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Anyone know where I can get a 1/48 or 1/32 scale Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8? I know Airfix do a 1/72 version, but I am not keen on the smaller scale models. Everywhere I look the Wingnut and Aeroclub models are out of stock and production. I have just discovered that my Great Uncle, 2Lt George Strachan Gordon RFC was part of 59 Squadron during WW1 as an Observer/Gunner. I would like to make one in time for 19 Aug 2022, which will be the 105th anniversary of the day he was KIA aged 20. Many thanks for any help. Mike

Halberstadt Cl.II & RE.8 “Harry Tate” (32804) 1:32 - Wingnut Wings Not only do Wingnut Wings produce outstanding kits, they also produce a number of ‘Duellists’ double kits which depict the actual aircraft that took part in a known and documented incident. The latest of these pairs their new Halberstadt Cl.II with the long out of production RE.8. The event took place on 9th June 1918, when the Schlasta 13 Halberstadt was being flown by the inexperienced crew of Kuesler and Mullenbach. Returning from a patrol, they were heading back to their own lines when they were intercepted by a 3 Squadron RE.8 being flown by Roderick Armstrong and Frank Mart. Armstrong and Mart forced the Germans down and captured the Halberstadt undamaged. Flown back to Britain and extensively tested, it formed the basis of a capture report in Flight magazine on 10 October 1918. The kit. In one of Wingnut Wings large boxes, lifting the lid reveals the two kits packaged side by side in their own compartments. The lid itself depicts the incident getting under way, with Armstrong flying the RE.8 and Mart aiming his Lewis gun firmly at the hapless Kuesler and Mullenbach in the Cl.II. Steve Anderson really does produce the most amazing artwork, telling the story and at the same time showing the aircraft to perfection. The Halberstadt Cl.II The parts are the same as provided in the Halberstadt Cl.II reviewed here with the exception of sprue F, which has been replaced with sprue G. This holds the parts particular to the 'Late' version of the CL.II, which had the LMG 08/15 Spandau moved from the port to the starboard side in front of the pilot, resulting in changes also to the instrument panel and cowlings. The RE.8. The RE.8 was the workhorse of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, serving from mid-1917 until the end of the war in November 1918. More than 4,000 were produced by various sub-contractors, and it served widely in all theatres of the Great War. Regarded as a competent rather than great aircraft, perhaps the most telling comment is that it rapidly disappeared from service when the war was over, whilst its contemporary, the Bristol F.2B continued into the 1930’s. Sharing the other side of ‘The duellists’ box, the plastic sprues are all individually wrapped, and then sealed in another bag to keep them all together. I built the individual release of this kit back in 2014, so can perhaps add a little more to this review. In short, I had no problems whatsoever, it went together beautifully, and was a total pleasure to work on. On the real aircraft the interior is formed around a wooden framework, which is where assembly of the kit starts. There is a stunning amount of detail on all the parts, with ‘routing’ and metal brackets on the engine bearers being a nice touch. There are levers, wheels, ammo drums, oil & fuel tanks, wireless sets, etched brass belts etc. all to be painted and added to the main framework. The instrument panel is the best of the lot, an absolute gem, and very visible on the finished model. There are a fair amount of simple bracing wires between the frames. I used heat stretched sprue on mine, secured with white glue. The end result is outstanding, being a very satisfying and rewarding kit to build. I actually started my build with the RAF 4a engine, as engines are my favourite part of these kits. The real one is a V12, and a complicated (but interesting) looking piece of engineering. Wingnut Wings have made construction easy, the main assembly consists of a three part crankcase, with each cylinder being in two halves. Assembly is faultless, everything fits together like a dream. The only thing you have to do is plan your painting and assembly sequence, which really means assemble as much as you can without the cylinders on, paint them black and most everything else in silver before bringing it all together for final assembly. Even the ignition wires are provided as a bunched loom, so that is one less job that I normally do with fuse wire. Finishing it all off are those two great big steamboat like exhaust stacks. With engine and interior done the two fuselage halves can be brought together. The moulded stitching on the exterior is crisply done, and quite a big feature of this model as it runs virtually the whole length on both sides of the fuselage. After the lower wings are fitted, various other items are added to the fuselage exterior, such as the elevator control line cranks, and the Vickers gun with its Constatinesco synchronisation gear. The leather reinforcement patches for control line exit points are provided on the etched brass fret. The top wing is made up from a two part centre section, with the main planes being single moulding with separate ailerons. The centre section is moulded in clear plastic as several RE.8's had the inner panels covered in transparent Cellon, to improve upward visibility. However, it was not the case with the subject of this kit, so can just be painted over. These are big parts for single mouldings but are absolutely flawless, with no sink marks or any blemishes. The fabric and rib detail is done to perfection, and when assembled the upper wing becomes quite a big piece. I usually re-inforce the aileron mounts by drilling and pinning them with fine brass wire. It is not strictly essential, but I knocked the ailerons off a couple of my earlier completed builds whilst handling them, so prefer to do this nowadays. They are only fitted in the final stages of the build when all painting and decaling are done. Putting the top wing on is undeniably a stressful moment. The main thing is to test fit each strut into its socket and clear out any primer/paint/detritus to ensure a smooth fit. A nice touch is that the strut ends are all keyed to matching sockets, so you can’t get them wrong. When all is ready, use plastic cement such as Revell Contatcta to assemble it upside down, staring with the Centre section and working outwards. Carefully lift it to rest in the empty box, wing leading edges first, as shown in the instruction book. Next to go on is the undercarriage, and fortunately this is quite sturdy as by this stage the model will be becoming surprisingly heavy. The tyres have miniature lettering moulded on to them, but you will probably require a magnifying glass to read it all! Carburettors and cowlings need to be added, along with that superb, huge four bladed prop. The moulding is a work of art, it is all curves and twists, with super fine trailing edges. Finally the observers Scarff ring and Lewis gun are added to complete the model. The brackets on the Scarff ring are etched brass, as there really is no other way they could be done. I added cream painted fuse wire to represent the bungee cord on mine. The gun ring and a pair of underwing bomb racks are contained on sprue R, of which two are supplied. This is the standard 'RFC Armaments' sprue supplied in several kits, and also has Lewis and Vickers guns, various bombs and ammo drums that can all go in the spares box. It is one of the more complex of Wingnut Wings Kits due largely to the amount of rigging, but well within the capability of anyone who has completed a few 1/32 biplanes. There is nothing complex about it, it is just that there is a fair bit to do. Option 1. Halberstadt Cl.II 15342/17 'III' Kuessler & Mullenbach, Schlasta 13, 9 June 1918. Option 2. RE.8 D4689 'P' RC Armstrong & HJ Mart, 3 Sqn AFC, 9 June 1918. Decals. There are two sheets of decals, the larger one of A4 size containing the lozenge decals for the Halberstadt, and the slightly smaller one has all the individual markings for both aircraft. A small supplementary sheet is included for the RE.8, with a large letter 'P' for the upper wing, and tailfin serial number 'D4689' in plain white, as it was on the day of the incident depicted. (The main sheet has it in black edged in white, as per delivery to the squadron). Printed by Cartograf they look to be of excellent quality, with fine detail, good colours, and in perfect register. The 5 colour lozenge decal look particularly good, both the upper (darker) and lower (lighter) colours look just right to my eye. Also they are in 'cookie cutter' format, making application much easier. Some extra guidance on producing the typical Halberstadt 'stippled' finish is helpfully provided in Wingnut Wings website. Conclusion. This is another inspired pairing to add to the 'Duellists' series of double kits. Having a pair of aircraft linked together by the same story adds extra interest. It is especially intriguing that an RE.8 crew succeeded in capturing an intact Halberstadt, as it is so often portrayed as an inferior aircraft. It just shows that in the hands of a competent crew, it wasn't such a bad aircraft. Both are beautiful kits, and having built the original release of the RE.8 I can confirm that it is superbly engineered, and builds up without problems. It is also one of the most impressive finished models in my display cabinet. From the instruction booklet to the superb mouldings, the etched brass, the decals, the presentation, everything is done to the highest possible standard. It is great to have the RE.8 available again so get this set while you can, you'll love it! Highly Recommended Review sample courtesy of

Evenin' all, Last wedding anniversary Mrs Viking asked what I might like as a present, and as always I didn't have to look far. High on my list of wants for a while has been the RE.8, such a classic first world war aircraft. The RE.8 can fairly be classed as 'not the best, but available in large numbers'. It was an honest enough aeroplane and could give a reasonable account of itself in the hands of an experienced crew. Large numbers of them fell to the guns of the German air force, but then there were large numbers of them over the line. I love the Heath-Robinson look of the aircraft, as if it was designed by several people who all created their own bit and then they all got bolted together. The vertical stack exhausts, the Vickers gun bolted to the outside of the fuselage, and the interuppter gear for it being taken off the rear of the engine, fed outside via a drive shaft, and along the outside of the fuselage to the rear of the gun! Anyway, after severl month building she is finished. I seem to have been rigging for weeks and weeks, (Maxima Chameleon fishing line pulled through the top wing). Next model I build won't have any rigging! Looking at the photos, I realise that I've forgotten to put the windscreeen on. It's the only bit that is streamlined!. I'll fix it on tomorrow. Hope you like; Can you make out the see through image of the upper wing roundel on the clear doped linen on the reverse side? The lower cowling can be made removeable; A few pics of the interior before the fuselage was assembled around it; And one last one with it's Nemesis! [EDIT] I've put the windscreen on![/EDIT Having created the champion of all 'dragmasters' they then fitted a nice streamlined windscreen (or not if you were me making a model of it) And it is fitted now; Thanks for looking, John