Pollie

During the summer they pushed it back for a February 2014 release but when checking the Revell website now it seems to have vanished altogether.......

Tiny bit more info: http://www.afvclub.com.tw/product/product_...?no=20101227001

Broken link, see here: http://www.luckymodel.com/scale.aspx?item_no=AF%20R48106

New Revell kits are still announced at the Hasegawa site, see here: http://www.hasegawa-model.co.jp/DR/DR.html . So there must be some kind of cooperation.....

Does it come with the nose mounted radar dome for the Austrian machine?

Really nice sheet, will get me one as soon as these are out.

There is also the URAL-375, in widespread use in different variants in the CIS airforces. I'm afraid I can't help you with the country of origin of those fuel carts.

The photo on that box was taken during the SIAD airshow in Bratislava, Slovakia, hence the Slovak truck. I don't think these vehicles were used by the CIS countries you mention. Yes, a ZIL or GAZ truck is your best bet. I don't know who produces one in 1/48 though....

You're right, Tony, but it was just to illustrate how far I had to travel to find one! I saw another one in a hobbyshop in Phoenix, Arizona, before my friend bought it! I am very curious if the announced HobbyBoss F-5E will be worth buying......

It is a Praga truck of the Slovak AF. Built in Czechoslovakia (I am assuming it was built before 1993). Not the type you normally see on a Ukrainian Flanker base......

I bought mine in.....Japan!

Hasegawa slightly increased the prices on all their kits a few years ago (100 - 300 Yen roughly). Standard Hase boxes with the new price no longer display that price at the 'end' of the box, but on the side of the box, below the barcode. When I visited Japan in 2007, I paid 6,15 euro for 1000 Yen. Looking at xe.com now, 1000 Yen costs me 9,21 euro!!!! That is a 50% increase. Postal rates from Japan to Europe have also increased, when I compare my 2007 and 2010 Japan trips. Also, a limited edition boxing comes in a non-standard box (costs money), new instructions (costs money) and other decals (costs money). It seems only logical a limited edition boxing is more expensive than a standard one. But Tamiya also raised its prices. Just look at the different 1/48 F-16s, there is a distinct difference in price between the CJ Blk.50 and ANG Blk.25/32. I think it is a bit too easy to blame Hasegawa for the price increase. Their kits are still very reasonably priced in homeland Japan, nuff said. Like I said earlier: price of a Hase kit in Europe is Japanese price plus: 1. shipping 2. importer/distributor portion 3. shop portion 4. import taxes (if applicable)

I bet that, on Japanese forums, our Japanese modelling friends complain about Airfix and Revell prices in their local hobby shops.......

There are actually three kits in this box, two E and one C. Still a hefty price though. And yes, it is due to shipping, exchange rate, import tax and both the distributor and Hannants taking a slice of the cake. The dual Phantom boxing for example, can be had for 43 US$ in Hong Kong......

Hopefully you will also include the crest+text (on the 1sqn decom. a/c) and the yellow flash (on the 4sqn decom. a/c) for those that want to paint the tail. IMHO decals that completely cover the tail are a pain to get right. It has the added advantage of being able to use the decals on more than one manufacturer's kit. That way the 1/72 decals can be used on both the Hasegawa and (new) Airfix offerings for example. Just a thought.

Thank you for very good news!

red/white/blue Boscombe Down Mi-17s.

C-2 ejection seat: Pavla 72013 Aires 7136

509 is a Mirage2000-5BG, a twoseat dash 5. Aircraft 201-204 are 2000BG, while 210-246 are singleseat EG.

Are they grounded from now on, or do they continue small scale ops for the coming months? Nevertheless, a sad day for GB's aviation heritage: last of the true British fighters. What's left now, Tornado and Typhoon, have a much more multinational feel to it. If you know what I mean.

These plates were sometimes retrofitted, look at the Czech MiG-21Ms. Correct, but my point was the first fighter to get the bigger spine after the recce R was the S. I would like to find out what happened to all the S, SM and SMT after they were withdrawn from Soviet use. All scrapped or did some find their way to countries not that accessible for the aviation enthusiast/researcher/photographer? There once was a rumour of SMTs having been delivered second hand to Syria, following losses in another Middle Eastern war.

Surely you mean MiG-21S?

Read all about it in the editorial of Eduard's newsletter: http://www.eduard.cz/info/download/files/i...cember_2010.pdf

The last batch of Czech MFs were produced in GAZ-21 Gorki (the bis factory). They indeed had some bis features but I don't believe the spine was one of them. Differences between GAZ-30 and GAZ-21 MiG-21MFs are listed here: http://img219.imageshack.us/f/sedivky4.jpg/ There are also some differences in the cockpit, with the later version allegedly being more in line with the bis cockpit. Besides Czechoslovakia, a mix of GAZ-21 and GAZ-30 MFs were operated by Bulgaria, East Germany, Poland and Romania.

Nice one, Marek!