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J-20 / Heja 1 - Re 2000 Export Birds (SH48208) 1:48 Special Hobby The Re 2000 designed by Reggiane in the late 1930s was an all metal low wing monoplane fighter. It is said the designers took inspiration from the P-35. This was their first aircraft to feature an all metal stressed skin construction, previous aircraft being of mixed metal/wood construction. However like many aircraft of the period the control surfaces would remain fabric covered. The aircraft would also feature a fully retractable undercarriage. An early major problem was the lack of reliable engines, this would plague the aircraft in use as well. Armament was only two 12.7mm machine guns in upper fuselage. Wing guns were looked at but never adopted. The large sliding canopy offered excellent near all round visibility something lacking in other aircraft of the time. With a top speed of 330mph the aircraft was able to hold its own or better the C.200 and Bf 109E. Surprisingly the Regiia Aeronautica cancelled its pre-production order and rejected the aircraft so it was promoted overseas. In face the British Govt were interested in purchasing it , initially directly, and then via the companies Portuguese subsidiary. Efforts on this came to a halt when Italy entered WWII. in the end 80% of production would go to Sweden with 60 aircraft, and Hungary with 70 aircraft. The remainder would serve with the Italian Air Force over the Med as escort and attack aircraft. 12 Re 2000A long range aircraft were built with an increased fuel capacity and a small number were rebuilt as catapult launched aircraft for the Italian Navy. The Swede's purchased the aircraft as an emergency measure resulting from the out break of WWII., thy however found as the Italians did that the reliability of these aircraft was not good and all but one were scrapped after the war ended. In Hungary the Germans were initially reluctant to supply their ally with aircraft in case they were used against Romania. As well as buying the 70 aircraft they acquired license production rights for another approximate 170 aircraft. The Kit This is a new tool kit from Special Hobby this year (with the wing sprue having its origins in the Classic Airframes kit of the past. As a new tool kit the quality is good with nice recessed panel lines, good detail and good clear parts. There are 4 sprues of grey plastic and the clear sprue. Construction first begins in the cockpit which builds up to a complete module that slots into the fuselage when built up. The rear frame has the seat and its supports added before being joined to the floor. At the front the bulkhead there is built up with the instrument panel being added at the top, and the rudder pedal at the bottom. This ten attached to the floor. The two side panels have various details added and then they attach to make a complete module. Into this a fire extinguisher and the control column are placed. Following this the retractable tail wheel and its housing are completed These two sub assemblies can now be placed into the fuselage and it can be buttoned up. Work now switches to the wings. There is a one part lower and left/right uppers. Attachment points for the main gear are added into the lower wing, these can then be assembled and added to the fuselage. The main gear units and their covers can then be built up and added in. The engine with its double bank to cylinders can be assembled and added to the front of the model. The 3 part cowling is then made up and added along with the intake and exhaust parts. To finish off at the rear the tail planes are added. and at the front the prop is built up and added. The pilots head rest is assembled and added along with the canopies. Lastly the nav lights and pitot probe are added on. Markings The glossy decal sheet is printed in house and looks sharp and in register. There are marking for two Swedish and two Hungarian aircraft.. White 45 - Italian Camo with white nose and fuselage bands. F10 Air Wing 1944, Swedish Air Force. White 53 - Italian Camo with white fuselage band. F10 Air Wing, Swedish Air Force V.421 - Italian Camo with Red/White/Green tail markings , Yellow wingtips and fuselage band, Hungarian Air Force, V.452 - Overall dark green over blue grey, Red/White/Green tail markings , Yellow wingtips and fuselage band, Hungarian Air Force, Conclusion It is good to see a new kit of this maybe lesser known fighter out there. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Reggiane Re 2000 (SH48204) 1:48 Special Hobby The Re 2000 designed by Reggiane in the late 1930s was an all metal low wing monoplane fighter. It is said the designers took inspiration from the P-35. This was their first aircraft to feature an all metal stressed skin construction, previous aircraft being of mixed metal/wood construction. However like many aircraft of the period the control surfaces would remain fabric covered. The aircraft would also feature a fully retractable undercarriage. An early major problem was the lack of reliable engines, this would plague the aircraft in use as well. Armament was only two 12.7mm machine guns in upper fuselage. Wing guns were looked at but never adopted. The large sliding canopy offered excellent near all round visibility something lacking in other aircraft of the time. With a top speed of 330mph the aircraft was able to hold its own or better the C.200 and Bf 109E. Surprisingly the Regiia Aeronautica cancelled its pre-production order and rejected the aircraft so it was promoted overseas. In face the British Govt were interested in purchasing it , initially directly, and then via the companies Portuguese subsidiary. Efforts on this came to a halt when Italy entered WWII. in the end 80% of production would go to Sweden with 60 aircraft, and Hungary with 70 aircraft. The remainder would serve with the Italian Air Force over the Med as escort and attack aircraft. 12 Re 2000A long range aircraft were built with an increased fuel capacity and a small number were rebuilt as catapult launched aircraft for the Italian Navy. The Kit This is a new tool kit from Special Hobby this year (with the wing sprue having its origins in the Classic Airframes kit of the past. As a new tool kit the quality is good with nice recessed panel lines, good detail and good clear parts. There are 4 sprues of grey plastic and the clear sprue. Construction first begins in the cockpit which builds up to a complete module that slots into the fuselage when built up. The rear frame has the seat and its supports added before being joined to the floor. At the front the bulkhead there is built up with the instrument panel being added at the top, and the rudder pedal at the bottom. This ten attached to the floor. The two side panels have various details added and then they attach to make a complete module. Into this a fire extinguisher and the control column are placed. Following this the retractable tail wheel and its housing are completed These two sub assemblies can now be placed into the fuselage and it can be buttoned up. Work now switches to the wings. There is a one part lower and left/right uppers. Attachment points for the main gear are added into the lower wing, these can then be assembled and added to the fuselage. The main gear units and their covers can then be built up and added in. The engine with its double bank to cylinders can be assembled and added to the front of the model. The 3 part cowling is then made up and added along with the intake and exhaust parts. To finish off at the rear the tail planes are added. and at the front the prop is built up and added. The pilots head rest is assembled and added along with the canopies. Lastly the nav lights and pitot probe are added on. Markings The glossy decal sheet is printed in house and looks sharp and in register. There are marking for three Italian Aircraft in the Sand/green/brown over blue grey scheme. MM.5069 Experimental section, 74a Sqn, 23 Gruppo, Scilly 1941 MM.5068 Experimental Centre, Guidonia, 1941 MM. Unknown Experimental section, 74a Sqn, 23 Gruppo, Scilly 194Z Conclusion It is good to see a new kit of this lesser known fighter out there. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hi, My third topic for today, also from archive shelvs: Reggiane fighters family. In mid 1930. the Seversky P-35 determined standard for modern fighter for a while. This was a low wing, all metal, close canopy machine with radial air-cooled engine and retractable undercarridge. The most close to this "ideal" was Italian project - Reggiane Re 2000. In Swedish army they were then both in use, and it takes a while to be sure if there is Reggiane or Seversky on the photo Then European companies developed alternative concept- with V-engines (RR, Daimler or Hispano-Suiza), liquid cooled and this bacame next standard. Reggiane adopted their fighter to this conept - and a Reggiane Re 2001 fighter-bomber appeared. Then was next radial engined (missed as yet in my collection - Re-2002) and finaly deeply re-designed, with complete new fuselage V-engined Re-2005. The 1/72 kits of some Reggiane fighters were available form ca. 1972: Re 2000, Re 2001 and Re 2002. All three were in my stash but since I was always an obsessive scratchbuilder, instead of doing Re 2002 I made Re 2005, a scratch conversion out if it. It use basicly the same wing (but differently retratcted u/c (like in Spit or Me109 instead of original going just backward). The fuselage is basicly hand made, I used parts of Frog Fiat G55 for exhausts. This was about 20 years ago. Now there are other kits of Reggiane and aming them there is a nice ( belive) kit of Re 2002 by Sword and perhaps I will do missing part of family... Reggiane Re 2000 in markings of 1./1 Fighter Squadron Hungarian AF, summer 1942 (the squadron emblems are hand painted, other decals from drawer) Reggiane Re 2001 is in markings of 359 Squadra Autonomica, 22 Gruppo Reggia Aeronautica, Sicily 1942: Reggiane Re 2005 is in markings of a fighter unit of Republica Sociale Italiano, Bresco near Milan, March 1944. And the family photo: Comments welcome Regards Jerzy-Wojtek