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Lavochkin La-7 1:72 Eduard ProfiPACK Edition The Kit The Eduard La-7 kit is fairly new dating back from 2007, whilst this is a good kit after just reviewing the new tool Fw 190's from Eduard, it is surprising to see how much mould technology has moved on since then. The kit arrives on one sprue of grey plastic, with a clear sprue, sheet of photo-etch, a sheet of masks; and a comprehensive decal sheet. The parts are well moulded with no issues or flash. Construction starts in the cockpit with various parts of Photo-etch being added to each side consol. Next up the exhaust parts are fitted into each fuselage half. Once these parts are in the fuselage can be joined up not forgetting to insert a blanking pate in the tail wheel well. Next up the wings are put together; these are a one part upper & one part lower. The top of the upper wing forms the base of the cockpit and the control column and rudder pedals are added. The instrument panel and pilots seat complete with rear bulkhead are then made up and added through the bottom of the fuselage; once these are in fuselage can be added to the wings. The canopy (one piece or three piece) can be added along with the tail planes, rudder, engine cowling, propeller and top gun parts. Lastly the landing gear is made up and added along with the gear bay doors, and the large ventral radiator. Decals The decal sheet is in house printed by Eduard and is in register, colour dense and should pose no issues. Decal options are provided for eight aircraft: Maj. IN Kozhedub, 176th IAP, Germany Spring 1945 (Mask provided for nose painting this option). Maj. AV Alelyukhin, 9th GIAP, Berlin Operation 1945. Maj Amet Khan Sultan, 9th GIAP, Germany 1945. Lt. Col SF Dolgushin Co. of 156th IAP, Kluzov airfield, April 1945. Flt Sgt Stefan Ocvirk, 2nd Fighter Air Regiment, 1945. Unknown unit, Soviet Union late 1945. 2nd GIAP, 2 Sqn "Mongolsky Arat", Spring 1945. Co. of 4th GIAP, Lt. Col Vasily F Golubyev, Spring 1945. Conclusion This is a great kit from Eduard and it is good to see it re-released. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Fw 190A-5 ProfiPACK 1:72 Eduard The Focke-Wulf Fw190 was designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. His aim was to create a fighter that was not only fast and agile, but also reliable. It had a wide track undercarriage to improve ground handling and also utilised electric rather than hydraulic controls to reduce the risk of system loss in combat. The Fw190 also marked a departure from aircraft like the Bf109 and Spitfire as it combined a 14 cylinder radial engine with a development of the NACA cowling system. This choice was crucial as it meant that the Fw190 would not create additional demand for DB 601 liquid cooled engines. It also allowed a low drag profile for such a powerful engine. Despite early teething problems, the Fw190 first entered operational service over France in August 1941. It proved to be quite a shock for the RAF whose 1440hp Spitfire Mk.V, the best fighter available at the time, was outclassed in terms of firepower and all round performance, particularly at lower and medium altitudes. The A-5 was developed when it was determined that the Fw 190 design could carry more ordnance. The engine was moved forward 6 inches thus moving the centre of gravity and allowing more weight to be carried aft. The Kit Eduard now seem to be on a mission to produce a long line of Fw 190 kits in 1.72 so the modeller of "The one true scale" does not miss out. The Fw 190A-8 profiPACK was reviewed here, and the Royal Class boxing here. The kit itself is made up of 92 plastic parts on three sprues of dark blue-grey plastic and a single clear sprue with the now-familiar circular layout. There are two fuselage sprues with slightly different parts, and by purchasing an extra "small" overtrees kit all of the decal options can be built. The instruction book is a glossy, stapled booklet with full-colour painting diagrams. Included are a sheet of colour photo etched parts, and a sheet of masks. All together, the impression is of a quality package. The quality of the plastic parts is second to none. The mouldings are clean and crisp and there are no traces of flash and no sink marks. The surface detail on the outside of the airframe comprises recessed panel lines and delicately engraved rivet and fastener detail. It looks absolutely superb. Eduard haven't skimped on the detail elsewhere, with sub-assemblies such as the cockpit being up there with high end resin items when it comes to the quality and quantity of detail. The cockpit is made up of over thirty parts (including photo etched details), which is a truly phenomenal for a kit of this size. Photo etched details help to raise the level of detail a notch and cover the obvious items such as the rudder pedals, seat harnesses and instrument panel and side consoles, although for the latter two items there are plastic alternatives. Once assembled, the whole thing can be sandwiched inside the fuselage halves along with the firewall and the basic-but-good-enough-in-this-scale engine face. Setting the semi-completed fuselage to one side for a moment, construction turns to the wing. The lower wing is moulded as a single span, to which the main spar (which also forms the rear wall of the main landing gear bays) must be added. The other parts which form the structures and details of the landing gear bays must be added at this point, prior to everything being fixed in place by the addition of the upper wing surfaces. The ailerons are moulded separately to the rest of the wing, which opens up some possibilities for the diorama builder, as well as enhancing the level of realism. Turning back to the fuselage, the rudder is also moulded as a separate part, although the tail planes are solid lumps. In common with other kits of the type, the upper fuselage forward of the cockpit is moulded separately (in this case as two parts with a third for the cannon barrels). Once the basic airframe is together, its time to fit the undercarriage and other finishing details. Each of the main gear legs is made up of two parts, although you have the option of removing the plastic torque links and replacing them with photo etched versions. The wheels themselves are made up of nicely moulded tyres and separate hubs. This should make painting them much easier. Ordnance is taken care of with a drop tank and a single bomb, along with the associated racks and shackles. There are a number of small parts included to cover the final details, including the aileron balance weights and various aerials and antennae. The canopy deserves a special mention as there are four rear sections included; blown and unblown, with different parts for closed and open options. Two propellers are included as well, although only one is needed for the included options. Decal options are provided for a generous five aircraft: Fw 190A-5 Werk No. 2594 Flown by Maj Hermann Graf CO of JGr Ost, Bordeaux, France, Spring 1943 Fw 190A-5 Flown by Hptm Walter Nowotny, CO I./JG54 Grünherz, Orel, Autumn 1943 Fw 190A-5 Werk No. 410055, Flown by Uffz Bernhard Kunze, 2./JG1, The Netherlands, October 1942 Fw 190A-5 Werk No. 7328, Flown by Hptm Dietrich Wickop, CO II./JG1 , Woensdrecht, The Netherlands, May 1943 Fw 190A-5 Flown by Hptm Egon Mayer, CO of III./JG2 Richthofen, France, Spring 1943 Each option is illustrated with a four-view profile as well as detailed illustrations of the propellers or drop tanks where appropriate. The decals, which are printed by Cartograf, look crisp, thin and glossy and the colours used are nice and bold. In addition to the main sheet there is a sheet of Stencils printed by Eduard. Conclusion Eduard have continued to deliver outstanding kits of the famous fighter, as well as providing a prime example of the kit maker's art. The level of detail they have packed in is as superb as the engineering is excellent, and the kit appears to be accurate in every major way. Overall this is a winning package and can be highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Fokker E.II/E.III 1:48 Eduard ProfiPACK The Fokker Eindecker (monoplane) owes its origins to the original M.5 monoplane. The E.III was basically an E.II fitted with newly designed wings with a narrower chord of 1.8m to the old 1.88m. Both aircraft used the 100hp Oberursel U.I engine. The E.III having a larger fuel tank to give a 150min endurance. Most aircraft were fitted with a Single 7.92mm Spandau with 500 rounds, though some aircraft gained twin guns. The E.III arrived in significant number in 1916 and were allocated in singles to reconnaissance squadrons. Later they would be used in single seat fighter Squadrons (Jagdstaffeln). Aircraft were operated in WWI by Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey. Only one aircraft has survived to this day which is in the Science Museum in London. The Kit The kit is produced to Eduard's usual excellent standards. In the box the modeller gets three sprues of plastic, two photo etched frets and a small sheet of masks. Construction starts naturally in the cockpit area. This area is actually quite complicated as Eduard have gone to great lengths to give the modeller an excellent representation of the real thing. Separate side and floor panels are added to the detail already present on the inside of the fuselage sides. A read fabric panel is also added to the cockpit area. Flight control featuring the stick and rudder, as well as the control linkages are added. A throttle, the pilots seat, and seat belts are also added into the cockpit. Once all of the detail is inside the fuselage can be closed up. The area directly behind the pilot can be opened up and a fuel tank is provided for this area should the modeller wish to do this. An oil tank for the engine mounts underneath the decking in front of the pilot. On the front of the aircraft a detailed radial engine is added along with PE wiring details. A choice of engine cowling is supplied depending on which decal option is to be used. PE detailing is supplied for the inside of this part. Once all of the engine work is complete construction can move back to the main airframe. The prominent stitching is replicated in PE and this effectively covers the main seam on the underside. The complicated tail, tail plane, and rear skid assembly can then be completed and added to the rear of the aircraft. Next step is to complete the machine gun and add it to the top decking in front of the pilot. A PE jacket is supplied which will need to be rolled to fit the gun. Additional detailing parts are then added in this area including an ammunition belt. The prominent A frame to hold the wing bracing wires is then added as is the pilots windscreen (though I suspect most modellers will leave this until last. The fuselage can then be flipped over to install the main gear. Each wheel is a three part affair and they attach to a complicated cradle which holds them under the main fuselage. It is then left to attach the main wings to each side. The left wing is the same for all marking options, but the right one does differ so make sure you select the right one. The propeller can then be added. A full rigging diagram is supplied for all the bracing wires. Decals All the aircraft have the same doped linen exterior with metal panels in the engine area. Large crosses are supplied for the wings and tail. There are markings for five aircraft in the kit. E.II 68/15 Lt Brückman, late 1915. E.II 69/15 Lt Kurt von Crailsheim, late 1915. E.II Vfw Ernst Udet, early 1916 (Used on box art). E.III Leopold Anslinger, Summer 1916. A.III 03.42 KuK Luftfahrtruppen 1915/16. Conclusion This is another great WWI aircraft from Eduard. The kit is complicated but should make up to a good looking model. Highly recommended. Kit - If you like more then one decal option then a full set of overtrees are available from Eduard; Overtrees - Review samples courtesy of

Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 1:48 Eduard - Profipack The I-16 was a Soviet fighter of revolutionary design. It was the worlds first low wing cantilever monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear to achieve operational status. The designer Nikolai Nikoleavich Polikarpov designed the aircraft optimised for speed with a short stubby fuselage similar to the Gee Bee racer. It was to feature cutting edge items such as a fully retractable landing gear and an enclosed cockpit. Work began in June 1933 and full scale production began in November of the same year. The aircraft was designed around the Wright Cyclone SR-1820-F-3 nine cylinder engine. The construction was a mix of wooden monocoque and wings based around chrome-molybdenum steel alloy wing spar. Original armament was a par of 7.62mm machine guns mounted outboard of the main wheels. The Type 24 aircraft featured Four machine guns, two in the original wing positions and two synchronised in the fuselage. Landing flaps replaced the original drooping ailerons, a tail wheel was also added. This variant was powered by a Shvetsov M-63 engine developing 900hp. At the start of WWII Russian had 1635 I-16 variants. During the first 48 hours of Operation Barbarossa Luftwaffe attacks on I-16 bases reduced this to only 937 aircraft. The I-16 was surprisingly good in combat against the Bf 109E with Russian pilots using its superior horizontal manoeuvrability. However later versions of the 109 would prove to be much faster, and more heavily armed. One advantage in the Russian winter was the I-16 had an aircooled engine and were more reliable. In all over half of the produced aircraft were still in service when they were replaced in 1943. I-16 would also serve overseas with China. Germany, Romania and Finland would operate captured examples. The Spanish Republican Air Force used I-16s supplied by Russia, and after the Civil war these would be used by Spanish State Air Force, amazingly only being retired in 1952. The Kit The kit arrives on four sprues with one small clear sprue containing the front windscreen. The parts are all very well moulded with nice engraved detail. There is no evidence of flash anywhere on the parts. Construction starts with the cockpit and the interior of the fuselage. A mixture of plastic and photo-etch parts make up the cockpit details. Some of the engine exhausts are added at this time along with internal features. The fuselage is closed up and the cockpit is added from underneath. The cockpit is fairly Spartan much like the real thing. The instrument panel comes as either photo-etch parts, or as a decal; though you could paint the plastic panel if you prefer. A set of seatbelts is supplied on the photo-etch fret. Once the cockpit and instrument panel are in the wings are constructed. These are of a conventional one part lower wing, with left and right uppers. Once completed they are added to the fuselage. There are a couple of photo-etch parts to be added to the main wheel wells at this point. Next job is to install the tailplanes, rudder and tail wheel. Once this is done construction moves to the front of the aircraft. The engine face is added along with the cowl. Additional exhausts are added, along with the machine gun blisters on top of the front fuselage. Again in this area the modeller has a choice of plastic or photo-etch parts. The next step is to complete the landing gear, this is fairly complex with quite a few parts.. Luckily the instructions show a couple of different views so you can get the positioning of all of these parts correct. Some of the decal options in this kit had the gear doors removed from the aircraft so the modeller needs to check before adding the doors. Finally the gun sight, windscreen and prop added to finish off your model. A reflector gunsight along with a photo-etch ring sight are supplied. There are no instructions as to which to use, so the modeller will need to consult their references. Photo-Etch A small photo-etch fret is supplied with this profipack edition. This contains cockpit parts, instrument panels, seatbelts, pilot access door, and engine face. These are of typical Eduard quality with the instrument panel being pre-printed. Decals A medium sized decal sheet printed by Eduard is supplied with the Profipack. The decals are in register and appear colour dense. These aircraft did not carry many markings and this is reflected in the kit. There are enough national markings for all 4 decal options provided; Boris F.Safonov, 72 SAP Northern Fleet, 1942 (With a choice of patriotic slogans). Genadij Tsokolajev, 4 GIAP, Baltic Fleet, Lake Ladoga 1942. Lt Krichevskly, 254 IAP, Leningrad Front 1942 Lev L.Shestakov, 69 IAP, Odessa 1941. Conclusion There is no doubt this will build up to make a good looking model. I for one am a fan of this stubby looking aircraft. With the Profipack edition you get a few more extras in the box such as the photo-etch parts, some masks; and many more decal options. I-16 Profipack If the modeller wishes to use more of the decal options available in the profipack kit then there is a boxing of overtrees available from Eduard with all the plastic but no other frills. I-16 Basic overtrees (8149X) Review samples courtesy of

Jerry Billing was born in Canada in 1921 and in his late teens he was determined to become a fighter pilot. Initially joining the RCAF as an air-gunner in 1941, his persistence eventually saw him active as a Hurricane pilot and then, from 1942, a Spitfire pilot when he joined 19 Squadron. While with 19 Squadron he flew many different types of sorties in Mk.V Spitfires. Following action in Malta and some training of other pilots in the art of dog fighting, Jerry was sent to 401 Squadron in 1944, where he was assigned a Mk.IX Spitfire. On D-Day itself Jerry was on patrol over Gold Beach in ML135, but there wasn't any sign of the Luftwaffe. However, on the 7th June 1944, he was back in action again and downed a Ju88 and damaged two Fw190s. More information about Jerry Billing can be found here This is my first Eduard kit and it was built as part of the D-Day Group Build. Self indulgent bit - please skip ahead to the photos if easily bored! I've been working towards this kit for a while. A few years ago, when I got back into model kit building, I was mostly building bits and pieces including lunar landing modules, a space shuttle, a Batmobile and a big fire engine! Then, while searching online for possible next kits, I came across this Eduard Mk.IXc Spitfire kit. Wow! I was blown away by the detail and I loved the idea of the extra PE parts and paint masks. The only thing was; I hadn't ever built a 1/48 kit before and the last time I had built a plane kit (other than an Angel Interceptor) was when I was a kid. Also £28 for an aircraft kit seemed quite expensive! With my lack of experience I felt I would need to practice a bit first by building some smaller 1/72 Spitfires so that I didn't make a complete mess of the Eduard one. I built two Airfix and one Italeri 1/72 Spits and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. I then thought I ought to try my hand at a cheaper 1/48 Spitfire so I made the re-boxed ICM, Revell Mk.XVI, which turned out to be a fantastic project! And, as could be expected, even before building this kit, I was addicted to building Spitfires! So here we are! I used wanting to be part of the D-Day Group build as an excuse to finally buy the Eduard kit. I added a few scratch-built extras to the cockpit and it's all brush painted (hairy sticks!) with Humbrol and Revell paints. All-in-all a thoroughly enjoyable build. Mike's review of the kit itself can be found here The WIP for my build can be found here Finally (at last!) here are the photos - I'm afraid I took rather a lot and then couldn't decide which not to use! The next few were taken when it was almost finished but show some slightly different views to the ones above: Some photos of the cockpit before being buttoned up: I also learnt a lot from many people who contributed in the WIP and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who dropped by. Kind regards, Stix PS I think there's a couple more Spitfires calling out to be made! More soon...........

Albatros D.Va Eduard 1:48 ProfiPACK Edition The Albatros D.V was born of a requirement for an improved D.III. The D.III suffered from a flaw in the construction of the lower wing, which under tight manoeuvres would violently twist or even fall off! not a trait the pilots would be fond of! The new aircraft would use the same Mercedes engine but would be lighter. The new fully elliptical cross-section fuselage was 70lbs lighter than the D.III. The wing was unchanged but moved closer to the fuselage by 10cms. Aileron linkages on the new wing were moved to the top wing. The spine of the new aircraft would incorporate a head rest for the pilot, however this was often removed as they found it limited their visibility. It was found later that the wing problems were not fixed. Later builds would have the structure strengthend and the Aileron linkages moved back as per the D.III. This would make the newer aircraft actually heaver than the D.III. For the extra weight an improved Mercedes engine developing 185hp was installed. Overall more than 1600 aircraft were built and they served until the end of the war. This would be the last fighter built by Albatros. Two complete examples survive, one in the US National Air & Space Museum; and at The Australian War Memorial's ANZAC Hall in Canberra. The Kit On opening the box the modeller is greeted with two sprues of plastic, two photo-etched frets, 4 sheets of decals; and a set of masks. Construction begins in the cockpit. Surprisingly there are a lot of parts fitted in here. A small instrument panel is fitted to the forward bulkhead along with other handles and linkages. The pilots seat and frame are built up along with the PE seatbelts. This along with the rudder bar and control column are installed into the cockpit area. Two machine guns are then assembled with PE jackets. The next step is to construct and fit the engine. Once the engine, cockpit and other small items are in the main fuselage can be closed up. The lower wing, vertical tail; and tailplanes are added next. Strengthening plates and rigging plates are then attached to the fuselage. The next major step is to add the top wing. Struts from the lower wing and the fuselage must be added and lined up. Further plates are added tot he wings, along with the radiator. Coolant pipes and the exhaust are then added. Construction then moves to the underside and the landing gear is attached. Lastly the propeller and spinner are attached. Eduard provide full rigging instructions during the build steps. Photo Etch Two photo etch frets are supplied which contain gun jackets, radiator parts, seat belts, instrument panels, cockpit detail parts, and rigging parts. Decals The decals are the undoubted star of this boxing. The modeller gets one main sheet of markings, two sheets of lozenge decals for the wings, and one sheet with all the rib tapes on it. The decals look to be a high standard with minimal carrier film, sharp printing and good colour density. Markings are provided for four, and the modeller will have a hard choice deciding which ones to use. The options are; Hans von Hippel marked with a lightning bolt on a natural wood fuselage. An OAW Produced aircraft. Fuselage painted grey with a green tail. Features a shooting star emblem which was probably personal markings for an unknown pilot. A black painted fuselage with white stars. Can be done with Older Iron Cross markings or Balkenkrezues. Another unpainted aircraft from Jasta 14. Markings in the von Hunoldstein family colours. This aircraft has painted wings, where as the other 3 options use the lozenge. Conclusion This is another great WWI kit from Eduard. There are not so many parts here that the kit should scare away new comers to the WWI scene, and it should still appeal to the more experienced modeller. Overall Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Grumman Hellcat F6F-3 Eduard Profipack 1:48 The Grumman Hellcat is famed not for it's beauty, but for it's performance. Admittedly, the opposition over the Pacific grew weaker as more inexperienced Japanese pilots were pressed in to service, but a claimed kill ratio of 19:1 is a pretty impressive score. Even taking in to account inaccuracy of this figure, it is still undeniably good with 75% of aerial victories achieved by the US Navy in the Pacific. It was pushed into service as a stop gap between the Wildcat and the F4U which was under development at the time, but it's rugged and well armoured airframe mated to a powerful engine was a winning combination. The aircraft was regarded as being quite easy to fly, however of the 2400 Hellcats lost during WWII, only 270 were lost in aerial combat compared 1300 lost during training or ferry flights. The kit This is another variant release of the reputable Eduard Hellcat. It's regarded as the most detailed and accurate 1:48 Hellcat on the market with plenty of finely moulded detail parts and beautifully restrained recessed panel lines and riveting. A big bonus over the Hasegawa kit is that the canopy can be positioned in the open position from the box and the cowling shape is more accurate. We reviewed the original release HERE back in 2012 with the Hellcat Mk.II that served with the Fleet air Arm, so I'm not going to spend too much time talking through the build, I'll let the pictures do the talking and focus more on the differences provided in this boxing. Firstly, the sprues contained in the pack. These contain three types of engine cowling. The instructions indicate which cowling is used on which of the 5 decal variants included, so it's important to decide which route you want to take before assembling these. The F6F-3 had a different windscreen than the previously released F6F-5, however both types are contained on the clear sprue. The parts are beautifully clear and thin so distortion is minimal. There are two canopies included, one is for the open position, the other for the closed location, so take care to use the correct part depending how you want to model your aircraft. A sheet of paint masks is provided for the clear parts too. Taking a closer look at the detail on the plastic sprues, you can see the quality of the moulding. Separate control surfaces are provided however, these are located by tabs in a neutral position. If you want to fit them in an off centre position, the tabs will need removing and possibly the mating edges rounding off for correct location. One of the criticisms of the Weekend Edition boxing is the lack of later wider style wheels on the plastic sprues. This issue is addressed in the profipack edition with the inclusion of the beautiful Brassin resin wheels which have separate hubs. Paint masks are also included on the masking sheet. Two frets of etch are included. One fret is the pre-painted type predominantly for the cockpit interior including panels and seatbelts whilst the other provides bomb fins, plug leads for the engine front and a few other details. The decals The Profipack boxes usually provide several schemes and this one won't let you down. 5 schemes are included covering 3 years of service, all with the 3 colour camouflage scheme. Register of the colours looks excellent and the inks vivid and sharp. There are enough stencils included without them becoming excessive. Schemes included are: BuNo 66016 (probably), VF-16, USS Lexington, Hawaii, Sept 1943 BuNo 25813, Lt. C.K. 'Ken' HilderBrandt, VF-33, Ondonga, Dec 1943 - early variant, achieved all his 5 kills in this aircraft BuNo 40090, VF-1, Lt. William C Moseley, USS Yorktown, June 1944 - shot down, MIA July 4th 1944 in this aircraft BuNo 40467, Lt. Alexander Vraciu, VF-6, USS Intrepid, Feb 1944 - achieved 3 betty kills in one mission Jan 44, finished was with 19 victories Lt. Richard E Stambrook, VF-27, USS Princeton, Oct 1944 - shark teeth scheme (BuNo unknown but greater than 40235), he achieved 11 kills Conclusion I've nothing of criticism to report on this kit. The quality is superb, cost for these kits is competitive and the 'extras' included really make it a desirable option. If one wanted to be challenging, perhaps the control surfaces could be designed to allow off centre positioning. Construction is pretty standard, so even though there are some small and intricate parts, it isn't for the exclusive construction of experienced builders. Review sample courtesy of

Bf110C-1 M8+FH of 1./ZG76, Norway, April 1940 Finished this yesterday, the Eduard 1/72 Bf110C/D Profipack Edition built for the Bf110 STGB, build thread is here This aircraft, flown by Unteroffizier Helmut Mütschele and gunner Gefreiter Karl Lorey, was shot down on 09 April 1940 by Sergeant Kristian Fredrik Schye of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, flying Gloster Gladiator No.427. Helmut Mütschele and Karl Lorey survived the crash without injury and were taken as Prisoners of War by Norwegian forces. Minutes later Sergeant Schye was shot down by Leutnant Helmut Lent in the M8+DH - Lent's fifth victory and the one that made him an ace, later he would run up an enormous score as a night-fighter pilot. Sergeant Schye was slightly wounded by cannon shell fragments but was released from hospital after a couple of days. This was one of the best-engineered kits I have ever built, it was a pleasure pretty much from start to finish and was almost entirely OOB as everything you might need is provided, however I used the Quickboost exhausts as they are nicer than the (perfectly adequate) kit ones, and added the aerial wire from EZ Line - note that the B and C-1 series of the Bf110 had wires attaching to both tailfins, the C-2 onwards had a single aerial wire to the starboard fin. The paints used were Phoenix Precision Paints RLM 65, 70, 71; the decals were partly kit-provided (national markings, stencils and the 'M8' part of the aircraft's codes), DP Casper (the locomotive badge on the nose, from the markings for Helmut Lent's aircraft in the Operation Weserübung decal set) and Superscale decal sheet 72-722 (the 'FH' of the aircraft's codes). Cheers, Stew

Lavochkin La-7 Commander of the 156th IAP Lt.Col., Hero of the Soviet Union S.F. Dolgushin, 215th IAD, 8th IAK, 4th VA, Kluzow, Germany, April 1945 Kit: 1/72 Eduard ProfiPack Afermarket parts: Pavla vacuformed canopy The main problem areas of the kit (fixed in this build) were: Wrong shaped wing tips (actually beginning at approx. 1/3rd of the span from the tip) both in profile and frontal view. While fixing this error, the aileron surface detail (being originally in "shrink-wrap" style) was lost and a new, more correct representation of doped fabric tautened over the frame with rib tapes added was done. Almost empty main wheel-wells: very little detail was provided and the most of what was available was wrong anyway. So, they had to be almost completely reworked. Some detail was scratch built of plastic and some corrections were done using Mr. Surfacer as well. The correct “ceiling” of the wheel bay area being originally just the inner surface of the upper main wing half was cut off, given the accurate profile and then positioned on its correct place. Inaccurate propeller spinner. It was corrected with Mr. Surfacer. Very basic representation of the louvers mounted in front of the engine being originally just a disc with a relief detail, while there should actually be empty intervals between the separate blades as well as between the blade tips and the cowling inner surface visible. To achieve the desired result, the excess plastic was removed from the original part, the edges of the blades were sanded off and the part was positioned onto a plastic tube mounted in the cowling interior. Gun ports being just holes in the cowling front ring, while their lower surface should actually go through the entire cowling. This was corrected by adding plastic inserts to the appropriate areas. The same had to be done with the wing root air intakes. Cockpit interior behind the pilot’s seat/radio compartment - again, almost empty and what was available, was wrong. Eventually the entire interior was scratch built there. The cockpit itself, despite some etched parts provided, could also benefit from some improvements as otherwise it still looks somewhat toy-like. Some cables and instruments were added there for more realism as well. The cockpit borders were too thick and, in addition, not exactly parallel, therefore, some sanding was required here as well. Canopy. Although crystal-clear, it is (both 1-piece and 3-piece parts) unfortunately thick enough to be unusable for displaying in open position. On the other hand, if displayed in closed position, due to the thickness, the cockpit interior looks severely distorted. The kit part was eventually replaced with the vacu-canopy by Pavla. The joint of the wing and the fuselage resulted in some sort of a small “peak” in the lower fuselage line. While correcting this, some moderate re-shaping of the fuselage in this area was required. In addition, the landing gear flaps were thinned down, some missing access hatches were engraved and some small details (e.g., Venturi tube) were added. Almost all kit decals proved to be of little use due to their wrong shape or dimensions: white borders of the stars too narrow, the number “93” and the under-wing stars undersized. So, mostly spare markings were used instead. This particular La-7, before handing it over to Dolgushin as his personal a/c, was completely re-primed and repainted and the stencil data weren’t re-applied, so that no use for all those beautifully printed markings either...

Oblt. Ludwig Franzisket, Stab I./JG 27, Ain-el-Gazala airfield, Lybia, June 1941 Eduard 1/32nd Profipack kit, built OOB, painted with Gunze Aqueous paints, weathered with Pigments, Oils and Mig and AK potions. Great kit and good fun. Build thread is available here Comments welcomed as always. Peter

Spitfire Mk.IX Late - Profipack 1:48 Eduard There's not a lot you can say about a Spitfire to most modellers that will be new, unless you want to get highly technical and go deep into the archives. The Mark IX, Supermarine Type 361, came out of the need to leapfrog the new Focke Wulf Fw.190's performance, which had showed up the Mark V as wanting. A new dual-stage Merlin engine, that had been developed for a high-altitude variant of the Wellington was mated to the airframe, which were initially converted from Mark VIIIs, so had a few differences from the more refined IXs that were to come later. It was a surprise to the test pilots that it transformed the Spit into a much more responsive aircraft, with better climb rates, high altitude performance and manoeuvrability, even at speed. This was a bit of a surprise to the German fighters, as from a distance they looked identical to earlier, slower marks. So successful was the IX that it continued in production for much of the war, and itself went through many subtle and not-so-subtle changes during this period, including a new more powerful Merlin 66 engine and the high-altitude Merlin 70 for a small number of airframes with specific duties. After the war the Mark IX continued in service into the 50s, seeing limited service in the Korean war. It is said by many to be their favourite Mark of Spitfire, and there are many practical reasons why this must have been true especially for the pilots. Whether it is your favourite or not, it is one of the important marks of this beautiful but dangerous legend of an aircraft. The Kit After the Bf.109E that was released last year and which received high praise for its detail and fidelity, a lot has been expected of this new kit from Eduard, and this time around they have ensured that the major aftermarket items they will produce are ready at the same time as the kit, making it simple for the detailer to get the whole package right away, rather than leaving it in the stash and waiting around. This includes wheels, cockpit and exhausts in resin, plus cockpit, surface panels and flaps in Photo-Etch (PE) brass. The world really is your oyster with this kit - how far do you want to go with the detail? Overtrees As if that weren't enough, you can also buy what Eduard refer to as "Overtrees", which is a great way of getting another kit without having to pay for the packaging, instructions, decals or extras that are included in the Profipack release. You get a plain white box and the sprues in separate bags. Nothing more, and nothing less. If you want, you can also buy the PE that is included in the Profipack for a few pounds extra. It makes sense if you're planning on building a few kits, especially if you have some decals in mind - why pay for all the stuff you only really need once? Inside the Profipack Box The artwork for this edition is stunning, and underneath the lid you will find four sprues of dark blue/grey styrene, a circular clear sprue, a sheet of PE that is pre-painted in parts, two sheets of decals, canopy masks in yellow kabuki tape (not pictured) and the glossy instruction booklet printed in colour. On the back cover you can see the aftermarket that Eduard themselves are producing, which as well as the previously mentioned items looks to include a Merlin engine and gun bay sets. Taking the sprues out of their bags in pairs left me with a broad grin on my face, as the detail is immediately evident. It's clear that Eduard's designers have tooled this kit from the ground up with everything in mind. There a subtle touches everywhere that both make the kit more realistic and should result in an easier build to boot. I'll try to remember to point these out as I go through the kit in detail. There are also a number of unused parts on the sprues, including different rudders, elevators, clipped wingtips, wheels and chin-scoops, all of which hint at more variants. Perhaps we'll be looking at a later clipped wing IX in due course, and maybe a few others too, ignoring the inevitable Weekend editions of course. Construction starts with the cockpit, and here some of the sidewall detail is moulded into the fuselage, with the rest being supplied as separate parts that affix to lower sidewall inserts. The frame that holds the pilot's seat has recessed lightening holes that could be drilled out if you feel the need, and a sturdy mount for the seat and its two armoured plates behind it and in the head/shoulders area. The frame behind the pilot's seat is supplied as a top portion only, but little should be seen of that below the small rear glazed area anyway. The Brassin cockpit has this in its entirety of course. Under the pilot's feet are the control linkages, as well as a further strengthening attachment point for the seat. The seat is built up from back and side parts, with the adjustment lever on the starboard side, and a flare rack in front, under the pilot's knees, which is then dropped into the cockpit with its PE armour panel, and the pre-painted seatbelts from the etched fret can be draped over the seat in a realistic way. The control column and linkage is built up from three styrene parts and one PE part, then added in front of the seat along with a few additional sidewall details. The instrument panel is affixed to the footwell frame, and is supplied as either a single styrene part with raised instrument bezels on the surface, which you can paint or decal, or the more sophisticated lamination of three pre-painted layers to create a highly detailed panel with instrument dials that is glued to a styrene back-plate for strength. The gun-sight and compass assemblies are then added to the panel, with the compass glued on the backside of the panel and protruding through the footwell space between the pilot's knees, just like the real thing. Rudder pedals sit within the footwell, after which the other sidewall can be added, creating a neat assembly that is sandwiched between the fuselage halves after fitting the bulkhead to the engine-bay, the final frame to which the spinner attaches and he socket for the tail gear leg. If you're going to close the canopy, a couple of small segments of the sills are removed, as they won't be seen under the canopy, and would baulk its fitment if left behind. The leading edge of the wing root fairings are added at this point too, and here there are spares without the small bulges, which I'm sure Edgar could tell us about. As usual with the Spitfire's wings in this scale (and most others), the lower wing is a single full-span part, and in this case, there is a stub spare that crosses the midline with around 3cm on each side providing a little strength to the wings, and forming part of the front wall of the landing gear wells. It's notable here that the radiator bath recesses have their inner side trimmed slightly to keep a realistic depth, while avoiding baulking the upper wing parts. Similarly, the upper wing section has a thinner skin within the wheel well to give a more realistic depth, and also has details of the ribbing moulded into its surface. The balance of the wheel bay walls are constructed from short sections, which allowed Eduard to put some wall detail on them where appropriate, but take care getting alignment and orientation correct before committing to glue. Once the upper wings are installed, the fuselage can be dropped into the gap and secured in place, which if it fits as well as the 109 at this stage will be a perfect fit. There is no engine provided with the kit, so it's cowling closed for the time being. As mentioned earlier, cowling open will be available later with a no-doubt exquisite rendition of the Merlin from Eduard's Brassin range in the works. The top cowling differed later to accommodate new equipment, so this is a separate assembly, made up from two halves, and you have a choice which depends on which markings you intend to use. The exhausts that adorn each side of the canopy are slide-moulded to have a hollow exit, although the edges are a little thick when compared to the resin replacements. The exhausts fit into a pair of backing parts that give an impression of the engine within the cowlings, which must be almost unique on a stock kit at this scale, but it means that they have to be inserted before the top cowling is added, so must be painted and masked beforehand. The elevators are separate from the tail plane, and they are supplied as a single part with some impressive fabric and rib-tape texture on the surface. They must be installed before the rudder, and are locked in place by a pair of small parts that should allow then to remain mobile if you are careful with the glue. You have a choice of two, one of which has an extended balance horn that is often seen on later IXs, and both have the same fabric detail as the elevators. Ailerons are also separate, and these are of the metal type, so devoid of any fabric detail, as is correct. They can be posed at any sensible angle, and have small tabs at the hinge-points to improve the strength of their join. The wing tips are also separate parts too, for obvious reasons. Underneath, a two-part chin for the engine cowling is added, with the chin intake built in, and the radiator housings are built up from individual sides, with the radiators themselves having very nice detailed mesh surfaces that should look good once painted carefully. The rear radiator flaps can be posed open or closed by substituting one jack-part for another, using the same panel, with the correct angles shown in a pair of scrap diagrams. Because of the almost scale depth of the wheel wells, the landing gear is built up the same way whether you are choosing to model it up or down. The only difference is that a small portion of the dished leg cover is removed so that they can fit within the bay recess. The tyres are provided in halves, with separate front and rear hubs, with a flat PE hub-cap installed on only one of the marking options. If posing them down, the gear legs sit in a pair of keyed holes that ensure the angle and orientation are correct, but a pair of scrap diagrams provide clarification if you are unsure. The tail wheel is a single part that fits into the two-part yoke that terminates in a long shaft to plug into the socket within the fuselage that was installed earlier. If you've forgotten to install that part earlier, you'll be kicking yourself at this stage - guaranteed! The Spitfire IX had a four-blade prop, and this is one of the last assemblies, consisting of single part for the blades, around which the front and rear plate of the spinner are clamped. This then fits into a small hole at the front of the cowling, and will need to be glued in place unless you do a little scratch-building. The cannons in the leading edge of the wing are installed to the inner stations, while the outer ports are faired over with a pair of hemispherical bumps. The canopy gives you the option of a two-part closed assembly, which has the sliding and rear portions moulded together, or a three-part open assembly to display your hard work in the cockpit. The windscreen is adorned with a circular rear-view mirror on the very top of the roll-over loop, and the sliding portion has a small PE grab-handle/latch added to the front, which is a nice addition. The side door is detailed with locking mechanism that is also made from PE, and you use different parts for open and closed canopies. The eminently breakable aerial on the spine behind the cockpit is based on a small tear-drop shaped insert, which I'm guessing is to allow for different bases for other variants - my knowledge doesn't go that far, I'm afraid. Weapons It might seem odd to speak of a Spitfire carrying bombs, but as a testament to its versatility, it did on many occasions, using hard-points just outboard of the wheel wells. The kit includes two shackles and two small bombs, which were used just for one of the marking options in the box. Markings We are treated to six markings options in this kit, the decals for which are printed in-house by Eduard and are in good register, are sharp, and appear to have good colour density. Even the difficult Polish chequerboard is dead on, and the instrument panel is highly detailed, using grey for the instruments, rather than a rather toylike white that a great many decals use. After the kerfuffle about the roundels, the finished articles appear to be in proportion, but I'll let you decide whether to throw in the towel and take up gardening, or not. The options out of the box are as follows: LF Mk.IX MH712 flown by W.O. Henryk Dygala, No.302 Squadron, Summer/autumn 1944 - grey/green over light grey, with invasion stripes on the underside only. HF Mk.IX MJ296 flown by F.Lt. Otto Smik, No.312 Squadron, North Wealdon, late August 1944 - grey/green over light grey. LF Mk.IX MJ586 flown by Pierre Clostermann, No.602 Squadron, Longues sur Mer, July 7th 1944 - grey/green over light grey, with invasion stripes on the underside only. LF Mk.IX MJ250 No.601 Squadron, Italy, summer 1944 - overall bare metal/aluminium with - grey/green upper cowling and fuel tank panels. LF Mk.IXc ML135 flown by Jerry Billing, No.401 Squadron, Tangmere, June 7th 1944 - grey/green over light grey, with invasion stripes. LF Mk.IXc ML135 flown by Jerry Billing, No.401 Squadron, Tangmere, July 1st 1944 - grey/green over light grey, with invasion stripes on undersides, topside black on upper fuselage still visible. You'll need your masking skills for the majority of these options, as no invasion stripe decals are included, but from personal experience with other manufacturers, they seldom fit well anyway, so no great loss. Conclusion What more can I say other than stunning? The surface detail is lovely, with restrained rivets on the outer fuselage and wings, which should look quite appropriate to scale once they have been painted, weathered and varnished. The engraved panel lines are nicely done, although I'm sure some will still find them too deep, but for the other 99% they look just fine. I'll be taking a look at the aftermarket parts as soon as I've finished this review, so watch out for them if you're considering taking the plunge, and haven't yet got your hands on the kit, but don't forget those overtrees! Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat Eduard 1:48 Profipack This is another re-release of their Grumman Hellcat kit. This time though in a Profipack format. The styrene is the same as that found in the weekend edition I reviewed late last year, which you can read here, Hellcat Weekend Edition. Whilst the kit is the same, Eduard have added some extra details, including a new engine cowling in styrene, etched parts, and resin wheels. Once again, apart from the additional parts, the build is exactly same as that found in the above review, so I’ll not repeat myself here. Photo-Etch There are two etched sheets included in the kit, both quite small but with sufficient parts to add a fair amount of zing to the completed model. The first sheet is pre-painted and is designed entirely for the cockpit. Some of the kit details will need to be removed before adding the etched parts, particularly the raised detail on the instrument panel and the left console throttle quadrant. The etched instrument panel comes in left, right, centre and lower parts. To these several bezels, switches and levers are added. The left console receives a new throttle quadrant with associated levers, main panel, a smaller inclined panel and several more levers. The right panel is fitted with a new top part and two circuit breaker panels on the side. The most complicated parts are those that build up into the very realistic seatbelts. On either side of the fuselage, more etched parts are added including the hood winder. The second sheet also has some parts for the interior such as the rear stays behind the seat panel, but is mostly for external details. These include a new ignition harness for the front of the engine, crank case insignia, lower cowling mesh grille, bomb fins, and arming vanes for both sizes of bombs. The bomb crutch, (sway brace), pads also have the tensioning nuts added, whilst the drop tank, if used, has four steadying straps. Resin The kits wheels and tyres are replaced with a set of main wheels in resin, each with separate outside hub covers. The wheels are held on a small moulding gate, which will only require minimal clean up before use. The resin is so much better than the styrene parts in the kit. Masks The set of masks included in this package are for use on each of the canopy and windscreen clear parts, including the side windows aft of the cockpit, with options for open or closed canopy, although I can’t really see any difference in the separate mask sets. The rest of the masks on the sheet are for the tyres and wheel hubs. Decals There are two sheets of decals, which are well printed, in good register, slightly glossy and apart from the Stars and Bars, they have very little carrier film. The main sheet contains the national insignia and identity marks for the following: BuNo. 42158 flown by Lt.Jg Ray Hawkins, VF-31, USS Cabot Sept 1944 BuNo. 70143 Mimsi III, Cdr David McCampbell, USS Essex, Oct 1944 White 7, Paper Doll, Lt Carl A Brown, VF-27, USS Princeton, Oct 1944 BuNo. 76384, VF-7, USS Hancock, 1945. The second sheet contains a full set of stencils for one aircraft. Conclusion As with the Hellcat II reviewed earlier, this looks to be a very nice kit, and with the additional parts will be really quite detailed. It is also good that Eduard have included a revised/correct cowling for this mark to be built. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Polikarpov I-16 Type 10 Eduard 1:48 Profipack The I-16 styrene is the same as that in their Weekend Edition released last year and reviewed Polikapov I-16 Type 10. Thusly the history, build and basic details are the same so it would be wrong to repeat what I wrote at the time. The major difference between the two editions, apart from the colour of the styrene, which, in this case is a bluey grey, rather than tan, is the addition of etched parts, an enlarged decal sheet and a set of masks. The majority of the parts on the small etched sheet are for the cockpit. These include a pre-painted instrument panel with a separate backplate with the instruments also pre-painted. There are also a host of levers and controls to either enhance the styrene or, in a few cases, completely replace them. To give a more detailed thickness to some parts are sandwiched together. There are straps for the rudder pedals and the seat is enhanced with new seatbelts, which are also pre-painted. Externally there are only a few parts which include the engine nacelles internal rotating cooling grille, access door, and a small access cover for the port undercarriage bay. Masks This thoughtfully provided sheet has masks for the windscreen upper and lower parts, inboard and outboard wheel hubs and a set of five strips for which there is no mention of their use within the instructions. The Decals The quite large decal sheet provides four types of Russian Star, fuselage stripe for scheme1, winged emblem for scheme 2, name for scheme 3 and tail number for scheme 4. The aircraft depicted are from the following units. Scheme 1 – Major Mikhail N. Yakushin, Red Five Aerobatics Team 1939 Scheme 2 – Unknown Unit, Ukraine, Summer 1941 Scheme 3 – Generalmajor Ivan A. Lakeev, Hero of the Soviet Union, 1941 Scheme 4 – Unknown Unit, Leningrad area, 1944 Conclusion Whilst this kit has been released before, it is still makes up into a lovely little model. The additions of the etched parts add a little more interest, in the cockpit particularly and the masks make for light work when painting. The four aircraft colour schemes are all different, with schemes 1 and 2 being the most interesting in my view. As before, I can quite happily recommend this kit. Review sample courtesy of

Messerschmitt Bf110C/D ProfiPACK 1:72 Eduard Also see Paul's review of the Eduard Bf110e ProfiPACK HERE Not as famous as it's more agile stable mate, the Bf109, the Bf110 has a mixed history of success. First flying in 1936 as a proposed 'zerstorer' (meaning destroyer), tests with proposed DB600 engines demonstrated that it was faster than the 109B as well as its rivals, however development issues on these engines delayed their availability resulting in the A/B versions being powered by the less capable Jumo 210 engines which significantly restricted performance. Interestingly, work was underway before the outbreak of war to replace the 110 with the 210, however development issues with this aircraft meant that the 110 soldiered on and remained in service throughout the war. The C version was the first major production series and made use of the DB601 engines when they became available giving an impressive top speed in excess of 330mph. Early experience was soon to prove the capability of the 'zerstorer' when unchallenged. Success in Poland, Norway and France in the bomber escort and heavy fighter role was achieved due to the class of aircraft it was up against. The tide was turned however when it was put to the same use over Britain. Escorting the bombers during the Battle of Britain, it suffered badly at the guns of the Spitfires and Hurricanes to the extent that as well as escorting the bombers, it became escorted itself by 109's. Its weakness against modern fighters resulted in it being withdrawn from offensive operations over Europe and moved to the night fighter role intercepting British Bombers in which it was well suited. Its airframe enabled the carriage of radar equipment and it was a stable gun platform to perform this role to which it did until the end of the war. The kit If you've come across any of Eduard's Profipacks then you'll probably be expecting this kit to be a little gem. Guess what ? You'd be right ! The kit comes in a sturdy top opening box with great artwork and side profiles of the variants included along one edge. Inside the box, you'll find no less than 7 olive coloured sprues and a rather impressive clear sprue. The instructions are provided on an A5 glossy coloured booklet which is another indication of the quality standards that you have here. Being the Profipack version, you also get a photo-etch sheet and paint masks for the rather complicated canopy. If you have used these before, you'll wonder how you ever managed without them ! Eduard has really set the benchmark here. The quality of the moulding is excellent. Where necessary, the fine parts are extremely thin so this probably isn't the kit to choose for beginners, so it does differentiate itself somewhat when compared to the more 'chunky' new Airfix kit. There are over 160 parts included to put some perspective on things. Building the kit starts in the traditional way with the cockpit. This really is one of the most comprehensive 1/72 cockpits I've ever seen. The impressive side walls are formed into the fuselage halves. You have the choice of using the etch parts or building without and the sub assembly is built up on the floor part to include three seats, bulkheads, radio gear and ammunition. Etch parts are available to replace the pilots panel, radio gear face panels, rudder pedals, seatbelts, throttles and even the sights for the rear facing machine gun. The cockpit subassembly locates between the fuselage halves along with yet more detail including inserts to fill the wing root and side control panels for the pilot. At this stage, you need to ensure that you've decided on the version you want to build. There are two different fuselages, the D version differing from the C version by having a longer tail fairing that housed a life raft. The exterior detailing on the fuselage continues with the same vein of quality. Very fine recessed panel lines and incredibly restrained rivets are visible. Whilst you could argue that any panel lines on 1/72 scale aren't realistic, I'm very impressed with what Eduard have achieved here, certainly something other manufacturers can learn from. The wings are mated together next. Unfortunately, there's no option to have the flaps lowered, but the ailerons are separate parts so can be fitted slightly offset if you choose. Engine nacelles are provided in two halves with the lower intakes being added after joining the halves up. The interior detail in the wheel wells is pleasing, however it will probably be easier to paint prior to assembly, so make a note to check at this stage what you intend to do. The radiators have both front and rear grills that sit in the recesses on the underside of the wings with the radiator housing fitting over the top on each wing. The nose gun pack is another sub assembly which is then fitted to the front of the assembled fuselage. If you want this open and the guns on display, it's not possible from the kit but there is a resin replacement to do this available from Eduard as part of their aftermarket range. The main undercarriage is quite a complicated affair. Each main gear strut has 4 parts to it, with the option of an etch oleo scissor. These are designed to be able to slot in after nacelle assembly which is useful. The high standard of detail continues with the additional parts. The wheels, props, gear doors and exhausts are all finely reproduced. A variety of external fuel/armament loads are supplied in the kit. A huge 'Dackelbauch' belly tank that was carried by some D versions as well as two large wing tanks and two bombs housed under the belly. Some additional wing tanks and smaller bombs are included too, I suspect generically for other versions sharing the same sprues. The prominent loop aerial is supplied in two guises, injection moulded as standard or you can use the etch replacement. On to the clear parts. With so much detail crammed into the cockpit, you wouldn't want to hide it all behind a closed canopy, so Eduard have provided the options to have both front and rear canopies open. The parts are superbly clear and distortion free and remember you have a set of masks to make painting a much more pleasurable experience ! Incidentally, paint masks are also provided to assist painting the wheels. The decals One of the great things about eduard's Profipacks is the decals they provide. No less than 5 schemes are available in this pack provided on two sheets. The quality of print is....as you guessed, superb, with some very fine details including a huge collection of stencils. One of the schemes has green squadron codes, these aren't quite as vivid as the other coloured codes for some reason when inspected under a daylight lamp close up. Decals are also included for the instrument panels as another option if you don't like etch parts and these are quite superb with very intricate detail and coloured where necessary. The instruction sheet provides a separate instruction for the location of the stencil decals such is the number that are included. The following options are included: Bf110d, W.Nr. 3406, 9./ZG 26 based at Trapani, Sicily in 1941 - carrying large wing tanks and bombs under the fuselage Bf110d, W.Nr. 3148, 2.ZG 76, Based in Norway 1940 carrying the huge Dackelbauch belly tank BF110c, "n+AP, 9./ZG 76 Bf110c, 1./NJG3, North Africa 1941 Bf110c, W.Nr.3602, Stab II./ZG 76, flown by Maj. Erich Groth Conclusion This is a very comprehensive kit and quite stunning in every respect. Being the Profipack, you get everything you need to make a stunning representation straight out of the box. The quality of the moulding, the clarity of the instructions and the additional contents really make this kit stand out. As mentioned earlier, this probably isn't a kit for beginners due to the many delicate parts included, but if you're not put off by etch and small parts, it would be rude not to have one in your collection ! You can see that Eduard have put a lot of thought into the kit and stamped their quality standards all over it. My only dilemma now is deciding whether to build this or the 1/48 one I have in the stash too ! Review sample courtesy of

Here's my entry for the group build - a nice Eduard FW190-F8 Profipack. Not decided on which scheme to do yet, but it doesn't make a difference yet So work starts with the cockpit - slotted all the plastic bits together, then added some of the PE (the non pre-printed bits) Then added all the 'pre-printed' PE - ended up painting the PE anyway as Eduard have managed to get the RLM66 a different colour from the paint. Weathered the cockpit with some chipping, an oil wash and some dirt pigments. Not a bad mornings work Peter

SG 10, Ceske Budejovice, Czechoslovakia, May, 1945 One of the abandoned aircraft left behind by Stab SG 10 and some of its Gruppe was this Fw 190F-8 marked Yellow ‘K’ The plane carried some camouflage modifications of SG 10 seen at the end of the war. The upper surfaces were brushed over with dark green, RLM 83 or similar, in the field. This color also extended to the undersurfaces, and also partially obscured the national insignia on the fuselage and wing tops. After the application of this scheme, Yellow ‘K’ received a new tail section from a written-off Fw 190 sporting the more traditional grey scheme, and there was an inconsistency between the fuselage crosses and tail swastika. By May, 1945, the brushed on paint was well worn, and the identifier, in the form of a yellow stripe, adorned the cowl. Misinterpretations regarding this stripe led to variations in width and exact placement. For this profile, the most common placement within SG 10 was used. Worth noting is the absence of the wheel covers, removed in the field to reduce the accumulation of mud, and the use of ETC 50 racks for four 50kg bombs. Build Thread available here Peter

Messerschmitt BF 109E-4 Eduard 1:48 Profipack Edition The BF 109 has inherited quite a legendary status and when you look into its service career, it's certainly obvious why. Viewing the design in retrospect, it looks just like a typical fighter of the WWII era, but it was more than that, it was the very platform that the single seat fighter format was born from. Powerful engine, monocoque airframe, all metal construction, enclosed cockpit and retractable gear this was unheard of before hand, it was radical, not typical in the 1930's. Its birth wasn't perfect however, to achieve its performance, some sacrifices were made, particularly in the landing gear arrangement and high wing loading having a negative effect on landing speeds compared to the competition at the time. This inherent design issue was never fully cured and it's estimated that at least 10% of all 109's were lost in take off accidents. Early models (A-D) were powered by the Junkers jumo engine with outputs of around 700hp. The aircraft was first used in combat during the Spanish Civil War where many lessons were learned and these would be later put to good use in battles over France and Britain. The E or Emil model broke the mould in 109 development by changing to the more powerful Daimler Benz DB 601 engine of around 1080hp, a significant step in performance and also in armament due to the introduction of 20mm cannon. By 1939, all earlier variants had been replaced in frontline service. As the variants progressed, so did the level of armour protection for the pilot. Another critical element to improve survivability was the use of twin radiators with cut off valves meaning that if one radiator was damaged, the other could be used to keep it airborne. The Emil was the primary Luftwaffe fighter until 1941 when the F model became widely available with more powerful engine although a few managed to see combat in the Battle of Britain. For an aircraft that broke the mould with fighter technology and performance in the mid 30's, it's evolution meant that whilst it's design had exhausted improvement capability towards the end of the war, it stayed in operational use until 1965 in Europe in the guise of the Spanish licence built HA 1112 using the Merlin powerplant. During its 30 year career, more than 33,000 were built, a record that will probably never be beaten. The kit If you've come across the E-1 or E-3 kits from Eduard, then you will be familiar with the format here. You'll also know how damn good the kit is ! Packaged in the usual format, the top opening box is packed with goodies in the Profipack version. Two bags of brown plastic sprues (4 sprues in total) are complemented by a fret of clear parts separately wrapped, two photo etch frets and a sheet of canopy paint masks which if you've tried, you probably don't want to build a model again without them ! Even the instructions are beautifully produced in glossy paper using multi-colours. Let's look at the big bits first. The fuselage and wing panel detailing are some of the best available. Panel lines are carefully recessed, there's no over engineering here, pure precision. Not content with panel lines, Eduard have taken the detailing further by adding even finer rivets to the surfaces where appropriate so you won't be needing your rivet tool. You have the option of either having the engine on display or the cowlings closed which we'll come to later. All the control surfaces are moulded separately, so you get the freedom to fix them how you like so you won't be needing your razor saw either ! The fabric control surfaces are beautifully moulded with the taught fabric effect and detailed ribbing. After a good look for flash and sink marks, I couldn't find any worth noting. Construction starts with the cockpit interior and chin radiator. The instructions here are very clear and show using red colouring where plastic parts need to be sanded or removed to make way for etch parts if you choose. The detail in the tub is exquisite, no chunky plastic here, even the injection moulded trim wheels look to scale thickness. Panels, seatbelts and rudder pedals are brought to life with coloured etch additions. Moving onto the engine and nose gun pack, here you'll find the same attention to detail as in the office. The engine is fully replicated with precise plastic parts. Decals are even supplied to provide serial numbers for the engines. The rear bulkhead assembly that includes the nose guns is fitted to the completed engine and the whole lot fitted between the fuselage halves along with the cockpit tub. The exhaust stubs are individually moulded, again the quality goes as far as having the welded seams and cleverly manufactured openings. Be aware that these are intentional seams and not mould flash ! I had to read the instruction a few times to get my head around the options for either having the engine installed or not. Instructions to build the engine are on page 4, however if you choose to have the covers closed, you still need part of the engine building to secure the covers to. Instructions for this option are on page 10, so some flicking through the booklet is required to plan your build. With the fuselage assembled, attention moves to the wings. The radiators are blessed with etched mesh both front and rear. The wheel bay interiors are provided by means of separate parts that fit to the lower wing. With the wings sealed up, the flaps, ailerons and slats can be fitted unless you prefer to leave them off until after painting. Various external detailing delights include etch trim levers, aerials and balance tabs. The wheels are some of the best I've seen in a kit, separate tyres and two part hubs mean they will look pretty special when painted. There's some fine detailing even on the exterior of the aircraft, so care is needed if you want to have them all attached and not lost in the carpet. The clear parts are as good as the rest of the kit. Two windscreen options are provided, one with a hole for a gunsight to fit through. If you choose this option, even more care will be necessary as there are 3 etch parts as well as the sight that fit into the windscreen assuming you want to fit them. Gluing and painting them may produce a few words that the dictionary doesn't include ! More etch and rear armour give the hinged canopy a realistic look, again lots of care needed here, but well worth the patience. When it comes to painting, the instructions have good clear guides for applying the canopy masks. The Decals In keeping with the detail and quality provided on the sprues, the decals are stunning. Printed by Cartograf, the colours are sharp and in perfect register. The squadron emblems are some of the best produced decals I've come across for sharpness and richness of colour. No less than 5 schemes are catered for and a separate sheet of stencils is included. The markings sheet provides a number of different cross styles to cover the range of aircraft and Swastika's are supplied. The options are: 1. W.Nr. 5587, Ofw. Fritz Beeck, 6/JG 51, Wissant France, August 1940 2. W.Nr 5344, Maj Helmut Wick, JG 2, Beaumont France, November 1940 3. Lt. Josef Eberle, 9/JG 54, Netherlands, August 1940 4. W.Nr. 1480, Oblt. Franz von Werra, JG 3, Wierre-au-Bois, France, September 1940 5. W.Nr. 5819, Obstlt. Adolf Galland, JG 26, Audembert France, December 1940 Conclusion This really is a fine kit. The detail is second to none and what you get in the kit is excellent value. Bearing in mind that you get additional etch parts and paint masks as well as 5 decal options to choose from, it would be rude not to have one ! Eduard have produced an icon here, some of the best detail available in a kit yet still reasonably priced around the £20 mark. Some of the detail may challenge novice builders such as the etch and delicate fine parts, but the great thing is that you could omit some of this if you chose and it would still look great. Review sample courtesy of