The Ace Maker: Faster Than A Speeding Bullet! Faster Than A Speeding Bullet! Faster Than A Speeding Bullet!

ALL THE INFORMATION YOU’LL EVER NEED
TO CREATE THE BEST AIRCRAFT MODELS 6 NEW BUILDS

INSIDE
1:7 2 KIT BU ILD
UNSUNG
HERO
GET THE BEST FROM
S
IBER ARMA’S DELIGHTFUL,
S U BSCIRNSIDE 1:72 HURRICANE MK.I.
FOR TAILS
DE
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December 2019
£4.75 / Issue 173
1:48 KIT
BUILD
HEART OF
THE STORM
PLASTIC AND RESIN
COMBINE, AS WE
POWER-UP EDUARD’S
STUNNING 1:48
TEMPEST.
1:72 KIT BUILD
THE GREY LADY

REVELL’S
SHACKLETON MR.3
SETS OUT ON
PATROL…
1:24 KIT BUILD
THE ACE MAKER

WE FINALLY COMPLETE OUR BUILD OF THE EXTRAORDINARY AIRFIX 1:24 F6F-5 HELLCAT.
SUNGLASSES AT THE READY..!
1:32 KIT BUILD
FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET!

SHINING BRIGHTLY, REVELL’S 1:32 BELL X-1 TESTS THE LIMITS… 9 771747 504069
How to contact us:
Contents Tel: 01525 222573
Model Airplane International. Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,
VOLUME 14. ISSUE 173. DECEMBER 2019 Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, England
VOL.14 ISS.173 DECEMBER 2019

Editorial:
REGULARS P22 UNSUNG HERO Editor: Spencer Pollard
Mike Williams builds Arma Hobby’s 1:72 Hawker spencer@doolittlemedia.com
P04 - IN THIS ISSUE Hurricane Mk.I. Publisher: Alan Harman
P06 - COMMENT Group Editor: Marcus Nicholls
P08 - NEWSLINE P28 THE GREY LADY Administration Manager: Hannah McLaurie
P78 - EVENTS DIARY Office Manager: Paula Gray
P79 - CONTACT DETAILS Mike Williams builds the latest addition to Revell’s Advertising Manager: Richard Andrews
P81 - NEXT ISSUE collection of Avro Shackletons. richard@doolittlemedia.com
P82 - FINAL THOUGHTS…
P36 RUN DOWN SHACK Art:
REVIEWS Spencer Pollard photographs Bruntingthorpe’s Editorial Design: Peter Hutchinson
Advertising Design: Peter Hutchinson & Alex Hall
Shackleton to reveal some of its secrets.
P10 KIT BOX Advertisement and circulation:
Which models will you be building over the P40 THE HEARTY OF THE STORM Model Airplane International, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,
coming months? Nigel Poole superdetails Eduard’s Hawker Tempest Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX.
with a collection of BRASSIN updates. Tel: 01525 222573
P12 IN PRINT E-mail: sean@doolittlemedia.com
New additions to your library’s shelves.
P50 READY STEADY GO! Distribution:
P26 ONE, ONE, FOUR FOUR NEWS Christoff Theunissen shows us how to build a Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue,
All that’s new for fans of this increasingly classic Spitfire racer in 1:48. London, EC1A 9PT.
popular scale. Tel: 020 7429 4000
P58 FASTER THAN SOUND…
FEATURES Ivan Jenson Taylor builds Revell’s 1:32 Bell X-1 Newstrade:
Select Publisher Services, 3 East Avenue,
‘Glamorous Glennis’. Bournemouth, BH3 7BW.
P14 IT’S SHOWTIME! Tel: 01202 586848 E-mail: tim@selectps.com
We visit the wonderfully compact, IPMS P70 THE ACE MAKER
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extraordinary Airfix 1:24 F6F-5 Hellcat. Model Airplane International, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,
Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX. Tel: 01525 222573
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Issue 173 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 3

IN THIS ISSUE...
Welcome to the December issue of your favourite
aircraft modelling magazine!
s I write this brief introduction be extended by at least 50%. That has
A to this issue of MAI, I am four

days away from one of the
largest model shows on the
calendar, the IPMS Scale
Model World event from Telford. I’d like
to say that the panic button has not quite
been hit, but it really feels that it has,
never has that been brought into starker
focus than during my Hellcat build, where
construction threw up hurdles that I hadn’t
anticipated and then the finish, challenges
that though enjoyable to face, resulted in
a colour scheme that sits firmly in the top
one, most challenging of my career so far.
a rush to finish a magazine and then Now that it is finished though, I have
Written by prepare for the show, being all-to familiar to say that I’m proud of the results and
stepping stones on the way to the show. more than happy to reveal it to you in this
Spencer Pollard What hasn’t helped though, is the issue. I’m a firm believer that you should
completion of the Airfix Hellcat and the sometimes challenge yourself to build
time that it took to paint and assemble the something that you know will be harder
model, the story of which you will –– partly than you anticipate, because that’s really
–– discover in this issue. the only the way to learn and develop.
There has always been a rule of thumb Much like a drummer that only plays
with this job that any time that you give 4/4 who’s asked to play in another time
to the completion of a model should signature and hasn’t learned the way to
4
do that previously, they will struggle to keep up and Along with my Hellcat, we have a collection of
perhaps opportunities to enjoy something different very fine articles on some very fine models for
will be lost. Same with building models. Though you to enjoy, Nigel Poole’s 1:48 Eduard Tempest,
it would have been easier and frankly less time- Mike Williams’ 1:72 ARMA Hurricane and Revell
consuming to have simply tackled the Hellcat from Shackleton MR.3, Christoff Theunissen’s racing
the box and painted it in one of the kit schemes Spitfire and finally, Ivan Jensen Taylor’s rendition
(which are still very nice, by the way!) it would not of the Revell 1:32 Bell X-1. All of these articles will
have created a model that I could look at and say offer the reader much to enjoy and thanks to their
“yeah, I did that”. That’s not to say that mine is above step-by step nature where very little is left out, much
everyone else’s in terms of quality, just that I really to learn from should any of these models be inspiring
wanted (actually, needed…) to see what was possible enough to draw you into having a go at one or more
from what Airfix provided in their kit box and how far of them. Certainly, when I read Mike’s review of the
I could push it. little ARMA Hurricane, I couldn’t help but be intrigued
So, this month, finally, the model is done and and now that they have announced a Mk.IIc to go
ready to be shown in this magazine in its completed with their earlier Mk.I seen in this issue, I’m more
form. Initially, I had planned to simply publish one than excited by the idea of adding one to my build
complete article that showed both the painting and schedule for the next few months! You see, even the
final construction, but the sheer number of images editor can be inspired once in a while!
(205 in total) really suggested that a longer feature
and a third part might be worthwhile to capture the
project in more detail. I hope that you approve and This then is the December issue of Model
that you gain as much from seeing that process as I Airplane International. We hope that you enjoy it
did, creating it ready for publication. and that we see you next month.
THE FOUNDATION
EMPIRE
Jonathan Mock looks at why some things change, but the basics stay the same
“Rules are meant to be broken”.
t’s probably a phrase focus recently by a subject the job? My preferred method fragile mouldings, thus negating
I attributable to a host of famous

people down the years but
in my mind it’s the words of
Jeff Tracy in the 1966 Gerry
Anderson movie ‘Thunderbirds
Are Go’. The idea of “tearing up
the rule book” does the rounds
that has graced these pages
before, namely the idea of the
“unnecessary gloss coat”. The
theory being that glossing a
model prior to decalling is a wholly
unneeded step and there are
other ways and methods to get
is to usually do a gloss coat last
thing and let it cure overnight,
but lacquer varnishes like Mr.
Color and the new Tamiya LP
paints means waiting less than an
hour before cracking on with the
decalling if needs must.
any chances of making a decent
model at the end of it.
Every book and article out there
will tell you to carefully remove
the parts. Down the years my
methods for this have changed
from the humble Stanley knife
more frequently than an office decals to stick to model without One of the great changes in and an off-cut of hardboard, to
cold and without looking at long the dreaded ‘silvering’. our hobby in the last decade or scalpels, cutting mats and side-
established idea or methods True, there are other methods so is how innovative things have cutters. I wrote a year back about
and questioning them, progress but this applies across life in become in terms of products my experiences with the Dspiae
would never be made. But equally general – just because one and techniques, but to draw on cutters, how their simple and
some things remain pretty much could travel from Land’s End another French expression, “plus precise ability to effortlessly slice
a constant; we can explore new to John O’Groats on a space ça change, plus c’est la même through plastic felt like some kind
ways of cheating gravity, but its hopper doesn’t mean cars are an chose”, the more things change of epiphany. A year on they elicit
existence cannot be denied. unnecessary mode of transport. the more they stay the same and the same sense of awe every time
Building model kits is There’s a reason why glossing that starts with the basics before I use them but the basic process
essentially a very simple process has proven popular down the you can think about moving onto I am following is still the same –
and although the ways we achieve decades and that is because it is advanced stuff – little point in removing the parts as neatly as
results may differ and evolve, simple, expedient and works. Yes, entering the Tour de France if you possible.
the foundations remain. There is you could spend hours polishing can’t ride a bike. The old adage about using
a wonderful French expression, and buffing paint, yes you could Perhaps the first and most glue or cement sparingly still
“Ce n’est pas la mer à boire”, apply oceans of setting fluid, cut obvious starting point is removing applies. Actually those terms are
which translates as “it is not like varnish away, touch up silvering parts from the sprue. There’s something of an oxymoron as
you have to drink the ocean” but with paint etc., but why would a reason why we don’t tear the plastic modelling “glues” – from
reflects the notion that simple you when a few minutes with an parts off with our bare hands the stringiest tube to the latest
things should not be difficult. airbrush or paintbrush and your and that’s because we’re more quick drying liquids – are in fact
This was brought into favourite gloss varnish, will do likely to bend, break and damage solvents that work by softening
6 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019

‘Europe’s Number One Model Shops’
www.hannants.co.uk
LFPE7232 - 1:72 Sikorsky H-5G £23.40
the plastic thus creating a acrylics and lacquers. Not more decal-heavy so perhaps
chemical weld. So obviously only can you buy more don’t lend themselves to
if you are using an overkill accurate camouflage colours this approach. Similarly,
of solvent on a plastic part, but sets offering darker drybrushing lighter colours on
then you’re inviting misery. and lighter variations for armour also seems to have
Our methods of joining weathering. You can buy fallen out of style in favour LFPE7233 - 1:72 Sikorsky HO3S-1 Korean war £23.40
parts down the years have glossy, decal ready paints of pre-shading, chipping,
evolved, started with the like Xtracolor that obviate the modulation etc… but here we
aforementioned tube glues need for the gloss coat or are talking about personal
and illustrations showing stick to matt or satin paints preference rather than the
them being applied with a pin, and reach for that traditional basic plot-points of getting a
to bottles of Humbrol ‘Britfix’ gloss coat. model from A to B.
and a nylon brush, ‘Contacta’- But, the old advice of Then again, are any of the
types with a metal needle applying thin layers will basics really essential? You
through to today’s wonders remain largely true for as don’t have to use a knife or
like Tamiya’s Extra Thin long as modellers apply cutters to remove the parts,
Quick Setting liquid cement. paint. About the only instance but the results will be better
But, again, the basics still where more is more is if you. You don’t have to LFPE7234 - 1:72 Westland Sikorsky WS-51 Dragonfly
apply. applying wet coats to things use plastic solvents to join HC.Mk.2/4 £23.40
The elimination of join lines like cars and motorbikes, the components and could
and seams is something that but here skill is still required muddle by on with household
is never going to go away not to flood the surface and contact adhesive, the but the
even with the best slide- end up with running paint. joins will be weaker. You don’t
moulding technology. Again, Another thing that has have to remove seam lines,
every text on the subject has changed, thanks to advances but your model will look the
always stressed the need in paint formulas, is that you worse for it. You don’t have
to get rid of seams, and the can apply lighter colours to apply paint thinly but it will
tools have changed. Many over dark, at least as far look like a mess if you cake
of us probably started out as airbrushing goes, which it on. You don’t have to use
with simple emery boards or reverses the old advice on a gloss coat but… actually LFPE7235 - 1:72 Westland Sikorsky WS-51 Dragonfly
rat-tail files before graduating the process. you do because until a new HR.Mk.1/5 £23.40
to wet-and-dry papers as Although airbrush method that is proven, easy,
our skills improved and our technology has been repeatable and reliable
desires for a better finish refined and attempts made comes along, it remains the
grew. The emery board to reinvent it –– the Atzek best and most fool-proof
has now given way to the springs to mind –– it remains route for getting rid of decal
foam backed sanding pads largely the same and as film – short of painting the
and ‘skinny’ sticks that are for paintbrushes, modern markings on yourself, of
available in various grades, synthetics get very close which there are a growing
all of which have made to emulating the feel of the number of adherents who like
sanding down seam lines so sable which still holds sway to make their own painting
much easier than decades when it comes to quality. But masks using Silhouette
ago. But the basic technique and at the risk of repetition, cutters. LFPE7236 - 1:72 Sikorsky S-51 RAAF £23.40
and end result are the same the advice given 50 years Me? I Like to use decals, it
regardless of which tool you ago on applying paint still was always the part I looked
use for the job and requires applies. The basics never go forward too as it felt like the
the one thing you cannot buy out of fashion. model truly started to come to
– skill. The latter can only be About the one area where life, more so when it comes to
learnt through patience and techniques have had a adding the national markings
practice. rethink is applying a sealing like roundels, crosses, or
The process of painting a coat of varnish on armour star-and-bars, a moment that
model these days is assisted models. The thinking there in an Epicurean way I save
–– and some would say is that a flat varnish kills until pretty much the last step
perhaps hindered –– by a any depth to underlying in the decalling process. And
LFPE7237 - 1:72 Sikorsky S-51 RCAF £23.40
bewildering array of paint weathering layers and makes until that better method comes
choices out there. While the model look too lifeless. around I think I’ll stick to
enamels still maintain a It’s an idea that intrigues me applying that gloss coat. After
following, they are jostling and is one I’m currently trying all, I’ve got at least a dozen H.G.Hannant Ltd,
for space with water-based out to see if it works for me, bottles of the stuff, and it has Harbour Road, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR32 3LZ, England.
acrylics, alcohol-based though aircraft tend to be to be used somehow… ■ Open from 09.00 to 17.30 Monday to Saturday.
Phone: 00 44 (0)1502 517444 (8 lines) 0845 130 72 48 local rate
from UK phones only (NOT mobiles)
Fax: 00 44 (0)1502 500521 E-Mail: sales@hannants.co.uk
This month’s round-up of all that’s new in the world of aircraft modelling...
EDUARD
www.eduard.com
MUSTANGS, MIGS AND FOKKERS…

ctober sees the release of five new aircraft kits
1:48 P-51D-5 MUSTANG - 82101
O from Eduard, two Mustangs, two MiGs and one

Fokker D.VII. From the information presented
by Eduard, the MiG-23BN looks to be another
collaboration, this time with Trumpeter, the
basic plastic kit being embellished with a detailed book
on the aircraft in Czechoslovak & Czech AF service, as
well as new decals, etched details and a small collection
of resin parts. The other four kits are all Eduard originals,
including new versions of their much-praised 1:48
Mustang that we looked at recently. We will try and look
any some of these new kits in a future edition of MAI.
1:72 MIG-21MFN - 7452

1:48 MIG-23BN FLOGGER - 11132
1:72 FOKKER D.VII (MÁG)
1:48 P-51D MUSTANG ‘EXCALIBUR’ - 7141

KIT BOX
1:72
ITALERI
www.italeri.com
B-58 HUSTLER
Italeri/Materials: IM/Kit No. 1142/Availability: All Good Model Shops/Price: £29.99
T
his 4-engined delta wing trick, by creating a kit that though Much has been written about this that you can still build a nice model
bomber came into service nicely moulded and for the time, kit over the years and where the from this kit and would argue that
with the US Strategic Air comprehensively detailed, was less problems lie, the confusion being that with a clean build and then a carefully
Force at the beginning of the than accurate. It had a fuselage that the designer worked out the length applied metal finish embellished with
60s and was, at that time, the was considerably shorter than it of fuselage with the nose boom in the neatly printed decals, you will
pinnacle of technology. The B-58 could needed to be, the result being a model place, thus compressing its length end up with a model that only those
reach supersonic speeds even at full that was rather more caricature than by the length of the boom. As the fully in the know will recognise as
load and was specifically designed to accurate rendition. Now, 35 years on, discrepancy is across the entire length being inaccurate. Indeed, I have seen
carry nuclear weapons so as to provide that impression is far from redundant, of the fuselage halves, with errors all this model complete and despite my
a fast response to a Soviet attack, but as it is the only game in town, lets the way along, the only way to deal background knowledge, have enjoyed
which, back in the Cold War of the 50s, take a look at what is supplied in this with this would be to break it into seeing it on display as it still looks to
was considered a constant threat. reissue and what is possible from the several sections, add material, clean me, like a B-58!
Despite its incredible looks and kit. up the surfaces and then try and fix Away from the airframe, the model
almost mythical status, the B-58 Inaccuracies aside, this is still a the wings in place, blending everything features a reasonably full cockpit
has not been well-served within the neat enough affair, with nicely moulded together to allow that incredible natural with front and rear crew stations,
modelling community with only a very parts, surface detail that looks in scale, metal finish to be recreated. Have I detail undercarriage bays, complex
small handful of kits appearing over the finer features that look to be pleasingly mentioned the panel lines? These undercarriage legs and then the
years, and only one in 1:72 - the Italeri comprehensive and a set of decals would also need to be added — not BLU-2/B-2 Fuel Pod, BLU-2/B-3
kit being assessed here. that more than match those available easy. Here’s the rub though: because Combined Fuel and Weapons Pod
First released to an expectant public from the aftermarket. In essence, it’s the issue is across the entire length of and B43 Free-Fall Nuclear Weapon,
in 1984, though initially welcomed, a reasonable kit, but still the issues the fuselage, the error is not obvious, four of which are included in the box.
it soon became apparent that the persist — not least, that fuselage so can it be ignored if you chose - so Add to that the impressive underwing
designers had somewhat missed a length... where does that leave us? Well, I think GE J79 engine pods and you have an
impressive aircraft model, despite it
being replicated in 1:72.
Along with the plastic parts, the
kit offers a choice of no less that six
different B-58s, all finished in natural
metal. The choices are as follows:
● Bu.No. 92442, 43rd Bomber Wing,

Carswell AFB, Texas, 1960.
● Bu.No. 12053, 305th Bomber Wing,
Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 1964.
● Bu.No. 12059, 305th Bomber Wing,
Westover AFB, Massachusetts, 1964.
The decals are superb, being

beautiful printed, accurate in colour
and perfectly in register. Though the
Hustler was not exactly garish in terms
of finish and markings, the options
offered in the kit should be enough to
create an interesting model, especially
if you nail that metal finish.
VERDICT
Though not the most accurate model on the planet, I can’t help but be happy that not only has this kit been reissued, but that I now have the chance to build one
for my collection. As mentioned, I think that if you focus on construction and finish, you will end up with a very pleasing model of one of the world’s best looking
aircraft.
Thanks to the Hobby Company for the sample looked at this month. (Spencer Pollard)

1:72
ITALERI
www.italeri.com
F-15C EAGLE
I
taleri’s 1:72 F-15 has appeared the intakes. Offered only in their 128 rails that carry later weapons Squadron, Nancy AB, Green Shield
in various guises since its first retracted position, the intakes are such as AMRAAM missiles on the Exercise, 2014.
appearance at the end of the split into two halves, thus creating current fleet of US jets. Similarly,
80s, the initial F-15E morphing a seam that will need smoothing the jet pipes are nothing more than It always seems as though we are
in and out of F-15C kits as the out, but that’s where the problems basic, single-part shapes, so really repeating ourselves in MAI, but the
decades have rolled on. The one begin, because with absolutely no will need to be replaced, Aires items decal sheet really is the highlight of
we see here is the latest incarnation evidence of intake tunnels, you have being a particularly impressive this kit, being as good as anything
and though not entirely perfect, the to decide how best to hide their option. you will see elsewhere. The choices
kit is a welcome reissue with much omission. Intake blanks will work, Along with the plastic parts, the are superb as well and though the
to recommend it. as may some inner surgery and/ kit includes a truly amazing decal two-tone blue aggressor is the real
Moulded in pale great plastic, or careful painting for those that sheet that offers four different star of the show, the others are
the kit has a look of mid 80s ESCI simply cannot resist the temptation aircraft. The choices are as follows: more than interesting as well, even
about it (indeed, I’m not entirely to peer into the hidden recesses of a if in some cases, you will need
convinced that the provenance of completed model. ● F-15C MSIP II, s/n 78-0470, 65th to update the kit to create a truly
the kit is not from that direction) with As mentioned, the weapons are Agressor Squadron, Nellis AFB, accurate model.
nicely moulded components, petite rather bland, being only simple Nevada, March 2014.
panel lines, an ostensibly accurate shapes to hang from the underwing ● F-15C MSIP II, s/n 78-0023, 125th
shape and delicately detailed sub- pylons and fuselage sides/conformal FW, Florida ANG, Leeuwarden AFB,
assemblies. The airframe is broken fuel tanks. Notable as well, is that April 2015.
down in much the same way as although the kit contains Israeli ● F-15C Baz, No. 828, 106th
many of the F-15s that appeared markings, pylons and weapons seen Spearhead Squadron, Tel Nof AB,
during that time, with full-length on those aircraft are noticeable by June 2010.
upper and lower fuselage halves their absence, as are the latest LAU- ● F-15C RSAF, 7th Wing, 2nd
that include the nose, upper and
lower wing halves, split intakes,
separate fins, tailplanes and in
this case, conformal fuel tanks
completing the basic airframe.
The whole shooting match is then
detailed with a cockpit interior,
undercarriage, underfuselage
fuel tank, rather bland Sidewinder
and Sparrow missiles, and then
jet pipes, the latter bearing only a
passing resemblance to the real
thing.
Surface detail really is impressive,
that engraved over the wings being
particularly lovely. Though the wings
are separate from the horizontally
split fuselage halves, the fit looks to
be sufficiently tight that filling should
be kept to a minimum. The nose
may prove more problematic given
that the seam runs through some
prominent panels, but once again,
care should reap benefits, even if
you’ll end up wet ’n’ dry in hand,
during the process.
If the main airframe is impressive,
the same cannot really said of
VERDICT
This is a fine little kit that will please fans of modern aircraft. The detail is delicate and in the main, comprehensive and the shape of the airframe seemingly
accurate. You will certainly need to dig into either the spares’ box or the aftermarket to deal with some of the shortcomings, but as it stands there is much to
recommend this impressive little kit.
Thanks to the Hobby Company for the sample looked at this month. (Spencer Pollard)

KIT BOX
1:72
ITALERI
www.italeri.com
HARRIER GR.1 TRANSATLANTIC AIR RACE 50TH ANNIVERSARY

to extend the wingtips, because
W
hen ESCI
released their these are only supplied in stock,
family of Harriers shortened form (the refuelling
at the start of the probe is supplied). But that’s
80s they were about it, the rest of the kit being
rightly praised for their delicacy, finely detailed and accurate.
accuracy and ease of assembly. As with many of its companions
There were slight compromises, from other ranges (such as those
the cockpits being in the main, produced by Fujimi) the modular
rubbish, but overall they were and nature of this family of kits has the
in fact still are, very fine little kits aircraft broken down into sections,
and until the release of the Airfix the nose being separate, as
GR.1/AV-8A, GR.3 family, were is the tail fin, both allowing the
the best available in this scale. replication of in part the GR.1/3
Having taken up many of and then more comprehensively,
the old ESCI range, Italeri have the Sea Harrier with its new nose,
rereleased all of the Harriers with cockpit and canopy. The shape
this, the GR.1 being the latest of the airframe is captured almost
to appear. Offered as a 50th perfectly and thanks to the single-
Anniversary package that includes part upper wing and fuselage
XV741, the record breaker flown panel, set-up is relatively easy
by Tom Lecky-Thompson, the and clean-up, straightforward -
kit also offers a 1 Squadron jet, important with a Harrier because
as well as an earlier example of that quadruple undercarriage
from the Harrier Operational layout.
Conversion Unit - a nice choice. In terms of smaller details and
The kit is as I remember it. features, cockpit aside, there is
Moulded in pale grey plastic, the plenty to enjoy. The undercarriage
levels of finesse and the delicacy for instance is in many way more
of the panel line detail is truly delicate than even that supplied
extraordinary given the age of the by Airfix, the pylons and airbrake
moulds. At the time this kit was bay are neatly replicated and
released, ESCI were arguably thanks to separate parts, the
the frontrunners in kit production, jet deflection panels on the
with products that were only fuselage sides, pleasingly three
really bettered by Tamiya, and dimensional. Even the jet nozzles
this family of kits was certainly score well, and though moulded
up there alongside the F-100 and in two halves that need cleaning
F-5, as examples of what they up, the vanes are sufficiently fine
were capable of. to create the illusion of deeper
Almost 40 years on, there are components. The only real
areas that could be improved; the compromise is the inclusion of
cockpit and seat are particularly only drop tanks and Sidewinder
bland, the intakes need work missiles - great for an AV-8A/C
–– or replacement –– to depict and a later GR.3, but not really
an aircraft on the ground with suitable for anything found in this
their upper doors shown drooped box, the 1 Squadron option being
(Freightdog offer just such particularly poorly served...
replacement intakes in resin) and
finally, if you are hoping to build
the Air Race aircraft, you will need
VERDICT
I really like this series of Harrier kits, so much so that I have plans to build the entire family for a collection of articles, next year. Until then, I can only conclude
with a recommendation and thank the Hobby Company for the sample looked at this month. (Spencer Pollard)

IN PRINT 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
VALIANT WINGS
www.valiant-wings.co.uk
THE HENSCHEL HS 123 - A TECHNICAL GUIDE - AIRFRAME DETAIL NO. 7
■ By Richard A. Franks drawings. Most of the diagrams come from manuals from the time
■ Published by Valiant Wings Publishing Ltd supported with many photos of details of the airframe. Some more
■ Guide Price £13.95 recent colour photos of preserved Hs 123 engines will be particularly
■ ISBN 978-1-912932-04-7 useful for those dressing a scale replica of the radial engine with its
■ 64pp softback, 297 x 210mm plumbing.
The chapter on Colour & Markings extends to 18 pages consisting of
descriptive text and many of Richard Caruana’s superb colour profiles.
T
his month we have another addition to the growing list of
Airframe Detail titles from this publisher. For those not familiar These illustrate many Luftwaffe schemes as well as those of the export
with the series, they are concise profiles on individual aircraft customers for the Hs 123. As well as the colour profiles we see a good
types. The list of titles includes types where information can be number of old photos of some of the aircraft shown amongst the colour
sparse and difficult to collate. The subject of this Hs 123 profile artwork.
is a good example. Although the Hs 123 was an important introduction Section 3 of the book is all things modelling the Hs 123. Much of
to a resurgent Luftwaffe in the mid-1930s, it has not been particularly this section takes in in depth look at the Gas Patch Hs 123A-1 1:48
well catered for by kit producing companies. Should you be looking for a kit. Steve Evans carries out a full build review of the kit and comes
solid reference book for a kit build, you will find all you need here. to a glowing conclusion, highly recommending the superb kit. The
The book opens with a brief history of the background and final pages provide lists of kits that have been released of the 123,
development of the Hs 123. This chapter is not so brief, extending accessories, decals and finally further reading material.
to about a dozen pages of interesting reading and photos of early If you are looking for all the information that you will need to turn
examples of the Hs 123 and then some of in-service examples from a an Hs 123 kit into something more accurate or something of a show-
variety of air forces. As well as being used as an effective dive-bomber stopper, this book comes highly recommended. Or, you may just be
by the Luftwaffe, the 123 were used by several overseas countries. As interested in aircraft of this era and wish to expand your knowledge,
is the case with several Luftwaffe types at this time, the Hs 123 first saw then add this book to your reading list and bookshelf.
combat in the Spanish Civil War. A handful of examples flown by the Thanks once again to Valiant Wings for sending their latest title for
Spanish Air Force remained in service into the early 1950s. review. See their web site: valiant-wings.co.uk for placing orders and
As ever in this series, many of the pages are dedicated to the information on other titles. You will also find this book on the stands of
technical aspects of the aircraft. This is where the modeller will find specialist book traders at your local model shows. (Alan Firbank)
all of those little details not generally found amongst the kit instruction

IMAGES AND CAPTIONS BY SPENCER POLLARD
IPMS WOMBOURNE WE VISIT THE IPMS WOMBOURNE SHOWCASE FROM THE HEART OF THE WEST MIDLANDS
The Wombourne show is a cosy affair

that centres around a few rooms within
the village hall. I really like it being this
small, the atmosphere always being
friendly and vibrant - and the breakfasts
are amazing!
We tend to see a lot of these little Porco Rosso flying boats around the UK’s model shows, this one A very unusual model, built very well, this 1:72 YFM-1 Airacuda drew admiring glances.
being seen on one of the club stands. I really must build one of these…
You don’t often see F-117s in white, so this one stood out from the crowd. When Airfix released their 1:48 BAC TSR.2, it was followed by a whole raft of ‘What-If?’ decals, this
NASA-inspired scheme being just one of the choices on offer.
How are your aircraft recognition skills today? This one tested me, but for those that don’t know, Easily my favourite model at the show, this little diorama was really pleasing thanks to its story and
it’s a Canadair CL-84 ‘Dynavert’… wonderfully rendered details.

Such a neat aircraft, the Bücker Bü 181 ‘Bestmann’ creates an equally pleasing miniature. The Airfix 1:48 Folland Gnat is a very fine kit, neatly modelled here.
No show report would be complete without a Harrier or two, right?! What an incredible colour scheme!
It’s was great to see such a well-made rendition of the Revell 1:48 Lockheed Ventura at the show. We are seeing more and more builds of Tamiya’s extraordinary 1:48 F-14 Tomcat at model shows
around the UK, this well-finished model in the colours of VF-2 Bounty Hunters, being a pleasing
exhibit for visitors to admire.

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 ...
EDUARD
www.eduard.com
SUPER 44 F6F-5 - CAT NO. 4463
As expected and predicted here in earlier MAI

editions. Eduard have released the Platz produced
F6F-5 with some fantastic livery options. If you like
props (and even if you don’t!) you’ll love this kit.
I highly recommend it. The original Platz kits are
some of the inest 1:144 scale kits produced to this
day, so Eduard should be commended for bringing
these to the European Market.
As can be seen from the images, the bag includes
one kit with almost all of the parts covered by a
single runner, with a separate cowling and clear
parts for the canopy. A inely printed decal sheet
offers four individual aircraft, three in overall Gloss
Sea Blue and the other in overall orange, the latter
being –– of course! –– our favourite!
This kit is now available from all good model
shops, or via the Eduard website at the address
shown above.

1:144
F6F-5 1:144 - 144012

Along with the basic plastic kit that Eduard have released, they have also announced a set
of coloured, photo-etched details that will add further gloss to what is already a ine-looking
package. The set includes a cluster of parts for the cockpit (including some truly minute seat
straps!) as well as bomb ins and oleo details for the undercarriage legs. All in all a ine little set
and one to be recommended.
MARK I MODELS
www.4pluspublications.com
Following on from last month’s news regarding the exciting Harrier and Starighter releases, we are being spoiled yet again with the news from
Mark I that they are about to release two new aftermarket kits which can be used in conjunction with the Harrier and F-104 kits. What is even more
exciting is that the weapons and stores included in both sets could be used with a vast array of other aircraft too, not just the Harrier and Starighter.
I know I’ll be treating myself to both of these sets very soon.
HARRIER GR.1/3/AV-8A/C: DETAILING AND WEAPONS SET - MKA14422

The irst set to be looked at this month is that designed to upgrade Mark I’s collection if Harrier
kits, both British and foreign in operation. Offered in resin, the kit includes a set of intakes that
look to depict drooped upper doors, a new Mk.9 seat and then a collection of weapons to go with
the tanks and Sidewinders supplied in the base kit. The collection of weapons is as follows:
l GBU-16 Paveway II
l Mk.83 1000 lb Bomb
l MATRA 155
l 1000lb GP Bomb
l Mk.82 500 lb Retarded Bomb
This new set should be available as this issue goes to press.
F-104 STARFIGHTER WEAPONS SET - MKA14421

The second upgrade set, though designed speciically for Mark I’s series of Starighters, could
certainly be used more widely (as indeed, could the Harrier set, come to think of it!) with weapons
used by a huge number of different aircraft, and not just the F-104. The collection of weapons is
as follows:
l Mk.82 (B-28) A-Bomb

l Orpheus Recce Pod
l SUU-21 Bomb Dispenser
l Mk.83 1000 lb Bomb
l Mk.82 500 lb Bomb
l BL755 Bomb
l Pylon For AS-34
l AS-35 Kormoran
l LAU-3A Rocket Pod
This new set should be available as this issue goes to press.
AVAILABLE FROM doolittlemedia.com

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 ...
HMA GARAGE
www.1999.co.jp
1:144 MIG-31 FIREFOX - 755867
If you’re old enough to remember 1982, then you’ll remember the movie Firefox starring the one
and only Clint Eastwood. This was a fictional story about an American special agent who infiltrates
the Soviet Union to steal a top secret and highly capable Soviet fighter and return it to the West.
The fictional Mig-31 from the movie was an incredibly futuristic looking aircraft which boasted top
secret stealth technologies and was just awesome in fairness.
Now you can get the infamous Mig-31 Firefox in 1:144 scale and wait for it, it’s produced in
injection-moulded plastic! A resin version is available from Anigrand, but though this kit looks
incredible it might only be available to the Asian market. So if you’re looking for one of these I
recommend you move fast before they sell out - it’s certainly on my Christmas list!
SCALE AIRCRAFT CONVERSIONS

www.scaleaircraftconversions.com
MIG-15BIS/UTI LANDING GEAR - 14431 A-4E/F SKYHAWK LANDING GEAR - 14432
A new set As with the above release, this one contains two sets of undercarriage legs,
of metal this time designed for the Eduard release of the Platz A-4E/F Skyhawk.
undercarriage Detail looks to
legs for the be very nice and
Eduard MiG- casting top-draw.
15bis kit. Given Add to the list
the delicacy of plus points,
of the kit legs, durability and you
these will provide have a worthwhile
some much- acquisition. Both
needed strength sets should now
and durability. be available from
Two sets are your favourite
included in the retailer, or direct
package, making from SAC.
this a value for
money release.

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
ORDER NOW: regardless of their experience.
 www.doolittlemedia.com
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DOOLITTLE MEDIA, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX. United Kingdon.
TEL: +44(0)1525 222573. FAX: +44(0)1525 222574. ONLINE: www.adhbooks.com
KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY MIKE WILLIAMS
UNSUNG
HERO
Get the best from Arma Hobby’s excellent
1:72 Hurricane Mk.I
rma Hobby from Poland are a relative
A newcomer to the model world, especially

as regards injection moulded full kits. They
have been making resin accessories and
kits for a few years and have earned a solid
reputation with their output of the esoteric and interesting.
The Hawker Hurricane Mk.I is only their second full kit to
be produced in injection moulded plastic, and it is very
impressive in the box and looks every bit a high end kit.
Their kit design seems to be cleverly thought out, in
fact it seems clear these kits are designed for modellers
by modellers. There are three versions of the Hurricane
in 1:72 from Arma Hobby: Mk.I, Mk.I ‘Trop’ and a Sea
Hurricane Mk.I plus bespoke resin and etched detail sets,
are available from their superb website. The Mk.I which we
are dealing with in this build is also available as an ‘Expert
set’ which includes a set of photo-etched details and a
set of pre-cut masks, however, this ‘Junior’ kit consists of
the plastic parts only with two markings options. As ever,
though, the proof of the pudding is in the eating as they
say; so let’s get started…
In The Box...
One runner of medium grey plastic carries the majority of the
parts with a smaller grey runner carrying the rudder and three
different spinners, wheels and pilot’s seat. A small clear runner
is also included which has the windscreen, canopy
and gun sight included. This somewhat small but
perfectly formed package is finished off with
a lovely decal sheet which is printed by
Techmod who have a good reputation
for producing excellent products. The
parts look absolutely superb on the
runners with exquisite details in the
undercarriage bays and
cockpit with separate
sidewalls, rudder pedals
and armoured seat
frame. Two types of
prop blade with three
types of spinner are
included along with
the Vokes tropical filter
(not for this version, but it is
there if you wish to use it) as are
two differing canopy pieces, one for
a closed canopy and the other one should you
wish to pose it open. Markings for two RAF Battle

1:72
SKILL LEVEL:
Intermediate
SPECIFICATION:
Arma Hobby 1/72 Hawker Hurricane Mk.1
Kit No. 70020
Materials: IM
Availability: www.armahobby.com
Price £11.99
BEFORE STARTING:
Tamiya Extra Thin Cement
Tamiya Extra Thin Cement Quick setting
EMA Plastic Weld
Tamiya masking Tape
Swann-Morton Scalpel No.3 handle with no.11 blades
Wilder pointed tweezers
Sponge sanders
Vallejo Plastic Putty
Micro drill and bits
Super glue
AIRBRUSH:
Iwata Revolution CR
Bartsharp 180
PAINTS USED:
MRP
118 Sky
Mr. Hobby Acrylics

H72 Dark Earth
H73 Dark Green
Tamiya Acrylics
XF-1 Flat Black
XF-7 Flat Red
Mr. Super Metallic

SM06 Chrome Silver

KIT BUILD
The exquisite panel line details and undercarriage bays can be appreciated here. Also note the The sum of the parts for the interior, are all readied for painting. The floor of the cockpit doubles as
positive location holes for the radiator and oil cooler intakes. the top of the wings. The tubular construction of the Hurricane cockpit sides can be seen here also.
The gun ports on the leading edges of the wings benefit greatly from being drilled out adding depth The fit of parts is perfect all round as can be seen here on a dry run to test ft the fuselage, cockpit
and realism. and wings.
of Britain (BoB) machines are included, both omission being seat belts. These were made
flown by Polish pilots, one from the famous from some painted strips of masking tape. The
Polish 303 Squadron and one from 1 Squadron control column and rudder pedal frame fit to
RCAF, as borrowed by 303 Squadron RAF. the ‘floor’ on top of the wing sub-section. The
tubular framework of the Hurricane cockpit
Getting Started is captured quite well, if a little oversized
Following the precise and clear instructions, for 1:72, but nevertheless Arma are to be
we start with the undercarriage bays and applauded for correctly depicting these in
wings. Here, Arma would have you install the situ. The instrument panel and armoured
undercarriage legs at this point, but they can seat frame along with the pilot’s seat were
be added later though as I tried and tested all painted silver, black and interior green, as
them before committing to glue. Sometimes correctly called out in the instructions, before
the manufacturer has a reason for doing, but I being carefully installed. Unfortunately, once
could find no obvious one in this case. the fuselage halves close around the cockpit, When the fuselage and wings are brought together they
The three parts that make up the very little can be seen through the small require nothing more than a drop of extra thin cement
undercarriage bays fit to the upper one-piece opening, but it looks suitably busy with the along the wing roots, before the seams can be gently
sanded to eliminate the joints.
wing section before both the upper and lower canopy opened.
wings are brought together. Fit all round is You are now faced with two sub assemblies,
exemplary, as is the detail included within wings and fuselage, which can now be
the bays. The gun openings in the wings are brought together. They fit perfectly with a
replicated using small ‘dimples’ and need resounding click needing nothing more than
drilling out to add a more realistic depth to a bead of extra thin cement along the wing
each one. roots to bond them together. The fit all round
is perfect requiring not a hint of putty or work
Moving On other than a light sanding along join lines to
The cockpit is dealt with next. This is fantastic eliminate the seams.
straight from the box with the only real The empennage is a superb piece of kit
24 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019 These three parts cleverly fit together to make up the
empennage. The separately moulded elevators can be
posed drooped if desired.
1:72
The wooden skewer acts as a suitable

handle to hold the model when applying
the Alclad Black primer
design, comprising horizontal stabilisers with

separate elevators and a one-piece unit for
the tail/rudder which all fit perfectly to the rear
The MRP-118 Sky was airbrushed
fuselage section. on in a scribbled effect to act as a
With the main construction all but finished basic weathering effect…
attention was turned to the smaller details like
the radiator, propeller and spinner and then
the undercarriage legs and wheels. I left the
radiator off until after the main paintwork had put to one side whilst I concentrated on the the fuselage and upper wings, again, giving a
been completed, so that the interiors could be painting and weathering of the main aircraft. suitably worn effect. When dry, the red panels
painted Sky at the same time. The oil cooler that surround the gun ports were airbrushed
intake fitted perfectly, as did the windscreen Painting And Decals on and then the wheelbays were masked up
and canopy, before the clear parts were I wanted to replicate a heavily weathered and and sprayed red and silver respectively. Once
masked in readiness for paint. hard-worked Battle Of Britain machine, so dry and unmasked, the whole model was
The propeller has alternative paddle or I started with a black primer to act as a sort airbrushed with a generous gloss coat ready
pointed blades and three different spinners of pre-shade and also a layer to tone-down for the excellent decals to be applied. These
so check your references before committing and deaden the camouflage colours, which are very thin so needed care and a delicate
to glue. Care is needed to line up the prop was doing using Alclad Black Micro Filler hand during application. The decals dried out
blades at their correct angles to their back Primer. This was then carefully polished with fantastically and settled down perfectly over
plate, but the fittings are positive and with 8000 grit finishing cloth before I scribbled the the surface details and panel lines, giving a
care, you could probably make the prop spin undersides with MRP-118 Sky followed by a painted-on look. With a second gloss coat
after installation. The undercarriage legs are blending coat to lessen the effect. By doing to seal the decals in place, I went to town
very neat and fit perfectly along with their this you are left with a worn and weather- with washes, silver pencil and silver paint for
doors and wheels, though the doors look a beaten effect as a start of the weathering the chipped effects and oil paints to heavily
little on the small side. All these smaller parts processes. The same procedure was used on weather the model using plenty of period
were painted and weathered separately and the Dark Earth and Dark Green camouflage on photos to guide my work. You really can
When dry, the paintwork was

polished back with 8000 grit
finishing cloth, toning down
the brightness of the Sky
even further.
…over which a blending top coat of

MRP-118 Sky was applied to tone
down the mottled effect.

KIT BUILD
The Dark Earth was carefully airbrushed on freehand and when dry, the
same technique was used for the Dark Green.
be quite heavy-handed, as some of the BoB

Hurricanes and Spitfires were hard worked
and became very weathered, very quickly.
With everything matt varnished and finished,
it was all brought together and finished up by
adding the undercarriage and propeller as
well as unmasking the clear parts. Exhaust
stains were carefully airbrushed on, before
the exhaust stubs were fitted along with a fine
aerial wire made using Infini rigging thread. ■
Gloss clear and decals

on, and the Hurricane
comes to life…
The bare metal undercarriage bays were masked with care before being airbrushed Chrome Silver Spraying the Flat Red gun ports over the dark camouflage colours deadens the brightness
from the Mr. Hobby Super Metallic range. imparting a suitably worn and toned-down effect.

1:72
FINAL VERDICT
These Arma kits seem to all-but close the book on 1:72 Hawker Hurricane Mk.Is such is their quality and ease
of assembly. The details are excellent throughout and the whole package is just superb. If I were to have
built the ‘Expert Set’ with the additional photo-etched details and masks, then I would happily conclude it
is the best 1:72 Hurricane available, though this particular boxing is a very close second to that crown...

KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY MIKE WILLIAMS
THE GREY
Revell adds to their collection of Shackleton kits with the
tricycle-undercarriage, MR.3. We take a detailed look at this new kit and
how it goes together.
he Avro Shackleton (100,000 design featuring a tricycle undercarriage along Shackleton MR.2 release, with a fully detailed
T rivets flying in close formation as

it was colloquially known to its
crews) was a long-range maritime
and coastal patrol aircraft derived
from the Avro Lincoln. The MR.3 variant
was a considerable upgrade from the earlier
AEW.2 featuring a redesigned fuselage
with wingtip fuel tanks to extend its range.
The other, not so obvious difference were
Viper turbojet engines that were married to its
outer Griffon engines for extra thrust on take
off and to increase altitude. These were fitted
to the ‘Phase 3’ aircraft (the Shackleton was
regularly upgraded in phases during its life)
riveted airframe, antenna array and separately
moulded control surfaces.
Construction Begins
In a break from the old routine I opted to build
the wings and tails first, to give the glue time
to cure whilst I concentrated on the interior
cabin and crew stations with much better given the extra weight from the soundproofing and the fuselage. I also chose to complete the
soundproofing and crew comfort for the 12 and galley etc., fitted to later marks. engine nacelles, this being where your first
hour sorties they could endure on a regular These features are all included in Revell’s constructional choices are made. The outer
basis. kit on a new runner, along with the different engines can be fitted with the standard Rolls
Externally, the design was also a departure nose gun unit and associated guns. The Royce Griffon engines or with the enlarged
from the tail-dragger configuration of earlier remainder of the kit plastic features most of nacelles to house the Griffon/Viper hybrid
versions, with a brand new forward fuselage the same parts as seen in their original 2015 units as fitted to the ‘Phase 3’ aircraft. Only

1:72
SKILL LEVEL:
Intermediate
SPECIFICATION:
Revell 1/72 Avro Shackleton MR.3
Y LADY
Kit No: 03873
Materials: IM
Availability: All good model shops
Price: £30.99
BEFORE STARTING:
Tamiya Extra Thin Cement Quick setting
EMA Plastic Weld
Tamiya masking Tape
Swann-Morton Scalpel No.3 handle with no.11 blades
Wilder pointed tweezers
Sponge sanders
Vallejo Plastic Putty
one of the two markings options uses this unit, flaps on the wings are separately moulded Micro drill and bits
so I opted to use it as they were new parts with some nice details evident within the Superglue
and helped create a slightly different looking interiors of the flaps. There are different flap
machine from the norm. arrangements for the Viper-engined machine AIRBRUSH:
The wings and engines all fit together as there is a cut-out around the jet exhaust. Iwata Revolution CR
Bartsharp 180
reasonably well, though a few sink marks This is noted in the instructions, so take care.
needed attention on the outer surfaces of the
nacelles. The joints between them and the Interior Decorating - Cockpit And Crew PAINTS USED:
Mr. Hobby Acrylics
wings also required attention with a little putty - Stations H331 Dark Sea Grey
nothing major, but worthy of note, nonetheless. With the wings and engines built, puttied and H11 Flat White
The tails and vertical stabilisers were also cleaned up, attention turned to the interior and H33 Flat Black
assembled along with the separately moulded the various crew stations, including the forward
rudders that can be fixed in any position you gunner’s position, as well as the pilot and co- Tamiya Acrylics
like; I opted to leave them in their neutral pilot along with the rear crew areas. XF-69 NATO Black
positions. Similarly, the ailerons and the If you choose to pose the rear door open X-22 Clear Gloss
XF-7 Flat Red
XF-8 Flat Blue

KIT BUILD
When attaching the forward and rear fuselage pieces I

adopted a ‘belt and braces’ approach, using both thick
liquid cement as well as the quick setting, setting Plastic
Weld, to ensure a firm and strong bond.
The inner engine nacelles were assembled along with the gear bays. You can see the steel shot loaded into the front of each bay wall,
though more would be needed later in the build.
as is one of the options, then the rear crew until much later in the build as they simply slot
compartment would benefit from a little more into place onto the spars and click into the
detailing as it seems a little sparse as supplied. fuselage.
There is a lot to go inside, though little of it will be seen In an effort to keep the model on all of its With the fuselage halves assembled and
once enclosed within the fuselage. Note the positive
location points on the fuselage walls to help line
wheels, I opted to close the door and leave the interior parts ready to go in, it was time
everything up. out the rear crew area saving a little weight aft to paint the interior of the fuselage and drop
of the centre of gravity (CoG). The rest of the the windows into place. The windows all
interior is adequate, as little if anything can fit perfectly and with care, you can secure
be seen in the finished model, save for the them with liquid cement –– just use it very
seats in the cockpit, despite a very nice decal sparingly and let capillary action do the work
for the pilot’s instrument panel and separately for you. When fitting the interior parts into the
moulded pilot seat armrests. Everything was fuselage you need to make sure everything
painted as per the instructions including the goes in properly so you have room to add
decals for the seat belts, before being put to nose weight without fouling any mating
one side whilst the fuselage was prepared. surfaces. As luck would have it, there is a
The forward nose section joins to the larger rather large void between the gunner’s station
rear parts. It is imperative that you spend a and the main cockpit compartment which can
The wings and tailplanes can all be assembled as little time ensuring that to achieve a good be filled with your ballast of choice. I simply
separate subassemblies and left to one side to cure joint and try to eliminate the seam as much filled it with small steel shot secured with
while other parts can be built and painted. as possible. In a ‘belt and braces’ approach I superglue. Revell suggest 30 grammes, but
glued the tabs inside the fuselage with Tamiya ever the cautious modeller when it comes
Plastic Cement (white lid bottle) as this is a to tail-sitters I used 45 grammes and there
slightly thicker liquid cement impregnated with was room for more. A cursory look through
a resin thus securing the fuselage parts within the instructions shows that Revell suggest
a strong joint. I then flooded the outer seam the inner engine nacelles receive weight too,
with Plastic Weld liquid cement which is very 15 grammes for each, being suggested for
thin and draws itself along the seams using just forward of the main undercarriage bay
capillary action, flashing off quickly to ensure a bulkhead. Erring on the cautious side once
fast drying, durable join. again, I dropped in as much as I could secure
A large sub-section that goes into the with thick superglue. Later in the build I was
fuselage is the weapons bay that joins to a to find it was a fine line for tail-sitting so
The Viper jet exhausts were airbrushed appropriate one-piece wing spar. This provides rigidity and added some more steel shot in the front of all
Alclad metal shades. Though once enclosed, these structural integrity within the fuselage. Once four engines nacelles as the way the kit builds
cannot be seen, it was a neat touch from Revell to
include the exhaust faces.
installed, this allows the wings to be left off up allows the engine faces and propellers to
The inner faces of the wheel bays are made up from A quick and easy way of dealing with small cracks and sink With the fuselage interiors airbrushed medium grey, the glazing
multiple parts that fit within the inner nacelle housings. marks is to fill them with correction fluid. I use the precision parts were carefully cleaned up and attached using sparing
These were all airbrushed white before assembly, to applicator as it wastes less and sands back easily with fine wet amounts of liquid cement.
allow even coverage. and dry paper.
The interior parts come to life with a lick of paint and
application of the supplied decals for the instrument
1:72
panel and seat belts.
be left off until almost the last minute. The wings and tails can be left off until later canopy and nose gunner’s glazing, all of which
on which makes handling the model during fit perfectly though there was a small amount
A Final Clean-Up painting much easier, as it has a wingspan of of flash to cleanup around the very back
Next, I closed up the fuselage and cleaned up half a meter when finished. Thankfully, with edges of the main canopy. These were then
the seams, before reinstating any lost panel a little tweaking of the fuselage, the wing to all masked-up –– as were the other windows
lines and rivets. The fit of the fuselage was fuselage joins are near perfect. and astrodomes around the fuselage –– with
very good indeed no mean feat considering Before I could start painting there were a small amounts of Tamiya tape and a new,
the amount of bits and pieces that go inside couple of fuselage windows along the top of sharp blade in the scalpel. I am not sure if a
and the sheer length of the two halves. the fuselage to fit, as well as the main cockpit dedicated pre-cut masking set is available for
The forward fuselage holds the nose gear bay and the cockpit,
along with the gunner’s position. The void between the two
compartments is perfect to fill with steel shot secured with
superglue.
The forward fuselage holds the nose gear bay and the cockpit, along The interior parts all fit perfectly. Note the large ‘H’ section spar unit affixed to the weapons bay. The rear compartment is a dry fit
with the gunner’s position. The void between the two compartments here and would ultimately be left out to save weight in the aft fuselage.
is perfect to fill with steel shot secured with superglue.
KIT BUILD
All four engine nacelles were a good fit for the most part, however, each of them would need a little Vallejo plastic putty has a fine nozzle enabling a small bead of putty to be squeezed along the
filler to eliminate minor gaps at the roots to the wings… offending gap…
Before it is allowed to dry, it can be quickly and easily cleaned up with a moistened cotton bud, The wing tip fuel tanks fit perfectly via the moulded in tabs, the tanks would have there clear lights
negating the need for any awkward sanding. fitted later on. Note the delicate aerial arrays; these would prove to be fragile and needed careful
reattachment on more than one occasion.
this kit from the folks at Eduard, but it could when I unmasked the tips so I had to respray ensure I knew which was which when I came
prove useful if it ever comes to be. them with some careful airbrushing, then to assemble them later in the build.
when I studied the instructions it dawned on Main painting was a simple enough affair
Painting, Weathering And Decals me there were four pairs of propellers: four starting with the white fuselage upper surface.
First things, first. As it seemed like it would of each that turned in opposing directions, This was subsequently masked off, before
be a monotonous task, I painted all of the both of which had differing part numbers, all painting the rest of the airframe, wings
propellers black before I masked off the tips of which looked VERY similar as they sat in a and tails with Mr. Hobby H331 Dark Sea
for the red and white stripes - job done, or so little pile on the workbench! I separated out the Grey(DSG) BS381C/638 slightly lightened
I though. First, some of the black paint lifted four differing pairs and kept them separate to for the wings’ upper surfaces to help with the
The windscreen and canopy parts were all carefully masked The Dark Sea Grey was lightened with a few drops of white as The fuselage had the white upper section sprayed as well as
with small pieces of tape around the complex curves and a base coat, the salt weathering could be applied over this and the black cockpit surround and anti-glare panel, which were all
shapes. The gunner’s position was a little easier, as were the then the Dark Sea Grey sprayed over it on a patchy fashion as masked off in readiness for the Dark Sea Grey paintwork over
rest of the windows and hatches. well as some darker streaks and patches. the undersides.

1:72
very odd reaction to the paint leaving a chalky
looking white residue over the paintwork. I
tried washing it but that made it worse so I bit
the bullet and tried an old technique that was
at the back of my mind to save marred paint
work. I brushed a light coat of Klear acrylic
floor polish on the wings, which when dried
looked far, far better with the patchy weathered
paintwork effect I was after showing through,
albeit under a glossy Klear protective coating.
I then thinned some DSG with some white and
a drop of brown to add some post shading to
various panels and hatches etc.
Happy(ish) with the paintwork, the white
section of the fuselage was unmasked. I then
airbrushed the model with an acrylic clear
gloss coat to seal everything in and give a
uniform surface for the decals to be applied
onto. The larger decals needed repeated
applications of decal solvent to allow those
pesky rivets to show through, especially on the
wing roundels and walkways.
I left the decals to dry off and concentrated
With the wings dry and fitted on the spars, a generous acrylic gloss clear was airbrushed on using Alclad Aqua Gloss to protect on the wheels, undercarriage legs and doors,
the paintwork and offer a uniform finish for decals and weathering. and the other bits and pieces that could or
would be easily broken, damaged or snapped
off during building and painting stages. Various
weathering stages to follow. had previously been dampened for the salt aerials and antennas were removed from the
I tried the salt technique to add a patchy, to adhere to. When dry, I airbrushed the runners and cleaned up and painted before
worn look to the upper surfaces. I sprayed a base DSG over it, before removing the salt being set to one side to be added later.
lightened version of the DSG first, covering leaving the areas covered by the salt as I sealed the decals in with another coat of
it in a random salt pattern using common lighter patches. This worked in a fashion, but gloss clear so I could attack those rivets and
kitchen rock salt ground over the model that I think I left the salt on too long and I had a engraved details with an oil wash to highlight
All decals settled relatively well, the larger ones on the

When masked-off and airbrushed matt white, the details wings needing several applications of decal solvent
inside the flap recesses really come to life… to enable them to settle into the vast amount of rivets
present over the airframe.
A pin wash would take an absolute age with this amount of rivet detailing to pick out, so a general wash was
applied over whole sections before being polished back with kitchen paper. Note the way even the finest
details ‘pop’ with the artist oils.

KIT BUILD
When fixing the flaps in place the small, triangular inserts are easily missed as they are not clear in Alclad Hogwash ‘Dark Liquid Streaks and Stains’ is perfect for the undercarriage and weapons bays
the instructions. This is the cut-out to allow the flaps to deploy with the Viper engine exhaust outlets to tone down the brightness of the white interiors.
them and tone down the brightness of the the wing to fuselage joins, allowing capillary to assemble. I fixed the actuator rods and
markings. action to draw the cement along the length of associated arms to each main gear leg but
the seams. The joy of this cement is the speed fell short of affixing them into the gear bays
Brighting It All Together... in which it cures; literally within 10 minutes the as they could then be painted and weathered
At this point I decided it was time to get the wings and tails were rock solid. separately before being fixed in place later
wings on, these slipped onto the spars with The tails were fixed in place in the same along with the gear doors.
ease before I clicked the locating tabs on the manner before my attention turned to the The engine faces and propellers were all
wings into their holes on the fuselage sides. undercarriage and propellers. The main gear sorted into pairs and here I hit a small snag. I
With extreme care, I brushed Plastic Weld into legs are multi-part units that required care thought, in my wisdom, that all the propellers
Each of the main gear legs is a complex affair

captured well in miniature by Revel. They need
care to allow them to fit correctly, so I would
recommend a few dry-runs to familiarise
yourself with their fit.

1:72
You can see here the sum of parts for each of the
engine faces and propeller arrangements along with
the completed parts which look fantastic, capturing the
complexity of the real things very nicely.
Having to be fitted at the last minute due to the

guns being located from inside, the gap that
needed filling was a minor annoyance. This
would need carefully blowing over with Dark
Sea Grey when dry.
were the same; but I had a dawning realisation on the runners and in the instructions, had I and weathered and fixed into place so I could
that the contra rotating propellers would of bothered to study them a little more carefully! set her down to make sure there was no tail
course have different pitches to the blades With the blades sorted the propellers, hubs sitting, which there wasn’t. But it didn’t take
as they turn opposite ways to each other. On and spinners all assembled with no issues at much to tip it backwards so I added more steel
closer inspection there were four of each type all. shot secured with superglue into the front of all
of blade and they were numbered differently The wheels and undercarriage were painted four engine nacelles which solved the problem.
After the glaring error of applying the tail flashes on the inside surfaces of the tails, I very carefully masked them up and sprayed-on white primer followed by masking and then the red and blue sections.
I held my breath when unmasking, but it was all good in the end.

KIT BUILD
I was finally starting to see the light at the
end of the tunnel on what seemed to be a
protracted build, with all the aerials, antennas,
guns, windows, wheels and doors fitted it
started to come to life. The final pieces to add
were the nose guns and turret face as well as
the flaps in their dropped configuration.
I gave the whole thing a dusting of Galleria
Matt Varnish to tone down the glossiness
which helped to blend everything together
before unmasking all the windows and canopy.
A final once-over and a little weathering with
the airbrush and some heavily thinned NATO
black, added some streaks and exhaust stains
but I kept it subtle. Aerial wires, made using
Infini rigging thread, were the proverbial icing
on the cake. ■
FINAL VERDICT
This was not the easiest of builds, it has to be said. There was nothing inherently difficult, in fact the
majority of the build was plain sailing, it is just the sheer number of parts and those propellers, that
could catch out the unwary. The panel lines and rivet details, are exceptionally fine though some of the
rivets are a little soft across the top of the fuselage and could do with reinstating. It is a well-designed
and thought-out kit, and should not prove too problematical for an experienced modeller.

1:72

IN COLOUR
RUN
DOWN
SHACK
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BUILD SOMETHING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM YOUR NEW
REVELL SHACKLETON MR.3 KIT? HOW ABOUT THIS DILAPIDATED EXAMPLE..?
PHOTOGRAPHED BY SPENCER POLLARD
visit to Bruntingthorpe is always very own Shackleton, though as can be seen Here, we provide some images of the
A worthwhile, throwing up as it
does plenty of incredible aircraft
to admire, examine and a couple
of times a year, see in action.
For fans of the Shackleton, it is a particularly
valuable destination, because they have their
here, it has seen better days! Still, for detail
fans, or those modellers looking to build a
wreck rather than a pristine example, it offers
much in the way of open areas that are often
hidden from view and is thus a worthwhile
aircraft to examine for a potential build.
aircraft as seen several years ago on what
was a grey and very cold morning. We’ve not
provided captions, the images speaking for
themselves. Enjoy. ■
FULL-SIZE
Issue 173 -www.modelairplaneinternational.com 39

KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY NIGEL POOLE
HEART OF THE
STORM
W
hen the editor contacted me asking
if I would be interested in building
and reviewing the new Eduard
Tempest, I jumped at the chance.
I’m not sure why, as the Tempest
We load up Eduard’s Tempest Mk.
V Series 1 with their incredible
BRASSIN engine
has never really been of great interest to me, plus the
kit had already featured twice in the magazine over
the last twelve months, so what was the catch?The
catch was that he also had the new Napier Sabre
engine from the Eduard BRASSIN range that needed
incorporating into the construction. It was at this
point, I was left wondering what I had got myself into!
I don’t, as a general rule, go around cutting large
pieces of plastic from kits I’m building. That and my
use of resin aftermarket parts is limited to wheels
and seats, not complete engines and a big complex
engine at that!
A few days later it turned up on my doorstep and I was

1:48
SKILL LEVEL:
Advanced
With the nose removed from the front of the fuselage, there really is no
turning back. It is imperative that this section is cleaned up perfectly at an
early stage, and many test fits made with the engine firewall, throughout SPECIFICATION:
the build, to ensure there are no nasty surprises in the final stages. Eduard 1:48 Tempest Mk. V Series 1
Kit No #82121
Materials: IM/PE
Available from all good model shops
Price guide £37.99
BEFORE STARTING:
Mig Extra Thin Cement
Mr. Surfacer 1200
Perfect Plastic Putty
Dspiae Single Blade Cutters
Tamiya Masking Tape
Silhouette Portrait 2 cutting machine.
Tweezers x 2.
Mr Paint Liquid Filler
Ultra Violet curing resin & UV torch
able to sift through it all. It quickly struck me prominent details all faithfully reproduced. If Optivisor or equivalent.
that the engine itself came with as many parts you wanted to go the extra mile, you could add
as the plastic kit. So by just adding the engine, the myriad of pipework normally found in here, PAINTS USED:
Mr Paint
the part count was going to be doubled. but in this case I opted not to as I was more
MRP-111 Interior Grey Green
Worried about the weight of the block of resin than content with what was present. Painted
MRP- 48 Super Clear Gloss
I was going to graft upon the nose of the kit. I in Mr. Paint’s RAF Grey Green (MRP-111), the MRP-126 Super Clear Semi matt
purchased the brass undercarriage legs. Then details were brought out with a wash of Mig’s MRP-85 Primer Black
for good measure, the BRASSIN cockpit set - Oilbrusher Starship Filth, thinned with white MRP – 9 White Aluminium
the part count was now trebled! spirits. MRP-4 White
MRP-05 Basic black
Construction Begins Wings MRP- 18 Anodised Aluminium
The first thing tackled was the cutting of the With the each wheel bay complete, the upper MRP- 271 Smoke
nose section from the fuselage, a simple yet wing surfaces could be affixed to the one MRP-173 Tyre Rubber
MRP- A006 Interior Grey Green
pivotal moment, because the success of the piece lower wing section. The mating surfaces
MRP- A013 Matt Black
whole build hinges on these very simple cuts. along the leading edge of both wings were,
The words measure twice, cut once, have surprisingly, quite ragged, requiring some Tamiya Lacquer
never rung truer! Fortunately the cut lines cleaning up prior to bringing them together. LP-54 Dark Iron
coincide with a panel lines, so it is a simple But the real trouble lies in the trailing edges,
task to cut short of them, and then sand down whereby the mating surface is some 5 mm Citadel
to them. The same is said for the removal of inboard of the trailing edge, putting the joint Grey Knights Steel
the small panel on the lower wing. All that is on a flat surface, running through the centre of Stormhorst Silver
then required is removal of a small part of the the flaps and the intricate rivet detail contained Mig Productions
A.MIG-089 Matt Varnish
locating peg situated on each of the upper there.
wings. All very simple, and very clearly shown Dealing with a seam on a flat surface is Mr. Hobby
on the instruction sheet for the engine. difficult but I can understand why Eduard have Motolow Chrome pen
Well there was no turning back done it: to ensure a razor like trailing edge. Various shades of MiG Oil Brushes.
now. The downside is you are going to destroy a lot
I approached the build, of rivet detail on the flaps as you deal with this AFTERMARKET ITEMS USED:
very much as two separate joint. Fortunately it’s in an area that can’t be Eduard Brassin Tempest Mk. V Engine. Set 648 417
kits. Yes it’s a tired cliché seen once the aircraft is sitting on its wheels, Eduard Brassin Tempest Mk. V Cockpit. Set 648 416
that the engine set is so if you choose to not to reinstate them, it’s Eduard Brassin Tempest Mk. V Undercarriage Legs
referred to as a kit in not that noticeable, but if you want to as I Bronze. 648 446
LööK Tempest Mk. V Instrument panel. Set 644 006
its own right, but given did, the use of a rivet wheel, such as the RB
its level of complexity, Productions Rivet-R, makes quick and easy
it makes complete work of it.
sense to do that, plus,
I’m unaccustomed to Fuselage And Cockpit Interior
working with resin, With the wings built up I turned my attention
so new skills had to to the fuselage and its components. Using the I’m not going to dwell on the construction
be learnt and old ones BRASSIN cockpit set was no more difficult of the resin cockpit as James Hatch did an
adapted. than that supplied in the kit, but the level of excellent job on his in the May edition of the
Just to be different, detail and finesse is far more enhanced as magazine, which I can highly recommend
I started with the you would expect. The only complication if you haven’t already read it. Like him I
construction of the main being the removal of the resin parts from their incorporated the LööK instrument panel which
undercarriage bays and associated pour stubs, which are tiny yet strangely requires the lower section of the
the wings. The level of detail numerous. I opted to snip them off using my BRASSIN instrument panel transplanting onto
in this area out of the box is Dspiae side cutters and trim with a scalpel, it. I would also suggest removing the locating
excellent, with strengthening before finally cleaning each part up with a pins from the kit bulkhead, thus allowing
spars, actuating rams and other sponge sanding stick. you a lot more room for adjustments when it

Whilst the BRASSIN aftermarket
cockpit may be better detailed
than the one supplied in the
Profipack version of the kit,
KIT BUILD it is in some ways easier to

assemble, as there is far less
photo-etched pieces to deal
with. Careful painting and
weathering lets that detail
shine. The addition of the LööK
instrument panel, adds yet even
more detail.
The cockpit sidewalls are not one solid colour, as usually

found in aircraft of this era. With the lower section being
painted RAF interior Grey Green (Mr Paint MRP-111), and
the upper section Mr Paint Black Primer (MRP-85). The
use of resin from the BRASSIN cockpit set, also extends To ensure obtaining the correct width and
to various articles fitted to the sidewalls. equidistant of each band, several pieces of masking
tape of the correct width were strategically placed
to aid masking, removing them once all masking
was in place and prior to paint being sprayed.
With the wings and fuselage now brought together,

the only join that needed any work was the lower rear,
requiring only a small dab of filler and some sanding.
There’s no joint at the front, due to the removal of the
nose section.
Whilst the propeller spinner appears to be the correct
shape, the holes from which the propeller emerge are
far from it. Fortunately Barracudacast have come to the
rescue with a replacement spinner, which after removal
of the casting block, is a drop fit.
comes to fitting the cockpit into the fuselage. are the order of the day. As the invasion stripes
Even with doing this though, and numerous on his aircraft, had been applied at the factory
test fittings, I still had to remove a substantial during construction of the aircraft, not hurriedly
amount of material from the rear resin frame at a unit level, as was so often the case.
in order to stop it fouling the lower part of the Once that was done, the invasion stripes in
wing. Strangely though, the gunsight mount their entirety were masked off and the wings
In this scale I usually freehand airbrush any camouflage that forms the BRASSIN cockpit is woefully and fuselage were at last brought together.
undersize, to the point that it is impossible to The wing to fuselage joins on the upper
patterns, but looking at photos of Beamont’s aircraft it
was apparent that the demarcation line between the
two colours was very tight. Therefore, I opted to employ fit, so I reverted to the plastic one from the kit. surfaces are flawless. Requiring nothing more
MR. Paints masking putty, rolling it into thin sausages than a bead of liquid cement running along
before applying. It is imperative that you spray at an Painting Begins? Yes... their length. The join to the underside rear,
With the wings and the fuselage now requires a minor amount of filler and blending
angle of 90 degrees to it which will give you very a very
tight demarcation line, with just a hint of feathered edge
between the two colours. completed but not joined together. I decided in with some sanding, but I have yet to come
it would be a good time to get the invasion across a joint in this area that doesn’t. With
stripes on, allowing me to work on them the nose being cut off, there is no join on the
individually with no hinderances. Firstly, I underside front to speak of, so that was easy
applied an undercoat of MRP Primer Black enough to deal with!
(MRP-85) over the entire area where the
invasion stripes were to be situated. Once Engine Firewall
dry, Tamiya flexible masking tape was applied With all the major components now in place,
where appropriate and the white stripes and internal parts of the fuselage adding to
applied using Mr Paint white (MRP-4). I find the rigidity of the fuselage. It was now time
using the vinyl tape gives a much sharper to start test fitting and perfecting the fit of the
demarcation line than the standard tape. Plus resin engine firewall which would blank off
it conforms better over details and odd shapes. the gaping hole at the front of the airframe.
As the aircraft I chose to depict was that of Much to my surprise, once free from its casting
Having decided to use the supplied decal for the fuselage Wing Commander Roland Beamont’s aircraft, block, this was a near perfect fit with only a
roundel, I aired on the side of caution, spraying a white sharp demarcation lines for the invasion stripes few scrapes from a scalpel blade along the
circle with a diameter slightly smaller than the decal.
This ensures that there is no variation in colour tones
should the decal be slightly translucent.
1:48
I exclusively use lacquer Mr Paints where I can, but with it
brings a problem: they can only be applied using a paintbrush.
As you can imagine, airbrushing detail parts on something
as complex as this engine, is completely out of the question,
no matter how skilled you are with an airbrush and masking
tape. However, Mr. Paint now also do an aqua range of acrylics,
to compliment their lacquers, which are easily brushed and
colour-matched to the lacquer range, so you can now spray the
larger details pieces with the lacquer before switching to the
acrylic range to do the small precise detail work by paintbrush,
confident that the colours all match. Here the green of the
engine bearers are sprayed using the lacquer range, whilst the
green on the radiator was brush painted using the aqua range
(MRP-A006).
mating surfaces required. I would suggest

taking a little more off, what can only be
described as the hips of the firewall, where
they meet the wings, as etched fillets will be
fitted to either side of them at a later stage, so
plan ahead for this.
I can’t stress enough how important it is decals, due to the raised rivet detail that runs many snap bags. My first job was to check
to get a good fit of this piece at this juncture. down its length. Talking to other contributors, they were all present and complete. First
You don’t want to complete the airframe in its such as Drewe Manton (whose build of this impressions as I did this, were that of a very
entirety, only to find you have to do a lot of kit also featured in the February issue of this high end product, with a wealth of detail
remedial work in this area to get it to fit, or get magazine) I would have in hindsight, removed and not a casting flaw to be found - not one
to the final stages of the construction, to find them, and replaced them using a rivet wheel. single pin hole being found! Even though
that the engine isn’t square and true in relation It would have saved me a lot of hard work, but the set comes excellently packed in a sturdy
to the rest of airframe. as they say, we live and learn! cardboard box, ensconced between two
With the decalling and oil wash completed pieces of foam, there are some very fine
More Painting... it was all sealed with Mig’s acrylic color matte pieces of resin which can be easily damaged.
With that done, the firewall was put to one varnish (A.MIG-089) cut with a 50/50 ratio It was now that I realised that part of the
side and the camouflage colours applied to of Vallejo Airbrush Thinner. This is not to be engine bearer was missing and some very
the airframe. In this instance I chose to use confused with their Lucky range of varnishes minor damage inflicted upon the large chin
the RAF Standard Color set for Aircraft. Middle which, ironically, I have had no luck with at all! radiator cover. A quick email was sent to
– Late Period (Set CS682). Produced by Mr. It was then a simple matter of fitting the Eduard and a week later I was in possession
Hobby in their Mr. Color range, the colours in undercarriage, using the brass legs from the of replacement parts, which is a testament to
the set being Dark Green (C361), Ocean Gray Eduard BRASSIN range along with their early- their commitment to customer service and the
(C362) and Medium Sea Gray (C363). style wheels, all of which are a direct swap for hobby in general. (A special thanks goes to
As is now customary with my builds, since the plastic supplied parts. Petra). Luckily I was able to carry on with the
the purchase of a Silhouette vinyl cutter, I With that done the airframe could be put to construction of the engine itself, whilst waiting
make masks for the national insignia and any one side and work begun on the next phase of for these parts.
other large markings, and paint them on. I the build and for me the most daunting aspect: Before you start on the construction of the
believe this gives them a much more realistic the building and fitting of the huge Napier engine there’s some things I recommend you
appearance, which is even more prominent Sabre engine. have to hand:
given the surface detail on this kit.
However, I was thwarted by the fuselage Engine Construction And Fit ● Cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). Both
roundels, and forced to use the supplied There’s a lot of parts in this set, spread over super thin and medium consistencies.
The use of simple tools such as dividers, helps to ensure the To accentuate the panel lines and surface detail, Starship Filth To the front of the engine there is an ignition harness that is
yellow tips on the end of the propeller are all of equal width. from the Mig’s Oilbrusher range, heavily thinned with white wrapped in a rubber type cover. Rather than trying to paint
They are also helpful when placing decals, which are mirrored thinners, as liberally applied all over the surfaces and then left it on, I sought to replicate it by first cutting a very thin strip
on either side of the airframe. to dry for 24 hours. It was then removed using kitchen roll, and of Tamiya tape and spraying it black, then securing the end
cotton buds for the hard to reach areas, before finally polishing with cyanoacrylate glue, wrapping it around the resin piece,
the surface up with a spectacle lens cloth. which had been previously sprayed with MR. Paint Anodised
Aluminium (MRP-81).

KIT BUILD
quite heavily. Using this colour instead of
say, silver or aluminium,gives a far more
The extra work put in on the ignition subtle enhancement of all the finer details,
harnesses, is plain to see. Adding making them pop out whilst not being garish
simple enhancements like this,
really pay off. What I’m particularly in their appearance, reinforcing the sense
proud of is managing to paint the of used metal. I would suggest painting and
two jubilee clips onto the pipework drybrushing each component before bringing
that comes from the Kauffmann them together, as I did. This gives the engine a
starter unit.
true sense of depth, something it has a lot of.
The large ignition harnesses which are
present on either side of the engine, were
initially painted in a flat aluminium. But a good
friend of mine then sent me photographs of
the engine displayed in the National Air and
Space Museum. Which clearly shows them to
be a pale brass colour. So there was nothing
for it, but a repaint, using AK Extreme Metal
Pale Brass (AK 672 (Thanks Paul!)). I must
say, I do prefer this colour as it gives it a very
In recreating the various pipework

on the engine, lead wire is your
friend. Coming in various diameters
it is very pliable and easily worked
into the desired shape
and position required.
Be mindful of the
instructions, which
detail the length and
diameter of the wire
used, along with the construction
sequence with regards its
placement.
● Two pairs of high quality tweezers. The engine

● A stand to mount the engine block on. block and
● Selection of lead wire in the diameters of ancillary parts
0.3mm and 0.5mm. were all initially
● An optivisor or equivalent. sprayed black using
● Micro drill set. Mr Paint Primer Black
● PVA glue. (MRP-85), and then a hole drilled
into the engine block where the prop shaft
With all the major components cut from their sits. Allowing a cocktail stick to be inserted
casting blocks, they were treated to a wash and then clamped into my Mr. Hobby Vice. steampunk look.
in warm soapy water, with any noticeable This allowed me to work on the engine in The three larger sub-assemblies consisting
twists, warps or bends straightened out. Whilst any axis unhindered. Leaving both hands of the engine block, superchargers, and
I couldn’t detect any release agents on the free to work on the smaller complex pieces. magnetos, were all individually constructed,
parts, it’s sometimes better to play it safe than Then, using Gunmetal from the Mig Oil before the addition of lead wiring and detail
be full of regrets later. brusher range, all the parts were drybrushed painting could be completed. In relation to the
1 2 3
1: The inside of any engine bay tends to be harsh environment so I decided to experiment with a technique I haven’t used for some time: preshading. I’m not a great fan of this technique, but used in the
correct context, some great effects can be quickly and easily achieved . Here the three stages in which I apply the technique are shown. Over a grey primer, black is airbrushed over the details that are
to be highlighted. Once dry, the main colour is used to fill the as yet, unpainted areas. Finally, the main colour is gently misted over the entire surface, until the desired effect is achieved. 2: To complete
the BRASSIN engine detail set, is a complete set of engine covers, all of which are wafer thin, perfectly cast and oozing detail. I did offer some of the panels to the completed airframe and engine to see
if they could be fitted, but this proved not to be the case and in fairness, I really do think this would have a been a bridge to far, given the level of detail packed into such a small area. 3: The cover for the
chin mounted radiator, is a work of art in its own right, with a level of detail on both the inside and outside that’s quite staggering. I was tempted to try and fit this over the radiator, but time constraints,
along with wanting to display the whole of the engine, precluded this.

1:48
fitting of the lead wire, where you can, drill a
small hole for it to sit in prior to gluing; where
you can’t, hold the glued end firm with one set
of tweezers to stop any movement, then with a
second pair of tweezers manipulate it into the
correct position and secure the free end. This
way saves a lot of cursing when you pull the
wire off, whilst working with it, hence my initial
suggestion of two pairs of tweezers!
Adding some of the resin pipework can
also be problematic, as some have to be fitted
onto the engine block at a precise angle in
order to locate onto a part that has yet to be
fitted. To do this, I secured the pipe onto the
engine block with PVA glue, test fit the part
it is to locate onto and line up the pipe while
the PVA glue remains pliable. Let it set, then
remove the part that is to be fitted later, before
finally reinforcing the joint with super thin
cyanoacrylate, letting capillary action carry it
into the joint.
The exhaust stacks are moulded
individually. Whilst these can prove challenging
to ensure the are all fitted aligned with each
The exhaust stacks were weathered using pigments over Dark Iron from Tamiya’s new lacquer range.
Fitting them from the rear of the engine moving forward, makes construction easier, as does using a
other, both horizontally and vertically, the fact slower curing type glue which allows you time to correctly position and line them up.
that you can individually weather each one
before fitting, is priceless. Starting with an all sheens as well. to be drilled and pinned back into position,
over coat of Dark Iron from the new Tamiya With the engine complete, all that remains very fiddly work to be sure. But once built up
Lacquer range (LP-54), a Rust pigment was is the construction of the engine bearer and the bearer is surprisingly strong. But, just to
then liberally applied to their base where it the large chin mounted radiator. Cutting away ensure no nasty surprises later on, I drilled
meets with the engine, switching to a soot the sides of the bearers from the casting and added steel locating pins to the mounting
pigment at the exhaust end. The transition blocks, was a challenge in itself. No matter services which meet the firewall.
between the three colours is really effective. how careful I was, the top mounting arm broke The radiator might only consist of two pieces
Not only in the way colours change but in the away from the main frame, requiring them (minus pipework), but there is a wealth of
When applying decals, you can’t beat soaking them in hot water, to make them more pliable, before placing them on a gloss surface to eliminate the chance of silvering. To maintain the temperature of
the water, I use a simple mug warmer that was gifted to me several years ago at Christmas. Sometimes it’s even used to keep my tea warm! To stop the accidental spillage of decal solutions, I just place
the bottle into the lid of a Tamiya spray can lid.

KIT BUILD
detail on it and being silver in colour worthy (MRP- 128), I was able to replicate the blue was a simple task to fit it to the airframe safe
of extra work. For this I turned to our friends heat staining so often seen, but in a far more in the knowledge that the fit would be good
in the Warhammer community. I’ve often subtle way than I have been able to achieve due to the extensive dry fitting I had done at
marvelled at the metallic finishes they achieve, previously. Playing with Mr Paint’s anodised the commencement of the build. However,
they seem to have it down to a fine art so I aluminium (MRP ), lightly sprayed over silver, with regards the alignment I was just hoping
visited the local Games Workshop in my home also yielded great results. that all was good, but had my hair
town of Chester to purchase some Citadel Offering up the engine to its bearer dryer on standby to warm the resin
Paints and try my hand at it. The manager of highlighted an issue with alignment. For some engine bearers and adjust as
the shop couldn’t be more helpful, and after reason it had a very nose high attitude. I’m necessary if it wasn’t. But
boring him with photos of some of my previous not sure if I removed too much material when Lady Luck was on my
builds (sorry...) I came away with a clutch of removing the parts from the casting blocks, or side, and everything
paints that would hopefully give me the effects if it’s a design flaw in the kit, but either way it was nicely squared
I was looking for. was easily dealt with. By way of adding small away.
Armed with the advice given, I found shims on the square engine mounting points Eduard would have
that by lightly brushing Grey Knights Steel nearest the firewall, thus ensuring the engine you display the engine
Citadel paint over a base of Mr Paint Silver sat level, and parallel with the top spar of the with no propeller, with
engine mount. just the propeller shaft
With holes drilled in the firewall to accept displayed. But to my eye
the locating pins I had fitted to engine bearers, this really detracted from the brutish character
the time had come to mount the engine to the of the aircraft. So I chose to add the kit
firewall. To further ease fitting, holes for the propeller supplemented by a corrected spinner
lead wire which ran between the engine and from Barracuda Resin Workshop. This is just
firewall were drilled, leaving the lead wire from a simple task of gluing the back plate of the
the engine much longer than required. This spinner onto the front plate of the engine.
was simply fed through its corresponding hole With just the antennas, navigation lights
in the firewall. The engine bearer was then and pitot left to add, along with a lick of
affixed to the firewall and the lead wires pulled paint for the new resin engine covers, the
through until the appropriate tension was most complex of builds this year for me, was
reached. complete.■
With the BRASSIN engine now complete, it
The fit of the tail wheel to its strut can be described as loose at best. With little in the way of mating surfaces, whether you use
the kit supplied wheel or resin replacement, you are best advised to drill and pin them to ensure a secure fit.
With both the engine and the airframe complete. All that
remains is to bring them together. If you have been regularly
test fitting this join, it should pay dividends, with a trouble free
fit, resulting in a perfectly aligned engine.
1:48
FINAL VERDICT
The base kit is a great release by Eduard, the popularity of which, could be seen by the amount being
clutched by people with massive smiles at Scale Model World last year, when the kit was initially released.
Without the addition of aftermarket parts it’s a well detailed, simple kit, with no obvious vices other than
the lower wing joint, as discussed. It also oozes surface detail like no other kit I’ve ever built.
But with the addition of the engine upgrade set from the BRASSIN range, it is elevated to an entirely
different level of complexity and detail. The fit of the resin parts to each other is excellent, but a lot
of clean-up is required once removed from their casting blocks - not to mention the fragility of some parts.
But once completed it looks utterly fantastic.
Quite obviously this sort of upgrade is aimed squarely for the more advanced modeller who wants something
different from the norm. I thoroughly enjoyed building it and find myself hoping that they bring out the same
upgrade for their newly released P-51 Mustang as well. Here’s hoping!

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KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY CHRISTOFF THEUNISSEN
GO!
READY
STEADY
We take a closer look at Eduard’s
1:48 air racer Spitfire Mk.XVIe
‘Weekend Edition’ in order to build a
‘Bubbletop Racer’

1:48
SKILL LEVEL:
Beginner
T
he Prix de Lagatinerie, the first Mk.II kit as a boy at school, raised panel lines
'heavier-than-air' air race, was and all. My local scale-modelling club hosted SPECIFICATION:
Eduard 1:48 Spitfire Mk.XVI Bubbletop
held on 23 May 1909 south its January meeting with a racing theme, and
Kit No: 84141
of Paris, France. In the this kit with its racing markings was ideally Materials: IM
following years popular interest suited to that theme. The kit itself has been Available from all good model shops
in aviation led to a large number of air races reviewed and written about quite extensively, Price guide £15.29
in Europe, drawing the most important so I won't linger too much and the various pros
aircraft makers, pilots, celebrities and and cons of the kit, but will rather focus on the BEFORE STARTING:
royalty. 1913 saw the first Schneider build itself. Having now finished the model, Tamiya Extra Thin Cement
Trophy seaplane race, a race that will I’ll gladly build another, or similar boxing from MiG Extra Thin Cement
Mr Surfacer 1200
always be remembered for featuring the Eduard. Here’s the reason why: it is as near a
Tamiya Mark Fit Strong
Supermarine S.6B, widely regarded as the perfect build as I have ever encountered. The
forefather to the legendary Spitfire. kit features exquisite surface detail, seems to
One of the most prestigious races on the be quite accurate (at least to my eyes), and
PAINTS USED:
Tamiya Acrylics
British racing circuit was the King's Cup Race, most importantly, it is not over engineered X-7 Red
a handicapped cross-country air race, and and builds smoothly with no filler required at TS-29 Satin Black
was first contested on 8 September 1922 all. The filler I did end up using was due to TS-30 Silver Leaf
as an incentive to the development of light my own haste. The fit of parts is a marvel to X-22 Clear
aircraft and engine design. However, World behold, and one sometimes has to restrain XF-5 Flat Green
War II marked the end of this race, only yourself from not running away with the XF-21 Sky
resuming again in July 1949. It was during construction of this kit. XF–65 Field Grey
this year’s race, now called The National Air As far as the letdowns go, the only
AK Interactive Xtreme Metal
Race, where the Royal Auxiliary Air Force comments I can give are the split engine
Dark Aluminium
was allowed to compete, albeit not for the cowling pieces: without care, the resulting
overall championship. Named after the giver seams can be quite a struggle to sort out, and
of the cup for this race, W/C G. Cooper, this this is the only case where I had to use a bit
inter-squadron race became known as the of filler. I am suspect of the colours used for
Cooper Air Race. It was during this race the roundel decals, but not being a expert on
that the subject of this build article featured. the matter I left them as is and used them as
Squadron Leader H.S.L Dundas D.S.O, D.F.C, they were. That being said, the kit builds like a
Commanding Officer of No. 601 (County of dream, with parts requiring only basic clean-up office very nicely. Since this was the ‘Weekend
London) Squadron, flying this Spitfire Mk.XVIe before being fitted together. Seams are barely Edition’ of the kit, no photo-etched parts or
finished fourth out of a total of seven entries, evident, and most assemblies simply snap details are provided. That being said, the
with a speed of 312 mph over the course. together. plastic provided for the cockpit is very nicely
detailed, and benefited only from the most
The Kit At A Glance… The Office And Fuselage… basic of wiring and plumbing details added
Strangely enough, this was my first Spitfire The detail provided in the cockpit is crisp, using stretched sprue and pieces of electrical
since building the old Monogram 1:48 Spitfire ample and captures the look of the Spitfire’s wiring.
Construction of the cockpit went without a
hitch regardless of some really small, fiddly
parts, and was painted using Tamiya acrylics
for airbrushing, Vallejo acrylics for brush
details and drybrushing, and my own mix of
oils for washes to pick out details. I used the
kit decal for the instrument panel details, and it
snuggled down perfectly over the plastic raised
details using Tamiya Mark Fit Strong. Instead
of using the provided decals for the seat belts
though, I used pre-painted photo-etched
belts from an Eduard late RAF seat belt
set. I did deviate slightly from the
instructions by fitting the sidewall
pieces of the cockpit to the
fuselage halves directly, instead
of encasing the seat assembly in
them first before fitting the whole cockpit
assembly between the two fuselage halves.
After completing the cockpit, the rest of the
fuselage assembly went together without a
hitch. The fuselage halves fit together and
match without any gaps and very little sanding
required: a perfect fit!
Wings And Cowlings…

The wing assembly followed that of the cockpit
and fuselage halves, and again, the perfect
fit continued. The main wing spar in the kit

KIT BUILD
The cockpit assemblies were painted using the Tamiya mixture of XF-5 Flat Green, XF-21 Sky and XF–65 Field Grey for the cockpit Details were brush painted with Vallejo acrylics, and wiring
green, and given a pin wash of oils to bring the detail out. added to bring the cockpit to life.
provides rigidity and the correct anhedral to onto the rest of the model, resulting in a slight horizontal stabilisers and elevators came next,
the wings. The undercarriage bay assemblies depression at the seam of the two halves. and before long the racing Spitfire was ready
are slightly fiddly, each bay consisting of Because the halves were now in an incorrect to receive its colours.
no less than 7 parts, but once assembled position relative the rest of the fuselage shape,
provided excellent fit and detail. I had to sand and shape the parts to get them Moving On To Paint!
Continuing with the wings, the two radiator to line up correctly. This was the only time I The model was painted and finished in
scoops were added once the two wing halves had to use filler, sanders and scribing the colours of RW393, No. 601
were joined, followed by adding the cannon tools in anger during the entire Squadron Royal Auxiliary
assemblies. The completed wing assembly build. Once the cowls were Air Force, as it looked
was test fitted to the fuselage, and to my joy sorted out, I assembled like during the
literally snapped into place with a satisfying the undercarriage and aforementioned
clicking sound. Without any further ado I ran propeller assembly Cooper Air Race of
some Tamiya Extra Thin cement into the joint, next, but left them 1949. It featured an
fixing the wing into place, and without having off until the end overall finish of High
taken a photo of the completed fuselage to prevent them Speed
assembly first! Oh well, moving on... breaking off
At this point I also built the front and top during the rest of
engine cowlings, and it was here that I ran the construction
into the only real problems during assembly. I and painting.
rushed to get the two halves of the top cowling Adding the rudder,
The completed cockpit looks beautiful,

with the added Eduard seat belts adding
the final touch of realism.

1:48
Eduard cut no
corners with
detail: even the
radiator scoops
are nicely
detailed.
The completed wing assembly is sturdy

and benefited from a coat of cockpit green
on the bottom wing half in case it can be
seen through the cockpit floor.
Assembly complete, and ready for painting. The undercarriage and propeller assemblies were
completed and put aside to prevent damaged.
Silver, with a red racing identifying The propeller spinner was the red fuselage band, windshield and wingtip
band with the numeral 5 in white on also painted red at this point. navigation lights were masked off, and the
it. The numeral 5 is also repeated on RW393 only had the forward entire model received a priming coat of Tamiya
top of the port wing inboard of the RAF part of the spinner painted red, TS-29 Satin Black, decanted and airbrushed
roundel. but I chose to paint the entire part, onto the model. Next, I applied decanted and
Painting started with a white band around as it just looked better to me. Leaving the thinned Tamiya TS-30 Silver Leaf in very tight
the fuselage, followed by Tamiya X-7 Red. model for 24 hours for the red to cure fully, mottling patterns, followed by a few misted
Painting started with the red recognition band around the rear The Spitfire was primed in
fuselage by first painting a white band, followed by red. black for the High Speed
Silver to follow.
KIT BUILD
Decanted TS-30 Silver Leaf airbrushed

onto the model results in a beautiful,
hardy finish.
Individual panels were masked and painted in dark and light aluminium to add some interest to the
otherwise monotonous silver finish.
coats of the same colour to blend everything dull overall silver finish. I painted
together. Once dry, I masked and painted the wing trailing edge walkways
individual panels Light and Dark Aluminium a very dark grey, although it is
from AK Interactive’s Xtreme Metal range of quite possible that RW393 did
paints. I didn’t want to have the model look like not feature it. I could not find
a quilt, but adding the individual colours added evidence to support whether
some interest and variation to an otherwise RW393 had the walkways
The Eduard
decals performed
beautifully directly
applied over
the paint finish,
helped along by
Tamiya Mark Fit
Strong.
painted on or not, but I did find period photos

of aircraft from the same squadron featuring
the black wing root trailing edge walkways.
While I was painting the walkways, I also
masked and painted the rest of the wing
walkways, instead of using the supplied
decals. Next, I applied the kit decals directly
over the painted surface as the Silver Leaf
provided a perfectly smooth
surface, perfect for decals.
The decals went on
without a hitch, and
were encouraged
to settle into the
beautiful surface
detail using
Tamiya Mark
Fit Strong. The
colour of the
roundels looked
suspect to me,

1:48
I applied a dark brown acrylic paint wash directly over

the decals and paint surface, and excess removed with
a moist cotton cloth.
coat using Tamiya X-22 thinned with Tamiya

lacquer thinners.
Final Stretch…
I chose to keep weathering to a minimum, and
only added some scuffs and dirty boot marks
to the wing roots, fluid, soot and dirt residue
to bottom surfaces and oil and fuel streaks
to the fuel and oil tank covers using heavily
thinned oils. I airbrushed some exhaust
staining, and painted the exhausts
themselves using shades of brown and
grey. After the oils dried, the model
and its subassemblies were given
a heavily thinned coat of Humbrol
While decalling, I also applied some Satin Varnish. I added an antenna
weathering on the bottom surfaces, but
using stretched sprue, and fixed
kept it restrained.
the various subassemblies in
place to complete the Cooper Air
Race racing Spitfire. ■
but I left them as they were and moved on. wash off using a lightly moistened cotton cloth,
Cautious not to hide the surface details under and was careful not to leave wash remains in
a coat of gloss clear, I applied a dark brown the edges of the decals by removing it with
wash using Vallejo acrylics thinned with water a moistened cotton bud. I also applied a bit Grime, fuel and oils streaks were restricted to crew access
and a drop of dishwashing liquid directly after of weathering with my airbrush to the bottom areas and filling points, and added using heavily thinned
applying decals. Once dry, I wiped the excess surfaces, and sealed everything in with a gloss oil paint, stippled on and shaped using blunt brushes.

1:48
KIT BUILD
Adding the undercarriage and propeller sub-assemblies,
antenna, canopy and pitot tube after a satin clear coat,
completes the racing Spitfire.
FINAL VERDICT
Not quite built over a weekend as the box suggests, I thoroughly enjoyed my first Spitfire since childhood.
The silver overall finish contrasts nicely from the usual camouflaged Spits, and the red band and racing
numbers just gives the model a sense of speed and purpose. It was a real joy to build and paint, and the
relatively uncomplicated build makes for a nice break between more complicated and bigger projects.

Time Takes It's Toll by Dennis Lee Gerber
The effects of
Wind and Rain on
Vintage Aircraft
"Time Takes It's Toll" is not just another Aviation
photo book. Most books show shiny refurbished
examples housed in indoor museums. This
book features hundreds of photos of aircraft
that have been parked outside for years out in
the elements exposed to the hot sun, wind and
rain. They take on a character and beautiful
patina that is stunningly amazing in all their
faded glory. This book also features some one
off examples of aircraft that are the last ones
is in existence. It includes propeller and jet
engine aircraft and some vintage helicopters.
Aircraft enthusiasts and modellers alike will
enjoy "Time Takes It's Toll", a very unique book
with some truly amazing photographs along
with descriptions of each aircraft.
358 pages and thousands of amazing photos
Purchase at pocketmags: Just

https://pocketmags.com/modellers-reference-library-magazine £13.99
Your purchase can be read on any of the following platforms Requires: iPad and iPhone devices running iOS 10.0 or above, Android should be:
Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) or above , Kindle Fire (Gen 3) or above, Windows 8 tablets,
Windows 8.1 Phones, and PC and Macs with a html5 compatible browser.
KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY IVAN JENSEN TAYLOR
FASTER THAN SOU

We improve Revell’s classic rendition of the Bell X-1 ‘Glamorous Glennis’
ithout any doubt, the Bell of the Bell X-1, like there are for aircraft such lines and soft details.
W X-1 is one of the most

iconic and evolutionary
aircraft in modern history,
you see it and you know
what it is. Unfortunately for us modellers,
there have not been a huge number of kits
as the Bf109, Mustang or Spitfire. Revell
initially released this kit back in 1988 and have
since re-released it with a small number of
changes, usually decals, box or minor parts.
Unfortunately, compared to modern releases,
this kit is showing its age, with raised panel
Getting Started
I started the construction in the same fashion
that most aircraft model kits go together, with
the assembly and painting of the cockpit.
Though details are soft in terms of dials and

1:32
SKILL LEVEL:
Intermediate/Advanced
UND...
SPECIFICATION:
Revell 1:32 Bell X-1 Supersonic Aircraft
Kit No: 03888
Materials: Injection Moulded Plastic
Available from: All good model shops
Price Guide: £21.99
BEFORE STARTING:
Tamiya Extra Thin
Tamiya Cement
Tamiya Masking tape
Tamiya Sprue cutters
Tamiya tweezers
Zap-A-Gap Medium CA glue
Zap Kicker
Lead weight
Fine copper wire
Squadron Green Putty
Mr. Surfacer 1200
Mr. Surfacer 1500
PAINTS USED:
Mr. Hobby Aqueous
H58 interior Green
H14 Orange
Tamiya Acrylics
XF-85 Rubber black
Mr. Color GX100

Alclad Aluminium
switches, there is enough detail to produce wings installed, I knew that I would need a
a good-looking cockpit. The rear of the generous amount of nose weight. This aircraft
instrument panel would be visible through the was always going to be a tailsitter and as I did
canopy and the presence of a dark void behind not like the manufacturer’s solution to this of a
the instrument panel would play on my mind if thin clear part to prop up the tail end, I decided
I did not address the issue. For this I drilled out that I would use air rifle ammunition as it’s
0.5 mm holes in the back of each protruding heavy, but malleable. I compressed the lead
dial and then glued in some copper wire and and then glued these into the nose behind the
left it to cure. I did the same with some of the instrument panel and above the front landing
bigger dials using a 1.0 mm bit and some gear leg. This was all glue in place with Zap-
lead wire. Once the glue was properly cured, A-Gap medium CA glue which is my preferred
I manipulated the wire into different positions CA glue, as it gives plenty of work time and
and twisted some wires to give a more realistic dries as hard as rock.
and natural look. I painted them all different
colours to add more interest, though maybe Wings And Things...
not realistic I felt it made the model look more The wings are a simple top and bottom
visually interesting. assembly. Being very flat the wings have large
Once all the cockpit parts had been glued mating surfaces, so for gluing these I decided
together, I painted them all with an overall coat to use the slower drying white Tamiya cement,
of Interior Green and then weathered it down this glue has a great bite action but gives
slightly with oils. Due to the overall lack of enough working time for these larger areas.
visibility in the cockpit, I decided to not expend Whilst the wings were drying, I had time to
a lot of effort in the cockpit. With any details work on the main fuselage. I glued the access
painted black I used my normal approach of door shut as I am not a fan of having hatches
drybrushing grey over the edges and details to and doors opened on certain models. I then
lift the features and make them more visible. had to decide how to address the elephant in
Before I had the fuselage together and the room: the raised panel lines...

KIT BUILD
I did not want to risk not having enough weight for this hefty tailsitter, so lots of lead weight was I used air rifle ammunition and CA glue to add the weight to this aircraft. No shortage of weight.
glued in place above the front landing gear leg.
Before I glue any parts in place, I always test-fit important sections to see how the tolerances are Basic cockpit assembled before paint. The details are not too bad for the age of this kit, though the
in the kit. seat harnesses are moulded into the seat.
Just to add some more tonal interest into the cockpit, I decided to use some oils rather than paint. Test-fitting is so important, especially in these older kits where engineering was not as precise as
The oils add subtle tonal variations to a monochromatic green cockpit. they are in modern kits. There was quite a bit of play in the cockpit and there was not a positive
union of the cockpit and fuselage.

1:32
Instrument Panel Detailing. I started detailing the instrument Having glued the wires into the back of the instrument panel I used some standard acrylic colours to paint the different wires.
panel by drilling holes in the bezels of the instrument dials. I and leaving them enough time to dry before bending them, it Though I didn’t have any references, I wanted to paint the wires
used a 0.5 and a 1.0 mm drill bit to make different diameter was time to manipulate them into more realistic and natural in a way that would look visually interesting rather than realistic.
holes for the wiring I planned to add. position. This was done by twisting wires together and adding
kinks and bends.
At first, I thought that I would add them back all surface detail apart from the odd access is hard plastic, which makes it easy to sand,
with my tested method of adding two parallel panel and hatch. After looking at references scribe and rivet should you need to. I also use
strips of masking tape following where the and talking to a few friends I decided to go for Squadron Green Stuff for some areas I needed
removed panel line was and applying “sprue a smooth, streamline, museum quality finish. to quickly fill, as it dries rapidly, but allows me
goo” to the gap between the masking tape. I This would be unweathered and shiny, not my to add Sprue Goo on top of it. Squadron Green
would then remove the tape once dry and what usual style, but it is nice to try something new! is a good filler foundation. The canopy was first
remains would be a very fine line of plastic with With this being an older kit, the fit is far from glued into place and was far from a perfect fit,
the thickness and depth of the original panel perfect and I really needed to fill some gaps there being gaps that were going to take some
line. This would have been my chosen method and sand some seams. All the gaps are filled serious work to deal with. I glued the canopy
if I hadn’t removed every panel line from the with ‘Sprue Goo’ and the reason I use this is in the best position I could and then masked
kit. Eventually I decided that I would remove because it levels out nicely and once dry, it off each clear panel to protect them from the
It was time to finalise the cockpit before buttoning up the fuselage halves. After this there
would be no other opportunity to make any changes.

KIT BUILD
rigorous sanding challenge ahead. Gaps were needed correcting, so this was all dealt with 50/50 and built up the colour in nice thin coats.
once again all filled with sprue glue and left to by going through the grades of sanding sticks This was a long process as the colour is very
level and dry. and polishing the surface smooth. Once I felt strong, but can’t be applied in thick coats. After
Going through course grits to fine grits, I that all the imperfections had been polished several layers of paint and a solid colour the
sanded the frame of the canopy flush with the out, I applied another layer of 1200 Surfacer, aircraft was left to dry for a week. This may
fuselage whilst trying to maintain to curvature this was to make sure that I could correctly seem like a long time, but Aqueous paints are
of the fuselage shape. Once fully sanded and address the issues in the previous layer. I known for taking a while to dry if applying a lot
polished, the canopy frame had a smooth sanded back any high spots and imperfections of layers.
transition to the fuselage. in the surface then applied one more final coat Once dry, decalling could begin. Luckily for
of 1200 Surfacer as a final layer of ‘primer’. me, there was only about 8 decals to apply to
Painting And Decals The model was now ready for its orange this aircraft. I cut each decal from the sheet
One thing that can kill the finish of a model plumage. and submerged them in warm water then
is a poor paint surface so I took a week to Being unfamiliar with this aircraft I was not leave to sit on a paper towel whilst prepping
make sure that the surface was as perfect sure if the orange paint used was a specific the surface. I apply Microscale industries Micro
as I could get it. I first applied a layer of colour or just ‘orange’. I have a few orange Set on to the surface where the decal will sit
Mr. Surfacer 1200 all over the model. This paints in the collection from, Mr. Hobby then apply the decal on top of the area. After
initial layer was to find any seams, gaps and Aqueous, AK Real colours and Tamiya. positioning the decal into the correct position,
surface imperfections. This first layer was key Looking at all three I chose to use the Mr. I then remove all excess water from under the
to allowing any corrections to be carried out Hobby Aqueous colour as it appeared to be decal with a cotton bud then apply Micro Sol.
before applying the colour to the aircraft. I more vibrant. I thinned a colour cup of paint Micro sol will cause the decal to wrinkle and
found a few shadows and sanding scuffs that with Mr. hobby levelling thinner in a ratio of then conform and settle to the surface. One
Putting the extra work into detailing the rear of the instrument panel proved to be time well spent. I cannot express enough the importance of test-fitting before committing to gluing. There were
Seeing just how visible this area is. It was a good job I did it, or a dark void would be more than some slight warp issues on the fuselage, so I needed to tape the halves together as tightly as
visible. possible before gluing everything together, to correct the issue.
The canopy has been fitted but there are a lot of issues that need addressing. Gaps and overhang A first test-spray of back paint was added to see how much work was going to be needed around
needed to be dealt with along with seam lines. The green areas are Squadron Green Putty to fill the the canopy section. Black shows imperfections well so it gives me a clear image of what needs
slight seams and sink marks in the fuselage. Once dry and sanded back, sprue goo was added. doing.

1:32
Though this looks exceedingly messy, a lot of work has gone into correctly blending and shaping
the front of the aircraft and making sure that the canopy frame blended smoothly into the fuselage
without any steps or gaps.
thing to note: I applied the decals following 24 hours, I applied a protective gloss coat. didn’t want to melt the decals off the model.
Revell’s instructions and as such, dropped a Many modellers see glossing as completely After three dust coats I then started to apply
star and bar onto the upper starboard wing, unnecessary, but I always gloss for several “wet” coats and built up a very strong shine. As
whereas it should be on the upper port wing. reasons. I like to protect the layers under soon as I had finished spraying the gloss, the
I guess I should have checked, so please the gloss, and it unifies the surface for future aircraft went into a protective box to prevent
don’t follow my lead as the instructions are not stages. GX100 was my chosen gloss coat any dust getting into the wet clear coat.
correct and now, neither is my model. Ah well - for this project and was my first time using it. Though being a lacquer, I still wanted to leave
live and learn! Firstly, I applied very thin dusty coats to the the gloss long enough to dry before handling
After leaving the decals to dry for around decals as this is a very hot clear coat and I it as the last thing anyone would want it a big
Initially, I wanted to add back all the raised panel lines. The first Using molten plastic or ‘Sprue Goo’ I added a layer in the middle After half an hour, the Sprue Goo has firmed up, so I remove the
stage was to add two parallel strips of masking tape running of the masking tape. I left this about 30 minutes before doing two stripes of masking tape. This left a thin bead of plastic that
along where the removed panel line was, making sure that the anything else. dries to a hard plastic and replaces the removed or damaged
gap between the masking tape is the same width of the panel raised panel lines.
lines on the kit.

KIT BUILD
Basic construction of the fuselage was complete. This is not an overly complex aircraft to model I applied a first coat of Mr. Surfacer 1200, This initial layer was to find any seams, gaps and
and part count was very minimal. The wing union was strong, and alignment was easy. imperfections in the model’s surface for me to correct.
Sanding back any imperfections in the surface and correcting any seam lines does leave the After corrections to the model and making sure that the surface was as perfect as I could get it, I
surface looking somewhat messy and will need another coat of Mr. Surfacer to unify the surface. gave it one final primer coat. Mr. Surfacer was my chosen primer as it levels beautifully and is as
hard as nails once it has dried.
thumb print in the middle of the gloss coat. favourite stage of building aircraft, but this became some of the strongest landing gear
Once dry, I applied a dark brown wash into the kit made assembly of the legs as easy and that I have put together, especially with all
control surface recesses to add some depth as steady as can be. I painted all the gear the added weight. All the small little extras
and dimension to the aircraft. with Interior Green and then glued them into were glued in place with CA glue for several
position. It is hard to describe how easy this reasons. The large spike in the nose and
Finishing Off step was as it was two legs per side with tubes that protrude from each wing tip were
Building and fitting anding gear is not my a glue join at the hinge. When it was dry, it glued with CA because it could bite quickly
Many layers of paint had to be built up slowly and in very thin layers to achieve such a
rich, vibrant colour. I am more than happy with the result this paint gave.
I managed to get my selection for the base coat down to two

options. I chose to go with Mr. Hobby Aqueous H14, and the
choice should be obvious. The colour is much brighter and
more vibrant in comparison to the AK real colour orange.

1:32
Decalling was a lovely and quick application in this kit. Only having to apply around eight
decals and not having any surface detail to conform to the decalling process was as easy as
can be. Micro Set and Micro Sol was used to settle the decals to the surface.
A completed and shiny Bell X-1 from

Revell with the little details applied and
canopy painted and masked.
and would be able to hold its position without

having to suspend the part whilst plastic
cement would dry and, because if it was to
break off it would be a clean snap rather than
a part damaging tear.
With all the little extras added the model
was nearly complete, so it was time to mask
the canopy section. The canopy frame is back
in colour, so I needed to mask around the
frame and then paint it black. I used Aizu tape
to mask around the frame as I you can use
it to make curves very easily and made this
job very easy to complete. And with that the
aircraft was complete! ■
FINAL VERDICT
When I was asked to build this kit, I was initially excited by the bright colourful box and large model
that awaits me, even more so that it said ‘New’ on the front of the box. I could not hide my disappointment
and frankly disheartened feelings when I opened the box to find the original release from 1988. I do feel
that this is wrong for manufacturers to do and I cannot endorse this. That aside, how is the kit? The kit
is showing its age, but it is the only Bell X-1 that you can buy in this scale. I did enjoy the build as
it did provide me with challenges that I had not faced in past kits that I have built. This build with be
a challenge for new modellers and it will certainly be a test of your basic modelling skill. Yes, I enjoyed
the kit, but I will always fell slightly disheartened by what was supplied in the box.
Thanks to Revell for the review sample built this month.

KIT BUILD

1:24
SKILL LEVEL:
ADVANCED
SPECIFICATION:
Airfix 1:24 Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat
Kit No: A19004
Materials: IM
Available From: All Good Model Shops
Price Guide: £119.99
BEFORE STARTING:
Gunze Sangyo Mr. Cement S
Tamiya Masking Tape
Xuron Cutters
Tweezers
Swann Morton No.10 Scalpel & 10A Blades
Plasti-Zap Cyanoacrylate Glue - thin and medium
viscosity
Gunze Sangyo Mr Filler Primer
Gunze Sangyo Mr White Putty, White Putty R
PAINTS USED:
Tamiya Acrylics
X-18 Semi Gloss Black
XF-69 NATO Black
ACE
XF-3 Yellow
XF-1 Flat Black
XF-2 Flat White
XF-3 Flat Yellow
XF-85 Rubber Black
AS-12 ‘Bare Metal Silver’
X-22 Clear
Mr. Color
C327 Gloss Insignia Red FS11136

C027 Interior Green
THE
C339 Gloss Engine Gray FS16081
C329 Gloss Insignia Yellow FS13538
Humbrol Enamels
33 Matt Black
Vallejo Acrylics - colours for detailing
Winsor & Newton Oil colours
MAKER
PART 2: This month we take Payne’s Grey
a look at how our model Raw Umber
was painted and weathered
to create a highly-
distinctive F6F-5K Drone
ou may well recall that in the point that the model has only just been
Y
Having built the kit, no little time was spent
September issue we began finished as this issue goes to print - some looking for something that would make the
our look at this kit, planning to four months later! In the vain hope that model look like 10% of completed Hellcats,
create a series of articles that good things come to those that wait, we are rather than the 90% that we assume we will
would follow over the subsequent now able to reveal our completed Hellcat find in many of the world’s other magazines,
months. Well, best laid plans and all that, and the rather unusual colour scheme that on club stands and in competition rooms
circumstances conspired against us to the was chosen to complete it in. around the world. Though the aircraft was
widely used, this variant the Dash 5, offers
limited colour scheme options, especially if
you are looking for something a little brighter
- but there are choices should you dig a little
deeper…
Having spent time with reference books
to hand and a Web browser open, various
options were considered, until the Dash 5K
in its wonderful drone plumage, was settled
upon. The mixed colours of Engine Grey,
Insignia Yellow and Insignia Red, all looked
to create a wonderfully eye-catching model
www.modelairplaneinternational.com 67
KIT BUILD
Having checked that the model was free from flaws, the open nose area could be masked and the The yellow was applied carefully using my Procon Boy airbrush, the paint being thinned with
wings basecoated in Insignia Yellow. around 60% Mr. Color Thinner.
Happy with the initial run of yellow, an FX Template was brought into play to add a marbled layer of The white was added in very thin layers, the paint being mixed with around 70% thinners. several
Tamiya XF-2 Flat white. different templates, moved around over the model being used to create the effect seen here.
With the white in place, misted layers of the base yellow were applied to tone-down the effect and Micromesh was used to smooth out the finish. This was a step carried out between every layer
intensify the hue. of colour over the surface of the entire model to ensure that the finish was silk-smooth, with no
evidence of a rough texture, something all too easy to achieve when applying multiple layers of
paint with an airbrush

1:24
Time to add definition to the numerous panels. Here one We are not done yet! Another FX template and
is being masked off with Tamiya masking tape ready to another layer of yellow, helps to elevate the finish
be shaded. and random pattenation.
The panel has now been oversprayed with neat Insignia

yellow, the intensity of the colour being seen against the
surrounding but as yet unfinished, wing surface.
Moving on from the mainplanes, we turn our attention

to the tailplanes. Basecoat on, we are now ready to add
some more layers…
With the control surfaces highlighted, the FX templates could be brought into play once more to add an initial layer of pebbling.
… beginning with a pre-highlight layer of white.
This was used around the fabric control surfaces to
accentuate their structure and shape. The effect would Issue 173 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 69
be subtle, but still worthwhile when examining the
completed model.
KIT BUILD
Basecoat and pebbling in place, attention can Though I could have used just two shades of Here are the tailplanes with all three shades of yellow in place. Note that the tailplanes are
turn to the upper layers of yellow. yellow, I decided to incorporate a darker shade asymmetrical in finish, different panels being attended to, to create a more realistic effect.
as well, so deepened my Insignia Yellow paint
with a few drops of Tamiya Gloss Orange,
masked off some panels and then spayed
several thin layers over each tailplane. Acting
as a kind of ‘preshade’, this would also be used
over all of the yellow surfaces on this model.
The same processes used over the mainplanes were

now utilised over the upper and lower surfaces of the
tailplanes, until a nice rich colour had been achieved.
The flaps and other control surfaces were painted identically to the main and tailplanes. Here’s a close-up of the port inner flap,
revealing some of the weathering that was added with neat Starship Filth, staining and dirt runs being added with ease using nothing
more than dots of colour added with a soft, flat brush and cotton buds to blend everything in.
The red stripes on the wings are
a wonderfully distinctive flash
of colour that need to added
carefully. Using my references
to measure their size, Tamiya
Masking tape was used to define
each one, the edges of each
piece of tape being trimmed
with a No.10A scalpel blade to
ensure each was ultra sharp.
With the edges defined, the rest
Compared to the application of the yellow finish, the of each wing was then covered
definition of the panel lines and rivets was child’s play, to protect from overspray and
a simple wash with Mig Productions Starship Filth oil then the Insignia Red applied
paint, being all that was needed to bring out the detail. using the same system used
for the yellow: basecoat, white
marbling, blending layer and
finally, a textured layer of thin red
Back to the wings and another quick polish to intensify and unify, the colour.
over with fine Micromesh. This was then repeated over the
starboard wing and the rudder.

1:24
The black numbers and code letters on the upper wings were All the black markings on this model were airbrushed with Bright areas almost complete, they were masked off carefully
the first to be added using Jonathan’s vinyl masks. Here, the Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black, cut down with their XF-63 German and then the fuselage airbrushed with several layers of Engine
stencils are in place and the surrounding surfaces covered with grey to create a less stark shade. Further work later on, would Grey. As with the wings, the fuselage would be mottled with
Tamiya’s 4 cm tape. blend these pristine ‘black’ letters and numbers into their highlights and shadows to create a busy finish, though this time,
surroundings even further… the use of white was discarded in favour of simply grey shades.
and though an overall orange aircraft was also yet…) so I had to then draw on the talents of From the off, I knew that the inishing stages
chosen, our inability to narrow down a speciic Jonathan Mock, who offered to create some would be lengthy, not least because of that
sub-variant and the speciic details pertinent to bespoke vinyl masks that would allow the yellow trim, yellow being notoriously dificult to
it, ensured that we stuck to the plan and this markings to be airbrushed on. With those apply to a model, especially one this big! The
model is the result. masks to hand and suitable thanks offered irst hurdle to overcome was the acquisition
Of course this aircraft is not available as an in return, I could begin the long process of of suitable paint in quantities that would not
option from a stock decal sheet (at least not painting this model. leave me short half way through the process.
As with the numbers, the star and bar markings were applied using custom masks. Here, the blue And here the white is in place. These markings are huge and really dominate this scheme. Note
is being applied using a layer of Tamiya XF-8 Flat Blue, darkened with a little flat black. also the white ’NAVY’ legend, this being sprayed into place after VERY carefully lining up the stencil
with the national insignia. Any mistake here would have been disastrous, nothing more than a
repaint of the grey, being needed to correct any misalignment.
Happy that the blue and white parts of the national insignia were in place, the markings could be A completed ‘star and bar’ marking! Though a considerable amount of work, the use of stencils
very carefully masked once more and the red strips added to each one, this time using the Insignia and airbrushed colours, resulted in a marking that looked to be absolutely in keeping with its
Red used for the trim. surroundings.

KIT BUILD
There is no getting away from it, this is a very colourful scheme! As mentioned earlier, the markings on the fuselage had to be carefully aligned, not only individually,
be with each other, absolutely concentration being needed during this phase of painting. Tape was
used to do this, repeated measurements and corrections being needed before the masks could be
seen to be in as close to their correct position, as possible.
The yellow and red tail was further decorated with the ‘UA’ ID letters that form part of this scheme. As with the tailplanes, the detail over the yellow wings was defined with a wash mixed from Mig
In this shot, the aerial mast still forms part of the fin, this being removed during final assembly Productions Starship Filth oil paint and household white spirit. As I didn’t want to darken the yellow,
when I noticed its removal from the actual -5K being modelled… a ’sludge wash’ was not used, the paint being very careful applied to each panel line one by one. As
you can imagine, this was a long job!
Having left the wash to sit of around 15 minutes, the excess was removed with a cotton tee shirt The outer wing panel has been washed and the excess removed, Compare this with the inner
dampened with white spirit, the oil paint being removed backwards following the line of airflow to panel…
create a prototypical looking layer of dirt and staining.

1:24
Compare and contrast. The port wing has been completely washed and polished… …Unlike the starboard wing which has yet to be dealt with. The difference, as you can see, is
subtle, the detail popping nicely in the previous shot. Time to bulk out the weathering with further
layers if grime…
Because my masking was less than successful, the interior of the nose was repainted with Interior The edges of the cockpit were carefully trimmed and any touching up, carried out. Note the
Green and then highlights added using the base colour mixed with Tamiya XF-3 Yellow Green. Note appearance of the cockpit in this shot and those amazing seat straps.
in this shot the now painted walkways.
Held above my painting desk, the sheer size of this model can be appreciated, as I hope can the An early-test-fit of the control surfaces. Note the weathering over the surface of each one, simply
task that befalls anyone that choses to build and paint one! added with oil paints, in wash form, and neatly applied.

KIT BUILD
The grey fuselage really didn’t look as weathered as I wanted it The same pale grey colour was also used to blend in the A close-up of the tailplane reveals how the yellow looked
to, so time was spent adding fading with a pale grey oil colour, national insignia, the dark blue benefiting heavily from its following the application of those multiple layers of colour and
mixed from Payne’s Grey and Titanium White. This was applied application. Once satisfied with my work, the white areas were then the weathering run of oil colours. Note the streaks of dirt
with a flat brush over the panels, around rivets lines and across then treated to a slightly darker shade to add not only a layer flowing from the hinges and the way that the raised rivets pop
the spine - anywhere that I thought would benefit from some of dirt, but also help to define any structure sitting below each against the surface due to both the application of dark oils, as
additional work. white panel. well as a layer of drybrushed paler shades.
Almost there! A test-fit of the larger components and we are ready to move on to the completion of the engine and undercarriage.

1:24
Before signing off, I couldn’t resist the temptation to see how the engine looked once in place. Though it looks like we are close to the finish line, we still have some way to go before we could break the
tape - something that we will look at in more detail, next month…
As usual, I opted from Mr. Color products,

purchasing the relevant colours, two bottles of
each, before thinning both and then illing large
dropper bottles with the subsequent mixes.
This pre-thinned paint could then be used in
layers, either neat, darkened, or lightened as
we’ve seen over these pages, to create the
inal inish.
The next step was to decide how to create
a busy inish. Having experimented heavily
over the last year with the use of FX texture
templates, I once again opted to use them
to build up a inish that looked haphazardly
random, with hundreds of small, dissimilar
tones that combined to create the illusion of
use wear and weathering. Bulked-out with
oil washes and surface stains created with
oversprayed layers of dirty acrylic shades, I
was happy to proceed, safe in the knowledge
that this large and supericial clean model
aircraft, would look suitably realistic and
interesting once sat on my workbench, fully
painted and assembled… n
NEXT MONTH
We will complete our look at this very impressive model, carrying out inal construction and dealing with the
smaller details. We hope that you’ve enjoyed this month’s feature and look forward to seeing you in the next issue!

ft
Cr FT MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNA
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EVENTS DIARY
Model shows for 2019
November 17th 2019 December 1st 2019 February 16th 2020

Army Flying Museum Model Show 2019 Midland Air Museum Winter Show to be Halifax Model Show to be held at
to be held at Museum of Army Flying, held at Midland Air Museum, Midland Air North Bridge Leisure Centre,
Middle Wallop Museum, Rowley Road, Coventry, CV3 North Bridge Street
Stockbridge, SO20 8DY. Returning for its 4FR. The Midland Air Museum welcomes Halifax, HX3 6TE, from 10am ’tis 4pm.
11th show after taking a year out while you to their Winter Model show. This
the Army Flying Museum underwent a is a small event just before Christmas Contact Geoff Milnes or Alan Paul on:
refurbishment is the Aircraft Enthusiast festivities, and will have a small amount Geoff 0113 289 3152 or 07879446554,
Fair and Model Show. A popular show, of Traders and a few selected clubs Paul 07811358355.
come along and take advantage of the within the museum itself. The museum Email: huddersfieldshow@gmail.com
£5 reduction in the normal admission fee has a cafe and small gift shop, and Website: www.huddersfieldmodelshow.co.uk
and see the new look museum. normal entrance fees apply. A great
opportunity to purchase all the things April 5th 2020
Contact: Army Flying Museum on your forgot to buy at SMW 2019!! Shropshire Scale Modellers Show to
01264 883795. be held at RAF Museum Cosford, Royal
Email: eventassistant@armyflying.com Contact Midland Air Museum on Air Force Museum, Lysander Avenue,
02476 301033. Cosford, Shifnal, TF11 8UP from 10am
November 24th 2019 Email: enquires@midlandairmuseum.co.uk ’tis 4pm.
Hamex 11 Kitswap 2019 to be held at
Hanslope Village Hall, Newport Rd February 16th 2020 Contact Andrew Armstrong.
Hanslope, MK19 7NZ. This yearly kit- Halifax 2020. The new home for the Email: ipms.telford@yahoo.co.uk
swap is back a little earlier this year. Huddersfield Model Show will take place Website:
Bargains galore from the kit-swap tables at: North Bridge Leisure Centre, North http://shropmodels.org.uk/index.htm
and traders. K-9 Cafe open all day Bridge Street,Halifax, HX3 6TE from
Kit-swap tables: £5; Trader Tables: £10; 10am ’til 4pm. Adults: £4, April 18th 2020
Public Entry £2 End Time: 16:00 - Can be concessions: £3. IPMS Dorset Model Show to be held at
earlier if all the bargains have gone! Parkstone Grammar School, Parkstone
For further information please contact: Grammar School, Sopers Lane Poole
Contact: Paul Fitzmaurice / Mat Irvine Geoff Milnes on: 01132893152 BH17 7EP from 10am ’til 4pm.
on 01234 711980 and 01908 510191 or 07879446554; or Alan Paul on:
respectively. 07811358355. Email the show on: Contact Jez Thomson.
Email: info@hamex.co.uk huddersfieldshow@gmail.com or Email: jez_thomson@yahoo.co.uk
visit the website on:
www.huddersfieldscalemodelshow.co.uk

CONTACTS
✆ ✉
Contact details for companies featured in MAI this month...
Azur/Frrom Historie & Collections MARK I Ltd. Revell GmbH & Co., KG
**See Special Hobby Ltd** 5 avenue de la Ræpublique PO Box 10, Abteilung X,
F-75541 CZ-100 31 Prague 10 – Strasnice, Henschelstr 20-30,
Albion Alloys Paris Cédex 11 Czech Republic D-32257 Bünde,
518 Wallisdown Rd, Bournemouth, Tel: 01 40 21 18 20 Tel: +420-241 765 158 Germany
Dorset BH11 8PT Fax: 01 47 00 51 11 Fax: +420-241 765 158
www.albionhobbies.com www.historieetcollections.fr Email: mark1@cmail.cz Special Hobby Ltd
Tel. 0044 1202 511232 Mezilesi 718,
Fax. 0044 1202 539967 The Hobby Company Limited Master Model Prague 9 193 00,
Garforth Place, 71-126 Szczecin, Czech Republic
Creative Models Ltd Knowlhill, ul. 26 Kwietnia 49/44, www.cmkkits.com
Creative Models Ltd Milton Keynes Poland
Unit 6-10 Ind Est MK5 8PH Tel: +48 0 503 072 624 Wydawnictwo Stratus s.c.
Chatteris Tel: 01908 605 686 Email: info@master-model.pl PO Box 123,
PE16 6TG Fax: 01908 605 666 www.master-model.pl 27-600 Sandomierz 1,
Tel: +44 (0)1354 760022 Email: sales@hobbyco.net Poland
Fax: +44 (0)1354 760037 or enquiries@hobbyco.net Mushroom Model Tel: 0-15 833 30 41
www.creativemodels.co.uk www.hobbyco.net Publications Email: office@stratusbooks.biz
3 Gloucester Close, www.stratusbooks.com.pl
Eduard M.A., ICM Holding Petersfield,
170 Obrnice, Borispolskaya 9, Building 64, Hants. Trumpeter
Obrnice, Kiev 02099, GU32 3AX Wa San Development (Macau) Ltd
435 21, Ukraine Tel: +44 (1)1730 265014 Rampa Dos Cavleiros No.9,
Czech Republic Tel/Fax: (+380 44) 369 54 12 Email: rogerw@mmpbooks.biz Block 5, Floor 16, Flat AS EDF,
Tel: 420 35 6 11 81 86 Email: export@icm.com.ua www.mmpbooks.biz Jardim Sun Yick Garden,
Fax: 420 35 6 11 81 71 Macaua
Email: info@eduard.cz Italeri S.p.A Pocketbond Ltd. China
Via Pradazzo 6/B, POCKETBOND www.trumpeter.com
Hannants I-40012 Calderara di Reno, Bachmann Europe PLC
Harbour Road, (Bologna), Moat Way Wingnut Wings Ltd
Oulton Broad, Italy Barwell PO Box 15-319,
Lowestoft, Tel: +39 051 72 60 37 Leics LE9 8EY Miramar,
Suffolk Fax: +39 051 72 64 59 Tel 01455 841756 Wellington 6022,
NR32 3LZ Email: italeri@italeri.com info@pocketbond.co.uk New Zealand
Tel: 01502 517444 www.wingnutwings.com
Fax: 01502 500521 Lela Presse S.A.R.L. Revell GmbH
www.hannants.co.uk 29, rue Paul Bert, Unit 10, Old Airfield Industrial Estate,
62230 Outreau, Cheddington Lane,
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3-1-2 Yagusu Yaizu, Tel: 03 21 33 88 96 HP23 4QR
Shizuoka 425-8711, Fax: 03 21 32 00 39 Tel: 0845-459-0747
Japan www.avions-bateaux.com. Fax: 01296-660041
Tel: 81 54 6 28 82 41 Email: info@avions-bateaux.com. Email: ukbranch@revell.de
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S ubscrib
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NEXT ISSUE 76
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SO WHAT’S PLANNED FOR THE NEXT ISSUE?
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BUCCANEERING SPIRIT DOOLEYBIRD

Delayed from this month, the editor takes an in-depth look at the brand-new Airfix Mike Williams builds the Airfix 1:48 P-51D Mustang, finishing it in one of WWII’s
1:72 kit of this famous Cold War jet. most controversial colour schemes…
FIRST LIGHT
Frank Crenshaw pays tribute to Geoffrey Wellum, the RAF’s youngest Battle Of Britain fighter
pilot, as he builds his now famous, Mk.I Spitfire.

FINAL THOUGHTS
FINDING THAT NEXT

NEW PROJECT
How do you decide what to build next? What do you do when you simply cannot decide?! - Written by Spencer Pollard
n this issue you have seen my completed don’t struggle to skip from one smaller project shindig in Telford for the IPMS Scale Model
I Hellcat, the result of almost five months of

work on and off, making it one of my most
time-consuming projects, ever. Though I’m
pleased to see this model complete, it has
caused a rather intriguing problem: I simply
cannot decide what to build next. I know that I
have to build something, but choosing what, is
to another, indeed, I find that rather easy,
but if something is as time-consuming as
the Hellcat, it seems as though my energy,
emotional and physical, is completely spent by
the time that I’ve finished the build.
The worst example of this modelling inertia
was caused by a large and very involved
World. Meeting up with friends, looking at the
wonderful models on display and then perusing
the numerous trade stands, will no doubt break
the block. Indeed, I have a list of things I would
like to buy, but I have to be aware that I already
have models that need to be built for MAI, even
if it at the moment, I don’t at really want open
proving to be less than straightforward! diorama that I built 6 years ago. Having their boxes! Still, it will no doubt be the kickstart
It’s not really the Hellcat that has caused worked on it for around 350 hours over only a I need and I’m looking forward to what I could
this problem, because it has happened before. few months, I was so burned out at the end of up with before the end of the year and into
In fact, every time that I complete one of these that period of time, that I din’t touch another kit 2020.
mega-projects, I spend the next month or so for six months - it was ridiculous! Eventually, I So how do you deal with a period of
trying to rebuild my enthusiasm to return to moved on, but such was my lack of modelling burnout? Do you build something different,
my workbench. Call it burn out, call it fatigue, drive, that nothing was finished for longer than something simpler, something out of the
call it disinterest, as I am writing this, I’ve not any other period in my career. Fortunately, ordinary? Or do you simply accept it for what
touched a kit for three weeks, my workshop is over the intervening years nothing like that has it is, a little time in your year that allows you to
perfectly tidy and my list of projects that I want happened again, but I am aware of the pitfalls recharge the batteries, plan a fun new project
to begin, empty. of letting days spread into weeks, weeks and relax until you start once again on your
So I wonder if I am alone in being like this spread into months. next masterpiece?
once a large project is at an end? I certainly This weekend coming is the annual See you next time. ■

Advertorial
KIT PREVIEW
TAMIYA 1:48 LOCKHEED P-38 F/G LIGHTNING ● KIT NO. 61120
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE TWICE!

Tamiya have created an 100%, all new 1:48 kit of the
Lockheed P-38 F/G Lightning with wonderful precision.
T
he complex Lightning P-38 was one Features:
of the most crucial fighters of World •฀The฀P-38฀form฀has฀been฀accurately฀
War II for the Allied cause. The replicated after extensive study sessions of
pilot’s cockpit and weaponry sat in actual Lightnings
a central nacelle flanked by twin booms
•฀The฀model฀has฀the฀ability฀to฀be฀assembled฀
which taper back to the tailplane. Each
boom houses a turbocharged V12 engine with an open or closed canopy, with parts
and the distinctive overall image led to it for the sideways opening P-38F and vertical
being known by some as the Fork-Tailed opening P-38G designs.
Devil or Gabelschwanz-Teufel. •฀A฀curved฀canopy฀front฀has฀also฀been฀
In 1937 the Unites States Army recreated and included.
Air Corps requested a high-altitude •฀Weights฀are฀provided฀to฀ensure฀the฀correct฀
twin-engined single seat fighter to stance of the model as a parked P-38.
intercept and attack hostile aircraft. The •฀The฀model฀enables฀the฀construction฀of฀
ongoing success of the Lockheed design either the P-38F or P-38G.
meant that the P-38 had a notable impact •฀Two฀150฀and฀300฀gallon฀Drop฀tanks฀are฀
as a superior fighter-bomber in the Pacific, included for P-38F and the more powerful
Germany and the Mediterranean. The P-38G setup so that it was capable of
carrying capacity, firepower, handling longer missions.
and excellent range proved to be an •฀The฀P-38G’s฀carried฀both฀a฀150฀and฀300฀
outstanding success. Gallon tank during Operation Vengeance.
Now, thanks to Tamiya’s new tooling, •฀Highly฀detailed฀cockpit฀with฀decals฀for฀
this legendary Lockheed designed P-38F/G the instrument panel and wheel control
Lightning from World War II is brought column, plus raised details of the radio and
back to life in the 1:48 Aircraft Series. ●
throttle box on the cockpit walls.
•฀Two฀markings฀options฀are฀offered;
-฀P-38F฀“White฀33”฀39th฀Fighter฀Squadron,฀
35th฀Fighter฀Group,฀5th฀Air฀Force
-฀P-38G฀“White฀147”฀339th฀Fighter฀
Squadron,฀347th฀Fighter฀Group,฀13th฀Air฀
Force
•฀Special฀metal฀effect฀decals฀are฀included฀to฀
recreate the interior and engine cowling
mirrors for the pilot to check landing gear.
“ It looks fantastic, it
really does. The surface
•฀A฀pilot฀figure฀comes฀with฀the฀kit. texture is everything that
•฀Canopy฀masking฀sheet฀is฀provided฀for฀
painting.
we have come to expect
•฀A฀full฀colour฀painting฀guide฀is฀also฀included. from Tamiya, restrained,
crisp and accurate...
Tamiya kits are widely available from good model shops and online.
UK import and distribution by The Hobby Company Limited; www.hobbyco.net
(Brett Green) ”

The Ace Maker: Faster Than A Speeding Bullet! Faster Than A Speeding Bullet! Faster Than A Speeding Bullet!

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ALL THE INFORMATION YOU’LL EVER NEED

TO CREATE THE BEST AIRCRAFT MODELS 6 NEW BUILDS

1:72 KIT BUILD

THE GREY LADY

1:24 KIT BUILD

THE ACE MAKER

1:32 KIT BUILD

FASTER THAN A SPEEDING BULLET!

VOL.14 ISS.173 DECEMBER 2019

Issue 173 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 3

A to this issue of MAI, I am four

I attributable to a host of famous

6 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019

LFPE7232 - 1:72 Sikorsky H-5G £23.40

MUSTANGS, MIGS AND FOKKERS…

O from Eduard, two Mustangs, two MiGs and one

1:72 MIG-21MFN - 7452

1:72 FOKKER D.VII (MÁG)

1:48 P-51D MUSTANG ‘EXCALIBUR’ - 7141

8 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019

● Bu.No. 92442, 43rd Bomber Wing,

The decals are superb, being

10 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019

Issue 173 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 11

HARRIER GR.1 TRANSATLANTIC AIR RACE 50TH ANNIVERSARY

to extend the wingtips, because

12 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019

Issue 173 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 13

The Wombourne show is a cosy affair

Issue 173 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 15

16 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019

As expected and predicted here in earlier MAI

18 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019

F6F-5 1:144 - 144012

HARRIER GR.1/3/AV-8A/C: DETAILING AND WEAPONS SET - MKA14422

This new set should be available as this issue goes to press.

F-104 STARFIGHTER WEAPONS SET - MKA14421

l Mk.82 (B-28) A-Bomb

This new set should be available as this issue goes to press.

AVAILABLE FROM doolittlemedia.com

Issue 173 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 19

SCALE AIRCRAFT CONVERSIONS

20 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019

The Modeller’s Guide

ORDER NOW: regardless of their experience.

£18.95 PLUS P&P

A newcomer to the model world, especially

22 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019

Mr. Hobby Acrylics

Mr. Super Metallic

Issue 173 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 23

The wooden skewer acts as a suitable

design, comprising horizontal stabilisers with

When dry, the paintwork was

…over which a blending top coat of

Issue 173 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 25

be quite heavy-handed, as some of the BoB

Gloss clear and decals

26 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019

Issue 173 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 27

T rivets flying in close formation as

28 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - December 2019

Issue 173 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 41