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German WWII Pioneer Tools & Clamps (635018, 635019 & 635021) 1:35 Eduard Brassin PRINT All AFVs are issued with a set of pioneer tools when they take delivery of their vehicle, which are usually clamped on the outer surface of their ride using metal or metal and leather clamps that were (relatively) quick release for easy access. The crew would use them to repair their charge, dig latrines, trenches and other such earth works, and if they were really unlucky, they’d have to use them to dig out their own or a comrade’s vehicle if it became mired in mud or snow. Eduard are using their new 3D printing facilities to create a range of accessories to detail up your AFV models – specifically WWII German with this batch. Many AFV kits are simplified when it comes to pioneer tools and their clamps, so adding a selection from these sets should improve the look of your finished model. Although these sets arrive in a flat package, the directly 3D printed parts are safe inside a clear plastic clamshell box inside the package, which also has a sticky pad inside to prevent the parts from rattling about. The parts are printed resin, attached to the base via thin tendril-like fingers that are easy to cut off and sand the little upstands away, leaving them ready for action. All the sets have protective arches around the more vulnerable areas of the printed parts, although inside the little boxes and pinned down by the adhesive pads, they should reach you in the same condition as they left the factory. WWII German Hammer (635018) This set contains a printing base with four hammers, one of which is without clamps so that it can be depicted in-use or laid down somewhere. In addition, there is a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) that should be folded up onto an open-sided box to accommodate the square end of the hammer’s head. WWII German Axe (635019) Containing four printed axes on a base, three of them have two clamps along the shaft, while the fourth is without them to allow its use in a diorama or candid position. A small PE fret is included to be folded into a shroud that the axe head slots into to protect the crew and any riders from injury. Curiously, one axe is designed to be stowed vertically, which would be risky unless it was up against a vertical surface. WWII German Clamps Type 2 (635021) This set has three print bases with clamps in different positions. The largest base holds thirty clamps in the closed position, with a further ten un-latched but closed, and another ten in the open position. This will give you a choice of poses for the equipment in use or absent, as if it was removed by different people with their own idea of how to leave the empty clamps. Conclusion Detail is excellent throughout, and the removal of the parts should be simple, although it’s best done under magnification for surety of cut, making sure the carpet monster is away at the time. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hi everyone As my A-6 is getting towards the primer stage I thought I’d make a start on my A-8. Ive gone for the Weekend kit this time and added an Eduard Space set as I fancied trying the 3D printed ip and side panels. The set also includes PE seat belts. Box art D1EE067C-B3D3-4169-A1B1-76661FA8CBE3 by James Halls, on Flickr Plastic A38A1B7A-0E43-4847-9B2A-176233DFE731 by James Halls, on Flickr And the Space set C4148EED-DB63-486E-84EE-FEF4BC9296A0 by James Halls, on Flickr I haven’t decided on the colour scheme yet. I was going for this one which is from a previous A-8 build a couple of years ago. 9F7998CB-F92E-4EA2-A4C5-69396A3DC637 by James Halls, on Flickr But then these two came in the box. And I do like the late war scheme but not sure if my airbrushing is up to it. 28FBD982-F4E9-4762-BB9B-1B08A15923B0 by James Halls, on Flickr And this snake is pretty cool. 7BA39B97-2D1A-4907-9A84-3756ADE610B5 by James Halls, on Flickr Anyway, that’s all for now. Progress pics soon. Thanks for looking James

Avro Anson Mk.I Tface Masks (EX918 for Airfix) 1:48 Eduard Airfix’s new and long-awaited Anson in quarter-scale is a great kit, but it’s got a lot of glazing that might make some of our fellow modellers wince at the prospect of having to mask off the many clear parts, especially as is common with a lot of early WWII aircraft, it was quite a greenhouse, with frames everywhere across its extensive set of windows. Well, worry not because Eduard are riding to the rescue with this comprehensive set of masks. Unlike the usual Tface sets, this is supplied in an A5 flat-pack, on three large sheets of yellow kabuki tape with extensive diagrams guiding you. These pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, side windows, turret and all the other glazing both inside and out. In addition, you get landing light masks, alternate masks for the simplified windscreen framing, and a set of hub/tyre masks for all three wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Having used a Tface set of masks for my recent Wildcat build, I’m a huge fan of the concept, as I believe it gives your model’s glazing extra realism and depth, so will be using these sets at every opportunity. They’re highly accurate too, and once you have installed masks on the exterior panes, locating the inner sections is much easier, as you don’t have any doubt as to where they should fit. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

This aircraft was flown by Ofw. Josef Heinzeller, as an experienced, older pilot he was allowed to display the artwork of his dog 'Schnauzl' on both sides of the engine cowling of his aircraft. He had a smaller artwork of his German Schnauzer on his previous aircraft, a Bf 109F-4. He also had the inscription "Old Shap" in English beneath the cockpit of his Focke Wulf 190, Yellow 13. It was obviously his lucky number because he flew from the start of the war, served on both the Western and Eastern fronts and managed to survive with a final score of 35 kills, after the war he emigrated to the USA. The kit I'm using is the Eduard A-3 kit, It's not certain if this aircraft was an A-2 or an A-3 as they are externally identical, the difference is the engine, the A-2 had a BMW 801C-2 engine, the A-3 had a BMW 801D-2 engine. Here is the kit box art and the kit contents still bagged up. Here is the artwork for the paint scheme and decals. Ready to start on this straight away, as it's the same construction as my A-2 build it should be much quicker. Any comments or questions are, as always, most welcome.

Yak-9D Wheels (648821 for Zvezda) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Kit wheels are generally moulded in two halves, which means you have the resultant joins to deal with, possible mould-slip issues on single part wheels, and sometimes less than stellar detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seamline and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are usually a drop-in replacement. As is now usual with Eduard's smaller resin sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are wrapped around. Inside are three resin wheels on separate casting blocks and a sheet of masks for them. Each wheel is attached to the casting block at the contact patch, which has a small flat-spot and bulge that indicates the weight of the airframe on the tyres. Detail is excellent on the hubs, and the main wheel tyres have radial tread on the contact surface, while the tail-wheel has a circumferential tread with radial lines on the sidewalls. Once they’re cut from the blocks, installation is as simple as sliding them onto the axles of the main wheels, and flexing the kit's tail-wheel yoke to admit the replacement resin part. In addition, there is a sheet of pre-cut kabuki-style masking material (not pictured) included in the package, which should allow you to cut the demarcation between the tyres and hubs sharply and without any effort. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Spitfire Mk.Vb Updates (for Eduard Weekend) 1:48 Eduard We’ve just reviewed the new Weekend boxing of the Spitfire Mk.Vb Mid from Eduard here, and for those of you that have changed your mind about the level of detail you want to include in your model, here are a couple of sets that can help you out quickly and easily. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Spitfire Mk.Vb Weekend Upgrade Set (FE1322) This includes a single fret of nickel-plated and pre-painted brass to increase the detail of the Weekend kit, if you’ve changed your mind about wanting a quick easy build with no PE already. A complete set of new three-layered instrument panels; added levers for the cockpit; seat armour and head armour; link hose between the two tanks in the rear; flare rack for the front of the seat; replacement throttle quadrant; rudder pedal straps; firing lever for the control column; compass insert; a full set of pre-painted four-point seatbelts; additional internals to the cockpit sidewalls; grilles for the intakes and oil cooler; surface meshes for both sides of the radiator baths under the wings; supports under the radiator flaps; closure mechanism for the pilot’s door; bases under two underwing outlets; rear-view mirror and closure mechanism for the canopy, and pop-up undercarriage indicator stalks on the upper wings that require a small hole to be drilled in the wing, as located by the red dot in the diagrams. Masks Tface (EX914) Supplied on a two sheets of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything you would expect for the exterior glazing, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the insides of the canopy and give your model that extra bit of realism. From experience, it’s best to put the outer set of masks on first, then line up the smaller inner sections with those for nice neat frames on both sides. Review sample courtesy of

This my second from the superb “Southern Star” Dual Combo boxing after my 92 squadron Mk.Vb - I always wanted to build an Aussie spit but every time I have nearly got to it - something came up to put me off. So now I have done it and I am reasonably pleased with the result - though I should learn my lesson and do ALL of my research before I start. Based on research carried out by the genius Peter Malone and some self interpretation of pictures found on the net, I modified the Eduard colour scheme and made a couple of minor mods to the kit. Basic plan was for a standard Tropical RAF colour scheme of Dark Earth/Mid-Stone over Azure Blue but with the Mid-stone overpainted with Foliage Green. The white tail and wing leading edges were apparently (I hope) added shortly before the squadron moved north to Kiriwina Island for operations. Also at this time it appears that the Mk.II IFF was replaced by the Mk.III IFF which dispensed with the wires from the fuselage to tail to be replaced by a dipole aerial under the starboard wing. I hate those wires so a dipole was dutifully and gratefully added. Also, the pipes for the gun heating system were removed from the rear of the exhaust leaving unfilled holes in the cowling - suitable holes were duly drilled (Well after painting - should have done my research earlier!)In all the pictures I could find - none showed any stencilling so I was lazy and left them out - I can feel a rash of pictures coming along to prove this wrong now! I wasn’t happy with the Eduard suggestion for the colours of the Votes filter sides and the spinner. They both look like similar but slightly different greens from the Foliage Green to me and my interpretation of the pictures. I tried to make the whole thing look a little but scruffy and dusty but as I noted to a friend - that often makes it look not so well done! There was one howler which was too late to correct but no model is perfect so it will have to stay as it is. Anyway - again a super kit from Eduard and again the removal of the carrier film from the decals was fairly easy and effective. Will definitely be building more! Cheers Malcolm

Spitfire Mk.Vb Mid Weekend Edition (84186) 1:48 Eduard The Spitfire was the champion of the Battle of Britain along with the Hurricane and a few other less well-known players, and it’s an aircraft with an amazing reputation that started as a bit of a damp squib in the shape of the Supermarine Type 224. This gull-winged oddity was the grandfather of the Spitfire, and despite losing out to the biplane Gloster Gladiator, designer R J Mitchell was spurred on to go back to the drawing board and create a more modern, technologically advanced and therefore risky design. This was the Type 300, and it was an all-metal construction with an incredibly thin elliptical wing that became legendary, although it didn’t leave much space for fuel, a situation that was further worsened by the Air Ministry’s insistence that four .303 machine guns were to be installed in each wing, rather than the three originally envisaged. It was a very well-sorted aircraft from the outset, so quickly entered service with the RAF in 1938 in small numbers. With the clouds of war building, the Ministry issued more orders and it became a battle to manufacture enough to fulfil demand in time for the outbreak and early days of war from September 1939 onwards. By then, the restrictive straight sided canopy had been replaced by a “blown” hood to give the pilot more visibility, although a few with the old canopy still lingered for a while. The title Mk.Ia was given retrospectively to differentiate between the cannon-winged Mk.Ib that was instigated after the .303s were found somewhat lacking compared to the 20mm cannon armament of their main opposition at the time, the Bf.109. As is usual in wartime, the designers could never rest on their laurels with an airframe like the Spitfire, as it had significant potential for development, a process that lasted throughout the whole of WWII, and included many changes to the Merlin engine, then the installation of the more powerful Griffon engine, as well as the removal of the spine of the fuselage and creation of a bubble canopy to improve the pilot’s situational awareness. Its immediate successor was the Mk.II that had a better Merlin engine and higher octane fuel to give it a healthy boost in performance. The IIa was armed identically to the Mk.Ia with four .303s in each wing, while the IIb carried the two 20mm cannons of the Ib and two .303s in each of the wings. It was followed by the Mk.V that had yet another more powerful Merlin fitted, which returned the fright of the earlier marks’ first encounters with Fw.190s by a similar increase in performance from an outwardly almost identical Spitfire. The Kit This is a reboxing of a recent ProfiPACK tool from Eduard, following on from their other later marks of the Spit in their usual manner, providing us modellers with a wide selection of types and sub-variants as they proceed through their launch schedule. This Weekend boxing depicts the Mid production Mk.Vb, the letter B referring to the type of wing fitted to the airframe that was engineered to accommodate a pair of 20mm cannons within the area previously occupied by four .303 machine guns in earlier versions. This is a thoroughly modern tooling with immense detail squeezed into every part, and for the inveterate upgraders, the kits are moulded with that in mind, to be augmented by a raft of super-detailed resin and brass sets from Eduard themselves, which benefit from concurrent launch and excellent fit. The outer skin has been fully riveted with fine lines of rivets everywhere, plus different widths of engraved panel lines, fasteners on cowling panels, and even some lapped panels such as the fuel tank in front of the canopy. It arrives in Eduard’s blue-themed Weekend box, with five sprues in their grey/blue styrene, a clear sprue, a decal sheet with separate stencil sheet, and the glossy instruction booklet with painting guide at the rear in full colour. It is nearly identical in terms of sprues to the earlier boxing that we reviewed, and the differences between the versions are fairly small, but you use alternative parts on the sprues for the cannons and for some decal options, plus the decals themselves. Construction begins with the cockpit, which will probably be familiar to most, although there is a huge amount of detail when it’s done the Eduard way. It is built up on the starboard sidewall insert, with equipment, controls and a seat-carrying fuselage frame. The seat is next, having the optional flare rack at the front added, as well as some decal seatbelts and styrene rear armour. The control column is also made up and flight control box (more of a tangle, really) are joined to the seat and inserted in the next two fuselage frames forward. The next frame forward holds the instrument panel, which is made from an engraved styrene part with decals, which then glues to the frame, with the gunsight with a choice of square or circular glazing at the top of the panel, and the compass just below with its own decal, then the rudder pedals are put just inside the footwell below the panel. Forward of that frame is a blanking plate that is glued in place along with the spinner back during the fuselage closure procedure. The socket for the tail wheel and the leading edge of the wing fairing are also glued in, with a 1mm hole drilled in the port side. The canopy will require small parts of the sidewalls removing to accommodate the appropriate glazing, so make sure you cut those parts off too. They slip in a mention of a panel line on the very front of the nose that you need to fill in, so don’t forget that one, as it’s called out with a line and the word “fill” during the attachment to the wings later that is easy to miss, but you might want to deal with that while sorting the fuselage seams. The lower wing is a single part that stretches as far as the clipped wingtip would be, and there are two pairs of small holes that need drilling out on both undersides before you go any further. A long wing spar bridges the gap between the wheel bay cut-outs, then the rest of the bay walls are made from short sections and just the two outer wing-gun barrels per side are dropped into their slots ready for closing, then placing the fuselage into the gap and gluing it home. The empennage is next, with separate elevator fins and flying surfaces, plus the rudder and its control link. Back to the wings, and the elliptical tips or clipped alternatives (depending on your decal choice) are slid into place along with the ailerons, the latter you can pose deflected if you wish. Staying with the wing, the model is flipped over, and the radiator, oil cooler and chin intake with fairing are all added in, the radiator and oil cooler both having mesh moulded-in, L-shaped feeder pipes at the rear, and a flap with actuators for open and closed positions. The narrow track landing gear has a peg removed that is marked in red, and these then have the captive doors attached to the rear, and wheels made up from a tyre and two hub parts, with a split yoke and wheel for the tail, which slots into the socket buried within the fuselage earlier. The 20mm cannon parts simply slide into their sockets in the leading edge of the wings, with nice muzzle detail moulded-in. The canopy has a choice of parts used for the different decal options, and a choice of open or closed canopies is possible by using different parts. The fixed rear glazing is fitted first for the open option, but is moulded into the closed canopy for better fit on a closed cockpit. The cockpit door can be mounted open or closed, then the aerial is glued to the rear of the canopy on a base just in front of a clear lens. The exhaust stacks have been moulded carefully to give hollow tips, and the prop is a single part, covered front and back by the two-part pointed spinner, with the peg on the rear sliding into the front of the fuselage. The final steps show two aerial wires from the fuselage sides to the elevators, which you will need to provide from your own toolbox. Markings The Weekend editions historically only had one and later two decal options, but this one expands that to four options, which is nice to see. From the box you can build one of the following: BM211 F/Lt. John D Mitchner, No.402 Sqn. RCAF, RAF Merston, UK, Sept-Nov 1943 BL594 W/Cdr. Alexsandr K Gabszewicz, No.2 Polish Wing, RAF Northolt, UK, Feb-May 1943 BL384 F/Lt. John A A Gibson, No.457 Sqn., RAAF, RAF Andreas, UK, December 1941 BM309 2/Lt. Robert A Boock, 335th FS, 4th FG, Debden, UK, February 1943 The decals are printed by Eduard and are in good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. The stencils are on a separate sheet, and are marked on a page of the booklet, separate from the rest of the markings to avoid confusion from trying to read overly busy diagrams. Don’t forget that as of 2021, the carrier film from Eduard decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier-free, making the decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view. If you got one of these and decided you want to add a little more detail after all, check out our review of the PE and Tface mask update sets here. Conclusion The Weekend editions have always been good value, and with four interesting schemes on offer, this one is no exception. If you change your mind about not wanting aftermarket later, there’s plenty to go at, or just build it and enjoy it. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

A-10C Update Sets (for Hobby Boss) 1:48 Eduard Hobby Boss have had a couple of A-10 kits in 1:48 over the years, but have recently released an updated kit for the modernised type C that is currently in use with American forces, complete with all manner of technological updates to keep it in touch with Allied forces, and taking out those of the enemy. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Interior (491324) Two frets are included, one nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass, plus a small sheet of acetate film that has been pre-printed with shapes to aid cutting out of the parts. A complete set of new layered instrument panels, sidewall quilting and instruments, and complex side consoles with added levers for the cockpit and the extensive instrument panel for the cabin are in full colour; ejection seat controls with tip of the launch rail; details for the rear ‘turtle’ deck behind the pilot and on the closure mechanism, as well as on the sides around the aft of the cockpit. Additional parts are supplied for the HUD frame, and here one of the strips of acetate is scored to create a flat-topped right-angled triangle that fits inside the two sides, and a coloured PE lens for inside the bottom. Finally, the canopy and windscreen are detailed with additional instruments and roll-over hoop frames that include rear-view mirrors on the canopy side. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48098) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin, and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. The 3D printed sheet contains a superbly detailed multi-part instrument panel that requires the removal of the inferior styrene details, plus more for the side consoles, which also have additional levers installed. A detail insert is provided for the control column, a colourful insert for the HUD and two patches on the top corners of the seat cushion are the last decals, then the kit seatbelts and seat controls are relieved of their moulded-in details so the new pre-painted PE replacements can be fixed in place to complete the overhaul. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1325) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. As well as the crew belts, you also get a set of controls and pull-handles either side of the pilot's knees that gets him out of there in case of an emergency. Masks (EX915) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki masking tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. Masks Tface (EX916) Supplied on a larger sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with everything above, but also give you another set of canopy masks tailored to fit the interior of the glazing so that you can paint the interior and give your model that extra bit of realism, which should come in useful if you purchase any of the detail sets that also include extra details for the canopy. Review sample courtesy of

Mosquito B.Mk.IV Löök (644188 for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard This set contains a combination of pre-printed resin and PE parts to detail up the cockpit of your Tamiya Mosquito quickly and efficiently. It’s a classic kit that is still just as crisply moulded as it was when first released, but aftermarket technology has proceeded apace in the years since it arrived on our shores. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE), Löök and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. The resin parts are protected by a crystal-clear plastic clamshell box with a sticky pad in the bottom to prevent the parts from rattling around within, while the PE is glued to the cardboard backing. There is one resin part to replace the kit instrument panel in front of the pilot, and two more replacing the transmitter and receiver radio boxes in the rear of the cockpit, all with glossy faced dials, switches and knobs already painted for you on black resin. Additionally, the PE sheet contains four-point belts for the pilot and navigator, and a pair of grab-handles for the R.1155 Radio Receiver. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

So… I’ve been toying with the idea of committing to a third build for the Salty Sea Dog for a few weeks. I thought I would do an Air-Sea Rescue Spitfire Mk Vb, but I discounted that fairly early on as, funky yellow codes apart, it’s another Day Fighter Scheme plane, I’ve done one of those recently. I also considered a French Aéronavale Seafire Mk 15 in EDSG over grey, but I’m not sure I’m ready for another Special Hobby bruiser just yet. At the back of my mind, though, lurked the idea of one of the carrier-launched Spitfires that was delivered to the besieged and beleaguered island of Malta during the 1942 “club run” operations. I’ve been reading a bit about these and it was a truly exceptional episode in the history of military aviation. However I was a bit wary given the sizeable can of worms that seems to get cracked open every time the subject of the colour of these birds is brought up. The airframe I’ve decided to go with is Spitfire Mk Vc (Trop) s/n BR126, whose story was remarkable even for a club run Spit. BR126 was one of the Vc’s transported to the Med by the American carrier USS Wasp for Operation Bowery, the second such operation to involve this ship, following a personal appeal by Churchill to Roosevelt. BR126 was embarked upon Wasp at Clydebank on 3rd May 1942, at the time painted in Temperate Sea Scheme and bearing the codes 3*X. All the Bowery Spitfires were fitted with 90 gallon “slipper” fuel tanks to give them the necessary range to reach Malta. The fuel feeds for these tanks had proven very unreliable during previous ops, to the extent that a the engineer who had designed them was despatched to the Med to sort the problem out. Sure enough, on taking off from Wasp on 9th May 1942, Canadian P/O Jerry Smith found that his auxiliary tank fuel feed was malfunctioning; there was no way he would reach Malta without it. The Spitfires were not equipped for carrier deck landing, having no arrester hook. The logical, and sensible(?) thing to do would be to ditch the aircraft in the sea and wait to be picked up; this, indeed, was what the pilots had been advised to do if encountering problems once airborne. However Smith, not wanting to consign a brand-new aircraft to the depths, somehow managed to land the plane back on deck (on the second attempt) with only a few feet to spare, an extraordinary feat of airmanship for which the American pilots on board Wasp unofficially awarded him his US Navy pilot’s wings. Smith asked for a replacement tank to be fitted and permission to continue alone, but this was denied. Accounts differ on whether Smith returned to Gibraltar with Wasp or flew there from Wasp the day after his famous carrier landing. The caption on the following photograph suggests he flew there, but I'm not sure of its provenance. There is an account of the landing here, although the bit about Smith flying on directly to Malta is incorrect. https://www.flightjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/No_Tailhook_Spitfire.pdf Jerry Smith being feted by American colleagues on board Wasp after his landing, his hand on his new US Navy wings: During its short stay in Gibraltar BR126 was repainted in Dark Mediterranean Blue over Sky Blue. With this new paint scheme and now bearing the codes GL*E for 185 Squadron (though see below), Smith and his aircraft were embarked on HMS Eagle, from which he flew to Malta on 18th May with 16 other Spitfires as part of Operation LB. The reason I’ve chosen this airframe, apart from the fact that blue is my favourite colour, is that it neatly sidesteps pretty much all those “what kind of blue, when, where and how applied” questions. My main references are The Spitfire Story and Spitfire: The Documentary History by Dr Alfred Price and the relevant Colour Conundrums articles by Paul Lucas (I am hugely indebted to @2996 Victor for kitting me out with a copy of the latter), which I hope we can all agree are pretty solid. The kit I’m using is one from Eduard’s Spitfire Vc “Per Aspera Ad Astra” Dual Combo. Now, here it gets a little bit murky. One of the OOB options is identical in every respect to the BR136 as illustrated in Colour Conundrums – same-ish colours (although "Sky" rather than Sky Blue undersides?), same yellow GL*E codes in the same style – except for the serial number, which is shown as a different aircraft, BR294. The Spitfire production data on airhistory.com presents the following for the two airframes: BR126 FF 25-3-42 8MU 28-3-42 RAF Abbotsinch 12-4-42 USS Wasp 3-5-42 flown off Wasp but landed back 9-5-42 '3-X' returned to Gib. flown off Eagle to Malta 18-5-42 185Sq 'GL-O' 18-5-42 f/l due glycol leak CB 15-6-42 FSgt RJ Sim safe SOC 31-7-42 FH39:30 BR126 First flew 24/3/42, to 8 Maintenance Unit 28/3/42, to RAF Abbotsinch [Glasgow] 12/4/42, loaded onto USS Wasp 3/5/42, flown off Wasp but landed back 9/5/42 coded ‘3-X’, returned to Gibraltar. Flown off HMS Eagle to Malta 18/5/42, to 185 Squadron coded ‘GL-O’ 18/5/2, forced landing due to glycol leak, beyond repair 15/6/42, Flight Sergeant R J Sim safe [later KIA over the Channel with 616 Squadron, 15/6/43 - a year to the day after his forced landing on Malta], struck off charge 31/7/42, 39:30 flying hours. BR294 FF 17-4-42 8MU 17-4-42 USS Wasp 3-5-42 flown off Wasp to Malta 9-5-42, to 185Sq 'GL-E' 30-4-42 Crashed on landing Hal Far 2-7-42 FSgt DG Reid inj SOC 3-7-42 FH55:10 BR294 First flew 17/4/42, to 8 Maintenance Unit 17/4/42, flown off USS Wasp to Malta 9/5/42, to 185 Squadron code ‘GL-E’ 30/4/42, crashed on landing Hal Far 2/7/42, Flight Sergeant D G Reid injured, struck off charge 3/7/42, 55:10 flying hours. …all of which would suggest that BR126 wasn’t coded GL*E, but GL*O… and that GL*E were the codes on BR294, which met its end nearly a month before BR126 after flying from USS Wasp on the same morning in early May, the difference being of course that BR294 made it to Malta, which BR126 didn’t, not just yet anyway. Ordinarily that would be the end of the matter for me: BR126 was GL*O… but for the existence of these photographs of the two Spitfires after their respective demises – BR126 quite clearly carrying the codes GL*E, and to my eye at least BR294 looking more like GL*F. The only quibble in all this is exactly when BR126 received its codes; when BR294 flew from Wasp it would have carried a “number*X” code, the same as BR126, and must have received its 185 Squadron “GL” code on arrival in Malta. Lucas suggests that BR126 already had its “GL” codes when it flew from Eagle. There are a few possibilities here: Gibraltar ground crew were aware of what codes were now needed on BR126 and they painted them on before it was embarked on Eagle. Lucas is wrong and in fact BR126 flew from Eagle to Malta without codes, receiving them on arrival. BR126 was originally coded GL*O but was given a new GL*E code sometime before its demise in June. The data on airhistory is just wrong. This is the bit I'm going to have to chew over. Anyway, this is how I plan to model BR126: how it looked as it left Eagle’s deck. probably GL codes, all four cannon, 90 gallon slipper tank, nice new paint job as described by Mr Lucas (who helpfully supplied Vallejo paint references – I may be veering away from my faithful Humbrol enamels for this one), very minimal weathering. I can make the serial number decals work – I have the “2”, the “9” upside down will give me a “6”, and with a sharp blade and a steady hand I hope to extract a “1” from the “4” – twice! However, BR126's s/n's are rather ""blockier" in appearance, I may have to do something with that. If you’ve made the time to sit and read this stream of consciousness, I’m grateful. Hopefully I’ll get onto this soon, once SSDGB builds nos. 1 (WIP) and 2 (yet to start, but should be a relatively quick build), and another couple of projects are out of they way. There should be time, and hopefully not at the cost of either of my two planned Reconnaissance GB builds. Thanks for looking in! Tony

Buccaneer S.2C/D Wheels (648814 Airfix) 1:48 Eduard Brassin Kit wheels are generally in two halves, which means you have the resultant joins to deal with, possible mould-slip issues on single part wheels, and sometimes less than stellar detail due to the moulding limitations of styrene injection technology, especially in the tread department. That's where replacement resin wheels come in, with their lack of seamline and superior detail making a compelling argument. They are also usually available at a reasonable price, and can be an easy introduction to aftermarket and resin handling, as they are usually a drop-in replacement. This drop-in replacement set comprises three wheels on separate casting blocks, each of which is attached at the bottom where you will also find a slight weighting to depict the pressure of the airframe above. The detail is stunning, as we’ve come to expect from Eduard, with circumferential tread on the contact surface, detail and raised maker’s mark plus statistics on the sidewalls, and intricate hub detail on the front and rear, which includes the brakes around the axle. The set also includes a sheet of kabuki-tape masks (not pictured) to allow you to cut the hub/tyre demarcation with minimal effort, adding a little extra masking to cover the rest of the tyre surface. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

With the summer heatwave apocalypse month of January coming to an end, I can actually start thinking about model building again. A bit late to this party, but my entry: Only AM will be some PE belts. Sprues still bagged. Not going to lie, the fuselage size came as a surprise for some reason. Didn't expect it to be so chonky! The 2 marking options I'm undecided on. I am leaning more towards the French Indochina one. But still some time before decals to make up my mind. Updates to follow shortly!

Stencil Decals for Ju.87 Stuka (D48106 for Hasegawa/Airfix/Italeri) 1:48 Eduard Decals Eduard’s stencil range has been growing steadily of late, providing sharp, detailed stencilling for numerous types, some of which are lacking from the originating manufacturer’s box. The latter can come in handy for your average modeller, as sometimes the kit doesn’t include a complete set of stencils for expediency or whatever reason. Some folks, myself included, think that the inclusion of a full suite of stencils adds extra realism to a model, although there is of course the time element and the extra carrier film edges to hide. Eduard have been busy of late and have released this comprehensive set we have to review. It arrives in a clear foil re-sealable envelope with a card stiffener, a cover page with instructions, plus the decals with wax paper protecting the delicate printed surface. This set arrives on one sheet, and is patterned for almost any 1:48 Stuka due to the generic nature and placement of the stencils. Over the course of four profiles from overhead, underneath, and the sides, plus a diagram of the prop from the front, the locations of all the stencils are shown clearly on greyscale line drawings that use coloured arrows and numbers to differentiate from the background. Link to PDF of instructions. The decals are printed in-house by Eduard and have good register, sharpness and colour density, with a glossy carrier film printed close to the edges of the printed areas. Don’t forget that as of 2021, the carrier film from Eduard decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier-free, making the decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Beaufort Mk.I Tface Masks (EX909 for ICM) 1:48 Eduard ICM’s new Beaufort is a great kit, but it’s got a lot of glazing that might make some of our fellow modellers wince at the prospect of having to mask off the many clear parts, especially as is common with a lot of early WWII aircraft, it was quite a greenhouse, with frames everywhere the order of the day. Well, worry not because Eduard are riding to the rescue with this comprehensive set of masks. Unlike the usual Tface sets, this is supplied in an A5 flat-pack, on two sheets of yellow kabuki tape with extensive diagrams guiding you. These pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy and all the other glazing both inside and out, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get landing light masks, masks for the forward-facing gondola under the nose, and a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Having used a Tface set of masks for my recent Wildcat build, I’m a huge fan of the concept, as I believe it gives your model’s glazing extra realism and depth, so will be using these sets at every opportunity. They’re highly accurate too, and once you have installed masks on the exterior panes, locating the inner sections is much easier, as you don’t have any doubt as to where they should fit. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hi All, My latest completion is Eduard's relatively new-tool Spitfire Mk.IIa, completed as P7840 of 340 (Free French) Sqn, based at RAF Turnhouse, Ayr in December 1941. P7840 was the thirteenth of seventeen Spitfires donated by the Belfast Evening Telegraph Spitfire Fund, and was titled 'Mountains o' Mourne'. Here's a couple of photos of the aircraft and the squadron (kindly provided by @Troy Smith - images for discussion only and will be removed on request). The scheme attracted me as it unusually has the aircraft in DFS with the earlier Rotol spinner and type A.1 roundels. In addition my Father-in-Law hails from Dromara which sits at the foot of the aforementioned mountains. 340 Sqn was formed in November 1941 as part of Le Groupe de Chasse IV/2 (Fighter Group 4-2) "Île-de-France", flying defensive patrols from Turnhouse until moving further south in 1942, at which point they re-equipped with Mk.Vbs. The scheme was therefore only applied to the aircraft for a relatively short time, and my light weathering of the model reflects this. Here's the WIP if anybody is interested: The model was completed mostly OOB (as it was Profipack that adds a few extras!), although with the national markings (mostly) with home-cut stencils. Like most Eduard kits the detail is superb, but with some unnecessarily fiddly elements - as an example the radiator assembly consists of 12 pieces including 2 PE radiator grills (a bit much for 1:48?). Anyway, on with the photos: Finally, a couple of group shots to show the evolution of the beast (from R-L Airfix Mk.Ia, Eduard Mk.IIa, Tamiya Mk.Vc, Airfix FR Mk.XIVe - all have their own WIPs and RFIs if anyone is interested, and still plenty of gaps to fill in the collection, although these have all been completed in the last year or so): I've very much enjoyed learning more about this interim mark of the Spitfire, and bringing this unusual scheme to life. Thanks for all who have added kind words and encouragement along the way - it has been much appreciated! Thanks for looking, Roger

MG34 Machine Gun w/Ammunition Belt (635020) 1:35 Eduard Brassin PRINT The MG34 was the primary machine gun used by the German forces during the majority of WWII, only replaced by the more advanced MG42 that was engineered to be cheaper and easier to manufacture than its predecessor. It was designed by Rheinmetall and produced in the Spandau Arsenal, which gave rise to one of its nicknames, and was chambered for 7.92mm rounds that were fired from an open bolt, with a cyclical rate that started around 800-900 rounds per minute, but was changed to a selectable 600-1,000rpm in later variants, the lower rate principally provided to conserve ammunition and reduce the heat build-up in the barrel that could lead to warping. The rounds weren’t prone to cooking off in a hot weapon however, as they weren’t fed into the chamber until the trigger was depressed again, but as a crew only carried around 1,800 rounds it was sensible to fire in short controlled bursts to maintain supplies. Changing out a hot barrel was a two-man affair, and was one of the tasks that was simplified in the MG42, which included an oven-mitt-like glove to protect the operator’s hands. Ammunition could be fed to the breech in different manners, starting with a 50-round modular length of reusable metal link that could be joined together to create longer lengths. A small drum mag clipped to the side of the breech contained 50 rounds that could be modified to take 75, or a cloth bag filled with rounds on link zig-zagged into the space could be used instead. The infantry version of the weapon was usually mounted on a bipod attached to the front of the weapon, while the vehicle or static pivot lug was mounted centrally at the base of the barrel and clipped into the pintle-mount socket in its intended position. Although this set arrives in a flat package, the directly 3D printed parts are safe inside a clear plastic clamshell box inside the package, which also has a sticky pad inside to prevent the parts from rattling about. The parts are printed resin, attached to the base via thin tendril-like fingers that are easy to cut off and sand the little upstands away, leaving them ready for action. This set includes a single highly-detailed MG34 that is protected between two risers, and a print-base of accessories that include a C-mag, a cloth bag and a length of unused link that is protected at each end by a C-shaped riser. Construction is simple once the parts are liberated from their print-bases, and consists of deciding which ammunition source you intend to use with your model. The instructions show the paint codes for each part of the model using Gunze codes, most of which will be metallic shades apart from the wooden butt-stock. Conclusion The crisp detail of this set will improve the look of any model you care to place it in, and it’s a simple upgrade into the bargain. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

P-38J Cockpit (648812 for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard Brassin PRINT Tamiya’s new range of P-38s has been augmented by the new -J, which is a great kit, but you can always improve on injection-moulded perfection with resin, especially the new 3D printed sets that Eduard are now producing. Having used one of their cockpits in an F4F-3 I built recently, they are at the pinnacle of aftermarket technology, offering superb detail with a relatively low part count. As is now usual with Eduard's more complex resin sets, they arrive in a deep Brassin cardboard box, with the resin parts safely cocooned in bags, and the instructions folded around acting as padding, augmented by a pair of foam sheets top and bottom. Inside the box are three large bags containing twenty-two printed resin parts, a sheet of pre-printed, nickel-plated Photo-Etch (PE), a decal sheet, a slip of over-printed clear acetate, and the instruction booklet, which consists of three sheets of A4 printed on both sides and folded into an A5 booklet. There is a small amount of preparation to be done before you can start building, cutting off two rounded nubs from the rudder pedals if you are using the gun bay set in the nose (648790), and a section of the inside of the lower fuselage that would otherwise baulk the cockpit floor. Two more rods are removed from the rear of the cockpit opening in the upper fuselage later on too, so it’s as well to get it all done at outset. The parts are printed resin, attached to the base via thin tendril-like fingers that are easy to cut off and sand the little upstands away, leaving them ready for action. The build phase begins with the pilot’s seat, which is fitted to the head armour on a moulded-in frame that has another piece of equipment behind it. The PE seatbelts are all applied over the painted seat, including additional comfort pads beneath the buckles. The seat and its bulkhead are lowered into the floor along with a lever, and there are some more decals in addition to the detail painting to be done. The switch panel in front of the main panel is glued to a tab on the top of the rudder pedals, with decals applied to both visible faces, then it is inserted into the cockpit to be joined by the L-shaped control column and a choice of two instruments that fit into a slot in the top of the switch panel. The steering yoke slips into a hole in the end of the column, and a resin spacer is socketed in the front of the cockpit, leaving it out if you plan on using the gun pack (648790). The cockpit sidewall details are printed on a thin sidewall, with a choice of parts for the starboard side, and a PE adjustment wheel on the port, plus lots of detail painting and some decals again. The main instrument panel is a single printed part with a decal applied over the top before it too is inserted into the cockpit, which is inverted and glued to the upper fuselage half after cutting the afore mentioned rods from the rear. There is a choice of two styles of gun sight to consider for application into the windscreen after painting and adding the curved acetate glazing that is pre-printed on the sheet. A triple-layered PE roll-over hoop is made up with a pair of handles added for good measure, ending up glued into position at the open edge of the windscreen. There is a choice of two styles of radio rack at the rear of the cockpit, each of which is a single print that is painted up and has stencil decals applied to the sides, adding a roll-over bar over the top, and the more detailed option also has an equipment box fitted near the front, and some 0.35mm wire from your own stock, with the lengths called out to assist you. The decals are called out in scrap diagrams, and the more complex option also has more stencils applied once painted. The internal structure with the spar moulded into it needs the stiffening webs removed, and your choice of radio racks is dropped into the space behind the pilot. Conclusion There’s not much you can say about Eduard’s growing range of cockpit sets other than sublime, and get some. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109E-3 ProfiPACK (7032) 1:72 Eduard With almost 34,000 examples manufactured over a 10-year period, the Messerschmitt Bf.109 is one of the most widely produced aircraft in history and it saw active service in every theatre in which German armed forces were engaged. Initially designed in the mid-1930s, the Bf.109 shared a similar general arrangement with the Spitfire, employing monocoque construction and a V12 engine, albeit an inverted V with fuel injection rather than the carburettor used in the Spit. Initially designed as a lightweight interceptor, like many German types during WWII, the Bf.109 evolved beyond its original brief into a bomber escort, fighter bomber, night fighter, ground-attack and reconnaissance platform. The E variant, or Emil as it was more affectionately known was the first major revision of the original design, including an uprated engine and the attendant strengthening of the airframe that was required. It first saw service in the Legion Condor fighting in the Spanish civil war on the side of Nationalist forces of Military Dictator Franco, and then in the Battle of Britain where it came up against its nemeses the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane during the critical fight for the survival of the RAF and Britain, which was key to halting Operation Seelöwe, the invasion of Britain by the Nazis. Like the Spitfire it fought against, it was improved incrementally through different marks, the Emil was similarly tweaked to keep pace, with later variants having additional long-range tankage, plus structural improvements and a simpler squared-off canopy with clear frontal armour, but apart from various field modifications and a few low-volume sub-variants, it had reached the end of its tenure, and was phased out in favour of the Friedrich and later the Gustav. The Kit This is a reboxing of a recent kit in collaboration with Special Hobby in your favourite wee scale. It arrives in a modest top-opening box that has the ProfiPACK themed gold banner, and inside are two sprues of grey styrene, a fret of pre-painted nickel-plated Photo-Etch (PE), a sheet of pre-cut kabuki-style masking tape, two decal sheets and the instruction booklet printed in colour on glossy paper, and with profiles for the decal options on the rear pages. Detail is excellent, especially for the scale, and includes a lot of engraved panel lines and rivets in differing thickness and depths, as well as all the other recessed and raised details, plus engine and gun bays that you can expose as we’ve come to expect from Eduard and Special Hobby. Construction begins with nipping the ends off two raised lines on the cockpit front bulkhead, which is then glued to the floor along with a choice of styrene or PE rudder pedals, the latter shown being folded to assist you with the process. The sloped rear bulkhead is attached to the rear, and a box is made up in front of the bulkhead from three parts with details moulded on the sides. The seat and PE belts are slotted into the rear of the cockpit, and the instrument panel is made from the styrene backing part, which receives two sections of laminated PE along with some toggles and levers to detail it. It is then glued to the nose gun bay floor, which is prepared with a few PE parts installed on the diagonal ammo feeders for the cannons once the bay is attached to the front of the cockpit on the boxed in area. You can use a pair of barrel stubs on a cross-bar for the closed bay, or the full guns with breeches if you intend to leave the bay open. The engine is built around two halves, adding the serial decal and removing a small block of styrene from the rear before you add the ancillaries, supercharger and bell housing with horseshoe oil tank at the front, plus the two mounts and their braces on the sides. Before closing the fuselage halves, the cockpit interior sides are detailed with PE and styrene extras, painting things up as you go along, then a pair of inserts are places in the cowling behind the exhausts, the exhausts are inserted through their openings, and the engine, cockpit and tail-wheel are all trapped between them. If you plan on closing up all the bays, the top and gun bay cowlings can be glued in place along with the filter for the supercharger. At the rear, the rudder, elevators and their support struts are all installed on tabs and pins into their respective holes to ensure they are oriented correctly. The lower wings are full span, and the gear bay wall cut-outs are skinned with PE details, as are the surfaces of the radiators and the chin intake, which also gets skinned on each side of the trough that fits inside the fairing. The upper wings are brought in and glued over the lowers, and the three-section flying surfaces are installed on each trailing edge, with radiator fairings that have optional PE cooling vents glued over the cores. The fuselage and wings are mated together, adding the leading-edge slats, which should be deployed under their own weight when parked, and a gun barrel projecting from each wing. The canopy can be posed open or closed, consisting of a fixed windscreen that has PE detailing added, and rear section that accepts the antenna, then the canopy opener is prepared by inserting the head armour and a small PE lever inside, and deciding whether to glue it closed or open to the starboard side, held in place by a retaining strap made of PE. A scrap diagram shows how it should look from the front. The prop blades are moulded as one, and are sandwiched between the spinner and back-plate and inserted on the axle at the front of the fuselage, then all that is left to create are the main gear legs. Each leg is a single strut, and you should first remove the strap running down most of its length, replacing it with a PE brake hose, adding the captive bay door, and of course the wheel onto the short cross-axle. Another scrap diagram shows the correct orientation of the assemblies once complete. Fitting a pair of horn balances on the ailerons, and an L-shaped pitot probe under the port wing completes the plastic wrangling. Markings There are a generous six decal options on the sheet, with a variety of early war schemes to choose from. From the box you can build one of the following: W.Nr.1079, Ofw. Erich Rudorffer, 2./JG2, Baumont-le-Roger, France, September 1940 Oblt. August-Wilhelm Schumann, 5./JG52, Mannheim-Sandofen, Germany, November-December 1939 W.Nr.1380, Obstlt. Carl-Alfred Schumacher, CO of JG1, Jever, Germany, early 1940 Obstlt. Max Ibel, CO of JG27, Guines, France, September-October 1940 W.Nr.1271, Oblt. Helmut Heinz, CO of 4./JG77, Kristiandsand-Kjevik, Norway, September 1940 W.Nr.5058, Fw. Arthur Haase, 6./JG51, Marquise-West, France, August 1940 The decals are printed by Eduard and are in good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. The stencils are on a separate sheet, and are marked on a page of the booklet, separate from the rest of the markings to avoid confusion trying to read overly busy diagrams. Don’t forget that as of 2021, the carrier film from Eduard decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier-free, making the decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view. Conclusion This is a highly detailed, comprehensive model of the early WWII variant of the Bf.109, complete with a good number of interesting schemes to choose from. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Here is my recently completed build of Eduards new tooled F4F-3 Wildcat. The kit itself went together a dream and the only filler required was to clean the seem up along the spine of the aircraft. I painted the aircraft in AK RC and weathered with a mixture of oils and enamel products from Mig and AK. Please let me know your comments and feedback.

Tornado IDS Upgrade Sets (for Eduard/Revell) 1:48 Eduard The new Revell kit of this much missed Cold War warrior is the new standard for 1:48, and is a great kit. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. 3D Printed SPACE set (3DL48089) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. The PE sheet contains two full sets of crew belts, but first you’ll need to remove the moulded-in belts from the kit seats, however the work is well worth it for the improvement in detail. The two instrument panels and side consoles are also stripped of their moulded-in detail and are covered over by new 3D decals, the pilot’s panel being the more complex of the two, comprising four sections and a PE lever. The side consoles are replaced too, and a PE throttle quadrant with levers is laid over a blank portion of the pilot’s port console. The additional boxes on the rear-seater’s coaming are skinned with new 3D decals, and the pilot’s coaming has two thin instrument faces added into a pair of recesses, one on either side. Tface Masks (EX905) Supplied on a sheet of yellow kabuki tape, these pre-cut masks supply you with a full set of masks for the canopy both inside and out, with compound curved handled by using frame hugging masks, while the highly curved gaps are in-filled with either liquid mask or offcuts from the background tape. In addition, you get a set of hub/tyre masks for the wheels and formation lights, allowing you to cut the demarcation perfectly with little effort. Review sample courtesy of

Bristol Beaufort Mk.I Upgrade Sets (for ICM) 1:48 Eduard ICM made a lot of Britmodellers very happy when they announced their Beaufort kit, and now that we have the kit to pore over, it’s been worth the wait. Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner, offering detail that injection-moulded styrene can’t provide. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Detail Set (491318) Two frets are included, one nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. The first item to be replaced is the pilot’s seat, which is a complex assembly made from a large number of parts, with a third diagram showing the completed assembly. There are two circular meshes for the intakes inserted in the wing leading edges, then the attention turns toward the cockpit again. A complete set of new layered instrument panels, highly detailed sidewalls that are covered with instruments and equipment boxes, and side consoles with added levers for the cockpit and a new seat for the bomb aimer. The turret’s interior is cut up, keeping some portions and discarding others to replace them with new more detailed PE parts. The twin Lewis guns are detailed with new tops and handles to their plate magazines, and adding extra details that include an armour panel, while the side-mount Lewis gun gets a magazine upgrade plus ring-and-bead sights. The engines are upgraded with three V-shaped spacers that hold the circular part in position, which also receives a central boss. The last job is to glue a sight inside the windscreen in front of the pilot. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL48094) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin, and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. The PE sheet contains three sets of lap belts that are applied to the seats and turret, plus a four-point set for the pilot, making an oval hole in the back of the kit seat to pass the Y-shaped end of the shoulder harnesses through. The 3D decals are applied to the instrument panel and copious instruments and equipment boxes on the sidewalls, adding a few PE levers to the panel, and PE backing plates for many of the boxes on the sidewalls. Seatbelts STEEL (FE1319) These belts are Photo-Etch (PE) steel, and because of their strength they can be etched from thinner material, which improves realism and flexibility in one sitting. Coupled with the new painting method that adds perceived extra depth to the buckles and other furniture by shading, they are more realistic looking and will drape better than regular brass PE. The pilot has a set of four-point belts that require an oval hole to be made in the back of the kit seat to accommodate the end of the Y-shaped section behind the shoulder harness, with three sets of lap belts in the cockpit and the turret. Bomb Bay (481094) This comprehensive bare brass set contains two sheets, one larger, the other smaller. You will need to remove the raised details inside the kit bomb bay before you install the new detail skins in the centre section, adding a rear bulkhead and an additional rectangular cover if you intend to fill the bay with bombs rather than a torpedo. Another bulkhead is applied to the front of the main bay after adding several detail parts, some of which require folding. The curved front section of the bay is covered with another skin that you will need to roll to fit, and has a W-shaped brace added partway along. The rear section of the bay has two strips fitted to the outer edges, then the centre-section is filled with four folded bomb shackles and another cover to the forward section opening if you are mounting bombs. If you are installing the torpedo, a complex carrier is folded up and glued in the centre of the main bay, adding a pair of small wheels on short lengths of wire from your own stock on the sides. The bomb bay doors are reduced in size 1mm each end and along the top edge, then slimmed down at the top in preparation for the new skin that is laminated, folded and applied to the outer surface of the kit parts to improve detail and replace the thicker kit inner bay doors. Review sample courtesy of

I will be building this newer version of Eduard's FW 190 series of kits, their original series of FW kits were somewhat difficult to make and did not cover the early variants before the A-5. This kit of the A-2 will be, hopefully, just the first member of the Focke Wulf family I build in this STGB. I have several sets of markings I can use, unless I change my mind this is the aircraft I plan to build. All these Eduard FW kits contain four identical sprues, the clear canopy sprue plus three that contain all the other parts regardless of variant. Which means lots of spare parts. The fuselage, wings, p/e, masks and decals are different for each boxing, This kit has two wing options, the ones for version I plan to build with outboard canon are still on their sprue, I removed the spare ones to see if they fitted the Eduard D-9 kit, they do. This boxing also contained a pair of resin inner gear doors, I added a pair of resin early wheels and a set of Master brass gun barrels and pitot tube because they look so good. Everything is ready for the start date, roll on the 21st.

Greetings all from the shed. Built this one last year but didn’t get round to posting it so here it is. The Eduard kit is superb plus I managed to get the majority of the etch in place which is always a bonus! The decals are from Blue Rider. Its finished using Xtracolor gloss paints, Flory wash and Tamiya weathering powders. The whole build was a pleasure from start to finish. I will definitely make another and find another out of the ordinary scheme to do it in. Without further ado a few photos. Thanks for looking Pete

I'm pleased to present my most recent build, Eduard's 1/48 Mustang Mk. IV in a natural metal scheme depicting KH716 as flown by Squadron Leader Murray P. Nash of No. 3 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, in Fano, Italy, January, 1945. The model is presented on a pre-made base by Zoukei-Mura, which remains the best $20 I ever spent in this hobby. The build overall was smooth, with only a couple difficult areas, all of my own doing. The Mk. IV version requires a few features to be removed from the base P-51 fuselage, and I made a right hash of excising an extraneous hatch under the air scoop, resulting in several rounds of filling (with putty and super glue) and some haphazard re-scribing. Please respect the rivets that were lost forever in the process and avoid too a close examination of the area. The propeller, spinner, and various flappy bits (elevators, ailerons, etc.) can all be added at the end of the build with no issues, making the painting easier. I used some, but not all, of the included PE parts, and after taking pictures I realized that the starboard gear bay landing light is still stuck to a piece of blue-tac atop a toothpick in my spray booth. The finish is a combination of Mr. Color C-8 Silver for the puttied/painted wings and fabric covered elevators and Mr. Color Super Metallic SM-201 Super Fine Silver 2 for the natural metal. Mr. Color lacquers are my go-to paints, so I opted this time for their metallics as opposed to the Alclad I used for my prior NMF build. I started with a primer base of Mr. Finishing Surfacer 1500 Grey, and then taped off a few fuselage panels to get some tonal variation on the cheap before covering the aircraft overall with Mr. Color GX-2 Ueno Black, a very durable and glossy base coat for the metallics to come. Since I view every new build as an opportunity to buy new stuff, I picked up Mr. Rapid Thinner, which Gunze recommends for their metallics. The C-8 Silver sprayed neat and true, and I thought the SM-201 Super Fine Silver did the same . . . until I masked over it to pick out the exhaust panels with dark iron paint. Sheets of the Super Fine Silver came off with the tape, down to the gloss black undercoat, as frightening display of paint lifting as you're likely to see. I sanded down the Super Fine Silver, which required distressingly little encouragement, and then resprayed and prayed, using my standard Mr. Levelling Thinner instead of the rapid thinner. I then sprayed a gloss coat -- Alclad Aqua Gloss -- on top as soon as it dried to protect it, which pretty much did the trick. A few areas still chipped on me with further handling, but they've been hidden as artfully as possible in the pictures. I'm not sure if the lifting came from not completely degreasing the black gloss undercoat after handling (I know, I know!), the rapid thinner, the paint/thinner ratio, the ambient temperature (on the cold side), or my just failing to properly propitiate the gremlins who live in my airbrush. I'm assuming it's a combination of all of those factors. The final colors look metal enough, but I think I might go back to Alclad for my NMF needs in the future. This build saw my first experience with Eduard's "removable film" decals. They were hit and miss for me. I wound up with some tearing/chipping on a few of the decals, including the "CV" code on the port fuselage and the red/blue flash on both sides of the stabilizer. The tears at least look sort of like organic paint chipping/wear. I'm an inveterate decal wiggler, trying to get them just right, and I think I didn't get the problem decals bedded down sufficiently. When they worked, though, they worked a treat. For the most part, I found that a nice dollop of MicroSol left overnight did the trick, and I just worried around the edges of the film with a toothpick until I peeled up enough to grab the film with tweezers. But it was nerve-racking. Can't argue with the results, though -- the decals with the removed film look sharp and almost painted on, both the main decals and the stencils, the latter of which I applied perhaps 80%. I covered over the decals with a further coat of Aqua Gloss, as I was uncertain how the exposed decals would react to the white spirit and oil paints in the next step. I wanted a fairly dirty finish, to reflect the wear and hard living of a plane in-theater, so I doused it with a wash of thinned Payne's Grey and Black oils. I tried to leave some build-up in panel corners, and I think the overall effect helped give some dimension and staining to the natural metal finish. Pencils and pigments rounded out the weather process. On the whole, I'm pleased enough with the final result. It should look good on a shelf with the striking red spinner and sky blue rudder adorned with the Southern Cross. I certainly learned a few things about working with a natural metal finish, and while it's nowhere near my best build -- the faults being my own rather than with the kit -- I'm no longer apprehensive about NMF schemes. (Though I still think I'll reward myself with an overall grey USAF bird next just to recover . . .) Thank you for reading and for taking a look.