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Zetor 25 Military Tractor w/Towbar for MiG-15/17 (8063) 1:48 CMK by Special Hobby Following the end of WWII, many companies returned to create civilian products, and in Czechoslovakia (as was) the Zetor company was created in 1946 to manufacture tractors and farm machinery under the watchful eye of the government, with its first product being the Zetor 25 tractor that was designed before the brand-name was even registered. A year later they had produced almost 3,500 units, when it was joined by the 15, and later by improved versions of the 25 that were made until the early 1960s when it was replaced by the more modern 35. The 25 saw extensive service in the military as a ground-handling tractor, towing MiG-15s and MiG-17s around the airfield once the engines were shut down. Fitted with a custom towing bar, they were a common sight chugging around the perry tracks, in-and-out of hangars on Soviet era military bases until they were replaced by more modern, capable designs as technology improved and the aircraft became heavier. The Kit This is a reboxing of a 2022 tooling of the agricultural version of this common tractor in resin, with new parts to reflect its military service, plus the tow-bar to enable its use on an airfield. It arrives in a rectangular yellow cardboard box, and inside are fifty-eight grey resin parts, six orange 3D printed resin parts, two clear resin parts, two small frets of Photo-Etch (PE), a small decal sheet, and the instruction sheet, printed in colour on a folded sheet of A4. Detail is excellent, and once the parts have been removed from the casting blocks and cleaned-up, it should go together like an injection-moulded kit, but with the parts first washed in warm soapy water to remove any moulding residue, and super glue or epoxy resin used to build the model. Construction begins with the chassis, which is built up from a large number of parts, including the engine, transmission, axles and a bench seat for the driver, with a long steering column topped with a four-spoked wheel. Various PE and resin small parts are installed on the assembly from both sides, then the top cowling and grille are applied over the engine, adding a simple instrument panel in front of the driver, linking the exhaust to the engine with a resin downpipe, and a short length of wire from your own stock passing behind it, another piece of wire bent to create a grab-rail behind the seat, and another short length bent to an L-shape to form the peg that holds the towbar to the 3D printed hitch. A V-strut supports the front axle from behind, adding the small wheels to it, and the larger rear wheels under the driver’s position whilst adding the arches that prevent mud splatter between the chassis and the wheels. There are a pair of optional number plate holders and accompanying decals to give your model an identity. The towbar comprises a main part, adding the eye and compression gaiter to the front, then creating a stabilising wire from your own stock that is tipped at each end with PE eyes from the fret that attach to the main gear legs of your chosen MiG, and wrapping around a pulley printed integrally to the main towbar part, which adjusted position as the vehicle turned corners. The yoke at the rear of the bar attaches to each side of the aircraft’s nose wheel hub, and the towing eye of course connects to the hitch at the back of the tractor. Markings For the most part these beasts of burden were painted a khaki green, with little to differentiate them from each other except for their number plate and the state of their paint-job. This is reflected in the profiles, with just the two red and white decals for the Zetor 25 badges on the sides of the cowling, and the optional number plate decals. The decals appear to be printed using the same digital processes as Eduard are now using, and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. I mention Eduard because from 2021, the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Even though this feature will only be visible on the cowling logos, it’s a focal area of the model, so still good to have. Conclusion I’ve been envious of the 1:72 modellers and their CMK Zetor tractors for a while, and now we 1:48 modellers can tow our early jet MiGs too. The kit has plenty of detail, and don’t let the fact it’s resin put you off. It’s not all that hard with a little patience and a razor saw. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Czech Master's Kits (CMK) is to release in February 2020 a 1/48th MD-3 Ground Power Unit (GPU) kit - ref. 129-8058 Source: https://www.specialhobby.eu/en/our-own-production/cmk-kits/md-3-ground-power-unit.html V.P.

Beaufighter Mk.I/VI Main Wheels Early (7481 for Airfix) 1:72 CMK by Special Hobby Kit wheels are generally in two halves, which means you have the resultant joins to deal with, possible mould-slip issues on single part wheels, and sometimes less than stellar detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seamline and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are usually a drop-in replacement. This set is just that, containing two main wheels that are drop-in replacements once removed from their casting block, which is conveniently placed on the slightly flattened contact patch that just needs flattening off once removed. The tyres have the early block tread pattern, and the hubs are similarly early versions with five-spoked fronts and solid rears. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

PT Boat Weapon Set #1 Mk.4 20mm Oerlikon Cannon (N72030 for Revell) 1:72 CMK Navy Series by Special Hobby The American PT boat series were fast, agile and well-armed to deal with the Japanese enemy in the Pacific theatre for the most part. Revell’s kits of these famous sea-borne warriors are quite old now, so upgrades to the level of detail to modern standards is a worthwhile proposition. This set is number one of a series of sets that are now available for the basic kit, and it depicts the much-used Swiss developed Mk.4 Oerlikon 20mm cannon that saw extensive use both at sea and in the air during WWII, ironically based on a WWI German design. They were often seen mounted on the foredeck of PT boats, and in a circular ‘band-stand’ installation on the British MTBs amongst many other uses. The set arrives in a white cardboard box with a captive top flap and sticker showing the contents. Inside are three bags of resin parts, the traditional cast resin in grey, and the 3D printed parts in a light orange colour. Additionally, a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) provides more parts, and all this is protected by the instruction sheet and an additional glossy sheet that advertises some of Special Hobby’s other maritime upgrade sets. Construction begins with creating the conical mount, which starts with a flat circular base onto which the riser fits, adding a 3D printed adjustment wheel and the trunnion on a circular base that holds the cannon in position. A 3D printed magazine and twin shoulder rests finish the cannon, adding the two-part PE ring and bead sight on a tapering mount between the magazine and rear of the breech. There is also an upgraded rectangular locker included in the box to replace the kit part with additional detail. The detail that resin and 3D printed parts bring to the installation will be a huge improvement over the original. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

2,000lb Bomb AN-M66A2 w/Conical Fin Assembly M130 x 2 (4459) 1:48 CMK by Special Hobby The AN-M66A2 bomb was a US made 2,000lb air-dropped bomb that could be fitted with different fin assemblies for various applications, and although it was a WWII era design, it carried on in service long after. The M130 tail assembly was conical type, extending the length of the completed bomb and increasing stability during flight. As usual they were fitted with two lugs at 30” centres, plus another on the underside that was positioned at the centre of mass. This set includes two such bombs as a combination of traditional resin casting and 3D printed parts. The main bodies where the explosive component resides as cast in grey resin, while the tail assemblies are 3D printed in light orange, attached to their printing base by several thin tendril-like support fingers that are easy to cut off and sand smooth. The bombs are attached to their casting blocks at the rear, so the cutting point will be hidden within the tail, so you don’t need to be too fussy with your razor saw. A tiny Photo-Etch (PE) fuse spinner is supplied with a spare on one tiny fret of PE, and these should be glued to the raised turret on the nose, and once the glue is dry, the blades should be tilted with your tweezers to give it the correct shape. Once basic painting is done in olive green, the stencils on the small decal sheet, and the yellow bands for the nose cone are applied, and as these decals have the same removable carrier film as Eduard’s, you should be able to peel it away once it is dry. How much weathering and scratching of the paint you do is then up to you. Conclusion No more than a few minutes’ work to put them together, and very nicely detailed ordnance to hang from your latest model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Tempest Mk.II Centaurus Engine (P48005 for Special Hobby/Eduard)) 1:48 CMK by Special Hobby Special Hobby and Eduard have collaborated on a new Tempest II kit in 1:48, and it’s a lovely kit with the large cylindrical cowling hiding the brutally powerful Centaurus engine with two banks of nine cylinders that could produce over 3,000hp in its final variants. It is barely seen inside the fuselage when prepared to fly, but with the cowling open it’s a different story. This set is designed to allow the modeller to open the cowling and show off the beast in all its glory, using a combination of 3D printed and traditional resin parts to adapt the kit to suit. It arrives in a rectangular yellow-themed box, and inside are two Ziploc bags of resin parts and the folded instructions that act as padding to protect them from damage. In total there are sixteen parts, the most impressive of which is the 3D printed engine that is printed as a single part with tolerances so fine that you can see deep into the cylinder banks if your eyesight is good enough. The six 3D printed cowling clasps are almost as impressive due to their small size, and these are double-bagged to further protect them. Construction begins with removing the cowling panels from the front of the kit fuselage halves, leaving just the top and bottom hinge-points projecting over where the engine will be fitted. The inside face of these will need to be thinned down from inside, test-fitting as you go, then shaving away some of the width of these areas until the motor slides into position without snagging, using the slots in the back plate as a guide. Before gluing the engine into place, the cylindrical bell housing is glued into the recess in the front, aligning it with the tab and slot around the edge. The kit intake lip is then adapted by inserting the two C-shaped resin lips to the back, leaving spaces of 5.8mm between the parts so it can be attached to the fuselage. After gluing it in place, the four cowling panels are attached hinging from the top and bottom, adding the small open closures into the grooves in the bottom two panels. The top cowlings are propped up by a pair of curved stays that help you achieve the correct angle when opened. There will be a lot of painting going on throughout the building of this set, and you will need to check your references for the correct shades, as there are no colour call-outs in the instructions. Conclusion 3D printing just keeps getting better all the time, and the detail of the engine is phenomenal, with praise due to the designer for what must have been complicated and intricate work. If you only have one Tempest II, perhaps you need another specially for this set. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

15cm Nebelwerfer 41/3.7cm PaK36 Wheels (B72107 for Special Hobby) 1:72 CMK Blitz Line by Special Hobby Kit wheels are generally in two halves, which means you have the resultant joins to deal with, possible mould-slip issues on single part wheels, and sometimes less than stellar detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seamline and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are usually a drop-in replacement. This set is intended to replace the kit wheels of the Special Hobby Nebelwerfer (SA72026), which shared wheels with the PaK 36 3.7cm anti-tank gun (SA72024), so could be used for either. For both of these kits, the wheels are in two halves, having a single layer hub on the outer part, and double thickness for the tyres. These resin wheels are drop-in replacements for the kit parts, and once cut from their casting blocks slide onto the ends of the axles on each side of the weapon. They bring additional fine detail to the hubs, but the main improvement is to the tyres, which have much finer shoulders blocks on the edge of the contact patch, Dunlop logos on the side walls, and circumferential grooves in the centre of the contact surface, adding substantial realism as a result. With resin, you should take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding it, as the tiny particles are harmful to your health if breathed in. Washing the parts in warm water will also improve the adhesion of paint, as there may still be some moulding release agent on the parts when you receive them. Take care not to use water that is too hot, as this may cause deformation to more delicate parts, and this technique can conversely be used to fix warped parts, using cold water to “freeze” the changes in the parts. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hi mates, I've wanted a nice model of the TSR.2 in my collection for quite some time. I picked up one of the 1:72 scale Airfix kits (the one with the Stratos 4 Japanese sci-fi theme) and started collecting some aftermarket pieces. The kit, as moulded, is quite nice - but there were some areas that I felt could use some additional detail. Most of the aftermarket was from CMK, but I also used some photoetch from Eduard and a turned brass pitot from Master. As I found out, several of the CMK resin pieces could have used some aftermarket of their own, as I encountered some size and shape issues. I suspect this was due to shrinkage of the resin. Let me apologize in advance for the lousy photos. I had a devil of a time trying to get good shots of this model, and I think it was due to the overall white scheme. I tried direct and diffuse lighting, a couple of thousand different white balance/exposure compensation combinations...the list goes on. The photos here are the best ones I could get, but I'm not happy with them. Not only is overall white no fun to paint, it's no fun to photograph. No more overall white for me! I admit defeat. As usual, here is my executive summary: Project: Royal Air Force BAC TSR.2 Kits: Airfix TSR.2MS (kit number A08011) Scale: 1:72 (although the lady jockeys from the Japanese cartoon look smaller than this) Decals: From the kit, representing XR220, the ill-fated airframe that not only fell off its lorry, but was ready for its first flight on the day the programme was cancelled Resin: CMK sets 7131 Interior, 7132 Exterior, 7133 Control Surfaces, 7134 Undercarriage, and 7135 Armament (only used the bomb bay door actuators from this set); Odds & Ordnance revised fin with leading edge intake (thanks to a generous donation by a fellow Britmodeller) Photoetch: Some pieces from Eduard 73257 Vacuform: Canopy and windscreen that came with the CMK set - first time I cut out all the pieces without cocking it up! Metal: Master AM-72-102 Pitot Tube Paint: Testors 2143 RLM21 Semi-gloss White, 1180 Flat Steel; Gunze H335 Medium Sea Grey, H338 FS36495, H18, H11 Flat White, H12 Flat Black, H14 Orange, H21 Off-White, H77 Tyre Black, H89 Metallic Green, H91 Clear Yellow, H92 Clear Orange; Alclad ALC302 Grey Primer, 111 Magnesium, 112; Floquil F110015 Flat Finish Weathering: Not much, as the real aeroplane never flew and is setting in a museum. I applied a light grey wash (made from Gunze H338) to the panel lines, and toned that down with a mist of Testors 2143 RLM21 White Improvements/Corrections Accomplished with the help of the resin and photoetch sets: Lowered the main wing flaps Posed the taileron flaps Posed all four airbrakes open Posed the port avionics bay open Replaced intakes and posed auxiliary doors open Replaced the vertical fin to include leading edge intake Replaced all tyres and wheels for more detail Modified the kit's main gear struts to fix the splay angle issue Did a really bad job trying to replicate the main gear brake lines Replaced all gear/bomb bays and wheel wells for MUCH more detail Replaced kit windscreen and canopy with vacuform parts Gold coating on canopy windows made from a mix of Gunze Clear Yellow and Clear Orange Replaced cockpit and ejection seats with CMK sets Build thread: Linky So here are the lousy pictures: Some in-progress shots before the fin and canopies got in the way: I have to include this, as the metallic green tubes on the back of the seats can no longer be seen, and I thought they looked pretty cool. So here they are: Well, there she is. Unfortunately, I don't think she will fit in my display case unless I send some other models to long-term storage. Wait, I could get a bigger display case! Cheers, Bill

Yak-9K/T Wheels (Q32407 for ICM) 1:32 CMK Quick & Easy Line by Special Hobby Kit wheels are generally moulded in two halves, which means you have the resultant joins to deal with, possible mould-slip issues on single part wheels, and sometimes less than stellar detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seamline and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are usually a drop-in replacement. As usual with CMK's resin sets, they arrive in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. Each wheel is attached its own casting block at the contact patch, which has a small flat-spot and bulge that indicates the weight of the airframe on the tyres. The two hubs for each tyre are moulded flat against their casting block, and detail is excellent. The main wheel tyres have radial tread on the contact surface, while the tail-wheel has a circumferential tread with radial lines on the sidewalls. Once they’re cut from the blocks, installation is as simple as sliding them onto the axles of the main wheels, and flexing the kit's tail-wheel yoke to admit the replacement resin part. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bücker Bü.181/Zlín Z-181 Main Wheels (Q48404) 1:48 CMK Quick & Easy by Special Hobby Kit wheels are generally in two halves, which means you have the resultant joins to deal with, possible mould-slip issues on single part wheels, and sometimes less than stellar detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seamline and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are usually a drop-in replacement. As usual with CMK's resin sets, they arrive in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. There are two pour blocks with eight resin parts, some of which are optional, and they are of course a drop-in replacement for the kit parts once they have been liberated from the casting stub. Sensibly, the main wheels are attached by the contact patch, so should be easy to clean up without ruining any of the radial tread. The six hubs include a rear hub and a choice of standard dished or four-spoke hubs at the front, all of which are attached to the casting blocks at the back. A little work with a motor tool or razor saw should see those removed in moments, then all you need choose is whether to have spoked wheels or dished. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Mirage IIIC Martin-Baker MK.4 Ejection Seat (Q72403 for Special Hobby) 1:72 CMK by Special Hobby We reviewed the kit for which this set is intended late last year, and you can find that here. We’ve also reviewed some of the resin sets that CMK have already released, and now we have a replacement seat for the kit from their Quick & Easy range. As usual with CMK's resin sets, they arrive in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. The Photo-Etch (PE) is separated from the resin parts by a clear piece of acetate to prevent scratching and damage during transit. Inside the box is a single resin seat that is attached to its casting block at the bottom to avoid damaging the detail, plus a small sheet of Photo-Etch (PE). The seat is easily cut from the block, and has the detailed PE harness, leg restraints and the pull-handles on the headbox glued into place with super glue to complete the task, with detail painting being carried out according to the kit instructions. The seat should then slot neatly into the kit cockpit, but test fitting is always advisable in these situations, and a highly detailed seat is always a great investment to bring the cockpit detail up to snuff in a single-seat fighter. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Ki-84 Hayate Armament (7505 for Arma Hobby) 1:72 CMK by Special Hobby We reviewed the excellent new 1:72 kit of the Hayate recently here, and here’s a new resin set from CMK to depict the wing-mounted armament that is absent from the kit. As usual with CMK's resin sets, they arrive in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. Inside the package are five casting blocks containing 20 resin parts of varying sizes, many on the small side. Before installing the set you must of course remove the corresponding panels in the upper wing, which are replaced by thin resin panels in the set, so you don’t have to be too careful with the removal. You are advised to test-fit the bays in a complete wing and grind away some of the thickness of the lower wing so that the bays will fit neatly. The larger troughs are the gun bays, which have a machine gun breech and cross-brace inserted before they are glued under the opening. The bay doors for this are supplied as three separate sections that fold forwards into the vertical position, as demonstrated by a scrap diagram. The ammo feeds are perpendicular to the bays, and have a length of ammo inserted in the shallow bays before they too are glued to the underside of their opening. Their doors are a single part that is laid flat on the wing as if left there by an armourer. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Beaufort Mk.I Bomb Bay (7509 for Airfix) 1:72 CMK by Special Hobby Airfix’s new small-scale Beaufort kit has been around for over a year now, and here comes a new bomb bay set from CMK by Special Hobby to increase the detail in there, and add a set of bombs to populate it too. As usual with CMK's resin sets, they arrive in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. Inside the package are twenty-three resin parts on nine casting blocks, some of which are very fine, so care must be taken when removing them from their blocks. Before you can start work, you need to sand back the details from inside the kit fuselage sides and roof, plus remove the central section of the bomb bay door part, C17. With that out of the way, the bay can be skinned with new roof and side surfaces, adding a pair of C-shaped bulkheads with inserts, plus fine resin actuators front and rear. The roof is prepared by installing two bomb carriers with shackles front and rear, which accommodate one of the resin bombs each. The bombs have separate noses and cylindrical fin surrounds added beforehand, and are inserted between the V-shaped parts of the anti-sway shackles. The bi-folded bay doors are then glued to the sides of the bay to complete the job, with plenty of painting in between. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Beaufort Mk.I Mainwheels & Tail-Wheel w/leg (4456) 1:48 CMK by Special Hobby Kit wheels are generally in two halves, which means you have the resultant joins to deal with, possible mould-slip issues on single part wheels, and sometimes less than stellar detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seamline and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are usually a drop-in replacement. As usual with CMK's resin sets, they arrive in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. Inside are two main wheels with separate hubs for each side, and a tail-wheel with separate strut in a harder black resin. Our strut had taken a hit before it was packaged, and had a tiny piece missing, so check yours when you get it, just in case. Each main wheel is cast on its own block, and is joined to it at the bottom where the tyre is slightly weighted, so clean-up won’t be too onerous or risk damaging any detail. The hubs are cast in pairs, and are cut off at the rear at the base of a tapered “socket” so that fit is good once you remove any roughness. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Yak-9D Wheels (Q48405 for Zvezda) 1:48 CMK Quick & Easy Line by Special Hobby Kit wheels are generally moulded in two halves, which means you have the resultant joins to deal with, possible mould-slip issues on single part wheels, and sometimes less than stellar detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seamline and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are usually a drop-in replacement. To be clear, the photo above shows both sides of the set. You get two main wheels and one tail-wheel. As usual with CMK's Quick & Easy resin sets, they arrive in the familiar clear bag, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. Inside are three resin wheels on a single casting block. Each one is attached to the casting block at the contact patch, which has a small flat-spot and bulge that indicates the weight of the airframe on the tyres. Detail is excellent on the hubs, and the main wheel tyres have radial tread on the contact surface, while the tail-wheel has a circumferential tread with radial lines on the sidewalls. Once they’re cut from the blocks, installation is as simple as sliding them onto the axles of the main wheels, and flexing the kit's tail-wheel yoke to admit the replacement resin part. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Yak-9K/T Exhaust Stacks (Q32406 for ICM) 1:32 CMK Quick & Easy by Special Hobby We reviewed the new Yak-9T from ICM recently here, and now CMK have a new set of Exhausts that improve on the kit parts whilst requiring little in the way of additional work. The Quick & Easy line are a series of upgrades to your kits that live up to their name, and usually arrive in a flat bag with a green-themed cardboard header and the simple instructions between them. Inside the bag are two sets of beautifully cast exhausts on individual casting blocks, and each exhaust has a hollow D-profile tip. There are two sets of paired exhausts in the centre and two more singles at each end of the profiled carrier, which has shaped inserts between the stacks. Once removed from the casting base they are a drop-in replacement for the kit parts, with the only difference (apart from the detail) being that you need to use super glue (CA) to locate them in their slots. Give them a quick wash in warm soapy water to remove any residual mould release, and don’t worry unduly about cleaning up the back of the parts, as they won’t be seen. A great update to the kit parts that are simple to use, and won’t exhaust you or your modelling budget (I'm sorry - they made me say it. Help me, they won't let me go!). Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Panzerfaust for Bücker Bü.181 (P48003) 1:48 Special Hobby 3D Print The original Panzerfaust was a WWII invention of Nazi Germany that gave the power to take down a heavily armoured tank to a single soldier, in the shape of a disposable launcher tube that could project a shaped charge to a target over a short range. The operator needed little in the way of training, but some bravery or foolhardiness was required to get close enough to the tank in question due to the limited range. When used properly however, they could be highly effective in disabling or knocking out many an Allied tank or other armoured vehicle. They were even attached to aircraft on occasion, such as the Bücker Bü.181 which must have been quite an experience for the pilot, and a surprise for the intended target. This set from Special Hobby’s new 3D Print range arrives in an orange-themed blister pack with card hanger on the rear and the instructions sandwiched between the two halves. Inside are the resin parts, with decals at the front of the blister obscuring our view of the resin within. The set includes four Panzerfaust 60s inside a protective printing frame, printed with the priming lever locked out and intended to replace the styrene parts in their Bücker Bü.181 Bestman "Panzerjagdstaffeln" (SH48189), whilst retaining the kit mounts for the weapons on the top and underside of each wing. Again, it must have been a scary to fire them whilst flying what was essentially a light aircraft that was designed to be a liaison or courier, into enemy fire. Desperate times indeed. The decals have been culled from the recent boxed Panzerfaust set, so include stencils for the case that can be left on the sheet. Review sample courtesy of

Ukrainian Soldier Firing FGM-148 Javelin (F35384) 1:35 CMK by Special Hobby The Javelin is a fire-and-forget anti-tank weapon developed by the American company Raytheon with a choice of top-attack or direct profiles, depending on whether a better result would be achieved through thinner armoured areas of an AFV for example. They have been successfully used over the years in many conflicts, and a substantial number of them have been shipped to the Ukraine since the invasion by the Russian Federation in March of 2022. They have been used to great effect against Russian armour by the Ukrainian troops, who have been trained on the weapon before becoming operational, learning that the Javelin offers excellent portability alongside accuracy and target penetration. The operator can aim and fire the weapon rapidly, retiring to a safe place immediately while the hardware inside the missile does the hard work, tracking and eventually hitting the target using infrared sensors. It also soft-launches, so that a launch plume doesn’t give away the position of the operator, and has a smaller warhead in the nose to detonate ERA or slat armour so that the main warhead can explode against the target’s primary armour layer. As usual with CMK's resin sets, it arrives in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. The main part of the figure is cast as a single, incredibly detailed part, and is joined by two jigs on a single casting block, and an orange 3D resin print-base that is filled with various parts of the missile and launch system. A small sheet of Photo-Etch (PE) and a set of decals complete the package, with the bifold instruction sheet guiding the way. The figure is complete apart from the operator’s hands that are moulded integrally to the 3D printed launch module, which has a targeting sensor at the front, to which you fit a drop-down protective cap. The barrel of the weapon is attached via a pair of small lugs and a circular flat-spot, and the rear end-cap is located on a keyed lug at the rear. You then have a choice of depicting the missile still in the launch tube by inserting the round-ended stub down the hollow barrel, but be aware that you may not be able to remove it again once it’s deep in there. The other option is to show off the missile, either just after launch or as a display – it’s entirely your choice. The short rear end slots into one of the jigs so that you can install the four tapered fins, and before it is glued to the main body, the larger forward section is slotted into its own jig to install eight more fins, after which the body halves are joined together on a square lug. A pair of diagrams show the location of the stencil decals and stripes, and also gives a hint about the paint colour, although no actual codes or colour names are given. The front cap of the launcher is also provided, and can be left on the ground near the soldier, as can the AK-74 that is found inside a protective frame. It also has a PE sling that can be laid out in a similar fashion to that shown in the instructions. Going back to the figure, the detail is fabulously well-sculpted, even down to the operator’s sun glasses tucked into the top of his tactical vest above a chest-full of loaded ammo pouches, and a radio with flexible aerial on his shoulder strap. The MOLLE loops are all represented on the vest, with a daysack mounted on the rear, and a modern spec-ops style helmet with adjustment dial on the rear frame, plus a night-vision mount on the front, four-point chin-strap system, and a tube scarf pulled up over his nose to ward off the cold, and probably Covid into the bargain. If you were wondering what the launch of a Javelin looks like, there’s not much smoke during the initial launch phase, and even the ignition of the main motor is relatively smoke-free, so hiding a supporting wire could be tricky. The video below should give you a lot more information than we can. Conclusion It’s a while since we’ve seen such a well-detailed, crisply moulded figure, and the addition of 3D printed parts and the PE makes for an impressive package. It’s a figure that deserves to be painted with as much care as possible, and lends itself to a poignant launch diorama. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Yak-9D Exhaust Stacks (P48004 for Zvezda) 1:48 Special Hobby 3D Print We reviewed the new Yak-9D from Zvezda recently here, and now Special Hobby have produced a 3D Printed set of replacement exhausts to ramp up the detail on the kit. The set arrives in the new orange-themed blister pack with card hanger on the rear and the instructions sandwiched between the two parts. Inside are the resin parts, surrounded by a laser-cut foam insert. Inside the package are four rows of beautifully printed exhausts on a single print-base that all have hollow D-profile tips. The kit includes a full depiction of the Klimov engine for inside the cowling, with individual stacks included, but they don’t have hollow tips. The replacements do have hollow D-profiled tips, and are supplied as two paired exhausts in the centre openings, and two more singles at each end of the block. Once removed from the print base they are a drop-in replacement for the kit parts, with the only difference (apart from the detail) that you need to use super glue (CA) to locate them in their slots. An straight-forward update to the kit parts that is eminently simple to use and won’t leave you exhausted (I know, not funny ). Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Dear fellow Britmodellers, here's my 1/72 Hasegawa B-26B Marauder "Big Hairy Bird" of 599th Bomb Squadron, 397th Bomb Group. Photographs by Wolfgang Rabel. I added CMK landing gear doors, Quickboost gun packs, True Details wheels and Scale Aircraft Conversions metal landing gear. The colorful nose art is provided as a large-scale decal, but I opted to paint the yellow area. The eyes, mouth, nose and horns were cut from the decal sheet and applied seperately. I also painted the yellow stripe on the fin. The markings are a mix of kit's own and Airfix (A04015A), which are better printed. I used Tamiya, Mr.Hobby and Alclad lacquers for the surface colors. Thank you for your interest! Roman

Avia S-199 Pilot & Mechanic (F72385) 1:72 CMK by Special Hobby The Avia S-199 was a Czech-built copy of the Messerschmitt Bf.109G, based on toolings and parts left behind as the Nazis retreated from their country, but substituting the unobtainable DB605 engine with a Junkers Jumo 211F that was mated with the same prop used when it was fitted to the He.111 during wartime production. The result was a difficult aircraft to fly due to the mismatch of parts, which led to some derogatory nicknames from their pilots such as Mule from the Czechoslovakian pilots and Knife from the Israelis, who used it as their first fighter after establishing their new Air Force. This figure set is intended for the recent Eduard kit in this scale, and includes a pair of figures giving each other one last salute before the pilot goes off to fly his Mule, or a salute of relief from a pilot coming back from a mission. The two figures are well sculpted for the scale, and are supplied with ‘batwings’ of flash between their arms and torsos, as well as a little between their legs, which is a moulding aid to reduce bubbles and make the parts easier to remove from the moulds, and should be easy to remove. As with all resin moulds, there is always a little clean-up to be done, which is best carried out before giving the parts a wash in warm (not hot) soapy water to remove the particles and any remaining mould-release agent, which could reduce paint adhesion. With resin, you should take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding it, as the tiny particles are harmful to your health if breathed in. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Sukhoi Su-22M-3K Fitter J (Tumansky R-29BS-300 engine) Conversion (4455 for Kittyhawk) 1:48 CMK by Special Hobby The Sukhoi Su-17 was a successful Cold War supersonic interceptor with variable geometry wings to offer better performance at different areas of the flight envelope. Its export variant was dubbed the Su-22, and there were a number of variants through the years as aviation technology progressed. At the end of the 70s the larger M-3 variant of the Su-22 was released with a matching avionics suite to the indigenous Su-17, available with the Tumansky R-29BS-300 engine, which had a modified gearbox that necessitated a new rear fuselage and empennage. The Conversion This resin set is a conversion for the Kittyhawk kit, and arrives in a bulky cardboard box with the product details on a sticker on the top. Inside are fifteen grey resin parts, one 3D printed afterburner ring in orange resin, a set of decals and the instruction booklet that extends to 1.5 sheets of folded A4 printed on all sides as an A5 booklet. Many of the casting blocks have the Vespa Models logo on them, who are specialists in Sukhoi correction and detail sets, but aren’t mentioned in the instructions, so our guess is that it’s a collaborative effort. Construction begins with removing the rear of the kit fuselage at the panel lines marked in the first diagram, slightly offset between the spine and fuselage. The rear is replaced by the large monolithic casting of the new fuselage, which is prepared by building up the exhaust from three sections plus the 3D printed afterburner ring at the front. The exhaust is inserted into the new fuselage rear and locked in place by adding the final fairing around the exhaust petals, and a bullet fairing over it that has various sensor bulges moulded-in. The spine and fin are slotted into the top of the fuselage and you have a choice of different sized tail fin tips, then the two elevators are butt-fitted to the fairings on the sides of the fuselage, which would be better pinned to give the joints more strength, and there is plenty of thickness in the fuselage at those points. A shallow fairing is removed from the starboard front of the new fuselage, then a quartet of new intakes are fixed to the remaining fairings on the top of the fuselage to complete the build phase. Markings The decals in the box give you three options for an Su-22M-3K in case you don’t already have any of your own. From the box (and with the Kitty Hawk kit of course), you can build one of the following: No.47 South Yemen Air Force, 1990s No.50, Air Force of USSR, A K Serov Higher Military Aviation Pilot School of Krasnodar, 1980s ‘Dignity’, Libyan National Army Air Force, Al-Watiya base, 2014 The decals appear to have been digitally printed by Eduard and are in good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cover the printed areas. Don’t forget that as of 2021, the carrier film from Eduard decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier-free, making the decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view. Conclusion If you already have or can still get hold of the Kitty Hawk kit, and wanted to go a little bit off-piste to portray a more unusual operator of the type, this set should hit the spot. The detail is excellent, and it shouldn’t be too much effort to remove the casting bases, after which it will be much the same as a plastic kit to put together. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Mirage IIIC Wheels (Q72401 for Special Hobby) 1:72 CMK by Special Hobby We reviewed Special Hobby’s new Mirage IIIC in various guises, the latest to be found here, and while it’s a nice kit, resin can always improve the detail that injection moulded styrene is capable of. As usual with CMK's resin sets, It arrives in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the green Quick & Easy branded header card at the rear. There are two casting blocks inside the box, one containing two main and one nose wheel, the other with two rear hubs for the main wheels that include brake detail and a keyed hole for the kit’s axle. The wheels are attached to the block via their contact patches to ease removal, and the hubs are flat on their block so you can remove them with a razor saw and not damage any of the fine detail. Super easy, and a simple improvement on the kit parts. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Mirage IIIC Atar 9B Engine Nozzle (Q72402 for Special Hobby) 1:72 CMK by Special Hobby We reviewed Special Hobby’s new Mirage IIIC in various guises, the latest to be found here, and while it’s a nice kit, resin can always improve the detail that injection moulded styrene is capable of. As usual with CMK's resin sets, It arrives in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the green Quick & Easy branded header card at the rear. Containing just one resin part, it takes the place of two kit parts to depict the hot end of the Atar 9B engine nozzle that propels the Mirage IIIC and variants to supersonic speeds. The nozzle is mounted on a circular casting base, and should be easy to cut away due to the narrow supports that are holding it down. Sanding the surface flat should be all the preparation needed apart from a wash in warm soapy water to remove the rest of the mould-release agent. As well as not having to deal with a seam down the centre of the kit parts, you also get additional detail on the exterior in the shape of rows of rivets, and even more on the inside surface, plus the finesse of the lip. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Zetor 25 Tractor Driver & Village Boy (F72382) 1:72 CMK by Special Hobby This delightful little figure set is intended for use with Special Hobby’s own resin Zetor 25 tractor that we have reviewed recently. As usual with CMK's resin sets, it arrives in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. Inside are two resin casting blocks, each one containing a figure. The driver is sculpted in the seated position, with a separate right arm for detail’s sake, and a thin film of flash running vertically down from his face to his vest to improve moulding reliability. That’s the work of moments to brush away with the side of a blade or even a cocktail stick. The other mounting points are where he sits and against the back of his legs, with excellent sculpting by M. Antfeist of his trousers, jacket and cap. The boy is standing with his legs slightly apart, looking up at the driver perhaps, wearing some baggy pants that are held up by a pair of braces over his shirt. There is a little flash between his legs to facilitate casting, but again that should be easy to remove. After a wash in warm soapy water to remove the last of the mould release, you can paint them any colours you like, but the instructions show a typical example if you’re stuck for ideas. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of