low parts
count, the interior is busy, with
representation of the radar screen
for the back-seater, although
this area lacks sidewalls. A well-
considered, if unusual kit. The
three notional schemes are:
• TF213/EW-G, 307 (City of Lvov)
Sqn, Hungary/Ukraine, late 1945
• TF310/LK-B, 87 Sqn RAF,
Coltishall, winter 1945
• TF599/WM-P, 68 Sqn RAF,
Geilenkirchen, spring 1946
HIGH-ANGLE ATTACK
SBD-5 Dauntless
By: Italeri Item no: 2673
Price: £29.99 Web: hobbyco.net
Here, Italeri has mated Accurate
Miniatures' plastic with new decals.
Five grey styrene runners (and
one clear) carry components with
sublime detail, from the beautifully
rendered cockpit floor and sidewall
detail, and convincing engine, to
the centre-wing underside surface
and separate dive brakes with
lightening holes. But the fit is ever
so slightly challenging in places,
and needs patience. Centreline
and underwing bombs/racks are
GALLIC FLOATPLANE
Audron G.IV Hydravion
By: Copper State Models
Item no: 1028 Price: €71.39
Web: www.copperstatemodels.com
Copper State’s efforts (consciously
or not) to emulate Wingnut Wings,
but in 1/48 scale, is no bad thing…
especially when the products such
as this exquisite Caudron are the
result. The French recce-bomber is
reproduced superbly via six runners
of styrene parts, and the quality
is such that this could arguably
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com 83
ON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITS
1/48
supplied, too. Italeri offers splendid
decals (with matt carrier film), and
five schemes are represented…
three being in US Navy shades:
• SBD-5, NZ5060, 25 Sqn RNZAF,
Piva, Solomons, April 1944
• SBD-5,‘1’, VMSB-231, USMC,
Marshall Islands, 1944
• A-24B-1-DT, 254298/84 ‘Fly
Bar’, 407th BG, USAAF, Aleutian
Islands, 1943
• SBD-5, 4.F.9, Flotille 4F, French
Aeronavale, Arromanches,
Indochina, 1947
• A-24B, 254541, Group de Combat
1/18 ‘Vendée’, Free French AF,
France, 1944
1/48
be attempted by less-experienced
biplane modellers. The instructions
offer ample, clear diagrams for
rigging, detail-hounds will favour
the copious PE details, and the
construction ethos will ensure
strength to what is, essentially, a
very delicate-looking airframe. All
three schemes portray doped linen
aircraft, and the decals are simply
roundels, fin flashes and airframe
numbers for aircraft at St Raphael
Naval Air Station, autumn 1917: C
2259, C1051 and C 1057.
 ON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITS
ANTI-RADAR RHINO
F-4G Phantom II Wild Weasel
By: Revell Item no: 04959
Price: £59.99 Web: www.revell.de/en
Revell’s 1/32 Phantom tooling,
which already spawned the F-4E/F,
was tweaked into an F-4G in US
packaging three years ago. Now,
the latter is re-released with new
decals. The ‘Golf’ was developed
from the F-4E, a result being the
cannon was usurped by antennas
for the AN/APR-38 system. This kit
reflects the structural change, with
the new under-nose fairing, but it’s
not 100% correct; also, antennas
around the airframe are missing, but
DIMINUTIVE BOMBER
Dornier Do 17Z-2
By: Mark I Models
Item no: MKM14464 Price: £19.99
Web: www.4pluspublications.com
Here’s another helping of small-
scale goodness from the Czech
Republic's MARK I, with this
pleasing rendition of the Do 17Z-2…
the second ‘Flying Pencil’ sub-
type with the enlarged and more
heavily glazed cockpit section.
The moulding quality is generally
good, via engraved panel lines,
although some finer nuances are
missing, such as aileron trim tabs
84 View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
1/32
these can be added easily. ALQ-119
ECM, and AGM-78/AGM-45 missiles
are present, but no AGM-88s. The
underwing strengthening strap fitted
to later Phantoms is not present,
but one can buy this separately or
scratch-build. The only other niggle
surrounds the poor kit seats, but
plus points include slatted wings/
stabilators, moulded instruments,
separate airbrakes and an F-15
centreline tank. The decals offer
markings for two aircraft:
• 69-7558/SP, 52nd TFW,
Spangdahlem, Germany, 1987
• 69-0237/WW, 37th TFW, George
AFB, California, 1982
1/144
(possibly due to the constraints of
the scale). Defensive machine guns
also feature, but are essentially
just solid cylindrical lengths
with ‘stoppers’ to fix them in the
glazing; the latter is well rendered,
if slightly thick. Four colour
schemes come via the beautifully
printed decals:
• U5+DT, III./KG 2, Greece, April
1941
• U5+EH, 1./KG 2, Greece, May 1941
• A1+KZ, 15.(Kroat)/KG 53, Croatia,
July 1942
• 3.Zrakoplovno Jato, ZNDH ‘402’,
Croation AF, Croatia, spring 1945
RE-ENGINED SPOTTER
IMAM (Romeo) Ro.37bis
By: Special Hobby
Item no: SH48185 Price: €37.50
Web: www.cmkkits.com
Special Hobby has matched
Classic Airframes’ 2004 tooling
with its own resin. Anyone that’s
built a Classic kit will know the
challenging fit. That said, old
hands will relish the chance
to upgrade the styrene with
resin, which includes seats,
exhausts, radio gear and a rear
machine gun mount. The plastic
components are somewhat basic,
but the engine is reasonable
REICH DEFENCE / WILD BOAR
Focke Wulf 190A-8/R11 Nightfighter
By: Revell Item no: 03926
Price: £36.99 Web: www.revell.de/en
We built Revell’s new-tool 1/32 Fw
190F in the June 2015 issue. The
firm has now re-worked the tooling,
so one can build either an A-8 or
A-8/R11 ‘Wilde Sau’ night fighter,
the latter with Neptun radar. The
detail is dominated by a complete
engine, but the cockpit is no slouch,
with a refined instrument panel
and side consoles, gun sight and
more. The mainwheel bays also
1/48
and full cockpit framework is
supplied. Photo-etched brass
includes seatbelts, wheel spokes,
instrument panels and more. The
four colour schemes are:
• 12●15, Grupo 4-G-12, Aviación
Nacional, Spanish Nationalists,
Logroño, 1938
• MM 10821/120-12, 120a
Squadriglia, 72° Gruppo OA,
Regia Aeronautica, Valona,
Albania, late 1940
• MM 10889 ‘Cocco Bello’, Italian
Co-belligerent AF, October 1943
• B1-102, Escuadrilla de
Informacion, Uruguayan AF, BA
No.1, Boiso Lanza, late 1941
1/32
sport the characteristic concave
dimples. All guns are reproduced
splendidly, separate control surfaces
offer versatility, and straight/blown
canopies are given. Thankfully, Revell
shunned the usual matt carrier
film for these decals, which are
superb, but erroneous identity data
is given on the instructions for the
night fighter (the decals are spot
on, though). The correct machine is
listed below:
• Fw 190A-8/R11, White 9, Oblt
Gunther Migge, NJGr 10
• Fw 190A-8, Red 3, JG 301, May 1945
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 ON THE SHELF
MILITARY KITS
MODELMAKING ART
T.55 Mod.1963
By: MiniArt
Item no: 37018 Price: £57.99
Web: www.miniart-models.com
MiniArt is raising the bar for detailed
armour, and its newly tooled T-55
Mod.1963 exemplifies this approach.
The Tardis-like box seems bigger
on the inside, such is the mass of
runners contained therein (91 in
total, with just ten for the individual-
link tracks), accompanied by two
photo-etched brass frets. All this
SECOND-GEN PANZER V
Sd.Kfz.171 Panther Ausf.A Early
Production
By: Dragon
Item no: 7499 Price: £20.99
Web: www.hobbyco.net
Dragon’s 1/72 Ausf.A appeared to
be the final piece in its Panther
range, sharing top-quality moulded
parts with other offerings and DS
Styrene tracks. However, closer
inspection reveals it comprises
the Panther D runners, plus a
small frame with correct mantlet
side plate and turret vision block.
Unfortunately, the turret, which
has the Ausf.D-type cupola (it
86 View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
1/35
builds into a staggeringly accurate
replica of this Cold War tank, with
full engine, suspension, fighting
compartment (including a complete
ammunition load) and turret…the
challenge will be how to display
all this on the finished model. All
hatches can be posed open/closed,
but surely the former will be chosen,
to reveal the sumptuous interior.
This abundance is reflected in the 12
schemes, with examples from Cuba,
Vietnam, Finland, Iraq, Israel, Egypt,
Ethiopia, Syria and the Soviet Union.
1/72
should be a rounded cast item),
but Ausf.A-style square weld
seams, means it’s wrong for both
variants! Dragon also hasn’t
made life easy for itself with the
schemes, as one was treated with
Zimmerit (221), but the turret and
hull lack this feature. The second
(701), should feature partially
whitewashed camouflage, but was
one of the rare machines without
Zimmerit and deployed on the
Eastern, not Italian, Front:
• Red 221, I./Pz.Rgt.4, Anzio, Italy,
1944
• Black 701, Pz.Rgt.23, 23 Pz.Div,
Southern Russia, winter 1943/44
ANTI-AIR RODENT
9K35 Strela-10 SA-13 Gopher
By: Trumpeter
Item no: 05554 Price: £57.99
Web: www.pocketbond.co.uk
Fans of Soviet/Russian surface-
to-air systems will appreciate
Trumpeter’s SA-13 Transporter
Erector Launcher and Radar
(TELAR), a major element
of Regimental Air Defence
Battalions. There are 17 styrene
runners, two photo-etched brass
frets and brass wire, which build
into an accurate replica of a
9A35 TELAR. The moulding is
A BEAR OF A GUN
30.5cm Mörser ‘Bär’
By: Amusing Hobby
Item no: 35A014 Price: €49.95
Web: www.modellbau-koenig.de
German ‘Paper-projects’ seem to be
all the rage, and this Mörser ‘Bär’
(Bear) is one of the more extreme,
mounting a 12in (305mm) mortar
on a modified King Tiger chassis.
It comprises 26 runners (half are
for the two-piece individual link
tracks), separate upper and lower
hulls, a small PE fret for the engine
1/35
to Trumpeter’s high standards,
with the standout item being the
missile/radar turret, complete
with viewing screen and actuators;
the individual link tracks have
separate guide horns. If there
is one minor gripe, it’s the lack
of driver’s compartment detail
to accompany the option for
the latter’s open/closed hatch,
along with missile reloads, which
occupied a considerable portion
of the interior. Four unidentified
schemes are supplied, with two
camouflaged and two overall
green machines.
1/35
grilles and copper wire for the tow
cable. This all leads to a busy affair,
despite the lack of interior detail,
with a hybrid torsion bar/leaf-
sprung suspension and interleaved
roadwheels, while the exterior is
festooned with mid-/late-war tools,
but the barrel cleaning equipment
appears undersized. A jig aids also
aids track construction, but requires
diligence. Two camouflage schemes
are offered…standard three-tone and
a more complex ‘ambush’ livery, with
generic numerals and Balkenkreuze.

ALL-PURPOSE MERCEDES
Typ L3000S
By: ICM
Item no: 35420 Price: £26.20
Web: www.icm.com.ua
ICM adds another 3-tonne-class
vehicle to its superb German World
War Two truck range, with a newly
tooled Mercedes-Benz L3000S.
It comprises four styrene runners
and seven solid vinyl tyres; the well-
moulded parts being devoid of sink
marks/flash. In typical ICM style,
it comes with a detailed engine,
POWERHOUSE TROOP CARRIER
Russian BMP3 Infantry Fighting
Vehicle
By: Modelcollect
Item no: MA72007
Price: US $29.99
Web: www.modelcollect.com
Modelcollect had already issued
a ‘vanilla’ 1/72 BMP-3, then
re-released it with explosive
Reactive Armour (ERA). Now,
the firm offers the latter but with
interior detail, photo-etched (PE)
brass and 11 figures (plus a military
working dog). The innards involve
1/35
transmission and suspension, and
a busy cab. It’s the small points that
elevate this kit, from the spare four-
part jerry cans, to the individual foot
pedals and bumpers with integrally
moulded width indicators. There
are four Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe
schemes, including overall Panzer
Grey, Dark Yellow and camouflaged
examples:
• WH 272104, Ukraine, summer 1941
• WL 34548, Russia, summer 1942
• WH 858842, North Africa, 1942
• WH 76836, Italy, summer 1944
1/72
a full turret basket with seats, and
troop seating, while the PE offers
items such as turret baskets,
mudguards, grilles, armour plate
and other structural nuances.
Link-and-length tracks are
supplied, as are separate assault
rifles for some of the excellent
figures; some are seated so they
can sit in open hatch holes, or
inner seating, and drivers are
included. The company also offers
its generic decal sheet with all
manner of Soviet and export user
markings. Simply superb.
CLASSIC QUARTET
M4A2/Sherman Mk.III
By: Rubicon Models
Item no: 280055 Price: US $32
Web: www.rubiconmodels.com
Rubicon really does its homework;
this splendid gamers’ package,
which offers the means of building
one of four different M4A2/
Mk.III Shermans offers stunning
detail and accuracy. The following
vehicles can be built: M4A2 with
large hatch hull, high bustle turret,
75mm gun and M34A1 mantlet;
M4A2 with small hatch hull, low
bustle turret and 75mm gun with
M34 mantlet; M4A2 with small
OFF-ROADER WITH BITE
G-233014 w/ Kornet-D
By: Zvezda
Item no: 3682 Price: £24.99
Web: www.hobbyco.net
Meng has already produced a 1/35
GAZ Tiger (see AMW December
2016), but this didn’t deter Zvezda
from releasing its own versions.
This new offering comes equipped
with the Russian Kornet-D missile
system, which adds plenty of extra
interest. The bedrock of the build is
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com 87
ON THE SHELF
MILITARY KITS
1/56 (28mm)
hatch hull, high bustle turret and
75mm gun with M34A1 mantlet;
Sherman Mk.III with small hatch
hull, low bustle turret and 75mm
gun with M34 mantlet. The HVSS
suspension, closed spoke wheels
and ‘Economy’ drive sprockets
are moulded integrally with the
tracks (T48 blocks). One can also
fit standard fenders alone or with
skirts, and templates are provided
for creating appliqué armour
from plastic card. The decals
are excellent, with heaps of unit
badges, and serials for US, British
and French tanks. Six partial
crewmen are also supplied.
1/35
the chassis, which oozes detail, but
the interior is also well appointed,
with a busy front section, radio gear
and spare ‘shots’ for the launcher
tubes. There are also convincing
texture-moulded ‘boot’ sections into
which (on the real vehicle) the missile
launchers retract; one can pose the
vehicle either way. Chunky rubber
tyres also feature, and the rear doors
can be fitted open or closed. Decals
represent Russian stars, Guards
badges and generic code numbers.
 ON THE SHELF
AUTO KITS
"STRIPED TOMATO"
’76 Ford Torino
By: Revell Item no: 07038
Price: £22.99 Web: www.revell.de/en
Revell’s red with white arrow-
striped ’76 Torino is recognisable
instantly from the TV series and
movie Starsky and Hutch, as the
vehicle used by the eponymous
detectives, described memorably
as a “striped tomato” by original
actor Paul Michael Glaser. It’s a
re-boxing of Revell-USA’s 2015 kit,
and depicts the vehicle as it first
appeared, with bench-style front
CAR-VAN PROGENITOR
Model T 1912 Light Delivery Car
By: ICM
Item no: 24008 Price: £24.30
Web: www.icm.com.ua
For all the Model T’s ubiquity,
ICM’s 1912 Delivery Car is the
first styrene kit of the type in
any scale. The firm’s standard
Model T runners for the engine,
suspension, transparencies,
wheels and trimmings are
combined with three new items
for a replacement chassis,
bodywork and lights. For those
88 View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
1/25
seats (later changed to bucket
seats). It comprises nine styrene
runners (including one transparent
and one chrome-plated), with
separate body shell and chassis;
several are moulded in black or red
styrene, with the intent to minimise
painting. Although rarely seen in the
show with the bonnet raised, there’s
a full engine supplied, and even the
removable roof light. Revell hasn’t
offered registration plates for any of
the 1,300 vehicles produced by Ford,
in response to the show’s popularity,
just the original 537 ONN.
1/24
unfamiliar with the parts, there’s a
replica engine (just crying out for
ignition and fuel lines), faithfully
reproduced suspension and the
vinyl tyres are moulded in off-
white/cream, negating the need
for painting. Perhaps the single
oversight is the lack of poseable
engine covers, although this
is possible with judicious (and
careful) cutting. There may be
just the box top scheme, but it’s
gorgeous…overall gloss black with
smart yellow, red and gold logos,
for a Texaco Motor Oil vehicle.
LIGHT WHEELED TRACTOR
Hanomag RL-20
By: Plus Model
Item no: 485 Price: €79.50
Web: www.plusmodel.cz
Hanomag’s 1.9lit tractor was a
common sight in the late 1930s
and during World War Two, but
was a rarity in model terms until
Plus Model’s newly tooled 1/35
resin offering. Considering its size
this is a busy kit, with 70 resin
components, a photo-etched
brass detail fret, acetate sheet
and length of copper wire. The
WHITE MARIA
Ford Transit UK Police
By: Italeri Item no: 3657
Price: £29.99 Web: www.hobbyco.net
Esci’s venerable, but still
commendable, Transit gets a new
airing courtesy of Italeri, which
tweaks the transparent runner to
include roof-mounted lights for a
Police vehicle (commonly called a
‘Maria’); otherwise it’s identical to
the original moulding. As one of
Esci’s later kits, it’s bursting with
detail, and while mould seams are
heavy in places, it compares well
1/35
casting is to Plus Model’s exacting
standards, and while the chassis
requires careful preparation, there
is little such work needed on the
remaining parts. Detail levels are
impressive, from the suspension
and steering to the diesel engine.
The driver’s area is similarly
busy, and can be tarp-covered if
desired. Two schemes are offered,
one military, the other civilian;
the former is Panzer Grey and the
latter blue; other common colours
were bottle green, light blue-grey
and a shade of turquoise.
1/24
with more modern offerings. The
transmission and suspension appear
accurate, and each door receives
a separate liner with grab/window
handles. Besides the right-hand drive
configuration, there’s an option for
a left-hand vehicle (not applicable
to these schemes), although the
rear is devoid of detail. Markings are
supplied for an overall white vehicle
with red/orange stripes, registration
number B35VYT, with alternative
badges for British Transport Police,
and Kent, North Yorkshire, Sussex
and Metropolitan constabularies.
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 ON THE SHELF
DECAL SHEETS

NIPPONESE PIXELS 1/72 1/48

JASDF F-15J 303rd TFS 60th
Anniversary
By: DXM
Item no: 71-7219
Price: US $17
Web: www.dxmdecal.com
We discovered Double
Xcellent Model (DXM)
products during a net-
surfing session recently,
readers aware. This
sheet offers an F-15J
scheme with splendid
pixelated/digital pattern
over the standard
Japanese low-vis greys,
applied to mark the
60th anniversary of the
Japan Air Self-Defense
Force’s 303rd TFS. DXM
supplies the digital
sections as individual
decals, along with the
attractive tail art worn
by airframe 62-8864, in
2014. Myriad stencilling
is also provided, as is
excellent colour/decal
placement guidance.
Humbrol and GSI Mr.
Color paint codes are
quoted, although as to
which F-15J kit the decals
might be sized, DXM doesn’t say…
Platz’s new toolings get our vote
though (see AMW December 2017
for a full build).
THE ‘EDELWEISS’ BOYS
GROUND-ATTACK EMILS
Schlacht Bf 109Es
By: Iliad Design
Item no: 48032
Price: US $12
Web: www.iliad-design.
com
Iliad’s new collection
of 1/48 scale markings
for Schlacht (fast
ground attack) Bf
109Es should delight
modellers who favour
World War Two
Luftwaffe subjects.
The liveries represent
aircraft flown on the
Northern European
and Eastern Fronts, as
well as in North Africa,
with the aircraft
from the latter arena
wearing RLM 79 over RLM 78. El Alamein, August 1942
Units include SG 1, ZG 1 and (Sch)/ • Bf 109E-4B, <  + A, II.(Sch)/LG
LG 2 and, interestingly, there’s a 2, Russia, summer 1941
unit badge we haven’t seen before • Bf 109E-4B, + C, II./LG 2,
in decal form. The options are: Russia, 1941
• Bf 109E-4B, U + , Georg • Bf 109E-4B,  + H, 6.(Sch)/LG 2
Dorfell, II./SG 1, Russia, 1941 • Bf 109E-4B,  + M, 5.(Schl)/LG
• Bf 109E-7, S9+DR, 7./ZG 1, near 2, Russia, 1941
1/72

so we had to make our KG 51 History

By: Xtradecal
1/48 Item no: X72285 Price: £7.99
TWO VIKING VIPERS Web: www.hannants.co.uk

Modelmaker Decals’ Hannants’ own brand has

F-16A Royal Danish Air Force 66
Years Anniversary
By: Modelmaker Decals
Item no: D48092 Price: €8
Web: www.modelmaker.com.pl
products are new to previously delved into individual
these review pages, units for themed sheets of
but it’s a splendid markings, but this is the first
range with much Luftwaffe example…and it’s a
variety. This offering beauty. Kampfgeschwader 51
provides a rendition ‘Edelweiss’ was one of wartime
of the stunning Norse- Germany’s most illustrious
style tail art applied bomber wings, and here,
to a pair of Danish Air eight liveries are provided…
Force F-16AMs in 2016, each being for a different
to mark the RDAF’s aircraft type. Mostly traditional
66 anniversary. The twin-engined bombers are
motifs lay over the represented, but there are also
type’s standard three- fighters employed for day/night
tone camouflage, bombing; a liaison machine
and Modelmaker also appears too, along with a cool
supplies national Ju 88C-6 with painted false
insignia and full nose glazing: • Bf 108, CO+QV, Geschwaderstab,
stencilling. Beautifully • Do 17M, 9K+DA, Geschwaderstab Paris-Orly, summer 1940
printed items, they • He 111H-1, 9K+AA, Obst • Me 410A-1, 9K+B, Ofw E Kaiser,
will add real pizazz to a 1/48 F-16 Josef Kammhuber, 10. Staffel, Hildesheim, Germany,
build. The two aircraft in question Geschwaderkommodore, 1940 1943-44
are E008 and E-598 of Eskadrille • Ju 88C-6, 9K+NR, 7.(Eis) Staffel, • Fw 190A-8, Red 14, 11. Staffel,
727, based at Skydstrup, Russia, 1943 Germany, Oct-Nov 1944
Denmark. • Bf 110D, 9K+CA, Geschwaderstab, • Me 262A-2a, 9K+B, 2. Staffel,
Balkans, 1942 Germany, late 1944

90 View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com


SOVIET RADIAL AIR GUARDS
Lavochkin La-5FN Part 2
By: Foxbot
Item no: 48-024 Price: £9.99
Web: www.foxbot.com.ua
Intended for Vector’s resin and
Zvezda’s styrene (plus the latter’s
many re-boxings) La-5s, Foxbot’s
second look at this Lavochkin
FLYING BARN DOORS
AW38 Whitley
By: DK Decals Item no: 72044
Price: £11.20 Web: www.dkdecals.cz
This bumper compilation is ideal
for 1/72 Whitleys. While most
options cater for Airfix’s recent
Mk.V and Mk.VII offerings, Fly’s
Mk. II and Mk.III releases are
also recipients…while those
seeking a conversion challenge
could attempt the single Mk.IV.
The majority of choices wear
standard RAF Bomber Command
Dark Earth/Dark Green/Night
camouflage, with the occasional
overall Night machine. An
Extra Dark Sea Grey/Dark Slate
Grey/White Coastal Command
1/48
fighter offers seven mid- and
late-war subjects, the majority
from Guards Fighter (Ftr) units,
with several featuring extensive
patriotic slogans on the fuselage.
All wear standard Soviet AMT-
11/12 (grey/green) over AMT-7
(pale blue) camouflage, and
the typically sparse airframe
stencilling is supplied, with
sufficient items for one machine.
The seven schemes are:
• White 69, Sr Lt IS Kravtsov, 3
Guards Ftr Regt, Baltic Fleet AF,
Leningrad, summer 1944
• White 17, 790th Fighter Regt, 129
Ftr Div, Lithuania, autumn 1944
• White 70, Capt AI Mayorov, 2
Guards Ftr Regt, 1st Baltic Front,
autumn 1943
• White 44, Capt AP Trefilov, 523
Ftr Regt, 303 Ftr Div, Belarus,
autumn 1944
• White 75, Capt EM Yaremenko,
5 Guards Ftr Regt, 3rd Ukrainian
front, 1944
• White 185, unknown unit
• White 93, Sr Lt VI Orekhov, 32
Guards Ftr Regt, Bryansk front,
autumn 1943
1/72
airframe is joined by a rare
example with Night undersides.
Just one of the three sheets are
shown, but register, opacity and
clarity are all first rate, notably
the various bomb tallies. With 15
schemes, there are too many to
list, but highlights include:
• Mk.II, K7220/Y, Parachute
Training School, Ringway, 1941
• Mk.III, K8947/KN-Q, 77 Sqn
RAF, October 1939
• Mk.IV, K9048/MH-P, 51 Sqn
RAF, April 1940
• Mk.V, P5005/DY-N, Fg Off
L Cheshire, 102 Sqn RAF,
November 1940
• Mk.VII, BD622/WL-U, 612 Sqn,
1942
IN DEFENCE OF CHAD
Mirage 2000D 30th Anniversary
Ouadi Doum Raid
By: Syhart Item no: 72-103
Price: €8 Web: www.syhartdecal.fr
The French Air Force is always
a reliable source of striking
and/or colourful schemes. This
example is slightly different,
as it commemorates the 30th
anniversary of the attack on
Ouadi Doum Airfield (Chad) in
1987, by French Jaguars and
Mirage F.1s, with Mirage 2000D
3-XN/632, EC3/3 ‘Ardennes’
repainted in a similar ‘coffee and
cream’ camouflage. Painting
NORTH CAROLINA BOSS BIRD
F-4E, 4th TFW, Seymour Johnson
AFB, 1984
By: MILSPEC
Item no: 72-019 Price: US $8
Web: www.milspecdecals.com
Released previously under the CAM
Decals label, Seymour Johnson’s
‘Big 4’ Phantom (Commanding
Officer 4th Tactical Fighter Wing’s
aircraft), can now be modelled
accurately, thanks to these updated
markings, courtesy of MILSPEC. The
F-4E, serial number 74-1040, wore
two styles of tail markings during
View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com 91
ON THE SHELF
DECAL SHEETS
1/72
options are provided for Humbrol,
Mr. Hobby and Model Master
products, while comprehensive
airframe stencilling is included.
As a bonus, there are four
photographs of the real aircraft,
highlighting its well-kept
appearance and semi-gloss finish,
especially when contrasted with a
nearby grey/green Mirage 2000D.
Colour density is exceptional, as is
the register, notably on the unit’s
boar’s head insignia and the fuel
tank motifs. A small correction
sheet supplies corrected roundels
(the red on the main product is
too dark).
1/72
1984, and there are different US
insignia for each (with either ‘full’ or
‘empty’ star). The attention to detail
is exemplified by the single-piece
v-shaped stripe, which has two kinks
along its length to cater for the
transition between aircraft spine
and main fuselage. It’s accompanied
by improved artwork to highlight
the nuances between the two
schemes, but note kit decals will be
needed for items such as formation
‘slime’ lights. Finally, a correction
insert provides re-worked ‘SJ’ and
‘4’ markings for the tail.
 ON THE SHELF
DECAL SHEETS

PAPUA NEW GUINEA RARITY 1/144

HUNTER AND PREY
1/35

Air Niugini BAe 146-200 in service for approximately ten

By: Decales Global
Item no: DG-14993 Price: US $9
Web: www.joydecals.com
Decales Global scores twice
with this interesting and useful
markings sheet, which features
Papua New Guinea’s national
carrier (a comparatively rare
subject) and one of its short-
lived types, the BAe 146…the sole
example of which (VH-NJW) was
TRAINERS AND SUB-HUNTERS
Fouga CM170 Magister –
Westland Sea King HAS.1
By: Model Art
Item no: 72/068
Price: £9
Web: www.modartdec.com
Here, Model Art offers a
wonderful selection of liveries
for the famous V-tailed Fouga
jet trainer in French service,
and ‘old-school’ Royal Navy Sea
King HAS.1 helicopters from the
1970s. The latter (six in total)
are all in RAF Blue Grey, with
months. The airlines’ signature Bird
of Paradise logo is the standout
item, with sharp colour delineation
and perfect register, and is printed
on a teal-hued background, making
painting much easier. Windscreen
and passenger windows are printed
as solid items, with the latter being
aligned with the entrance door
outlines. Note, each marking must
be cut from the solid gloss carrier
film before application.
1/72
mostly white markings, although
some of the multi-toned unit
badges add extra colour.
Meanwhile, the nine Magisters
all wear the standard semi-matt
silver with Day-Glo panels, and
the execution of the unit motifs
on these is sublime; all the
decals are printed beautifully,
though, and have gloss carrier
film. Examples include:
• HAS.1, XV671/040/R, 824 NAS,
HMS Ark Royal, 1974
• HAS.1, XV663/141/E, 826 NAS,
HMS Eagle, 1971
MUDDY LEGEND
King Tiger/Tiger II part 3
By: Star Decals
Item no: 35C 1095 Price: US $8
Web: www.star-decals.net
In its third dive into late-war
King Tigers, Star focusses on
s.Pz.Abt.506 and 507 vehicles,
providing two options from the
latter and (thanks to generic
numerals) at least ten from the
former. Notably, these include
red and black characters, as
there is ongoing debate as to the
actual colour of turret numbers.
There’s a mix of early and late-
production tanks, along with a
Befehls command vehicle. Extras
include alternatives for several
s.Pz.Abt.506 tanks captured
by US troops, and highlights
where the (painted) white stars
are positioned on the turret.
Otherwise, just basic markings
are included, with three different
styles of Balkenkreuze, and a
unit shield for s.Pz.Abt.507.
The basic schemes are:
• Tiger II late, Black 402, s.Pz.
Abt.507, Osterode, 1945
• Tiger II late, Black 121, s.Pz.
Abt.507, Osterode, 1945
• Tiger II early, Red 109, s.Pz.
Abt.506, Western Front,
1944-45
• Tiger II Befehls, Red 03, Stab
s.Pz.Abt.506, Western Front,
1944-45
1/24

• HAS.1,
XV696/411/BL,
820 NAS, HMS
Blake, 1974
• HAS.1,
XV695/303/
PW, 819 NAS,
Prestwick, 1973
• CM170, 339/
CU, GI 313,
Aulnat-Clermont-
Ferrand
• CM170, 26/33-
XE, SLVSV, Ford Escort RS is ripe for Italeri’s recently
Strasbourg- By: DMC Decals re-released Escort RS1800 Mk.II,
Entzheim, 1975 Item no: 24-325 and offers markings for the RS
• CM170, 240/7- Price: €10 MLD999P of Team Avon/Sutton
JF, EC 3/7 Web: www.dmc-decals.dk Racing, in the 1976 RAC Rally.
‘Languedoc’, Sponsor motifs are particularly
Saint-Dizier, 1975 This is the first we’ve seen of well rendered, and the names
• CM170, 468/7- DMC’s products…but we’re Pentti Arikkala and Mike Greasley
NP, EC 4/7 impressed. The printing is are present. Note that just a single
‘Limousin’, Istres, superb, and plenty of research photograph of the car is provided
1981 has obviously been conducted to with the decals, so research is
maintain accuracy. This option required for proper placement.

92 View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com

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 ON THE SHELF
ACCESSORIES
STORES HOUSE 1/72
He 111H-6 bomb bay
By: Eduard
Item no: 72635 Price: €22.45
Web: www.eduard.com
Adding extra refinement to Airfix’s
new-tool He 111H-6 will be a whole
heap of fun, with Eduard’s neat
photo-etched brass bomb bay
set. The fret is busy indeed, as it’s
packed with bay lining and structural
housings for the vertically mounted
bombs, as well as the covering
doors, but is for experienced
modellers only of course due to the
amount of folding required. Removal
of the kit bomb bay section, in the
middle of the lower wing assembly,
is all that’s necessary to fit this
replacement unit.
1/72
IN A FLAP
Harrier GR.9A Control Surfaces
By: CMK
Item no: 7372
Price: €10.30
Web: www.cmkkits.com
Airfix’s Harrier GR.7A/9A has
earned many plaudits, but CMK’s
replacement control surfaces
offer superior planform and
trailing edge thickness. Careful
design means surgery to fit
the flaps is simplified greatly,
with cuts along two prominent
panel lines, before the curved
wing section and separate flap
(with profile to match the new
insert) is added – this means
it can be positioned up, down
or in transition (note – if the
engine is off, then flaps are up).
Ailerons and rudder are direct
replacements for the kit styrene.
94 View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
JUG PANEL
1/32
P-47D late
By: Yahu Model
Item no: YMA3223 Price: £7.50
Web: www.yahumodels.
siemianowice.com
Hasegawa’s 1/32 P-47D
Bubbletop needs little
aftermarket help to produce
a spanking build. In this larger
scale though, one real focal
point is the instrument panel
(especially if the canopy is
posed open). Yahu’s photo-
etched metal late-model P-47
panel comes pre-painted and
with all instrument detail in situ;
it also has separate sections
to cater for P-47D-28 and -30
airframes, and can be employed
on Trumpeter’s kit, too.
SELF- 1/24-1/25
RELIANT REPAIR
Truck tool box
By: Highlight Model Studio
Item no: HME-029 Price: €12
Web: highlightmodelstudio.com
Highlight Model Studio’s photo-
etched metal tool box looks to
be an instant classic; with careful
assembly (it’s worth studying the
photos of this set on the website)
no paint is required. It comprises 14
pieces, five of which (top and sides)
feature a typical treadplate finish,
with reinforcing strips for each
corner. The base plate may look
small initially, but when the side
‘lips’ have been bent (note there are
no etched lines to facilitate this), it
will fit snugly.
BRASS-PLATED 1/35
DIGGLER
M9 ACE
By: Hauler
Item no: HLU35102 Price: €15.50
Web: www.hauler.cz
Takom’s M9 ACE (Armored Combat
Earthmover) gets a photo-etched
brass makeover from Hauler with
this splendid two-fret update set.
While one supplies new engine
vents, armour panels, stowage
boxes, jerry can holders and a
multitude of grab handles, the other
is a heavyweight item, for a spare
drive wheel sprocket, armoured
light guards and
a shield for the
driver’s position.
The kit may be
good, but Hauler’s
parts can help
turn it into a
showstopper.
1/48
POST-WAR
WHEELS
Spitfire 4-Slot Block-Tread
Mainwheels
By: BarracudaCast
Item no: BR48318
Price: US $6.95
Web: www.barracudacast.com
Designed to fit Eduard’s Mk.VIII,
IX and XVI Spitfires, the block-
style tread tyres were post-war
additions to the wheels of
Spitfire Mk.VIIs onwards and
Seafire Mk.III, XV, 17, 45 and
46 airframes. The casting is
exquisite, with raised sidewall
company logos, bolt heads for
the hub and delicate tread.
Axles adapters are included to
allow these wheels to fit other
1/48 Spitfires.
THE LITTLE
1/350
BIG LIFTER
US Navy Forklift Early Type
By: SSN Modellbau
Item no: R35041 Price: €12
Web: www.ssnmodellbau.de
Comprising 40 resin pieces and
a single PE fret, SSN Modellbau’s
US Navy forklift set supplies
sufficient parts for eight ‘early’
vehicles. There’s a surprising
amount of detail for the scale,
with separate PE roll-cage, inner/
outer lift slides, and forks. These
are common sights on US shore
establishments, aircraft carriers
and amphibious vessels, ferrying
equipment and munitions,
and this set will add further
character to any model/diorama.
TYPE 1936A/B 1/350
BONANZA
German Destroyer
By: White Ensign Models
Item no: PE 35186 Price: US $32.50
Web: www.whiteensignmodels.com
Although sharing the same product
name as the Revell/Zvezda upgrade
set (35185), this is intended for
Trumpeter’s Type 1936A/B-class
destroyers, which were a follow-
on design; it’s also applicable for
Dragon’s offerings. As before, the
single large PE fret offers sumptuous
fittings, including an entire
complement of anti-aircraft guns,
radar antennas and early torpedo
control centre. These complement
the usual railings, ladders, boat
cradles, cable reels and cranes
expected in any comprehensive
maritime detail set.
 Veteranus Models
www.veteranus.co.uk
Model Kits: Model Railway: Paints: Scenics: Airbrushes: Tools: Books
TWO AWESOME
Airfix • Tamiya • Revell • Trumpeter •
Eduard • Wingnut Wings • Kinetic •
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WE BUY KITS & MODEL RAILWAY
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Airbrushes Procon Boy Airbrushes

RP Toolz • DeLuxe Materials

• Expo • Kolibri Brushes •
Alclad II • Albion Alloys •
Evergreen • Flex-I-File •
X-Acto • Xuron • Tankograd •
Mig Ammo Publications

Veteranus Model Shop, Ripon

6 & 7 High Skellgate, Ripon, N. Yorkshire, HG4 1BA

sales@veteranus.co.uk
www.veteranus.co.uk W W W. H AY N E S . C O M

10570 Haynes Airfix Model World 90x130 Quarter page vertical ad ac2.indd 1 08/11/2017 18:45
Zundapp KS750
Motorcycle Rider
& German Shepherd

NAL MODEL SH
ITIO OP
AD
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ACTIVE SCALE MODELS

Motorcycle NOT included

1/9 Scale D ITIONAL MODEL S
RA • REPAIR • GOOD SOUND HO
For Zundapp motorcycle only (includes Saddlebag accessories) A TERVICE AD
V IC
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Please Note: all our figures and accessories are unassembled and unpainted

We have a good stock of RC Aeroplanes, Helicopters, Tanks,

To place an order and to see more Cars, Boats and Quads.
We have a huge stock of spares, building materials,
please visit our website: radio equipment, tools, wooden kits, plastic kits, paints, metal, plastic, wood, glue and
much, much more!
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Tel: 01702 202155 | sales@activescalemodels.co.uk

p095_AMW_Mar18_ad.indd 1 23/01/2018 10:22

 ON THE SHELF
ACCESSORIES
STAG’S ANTLERS 1/48
FuG 202 Lichtenstein
By: Brengun
Item no: BRL48084 Price: €3.97
Web: www.brengun.cz
For any modellers engaged in
building 1/48 Luftwaffe night
fighters, Brengun’s set of FuG 202
Lichtenstein BC radar antennas
are a worthy alternative to styrene.
These refined units, known as
Hirschgeweihe (stag’s antlers)
among Nachtjagd personnel,
equipped variants of the Bf 110 and
Ju 88. Careful folding is necessary,
but these photo-etched brass items
should look great once fitted. If
one needs reference photos, check
out Key Publishing’s new Combat
Machines 03: Ju 88, on sale now.
1/35
DAIRY
TRANSPORT
Ewers for milk and cream
By: Plus Model
Item no: 508 Price: €14.50
Web: www.plusmodel.cz
This well-considered package of
resin milk churns, of various sizes
and styles, is an excellent way of
decorating a diorama or vignette.
While a dedicated dairy/farm
scene could be the recipient, the
churns could also be employed
in a joint civilian/military setting;
maybe a soldier or tanker could
simply have bought some milk
for his comrades. The resin
ewers come with very fine
photo-etched brass details,
such as handles and brackets,
but there’s also a splendid little
transportation trolley for added
interest and ubiquity.
96 View more reviews online: www.airfixmodelworld.com
FLEXIBLE
1/72
FRIEND
Ford 5-AT Trimotor masks
By: Thunderbird Models
Item no: TBM-011 Price: £3.95
Web: thunderbirdmodels.co.uk
UK firm Thunderbird has steadily
been producing mask sets for
older releases, and here, it offers
paint protection for Airfix’s
vintage 1/72 Ford Trimotor
kit. The masks are flexible and
pre-cut items, and these cater
not just for the windscreen but
also for the remaining fuselage
window glazing. Simple, but
incredibly useful.
BOMBER 1/72
INNARDS
He 111H-6 interior
By: Eduard
Item no: 73574 Price: €18.95
Web: www.eduard.com
Eduard’s He 111 bomb bay set, also
reviewed this month, is one way of
improving Airfix’s kit…but here’s
another in the shape of other-area
interior embellishment. This set
focuses on the cockpit and inner
main fuselage, via pre-coloured
parts for the instruments and other
switch panels, and plain brass for
items such as mounts for machine
gun magazines (and replacement
versions of the latter), control levers,
gun positions and more.
DELTA DETAILS 1/32
Mirage IIIE/R exterior
By: Eduard Item no: 32403
Price: €27.75 Web: www.eduard.com
Eduard rarely lags when it comes
to offering aftermarket items for
major releases. Here, Italeri’s 1/32
Mirage IIIE/R is the recipient, and
various sections of the airframe
benefit from photo-etched brass
improvements. All undercarriage
bays receive linings and panels, and
the main bays also get a rendition
of hydraulic piping. New bay doors
are also provided,
as are afterburner
petals and the
circular devices in
the gun troughs.
1/48
BARRELS OF
ATTITUDE
Mi-24 (Hind-D/E) 12.7mm
Machine Gun and DUAS Probe
By: Master Model
Item no: AM-48-126 Price: £7.99
Web: www.master-model.pl
Monogram’s 1/48 Mi-24 (albeit
re-boxed by Revell and Mini
Hobby) is the only offering of
the type in this scale, but is
more than three decades old, so
Master Model’s four-barrelled
12.7mm gun assembly and
attitude/pitot sensor set is
most welcome. Both are vast
improvements on the styrene,
with the 12.7mm item the
most notable, replacing the
block-moulded kit item via a
delightful resin and turned brass
combination, with separation
between each barrel and a
central support. The attitude
sensor is similarly simple to add,
yet is far more intricate.
SEWER
1/35
ACCESS
Set of Manhole Covers
By: Lsg Europe
Item no: C35001 Price: €8
Web: www.yenmodels.be
Planning an urban diorama of
any kind? If so, these superb
manhole covers from Lsg Europe
could be just the thing to add
extra interest. Produced in
thick laser-cut card, the covers
themselves and their surrounds
are supplied, and four different
patterns are provided. This
range is available via Belgium’s
Yen Models.
EXPOSED 1/72
CYCLONE
Boeing B-17G Engine Set
By: CMK
Item no: CMK 7384 Price: €15.30
Web: www.cmkkkits.com
Modellers wanting to display Airfix’s
B-17G with an open engine will now
be able to, courtesy of CMK’s intricate
resin and photo-etched metal Wright
R-1820 Cyclone. The 53 resin parts
are fragile, with the exhaust flaps
notably easy to damage, while the
cylinder ring (PUR 4) will demand
the utmost patience and care when
removing it from its casting block.
However, all such efforts will be
rewarded richly, as this builds into
an eye-catching replica, packed with
detail and refinement.
 The International Plastic Modellers Society was established in the United Kingdom over 50 years ago
with the aim of promoting and supporting the hobby of plastic modelling and has developed into a
truly global ‘model club’ with some 65 international bodies. Why not join us?
Some of the benefits of IPMS (UK) Membership
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a multitude of subjects • Free entry to Scale ModelWorld ~ the World’s greatest model show • Access to an active
Technical Advisory Service • Access to a Society Decal Bank and Instruction Sheet Library • A high quality, full colour
Magazine six times per year • IPMS (UK) Online Forum ~ keep in touch • Exclusive discounts with modelling retailers

magazine
Written by Modellers for Modellers
Issue 1 2017
January ~ February
magazine
Written by Modellers for Modellers
Issue 2 2017
March ~ April

Seven-engined Stratojet Hispano Suiza H6C

Defiant by Day and by Night A Honey of a Stuart in Tunisia
Armstrong Whitworth AW.16 in China Catching up with a French Corsair

magazine
Written by Modellers for Modellers
Issue 4 2017
July ~ August

• Flywheel 2017
• Walrus Walkround
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Issue 3 2017
May ~ June
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September ~ October

Full Steam Ahead Rest In Peace Peter Elley

A Rolls in the (Iraqi) Desert
XC-99 ~ A Transport Marvel of its Day IPMS Founder 1933 ~ 2016

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Issue 6 Nov/Dec 2015

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Issue 1 Jan/Feb 2015

Written by Written by Written by

Modellers Modellers Modellers
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50 Years of the
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IPMS Magazine

50 Years of
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6 Nov/Dec 2015 IPMSmagazine

2 Mar/Apr 2015 IPMSmagazine

1 Jan/Feb 2015 IPMSmagazine

Zeppelin! Kathy’s Kyle Reese

Ried Model Show
Takom’s All New Chieftain A Traveller’s Tale Airfix’s Blenheim Analysed
Scale ModelWorld 2015 Special Issue Keski-Suomen Ilmailumuseon Super(marine) Spitfire Vb in 1/48th
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Issue 3 May/Jun 2015

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No Fotografía! Uruguayan Museums Nosferatu

Special Issue
A Tale of Two Rumplers 1932 Ford Pro-street Pickup Yeovilton Air Day Report
2014 Trumpeter’s Less Than Perfect Storm New Airfix 1/48 Bedford MWD Built A Guide To Model Photography
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ARCHIVE TREASURES
SEA HARRIER FA.2

T
his issue’s Sea Harrier
FA.2 build (see p.48)
highlights Royal Navy
operations in the
Balkans, but the type also
supported efforts to enforce
Iraq’s Southern No-fly Zone,
during the turbulent 1990s and
early 2000s.
Although the aircraft serial
and unit are unknown, the
large Doppler panel forward of
the nosewheel bay indicates
a pre-GPS airframe. Note the
tie-down chains attached
to the landing gear (in four
places) and the red-painted
but decidedly well-worn access
ladder. Here, armourers mount
an AIM-120B AMRAAM to the
port fuselage pylon (the fins
will be added subsequently);
the yellow band on the forward
section indicates a high-
explosive warhead; the brown
band further back means
a live rocket motor.

NEXT ISSUE ON SALE MARCH 8, 2018*

98 Airfix Model World *UK scheduled on sale date. Please note that overseas deliveries are likely to occur after this date.
 1:72
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
PHANTOM FG.1™

A06016
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
PHANTOM FG.1™
• Undercarriage can be posed up or down
• Poseable flaps and slats
• Canopy open or closed
• Wings folded or unfolded
• Optional open nose and radar
• IFR probe stowed or unstowed
• Three different build configurations

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS PHANTOM FG.1™

No.892 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Ark Royal, 1974-1975.

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS PHANTOM FG.1™

No.767 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton,
Somerset, England, 1971.

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS PHANTOM FG.1™

Naval Air Support Unit, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton,
Somerset, England, 1969.

Length 244mm Width 162mm Pieces 162

Airfix.com Start as you mean to finish

and all good retail stockists
Official Product

5659AX_A06016_McDonnell_Douglas_Phantom_AD__November_2017.indd 1 22/11/2017 12:12

AirfixContra_FP.indd 1 02/01/2018 14:54
C

MY

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