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Planet Models is to release 1/48th General Aircraft Hotspur glider kits. - ref. PLT211 - General Aircraft GAL-48 Hotspur Mk.II - released - link - ref. PLT213 - General Aircraft GAL-48B Twin Hotspur Mk.I Source: http://www.specialhobby.net/2017/04/plt211-gal-48-hotspur-mkii-plt213-gal.html V.P.
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Planet Models is to release a 1/72nd Nippon Kōkūki Kōgyō D-1 research glider resin kit - ref. PLT284 SourceS: https://www.specialhobby.eu/tai-atari-y-yoku-funshindan-japanese-rocket-plane-project-1-and-2-1-48-17086 https://www.specialhobby.net/2024/11/plt284-nippon-kokuki-kogyo-d-1-research.html V.P.
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Hello, This is my first time entering a group build, and my first all resin model. IMG_4532 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr I have a long association with the PT-19. My parents met in flight school, and when I was born a family friend painted a cartoon of me flying the club’s PT-19 (registered PP-HOA). That cartoon is on my arrival notice card, was painted on my crib, and it’s my avatar here. That is me in the photo below, not even one year old, in the front cockpit of a PT-19 with my mother holding me. Mae PT-19 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr Around the mid ‘70s HOA started sporting a shark’s mouth, which changed through time. When I visited in ’88 it was partially disassembled for shipping to the air force’s museum in Rio de Janeiro, and it sported quite the shark mouth. Painting it was going to be the challenge for this build, yet my friend Rob, a graphics artist, drew it and I have custom decals ordered. 293 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr I found this kit by accident last year while I had some idle time in Toronto and decided to check out a pilot supply store near the hotel. It was quite a surprise, and I wasn’t about to pass on it. I won't start it right away because I have two Corsairs near the finish line and I'd like to get at least one of them through beforehand. Cheers, Wlad
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Hello, Here's the latest off the bench, part of the South of The Rio Grande group build. It's a licence built Fairchild M62A (PT-19A in the military). Build thread: https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235140621-brazilian-pt-19-with-teeth/ Kit: Planet Models PLT142 - PT-19 Cornell, 2005 Paints: Alclad - ALC 102 Duraluminum, ALC 113 Jet Exhaust, ALC 117 Dull Aluminum, ALC 121 Burnt Iron, ALC 309 Black Primer & Microfiller Gunze - H 85 Sail Color Model Master - 4757 Aircraft Interior Black, 17178 Chrome Silver Mr. Hobby - SF-287 Mr. Primer Surfacer 1000 Polly Scale - 505260 British Middlestone Tamiya - X-6 Orange, X-14 Sky Blue, XF-1 Flat Black, XF-2 Flat White, XF-3 Flat Yellow, XF-4 Yellow Green, XF-7 Flat Red, XF-10 Flat Brown, XF-16 Flat Aluminum, XF-49 Khaki, XF-69 Nato Black, XF-85 Rubber Black. Testors - 1671T Clear Coat Vallejo - 71.003 Scarlet Red, 71.039 Hull Red, 71.078 Gold Yellow Aftermarket: Custom Decals by Light Industries - Thanks Rob, for doing the graphics! Instrument decals from Hasegawa AU-1 Corsair. Scratch built: Throttle quadrants, elevator trim handles, parking brake handles, fuel tank selectors, map case, cockpit bulkheads, engine cylinder with ignition lead, carburetor pipe, manual start crankshaft, cowling baffle, exhaust pipes, nose over protection structure, brake lines, propeller hub extension, oil tank vent pipes. On to the pictures. IMG_4821 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr IMG_4820 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr IMG_4774 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr IMG_4775 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr IMG_4813 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr IMG_4814 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr IMG_4817 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr IMG_4818 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr IMG_4823 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr IMG_4824 by Wlad Franco-Valias, on Flickr Thanks for looking. Wlad
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Planet Models has just released 1/48th & 1/72nd Tai-atari Yūyoku Funshindan Japanese Rocket Plane (project 1 and 2) 3D printed kits. 1//72- ref. PLT281 - Tai-atari Yūyoku Funshindan Japanese Rocket Plane (project 1 and 2) https://www.specialhobby.eu/tai-atari-y-yoku-funshindan-japanese-rocket-plane-project-1-and-2-1-72 1/48 - ref. PLT283 - Tai-atari Yūyoku Funshindan Japanese Rocket Plane (project 1 and 2) https://www.specialhobby.eu/tai-atari-y-yoku-funshindan-japanese-rocket-plane-project-1-and-2-1-48 V.P.
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Fordson WOT2D Van Body (MV135) 1:72 Planet Models by Special Hobby The War Office Truck, or WOT, was a series of vehicles designed by Ford of Britain during WWII, with about 130,000 units made overall. It started with the WOT1, a rear-wheel-drive truck with a 3.6L V8 engine, and the smaller WOT2, which became the most produced of the range with four wheels instead of six, but otherwise similar in design and layout. The WOT3 was a larger and heavier variant, and the last of the rear wheel driven range, the later versions designated WOT6 and WOT8 having four-wheel-drive to assist with rough terrain handling. As well as seeing service in large numbers with the British Armed forces, it was also sent to Soviet Russia under the Lend/Lease programme where it was used as transport, Katyusha rocket carriers, amongst others. The Kit This is a new boxing of a resin kit from Planet Models that was originally release in 2023, with new parts to depict the van bodied version of the truck, and it arrives in a white cardboard box with a large adhesive label showing the product details on the front and sides. Inside are three Ziploc bags, one containing thirty-two grey resin parts, another a 3D printed grey resin chassis, the final bag holding a Photo-Etch (PE) fret, decal sheet and a 6cm x 4cm sheet of clear acetate (not pictured), plus an A5 instruction booklet printed in colour with profiles for the decal options on the rear pages. The remaining space within the box is taken up with green packing foam chips, ensuring that movement during shipping and storage is minimised. Detail is crisp and of a high standard, the chassis being an extremely finely printed part. The model doesn’t include the engine, but the interior is well-appointed, and the details are augmented by plenty of PE parts inside and out. Construction begins with the bonnet, which has the firewall and instrument panel moulded-in, adding a detailed radiator to the front, the steering column inserted into the firewall, and the foot pedals as PE parts. The chassis is of course the base for the model, arranging the bonnet assembly, cab floor and load area floor sequentially front to rear, and further detailing the cab with PE steering wheel, handbrake and gear shifter, which you could ‘flesh out’ by adding a blob of super-glue to the top. The crew seats are applied to their bases either side of a stowage box in the cab, with fuel tanks under the floor, and stowage boxes just behind them, lowering the van body over the rear after making up the windows from acetate sheet, although they aren’t mentioned in the instructions. A fuel can and box are secured under the rear of the body with the rear bumper bar at the very back, mounting the four well-detailed wheels with moulded-in tread, hubs and sidewall texture onto the axles. A wire from your own supplies is used to link the two steering arms on the wheel hubs, and a fine exhaust system is fitted under the forward chassis, exiting just behind the fuel tank. Detailing the external bodywork is done mostly with PE parts, starting with the front fender that has PE supports, and should be braced with two differing widths of wire to make the cross bars, hanging a manual starter handle underneath in a recess. The back of the cab has the fabric roof glued in place, with an optional metal roof, trapping the acetate windscreen between two PE layers to create the frame, installing it in the space between the roof and scuttle. A pair of PE crew doors have their hinges folded in, and can be glued in place open or closed, leaving the wind to whistle through due to a lack of side windows. PE mudguards, number plate holders, wing mirrors, rear step, ladder, indicator stalks and a circular placard on the front right wing are all fixed to the bodywork to complete the detailing. Markings Both decal options are painted in olive drab with black cloud camouflage over the top in differing patterns. From the box you can build one of the following: Z2286314, RAF, England 1944 Postwar Service The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Conclusion The WOT2 was almost ubiquitous in British service, so will make a useful diorama accessory, or you can build it as a stand-alone model, safe in the knowledge that this nicely detailed model won’t take up an awful lot of room in the cabinet. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
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Planet Models is to release 1/48th de Havilland DH.94 Moth Minor, tourer/trainer & coupe, multimedia kits. Source: https://www.specialhobby.net/2021/05/nova-stavebnice-serie-planet-models.html V.P.
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Morris CS9 British Light Armoured Car ‘Battle of France’ (MV132) 1:72 Planet Models by Special Hobby In the years before WWII, British military spending was dangerously low on the agenda of the government, who were hoping that another expensive war could be avoided, before the realisation dawned that Adolf Hitler and the Nazis weren’t going to be stopped by appeasement, but could only be routed by military action. During the mid-30s, a light armoured car was designed by Morris Motors’ commercial arm, based upon their C9 truck, but with the chassis instead covered by an armoured hull, and an open turret that accommodated two crew members that could either operate a single Vickers Machine gun, or a Boys Anti-Tank Rifle and a Bren gun. That may seem like a light armament by WWII standards, but pre-war, tanks were lightly armed and armoured to a level that the Boys rifle could penetrate. Whilst combat with other armoured vehicles wasn’t high on their to-do list, they had to be able to defend against the likelihood, as scouting and reconnaissance could result in an unexpected encounter with armour by its very nature. After two years of development, the type went into service with the British Army in small numbers, serving in the Battle of France once war broke out, where all of them were either destroyed or abandoned, and if time permitted, scuttled so that they were of no use to the enemy. They also served in the North African campaign, where they were found to be good over sand and soft ground once fitted with appropriate tyres. They were quickly outpaced in terms of armour and armament, so were withdrawn during the African campaign, with only around a hundred built. Their poor design and lack of success was typical of pre-war British armour, which was generally short-sighted and penny-pinching to the sometimes fatal detriment of the British soldiers that were using them. This is a state that wasn’t entirely resolved until the last year of WWII in terms of indigenous production, wartime fighting forces relying heavily on Lend/Lease equipment from the US. The Kit This is a brand-new tooling in resin of this little armoured car, and it is well-detailed to say the least. The kit arrives in a small cardboard box with a captive lid, and inside are a Ziploc bag full of grey resin parts, a smaller bag with orange 3D printed parts, and an even smaller bag that contains the decals and a Photo-Etch (PE) fret. The instruction sheet is folded over the parts to reduce movement during transport, and this is printed in colour, with painting and decaling instructions to the rear. Detail is excellent, with a high part count of thirty-four resin, twelve 3D printed, and thirteen PE parts in the box. Construction begins with the floor pan, which has four seats, two stowage boxes, radio equipment, gear lever and hand-brake added, the latter in PE. The dash is mounted on the bulkhead, which has the foot pedals moulded into it, and receives the steering wheel with integrated column slipped into place under the dash. The hull is moulded almost structurally complete, just adding the radiator and two 3D printed leaf-springs to the front, a pair of Lee Enfield rifles and a Lewis machine gun strapped to the insides over the rear axle. A resin bumper is fitted below the grille, and at the rear, six ammo boxes in racks of three are mounted on the rear deck, with a hatch inserted between them, and a PE number plate on the bottom right valance. A PE footstep is joined to the rear opposite the number plate, and the interior is mated under the hull, flipping the model onto its back to mount both axles and wheels, drive-shaft between the rear axle and the underside of the engine that is moulded into the floor, and adding a piece of wire from your own stock to replicate the steering linkage behind the front axle, and another 3D actuator part mounted in front of the left wheel. A PE number plate is fixed to the front along with width indicator stalks, rear-view mirrors, and a placard for unit markings. Two headlights are fixed next to the 3D printed front arches, and on the top deck a curved bullet-splash guard is bent from a flat piece of PE around the turret opening. The open-topped turret is placed over the circular cut-out, fitting three ammo boxes on ledges around the sides, then mounting the 3D printed Boys rifle in the front offset slot, a Bren gun on the rear side, and a small 3D printed part inserted through the central slot at the front, adding a PE flap at the front in the open position. Markings There are two decal options provided on the sheet, although as usual with AFVs, the number of decals is fairly small. From the box you can build one of the following: 12th Royal Lancers Regiment, A ‘Arravale’ Sqn., Avesnes, France, Autumn, 1939 12th Royal Lancers Regiment, C ‘Cores’ Sqn., France, Autumn, 1939 The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Conclusion This is the only kit of the type, which wasn’t used in large numbers or for very long due to its failures, so it’s a boon that it’s a well-detailed kit that should be relatively simple to build once the parts are removed from their casting blocks. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
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Elektrischer Generator 8KW für Flak Sw-36 mit Sd.Ah.51 (MV131) 1:72 Planet Models by Special Hobby Searchlights were the only way of finding enemy aircraft from the ground before the invention of radar and reliable infrared detection of targets, and all nations had their own systems to use in the run up to WWII. Germany’s system started with a 60cm reflector that output a staggering 137,550,000 candles of light in a tightly focused beam, which is the equivalent of 1.729004e9 lumens, if you can wrap your head round that number. Imagine 5,763,345 of your average 5w LED bulbs crowded into that space, and you’ll be getting there. These devices required a prodigious power supply, and could not rely on the domestic electricity supply, as it was unreliable due to the bombing, and the location of the searchlight stations wouldn’t necessarily be within range of a suitable connection. Instead, they were powered by generators that produced 8KW of DC current, using 6-cylinder BMW engines that had been used in pre-war cars, fed with petrol/gas by the attending crew. Like the searchlight, they had to be portable to go where they needed, so they were carried around on the same carriage that the searchlight used, the Sd.Ah.51. The Kit The kit arrives in a small white cardboard box with a sticker of the subject matter covering one side, and inside is one bag of parts, the instruction sheet and several packing foam pieces to protect it during transit. If you’ve already read our review of the Searchlight kit (MV130), you’ll recognise the carriage, which is made from the chassis and two wheels that slot into the axles under the arches. The print-bases with the frames cut away The generator can be left mounted on the carriage on the two tracks that accept the six wheels under the body, or it can be shown rolled off and sitting on its own wheels. The body of the generator is a single part, with the flat access door for the control panel a separate slim part that has a support moulded into it, so take care when removing it from the print-base. It can be fitted hinged up from the top to the horizontal in the open position, or by cutting off the support it can be glued over the instruments for transport or inclement weather conditions. Markings Like the Searchlight, the choice of colour is Panzer Grey for early war years, or Dunkelgelb for later operations. The cable reels should have their contents painted a black grey to represent the insulation around the cables, and the dials and switches in the control panel can be picked out using your preferred method. The carriage has just the wheels in rubbery grey, the rest is painted the same colour as the generator. Conclusion Coupled with the Searchlight kit, this makes an interesting diorama subject, or could be built alone for inclusion with a towing vehicle. Detail is excellent, and construction simple. Take your time cutting the parts free from the supports, and you’ll have a great model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
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60cm Flak Scheinwerfer (Flak Sw-36) mit Sd.Ah.51 (MV130) Světlomet 60N s Vlekem 1:72 Planet Models by Special Hobby Searchlights were the only way of finding enemy aircraft from the ground before the invention of radar and reliable infrared detection of targets, and all nations had their own systems to use in the run up to WWII. Germany’s system started with a 60cm reflector that output a staggering 137,550,000 candles of light in a tightly focused beam, which is the equivalent of 1.729004e9 lumens, if you can wrap your head round that number. Imagine 5,763,345 of your average 5w LED bulbs crowded into that space, and you’ll be getting there. There were larger diameter lenses at 150cm and 200cm, but we’re concerned with the baby of the range, which is kitted here by Planet Models in glorious 3D printed detail. The Kit The kit arrives in a small white cardboard box with a sticker of the subject matter covering one side, and inside are three bags of parts, one of which is doing a good impression of being empty, but more on that in a moment – just don’t throw it away. The largest print base contains most of the parts for the model, including the chassis and running gear, while the cylindrical searchlight is in another smaller bag, both of which are protected by sturdy supports in the form of a framework that has small recesses where the top can be cut free with a pair of nippers without damaging the parts. We nipped them off to show off more of the exquisite detail, and they have clearly been developed with protection in mind, including a web-work of internal structure to the floor and roof that adds strength to the whole arrangement. The final “empty” bag contains two small clear acetate discs, one of which is used as the outer lens for the searchlight, the other is provided as a spare in case of loss or damage. The print-bases with the frames cut away Construction is relatively simple, which is a common theme in 3D printed models. The base of the searchlight is a single part, into which you slot the cylindrical light, painting the interior silver, then applying the clear acetate disc over the top. The carriage is built up separately, consisting of the chassis and two separate wheels that slip over axles under the curved arches. You then have a choice of joining the two assemblies together to depict he light in transit, or leaving them separate so that you can pose the light in operation, with the carriage in the background. The lights were powered by an 8KW generator when in operation, which was mounted on a similar carriage as the searchlight, and is available as a separate model, which we’ll be reviewing shortly. Below you can see all the parts on simple prototype print-bases by Special Hobby Markings There are no decals on the model, and external painting is straight forward, requiring a choice between early war Dark Grey, sometimes referred to as Panzer Grey, or the later war Dunkelgelb or Dark Yellow. The operator’s seat is painted a leather brown, and of course the tyres in a rubber grey shade. Weathering will add some visual interest to your model once basic painting is completed. Conclusion A fantastically detailed model of this compact searchlight that is a rarity in the modelling world. Careful painting and weathering will result in an excellent model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
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HESA Shahed 136/Geran-2 (PLT279) Planet Models by Special Hobby The Shahed 136 autonomous drone, which translates to “witness” in English, rose to prominence after the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022, when it was later rumoured that Iran was exporting these simple drones for use by the Russian aggressors, which was confirmed following the recovery of remains of several destroyed examples in Ukraine. The drone is a simple piece of equipment that has been put-together using off-the-shelf components, many of which either originated in the West, or were designed there and manufactured overseas. In Russian service they are designated as Geran-2, which means Geranium. It is thought that the Russians are now manufacturing the larger components themselves, importing only the specific electronics and other parts that would be more difficult to manufacture at short notice. They are powered by a reverse-engineered copy of a Western designed piston engine that drives a two-bladed pusher propeller, and they are noisy in operation, which makes them an easily identified target for Ukrainian snipers or anyone else with a gun and a scope to take a pot-shot in aid of their nation’s defence. Although their payload is relatively small at an estimated maximum of 50kg, they are cheap to produce, and despite their vulnerability to ground-fire, are hard to hit by other types of weapons, particularly aircraft as their radar can’t lock on easily, and the speed differential is significant. The use of a technological successor to GPS by the Russians has increased their accuracy and extended loiter time, waiting for targets of opportunity to travel into their vicinity. They are launched from a ramp, sometimes in a rack of up to five drones on the back of a truck, using a RATO pod under the centre-line of the delta-winged drone to gain height and speed, after which it is jettisoned and the prop takes over. There is speculation about the aircraft’s range, with a maximum of around 1,500 miles, but with a top speed of 115mph it would take many hours to reach a target deep within Ukrainian territory, with plenty of opportunities for interception by the eagle-eyed locals. The Kit This is a brand-new mixed media kit from Special Hobby’s resin specialist brand Planet Models, although it includes traditional and 3D printed resin, and injection styrene parts inside the small cardboard box. There are seven grey resin parts, five 3D printed parts in orange, a sprue of grey styrene, and a decal sheet that provides the minimalist stencils applied to Russian and tail-codes for Iranian airframes. It’s a very small model for obvious reasons, and all the parts are easy to remove from their casting and printing blocks, and we’re all very familiar with removing styrene parts from sprues. Construction begins with the liberation of the parts and clean-up, then the support frame is made from three styrene parts from the sprue, plus four resin castors on circular bases. The drone is moulded almost complete, needing just the fins and rudders to be glued to the wingtips, two pieces of wire or tube from your own stock inserted into recesses in the leading edges of the wing, and the nicely detailed piston-engine slotting into the rear. The RATO pack installs on a bracket and slot under the fuselage, and that’s it. You join the two assemblies together, the nose support fixing into a hole under the nose at the bottom of a retaining strap that is moulded into the drone itself. Markings There are three Russian and two Iranian tail-code options, and for the Russian airframes there are No Step/Don’t Push stencils for each of the horizontal control surfaces. The aircraft is painted an off-white all over, while the engine is different metallic shades, and the RATO pod is black. The trolley is dark grey with silver castors and rubber tyres. If you need further information, there are plenty of pictures online. Conclusion A well-executed model in my favourite scale of an interesting drone from the modern era of drone-based warfare, even though it’s on the side of the aggressor. They make quite a bang when they’re shot down, so you know when you’ve hit one, which is always good. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
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We got this in to review the other day, and I fancied a quick build, so left the box open after I posted the review here, and knocked it together pretty quickly, although it was done in between other things, such as fixing my old folks' faulty radiator and annoying phone system, plus the usual It goes together nicely with very little effort, other than trying to keep my sausage fingers from breaking bits off it of course I painted it with some Alclad white primer with a touch of grey added to give it an off-white look, then gave it about half a dozen coats of Alclad Aqua Gloss, applying the decals about three coats in at about the same time as a mixture of Ultimate's Concrete and Dark Dirt washes to the panel lines. I picked out the rivets in mid grey with a dot of off-white on top so they didn't look too prominent, slapped some metallics on the motor, added a beige colour followed by some brown oils on the prop, and grey over a black undercoat on the stand, using some Green Stuff World Chrome for the castors, and highlighting things as I went. Here she is. Target practice for the Ukrainian troops. ...and the underside: It's 8cm from nose to tail, so not a very large model. I'm gonna glue the frame to the underside now I've taken the pics, and as it doesn't take up much room in the cabinet, it'll get in there pretty soon now
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Had this in the stash for donkeys, at last an excuse to just get it done. An easy kit (for resin), nice refined details, few parts, started this yesterday. Next stage is to paint the interior before attaching the tub and the one piece wing. The tub rear platform is longer and wider than the slot in the fuselage is the only fit issue. Test fitting the wing shows just a bit of fettling and filling to be done. The canopy is vac-formed and this will inevitably screw me up as it always does. I'm no fan of vac-formed. There are two copies so fingers crossed. I missed the email last January about Pledge Floor Polish (aka Future) going out of production. Not that I liked the stuff for anything but dipping canopies, my alternative was the Gunz Gauzy products (both the orange and green labels). I have not had good results with this stuff. Air bubbles or just poor self leveling in corners occurred too often than not. So I went to order some PFP..... holy crap, a $10 bottle is now expected to cost anywhere between $50 and $100. Pity the daft sods who decide paying that is a sensible option and I hope all those daft sods who bought up stocks and are trying to sell it at that price get stuck with it. I decided to try a $10 bottle of Quick Shine Multi Surface Floor Finish or QSMSFF for short. It's a bit like the Gunz stuff but takes 50mins to properly dry. That bottle will last 14 Generations if it doesn't go bad. Test fitting the wing And the jug that costs $10 The canopy dipped .... looks nice and shiny and coated to prevent damage.
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Ok the idea for this build is a bit of a mash up of a couple of builds I have wanted to do, but didn’t the time or the motivation for at the time. One has been running around in one form or another in my mind for quite a while now. I have come close a couple of times to starting it, (a Ho-229 was to be the base for one) and I sort of did with the Turbo-Prop Arado, but it still wasn’t quite what I had in mind. I have two similar projects on the go but they're on the back burner for a bit. The second was that I have a Planet Models Ju-388J nightfighter (Jumo 213 version) sitting in the stash that I have been dying to build and have never had the excuse to. So after seeing the Ju-88 STGB I finally had the idea of how to killer two birds with one stone and bring these two ideas together! So the plan is…… If the war had stretched into 1946 we would have seen some interesting aircraft and technologies in service, especially so with radar technology advancing as quick as is was. By the end of the war we were already seeing the next generation of radar systems which operated in the Centimetre band, like the RAF’s H2S and US H2X radars and the German FuG-240 (Berlin) & FuG-244 (Bremen) units. A few of the Ju-88’s were fitted with the FuG-240 and it was found they recovered their original speed which had been lost with the earlier radar units and their large antennas/antlers! It would have been only to be a matter of time before the use of the FuG-240 (and later versions) would have been more widespread, with it being fitted to newer aircraft models as they became available. With the venerable Ju-88 reaching it’s peak in the Ju-388 family this aircraft would have been a prime candidate for the new radar system. Well that’s the plan, chop the nose off a 388 and fit a new nose, simple really, but……….. I want it to be as believable as possible and not too whiffy which will make it a bit harder. So this will be the base, Planet Models Ju-388J-3 with Jumo 213 engines, of cause I reserve the right to add lots of other stuff as I go along, it wouldn’t a normal build if I didn’t throw in heaps of extras! The 388 is actually quite a nice model the only thing that may give me issues is the wings, they are very slightly warped and getting the dihedral right will be fun! The nose is just a resin cast of the long radome version, it looks a bit better in my opinion than the shorter version. Well best to start by cutting off the nose, luckily there is a very convenient panel line to follow for this. Strangely enough this happens to be almost perfectly round which will make life much easier as we go to fit the nose. Ok first fit, it doesn’t look all the great, I’ll need to move it forward a bit. That’s looking a bit better, so I’m going to have to add a bit to get the profiles right, I have a plan for that! First I’ll make a ring using plastic card, working with plastic will make this part so much easier! Next to fill the gap I’m going to use plastic strip like so. I just keep adding rings till I get the right diameter. Then add a disk at the back the size I require and the first part is done, only a small amount of filler required for shaping. Ignoring the joint gap for the moment I now have to decide how I want the new nose to sit, sort of inline with the horizontal axis or a bit dropped down? I like the inline one as it looks good, but I have to remember the flying attitude of the 388 (and 88 for that matter) was slightly nose up, they didn’t fly truly level! So I may need to have it slightly drooped down so the antenna face would be lined up to the vertical axis. Have a look at how the antennas were mounted on 88’s and you’ll see what I mean. Well I’ve made a start, there’s only a couple of hours work (I needed a brake from the Ta-152 as I was getting annoyed with it!) and the project is a goer. I’ve actually done the filling of the nose now as well and it’s looking good! This won’t be a full time project, just something to work on when my other builds frustrate me and I need a break from them. I can’t promise I’ll be finished by Xmas either as I’m bound to do other mods on this as I go along. This should be an interesting build!
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While waiting for suitable weather conditions to paint my entry in another GB (it's cold and humid), I was seduced by this excellent GB topic. Will you have me in your ranks? Drawn like a moth to light, I thought I might have a crack at my first resin kit, the Commonwealth Aircraft CA-15 by Planet Models. Looks great in the box, I do like a low parts count and ...oohah... the parts are SOLID. Let's see how it builds. I'm claiming a tenuous connection with this aircraft. It was designed and constructed at Fishermans Bend, downriver from my home in Melbourne. In addition, Dad worked as an engineer at Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, albeit not in the 1940s. I guess the brand loyalty lingers regardless 🤓 I've known about this aircraft since early teenage years when I worked as a volunteer with the Australian Aircraft Restoration Group. I somewhat dismissively thought of it as a souped-up Mustang. Wrong! It is primarily influenced by the Focke-Wulf Fw190 and was initially designed around the massive radial engines thought to be available in 1943. CAC didn't begin assembling kit Mustangs until early 1944 and commenced manufacture in late 1944.
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Hi All, Not sure if I've followed formalities for a group build as I've never done one before but hopefully this thread will be allowed. After looking through the builds that are running, I thought I'd bight the bullet and build a subject that was in my float plane stash and start a subject that nobody else is covering. So, here I have my future build, a Saunders - Roe SR.A/1 Prototype Flying Boat Fighter. Some preamble: During the closing stages of WW2 the design of a jet-powered fighter flying-boat was conceived for use in the Pacific. Three prototypes were built and allocated serials TG 263, 267 and 271. The first flight was successfully made on 16th July 1947, the second and third machines were completed and joined the programme during 1948. Due to the lack of orders, the project was suspended but was revived for a short while after the outbreak of the Korean War but the increasing capability of land-based fighters forced the subjects cancellation. The aircraft made its final public appearance at the Festival of Britain by landing on the River Thames. Now the obligatory box shots Boxart. Fuselage sprue. Wing sprues. Other stuff. Decals look nice. Two vac-canopies, nice and clear. Instructions (side 1) containing some blurb, paint scheme and decal placement. Instructions (side 2) ... I've seen better. So their we have it. First job is to remove all the parts, clean it all up and pray . Also I'll need to find out the cockpit colour as nothing is mentioned about that. I plan to display the beastie on a sea base doing its stuff ,so I'll be putting test pilot 'Geoffrey Tyson' in the seat. Thanks for looking. Stuart
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Zetor 15 "Czechoslovak Tractor" (MV127) 1:72 Planet Models by Special Hobby Following WWII industrial plants worldwide turned in some cases to making civilian vehicles. The Zetor 15 was the first farm tractor to be produced at Zbrojovka plant in Brno after WW2. The Zetors were delivered both to civil users and the military, in Czechoslovakia and abroad as well. The Czechoslovak army for example used Zetor 15 tractors for towing the military aircraft such as the MiG15 on airfields. Amongst many unique features to be brought into tractor manufacturing they unitised parts across the range and introduced the first roll over protected cab for a tractor. The company is still in existence to this day and still making tractors after UTC Holding rescued the then failing State owned company from bankruptcy in 2002. The Kit This is a new tool kit for 2021 from Planet Models, part of the Special Hobby group of companies. It is a resin kit with a number of small parts which will need careful handling in their removal from the casting blocks. There is also a small PE Fret and a small decal sheet. A small length of wire (not included) will also be needed to finish the model. The main chassis is a single part to which the seat and controls are added along with the cooling fan on the front the exhaust. The engine cover/fuel and oil tanks is added to the radiator and all of this is added to the front of the tractor. The front steering axle is then built followed by the rear frame. The large rear mud guards go on and then the wheels. Markings There are two different styles of factory markings on the small decal sheet. Conclusion This will probably be used by most modellers for an aircraft diorama, but it will make a good stand alone build for anyone who likes tractors. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
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Zetor 15 Military Tractor With Tow Bar (MV128) 1:72 Planet Models by Special Hobby Following WWII industrial plants worldwide turned in some cases to making civilian vehicles. The Zetor 15 was the first farm tractor to be produced at Zbrojovka plant in Brno after WW2. The Zetors were delivered both to civil users and the military, in Czechoslovakia and abroad as well. The Czechoslovak's for example used Zetor 15 tractors for towing the military aircraft such as the MiG15 on airfields. Amongst many unique features to be brought into tractor manufacturing they unitised parts across the range and introduced the first roll over protected cab for a tractor. The company is still in existence to this day and still making tractors after UTC Holding rescued the then failing State owned company from bankruptcy in 2002. The Kit This is a new tool kit for 2021 from Planet Models, part of the Special Hobby group of companies. Following on the from the civilian tractor we now have this military version. It is a resin kit with a number of small parts which will need careful handling in their removal from the casting blocks. There is also a small PE Fret and a small decal sheet, this kit also includes a 3D printed tow bar. A small length of wire (not included) will also be needed to finish the model. The main chassis is a single part to which the seat and controls are added along with the cooling fan on the front the exhaust. The engine cover/fuel and oil tanks is added to the radiator and all of this is added to the front of the tractor. The front steering axle is then built followed by the rear frame. The large rear mud guards go on and then the wheels. The tractor can be fitted with the traditional agricultural exhaust or a more modern car type one. The 3D tow bar will just need cleaning up before use, and to main eye adding. A length of wire will be needed which fits from the tow bar to the main under carriage legs of the aircraft similar in a way to the Me 262 towing arrangement so all the force is not put on the nose leg/ Markings A small sheet gives number plates and a set of cowl markings. Conclusion A great diorama accessory for you early Czech aircraft. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
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15cm TbtsK C/36 WWII German Atlantic Wall Gun (MV126) 1:72 CMK by Special Hobby This 15cm gun was originally designed for a range of new destroyers commissioned by the German Navy, but their weight caused some issues that often led to a turret being removed and another replaced by the C/38 twin gun in order to keep the barrel count the same. This left a number of “spare” turrets that eventually found their way to form part of the supposedly impenetrable Atlantic Wall that was the purview of Erwin Rommel in the run up to the inevitable invasion by the Allied forces. Because they didn’t yet know the location of the impending attack, the wall was stretched thin along most of the northern French coat, and up as far as Norway. These guns were mounted upon a concrete casemate that kept them stable and able to rotate as necessary to engage targets. The gun has a splinter shield on the front, sides and roof, but with an open rear that could mean a cold post if you were unlucky enough to be assigned to one during the winter. There were two sighting hatches at the front, and four inspect covers around the bottom of the shield to inspect the powerful electric motors used for traversing the assembly. Needless to say, many of these guns were pummelled into extinction by the Allied invasion force from offshore, overhead, and from behind once the troops reached the shores. The Kit This is a rebox from Special Hobby via their Planet Models brand, and it arrives in a small white cardboard box with the front adorned with a large sticker that shows you what’s inside in the shape of a number of 3D renderings. Inside are seventy-one resin parts on a number of casting blocks, a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) parts, and the A5 folded instruction booklet. Detail is excellent, although a few parts had come off their blocks in transit on my example, and a tiny bicycle-style seat had gone missing somewhere along the line. Check your kit when it arrives, just in case. Construction begins with the breech, which is exceptionally well detailed, fitting a toothed wheel at the base, and then adding the working floor, aiming and elevation gear to the sides, and a set of two triangular supports for the foot-plates. The turret shroud has the majority of its apertures flashed over, and the trailing edge needs the moulding attachment points sanding away, after which the various doors and hatches are installed along with their supports. The shroud is then slid over the internals and glued in place. The cylindrical base attaches to the underside, and the big barrel tube can then be super glued into the breech through the front to complete the job. A number of scrap diagrams show how the model inside the shroud should look once built, so you have one last chance to check your work before you get too far. The back two pages of the instructions are covered with adverts for recent releases. Conclusion A very unusual model that might not otherwise have been made in this scale, although the contents of the box could have been protected a little better to prevent damage to parts. My sample had a few styrene peanuts in the box, but maybe a few more were needed. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
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I’m calling this finished! The yellow was difficult to work with, but the kit itself was a decent fit, especially considering it’s resin. I was surprised to read that over 1,000 of these were built between 1940 and 1943, mostly for use in the paratroop training role. Towed to a height of 6,000 metres, the glider had a range of around 140 miles. This example was based at RAF Weston on the Green in Oxfordshire in the early 1940s.
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I don’t usually have more than one model on the go as I like everything tidy and compartmentalised, but this one is another build for a client who’s requested it by mid-December, so I need to get on with it while I’m waiting for the F-16 exhaust. It’s an oddly proportioned aircraft, looking like it should be Wellington bomber sized but is actually smaller than a Tornado, despite apparently being a troop carrier! It can’t have been much fun being squeezed into one of these in full kit on your way to get shot at. Massive respect to those brave lads. Oh good, more resin. 😐 And vac-formed canopies. Metal undercarriage and lots of portholes. Masking should be interesting. I’ve been asked to build this scheme, so I’ll look at it as good experience for when I get around to making my Canberra TT.18 from the Alley Cat conversion pack. Has anyone built this kit, or have any tips for spraying those stripes!?
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Named after a genus of dragonflies, this prototype aircraft was built and tested by Miles Aircraft in 1942 as a private venture design for a carrier-based aircraft. The odd design was a response to the requirement for an unrestricted view of the carrier deck. Apparently handling was initially terrible until CoG problems were overcome. More on this design here, if anyone is interested: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_M.35_Libellula The kit is resin, with metal undercarriage legs and a vac-form canopy (two of which are provided, in case of cutting issues I assume!) Despite being resin, it was a fairly straightforward build, apart from getting the yellow to look reasonable. I did add nose weight too, but I’m not actually sure if that was needed or not. This one is a build for a client, so here are a few photos before I post it off to them.
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Here is a very strange type, an aircraft I hadn’t even heard of before, until I was asked to build it as my second pro build for a client. In fact I hadn’t even heard of Planet Models either. It’s 1/48 but still tiny, with vac-form canopies and some metal parts. A very strange looking contraption indeed! But it should be an interesting build, very different from my recent Tornado and Jaguar! Has anyone else built this kit before?
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