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Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release 1/72nd Scottish Aviation S.A. Bulldog kits. - ref. KPM0298 - Scottish Aviation S.A. Bulldog T.1 - RAF Source: https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/s-a-bulldog-t-1-raf/ - ref. KPM0299 - Scottish Aviation S.A. Bulldog T.1 - RAF Special Source: https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/s-a-bulldog-t-1-raf-special/ - ref. KPM0299 - Scottish Aviation S.A. Sk.61 Bulldog - In Swedish services Source: https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/sk-61-bulldog-in-swedish-services/ - ref. KPM0300 - Scottish Aviation S.A. Bulldog T.1 - Overseas services Source: https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/s-a-bulldog-t-1-overseas-services/ V.P.

Supermarine Spitfire PR.Mk.XI "USAAF" (KPM0291) 1:72 Kovozávody Prostějov 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 from a bit of a damp squib in the shape of the Supermarine Type 224. The 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 an incredibly 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 the clouds of war accumulating, the Ministry issued more orders and it became a battle to create 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 By then, the restrictive straight sided canopy had been replaced by a “blown” hood to give the pilot more visibility, although a few with the old canopy still lingered. The title Mk.Ia was given retrospectively to differentiate between the cannon-winged Mk.Ib that was instigated after the .303s were found somewhat lacking 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 with a new Mk.XII Merlin, followed by the Mk.V that had yet another more powerful Merlin fitted. With the development of new Merlin 60 powered Spitfires, both the Mk VII and VIII were to have photo-reconnaissance (PR) variants. T he Mk XI was based on a combination of features from the marks VII, VIII and IX. It was the first PR variant to have the option of using two vertically mounted F52 cameras in the fuselage behind the cockpit. Other configurations could also be fitted, depending on the mission. The Mk XIs had a deeper nose fairing to accommodate a larger 14.5 gal oil tank and used the unarmoured, wrap-around PRU windscreen. Booster pumps for the wing tanks were fitted these being covered by teardrop shaped fairings under the wings. Retractable tailwheels were fitted as standard and the majority of the Mk XIs built had the later large-area pointed rudder. 260 Mk XIs were powered by Merlin 61, 63 or 63A engines, while the remaining 211 used the high-altitude Merlin 70. All of the Merlin 70 and 198 of the Merlin 60 series aircraft were fitted with the Vokes Aero-Vee dust filter in the extended, streamlined carburettor air intake under the nose. All Merlin 60 powered aircraft featured the fuel cooler in the port leading edge wing root. Additional slipper drop tanks could be fitted under the centre-section; in common with the Mk IX these could be 30, 45 or 90 gal capacity and, for the Mk XI, a tank of 170 gal capacity was also available. The aircraft were capable of a top speed of 417 mph (671 km/h) at 24,000 ft and could cruise at 395 mph at 32,000 ft. Normally Spitfire XIs cruised between these altitudes although, in an emergency, the aircraft could climb to 44,000 ft. However, pilots could not withstand such altitudes for long in a non-pressurised cockpit.[info from Wikipedia] The Kit This is a new tool 2022 boxing in KP's line of Spitfire kits. As is usual, they have produced a number of boxings that vary in decals and parts , giving the modeller plenty of choice which one(s) to get. The kit arrives in a small end-opening box, and inside are two sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, decal sheet and A5 instruction booklet, with the decal options printed in colour on the back of the box. Detail is excellent for the scale. Construction begins with the cockpit, the front bulkhead gets its instrument panel, with the instruments being provided as decals. The seat back and head armour attaches to the rear bulkhead and this is fitted to the floor members. The control column is added followed by the seat. Belts are supplied as decals. At the front of each fuselage half blanking plates go in for the exhausts and then the cockpit can go in the and halves can be closed up. Moving onto the wings the left and right uppers can be added to the single part lower wing making sure the small parts for the wheels wells go in first. The radiators go on. The wing can now be fitted to the fuselage and at the rear the tail surfaces and rudder are fitted, along with the tail wheel. The main gear can be built up and added along with the chin intake and prop. On top the canopy and aerial mast is added. At the front the prop is fitted. Markings There are three decal options in the box to represent The USAAF 14th Photographic Squadron of the 8th Air Force, which operated Spitfire Mark XIs from November 1943 to April 1945 Decals are printed in-house and have good registration, colour density and sharpness, with a very thin carrier film cut close to the printing. Conclusion Another great release from KP with excellent detail, and plenty of choices. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release a family of 1/72nd Cessna 150/152/180 & U-17 Skywagon kits Source: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234931186-azmodellegatoadmiral-wwii-aircraft-comments-questions-and-wishes/?p=1518104 V.P.

The KP 1/72 Spitfire PR.XI will be my build. This particular one will wear the markings of PM142 of 400 Squadron in 1945. 400 Squadron, 09 May 1945, Supermarine Spitfire PR.XI PM 142 Pilot: Lawrence McMillan RCAF DFC AM (US) On 09 May 1945, F/Lt P.G. Wigle (No.1) and F/Lt Lawrence McMillan RCAF (No.2) were on a shipping recce over the Danish waters. The Spitfires were heading south when they at 16:56 hrs observed a convoy of four German ships in the Langelandsbælt 1 mile off Spodsbjerg on the island of Langeland. F/Lt Wigle led the two Spitfires down to sea level and passed within 100 yards of the ships on the port side. All four ships were flying the Nazi flag and three of the ships were loaded with troops. Wigle noticed the name “Ubena” on the second ship in line. The Spitfires continued around to the starboard side of the ships still flying at about 50 feet. At 17:00 hrs Wigle saw his No. 2 (McMillan) explode in mid-air in a large sheet of flames and plunge into the sea. At the same time Wigle observed machine gun strikes in the sea. He climbed to 4500 feet and circled the position but could not observe any debris whatsoever. Only an oil slick could be seen on the water. Danish fishermen sailed to the site but all that could be seen was an oil slick on the surface. The German version of events was “After (the convoy) entered Langelands Bælt at 17:00 hrs two Spitfires were seen flying around the convoy at very low level. Suddenly one Spitfire touched the water and exploded while the other immediately started climbing and disappeared. The incident was reported to the bridge who in turn reported to the Naval command via radio. At the same time light flak was manned just in case the other Spitfire pilot might believe that his comrade had been shot down.” (1) The Squadron circumstantial report stated that “Due to the sudden nature of the attack it is in my opinion that F/Lt McMillan was killed outright and in any event, because of the low height, would be unable to get out of his aircraft before it plunged into the sea/” (2) Neither the aircraft nor Pilot F/Lt Lawrence McMillan has ever been found. McMillan is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Burial details: J/10231 Flight Lieutenant Lawrence McMillan. Aged 23. Son of Frederick and Mary Alice McMillan, of Miami, Manitoba. Runnymede Memorial Panel 278 (3) Sources as quoted below: 1. Spitfire XI PM142 crashed in Langelandsbælt 9/5 1945 (flensted.eu.com) 2. Circumstantial Report on https://www.veterans.gc.ca 3. Commonwealth War Graves Commission, www.cwgc.org 4. RAFWEB, RAF Casualties Index 1940-1949, www.Rafweb.org This aircraft and its pilot has been in my head as a build for years ever since I first read the details of the incident.

Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release 1/72nd de Havilland DH.9A & Polikarpov R-1 kits. Probably a plastic injected kit inspired by the CMR resin kit. - ref. KPM72310 - de Havilland DH.9A - At War Sources: https://www.aviationmegastore.com/de-havilland-dh-9a-at-war-kovozvody-prostejov-kpm72310-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=186279 https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPM72310 - ref. KPM72311 - de Havilland DH.9A - RAF Sources: https://www.aviationmegastore.com/de-havilland-dh-9a-raf-kovozvody-prostejov-kpm72311-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=186280 https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPM72311 - ref. KPM72312 - de Havilland DH.9A - Silver Wings Sources: https://www.aviationmegastore.com/de-havilland-dh-9a--silver-wings-kovozvody-prostejov-kpm72312-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=186281 https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPM72312 - ref. KPM72313 - Polikarpov R-1 Sources: https://www.aviationmegastore.com/polikarpov-r-1-kovozvody-prostejov-kpm72313-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=186282 https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPM72313 V.P.

Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release in April 2022 1/72nd Salmson Sal.2A2 kits. Source: https://www.modelarovo.cz/novinky-kovozavody-prostejov-azmodel-pripravovane-na-duben/ - ref. KPM0324 - Salmson Sal.2A2 - Czecoslovakia - ref. KPM0325 - Salmson Sal.2A2 - In Polish service - ref. KPM0326 - Kawasaki Otsu 1 - ref. KPM0327 - Salmson Sal.2A2 - USAS service V.P.

Legato/AZModel is to release a family of 1/72nd Piper J-3, L-4 Cub & Pa-18/L-21 Super Cub kits. Source: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234931186-azmodellegatoadmiral-wwii-aircraft-comments-questions-and-wishes/?p=1518104 V.P.

Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release in 2017 a 1/72nd Messerschmitt Bf.108B Taifun kit - ref. KPM 0081 & KPM 0082 Reported to be the Fly kit. Source: https://www.facebook.com/kovop/photos/a.182240158636508.1073741828.182206638639860/567316046795582/?type=3&theater Fly Bf.108: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234947435-172-messerschmitt-bf108cd-taifun-nord-100010011002-pingouin-by-fly-released/ V.P.

Kovozávody Prostějov is to release 1/72nd Sopwith Triplane kits Sources: https://www.facebook.com/kovop/posts/1291967567663756 http://www.modelarovo.cz/novinky-kp-po-delsi-dobe-opet-ctvrtka/ - ref. KPM72181 - Sopwith Triplane "Black Flight" https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPM72181 https://www.aviationmegastore.com/sopwith-triplane-black-flight-kpm72181-kovozvody-prostejov-kpm72181-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=169605 - ref. KPM72182 - Sopwith Triplane "In red Soviet Service" https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPM72182 https://www.aviationmegastore.com/sopwith-triplane-in-red-soviet-service-kpm72182-kovozvody-prostejov-kpm72182-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=169606 - ref. KPM72183 - Sopwith Triplane "Aces" https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPM72183 https://www.aviationmegastore.com/sopwith-triplane-aces-kpm72183-kovozvody-prostejov-kpm72183-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=169607 - ref. KPM72184 - Sopwith Triplane "In French Service" V.P.

Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release 1/72nd Albatros C.III kits Source: https://www.modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=95825&start=7740#p2245704 V.P.

Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release 1/72nd Avia B-3 kits - ref. KPM0341 - Avia B-3 Bejk (Bull) - Military Source: https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/avia-b-3-military/ - ref. KPM0342 - Avia B-3 Bejk (Bull) - Racer Source: https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/avia-b-3-racer/ - ref. KPM0343 - Avia B-3 Bejk (Bull) - International Source: https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/avia-b-3-international/ V.P.

Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release in 2021 a family of 1/72nd Hawker Tempest kits. Source: http://www.modelarovo.cz/novinky-kovozavody-prostejov-na-1-q-2021/ - ref. KPM0219 - Tempest Mk.V - Wing Commanders https://www.aviationmegastore.com/hawker-tempest-mkv-wing-commanders-kovozvody-prostejov-kpm72219-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=175515 - ref. KPM0220 - Tempest Mk.V - Clostermann https://www.aviationmegastore.com/hawker-tempest-mkv-clostermann-kovozvody-prostejov-kpm72220-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=175516 - ref. KPM0221 - Tempest Mk.V - Srs.1 https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPM72222 https://www.aviationmegastore.com/hawker-tempest-mkv-srs-1-kovozvody-prostejov-kpm72221-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=177481 - ref. KPM0222 - Tempest Mk.V - 486.(NZ) SQ https://www.aviationmegastore.com/hawker-tempest-mkv-no-486nzsq-kovozvody-prostejov-kpm72222-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=175517 - ref. KPM0226 - Tempest Mk.II - Export - ref. KPM0227 - Tempest Mk.II/F.2 - ref. KPM0228 - Tempest F.2 - Silver Wings V.P.

Kovozávody Prostějov is to release a family of 1/72nd Mig-23 Flogger kits. http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234931186-azmodellegatoadmiral-wwii-aircraft-comments-questions-and-wishes/?p=1891334 New tool? That's the question. Some sources quoted these future kits as repop from the R.V. Aircraft moulds. V.P.

Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release 1/72nd Miles M.2 Hawk Major kits. Source: https://www.modelarovo.cz/kp-kovozavody-prostejov-azmodel-2022/ Box art V.P.

Supermarine Spitfire PR.Mk.X (KPM0290) 1:72 Kovozávody Prostějov 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 from a bit of a damp squib in the shape of the Supermarine Type 224. The 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 an incredibly 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 the clouds of war accumulating, the Ministry issued more orders and it became a battle to create 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 replaced by a “blown” hood to give the pilot more visibility, although a few with the old canopy still lingered. The title Mk.Ia was given retrospectively to differentiate between the cannon-winged Mk.Ib that was instigated after the .303s were found somewhat lacking 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 with a new Mk.XII Merlin, followed by the Mk.V that had yet another more powerful Merlin fitted. Following the introduction of the FW 109 the Mark XI was developed with a new two-stage supercharged Merlin 61 engine. This was markedly better above 20,000 ft and could easily climb to, and fight at 38,000 ft. The PR XI we converted XI's as well as the camera equipment, a wrap-around PR type windscreen was fitted, and a larger oil tank was installed under the nose. All armament was removed , the aircraft lacked "wet wing" tanks, meaning that the PR Mk IX relied on drop tanks for extra range. With the new Merlin 60 powered Spitfires the Mk VII and VIII were to have photo-reconnaissance (PR) variants, and 70 aircraft were ordered, provisionally designated PR Mk VIII. Based on the revised MK VIII airframe these aircraft were to be powered by Merlin. A policy change resulted in the pressurised PR variant of the Mk VII being renamed PR Mk X. This followed the PR Mk XI into production and was based on the Mk VII airframe with PR Mk XI wings and cameras. It had the pressurised Mk VII cockpit, the Lobelle sliding canopy, and retained the fighter style windscreen with the bullet-proof glass panel. A long thin air intake to the cockpit pressurisation system was fitted under the exhaust stacks on the starboard cowling. The performance was similar to that of the PR XI although the pressurised cockpit meant that this version could stay at altitudes of over 40,000 ft for longer without affecting the pilot. Sixteen Mk Xs were built during 1944. All saw limited service in 541 Squadron and 542 Squadron for high altitude reconnaissance. Experience with this version led to the development and production of the pressurised version of the PR Mk XIX The Kit This is a new tool 2022 boxing in KP's line of Spitfire kits. As is usual, they have produced a number of boxings that vary in decals and parts , giving the modeller plenty of choice which one(s) to get. The kit arrives in a small end-opening box, and inside are two sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, decal sheet and A5 instruction booklet, with the decal options printed in colour on the back of the box. Detail is excellent for the scale. Construction begins with the cockpit, the front bulkhead gets its instrument panel, with the instruments being provided as decals. The seat back and head armour attaches to the rear bulkhead and this is fitted to the floor members. The control column is added followed by the seat. Belts are supplied as decals. At the front of each fuselage half blanking plates go in for the exhausts and then the cockpit can go in the and halves can be closed up. Moving onto the wings the left and right uppers can be added to the single part lower wing making sure the small parts for the wheels wells go in first. The radiators go on. The wing can now be fitted to the fuselage and at the rear the tail surfaces and rudder are fitted, along with the tail wheel. The main gear can be built up and added along with the chin intake and prop. On top the canopy and aerial mast is added. At the front the prop is fitted. Markings There are three decal options in the box to represent 541 Squadron and 542 Squadron aircraft. Decals are printed in-house and have good registration, colour density and sharpness, with a very thin carrier film cut close to the printing. Conclusion Another great release from KP with excellent detail, and plenty of choices. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Source: http://www.modelarovo.cz/supermarine-spitfire-mk-1a-1-72-kp-kovozavody-prostejov/ - ref. KPM72260 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IA - Wats Prop https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/spitfire-mk-ia-wats-prop/ - ref. KPM72261 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IA - Three-bladed Propeller https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/spitfire-mk-ia-three-blade-prop/ https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPM72261 - ref. KPM72262 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IA - Commanders https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/spitfire-mk-ia-commanders/ https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPM72262 - ref. KPM72262 - Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IA - Black and White https://www.kovozavody.cz/produkt/spitfire-mk-ia-black-white/ https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPM72263 V.P.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIa "Far From Home" (KPM0304) 1:72 Kovozávody Prostějov 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 from a bit of a damp squib in the shape of the Supermarine Type 224. The 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 an incredibly 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 the clouds of war accumulating, the Ministry issued more orders and it became a battle to create 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 replaced by a “blown” hood to give the pilot more visibility, although a few with the old canopy still lingered. The title Mk.Ia was given retrospectively to differentiate between the cannon-winged Mk.Ib that was instigated after the .303s were found somewhat lacking 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 with a new Mk.XII Merlin, 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 of an outwardly almost identical Spitfire. The Kit This is a new 2021 boxing in KP's line of Spitfire kits from 2016. As is usual, they have produced a number of boxings that vary in decals and parts, giving the modeller plenty of choice which one(s) to get. The kit arrives in a small end-opening box, and inside are three sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, decal sheet and A5 instruction booklet, with the decal options printed in colour on the back of the box. Detail is excellent for the scale, and clever engineering has resulted in a modular kit that can squeeze additional versions from the plastic just by swapping out some of the parts. There are plenty of unused parts on the sprues including other set of wings, different props, spinners, masts, a chin intake filter; and exhausts which suggest different marks can be made from this kit, or you will have a fair few spare parts. Construction begins with the cockpit, the front bulkhead gets its instrument panel, with the instruments being provided as decals. The seat back and head armour attaches to the rear bulkhead and this is fitted to the floor members. The control column is added followed by the seat. Belts are supplied as decals. At the front of each fuselage half blanking plates go in for the exhausts and then the cockpit can go in the and halves be closed up. Moving onto the wings the left and right uppers can be added to the single part lower wing making sure the small parts for the wheels wells go in first. The radiator and oil coolers go on. The wing can now be fitted to the fuselage and at the rear the tail surfaces and rudder are fitted, along with the tail wheel. The main gear can be built up and added along with the chin intake and prop. On top the canopy and aerial mast is added. Markings There are three decal options in the box to represent Czechoslovak units in the RAF. From the box you can build one of the following: Decals are printed in-house and have good registration, colour density and sharpness, with a very thin carrier film cut close to the printing. Conclusion Another great release from KP with excellent detail, and plenty of choices. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release in 2019 a new tool 1/72nd Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19S "Farmer-C" kit Source: https://www.facebook.com/kovop/posts/924692617724588 V.P.

Kovozávody Prostějov is to release in 2018 a 1/72nd Zlín/LET Z-37 Čmelák kit - ref. KPM0103 Source: http://www.modelarovo.cz/kovozavody-prostejov-v-roce-2018/ V.P.

Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to release 1/72nd Dornier/Dassault-Breguet (DDB) Alpha Jet A/1B/E/MS.1 & MS.2 kits. A new tool kit or an updated, with some new parts, from the vintage Heller kit, like the 1/50th Gazelle (link) or 1/72nd Potez 540 (link)? Today, with KP/AZmodel you never know. Wait and see. Sources: http://www.modelarovo.cz/dassault-dornier-alpha-jet-a-1-72-kp-kovozavody-prostejov/ https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1632027106991132&id=182206638639860 V.P.

Hawker Tempest Mk.II/F.2 Silver Wings (KPM0228) 1:72 Kovozávody Prostějov The Hawker Tempest was a development of the Typhoon, originally called the Typhoon II, it was envisioned to solve all of the issues that bothered its designer, Sir Sidney Camm. The main difference was a much thinner wing which reduced drag and improved aerodynamics of the laminar airflow. The wings could accommodate 20mm Hispano cannons that packed an enormous punch, and lent itself to the low-level attack role that it was designed for. The engines considered as candidates to power the aircraft were the Centaurus, Griffon and Sabre IV, and initially the Rolls-Royce Vulture, which was terminated early in the design phase, leaving the three options going forward and necessitating substantially different cowlings for each to accommodate their differing shapes. The Mark V was the leading option and was split into two series, with the Series 1 having the Sabre II that had a similar chin intake to the Typhoon and many Typhoon parts, while the later Series 2 used fewer Typhoon parts and had their cannon barrels shortened so they fitted flush with the leading edge on the wings. Because of the impending entry into service of jet-engined fighters, the initial order of Mk.IIs was fairly low, even though it was intended to fight in the expected Pacific Theatre after Germany surrendered. There were over 400 made, many of them fitted with a tropicalised filter just in front of the canopy, which became a de facto standard later in the production run. After the war they saw action in the Malayan emergency, and some were later transferred to the Indian Air Force, with more finding their way into Pakistani service, with the last of them flying until 1953. The Kit This is a new 2021 line of toolings from KPM of what was the pinnacle of piston-engined fighters, the Hawker Tempest. As is usual, they have produced a number of boxings that vary in decals and parts, giving the modeller plenty of choice which one(s) to get. The kit arrives in a small end-opening box, and inside are three sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, decal sheet and A5 instruction booklet, with the decal options printed in colour on the back of the box. Detail is excellent for the scale, and clever engineering has resulted in a modular kit that can squeeze additional versions from the plastic just by swapping out some of the parts. Construction begins with the cockpit, which is slightly simplified because the real one is a mass of tubular frames and no traditional floor to speak of. The floor part has the foot trays and rudder pedals moulded-in, to which the rear bulkhead is joined along with the seat and control column. The seat supports are a little soft, but as they won’t be seen this doesn’t matter one bit. The triple-faceted instrument panel is a single part with a stunning level of detail for the dials and instruments, and a separate gunsight to which you’ll need to add a small slip of clear acetate, with the sizes given alongside that instruction step. The cylindrical engine cowling as next, consisting of three sections plus a toroidal lip part, and two more parts depicting the Centaurus engine, which again is well-detailed but mostly hidden by the central disc and later the prop. It is locked inside the nose cowling and put to one side until the fuselage has been mated, which is next. The cockpit, instrument panel and tail wheel with bay are all trapped inside the cockpit, with the addition of a small trim-wheel on the port interior, and here the detail is a little soft too, but as it is painted black and inside an extremely cramped cockpit with small opening, it’s unlikely to matter much unless you have a very small endoscopic camera that you carry round with you for annoying your fellow modellers. After the glue is set, the nose and fuselage are mated, and attention turns to the wings. The wings have two inserts in the leading edges at the wing-root, which are made from separate parts with three making up the starboard side, and two the narrower port side. The lower wing is full-width, and has two upper halves that trap the main gear bay walls, the three landing/recognition lights in the underside, and the twin cannons in the leading edges, which have slots already cut for them, then it’s time to fix the elevators, both comprising a single part each. The inner Landing gear bay doors are triangular in shape, and fix to the inner edges of the bays, while the retractable tail wheel bay has a pair of curved doors to the sides. The main gear legs are a single part each, with a retraction mechanism added low-down on the leg, a captive gear bay door, and a single-part wheel with hub detail moulded-in. The wheel detail is excellent, having block tread and sharp four-spoke hub detail that defies the scale and moulding limitations to this modeller’s eye. Outboard of the main gear legs are a pair of small additional doors, which can be posed correctly by referring to the scrap diagram nearby that shows how everything should look from the front. In between the gear bays is a small ovoid panel, an antenna and the crew boarding stirrup, after which the four-bladed prop is made up from a moulded blade set that is sandwiched between the back plate and spinner cap with a short moulded-in axle fitting through a hole in the nose to glue or leave loose at your whim. The canopy is provided as two parts, with a separate windscreen glued to the front of the ‘pit, and the canopy opener either butted against it for a closed canopy, or pushed back to allow access and that wind-in-your-hair experience during flight. Red marks on the diagrams show where the parts should fit against the fuselage, and there are a pair of optional bottles on the aft deck for you to use or lose after checking with your references. The Tempest was a capable fighter-bomber, and often carried a an additional war-load for targets of opportunity on sorties or extra fuel if it was a long mission. KP have supplied a set of eight rockets on their rails, two bombs on slim mounts, or a pair of fuel tanks for you to use if you wish. Markings There are three decal options in the box, and all are wearing the paint-free option that became fairly common of the period toward the end and following WWII when camouflage wasn't considered important. From the box you can build one of the following: Decals are printed in-house and have good registration, colour density and sharpness, with a very thin carrier film cut close to the printing. In addition to the seatbelt decals there is a decal for the grille that covers the tropical filter, which you can apply if you need to. Conclusion Another great release from KP with excellent detail, plenty of choices of load-out, and other extras that rounds out the package. You also have spare parts for a Mk.VI on the sprues and a pair of five-spoke wheels, just in case that’s of interest. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Alpha Jet A ‘Bundesluftwaffe’ (KPM0266) 1:72 Kovozávody Prostějov At the end of the 60s, with the SEPECAT Jaguar transformed from a trainer into an attack aircraft, it left the advanced jet trainer replacement unfulfilled, so France and Germany began a collaboration to design a new trainer that was to become the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet, the Breguet part in the collaboration being absorbed by Dassault when they bought the company. It flew late in 1973, and went into service with France in 1979 after extensive trials as the Alpha Jet E, fulfilling a similar role to the BAe Hawk in the RAF. The Germans used the jet as a Light Attack aircraft with the A suffix appended, and limited export success brought the Alpha Jet to Francophile countries in Europe and Africa, with a number of ex-Luftwaffe aircraft finding their way to Thailand and Portugal. One of Britain's defence company QinetiQ bought 6 ex-Luftwaffe aircraft, which occasionally make appearances at airshows. Germany has retired the aircraft now, but many airframes are still in service, with the later MS2 with new avionics, engines, a glass cockpit and improved weapons carrying performance used to train pilots on modern types. The Kit Originally released in 2021, there have been a number of reboxings of the core kit, with various markings options and parts to address the needs and wants of us modellers, which is their stock-in-trade. This boxing offers you the ability to model the A, E or more advanced MS using the parts in the box, but the decals supplied are purely for the A, as stated on the box, opening the door for anyone with aftermarket decals for the other types to use this boxing to apply their own decals. Good to know. The kit arrives in a figure-type end-opening box, with two sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, decal sheet and instruction booklet. The rear of the box has all the profiles for the marking options printed on it in colour. Construction begins with the cockpit, which revolves around the two-seat tub, with the two seats having belt decals, a pair of control columns, additional console parts, and decals for the side consoles. The two instrument panels also have decals, with a choice of decals, depending on which mark you are depicting. The cockpit and rear coaming are inserted into the fuselage along with the nose-gear bay, and in anticipation of adding the underside insert, the main gear bays are built on a single roof part with bulkheads separating them and outfitted with landing gear struts and wheels, then glued into the inside of the insert, which can be fitted into the fuselage, closing up the underside. The wings are simple structures with two main parts each, the undersides smaller than the uppers, to make for a slimmer trailing edge, and attaching to the fuselage by the usual slot-and-tab method, as are the elevators, with a pair of blade antennae fixed near the top of the tail fin. The intakes are also installed at this stage, which each have an inner splitter plate with a C-profile intake trunk joined together and offered up to the fuselage either side of the rear pilot’s cockpit. The mark of your model is determined by the instrument decals within the cockpits and the nose cones, which you have a choice of for all three types of this aircraft. The decals are for the A, which has a pointed nose and pitot probe, and required the removal of a strake on each side of the nose, which is shown in the diagram. The E has a rounded nose, while the MS has an angled flat tip. A busy diagram shows the installation of the nose gear and all the remaining bay doors, the former being made from three parts with an additional retraction strut added as it is inserted into the bay. Four underwing pylons are included in the kit, which can be left empty or have two extra fuel tanks slung under them, with the option of a central gun pack under the belly. The forward sections of the flap fairings are moulded into the wings, but the aft sections are added from separate parts on the moulded-in flying surfaces. The sensor fit differs between options, with extra steps showing those for French, Canadian and QinetiQ, then the one-piece canopy is glued in place with a small intake on the side of the spine, after which it’s time to paint your model. Markings A separate sheet shows the location of all the stencils, of which there are quite a few, then you refer to the rear of the box for your main markings options. From the box you can build one of the following: Decals are printed without acknowledgment, and have good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. The upper wing stencils are printed on a single decal per wing, so care will be needed to ensure it doesn’t break up, and here the thin carrier film will be a boon once applied, but tricky during fitting. Conclusion I’ve always liked the Alpha Jet, and this is a great little model with lots of detail moulded-in, and some nice decal markings for in service German Jets. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hawker Tempest F.6 (KPM0223) 1:72 Kovozávody Prostějov The Hawker Tempest was a development of the Typhoon, originally called the Typhoon II, it was envisioned to solve all of the issues that bothered its designer, Sir Sidney Camm. The main difference was a much thinner wing which reduced drag and improved aerodynamics of the laminar airflow. The wings could accommodate 20mm Hispano cannons that packed an enormous punch, and lent itself to the low-level attack role that it was designed for. The engines intended to power the aircraft were the Centaurus, Griffon and Sabre IV, and initially the Rolls-Royce Vulture, which was terminated early in the design phase, leaving the three options going forward and necessitating substantially different cowlings to accommodate their differing shapes. The Mark V was split into two series, with the Series 1 having the Sabre II that had a similar chin intake to the Typhoon and many Typhoon parts, while the later Series 2 used fewer Typhoon parts and had their cannon barrels shortened so they fitted flush with the leading edge on the wings. The Mk.VI or F.6 was based upon the Mk.II but with a more powerful Napier V engine that required a bigger radiator that necessitated the removal of the carburettor and oil-cooler radiators to the leading edges of the wings, just to keep the beast of an engine cool. Because of the impending entry into service of jet-engined fighters, the initial order was scaled back and the Mk.VI has the sad distinction of being the last piston-engined fighter aircraft to enter service with the RAF. Unlike the Mk.Vs, the F.6 doesn’t seem to have been used as a target tug in its dotage, as no evidence has yet been found. The Kit This is a new 2021 line of toolings from KPM of the pinnacle of piston-engined fighters, the Hawker Tempest. As is usual, they have produced a number of boxings that vary in decals and parts, giving the modeller plenty of choice which one(s) to get. The kit arrives in a small end-opening box, and inside are three sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, decal sheet and A5 instruction booklet, with the decal options printed in colour on the back of the box. Detail is excellent for the scale, and clever engineering has resulted in a modular kit that can squeeze additional versions from the plastic just by swapping out some of the parts. Construction begins with the cockpit, which is slightly simplified because the real one is a mass of tubular frames and no traditional floor to speak of. The floor part as the foot trays moulded in along with the rudder pedals, to which the rear bulkhead is joined along with the seat and control column. The seat supports are a little soft, but as they won’t be seen this doesn’t matter one bit. The triple-faceted instrument panel is a single part with a stunning level of detail for the dials and instruments, and a separate gunsight to which you’ll need to add a small slip of clear acetate, with the sizes given alongside the instruction step. The engine cowling as next, with an internal set of bulkheads supporting the visible intake grille, which again is well-detailed. It is locked inside the nose cowling and put to one side until the fuselage has been mated, which is coming up. The cockpit, instrument panel and tail wheel with bay are all trapped inside the cockpit, with the addition of a small trim-wheel on the port interior, and here the detail is a little soft too, but as it is painted black and in a very cramped cockpit with small aperture, it’s unlikely to matter much unless you have a very small endoscopic camera that you carry round with you for annoying your fellow modellers. After the glue is set, the nose and fuselage are mated, and attention turns to the wings. The wings have two inserts in the leading edges at the wing-root, which are made from separate parts with three making up the starboard side, and two the narrower port side. The lower wing is full-width, and has two upper halves that trap the main gear bay walls, the three landing/recognition lights in the underside, and the twin cannons in the leading edges, which have slots already cut for them. A small insert fits in the underside of the wing assembly as it is being joined to the fuselage, which is also the time to fix the elevators, both comprising a single part each. The exhaust stubs are fixed into the slots in the sides of the engine cowling too, although these could be left of until main painting is complete to save having to mask them off. The inner Landing gear bay doors are triangular in shape, and fix to the inner edges of the bays, while the retractable tail wheel bay has a pair of curved doors to the sides. The main gear legs are a single part each, with a retraction mechanism added low-down on the leg, a captive gear bay door, and a single-part wheel with hub detail moulded-in. The wheel detail is excellent, having block tread and sharp hub detail that defies the scale and moulding limitations to this modeller’s eye. Outboard of the main gear legs are a pair of small additional doors, which can be posed correctly by referring to the scrap diagram nearby that shows how everything should look from in front. In between the legs are a small ovoid panel, an antenna and the crew boarding stirrup, after which the four-bladed prop is made up from a one-part set of blades that are sandwiched between the back plate and spinner cap with a short moulded-in axle fitting through a hole in the nose to glue or leave loose at your whim. The canopy is provided as two parts, with a separate windscreen glued to the front of the ‘pit, and the canopy opener either butted against it for a closed canopy, or pushed back to allow access and that wind-in-your-hair experience during flight. Red marks on the diagrams show where the parts should fit against the fuselage, and there are a pair of optional bottles on the aft deck for you to use or lose after reference to your… errr, references. The Tempest was a capable fighter-bomber, and often carried a war-load on sorties, or extra fuel if it was a long trip. KP have supplied a set of eight rockets on their rails, two bombs on slim mounts, or a pair of fuel tanks for you to use if you wish. Markings There are three decal options in the box, and all are wearing the late war camo typical of the period after WWII. From the box you can build one of the following: Decals are printed in-house and have good registration, colour density and sharpness, with a very thin carrier film that is a wee bit larger than required on some of the letter code decals. It is very thin however, so should disappear quite well, even if you don’t cover them with coats of clear gloss varnish and sand them back to hide them. Conclusion Another cracking release from KP with excellent detail, plenty of choices of load-out, and other extras that rounds out the package. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Alpha Jet A ‘QinetiQ’ (KPM0267) 1:72 Kovozávody Prostějov At the end of the 60s, with the SEPECAT Jaguar transformed from a trainer into an attack aircraft, it left the advanced jet trainer replacement unfulfilled, so France and Germany began a collaboration to design a new trainer that was to become the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet, the Breguet part in the collaboration being absorbed by Dassault when they bought the company. It flew late in 1973, and went into service with France in 1979 after extensive trials as the Alpha Jet E, fulfilling a similar role to the BAe Hawk in the RAF. The Germans used the jet as a Light Attack aircraft with the A suffix appended, and limited export success brought the Alpha Jet to Francophile countries in Europe and Africa, with a number of ex-Luftwaffe aircraft finding their way to Thailand and Portugal. One of Britain's defence company QinetiQ bought 6 ex-Luftwaffe aircraft, which occasionally make appearances at airshows. Germany has retired the aircraft now, but many airframes are still in service, with the later MS2 with new avionics, engines, a glass cockpit and improved weapons carrying performance used to train pilots on modern types. The Kit Originally released in 2021, there have been a number of reboxings of the core kit, with various markings options and parts to address the needs and wants of us modellers, which is their stock-in-trade. This boxing offers you the ability to model the A, E or more advanced MS using the parts in the box, but the decals supplied are purely for the A, as stated on the box, opening the door for anyone with aftermarket decals for the other types to use this boxing to apply their own decals. Good to know. The kit arrives in a figure-type end-opening box, with two sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, decal sheet and instruction booklet. The rear of the box has all the profiles for the marking options printed on it in colour. Construction begins with the cockpit, which revolves around the two-seat tub, with the two seats having belt decals, a pair of control columns, additional console parts, and decals for the side consoles. The two instrument panels also have decals, with a choice of decals, depending on which mark you are depicting. The cockpit and rear coaming are inserted into the fuselage along with the nose-gear bay, and in anticipation of adding the underside insert, the main gear bays are built on a single roof part with bulkheads separating them and outfitted with landing gear struts and wheels, then glued into the inside of the insert, which can be fitted into the fuselage, closing up the underside. The wings are simple structures with two main parts each, the undersides smaller than the uppers, to make for a slimmer trailing edge, and attaching to the fuselage by the usual slot-and-tab method, as are the elevators, with a pair of blade antennae fixed near the top of the tail fin. The intakes are also installed at this stage, which each have an inner splitter plate with a C-profile intake trunk joined together and offered up to the fuselage either side of the rear pilot’s cockpit. The mark of your model is determined by the instrument decals within the cockpits and the nose cones, which you have a choice of for all three types of this aircraft. The decals are for the A, which has a pointed nose and pitot probe, and required the removal of a strake on each side of the nose, which is shown in the diagram. The E has a rounded nose, while the MS has an angled flat tip. A busy diagram shows the installation of the nose gear and all the remaining bay doors, the former being made from three parts with an additional retraction strut added as it is inserted into the bay. Four underwing pylons are included in the kit, which can be left empty or have two extra fuel tanks slung under them, with the option of a central gun pack under the belly. The forward sections of the flap fairings are moulded into the wings, but the aft sections are added from separate parts on the moulded-in flying surfaces. The sensor fit differs between options, with extra steps showing those for French, Canadian and QinetiQ, then the one-piece canopy is glued in place with a small intake on the side of the spine, after which it’s time to paint your model. Markings A separate sheet shows the location of all the stencils, of which there are quite a few, then you refer to the rear of the box for your main markings options. From the box you can build one of the following: Decals are printed without acknowledgment, and have good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. The upper wing stencils are printed on a single decal per wing, so care will be needed to ensure it doesn’t break up, and here the thin carrier film will be a boon once applied, but tricky during fitting. Conclusion I’ve always liked the Alpha Jet, and this is a great little model with lots of detail moulded-in, and some nice decal markings that are just that little bit left field. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

In 2002 Kovozávody Prostějov (KP) is to re-release the Směr (link & link) 1/48th Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 "Fresco" early versions kit. Upgraded ? Source: https://www.modelarovo.cz/kp-kovozavody-prostejov-azmodel-2022/ Box art V.P.