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Pre- Painted Instrument panels Eduard LOOK 1:32 The first release of this new series was for the Revell P-51 Mustang (reviewed here). Eduard have now released three more sets of these innovative panels. These are for the Tamiya P-51D, and D-5 and the Tamiya F4U-1A Corsair. As with the first set, the modeller is provided with the main panel, side panels and centre panels if required. Each set also includes a sheet of etched steel for the seat belts. The panels have all the correct markings and placards painted on them and the faces of each instrument is glazed, making them look very realistic, particularly with a bit of weathering to get away from that newly built look. Tamiya F4U-A Corsair Tamiya P-51D-5 Tamiya P-51D Conclusion This new series is a great resource for those of us who are unable to replicate all the markings on a panel, all in one easy package. My only concern is if a model was to be put into a competition without the modeller declaring they have used a LOOK set, as, to me, it’s a form of cheating still stands though. Review sample courtesy of

AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening 1:32 Brassin (632-126) – LITENING is an integrated targeting pod that mounts externally to the aircraft. The targeting pod contains a high-resolution, forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor that displays an infrared image of the target to the aircrew; it has a wide field of view search capability and a narrow field of view acquisition/targeting capability of battlefield-sized targets. The pod also contains a CCD camera used to obtain target imagery in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. An on-gimbal inertial navigation sensor establishes line-of-sight and automatic boresighting capability. The pod is equipped with a laser designator for precise delivery of laser-guided munitions. A laser rangefinder provides information for various avionics systems, for example, navigation updates, weapon deliveries and target updates. The targeting pod includes an automatic target tracker to provide fully automatic stabilized target tracking at altitudes, airspeeds and slant ranges consistent with tactical weapon delivery manoeuvres. These features simplify the functions of target detection and recognition, and permit attack of targets with precision-guided weapons on a single pass. The single sniper pod comes in the blister style pack normally used for the smaller items, well protected by foam pads inside. It is really well detailed, as we have come to expect from Eduard and the parts are very neatly moulded. The pod comes in two grey resin parts, a small etched brass fret and decal sheet. Once the two resin parts have been removed from the moulding blocks and cleaned up, assembly begins with the fitting of the brass end piece to the main body of the pod. The seeker head is the glued to the front of the main body, at whatever position you want, although it can actually be just push fitted allowing it to be moved as and when the modeller wants. The whole pod is then painted in overall grey and the decals added. Conclusion This is another very useful piece of kit to add to your 1:32 aircraft. They are, or have been fitted to so many types now; everything from the F-16 via the A-10 to the Harrier GR-7/9 so could be of interest to a whole host of modellers. Review sample courtesy of

I have begun my dream build - the BBMF in 1:32 scale, starting with a couple of Spitfires and Hurricanes. The first Spitfire is to be the Mark IIa P7350 "EB-G". My base is the Revell 1:32 kit p/n 80-3986, along with "Kits World" decals and "Yahu" instrument panel. My question concerns the Spinner. Regardless of what it looked like in early WW2, I am trying to find the appropriate 3-blade spinner to match what P7350 has today...and it certainly isn't the shape supplied with the kit, which looks - well - too short and dumpy. I have scoured the interwebs, this forum without success...can anyone advise... 1. Which spinner type does full size P7350 fly with these days? Rotol? DeHaviland? Other? 2. Does any after market shop supply this in 1:32 scale (with blades)...I don't mind having to "fiddle" with it a bit. MANY thanks, Eric

Announced (sort of) on their FB page. https://www.facebook.com/Hong-Kong-Models-Co-Ltd-1375731456009809/timeline/ Cheers, Andrew

Soviet Pilots (1939 – 1942) ICM1:32 ICM have a great selection of figures in their catalogue, the latest set is of is for Soviet Pilots, consisting of two pilots and a member of the operations staff. One pilot is in a sitting position, just right to pose in your lovely I-16 or I-153. The other pilot is standing and should be posed with the third figure as it looks like he’s giving the pilot a briefing before a mission. Each figure is made up from separate legs/lower torso, upper torso, arms and head; the standing pilot also has a two piece helmet. Then there is a selection of map and ammunition pouches, holsters, and parachutes and goggles. The parachute packs could do with some better webbing as the two parts provided for the standing pilot don’t look that realistic. Conclusion As usual ICM brings us something a little different, and it’s nice to see some 1:32 scale figures for use with their lovely aircraft kits. Review sample courtesy of

Good afternoon everyone! I think it's time I stepped into the breach and had a crack at this group build that I had promised to get involved with quite a while ago. So, what will I be building? I'll be having a go at the 1:32 Revell Tornado GR.1 kit that I picked up from Telford last year, hopefully in a raspberry ripple scheme used by the Royal Aircraft Establishment (the Tornado in question being ZA326 currently at Bruntingthorpe). Hang on a minute, you might be thinking, RAE is not part of the RAF and therefore ineligible for this group build! Well, I fully admit that this would ordinarily be the case, this build will be dedicated to JARTS (JARTS standing for the Joint Aircraft Recovery and Transportation Squadron) which "assisted with the dismantling and reassembling of the aircraft for road transportation" of ZA326. (Source) To further reflect the relation to JARTS, I'll be building ZA326 in a similar state to its current situation with multiple panels removed and/or left open. And finally to distance the aircraft from RAE, I will be painting/decalling ZA326 in its current scheme at Bruntinghthorpe (IE: without the RAE lettering and crest seen during service). -Pictures will soon follow as I commence the build. Thanks for dropping by! Best wishes, Sam

Pitot Probe for OV-10 Bronco 1:32 Master The latest release from Master Models in their series of replacement pitot probes have recently arrived at BMs London offices. It is well up to their usual standard and very sharp, so care should be taken once fitted. It is so much better than the styrene ones found in the kit. [AM-32-109] – Has been designed for the lovely North American OV-10 Bronco from Kitty Hawk Conclusion Master Models must have a tremendous machining set up to be able to produce these pitot probes and to produce them with such finesse. The always look great on the finished model. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of Piotr at

Dornier Do335 and other Gun Barrels 1:32 Master Models The latest batch of items from Master Models included these three sets for 1:32 Do335’s, but can also be used on other aircraft in the same scale. As usual, they are beautifully turned and finished and are so much more realistic than the kit parts. [AM-32-106] – This set is for any German aircraft that used the Mk103 30mm cannon, such as the Do335 and Hs-129. The set includes turned brass barrels with 3D printed muzzle brakes turned brass mounting rings. The set contains two versions of cannon muzzle brakes. [AM-32-107 – This detail set has been designed for the HK Models 1:32 Dornier Do335 and contains turned brass MG-151 gun barrels, FuG 25a antenna and a pitot tube. [AM-32-108 – This detail set has been designed for the HK Models 1:32 Dornier Do335B-2 and contains turned brass MG-151and MK-103 gun barrels with muzzle brakes, FuG 25a antenna and a pitot tube. Conclusion Here we have another group of really useful and well produced items. All the sets are well up to standard we have come to expect from Master Models. All you have to do is a bit of research on what the particular aircraft you are modelling was fitted with and choose the correct set. Review sample courtesy of Piotr at

Mornin' folks Just a thought, well a question to be honest: You may remember that I bought m'self the Kittyhawk Bronco a couple of months back, last week, I started idly cutting a few of the larger parts off the sprue just to check the fit etc, and - I'm being absolutely honest here - without trying to, or meaning to, I found after an hour that I had built three of the major sub-assemblies. Which brings me to this - given that it's definitely NOT a main-stream subject would there be any interest here at Britmodeller for a review-as-I-build type article ??? - Just my thoughts as I bring the thing together, not as any sort of expert, (I'm definitely NOT that), just as an ordinary modeller who happens to like the subject. OK, thassit, over to you. Ian.

Fokker E.V 1:32 Miko Mir with Pheon Decals The parasol winged Fokker D.VIII was the last of this companies aircraft to enter service before the end of the Great War. Originally designated the Fokker E.V. it was an agile little machine with a parasol wing and rotary engine, much like some of the early machines from the start of the Great War. It might have had greater success, had it not suffered from poor manufacturing standards. After barely two weeks service in August 1918, The E.V. had to be withdrawn due to failures causing the wing to disintegrate in flight. Badly made wings and poor materials were found to be the main cause. Examination of several sets revealed such things as incorrect wing spars, and nails that secured the plywood skinning completely missing the ribs it was supposed to attach to. Redesigned wings were manufactured under more stringent quality control, and the aircraft resumed production with the new designation of Fokker D.VIII. Surviving E.V.s were retro fitted with the new wing, and it seems were also then referred to as D.VIII's. Re-entering service in October, it did not much have much time to prove itself before the 11th November armistice brought the conflict to a halt. The Mikro Mir kit is typical short run injection molded, quite buildable but inevitably you need to do a bit of fettling to get things to fit, particularly the tailplane where it sits on the rear fuselage. I didn't much fancy any of the kit colour scheme options, so purchased Pheon Decals set 32061 which gives seven options, including five from Jasta 6 with the attractive striped tail and petaled engine cowling. Not only that, but Pheon supply a superb set of assembly jigs, more of which later. (Mrs Viking, without prompting, was looking over my shoulder while I pondered which colour scheme to apply, and pointed to this one, saying it was really nice. That decided that!) The E.V is a dainty little machine, I persuaded Leutnant Wolff to nip out during his coffee break to stand alongside and lend a sense of scale; There has been a lot of discussion on the wing colours applied to the E.V / D.VIII series, originally it was thought that it was olive green top and bottom. A few years ago Dan-San Abbot researched this, and concluded that it was incorrect. It was very likely that it was treated with woodstain, in Mocha brown and True green on top, with Azure blue and Violet underneath. I decided to go with this, and try to replicate it on my model, following the drawings on the Pheon instruction sheet . I used solid base colours in lighter versions, and then used thinned oil paints over the top to produce a streaky stained affect. I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out, but I'm pretty happy with the result. If anything I might try to make it lighter If I do another one. The Pheon decal sheet comes with a brilliant pair of assembly jigs that you need to apply to thick card, and put together. They are printed on sticky back paper, making the job very simple. I can't praise them enough, that are absolutely superb and make the otherwise complex assembly of the undercarriage and wing as easy as it could be. They ensure that everything lines up precisely with the correct spacing. It gets the wing on absolutely square to the fuselage, with the correct incidence. Utterly brilliant and essential to building this kit!. Add to Pheon's superb rapid service, and excellent choice of colour schemes and really can't go wrong. I was fortunate enough to have some airfoil sectioned brass 'Strutz' material (long out of production), to replace the plastic items in the kit. The whole model is very strong. The Undercarriage assembly jig ensures you get it spot on. (note the replacement brass legs). The second jig, where you place the wing in first, and then the fuselage. You can then fashion your own struts, or fit the less substantial kit ones; I used the kit plastic 'V' struts , but had to cut them at the point of the 'V' to fit them accurately to my brass replacements; I used Wingnut Wings aftermarket 4 colour lozenge decal which I had to cut to shape, but there is also the option of Aviattic's 'Cookie Cutter' set which provides for 2 aircraft. It's been a fun project, and I'm pleased to finally have a Fokker E.V to join my line up of Wingnut Wings kits. (But why do you always spot the devil dust on the photos after you've taken them ) Thanks for looking, John

Junkers D.1 - 1:32 Wingnut Wings This was one of Wingnut Wings surprise releases in April this year, few of us would have predicted that A Junkers D.1 was on the cards. Although Wingnut Wings are well known for producing beautifully engineered and presented kits, this one was so impressive when reviewed here it went straight onto my workbench, pushing all other projects aside. It hasn't disappointed, it is an absolute joy of a kit to build, pretty much flawless in every respect. The fit of parts is outstanding, virtually perfect, and there is no filler used at all, anywhere. Wingnut Wings kits are always outstanding, but this one probably tops the lot from all those I have built from their range so far. And with only one length of fishing line on the undercarriage. there is hardly any rigging either. The Junkers D.1 was the worlds first all metal monoplane fighter, and a hugely significant aircraft in the history of aviation. It arrived too late at the end of the First World War to have any real opportunity to prove itself, A few, perhaps four, were delivered to the western front, but most were delivered after the November 1918 Armistice. They saw post war service in the Baltic during 1919, with the German Freikorps fighting the Bolsheviks, where they were used to good effect. On with the photos; I've only lightly weathered, with a dark wash on various details and a bit of mud splatting on the underside. Cockpit details; To give an idea of its size, I've used that standard WW1 unit of comparison, an Albatros DV.a. The D.1 is surprisingly big. And a final comparison with Wingnut Wings other kit for a Junkers, the two seat J.1 ground attack machine. Those of you who have built one will know what a whopper of a model the J.1 is. Perfect companions; If you are thinking of trying a Wingnut Wings kit, but are wary of the biplane wing and rigging, then try this one. Cheers John

Just a 'heads up' if you are not in the habit of visiting the review section. We have received an advance copy of the new Junkers J.1 due to be released in 10 days time. Every effort has been made to get the review out ASAP. Here it is. As expected, it is a little beauty!

Junkers D.1 - 1:32 Wingnut Wings. The Junkers D.1's main claim to fame is that it was the world's first all metal monoplane fighter. It entered service in very small numbers in October 1918, just before the end of the First World War. Further examples saw action with the German Freikorps in the Baltic during 1919. An example of the kit was received from Wingnut Wings, reviewed here. I was so impressed with it, that I could not resist starting it right away. The cockpit area is quite a 'birdcage' of tubework, but has been broken down into comparatively few parts. The moildings are exquisite, and I started by removing all the interior parts to make into a few sun assemblies ready for paining and priming. A quick dry fit if the main parts shows how well it all fits. The precision is so high that no glue is used here; Interior painting is suggested as either bare metal or grey-green primer. I went for bare metal as I want to show that this was an all metal aeroplane. The two side frames at the top of this photo had a few injection 'towers' to cut off their rear faces, something to do with ensuring that the plastic flows fully through the mold I guess. It is a 30 second job and simple to do, but don't miss it or you'll have problems fitting the cockpit between the fuselage halves. After a spray of Halfords rattle can grey primer, I gave everything a spray of Tamiya X1 Black. I find that if you are going to apply silver paint, by far the best thing to do is apply a black undercoat. A coat of Vallejo 'Metal Color' aluminium followed. (Ok, technically these were steel tubes, but I'm happy with this colour). The fuselage parts were done at the same time. However, such are the close tolerances on Wingnut Wings kits that I have learned that even a coat of primer & paint on mating surfaces can interfere with the fit of the cockpit area between the fuselage halves. Just that little extra thickness can keep it from making a tight join. amazing but true, so I routinely mask off areas where cockpit bulkheads & frames will butt up to. It is only a 15 minute job. but will save you hours later. Primer & then black on; Then Vallejo 'Metal Colour' Dark Aluminium. I'm probably taking a bit of artistic license here, as I want to have a contrast between the fuselage skinning and the framework. It's got nice paint free channels for the frames to sit inthough! I'll let this lot settle down before starting on painting all the little brackets & fittings etc. Thanks for looking John

Hi, Dora from Hasegawa with few corrections. Fast to build, easy kit. Needs a little bit of fitting but nothing hard to deal with. Side inscription means: "Sell my clothes I'm going to heaven!". List of modifications: - pilot seat - added seatbelts and Yahu IP - modified gunsight - Quickboost exhausts - Eduard Bronze legs from Revell F-8 - gun barrels / pitot tube / bottom antenna from syringe needles - pilot motto - shortened tail wheel - wings crosses from Montex Masks WIP: https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=74576

US MD3 Generator Videoaviation 1:32 The latest 1:32 release from Videoaviation is of a MD3 Generator set. The set comes in a sturdy cardboard box with a picture of the unit on top. Inside there is quite a lot of cream coloured resin contained in either bubblewrap or ziplock bags. The mouldings are very nicely produced with very little flash and minimal webbing/attachments connecting the parts to the moulding blocks. There are twenty one parts all told, not including all the pipework which is included as uncut lengths. Construction begins with the fitting of the leaf spring suspension units to the rear of the generator body, followed by the two, two piece rear wheels. The front axle mount and fuel tank are then added, after which the front pair of two piece wheels are fitted to the axle and the whole assembly fitted into the mount hole. The towing arm can be posed in either folded or extended position. The different length cables are each fitted with plugs, before being coiled up and placed on the roof. Of course, you can also use the cables in a diorama setting attached to your particular aircraft. Decals are included for all the stencils and warning signs/markings for the unit, including the white edge markings. The modeller can paint this unit in two different colours depending on where they’re used, Yellow, or Green overall. Conclusion This is another great little kit from Videoaviation. Not too difficult to build, but could be fun to weather it a bit, not too much mind, and will make a super addition to any diorama next to and possibly attached to a suitable aircraft. Review sample courtesy of

12.7mm, (0.5”) Ammo Belts Brassin 1:32 Eduard seem to have a never ending stream of ideas for making modellers lives easier, or more difficult, depending on your point of view. If you’ve ever wanted extra ammunition belts to pose on your latest 1:32 creation, or replace the kit ones with something a little more accurate, then this set could be the answer. The blister pack contains four lengths of ammo belts, each around 70mm long. Once removed from their moulding blocks they are reasonably flexible, enough to drape over a wing or fit into an ammo tray and inserted into a breech. If you want more curvature then you will need to use hot/near boiling water to make them truly flexible to get that realistic look. Conclusion These belts are very well moulded and will look great once painted up and added to your model and/or diorama. Review samples courtesy of

SUU-20 Bomb Dispenser Videoaviation 1:32 The latest release from Videoaviation.com is this, well, what I can only call it a model for that is what is in its own right, of a SUU-20 Bomb Dispenser. Inside the sturdy acetate blister pack are twenty eight parts in the standard creamy beige resin and the instruction sheet. The resin is beautifully rendered, with no signs of bubbles or other flaws. The casting blocks don’t look to difficult to remove, but it will take a razor saw to do the best job on the larger parts. The kit includes the following resin parts:- Main bomb container Nose cone 12 crutches although only 6 required 6 BDU-33 practice bombs with 2 spares 6 attachment lugs for the container with only 2 required The details on the main container are very finely done with recessed panel lines and screw heads and the resin is wonderfully smooth. Construction is easy once the parts have been removed from the moulding blocks and cleaned up. The nose is fitted to the central container part followed by the 6 crutches, 2 attachment lugs and the six practice bombs. The colour scheme is white overall with metal or dark grey rocket tubes. The practice bombs are blue and just need the addition of RBF flags, (not provided) to complete the look. The instructions are very clear and easy to read, but it would have been nice it parts were actually named as well as numbered. Conclusion This is a very nice addition to the Videoaviation product range and will add something different to a completed model. With the well moulded, flawless resin it should go together fairly easily. All the modeller has to do is check their references and see if the model they are building needs one or two SUU-20s. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

USAF Crewchief Videoaviation 1:32 The latest release from Videoaviation.com is this figure of an USAF Crew chief. The figure is manufactured in the standard creamy beige resin which is really well moulded and detailed. [186532] USAF Crew Chief – This set contains just the one figure, with a single piece body standing, and separate arms and head. The figure is in a marshalling pose with hands clenched which indicates brakes on. Conclusion Videoaviation continue to release great sets to add life to your large scale dioramas, and this one is up to the usual standard. Just needs careful painting. Review sample courtesy of

IAR-80A/81C Wheel Set 1:32 CMK Q32 291 – Wheels. This set is part of CMK Easy Line of resin replacements, and consists of just the two late production style main wheels, each with a slight bulge to show the aircraft has a bit of weight to it. Just remove the moulding blocks from the contact point of the wheel, clean up with a couple of swipes from a sanding stick then glue to the axle of the kit main legs. Conclusion A great direct replacement for the kit wheels and eliminating the hardest part of wheel assembly, removing the seam without creating flat spots. Review sample courtesy of

Yakovlev Yak 3 Exhaust Stubs 1:32 CMK Q32 292 – Exhausts. This set is part of CMK Easy Line of resin replacements, and consists of just a pair of exhausts. Each exhaust stub is hollowed out give a really realistic look. The brief instructions show where they are meant to be removed from the moulding block, but since there is nothing inside the kit fuselage you could get away with just sliding the exhausts through the kit apertures with removing the blocks. Job jobbed. Conclusion This set is definitely more of a plug and play and an easy way to improve the look, however small of the finished model. Review sample courtesy of

Roland C.II 1:32 Wingnut Wings Ever since building the 1:72 Airfix kit as a kid I have liked this aeroplane, with its streamlined shape and 'face'. The real aeroplane was built with the fuselage in 2 halves, just like a plastic kit, which was then fitted over the interior framework to give a very light and strong unit. So it should have a visible join line top and bottom! (The join actually had a strip of fabric doped along it). As is usual with Wingnut Wings the kit was a total pleasure to build from start to finish. Of the 5 colour schemes offered, I had to go with this one as it is the very same that Airfix offered all those years ago. The anemometer on the wing of this aircraft had a canvas and wire fishy fairing attached! Remember the Airfix dogfight Double with the Roland and RE.8? You can do it in 1:32 now! Thanks for looking, John

AEG G.IV Late 1:32 Wingnut Wings The AEG G.IV late first started to appear with front line units in early 1917 although it wasn’t until the summer that were available in useful numbers. Developed from an early concept of the heavily armed ‘battleplane’ which was designed to fight it’s way through enemy formations, it was the first of the line to be intended solely as a bomber. The battleplane concept was proven to be flawed after heavy losses were suffered, although it partly resurfaced in later years with the Me.110 ‘Zerstorer’. The G.IV is less well known than the Gotha series of bombers, but in fact was able to carry a heavier bomb load. It was also the most popular amongst aircrews as it was considered to be the easiest of the twin engine bombers to fly. At first it was used as day time bomber, but heavy losses soon saw it switched to night bombing raids. Another lesson that was re-learned in second world war. The kit was reviewed almost exactly 2 years ago, but deserved to be allocated sufficient time to tackle the build, which has taken until now. [Edit] Forgot to say there is a Work in Progress here.[/Edit] It is not one for begginers, but is not actually that difficult to build if you have a couple of Wingnut Wings kits under your belt. Of their bigger kits I would think it is one of the simplest to build. There are no wooden areas to depict, the rigging is actually pretty straighforward, being mostly 'X's of wires in the wings. And the fit is so spectacularly good it self aligns everything as you fit it together. The only thing to be wary of is whacking things on your workbench as it gets bigger. There are options to display the engines fully cowled or fully opened. I follwed the suggestion in the instructions to 'mix and match' to create a mostly open framework with the lower parts using elements of cowling. Almost any combination is legitimate, as period photographs will show. It is anothe winner from Wingnut Wings, as I thoroughly enkoyed the build from start to finish. It has proven to be more of a challenge to photograph, due to it's size. Hope you like it. To give an idea of its size, here it is with a WNW Albatros. Thanks for looking, John

Junkers D.1 1:32 Wingnut Wings. (#32065) As soon as this subject was announced, it caused a flurry of interest on various internet sites (including this one). Opinion seemed divided between those who felt that it was an insignificant aircraft with only forty built, and others who felt that it was a highly significant as the world’s first all metal monoplane fighter. Almost all agreed that it was a chunky little aeroplane, with opinions again divided between those who thought it ugly, and those who felt it had character. Right from the start, this seems to have been one of the most talked about of Wingnut Wings planned releases. History. Hugo Junkers method of metal tube structures covered with corrugated sheets had first been patented in 1912. Although there was an obvious weight penalty, all metal aircraft offered several advantages. Apart from being difficult to shoot down, probably the most unsung virtue was their serviceability. Wood, wire, and linen machines were very susceptible to poor weather, especially that encountered in the long winter months on the western front. Cold, wet, and damp could play havoc with these delicate airframes, at best degrading their performance and at worst making them unfit to fly. The two seat Junkers J.1 (Wingnut Wings kit 32001) had entered service in August 1917, and proved to be a popular and reliable machine. It was therefore logical that Junkers should also be working on a single seat fighter. What emerged from several prototypes and design variations was the D.1 which went into service in October 1918. There were 2 versions of the D.1, most commonly referred to as the ‘short’ and ‘long’ fuselage types. Without going into all the differences, it was the ‘short’ version that became operational, and is the one represented by this new kit. A few, perhaps four, were delivered to the western front, but most were delivered after the November 1918 Armistice. They saw service in the Baltic during 1919, with the German Freikorps fighting the Bolsheviks. The Kit. As always, the wonderful Steve Anderson artwork graces the silver edged Wingnut Wings box. Two D.1’s are depicted in flight against a backdrop of sunlit cumulus clouds. Lovely! It certainly exudes that ugly-but-aggressive look that makes it oddly attractive. Inside the box are four large sprues holding all the plastic parts, a small etched fret with the machine gun cooling jackets & seat belts, and a decal sheet. The instruction booklet follows Wingnut Wings excellent style of CAD drawings showing the assembly sequences, backed up with illustrations of what the completed sub-assemblies look like. These are supplemented with an amazing total of fifty one contemporary black & white photographs of the real aircraft, and a set of eleven colour photographs showing details of two preserved Daimler-Mercedes D.III engines. No wonder so many modellers regard Wingnuts Wings instruction booklets as reference manuals in their own right. They must put huge amounts of man hours into creating them, because they are so complete and no one does it better. Step 1 covers construction of the cockpit and engine bay. This is a fairly complex looking tubular structure, which is fitted to the single piece fuselage underside. The mouldings are breathtaking, particularly the centre section & wing spars part A30, which is a single piece; The finished article may look complex, but the core of this ‘birdcage’ framework is made up from only five parts (A7, A11, A12, A17, and A30). It is one of Wingnut Wings hallmarks that they can take intricate structures like this, and make them into easy to assemble units. I couldn't resist, and already started it. Dry fitted with no glue, the fit is excellent; Various other details such as bulkheads, seat, controls, and instruments are added to finish off the main interior. A small amount of rigging can be added if the modeller wishes, a diagram is provided to show what and where. These are for the engine control rod, rudder, throttle, and trigger cables. Five amp fuse wire will be the ideal material for the cables, with short lengths of stretched sprue for the rudder pedal lines. A very helpful CAD drawing shows the completed sub-assembly in full colour, thus also working as a painting guide. Step 2 details assembly of the Daimler-Mercedes D.IIIa / D.IIIau engine, the main differences being the intake manifolds and air pumps. As mentioned before, eleven full colour photographs support the assembly drawings, and again we have full colour CAD drawings of both sides of the completed engine. Wingnut Wings engines are the centre piece of any model, and this one will be visible more than most with those big removable cowling panels. I usually add ignition wires from the magnetos to the spark plugs, it is not difficult to do but is time consuming. No doubt etched brass aftermarket sets will be available soon to simplify this job. The D.IIIau is the high compression version of the engine, and was marked with red bands around the cylinders. These are provided as decals, along with tiny black & silver data plates that are affixed to the crankcase. Step 3 sees the fuselage brought together in a most ingenious way. The underside already has all the interior work fixed to it, and now the left and right sides are attached to it. These sides have a false top & bottom, so they are shaped like any normal kit fuselage, but the beauty is that the joining seams are hidden. On the bottom the main underside piece covers it, and the top seam is covered by a separate fairing from the cockpit to the tailplane. Not just one fairing, there is a choice of two, with slight detail variations in the style of corrugation and a roll over hoop depending upon which version you have chosen. It is attention to the minor details such as this that make these kits such a pleasure to build. Fitting the tailplane, radiator, and exhaust completes this stage. Step 4 is fairly simple, involving just the assembly of the wings. Here you are offered the choice of actually fitting them to the aircraft, or leaving them off. This is not quite as odd as it may at first seem, as there are plenty of photographs of D.1’s with their wings detached on the ground nearby. Given the small size of the finished model, there is plenty of scope for some neat little dioramas. You will have to decide to build with the wings ‘on’ or ‘off’, as changes to the wing stubs mean it will not be possible to pop them off and on. The ‘off’ version exposes a lot of the neat ‘birdcage’ assembled in stage 1, complimented by a pair of interior wing ribs to fit on the ends of stub wings. Step 5 is for adding some of the smaller exterior details such as the foot steps (choice of two), rudder, and LMG 08/15 Spandaus with their flash guards over the engine. Etched brass cooling jackets are provided, which will need to be annealed (briefly heated red hot in a gentle flame and left to cool) and rolled to shape. If you are not confident in doing this, then solid plastic alternatives are provided. As with the engine, the Spandaus are going to be much more visible than on a biplane, so are well worth taking time over. Step 6 completes construction of the D.1. The undercarriage, cockpit coaming, engine panels, and propeller are all fitted. Two short bracing lines are fitted between the rear undercarriage legs, and that’s it, there is no more rigging to do! Options. Al selection of five different machines is offered, four wartime and one post Great War machine serving with the German Freikorps in Latvia. Junkers D.1 5185/18, Aldershof, October 1918. Junkers D.1 5185/18, ‘Bänder’, Hombeek, MFJG, November 1918. Junkers D.1 “Weisser Schwanz”, Hombeek, MFJG, November 1918. Junkers D.1 5188/18? “11”, October 1918. Junkers D.1, Gotthard Sachsenberg (31 victories), Theodore Osterkamp (38 victories) & Josef Jacobs (48 victories), FA 416, September-October 1919. Decals. Decals are by Cartograf, so are of a very high standard. All printing is pin sharp with good colours and minimal carrier film. Plenty of small stencils, instruments and details are provided, along with the larger national and individual markings. The coloured bands on option B ‘Bänder’ are not known with absolute certainty, although red & white is thought most likely. However, should you disagree, green & white, yellow & white, and black & white are also provided. Conclusion Every new Wingnut Wings kit is waited for with great anticipation, and they never disappoint, by virtue of their being so well thought out and engineered. Announcement of this one seemed to cause a few grumbles out there on the ‘net, mainly along the lines of ‘why can’t we have an XYZ’. Well this is a hugely significant aircraft, being the world’s first all metal monoplane fighter, and deserves a place in any collection of 1:32nd aircraft models. It will be the perfect companion to the Wingnut Wings two seater Junkers J.1 (one of my favourite finished models of all the range). As well as in a Great War collection, the Junkers D.1 would sit very well against almost any Me/Bf 109 model. In fact this could be done for option E, as Theodore Osterkamp went on to fly the 109E with JG 51 in the Battle of Britain, scoring six more victories to add to his previous thirty two. They would indeed make a very interesting pairing. The quality of the mouldings ,particularly the representation of the corrugations is outstanding. It has been done with such finesse, with tiny little rivet detail and perfectly rounded ends to each line. The clever breakdown of the fuselage parts should make assembly very simple, with almost no, to minimal clean up. If you have been thinking of getting a Wingnut Wings kit but been put off by rigging, this is probably the best one yet for a novice to build. There are no clear parts, no complicated strutting, and only two little rigging lines on the undercarriage that can easily be done with fine wire or stretched sprue. Add to that that this is a Wingnut Wings package with all the quality that the name assures, this pugnacious and interesting little aeroplane deserves to be high up on everyone’s ‘wants’ list. I am so impressed and enthused by it, that it is going straight on to my workbench to be my number one build project. Look out for its imminent appearance in the ‘Work in progress’ section of this forum. <EDIT> Here it is in Work In Progress </EDIT> <EDIT> And the finished model is now in Ready for Inspection </EDIT> Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hi everyone For my third build since returning to modelling in late 2016 after a 20+ year break, I'm building the Revell 1:32 Mk.II Spitfire. You know the one - cue box shot... hopefully I have actually been working on this one since about mid-November. Now, I'm not in the habit of taking photos of my builds, either WIP or finished, but I have been capturing a few images of this one because I am building it for my brother and wanted to show him that work was indeed progressing. As I became a member at Britmodeller earlier this month, I thought I could share the journey with you guys too. I really enjoy wandering round the forums taking a look at everyone's brilliant work, so I thought I'd make my own contribution. My brother received this kit for x-mas a couple of years ago, but he's into painting Warhammer stuff rather than building aircraft. When I got back into the hobby I asked him if he had started it and offered to make it for him when he confirmed that it remained untouched in a cupboard. That was Easter 2017. I originally planned for it to be a side project and to finish it by Christmas, but that didn't happen so it spent some more time in a cupboard albeit in a different location. As you can tell from some of the timelines of the above, I'm not particularly quick. Life has a habit of getting in the way of modelling progress, but I do get there in the end - most of the time. Actually I have recently signed up to the RAF Centenary Group Build, so I am working to an artificial deadline of the GB start date to get this one finished. Beginning of April if I remember correctly...

I-16 Type 28 ICM 1:32 Design work on the I-16 began during the summer of 1932 at the Central Aero and Hydrodynamic Institute. When the tiny I-16 flew for the first time in December 1933, it was far ahead of any other fighter design in the world, featuring retractable landing gear, a cantilever wing and variable pitch propeller. Although not among the best remembered aircraft of the thirties, it was nevertheless a very able and rugged machine and featured prominently in the events of the time. When the Spanish Civil War broke out, almost 500 were put into service with the Republicans. The outstanding manoeuvrability, firepower and rate of climb, surprised the enemy leading to the opposition nickname of Rata (Rat) and the friendly name Mosca (Fly). Equipped with the Soviet 20 mm cannon it was the most powerful aircraft weapon in front line service with any nation on the eve of World War II. It had a very high rate of fire and was extremely reliable. Another batch of I-16s was purchased by China to fight the Japanese, again surprising the other side with excellent performance. When it first appeared, the I-16 Ishak (Little Donkey) was powered by a radial engine which developed a modest 450 hp. Even with this it achieved a creditable 376 km/h (234 mph) and, as the world's first single-seat fighter to have low monoplane wings, an enclosed cockpit (on some versions) and a retractable undercarriage. It was immediately put into mass production alongside the Polikarpov I-15 biplane fighter. Development led eventually to one version of the I-16 reaching over 520km/h (325 mph), with an engine of about two-and-a-half times the original power. At this point the I-16 might well have faded into obscurity, if not for the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936. This war drew support from all over the world. The Nationalists, supported mainly by German and Italian forces, were the better equipped. Britain, France, the United States, the Netherlands, Czechoslovakia and Turkey all sent an assortment of aircraft to the Republican forces, directly or indirectly. But by far the major supporter of the Republicans was the Soviet Union, which supplied 1,409 of the 1947 aircraft contributed by other countries. 475 of these aircraft were Polikarpov I-16s. They first entered combat in Spain in November 1936. Flown in many cases by Soviet pilots, they proved more than a match for German He 51 fighters and Arado Ar68, but met their equals in the Italian C.R.32 biplanes and were overpowered by Messerschmitt Bf 109s. From March 1937, all remaining I-16s were concentrated into Fighter Group 31, and this was by far the most successful of all Soviet-equipped units. Meanwhile, I-16s were fighting also in China, and in 1939 were operated against the Japanese in Mongolia. Their final fling came during the early part of the Second World War, but by then they were overshadowed by more advanced foreign types. Suffering the brunt of the German invasion, those remaining were replaced by more modern fighters in 1942-1943. The Type 28 was a Type 24 with a 1,100 hp (820 kw) M-63 radial engine. As with the Type 24, the wings were strengthened and larger capacity drop tanks could be used. Most aircraft were equipped with either the RSI-1 or RSI-3 radio and oxygen equipment. The Type 28 was armed with two ShKAS 7.62 machine guns and two ShVAK 12.7mm machine guns. The Model This is the second in ICM’s series of I-16’s, the previous release being a Type 24. As with the previous release there is a nice artist’s representation of the aircraft on the box top. Once you take the lid off the box and opened the inner lid, you will find three large sprues of grey styrene, one small clear sprue and a medium sized decal sheet. All the parts are superbly moulded, with no sign of flash or other imperfections and only a few noticeable moulding pips. There are a few swirl marks in the plastic, but nothing to worry about and will easily be covered when the kit is primed and painted. Since the aircraft was mostly wood there are very few panel lines, where fabric was used in the construction, the kit shows the underlying structure, but in a nicely restrained way. Construction begins with the wings and the two upper sections being attached to the single piece lower section, after which the port and starboard clear navigation lights are attached. Each aileron is moulded in top and bottom halves, which, once joined together are fitted in the desired poses, along with the lower underside of the nose. The cockpit is assembled next, and is a very nicely detailed area. The rear bulkhead is fitted with the seat backrest and support, while the two piece rudder pedals are assembled. The pedals are fitted to the cockpit floor, along with the rear mounted battery box. The front and rear bulkheads are then glued into the left hand fuselage section along with some sidewall detail. The floor is then slide in through the front bulkhead opening and glued to the rear bulkhead. The two piece throttle is assembled and glued into position, and then the instrument panel, which is moulded in clear plastic is fitted with the instrument decal. The rest of the cockpit is then detailed with the oxygen bottle instrument panel, joystick, a couple of handles, and seat. On the opposite side wall the undercarriage handle and a couple of instrument clusters are attached. The firewall is fitted with the two piece oil tank and two gun troughs, before being fitted to one half of the fuselage. The two piece rudder and three piece elevators are then assembled, as is the two piece upper nose section. The fuselage halves are then joined, and the rudder, horizontal tailplanes and upper nose section attached, as are the two door panels. The fuselage and wing assembly are then glued together. The engine bearers and attached to the engine mounting ring, followed by gearbox case and intake manifold, the two halves that make up the cylinders, each with exquisite fin detail, are joined together, then fitted with the piston rods and individual exhaust pipes, before the gearbox assembly is fitted to the rear. The completed engine is then attached to the fuselage. The engine is cowled with three optionally fitted panels, plus the three piece nose cowl, with optionally positioned vents. The two machine guns fitted to the upper nose are then slid into their associated troughs, followed by the gunsight and windscreen. The build is finished off with the assembly of the two main undercarriage units. Each unit is made up of a two piece wheel, single piece main leg, complete with actuator, two outer doors, with separate hinged lower section, there is a second support rod fitted with another door which is glued to the leg and rear mounting point in the wing. The tail wheel is then attached, as is the tail cone and rear light, wing gun muzzles, side mounted venturi style pitot and what looks like an aerial unit, aft of the cockpit. Decals The decal sheet is printed by ICM themselves. The decals are quite glossy, well printed, in register and nicely opaque, particularly useful for the large white arrow. There are only two decal options with this release, both in standard green over blue. The two aircraft are:- I-16 Type 28 of the 45th Aircraft Division, Southern Front, Odessa Area, late June 1941 I-16 Type 28 of the 72nd Mixed Regiment of the Northern Fleet Aviation, August 1941 Conclusion There’s something about the old I-16, no matter which type. Whether it’s the cute little plane, or the plucky little fighter going up against the odds, with only the skills of the Soviet pilots keeping the aircraft, which was quite difficult to fly and fight with, in the air. I do hope that ICM bring out other aircraft in this scale and not just I-16’s, even though it is really very nice and will build up into a great looking model with plenty of provision for the super detailers amongst us to really go to town on the interior. Review sample courtesy of