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 2 Bristol Beaufort
Paolo Portuesi builds ICM’s recent 1:48 kit.

10 Scratchbuilt Skyservant Part Three

Master modeller Megas Tsonos concludes his build of the Do28D-2.

20 Ki-84 Hayate
Jamie Haggo can’t get enough of these 1:72 Arma kits.

28 Crusader Part Two

Andrea Vignocchi concludes his project with the deck diorama.

40 Ta-152; High Flyin’ Hot Rod

What does Grega Krizman think of the Zoukei Mura kit?

56 P-38J
Lightning strikes twice for Franck Oudin and Tamiya’s 1:48 kit.

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1
2
3
 Proud Ukrainian manufacturer ICM has accustomed modellers to
the quality of their packaging, and more importantly the kits, and
this Beaufort in 1:48 is no exception. I must also say that the box
is well proportioned with respect to its content, unlike some other
manufacturers. Opening the box we’re presented with a plastic
bag full of eight sprues, two of which are clear, an instruction
booklet, and a good looking decal sheet. Main parts, like the
fuselage and wings are lacking any rivet detail, but they are rich
with alternating engraved and raised detail; at times a little heavy
but moulded very sharp.
After identifying the parts for the entire cockpit (and there are
many) and after removing them from the sprues, construction
started on the cockpit. Actually, it started under the cockpit, given
that the first of the 79 instruction steps deals with the forward half
of the torpedo bay. A few relatively tiny parts are involved in this
area, luckily no flash or prominent mould seams are present. As
soon as the main cockpit parts were assembled and ready
to be glued with the right half fuselage, they were given a
coat of Tamiya XF-71. With the base coat on, a wash of brown oil
paint (ABT080) flowed in and around the recessed details. One of
the reasons I like acrylic paint is that it dries with a kind of satin
sheen, which helps with washes. However, do not forget to leave
the paint to harden properly so the wash doesn’t attack it.
Out of the box, the cockpit of this kit is already quite detailed, of a
standard that once we could only hope for in the best 1:32 scale
kits. Maybe due to the large amount of glazing, and given the
limitations of plastic moulding, it was at this point that I felt the
need to look to Eduard to improve the cockpit to the next level.
So, Eduard Seat Belt (FE1319), Space (3DL48094), and Interior Set
(ED491318) came to the rescue. Lately, the way in which Eduard
designs these parts is such as to allow them to be assembled
even without particular tools and skills. The result is fascinating,
starting with the etched driver's seat, the seat belt coming from
Eduard (FE1319) not to mention the instrument panels.

To enhance shadows, very dilute brown was sprayed into the nooks
and crannies and a lighter mix of Tamiya XF-71 was then sprayed
over to give highlights. My goal was to add depth and contrast. A
layer of clear was sprayed on, to give the subsequent gentle dry-
brushing something to grab onto. Once again, instead of using one
of the many ready-to-use weathering products, I mixed a suitable
shade of grey from black and white oil paint. Next up was to pick
out various details using a very fine brush and some very bright red,
green, and yellow acrylics. In the end, I had a very appealing and
complex cockpit which is very visible.

With the fuselage complete, attention now turned to the wings. This
kit, like many of other recent releases, fortunately includes two
sturdy spars which, crossing the fuselage from side to side, allows
for a robust and precise positioning of the wings, which is a real
help in setting the wing dihedral as well as providing much needed
strength. In addition, there was no step between the wings and the
fuselage sides. A good fit is also at the joint between the fuselage
and the tail planes. In addition, I love that all the tail mobile surfaces
are separate parts. The nacelles were made up at this point but I
did not add the exhausts until after they had been painted. Test
fitting of the wings revealed a perfect fit. So, it was now time to glue
the wings to the spars mating them to the fuselage...we’re
beginning to look like a Beaufort!

4
The lights on the wing edge were one of the small details I
improved. Cutting them off with a fresh blade and replacing them
with a couple of scale lenses used by car modelers to simulte
headligths; easy. The final effect is more convincing than if you
paint them in white or silver.

The Beaufort was a twin radial engine aircraft

(Bristol Taurus) In the ‘good old days’ such a
1:48 twin engine aircraft meant either a lot of
additional detail work or a resin replacement.
ICM’s interpretation of them, I have to say, is
pretty good calling only for accurate painting
and washes. I first hit the engines with a layer of
Alclad Allluminium and then with a wash of
Burnt Umber oil wash. The propellers have
some lovely detail that can easily be enhanced
by some very light washes over a layer of
Gunze H18, semigloss black.

5
 Turrets are another peculiar aspect of
multi-engine aircraft of the World War II
era. They do require careful drawing by
the kit designers, and even more care
in assembly by the modeller. However, I
have to say that the dorsal turret not
only fits well but also is planned in a
way to ease the painting process. All
the guns were painted Alclad Gun Metal
and very gently dry-brushed with
Humbrol Aluminium. Everything else
was built and painted as per ICM’s
instructions.

Given that dry checking the fit of the engines to the

nacelles was flawless, I decided to postpone the
fitting step until the very last moment. Attention then
turned to the exhausts; unfortunately they are tooled
with the cowlings. As a result, it is much better to
paint them after painting the cowlings. Here, some
masking was required to get a neat look. The
exhausts were painted with Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black
and then with Abteilung 502 medium rust, for a
used, soot-stained look.

With the airframe basically done, I wanted to finish

all the ‘dangly bits’. The undercarriage legs had been
assembled beforehand and they fit really well. They
were painted with Alclad Aluminium and treated with
a Burnt Umber wash which gives a nice oily finish
that helps the detail to really leap out.

The wheels came next. I swapped the kit wheels for

the resin ones released by CMK. I painted the tires
with a random mix of dark greys, the hub being
Alclad Aluminium. I wanted to heavily weather the
tyres so I mixed various shades of brown and got
very close with my airbrush at a very low pressure.

With all the bits and pieces complete, I turned to the

job of masking the many clear parts typical of this
type of subject, and I have to say that thanks to the
masks provided by Eduard in their EX 909 set, it was
way easier than I feared. When the masking process
was complete, it was time to glue all clear parts to
the fuselage in what is always a moment of truth for
every kit. To my big relief, all the clear parts fit well.

6
Painting is without doubt my favourite aspect of modelling
and at times, getting to the painting stage for me can be a
bit of a chore! In retrospect, I have to say that this kit was
an enjoyable experience on the whole. To get some paint
chipping, I painted the leading edges of the wings and
some other areas of this kit with a layer of Semi-Matt
Aluminum from the Alclad range, then with a very fine
brush, I sponged very small amounts of Maskol in the spots
where I wanted to create the chipping effect.

Dark Earth H72 Gunze was sprayed first. Then, after adding
a few drops of white to the pot, I sprayed my kit again and
weathered it subtly in a random fashion. When all that was
done, it was time to go ahead with the other main colour,
Dark Green Gunze H73, followed by another slightly lighted
version of the same colour. Under surfaces were painted
Tamiya XF 1 Flat Black. No masking was required, just a lot
of care, very thinned paint, a good airbrush, low pressure,
and Uschi ‘Texture’ stencils to add a random mottled finish
with ease. Finally, I went over all surfaces with a mix of oil
paints to enhance the panel lines. The kit decals go on very
well with standard setting solution procedures.

An operational aircraft devoid of exhaust

stains just doesn’t look right. I didn't
forget to replicate this characteristic
spraying many light layers of Mahogany
H84 Gunze behind the exhausts, through
all nacelle side, until I was happy with the
look.

7
 Last but not least the torpedo. I was undecided
for quite some time whether to mount the torpedo
under the fuselage of my Beaufort or to leave it displayed
on it’s trolley because both are so well made that it is a pity
not to leave them in full view. My final decision was to mount it in
the Beaufort’s belly where the green of the open doors gives a
nice contrast to the black undersides.

In conclusion, what more can I say about this kit apart from that is
relatively simple to build, fits well, and is a good basis for anybody
who loves to super detail their models. Well done ICM for
choosing a great subject and making a great kit!

8
9
 concludes his masterclass in
scratchbuilding

10
DOORS AND WINDOWS
The file containing the windows shapes and dimensions was sent
to 4D Modelshop and a set of three cuts arrived (210), each cut
leaving a different gap between the windows themselves and their
frames, so that the best should be chosen. I peeled off the
protective films and aided by a piece of masking tape (211) I
positioned them; before gluing, I checked with a straightedge that
they were exactly flush with the fuselage sides. Thin CA was
sparingly used and precisely applied, whilst the interior was
allowed to ventilate following each window application, the
airbrush being a handy tool to do this quickly.
I turned my attention to the cockpit side windows which are
located within the cockpit doors structure. These are not flat but a
bit bulged, so I sanded the examples I had in hand (212) to make
them look like the real thing. Then I added the window opening
handles, and got ready for the doors themselves.
The doors were designed with the window frames as a separate
item (213), giving me the choice to open the windows if I wished.
210
213
214
217 218
219 222
220
223
221
224
225
226
Indeed, I soldered the window frames in the open position (214).
Then I added the interior coverings, for which I used thin black
styrene, as the coverings are also black on the real plane. The
coverings were modelled on a brass template door purposefully
made; then transferred at their respective places on both doors
(215). The doors interior detailing was done at this point (216),
ashtrays and door operating levers being part of it.
The finished doors are illustrated in (217). The starboard door was
to be fitted in the open position, so the door hold-open strut (seen
extended in photo 216) was actually glued on the fuselage where
a much stronger cementing could be made.
The cabin entry door was the last item to be modelled as the
doors are concerned. As mentioned above, the door rear half was
‘left’ slightly open, just enough for tweezers to pull out the door so
that the cabin interior might be seen. Some exterior and a lot of
interior detailing was carried out here as well (218), and the door
was painted as the rest of the interior with the exception of its
surrounding frame which was painted in interior green FS34151.
212
211
215 216
THE LANDING GEAR
The landing gear came about as a function of the spare time
found between more important aspects of this built, or when the
everyday obligations left just enough time to do something in the
workshop. So its construction spanned the best part of six
months, however it is included here as a complete chapter for the
benefit of the reader.
The oleo strut aerodynamic fairings or spats were the first parts to
deal with. Initially, the side profile of the spats was cut in styrene
(219) and was sandwiched between two Chemiwood resin blocks
(per spat -220), acting as a centre line guide so that the blocks
could be equally sanded laterally. The sanding was performed
under continuous vacuuming (221), so as to avoid inhaling the
dust and powder produced. I realized the need to couple the two
spats into a single unit so as to achieve a more uniform
appearance especially where the spats would later meet their
upper counterparts under the nacelles. As usual I sealed off the
porous surface with CA glue (222) and applied a base coat of
Hycote primer filler putty (223), and repeated with the finer Mr.
Surfacer 1200. I marked a line indicating the location of the oleo
struts inside the spats. It is an important one as the oleo struts
themselves would meet their upper structural members in the
nacelles at these exact points; and the wheel axles at their lower
ends (224). Then the space which accommodated the
mainwheels was carved out, first by drilling (225) and then by
smoothing with a cylindrical bit on the minitool.
Apart from scribing and riveting carried out later the spats were
drilled at the points where the oleo struts enter the nacelles. This
was done with a hand drill (226) prior to fitting the struts and 11
wheels in place.
 227

230

228 229

233 234

231 232

WHEELS AND TYRES
I started working with one main tyre (yes, one only, which was cut
in half to make two ‘lower’ halves) from a piece of black styrene
(227), which was mounted on a spare minitool sanding disk axle.
Then it was rolled and cut in a lathe fashion (228) and checked
frequently as it was approaching its correct diameter. Then I
smoothed it with foam sanding block and scribed the three
grooves (229) using the back of an X-Acto No11 blade. The end
result is seen in (230) just prior to, and following the fitting of the
wheel hub which consisted of three concentric rings (styrene
tube). Actually the innermost rings were two, one for each half
tyre, in order to provide a sound basis for a fourth aluminium
bushing which would accept the brass wheel axle.
I turned my attention to the struts and the forks which support the
half wheels. I used a rectangular section brass tube which I drilled
to allow for a brass rod to be inserted and soldered. I cleaned the
excess material and made four holes through which the wheel
axles would pass. Cutting this in half (231), I obtained one pair of
struts and forks. I installed each half-wheel into its respective fork,
inserted the brass axle and I punched its ends (232) making small
extractions which kept everything in place. No glue was used as
the wheels should be left free to rotate at least until the model
could stand correctly on the table.
Using a needle file I enlarged the hole through which the struts
would pass and gently pushed the assemblies into place (233),
the struts emerging from the top of the spats, ready for installation
under the nacelles.
Moving on to the tailwheel, this was modelled in quite the same
way as can be seen in (234).

237

236
235

The wheel hub, yoke and support strut were made of brass (235). On the real
plane, the support strut is a carbon-fibre affair which acts as a shock absorber as
well; its semi-circular cross-section was duplicated here as well. I used a piece of
half-sectioned brass tube into which I embedded a nickel silver pin (235b) using
the nail-fix powder/CA mix; this would be inserted to its location in the tail cone.
The tailwheel was fixed in place (236); however some more details remained to
be added, mainly the self-centring lever and spring, which were dealt with using
again the between-the-steps spare time!
The Do28D-2 stands on the ground at an angle of approx. 10 degrees (artificial 238
horizon reading), when the oleo struts are properly serviced and the plane is
unloaded. In order to get this angle, I made a triangle jig from foam board and
dry-fitted the nacelles under the fuselage, and the spats in place. I sanded the
mainwheels to indicate the airplane-on-ground weight; I checked, marked, and
then removed the portion not needed (237) from the nacelles strut fairings.

When I reached the angle of 10o (238), I checked the main gear from the front
(239) to see the correct wheeltrack of 73.5mm (3.52m. on the real plane).
Profoundly happy with the results, then and only then, I cemented the main gear
in place, removed the nacelles and continued the build.
12
239
PAINTING
Although painting a model in the well-known TAC South-East Asia
colour scheme may seem common, it is the pattern of certain
aircraft types which more often than not is not specified, and can
lead to differences between aircraft of the same type within a
squadron. This was the case with the Do28D-2 back in the
eighties, when the aircraft were repainted to their new TAC
scheme then commonplace within the Hellenic Air Force. No two
airplanes were the same, but all followed a vague rule as to where
to apply the tan or the greens. As the former Luftwaffe colour
scheme was left behind, so did a small number of aircraft; non-
flying examples which were not painted but still providing spare
parts to the ones still in use.
The Skyservants could be seen flying the country, with panels still
in the old and faded colours, a complete modelling challenge!
That was the case when, as a young mechanic working for
Olympic Aviation at the Athens International Airport at Hellinicon, I
came across the Do28D-2 c/n 4087, parked on the apron an early
morning (240), which was destined to be my scratchbuilt project
32 years later. It was October 1989, and having my camera always
at the ready I did some walk-around photography, (…myself
included, 241) and came up with a more or less complete
242 243
245 246
DECALLING
Throughout its service life within the Hellenic Air Force the Do28D-
2 was repainted at least once. Excluding the non-flying examples,
the operational ones also saw changes to their national insignias,
both in colour and diameter. It was the diameter of the insignias,
rather than their colour which initially caught my attention. Roundel
masks of smaller diameter used on T-33A Shooting Stars were
initially chosen by the Hellenic Air Force paintshops. The fin flash
masks came from the Mirage F.1CG set of masks. Improvisation
at its best, this soon gave way to a bit larger, probably custom
made roundels but the fin flash dimensions were retained until the
type’s retirement from service. Be that as it may, I chose the -now
camouflage pattern, peculiar to 4087 only. Subsequently the same
aircraft was repainted (with a different pattern of course!), and flew
on until its decommissioning and eventual scrapping at its home
base in 112 Combat Wing at Eleusis.
Having these photos handy, I drew the pattern on the plans and
then painted the model. Prior to painting, I fabricated a means of
holding it, a small base made of foam board (242) which made
my life a bit easier. I used the TAC scheme colours from the
Xtracolor enamels range, X102 (FS10219), X110 (FS14079), X116
(FS14102) and X140 (FS16622). I used an Iwata Custom Micron B
airbrush, which did a sterling job with the colour demarcation lines;
and a much-needed one (243) as the photographs showed
exactly where to apply each colour. For the nacelles panels still in
the Luftwaffe camouflage scheme I used Xtracolor X251 (RAL6014
gelboliv -FS14064), X254 (RAL7012 basaltgrau -FS16152) and
Alclad’s ALC101 Aluminum as RAL9006 (FS17178), where
appropriate. For the airfoil de-icer boots and anti-glare panel, I
used Tamiya’s excellent XF-69 NATO black, following the masking
of the previously painted surfaces (244). I altered the hue of the
Xtracolor paints towards a lighter note, as a means of pre-
weathering the model, without whatsoever falling outside the
colour envelope.
240
241
244
247
out of business- Icarus Decals decal sheet for the T-33A and the
fin flash decals from the relevant decal sheet for the F.1CG, of the
same maker (245).
Following the repainting of 4087 in the TAC scheme, the roundel
colours were painted in FS15102, which the intense Greek sunlight
quickly turned to a light greyish blue (246), close enough to
FS35450. As the faded hue was also included in the
aforementioned decal sheets, I used it on the wing topsides,
fuselage and vertical stabilizer sides, to simulate the effect of the
sun-beaten surfaces of the real plane. I applied the darker
roundels (FS15102) on the wings undersurface (247) to indicate
the difference.
13

248
What is really astonishing is the stencilling of the Do.28D-2. The
aircraft was bristling with stencils which, in typical German fashion
were meticulously applied. Nevertheless, upon arrival in Greece,
these niceties soon gave way to a stencilling mix-up, consisting of
Americanized applications, or masked-over German old stencils
prior to application of the new TAC scheme, or fresh-made stencil
masks dedicated to the Skyservant. It all depended on who was
painting what on the aircraft but in the end no stencil was spared
from its surfaces. Searching and examining the photos at hand, I
was able to recreate what was stencilled on the aircraft, in 1/48th,
at least most of it. A lot of stencils were made on my computer
and printed, whilst the most demanding were custom-printed in
unquestionably high quality by Procal Decals
(info@procaldecals.gr).
Finally it was the aircraft’s construction number, also allocated as
its individual number, painted on the fuselage sides -in typical
251
254
WEATHERING
As mentioned above, the weathering started by altering the
colours in the first place. This produced a lighter version of the
basic scheme over which I performed an initial wash. I used the
old but proven method of artist’s oils, which never failed me; I
mixed black with raw umber, thinned it down and lightly airbrushed
on the model, working over one area at a time. Then I wiped clean
with a soft napkin moistened in thinners leaving a bit of dirt on the
model (251) while simultaneously bringing out its surface details.
This was done directly on the freshly-painted model which of
course had been left aside for days, to dry thoroughly; the
Xtracolor enamels are gloss and when completely dry, can sustain
this treatment without peeling off, nevertheless do experiment on
14
250
249
German fashion as well- straight back from those old Noratlas
days, which caused a bit more work. I drew the fuselage numbers
on the computer over a photo of the films taken in 1989, so as to
get the shape of the numbers and the distance between them
(248) as accurately as possible. Then I printed them on a clear
piece of acetate (249) and checked them on the model; I made
certain that when printed in decal form they would fit correctly,
fore and aft of the roundel. Satisfied, I went on with the printing
and applying the decals, in it a routine matter.
On the vertical fin sides the construction number was applied as a
serial number. A closer look revealed three (!) different buzz-
number characters (250) joined together to make the number. I
did not entirely succeed into duplicating it; nevertheless it still
indicates what mix-and-match was going on when painting an
aircraft these days…
252
253
255
256
a scrap piece of plastic before applying to your newest project. I
added the decals and stencils and proceeded with airbrushing the
Xtracolor XDFF Flat Varnish (252). Following the thorough drying of
the varnish I intensified the weathering, adding oil and fluid streaks
on the nacelles (253) consulting the photos taken in 1989 (254).
As the nacelle topsides are difficult to reach, all weathering was
done before they cemented to the fuselage, however the exhaust
stains (255) and the rest of the fuselage underside weathering
was done after the assemblies were joined. The oil stains
application followed closely the photos taken as seen on the port
elevator (256). I finished the weathering with Tamiya weathering
pastels, applied sparingly at places to give the model a bit more
faded appearance.
 STEP 7: JOINING THE ASSEMBLIES
The long-awaited moment had finally arrived. Both
assemblies were ready to be joined (257) with one or two
last minute details to be taken care of. The fuselage cut-out
was cleaned of residue and I did a bit of dry-fitting as well
(258). It is worth mentioning here that the Do28D-2 nacelles
are positioned at a downward attitude in relation to the
fuselage horizontal axis so a thin styrene wedge was
inserted in the fuselage cut-out, to assist the positioning. I
measured the wingtips-to-ground clearances to be equal
(259) and verified by checking on the elevators (260). Given
the small size of the model no allowances were accepted,
as they could be instantly visible on the finished thing.
I went on with the gluing of the assembly.

The stub-wing-to-fuselage fairings were not glued however,

so as not to mar the painted areas. It was not needed
anyway as the fit of them left no ground for doubt. I sealed
the seams with a bit of Milliput (261), and went over the
257 whole procedure (262) for the last time (on this model at
least!). I scribed the details, and airbrushed the model
following a careful masking. I let the spraying to coat the
stub-wings adjoining areas to the fuselage (263); thus the
upcoming weathering process helped me to make the area
look as if it was always a single unit (see also photo 255).

258 259 260

261 262 263

15

264
PROPELLERS
To many a modeller, the propellers are certainly terra incognita
due to lack of specific knowledge or simply because one may
never get into trouble researching with the same vigour as when
sweating over the differences between an MG151/20 and an
MG151/15 in …1/72…
Being a firm believer of the equal amount of searching for every
facet of the model one builds, be that historical or technical, I did
my usual search on the Skyservant’s propellers and came up with
rather interesting results, especially concerning their stencilling.
The Do28D-2 is equipped with a pair of Hartzell HC-B3W30-2B
three-blade, constant speed, clockwise rotating aluminum
propellers measuring 93.5” in diameter. The hubs are faired by
aluminum spinners, each measuring 462, 78mm in length and
358,14mm in diameter. Their distance from ground is recorded as
being 60cm, while the distance of blades from the fuselage is
24cm. The above plus a bit more helped in correctly determining
the blade dimensions in 1/48th and thus a master blade was
267
270
I removed the excess Milliput (274) to make space for the hubs
and the blade shanks.
Next I positioned the axles (brass tubes) on a hand drill (275),
finger-tightened the chuck and used the tool’s front face as a
guide (276) to properly attach and cement the assemblies onto
the former. Both propellers were given a coat of Mr Surfacer 1200
(277) prior to their masking and painting. With the aid of the
punch-and-die tool, I cut masks to cover the spinner (278) and
start painting. The blade sides facing the spinners were painted in
a silvery grey, which was the result of mixing a light grey lacquer
with a small amount of aluminium metallic lacquer. The sides
facing the engines were airbrushed in black. Then the blade anti-
ice rubber strips were painted in Tamiya’s XF-69 NATO Black. The
spinners were painted in RAL7012 ‘basaltgrau’, a leftover from the
Skyservant’s Luftwaffe days.
I finished the propellers by applying their logo and relevant
stencilling. Initially the propellers were adorned with the Hartzell
logo on their blades (279- inset). Building the model as was seen
and photographed on October 1989 I searched for the correct
16
265 266
carved from styrene (264). It was sent for copying in resin and
when the copies arrived they were cut (265) and sanded to the
length required. Then I used two concentric rings made from
Evergreen styrene tubes plus a metal one (266) to make the
hubs.
Next I drew a template on a piece of black styrene on which I
aligned the hubs (267) and drilled them at the points where the
blades would be attached. Using the same tool (268) I glued the
blades in place. I fabricated a spinner using a bit of Chemiwood
(269) rolled on the minitool. Then I used it as a master to heat-
form two spinners from thin pieces of styrene, pinned under a
balsa plank (270); three or four copies were made (271).
The best were chosen and filled with Milliput White (272), then cut
and trimmed to their final shapes. I placed the spinners into a hole
of equal diameter on a circle template (273) and determined the
exact location of the hole where the propeller axle should be
inserted so that the spinners could be accurately glued to the
hubs mentioned earlier.
268 269
271 272 273
logo (the one used by the maker in the eighties) and printed it in
decal form. At some time during the type’s service with the H.A.F.
this changed; domestic maintenance facilities were granted the
approval to inspect and overhaul the propellers, a fact which
consequently affected the labelling on the propeller blades (280),
as can be clearly seen on the aircraft now residing in the Hellenic
Air Force Museum.
274
 275 276
279
LAST DETAILS
Almost at the end of the build, but still some way to go, I dealt
with an array of small details which nonetheless boring to make,
enhanced the appearance of the model and helped in whatsoever
doing away from an otherwise -even more boring- camouflage
scheme.
Starting from the nose, I modelled the Collins combined VHF/UHF
antenna; I carved a piece of thin styrene to the appropriate shape,
I did not paint it (281) so as to keep its surface as smooth as
possible, and applied the Collins logo inverted, as the antenna is -
actually- inverted.
I opened the battery compartment and fabricated the battery and
its DC leads, a rare opportunity to do so on a models’ exterior
(282), this equipment being usually associated with the interior
detailing. The very location of the battery compartment also
explains the difference in shape of the starboard fairing
immediately above, in relation to the port side one.
A far more delicate work was the positioning of the windshield
heating thermistors and the windshield wipers. The former are
simple strips of Bare-Metal foil (chrome and copper) while the
latter (283) are assembled from photo-etched spares directly on
the windshields.
The first officer’s door was glued in the open position (284), using
the hold-open strut as a means of supporting it; being a length of
Albion Alloys nickel-silver tube, it certainly helps a lot to keep the
door safe from braking out of position.
281 282
285 286
288
277
278
280
Moving on to the wing centre section topside, I used photo-etched
parts to simulate the four wing lifting lugs (285), which along with
the relevant stencilling on the area are real attention getters. The
twin elements of the UHF homing antenna (white-painted Strutz
aerofoil-shaped brass lengths) as well as the insulated entry point
of the ADF sense aerial (nylon thread) are also seen in the picture.
On the wingtips, I used the Little-Cars coloured lenses (286) to
make the position lights (as they are referred to in the flight
manual) and I added the light refraction transparencies (which
help the flight crew to ascertain the functioning of the lights) using
clear acetate.
On all trailing edges I added the static dischargers (287-288),
simulated by lengths of nylon thread attached with CA glue.
On the tail unit some more red-painted details are included; a red
line on the rudder trim tab (289) indicating the positioning of the
protractor instrument which checks the tab correct deflections, a
red circle indicating the location of the hole for the gust locking
device external component, and the red pointer on the elevator
leading edge which points toward the red dot on the fuselage
when the elevator is at zero degrees.
Finally a replacement cabin entry door rear half as seen on the
real 40-87 (290, on the right) was simulated on the model as well,
bringing it one more step closer to the era of colourful mix and
match which always make a subject more interesting to us
modellers.
283 284
287
290
289
17
 CONCLUSION
As there are still a lot of hitherto unreleased modelling subjects
to choose from, even within the post-war aviation era as the
Skyservant indicates, it is only a bit of modelling vigour needed to
build something from scratch. Given the advancement in
modelling materials, techniques, easiness in researching through
the web, and personal modelling experience, a subject hitherto
unattainable even in the non-so distant past may nowadays
become a reality, and a star in the showcase.

18

Also Michael Skoularikos
(scoomixx@gmail.com) for his ability to
translate a demanding drawing like an aircraft
fuselage in photo-etched form, and Orestis
Petroutsopoulos, the man behind Procal
Decals (info@procaldecals.gr), for his excellent
work on the stencils made for the Skyservant.
Last but certainly not least, Dimosthenes
Chouliaras for his meticulous and highly
detailed photography of the Hellenic Air Force
Museum exhibits, as if he was to build the
Do28D-2 for himself!
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I must sincerely thank the usual suspects without
them this model would be but a summer night’s
dream. Yiannis Sagiadinos
(www.ysmasterpices.com), for his copying in resin
the flaps and propeller blades of the Skyservant.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Avions magazine, issue 41 (August ’96).
2. Avions magazine, issue 42 (September ’96).
3. Avions magazine, issue 43 (October ’96).
4. F40 Flugzeuge Der Bundeswehr Ausgabe Nr.35, ‘Do28 – 228 ‘,
Siegfried Wache, 1999.
5. IPMS-Greece quarterly magazine, issue 2-95, April 1995.
6. Do28D Flight Manual, November 1985, (www.flight-manuals-
online.com, 2017).
7. Lycoming IGO-IGSO-540, Operator’s Manual, 60297-15 (third
edition).
8. Hartzell Propeller Inc., Application Guide, Manual 159 (Rev.71).
19
 Can’t get enough of these
Arma Hobby seventy-
second-scale kits

20
Arma Hobby caught the
hobby by surprise when out of the
blue they released some beautiful
box art of a Ki-84 Hayate, to say
this release was unexpected is a
bit of an understatement and fans
of Arma and 1:72 rejoiced! And
well they should, Arma has in
recent years firmly cemented
themselves at the top of the 1:72
quality tree and are improving with
each release.

This is a lovely kit, the moulding is extremely sharp with precise engraved
panel lines, allied to an amazing little engine and an exquisite cockpit this
model oozes quality and refinement. However, there are always some
modellers who like to go the extra mile and I am certainly one of them,
therefore I bought the Eduard photo etch sheet and their Brassin seat and
exhausts. I also got a good friend of mine to produce me some masks,
much as I love Techmod decals I had decided on the natural metal option
so preferred to paint on the markings if possible. Anyway, with everything
assembled and the bench cleared it was time to get started.

21

The model after the riveting and oil wash which shows up
the added detail nicely. On a small model such as this, it
really is worth it if done subtly.
Here the cockpit parts have had their base coat applied, the green tone
is similar to RLM 71 but this is a custom mix.
Rather than start in the cockpit I decided to rivet the entire
airframe. The wing comes in just 2 parts so first off this was
glued together as it would make the rivet job easier. Arma has
done a beautiful job with the surface detail however I always
think models, even in 1:72, look a little bland without them
therefore having recently bought the Galaxy Tools rivet system I
thought this was the way to go.
A quick Google search threw up a suitable set of plans so out
came the 0.4mm wheel, a thin metal flexible ruler and a pencil.
I always do a thick oil wash first, this makes the panel lines
much easier to see and really helps with getting straight lines
and avoiding mistakes. Warming up the lines along the panel
lines were done first before marking out the internal ones,
22
One of my favourite tools is this The seams are polished with a sanding
panel line restorer tool from RB sponge to remove burrs from the
Productions, sadly now out of restoration.
production.
Extra this cement is applied to Lastly, the rivets are restored
melt away any imperfections. around the leading edge.
Paint chipping applied and a gloss coat ready for the wash. This was
done before adding all the Eduard colour photo etch.
concentration is key as they need to be straight and parallel.
When finished, the black oil paint came out once again partly
to show the reader in the photos but also to check the work.
At this point the wheel well detail from the Eduard set was
added, this does a neat job of dressing up the area however
it’s not strictly necessary as it’s shallow and difficult to see
unless the model is turned over. In hindsight, if I was doing this
again, I’d take the trouble to add a little cabling as well as
adding the etch, may as well go the whole hog I guess?
Once the seams were dealt with the repair job happened, the
panel lines were restored followed by the leading edge rivets.
Once done, it was cockpit time!
From this expert boxing, the kit has some photo etch however the
Eduard set is very comprehensive with plain metal and pre-
painted parts. The instructions were studied to identify which, if
any parts could be applied before painting. After a thin coat with
Mr Surfacer 1200 to unify everything a custom green mix was
sprayed on, looking at photos of an unrestored aeroplane the tone
appeared close to RLM 71 however I didn’t have that tone with me
a suitable custom mix was used. That done it was onto the detail
painting, including the Brassin seat in natural metal.
The kit seat is fine however the resin replacement is scale
thickness and has the lightning holes opened out, it looks
fabulous. If you’re only going to get one accessory then this is the
one to get, it’s very cheap too and as the seat in a cockpit is the
focal point then I can highly recommend it. With the seat painted
in Alclad Aluminium then some chipping was applied, in this case
using the sponge method. The colour photo etch was then
applied, including the stuff under the cockpit sill on the separate
decking piece before a coat of GSI GXIII Super Clear Gloss was
sprayed on in a thin, glossy coat which will help with the wash.
This was a dark green tone mixed from Ammo of Mig Oilbrushers,
cleaned up with their enamel thinners. Then my favourite bit, a
satin coat using VMS, this unifies the tones and the final effect is
really nice. I thought about doing some pigments however the
opening is small so I didn’t bother.
The model fits extremely well. The fuselage halves were glued
together with Ammo of Mig Black Flexible Superglue, this results in
a strong bond, can be sanded almost immediately and eliminates
the risk of any ghost seams which can happen using traditional
cement and is really unforgiving on a natural metal finish. But
regardless of the finish, this is now my go-to product for gluing
stuff together.
With the seams dealt with and the surface detail restored, the
wings and tailplane were glued in, the fit is lovely. The cockpit
upper decking has 2 options for either an open or closed canopy
so be careful and make sure you choose the correct piece, the fit
is good but I did use a little Mr Surfacer to blend it all in.

With a matt coat, the cockpit is finished. Note the Eduard colour photo Only a small amount of Mr Surfacer was used on the model, the fit is
etch, sadly barely visible in the finished model. extremely good.Using a precise brush helps when the finish is metal and thus
will be very unforgiving.

Solid gun barrels won’t do so they were drilled out The component parts for the highly detailed engine.
and replaced with Albion Alloys tubing. Following painting and weathering, the engine is ready
to be assembled.

The top and bottom

Now for the powerplant, and it is a little gem. Alclad cowl parts, the
Steel was sprayed onto the cylinders and the crank engineering is clever
case painted in grey. I’d failed spectacularly and works well.
trying to use the photo etch ignition harness on
my Arma Wildcat however it worked fine this
time; rather than paint this I used some Ammo
Photo Etch burnishing fluid which worked well. After
a wash and a coat of VMS varnish to settle it all down
the engine was mounted into the forward fuselage.
Here, I think I allowed some of the ignition harness to
All the masking is ready, and
stand a little proud as it pushed the side cowlings out just it’s all ready for paint now!
enough to show a little step when the top, bottom and
front cowl pieces were glued in place. Talking of which,
before the upper part was added the moulded in
machine gun barrels were drilled out and replaced with
Albion Alloys tubing. With the parts dry, a sanding stick
was used to match the contours and the detail restored.

23
 The windscreen and rear canopy parts were glued in place and
where necessary a smear of filler used to blend it all in before
masking things up. The engine was masked with a piece of
scrap sponge and cut down cocktail sticks shoved into the
landing gear holes to protect the paint work.
Into Colour
My go-to primer these days is Mr Surfacer 1200 and this was
applied in a smooth even coat using Mr Levelling thinner, luckily it
went down so smoothly no polishing was required. As an
undercoat for the metal finish, Tamiya X-1 Gloss Black was
sprayed on in thin coats, again using the levelling thinner to
ensure a deep gloss. The basic metal finish was Alclad
Aluminium, I didn’t want a particularly patchy finish as looking at
the photos these aeroplanes didn’t have that patch work effect
but a few panels were picked out in Steel.
Ki-84s had fabric covered control surfaces therefore these were
masked before GSI Creos IJAAF Grey was applied followed by
the anti-glare panel which was mainly Tamiya flat black with a
few drops of Red Brown and Medium Sea Grey to fade things up
nicely.
On to the markings now. My friend Nige very kindly did the
masks for me after I sent him the decal sheet, I also included the
fuel filler caps and wing walkway stencils so kudos to him and his
machine for pulling those fine details off! Unfortunately he forgot
to mirror the tail markings so on the right hand side I used the
decal, cue some careful colour matching with the MRP paints!
Luckily the decal worked very well and the final painted aeroplane
is very colourful.

Alclad is my go to for
natural metal finishes,
in this case I used
Gloss black is an ideal Aluminium.
base for metal finishes,
in this case Tamiya X-2.

Now for the red, and

That’s all the base a ton of masking
painting complete. tape!

All the dangly bits were prepped,

and actually as I find this stage
really tedious I paint and weather
all these before I start on the
airframe, then all I have to do is
stick it all together at the end!

With all the masking

tape removed, the Did I mention I used
model is really bright a lot of masking
and colourful. tape?

Weathering
Natural metal aeroplanes, especially in
this small scale can be tricky to weather,
it’s very easy to go too far so discretion
and careful mixing of tones is key.

24

Spotty oil dots will leave a slight grimy
effect but it is fragile, beware of fingerprints!
Wiping off the sludge wash.
Oilbrusher black is
applied sparingly on
the underside to
simulate oil streaks.
A dry brush is perfect for the final blending.
The final weathering act is post shading.
A grimy tone was mixed up then
carefully applied into wing roots,
underneath enhancing the oil streaks
and finally the exhausts streaking. I
tried to keep this subtle as in photos the
exhaust staining didn’t appear too
heavy.
Finishing off
Now it was a simply process to bring the model
together, I do find this last 10% does seem to take 50%
of the project time! I used the photo etch gear doors
supplied with the Eduard set, whilst they are beautifully
thin the kit parts are more than adequate. The prop
was painted and weathered before the final aerial mast
First off is a panel line wash, my usual method is to mix a sludge
wash from various tones and liberally work this into the surface,
various tones complimentary to the metal finish and painted areas
were mixed up as one tone does not compliment everything; a
blue/grey for the metal, dark orange brown for the red and a neutral
grime tone for the fabric. All this was polished off with a kitchen
towel.
To enhance the grime, the oil dot weathering method was used,
again complimentary tones of Ammo Oilbrushers were applied over
the surface then worked in with a damp brush followed by final
blending with a dry brush. Note this is not streaked with the airflow,
aeroplanes spend most of their time sat on the ground and
although some dirt does indeed streak back with the airflow, the
effect I’m aiming for here is general grime and where appropriate,
paint fading. Over the smooth mental finish the oils are very fragile
and prone to finger prints therefore after 24
hours a mist coat of varnish was applied to
seal everything in.
Oilbrushers again make an appearance
underneath, and are then streaked back
with a damp brush to simulate oil leaks.
The final stage is post shading with a
grimy tone along certain panel lines in
the centre section, the effect gets less
pronounced as it gets further away
from the source of grime.
was glued in place. I wasn’t sure about an aerial wire
so I left it off but I have a feeling there should be one,
maybe I’ll add it later if I can find firm evidence. The
final act was to apply some pigments around the
wheels and rear fuselage by the tail wheel as these
aeroplanes operated from dirt strips. And with that the
model was complete.
25
26
Wow, Arma Hobby have knocked it out the park again.

I do with they would mould the airframe with rivets,

they can be done really well looking at Eduard and the
Special Hobby Bf 109E however this comes at a cost so
I fully understand why currently, they choose not too.

The detail is amazing, the Eduard photo etch really isn’t

needed especially as the cockpit opening is very small but
the gear covers do elevate the refinement. If I was to get
one aftermarket item it would be the seat, this is the focal
point of the cockpit and in natural metal does stand out so
the Brassin replacement is a cheap upgrade well worth it.
In summary, this is a beautiful little kit, I can’t wait to start
the recently released P-39!

27
VOUGHT F-8C

CRUSADER
ANDREA VIGNOCCHI converts
the Academy kit
and sets sail

28
PART
TWO
1:72

29
 ALL HANDS ON DECK
The design of this diorama was particularly complex: to make a
change from the usual concrete runways or grassy meadows on
which aircraft are placed, I wanted to reproduce a section of the
carrier USS CV11 Intrepid. The choice of subject was also linked to
the possibility of finding good quality photos of this ship, since it is
now anchored in the port of New York as a floating museum. Not
having the space and the ability to create very impressive parts of
the aircraft carrier, I looked for a photo where you could see an
area not particularly complicated and full of recesses: immediately
behind the island, towards the bow, you can see a series of
walkways that go up and go down along the side of the ship, near
the flight deck, a perfect location!
The first obstacle I had to overcome was the difficulty of
positioning the scene at an angle, otherwise it would have created
too many empty spaces; I don't like irregularly shaped dioramas,
so I decided to angle the F-8 in order to break the parallel lines
that give a unnatural look to dioramas, as the late Shepard Payne
taught many years ago. Once I had decided how to proceed, I
started by engraving the flight deck on a 2mm plasticard sheet; in
1968 the flight decks were made of wood as in the Second World
The whole base is built in 2 mm plasticard, with internal
reinforcements for stability. This choice was made in order to be
able to build the front of the ship by gluing the various plastic
profiles without difficulty. I started by drawing the position of the
doors and walkways; I obtained the oval recessed doors by drilling
the plasticard and joining the two holes, then I inserted the door
and obtained the embossed frame by gluing a 0.5 mm profile
30
War, but the Intrepid had some peculiarities, as some areas were
in metal and others in wood. In the photos of the time it can be
seen that the wooden parts were painted a lighter grey than the
metal areas, covered with non-slip bitumen. Another visible
difference after the post-war modification (that introduced the
angled flight deck) is the abolition of the grids between one
section and the other of the deck boards, replaced by circular
anchoring wells for aircraft; a White Ensign photoetched fret
provides these details with the right shape for the period: cross
and non pentagonal like on modern ships. With a pencil I marked
the points in which to drill the holes that will house the wells: I
used two drill bits of different diameters to create the hole in which
to insert the photoetched parts, preventing them from falling into
the holes. The bridge portion of my scene also includes part of the
left catapult; to obtain a recessed part in which to insert 1 mm
square plasticard sections that will simulate the metal grid, I first
perforated the base, inserting a 1mm rectangular profile inside.
Other panels were engraved on the bridge, inspired by the photos
of the real ship.
around the door. All the various ducts, electrical boxes,
reinforcement ribs, etc. are obtained from various Evergreen
profiles, bending and modifying them according to the required
shape. At the end of the work, the appearance is realistic; I had to
adapt reality to the small size of my scene, bringing some details
closer and eliminating others.
Another big problem was how to protect the catwalks from
moving and transporting the finished scene; the solution was to
construct a wooden extended frame to drop the deck section into
so that all the more delicate parts remain inside the second
frame. Having found the solution to all the construction problems, I
can finally start painting the flight deck: even in these steps I will
have to follow a particular method, painting one part of the scene
at a time.

I started with the deck, trying to get an uneven look and using a
faded grey for the wood planks. After applying the basic colours, I
made the various strips by masking, trying not to over-saturate
the tone and always considering the next weathering steps.

After removing the masks, the bridge does not yet

have the dirty and worn look that can be seen in the
pictures of the real thing; a series of oil washes and
shades with very diluted acrylic colours recreates this
aspect in a realistic way. When the upper part of the
bridge was finished, I masked it and then painted the
side of the Intrepid with a light grey; a long
weathering process similar to the upper part of the
bridge recreated the operational aspect of an aircraft
carrier during that conflict.

31
 A critical step is the construction of the
walkways, whose grids are reproduced
using an Eduard photo-etched fret; the
various sections were cut from the
sheet, while the structure was built in
plasticard, using profiles of various
shapes and thicknesses. The steps are
covered with another photoetched part
that reproduces the anti-slip, also cut
and bent to size for each step. The
gangways fit into the C-shaped profiles
glued to the bulkhead of the ship and
which allow a solid gluing after painting.

After painting and weathering the

gangways and the ship's side, I can
finally assemble the gangways and
connect the three sections with
handrails cut to size. The result is
spectacular and you can also see the
two balconies where the long folding
rods arranged along the front of the
Intrepid are positioned; I have only
reproduced a section of it, in the
lowered position. I guess these are
antennas that were upright during
normal navigation, but that were
lowered during flying ops.

Weathering is created with fluid stains and some minimal traces of rust and
is concentrated on the steps and in the areas most subject to wear. Some
boxes, sheets and drums are piled close to the railings; it might seem
strange to see such large drums in this area, but I that’s what I saw in a
picture of Intrepid in Vietnam.

32
TRACTOR TIME
A deck would not be the same without the ubiquitous
tractors and various vehicles that were painted yellow
at that time; together with the figures they will
provide some coloured spots on the dominant grey of
the scene. The largest tractor comes from an old
Verlinden set; to begin with, I airbrushed a white base
coat, then I applied the yellow and black of the upper
areas. The codes and stencils come from salvaged
decals; washing and profiling with acrylics completed
weathering. The driver comes from a set produced
by Fujimi many years ago; he is certainly not up to
par with the others in 3D print, but he is sitting inside
the tractor and is barely visible. The standard flexible
hose, wheel blocks and a chain complete the vehicle.

The second vehicle is more interesting because it is

the NC-1A, a strange hybrid with the nose of a jeep
coupled to a platform with a double central wheel
and with side brackets to prevent it from overturning
when cornering; on the floor are installed various
equipment to produce energy and this vehicle was
used as a starter truck on all aircraft carriers until the
end of the ‘60s. The model is an expensive resin set
from F-4 Models, and I must say that the quality is
rather disappointing: for a good result you have to
work hard on it. I replaced many parts: fenders, seat
mounts, anti-tip brackets, dashboard and
instrumentation details, steering wheel and
headlights. After all the modifications this vehicle is
really nice and will be an interesting spot on the
deck.

FIGURED OUT
The figures are by Reedoak who have a vast range of US Navy pilots
and support personnel with clothing suitable for various eras. These
are 3D reproductions of real people wearing the uniforms worn by the
men of the Navy; we are talking about figures of the highest quality
and detail, to the point that it becomes difficult to paint them, at least
for my poor skills as a figure painter! The pilots and a couple of
specialists are from the correct time period, but I admit that the other
two are from the current period because I didn't find anything else
suitable; however, we are talking about differences on figures a
couple of centimeters high and by painting them with the right
colours the difference is not very discernible.

33
 The pilot with the helmet under his arm looks a lot like Anthony
Nargi, the lieutenant who shot down the last Mig 21 of the
Crusader's career in Vietnam; I'm not sure if his helmet wore the
Sundowners decoration, but I couldn't resist painting it...
A feature of that era’s clothing is the colour and shape of the
trousers, which are blue and quite tight; vests also look less bulky
than modern ones. It might be interesting to remember the
various colours worn by crew members on aircraft carrier decks,
in fact each colour corresponds to a very specific task: brown vest
for aircraft handling personnel; blue for vehicle drivers; green for
crew chiefs, catapult personnel, etc; red for armourers; purple for
refueling personnel; yellow for catapult directors. Therefore, the
figures cannot be coloured at random, but each figure must be
consistent with its function in the scene.
The pilot who is about to board the plane talks to the crew chief,
the tractor driver talks to one of the F-8 captains before
connecting the tow bar to the nose gear while the other two
personnel are completing the operations to free the aircraft from
the chains securing it to the deck; the Crusader is already armed
and the ladders to access the cockpit are extracted, the second
pilot who observes the scene is the wingman who flew with Nargi
on September 19, 1968.
It is the amount of small details that make a scene realistic and
when we make a diorama it is essential to ask these questions:
What is the action? Why are certain figures in certain positions?
What condition is the plane in? Sometimes we see fully armed
aircraft models with all doors open, even with the engine during
maintenance, or with weathering beyond any reality; before
starting a new project, we need to study a lot of documentation
and create the scene we want to reproduce in our head, drawing
inspiration from reality, perhaps adapting it to the needs of the
small portion of a base, but always keeping in mind what is
possible and credible to represent.

IT’S A WRAP
It was a very enjoyable and stimulating project and it’s
been a long time I waited to build this model; the
Academy kit is excellent, even if the modification of the
nose turned out to be more complex than expected.
The construction of the aircraft carrier section was a
demanding task, more for it’s design than for the
assembly. It didn’t take biblical time to finish this F-8C,
everything went smooth, leaving a lot of room for fun; it
was much needed in the recent dark pandemic period!

34
VOUGHT F-8C

CRUSADER

35
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 Late in the 1944, RLM desperately needed a high altitude fighter/interceptor in order

1:48
to deter the constant bombing raids over the Germany. The solution was Ta-152, a
derivate of FW-190D. With extended 190D fuselage and wings, tuned-up Jumo-213
engine and pressurized cockpit, the Ta-152 was one of the fastest fighters of the war. Due
to the long wingspan and pressurized cockpit, it was able to cruise at altitudes over
13.500 meters. The exact number of operational Ta-152’s is unknown, but no more than
50 were delivered to the Luftwaffe units. Either way, it was too little too late for the TA-
152’s.

Zoukei Mura (ZM) Ta-152 in 1/48 scale is somewhat different kit than anything I have built
so far. The intricate break-down of parts suggests that ZM kit is intended to be built fully
open, with visible engine, gun-bays, wing and fuselage structure open. But as my
intention was to build it in “ready to fly” configuration, I knew that this kit will test my limits
of skills and patience.

42
HIGH FLYIN’ HOT ROD
Grega Krizman shares his first experience with a Zoukei Mura 43

kit...the ‘Hot-Rod’ of the Fw190 range; the Ta-152

TA-152 The cockpit itself is really well detailed but sadly the details were not as crisp I was
expecting. Luckily, good friends at Eduard provided me with full photo etched set,
including pre-painted consoles and instrument panel. After adding couple of wires that
were needed according to my references, cockpit components were primed in black
and airbrushed with RLM6, followed by brush painting small details with acrylics.
Shadows and highlight were done by using dark wash followed by light drybrushing.
Finally, small scratches were done with water based pencils.

Cockpit tub is really nice OOB, but
I’ve added some lead wires for extra
detail.
It is necessary to build entire interior
components in order to wrap around
outer fuselage skin over it later on in
the build.
With regular builds, I would usually slot the completed cockpit between two fuselage
halves, but not here. ZM kit requires you to build the entire inner structure as it serves
as the attaching point for the fuselage skin parts that would follow later in the build. So
I assembled the engine with mounts, fuel tanks and other bits and pieces before I was
able to wrap the 3-part skin around the cockpit tub. Installing multi part tail assembly
and engine with its supports followed, but they were fixed in place only after I was
100% sure that the geometry and alignment was absolutely spot on.
Due to the alignment I’ve decided to mount the engine covers for when the wings will
be fixed in place.

HGW fabric seatbelts

Cockpit was airbrushed with over-lightened

RLM66 (30% lightened with white). Washes
and all sub sequential weathering steps will
darken the overall appearance
After cockpit details were brushed with acrylics, cockpit
was washed with PLW Black night wash in order to
enhance shadows. Minor scratches and chipping was
done with weathering pencils and small amounts of earth
effects created dirt and stains from pilot’s dirty shoes.

I can’t stress how important it is to check that alignment of

the parts is spot on. Even minor misalignment in fit at this
stage will cause headaches later in the build. It is also good
to scrape off paint from areas where glue will be applied.

Clamps, tape, and clothes pegs forced the 12- Tamiya polyester putty was used to fill the gaps. Wing to fuselage join is not too bad. It needed
piece wing puzzle into submission. ZM’s idea of When it’s dry, it is easy to sand and it can be a bit of filler though.
superb fit was somehow not included in the wing rescribed too.
assembly.

44
On the bottom side, the fit was not perfect.
After filling the gaps and sanding with 600 grit
sandpaper, I usually apply light coat of
surfacer before I start rescribing. 3M flexible
tape is great guide for scribing needle.

Engine and gun covers fit was good, I think Some of the missing details were
that was due to my constant dry-fitting and scribed with MRP scribing needle
checking the alignment from the beginning and metal templates.
of this build

Now I could begin with rebuilding all the details Kit landing flaps were replaced with photo etched
that were erased while sanding the wings smooth. ones from Eduard. I recommend using PE-
Here the wing reinforcements were recreated with bending tool if you are using PE parts.
styrene strips.

So, let’s build the wings. Here ZM strikes with 12 part puzzle from which you
are supposed to build the wings. Brute force was required to assemble the
wings, not to mention large amounts of putty and sanding. Marriage
between fuselage and wings was ok (by ok I mean just small amount of putty
was applied), so I could finally wrap the engine covers around the engine.
Now I was able to sand the entire model with superfine 1500 grit sandpaper,
followed by rescribing all panels with MRP scriber. It was now time to attach Fabric texture on control
wing portions of the PE flaps, mask the canopy transparencies and attach surfaces was achieved by
them to the fuselage. Now it was time to clean the kit and spray few coats of layering coats of primer
over masked areas.
MRP primer - to check for imperfections and unify the surface. Primer
Masks were later removed
highlighted few mistakes and they were repaired (liquid putty and sandpaper) and lightly sanded with
so I could now think about extra detail. Control surfaces were really flat and sanding sponge.
without any texture. I made vinyl masks from blueprints, stick them on and
applied few wet coats of primer over them. Next day, those masks were
removed, lightly sanded and they were ready for paint.

Through the building phase, I was thinking about recreating rivets on this kit.
I had two options, rivet wheel or 3D printed rivets. I used HGW 3D rivets on
Canopy clear parts
some of my builds before and I was really impressed by the effect they were masked from
create, so I was thinking about using them on my ta-152 as well. There are both sides using
sets for different kits available, but sadly not for Ta-152. So, to have 3D rivets Tamiya tape and
on my model, I had to place them, you guessed it, one line at the time. sharp scalpel blade.

Armed with blueprints and optimism, I started applying segments of rivets.

Three weeks later, I was done. I airbrushed a layer of MRP Silver over to unify
the surface and get it ready for camouflage colours.
45
 Model was thoroughly cleaned and degreased Setting solution is mandatory for application of
with MRP Degreaser. Light coat of MRP Surface HGW rivets. Leave them to dry completely before
primer was applied in order to unify the surface. proceeding with next steps.

I airbrushed base layer of MRP003 Super silver Texture templates are really handy for creating I applied light coats of RLM76 (MRP-066)
prior to camouflage painting. preshading effects. lightened with white on sides and undersides first.

I prefer to paint as many markings as possible.

Masks are cut from frisket film and airbrushed.
Followed by upper camouflage colours ; RLM81 Apply paint in light coats to avoid any seepage of
and RLM82 (MRP70/71) paint under the masks.

Wavy” pattern on the leading edges was easy to do with rolls of patafix. I used brush handle to I painted trim tabs instead of using decals.
press the putty down thus creating waves. Next the underside camouflage colour was applied.

Wet transfer stencils came from HGW. Their To break up the tonal uniformity, small dots of and blended with soft brush soaked in
carrier film can be removed after they are oils were applied all over the airframe... enamel thinner.
completely dry, so you end up with that painted
on look.

46
Ta-152’s wore standard Luftwaffe late war
camouflage colours, consisting of RLM76 for
the undersides, with some bare metal
aluminum panels and RLM81/82 combination
on the upper surfaces. I’ve decided to add
some variation to those colours by painting the
front engine section in different colours –
combination of RLM65 and 71. The theory being
(according to my research) that since the parts
and engines were scarce at the end of the war,
mechanics would sometimes simply attach the
engine units from Ju-88 bombers.

TA-152
I wanted to represent well known Ta-152 “Green 9”, of a JG301 flown by
Oberfeldwebel Willi Reschke in May of 1945. After preshading with
texture templates, the chosen camouflage colours were airbrushed in
light layers in order for the underlying textures to bleed slightly through
the base camouflage – just to disrupt the uniformity of the camo colours.
Later on, lighter and darker tones of each colour were mixed and
airbrushed randomly some of the panels, making them lighter or darker.
Mottling on the sides of the fuselage was the last step in the painting, I
suggest to use extremely diluted paints and slowly build up the mottling
effect.
MRP paints that I am using dry to a semi-gloss finish, so there was no
need for gloss varnish prior decal application. I only used four decals on
this build; Green 9’s and tail serial numbers. Other markings were
airbrushed using home-made masks. Wet transfer stencils came from
HGW (I used their set for FW-190D). To protect all the work done to this
stage, few coats of MRP semi-matt varnish were applied and model was
Different shades of oils from Abteilung were mixed for pinwash.
set aside for quite some time…
When dry, excess was easily removed with dry cotton bud.

Small chips can be achieved with Additional dirt and grime was Exhaust stains were airbrushed with a Acrylic pencils are useful for creating
piece of foam dipped in acrylic paint. created on the most “used” areas; mix of black, white and exhaust soot. small chips and scratches. If you
especially around the cockpit and I recommend using really diluted mess up, they can be easily removed
engine. paint applied in light layers. with cotton bud dipped in water.

47
 One year and few builds later, I’ve decided to bring this
model back from the shelf of doom and complete it.
Several steps of weathering were ahead of me, first
step was borrowed from tank modelers, so called oil
dot method. I applied several different shades of oil
dots all over the surface and blended them with
odorless thinner and soft brush. That was followed by
washes mixed from oil paints.
one in my modelling career. But if you are passionate
about Luftwaffe fighter planes as I am, It is still worth
getting this kit.

Then it was time to reveal the notorious rivets hidden under the paint. Using micromesh 2000
grit sponge I gently sanded the surface and small silver rivets started to appear. I didn’t want
to exaggerate the visibility of the rivets, so I only sanded the areas that would be most prone
to wear and tear. As the surface was now super smooth from the sanding, another coat of
clear semi matt varnish was applied so the following weathering effects would adhere better
to the surface. Chips and nicks were made with silver and dark grey paint using sponge, then
heavy grime effects (leaks and oil stains) were created with oil paints. Oils as a weathering
medium are super forgiving, as you can revive them with some thinners in case you wish to
correct the effects. And you can always add more as it was in my case. Exhaust streaking
followed by airbrushing light mix of exhaust soot, black and white mixture and as a final step,
small scratches were added with water-based colour pencils.
I managed to complete all the small subassemblies such as wheels, gear legs, canopy,
propeller and other small parts. Due to test fitting all of those components at the beginning of
the build, they were a pleasure to install and I proclaimed this build completed.

48
49
 To be honest, for all the hype and price, I expected a lot more from
Zoukei Mura boxing of Ta-152. Soft plastic details and complexity of
the build is not something on model builder’s wish list now days.
This build was far from enjoyable and it was, to this day, the longest
one in my modelling career. But if you are passionate about
Luftwaffe fighter planes as I am, It is still worth getting this kit.

50
51
 In March this year, we pulled the modelling community to-
gether to produce a book to raise money for Humanitarian Aid
for Ukraine. We raised over £19,000 for the Disasters Emer-
gency Committee Ukraine Appeal.

 


Models for Ukraine, Vol.2
So we decided we needed to do it again. Now 23 modellers
from 11 countries, have built Ukrainian-made models and
donated their articles, to again support the Disasters
Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal. Including: Calvin
Tan, Paolo Portuesi, Fanch Lubin, Alex Clark, Ian Barraclough,
Robert Blokker, Chuck Wojtkiewicz, Harvey Low, Emilien
Pepin, Aleandre Blech, Matt McDougall, Mike McCabe, Filipe
Costa Ramires, John Colasante, José Brito, Stephen Ward,
Brian Denklau, René van der Hart, Ken Abrams, Sam Dwyer,
James Hatch, Kateryna Derbilova, and more

You can buy yours now, at insidethearmour.com

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 modelled by FRANCK OUDIN

56
Tamiya’s Lightning strikes twice
with the second release of their
beautiful P-38

57
 The New Tamiya kit of the P-38 J was expected by many modelers
after the release two years ago of the P-38 F/G who was a big
surprise from the Japanese giants.
The kit is moulded in grey as usual for Tamiya, with 3 different
schemes included in the kit, all in NMF, like the F/G model the J
version is very well detailed from the box and very easy to
assemble.
Tamiya has done their work for all the modifications from the F/G
model to the J version with different Booms updated radiators,
enlarged turbochargers air intake, leading edge fuel tank, updated
engine cowl and canopy.
Construction
As usual there is absolutely no fitting surprises with Tamiya, just
follow the instructions and every piece falls into place. The work
starts with the cockpit tub painted with Gunze H-58, and H-2
black, once dry and a coat of gloss the assembly receive a pin
wash to give more volume to the assembly, some scruffy marks
are done with a silver pencil.
The tub is installed and the front wheel bay is painted with Super
Metallic from Gunze/Mr Hobby, again a light pin wash is done,
don’t forget to drill some holes if you decide to had the external
support for the fuel tank’s, two types of tanks are included in the
box, so it’s your choice!
The gun cover can be headed at this stage, then I decided to not
58
install the nose and gun for a more practical painting. The ailerons
and wing tips are also glued in place. The turbochargers are
attached to the top wing but only the support; the turbos will be
installed at the end of the build. The ball bearing weight is also put
in place to avoid tail-sitting.
For each of the left and right boom assemblies follow the
instructions with the painting, as most of the parts, are in NMF. Be
careful not to mix the parts as they look really similar, this stage
will take you quite sometime as there are a lot of parts to be
painted and assembled, you will have to repeat this operation
twice with the wheel bay the oil cooler and the radiator, carefully
follow the excellent instructions to get the parts in the right place,
and just take you time to do so as Tamiya will hold your hand as
you go!
Leave the seams on the top of the boom as it was a feature on
the real aircraft. Next are the wheels and the landing gear, again
very well represented, just a 0.4 - 0.6mm brake lines are added
and the shock absorber is finished with bare metal foil.
The landing gear doors are painted separately with different metal
colours and be careful to not mix them up at the assembly stage,
two types of external fuel tank’s are available, I chose the 150
gallon version; they are paired in H53 Oliver drab, lightly
weathered with flat earth colours and a wash to simulate fuel
stains, the seats are now prepared and receive an MDC seat
harness in Photo-etch, the Lynn-3 sight is painted and fixed, then
the front and rear canopy is installed.
Both propellers were now painted and put aside with the
remaining details to be assembled last.
A set of masks are provided
in the kit, they are not precut
but easy enough to cut and
arrange, you have the choice
of leaving the canopy open or
closed as you wish.

59
 Painting
Most of the P-38 J series were left unpainted as the
U.S. Air Force start to have the upper hand in the air
war, there are lots of schemes available on the decal
market, Tamiya propose three very well known
aircraft, I wanted to stay away from these famous
markings so I choose a P-38 J (s/n 43-28650) flown by
Lt. Phillip E. Tovrea from the 27th Fighter Squadron
/1st fighter group base in Salsola Italy in the summer
of 1944. This Lightning is very well documented.

Once all the remaining areas were masked the

painting can start, make sure that all glue stains are
gone and your model is nice and clean as the NMF
finish will not hide any marks or defaults.

The complete aircraft is painted in the Mr Hobby

Super Metallic aluminium, then left aside to dry and
gloss coated to protect the base coat for the masking
of the several panels who will follow.

When you look at some unpainted P-38J’s you can see

a lot of different shades of bare metal so it’s up to you
to mask several panels and paint them with different
shades like dark aluminium, white aluminium,
duraluminium, titanium, this is a long process with a lot
of masking but definitely worth the effort as your model
will take on a realistic and interesting finish.

Once done, the booms, the engine front intake and the
low parts of the tail are masked to apply the red.
The anti glare panels are masked and painted in Olive
Drab.

The stars and bars on the wings (top and bottom) are
painted with precut masks, again take your time with
these and the results are worth it. The rest of the decals
are applied on the model which are from a book from
Kagero on the P-38.

60
A light weathering is applied on the complete aircraft with a dark
pin wash. The exhaust stains on the top of the booms are done
with some light and dark brown very diluted, applied with the
airbrush, the wheels are weathered with a sandy colour wash and
some dry pigment applied with a soft brush. All the remaining
details are now put in place, such as the landing gear, the wheels,
all the landing gear doors. The nose canons have been replaced
with a set of brass barrels from Master, the antenna wire is made
of EZ line and glued at the end of the build withe the top of the
canopy finally fixed in place.

Another flawless kit from the Japanese

manufacturer, very easy to assemble and with
such a variety of schemes you can make a
superb replica of engineer ‘Kelly’ Johnson’s twin-
boomed famous fighter.

61
62
63
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