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After the F.MK.3/.5 ( http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234944522-172-de-havilland-dh100-vampire-fmk35-by-special-hobby-released-new-fmk3-boxing/?hl=vampire) Special Hobby is to release a 1/72nd de Havilland DH.100 Vampire F.Mk.1 kit - ref.SH72339 Source: http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2016/Bilder_AT/Special_Hobby_09.htm V.P.

Mirage F.1 EQ/ED (72386) 1:72 Special Hobby The Dassault Mirage F.1 has been a successful point defence fighter for over thirty years, and was developed initially as a private venture by Dassault as a replacement to their ageing Mirage III fighters. It is a single-engined, single-seat fighter aircraft with a high-mounted delta wing and capability of reaching mach 2.2 in short order. Power was provided by a single SNECMA Atar turbojet providing about 7 tonnes-force (69 kN; 15,000 lbf) of thrust. Dassault soon found an eager customer in the shape of the French Armée de l'air, who bought various versions over the years starting on 1974. The French retired the Mirage F.1 in 2014. The ED is the export version for Qatar, and the EQ the version for Iraq. Its worth noting that private military contractors in the US are buying large surplus stocks of Mirage F.1s to use in the adversary role. The Kit This is a reworking of the superb new tool kit from Special Hobby. This boxing has extra plastic parts for this version being the tail and large centre line tank. There is also some small resin parts for the "lumps & bums", and a resin Exocet Missile for the Iraqi version. The parts are crisp with engraved panel lines deep enough not to disappear under a coat of paint, but not trench like. From the parts break down on the sprues it is evident more versions are on there way. Construction starts conventionally enough in the cockpit area. The instrument panel and coaming is built up and attached to the front of the cockpit, the rear bulkhead is attached, and the control stick added in. For some strange reason step 3 in the instructions has you placing the cockpit inside the fuselage and closing it up; and step 4 has you adding the front wheel well and exhaust into the fuselage. I would safely say that it's best to reverse these. On the subject of the exhaust, it is a three part affair and the quality of the kit parts is very good. Once the exhaust, front wheel bay, and cockpit are in the main fuselage can indeed be closed up. Once the main fuselage is together the correct nose can be added for your chose decal option. Various nose antenna are added along with the front airbrakes which are moulded in the closed position. The engine intakes are also added at this stage. Next the main wings are added which are of conventional upper/lower construction. Once these are on the rudder, tail planes, and ventral strakes are all added as well. Once the main aircraft is built it is time to switch to the landing gear. All three units are built up and added along with their respective doors. The undercarriage is quite detailed but has been moulded to be in as few parts as possible. The main legs along with their retraction struts are one part, with only a single small section needed for each of the mains. The wheels are one part each and have nice relief for painting. It is then a quick re-visit to the cockpit to build the ejection seat. For the scale this is quite detailed with 4 parts making up the seat. There is a choice of seat back/cushion however no indication of which to use for which option. It is suspected these options are time frame based, and the modeller should check their references. The penultimate step is to add the pylons. A single centre line pylon is added along with wing pylons, &chaff dispensers. Thankfully this time the instructions show which should be added for each decal option. The instructions show only fuel tanks to be attached, although the sprues do contain a nice selection of French weapons to be deployed as the modeller sees fit,. Lastly the canopy and front screen are attached. Markings There are four decal options on a sheet from Cartograf so there will be no issues there. 1. F.1EQ No.79 Sqn Iraqi Air Force (Sand / Grey scheme). 2. F.1EQ-5 No.81 Sqn Iraqi Air Force (Dark Sea Grey Scheme) - Fitted for Exocet. 3. F.1EQ-6 No.102 Sqn Republic Of Iran Air Force (Grey / Blue Scheme). 4. F.1ED Libyan Peoples Air Force (Aircraft which defected to Malta) Conclusion It is great to see more versions of this new tool from Special Hobby becoming available. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

source: http://modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=97&t=77712&start=720#p1880503 "Dalšími v pořadí nejbližšími rozpracovanými projekty (ono je toho docela hodně) je moderní dvoumotorák s vrtulemi a druhoválečná stíhačka." next project is a twin-engine modern aircraft with propellers And next is WW2 fighter http://modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=97&t=77712&start=735#p1880919 "ne, nebude to Turbolet, lítá to nebo lítalo na západ od nás (a na jih, sever a možná i na východ)" No, not L-410 Turbolet. It flies or flew to the west of Czech Republic (and to the south, north and maybe to the east) type is still secret

CASA C-212-100 (72344) 1:72 Special Hobby The CASA C-212 Aviocar is a medium cargo aircraft with a short field capability designed by Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA or CASA of Spain. The aircraft is a boxy fuselage with a high mounted wing and twin turbo prop engines. The cabin is not pressurised. In the 1960's the Spanish Air Force was looking to modernise as at the time it was still relying on a mix of C-17s and Ju-62s for its transport requirements. The SASA 212 was a proposed 18 seat transport aircraft which could fill a few different roles. The aircraft first flew in 1971 and the Spanish Air Force would acquire them from there. 477 Aircraft were built over 42 years, with the last -400 with a glass cockpit by then being built in 2012 when Airbus Military decided to discontinue production. Production continues though under license in Indonesia. The aircraft has been used by many military and civil users all over the world The Kit This is a new toolkit from Special Hobby. The kit arrives on five sprues of plastic and a clear spure. From the look of the unused parts on the sprue a maritime/patrol version is planned at some point. Construction starts with adding the instrument panel in at the front. Instruments are supplied as decals. The windows are put into the main fuselage halves from the inside at this point, as well as the side cockpit glazing. The main fuselage doors and inserts at the front are then added. The rest of the cockpit is then built up, this can then be added and thee main fuselage closed up. Its worth noting there in no interior for the main cargo cabin and the ramp is moulded closed. Next up the undercarriage is made up and the main sponsons added. The nose is added along with the main cockpit glazing. The tail planes are made up with separate control surfaces. The instructions advise to add nose weight but omit how much is needed. The tailplanes ad rudder are now added to the main fuselage, along with the tail plane fairings. The wings are made up next. There is a single part upper and left/right lowers. 4 flap actuator fairings are added to each side. The two engine nacelles are made up and added along with the fronts and propeller assemblies. These can then be added to the wings. Two trim tabs on the wing need to be removed. The wing is now fitted to the fuselage along with various antennas and sundry parts. As these differ in the varietals attention will be needed to select the correct ones. The wings are made up next. There is a single part upper and left/right lowers. 4 flap actuator fairings are added to each side. The two engine nacelles are made up and added along with the fronts and propellor assemblies. These can then be added to the wings. Two trim tabs on the wing need to be removed.The wing is now fitted to the fuselage along with various antennas and sundary parts. Markings There are printed by Eduard and should pose no problems, three options are provided; Spanish Air Force. Paracute school Murcia Alcantarilla AB, 2009 - Overall Grey. Chilean Army, Santiago de Chile International, 2009. Two Greens/tan over grey. Colombian Navy 2005. Two tone grey. Conclusion It is great to see this over looked small transport aircraft now being injection moulded in 1/72. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Delta 1D/ E US Transport plane (72329) 1:72 Special Hobby The Delta was designed by Jack Northrop alongside the the Gamma in 1932 when the Northrop Corporation was set up with as a joint venture with The Douglas Aircraft Company. The Gamma was to be a mail plane where the Delta was to be a passenger transporter. It was a low wing monoplane with a fixed undercarriage. The wings were common to both aircraft with the Delta having a wider fuselage for the passengers with the pilot being seated upfront behind the engine fighter plane style. Space behind was for 8 passengers. The Delta flew in 1933 but suffered from a change in the regulations in the USA which prohibited single engined aircraft from carrying passengers at night, or over rough terrain. Only three aircraft were made before this regulation came into place with the first being used by TWA, the second by Pan-Am's Mexican subsidiary and the third to AB Aerotransport of Sweden. A single example was built for the US Coastguard and 7 more were built as executive transports. Of these three were purchased by the Spanish Republicans for use in the civil war there. Two of these were captured by the Republicans and used by them. The third was later used by the Republican Airline LAPE until the end of the war when it was also handed over to the Air Force. In addition to the US Built examples the Delta was built under license by Canadian Vickers where it was used as a photographic survey aircraft by the RCAF. The first example was supplied to Vickers by Northrop part assembled, and 19 examples were then built by them. This would be the first all metal stressed skin aircraft to be built in Canada. These aircraft were capable of being used with wheels, skis and floats although the latter was not a success due to corrosion issues. Delta were used for anti-submarine patrols in early WWII, but were withdrawn to training roles by 1941. The Kit The kit was first released in 2017 under the Azur FFROM label. The kit has 4 main sprues of injected plastic , and a clear sprue. The plastic is more limited run than main stream, the parts are well moulded with restrained panel lines, however there are a lot of ejector pins to clean up, all though on unseen surfaces. Construction starts without any surprises with the cockpit. The single cockpit for the pilot sits in the middle of the fuselage slightly higher than the main cabin floor. The rudder pedals are moulded to the cockpit floor, the side consoles are added along with the pilots seat. The instrument panel is then added along with the control column. Next up the 8 passenger seats are added to the main cabin floor. The cockpit and main cabin floor can then be added into the main fuselage along with the rear cabin bulkhead. Lastly before closing up the main fuselage the cabin windows need to be added. Once the main fuselage is together the engine is added to the front of the fuselage. The wings can now be added. These have a main full span lower wing with left & right uppers. Once the main wing is on the tail planes can also be added. The Spats and enclosed wheels are then built up and added to the main wing. To finish up the exhausts, tail wheel, aerial, pitot tube and propeller are added. Markings Decals are printed by Aviprint and look in register with good colour density. There are are three markings in the kit 1. Aircraft purchased for use in Elsworth's Antarctic flight of 1936, then bought by the Australian Govt for war use. Earth & Foliage Green Camo. 2. Ex US Coast Guard Aircraft used by the US Corps of Engineers in Eritrea 1942. Dark Earth & Olive Drab camo 3. The previous aircraft as a US Coast Guard machine. Conclusion It is great to see more boxings of this esoteric aircraft being released. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

1/72 WWII US bomber pilot and two gunners 1:72 CMK Here we have pilot and two gunners/crew representing what looks the USAAF in WWII Conclusion These will enhance any diorama or scene. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Fouga CM.170 Magister "German, Finnish & Austrian" (72373) 1:72 Special Hobby The Magister is probably Fouga's most well know design even though they had been producing aircraft since 1936. Post war the company was working on sailplanes and the heritage from this can be seen in the Magister design. In 1948 the French Air Force were looking for a jet powered aircraft to replace the then piston engine trainers. Fouga's original design the CM130 was under-powered with two Turbomeca Palas engines. Fouga then re-designed their aircraft to incorporate the more powerful Marbore engines, et voilà the CM170 Magister. The distinctive V tail, and slender wings bear testament to Fouga's sailplane designs. The prototype Magister flew in 1952 with an order for the first 10 being placed in 1953. The Magister was the worlds purpose designed/built jet powered trainer. It is also worthy to note the Magister made it into carrier aviation. With a few changes to the structure and undercarriage, the addition of an arrestor hook, and sliding canopies the CM175 Zephyr was born. Interestingly carrier trials took place on HMS Bulwark and HMS Eagle. The French aircraft industry in parallel with the UK went through many mergers with the aircraft being known as the Fouga Magister, Potez Magister, Sud Aviation Magister; and finally The Aerospatile Magister; though always actually being called The "Fouga" Magister. Development of the aircraft continued right up until the French selected its replacement, the Alpha Jet. Overseas sales proved popular were made to primarily to Germany, Belgium, Finland, and Israel; with Germany, Finland & Israel building them under licence. Of a total of 929 aircraft built, 286 were built under license. The basic jet was very affordable to operate for smaller Air Forces. Other users would include, Algeria, Austria, Bangladesh, Biafra, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, El Salvador, Gabon, Katanga, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nicaragua, Rwanda, Senegal, and Uganda. Many counties including Austria, Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, Finland; and Israel would use the aircraft for their National Aerobatic display teams. Even though primarily a trainer many of these smaller nations would use the aircraft for its light strike capacity as well. Israel would use them in combat during the 6 day war, El Salvador saw them used during its civil war, and aircraft used by The Katangese Air Force were used against the UN during the Congo crisis in 1961. The Kit The kit arrives on four sprues of grey plastic, and a clear sprue. The plastic parts are of excellent quality, the panel lines are engraved and deep enough to be seen after painting without being trenches. Care will be needed to take some of the smaller parts of the sprue, and it might have been the case that these would have been better in photo-etch? The clear parts are crisp, clear and thin. Construction starts in the cockpit area. The front and rear instrument panels are fitted (instrument faces are provided as decals), along with the seat supports for the front cockpit. The seats are added along with the engine and flight controls. Once complete the cockpit can be set aside. Attention then moves to the engine pods on each side of the fuselage. Engine fan faces and exhaust need to be placed inside and then the inner side of the engine trunking can be added. At the rear of each side the final exhaust section is added. Once the engines are complete then cockpit can be placed inside the main fuselage, and this then closed up. The radio equipment area to the rear of the cockpit is also added at this time. Various antenna behind the cockpits then need to be added and/or removed depending upon the version being modelled. Once the main fuselage is together work needs doing on both ends. At the rear the tail cone is added along with ventral strake. The 'V' tails are then added, care being taken with the small hinges for these. At the front the first part to me made up is the underside of the nose where the nose gear mounts. This attached inside the nose cone and the appropriate gun/no gun insert is attached to the top of the nose. The prominent nose mounted VOR antenna loops are added and the nose attached to the main fuselage. Construction then moves to the wings. These are of conventional upper & lower construction. The wheel wells are mounted into the wings before they are closed up, along with the wing mounted air-brakes. These can be modelled in with the deployed or retracted positions. The wing end mounted fuel tanks are in two halves, with the bottom being moulded to the upper wing, and then a lower fuel tank part is added. The clear noses can then be added to the front of the fuel tanks. The landing gear is then added to the model. The front single nose wheel is two parts and this is added to the main leg, this is then mounted to the nose of the aircraft. The single front gear door is added. The main wheels though larger than the nose wheel are single parts. These are fitted to the main legs, the legs along with their retraction struts are added into the main gear bays. The three part main gear doors are added. If needed armament can now be added to the model. Bombs and rocket pods are included to be used as wished by the modeller. To finish off the model the canopies can be added in the raised or lowered positions. Markings There are 3 marking options on a sheet printed by Cartograf which guarantees there will be no issues with it. Finnish Air Force - Aircraft licence built in Finland 1968 German Navy 1968 Austrian Air Force Silver Birds Aerobatic Display Team 1966-1968 Conclusion It is great to see more versions of this new tool from Special Hobby becoming available. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Dornier Do 27 "German, Spanish and Belgian Service" (72327) 1:72 Special Hobby The Dornier 27 was a classic high winged Short Take off/Landing aircraft fitted with fixed landing gear. Surprisingly enough this aircraft was actually designed in Spain by the Dornier operation there to a Spanish Air Force requirement for a light untility aircraft. The Do 25 though was not selected for production. The Do 27 design would later be manufactured in Spain by CASA as the CASA-127. The excellent STOL performance ensured a lot of interest and order from many armed forces. The aircraft also has its place in history as the first mass produced aircraft in Germany post WWII. The new Luftwaffe & Heer ordered a total of 428 aircraft. The Kit This is a new tool from special Hobby, Looking at the sprues and parts not used it looks like a later Do 27Q-5 will be boxed at some point as well. Construction starts with the main cabin. The modeller will have to slect the version they are doing early as the cabin layout varies. The rear seats and bulkhead are added to the cabin floor along with the front seats, instrument panel and flying controls. The instruments being provided as a decal. Once the main floor is done it can be added into the main fuselage halves. Next up the engine cowling and engine front are built up for the front of the airframe. This can then be added to the complete fuselage. The tail wheel appropriate to the version being modelled can then be added. Next up the main wing is completed, this is of traditional upper/lower style. The main wing, tailplanes and rudder can then be added to the main fuselage. Next up the fixed landing gear is made up and added to the fuselage along with the engine exhaust. Last up the main cabin doors and cabin glazing along with various antenna are added. The antenna vary between the versions being modelled so care will be needed to study the instructions. Markings There are are three marking options in the kit, decals are y Cartograft so that all but guarantees there will be no problems with them Do 27A-1, 55+84 Luftwaffe, Penzig AB, 1977 Do 27J-1, OL-D11 Belgian Army Light Aviation, 1970s CASA C-127, 408-1, Spanish Air Force, Spanish Sahara 197- Conclusion It is great this new tool from Special Hobby of an important aircraft for Dornier used all over the world. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

P-40 Mainwheels 1:72 CMK for Special Hobby Kit Here there are three different types of main wheel provided, Block tread, Cross tread & Diamond tread; These are just a drop in replacement for the kit wheels. The resin allows much greater detail including the tread. Conclusion These will enhance the already great little model from Special Hobby. Recommended. Block Tread Diamond Tread Cross Tread Review sample courtesy of

Source: http://modelweb.modelforum.cz/2013/10/19/novinky-od-mpm-production-na-rijen-2013/?lang=CS MPM is working on 1/72nd Potez-Air-Fouga CM.170R Magister (& Tzukit) and CM.175 Zéphyr kits. Bad news for the Valom similar project: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234946157-172nd-potez-air-fouga-cm170r-magister-by-valom/?hl=magister V.P.

Special Hobby is to release a 1/72nd Dornier Do.27 kit - ref.SH72327 Source: https://www.facebook.com/specialhobby/photos/a.458974014197468.1073741825.256992114395660/985391688222362/?type=3&theater Maybe next time in quarter scale... V.P.

As the title says, we have it in stock now, at a discounted price of course! http://mjwmodels.co.uk/sh72386-172-dassault-mirage-f1eqed-6352-p.asp thanks Mike

Special Hobby newsletter 2018 n°1 February 2018 - http://www.specialhobby.info/2018/01/news-from-special-hobby-22018.html n°2 March 2018 - http://www.specialhobby.info/2018/02/news-from-special-hobby-32018.html n°3 April 2018 - http://www.specialhobby.info/2018/03/newsletter-special-hobby-42018.html V.P.

L-39ZA Albatros "Attack & Trainer" (48167) 1:48 Special Hobby The L-39 is a fast jet trainer that was designed and manufactured in Czechoslovakia (as was) as a direct replacement for the earlier L-29 Delfin. It has been a success in its roles, and has received a number of upgrades that have resulted in new designations, and since the dismantling of the Soviet Union, some have found their way into private hands throughout the west, and they are often seen at airshows. It first flew in 1971, and was hoped to become the standard trainer across the Union, and the in 1977 the ZA variant was flying, fitted with a cannon and four hard-points for mounting various weapons in the Light Attack role. With the Soviet Union gone, the orders began to dry up, and an updated L-159 was produced in partnership with Rockwell, using more up-to-date avionics. More recently, an L-39NG has begun development to begin deliveries of a thoroughly modern "Next Generation" of Albatros. The Kit This isn't a new tooling from Special Hobby, and was originally release before the new millennium under the MPM brand name. It has plastic parts, resin and Photo-Etch (PE) brass parts, so any shortcomings of the original moulds are replaced by these new parts. In the box you'll find just three sprues of mid-grey styrene, a separately bagged clear sprue, a bag of resin parts, and another bag containing two sheets of decals, a sheet of pre-printed clear acetate and a substantial sheet of PE. It's quite a complete package, and as someone that's wanted an L-39 for a while, it's a pleasing prospect to see it re-released. First impressions draw comparisons with the old Classic Airframes style of moulding, with quite highly polished flat areas, fine recessed panel lines and basic cockpit details in styrene, which as mentioned earlier are supplanted by some more up-to-date and handsome PE and resin parts. Construction begins with opening the instruction booklet that I forgot to mention, which is printed on glossy paper in A4 portrait form. The cockpit is first on the menu, with seats augmented by PE belts and ejection handles before being attached to the cockpit floor and hemmed in at the sides by side consoles, with rudder pedals and control columns in the usual places. The Instrument Panels can be built up as styrene only, or with the addition of a layered PE and acetate lamination, bringing more realism to the completed assembly, with the completed sections cemented to the cockpit sill part that encompasses the whole crew area. With the addition of the resin exhaust tube and pen-nib fairing to the rear (with engine detail at the end) the cockpit with separate rear bulkhead are then secured between the fuselage halves, and optionally for one of the decal options, you need to cut off the tip of the tail fin to the panel line marked on the accompanying scrap diagram, to be replaced by a new tip later on. The sill and instrument assembly is then dropped into the top of the cockpit aperture to complete that section. The lower wing is full-span, while the upper wings are separate, and have alternative actuator fairings for a number of the decal options, which are provided in resin to be fitted after removing the standard moulded-in ones. All the gear bay doors are depicted closed as if on the ground, with only small inserts visible for attaching the gear later, which would make an in-flight model very easy to achieve. The wings are mated to the fuselage at the same time as the two-part engine intakes, which terminate at the blank wall of the fuselage, but with some careful painting you can fool the eye that you're looking down a gradually darkening tunnel. The elevators fit with a tab and slot method, and a scrap diagram shows them perpendicular to the tail, so tape or blutak them in place while the glue is still wet. The clear parts include a pair of lights for the end of the integrated tip-tanks, and the canopy is supplied as a four-part arrangement for posing the canopy open, with some small PE parts added to increase realism. The windscreen and blast-shield between the seats are fixed, while the openers can be glued open or closed at your whim, or depending on how proud of the job you've made of the cockpit. A number of PE and styrene parts are added around the airframe, and the landing gear, which are built from styrene parts with attractive resin wheels are then installed in their sockets, with a captive door on the strut, which has made me scratch my head a bit, as it looks like the door etched into the wing. However after a little research, it seems the split door is to keep FOD out of the bay and folds inward when the captive door takes its place as it retracts. Two tiny PE doors are added to the nose gear wheel, which is built up in the same manner as the mains. A few optional PE and resin parts are then fitted depending on which decal option you have chosen, with captions assisting in your choice. Weapons always make a model look good, and with the Albatros it's no exception. The inner pylons have no pre-drilled holes in the wing, so you have to measure your own according to the instructions, and use the recesses for the outer pylons as a guide. The single barrelled SSh-23 cannon is supplied as a two-part fairing that installs behind the nose gear leg, and has some rather nice detail moulded-in, and you have a choice of some rather nice resin rocket pods and styrene fuel tanks to hang off the pylons. Markings There are seven decal options from the box, and three stencil layouts that are subject to their own pages in the booklet, so take care to use the right stencils. Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin matt/gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. The colourful decals are found on the smaller sheet, while the larger one is filled with black stencils and other markings. From the box you can build one of the following: L-39ZA 2436 (232436) Czechoslovak Air Force 2 Squadron, 5 Fighter Regiment, 1980s L-39ZA 2436 (232436) Czechoslovak Air Force 222 Training Squadron, 22 Air Force Base, 2008-2013 L-39ZA 5107/NL-37 École Supérieure de L'air, Algerian Air Force, 1991-1995 L-39ZA 5107/NL-37 Algerian Air Force being repaired In the Czech Republic, April 1996 L-39ZA 5107/NL-37 École Supérieure de L'air, Algerian Air Force, 1996 L-39ZA 5119/208 Aero Factory Airfield, Czechoslovakia being test flown by Israeli pilots 1990 L-29ZA/ART Royal Thai Air Force (365504) in delivery livery 1994 There isn't as much choice of air forces as there first looks, but plenty of interesting colours, and of course the minty green of the ART scheme to tickle your fancy. Conclusion I for one am glad to see this kit on re-release. It's not a brand-new moulding, so take care during construction and exercise your modelling skills to produce an attractive model of the type. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Messerschmitt Me 209 Mainwheels 1:72 CMK for Special Hobby Kit These are just a drop in replacement for the kit wheels. The resin allows much greater detail including the tread. Conclusion These will enhance the already great little model from Special Hobby. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Messerschmitt Me 209V1 1:72 Special Hobby Like many aircraft manufacturers Messerschmitt created aircraft designed solely for record breaking attempts, and publicity. The Me 209 was one such aircraft. The 209 tag was designed to help associate it with the already successful Me 109. It would also be confusingly used later on in WWII for the successor to the 109. The only thing the original 209 share with the 109 was its engine. The rest of the aircraft being designed purely for speed. The cockpit was placed far back in the fuselage near to the tail giving the aircraft a unique cross section back there. Unlike the 109 the aircraft had a wide track inwardly retracting undercarriage. The aircraft would go onto in 1930 break the world speed record with a recorded speed of 469 mph. Though like many examples of the type the design was not much good for anything else. The company did try and turn the aircraft into a fighter, however the extra weight caused the aircraft to be slower than the 109. The Kit This is a new tool kit from Special Hobby which arrives on two small sprues of grey plastic, with an injection clear canopy and a small decal sheet. Construction starts with attaching the exhaust stubs into the fuselage halves. Following this work can start in the cockpit. The instrument panel has its decals added then is attached along with the rudder pedals, seat, floor, control column and other controls. Once these are all in the fuselage can be closed up. Work then moves to the wing. This is a one part lower and two part upper construction. The main centre section of the wheel bays needs to be attached prior to putting the wings on. Once the wings are on the main undercarriage units are made up. The main leg has its scissor mechanism attached along with a retraction struct and a single part main wheel. The gear doors can be then attached. If doing the BMF aircraft then this did not carry the outer doors. The appropriate tail then needs to be added as both options had a different tail unit. To finish off the prop and its housing together with the spinner are attached to the front. The decal sheet provides for two options: WR 1185 with the original tail fin and in NMF. WR 1185 with it's later tail fin and overall dark blue colour scheme. Conclusion Special Hobby's Me 209 is not a big kit with a massive parts count but these Speed Record Aircraft will always look good as a model. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Special Hobby is to release a family of Allison engined 1/72nd Curtiss P-40 Warhawk kits from P-40E to N. Source: http://www.specialhobby.net/2017/02/info-z-norimberku-no2.html V.P.

"Czech wars" is not over. After the surprise re-release announcement from the AZmodel 1/72nd SMB2 kit (http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235011686-172-dassault-super-mystère-b2-smb2-by-azmodel-re-release-box-artschemessprues-release-december-2016/): Special Hobby is to release, in cooperation with Azur-FROMM, a new tool 1/72nd Dassault Super Mystère B2 (SMB2) kit - ref. SH? Armements and fuel tanks will be included in the box. Different boxings will offer the opportunity to reproduce the original SMB2 as well as the Israeli re-engined variant. Source: http://www.specialhobby.net/2016/11/super-mystere-172-pripravovany-model.html CADs Special Hobby, do you hear me, true scale modellers need a 1/48th SMB2 kit... V.P.

After the 1/48th Tarangus' Saab JA37 (ref.TA4803 - http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234970637-saab-ja37-viggen-148/?hl=viggen) and the Special Hobby's AJ37 Viggen (ref. SH48148 - http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234981928-saab-aj-37-viggen-148/?hl=viggen), here's the two seats variant, the Saab Sk37 Viggen, once again by Special Hobby - ref.48150 Source: https://www.facebook.com/specialhobby/posts/920557591372439 V.P.

MPM/Special Hobby is to release 1/48th Grumman Guardian AF-2S & AF-2W kits. First test shot is on display at the Spielwarenmesse Nürnberg 2014. Source IMPS Germany : http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2014/Bilder_VH/66.html I really like the look of this aircraft! Source: http://www.aviastar.org/pictures/usa/grumman_guardian-s.gif Source: http://img.wp.scn.ru/camms/ar/784/pics/3_3.jpg V.P.

Special Hobby is to reissue in 2017 the AZUR/FRROM 1/32nd IAR-81C kit - ref. SH32068 Source: http://www.specialhobby.info/2016/12/special-hobby-newsletter-january.html AZUR/FRROM IAR-81C kit review: http://www.hyperscale.com/2014/reviews/kits/fr8001reviewbg_1.htm V.P.

The Thunderbolt has always, just, been my favourite of the US piston engined fighters, though it faced tough competition from the Corsair. I used to drool over the colour profiles in Bill Gunston's Aircraft of WW2, and wonder how it was that the biggest and heaviest could also have been the fastest. But there are no P-47s in my display case, and it's about time that oversight was rectified. I shouldn't really be building this. I promised myself that I'd finish off some of the half-built models first, and there's a bottleneck of models awaiting paint (I can only airbrush at weekends, and only if we have no household guests, since the spare bedroom is the designated spraying area. But after a two week modelling hiatus (thanks, Aussie 'flu!), I really wanted to start something new. I have only one P-47 model in the stash, and it's the Special Hobby reboxing (with added bits) of the Academy 1/72 P-47 bubbletop. The SH parts are intended to soup the base plastic up into a P-47M, with improved engine parts and airscrew, resin wheels and tanks, and a couple of PE parts. In the box it all looks rather neat: I've not photographed the Academy plastic - that's the SH sprue, resin, and decal sheet. All the P-47Ms served with the 56th Fighter Group, so the five decal options cover the three, wildly varied and unusual, schemes sported by the three constituent squadrons. My preference is for the blue/light blue markings of the 63rd FS, and Cpt Flagg's Darling Dottie, UN-F. The belly and leading edges are natural metal, which will be a first for me. Captain Flagg went on to serve in Korea, and then worked with NASA on the Gemini missions (and apparently also the early work on the Shuttle). I found some gun camera footage on Youtube that is apparently from Darling Dottie: Hopefully this won't be a taxing build, though I do need to double check my paint stocks. Thanks for looking in!

Hi all, Here's my just finished 1/48 Special Hobby Fairey Firefly Mk.IV, done as a Dutch Naval Air Service one, based at Biak in New Guinea in around 1960. Not my best ever build, but at least I managed to finish a Special Hobby kit this time. Previous ones always ended up on the shelf of doom for some reason. It was painted with Humbrol and ModelMaster, decals from the kit and a gun sight from Quickboost. Thanks for looking, I hope you like it. Pete

Special Hobby has announced for 2017-2018 a 1/72nd Blohm & Voss BV-155 V-1 kit - ref. SH72340. Source: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235016099-novelties-from-special-hobby/ V.P.

Hi guys, Just wanted to say that Special Hobby really positively surprised me with their customer service. I bought their 1/72 Vampire FB52 - a nice little kit - and managed to break one of the small parts. I did inform them about it and just about 10 days later, I got a little carton box with the whole sprue on which that one part was on. No bill no nothing, just a quick reaction to a request for help and over-delivering on expectations. Really a pleasant experience. And some weeks before I was asking about their further plans with the Vampire series. Being Swiss, I am mainly interested in the Mk.1 and the Mk.6 with the Pinocchio nose. I got very quickly a reply, telling me that the Vampire Mk.1 - with Swiss markings - is in the pipeline and that a Swiss Mk.6 is something they seriously think about. And maybe we even gone see a 1/72 Venom from them. I am aware of this being a coincidence that what I asked for is being thought over anyway by them, but the quick replies from them, their listening to their customers and a pleasant communication with them are just another example of their great customer service. No, I neither work for Special Hobby, nor own shares of them - I am just a happy customer :-). Cheers, Michael