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Bücker Bü 131A German Training Aircraft (32033) 1:32 ICM The Bu 131 was designed by Carl Bucker and Anders Anderssen after Bucker Flugzeugbau was established in Germany in 1932. This was to be the last biplane built in Germany. The aircraft is a conventional two seat trainer with a fuselage made of steel tubes, and wings made of wood; everything being fabric covered. A Hirth HM60R 60hp engine was fitted. The aircraft was, and still is praised for its handling characteristics against even modern aircraft. This was the last biplane to be built in Germany. The aircraft was before and during WWII the basic primary trainer for the Luftwaffe. It was also selected in this role by the Japanese Army (Kokusai Ki-86), The Japaneses Navy (Kyushu K9W), and the Spanish Air Force (CASA Production). In deed CASA continued manufacturing the aircraft well into the 1960s. Additional licensed production also took place in Switzerland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. A further 21 aircraft were produced in 1994 in Spain using the CASA jigs. The aircraft is still being produced today by Air Res Aviation in Poland. The Kit The kit arrives on two main sprues, and a small clear sprue. Like the real aircraft construction is pretty straight forward. The build starts with the main lower wing. This is of conventional construction with a single pat lower and split left/right upper. There is an additional sprue in this boxing for the Hitachi Ha-47 engine used by Japanese (Though both the cowlings for the Bu 131B & D are in the box as well). The centre of the wing will also form the bottom of the front cockpit. A section of framing for this cockpit must be placed in once the wing is completed. The ailerons are separate parts and can be added at this stage as well. Construction then moves onto two parts side by side. The rest of the cockpit steel tube framework is added to both the fuselage halves, at the sometime the aircraft's engine is also made up and added to its bearers. Once the cockpit frames are in the fuselage can be joined up. The fixed parts of the tailplanes are added at this stage also. the fuselage can then be joined to the lower wing. Moving back to the fuselage the coamings for both cockpits are made up and the instrument panels are added. Instruments are provided as decals. The seats are then added along with the forward fuselage metal panels and the engine firewall. The engine can then be mounted and its covers added. The prop and its housing can then be added at the front. Next up the two part upper wing is also made up and added. Again the ailerons are separate parts. The interplane struts are then added to the upper wing. Once done this can be mounted to the lower wing. To finish up the under carriage is made up and added along with a few external parts A basic rigging diagram is provided in the instructions, this is not too clear to be honest and the modeller would be recommended to check their references. Markings There are four decal options included in the box. From the box you can build one of the following: D-EGSY Germany 1936 (Box art) WL-ENBA Germany 1939 Decals are printed by ICM, with good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. If you want Swastikas for the tail on the first option you will need to source them as they are not in the kit. Conclusion It is good to see an important trainer aircraft kitted in a larger scale, which for the aircraft still wont be a massive model. The quality of the kit is up there with ICM's latest releases, and really could only do with a set of seat belts to improve on whats in the box. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Ki-86a/K9W1 "Cypress" (32032) 1:32 ICM The Bu 131 was designed by Carl Bucker and Anders Anderssen after Bucker Flugzeugbau was established in Germany in 1932. This was to be the last biplane built in Germany. The aircraft is a conventional two seat trainer with a fuselage made of steel tubes, and wings made of wood; everything being fabric covered. A Hirth HM60R 60hp engine was fitted. The aircraft was, and still is praised for its handling characteristics against even modern aircraft. The aircraft was before and during WWII the basic primary trainer for the Luftwaffe. It was also selected in this role by the Japanese Army (Kokusai Ki-86), The Japaneses Navy (Kyushu K9W), and the Spanish Air Force (CASA Production). In deed CASA continued manufacturing the aircraft well into the 1960s. Additional licensed production also took place in Switzerland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. A further 21 aircraft were produced in 1994 in Spain using the CASA jigs. The aircraft is still being produced today by Air Res Aviation in Poland. The Kit The kit arrives on two main sprues, and a small clear sprue. Like the real aircraft construction is pretty straight forward. The build starts with the main lower wing. This is of conventional construction with a single pat lower and split left/right upper. There is an additional sprue in this boxing for the Hitachi Ha-47 engine used by Japanese (Though both the cowlings for the Bu 131B & D are in the box as well). The centre of the wing will also form the bottom of the front cockpit. A section of framing for this cockpit must be placed in once the wing is completed. The ailerons are separate parts and can be added at this stage as well. Construction then moves onto two parts side by side. The rest of the cockpit steel tube framework is added to both the fuselage halves, at the sometime the aircraft's engine is also made up and added to its bearers. Once the cockpit frames are in the fuselage can be joined up. The fixed parts of the tailplanes are added at this stage also. the fuselage can then be joined to the lower wing. Moving back to the fuselage the coamings for both cockpits are made up and the instrument panels are added. Instruments are provided as decals. The seats are then added along with the forward fuselage metal panels and the engine firewall. The engine can then be mounted and its covers added. The prop and its housing can then be added at the front. Next up the two part upper wing is also made up and added. Again the ailerons are seperate parts. The interplane struts are then added to the upper wing. Once done this can be mounted to the lower wing. To finish up the under carriage is made up and added along with a few external parts A basic rigging diagram is provided in the instructions, this is not too clear to be honest and the modeller would be recommended to check their references. Markings There are four decal options included in the box. From the box you can build one of the following: Watanabe K9W1, 381st Kokutai, Malaya 1945 (Green over yellow) Kokusai Ki-86, Koku Shikan Gakko, Manchuria 1945 (overall green) Kokusai Ki-886a, Tachiarai Rikugun Hiko Gakko, 1945 (Overall yellow with brown cowl) Kokusai Ki-86a, Koku Shikan Gakko, Manchuria June 1945 (box art aircraft in camo) Decals are printed by ICM, with good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion It is good to see an important trainer aircraft kitted in a larger scale, which for the aircraft still wont be a massive model. The quality of the kit is up there with ICM's latest releases, and really could only do with a set of seat belts to improve on whats in the box. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bucker Bu 131D Axis Users ICM 1:32 (3201) The new Bu 131D from ICM last year was a welcome kit and we reviewed it here. The decals in the original boxing were only for Luftwaffe operated machines though. ICM have now rectified this with a decal sheet for other WWII Axis operators. The sheet which looks to be printed in house seems colour dense with no registration problems. Options on the new sheet are; Flight School of The Hungarian Air Forces, Summer 1941 100/2 Fast Bomber Sqn, Hungarian Air Force, Summer 1944 Croatian Air Force, Zagreb 1943 Italian Air Force, Tirana (Albania), Autumn 1944 Conclusion This is a great addition from ICM to an already great kit. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bucker Bu 131B (32031) 1:32 ICM The Bu 131 was designed by Carl Bucker and Anders Anderssen after Bucker Flugzeugbau was established in Germany in 1932. This was to be the last biplane built in Germany. The aircraft is a conventional two seat trainer with a fuselage made of steel tubes, and wings made of wood; everything being fabric covered. A Hirth HM60R 60hp engine was fitted. The aircraft was, and still is praised for its handling characteristics against even modern aircraft. The aircraft was before and during WWII the basic primary trainer for the Luftwaffe. It was also selected in this role by the Japanese Army (Kokusai Ki-86), The Japanese Navy (Kyushu K9W), and the Spanish Air Force (CASA Production). In deed CASA continued manufacturing the aircraft well into the 1960s. Additional licensed production also took place in Switzerland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. A further 21 aircraft were produced in 1994 in Spain using the CASA jigs. The aircraft is still being produced today by Air Res Aviation in Poland. The Kit The kit is essentially the same plastic as the Bu 131D released earlier, but with extra parts for the differences. It arrives on two main sprues, and a small clear sprue. Like the real aircraft construction is pretty straight forward. The build starts with the main lower wing. This is of conventional construction with a single pat lower and split left/right upper. The centre of the wing will also form the bottom of the front cockpit. A section of framing for this cockpit must be placed in once the wing is completed. The ailerons are separate parts and can be added at this stage as well. Construction then moves onto two parts side by side. The rest of the cockpit steel tube framework is added to both the fuselage halves, at the same time the aircraft's engine is also made up and added to its bearers. Once the cockpit frames are in the fuselage can be joined up. The fixed parts of the tailplanes are added at this stage also. the fuselage can then be joined to the lower wing. Moving back to the fuselage the coamings for both cockpits are made up and the instrument panels are added. Instruments are provided as decals. The seats are then added along with the forward fuselage metal panels and the engine firewall. The engine can then be mounted and its covers added. The prop and its housing can then be added at the front. Next up the two part upper wing is also made up and added. Again the ailerons are separate parts. The interplane struts are then added to the upper wing. Once done this can be mounted to the lower wing. To finish up the under carriage is made up and added along with a few external parts A basic rigging diagram is provided in the instructions, this is not too clear to be honest and the modeller would be recommended to check their references. Markings There are two decal options included in the box, The swastikas are not present so the modeller will have to source them elsewhere. From the box you can build two training aircraft from pre war Germany. Decals are printed by ICM, with good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion It is good to see an important trainer aircraft kitted in a larger scale, which for the aircraft still wont be a massive model. The quality of the kit is up there with ICM's latest releases, and really could only do with a set of seatbelts to improve on whats in the box. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bucker Bu 131D Upgrade sets & Masks (for ICM ) 1:32 Eduard The new tool Bu 131 from ICM was welcome for those who build trainers, Eduard are now along with some sets for it. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Update Set (32925) Two frets are included, one nickel plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. A complete set of new layered instrument panels and side consoles that will be prominent within the cockpit are the primary parts on the painted set, with new rudder pedals; seat details; canopy internal structure; additional instruments; and extra details. The normal fret contains new engine cowls and crew entry doors, extra hub details and rear control surface details. Zoom! Set (33193) This set contains a reduced subset of the interior, namely the pre-painted parts that are used to improve on the main aspects of the cockpit, as seen above. Whatever your motivations for wanting this set, it provides a welcome boost to detail, without being concerned with the structural elements. Seatbelts STEEL (33194) In case you don't already know, these belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. As well as the pilot's four-point crew belts, you also get two sets of lap belts for the other crew, plus a set of webbing for the top gunner's position. Masks (JX214) Supplied on yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the screens. In addition you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the main and tail wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort, plus a landing light mask. Review samples courtesy of

Bucker Bu 131D (32030) 1:32 ICM The Bu 131 was designed by Carl Bucker and Anders Anderssen after Bucker Flugzeugbau was established in Germany in 1932. This was to be the last biplane built in Germany. The aircraft is a conventional two seat trainer with a fuselage made of steel tubes, and wings made of wood; everything being fabric covered. A Hirth HM60R 60hp engine was fitted. The aircraft was, and still is praised for its handling characteristics against even modern aircraft. The aircraft was before and druring WWII the basic promary trainer for the Luftwaffe. It was also selected in this role by the Japanese Army (Kokusai Ki-86), The Japanses Navy (Kyushu K9W), and the Spanish Air Force (CASA Production). In deed CASA continued manufacturing the aircraft well into the 1960s. Additonal licensed production also took place in Switzerland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. A further 21 aircraft were produced in 1994 in Spain using the CASA jigs. The aircraft is still being produced today by Air Res Aviation in Poland. The Kit The kit arrives on two main sprues, and a small clear sprue. Like the real aircraft construction is pretty straight forward. The build starts with the main lower wing. This is of conventional construction with a single pat lower and split left/right upper. The centre of the wing will also form the bottom of the front cockpit. A section of framing for this cockpit must be placed in once the wing is completed. The ailerons are seperate parts and can be added at this stage as well. Construction then moves onto two parts side by side. The rest of the cockpit steel tube famrework is added to both the fuselage halves, at the sametime the aircrafts engine is also made up and added to its bearers. Once the cockpit frames are in the fuselage can be joined up. The fixed parts of the tailplanes are added at this stage also. the fuselage can then be joined to the lower wing. Moving back to the fuselage the coamings for both cockpits are made up and the instrument panels are added. Instruments are provided as decals. The seats are then added along with the forward fuselage metal panels and the engine firewall. The engine can then be mounted and its covers added. The prop and its housing can then be added at the front. Next up the two part upper wing is also made up and added. Again the ailerons are seperate parts. The interplane strusts are then added to the upper wing. Once done this can be mounted to the lower wing. To finish up the under carridge is made up and added along with a few external parts A basic rigging diagram is provided in the instructions, this is not too clear to be honest and the modeller would be recomended to check their references. Markings There are four decal options included in the box, The swastikas are not present so the modeller will have to source them elsewhere. From the box you can build one of the following: 2./JG54, Russia, March 1942, white winter camo over Dark Green RLM71 / Blue RLM65 2./JG54, Russia, Summer 1942, Dark Green RLM71 over Blue RLM65 Stab III/NJG 1, Germany 1943, Overall Grey RLM02 Training Unit Bad Aibling, Germany 1944, Overall Grey RLM02 Decals are printed by ICM, with good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion It is good to see an important trainer aircraft kitted in a larger scale, which for the aircraft still wont be a massive model. The quality of the kit is up there with ICM's latest releases, and really could only do with a set of seatbelts to imporove on whats in the box. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bücker Bü 131 "Jungmann" pics thanks to Mark Mills.