Search the Community

I started another Spitfire for my growing collection. This time, it will be photo recon FR Mk IXc in striking PRU pink scheme from 16th Squadron in second half of 1944. Discussion thread: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235146219-spitfire-in-pink-options/ Initially, I planned to paint PR Mk X in this scheme but it turned out that KP decal option is not real, so I decided to convert Eduard Mk IXc (late) into FR. Major change is obviously oblique camera installation. I had to cut round window in a radio hatch, trying to get size and positioning like in the photos. I chose to glue square piece of transparent plastic so I had to thin the hatch significantly. It proven to be quite difficult and I broke the edge of opening in one place forcing me to perform delicate repair. Still I think it was less problematic then other option - trying to fit round window in the hole. It also allowed me to glue strengthening strips one the inside. I also built body of the camera, but it is very crude as only the lens is visible. Next was cockpit, built out of the box with Eduard profipack PEs. Sides of the seat were thinned a bit, I added some wires, oxygen pipe and I decided to move upper part of control column as I glued ailerons slightly offset. Cockpit was painted with Pactra (grey green), Citadel (silver) and Kimmera acrylics (seat and details). Camera lens was painted with Molotov chrome marker.

Well folks it's about time I posted something so here it is, started this kit a few weeks ago after buying it from our very own Mr P Brickles from ABC Models. Its a nice enough kit but not up to there recent releases, I've used a lot Tamiya filler just to get some of the basic parts together. Whats worse is the nasty sink marks on some of the superstructure parts will will be a real test to hide, I've also came across a few warped parts that will need some TLC to put right. Just waiting now for WEM to release the PE sets and I'll be cracking on! Right some Pix of whats been done so far. This little equipment box has a very nasty sink mark in its center, building a new one from scratch is probably the best move here? The forward bulkhead on my kit was badly warped, its just visible underneath the ski jump, not perfect but once glued should be okay. Some very nice detail, some of the bulkheads do have a lot of ejector pin marks which will be visible close up, this one is very good The lower hull fits very well to the upper waterline area, minimal filler will be required which is good Mines just taped into place as I'm not sure to build as a water line model or full hull??? Another area that requires a fair amount of filler. The goalkeeper system, lovely little part, very nice detail, just needs the canvas gator around the barrel support, nothing too hard to do. The first piece of AM I bought for another USN Ship build....Veteran model SBROC launchers, much better than the kit items, to be fair they are tiny but I had them anyway so I'll use them, one box is enough to provide Lusty with all 8 launchers. I got these from Lucky model in HK $6.59. So far the build has been very enjoyable, shame about the filler required but I'm not too bothered, its a great kit which I'm glad has been kitted. Quality wise its not upto Airfix's new release's, it's more like the old 48th scale Buccaneer/ Hawk quality. I'm sure the kit with the WEM PE set will look stunning, alot of the antenna, sensor fits are not included in the kit but I'm sure that's due to the limitations of injection molding. If you have the space and love modern RN subjects......Get one ! Regards Dan

Hello, Here's another project of mine. 3 american aircrafts including 1 and a half under british management. Both are early Mustangs with différents armament and of course different wing. 1 MTO, 1 ETO and the last from CBI There's an Accurate min and 2 ICM, serioulsly they're almost identical. The first to be finished, I guess will be the MTO one a P-51A from an US Sqdn on loan to an brit squadron. The colours will be ... Let's say, unusual. One of my favourite game , you both should know the kind of remark "are you sure about the colours ???" I modify the camera rack for 2 of thede Mustang, because, you receive this... And you must have that... So, I cut the brackets, throw away the original support, add an armour plate ( from her cousins ) slightly modified. Add wiring to the camera, That seem promising, there's also lots of sanding but the ICM are worst. I keep on going, modifying the wings according to the 3 different type of early mustang is funny. Thank for watching. Corsaircorp

Thanks HKR 👍 Eduard worked in secret on a new kit and tomorrow it will be announced 7PM (Warsaw Time) UPDATE - It'll be a family of 1/48th Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" Source: https://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=95280&start=33390#p2448351 V.P.

After the success of the Spitfire build, I'm going to stay with the 'winged things' theme with the 1/48 Tempest Mk. V series 1 from Eduard. Pre-flight briefing: At risk of upsetting fans and lovers of all things Spitfire, I have to admit that my favourite WW2 aircraft is the Hawker Typhoon. I like it's 'thuggish' and rugged looks .... it's like a tool made for the job in hand. I acquired the Airfix 1/24 scale Typhoon and added a load of aftermarket and, as much as I'd like to build it, I'm not that confident with aircraft and want to do it justice, so more flying hours are needed, so what better way to add to the log book than with this one? I've added a pilot from CMK and Montex masks, although after the experience of them with the Spitfire, they may not get used! Rather than a specific pilot, I'll be building this as JN735 operated by No. 3 Squadron, based at Newchuch, Kent in June 1944. And here's lies first challenge - invasion stripes! The stencilling looks to be not too bad - less than the Spitfire - until I noticed S47 relating to the 'Amal' fasteners ....... so I counted up on the decal sheet and immediately wished I hadn't. There are over 100 of them! As seems to be the norm, here's the sprue shot: And, as I had some primer in the airbrush, I thought I'd give the fuselage and wings a coat: So, it's time to climb aboard, buckle up and start the engine - the tower has given the green light so lets hope there isn't much turbulence on the coming sorties! Keith ☺️

Another Eduard Bf109 finished! This is the second model from the limited edition Gustav Pt.1 box, which introduced the G-5 and G-6 variants to Eduard's 1/72 range. The first one I built from this box was a stripey Bf109G-5. I've done this one as scheme I from the kit, a 1./JG50 G-6 flown by Alfred Grislawski in September 1943. The camouflage is a typical RLM 74/75 over 76 with mottling. I chose this scheme for the underwing guns, which none of my other 109s have. The kit is fantastic, accounting for a huge variety of different minor variants and provides options for dropped flaps. 14 schemes are included, although 12 of the 14 are variations on RLM74/75 over 76 (in all fairness 2 of those are covered in very heavy mottles). The lack of variety despite there being so many schemes is a little disappointing but you can always go with aftermarket. In total I've now built 3 of Eduard's 1/72 Bf109, in addition to some other Bf109 kits I've also recently built. With these still in the stash (the Gustav Part 1 box just contains the plentiful spares from this and previous builds), and the G-10 Royal Class kit on its way from Hannants, I've got enough Bf109s to keep me busy for a while! The wip thread is here:

My second entry to the GB will be the Z-37A crop sprayer. I suppose it really should be “Give vegetables a chance”, but there was some infamous graffiti on the M25, Chalfont Viaduct saying “Give Peas a chance” which I regularly used to see when I lived in the London area. Hence, I have gone for that. Unfortunately, the graffiti has now been graffitied over 😬 Only 2 sprues which look nice as per the norm with Eduard. There are 4 different schemes three mostly yellow and one red and yellow, so I will probably go for latter TBC. I thought there was a problem with the decals when I first looked as the serial numbers at the bottom look a mess. On further inspection I realised this is to replicate where they have been overpainted. Nice touch Mr Eduard. Six days to go and counting................ George

Good day, This is likely my final submission for the 2024 calendar year. The highlights of this kit are as follows………….. 1. Cockpit : Vallejo RLM 66, Vallejo Black wash, Tamiya Metallic grey ( XF-56 ) dry brushed highlights 2. Airframe : Ammo Atom RLM 74, 75, & 76, Tamiya Rubber Black ( XF-85 ) lower wing, Ammo Medium Gray & Stone Gray wash. 3. Propellers : Vallejo RLM 70, Tamiya Khaki Drab ( XF-84 ) dry brush 4. Landing gear, wheels, & tires : Vallejo RLM 02, Mission Models Tire Black ( MMP-40 ), Tamiya Black ( X-1 ), Tamiya Dark Earth & Metallic Gray dry brush 5. Exhaust : Gunze Burnt Iron, Polly Scale Burnt Aluminum dry brush, Vallejo Light Rust wash 6. Uschi bobbin thread radio wire 7. Built primarily out of the box including kit decals and photo etched seat belts, instrument panels 8. Replaced gun barrels with brass tubes ( 0.06MM ) 9. Weathered with washes, paint, and chalk pastels I had a devil of a time trying accurately replicate Oblt Schnaufer`s complex camouflage pattern. After numerous attempts and to the point of sanding the colors off, I simply went with what I have here. I know it`s not accurate but I wanted to proceed and not give up entirely on the kit. As Eduard products are renowned for, the detail and fit of parts is of the highest quality. Yes, I broke the nose radar antennas on three separate occasions during handling. The radar antenna is a very complicated process to assemble. The profi-pack edition is a must have for this subject as the complex framing of the windscreen poses a significant challenge and the included photo etched parts provide superior detail. The decals are not too thin where they can be handled without the fear of tears but thin enough to settle down nicely with solution. Due to the complexity of the kit, I can only recommend this Bf-110 night fighter to those with more experience. Thank you in advance, Mike

P-51B/C Seat with Belts Type 2 & 3 PRINT (6481040 & 6481041) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Eduard’s new range of Mustang kits in 1:48 are a sight to behold, pushing injection-moulding technology to achieve exceptional levels of detail, but as with all styrene kits you can always improve by using different media to create key parts. Although these sets arrive in a flat package, the directly 3D printed parts are safe inside a clear plastic clamshell box inside the package, which also has a sticky pad inside to prevent the parts from rattling about. The parts are printed resin, attached to the base via thin tendril-like supports that are easy to cut off and sand the little upstands away, leaving them ready for action. Both seats are printed with integral belts that have a realistic drape to them, with all the furniture present already, and no assembly required, just remove the seats from their bases and sand/cut back the tiny raised marks. Once done, you can go ahead with painting and fitting in the cockpit as a drop-in replacement for the kit seats. There are three styles available, of which we have two today. P-51B/C Seat Type 2 (6481040) P-51B/C Seat Type 3 (6481041) Conclusion Both seats have superb detail moulded-in and simple preparation. Once you’ve painted it, it’ll be a focal point of your model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Notwithstanding the fact that I'm building (or butchering should I say?) a couple of Hurricanes, I could not resist starting this new work. First of all I have to say thank you to two benefactors who supported me with a lot of material for this conversion work. Thank you gentlemen (you know who you are!). Last week I was evaluating what will I build with these new assets and now I have a plan. I would like to model a Seafire Mk.46: although a rare bird, I think it is so beautiful with its low-back, huge fin, and contra-prop... I would also like to model a Pr. Mk XIX because I rate it the most elegant Spitfire ever. But first of all I want to model a Mk XII. Some people like this variant the most among the Griffon-engined ones; I like better the long-nose (more appropiately the two-stage-compressor-engined) ones but this variant has a particular charm in being a sort of a "hybrid", being a "rare bird" and even for its war record being employed as a stop-gap against the Fw-190 low-raiders and V1 missiles... ...Thinking about it I feel the same fascination for the very early F Mk.IX which had a similar origin and operational history, or the Mk. VI and VII. There's no perfect Mk.XII kit on the market (that I'm aware of, at least) so add the fashion of a modelling challenge to the above mentioned reasons to build one! Publicly available documents about this variant seem scarce and photo coverage is not abundant too. There are no preserved original Mk.XIIs, and the closest relatives available today as a reference are Seafire Mk XVs which are quite different in many detail. The general shape of the aircraft is well undestood but there are differences in detail between the early-build airframes and later ones; moreover Mk XII has some peculiar elements like the carburettor intake and the magneto hump which are unique in the Spitfire lineage. Fortunately the few existing photographs show rather well these particulars and allow for an accurate reconstruction. Here is the recipe I have in mind for the ultimate 1/72 Mk.XII: Base kit: Eduard Engine cowling and propeller blades: modified Airfix Mk.22 Spinner: modified Airfix Underwing oil radiator: Tamiya or Sword Scale plans: Jumpei Tenma's A lot of work, a little scratch-building The base kit is well known; Eduard's 1/72 Spitfire is a scaled down version of Eduard's 1/48 Spitfire which in turn is a scaled down version of .....(it can't be said openly) which is a 1/32 reproduction of a full-size Spitfire. All of the main features are dimensionally very very close to the data reported in the monumental "Spitfire engineered" book by Montforton; it is the only real "Spitfire looking" 1/72 Spitfire model I'm aware of, together with Airfix Mk.22 incidentally. That 2012 kit still has the best Griffon nose ever produced in 1/72 and is the perfect donor for a conversion work, as many modellers before me discovered. To be honest, both Airfix Mk.22 and Airfix Pr.Mk XIX have a correctly-shaped engine cowling; both kits have small defects in the shape of the cylinder bank fairings: the Mk.22 has them too short at the back, Pr.Mk XIX has an incorrect shape in front (due to the simplified moulding process chosen by Airfix for this kit) AND too short fairings. Correcting the Mk.XIX cowling is much more difficult than adjusting the Mk.22's so the last is a better choice. When asserting that this is the best choice for a Griffon nose in 1/72 I mean the following verified facts: -the profile is accurate within 0,1-0,2mm (or can be easily done so after the careful removal of the moulding burrs) -the width in plan is accurate, and the cross section is just about right (I'll try to have a better look at this in the building process) -the position, shape and angle relative to the thrust line of the cylinder covers appear to be accurate (whitin my measurement capabilities) except for the length in the back. I checked also Sword and Special Hobby products but simply they are not accurate, in particular regarding the shape and position of the cylinder humps and exausts (Sword) or overall cowling shape (SH). The propeller is a very good base for the Mk.XII were not for the fact that it has five blades instead of four... The Spinner assembly results slightly excessive in length (0,4mm) and the baseplate has some peripheral burr so that its diameter is about 10,2mm instead of 9,9mm. This mismatch is easily addressed by some reshaping of the spinner assembly on a lathe. If normally I can't decide which livery put on a particular a/c variant the Mk.XII requires yet another choice from the beginning: fixed tailwheel or retractable tailwheel? I resolved my quandaries choosing the retractable tailwheel variant (although at this moment I've not choosen a particular a/c to represent) Let's begin. The Griffon cowling is separated from the fuselage and compared to a scaled down version of J.Tenma's plans of the Seafire Mk.XVII (he did not trace plans for the Mk.XII or Mk.XV although you can find colorized profiles for them in his website) If your printer does allow just integer percentage scaling of the original (like mine), you can get perfect results by scaling with Inkscape, Photoshop or similar software. Please notice in the photograph above how well the Airfix nose matches the profile; it can be further improved by gentle bending of the upper arch, but this is not necessary for the Mk.XII because of the magneto bulb in that position. The cut is refined until reaching the perfect size, and the process is repeated for the other side. According to this quoted drawing for the Seafire Mk.XV (which is supposedly based on Supermarine data and matches J.T. plans), the "measurable" (I mean with a caliper) lenght of the section is calculated with some easy math: from fuselage datum point to the front of the cowling, at propeller axis: 76,2 inches from fuselage datum point to the upper cowling panel line: 1,28" (source "Spitfire engineered") the front cowling section is a disk, reportedly 28" diameter, inclined 2° to the cowling panel line. This adds 14" x tan(2°) =0,49" to the measurable length so: measurable lenght= 76,2"-1,28"+0,49"=75,41" which in 1/72 converts to 26,60 mm. My result is pretty good!...and was obtained matching the plans, and taking some progressive measurement of the part. One of the key points in getting a precise cut is adjusting the final tenths of mm with the right tool. I use 400-grit sandpaper glued to the side of a square aluminum block, and lay both the nose part and the aluminum block on the same plane, so that the sandpaper results perpendicular to it. Both halves are finished. And now... there's no return! Two perfectly good Eduard Spitfire Mk.VIII fuselages are horribly mutilated!

L-39ZA Albatros SPACE (3DL72046) 1:72 Eduard Eduard have just re-released their Aero L-39ZA Albatros that we reviewed here, and have also released some new upgrade sets to improve on the detail already moulded into the kit’s parts. Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. To prepare for application of the decals, you need to remove the moulded-in details from the two instrument panels and the four side consoles, which will involve sanding or shaving away the raised components with a sharp blade, taking care not to stab yourself in the process. New 3D printed decals are applied to the instrument panels, ensuring that you use the correct one for front and rear, adding grey sidewall decals over the interior of the fuselage as indicated, and finally fitting four side consoles, two per cockpit to the flat tops that were prepared earlier. The pre-painted and nickel-plated PE parts are used on the ejection seats, and include a full set of four-point harnesses, anti-flail leg straps and pull-handle at the front of the seat’s base, plus equipment and levers that fit to the sides of the base frame. The headbox sides are skinned with two triangular panels, adding a tangle of belts and a handle to the top of the box, representing the drogue ‘chute’s mechanism. This is done in duplicate of course, as the aircraft is a two-seater. It's a huge upgrade to the cockpit detail that offers pre-finished dials and instruments that begs for an open cockpit to show it off. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Eduard leaflet for May: http://www.eduard.com/store/out/media/distributors/leaflet/leaflet2016-05.pdf change digit in link for older issues

B-24H Wheels (672380 for Airfix) 1:72 Eduard Brassin We’ve recently reviewed the new Airfix Consolidated B-24H Liberator here recently, and it’s a fine kit. The Kit wheels are in two halves with two more parts for the hubs, which means you have the resultant joins around the circumference to deal with, and limitation to detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seam-line and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are typically a drop-in replacement. As usual with Eduard's smaller Brassin sets, it arrives in a flat resealable package similar to their PE sets but with different branding, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. This set includes four resin wheels on their own casting blocks, a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) brass, and a set of pre-cut masks on kabuki-style paper washi tape material. The attachment points are on the contact patch of the tyres where they are flattened out due to the weight of the airframe, so it should be straight-forward to cut them free with a razor saw, filing the remainder flush. The detail is exceptional, including diamond tread on the rolling surfaces of the tyres, and hub details are upgraded, although the option of fitting flat PE hub caps will hide the hubs away, but for accuracy’s sake it must be done, unless you don’t want to, of course! There are two nose-wheels, with a choice of eight or nine spoked hubs for you to use after checking your references. Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks provide you with a full set of masks for hubs/tyres, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Fw.190A Seat w/Integral Belts PRINT (6481038 for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Eduard’s 1:48 Fw.190A kits are well-crafted, but now we have a technology that can create parts with exceptional detail and fidelity that simply makes a drop-in replacement for focal points of the model. Although this set arrives in a flat package, the directly 3D printed parts are safe inside a clear plastic clamshell box inside, which also has a sticky pad inside to prevent the parts from rattling about during shipping and in storage. The parts are 3D printed resin, attached to the base via thin tendril-like fingers that are easy to cut off and sand the remnants away, leaving them ready for action. Consisting of a single part on its own base, the new seat is a direct replacement for the kit part, and has the seat belts and base cushion moulded/printed-in. The belts are naturally draped over the shell of the seat, and due to the technology used in 3D SLA printing, there are gaps engineered where the four-point belts curve around the sides and back of the seat, offering an enhanced realism that improves on previous methods for depicting belts that have gone before. All the supports are located on the rear and underside of the seat shell, so that clean-up will be easy, the modeller simply ensuring that the slightly raised location points are removed where they might be seen or may impinge on proper fitment of the part. Once sympathetically painted, the seat will be a fine focal point of the cockpit of your next Fw.190A project. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Happy New Year to all friends and my best wishes for personal and family happiness. I wish for everyone, that 2025 will be a good modeling year. Start for 2025, with a kit that remains fresh, despite its years, pleasant to build, interesting historically and visually beautiful. For the construction, in addition to the kit (weekend edition), it is used the very beautiful engine of Eduard, the masks for the hood, 3D printed wheels from EMP, as well as two sets of masks of Armycast for painting the insignia. The construction starts with the cockpit which, although it consists of few pieces, is considered adequate for the scale. The small photo etched set enhances the whole and a good painting (interior green and highlights with various sand and yellow green tones, helps to highlight any raised detail. Thanks for watching!

1/72 - MiG-21 Fishbed family project was finally officially confirmed by Eduard http://www.eduard.com/store/out/media/InfoEduard/archive/2015/info-eduard-2015-01CZ.pdf (english version soon) MF, bis and SMT versions expected first

Thanks "hawkeye" Tbolt (link) ! Is Eduard to release soon a new tool (?) 1/72nd North American P-51D kit? Let's have a look at page 52 of this month Eduard Info Vol.20 May 2021. Source: https://www.eduard.com/out/media/InfoEduard/archive/2021/info-eduard-2021-05-enrr.pdf V.P.

B-24J Engines PRINT (6481029 for Hobby Boss) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Hobby Boss followed their 1:32 Liberator last year with a new tooling in 1:48, which was the first in this scale (my preferred scale) since Monogram’s excellent but dated kit from the 1970s, which although it had raised panel lines could be built into a decent replica with help. This new one from Hobby Boss is crying out for super-detailing, and Eduard are making that a possibility. As is usual with Eduard's larger resin sets, they arrive in a Brassin-themed black-and-yellow cardboard box, with the resin parts safely cocooned in bags between two layers of grey foam, and the instructions folded around acting as additional padding. There are two segmented bases containing eight parts in 3D printed resin, four engines and four adapters to ensure a snug fit of the parts on the kit nacelle bulkheads. The engines are attached to their bases via fine support tendrils, which can easily be removed, but take care not to accidentally remove the wiring loom that is engineered into the front face, as they are also fine and could easily be mistaken for more supports. There is a useful scrap diagram in the top-left of the instructions that shows the various wires and push-rods along with painting call-outs in Gunze Sangyo codes, which is Eduard’s preferred brand. Once cut from their supports, the engines should be painted and weathered, followed by fitting the adapter-plate to the rear, and inserting a 6.8mm length of 0.3mm rod from your own stocks into the bell-housing at the front of the motor to act as prop-shaft. That will allow you to hang the kit propellers from the front, but improving the detail a thousand-fold. There are also smaller scrap diagrams that show the removal of a tab from the bottom of the nacelle housings, with the part numbers called out, and the remainder of the tab thinned down to 0.7mm for easy fitting of the new engines. Detail is stunning, and the inclusion of a wiring loom on a twin-row radial will save hours of modelling time trying to get lengths of lead wire to stick somewhere near where they should be without covering the parts and yourself with superglue. VERY highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

So while I’m waiting for Uschi to send me my “wood decals” I’ve decided to build another Eduard Spitfire. This time I’m going to build one of the options from the “Per Aspera ad Astra” dual combo… …this kit offers 12 schemes… I’ve not seen this tri-camo’ version before so I think it'll be an interesting subject… I’m toying with the idea of an “in flight” version, I’ll check my spares box to see if I have ant suitable pilot figures? Next, as “normal”, I’ll be starting with the cockpit until next time as always, any suggestions, criticisms or comments will be gratefully received. rgds John(shortCummins)

F-4E Parachute (672382 for Fine Molds) 1:72 Eduard Brassin A lot of fast jets land at high speed, and need to slow down in a hurry, especially if they have landed at a shorter runway than usual. They do this by applying the wheel brakes, air-brakes, but also many jets have a parachute pack that they can deploy at the rear to further retard the speed of their aircraft. The ‘chutes don’t go on fire because they’re made from a tough, fire-resistant material, but also because the aircraft’s throttles are either at idle or in reverse, assisting with the braking. The F-4 was designed primarily as a carrier aircraft, where it would usually land using an arrestor hook, which brought it to a halt in a hurry, but that puts a huge stress on the airframe, shortening its lifespan, so is to be avoided when possible. When landing on runways, rather than deploying an arrestor wire, which is specialist equipment that might not always be available, they use parachute packs that are deployed from a compartment within the rear of the aircraft, inflating due to the airspeed, allowing some of the air to bleed through the slots in the material, as they’re intended to slow it down, not pull the tail off. They were used as a matter of course on even the longest runways, although crews were trained on parachute-free landings, just in case. The Set The ‘chutes utilised to slow an aircraft’s roll aren’t excessively large, and at 1:72 scale it fits with room to spare. As is usual with Eduard's larger resin sets, it arrives in a Brassin-themed black-and-yellow cardboard box, with the resin parts safely cocooned in bags, two sheets of protective dark grey foam, and the instructions folded around acting as additional padding. There are five 3D printed resin parts in two separate Ziploc bags, plus a fret of Photo-Etch (PE) brass in another bag with a sheet of white card protecting it from bending in the box. Adding a parachute to your Phantom model will be key to a landing or post-landing taxiing diorama, and the detail is exceptional, even having a flattened edge to the ‘chute where it presses against the runway after initial deployment. Construction begins with sliding the resin para-pack compartment into position, which has the door moulded open and out to the rear. The parachute is printed as a single part, which is attached to the base on the outer edge, and should be simple to remove and clean-up, adding a 1-4mm length of 0.27mm styrene rod from your own stores to the top, fixing the drogue bag to the end, and the drogue ‘chute itself on an eight-pointed PE star that represents the short lengths of cord that allows it to open. Between the parachute and the compartment is another 43mm length of 0.5mm rod with a 1mm ferrule for the last 2mm, all from your own stock, which ends with a 3D printed O-ring that gathers the individual cords of the parachute. These cords are depicted by fine PE strips that are anchored at the inner end by a strip, enabling you to form it into a small circle, spreading out the opposite ends so they can be attached to the circumference of the parachute, locating them on the tabs that project from the underside of the billowing ‘chute. Markings There are paint call-outs in Gunze Sangyo codes throughout the build, many of the cords are in white, the parachute and its lines yellow, and the drogue ‘chute in a light tan colour. Check your references for your particular example for fading or colour variance if you want to achieve maximum accuracy. Conclusion This is quite an unusual set that you’d think would be a niche product, but maybe its existence as a relatively simple method of creating a ‘chute-assisted landing scene will create the market and result in a lot more F-4s in landing dioramas going forward. Clearly the 1:48 set we reviewed some months back was a success, and maybe now we’re more likely to see a proliferation of these sets for other aircraft and scales. You could of course use this set with other branded Phantom kits, but you may have to do some work on the housing to make it work. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

P-51B Birdcage Canopy Cockpit (6481033 for Eduard) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Eduard’s new Bird Cage Mustang went under the microscope here, and now we have a finely detailed 3D-printed resin cockpit to augment the already impressive detail you’ll find in the kit. As is now usual with Eduard's larger resin sets, they arrive in the new deep Brassin cardboard box, with the resin and other parts safely cocooned in bags, a foam sheet in the top and bottom and the instructions folded around acting as padding. Inside the box are forty-three resin parts of various sizes, a fret of Photo-Etch (PE) that has been nickel-plated and pre-printed, a sheet of decals and a slip of clear acetate with the gunsight glazing shapes printed on. The instruction booklet tells you remove some sections of interior detail on the fuselage halves, which are marked out in red for your convenience. It’s worthy of note that there isn’t a pre-painted PE instrument panel in this set, but there are a host of decals for the instruments and placards, which you apply along the way toward a complete cockpit. Construction begins with the seat in a choice of three styles that are printed as one part each, and are decorated with pre-painted PE four-point seatbelts, a common headrest that attaches to the seat armour and mounting rail part, adding a cushion/stowage with a PE hook over the top. The seat is attached to the new highly detailed floor and is fitted out with the control stick, fuel hose, and a small instrument console, with detail painting and decaling instructions throughout. A bulkhead between the pilot and rear of the compartment is inserted behind the seat, adding hoses and other parts for detail, with a choice of three styles of rear compartments behind the pilot. Two options involve installing different equipment boxes to the floor, and another rear-facing instrument on the bulkhead. Two types of radio gear can be fitted to the pallet and after detail painting it is straddled by a pair of ribs toward the rear, which will allow it to be mounted as a second layer above the equipment on the floor, which will still be seen by the intrepid viewer. The third option involves the original kit fuel tank that has its attachment pins removed before it is glued to the floor, mounting a palette with equipment, and the ribs replicated from the other options, then wiring it with a 20mm length of 0.6mm wire from your own stock. The resin sidewall parts are well detailed to begin with, but they are both augmented with additional resin parts that vary between cockpit fitments, as well as having their own painting and decaling diagrams to complete the task. The result will be an exceptionally well-detailed pair of sidewalls, with a choice of variant specific instruments, providing you follow the instructions precisely. The three resin gunsight options have their glass replicated by a piece of acetate sheet of varying shapes and sizes, installing it on the kit coaming, which has a small portion cut away beforehand for one option, using the appropriate coaming for your chosen gunsight. The main panel is a resin part that has decals applied depicting the instruments, with more decals on the lower centre panel, mounting the new detailed rudder pedals on pegs in the rear, setting their alignment with reference to a scrap diagram showing the assembly from the side. The cockpit and sidewalls are brought together to create a tub, then the kit fuselage is closed around them, adding the coaming assembly, another small equipment box, and kit canopy to finish the set off. Conclusion A super-detailed set for a superb model of a legend of the skies with the original canopy style. Excellent use of 3D printed resin to improve a focal point to your model, with a choice of equipment options to add individualism to your P-51B. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

So here is (potentially) the start of part one of a dual/joint/two at a time build. Jury is still out in my head if to try two at a time having only completed two builds in 1/350 in the past 3 years especially as I still have a lot to learn and want them to turn out well. Also whether to do a joint thread or separate ones? As a kid I built 1/600 battleships, if it didn’t have big guns I wasn’t interested. A few years back I dabbled in 1/400 and built battleships, (you may see a pattern), now that I’m rather hooked on the hobby again I’ve started by building you’ve guessed it – battleships, specifically Zvezda’s Dreadnought and Hobbyboss’s Dunkerque (95% complete). As I looked at my stash of 12 and counting with a couple of those started I realised bar a modern Russian destroyer I needed to change it up. I settled on Aircraft Carriers, specifically 3, the bank said I could have 2 - fair enough I said. I wanted something unusual looking and Graf Zeppelin is certainly that. I’d actually discounted her as the aftermarket options aren’t great, Mk.1 do a set three times the cost of the kit which I personally think is too much. Eduard do a set in 4 prts, 2 prts of which are now discontinued. I contacted them about this and another set for Roma they have done similar with and they very bluntly said they wouldn’t bring it back into production even if demand went up which seems odd but that’s up to them. So I have coming on monday trumpeters kit of Graf Zeppelin in 1/350 with half of the eduard sets available, I did track down all four parts but when I compared the kit parts with those offered by eduard I found multiple areas when eduard merely replaced what was already included in the kit with little or no marked difference. I’ve also an extra set of six ME 109’s and Stukas. I plan to do my best with it, maybe scratch build a few bits, it won’t be jaw dropping in terms of PE but I think there is enough to lift the base model up a level or two. Part of the thing with Graf Zeppelin is of course she was never finished (about 95%) and in the process of not being finished she was changed several times. A brief history can be found on many a website, likely including this one on other builds but essentially, she had an Atlantic bow added post launch, was put on hold a couple times, had bulges added as well as changes to her super structure, AA armament, Aircraft complement and make up etc. You get the idea, the brilliant thing is it means you can’t really go wrong and where the line is drawn is any ones guess. As you’ll see from the following photos, Insert obligatory pictures (all from scale mates and Wikipedia) I plan to make minor changes to the super structure and funnel cap as I think trumpeter got it very very very wrong. I’ve no idea on paint schemes she’d likely have adopted, the Germans didn’t seem to do much up to early 42 which is potentially when she could have entered service had she not be placed on hold repeatedly. There is this picture on Scalemates that are supposedly GZ but to me I'm not convinced, the step/angle in the bow is gone, the tip of the bow is different as is the rake, as are the missing casemates (which is possible) but the bulge comes a lot further forward and the superstructure is stepped out to one side which would be massive work to undertake during the brief times she was actually worked on post 1940, I wondered if these are perhaps pictures of Weser but I don't think she got that far in construction? Now as for the second ship I may concurrently build – I’ll say nothing partially not to jinx it, Im told it'll be here in short order but time will tell. I'll be initially working to complete to a point of airbushing as the bank balance has taken a hit and so I can’t invest in an Airbrush right now. So any areas hairy stickable I’ll look to do and other areas be left ready for airbrushing later in the build. I'm not sure how easy to do as sub assemblies carriers are - but I'll guess I will fid out. Dunkerque has taken 10 months and isn’t huge but is nearly there so I doubt this will be a quick build initially but if you’d like to follow on and have made it through my inane ramblings I’d be glad of any input and suggestions as to: - paint schemes - paint sequencing given my Airbrish plan/delay - and modifications that may make her stand out. Photo's of the kit and PE to follow when they arrive, Thanks for bearing with me Sam

They Fought to Rebuild Limited Edition Dual Combo (11180) Supermarine Spitfire Mk.V 1:48 Eduard The Spitfire was the champion of the Battle of Britain along with the Hurricane and a few other less well-known players, and it’s an aircraft with an amazing reputation that started as a bit of a damp squib in the shape of the Supermarine Type 224. This gull-winged oddity was the grandfather of the Spitfire, and despite losing out to the biplane Gloster Gladiator, designer R J Mitchell was spurred on to go back to the drawing board and create a more modern, technologically advanced and therefore risky design. This was the Type 300, and it was an all-metal construction with a wafer-thin elliptical wing that became legendary, although it didn’t leave much space for fuel, a situation that was further worsened by the Air Ministry’s insistence that four .303 machine guns were to be installed in each wing, rather than the three originally envisaged. It was a very well-sorted aircraft from the outset, so quickly entered service with the RAF in 1938 in small numbers with minimal changes. With the clouds of war building, the Ministry issued more orders and it became a battle to manufacture enough to fulfil demand in time for the outbreak and early days of war from September 1939 onwards. By then, the restrictive straight sided canopy had been mostly replaced by a “blown” hood to give the pilot more visibility, although a few Mk.Is with the old canopy lingered on for a while. The title Mk.Ia was given retrospectively to differentiate between the cannon-winged Mk.Ib that was instigated after the .303s were found lacking in destructive power compared to the 20mm cannon armament of their main opposition at the time, the Bf.109. As is usual in wartime, the designers could never rest on their laurels with an airframe like the Spitfire, as it had significant potential for development, a process that lasted throughout the whole of WWII, and included many changes to the Merlin engine, then the installation of the more powerful Griffon engine, as well as the removal of the spine of the fuselage and creation of a bubble canopy to improve the pilot’s situational awareness. Its immediate successor was the Mk.II that had a better Merlin engine and higher octane fuel to give it a healthy boost in performance. The Mk.IIa was armed identically to the Mk.Ia with four .303s in each wing, while the Mk.IIb carried the two 20mm cannons of the Mk.Ib and two .303s in each of the wings. It was followed by the Mk.V that had yet another more powerful Merlin fitted, which returned the fright of the earlier marks’ first encounters with Fw.190s by a similar increase in performance from an outwardly almost identical Spitfire. The Kit This is a reboxing of a recent ProfiPACK tool from Eduard, following on from their other later marks of the Spit in their usual manner, providing us modellers with a wide selection of types and sub-variants as they proceed through their launch schedule. This Limited Edition boxing depicts the Mk.V This is a thoroughly modern tooling with immense detail squeezed into every part, and for the inveterate upgraders, the kits are moulded with that in mind, capable of being augmented by a raft of super-detailed resin and brass sets from Eduard themselves, which benefit from excellent fit. The outer skin has been fully riveted with fine lines of rivets everywhere, plus different widths of engraved panel lines, fasteners on cowling panels, and even some lapped panels such as the fuel tank in front of the windscreen. It arrives in Eduard’s usual top-opening box, with ten sprues in their grey/blue styrene, two clear sprues, two Photo-Etch (PE) frets of pre-painted, nickel-plated brass, two decal sheets with two separate stencil sheets, and the glossy instruction booklet with painting guide at the rear in full colour. The photos below represent one of two sets of sprues included in the box. The instruction booklet is prefaced by a four-page spread of text and photographs that give a brief synopsis of the service of Czechoslovakian pilots during WWII in RAF uniforms, flying RAF Spitfires. Having already fought the Germans in their home country, the brave pilots escaped at the last moment and travelled via France to Britain, to fight the Germans again with the hope of regaining their country from the oppressor. It is surprising how many Czech and pilots from other countries flew in RAF aircraft during WWII, and without them the Battle of Britain and other important moments in the long battle against the Nazis may not have gone so well. All sprues, PE and clear parts are supplied in pairs Construction begins with the cockpit, which will probably be familiar to most, although there is a huge amount of detail when it’s done the Eduard way. It is built up on the starboard sidewall insert, with equipment, controls and a choice of seat-carrying fuselage frames depending on which decal option you have chosen. The seat is next, having the flare rack at the front added from PE, as well as some nice painted PE seatbelts and rear armour. The control column is also made up, and has a PE trigger added before it and the flight control box (more of a tangle, really) are joined to the seat and inserted in the next two fuselage frames forward. The next frame forward holds the instrument panel, which can be made from plastic with decals, or the more realistic and detailed lamination of PE parts with those lovely glossy dial faces on a separate backing plate, either of which then glue to the frame, with the gunsight at the top of the panel, and the compass just below, then the rudder pedals are outfitted with PE straps, before being put just inside the footwell below the panel. Forward of that frame is a blanking plate that is glued in place along with the spinner back during the fuselage closure procedure. The socket for the tail wheel and the leading edge of the wing fairing are also glued in, drilling a 1mm hole in the port side. Posing the canopy open will require small parts of the sidewalls removing to accommodate the appropriate glazing, so make sure you cut those parts off if necessary. They slip in a mention of a panel line on the very front of the nose that you need to fill in, so don’t forget that one, as it’s called out with a line and the word “fill” during the attachment to the wings later that is easy to miss, but you might want to deal with that while sorting the fuselage seams. The lower wing is a single part that stretches as far as the wingtip attachment joint would be, and there are two pairs of 0.9mm holes that need drilling out on both undersides before you go any further. A long wing spar bridges the gap between the wheel bay cut-outs, then the rest of the bay walls are made from short sections and just the two outer wing-gun barrels per side are dropped into their slots ready for closure, placing the fuselage into the gap and gluing it home. The empennage is next, with separate elevator two-part fins and a full-span flying surface, plus the rudder and its control link that trap the elevators in position with the aid of a pair of inserts, allowing them to deflect if you wish. Back to the wings, and the elliptical tips or clear clipped alternatives (depending on your decal choice) are slid into place along with the ailerons, the latter you can pose deflected if you wish. Staying with the wing, the model is flipped over, and the radiator, oil cooler and chin intake with fairing are all installed, the radiator and oil cooler both having PE mesh added front and rear, adding L-shaped feeder pipes at the rear, and a flap with actuators for open and closed positions, plus small vents nearer the tips of the wings that have PE bases. The narrow track landing gear has a peg removed that is marked in red that is replaced with a PE part, and these then have the captive doors attached to the rear, and wheels made up from a tyre and a choice of two styles of hub parts, with a split yoke and wheel for the tail, which slides into the socket buried within the fuselage earlier. The 20mm cannon parts simply slot into their sockets in the leading edge of the wings, with nice muzzle detail moulded-in, and a pitot probe under the port tip. Two scrap diagrams show how the model should look when standing on its own wheels, noting the angle of the tyres to the ground from in front, and the rake of the gear from the side. The canopy has a choice of parts used for the different decal options, and a choice of open or closed canopies is possible by using different parts. The fixed rear glazing is fitted first for the open option, but is moulded into the closed canopy for better fit on a closed cockpit. The cockpit door can be mounted open or closed, then a choice of two aerial types is glued to the rear of the canopy on a base just in front of a clear lens. The exhaust stacks have been moulded carefully to give hollow tips, the fishtail sections provided as separate parts with two styles for different decal options. The three-bladed prop is a single part, covered front and back by a choice of styles of two-part pointed spinner, with the peg on the rear sliding into the front of the fuselage, drilling 0.3mm holes in the upper wing to locate the PE gear indicator pegs that give a quick visual indicator to the pilot of the state of his gear without having to take his gaze from the outside. Locations of aerial wires are given in the last step, and you will need to provide the wire or thread from your own toolbox. Markings There are a generous twelve decal options in this boxing, most of which have the same camouflage with one interesting exception that is painted black. From the box you can build two of the following: BM592, W/Cdr Alois Vašátko, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom, June 1942 EN765, W/Cdr Karel Mrázek, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom, June -July 1942 EP461, W/Cdr František Doležal, CO of Exeter (Czechoslovak) Wing, RAF Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom, April-July 1943 AD325, F/Lt Emil Foit, No. 310 Squadron, RAF Perranporth, Cornwall, United Kingdom, December 1941-February 1942 AR423, F/Lt František Trejtnar, No. 310 Squadron, RAF Ibsley, Hampshire, United Kingdom, September 1943-February 1944 AD572, F/O František Peřina, No. 312 Squadron, RAF Harrowbeer, Devon, United Kingdom, February-June 1942 EP785, P/O Ladislav Světlík, No. 312 Squadron, RAF Churchstanton, Somerset, United Kingdom, January-April 1943 AD380, F/O Alois Hochmal, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, Devon, United Kingdom, October 1941-April 1942 EP110, F/Lt Otmar Kučera, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Hawkinge, Kent, United Kingdom, August-September 1943 BM210, S/Ldr František Fajtl, CO of No. 122 Squadron, RAF Hornchurch, Devon, United Kingdom, May 1942 R7192, P/O Josef Příhoda, No. 111 Squadron, RAF Debden, Essex, United Kingdom, February 1942 AR435, Sgt. František Loucký, No. 65 Squadron, RAF Gravesend, Kent, United Kingdom, July 1942 There are two stencil sheets in the box The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks (not pictured) deliver a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, gunsight glazing and formation light, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. There are sufficient masks for the exterior glazing of both your models. Conclusion It’s a known fact that the Eduard Spitfire Mk.Vs are excellent, their detail enhanced by the addition of the PE frets and masks included in this boxing, giving the modeller has an opportunity to build a double tribute to the brave Czech flyers that fought alongside the British, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, and many other nations under the RAF roundel during WWII. Very highly recommended. If you like the artwork of this boxing, an A2-sized full-colour vinyl art print is available without the necessary distraction of the branding below Review sample courtesy of

A-10C Ejection Seat with Integral Belts PRINT (6481035 for GWH) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Great Wall Hobby released their new A-10C Thunderbolt II kit last year to applause, as it offered modern levels of detail in 1:48 to this highly regarded aircraft at the peak of its use. The kit is well-detailed, but in the usual fashion, you can improve on even the best injection-moulded parts with the use of other media, particularly 3D printed resin, which is starting to take over in the after-market world of scale modelling. As usual with Eduard's smaller Brassin sets, the set arrives in a flat resealable package similar to their PE sets but with different branding, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. The resin parts are further protected by a clear plastic clamshell box within the package, which has a sticky pad on the inside that helps to hold the parts in position. This set consists of five printed resin parts, one of which is also pre-painted. Your eyes do not deceive you, the ejection handle between the pilot’s knees is indeed yellow with black stripes, saving you a delicate job. A small decal sheet is also found in the package to apply after painting is complete, using Gunze Sangyo colour codes that are called out throughout the instructions. The main portion of the ACES II seat is printed as one in extreme detail, adding the headbox top with its canopy-break “ears”, the seat cushion, the afore-mentioned ejection handle, and a launch rail behind the seat that is also shown as a blue ghost image in position, allowing the completed seat to be slid down the cockpit’s aft bulkhead into position. The moulded-in belts have the potential for ultimate realism if sympathetically painted, as they are draped in a typical fashion to that of a real Thunderbolt, as if the pilot has just left. There are nine different decals on the small sheet, most of them doubled up, so you should have some spares if you make a mistake. Eduard decals also have removable carrier film that can be carefully peeled off when the decal is set, leading to a more realistic look to the finished model. It’s a focal point of the A-10 due to the prominent position of the pilot that gives him or her a bird’s eye view of the battle-space, so well-worth the effort to add to your model. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

#2/2025 After the first 1/48 armour model, here´s my dad´s first aircraft model for 2025. Eduard kit, decals from Techmod, the kit and the sparesbox, painted with MRP RLM 74 and 76. Added brake lines using plastic rods and antenna wires with EZ Line. Build thread here https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235147594-carpathian-eagle148-messerschmitt-bf109g-2-royal-romanian-airforce/ It´s my dad´s interpretation of "white 7", Escadrila 53, Grupul 7 Vanatoare. The unit was based in Mizil/Romania in 1943 and was used to defend and protect the Ploesti airfields. DSC_0001 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0002 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0003 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0004 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0005 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0006 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0007 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0008 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0009 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0010 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0011 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0012 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0013 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0014 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0015 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0016 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0017 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0018 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0019 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0020 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0021 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0022 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0023 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0001 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr DSC_0002 by grimreaper110, auf Flickr