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  1. Here with my Eduard 1/48 Fw 190A-3 Weekend. I thought it would be interesting to see how long it took to build totally OOB - the only additions being an etched harness from an old kit and an aerial wire. Well it took a couple of weeks so even when I try to be quick, I still can't build fast! Very much enjoyed this kit - very little to complain about at all. The only thing I didn't like was the decals which wouldn't respond to any of my softeners too well and I got a little silvering on the wing walk markings which I had to touch up afterwards. I've always liked the early short nosed 190's and this kit is far far superior to the Hasegawa and Tamiya offerings - for one thing the surface detail is absolutely outstanding! Finished as Yellow 11 from JG.2 and based as much as possible on the picture included - found on the net. Hope you like it Cheers Malcolm
  2. Fw 190A-5 Light Fighter (7439) 1:72 Eduard Weekend Edition The Focke-Wulf Fw190 was designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. His aim was to create a fighter that was not only fast and agile, but also reliable. It had a wide track undercarriage to improve ground handling and also utilised electric rather than hydraulic controls to reduce the risk of system loss in combat. The Fw190 also marked a departure from aircraft like the Bf109 and Spitfire as it combined a 14 cylinder radial engine with a development of the NACA cowling system. This choice was crucial as it meant that the Fw190 would not create additional demand for DB 601 liquid cooled engines. It also allowed a low drag profile for such a powerful engine. Despite early teething problems, the Fw190 first entered operational service over France in August 1941. It proved to be quite a shock for the RAF whose 1440hp Spitfire Mk.V, the best fighter available at the time, was outclassed in terms of firepower and all round performance, particularly at lower and medium altitudes. The A-5 was developed when it was determined that the Fw 190 design could carry more ordnance. The engine was moved forward 6 inches thus moving the centre of gravity and allowing more weight to be carried aft. The Kit Eduard now seem to be on a mission to produce a long line of Fw 190 kits in 1.72 so the modeller of "The one true scale" does not miss out. The Fw 190A-8 profiPACK was reviewed here, the Royal Class boxing here, and the PROFIPACK boxing here. The kit itself is made up of twosprues of dark blue-grey plastic and a single clear sprue with the now-familiar circular layout. The instruction book is a glossy, stapled booklet with full-colour painting diagrams. Included are a sheet of colour photo etched parts, and a sheet of masks. All together, the impression is of a quality package. The quality of the plastic parts is second to none. The mouldings are clean and crisp and there are no traces of flash and no sink marks. The surface detail on the outside of the airframe comprises recessed panel lines and delicately engraved rivet and fastener detail. It looks absolutely superb. Eduard haven't skimped on the detail elsewhere, with sub-assemblies such as the cockpit being up there with high end resin items when it comes to the quality and quantity of detail. The cockpit is made up of over thirty parts (including photo etched details), which is a truly phenomenal for a kit of this size.. Once assembled, the whole thing can be sandwiched inside the fuselage halves along with the firewall and the basic-but-good-enough-in-this-scale engine face. Setting the semi-completed fuselage to one side for a moment, construction turns to the wing. The lower wing is moulded as a single span, to which the main spar (which also forms the rear wall of the main landing gear bays) must be added. The other parts which form the structures and details of the landing gear bays must be added at this point, prior to everything being fixed in place by the addition of the upper wing surfaces. The ailerons are moulded separately to the rest of the wing, which opens up some possibilities for the diorama builder, as well as enhancing the level of realism. Turning back to the fuselage, the rudder is also moulded as a separate part, although the tail planes are solid lumps. In common with other kits of the type, the upper fuselage forward of the cockpit is moulded separately (in this case as two parts with a third for the cannon barrels). Once the basic airframe is together, its time to fit the undercarriage and other finishing details. Each of the main gear legs is made up of two parts, The wheels themselves are made up of nicely moulded tyres and separate hubs. This should make painting them much easier. Ordnance is taken care of with a drop tank and a single bomb, along with the associated racks and shackles. There are a number of small parts included to cover the final details, including the aileron balance weights and various aerials and antennae. The canopy deserves a special mention as there are four rear sections included; blown and unblown, with different parts for closed and open options. Two propellers are included as well, although only one is needed for the included options. Decal options are provided for two aircraft as seems to be the norm for weekend editions now. Fw 190A-5 Stab JG 54, Soviet Union, Spring 1943. Fw 190A-5 Flown by Oblt. Rolf Strohal, StabI./JG.1, Deelen, Netherlands April 1943. Each option is illustrated with a four-view profile. The decals, which are printed by in house, they look crisp, thin and glossy and the colours used are nice and bold. In addition to the main sheet there is a sheet of Stencils printed. Conclusion Eduard have continued to deliver outstanding kits of the famous fighter, as well as providing a prime example of the kit maker's art. The level of detail they have packed in is as superb as the engineering is excellent, and the kit appears to be accurate in every major way. It is good to see this now in a weekend edition, it can be highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  3. Fokker D.VII OAW 1:48 Eduard Weekend The Fokker D.VII first appeared over the western front in the late spring/early summer of 1918, as the Great War was entering its final phase leading up to the November Armistice. Much has been written about it, but it was an outstanding fighter often awarded the accolade of being the finest such machine produced by any side in the conflict. It is also well known that it was the only aircraft specifically named by the allies in the Armistice agreement; such was its fearsome reputation as a killer. The Eduard Fokker D.VII has been around since 2005, and released in all major versions (Fokker, Albatros, and O.A.W). Much of the basic kits are the same but Eduard provides different fuselages on a separate sprue depending upon the version. In fact they supply two complete fuselage halves per kit. Although building the same aircraft, Fokker, Albatros, and O.A.W. each had their own variations, most notably in the front cowling panels and exhaust pipe location. And even within manufacturer, these features could vary, hence Eduard very welcome decision to provide two fuselage types per manufacturer. This is a much appreciated touch, as it makes building much simpler and easier. I find it sometimes irritating with other manufactures where you have to attach so many inserts and panel per version, that it is hard to get a neat airframe with everything flush, so full marks to Eduard here. I built this one from the Royal class boxing a few years ago. This latest release is a ‘Weekend’ edition which gives you a basic kit without the etched brass fret or kabuki masks of the top of the range ‘Profipack’ or ‘Royal Class’ kits. The simplified box art shows Jasta 19’s Wilhelm Leusch’s well known ‘Dragon’ scheme, and a side profile of Franz Meyers attractive MFJ III scheme. Lifting the box lid reveals the four familiar sprues, all of which are still as sharply moulded as ever and show no sign of flash or sink marks. The only change I noticed was that the usual olive coloured plastic has been replaced with a medium grey colour on three of the four sprues. Sprues A and B hold the wings and tail surfaces, with nicely defined rib detail. Also present are some interior parts and the Mercedes DIIIa engine. A selection of 4 propellers are provided, covering Axial, Wolff, Heine, and Niendorf types. Sprue C holds all the delicate parts such as struts, seat mountings, control column, rudder pedals, compass etc. Also included is Eduard's clever 'stitching' insert that fits in a channel on the fuselage underside, to represent the stitched fabric seam found there. Plus it has the benefit of hiding the fuselage join. Sprue D offers the manufacturer specific fuselage halves, other boxings have the Fokker and Albatros versions, but here we have the O.A.W ones along with the appropriate radiator and exhaust pipe. The Meyer machine uses halves 1 and 2 (with the semi-circle cooling gills) while the Leusch version uses fuselages 3 and 4 (with the long cooling gills). Meyer fuselage; Leusch fuselage; All the fuselages beautifully represent the fabric covering over the steel tube skeleton. There are subtly defined 'facets' of each section down the sides, which really need to be seen close up to fully appreciate. Decals. Most previous ‘Weekend’ kits I have seen offer only one decal option, but unusually we have two here. A. Wilhem Leusch, Jasta 19, October 1918. B. Franz Meyer, MFJ III, 1918. The welcome surprise is that a full set of upper and lower lozenge decals are supplied, along with a full set of rib tapes to go over them, in both salmon pink and blue. Having built many of these kits in the last 10 years or so, I can offer a few pointers to ensure a happy build; It is important to line up all the internal bulkheads to fit in their recesses in the opposing fuselage half, as the engineering is to very fine tolerances. Common sense really, but double check before committing to glue. Prime and paint the wings in a base colour such as pale blue underneath, and medium green on top. The lozenge decals need a painted surface to ‘bite’ onto and adhere properly. Putting them on to bare plastic won’t work. Glue all four undercarriage struts into the axle wing, and let it set before attaching to the fuselage. You can check right after gluing that the top of each strut finds its mounting hole on the fuselage, then put it aside. Depending upon final colour scheme, if possible attach the forward strut assemblies to the assembled, but bare plastic fuselage. This will ensure a strong join, and if like the two schemes here, won’t interfere with painting the final colours. Lozenge fabric colours are a minefield to wander in to, it seems everybody has a different opinion. I have a preference for toning my models down, just lightly. To this end I usually give lozenged surfaces a very light coat of thinned Tamiya ‘Smoke’, in one or two passes from my airbrush. I like the harmonised and blended look it gives, reducing the harshness of what can otherwise appear as a stark finish. It is however a matter of personal taste, and I offer it here as an opinion rather than a criticism. Conclusion. Eduards Fokker D.VII is one of the best 1/48 Great War aircraft kits ever produced. It assembles accurately and easily, and perfectly captures the look of the original machine. There is hardly any rigging (a cross brace in the undercarriage, and a few simple control cables), which further adds to its appeal for those who are put off by it. Stretched sprue will easily deal with this, and even a total absence is not very noticeable. It is in fact one of my all time favourite kits and subjects, and over the years I have purchased at least one of every release of it, from single kits, through Dual Combos, up to the beautiful ‘Royal Class’ edition. There are so many attractive colour schemes for the D.VII, many of them offered in the Eduard kits and even more can be found on aftermarket sheets. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of Also available is a Wheel mask set
  4. Messerschmitt Bf 109G-4 (84149) 1:48 Eduard Weekend The Messerschmidt Bf 109 is one of the iconic aircraft of WWII. The G models arrived in 1942 and the G-4 was nearly identical to the G-2 but was fitted with a much improved VHF radio set. The R versions were also designed for reconnaissance some versions of the G-4 were fitted with underwing canon pods. Due to the increasing weight of the G models larger main wheels were fitted which resulted in the teardrop fairings on the upper wing surfaces. A larger tail wheel was also fitted and the retraction mechanism removed as it was too large to retract. 1242 G-4s were produced in total. The Kit This is a weekend boxing, with 4 sprues of plastic, a clear sprue, and a small decal sheet with 2 options. Construction starts shockingly enough with the cockpit. Various control wheels and the main control column is added along with the armoured seat back. Following this the seat pan and rudder pedals are added. Following this side panels and parts are added into the fuselage sides. Once all of these sub-assemblies are made up they can be placed inside the fuselage and this closed up. As well as the cockpit the tail wheel and exhausts need to be added before the closure takes place. Once the main fuselage is together the intake needs to be added on the side. For the tropical version this will need the additional filter adding as well. Construction then moves to the rear of the main fuselage with the tail planes and rudder being added. All of the control surfaces are separate so can be posed as needed by the modeller. Next up are the wings. The lower is one part with left and right uppers. The wheel well detail needs to be added into the lower wing and then the uppers can be added on. Once complete the wing assembly is mated with the main fuselage. Next up the leading edge slats and ailerons can be added. On the underside of the wing the left and right radiators are assembled and added to the wing. The flaps can then be added making sure to get the radiator flaps at the correct angle. Moving towards finishing the model the main landing gear units are completed and added to the model. The wheels are a single part with a left and right hub. The gear leg is attached as is the door. The canopy parts can then be added not forgetting the pilots head rest & armour in the main centre part. Last but not least for the main kit the propeller and spinner are added. Decals Decals are in house from Eduard and should pose no issues. There is a main sheet and a supplemental sheet for the stencils, markings are provided for 2 examples; Bf 109G-4/R6, flown by Hptm. Waldemar Wübke, CO of 7./ JG 54, Lille – Vendeville, France, February/March 1943 Bf 109G-4/R6 Trop, flown by Lt. Franz Schiehs, CO of 8./ JG 53, Tindja, Tunisia, April 1943 Conclusion This is a welcome new G-4 release from Eduard in a weekend edition. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  5. Aero L-29 Delfín (8464) 1:48 Eduard Weekend Edition Designed in Czechoslovakia in the 1960s, the Delfín was a two-seat military jet trainer used by the Warsaw Pact countries that is still in operation with some countries and in private hands today. It is simple in construction and cheap to operate, with a good safety record due to its pleasant handling characteristics, which endears it to the cost conscious and anyone wishing to stay alive. Over 3,600 were made, and due to their use by the Soviet Air Force, they were dubbed "Maya" under the NATO reporting coding. As well as flight training, the Delfín is equipped with hard points to allow it to be used in weapons training, which has inevitably led to it being used in action on occasion most notably during the Yom Kippur war, but also in other "low level" conflicts over time. It has been gradually replaced by the L-39 Albatros, but still finds use with private operators for air racing, experimental flights as well as joy-rides. The Sasol Tigers in South Africa fly the L-29 as an acrobatic team, and the low cost of ownership has made it a popular entry into jet-powered flying. The Kit As well as making their own kits, Eduard are making a name for releasing other manufacturers kits with their own Eduard parts and decals. This is such a kit using the AMK plastic. In the box there are five sprues of medium grey styrene, a small sprue of clear parts, and a glossy instruction manual with painting instructions on the rear pages. The tooling is good quality, with perhaps only the engraved panel lines appearing a shade wider than I would have liked, although by the time they are primed and painted, it probably won't notice. Construction starts with the cockpit, and a pair of ejection seats are built up from a two-piece frame to which the seat cushion and back cushions are added. Belts are provided on the decal sheet. The rear-seat has the canopy breaker framework removed, so make sure you place it in the rear cockpit once you're ready. The cockpit is a single tub into which the central bulkhead and instrument panels fit, along with the front coaming and two control columns that reflect its trainer status. Decals are supplied for the instrument panels. A pair of ejection seat rails are added to the back of each cockpit area, the rear set being cut shorter and adding a pair of shrouds around the rear-seater's shoulders. The nose gear bay has to be built up next along with the single engine exhaust, as both of them are trapped inside the fuselage with the cockpit. The exhausts have a fine pen-nib tip to them, which is well moulded, with the exhaust trunking made from two halves and a rear-face to the engine itself at the end. The cockpit sidewalls are moulded into the fuselage halves, and are well done with a single extra part added to each side before the cockpit is installed. The nose-gear bay is also detailed with ribbing, plus various pressure bottle that add some extra interest and colour, as they are painted light blue. The fuselage closes around the three assemblies, with the cockpit rear having an insert behind the rear seat, and the engine supported by moulded in bulkheads with cut-outs that ensure it is correctly seated. Eduard's bunny pops up to remind you to add nose weight under the cockpit to prevent a tail-sitter, but if you plan on leaving the nose bay closed, you can add more there too. A clear blast-screen fits between the two cockpits, framed by a very delicate hoop that is built into the fuselage halves, so take care handling! The wings have the flap sections removed, and if you plan on modelling them retracted, all you need to do is remove the actuator rods from them and glue them in place. If you plan on having them deployed, leave the rods on.The intakes on the Delfín are in the wing roots and are simply curved into a central tunnel to feed the engine. The intake lips are moulded into the wing roots, and a curved part with splitter is then added into the gap behind them. The splitter plate is added to the sides of the fuselage, and a shield-shaped hole in the side of the fuselage allows the intake trunking to disappear into the darkness never to be seen again. Pitot probes are moulded into the wing halves, and I'm probably going to knock those off with my clumsiness too. A clear landing light is added to the underside of the port wing and formation lights are added to both wing tips, after which the wings are glued to the fuselage, with surprisingly short tabs but a large mating surface that make it wise to check everything it aligned properly before you leave the wings to set up. The main gear bays are moulded into upper wing skins, and detail is good, although some additional wiring would probably add more life. The mouldings are quite large, but there don't seem to have been any sink-marks on the upper surface, which is nice to see. There are a few shallow sink marks on the flaps though, but as they're on a flat surface, that shouldn't take more than a few minutes to resolve. The L-29 has a T-tail, which has a single full-width elevator, which is represented as a separate part, as is the rudder, which is made up from separate halves. This gives plenty of options for offset surfaces that give the aircraft a more candid look once complete. The landing gear parts are well detailed, with twin brake hoses running down the main legs, separate hubs to the main wheels, and retraction jacks that key neatly into both gear legs and the bays. The nose gear has a Y-shaped location/pivot point, plus a long retraction jack that extends high up into the nose. Gear bay doors are also well detailed, with the outer mains captive to the gear legs and inner doors hinging toward the centre line with retraction jacks added. The nose gear bay has a sliding rear door that sits flush with the underside of the fuselage, and a front door that hinges forward to deploy the gear, and then closes behind it. The Delfín has scabbed-on air-brakes that sit on the fuselage skin, and hinge out to slow the aircraft down using retraction jacks that sit within a small bay on the side of the fuselage. This is represented well by a pair of styrene parts with moulded in lightening holes on the inner face that sneakily hide some well-placed ejector pin marks. There is a bit of flash here on my example, which I will cut off using a new blade on my scalpel, so nothing untoward. The hinges are PE parts that affix to the leading edge of the brakes, and slot into two small depressions on the side of the fuselage. A pair of drop-tanks are provided for the underwing plyons. The canopy and nose bay cover can be posed open or closed, with the nose bay cover hinging forward on a substantial tab. The canopy is supplied as a three-part arrangement, with a fixed windscreen glued to the front, a side-opening front canopy with optional retaining strap if you pose it open, and a sliding rear canopy with a small bulkhead behind the cockpit opening. All parts are well moulded with defined framework, and are crystal clear, so with careful masking and painting should perform well. Markings One of the main things for this weekend boxing is the decals. There is a large sheet for the Tiger Stripe markings, a smaller sheet with national markings; and a third sheet for the airframe stencils. Markings for two aircraft are provided; 2853, 1st Flight, 11th Fighter Regiment, Czech Republic, 1993 (The Tiger stripped airframe) 1928, 3rd Air Base Malacky, Slovakia, 1993 Conclusion A welcome release from Eduard of the great AMK plastic with some great decals. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  6. Bf.109G-2 Weekend Edition (84148) 1:48 Eduard The G variant of the 109, colloquially known as the Gustav was one of the primary fighters available to the Luftwaffe during the closing years of WWII, and saw extensive active service, all the while being upgraded to combat the increasing Allied superiority in the air. Happily for the Allies, the supply of experienced pilots was fast running out, so as good as the upgrades were, they couldn't make an appreciable difference to the outcome. The G-2 differed from the initial G-1 insofar as it eschewed the pressurised cockpit, and it was sometimes fitted with different head armour for the pilot. The Kit The G-2 is the latest of Eduard's series of Gustavs, which seems to be expanding nicely. Given the aforementioned differences between the sub-variants, there's not a huge amount of differences between the airframes The flying surfaces are all mobilised and capable of being depicted deflected one way or t'other, and Eduard have now released a set of hyper-detailed flying surfaces (648310) for the G series. There is a choice of tyres for your decal options. Another choice is offered for the clear windscreen part, with a common square profile canopy and fixed rear portion with the earlier larger aerial mast, which has the usual post for your choice of rigging material at the tail-end. With the prop added, it's just a case of choosing whether or not to add the additional armament in the shape of underslung cannons in gondola cowlings outboard of the landing gear bays. Markings As seems to be the case with weekend boxings, there are two decal options included on the larger decal sheet, and a set of stencils on the other sheet, which will allow you to build one of the following: Bf 109G-2/R6, flown by Hptm. Horst Carganico, CO of II./JG 5, Salmijärvi, Finland, May 1943 Bf 109G-2, flown by Maj. Hannes Trautloft, CO of JG 54, Eastern Front, summer 1942 The stencils are shown on a separate placement guide on the back page of the booklet, and both sheets are printed in-house on their by-now familiar vibrant blue paper, with good colour density, register and sharpness. In use these decals settle down well with a little solution, and the carrier film is closely cropped and slightly glossy. As always, there are some removable Swastikas at the corner of the main sheet, and some two-part decals that can be made into a Swastika by the modeller in territories where that's a difficult subject. Conclusion A very nice rendition of the G-2,with suitably disparate schemes that should appeal to many out of the box. The surface detail on these kits is by now legendary. The availability of the Weekend box makes for an affordable kit. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  7. I started this around a year ago but for some reason just lost interest in it. So i'm hoping posting it on here will gee me up and get it finished. I've not got any in progress pics of the build but didn't encounter any problems with it, just plenty of dry fitting and taking your time is the trick with these kits. This is where i'd got to up till today. With careful work the wing root gun covers fit perfectly. National markings are sprayed on using Top Notch masks, codes and unit badge are from Owl. I wasn't veey happy with the fuselage mottling so tweaked it a bit amd applied the all important exhaust staining. Painted using Mr Paint. Weathered with oils. I've got some Master gun barrels to use and also some Brassin wheels. I've also got to try and find a couple rather important parts, namely the prop and spinner!!! Tim.
  8. Bf 109F-2 Weekend Update set & masks 1:48 Eduard for Eduard Kit These are designed for the Eduard Weekend kit. Update Set (FE893) This is one fret designed for thise who have the Weekend kit but want a little PE as well. There is a new two part main instrument panel, parts for the cockpit, a full set of seat belts, grills for the intake, and parts for the wing radiators. For the canopy there are extra parts and the stay. Undneath there is a new aerial and reinforcing stips for the tail. Masks (EX588) These are the T Face masks which provide for inside & outside of the canopies, but no wheel masks. Review samples courtesy of
  9. Messerschmitt Bf 109F-2 1:48 Eduard Weekend Edition The Messerschmidt Bf 109 is one of the iconic aircraft of WWII. The F-2 introduced the 15mm MG 151 cannon. This was supplemented by two MG 17 machine guns mounted under the engine cowl. As the better 20 mm Mauser MG 151/20 version become available, a number of F-2s were retrofitted with it in the field. About 1,380 F-2s were built between October 1940 and August 1941. The Kit We reviewed this is as a profipack boxing here. This weekend boxing has the same plastic, none fof the extras and only two decal options. Construction starts shockingly enough with the cockpit. Various control wheels and the main control column is added along with the armoured seat back. Following this the seat pan and rudder pedals are added. Following this side panels and parts are added into the fuselage sides. Once all of these sub-assemblies are made up they can be placed inside the fuselage and this closed up. As well as the cockpit the tail wheel and exhausts need to be added before the closure takes place. One of the decal options uses different exhaust parts and this is not mentioned on the instructions so the modeller will need to check the profiles. Once the main fuselage is together the intake needs to be added on the side. Construction then moves to the rear of the main fuselage with the tail planes and rudder being added. All of the control surfaces are separate so can be posed as needed by the modeller. Next up are the wings. The lower is one part with left and right uppers. The wheel well detail needs to be added into the lower wing and then the uppers can be added on. Once complete the wing assembly is mated with the main fuselage. Next up the leading edge slats and ailerons can be added. On the underside of the wing the left and right radiators are assembled and added to the wing. The flaps can then be added making sure to get the radiator flaps at the correct angle. Moving towards finishing the model the main landing gear units are completed and added to the model. The wheels are a single part with a left and right hub. The gear leg is attached as is the door. The canopy parts can then be added not forgetting the pilots head rest & armour in the main centre part. Last but not least for the main kit the propeller and spinner are added. If needed a centre line bomb and rack are included. Decals Decals are in house from Eduard and should pose no issues. There is a main sheet and a supplemental sheet for the stencils, markings are provided for 2 examples; W. Nr. 5530, flown by Fw. Heinz Jahner, 9./ JG 2, Ligescourt, France, June 1941 7./ JG 54, Soviet Union, summer 1941 Conclusion This is a welcome new F-2 release from Eduard in a weekend box. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  10. Fw 190A-8 universal wings 1:72 Eduard WEEKEND Edition The Focke-Wulf Fw190 was designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. His aim was to create a fighter that was not only fast and agile, but also reliable. It had a wide track undercarriage to improve ground handling and also utilised electric rather than hydraulic controls to reduce the risk of system loss in combat. The Fw190 also marked a departure from aircraft like the Bf109 and Spitfire as it combined a 14 cylinder radial engine with a development of the NACA cowling system. This choice was crucial as it meant that the Fw190 would not create additional demand for DB 601 liquid cooled engines. It also allowed a low drag profile for such a powerful engine. Despite early teething problems, the Fw190 first entered operational service over France in August 1941. It proved to be quite a shock for the RAF whose 1440hp Spitfire Mk.V, the best fighter available at the time, was outclassed in terms of firepower and all round performance, particularly at lower and medium altitudes. The Fw190A-8 was the ultimate evolution of the radial-engined fw190s and entered service in 1944. It featured improvements such as extra fuel, improved armour and nearly 2000hp output with emergency boost. The A-8/R2 replaced the outer 20mm cannon in the wings with Mk.108 30mm cannons. The Kit These new Fw 190 kits from Eduard are setting a new standard in 1.72 for excellence. The kit itself is made up of 92 plastic parts spread across of two sprues of dark blue-grey plastic and a single clear sprue with the now-familiar circular layout. The instruction book is a glossy, stapled booklet with full-colour painting diagrams, and 2 decal options as now seems the norm with the Weekend boxings. The quality of the plastic parts is second to none. The mouldings are clean and crisp and there are no traces of flash and no sink marks. The surface detail on the outside of the airframe comprises recessed panel lines and delicately engraved rivet and fastener detail. It looks absolutely superb. The cockpit is made up. Once assembled, the whole thing can be sandwiched inside the fuselage halves along with the firewall and the basic-but-good-enough-in-this-scale engine face. Setting the semi-completed fuselage to one side for a moment, construction turns to the wing. The lower wing is moulded as a single span, to which the main spar (which also forms the rear wall of the main landing gear bays) must be added. The other parts which form the structures and details of the landing gear bays must be added at this point, prior to everything being fixed in place by the addition of the upper wing surfaces. The ailerons are moulded separately to the rest of the wing, which opens up some possibilities for the diorama builder, as well as enhancing the level of realism. Turning back to the fuselage, the rudder is also moulded as a separate part, although the tail planes are solid lumps. In common with other kits of the type, the upper fuselage forward of the cockpit is moulded separately (in this case as two parts with a third for the cannon barrels). Once the basic airframe is together, its time to fit the undercarriage and other finishing details. Each of the main gear legs is made up of two parts, the wheels themselves are made up of nicely moulded tyres and separate hubs. This should make painting them much easier. Ordnance is taken care of with a drop tank and, along with the associated racks and shackles. There are a number of small parts included to cover the final details, including the aileron balance weights and various aerials and antennae. The canopy deserves a special mention as there are four rear sections included; blown and unblown, with different parts for closed and open options. Two propellers are included as well, although only one is needed for the included options. Decals There is one sheet of stencil decals and one for the aircraft markings. Decals are printed in house by Eduard and look to be good, in register and colour dense. 2 options are provided; W. Nr. 73372?, II./JG 300, Bayreuth-Bindlach, Germany, Spring 1945 W. Nr. 170393, flown by Fw. A. Bindseil, 6./JG 1, Störmede, Germany, Spring 1944 Each option is illustrated with a four-view profile a. Conclusion This is a great kit from Eduard and it is good to see it released in a Weekend boxing. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  11. Pfalz D.IIIa 1:48 Eduard WEEKEND Edition Before WWI the Pfalz company produced Morane-Saulnier aircraft under licence. In late 1916 they hired Rudolph Gehringer as their chief designer to work on an original fighter design. This would become the D.III and it emerged in April 1917. The new aircraft used a plywood monocogue fuselage with plywood strips being formed over a muold to form the fuselage.Once glued together the fuselage halves were covered with a layer of fabric which then doped. This gave great strength to the fuselage and was the same as used by Roland. The wings were of conventional construction for a biplane. Ailerons were wooden and the tail featured an inverted aerofoil section. The Pfalz was well suited to diving attacks due to the strength in its lower twin wing double wing spar. However there were problems with the design and pilots reported they were unable to clear gun jams as the guns were buried in the fuselage. The D.IIIa would cure this by relocating the guns to the upper fuselage decking. In addition it gained enlarged horizontal stabilisers and a more powerful engine. The Kit The Eduard kit of the Pfalz D.IIIa has been with us since 1996, bit has not been re-issued since 2010 according to our friends at Scalemates. The kit arrives on two sprues of grey plastic. There are no signs the moulds have lost anything over the years. Construction starts in the cockpit with a handful of smaller parts being added into each half. To the floor is added the seat, control column, rudder pedals and forward bulkhead. Seatbelts are provided on the decal sheet. The floor and instrument panel (instruments provided on decal) are added into the left fuselage. The engine is built up and provides a good representation of the real thing. This is then also added into the left fuselage along with its support structure. The main fuselage can then be closed up. The tailplanes, rudder, tail struct and lower wing can then be added. The Eduard instructions have you round of the wing tips from the lower wing which are triangular, but strangely on the sprues is a complete lower wing with rounded tips which is not even shown on the sprue layout in the instructions?? The engine exhaust is now fitted along with the guns in front of the cockpit. The upper wing can now be added being careful to line up the wing and fuselage struts. Lastly the landing gear is added along with the prop. For those who are not to great at rigging Eduard have included a diagram to show where it goes. Decals There is one sheet of decals for the aircraft markings. Decals are printed in house by Eduard and look to be good, in register and colour dense. 2 options are provided; which seems the norm for Weekend kits at present. Flown by Oblt B von Alvensleben, Jasta 21, Boncourt, France June 1918 (Box art) Flown by Olbt W Ewers, Jasta 77, Vraignes, France April 1918 Conclusion This is a great kit from Eduard and it is good to see it released in a Weekend boxing. The parts count is not that high that this kit would be a good start for those wanting to try a WWI Subject. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  12. P-39K/N 1:48 Eduard Weekend Edition The P-39 was developed to meet a proposal in 1937 for a single engine high altitude interceptor having the tactical mission of interception and attack of hostile aircraft at high altitude. Specifications called for a level airspeed of 360mph at altitude, and a climb to 20,000 feet in under 6 minutes. Armament was to be heavy including a cannon, the engine was to be liquid cooled, and the aircraft was to feature a tricycle undercarriage. Bell had previously designed the YFM-1 Aracuda featuring a mid-fuselage mounted engine to free up space for a large calibre 37mm cannon which would fire through the propeller hub. This was unusual as fighters were normally designed around an engine, not a weapons system. The Bell XP-39 would make its maiden flight in April of 1938 reaching 20000 feet in 5 minutes and maintain 390 mph. However it was found that top speed at 20000 feet was lower than the original proposed 400 mph. Bell would change the aircraft configuration for production to remove the turbo charger so production aircraft were only fitted with a single-stage, single-speed supercharger. Its been argued that Bell did this to save money, though its been said that testing showed aerodynamic issues with it. As a result production aircraft performance declined above 12000 feet and it was never able to serve as a medium level let alone high level aircraft. The RAF ordered the aircraft based on the XP-39 specifications however limitations of the "new" aircraft became apparent, and despite modifications it never was deemed acceptable. Only one Squadron No. 601 would use the aircraft operationally. All UK based aircraft would be sent to Russia, along with aircraft being built under contract in the US. In contrast to the UK, the USSR appreciated the P-39, although they would use it primarily in the ground attack role. The tactical environment of the Eastern front suited a low speed, low altitude aircraft much better. As well as in ground attack the USSR developed successful group aerial fighting tactics for the aircraft. 5 out of the 10 high scoring Soviet aces scored a majority of kills flying P-39's. Contrary to popular myth the Soviets did not use the aircraft for Tank Busting as the US did not supply any armour piercing rounds for the aircraft. The US requisitioned 200 aircraft from an order based for the UK, they called these aircraft the P-400 as they were advertised with a top speed to 400mph. Following the attack on Pearl Harbour these aircraft were deployed to the South West Pacific. Despite being out classed by Japanese aircraft the aircraft excelled in the ground attack. Pilots would fight Zeros and the aircraft were fairly even in the low level environment. By the end of 1942 over 80 Japanese aircraft were credited. These aircraft would go onto fly from Aleutian Islands, and serve in the Panama Canal Zone. The 81st & 350th Fighter Groups would fly in the Mediterranean TO but mainly on maritime patrol missions. Later the 81st would transfer to the Burma TO. The K & N models would feature an Aeroproducts propeller. The Kit The Eduard Cobra kit has been with us for a while now but it is still up to their excellent standards. It is being re-issued here in a Weekend boxing. The kit comes on 3 sprues each of grey plastic, and a clear sprue. Construction starts shockingly enough with the cockpit area. The prominent radio area behind the cockpit is the first area to be built up, and the radios installed. The bulkhead behind the pilots seat is then installed. The seat is then installed along with the instrument panel. The front gear well is attached to the front of the cockpit along with the propeller shaft. Weight is indicated to be needed in this area due to the tricycle undercarriage, however there is no indication of exactly how much is recommended! Once the cockpit/wheel well assembly is completed it can added to the fuselage, and the two parts closed up around it. Construction then moves onto the main wing. This is of a conventional single part lower with to which top left & right wings are added. The insides of the main wheel wells are added along with the oil coolers which are in the wing leading edge. The right inserts will need to be added depending on the armament of your chosen option. If the modeller is going to add underwing tanks or bombs, then the holes will need to be opened up at this point. Once the wings are completed they can be added to the main fuselage along with the tail planes. The last job on the wings is to complete the underside cooling vents. Construction then moves to the main landing gear. As mentioned at the start of the review two sets of brassin wheels are included in the kit. Once the wheels have been added to the model along with the multipart main gear doors and their actuators. Once the main wheels are completed the nose gear can also be constructed. The nose wheel and its gear doors are also added. If bombs or fuel tanks are to be fitted (and the modeller remembered to open up the locating holes before!) then these can be added at this point. The main canopy is then added (full canopy masks being provided) along with the engine exhausts and cockpit side doors. The final touches are to add the pitot probe, wing guns, and lastly to assemble the propeller. Different bosses are provided for the different armament options. Decals As seems to be the norm with their weekend kits these days two decal options are provided. P-39N s/n 42-18805 41st FS, 35th FG Tsili Tsili Air Base New Guinea 1943. P-39K s/n 42-4358 40 FS, 35th FG, Port Moresby, New Guinea 1943. Conclusion The Eduard Cobra has been a round for a while now and its good to see it has been released in a Weekend boxing. It is also good to see that the slightly forgotten use of these aircraft in the New Guinea TO are getting some attention. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  13. Spitfire Mk.VIII Weekend Edition 1:72 Eduard More than any other aircraft - at least on this side of the Atlantic - the Supermarine Spitfire has attained legendary status. The type's role in the Battle of Britain, combined with its enduring presense at air shows, have combined to ensure the Spitfire is the one combat aircraft pretty much everyone can identify. One of the ultimate Merlin powered variants was the Mk. VIII. The Mk. VIII was intended to be the next major production variant after the Spitfire Mk. V, but the Mk. IX, intended to be an interim design while the Mk. VIII was being readied, proved to be up to the job. Nevertheless, it was the third most numerous variant after the Mk. IX and Mk. V although it served exclusively overseas. Supermarine's chief test pilot, Jeffrey Quill, considered the Mk. VIII the best Spitfire from a flying perspective but was scathing of the extended wingtip fitted to some early Mk. VIIIs, insisting that it did nothing other than reduce the rate of roll. Eduard's range of small scale Spitfires are typical of their recent output: exquisite detail and superb – if complex – engineering which puts them right at the pinnacle of modern kit manufacturing. This Weekend Edition of their Spitfire Mk. VIII joins the Mk. IX and Mk. XVI in replicating the 1:48 scale range of Spitfires that were released a few years ago. Even though this is a Weekend Edition kit it comprises well over 100 parts, although a large number of them are not used for this particular variant. The quality of the mouldings is up to the usual Eduard standard, with clean, crisp details and no flaws anywhere. As with other recent kits from Eduard, there is plenty of fine detail, with parts such as the cockpit comparable to high-end resin items (which, in turn, should tell you how good Eduard's resin cockpit is). The surface detail on the outside of the airframe is exquisitely rendered, with fine recessed panel lines and delicately engraved rivet and fastener detail. Eduard take an uncompromising approach when it comes to detail, resulting in a cockpit that is extremely well detailed. The pilot's seat is made up from three parts, while the cockpit sidewalls have been moulded separately in order to maximise the amount of detail they have been able to pack in. Once the cockpit has been assembled and painted, it can be fitted between the vertically split fuselage halves, along with the engine firewall, a blank part into which the propeller is fitted later on, and the pilot's head armour. The leading edge wing root also has to be fitted at this stage. The fact that these parts have been moulded separately to the rest of the kit is testament to Eduard's commitment to detail, if not buildability! The breakdown of the wing is no less complex. As you might expect, the lower wing has been moulded as a single span, with separate upper wing surfaces. Between the two you must sandwich seven parts which together make up the walls of the main landing gear bay. The ailerons and wing tips have been moulded separately, which allows for the extended wing tip fitted to some early Mk. VIIIs to be used (one of the decal options has the extended wing tips). The same applies to the rudder and elevators. Multiple alternatives are included on the sprues, so make sure you use the correct version for your intended subject. The upper and lower cowlings are moulded separately, with the former split along the middle. Even the wing radiators are made up of six parts each, with the surface of the radiators themselves picked out in photo etched metal in this boxing. Turning the model over, the undercarriage is just as detailed as the rest of the kit. Each of the main landing gear legs is made up of seven parts, with the tyres moulded separately to the hubs and photo etched parts to represent hub covers (where fitted). The separate tyres will make painting easier and the wing cannon barrels are moulded separately, which means they can be added at the end of the build in order to avoid accidental damage. The transparent parts are nice and clear, and of course the canopy can be finished in open or closed position as you wish. Eduard are usually pretty generous with the decal options in their profipacks, and this is no exception. Choices are provided for a generour five aircraft: ⦁ Spitfire Mk.VIII A58-602, flown by W/C Bobby Gibbes, the CO of No. 80 Wing, Mototai, April 1945. This aircraft is finished in Dark Green/Foliage Green and Ocean Grey over Medium Sea Grey; and ⦁ Spitfire Mk.VIII JF330, Flown by AVM Harry Broadhurst, 1943. This aircraft is finished in Dark Earth/Middle Stone over Azure Blue; Each option is illustrated with a four-view colour profile. The decals look crisp, thin and glossy and the colours used are nice and bold. A seperate sheet of stencils is also included. Conclusion Eduard's range of 1:72 Spitfires is simply excellent. The kits are accurate and highly detailed, putting them some way ahead of the competition on both counts. This Weekend Edition kit may omit some of the luxuries in favour of a lower price, but it is still a highly detailed and complex kit. The marking options are attractive too, which is a distinct plus point. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  14. Hellcat Mk.I 1:48 Eduard Weekend Edition The Royal Navy received 252 F6F-3s as Hellcat I under Lend-Lease. Production continued until November 1945 by which time 7870 F6F-5s had been built, of which some 930 had been supplied to the Royal Navy as Hellcat II and 1434 of the total had been completed as F6F-5N night-fighters. Ultimately, the Hellcat equipped 14 FAA front-line squadrons. The first Hellcat Mark Is started to be delivered to the Fleet Air Arm on 13 March 1943, FN321 and FN323 arriving three months later, in June 1943 to the A and C Flights of A&AEE, Boscombe Down for service trials by RN pilots, and in July 1943 FN330 was tested by 778 squadron at Crail. Very soon afterwards the Hellcat was distributed to operational squadrons, 800 Squadron received its first Hellcats in batches in July, August and October 1943, and 1839 squadron from December 1943. Not long after this, on 31 August, 1943 the first combat sorties were being flown by the USN VF9 and VF-5 squadrons aboard USS Yorktown against Japanese targets on Marcus Island (Minami-tori Island) some 700 miles southeast of Japan. The first and second batches of 188 F6F-5 Hellcat Mark IIs started to be delivered to the Royal Navy from May 1944, primarily to 1840 squadron. By this time many Hellcats were being shipped to overseas FAA squadrons directly from Norfolk, Virginia, USA to HMS Thane 14 August 1944 and on to RNARY Wingfield, then onto 804 Squadron in September 1944. The subsequent batch of 295 Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat Mk F.II was also shipped directly to RNARY Wingfield in HMS Ranee in September 1944, and on to RNARY Coimbatore. Many of these Hellcats were still in service in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) after the end of the war and into 1946. However, quite a number were surplus to requirement after VJ-Day and dumped in the sea off Australia by HMS Colossus in 1945. The final 293 Hellcat II to be delivered to the Fleet Air Arm arrived between January and May 1945, the very last aircraft, being delivered on 11 May 1945. The Hellcat served post war and some of the earlier batches managed to remain in RN service, in 709 squadron. After this aircraft was paid off it went to Fairey Aviation at Hayes in 1946. Whilst Grumman F.II KE209 remained as the personal aircraft of the Lossiemouth Station Flight Commanding Officer Caspar John until 1952, and the Aircraft Holding Unit in 1954, (this aircraft is now on display in the Fleet Air arm Museum at Yeovilton, Somerset). The Kit The Eduard kit has now been with us since 2008 and has been regularly re-issued in multiple boxings. The moulds still look good today though. Construction starts in the cockpit. The seat, rear bulkhead and control column are attached to the cockpit floor. Next the side consoles and instrument panel are added (a decal can be used for the panel if you don't want to paint it), Once the cockpit is complete it can be added into the fuselage halves along with the tail wheel. Don't forget to open the hole for the centre line tank if you want to use it. Next up the engine is made up. This has two banks of cylinders to which the gear box is added at the front, along with the shaft for the prop. Once complete this can be added to the front of the fuselage and the cowling built up and added over it. Construction then moves to the rear of the fuselage with the addition of the tail surfaces and rudder. The main wings are next on the build schedule. They are conventional upper/lower, left & right. The wheel wells need adding as does the appropriate wing armament before the two sides are glued together. Separate control surfaces are supplied for both wings. Once the wings are on construction moves back to the main fuselage with lights being added to the underside. Next step is the construction of the main wheel bays with some additional details. Following this the main wheels are built up and attached to their legs. The gear doors can then be added. Is using it the main fuel tank can be built up and added. Lastly the canopy, prop, and night fighter radar unit can be added. Decal options are provided for two aircraft as seems to be the norm for weekend editions now. Hellcat Mk. I 1/48 - s/n JV105, No. 800 Squadron FAA, HMS Emperor, Aegean Sea, September 1944 Hellcat Mk. I 1/48 - s/n FN430, flown by P/O Hannay, No. 1844 Squadron FAA, HMS Indomitable, Indian Ocean, August 1944 Each option is illustrated with a four-view profile. The decals, which are printed by in house, they look crisp, thin and glossy and the colours used are nice and bold. Conclusion This is a great kit from Eduard, good to see it in this configuration. Recommended. Review samples courtesy of
  15. Fw 190F-8 Weekend Photo Etch and Pre-cut Masks 1:72 Eduard Eduard's latest addition to their extensive range of radial-engined Fw 190s is the Weekend edition of the F8 fighter-bomber. Now they have released a set of photo etched details and pre-cut masks, so you can convert your Weekend kit into a Profipack with fewer decal options... Fw 190F-8 Photo Etched Parts The photo etched pack includes two small frets. The pre-painted set includes parts for the cockpit, including harnesses for the seat, a new instrument panel, details for the sidewalls and other parts. The second fret contributes a set of rudder pedals, as well as some aerial and details for the landing gear bays. Being the fighter-bomber variant, replacement ballistic tails for the various bombs are also included. Fw 190F-8 Pre-Cut Masks The masks cover the canopy but not the landing gear wheels. Conclusion This is a sensible and worthwhile upgrade for Eduard's rather excellent kit, although you could save yourself some time and trouble by just seeking out the Profipack version of the kit. Nevertheless, these sets include all of the extra details that you would want. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  16. Bf.109G-6 Mtt Regensburg 1:48 Eduard WEEKEND There must have been billions of words written on the Bf.109 over the years, which was the mainstay of the Luftwaffe's fighter arm, despite having been superseded by the Fw.190 and others during its service life. It kept coming back to prominence due partly to it being a trusted design, the manufacturer's sway with the RLM, and the type's ability to be adapted as technology advanced. The G or Gustav as it was known was one of the later variants, and probably one of the better ones, with improved armament that give it a distinctive pair of blisters in front of the windscreen, plus mounting points for the 210mm rocket tubes used to disrupt the bomber streams in long range attacks using timed detonation. The other minor changes were targeted at defensive means, removing the mounting points and hardware for long-range tanks etc. The Kit This is a re boxing of Eduard's second attempt at the G after there first one hit a few snags. This weekend edition boxing features aircraft built at the Regenburg factory with their typical cowling, early canopy & tail unit. The cockpit is first, with all the basic details you could want, including a clear fuel line which you paint leaving a little section clear to represent the inspection tube. You could add a coat of clear yellow to imply there's some fuel in the line if you like. With the cockpit complete the new fuselage halves are closed up and a choice of shrouded or un-shrouded exhaust stubs are inserted. Incidentally, Eduard have some beautiful resin update sets for the cockpit and exhausts if you wanted to go for the ultimate in detail, and we'll be reviewing those shortly, adding links as we go. The new fuselage halves don't include the whole rudder, as you have an option of one with or without a horn-balance later on. The cannon troughs are backed with additional tubing and the barrels, then added to the nose along with the supercharger trumpet and those prominent cannon bulges that change the look of the nose. The tail is next, the fin sections of which fit to the root via two pins, with the elevators fitting the same way to the sides. All the flying surfaces are separate with tabs fitting into recesses to allow deflection at your whim. Check which parts to use for the rudder by referring to your chosen decal option, as the straight rudder only applies to two choices. The upper wing halves fit on the lower after the bays are done, with detail moulded into their undersides to complete the bay. The completed wing is then attached to the underside of the fuselage and work on the flying surfaces, gravity activated leading-edge slats, radiator housings, and the sleek oil-cooler under the nose, which sits on four pegs so that it sits flush with the surrounding panels. Finally, the flaps are added, which have separate upper and lower parts, the fit of which is shown from the side in an accompanying scrap diagram to remove any confusion. The shortened landing gear legs are attached to the three-part wheels and bay cover, then inserted into the substantial socket in the gear bays, needing only the brake hoses to complete them. Although there are a number of props on the sprues, only one is used in this boxing, with a single part containing all blades, sandwiched between the boss parts. The canopy is one of the defining aspects of these aircraft improves the look immensely. There is a choice of two for the various marking options, with the windscreen having the same options. There are two styles of drop-tanks included, one of which has a tapered bottom for improved ground-clearance, and a pair of cannon pods are also in the box. Markings As usual with weekend edition there are two options on the sheet, and from the box you can build one of the following: Bf 109G-6/R6/trop, flown by Oblt. Emil Josef Clade, CO of 7./ JG 27, Kalamaki, A Greece, January 1944 Bf 109G-6/R6, W.Nr. 18807, flown by Ofw. Alfred Surau, 9./JG 3, Bad Wörishofen, Germany, September 1943 Both decal sheets are printed in-house on a very blue backing paper with super-shiny carrier film, but the register, colour density and sharpness is excellent, with a pair of complete swastikas on one corner ready to be cut off if local laws could be a problem. The usual halved versions are the other side of the dotted line in this event, so you can suit yourself. Conclusion What is a great kit is now being released in the weekend series which is very welcome. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  17. Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4 1:48 Eduard WEEKEND The Messerschmidt Bf 109 is one of the iconic aircraft of WWII. The F-4 would use the 1332hp DB601E engine which would be fitted with a broader balded propeller for improved altitude performance. The aircraft would carry the new Mauser MG151 20mm cannon with 200 rounds per gun. Production of the F-4 would start in May 1941 and last a year with 1841 examples being built, 576 of these being the tropicalised version. The Kit Construction starts shockingly enough with the cockpit. Various control wheels and the main control column is added along with the armoured seat back. Following this the seat pan and rudder pedals are added. A full set of photo-etched belts is provided for the pilots seat. Following this side panels and parts are added into the fuselage sides. The instrument panel is made up at this time. Once all of these sub-assemblies are made up they can be placed inside the fuselage and this closed up. As well as the cockpit the tail wheel and exhausts need to be added before the closure takes place. Once the main fuselage is together the intake needs to be added on the side. For the tropical version this will need the additional filter adding as well. Construction then moves to the rear of the main fuselage with the tail planes and rudder being added. All of the control surfaces are separate so can be posed as needed by the modeller. Next up are the wings. The lower is one part with left and right uppers. The wheel well detail needs to be added into the lower wing and then the uppers can be added on. Once complete the wing assembly is mated with the main fuselage. Next up the leading edge slats and ailerons can be added. On the underside of the wing the left and right radiators are assembled and added to the wing. The flaps can then be added making sure to get the radiator flaps at the correct angle. Moving towards finishing the model the main landing gear units are completed and added to the model. The wheels are a single part with a left and right hub. The gear leg is attached as is the door. The canopy parts can then be added not forgetting the pilots head rest & armour in the main centre part. Last but not least for the main kit the propeller and spinner are added. Decals Decals are in house from Eduard and should pose no issues. There is a main sheet and a supplemental sheet for the stencils, markings are provided for 2 examples; Bf 109F-4/Z/trop flown by Uffz. F. Schweiger, 6./JG 3, San Pietro, Italy, February 1942. Bf 109F-4/Z W. Nr. 13125 flown by Oblt. M. – H. Ostermann, CO of 8./JG 54, A Siverskaya, Soviet Union, Beginning of May 1942. Conclusion This is a welcome new F-4 release from Eduard now available in their Weekend edition boxing. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  18. FW190F-8 Weekend Edition 1:72 Eduard The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. His aim was to create a fighter that was not only fast and agile, but also reliable. It had a wide track undercarriage to improve ground handling and also utilised electric rather than hydraulic controls to reduce the risk of system loss in combat. The Fw 190 also marked a departure from aircraft like the Bf109 and Spitfire as it combined a 14 cylinder radial engine with a development of the NACA cowling system. This choice was crucial as it meant that the Fw190 would not create additional demand for DB 601 liquid cooled engines. It also allowed a low drag profile for such a powerful engine. Despite early teething problems, the Fw 190 first entered operational service over France in August 1941. It proved to be quite a shock for the RAF whose 1440hp Spitfire Mk.V, the best fighter available at the time, was outclassed in terms of firepower and all round performance, particularly at lower and medium altitudes. The Fw 190 F8 was a fighter-bomber variant developed from the A8 fighter, but with a revised supercharger for improved low-altitude performance and bomb racks under the wings and fuselage. Eduard have long been capable of churning out excellent kits, but in 2011, with the release of their Hellcat series, that they really set a new standard for plastic kits in the smaller scales. Since then, they have added several superlative kits to their lineup, including the BF110 series, MiG-15 and MiG-15UTI series and their latest release, the Spitfire Mk.IX. They are still adding to their range of Fw 190s though, the newest of which is the F-8. This version of the kit is part of the Weekend range, which means it omits the paint masks, photo etched details and and multiple decal options of the Profipack range in favour of a lower price. The kit itself is made up of over 200 plastic parts spread across of three sprues of blue-grey plastic (although a significant number of these are not used for the F8) and a single clear sprue with the now-familiar circular layout. The instruction book is a glossy, stapled booklet with full-colour painting diagrams. As you would expect from Eduard, the quality of the plastic parts is second to none. The mouldings are clean and crisp and there are no traces of flash or sink marks. The surface detail on the outside of the airframe comprises recessed panel lines and delicately engraved rivet and fastener detail. It looks absolutely superb. Eduard haven't skimped on the detail elsewhere either; sub-assemblies such as the cockpit are right up there with resin items when it comes to the quality and quantity of detail. The cockpit is truly phenomenal for a kit of this size, even without photo etched parts - in fact the only thing I would add would be harnesses for the seat. Once assembled, the whole thing can be sandwiched inside the fuselage halves along with the firewall and the basic-but-good-enough-in-this-scale engine. Setting the semi-completed fuselage to one side for a moment, construction turns to the wing. The lower wing is moulded as a single span, to which the main spar (which also forms the rear wall of the main landing gear bays) must be added. The other parts which form the structures and details of the landing gear bays must also be added at this point, prior to everything being fixed in place by the addition of the upper wing surfaces. If you wish to use the supplied bomb racks, remember to drill out the appropriate holes at this point. The ailerons are moulded separately to the rest of the wing, which opens up some possibilities for the diorama builder, as well as enhancing the level of realism. Turning back to the fuselage, the rudder is also moulded as a separate part while the tail planes are solid lumps. In common with other kits of the type, the upper fuselage forward of the cockpit is moulded separately (in this case as two parts with a third for the cannon barrels). Once the basic airframe is together, it’s time to fit the undercarriage and other finishing details. Each of the main gear legs is made up of two parts. The wheels themselves are made up of nicely moulded tyres and separate hubs. This should make painting them much easier. As this is the F8 version, you get an extra sprue containing a wide choice of ordnance including a drop tank, three different types of bomb and two different types of rockets and launch rails. A number of small parts are included to cover the final details, including the aileron balance weights and various aerials and antennae. The canopy deserves a special mention as there are different parts for closed and open options. Two propellers are included as well, although only one is needed for the included options. Because this is a Weekend edition kit, two schemes are catered for on the decal sheet – an FW190F-8 of SG-2, Hungary, Late 1944/early 1945 (as depicted on the box artwork) and an aircraft of Stab III/SG 10, Vysoke Myto, Czechoslovakia, May 1945. This aircraft is finished in an interesting scheme, with an RLM 83 fuselage, RLM 74/75 upper wings, and RLM 76 undersurfaces with a yellow rudder and band around the cowling. Four-view colour profiles are printed in the instructions, while there is a seperate diagram for the stencils. The decals themselves look thin and glossy, so hopefully they will prove easy to apply. Conclusion While we're not exactly short of kits of this type, there's no denying that Eduard have delivered the definitive kit of the Fw190 as well as providing a prime example of the kit maker's art. The level of detail they have packed in is as superb as the engineering is excellent, and the kit appears to be accurate in every major way. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  19. F6F-3 Weekend Edition 1:72 Eduard The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a highly effective fighter, the design of which took advantage of experience gained in aerial combat against the Japanese during the early part of the war. Fitted with a powerful Pratt and Whitney ‘Double Wasp’ engine, the Hellcat was a fast fighter, capable of 380mph. The F6F-3 was the first production version and was armed with six .50 inch Browning machine guns. Later in the production run it gained the ability to carry unguided rockets and bombs as well. The Hellcat was a rugged aircraft which featured self-sealing fuel tanks and plenty of armour. By 1945 it had gained the status of the most effective US naval fighter of World War II, having accounted for no fewer than 5,271 enemy aircraft. I remember reviewing Eduard’s 1:72 Hellcat when it was first released, and it's hard to believe that six years have passed since then. This kit is still very much a spring chicken in modelling terms, and very much state of the art as far as detail and engineering are concerned. Inside the top opening box are 74 plastic parts spread across three grey sprues and one clear sprue. As this is a ‘Weekend’ edition, there are no photo etch parts or canopy masks, but you do get two decal options and a full set of stencil decals. The quality of the plastic parts is nothing short of superb, making this kit something of a bargain. The engraved detail on the surface of the airframe is up there with the best that I have ever seen. There is an intelligently designed blend of recessed panel lines on parts such as on the flying surfaces, and overlapping panels on the rear fuselage. The mouldings are all clean and crisp, with no traces of flash or sink marks. The rest of the kit doesn’t disappoint either. The cockpit is beautifully represented and features delicate, raised details. The main landing gear bays are of convincing depth and are also beautifully detailed. The wings fit into recesses in the fuselage sides, so there should be no join to fill at the wing roots and misalignment of the wings should be all but impossible. Two choices of tyres are provided, each with different tread patterns. Both are moulded separately to the wheel hubs, which should make painting the tyres and hobs nice and easy. The engine and cowling are nicely moulded and Eduard have captured the shape of the lower intake for the oil cooler and supercharger (the famous Hellcat ‘grin’) very well. The transparent parts are thin and clear, and the sliding part of the canopy is moulded separately to the windscreen. Because this is a Weekend edition kit, two schemes are catered for on the decal sheet – an F6F-3 flown by LTJG Arthur Singer of VF-15, USS Essex, October 24-25 1944 (as depicted in the box artwork) and an F6F-3, flown by Lt. Lochridge, VF-38, Guadalcanal, late 1943. Four-view colour profiles are printed in the instructions, while there is a seperate diagram for the stencils. The decals themselves look thin and glossy, so hopefully they will prove easy to apply. Conclusion I’ve said it twice before and have no problem saying it again; this is an excellent kit. The level of detail is superb, the engineering is great but not overly complex and in Weekend Edition guise it is superb value for money. Review sample courtesy of
  20. Fokker DR.1 Weekend Edition 1:72 Eduard One of the best known and most recognisable aircraft of the First World War, the Fokker Dr.I was developed in response to the appearance of the Sopwith Triplane over the skies of the Western Front in early 1917. Although it couldn’t match other fighters for speed, either in a straight line or in a dive, its initial rate of climb was good and it was supremely manoeuvrable. The Fokker was used by a number of aces, most notably Manfred von Richthofen who scored his final 20 victories in the type until he was shot down and killed on 21 April 1918. This kit is the latest in Eduard's revamped 'Weekend Edition' series, which enables you to build a model as nature intended, unfettered by tiny bits of photo etched brass and a bewildering choice of decal options. Inside this particular box is a single runner containing just 35 plastic parts and a small sheet of decals. The plastic parts first saw the light of day seventeen years ago, and have been released umpteen times since then, including once by the mercurial Smer. The parts are nicely moulded, with no traces of flash but a respectable amount of moulded detail. The cockpit comprises six parts, including a floor, seat, control column and instrument panel. As this is a profipack, there are no photo etched parts, but a set of seat harnesses is provided on the decal sheet. Once the fuselage halves have been joined, he lower and middle wings can be added, along with the brace of forward-firing machine guns. The wedge shaped horizontal tail is moulded as a single, solid part, as is the vertical tail/rudder. The upper wing is the last major part of the airframe to be added, along with the outer struts, which slide through the middle wing to join both lower and upper wings together. A fairly basic engine is included, but Eduard to produce a resin replacement if you wish to add detail here. Once the engine and cowling have been fitted, all that remains to do to finish the model is to add the propeller, landing gear and tail skid. One advantage of the DR.1 is the minimal amount of rigging required to complete the model. Two marking options are included: 479/17, flown by Lt August Raben, Jasta 18, Montingen, France, October 1918; and 195/17, flown by Lt Hermann Vallendor, Jasta 2, Halluin, France, April 1918. The decal sheet is small, but nicely printed. Conclusion This is an appealing kit, largely because of its simplicity. In contrast to some of their more modern kits, Eduard made it no more complex than it needed to be, and as a result, it majors on modelling pleasure and buildability. What better way than to start a collection of WWI subjects? Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  21. F6F-5N Nightfighter (84133) 1:48 Eduard Weekend Edition With the success of the F6F-3 already in service, the F6F-5 was the natural evolution based on combat experience. Key improvements in the F6F-5 were a more powerful engine utilising a water injection system, revised windscreen that had a single armoured windscreen and spring loaded aileron tabs. The night fighter version came into service in the fall of 1944 was designated the F6F-5N and this was easily identified by the wing mounted AN/APS-6 Radar protruding forwards from the starboard leading edge, and the 20mm canon in the wing. While all F6F-5 aircraft could carry a 20mm Cannon in each wing along with a pair of .50 Cal machine guns, only the night fighter version used this operationally. The British designated the Night fighter version as the Hellcat NF II. My respect goes out to these pilots. Flying a single engined aircraft over the sea at night must be quite an intimidating experience, let alone with the prospect of combat mixed in. The Kit The Eduard kit has now been with us since 2008 and has been regularly re-issued in multiple boxings. The moulds still look good today though. This boxing has the basic plastic plus the edition of resin parts for the guns and radar carried by this version. Construction starts in the cockpit. The seat, rear bulkhead and control column are attached to the cockpit floor. Next the side consoles and instrument panel are added (a decal can be used for the panel if you dont want to paint it), Once the cockpit is complete it can be added into the fuselage halves along with the tail wheel. Dont forget to open the hole for the centre line tank if you want to use it. Next up the engine is made up. This has two banks of cylinders to which the gear box is added at the front, along with the shaft for the prop. Once complete this can be added to the front of the fuselage and the cowling built up and added over it. Construction then moves to the rear of the fuselage with the addition of the tail surfaces and rudder. The main wings are next on the build schedule. They are conventional upper/lower, left & right. The wheel wells need adding as does the appropriate wing armament before the two sides are glued together. Separate control surfaces are supplied for both wings. Once the wings are on construction moves back to the main fuselage with lights being added to the underside. Next step is the construction of the main wheel bays with some additional details. Following this the main wheels are built up and attached to their legs. The gear doors can then be added. Is using it the main fuel tank can be built up and added. Lastly the canopy, prop, and night fighter radar unit can be added. Decal options are provided for two aircraft as seems to be the norm for weekend editions now. F6F-5N, VF(N)-90, USS Enterprise 1945 F6F-5N, Bu.No. 78704 Capt R Baird, VMF(N)-533, Le Shima, Okinawa, June 1945. Each option is illustrated with a four-view profile. The decals, which are printed by in house, they look crisp, thin and glossy and the colours used are nice and bold. Conclusion This is a great kit from Eduard, good to see it in this configuration. Recommended. Masks If needed masks are also available for this kit. Review samples courtesy of
  22. Yakovlev Yak-3 1:48 Eduard Weekend Edition The YAK-3 had a slightly stop start entry into Russian service. Its origins can be traced back to a 1941 design the I-30. Like the original Yak-1 it was to feature a 20mm cannon firing through the propeller hub and two wing mounted machine guns. The armament was improved by the addition of a pair of wing mounted cannons. The first Yak-3 had a metal wing with slats, and the second a wooden wing to simplify production. The German invasion, and a shortage of aircraft grade alloys lead to the projects cancellation. Jump then to 1943 and Yakolev looked at improvements to the Yak-1 design. To make a lighter aircraft the wing was re-designed and the intakes moved to the wing roots. More use was made of wood in the new design as well. So good was the new aircraft that it was recommended that it replace the original Yak-1 & Yak-7. The new aircraft would be designated the Yak-3. As an addendum to the Yak-3 story in the late 1990s Yakolev would manufacture new build aircraft for the warbird market. These would feature an all metal construction and be powered by an Allison engine. The Kit Eduards YAK-3 has been with us now since 1998 and has seen many re-releases since then. the it arrives on two sprues of grey plastic, a clear sprue and a sheet of decals. The moulding is good and the detail crisp. There is no evidence of any deterioration of the moulds, no flash etc. Construction starts with cockpit. Interior parts are added to both sides and the rear decking behind the cockpit is added. Next the tail wheel part is added, the engine exhausts added and the main fuselage is closed up, adding the engine top cover which houses the guns. The cockpit floor on the kit is moulded onto the top side of the upper wing. Once the main wings are joined together (conventional upper & lower construction) the seat is added with seat belts coming from the decal sheet. The control column and rudder pedals are added. Next up the side consoles are added along with the main instrument panel. Once all the cockpit details are in the wing can be joined to the main fuselage. Next up the landing gear is constructed. The main wheel is two parts and added onto the main gear leg. These are then added to the main gear bay door. There is a scissor link to be added to the main leg. The legs and their retraction struts are then added onto the wing along with the smaller inner gear doors. The tailplanes are added along with the large ventral radiator. The tail wheel and its doors are then also added. Lastly the propeller is made up and added along with the canopy. Remember to add the rear pilots head armour before adding the canopy. Eduard give is a single, and multipart canopy. Decals Decals are provided for two aircraft, as seems to be the Weekend edition norm now. White 15, Lt Semyon Ivanovich Rogovoi, 64th GIAP, 2nd Baltic Front, Autumn 1944. White 6, Capt Marcel Albert, GC 3 Normandies, Niemen 1944/45. Conclusion It is great to see this kit re-released in a weekend edition. While the kit is not upto the latest Eduard standards it is by no means a slouch and certainly will build into a good looking model. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  23. Fw 190A-5 Weekend Zoom Set & Masks 1:72 Eduard The Zoom photo-etch set provides details for mainly the cockpit of the aircraft. You get a new instrument panel, and cockpit side panels, seatbelts and other cockpit fittings. For the rest of the airframe there are parts for the landing gear, and a couple of aerials. As well as the photo-etch set Eduard do a set of masks for the kit. These are for the canopy only. Conclusion If the modeller wants to add some extra to the weekend Fw 190A-5 then the photo-etch is for you. Masks are always handy in this scale for the larger canopies of this aircraft. Recommended.
  24. Fw 190A-8/R2 1:72 Eduard Weekend Edition The Focke-Wulf Fw190 was designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. His aim was to create a fighter that was not only fast and agile, but also reliable. It had a wide track undercarriage to improve ground handling and also utilised electric rather than hydraulic controls to reduce the risk of system loss in combat. The Fw190 also marked a departure from aircraft like the Bf109 and Spitfire as it combined a 14 cylinder radial engine with a development of the NACA cowling system. This choice was crucial as it meant that the Fw190 would not create additional demand for DB 601 liquid cooled engines. It also allowed a low drag profile for such a powerful engine. Despite early teething problems, the Fw190 first entered operational service over France in August 1941. It proved to be quite a shock for the RAF whose 1440hp Spitfire Mk.V, the best fighter available at the time, was outclassed in terms of firepower and all round performance, particularly at lower and medium altitudes. The Fw190A-8 was the ultimate evolution of the radial-engined fw190s and entered service in 1944. It featured improvements such as extra fuel, improved armour and nearly 2000hp output with emergency boost. The A-8/R2 replaced the outer 20mm cannon in the wings with Mk.108 30mm cannons. The Kit Following on from the Royal, Profipack and standard boxing's; the Weekend Editions are now arriving from Eduard. These new Fw 190 kits from Eduard are setting a new standard in 1.72 for excellence. The kit itself is made up of 92 plastic parts spread across of two sprues of dark blue-grey plastic and a single clear sprue with the now-familiar circular layout. The instruction book is a glossy, stapled booklet with full-colour painting diagrams. All together, the impression is of a quality package, at the great weekend price point. The quality of the plastic parts is second to none. The mouldings are clean and crisp and there are no traces of flash and no sink marks. The surface detail on the outside of the airframe comprises recessed panel lines and delicately engraved rivet and fastener detail. It looks absolutely superb. Eduard haven't skimped on the detail elsewhere, with sub-assemblies such as the cockpit being up there with high end resin items when it comes to the quality and quantity of detail. The cockpit is made up of over thirty parts (including photo etched details), which is a truly phenomenal for a kit of this size. Once assembled, the whole thing can be sandwiched inside the fuselage halves along with the firewall and the basic-but-good-enough-in-this-scale engine face. Setting the semi-completed fuselage to one side for a moment, construction turns to the wing. The lower wing is moulded as a single span, to which the main spar (which also forms the rear wall of the main landing gear bays) must be added. The other parts which form the structures and details of the landing gear bays must be added at this point, prior to everything being fixed in place by the addition of the upper wing surfaces. The ailerons are moulded separately to the rest of the wing, which opens up some possibilities for the diorama builder, as well as enhancing the level of realism. Turning back to the fuselage, the rudder is also moulded as a separate part, although the tail planes are solid lumps. In common with other kits of the type, the upper fuselage forward of the cockpit is moulded separately (in this case as two parts with a third for the cannon barrels). Once the basic airframe is together, its time to fit the undercarriage and other finishing details. Each of the main gear legs is made up of two parts, although you have the option of removing the plastic torque links and replacing them with photo etched versions. The wheels themselves are made up of nicely moulded tyres and separate hubs. This should make painting them much easier. Ordnance is taken care of with a drop tank and a single bomb, along with the associated racks and shackles. There are a number of small parts included to cover the final details, including the aileron balance weights and various aerials and antennae. The canopy deserves a special mention as there are four rear sections included; blown and unblown, with different parts for closed and open options. Two propellers are included as well, although only one is needed for the included options. Decals There is one small sheet of stencil decals and one for the aircraft markings. As seems to be standard now decal options are provided for two aircraft: Fw 190A-8 of Werner Gerth, II.(Strum)/JG 3 "Udet" July 1944. Fw 190A-8 of Paul Lixfeld, 6/JG 300, late 1944. Each option is illustrated with a four-view profile as well as detailed illustrations of the propellers or drop tanks where appropriate. Conclusion This is a great kit from Eduard and it is good to see it released in a Weekend boxing. Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of
  25. Nieuport 11 Eduard 1:48 Weekend edition The Nieuport 11 first appeared over the western front in early 1916, and made a massive contribution to ending the 'Fokker scourge'. It outclassed the Fokker Eindekkers in almost every respect, except perhaps that it did not posses a synchronised gun firing through the propeller. Its single Lewis gun was mounted on the top wing, and fired over the propellers arc of rotation. Its main innovation was the use of a sesqiplane layout, with a larger top wing and small narrow chord lower wing, connected by 'V' interplane struts. This gave both excellent manoeuvrability and field of view. The arrangement could be fragile in a dive however, and care was needed to avoid flutter and tearing the wings off. Known as the Bébé due to its diminutive size, the aircraft served in the front line for over a year, and was used by the air forces of France, Britain, Italy, Russia, and Belgium, with a total of over 7,000 produced. The Kit First released in the early 2000's, this latest release is a very welcome reissue. Offered as a 'Weekend edition' the box art features Armand de Turenne's tricolour painted Ni-11, with a small profile Raoul Lufbery's machine below. Inside are two sprues of beautifully moulded parts that are still as good and crisp as they were when first released several years ago. Everything is flash-free, and what few ejector pin marks there are, are well hidden where they will not be seen. The fuselage mouldings are especially good, with beautifully fine stitching and rivet detail. We are also supplied with a very nicely moulded little pilot figure, unusually in a standing pose to display by the finished model. This is a very nice touch, and most welcome. The smaller parts are all supplied on the second sprue, and again all is very finely moulded to an excellent standard. Several parts are not required, such as the Le Prieur rockets and their associated 'V' struts, and the headerest for the almost identical Nieuport 16, which is also kitted by Eduard. The model itself goes together very easily and accurately. I know because I have built several over the years, in both Ni-11 and NI-16 issues. There are no pitfalls to watch out for, it is pretty much a trouble free build. A couple of simple suggestions though; - Glue the cabane struts B30 and B31 to the unpainted fuselage before painting. This will give a nice strong join, and does not interfere very much with painting anyway. - Unusually, Roundels are carried on the under surfaces of both wings. Paint the underside of the top wing and apply the roundel decals to it before assembly. The Roundels cover the mounting holes for the tops of the 'V' struts, and you can't put them on after it is all assembled. There is a reason that I know this! A small clear moulded windshield is provided. This is actually mostly frame to be painted, with a central section left clear. Rigging is fairly minimal, and can be done fairly easily with stretched sprue. Alternatively, Invisible mending thread also works, and is my preferred method. Marking Options. Two options are supplied, the very attractive Tricolour machine of Armand de Turenne as featured prominently on the box art, and the more drab version flown by Raoul Lufberry. The box art and instructions depict very different shades of blue on the forward fuselage of Turenne's machine, dark on the box and overly bright in the instructions. The most likely shade is probably that of the roundels, so personally I would match my paint to the roundel blue on the decals. Conclusion. This is a lovely kit of an equally lovely little aeroplane. The mouldings are first class, and from experience I know that it is a trouble free build. With care it can be assembled without any need for filler, it is that good. It is also an ideal 'first biplane' as the inverted 'V' cabane strut and normal 'V' interplane struts make alignment virtually foolproof. Rigging consists of 3 lines per wing, an 'X' on the undercarriage, 2 tiny lines to the rudder, and 2 runs per fuselage side to the elevators. All very easily done with stretched sprue and white glue. The finished model beautifully captures the light and delicate look of the real Bébé , and is no bigger than a 1:72 Spitfire so you can build an display lots of them. It is hard to choose a favourite among Eduards exquisite range of WW1 aircraft, but this is definitely in my top 5. I am very pleased to see it available once again. This is one I made a few years ago, albeit not the same version as this release. It has the Le Prier rockets which were intended for Balloon busting, but were found to be inaccurate. Note the outlining on the flying surfaces, (see masking review) Highly Recommended. Also available is a Mask set Review sample courtesy of
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