Hawker Tempest V Limited Edition

[Mike]

Hawker Tempest V Limited Edition

1:48 Eduard (1169)

The Tempest was a development of the Typhoon, and was originally referred to as Typhoon II by the design team. It turned out to be substantially different, with thinner elliptical wings, relocated fuel tanks and oil coolers integrated into the wing roots to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Consequently, the name Tempest was coined and once air testing began, the Sabre engined prototype was found to be a distinct improvement over the original Typhoon.

6 prototypes with various engines were ordered, and due to delays with the Sabre IV engine the Tempest V with its Sabre II engine was chosen, with the oil coolers again relocated to behind the distinctive chin radiator intake. It reached service in April 1944 where it performed well, even bringing down some of the new Messerschmitt 262s in combat.

The Eduard Tempest kit was one of their earlier efforts, and although welcomed when it arrived on the market, it was found to have a few issues with the length of the fuselage behind the wing, where a small plug was needed to lengthen it. Alley Cat Resins were quick on the scene with an update, as were other companies. The cockpit was also a product of its time, being a little two-dimensional when compared with modern toolings.

This new release has been longed for by many, as the original was the only kit available in 1:48 that saved the modeller from an awful lot of scratch building. Eduard have not been idle and have significantly upgraded the kit with a resin cockpit, two Photo-Etch (PE) frets of parts (one pre-painted) to upgrade the airframe, plus a set of masks for the canopy and wheels.

Opening the box you will find four sprues of mid brown styrene that has a shiny surface reminiscent of the old Classic Airframes kits. One sprue contains the large single piece wing and the two upper wing sections, while the other large sprue contains the fuselage halves, bay doors, tail feathers and some of the redundant styrene cockpit parts. The two smaller sprues contain the wheel bays, wheels, two types of props and the rest of the small parts.

Construction begins naturally enough with the cockpit, which is a symphony of resin and PE, including a full set of seatbelts and a nicely laminated instrument panel, plus plenty of cockpit adornments that should result in a very detailed cockpit tub. This slots inside the fuselage after removal of the rather tired looking internal detail from the fuselage halves, and the instructions warn that further sanding/scraping away of the fuselage insides may be needed. Also sandwiched between the fuselage are a PE tail wheel bay plus the exhaust stubs and some nice PE and styrene radiator detail that fits snugly inside the chin scoop.

The main gear wells are supplied as boxes with only a small amount of detail within. Happily, Eduard supply plenty of PE parts to detail these up, which should improve them immensely. These parts are then laid into the wing underside and sandwiched between the two halves after installing a pair of landing lights and drilling out holes for the oft-carried drop tanks if you decide to install them. A pair of circular masks are included to protect the landing lights from the ensuing paint job. The wings are then mated with the fuselage, tail planes added and a pair of cannon barrel inserts added if you are modelling the appropriate airframes that had the extended barrels.

The outer landing gear bay doors have additional PE strengthening webbing added to them, while the triangular inner doors are replaced by PE parts, and the wheel hubs have a small boss applied to their centres. Other small details such as retraction jacks are added, as well as some PE parts to further improve the look. The retractable tail wheel has new bay doors formed from PE, which must be folded and bent to conform the fuselage shape, so annealing the parts before attempting this would be a good idea.

The prop is built up from four individual blades, and although 8 are included with the kit, they are not mentioned, as this version does not require them. A four-spoked set of wheels and an alternative spinner cap are also not used, or even pictured on the sprue diagram. Take care to use the correct ones when building this part.

The build finishes with installation of the cockpit glazing, which is supplied in two parts, making it easy to pose open. The retraction rail is supplied as a PE part and glues along the top of the fuselage. A nicely detailed resin, PE and film gun-sight should be installed before gluing in the windscreen.

Decals are printed by Cartograf, and are crisp, in register and have good colour density. A small section is full of stencils appropriate for each airframe, and a separate stencil diagram is provided on a separate page to simplify their location and application.

You can portray one of the following aircraft using the kit decals:

Pierre Clostermann, 3 Squadron, RAF Fassberg, Germany May 1945

Pierre Clostermann, 3 Squadron, RAF Fassberg, Germany - Copenhagen, Denmark July-Aug 1945

S/L Cornelius J Sheddan, Co. Of 486 Squadron, RAF Fassberg, Germany May 1945

F/O B F Miller, 501 Squadron, Bradwell Bay, Oct 1944

W/Cdr Evan D Mackie, Co. 122 Wing, Fassberg, Germany May 1945

W/Cdr Roland Beamont, Co. 150 Wing, Castle Camps, early 1944

W/Cdr Roland Beamont, Co. 150 Wing, Newchurch, June 1944

Conclusion

This limited release will please a great many modellers, but if you hesitated and missed out (Eduard are showing out of stock at present), I understand from sources close to Eduard that they are considering another run due to the overwhelming interest. The inclusion of the new parts goes a long way toward bringing this kit up to date, although if you're going for extra accuracy, picking up one of the available correction sets for the fuselage issue will be the fast route to solving it.

If you're not so concerned about the fuselage plug, you have pretty much everything you'll need in the box, and all you need is glue, paint and some modelling skill to produce a good looking replica of this late-war juggernaut of an aircraft.

Recommended - watch for news of the possible re-pop on Eduard's site.

Review sample courtesy of

[Mike]

I felt a bit like Jim Bowen from Bullseye writing this review "look what you could have won".

[Moofles]

good looking review, really tempted to pick one of these up now.

[Col.]

Aw Mike, you swine, that's another 'must-have' kit I need now!

Hope Eduard do another run if they have sold out already. Interesting to see the redundant parts such as props and spinner - wonder if a Mk.II was on the cards at some point?

[Shar2]

I'm glad I've got the earlier release in the stash now. Will probably try and get another one if they do another batch.

[Col.]

I felt a bit like Jim Bowen from Bullseye writing this review "look what you could have won".

Better get it built quick before some of us are tempted to break into your shed

[Mike]

Aw Mike, you swine, that's another 'must-have' kit I need now!

Hope Eduard do another run if they have sold out already. Interesting to see the redundant parts such as props and spinner - wonder if a Mk.II was on the cards at some point?

It is nice... and I also hope they do for the sake of folks that missed out. I'll see if I can find out anymore info next time I'm taling to them

[Col.]

It is nice... and I also hope they do for the sake of folks that missed out. I'll see if I can find out anymore info next time I'm taling to them

The blades on the Centaurus-engined Mk.II were slightly shorter in length than the Mk.V so a quick measure of the kit parts may reveal a possibility. Shame a new fuselage and wing sprues would be required due to the way the kit has been tooled but then again that saves dealing with some potentially nasty joins on optional engine cowlings and wing radiators.

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Hi Mike - great review. A couple of things to mention about the kit.

The 2 prop spinners, and blades represent the earlier series 1 short spinner version, as well as the later more mainstream series II, the longer faired cannon barrels are also there on the sprue for an earlier series 1 Tempest too. These are probably applicable for the earlier Beaumont aircraft I guess. The new resin bits look a lot better than the bits in the original "profipack" release.

For a Centaurus engined Mk II or a later Tempest VI - MDC make conversions with appropriate props and wing leading edge oil coolers etc. Declas are available from Model Alliance I beleive too

Just so people know, the major shortfall with Eduards Tempest isnt the 'short" fuselage - its the bloated thick fin fillet, and overly thick wings - the former can be corrected with some industrial sanding and a bit of cutting, the latter is doable - but requires somewhat more extensive work, but does result in a thinner wing thats makes the model much more Tempest like.

For my money - the UC legs are also a bit aneamic - Aeroclub did some white metal ones which would make a big difference, if John still has them that is. Ultracast make some very nice resin exhausts and wheels - which really will improve the model. Quickboost make exhausts too- but they are a bit undersize in my view, and it shows.

Its good to see the model back again, and even better to see edaurd will maybe do a new batch too, because it is the only game in town really ( ancient AMT and Long OOP Pend Oreille resin kits excepeted).

The Tempest, with the Spit XIV were pretty much the RAFs premier late war air superiority fighters, and the Tempest could handle the 190D with ease. It also served immediatey post war in a number of theatres in its other marks. Whats really needed is for Eduard to bring the plastic pieces up to date with a new tooling, or for "someone else" to do like wise. It would sell.

Cheers

Jonners

[RNoAF Aerobatic Team]

Really glad I got hold of this model!

Looking foreward to this build.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Hannants are now stocking this kit and showing a stock level of 10+

But be aware that the kit is currently No 3 on their best sellers list and the stock level is now two down because I've just grabbed a couple.

[Colin @ Freightdog Models]

Hannants are now stocking this kit and showing a stock level of 10+

But be aware that the kit is currently No 3 on their best sellers list and the stock level is now two down because I've just grabbed a couple.

Are you going to build one with my new freightdog sheet then? ; )

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Are you going to build one with my new freightdog sheet then? ; )

How did you guess?

[Enzo the Magnificent]

But be aware that the kit is currently No 3 on their best sellers list and the stock level is now two down because I've just grabbed a couple.

I got my hands on these two today, together with a couple of Alley Cat resin sets. This is exciting!