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Sopwith F.1 Camel 'The Duellists' 1:32 Wingnut Wings The long awaited series of 1:32 Sopwith Camels finally started to arrive towards the end of March 2017, with no less than six different boxings. Five of them are individual kits covering Bentley, le Rhone, and Clerget powered variants, with another for the 2F.1 'Ships Camel', and finally a United States Air Services boxing. The Sixth boxing is 'The Duellists' vesrion shown above, containing a Clerget Camel and an LVG C.VI, depicting an actual event that took place on 9th October 1918. The LVG was brought down and captured virtually intact by members of 4 Squadron Australian Flying Corps. It is great to see the LVG kit available again, as it has been sold out for several years now, fectching huge prices on auction sites. The full kit is featured in an 'in box' review here with the individually boxed 'Clerget' version 'in box' reviewed here. This is one of those kits that makes you shove all current projects to one side of your workbench, and get right on with building it. As the Camel is the new release and of most ineterest to modellers, I have started with this one, and will follow up with the LVG at a later date. Construction begins with the cockpit, and the first thing I did was to anneal (heat it and allow it to cool slowly) the etched brass fret containg the seatbelts for both the Camel & LVG. This softens it a little and makes it more bendable for fitting around the seats. A coat of Halfords grey primer was followed by airbrushed Tamiya Khaki, a dark wash, and details picked out in silver and other shades. I did the LVG ones at the same time, the Camel ones are the 2 wide straps on the top left. The fuselage halves need painting in Aluminium, wood, and clear doped linen, not forgetting the centre section between the lower wings. The 2 cockpit side frames are mostly wood, with various metal details picked out in silver, black, copper, and brass.Note that the cabane struts are moulded integralll with the fuselage frames. This should automatically line up the top wing later on when it is fitted. Also, thay are a darker wood colour than the rest of the cockpit area. The wood paint is Tamiya 'Deck tan' (a pale sand colour) coated with Johnsons kleer, and then given the grain effect by brush, using tube oil paints. Lots of people complain about the long drying times of these oil paints, but I use 'Griffin Alkyd' which will be stone dry in about 4 hours. This stuff. it is reasonably priced, and a tube will last about 10 years. With a basic set of 3, raw umber, light red, and burnt sienna, you can blend a wide range of wood colours. Increase your range as finances permit. Wicker seat with etched belts attached Instrument panel, shown here about 2x actual size. All instruments are readable. All parts prepared and ready for assembly; I then realised that a bit of advance preparation would make it easier to attach the control wires before any assembly takes place . Dry fit test; The Clerget engine has aslo been prepared and is ready for asembly. The cylinder section is in 'front' and 'back' halves. I fount that by running Tamiya extra thin cement on the top of each cylinder onny, capillary action took it down each side and gave an almost seamless fit. The join is very hard to see. Next up is to fit all those cockpit components together and put in some wire rigging on the side frames. Thanks for looking, John

Air Modeller's Guide To Wingnut Wings Volume 2 By David Parker ISBN : 9780993564611 Wingnut Wings offer what is in my (and many others) opinion the finest and most extensive range of kits ever produced. All subjects are of aircraft that served in the 1914 -1918 Great War, with some boxings such as the Bristol F2.B and De Havilland DH.9, covering the aircraft in the post war years. Each and every kit will produce a beautiful model ‘straight from the box’, and several aftermarket manufacturers have joined in with etched brass & resin enhancements, alternative decal sheets, resin figures, and diorama accessories to name just a few. Whilst admiring the results that some modellers achieve with these kits and the available aftermarket, it can be quite daunting to think ‘Could I do that?’, or even ‘How on earth did they do that?’ All this ‘hardware’ of kits & accessories is great, but what we could really do with is some guidance on how to set about developing our skills and confidence towards getting the best from them. There has been the odd publication dedicated to the building of a single, particular Wingnuts kit, but now Casemate has put together a collection of builds by several masters of the art. They have chosen subjects wisely, to illustrate a diverse selection of different types from the Fokker Eindekker, Sopwith Triplane, Fokker D.VII, Pfalz D.IIIa, and Sopwith Snipe, the two seat Fe2b and Rumpler C.IV, to the big and complex Felixstowe F.2a twin engine flying boat. A selection that covers British & German Rotary and inline engined examples, single seaters, two-seaters, monoplane, biplane and triplane, with rigging of simple, medium, and complex levels. The book itself is in softback covers, with 114 pages on high quality thick paper and crystal clear full colour printing. It is lavishly illustrated with inspirational photographs of the completed models, and smaller, detailed ‘step by step’ photos supported by explanatory captions. Each chapter is devoted to a single subject, showing it through each stage to completion. There is variation of which aspects are covered within each build, so that each chapter offers something new. The style of this book is to keep the amount of text down, and follow the old maxim ‘a picture speaks a thousand words’. Not only that, the sequences of photographs make things far, far clearer than any amount of words could. Those showing how to paint wooden panels, or the one showing how to apply oil paint ‘filters’ to single colour finishes, pastel chalks are particularly good examples. All Wingnut Wings kits come with unpainted etched brass seatbelts, so whichever one you are building, the step by step illustrations on page 101 (in the Pfalz build) show you how to prepare and paint a set. My favourite sections are those covering the engines. I love building Wingnut Wings engines and usually add some ignition wiring, but now I realise there is a fair bit of plumbing and weathering that can take them to another level. The Beardmore engine in the FE.2b chapter is incredible, it is absolute perfection, and the text & photos of the Mercedes D.IVa in the Rumpler C.IV are going to be my standard reference from now on. It is not just the extra wiring & plumbing that have been added, it is also the paint tones and colours that the builders have used. Information like this is so valuable and yet seems so difficult to discover. Conclusion. This is a really well thought out publication, written by modellers for modellers. I suggest it will best suited to those who have completed a couple of Wingnut Wings build themselves. It will be of most use to the intermediate modeller who is looking to develop their skills further. A lot of books on modelling don’t really show anything new to us ‘old modellers’ who have been building for a decade or more. But this one genuinely shows some things that I was unaware of, or had not thought of. The photo sequence on how to paint the turned metal effect on the Fokker E.III cowling, and the use of a special etched ‘woodgrain’ fret being two things I am keen to try out. It is also the perfect book for sitting down with a steaming mug of tea, and spending an enthralling hour thumbing through the pages, admiring the work and finding inspiration page after page. Review sample courtesy of

Jeannin Stahltaube (1914). Wingnut Wings 1:32 One of the more successful German aircraft of the pre-war period was the Etrich Taube (Dove), which was somewhat bird like in appearance. The design was based on research into the aerodynamic properties of Alsomitra Macrocarpa seeds, as this fascinating short Youtube vide0 shows A two seat unarmed monoplane, the only hinged control surface was the split upper/lower rudder, with wing warping in place of ailerons and elevator. In the simplest sense, control was achieved by the joystick pulling on cables attached to the trailing edge of the tail to bend it up or down. Likewise the large extensions on the wingtips could be bent upwards, (but not downwards). Roll control was thus achieved by deflecting one wingtip upwards, while the other stayed ‘flat’. Not surprisingly the Taube did not stay in front line service beyond the first year of the Great War, as better and more conventional aircraft were developed. It did however remain in second line service with training units and as a ‘hack’ aircraft. Due to a legal ruling the Taube design could not be copyrighted, which resulted in several manufactures producing their own version, notably Rumpler. Most of these used a wooden framed fuselage and tailplane, but Emil Jeannin’s company utilised steel tubing for these parts in their 1914 versions built for the German army, resulting in it being known as the ‘Stahltaube’ (I.e Steel Dove). It was with some surprise and delight that I found out earlier this year that Wingnut Wings were due to release a kit of the Stahltaube. There have been precious few aircraft kits from this time period in any scale, so to have one promised in 1:32nd from the finest producer of model kits, was a very exciting prospect indeed. Packaged in Wingnut Wings familiar silver gilt edged box, that artwork features a Stahltaube in flight over peaceful countryside, showing off its birdlike appearance. Lifting the lid reveals that the box is packed to the brim with individually wrapped sprues. I’ve learned to place each one in the upturned box lid as I remove it, so that they can be replaced in the same order. Failure to do so may result in being unable to fit the lid back on properly, as there is some much in each kit! The instructions are in the exemplary style that Wingnut Wings always supply, being on thick glossy paper, in full colour and lavishly illustrated with 3 view drawings, contemporary photographs, and superb Ronnie Bar profiles. Nobody else has yet reached the standard that Wingnut Wings have set, they are not just instructions, they are also excellent reference works. And if you go to their website there are often many more original photographs of the aircraft. Stage 1. Cockpit Interior. This 1 covers construction of the cockpit interior, with the majority of part being found on sprue A. The floor, framework, bulkheads and seats make up most of the detail, with instrument faces being supplied on the decal sheet. Colour call outs are given for each part, although sometimes the exact colours have been lost in the passage of time. In these instances the instructions will suggest a couple of probable colours to choose from, or place a ‘?’ in the callout for you to make your own reasoning. There is a fair bit of internal wire bracing and control runs, but all is clearly illustrated in a ‘rigging’ diagram. You will have to supply your own preferred rigging material. Personally I like stretched sprue for this sort of interior work, as it can be attached with white glue after everything has been painted and assembled. Both cockpit openings are wide and visible, and for once no upper wing is in the way so all the lovely detail will be easily seen on the finished model. Stages 2 & 3 Engine. The Stahltaube was powered by either a 100hp Daimler Mercedes D1, or a 120hp Argus As.II engine. I did a double take when I first examined the box contents – both complete engines are provided on separate sprues! Whichever you choose you will have a spare engine for diorama purposes, as these engine are little jewels so it would be a crime not to build the ‘spare’. Daimler Mercedes D1 on the right hand sprue; Argus As.II I often start a new Wingnuts build with engine as I enjoy them so much. There are comparatively few parts but the detail is so fine and crisp... ...with usually just aluminium and black as the base colours. Details are picked out with colours like brass, copper, brown, and various silver shades. Data plates are supplied on the decal sheet, to add the final touch. It doesn’t take long to have a lovely little engine ready to install, and they always look fantastic on the completed model. Stages 4 & 5. Fuselage. With the chosen engine completed, stage 4 sees it fitted to the interior framework, followed by fitting the etched brass belts to the seats. The two fuselage halves are then brought together. Two of the versions have an ‘X’ shaped hoe cut in the lower cowling, and neat little template is supplied in etched brass. You just need to drill a 2mm hole in the centre and four 1mm holes. A sharp knife is then used to join them up and form the ‘X’ .Engine side panels and the cabane struts bring these stages to an end. The turnbuckles (part A50) that sit on top, will greatly ease fitting of the static rigging. A similar set of turnbuckles (part A51) are fitted to the underside cabane, so it looks like it will be possible to anchor the end of each line to a turnbuckle, after having passed it through a hole drilled right through the wing. But all this is done in later stages. Stage 6. Wings and Tailplane. This covers the fitting of those bird like wings and tailplane, and what extraordinary mouldings they are. Each wing is a single moulding with beautifully rendered surface detail, with a cutout underneath that fits onto a stub moulded into the side of each fuselage. Holding a wing up to the light you can see what look like the structure under the fabric covering. Of course it is all a single plastic moulding, but so accurately is it done that it looks for all the world like a real wooden framed wing covered with doped on linen. Utterly amazing, and it underlines just how Wingnut Wings are constantly innovating and raising the bar with every new release. Stage 7. Undercarriage and Radiators. In common with most pre-war aircraft, the Stahltaube was fitted with uncovered wire wheels. Wingnut Wings provide you with two choices here, a set of etched brass rims & spokes to fit to an injection moulded tyre, are a pair of fully moulded wheels. The etched ones will require more skill to put together, but will obviously look better, whilst the fully moulded ones will be appreciated by those less confident with their skills. I have in fact seen sprue ‘D’ before, it is the same one as supplied with the Albatros B.II kit, and is even labelled as such. As a nice aside, at also contains a pair of Carbonit bombs to arm your Stahltaube with. Also fitted are the Hazet radiators under the wing on each side of the fuselage, looking pretty similar to a domestic radiator and associated plumbing. Each one is a single moulding with all the pipework, the detail is beautifully defined and I’m sure they are going to look fabulous when painted and fitted to the model. I love this sort of practical yet Heath Robinson engineering that appeared on early aircraft. Stage 8 Final Assembly. Four different propellers by Niendorf, Integral, Garuda, and Reschke are provided, complete with miniature logo decals for each manufacturer. The Integral is appropriate for the Mercedes powered versions B & D, whilst of the Argus powered machines, A uses the Garuda, C the Niendorf, and E the Reschke. Undoubtedly any machine could have been fitted with different props at different times, but it illustrates the level of research by Wingnut Wings, that they give you both the information and the parts to ensure verified accuracy. More variations are catered for, with one of three different exhaust systems to be fitted. There is a set of individual curved out ‘organ pipes’, a manifold ‘chimney’ type, or a downward ‘elephant type. Sprue C provides a crystal clear windshield. Stage 9. Rigging. The static rigging mentioned previously looks to be pretty straightforward, but there is more complexity to the control wires that work the wing and tail warping. The ‘elevator’ rigging fans out from a single to eight lines via a triangular etched brass plate, repeated top and bottom. The ‘ailerons’ are similar but only on the top surface, fanning out to six lines. An advantage over a conventional biplane is that all of it will be readily accessible to work on. Finishing options. A. Jeannin Stahltaube 172/14, Lt.Fritzlohn(?),Adlershof-Johannisthal, Late 1914 to early 1915. B. Jeannin Stahltaube 180/14, Deutches Teknikmuseum Berlin C. Jeannin Stahltaube 271/14, Emil Wendler, Adlershof-Johannisthal, late 1916 to early 1917 D. Jeannin Stahltaube 283/14, Adlershof-Johannisthal,1915 E. Jeannin Stahltaube 319/14, Armee-Flug-Park 9b, early 1915. All of these are comparatively plain compared to the finishes applied to German aircraft later in the war, consisting mainly of national markings and serial numbers. Don’t be fooled into thinking the decal sheet is just black & white, those instruments are in full colour. Conclusion. Even with Wingnut Wings appetite for the unusual, I would never have forecast that they would produce a Taube of any sort. But I am really grateful that they have! It represents an important step in the development of aviation. The finished model will be a perfect companion to Wingnut Wings Albatros B.II, which also has those domestic looking radiators bolted on the fuselage sides. It also looks to be quite a large model, judging by the photographs on the Wingnut Wings website which show it alongside a completed Albatros D.Va. Like every new release, it meets the expected high standards we have come to expect from them, and manages to surprise with some new ‘wow’ factor. Those translucent wing and tailplane mouldings are just breath taking, although the effect will probably be lost once paint is applied, it does show how accurate and beautifully thin the mouldings are. The completeness of the kit is also outstanding; few manufacturers would supply you with two engines, four propellers, and three exhaust systems to cover 5 finishing options. The quality of the mouldings is also of the highest standard, everything being free from flash, short shot, or sink marks. Actual construction of the model should be well within the capability of anyone who has even limited experience. The airframe itself is not too complicated and there is no top wing or struttery to worry about. Things will get a little trickier with the rigging, where some previous experience will be helpful. I have never used elasticated EZ-line myself, but do wonder that for those who haven’t done much rigging, it might be a good material for the multi line warping controls. It is becoming routine to say it, but this is yet another outstanding release from Wingnut Wings. A highly original subject, beautifully presented, superbly engineered, and top quality in every respect. I’ve built over a dozen of their kits now and thoroughly enjoyed every single one of them. Order one today, and get the Albatros B.II on your Christmas list to accompany it! Very Highly Recommended Review sample courtesy of

Fokker D.VII sets. Eduard 1:32 Newly released from Eduard are three sets covering Wingnut Wings superb range of Fokker D.VII's. These kits are so good that we may well wonder what possible scope there is for any aftermarket products? Well, I think Eduard have found some very useful items that answer that question. 32914 Fokker D.VII 1:32 Presented on an 8 x 7 cm brass sheet there are 42 distinctly numbered. Many of them occur multiple times, such as 17 part 7's (hinge details), 15 part 11's (turnbuckles) and others only once but using multiple parts, such as the throttle unit. There is no colouring or pre-painting as all the items (save the bezels) will be fitted before the model is primed. A number of bezels for to place over the instruments once the decals have been applied. (The best way to attach these is with Johnsons Kleer or clear varnish). There is a very finely etched throttle quadrant consisting of five parts. This should build up into a very nice little unit that will be better than its injection molded counterpart in the kit. The engine gets wiring from the magnetos to the distribution tube, and leads from the tube to each individual spark plug. The magnetos also get a surrounding strap. There is some detailing for the carburetor unit, a circular plate around the crankshaft, and a pair of 3D etched data plates that go on the crankcase. These should look really good with kit decals applied on top. The fuselage gets some small fittings for the control cable exit points, and some brackets where the lower wing mounts. These details are already molded on the kit fuselage halves, so will need scraping off. The idea is that the etched replacements have much sharper detail. Similarly there are inspection covers and scuff plates for the wings, and again the moulded kit items will require scraping off before the etched items are attached. There are also some extremely fine hinge details to fit on aileron and elevator hinge points. I'd suggest that Johnsons Kleer or white glue will be the best medium for attaching these. They are so small that cyano may well grip and lock them in place before you have had a chance to move them properly into position. There is very little rigging on the Fokker D.VII, but what there is gets some extremely fine little turnbuckles. These are for the fixed wires on the tailplane & undercarriage, and the control wires to the ailerons and elevator. Fortunately there are a few spares provided. The propeller boss gets new plates, front and back. Again, these will require that the existing kit detail is scraped off. The wheels are given new valve covers, in real life a small canvas flap that could be untied to give access to the tyre valve. Fokker, Albatros, and OAW all built the D.VII and each one had a different style of valve cover. These look like the Fokker version, so before you scrape off the valve covers, check that you have the same shape one as the etched part. Finally, the two LMG 08/15 Spandau machine guns get cocking levers, sights, a couple of brackets and etched jackets and front plates. These last two items are already supplied in etched brass in Wingnut Wings own kits, so I was a little surprised to see them here. The Wingnuts MG's can be a little fiddly to assemble, but these ones look like they could be easier to do. You cut the muzzle from the barrel (kit part D13), assemble the etched jacket (part 1) & front plate (part 13), and then re-attach the muzzle to the front plate. 33176 Fokker D.VII seatbelts 1:32 All the Wingnut Wings Fokker D.VII kits come with a set of etched brass seatbelts, but they are unpainted, plain brass. It is up to the modeller to prime and paint them. I don't have a problem doing this, but given the choice, I would go for a set of pre-painted belts as I simply cannot hand paint them to anything like the same standard. Eduards set provides the standard four point harness in a buff colour, with stitching detail and metal parts picked out in black. Simple, and perfectly done.Very often German Aircraft of this period were photographed with the two shoulder straps hanging outside the cockpit, ready for the pilot to climb in and strap up for a quick getaway. If you want to depict your model like this, then these will be far better than anything you can hand paint. JX05 Fokker D.VII Masks 1:32. A simple little set of pre cut masks on kabuki tape. The outer 'hubs' of the Wingnut Wings kit come a separate parts, so that you get a nice easy demarcation when you paint the tyre and hubs separately. The inner faces though, are molded with the tyre and it takes a steady hand to get a neat paint demarcation. These masks will make that job so much easier. Likewise, the small windshield (masks are provided for both types) has a frame around it and requires a very steady hand, and any paint straying onto the glazed are will be very noticeable. This neat little set takes care of both those problems! Conclusion. These are some very useful sets. The main brass etched one which will certainly add some subtle details to the already excellent Wingnut Wings kits. I'm a little puzzled by the inclusion of gun barrels, but the throttle quadrant and engine additions are the 'stand out' items for me. The Wingnut Wings engine kits do not come with wiring but in this scale it is essential, and this set makes it simple to do. Add in all the nice little refinements like the bezels, inspection plates, and turnbuckles, and this becomes a very worthwhile set to enhance your D.VII with. Recommended. Review samples courtesy of

In April this year Wingnut Wings released 'The Duellists' double kit depicting an actual incident that took place in the Great war, when 2 pilots from 4 Sqn Australian Flying Corps shot down and captured an LVG C.VI. The review is here. RFI of the Camel is here. One of those 2 Australian pilots was Harold Kerr, and his great grandson Andrew recently saw the review and got in touch, sending me the following account; "I am the great grandson of pilot Harold Kerr. I just wanted let you know that you got it a little bit wrong, the account of the duel is in the book titled 'The last great air battles', there was not that many in ww1. Harold Kerr was the pilot that hit power lines, he shot down the LVG and upon doubling back to confirm he had 2 Germans on his tail and he dove to get them off, couldn't pull out of it and hit the power lines. When he crashed he headbutted the mounted Vickers machine gun and compress fractured a big part of his skull and broke everything. He ended up being in hospital until long after the war finished and strangely enough next to the 2 Germans from the LVG he shot down. His mates took his gold cigarette case and fob watch as he was left to die from all his injuries but he got better and lived till he was almost 90. I have a clock which his mates made out of the centre piece of the propeller from the sopwith as the blades were snapped off, also his leather flying cap it is very frail and was damaged during the crash. I also have a photo of him in the plane if you would like it. I like to think of him as I have broken all bones a couple of times in horrific accidents and am still kicking on. Harold was in the light horse earlier in the war and was in heavy fighting at Quins post in Gallipoli, I have a letter he wrote home and he was very positive talking about all his friends that had been killed in the previous couple of days as most of them died. Harold was shot through the chest just above his heart, he survived and was discharged after which he joined the RAF and became a Sopwith Camel pilot." Would we like to see the pictures?, you bet we would! Huge thanks to Andrew for sending the following photographs; Harold Kerr in his Camel; Harold Kerr; Harold's wings; His medals; Leather Helmet; The prop boss 'clock' And the LVG after capture; Fantastic to see these and what brilliant family heirlooms to have. Priceless! Again huge thanks to Andrew, nice one mate! Cheers John

In case one or two of you may be interested (anyone? ... anyone?), the Green Tails Albatros' have been available for pre-order on the WNW site for the last couple of days. Shipping date is July 24.

LVG C.VI "The Duellists" (Part 2) 1:32 Wingnut Wings Remember the old Airfix 'Dogfight Doubles' with 2 kits of adversaries in the same box? Like the Camel & Albatros, Bristol Fighter & Fokker triplane, well Wingnut Wings have produced a similar idea, only this time they have put two of their superb kits into 1 boxing to depict an actual documented encounter that took place. This one is of LVG C.VI 7243/18 which encountered 2 Sopwith Camels from B flight of 4 Squadron Australian Flying Corps. The Camels shot down and captured the LVG, which was made airworthy again,a nd flown to the UK. Later it went on to Australia as a war prize, but sadly was not preserved. A fuller account is in the In box review done earlier this year. I have already built the Camel, In Ready For Inspection here. The LVG has long been unavailable from Wingnut Wings, so this is a welcome chance to get one if you missed it first time around. There is a Work in Progress thread on the LVG here. I covered the LVG fuselage with individual panels of Uschi Van Der Rosten plywood grain decals, which was a long job but well worth it. The kit itself goes together beautifully, as expected from Wingnut Wings, and the completed duo make an extra special addition to the display cabinet. And with the Camel; Thanks for looking, John

LVG C.VI "The Duellists" (Part 2) 1:32 Wingnut Wings This is the Wingnut Wings boxing of the Sopwith Camel and LVG C.VI double kit, depicting an actual event that took place in the Great War. LVG C.VI 7243/18 piloted by Sgt. Greyer with Lt. Köhnke as observer, was shot down and captured, By Harold Norman Kerr in Camel E7190, and Vincent Harry Thornton in Camel E7241. An in box review is here. I have already built the Camel and created a WIP thread Sopwith F.1 Camel "The Duellists" (Part 1) - 1:32 Wingnut Wings With Ready for Inspection thread Here. Now thats all out of the way we can get on with the WIP for the LVG! First up was to remove all the fuselage parts that required painting in natural wood, plus all the fittings. They were primed in Halfords grey, followed by an airbrushed coat of Tamiya 'Decak tan' as a base. Then the woodgrain was appied by brush using Griffin Alkyd quick drying artists oils (the tube kind). I use Raw Sienna, Light Red, and Burnt Umber mixed in various proportions to give different tones. Raw Sienna is the lightest, Burnt Umber the darkest. By blending you can get a huge range of tones. The Wingnut Wings decals give you all the instruments, completely readable, even the tiny little dials on the radio set. Unusually the fuselage goes together before the completed cockpit unit is inserted. It is a very tight fit but can be eased in The cockpit unit. I anly added a couple of pulleys for the rudder cables, (the round black units in the front corners) as I rigged all the control wires and it didn't make sense without some sort of pulleys for them. This is one of Wingnuts very first kits, and I doubt a detail like this would be omitted on any of their subsequent models. Next up was the engine. 2 sets of cylinder mouldings are provided. The kit tells you to use those with pushrods moulded on. But there is also a set without them and I opted to use those, and add my own pushrods from wire, for a better appearance. These are the 'moulded on' ones that I elected not to use; The pushrods I added are the red wire seen below. I also decided to wire up the ignition, with fine copper wire. The magnetos were done first with more length than needed so that I can trim to fit later. The plug leads go through some flat tapered tubes along the cylinders, shown in photos of the real engine in the instructions. None are in the kit but they are simply fabricated from plasticard, and plug leads attached, aslo from copper wire. I left the cylinders & crankcase separate, as the cylinders will be black and the crankcase natural metal and it eases the painting. Might as well do the gun, oil tank and inlets whilst preparing all these parts. It all needs painting now! Thanks for looking, John

I realise that this is tantamount to teasing, but the WnW Albatros trio arrived at my doorstep at 10:00 this morning (I often work from home and got lucky). They were only posted two days ago! I'm glad I didn't bother paying twice as much for courier delivery! More to the point for those of you eagerly awaiting yours: very large box (about 36 x 52 x 9 cm), not as tightly packed as most WnW boxings, and all present and correct inside. That is: no shortcuts on quality as far as I can tell without tearing open bags.

Sopwith F.1 Camel "The Duellists" (Part 1) 1:32 Wingnut Wings This is the Sopwith Camel from the recently released 'Duellists' boxing from Wingnut Wings, reviewed here which also contains the LVG C.VI. Construction of the LVG is now underway and will appear in a seperate 'Work in progress' thread soon. <Edit> WIP thread for the LVG is started! LVG C.VI "The Duellists" (Part 2) - 1:32 Wingnut Wings </edit> WIP thread for the Camel - Sopwith F.1 Camel "The Duellists" (Part 1) - 1:32 Wingnut Wings It is a beautiful kit with Wingnut Wings customary precision engineering and outstanding fit. Total, complete, and exceptional modelling pleasure in a box! The write up with the kit gives the following information; 'On the morning of 9th October 1918 two Clerget powered F.1 Camels from B flight of 4 Squadron Australian Flying Corps took off on a ‘special mission’ patrol. 26 year old Harold Norman Kerr was in Camel E7190, accompanied by Vincent Harry Thornton in Camel E7241, They were to attack targets of opportunity with their bombs and guns, in much the same way that more than 20 years later in the second world war,the RAF crossed the Channel to conduct ‘Rhubarb’ missions. The combat report states “..we saw a 2 seater machine over Merville which opened fire on us. We both immediately dived on the enemy aircraft from the side. 2/Lt Thornton fired about 200 rounds from a range of 50 feet. 2/Lt Kerr then fired about 100 rounds from 50 feet. E.A. continued diving until practically on the ground being followed by 2/Lts Thornton and Kerr both firing. Landed near Nieppe.” Lt Thornton attempted to land alongside the 2 seater, but unfortunately hit telegraph lines and was severely injured, not being released from hospital until well after the Great War had ended.' On with the photos; And paired with something else, Wingnut Wings Sopwith Pup; If you have never seen or built a Wingnut Wings kit, you really need to! Thanks for looking, John

Fokker D.VII (Early) 1:32 Wingnut Wings Introduction The Fokker D.VII first appeared over the western front in May 1918, as the Great War was entering its final phase leading up to the November Armistice. At first issued in small numbers to elite pilots, it proved to be a very capable fighter and began to build a formidable reputation. Production contracts were awarded to Fokkers' main rival, Albatros, such was the need to get production ramped as quickly as possible. In fact Albatros produced more D.VII's than Fokker themselves, and of better quality. The early machines revealed a tendency to engine overheating, so various attempts were made to increase the airflow around the engine bay, mainly by cutting vents and louvers in the cowling panels. The number and location of these vents can often be of assistance in identifying the age and manufacturer of particular D.VII's in old photographs. 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. The Kit It was something of a surprise to see this kit announced on Wingnut Wings website a few months ago, but it is certainly very welcome. All their previously released versions of the D.VII sold out long ago, and have been fetching silly money on auction sites. As usual we start with the wonderful Steve Anderson artwork adorning the box lid, depicting a pair of Jasta 15 D.VII's in a clear blue sky. Opening the box reveals that it is packed from top to bottom with a host of individually shrink wrapped sprues, leaving no room far anything to rattle around. It is a good idea with any Wingnut Wings kit to carefully unpack it in sequence, putting each item in the upturned lid as you go. Then reverse the process to get it all back in, otherwise you might find you can't get the lid back on properly. There is that much packed into every kit! Wingnut wings have previously released four other boxings of the D.VII in Fokker, Albatros, OAW, and Fokker D.VII(F) forms. They naturally share a lot of common parts, with the individual variations being taken care of by other sprue(s) unique to the particular version. Construction starts with the cockpit, and here sprue A holds most of the parts. Pay attention to the instructions to make sure you select the correct ammunition tank and machine gun mounts. They vary in height according to early, mid, and late production. The etched fret provides seatbelts, which look very good once painted up and applied to the seat. Having made several of these kits already, I have a number of previous 'build' photographs that are useful here. The cockpit framework builds up very precisely, so you must ensure that you scrape any paint away from mating surfaces, and that you fit items like the firewall and ammo tank correctly. Any incorrect fitting will result in the finished unit 'bulging' and being too wide, which will then interfere with the fuselage sides closing around it. Several items have pins that fit into sockets on sideframes B10 & B11. It is a good idea to ream these out with a micro drill after painting. As usual, Wingnut Wings provide superb instructions, showing detailed colour photos of the interior of the Memorial Flight Associations meticulous replica. These are accompanied by coloured CAD drawings showing how it all fits together, with paint references. The engine bay is made up of several beautiful mouldings that replicate the welded steel tubing of the real thing. Take care with parts B14 & B15 when you remove them from the sprue. On my first build I inadvertently cut them at the front where the engine mounting plates end. But these 'spigots' that stick out are later used as radiator mounts. My fault, the instructions show them clearly but I wasn't paying attention! I absolutely love Wingnut Wings engines, they make super little models in their own right, especially if you go the extra step and wire up the magnetos to the plugs. Fine copper wire is ideal for this, and I often use a little bit of artistic licence and paint them in a light colour. After all, If I have installed all the ignition leads, I want them to be visible. Alternate air pumps, intake manifolds, and decals are provided for whichever of the five colour schemes you select. The Mercedes D.IIIa engine powered many different German aircraft, and thus features in several Wingnut Wings kits. This one was built for the initial release of Wingnuts Fokker D.VII. The fuselage halves are closed around the completed interior, but only the top seam is glued. Once dry, the bottom can be glued, and a strip of 'stitching' fitted in to a channel running along the underside. This works well, and is the only way the stitching can be replicated without having a join line right down its middle, which would then be lost as you sanded down the seam. The two LMG 08/15 Spandaus are provided with etched brass jackets, but if you are not confident optional full plastic ones are supplied as an alternative. Two styles of windscreen are on sprue C, which is typical of Wingnut Wings attention to detail. They are tiny and very similar, but you get both. Not all manufacturers would do this. Sprue I holds all the engine cowling panels, and it is this whole sprue that is completely different in the OAW and Albatros releases of the kit. Even within each kit there are multiple options for all the cowlings, such was the variation among early, mid, and late production from even the same manufacturer. As an early machine, the ones applicable to this kit are the plain ones, or those with only a few louvers - some of which have to be cut off anyway. The instructions make it all perfectly clear. The area is finished off by fixing one of two different styles of exhaust to the engine. Sprue D is provided in duplicate, with all those items that you require two of. Three different wheel hubs are present, but only one style is applicable to the Fokker built machines. The wings are simple to build and feature lovely rib detail. They can in fact be built, primed, painted, and decalled while the main construction of the cockpit/fuselage is going on. Final assembly involves beautifully moulded three-way cabane struts, parts B8 and B12. Use a drill to clear out their lower end mounting sockets at the top of the undercarriage legs. The tolerances are tight, so make sure nothing is clogged with paint. All the struts will fit precisely, and the bonus is that hardly any rigging is required. Markings and decals. Five different schemes are offered, with option C having a variation on the colour of the nose area, either red or yellow. A. Fokker D.VII, 262/18, Emil Thuy, Jasta 28w, mid-1918 (35 victories) B. Fokker D.VII, Rudolf Berthold, Jasta 15/JG2, mid-1918 (44 victories) C1.Fokker D.VII, Max Kliefoth, Jasta 19, October 1918 (3 victories) C2.Fokker D.VII, Hugo Schäfer, Jasta 19, October 1918. As above but with red nose area. D. Fokker D.VII, Reinhold von Benz, Jasta 78b, August 1918 (1 victory) E. Fokker D.VII, Bruno Loerzer, Jasta 26/JGIII, November 1918 (44 victories) Four A4/Letter sized decal sheets are supplied, with the first sheet containing all the individual markings for options A to E. As always they are close to perfection, with perfect colours, register, minimal carrier film and superfine detail. Some of the tiny data plates, shown at least double real life size, are completely readable. Produced by Cartograf, need I say more? Two sheets of lozenge decal accompany the main sheet, one of four colour lozenge and another of five colour. The five colour is especially interesting as it provides two types of underside lozenge. The 'normal' and an overpainted set, replicating where pale blue paint has been washed over the lozenge fabric. I have never seen this on a decal sheet, but it looks great. The lozenges are just visible underneath, and having it provided like this takes all the risk out of having to do it yourself. Options A an B both use it, the others use the normal four colour decal. An interesting variation is that Option A actually uses five colour underside lozenge on both wing upper surfaces, with normal upper five colour on the ailerons. Certainly a very interesting and attractive scheme. The decals themselves are in 'cookie cutter' format, designed and shaped to apply directly to the wing surfaces, complete with rib tapes. Be sure to paint the wings first, to give the decals something to 'bite' onto. Don't be tempted to think you can apply them directly to bare plastic. You can't, because they wont stick. The Fokker 'streaky' camouflage can be rather daunting to paint, but Wingnut Wings have made it simple by creating a full set of 'streak' decals for the fuselage. These are the same as provided in their original Fokker release, and found that they give an excellent result when applied over a pale green (or clear doped linen) painted fuselage. Again referring back to my earlier build; (flash photograpy does't 'arf make the colours look bright! It a lot more subtle in real life). Conclusion. Wingnut Wings other D.VII's sold out rather quickly, so don't hang about with this one. Another benefit is that this boxing contains all the plastic parts and options that were in the original (now out of production) Fokker D.VII release. So if like me, you have the original kit but wanted to build more than one option from it, then you now have everything to assemble an early, mid, or late production Fokker built D.VII contained within this box. But if you missed earlier Fokker built D.VII completely, now is your chance to fill that gap in your collection. Buy two and build an early version straight from the box, and use the other one with Wingnut Wings own decal sheet 30006 'Fighting Fokkers part 1', which gives options for some later Fokker D.VII's. Another absolute beauty from Wingnut Wings, very highly reccomended. Review sample courtesy of Previous builds; 32011 Fokker D.VII (Fok) 32027 Fokker D.VII (Alb) 32030 Fokker D.VII (OAW) with decal sheet 30009 Fokker D.VII (OAW) Fighting Fokkers part 4

30021 4 Colour Upper Lozenge Decals & 30022 4 Colour Lower Lozenge Decals 1:32 Wingnut Wings Despite early propaganda the Great War was not ‘over by Christmas’ and instead the months passed and turned into years. Aviation was in its infancy, yet underwent rapid change and development during the four years of active conflict. After two years, by 1916 it was realised that some form of concealment for the aircraft was desirable; both while in flight and parked on the ground. Often this was achieved with paints or coloured dopes, but these carried the penalty of adding extra weight. The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte (German air force) developed pre-printed fabrics that provided the colours without adding the weight. These were based on the polygonal patterns that had often been hand painted onto various aircraft, in an effort to visually break up their lines. Initially the ‘five colour’ fabric began to appear in 1917, followed later by a ‘four colour’ version. Both types had a ‘lower’ version consisting of light colours, and an ‘upper’ version with darker colours. Both types were in extensive use right up until the end of the war, one did not replace the other or supercede it. While the patterns are not in doubt, the actual colours have been discussed exhaustively over the last hundred years. With no contemporary colour photography, plus the effects of fading, oil, varnish, staining, and a whole host of other influences, it can be pretty difficult to come to absolute certainties. Wingnut wings have gone back to primary sources, I.e. surviving fabric samples, and done their own analysis. In their own words; “Wingnut Wings lozenge decals have been meticulously researched, the intricate patterns were traced from original lozenge fabric material we have examined in person. These same lozenge samples were used to colour match our decals under natural daylight conditions. We were very fortunate to have enough sample material to be able to match the colours to the un-doped and un-faded areas from where the edges had been folded over to sew the panels together. In conjunction with our decal printers, Cartograf, we printed multiple samples of each lozenge decal before we were completely happy that the colours matched or research findings. All of this ensures that our decals match the original colours of our samples as they looked in natural daylight conditions as they were applied to aircraft in the Great War.” The decals are printed on A4 sized sheets with seven ‘bolts’ of fabric on each, to the scale width they would have been. There is a very subtle ‘fabric’ look to them, the printing is razor sharp and the pattern repeats precisely . The colours look very impressive, they do actually start to blend together when viewed from a distance. There should be enough on the sheets to cover at least two Albatros sized aircraft, probably more if only the wings need covering. Plenty of useful information is contained within the instruction sheets, pointing out how aircraft were covered, use of rib tapes, and various anomalies that occurred. In the usual Wingnut Wings style, these are backed up with original photographs from the era. Comparison with an earlier Wingnut Wings decal from my stash (a Pfalz D.XII) in pre-shped format, shows the improvement that this latest research has produced. The earlier decal is a little harsher in the way the colours relate to each other, is probably too bright, and it doesn’t ‘blend’ as well as the newer sets. Lozenge camouflage is such a distinctive and noticeable feature on aircraft in this scale, that these sheets will be great to upgrade your unbuilt Wingnut Wings kits (they do a five colour set as well). And if you have any other manufacturers 1:32 WW1 German aircraft kits, they often have much poorer quality lozenge decals, you’ll definitely need a set of these. Highly reccomended. Review sample courtesy of

Wingnut Wings is to release in May 2017 a 1/32nd Fokker D.VII (Fok) early kit - ref. 32067 Source: http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=8095.0 V.P.

Another WNW kit. I'm really beginning to enjoy these and the more rigging I do the more confident I am with it. I'm still having problems with turnbuckle alignment but next time I'll fix the rigging to the turnbuckle then glue to the wing. More of a fiddle but the turnbuckles should then be in line with the rigging. All OOTB apart from the Gaspatch turnbuckles. EZ line for the rigging. I understand that these didn't get too weathered so apart from a bit of dust/dirt from the wheels I'll leave alone. One final thing-I really need to become proficient at bending the Spandau etched brass jacket as solid plastic does detract from the finished result.

Sopwith F.1 Camel "Clerget" 1:32 Wingnut Wings [EDIT] Review build of 'The Duellists' Camel underway in 'Work in Progress' [/EDIT] [EDIT] Finished model of this kit 'Wonga Bonga' in Ready for Inspection [/EDIT] For the past 12 months or so, Wingnut Wings have been very quiet in terms of new releases. As was apparent from visiting their website they clearly had their ‘heads down’ while they concentrated on producing a Sopwith Camel. This is probably the most eagerly awaited model that WNW has ever released. Anticipation and expectations were very high, due to their reputation for meticulous research and total accuracy, combined with flawless fit and ease of build. The wait was probably longer than most wanted, but it is well known that Wingnut Wings do not release their models according to any pre-prepared schedule. They release them only when everything, and I mean everything, is at the supremely high standard they set themselves. When all was ready for release, there was a big surprise in store. It wasn’t just a single release but Six different kitsets 32070 Sopwith F.1 Camel “BR.1”. 32071 Sopwith F.1 Camel “Le Rhone”. 32072 Sopwith F.1 Camel “USAS”. 32074 Sopwith F.1 Camel “Clerget”. 32076 Sopwith 2F.1 Camel “Ship’s Camel”. 32803 Sopwith F.1 Camel &LVG C.VI “The Duellists’ Wow, no wonder it took so long to research and produce the Camel. Pause for a moment and consider the massive task of project managing all this to Wingnuts exacting standards. All the subtle (but very important) differences between versions, applicable colour schemes, the breakdown of parts and allocations to various sprues, getting the moulds right, and on and on, the list of things that had to be achieved, and decisions made, must have been colossal. The Sopwith Camel. Developed in 1916 as a successor to the single gun Sopwith Pup, the Camel got its name from the ‘hump’ in the forward fuselage that enclosed most of the twin Vickers guns. Entering service in May 1917 and serving right up to then of the Great War in November 1918, the Camel served with many air forces, and was the mount of a large number of allied aces. Initially the aircraft suffered from the poor quality of its Clerget 9B engines, so other engines were tried. The RNAS preferred the Bentley BR.1, and the RFC settled on both the Le Rhone 9J and the improved Clerget 9Bf. The United States Air Service (USAS) received 5 Squadrons of Camels as their forces built up through 1918. A further development was the 2F.1 ‘Ships Camel’ which featured a shorter wingspan and detachable rear fuselage. All these versions are available from the Wingnut Wings range, it only remains to be seen if the F.1/3 ‘Comic’ night fighter joins them. I certainly hope so, and notice that kit number 32073 sits unused between the ‘USAS’ and ‘Clerget’ releases. Could it be for the F.1/3? Fingers crossed everyone! The Kit There is nothing quite like the thrill of a new Wingnut Wings kit, the silver gilt edged box with its fabulous Steve Anderson painting, draws you in to lift the lid and see the latest wonder from our friends in New Zealand. Shown in action here is a very dramatic scene with Camel B3834 ‘Wonga Bonga’ shooting down a Gotha under a moon lit sky. Inside are 5 individually wrapped sprues, all of which are further wrapped in a larger bag, a large decal sheet by Cartograf, and an etched brass fret with seatbelts and gun sights. Also contained is one of Wingnut Wings instruction books, which is way more than just a guide to the assembly sequence. The drawings are very clear and logical, with colour call outs to every step, accompanied by more detailed painting guides at various points. The ‘icing on the cake’ is the inclusion of photographs, both original and modern, to help the modeller understand how everything should look. Want to see how the fuselage interior should look? There are a couple of colour photographs of an original Camel under restoration, before the cockpit area was covered with fabric. Assembly begins naturally enough, with the cockpit area. A full set of instrument decals are provided for the panel, each of which is readable under a magnifying glass. The cockpit side frames are moulded in one piece with the cabane struts. Care will be needed during construction not to knock them, but they will ensure that the top wing will just click accurately into place during final assembly. (The same system was used on their Sopwith Pup model, and having built 2 of them I know that it works a treat). The cockpit is fully fitted out with all the fine detail you could possible want, the only things to add are the bracing wires between the fuselage frames, and the control wires from the stick and rudder pedals. Stretched sprue or rolled fuse wire is ideal for this. The two Vickers guns are fitted in two stages. The main stocks go in during the cockpit assembly, with the barrels to be fitted later on from the outside. This will make painting both them and the cockpit coaming area a much easier job. Who needs resin when you have plastic moulding like this? Another nice feature of Wingnuts thoroughness is that one of the marking options has an extra bit of stitching on the starboard mid fuselage. Rather than supply it as a part to be glued on, Wingnut Wings provide you with 2 complete starboard fuselage halves. One with and one without - a great example of their dedication to doing things right. Lesser companies would have provided 1 fuselage part with the extra stitching on, and instructed the modeller to scrape it off if not required. Note in the photo above, the lower wing is moulded as a single piece including the dihedral, contributing to what should be fool proof assembly and line up of the biplane wings. The wings themselves feature nicely moulded inspection panels, with the lines and pulleys inside. These have clear panels to attach once the details are painted. Also on the clear sprue is a choice of three different windscreens used by the different marking options. The upper wing is a three piece assembly, as per the real aircraft, with beautiful rib and stitching detail, and fine trailing edges. Two different centre sections are on sprue B, with only the small cut out version being applicable in this release.The completed wing should lock into position on those pre set cabane struts, and line up easily with the interplane struts. The etched fret provides details for the gunsights, even including William Barkers little ‘red devil’ in fine detail. Two types of undercarriage are available, the early aerofoil steel tube version and the later round steel tube with wooden fairings. The wheels themselves are from one of the two complete sets provided. More evidence of attention to detail by Wingnut Wings, as I bet few of us would know that different wheels were used on Camels. Final items are the Cooper bombs on their beautifully moulded rack, and the Clerget engine. Different crankcase/pushrod mouldings are supplied to enable either the 9B or 9Bf version to be modelled, all but marking option F using the 9B. Wingnut Wings engines are always a highlight of their kits for me, and I often start my builds with them because they are such fun to build. This little rotary is comparatively simple but no less detailed than some of the bigger in-line engines. Assembled and painted it should look gorgeous. And to help you, there is a colour photo of the real thing on the restored Camel B5663. I know we should be wary of taking information from restorations, but TVAL (Wingnut Wings sister company) do such meticulous work, that there is definitely value in seeing it. Where else are you going to get detailed colour photographs of a Sopwith Camel? The engine is covered by one of four cowlings on sprue A, the other three not being applicable to this version. Finally one of two propellers completes the construction phase. A detailed rigging diagram shows where everything goes. There are a couple of double wires, but on the whole this is a fairly straight forward rig. Not the simplest, but certainly not very complicated either. Interestingly the instructions point out that the Camel was not rigged with turnbuckles, so that is one less thing to have to do. Marking Options. Rather than Wingnut Wings standard five different finishing options, here we get six! It is always a difficult but pleasurable decision as to which one to choose. I’m afraid that it is almost impossible here as they are all absolutely stunning. Many modellers are going to be unable to resist obtaining more than one copy of this particular kit, in order to satisfy that urge. The decals are perfectly printed, with sharp edges and accurate colours. Dozens of fine details are provided, from ‘Sopwith’ logos for the struts to markings for the little Cooper bombs. The big sheet is by Cartograf, your assurance of top quality. A -Sopwith F.1 Camel B3834 “Wonga Bonga”, RH Daly (7 victories) & AF Brandon (1 victory), Manston War Flight RNAS, July-August 1917. B - Sopwith F.1 Camel B3889 “B 1”, CF Collett (11 victories), B Flight 70 Sqn RFC, August 1917. C - Sopwith F.1 Camel B3893, AR Brown (10 victories), 9(N) Sqn RNAS, September-October 1917. D - Sopwith F.1 Camel B6289, HL Nelson (1 victory), WM Alexander (23 victories), A Flight 10(N) Sqn RNAS, January 1918. E - Sopwith F.1 Camel B6313, WG Barker (50 victories), 139 Sqn RAF, late July 1918. F - Sopwith F.1 Camel B7406, HG Watson (14 victories), C Flight 4 Sqn AFC, March 1918. Conclusion. Every Wingnut Wings kit I have seen has been special, but this is something else. It has all the things we have come to love about their kits: the way they present them, the quality of the moulding, the instruction manual, the marking options, etc. Open the box and you will happily spend an hour or two going through the contents, admiring the mouldings, reading the booklet, mentally building it, and best of all, trying to shortlist which option to build. Since last year Wingnut Wings have changed the way they supply their kits. No longer do you order directly from them in New Zealand, and await the arrival of your kits with a Customs and VAT charge. You can now purchase from their partner Weta Workshop, or numerous smaller (often fairly local) retailers, some of which are members on Britmodeller. It seems that all six of the Camel boxings are proving to be very popular and selling like hot cakes. There has been an ongoing thread here on Britmodeller, showing how popular it has been and also how one of our member/traders, Duncan, has been winning praise for his service! See here You don’t even have to start actually building it to get your money’s worth. A good mug of tea (or a decent single malt if it is later in the day), your favourite armchair, and a spare hour with one of Wingnut Wings new Camels will wash away all the cares of the world, and put a huge smile on your face. I know, and I’ve already dipped my hand in my pocket and bought three more! Very highly reccomended. Review sample courtesy of

'The Duellists' Sopwith F.1 Camel & LVG C.VI 1:32 Wingnut Wings [EDIT] Review build of the Camel underway in 'Work in Progress' [/EDIT] Released at the same time as the five individual boxings of the Sopwith Camel is this latest addition to the Wingnut Wings ‘Duellists’ series of two kits in a box. These are carefully chosen to depict the actual machines that met in combat on a known date and time. On the morning of 9th October 1918 two Clerget powered F.! Camels from B flight of 4 Squadron Australian Flying Corps took off on a ‘special mission’ patrol. 26 year old Harold Norman Kerr was in Camel E7190, accompanied by Vincent Harry Thornton in Camel E7241, They were to attack targets of opportunity with their bombs and guns, in much the same way that more than 20 years later in the second world war,the RAF crossed the Channel to conduct ‘Rhubarb’ missions. The combat report states “..we saw a 2 seater machine over Merville which opened fire on us. We both immediately dived on the enemy aircraft from the side. 2/Lt Thornton fired about 200 rounds from a range of 50 feet. 2/Lt Kerr then fired about 100 rounds from 50 feet. E.A. continued diving until practically on the ground being followed by 2/Lts Thornton and Kerr both firing. Landed near Nieppe.” Lt Thornton attempted to land alongside the 2 seater, but unfortunately hit telegraph lines and was severely injured, not being released from hospital until well after the Great War had ended. The ‘2 seater’ was LVG C.VI 7243/18 piloted by Sgt. Greyer with Lt. Köhnke as observer. 7243 landed intact and both were taken prisoner. The aircraft was salvaged 4 Sqn AFC and flown to Britain by the CO. Eventually it went to Australia as a war prize, but some time after 1941 it disappeared and its final fate is unknown. All this sets the fascinating context in which this kitset is presented. One of the things that really interests me about military aviation is the stories of the crews involved, particularly those from the Great War period. It adds an extra dimension and interest to a model building project. The kit. As a double kit this one has been presented in a different way to the previous ‘Duellists’. Instead of a deeper box we have a double width box, rather like 2 standard boxes side by side. Inside the Camel occupies one side, with the LVG in the other. The box is thus quite large, but it does means that Steve Andersons superb artwork is really large, depicting the incident as it starts. The standard Wingnut Wings instruction booklet is provided, containing as it does contemporary and modern photographs to help show how everything should look, plus more photos that are just too interesting not to include. The assembly sequences are illustrated with crystal clarity, and paint colours are called out for each item at each stage. I always appreciate the drawings that show completed sub assemblies in colour, they are immensely useful. Confirmation that the Wingnut Wings crew are modellers and builders themselves, as this is a very thoughtful touch. Sopwith F.1 Camel The Clerget Camel has already been reviewed with full details here, so I’ll restrict this section to a brief summary of the main points. Assembly begins with the cockpit area. A full set of instrument decals are provided for the panel, each of which is readable under a magnifying glass. The cockpit side frames are moulded in one piece with the cabane struts. Care will be needed during construction not to knock them, but they will ensure that the top wing will just click accurately into place during final assembly. The cockpit is fully fitted out with all the fine detail you could possible want, the only things to add are the bracing wires between the fuselage frames, and the control wires from the stick and rudder pedals. Stretched sprue or rolled fuse wire is ideal for this. An etched brass fret contains parts for both the Camel and the LVG, these being mainly seat belts and gun sights, with a slotted jacket for the LVG’s Spandau. The two Vickers guns are fitted in two stages. The main stocks go in during the cockpit assembly, with the barrels to be fitted later on from the outside. This will make painting both them and the cockpit coaming area a much easier job. The lower wing is moulded as a single piece including the dihedral, contributing to what should be a fool proof assembly and line up of the biplane wings. The wings themselves feature nicely moulded inspection panels, with the lines and pulleys inside. These have clear panels to attach once the details are painted. The upper wing is a three piece assembly, as per the real aircraft, with beautiful rib and stitching detail, and fine trailing edges. The completed wing should lock into position on those pre set cabane struts, and line up easily with the interplane struts. Final items are the Cooper bombs on their beautifully moulded rack, and the Clerget engine. Different crankcase/pushrod mouldings are supplied to enable either the 9B or 9Bf version to be modelled, option A Lt Kerr’s E7190 uses the 9B, while Lt Thornton’s E7241 could have used either the 9B or 9Bf. Parts are provided for both so you have the choice. A detailed rigging diagram shows where everything goes. There are a couple of double wires, but on the whole this is a fairly straight forward rig. Not the simplest, but certainly not very complicated either. Interestingly the instructions point out that the Camel was not rigged with turnbuckles, so that is one less thing to have to do. Marking Options. There is the choice of Either Kerr or Thorntons machines. A = Sopwith F.1 Camel E7190, HN Kerr (1 shared victory), B Flight 4 Sqn AFC, 9 October 1918. B = Sopwith F.1 Camel E7241, VH Thornton (2 victories, 1 shared), B Flight 4 Sqn AFC, 9 October 1918. The LVG C.VI. The LVG C.VI was a 2 seat observation aircraft first flown in early 1918, and entering front line service by the middle of the year. It had a fixed forward firing LMG 08/15 Spandau, and a LMG 14/17 Parabellum on a flexible ring for the observer. It was popular with crews, having a good rate of climb, speed, and maneuverability. Many of us in the UK will remember the Shuttleworth Collections C.IV 7198/18 , that was restored and flown for many years from the early 1970’s. It has now ceased flying and been returned to the RAF museum, its official owners. I saw it flying many times, it is a bit of a shame that it won’t be seen in the air again, but it is a very precious survivor and needs to be carefully looked after. The kit. As one of Wingnut Wings first four releases, it sold out rapidly and has not been available for many years now, so it is great to be able to get hold of it again. The quality of moldings and ease of assembly are up to the high standard that Wingnut Wings set from the very beginning. We have the same wonderfully illustrated instruction manual shared with the Camel, the LVG simply occupying the second half of the booklet. Assembly begins with the cockpit, most of which depicts the abundant woodwork in this area. The pilots seat is mounted directly on top of the large petrol tank, a prospect which must have been terrifying if you thought about it too much! Decals are provided the small instrument panel, and seatbelts for both pilot and observer come from the etched brass fret. The observers cockpit is fitted with a bench seat and wireless set, with a couple of spare Parabellum ammo drums. The fuselage halves are just the side and rear top panels, with the underside being supplied as complete part. I rather like this method of assembly as it does away with the join line that normally runs down the centre of the underside and can take a fair bit of effort to eliminate on a flat panel like this. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but I really like building the engines for WnW models as they are real little gems. The Benz Bz IVa provided here is a real beauty, with sharp moulding and detail. The only addition I usually make is to use fine copper wire to ‘wire up’ the magnetos to the spark plugs. If doing so here, you will need to scratch up a couple of flat channels that run along both sides of the cylinders, from which a wire to each spark plug appears as it runs past each cylinder. With the engine completed, the forward cockpit coamings and cabane struts are fitted. On the original release of the LVG no etched jacket was provided for the Spandau, just a ‘solid’ version. Happily this release does provide one, along with a ‘roller’ to form it around. The fuselage is painted in a bare plywood finish. Wingnut Wings website provides a useful little tutorial on creating a wood grain finish. Look under ‘Hints & Tips’ on the original LVG kit release number 32002. The fuselage corners were reinforced with orange/brown linen tapes, a full set of which are supplied on the main decal sheet. The lower wings are single pieces per side, while the upper wings are made from 2 pieces per side. This is due to the uppers having a deeper airfoil section, and consequently are much ‘thicker’. Moulding them as single part like the lowers would have been impractical and made them extremely heavy. The wings and tail are covered with 4 colour lozenge, plenty of which is provided on the decal sheets, with the upper lozenge being the darker of the two sets. It is essential to pre paint the wings and tail, and not to assume that you can apply the lozenge decal to bare plastic. I usually paint the uppers in olive drab, and the lowers in pale blue. After a coat of Johnsons kleer (or gloss varnish) the lozenge decals can be applied. The paint gives them something to ‘bite’ onto and weld themselves to the surface. A rigging diagram shows clearly where all the wires go, using whatever method you prefer. Marking Options. Only one choice here, as befits the nature of the incident being depicted by this Duellists kitset. It is a fairly plain LVG, devoid of any unit markings. This suggests that the aircraft may have been fairly new and pressed into service right away. C = LVG C.VI 7243/18, Sgt. Greyer & Lt. Köhnke, Flieger Abteilung 13, 9 October 1918. Decals. The main A4/Letter sized sheet covers the Camels and LVG. There is very little difference between Kerr and Thorntons Camels, only their ‘B’ flight numbers. It is not certain which numbers they wore, so you are provided with numbers 1 -8, and I assume that the ‘6’ would make a ‘9’ if rotated 180. The LVG is provided with all its national markings and stencils, but as mentioned before 7243/18 was not wearing any unit markings when it was shot down. 3 more A4/Letter sheets cover the upper surface 4 colour lozenge, the lower surface 4 colour lozenge, and a set of pink, blue, and plain linen rib tapes, of which only the plain linen ones are applicable to this aircraft. Printing is by Cartograf, so is sharp, clear, and to industry leading standard. Enough said. Accessories. Includeed is Wingnut Wings standard set of German Accessories, covering a wide range of diorama friendly items from ladders to cameras, oxygen tanks, photo plate boxes, pigeon boxes etc, even a teddy bear! Here's some I prepared earlier; Conclusion. This is a fabulous and unexpected release of the new Wingnut Wings Camel by pairing with the LVG. Both kits are superb, and represent the best of modern standards being achieved. Although the LVG is one of the older WnW releases, don’t think that it is an any way a lesser model. It has the same high standard of moulding and fit as the latest releases, and having built the original kit I can vouch for the fact that it is a joy to build, and trouble free (See Below). And it looks absolutely gorgeous when finished. Get one while you can! I really like these Duellist sets that tell a story of real incidents that took place. Knowing the dates, times, units, and names of those involved makes them seem more real. I am just as interested in reading about great war aviation as I am on modeling it, so this range neatly bridges the two. When completed these two are going to make a great pairing alongside each other in anyone's cabinet. Very highly reccomended. Review sample courtesy of Kit 32002 LVG C.VI, the second Wingnut Wings kit I built, back in 2009.

Fokker D.VII (Alb) 1:32 Wingnut Wings. The Fokker D.VII was the most succesful German single seat fighter of the Great war. Such was the demand for it that not only was it built by Fokker, but also Ostdeutsche Albatros Werke and Albatros, hence the suffix (Fok), (OAW) and (Alb) often used to denote the manufacturer of a particular airframe. In fact Albatros produced more D.VII's tha Fokker themselves, and to a better standard of quality. One of the things I like about aviation modelling is not just the aircrfat themselves, but also the people who maintained and flew them. The Great War is full of personalities, and Carl Degelow is a shining example. He was a 30 victory ace, and the last winner of the 'Pour le Merit', commonly known as the Blue Max. By all accounts he was a chivalrous 'knight of the air', and served with honour and distinction. I can thoroughly reccommend the book 'Black Fokker leader' written by Degelow and translated/edited by Peter Kilduff. Degelow survived the war, and was later jailed for a few days for refusing to give the Nazi salute! He served in the Luftwaffe in World War 2, and died in Hamburg in 1970. The Wingnut Wings kit is superb, I have now built all 3 (the Fokker, OAW, & Albatros versions), and throughly enjoyed all of them. Original review of all 3 here Hers is the latest, Carl Degelows 'White Stag' ; With cowling panels fitted; Cowling panels detached; Read the book, build the model! [edit for a late addition] All 3 Wingnut Wings together. Left to Right, Willi Gabriels (Fok), 'Sieben Schwaben' (OAW), and Carl Degelow (Alb). Not easy to photograph together![/edit] Thanks for looking, John

Making a plywood fuselage on plastic! Albatros D.Va (OAW) 1:32 Wingnut Wings Wingnut Wings released this kit last summer, as the third in their line of Albatros kits. A review can be found Here Having built the WNW Albatros D.V before, I want to try to improve my build technique on this one. The main thing I noticed on my first build was that all the interior components were a tight fit, and closing the fuselage around it was a bit of a struggle. The tolerances are so tight on these kits that any paint on mating surfaces will reduce the accuracy of the fit. With that in mind I took the simple step of lining all the bulkhead locations inside the fuselage halves with thin strips of Tamiya tape, before spraying with Halfords primer. The woodwork was done with a sprayed coat of Tamiya 'Deck tan', followed by a coat of Johnsons Kleer. The wood grain was done with Griffin Alkyd tube oils paints. Blends of mostly Raw Sienna with a dash or 2 of Burnt Umber and/or Light Red. I mix them 'on the fly' in an old Pringles lid.I shade at a time is done, they only take a bout 4 hours to dry so there is none of this 'waiting 1 week' for the tube oils to dry. I then redid the stringers in Deck tan, and went over them with near Raw Sienna. The idea was to create a series of different looking wood effects. One done, the tapes were pulled out of the bulkhead locations. All the bulkheads were scraped on their mating surfaces, and they all fitted like a dream. The fuselage closes up nicely around them with no pressure needed. Main components ready for assembly; Other interior fittings; The fuselage just pressed together in a 'dry' fit. The seam is virtually non existent, and the best I have yet achieved. I'll be masking off the bulkhead loactaions on all future builds, it has made a big difference! I'm going to include a couple of MDC's 'Wings Cockpit' resin figures, the 'Groundcrew man assisting Pilot' These are beautifully cast, but need priming and painting. Test filling the pilot revealed that he will have to go in before the fuselage halves are glued. And he will hide most of my interior painting and detailing. Oh well! The ground crew man sits astride the fuselage, helping the pilot secure his straps and flying helmet' Test fit; Finally, I am going to try Uschi van Der Rosten's Woodgrain decals on the fuselage. Thanks for looking John

Albatros D.Va (OAW) 1:32 Wingnut Wings. Uschi van der Rosten woodgrain, and MDC figures. The Albatros D.V was one of the most widely used German single seat fighters of the First World War. The D.Va featured re-arranged aileron controls and a minor brace at the bottom of the interplane 'V' struts. OAW manufactured a strengthened version (which was also heavier) which is the kit featured here. Build straight from the box from Option A, but with a couple of 'Wings Cockpit' figures from MDC and the addition of woodgrain decals from Uschi van der Rosten. This is my first try at using these woodgrain decals, and I am very pleased with the results. Applying them is a slow task, explained in the WIP thread here. 4 months in building, so on with the photos; A beautiful kit to build, so much so that I wondered what to do next. So I bought another one! With Pheon Decals review set to go on it, another wooden beauty will be on its way! Thanks for looking, John

Some call the Snipe the RAF's first fighter (It arrived too late for the RFC). Its extended gestation and the frankly incredible (at this distance) delay in providing it with a usable tail (!) meant it only saw a few weeks service at the end of WW1 on the western front, but, by dint of being the last man standing, went on to serve the post war nascent RAF until 1926. I've never had much interest in WW1 aircraft, I read Biggles as kid, so i know what a Camel is, but the string and sealing wax early planes never really caught my imagination. That is, never caught my imagination until I saw Darren Harbar's incredible images of the Sopwith Snipe in a recent issue of Aeroplane. I mean, what's not to love... https://www.facebook.com/FocalPlaneImagesAviation/posts/1296269710387457:0 Instantly I fell for this tubby trooper, with that amazing Bentley engine pulling it through the air. Further research followed, and I discovered that the incomparable Wingnut Wings do a late Sopwith Snipe. Imagine my delight when discovering the boxing even includes the scheme from Darren’s photo! 248:ZK-SNI / F2367 by David Whitworth, on Flickr

Hi. Finished build numero 7! This has been an EPIC, personal build and TOTALLY beyond me skills wise. I guess thats why its taking me so long. My grandfather was a pilot in WW1 and this is the plane he flew and, unfortunately crashed in to an orchard. He survived! In fact he didn’t pass away until the early 80’s. There aren’t many pictures of the plane but some are featured on the Wingnut Wings website. I didn’t go down the whole turn buckle route with the rigging, don’t have the eyes for that but i did the best i could. And hopefully my dad will like it, as its his fathers day present. Hope you like the pics. Thanks for looking. Cheers

Jasta 18 Fokker Fighters (Albatros & OAW D.VII) 1:32 Pheon decals Going back a few months from March 1918, Jasta 18 had been under the command of Rudolph Berthold since August of the previous year, and he had worked hard to bring the men up to the standard he required. Having built up an 'esprit de corps' and formed an effective fighting unit, he must have endured personal turmoil in March 1918 when he was promoted to command JG.II. Consisting of Jastas 12, 13, 15, and 19, his new command would mean leaving Jasta 18 and all that he had worked so hard on. So in brief, what he did was swap all the men and materials from his beloved Jasta 18 with one of the existing units in his new command, Jasta 15. So at a stroke all his men and their aircraft came with him, and the 'old' Jasta 15 found itself renumbered as Jasta 18 and out of JG.II. August Raben had only just taken command of Jasta 15 on 14th March, when the swap occurred on 20th, on which day he was hospitalised after a crash on take off. By 14th April he was out of hospital and reunited with the Jasta just outside Lille. Like Berthold, Raben had sought to build an 'esprit de corps', and ordered the application of a striking livery to all of Jasta 18's aircraft. It is at this point that this latest release from Pheon picks up the story and offers some colorful options. The noses back to the cockpit were painted in bright vermilion red, the rest of the fuselage back to the tail in white. The top of upper wing was in red, and later the top of the lower wing also. Some aircraft also received red lower surfaces of their wings. Each also had the symbol of a raven (raben in German) as a unit marking, and individual pilots chose their own marking to go alongside. Thus marked, Staffel Raben went to war and achieved notable success, with something between 112 and 126 victories by the time of the armistice seven months later. By this time they were equipped with the superb Fokker D.VII which were of course painted up in the flamboyant red and white scheme. The decals are produced in Pheons' now familiar format with no fewer than 10 Fokker D.VII's split by OAW and Albatros machines, and a single Fokker DR.1 Triplane. The Wingnuts kits are offered in OAW or Albatros boxings, so make sure you order the correct one. (There is also the Fokker built boxing, but we don't need that here). Roden is the best option for the DR.1. Included is a full colour overview of all 11 options, followed by 3 sets of more detailed profiles, 1 of plan views, and 1 full size masking guide, all on thick glossy card in A4 size. The usual instruction booklet contains a wealth of information with historical detail, and notes on finishing options on the real aircraft. Pheon explain where there are doubts or 'grey' areas such as where fuselage and wing undersides may or may not have been painted, which allows the modeller to make an informed choice on which way to go. The D.VII was notorious for overheating, and many aircraft sprouted all sorts of cooling gills and holes in upper and side cowling panels. The instructions offer a very comprehensive double page spread to illustrate aircraft by aircraft what the modifications were. It should be a simple matter to remove those gills not wanted, and add new ones from evergreen quarter round strip. Notes are provided on each individual aircraft pointing out the key details of the finish, and where possible connecting each aircraft with a pilot. The decals themselves are a single A4 sheet printed by the Fantasy Printshop. The sheet contains all the personal markings for each aircraft, including edging for the fuselage sides and elevators and tailplane stripes. Various personal markings and fuselage bands are supplied, along with numerous ravens and fuselage crosses. A nice touch typical of Pheon is that the white areas have been double printed to ensure opacity over the other colours. As with other sets from Pheon, the printing is beautifully sharp and in register with barely visible carrier film and look amazingly thin. The sheet is well laid out to give as many options as possible, and does not duplicate items such as wing crosses that are already in the Wingnuts kit. Having already used Pheons decals on other projects, it can be taken for granted that these will go on beautifully and settle down for that painted on look. The options. 1. Fokker D.VII early (OAW) - Ltn. Kurt Monnington, Montingen, Summer 1918. 2. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - Ltn. August Raben, Montingen, Summer 1918. 3. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - serial unknown, Ltn.Heinz Kustner, Montingen, Summer 1918 and post war. 4. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - serial unknown, Ltn.Gunther Von Buren, Montingen, August/September1918. 5. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - serial unknown, Ltn. Hans Muller, Montingen, September 1918. 6. Fokker D.VII Albatros built- pilot and serial unknown, Montingen, Summer 1918 and post war. 7. Fokker D.VII (Possibly Albatros) - pilot and serial unknown, Montingen, Summer 1918. 8. Fokker D.VII Albatros built - serial unknown, Ltn. Wilhelm Kuhne, Montingen, Summer 1918. 9. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - Possibly Vzfw Glatz, Montingen, Summer 1918. 10. Fokker D.VII (OAW) - pilot and serial unknown, date of photograph unknown but possibly summer 1918 at Montingen. 11. Fokker Dr.I - 479/17, Ltn. August Raben, Montingen, October 1918. DR.1 wing views; Masking guide; Conclusion. Yet again Pheon are offering the WW.1 aviation enthusiast an irresistible set of decals. If you are building a representative set of D.VII's you will certainly want to include at least one Raven in your line up. As usual I like them all, Moningtons blacked edged and chevron tailed, Mullers diagonal barred and chevron tailed, and the anonymous green lined machines really stand out. Where this sheet is really going to win is with 'first timers', those who want to try a Wingnuts kit but are nervous of rigging and lozenge camouflage. Well the D.VII only has 4 rigging wires and a few very short control wires, and all can be done simply with stretched sprue attached with white glue. To seal the deal this is the perfect decal sheet. Some options have no lozenge at all and a few have it only on the wing undersides, so make your choice as to whether you want to try a bit of lozenging or not. The rest of the airframes are simple, white and red with an easy masking job just behind the cockpit with a bit of Tamiya tape. Whichever you choose you will have an attractive and very striking model, representing a totally authentic and outrageously colourful front line warplane. Do I like the combination of Wingnuts D.VII and Pheons decals? You bet! (Also available is a 1:48 scale Jasta 18 sheet with Albatros and a Pfalz as well as the D.VII and DR.1) Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of Pheon Decals

MG-14/17 Parabellum WW1 Gun 1:32 Eduard Brassin Continuing their range of 1:32 WW1 machine guns in the Brassin range, Eduard have logically released a Parabellum MG-14/17 as a follow up to their MG-14. The '/17' suffix was used in real life by the Germans to indicate that this is the revised 1917 version of the MG-14. The main visual difference is in the size of the barrel, which in this later version has a much reduced diameter slotted jacket. It also had other smaller modifications to make it easier to operate with gloved hands. MG-14/17's were used very widely on German multi seat aircraft throughout 1917 and 1918, particularly as the weapon for the rear gunner/observer on two seaters. The guns come in the standard Brassin bubble pack, with parts for two complete models, and the resin is to Eduard usual high standard, sharply moulded with very fine detail and no sign of any air bubbles. The gun barrels and sights have protective arms on the moulding blocks to keep them safe from damage until they reach your workbench. The brass fret contains the magazine drum ends and handles, sights, and mounting brackets for the Oigee sight. Thoughtfully, Eduard have provided double the amount of most these, so when the carpet monster eats some, you still have more. A nice touch. The detail on these guns is amazing, and they will look fabulous once assembled and painted. They were mostly mounted in a highly visible position on top the rear fuselage, so will form a highly detailed focal point of the model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Seatbelts RFC WW1 (32857) and Seatbelts German WW1 (32858) 1:32 Eduard pre-painted Etched brass. The last 10 years has seen a big rise in interest in Great war aviation modelling, particularly in 1:32 scale. There are the beautiful Wingnut Wings kits, and others from Roden, Special Hobby, and Academy. With their large scale open cockpits, seatbelts are a necessity, and both Wingnut Wings and Special Hobby supply them as unpainted etched brass items in their kits. However, painting them is not every ones favourite task, and one look at these will convince most modellers not to even try, but just buy a set. The detail on them is way beyond what anyone could expect to paint by hand, with miniature stitching in perfect patterns. Seatbelts RFC WW1 (32857) Two complete sets are provided to make each of the 'Early' and 'Late' versions, the differences being in the lap belts. The buckles are offered as separate items to be threaded on to the 'fabric' sections, and several overlapping straps are attached, along with individual metal plates. All of which makes for a finer representation than other types of etched seatbelts that are 'all in one' . This type of Sutton harness is particularly applicable to the Sopwith Camel and may also have been fitted to SE5.a's, Pups, and other types according to pilot preference. It was a late war design so checking of references for particular aircraft is recommended. It would also have been used extensively post war, as it was a superior design to the 'lap only' belts in use during most of the great war. With Wingnut Wings Camel due to be released at some time this year (we hope!) this set is very welcome. Seatbelts German WW1 (32858) No less than five complete sets of belts are offered here, and like the RFC set above, the buckles are separate parts to be threaded on. The painting is superb, and really needs to be looked at under a magnifying glass to appreciate how good it is. Most of the belts are the 'lap' type that secured around the pilots waist without any shoulder straps. Each of them is in a different colour, with linen, tan, red and dark brown. One complete four point harness is provided, of the type typically fitted to Albatros and Pfalz fighters. The other 'lap' seatbelts in the set will be suitable for the Albatros CIII, Hannover CL.III, amongst many multi seaters, plus various Fokker and Aviatik machines. Conclusion Both of these sets are well worth having and provide a far superior result than can possibly be obtained by hand painting. They will anyway be essential for Roden and Academy kits as no seatbelts at all come with these kits. It will be a great idea to pose the shoulder straps of the four point sets hanging outside the cockpit, ready for the pilot to clamber in. This can frequently be seen in period photographs, and will show these lovely belts off to advantage. RFC German Review sample courtesy of

DH.9a 'Ninak' (Post war) 1:32 Wingnut Wings The DH.9 was first conceived as an improvement to the DH.4, with a new engine and the pilot and gunner cockpits brought closer together. Unfortunately it proved to be an inferior aircraft, largely due to the unreliable Siddeley Puma engine. It began to enter service at the end of 1917, and quickly established a dreadful record of failures and losses. Not only was it slower than the DH.4 it also had an inferior service ceiling, making it easier prey for the German Air Force fighters. A revised version was developed by Westland Aircraft to make use of the much better American Liberty L-12 engine. This transformed the aircraft into the reliable and versatile machine that was originally intended. The ‘9’ and ‘A’ part of its designation led to the nickname ‘Ninak’ being being used when referring to it. The First 9a’s were delivered to 110 Sqn in July 1918, and it served with 3 other squadrons until the November Armistice. Post war the DH.9a was chosen to be the RAF’s standard light bomber and went on to serve with a total of 24 squadrons until 1931. Many of these were overseas based on ‘policing’ duties in the Middle East and India. Very often they could be seen with extra radiators, fuel tanks, spare wheels, and other assorted bits and pieces lashed on, while they went about their work. The Soviet Union also built it as the Polikarpov R-1, having arranged to produce the DH.4/9 at the Dux factory in Moscow. Some used the Liberty engine, but most were powered by a copy of it, the M-5. It went through various modifications and changes through it service life, and fortuitously ‘Aeroplane Monthly’ recently ran a feature on it in their January 2016 magazine. Wingnut Wings have just released the ‘Ninak’ in post war guise, based upon kit 32007, the wartime version of the DH.9a released a few years ago. All the new parts for this post war version are contained on sprue 'J'; The Kit. Featuring a striking painting of pair of Ninaks in flight and loaded with the auxiliary petrol tank, extra radiator, and spare wheel, the box is absolutely packed to the brim with plastic sprues (or trees if you prefer). The thrill of opening a Wingnut Wings box never diminishes and lifting the lid reveals each of the thirteen sprues wrapped in its own heat sealed bag, as is the decal sheet and etched brass fret. As expected, most of the plastic parts are shared with the earlier DH.9a kit but there is an all new sprue and the etched brass is also new and has additional items. Construction follows the standard sequence of cockpit interior, engine, fuselage, wings, undercarriage, and armament. From stage 1 different options are pointed out in the instructions, so you need to have made your mind up before starting. The instructions themselves are everything we have come to expect from Wingnut Wings, I.e the best produced anywhere by anyone. Clear and logical assembly sequences are drawn, accompanied by colour call outs and reference photos of both preserved and period photographs. All is printed in full colour on high quality glossy paper, making these into mini reference works worth keeping for other kits, particularly if you also build in 1:48. Stages 1,2 & 3. Not surprisingly construction begins with the cockpit, which is filled with every fine detail, even down to a choice of which compass should be fitted. All the interior framework is provided, both sides of which attach to the floor/fuel tank assembly to form the basic ‘box’. More details are added, such as fine little throttle mouldings, a very pistol on its holder, a lovely wicker seat for the pilot, and of course the etched brass seatbelts. Topping it all off is the instrument panel – the jewel of all Wingnuts kits. A beautiful moulding is supplied, and once painted it will really come to life when all the individual instrument and placard decals are applied. Everything is readable under a magnifying glass and easily produces a stunning result. As well as colour call outs at each stage there is also a painting guide showing the colours of the completed cockpit sub assembly, which is a great help. The interior structure is finished off with the fitting of the engine bay, and a rigging diagram is shown if you wish to add the internal bracing and control runs. I always do, as it is not too difficult with stretched sprue or fishing line, but it is up to the individual modeller. Accompanying the assembly drawings is a whole page of colour photographs of the interior of the RAF museums F1010. Stage 4. The Liberty engine is a big V12 monster, and the parts supplied on sprue ‘E’ look exquisite. I often start my Wingnut Wings with building the engines as they are such enjoyable little projects, and the only time you can really deviate from the assembly sequence. Having built many, not one has ever required any filler or had any fit problems whatsoever. Parts can be assembled with Tamiya extra thin cement, and any seams lightly sanded the next day to make them disappear. The crankcase can be painted silver and the cylinders black before joining them together and adding all the ancillary details, right down to the black data plates with silver writing. When done they look beautiful, and make models in their own right. Stages 5 & 6. Two of the options, B & C, have a smaller stitched fabric access panel on the rear fuselage than that which is moulded on. This needs to be trimmed and sanded off and replaced with the shorter lengths of stitching on the etched brass fret. Various flashed over holes need drilling out from the inside, all of which is clearly marked on the instructions but will require the builder’s attention to make sure the correct ones are opened out. Once the fuselage halves are glued together, there are more alternative parts to be fitted according to your chosen option. Different fuel gauges, Aldis sight, ring sight, thick or thin cable fairing are just some of the fittings supplied for attaching (or not) to the chosen aircraft. Slightly more difficult will be the cutting out of a storage locker on the rear decking for options A & B, and possibly C & D as its presence cannot be confirmed on these two. An etched brass frame is supplied to edge it, so a good tip here would be to photocopy the frame and tape it where it needs to go. Then drill just inside each corner, and join the holes with knife cuts to open it out. The frame should then fit neatly over it. Stage 7. This concerned with the radiator and cowlings. The British built machines all use the same external frame while the Polikarpov uses a very similar, but different frame. The radiator honeycomb is supplied as a separate part to fit inside, then a choice of shutters can then be made, open or closed. There are subtle differences between the British built and Polikarpov side panels, so with typical Wingnut Wings attention to detail, both are supplied to ensure accuracy. The same is true of the exhaust pipes as two sets cover the British built and Russian examples. Stages 8, 9, & 10. With the fuselage work mostly complete, the wings and tail are next to be fitted. First up is the tailplane, fin and rudder, all of which is simple and straightforward. Then comes the lower wings and all the struts. Depending upon your preferred method of rigging it may be wise to do some preparatory work here. Most of the model should be painted by the time the struts are ready to go on, and as I use fishing line for rigging, I clean out all the anchor points with a .3 or .4 mm drill.It is then back to dealing with more options to fit to the upper wing. A and B require the auxiliary petrol tank, while E needs the leading edge slats, and D may have had them at some point. The top wing can then go on, and is best done with slow setting cement such as Revell’s ‘Contacta’ with its neat little needle applicator to put a small blob in every strut socket on the upper wing. This is always a nerve wracking stage, and I suggest that it should only be attempted once the struts have firmly dried into their locations at the lower end. Place the upper wing upside down on the workbench, and lower the inverted model onto it, lining up the struts from middle to outside as you go. Give it 10 -15 minutes for the glue to grab, then carefully lift it up and turn it over, not by performing a ‘roll’ but an ‘outside loop’, if you see what I mean, keeping the upper wing supported throughout. Then follow Wingnut Wings instruction book photo and place it in an empty box, wing leading edges first, to set the alignment of the wings. Stage 11. Two complete sets of undercarriage legs are supplied, and again it is the Polikarpov that is different to the others, with a very sturdy set of legs. There is a choice of weighted or unweighted wheels with two different styles of wheel covers, and the assembly can then be fitted to the main model. Stage 12. Smaller external fittings are now attached, including the extra ‘chin’ radiator if you have chosen an option that requires it. Holt flares & brackets can be fitted to the lower wing if required, and ‘screw downs’ to the wingtip skids. I assume these are to do with tying down the aircraft, and their moulding is extraordinary, they are like little corkscrews. It baffles me how Wingnut Wings can mould them. Stage 13. This is largely concerned with weapons fit, and what a superb range of choices there are. The combinations are all shown in the instructions, and the modeller has the choice of fitting a mix of; 20lb Cooper bomb (x16) 100lb HERL bomb (x2) 112lb early HERL bomb (x2) 112lb late HERL bomb (x2) 230lb HE Mk.1 bomb (x2) To load them up there is a choice of 2 underwing Cooper bomb carriers (amazing mouldings); and for the fuselage 1 of the following can be fitted – double carrier for 100/112lb bombs, single carrier for 100/112lb bombs, single carrier for 230lb bomb, or double carrier for 230lb bombs. Decals are supplied for all the different types of bombs, the 230 pounders having five each to apply. This selection of armaments to add to the model is outstanding, and should really enhance the finished article. Stage 14. This covers the construction of the Scarff ring, using etched brass elevation brackets, and a choice of a Lewis Mk.II or MK.III gun to fit on it. In keeping with the provision of everything you could possibly want for your Ninak, there are 47 or 97 round magazine drums to select for the chosen gun. Stage 15. Completion consists of fitting the upper wing ailerons and windscreens. Two more options are available for the RAF machines, the spare wheel slung under the fuselage, and the Vickers gun strapped outside next to the pilot. Both of these are surely irresistible to most modellers. Options. A. E9939, Vulcan built, 8 Squadron RAF, Iraq, mid 1920’s B. H3510, ‘L’, Westland built. AC Jones-Williams * Benson, B Flight, 8 Squadron RAF, Iraq, 1923 to 1924 C. H3552, Vulcan built, 39 Squadron RAF, UK, June-July 1923. D. A1-17 (ex F2779), Berwick built, E Flight, 1FTS RAAF, Australia, 1922. E. Polikarpov R-1 ‘Amypa’, 19th Special Aviation Group, USSR, 1929. Decals are by Cartograf, sharply printed and in prefect register with accrate colours. Conclusion. Simply brilliant. Everything about it impresses. We are used to Wingnut Wings supplying kits that are beautifully engineered, moulded, and presented. But this one has drawn my attention to the less obvious aspects, particularly the thought and research that has gone into deciding upon the five different models that can be made. The building process will require careful attention to the instructions, as options occur at almost every stage, but this just underlines Wingnut Wings attention to detail. And how can anyone resist a post war Ninak in the silver doped finish, with everything but the kitchen sink strapped on. Modellers heaven. Very highly reccomended. Review sample courtesy of