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  1. AMC DH.9 1:32 Wingnut Wings The DH.9 was a development of the earlier DH.4 and was intended as an improvement, but unfortunately turned out to be an inferior machine in many ways. Demand for the Rolls-Royce Eagle engine meant that the '9' was allocated the Siddeley-Deasy 'Puma' engine which turned out to be notoriously unreliable and unable to deliver its promised 300 hp, 230 hp being it's more likely output. Ordered into mass production before the bugs were ironed out, the DH.9 was a hugely disappointing aircraft but the RFC (soon to be RAF) had to make do with it when it achieved squadron service in April 1918. Despite its shortcomings it saw widespread service into the postwar era, serving with up to 16 foreign air forces including Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Bolivia, Peru and many European countries. A new Wingnut Wings kit always creates a great sense of anticipation and they never disappoint. The whole presentations is as we have come to expect, with the beautiful artwork on the silver gilt edged box crammed with sprues of exquisite quality, and an an instruction manual that is a reference work in it's own right. Eleven sprues, one photo etched sheet, and two decal sheets are supplied, all of which are beautifully done. A few parts are marked as not for use, so it is clear that other releases are planned. Sprue A contains the majority of the cockpit parts and the tailplanes, and is in fact common with the DH.9a kit, although all the others are unique to each boxing. Sprue B holds most of the remaining interior parts and is joined with sprue H which has the fuselage side panels, struts and undercarriage parts. It's worth taking a look at the quality of mouldings, in case you have not seen one of these kits 'in the flesh' before. The propeller is a beautiful piece of work, such a complex shape and yet perfectly done. Even more amazing are the two bomb cells, completely moulded as seen here. Wingnut Wings have raised the bar again by providing elements like this. Sprue C is clear and contains the windscreen elements as we would expect. Two Sprue D's are provided, holding all the items that need to be doubled up, such as wheels, struts and ailerons. Alongside, two Sprue R's hold all the armament. Cooper, HERL, and HE bombs are there along with their appropriate racks. Vickers and Lewis guns, a Scarff ring and ammo drums complete the options. Sprue E is for the Puma engine. The rocker covers have the legend 'Siddeley Puma' moulded in micro fine lettering on them which really need a magnifying glass to see properly. There are alternative right side cylinder mouldings depending upon whether a single or twin carburettor version is chosen. Sprue F contains the upper and lower main planes, with the usual perfect Wingnut Wings depiction of the rib tapes and stitching. All the rigging points are indicated by fine holes which can be used 'as is' or further drilled for your favourite method of rigging. Sprue G holds the fuselage halves and associated parts. Detail is finely recessed or raised as appropriate. The rear fuselage has separate side panels which are to be found on sprue H, see above where it is attached to sprue B. The etched brass fret provides seat belts, ratchets for the scarff ring and minor fittings for the interior and exterior. Decals are on two parts, the main one is a huge sheet the same size as the box and gives all the roundels, serials, stencils, bomb marking and even individual instruments for the main panel (all readable!). A second sheet consists of white printing for the more complex areas of some of the finishing options, and should make completing any of them a breeze. They are produced by Cartograf, a name that stands for top quality. Finishing options. There are the usual five different options, there are two bonus offerings that can be completed with the elements provided. One is for 5636 of the RNZAF, and the other for C1283 of the RAF. The main options are; A) B7620, J.A. Gray and J.J. Comerford, A Flight, 211 Sqn, June 1918 'B) C6293, "3", 144 Sqn, August 1918 C) D2989, "Lobster", 49 TDS, February 1919 D) D7211, "Spetsai", HNAS, 1919 E) D7302, "N", R.S.S. Ingram & A.W. Wyncoll, C Flight, 108 Sqn, August 1918 Conclusion. Part of reviewing a kit is to draw attention to the good and bad parts of any new offering. Well in this latest package from Wingnut Wings I have to admit that I can find nothing even slightly negative to comment on. This is as perfect a plastic model as I have ever seen, it is simple as that. Everything is done to the highest standard, from the presentation, to the quality of moulding, even the plastic itself is without sink marks or blemishes. The individually wrapped sprues, the instruction manual with it's use of photos to further explain assembly, and the beautifully illustrated finishing options all combine to create modelling heaven. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  2. Fokker E.IV 1:32 Wingnut Wings The Fokker Eindekker is well known to most aviation enthusiasts, mainly in its E.I to E.III form. Developed from it was the E.IV, which looks broadly similar but with some obvious differences. The most noticeable is the raised hump/fairing around the cockpit, which also covers the breeches of the twin Spandaus. The desire to increase the single gun armament of the previous Eindekkers to the twin guns on the E.IV made sense, as it would give extra firepower as well as the ability to keep fighting if one gun jammed. In fact the prototype was fitted with three Spandaus, but this proved to have problems with synchronisation gear and was not continued with. To cope with this extra weight the engine was also upgraded to a 160 hp Oberursel U.III, which was essentially just two seven cylinder Oberursel U.0 engines bolted together to form a fourteen cylinder rotary. Thus it was hoped that with its extra power and guns, the E.IV would be an evolutionary step forward of the aircraft that had brought the 'Fokker Scourge' to the Western Front. It was not be however, as that large engine spinning around produced significance gyroscopic forces which the old style wing warping controls were not well suited to control. Its performance was disappointing and the appearance of new allied machines such as the DH.2 and Nieuport 11 gave the advantage back to the Allies. Having arrived at the front in sufficient numbers by April 1916, the E.IV were mostly withdrawn by December as Halberstadt and Fokker D series biplanes took over. The Kit. Presented in Wingnuts Wings familiar silver trimmed box with Steve Anderson artwork, top quality is reassuringly in evidence. Lifting the lid reveals 10 sprues in individual shrink wrapped bags, one etched brass fret and a sheet of decals not quite A4 sized. The instruction booklet is of course to Wingnuts market leading standard, packed with CAD drawings of not only assembly sequences, but assembled sections as well. These are really helpful in clearing up any doubts you may have as you can see how the assembly should look when everything is together. Colour call outs are present all the way, and detail photographs of original machines are used to further illustrate how things should look. Cockpit, engine, guns, undercarriage, rigging, all are shown with photographs alongside the assembly drawings. These are actually seriously good reference works as well as assembly instructions. The plastic parts are a real pleasure to look at and examine. Beautifully moulded, the detail on them is exquisite. The tubular frameworks for the cockpit sides are very finely moulded, as are all the engine and cowl mounting frames. Of special note is the fabric effect, which is always good on Wingnuts. Sprue A Sprue C Sprue D Sprue E (2 are supplied) The large single wing parts look like they are actually a wooden framework covered with drum tight doped fabric. There is just that perfect balance of tautness and sagging that imitates the appearance of these early aircraft. Etched fret. Several options are supplied, the most extensive being for the prototype. For this a section of the forward fuselage is removed and replaced with etched brass panels. The three Spandaus and their mountings and cowl follow on, or the equivalent parts for a two gun machine can be used. An unslotted cowling is provided for the prototype, and a slotted one for all the others and even on this there flash guards to fit or not. Production or prototype cockpit coamings have their own windshields to fit, and then there is a decision to make on the fitment of a big four bladed fuel pump to the undercarraige legs. Lastly one of two beautiful looking Integral or Garuda propellers can be taken off the sprues to adorn the little beauty that this kit is undoubtedly going to be. Options. A. 122/15 Prototype, Anthony Fokker & Otto Parschau, September 1915. B. 127/15, Max Immelmann,FFA 62, January 1916 C. 638/15, Karl Albert, Albert Oesterreicher, Alfred Prehn, Willhelm Viereck, & Kurt Wintgens, KEK 3, mid-late 1916 D. 161/18, Lt Muller, Kest 6, April 1917 E. 163/16, Kurt Student, AOK 3 Fokkerstaffel, August 1916 Decal sheet. Conclusion. Having built a good many Wingnuts kits now, each and every one was an absolute pleasure to work on. Each new release just looks so good that I want to start building them straight away. There is in fact a great deal of pleasure to be gained from just looking through these kits and planning your build, deciding on the colour scheme, options to fit on, and so forth. Hours of fun can be had just theorising it all through before even a single part has been removed from the sprues, so you can get your money's worth before you even start it. If you've seen a wingnuts kit 'in the flesh' you will know what I am talking about. The E.I reviewed earlier, and this E.IV are both beautiful kits and share some common sprues, are both are calling out to be built ASAP. When finished they will be a reasonable size but not too demanding on storage space. Being monoplanes they should be easier to build than biplanes with all that associated struttery. The rigging looks be fairly straightforward, so any one of Wingnuts Eindekkers will be an excellent introduction to WW.1 modelling. It's Christmas soon, treat yourself to one of the most complete and rewarding kits that money can buy. It's another stunner from Wingnut Wings. Highly Recommended Review sample courtesy of
  3. Fokker E.1 Early 1:32 Wingnut Wings If you have ever been to the aeronautical gallery in the Science Museum in London, you may have missed seeing a priceless and very significant aircraft. With no fabric covering and exhibited in skeletal form is it easy to miss the worlds only genuine Fokker Eindekker hanging high in the roof. It is the E.III 2010/16, captured on 8th April 1916, and a remarkable survivor. The fact that it looks today like a very conventional aeroplane, is perhaps a tribute to getting so many aspects of the design right. The monoplane wing with rear mounted tail and rudder, the lightweight steel tube fuselage, the fixed gun firing forwards and excellent all round view, laid down some of the key standards used for many years. It wasn't until the 1930's that the monoplane fighter really made a comeback, when more powerful engines made the biplane wing arrangement unnecessary. The Eindekker still relied on wing warping instead of hinged ailerons, being one of the last aircraft to do so, and reminding us that whilst showing some advanced developments, it retained some aspects of traditional design. The Kit. There have been few kits of various marks of Eindekkers over the years, up until now Eduards 1/48th series have probably been the best, but Wingnut Wings are now working their way through the E.1, E.III, and E.IV versions in 1/32. The Fokker E.1 'Early' has been received for review, and as usual it comes with very attractive artwork in the familiar silver lined box. Inside we have seven sprues of parts, one etched brass fret, and a sheet of decals for all five of the colour schemes offered. The instructions are in the form of a twenty eight page booklet printed in full colour on high quality glossy paper. Nobody does better instructions than Wingnuts. They start with a write up on the subject, move on to a paint chart and parts map, and then to crystal clear exploded drawings showing assembly sequences. These are backed up with drawings of completed sub assemblies (in colour) to show how each section should look, and photographic close ups of the area under assembly. The second half of the booklet covers the five finishing options with Ronny Bar's side and plan views, again mostly backed up with whole page photographs of the actual machines. As always, the instructions are very professionally produced, in all my years of modelling I have never seen any others that come close. Assembly starts with some 20+ pieces to build the cockpit interior. There is a choice of two different seat arrangements, and also ammo boxes depending upon whether you build a Parabellum or Spandau armed version. Etched brass provides the rudder pedal heel boards and seat straps. A decision will be needed early on about which version you are going to make. One of them (Option B. Kurt Wintgens 5/15) has the wing mounted high on the fuselage side, whilst the others have it mid way up. The fuselage mouldings have the slot moulded in for the mid wing position, with plugs provided to fill them in and slots to be opened up for the high wing position. The cockpit side frames have matching notches to line up so that the tongues on the wings can slide in later. Like the Fokker D.VII kits, the fuselage underside has a separate strip of stitching to fitted in after the two halves are joined. Further variations are dealt with by the way of three different cockpit coamings and gun mounts, all clearly illustrated and backed up by close up photographs the real thing. Sprue G. Cockpit Coaming. (For option A) Sprue C. Windscreen options. Sprue A. Mainly cockpit parts. Sprue B. Fuselage and wings. A lovely little Oberursel is provided for the front end. The cooling fins are very finely moulded but unfortunately in injection moulded plastic the only way to do them is as two 'front and back' sections, which results in a seam through the sides of each cylinder. However I have found that if you glue the two halves together by holding them in place and lightly applying liquid cement to the tops of the cylinders and crankcase with a brush, you can achieve a virtually invisible seam. Sprue E. Engine Parts. At the end of the build you have the choice of Behrend, Garuda, or Integral propellers. All have beautiful miniature manufacturers logo decals to apply, which are perfectly readable under a magnifying glass. The complex undercarriage is cleverly moulded in only three parts, and the two part wheels have a choice of two different spoke covers. Sprue D. Guns and Wheels. On to the wings and more variations are catered for, all keyed to the finishing options provided. There are two variations on notches to be cut into the port wing root to clear the cowling fairing, all starboard wings need a small trim to, and there are two possible sets of etched reinforcement plates to go over the wing spars at the root. The wings themselves are the correct short span early version appropriate to the E.1, and thus different to those in the E.III and E.IV kits. Wingnuts have certainly done their research here and covered all the variations in a logical and easy to follow manner. With the tailplane and wings on the final stage will be to fit all the rigging. There are three possible 'A' frames in front of the cockpit according to which version you have chosen, Wingnuts attention to detail and accuracy in evidence again! The rigging shouldn't be too difficult, I'd anticipate it being easier than a biplane as the four main wing wires can each be done in a loop all the way around. Colour Schemes. Option A. E.1 1/15, Otto Parschau, June-July 1915. Option B. E.1 5/15, Kurt Wintgens, FFA 6b, July 1915. Option C. E.1 8/15, Uffz.Kneiste,FFA 62, August 1915. Option D. E.1 13/15, Max Immelmann & Oswald Boelcke,FFA 62, August 1915. Option E. E.1 14/15, Eduard Bohme, FFA 9b, August 1915. Decal sheet. Printed by Cartograf, it is fairly small by Wingnuts standards but covers all the necessary items. Stencils, instruments and logos are all provided in fine detail. Conclusion. This new Fokker E.1 (early) is everything we have come to expect from Wingnut Wings. Beautiful mouldings, exceptional instructions, top quality decals, interesting finishing options, and a touch of that elusive magic that just says 'wow!'The E.1 is a very important aircraft to have in any collection of model fighters, and essential in a WW.1 theme. It looks like it should be an uncomplicated build and the lack of struts puts it at the 'easier' end of skill levels required, and although there is some rigging to do, it shouldn't be too taxing. 1/32 is the perfect scale for these WW.1 fighters as the detail is easy to work with, but the finished model is still a shelf and cabinet-friendly size. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  4. This is the superb Hannover Cl.II from Wingnut Wings, coupled with a lovely set of decals from Pheon. Reviews can be found here - Hannover CL.II Pheon Decals In brief, the Hannover was designed around the observers machine gun, to raise it high and give it the best possible field of fire (as was the Bristol F2b Fighter) including forwards over the wing. The biplane tail was to keep the span short and increase the field of fire rearwards to each side. It was a very succesful design and popular with its crews, soldiering on until the end of the first world war. What can be said about Wingnut Wings kits that you haven't already heard? Nothing really. Superb, Brilliant, Outstanding, Goregeous, Best of the Best. You got it - I love them. Pheons Decals are the icing on the cake, giving a lovely set of very interesting options to make your Hannover that little bit more special, and also come superbly presented and produced. On with the photos, there is not a square centimetre of plain finish on this, the whole thing is covered in lozenges and irregular shapes. Fuselage and wing centre section are handpainted, flying surfaces are decals. It took me a few month to get this far, but here she is, hope you like! All the ladders, wheel chocks etc come in the kit. There is a build log Here if you are interested. Cheers John
  5. I've finally reduced the number of builds on my workbench to a sensible level, so feel justified in making a start on this, the Hannover CL.II from Wingnut Wings. Review is here of The Kit And here of the Pheon Decals Getting it all together, this is where we start; I'm looking forward to this!. A start was made by removing the fuselage halves and then all the interior components in the order they are needed. Everything is prepared by removing moulding lugs and and scraping any slight seams, and then storing all the components in zip lock bags according to the numbered stage of the assembly instructions. These are then primed with Halfords grey primer from a rattle can, and the wooden parts sprayed with Tamiya XF-57 Buff. When the buff is dry a coat ofJohnsons Kleer is brushed on top of it ready for the oil paints that will create the grain effect. Stage 1 Cockpit; Stage 2 & 3 Cockpit (continued) Stage 4 Fuselage; And getting ahead of myself I prepared some of the 'halved' engine parts so that they are ready to have the seams sanded down later. There is a choice of 3 props, given that I can usually mess one up I chose the Niendorf and Germania ones, and can use the one that comes out best. Stage 6 Argus As.III Engine. Thats all for now, thanks for looking, John
  6. Fokker D.VII(F) 1:32 Wingnut Wings The latest release from Wingnut Wings continues their theme of the superlative Fokker D.VII series, covering the D.VII(F). This was the designation given to those aircraft fitted with the BMW IIIa engine, often referred to as the 'high altitude' engine. Supplies of the BMW engine were strained towards the end of the war so most went directly to the Fokker factory, where those aircraft fitted with them were given the (F) suffix. Albatros and OAW also received a limited number but no such identification was given to their D.VII's. Fokker D.VII(F)'s were the most coveted of fighters amongst the German aircrews as it was the hottest of the hottest aircraft, with most seeming to have gone to JG.1 'Richthofen' Ernst Udet, Herman Goering, Georg von Hantelmann and Bruno Loerzer being amongst the most prominent aces to receive them. The Wingnut Wings kits have been reviewed on Britmodeller previously, so it was with some interest that this latest release was received. Most of the contents are common with the sprues in the Fokker D.VII(Fok) boxing, but there is a complete new sprue covering the BMW IIIa engine, and typically for Wingnuts, a new sprue for appropriate engine cowlings. I have built and modified a number of 1:48 Eduard D.VII's often having to cut out my own cooling gills on the cowling parts, as these were often field modifications. No need to do that here, Wingnuts have moulded them all for you as extra parts. Interestingly one set of them are greyed out on the sprue map, so there may yet be more releases to come. Having already built the D.VII(Fok) boxing I can confirm that it is well up to the high standard set by Wingnut Wings. The instruction booklet is a complete reference document in itself with clear assembly drawings, and a particular favourite of mine, drawings of completed sub assemblies so you can see how each section should look after assembly. Add to this colour photographs of various details of full sized machines and you have instructions that have never been bettered by any other manufacturer. Sprue A contains most of the interior fittings and other small parts. Sprue B has the fuselage halves and interior tubular framework, along with the beautifully moulded three way struts for the forward wing mounts. Sprue C hold the two optional windscreens. Sprue E is for the BMW IIIa engine with a choice of Heine or Axial propellers. Attached to its is Sprue G with the optional cowlings with extra cooling gills. Detail of the upper crankcase. Sprue F holds the upper wing. Sprue H has the tailplane and lower wings. Sprue I has other cowling elements and the axle wing. Finally there is a photo etched sheet with seat belts and machine gun jackets. As usual there are five beautiful marking options offered in the kit, the choice of which is agonisingly difficult as they are all so nice. A. F 460/18, Eric Just, Jasta 11, August 1918. B. F 501/18 Red'W', Jasta 26, November 1918. C. F 4253/18, Ernst Udet, Jasta 4, September 1918. (An interesting aside, Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown, the famous test pilot, had his first experience of flying by being taken up in a Bucker Jungmann by Enst Udet in the 1936). D. F 4330/18 Egon Koepsch?, Jasta 4, August 1918. E. Unknown, Karl Boelle, Jasta 2, November 1918. The kit contains a full set of 4 colour lozenge decal for all the options, note how faded lozenge is supplied for the interior of the cockpit. [Edit] There is also a supplementary decal sheet avaialable with five more options.Reviewed here [/Edit] Conclusion. This is another superb release by Wingnut Wings that has everything you could wish for to create a stunning model. They are not kits to be rushed, and why would you want to? Each stage builds up into satisfying sub assemblies that come together to create an exceptional whole. Detail from my earlier build of the Fokker D.VII(Fok) Yes the fuselages can be a tight fit to put together because there is so much in them, but take care and align everything and it will all work out. The bugbear of struts and wings is all taken care of, such is the precision of these mouldings that it is an absolute doddle. Its World War 1 modelling made easy for the average modeller, especially with the D.VII as there is almost no rigging. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  7. Pfalz D.XII 1:32 and 1:48 Pheon Decals 1:32nd scale sheet 32030. 1:48th scale sheet 48022 The Pfalz D.XII was a development of the earlier D.III, and shared a similar fate in that it was outperformed by another manufacturers product. With the D.III is was the Albatros DV that was considered to be the better aircraft, while the D.XII couldn't compete with the superb Fokker D.VII. The major developments applied to the D.XII were a nose mounted radiator and replacement of the sesquiplane wing arrangement with more conventional wings of more equal span and chord. It also had conventional strutting and drag inducing rigging which the Fokker was designed to do without. Although it was a perfectly competent machine, it could not climb or manoeuvre as well as the Fokker D.VII so was never a popular choice for the Jastas. Pheon decals have issued two decal sets for the D.XII in both 1:32 for the Wingnut Wings kit, and in 1:48th for the Blue Max or Special Hobby kits. I bought the Wingnut Wings kit as soon as it was released, and as expected it is a beautiful set of mouldings well up to the high standard we expect from Wingnut. The kit offers five finishing options which cover a good range of the D.XII's short career, but only 1 of them (Option B, Jasta 49) really grabbed me. So it is great to see that Pheon have produced a set of 10 further options to tempt us with. Produced in their now familiar A4 format the set consists of a paper sheet showing all 10 options available (11 on sheet 48020) . There are then 3 sheets of profiles showing each one in more detail, with 3 or 4 drawings per sheet. Then we have the very helpful A5 booklet giving some background information on the aircraft, and written details of each aircraft option. There is a lot of useful information in here, pointing out where there are difficulties in interpreting colours from old black & white photographs. Although the Wingnuts kit supplies both early and late style fin/rudder units, Pheons sheet covers only the later aircraft. Shown here are the profiles from 32030 on the left, with 48022 on the right. The Options are; 1.D.XII 2695/18, pilot and unit unknown, Autumn 1918 2.D.XII 1460/18, pilot unknown, Jasta 23b 3.D.XII, serial and pilot unknown, Jasta 17, probably Autumn 1918 4.D.XII 1416/18, pilot unknown, Jasta 17 5.D.XII 2525/18, Vfw. Ludwig Marchner, Jasta 32b 6.D.XII 1443/18, pilot unknown, Jasta 77b 7.D.XII, serial pilot and unit unknown 8.D.XII, serial pilot and unit unknown 9.D.XII 2867/18, Belgian markings, post-war 10. D.XII, serial unknown, Ltn. Josef Reasch, Jasta 43, Harbourdin, August 1918 Sheet 48020 only; 11. D.XII, 1445/18 pilot unknown, Jasta 49 (the same as Option B in the Wingnuts kit.) The decals. Both sets are printed by Fantasy Printshop, the 1:32 on an A4 sheet, 1:48 a little larger than A5, and they both show the same high standards we have come to expect from this source. The sheets are logically laid out, with each option having its own section. The colours are good and a typical Pheon touch is that where there is a possibility that a marking could have been one of two colours, you get the decal in both, such as the white or Blue 'M' for option 5. Printing is pin sharp and the carrier film is minimal. Some slight extra carrier film is used on the wavy yellow band on option 2 to help it hold its shape. This is pointed out in the instructions so that you can keep or remove it as suits your preference. Sheet 32030. Sheet 48020 48020 contains a small supplementary sheet of Pfalz logos. Rather than repeat items that are in the kit, Pheon use the space on the sheet to give you more options. Therefore you will need to take some of the items from the wingnuts kit, particularly the lozenge for the wings and the Balkenkreutz etc. The Belgian option however does supply all the roundels and rudder stripes. Conclusion. Another lovely and well thought out set from Pheon. Split between 4 camouflaged, 4 silver-grey, and 2 black examples, giving a good range of extra finishes to choose from. The two black options look particularly sleek, whilst the captured Belgian example really offers something exotic. Whichever your preferred scale either of these sheets will make a great addition to your stashed Wingnut Wings, Special Hobby, or Blue Max kits. Very highly recommended Review sample courtesy of Pheon Decals
  8. ...with apologies to Viv Stanshall for the title, I couldn't resist it! If you don't know what I'm talking about see HERE This is the brilliant Wingnut Wings Sopwith Snipe with Pheon Decals 'Post War Sopwith Snipes'. There is a build log Here so I won't repeat anything but to say that The Snipe was a late first world war fighter that went on to serve in the Post War RAF. 'Bonzo' was entered by RAF Halton in the 1923 Duke of Yorks Air race, as part of the winning team. A Bristol Fighter and Avro 504 were the other team members. It is one of many options on the Pheon sheet, which you will want to treat yourself to if you either plan to get, or already have in the stash. Here she is, one of the most enjoyable builds I've had in a while, I hope you like her. I bought a lovely resin pilot figure from the MDC stand a this years Cosford show, and have painted him up to stand with the Snipe. This is a bit scary because the photo is bigger than than the real life size of the pilot. Ready to climb in and fly! Thanks for looking. John
  9. Hannover CL.II 1:32 Pheon Decals Hot from the printers is Pheon decals latest sheet to complement the recent Wingnut Wings Hannover CL.II. Sealed in an A4 ziplock bag, you know by the weight of it that you are getting more than just a decal sheet, there's also Pheons original research crammed in there. First up is a paper sheet showing all twelve options in side profile, which immediately hooks you into homing in on which ones you like most. Under this are four full colour sheets printed on thick glossy card showing each option in larger scale and more detail, and the last one showing upper and lower wing surfaces. Completing the paperwork is a nine page booklet giving general information on the CL.II, and particular information on each of the options. Where there is doubt, such as on the colour of the '2' on the fuselage of option 3, you are provided with a pair of decals in each of the three possibilities, red, blue or black. This is s very thoughtful touch, and allows you to go with what you think is the most accurate. Similarly the cartoon character on option 1 is provided twice, with pale grey and yellow outlines for you to go with your own opinion. The decal sheet itself is printed on an A4 sheet by Fantasy printshop. The printing is beautifully sharp and in perfect register, whilst the colours look exactly right. There are a lot of white areas on the sheet, opacity looks good, and having used Fantasy's decals before, they should cover well with no bleed through of underlying colours. What really draws the attention though is the very fine and minimal amounts of carrier film with each individual decal. This will be a great help in minimising any 'silvering' problems because there is barely anything to trap air under. Even the centres of the yellow number '5's and white '6's have no film in them, such is the precision of the printing. Impressive stuff. The options are; 1. 13080/17 Unit Unknown 2. Serial unknown, Schlasta 12, March 1918 3. 9338/17 Schlasta 24b, Sgt Zitzelsberger & Vzfw. Muller, Erchin, March 1918. 4. 9390/17 Schusta 30b, Inchy, March 1918. 5. 13282/17 Schlasta 31b, Vzfw, Peez & Gefr. Lang, Hangest, May 1918. 6. 132??/17 Schlasta 16, Linselles, May 1918. 7. 9387/17 Schusta 19, Tourmignies, December 1917. 8. Serial unknown, Schusta 27b, Bertry, December 1917. 9. 9301/17 Schusta 12, Flg. Karl Romann & Georg Winkler, Wyngehene, January 1918. 10. 13181/17 Fl.Abt. (A) 226, Vzfw. Willy Engler & Ltn. Alfred Kuerman. 11. 13253/17 Schlasta 34, Dury, May 1918. 12. 218, Polish Air Service, May 1919. And wing views; Conclusion. This is another beautiful decal set from Pheon that will enhance your Wingnut Wings kit. What shines through yet again is the hours of research and interpretation of old black and white photographs that must have gone in to its production. The variety of options have been well chosen also. If you fancy having a go at the hand painted fuselage lozenge (and I do!) six and a half of them require it, the rest use conventional two colour camouflage. The Polish example is very unusual as well as colourful, and has perhaps the most straightforward paint job of them all. So whatever your skill and confidence levels there will be several choices for you to pick from. Sensibly space on the sheet has been used to provide the most options, rather than duplicating what is provided by Wingnuts. So you will need to use items like the eisenkreutz/balkankreutz from the kit, but Pheon provide them on their sheet where they are different. I intend to start work on my own Hannover kit shortly, and will be finishing it in one of these options. The only problem is which one? Current favourites are Nr's 1, 5, 6, 8, 11 and 12, which is half of them on a shortlist right away! Many hours of pondering and consideration are set to follow, and that's where a large part of the pleasure comes from in this hobby. Very highly recommended Review sample courtesy of Pheon Decals
  10. This is the newly released Fokker D.VII from Wingnut Wings, an inbox review of which can be found HERE It is a beautifully moulded, engineered, and presented kit and I couldn't wait to get started. Firstly I had to choose which one to do and after a lot of thought decided to go for 286/18 flown by Willi Gabriel of Jasta 11. Two things helped form this decision, 1) The colour scheme is fabulous, plus it requires the fuselage to be finished in 'Fokker streaky green' which in reality is a rough brush painted multi tone green finish, quite hard to do on a model. The kit provides a nice set of decals for it so I am keen to see how they work. 2) Willi Gabriel was an interesting character, and I always like to learn a little about the guys who flew the aircraft I model. He joined Jasta 11 in May 1918 and was given 4 weeks to start scoring victories or be kicked out. On his fisrt day he shot down a DH.9 and so confirmed his place. Other victories followed, but in June Herman Goering (yes, the Herman Goering of WW2 Luftwaffe fame) arrived as CO, and he and Gabriel did not get on. On 18 July 1918 when returning from a patrol led by Goering, Gabriel spotted a flight of Spads and broke formation, shooting down two of them, followed a a flight of three Breguet two seaters, which he also attacked and downed one over his home airfield. Goering was furious at Gabriel for having left the formation, and reprimanded him. Later that same day on an afternoon patrol Gabriel did it again, shooting down a two seat Spad. The culmination of all this was that Gabriel was busted off the Jasta, bringing his war to an end. He returned to active service in the Luftwaffe in ww2, flying Ju88's and Me.210's, and died in 1968 aged 75. The build starts with the interior components, and Wingnuts provide a great deal of them. The interior framework and engine mounts; The 'metalwork'. The fuel tank is painted in Revell 94 Gold, which I think gives a better Brass finish than their Brass paint. The firewall, ammunition tank, and spare link collection tank are all done with Alclad Aluminium. The seat & etched belts, Cockpit floor, rudder pedals, and control column; The wood effect is Tamiya XF-55 Deck tan varnished with Johnsons Kleer. The grain is done with Griffin Alkyd oils mixed to give an appropriate wood shade from Raw Sienna, Light red, and Burnt Umber in various proportions. The gun mount, Compass, and instrument panel. All interior components together; The Mercedes engine is a little beauty. Major components; I have left the two magnetos on a section of sprue, as I have drilled them to take spark plug wires, and they are easier to handle like this. Metal areas are again Alclad Aluminium, black is Citadel Chaos Black. I have made 2 props in case of accidents with one of them. Like the cockpit floor they are done with deck tan, but then masked to give a laminted effect. Red brown is sprayed on, leaving a very strong 2 tone look. This is covered with a dark mix of Griffin Alkyd oils, so that the laminated affect only just shows through under the grain; The top 3 pictures are various stages of the same prop. All this lot needs to come together now, and the fuselage 'zipped up'. Cheers John
  11. Just before Christmas 2012 Wingnut Wings released their long awaited Fokker D.VII kits in 1:32 scale in three versions. All three are beautiful kits reviewed here. I started one as soon as possible, deciding to go with the Fokker built version (Other boxings are for the OAW and Albatros built versions) mainly because it featured the Fokker 'streaky green' brush painted finish as decals, and I wanted to see how they would look. I chose Willi Gabriels machine on the basis that it was colourful, and because Gabriel was an interesting character. He rapidly started scoring kills when posted to Jasta 11, but his maverick lack of discipline style saw him infuriate his CO, Hermann Goering, who had him kicked off front line flying. Anyway, back to the kit. It was a total pleasure to build, but everything needs to be done carefully. Fit is of the highest standard and the instrctions very clear so you must follow them to the letter. There is a build log here. The model is fully rigged, the D.VII was designed to do away with rigging wires between the wings, so the only wires are between the undercarraiage, and on the control surfaces. Enough of the talk, on with the photos; Thanks for looking, John
  12. 30010 Fokker D.VII (F) Fighting Fokkers Part 5. Following on from the 'Fighting Fokkers'decal sets 1 to 5 which cover the Fokker, Albatros, and OAW built D.VII's Wingnut Wings have released another set for the new Fokker D.VII(F) kit. The instructions look very similar to those in Wingnuts kits, being printed on the same glossy paper and with the same high standard of information. The first page consists of side profiles whilst the subsequent three pages show upper and lower views, and contemporary black and white photographs of the actual aircraft. With call outs for each decal number and also paint colours, there should be no room for doubt about what goes where. A list is even provided with each scheme to inform you which engine parts from the kit will be required. The subjects are well chosen, giving a nice variety of different types of scheme from von Hantelmanns red and white 465/18, Loerzers black and white striped 7716/18, through to Fritz Haacks half black half white machine with an owl painted on the side, which is a scheme I have never seen before. The decals themselves are by Cartograf, very cleanly printed on thin carrier film, with good colours and perfect registration. The main sheet is A4 sized with a smaller supplementary sheet of wing and fuselage and lots of detail items like data plates, instrument faces, propeller logos etc. No lozenge decals are supplied as these will be found in the base kit anyway. Once again Wingnut Wings have provided 'modelers gold' with a superb set of very attractive and presented decal options. The only problem you will have is deciding which one to go for, particularly as the kit itself contains five lovely options. World War One aviation modelers, you've never had it so good! Very highly recommended. Review samples courtesy of
  13. Howdy Gang! We have a question about Rudy Stark's D.VII. What decal to use on the front cylinder? 73 or 74? We are also interested in knowing if Rudy's engine had the generator. Follow the group build on the Face Book. Search for Fokker Village. That's us!
  14. Sopwith Snipe 1/32 Wingnut Wings It only takes one look at the pugnacious little Snipe to see that it is a product of the Sopwith Company, that obvious 'hump' on the fuselage serving to raise the pilots seating position higher and improve his all round visibility.The direct lineage from the more famous Camel is clear to see, and not altogether surprising as it was designed to be the Camels replacement. Design objectives were to increase performance by fitting a more powerful engine, strengthen the airframe, and eliminate some of the Camels trickier handling problems. All of these parameters were met, but the aircraft only just made it to the front line in the last few weeks before the First World War ended. 43 Squadron received its first Snipes at the end of August 1918, and after a period of training used them operationally for the first time on 24Th September. Further deliveries were made to 4 Squadron Australian Flying Corps who perhaps saw the most combat use with them, and to 208 Squadron RAF who received them too late to see any combat at all. It was generally thought easier to fly than the Camel, but conversely because some of its more skittish characteristics had been ironed out, it was thought by some experienced fliers to be less nimble in combat. Changes were made to improve its agility by increasing the size of the fin and rudder, and adding larger, balanced ailerons to the upper wing. After the war the Snipe was selected as the main fighter to be retained by the RAF as it wound down to a peace time footing, remaining in service until 1926 and incidentally was the last RAF fighter to use a rotary engine. Other operators of the Snipe were the Brazilian Navy, Canada, and the Soviet Union. The kit. Yet again Wingnut Wings present their product in exemplary style. The silver gilt edged box top features a gorgeous Steve Anderson painting of a 56 Squadron Snipe in formation with a Bristol Fighter over a shimmering sea, heading for the white cliffs of Dover. Along the side are little pictorials of the five finishing options that will be found inside, raising the anticipation levels even higher. Inside everything is sealed in its own clear plastic bag, including the instruction booklet. As is the norm now, Wingnuts instructions are very comprehensive with a full parts map, CAD drawings to show the assembly stages, all backed up with detail photographs of the full size aeroplane. Particularly helpful are the full colour drawings showing completed sub assemblies. The assembly sequence is finished off with a full rigging diagram, showing a front three-quarter view and a rear three quarter view from the other side. The final section covers the five colour scheme options, but more of this later. The instructions are worth filing away as references in their own right once the model has been finished. Sprue A covers the cockpit interior and a lot of the smaller items. There are some very fine mouldings on here, all very crisp and flash free. The Instrument panel is very nice and I was particularly impressed with the bomb rack and the fuselage side frames. They are complex pieces of work that only a few years ago would surely have been impossible to produce as single components. Sprue B holds the upper and lower wings which are both single, full span mouldings. This is very good news for those nervous of building biplanes as the dihedral is all set up for you and there are no alignment problems associated with attaching outer panels to centre sections. The fabric effect is beautifully done with nicely defined rib tapes and stitching and the trailing edges are thin and sharp. Studying this sprue, turning it over and looking at it from all angles, I would say that there is nothing that could be done to improve it. Its perfectly designed and perfectly executed, no flash, no sink marks, it turns the most complex part of biplane building into simplicity. I have no doubt that all eight interplane struts will fit perfectly and lock the two wings together in accurate alignment, I'll start building this soon so will be able to confirm that prediction. Sprue C holds the clear parts which are the windscreen and the two covers for the aileron pulley inspection hatches in the lower wing. There are two copies of sprue D as they very sensibly hold all the parts of which two or more are required. Struts, wheels, Vickers guns, Cooper bombs, and Holt flare brackets are all here. If you look very closely you'll see in very fine raised letters 'Palmer Cord Aero Tyre' around the side of each tyre. Sprue E is for the Bentley BR.2 engine, which is comparatively simple. The main nine cylinder section is in two halves with separate cylinder heads, push rods, and induction pipes. Again the mouldings are very crisp with fine detail. Sprue F has the fuselage halves and cockpit coaming, tailplane and propeller. The fabric effect on the fuselage looks very good indeed. It is restrained and looks exactly like tight doped linen over wooden stringers. There is no sign of that sometimes overdone 'sagging fabric' fantasy that sometimes appears on other manufacturers kits. Sprue H is attached to F, and contains the parts that make this Snipe a 'late' version,the fin/rudder and upper ailerons. They have the same fabric and ribtape finish as the wings, as you would expect. The final parts on the photo etch fret and consist of sights and cocking handles for the Vickers guns, and two types of seat belts. There is the earlier, wide, lap belt and the later post war four point Sutton Harness to fit as appropriate to your chosen version. Colour schemes. I always have a lot of trouble, in the nicest possible way, in choosing one of the options supplied in the box. This one is going to even more difficult than usual as I really like them all very much. They are; A) E6351 GS Sapozhnikov, 1st Soviet Fighter Aviaotryad, 1920. This machine was captured by the Soviets in Poland, re-covered and repainted, and used by Grigoriy Sapozhnikov, a five victory ace. He named it 'Nelly' and painted the ace of spades on the sides. The Russian stars are black rather than red, which adds to its appeal as a finishing option. I love the way that Wingnut Wings always manage to find an off beat subject like this, and include it in their kits. B ) E6544, 17 Squadron, Hawkinge, 1924. Overall silver with blue wheel discs and 17 Squadrons zig zag design down the fuselage. A lovely, tidy scheme that is very attractive and an iconic representative of the 'Silver Wings' period that developed through the 1920's and 30's. C) E6964, 56 Squadron, Hawkinge 1923. Overall silver with red and white checker bars, red wheel discs and fin. Another 'Silver Wings' era machine, that unmistakably belongs to 56 Squadron. Very nice. D) E8198, C Flight 4 Squadron, Bickendorf, January - February 1919. PC 12 with Battleship grey cowling areas and clear doped linen undersides. Engaged in post war occupation duties in Germany. This is a classic late war Snipe, and may be the one I choose as I like 'front line' machines. E) F2367, B Flight, 70 Squadron, Bickendorf, March - April 1919. PC 12 with Battleship grey cowling areas and clear doped linen undersides. Also on occupation duties in Germany, this Snipe is in a standard wartime finish with extra white bars on the cowling and around the fuselage. Decals. The decals by Cartograf are on a large single sheet that only just fits within the dimensions of the box. They have minimal carrier film, sharp printing, good colour, and a gloss finish. Stencils, data plates, instrument faces, even the Sopwith logos for the struts are provided, along with all the items necessary for each individual aircraft. White bordered and unbordered roundels are provided for the upper wings of the RAF options, with plain black stars for the Russian on.The two 'Silver Wing' machines are provided with upper wing 'Zig Zag' and 'Checker' markings for each squadron, as there is a small chance that they may have been carried. The instructions note that there is no photographic evidence however, so it is up to the modeller to decide whether or not to use them. Conclusion. Every time a new Wingnut Wings Kit comes out, there are high expectations. We know what to expect now, from the beautiful presentation to the superbly moulded parts, along with the great finishing options, and the superb instructions. All of this is here, although there is a new element emerging ever so quietly. The mouldings on Sprue A have some very complex shapes on them, and have left me wondering how on earth they do it. The wings too are lovely pieces, I might have expected sink marks on what are fairly sizeable mouldings, but there is not a trace of a problem on them anywhere. Its almost certain that it will build with accuracy and precision, albeit that you have to take care and follow the instructions closely. The two bay wings will require more rigging than a single bay type, but none of it has double wires, so helping to keep it comparatively simple. So, another lovely kit from Wingnut Wings that has nudged that bar just a little higher, so much so that it is going straight to the top of my build pile just as soon as I have finished the Fokker. Very highly recommended. Review samples courtesy of
  15. Fokker D.VII Decals. 1:32 Wingnut Wings Although the Wingnut Wings D.VII kits already come with five different choices of markings in each box, they have released several sets to give you an even wider choice. Sensibly the individual sets offer extra schemes for one particular variant, so 'Fighting Fokkers Part 1' covers Fokker built aircraft, Part 2 Albatros, and Parts 3 & 4 OAW. Like in the kits, the decal instructions are printed in full colour on thick glossy paper, with drawings that look to be by Ronny Bar (although no credits are given). The first page consists of side profiles whilst the subsequent three show upper and lower views, and contemporary black and white photographs of the actual aircraft. With call outs for each decal number and also paint colours, there should be no room for doubt about what goes where. A list is even provided with each scheme to inform you which engine parts from the kit will be required for it. In each section there are a few paragraphs of text about the actual craft, and where known a little history about the pilots who flew it. This is a very nice touch which brings the subject matter to life. For instance, option D on the 'Part 1' sheet was flown by Max Holtzem, who after the war emigrated to the USA and ended up with North American Aviation as a Flight Inspector on P-51 Mustangs during the second world war. He remained active in aviation circles until his death in 1980 at the age of 87. Great little nuggets of information that characterise the Wingnut Wings attention to detail in all that they do. The decals themselves are by Cartograf, very cleanly printed on thin carrier film, with good colours and perfect registration. Most sheets are A4 sized with an A5 sized supplementary sheet of wing and fuselage crosses where required, as well as a plethora of data plates, propeller logos, instrument faces etc. None of the sets contain lozenge decals as these will all be found in the base kit anyway. (Notes - German aircraft were given a serial number followed with a '/' and the year of manufacture. So 373/18 is D.VII number 373, built in 1918. Jagstaffeln (Jasta)numbers are sometimes followed with a letter. these denote the region they were formed in, 'b' for Bavarian, 's' for Saxon, 'w' for Württemberg). 30006 Fokker D.VII (Fok) Fighting Fokkers Part 1. A. 'MK' Ludwig Reimann, Jasta 78b, late 1918. B. 373/18, Heinrich Piel, Jasta 13b, June 1918. C. 382/18, Georg von Hantelman & Kurt Wustoff, Jasta 15, June 1918. D. 402/18, Max Holtzem, Jasta 16b, Mid 1918. E. 244/18, Lothar von Richthofen, Jasta 11, and Aloys Heldmann, Jasta 10, June - July 1918. Close up detail; 30007 Fokker D.VII (Alb) Fighting Fokkers Part 2. As well as the standard five options, there are two 'bonus' options included on the sheet. Bonus 1 is a factory fresh fully lozenged 652/18 before any unit or personal markings were applied, whilst bonus 2 is Ltn.d.R Simons red and white striped fuselage machine. You will need to do the stripes yourself. A. 571/18, Adolf Gutknecht, Jasta 43, July 1918. B. 666/18, Hans Dannenberg,Vzfw Mohring, Rudolf Neckel, Kest 1a/Jasta 90, late 1918. C. 833/18 Robert Greim, Jasta 34b, October 1918. D. 5278/18, 'Hertha', Jasta 27, October/November 1918. E. Otto Creutzmann & Josef Raesch, Jasta 43, June - July 1918. 30008 Fokker D.VII (OAW) Fighting Fokkers Part 3. A. 2052/18, Karl Thom, Jasta 21s, 1918. B. 4453/18, Alfred Lindenberger, Jasta 2, November 1918. C. 4631/18, 'Lot', Jasta 64w, late 1918. D. 4635/18, 'U.10' Heinz Frieherr von Beaulieu-Marconnay, Jasta 65, September 1918. This aircraft was zapped after capture by the US 95th Aero squadron, with its kicking mule. The option is on the sheet should you wish to use it. E. 6441/18, Max Nather, Jasta 62, October - November 1918. 30009 Fokker D.VII (OAW) Fighting Fokkers Part 4. There are so many great schemes for OAW D.VII's that one extra set was never going to be enough, so here we have a second. A. 4025/18, Paul Strahle, Jasta 57, September 1918. B. 4649/18 'Seven Swabians' Wilhelm Scheutzel,Jasta 65, 1918. C. 6344/18, 'Yellow X', Jasta 58, late 1918. D. 6428/18, Hans Joachim von Hippel, Jasta 71, October - November 1918. E. Ltn Fritz von Schliewen, Jasta 6, September 1918. Close up detail; (Note - The 'Seven Swabians' are commonly mistaken for the 'Seven Dwarfs'. They have nothing to do with the Snow White tale, but are from a Brothers Grimm story). I suspect that these decal sheets are aimed at, and will be bought by Great War aviation aficionados. They have the same quality of research, presentation, and production that we have come to expect from Wingnut Wings, and makes them the number one model company. The standard kits already contain a superb range of options to satisfy the casual enthusiast. But once you get hooked and start to read up on the pilots, squadrons and aircraft, a plan inevitably starts to form in your mind as to how you can build a representative range, and these sheets will help tremendously. I find it starts with the personalities, and then moves on to their aircraft. My particular favourites amongst these sheets are Georg Von Hantelmann, Kurst Wustoff, Lothar von Richtofen, Alfred Lindenberger, Max Nather, Robert Greim, Paul Strahle, and Hans Joachim von Hippel. And then of course 'Hertha' and 'Seven Swabiens' are so colourful they deserve to be built as well. Looking at these decals has found me spending hours defining the builds I want to do, sorting out a representative selection of D.VII sub types, Jastas, and pilots. Inspirational decal sheets indeed. Yet again Wingnut Wings have come up with a top quality product. Very highly recommended. Review samples courtesy of
  16. Sopwith Triplane 1:32 Wingnut Wings One of the things that I find interesting about First World war aviation is the variety of aircraft types that appeared as each side struggled for aerial supremacy. If you put yourself in the position of a designer back in 1914 a lot of what we take for granted today was unknown and had to be worked out, resulting in some quite unusual looking aircraft. Low powered engines require a generous amount of lift and therefore wing area in order make flight viable, thus the proliferation of biplanes and scarcity of monoplane designs. I remember reading somewhere that in aerodynamic terms most lift comes from the first 30% of a wing back from the leading edge, so that for a given wing area a long span, thin chord wing is much more efficient than a short span, wide chord one. Which leads us nicely in to the design philosophy of the Triplane, where the very similar Sopwith Pup had much the same wing area spread over two wings, the Triplane had three thin chord wings of the same span as the Pup . It was able to easily out climb, outrun, and outmanoeuvre its two winged brother, all whilst utilising the same type of engine, and had the improved all round visibility that is so vital in a fighting aircraft. Appearing over the Western Front in June 1916, it served almost exclusively with Royal Navy Air Service (RNAS) units. It served for just over a year before being replaced by the twin gun Sopwith Camel from late 1917. The most famous users of the 'Tripehound' were Naval 10 squadron, and particularly 'B' flight leader Raymond Collishaw and his all Canadian 'Black Flight' who claimed 87 kills in just three months. That it didn't see more widespread service is probably attributable to the fact that it was a fragile aircraft and difficult to maintain. Tasks that could be completed relatively simply on other aircraft would require major dis-assembly of the Triplanes wings and fuselage in order to gain access to components. The French were the only other operators of the Triplane, and unlike the Sopwith 1 1/2 strutter which they licence built in their thousands, they didn't really take to it. As noted in the Wingnuts instruction booklet where there is a decal option for a French machine, the French did not seem 'particularly inclined to repair them, with half a dozen being written off following often quite minor accidents'. As noted earlier, the arrival of the Sopwith Camel which was stronger and carried twice the firepower, saw the withdrawal of the Triplanes from front line service. The survivors remained in use as trainers until the end of the war, when it quickly disappeared. Although it was produced in relatively small numbers (153 in total, Vs 5,490 Camels) it gained a reputation greater than it's limited use would have suggested. Certainly the German Jastas had great respect for it and it started a 'Triplane craze' on their side, of which only the Fokker DR.1 gained any notable success. The kit. Another lovely surprise from Wingnut Wings was the release of this kit just before Christmas 2012. Packaged in the usual very smart box with Steve Andersons superb artwork showing a low level tailchase with another Tripehound and an Albatros, you know you are in for a treat as you lift the lid on this one. Packed to the top with individual sprues sealed in their own polythene bags, I usually head for the instruction booklet at the bottom of the box, and remove its wrapper. Printed in heavy gauge gloss paper, the twenty two page booklet is beautifully laid out and starts with a parts map. CAD drawings are then used for the assembly sequences, including completed sub assemblies in full colour showing how it should all look as you progress through the build. Colour photographs of the Shuttleworth collections N6920 are used to highlight and clarify various close up details, whilst contemporary black and white photos are used to explain other details. Towards the end of the booklet are the usual five colour scheme options featuring Ronny Bar's beautiful full colour profiles, and more black and white photographs of the actual aircraft being modelled. Nobody comes close to the completeness and quality of Wingnut Wings instructions, and as always you will want to file these away as reference material at the end of the build. Six sprues of various sizes are in the box, the two major ones being for the wings and fuselage. Crisp and clean mouldings are Wingnut Wings hallmark, and these are no exception. I particularly like the Sopwith 'quilted' effect on the sides of the fuselage behind the cowling. It really captures the look of fabric stretched over the wooden framework beneath, which incidentally is nicely moulded on the inside of the fuselage. The 'quilted' effect; The three wings are all together on one sprue. The top and bottom wings are single piece mouldings, thus making the process of setting the dihedral foolproof. The moulded detail is again first class. I've never seen better represented rib tapes on any kit, you can see how these were done. They stitched the wing fabric on to the ribs, sealed it with a strip of fabric and then doped it all to pull it taut. Even the little riblets on the leading edge between the main ribs show up with just enough effect. A nice touch is the inspection panels for the control runs. In reality these are clear panels that the fitters can look through to check that the control cables are correctly on their pulleys. These are moulded in, and separate clear parts are provided to fit over them. These also feature on Wingnuts Sopwith Pup and Se5a kits, and I can vouch that they look extremely good. Interestingly sprue 'B' is labelled 'Sopwith Pup' showing that real life is being mirrored in model form, as these components shared between the Pup and the Triplane. It contains the wheels, tailplane, cockpit seat and various other small ancillary items. This wide span tailplane is the one initially fitted to triplanes, (options A and C use it) but later on a shorter span one was developed. This can be found on sprue A, so you have the choice. Various different cowling panels and a choice of prop are on sprue 'F', and I notice that the large square inspection panels are greyed out on the parts map, possibly meaning that we can expect another Triplane release (purely guesswork, but the 'Black Flight' Triplanes featured these panels so maybe we will see a boxing for them?). The Clerget engine is a nice little model in it's own right, and comes with very delicately moulded cooling fins, induction pipes, and push-rods. An optional crankcase front enables you to build either a 110 or 130 hp version, depending upon which finishing option you choose. Clear parts are provided for the very minimal windscreens, and the aforementioned inspection panels in the wings. Rigging on the Triplane is rather like a biplane, in that the bracing runs from the top wing to the bottom wing, and line lines actually cross in the middle wing. There is further bracing fore and aft on the lower and middle wing, to the fuselage. Patches were appently placed over these crossover points, and these are provided on the etched brass sheet, along with a set of seatbelts. Marking Options. Wingnut Wings always provide at least five interesting marking options with their kits. These ones are especially nice as well as three RNAS machines, they also feature a French variant, and a captured German one. The 'obvious' option of a Naval 10 'black flight' machine is not present so I would guess that this might come out separately or feature on one of Wingnuts own aftermarket decal sheets. Personally I tend to like the less obvious choices as they often have an interest of their own, and spur you on to do a little extra reading and research. The decals are printed by Cartograf on an almost A4 sized sheet and have excellent register, colour density and sharpness. The wing roundels have a little cutout in them where they fit around the clear inspection panels, and are also designed to fit down into the slot formed by the aileron gap. Finally, the little dials for the instruments are particularly impressive, you can actually read them through a magnifying glass. Tthe profiles are in full colour by Ronny Bar, some just as side profiles sharing anothers upper and lower drawings, but most as full three-views. It can often take several days of thinking around the subject to actually decide which one to do, as the choices are so interesting. I'm strongly tempted by the French and German options, but also have a nagging feeling that I would like one of the RNAS machines in my collection, as it was really one of 'their' aircraft. It' all good fun mulling it over though, and part of the enjoyment. Option A. Triplane F4 Centre d'Aviation Maritime, Dec 1916 to Jan 1917. Option B. N534 1 (N) Squadron August 1917. A very interesting option, N534 was flown by no fewer than three aces who all obtained kills in it. 'Sammy' Maynard (6 kills) was a New Zealander, whilst Richard Minifie (21 Kills) and Roderick Dallas (32 kills) were both Australians. Option C. N5427 1(N) Squadron April 1917. Another machine flown by 'Sammy' Maynard to obtain a kill. Option D. N5429, Jasta 4 September 1917. Serving with 1(N) Squadron in September 1917, JR Wilford was shot down by 27 victory ace Kurt Wusthoff on the 13th of the month. With it's pointy spinner and eisernkreuz markings, this certainly is an unusual triplane. Option E. N6301, Roderick McDonald, 8(N) Squadron May 1917. Named 'Dusty II' . Conclusion. In previous builds of my own Wingnuts Wings kits (LVG, Pfalz D.IIIa, Roland D.VIa, SE5.a, Sopwith Pup, Bristol F2.b, and FE.2b), the fit has been extraordinarily good, so it is safe to assume that this one will go together with the same precision that all the others have. It also has the same meticulous attention to detail that characterise these kits. Alternative parts are provided for cockpit coamings, windscreens, struts with/without pitot heads, propellers, etc for all the different making options provided in the kit. The one piece wings and simple interplane struts should make it an ideal first or second build for the WW.1 novice, and the rest of us 'Great War' addicts will certainly want a 'Tripehound' in our collections. Buy with confidence, this is another beautifully designed and presented offering from Wingnut Wings which will provide you with many hours of pure modelling enjoyment. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  17. Hannover CL.II 1:32 Wingnut Wings The Hannover CL.II was designed in 1917 as a two seat escort fighter to protect other two seat reconnaissance aircraft.Hannoversch Waggonfabrik AG were actually manufacturers of railway waggons who had branched out into license building Halberstadt, Rumpler and Aviatik aircraft. Their first indigenous design was the CL.II, which first flew in July 1917 and entered service in August 1917. Like the Roland CL.II the fuselage was a lightweight structure formed of thin plywood layers covered with fabric and doped, as were the wing centre sections. It makes an interesting comparison with the Bristol F.2b fighter as some of the design aims were the same. Most obvious was the need to give the gunner as wide a field of fire as possible. Frank Barnwell did this on the Bristol aircraft by placing the fin and rudder pretty much half and half above and below the fuselage. The CL.II achieved it by shortening the span of the tailplane but maintaining the surface area by making it a biplane unit, and locating the gunner very high in the fuselage. Also similar to the F.2b the top wing is at the crews eye level, giving them an excellent view above and below. Unlike the Bristol with its lower wing mounted below the fuselage on short struts, the Hannover simply has a much deeper fuselage to maintain the gap between the two wings. In service it was very well liked, being strong, fast, highly manoeuverable and generally versatile. It also had the advantage of being smaller that most two seaters, leading allied pilots to think it was a single seater that could be sneaked up on from behind. Any pilot who did so would place himself at the mercy of the rear gunner. As the war progressed into 1918 the Hannover was also used in the ground attack role, and continued in front line service up until the November armistice. The Kit. This was a surprise announcement at Christmas 2012, and one that was most welcome.It comes with the usual beautiful full colour instruction booklet in a box packed with sprues, three near A4 sized sheets of decals, and photo etch for the seatbelts and machine gun jackets. Its a real treat to open and spend time poring over all the contents an marveling at the thought and care that has gone into it all. Construction begins with the cockpit and every detail has been provided, including the fuel tank that the pilots seat is mounted on. Bulkheads are superbly moulded with crisp detail; There is also an optional wireless set, complete with readable decals for all the dials, and large FK camera for photo recce missions. CAD drawings of the complete assembly in full colour should leave you in doubt how the final assembly should look. Fabulous. The Argus As.III engine is up next and as is usual with Wingnuts there are optional cylinder heads with pushrods molded on, or without if you prefer to make your own from stretched sprue for extra realism. All you really need to do yourself is wire up the magnetos to the spark plugs with fine jewellers wire and you will have a stunning little engine to fit up front. Cowlings are separate parts so you can leave the off or fit them to your liking. On other Wingnuts kits I have built it is possible to push fit them on so that they are removable. The biplane tail follows next, complete with drawings and contemporary photographs to show you the two possible rigging options for the unit. The wings on four of the five finishing options are covered with lozenge fabric, so you have to decide by now which one you are going for, as the decals will need applying now. I normally paint the uppers green and lowers pale blue to give the decals something to key on to, and blend in any tears if I am ham fisted applying them. Don't be tempted to apply them to the bare plastic, it won't work. Optional upper wing radiators are provided, so again you need to pay attention to you chosen option. Finally comes the undercarriage which should present no problems, and and choice of three appropriate propellers. Final details are the the Parabellum LMG.14 or 14/17 with etched jacket where appropriate, and various external racks for flares or grenades. Also included is a generic sprue with Cameras, ladders, wheel chocks, barograph, trestle, homing pigeon box,flare pistols, and teddy bear(!), everything to completely fit out you CL.II for a mission. The rigging looks moderately complex but is clearly illustrated. Colour options. There are the normal five options to choose from. The Hannover featured a hand painted lozenge finish to the fuselage, and either all over or just on the rear fin, so you can select one according to your confidence. The last option is a very attractive overall pale blue machine, if you want to avoid dealing with lozenge camouflage all together. A) 9295/17 White 2, Ltn Ruhr FA A 286b, Late 1917. B ) 9339/17 Red 5,FA 7, Winter 1917-18 C) 13189/17 FA 287b, Early 1918. D) 13274/17 White 4, Schlasta 25 Mid 1918. E) 690/18, FEA 8, Late 1918. Conclusion. Well I have to say that this looks likes another winner from Wingnut Wings. Perhaps not one for the beginner because of the rigging, it should nevertheless build up without any problems. If you have already built a couple of biplanes, the fit and engineering of this or any other Wingnuts kits should encourage you to have a go. The Hannover is an inspired choice for a kit, and all those lovely extras just call out for it to be set in a little diorama. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  18. Great news, Thanks to Mikes gentle persuasion and diplomacy Britmodeller is now able to review the latest Wingnut Wings releases. First of them can be found here, The Fokker D.VII http://www.britmodel...topic=234931435 Cheers John
  19. Fokker D.VII 1:32 Wingnut Wings The Fokker D.VII first appeared over the western front in the late spring/early summer of 1918, as the Great War was entering its final phase leading up to the November Armistice. Much has been written about it, but it was an outstanding fighter often awarded the accolade of being the finest such machine produced by any side in the conflict. It is also well known that it was the only aircraft specifically named by the allies to be surrendered in the Armistice agreement, such was its fearsome reputation. Due to its success, Fokker could not keep up with demand so in order to increase the numbers available production was licensed to Albatros who produced machines at their Johannisthal plant and also their Ostdeutch Albatros Werke plant at Schneidemhl, now in Poland. Thus there are three suffixes commonly used when referring to the aircraft as either a D.VII(Fok), D.VII(ALB) or D.VII(OAW). Each one has subtle differences which help to distinguish which manufacturer it originated from, mainly in the area of cooling gills on the nose panels (although extra gills and openings were often cut in at the font line). A further distinction on the OAW machines is that the nose and axle stub wing were factory finished in dark green with a Giraffe pattern of irregular lilac shapes, but this would often be overpainted at unit level. All had wings finished in either 4 or 5 colour lozenge fabric as were fuselages, although early Fokker fuselages had the same streaky green finish often seen on the DR.1 Triplane. Initial variants were powered by the straight six Mercedes D.IIIa of 150/160 hp, changing to the 180/200 hp higher compression D.IIIau as production got into full swing. Most liked of all were those equipped with the over compressed BMW IIIa which gave from 185 hp up to 240 hp for short periods, although this engine was always in short supply. Exhausts were on the starboard side of the engine, and format tended to vary by manufacturer So, with three possible manufactures, three possible engines, and a number of different finishes, there is quite a variety of detail applicable to the D.VII. Fortunately in many cases the serial number was painted on the sides of the aircraft along with the appropriate designation of FOK, ALB. or OAW. I have always liked the boxy, functional appearance of the D.VII and from a modelling perspective it has the advantage of requiring almost no rigging at all. Most attractive of all is the sheer number and variety of markings that were applied to them. One of the most rewarding aspects of this hobby is learning something about the men who flew particular machines, and WW1 aviation offers a treasure trove of colourful markings and interesting characters to go with them. German aircraft were often under the ownership of a particular pilot and his mechanics, and so received highly colourful and individual finishes. Many units had their own base colours, such as Jasta 15's red nose and blue fuselages, with individual motifs applied on top, whilst others allowed free rein with the paint pot. The Kit Wingnut wings have released three boxings to cover the Fokker, Albatros and O.A.W. versions of the aircraft. The main sprues are the same, with the variations for each type being covered by an extra sprue for each type. Here I will review the OAW version, noting at the end the differences in the Fokker and Albatros boxings. Before you even open the box you can see that this is no ordinary kit. The lovely artwork with its silver gilt edging, the line up of colour scheme options along the side, and even the weight of it all combine to raise your sense of expectation. And when you take that lid off, it reveals a box packed right to the top with sprues individually shrink wrapped, as are the decals and even the instruction book. Quality indeed. Anyone who has ever opened one of the kits will know what I mean. Personally the first thing I do is cut the instruction book from its shrink wrap, and read through from cover to cover. Printed on heavy gloss paper with all assembly stages illustrated with CAD drawings and colour call outs, you are left in no doubt as to how it all goes together. Add in relevant photographs (both contemporary and modern) to further clarify and illustrate various aspects of assembly, and what you have here is not just a set of instructions, but a valuable reference manual as well. There are two full pages of colour photographs of all sides and details of the Mercedes engine alone. However, the bit I enjoy most is the first look at all the colour scheme options towards the back of the book. Again these are beautifully done, featuring Ronny Bars lovely profiles. I particularly like the way that Wingnut always seem to select their finishing options. Yes you may get one or two of the more well known ones but you always get 2 or 3 of the lesser known, and to my mind more interesting colour schemes to finish your model in. Thus begins the long and enjoyable process of thinking through which one you are going to choose. Filtering your choices and defining a shortlist, figuring out the top two, picking one of them only to find yourself changing it around the next day. I love this part of the process as it usually stimulates me to get looking at further references. This is where it becomes more than just planning the model, as part of my decision making process requires that I find out more about the individual pilot and his squadron. My final choice will be based on a combination of an attractive/interesting finish, and what the life story of the pilot was. Already I can see that it's going to be a difficult task with this kit as Rudolph Starks 'Li', Franz Buchners 'Lion head', and Wilhelm Leusch's 'Dragon' are all ones that I absolutely must build. Construction starts with the Cockpit, which is built up of several sub-assemblies that all come together in the welded steel tube 'cage' that forms the Fokker's fuselage construction. Everything you need is there, a particularly nice touch is that the different engines used caused the guns to sit higher or lower on the fuselage, and Wingnuts provide you with different ammunition tanks with different length chutes to feed the guns as appropriate. The seat is a nice moulding with separate cushion and etched brass seat belts. Etched brass is also provided for the two Spandau machine guns, or there is the option of fully moulded Spandaus if you are not confident with rolling the etched ones. The instrument panel has the dials moulded on with flat faces into which you put individual decals. This always looks stunning, as you can actually read the instruments. Next up is the engine, which is beautifully and crisply molded. I've already built several Wingnuts engines and they are pretty much foolproof. The only thing I add is ignition wiring, which gives that extra bit of detail not really possible to mould in plastic. Finished in alcald with the data plate decals on, they look fantastic. Some engines has asbestos 'bandages' wrapped around the intake manifolds. If you want this on your model you will need to do it yourself with tissue and white glue as the kit manifold is the 'unwrapped' variety. Withe the engine and interior made, the instructions show the fuselage halves being joined together. Interestingly Wingnuts have done as Eduard did with their smaller D.VII kits and provided the underside stitching as a separate insert, which is really the only way to do it without it being obliterated by sanding the seam line. The nose panels are fitted next, and these are what really distinguishes the various D.VII's with their various cooling gills and exhaust positions. The instructions are very clear about what you need for each of the colour scheme options, with optional panels provided on the sprue, and some gills needing to be shaved off. From here it is wings, tailplane and undercarriage that need assembling and decalling. All very straightforward and clearly illustrated. The axle wings varied between manufacturers, and this has been reflected in the kits. Having build several Wingnuts kits already, I am totally confident that the struts will fit precisely, and if you scrape any paint off the lugs & sockets (the mouldings are that precise that a layer of paint will interfere with the fit) the top wing will drop precisely into place with no bother. Finally you select one of the three propellers appropriate to the D.VII. Generally I fit the one that appears in contemporary photos of the actual plane I am modelling, but in reality props were frequently replaced with which ever make was available. Almost no rigging was fitted to the D.VII, this being part of its design philosophy. Fortunately for us modellers it also makes the build a lot easier. There are only 2 lines between the undercarriage legs, a couple of control wires from the fuselage sides, and very short rudder & elevator control lines. All very simple. The Decals Continuing with the theme of excellence, the decals are by Cartograf and look fabulous. There are five near A4 sized sheets and a couple of smaller ones. Three of the bigger sheets concern them self with the lozenge fabric. The real fabric was produced in both ‘four colour’ and the later ‘five colour’ variants, and although only one will be appropriate to your chosen scheme, you get both. The colours of lozenge fabric are one of those contentious areas of WW.1 modelling. Samples still exist but may have faded and or degraded over the years, reproductions have been made using as near original materials and techniques as possible, but still many opinions abound. Google will provide you with endless hours on this subject should you want to go deeply in to it. Suffice to say that I think that Wingnuts have got it exactly right, and both options give an excellent representation. In previous Wingnuts kits I have built (LVG, Pfalz D.IIIa, Roland D.VIa the lozenge decal has been in strips which you had to cut and trim span wise, as per the real thing and the fit individual rib tapes. It should be a lot simpler now as the decals are designed to cover each wing surface in one go, including rib tapes. In case your option requires the light blue or salmon pink tapes, these are also provided. Colour options. A) 4198/18 Karl Ritscherle, Jasta 60 mid to late 1918. An eight victory ace, Karl Ritscherle survived the war, only to be shot down and killed over Essex in a Heinkel 111 during the battle of Britain. B ) 4523/18 Rudolf Stark, Jasta 35b, late 1918. C) Serial unknown Franz Buchner, Jasta 13 October-November 1918. D) Serial unknown Willhelm Leusch, Jasta 19 October 1918. E) Serial unknown Ulrich Neckel, Jasta 6 November 1918. I have slight reservations about this one as the stripes are only provided as decals for the top and bottom of the fuselage. The instructions are to paint the black stripes on the fuselage sides. My reservations are to do with not wanting to get masking tape anywhere near the already applied decals, so I would be inclined to use solid black decal sheet cut into strips for the fuselage sides on this option. Fokker D.VII version. As noted before, the differences between various manufacturers are in the nose panels around the engine, and the axle wing. This release contains a sprue 'I' with the parts appropriate for a Fokker built machine. Two large sheets of decals are provided for the marking options, as well as the four and five colour lozenge sheets and the rib tapes shown in the OAW kit above. Early Fokker built aircraft had fuselages and tailplanes finished with a brush painted streaky green effect, which is quite difficult to replicate on models. This kit provides an interesting innovation, with the streaks being provided on one of the decal sheets with more than enough material to cover a fuselage. All the modeller needs to do is apply a light green base coat. I plan to make Willi Gabriels 286/18, so will be able to report back on how well they work. Colour options. A) 234/18 Friedrich 'Fritz' Freidrichs, Jasta 10 March-April 1918. B ) 286/18 Willi Gabriel, Jasta 11 June 1918. An interesting character, Gabriels squadron commander was Herman Goering. The two men disliked each other, resulting in Gabriel being removed from Jasta 11. Gabriel was active again in WW.2 Flying Junkers Ju88's, and died in 1966. C) 368/18 Hans Schultz, Jasta 18 June 1918. D) 4301/18 Fritz Oppenhorst, Jasta 71 August-November 1918. E) Serial unknown, Gotthard Sachsenberg, MFJGr1, October 1918. Slightly unusual option here, as it is a Naval machine. (MFJ standing for Marine Field Jasta). Sachsenberg was a 31 Victory ace. His aircraft is typical of some of the more outrageous schemes applied to D.VII's. Albatros D.VII Version. Sprue 'K' contains the Albatros appropriate variations. One large A4 sized sheet has all the individual markings, and again the four and five lozenge & rib tapes are provided. Colour Options. A) 611/18 Uffz. Harbers, Jasta 73 mid 1918. B ) 817/18 Fritz Blumenthal, Jasta 53 August 1918. C) 5324/18 Richard Kraut, Jasta 63 October-November 1918. D) Serial unknown, Herman Pritsch, Jasta 17 mid 1918. E) Serial Unknown, Carl Degelow, Jasta 40 August 1918. Conclusion. Well I have eagerly awaited this kit ever since it was announced, and have not been disappointed. Each of the three boxings are outstanding, and will provide a beautiful model. Past experience with building Wingnuts kits tells me that these will fit together with absolute precision. This can mean that fuselage halves can be a tight fit with all the interior parts fitted in, but all you have to do is scrape paint off all the bulkhead sides and the grooves they fit into, and things will be fine. It is a factor of the precise tolerances of these kits that a few thou of paint can make a difference, particularly if you use some of the thicker primers. The instructions are fabulous, with their clear CAD drawings, colour call outs, and reference photos to help you on the way. No other manufacturer has ever provided anything as good, and you will find yourself filing them away as excellent reference material in their own right. The decals are also fabulous, each kit has either four or five near A4 sized decal sheets with the individual markings and upper and lower lozenge fabric in its two varieties. All in perfect register and with the colours looking exactly right. There is something else about Wingnuts kits which is less tangible. It starts with opening the box for the first time and looking through the contents. It becomes evident that an awful lot of thought and care goes into these kits, that these are models created by other modellers. It is also apparent that compromises don't feature. Each component is precise and correct. 'Good enough' wont be found here, superb engineering will. It seems that Wingnuts don't release a kit until they are 100% satisfied with it in terms of accuracy and ease of building. Plenty of reviewers have heaped praise on Wingnut Wings for their extraordinary kits, and I understand why. Everything about them is the best it can be, from the box art to the quality of the plastic used, from the research on the colour schemes to the breakdown of each component. You name it, you'd struggle to say how it could be better. They raised the bar with their first releases, and are continuing to set the gold standard. If you are frightened of WW.1 subjects but want to try one of these kits then the D.VII should convince you to take the plunge. Beautiful subject, fabulous marking options, lozenge fabric all done with simple decals, and almost no rigging. This is the one to get, and you have three boxings to choose from, all gorgeous. I will start building one of these shortly, and recording the experience in 'Work in progress' [Edit] Build startred in Work in Progress HERE [/Edit] Review sample courtesy of
  20. We've just received the December 2012 releases from Wingnut Wings, and a pretty impressive bunch they are too. Three... yes, THREE Fokker D.VIIs, from the home of the Fokker (Fok), Johannisthal (Alb) and Schneidemühl (OAW - Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke) with any of their idiosyncrasies faithfully reproduced. Not only, but also... a Sopwith Triplane and this year's final surprise release from WNW, the Hannover C1.II with its distinctive biplane tail. In addition to those five releases, there are four additional decal sets. One for the Fok built aircraft, one for the Alb built aircraft, and two for the OAW built aircraft. Each one contains five colourful options, just in case the kit options don't float your boat. We'll be crafting detailed reviews of them just as soon as we can, and have a new reviewer that is knowledgable on the subject of WWI aircraft, and just happens to be an excellent modeller too. Please join me in welcoming John, also known as Viking on Britmodeller to the reviewing cadre. A couple of quick pics on the lounge rug this lunch time seemed to be in order In the meantime, if you just can't wait and want to find out a little more info, you'll find all the featured releases at WNW's website, here Mike.
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