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1:32 WNW Albatros D.Va Pheon 'Jasta 17' Decals Jagdstaffel 17 was formed in October 1916, and went on to produce many well known aces before the Great War ended in November 1918. Pheon decals produced a fabulous sheet in 2015 depicting many of their aircarft Reviewed here. I resolved at the time to build aone of them, and promptly ordered an Albatros from Wingnut Wings. Work got underway, but the project suffered delays due to work commitmnets, and work was only resumed on it a couple on months ago. I was torn between Hubertus Rudno-Rudzinski's 'Gisi' and Rudolph von Esebecks checkerboard marked D.Va. Von Esebeck won! If I can obtain another Albatros kit I will do another. At least the Roden D.III is still available, so Julius Buckler's 'Mops' may well be joining this one at some stage. Studying the photograph of this machine at the front of the Osprey Jasta 17 book showed what looks like a flare pistol port under the cockpit opening, and in front of the wappen shield. These were often fitted as a field modification, so I scratched on up from plasticard and tube. It then made sense to fit a rack of flares to the outher side of the cocpit opening. I went for a slightly darker coloured fuselage to provide more contrast with the yellow squares. The fuselage is covered with individual panels of Uschi van der Rosten woodgrain decals, which give a fantastic finish. Pheon's deacls performed flawlessly and that big checekerboard went on in 1 piece and fitted perfectly, joining precisely on the underside. Rigging is with Maxima Chameleon fishing line and stretched cotton bud turnbuckles. I found the book written by the CO, Julius Buckler, for only £3 on Amazon! Thanks for looking, John

Fokker E.V 1:32 Miko Mir with Pheon Decals The parasol winged Fokker D.VIII was the last of this companies aircraft to enter service before the end of the Great War. Originally designated the Fokker E.V. it was an agile little machine with a parasol wing and rotary engine, much like some of the early machines from the start of the Great War. It might have had greater success, had it not suffered from poor manufacturing standards. After barely two weeks service in August 1918, The E.V. had to be withdrawn due to failures causing the wing to disintegrate in flight. Badly made wings and poor materials were found to be the main cause. Examination of several sets revealed such things as incorrect wing spars, and nails that secured the plywood skinning completely missing the ribs it was supposed to attach to. Redesigned wings were manufactured under more stringent quality control, and the aircraft resumed production with the new designation of Fokker D.VIII. Surviving E.V.s were retro fitted with the new wing, and it seems were also then referred to as D.VIII's. Re-entering service in October, it did not much have much time to prove itself before the 11th November armistice brought the conflict to a halt. The Mikro Mir kit is typical short run injection molded, quite buildable but inevitably you need to do a bit of fettling to get things to fit, particularly the tailplane where it sits on the rear fuselage. I didn't much fancy any of the kit colour scheme options, so purchased Pheon Decals set 32061 which gives seven options, including five from Jasta 6 with the attractive striped tail and petaled engine cowling. Not only that, but Pheon supply a superb set of assembly jigs, more of which later. (Mrs Viking, without prompting, was looking over my shoulder while I pondered which colour scheme to apply, and pointed to this one, saying it was really nice. That decided that!) The E.V is a dainty little machine, I persuaded Leutnant Wolff to nip out during his coffee break to stand alongside and lend a sense of scale; There has been a lot of discussion on the wing colours applied to the E.V / D.VIII series, originally it was thought that it was olive green top and bottom. A few years ago Dan-San Abbot researched this, and concluded that it was incorrect. It was very likely that it was treated with woodstain, in Mocha brown and True green on top, with Azure blue and Violet underneath. I decided to go with this, and try to replicate it on my model, following the drawings on the Pheon instruction sheet . I used solid base colours in lighter versions, and then used thinned oil paints over the top to produce a streaky stained affect. I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out, but I'm pretty happy with the result. If anything I might try to make it lighter If I do another one. The Pheon decal sheet comes with a brilliant pair of assembly jigs that you need to apply to thick card, and put together. They are printed on sticky back paper, making the job very simple. I can't praise them enough, that are absolutely superb and make the otherwise complex assembly of the undercarriage and wing as easy as it could be. They ensure that everything lines up precisely with the correct spacing. It gets the wing on absolutely square to the fuselage, with the correct incidence. Utterly brilliant and essential to building this kit!. Add to Pheon's superb rapid service, and excellent choice of colour schemes and really can't go wrong. I was fortunate enough to have some airfoil sectioned brass 'Strutz' material (long out of production), to replace the plastic items in the kit. The whole model is very strong. The Undercarriage assembly jig ensures you get it spot on. (note the replacement brass legs). The second jig, where you place the wing in first, and then the fuselage. You can then fashion your own struts, or fit the less substantial kit ones; I used the kit plastic 'V' struts , but had to cut them at the point of the 'V' to fit them accurately to my brass replacements; I used Wingnut Wings aftermarket 4 colour lozenge decal which I had to cut to shape, but there is also the option of Aviattic's 'Cookie Cutter' set which provides for 2 aircraft. It's been a fun project, and I'm pleased to finally have a Fokker E.V to join my line up of Wingnut Wings kits. (But why do you always spot the devil dust on the photos after you've taken them 😠) Thanks for looking, John

Jasta 18 Fokker Fighters (Albatros & OAW D.VII) 1:32 Pheon decals Going back a few months from March 1918, Jasta 18 had been under the command of Rudolph Berthold since August of the previous year, and he had worked hard to bring the men up to the standard he required. Having built up an 'esprit de corps' and formed an effective fighting unit, he must have endured personal turmoil in March 1918 when he was promoted to command JG.II. Consisting of Jastas 12, 13, 15, and 19, his new command would mean leaving Jasta 18 and all that he had worked so hard on. So in brief, what he did was swap all the men and materials from his beloved Jasta 18 with one of the existing units in his new command, Jasta 15. So at a stroke all his men and their aircraft came with him, and the 'old' Jasta 15 found itself renumbered as Jasta 18 and out of JG.II. August Raben had only just taken command of Jasta 15 on 14th March, when the swap occurred on 20th, on which day he was hospitalised after a crash on take off. By 14th April he was out of hospital and reunited with the Jasta just outside Lille. Like Berthold, Raben had sought to build an 'esprit de corps', and ordered the application of a striking livery to all of Jasta 18's aircraft. It is at this point that this latest release from Pheon picks up the story and offers some colorful options. The noses back to the cockpit were painted in bright vermilion red, the rest of the fuselage back to the tail in white. The top of upper wing was in red, and later the top of the lower wing also. Some aircraft also received red lower surfaces of their wings. Each also had the symbol of a raven (raben in German) as a unit marking, and individual pilots chose their own marking to go alongside. Thus marked, Staffel Raben went to war and achieved notable success, with something between 112 and 126 victories by the time of the armistice seven months later. By this time they were equipped with the superb Fokker D.VII which were of course painted up in the flamboyant red and white scheme. The decals are produced in Pheons' now familiar format with no fewer than 10 Fokker D.VII's split by OAW and Albatros machines, and a single Fokker DR.1 Triplane. The Wingnuts kits are offered in OAW or Albatros boxings, so make sure you order the correct one. (There is also the Fokker built boxing, but we don't need that here). Roden is the best option for the DR.1. Included is a full colour overview of all 11 options, followed by 3 sets of more detailed profiles, 1 of plan views, and 1 full size masking guide, all on thick glossy card in A4 size. The usual instruction booklet contains a wealth of information with historical detail, and notes on finishing options on the real aircraft. Pheon explain where there are doubts or 'grey' areas such as where fuselage and wing undersides may or may not have been painted, which allows the modeller to make an informed choice on which way to go. The D.VII was notorious for overheating, and many aircraft sprouted all sorts of cooling gills and holes in upper and side cowling panels. The instructions offer a very comprehensive double page spread to illustrate aircraft by aircraft what the modifications were. It should be a simple matter to remove those gills not wanted, and add new ones from evergreen quarter round strip. Notes are provided on each individual aircraft pointing out the key details of the finish, and where possible connecting each aircraft with a pilot. The decals themselves are a single A4 sheet printed by the Fantasy Printshop. The sheet contains all the personal markings for each aircraft, including edging for the fuselage sides and elevators and tailplane stripes. Various personal markings and fuselage bands are supplied, along with numerous ravens and fuselage crosses. A nice touch typical of Pheon is that the white areas have been double printed to ensure opacity over the other colours. As with other sets from Pheon, the printing is beautifully sharp and in register with barely visible carrier film and look amazingly thin. The sheet is well laid out to give as many options as possible, and does not duplicate items such as wing crosses that are already in the Wingnuts kit. Having already used Pheons decals on other projects, it can be taken for granted that these will go on beautifully and settle down for that painted on look. The options. 1. Fokker D.VII early (OAW) - Ltn. Kurt Monnington, Montingen, Summer 1918. 2. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - Ltn. August Raben, Montingen, Summer 1918. 3. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - serial unknown, Ltn.Heinz Kustner, Montingen, Summer 1918 and post war. 4. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - serial unknown, Ltn.Gunther Von Buren, Montingen, August/September1918. 5. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - serial unknown, Ltn. Hans Muller, Montingen, September 1918. 6. Fokker D.VII Albatros built- pilot and serial unknown, Montingen, Summer 1918 and post war. 7. Fokker D.VII (Possibly Albatros) - pilot and serial unknown, Montingen, Summer 1918. 8. Fokker D.VII Albatros built - serial unknown, Ltn. Wilhelm Kuhne, Montingen, Summer 1918. 9. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - Possibly Vzfw Glatz, Montingen, Summer 1918. 10. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - pilot and serial unknown, date of photograph unknown but possibly summer 1918 at Montingen. 11. Fokker Dr.I - 479/17, Ltn. August Raben, Montingen, October 1918. DR.1 wing views; Masking guide; Conclusion. Yet again Pheon are offering the WW.1 aviation enthusiast an irresistible set of decals. If you are building a representative set of D.VII's you will certainly want to include at least one Raven in your line up. As usual I like them all, Moningtons blacked edged and chevron tailed, Mullers diagonal barred and chevron tailed, and the anonymous green lined machines really stand out. Where this sheet is really going to win is with 'first timers', those who want to try a Wingnuts kit but are nervous of rigging and lozenge camouflage. Well the D.VII only has 4 rigging wires and a few very short control wires, and all can be done simply with stretched sprue attached with white glue. To seal the deal this is the perfect decal sheet. Some options have no lozenge at all and a few have it only on the wing undersides, so make your choice as to whether you want to try a bit of lozenging or not. The rest of the airframes are simple, white and red with an easy masking job just behind the cockpit with a bit of Tamiya tape. Whichever you choose you will have an attractive and very striking model, representing a totally authentic and outrageously colourful front line warplane. Do I like the combination of Wingnuts D.VII and Pheons decals? You bet! (Also available is a 1:48 scale Jasta 18 sheet with Albatros and a Pfalz as well as the D.VII and DR.1) Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of Pheon Decals

Salmson 2A2 1:32 Pheon Decals Whatever attracts modellers to their specific area of interest, few would deny that markings form a central part of that attraction. Military units from as far back as history recalls have always sought to build their own identity and distinguish themselves from each other. On a personal level one of the most enjoyable aspects of planning a model is choosing its colour scheme and the markings for it to wear. For an aircraft modeller, the Great war of 1914-18 offers perhaps the greatest range and variety of colour schemes and unit markings than any other period. Since Wingnut Wings beautiful 1:32nd scale models came on the market, Pheon Decals have taken up the challenge to research and produce some fascinating alternatives to the options offered in the standard kits. Lately they have turned their attention to the Salmson 2A2, which is an absolute goldmine of a subject. With extensive use by both the French and United States Air Forces, there are a lot of markings for 2A2 and Pheon have released three separate sets covering some of the most interesting. (In the lists, I have suffixed each one with a brief description in single quotes, as it hints at the interesting story that is behind each one). Sheet 32048. Salmson 2A2 in French Service Volume 1. 1 Serial not known, SPA 102. Overall silver. 2 serial 520 of SAL 1, Summer 1918. 'Winged snail'. 3 Serial XX(53?)47, Sal 14. 'Chimera holding shield'. 4 Serial 5351 (speculative) SAL 17, Mayence-Gonsenhein (Mainz), Germany 1919. 'Pennant with devil headed leopard'. 5 Serial 490, SAL33. 'Red boarding axe'. 6 Serial 316, SAL 39. 'Bugle playing rabbit'. 7 Serial 5351, SAL 74. 'Black cat'. 8 Serial 5033 or 5039, SAL 263. 'Satyr riding winged wheel of fortune'. 9 Serial 798, SAL 288. 'Camel in desert'. Sheet 32049. Salmson 2A2 in French Service Volume 2. 1 Serial no.563 (purely speculative), SAL 10, Winter 1918/19. 'Porcupine'. 2 Serial 26(5?) of SAL 16, April 1918, Pilot Asp. Paul Honnorat, Observer Lt Martin. 'Winged question mark'. 3 Serial 945, SAL 18. 'Prime Minister losing hat'. 4 Serial 5351 (speculative) SAL 32. 'Seagull & lifebelt'. 5 Serial 539 (or possibly 531) SAL 40. Pilot, Adjutant Marius Roche, October 1918. 'Red star pennant'. 6 Serial 479 SAL 58. 'Cockerel'. 7 Serial 359, SAL 70. 'Seagull'. 8 Serial 504, SAL 259. 'Flying ant with telescopes'. 9 Serial 4321, SAL 580. 'Dragonfly'. Sheet 32048. Salmson 2A2 in US and Polish Service. 1 Serial not known, 24th Aero Squadron, November 1918. 'Bald eagle & dachshund' 2 Serial not known, 88th Aero Squadron, Forces of Occupation, Trier, Germany, December 1918. 'Rodeo'. 3 Serial not known, 90th Aero Squadron, Lt Harvey Conover and 2nd Lt Valentine J Burger, October 1918. 'Seven up dice'. 4 Serial 986, 99th Aero Squadron, Lt Llewelyn, September 1918. 'Bison'. 5 Serial 5247, Capt. Clearton H Reynolds, 104th Aero Squadron, 11th November 1918. 'Winged sphynx'. 6 Serial not known, 258th Aero Squadron, Germany, May 1918. 'Lion of Belfort'. 7 Serial not known, 'Winius', 1 Eskadra Wywiadowcze, Polish Air Service, Ex SAL 585 French Aeronautique Militaire.'Red Devil'. Conclusion. These are beautiful sets that are a perfect compliment to the equally beautiful Wingnut Wings kit. I particularly like the little snippets of information in the instructions,such as the information on the post war usage of Benjamin Rabier's caricatures. Anyone familiar with the 'Laughing cow' Cheese? The logo grew out of a play on words poking fun at the Germans in WW1. As usual the research is exemplary, and where doubts occur you are given the information and reasoning behind the interpretation. Particularly useful is the detail of WNW part numbers for the alternate louvres and generators that are appropriate to each option. Also listed are the reference(s) used in the design of the decals for each of the aircraft. The amount of time spent of researching and interpreting old photographs must make this a real labour of love for Pheon, which shows through on the quality of their decal sheets. On the technical side, the decals themselves are beautifully printed by Fantasy Printshop. There is minimal carrier film and the printing is pin sharp and all in perfect register. WW1 colours are notoriously difficult to define with absolute certainty, but Pheon are masters at the art of colour interpretation of monochrome photos. Therefore the colours on all of these sheets look to be 'right' in tone, hue, and brightness. Having used Pheon decals in the past I can confirm that they work beautifully and are a delight to use. The only problem you will have with any of these three sheets is selecting which one to use on your model. It may be that you will have to build more than one Salmson A2A, and that can only be a good thing . Review sample courtesy of Pheon Decals

Jagstaffel 30 Volume 2 1:32 Pheon Decals Jasta 30 was formed in January 1917, and remained based at Phalempin in northern France until virtually the end of the Great War. For most of this time the commanding officer was Hans Bethge, a 20 victory ace. Bethge was a little unusual as he survived for fourteen months in this role, before being killed in action in March 1918. Few Jasta commanders lasted this long. The unit commenced combat operations with the Albatros D.III, progressing through the Albatros D.V and D.Va, the unloved Pfalz D.III and D.XII, to the much sought after Fokker D.VII. Examples of all of these are covered on this latest release from Pheon, with the exception of the Pfalz D.III which is covered on sheet 32026. These sets are only avaialble direct from Pheon at £15.75 + P&P (which is a one off charge per order, no matter how many decal sets are purchased), although prices may increase in the near future as they have been held down for several years now. Initially the Jasta left the choice of markings up to the individual pilot, so the D.III's showed a wide variety of markings. Bethge himself chose to paint the Mercedes three pointed star on the side of his D.III, in appreciation of the reliable powerplant in his mount. Other options I particularly like on this sheet are no. 3. Kurt Katzensteins Albatros D.V. A fellow pilot, Otto Fuchs, painted the cat on the fuselage side, but it came out looking more like a fox. Maybe this was no accident, as 'Fuchs' is German for fox! Hans Holthusen's red and white striped, Josef Heiligers black, Karl Weltz's pale blue and Emil Liebert's darker blue Albatros D.VA's all make for very attractive subjects. My favourites though are the Fokker D.VII's of August Hartmann (option 13) and the unknown orange / black & white striped machine (option 15). 1. Albatros D.III, Oblt. Hans Bethge, May/June 1917. 2. Albatros D.III, D2054/16, Ltn. Heinrich Brügman, April/June 1917. 3. Albatros D.V, Ltn. Kurt Katzenstein, August/October 1917. 4. Albatros D.V, D1012/17, Ltn. Paul Erbguth, June 1917. 5. Albatros D.V, Ltn. Otto Fuchs, September/October 1917. 6. Albatros D.V, D 2140/17, Ltn. Otto Fuchs, July/August 1917. 7. Albatros D.V, D1016/17, Ltn. Hans-Georg von der Marwitz, June 1917. 8. Albatros D.V, Ltn. Hans-Georg von der Marwitz, November 1917 to February 1918. 9. Albatros D.V, Ltn. Hans Holthusen, November1917/February 1918. 10. Albatros D.V Vzfw.Josef Heiligers, November/December 1917. 11. Albatros D.V, D4420/17, Ltn. Karl Weltz, November 1917. 12. Albatros D.V, Uffz.Emil Liebert, November 1917/January 1918. 13. Fokker D.VII, Ltn. August Hartmann, July/November 1918. 14. Fokker D.VII, Ltn. Hans-Georg von der Marwitz, September/October 1918. 15. Fokker D.VII, Pilot not known, Autumn 1918. 16. Pfalz D.XII, Ltn. Hans-Georg von der Marwitz, Summer 1918. 17. Fokker D.VII, Pilot not known, Autumn 1918. 18. Fokker D.VII, 370/18. Ltn. Hans Holthusen, June/September 1918. Conclusion. As with the previously reviewed set for Jasta 17, I really like these sets of decals that cover particualr units. They provide decals for several differnt types of aircraft and thus you get to apply them to several models, lowering the unit cost of the sheet per subject. The instructions are as informative as ever, I really appreciate the extra little bits of background information. I can well imagine why Hans Holthusen (option 9) applied for single seaters. Flying a Rumpler 2 seater in August 1917 he was first picked on by German AA, then attacked by a Jasta 37 Albatros and crash landed with a seriously wounded observer. The decals are printed by Fantasy Printshop, and are of excellent quality. The printing is pin sharp and in perfect register, on thin and minimal carrier film. The colours look right with good opacity, and the detailing is exceptionally good, as shown on this close up. This is another great release from Pheon, who are providing a steady stream of interesting and important markings for the enthusiastic modeller of the Great War period. There is always a mix of the well known and the obscure on their decal sheets which goes to enhance their appeal. The only problem with them comes in selecting which ones you are going to do! Review sample courtesy of

Jagdstaffel 17 1:32 Pheon Decals [Edit] Completed build of option 5. Albatros D.Va serial u/k, Hptm. Rudolph Freiherr von Esebeck, Douilly (?), March 1918. Here [/Edit] Jasta 17 is perhaps best known through its 36 victory ace, Julius Buckler, who rose through the ranks to become it's commanding officer in the last few months of the Great war. He was a popular and effective leader who instilled an esprit de corps amongst his men. Buckler wrote a book about his war experiences 'Malaula! The Battle Cry of Jasta 17' which can still be readily found via internet booksellers. Initially equipped with the Albatros D.II and D.III, the unit is know to have subsequently operated the Albatros D.V and Va, Pfalz D.XII, and the Fokker D.VII. This new set of decals from Pheon covers fourteen individual aircraft from this period. The Albatros D.III was, in my opinion, the best looking of the series so it is pleasing to see that as well as a D.II, there are three options for them. Bucklers 'Mops' is a personal favourite, and one I will be pleased to add to my collection. The D.V and V.a's have the lions share of attractive schemes. There are six to choose from, any one of which will produce a lovely looking model. Finally there are three Fokker D.V.II's and an update for a Pfalz D.XII from an earlier Pheon sheet 32030. The Fokkers are all new to me, with all three being Albatros built machines (which is the last of the D.VII kits still currently available from Wingnut Wings. Get them while you can). The yellow outlined machine of Ltn. Alfred Fleischer looks particularly attractive, especially if you select the yellow outlined black tail. 1. Albatros D.II (OAW) 933/16, Vzfw Jakob Wolff, Metz-Frescaty, February 1917. 2. Albatros D.III 2033/16 Vzfw Julius Buckler, St.Quentin-le-Petit, April 1917. 3. Albatros D.III (OAW) 1694/17, Ltn Alfred Träger, St.Quentin-le-Petit, June 1917. 4. Albatros D.III serial u/k, Ltn. Gunther Schuster, St.Quentin-le-Petit, June 1917. 5. Albatros D.Va serial u/k, Hptm. Rudolph Freiherr von Esebeck, Douilly (?), March 1918. 6. Albatros D.V 4408/17, Vzfw Georg Strasser, Rethéuil Ferme, Winter 1917/18. 7. Albatros D.V Serial u/k, Oblt Hubertus Freiherr von Rudno-Rudzinski, Wasquehal, October 1917. 8. Albatros D.Va (OAW) serial u/k, Ltn Alfred Fleischer, Ercheu, June 1918. 9. Albatros D.V serial u/k, Ltn Alfred Träger, Wasquehal, September 1918. 10. Albatros D.Va, serial u/k, Ltn Alfred Träger, Rethéuil Ferme, January 1918. 11. Pfalz D.XII 1416/18 Pilot u/k, Vivaise September 1918. 12. Fokker D.VII (Alb), seial u/k, Ltn Alfred Fleischer, Vivaise, late July 1918. 13. Fokker D.VII (Alb), seial and pilot u/k, Vivaise, late July 1918. 14. Fokker D.VII (Alb), seial u/k, Ltn. Gunther Schuster, Vivaise, late July 1918. . Conclusion. I really like these decal sets that cover squadrons or Jastas over a period of time. The variety of aircraft involved means that you usually get to use more of the decals than you do with a single type sheet. To increase the temptation Pheon only charge post and packing once per order, so ordering other sheets at the same time drops the unit cost per model even further. It is not just the model making that interests me, I also like to know the stories around some of the characters. It seems that Pheon share this interest, as their instruction booklets often contain little snippets of information about the personalities. For example, Ltn Alfred Fleischer (option 😎 was assisted to emigrate to the USA in 1961 by Colonel Cliff McElvain of the USAF, a man who had been shot down by Fleischer in WW1. McElvain's name appears again on the Fokker D.VII in option 14. He shot Ltn. Gunther Schustser down in this aircraft in 1918 The Instructions are clear and honest about any areas of uncertainty, of which there is no shortage in the art of interpreting old WW1 black and white photographs. Explanations are given to support particular interpretations, which all seem very plausible to me and I wouldn't disagree. Printing of the actual decal sheets is by Fantasy Printshop, so quality is assured. The printing itself is sharp and in perfect register on thin and minimal carrier film. No duplication is made with items that will be found in the base kit, so you only get national markings etc where they are needed. This leaves more room free for unique markings, and allows the fourteen options presented here to all fit. If you build Wingnut Wings and Roden kits, you will love these decals. They are clearly a labour of love for Pheon, and it shines through in the quality of the product and the originality of their subjects. The set is only £15.75 + P&P direct from Pheon, which is only charged once per order no matter how many sets you purchase, although a price increase in the range of Pheon's sets may soon be due as they have been held down for some time.. Review sample courtesy of

This is the superb Hannover Cl.II from Wingnut Wings, coupled with a lovely set of decals from Pheon. Reviews can be found here - Hannover CL.II Pheon Decals In brief, the Hannover was designed around the observers machine gun, to raise it high and give it the best possible field of fire (as was the Bristol F2b Fighter) including forwards over the wing. The biplane tail was to keep the span short and increase the field of fire rearwards to each side. It was a very succesful design and popular with its crews, soldiering on until the end of the first world war. What can be said about Wingnut Wings kits that you haven't already heard? Nothing really. Superb, Brilliant, Outstanding, Goregeous, Best of the Best. You got it - I love them. Pheons Decals are the icing on the cake, giving a lovely set of very interesting options to make your Hannover that little bit more special, and also come superbly presented and produced. On with the photos, there is not a square centimetre of plain finish on this, the whole thing is covered in lozenges and irregular shapes. Fuselage and wing centre section are handpainted, flying surfaces are decals. It took me a few month to get this far, but here she is, hope you like! All the ladders, wheel chocks etc come in the kit. There is a build log Here if you are interested. Cheers John

I've finally reduced the number of builds on my workbench to a sensible level, so feel justified in making a start on this, the Hannover CL.II from Wingnut Wings. Review is here of The Kit And here of the Pheon Decals Getting it all together, this is where we start; I'm looking forward to this!. A start was made by removing the fuselage halves and then all the interior components in the order they are needed. Everything is prepared by removing moulding lugs and and scraping any slight seams, and then storing all the components in zip lock bags according to the numbered stage of the assembly instructions. These are then primed with Halfords grey primer from a rattle can, and the wooden parts sprayed with Tamiya XF-57 Buff. When the buff is dry a coat ofJohnsons Kleer is brushed on top of it ready for the oil paints that will create the grain effect. Stage 1 Cockpit; Stage 2 & 3 Cockpit (continued) Stage 4 Fuselage; And getting ahead of myself I prepared some of the 'halved' engine parts so that they are ready to have the seams sanded down later. There is a choice of 3 props, given that I can usually mess one up I chose the Niendorf and Germania ones, and can use the one that comes out best. Stage 6 Argus As.III Engine. Thats all for now, thanks for looking, John

Pfalz D.XII 1:32 and 1:48 Pheon Decals 1:32nd scale sheet 32030. 1:48th scale sheet 48022 The Pfalz D.XII was a development of the earlier D.III, and shared a similar fate in that it was outperformed by another manufacturers product. With the D.III is was the Albatros DV that was considered to be the better aircraft, while the D.XII couldn't compete with the superb Fokker D.VII. The major developments applied to the D.XII were a nose mounted radiator and replacement of the sesquiplane wing arrangement with more conventional wings of more equal span and chord. It also had conventional strutting and drag inducing rigging which the Fokker was designed to do without. Although it was a perfectly competent machine, it could not climb or manoeuvre as well as the Fokker D.VII so was never a popular choice for the Jastas. Pheon decals have issued two decal sets for the D.XII in both 1:32 for the Wingnut Wings kit, and in 1:48th for the Blue Max or Special Hobby kits. I bought the Wingnut Wings kit as soon as it was released, and as expected it is a beautiful set of mouldings well up to the high standard we expect from Wingnut. The kit offers five finishing options which cover a good range of the D.XII's short career, but only 1 of them (Option B, Jasta 49) really grabbed me. So it is great to see that Pheon have produced a set of 10 further options to tempt us with. Produced in their now familiar A4 format the set consists of a paper sheet showing all 10 options available (11 on sheet 48020) . There are then 3 sheets of profiles showing each one in more detail, with 3 or 4 drawings per sheet. Then we have the very helpful A5 booklet giving some background information on the aircraft, and written details of each aircraft option. There is a lot of useful information in here, pointing out where there are difficulties in interpreting colours from old black & white photographs. Although the Wingnuts kit supplies both early and late style fin/rudder units, Pheons sheet covers only the later aircraft. Shown here are the profiles from 32030 on the left, with 48022 on the right. The Options are; 1.D.XII 2695/18, pilot and unit unknown, Autumn 1918 2.D.XII 1460/18, pilot unknown, Jasta 23b 3.D.XII, serial and pilot unknown, Jasta 17, probably Autumn 1918 4.D.XII 1416/18, pilot unknown, Jasta 17 5.D.XII 2525/18, Vfw. Ludwig Marchner, Jasta 32b 6.D.XII 1443/18, pilot unknown, Jasta 77b 7.D.XII, serial pilot and unit unknown 8.D.XII, serial pilot and unit unknown 9.D.XII 2867/18, Belgian markings, post-war 10. D.XII, serial unknown, Ltn. Josef Reasch, Jasta 43, Harbourdin, August 1918 Sheet 48020 only; 11. D.XII, 1445/18 pilot unknown, Jasta 49 (the same as Option B in the Wingnuts kit.) The decals. Both sets are printed by Fantasy Printshop, the 1:32 on an A4 sheet, 1:48 a little larger than A5, and they both show the same high standards we have come to expect from this source. The sheets are logically laid out, with each option having its own section. The colours are good and a typical Pheon touch is that where there is a possibility that a marking could have been one of two colours, you get the decal in both, such as the white or Blue 'M' for option 5. Printing is pin sharp and the carrier film is minimal. Some slight extra carrier film is used on the wavy yellow band on option 2 to help it hold its shape. This is pointed out in the instructions so that you can keep or remove it as suits your preference. Sheet 32030. Sheet 48020 48020 contains a small supplementary sheet of Pfalz logos. Rather than repeat items that are in the kit, Pheon use the space on the sheet to give you more options. Therefore you will need to take some of the items from the wingnuts kit, particularly the lozenge for the wings and the Balkenkreutz etc. The Belgian option however does supply all the roundels and rudder stripes. Conclusion. Another lovely and well thought out set from Pheon. Split between 4 camouflaged, 4 silver-grey, and 2 black examples, giving a good range of extra finishes to choose from. The two black options look particularly sleek, whilst the captured Belgian example really offers something exotic. Whichever your preferred scale either of these sheets will make a great addition to your stashed Wingnut Wings, Special Hobby, or Blue Max kits. Very highly recommended Review sample courtesy of Pheon Decals

Jasta 18 Vol. 2 Raben's Ravens 1:48 Pheon Decals Background This set follows on from Jasta 18 Vol. 1 Bertholds Boys covering the 'new' Jasta 18 under August Raben. The story starts with Rudolph Berthold, commander of Jasta 18 being given command of JG II in March 1918. Consisting of Jastas 12, 13, 15, and 19, it would have meant Berthold leaving Jasta 18 and the men he had formed into an effective fighting force. In brief, what he did was rename Jasta 18 to Jasta 15 so that it formed part of JG II and went with him. At the same time Jasta 15 switched identities with Jasta 18. August Raben had only just taken command of Jasta 15 on 14th March, when the swap occurred on 20th, on which day he was hospitalised after a crash on take off. Hardly the ideal start to his command. By 14th April he was out of hospital and reunited with the Jasta just outside Lille. Like many German commanders he sought to build an 'esprit de corps', and ordered the application of a striking livery to all of Jasta 18's aircraft. The noses back to the cockpit were painted in bright vermilion red, the rest of the fuselage back to the tail in white. The top of upper wing was in red, and later the top of the lower wing also. Some aircraft also received red lower surfaces of their wings. Each also had the symbol of a raven (raben in German) as a unit marking, and individual pilots chose their own marking to go alongside. Thus marked, Staffel Raben went to war and achieved notable success, with something between 112 and 126 victories by the time of the armistice seven months later. By this time they were equipped with the superb Fokker D.VII which were of course painted up in the flamboyant red and white scheme. Pheon acknowledge reference to Osprey's Aviation Elite Units No.40 'Jasta 18' by Greg Van Wyngarden. I heartily endorse this and had already purchased a copy in anticipation of this set. The decal set. The decals are produced in Pheons' now familiar format with no fewer than 17 individual aircraft featured, covering the Albatros D.Va, Pfalz D.IIIa, Fokker DR.1, and Fokker D.VII. Included is a full colour overview of all 17 options, followed by 4 sets of more detailed profiles and 1 of plan views,on thick glossy card in A4 size. The usual instruction booklet contains a wealth of information with historical detail, and notes on finishing options on the real aircraft. Pheon explain where there are doubts or 'grey' areas such as where fuselage and wing undersides may or may not have been painted, which allows the modeller to make an informed choice on which way to go. Notes are provided on each individual aircraft pointing out the key details of the finish, and where possible connecting each aircraft with a pilot. Sealed in their own cellophane bag the decals themselves are on two A5 sheets printed by the Fantasy Printshop and one small amendment sheet for the Pfalz and Fokker DR.1. As with the 'Jasta 18 Vol. 1' set the first sheet contains all the personal markings for each aircraft, including edging for the fuselage sides and elevators, and tailplane stripes. Various personal markings and fuselage bands are supplied, along with numerous ravens and fuselage crosses. The second sheet contains sets of Eisenkreutz for wings and fuselage and two more sets of black tailplane chevrons. A nice touch typical of Pheon is that the white areas have been double printed to ensure opacity over the other colours. Finally we have the Pfalz & Dr.1 amendment sheet. As with other sets from his manufacturer, the printing is beautifully sharp and in register with barely visible carrier film and look amazingly thin. Previous experience has shown that they go on like a dream, and are a delight to use. The options. 1. Albatros D.Va - pilot and serial unknown, Lomme, June 1918. 2. Albatros D.Va - pilot and serial unknown, Lomme, June 1918. 3. Albatros D.Va - pilot and serial unknown, Lomme, June 1918. 4. Albatros D.Va - Ltn. Kurt Monnington, serial unknown, Lomme, June 1918. 5. Pfalz D.IIIa - Ltn. Hans Muller, serial unknown, Lomme, June 1918. 6. Fokker Dr.I - 479/17, Ltn. August Raben, Montingen, October 1918. 7. Fokker D.VII - 386/18, Ltn. Hans Schultz, Lomme, June 1918. 8. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - Possible Vzfw Glatz, Montingen, Summer 1918. 9. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - Ltn. August Raben, Montingen, Summer 1918. 10. Fokker D.VII early (OAW) - Ltn. Kurt Monnington, Montingen, Summer 1918. 11. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - pilot and serial unknown, prob. Montingen, Summer 1918. 12. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - serial unknown, Ltn.Gunther Von Buren, Montingen, August/September1918. 13. Fokker D.VII , pilot and serial unknown, Montingen, Summer 1918. 14. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - serial unknown, Ltn. Hans Muller, Montingen, September 1918. 15. Fokker D.VII prob. (OAW) - serial unknown, Ltn. Wilhelm Kuhne, Montingen, Summer 1918. 16. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - serial unknown, Ltn.Heinz Kustner, Montingen, Summer 1918 and post war. 17. Fokker D.VII Albatros built- pilot and serial unknown, Montingen, Summer 1918 and post war. The plan views. Conclusion. This is another fabulous set from Pheon. I am itching to get started on a representative sample of 'Raben's Ravens' with at least 1 Albatros, the Palz, the Dr.1 and at probably 3 of the D.VII's. Sets like this are a fabulous idea as they bring their own little mini theme, and are fantastic value as you get so many models out of them. Four finished models here. As with the previous set reviewed, 'Bertholds Boys' this would make a great subject for a club display with a few modellers sharing out the builds between them. Very highly recommended Review sample courtesy of Pheon Decals

Jasta 18 Vol. 1 Berthold's Boys 1/48 Pheon Decals Background As with much of aviation history, I find that the characters involved can be as interesting as the aircraft they flew. All types of personalitly can be found, and amongst the sternest of these was Rudolph Berthold. A slight looking man, he had joined the German infantry before the start of world war one, but by its outbreak was an observer with FFA 23. By January 1915 he had undergone pilot training and was back in FFA 23 flying twin engined AEGs, before moving on to the Fokker Eindecker. In February 1916 he scored his first victory, with four more by mid April. On the 25th he suffered the first of many severe injuries in his career, when he crashed in a Pfalz E.IV, suffering severe head injuries, a broken nose, thigh and pelvis. In what became his standard response, he returned to duty before he was full recovered. Scoring three more victories by October, he was given command of Jasta 14. Here he put into practice the iron discipline and rigorous training that he became noted for. Anyone who did not measure up was quickly moved on, but those who made the grade were moulded into a fiercely loyal and effective fighting force. However on 23rd May 1917 he had another serious accident which sidelined him until August. Returning to duty he took up command of Jasta 18 and he again applied his exacting standards to the men under his command. Here he introduced the Jasta 18 colour scheme of blue aircraft with red noses, based on his old infantry regiment colours of blue tunic with red collars and cuffs. Although obeying orders by transferring to the new Jasta, he clearly he regretted having to leave his comrades behind in Jasta 14 that he had trained so hard, and formed a mutual respect for. Fate (in the shape of 56 Sqn, RFC) intervened again on 10th October when Berthold was again severely wounded and put out of action for several months. Only skilful surgery saved his badly shattered right arm. Returning to duty in late March 1918 with his arm in a sling, he was in no fit state to fly, but undoubtedly glad to back with 'his boys'. Almost immediately he was promoted to command JG II, consisting of Jastas 12, 13, 15, and 19. This of course would mean leaving Jasta 18 and the men he had formed into an effective fighting force. Quite how he managed it is not entirely clear, but what he did was transfer all the men and equipment out of Jasta 15 into Jasta 18. At the same moment all the men and equipment of 'his' Jasta 18 transferred to Jasta 15, thus coming with him to JG II. (There is another story here, as the 'new' Jasta 18 under Ltn. August Raben forms the subject of Pheon's next decal sheet Here ). To complete Bertholds story, by sheer force of willpower and a refusal to let his injuries stop him from flying, he raised his score to 44 victories before another crash in August 1918 finally ended his flying career. He survived the war only to be murdered in 1920 at the hands of his own countrymen, in the turmoil that developed in Germany after the Armistice. A truly formidable and brave man who earned the unshakeable loyalty of those who served alongside him. The decal set. Pheon have produced probably the definitive decal sheet for 'Berthold's Boys' in their Jasta 18 guise with their blue and red colour scheme. No fewer than 24 individual aircraft can be completed from this set, covering the Albatros D.III, Albatros D.V, Pfalz D.III and D.IIIa. The set consists of a full colour overview of all 24 options, followed by 3 sets of more detailed profiles and 1 of plan views on thick glossy card in A4 size. Also included is Pheons usual very informative instruction booklet, this one of 13 pages giving some interesting historical detail and notes on finishing options on the real aircraft. Pheon explain where there are doubts or 'grey' areas on actual colours used, and allow the modeller to make an informed choice on which way to go. Notes are provided on each individual aircraft, most of which can be associated with an individual pilot or pilots. Reading through these is very interesting as well known names crop up regularly and will probably contribute to you deciding which options you want to go for. Sealed in their own cellophane bag the decals themselves are on two A5 sheets printed by the Fantasy Printshop, which means quality is assured. The first sheet contains all the personal markings for each aircraft, which are pretty much the fuselage side markings. (Note: I have artificially darkened the background here to make the white decals stand out more) The second sheet contains sets of Eisenkreutz for wings and fuselage, sectioned by the different aircraft types to which they apply. Both sheets are flawlessly printed with the white surrounds to the crosses being in perfect register. The decals look to be nice and thin with good colour density and minimal carrier film. Technically these are as good as it gets. The options; 1. Albatros D.III - serial unknown, Oblt. Rudolph Berthold, Harlebeke, Sept. 1917 2. Albatros D.III (OAW) - serial unknown, Oblt. Ernest Turck, Harlebeke, Summer 1917 3. Albatros D.III - pilot and serial unknown, Harlebeke, Autumn 1917 4. Albatros D.III - serial prob. 1970/16, Ltn. Paul Strahle, Aug./Sept. 1917 5. Albatros D.III (OAW) - pilot and serial unknown, prob. late Summer/Autumn 1917 6. Albatros D.III (OAW) - 479/17, Ltn. August Raben, Montingen, October 1918 7. Albatros D.V - Ltn. Walter Dingel, Sept. 1917 8. Albatros D.V - Ltn, Johannes Klein, Oct. 1917 9. Albatros D.V - Ltn. Arthur Rahn, Jasta 18 Nov. 1917 10. Albatros D.V - Ltn. Harald Auffarth and Oblt. Ernst Turck, Staffelfuhrer Jasta 18 Sept. 20- Oct. 1917 and Oct.- March 1918 11. Albatros D.V - pilot and serial unknown, March 1918 12. Albatros D.V - pilot and serial unknown, Winter 1917/18 13. Albatros D.V , 2171/17, Ltn. Oliver Freiherr von Beaulieu-Marconnay, Dec. 1917 14. Albatros D.V - serial unknown, Ltn.d R Hugo Schafer, late 1917 15. Albatros D.V - serial unknown, Ltn. Josef Veltjens, Winter 1917/18 16. Albatros D.V - serial unknown, Ltn. Otto Schober, late Summer 1917 17. Albatros D.V - 4594/17, Ltn. Paul Strahle, Nov. 1917 18. Pfalz D.III - 4004/17, Oblt. Rudolph Berthold, Oct. 1917 19. Pfalz D.III - serial unknown, pilot possibly Walther Kleffel, Winter 1917/18 20. Pfalz D.III - Hans Burckhard von Buttlar, Avelin, Jan. 1918 21. Pfalz D.IIIa - Pilot and serial unknown, Winter 1917/18 22. Pfalz D.IIIa - Gefr. Max Hitschler, Avelin, Jan. 1918 23. Pfalz D.IIIa - Hans Burckhard von Buttlar, Avelin, Feb. 1918 24. Pfalz D.IIIa - Pilot and serial unknown, early 1918 The final sheet showing wing markings. Conclusion. This is another extraordinary set by Pheon which just looking through it gives a great deal of pleasure (I am getting reasonably good at being able to identify the pilots from their fuselage markings, which is of course why they did them in real life). I doubt that many of us will want to make all 24 possible options, most will go for a selective line up of perhaps one or two of each aircaft type. However, this sheet is also avaialble in 1:72nd, so all 24 in the smaller scales might be a possibility and would make a spectacular line up. If fact a club display could be done if members commited to doing a few models each. I have been building 1/48 WW.1 aircraft for at least 25 years now and rarely come across more comprehensive and beautifully produced sets of aftermarket decals than Pheon's. I can see this one and others becoming much sought after as 'classics' in future years, so if you have an interest - treat yourself and get them while you can. Very highly recommended Review sample courtesy of Pheon Decals

Hannover CL.II 1:32 Pheon Decals Hot from the printers is Pheon decals latest sheet to complement the recent Wingnut Wings Hannover CL.II. Sealed in an A4 ziplock bag, you know by the weight of it that you are getting more than just a decal sheet, there's also Pheons original research crammed in there. First up is a paper sheet showing all twelve options in side profile, which immediately hooks you into homing in on which ones you like most. Under this are four full colour sheets printed on thick glossy card showing each option in larger scale and more detail, and the last one showing upper and lower wing surfaces. Completing the paperwork is a nine page booklet giving general information on the CL.II, and particular information on each of the options. Where there is doubt, such as on the colour of the '2' on the fuselage of option 3, you are provided with a pair of decals in each of the three possibilities, red, blue or black. This is s very thoughtful touch, and allows you to go with what you think is the most accurate. Similarly the cartoon character on option 1 is provided twice, with pale grey and yellow outlines for you to go with your own opinion. The decal sheet itself is printed on an A4 sheet by Fantasy printshop. The printing is beautifully sharp and in perfect register, whilst the colours look exactly right. There are a lot of white areas on the sheet, opacity looks good, and having used Fantasy's decals before, they should cover well with no bleed through of underlying colours. What really draws the attention though is the very fine and minimal amounts of carrier film with each individual decal. This will be a great help in minimising any 'silvering' problems because there is barely anything to trap air under. Even the centres of the yellow number '5's and white '6's have no film in them, such is the precision of the printing. Impressive stuff. The options are; 1. 13080/17 Unit Unknown 2. Serial unknown, Schlasta 12, March 1918 3. 9338/17 Schlasta 24b, Sgt Zitzelsberger & Vzfw. Muller, Erchin, March 1918. 4. 9390/17 Schusta 30b, Inchy, March 1918. 5. 13282/17 Schlasta 31b, Vzfw, Peez & Gefr. Lang, Hangest, May 1918. 6. 132??/17 Schlasta 16, Linselles, May 1918. 7. 9387/17 Schusta 19, Tourmignies, December 1917. 8. Serial unknown, Schusta 27b, Bertry, December 1917. 9. 9301/17 Schusta 12, Flg. Karl Romann & Georg Winkler, Wyngehene, January 1918. 10. 13181/17 Fl.Abt. (A) 226, Vzfw. Willy Engler & Ltn. Alfred Kuerman. 11. 13253/17 Schlasta 34, Dury, May 1918. 12. 218, Polish Air Service, May 1919. And wing views; Conclusion. This is another beautiful decal set from Pheon that will enhance your Wingnut Wings kit. What shines through yet again is the hours of research and interpretation of old black and white photographs that must have gone in to its production. The variety of options have been well chosen also. If you fancy having a go at the hand painted fuselage lozenge (and I do!) six and a half of them require it, the rest use conventional two colour camouflage. The Polish example is very unusual as well as colourful, and has perhaps the most straightforward paint job of them all. So whatever your skill and confidence levels there will be several choices for you to pick from. Sensibly space on the sheet has been used to provide the most options, rather than duplicating what is provided by Wingnuts. So you will need to use items like the eisenkreutz/balkankreutz from the kit, but Pheon provide them on their sheet where they are different. I intend to start work on my own Hannover kit shortly, and will be finishing it in one of these options. The only problem is which one? Current favourites are Nr's 1, 5, 6, 8, 11 and 12, which is half of them on a shortlist right away! Many hours of pondering and consideration are set to follow, and that's where a large part of the pleasure comes from in this hobby. Very highly recommended Review sample courtesy of Pheon Decals

Gloster Gladiator RAF & International decals The last biplane fighter to serve in the RAF, and the first to be armed with more than two machine guns. The Gloster Gladiator was the pinnacle of British biplane fighter design and gave many a pilot a taste of the more advanced features such as landing flaps and enclosed cockpits they would soon experience in the soon to arrive monoplane fighters of the very late 1930s. During the early years of WW2, the Gladiator served the RAF in the UK, France, Norway, Africa and the Mediterranean, where for lack of anything else it held the line before newer types were available. When faced with opposition of a similar performance, such as Italy's Fiat CR42, it fared well and was the first mount of Marmaduke "Pat" Pattle DFC & bar, the RAF's top scoring biplane ace with 15 kills on the type ( and quite possibly the RAF's top scoring ace full stop) Perhaps most famous for its service ever Malta for many, the mythical story of the only 3 aircraft defending that beleaguered Isle, Faith Hope & Charity, though historically inaccurate, did at least secure the Gladiator's entry into the Pantheon of famous fighters. The Gladiator was also widely exported in the late 30s to Belgium, China, Egypt, Finland, Greece, Iraq, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, South Africa and Sweden. And it was in China where the type score its first kills against the invading Japanese; while in Finnish service it racked up its last kill in 1943. However - before the outbreak of the war, the Gladiator served from early 1937 onwards with several RAF squadrons, and wore the bright and gay markings of the period with aplomb. Pheon decals are best known for their excellent Great War decals, but 'Monsieur Pheon', Rowan Broadbent, also has a love for things interwar, and has released 3 sheets in 1/48th scale for the Gladiator: Two covering silver RAF machines, and an international sheet with a variety of options. Printed by Fantasy Workshop each sheet has a plethora of markings, and exhibit perfect register and sharp detail. The decals are thin but strong and go down well over a glossy surface. I use a touch of Micro Set to bed the decal, then apply a cloth dampened with very hot water- which snuggles them into any detail perfectly. Micro Sol will also work on them as a setting agent ( I tried this too), but Pheon caution against the stronger types of decal softener. Each sheet comes with a plethora of stencils, all of which are fully legible and pin sharp. Full placement instructions are provided. I have to say that these are some of the most logical and well thought out stencil instructions I've ever seen. The numbering of them and placement order is logical and well thought out, making it a doodle to get your Gladiator stencilled up. A word of caution - apply the stencils before the main decals, as in some cases Squadron markings will cover small portions of stencil. So do like the RAF did - stencil your crate, then take delivery of her and apply the Squadron markings! The RAF sheets have enough stencils for 3 complete machines, while the international sheet has 2 ( it's noted in the instructions that the stencils were probably overpainted when airforces camouflaged their machines - hence the reduction in numbers) For those using the Roden kit- Pheon provided a useful plan to show how to correct the lower wing tip shape too. So - onto the sheet options themselves: 48025 RAF Volume 1: 8 options. All painted overall aluminium. Price £10.50 plus P&P 1: K8027 87 Sqn October 1937. C flight Commanders aircraft 2: K7697 87 Sqn October 1937. A Flight 3: K8004 72 Sqn, 1938. A flight Commanders aircraft 4: K6130 72 Sqn, 1937. A flight Commanders aircraft 5: K7970 65 Sqn 1938. C Flight. Note this machine carries large red chevrons - a la 65 Sqn's Gauntlets. The instructions note this scheme as being unphotographed, and based on written evidence only. However it is a beauty, and is well worth having on the sheet. I used this scheme on my model. 6: K7943 65 Sqn 1937 C.O.'s aircraft. This is less gaudy but supported by photographic evidence. 7:L7612 33 Sqn A Flight 1938 8: K7903 80 Sqn A flight Commander 1938 Options 1-6 are all UK based, while 7 & 8 were Egyptian based 48026 RAF Volume 2: 9 options. All painted overall aluminium. Price £10.50 plus P&P 1: K6150 3 Sqn A Flight 1938 2: K7984 3 Sqn B Flight 1938 3: K6147 3 Sqn C Flight CO's aircraft 1938 4: K7960 3 Sqn 1938 These 4 aircraft show the variations in 3 Sqns Gladiator markings, with plenty of variation and lovely bright green markings. The set has an updated printing of the green items inserted as later research & info showed Pheon they needed to update this colour based on this new info. 5:K7918 54 Sqn A Flight CO's aircraft 1938 6: K7920 54 Sqn B flight - the sheet notes some conjecture about the yellow tailplane and colour of the blue. 7: K7985 73 Sqn C Flight 1937 8:K7991 56 Sqn A Flight 1938 9: K6147 56 Sqn A Flight 1938 - again this is slightly conjectural - but does give you the option of having the Firebird's famous red/white chequers on the fuselage side. All these options are UK based 48021 Gloster Gladiator Mk 1 international: 6 options with mixture of overall aluminium paint, and camouflage. Price £9.50 plus P&P 1: G.30 1st Fighter Sqn, Belgian Airforce " Le Comete" 2: 2909 29th FS Chinese Airforce 1938 flown by Major John Won Pan-Yang - historically interesting as Won Pan-Yang was the first pilot to score kills in the Gladiator, ending up as a 13 victory ace ( though only 4 were scored with the Gladiator) 3: 423 Norwegian Army Air Service 1937. NB you'll need to paint the maroon areas of the Norwegian national stripe marking, but the blue & white centre strips are supplied to save a tedious masking job. 4: 121 1st Fighter Squadron, Latvian Aviation Regiment 1938, with an option for 166 of the 2nd Fighter squadron 1938 5: G-704 5 Eskadrilla II Nailintuva Grupe, Lithuanian Airforce 1938. Note - the blue areas behind the Lithuanian Cross of Lorraine markings. 6: 8-16 Flottilj 8 Swedish Airforce 1939 Overall these 3 sheets provide a wealth of marking options, and will make an excellent change from the Roden kit decals. What I like about Pheon is their research - they are not afraid to tell you when they don't know something too. They are also excellent value for money. If you fancy a brightly coloured Gladiator or something a touch exotic - these are for you. Decals are currently available via email to: [email protected] or [email protected] Their new website should be up soon for direct sales. If you want to get your hands on these - then Pheon will be at the RAF Hendon Model show tomorrow Sunday 19th May with a full range of their decals. http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/whats-going-on/events/the-hendon-model-show/ Just to show you what you can do with these decals: Jonners

Sopwith Snipe Post War RAF 1:32 Pheon Decals The release of Wingnut Wings Sopwith Snipe in 'late' form opened up the possibilty of post war colour 'Silver Wing' schemes, and indeed the kit does provide a couple of options. As the Snipe was selected as the mainstay of the post war fighter squadrons there are many more potential schemes, and Pheon Decals have come up with a comprehensive sheet to cover them. Printed by Fantasy Printshop on A4 sized decal paper, first impressions are excellent. The colours look to be spot on, and have good opacity. Where there is a doubt about original colour, such as the number '5' on option three for the 111 sqn machine, you get both red and black decals to make your own choice with. The printing is pin sharp and carrier film hard to see, but thin and minimal. Separate centres are provided for the three colour roundels and various parts have cut outs where they need to fit around projecions like footseps. I particularly like the fin markings for option 5, which are supplied as either just the star element for you to paint the black yourself, or as an overall covering for the whole fin. Star mask patterns are in the instructions should you wish to paint the black. Note how beautifully fine the printing is. It is an intelligently designed sheet, optimised to give you the parts for as many different finishes as possible. There is barely any wasted space, but the designs are not so closely packed as to make it difficult to remove the various elements. Finally, nothing is duplicated from what is already supplied with the kit, the sheet providing all the unique elements required for each aircraft. Four A4 sheets printed on thick glossy card are provided in full colour showing side profiles, with plan views of wings where required. All options are in overall silver with paint variations in silver doped or natural metal areas, and varnished wood or painted struts, as well as the decal options themselves. Accompanying these is an 11 page instruction booklet containing some history of the Snipe, information on using the decals, and a little write up for each option, including some colour photos of the RAF museum Snipe. Note that options 10 and 11 require you to paint the single colour fuselage stripes yourself, a simple task if you have a roll of Tamiya tape to hand. Personally I rather like that Pheon have made use of the space on the sheet to squeeze in a couple more options rather than leave blank space. The options are; (1) E6655, 'B' Flight, 1 Sqn, Iraq 1925. (2) E6942, 'A' Flight, No. 3(F) Sqn, RAF Manston, 1924. (3) f2441, 111 Sqn, Duxford, 1924. (4) F2408, 23 Sqn, Henlow, 1925/6. (5) E6268, 32 Sqn, Kenley, 1924. (6) F2527, 111 Sqn, 'A' Flight Commander, Duxford, 1924. (7) E7538, 19 Sqn, Duxford, 1924. (8) E8358, 'Bonzo' No.1 School of Technical Training, RAF Halton, 1923. (9) E7528, 25(F) Sqn, San Stefano, Constantinople during the Chanak crisis, September 1922. (10) E6825, 41 Sqn, Northolt, 1923. (11) E7423, 25(F) Sqn, Hawkings, 1923/4. Conclusion. Pheon have produced an outstanding set of decals here, both in terms of the selection of options and the actual quality of the decals themselves. The icing on the cake is the full colour profiles and the instruction booklet to guide you through them all. I am having real trouble deciding which one to select for my Snipe currently under construction, because I want to do at least six of them. A decision must be made however, and if I have to short list three they are, Options (1), (5), and (8). An almost impossible but very enjoyable decision to have to make! The Wingnut Wings Snipe is an exeptional kit, one of the best of the best, and without a doubt Pheon have produced a decal sheet worthy of it. Very highly recommended Review sample courtesy of Pheon Decals. [Edit] I've just discovered that Pheon will be at the IPMS Barnet show taking place at the RAF museum Hendon on 19th May. With luck they will have the latest releases including a sheet for the 'early' Snipe kit with Willam Barkers E8102 on it (Wingnuts missed a trick with this one). Plus some Fokker D.VII's in the Red/White Jasta 18 'Ravens' colours, and some captured Canadian examples. The new sheets for the Hannover should be ready too. Lovers of Wingnut Wings kits form an orderly queue! [/Edit]

What ho Chaps! I thought you might like to see progress on this build, which will be used in a review for Pheon's Gladiator decals- finishing the model in a slightly controversial scheme. But more of that anon... Roden's Glad has been around for a few years now, and is not a bad little kit, if you can cope with the rather messy 3 part cowling, and slightly underwhelming cockpit. I've rebuilt the cowling to correct a few issues I think it has ( namely the too wide front cowl circumference, and the rather iffy exhausts on the underside). If you have the model - compare them to the pics here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/76578-gloster-gladiator/ And hopefully you'll see what I mean The cockpit has had some extra detail in the form of plastic card bulkheads and strip detail, and the instrument panel has been done using the excellent Airscale instrument decals I found at Telford. They are worth a try - as each instrument decal has its own very tight carrier film, and they bed down well using Microsol/set. Anyhow - now at the painting stage - so here's how she looks this morning. Lots more to do, but its coming together!! Cheers, and please feel free to comment as you see fit. Jonners