Search the Community

Special Hobby is not only working on a 1/72nd Dassault Super Mystère SMB2 kit (link) but also on a 1/48th one! Yesss. The subsidiary question is when as the SH kits development delays are often really slow. Source: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235011761-we-need-it-in-148th-the-smb2/&do=findComment&comment=2570698 V.P.

External Armament for Super Mystère B-2 (SH72495) and Other IAF Aircraft 1:72 Special Hobby The Mystère was the first Supersonic jet in Europe, and it was adopted by other operators as well as France, including Israel, to name but one. It was a capable aircraft for its day, and could carry a wide variety of weapons loads, adapting to also carry indigenous weaponry that were being designed and manufactured by Israeli companies at the time. The Set Arriving in a cardboard box, you might expect this to be a resin set, but it is actually two pairs of sprues from Special Hobby’s 1:72 Super Mystère kit that contain: 2 x 250kg Bomb 2 x Napalm Canister & Pylon 2 x 1300L Fuel Tank & Pylon 2 x 625L Fuel Tank & Pylon 8 x 100kg Bomb on 2 x Quadruple Ejector Rack & Pylon 2 x Rafael Shafrir 2 A2A Missile with pylon & Adapter Rail The 100kg bombs are made from two parts each, attaching to a rack with separate pylon; the 250kg bombs are two parts plus a perpendicular pair of fins that slide into a slot in the rear of the unit; both fuel tanks are two parts each with a separate pylon, as are the napalm canisters, and the Shafrir 2 missiles are a single body with integrated fins, adding perpendicular fins to the rear in a slot, then mounting them on a pylon with adapter rail. The instructions show the weapons being fitted under the wings and belly of a Super Mystère, adding locations for holes for the Shafrir 2 missile pylons in millimetres to the wing roots using scrap diagrams. Many of these weapons were also carried by other Israeli Air Force aircraft of the era, so they could have other uses if you have projects in mind. Markings There are no stencil decals included with the set, which would have been a great idea, but you are given colour call-outs in letter codes throughout the instructions that don’t appear to correspond with any table on either side of the page. It shouldn’t be difficult to figure it out however, especially if you look below at the colour chart that’s included with the SMB-2 kit. Elementary my dear Modeller! Pinched shamelessly from the instruction booklet for the kit. Conclusion If you’re short on weapons for an IAF Super Mystère or another aircraft of a similar era, this set could be very useful, particularly if you’d rather not use resin parts for whatever reason. It’s also a pocket-friendly purchase. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

For this GB, I thought it would be interesting to build an aircraft indigenous to the region, so I’ve chosen the HAL Ajeet Mk. I The Ajeet was a further development of the Folland Gnat, which was earlier built under license by HAL, and featured more advanced avionics (no, not the HAL 9000) and a ‘wet’ wing. Operated only by 2 Sqn IAF, the Ajeet remained in service from 1977 until 1991. While the IAF Gnats acquitted themselves very well in operations against Pakistani F-86s and F-104s, the Ajeet never saw combat. I’ll be building Special Hobby’s 1/72 kit. I’ve never built anything of theirs, although I have a few other Special Hobby kits in the stash. This one looks really nice- very crisp and well detailed. Definitely closer to their Mirage III than the DH Hornet I have still in the box… There are a few different schemes included for both Gnats and Ajeets. For this Ajeet, I preferred something more typical of a frontline aircraft, and the example at no. 9 in this Hushkit article caught my eye. E1974 is quite well documented photographically, and can be recreated by mixing the serials and insignia on the decal sheet. I’m currently recuperating from minor leg surgery that means I can’t really sit for long periods after work, and the shelf of doom isn’t getting any smaller. Hopefully the diminutive nature of this aircraft should see it built up nice and quickly. I recall some murmurings about this kit only really being accurate for a Gnat. If I succumb to temptation I might end up changing tack and building the combat veteran Gnat instead. We’ll see!

Humber LRC Mk.II (8065) 1:72 CMK by Special Hobby One of Great Britain’s long defunct motor manufacturers went by the name of Rootes, who produced the brand Humber, and in the late 30s, they designed the Super Snipe, which reached market in 1938, somewhat optimistically before the outbreak of WWII. As civilian car manufacturing was suspended in the UK during this period, Humber used the chassis for the Super Snipe to create a light armoured car, and the engine that had propelled it to a top speed close to 80mph, went to help carry the additional weight of its armour. Despite the embargo on civilian cars, the Super Snipe also continued relatively unchanged as a military staff car, transporting many top brass around the country. The new Light Reconnaissance Car (LRC) was armoured to withstand small-arms fire, with a maximum of 10mm at the front, and a little less on the back and sides, but the Mk.I had an open top, leaving it vulnerable to plunging fire, grenades and explosives, plus shrapnel, not to mention the weather. The Mk.II had a roof that was 7mm thick, with the turret conversely only 6mm, but on the basis that some protection is better than none and steel is waterproof, it was an improvement. The Boys anti-tank rifle was forward facing in a mount with limited elevation, with a Bren gun in the turret that could deal with the enemy for close-range engagements. The engine had been upgraded to a 4.1L 6-cylinder engine that drove the rear wheels only up until the Mk.III, which benefitted from four-wheel drive that improved its rough ground handling, replacing the Mk.II in late 41. The Kit This is a new tooling from CMK, and is a resin creation that has been designed with a combination of traditional cast resin, 3D printed resin, Photo-Etch (PE), and even a few decals, using the most appropriate method to get the job done. The kit arrives in a modest cardboard box with captive lid, and a red themed sticker on top to tell us what’s inside. Under the lid are a row of heat-sealed bag sections protecting the cast resin, a Ziploc bag that contains the 3D printed parts, which are on two print bases with protective legs on the corners, another small bag with the PE and decals inside, and instructions that is formed from two sheets of A4 printed in colour and stapled into a booklet. There are thirty-four cast resin parts in grey, twenty-nine 3D printed parts in a different grey, a rectangular clear part, five PE parts, and nine decals. Detail is excellent, removal of the casting blocks and clean-up shouldn’t represent too much of an issue, as the attachment points have been positioned to minimise damage to the detail of the parts. Give the parts a wash in warm soapy water to remove any lingering release agent, and remember that breathing in fine dust such as resin isn’t good for you. Construction begins with the floor, which has the chassis integrated into the underside, and is joined by two seats, stowage boxes, driver controls on the right, and the base for the turret that is built from a single PE part that is folded into a step-stool with a hole in the centre. Under the chassis, leaf springs, axle, and drive-shaft are installed under the rear, fitting the steering axle at the front, with disc-brakes and steering arm, the two sides tied together by a single leaf spring. The lower chassis is completed by mounting the exhaust and its muffler under the left side of the vehicle, putting the assembly aside until the two halves are mated and the wheels are added. The body of the beast is moulded as a single tub, and is decked out with a bulkhead in the forward compartment, mounting the steering column, wheel and instrument panel behind it, and using the clear panel to give the driver a chance of seeing where he’s about to drive. The instructions tell you to give the clear resin a coat of gloss varnish to improve its transparency, which is a standard method when dealing with cast clear resin. Further back are five stowed weapons and entrenching tools, plus a shelf on the right side with a No.19 radio set fitted, so the crew can keep in touch with HQ. With the painting and weathering done on the inside, the body and chassis are joined, and the front is festooned with bumper, horn, fenders, wing mirrors, lights, convoy light, and a PE bracket, adding the optional open or closed radiator armour by using the two separate parts, or one V-shaped part so that you don’t have to set the angle yourself, which is a great idea. Moving round the vehicle, the hatches are fitted to the top and sides, rear fenders, all four wheels, which have some nice detail moulded-in, and another batch of tools that are all glued to the external stowage box, or boot as we call it in the UK. It's not over yet. The Boys anti-tank rifle is slotted into the front next to the driver’s hatch, which gets a hatch cover, fitting a PE aerial mast on the rear corner of the right side, using a resin antenna base, and a length of wire from your supplies box to finish the assembly. The turret is predominantly built from 3D printed parts, with just the seat cast from resin, suspended on three supports under the conical turret, and with a Bren gun projecting from the front on a Y-shaped mount. A couple of spare magazines are also included to suspend from the verticals next to the gunner, and the completed turret assembly is dropped into the hole in the top of the hull, locating the peg on the bottom of the seat in the PE ‘stool’ installed on the floor at outset. Markings There is just one decal option included on the small sheet, which is as follows: 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 detail included in the parts is excellent, and despite the fact that it’s not my scale, it has that “build me” vibe about it. Careful painting and weathering will make a great model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Vietnam Era US Helicopter Pilot Helmet x 2 (6009) 1:35 CMK by Special Hobby We’ve been reviewing several 1:35 helicopter kits from ICM and other manufacturers recently, as the scale enjoys a resurgence of interest, especially for rotary wing craft. We’ve had the CH-53 Tarhe and the AH-1 Cobra to name but two, and there have also been crew figure sets in styrene to add a human dimension to the kits. As usual with CMK's resin sets, it arrives in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. The Photo-Etch (PE) is separated from the resin parts by a clear piece of acetate to prevent scratching and damage during transit. The designers at CMK have created this simple set of two helmets from the Vietnam era that are cast on a single block with their attachment points on the rounded top of the helmet where clean-up will be easiest. PE parts are also included, to depict the chin straps and the comms booms that were attached to the sides, and will add superb detail to your model, regardless of whether you include figures, as you can place them on the seats as if the pilots or other crew have just vacated their ride for a cup of tea or personal break after a long mission. Preparation will involve cutting the helmets free at the tubular attachment point, then sanding the stub back to match the rounded profile of the dome at the back of the helmet, then fitting the PE straps and boom mic using a dab of super glue. Painting it will really bring the helmet to life. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Piper L-4 Cub Special Hobby 1:48 This is the 'European Cubs in Post-War Service' boxing of Special Hobby's 1:48 series of Piper Cubs, reviewed by Mike Here. It is a very finely moulded and detailed kit, that looks every inch a Cub. A few notes & tips on construction: The first thing I did was I glue the side glazings to each fuselage half , rather than risk messing them up later in construction when the interior had been painted. 2 of the options in the kit have reduced rear fuselage glazing that stops aft/level with the trailing edge of the wing, including this one, HB-OUD, Once the fuselage was together I filled and sanded the window frames away and blended the area in. The main wheels are meant to be a butt join to the undercarriage leg assembly. I cut the long legs from the central 'X' part and replaced them with brass wire to give me an axle to attach the wheels to, I was going to attach the wings after painting, but changed my mind as fitting the strut work would have been difficult without damaging the paint, as well as making it all weaker. I strongly advise attaching the wings before even putting any primer on the model. Likewise the tail wheel has a tiny contact area to attach to the tail leg. I drilled an pinned it with an 0.4mm drill for strength. I used the inside/outside masking set M48015 which was a real help. Each panel fitted to perfection and gave a superb result, they really were excellent. Cubs have to be yellow! I used Halfords grey primer, followed by an airbrushed undercoat of Tamiya X-17 Pink, followed by X-7 Lemon yellow with a dash of red mixed in to tone it to a deeper yellow. The red decals on the nose do not have a cut out for the engine cylinders. Before assembly I took a 'brass rubbing' of the front fuselage so that I had a template to guide me in cutting a hole in the decals before application. Note that I cut a much smaller hole in the decal so I could give it a final trim after fitting. It is a nice little kit and we don't get many 1:48 light aircraft. Thanks for looking John

MG15 WWII Machine Gun - Infantry Modification (P35030) 1:35 Special Hobby The MG15 started life as a development of the MG30, and was a common installation in German WWII aircraft, predominantly as a flexible mount that was crew-served, as its open-bolt design didn’t lend itself to synchronised firing through a prop. It fired a 7.92mm round, and could be either belt-fed or fed by a magazine of several different types. Later in the war, it was replaced in Luftwaffe service by the MG81 that used the same diameter 7.92mm round, and by the 13mm MG131, for its obvious additional punch. After retirement from the air, many of these weapons were re-purposed to infantry use, sometimes adapted with a water-filled jacket, and often fed by a twin “saddle” drum magazine, adding a bipod to the barrel and a sling for carriage. A cage was also developed to carry three of the saddle magazines on the back of a member of the gun’s crew. As usual with Special Hobby's larger 3D printed resin sets, it arrives in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. A Photo-Etch (PE) fret is separated from the resin parts by a clear piece of acetate to prevent scratching and damage during transit. The parts are all printed in Special Hobby’s signature orange resin that combines strength with flexibility, and their now familiar cage surrounds the part, including a canopy over the top to protect the delicate parts, which have been printed with seemingly impossible fidelity. Two MG15s can be made from the set, one with a perforated barrel shroud, the other with a cooling jacket covering the barrel, and making it look a little like a Vickers machine gun from the front. There are four bipods in open and closed positions that allow you to choose freely which you want to use, and there are four saddle magazines, two that can be plugged into the top of the breech, with two spares. The PE fret includes three ring sights, one spare in case you make a mistake, and a single two-part sling to attach to the jacketless weapon, as it’s the most portable of the two. Detail is exceptional, and when carefully painted will look as real as possible at this scale. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

L-4 Cub – European Cubs in Post-War Service (SH48222) 1:48 Special Hobby The Piper Cub was a light aircraft developed before WWII with production continuing throughout WWII and into the late 40s. In military service as a communications, reconnaissance, or spotter aircraft, it was known as the L-4 Grasshopper, and 20,000 plus were built due to its success in various roles, including trainer and glider tug. It was powered by a flat-4 engine, and despite the limited power it was agile in the air, with docile handling characteristics and a very low stall speed, which made take-off and landing a simple process, and let the aircraft use strips that were far too short for other types. After the war, many of the former military aircraft were re-purposed for civilian use, or sold to other nations in similar roles. Due to the simple nature of the type, maintenance was straight-forward and cost-effective, leading to many airframes surviving to the present day in private hands. The Kit This is a reboxing of Special Hobby’s 2022 new tool that we somehow missed until now, so it’s our first look at the plastic, although we have reviewed the 3D printed engine upgrade set, which truly is a sight to behold. The kit arrives in a modest top-opening box, and inside are two full-size sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE), a casting block with four parts, a tiny slip of over-printed clear acetate, the A5 instruction booklet in colour, and the decals in a separate resealable bag. Detail is good, although there are some ejector-pin marks here and there by necessity, and some of them might need dealing with during assembly and painting. Construction begins predictably with the cockpit, starting on a floor part that is detailed with rudder pedals, fire extinguisher and other small parts, plus the linked control columns, the four-part seat for the pilot, with a choice of two types of rear seat installed later. The Continental motor is started by gluing the top and bottom halves together, with optional heat shielding over the piston banks, and a central air intake system underneath. This is slipped through the piston slots in the starboard fuselage half, which has the cowling details adjusted for one of the decal options on both sides. The firewall with moulded-in tank separates the engine from the cockpit, and after gluing the floor into the bottom, a sloped rear bulkhead is placed on ledges. A choice of two additional intake parts is inserted under the motor, created by removing the tip for one decal option. Whilst closing the fuselage, two rods are inserted low on the firewall, linked diagonally to the sidewalls, then your choice of rear seats, one option that is similar to the pilot’s seat but with a single mounting frame, the other a single cushion with PE belts and no back. For three of the decal schemes there is an additional grating inserted and glued to the front bulkhead, and a tonneau cover is spread over the rear cockpit area. The instrument panel is created by adding a curved insert across the front of the opening, to which a choice of printed acetate film or a decal is applied, adding a PE surround over the top. At the front of the tonneau, one option has a PE belt strung across from one sidewall to the other. The Cub’s extensive glazing is next, with a choice of closed or open starboard side panels, which is accomplished by using one of two parts supplied on the clear sprue. The port side is always closed, and is first to be placed in position, linked to the opposite side by an asymmetrical framework over the heads of the crew that holds the tops of the windows at the correct width. There are details moulded into the insides of the glazing parts, so masking inside and painting them will increase the realism appreciably. Special Hobby have a set of masks to help in this regard. The clear roof is applied over the top, and in front of that the lengthy spar and an inverted V-frame is added that is covered by the crystal-clear curved windscreen. Once the glue and paint are dry on the canopy, the wing halves are joined over the spars, taking care to smooth down the ejector-pin marks that are present on the centre surface of each part, just in case they clash. A few seconds with a motor tool or coarse sanding stick should see them gone, as you don’t need to be too careful. The single-thickness elevators are slotted into the tail, then it’s a case of adding all the detail, starting with the landing gear struts under the fuselage. The engine is also detailed with resin exhausts and intake filter, plus a small “pot” on the top of the cowling. The wings are supported by a V-shaped strut between the fuselage and outer wing, with an additional stay around half-way, and some tiny PE actuators fitted to the ailerons. You will need to find some 0.3mm wire or thread to replicate the aileron control wires that run down the front support and pop out again to mate with the PE actuators added earlier. This is replicated on both wings of course. The tail wheel is fixed to the moulded-in strut under the tail, and there are twin control wires added to the elevators, with the control wires replicated top and bottom, and two more to control the tail-wheel itself for ground-handling. More short wires are added on the topside of the ailerons, and the two-part balloon-like tyres are slipped over the axles on the gear legs. If you have elected for an open cockpit, the open window is fixed almost flush with the lower wing and held in place by a PE stay, while the lower trapezoid cockpit door is folded down with a PE handle and retaining clip glued to the bottom edge. It isn’t mentioned, but we assume that if you close the window you should glue the door in the closed position earlier in the build. There is a short antenna inserted into a hole in the roof, which has a wire strung between it and the top of the fin, then the two-bladed prop is slipped over the shaft at the front of the engine, with a shallow spinner included for one of the decal options. Markings There are a healthy four decal options included on the sheet, and if you’ve been staring at grey jets a lot recently, you might want your sunglasses, as some of them are a bit colourful. From the box you can build one of the following: L-4J Grasshopper OK-YFJ c/n:12830 ex-USAAF 44-80534, owned by J Zítka, Rtyně v Podkrkonoši, Czechoslovakia, 1947 L-4H Grasshopper HB-OUD c/n:11854 ex-USAAF 44-79558, private owner in Bern, Switzerland, 2004 L-4H Grasshopper G-AIIH c/n:11945 ex-USAAF 44-79649 private owner, Great Britain, 1993 L-4H Grasshopper SP-AML ex-USAAF 44-79884, Warsaw Aero Club, Poland, 1949 The decals appear to be printed by Eduard and are in good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. I mention Eduard because from 2021, 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 I wasn’t all that interested in this aircraft until I saw the 3D printed engine set that we reviewed recently, and now I’m all over it. It’s an acknowledged fact that I’m fickle, but it’s a really nice kit of a surprisingly common and persistent aircraft that will appeal to civilian aircraft modellers as well as some of the many pilots that earned their wings flying in one. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Also seen in the Nürnberg Toy Fair 2013 photo reports, at the Special Hobby stand there was what looks like a 1/32nd Fiat G-50 Freccia ("Arrow") prototype. Sources: http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2013/Bilder_VH/Nuernberg2013_VH_1.htm http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2013/Bilder_JLF/Nuernberg2013_JLF_1.htm More pics: http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2013/Bilder_JLF/Nuernberg2013_JLF_037.htm http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2013/Bilder_JLF/Nuernberg2013_JLF_038.htm http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2013/Bilder_JLF/Nuernberg2013_JLF_039.htm http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/Ausstellungen/Nuernberg2013/Bilder_JLF/Nuernberg2013_JLF_040.htm Source: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234935180-sh32056-fiat-g50bis-in-132-scale/ V.P.

Supermarine Seafire FR Mk.47 with RATOG, 800. Squadron Fleet Air Arm, HMS "Triumph", Korean War 1950. Made from Special Hobby SH72099 kit. It`s "out of the box" except exhausts (SBS) and some decals (self-printed).

Another Supermarine, more precisely a Seafire FR.Mk.47 in progress by Special Hobby with catalogue number SH72099. Herebelow the box art and the proposed markings. Source: http://www.modelforu...hp?f=97&t=69259 V.P.

After the 1/72nd kit (link) Special Hobby (SH) is to release 1/48th SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 kits. First boxing - ref. SH48207 Sources: https://www.specialhobby.info/2020/09/siai-marchetti-sf260-new-148-and-172.html https://www.facebook.com/specialhobby/posts/1010336579406702 V.P.

This Mike (from Two Mikes Resin - http://www.twomikesresin.com/ & http://www.facebook....es/292079953801 ) talk too much... But doesn't say enough. Sources: http://www.britmodel...38 http://s362974870.on...96&qpid=2114224 Wait and see. 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.

Tachikawa Ki-54 Hickory ‘Captured & Post War Service’ (SH72485) 1:72 Special Hobby The design that was to become the Ki-54 was requested as a response to the need for a twin-engined trainer aircraft to teach novice pilots that had already learned to fly single-engined aircraft the specifics of flying a multi-engined aircraft. Tachikawa was a major aircraft manufacturer between the wars, and it was their design that won the contract and first flew as a prototype in the summer of 1940, successfully entering service during 1941 before the Japanese Empire attacked Pearl Harbour and brought the USA into WWII. It was an aircraft that most multi-engined pilots spent time earning their wings on at the time, before they moved on to fly the Ki-21 bomber, which had similar flight characteristics to the Ki-54, so was ideal for the task. The initial Ki-54a variant was designed for pilot and navigator training, and given the suffix Koh, followed by the Ki-54b, a Gunnery and Wireless trainer variant called Otsu, and finally the Ki-54c Hei, which was a transport and liaison variant that was also used in civilian service. A few airframes were converted to Ki-54d standards as anti-submarine bombers that were named Tei, with a total of just over 1,300 aircraft produced spanning all types. Named ‘Hickory’ by the Allies for ease of identification, the aircraft survived the end of the war, with numerous airframes used by the Allies for sundry roles, and more finding their way to different parts of the world in civilian hands. It is perhaps for this reason that two still exist in museums in China and Australia. The Kit This is a rebox of a 2021 tooling of this lesser-known type, and arrives in a small top-opening box with a painting of the subject matter flying over a coastal area wearing US roundels. Inside the box is a resealable clear foil bag that contains four sprues in a couple of shades of grey styrene, a small clear sprue and decal sheet in their own separate bag, plus the A5 portrait instruction booklet that is printed in colour on satin paper, with painting and decaling profiles on the rearmost pages. The wing sprue gives the impression that it is from a slightly earlier period, partly due to the colour of the styrene, but also because the fabric control surfaces are a little softer than those of the tail surfaces. Detail is good overall, and includes a seating area in the main fuselage behind the cockpit, gear bay details and a representation of the Hitachi radial engines that will be seen through the front of the cowlings. Construction begins with joining the two halves of the centre console together, then building the two crew seats from four parts each, with decal lap-belts on the sheet. Both crew members also have a two-part handed control column made, and the instrument panel has a decal applied to depict the dials, plus a small V-shaped coaming to the front, after which the assemblies can be brought together on the small floor, starting with the centre console that also acts as the base for the instrument panel. The seats and control columns are mounted behind on raised location points, then the passenger seats are built with two short C-shaped legs under opposite sides of each cushion, adding the seat back to the rear, making six legs in total. They mount on the floor after it has the two sections of spar glued across it, locating the seats on short rails moulded into the floor, and fitting raised sides that represent the inner root of the wings. A scrap diagram shows the location of the three bulkheads in red, which are fitted next along with what looks like overhead lockers along the insides of the fuselage above the side windows, cutting an extra window for two decal options that is marked by a depression from inside, all of which are glazed after the fuselage is closed, although for the sake of losing one or more inside, it might be wise to glue them into position beforehand. The cockpit bulkhead door has a small window added, fitting the cockpit in front, and the tail-wheel bay in the rear, then closing the fuselage, dealing with the seams in your preferred manner, and gluing the canopy over the cockpit cut-out. If you’re wondering why the passenger floor hasn’t been mentioned in closing the fuselage, it’s because it can be installed from below, locating on tabs moulded into the bottom of the bulkheads, taking care that the seats are facing forward. As you may have already surmised, the lower wings are moulded as a single full-span part, and once the seams with the upper halves are dealt with, you should paint the underside of the wing where the gear bay will be painted a suitable green shade before adding the three struts that begin work on the landing gear assembly. The nacelles are built in a slightly unusual manner, as the upper wing has the cowling moulded-in, requiring just the lower halves of the nacelles to be glued under the wing after inserting a bulkhead that is previously mated to the main gear legs and separate oleo scissor-links. A scrap diagram helps you with this, and two additional small parts are added while the lower nacelles are brought up to complete the shape. Another jack is fitted after the nacelles are complete, and a line drawing of the completed gear mechanism is shown to help with alignment of the parts. The two engine cowlings are each split horizontally, and are assembled in preparation for the engines over the page, first joining the wings to the fuselage and fitting the two elevators, one either side of the tail fin, their tabs slotting into holes beneath the fin with moulded-in rudder. The engines are each moulded as single parts that have a bulkhead glued into their rears, mounting on the nacelles by way of a keyed peg that slots into a hole in the rear, covering them over with the nacelles, then adding auxiliary intakes and exhausts to the outer nacelle sides. The model is flipped over onto its back to complete the landing gear, adding two-part wheels to the axle on each strut along with a narrow captive gear bay on the forward side, inserting the tail-wheel with moulded-in strut into the tail, and the crew step under the port trailing-edge of the wing. Righting the model, the two-bladed props and separate spinner are slipped into the bell-housings on the front of the engines, clear landing lights and wingtip lights are inserted into the leading-edges of the wings, plus a pitot probe in the starboard side. Another clear light is inserted in the rear end of the fuselage, an antenna mast over the cockpit, and the side access door is fitted with a small window before it is fixed to the fuselage in open or closed position. If you plan on closing the door, it might be best to glue it in before the fuselage is closed, as this will give you the best chance of getting it nice and level with the surrounding fuselage skin. Incidentally, a scrap diagram shows that the landing light parts have a circular depression moulded into them for you to fill with paint to depict the reflector around the bulb if you wanted to add a little extra detail. Markings There are three decal options on the sheet, and none of them have a hint of squiggle camouflage, happily for the squiggle averse. You have a choice of three colours for three nations that flew Hickory airframes after the war. From the box you can build one of the following: Unknown airframe flown by US forces, ‘Lemon’, Philippines, 1944 No.8 Groupe de Marche d’Extreme Orient, French Indochina until 1947 Captured airframe operated by DPRK Air Force 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 A well-detailed kit of this minor type from the Allies point of view, but an important one for the Japanese pilots that trained in them, shown in its post-war guise in this boxing. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

For me this is an exciting GB, because I've really come to enjoy building South of the Rio Grande models! I have two projects underway that cover Central and South America (Last Legs Ponies and Sexy American Singles in South American Service), and as my first entry in this GB I will build a 1/72 T-6 using this Special Hobby boxing . . . . . . and decals from Armycast. Roughly this is what she's supposed to look like!

P-40F/L Warhawk ‘Desert Hawks with Merlin’ (SH72493) 1:72 Special Hobby First flying before the outbreak of WWII, the Curtiss Warhawk was a development of the P-36 Hawk, and although it was never the fastest fighter in the sky, it was a sturdy one that took part in the entirety of WWII in American and Allied hands, with large numbers used by Soviet pilots in their battles on the Eastern front. The various marks garnered different names such as Tomahawk and Kittyhawk, so it can get a mite confusing if you're not familiar with the type. It was unable to keep pace with the supercharged Bf.109, but was used to great effect in the Far East and Africa, which may have assisted in the feeling that it was a second-string aircraft of inferior design, when this actually wasn't the case – certainly not to the extent inferred. It was robust, cheap to make, and easy to repair, although its high-altitude performance dropped off somewhat with an Allison engine in front. The early marks were under-armed with just two .50 guns firing through the prop from the top of the engine cowling and a pair of .303s in the wings, but later models benefited from improved armament. The B model was a revision of the initial airframe with lessons learned from early production, self-sealing fuel tanks and armour in critical areas of the airframe, although this extra weight did have an impact on performance. The -D was a partial re-design, eliminating the nose guns, narrowing the fuselage and improving the cockpit layout and canopy. In British service it was known as the Kittyhawk Mk.I, but only a small number were made before the -E replaced it with a more powerful Allison engine, and an extra pair of .50cl machine guns in the wings bringing the total to six, but even that wasn’t sufficient to let it keep up with the opposition. It wasn't until the –F model that the Allison engine was replaced by a license-built Merlin that gave it better high-altitude performance and a sleeker chin. The -K was an Allison engine version with a shorter fuselage, retaining many of the earlier visual cues just to confuse us, known as the Kittyhawk Mk.III in British and Commonwealth service. The Kit This is a rebox of a 2008 tooling from Special Hobby with new parts to depict this variant, and it arrives in a red/white/grey themed top-opening box with a painting of the subject high over a desert landscape. Inside the box are three sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue that’s separately bagged, a decal sheet, and the A5 portrait instruction booklet printed on glossy paper in colour. Detail is good for the age, with engraved panel lines, raised and recessed details around the airframe and just a wisp of flash here and there. Construction begins with the pilot’s seat with PE four-point belts, mounting it on a frame on the aft bulkhead, gluing it to the cockpit floor with control column, rudder pedals and the front bulkhead, a process that is also shown from the opposite direction so that you can see the location of the optional styrene instrument panel, or the PE alternative that is backed by a sheet of acetate dials that you must paint white at the rear so the dials show through. The sidewall inserts are mated with the cockpit to create a tub, which is then sandwiched between the fuselage halves, along with the chin intake under the prop, adding PE detailing parts into the intake. Moving on to the wings, the full-span lower and separate upper halves are glued together, the ribbing that is moulded into the uppers providing detail in the bays. The elevators are each a single part that affix using the usual slot and tab method, with the rudder moulded into it, although you could quickly cut it away to deflect it if you wish. The main gear struts have separate scissor-links, which you can replace with PE parts if you prefer, and additional bracing legs are inserted as they are glued into the bay, adding doors to each side of the bays, and another smaller door on the inner sides. Two more doors are applied to the tail bay and a single part strut/wheel to complete the undercarriage, adding an insert to the keel under the fuselage behind the trailing edge of the wing. The three-bladed propeller is moulded as a single part that is trapped between a back-plate and spinner, with a short spindle on the back that slides into the hole in the front of the fuselage, inserting the exhaust stubs in the nose, one set per side. You then have a choice of mounting a fuel tank under the belly that is made from two halves plus four two-part braces for the fuel tanks, and has a central attachment lug. More PE actuators are fixed to the top and bottom of the trim tabs on the elevators and rudder, noting the correct location for accuracy. A gunsight is glued into the front of the cockpit, adding the windscreen, and the two side windows into the scalloped sections behind the canopy, followed by the sliding canopy, which can be posed open or closed as you prefer. A PE back-up ring-and-bead sight is fixed to the cowling in front of the windscreen, probably best done after painting, as are the trim-tab actuators, especially if you’re a bit clumsy like me. Markings There are three markings options available on the decal sheet, two US options and an Australian airframe for a bit of diversity. From the box you can build one of the following: P-40F-15-CU Warhawk 41-19745/X8-1 ‘Sweet Bets’, pilot Lt. Charles Jaslow, 87 FS, 79 FG, USAAF, Tunisia, March 1943 Kittyhawk Mk.II FS490/CV-V, No.3 Sqn., RAAF, pilot Sqn.Ldr. Brian Alexander Eaton, DSO & Bar, DFC, Tunisia, 1943 P-40L-5-CU Warhawk 42-10664/44 ‘Lighthouse Louie’, pilot Lt.Col. Gordon Harrison Austin, Mateur, Tunisia, 1943 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 P-40 is an interesting and often overlooked aircraft that played some important roles in WWII, as evidenced by the number of notable pilots that gained their reputations in this doughty fighter. This is a nicely-detailed kit of a variant with the Rolls-Royce Merlin up front, and has some interesting decal options that make it an appealing prospect. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

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

Typhoon Mk.I Engine (P72012 for Airfix) 1:72 CMK by Special Hobby The Airfix Typhoon has been on the market for a couple of years now, and it’s a good model of the exterior of this ground attack legend. If you wanted to depict the engine under the cowlings however, the kit doesn’t supply any details there other than the exhausts in their troughs on the sides of the nose. CMK have given us options with this set however, and the detail is exceptional, especially for the scale. As is usual for their larger resin sets, it arrives in a small yellow-themed cardboard box, and inside is a bag containing a palette of orange resin parts under a protective canopy, with the instructions folded up next to them, acting as additional protection for the parts. All the parts are found on one print-base, and the canopy’s supporting legs have notches to assist with their removal, which is a good thing, as these sets are terribly difficult to photograph otherwise! Construction begins with removing the upper cowlings from the kit fuselage halves, as per the red marked areas on the drawings, trimming the edges of the engine compartment at the same time. The engine and ancillaries are printed as a single part, and as is normal for 3D printed parts, they are attached to their print-bases by many fine fingers that taper at the top end to reduce clean-up once you have liberated the part(s) from the base. A little light sanding is usually sufficient to make any marks disappear, after which you can start putting parts together. The engine has the double exhaust stubs added to both sides in rows of six, adding a prop-shaft to the front, after which is should be painted and weathered, then it can be lowered into the completed fuselage, test fitting before you get too far into the process. The other parts included are four engine bay covers of differing shapes and sizes that can be placed on the wings or a trestle nearby, as if they have been laid there by the mechanics before they went for a brew. Conclusion Detail is phenomenal, and the finished article will add much realism to your model with some sympathetic painting and weathering. It’s worth noting that there are ground crew and starter cart sets available from CMK in the same orange resin and scale to augment the detail here. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Special Hobby & Azur-FRROM are working on a 1/72nd Martin (Glenn L.) B-10/B-12 family Source: https://www.facebook.com/specialhobby/photos/a.579303855843312/747141085726254/ V.P.

TBF-3/TBM-3 Avenger Paddle Blade Propeller Correction Set (4472 for Accurate Miniatures) 1:48 CMK by Special Hobby The TBF/TBM-3 was an upgraded version of the initial -1 variant of the Avenger, fitted with a more powerful engine and other minor upgrades, depending on the sub-variant. The new engine drove a paddle-bladed propeller, which is the subject of this new set, patterned for the Accurate Miniatures kit, which has also been reboxed by Academy at times. As usual with CMK's resin sets, they arrive in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. Construction of the set is straight-forward, requiring removal of the three propeller blades and the boss from their casting-blocks, and the cuts cleaned up. A hole should be drilled in the centre of the boss at the rear to match the axle that is described as kit part 10, and the blades are plugged into the three sockets around the boss, which have a nick in the surround to accept a key on the base of the blades. You should note that the parts should be cut flush with the casting block, as those are the pegs that hold it in place. It might also be worth depending the holes with a 1.5mm bit to give the blades more purchase, in case there is excess resin in the holes. Take care to align the blades with each other to ensure they will rotate evenly, even if you intend to glue the prop in position, as any inconsistencies will be readily visible on the finished model. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

My recently built Vampire model. It turned out that I had two Vampire FB.6 ´Pinocchio Nose´ kits from Special Hobby. Since their kits can be used to build different modifications, I decided to build a British FB.5 and purchased a decal from Xtradecal (X72191). This is Vampire FB.5 from 118 Sqn RAF Fassberg, Germany, 'Operation Coronet', 1953 (Exercises of the air forces of all NATO members over continental Europe). Work on the model was carried out in parallel with the Swiss Vampire: Painting with Tamiya colors (mix for PRU Blue) and Revell 68 Dark Green RAF. Dark wash from MIG Ammo. Finishing with Revell Clear matt. At the end - my Vampire fleet.

Sure hope that 'Cannon Fighter' box also gets upgraded.

German Truck V3000S Wheels (3150 for ICM & Revell) 1:35 CMK by Special Hobby The V3000S Maultier was an almost ubiquitous truck in the German military during WWII, that was built by Ford’s German subsidiary that conveniently changed its name to Ford-Werke at the beginning of the war. They played a large part in German’s mobility throughout the war, and the basic chassis was re-engineered into many different variants during that time. Following the war, Mr Ford, who was a big fan of the Nazis before the war was ‘compensated’ for damage to his factories by the Allies in Germany, and also given the profits during the war to further sweeten the deal. The Set This set has been patterned with the ICM kit in mind, which has also been seen in Revell boxes since release, as they have a healthy collaborative release schedule in place. As usual with CMK's resin sets, they arrive in the familiar clear vacformed box, with the resin parts safely inside, and the instructions sandwiched between the header card at the rear. There are fifteen resin parts in the box, comprising seven wheels, four hubs and four hub-caps to completely replace the kit parts, and add a slight weighting to the bottom of the tyres where the rubber is flexing under the pressure of the truck it supports. They are a drop-in replacement for the kit once they have been removed from their casting blocks, which are conveniently placed on the contact patches to hide any blemishes or mistakes there. The front axle has single wheels, which are supported by the brake drums on the inner side, followed by the integrated hubs and tyres, then completing the stack with the small caps. The rear wheels are similarly made, but for the fact that there are two wheels on each axle to support the weight of the cargo, and longer caps to pass through the extra width. Conclusion After liberating the parts from their casting blocks and giving them a wash in warm, soapy water, the parts should take paint well, the deep tread and sidewall detail ready to take weathering washes or pigments to give the running gear a more realistic look than the original kit parts. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

AH-1G Cobra Cockpit (6008 for ICM) 1:35 CMK by Special Hobby ICM released a brand-new AH-1 Cobra tooling last year, in what seems to be the prevailing larger scale for helicopters presently, 1:35. You can our review of one of the boxings here in case you missed it first time around. It’s a well-detailed kit, but you can always improve on injection- moulded styrene with resin and Photo-Etch (PE), which is why we now have this cockpit set from CMK. The set arrives in a small yellow-themed cardboard box, and inside are twenty-three grey cast resin parts, sixteen orange resin parts squeezed into a small 3D print base, a small slip of clear acetate printed with HUD glass shapes, and the detail as you would expect is excellent. Another bag contains the thick instruction sheet and two frets of PE, one in bare brass, the other nickel-plated and pre-painted with exceptional detail. The photo above shows the 3D printed resin with the canopy removed so that more of the parts and their detail can be seen. Construction begins with the seats, which are both built in the same manner around differing bases, the rear pilot’s seat with “mickey mouse ears”, the gunner’s having full-width head armour. They both have seat base cushions added, and four-point pre-painted crew belts from the PE sheet, basing the front seat on another resin part that raises it in the cockpit. The rear seat has some small resin and 3D parts glued to the bottom rear, then they are both inserted in the kit cockpit tub after removing a block to the left of the gunner’s seat. That block is replaced by a resin part, adding another to the gunner’s opposite side, and both crew have foot-pegs inserted into their compartments, as shown by a scrap diagram nearby. The gunner’s controls are made from two 3D printed parts, while the pilot’s collective and cyclic sticks are made from a selection of resin and 3D printed parts, with a little 0.4mm wire from your own stores included. They are attached to the cockpit, adding other controls to the gunner’s side consoles, then making up a pair of instrument panels from the kit coamings and panels that have been stripped of their moulded-in detail, leaving a flat plate on which to glue the two layers of pre-painted PE that will represent the instruments, dials and their glossy lenses, using a clear gloss varnish to mount the front part, taking care not to let the gloss overflow onto the matt surrounds. They are installed in the cockpit as per the kit instructions, then the pilot’s HUD is built from a 3D part, adding two PE details, and two clear lenses cut from the acetate sheet, noting the scrap diagram nearby to see how it should look once finished. Two more spacers are affixed to the coaming between the two crew stations, fitting a fire extinguisher to the port side, which will inject a little colour into the interior, which has colour call-outs made throughout the instructions. The completed cockpit is then trapped between the two fuselage halves along with other kit parts, augmenting the detail on the shelf behind the pilot with two new resin parts and some detailed painting instructions, then sliding armour panels down the sides of the cockpit in place of the kit parts, the starboard side having extra parts fitted during assembly. A pair of corrugated hoses are found on the 3D base, linking the crew seats to the bulkheads behind them, and you are instructed to cut a small area from the port forward armour panel if you have the canopy open on your model. The remaining parts are used to improve the canopy, starting with the long narrow windscreen/roof that stretches between the nose and the rear of the cockpit. A large PE part is Z-folded to create a thick block to install under the rear of the canopy, adding a resin handle to the middle, and four grab-handles to the sides of the glazing. A rear-view mirror is installed at the top of the windscreen, and a triangular instrument binnacle is glued to the left screen frame, then the part can be mated with the cockpit after detail painting. If you are posing the canopy sides open, the forward port door/window has a replacement for the portion of the armour you cut out earlier glued to it first, with a handle made from wire. The open canopies both have handles made from wire, plus a pair of PE props to hold them at the correct angle, both of which aren’t needed if you intend to leave the canopy closed for flight. A couple of scrap diagrams show the location of the props in blue to assist with their location. Markings The instructions have a series of colour call-outs in every step, with a letter code converted to colour names and Gunze Sangyo Mr Color codes in both H and C ranges in a list at the top of the instruction booklet, so-called because the three A4 pages are stapled into an A5 booklet, with adverts for other Special Hobby products on the back two pages. Conclusion The combination of traditional and 3D printed resin and PE leads to an excellent level of detail, and a pair of instrument panels that few modellers could aspire to emulate. The large clear windows will show off the work you have put into the improvements, regardless of whether you leave the canopies open or closed. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of