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Hello All, My last finished product, a Platz 1/144 RF-4E in German guise. The platz kit is very nice and went together without too much grief OOB. Thanks for looking Ian

I posted my earlier attempt at this kit earlier, but as there are two in the box it would be rude not to build both. So this one is a machine of the Squadron commanders bird from the 87th FIS. Both together Thanks for looking.

New from Platz to be announced at the 58th All Japan Model and Hobby show in late September. It does not say if it is or not a newly tooled kit, just new. http://www.platz-hobby.com/products/7236.html Robert

Platz (new?) F-Toys 1/72nd Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa kit - ref. Sources: http://platz-media.com/blog/2018/09/19/hayabusa/ https://www.facebook.com/platz.hobby/photos/a.427377477276709/2308569735824131/?type=3&theater V.P.

At Shizuoka Hobby Show 2018 Platz is to release a new tool 1/72nd McDD F-4EJ Phantom II kit - ref. Sources: https://www.facebook.com/modelartinc/posts/1960234187384789 https://www.facebook.com/modelartinc/photos/pcb.1960234187384789/1960233957384812/?type=3&theater V.P.

This is the latest in my project of building the US military's "large" drones; the Platz RQ-4N. Subsequent to the release of this kit the UAV was renamed MQ-4C Triton. This kit is very similar to their RQ-4B Global Hawk kit. The main difference are the fuselage bottom piece, that includes the Navies ground (water?) search radar and a new IR turret, and the decals. Both kits have issues with warping, the RQ-4B in the fuselage halves and this one in the wing upper and lower parts. Other then the warping the fit was generally good except for the area around the lower engine compartment. The decals were excellent with no silvering, but since this kit was release while the aircraft was still undergoing testing and before it was deployed, they are a bit of a fantasy in nature. The MQ-4C is just starting to be deployed with VUP-19 and a web search turned up this site; https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2016/11/02/navy-s-mq-4c-triton-community-gets-its-very-first-squadron/ which contained this picture; and this drawing of their emblem; I also found this picture: All of the decals were present on the sheet, including the "PE", except for the emblem, so I made my first foray into making my own decals. I was able to edit the above drawing using PhotoShop Online and then print the 2 sides on clear decal paper using my trusty HP Deskjet 5550 photo printer. The results were definitely not water proof so I then gave them a coat of MicroScale Superfilm to water proof them. The results came out OK but with a thick-ish film. I am not sure if that is the decal paper I was using or the Superfilm. I am guessing it was the paper and if anyone can suggest a good quality paper I would appreciate it. So on to the pictures Just for perspective here are my first 4 and the latest of the "large" UAVs These are, from left to right. the MQ-4C Triton, the MQ-9 Reaper, the RQ-4B Global Hawk and the MQ-1B Predator. Missing is the MQ-1C Grey Eagle which no one seems to be making a kit of in 1/72, and BTW don't bother buying the Italeri MQ-1C die cast model. it is just an MQ-1B with Italian marking. Next up I have the 4 smaller "large" UAVs; the MQ-8B Fire Scout, RQ-7B Shadow, RQ-5B Hunter and RQ-2A Pioneer. I am going to start on the MQ-8B, but being that they are small and seem to all be the same color I might just gang build all of them at once. Enjoy.

Platz is to rebox the Eduard's 1/72nd MiG-15UTI "Midget" kit - ref. AE-4 A test build was on display at the All Japan Model & Hobby Show 2016 Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1111514358943111&set=a.148871311874092.33321.100002536719681&type=3&theater V.P.

I finished these recently for the Mustang STGB III. Red Dog XII was built OOB whilst Petie 2nd received some interior work in the cockpit which included sidewall details and instrument panel using the Airfix 1/72 kit as a guide. I also split the one piece canopy to give the fixed and sliding sections on this aircraft and added some tape belts to both models. I painted Red Dog XII using Vallejo's Metal Color Acrylic Aluminium after a Gloss Black primer coat from the same manufacturer whilst Petie 2nd had Mr Metal Aluminium applied and this was buffed to a shine with kitchen paper towel. For those who are interested, more details of the build can be found here P-51D Mustang x 2

Hello All, After 6 months, a change of airbrush, a lot of swearing and lots of "what the heck am I doing"? here is my interpretation of Hans Dortenmann's mount in 1/144 scale. This is not the first one of these I have done and they are exceptional kit to build. oooops forgot to remove the canopy mask..... Happy modelling all, Happy to take questions. Ian

Hi, X-47B US Navy UCAS model from PLATZ in 1/72 scale. Completed in Apr'16. Construction blog is here: http://www.greenmats.club/topic/1742-x-47b-us-navy-ucas-172-platz/

Lockheed T-33 1:72 TanModel The T-33 is a jet trainer developed from the P-80 Shooting Star by Lockheed during the late-1940s. Initially intended as a trainer variant of the P-80 fighter aircraft, the T-33 was created by lengthening the fuselage of the P-80 by approximately three feet and adding a second cockpit. Over 7,000 T-33s were built in total, far outstripping production number of the original fighter aircraft. In total, over 30 nations have used the T-33, many of which were supplied via the US Foreign Military Assistance programme. As well as being one of the most widely used jet trainers in the world, the T-33 has been used for reconnaissance, target towing, drone directing, and even as an aerial target. Some counties have flown the T-33 on combat operations, for example the Cuban Air Force during the Bay of Pigs invasion. A handful of airframes are still in service with the Bolivian Air Force, and of course many more fly on in the hands of private operators. As well as those manufactured in the US, T-33s were made under licence by Canadair in Canada, and Kawasaki in Japan. The Kit For this kit Tan model have taken the excellent Platz Plastic and re-boxed this for the European market with an impressive 10 decal options and a set of canopy masks. Tan Model have even impressed Platz to such an extent that they are going to import this boxing back to Japan (at the time of writing it is unsure if this will cause a modelling paradox making the world to implode!). The kit is packed into a glossy, top-opening box, inside which are four sprues of grey plastic, a single small clear sprue, decals, masks and instructions. As with other kits by Platz, the parts are superbly moulded and the overall impression is of a high-quality, state-of-the-art kit. Surface detail is very good, with finely engraved panel lines and fastener/rivet detail. There is no evidence of flash anywhere on the parts and ejector pin marks are well controlled. The sprue gates are fairly restrained, although those on the leading edge of the wing will need to be dealt with carefully. Fans of the unconventional look away now, as construction starts with the cockpit. This sub-assembly is made up of eight parts, including a nicely moulded cockpit tub, a pair each of ejector seats, instrument panels and control columns, and the internal framework for the canopy. The instrument panels and side consoles are represented with fine, raised detail, but decals are also provided if you prefer them. The seats are perhaps the weakest aspect of this area, although they are far from bad.The fuselage is split into four parts, with a break just aft of the wing trailing edge. The cockpit fits inside the front fuselage along with the nose gear bay and rear bulkhead. The aft section can be left off anf the engine exposed. There is a trolley for the rear fuselage. The instructions recommend the addition of 3 grams of nose weight, so take heed of this lest you end up with a tail sitter. Moving further down the airframe, the rear fuselage is split vertically with the tailfin moulded in one piece on the port side. Nevertheless, the trailing edge of the rudder is a little thick and could benefit from some sanding down. Here the join line is moulded at the bottom of the starboard side of the fin along a complex panel line at the base of the fin in order to disguise the join on the finished model. A basic jet pipe is included to prevent the dreaded see-through effect. The wings are split into upper and lower halves, with the lower span moulded in a single piece. The main landing gear bay is pretty good, with some convincing structural detail moulded in place. The tip tanks look very good, but you will need to take care when sanding out the join line so as not to destroy the raised reinforcing strip. The landing gear is very nice for the scale, and the wheel rim/tyre join nicely defined which should help when it comes to painting. The landing gear doors are all pretty thin which is nice, and adds extra realism, as do the separately moulded airbrakes and hydraulic actuators. The canopy is moulded as a single, solid part. This is a bit of a disappointment as the cockpit is pretty good, but having said that, it is reasonably thin and clear. Decals The new expansive decal sheet is printed by Cartograf and is upto their usual excellent quality. There are 10 options on the new sheet; Luftwaffe JA-396. 2/JG71, Ahlhorn AB, West Germany 1962. Spanish Air Force. E.15.10 No.41 Group, Valenzuela Air Base, 1982. Turkish Air Force, 4228/8-228, Izmir AB mid 1970's. Turkish Air Force, 25791, Izmir AB mid 1970's USAFE, 0-34958/TR-958. Soesterberg AB, The Netherlands 1972. French Air Force 53103/314-VP, Creuk AB, France 1970's. Belgian AF Ft-10, Blind Flying School, Brustem AB, Belgium 1968 Italian Air Force, MM-51-17531/6-31, 636, Ghedi AB, Italy 1977. USMC 2138078/MY/078, USA 1975. Indonesian Ar Force, J-333. No.11 Sn, TNI-AU, Halim AB, Indonesia 1972 Conclusion The original kit from Platz is a new tool quality product. The additions from TanModel make this a must get kit. It should also now be more available in than the original kit was. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of Distributed in the UK by

Platz is to release a 1/144th Saab J35F Draken kit - ref. FC-4 Source: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/blog/160513 V.P.

F-15J Eagle 1:72 Platz JSDF Aircraft Series Since its introduction into service in 1974, the F-15 Mig Killer has developed a fearsome reputation as an air superiority fighter. With over 100 kills to its name, half of them being with the Israeli Air Force, not a single F-15 has been lost in air-to-air combat. Despite the introduction of more capable aircraft in the 21st century, there is still a place for the proven F-15 on the front lines such was the foresight in its design some 40+ years ago. The need for a replacement to the F-4 was identified in the mid 1960s to counter the threat of existing and new aircraft that were being designed by the Soviet Union. Initially, the request was for an aircraft that had both air and ground capabilities and considerably heavier and faster than the F-4, however this was changed to focus on air superiority in both close and long range scenarios following analysis of air-to-air combat in the US Air Force in the 60s. With 4 manufacturers entering the competition to supply the USAF with an aircraft to meet their F-X requirement, the F-15 won with the decision being made in 1969. Powered by P&W F100 engines, it had a power weight ratio greater than 1, low wing loading to improve manoeuvrability, a radar that could identify low flying targets amongst ground clutter and operate beyond visual range and had all round visibility for the pilot improving visibility significantly compared to the F-4. Not least, one of the lessons learned was that a gun is necessary, so a Vulcan M-61 cannon was installed. With the first flight taking place in 1972 of the F-15A, the first of 483 F-15Cs flew in 1978 benefiting from additional internal fuel, ability to carry the ungainly conformal fuel tanks, the APG-63 PSP radar that could be reprogrammed to suit new weapons, stronger landing gear to cope with a greater maximum weight and new flight systems. In 1985, the F-15s coming off the production lines were to become part of the MSIP (Multi-stage Improvement Programme) that would allow ease of adaptation for developing weapons systems. Whilst the US are the largest operator of the F-15, first blood was achieved with the Israeli Air Force in 1979 developing an enviable reputation against Syrian Migs over Lebanon and went on to use the air-ground capability in the 80s. During the Gulf War, the US followed up this success with their F-15s again in combat with Mig 21s, 23s, 25s and 29s. Of the 39 air-air victories scored by the US Air Force in the Gulf War, the F-15Cs had claimed 34 of them. Over 170 F-15Cs will remain in service for many years to come yet. More recent upgrades to the aircraft are a new AN/APG Radar that link to the helmet mounted sighting system as well as the latest evolutions in armament to ensure that the F-15 remains a potent weapon. As well as Continuing service with the US and Israeli Air Forces, the F-15 also continues to operate with Japan and Saudi Arabia. For the JASDF the first two Eagles were constructed in the US, the rest of the F-15Js were then constructed in Japan under license. Starting in 1982 and ending in 1998 165 Eagles were delivered. In December 2004, the Japanese Government approved a Mid-Term Defence Program (MTDP) to modernize the F-15J to J-MSIPs over five years in accordance with new National Defence Program Guidelines. The upgrade is being implemented in phases, but ultimately the upgrade will include a new ejection seat; replaced IHI-220E engines; more powerful processor; uprated electrical generation and cooling capabilities to support more avionics and the Raytheon AN/APG-63(V)1 radar which has been produced under license by Mitsubishi Electric since 1997. The new radar will support the new AAM-4 missile. The Kit It is good to see this new tool kit from Platz. Following their new tool F-1 & T-2 kits it is good to see the Eagle is up to that standard. In the box you get five main sprues and two smaller sprues of grey plastic, one clear sprues and a decal sheet. Of note straight away is that the wings have a lap type joint to the main fuselage rather than a but fit which should be stronger, and easier to hide the join. The exhausts are 21 parts for each engine which should be enough detail for anyone! Full intakes and exhaust are provided. Intakes can be passed in two positions. There is also an innovative pin support to attach the front fuselage to the main body (typically a weak point in F-15 kits). The panel lines will be to deep for some people but not for the reviewer. Construction starts shockingly in the cockpit area! The ejection seat is a five part affair (but no belts). Once assembled this is placed in the cockpit tub. The rear bulkhead to the electronics bay is added along with separate rudder pedals, control column and instrument panel. The sides for the electronics bay are then added into the appropriate fuselage halves, the cockpit ub added, and the front fuselage can then be closed up. The front coming for the instrument panel is then added along with the nose cone. Platz recommend 3g of weight be added, though I would be tempted to cram in as much as possible. The final part to add to the front fuselage section is the innovative pin which will be used to attach this subassembly to the main fuselage. Construction then moves to the main fuselage. The full length intake/exhaust assembly is then made up. The engine faces and exhaust faces are added in and they can then be closed up. It is probably best to paint the insides before closing them up. The main top/bottom parts of the main fuselage can then be sandwiched around the intakes. Even if you should wish to use intake blanks/exhaust covers you will have to make these parts, not only do other parts attach to them, but the provide rigidity for the main fuselage. Side parts are then added along with front intake parts to complete this sub-assembly. Next the variable intakes are assembled. Here there are a choice of parts depending on whether you wish to mould them drooped or not. The next major step is to attach the forward fuselage to the main one. As mentioned Platz have engineered a pin and hole arrangement here to ensure a sturdy fit between the two. This is further reinforced by the addition of a top part which carries the canopy hinge mechanism. As someone who has suffered a front fuselage detachment on another well know Japanese branded kit, I can appreciate the thinking Platz have done here. To finish up the fuselage the canopy can be fitted in either the open or closed position, as can the air brake (though I suspect most will leave both of these items until last). The next area to be constructed is the exhaust nozzles. Each nozzle consists of a main ring to which five petals are attached. Each petal has three control arms. This makes each exhaust a 21 part affair. No lack of detail here! When complete these can be added to the rear of the main fuselage assembly. The tail parts can be added at this point. Standard ones and upgraded J/APQ-1 parts are included. The modeller will need to check their references on these unless they can read the Japanese text for instructions! The main wings can then be added. While they have upper and lower parts the lower part is more of an insert so the leading/trailing edges are one moulded part and wont suffer from being too thick. The outer flaps are moulded separately. The single part tails, and tail-planes are also added at this point. Next up on our list of sub-assemblies is the landing gear. There is a single part leg for the nose gear, with a single part wheel. The only other items to be added are the landing lights. The main gear is slightly more complicated. Each leg is a four part affair, with the wheel split between the tyre and the hub (which should make painting a lot easier!). Once made up the landing gear can be attached to the fuselage along with gear doors. The last items to be constructed are the underwing stores. Three fuel tanks are included, as are four AMRAAMs and four Japanese AAM-4 missiles. These are attached to the airframe along with a host of antenna and small fuselage fixings which are generally left until last to avoid breaking them off. Decals Decals are provided for six different JSADF Squadrons. 42-8834 201 Sqn. 42-8945 304 Sqn. 22-8931 203 Sqn. 22-8931 306 Sqn. 42-8945 204 Sqn. 42-8834 23 T Sqn. There do seem to be more Squadron insignia on the sheet though than are mentioned in the instructions. Photoetch It should be noted that the photoetch parts DO NOT come with the kit, they are available as a separate item. The parts supplied on here are; underside of the main airbrake, instrument panel, seat belts, inside upper parts of the intake tunnel, front and rear missile launcher faces (if you are not going to use the missiles), HUD; and a variety of blade antennas. Conclusion This is welcome kit from Platz, a great improvement on the older kits available, and a great kit of the new modern JSDF Eagle for those of us who like to model modern Japanese subjects. It is a shame Platz have not included the PE parts in the kit as they will enhance it. Hopefully Platz will bring us some of the more colourful schemes the JASDF apply to their Eagles. Overall Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Mitsubishi T-2 Early Type 1:72 Platz The Mitsubishi T-2 is a twin seat training aircraft which was designed and built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. A total of 90 were built for the Japanese Air Self Defence Force. The last T-2 left service in March 2006. In the late 1960s the JASDF looked at getting an advanced trainer as they found that the existing Fuji T-1 did not meet the need to train pilots for the front line fighters such as the F-104 and F-4 of the time. consideration was given to buying a foreign aircraft; with The T-38 Talon and the SEPECAT Jaguar being offered. Japan did try and acquire a licence to build the Jaguar which failed. It is cited that SEPECAT wanted to high a fee for this, but has been suspected that nationalism also played a part. The T-2 was developed along side the F-1 with a common airframe being able to fulfil both roles with a little modification. Despite looking very similar to the Jaguar (and using the same engines) the aircraft was noticeably longer and had a shorter wingspan. In addition single wheels were used as the aircraft had no rough field requirement in its design. The deign was finalised in 1969 and the first XT-2 prototype flew in July of 1971. A total of 90 T-2's were built. 28 T-2A's which were unarmed, and 62 T-2B's which were armed. The last T-2 was finished in 1988. The T-2 was retired by 2006 being replaced in the training role by the T-4. The Kit I must say as a fan of post WWII Japanese aviation it was a pleasure to see a new tool T-2. It was originally released in a boxing for the Japanese Aerobatic Display Team, the Blue Impulse which was reviewed here. It was mentioned at then it was hoped more versions would be produced. It seems Platz have done this with this release which covers early T-2s in JASDF service. The nice thing as well is that the plastic is a normal light grey, unlike that bright blue plastic in the Blue Impulse boxing. With this release Platz have given us markings to allow any 29 of the early T-2s to be modelled. The decals are printed by Cartograf of Italy and are up to their exact standards. They are glossy and in register with great colour definition. Fine sealant lines for the canopy are included in white on the decal sheet though its almost impossible to see these on the scan (top left corner). A full compliment of stencils are provided on the sheet as well as decals for the weapons, and what also look to be Remove Before Flight Tags. Given Platz's normal aftermarket decal sheets its pleasure to see all the stencilling on this sheet. Conclusion This is welcome kit from Platz, a great improvement on the older kits available, and a great new tool kit for those of us who like to model modern Japanese subjects. Lets hope there are some more standard boxings of the T-2 to come, or a at least a release of some of their great decals in 1.72 scale to compliment this kit. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

T-34 Mentor JASDF Trainer Aircraft PLATZ 1:144 The years following the end of WW2 were very unstable in the Far East, especially in Korea, and Japan needed to rebuild her forces for reasons of national defence. The need to re-establish a military force was becoming paramount and therefore the Japanese government authorised the formation of the Japanese Defense Force. This was later split into Army (JGSDF), Air (JASDF) and Maritime forces (JMSDF) with the USA providing T-6 Texan trainer aircraft in order for the Japanese forces to train new aircrew ready for defence. Japan needed to re-establish her industries as these had been lost when they were disbanded in 1945; however new companies were emerging, with some using elements of the original infrastructure that still remained. One such company was Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd (FHI) and they undertook a programme which would give them more autonomy in the development of aircraft, rather than relying solely on the USA whose attentions had been severely distracted by the Korean War and now with the emergence of a major conflict in Indo-China/Vietnam. FHI obtained licence to construct Beechcraft T-34A Mentor trainer aircraft and work started at their factory in Utsunomiya City, Japan in 1962. The T-34 Mentor was a two seat, piston-engined trainer aircraft designed and produced by Beechcraft. It was a development of a civilian trainer called the Beechcraft Bonanza. A total of 162 licence built T-34A's were built by FHI; 121 for the Japanese Air Self Defense Force (航空自衛隊, Kōkū Jieitai or JASDF) and 37 for the Philippines. FHI further developed the T-34 into a four-seat version, designated the LM-1 Nikko which was operational from 1962, and a turbo-prop two-seat version designated the T-3 in 1974. The Kits This is another welcome addition in the trainer aircraft series from Platz. As with their previous kit, the T-6 Texan, there are two kits in this box. Each kit contains a two part fuselage, a single piece main wing, tailplanes, propeller and undercarriage components etc. The cockpit area is open and clear for the fitting of a small deck containing two seats that is also included in the kit. There are two instrument panels for the cockpit which gives a bit more detail in this tiny little area. The propeller has a stub fit which passes through the separate front cowling unit and is to be glued to a backing piece behind. This will allow for the two bladed prop to be moved/rotated to a position as desired by the modeller. Panel lines on this kit are recessed and rather fine and they appear to be quite good representations, rather than some kits that have heavy channels as panel lines. The main undercarriage can be assembled raised or lowered with separate parts for each configuration. Two A4 size portrait sheets provide a short history, in Japanese and English, plus an illustrated assembly process chart. This model is diminutive, only 2.2 inches (55mm) long, so there is not much explanation needed to assemble the kit. The canopy is a single piece unit but strangely has four tabs, two each side (they look worse in the photo than by normal viewing) which will need a little sanding and polishing back to recover the transparency of the glass. It's not much but worth mentioning. The last but not least is the inclusion of stand for those who wish to depict the model in flight mode. There is also a small clear piece, part no. 14, which can be used as a support under the rear fuselage if you end up with a tail-sitter! Decals Quite a comprehensive decal sheet is included with the kits; with 12 pairs of hinomaru (red circle) national insignia; 2 sets of walkways and anti-glare patches, plus a whole host of side letters, serial numbers and colourful emblems etc. With so many hinomaru and markings available it is helpful that Platz has provided some good placement guides. The first is an A3 size sheet, on the reverse of the instruction sheets, and shows placements for 8 different aircraft. Beware! the lettering on the sides of the fuselage are in Japanese script and not that easy to distinguish each force they belong to. I have provided some details here; they are from left top to bottom then right top to bottom: 109 - early Navy, the Maritime Guard (Kaijyo Keibitai 警備隊) in 1954 107 - Army, (Rikujō jiei-tai 陸上自衛 隊) JGSDF in 1954 109 - Navy, (Kaijō Jieitai 海上自衛隊) JMSDF in 1954 7109 - Army, (Rikujō jiei-tai 陸上自衛 隊) JGSDF in 1954 0323 - Air, (Kōkū Jieitai 航空自衛隊) JASDF in 1973 0297 - Air, (Kōkū Jieitai 航空自衛隊) JASDF in 1960 0390 - Air, (Kōkū Jieitai 航空自衛隊) JASDF in 1970 0781 - National Defense Academy (Bōei Daigakkō 防衛大学校) NDA in 2014 The second is a colour display that has been printed on the base of the box containing the kits. This shows two aircraft, 390 & 297 already shown in the sheet above, with each providing the colour demarcations. It is important whilst applying the decals to differentiate the japanese texts for all these models and hopefully the list I have provided above may help to avoid an embarrassing mix up of incorrect writings on the sides! Conclusion These little kits can be built as any of the three forces; Army, Air or Maritime and even a Defense Academy version. The look of the sprues suggest that these are from short-run moulds; which possibly means that there won't be a massive production of these and should be of interest to anyone who builds and collects trainer aircraft in 1:144 scale. Review sample courtesy of

T-6 Texan JASDF Trainer Aircraft PLATZ 1:144 The North American Aviation T-6 Texan has a long history dating from its inception as the NA-16 in 1935 right up to 1970. Even today there are flying versions in various Warbird associations. The T-6 (in various designations from NA-16, through B1 to T-6 etc.) was originally produced as a basic trainer but over time it was upgraded to an advanced trainer (AT-6 Texan) with improved performance for basic and combat type flying training, plus an added facility for training rear gunners. The T-6 was also supplied to Britain and Commonwealth nations and designated the Harvard (I & II) and was in service during WW2 and for many years postwar. Following the end of hostilities in the Far East/Pacific Theatre, Japan's military facilities were disarmed; their military hardware and infrastructure had been completely dismantled or destroyed, and the nation had resolved itself to follow a pacifist doctrine. The years following the end of WW2 however were very unstable though and the security situation in the Far East was becoming unstable, especially the rise of Communist unrest in Korea, China and the Soviet Union. Japan needed to rebuild her forces for reasons of defence and the government (with agreement from the USA) to re-establish a military force primarily for defence. The new defence force was initially titled the Japanese Defense Force (JDF) but later split into Army (JGSDF), Air (JASDF) and Maritime forces (JMSDF). Japan had a requirement to train new pilots and aircrews for these forces however they were still restricted in being able to produce their own aircraft, therefore 232 trainer aircraft, the T-6 Texan, were supplied to the JASDF by the US and were in service with them from 1954 to 1970. The Kits There are two kits in the box, each with a two canopies depicting early and late versions or even a naval SNJ-5/T-6F. Each kit contains a two part fuselage, a single piece main wing, a separate set of engine cylinders and cowling, plus tailplanes, propeller and wheel units etc. The cockpit area is open and clear for the fitting of a small deck containing two seats and rudder pedals that is included in the kit There are no control columns in the kit but these could easily be crafted from fine plastic rod and added. The seats have virtually no extra detail, however at least they are there and could have extra detail applied by any enterprising modeller to enhance the model. The surface details shows recessed panel lines and, on initial checks with diagrams, look to be correctly positioned. There are also two sets of main wheel assemblies and this caters for a wheels-up or down configuration. There is not much else on the sprue to make up the kit except for a small radome piece which would be positioned between the rear of the cockpit and the tail fin, however the kit is sufficiently detailed enough on this tiny model to give the opportunity to build a nice little model of the Texan, or even a Harvard. The instruction leaflet consists of two A4 portrait sheets; one with information, in Japanese and English; the other with pictorial view assembly details. With a model of this small size; length is approx. 2.3in (60mm) there is not much explanation needed to assemble the kit. There are two canopies with each kit, so four canopies in each box, which allows for a combination of either: 2 T-6 Texans, 2 x SNJ-5/T-6F or 1 x T-6 and 1 x SNJ-5/T-6F. Initial views of the sprue holding the canopies shows the attachment points impede about 0.5mm into the clear part of each canopy. This will require sanding and polishing back to recover the transparency of the glass. It's not much but worth mentioning. The last but, for some modellers, not least is the inclusion of stand for those who wish to depict the model in flight mode. This is a two piece construction as was standard in kits produced in the 1960s and 70s Decals This decal sheet is only 3inch (80mm) square however it contains at least 74 (I lost count then!) individual decals. There are 18 pairs of hinomaru (red circle) national insignia; 2 sets of nicely detailed walkways and anti-glare patches, plus a whole host of side letters, serial numbers and colourful emblems etc. Care needs to be taken when selecting which written decals are used as, being in Japanese, there could be confusion as to which force, Air or Navy aircraft, they should be applied to. With so many hinomaru and markings available it is helpful that Platz has provided some good placement guides. The first is an A3 size sheet, on the reverse of the instruction sheets, and shows placements for 6 different aircraft, one of which is repeated with markings for a later period in its airframe life. The other reference is a colour display that has been printed on the base of the box containing the kits. This shows two aircraft, a yellow T-6G of the JASDF and a white SNJ-5 of the JMSDF. It is important whilst applying the decals to differentiate the Japanese texts for the JASDF (航 空 自衛 隊 ) and JMSDF (海上自衛 隊) and a little time spent using one of the on-line translation apps could pay dividends - and avoid an embarrassing mix up of incorrect writings on the sides! Conclusion These little kits can be built as either the air force or naval version for the Japanese Self Defense Force; or even Harvards (with decals sourced from aftermarket or the spares box) and should look good in any 1:144 modeller's collection. The look of the sprue suggest that it is from a short-run mould; which possibly means that there won't be a massive production of these. They should be of interest to anyone who builds and collects trainer aircraft in 1:144 scale. Review sample courtesy of

Mitsubishi T-2 Blue Impulse 1:72 Platz The Mitsubishi T-2 is a twin seat training aircraft which was designed and built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. A total of 90 were built for the Japanese Air Self Defence Force. The last T-2 left service in March 2006. In the late 1960s the JASDF looked at getting an advanced trainer as they found that the existing Fuji T-1 did not meet the need to train pilots for the front line fighters such as the F-104 and F-4 of the time. consideration was given to buying a foreign aircraft; with The T-38 Talon and the SEPECAT Jaguar being offered. Japan did try and acquire a licence to build the Jaguar which failed. It is cited that SEPECAT wanted to high a fee for this, but has been suspected that nationalism also played a part. The T-2 was developed along side the F-1 with a common airframe being able to fulfil both roles with a little modification. Despite looking very similar to the Jaguar (and using the same engines) the aircraft was noticeably longer and had a shorter wingspan. In addition single wheels were used as the aircraft had no rough field requirement in its design. The deign was finalised in 1969 and the first XT-2 prototype flew in July of 1971. A total of 90 T-2's were built. 28 T-2A's which were unarmed, and 62 T-2B's which were armed. The last T-2 was finished in 1988. The T-2 was retired by 2006 being replaced in the training role by the T-4. A noticeable user of the T-2 in JASDF service were their aerobatic team The Blue Impulse. They transitioned to this aircraft from their F-86 Sabre in 1981. The Kit I must say as a fan of post WWII Japanese aviation its a pleasure to see this new kit from Platz. There is nothing wrong with the Existing Hasegawa kit but it is now starting to show its age. It was anticipated that a T-2 would be on the way following their earlier release of the excellent F-1, our review of which can be seen here As you would expect from a new tool kit the mouldings are sharp and crisp with finely engraved panel lines and rivet detail where needed. The moulding are fairly conventional with a left & right fuselage, one part upper wing with lower parts fitting in. The main wing fits over the top of the fuselage so there are no butt joint wings which is good. In one break from tradition the vertical tail is one part which fits onto the top of the fuselage (maybe because of the different tail between the F-1 & T-2). Construction with no surprise starts with the cockpit. As its the T-2 the modeller get to build both cockpits. The instrument panels and side consoles can be painted or decals from the decal sheet used. Once the cockpit tub is installed the fuselage can be closed up and the intakes fitted. These have a little bit of depth to them but are no where near full length. The main fuselage parts do not wrap underneath but separate inserts must then be added. A side insert is then added. A note here is that the first 28 T-2's were not armed with a 20mm and the rest were. The Blue Impulse flew both types so the modeller will have to consult the instructions and their own references to add the correct insert. Following this its time for the wings. The main wing comes as one part for the top to which the bottom inserts are added. The wings are designed so that the trailing edges are on the one part top wing, and separate leading edges are provided in order that they can be of a realistic scale thickness as well. Holes need to be added for the landing light clear parts and wing pylons at this stage. At least this mean if you dont want to use all the pylons you will not have holes to fill (The Blue Impulse have been seen with External Tanks on these pylons, and with no pylons so the decision is upto the modeller). The tail panes and vertical fin can now be added. Though I suspect some will leave the tail planes off until later. ] Following this a three part exhaust nozzle for each side is added along with airbrakes which can be posed either open or closed. The follows the landing gear which does not appear to be too complex. There are also quite a few nicely moulded intakes and exhaust for equipment bays etc to be added. Lastly the pylons can be added as needed and the weapons built up and added. For the wing-tip rails some Blue Impulse Aircraft have been seen with dummy Sidewinders on these rails. Canopy The canopies are quite thin and seem very clear. A framed windscreen is provided alongside a one piece windscreen. The instructions indicate that the one part screen was fitted after 1989, so a double check on your reference if you can find them would be a good idea. Decals With this release Platz have only given us the markings for The Blue Impulse Aerobatic display Team. Anyone of the team members can be modelled. [ceneter] The decals are printed by Cartograf of Italy and are up to their exact standards. They are glossy and in register with great colour definition. Fine sealant lines for the canopy are included in white on the decal sheet though its almost impossible to see these on the scan (top left corner). A full compliment of stencils are provided on the sheet as well as decals for the weapons, and what also look to be Remove Before Flight Tags. Given Platz's normal aftermarket decal sheets its pleasure to see all the stencilling on this sheet. Conclusion It was hoped following their excellent F-1 kit that a T-2 was in the works and this has been Borne out. This is welcome kit from Platz, a great improvement on the older kits available, and a great new tool kit for those of us who like to model modern Japanese subjects. It is a pity they have used this dark blue plastic instead of the grey used for the F-1, though its understandable why they have done it. Lets hope there are some more standard boxings of the T-2 to come(in grey!), or a at least a release of some of their great decals in 1.72 scale to compliment this kit. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Mitsubishi T-2 Blue Interior Set 1:72 Platz While the New Tool Platz T-2 is great, there is always room for improvement over injected plastic parts. To complement their new kit Platz have brought out a double fret photo etched parts set for the interior. The set contains parts for; The Instrument panels, bulkhead vents, ejections seats, side consoles, canopy rails & frames, and the instrument coaming. Despite being called the "interior" set it also contains coloured landing lights, a few small landing gear compartments, along with a myriad of external antenna. The set is manufactured by Eduard and is upto their usual top quality. Even though not technically "needed" for the new kit it will make a difference of you wish to open the cockpits, and the antenna will look more to scale. Overall recommended if you like you photo etch, in addition if you are a PE newbie then there is nothing here which would tax you and it could be a good place to start. Review sample courtesy of

C-46ECM JASDF Electronic Warning Training Aircraft PLATZ 1:144 The design for the Curtiss C-46 Commando was originally intended for the civil airliner industry, however its capability for high altitude flight, with pressurised cabin and freight space, plus the large load carrying ability it was soon identified as ideal for the military needs of transporting troops and logistics. The design of the C-46 was not trouble free and was there were constant series of modifications and version changes in order to try and overcome some of the major deficiencies. One such problem was the unexplained, at the time, losses of aircraft or those that exploded whilst in flight, which weren't really overcome until after WW2. The early versions C-46 Commandos had enlarged side door facility which allowed for the loading of abnormal loads, including Jeeps etc., but later versions such as the C-46D reverted to a single side door as typical for parachute drops. Post war many of the later versions of the C-46 were sold out to commercial interests, however some were sold on to developing nations for their military requirements. One such country was Japan, with the establishment of the Japanese Self Defence Force (JSDF) in 1954, who purchased 48 C-46D Commando transports between 1955 and 1957. The JASDF C-46D transports remained in Japanese military service for many years and until their own, domestically produced, transport the Kawasaki C1 entered production in 1975. Most of the JASDF C-46D's were retired out of service after that but three were kept in service; 91-1140, 91-1143 and 91-1145, and in 1973 were converted for Electronic Warfare (EW) training roles for which they operated between 1973 and 1978. These airframes were redesignated C-46ECM however all three were externally different from each other, most notably in the shape of nose-radomes and antenna fits. Of these three ECM variants, two have been preserved and are on display at air museums in Japan: 91-1143 (ex USA Bu No 43-47222) is on display at the Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park. 91-1145 (ex US Bu No 43-47328) is on display at the JASDF Iruma Airbase. The Kit The box is a sturdy, if somewhat large for this scale kit, lid and base design which does allow for stacking in the stash without fear of crushing. As I mentioned, the box is more 14 inches (36cm) wide and typical of a small 1:48 model rather than a 1:144 kit. The box underside contains colour art work for the colour call-outs,the decal positioning and also includes the relevant FS numbers in order to match your particular model companies paints to. Inside the box we find three sprues, in light grey plastic, holding the main aircraft components of fuselage, wings, engines etc. A futher clear sprue contains the canopy plus a clear 'bomb-aimer' style front canopy; the use of which would be dependent upon the version of C-46ECM you build. The fuselage is produced with fine engraved panel lines that look just about right to be still visible after a coat of primer and topcoat. The windows are depicted as solid indentations in the fuselage, however PLATZ has catered for this by providing neat little grey window decals. Looking at the jointing elements for the fuselage halves, this kit has rectangular male and female stubs, as opposed to circular ones on other producers kits, and this looks to allow for a more secure alignment when assembling the fuselage. The cockpit consists of a deck-piece, with intergral pilot's seats and instrument panel, and two control columns which should be adequate as visibilty into this tight space would be very limited. The engine cylinders are constructed as separate components from the cowling covers and this should be very beneficial when it comes to painting and detailing these tiny parts. There side covers are also moulded separately and, although there is no side engine/cylinder detail, this possibly could allow for a scenario with the covers open? The main undercarriage system consists of four pieces; the main strut, support calipers, wheel and tyre. Separating items into constituent components is excellent for painting as it minimises the chances of overpaint onto adjacent components. Looking at the main struts, they are very fine indeed and care may be needed not to snap them as they are removed from the sprue; plus they may be a tad fragile once assembled, even with the attached support calipers. The tail wheel assembly has been produced as a single entity and is a much sturdier unit. Interestingly, there are some hard points/hinges visible on the fuselage port side, between the nose and wing root, that are not obvious in photos I've seen on the web. At the rear of the fuselage, the hardpoints for the ladder to the cargo doors are also slightly more pronounced than need be and could benefit from sanding down slightly. The next Sprue has the wings, tail planes and wheel bay doors. Again, the panel lines look just right as are the small fillet extensions on the tail planes ailerons. These first two sprues appear to contain all the parts needed to make a basic C-46D Commando so, in effect, there are choices to make one of four variants of the C-46 in this kit. The third sprue is the extra sprue which contains the elements to make up the ECM variants; including a separate nose section, for use if modelling either 91-1145 or 91-1140, and all the ECM antenna pods and aerials for all three ECM aircraft. It would appear that only 91-1143 retained the original nose section (with the exception of the clear bomb-aimer type canopy) and therefore, if you are not building that one, this part of the fuselage needs to be cut away with a fine saw and a new nose section, shown below, has to replace it. The inside of the fuselage has a cut-out area prepared to ensure the new nose is attached correctly. The final sprue contains the clear glazing for the canopy and also the small window which fits at the front on 91-1143. If you were to build the basic C-46 Commando version then this clear front would just need to be painted over to look like and intergral part of the nose section. As I mentioned earlier, although all three aircraft have the designation C-46D ECM, they are each visually different in their shape and antenna fit. Care needs to be taken in ensuring the correct components are used in your build and PLATZ has been helpful here by providing profile views of each aircraft in the instruction sheets. Examples from the instruction sheet, describing the differences is shown below: 91-1143 has the least amount of changes with only the 'bomb-aimers' style front glazing and a few antennas to be added to the fuselage. This is also the version which could possibly be built as the basic C-46D Commando, by painting the glazing in the same colour as the rest of the fuselage and leaving off the antenna points. 91-1145 would require the front of the fuselage to be cut away with a fine saw and the new nose from sprue 3 to be attached and the join filled etc. Once the nose is installed then the relevent nose radome would need to be fitted along with all the antenna points as shown in the profile below. 91-1140 as seen in the profile view below, would also need to have the surgury done to it as 91-1145 but the smaller radome being fitted and the correct antenna points added. DECALS Once the kit has been assembled and painted then the decals would be attached and these variants were very colourful hi-viz aircraft. The bright red nose and fuselage bands have been provided as decals, thereby removing the need to mask off and spray those awkwardly shaped areas. In addition, there are pre-shaped cut outs for the windows and canopy, plus an additional canopy frame decal (35B or 37B) if wishing to match all the windows and not use the clear glazing part. The remainder of the decal sheet contains high and low vis warning signage and Squadron tail flash, walkway runs and the Hinomaru (red nationality disks) of the Japanese Self Defence Force; and altogether makes a comprehensive set of decals for a 1:144 scale model aircraft. Conclusion This is a very colourful and interesting aircraft and I am very please to see a plastic kit of this aircraft being produced to 1:144 scale. Although PLATZ has produced a C-46D Commando as a separate kit (No. PD-21) I suspect that all the parts to make up a C-46D Commando, with the exception of relevant decals, are contained within this kit so that is an added bonus. I think the undercarriage is really good however, because it looks accurately thin, it may just be a bit fragile when holding up this model. The panel lines look just right and the choice to build one of three versions allows for some interesting build variations. I may just have to get more of these to make up all three, or even four, versions. Review sample courtesy of

Hello All, A pair of Platz p-47s one from the ETO and one from the PTO. Thanks for looking, Ian

Mitsubishi F-1 1:72 Platz The Mitsubishi F-1 is a single seat multi-role fighter which was designed and built jointly by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Fuji Heavy industries. A total of 77 were built for the Japanese Air Self Defence Force. The F-1 was the first indigenous jet fighter to be made in Japan. In the late 1960s the JASDF looked at getting an advanced trainer which could also be used in the ground attack and anti-shipping roles. After looking at licence building both the SEPECAT Jaguar and the Northrop T-38 Talon it was decided they would develop their own trainer the Mitsubishi T-2. As is common with a lot of military projects delays and cost over runs in the T-2 programme initially lead to the cancellation of the proposed attack version. However problems in another programme, that to replace the P-2 maritime patrol aircraft would be the saviour for the F-1. With the cancellation of this aircraft would bring a freeing up of funds which would be used to bring forward the F-1. The new aircraft would bring in the absolute minimum of changes from the twin seat trainer. One of the most obvious differences is that the rear cockpit has been converted into an avionics bay and is plated over with an unglazed hatch. Two additional hard points were added for carrying weapons and an internal 20mm Vulcan cannon was fitted. A new radar unit was also fitted for the strike role. The aircraft has a total of seven hard points, the inner two being wet for the carriage of external tanks. The main weapon for the anit-ship role is ASM-1 & ASM-2 missile. Roughly equivalent to the Harpoon/Exocet. Sidewinders can be carried on wing tip rails for self defence and for use in a secondary role as an air defence aircraft. A full complement of mainly US designed rocket pods and bombs can also be carried. The aircraft is powered by a pair of licence built Adour Mk801 engines. Only a planned 77 of 160 were built. The F-1 was subject to a service life extension programme in the 1990s to add another 500 hours to the airframe. 70 aircraft were modified providing them with a modern fire control system, the ability to launch infra red homing bombs and a more robust canopy. The F-1 was replaced in some sqns by the new F-2s and in some sqns by the less than new (but upgraded) F-4EJ Kais! The F-1 finally retired in 2006. The Kit I must say as a fan of post WWII Japanese aviation its a pleasure to see this new kit from Platz. There is nothing wrong with the Existing Hasegawa kit but it is now starting to show its age. This kit appeared unexpected from Platz and most welcome it is. As you would expect from a new tool kit the mouldings are sharp and crisp with finely engraved panel lines and rivet detail where needed. The moulding are fairly conventional with a left & right fuselage, one part upper wing with lower parts fitting in. The main wing fits over the top of the fuselage so there are no butt joint wings which is good. In one break from tradition the vertical tail is one part which fits onto the top of the fuselage. Its good to see that one of the main weapons for the F1 the ASM-1 anti-ship missile is provided as a pair. You also get four external fuel tanks, a pair of sidewinders and unusually for a model kit a practice bomb dispenser. Its good to see this provided as it was more often seen in training than the other weapons. Construction with no surprise starts with the cockpit. As its the F-1 only the front cockpit is used with a solid fairing making up the rear with a bulkhead fitted to it to screen it off. The instrument panel and side consoles can be painted or decals from the decal sheet used. Once the cockpit is installed the fuselage can be closed up and the intakes fitted. These have a little bit of depth to them but are no where near full length. The main fuselage parts do not wrap underneath but separate inserts must then be added. A side insert for the 20mm gun is then added (as its an insert we can hope a gunless T-2 is coming!) Following this its time for the wings. The main wing comes as one part for the top to which the bottom inserts are added. The wings are designed so that the trailing edges are on the one part top wing, and separate leading edges are provided in order that they can be of a realistic scale thickness as well. Holes need to be added for the landing light clear parts and wing pylons at this stage. At least this mean if you dont want to use all the pylons you will not have holes to fill. The tail panes and vertical fin can now be added. Though I suspect some will leave the tail planes off until later. Following this a three part exhaust nozzle for each side is added along with airbrakes which can be posed either open or closed. The follows the landing gear which does not appear to be too complex. There are also quite a few nicely moulded intakes and exhaust for equipment bays etc to be added. Lastly the pylons can be added as needed and the weapons built up and added. Canopy The canopy is quite thin and seems very clear. A framed windscreen is provided alongside a one piece windscreen. The instructions indicate that the one part screen was fitted after 1989, so a double check on your reference if you can find them would be a good idea. Decals With this release Platz have given us a selection of standard squadron markings. The temptation could have been to go with one of the many special schemes worn over the years, however I think its good they have given us five standard schemes. 3 Sqn Late. 3 Sqn Early. 6 Sqn. 8 Sqn Early. 8 Sqn Late. The decals are printed by Cartograf of Italy and are up to their exact standards. They are glossy and in register with great colour definition. Fine sealant lines for the canopy are included in white on the decal sheet though its almost impossible to see these on the scan (top left corner). A full compliment of stencils are provided on the sheet as well as decals for the weapons, and what also look to be Remove Before Flight Tags. Given Platz's normal aftermarket decal sheets its pleasure to see all the stencilling on this sheet. Hopefully given the number of special schemes and the use of different camo we might see more boxings from Platz, or a release of some of their great decals in 1.72 scale to compliment this kit. Conclusion This is welcome kit from Platz, a great improvement on the older kits available, a great new tool kit for those of us who like to model modern Japanese subjects. Looking at the parts breakdown I am hoping we will see a T-2 soon. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of