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PATRICK NEFF’S WONDERFUL WINGNUT WINGS ALBATROS
 APRIL RELEA
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 2 One Hell of a Hellcat
Petr Pospisil’s Hyper-Detailed Eduard F6F-3 in 1:48.

18 Fan-Tam
Shane Doak reminds himself how nice Tamiya kits are with their 1:48 F4-B.

26 Perfect Storm?
Bold statements from Jamie Haggo about Arma’s 1:48 Hurricane Mk.II.

37 Albatros
Patrick Neff’s stunning WWI Wingnut Wings build.

54 The Only Way Is Wessex

Sohaib Talal rescues the 1:48 Italeri kit.

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1
2
IS ‘HYPER DETAILED’ A GOOD
DESCRIPTION OF
PETR POSPISIL’S
STUNNING F6F-3?
WE THINK SO.

3
 HELL...YEAH! the Devil’s in the details
This performance fighter aircraft needs no introduction. It became
one of the most successful aircraft in the Pacific during the WWII.
This and more is why I decided to add this legendary airplane to
my collection.
From the beginning I knew that this build will be the most
demanding one I have ever done, despite the fact, I had already
built one Hellcat before. However it was smaller one in 1:72 scale
with minor accessories. My goal was to make the bigger Cat with
a different approach. This time I wanted to use many additional
accessories as well as home made parts.
I decided to go with an aircraft which was flown by Ens. Gordon
Arthur Stanley within VF-27 unit operating from USS Princeton
carrier in October 1944. This unit became famous for its typical
marking - cat mouth and eyes painted on the nose on each
Hellcat belonging to this unit.
The first step which I made a few weeks before beginning the
main build was separating and modifying flaps because I wanted
to have them open. I used them as a master for resin copies after
they were finished. Unfortunately, I didn’t photograph this particular
part of the build.
I chose to build Eduard´s F6F-5 HELLCAT Weekend Edition (Cat.
No. 8434). My choice may appear unusual but the reason was
quite simple. One was already in my modelling stash. The kit itself
(meaning all of Eduard´s versions) is well known and requires no
further introduction because it was first released in 2008. Despite
this, Eduard’s Hellcats are still the best choice available at least in
1:48 scale, in my opinion.
4
First of all, it was necessary to eliminate differences between
versions F6F-5 and F6F-3. The most visible ones are the different
types of windshield and two small rounded windows located on
the fuselage sides behind the canopy which I had to drill out and
fill with clear plastic sheet afterwards. Fortunately, the clear sprue
included in the kit also contains the proper windshield as an
alternative part. I also filled some panel lines on the wings. It's a
shame that Eduard designed this kit with only a few main rivet
lines on the surface. According to the drawing, the rest needed to
be made with a riveting tool.
Then I focused on the cockpit which is a little simplified in the kit.
As a result, I made many parts from scratch to make it more
realistic. It was also necessary to create completely new internal
construction behind the cockpit which can be visible through the
"new" sidewall windows. Eduard constructed the kit without a rear
wheel bay details. The tail wheel is only supposed to be put in a
prepared hole. So, I decided to make new tail wheel bay on my
own. Some structure details were added using plastic profiles,
although they are almost invisible in the finished model. The tail
wheel also needed some work. I used a new sharp hobby blade to
optically separate the wheel from the chassis because they
appeared to be a single piece. Some surface details were also
replaced with plastic profiles and strips for more realistic look.
Another modification I made to the fuselage was opening the
covers above the wing roots. There were fuel tank necks under
these covers because in the real aircraft the fuel tanks were
placed partly in the wings and partly underneath the cockpit.
Once new resin flaps were home I continued to
modify wings by removing certain areas that fold
when the flaps are open. Due to this modification, I
glued several plastic sprues as struts to hold the
wing halves in the correct position.

The main wheel bay is one of the most simplified

sections in the kit, in my opinion. It has fairly
complex construction in the real plane making it
difficult to accurately imitate in a standard injection
plastic kit. Fortunately, there are some
manufacturers of resin aftermarket accessories who
can assist us in such a case. I purchased a new
wheel bay set from Aires (cat. n.: 4357) which
appeared to be a better option with many details at
first glance. I thought it can be easily implemented
into the wing in order to gain superb detailed wheel
bay. You have no idea, how wrong I was.

5
 This particular accessory has been manufactured
specifically for Eduard’s kit at least it makes that
claim on its packaging. However, this wheel bay set
is only slightly modified version of the previously
manufactured set for the Hasegawa kit. Here are the
reasons why I think so. First, the wheel bay doesn´t
fit well into the Eduard wings at all. Secondly, the
instruction sheet depicts main parts of the set the
way they look in the set for the Hasegawa kit. The
only change Aires made was cutting the pointed
section off the wheel bay however, they forgot to
implement this change in the instructions. Another
reason is that the attachment of the landing gear
legs don´t allow to glue them in the right position.
Last but not least is completely different size and
shape of the small front cover which was not usable
without modification. In this case, it was easier to
make new one from scratch.

I was really disappointed after these findings, especially,

considering the price of the accessory, which is not insignificant.
Once I got over this disappointment I decided to modify the Aires
set. I had to cut the lower section off the main wheel bay and
made a new one using plastic sheets and profiles. The wheel bay
wouldn´t fit well without this modification. As I mentioned before,
the other problem was the attachment of the main landing gear
legs which stood out from the wing too much. I had two options. I
could modify the wheel bay or landing gear legs. I chose the latter,
it was much easier for me. I only shortened legs to the right
length. All mentioned modifications were very time consuming.
However, the result looks much better then original bay. In
conclusion, I have probably never done this before, but in this
case, I cannot recommend buying this particular detail set from
Aires. The purchase definitely wasn’t worth it. Nowadays, there is
another wheel bay set available which is developed directly by
Eduard as a 3D printed resin set. Unfortunately, when I was
building this kit this option did not exist.

My work on the wings did not end with

wheel bay modifications. The armament
was another set to glue in. I used a
compilation of resin guns Browning M-2
(cat. no.: 648075) and photo etched gun
bays (cat. no.: 48588), both Eduard
products. First, it was necessary to cut the
plastic covers off. Then I glued folded brass
gun bays using CA glue and secured the
joint with the wing by gluing a number of
small plastic pieces all around the bay.
Before the wing halves were assembled
together I painted the wheel bay due to
better approach to inlaid details. Then the
surrounding area got a coat of black paint.

6
I then moved to the front of the fuselage to the engine.
Eduard Brassin engine set (cat. Num.: 648056) is used
here. It is absolutely perfect set of the legendary radial
engine Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp. Probably the
best I have ever build at least in terms of “classic” resin
cast accessories. The engine is assembled from many
parts because each of 18 cylinders needs to be glued
separately. Although, the result looks almost perfect I got a
crazy idea to improve it a bit. Due to the casting process,
push rods were connected to cylinders so I cut them off.
Then, I used a hobby saw to repair cooling ribs on the
cylinder´s surface and made new push rods using plastic
rods. That was a pretty complicated improvement.
However, the result almost looked the same as before.

Engine assembly went smoothly and without complications.

Everything fitted perfectly. In conclusion, the finished engine
is a little piece of jewelry. I couldn´t put up with placing this
jewelry in a space without any details. So, I made entirely
new internal construction around the engine, including air
intakes for the radiators bellow. The narrow plastic strip was
used as a piece of construction above the engine where
the cowl covers and cowl flaps are attached. I was anxious
about its shape. So, I glued a copper wire underneath to
make it stronger and give it a correct shape. The shape of
the firewall behind the engine did not look right to me. It
was too edgy. I sanded it to be more rounded and also
added new details on its surface. 7
 Eduard resin exhausts also have modifications due to the casting
process. The exhaust pipes are connected together in certain
places. So, these connections needed to be removed before
installing. Furthermore, the exhaust pipes appeared to be too
short behind the cylinders. Some plastic rods from green sprues
were used to make them longer. The cowling covers are included
in Eduard's engine set as well but I preferred to use the plastic
ones. However, I had to make them much thinner.
With my first thoughts to build the Hellcat I was aware that some
parts must be made by myself. I like when my models are slightly
unique. So, I cut off side covers behind the engine. All the space
8
between the engine and the cockpit needed to be made from
scratch. I made the engine frame, the engine´s rear body, coolers,
oil tank, armoured bulkhead, and many other details including a
significant amount of wiring. The most important thing to me was
considering the best way to paint all the details. I tried to make
certain parts removable in order to paint them before being glued
together. After the paint job and the light weathering job all parts
were put together in one single piece. Then, I was able to insert
this piece into the prepared space in the fuselage. I dedicated
significant amount of time creating this particular area. The most
demanding part of the whole build, without a doubt. But the result
was well worth the effort, I think.
SLINGIN’ THE BLUES
Pacific specifics
Before I begin each of my builds I always try to find and collect as
many authentic coloured photos as possible to raise my
awareness of colours used on the real aircrafts. This time, during
the search I discovered the archive colour documentary film
produced by Grumman Corporation on YouTube in which scenes
from the construction of the real planes can be seen. This film,
along with a few other photos from the internet, became a primary
source of colour information for me. Based on the information I
sprayed the cockpit with my own mix of colours representing a
little bit of a lighter shade of the interior green. All the small details
in the cockpit were painted with Vallejo paints using a fine small
brush. I always try to give that small area, such as the cockpit, a
more contrasted look. The rest of all internal sections in the
fuselage were painted with white paint. At least, I considered the
white colour to be the right shade but I was mistaken. It wasn't
until later when a colleague modeller notified me that the correct
shade is light grey colour - Grumman Grey in particular. It was too
late for any repairs. However, I think I can live with this mistake
because the end result appears to be nearly identical.
9
10
I wouldn’t forget to mention that Eduard´s Hellcat kit has a
unique construction with large holes in the fuselage halves
where the wings need to be inserted. Thanks to this attaching
system the wings fit perfectly and it is not necessary to fill the
joints afterwards. The second benefit is that the attaching
system perfectly secures the proper angle of the wing to the
fuselage. As a result, I decided to paint the wings separately
from the fuselage. I like this option with all its pros and cons.
I started the work on 3-tone Navy camouflage by spraying all
of the major parts with the Gunze Surfacer 1500 White. The
benefit of this particular primer is its perfect finish which
doesn´t require overspray with white colour. Then I sprayed
the darkest colour - AK Interactive Sea Blue (RC257) on the
top. The finish was too unified so I created some post-shading
using light grey colour. Then, I over-sprayed all with highly
diluted original colour to reduce the contrast. The AK
Interactive Intermediate blue (RC235) was applied last
because it basically makes a transition between Sea blue and
white. Here, the same painting technique was used as with
the previous darker colour. The only difference was that some
pre-shading was applied on the tail before spraying this
colour. The “Real Colors” from AK Interactive were used for
mentioned blue tones because of their authentic shades
which are perfect in my opinion. It was my first time using
these paints and I can only say that they are excellent.
Instead of the classic decals I rather used the HGW set of Wet
Transfers (cat. Num.: 248073) because of their removable
carrier film. The result could be perfect but then I found that
the colours were printed slightly out of register on some of the
wet transfers. Especially, on the larger ones which contained
combination of white and blue colour. Quite disappointing for
me. I had to retouch this colour shift after the wet transfers
were applied because the narrow white line was quite visible
on the dark surface. Despite this problem, the rest of wet
transfers, especially the small stencils, looked absolutely
stunning. Further, I also found a problem with instructions
which depicted wrong numbering of the wet transfers.
Fortunately, I downloaded the Eduard´s instructions containing
the same camouflage choice where, surprisingly, numbering
of the decals corresponded to numbering on the wet transfers
sheet. No wonder, because HGW cooperates with EDUARD on
these products. Once all wet transfer were saddled they got a
protective layer of a clear varnish. Then the wash followed.
11
12
The first step was hand-painting scratches using Vallejo colours
and a fine brush with a sharp tip. I focused on the top of the wing
where the crew and the pilots were heavily frequenting – on the
wingroots and around the gunbays. I added more scratches on
the front edge of the wing and on other most exposed areas.
During their painting, I tried to follow reference photos as closely
as possible in terms of depth, density, quantity, and location.
When I was satisfied with the result I turned my attention to the
areas behind the exhausts. In this step I could appreciate another
benefit of this kit´s unique wing attaching system as stated
previously. Because the exhaust trails needed to be sprayed on
the fuselage sides, you can airbrush them particularly near by the
wing-root without any obstacles (meaning the wing). The Tamiya
colours worked perfectly for this painting process. They are ideal
due to their ability to be over-diluted. Then you are able to
perfectly control the amount of the spraying paint in multiple
steps. After the Tamiya colours were dry,
oil paints in similar shades were used to highlight and adjust the
previously airbrushed dirt. Further, I used watercolour crayons to
add some more scratches and dirt trails especially on the bright
bottom. All above weathering steps needed to be partially
repeated after the plane was completely put together.
Some parts were still left to be reworked. The first was auxiliary
fuel tank on which I reworked its front attachment to the fuselage.
Further, a missing tank cap in the front had to be scribed. I also
tried to represent some dents found in the reference photos.
Another reworked part was the propeller hub which received only
a few small changes. The bullet resistant glass behind the
windscreen was the last part I made from scratch because the kit
lacked it. I cut it out of a clear plastic sheet and scribed the frame
with a sharp needle. After the all clear parts were glued, the kit
was finally done!
13
 HIT THE DECK!
I've been thinking about putting this kit on the carrier deck since
before I had started building it. Because of its low price and
satisfactory surface details the old Eduard's plastic deck (cat. No.:
8802) bought on sale was ideal for that. However, I decided to cut
it off a little. When the deck got proper proportions it only needed
to be placed on a base frame and painted well. The Tamiya Deck
Tan colour XF-55 was applied as a wooden base. Then, some
random planks were painted using several mixes of the XF-55 and
Tamiya Flat Earth XF-52 colour in different ratios to make various
tones of the wood. The deck’s metal parts were painted with dark
grey colour. Next, the whole deck was over-sprayed with AK
1414
14
"WORN EFFECT" fluid after that the top camouflage colour was
applied which was my own blue-grey mix of Tamyia colours. Then
I soaked the surface in water and began slowly peeling the top
colour off section by section. I was constantly looking at reference
photos. Several tools were used for this peeling phase including
an old toothbrush, a toothpick, several paint brushes, and
somewhere a sharp scalpel blade. The deck looked more
realistically now. Then I added some white lines to make the
surface more interesting, followed by a wash. The final step was
making some dirt and tyre tracks. The deck was completed.
HANDS ON DECK!
When the base was finished putting the
Hellcat on it I realized immediately that
some crew is needed. As a result, I
bought a Tamiya model kit (cat. no.:
61107) which contains five navy pilots, two
crew members and a motor-tug with a
driver. I can only say that this Tamiya kit is
excellent, in my opinion. Especially the
figurines which look absolutely perfect with
their natural poses and proportions. The
finished motor tug also looks impressive.
All parts of the kit fit perfectly and were
glued together quite quickly. I spent
significantly more time on painting.

Particularly with the figurines with all of the

details on their uniforms, life jackets and
so on. But the result is definitely worth the
effort. Only Vallejo colours and a fine paint
brush were used to paint the figurines. The
motor tug, on the other hand, was painted
and weathered in the same way as the
aircraft and the carrier deck. During tug´s
assembly only a few homemade details
were added. No other effort was required
to build this fine Tamiya kit.

15
 In conclusion, there is no question, this project prove to be the
most difficult one I have ever finished. The reason being that, the
result is not a typical completed aircraft kit but rather a kind of
vignette or diorama. Every single stage of this build required
significant effort and time. The issues with mentioned resin
accessories also slowed me down. But I persevered and got
through all the difficulties as they came. It is clearly my best piece
in my collection so far.

16
17
 SHANE DOAK
REMINDS HIMSELF HOW GOOD
TAMIYA KITS ARE WITH THEIR
FANTASTIC 1:48 PHANTOM F-4B

18
Choosing a subject for me is something
that happens organically. It’s a blend of
what’s new, what looks interesting, and the appeal
aftermarket parts. It just so happened that this
time, the new Tamiya F-4B fell into my build pile. A
large factor in this decision was Eduard Model
Accessories impressive line up of 3D printed parts
for this subject. I was excited to see that they
released a data stencil decal set for this version.
Their new digitally printed decals can easily be
made to look painted on with a simple added step.
More on that later.

Since I don’t build a lot of Tamiya kits, I was

somewhat in awe of how well the parts dry-fit
together and the quality of the plastic. Save for the
older 1/48 F-16n I built as my 2nd ever model
years ago, I have not built a new Tamiya jet. What I
do remember was that surface details were lacking
a bit, and the airframe seemed a bit simplified.
This is not the case with the new Phantom. Notably
the wheel bays have outstanding moulded details.
The surface moulding is crisp and mimics the real
Phantom to an incredible degree. There is
absolutely no need to spend a few hundred bucks
on aftermarket details and accessories for this kit…
.but I did anyway. And they DO improve things in
my opinion.

19
 In typical fashion, I started in the cockpit. Scraping off the kit
details on the consoles and instrument panels to make way for
Eduard spAce 3D cockpit decals. Instructions call for light ghost
grey in the pit, but with pre-painted decals we have to match
whatever is already printed. In this case Tamiya LP-36 dark ghost
grey is a good enough match. Typically I use MRP, but their ghost
grey tones were not close enough. This is the point where I dove
head first down the reference rabbit hole and continued falling for
the next 6 months. Mid to late 1960’s Us Navy Phantoms have a
specific busy look to them, and the cockpit is key to this look. I
added plenty of ANYZ 3D printed hydraulic fittings repurposed as
electrical connectors to mimic the mess of wires behind the pilot
and radar officer. The Eduard printed seats were adorned with
HGW cloth seatbelts, and the remaining photo etch parts included
with the spAce decals filled out the complex look to the cockpit.
Assembly of the fuselage was like a master class in kit
engineering. Particularly the long rectangular spine insert. Even
Hair spray chipping used to show
zinc chromate primer.
Eduard 3D printed seats and HGW cloth
belts make a perfect combination
20
without glue, the joint for this large part is indistinguishable from
moulded panel lines. I did run into a self-inflicted difficulty when
assembling the outer intake covers. It appears that I glued the
wings to the fuselage slightly crooked and had an uneven fit
between left and right intake covers. This was confirmed by
inspecting the front wheel bay where I found an uneven gap. A but
of sprue-goo (melted sprue) and sanding was all that was needed
to correct this.
Deciding whether the Phantom looks best with wings folded, or
down in-flight position turned out to be an impossible task for me.
So I started thinking of ways to make them interchangeable.
Checking the kit I found the wing tip options are totally complete
and separate from each other, so all that was needed was a few
1mm by 2mm magnets in each wing, with reciprocating magnets
in the wing tips. Thanks to Tamiya’s brilliant engineers, the outside
weapons pylons hide the panel lines in this area and makes it an
easy job. As a bonus, the magnetized pylon can help support the
wingtips.
A mixture of pre-shading and post-shading was used to build up a slightly distressed look to the Acrylic inks were airbrushed onto the kustom
surface of the aircraft, with the markings painted onto the base paint. This is important so that the Service metallic paint to replicate the grid patterns
chips and wear expose the base airframe colour, and not the black primer or grey marbling layers. often seen on the horizontal stabilizers.

After body work and sanding, it was time to start primer and paint.
In the past I have struggled with paint lifting issues that I have
narrowed down to an unclean surface. I took extra care to clean
the plastic well with unscented soap and hot water. After priming I
became a little unsure of exactly how I wanted to execute the
paint, so to give myself some time to think it over carefully, I
switched gears and began painting accessories. Weapons,
landing gear, and engine nozzles. All of these parts are Eduard
add-ons. A test fit of the bronze landing gear shows they fit firmly
with long square pegs into the kit mount points. They also include
cast hydraulic hoses, so I decided not to add extras in this case. I
used MRP 135-insignia white for all the white accessories and
gear bays. This provides a subtle contrast with the MRP 099-Navy
white fuselage bottom. The resin gear doors and speed brakes
have prominent details, both raised and recessed.
Extra care must be taken to clean these parts well to ensure
proper paint adhesion. Continuing with the theme of a busy
looking airframe, I made sure to add as many stencils and
placards as I could find references for. Eduard’s parts also include
their new style decals. I took care to get the decals pressed firmly
down with Mig-ammo decal solvent and let them sit overnight.
The next day I peeled the film off the decals. While they look great
when used as a traditional decal, peeling the film gives them an
even more authentic and “painted on” look. With the film out of
the way, it makes it possible to weather decals more consistent
with the wear on the rest of the model. I achieve this by sanding
lightly with a fine sanding sponge, or removing the ink that crosses
panel lines to simulate panels that are often removed.
Moving to the MK-82 bomb; I used mostly the classic style, but
found a picture of a jet loaded with 3 high drag MK-82’son each
side. This is the physical contrast I search reference photos for
when modelling. Painting them a wide range of green colours to
helps to separate them, but they still appeared to blend together.
After consulting with my friends Will Pattinson and Steve Baker,
they urged me to use a range of filters on the bombs to ensure
adequate contrast. For the resin missiles, a simple wash and great
care with the decals is all that was required. Later on I would add
“Remove Before Flight” tags on all weapons to integrate them into
the rest of the busy theme.

21
 Some of the mask outlines
measure.25mm. Paint must be applied
at 90 degrees to the tape to avoid
bleeding under the tape. Midway
through painting I switched to Oramask
810 and had much better results.
Matching magnets in the wings and wingtips.
I secured the wing magnets first, liberally
applied marker to the surface, then dry
installed the wing tips. This gave me exact
location to install the other magnets

Sanding the painted

markings near rivets and
often-removed panels to
simulate the chipping often Here you can see the total
seen in these areas. lack of carrier film on the
data stencils. As well as
how they look after being
Abteilung 502 oils were used to replicate hydraulic leaks behind the central line and sanded down slightly for
wing folds. Note the inverted V where most of the leaks begin. This is common worn effect.
across all marks of the phantom.

I felt it was important to add lots of fine paint chips and soft wear
with the markings and I was not confident I could get the level of Moving to the metallics of the heat shields I decided to go full soot
subtlety I wanted using decals. So another great friend, John on the bottom side. The J-79-8 engines were notoriously dirty
Colasante, helped me turn all the required decals from the Eduard grimy engines. This infamous aspect is oddly neglected on whole
sheet into .studio files for making masks. The chess pieces of VF- in the modelling world. But this is the exact kind of
92 would prove to be a challenge with the thin black outlines historical nod I love to incorporate in my builds.
(<.3mm in places.) Instead of using hairspray or chipping fluid, I I wanted to keep traces of the complex
completed the base paint of MRP 098-light gull grey layered with colours and patterns found on the heat
various other greys,whites,tans, and painted the markings directly shields, and cover the majority with
onto the surface. MRP marking blue-124, red -123, and yellow- deep black soot. I tried Kustom
122 were used for the stars and squadron accent colours. The Service Metallic (formerly
letters and numbers were done with MRP 077-NATO black. After known as K colors) for
cured, I used a mix of sanding sponges held in tweezers, and Mig the first time here.
#2 decal fix to distress only the top layer of paint. Checking photos
closely, I distressed the markings in high traffic areas and between
panels.

22
Over a high gloss black base, the sheen is better than any brand I
have tried so far. However they are quite fragile. Masking is
possible after they fully cured, but the sheen is easily
compromised by handling. I painted each titanium panel a slightly
different shade, and various shades of steel and aluminum for the
stabilizers. The recognizable “ribs” on the titanium shields were
masked off and shot with MRP 180-exhaust soot. Different blues,
purples and grimy tone inks were airbrushed on. Then a heavy
Thermal coating required for navy ordnance was replicated with Mr.
Surfacer 500 applied with a sponge. I then sanded down any spots that
were too high. The bombs were painted various mixes of green, grey
green, with some yellow and brown added. On the carrier deck,
bombs appear unique and noticeably different from each other.
Oil paint rendering started as soon as all the 350+ data stencils
were applied, peeled, and sanded to taste. Starting on the bottom
with the streaks and leaks classic of this airframe, I noticed that
the bulk of the leaks all start at the inverted V panel in the center
of the aircraft. I began my work there working backward towards
the engines since this is where the heaviest grime would be. The
goal here was to add the most classic Phantom stains and leaks
without making it look over-worked and under-maintained. Since
most all the data stencils and markings would be intact, I wanted
to leave the overall weathering fairly mild to moderate. Typically
the most heavily worn aircraft would have one or two depot level
overhauls where the majority of the stencils are painted over and
not replaced.
black layer of acrylic ink was sprayed according to pictures. Heavy
behind the engines, and fading towards the tips of the stabilizers.
409 multi-surface cleaner and a combination of brushes and
sponge helped in removing the black inks on sharp edges and bolt
heads. I used MRP 127-super matte clear over the black inks to
reach the dead flat soot look I was after. Adding some tan,grey,
and true black oil paints helped to add some contrast to now pure
black horizontal stabilizers.
Eduard resin weapons were
assembled in a jig to keep
them straight. I drilled holes for
magnets to be installed for
mounting on the rails.
My Tamiya Phantom was a build that just flowed well from
beginning to end. A clear vision and plenty of enthusiasm for the
details are a critical aspect of said flow. It can be challenging to
maintain a focused vision when adding so many small details and
individual components. Just adding a ton of parts is no promise
that they will work well together. I wanted to depict a realist early
model Phantom, on its first combat tour, that shows some signs of
combat but is not totally worn out yet. Each additional part, or
weathering choice was carefully chosen with that in mind. Looking
back I can say that I met my goals and I’m pleased with the way it
turned out. Of course, hindsight is also 20/20. If I could go back
and start over there are some things I would do differently.
23
 But that’s just motivation for the
next build. I hope the day never
comes where I look at my finished
build and think “this is it, its
perfect. Nothing more I can do
here.” I think that would be the last
model I ever make.

24
25
 JAMIE HAGGO tells us why this Arma Hobby
Hurricane Mk.IIc may be his favourite kit...ever

26
 I think by now it’s a fair
statement to claim that the
Arma Hobby Hurricane in
1:48 is an astonishingly
good kit and that it one of
the best kits ever produced.
That maybe bold, and it’s not perfect but it is a
stunning product. One of the aspects that may cause
a modeller to disagree is the surface detail which is so
often down to personal taste, I for one think a fully
riveted airframe is a must, and I will always add them
whereas others claim that this is wholly unrealistic;
each to their own.
The rivets on this model are both recessed and raised,
replicating the real thing; in the case of the raised
rivets, whilst being extremely fine there is an argument
to say that its nigh on impossible to create realistic
looking raised rivets in scale, and I agree. With this
model, it forced me down a different method of
weathering which I’ll discuss later in the article but
overall, I think with careful treatment the rivets look
great. Ok, lets get on with it.
27
 Wings
Hang on, wings, what happened to starting with the cockpit?
Well, the breakdown of this kit is that the cockpit is built up on the
top of the centre section of the one-piece upper wing so they
need to be done first. It all starts with removing a few bits of
plastic to make the landing lights fit better, this is called out in the
instruction’s “errata” sheet. Early on I had made the decision to
use the drop tanks as I think this makes the Hurricane look really
chunky and purposeful, so the shell ejector chutes need
modifying, all this is clearly laid out in the instructions.
The gear bay is next which is wonderfully detailed (as everything
is on this kit). In order to keep the paint nice and smooth the
parts were sprayed before gluing it all together, this ensures
there’ll be no swirling air to make the paint gritty. Ammo A-Stand
Duralumin was applied before a wash using a dark grimy tone
mixed from various oil paints from the Ammo Oilbrusher range.
When done the parts were glued to the wing and the 2 wing
halves glued together, I left the clear parts off until the end of the
build, they fit perfectly (with no glue required for the landing light
covers).
Cockpit
Finally, the cockpit! The silver parts were treated the same as the
gear bay and the cockpit green bits were painted using MRP’s
interior green. Modellers could spend hours debating which
manufacturers’ tone is closest to the real thing, but inside the
cockpit after weathering they’ll all look pretty good! I did tinker
The wheel well components ready for paint, you can see how lovely the
moulded detail is.
An oily tone was
mixed and
applied simulating
dirt and grime
sticking to old oil.
The instrument panel is a wonder, this is the kit part with
decal. Again, no need for the aftermarket here.
28
with the idea of adding wiring but wagered that it wouldn’t really
be seen on the finished model, and I was right! On my next one I
may remove the door so then it will be worthwhile I reckon.
The instrument panel is an absolute gem, no after-market
replacement is needed as the decal works superbly. It does
come in one piece so I did carefully cut it into sections in order
that it wouldn’t deform too much when settling over the raised
detail. I did manage to lose the compass though, so this was
scratch built using discs of plastic card punched out.
Arma provide a decal for the removable door on the right-hand
side which I’m sorry to say doesn’t do the best job of recreating
the real thing. Next time I’ll do something different. The seat
harness decal was not to my taste so I invested in a set from
HGW, this is great but was frustrating when the fabric stuck to the
tweezers and broke off! The slot in the rear bulkhead/armour was
opened up so when the seat was glued in place the end of the
harness can be threaded though.
With all that done, all the parts can be brought together. The
instructions are very good however it is possible to misplace the
control column sub assembly, but if you test fit you’ll get it in the
right place. The fit is very positive, as long as you don’t mistake
locating bits for moulding pips like I did on the bottom of the
bulkhead!
A base coat using Ammo A-Stand Duralumin is applied first.
A grimy wash using Ammo Starship Filth lifts the detail and gives
that dirty look.
Here are the cockpit components painted
and weathered ready for assembly.
Actually, the wings are done first so the cockpit can be built up onto Despite not really being visible, I did paint and weather the lower floor area.
the upper wing section.

You can see just how lovely that wheel bay is. Ordinarily I would have painted the
wing around the gear bay to ease masking however at this stage I still hadn’t
finally decided on the scheme!
There are a great many tiny separate plastic bits for the
sidewalls. You can see the decal on the access panel doesn’t
quite work, I’ve already painted the map cases over the decal
to improve the look. I’ll take a different approach next time.

Here’s my Sea Hurricane conversion

using the Airfix parts. In the end
though I changed my mind and
replaced it with the other kit part
(luckily there are two options here).

The cockpit tub builds up onto

the upper wing, obviously its
pretty vulnerable therefore I
recommend doing the fuselage
halves first, fitting the cockpit in
place then straight away add the
fuselage to protect it all.

29
 Airframe All the parts prepped and primed ready for the paint job.

Engineering of this kit is very innovative but

before it was all brought together the
fuselage halves were joined. My go-to
method these days is using flexible, black
superglue. It is rubberized therefore is less
brittle than traditional superglue, can be
sanded immediately (I tend to use an
accelerator) and therefore the process of
finishing seams is very quick, there’s also
zero chances of ghost seams appearing
later at some point. Arma has not gone for
the traditional pin and hole method, they
use tabs which are far superior as they
result in prefect alignment every time.

With the fuselage and wings ready they were brought together,
and here on the dry fit I was left a mouth gaping idiot as the fit is
simply astonishing, the join simply disappeared with the line
looking exactly like a panel line. Just amazing stuff. My initial
plan was to build a Sea Hurricane however I realized I didn’t have
the decals for the 4-inch serials and ROYAL NAVY which would
have been too fine for my Portrait 3 mask cutter to cope with.
Having done a cut and shut job with the Arma and Airfix parts, I
pulled off the Sea Hurricane bit and replaced it with the kit part.
The Sea Hurricane parts will be saved for a future project,
assuming I build it before Arma release their inevitable kit!
The empennage is broken down along the same lines as their
1:72 kit, a little trimming of the parts helped the fin settle down
snugly and the holes for the rudder pins widened slightly.
Turning to the opposite end, the scoops behind the spinner were
carved out as in the real thing they were hollow but I didn’t bother
with the drain holes etc, I think I will I the next one though.
The tropical filter was built up and fits over the lower cowling
beautifully. The radiator is amazing, painted black it was dry
brushed using Ammo of Mig silver dry brush paint and set aside
whilst the fairing was dealt with. The fit is good but I decided to
glue it with black superglue, eliminate all the seams then re-
scribe. This meant the raised rivets were destroyed in the
process, but I restored them with recessed rivets which look
really good. This would be left off until after painting.

Painting
This model was my first using my new Portrait 3 cutter to make
custom masks and I am extremely pleased with the results, it’s
opened up a whole new world of options for me. I had
prevaricated over which scheme all the way through the project;
I thought of a night intruder, Far East, Operation Jubilee scheme
but in the end went for a machine from 242 Squadron based on
Malta in early 1942. I found some photos online of these
carrying the fuel tanks for night intruder operations over Sicily so
went for it!
Painting markings takes planning. Some modellers do the
camouflage first then paint the markings however I prefer to
paint the light colours first, do the camouflage then finish with
the darker colours. I made some circles that would
cover the joins in the masks to eliminate the risk
of ghost lines along the colour boundaries. The
fin flash was treated a little differently; the white
was masked then the red and blue applied, when dry (a few
minutes with MRP paints) a single mask was placed carefully
over the whole thing which would ensure a perfect marking. I
downloaded the roundels from a website but the red dot on the
fuselage roundel was too big so that had to be corrected
eventually, next time I’ll just stick with my own designs.
The camouflage was painted using MRP paints. As is usual I
went for a layered approach so the base coat was tinted with
low lights and highlights. I stay away from the mottled look and
a dark undercoat as I don’t think it’s terribly realistic, I prefer a
more cloudy effect and highlights along the panel lines.
On the Azure blue I did some dark staining around the
gun ejector ports too. I had a go at using some vinyl
masks for the camouflage, these worked very well
however resulted in a sharp demarcation which was
not prototypical, next time I’ll do the same but go
over the demarcation free hand. When complete, the
few stencils (HGW) were applied and everything
sealed with VMS satin which although thick in the
bottle, levels out and leaves a beautiful sheen.

Hard edged camouflage is not

accurate, next time I’ll go over the
demarcation free hand.

With the Middle Stone (MRP)

down commercial camouflage
masks were applied ready for the
Dark Earth.

30
 The MRP Azure Blue was tinted, faded and stained
with paint. Note the painted roundels, I was very
pleased how these turned out although the mask
did struggle over the raised detail.

All the masks have been removed, decals

applied and the pin wash finished.
A sludge wash would have been too
strong for the riveting therefore I went
with a pin wash instead.

With the paint distressing complete, everything was

sealed with a coat of VMS satin.

With the satin varnish dry, a filter using Starship Filth

(Ammo Oilbrusher) was applied, this is subtle but
blends everything together.

Lots of weathering layers

were done on the prop.

No need for resin wheels, the kit

ones are fantastic, even have the
DUNLOP moulded into the sidewalls
which seems to be in vogue at the
moment. 31
 With the base coat and markings done it was time to further
distress the paint. Paint chipping with Ammo Steel was done
using the sponge method and backing up with a fine brush.
Using the new Atom paints from Ammo (I had some pre-
production ones to test) I thinned the paint with water and did
some distressing, extra chipping around the metal chips and
stand-alone chips to simulate a weathered paint job. This was
an experiment but I think it turned out well and will be using it
again in future project.
My normal wash technique is a sludge wash but that wouldn’t
work with the raised rivets as it would make them look too
prominent so this time went for a pin wash, the tone being mixed
from oil paints to compliment wash colour. When that was dry it
was time for a filter, this is a dirty thinner and the grime tone
(starship filth) will blend all the previous effects. I then used a
flesh tone to simulate a dust layer, some neat oil brusher was
placed in certain areas for a more dusty effect (wing roots, centre
fuselage on the underside, lower tail etc.). I didn’t feel the need
for pigments on this one.
With all that done it was time for some post shading, a grimy
tone was mixed then carefully sprayed along panel lines in the
ore grubby areas such as under the nose and central fuselage,
around the oil cooler and the upper nose. The mix was thickened
Note the paint scuffs from the new Atom paints from Ammo of Mig, this
distresses the paint.
Here the oil streaking, mud and dust is complete so the model can be
brought together. You may just be able to make out the gear hoses on the
inside of the gear doors.
The exhaust stains on Hurricanes could be very
prominent, in some cases a black paint was
applied over the area to hide it!
Resin exhausts are a must, here the ASK ones
have been painted and weathered and glued
into place.
32
using more black and brown and used for the exhaust base coat,
buff was used to lighten the paint then this was applied over the
dark base. The Hurricane had a very typical exhaust pattern and
some of them were really filthy! This was overcoated with
matt varnish which results in a nice contrast with the satin finish
of the airframe.
Now to finish off. 2 of the weak areas in the kit are the exhausts
and gun barrels. The exhausts were resin replacements from
ASK and I had caught the same company’s gun barrels however
it turned out I had a set of Master Barrels so used those with
some burnishing fluid.
The wheels are some of the best I’ve seen in plastic so no need
to go down the resin route with those. The prop was also very
well done and both were distressed using the same techniques
as the airframe.
Now it was time to bring all the component parts together. I
added some wiring for the undercarriage brake lines feeding lead
wire through tiny lengths of brass tube to simulate the fittings.
The canopy had some handles made from wire and the forward
gunsight post added from very thin steel wire, and with that it
was done.
And the scuffing on the upper surface, this makes it look really busy and
fussy but is quite subtle.
What can I say, this is my favourite
kit of all time. The detail is superb,
the engineering is innovative and
the fit simply amazing. It’s not
perfect though, the exhausts are
solid and inaccurate, and the
barrels are a bit soft looking as
also being solid. That said there
are plenty of cheap aftermarket
options.

I’m not sure the cockpit removable

panel decal is terribly convincing
either, but it doesn’t have to be
used. I guess the raised rivets are
not to everyone’s taste and it did
mean that the vinyl masks I used
lifted a tiny bit, maybe decals
could have been a better solution?
Next time I’ll try Kabuki type masks
I think. Next up, a Sea Hurricane
conversion now I have some
decals!

33
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el: +44 (0)1670 823648
 B efore Wingnut Wings’ unfortunate closure in the Spring of
2020, I had only been in the hobby a few short years. In
2018, while stationed in North Texas awaiting pilot training, I
found myself with ample free time and a lack of activities to
keep me occupied, worsened by the oppressive heat of
Texas summers. Until then, my only connection to aircraft
modelling was die-cast airplanes hung haphazardly from the
ceiling of my childhood bedroom. My introduction to scale
modelling came unexpectedly when I helped a friend, an
avid scale modeller who had recently graduated pilot
training, in packing up for his next duty station. I was struck
by a collection of beautiful 1/48 scale jets prominently
displayed. I naively asked where he bought such finely
detailed die-cast models. To my surprise, he revealed that
they were not purchased but meticulously built from plastic
kits. Amazed, I sheepishly asked for details on how he
managed to accomplish such a feat. Generously, he dug out
his already packed up tools and supplies, providing me a
crash course in modelling.

From that moment, I was hooked on the hobby, despite not

having built a single kit myself. A week later, much to the
chagrin of my roommate, the distinctive whine of my new
(inexpensive and loud) air compressor permeated the small
apartment, and persisted more or less continuously for the
next year and half of training.

38
Patrick Neff’s stunning rendition of the Wingnuts 1:32 D.Va

39
 If seeing someone else’s builds drew me into the hobby,
discovering Wingnut Wings ensured I remained. World War I
aviation has always held a captivating allure for me. I have no
doubt that my fellow pilot trainees were rolling their eyes at the
unsolicited Great War history lesson I excitedly shared while we
were learning the Immelmann Turn—a maneuver involving a half
loop upwards followed by a 180° roll to level. Today, flying a single
seat combat aircraft developed from a century of technological
advancements is a daunting enough task. To fly a machine made
of little more than wood and canvas in 1917, in my mind, is
unthinkable.
The Albatros D.V boasted some of the sleekest lines among all the
aircraft that served in the Great War, making it one of the most
aesthetically pleasing aircraft of the conflict. Paired with some of
the most intricate paint schemes of the era, including the one I've
chosen to replicate, it is no surprise to me that the Albatros D.V
received the greatest number of different boxings of all Wingnut
Wings’ lineup. For me, Herman Leptein’s Jasta 63 Albatros was an
obvious choice for an impressive build.
40
Interior:
In the assembly of Wingnut Wing's kits, meticulous care is
paramount to avoid any paint or primer on the mating surfaces
between the fuselage halves and interior components. The
precision of Wingnut Wing's engineering allows no room for excess
material; even a thin layer of airbrushed paint can lead to fuselage
halves that are nearly impossible to properly join without
noticeable seams. To counteract this, I employed thin strips of
Tamiya tape to shield areas slated for connection. After
completing this step and sanding smooth several ejector pin
marks, I airbrushed MRP Ocher Wood on the areas simulating
wood, while MRP RLM 02 Grau was used to replicate the painted
metal parts.
Subsequently, I applied Liquitex transparent Burnt Umber ink as a
wash, working section by section and wiping off the majority with a
fan brush. To introduce a woodgrain texture, I dragged a stiff,
short-bristled brush along the surface in an irregular pattern before
the ink could set. Finally, I added a layer of thin Taw Umber oil
paint using a large filbert brush, dry brushing it across the entire
surface to enhance the finish's depth. Opting for inks rather than
oils for the woodgrain effects offers the advantage of minimizing
physical material on the model, preventing any obscuring of detail
or interference with tight fittings.
Engine:
One of the Albatros kit's most intricately detailed components is its
engine, which, although superb out of the box, offers room for
enhancement. To elevate its realism, I incorporated Taurus
Model’s resin valves, lifters, and timing gear, complemented by
0.10mm copper wire for cabling. MRP WW1 Night Camouflage
Black was used to paint the cylinders, while MRP White Aluminum
was applied to the engine block. For weathering, the cylinders
underwent multiple washes using Abteilung 502 Buff oil paint, left
to dry, and delicately blended with a filbert brush. Similarly, the
engine block received a treatment of Raw Umber mixed with
Starship Filth.
In detailing the fuel manifold, I cut one-millimetre strips of Zig Zag
rolling papers, wrapping them directly onto the unpainted part.
Executing this technique involved using only the adhesive portion
of the rolling paper, dampened gently before application and
wrapped tightly. As the paper can be fragile when damp, caution
was exercised to avoid accidental tearing. Achieving the desired
effect took several attempts. When the paper dries, it hardens,
adhering to the plastic surface without issue. Given the semi-
transparency of the rolling papers, the manifold initially appeared
unevenly covered. To address this, I airbrushed off-white over it,
concluding with a subtle wash of Raw Umber oil paints to
accentuate the detail.
Exhaust:
After investing considerable time in detailing the Mercedes DIIIa
engine, I was determined to give equal attention to the exhaust.
The initial step involved drilling out the opening, accomplished with
a 0.8mm drill bit and a sharp X-Acto blade, followed by smoothing
the drilled-out area with a swift pass of Tamiya extra-thin cement.
The entire exhaust assembly received an Alclad Magnesium base
coat, with subsequent applications of thinned Model Color White
and Leather Brown applied via a sponge. This was followed by a
thin coat of AK Dark Brown enamel wash, a technique influenced
by Martin Kovac, whose excellent video on painting exhausts on
YouTube I highly recommend.
I diverged from Martin’s technique next, utilizing AK Weathering
Pencils. These pencils were first employed as traditional
watercolors, allowing the pigment to saturate in small pools of
water for highly concentrated tones. Using a paintbrush, I applied
various rust hues to the main body of the exhausts, while black
and soot colours were applied to the ends of the exhaust stack. To
mimic heat discolouration and ash, I introduced splotches of
AK10027 Concrete Marks on top of the darkened areas. Lastly, for
added tonal variation and texture, I repeatedly splattered lots of
rust and gray tones onto the exhaust using a toothpick and a
paintbrush loaded directly from the tips of soaked coloured
pencils. This approach yielded a visually rich and textured finish.
41
42
Lozenge:
Aviattic's stunning lozenge decals were applied over wings that
had been pre-shaded and glossed, using ample water and then
gently subjected to heat from a hairdryer to ensure proper
conformity. Once dried, any silvering was addressed with a sharp
X-Acto blade and Micro Sol. The final step prior to weathering
involved sealing in the decals with MRP Semi Matt. To achieve a
weathered, dusty patina, several layers of AK Dark Brown enamel
wash were applied and blended into the wings.
Diamond Pattern and Wood Grain:
The fuselage began with a coat of MRP Sand Brown, followed by
shading using MRP Clear Doped Linen and White. Masks for the
diamond pattern were developed through the use of custom-
designed stencils created with a Silhouette Portrait 3 cutter and
Oramask 810, a tool employed consistently throughout the project.
MRP World War I Night Camouflage Black served as the primary
colour for the diamonds, accentuated by highlights and shadows
using MRP Rubber, NATO Black, and Black. Precise adjustments
were made with additional masking to align each diamond vertex
with the one adjacent.
Barnfind Woodgrain Decals from Uschi Van Der Rosten, cut to the
correct shape of each panel using the Portrait 3, were applied
across the entire fuselage. This even included on top of the black
diamonds, allowing a subtle woodgrain effect to persist. A finishing
wash of thin Raw Umber oil paints blended into the surface
provided a uniform appearance.
43
 Insignia:
The markings were painted using masks
cut in the same manner as those for the
diamond pattern. I opted for an "even-
armed" symmetrical Balkenkreuz,
deviating from the "uneven-armed" version
in the profile artwork for aesthetic
reasons. The white portions of the
Balkencruz were painted, stippled with
Liquitex inks mixed into shades of grey,
then airbrushed with additional white to
blend the effect together.

The kit was acquired second-hand, and

unfortunately, the majority of the decals
incurred significant water damage.
Consequently, even the pilot's personal
markings, the red and white shield, had to
be partially masked and sprayed on one
side of the fuselage after the original
decal disintegrated.

44
Propeller:
The propeller was first coated with MRP Sand Brown. Then, a custom
cut mask was applied before painting the dark bands of wood using
MRP Dark Wood. The wood grain was hand-drawn using finely
sharpened weathering pencils without water. Different shades of brown
were employed to smoothen the transition between woodgrain lines
and add depth to the woodgrain. To achieve the desired hue, the entire
propeller was then treated with multiple coats of a dense red-brown oil
wash, then blended in with a filbert brush.

Rigging:
Commencing the rigging process, I fashioned eyelets from
0.10mm copper wire by twisting several-inch lengths sections
around a de-barbed fly-fishing hook. After cutting the eyelet to
the required length, it was glued into predrilled wing holes.
Albion Alloys' 0.5mm brass tubes were then cut into 1.5mm
segments to function as turnbuckles. Submerging these in
brass blackening solution gave them a dull black appearance.
Modelkasten's 0.6mm line was used to serve as the rigging.

45
46
47
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 Sohaib Talal RESCUES THE ITALERI 1:48 KIT
54
 The Wessex fascinates me because of
its peculiar shape and when I came
across Italeri kit, I wanted to give it a
go.

The manufacturer getting the name wrong is surely

not a good start. The correct version is HU.5
instead of UH.5 mentioned on the box.

On opening the box, there are two big sprues and

one set of similar sprues in a separate plastic bag.
For brand new moulds as the box claims, there is a
lot of flash on some parts. Comparing this kit
quality with its contemporaries, the moulding
seems to be from past generations.

The seats are very thick and the back rest seem to
have incorrect details, if I go by what I have seen
on reference pictures in several walkarounds on the
web. The details overall are soft and the kit plastic
is very brittle. As we go along the build, I will
highlight the details I have added to make the
finished kit as accurate as much as my skills allow.

THE ONLY
WAY IS
WESSEX 55
 I have decided to build the version based at RAF Akrotiri in
Cyprus.
What I have on the bench to get this project started.

•Italeri Wessex HU.5 kit 2720

•Eduard Wessex interior set 49622
•Eduard Wessex exterior set 48754
•Evergreen plastic in different shapes and sizes
•Metal wires of different gauges
•Aluminum tape & aluminum foil

For reference, I have used:

•4+ Publication’s ‘Westland Wessex’
•Airlife Wessex by Patrick Allen

Modification on the fuselage halves

I have rarely followed the instructions of this kit. I have broken down the
construction to allow me to focus on details I want to improve.

Going through 4+ Publication book, the winch door on starboard fuselage not only
has wrong shape but is too far forward. Eduard’s part in their photo-etch set looks
a much closer rendition of the actual door. The finished winch door looks more
realistic after photo-etch part is installed in correct position.

Looking at reference pictures, part 6B looks too thick if glued from outside. I
thinned the hole from inside and then glued the part from inside. From the
Evergreen set of assorted rods, I took the one close to size, cut a piece out of it
and glued it around the perimeter of the hole. Then sanded it down flat to the
surface. This gives an impression of a ring around the hole. Overall, this reworked
detail looks much closer to photos of the actual aircraft.

Transport compartment
The front bulkhead in the passenger/loading area. The part seems
to have come from another version of the helicopter and is wrong
for HU5. I completely removed the detail with Dremel tool. After
sanding several humps and bumps, I used Eduard details to
rebuild the bulkhead. I also created the indentation in photo etch
bulkhead for the fire extinguisher.
The fire extinguisher was made from piece of sprue sanded round
at either end. The stalk is made from Evergreen plastic. A decal
from spares and a belt from a disused photo etch fret finishes the
construction of this part.
I have modified the cabin using the walkaround pictures of Wessex
on forums and photos in 4+ Publication book. That round part
repurposed as claxon is Tamiya Kubelwagen horn. The shape and
size looked proportionate to me. The other details inside are
scratch-built using Evergreen plastic, Eduard set and metal wires
of varying gauges.
In most of the reference photos, the cabin floor is in bare metal
finish. The floor was scuffed and weathered with chalk pastels. The
rings were created using a fine metal wire twisted on the finest
drill bit in my drill bit set. The tie down rings thus created will be
inserted in the holes drilled in the floor where Italeri has moulded
them in relief.

56
Details of the troop seats in this kit is very basic and
thick. I created the bench frame using Evergreen
plastic rod. It took some time to build all the bench
frames but it’s rewarding as the frames look so much
more realistic.
I have used aluminum tape to create the seat and the
seat back. The seat frame is painted with RLM Grey.
Eduard provides the seatbelts for these benches. The
detail wasn’t to my liking so I left them out. The
completed seats with seatbacks were finished in
different shades of blue from Tamiya mixed to match
the seat colour in my reference photos.

The overhead cabin lights on the kit part are very flat
(IMG_6641). To create some depth and dimension, I
painted the lamp circles with Gunze H311, a very light
shade of grey. Then, a blob of Micro Kristal Clear is
dropped to form a round light cover. The Micro Kristal
dries clear giving a good impression of fogged, aged
lights (IMG_6645 & IMG_6652). Some oil washes and
further fading of the ceiling cover completes the effect.

Time to close the fuselage halves

As the cabin area is complete, its time to put together the two
fuselage halves.
Before closing the fuselage halves, all the holes were drilled as
mentioned in the instruction. The rear rotor parts need to be
added from inside and this must be done here. The part of the
engine which sits on the roof of the cabin must also be fitted now
and portion of the fuselage beside this part be painted with the
colour of inside the engine. The shade that seems to match the
reference photos is Mr. Hobby Engine Grey.

The fit isn’t inspiring and needs a lot of patience and some filler to
properly fuse the two fuselage halves together.

Italeri kit windows don’t sit flush in the window cut outs. The kit
also does not offer any part to replicate the rubber sealing around
the windows. This looks like quite an obvious detail to ignore.
Adding this detail also helps close the gap between clear part and
the fuselage. To create the rubber sealing, I wound the thinnest
Evergreen plastic rod around the inside of the window frame.

The wires running vertical on port side were

created from thin copper wire. Other details
added to this side can been seen in white
plastic and silver metal details made out of
wire or aluminum tape. The added window
frames can also be seen here under the
masking tape.

Smaller exterior details like the sliding door

handles and rubber stopper were added
along with the diagonal assist handles inside
the top of door frame. All these details were
made with metal wire. The exhausts below
the chin are cast in the mould and there's
very little detail. I removed the cast detail and
replaced it with plastic u-shaped channel.

57
 This is part D13 which fits
on the lower end of the
tailfin. The slanted detail
is moulded only on one
side. The reference
pictures show it exists on
both sides. This detail
was created with thinly
sliced plastic sheet.
These tiny pieces were
then glued with spacing
This is a replica of part 27B of the kit. Its the pair of hanging rubber and slant corresponding
pipes from bottom of the fuselage. This was made using hollow to the kit part. It was
rubber tube pulled on piece of Evergreen plastic rod. I found this sanded down to blend it
rubber tube in an old disused Tamiya Flak 88 kit. with the kit part.

The detail on top of the tail on real Wessex looks

sharp and see through but on the kit the detail is
moulded on and scanty. To fix this, I removed the
whole section around tail and replaced it with
plastic card. The whole area is then sanded and
shaped to conform to the curve. Wherever
necessary, the gaps were filled with liquid putty
before sanding. The Eduard mesh part is slightly
oversized. It was curved first and then a sliver of
metal at the bottom was cut to fit in the modified
part. The completed assembly after filling and
prior to sanding.

Cockpit
The cockpit seat frames are photo-etch parts from Eduard set.
The cushions are the kit part. The completed seats look nice. The
seats are slightly oversized and are tight fit in the cockpit
Eduard provides painted seat belts in set. They look toy-like to
begin with and once bent, the paint comes off in strips and
flakes. I removed all the pre-paint and colored the belts in NATO
black with the sizing buckles painted in aluminum and then clear
blue to give the impression of metallic blue.
The photo etch dashboard front is a nice detail in the kit. I added
clear glass using Micro Kristal Klear, from the back to make it look
realistic. I have used the kit provided decal as the representation
of dials. I have also added the window framing inside of the
cockpit front glazing. This is quite an obvious detail to ignore. This
is how it looks with bare plastic and when painted. The interior of
the cockpit is painted Mr. Hobby H-335 Medium Sea Grey.

The cockpit window frames

converge in as the two
halves of fuselage are
Some more details of the cockpit. The overhead control panel is a kit part glued and aligned with rear
but the rotor brake control level is scratch-built made with square plastic cockpit bulkhead. When the
rod and curved metal wire. The red part is a blob of putty. Eduard part with cockpit front glazing is test
plastic added to represent knob grips fitted here, its wider than
the fuselage. So, if it’s
aligned at one side, its off
at the other. The bottom of
the front glazing rests on
the fuselage with a huge
gap

58

The nose of the aircraft fits to the rest of the fuselage assembly
with a large step. To fix these fit issues, the gaps and spaces were
filled with liquid putty
Details on the struts with brake
lining and mounting bolts
added. Struts on either side are
painted in body colour as some
of the detail like silver rings
should remain unpainted. The
struts are very brittle and with
so much detail on the body of
the aircraft, it was not easy to
put all the details on the struts
after attaching them. The steps
on the strut are Eduard part.
After filling and sanding, the side under the windscreen looks much better. The
cockpit window frames were pulled out slightly and glued to the glazing part so
that there is no step between fuselage and glazing in that section.
Grab handles around the cockpit exterior are made with metal wires
Eduard photo-etch part for the cabin door step and some more scratch-built
details on the starboard side.
Front intake
The kit part is rounded. In every picture, the outside oblong frame of the
intake is flat with mesh over the inner frame. The kit’s instructions fit the
mesh under the frame which is incorrect. I cut the inner frame very close
to where it attaches to outer frame. Then traced the outer frame on the
aluminum tape. Initially I tried to wrap the plastic mesh over the inner
frame. But it couldn’t sit with the right shape and detail. I then used Aber’s
S19 net in square mesh.
This was cut using Eduard’s intake grill as a template. The mesh was then
shaped along the curve of the cut-out inner frame. The outer frame was
cleaned up and pasted on the inner frame completing an important
improvement to the kit part. The finished part looks more realistic.
59
 There are some details added to main rotor. Small
eyelets on the rotor head
The missing pins on the base of rotor blades were
made using thin Evergreen plastic rod
The main rotor head is painted H-339 Mr. Hobby
Engine Grey. The rotor blades were painted in a very
dark green shade. The blades were weathered by
painting lighter shades of the base colour in random
order

The centre of the rotor head seems like a
transparent oil reservoir. This piece was painted in
mix of grey, brown and black. Then Tamiya clear
red was brushed on it give it a transparent and
oily effect. The oil supply lines from rotor head
were created using thin copper wire.
The leading edge of the main rotor blades is
covered in rubber. To create this effect, the
leading edge was painted with Mr. Surfacer 500 to
give it a grainy effect. It was then painted with Mr.
Hobby H-77 tire black
The tail rotor is a one-dimensional mould. Photos
show each of the blades is out of sync of each
other in resting position. The individual rotor blades
were cut and glued back in slightly different
positions relative to each other

Painting
After all the gaps are filled and sanded, the
surface is painted in random, splotchy
pattern. Then panel lines are highlighted.
This is done in black. The weathering and
wear will be kept at minimum. So, this
random pattern was not further enhanced.
The base camouflage colours are:

•Gunze Mr. Hobby H-330 - Dark Green

BS381C/641
•Gunze Mr. Hobby H-331 - Dark Sea Grey
BS381C/638

The first colour to go is H-331. The Dark

Green is airbrushed free hand keeping the
colour demarcation subtle and feathered.

Decals Most of the stencils and RAF roundels were taken from Phoenix
The kit’s decals are useless. Except for very few stencils, the sheet. All the lettering is from Xtradecal X48-044 sheet. The serial
harlequin tail logo and the blue belly stripes, I did not use much of number ‘XV719’ was individually put together.
the decal sheet. Going through pictures of several RAF aircraft
over the years, I have not seen '9' in 'XV719' in this typeset. This is With decals on, the aircraft is taking the final shape. The body was
completely wrong. I have used the following decal sheets: sprayed with a semi gloss varnish. Once the varnish was
completely dry, masking was removed. After attaching the wheels
•Xtradecal X48-111 - RAF: HC.2, HAR.2, HU.5; RN: HAS.3, HU.5 and rotor, the project that was exciting and challenging in equal
•Xtradecal X48-044 - RAF Black Letters, Numerals 4', 8' and 12' measure comes to an end.
and Titles for Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Army, Air Support
Command
•Phoenix 48-018 - Royal HK Auxiliary Air Force Westland Wessex
HC.Mk.2
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 JUST AN ENGINE UPGRADE BY TOM ANYZ
NOW AVAILABLE AS PAPER BOOK AND E-BOOK

FREE
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