I eagerly purchased a couple of Special Hobby Mirage F1s when they were first released and have been keeping them aside with this GB in mind (I may have purchased a few more since then, I couldn't possibly comment). Although I haven't narrowed the subjects of this project down to particular machines, the intended builds will both be late service examples, probably reflecting some of their operational use. To that end, I'll almost certain that I'll be using Berna Decals for both jets; I haven't used them before but they look very nice. Other aftermarket will include Master pitots, Peewit paint masks and a CMK 'Iraqi' centreline tank for the F1CT. The F1CR will utilise one of the kit-supplied recce pods. Pics of the sprues - apologies for odd effect created by photographing two sets of sprues together... P1000621 P1000623 thanks for looking, Andrew.

I decided a while ago to build the new 1/32 scale Special Hobby Yak-3 kit in this GB as I have a bit of a soft spot for the Yakovlev piston fighters. But I was undecided in what colour scheme to paint the model. I didn't like to make a Normandie-Niemen Yak-3 in this scale as I prefer to make one in 1/48 as a companion to my Yak-1 build which still needs to be completed. When I downloaded the PDF instructions for the new Begemot decals of the Yak-3 in 1/32 scale (still waiting for its arrival), it contained all the favored markings seen on models in the past, but one scheme was new and it looks stunning My thanks go to Dimmy who located these sensational pictures. This plane was flown by Senior Lieutenant Ermohin Valentin Grigorievich of the 402nd Fighter Regiment (265th Fighter Air Division, 3rd Fighter Aviation Corps, 16th Air Army, 1st Belorussian Front). He shot down 9 enemy aircraft between July 1944 and April 1945 and several of them on this aircraft. There is an excellent page where I got this information from This will be my first 1/32 scale build and I am exited having a go at it. The kit looks great in the box - maybe a bit simple with not too many parts for the scale. Will be interesting to see how it goes together. I will use some aftermarket parts, Eduard PE and HGW fabric seatbelts which hopefully arrive shortly too. Cheers, Peter

Next Special Hobby reboxing from a Classic Airframe kit will be the 1/48th IMAM (Romeo) R.37bis - ref. 48185 Source: http://www.specialhobby.net/2017/03/sh48185-imam-romeo-ro37bis-148.html Original CA box art and kit review: http://kits.kitreview.com/ro37reviewse_1.htm http://www.stormomagazine.com/Reviews/CA_Ro37bis_1a.html V.P.

A new and upgraded - new mould for small parts - boxing from the old 1/48th IMAM (Romeo) Ro.37 kit is in progress by Special Hobby - ref. SH48183 Source: http://www.specialhobby.net/2017/05/modely-v-priprave-v.html V.P.

source: http://modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=97&t=77712&start=720#p1880503 "Dalšími v pořadí nejbližšími rozpracovanými projekty (ono je toho docela hodně) je moderní dvoumotorák s vrtulemi a druhoválečná stíhačka." next project is a twin-engine modern aircraft with propellers And next is WW2 fighter http://modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=97&t=77712&start=735#p1880919 "ne, nebude to Turbolet, lítá to nebo lítalo na západ od nás (a na jih, sever a možná i na východ)" No, not L-410 Turbolet. It flies or flew to the west of Czech Republic (and to the south, north and maybe to the east) type is still secret

I know I have a bit of a reputation for doing stupid amounts in a GB so I would hate to break the mould. Here are three Mirage F1s, using the excellent Special Hobby kit. As you can see from the jumble above, only one of the kits is in a box. The two single-seaters are from the bagged "simple kits" that Special Hobby released about a year ago. These are simply the plastic parts with no decals, supplied in a bag. In effect, they are Special Hobby's equivalent to Eduard's "overtrees". I will be building the following: Mirage F1AZ - Gabonese Air Force. This will use the LF Models conversion set. @Giorgio N will be using the same set for his build, which will be a bit more involved than mine. You can see his build here. Mirage F1JA - Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana This is the export version of the F1E. I was struck by the two green camouflage as shown on the Xtradecal sheet and a couple of photographs on the net. @eclipse pointed out in the chat thread that the scheme is actually green and brown. Different references give different paint numbers for the lighter colour, so this will be quite interesting to research while the build progresses. Mirage F1B - Armée de l'air You can't build a batch of Mirage F1s without building one in the classic French blue scheme. It's The Law! The Special Hobby kit provides a suitable scheme, but it is a special scheme. I much prefer standard line jets, so I'll be using a scheme from an Xtradecal scheme. It's really quite plain, which I like. Let's have a look at the parts. Here are the fuselage halves for the single seater. The first batch of these kits had a slightly damaged bit at the very front of the part. this was rectified in subsequent batches. These parts are actually from a boxed kit which had the damage. I replaced these parts in the box with perfectly formed parts from a simple kit. I will be using them on this build for the Mirage F1AZ. It will be having major surgery to the nose anyway, so I thought that the damaged part wouldn't be an issue.

Special Hobby is to (re-)release (ex-MPM) a 1/48th Aero L-39C Albatros "NATO Trainer" kit - ref. SH48171 Hope this time with an injected canopy... Source: http://www.mpmkits.net/2015/07/l-39c-albatros-nato-trainer-148.html Box art V.P.

L-13 Blanik "Czechoslovak Glider" 1:72 Special Hobby The L-13 Blanik is a two seater training glider made by the Czech company Let Kunovice. It is probably the most widely produced and used glider in the world, being used by many civilian schools, and even the US Air Force Academy where it is designated the TG-10C. The L-13 was the first Czech glider to utilise laminar flow wing profiles. The L-13 has a reputation for durability and ease of operation. Over 3000 have been built since 1956 and exported all over the world. The ruggedness of the design combined with a low landing speed and ample control deflection make it very effective as a primary flight trainer. The type is said to posses many of the flight characteristics of wood/fabric aircraft but with the durability of more modern materials and construction techniques. The Kit This is a re-release of the 2008 Profiline kit. The kit is on just one injected sprue with a separate cockpit part. Construction starts in the cockpit, the two seats are added along with their control columns, the rear cockpit bulkhead and the two instrument coamings. Once complete the fuselage can be closed up and the canopy added. Depending on the version being built the right set of wing tips need to be added to the main wings. The wings can then be added to the fuselage. The tail surfaces and vertical tail can then be added. Finally the tail wheel is added. Decals Decals are from Aviprint and should pose no problems. Markings are provided for 4 examples; OK-1827, Benesov Airfield, Czech Republic. VH-GOS, Queensland, Australia. DM-3208, Magdeburg Airfiels, Eat Germany 1961. OK-4832, Aeroclub Pilsen, Czech Republic. Conclusion This is a simple little kit (but then the real ones are as well) it should make up to be a good interesting model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

I hope it's not too late to start with this little beauty. Special Hobby's boxing of the NF21. This is not a simple kit, the basic airframe is but it has to be cut up as it's the basic fighter airframe, there is a shed load of resin a little bit of etch, and the props need constructed. Here is the sprue shot The resin, having undergone an ultrasonic clean. Not a great picture but shows the cutting that needs done and the rather nice transfers. Transfers for three Extra Dark Sea Grey over Sky, whcich IMHO is a rather fetching scheme for this beautiful aircraft. I think I'll do one of the HMS Eagle options as it was one of the carriers my dad served upon. First up the chopping up of the fusealge. Out with the saw, knife and sandpaper. Pictures to follow.

Special Hobby is to reissue in 2017 the AZUR/FRROM 1/32nd IAR-81C kit - ref. SH32068 Source: http://www.specialhobby.info/2016/12/special-hobby-newsletter-january.html AZUR/FRROM IAR-81C kit review: http://www.hyperscale.com/2014/reviews/kits/fr8001reviewbg_1.htm V.P.

Special a Hobby is to rebox in January 2017 the ex-Profiline 1/72nd LET L-13 Blaník kit - ref. SH72342 Source: http://www.specialhobby.info/2016/12/special-hobby-newsletter-january.html Profiline kit SH Box art V.P.

At Moson Model Show 2017, Special Hobby will propose its stock of 1/72nd Fairey Fulmar kits: SH72143 Fulmar Mk.I (link) & SH72196 prototype (link) - see box art herebelow. New variants Fulmar Mk.II and NF.Mk.II will be release in June 2017. Source: http://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=95825&start=2805 V.P.

Here's my place marker for this GB although I won't make a start until I return from my jolly holidays! I'll post details of the kit up then but suffice to say, I'll be using Special Hobby's superb 1/72nd Mirage F1 in the guise of an F1CR. I'm planning on doing s/n 660 118-CY as it was marked up for the farewell of the Mirage F1 from French service, several aircraft were marked up for the farewell but 118-CY was painted in the famous Mirage Bleu scheme and as such (along with F1B 118-SW as featured in the Special Hobby F1B kit),were the last of les Bleus. Pictures of the particular aircraft can be found here, here and here! Here it is, sharing the flight line with its similarly marked squadron mates here, here, and here! The Special Hobby F1B features the red markings, I shall be using those as a guide for my model. Obligatory photos of kit will appear here when I return.

I.A.R. 81c Special Hobby 1:32 The IAR 80 was a Romanian World War II low-wing, monoplane, all-metal construction fighter aircraft and ground-attack aircraft. When it first flew, in 1939, it was comparable to most contemporary designs like the German Bf 109E, the British Hawker Hurricane, and the Supermarine Spitfire. However, production problems and lack of available armament delayed entry of the IAR 80 into service until 1941. It was forced to remain in front-line use until 1944, when – even if for some aspects outdated – it still could compete under certain conditions with more modern aircraft such as the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. Work began on the IAR.80 prototype in late 1937, originally with an open cockpit and the 870 hp (649 kW) IAR K14-III C32 engine which was a licensed Gnome-Rhône 14K II Mistral Major. The prototype was completed slowly, and first took to the air in April 1939. Test flights of the prototype were impressive; the aircraft could reach 510 km/h at 4,000 m (317 mph at 13,000 ft), service ceiling of 11,000 m (36,000 ft) with the ability to climb to 5,000 m (16,400 ft) in 6 minutes which was respectable at the time, though not up to the contemporary Supermarine Spitfire or Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. In comparison the P.24E was almost 450 kg lighter, yet over 80 km/h slower even though it used the same engine. The IAR.80 also proved to be a delight to fly and highly maneuverable. A number of minor problems turned up during the prototype phase, and were dealt with over the next year. To improve power the design was updated to mount the newer 930 hp (690 kW) C36 version of the K14-III. However this engine was slightly heavier than the C32, which required the fuselage to be stretched to move the center of gravity back into the proper position in relation to the wing. The extra space in the fuselage was put to good use by increasing the size of the fuel tanks to 455 l (100 imp gallons). The wing was also enlarged and the tail was revised to eliminate the bracing struts. Since the space was inserted behind the engine, the cockpit ended up further back on the aircraft. A side effect of this extreme rearward position was that the pilot had even worse forward visibility while taxiing than most other tail-draggers. To address this somewhat, the pilot's seat was raised slightly and a bubble-style canopy was added. The updated prototype was tested competitively against the Heinkel He 112, which had just arrived in Romania as the start of a potentially large order. Although the He 112 was somewhat more modern and much more heavily armed with two machine guns and two 20 mm cannon, the IAR.80 with its considerably more powerful engine completely outclassed it in all other respects. The ARR was impressed and ordered 100 of the new fighters on 18 December 1939. Orders for additional He 112s beyond the original 30 were cancelled. Production of the IAR.80 was to start immediately, although the armament proved to be a serious problem. The prototype had mounted only two Belgian-made Fabrique Nationale 7.92 mm machine guns, a licensed modification of the Browning 30 cal. This armament suite was clearly not heavy enough for combat use, and the production model was supposed to mount six of these guns. The German invasion of Belgium and the Low Countries in 1940 ended the supply of the FN guns, and there was no indigenous machine gun that was suitable for use in aircraft. Lacking armament, production was put on hold. It wasn't until November 1940 when Romania joined the Axis that the Germans eventually allowed the delivery of the guns to resume. As a result the first production IAR.80 didn't roll off the line until January 1941, although the first batch of 20 had been quickly delivered by the middle of February. The new armament supply still wasn't enough to fully equip the aircraft, so the production models only carried four guns. The production models also included new oxygen gear. The initial batch of fighters was well received by the Romanian pilots, but they considered the aircraft underpowered and lacking firepower. In order to address the power issue the aircraft mounted the 960 hp (716 kW) K14-IV C32 engine in the 21st through 50th examples, but there was little they could do about the firepower issue at the time. The final stage in the IAR.80's wartime history was the 81C. This version changed the guns once again, this time to the Mauser MG 151/20 which was replacing the MG FF/M in German service and had just been released for Romanian use. The order for the 81C was placed in May 1942, predating the second order of the 81As. The first order for 100 airframes was delivered, like all of the prior updates to the 81 series, with the centre-line bomb rack removed to be used as fighters. An additional order for 35 was placed in February 1943, and then another 15 in January 1944. These aircraft were primarily to replace losses in earlier models, while production of the Bf 109G ramped up. The Model The kit comes in a very attractive top opening box with an fine painting of an 81c in the foreground and its victims, a pair of B-24 Liberators. Once you get the tight fitting lid off, you are confronted with several poly bags filled with five sprues of medium grey styrene, plus smaller bags containing the clear styrene sprue, resin parts, etch sheet and decals. On inspection the styrene is very nicely moulded with finely moulded panels lines and details such as the rivets and “screw heads”. There doesn’t appear to be any blemishes or sink marks on any of the parts,. The instruction booklet is very nicely printed in an A4 portrait format, which just feels quality. There is a very handy parts/sprue layout on the first two pages followed by 7 pages for the build. These could be a little clearer as it would be easy to confuse the colour call outs with the parts numbers. Take your time in reading the instructions before building to become acquainted with what’s what. The build naturally begins with the cockpit, which is quite complex and care will need to be taken with the rather fragile looking centre instrument panel support struts which are attached to the forward bulkhead. There is no floor in these aircraft just a pair of foot plates, which along with the seat, forward bulkhead and shoulder height deck that holds the structure together. Details, such as the two piece joystick, four piece rudder bar, (including etched foot straps), lower instrument panel. Main instrument panels, trim wheel and various other controls make up into a very busy looking cockpit. The seat itself is made up of nine parts and is finished off with a set of etched lap and shoulder straps. With the cockpit completed, the insides of the fuselage halves can be detailed with items such as the fire extinguisher, throttle, complete with control rods, and gear retraction lever and painted up accordingly. The cockpit is then attached to one half along with the engine mounting disc, before the fuselage can be closed up. Moving on to the wings, which are provided as a single piece lower and two upper sections. These are joined together and fitted with the machine gun barrels, pitot probe, intake grilles and navigation lights, (for which a 0.8mm hole will need to be drilled into the wingtips before fitting). The flaps and ailerons each consist of upper and lower halves and can be positioned as per the modeller’s wishes. There are two types of flap hinges provided, one set for raised flaps and another set for lowered. The ailerons are fitted with both hinges and mass balances. The completed wing can now be attached to the fuselage. The tailplanes are assembled in much the same way with upper and lower halves for each and with separate rudder and elevators all attached to the rear fuselage. Before moving on, the beautifully detailed gunsight is assembled and fitted to the forward bulkhead of the cockpit before the windscreen and canopy are fitted. The aerial mast is slid through the hole in the windscreen framing and there are clear diagrams to ensure the modeller achieves the correct angle, so be aware. The engine is a model in itself and going by the instructions will be a complex build in which care and patience will be required in spades. Especially as although the instructions are pretty clear, the number of red lines showing different parts positions does make it a mite confusing. The front and rear banks of cylinders come in two halves, which when assembled are joined together, followed by the crankcase and flange ring. The valve rods come in individual or paired parts, which is why the modeller will need to take care on what goes where. To the rear of the engine the intake manifold is assembled from individual pipes attached to the manifold ring before being fitted. For the exhausts the two main parts are in very nicely rendered resin, onto which the individual exhaust manifolds are attached before fitting to the engine. The completed engine is now attached to the mounting ring on the fuselage and encased in the three part cowling, which is then detailed with etched cowl flaps. It’s a shame that such a beautifully detailed engine is all covered up, so I’d imagine some modellers opening up the access panels in the cowl to show it all off. Turning the model over there are quite a few details to add, these include the two piece car intake, the five piece centreline bomb rack and the tail skid. The undercarriage is each made up of single piece main legs/oleos which includes one half of the wheel axle yoke, two piece wheels/tyres and the other half of the axle yoke. Each of the undercarriage bay doors are detailed with individual flange pieces and strengtheners before being fitted to either the undercarriage leg or the wing. The actuator jack and scissor links are then attached to their respective positions. Again, separate clear diagrams show the angles required for the undercarriage legs and doors. The final part to the build is the assembly of the propeller, which is assembled from three separate blades, the back plate and the spinner, then attached to the model Not forgetting the addition of the aerial wire once painting has been completed. Decals The decal sheet is really beautifully printed, by Cartograf. Register and opacity are very good and there appears to be very little in the way of carrier film. The coloured markings are bright and vivid . There are markings are for four aircraft, all in variations of the standard Olive green, over light blue grey and yellow fuselage and cowling bands. I.A.R.81-c No.429 Escadrilla 67 Vanatoare, Grupil 2 Vanatoare, Gheraesti, Bacaui, Summer 1944 flown by Lt.Av Gheorghe Grecu, and Radu Costache. I.A.R.81-c No.329 Escadrilla 61 Vanatoare, Grupil 6 Vanatoare, Popesti-Leordeni, May 1944 flown by Lt.Av Victor Petric. I.A.R.81-c No.345 Escadrilla, Scoala Militara Aviate, Turda, October 1944 flown by Lt.Av Anatolie Grunju. I.A.R.81-c No.399 Escadrilla 58 Vanatoare, Grupil 7 Vanatoare, Targsor, March and June 1945, flown Lt.Av Gheroghe Lupsa and Lt.Av Mircea Teodorescu Conclusion This aircraft, in my view, falls into the familiar but still unusual camps. I certainly knew of the aircraft, but didn’t know much about the genesis of the design and it’s quite successful use in the hands of the Romanian pilots. The kit itself looks to be very nicely produced, and it should build into an interesting and colourful model. The detail is certainly there, yet I’m sure there are those who could do wonders with some additional scratch building. All in all a very nice kit. Review sample courtesy of

Newsletter January 2017: http://www.specialhobby.info/2016/12/special-hobby-newsletter-january.html Newsletter February 2017: http://www.specialhobby.info/2017/01/special-hobby-newsletter-februarry-2017.html V.P.

Despite the recent release of the Italeri's Sunderland Mk.I (review: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=234927542), the Special Hobby Short Sunderland Mk.V project seems going on. Some CAD drawings are proposed in ModelForum: http://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=97&p=1362198#p1362198 Future kit reference is SH72262. Wait and see. V.P.

In August 2017, Special Hobby is to re-release the 1/48th Fieseler Fi.103A-1/Re 4 Reichenberg kit - ref. 100-SH48190 Source: http://www.specialhobby.net/2017/06/special-hobby-newsletter-07.html box art V.P.

MA-1A USAF Start Cart 1:48 CMK via Special Hobby This little cart provides the initial blast of air that begins the spooling up process of a Cold War jet engine. The air from the small turbine inside the cart is ducted through the flexible hose attached and into the aircraft, like blowing a giant windmill! Sat on its four wheels it can be hand-wrangled or towed by a tractor to wherever it is needed, and has been seen in various shades such as green, yellow and white. When not in use the hose is usually draped around the top of the cart, and while in use, the two panels on the top are set to their raised positions. The Kit This is a new resin kit from Special Hobby's resin arm, and arrives in a small yellow box, which is a description that you could also use for the cart itself. Inside are a bag of smaller resin parts, the main body of the cart, a ziplok bag containing decals and a Photo-Etch (PE) brass sheet, and of course a folded A4 sheet of instructions in colour. As you would imagine, it is a simple build, with the main body consisting of one large lump, which just needs its underside trimming flat. The wheels are attached to stub axles and locate in depressions in the base, the towing frame fits under the front, and the arm is then fitted either flat, or raised up out of the way. The opening hatches on the top are folded up to shape, and fixed to the deck as per the diagrams, while the instrument panel is recessed into the rear face, and has a double-sided PE cover that hinges down in use. The hose is supplied in two pieces of resin, which you will need to heat and shape to suit your needs, which is best done with some water out of a recently boiled kettle. Watch your fingers, and remember to pin or tape the parts to shape while they cool off, using cold water to speed the process. As usual with resin, take the precaution of wearing a mask when cutting or sanding resin, 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. Markings A small sheet of decals are included for the various stencils and corner markers, and the cart is shown painted yellow, although the other colour options could equally be built by checking the few references out there. Decals for the instrument panel are clear, registration, colour density and sharpness are good, with a nice thin carrier film. Conclusion With plenty of scope for beating up the paint-job, this should be a quick and satisfying project that adds both scale and a more candid nature to any Cold War jet model display. An easy build should make it quite appealing to even the resin novice. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Model 339-23 Buffalo 'In RAAF and USAAF Colors' 1:72 Special Hobby The Buffalo was designed by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation in 1935 to a US Navy requirement for a carrier based fighter to replace the Grumman F3F Biplane. The prototype first flew in 1937, with deliveries commencing in 1939. The type won orders from a number of overseas customers such as Belgium, who had ordered the aircraft but received only one before the country fell to the advancing Wehrmacht. That order was subsequently transferred to the British, who sent them to Australia and New Zealand, as well as using them for the RAF in the Far East. The aircraft were plagued with reliability problems in the hot climate. Performance was poor and the pilots did not have adequate training on the aircraft. This kit is a re-pop over the original Special Hobby Buffalo, first released in 2006. The box states that the kit is a combination of Sword plastic parts, Special Hobby clear parts and a host of resin extras. I don't recall Sword ever producing a Buffalo of their own, so I can only presume that they tooled the kit for Special Hobby. In any case, the clear parts appear to be completely different to those included with the original boxing, which is hopefully a promising sign. Think of this, then, as a turbocharged version of the original Special Hobby kit. The parts are spread across a single sprue of grey plastic, a single clear sprue and the aforementioned bag of resin. The mouldings look fairly crisp, and feature reasonably fine sprue attachment points and refined, engraved surface detail. Construction begins with the cockpit. This is comprised mainly of resin parts, with just a few structural parts such as the firewall and rear cockpit decking rendered in plastic. The sidewalls, floor, instrument panel, control column, seat and rudder pedals are all cast from crisp, grey resin. The main landing gear bay and engine are also resin and also have to be fitted at this point. The overall effect should be a very well-detailed interior, and the only think I would really want to add would be some harnesses for the seat, either from spare photo etch or tape. Before joining the fuselage halves, you will need to cut away the very rearmost part of the fusealge and replace it with the parts appropriate for this version. Once this has been done and the fuselage halves joined, the tail planes and wing can be fixed in place. The elevators and ailerons are all moulded in place. The front part of the cowling is moulded as a seperate part, while the propeller is moulded in four piececs, with a resin hub. This is a bit of a faff if you're building one of the versions with a propellor spinner, as it will take longer to assemble, be fragile due to needing to use superglue rather than poly cement and you won't benefit from the extra detail offered by the resin part. The landing gear itself looks reasonably good, with the landing gear legs each made up of three parts and the wheels cast from resin. The canopy looks very good indeed, although the instructions only show it fitted in the closed position, which is a slight shame if you want to show off all that lovely cockpit detail to best effect. Four decal options are provided: Brewster Model 339-23 Buffalo, A-51-13 (310), RAAF; Brewster Model 339-23 Buffalo, A-51-10 (307), RAAF; Brewster Model 339-23 Buffalo, A-51-15 (312), 5th Air Force, USAAF, Essendon, Australia, June 1942; and Brewster Model 339-23 Buffalo, 313, 5th Air Force, USAAF, Essendon, Australia, 1942. The first three aircraft are finished in a medium green over olive drab, while the latter machine is a combination of aluminium and natural metal. The decal sheet is both comprehensive and nicely printed. Conclusion Although this kit is less sophisticated than the very latest offerings from Special Hobby stable, that is more a reflection of the recent advances made by that manufacturer rather than any lack of quality with this particular kit. As always with kits of this nature, a little care and attention may be required, but I reckon this kit should build into a pleasing replica of an attractive aircraft with relatively little effort. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Saab AJS-37 Viggen "The Show Must Go On" 1:48 Special Hobby The Viggen was Sweden's Cold War fighter, which began service in the early 1970s with the AJ variant, which was primarily a ground attack aircraft that could also perform the fighter role if necessary. It was a tad shorter than the later JA, with a slightly different cockpit arrangement and a less powerful engine. Over a hundred were built, with roughly half of them converted to AJS standard at the end of the 90s with improved avionics and software. The last of these upgraded AJs were taken out of service in 2005. The Kit The initial Tarangus release of the JA-37 was a collaboration with MPM the parent company of Special Hobby. This latest boxing gives us an eye catching all over Red Paint scheme. The initial release was well received for the most part, but like all model kits, some issues have been pointed out with varying degrees of hysteria, and as this is ostensibly the same moulding, many of those issues will apply to this kit. It is still a modern and mainly accurate tooling of an important Swedish aircraft, and should give any modeller plenty of enjoyment during the build, and it will of course look great in your cabinet. Inside the box it is almost the same plastic as the Tarangus edition, with only the gun-pack sprue missing, which also included the extension tube for the JA and the cockpit for that version. There are six sprues of mid-grey styrene, plus one of clear parts, a small Photo-Etch (PE) fret that is also pre-painted, and a decal sheet. The A4 instruction booklet is printed on thin glossy paper in full colour, which is rather helpful during construction, and the large size of the construction steps is welcome to this modeller and his failing eyesight. As construction is almost identical to that of the JA, which you can follow here I won't go over it all again, as aside from the lack of extension ring and the different cockpit tub and panel, it's near identical. I will however remind you that the detail in the main areas of interest is very good for injection moulded styrene, and the engine rear is superb. The cockpit is the recipient of the majority of the additional PE, which is decked out with a pre-painted instrument panel, side consoles and seatbelts, plus additional detail on the side of the seat, a pair of replacement rudder pedals and additional sidewall details. A trio of rear-view mirrors are also provided for the canopy when it is fitted later in the build. The gear bays are all well detailed, and as the inner main bay doors are usually closed when on the ground, no additional detail would be seen without the aid of a torch and the risk of a sore neck. The only items available in the box that you can hang from any of the pylons are a choice of centreline tank with either three or four fins, which fit to a stubby pylon just aft of a centreline intake fairing. It would have been nice to have some additional weapons included, but as the Viggen was often seen with just tankage, it's not a major thing. Decals The re-release gives markings for one certainly eye catching all over red scheme to commemorate the Viggen leaving service to be replaced by the JAS-39 Gripen. There are large white Ghosts for the top & undersides of the wings and smaller ones for the tail, along with the white text for the sides. The decals are well printed, with good register, colour density and sharpness,they are printed by aviprint with a small sheet for the very limited other markings this aircraft carried. Conclusion Another welcome kit of this superb Cold War Warrior, and with the addition of some PE to detail up the cockpit coupled with a reduction in price, it deserves to sell well. For the detail and accuracy minded, check the forums for information about the corrections needed to improve the kit further. Highly recommended if you want a different looking Viggen. Review sample courtesy of

Ju-88D-2/4 1:48 Special Hobby The Ju-88 was designed as a schnellbomber in the mid 30s, and at the time it was faster than current fighter designs, so it was projected that it could infiltrate, bomb and exfiltrate without being intercepted. That was the theory anyway. By the time WWII began in the west, fighters had caught up with the previously untouchable speed of the 88, and it needed escorting to protect it from its Merlin equipped opponents. It turned out to be a jack of all trades however, and was as competent as a night fighter, dive bomber or doing reconnaissance as it was bombing Britain. They even popped a big gun on the nose and sent it against tanks and bombers, with variable success. The D mode was developed for Long-range photo-reconnaissance with the 4 being tropicalised version of the 2. The Kit This is a new variation on the original tooling that was released recently by ICM, with new parts added to make it version specific, and the addition of some welcome resin parts for the wheels and cameras. The box is the usual top-opening with an inner lid style, and inside you will find eight sprues in grey styrene, one in clear, decal sheet and a glossy covered instruction booklet with spot colour inside, and the decal options in full colour on the back cover. If you have been lucky enough to see the original kit, you'll know that detail is right up there in terms of quality and crispness, with ICM really improving over the last few years, which has to be great news for modellers, as they aren't frightened of tackling what to us may seem niche subject matters. With the sprue-related excitement out of the way, work on the fuselage begins with the addition of sidewall details in the capacious cockpit area. Rear bulkhead, side consoles and seats are all added to the cockpit sides for a change, with an insert in the fuselage for the circular antenna and tail wheel added into the starboard side. The instrument panel is supplied with decals, and fits into the fuselage during joining. The missing floor is added to the lower fuselage panel that includes the lower parts of the inner wings and gives the structure some strength. It also receives the rudder pedals, control column, and the two remaining crew seats before being joined to the fuselage. The camera frame is built up and the resin cameras added. The tail plane has articulated flying surfaces, and the wings are supplied as top and bottom, with the flaps and ailerons separate from the box, and neat curved fairings so they look good when fitted at an angle. The flaps include the rear section of the soon-to-be-fitted nacelles, which are added as separate parts to avoid sink-marks, and these and the ailerons run full-span, terminating just as the wingtip begins. This variant was fitted with the under-fuselage gondola, and each side has separate glazing panels inserted from inside, and a seam running vertically through its length. It is added to the hole in the underside of the fuselage, with the front and rear glazing plus zwilling mounted machine guns later in the build. At this time the landing gear is made up on a pair of upstands that are added to the underwing in preparation for the installation of the nacelle cowlings. The engines have to be built up first though, consisting of a high part count with plenty of detail, and a rear firewall that securely fits inside the cowling. Even though this is an in-line engine with a V-shaped piston layout, the addition of the annular radiators gives it the look of a radial, with their representation added to the front of the cowling, obscuring much of the engine detail. The cooling flaps around the cowling are separate, and the exhausts have separate stacks, which aren't hollow but are large enough to make boring them out with a drill a possibility. The completed nacelle fit to the underwing over the top of the main gear installation, securing in place with four pegs, two on each side of each nacelle. The props are made from spinner, backplate and a single piece containing all three blades, sliding onto a pin projecting from the engine front, which will require some glue if you want to keep them on. At this point the instructions recommend adding the canopy glazing, which consists of a choice of two faceted nose cones, and the main greenhouse for the cockpit aperture. The rear portion is made from two additional parts due to its double "blown" shape to accommodate the two rearward gun positions, so that the gunner's head isn't pressed against the canopy. The guns are fitted through the windscreen and the two circular ports on the rear, although no ammo feed is supplied. Under the wings the dive spoilers are added with four bomb crutches on aerodynamic mounts, with bombs supplied that have two of their fins moulded separately, along with the stabilising struts that fit into notches in the fins. While the airframe is flipped over, the two-part wheels and twin main gear bay doors are added, both having good detail and the former a radial tread. Addition of the canopy mounted antenna completes the build, but this is likely to be done long after main painting for safety's sake! Decals The kit includes three markings options; Junkers Ju.88D-4 Luftwaffe 7A+GH, 1.(f)/121, North Africa RLM 79 & 80 over 78. Junkers Ju.88D-2 Luftwaffe 4N+FH, 1(F)22, Norway RLM 70 & 71 over 65. Undersides heavily dashed with RLM 70. Aircraft unusually features 2 kill markings. Junkers Ju 88D-2 Royal Hungarian Air Force, F9+15 Long Range Recon Sqn RLM 70 & 71 over 65. The decals appear to printed in-house and have good register, colour density and sharpness, with additional instrument dials included on a clear carrier film to help with cockpit painting. All of the stencils are legible, and overall they inspire confidence, with a thin carrier film cut close to the printing. Conclusion ICM's range of Ju.88s are a good example of how far they have come in recent years, Special Hobby have used this to their credit and with a few additional parts have brought us a great version of this aircraft. The kit is well-detailed and comprehensive in what it includes, and with a nice pair of decal options it says "build me". Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Some time ago SH produced 1/72nd and 1/48th Lloyd C.V serie 46 kits (ref. 72119 & 48013). The company is now working on a new variant, the C.V serie 82 in 1/72nd as well as in 1/48th - ref. SH72122 & SH48044 Source: http://www.specialhobby.net/2017/02/sh48044-sh72122-lloyd-cv-wkf-serie-82.html New parts 3D renders V.P.

Special Hobby working on a new tool Yak-3. It will be their next 1/32 kit after the Tempest.

Special Hobby is to release a new tool 1/72nd Letov S-328 Smolík kit - ref.SH72145 Source: http://www.mpmkits.net/2015/01/sh72145-letov-s-328-172-prvni-pohled.html Master in progress V.P.

Boulton Paul Balliol "Civilian & Foreign Users" 1:72 Special Hobby The Boulton Paul Balliol was designed to meet an Air Ministry requirement for a three seat advanced trainer. The original requirement was for a turboprop aircraft and the conventional low-wing monoplane design was to be powered by an Amstrong Siddeley Mamba. In the aircraft the Student and instructor would sit side by side with an observer behind. The Air Ministry had second thoughts concerning the turboprop and reissued the specification for an aircraft powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin. The Merlin powered Balliol was selected but the requirement for a third seat was deleted. Deliveries to the RAF started in 1950 however the Air Ministry again changed its mind and decided they needed a jet powered trailer which would be the Vampire T.11. Thus the Balliol only saw limited RAF service. The only export customer for the Balliol was the Royal Ceylon Air force who received 7 for cancelled RAF orders and 5 direct from RAF stocks. Two of these aircraft survive today with the now Sri Lanka Air Force museum, one Balliol survives in the UK which is being restored by the Boulton Paul Association. The Kit This is a re-release of the 2012 New tool kit from Special Hobby to reflect the Civilian & Foreign users of the aircraft. There are three sprues of plastic parts, a bag of resin parts, the canopy, a small PE fret and an instrument panel film. It should be noted that all the parts are still in the kit to make the Sea Balliol the Navalised version, the modeller will just have to make up their own decals. Construction starts unsurprisingly enough with the cockpit. The centre control console is added to the cockpit floor followed by the rudder pedals and control colums. The instrument panel is made up from a plastic/film/PE sandwich and installed. The seats are added forllowed by the A frame which sits behind them. The PE seatbelts then attach to this frame and drape over the seats. Once the cockpit if finished it can be installed into the main fuselage along with the rear cockpit bulkhead. The Fuselage can then be closed up. The main underslung engine radiator is then made up and added under the fuselage. The engine exhausts are also added at this time. The wings are next up and these are of conventional left & right (upper & lower parts), and are then added to the main fuselage. As mentioned the parts of the folding wing of the Sea Balliol are in the kits, and on the instructions but they are not shown as part of this review. The tail planes are also added at this time. The prop is made up from individual blades and added. The landing gear is also made up and added at this time. The main gear doors fitting direct to the legs. The canopy is then added along with the drop tanks if you wish to use them. Last touches are the windscreen wipers and the aerials. Decals Decals look to be in house and are ok, the Royal Ceylon markings are slightly out of register. Markings are provided for 4 examples; G-ANSF Company Demonstrator. CA310 Royal Ceylon Air Force. CA301 Royal Ceylon Air Force. Preserved air-frame in Sri Lanka, picture thanks to Mike Costello. Conclusion This is a simple little kit but it should make up to be a good interesting model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of