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DH.94 Moth Minor (RRK48006) 1:48 Red Roo Models In 1929, the de Havilland aircraft company identified a potential market for a simple and relatively inexpensive aircraft that would cater for the growing interest in amateur flying. This resulted in the DH.81 that was to be named Swallow Moth, and by the August of 1931 the sole example of this type was flown. However, demand for the subsequent DH.82 exceeded expectations despite its significantly higher price and complexity, and this resulted in the DH.81 project being shelved to free up production capacity. Five years later, the project was resurrected in the form of the DH.94. Taking advantage of some structural techniques used in the Comet and Albatross, the first prototype, now known as the Moth Minor, was completed at the dedicated production facility at Hatfield and flown for the first time in June of 1937 by Geoffrey de Havilland. The Moth Minor featured an open two-seat tandem cockpit configuration and was usually flown from the front seat. Power was provided by a 90hp Gypsy Minor engine, giving a maximum speed of over 100 mph. Range with the standard fuel tank mounted beneath the front pilot’s seat was a respectable 300 miles however this could be increased by a further 300 miles if the optional wing mounted extra tankage was fitted. Built entirely of spruce and ply, the overall length of the fuselage including the propeller and the fabric covered rudder was 24’5”. The wings were built around a two-spar layout with ply covering back to the rear spar. The ailerons were fabric covered as were the large upward folding wing sections. The latter being necessary to allow the main planes to be folded rearwards and secured to the tailplane for stowage in a much smaller space. Additional fuel tanks or luggage lockers could be installed in the wing as required. The fabric covered areas were secured to the underlying structure by means of spruce cap strips which although recessed, stood slightly proud of the surrounding area. A large combined flap and air-brake was fitted below the fixed portion of the wing and fuselage to give greater glide slope control during landing. The large perforations in the air-brake surface reduced the natural nose-down trim change when deployed, allowing for better speed management. In keeping with the overall simple design and manufacturing philosophy, the undercarriage was also uncomplicated, utilising a fixed single strut main leg with a light alloy streamlined fairing. Shock absorbing rubber blocks were used to provide some cushioning, and a steerable tail wheel was fitted to the rear fuselage. By the outbreak of World War II some 71 production examples had been completed, including nine of the optional enclosed cockpit variant, known as the Moth Minor Coupé, an option that featured a raised rear fuselage and hinged cockpit covers. Early in 1940, production capacity at Hatfield was urgently required for aircraft more vital to the war effort and so all Moth Minor drawings, jigs, components, part completed, and finished but undelivered airframes were delivered to de Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd at Bankstown, Australia where more than 40 were supplied to the Royal Australian Air Force. They were found wanting as an ab initio trainer due to the lack of flap and brake controls in the rear cockpit, so many were instead tasked with communications and hack duties, only a few making it through WWII before being written off, crashed or dismantled. The Kit This is a brand-new tooling from Red Roo, and is a multi-media resin kit for the experienced modeller, including Photo-Etch (PE), wire, white metal, and clear resin parts that require some experience and modelling skills to put together. It arrives in a flat white box with a sticker covering most of the lid, giving product details and scale, plus a couple of side profiles. Inside the box are twenty-six grey resin parts, two clear resin windscreens, three white metal gear legs, four 3D printed parts, a small PE sheet, two punched 4mm discs of styrene sheet, two lengths of copper wire of different gauges, a decal sheet, all of which are packaged in heat-sealed sections of two main bags, keeping the parts from shifting in transit. The instruction booklet rounds out the package, consisting of nine printed pages of A4, plus a separate sheet concerning small details on the model. The booklet is unusual because it has extensive notes about the aircraft’s development, colour notes and photographs, plus acknowledgements of the books and sites used in research of the kit. Decal application is also discussed at length, and each of the seven decal options have a full side devoted to four-view profiles, followed by a parts diagram after which the building of the model is shown over four sides at the rear of the booklet. Construction begins with removal of the casting blocks from the resin parts, which should be relatively straight forward due to the clean casting, and sensible location of the blocks. Care should be taken with the two fuselage halves, as they are necessarily thin between the two cockpit openings, and a ham-fisted modeller could easily over-stress them if they are not careful. Once you are happy with your prep work, the build can begin in earnest, starting with the two instrument panels, both of which have resin compasses fitted on PE brackets at the bottom of the panel. The front panel has a spacer slotted into a groove along the bottom, and both panels have decals depicting the dials that can be applied once painted to add extra detail. The cockpit floor is a single part with a raised area down the centre, which receives the seat supports and seats, plus control columns for both crew, and bulkheads front and rear. Two PE quadrants are folded up and applied to the sides of the front seat, noting the location tabs on the front face of the support. Painting of the insides of the fuselage and the cockpit will intervene before the cockpit can be installed, adding a pair of 3D printed voice-tubes to the starboard side, as radio wasn’t yet all that common in aircraft then. Note that there are two print bases of these parts, as they are very fine and prone to damage, as can be seen from the photos. There are two/three intact tubes between them, saving wastage of partial prints. The port side has throttle quadrants fitted, then the fuselage can be closed and the seams dealt with in your preferred manner. The closed fuselage is completed with the nose fairing, which has an insert behind it to depict the front of the engine that will be dimly seen through the narrow intake opening – another nice touch. The empennage, or tail feathers consist of a single width elevator, which is glued into a recess in the fuselage, fitting the rudder into position via two locating pins and holes, then adding 3D printed supports under the elevators to complete the assembly. The windscreens are cast in clear resin, and although they are a little hazy in my example, some careful polishing and a dip in Klear/Future or your equivalent should see them looking appropriate for the task of keeping oil and bugs out of the crew’s faces. The wing is a single part that has a pair of raised location tabs moulded into the centre that fit snugly into recesses in the inner fuselage sides, so should make for a good join, slotting the PE perforated flap/air brake into the rectangular recess under the centre panel of the wing. The main wheels are resin, while the struts are white metal, so epoxy or CA (super glue) will be needed to glue the parts into their recesses, taking a moment to ensure they are correctly aligned with the airframe and each other. The tail wheel slots into a hole under the fuselage, and can be posed at an angle if you wish, as it was steerable. The last part is the two-blade prop, which is supported along its entire length by fingers rising from the casting block, so take care when separating it to avoid snapping the thin trailing edges. The separate instruction sheet refers to the two mass balances under the ailerons, which they suggest be made from a few lengths of 0.15mm wire that is provided, using the drawings and colour photo to determine shape and length. There is also a short discussion of the throttle quadrants that are linked between cockpits, although the wire can be disconnected and hooked under the front quadrant to exclude the rear pilot from adjusting the power. The plastic discs in the bag and more wire can be used to complete this, which is probably an “experienced modeller” task unless you like a challenge. Markings There are a generous seven decal options included on the sheet, each of which has their own page in the instructions, and a wide variation of schemes. There is also a little block of text on each page giving a potted history of each one, including its ultimate destination. From the box you can build one of the following: A21-7 23 Sqn. RAAF A21-8 83 Sqn. Hack A21-9 25 Sqn. 1943 then 35 Sqn. 1944 A21-18 2 Sqn. Then 7 Service FTS 1941 A21-12 25 Sqn. 1941 then 9 FTS 1944 A21-36 Lost status card A21-5 22 Sqn. Then 2 Communications Unit The decals appear to be 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 should mean that the carrier film on the 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 It’s a glorious multi-media kit of this endearing little trainer, and once the resin parts are cleaned up, it should build very much like an injection moulded kit, except for the glue you’ll need to use, and the sense of satisfaction you’ll get from completing it. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Red Roo Resin has just released 1/48th and 1/72nd Deutz Ground Power Unit 3D printed kits. The Deutz Ground Power Unit which was used by the RAAF from the 1950s through to the 1990s and could be found on all RAAF bases. - 1/48 - ref. RRK48005 - https://www.redroomodels.com/product/deutz-ground-power-unit-1-48-scale/ - 1/72 - ref. RRK72013 - https://www.redroomodels.com/product/deutz-ground-power-unit-1-72/ V.P.

RAAF PR CAC CA-18 Mk.22 Mustang Conversion Set (RRR48185 for Eduard) 1:48 Red Roo Models During WWII the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) manufactured 200 North American Mustangs under licence as the CA-18, and of these a small number were converted to Photo Reconnaissance variants that carried two F24 cameras vertically and obliquely in the rear fuselage. There were various differences between US-built and Australian airframes, and the PR variant diverged further, having bespoke fairings for the camera apertures that aren’t readily available in mainstream kits. The Set Red Roo specialise in Australian aircraft and provide modellers with conversion sets and upgrades that allow us to make more accurate models with all of the time-consuming research already done for us. Their sets aren’t ostentatious, usually arriving in a Ziploc bag, but the contents and instructions are concise and absolutely suitable for the task at hand. This set is no different, including thirteen resin parts in another Ziploc bag, and a sheet of custom decals for the included example airframes that can be found at the rear of the six-sheet A4 instruction booklet that is stapled in portrait form. The parts are as follows: 1 x CAC Moulded plywood pilot seat 2 x CAC 8-spoke wheels 1 x Spinner front 1 x Spinner back plate 4 x DHA Cuffless Propeller Blades 1 x vertical Camera Port 1 x Oblique Camera Port 1 x Decal Sheet The instruction booklet is essential to successful completion of the conversion, as it is verbose in describing the various alterations that need to be carried out on the base Eduard kit. Some scribing of access panels will be required on the fuselage sides, which have diagrams showing the location and size of each one on the sides. The two camera ports don’t need any alteration to the kit, as they are designed to be applied to the surface, using gloss black paint to represent the optical lenses, although the underside lens can be modelled covered over by a retractable shutter by overpainting it fuselage colour and installing a short rod in a slot that replicates the locking stud. There were three crosses painted on the port wing that when matched with crosses on the canopy glass would ensure that the camera was pointing in the right direction when pressing the shutter release. The Xs on the glass can be replicated by scraping with a pin then rubbing acrylic black paint into the grooves and wiping the remainder away before it dries. Additional notes can be found after the initial instructions that detail the localised radio gear, alternate battery location and the CAC wheels, as well as some corrections and information as to the configuration that Mustangs were typically parked in by their pilots after a mission. The back four pages give guidance on applying the decals and profiles of the decal options that are included on the sheet from both sides, while the standard top and bottom view are found on the last of the pages above a photo of one of the real airframes, although some smaller photos near the profiles are also included. The decals are in good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion If you want to build an accurate CAC PR Mustang in 1:48, this set will be essential to get the details right, helped immensely by the comprehensive instructions. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Mustang P-51D-20 & CAC Mustang Upgrade Set (RRR48178 for Airfix) 1:48 Red Roo Models Mustangs and Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC)-built Mustangs were used by the RAAF during WWII in the Pacific, but even commercial boxings that depict aircraft in that theatre generally only pay lip service to being correctly configured to actually portray those aircraft, and the devil is most definitely in the detail. Red Roo specialise in Australian aircraft and provide modellers with conversion sets and upgrades that allow us to make more accurate models with all of the time-consuming research already done for us. Their sets aren’t ostentatious, usually arriving in a Ziploc bag, but the contents and instructions are concise and absolutely suitable for the task at hand. This set includes parts and raw materials that will provide parts for the conversion, as follows: 10 x Brass Front Rocket Mounts 10 x Brass Rear Rocket Mounts 1 x Resin SCR-695A IFF Radio unit 1 x 0.013” (0.33mm) V-shaped wire 1 x 0.010” (0.25mm) x 0.060” (1.5mm) styrene strip x 10mm (not pictured) 1 x 0.020” (0.4mm) x 15mm Brass Wire (not pictured) There’s a little mixing of Imperial and Metric measurements there (the bracketed figures are mine) and elsewhere in the instructions, but we’re all of an age where we can probably handle either, and if not it’s just a Google away. The instructions are key to the operation, and consist of eight sides of A4 stapled into a short, useful booklet. It is colour printed, and also includes various drawings and photos that will assist in getting the job done, which includes the following tasks: installing the IFF Radio in the cockpit and making up a locking strip Adding an inertia switch and indicator light on the back of the seat’s head armour Putting the SCR-695A antenna in the lower wing Adding missing parts around the intake that most 1:48 kits have left out Fashioning a battery ventilation intake on the cowling Creating a circular or rectangular gun camera aperture in the wing leading-edge Adding an engine oil breather & flare tube to the fuselage side Installing up to 10 brass underwing zero-length rocket launch rails Making a static port on each side of the rear fuselage & adding a static wick under the tail The rocket launch rails are cast in two fans of brass parts, and it is worth noting that they’re different from each other, one fan full of front rails, the other with rear rails, which you can identify by the accompanying drawings. The styrene rod (not pictured) is used in conjunction with the brass wire (also not pictured) to create the tie-down strap for the IFF radio, drilling holes in the strip to glue over the wires. As well as being verbose in assistance with construction, you are also given colour suggestions, and even hints and tips on how to create your masterpiece, with the photos and drawings of particular use. Conclusion A useful set that will improve the accuracy of your Mustang, whichever 1:48 brand you choose, although the Airfix kit is mentioned most regularly. It’s always nice when everything you need is in the bag right from the outset, without needing to hunt around, just bring your talent and some tools, and everything should be just fine. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

RFD Winged Target (RRK72001) 1:72 Red Roo Models Part of learning to fly and fight is live-firing training, for which a Swedish company designed a target for the jet-age that due to its rugged resin-impregnated plywood construction, could be towed at more realistic attack speeds in excess of 250 kts. They were manufactured in the UK by a company by the name of Rubberised Fabric Developments, and ten units were shipped over to the RAAF in Australia during mid-1952, but saw very little real use. They were twin-boomed gliders with a triple tail between the booms, and the winch gear under the centre of the wing. Today there are very few remaining references of the type, and the best guess is that they were painted red, but that’s extrapolated from black and white photos, which is never 100% certain. The Kit This is a small resin kit both in terms of size and parts, with the largest of them being a pre-formed resin jig to assemble your model upon, avoiding any alignment issues while the glue sets up. There are six casting blocks with all the main parts having their own block, and just the four small parts sharing the remaining block. There is also a smaller bag with two v-shaped 0.010” wires and some softer wire included. It would be wise to clean the resin parts in warm soapy water before you begin to remove the last of the release agent from the casting process, as it will improve paint adhesion later. Construction is simple but precise, and the details will take some extra time, so don’t expect it to take five minutes. The tail is first to be detailed by adding short lengths of wire to the pre-drilled depressions to each side of the vertical fins, which are supports that extend to the underside on the outer pair. The twin fuselages are inserted into their V-shaped troughs in the jig with the back butting up against the vertical upstand, after which you can glue the wing on once everything is square and according to the instructions. The tail is also glued on and the two lower braces are fixed to the fuselages, then the ground contact trigger, towing hooks and parachute housing are all added, and some additional wire is used for details. A small quantity of rigging is required, and the instructions recommend EZ-Line, which is an elastic thread that can be expensive depending on where you look. That of course is best done after painting and according to the instructions. Markings There are no decals, and the whole model is painted matt red, with the skids that contact the ground a steel colour where the paint has worn away during take-off and landing. Conclusion This is something a little out of the usual, and would look well next to a Target Towing Beaufighter, the conversion for which you can also get from Red Roo’s well-stocked online shop or their other stockists worldwide. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bristol Sycamore Mk.4/HR.51 RAAF, RAN, RAF & Civilian Service (RRK48004) 1:48 Red Roo Models Even while the guns of WWII were still firing, Bristol were developing the rotorcraft that became better known as the helicopter. Their project wasn’t the only one in existence, as the Nazis were also developing their own helicopters at around the same time, sending a small number of their early prototypes into service before the Allies, although to no avail. The Bristol project became the Sycamore, and it was the first British helicopter to reach production, and also the first to be registered as safe for flight by the British authorities just before the beginning of the ‘50s. It went into service with the RAF in time to take part in the Malayan, Cyprus and Aden emergencies as battlefield taxi, medical evacuation, and as cargo transport. Although less than two hundred of the type were built overall, a substantial number were built for the post-war reconstituted German military, and small numbers were used by the Australians and Belgians. They also saw civilian service in reasonable numbers, and stayed in service with the RAF for a long period, with the last one leaving service in the early 70s, while the Australians struck theirs off charge in the mid-60s. The Kit This is a re-boxing of AMP’s 2018 tooling of this early chopper, but with additional parts to represent the aircraft and types that are mentioned on the box top, and in their usual fashion, they are heavily focused on antipodean airframes, which is only fair given their location and expertise. The kit arrives in a thick card box with a picture of some of the decal options on the top, and inside the captive lid is the AMP plastic, which extends to four sprues in grey styrene, plus two smaller sprues in clear plastic. In addition, there are two frets of Photo-Etch (PE), two sections of clear acetate with printed shapes, two small blank pieces of blue decal paper, two decal sheets, and a thick colour laser printed instruction booklet that has colour profiles and reference photos in the rear, plus a separate sheet that documents additional positioning of stencils and the painting of the rotor blades. The styrene parts are well-moulded and have good detail, but as these are medium-run moulds there are the occasional sink marks that are a feature of thicker parts, where the styrene shrinks as it cools, which is more evident in the bulkier areas. There are only a few however, and if they are tackled before construction begins, they shouldn’t pose any real issues. The detail more than makes up for it, and the crew cabin is moulded in clear styrene to ease fitting and masking of the windows, which is always a good idea that is often found in helo models, as they tend to have excellent visibility thanks to huge expanses of perspex. Construction begins with the cockpit, which will be highly visible on the finished model, and this work starts with the two crew seats, which are well-detailed, having separate rails, cushions, backs and armour, plus PE stays that link the two cushions, and lap belts for the crew. The instrument panel is a kidney-shaped unit with instrument backs on the backside, and a decal placed over a coat of white paint, then a PE surface to depict the details and instrument bezels. It will be sensible to take care in aligning the layers, which can be done by using Klear as a glue and to make the dials shiny after painting. It is supported by a long tubular arm that later suspends it in front of the crew without impeding their view. A set of seatbelts are also made up for the three canvas passenger seats that later fix to the rear bulkhead along with circular headrests and more PE supports, leaving the bench seat parts on the sprues. The seats are glued to the cockpit floor after adding the pilot controls in tandem along with the centre console and rudder pedals, the latter made from PE and fitted to the front of the cockpit floor alongside a fire extinguisher. The rear bulkhead clips into the back of the cockpit floor with the three canvas seats as previously noted. The semi-complete assembly is slotted into the opaque plastic underside of the fuselage, which is in turn joined to the aft fuselage halves, taking care to cut the slot in the starboard side if you are modelling a military version. The cowling over the power plant is first detailed by adding a number of PE louvers into the engine intake at the front, and an axle that projects from the underside of the rotor head into the interior. It is then glued in place in anticipation of the clear fuselage and windscreen parts. The clear parts are prepared with small handles, then it would be an idea to make some masks for the inside of the windows so that the interior can be painted a suitable shade and not left shiny when painting it externally. Before these assemblies are fixed to the model, the rotor-head is created, which is a process that will result in an excellent focal point for your model. You are incited to take care removing the styrene parts from the sprues as they are delicate, and that seems a sensible precaution. They will also benefit from scraping of the seams to give them a more realistic appearance before you start putting things together. The main head part is the basis for the forthcoming work, which includes plastic and PE parts to give the assembly a highly realistic look. A scrap diagram shows the completed assembly, and you might miss the second diagram that is for extended blades – I know I did for a moment there. The key step is installing the triangular blade holders that all point in the same direction for stowed blades, and in-line with the rotor-head when extended for flight. The cockpit clear sides and roof are added to the model next (don’t forget to remove any masks!) along with the main gear, which are each two-part wheels with two more parts for the struts, the starboard unit having a box fairing near the top. A small highly detailed winch assembly is attached to the starboard side of the engine compartment, and a long strut stretches diagonally down the side of the fuselage, partially in the slot cut in the fuselage side earlier for the military version. The rotor suppports are added to the tail boom to hold the stowed blades later, and the nose of the model is glued into the front after adding a coaming to the inside, where you might want to fill two tiny sink marks at the ends, and a PE windscreen wiper on the outside. Also on the starboard side is an engine exhaust, which is covered by a bulged fairing to the front, presumably to avoid burning the legs of the crew or passengers. On the port side are a number of tubular step frames, a filler cap and a rear-view mirror, the head of which is PE, so the back side should be painted with the shiniest metallic you can lay your hands on. The steps are replicated on the starboard side too, with more small parts and the front landing gear leg on the underside. The tail boom also has a long, slender and angled bumper fitted, a small stabilising surface, and of course the three-blade tail-rotor and crown. The final task is to install the rotors stowed or in position for flight, attaching to the appropriately configured rotor-head. Markings The booklet contains a general stencil placement guide, and there is another loose page with additional guidance and details to paint the main rotor blades and the tail-rotor in great detail. There are a generous six decal options on the sheet, with a broad range to choose from. From the box you can build one of the following: A91-2, 1 Air Trials Unit, Jan 1955 XN448, 852, 723 Sqn. Fleet Air Arm, RAN, Jun 1960 XG544, 118 Sqn., RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland, 1962 XG548, Joint Helicopter Unit, HMS Ocean, Suez Crisis, 1956 VH-INO, Australian National Airways Pty Ltd, May 1956 VH-INO, Australian National Airways Pty Ltd, Flying Billboard for Thorn Atlas (Thorn Australia) The Thorn Atlas decal option has a large pair of colourful backgrounds to the logo, which aren’t included as decals, but are supplied as pre-printed stencils on the acetate sheets. You are instructed to cut out the templates and spray the colour onto the provided decal film, which you can then overspray with clear gloss and apply to your model after cutting them out close to the painted areas. You could of course use the templates to make a tape mask and spray them directly onto the model, so now you have two choices of how to do it. Decals are printed under the Red Roo banner, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a satin carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion Early helicopters are usually a weird, ungainly looking bunch, but apart from the Sycamore’s unusual nose-up ground stance, it is a surprisingly modern-looking aircraft. The base kit is good, and the Red Roo additions make it better. Add a bunch of well-researched, attractive decal options, and we have a winner. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Planet Models is to release a 1/48th resin kit of the CAC CA-25 Winjeel - ref. PLT259 In association with Red Roo Models - ref. RRK48002 About the Winjeel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAC_Winjeel Source: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234938325-148-plt259-cac-winjeel/ V.P.

This is my first post so I hope that I can be as good as those before me. 458 Squadron (RAAF) an Article XV squadron was formed at RAAF Williamtown, on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia on the 10th of July, 1941. It was sent to England to be a part of Bomber Command and was based at Holme On Spalding Moor on the 1st of September, 1941. In February, 1942, it was sent to the Middle East where it commenced operations. It was issued with Vickers Wellington bombers. The model that I am building is the Wellington shown on the DK decal sheet, Wellington Mk1c,MkVIII,CMk XVI (72066) number 6 of 458 Squadron. I have received from Ed Russell of Red Roo Models, from Melbourne, a sample of the "fairing" that replaces the front turret. The fairing comes in a cream coloured resin. It needs a small amount of sanding to fit quite well into position. As can be seen below I have highlighted the area that needs removal. There is already a line there for a guide which is there for the nose replacement that for the MKVIII conversion. I built the model as per instructions which. I was very impressed with that. To give a bit of stability I added the Part D19 for the fairing to sit on but you you could do it without it if you wish. After a little bit of sanding and filling it goes into position quite easily and to me looks right.

MiG Killers Part 2 RAAF Korean War Meteor F.8 1:48 Red Roo Models At the start of the Korean war Number 77 Sqn RAAF were flying the CAC Mustang based in Japan as the last RAAF Fighter unit of the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces. They then deployed to Korea where they continued to fly the Mustang for nine months of hazardous combat operations. The Sqn returned to Japan in 1951 to re-equip with and train on the new Gloster Meteor F.8. They then returned in July 1951. Initially they carried out Fighter Operations, however the straight winged Meteor proved a poor match to the MiG-15 in combat, and the Meteors went on to excel in ground attack with its four 20mm cannon and eight rocket rails firing British 60lb or US 5" HVARs. On 29th August 1951 the aircraft of the RAAF were attacked by a large flight of MiG-15s while escorting American B-29 bombers. Warrant Officer Guthrie engaged and shot down a MiG-15 before then being shot down himself. W/O Guthrie would then spend 2 years as a POW in Korea. As well as W/O Guthrie's aircraft 3 other serial numbers are provided for this action. As usual with Red Rood there are comprehensive instructions, with 3 double sided A4 pages with information on these aircraft. Conclusion This decal sheet will provide you with the serial numbers for 77 Sqn Aircraft from the Korean War. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

RAAF Gloster Meteor Mk.8 Detail Set (for Airfix) 1:48 Red Roo Models The Meteor F.8 was a later mark of the original aircraft developed as Britain’s first Jet Fighter during the war. The F.8 featured a stretched fuselage to overcome centre of gravity issues, and more powerful Derwent engines. It first flew in 1948 and by the 1950s had become the mainstay of RAF Fighter command despite the fact it was obvious by then that straight winged aircraft were obsolete compared to the swept wing fighters then coming on stream. In a strange twist some RAF Fighter Squadrons would transition from the North American Sabre back to the Meteor while waiting for Hawker Hunters to be delivered. The RAF retired its last target tug machines in the 1980s, with a couple surviving F.8s converted to drones with the MOD at Llanbedr being retired in the 1990s. Like many aircraft they were also delivered to commonwealth nations. The RAAF ordered 94. The RAAF would go on to use these aircraft in combat in the Korean War with No. 77 Squadron transitioning from P-51Ds onto Meteors. It was soon apparent that the straight winged Meteor was no match for the swept-wing MiG-15, although in 1953 Sergeant John Hale did score a MiG kill. The RAAF reverted to ground attack where it was found the Meteor was an excellent stable attack platform with its four 20mm cannon. The aircraft was also armed with British 60Lb rockets, and could also use US 5” HVAR rockets if needed. 77 Sqn flew over 4,800 combat missions in Korea with the loss of 30 aircraft mainly due to AA fire. One of the last RAAF units to operate the Meteor, 78 Sqn was probably the most well-known, flying the Aircraft as “The Meteorites” Aerobatic display team. The Meteor was replaced in RAAF service by the CAC Sabre, a locally modified re-design of the F-86. One of the main distinguishing features of the RAAF meteors was the addition of a spine ADF aerial fitting not carried by British airframes. The Set Red Roo are masters of improving kits that were used by their home country, and this set is intended to do just that to the new Airfix kit, which although a step up from what was previously available, still has a few faults and niggles that might annoy the detail-aficionado. We're reliably informed in the opening dialogue of the instructions that these issues are pretty easy to fix with the assistance of the contents of this set and a little modelling skill. The set arrives in a small flat box with the product details sticker pasted to the lid. Inside are two bags of parts, one containing resin, the other holding the metal parts. Another ziplok bag is full of three decal sheets of differing sizes that will further assist in the accuracy department. The instruction booklet doubles as packing material, and is quite verbose, offering many hints and tips to make your Meatbox as accurate as possible in a conversational style, accompanied by plenty of pictures of the real thing for reference. In the box you get the following: Resin Parts 8 x rocket bodies 8 x rocket tails 2 x main wheels 1 x nose wheel 1 x air compressor cowling 2 x nacelle vents Metal Parts 8 x brass rocket rails 1 x 23G hypodermic needle 4 x v-shaped 0.4mm brass wire 1 x 20mm 0.5mm brass wire 1 x 4mm 1mm brass tube Other Parts 1 x 7 x 14mm 0.4mm plastic strip 2 x stencil decal sheets for external tanks 1 x airframe stencil decals As you can see that's quite a list, and why the instructions extend to eight sheets of A4 that are printed on both sides. As well as providing you with a full and concise description of how to install all the parts, it also gives you lots of hints and tips on how to further improve your model interspersed with the instructions, which are of course optional, but as you're currently looking at an update set, you're probably enticed by this extra work already. Most of the "mandatory" updates (well, you did pay for them!) are simple changes that just require a little effort, but those freebies even extend to how to improve the fit of the wing roots, canopy etc., as well as repairing a few errors that Airfix made with a couple of boo-boos that arose due to them scanning a museum example, which is kind of understandable really. Markings The stencils are a replacement set for the kit decals, some of which are inaccurate, so just replace the whole lot with the new ones, the instructions for which are spread over four sides of the instructions, along with the various additional fuel tanks that the Meteor often carried. Conclusion This is a very comprehensive set that will be of use to builders of any Meatbox F.8, although not all the parts would be used. The stencils are a boon, and I find that they're an easy way to easily add to boost the perception of detail, especially if you hide the edges of the carrier film with a few layers of clear and some careful sanding. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hi all, Here is the basis for my entry into this GB. No box full of sprues neatly stored in bags, just a freezer bag full of bits! These are the leftover parts from several F-86 builds and conversions many years ago with two omissions, the gun bay doors are missing ( don't ask ) so I will have to scratch build a pair. I have ordered CMK 4146 which although described as an ' armament ' set does not include these doors but does have the ammo bay doors and interiors and better interior detail for the air brakes than that provided in the kit. Also in the picture can be seen the Red Roo narrow chord slatted wing which is correct for an F-86F-10, and AeroMaster sheet 48-446 " Sabres over Korea Pt IV " You can also see that I have already hacked out the gun bays from the fuselage as the Aires resin cockpit will not fit with these in place. The book is just one of my many Sabre/Korean War references which contains anecdotes from Korean War pilots and also has a very useful index which lists every F-86 which fought in Korea So the first job will be to build the gun bay doors while I wait for the CMK bits to arrive, just two (not quite true ) rectangles with a double curve, how difficult can that be? More soon I hope. John

RAAF Avro Ansons 71 Sqn & 1 Air Observers School 1/48 Red Roo Models This provides decals for 3 Avro Anson aircraft used by the RAAF. The RAAF would use over 1000 of these aircraft mainly as trainers but also as Maritime Patrol aircraft in the days where they had little else. The three decal options on the sheet are; 1. AW665 code PP-B used by 71 Sqn from Lowood (QLD) in October 1943 used for Coastal Command camouflage trials. This aircraft featured Foliage Green/Earth Brown top sides, Gloss white undersides, and the fuselage sides in matt white. 2. JD287 code PP-K used by 71 Sqn Md War. In RAF Camo of Dark Green/ Dark Brown and Sky undersides. 3. W2598 code 98 used by 1 Air Observation School Evans Head NSW late 1943. In RAF Camo of Dark Green/ Dark Brown and Sky undersides. Conclusion This is a great sheet if you fancy something different or antipodean for your Anson. The decals are great and the supporting 8 pages of documentation is first rate. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

P-51D-20 & CAC Mustang Upgrade set & Un-cuffed Props 1/48 Red Roo Models The upgrade set (48178) is designed for Airfix kit though there is no reason it should not fit others. This provides parts for the IFF system and rocket rails. One of the main benefits of this set is the research and information about the differences in these aircraft and how to correct them. The picture used above is for illustration only. The stubs for the rockets are in cast metal which the modeller will need to trim and clean up. There is also a new radio in resin and some wire. RAAF Mustangs deployed to Korea used both the British 60Lb rockets and the American 5" HVAR ones. The propeller set (48123) gives us 4 new un-cuffed Aeroproducts blades used by the CAC Mustang and the P-51K. Some kits may need the modeller to make adjustments to the spinner holes to fir these blades correctly. Conclusion These are some interesting sets from Red Roo. Highly Recommended for an accurate Aussie Mustang. Update Set Prop Blades Review samples courtesy of

P-51D/K/CAC Mustang Radio Masts 1/48 Red Roo Models This pack from Red Roo provides 4 brass replacement Mustang radio masts. Conclusion These masts will give that little extra detail to you P-51 model. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

21 Sqn & 23 Sqn RAAF CAC Mustang Decals 1/72 & 1/48 Red Roo Models This provides two decal options for CAC CA-17 Mk 20 Mustangs used by the RAAF. 1. 21 Sqn (City Of Melbourne) Sqn, reformed 1st April 1948. As a training sqn they flew the CAC Mustang, Tiger Moths and the CAC Wirraway. The Sqn provided pilot and gound crew training. 2. 23 Sqn (City of Brisbane) Sqn, again reformed on 1st April 1948 as a Citizen Air Force Sqn (Reservists). Mustangs, Tiger Moths and Wirraways again were used for training. Conclusion This is a great sheet if you fancy something different or antipodean for your Mustang. There is a small amendment sheet not shown for the Red Bird Markings. Highly Recommended. 1/72 1/48 Review sample courtesy of

75 Squadron RAAF CAC CA-17 Mk.20 Mustangs Post-War 1/72 & 1/48 Red Roo Models This provides two decal options for CAC CA-17 Mk 20 Mustangs used by 75 Squadron RAAF post WWII. Following WWII Service and disbandment on 1948 the squadron was re-formed in 1949 and operated the Mustang before converting to Meteors. GA-V was the mount of the squadron commander; Wing Commander Richard Cresswell. GA-B is an overall NMF aircraft with very little in the way of markings. Both of these aircraft were kept immaculately clean. Conclusion This is a great sheet if you fancy something different or antipodean for your Mustang, Highly Recommended. 1/72 1/48 Review sample courtesy of

Gloster Meteor MK.8 Stencil Data 1/72 & 1/48 Red Roo Models This sheet provides comprehensive stencil data which can be used on any kits of the Mk.8 Meteor in 1/48 & 1/72. The placement diagrams from Red Roo are excellent in being clear to read, and the numbering style used on the sheet allows for easy identification of the right stencil. Conclusion This is a great sheet of stencil data for the Meteor, Highly Recommended. 1/48 1/72 Review sample courtesy of

Here I present my first go at a conversion. Its the Red Roo Models RAAF Aircraft and Development Unit (ARDU) Project Ingara Dakota conversion, using the Italeri C47 Skytrain as the base kit. A review and information about Project Ingara can be found here: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234999915-raaf-ardu-c-47-dakota-project-ingara-172-red-roo-models/ . I had a few challenges along the way (build thread can be found here), however I am really pleased by how it finished up. Main paint job was using Tamiya rattle cans. I hope I did the conversion kit justice @Ed Russell.

I've made my last few kits straight of the box, so time for something a little more challenging. I picked this up last September from a local scale model expo, I think it cost me ~$5: Inside some very dark green plastic: Transparencies have a bit of flash on them: Gruesome decals: Old fashioned instruction sheet, on what appears to be very low quality recycled paper: So far, nothing special. However, I also picked up this: The conversion parts: A length of wire seems to be missing, but that should be easy enough to replace. Decals look great: Very complete and informative instructions. I can't seem to find any built up examples of this on my quick scan through the forums, or on the web, so any advice would be welcomed!

P-40N Kittyhawks 75 Sqn RAAF 1/72 & 1/48 Red Roo Models This sheet from Red Roo enable three different aircraft from 75 Sqn RAAF to be built. Conclusion This is a great sheet for The P-40N in late war RAAF colours. Recommended. 1/48 1/72 Review sample courtesy of

P-40E Kittyhawk - 2 Operational Training Unit RAAF 1/72 & 1/48 Red Roo Models This sheet provides decals for a P-40E A29-28 as used by 2 OTU RAAF. The aircraft was stripped back to Natural Metal but retained the white areas form the operational scheme and part of the serial on the tail. Fabric areas were painted with aluminium dope. Conclusion This is a good sheet for an unusual P-40E, Recommended. 1/48 1/72 Review sample courtesy of

CAC Boomerang A-46-228 1/72 & 1/48 Red Roo Models A46-228, BF-M "Miss Albany" had a fairly short life with the RAAF. Through the factory via depots it arrived at 5 Sqn RAAF on 11th May 1945. It was then scheduled in November that year for limited spares removal, which became final with a full authorisation in January 1946. The aircraft was finished in overall Foliage Green with white tail surfaces, and leading edges. Conclusion This is a great little sheet for decals of a specific Boomerang in late war RAAF colours. Recommended. 1/48 1/72 Review sample courtesy of

Beaufighter Updates (for Tamiya) 1:48 Red Roo Models Red Roo have a number of useful resin additions for the ageing but still top notch Tamiya Beaufighter, to improve on the base kit. They are all pretty much drop-in replacements, although they do require the usual clean-up of mould blocks associated with resin casting. Each set arrives in a ziplok style bag, with a small sheet of instructions/name card, depending on complexity. Remember the usual cautions with resin, including wearing a mask when sanding, and washing the parts in warm soapy water to remove the mould-release residue that could affect paint adherence. Super Glue (CA) or epoxy glue will need to be used, and removing the mould-release residue will assist in creating a strong bond. Open Engine Cooling Gills (RRR48147) This set of cooling flaps for around the twin Bristol engines gives the modeller the option of showing them open to allow airflow to cool a running engine. After you have nipped off the small casting block it's just a case of swapping out the kit parts for the new resin ones. Two sets are included, one for each engine as you'd expect. Oil Cooler Detail Set (RRR48161) These super-detailed parts are a drop-in replacement for the leading-edge oil coolers, but they require a little preparation beforehand. Firstly, you need to drill a hole from top to bottom down the centre of the unit, into which you add a piece of wire that is enclosed, making good the hole in the top of the cooler cowling afterwards. A small brass mesh disc is placed behind the louvers with a backing disc of styrene also supplied for each one. The instructions advise you to mask up the mesh, as this is the correct colour for the area. The ultimate in authenticity! Flat Tailplane Set (RRR48154) A six part set that provides replacement elevators for a Mk.I, Ic, II or V Beau that had no dihedral on those surfaces. The hinged elevators are separate parts, as are the trim tabs, and you are advised to make up your own actuator rods with short sections of wire. The parts fit into the original slots on the kit, so no adjustment should be necessary, other than ensuring no droop occurs during the gluing process. Review sample courtesy of

Ok well I finally get to start this build, as members are already finishing!! Well as I have mentioned I’m and going through a bit of a phase at the moment (nothing unusual there!) of RAAF WW II aircraft, preferably the more obscure the better. Well strange as it seems the RAAF only operated 3 P-38 Lightning during the war (operated by 1PRU) and were loaned a few more by the USAAF. There is a bit of conjecture over whether the original 3 were F-4s or started as P-38E’s and were modified either in the US or here in Australia. They operated from Mid 42 to late 44, all were eventual written off with one incident resulting in the lost of the pilot. I will be building the last of the 3, A55-3, she started off life as a P-38E with the serial number 41-2144 (there was even for a while some conjecture as to if this serial number was correct.), she was converted to F-4-1-LO either here in Australia or in the US. She served with 1PRU from 27Feb42 till she crashed due to undercarriage failure on the 10Dec43, the wreckage is now in the Darwin Aviation Museum. I had forgotten what I had bought for this build other then the Red Roo conversion kit to turn her into a F-4, but it seems I may have gotten a bit carried away! Ok the base will be Academy’s 1/48 P-38F (Glacier Girl), it was recommended for the basis of the conversion. Then….some masks, Quickboost’s Air Intakes and Superchargers, they look so much better than the kit ones. Aires resin interior along with Eduard PE set, it’s for the Hasegawa version, but I’m bound to find a use for it. Hopefully it will be a quick build, I was very relieved to find out the RAAF aircraft didn’t have the “Haze” colour scheme used by the USAAF as that would have been a pain to get right! First up tomorrow will be lots of washing and resin cutting…maybe even some painting! Have been waiting for this build for soooo long, am really looking forward to this one!

P-51 Mustang Propeller blades Red Roo Models 1:32 There seems to many a variation in the style and shape of propeller blades used on the NA P-51 Mustang. Not all of them are supplied in the various kits currently released. Meaning it’s been the tasks of the modeller to either modify what’s been provided, or buy in aftermarket propellers. To this end, Red Roo Models have released three sets of propeller blades to give the modeller more options on which 1:32 scale P-51 variant they wish to build. Each set includes four individual resin blades for both NAA and CAC built aircraft. The blades are almost ready to use straight out of the packet with only a minimal amount of cleaning up required around the root of each blade. They appear really well moulded with fine leading/trailing edges and tips plus the right amount of twist on each blade. The sets provided for this review include:- CAC P-51 Mustang with HS “Cuffed” paddle blades (RRR32007 CAC P-51 Mustang with HS “Cuffless” chisel tip blades (RRR32008) NAA P-51 Mustang with Aeroproducts blades, (RRR32009 Conclusion This is the first set of Red Roo resin that I’ve been asked to review and I am really impressed with the fine mouldings that they’ve managed to achieve. That and the fact they can be used straight out of the packet without the fuss of removing them from moulding blocks makes them even more desirable. I had to check they were in fact made of resin as they looked like injected moulded styrene but with the extra finesse. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of