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Ikarus IK-2 VVKJ / Hrvatska 1:72 Azur FR.ROM Built on the Pulawskis gull wing configuration, the IK-L1 prototype made her maiden flight on 22 April 1935, but was soon destroyed. The second prototype IK-02 flew on 24 August, 1936. The Ikarus plant received in November 1937, an order for production of 12 aircraft and delivered them during December 1938 to March 1939. During Summer 1939, the IK-2s are incorporated into 6 th Puk in Zemun airfield (Belgrade). In October 1939 they move to 4th Puk in Borongaj airfield (Zagreb) then starting on 13 March, 1941, to Bosanski Aleksandrovac airfield (near Banja Luka, Bosnia). The Yugoslavian aircraft (VVKJ Boxing) IK-2s took part in defence and get involved in a very hard fight on the Nova Topola airfield, on 8 April, 1941. On 11 April, the last IK-2 landed at Veliki Radinci airfield where all the surviving planes, including 3 IK-3s of 6th Puk and some Me 109s, were destroyed by their crews. Nr 3, 4, 11 and 13, being serviced on 6 April during German attack on Yugoslavia, did not take part in any fighting, but were captured by German troops and subsequently transferred to the Croat Air Force. The Yugoslav aircraft were initially painted overall in aluminium, the IK-2s get 4 large 1 m diameter Kosovo crosses on the wings, Cyrillic letters were applied. Big black numbers 1 to 5 are painted on fuselage of aircrafts nr 9 to 13. In late 1940, a standard camouflage was applied. This consisted of uppers in ochre/ dark green/ dark brown, lower in light blue-grey, with usually modifications of the topside crosses: painting out of the starboard cross, and reduction of port to 70 cm . The Croatian aircraft (Hrvastska Boxing) were those transferred by the Germans. These aircraft were nr 2901 to 2904. They were taken on charge by 17th Jato and 6th Grupa, at Rajlovac airfield (Sarajevo) and employed on reconnaissance missions. Two remained in use during 1944, no IK-2 survived the war. The Croatian aircraft were painted in dark green topside and grey underside. The Croat insignias appear on wings in the four usual positions, and on both sides of the rudder. The identification number is applied on both sides of fuselage.(Information from Azur FFROM) The Kit The Kit arrives in an open end box. The parts inside are bagged. There is one main sprue of parts, the main wing, a small PE fret and a bag containing the canopies. The detail on the kit is fine, engraved detail where needed, and some raised detail. The main parts are typical short run injection plastic, there is a little flash on some of the smaller parts, but this will be easy to clean up. The parts count for this small fighter is quite low. Construction starts with the cockpit. All parts are in plastic with the exception of some PE seatbelts, and the instrument panel which is made up of a plastic/file/PE sandwich. Once the cockpit is installed the fuselage is closed up and the tail planes added. PE parts provide the struts for the tailplanes. After this the main wing and the main gear needs to be fitted and its important the three struts are fitted in the right places, as they link the wing and the gear. The prop is next and for some reason is 3 separate blades which need fitting into the hub. Finally the canopy is added; here they have provided both an injection canopy, and a vac form canopy for those who prefer them. Decals For the Croation boxing markings are supplied for four aircraft, these are identical apart from the ID number. For the Yugoslavian aircraft markings are provided for the silver aircraft, and two variations of the camo aircraft. Conclusion Once again Azur FFROM have provided us with a kit of an aircraft not generally known for which they should be proud. Its limited run and not a fall together kit, but should be welcomed by modellers who like something a little different, and those wanting to model Balkans aircraft. Review sample courtesy of