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  1. Well it's been a terrible year for my group builds. I must have built 10 last year and so far zero completed this year. But having just cleared out my model cabinets having sold most of my builds, and having a break between courses I thought I'd start on this. Some nice looking plastic. And of course the Profipack PE and masks. And the suitably deserty scheme. I actually just sold most of my collection to a Pakistani man so it's kind of fitting too!
  2. I really enjoyed building the two Eduard MiG-15's I recently did over on the 'Africa' GB so I decided to do the two MiG-21's I had in the stash. I went for an Egyptian PFM and a Malian MF. Both are built OOB using decal options and most of the PE from the kits. They were both a breeze to build, if a bit fiddly at times. Any errors and mess-ups are entirely mine and not the kits fault! I don't build to achieve perfection, the odd join line or stray bits of paint may be apparent, I can get too eager to start the next project! They have both a slight wash in some of the panels using a kids watercolour palette. Vallejo ModelAir was used throughout using my own interpretation of the colours, I don't obsess that much about that sort of thing. Decals went on well, I even managed to put some stencils on the weapons! I didn't apply any onto the airframes, life is too short and they may not have had most of them after painting their respective colours(?). The weapon loadouts are what I thought they would carry, not based on actual aircraft. The Malian one I'm certain was never used in anger but I didn't want to leave the pylons empty! Comments and critique welcome. Davey.
  3. I'm really enjoying building these Eduard MiG's and thought I would be able to start and finish this MF before next months deadline. The camo scheme looks like it'll take some doing and I'm not even sure I have appropriate colours but we'll see when the time comes. Initial sprue shots, etc. (I did glue together the cockpit/nose-gear bay assembly before stopping for the day, I get a sore neck after a few hours in the man-cave!). More soon, Davey.
  4. Here's a couple of MiG-15's I did over on the Africa GB. Very nice kits to put together, I even managed to put the PE in although left a couple of bits off on the undercarriage. I didn't do a great job on the wing joins on the '15bis (the wings were a very tight fit on both kits, took a bit of filing to get right) which looks even worse under the Aluminium paint! I didn't want to spoil the great detail on the surfaces, I have another early MiG-15 to do so will do better next time! Both using the kit decals, one is an Egyptian '15bis from 1956 in overall Aluminium, the second is an Algerian '15UTI apparently in service from the 60's to the 80's. I'm no expert on these subjects and they were painted using the instruction call outs. Both airbrushed using Vallejo ModelAir then glossed using 'Klear', finished off with Vallejo Matt varnish airbrushed on. The kit decals worked well with Humbrol Decalfix. Comments and critique welcome. Davey.
  5. Here's a couple of MiG-15's I did over on the Africa GB. Very nice kits to put together, I even managed to put the PE in although left a couple of bits off on the undercarriage. I didn't do a great job on the wing joins on the '15bis (the wings were a very tight fit on both kits, took a bit of filing to get right) which looks even worse under the Aluminium paint! I didn't want to spoil the great detail on the surfaces, I have another early MiG-15 to do so will do better next time! Both using the kit decals, one is an Egyptian '15bis from 1956 in overall Aluminium, the second is an Algerian '15UTI apparently in service from the 60's to the 80's. I'm no expert on these subjects and they were painted using the instruction call outs. Both airbrushed using Vallejo ModelAir then glossed using 'Klear', finished off with Vallejo Matt varnish airbrushed on. The kit decals worked well with Humbrol Decalfix. Comments and critique welcome. Davey.
  6. For my second build I decided to continue along the German Luftwaffe theme with another aircraft I have never attempted before. This aircraft was flown by Karl Willius of 3./ JG 26, Saint-Omer, France during August 1942. By 1944 he was accredited with 50 kills and subsequently killed in combat. It is OOB and finished with Vallejo Air Acrylics, Flory Grime Wash, AK pigments and Humbrol Clear Satin.
  7. MiG-21MF Fighter Bomber ProfiPACK (70142) 1:72 Eduard The Mig 21 has the distinction of having been produced in greater numbers than any other supersonic jet fighter aircraft in the world. It has seen service with dozens of counties globally and has seen action in Vietnam, the Middle East, Yugoslavia, Cuba and during numerous conflicts in Africa. The design was even copied by the Chinese, where it is known as the Chengdu J-7. The MF is the export version of the SM (itself an upgraded version of the MiG-21S) with modernised radar and avionics and an upgraded R13-300 turbojet engine. This particular variant has seen service with many Soviet states and their post-Cold War descendants. Czechoslovakia had a substantial quantity that were split between the Czech Republic and Slovakia following the Velvet Divorce, eventually to be replaced by Saab Gripens and Mig-29s respectively. The Kit This is the first mainstream boxing of Eduard's long anticipated all-new 1:72 MiG-21 kit. As the kit is part of Eduard's Profipack line, it is supplied with photo etched details, masks and a generous selection of marking options. The kit is spread across three sprues of grey plastic and one of clear plastic. The parts are classic modern Eduard; beautifully moulded, with fine, crisp panel lines and fastener detail where appropriate. In common with many kits of single-seat jet fighters, the cockpit is combined with the nose gear bay. The cockpit itself comprises a floor which is combined with the roof of the nose gear bay, separately moulded sidewalls, rudder pedals and a control column, in instrument panel which can make use of decals or the included photo etched details, and front and rear bulkheads. Photo etched parts are provided for the sidewalls as well as the instrument panel, and again decals are provided as an alternative to the photo etched parts. The KM-1 ejection seat is broken down into three parts and is very nicely detailed. As this is a profipack edition, there are pre-painted photo etched details provided for the seat harnesses. Other parts that have to be assembled before the fuselage halves can be combined include the main landing gear bays and the jet exhaust pipe. The former is comprised four parts including the front and rear bulkheads. There is plenty of moulded detail here and it should take a wash quite nicely. The engine exhaust pipe includes a representation of the rear of the engine moulded into a bulkhead, as well as a single piece forward exhaust tube, the afterburner ring, and a two-part aft exhaust tube. As you will have seen from the photographs above, this kit is unlike most other MiG-21s as the lower wing is moulded as a single span, joined by the central section of the lower fuselage. To this part, the upper wings must be added before being joined to the now-complete fuselage. The dorsal spine of the MF - which includes the vertical tail - must also be added at this stage, along with the outer part of the jet exhaust and the air intake outer ring. Several cockpit components, such as the instrument panel coaming and HUD unit must also be fitted at this stage. Being as this is a profipack edition, the plastic 'odd rods' IFF array on the fin and below the nose can be replaced with photo etched parts. The slab elevators are, of course, moulded as solid parts, but the ailerons and blown flaps on the main wing are separate parts. Optional parts are included for open or closed airbrake configurations, and of course there are a plethora of scoops and intakes to add detail to the fuselage. The landing gear on these kits is well detailed. The single nose wheel is clamped in place by a two-part gear leg and the wheel itself features a separate hub. Two gear bay doors sit at either side of the narrow bay, linked to the fuselage by a pair of hinge tabs with some detail moulded into the inside. The strakes immediately aft of the nose gear bay are provided on both the plastic frame and the fret of photo etched parts. The main gear is a single strut for each leg with a separate hydraulic extender. The wheels have separate hubs and you get a lovely set of pre-cut tape masks to help you paint them. The main gear doors are nicely detailed and included separately moulded parts for the hydraulic mechanisms. The canopy is moulded in two parts and finishing details are provided on the fret of PE parts (including vanes for the pitot probe). The pre-cut tape masks (not shown) cover not just the canopy but the dielectric panels too. The Decals A generous five options are included on the decal sheet: MiG-21MF Fighter-Bomber 1/72 - No. 5121, flown by Pham Tuan, 921st Fighter Regiment, Noi Bai AB, Democratic Republic of Vietnam, December 1972 MiG-21MF Fighter-Bomber 1/72 - No. 9712, 9th Fighter Regiment, Bechyně, Czechoslovakia, 1989 - 1993 MiG-21MF Fighter-Bomber 1/72 - No. 127, 812th Training Air Regiment, Kharkov Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, Kupyansk Airfield, Soviet Union, August 1991 MiG-21MF Fighter-Bomber 1/72 - No. 8447, No. 46 Squadron, Egypt, 1973 MiG-21MF Fighter-Bomber 1/72 - No. 9111, 3. Eskadrą Lotnictwa Taktycznego, Poznań - Krzesiny, Poland, 2002 The decals are well printed and a full set of stencils are included. I expect it will take a week to apply all of the stencils! Conclusion It has been a long time coming, but Eduard have at last given us the definitive MiG-21MF in this scale. The kit is a thoroughly modern tooling of an important and iconic aircraft and appears to be accurate in both outline and detail. The engineering does not seem to be as complex as some recent Eduard kits, but it is still rich in detail. The decal options are comprehensive (the inclusion of an African scheme is particularly welcome) and the usual plethora of aftermarket parts are already available. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  8. Here is my next project, it is the Profipack boxing of one of Eduard's first kits I believe. Great box art I reckon. I was intending just building the kit as is just for quickness, but in the end I couldn't resist adding some ribs and wires etc to the fuselage sides to complement the p/e supplied in the kit. Port, Starbord, The kit ejector seat was a little basic, I believe there was a resin one in the original boxing. Luckily Quickboost produce one intended for the Tamiya He162 was is near enough for me. With a bit of tweaking here and there it fit into the tub ok. I purchase some lead putty from a fishing tackle shop to use for the nose weight. To be continued. Tim.
  9. Eduard MiG-21MF Interceptor Profipack (70141) 1:72 Eduard The Mig 21 has the distinction of having been produced in greater numbers than any other supersonic jet fighter aircraft in the world. It has seen service with dozens of counties globally and has seen action in Vietnam, the Middle East, Yugoslavia, Cuba and during numerous conflicts in Africa. The design was even copied by the Chinese, where it is known as the Chengdu J-7. The MF is the export version of the SM (itself an upgraded version of the MiG-21S) with modernised radar and avionics and an upgraded R13-300 turbojet engine. This particular variant has seen service with many Soviet states and their post-Cold War descendants. Czechoslovakia had a substantial quantity that were split between the Czech Republic and Slovakia following the Velvet Divorce, eventually to be replaced by Saab Gripens and Mig-29s respectively. This is the first mainstream boxing of Eduard's long anticipated all-new 1:72 MiG-21 kit. I have been waiting years since this kit was first announced and I'm happy to say that it doesn't disappoint... but more of that later. As the kit is part of Eduard's Profipack line, it is supplied with photo etched details, masks and a generous selection of marking options. The kit is spread across three sprues of grey plastic and one of clear plastic. The parts are classic modern Eduard; beautifully moulded, with fine, crisp panel lines and fastener detail where appropriate. If you're seriously into your MiGs, then you may care to note that this kit apparently represents the Gorky produced MiG-21MF, manufactured after the Moscow factory re-tooled for the MiG-23. In common with many kits of single-seat jet fighters, the cockpit is combined with the nose gear bay. The cockpit itself comprises a floor which is combined with the roof of the nose gear bay, separately moulded sidewalls, rudder pedals and a control column, in instrument panel which can make use of decals or the included photo etched details, and front and rear bulkheads. Photo etched parts are provided for the sidewalls as well as the instrument panel, and again decals are provided as an alternative to the photo etched parts. The KM-1 ejection seat is broken down into three parts and is very nicely detailed. As this is a profipack edition, there are pre-painted photo etched details provided for the seat harnesses. Other parts that have to be assembled before the fuselage halves can be combined include the main landing gear bays and the jet exhaust pipe. The former is comprised four parts including the front and rear bulkheads. There is plenty of moulded detail here and it should take a wash quite nicely. The engine exhaust pipe includes a representation of the rear of the engine moulded into a bulkhead, as well as a single piece forward exhaust tube, the afterburner ring, and a two-part aft exhaust tube. As you will have seen from the photographs above, this kit is unlike most other MiG-21s as the lower wing is moulded as a single span, joined by the central section of the lower fuselage. To this part, the upper wings must be added before being joined to the now-complete fuselage. The dorsal spine of the MF - which includes the vertical tail - must also be added at this stage, along with the outer part of the jet exhaust and the air intake outer ring. Several cockpit components, such as the instrument panel coaming and HUD unit must also be fitted at this stage. Being as this is a profipack edition, the plastic 'odd rods' IFF array on the fin and below the nose can be replaced with photo etched parts. The slab elevators are, of course, moulded as solid parts, but the ailerons and blown flaps on the main wing are seperate parts. Optional parts are included for open or closed airbrake configurations, and of course there are a plethora of scoops and intakes to add detail to the fuselage. The landing gear on these kits is well detailed. The single nose wheel is clamped in place by a two-part gear leg and the wheel itself features a seperate hub. Two gear bay doors sit at either side of the narrow bay, linked to the fuselage by a pair of hinge tabs with some detail moulded into the inside. The strakes immediately aft of the nose gear bay are provided on both the plastic frame and the fret of photo etched parts. The main gear is a single strut for each leg with a separate hydraulic extender. The wheels have separate hubs and you get a lovely set of pre-cut tape masks to help you paint them. The main gear doors are nicely detailed and included separately moulded parts for the hydraulic mechanisms. The canopy is moulded in two parts and finishing details are provided on the fret of PE parts (including vanes for the pitot probe). The pre-cut tape masks cover not just the canopy but the dielectric panels too. The kit includes a comprehensive set of external stores, including: 1 x 800L external fuel tank 2 x 490L external fuel tank 2 x RS-2US missiles 2 x R-3S missiles 2 x R-13 missiles 2 x RATO units. A generous five options are included on the decal sheet: Polish Air Force: production number 96007600, No. 7600, 11 Pułk Lotnictwa Myśliwskiego, Mierzęcice, Poland, early 1990s. This airfraft is finished in overall silver; Czech Air Force: prodction number 96004017, No. 4017, 9.slp/ 9. sbolp, Bechyně, Czechoslovakia, early 1990s. This aircraft is also finished in overall silver; German Democratic Republic (East German) Air Force: production number 96002170, No. 784, Jagdfliegergeschwader 3, Preschen, late 1980s. This aircraft is finished in a two-tone green disruptive camouflage over light blue; Romanian Air Force: production number 96006721, No. 6721, Regimentul 71 Aviaţie Vânătoare, Câmpia Turzii Airbase, 1990. This aircraft is also finished in overall silver; and Malian Air Force: production number 96005512, No. TZ-356, Senou Airbase, The Republic of Mali, 2006. This aircraft is finished in an interesting scheme comprising two shades of brown and two of green over a light blue underside. The decals are well printed and a full set of stencils are included. I expect it will take a week to apply all of them! Conclusion It has been a long time coming, but Eduard have at last given us the definitive MiG-21MF in this scale. The kit is a thoroughly modern tooling of an important and iconic aircraft and appears to be accurate in both outline and detail. The engineering does not seem to be as complex as some recent Eduard kits, but it is still rich in detail. The decal options are comprehensive (the inclusion of an African scheme is particularly welcome) and the usual plethora of aftermarket parts are already available. My only gripe is that on all of the review kits I have received, there have been multiple parts detached from the frames before they have even been removed from the bag. I guess this is the price one pays for small attachment points, but make sure you check your bags carefully for stray parts when you received your kits. Other than that, this superlative kit can be highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  10. Fw 190A-3 fighter (82144) 1:48 Eduard ProfiPACK edition. The Fw 190 came on-stream in 1941 and gave the RAF a shock with its superior performance to the older Bf.109 that it was mistaken for by many a hapless Spitfire pilot. The visionary designer Kurt Tank stripped down the aircraft as much as possible to give it the speed and manoeuvrability advantage the German Luftwaffe needed, which resulted in a small but pugnacious design with a twin-bank radial engine buried in a close-fitting nose cowling that could out-fly a Spitfire Mk.V in most respects below 20,000ft. The initial Fw 190A, they went from A-1 sub-variants, through A-2 with an improved engine and weapons, the A-3 with another power improvement and the ability to mount more external weapons, as the versatility of the airframe was realised. The A-4 was little different, with more armament options that could be fitted in the field, and after that came the A-5 all the way up to the A-10, and in ground attack versions we had the F, with the high altitude variant designed D, with the G replacing some of the later A variants that had either long-range tanks or specialist armaments fitted. The A-5 was developed when it was found the airframe was capable of carrying more weight than it was designed for. The engine was moved forward 6 inches, thus moving the centre of gravity forward allowing more weight to be carried further aft. The Kit The newly tooled early Fw.190A series has added much to Eduard's existing line of Fw 190 variants, and with tooling advancement used to improve the model, it is an excellent choice for anyone wanting a Butcher Bird for their collection. The ProfiPACK boxing includes extras to improve on the already excellent detail, and arrives in the traditional orange-themed box, which is adorned with a painting of the iconic Butcher bird engaged with a Spitfire. Inside are five grey/blue sprues, one clear, a fret of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, a small sheet of kabuki tape masking material, two decal sheets and the instruction/painting guide in glossy colour printing. Due to the pick-n-mix nature of the sprues there will be a fair quantity of spares left after construction, which are marked on the diagrams with a pale blue overprinting. Construction starts in the cockpit, which is augmented with pre-painted PE side consoles and instrument panels, but also retained are the decals that can be applied to flat panels, as well as the engraved panels for those that prefer to paint their details manually. The tub includes the sharply pointed rear deck, to which you add the rear bulkheads, control column, seat, plastic or PE rudder pedals, pre-painted seatbelts and sundry other parts in styrene and PE. In order to close up the fuselage the cockpit assembly is inserted along with a bulkhead that closes up the front of the tub, two exhaust inserts in the cowling, and the engine assembly, which is only an approximation of the front row of cylinders, plus the reduction gear, as not much will be seen once the cowling is in place. The lower wings are full width, and have a spar fitted that runs to the ends of the gear bays, with detail on the face visible through the apertures. This is augmented by the wheel trays, various ribs and the cannon barrels that protrude through, with the upper wings added after painting of the bay roof detail that is etched into their underside. The completed wing assembly is then offered up to the fuselage, and the missing sections of the cowling with exhaust stubs, gun barrels and troughs are added to the top and bottom of the nose. The two-piece ring finishes the front cowling, and the flying surfaces are glued into to place, including separate rudder and ailerons, and fixed elevators. Two types of tyres are provided for the main gear, which have separate hubs, and fit onto the peg on the ends of the strut, with separate oleo-scissors and captive bay door parts. The retraction gear is installed on the inner side of the leg, and the centre doors fit to the central bar that splits the bays. The tail wheel slots into the rear, crew step, gun barrels and pitot probes are installed, then the three-bladed paddle prop is completed with spinner and fan behind it, with a peg at the rear fitting into a corresponding hole in the engine front. Different open and closed canopies are provided, and are outfitted with head armour before being added to the airframe along with the windscreen part. The last touch is to add the gear-down indicator pegs to the tops of the wings, which are made from tiny PE parts. If you are rigging the aerial wire to the tail, remember that if you pose the canopy open, the wire can appear relaxed, although many photos also show it taut, so check your references. Markings This ProfiPACK edition gives you five decal options, with plenty of variation between them, and don’t forget that you also have masks for the canopy and the wheel hubs to ease your painting job, which is always nice. From the box you can build one of the following: A. W. Nr. 2278, flown by Uffz. Erich Pflaum, 2./ JG 51, Ljuban, Soviet Union, September 1942 B. W. Nr. 5227, flown by Fw. Karl Willius, 3./ JG 26, Saint-Omer, France, August 1942 C. W. Nr. 257, flown by Hptm. Joachim Müncheberg, CO of II./ JG 26, Abbeville-Drucat, France, May 1942 D. W. Nr. 432, flown by Oblt. Erich Rudorffer, CO of 6./ JG 2, Beaumont-le-Roger, France, August 1942 E. W. Nr. 418, flown by Oblt. Robert Olejnik, CO of 4./ JG 1, Woensdrecht, the Netherlands, June 1942 Conclusion With a good selection of decal options, highly detailed plastic and some PE, this is a lovely kit that will give you plenty of modelling fun. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  11. Here's my latest build, the 1/72 Eduard La-7. Nice little kit completed with MRP paints. One of the better looking Russian fighters in my opinion! Thanks for looking!
  12. Spitfire Mk. VIII 1:72 Eduard ProfiPACK Edition More than any other aircraft - at least on this side of the Atlantic - the Supermarine Spitfire has attained legendary status. The type's role in the Battle of Britain, combined with its enduring presence at air shows, have combined to ensure the Spitfire is the one combat aircraft pretty much everyone can identify. One of the ultimate Merlin powered variants was the Mk. VIII. The Mk. VIII was intended to be the next major production variant after the Spitfire Mk. V, but the Mk. IX, intended to be an interim design while the Mk. VIII was being readied, proved to be up to the job. Nevertheless, it was the third most numerous variant after the Mk. IX and Mk. V although it served exclusively overseas. Supermarine's chief test pilot, Jeffrey Quill, considered the Mk. VIII the best Spitfire from a flying perspective but was scathing of the extended wingtip fitted to some early Mk. VIIIs, insisting that it did nothing other than reduce the rate of roll. The Kit Eduard's range of small scale Spitfires are typical of their recent output: exquisite detail and superb – if complex – engineering which puts them right at the pinnacle of modern kit manufacturing. This Weekend Edition of their Spitfire Mk. VIII joins the Mk. IX and Mk. XVI in replicating the 1:48 scale range of Spitfires that were released a few years ago. The quality of the mouldings is up to the usual Eduard standard, with clean, crisp details and no flaws anywhere. As with other recent kits from Eduard, there is plenty of fine detail, with parts such as the cockpit comparable to high-end resin items (which, in turn, should tell you how good Eduard's resin cockpit is). The surface detail on the outside of the airframe is exquisitely rendered, with fine recessed panel lines and delicately engraved rivet and fastener detail. Eduard take an uncompromising approach when it comes to detail, resulting in a cockpit that is extremely well detailed. The pilot's seat is made up from three parts, while the cockpit sidewalls have been moulded separately in order to maximise the amount of detail they have been able to pack in. Once the cockpit has been assembled and painted, it can be fitted between the vertically split fuselage halves, along with the engine firewall, a blank part into which the propeller is fitted later on, and the pilot's head armour. The breakdown of the wing is no less complex. As you might expect, the lower wing has been moulded as a single span, with separate upper wing surfaces. Between the two you must sandwich seven parts which together make up the walls of the main landing gear bay. The ailerons and wing tips have been moulded separately, which allows for the extended wing tip fitted to some early Mk. VIIIs to be used (one of the decal options has the extended wing tips). The same applies to the rudder and elevators. Multiple alternatives are included on the sprues, so make sure you use the correct version for your intended subject. The upper and lower cowlings are moulded separately, with the former split along the middle. Even the wing radiators are made up of six parts each, with the surface of the radiators themselves picked out in photo etched metal in this boxing. Turning the model over, the undercarriage is just as detailed as the rest of the kit. Each of the main landing gear legs is made up of seven parts, with the tyres moulded separately to the hubs and photo etched parts to represent hub covers (where fitted). The separate tyres will make painting easier and the wing cannon barrels are moulded separately, which means they can be added at the end of the build in order to avoid accidental damage. The transparent parts are nice and clear, and of course the canopy can be finished in open or closed position as you wish. Decals Decals are in house from Eduard and should pose no issues. There is a main sheet and a supplemental sheet for the stencils, markings are provided for a generous 6 examples; JF330, flown by AVM Harry Broadhurst, 1943 MD280, flown by F/Lt. Paul Ostrander, No. 155 Squadron RAF, Burma, 1945 HF Mk.VIII, flown by W/C Robert Gibbes, CO of No. 80 Fighter Wing, Dutch East Indies, 1945 MT714, flown by F/Lt A. W. Guest, No. 43 Squadron RAF, Ramatuelle Airfield, France, August 1944 JF470, 308th Fighter Squadron , 31st Fighter Group, , Fano Air Base, Italy, 1944 – 1945 MT560, flown by Lt. Antony Brooke Woodley, No. 145 Squadron, Bellaria – Igea Marina, Italy, March 1945 Conclusion This is a welcome new release from Eduard in a ProfiPACK box. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  13. Here are a few pics of my Spitfire. Awesome little kit and great fun to assemble! Used MRP paint to finish. Comments welcome and thanks for looking!
  14. G'day all, Poor lighting pics of my Eduard 1/48 Spitfire XVI completed tonight. I bought this intending for it to be a way to fill in time while I was on course for 17 weeks, with brush-painting throughout. Took longer than 17 weeks and I didn't like the result from brushes, so bought a cheap, small compressor and airbrush from Bunnings and made a mess of a couple of bits. Doesn't look too bad after all that. Built out of the box, using Humbrol and ModelMaster enamels, weathered with artists pastels and crayons. Used Pascoe's floor polish instead of Future as the clear coat, which caused a couple of problems on the clear parts and the odd silvered decal (back to Future for the next models). Great kit - crap builder! I'll try to get some better light pictures soon.
  15. Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3 1:48 Eduard ProfiPACK The Messerschmidt Bf 109 is one of the iconic aircraft of WWII. The E-3 appeared as a result of the Luftwaffe looking to improve the performance of the 109E. The airframe received some structural improvements and and it was armed with two MG17s above the engine and two cannon (one in each wing). A total of 1276 E-3s were built. The Kit As a ProfiPACK kit, the kit comes with 2 sheets of photo-etch and a sheet of masks, the plastic is on 4 main sprues with a small clear spure. Construction begins in the cockpit area. Side wall detail is added in PE and plastic, some parts including the control column are added to the cockpit floor. As well at this time the main radiator under the nose is built up and installed into the fuselage half. The seat and other controls are added to the cockpit floor and this can be added into the fuselage half as well. Next the engine is built up. A full engine is provided if you want to leave the covers off same additional detailing might be in order. However if putting the ocvers on then it still has to be built up to hand the prop and exhausts off if nothing else. The engine can then be added to the firewall behind which the instrument panel and areas to mount the machine guns is added. Once complete this can also be added into the fuselage half. With the final addition of the made up tail wheel the fuselage can then be closed up. The engine exhausts can then be added as well as the nose machine guns. Next up the wings can be assembled. hey are of a conventional type with a single part lower and left/right uppers. The main gear bays are installed into the uppers before closing up the wings. The slats can then be fitted. The wing radiators are then made up and added to the wings. Following this the flaps and ailerons can be added and positioned how the modellers wants them. The fuselage can then be added to the wings. Following this the tailplanes and rudder can be added. The tail control surfaces are moulded in so cant be positioned, but the rudder can be. The main wheels are then made up and added to the legs, and the gear doors added. The cowlings can then be added and the propeller made up and fitted. Small parts are fitted to the glazing and then these can be fitted as well. Decals Decals are in house from Eduard and should pose no issues. There is a main sheet and a supplemental sheet for the stencils, markings are provided for 5 examples; Uffz. Karl Wolff, 3./JG A 52, Pihen/Calais, France, August 1940 Oblt. Josef Priller, Staffelkapitän B 6./JG 51, France, Autumn 1940 Obstlt. Hans-Hugo Witt, Geschwaderkommodore C JG 26, Dortmund, Germany, April 1940 1./JG 2, Bassenheim, Germany, May 1940 3./JG E 51, Mannheim-Sandhofen, Winter 1939-1940 Conclusion This is a welcome welcome release from Eduard of an earlier variant of their excellent Bf 109 family of kits. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  16. Spitfire Mk.IXe 1:72 Eduard ProfiPACK When the prototype Spitfire took to the air for the first time on 5 March 1936, few involved could have foreseen where the development of the type would lead. By the end of the Second World War, the type had earned itself a place in the history books as well as the nation's psyche. One of the ultimate Merlin powered variants was the Mk.IX. The Mk.IX was a response to the appearance of the Focke Wulf Fw190, which proved itself more than a match for the Spitfire Mk.V. Powered by the two-stage supercharged Merlin 61, the performance of the Mk.IX was a quantum leap over its forebears, enabling the Spitfire to meet its German foe on equal terms. By the end of the War, over 5,600 Mk.IXs rolled off the production line at Castle Bromwich. The Kit Eduard have earned an excellent reputation in recent years with world-class models such as their 1:72 Hellcat, Bf110 and MiG-15. Their models typically feature a mixture of exquisite detail and superb if complex engineering which puts them right at the pinnacle of modern kit manufacturers. The latest all-new 1:72 kit to roll off the Prague production line is the Spitfire Mk.IXe. The e here referring to the wing type which housed a pir of 20mm cannon out board of a pair of 0.5" calibre machine guns. Inside the sturdy box are five sprues of parts moulded in the blue-grey plastic often used by Eduard and a single sprue moulded in clear plastic. Altogether there are well over 150 plastic parts and, as this is a profipack edition, the plastic parts are accompanied by a small fret of pre-painted photo etched parts and a set of die-cut paint masks. The instruction book is a glossy, stapled A5 affair which includes full-colour painting diagrams. The overall impression is of a really premium quality package. The quality of the mouldings is up to the usual Eduard standard, with clean, crisp details and no flaws anywhere. As with other recent kits from Eduard, there is plenty of fine detail, with parts such as the cockpit comparable to high-end resin items (which, in turn, should tell you how good Eduard's resin cockpit is). The surface detail on the outside of the airframe is exquisitely rendered, with fine recessed panel lines and delicately engraved rivet and fastener detail. It's clear from the outset that Eduard have taken an uncompromising approach when it comes to detail. The cockpit is fabulous, particularly so in this Profipack edition with its extra photo etched parts. I don't think I've ever seen a Spitfire kit in this scale with a seat made up of three parts, so it's just as well that a set of pre-painted harnesses have been included too. There is a choice of plastic or photo etched parts for the pilot's armour, and further tiny photo etched details for the control column and throttle controls. The instrument panel also benefits from the addition of photo etched parts, with a detailed plastic alternative provided if you don't fancy using the metal parts. Unusually, the cockpit sidewalls have been moulded separately. I can only think that Eduard have done this in order to maximise the amount of detail they have been able to pack in, as well as paving the way for their resin cockpit, which uses the same approach. Once the cockpit has been assembled and painted, it can be fitted between the vertically split fuselage halves, along with the engine firewall, a blank part into which the propeller is fitted later on, and the pilot's head armour. The leading edge wing root also has to be fitted at this stage. The fact that these parts have been moulded separately to the rest of the kit is testament to Eduard's commitment to detail, if not buildability! The breakdown of the wing is no less complex. As you might expect, the lower wing has been moulded as a single span, with separate upper wing surfaces. Between the two you must sandwich seven parts which together make up the walls of the main landing gear bay. The ailerons and wing tips have been moulded separately, which allows multiple version to be built from the same moulds (alternative parts are included but marked as not for use for the aircraft depicted on this kit's decal sheet). The same applies to the rudder and elevators. Multiple alternatives are included on the sprues, so make sure you use the correct version for your intended subject. Choice is good though, as it makes for a very comprehensive package. The upper and lower cowlings are moulded separately, with the former split along the middle. Even the wing radiators are made up of six parts each, with the surface of the radiators themselves picked out in photo etched metal in this boxing. Turning the model over, the undercarriage is just as detailed as the rest of the kit. Each of the main landing gear legs is made up of seven parts, with the tyres moulded separately to the hubs and photo etched parts to represent hob covers (where fitted). The separate tyres will make painting easier, which is just as well as the included paint masks don't cater for the landing gear. A long range fuel tank and a couple of small bombs are included, as are a two different types of slipper tanks. The wing cannon barrels are moulded separately, which means they can be added at the end of the build in order to avoid accidental damage. Decals Decals are from Cartograf(main sheet) and Eduard (supplemental and should pose no issues. Markings are provided for 5 machines. 2003 (ex TE531), 105th Tajeset, Ramat David Air Base, Israel, September 1953 SM147, No. 73. Squadron RAF, Prkos Airfield, Yugoslavia, April/ May 1945 RK856, flown by Maj. C. Golding, CO of No. 3 Squadron SAAF, Italy, 1945 SM 26, Vorderings Vliegschool/Ecole de Pilotage Avancé, Brustem Air Base, Belgium, 1952 PL124, No. 312 Squadron RAF, B-10 Airfield Plumetôt, France, June 1944 Conclusion This is a welcome release from Eduard in 1.72 for all the Spitfire fans out there. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  17. Hi, this is the eduard bf 109 e, as most bf 109 e's that went to the med arrived in European colours and were painted in theater using Italian colours. I have painted it in the following colours rlm 65. Giallo mimetico 4 and Verde mimetico 2. Added a Resin cockpit and wheels, and a quickboost prop.stretched sprue aerial. Rlm colours by extracolor Italian colours are colourcoats,exhaust stains are pastels, Comments welcome, thank you for looking nick
  18. Hello gents, this is my new project, FW-190A-4, EDUARD, 1/48, ProfiPACK My goal is Start... For comparison I used photo of FW-190A-8 from RAF Museum Cosford (visited 4 time...) Test fit...
  19. Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4 1:48 Eduard ProfiPACK The Messerschmidt Bf 109 is one of the iconic aircraft of WWII. The G models arrived in 1942 and the G-4 was nearly identical to the G-2 but was fitted with a much improved VHF radio set. The R versions were also designed for reconnaissance some versions of the G-4 were fitted with underwing canon pods. Due to the increasing weight of the G models larger main wheels were fitted which resulted in the teardrop fairings on the upper wing surfaces. A larger tail wheel was also fitted and the retraction mechanism removed as it was too large to retract. 1242 G-4s were produced in total. The Kit This is a profipack boxing, with 4 sprues of plastic, a clear sprue, 3 sheets of photo-etch, Masks (not shown); and 2 decal sheets. Construction starts shockingly enough with the cockpit. Various control wheels and the main control column is added along with the armoured seat back. Following this the seat pan and rudder pedals are added. A full set of photo-etched belts is provided for the pilots seat. Following this side panels and parts are added into the fuselage sides, including some photo-etched panels. The instrument panel is made up using the supplied photo-etched parts. Once all of these sub-assemblies are made up they can be placed inside the fuselage and this closed up. As well as the cockpit the tail wheel and exhausts need to be added before the closure takes place. Once the main fuselage is together the intake needs to be added on the side. For the tropical version this will need the additional filter adding as well. Construction then moves to the rear of the main fuselage with the tail planes and rudder being added. All of the control surfaces are separate so can be posed as needed by the modeller. Next up are the wings. The lower is one part with left and right uppers. The wheel well detail needs to be added into the lower wing and then the uppers can be added on. Once complete the wing assembly is mated with the main fuselage. Next up the leading edge slats and ailerons can be added. On the underside of the wing the left and right radiators are assembled and added to the wing. The flaps can then be added making sure to get the radiator flaps at the correct angle. Moving towards finishing the model the main landing gear units are completed and added to the model. The wheels are a single part with a left and right hub. The gear leg is attached as is the door. The canopy parts can then be added not forgetting the pilots head rest & armour in the main centre part. Last but not least for the main kit the propeller and spinner are added. A centre line fuel tank is then added for tropicalised decal option, and underwing gun pods for the two other Luftwaffe options, and the Regina Aeronautica one. Decals Decals are in house from Eduard and should pose no issues. There is a main sheet and a supplemental sheet for the stencils, markings are provided for 5 examples; Bf 109G-4/R6, W. Nr. 14997, flown by Lt. E. Hartmann, 7./JG 52, Taman, Soviet Union, May 1943 Bf 109G-4/R6, W. Nr. 14946, flown by Maj. W. Ewald, Stab III./JG 3, Kertch, Soviet Union, April 1943 Bf 109G-4/trop, W. Nr. 15013, flown by Lt. U. Seiffert, 8./JG 53, Tindja, Tunisia, April 1943 Bf 109G-4/R6, W. Nr. 19566, flown by ten. G. Gianelli, 365a Squadriglia, 150o Gruppo Autonomo, Sciacca, Sicily, July 1943 Bf 109G-4, flown by Lt. Av. P. Protopopescu, Escadrila 57, Grupul 7 Vânătoare, Kirovograd (Kropyvnytskyi/ Ukraine now), Soviet Union, June 1943 Conclusion This is a welcome new G-4 release from Eduard. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  20. Fw 190A-8/R2 1:72 Eduard profiPACK Edition The Focke-Wulf Fw190 was designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. His aim was to create a fighter that was not only fast and agile, but also reliable. It had a wide track undercarriage to improve ground handling and also utilised electric rather than hydraulic controls to reduce the risk of system loss in combat. The Fw190 also marked a departure from aircraft like the Bf109 and Spitfire as it combined a 14 cylinder radial engine with a development of the NACA cowling system. This choice was crucial as it meant that the Fw190 would not create additional demand for DB 601 liquid cooled engines. It also allowed a low drag profile for such a powerful engine. Despite early teething problems, the Fw190 first entered operational service over France in August 1941. It proved to be quite a shock for the RAF whose 1440hp Spitfire Mk.V, the best fighter available at the time, was outclassed in terms of firepower and all round performance, particularly at lower and medium altitudes. The Fw190A-8 was the ultimate evolution of the radial-engined fw190s and entered service in 1944. It featured improvements such as extra fuel, improved armour and nearly 2000hp output with emergency boost. The A-8/R2 replaced the outer 20mm cannon in the wings with Mk.108 30mm cannons. The Kit These new Fw 190 kits from Eduard are setting a new standard in 1.72 for excellence. The kit itself is made up of 92 plastic parts spread across of two sprues of dark blue-grey plastic and a single clear sprue with the now-familiar circular layout. The instruction book is a glossy, stapled booklet with full-colour painting diagrams. The profipack boxing adds photo-etch, masks (not shown) and 5 decal options. The quality of the plastic parts is second to none. The mouldings are clean and crisp and there are no traces of flash and no sink marks. The surface detail on the outside of the airframe comprises recessed panel lines and delicately engraved rivet and fastener detail. It looks absolutely superb. Eduard haven't skimped on the detail elsewhere, with sub-assemblies such as the cockpit being up there with high end resin items when it comes to the quality and quantity of detail. The cockpit is made up of over thirty parts (including photo etched details), which is a truly phenomenal for a kit of this size. Once assembled, the whole thing can be sandwiched inside the fuselage halves along with the firewall and the basic-but-good-enough-in-this-scale engine face. Setting the semi-completed fuselage to one side for a moment, construction turns to the wing. The lower wing is moulded as a single span, to which the main spar (which also forms the rear wall of the main landing gear bays) must be added. The other parts which form the structures and details of the landing gear bays must be added at this point, prior to everything being fixed in place by the addition of the upper wing surfaces. The ailerons are moulded separately to the rest of the wing, which opens up some possibilities for the diorama builder, as well as enhancing the level of realism. Turning back to the fuselage, the rudder is also moulded as a separate part, although the tail planes are solid lumps. In common with other kits of the type, the upper fuselage forward of the cockpit is moulded separately (in this case as two parts with a third for the cannon barrels). Once the basic airframe is together, its time to fit the undercarriage and other finishing details. Each of the main gear legs is made up of two parts, although you have the option of removing the plastic torque links and replacing them with photo etched versions. The wheels themselves are made up of nicely moulded tyres and separate hubs. This should make painting them much easier. Ordnance is taken care of with a drop tank and a single bomb, along with the associated racks and shackles. There are a number of small parts included to cover the final details, including the aileron balance weights and various aerials and antennae. The canopy deserves a special mention as there are four rear sections included; blown and unblown, with different parts for closed and open options. Two propellers are included as well, although only one is needed for the included options. Decals There is one sheet of stencil decals and one for the aircraft markings. Decals are printed in house by Eduard and look to be good, in register and colour dense. 5 options are provided; Aircraft flown by Hptm W Moritz CO of IV.(Strum)/JG 3, Memmingen, Germany July 1944. W Nr. 682958 flown by Uffz P Lixfeld, 6.(Strum)/JG 300, Lobnitz, Germany Dec 1944. W Nr. 682989, 5./JG 301, Germany May 1945. W Nr. 681424 flown by Obt H G von Kornatzki, CO II./JG 4, Welzow, Germany Sept 1944. W Nr. 682204 Flown By Lt. K Bretschnieder, 5./JG 200, Lobnitz, Germany Dec 1944. Each option is illustrated with a four-view profile as well as detailed illustrations of the propellers or drop tanks where appropriate. Conclusion This is a great kit from Eduard and it is good to see it released in a PROFIpack boxing. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  21. Finished yesterday took the final photo's this morning. Eduard's latest boxing of the F6F-3 Hellcat, built OOB. Painted with Mr Color laquers apart from the white which is Mr Hobby Aqueous. Weathered with Oils. This was a ground based Hellcat, in the Solomon Islands which let me have fun with the weathering. Really don't like weathering Blue Hope you like it - weathering was a blast. Peter
  22. Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 1:48 Eduard ProfiPACK The Messerschmidt Bf 109 is one of the iconic aircraft of WWII. The F-2 introduced the 15mm MG 151 cannon. This was supplemented by two MG 17 machine guns mounted under the engine cowl. As the better 20 mm Mauser MG 151/20 version become available, a number of F-2s were retrofitted with it in the field. About 1,380 F-2s were built between October 1940 and August 1941. The Kit This is a profipack boxing, with 4 sprues of plastic, a clear sprue, 3 sheets of photo-etch, Masks (not shown); and 2 decal sheets. Construction starts shockingly enough with the cockpit. Various control wheels and the main control column is added along with the armoured seat back. Following this the seat pan and rudder pedals are added. A full set of photo-etched belts is provided for the pilots seat. Following this side panels and parts are added into the fuselage sides, including some photo-etched panels. The instrument panel is made up using the supplied photo-etched parts. Once all of these sub-assemblies are made up they can be placed inside the fuselage and this closed up. As well as the cockpit the tail wheel and exhausts need to be added before the closure takes place. One of the decal options uses different exhaust parts and this is not mentioned on the instructions so the modeller will need to check the profiles. Once the main fuselage is together the intake needs to be added on the side. For the tropical version this will need the additional filter adding as well. Construction then moves to the rear of the main fuselage with the tail planes and rudder being added. All of the control surfaces are separate so can be posed as needed by the modeller. Next up are the wings. The lower is one part with left and right uppers. The wheel well detail needs to be added into the lower wing and then the uppers can be added on. Once complete the wing assembly is mated with the main fuselage. Next up the leading edge slats and ailerons can be added. On the underside of the wing the left and right radiators are assembled and added to the wing. The flaps can then be added making sure to get the radiator flaps at the correct angle. Moving towards finishing the model the main landing gear units are completed and added to the model. The wheels are a single part with a left and right hub. The gear leg is attached as is the door. The canopy parts can then be added not forgetting the pilots head rest & armour in the main centre part. Last but not least for the main kit the propeller and spinner are added. If needed a centre line bomb and rack are included. The bomb fins and sway braces are photo-etched parts which will look more in scale. Decals Decals are in house from Eduard and should pose no issues. There is a main sheet and a supplemental sheet for the stencils, markings are provided for 5 examples; Hptm Hans Philipp, CO I./JG 54 (Winter Camo), Krasnogvardeysk,Soviet Union March 1941. Oblt Siegried Schnell, CO 9./JG 2, (Yellow 9), Theville, France June 1942. Lt Horst Buddenhagen, 5./JG 3, (Black 7), Darmstadt, Germany April 1941. Lt Hans Besswenger, 6./HG 54, (Yellow 4), Ostroe, Soviet Union July 1942. Oblt Wilhelm Hachfield, 2./JG 51, (Red 1), Kiev, Soviet Union Summer 1941. Conclusion This is a welcome new F-2 release from Eduard. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  23. Started this today Amazingly enough work starts with the cockpit, with all the PE Peter
  24. Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 1:48 Eduard ProfiPACK The Messerschmidt Bf 109 is one of the iconic aircraft of WWII. The F-4 would use the 1332hp DB601E engine which would be fitted with a broader balded propeller for improved altitude performance. The aircraft would carry the new Mauser MG151 20mm cannon with 200 rounds per gun. Production of the F-4 would start in May 1941 and last a year with 1841 examples being built, 576 of these being the tropicalised version. The Kit This kit traces its roots back to the E-1 issued in 2012 and comes with new parts for the F-4. Construction starts shockingly enough with the cockpit. Various control wheels and the main control column is added along with the armoured seat back. Following this the seat pan and rudder pedals are added. A full set of photo-etched belts is provided for the pilots seat. Following this side panels and parts are added into the fuselage sides, including some photo-etched panels. The instrument panel is made up using the supplied photo-etched parts. Once all of these sub-assemblies are made up they can be placed inside the fuselage and this closed up. As well as the cockpit the tail wheel and exhausts need to be added before the closure takes place. One of the decal options uses different exhaust parts and this is not mentioned on the instructions so the modeller will need to check the profiles. Once the main fuselage is together the intake needs to be added on the side. For the tropical version this will need the additional filter adding as well. Construction then moves to the rear of the main fuselage with the tail planes and rudder being added. All of the control surfaces are separate so can be posed as needed by the modeller. Next up are the wings. The lower is one part with left and right uppers. The wheel well detail needs to be added into the lower wing and then the uppers can be added on. Once complete the wing assembly is mated with the main fuselage. Next up the leading edge slats and ailerons can be added. On the underside of the wing the left and right radiators are assembled and added to the wing. The flaps can then be added making sure to get the radiator flaps at the correct angle. Moving towards finishing the model the main landing gear units are completed and added to the model. The wheels are a single part with a left and right hub. The gear leg is attached as is the door. The canopy parts can then be added not forgetting the pilots head rest & armour in the main centre part. Last but not least for the main kit the propeller and spinner are added. If needed a centre line bomb and rack are included. The bomb fins and sway braces are photo-etched parts which will look more in scale. Decals Decals are in house from Eduard and should pose no issues. There is a main sheet and a supplemental sheet for the stencils, markings are provided for 6 examples; W.Nr 7183 Flown by Hptm Hans "Assi" Hahn, III/JG.2, St. Pol, France 1941. W.Nr 7243 Flown by Oblt Otto Kath, Stab/JG.54 Staraya Russa, Soviet Union Dec 1941. W.Nr 13324 Flown by Oblt Viktor Bauer, 9./JG.3 Shchigry, Soviet Union June 1942. Flown by Uffz Hans Dobrich, 6./JG.5, Petsamo, Finland Sept 1942. W.Nr 7629 Flown by Oblt Frank Liesendahl, 10 (Jabo)/JG.2, France June 1942. W.Nr 8693 Flown by Lt Hans-Joachim Marseille, 3./JG.27, North Africa Feb 1942. Conclusion This is a welcome new F-4 release from Eduard. Not only is it available as the ProfiPACK kit but over trees and LEPT photo-etch sets are available if you wish to build more than one of the excellent decal options. Highly recommended. ProfiPACK Kit Overtrees LEPET1 Etch Review sample courtesy of
  25. Westland Lysander Mk.III 1:48 Eduard ProfiPACK The Westland Lysander is one of the famous British Aircraft which turned out to be obselete in the role it was originally designed for, but had a successful career in a role its designers could never foresee. The design stemmed from an Air Ministry requirement in 1934 for an Army Co-operation aircraft. The design team interviewed pilots to find out exactly what they wanted from the aircraft. From this emerged a design with good low speed handling characteristics, and exceptional short field performance with a good field of view. The aircraft was advanced for its time with fully automatic wing slats and slotted flaps, and variable incidence tail planes; these gave a stall speed of 56 knots. The aircraft would enter service in 1938, and at the outbreak of war five Squadrons would goto France. They turned out to make excellent targets for the Luftwaffe even with a fighter escort and were quickly withdrawn, even though they would continue to fly supply missions across the channel. Some squadrons would also be deployed in the air-sea rescue role. With the formation of the Special Operations Executive in 1941 an aircraft was needed to ferry agents back and forward to France. The Lysander with its exceptional short field performance was ideal for this job. A large ventral fuel tank was fitted to extend the range, and dark / black paint was worn for night operations. Lysanders flew from secret airfields at Newmarket and later Tempsford. Over 100 agents were transported to occupied Europe, with over 120 being returned. As well as use on Special operations Lysanders would serve as Target tugs and communications flight aircraft. The Kit This kit was originally produced by Gavia back in 2001. They have since had one re-release and this is now Eduard's forth re-release of the plastic with their own additions in the box. This time we get four sprues of grey plastic, one clear sprue, one sheet of photo-etch, some resin parts and a sheet of masks (essential given the extensive glazing on the kit). Decals are provided for five options. Construction starts in the cockpit. Given the construction of the Lysander the whole front and rear cockpits are built in a tubular frame which goes into the fuselage. The pilots seat is constructed first with the seat belts coming from the PE fret. Next up is the observes radio set and the shelf it sits on are built up. The central fuel tank assembly is next (this fits between the pilot & observer). The instrument panel is built up from PE layers and attached to the frame for the front cockpit along with the pilots seats. The observes seat and bulkhead are also built up at this time, again the seat belts coming from the PE fret. Attention the moves to the sides of the tubular cockpit frame. Here there are a number of small PE detail parts which need to be attached to each side. The main cockpit structure is then constructed using the two side frame, a front & rear bulkhead with the fuel tank assembly and observers seat assembly being sandwiched in the middle. The pilots seat assembly and flying controls are then added to the front cockpit. The last item to be added to the completed cockpit assembly is the observers guns. These are not used in all markings in the kit. For Marking C a Lewis gun is included. This is a complex affair with 10 resin and PE parts. For markings A & B there is a twin browning arrangement. This is also a complex part made from 10 parts. The Special operations aircraft carried nor rear armament. Once the cockpit section is completed it can be placed into the main fuselage and this then closed up. Attention then moves to the front of the aircraft. The Bristol Mercury engine is constructed from a central hub to which the nine individual cylinders are added along with push rods which the modeller will have to make from plastic rod. The engine is then installed into a three part cowling with the exhaust collector ring then being added to the front. The exhaust is added along with an intake vent on the underside. The instructions have you add the propeller at this stage thought I suspect most modellers will leave it off until the end. Moving back to the main fuselage the clear parts are added at this stage. Open or closed windows are provide for the pilot and the rear canopy can be open or closed. The side and top canopy parts are added at this stage due to how the wings attach at the top. The wings and tail planes are now constructed, they are of a conventional upper/lower construction but be aware there are large ejector tower marks to remove inside the wings. The wheels and spats are next to be constructed. The wheels need to be built and painted before adding onto the spats as the are partially enclosed. Masks are supplied on the sheet for painting the wheels. The landing lights are added into the front of the spats. Even though not mentioned on the instructions the special operations aircraft did not use the small wings/bomb racks on the spats. Once the wings and spats are made up they can be attached to the main fuselage. If making a special operations aircraft then the large external fuel tank needs to be made up added under the aircraft. The access ladder to the rear cockpit also needs to be added. Decals The decals have been produced in house by Eduard. The look in register and are colour dense, however are a bit thicker than other decals I have seen. Decals are provided for five aircraft. V9437 No. 309(Polish) Sqn RAF, Dunino Airfield, Scotland 1941. V9374 No. 613 Sqn RAF, 1941. T1429 No. 26 Sqn RAF, Gatwick 1940/41. V9287 No. 161 Sqn (Special Duties) RAF, Tempsford 1942. V9367 No. 161 Sqn (Special Duties) RAF, Tempsford 1944. Conclusion It is great to see this kit re-released. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
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