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Hi. I'm going to try and build two Eduard MiG-21's One egyptian MF and one Syrian Bis will appear here shortly. /Bosse

Hi all, long time lurker first time poster here. I've finally decided to post a build here and, it's yet another first for me. This will be my first 1/144 scale model ever, so will no doubt be quite the experience for me seeing as I usually model 1/72, sometimes 1/48. I've spoilered the images because they are pretty big As always to begin with some obligatory sprue and box shots: Even at this scale the detail is so fine and there were no imperfections like flash or warping present so Eduard did an amazing job here. Using the "standard" measurment of a 10 pence piece you can get a sense of how dinky this kit really is: I've actually had this kit sitting in my stash since before November so, in anticipation for finally getting around to it, I got some extra special stuff. I initially was just going to get the 2 photo-etch sets but then I saw that Luftwaffe get-up and fell in love so had to have it. In future I'll get another phot-etch set and do the other kit in the box at a later date (maybe I'll update this thread when I get around to it): First job was to paint the interior. Eduard's instructions call for Mr Hobby H309 "Green". I looked this up and found that Humbrol 116 "US Dark Green" was the equivalent. I took one look at the pre-painted Eduard PE and realised that Hu116 would be FAR too dark for it. So, considering that, at this scale, you'll barely notice it I decided to do the interior as Humbrol 78 "Cockpit Green". Again this is probably wrong but I don't mind too much: Then it was onto everyone's favourite part of modelling; bending tiny fragile bits of phot-etch! Kidding aside this was so incredibly fiddly, the flight stick pinged off into oblivion but it still looks the business: Sod's law dicated that I actually found the flight stick! After gluing it to the cockpit I suddenly noticed the chair had gone missing. I looked EVERYWHERE for the thing but the carpet monster had already had it. Not much I can do, just hope that no one really notices (which they won't at this scale unless they are really looking hard). So with that all done I glued the fuselage together and then glued the rear ailerons as well. The wing is only dry fitted at the moment to get a sense of how tight the fit is (answer: VERY tight): The fit was good, if a little tight and you can see I did a bit of a poor job with the cockpit as there are some considerable gaps around there that will need to be filled. Again the 10p comes out for scale: Leaving it here I need to fill some other tiny gaps and clean up the seams then get ready for painting. Thanks all Update 2

Agusta/Westland Lynx HAS-3 1:32 Etched sets With the release of the Revell 1:32 Lynx HAS-3 it was only a matter of time before Eduard released the relevant etched sets for it. The three main sets and one zoom set, come in the standard poly sleeves, and, unfortunately the rather disappointing instructions. Still the etched parts are still superbly produced and provide all that the modeller could possibly want to add to their build, and probably some that they didn’t know they wanted. Whilst the majority of the parts are the same as on their earlier releases for the Mk88 Lynx, there are enough type specific items on the sheets to make them not quite transferable. Lynx HAS-2 Exterior Set – 32347, contains new grilles for the rotor head gear box fairing, panel surrounds, door window frames and handles for the cabin sliding doors, handles for the cockpit doors, and a new Doppler panel. The nose wheel bay benefits from having new sidewalls and bulkheads, while the nosewheel oleo is fitted with hydraulic lines and connecting rods. The cabin machine gun, if fitted is kitted out with new front and rear sights, new barrel which will need to be carefully rolled to shape and a new ammunition box cradle. The main wheels are fitted with new brake discs, scissor links and hydraulic pipework. There are also new grilles for the tail cone and vertical tail, hydraulic lines and root fittings for the main and tail rotors, lifting eye for the rotor head, sensor faces, windscreen wipers and the grille in front of the windscreen. The torpedoes receive new parts for both the tail and nose sections. Lynx Mk88 Seat Belts – 32763. As this sets name suggests it provides the modeller with a full set of seat belts for all the seats in the kit. The belts and fitting are pre painted, a different colour to the earlier release, and do really look the part, although I’m sure a bit of dirt will make them look even more realistic. In addition to the seat belts the set also includes the seat frame and other fittings for each of the pilots seats. These are not pre-painted, but do provide that bit of extra detail that’s need in this scale. Lynx Mk88 Interior – 32765. This set is slightly different in that one of the two sheets of etched brass is not only pre-painted, but self adhesive. The parts include the instrument panel with a backing with the instrument painted on. At least in this set the instrument is completely different to the earlier release, showing the larger panel of this mark. When joined, but before fitting to the kit, it might be an idea to add a drop of Klear or Aqua gloss to each instrument to depict the glass face. Also included on the self adhesive sheet are the upper and central consoles, warning light bar, circuit breakers, radar screen, and auxiliary flight instruments for the cockpit and the black and yellow warning strip for around the cabin door window frames, placards and emergency release handle, also in black and yellow. The larger unpainted sheet contains parts to enhance the actual frames for the cockpit bulkhead and cabin doors, cockpit centre console sides, instrument panel coaming, cabin door cards, and other detail parts for both the cabin and the cockpit including such as the cyclic and collective control sticks, upper console and upper glass frame. Lynx Mk88 Interior Zoom Set – 33120. This is the much simplified set for those modeller who don’t want to add too much to their model, but just add that little extra detail to enhance the completed model. The set includes just one sheet contains all the parts that are on the pre-painted, self adhesive sheet mentioned above. Conclusion As with the earlier Mk88 kit, the Revell Lynx HAS-3 is a great kit, which can still be greatly enhanced with the addition of some or all of these sets are certain items that are lacking, due mainly to the limitations of the injection moulding process. As with these types of aftermarket sets some parts are easier to add than others, but with patience and a steady hand a superb model can be built. Review sample courtesy of Review sample courtesy of

I've been speaking to Eduard about a bomb bay set for the Revell-Monogram 1:48 B-29 that's currently readily available again, and they are certainly considering it, but aren't convinced that enough people would buy it, given the size and complexity of the likely set, and the fact that it is not a new tooling. They asked me to gauge interest amongst the members, so here I am. Here are my thoughts on the matter: It seems a shame to deck out the full airframe and leave the bomb bay untouched. The bomb bay is the most visible part of the kit if you are able to look underneath - it's a BIG hole in the belly (a pair of them, in fact). What about two sets? One for a full bomb load, and another for an empty bay, differing between what would be seen when bombs were installed. However, if you put a full bomb load in there, what will be seen? I've not built mine yet, so can't speculate. Weigh in with your thoughts, and don't forget to vote. I've added the third option for the skin-flints/careful modellers amongst us, as it might colour Eduard's judgement about what they provide. I've provided Eduard with a link to the thread, so your input will be seen Here's my review of what's available from Eduard so far (worth a look just for the sheer aftermarket goodness of it all )

Bf.109G-6 Profipack (8268) 1:48 Eduard The Bf.109 served throughout the whole of WWII in many guises, and the G series was the penultimate face of this successful design that originated in 1934 as a response to a need for a new all-metal monoplane fighter that would be used as a short-range interceptor. Developed from the earlier F series, the G series had many minor modifications and was powered by a more developed DB605A engine that initially caused some problems, but was resolved within a year. Addition of a bullet-proof internally mounted windscreen cleaned up the aerodynamics of the canopy, which was also strengthened. The fuel tanks were made from a lighter alloy to save weight, and by the time the G-6 came into service a pair of 13mm MG131 cannons had been installed, with aerodynamic blisters covering the protruding parts of the breech, which had an adverse effect on top speed. As usual with the RLM, many sub-variants were planned, including long-range reconnaissance, night fighter, and various heavy armament options in gondolas or attached to the wings. A few airframes received a taller wooden tail fin, which was also fitted to other later G series sub-types, which was an attempt to improve stability at high speeds, while Galland's work with the Erla-Haube canopy went a long way toward improving rearward visibility for a pilot under attack. After the unsuccessful G -14 sub-type, the K series was introduced as another attempt to standardise the airframe, but again the number of variants required saw an end to that hope, with over 1,500 produced in the Ravensburg between commencement of mass production and the end of the war. The Kit Eduard blazed a trail of improved detail with their Bf.109E series beginning in 2012, and announced recently that they would be doing the same with the G series, which pleased me on a personal level, as I like the streamlined nose of the later 109s. The kit is now here, and arrives in a well presented Profipack box that contains four sprues of medium grey styrene, a clear sprue in a ziplok bag, a fret of Photo-Etch (PE) parts, some of which are pre-painted, a small sheet of pre-cut kabuki tape masking material and two decal sheets. The instruction booklet contains the painting and decaling guide to the rear, and is of Eduard's usual glossy colour printed style. If you have seen any of the E series kits, you will know what to expect of this one, and you won't be disappointed. Some slide moulding has been included with this variant to improve the look of parts such as gun barrels and exhaust stacks, which is good to see. There is also the option of the later "tall tail", a choice of tyres, and three styles of propeller, to give you some options for personalisation of your model. Construction of a 109 usually takes a fairly standard approach, and this one starts with the cockpit, as you'd expect. The basic floor and rear bulkhead are the starting point onto which the various controls, seat (with armour), cannon breech cover and prominent fuel line are added. The fuel line is moulded in clear styrene, as the real thing has a clear vision section to enable the pilot to check fuel flow, with the rest painted yellow for prominence. A front bulkhead behind the instrument panel prevents the eye probing deeper than it should, and there is an option of PE or styrene rudder pedals. Pre-painted seatbelts are added, and some small instrument boxes are dotted around the cockpit, again made of pre-painted PE. The main instrument panel is a single faceted section in later 109s, and you have a choice of either a single styrene part with raised instrument details, or a pre-painted and laminated PE panel that is built up on a styrene base. Adding the cockpit into the fuselage requires the installation of the top of the rear bulkhead, plus the various small detail parts that detail the sidewalls. In order to close up the fuselage, the two exhaust stacks are placed into recesses on the rear of their apertures, so painting them before installation might be wise. The slide-moulded exhausts are superb, and have a nice thin wall, and extend deep enough to give the illusion of a hollow exhaust, which will probably result in most using the kit parts in favour of any aftermarket exhausts that might come along. There is no engine or gun bay detail included in the model, so adding the front bulkhead in the nose completes the task of building up the fuselage. The large Beule blisters on the side of the nose are added as inserts, as is the upper cowling that houses the gun troughs. A choice of filtered or unfiltered intakes on the port side of the nose are supplied, with the filtered option coming with a two-part stabilising linkage that attaches to the fuselage near the front of the filter. The tail feathers only cover the earlier and more widely used short-tail for these decal options, but the tall tail is there if you already have some suitable decal options of your own. The rudder and elevators are separate parts, and all have distinctive ribbing in fine raised form on their surfaces. The tail wheel fits into a small socket at the front of its bay, and has a separate wheel and two-part yoke for realism. The main planes are full-span on the underside, into which the wheel bay inserts fit, the order of which is prescribed in a text box next to the relevant instruction step. The individual upper wings are then glued to the lowers and the fuselage offered up to the gap between them. If you are using one particular decal option, a small lump will need removing from the spine behind the cockpit, which is probably best done before mating it to the wings. The wingtips are rounded and fix with twin tabs into the end of the wing, and the important sprung leading-edge slats that deploy automatically on the ground are installed in their recesses on the front edge of the wing, spaced so that they fit correctly for a static airframe. If you are planning on showing your model in flight, you'll need to remove the tabs on the rear and fettle the parts into place. The ailerons are also separate, and have two tabs that fit into slots in their bays, allowing you to pose them deflected if you so wish. Under the wings and nose are the radiators and the oil cooler, which are all given PE mesh front and rear panels from the PE fret, with the fairings added over them in snug-fitting recesses. The flaps are necessarily split to the radiator outlets, and these hinge separately as per the real aircraft, as shown in a scrap diagram that should help to avoid confusion. The 109 had horribly narrow-track landing gear, and this is well represented by the single legs and attached bay doors, although the outer bay covers, the raison d'être for the straight outer edge of the wheel well were never fitted. The gear legs are fitted with a substantial peg on the bottom that fits snugly into a corresponding socket in the well that ensures the legs assume the correct angle, unless of course you get your legs in the wrong sockets, but that should be rather obvious! Only one prop is used for all of the five decal options, and this has a rear plate, single piece prop with three blades, which is trapped behind the conical spinner. Sadly, my favourite canopy, the Erle-Haube isn't used with any of the decal options, but that's just my preference coming through. The windscreen is fitted into the recess at the front of the cockpit after installing the gun-sight, which is also clear. The fixed rear section is glued on with a choice of aerial posts that fit into the hole in the top, and the side-opening canopy has a choice of two types of headrest armour, the correct orientation of which is shown in another scrap diagram. If you are posing the canopy open, a PE restraining wire is included that affixes to the rear section and the rear frame of the canopy to hold it at the right angle. Like it's opponent the Spitfire, the 109 was always short of fuel, and a drop-tank was often carried on the centre-line, suspended from a small tear-drop shaped adapter. These are provided with the kit, as are a pair of cannon gondolas mounting MG151/20 with 120 rounds of ammunition each. The gondola is split vertically with the slide-moulded hollow muzzle of the weapon added to the hole in the front. Markings As usual with the Profipack boxing, there are five decal and markings options, and while the basic colours are RLM74/75 over 76 throughout, there is enough variation in the mottle and patterns to make them stand out from eachother. Add in the colourful unit markings and personalisations, and you have a good variation of options, as follows: Wr.Nr. 27169 Fw. Heinrich Bartels, 11./JG27 Kalamaki Airfield, Nov 1943 – shark tooth splinter on wings, spiral spinner, white fuselage band and rudder, red 13 with yellow undersides to the nose. Wr.Nr. 440141 Oblt. Wilhelm Schilling CO of 9./JG54 Ludwiglust Air Base, Feb 1944 – splinter on the wings, "peanut" mottle on the fuselage sides, spiral spinner, yellow underside to nose and rudder, and blue fuselage band. Yellow 1. Wr.Nr. 18807 Ofw. Alfred Surau 9./JG3 Bad Wörishofen, Sep 1943 – Splinter on the wings, rough stripes of mottle on the fuselage sides, yellow under nose and yellow eyes on the Buele, yellow under nose and spiral spinner. Oblt. Alfred Grislawski CO of 1./JGr50, Wiesbaden-Erbenheim Air Base, Sep 1943 – Freehand splinter on wings and rough tiger-stripe mottle on fuselage sides. Yellow undernose, white tail with kill markings. Maj. Ludwig Franzisket CO of I.JG27, Early 1944 – Splinter on wings, yellow under nose, green fuselage band and white rudder. African campaign badge on the forward cowling. The smaller decal sheet contains all the stencils, which are dealt with on a separate page of the instruction booklet to save confusion, and the individual markings are on the larger sheet, which is printed by Cartograf. Broken Swastikas are included on the sheet, as are complete swastikas on the top right corner, which would no doubt be cut from the sheet for territories where the mark contravenes local law. Decals are expertly printed as you'd expect from Cartograf, with a thin glossy carrier film cut close to the edge of the decals. Conclusion Another masterful 109 from the Eduard stable that will doubtless be crowned the best G series model in this scale. The finesse of the detail on the skin is superb, and the rest of the model is similarly well done, with improvements over the E series evident by the extended use of slide-moulding where suitable. I'm sure that raft of further sub-variants will be forthcoming over the next few months, including the Weekend editions for the novice or budget conscious. All I need now is an excuse to build one with an Erla-Haube canopy. Yes… that again. If you fancy a matching t-shirt, these are available packaged with the kit by selecting the the appropriate size at the checkout on Eduard's site. This deserves the highest recommendation. Review sample courtesy of

B-17G Updates (for HK Models) 1:32 Eduard Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, along come another two updates from Eduard to bedeck your monster Fort with more detail. B-17 Superchargers – Eduard Brassin (632033) The kit parts are pretty good for injection moulding, but these high quality resin replacements simply blow them out of the water. The resin is crisply moulded and very dense, without a shadow of a bubble to mar the surface. There are four supercharger parts, plus two extension tubes to feed the air around the wheel bays on the inner engines. The inner superchargers are handed to accommodate the curve of their tubing, and two separate extension parts are included for where the tubing breaks through the engine cowling and dives back into the engine. You will need your razor saw to remove the casting blocks, which extend the full length of the superchargers, but that's to be expected with such mouldings and is like that to reduce the potential for bubbles. The Y-shaped splitter tubes are kept from the kit parts, as shown in the scrap diagram, but otherwise the rest of the kit parts are consigned to spares or the bin courtesy of what is a very simple and worthwhile upgrade set. B-17 Fabric Seatbelts (32796) The Photo-Etch (PE) seatbelts were reviewed here late last year, but now courtesy of a collaboration with HGW this new technology for super-realistic seat belts is available to builders of the HJ B-17. I have used one of these sets in 1:48, and although fiddly, the results are worth it, and the increase in scale should diminish the quantity of profanity significantly. The printing is very realistic, and the leather patches that are added underneath the buckles is especially so, having a mottled "grain" to it. The set is a mixture of fabric parts and a small fret of PE for the buckles and fixings. You begin by scrunching up the sheet of pre-cut, pre-painted fabric material into a little ball, then flatten it out and remove the backing sheet. After that, you cut out each part as you need it, and mate it with the PE parts as per the accompanying instructions. The material is glued with super-glue (CA), and the brass PE is already coated with a bright metallic silver colour, so no further painting will be necessary. The lap belts fit to each seat in pairs, and a couple of longer continuous belts are also supplied for installation on seats with four legs within the fuselage. Conclusion The Superchargers on a B-17 are prominent parts of the underside of the aircraft and deserve the best treatment. if you are serious about detailing the interior of your Fort and your budget allows, you'll almost definitely be thinking of the highly realistic fabric seatbelts, even if you already have the PE set (32764). Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

If you are going to use the Eduard PE for your Airfix 1/72 Harriers (either the GR.1 or the GR.3), be aware that there is an error in the instrucions (guess how I found out ). DON'T remove the moulded throttle quadrant on kit part A9 as indicated in the Eduard instructions. According to these, Eduard PE part 3 is the new throttle quadrant. Well, it isn't. Close examination shows that it is the panel to the rear of the throttle. Besides, don't use the two throttle leavers, Eduard PE part 19. They bear no resemblance to the real leavers at all.

L-29 Delfín Updates (for AMK) 1:48 Eduard AMK's second issue was this Czech built Cold War jet trainer, which I built here not long after it came out. It's a very nice kit out of the box, but these Photo-Etch (PE) sets from Eduard would have given it a substantial lift in terms of detail. Interior (49676) This set concentrates all its efforts on the cockpit, save for a few parts to detail the optionally open nose bay. There are two frets in the package, one of which measures 7cm x 5.9cm and is pre-painted and self-adhesive. The other is bare brass and is 8.4cm x 7cm. A full set of instrument panels is included, including the side consoles and the vertical aspects of the side consoles. The main instrument panel is stripped of detail and the lower section is removed entirely before a laminated instrument panel is added, along with a new lower section with a choice of two styles. The rear-seater's panel is treated the same, but with the addition of a PE shroud around the top to replace the over-thick moulded in shroud. The side consoles are dotted with various ancillary equipment, knobs, dials and levers that are simplified on the kit tub. The cockpit sidewalls are updated with additional parts in the same fashion, and the small blocks that represent the rudder pedals are removed to be replaced by well detailed representations. The ejector seats are given a complete new seat section that is made up from a single piece of PE that is bent to profile, inner walls of the triangular fillet between the upright section and the seat, headbox detail and of course a set of very nicely pre-painted seatbelts that are absent from the kit. The two canopies are detailed with interior sills, and the small rear bulkhead behind the rear seat is replaced with a new PE part, which is further detailed with wires and strengthening ribs. Interior Zoom! (FE676) If time, budget or familiarity with PE dictates, you can treat yourself to the Zoom! set, which includes just the pre-painted and self-adhesive sheet as detailed above. It's not quite as comprehensive because of the missing fret, but there is little or no folding involved, so it should be easy for even a PE novitiate to handle. Exterior (48801) Arriving on a single bare brass fret measuring 12.8cm x 7cm, the set provides areas of improved detail in the main external areas of focus. The nose gear bay is given a detailed skin for the large box in the roof, although there's not much visible once the kit is finished, so that's all in that particular black hole! The main gear bays are much more visible, and are decked out with skins for the blank bay walls, plus copious wiring and a double skin for a prominent rib within the bay. The main gear doors connected to the gear leg are also replaced with some better looking and thinner parts that are folded along a pre-etched line to laminate them. The flap bays are next, with a single part for each bay (inner and outer) that has the ribs attached by their tips to the main skin. Using a pair of tweezers, simply twist them 90o and turn them round to slot into the etched grooves in the skin and glue. Very easy! The flaps themselves are given end-caps, but check their fit within the wing before you attach them, as I seem to recall a little fettling was necessary in this area. The rest of the parts are dotted around the airframe, with a large number used on the underside of the fuselage, which includes a number of raised panels, and a "seam hider" that runs from the panel line just aft of the intakes to the nose cone panel line, which is a narrow riveted strip that should save you a little seam filling work. The nose gear door that slides aft when opening is skinned, and a number of parts are added to the interior of the air brakes and around the retraction jack aperture. The pen-nib are around the engine exhaust receives a small curved panel, plus a more scale friendly triple aerial that is offset to the side, and will require a 0.3mm hole to be drilled at the centre of its mounting point to receive the locating peg. Pre-Cut Flexible Masks (EX415) Containing pre-cut masks for the canopy, blast shield between the two cockpit areas and the main wheel hubs, plus the landing light in the underside of the wing, this kabuki tape mask set should save you a sizeable chunk of work when it comes to painting. Unusually, the masks for the wheels cover the hubs, so paint those first. As usual, the compound curves are catered for by provision of cut-outs that will need filling either with scrap tape from the sheet, or with liquid mask if you prefer. Conclusion These sets are just what the doctor ordered to improve on a nice kit. I wish I'd had them when I built mine, but that's what happens when you just can't wait! Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Here is my entry for the GB one will be in GDR colours and for the other build I can't decide between Slovak or Polish Air Force, I will make the choice later. Because they are the same type and scale, I thought that I would combine the two builds but if this is a problem then please let me know and I will split them. Here are the obligatory box and content shots Option 1 - German Democratic Republic Option 2 Slovak Air Force or Polish Air Force I am looking forward to making a start on these and, because I am a bit of a slow builder, I hope that I will be able to complete them in good time. Sorry about the quality of some of the photos, I will do better with the later ones.

This is the last of my most recent builds. Hellcat Mk II made from the Eduard ProfiPack F6F-5 kit (with US markings). My model is pretty much built straight from the box with minor exceptions; I don't know if I captured everything right for a FAA aeroplane but all I changed was the aerials and masts on the fuselage and I added better resin machine gun muzzles. The kit does come with its own resin updates for the wheels and some PE for the cockpit. The kit went together very well and I liked the quality of the surface detail and transparencies. I used Xtracolour for the Glossy Sea Blue applied over light and dark grey primer/pre-shading. Nose panels where painted with Zinc Chromate prior to the Glossy Sea Blue. Markings are from the Xtradecal X48104 'Yanks with Roundels Part 3' sheet. The aircraft depicted is JZ931 'C3-M' of 800 squadron, SEAC, at Trincomalee in October 1945. I found a picture of this aeroplane on the internet having crash-landed; see here ...but only after I'd finished the model!

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXc Early Eduard Profipack 1:48 Normally I would try and research the history of an aircraft type and give a short prologue to a review, but the Spitfire is probably one the best known aircraft ever I couldn’t really do it justice. Suffice it to say that the MkIX is pretty much regarded as the best of the breed. The Model Having had such acclaim from the release of the late version of the Mk.IXc, Eduard have followed it up with this release of the early version. Now having compared the sprues of both the late and early versions I honestly can’t see any difference in parts. From research it may depend on the size of the cannon blisters, but there are options for both wide and narrow in this kit. There also appears to be a slight difference in the style of the horizontal tailplanes and rudder. This is something for the Spitfire aficionados to ponder over. The kit itself is arguably the best Spitfire IX kit released to date. The mouldings are superb, the detail sublime and from what I’ve read on the forums, the fit is something rather special. What you do get in this kit is a load of parts destined to go straight to the spares box if the sprue diagrams are anything to go by. Being a Profipack the modeller also gets a small sheet of pre-painted etch and a sheet of paint masks. The build begins with the cockpit, and here some of the sidewall detail is moulded into the fuselage, with the rest being supplied as separate parts that fit to the lower sidewall inserts. The frame that holds the pilot's seat has recessed lightening holes that could be drilled out if you feel the need, and a sturdy mount for the seat and its two armoured plates behind it and in the head/shoulders area. The frame behind the pilot's seat is supplied as a top portion only, but little should be seen of that below the small rear glazed area anyway. Under the pilot's feet are the control linkages, as well as a further strengthening attachment point for the seat. The seat is built up from back and side parts, with the adjustment lever on the starboard side, and a flare rack in front, under the pilot's knees, which is then dropped into the cockpit with its PE armour panel, and the pre-painted seatbelts from the etched fret can be draped over the seat in a realistic way. The control column and linkage is built up from three styrene parts and one PE part, and then added in front of the seat along with a few additional sidewall details. The instrument panel is the forward bulkhead, and is supplied as either a single styrene part with raised instrument bezels on the surface, which you can paint or decal, or the more sophisticated lamination of three pre-painted layers to create a highly detailed panel with instrument dials that is glued to a styrene back-plate for strength. The gun-sight and compass assemblies are then added to the panel, with the compass glued on the backside of the panel and protruding through the bulkhead opening between the pilot's knees, just like the real thing. Rudder pedals sit within the bulkhead, after which the other sidewall can be added, creating a neat assembly that is sandwiched between the fuselage halves after fitting the bulkhead to the engine-bay, the final frame to which the spinner attaches and he socket for the tail gear leg. If you're going to close the canopy, a couple of small segments of the sills are removed, as they won't be seen under the canopy, and would baulk its fitment if left behind. At this point, the leading edges of the wing root fairings are also attached. As is standard with the Spitfire wings in this scale (and most others), the lower wing is a single full-span part, and in this case, there is a stub spar that crosses the midline with around 3cm on each side providing a little strength to the wings, and forming part of the front wall of the landing gear wells. The upper wing section has been moulded with a thinner skin within the wheel well to give a more realistic depth, and also has details of the ribbing moulded into its surface. The balance of the wheel bay walls are constructed from short sections, which allowed Eduard to put some wall detail on them where appropriate, but take care getting alignment and orientation correct before committing to glue. Once the upper wings and separate wing tips are attached, the fuselage can be dropped into the gap and secured in place. The top cowling is a separate assembly, made up from two halves, and you have a choice which depends on which markings you intend to use. The exhausts that are fitted to each side of the cowling are slide-moulded to have a hollow exit, although the edges are a little thick when compared to the resin replacements. The exhausts fit into a pair of backing parts that give an impression of the engine within the cowlings, which must be almost unique on a stock kit at this scale, but it means that they have to be inserted before the top cowling is added, so must be painted and masked beforehand. The elevators are separate from the tail plane, and they are supplied as a single part with some impressive fabric and rib-tape texture on the surface. They must be installed before the rudder, and are locked in place by a pair of small parts that should allow then to remain mobile if you are careful with the glue. Ailerons are also separate, and these are of the metaltype, so devoid of any fabric detail, as is correct. They can be posed at any sensible angle, and have small tabs at the hinge-points to improve the strength of their join. Underneath, the two piece chin for the engine cowling is added, with the chin intake built in, and the radiator housings are built up from individual sides, with the radiators themselves having very nice detailed mesh surfaces that should look good once painted carefully. The rear radiator flaps can be posed open or closed by substituting one jack-part for another, using the same panel, with the correct angles shown in a pair of scrap diagrams. Because of the almost scale depth of the wheel wells, the landing gear is built up the same way whether you are choosing to model it up or down. The only difference is that a small portion of the dished leg cover is removed so that they can fit within the bay recess. The tyres are provided in halves, with separate front and rear hubs, with a flat PE hub-cap installed on only one of the marking options. If posing them down, the gear legs sit in a pair of keyed holes that ensure the angle and orientation are correct, but a pair of scrap diagrams provide clarification if you are unsure. The tail wheel is a single part that fits into the two-part yoke that terminates in a long shaft to plug into the socket within the fuselage that was installed earlier. The Spitfire IX had a four-blade prop, and this is one of the last assemblies, consisting of single part for the blades, around which the front and rear plate of the spinner are clamped. This then fits into a small hole at the front of the cowling, and will need to be glued in place unless you do a little scratch-building. The cannons in the leading edge of the wing are installed to the inner stations, while the outer ports are faired over with a pair of hemispherical bumps. The canopy gives you the option of a two-part closed assembly, which has the sliding and rear portions moulded together, or a three-part open assembly to display your hard work in the cockpit. The windscreen is fitted with a circular rear-view mirror on the very top of the roll-over loop, and the sliding portion has a small PE grab-handle/latch added to the front, which is a nice addition. The side door is detailed with locking mechanism that is also made from PE, and you use different parts for open and closed canopies. Lastly the aerial mast if attached to the fuselage via an insert followed by a small clear teardrop shaped bubble just aft of the mast and only used with certain marked aircraft. Decals The main decal sheet provides markings for five different aircraft, the decals for which are printed in-house by Eduard and are in good register, are sharp, slightly glossy and appear suitably opaque. If you want to use the decals for the instrument panel then these too are very well printed and look quite realistic. The second sheet provides a full set of stencils for one aircraft and is equally well printed. The markings provided are for the following aircraft:- Spitfire Mk.IXc, EN315, flown by Stanislav Skalski, of the Polish Combat Team, Northern Africa, Spring 1943 and the subject of the box art in Mid Stone, Dark Earth and Azure Blue colour scheme with a red spinner. Spitfire Mk.IXc, EN133, of No.611 Squadron, Biggin Hill, Early 1943, in Standard Dark Green, Ocean Grey, with Medium Sea Grey undersides, Sky fuselage band and spinner. Spitfire Mk.IXc, BS392, flown by S/Ldr Bernard Duperier, CO of No.340 Squadron, Biggin Hill, Autumn 1942 in the same scheme as EN133. Spitfire Mk.IXc, EN354, flown by 1st Lt Leonard V. Helton, of the 52nd FG, 4th FS, La Sebala Airfield, Tunisia, June 1943, in a similar scheme as EN315 above. Spitfire Mk.IXc, EN568, flown by W/Cdr Alan C. Deere, CO of Biggin Hill Wing, Biggin Hill, June 1943 in the same scheme as EN133 and BS392. Conclusion The Eduard Spitfires have really raised the bar when it comes to detail, buildability and from what I’ve read accuracy. When you’ve invested so much time and effort to get something right it’s worth getting as much out of a mould as possible and this is what Eduard are good at. This release is a lovely example of this prudence, which at the same time gives the modeller more choice of kits to build. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

USS Arizona detail sets Eduard 1:200 It’s been quite a while since the Trumpeter 1:200 USS Arizona was released and there have been some terrific builds seen here on Britmodeller and at shows, usually using another manufacturers aftermarket parts. Eduard seem to have been a bit slow with their additions to the Arizona aftermarket scene, and have only just released the first three sets for the ship. Each set comes in their large zip lock style packaging and includes are single large sheet of relief etched brass. The design and detail are well up to the usual standard we have come to expect from Eduard and the instructions seem quite a bit better, in that they are clear and easier to read than their normal fare. Some parts of the kits details will need to be removed before the etched parts can be added. Part 1- (53-099) is designed to add detail to the ships cranes, but also includes quite a few new parts for other areas of the ship. To begin with the main turret barbettes have new armoured rings attached to the top of each mounting. These will need to be carefully rolled to shape before the fixing struts are folded in and affixed to the mounting. The turrets themselves receive new turret roofs, railings, mantle opening surrounds, ladders, rangefinder doors and tampions that look like they will need special care in shaping and gluing. The funnel receives new hand and foot rails around the funnel top, plus new railings, guards and window frames for a number of the platforms. The crane jibs utilise the kit parts which are then clad top and bottom with etched sheets. The upper sheet also has the railings included thus making them easier to fit as one unit rather than faff around trying to fit a separate set of railings. The each side of the jib are fitted with three extra plates whilst the styrene cable roller housings on top are removed and replaced. The crane hooks are all new and include two sizes of hook and their respective cable wheels. Lastly the king post is fitted out with new vertical ladders and railings around the platform top. Part 2- (53-100) is designed to almost completely replace the ships catapults and uses only very few of the kits detail parts. Not only will the modeller be required to carefully fold each and every part in this set to shape, they will also need to add some styrene rod from their own supplies. Each catapult starts off with the main frame and track. To these, the cable wheels, accumulators, railings and control boxes are all attached. The quarterdeck/fantail catapults turntable is taken from the kit and further details added. The set also comes with separate launch cradles for the kit aircraft to sit upon and in the case of the turret catapult the additional support structure and access ladder for fitting to X turrets roof. The kits Kingfisher aircraft will need to have surgery to remove the pilots and observers canopies and the inside of the fuselage thinned down. These need to be done to accept the internal cockpit structures, which include the rear machine gun, shoulder height shelf and mounting rail, instrument panel, cockpit tub and seat. Externally the aircraft receive new float cross bracing and struts, ignition harness for the engine, access ladder, plus the aerial mast and weapons pylon. Part 3 – (53-104), contains details for the ships lifeboats and is pretty comprehensive even though it’s all contained on just one sheet. The motor boats receive a new grating for the central open deck which also includes a new steering console, steering wheel, gear stick, hand rails and railing bow and stern. The complex cradles and their respective support will look really good when assembled. The rowing boats are fitted with new railings to the rear, bitts, hawse pipes, oars, and tillers. Once completed, the boats can be mounted to their new cradles, which are also provided. The details are very well done and they really make the lifeboats stand out, rather than being overshadowed by the rest of the ship. A nice touch is the inclusion of the two main accommodation ladder and its upper and lower platforms. There is another platform that the instructions call to be fitted adjacent to B turret on the starboard side, which I can only presume to be some sort of lookout point for when navigating in harbour. Conclusion So the first three sets out of how many? If the 1:200 Bismarck is anything to go by we should expect quite a few. The details included are excellent, the instructions are easy to follow and they should help transform the standard kit, but I just can’t help feel Eduard have missed the boat so to speak. The kit has been out quite a while now and the other manufacturers got their sets out soon after release so I’d imagine there are quite a few kits in stashes already paired up with etch etc. Still, I guess it allows more choice for the discerning maritime modeller. Highly recommended Review sample courtesy of

Hello, my attempt on small-scale armor: 1/72 Revell's Panzer III Ausf.M with side skirts and small details from Eduard Photo Etch. This is a vehicle of 6.Panzerdivision, in action at Kursk, 1943. Painted with colours from the Gunze/Mr.Hobby range. Decals from the box. Thanks for looking! Roman

Started yesterday the lovely Eduard Spitfire Work naturally starts with the cockpit - quite a lot of stages and parts but it does build up nicely Then after adding the PE the cockpit is done Button up the fuselage - first tiny bit of filler just in front of the cockpit but it is a tiny smear of Vallejo plastic putty Then added the wings, tails and cowling - once again a couple of tiny smears of filler but it's a tiny amount I know it's been said before but this is a lovely kit so far, everything fits so well, and the detail is exquisite. Peter

All, We all agree that there is nothing better than nice, straight and even Canopy lines. I just wanted to canvas your thoughts on the pros and cons between Eduard and Montex Canopy masks. I have used a number of Eduards masks, however I am starting to find them both a tad pricey and on a few occasions slightly too large (just a smidge - but enough to make a difference?). I have now noticed that Montex make a growing range of Canopy masks, however these seem to be made of a different quality tape. Has anyone had any experience with using Montex masks? They seem to be almost half the price of what I can get the Eduard masks for so would also make it a cheaper purchase. This is ideal as I have seemed to acquire almost two of everything. Thanks for looking / reading / possibly replying... Dave.

I'd like to share with you my Eduard FW-190A-5 (weekend edition) that I completed last summer. It's built with Eduard's "zoom" photoetch, and painted with Tamiya acrylic, weathered with oils, pastels and Prisma pencils. It's built mostly out of box, the only changes are that I closed up all the access panels (and isn't that a job!) drilled out all the guns and exhaust, detailed the gear, replaced the wheels with True Details resin wheels, and replaced the cannon barrels with tubing. It's to represent Emil "Bully" Lang's machine on the day he scored (I believe) 15 confirmed victories in one day on the Eastern front. Hope you enjoy, comments and critiques always welcome, Colin Thanks for looking, Colin

Well - my second post to RFI...gulp. First off, some thoughts about the kit itself for anyone who hasn't built one... The level of detail straight from the box is superb, especially with the PE included. There's been a recent build by Vanja #66 that shows what you can do with this kit with imagination, skill and patience, but sadly for me I'm somewhat lacking in all 3 of those vital areas. The surfaces are extremely crisply moulded, and as this is my first kit moving away from the locating pins and trench-like panel lines of basic Airfix models, I was very very impressed by how restrained and 'in scale' it all looks. The build took quite a lot longer than I thought it would, but that's just the nature of these things. I've learned an awful lot from building this (now my 6th complete effort) including when and when not to use C/A, which I think is a valuable finding! Nothing proved exceptionally tricky, apart from the PE aerial under the fuselage which I broke off more times than I care to remember, and now looks rather mangled. As I'm still learning a huge amount from each build I'm just going to let that - and the vast number of additional flaws I've introduced myself - lie. I've been taken by the idea of doing a whitewash scheme for a while, and I'm sort of happy with how this has turned out. I tried the hairspray technique and found it, if done carefully, to actually be pretty easy and very effective. It is - however - where I nearly binned the whole thing, as it's a real lesson in restraint, stripping the paint off, trying again, going too heavy again, stripping the paint off...you get the idea. I reached a point with it where it's probably 70% like I hoped, and just wanted to get it done and on the shelf. Next time I whitewash I'll know a lot more where to go with it...hopefully with less head-scratching. Painted with Mr Colour, odds and sods of Tamiya and a little Xtracrylics, weathered with the airbrush and an oily pin-wash. Many thanks to Colin and SaintsPhil for the advice about Alclad Klear Kotes, which I've found to be stunningly good. Enough of the waffle:

Lavochkin La-5 Limited Edition (1184) 1:48 Eduard We reviewed Eduard's recent release of the La-5FN here, so if you're interested in the development of the machine, you can see the preamble to that review, all of which until the last two sentences applies. As the "vanilla" La-5 is simply an earlier version without fuel injection or the efforts to lighten the airframe to squeeze more performance out of it, the airframe looks outwardly very similar. The Kit Arriving in a standard sized top opening box adorned with a shark-mouthed La-5, inside is more Zvezda styrene, some of which is the same as the FN edition mentioned above. The fuselage sprues are different however, and the additional sprue containing exhaust tubing is absent on this issue. The resin wheels from the last release are carried over, and the Photo-Etch (PE) frets have been tweaked to this variant too. In total, there are three sprues of mid grey styrene, one of clear parts and two frets of PE, one of which is pre-painted for use in the cockpit, the other in bare brass. A small sheet of pre-cut kabuki tape masks are also included, plus a medium sized decal sheet for the included markings options. The instruction booklet is in the usual Eduard style, with the five markings options documented at the rear of the booklet in colour. Construction is almost identical between the two kits, with only the pilot's headrest, the exhaust outlets reduced in number to one each side, with correspondingly small openings in the rear of the cowling. An additional rail that is scabbed onto the side of the FN's canopy is missing, probably to do with the difficulties in opening the canopy at speed the earlier version experienced, and the shrouds that fit around the exhaust openings are reduced to fit snugly around the single outlets. The canopy is also slightly different from the FN, having reduced rear visibility, and only two curved glazed sides behind the pilot, which cuts down the number of clear parts noticeably. Only one canopy part is included, which isn't shown in the rearward open position, so you will have to do some test-fitting to ensure that this is possible. Markings This is where the differences between the two variants shows, and happily the La-5 is given a little more choice in base schemes than the FN, which was all based on two shades of grey over light blue. This time around, we have a choice of an all-over grey machine with the shark-mouth depicted on the box top, three two-tone green over blue airframes, and one in a white distemper coat that was applied over the base camo during Russia's harsh winters. This is probably the option that gives the best possibilities for weathering and paint effects. From the box you can build one of the following: La-5 flown by Guards Maj. Georgi D Kostylev, 4 GIAP, Leningrad, Summer 1944 – Grey over AMT-7 blue with white tail and spinner, white 15 plus shark mouth over the canopy. La-5 flown by Konstantin A Novikov, 40 GIAP, Summer 1943 – two-tone green AMT-6/AMT-4 over AMT-7 blue. White 3 with black spinner. 193rd IAP (Fighter Air Regiment) 1943 – White distemper finish – red* 42 with patriotic slogan on both sides of fuselage. 88th GIAP (Guards Fighter Air Regiment) Sept 1943 – two-tone green AMT-6/AMT-4 over AMT-7 blue. White 84 with white patriotic slogans on the fuselage sides, and yellow lighning bolt through the tail star. 204th IAP (Fighter Air Regiment) Aug 1942 – two-tone green AMT-6/AMT-4 over AMT-7 blue. White 24 on the tail, and Gold Star – hero of the Soviet Union on the starboard cockpit sill. Decals are printed by Cartograf, and are up to their usual excellent standards of colour density, sharpness and register. *The 42 of the white distemper finished aircraft is supplied in either blue, yellow or red, depending on which colour you believe is shown in contemporary black and white photos. Carrier film is cut commendably close to the edges of the decals, and even the naming along the bottom of the sheet is overlaid with carrier film, presumably to prevent a soup of annoying letters ending up floating round in your decal water, or worse, your model. Conclusion Another super rendition and augmentation of the Zvezda kit that shares a few of the shallow sink marks of the FN moulding due to the use of many of the same parts. If you plan ahead and fill them before you get to far into the construction process, they shouldn't cause any undue issues. The decals bring the aircraft to life, and a more pleasing variety of schemes is a welcome change. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hi I’m back with a new build or builds to be exact this time I will build two F-14A from Hobbyboss in 1/48th scale. Since I saw Top Gun I always wanted a couple of F-14s in my cabinet and it was actually that movie that got me into this hobby from the beginning. I decided on the Hobbyboss after reading a lot on the internet, it would seem that about 50% hate it and 50% love them but I think it’s going to be a great build. I also have some extra bits from Eduard and Aires and the DACO book Is on the way. I also have the furball sheet with 7 cag birds that I’m going to use. For the markings I have decided to build a bird from VF-84 (of course, who doesn’t want a jolly rogers F-14) and one from VF-142 Ghostriders . I hope that I will be able to finish them this year but we will see. I also have a couple of pictures of all the stuff and also the 7 markings available an lastly my “man cave”. Cheers Jakob

Spitfire IX Royal Class Edition 1:48 Eduard The Royal Class boxings of Eduard's kits are always eagerly awaited, and include something that is both unusual and interesting, along with two full editions of the kit in question. We reviewed the Profipack of this release here, so I won't repeat the preamble and discussion of the build of the kit. Suffice to say that this is the most detailed and modern tooling of a Spitfire in this scale, and to many this is the best Spitfire mark, so there are plenty of modellers out there that will want one. The kit arrives in a stylish glossy black box with a gold drawing of a IX carrying those famous barrels. As gloss black is hard to photograph, I've pinched Eduard's artwork from their site, but I'm sure they won't mind. Inside the box is a cornucopia of sprues, resin, Photo-Etch (PE) and a special item that will doubtless find its way into the kitchen cupboards for the drinking of beer or whatever liquid you prefer. The box contents take up quite a bit of space, so again I've raided Eduard's site for a complete picture of it all laid out for your delight. The special item is a splendid tulip beer glass with the same drawing on the boxtop surrounded by a garland of hops and crown at the top, and the words Mark IX with Eduard Beer underneath. A small label on the foot of the glass notes that it is made by Bohemia Crystal, a local Czech company that manufactures high quality crystal, and this is from their Lara tableware range if I don't miss my guess. In case there's any doubt, I'm not a glassware expert, but can use Google! Accompanying the glass is a nice thick card beer mat with a profile of Spitfire MH779 and the 453 Squadron RAAF crest, which if subject to use should last a while until a major spill soaks through it. There are a set of 14 coasters to collect, although the initial offer of one coaster per $10 spent on their website has now finished. The full set can be purchased now for a reasonable sum by visiting their site here, but as they're pre-packaged, it's a little hit-and-miss as to whether you'll get duplicates, so if you fancy a set, you'd better hook up with like-minded collectors and do some swapsies to minimise the cost. Moving on to the more important "kits and bits", there is quite a haul of goodies from which to build up two Mark IXs, which I'll lay out in the form of a bulleted list, with a link to our review of the individual components if we've seen them before. The decals are the piece de resistance, and you can build two of 14 possible airframes from the large sheet, two sheets of stencils and smaller additional sheet that you'll find in the box. Resin 2 x conformal belly tanks 2 x 4-spoke hubs 2 x 5-spoke hubs 4 x resin wheels (handed) 2 x 5-spoke treaded wheels (separate hubs) reviewed here 2 x beer barrels (2 parts each) Photo-Etch 2 x flap-sets 2 x Cockpit sets Styrene 1 x early IXc wing sprue ( sprue B ) 1 x IXe wing sprue ( sprue D ) In addition to the above, a double set of kabuki tape masks are included (not pictured). Wings In addition to the late IXc wings on sprue C that are used in four of the markings options included in the box, there are also sprues for the early IXc wing that are used for three marking choices, and sprues for the IXe wing which are used in the remaining seven marking choices. Choices of radiator parts vary between the three wing types, so you'll need to take care here, but the wheel well wall parts are constant throughout. These choices continue with the cowling shape, which is a choice of two types, tail plane fins and a choice of early to late elevators and rudder fins. Your choices continue with clipped wingtips for two of the marking choices, which improved the aircraft's roll rate for low level combat. These are supplied as clear parts that you paint in clear green and red before masking off the light portion for spraying of the wings. If you're planning on installing the bomb/beer racks, you'll need to drill some holes in the wing underside, so don't forget to do that before you glue the upper wing in place. The only downside of this approach to providing one of each sprue is that it limits your choices to one of each type of wing. If you're to choose two of the same mark, you'll need to get some wing overtrees that are sold separately, which are coded as follows: 8280B IXC early 8280C IXc late 8280D IXe Wheels Although three pairs of resin wheels are included, two sets are identical with handed rear hubs and brake detail. You have a choice of 4 or 5-spoked hubs, and two of the decal options have a flat hub-cap that is supplied on one of the PE sheets. The alternative treaded tyres are an option for one of the kits, so check your references to see whether they are appropriate. There are different bay doors and scissor details on the various marking choices, so again you'll need your wits about you. The tail wheel can be either a single part unit, or a three-piece alternative - more choices, although this one is based on realism versus ease and strength. Conformal belly tanks Two of these are included in the resin bags, and even if you decide not to use them, they are detailed on the mating surface as well, so you can depict them as part of the surrounding clutter if you are planning a diorama base. The detail is excellent on the parts, so it would be a shame to leave them in the box, as both the rivets and the slight oil-canning of the tank material is depicted, as well as the various inspection hatches, attachment points and filler caps. The block that is an extension of the casting block needs to be removed from the rear of the tank, and a pair of PE latches added next to its site for extra realism, and if you're leaving it off, a pair of hooks that hold the rear of the tank in place will need adding to the underside of the airframe. Beer Kegs There is a famous instance of a Spitfire being used to ferry much needed liquid refreshment to forward operating bases after D-Day following the abolition of the previous technique of filling cleaned out drop tanks with beer to accomplish the task. Two kegs were lashed to the hard-points for small bombs just outboard of the cannon locaitons and carried across the channel for subsequent imbibing. The resin kegs are moulded in two parts, with the lashing straps moulded in for attachment to the pylons that come with the kit. You can of course also put the supplied bombs under the wing instead for a more normal load, but where's the fun in that? Cockpit & Airframe Set The cockpit set has been laid out differently to enable them to print the colour portions on only one sheet, which contains all the instrument panels and seatbelts necessary to build two aircraft. There are some subtle variations in the panels between the different marking options, so be sure to read the relevant section of the instructions before you proceed. The other parts are provided on a smaller bare brass sheet and include head and seat armour, hubs for the wheels, oleo scissor links etc. Flap Set The flaps of the Spitfire are usually tucked away when parked up due to squadrons operating a fine system if the pilot forgot, presumably to prevent damage during taxying. There's some conjecture about this however, and a Spitfire does look rather good with the flaps down, so this set will certainly enhance the appeal of your model. Two sheets of bare brass are included, so you can deploy them on both your kits if you'd like, and they are very nice sets. A pair of templates are included to assist with the cutting of the lower wing to accommodate the parts, and the flaps are quite easy to construct (I have built a set already), but take your time with the cutting of the wing, as a very sharp point is needed for the inboard edge where the main flap cuts into the fillet on the trailing edge. You'll also need to do some thinning of the upper wing trailing edge to accommodate the parts, but scraping with the side of a new blade should accomplish that fairly quickly. The instructions for this section of the build are supplied on a separate glossy piece of paper, and are simply re-prints of the instructions for the set that is available as a stand-alone purchase. Markings You have a LOT of choice from the box, with a full A4 sheet of decals printed by Cartograf, a small additional sheet containing additional codes printed by Eduard, and two sheets of airframe stencils that are again printed by Eduard. The main sheet is superb to look at with deep vibrant colour all over. Quality of printing is as you would expect from Cartograf, with excellent sharpness, register and colour density, plus the minimum of thin carrier film around each decal. The sheet also includes a pair of instrument panels in case you don't want to use the PE panels for any reason, but I'd imagine that for most Royal Class builders, they'll stay on the sheet. From the box you can build two of the following fourteen choices: F.Mk.IXc MH358 flown by S/L James E Storrar, CO of 65 Sq., Kingsnorth, September 1943 - Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, sky tail band & spinner. F.Mk.IXc EN398 flown by F/O Ian Keltie, No.402 Sq., Kenley, March 1943 - Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, sky tail band & spinner. F.Mk.IXc EN526 flown by W/Cdr A Gabszewicz, CO of Northolt Wing, Northolt, Summer 1943- Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, sky tail band & spinner. LF Mk.IXc MH779 No.453 Sq., Ford Airfield, June 1944- Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, sky tail band & spinner. D-Day stripes under and over wing and tail. LF.Mk.IXc flown by Maj. Garth Jared, CO of 309th FS/31st FG USAAF, Pomigliano/castel Volturno, Italy, Late 1943/early 1944 - Middle Stone/Dark Earth over Azure Blue, stars and bars and red spinner. LFMk.IXc MH763 flown by Prince Emanuel Galitzine, No. 72 Sq. RAF, Ramatuelle Airfield, France, Autumn 1944 - Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, red/sky tail band & red spinner. LF Mk.IXc MJ628 flown by W/Cdr. Daniel le Roy du Vivier, CO of No.324 Fighter Wing, Italy, May 1944 - Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, green tail band & red spinner. LF Mk/IXe NH432 flown by F/O Max A Collet, No.485 Sq. Maldegem Airfield, Belgium autumn 1944 - Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, sky tail band & spinner. Mk.IXe PV181 flown by W/Cdr. Rolf Arne Berg, CO of No.132 Wing, Twente AB, the Netherlands, Winter 1994-1945 - Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, sky tail band & spinner. D-Day banding under fuselage and red/white blue bands on wings, tail and spinner. HF Mk.IXe PT766 flown by Jean-Marie Accart, CO of No.345 Sq., Deanland, September 1944 - Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, sky tail band & spinner. D-Day bands under wings and fuselage, plus overpainted French roundels all over airframe. LF Mk.IXc flown by Maj. Vasiliy A Matsyevich, CO of 26th GIAP, Leningrad area, May 1945 - - Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, white tail & spinner, soviet star markings with red lightning strike running from tail to nose. Clipped wings LF Mk.IXe SL632 101st Tayeset, Israeli Air Force, late 1949 - Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, red spinner and red/white striped rail. Israeli star roundels throughout. LF Mk.IXe MH978 No. 132 Sq. 1944 - Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, sky tail band & spinner. Full D-Day bands on wings and fuselage, and beer kegs hanging from the wings. LF Mk.IXe MK329 flown by W/Crd. J E Johnson, CO of NO.144 Wing, June 1944 - Ocean Grey/Dark Green over Medium Sea Grey, sky tail band & spinner. Full D-Day bands on wings and fuselage, and beer kegs hanging from the wings. There is some conjecture over MH978's full scheme, but Eduard have chosen to include it due to the unit being led by S/Ldr. Count Franz Ferdinand Colleredo-Mansflield, a Czech aristocrat who was killed in action flying this aircraft. A separate page details the stencils that are dotted around the aircraft and prop, so that it doesn't have to be repeated 14 times! Conclusion This is the ultimate boxing of the (so far) ultimate Spitfire IX, which also qualifies as probably the best Spitfire kit yet released in this scale. You get a host of aftermarket to further improve the kit's level of detail, plus a decal sheet to die for and a beer glass that should remind you of your purchase for years to come. Two kits, lots of PE and resin and a wide choice of decals. Great stuff! If you'd like to have a look over the instructions or see some pictures of the various decal options, click the Buy It Now link below to be taken to Eduard's website where you'll find everything you need. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Messerschmitt Me 109E-7detail Sets for Trumpeter Eduard 1:32 Whilst the Trumpeter Messerschmitt Me109E-7 appears to be a very nice kit, it does have its problems. Unfortunately many of the problems with the possible shape issues are not that easy to rectify. If you’re not too worried about the issues, but would like to add some extra detail to the kit, then Eduard have released these two sets just for you. Interior Set (32752) The two sheets contained in the standard poly sleeve with protective card inserts provide parts for the cockpit. The small self adhesive sheet is also pre-painted and contains multiple parts for the instrument panel, including the upper and lower panels with the instrument painted onto a backing sheet and will only need some Aqua gloss or similar to represent the instrument glass. The panel is then populated with additional levers, switch boxes and T handles. The other coloured parts are for the control box facings one the side panels and a complete set of seat belts with separate buckles and clasps. The second sheet is not painted or self adhesive, but contains many useful items to super detail the rest of the cockpit. The side walls are completely replaced with brass sheet and given depth with the addition of further control boxes, trim wheels, linkages, levers, brackets, and perforated oxygen regulator case. The rest of the cockpit is given replacement joystick surround, seat raising ratchet, foot rests, rudder pedals, and rear bulkhead plates. The gunsight is given a new glass support bracket in addition to acetate parts for the glass items. Finally the canopy is fitted out with new armoured headrest details and support arms, canopy latch and the retaining wire for the open canopy. External Detail Set (32 322) This single sheet set is naturally for the external details and the larger than average sheet provides plenty of parts to enhance the kit. Starting at the front, the engine receives new ignition harness parts, lifting straps, cowling locks and an additional plate to the engine bearers. The oil tank is fitted with a new filler cap and the air intake is fitted with a new grille. Each radiator is detailed with new front and rear facings, splitter plates and cooling flaps. The undercarriage bay fittings include new internal walls and roof parts. The main doors receive new internal a facing sheet, whilst the undercarriage oleos have new brake lines, scissor links and wheel brake fitting, making them really look the part. Also included are a new support bracket for the external rear view mirror, which is also replaced, drop tank fixing strap and bomb fin link arms. Conclusion Not having this kit it does make it a little awkward to review as you can’t compare the parts and see how much extra is given by the use of this set. That said Eduard rarely disappoints with their sets and this looks to be pretty comprehensive and should make quite a difference to the completed model. Recommended Review sample courtesy of

Greetings, good people of RFI threads, I come bearing gifts (or sacrificial material, whatever you please)... This is my little BF110E, Eduard's Profipack with some scratchbuilt details - engines, ventral guns, nose guns, a number of things in the cockpit... The kit itself is a treat to work with, I enjoyed every moment of it, pieces fit perfectly, panel lines are as they should be, highly recommended for beginners and experienced modelers alike... It took around 6 months to build it, mostly because my studies haven't left me much time in first 3 or 4 months... There's a WIP thread as well, you can find it here... Here it is next to a Bf109, one of my first models built, almost 10 years ago now, when I was 11 (11 and a half, halves were very important at the time )... This is the only picture of the actual plane I managed to find... Not much to compare from there, though there is a bird similar to this one, G9+HM, that also had sharkmouth nose art, so I made a B&W photo for a bit of comparison... It's a bit cloudy and windy today here in Belgrade, hopefully tomorrow it will clear so that I can take this thing outside for some shots on natural sunlight... This is my first RFI thread, so naturally - every comment, every critique, every advice is most welcome... Cheers!

Okay.. This T plus build 8 since getting back into this modelling 'thing'. (and counting till I've done 12 ) This was supposed to be a quick build, and finished some weeks ago. It was going really well, but a little thing called life did something very unexpected in a manner I couldn't have even imagined.. so on the back-burner it went. Also kept me away from having a browse around here! The horror! So, this is the Eduard rendition of the Mig 15 in 1/72, recently reviewed right here on Britmodeller. This one being from the Dual Combo kit they do which I bought on a whim at a silly bargain price. A bit of PE in the box, some masks, and a few resin stores that are not used on this version. My first go with one of these Eduard things and golly! I'm impressed. Nicely engineered and the only area you really need to take extra care about is making sure the gun pack and nose all fit nice and snug. Oh, and stick some weight in the front where there is space fore of the cockpit tub. I had some liquid gravity on hand so it was the perfect test for it. Alclad Alu all over. Nose is painted Xtracolor high speed silver where apparently this aircaft had it's old code painted out. The blue bands were applied for wargame duties and I've done them using one of those nice Revell acrylics. So few markings this was the quickest decal session I've ever done! Thank you for your attention again. Next up after this one... I think it's back to something with familiar RAF roundels on. Which probably means I'll do an IAF Spitfire. I am so fickle. First, obligitory cockpit shot, because just for a change I had a pocket cam handy. Mig_15_150214_01 by IrritableRabbit, on Flickr Mig_15_150214_02 by IrritableRabbit, on Flickr Then my usual let's not even attempt to pretend it's not a model images. Mig_15_100314_04 by IrritableRabbit, on Flickr Mig_15_100314_08 by IrritableRabbit, on Flickr Mig_15_100314_09 by IrritableRabbit, on Flickr Mig_15_100314_05 by IrritableRabbit, on Flickr Mig_15_100314_11 by IrritableRabbit, on Flickr Mig_15_100314_13 by IrritableRabbit, on Flickr Mig_15_100314_07 by IrritableRabbit, on Flickr Mig_15_100314_16 by IrritableRabbit, on Flickr

German Type IX U-Boat 1:72 Etch sets There was with much excitement when Revell announced the release of their latest in 1:72 U-Boats, the Type IX. Since then the guys and gals at Eduard have been beavering away to produce these three packs of etched brass to really enhance the detail already in the kit and add extra that Revell missed out. There is quite a bit of surgery to be done to the kits before adding the brass, so if you’re of a slightly nervous disposition then you might want to check out the instructions on the Eduard website before committing yourself. 53106 – Set 1: Comes in a zip lock bag with one sheet of etched brass. The sheet contains a series of inner skin panels onto which the hull flood vents are attached; each vent has to be folded to shape before fitting. The kit holes need to be carefully cut out and the vents panels fitted from the inside of the hull parts. On the outside the etched grilles are attached giving a much better representations of the real thing. The set also include replacement parts for the bow torpedo tubes and the decks between them. The inner and outer doors are also replaced and there is an option for open or closed doors. The kits air outlet vents also need to be opened up and covered with etched grilles and plates. The decks receive new bollards, cleats and aerial tie down points, whilst the deck hatched are fitted with new handles. The island also receives new hand holds, coaming plates, brackets, deck fittings and hatches. The main entrance hatch is also fitted with new hinges, and locking wheels. There is a complete replacement radar, railing deck plates, and periscope fittings. 53107 – Set 2: Is quite a bit smaller and come in the standard Eduard packet with stuck down flap. This set provides the modeller with a whole series of deck plates, deck hatches and perforated walkways that cover the upper deck of the submarine. The set also includes extra details for the twin 20mm guns and their mounts along with a new shield, breech fittings, and hand wheels for the 37mm cannon. 53108 Set 3: Is the smallest of the three sets and strangely in one of the larger zip lock packets. This sheet contains a series of external plates that enhance the look of the flooding holes fore and aft and around the bow tube openings. Conclusion Whilst the Type IX is an excellent kit there are some things that really can’t be moulded using standard techniques and it this is where the etched brass comes in. The finesse it provides to a finished model can really make it shine. These sets can, when used correctly will do just that for the Type IX, just be careful with the cutting out of the kit parts. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

USS Indianapolis 1:350 Etch sets It’s been a little while since the Academy USS Indianapolis was released and it’s been a bit surprising that the major aftermarket manufacturers haven’t exactly been clamouring to release detail sets for it, until recently that is, with both Pontos and Eduard producing etched parts for it. The two packs that make up the detail set from Eduard don’t cover as much as the Pontos set, but they give you what is really required without making the construction overly complicated. The first set consists of two sheets of etched brass containing around 239 different parts, not including multiples. The largest sheet provides everything from the ships crane, catapults, small cranes and davits, mast yard rope walks, numerous parts for the five inch and 40mm mounts, inclined ladders, boat cradles, and new end pieces for the smoke generator stack. There are also replacement bulkhead doors, which can be displayed open or closed, a complete replacement SK radar array, prop guards, various new platforms, supports, small railings, turret details, and new hanger doors, which can be folded in a concertina fashion to display the hanger open. The second, slightly smaller sheet contains new deck hatches, which can also be displayed open if required, ammunition racks for the 40mm gun tubs, funnel cap details and grilles, new mast platforms and their respective supports, very nicely detailed Mk8 gun directing radar dishes, SG radar dishes, floatation baskets new director mount aft, The second set, supplied separately provides all the railings in pre-cut lengths for the whole ship, plus the range of platforms including those for the searchlights, radars, plus a rather unusual construction on each side abreast of “A” turret. The set also includes a new veneer for the armoured belts which is interesting and gives it much more of a textured finish. Conclusion This is another pair of very useful etched sets from Eduard. The amount of detail covered is quite exhaustive and will require a fair amount of patience and time to get it all fitted correctly. Some of the details are completely new, not found in the kit so research will be required to ensure it was fitted. By biggest gripe is still the instructions, which really need to be made clearer, especially where parts positioning is concerned. Still, that’s a personal thing, which doesn’t stop me from recommending this set to any one with the Academy kit. Review sample courtesy of