ALL THE INFORMATION YOU’LL EVER NEED

TO CREATE THE BEST AIRCRAFT MODELS 5 NEW BUILDS

INSIDE
KIT BU ILD KIT BU ILD
IMPROVING BANTAM
THE IMAGE BOMBER
REVELL’S CUT-PRICE 1:144 GET THE BEST FROM
HARRIER GR.7 GETS A AIRFIX’S 1:72 A-4B/Q
MAKEOVER! SKYHAWK.

July 2019
£4.75 / Issue 168
www.modelairplaneinternational.com

KIT BUILD

THE KOMET’S TALE

AFTERMARKET UPGRADES IMPROVE MENG’S INVOLVED 1:32 ME 163 KIT

KIT BUILD

STORM
!
EDUARD’S REBOXING OF
HASEGAWA’S 1:48 TYPHOON

WARNING TAKES ITS TURN IN THE

SPOTLIGHT… 9 771747 504069
 How to contact us:
Contents Tel: 01525 222573
Model Airplane International. Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,
VOLUME 14. ISSUE 168. JULY 2019 Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, England

VOL.14 ISS.168 JULY 2019

REGULARS P32 IN DETAIL: HARRIER GR.9A Editorial:
Editor: Spencer Pollard
Close-up images of Yeovilton’s ‘Dirty Harry’, a spencer@doolittlemedia.com
P04 - IN THIS ISSUE battle-weary aircraft’ in original condition. Publisher: Alan Harman
P06 - COMMENT Group Editor: Marcus Nicholls
P08 - NEWSLINE P36 BANTAM BOMBER Administration Manager: Hannah McLaurie
P78 - EVENTS DIARY Airfix’s 1:72 A-4B Skyhawk is a very fine kit and Office Manager: Paula Gray
P79 - CONTACTS DETAILS Advertising Manager: Richard Andrews
P81 - NEXT ISSUE in the hands of almost everyone, can be turned
richard@doolittlemedia.com
P82 - FINAL THOUGHTS… into a very fine miniature of this famous aircraft.
The Editor gets to grips with the kit, finishing it in Art:
REVIEWS Argentinian colours along the way… Editorial Design: Peter Hutchinson
Advertising Design: Peter Hutchinson & Alex Hall
P14 KIT BOX P44 STORM WARNING
Which models will you be building over the coming We’ve taken a look at the Eduard Tempest in this Advertisement and circulation:
months? Model Airplane International, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,
magazine over the last few months so it’s only fair Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX.
that we also look at their Typhoon. Alan Price sits in Tel: 01525 222573
P18 IN PRINT the author’s chair… E-mail: sean@doolittlemedia.com
Modelling books that help you build better models!
P54 THE SPITFIRE THAT WENT Distribution:
P20 IT’S SHOWTIME Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue,
Top models on show at Tangmere TO SEA London, EC1A 9PT.
Jamie Haggo completes his series of features Tel: 020 7429 4000
P24 ONE, ONE, FOUR FOUR NEWS detailing the use of the Seafire by the Fleet Air Arm.
All that’s new for fans of this increasingly This month he builds the Airfix 1:48 Seafire 47. Newstrade:
popular scale. Select Publisher Services, 3 East Avenue,
P64 THE KOMET’S TALE Bournemouth, BH3 7BW.
Tel: 01202 586848 E-mail: tim@selectps.com
James Hatch build’s MENG’s involved 1:32 Me163
FEATURES - step by step. Subscriptions:
Model Airplane International, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,
P26 IMPROVING THE IMAGE… P74 IN DETAIL: Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX. Tel: 01525 222573
Scratchbuilt details make Revell’s 1:144 Harrier MESSERSCHMITT ME163 KOMET Rates: UK £47, Eire and Europe £59,
GR.7/9 a more accurate replica - at least. that’s Cosford’s stunning restoration reveals some of its Worldwide Air £72.
what the editor thinks! Website: www.modelairplaneinternational.com
secrets…

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in part or whole of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. While due care is taken to ensure the content of Model Airplane
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Doolittle Media’s standard terms of acceptance of advertising, copies of which are available from the advertising sales department of MAI.

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 3

IN THIS ISSUE...
Hello everyone, welcome to the July 2019 edition of
your favourite aviation modelling magazine!
his month offers another varied we have the flexibility to build model kits that are

T collection of features that we hope

that you will find both interesting
and stimulating in equal measure!
Modelling titles such as this one
are often accused of ignoring those modellers
on a budget and simply completing projects that
combine already expensive kits with aftermarket
products that ramp the cost up to a point that’s
Written by unaffordable to all but the most affluent. To
a degree that is true as we are duty-bound
Spencer Pollard to cover all of the products that cross the
editorial desk and that can sometimes create
superficially expensive builds. Equally though,
both cheap, from the box and readily available
and that’s what we have done with a number of
our features this month.
We begin with the delightful Airfix A-4B
Skyhawk. This is a super little project and even
from the box as seen this month, the results can
be more than acceptable. In this issue we have
built the kit, adding nothing at all along the way
- not even seat belts. We think you will like the
results and the possibilities available from a kit
such as the Skyhawk. The second is perhaps a
little more involved and though aftermarket has
been used, the cost of everything was little over

4 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

£10, so it still fits within the pocket money bracket.
The kit in question is Revell’s newly-released 1:144
BAe Harrier GR7, a kit that is as attractive as it is
cheap. Along with parts from the spares’ box and
some scratchbuilt details, we’ve used several very
cheap updates from the Italian firm Heroes Models
to create a more faithful recreation of the Harrier in
this diminutive scale. The results aren’t completely
perfect, but we hope that you will gain much from
the feature and the ideas offered within it.
Along with our two cut-price inclusions, we then
work our way through the scales to bring you three
rather more involved builds: Alan Price’s rendition
of Eduard’s collaborative 1:48 Typhoon, Jamie
Haggo’s latest Seafire build (this time based on the
Airfix 1:48 Seafire FR.47) and finally Jim Hatch’s
in-depth and highly detailed build of the MENG 1:32
Me163 Komet. Though disparate in terms of subject
matter, these three features share a common
theme: showing you how to get the best from the
kits concerned and how with both carefully applied
skills and in the case of the Seafire and Comet,
additional recourse to the aftermarket, you can
create models to be truly proud of!
So this then is the July issue of Model Airplane
International - we hope that you enjoy it and that we
see you again next month! ■
 THE SAME BUT
DIFFERENT…
Jonathan Mock looks at building collections around themes
few years ago – well
A 32 actually – I had
this grand plan to
build a collection
of British aircraft,
working my may through the
interwar period, WW2, post war
all the way up to modern times.
I was nothing if not ambitious
and turned up at my first ‘Nats’
- Stoneleigh 1987 - clutching
my newfound wealth from my
first job and departing the show
with carrier bags stuffed with
all manner of rare and out of
production kits I thought I’d
never see again.
The stage was set, all I had to
do was build them.
Then stagefright kicked in, or
rather a realisation that sticking to
a theme might in the end, be a bit
boring even if it varied from Furies
to Spitfires and Canberras. It
wasn’t that the theme was lacking
in variety of colour schemes and
subject matter, far from it, and
for a while I did have a small
6 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019
scattering of Munich-crisis aircraft
with their B roundels and black-
white undersides because I found
the schemes fascinating – and
still do.
I admire modellers who stick
to one theme simply because I
lack the patience to do so. Some
of the SIG displays of things like
F-4 Phantoms truly help tell the
story of an aircraft, its variants
and colour schemes. It’s one
of the wonderful things about
scale modelling of being able to
compress all that history onto a
table in three dimensions.
My plans for a collection of
British aircraft floundered because
I found my interests wandering,
least not every time something
new turned up. Variety really was
the spice of life and I found myself
not only branching out into subject
matter that had never really
interested me, but also switching
scales and trying the hitherto (new
to me) new world of 1:48.
When Academy released
their 1:72 Wildcat in 1988, I
did manage to build up quite a
collection of them, influenced by
an IPMS Special magazine (from
my first model show) that went
into detail over the British Martlet
variants. As fast as they’d appear
in Wings and Wheels model shop
in Bath – at the price of £1.29
each – I’d hoover them up. I think
I ended up making about ten or so
of them, trying out various colour
schemes and modifications. One
of them even scooped a prize
at the Bristol Model Exhibition
that same year, at which point
I decided to quit while I was
ahead and never bothered with
competitions after that!
Likewise when Italeri’s 1:72
Hawk came out in 1990, I was
buying them in fistfuls and working
my way through my Modeldcal
sheets to the extent that I must
have built a good half-a-dozen or
so, culminating in the ‘ultimate’
Hawk using the PP Aeroparts set
from 1993.
But the lure of switching from
one subject and scale to another
really became the staple of my
modelling diet and has largely
remained so. I like the fresh
start of something that is utterly
different from the previous model.
Well, right up until the point that
I started finding myself building
up themed collections of sorts
without even realising it…
In one of the periodic dustings
of the display case, I couldn’t help
but notice that I’d accumulated
a number of 1:72 Hurricanes,
Spitfires and – of course –
Harriers, down the years. The
latter never really went away
as a masterplan of sorts and I’d
managed to build the old P1127,
original Airfix GR1, a Matchbox
AV-8A and Sea Harrier as well as
a number of the 1991 Airfix Harrier
IIs from the GR.5 through to the
AV-8B and two seaters, resulting
in a minor theme of some 12 or so
finished models.
Part of the fun in the latter
was actually building various
manufacturer’s takes on the
subject matter down the years
and then seeing how they
compared side by side. It’s seems
as though I’m not the only one
in these parts with such Harrier-
based interests as I’m sure our
editor’s 1:72 Airfix GR.3 seen here
will rather succinctly prove…
Similarly, albeit not aircraft
related, I did go through a phase
of revisiting the old Matchbox
1:76 AFV kits with a view to
having a complete collection, the
only stick in that mud was that
having reviewed some of the
ones I started a decade back,
I’m convinced I could do them
better again in 2019, so the whole
thing starts to feel like painting
the Forth Rail Bridge – as soon
as I reach one end, I need to
start again from the beginning. In
some ways that’s no bad thing,
even after 40 odd years I’m still
getting a sense of progression, of
leaning things and thinking “I can
do better” which to me keeps the
hobby fresh.
But I had also started to sow
the seeds of some other themed
collections, perhaps even with a
view to writing about them. One
was the F-5 family, born out of
ticking the Hasegawa 1:72 F-20
Tigershark off of the bucket list
of builds. Up in the loft I have
a number of boxings of ESCI’s
exquisite F-5 kits, both single and
two seaters, that I really would
like to knuckle down and build
one day. To that end I invested in
some of Mike Belcher’s superb
decal sheets for Canadian F-5s
to act as inspiration, and from
there I began to see what else
I would need to plug the gaps.
HobbyBoss had released an
F-5E Tiger II in 1:72 and I had
the Airfix RF-5E so that took care
of that, I’d built the F-20 and
was part way through painting
the Hasegawa X-29 – surely the
ultimate expression of the F-5
story – so I just needed a F-5F
and T-38 to round the whole thing
out. ESCI had made the former
and it had been recently reissued
by Italeri so that was simple,
my choice for T-38 came down
the old and not very accurate
Hasegawa kit (which I’d built in
1985 in a Ferris scheme) or the
more modern Sword Talon.
It’s a themed collection I would
like to complete at some stage
because the X-29 would then
neatly segue into another idea I
had and that was for some NASA
aircraft if only as an excuse to
build an SR-71 or derivatives
thereof, which itself then
morphed into including rockets
culminating in the Dragon 1:72
Saturn V…
Another theme I’d like to riff on
– and one that was started by my
good friend Dave Fleming who
must shoulder some of the blame
in all this – was one of ‘War
Prizes’, axis aircraft captured
and tested by the Allies. A lot of
this springs from the exploits of
perhaps the greatest pilot ever to
have flown, Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown,
who logged hundreds of hours
testing ex-Luftwaffe machines.
Certainly the Luftwaffe aircraft in
British (and American) markings
does always look rather unusual,
something I latched onto at an
early age when I was lent a as it would give me the excuse to on my side. Which is annoying
book by a neighbour that had sit down and built something with because there’s so many kits and
photos of things like the Blohm an end in mind. And I don’t think so little time.
& Voss Bv-222 Viking and He I’d limit myself to one scale either, Perhaps my theme these
177 Grief in RAF markings. I’ve MENG’s rather excellent 1:32 Me days is “just finish the thing”
acquired several books on the 163 Komet (built by James Hatch which is something that echoes
subject down the years and last for this issue of MAI) is another around my head when so many
year managed to make the new subject that has fascinated me projects started by other people
Airfix Me 262 B-1a/U1 in RAF ever since I saw the real thing at become the modelling parallel of
roundels when it was test by the Science Museum some 45 Penelope’s shroud, things being
the Royal Aircraft Establishment years ago. picked at endlessly that never
Aerodynamic Flight at Schleswig, But then reality snaps back in. quite reach a conclusion.
Germany in the summer 1945. I did a rough calculation on my That said, I still fancy making
It is something I would like to build rate per year versus my age an ESCI F-5…
write up as an occasional series and realised that time was not
Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 7
This month’s round-up of all that’s new in the world of aircraft modelling...
AVALON
www.avalondecals.com
New to us here at MAI, Avalon has released some wonderfully diverse decals and masking sets over the last few years. Checking through the information on the website
it would appear that they are due to release three new decal sheets for fans of 1:72 aircraft modelling. Each sheet offers multiple options, each being bright and in many
cases, diverse in terms of camouflage options, despite the specific nature of each release. The three sheets being prepared for release are as follows:

BRISTOL F.2B IN POST WAR SERVICE - 7020

FOUGA MAGISTER OVER ISRAEL - 4009

This is a sheet that covers six different
aircraft in a variety of colour schemes
that will create a very attractive cluster
of little models. The sheet includes the
following options:
● Fouga CM. 170 Magister, 217,
Flying School of IAF/IDF, Hatzerim
AFB, late 1967
● Fouga CM. 170 Magister, 65, Flying
School of IAF/IDF, Tel Nof AFB, early
1960.
● This aircraft was build by BEDEK
Aviation, later Israel Aircraft Industries
(IAI).
● Fouga CM. 170 Magister, 15,
aircraft in the delivery Natural Metal
scheme.
● IAI Tzukit, 648, Flying School of
IAF/IDF, Hatzerim AFB, late 1990.
● Fouga CM. 170 Magister, 201,
Flying School of IAF/IDF, Hatzerim
AFB, Six Day War, June 1967.

SPITFIRE MK.V, VIII & IX IN SAAF

Decal sheet covering eight South
African Spitfires (3x Spitfire Mk. Vc, 3x
Mk. VIII and 2c Mk. IX). Once again,
this sheet offers plenty of choice
with regards to colour schemes, with
camouflaged aircraft and machines
finished in overall shades of blue
and grey being offered. National and
unit markings are offered, but no
stencilling, those marking needing to
be taken from the relevant kit sheets.
For more information on all of these
new decal sheets please visit the
Avalon website.

8 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

WINGSY KITS
www.wingsykits.com

MITSUBISHI KI-51 “SONIA” IJA TYPE 99 ARMY ASSAULT PLANE

“Wingsy Kits is a small Ukrainian manufacturer of plastic models kits and various modelling tools and supplies. The company was founded in Kryvyi Rih in Ukraine in
2016. Currently, for the production of moulds, the company uses the technology of “short runs”, but the introduction of a modern approach to design and prototyping
in the technological process, allowed Wingsy Kits achieve a sufficiently high level of quality of its products. The concept of “easy to understand and build, even for
beginners”, which the Wingsy Kits actively uses to create its products, has also proved popular with customers – the company has gained a fairly good reputation among
hobbyists of producing models of high-quality and accurate scale detail. All employees of Wingsy Kits team have enough solid experience in the design, pre-production
and release of scale models, so when it comes to how to make a new product, Wingsy Kits main goal is to offer the World the most rewarding modelling experience
possible.”
Having read through their opening mission statement, I was keen to see what Wingsy’s kits looked like and from examining their very fine website, the results look to
be more than positive! Seemingly concentrating on WWII Japanese aircraft in 1:48, their latest release is a mixed-media, 1:48 kit of the IJA Type 99 Ki-51 ‘Sonia’ a very
successful Japanese ground attack aircraft that remained in service throughout the Second World War. Examination of the online images reveals a high quality product
with very impressive levels of detail. From what we can see, four options are available on the decal sheets, each aircraft being attractively finished and marked, as
indeed moist Japanese aircraft of WWII seemed to be. This kit is now available, Hannants holding stocks at £40.70 + postage.

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 9

MINIART
miniart-models.com
1:35 FOCKE WULF TRIEBFLUGEL INTERCEPTOR - MT40002
The Focke-Wulf Triebflügel, or Triebflügeljäger, literally meaning “thrust-wing
hunter”, was a German concept for an aircraft designed in 1944, during the
final phase of World War II as a defence against the ever-increasing Allied
bombing raids on central Germany. It was a vertical take-off and landing tail-sitter
interceptor design for local defence of important factories or areas which had
small or no airfields. The Triebflügel had only reached wind-tunnel testing when
the Allied forces reached the production facilities. No complete prototype was ever
built.
Though undoubtedly an odd choice for a kit in 1:35, there is no doubting just
how spectacular this will look once complete. Sitting on its tail, the model will be
huge once assembled and displayed and that, combined with Miniart’s now well-
established attention to detail, will make this one of the standout releases of 2019.
ISRADECAL
www.isradecal.com
PHANTOM STENCILS SET, BACK IN STOCK!
Isradecal have contacted us to let readers know that their ‘F-4E Phantom Stencils
for Camouflaged Aircraft in 1:32 scale’ sheet has now been reprinted and is now
available one more for purchase. The sheet(s) include the following:
● All stencils including panel numbers.
● Stencils for slatted and unslatted wings.
10 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019
According to Miniart’s website, the kit includes the following features:
● Highly detailed model.
● Clear parts included.
● All hatches can be open or closed.
● Photo-etched parts included.
● Decals sheet for 6 ‘variants’ is included.
Along with Amusing Hobby’s kit that we will be looking at in the next issue, it looks
as though 2019 with be the year of the Triebflügel, so we look forward to getting
hold of one of these kits as soon as it’s released. For more information please visit
the Miniart website.
● Stencils for inboard and outboard wing pylons.
According to the press-release sent in to us, this is an online exclusive limited
edition, so if you are keen to grab one of these sets before they disappear once
more, please visit their website where you will find additional information and
ordering links.
 LANDING IN
MODEL SHOP A
BACHMANN EUROPE PLC
www.bachmann.co.uk
NEAR YOU…
AVRO LANCASTER B MK III DAMBUSTER ED932/AJ-G - PKHK01E11
Following on from the popular ‘Avro Lancaster
Mk 1 S-Sugar’ plastic kit, HK Models have
announced the release of a Dambusters version
of the Lancaster and we are expecting to see
delivery in the UK in June 2019.
Designed and built by AV Roe & Co, powered
by four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, the
Lancaster began operations in March 1942 and
with its superior speed, height and range was
the most efficient RAF bomber of the Second
World War. The Lancaster was chosen to equip
617 Squadron and was modified to carry the
Upkeep bouncing bomb designed by Barnes
Wallace for Operation Chastise.
used in Operation Chastise dam raid in May
1943
● Markings for Lancaster B Mk III Special
ED932/AJ-G of 617 Squadron RAF Scampton
● L: 664 mm, W: 972 mm, total parts: 854
Comprehensive assembly instructions
● Exclusive UK edition includes new booklet
written specially for the new Dambusters kit
combining “Rad Shutters Auto” by Squadron
Leader Stuart G Reid BSc RAF (Retired), Pilot
Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight,
Lancaster PA474 1999-2010 with “Letters
from men who flew on the Dams Raid in 1943”
written in 1974.

Features Price: RRP £399.99 Contact your local

● New tooled parts for Upkeep bouncing bomb Bachmann stockist and place your order today!

ITALERI
www.italeri.com

1:72 FOKKER F27 FRIENDSHIP

The twin-engine Fokker F-27 Friendship was developed during the fifties by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer to provide a valid successor to the old traditional piston
engine Douglas DC-3 in service since the World War II. The Fokker F-27 immediately achieved a good commercial success in civil and military uses and was even
produced under licence in the United States. Thanks to its two 2,250 Hp Rolls-Royce turboprop engines the Fokker was able to reach the max speed of 460 Km/h.
Since the start of production it was adopted by a large number of airlines that found in it the best solution for short-haul routes. The adoption of two turboprop engines,
compared to traditional piston engines, reduced vibrations and provided an improved comfort on board. The plane was very versatile and was widely used for freight
transport activities, troop transport duties and maritime patrol.

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 11

ITALERI
www.italeri.com

1:48 P-40E/K KITTYHAWK

Based on the design of the previous single-seat radial engine fighter Curtiss P-36, the Curtiss P-40 became one of the most famous and used aircraft of the Second
World War. Between 1941 and 1944 it played a key role in many operational theatres from North Africa to Italy, from China to the South Pacific. Characterised by a robust
and reliable aerodynamic structure, the Curtiss P-40 was equipped with an Allison V-12 engine, capable of delivering more than 1,150 HP. Thanks to it, the Curtiss P-40
was able to reach the speed of 580 Km/h. It served as a fighter and fighter-bomber. One of the most successful version was the P-40E. Used by U.S. fighter squadrons
and as the Kittyhawk, by Commonwealth Air Forces, the P-40E was heavily armed with six 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns installed in the wings. Furthermore,
thanks to its underwing hardpoints, able to carry nearly 900 Kg of bombs, it was also able to satisfy close air support duties.

1:72 AV-8A HARRIER

The Harrier is probably the most famous aircraft with vertical/short takeoff and landing capabilities in military History. Designed and developed by the British manufacturer
Hawker Siddeley in the sixties, it was largely used in its various versions by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. The United State Marine Corps showed a significant
interest in the aircraft that could be the ideal answer the operating needs. The single-seat AV-8A was specifically developed for the USMC and entered service in
1971 with the Marines’ attack squadrons. The AV-8A was able to operate from the ground bases and from the converted amphibious assault ships. The AV-8A could
successfully perform close support, ground attack and air defence duties. It was always appreciated by USMC in fact the AV-8A was fully integrated with the other
landing vehicles and helicopters during amphibious assault operations.

AIRFIX
www.airfix.com

1:76 LUFTWAFFE PERSONNEL 1:76 USAF PERSONNEL 1:76 RAF PERSONNEL

At the beginning of WWII the Luftwaffe were by far The mechanics in this set are doing all the usual The personnel included here are performing their
the largest and most powerful airforce in the world. activities expected on an active airfield. Also included various maintenance and rearming roles including
Figures in this set are posed loading, fixing and is a sergeant figure, two pilot figures, one in a peaked some handling machine-guns, ammunition and even
maintaining aircraft. cap and one wearing his helmet. a camera.

12 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

AMMO BY MIG JIMENEZ
www.migjimenez.com
WWII LUFTWAFFE LATE FIGHTERS SOLUTION BOX
The innovative ‘Solution Box’ system is a complete
and comprehensive method with which you can
perform the complete process of painting and ageing
of your models. The application of the primer and
the colours of the camouflage as well as the different
painting and ageing effects, including filters, washes,
weathering effects with oils, fading, drainage,
chipping, dust, and even dirt and mud.
As you turn the pages of the comprehensive Solution
Book included in the package, each step will guide
you in a simple and intuitive manner through applying
each different product and effect. This brand-new
system includes all necessary paints, thinners,
weathering products, and all the brushes required
to paint and weather your models. In addition, the
simple guide Solution Book, an excellent resource
for both novices taking their first steps in scale
modelling and those veteran modellers who value
the convenience of getting everything necessary in
a single box, saving valuable time while ensuring
accuracy and quality.
The ‘Solution Box WWII Luftwaffe Late War Fighters’
offers you everything you need to paint and weather
your models of German fighters from the end of
World War II. You will not only find the necessary
paints, weathering products, and brushes, but also
the valuable resource Solution Book. This complete
70-page guide explains step-by-step how to apply
the different colours and effects commonly seen on
German fighters operating at the end of the war.
Included products
A.MIG-2024 One Shot Primer Grey
A.MIG-0218 RLM 66 Schwartzgrau
A.MIG-0217 Slate Green RLM 02
A.MIG-0063 RLM 76 Pale Grey
A.MIG-0206 RLM 81 - FS 34079 - BS641
A.MIG-0230 RLM 82 Camo Green
A.MIG-0925 RLM 83 Olive Drab Dark
A.MIG-0046 Matt Black
A.MIG-8212 Aqua Gloss Clear
A.MIG-2055 Matt Lucky Varnish
Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 13
A.MIG-1509 Blue For Dark Grey
A.MIG-1613 PLW Blue Grey
A.MIG-1612 PLW Green Brown
A.MIG-3513 Starship Filth
A.MIG-3512 Dark Brown
A.MIG-3506 Field Green
A.MIG-1209 Starship Streaking
A.MIG-3004 Europe Earth
A.MIG-8621 Synthetic Flat Brush 6
A.MIG-8612 Synthetic Round Brush 2/0
A.MIG-6501 Wwii Luftwaffe Late Fighters Solution
Book
A.MIG-1617 PLW Blue Black
All the products shown are easy to use and the
most adequate to recreate the effects shown. By
maintaining the order of application and drying times
stipulated, you will be rewarded with great results.
Now buckle up and enjoy the experience of being
guided by the hand of a master modeller!
KIT BOX
DRAGON
www.dragon-models.com
SPAD XIII
Dragon/Materials: IM/PE/Kit No. 5902/Availability: All Good Model Shops/Price: £19.99
T
he date on the box says 1993, and yes, this is a re-release of Lt.
Reed Chambers colourful post-war machine which caught my eye
back then and still packs a punch now. Looking at the contents of
the box it’s easy to see why this little “Knights of the Sky” series of
WW1 kits appeared to be ground breaking at the time, as Eduard
was in its infancy and here were kits of excellent quality.
The mouldings were certainly well up there with the best. The passage of time
seems to have been kind to the moulds as there is no perceptible evidence of
flash with this reissue, and there is a high level of detail evident. The washout on
the upper wing is particularly impressive, the scalloped trailing edges bordering
on translucence. However, moulding techniques and approaches to construction
have changed a lot, and although the photo-etch fret includes a welcome number
of additional details, the inclusion of inner bay struts on the fret to compliment the
plastic outer bay ones seems odd these days. They will look a little strange with
VERDICT
This is a nice kit, but some may wish to go with the later Eduard releases which can be found in a number of Profipack and Weekend versions. Our thanks go to
Dragon for the review sample. (Haris Ali)
14 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019
1:48
the outer struts being perceptibly thicker, though the inner ones come as linked
struts due to the crossbar and therefore will make assembly a little easier.
This however, is not an easy kit to build for a number of reasons. The SPAD is
a twin bay aircraft and with a very narrow distance between the upper and lower
wing, some carful pre-planning will be essential if you intend to rig the machine.
And then there is that attractive paint scheme where, not only will you have to
paint the red and white stripes, but the stars on the nose will have to be placed
individually, unlike the tail where they come complete with their blue backing.
Obviously this is due to the complex nature of the surfaces around the nose, but
worth bearing in mind if you are looking to avoid what will mount up to be part
of a complex build. There are plenty of alternative schemes out there on the
aftermarket should you wish to go down that route, and indeed, Dragon released
later released a version of Edward Rickenbacker’s famous machine complete with
a bust.
DRAGON
1:48
www.dragon-models.com

FOKKER D.VIII
Scale: 1:48/Dragon/Materials: IM/PE/Kit No. 5907/Availability: All Good Model Shops/Price: £19.99

A
nother reissue from Dragon’s “Knights of the Sky” series released
back in the early 1990s, and another example of their very fine
quality mouldings which at the time put these WW1 kits at the
top of the pile. My sample at least was flash-free and being a
relatively smooth surfaced aircraft there’s little surface detail to
speak of, though the three sections of the wing are clearly defined with fine
incised lines.
It still is a good kit, a relatively simple one, with a fret of photo-etch parts sup-
porting the interior, engine, guns, and finer fuselage details. Rather oddly though,
the weight bearing elements of the model that connect the wing and undercarriage
are supplied as photo-etched parts. They are of a thicker gauge and on a separate
fret to the other metal components and they do seem quite stiff, so maybe they
would be a better alternative to plastic ones, though they still do appear thin in
section.
The decals, depicting one option, that of Oblt. Leowenhardt’s Jasta 6 machine,
are the weak point of the kit. The lozenge, judged against some of today’s offer-
ings, appears a little garish and the black and white Jasta 6 tail stripes alternate
incorrectly. If you are concerned there are plenty of alternatives out there as
aftermarket options, though some will already have made their mind up to buy the
Eduard kit, released a few times now and very much in keeping with the rest of
their product range.

VERDICT
It’s nice to see these “Knights of the Sky” aircraft appearing again, but to have the edge over their competitors, surely it would have made more sense to release
the versions that contained the 1:16 pilot busts, of which the D.VIII was one of them? Judging by the number of second hand kits that appear at shows with the
label “Kit only, bust missing” on them this would have been a popular move for modellers too. Our thanks go to Dragon for the review kit. (Haris Ali)

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 15

KIT BOX
1:48
REVELL
www.revell.de

NIEUPORT 17
Revell/Materials: IM/Kit No. 03885/Availability: All Good
Model Shops/Price: €19.99

A
nother of Eduard’s older kits sees a fresh release, here by Revell
and so further extending its range of WW1 kits in 1:48 scale. It
first appeared back in 1998 and has been re-released by Eduard
with different combinations of parts and decals for a variety of
versions over the years, but here you get the basic kit with just the
plastic parts. The frames still contain parts some of those versions though,
notably the upper wing bearing a cut-out, engine cowl with alternative vents,
and a large round propeller spinner, and Revell point out the unneeded parts
in the clear, coloured instruction booklet.
The kit is a good one, though the well moulded parts perhaps not as crisp as
recent releases and given the age of the moulds there is a very, very small amount
of flash here and there. I must say I prefer the softer rendering of the wing ribs on
these older kits over Eduard’s slightly exaggerated recent renderings, but that’s a
matter of personal taste. Anyone wishing to upgrade this kit to include extra photo- of blue-grey for French roundels on the excellent decal sheet, something that
etch or resin will find there is plenty of material out there, as there are alternative other manufacturers, even Eduard often fail to do. The problem here is that this
options for decals. The Le Rhone engine is a good example of where a reasonably kit includes two RFC options for No.1 Squadron, and British machines had their
depicted feature could be improved with the addition of pushrods and exhaust cockades painted in the usual darker blue, which is annoying as the excellent
pipes, and seat straps would add a degree of authenticity. built model on the back of the box bears such markings. The more resourceful will
It’s nice to see how Revell have captured what to my eye, is a perfect shade easily find alternatives, whilst others may just be happy to settle with what is given.

VERDICT
This is another welcome boxing of a very good, older Eduard kit, though bargain hunters may find that there are plenty of originals still out there, with and
without extra parts. Our thanks go to Revell for the review sample. (Haris Ali)

AIRFIX JIUST
www.airfix.com

SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE FR MK.XIV

N! 1:48
Scale: 1:48/Airfix/Materials: IM/Kit No. /Availability: All Good Model Shops/Price: €19.99

A
s this issue of MAI was being completed, the latest 1:48 kit to roll off
the Airfix production line arrived on the modelling desk. Long-since
announced, the creation of one of the most eagerly anticipated additions
to the list of Spitfires in this scale will delight fans of the type, and all-but
consign Academy’s severely compromised offering to the history books.
Having taken only the most cursory of glances at the contents of Airfix’s
wonderfully decorated package, there seems to be little in the way of surprises
in this kit, the production, detail and accuracy so prevalent in their earlier Mk.I/V
kits being here in a abundance. Moulding quality is top drawer, surface detail
comprehensive, with petite panel lines and the odd smattering of subdued rivets
here and there, helping things along. Cockpit detail is superb, multipart sidewalls,
seat and open lower framework all being present and correct. Those with rather less
grounded aspirations may choose to build and paint the tidy pilot; those with more
unpopulated plans, may want to open the cockpit, drop the side door and decorate
the seat with some of the many aftermarket seat straps now on offer. Either way, the
resulting ‘pit will be a real highlight of your build.
Construction looks to be easy and straightforward. With little over 118 parts
the contents of the box were never going to tax many of you, but given that some
of those parts are options (wheels, underbelly tank, exhausts) you soon become
aware that this is a simple kit that will go together easily. Airframe breakdown
follows traditional lines with two fuselage halves, full-span lower wing and separate
upper wing panels dealing with much of the structure. Details then include separate
control surfaces (sans flaps, which are moulded in their retracted position), multipart
underwing radiators, individual rocker covers and then smaller fixtures and fittings,
undercarriage, propeller – oh, and a neat little camera that finds its way inside the
fuselage that can presumably be seen through the glazed panels that sit either side.
The kit includes decals and painting instructions for the following versions:
● Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk.XIV - Aircraft flown by Squadron Leader James
Bernard Prendergast, No. 414 Squadron, RCAF, B156 Lüneburg, Germany, May-
June 1945.
● Supermarine Spitfire FR Mk.XIV - No. 11(AC) Squadron, RAF, Second Tactical Air
Force (2TAF), RAF Bückeburg, Germany, 1950-51.

VERDICT …FOR NOW!

Initial impressions tend to count with these thumbnail reviews, so I will sign off by saying that this new kit from Airfix seems to be everything that we hoped
it would be: detailed, accurate and seemingly good value for money at little over £20. How many of those impressions remain in place will be seen next month
after we’ve have put our kit together. Thanks to Airfix for the sample seen this month. (Spencer Pollard)

16 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

IN PRINT
Valiant Wings Publishing Ltd
www.valiant-wings.co.uk
THE GLOSTER/A.W. METEOR (AIRFRAME ALBUM NO. 15)
■ By Richard A. Franks
■ Published by Valiant Wings Publishing Ltd
■ Guide Price £18.95
■ ISBN 978-1-912932-02-3
■ 160pp softback, 297 x 210mm
T
his month we have another bumper
book from Valiant Wings and the
subject is the RAF’s first jet fighter, the
lovely Gloster Meteor. Sadly, we do
not see Meteors performing too often
these days following the Shoreham incident.
Martin Baker still uses the Meteor as part of
their ejection seat research and testing pro-
gramme and occasionally bring their aircraft to
air shows. One flying example, NF.11, WM167
was retired at the beginning of this year to
Bruntingthorpe where it will be seen running
but not flying in future. Maybe not so instantly
recognisable by the public as the Spitfire, the
Meteor was the first allied jet fighter to take
part in WWII. Due to a concern that one of the
new jets would fall into German hands, the first
Meteor operations were limited to intercept-
ing V.1 flying bombs coming in from Northern
France.
The familiar layout and pattern we have
seen in past profiles continues in this one and
the book opens with a history of the develop-
ment of the first Meteors and the vital invention
of the Whittle jet engine. We read that the
engine was being developed very slowly due
to a lack of finance during the 1030s. What
a difference there would have been if the
Air Ministry had thrown its weight behind jet
engine development before the outbreak of
WWII.
The introduction continues to describe the
Meteor’s rapid progress and how the power of
its engines would nearly double. After the end
of WWII the Meteor attracted the attention of a
long list of foreign air forces. The introduction
concludes with a list of international customers
who bought the Meteor in the late 1940s and
early 1950s.
The next 50 or so pages are crammed with
technical specifications of the Meteor family.
All aspects are covered from the surprisingly
18 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019
SAMPLES FOR REVIEW
Please send all items for review to the following address: Model Airplane
International, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6
1QX, United Kingdom. Companies in the European Union should also
add our VAT number, which is GB 789 7020 84
complicated cockpit interiors to any weapons
and fuel tank carried. All of this is illustrated
using contemporary engineering diagrams and
photographs as well as more recent photos
taking inside and around restored Meteors.
We are always fascinated by the next sec-
tion. This shows how the Meteor developed,
using diagrams with short descriptive captions.
Several one-off experimental Meteors such
as the prone pilot Meteor that can be seen
preserved in the RAF Museum at Cosford are
shown. Some Meteors would be used as flying
test platforms, helping in the development of
other aircraft. One example is a Meteor fitted
with a TSR.2 nose cone and radar. More than
30 pages with two or three examples make
up this section. Those who may like to modify
a Meteor kit to show some of these one-offs
have plenty from which to choose.
A long section on Camouflage & Markings
gives modellers a mass of useful reference on
the vast variety of finishes applied to Meteor
types. The early RAF Meteors carried the
standard RAF fighter scheme, a pattern of
Ocean Grey and Dark Green on the upper copy describes the process.
surfaces with Medium Sea Grey undersides. As usual, the last few pages of this book are
Following the end of WWII, it was decided appendices with lists of Meteor kits, decals, ac-
to do away with the wartime camouflage cessories and further reference reading. This
schemes on fighters. RAF fighters would adopt is all rounded-off with six pages of very useful
an overall natural metal or aluminium-painted information, listing all of the units that flew
(High Speed Silver) finish. The new schemes Meteors in the RAF and Fleet Air Arm. Each
would begin to be applied from 1948 onwards one provides the Meteor types flown by each
and we would see something of a return of squadron with station locations both in the UK
the bold and colourful squadron markings. and abroad.
These colourful schemes harked-back to the This is an excellent addition to Valiant
1930s, the days of ‘Silver Wings’. Following Wings’ list of publications, written by modellers
a series of Richard Caruana’s superb colour for modellers. Anyone with a Meteor kit in mind
profiles of RAF aircraft we see some beauties or just has an interest in early British jet aircraft
belonging to export customers. As well as the will find much of interest between the covers
artwork, this section is also illustrated with and all for less than the price of a kit. Another
many photos. impressive piece of work and comes highly
The following model review chapter is a recommended.
little shorter than in some past books, with full Thanks again to Valiant Wings for supplying
build reviews of the 1:72 Dragon/Cyber Hobby their latest title for review. See specialist stock-
F.Mk.1 and the recent 1:48 Airfix FR.Mk.9. ist stands at model shows or visit the Valiant
Both kits are built and honest appraisals given Wings’ web site: www.valiant-wings.co.uk for
at the end of each project. Each kit review is direct online sales details.(Alan Firbank)
well illustrated with build stage photos and the
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 WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY GLENN SANDS

TOP MODELS ON
SHOW AT TANGMERE
The former Battle of Britain airfield at Tangmere is home to one of best aviation museums in
the country. To top it off, it also holds an annual model show – we were there for this year’s
stunning show.

Perfectly subtle weathering brought this 1:48 Hasegawa Phantom to the next level and was complemented with the colourful 56 Squadron markings.

20 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 he Tangmere Military Aviation
T Museum in Chichester, West
Sussex is slowly building itself a
great reputation with modellers for
its annual Scale Model Show. This
year’s event took place on May 4, and judging
by the numbers of aviation enthusiasts at
the site by midday the draw of club displays,
an open competition all nestled amongst the
real aircraft that are part of the museum’s
collection, was just what was needed. Given
that this was only the second time the model
show had been held, it appears the formula is
just right for modellers.
There are few places in the UK where you
can study 1:72 RAF F-4 Phantoms on a club
display, look-up and then see a real one,
complete in its special anniversary colours.
Surrounded by bombs and AAMs on static
display just the other side of the car park. On
site is FGR.2 Phantom, XV408 which wears
an overall blue scheme, applied in 1991 to
commemorate the final years of RAF F-4
operations in Germany with 92 Squadron.
The show is organised by IPMS Tangmere
Graham James built this clean looking RAF GR.7A that served with the Air Warfare Centre at
Boscombe Down in 1994.
A type not often seen on the display tables, a 1:72 Heller/Airfix Javelin built by Derek Hersey.
Sector Modellers in association with the
museum’s staff and given the history of this
famous Battle of Britain airfield, local model
IPMS clubs from Aldingbourne, Portsmouth,
Farnborough, South East London, Mid-Sussex
along with the Harrier SIG and Mullberry
Harbour SIG were all in attendance.
Like any model show that’s held in a
museum, there’s inspiration everywhere, be
it from chatting with club members about
particular kit they have completed, looking over
one of the static display aircraft or chatting to
one of the museum staff, many of whom are
RAF veterans and have some fascinating tales
to recall.
Although perhaps due to space only three
traders were at the event, there were plenty
of bargains to be found under the various
club tables. The museum also had a wealth
of second-hand aviation books for sale,
the proceeds of which go to supporting the
restoration of future exhibits at the site.
The Harrier SIG always puts on a great display. Having made a
Another great model show at a famous decision to focus on just 1:48, it now allows the onlooker to see
former Battle of Britain airfield – what more the airframe changes and colour schemes that occurred during
could an aircraft modeller want? ■ Harrier’s operational service.
A 1:72 Revell Lancaster B.Mk 1 in the markings of 427 Squadron based at RAF Leeming courtesy
of Kits World Decals.
My personal favourite at the show via the Hailsham and District Model Club, was this 1:72 Revell
F-16AM in the colours of the Belgian air force. No.1 Squadron is known as the ‘Stingers’. Just look
at those panel lines – stunning work.
Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 21
Graham James built this clean looking RAF GR.7A that served What every typical RAF fighter pilot was wearing during the It’s rare to have a model located right next to the aircraft it’s
with the Air Warfare Centre at Boscombe Down in 1994. 1980s. Ideal for those who like to add pilots to their kit cockpits. based on, but at Tangmere they have it in the form of Hawker
Hunter F5 WP190 complete in Suez Crisis markings. Alongside
is a converted 1:32 Revell kit built by Dave Eales.

The nose section of Canberra B.2 WE113. Visitors are able to look A nicely made 1:48 Sea Hurricane IB in the colours of 801 Naval Part of the display titled Uncle Grumpy Models, was this Chinese
into the fully fitted pilot’s cockpit via the open access door. Perfect Air Squadron. Air Force (PLAAF) Chengdu J-7, a licence-built copy of the
for those who are building the 1:72 S&M Canberra model kit. WE113 MiG-21.
flew 7,118 hours while in RAF service with a number of squadrons.

Ian Gaskell entered a number of his latest builds into the open competition including this Vietnam Sinister looking with its overall black colour scheme, this Polish Air Force Su-22UM3K was built
War era MiG-21PFM from the 1:48 Eduard kit. using the Eduard kit.

With the real XV408 on site, it was only proper, that a 1/48 example was entered into the The RAF took its Buccaneers to Red Flag in 1977, and one of those was, XV352. It received a
competition via the 1/48 Hasegawa kit. temporary desert scheme. This 1/48 Airfix kit received a resin cockpit, brass updates and a
scratch-built Rolls-Royce Spey engine and bomb bay.

22 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

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ONE, ONE, FOUR, FOUR NEWS
Roy Kinsella rounds up some of the latest releases from this increasingly
popular aircraft scale. This month he looks at ...

RETROWINGS
retrokitonline.net
TIGER, TIGER, BURNING BRIGHT...
These guys are certainly consistent in 2019, we can barely keep up with Retrowings’ exciting new releases. This month we have news of
Retrowings’ decision to turn their attention to the Revell F-5E Tiger II, with both a superb-looking, two-seat F-5F trainer and then various variant-
specific details being offered.
It is of course the conversion that takes centre stage, a complete new fuselage with cockpit moulded in situ, detailed seats, and a clear canopy
all being supplied to combine with Revell’s wings and smaller details. With a lack of decals in the kit, decorating your completed model may be
something of a chore, but we are sure that the aftermarket will provide suitable alternatives, if not the base kit itself.
Over the years, F-5Es have been modified by their respective owners to fulfil local needs and those modifications are reflected in the other two,
smaller updates offered by Retrowings. Here we have a modified tail with LE extension and then the bolt-on refuelling probe and ‘round’ nosecone,
all of which can be seen on Chilean aircraft amongst others. All three of these parts are simple drop-in replacements, so will be easy to use as part
of your build with little extra effort.
Let’s take a quick look at each one in turn...

F-5F CONVERSION KIT (FOR REVELL F-5E KIT) – RW44154 F-5F LARGE FIN (FOR REVELL F-5E KIT) – RW44153

F-5 REFUELING PROBE (FOR DRAGON AND REVELL KITS) – RW44152 F-5F ‘ROUND’ NOSE (FOR REVELL F-5E KIT) - RW44158

MIKROMIR/AMP
www.mikro-mir.com
A BRAND-NEW KC-10 EXTENDER, LOOKS SET TO
TOP-UP YOUR MODELLING TANKS...
MikroMir under their AMP brand are intending to release a long awaited
subject in 1:144 scale, the KC-10 Extender, an aircraft hitherto replicated
only once by Revell’s rather aged and simplified kit. Though we have few
details on this new project other than box art and an update on MicroMir’s
Facebook page, this one certainly looks to be exciting if their previously
released kits in this scale are anything to go by! We will of course bring you
more details on this exciting new release as and when we receive them...

24 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:144

An air-to-air left side view of a Fighter Squadron 211 (VF-211) F-14A+ (later F-14B) Tomcat aircraft
armed with AIM-54 Phoenix missiles. (US Navy Image)

DXM DECALS
dxmdecals.com
CHECKMATE!

F-14A VF-211 CHECKMATES – DXM 4872144

DXM are soon to release a new set of F-14A Tomcat
decals in various scales including one in 1:144 scale.
The decal set is incredibly generous and will offer
seven complete aircraft from VF-211 Checkmates.
The aircraft will cover early and late liveries including
aircraft involved in OIF and OEF. This should be a very
satisfying decal sheet for any Tomcat fan.

An F-14A Tomcat, attached to Fighter Squadron 211 (VF-211) aboard USS NIMITZ (CVN 68) flies over Iraq during routine flight operations. Nimitz was
operating in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. (US Navy Image)

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 25

KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY SPENCER POLLARD

The editor reworks Revell’s 1:144 Harrier GR.7 with scratchbuilt additions and updates
from Heroes Models. Let the fun begin!
top anyone that knows me Harrier. Within that family of aircraft, the

S through the hobby and ask them

what my favourite aircraft is
and you probably get the same
answer over and over again: the
second-generation GR.7/9 shines bright,
so I need precious little encouragement to
build replicas of it whenever I can. Having
received Revell’s 1:144 release of the

My smallest recreation yet of

my favourite aircraft. I’ve now
built this jet in 1:144, 1:72 and
1:48 – maybe it’s now time to
do it in 1:32?!

26 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:144
SKILL LEVEL:
Beginner/Intermediate

SPECIFICATION:
Revell BAe Harrier GR.7
Scale: 1:144
Kit No: RV3887
Materials: IM
Available From: All Good Model Shops
Price Guide: £4.99

MATERIALS USED
Gunze Sangyo Mr. Cement S
Superglue
Kit contents. Though there are precious few parts in this kit, The instructions are well-drawn, decals well-printed and Tamiya acrylic paints
what there is are small and in some cases extremely delicate! accurate in colour and design. Humbrol Model Filler
Swann Morton No.10A scalpel blades
DACO decal setting solutions
Tamiya Masking Tape

AIRBRUSH USED
Iwata HP-CH
For UK distribution and availability visit www.airbrushes.
com

PAINTS USED
Mr. Hobby Acrylics
H53 Neutral Grey
H332 Light Aircraft Grey BS381C/627
H335 Medium Sea Grey BS381C/637
Test-fitting the main airframe parts revealed almost perfect fit. The wings have been assembled and all eight pylons fixed in H331 Dark Sea Grey BS381C/638
place. We are now ready to add some detail... Mr. Metal Color Chrome Silver 211

GR.7, I couldn’t shake the idea that it would
be a fun diversion from lengthier projects,
so in-between other builds I set about
planning what I would do with it and how to
best complete the kit for this magazine.
Initially, I planned to simply build it from
the box. Having already completed detailed
versions of the Airix GR.9 in 1:72 and then
a massive reworking of Hasegawa’s 1:48
kit I was in no mood to repeat the trick, but
having sat down to look at the contents of this
astonishingly cheap kit, I thought I might do
something more involved.
From the box, Revell’s Harrier is a neat
enough affair, but it is not really a faithful
depiction of this aircraft as seen in service
with the RAF before its retirement. Though
the shapes are in the main okay (with the
exception of the nose, which is far too pointed
and sweeps up rather unlatteringly), the
smaller details are all-but missing in their
entirety, so if you wish to replicate the aircraft
in a more accurate fashion, you are in for
some work.
Of course being so small, much of that work
involves simpliied structures. What would
need to be replicated almost to the last detail
in 1:48 can be hinted at in 1:144, so items
such as the SNIPER pod that I scratchbuilt,
needed little more than a shaped length of rod
and some plastic strip details here and there.
Similarly, the addition of the RAF’s elected
lumps and bumps around the wing tips and
under the tail, can be replicated with slices of
plastic rod and strip.
The nose is more problematic. I really don’t
like the shape at all, but was hamstrung by
the time I had to complete the build, so left Tamiya Acrylics
well alone. Next time – and I think that there XF-1 Flat Black
will be a ‘next time’ – I’ll rework the nose and XF-2 Flat White
perhaps cast replacements for further use. You XF-69 NATO Black
XF-85 Rubber Black
can decide to follow my path or have a go at
XF-19 Sky Grey
dealing with that elusive shape - it’s entirely up X-22 Clear
to you! X-23 Clear Blue
Other items proved a little more complex to X-24 Clear Yellow
deal with, so it was at this point that I chose to
raid my spare kit collection and with the help Games Workshop
of Roy Kinsella, the aftermarket. Spare kits Various acrylics for details - all thinned with Water
irst. I decided that I needed a pair of GBU-
12 Paveway IVs to go under the wings, so Wilder Oils
cracked open a Dragon F-18E box and stole
Dark Grey
Black
two from that kit. Though these little bombs
are not quite perfect for a RAF aircraft (they Winsor & Newton Oils
lacked the distinctive saddle found of RAF Raw Umber
munitions, along with their GPS sensors) they Titanium White
looked acceptable and were inely detailed
enough to go with Revell’s basic kit. Whilst Humbrol Enamels
rummaging around, I also grabbed a LANTIRN 33 Flat Black
pod which would sit alongside the scratchbuilt 27 Blue Grey
SNIPER pod that I was planning to build. The
next set of items came from Heroes Models SOURCES:
Heroes Models - heroesmodels.it
in Italy. Having heard that I was building this
aircraft in 1:144, Roy Kinsella contacted the
owner and I was graced with a set of additions
that included a new seat, BOL rails onto which
would be mounted the kit’s Sidewinders,
cluster bombers (not used) and a set of decals
that would allow me to build an aircraft with
the 100% LERX that are part of the kit’s wings.
With everything together, I could set to work.
Getting Started...
With everything planned out, the irst area
to deal with was the cockpit. Tiny

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 27

KIT BUILD
There is no getting away from the fact that the nose in this kit is nowhere near as accurate as it needs to be. I left well alone, but
next time will deal with its rather odd shape.
The intakes were adjusted to show the auxiliary doors in their dropped position. Here they are in place and oversprayed with acrylics
to check for any additional filling and sanding.
as it is I couldn’t help but feel that a few
embellishments here and there would not go
amiss, so I used a few chips of ine plastic
strips to add sidewall detail and then a few
lumps and bumps around the consoles. Happy
that it all looked okay, the interior was painted
in a mid-grey colour and then details picked
out with Games Workshop acrylics.
Whilst in cockpit mode, I decided to split the
canopy to allow it to be posed open, so VERY
carefully sawed the two halves apart using an
RB Productions razor saw. Once separated,
the edges were very careful thinned with
a new No.10A scalpel blade, before being
polished with sanding sticks and plastic polish.
The canopy frames could then be masked,
28 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019
The canopy was very carefully split with an RB
Productions razor saw as described in the text.
In order to create a fully loaded GR.7, a SNIPER pod was
scratchbuilt from plastic rod and strip.
sprayed and then set aside to dry.
When a Harrier is on the ground, the upper
row of auxiliary doors always drop down
under gravity, so to show them closed as in
the kit, would be wrong. That being so, the
doors need to be very carefully reworked to
create the illusion of movement, so using
a ine diamond ile, I removed plastic over
the surface of each door to create a sloped
appearance, constantly checking that I had not
removed too much material and that the edges
of the doors looked sharp, straight, and true.
This was perhaps the most dificult part of this The size of the tiny SNIPER pod can be gauged from
build, irstly, because the parts are so small this shot of it against one of my scalpels.
and room for error marginal, and secondly,
because I only had one kit and a mistake here

would ruin the model before I’d really begun!
Thankfully, the reworked intakes looked okay
once inished, so could be glued in place and
work carried out on some of the updates.
The Eyes Of The Harrier...
From the off, I knew that I wanted to create a
fully-loaded model and that that would include
the electronic sensors carried under the
belly of the aircraft: SNIPER and LANTIRN.
The latter was easily accomplished, the part
robbed from the Hornet kit being ixed in
place atop a simple rail made from a length
of carved Evergreen strip. Tiny brackets and
other ittings were then added according to my
reference pictures. The SNIPER was a little
more tricky. I’m not sure if there’s one of these
in 1:144, but I certainly didn’t have one, so
building one from scratch was my only option.
In reality, this important piece of equipment is
a rather complex shape, but thankfully with a
part that’s less than 20 mm long, the subtleties
can be smoothed out somewhat and as long
as the appearance is closed to reality, you are
set fair. I simply used a short length of ine rod
to build mine, cutting the triangular head shape
with a scalpel and then sanding the nose
and sides to something approximating reality.
Once happy with the shape and size of the
pod, I test-itted it to its rail under the fuselage,
checking alignment and clearance and then
once happy, added the remaining iner details.
As with the LANTIRN pod, my new addition
was glued in place, checking all the time that
it was set at the correct angle across its length
and then vertically, once viewed from the front.
Moving On...
With the major new additions complete, the
wings could be assembled and then the pylons
ixed I'm place. As you may well be aware,
the RAF Harriers all carried additional pylons
that are ixed to the outrigger fairings. In the
kit’s instructions, no mention is made of these
additions despite the fact that the parts are
included in the kit (numbered 46). Along with
these pylons, the GR7/9 uses BOL rails which
are once again not supplied in the kit. Heroes
Models have created some very neat resin
rails to use and that’s what you see as part
of my build. These are cast in one piece, are
super-easy to clean up and simply join with
the kit’s pylons with the aid of a few drops of
superglue. Job done!
The airframe could now be completed and
any clean-up carried out. The it across the
board is terriic, needing little more than a
swipe over with a sanding sponge and a few
1:144
drops of Mr. Surfacer here and there for some
errant scars and unwanted gaps.
Before applying a layer of paint, a few
additions need to be made around the wing
tips and tail. Tail irst, you will need to add
the VHF/UHF antenna as well as the Zeus
low band receiver, the former from plastic rod
and the latter, a tiny strip of lead foil wrapped
around the rear edge of the rear fuselage
strake. For the wing tips, you will need to
add further bumps for the Zeus system, the
H-Band Antenna being added with drops of
paint at the end of the build.
Painting And Decals
Given that this feature concerns itself more
with the detail corrections and improvements
that I carried out, painting will by necessity
take something of a back seat, but some
notes may well be worthwhile. Harriers, or
rather those of a second-generations nature,
carried a number of different colour schemes
and then, as their service live progressed and
maintenance was carried out, they became
something of a patchwork quilt of an aircraft,
with a huge number of oddly coloured panels
appearing to break up their inish. The one that
we have modelled see though is rather more
mundane, being inished in the type’s familiar

That’s a lot of pylons to fill! BOL rails were added to the model using Heroes Models resin parts.

With the refuelling probe in place the model is almost ready to paint. All seams have been cleaned up. It’s now time to add a few extra details around the airframe
before applying a layer of camouflage paint.

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 29

KIT BUILD
two-tone plumage of Camouflage Grey and
Dark Sea Grey. To replicate this, I simply
used Tamiya XF-16 Sky Grey for the former
and then Mr. Hobby H331 Dark Sea Grey for
the latter. Painting was simplified thanks to
the model’s tiny size, only basic colour coats
being applied with no shading or highlighting,
all tonal shifts being applied later on using oil
paints. Happy with the basic finish on all of
the models constituent parts, everything was
sprayed with several thin layers of Mr. Color
GX Clear and then set aside overnight to set.
Decals came from both the kit’s decal
sheet and then Heroes Models’ additional set
that provides markings for ZG479. It’s worth
noting at this point that the aftermarket sheet
is all printed on one continuous backing film
so you will need to carefully cut around each

The model was painted with Tamiya and Mr. Hobby acrylics as described in the text. Once dry, the surface
was prepped for decals with a layer of Mr. Color GX Clear.

One Shot Decals from Heroes Models were

The undersides used to replicate our chosen aircraft.
were sprayed with
Tamiya XF-16
Sky Grey which is
a fine match for
Camouflage Grey in
this scale.

Decals in place and

sealed with a layer
of Tamiya Flat Clear,
the model could
be weathered as
described in the text.

image to release them, the decals then being

Care was taken applied as normal. Once in place and dry, the
to ensure that the model was coated with several thin layers
weathering was of Tamiya Flat Clear thinned with Mr. Color
Leveling Thinners to produce a wonderfully
kept subtle and in
scale, oils being
used extensively smooth finish, ready for weathering.
to created a used Though small, there really was nothing
airframe. unusual about the way I weathered the model.
A wash was mixed from Winsor & Newton

30 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:144
Time for final assembly. Tamiya
Raw Umber oil paint, Humbrol Matt Black, Cement was used extensively
German Grey and white spirit and then applied during this process to allow
adjustments to be made.
to the panel lines with a fine brush. Any excess
paint was worked away using a soft cotton
cloth, cotton buds and a flat brush moistened
with a little white spirit, dragging the wash
backwards across the surface of the model to
create delicate runs of dirt. Happy with that,
lighter shades were mixed and then applied to
accentuate the structural shape of the model.
Look closely and you will see this over the
spine of the aircraft, as will you around the
rear fuselage. Oils were also used to produce
the staining around the rear fuselage. Harriers
are notoriously filthy aircraft during flight
operations, the tail areas being particularly
prone to staining from the hot jet nozzles,
soot building up at an alarming rate. Over this
model, Winsor & Newton Raw Umber and then
Wilder Black oils were used to create the dirt,
care being taken to ensure it was kept in scale
and not overdone.

Final Assembly
With the painting complete, I could turn my
attention to the smaller details and then All done!
bringing them all together to complete the
project. This involved the clean up and painting
of the undercarriage and weapons. The
undercarriage legs were airbrushed in Tamiya
Flat White, as were the wheel hubs, the tyres
being handpainted with Games Workshop
acrylics. I then airbrushed the GBUs and the
Sidewinders with Mr. Hobby Light Aircraft Grey
before painting the sidewinder heads and
front fins with Games Workshop Ironbreaker
darkened with a little Abandon black. In order
to bring out the detail, I mixed a little Johnsons
Klear with some water and Tamiya German
grey to create a very thin, inky wash and then
applied this to all of the details, any excess
being wicked away with a clean brush, this
was then left to dry before drybrushing the
individual parts with enamels to bring out the
details. Drybrushing was also used over the
surface of the airframe to accentuate items them in place – well, almost. Harriers are and then once then had hardened off, I opened
such as the vortex generators, edges of notoriously difficult to finish thanks to that up the locating hole for the belly gear and
pylons, intakes and other fine details. Being quad undercarriage leg layout and this kit was using a drop of Tamiya’s thicker, white-cap
such a small model, I felt that it needed a little certainly no different in that regard. Following cement, glued the leg in place and then set the
help in order that the detail was not lost, so on from all previous builds, I glued the nose model down, the larger hole allowing it to move
the use of this all-too important technique, was gear in place first of all and let that set up and up and down until it had settled naturally on
more than worth it! then added the outriggers, the use of liquid both wheels. The model could then be left to
All that remained was to grab together glue, in this case Tamiya’s Extra Thin Cement, dry out overnight, ready for its moment in the
all of these small details and carefully glue allowing a degree of flexibility and adjustment spotlight. ■

FINAL VERDICT
Despite its inaccuracies I really like this kit and thoroughly enjoyed putting it together. For the price
it’s an absolute bargain and that makes it both perfect for the beginner on a budget, or the more seasoned
modeller looking to add to its initial cost with aftermarket, without breaking the bank. Even with the
additions that I used from Heroes, the overall cost of this build was little over £10 and for the enjoyment
that I derived from the project and the model that resulted, I see that as incredible value for money.
A wonderfully engaging little project then and one that I can wholeheartedly recommend to everyone and not
just those used to working in this diminutive scale.
My thanks to Revell for the Harrier kit and to Heroes for the add-ons that helped along the way.

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 31

IN DETAIL…

32 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 FULL-SIZE

BAE SYSTEMS
HARRIER GR9A
“DIRTY HARRY”
WE TAKE A DETAILED LOOK AT THE FLEET AIR ARM
MUSEUM’S UNRESTORED AND VERY WEATHERED, JUMP JET.
WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY MODEL AIRPLANE
INTERNATIONAL

ZD433 “Dirty Harry” in all of its filthy glory!

Issue 168 -www.modelairplaneinternational.com 33

IN DETAIL…

The bare metal area in front of the tailplane allowed

Non-Destructive-Testing (NDT) to be carried out on
the rivets in this area. The patch was not repainted,
simply being covered in lacquer to allow further
examinations to be carried out. Note in this shot the
the ‘45A’ marking and the ghosted outline of a ’45’
beneath it, the formation lights and the 1 Squadron
marking on the tail.
Tail feathers. This area is a case study of wear and tear, stained and worn paintwork and heavy use.

The ‘stinger’ in detail. The green radome houses a semi-active Missile Approach Warning System Though the airframe features smooth recessed riveting, the ventral strake is decorated with rather
(MAWS) aerial. Note also the Reactive Control Valve (RCV). more agricultural-looking raised rivets…

The aircraft’s wing tip reveals its details such as Rear Warning Receiver (RWR), Reaction Control Mission markings that form so much a part of the history of this important aircraft.
Valve (RCV) and fuel dump pipe. Rivet and screw detail in this area is also notable.

34 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019


The forward, cold-air nozzle, in detail. As with the rear nozzle,
this is unpainted metal.
he Fleet Air Arm Museum,
T Yeovilton, Somerset is home to a
British Aerospace Harrier GR9A
serial number ZD433. The aircraft
provides a rare opportunity to see
a modern fighter aircraft in battle condition,
complete with numerous mission markings and
dirt and dust from the deserts of Afghanistan.
ZD433 was one of the last British Harriers
Wing detail reveals one of the CRV-7 rocket pods, in this case
with nose cap in place. The yellow strip of colour on the leading
edge of the wing is adhesive tape that has yellowed through use.
The rear of this aircraft in incredibly filthy, soot from the hot rear
nozzles having heavily stained the paintwork.
FULL-SIZE
Detail of the auxiliary intake doors. Note the multiple shades of Nose gear. Note angle of yoke in this shot and compare that
grey in this area. with the angles seen in many kits of this aircraft. White colour
contrasts nicely with the grey camouflage.
in service in Afghanistan operating from keeping it in its battle weary condition.
Kandahar with 800 Naval Air Squadron and
also jointly with the RAF. Most of the Harrier
fleet returning for the last time from operations
in Afghanistan were overhauled, repainted and
repaired and sold to the USA, but somehow,
ZD433 missed this treatment.
The Curatorial team at FAAM made the
Now nicknamed ‘Dirty Harry’ because of its
condition it stands as a unique time capsule
reflecting recent military history and the impact
of operations on an aircraft operating on
today’s front line. Such is the importance of
this particular aircraft that Airfix used it as the
basis of their 1:72 scale model. (FAAM Press)
decision not to restore the aircraft, instead
And here’s the CRV-7 with cap removed to reveal its load of nineteen 70 mm rockets. The protective tape applied to the leading
edge of the wing shows up well in this shot.
Issue 168 -www.modelairplaneinternational.com 35
KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY SPENCER POLLARD

BOMBER
How to get the best from Airix’s superb Scooter.

36 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:72
SKILL LEVEL:
Beginner/Intermediate

available as part of a ‘Dogight

T
hough Airfix are
seemingly lauded
within the press
and Online for the
release of their
larger kits, they have been
quietly and in my opinion
more successfully, building
on their reputation for smaller
kits in 1:72 scale, their bread
and butter range for so many
Double’) replicates both an
American -4B jet from VA-15
‘Valions’ and a -4Q from the
Argentinian Navy during the
1982 Falklands War. Other than
supericial details within the kit,
the parts are virtually identical,
but be warned, should you want
to build an accurate Argentinian
aircraft you will have to carry
out some modiications such as
SPECIFICATION:
Airfix 1:72 A-4B Skyhawk
Kit No: A03029A
Materials: IM
Available From: All Good Model Shops
Price Guide: £12.99
BEFORE STARTING:
Tamiya Extra Thin Cement
Gunze Sangyo Mr Cement S
Tamiya Masking Tape
Xuron Cutters

R
years. Though not the first kit
to be released by them of the
Skyhawk post-takeover by
Hornby, the A-4B/Q that you
see here is the first to cross
our desk and having seen how
impressive it looked in the
box, we were delighted to give
it a more in-depth appraisal.
Competitively priced at just
under £13, the latest Scooter to
be released by Airix following
both standalone A-4B and
A-4B/P kits (the latter, also
illing access panel lines around Tweezers
Swann Morton No.10 Scalpel & 10A Blades
the nosecone, removing the
Plasti-Zap Cyanoacrylate Glue - thin and medium
raised plates on the starboard viscosity
side of the fuselage, remodelling Gunze Sangyo Mr Filler Primer
the upper radar bulge and then
PAINTS USED:
Tamiya Acrylics
X-18 Semi Gloss Black
XF-1 Flat Black
XF-2 Flat White
XF-8 Flat Blue
X-3 Royal Blue
XF-53 Neutral Grey
X-22 Clear
XF-85 Rubber Black
X-19 Smoke
XF-86 Flat Clear
X-35 Semi Gloss Clear

Gunze Sangyo Mr. Hobby Acrylics

Light Gull Grey (H51)
White (H316)

Games Workshop Acrylics - colours for detailing and

matt varnish

Winsor & Newton Oil colours

Payne’s Grey
Raw Umber

Wilder Weathering Oils

Light Grey
Dark Grey

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 37

 Simple model, simple

KIT BUILD
tool kit needed to
build it! Note the
two different glues:
Tamiya Cement for
larger assemblies
that needed a quickly
hardening, sandable
joint and their Extra
Thin Cement for more
delicate construction
work.

Initially, I’d planned on using markings from Xtradecal’s

aftermarket sheet, but elected for a kit scheme instead.

The kit’s decal sheet is superb, offering two very

different aircraft, in two almost identical colour
schemes. We chose the Argentinian A-4Q as mentioned
in the opening text.

There are some very small parts in this kit so the use of
sharp side-cutters is to be recommended.
Nose weight in place and setting, ready to complete the interior.

The cockpit is hardly the most detailed of sub-

assemblies, but as it’s rather small in size I simply went
with what was supplied, using the kit’s instrument
decals to decorate the results.

Care was needed to ensure that the

additional weight didn’t foul the location of
the cockpit/wheel bay assembly and the
intake liner, later on. So far, so good...

The A-4 is a tail-sitter so will need some ballast weight

in the nose. For this build I mixed some ‘lead water’
with 5-minute epoxy and then dripped the resulting goo
in place with a cocktail stick.
 1:72

Test-fitting the intake liner. As with much of the kit, the fit was With the wings joined and set, small details could be added, this The upper edge of both slat bays exhibited small sink marks so
tight and accurate. Time for some paint... time using Tamiya’s Extra Thin cement. these were filled with Mr. Surfacer 500 and then sanded smooth
with a small sanding stick.

The wing halves were joined with Tamiya Cement. This is a thicker, slower-setting material that contains a resin hardener that sets up to allow
almost seamless sanding of joints, especially around larger parts. It’s now my go-to glue for this type of work.

The wings, completely assembled

ready to be fixed in place beneath
the fuselage.

DECAL APPLICATION MADE EASY...

1: Each individual image was removed
1 2 3 from the decal sheet using a new
scalpel blade.
2: The three decals ready to be soaked
from their asking sheet.
3: Rather than dropping each decal
into a bowl of water, I soaked them on
my cutting matt with a few drops of a
water applied with a brush.
4: The decals could then be removed
from their sheet with the aid of a
paintbrush...
5: ...And then dropped in place onto
the kit’s cockpit consoles. Excess
4 5 6 water was carefully wicked away using
a brush and cotton buds.
6: Happy that the decals were correctly
placed, a couple of drops of Micro Sol
were applied to help each one settle
down snuggly. Once dry, the cockpit
and its decal decoration, could be
sprayed with a layer of matt varnish.

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 39

KIT BUILD
adding different aerials
to the upper spine just
behind the canopy and in
looped form, to the sides
of the tail fin. As we were
building our kit essentially
from the box we only dealt
with a part of that list, you
may choose to go further...
Open the box and you are
greeted with a finely-moulded kit
that offers everything you will need for
an enjoyable build. Moulded in their familiar,
soft, pale grey plastic, the kit features
sharply manufactures parts, delicate detail
and nicely incised panel lines. At first I
wondered if the panel lines were a little
deep, but under paint and once weathered
I rather like them and feel that they are
comparable with much seen elsewhere.
Internally, you have a reasonable attempt
at the cockpit with bathtub, side consoles,
control column and multipart ejection seat all
being present and reasonably correct for the
The interior, painted and decalled. We are now ready to close up the fuselage. scale and price. There are no raised details
on the consoles, decals taking care of their

As the sidewalls were totally devoid of detail, once sprayed

in Neutral Gray, their padded linings were added with finely
applied acrylics. Though not the most detailed cockpit in the
world, once in place, the kit’s ‘pit looked rather neat and tidy!

The interior of the jet pipe and the delicate little fan parts were
all sprayed with Mr. Color Super Metallic Iron thinned with Mr.
Color Leveling Thinners. The intake liner was simply sprayed
with a layer of Tamiya XF-2 Flat White.

With all of the interior details now in place, the fuselage halves
could be joined and the wings fixed in place ready for painting
and decals.
 1:72
In this shot you can see the decal sheet and the trim that is
supplied for the tail. Figuring that it might be difficult to get
those decals designed for the tail fin to settle down over the
ridged rudder, I elected to paint all of the trim which was a
decision that I would later – partially – regret when the cut-out
‘sun’ marking from the trim wouldn’t blend-in properly with the
surrounding USN White finish. Be warned...

decoration to offer a not wholly unexpected

compromise. Along with the cockpit, you’ll also
find a reasonable attempt at the interior of
the intakes, as well as a reassuringly deep jet
pipe, both topped-off with delicate fan details.
Externally, there are some neat features
including optional open or closed airbrakes
and slats, terrific undercarriage legs and
wheels, as well as underwing and centreline
tanks and two styles of bombs, 500lb
retarded units and what looks like a 1000lb
munition for the centreline pylon. It’s all
rather nice and a million miles away
from their previous kit, being more
than worthy competition for kits from
the likes of Fujimi and ESCI/Italeri.
The plastic parts are
completed with canopy parts
that allow you to pose the
canopy open, both parts
being thin and incredibly
clear.
Along with the kit’s
plastic parts, you will

Part way through decalling, the attractive

appearance of this famous Skyhawk
scheme is there for all to see. This would
look lovely in 1:32!

Decals on and Happy with the

sealed with a
layer application of the
of Tamiya Fla
t Cl wash, the excess
the panel lines ear, was removed
could
be defined wi
th a with a soft flash
carefully appli brush, moistened
ed
wash of Raw
Umber with white spirit.
lightened with The brush was
Humbrol 27 Bl dragged back over
ue
Because of the model’s small size, the colour scheme Grey, both thinn the surface of the
ed
was simply applied using Gunze Sangyo’s Mr. Hobby with white sp
irit. model to create the
acrylics for the Light Gull Grey and USN White and then illusion of wear and
Tamiya acrylics for the red trim and the blue and white dirt runs, especially
tail markings, the blue being mixed from Royal Blue and from the vortex
white to match the colour on the decal sheet. Though generators.
not aware of it at the time, the model as you see here
and indeed in the instructions is incorrect, there being no
white trim on the elevators and ailerons (both being LGG),
and the interior of the airbrake bays should be red and
not white. Please compare these images with those of the
completed model to see the difference.
Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 41
 1:72
KIT BUILD

The same procedure was find a full set of instructions, as well as decals
used over the remaining
airframe. for the aforementioned colour scheme choices.
As you read this feature you will discover that
there are some errors within the kit with regard
to the Argentinian version; the kit suggests
that the elevators and ailerons should be
trimmed in white whereas they should be Light
Gull Grey and that the interior of the airbrake
bays should be read instead of the suggested
white. The instructions for the American jet are
correct, but forewarned is forearmed for the
Argentinian A-4Q... ■

Though I’d initially planned to

use aftermarket resin tanks
under the model, they were
so heavily detailed that I
retuned back to the kit’s tanks,
assembling them carefully
before painting decalling and
weathering each one to match
the rest of the airframe.

FINAL VERDICT
I really enjoyed this kit! I was looking for a simple, enjoyable build and this one fit the
bill perfectly. It’s easy to assemble, fun to paint and looks really cool once finished.
It also allowed me to build an aircraft from a country that I have never considered before
and that also added to the pleasure that I gained from the project. I’ll definitely return
to this kit in the future and maybe build something a little different from it. For £13 it
is an absolute bargain and thus generates a wholehearted recommendation.
Thanks to Airfix for the sample built this month.

The model’s airframe was weathered using all of the

techniques that I’ve described over the months in this
magazine, with particularly heavy use being made of
oil paints, light and dark, to help define the delicate
surface features and structures of the model. Note the
mismatched intake trim and warning triangle; next time
I’ll paint the trim in place after applying the triangle to
ensure a more accurate match…

42 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

NEW FROM DOOLITTLE MEDIA

The Modeller’s Guide

Superdetailing, Painting and Weathering
Aircraft of WWII, with airfield accessories, ordnance and diorama

Aleksandar Pocuc
SCALE MODELLING:
A LOVE STORY READY

‘
Modeller’s guide to
TO ASSEMBLE superdetailing, painting and
weathering aircraft of WWII’
TOOLS AND MATERIALS
book is intended for both
TECHNIQUES beginners and advanced
modellers as it covers wide variety
BUILDING THE AIRCRAFT of modelling tasks ranging from
■ SPITFIRE MK. IXC basic detailing, scratch-building,
■ P-47D THUNDERBOLT painting, weathering, machining
■ JU-87D ‘STUKA’ custom parts using resin as well as
scratch-building part from brass and
MAKING A DIORAMA
aluminium and of course, diorama
making. Basics about tools, paints
and modelling materials have
been covered as well. The book
revolves around three subjects,
P-47D Razorback, Spitfire Mk.IXc
and Junkers Ju-87D Stuka, all in
32nd scale. Step by step concept
will provide a good reference and
ideas to all WWII aircraft modellers

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KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY ALAN PRICE

STORM
WARNINGWe take a detailed look at Eduard’s collaborative release of Hasegawa’s 1:48
Hawker Typhoon Mk.1b
or fans of Hawker’s Typhoon, the Hasegawa kit and this is not exactly the kit plastic ones. A superb prop and

F the huge Airfix 1:24 kit was a

dream come true. For those
with a little less space, Airfix
also provided their lovely 1:72
version. However, in the middle, in 1:48,
things have not been quite as good. By
far the best mid-scale offering has been
new. Eduard has offered re-boxings
of the Hasegawa kit before and this is
the latest of these. The kit provides the
basic Hasegawa plastic but then adds a
number of new parts supplied in resin.
Corrected tail surfaces are supplied,
these being considerably larger than
spinner, new exhausts and a sand filter
are also supplied. A pre-coloured photo-
etch sheet is included for the cockpit
and a further plain sheet is provided for
other details. The contents are rounded
out with a lovely Cartograf decal sheet
which contains decals for no less than

44 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:48
SKILL LEVEL:
Intermediate

SPECIFICATION:
Eduard Typhoon Mk.1b Limited Edition
Scale: 1:48
Kit No: 11117
Materials: IM/PE/RE
Available From: Hannants
Price Guide: £41.99

BEFORE STARTING:
Humbrol Liquid Poly
Tamiya Masking Tape
Sprue Cutters
Tweezers
Scalpel
Deluxe Materials Rocket Max Cyanoacrylate Glue
Gunze Sangyo Mr Cement S
Gunze Sangyo Mr Surfacer 500
Microscale Micro Set and Sol Decal Solution

PAINT USED:
Microscale Micro Gloss
Microscale Micro Flat
Johnson’s Klear

Tamiya Acrylics
X- 27 Clear Red
X-25 Clear Green
XF-69 NATO Black
XF-64 Red Brown
XF-71 Cockpit Green
XF-82 Ocean Grey 2 (RAF)

Mr. Hobby Acrylics:

H073 Dark Green
H012 Flat Black
H335 Medium Sea Grey
H413 RLM04 Yellow

Humbrol Enamels:
33 Matt Black
34 Matt White
11 Silver
56 Aluminium

Alclad II:
ALC-101 Aluminium

Flory Models Wash:

Black
Dark Dirt

MRP:
Super Clear Semimatt Varnish MRP-126

AIRBRUSH USED:
Iwata HP-B Plus & HP-BH

REFERENCES:
2nd Tactical Air Force Volume 4 Squadrons,
Camouflage and Markings, Weapons and Tactics
1943-1945, Authors Christopher Shores & Chris
Thomas, Midland Publishing, ISBN 978 1 906537
01 2
KIT BUILD
The cockpit interior builds up into well detailed unit. Note that
the instrument panel has been bent to the correct shape and the
strip of plastic acting as a support can just be seen behind it.
Fit of the fuselage is pretty good, little work is required on the
joins between the two halves, however around the cockpit
inserts it’s a different story!
These later aircraft had no landing lights so they were smoothed
over with filler and sanded back to remove all traces.
six different aircraft. The instructions are
provided in one of Eduard’s typical A4 style
books, with full colour profiles for each of
the six colour schemes.
D-Day Build
This year being the 75th Anniversary of D-Day,
I was immediately drawn to the irst of the
colour schemes, for MN529, which was active
on D-Day. With the colour scheme decided on,
I started the build which for a change didn’t
begin with the cockpit but with the fuselage
instead. The fuselage halves each have an
insert around the cockpit which has to be
glued in place before starting on the cockpit,
this is to allow the kit to cater for the car-door
and bubble canopy variants. The it of these
parts is not very good so I knew I was in for a
bit of illing and sanding later.
The kit provides a reasonable representation
of the cockpit, this is built up from a set of
frames which represent the tubular fuselage
framing and this is detailed up greatly with the
46 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019
The cockpit and radiator both need to be finished before the
fuselage can be closed up, here both have been fully painted
and the final matt varnish applied.
Quite a bit of filling and sanding is required to get rid of the seams
around the cockpit inserts, naturally this removes some of the
engraved panel lines so these need to be carefully re-scribed later.
Underneath the fit was quite good and the fuselage to wing join
required just a bit of work to blend in the seam.
Eduard photo-etch parts. There a lot of detail
to add including some small gusset plates
around the tube joins. The basic frame was
painted with Alclad II Aluminium ALC-101,
the fuselage interior and lower part of the
wing below the cockpit were painted black.
Fitting the instrument panel was interesting.
Ignore the instructions and don’t use the kit
instrument panel as the instrument panel is
not lat and needs to be bent inwards on each
side. I then put a plasticard brace behind the
instrument panel simply gluing it to this brace.
I assembled the seat from the photo-etch parts
though I don’t think this looks too good and
I’m surprised Eduard didn’t include a resin
seat. It’s fairly similar to the Sea Fury seat so
a spare Barracuda one could be modiied to
suit I think. The seat was left out as the new
photo-etch headrest needed to be itted too
and as this would protrude above the fuselage
this was likely to be damaged easily during
the build. Before I could close up the fuselage,
the radiator had to be assembled and painted,
With virtually all the cockpit detail contained within the separate
cockpit unit, the fuselage requires little work. There are a few
photo-etch parts to add before painting then the cockpit and
radiator can be fixed in place and the fuselage closed up.
Oh dear – that’s a pretty big gap! Strangely the other side was
almost perfect!
The huge wing gap was fixed with plastic card and filler, the
seams then being re-scribed. The result was excellent; no trace
of the work is visible on the finished model.
then glued into the nose. This just required a
coat of Alclad II Aluminium followed by a black
wash. Whilst the it of the fuselage halves was
quite good, the same could not be said about
the fuselage cockpit inserts. These required a
few sessions of illing and sanding back before
I obtained a good, smooth inish. Naturally a
fair bit of the engraved detail was lost so the
missing panel lines had to be re-scribed.
The wing came next, along with one of the
kit’s weaker areas, the undercarriage bay.
This is not full-size, just being limited to the
gear door openings. I assembled the wing
then test itted it to the fuselage – this was not
good. There was a huge gap at the starboard
wing root, and by huge I mean about 1.5 mm.
The port side was okay and the underside
seemed acceptable, too. As the wing was
basically lat with no dihedral, taping it up the
remove the gap was not a good idea so after
gluing the wing in place I resorted to plastic
card strips which illed most of the gap. On top
of this went some super-glue and talc iller.

Once sanded back the huge gap had gone
and the missing detail was re-engraved. As
the wing landing lights had been deleted on
these aircraft, the light covers were itted in
place, illed over then sanded back, removing
all evidence of them. Next came the new resin
tailplanes. These were attached using Deluxe
Materials Rocket Max Cyano. With the rudder
also itted the airframe was complete. I next
assembled the resin prop, this has separate
blades and Eduard provide an assembly jig for
this which works perfectly. The spinner didn’t
sit down too well and I found the cut outs for
the prop were a little tight at the top, so these
were relieved with a ile to cure the problem.
Distinctive Markings - Aircraft
After a inal sanding with Micromesh the model
was now almost ready to paint. I attached the
gunsight and front section of the canopy then
used the supplied masks to mask the glazing.
The undercarriage bay was painted aluminium
then given a wash and masked.
The colour scheme I had chosen had
full invasion stripes (oficial title Distinctive
Markings – Aircraft) so I knew I was in for a
long and dificult painting session with this
model! The irst job was to prime the model
with a coat of Mr. Hobby Mr. Surfacer, over
which I pre-shaded all the panel lines with
black. I then airbrushed the white areas for the
invasion stripes. The stripes were 18 inches
wide, in 1:48 this is 9.5mm, for a total width
over the ive stripes of 47.5mm. I made up
some strips of Tamiya Masking Tape to the
correct width then started marking out the
wing stripes. Due to the curvature of the wings
this is not as easy as it seems as the upper
wing stripes end up not straight if lengths of
tape are simply laid over the wing so marking
out takes a while. Once the white areas were
masked the black could be airbrushed, this
was done using a very dark grey rather than
pure black. After the stripes had been painted,
I then had to mask the edges of each section
carefully and mask over the inished stripes in
their entirety before the camoulage could be
applied.
On the fuselage the process was similar with
the added complication of the Sky fuselage
band to add. Also, I masked the area where
the roundels would go, leaving these white
so as not to have the black stripe showing
through the white of the roundel decal. In the
end the invasion stripes took four evenings
of work. With them completed and masked I
could inally start the camoulage. This was
standard Medium Sea Grey underneath with
Nearing time to paint, the model had the front of the canopy
fitted and I started to mask all the openings.
Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 47
1:48
Ocean Grey and Dark Green camoulage
on the upper surfaces. The underside was
irst painted using Mr. Hobby H335 Medium
Sea Grey. This was then masked and the
grey for the upper surfaces was airbrushed
using Tamiya XF-82 Ocean Grey. Finally, the
camoulage pattern was airbrushed freehand
using Mr. Hobby H73 Dark Green. Painting
was still not inished, I had to next mask the
wing walkways and airbrush these and I used
a slightly lighter shade than the wing black
stripes for these. Finally the leading edge
recognition strips needed to be masked and
painted yellow. It then took me quite a while to
carefully remove all the masking! Amazingly
everything looked good, no touch ups were
required so the model was given a coat of
gloss varnish and it was time for the decals.
Decal Dilemma
Usually, Cartograf Decals perform superbly but
for some unknown reason I had some issued
with these ones. One of the wing roundels
dried with some wrinkles in it and both under
wing roundels also had wrinkles. I spent quite
a while cutting and reapplying setting solutions
to get things looking half decent, fortunately
the matt varnish hides most of the remaining
issues! The large ‘N’ on the in was somewhat
KIT BUILD
transparent so I had to go over this with some
Humbrol white enamel; it took some three
coats to get it opaque. The rest of the decals
were ine, even settling over the fuselage
cockpit vents easily.
After sealing the decals with a further coat of
gloss I then gave the panel lines a wash with
Flory Models Black Wash. This aircraft was
almost new at D-Day so I decided to go light
on weathering. Exhaust stains were applied
with shades of brown and grey layered with the
airbrush. Some chipping was applied around
the wing root using light grey enamel. An art
mask was also used to add a bit of random dirt
over the upper surfaces using some thin dark
brown in the airbrush, just to give a more used
look to the model.
Next I tackled the remaining parts, so
the undercarriage was cleaned up and
painted along with the resin wheels and the
undercarriage bay doors. These needed parts
of the Invasion Stripes painting onto them so
they were placed on the model to establish
the correct position and angle on the doors
before masking and painting the stripes. The
assembled prop was painted and the spinner
attached. I then promptly dropped it on the
loor and ran over it wheeling my chair back
to retrieve it……. All four blades were broken
off and the spinner was cracked. However all
the breaks were clean and I quickly managed
to re-attach the blades. The cracked spinner
took a little more work, I ended up stripping the The kit is supplied with corrected resin tailplanes, these
paint, gluing the crack the illing and sanding it are considerably bigger than the kit plastic ones. The fit
was a bit loose but a bit of thick cyano glue soon sorted
smooth before re-painting. this.
Once the undercarriage and prop had
been attached, I airbrushed on the inal inish
with a coat of MRP Semimatt followed by a
coat of Microscale Flat. After removing the
canopy masking the open canopy was ixed
in place. The only job remaining was to paint
and attach the rockets. This was quit a bit
of work with eight rockets and rails needing
cleaning up, painting, decalling, weathering
and assembling. I had some decals left from
an Aerobonus rocket set so these were ideal
for adding a bit of extra interest to the rockets.
The rockets were painted a fairly bright green
The resin prop is a really lovely upgrade, especially if you
which was mixed from several bottles I had don’t run over it with your work chair!
to hand. The rails were painted to match the

Painting begins - after priming with Mr. Surfacer, I pre-shaded all the panel lines with black. I decided to paint the invasion stripes first so the white was laid down in the areas where the
stripes were to go.

Some careful masking was required next and I took the precaution of overspraying the masking edges The time spent masking was repaid with perfect stripes. Here the edges of the stripes are being
with white to help seal the edges and prevent any creep of the black paint. I also varied the intensity of marked out ready to mask over the completed stripes.
the white so some stripes are brighter than others to give a more ‘field applied’ look to them. Note the
circle mask where the fuselage roundel will go.

48 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:48

With the stripes now masked and the pre-shading re-applied where the white overspray had been, the The camouflage was all applied by hand but there was still quite a lot of work to do before that
camouflage could now be applied. masking could be removed.

Next, the wing identification stripes and the wing root walkways were masked and painted yellow ad Finally the masking could be removed! After all that work the paint work turned out just as I wanted
black respectively. it and it was time to move on to the decals.

The decals did cause a few issues as discussed in the

text. The ‘N’ on the fin needed over painting with three
coats as it was too thin and allowed the red and blue of
the fin flash to show through.
KIT BUILD

A wash using Flory Models Black helped to bring out the engraved panel lines. The prop was painted As this aircraft was quite new I didn’t want to go mad on weathering it, Typhoons were typically
and here is being test fitted. The exhausts have also been painted and attached. worked hard and soon got into a very beat-up state but that should not be the case for this model.

With the undercarriage fitted I was now getting close to the finish and the model was ready to have its Here the completed undercarriage can be seen, the Eduard resin wheels are beautifully cast and
final matt finish applied. are a great improvement to the kit parts.

underside. Once the rockets were attached
I completed the model by painting the
navigation lights and adding the aerials.
What went Wrong?
Well, in this build the biggest issue was
wrecking the prop. Fortunately I managed to
recover it which is good as it’s not available
as a separate item. The wing roundels caused
issued with them not settling down too well,
had this been a gloss finish this would have
been unacceptable but the matt finish hides
the problems. I had issues attaching the resin
tailplanes – this turned out to be old cyano
glue, I cleaned off the old glue, switched to a
new bottle and they then went on just fine. ■

50 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:48

FINAL VERDICT
Despite the filling and sanding I enjoyed this kit. Eduard has done a great job of improving the kit
with the extras they supply and this shows in the end result. The kit still shows its age though, the
undercarriage bay being a big disappointment and really we are in desperate need of a modern tooling
of this aircraft. Until that happens, this is the best that’s available and I’m sure you will agree,
it doesn’t look bad at all when it’s finished!

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 51

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KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY JAMIE HAGGO

THE SPITFIRE
THAT WENT TO SEA
This month, getting the best from Airfix’s 1:48 Seafire FR.47 - the last in the
line of Seafire variants.
elcome to the last in the when I was a young, fresh faced student modeller can have too much of a good thing

W Seafire series and it is

fitting that it is the FR.47,
the final version. Not only
that, this Airfix kit was
the first one I built on return to the hobby
just embarking on my flying career with
the Fleet Air Arm at HMS Daedalus, now
known as RAF Cranwell. It’s not going to
be the end of my Seafire odyssey though, I
still have plenty more in the tank however a
and I need to tackle some other projects
to keep the creativity going, and I’ve been
sat on a particular kit for far too long, sorry
Spencer! Yes you have - Ed.
Anyway, the Airfix Seafire FR.46/47 kit

54 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:48
SKILL LEVEL:
Intermediate

SPECIFICATION:
Airfix 1:48 Seafire FR.47
Kit No. A06103
Materials: IM
Availability: Deleted - Secondhand Kit Dealers
Price Variable

BEFORE STARTING:
Swann Morton scalpel
Tweezers
RB Productions scriber
RB Productions mini saw
Mr. Hobby epoxy putty
Microstrip
Tamiya Super Fine Surface Grey Primer
Mr. Neo Masking Sol
Mr. Color Leveling thinner
Tamiya flexible masking tape
Ammo by Mig Jimenez Slow Dry Cyanoacrylate
Ammo by Mig Jimenez Decal Set
Ammo by Mig Jimenez Decal Fix
Gator Grip glue
Tamiya super fine filler
Mr Hobby Epoxy Putty

AIRBRUSH:
Iwata Revolution CR

PAINTS USED:
MRP Lacquers
MRP-41 Red
MRP-111 Interior Grey Green
MRP-114 Extra Dark Sea Grey
MRP-118 Sky
MRP-124 Marking Blue

Mr. Color
Dark Iron
GX-100 Super Clear III

Tamiya
XF-1 Flat Black
XF-2 Flat White
XF-64 Red Brown
XF-54 Dark Sea Grey

Winsor & Newton Galeria Matt

Ammo of Mig Oilbrusher Black

Ammo of Mig One Shot Primer Black
KIT BUILD
With the main parts removed from
the sprues, the recessed detail is
highlighted in black to help with
the riveting.
can still hold its own with today’s releases.
The panel lines are beautifully rendered and
whilst the cockpit is quite clunky by today’s
standards, it’s not too bad. There are a few
glaring inaccuracies however, the most
obvious being the overly deep chin carburettor
intake and the canopy which perches on top
of the fuselage (not so much of a problem if
the modeller intends to have it shut). I decided
to solve both these problems by using an
Aires engine set and a Rob Taurus vac-form
canopy. I also decided to purchase the Aires
cockpit however not all of these are a drop fit
In order to make a set of full-span wings plastic shims
were added to the wing fold.
56 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019
so read on to see how this one worked out.
So, sit back and relax and I hope you enjoy
the last in the series...For now.
Airframe Preparation
As is normal for me these days, work started
by riveting the airframe, but first, as I was
building the model with the wings spread,
these had to be joined together. Plastic shims
were used to support the joints and then then
parts manoeuvred such that the gaps/steps
were minimised. Oh how I wish companies
would just do full span wings with cut outs
Full-span wings but they ended up a little
droopy. Why do model manufacturers do
this to us?!

scribed on the inside for those who wish to
minimise this stage in construction!
The clear fuselage insert has to be added
before the riveting session. Dry-fitting revealed
that it sat slightly recessed therefore the
fuselage was thinned so it was standing proud.
After gluing the clear part in place it could
then be sanded back to appear flush with the
fuselage sides and the clear plastic polished
back to clarity. This looks far superior. And yes,
I should have read the instructions and done
the same on the other side and underneath…
Now I was ready for the riveting job. Many
modellers bemoan others who do this as
the rivets on the full size thing are pretty
much invisible. That may be true, but to my
eye models without them just look bland, so
I carry out these tricks to fool the eye and
create a busier, are interesting finish. You’ll
note from the photos that the panel lines have
been highlighted with black, this makes it far
easier to see them which really helps with
the riveting. Once again, I used a Rosie the
Riveter tool which made quick work of the
airframe. With these chores all done the fun
could then begin.
Cockpit
The first job when prepping the cockpit was
to remove the casting blocks. In order to
minimise harmful dust, much of the unwanted
resin was clipped away with some old sprue
cutters, any remnants being sawn and sanded
away using copious amounts of water.
As with most Seafire/Spitfire cockpits, the
lightening holes in the bulkheads were drilled
The inside of the camera port was thinned to make it easier to
fair-in the clear part from the outside. I wish I had studied the
instructions and realised I should have done it on the other side too!
...The green polisher being used to restore the shine.
out for a pleasing realistic effect but be careful
as the resin is brittle.
With the preparatory work completed, the
parts were mounted to various handles with
tiny amounts of super glue for easy painting.
The overall colour is black therefore the parts
were primed with Ammo One Shot Black
Primer. The raised parts were then picked
out with white acrylic paint which acted like
an effective pre-highlight when the final coat
of gloss (very) dark grey was added over the
top. Some detail painting was then done but
not a great deal, followed by some silver paint
chipping to add interest. Even after all that it’s
still a dark hole and not a great deal can be
seen, unfortunately. The photo-etch instrument
panel was also painted in dark grey, but then
the raised parts were drybrushed in black.
Most modellers will dry brush a lighter tone to
highlight the detail, but drybrushing the black
leaves a realistic finish.
Though cockpit fits quite well and the edges
look quite thick, the overall the improvement is
pretty drastic and therefore for those modellers
planning to have the canopy open, the use of
this set is well worth the effort.
Airframe Construction
Before adding the cockpit, the nose has to
be removed. In this case I used the tried and
tested chain-drilling method. Once the holes
are drilled, a scalpel is used to join the dots
before various sanding sticks from the Flory
Models range were used to neaten things up.
I thinned the main fuselage parts but the way
the bulkhead mounts in place, this wasn’t
Hard to see but the clear part protrudes a small amount.
A drill is used to open up the lightening holes in the cockpit bulkhead.
Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 57
1:48
really needed. When this was complete, the
fuselage halves could be joined and the joints
cleaned up. Once smooth, the final rivets
around the circumference were added. By
leaving these until now there are no concerns
that the vertical rivets won’t match up.
The engine bulkhead needs to be added
before joining the wings to make life easier
later on, front edge being painted first before
it’s superglued in place. The fit is superb.
More resin needs to be added before the
main components are brought together and
that includes the chin intake. A small portion
of the centre section needs to be removed,
but the fit again is very good. Unfortunately,
there are some pin holes and damage from
removing the awkward casting block however
they are easily dealt with using Tamiya Filler.
The wings fit very nicely but looking at them
head-on, there is a distinct outward droop
caused by the joint at the wing fold - another
reason for me bemoaning the lack of one-
piece wings! If I was doing this project again I
would use the Mk.46 lower wing. Some of the
panel lines are different but I’d leave that alone
and just scribe in the lower wing fold hinge
line. I know others wouldn’t be able to live with
that but for me I’d swap a couple of inaccurate
panel lines for correct dihedral!
The canopy was cut out and the windscreen
glued in place. It’s extremely clear, well
moulded and fits great but for some reason the
masking kept on lifting. I must have re-masked
the thing half a dozen times! A little filler was
needed to fair it in but not too much, Deluxe
Plastic Putty being the weapon of choice on
Now using Flory Models sanding sticks the clear window can
be faired in...
Note the difference, a vast improvement.
KIT BUILD
To help with painting all the parts are mounted on
handles of one sort or another.

Look at how lovely the

photo-etch panel is.
The instruments are
depicted with printed
acetate. Seems old
school now!

account of it being easily cleaned up with a
damp cotton bud.
Painting
This was not straightforward. I’d chosen to
paint the markings using a set from Montex so
this need a lot of planning. After a primer coat
using Tamiya Super Fine Grey decanted into
the airbrush the white areas were painted and
allowed to dry thoroughly. The white portions
of the roundels were masked first followed
by the red. So the underlying demarcations
wouldn’t show through the blue was also
masked without painting them. Masking
complete the black areas were done followed
then by the blue on the wings, the fuselage
could wait. The tail area where the stripes
appear was frustrating to say the least; it
would have been so much easier had Montex
created a blank mask for the sky area but
they didn’t, so some measuring was needed.
Despite my care it wasn’t quite right so a few
touch ups were needed. With all that sorted
the Sky was sprayed, my paint of choice
being Mr Paint. This was tinted and faded but
despite being a combat machine the fading
wasn’t too apparent. With the demarcation set
Mr Paint Extra Dark Sea Grey was applied and
faded in the same way. The fading contrast
was a little too much but the subsequent
weathering toned it down to a more acceptable
appearance – I’ll do a better job next time.
The final stage was to spray the black aircraft

All the parts ready for installation, they

look quite chunky here but look great
when installed.

This is one of the parts primed. The part is very thin as you Undercoated with white, the highlights will help to lift the
can see! detail.

This is the part with the finished base coat after a black After careful painting and drybrushing (with black), the
wash awaiting a matt coat. panel is finished and ready for installation.

58 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:48

Chain drilling is the best way I find for removing panels as seen And with the rough edges cleaned up, the fuselage halves can be The primed engine bulkhead shows off the ample detail.
here. I did use a saw along the top panel line though. joined.

With the bulkhead painted, it can be mounted into the front Before mounting the wings the carb intake also needs to be fitted. Again, chain drilling was the easiest method.
fuselage. This has to be done now before the wings are added.

markings, before sealing everything with a

gloss coat ready for the decals.
I used the kit decals, but this is ‘new’ Airfix
Both main parts so I assume they’re Cartograf. In any case
are now ready for they performed superbly. I could have started
joining. the weathering now however I wanted to get
the engine finished first in order to keep up
my motivation, weathering being my favourite
stage!

Engine
The mighty Griffon is made from multiple
resin parts which are easily cleaned up using
the aforementioned safety precautions. The
main parts were put together and then primed
followed by a base coat of gloss black. A black
wash was applied followed by an application of
Ammo by Mig Jimenez Engine Grime. This is
an enamel product and it is sparingly applied
in recesses then the excess is blended with a
moist brush. Dust pigments were then applied
The windscreen needed filling to help which struggle to adhere to the mainly gloss
fair it in, don’t be alarmed though, surface which is a good thing, we don’t want
the clean up is easy as the Deluxe
too much! A brief drybrush with Mr. Metal
Perfect Putty is water soluble.
Color Dark Iron lifts some of the detail before
some of the wiring and piping is picked out
with aluminium. Lastly, some Ammo by Mig
Oil Effects was carefully applied resulting in a
well-used power unit in need of a little TLC.
Aires supply two lengths of brass wire. The
instructions are clear and their mountings
were drilled out further to produce a stronger
bond. I chose not to paint or varnish them, as
they look authentic left as-is. The resin engine
mounts, having been painted and weathered
previously, were then glued in place, the
mounting holes needing modification as they
didn’t quite line up. Before mounting the
engine, attention turned back to the airframe.

www.modelairplaneinternational.com 59
 KIT BUILD

Now the airframe is finally ready for

paint, I must admit I did question my
decision to expose the engine but
when I added it to the airframe I knew
The engine is made up of multiple parts, note the little I’d made the right choice.
bit of Mr Surfacer required to seal some of the joins.

The last of my
Tamiya Grey
Primer…

Now the Mr Paint roundel blue is used on the wings.

And with the masks removed, it looks so much better

than decals.

Complicated paint schemes using masks

for the markings takes some thought, here
the white areas are all covered ready for
the next stage.

And the Mr Paint

Extra Dark Sea
Grey is on.

With the Sky applied, more

masking tape is needed.
 1:48

Spraying the underwing serials is much easier than

The scheme looks lovely when using the large decals.
the masks removed, but we are
not done yet.

Looking very smart with all

the markings sprayed.
And the finished result. The overspray in the wheel wells
is easily touched up.

Weathering
Ah, weathering, my favourite
bit. My wash of choice with a
riveted airframe is the sludge
wash. With such a light and
dark scheme clearly a single colour
would not be appropriate therefore colours
complimentary to the underlying camouflage
colours were mixed up using various Ammo of
Mig Oilbrusher tones and then thinned slightly.
These were then applied liberally to the whole
airframe and allowed to dry for around an hour
before being polished off using a kitchen towel.
All this was then sealed with a matt varnish, in
this case my new go to product, Winsor and
Newton Galeria.
Before continuing I mounted
the engine to the airframe,
I was pleasantly
surprised at how
tight the fit was.
With the
matt varnish
fully cured,
the next
stage was
to apply a
filter coat.
A filter will
ever-so-
slightly
adjust the
tone, muting
the colours
and adding to the
scale effect. For this
model a very thin grey,
brown and green tone was
mixed from the ubiquitous Oilbrushers and
then applied. A matt coat really helps to spread
the thin colour, glossier coats tending to repel
such a thin mix.
A sludge wash is the best
way to highlight the panel Seafires and their land-based cousins are
lines and rivets. notorious for getting really oily bellies, in this

www.modelairplaneinternational.com 61
KIT BUILD
My favourite stage
is the matt coat, it
goes from looking
like a model
to a miniature
aeroplane.

With a gloss black wash, the engine looks way

too shiny, but this will be dealt with when dry and
the excess is removed followed by the rest of the
weathering steps.

Ammo of Mig’s Engine Grime helps to add an authentic

look, dust pigments dulling the finish down further.
Finally, Ammo of Mig’s Engine Oil adds the final realistic
touch.

case it was simulated by applying Oilbrusher
Black and then blending the pigment with
a damp, wide brush. The last weathering
step was a post-shade with an oily tone
concentrating on the central underside portion,
a slightly thicker mix being used for the
exhaust stain.
Final Construction
There’s a lot to do here. The undercarriage
was a right pain to fit and I really struggled with
getting it to sit in place. The kit wheels were
discarded in favour of the superb Barracuda
Studio’s wheels. I was intending to use their
control surfaces set but it arrived just too late,
I am planning on doing the Mk.46 at some
stage so I’ll use them then. However, I did
get the opportunity to use their prop blades,
these are really great and go really well with
the kit spinner. Just study the kit parts and the
instructions to avoid embarrassment!
The engine, ready for installation.
The photo-etched mounts had been painted

The rear decking needed touching up.

Note the overspray on the wing, that
was easily touched up too.

Engine mounted,
the aeroplane has
an aggressive,
purposeful look.

62 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:48

Filters are a really good way to bring down the bling, the muted Ammo’s Oilbrushers are a fantastic way to replicate the oil streaking A flat moist brush is used to blend the oil paint.
colours giving a much better scale effect. on the underside.

on the fret and these needed a little fettling

to fit, but I got there in the end. The exhausts
were painted up then fitted at the end. The last
job was to fit that canopy which looks so much It may be hard to
spot
better than the kit offering, if you’re only going in this photo, bu
t the
better
to get one upgrade get this one. ■ prop blades are
rracuda
replaced with Ba .
Studio’s offering

FINAL VERDICT
It’s been a ride! I’ve properly stepped out of my comfort zone with some of these Seafires; limited run kits
and conversions being the focus to get some unique and highly detailed models. It’s been great fun but I
do need a break from them. I miss my Russian jets! However, I will return to the subject, I want to do a
Seafire III in 1:72 based on the Eduard Spitfire Mk.IX and do a 1:48 Mk.XVIII using again the Eduard Spitfire
but using various bits from the spares box. And I’ve got something special planned for the Eduard new tool
Spitfire Mk.V which will hopefully come out sometime in 2020. I hope you have enjoyed the series as much as I
have done building the models and documenting the process, until the next one…

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 63

KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY JAMES HATCH

T H E K O M E T
How aftermarket
embellishments can
further improve MENG’s
already impressive,
1:32 Me 163
esserschmitt's Me 163 Komet

M was designed as a point-

defence interceptor, designed
to lay at rest in various locales
around the Third Reich, and
then to zip almost vertically towards bomber
streams as they approached. The simply
astounding rate of climb of this diminutive
aircraft enabled the bomber streams to be
almost overhead before the Komet had to
actually take off. That same speed advantage
very much became a disadvantage in combat,
with the Me 163 frequently overflying its target
before it had a chance to open up with its
wing root mounted MK108 cannon. Designed
by Alexander Lippisch, the tailless Komet
was soon seen to be pretty ineffective as a
fighter aircraft due to its limited flight time,
relatively high speed, and resultant
wide turning circles. Powered by a
Walther HWK 109-509 liquid-fuel
rocket engine, the Komet took off
conventionally before ejecting its
dolly undercarriage and climbing
almost vertically upwards. The
aircraft would later return to
earth as a glider, and land on a
skid which would be deployed
under the fuselage centreline.
The Komet was a lethal
weapon, literally. Most Komet losses
were in take-off and landing accidents,
with the Komet usually then exploding due
to ruptured fuel tanks or the inadvertent mixing

64 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:32

E
SKILL LEVEL:

L
Intermediate

T’S TA
SPECIFICATION:
Meng Me 163B, Kit No. QS-001
Materials: IM, PE
Availability: Hannants
Price: £47.99

BEFORE STARTING:
Tamiya Extra Thin Cement
Loctite CA
MRP masking tape
Mr. Dissolved Putty
Swann Morton scalpels No.11 & No.15
RB Productions fine razor saw
Micro drill bits
Various sanding sponges and sticks
DSPIAE PE bending tool
DSPIAE single blade cutters
EZ-Line
Micro Kristal Klear
Mr. Color Levelling Thinner

AIRBRUSH:
Wave Advance

PAINTS USED:
Mr. Hobby Acrylics
H70 RLM 02
H416 RLM 66
H419 RLM 76
H66 RLM 79
H412 RLM 82
H423 RLM83
H20 Flat Clear

Tamiya Acrylics
XF-1 Flat Black
XF-65 Field Grey
XF-85 Flat Rubber

Vallejo Folkestone Basics paint set

Mr Metal Color
Aluminium
Brass
Dark Iron

Xtreme Metal
Aluminium
Brass

ACCESSORIES
Aires Me 163B Komet cockpit set
Eduard Me 163B Komet BIGED set
Barracuda Studios Me 163B main wheels
MASTER MODEL armament and pitot set
KIT BUILD
of the fuel vapours. It is true that the Komet
was a menace for Allied streams, but perhaps
more psychologically that due to actual kills.
The Komet only destroyed around a dozen or
aircraft during its service life. In all, the Komet
project was an expensive and dismal failure,
and indicative of the wastage of men and
materials which the Third Reich seemed to
excel in the last 2 years of the war.
INCEPTION
It’s been 6 years since MENG treated us to
their first ever, and indeed only, model kit in
1:32. Their choice for this was the Me 163B
‘Komet’, which was quite a savvy decision
when you consider that the only other kit on
the market was the aged Hasegawa tooling
that first saw action over 40 years ago. That
particular kit, by today’s standards, is very
much chewing old cud, with raised panel lines,
agricultural cockpit and a visible, empty interior
through the landing skid aperture. Meng’s
new kit brings things bang up to date with
a lovely cockpit, superdetailed engine, fuel
tank, refined surface textures etc. However,
it is a little fussy in design and you need to
make some tweaks here and there. I also
opted to add some Eduard, MASTER, and
MENG’s curious and awkward engineering
sees the wing root interiors moulded as
separate parts. Here, the moulded plastic
detail is removed in favour of the improved
Eduard PE alternative.
It’s crucial that the wing root
parts are properly installed to
the forward fuselage as failure
to do so will mean a badly
fitting wing.
66 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019
Aires refinements. Not all of this, mind you,
but the parts I thought would make reasonable
enhancements to the basic kit.
INITIAL WORK AND COCKPIT
Care needs to be taken to remove the forward
fuselage halves from the sprues due to their
open wing-root engineering. The inside wing-
root areas is actually the place where this story
begins, as the moulded plastic detail needs to For such a diminutive aircraft, MENG supply a whole rake
of styrene to build it. Remember that a full interior is
be removed in favour of the more accurate-
included too, even if you won’t see some of it.
looking PE parts in my Eduard set. Details are
first scraped down most of the way and then
fully removed with a combination of scalpels
and sanding sticks, before being finished with a
polishing/buffing stick. Eduard’s PE replacement
parts are then added, as are the brackets for the
gun’s electrical boxes in the rear wing root area.
These inserts are then glued into the fuselage
halves. This has to be done with a high degree
of precision or it will affect the chord width of the
wing and leave gaps when they are fitted. For
me, this is one of the worst aspects of this kit.
MENG’s cockpit is actually very nice but
misses a number of key areas of detail. There
are two ways for me to proceed with this and Spot the honest mistake. Yes, I included a He 162 instrument
one of them is to use the Eduard set. However, panel! Everything else would find its way onto the Komet in
some form or other.
Aires’ resin replacement pit seemed a whole
With the possible
problems in mind,
I saw fit to check
the wing – fuselage
connection.
Thankfully, all
was ok.
All that was required to make
the resin cockpit fit snugly was
reducing the width at the front by
around 1 mm.
The Aires cockpit is a big
improvement over the
standard kit parts, and
the unit, with a little quick
fix, fits surprisingly well
into the host kit.

AK’s Dark Brown wash was
applied to the interior details
and the excess removed with
a cotton bud, once fully dry.
Despite using the Aires pit, I still wanted to use many of
the numerous colour PE elements on the Eduard sheet.
Here you can see the Aires resin instrument panel fitted
with Eduard metal parts.
lot better. First of all, it has that rubberised
texture on the side console T-Stoff fuel tanks,
and of course that resin detail on the sidewalls
is far better than anything that I could achieve
with some PE parts. I know that Aires pits can
sometimes be accused of being hard to fit, but
this one would prove to be very easy. Even
though this was my chosen cockpit, I would still
add some of the colour Eduard PE to enliven it
further. Some dry-fitting to the kit showed that
the cockpit tub was a little wide at the front end,
by a millimetre or so. Fixing this was easy as a
sanding stick and some test-fitting cured its ills.
A full 30 – 45 minutes of not-so-hard graft. It was
the test-fitting to the fuselage that took most of
the time. Cockpit work began with adding two
fuel lines from copper wire, extending from the
rear wall to side console areas. Making these
match was a pain the backside, holes being
drilled to accommodate the wires. I also glued
the windows to the rear cockpit bulkhead.
Next up was for me to airbrush a coat of
Gunze RLM66 over everything, including the
quarterlight areas to the rear of the pilot. As
an insurance policy, all grey areas were now
sealed in Klear before AK’s Dark Brown wash
was applied to the parts. This was allowed to dry
before the excess was removed with a cotton
bud.
I did say I would still use the Eduard colour
PE parts, and that’s what I now did, with all of
the instrument panel parts perfectly matching
A final test fit of the cockpit into
the fuselage before I cracked
open a few paint jars. Note the
upper, rear deck now also glued
into place.
Being late war, RLM 66 was the colour of zero-choice for the
interior. There’s nothing special here except for a nice, solid colour
fill. Also note that I have fitted two fuel lines in copper wire.
the Aires resin panel, including the cut-outs (!).
I also made good use of the fuel tank strapping,
being a slightly lighter shade of interior grey
and adding some contrast. Whilst many of
these parts were self-adhesive, I elected to
use a little CA to ensure they didn’t come adrift.
To add colour to those all-important details, I
elected to use Vallejo’s excellent acrylic paints,
applied with a series of very fine Zoukei-mura
paintbrushes. My go-to matt varnish is Gunze
H20 Flat Clear, and this was airbrushed over
all interior areas and then the Eduard masks
removed from the little windows on the rear
cockpit bulkhead. Tamiya’s weathering sets
were used to apply a little contrast to the grey
areas in the cockpit, applying them with a soft,
flat brush. Micro Kristal Klear was also applied
to the instrument faces, creating a glass effect
once cured. Lastly, the cockpit sections were
glued together with Loctite CA.
ALL TANKED UP AND ON THE SKIDS
Before you can close up the fuselage on this
model, there are a small number of other
internals you need to assemble and paint. One
of these is the interior area for the skid retraction
unit. This was spruced up with a small amount
of Eduard’s photo-etch, and then assembled
as normal. The skid itself also benefitted from a
sheathing in PE, after having removed the small
amount of raised detail on the upper surfaces.
AK’s Xtreme Metal Aluminium is a joy to work
Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 67
1:32
Vallejo paints were used to detail the
cockpit area and other metal PE parts
such as the seatbelts and fuel tank straps,
the latter fitted with a little CA despite the
parts being adhesive-backed.
with, covering with more or less a single pass.
This was used on the retraction unit, and again
was given a wash with AK’s Dark Brown potion.
That rotund fuselage also holds the large
fuel tank that contained the C-Stoff hydrazine/
methanol-based fuel. This is sandwiched in
between two bulkheads and a joining floor
section. The forward bulkhead has two lips that
originally located into the rear of the styrene
cockpit module, but as doesn’t exist on the resin
Aires pit, I shaved those lips from the bulkhead.
This model, unless you cut away at the fuselage
in this location, has no way of displaying this
detail, so I opted just to assemble it and glue
it without painting. A saddle strides this and
provides the interior area between the cockpit
quarterlight area. Two are supplied for different
ammunition, depending on what guns you
intended to fit. That area was painted in RLM66
to match the cockpit and the tank unit glued into
the fuselage with Tamiya Extra Thin cement. I
could now pop the cockpit into the tight area at
the front of the fuselage and glue the fuselage
halves together with Tamiya cement. No glue
was used to fix the cockpit module into the
fuselage as it really didn’t need it due to a
tight fit. At this time, I also fitted the upper rear
fuselage panel and the lower fuselage section.
WINGS? IT’S ALL WING!
The wings are of a very simple design and
construction, with an upper and lower panel,
KIT BUILD
separate landing flaps and ailerons/flaperons,
and leading-edge slot panel. A piece of bad
engineering here was the wing joint seam that
runs horizontally through the inside of the inner
wing gun bay area. This is very easily seen if
you display the gun bays as open, as I intended
to do. To fix this I used some 0.5 mm plasticard
to cover the area after being cut to the shape of
the inner rib area. U and T section styrene strut
pieces were then used to create the structural
details. AK’s Xtreme Metal Aluminium came to
the rescue again to paint this area, as did the
dark brown wash. That was all that was needed
here. The same colours and finish were also
applied to the wing root area attached to the
The skid retraction box is quite simple to build, and I
added just a little Eduard PE into the mix too, especially
as this is the area that you’re most likely to see.
My weapon of choice
for paint is AK’s Xtreme
Metal Aluminium,
followed by a touch-up
with a dark brown
wash. The unit is then
fitted into one of the
fuselage halves.
68 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019
After a coat of flat
varnish, Tamiya
weathering pastels
were used to add a little
accentuation to the grey
areas. Micro Kristal Klear
is also applied to the
instrument faces, so they
resemble glass.
fuselage sides. Construction of the Rheinmetall
Borsig MK 108 cannon is very straightforward,
yet they do result in a very nice recreation of this
powerful weapon. These are fitted to handed
brackets and painted in Gunze Dark Iron before
being buffed to a metallic sheen with cotton
buds. The finished weapons are then glued into
the wing root area of each wing. Both wings
are then fitted to the fuselage with Tamiya thin
cement and left to cure thoroughly. I also now fit
the nose cone and electrical generator impellor.
TAIL PIECE
MENG designed their Komet so that the
tail unit could be posed separately, and
I didn’t bother painting this unit and
instead mounted it straight within the
fuselage with Tamiya thin cement.
the engine showed off to effect. They also
supply a couple of plugs that can be used
to temporarily connect the forward and rear
fuselages together. My plan would make those
redundant as the plug sections could not be
fitted with the addition of the Eduard PE that I
planned to use. The rear fuselage comprises
of halves, with an inner upper and lower insert
to complete the circular interior of the unit. This
would further be enhanced with more PE. As
with the other interior areas of the Komet, the
usual aluminium paint was used, but this time
followed by AK’s Neutral wash. The excess
was removed once fully dry, over a coat of
Klear. With the fuselage halves joined, and
making captive of the single-piece rudder, the
rear wing root parts were added. I also glued
the rudder in a fixed position as it was so
loose, it would flap in a minor breeze. Eduard
EP components were added to the joining
fascia, representing the real constructional
parts.
Every rocket aircraft needs a rocket motor,
and MENG’s representation of the Helmut
Walter Kiel Kommandogesellschaft HWK
109-509A-2 engine is first rate, if not perhaps
a little fiddly to build. This unit was built up in
sections, leaving the tail pipe separate until
after main engine installation. Various colours
including Alclad Aluminium, Xtreme Metal
Brass, Dark Iron etc. were used, with a wash
being applied to it, along with a little of AK’s
Engine Oil. For the time being, the completed
unit would sit to one side whilst painting of the
More PE parts on the Now we’re getting
skid itself. There is a somewhere! The Komet’s
minor amount of detail fuselage is finally brought
on the plastic that you together, clamping the Aires
will need to remove resin pit within. No glue was
before fitting this. used for the latter.
You won’t see any of this
when installed, but here’s
the main fuel tank and
the internal bulkhead and
floor arrangement it will
sit upon.
 1:32

The wings on this model are pretty straightforward, with One ugly area that needed hiding was the seam inside the wing Another application of dark brown wash, but this time to the
separate control surfaces and an insert to form the leading- root. This would be seen through an open bay. plasticard and insides of the wing root area.
edge slot (not slat!). strip were used to represent the inner wing root details.

main airframe began. This was probably the

best way to avoid snapping anything off at this
At this stage, the model comes
stage.
together very quickly as the wings are
now installed to the fuselage. PAINT AND DECALS
Before any paint was laid on, the exterior
quarterlight windows were added and masked,
and other areas such as cockpit and skid
retraction box were also protected from paint
ingress. The scheme chosen for the Komet
was the simple splinter scheme from the box
Assembly of the MK 108 guns is simple, and they look options, and for this, Gunze RLM 76 was first
pretty good when completed. These are fitted to mounting airbrushed over the undersides in a 50:50
brackets.
thinners ratio, using my new Wave Advance
airbrush. This paint cures pretty quickly, so
tape was soon used to mask the demarcation
areas before RLM 83 was applied to the upper
airframe. More tape was now used for this
hard-edged splinter scheme, and RLM 83 was
finally airbrushed. As I had decided to pose
the airbrakes in a lowered position, the interior
areas for these were treated to some RLM 02.
For such a small airframe, quite a lot of
stencils were included. The sheet, printed by
Cartograf, had a matt finish, which I don’t find
as easy to work with, so I dug out my Mr. Mark

Detail continues through to the tail unit, but this will

clearly be seen as it will be displayed separately to the
main fuselage.

Of course, this
section needed
to be painted
and washed
within, using my
trusty weapons
of choice from
AK-Interactive.

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 69

KIT BUILD
After some initial
construction, the main
elements of the Walther
rocket motor are painted
Here you see the completed tail unit prior to main scheme
in a combination of Alclad
being applied. I opted to glue the rudder in position as it
and Gunze paints.
flapped about loosely.

Setter Neo to help assist with the work. All

decals were laid over a couple of shiny coats
of Klear. I do have to say that I hate those
two-part swastika decals that seem to be
common these days. AK’s Dark Brown wash
was now used to pin wash the details on
the upper surfaces, including some
random marks over the remaining
upper areas. The same was done on
the lower surfaces with a Neutral
Wash. I always leave the wash for
two hours before then removing
the excess with a cotton bud and
buffing the remaining dots into the
paint scheme. The PE airbrakes
were now fitted with CA and the whole
At this stage, the tail pipe is only push-fitted to
the motor. This will minimise risk of breakage
That scheme begins with
whilst I apply the main paint scheme.
me applying RLM76 to the
undersides of the Komet. I wasn’t
too bothered about this being
particularly even as some contrast After masking, RLM82 was
from underneath would help applied to the necessary areas
enliven things a little. and then allowed to cure
before the splinter camo was
masked off in readiness for the
next colour.

RLM83 was now airbrushed into the final

areas and when unmasked, Klear was The Cartograf decals worked well, alongside Mr.
used to protect the paintwork. Mark Setter Neo. The only awkward decals were the
two-part swastikas.

70 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 1:32
airframe given a coat of Gunze H20 Flat Clear.
Canopy masks were now removed.

AND FOR THOSE FINISHING TOUCHES…

Xtreme Metal Brass and Gunze Dark Iron were
used to airbrush the MK 108 ammunition feeds
that sit in the spine saddle. I could now glue
these into position. The tail wheel unit was
also now painted. I had notably left the front
cockpit gunsight deck unfinished up until now.
This was simply to make masking easier. This
area now had the Eduard PE surface plate
added, plus the other small PE details. RLM
66 was used to paint this, plus the armoured
windscreen frame which could now be fitted
with clear parts and installed. The resin
gunsight was also fitted.
MENG supply a couple of stands to support
the model when displayed with the engine on
show. These were assembled and then given
a coat of RLM 79 to represent wood. Now for
the ‘hairspray’ technique. I just use my wife’s
With the decals sealed in, a dark brown wash was applied to the upper surfaces, and a neutral one to the lower surfaces.
supermarket stuff for this and don’t bother with

Photo-etch landing flaps are now installed with CA, and The final airframe parts to
the rocket motor tail pipe finally fitted. paint were the tail wheel and
MK 108 ammunition belts.

MENG supply stand parts to display

the model split in half. These were
now assembled…

One area I left off until now

was the forward cockpit
deck. This comprised PE
parts, along with the kit’s
armoured windscreen
assembly.

…and then given a coat of RLM79

to represent a timber colour. Cheap
hairspray was now used to coat
these, directly from the aerosol.

www.modelairplaneinternational.com 71
 1:32
KIT BUILD
Tamiya Field Grey is now airbrushed over the parts. A stiff brush and warm water are now used to gently remove the
Field Grey to reveal the wood underneath.

branded modelling products. A couple
of coats later, and after a couple of
hours resting, I used Tamiya XF-65
Field Grey to airbrush these parts.
Some warm water and a stiff brush
were used to selectively rub away
at the Field Grey to show the wood
colour underneath. Rubber wheels are
supplied for this model, and they look
plain wrong. Thankfully, I picked up
a set of resin wheels from Barracuda
Studios and painted the wheels in
rubber black and hubs in RLM 66.
These were added to the dolly which
was then fitted to the skid.
All that remained now was to add a
few paint chips to the model using a
silver Prismacolor pencil, plus the final
addition of the remaining parts. These
included the canopy which would
be hinged using EZ-Line cord, the
MASTER brass pitot, and of course,
fitting the skid to the model. ■

FINAL VERDICT
I know Aires can get a bad rap for their cockpit sets, but this one fit extremely well. Where the annoyances lay were with
the basic MENG kit itself. One often hears the phase ‘over-engineered’ when it doesn’t deserve to be used, but those words
do apply to this kit in bucket loads. It’s an awkward kit to construct, annoying in places with such things as the visible
wing root seam in the gun bays and separate main canopy frame, but the model does indeed look like a Komet when complete.
Between this and the almost prehistoric Hasegawa kit, this one wins hands down, but just don’t expect it to be a walk in
the park. I definitely recommend either the Aires cockpit or Eduard’s PE set to create those missing kit details. My sincere
thanks to Eduard for the various detail sets used in this build, and to MBK for letting me road test the Wave Advance
airbrush.

72 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 EW in the ‘HOW TO BUILD...’ series
How to Build... Available
TAMIYA’S 1:48
SUPERMARINE NOW
SPITFIRE MK.I
When Tamiya released their 1:32 scale Spitfire
Mk.IXc in 2009, they set a new standard for plastic
model kits. As one of the most popular subjects in
the history of scale modelling, we should not be
surprised to find that Tamiya has now released an
all-new Spitfire kit in 1:48 scale.
Tamiya’s brand new 1:48 scale Spitfire Mk.I
delivers innovative design, outstanding detail, an
accurate outline and crisp, subtle surface textures.
This model has nothing at all in common with their
1993 kit.
Between these covers, we provide an exhaustive
step-by-step illustrated guide to building
Tamiya’s 1:48 scale Spitfire Mk.I straight from Only
the box plus tips on painting and weathering.
Plenty of inspiration is offered with two different £14.95
plus p&p
configurations plus a conversion to the Photo
Reconnaissance version with models by Brett
Green and Marcus Nicholls.
Also included are a walkaround of a surviving
Spitfire Mk.I, a
summary of other
Spitfire Mk.I model
kits available in
1:48 scale, a list of
available accessories
and decals plus a
catalogue of helpful
references.

ALSO AVAILABLE Visit doolittlemedia.com for details

FAX:
✁
Tamiya Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I - Pre-order P&P: UK; £2.00
Europe; £4.00
World-Wide airmail; £6.00
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IN DETAIL…

MESSERSCHMITT
ME163 KOMET
WE TAKE A DETAILED LOOK AT THE RAF MUSEUM COSFORD’S STUNNINGLY RESTORED
EXHIBIT. WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL

74 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 FULL-SIZE
Cosford’s superb exhibit really is the star attraction in their collection of German WWII aircraft.
IN DETAIL…

The nose features this small propellor that powers the aircraft’s electrical generator. The undercarriage is simple and utilitarian.

The starboard elevon. This structure features a fabric covering. The tail is wonderfully streamlined, fairing in beautifully with Viewed from the front the layout of the undercarriage comes
both the rear fuselage and wings. into view, as does the tow bar attachment point.

Landing skid detail. Note the riveted construction of its upper

surface.

The port wing in detail. Note the fixed leading edge slot and the pitot tube. The flaps are very simple in design and operation.

76 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019

 FULL-SIZE

The rear of the landing skid reveals some of its detailed Cosford’s aircraft features riveted and screwed
secrets. The tyre tread is noteworthy, as is the retraction panelling. Note the T and C-Stoff warning stencils.
mechanism for the skid.

Rocket exhaust - nothing more to say!

The actuator fairing for the rudder. Note the riveted When seen in close up, there is nothing smooth about
construction. these access panels and their retaining clamps!

Cannon port opening for the aircraft’s 30 mm MK 108 short barrelled cannon.

The tailwheel strut is actually a rather complex design with plenty of

interesting features to admire.

Just look at those canopy hinges!

As with the wings, the tail features a fabric-covered control surface, in We believe that this bulge is the fairing for the wing tank’s connecting pipes. Note the deflected flap.
this case the large rudder.
EVENTS DIARY
Model shows for 2019
June 16th 2019
West Norfolk IPMS Show to be held at
Downham Market Town Hall, Downham
Market Town Hall, Downham Market,
Norfolk , PE38 9HS. Admission: Adults:
£3.00. Under 16: £1.00. Under 5: free. All
profits to Norwich & Norfolk Association
for the Blind.
Contact: IPMS West Norfolk,
Steve Gregory. Tel: 01760 755596.
Email: sinmom@tiscali.co.uk
June 22nd 2019
Ipswich IPMS Model Day 2019 to be
held from 10am ’til 4pm. The venue has
parking, a bar, and a hot food outlet.
There will be trade and local IPMS stands
there. The date is again the same day as
the Ipswich Transport Museum’s Model
Day (of which we are now part). That is
the Museum, Ipswich Model Railway Club
rooms, Ipswich Model Engineering Club
site, the local model railway shop will be
open and a local church hall will have a
model railway show.
There will be vintage buses running
around a circuit, stopping at each site
(with us first!)
At the museum there will be RC cars
and lorries, RC Model Ships and
slot car racing, plus railway and bus
orientated stands. A complete ticket for
entrance and bus travel will be £10 with
accompanied children free. The entrance
fee just for our part will be £2.
Contact: IPMS Ipswich, Graham Lovell.
Email: g43lovell@hotmail.co.uk
78 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2019
June 23rd 2019
Coventry And Warwickshire IPMS Show
to be held at Midland Air Museum,
Midland Air Museum, Rowley Road,
Coventry, CV3 4FR. Coventry and
Warwickshire IPMS Proudly Invite you
attend their summer show at the Midland
Air Museum Coventry. They will be over
15 traders and 25 clubs attending, car
parking is free, but normal entrance fees
apply to non-exhibiting IPMS members.
The Museum will also have an Open
Cockpit Day , with some of the exhibits
being manned by the museum staff. A
restaurant is available serving Hot and
Cold snacks. There will be an “open”
table Competition, and certificates will be
presented, to the winner of each class,
chosen by the club members. A great day
out , with lots to see.
Contact: Paul Redfern. Tel: 02472 301033.
Email: cwipms2019@gmail.com
June 29th & 30th 2019
The Wings & Wheels Model Spectacular
will take place on 29th & 30th June
2019, the 33rd annual show. Every type
of model aircraft from WW1 biplanes
to the latest fast jets. Big displays of
Model boats in our main marquee and
demonstrations of the boats in action
in our large boat pool. Also features
trucks and tanks displays. Trade stands,
huge Bring & Buy and refreshments.
Camping for the weekend which also
includes free musical entertainment in
the Marquee bar and Night Flying on
Saturday evening. Tickets available from
our website www.wingsnwheels.net and
at the gate.
June 29th 2019
IPMS Plymouth Model Show to be held at
Plymouth Guildhall, Guildhall Square
Plymouth, PL1 2BJ. Over 35 clubs and
traders in attendance. Displays covering
75 years since D-Day, all types of Static &
R/C Models and a Model Railway will be on
show. Reenactment groups may also be in
attendance. There will be a tombola and the
cafe will be selling hot & cold refreshments
throughout the day. There is disabled
access to all floors. Entrance fees are
Adults £4, OAP/Child £2, Family £10. Armed
Forces personnel FREE with ID Card.. Help
for Heroes will have a model display stand.
Contact: Roger Haskell. Tel: 01752 267527.
Email: roger_eileen.haskell@live.co.uk
August 11th 2019
Boscombe Down Aviation Collection to
hold their Fourth Model Show in Hangar 1,
Old Sarum Airfield, Old Sarum, Salisbury,
SP4 6DZ. Displays by model clubs across
the region along with trade stands and
other displays. Entry includes the model
show and museum, as well as the
experience of sitting in a fast jet cockpit!
www.boscombedownaviationcollection.co.uk
September 8th 2019
ASVC Wombourne to hold their
annual show between 10:00 am and
16:00pm at the Wombourne Library
and Community Centre, Church Road,
Wombourne, Wolverhampton, South
Staffordshire, WV5 9EZ.
Contact Martyn Crowther.
Email: asvcwombourne@outlook.com
CONTACTS
✆ ✉
Contact details for companies featured in MAI this month...

Azur/Frrom Hasegawa Corporation, Lela Presse S.A.R.L. Revell GmbH

**See Special Hobby Ltd**
Albion Alloys
518 Wallisdown Rd, Bournemouth,
Dorset BH11 8PT
www.albionhobbies.com
Tel. 0044 1202 511232
Fax. 0044 1202 539967
Creative Models Ltd
Creative Models Ltd
Unit 6-10 Ind Est
Chatteris
PE16 6TG
Tel: +44 (0)1354 760022
Fax: +44 (0)1354 760037
www.creativemodels.co.uk
Eduard M.A.,
170 Obrnice,
Obrnice,
435 21,
Czech Republic
Tel: 420 35 6 11 81 86
Fax: 420 35 6 11 81 71
Email: info@eduard.cz
Hannants
Harbour Road,
Oulton Broad,
Lowestoft,
Suffolk
NR32 3LZ
Tel: 01502 517444
Fax: 01502 500521
www.hannants.co.uk
3-1-2 Yagusu Yaizu,
Shizuoka 425-8711,
Japan
Tel: 81 54 6 28 82 41
Fax: 81 54 6 27 80 46
Historie & Collections
5 avenue de la Ræpublique
F-75541
Paris Cédex 11
Tel: 01 40 21 18 20
Fax: 01 47 00 51 11
www.historieetcollections.fr
The Hobby Company Limited
Garforth Place,
Knowlhill,
Milton Keynes
MK5 8PH
Tel: 01908 605 686
Fax: 01908 605 666
Email: sales@hobbyco.net
or enquiries@hobbyco.net
www.hobbyco.net
ICM Holding
Borispolskaya 9, Building 64,
Kiev 02099,
Ukraine
Tel/Fax: (+380 44) 369 54 12
Email: export@icm.com.ua
Italeri S.p.A
Via Pradazzo 6/B,
I-40012 Calderara di Reno,
(Bologna),
Italy
Tel: +39 051 72 60 37
Fax: +39 051 72 64 59
Email: italeri@italeri.com
29, rue Paul Bert, Unit 10, Old Airfield Industrial Estate,
62230 Outreau, France. Cheddington Lane,
Tel: 03 21 33 88 96 Tring, HP23 4QR
Fax: 03 21 32 00 39 Tel: 0845-459-0747
www.avions-bateaux.com. Fax: 01296-660041
Email: info@avions-bateaux.com. Email: ukbranch@revell.de
www.revell.de/en
MARK I Ltd.
PO Box 10, Revell GmbH & Co., KG
CZ-100 31 Prague 10 – Strasnice, Abteilung X,
Czech Republic Henschelstr 20-30,
Tel: +420-241 765 158 D-32257 Bünde,
Fax: +420-241 765 158 Germany
Email: mark1@cmail.cz
Special Hobby Ltd
Master Model Mezilesi 718,
71-126 Szczecin, Prague 9 193 00,
ul. 26 Kwietnia 49/44, Czech Republic
Poland www.cmkkits.com
Tel: +48 0 503 072 624
Email: info@master-model.pl Wydawnictwo Stratus s.c.
www.master-model.pl PO Box 123,
27-600 Sandomierz 1,
Mushroom Model Poland
Publications Tel: 0-15 833 30 41
3 Gloucester Close, Email: office@stratusbooks.biz
Petersfield, www.stratusbooks.com.pl
Hants.
GU32 3AX Trumpeter
Tel: +44 (1)1730 265014 Wa San Development (Macau) Ltd
Email: rogerw@mmpbooks.biz Rampa Dos Cavleiros No.9,
www.mmpbooks.biz Block 5, Floor 16, Flat AS EDF,
Jardim Sun Yick Garden,
Pocketbond Ltd. Macaua
POCKETBOND China
Bachmann Europe PLC www.trumpeter.com
Moat Way
Barwell Wingnut Wings Ltd
Leics LE9 8EY PO Box 15-319,
Tel 01455 841756 Miramar,
info@pocketbond.co.uk Wellington 6022,
New Zealand
www.wingnutwings.com

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 79

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 S ubscrib
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To d
r i b e To
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NEXT ISSUE 53

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SO WHAT’S PLANNED FOR THE NEXT ISSUE?

c
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THE FLYING CONUNDRUM BENT WING BIRD

Amusing Hobby’s 1:48 Focke-Wulf Triebflügel is an amazing kit as we find out Alan Kelly takes another look at Tamiya’s incredible 1:32 F4U Corsair
next month…

SUPERMARINE’S MYTHICAL MASTERPIECE

We take detailed look the brand-new Airfix 1:48 Spitfire FR.Mk.XIV

Issue 168 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 81

FINAL THOUGHTS

SHOULD WE RETURN TO
RAISED PANEL LINES..?!
ell that heading got your attention didn’t it?! Let me
Written by Spencer Pollard
couldn’t help but wonder how that aircraft would look in miniature, and

W explain what I mean by that and why I think that at

least in part, perhaps use of raised details can be
more realistic than the hyper-smooth surfaces we
see today…
Models created by the world’s manufacturers are on the whole
almost universally smooth, delicately incised panel lines and rivets
being the decoration du jour for the budding modelmaker keen to create
then how only recessed details would capture its surfaces, or whether it
would need a 70’s approach to detailing to really create its agricultural
look in scale. Honestly, it would not look right if it was smooth, no matter
how superb the rest of the detail appeared to be…
I’m certainly not suggesting that we should return wholesale to the
days of raised panel lines and rivet lines, but I do think that there is
an argument for the use of both on the surface of an aircraft kit where
impressively washed surface finishes that we all love so much. But appropriate and possible. Of course, all of this would be down to the
here’s the thing, at a time when model kits have never been so accurate companies involved to be able to replicate these features and then
and complete, their surface finishes are designed to be more in keeping decide if the outlay was worth it and then of course, convince modellers
with the finishing needs of the modeller, rather than being accurate who have grown up on smooth surfaces and the ease of painting and
reflections of the way a real aircraft looks - or at least, before the F-35 weathering that such an approach allows, to embrace what would be a
and its ultra-smooth construction showed up on the scene! rather radical approach! I for one would welcome it – how about you?
Look at almost every aircraft that you care to mention and you’ll see
that the surface is not a smooth flowing shape in the main, many of See you next time. ■
them exhibiting both raised and recessed panels, rivets, overlapping
areas and fasteners. Though this certainly true of fixed wing aircraft, it is
particularly so of helicopters where raised rivets are an almost ever-
present feature and yet they are almost never replicated in a modern kit
in that way, which to me at least, is rather missing a trick…
What brought this to mind was a recent visit to the RAF Museum
Cosford. I was checking out the Short Brothers SB5 when I became
aware of how heavily riveted the aircraft was around its tail and how
those rivets stood out against the otherwise smooth surface of the
aircraft and the recessed panels that decorated it. As I stood there, I
 69 AUTHENTIC COLOURS DESIGNED FOR MODELLING EXCELLENCE
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