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Hello all! As this year it is 80 years since the Spanish civil war, I thought it would be nice to propose a GB for 2017 or 18 for the SCW. This conflict brought together people from all over the globe, from coal miners from Wales to Ernest Hemingway, from clandestine Luftwaffe pilots ; many of whom went in to become WWII aces) to George Orwell. Soviet pilots, Australian nurses, Volunteers on all sides of the war. The scope for vehicles from improvised AFV's welded together by union members, to the first German Panzers, Italian light tanks, supplies of French tanks from WWI, Soviet armour, is huge. Aircraft range from the first successful monoplane retractable undercarriage fighters (the Soviet I-16) to the first BF 109's, Italian Savoia-Marchetti bombers, Cant and other floatplanes, Junkers transports and an incredible array of 'Golden Age' civilian aircraft. Pressed into (or volunteered) for service, there were aircraft manufactured in e.g. Poland, France, Czechoslvakia, America, the USSR, Canada, Great Britain and of course Spain involved. Ships and naval subjects are very important and varied. Nationalist and Republican Spanish, German and Italian naval vessels, submarines/U boats, merchant ships of many origins. A large number of the latter were destroyed in the conflict. The scope for figures donned in all manner of uniforms and similarly for dioramas and vignettes is vast. If anyone would like further information on subjects, just pop me a PM If anyone is interested and then also if anyone would like to co-host; that would be great! Come and join us for beer, sangria, tortillas and tapas! Righto: on with the list: 1. TonyTiger66 (host) 2. Antoine 3. Sgt. Squarehead 4. CliffB 5. Learstang 6. Arniec 7. JimmyZ 8. wyverns4 9. Kingtiger 10. Artie 11. AndyC 12: stevehed 13. Botan 14. JWM 15. SleeperService 16. Moggy 17. Prenton 18. jrlx 19. Levin 20. whitestar12chris 21. Styreno 22. exdraken 23. Avereda 24. Gingerbob 25. JohnD 26. TrickRich 27. SAU 28. Jockney 29. Kahunaminor 30. TheBaron 31. Kpc7676 32.AlexN 33. Grandboof Well, we made 30, and now we're on 33! We're a slow steady burner. The 'Green party' of group builds, one day we will get enough bods to pass the poll, we just have to spread the word and stick to our guns. Thanks to Martin fog becoming number 33 welcome on board. Let's keep the momentum up. Ask your friends! Please post any links to or pictures of SCW subjects. It would be lovely to see some 'sea salts' here. Anyone want to build a Dreadnought? . This is a superb area for figures too. Aircraft? We are utterly spoilt with beautiful subjects! Thanks for joining, all your support and suggestions folks TonyT Edited title and text 11/10/2016 PS: A little prize or three could be made available if people are interested, please let me know in the thread. Sponsored by my stash reduction project

Here's the box art... A profile... From above... Sprue...nice little bit of PE. Probably for the cockpit. Might skip it. I also have an old Airfix kit (light blue plastic) that, if I am able, I will make as the Croat bird. See you all in a bit! --John

Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 J/88 Legion Condor (SH72443) 1:72 Special Hobby The BF 109 has inherited quite a legendary status and when you look into its service career, it's certainly obvious why. Viewing the design in retrospect, it looks just like a typical fighter of the WWII era, but it was more than that, it was the very platform that the single seat fighter format was born from. Powerful engine, monocoque airframe, all metal construction, enclosed cockpit and retractable gear this was unheard of before hand, it was radical, not typical in the 1930's. Its birth wasn't perfect however, to achieve its performance, some sacrifices were made, particularly in the landing gear arrangement and high wing loading having a negative effect on landing speeds compared to the competition at the time. This inherent design issue was never fully cured and it's estimated that at least 10% of all 109's were lost in take off accidents. Early models (A-D) were powered by the Junkers jumo engine with outputs of around 700hp. The aircraft was first used in combat during the Spanish Civil War where many lessons were learned and these would be later put to good use in battles over France and Britain. The E or Emil model broke the mould in 109 development by changing to the more powerful Daimler Benz DB 601 engine of around 1080hp, a significant step in performance and also in armament due to the introduction of 20mm cannon. By 1939, all earlier variants had been replaced in frontline service. As the variants progressed, so did the level of armour protection for the pilot. Another critical element to improve survivability was the use of twin radiators with cut off valves meaning that if one radiator was damaged, the other could be used to keep it airborne. The Emil was the primary Luftwaffe fighter until 1941 when the F model became widely available with more powerful engine although a few managed to see combat in the Battle of Britain. For an aircraft that broke the mould with fighter technology and performance in the mid 30's, it's evolution meant that whilst it's design had exhausted improvement capability towards the end of the war, it stayed in operational use until 1965 in Europe in the guise of the Spanish licence built HA 1112 using the Merlin power plant. During its 30 year career, more than 33,000 were built, a record that will probably never be beaten. The Kit This is a brand new tool for 2020 from Special Hobby, in collaboration with Eduard. The quality is first class with crisp moulding and fine engraved panel lines. Given the small size of the real aircraft, in 1/72 the model is quite diminutive, but seems well detailed. Construction starts with the cockpit. The rear bulkhead attaches to the floor with the rudder pedals going in as well. The front lower bulkhead is made up and installed onto the floor followed by the instruments panel and the coaming in front of it. The instruments being provided as decals. Into the cockpit go the flight controls and flap wheel, followed by the seat. The belts being provided as decals also. If the modeller is going to display the cover for the guns in front of the cockpit open then full guns are included, if you are doing this closed then only partial ones need to be added. Next up the engine is assembled which seems quite detailed for the scale, the bearers attached and it fitted to the firewall. Inside the main fuselage halves the exhausts are fitted along with the tail wheel and then the whole thing can be closed up. Separate engine and gun covers can be added, or left off as needed. After the tail surfaces are attached to the main fuselage then we can move onto the wings. The lower wing is a single part with left and right uppers. The wheel wells are all boxed in on the lower. To the middle of the lower wing the radiator is first added. The top wings can then go on. All the wing control surfaces are separate parts. To finish the wing the under wing radiators are added. The wing can then be joined with the fuselage. The canopy parts can then be added, with different types of head armour being provided for the different decal options. The slats can then be added to the main wing in either the open or closed position as needed. At the front the prop and spinner goes on. Last up for the main parts, the main landing gear is made up and added. A few detail parts now can be added to finish of the kit, the aerial mast, pitot tubes, balance horns,; and even an engine starting handle if you wish to install it. Markings The glossy decal sheet is printed in house and looks sharp and in register. There are three decal options available from the decal sheet; 6-123 - J/88 Legion Condor. Olbt Hans Schmoller-Haldy, Spain 1939 6-121 - J/88 Legion Condor, Lt Karl-Wolfgang Radish, Spain 1938/39 6-119 - J.88 Legion Condor, Hptm Siebelt Reents, Spain 1938/39 Conclusion It is good to see a new tool out of this most famous aircraft. I am no 109 expert but it looks to be a well detailed and engineered kit. Highly recommended. Review samples courtesy of

Hello everyone... This is build #1 for me here in the group build. I will be Using Heller’s great little Bf.109B/C to build a plane operating in Spain by Hptm. Werner Mölders while flying with the condor legion. Here you can see the original decals of which I will attempt to use some. If they fail I will fall back on these AML Decals. Mölders plane is the overall RLM 63 grey/green over 65it is the one on the right marked 6•79 with the red spinner. If something goes horribly wrong I will Fall back to my second option on the left. Hptm. Haro Harder marked 6•36 in the standard splinter scheme of 70/71/65. Rest assured I do have the canopy its under the decal booklet in the decal photo above. Please feel free to ask questions, post comments, and or add thoughts. Build # 2 will be a Hawk 75. Dennis

Hi The Heinkel He 59 was constructed in 1930, so before re-militarisation of Germany done by Hitler after 1933. It was designed as recce and patrol bomber machine able to use floats and wheels, however she is known mostly as floatplane. After the outbreak of Spanish Civil War in July 1936 already in October ten He 59s appeared there withing group AS-88 (Aufklarungstaffel 88 - so by name a recce squadron) in Legion Condor. They were based in Pollensa on Mollorca. They were able to carry 1 t of bombs or torpedo and front MG was replaced by 20 mm gun. In fact they were used mostly as patrol-bombers to attack merchant ships transporting supply for Republicans. During operations 27 He-59 were used within AS-88, 17 of them were lost however they sunk 52 ships. They were also used in some actions like regular bombers, for example in a raid over a bridge in Catalonia, bombing raids on Tarragona (nice city, BTW) and so on. The model is from 2001 by Special Hobby, so one of early their production. Jas to be corrected in small things like for example adding doors on right side of fuselage and adding additional windows. It is a short run, to be frank rather difficult to build with right angles between floats, fuselage etc... To get it some od struts of floats I made from scratch. Besides what was in instruction I based on the article (ie: mostly on photos and drawings) published in Air Magazine No 15 from August 2003 (by Juan Arraez Cerda) and on another one from FlugerRevus X 73. So, what to say? - apparently I was waiting from 2001 (when I bought model) and finally at least from 2003 gathering courage to undertake this construction... (when during duty visit to Manaco I've bought this Air Magazine).... Here is result: It is surprisingly massive machine, if you compare her with for examle Sm 81 or Sm 55 among whole my collection of SCW (it is No 42): About riging - I did it using EZ before upper wing was glued together. Recently I am doing it this way. This makes me able to strech cables without drilling upper part of upper wing. I did it the same way in case of my two other build - Supermarine Sea Otter (already presented on RFI) and Stranraer (not yet shown here) Comments welcome Regards Jerzy-Wojtek

Manufacturer: Avi Models Subject: D.H.83 Fox Moth Scale: 1/72 Paints Used: Tamiya XF83, XF24, XF85, MRP white, Mr Color 8 Details: Uschi Super Fine Rigging Thread, Albion Alloys 0.5 Tubing, Custom Masks. This is a new release of the D.H.83 Fox Moth and it is a typical short run kit. It was tricky in places but most of the issues came from me rushing the build a little, I messed up the decals on one side so had to cut a mask to fix that, I’ve filmed this build for my channel on YouTube so that is why there is a lack on in progress shots. I have depicted the aircraft as photographed during the Spanish Civil War and in use by the Nationalists, this aircraft was on the Republican side initially but after capture it was repainted as is seen, I had to modify a few things, most notably blanking off the exhaust outlet and putting in a few bits of meta tubing to simulate the modified exhaust of the actual aircraft. https://youtu.be/eWfsn31OGW4

My last finished model: Bf 109E-3 (6-111), 2.J/88, "Legión Cóndor", piloted by Lt. Werner Ursinus, 1939.

Hello people This is my first RFI. I feel strange in putting it here as it is the last model I completed. The thing is, I completed it 13 years ago. I was in the UK then and I didn't know much about the internet modelling wise. At the time I relied utterly on my LMS. That was M.G. Sharp Models of Attercliffe Road in Sheffield, the city I was living in then. I had started modelling again for the first time since 1979 as I had become a widower and, well, thought I needed to find something pleasurable and nostalgic of better times upon which to focus my thoughts My first model upon returning to the hobby was an Airfix Mosquito. I have to say, it wasn't easy! Nothing fitted very well and I found myself buying filler for the first time since the age of 13.. I also did the Australian all silver option, meaning, sand, fill, smooth...and repeat. I got there though and it builds into a lovely model doesn't it, not at all bad for an old Airfix? I had been to Spain in a professional context (1989) and really loved it. I had been introduced to the recent history of Spain, above all, as I went to Barcelona, I became aware of the very recent Spanish Civil War. As time progressed, back in 2003-2006, I researched this from a personal interest point of view, rather than anything to do with work/profession. I loved the intrigue I found. Clandestine air forces (Russian, German and Italian), aircraft being smuggled in from Mexico, 'Golden Age' art deco passenger aircraft being used as bombers! Anyway, this little Heller Bf 109 B was about the best I could manage at the time. I know now it might be classified as a B1. I also know this kit isn't 'rivet counter' perfect, but I can tell you, I utterly enjoyed making it. It is a pleasure to build and yes, it is almost 'Shake 'n' Bake'. It goes together so well, extremely little filler is needed and if one is fine with raised panel lines; they don't need to be sanded away. This is a model of BF 109 B1 6*16 of Legion Condor 2J/88, based at Vittoria, Spain as it would have appeared late March 1937. It is based on a Profile shown on page 130 of 'Jagdwaffe', Luftwaffe Colours; Volume one section 2, 'The Spanish Civil War' by E. Mombeek with J.R. Smith & E.J. Creek. Classic Publications, 1999, ISBN 0-9526867-6-7. The transparencies are kit parts, absolutely lovely, clear and in three parts. I have tried to build the Avis/AML/Amodel (all the same) BF-109 B/C/D/V3-4 prototypes and I can honestly say that I feel time is far better spent 'tarting up'/rectifying this Heller kit to the level you desire. The other kits, and the Aeroplast kits, simply don't cut the mustard (this is Britmodeller isn't it? ). The model is OOB with the exception of decals. I used the kit round black spots and wing spots/crosses then handpainted numbers and tail cross with the help of Tamiya masking tape cut finely (using slightly lightened Humbrol 33). All colours were enamel. I still have a jar of (useable) grey-green colour from this build! I mixed the grey/green. Why this shade? I have no idea, it seemed right at the time . It is a long time ago, I may have done 6*16 as I was pretty sure it was the first number Bf-109 B To be a real 'B'. I guess it should have the Hamilton propellor, but I just thought; "First use of Bf-109, Spain, anything could and would have happened in war, regularly". I still think that about all wartime aircraft to be honest. Also, it isn't an 'A', prototype or anything else with long leading edge slats, the Heller kit has the shorter slats, so 6*16 seemed a reasonable compromise. It is completely brush painted, even the varnish. I liked the way the Humbrol Matt varnish sealed the decals, and I also liked that the kit roundels didn't silver onto an, essentially, satin coat with no decal solvents (I didn't know they existed). No weathering - I simply didn't (and don't) know how to do it, and I also think at the time, there may have not been many washes/tints/other trendy things on the market? Enough chat, here it is, I hope it is bearable, perhaps likeable as a window into what was ok 13 years ago? Thanks to The Spadgent for encouraging me to post this Port view I forgot, I stole the 'Top Hat' from an RPM Bf-109 E-1 Legion Condor kit. Starboard..hmm, the Humbrol Matt coat went a little white, as seen over the black roundel. Nice big prop . I hand painted the canopy. I can see the paint was too thin. Never mind, I was happy at the time. Thanks for reading All best regards and happy modelling Tony Edited for spelling a friend's moniker incorrectly

Legion Condor Dual Combo 1:48 Eduard Limted Edition The Legion Condor was a unit formed by Hitler to assist Franco in the Spanish Civil War. It was composed of German "volunteers" from the Air Force and Army. It is widely acknowledged that the German Forces perfected the techniques they would use in World War II during this time. Originally He 51 aircraft were sent to Spain but this period saw the introduction of the Bf 109 to the Luftwaffe. This was to be cross over from Bi-planes to the more modern mono-planes and was to prove that the older aircraft were outclassed by the newer ones. The He 51 suffered many loses in air-to-air combat and was switched to the ground attack role with the Bf 109 taking over the fighter role. The Kits For this limited edition combo Eduard have boxed their own excellent Bf 109E kit along with the excellent Roden He 51 kit. He 51 This is the plastic from Roden. This kit has been previously reviewed here. Eduard have also included a sheet of photo etch, tape masks and decals for four aircraft. He 51B-1, Oblt. Hannes Trautloft, 2. J/88, Ávila, Spain, Fall 1936. He 51C-1, Adolf Galland, 3. J/88, Calamocha, Spain, Spring 1938. He 51B-1, Harro Harder, 1. J/88, Battle of Brunete, Spain, July 1937. He 51B-1, Stabsarzt Dr. Heinrich Neumann, Medical Battalion San/88, Spain, 1938. Bf 109 This is Eduard's own plastic. This has also been previously reviewed here as the E-1 version, additionally in the box there are the wings for the E-3. Eduard have also included two sheets of photo etch, tape masks and decals for four aircraft. Bf 109E-1, Oblt. Siebelt Reents, Staffelkapitän 1. J/88, León, Spain, Spring 1939. Bf 109E-3, Oblt. Hans Schmoller-Haldy, 3. J/88, Spain, 1938. Bf 109E-3, 2. J/88, Catalunyan Front, Spain, Early 1939. Bf 109E-3, Lt. Kurt Sochatzy, 3.J/88, Spain, Spring 1939. Conclusion These are two great kits, and are well presented by Eduard in this interesting boxing depicting aircraft from the Condor Legion. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hey guys, after some fails this year (try and error building) I started to build the 1/32 Eduard Bf 109 E-1 Weekend Edition with Spanish Masks from Montex. There are some smaller mistakes I did (was a bit too fast in some points of the build) and I still have to learn how to handle and paint the canopy correctly because the Montex Mask left some touches at the Canopy. This learning phase should then lead into the build of a Tamiya A6M2 Zero in 32 scale. However (still not finished) if finished this will be the first model in about 13 years which I do complete. This is also a bit a quick & dirty build as I wanted mainly to train my airbrush skills for a one color-plane. So There are small gaps here and there and she may not be perfect build, but this was not my personal task for this baby. So I started last thursday with the build and here is what I did so far: 1. Fuselage Inside and Cockpit Elements primed with black and added RLM02 2. & 3. First time building HGW Fabric Seatbelts, took a while for the first belt but it is just great! 4. & 5. & 6. Main Cockpit parts in place (except upper instrument panel). Wash and dry-brush done as well as subtile chipping at some corners. I decided to not add any Instrument decals or so because the Eduard Instruments are very badly done so I don't wanted to invest some decals at it. The Pro-Packs do Include Photo-Etched Instruments. Also you may note that the Rudder-Pedals are missing - again PE Parts within the Pro-Packs so it is totally missing in the Weekend Editions of the 109's. 7. First try of handling those small parts in the pit. I "glued" them with Clear-Coat in the end. 8. & 9. Upper panel and Revi installed, as I said above, I decided to not use any decals / add-ons for the Instruments. 10. Base-Coat of white applied, pre-shading done and added the base colors for the markings. 11. & 12. Added the Montex Mask for the Insignia and the Fuselage Markings 13. & 14. Painting progress starts with some RLM02 to the Fuselage first and RLM65 to the underside 15. To get back the pre-shade over the markings I added another layer of white and pre-shades 16. Removing the second color masks and add yellow paint to the spanish insignias and red to the fuselage smybol 17. & 18. & 19. & 20. Mask removed - isn't this nice?! In the second image the daylight reveals that I can be happy this far 21. I'm also very much happy with the pre-shades 22. & 23. Masking of the sides for the black stripes 24. & 25. Black added and...voila! Mask seems to have been good 26. Current state of this morning. So all the main parts are now colored, I'll add the main landing gear as next step and lookout to work on an antenna for the 109 with EZ Lines. Then some of the stencis will be added (not all, as I didn't see any photo with every stencils in place - mostly only the basic 87 Octane Fuel and Medi-Kit Markings). Then a wash and some weathering will follow. Hope you like it