Officially the No.

1 International Aircraft Modelling Magazine

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June 2023 • Volume 45 • Issue 04

www.guidelinepublications.co.uk

• Scaled Up – P-8 Poseidon

• Revell’s Airbus A320neo in 1/144
• Nakajima’s Kitsuka – Lemkits’ resin in 1/32
• Chew on this! – Isradecal’s T-6A/C Texan II
• IPMS UK, News, Reviews, and More… BPK’s P-8 in 1/72

Piaggio P.108B bomber Long-lived Sally Changing its spots

Prototype conversion Mitsubishi’s Ki-21-1b Japanese war prize
Special Hobby kit in 1/72 ICM’s new tooling Airfix Blenheim Mk I

First and Best for Reference and Modelling

CO N T E N T S

This monTh’s FEATUREs

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4 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 EDITORIAL
Italian Big Bruiser! 14
Piaggio P.108B bomber prototype using the 1/72
Special Hobby kit of the P.108B Serie II.
By Stephen J Di Nucci

Long-lived Sally 20
ICM’s Mitsubishi Ki-21-1b in 1/72
By Huw Morgan

Universal Trainer 24
Isradecal’s Texan Two
By Colin ‘Flying’ Pickett

Big Plane, Big Kit 28

A Poseidon Adventure
By Ugur Kenel By Gary Hatcher

I
The General Motors F2M-1 Wildercat/Heckcat 34 shan’t keep you long as we have an awful lot
to get through. The planets have lined up
By Brian Derbyshire
this month and provided an opportunity for
the Editor to field a fistful of multi-engine
Scaled Up 38
subjects, including a couple of rarities that one
P-8 Poseidon in detail seldom sees built up. Of particular note is our
By Des Brennan cover shot, which our regular master modeller
Ugur Kenel seems to have pulled out of a
Aircraft in Profile 45 magic hat in less time than it takes some of us
Short Stirling by Jon Tabinor to mask a canopy. It’s a fairly well-documented
Scale plans and colour profiles by Sam Pearson subject, of course, and you can’t get much
more mainstream than the Boeing 737, but as
Colour Conundrum 58 a modelling project it represents a
Post War British Yellows 1945 – 1965 commitment, and I’m very pleased not only to
Part 1 By Paul Lucas have such a thoroughly well-built model in the
Colour profiles by Sam Pearson magazine, but am also grateful to Des Brennan
for pulling a Scaled Up article together to
Airbus 320Neo 62 accompany it. Add to this the beautifully-
Revell’s Second Sitting finished P.1088, the Kitsuka (now that piece is
an education thanks Gordon), and an Aircraft
By Ethan Williams
in Profile on the Stirling, and one could almost
Imperial Jet 65 imagine the Spitfire, Bf 109, and Mustang had
never flown.
Nakajima’s Kitsuka
In the Kikka Lounge with Gordon Scott Of course these latter types fuel the industry
to some extent, and we will continue to cover
Japan’s Blenheim 69 the ever more excellent kits of them all, but it’s
a real treat this month to have a line up of
A Bristol Blenheim in Japanese Markings
comparative oddballs – even Brian
By Harvey Low
Derbyshire’s usual attention to detail covers a
‘What If?’
So I have particularly enjoyed putting this
With: issue together, and invite any of our readers
Updates – our monthly news round-up section and contributors to have a look at some of the
with new product previews and reviews 6 more obscure corners of their stash and see if
Books – with Ernie Lee 92 they can’t compound a story as off-beat as
IPMS UK Column with John Tapsell 94 some of the items we have on offer this
month.
Show Diary 96
Coming Next Month 97

For full details visit

www.guidelinepublications.co.uk and look at our
range of print and digital subscription options or
call +44 (0)1582 668411. In the meantime I’m
always happy to discuss this or any issues arising
Cover Image: BPK’s P-8 Poseidon (ref. 7222) from the magazine so feel free to drop me a line
on [email protected]
by Ugur Kenel (see page 28).

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 5

U P D AT E S

By Sorge

A&A MODELS colour. To help you put it all together is an A4 touch. The small etched fret is for the swarm of
www.artscale.eu sized colour instruction sheet, along with the static dischargers fitted to the wings and tail and
painting guide. A very nice package. are around 1.5mm long each. Sorry A&A, these
Beech 350
Looking in detail at the sprues, they are well old eyes and fat fingers can’t hack that, although
Kit No: 7226
produced, with only a little flash on the engine I’m sure younger builders will be ecstatic with
Scale: 1/72
intakes. When building I’d suggest you assemble the bits.
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic
the engines, then carefully use a small file to As I was examining the kit, it struck me that this
If you visit any regional airport, chances are that
shape the intakes. Leaving the engines off until might be a good basis for military versions of the
before very long a Beech 350 variant will turn up.
final assembly will also give you the chance to series. In particular, No 14 squadron RAF and
This small capacity airliner has been in
add ballast, if you miscalculated when their Shadow R1s. To that end, I’ve been through
production for many decades, with several
assembling the fuselage, not that I ever do this, my usual references, and looking over the fence
thousands produced and in use world-wide.
of course ... at RAF Waddington of late, then sitting and
Add to this the military versions, both transport
Looking in detail at the parts around the sprue thinking. I’ll keep you posted on how (or if ) that
and sneaky-beaky reccy birds, and you have a
gates reveals a common trait of some project progresses.
very useful and flexible aircraft.
manufacturers. The sprue gates also spread onto In the meantime, thanks to A&A for producing a
However, kits of the aircraft, and many other
civilian types, are few and far in between, thus, the mating surfaces, so a good clean up during good quality product that will fill a hole in many
this latest release from A & A models ‘fills a hole’. assembly will pay dividends here. As the plastic collections. Thanks also to European distributor
Opening the sturdy top-loader box will reveal on the fuselage parts is rather thin, I’d also ASK for the opportunity to examine a kit from a
eight well-moulded sprues of grey plastic, one suggest you add some thin Plasticard tabs to manufacturer with whom I’m not familiar.
small fret of photoetched parts, and a very reinforce the main fuselage joint. It will save Recommended to all with a few builds in the
useful set of pre-cut masks for the single sprue fraying of the joint, and your temper, in the long bag, and a penchant for off-piste aircraft.
of clear parts. The decal sheet covers four run. Also new from A&A are two new kits of the Hawk
options, one in overall yellow, and three in a The masks cover, in all senses, the main 200, which offer some very nice-looking aircraft,
basic white scheme with varying additions of windscreen and side windows, which is a nice with four schemes in each boxing.

AIRFIX
www.airfix.com
This squadron will either make
history, or it will be completely wiped
out. So said Guy Gibson, the
commanding officer of the
volunteer airmen who undertook a
certain bombing raid in 1943. To
mark the anniversary Airfix’s kit is
now available with two new
schemes (ref. A09007A).
Elsewhere four kits are announced
as returning to the ‘Vintage Classics’
range, although we seem to have
received and reviewed the Beaver
already! These are:
A18001V 1/24 Hawker Siddeley
Harrier GR.1
A03017V 1/72 DHC Beaver
A02099V 1/72 Commonwealth CA-
13 Boomerang
A02056V 1/72 Westland Whirlwind
HAS.22

6 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 U P D AT E S

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 7

U P D AT E S

EDUARD painting mask. It comes with no less than fifteen excavation on the island. No less legendary is
www.eduard.com marking options, which allow you to build the the Fokker Dr. I (ref. 8162) and the F6F-5 Hellcat
aircraft that helped defend Malta from Italian late (ref. 8229). All of these rebooxings are in
Eduard have another limited edition WWII kit and German forces. Eduard have also put out a 1/48 scale. In addition, Eduard have recently
boxed as ‘Spitfire Story: Malta Dual Combo’ (ref. kit of the Bf 109F-4 (ref. 84188), with which those released 1/72 models of the MiG-21MF
11172). This contains both a Spitfire Mk Vb and a Spitfires would have engaged over Malta, one of Interceptor (ref. 7469) and the Fw 190F-8
Mk Vc with pre-painted photoetch parts and a which was recently discovered during an (ref. 70119).

HOBBYBOSS
www.hobbyboss.com
The Fieseler Fi-156 C-3 (ref. 80183)
was a German liaison aircraft that
earned the nickname ‘stork’ due
its low-hanging landing gear. The
C-3 replaced earlier models with a
FRROM-AZUR ‘universal cockpit’ suited for any
www.frrom.com
role. This nice little oddity from
Frrom have released 3D images of their HobbyBoss is a rebox of their 1/35
forthcoming 1/72 scale Fairey Battle, which
kit with new parts – presumably
will be released in three different kits, each
the skis – and comes on seven
with three marking options:
sprues. Initially released by Tristar,
FR0046 Fairey Battle in Belgium it is, of course, an ideal crossover
FR0047 Fairey Battle for Poland kit for those wishing to dabble in
FR0048 Fairey Battle AASF larger scale military subjects.

ICM
www.icm.com.ua
ICM’s He 111H-8 Paravane (ref. 48267) comes
equipped with a defence system which
allowed the bomber to cut through the cables
of barrage balloons. The 1/48 kit includes
decals for three versions with cutter
paravanes, but we’re assured it is also possible
to build the model in the aircraft’s more usual
guise as a conventional bomber.
ICM have released the OV-10А Bronco (ref.
72185), the light multipurpose attack aircraft
that saw extensive use in the Vietnam War.
This 1/72 kit has a highly detailed fuselage,
decals for four variants and optional
suspended weapons including bombs,
missiles and incendiary tanks, and follows on
from their recent
1/48 kit.

KOTARE KINETIC MODEL

www.kotare-models.com www.luckymodel.com
Kotare have followed up their recent 1/32 scale Spitfire Kinetic Model’s F-16C ‘Lone Star Gunfighters’ (ref. KI-K48146)
Mk Ia with a ‘Brian Lane’ version (ref. K32601) featuring is the latest in their series of 1/48 scale F-16s and has a
a quality resin figure of the RAF flying ace. The aircraft particularly striking red and blue scheme. The model
itself comes with all the bells and whistles of the features a good level of detail on the cockpit and landing
previous release, plus new Cartograf decals. gear bays and allows for positional flaps and slats.

8 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 U P D AT E S

Hawker Siddeley 748 includes a display base made of pasteboard card

MARK 1 depicting airport tarmac.
www.4pluspublications.com MKM144169L Westland Wessex HU.5 ‘In Commando Role’
Here’s a trio of new offerings from Mark 1 in 1/144 scale. The Westland MKM144168L Mirage IIIRS/IIIEBR/5BA/50C ‘Canards’
Wessex and the Mirage both feature four colour schemes apiece, while the MKM144122L HS.748/BAe.748 ‘Civil Livery’

MINIWING
www.eshop.miniwing.cz decals to bring us a USAF edition
Miniwing’s Grumman F7F-1 Tigercat (ref. MODELSVIT (ref. MSVIT4821) with four marking options
mini088) is a full resin kit of the American WWII www.modelsvit-eshop.com including two schemes as used by the Alaska
heavy fighter in 1/144. It contains forty Over twenty variants of the P-51 Mustang were Air Command. The kit is comprised of 200 parts
components, a vacformed canopy and one set of produced following its first flight in 1940. and comes with adhesive masks and rubber
US Navy decals. Modelsvit have reboxed their 1/48 kit with new wheels.

RS MODELS
www.rsmodels.cz
New or reissued from RS Models
in 1/72 scale:
92282 Kawasaki Ki-60
92284 Heinkel He 46C
‘Nachtschlacht’
92285 Heinkel He 46 E-2Un
(Hungarian)
92286 Heinkel He 46C (Spanish)
92287 Heinkel He 46C (German)
92283 Zlín Z-XIII (double kit)

SPECIAL HOBBY carrier and went on to be used as a fire-fighting SH72172) was the most massive helicopter in
www.specialhobby.eu machine until the 1970s. The kit comes on seven world when it was introduced just after the
plastic sprues, one with clear parts, a set of resin Korean War. This improved re-release features
Special Hobby have two big limited edition photoetch and resin parts and has an extra
releases this month. The AF-2 Guardian ‘Fire parts and a fret of photoetch. There are two
sprue with new external fuel tanks with pylons.
Bomber’ (ref. 100-SH48225) was the largest types of water tank and three marking options.
The model is in 1/72 scale and the decal sheet
single-engine aircraft to fly from an aircraft Meanwhile the CH-37C ‘Deuce USMC’ (ref. 100- caters for three USMC machines.

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 9

U P D AT E S

WOLFPACK
www.wolfpack-d.com
Three new premium
edition kits from
Wolfpack, based on
Academy’s plastic with
the addition of canopy
masks:
WP14820 FA-50 Golden
Eagle 'ROKAF' 1/48
WP14817 Spitfire Mk
XIVc 1/48
WP17212 B-17C Flying
Fortress 1/72

CENTAURUS SONG The kit comes on one sprue with some forty ‘grey fuselage’ schemes.
www.4pluspublications.com parts in their customary blue-grey plastic and a 144159 ‘Commonwealth Service’ British,
separate clear canopy. Construction is entirely Canadian, Australian and Pakistani aircraft.
Sea Furies on finals
conventional with the fuselage split in two
By Mike Verier 144160 ‘Mediterranean and Middle East’ - two
halves and a one-piece lower wing. Separate
Hawker Sea Fury upper-wing halves and tail planes complete the British Sea Furies plus one each from Egypt and
Kit Nos.MKM144 158 / 159 / 160 /161 & 164 basic airframe. Detail includes a surprisingly Iraq.
Scale: 1/144 complete cockpit interior and a well-rendered 144161 ‘Far East’ - three Fleet Air Arm Korean
Manufacturer: Mark 1 Models insert for the wheel-well. The big five-blade prop schemes and one Burmese aircraft.
Weapon set for Sea Fury comes with a spinner and back plate but only a All of these have two complete and identical kits
Kit No.MKA14428 tiny pip to glue it to the engine front – a in the box. Finally, there is a ‘Limited edition’
Scale: 1/144 potential weak point. Undercarriage detail 144164 ‘Special Schemes’, which has only one
appears accurate, albeit I expect that the model but four interesting schemes: the second
The long-awaited Mark 1 Sea Furies have finally
aftermarket won’t be slow in providing more prototype in grey / green camouflage with
arrived and proud they have done us.
detailed wheels. yellow undersides, a Mk 51 from the Dutch
The Hawker Sea Fury marked the culmination of
Drop tanks are included, as are two rather non- ‘Aerobats’ team with an orange cowl and
a line of development that stretched back
descript bombs. Mark 1 also market a resin set spinner, an all-red German target facilities FB Mk
through the Tempest series to the Typhoon.
that includes two more accurate 1000Lb bombs 11, and finally a Canadian FB Mk 11 of the RCN’s
Powered by the mighty Bristol Centaurus engine
and six very delicately done 60Lb RPs. Winter Experimental Establishment with
it was the last piston engine fighter to grace the
Fleet Air Arm’s decks and even managed to Decals are always a strong point with this extensive red panels on wings and tail.
shoot down a MiG 15 during the Korean War. It manufacturer and apart from the stated Given that the only alternative is a very hard to
was widely exported and Mark 1 have produced schemes also include wing walks, instrument find gashapon this is a most welcome release
four ‘2 in 1’ boxings, which cover many options panels, and stencils for the boarding step. The and like the Spitfires before them I anticipate
plus one ‘limited edition’ bagged single kit options are: seeing lots of these on the show tables in due
offering four more schemes. 144158 ‘Early Schemes’ - four British and Dutch course. Highly recommended.

12 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
P I AG G I O P.108 B

The Piaggio P.108B bomber prototype using the 1/72 Special Hobby kit of the P.108B Serie II.
Story and model: Stephen J Di Nucci
Photography: Phil Jones
Without doubt the P.108’s biggest claim to smaller parts. If you want to detail your model,
fame was its pair of remotely controlled gun you'll be unable to resist a copy of Ali D'Italia No.
barbettes, set into the outer engine nacelles, 15, which is full of excellent photography and
something that didn't again see the light of drawings, including internals. I was also lucky
combat until the advent of the Boeing B-29 enough to have access to two (although
Superfortress. Each barbette toted a pair of different) cutaway drawings.
Breda-SAFAT 12.7mm machine guns, reducing
the need for drag-producing conventional gun
Inside the Fuselage
turrets. There was a turret in the belly, but this
was almost fully retractable. Serie I machines, as Stage 1 of the build covers the cockpit, which
well as the prototype, also had a low-drag gun is well provided for. Here we have a floor with a
position in the nose. back bulkhead, moulded seat runners, a pair of
Kit No: SH72035 very accurate resin seats with moulded belts,
I'm aware of modern kits of the P.108 only in control columns, main instrument panel, and a
Scale: 1/72 1/72 scale. For vacform fans there's the Airmodel central floor console. The bulkhead is depicted
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic kit from Germany, which is very nice indeed. with a partition and doorway, but no door or
However, it has an enormous Achilles heel - the curtain. References provided only qualified
Manufacturer: Special Hobby transparencies in my copy of the kit have support for this, so I dug out the whole partition.
www.specialhobby.eu seriously yellowed and seem unusable. This now allowed the cockpit area to look
Instead, there are offerings by Special Hobby backwards and downwards into the

I
talian World War II medium bombers were and by Flying machines, both with beautiful accommodation for the rest of the flight crew, so
often noted for their timber construction, clear transparencies. The earliest boxings were a I added as much as I thought might be seen. This
three engine layout and short production P.108B Serie I (nose turret) by Flying Machines, amounted to a navigator’s table and chair to
runs. The Piaggio P.108B (B - Bombardiere) and a P.108B Serie II (no turret) by Special Hobby, port, a radio equipment stack (facing aft) and
certainly scored highly against the latter, but but, at least from the point of view of the chair to starboard, and steps up to the flight
that is where similarities with previous designs transparencies, it appears that either can be built deck. The aircraft was roomy.
ended. This four-engine all-aluminium heavy from both boxes. More recently, Special Hobby Stage 2 installs two bulkheads in the middle
bomber was, instead, of advanced concept and re-released the kit with either version fully fuselage, the first of these also doing duty as
design. There were also very effective transport buildable from the one box. These kits are short- wing spars protruding out through the wing
versions of the aircraft, the P.108T (T - Trasporto), run injection-moulded in thick but slightly soft roots, but there is no bomb bay nor any internal
much coveted by Italy's Axis partners. Incredibly, styrene, and in the case of my kit, running to well detail at all for this whole area. I decided to add a
the bomber first flew as early as November 1939, over 100 parts. The kit is very nicely detailed with little structural detail. An interesting aspect was
but in industrial terms it was rather beyond the indented panel lining. The plastic parts are a ‘crescent moon’ shape in the ceiling, enclosing
capability of the Italians, and only a relatively augmented by a sizeable collection of high- an area (partly for fuel tanks) of similar cross
few were built. quality resin items, which cover most of the section, which stretched all the way back to the

A pair of
home-built
Jozza
bombsights.

The
nacelle
fitted
over the
Added engine bearer, oil tank and pipework engine
detail. The nacelle is waiting to be slipped over bearers
the tubular-type bearers

14 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 P I AG G I O P.108 B

The wingroot, but note that the depth may The wingroot widened by 2mm to match the
have been affected by my addition of spars. height of the fuselage roots. Strip styrene is sometimes preferable to filler.

My first plan was to use

Quickboost engines designed for
the Hasegawa Grumman Tracker.

The superb Airone Hobby

Piaggio PXI engine against the
Special Hobby kit engine.

One of the The resin bases for

embedded remotely the sighting cupolas
controlled barbettes. have been fixed.

rear of the bomb bay. I replicated this by an Alclad Aluminium topcoat. The wheel bays nose frame is so narrow as to take no prisoners.
installing a false ceiling, sprung into place by (see below) worked out well, although not so the It is best to rely on the capillary properties of
trapping a long rectangle of curved Plasticard cockpit/cabin areas. Having already assembled liquid poly, applied remotely.
between a longeron fixed high-up each side, the cockpit unit into one side, the restricted The kit's absence of internal detail in the
made from Microstrip with a spacer beam in the access prevented me from spraying the matt central fuselage carries on into the rear. There
centre of the ceiling. This worked a treat. primer from close enough - lesson learnt. There are hatches for the lateral gun positions but no
The nose turret is a quarter-sphere shape with wasn't much I could do about it at this late stage, guns. The tailwheel yoke is a resin item, which is
a slot for a 12.7mm gun - this would be fitted a stiff brush helped slightly, but I consoled installed before the fuselage is joined. I worried
much later along with the cockpit canopy. The myself with the notion that little of the porridge- whether this would survive and would have
lower nose is split into two, matching the effect would be seen with the fuselage closed preferred a plastic one. I was right. I had only just
fuselage halves. The join to the fuselage is only a up, and at least my interior window masking begun to join the fuselage and it was already on
butt fit. I've come unstuck in the past when I've went nicely. the floor! I decided to lose the resin axle, make
added a separate nose after fuselage assembly, I had previously installed and painted (and and fit a styrene replacement, and a styrene
the Academy B-24 for example, so this time I masked) the instrument panel and floor console, cross-piece at the head of the leg, which now
added each half transparency to each fuselage so after removing all masking, these now allowed me to use liquid poly to fix the resin leg,
shell. Even so, it still didn't work out perfectly, received a quick drybrush with light grey to pick yoke and wheel at final assembly.
but I was left with only a slight step at the out the excellent detail. I fitted a few scratch-
fuselage join. There was also an internal step as built items of equipment to the cockpit walls
the fuselage walls were rather thicker than the Wings
and (later) added the leather-style painted seats.
transparency. I paid strict attention to getting a I thought that much would be gained by fitting a The surface detail on the flying surfaces is
match at the extreme nose, because the framing bombsight in the nose, but in fact there were absolutely first rate, subtly depicting that very
is very narrow. two Jozza bombsights, fitted either side of a slight sinking effect of taut skinning over
Once my added structural detail was finished central plinth. I was aware that a Jozza is structural frames. The only piece of prep
and the transparencies masked inside, I could available in an Eduard set for the S.79, but I required was to install the resin gun barbettes
airbrush the interior. Internally, the reference couldn't justify spending over £20 just for bomb into the upper wing halves, but without actual
previously referred to strongly suggests the sights, so I fashioned my own from parts in the guns for now. The barbettes need to be
P.108 was unpainted natural metal throughout, spares box plus spare photoetch. My reinforced from the inside to prevent any chance
in spite of Special Hobby's suggestion of Gunze representation is highly simplified. Closing the of them later pushing through. The wing halves
Green FS34227 (H312) for the interior. I preferred fuselage needs to be done carefully, particularly were then brought together.
the natural metal. I used Alclad grey primer with in respect of the nose transparency; that central The engine nacelle halves can be assembled

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 15

P I AG G I O P.108 B

More
wheelbay and
filler work.

Airone Hobby
7.7mm and
12.7mm Breda-
SAFAT MGs.

Nearly ready for

transparencies,
note added
structural detail.

Propellors
assembled
and ready
to go, but I
later had to
correct
some errors.

quite quickly if you wish, but I was mesmerised cowlings. In the end, I forgot to do so! employed the PXI until about 1941. Suddenly,
by the inevitably very long engine bearer Next, I tested out the fit between the wings my obvious choice was one of these two, and
structures for the inner engines. I decided they and fuselage. I was disappointed to find that the given that I had details of the changes in colour
couldn't be ignored and would have to be wing roots at the fuselage (1.6mm max) were schemes employed by MM22001, I went for the
scratch built. They were of course anchored back deeper than those at the wing (1.4mm max), so I prototype. Prior to the appearance of Airone’s
to the front spar, so the first task was to make had little choice but to cement some hefty engines, I had previously lined up some engines
and fit some bit spars. The basis of these were spacers into the space between the upper and by Quickboost intended for the Grumman
some Plastruct zig-zag beams, but with a plain lower surfaces of the wing. These gave a much- Tracker. Nice, but these were only single-row
panel let in to hide the triangulations. Next up improved result, although filling and fettling was nine-cylinder engines, and I didn’t fancy fitting
were four holes drilled into the front faces of still required. I must caution readers, because the missing thirty-six pushrods, never mind
each spar, then microrod to carry forward, within friends who have also built this kit have not seventy-two for a full two-row radial! Two Airone
the nacelles, outlining an oblong box shape. suffered these issues, and I have to conclude that sets were required as there are only three
Lastly, the pleasant job of cutting and fitting the my work inside the wings to add spar and engines in each box.
cross and angle stiffeners. The design of the kit, engine bearer detail probably upset things. A bonus was that MM22001 had the more
my method of sliding the completed nacelles interesting overwing exhausts, although sadly
over the bearers like gloves, and my wish to without the hedgehog manifolds, although
avoid anything that wouldn't be seen, led me to Engines without combat duties at that time, these were
ignore some of the structures. I wondered Special Hobby are to be congratulated for unnecessary of course. So, I assembled cowlings
whether the cross-section of the boxes really their engine cowlings. Piaggio developed two part numbers 5 and 6 to the nacelles, (although I
should perhaps be square, but I found that to be ‘different’ cowling types, one where the engines have to say it was hard to make out any
impossible to achieve. Something not exhausted over the wings, the other beneath. difference between the two sets of cowlings).
mentioned so far are Special Hobby's flat panels, Early aircraft seemed to have had the former. Finally, I added the resin air intakes top and
with a large oval hole, that occupy much of the Accordingly, the kit includes both types of bottom of each cowling set, and the exhaust
space within the nacelles, designed I think to act cowling, in other words there are eight in the stacks later after the paint stage. The Piaggio was
as buffers for the wheels once (partially) box, and what's more with a choice of either notable for ten shaped facets around the rear of
retracted. stub-end exhausts or hedgehog Wellington-type each cowling, beautifully reproduced by Special
Once I had also fitted out the insides of the alternatives, all superbly rendered in resin (if you Hobby.
nacelles with structural ribs and other bits, I want also to build the Airmodel kit, the spare set Special Hobby’s propellers are rather nice,
could airbrush the metal interiors at the same of cowlings will be a Godsend). I now had to although require twelve blades to be fitted into
time as the fuselage interior. Also required now decide on the particular aircraft I would model, four bosses, and I didn’t find them easy, some
was a clean-up and a sub-assembly of both sets because that would determine which engine being obviously out of alignment to me only
of main gear legs. The back struts reach deeply cowling/exhaust combination to use. when actually assembled to the model, causing
backwards into the restricted access areas within Special Hobby’s engines are disappointing at me to make some late amendments. The plastic
the rear of the nacelles. The last job before very best, being only single-row radials in half blades needed only minimal clean-up, the
actually adding the nacelles to the wings was to relief on a flat base and with little detail. Airone excellent resin bosses none at all apart from
make some oil tanks and piping to fit into the Hobby were new on scene in 2022, and I’ve been eliminating the mould base at the bottom of
ceilings of the inner nacelles - Italian oil related bowled over by the quality of their products. each one. Take great care with the blades
equipment was coloured brown. For the piping I One of their offerings is a set of three Piaggio PXI because they are handed – one side revolves
used brown-sheathed telephone wire. The 14-cylinder engines, sporting a forest of clockwise, the other anti-clockwise.
nacelles were not a comfortable fit to the upper pushrods, typical of the Piaggio P.108. I really
wing, probably due to my work within them. The wanted to use these, but the P.108 used Piaggio
worst was that some of the nacelles were not PXII 18-cylinder engines. It didn’t take me too Extra Details
quite symmetrically aligned, but I thought I long though to discover, however, that the The tailwheel should have a couple of stays,
could disguise this when later attaching the prototype MM22001 (plus MM22002) actually reaching backwards and upwards to the rear of

16 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 P I AG G I O P.108 B

Masking
under way,
and a slight
mismatch
at the rear
of the main
canopy is
being
corrected
with filler
and styrene
strip.

Masking finished.

Microrod stays added to the

trail of the tailwheel yoke.

The
completed
wheelbay.

the wheel yoke, not in the kit, which I could I when cutting my own replacements, so I war colour grigio mimetico (mimetic
represented with a couple of lengths of later resorted to painted decal strips, affixed with camouflage), FS equivalent FS36231 Dark Gull
Microrod. Drawings seem to suggest something Johnsons Klear/Future. Gray. For this I used my usual Xtracolor Dark Gull
akin to a block and tackle, although this does Grey (X131), an alternative being Humbrol Gull
seem odd. The purpose may have been for Grey Matt (140). For the upper surface base
tailwheel steering. The P.108 also had a pair of Paint and Decals colour, my source suggested verde mimetico,
sizeable landing lights, one in each wing leading Special Hobby's decal sheet options include a although it did not specify which of the several
edge, also not in the kit, although happily for me captured example in US markings, which variations of this one was appropriate. Verde
the prototype doesn’t seem to have had them. crashed immediately after coming under new mimetico 3 was widely in use by the Italians; its
There are however two issues specifically for the management, even though the USAAF pilot was equivalent is FS 34102 Vietnam light green, and I
prototype. First, the head of the rudder had a warned about the aircraft’s hydraulic issues, and went with Xtracolor X116. I had an issue recently
forward balance extension at a right angle to the one with a black underside and blacked-out where my Xtracolor tinlet was possibly too dark,
rudder post, not at 45 degrees, and the forked markings, an aircraft lost in January 1943 during so here I slightly lightened it with white. The vast
pitot probes in the extreme nose were placed a mission to Algiers. Both are aircraft with majority of both Italian fighters and bombers
instead at the end of a diagonal arm, reaching underwing exhausts. However, the sheet does had a wraparound of the upper surface colour
forwards from beneath the bomb aimer’s area. carry some nice items for the prop blades. underneath the wing leading edges, but oddly
The forked probes are better in the Airmodel kit My chosen subject, though, was MM22001. It the P.108 seems to have been an exception. I’ve
(which has a certain amount of injection- originally flew with plain natural metal even seen a photo where the upper surface
moulded items), and as there are two in the kit I everywhere, perhaps primer, without any arm- colour ended above the upper rim of the four oil
used one of these. of-service markings except for a tri-colour cooler intakes in the leading edges. Not having
rudder, and with prototype roundels ‘PF’ in black to return the topsides colour to the underneath
Transparencies on the fuselage and wings (PF for Piaggio at is of course a Godsend for modellers.
Finale Ligure). By the time of its crash landing at For the mottle, my source records patches of
By now there wasn't much build left to be
Villanova d’Albenga on 15th February 1940 it giallo mimetico, overlapped by patches of
done. It was still too early for the guns, but time
had picked up a dense and large mottle marrone mimetico. Again, my source didn’t
though for the ventral turret. Special Hobby
camouflage, but with markings as before. specify exactly which colours, so I went with
represent only a shallow section of the retracted
Repairs took eight months, at the end of which it Humbrol Brown Yellow (94) for the yellow, and for
turret, and as such it has almost no clear area.
was repainted with a smaller mottle, white tail the brown I mixed a marrone mimetico 53193
Special Hobby has a gun for the turret, but a
cross, and wing fasces – this would be my model. (note, not an FS number) using four parts of
hole needs to be drilled. I attached the sighting
Sometime after March 1941, probably very soon Humbrol Rust (113) and one part of Humbrol
domes for the barbettes, after fitting and
painting the resin plinths, but fit these before the after, the aircraft returned to Piaggio to have its Dark Earth (29). I’m afraid that mottle effects are
belly turret, otherwise you'll not be able new PXII engines fitted, and it emerged with a not my forte, and things didn’t turn out quite as
extricate the domes if they should push through new dense but small mottle. Finally, starting I’d hoped for. Weathering was minimal. I used
into the fuselage. After a thorough wash and spring 1942 and ending with its write-off in a heavily thinned gloss dark brown into panel lines,
rinse came the fitting and masking of the main crash whilst with 174 Squadriglia on 29 June using a small brush and allowing capillary action
transparencies. As already noted, these are 1942, it had been painted in the familiar dark to do much of the work, with a spirit dampened
superb, and fit very well, apart from a few areas green. By then MM22001 was in combat service, cotton bud to whisk any excess backwards with
at the rear edge of the main canopy, which but had run out of fuel on the way back to Italy the airflow. I finished with a semi-matt varnish,
required a little filler or thin styrene strip. The after a mission over Gibraltar, and had set down but note that weathering using thinners must be
nose and canopy masking would have been onto the sea off the beach at Valencia, Spain. completed before the enamel varnish, otherwise
tedious, of course, were it not for Peewit’s MM22005 also suffered the same fate on the the thinners will permeate sideways out of
brilliant yellow tape set (ref. M72243). However, I same day, elsewhere along the Spanish coast. control through the varnish layer. I also used a
couldn’t get Peewit’s masks for the quadrants of I began the paint stage with the undersurface dark weathering powder and a small soft brush
the sighting domes to lie down properly, nor colour, which is thought to have been the early to indicate exhaust stains.

JUNE 2022 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 17

P I AG G I O P.108 B

Decals
were
minimal on
MM22001.
Wing
fasces
were
above
and below
the wings, but
those in the box
are too small.
Most Italian aircraft
had fasces roundels
that stretched the
whole way from
just ahead of the
ailerons to almost
the wing leading
edge. In spite of a
decent collection of
Italian markings, I couldn’t find anything suitable
in 1/72. I tried 1/48 but they were too big, prevented
although maybe I could have tried some fighter them from
roundels in 1/48. I eventually happened upon being assembled have
some roundels of exactly the correct size in an with a perpendicular a couple
Aviation Usk vacform kit of the Savoia-Marchetti hang, bearing in mind the of dropdowns
SM82, although possibly not of the correct style. dihedral of the wings, and to the fuselage before
These were incredibly thin, and I laid them down which in turn prevented a reaching the forward mast,
onto a bed of very wet Klear so as to eliminate clean insertion of the heads of the legs into their both aligned on a sharp diagonal,
silvering risks – it almost worked. As to the white location holes under the wings. I had to do the but these defeated me.
tail cross, there wasn’t one in the box. Instead, best I could, and quite honestly, the tight fit of
there was a crudely blacked-out cross (for the the legs proved a saviour because I could use
Algiers aircraft), and so after trimming away the superglue between the legs and the sides of the Conclusion
ragged edges, I used the black cross as a wells. Doing something the same with the gear Well, I can’t say that I found this an easy
template to cut and apply some replacements doors gave even more strength. I would strongly model. I had started the build many moons ago,
from white decal film. advise against popping the wheels in and out of and for me it’s always a sign of difficulty if there
their stub axles, given that above the wheels, the are long periods away doing other things. But
legs are joined together only at one point, which what a great subject matter from Special Hobby!
Main Gear is easy to fracture with excessive movement. It’s The P.108 still attracts attention at shows and
Without doubt, for me the main issue with best to paint both legs and wheels, then at least club nights, but it’s become an aircraft that’s
this kit is a proper and secure set-up for the loose fit the wheels and then leave them there. now much better known. It deserves to be.
landing gear, which was now due for fitting. I
had spotted early on that the edges of the wheel
bays were too narrow to accept Final Assembly Acknowledgements
the width of the gear legs, and I Final throws were, of course, all three gear Thanks to Huw Morgan
had already widened them. units, as already described, the propellers, and for his help.
But this proved to be the exhaust pipes, which were tricky to align
insufficient, the symmetrically. Special Hobby’s gun barrels, with
sides of their cooling jacket holes, are top class, coming
the legs up beautifully with a quick coat of gunmetal. For
still being the nose turret, I used one of Airone’s 3D-printed
hard up 12.7mm MGs. Finally came a rig for the antenna
against the wire for which I used heat-stretched smoked
edges. This sprue. The wire should also strictly
speaking

18 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
M I T S U B I S H I K i - 21 - 1 b

By Huw Morgan

I
n the late 1930s the Japanese aircraft industry form of the Nakajima Ki-19, despite Mitsubishi
operated in an environment of some being instructed to use Nakajima Ha-5 radials in
turbulence, with often conflicting demands place of their own Ha-6 engines. Ironically, the
from Army and Navy factions nature of the Japanese industry's commitments
(where has that been repeated?) was such that Nakajima ended up building a
and often with entrenched significant proportion of the production Ki-21
favourites among the airframes.
manufacturers (ditto ...) which was
The Ki-21 first flew in 1938 and at the time
compounded by the Japanese
was easily comparable in performance with
military's penchant for directing
equivalent Allied types. Code named ‘Sally’ by
work and design specifications at a
the Allies (it was originally named ‘Jane’ after
detailed level. The net result was
something of a jumble of types that General MacArthur's wife, although the
tended towards compromise and thus compliment wasn't appreciated and it was
had few outstanding stars. The Ki-21, quickly changed!), the Ki-21 was an all-metal,
Mitsubishi Ki-21-1b ‘Sally’ designed by Mitsubishi in the late mid-wing, twin-engined aircraft, which carried
1930s in response to a 1935 Army specification three or five (in the -1b version) Type 89 7.7mm
Kit No: 72203 machine guns for self-defence and could deliver
calling for a heavy bomber to replace the Type
Scale: 1/72 92 (Ki-20) and the Type 93 (Ki-1), might be a bomb load of 750kg – 1000Kg depending on
considered one such star, if for no other reasons range. Used extensively in Japan's conflict with
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic China, by the middle years of World War II, it was
than its popularity and longevity in service. It
Manufacturer: ICM took a couple of iterations on the engines and very vulnerable to newer breeds of Allied
www.icm.ua airframe before it saw off the competition in the fighters despite the increase in its defensive
armament. Nevertheless, it soldiered on as one

The cockpit floor detail isn't bad, but the

Rather speculative internal structural detail is Eduard photoetched set will add significantly
External engraved detail is sharp and offered, and although there are a few to this.
consistent. knockout marks, these will be largely invisible
in the built model.

The characteristic glasshouse canopies are

Smaller details like the machine guns are well excellent, very thin, clear and having sharp
There are tidy two-row engines and separate moulded and show minimal moulding flash or framing. These are well worth the investment
pushrod tubes. parting lines. in the Eduard masking set.

20 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 M I T S U B I S H I K i - 21 - 1 b

The Eduard photoetched detail set is typical of

their offerings, with one fret of pre-painted The kit includes neat filler pieces to blank off
parts largely for the cockpit, and a plain brass the otherwise gaping wing root areas.
fret for the structural parts.
The cockpit area is significantly enhanced by
the addition of the Eduard photoetch, and
loads of (empty) ammunition carriers in the
rest of the fuselage.

With detail painting done the fuselage interior The Eduard set includes a convincing The enormous greenhouse canopies fit pretty
was given a wash of Burnt Umber oil paint, instrument panel. well, and although the amount of filler shown
here shown rather heavy-handed and here appears daunting, it's there only to blend
needing some reducing. the canopies in rather than fill gaps.

Each undercarriage leg is made up of five

While ICM are to be commended for their parts, excluding the wheel and the two small
templates of the canopy masks, there's no The Eduard brass is used in other areas of the braces that fit to the wheel arch, here shown
denying that the Eduard pre-cut examples are airframe too, here shown improving the as they come from the sprue and assembled.
worth having! finesse of the dorsal twin-gun mounting rails. It looks fragile, but actually is pretty robust

of Japan's most important bombers until the (3021). By the time of this build, the aftermarket attaching the pre-painted parts, the interior was
end of hostilities. The total number built was has reacted with its usual alacrity and both sprayed with Halfords primer, which in the
2,064. photoetched parts (ref. 73789) and masks (ref. absence of any better information was left as the
ICM's new-tool 1/72 scale model of the Sally is CX638) were available from Eduard and base interior colour, quoted in the instructions
welcome as the type hasn't been well served by accordingly snapped up. as Tamiya Dark Grey (XF-24). Fully fitted-out, the
manufacturers. MPM produced a reasonably The build begins typically with the cockpit, fuselage halves close up without difficulty,
credible offering in 2001, but the only other which in this case encompasses the bulk of the having remembered to fit the clear parts for the
option was the ancient 1973 Revell Japan potentially visible fuselage interior. My habit ventral windows and the bodies of the beam
boxing. Interestingly Special Hobby announced when dealing with photoetched parts is to go and ventral machine guns, although the barrels
a new tool for 2022 and ICM themselves plan a - through the kit and photoetch instructions side were removed from these for later fitting, to
1c version. The kit is presented on six frames of by side, marking up the former where a kit part avoid them breaking off. The enormous
163 grey plastic parts, and a clear frame of needs modifying or exchanging. In this case the glasshouse canopies all fit pretty well and some
nineteen parts. There are no photoetched pieces first steps involve changes and additions to the water-soluble filler was used to blend them in.
or self-adhesive masks, although the instructions fuselage inner walls with a mix of plain metal ICM are to be commended for including life-
offer a set of full-sized templates (130 of them!) and pre-painted photoetch parts being used. sized templates for cutting masks for all the
which will need some pretty accurate cutting to Wherever possible I try to fit all the plastic and transparencies, but the Eduard pre-cut set is, as
look good on the very clear glasshouse plain metal parts first, so they can be painted, ever, a boon and has to be recommended.
canopies. Four early-war schemes are offered, all then attach the pre-coloured ones with either The fuselage seams could now be cleaned up
in Grey/Green from 60th Sentai, 58th Sentai in superglue or high-strength acrylic. Working and any restitution of panel lines undertaken
China in 1942, and 105th Kyoiku Hiko Rentai through the kit and photoetch instructions side before the large canopies glued in using ZAP
training Flight at Hamamatsu. Fit looks to be by side there is additional detail added to the formula 580 canopy glue, a high-strength water-
good across the board, and certainly the quality instrument panel, seats, and the fittings soluble acrylic, and the Eduard mask set was
of the moulding is excellent with clean and attached to the inner surfaces of the fuselage, in applied at this stage to minimise the risk of
consistent external engraved detail although particular, loads of ammunition drums for the damage. The tail parts were next, the separate
some re-scribing/repair will inevitably be Type 89 machine guns. Having placed most of elevators and rudder offering the opportunity to
needed on the seams. As with a number of their these it occurred to me that it would be unusual pose them deflected before the canopy
recent releases, ICM have also produced a set of for them all to be empty as depicted, so several frameworks and fuselage assembly were given a
their own-brand acrylic paints to accompany the in the most prominent positions were removed thin coat of acrylic primer. I tend to use acrylic
kit which includes Grey/Green, Aluminium, Steel, and replaced by the kit's plastic versions with for this first coat, rather than the lacquer-based
British Khaki, and 4BO Green, as well as varnish the ammunition drums in place. Before Halfords primer, since the acrylic is potentially

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 21

M I T S U B I S H I K i - 21 - 1 b

ICM's instructions have the built-up

undercarriage legs fitted to the wing before
the nacelle, and several trials showed that This shows how closely the nacelle fits around
there wasn't a credible way around this since the undercarriage (left).
the nacelle aperture is just too narrow. Each engine is quite well detailed and is made
up of six parts (note that the separate exhaust
isn't shown) plus a further three for the
cowling. The biggest omission is the ignition,
harness which is remedied by the Eduard
photoetch set.

The built up engine and cowling and its After priming the upper surfaces were given a Slight wobbles over the behaviour of the
component parts show that relatively little random mottle of grey and brown in lieu of decals encouraged the use of masks to paint
detail is actually visible. pre-shading. the main Hinomaru.

Here's one good reason

why pre-cut masks are ICM have expanded their line of acrylic paints with a set for World War II
worth having. Japanese aviation paints, although this is badged as aimed at the Ki-21b
and therefore has limited relevance to later schemes.

easier to clean up in the event of creep under the instructions but perhaps counter to should see them survive painting. The kit's
the masks. intuition, which would have the dangly bits left engines are nicely detailed, although what can
With the fuselage done then attention can until last. The five-piece undercarriage legs are be seen will be severely limited by the
turn to the wings whose upper and lower halves actually quite robust when built, and fit very narrowness of the front opening, nevertheless,
fit together straightforwardly, again with positively into the nacelle bays, so the ignition harness included in the Eduard
separate ailerons, which can be posed. Dry with superglue photoetch adds some
fitting showed that the two-piece used to attach visual interest.
engine nacelles would fit well into the them, reasonable
recesses in the lower wing, but it was care
clear after some trials that the
undercarriage would definitely need
to be fitted
before the
nacelles, as per

22 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 M I T S U B I S H I K i - 21 - 1 b

Colouring In
Japanese Army aircraft of the early war years
had limited variety in their camouflage, mostly
being finished in overall Grey/Green. In order to
introduce the prospect of tonal variation
without the harshness of pre-shading panel lines
I opted for a mottled undercoat of greys and
brown applied using various Mr Hobby colours.
Once dry, application of the topcoat was started
with thinly sprayed ICM Grey-Green (1063)
rather heavily diluted with Vallejo thinners,
which I've found work best with these paints.
Curiously, the ICM/Vallejo combo softened the
base Mr Hobby mottle paints to the extent that
they slumped and ran into abstract swirls and
puddles - ah well, perhaps a bit more
randomness wouldn't go amiss. After the initial
reaction between the paints there was no
further issue and the final finish could be built
up gradually, finishing with a thin coat of the
grey/green lightened heavily with off white,
concentrating on panel centres. The whole
airframe was brought to a gloss finish using
Alclad Aqua Gloss Varnish, ready for decals and mottle,
weathering. the result had turned out
rather monotone, and so
Previous experience with ICM paints suggests overcoming my antipathy towards
that applying decals can be a scary process, with panel line washes, which I believe
even plain water used to settle them resulting in bringing
can look very overdone, I did give it to market.
a disconcerting bubbling of the surface, which the whole airframe a wash of very dilute Burnt
fortunately mostly dies down as they dry out. The kit itself is
Umber oil paint, working in fairly small areas and straightforward to
Don’t use setting solution and only the minimum wiping the excess off in the direction of airflow build, but it really
amount of water. In view of this, the opportunity or gravity. Once reasonably happy with the benefits from the added
was taken to try out some new vinyl masks from panel lining everything was matted down with finesse of the Eduard internal
Dead Design (ref. VM72100) to paint the Vallejo Polyurethane Matt Varnish (26.518) and photoetch set, and despite ICM's
Hinomaru on the wings and fuselage. Once the some final tweaks to the exhaust staining and laudable inclusion of the mask
paint and decals were dry, they were distressed general dirt added with pigment powders. templates, there's nothing to beat the
lightly with a fine sanding stick to make them This is an accomplished kit of a significant pre-cut Eduard versions. Excellent, and
look a bit less new and shiny. Japanese aircraft of World War II, and ICM are to thanks to ICM for the review sample.
Despite the attempts to pre-shade with the be congratulated for their commitment in

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 23

T-6A/C TEXAN II

Universal Trainer
By Colin ‘Flying’ Pickett

T6A Texan II – USAF 01-3603 of the 432th FTS in out the vents in the rear of the fuselage and
an all over grey ‘Scat’ heritage colour scheme. install mesh for a more realistic finish. I chose to
T6A Texan II – USAF 03-3689 of the 89th FTS in a cut the vents open and then thin the fuselage
grey over green heritage colour scheme close to scale thickness in the right areas before
resplendent with a flaming skull design on the fitting a portion of some mesh. I had in my
front fuselage. spares box to replicate those found on the
aircraft rather than risk cutting the hole too large
Being a limited run style moulding, the kit and not getting the kit mesh to fit properly.
does have an amount of flash present, but a
quick clean up with some sanding pads soon Closing up the fuselage wasn’t a problem and
solved these issues. no major fit issues revealed themselves. The soft
plastic reacted well with the Tamiya thin
The kit starts with construction of the interior adhesive I used to help melt small beads of
and having limited details based around decals, I plastic to fill the joins meaning only a small
decided that I’d model the canopy closed as this amount of filler was needed to hide them fully.
would avoid the rabbit hole of scratch building
T-6A/C Texan II Limited Edition The same went for the wing, which needed a
more features as well as show off the lines of the little thinning before the three parts were joined
Kit No: 48100 aircraft. The kit does include some very nicely together to provide a more scale thickness. I
Scale: 1/48 detailed resin ejector seats which look superb only needed a fine slither of plastic card to hide
when painted and help detract from the decal the gap in between the upper surface of the
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic interior. A set of ejection handles from an Eduard wing and the fuselage with a small amount of
Manufacturer: Isradecal set helped to add a bit more detail too. I wanted filler dealing with the underside. A similar
www.isradecal.com to build a T-6C to represent the aircraft now in approach saw the tail surfaces installed.
use with the RAF, and so set about making the
adjustments noted in the instructions to reflect The kit comes with vinyl masks for the canopy

W
ith the Beechcraft T-6A/C Texan II now which line up perfectly with the framing so
being firmly established as a world this, including adding the photoetched brass
Head Up Display (HUD) which fits into a section these were installed to help protect the
leading training aircraft, it’s great to transparency as I installed it, with a small
have a kit that allows the type to be built in 1/48 you’ll need to cut from the instrument panel
cowling. The instructions call out for 20g of amount of filled
back in production. Based on the 2011 Ibex closing the slight gap
models kit, this offering by Isradecal allows the weight to be installed in the nose above the
front wheel well, I know I added far in excess of around the edge. A
construction of two different versions, the T-6A general clean up
or T-6C. this amount and still had concerns about ending
up with a tail sitter so add as much as you can fit. with some sanding
These options are reflected in the decals pads saw the
provided which give the choice of either: Within the kit-supplied photoetch there are Texan ready for
some options some paint.
T-6C Texan II – XM329 of the Royal Air Force in to cut
overall black with yellow High Visibility markings With my
T-6C Texan II – FAC2350 of the Colombian Air
Force in a white over light grey scheme.

24 w w w. s C A l e A i r C r A f T m o d e l l i n g . Co. u k
 T-6A/C TEXAN II

The interior detail comes Although not essential the

together quickly through addition of grilles to the vents
extensive use of decals. in the fuselage add interest.

The airframe The essential

comes together check coat of
quickly, with only primer and fine
a small amount of sanding before
filling needed. the top coats.

Finally back on track with the

smart Columbian scheme.

A very short time after this photograph was taken the painting process
started to go completely wrong.

The colour of Cheerful

the CAF even against
scheme decals the grey of
add to the lines the
of the Texan II. underside.

intention to build an RAF machine I set about finish. Decal application went well with no issues coat of Metalcolor Gloss Varnish (77.657) to
applying coats of Tamiya Flat Black (XF-1) and at all and I then masked and added the metallic protect it. At this point the painting process
sanding to get a smooth finish before adding leading edges to the Texan using Vallejo went wrong for me, as I decided to add a couple
coats of acrylic glass varnish to get a decal ready Metalcolor Chrome (77.707) before adding a more coats of another manufacturer’s high gloss

JUNE 2023 • VolUmE 45 • IssUE 04 25

T-6A/C TEXAN II

varnish to get a real shine. This reacted with the images I of fuse wire while the propeller hub is mounted
paint underneath and I ended up with a poor found online on a length of brass tube which slots into
finish that I had to strip off as it wouldn’t even too. another section fixed in the nose of the Texan to
polish up with fine sanding pads. I set about Various help protect it from clumsy handling.
with some Expo Model Paint Remover (445-00) unmasking and So it was onto the final part of the build,
which removed the bulk of the paint without masking sessions adding all the small details and undercarriage.
damaging the plastic underneath. I then sanded followed to add in the The only note I would add here is to install the
the remaining paint away and rescribed the Royal Blue wing and tail main undercarriage legs towards the top of the
surfaces where needed. Having now used the markings along with the undercarriage bays to get the correct sit for the
RAF decals and ruined them I needed to find black anti-glare panels. Texan. If they are installed as indicated the rear
alternatives. At this point I couldn’t find suitable Rather than spraying the sits too low and adds to any balance issues that
RAF decals on the aftermarket, so opted for the leading edges, I decided to use some spare you may have.
remaining T-6C in the box, that of the Columbian Baremetal foil I had left over from another
Air Force. With a new direction I set off priming Despite the painting issues, which were of my
project which looks rather effective. The kit own making, the Texan II was an enjoyable
with white and ensuring I had a decent surface decals again proved to be superb with no issues
to work with before masking up for the ‘Dawn project. Due to its limited run nature, it’s perhaps
to report and so a final couple of coats of gloss not one for the less experienced modeller, but if
Grey’ undersides, which acrylic varnish sealed them in place.
apparently equate to you’ve built any of the older limited-
Humbrol’s Grey (40). A hunt The chrome on the spinner was achieved by run kits this one will be familiar
through the various using Vallejo’s superb Liquid Silver (70.790) territory. It certainly
conversion charts I have which is, from my experience, the only silver that makes for a great
resulted in Vallejo Dark can be successfully brush painted. I used starting point for the
Sea Grey several thin coats but the result works scratch builder having a
(70.991) well I feel. The propeller blades were host of resin parts to start
being the mounted on short the process off. Although I
closest I had in my lengths intended to build an RAF
stock. This also looked example fate decided otherwise,
a pretty good match leaving me with a very smart looking
to the reference Texan and a hankering to build that RAF
version still.

26 w w w. s C A l e A i r C r A f T m o d e l l i n g . Co. u k
P-8A POSEIDON

Big Plane, Big Kit

A Poseidon Adventure
By Ugur Kenel

by Boeing Defence, Space & Security, and The main differences to the 737 fuselage are a
derived from the civilian Boeing 737-800, it was weapons bay, under wing and under fuselage
developed for the United States Navy. On 20 July hard points for weapons, a sonobuoy
2007, the Australian Minister for Defence deployment system, and increased structural
announced that the P-8A was the preferred strength for low level operations (down to
aircraft to replace the Royal Australian Air Force 200ft).
fleet of Lockheed AP-3C Orions, followed by the
United Kingdom in 2012, Norway in 2014, then The internal fuel capacity of almost 34 tonnes
New Zealand, South Korea, and Germany. allows the P-8A to conduct low-level anti-
submarine warfare operations more than 2,000
The Lockheed P-3 Orion had been in service kilometres from base. The P-8A is capable of air-
with the United States Navy since 1962. In the to-air refuelling with tanker aircraft.
1980s, the USN began studies for a P-3
P-8A Poseidon replacement, the range and endurance of which
were reduced due to increasing weight and Construction
Kit No: 7222 airframe fatigue life limitations. The specification
This is definitely not a beginner level kit. It’s
Scale: 1/72 required the new aircraft to have reduced
operating and support costs. In 1989, Lockheed very detailed, but also requires many and
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic was awarded a fixed-price contract to develop various construction techniques. The fact that
the P-7, but this was cancelled the following there is a very serious compatibility problem on
Manufacturer: BPK Models the body extends the production time a little. In
year. In 2000, a second competition for a
www.bigplaneskits.com replacement began. Lockheed Martin submitted addition, combining resin parts with plastic
the Orion 21, an updated new-build version of parts will require some modelling experience.
Preserving the many very fragile antennas also

T
he Boeing P-8 is truly a multi-mission the P-3. Boeing offered a jet aircraft based on its
maritime patrol aircraft, excelling at anti- 737-800 airliner. BAe Systems offered a new- requires effort. As there are some errors in the
submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, build version of the Nimrod MRA4. On 2004, instructions when it comes to the decal stage, I
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, Boeing was selected as the winner of the Multi- recommend that photos of the real aircraft be
and search and rescue. Developed and produced Mission Maritime Aircraft program. examined in detail.

The kit box is unexpectedly small for the plane When you open the box you are greeted by a
itself. It is tightly packed inside, and the model lot of parts. I don't know why some are The instruction manual, given in the form of a
itself is not small at all (about 60cm long). different colours, but they are all made of the brochure, is colourful and very clear.
same plastic. The detail is all engraved.

This model is also supported by a beautiful

I really liked that the canopy transparency is resin detail set by Reskit. This set includes
Masks are provided out of the box for this kit. moulded integrally with part of the body. This engines and an APU section. In addition, the
The decal sheet provides markings for both prevents the problems that may arise from antenna and probes on the aircraft are given
the US Navy and the Australian Navy. adhesive overflow during the bonding phase. as a photoetch set.

28 w w w. s c A l e A i r c r A f t m o d e l l i n g . co. u k
 P-8A POSEIDON

After unboxing, I started construction

Here are the main parts of the cockpit. All
following the instructions with the cockpit. In
instrument panels are supplied as decals. No
the picture you can see the parts for the seat
throttle details are provided.
and flight control yoke.

The landing gear detail for this model is quite While gluing this part, I recommend using
good. It consists of dozens of parts and almost more adhesive than normal as the bond
all the details found in the landing gear needs to be very strong, so that in the later
housing of a real 737 have been added. I stages it will support the long wings and keep
wanted to finish this model in flight position, so them straight.
as the landing gear bays will be closed, I only
used the main parts and omitted the details.

I glued all the parts of the cockpit in place

with their outlines and painted them first with
black primer, then with grey paint, and lastly All instrument panels in the cockpit are given
with glossy varnish. as decals. Here, in the decal numbered 107,
the two large displays to starboard should be
opposite, so the orange/blue coloured one
will be on the outside.

Likewise, the rear of the cockpit was prepared.

After the instrument decals were in place, the Although the fire extinguisher detail here is
main instrument panel, seats and flight very fine, it will not be very visible behind the
control yoke were glued to the floor. seat.

JUNE 2023 • VolUmE 45 • IssUE 04 29

P-8A POSEIDON

When the work on the interior is done in

general, I focussed on the exterior of the main There are only four transparencies on the
parts. The first thing that caught my eye was body, but the plastic where these fit is very
the window panels in the emergency exits. thick and the part sits too deep. These
sections should be thinned internally for a
better fit of the glazing.

As I will finish this model in a flying position I

added two extra pilots to make the result
more realistic.

There are no locating pins to ensure correct

alignment. The large parts need to be pressed The body parts are very long, but the mating
together by hand until the adhesive dries, so I surfaces are so thin that they must be
used CA glue to shorten the bonding time. supported with adhesive inside.

As for the general fit of the main body parts,

here you see the the tail part and the lower
fuselage join. It will take a little work to get a
seamless fit.
There are fit problems throughout the model, To solve this problem, I cut a thin slice from
but I think the biggest issue is the dimensions the rear body.
of the rear body and front body. The rear is
wider than the front. If I had known this ahead
of time, I would have pared down the parts a
little before gluing the rear body.

Next I clamped this part with tape and then

glued it. By this means I narrowed the radius
of the rear body a little bit, making it the same
size as the front fuselage. The cut surface will
In this section, the rear of the cockpit sits too
be filled and sanded again to make the
When assembling the front fuselage, the high, preventing the canopy from being
surface smooth.
cockpit also has to be inserted. properly seated, so I shaved the top of the rear
cockpit a bit.

As for the wings, the part indicated by the The piece indicated by the arrow was cut and
The alignment of the wing root to the lower arrow on the winglet should be cut, otherwise, discarded. Now the match between winglet
body also seems a bit problematic. it will not be able to sit on the wing. and wing is acceptable.

30 w w w. s c A l e A i r c r A f t m o d e l l i n g . co. u k
 P-8A POSEIDON

There is also a resin APU addition produced by When the general construction and scribing
A small piece should be cut from the tip of the Reskit for this model. The detail is better of the wings was completed, the remaining
tail. A pod specially made for the P-8 aircraft defined, and the fit good. small parts were placed on the wing.
will be attached to this part.

I added some detail on the fan with the help

I painted each piece with their own colours. of a delicate brush.
Normally, the inner parts have to be installed
Engine parts supplied for this model. The first and then the engine hood needs to be
most important parts are provided as a resin closed, but in my dry-fit experiments, I found
detail set. that the internal parts can be attached later.
This being so, I will be much more comfortable
during the painting phase and will be able to
attach the inner parts of the engine last.

As you can see, contrary to the construction

plan, the inside of the engine was easily
replaced from the outside.
Next, we need to get rid of the ridges on the
resin fan. With this done I will be able to attach
these parts to the engine from the outside.

The front part, consisting of three parts, was

combined. The resin inside has been shaved a
little so that it can fit easily into the engine.

Now it was time to assemble the main body

parts - two long, heavy sections with a very
small joining surface. I wanted to glue this
firmly in order to prevent the risk of breakage
The fit of parts in the engine compartment is With the addition of photoetch, the engines and cracking that may occur in the future, so I
really good. In the picture, the front part fits were completed.. filled the inside with plastic straws.
perfectly, even though I did not apply any
glue. No masking was necessary as I was
simply able to replace the parts at the end of
the build.

In the next step, I placed the cockpit

Then I glued the front and rear body firmly in transparency first and then the radome. Next the wings were combined with the
place. I used CA glue, especially for the insides. Thanks to the design of the kit the glazing was fuselage. Here too, some filling and sanding is
Normal modelling glue could melt the body not damaged by the sanding operations I did needed, especially on the underside of the
from inside in these sections. while aligning it with the body. wing.

JUNE 2023 • VolUmE 45 • IssUE 04 31

P-8A POSEIDON

Again, a nice touch that BPK provide. Since the

landing lights are also moulded integrally with
a section of the wing leading edge, the I now attached some of the photoetch parts
beautiful light detail was not damaged when After the main assembly of the fuselage and all that came with the kit to the relevant places. I
it was fitted. panel scribing was finished, I replaced the tail. also used the Reskit APU exhaust details.

This camera part, unique to P-8 aircraft, is

If you look at photos of this aircraft, you will normally located inside the fuselage, and
see that the antennas under the fuselage are extends from an internal compartment. As I drilled a hole in the bottom of the fuselage,
different, from the kit parts provided. I made this would have involved further additional close to the centre of balance, and inserted a
my own antennas out of white plastic, based scratch building I omitted it. transparent tube inside to fit the model to the
on reference photos. stand later.

Since I wanted to use two AGM-84 Harpoons

Windows should be masked before painting. at the end of the model, I prepared them in
Fortunately, this box comes with a mask set the same way.
for this kit.

There will be many antennas on this aircraft.

For ease of painting, I left them on their sprues
and left them off the airframe until the end of
the build.

I painted the whole body with a light grey hue

and then applied gloss varnish. It was left to
dry for at least a day.
I painted the model with black primer first,
then painted the leading edges with an
aluminium shade, masked it when it dried,
and started painting the next colour.

When I put the exhaust parts of the engines in The quality of the decals was really good. They
place, as per the instructions, I noticed that fit very comfortably on the model and work
they appear longer than they should. The very well with decal fluids. A few decals are
exhaust on the right here is as shown in the unnumbered on the plan. Apart from that, the
plan. For the one on the left engine, I cut a biggest problem is that the decal for the
piece of the appropriate size from the end of starboard front door is a little big. Later, I cut
The rest of the decals fit very well. Once dry, I the exhaust and replaced the remaining parts. this decal into a smaller size and fitted it into
went over them with another gloss varnish. The engine on the left is closer to the real thing. place.

32 w w w. s c A l e A i r c r A f t m o d e l l i n g . co. u k
 P-8A POSEIDON

Likewise, the exhaust part for the other

engine was painted with the relevant colours
after it had been shortened. The front fan part,
which I prepared in the previous stages, was
installed from the outside and the engines As with all Boeing 737 aircraft, P-8s also have a
were finished. small window over the doors, but this model
does not include this detail.

To fit the glazing to this door, I first drilled a

hole of the appropriate size.

In order to make a round window of suitable

size here, I first melted a piece of transparent
sprue and stretched it with heat. When it
hardened, I cut a piece to a suitable size and
inserted it into this hole.

The airframe has almost been completed. I

removed the masks and laid out all the
remaining main parts.

First I glued the engines in place.

I then completed the Harpoon missiles. No

painting instructions are provided for these
missiles, so you will have to find references
yourself.

Now the missiles took their place under the

wing.

In this model, the beacon light detail on the

upper fuselage, which is unique to 737
aircraft, is not provided, so you will have to As the build neared its end I fitted the
make it yourself. antennas in their places.

JUNE 2023 • VolUmE 45 • IssUE 04 33

P-8A POSEIDON

With the model nearly finished it was pointed To fix this, I masked
out to me that the port wing kangaroo the relevant area.
roundel is the wrong way around. This is how
it was given in the painting plan.

There is normally one beacon light under the

fuselage on the 737, while there are two
specific to P-8s. This is not included in this
model. You will need to check references and
add this detail to your model.

The correct roundel was finally applied, and all

was well again.

Much later, I realised that there was another

roundel set with the main decals, but it was
not written anywhere what they were for. It
turns out that this set was exactly the right
decals for this correction.

Since I could not remove the decal, I

overpainted it.

I then fixed this error with the correct item.

As with the wing, I was able to paint out the

incorrect roundel.

If you follow the painting scheme provided,

you will notice that the kangaroo roundel on
the starboard fuselage is also wrongly
oriented.. Just when I thought I had finished the model, I
realized that there are no canopy top windows
(eyebrows) in the real aircraft. In all Boeing
737 aircraft produced after the 2000s, the
eyebrows were removed from the
The pitot tubes, which were given as construction phase, so I had to repaint them.
photoetch, were fitted in place and painted There are no warnings in the instructions
when the glue dried. about this.

34 w w w. s c A l e A i r c r A f t m o d e l l i n g . co. u k
F 2 M - 1 W I L D E R C AT

The General
Motors F2M-1
Wildercat/
Heckcat
By Brian Derbyshire

W
hen carburettor arrangements could all be taken built either yet, but the parts have had the third
Grumman's directly from the SB2C Helldiver, whose cross- degree without admitting any error. This leaves
Hellcat section was temptingly similar. The Wildcat numerous superseded mediocrities available for
suddenly became much more structure forward of the firewall was a steel-tube Whatiffery.
urgent and simultaneously needed space frame, easily adapted. Looking good! The Academy (Nee FROG) kit was for long the
an upgrade, the R-2600-powered F6F-1 And third: the F4F's amphibian-based best approximation to the Wildcat on the 1/72
was dropped. The existing F4F-4 Wildcat market. It's coarse and fat and made (like all its
undercarriage allowed too much lurching about
production was shunted off to General Motors contemporaries) to incorrect drawings, with a
on deck. More rigidity was needed, but the
and built as the FM-1. It remained an short canopy among other snags. However, it
preferred alternative undercarriage (straight off
underpowered clunker, and in this universe was more or less looks the part. My spares box
the P-40) was too short. Hence, the wing pick-up
replaced by the XF4F-8's spinoff, the FM-2. But, yielded an Airfix Helldiver cowl and engine, a
points were lowered and faired in, with a bigger
what if GM had been given a freer rein? FROG Hurricane prop and spinner, and (of all
fuel tank enclosed within the new structure. The
GM knew about the F6F-1, and they would existing stub wings were modified to accept the things) half a tailplane from a 1/24 scale Ju87. I
soon have experience with the standard Wildcat. Kitty's undercarriage, the wheels fitting where think the U/C legs are off a Matchbox F4U but
How could it be improved quickly? the oil coolers used to be. The fin and rudder Finagle knows where the wheels came from.
First, and simplest: more firing time. This had were enlarged, as per the XF4F-8 but more so. The first job was to measure the existing ‘span’
already been addressed on the FM-1 The rear fuselage and tailplane remained of the Academy fuselage and transfer this to the
specification by omitting the two outboard guns unchanged, and the handling was like the Stuka tailplane, whose aerofoil section was
and reinstating the F4F-3 ammunition trays, as original - but with much more zip! persuaded to match that of the wing roots using
near as possible. card and elbow grease. The ‘real thing’ would not
Second: more power. R-2600 engines had need this new centre-section as such, but it
Kit-Bashing works well on a model. Once attached to this,
been planned for the F6F-1 and could be re-
reallocated. The cowling, oil cooling and Arma's F4F-4 and FM-2 Wildcats are as near with some tweaking to get the dihedral right,
perfect as I can imagine (fit permitting). I haven't the upper wings had their new wheel well detail

Arma’s excellent new tool has freed up a

number of older kits for experimentation. The The lower wings had the well apertures drilled, Having cut out the belly, I filled the wing slots
base kit used here is by Academy. and the armament details filled and rescribed. and smoothed off the fuselage sides.

36 w w w. s c a l e a i r c r a F t M o d e l l i n g . co. u k
 F 2 M - 1 W I L D E R C AT

The cockpit interior is a 1963-vintage Revell P-

47 part from the spares box.
added. The lower wings had the well apertures base (copied from
drilled, and the armament details filled and a Kitty of course)
rescribed. The old fuselage wells were filled with and some
card and a start made on the U/C leg wells. packaging
Cardboard strips are taped in position to locate (which once
the fairing edges. held earbuds or
I made a cardboard template of the wing-root similar) gave me some lovely thin half-tubing for
upper surface and used this to copy the outline the leg doors.
some 28" further down the fuselage. Having cut The rudder was separated and the huge D-
out the belly, I filled the wing slots (using card of shaped recess in way of the elevators partially
convenient thickness, if of startling colour) and filled. The fin had some 0.010" card sandwiched
smoothed off the fuselage sides. between the halves, and on this foundation was
The FROG canopy was more like the Martlet I's extended using card, and the rudder using bits
than the -3 and -4 version, but fair(ish). Academy of flap from the 1964 Revell Kittyhawk used as
replaced it with something even worse, with a reference for the undercarriage.
lower edge like an inverted hump-backed With the donkey work done, I got carried Note the completed fettling around the
bridge. This needed considerable filling and away with assembly (the only snag was making cockpit opening. The interior was fitted from
filing to fix. At this point I went back to my the canopy fit, it's a home moulding and more below after trimming the lower edges to get
spares box for a Revell P-47 seat/floor/bulkhead accurate than the kit) and forgot to take any the wing level.
(1963 vintage) to back up the kit's control photos until it was undercarriage time. For
column and my own-brand seat belts. With the canopy framing I paint off cuts of Letratone and
canopy closed, you'll not see much else. I also cut out awkward items like windscreen framing
spent some time cleaning up the Airfix Helldiver using an acetate template. This takes a bit of
bits, which came up quite well, considering. developing but earns its keep by the half-
I had decided that the best position for the dozenth model. Cut strips are easy with a steel
engine was directly on the internal fuselage ring, rule. Sometimes they won't stick down and a
which supported the kit engine (an especially hairdryer has to be called in, but for thin acetate
'orrible lump) but that meant the Helldiver canopies and the Wildcat's style of framing I
cowling skirt was going to overlap. I reckoned can't beat it - and yes, I have tried solid-colour
that the necessary cutting-down of the fuselage decal sheet (it tucks under too much for me).
nose would leave precious little wall thickness, Whichever you use, lock it all down with Klear.
so I reinforced the inside with card before I For a colour scheme, I looked at FM-2s and
started. This was a Good Thing, because the CVE-based Hellcats and behold, there in the Tail and rudder amendments.
remaining wall thickness was in fact negative. I stash was the left-over ‘Block Island’ scheme
should perhaps have cut to match the gills and from the Sword FM-2 kit. Rearrange the
butt-jointed the thing, but at least this way I numbers, find enough right-size stars-and-bars,
have a small but satisfying gap all round to let and Bob's your Uncle. (Tip: only use old Airfix
the cooling air out. Thunderbolt decals on flat surfaces).
Having achieved a satisfactory wing/fuselage Placed between the Wildcat and the Hellcat,
fit the belly parts were assembled and hacked to it's certainly neither one thing nor t'other. I shall
match. Some 0.015" card was needed to flush display it thus next show I attend, and see how
things out. Scrap card and filler produced the many puzzled frowns I can score. I certainly had
basics for the undercarriage fitting and fairing lots of fun busking it.

Cutting the frames for the canopy.

The finished undercarriage both with and

without doors.

JUNE 2023 • VolUME 45 • IssUE 04 37

SCALED UP

The Boeing P-8 Poseidon

By Des Brennan

Port view of P-8A Poseidon LC/437 (168437) from Patrol Squadron VP-8 ‘The Fighting Tigers’ in a typical Lo-Viz colour scheme, departing Misawa
Air Force Base, Japan in January 2021 carrying an empty weapons pylon outboard of the engine. The bulge for the larger electrical generator
required on the P-8 can be seen low on the engine cowling. (US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jan David De Luna Mercado)

S
ince the end of World War 2 the vast is an autonomous nuclear powered underwater Side-Looking Multi-Mission Airborne Radar
majority of designed-for-purpose land- vehicle capable of delivering nuclear or (SLAMMAR) with the ability to track small ships
based, fixed-wing Maritime Patrol and conventional warheads that was identified by in heavy seas at a distance of around one-
Anti-Submarine Warfare aircraft worldwide trace President Vladimir Putin in March 2018 as being hundred and fifteen miles (185 km) from a
their roots directly back to, or at least through, one of several new weapons projects in height of thirty thousand feet (915m). However,
an airliner or a transport aircraft design. After production. the Surveiller has no ability to carry or drop
much consideration the only exceptions I could offensive stores, markers or rescue equipment.
think of were the Lockheed Neptune,
Bréguet/AMD Atlantic and Atlantique 2, Tupolev
The 737 in Uniform From 2001 the US Navy started to take
Around thirty or so countries have operated delivery of what became a total of seventeen C-
Tu-142 Bear-F, and perhaps the Avro Shackleton
Boeing 737 variants in a military or 40A Clipper aircraft derived from the 737-700C
unless the diversions via the Lancastrian and
governmental role, usually in small numbers and in the high priority transport and cargo
York are considered a significant influence.
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that the usually acquired directly in their civil airliner or transport role and any combination thereof. In
Boeing P-8 Poseidon, as the latest to enter the BBJ form. Specific purpose-built military variants 2018 the US Marine Corps ordered two second-
field, is derived from the mainly civilian Boeing have been rarer, with a lengthy gap between hand 737-700Cs to operate in the same role,
737 airliner. those from the Second Generation ‘Classic’ which they are about to bring into service.
family to those from the more recent Third Although they have not adopted the ‘Clipper’
To the ancient Greeks Poseidon presided not
Generation ‘NG’. name (nor any other) the US Air Force have four
only over the seas but also storms, earthquakes,
Twenty-one T-43A ‘Flying Classrooms’ served C-40Bs and seven C-40Cs, which entered service
and horses and to some adherents at least held
the title ‘earth shaker’. To the Romans as Neptune with the US Air Force initially as from 2002. All are based on the 737-700BBJ with
there remained the link to the sea (and horse Navigator/Combat System Operator Trainers the C-40Bs having a VIP/Business Class interior
racing) while both traditions portray him as from 1973 until 2010 with some in later years along with an advanced secure communications,
holding a Trident. An apt name therefore to give being converted to CT-43A staff/command fit while the C-40Cs were bought off the shelf,
a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) although not the transports. Based on the 737-200 the aircraft had although its cabin can be reconfigured from a
first weapons system to which the name has just fewer fuselage windows and a more extensive low (forty-one) to a high (one-hundred and
as aptly been given, and which links today’s antennae suite externally with the interior fitted eleven) density passenger capacity. The Boeing
hunter with its ultimate prey the Ballistic Missile out with trainee/trainer workstations. Also based 737 AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control
Submarine. In the early 1970s the US Navy on the 737-200 were the three 737-2X9 or E-7 Wedgetail/Peace Eagle/Peace Eye
replaced Polaris, its first Submarine Launched Surveillers for the Indonesian Air Force in a dual depending on operator) was based on the 737-
Ballistic Missile (without doubt an ‘earth shaker’), MPA/Transport role, which were delivered from 700ER minus windows and with dorsal radar ‘top
with the UGM-73 Poseidon, which a decade later 1982 and remain in service. Unlike the T-43 these hat’ with deliveries beginning to Australia as the
was in turn replaced by the UGM-96 Trident. Far retained all of their cabin windows and most of launch customer in 2009. This leads us to the
more recently Poseidon is the English language the seating, as well as gaining a sixteen foot final military variant so far, the P-8 Poseidon
name given to the Russian project codenamed (4.87m) long bulged antenna on each side of the based on the 737-800, which entered service
‘Status-6’ (NATO reporting name ‘Kanyon’), which upper rear fuselage. These serve a Motorola from 2012.

P-8A Poseidon RC/431 (168431) from Patrol Squadron VP-46 ‘The Grey Knights’ in a typical Lo-Viz colour scheme albeit with a touch
of grey on grey heraldry, seen on the flight-line at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, with Mount Etna steaming gently in the
background in December 2020. As is almost standard the aircraft has one stores pylon fitted outboard of the engine. (US Navy
photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Zach Dalton)

38 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 SCALED UP

Poseidon P-8A YD/755 (168755) of Patrol Squadron VP-4 ‘The Skinny Dragons’ overhead Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, in February 2020 during
Exercise Dynamic Mantra 2020. This gives a good view of the various aerials and sensors under the aircraft, the inboard wing mounted weapons
pylon, and the mounting plinth for the outer as well as the location of the weapons bay aft of the wing. (US Navy photo by Mass Communication
Specialist 2nd Class Juan Sua)

The Poseidon following year, first flew in 2009 and entered Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) system,
In 2004 Boeing won the bid to replace the US service form 2012. Boeing’s bid was based on the giving it a stand-off PGM capacity, various
Navy’s Lockheed P-3 Orion, which had been in 737-800ERX, which combined the -800 fuselage bombs and depth charges, and SAR kit.
service there and with eighteen other countries with strengthened -900 wings albeit with the Sonobuoys can be discharged from three in-
for forty years, with a modern airframe and more swept raked style wing-tips from the flight reloadable rotary launchers in the rear
systems. Once perhaps considered mainly an Boeing 767-400ER. The fuselage was cabin along with a further three single-shot
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti-Surface strengthened for low-level operations, and other tubes. As the buoys used are far more efficient
Warfare (AsuW) and Search and Rescue (SAR) than door and escape hatch ports the only cabin than earlier generations the aircraft can monitor
asset the modern Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) windows are visual scanner positions on either them from greater heights rendering Magnetic
has evolved into wider responsibilities such as side of the forward fuselage aft of the cockpit. Anomaly Detection (MAD) less efficient and so
for Intelligence Surveillance Target acquisition Power is provided by a pair of Pratt & Whitney this is not fitted as standard. In what seems to be
and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) in various forms CFM-56-7BE engines and to provide the a return to an old practice, but presumably with
using all of its available sensors, Control and additional electrical power required for aircraft much more efficient technology than the long-
Communications Relay, Law Enforcement and systems the engine nacelles and mountings redundant Autolycus, some descriptions
Monitoring Sovereign Territory and Resources, to have been redesigned to accommodate more mention a Hydrocarbon Detector for ‘sniffing’
which merely adding more equipment to tired powerful generators. out burnt or spilled fuels. A retractable MX-
airframes is not a sustainable response. So A five-station internal weapon bay is located 20EO/IR (Electro Optical/Infra-Red ) turret is
diverse is the current capability that what used in the lower fuselage aft of the wing with a installed below the forward fuselage and The P-8
to be ASW, and had become MPA, is in the further two stores pylons under each wing and is equipped with a Raytheon AN/APY-10 Multi-
evolving language of the day now MMA or another two stations on the centreline. These Mission Surface Search Radar with a data fusion
Multi-Mission Aircraft. provide a capability to carry various versions of system integrating this with Sonics, Wescam MX-
The aircraft was designated P-8A early in 2005 the AGM-84 Harpoon ASM, Mk 54 torpedo, 20 EO/IR turret, Electronic Support and
and named Poseidon at the beginning of the including the High Altitude Anti-Submarine Countermeasures (ESM and ECM), as well as the

Poseidon P-8A A47-007 of No. 11 Squadron RAAF overflying the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) during joint operations in the
Pacific Ocean during December 2021. As can be seen the aircraft’s scanner position is manned, the forward fuselage FLIR ball has been extended, and
a weapons pylon has been fitted outboard of the engine. (US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Micheal Mensah)

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 39

SCALED UP

Poseidon MRA.1 ZP805/05/Fulmar (the Naval Air Station name for Lossiemouth
prior to it becoming an RAF base) operated by a crew from No.120 Squadron
based at RAF Lossiemouth drops a torpedo (recoverable exercise variant of the
Mk 54) over the Moray Firth in July 2021. The rear fuselage weapons bay doors
are still open, the forward fuselage FLIR ball is lowered, and no wing pylons are
fitted. (Cpl. Adam Fletcher Open Government Licence)

aircraft’s wider defensive countermeasures Endurance is around ten hours but this can be completing with the transition of the final two
abilities. An extensive communications system doubled with Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) units. The first aircraft delivered were in the
with data-link is also fitted and includes although unusually for a US Navy aircraft (and ‘Increment 1’ configuration however a stepped
potential for controlling UAV operations over a for some of those current users who practice process involving different ‘Phases’ within
wider area or at lower altitudes, for which they that art) only the Flying Boom method is different ‘Increments’ involving mainly software
can be equipped with MAD. provided for, as opposed to their long-standard and system upgrades, including retrofitting
use of the probe-and-drogue method. earlier standards, has now progressed to
With a six-screen glass cockpit the P-8 is
operated by two pilots on the flight deck with ‘Increment 3’. Integration of some newer and
another seven members of the crew operating Poseidon Proliferates other longer-established weaponry such as
the mission systems from consoles in the cabin, United States various sizes of the Mk 62/3/5 Quick Strike Mine,
of which originally five but later upgraded to The first of what will become by 2025 one- JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) GPS Guided
seven can be installed. The P-8’s maximum hundred and thirty-three P-8As for the US Navy Bombs, BU-53/B StormBreaker (Small Diameter
speed is 490knots/564mph (908kmph), it has a were delivered in early 2012 beginning a steady Bomb II) PGM, and AGM-158 JASSM (Joint Air-to-
service ceiling of 41,000feet (12,500m), and an replacement of the P-3 in nineteen squadrons, Surface Stand-off Missile) is also being
unrefuelled range of 4,500miles (7250km). which at time of writing in late April 2023 is conducted.

Poseidon P-8A 9586 (169586)/Munin of No.333 Skvadron of the Royal Norwegian Air Force arriving at Evenes Air Station, Norway, in May 2022 as the
last of the five aircraft ordered. Munin is the name in Norse mythology of a raven, which flew the world gathering information, and the name was
previously carried by one of the ultra dark grey-green Dassault 20ECMs operated by 717 Skvadron. (Forsvarsmateriell)

40 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 SCALED UP

Poseidon P-8A NZ4801/01 destined for No.5 Squadron of the Royal New
Zealand Air Force touches down on its delivery flight to RNZAF Base
Ohakea in December 2022. From this angle the bulges on the lower left Cockpit of a Poseidon P-8A from the US Navy’s Patrol Squadron VP-46 ‘The
side of the engine nacelles, to house the larger electrical generators on the Grey Knights’ during engine start in June 2022, showing the extent of the
P-8, can be clearly seen. (New Zealand Defence Force) glass cockpit technology employed on the aircraft. (US Navy photo by Mass
Communication Specialist 2nd Class Austin Ingram)

Poseidon P-8A YB/329 (169329) from US Navy Patrol Squadron VP-1 ‘The
Screaming Eagles’ undergoing engine maintenance at Misawa Air Force A Poseidon P-8A from US Navy Patrol Squadron VP-46 ‘The Grey Knights’
Base in September 2020 showing the fully extended integral crew ladder has the oil on its starboard engine refilled at Naval Air Station Sigonella,
and open crew entry door, open fuselage over-wing escape hatch, and Sicily, in January 2021, showing the flattened shape of the engine nacelle
wing-root landing/taxy light, as well as the flattened shape of the engine and front face of the engine as well as the outboard weapons pylon on the
nacelle and added bulge for the electrical generator. (US Navy photo by wing with the mounting plate for the inboard pylon also visible. US Navy
Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Benjamin Ringers) photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Austin Ingram)

Mid-decade work began on developing a acquired if requested. The first aircraft were end of 2019 with the option on the other two
replacement for the long rectangular Raytheon delivered in 2013 and equip three squadrons taken up a year later. Training is conducted by
AN/APS-149 Littoral Surveillance Radar System (INAS-312,315 and 316), which in addition to No.292 Squadron and all operations by No.11
(LSRS) carried under some P-3Cs. This has their Maritime role are reported to have Squadron.
resulted in the similarly-shaped forty-foot (12.2 operated overland in the ISTAR role during times
m) long Raytheon AN/APS-154 Advanced of tension with both neighbouring Pakistan and
Airborne Sensor (AAS), which is an Active China. United Kingdom
Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. In Indian service the aircraft has been In 2010 the UK Government announced that
Carried below the forward fuselage of the P-8 renamed P-8I Neptune and aircraft have been the country as an island state with global
this provides a stand-off ground/surface target completed to a slightly different equipment connections had no need of an MPA, cancelled
tracking capability and was first used by a P-8 of standard to meet both customer needs and US the Nimrod MRA.4 programme, and without
VP-45 in the Western Pacific during 2020 and has export restrictions to countries not in common delay destroyed the examples already flying and
been proposed as a replacement for the US Air defence alliances with it. For the latter the main under construction ensuring that it could not be
Force’s Boeing E-8 Joint STARS. Like other aircraft radar, the AN/APY-10, has been delivered revived. In 2019 the Government surprisingly
modern MPA/MMAs the P-8 possesses an in its AN/APY-10(I) or ‘international’ form with discovered that the country did indeed need an
inherent Electronic/Signals/Communication certain capabilities downgraded as well as MPA and not exactly unexpectedly ordered the
Intelligence (ELINT/SIGINT/COMINT) capability certain other systems in their ‘commercial’ P-8A Poseidon. Nine were ordered with
from current systems in its ISTAR role. Boeing has variant. For local needs it is fitted with a fixed deliveries beginning in early 2020 and
proposed a specific P-8 variant to replace the MAD boom in the tail, carries a tail-mounted completed two years later although in the past
dedicated EP-3E Aires II but current interest Telephonics APS-143 OceanEye radar to provide year RAF sources have commented on the need
leans towards a UAV. While further development 360° coverage, and has some locally for a further three aircraft to meet changed
for the United States remains unclear other manufactured systems such as Data-Link, IFF, threat levels. Aircraft are operated on a pooled
nations have placed orders as follow (in delivery ESM and some mission equipment. basis from RAF Lossiemouth by Nos.120 and 201
order): Squadrons with training conducted by No.54
Australia Squadron’s Poseidon Flight. In one of those not
India In 2007 the Australian Government uncommon embarrassing quirks of UK Defence
In 2008 negotiations began to replace the announced its intention to replace its remaining Policy the first aircraft were delivered to the
Indian Navy’s Tupolev Tu-142 Bear F and Ilyushin AP-3C Orion aircraft with the P-8A Poseidon. former Nimrod MR.2 operating base at what had
Il-38 May aircraft with the P-8. Eventually firm Twelve were ordered with an option on three been RAF Kinloss - by then the army controlled
orders were placed in two batches for twelve more later taken up for two, with the third Kinloss Barracks - until infrastructure work had
aircraft, although in 2021 the US Department of considered unlikely to be. The first was delivered been carried out at Lossiemouth.
State has cleared the way for a future six to be in late 2016 and all of the original twelve by the

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 41

SCALED UP

Inboard port wing weapons pylon on a US Navy Poseidon P-8A at Misawa

Air Force Base, Japan, in August 2021. The mounting plate for the
Starboard main undercarriage detail on a US Navy Poseidon P-8A as it gets outboard pylon can be seen outboard to the left. (US Navy photo by Mass
a wash-down at NAS Sigonella, Sicily, in April 2021. (US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Benjamin Ringers)
Communication Specialist 2nd Class Austin Ingram)

A Mk 54 Torpedo being loaded into the weapons bay (looking forward) of

Fins being fitted to an AGM-84D Harpoon ASM mounted on the starboard a US Navy Poseidon P-8A from Patrol Squadron VP-4 ‘The Skinny Dragons’
inner wing weapons pylon of a US Navy Poseidon P-8A at Naval Air Station during explosive ordnance training at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland in
Sigonella, Sicily in January 2021. (US Navy photo by Mass Communication March 2020. The bay is equipped with mountings for up to five of these.
Specialist 2nd Class Austin Ingram) (US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Lewis)

Norway this year. The aircraft mentioned carries the Poseidon Colours
In 2016 Norway ordered five P-8As to replace badge of the 61st Patrol Group on the tail, So far all production P-8 have retained their
their existing six Orion P-3Cs. The first was whose constituent squadrons, Nos. 613 and 615, factory colour scheme of overall gloss finished
delivered in late 2021 and like the Orion all will currently operate the Orions although it is FS16515 Boeing Gray, which is a standard
be operated by 333 Skvadron of the Royal unclear if either or both will continue on the P-8. primary company colour that has been applied
Norwegian Air Force. The first aircraft delivered to Boeing products for decades. Various P-8 kit
carried the name Vingtor, as previously carried Germany instructions and modelling references tend
by one of the P-3s, and had the same ‘Saint’ With a need to replace its four now rather towards FS16440 Light Gull Gray or FS16375
outline denoting the unit callsign on the fin. elderly former Dutch Navy P-3C CUP+ the Light Compass Ghost Gray as being close to this
However it does not appear that the blue/yellow German Government ordered five P-8As for the but others suggest that Canadian Voodoo Grey
Norwegian Coast Guard pennant previously German Navy in September 2021 to be is a more exact match for FS16515. Only time
carried on the Orion because of their Fishery and rebuilding after deep maintenance will tell if
operational by 2026. Described at the time as a
Protection, SAR and Law Enforcement support the different user services will re-paint in their
temporary measure pending the development
role has been applied. previously traditional MPA or large aircraft colour
of the joint Franco-German Airbus A320M3A
Maritime Airborne Warfare System (MAWS), schemes in years to come. While obviously
New Zealand subsequent events and potential expenditure aerials and other sensors will have differently
The Royal New Zealand Air Force was might question this. In June 2022 a German coloured/finished surfaces the most obvious
identified as a potential P-8A customer to politician was quoted as saying that following exception to the overall grey are the natural
replace its six P-3K2 Orions not long after the Russian Invasion of Ukraine in March that metal edges to all flying surfaces.
Australia had shown its interest albeit with an year a need for a further seven P-8s had been While for some users, such as Australia and
expected later replacement date. Some ten years identified, since clarified in the US Aviation Press New Zealand, black/grey is the default colour for
later four P-8As were ordered for delivery to in April this year to be an interest from the national and unit markings with the only touch
enable an earlier entry to service during 2023. German Navy for a further three. The P-3s, like of colour being the red of engine air intake or
Consequently, the first aircraft was delivered by the Bréguet Atlantic before them, have been similar warning notices, there are exceptions.
late 2022 with others following this year to equip operated by Marinefliegergeschwader 3 ‘Graf While generally holding to this pattern, but with
No.5 Squadron, replacing the Orion it has Zeppelin’. full colour national markings, the USN maintains
operated since 1965. the tradition of at least one full-colour marked
Canada aircraft per squadron, while India, Norway, and
South Korea Although several other nations have been the RoKN have chosen full colour national
Following a period considering ex-US Navy linked to some or extent or another with markings. In general it would seem that where
Lockheed S-3 Vikings as a replacement for their showing an interest in acquiring the P-8 very full colour national markings are carried any unit
P-3 Orion fleet (eight P-3Cs and eight P-3CKs) a little is certain in the field of defence sales and markings that might be applied follow suit. RAF
decision was made in early 2020 to order six P- procurement. However, the Royal Canadian Air Poseidons continue the long-held practice of
8As for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN). The Force would in the short term at least seem the carrying Lo-Viz national and safety markings but
first aircraft was completed and painted by most likely to purchase the P-8 to replace their in their established shades of pink and light blue
Boeing two years later in early 2022 and now forty-year old CP-140M Aurora, as the P-3 is with yellow safety markings and grey lettering
deliveries to Korea are expected to begin early known locally. and numerals.

42 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
M O D E L L E R S N OT E S

Modelling the Poseidon By Des Brennan

F
or the really, really adventurous I could In 1/144 scale Contrails Models released a full and South Korea as well as a provisional scheme
suggest starting at the very beginning with P-8A resin kit with white metal undercarriage for Germany. While not quite so prolific Ronin
the 1/72 1960s/70s releases of the Aurora and without decals in 2014, followed the Graphics offers examples in 1/72 (some repeated
or later Monogram 1/72 first generation Boeing following year by a resin conversion for the from those included with the Welsh Models kits
737-100 kit, and following the structural Revell (and by default Hasegawa) Boeing 737- listed above) from the USN as well as other
evolution leading first to the third generation - 800 kit. In 2016 Scratchaeronautics released sheets covering the RAF, Australia, New Zealand,
800 and thereafter the P-8. Alternatively Welsh separate full resin kits for USN and RAAF and Norway, and while I cannot find any listing
Models released a 1/72 multi-media P-8A in examples respectively. Going smaller yet again for them each of the cover sheets for these also
Hasegawa released the first of their 1/200 P-8s in reference a 1/144 alternative. Furball Aero-
2010. This has since been released in separate
2014 and while this has been re-released several Design offer one 1/72 sheet for USN aircraft
boxings with different USN and RAAF P-8As,
times, including one pending with the ventral covering fourteen options from thirteen
then most recently RAF MRA.1 markings. In late
AAS Pod, all have been with USN markings. different units while Air Graphics offers the 1/72
2022 Big Plane Kits (BPK) released an injection
sheet covering all nine RAF MRA.1s from their kit
moulded 1/72 P-8A with resin engine detail and Decal sheets for the P-8 have been produced mentioned above as a separate item.
a small fret of photoetched fuselage detail parts in all of the above scales. The most prolific have Notwithstanding any generic Boeing 737 or 737-
along with USN and RAAF decals. Air Graphic been those produced by DRAW, which seems to 800 related aftermarket items, ResKit offer sets of
Models have produced a limited edition version keep pace with deliveries of the full-scale aircraft either two or four P-8 underwing stores pylons
of the BPK kit with an RAF-specific decal sheet and offer their sheets in a range of scales from in 1/72 while Air Graphics has the MRA.1
and an improvement set with relevant additional 1/72 down to 1/500. To date their range includes Improvement Set mentioned with their kit and a
‘lumps and bumps’ in resin, which are also a variety of USN examples along with others for fold-out crew ladder (P-8 and E-7) in the
available as separate purchases. the RAF, Australia, India, New Zealand, Norway, same scale.

44 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 AIRCRAFT IN PRoFIle

ISSUE 85

The RAF’s big ‘Heavy’

By Jon Tabinor

The Short S.31, a half-size proof-of-concept aircraft, shows the original undercarriage configuration envisaged for the Stirling proper.

T
he only RAF four-engined bomber ‘Their Airships’ (thanks Mike) to look at four- reshaped to produce the required lift. Much has
designed as such, the Short Stirling has engined aircraft too. With an eye to imperial been made of this short wingspan as the root of
lived in the shadow of the lancaster, and to policing the specification also called for the the Stirling’s poor ceiling – the cause of it being
a lesser extent, the Halifax – yet was an aircraft to be able to carry twenty-four troops to the maximum 100ft opening of the RAF’s
important type that took the war to the enemy the far corners of ‘The empire’ and then act as a existing hangars. However it should be
at a time when the enemy was very much supporting bomber. Reginald Mitchell’s death in considered that the Halifax Mk I actually had a
bringing the war to Britain. 1937 made Supermarine’s aircraft less likely and shorter wingspan as did the Manchester, and
Designed in 1936 by Short Brothers to the Air Short’s back-up was pushed into the spotlight even the lancaster only had 102ft. It seems that
Ministry’s Specification B.12/36, the S.29 as with two prototypes ordered. RAF hangar doors could be opened to wider
Short’s aircraft was known, was initially regarded Short’s proposal had, in essence, been a Short than this 100ft limit anyway, and the
as a back-up to Supermarine’s Type 317. B12/36 Sunderland flying boat with the hull and lower specification called for the Stirling to be
was conceived as a four-engined design from deck removed, powered by Napier Dagger serviceable outside (presumably as part of its
the start, at a time when the RAF sought to engines. Air Ministry criticism resulted in a colonial policing role). The Stirling was a far
develop advanced twin-engined bombers redesign and adoption of Bristol Hercules heavier aircraft than either the Halifax or
powered by promising engines in the 2000hp engines. More importantly, the Sunderland's lancaster, and its fuselage was some 20% bigger
range. Foreign designs such as Boeing’s YB-15 114ft wingspan was reduced to less than 100ft, than either. It may be that this was its real
and Germany’s Do-19 Ural Bomber persuaded which required the wing to be thickened and shortcoming when it came to carrying a decent

An early Stirling Mk I series i, N3641 MG-D, of No. 7 Squadron. Note the prop spinners and lack of dorsal turret on these first series aircraft.
AIRCRAFT IN PRoFILE

bomb load at a high-enough altitude.

Air Ministry contract number 672299/37 Ground crews loading 1500lb Mk
ordered a pair of prototype S.29s from Shorts. To I aerial anti-ship mines. This was
prove the type’s aerodynamics, Shorts adopted the largest weapon the Stirling's
the successful trick used with their Empire flying bomb bay was initially designed,
boats and built a half-size proof-of-concept and so expected, to take.
aircraft. Known as the S.31, built mostly of wood,
and powered by four 90hp Pobjoy Niagara
engines, it had retractable undercarriage,
operating bomb-bay doors, and several features
that realistically mimicked the larger production
aircraft. After construction at Short's Rochester
factory, it first flew on 19 September 1938. With
performance deemed acceptable it was flown to
RAF Martlesham Heath, Suffolk for evaluation by
the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental
Establishment where it garnered a mostly
favourable reception. The one criticism was that
its takeoff run was considered excessively long
and needed improvement. The obvious fix was
to increase the wing’s angle of incidence, but
this would give the aircraft a nose-down attitude
while cruising (like the Whitley). Moreover,
making this structural change was hampered by
the fact that construction of the production line
was well advanced – the Air Ministry had already Mechanics checking the deployment of the
ordered the aircraft ‘off the drawing board’ in main undercarriage of a Short Stirling,
response to reports of increased German aircraft shows the complex retraction process
production. Shorts opted to lengthen the created by adding more length to them. The
undercarriage, which increased the wing and Stirling’s wheels were the largest in RAF use.
nose angle for take-off. This led to the Stirling’s
somewhat strange-looking and spindly
undercarriage, which ultimately would cause
many take-off and landing accidents.
A landing accident resulted in strengthening
of the undercarriage retraction struts on the first
prototype, which first flew on 14 May 1939. The
S.29 was now christened ‘Stirling’, following RAF
practice of naming bombers after towns and
cities. Production orders were soon increased
from 200 to 1500 aircraft. While it was hoped
that more powerful versions of the Hercules
would have been available, the first aircraft were
powered by four Hercules II radials each of
1425hp. Consequently these Mk I series i aircraft
had a lower performance than predicted.
Loaded to 57,400lbs, it had a maximum speed of
only 218mph, and a service ceiling of just
15,000ft. Its 900 feet per minute rate of climb to
5,000ft, dropped to only 160feet per minute
above 10,000ft. Fully loaded with 75,400lbs, the
‘series i’ took 34 minutes to reach 15,000feet – a
problem as operational altitudes preferred by
Bomber Command steadily increased.
To defend itself the Mk I series i carried three
Frazer Nash powered gun-turrets, all armed with
0.303 Brownings. A twin-gun FN5 in the nose, a
four-gun FN4A turret at the tail and a two-gun
retractable FN25A turret beneath the aircraft.
The latter was not a success, tending to lower
itself when the aircraft taxied. It had poor
visibility for sighting, and slowed the aircraft by
around 10mph. Although the ‘series i’ was
assigned to training duties for most of its career,
it was aircraft of this series that took part in the
type's first operation. Stirling Mk I Series i aircraft
were first delivered to 7 Squadron at RAF
Leeming, North Yorkshire in September 1940.
Following a four-month work-up they gained
operational status in January 1941, and on the
night of 10/11 February 1941 three Stirlings
bombed fuel storage tanks near Rotterdam in
the Netherlands.
The Mk I series ii Stirling, which soon followed,
had the FN25A ventral turret removed and
replaced with two 0.303in Browning machine
guns to be used from fuselage side windows, like
the Wellington. The rear FN4A turret was
The Stirling’s roomy cockpit was very high up and could cause some consternation for the novice pilot.
replaced by the superior FN20A version, also
 AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE

Stirling Mk I N3641, No. 7 Squadron, RAF Leeming, late 1940.

Stirling Mk I W7455, No.149 Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, January 1942.

Stirling Mk I N6101, No. 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit, RAF Waterbeach, 1941.

Stirling Mk I N6075, No. 7 Squadron, RAF Oakington, April 1942.

Stirling Mk I N6086, No. 15 Squadron, RAF Wyton, September 1941.

AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE

Stirling Mk I W7566, No. 149 Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, late 1942.

Stirling Mk I R9358, No. 214 Squadron, RAF Chedburgh, 1943.

Stirling Mk III BK784, No. 90 Squadron, RAF Wratting Common, August 1943.

Stirling Mk III LJ454, No. 623 Squadron, RAF Downham Market, November 1943.

Stirling Mk III BK807, No. 75 Squadron, RAF Newmarket, April 1943.

 AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE

Stirling Mk III EF403, No. 1660 Heavy Conversion Unit, RAF Swinderby, 1944.

Stirling Mk III LJ525, No. 199 Squadron, RAF North Creake, 1944.

Stirling Mk III LJ543, No. 199 Squadron, RAF North Creake, 1944.

Stirling Mk III LJ559, No. 171 Squadron, RAF North Creake, September 1944.

Stirling Mk III PW256, No. 171 Squadron, RAF Foulsham, October 1944.
AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE

Stirling Mk IV LK589, Central Navigation School, seen at Malton, Ontario, June 1944.

Stirling Mk IV EF309, No. 196 Squadron, RAF Keevil, June 1944.

Stirling Mk IV LJ891, No. 299 Squadron, RAF Keevil, 17th September 1944..

Stirling Mk IV LK554, No. 299 Squadron, seen at RAF Bury St Edmunds (Rougham), 1945.

Stirling Mk IV LK368, No. 196 Squadron, seen at Ruzyne airfield, Prague, August 1945.
 AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE

Stirling Mk V PK148, No. 51 Squadron, RAF Stradishall, 1945.

Stirling Mk V PJ956, No. 51 Squadron, RAF Dum Dum, circa September 1945.

Stirling Mk V PJ985, No. 158 Squadron, RAF Stradishall, 1945.

Stirling Mk V PK144, No. 196 Squadron, RAF Shepherds Grove, 1946.

AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE

Scale: 1/144
AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE
AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE

A fine view of Stirling Mk III of Sqn Ldr John Overton DFC 218 Squadron taken in the summer of 1944 (John & Lewis Funk)

with four guns. Overall ‘series i’ and ‘series ii’ ceiling was still a low 16,500ft, at a time when but the tail turret was retained for defence and
versions saw eighty aircraft built. Bomber Command preferred to operate at to assist with observing glider towing. Suitably
The definitive Mk I version was the series iii of 20,000ft to avoid ever-increasing Flak. Although equipped with glider-towing equipment, they
which 676 were built. The side-window guns the Stirling could carry an impressive 14,000lbs became the Stirling Mk IV. A small number also
were removed, and a Frazer Nash FN7A turret of ordnance, it could only do so over very short had a large hatch added under the aircraft for
fitted to the top of the fuselage. A hand-held distances and with a real impact on paratroop dropping and could carry twenty
gun could also be used through the hatch performance. As a result, to get the desired fully-equipped such troops. Stirling Mk IVs also
originally for the dorsal turret. The ‘series iii’ range into Germany, bomb load was cut to as saw service with Bomber Command’s 100 Group
finally received more powerful 1500hp Hercules little as 3,500lbs. flying Electronic Counter Measure (ECM)
XI engines to help its performance too. The The Mk III entered squadron service in January missions as part of the ongoing battle to protect
Stirling’s seven crew consisted of two pilots, a 1943, but perhaps the biggest weakness of the bombers from ever-improving German radar
navigator/ bomb aimer, a wireless operator, a type still remained – although the bomb bay and night fighters. They were also used during
flight engineer, and two gunners, which was one was a capacious 40ft long, a pair of structural D-Day to drop Window (chaff ) as part of the
less than the number of turrets because the dividers ran along the middle, which limited it to elaborate spoofing operation to kid the
wireless operator doubled as front gunner. carrying nothing larger than 2,000lb bombs. This Germans into thinking the invasion was
hadn’t been a problem when conceived as the elsewhere.
A Mk II, to be built in Canada, was proposed
using Wright Cyclone R2600-A5B radial engines largest weapon it was specified to carry was the The Mk IV was very effective in its new job,
of 1600hp. Four prototypes were constructed in 1500lb aerial-dropped mine. However, as the towing one General Aircraft Hamilcar or two
England in the autumn of 1941 but tests proved RAF started to use 4,000lb ‘cookies’, the Stirling Horsas for assault, and up to five General Aircraft
disappointing, and the project was cancelled became less useful, especially as the Halifax, and Hotspurs for training or ferrying. For the
early the next year. Shorts also proposed a much particularly the Lancaster, offered far better Normandy landings 190, 622, 196, and 299
improved Centaurus-powered ‘Super Stirling’ but performance and load carrying at height. So as Squadrons towed Horsas into action, while 171,
the Air Ministry felt it better to try to improve the these aircraft arrived in greater numbers 295, 570, 620, and 624 Squadrons used the
existing aircraft rather than wait for another through 1943 and ‘44, Stirlings were removed Stirling in the airborne landings in Arnhem, and
paper-project. from bombing duties. They soon found during the March 1945 Rhine crossings. Flying
The main bomber version of the Stirling was employment in other roles … from Tempsford, near Cambridge, 138 and 161
the Mk III, and 875 were built. Engines were Initially Airspeed Horsa gliders, used to take (Special Duties) Squadrons made arms drops to
switched to 1635hp Hercules VI models, which airborne infantry into action, had been towed by resistance units for the Special Operations
while slightly reducing climb rate at lower Whitley bombers, but it was clear that more Executive (SOE), and 624 Squadron performed
altitudes, more than doubled the climb rate powerful aircraft were really required. As the same task in the Mediterranean operating
above 12,000ft compared to early Mk Is, to 300 Halifaxes and Lancasters began to replace from Blida, French North Africa (now Algeria).
feet per minute. The cramped, draggy, and hard- Stirlings as bombers during 1943 the latter Production of the Stirling Mk IV totalled 549,
to-escape FN7A dorsal turret was replaced by became available for such work. Two Mk IIIs were including 143 converted from Mk IIIs.
the roomier, more streamlined FN50A, as used converted into glider towing prototypes, with The final RAF version was a dedicated
on Lancasters. As a result maximum speed the Hercules VI engines retained. The nose and transport variant, the Mk V, which had all turrets
increased from 216mph to 270 mph, but service dorsal gun turrets were removed to save weight, removed to reduce weight. A large cargo door

Short Stirling Mk IV, LJ951 '8E-C', of 295 Squadron RAF based at Harwell, Oxfordshire, taxying at RAF Mount Farm nearby, during a glider towing exercise.
 AIRCRAFT IN PROFILE

Operation Tonga. Short Stirling Mk IVs of 196 and 299 Squadrons RAF, at Keevil, Wiltshire, on the evening of 5 June, before emplaning paratroops of the
5th Parachute Brigade Group for the invasion of Normandy.

was fitted on its starboard side, and the nose

At the war’s end Mk IVs saw more humanitarian uses. ‘V8-K' of 570 Squadron hinged upwards to make a second entrance – a
nearest, parked at Prague airport, embarks Czecho-Slovak orphans from German retractable block and tackle was fitted to lift
concentration camps to fly them to the United Kingdom for rehabilitation. heavy weights up to this. The Mk V could be
configured to carry forty troops, twenty fully-
equipped paratroops, or twelve stretchers plus
fourteen seated casualties. It could also carry
two jeeps with trailers, or one jeep with a field
gun, trailer, and ammunition. The last of the 160
Mk Vs built entered service in late 1944 but were
gradually replaced by Avro Yorks, being fully
withdrawn from use by mid-1946. During 1947
Airtech of Thame, Oxfordshire, converted twelve
Mk Vs for use by Belgian civil operator Trans Air
under the name Silver Stirling.
Although no Stirlings were exported, the
Luftwaffe flew a captured and repaired one for
testing, and the Russians were also sent one to
evaluate, but were not very impressed it seems!
The Egyptian Air Force acquired five or six
(sources vary) of the ex-Belgian Silver Stirlings,
operating them as transports, and occasionally
as bombers, during the later years of 1946 to 49
conflict with the nascent state of Israel.

The Stirling Mk V prototype converted

from a Mk III seen here in August 1944.
AIRCRAFT In PRoFILe

SpecificationS
Stirling Mk iii
length: 87ft 3in
Wingspan: 99ft 1in
Height: 22ft 9in
Wing area: 1,460sq ft
empty weight: 49,600lb
gross weight: 59,400lb
Max takeoff weight: 70,000lb
engine: Four Bristol Hercules VI or XVI
each with 1,675hp turning de Havilland
Hydromatic Type 55/10 metal three-
blade propellers with a diameter
of 13ft 6in
A useful range: 590 miles on internal fuel with a
detailed view bomb load of 14,000lbs. 2,010 miles on
of the Stirling normal internal fuel with a bomb load of
Mk V’s 3,500lbs
turretless tail.
rate of climb: 500 feet per minute at
take-off, then 300 feet per minute
between 12,000 and 15,000 feet
Max speed: 270mph at 14,500ft
ceiling: 16,500ft
armament guns: 8 x 0.303 in Browning
machine guns: 2 in powered nose turret,
4 in tail turret, 2 in dorsal turret.
armament bombs: Up to 14,000Ibs

At the peak of RAF service, Stirlings equipped

thirteen Bomber Command Squadrons – 7, 15,
75, 90, 101, 149 166, 199, 214, 218, 513, 622, and
623. Despite their low operational ceiling and
resultant high-loss rate to German flak, they were
well liked by crews. Strongly built, they could
absorb much punishment and their high wing
loading gave them fighter-like handling, much
to the delight of their pilots who could often
out-turn German twin-engined night fighters.
Had Shorts been allowed to develop the type
as they wanted with a longer wingspan and
more powerful engines, the Stirling might today
be regarded much like the Lancaster or B-17. As
it is, they are perhaps now more remembered for
their later gliding-towing duties, but as a
bomber during the lean years of 1941 and ‘42
when Britain was suffering setback after setback,
the Stirling played an important role showing
The passenger compartment of the Mk V. The original aircraft actually had an ‘Imperial Policing’ the British public that besides ‘taking it’, Britain
requirement to carry two dozen troops.
could ‘give it’ as well.

Stirling C.Mk V PK143, of 242 Squadron

at Stony Cross, Hampshire.
CO LO U R C O N U N D R U M

Post War British Yellows

1945 – 1965 Part 1
By Paul Lucas

Hind Mk I L7188, B Flight, No.103 Squadron, RAF Usworth, late 1938. This aircraft carried an Aluminium finish on the fabric covering and natural
metal engine cowling. The codes were Yellow with a thin Black outline and the serials were black. Note Yellow wheel hubs.

T
his particular Colour Conundrum emerged No.368 Traffic Yellow in colour between 1958 consequence, I therefore assumed that this
as a result of reading the Ian Huntley and 1965. ‘orange’ shade of No.2 Matt Yellow was
Column entitled ‘Nuclear Notes’ that was This is something of a problem because whilst subsequently replaced by the High Gloss Yellow
published in Scale Aircraft Modelling Volume 5, I was conducting the research into post war RAF No.405 when the high gloss finishes such as
No. 9 of June 1983 and cross-checking what was Fighter colour schemes that was ultimately those to DTD 772 began to be introduced from
said in the article with such relevant primary published as Camouflage and Markings No.1 RAF 1948 and that this colour then went on to be
source documents that I had to hand. The part Fighters 1945 – 1950 UK Based by Guideline replaced by BS 381C No. 356 Golden Yellow from
of the article that caught my attention can be Publications in 2000, I came across an undated 1964.
found on page 414 of the June 1983 edition Ministry of Supply (MoS) Standard of Colour, At that time, I did not know quite what to
where Mr Huntley wrote: Gloss and Smoothness for Aircraft Finishes make of the apparent difference in hue between
Study of the Victor scheme in DTD 899A shows the Supplementary to BSS 381 in the Library of the the matt and gloss finishes. I suppose I put the
following colour standards (Stores Reference RAF Museum at Hendon that is thought to date difference between the ‘orange’ hue of No.2 Matt
numbers and BS colours are quoted):- from circa 1952/3. Up until I found this standard, Yellow and the less ‘orange’ hue of No.405 High
I thought I knew what shade of yellow was used Gloss Yellow, neither of which matched BS 381C
…Yellow 33B/1164 Colour to BS381C/368. For
by the RAF and Fleet Air Arm through the No. 356 Golden Yellow that lies somewhere
warnings. writings of Mr Huntley ,who had always equated between the two, down to the differences in
I can’t say that I had ever paid much attention this colour with BS 38C No. 356 Golden Yellow. paint formulation between matt and gloss
to this before, but on cross-checking the RAF The MoS Standard however appeared to contain finishes.
Vocabulary of Stores Section 33B reference two different shades of yellow, one having a A fact that I failed to grasp at that time I was
‘33B/1164’ I found that it was correct for Yellow matt finish whilst the other had a gloss finish. researching RAF Fighters was that BS 381C
to DTD 899A. Further to this, cross checking the The yellow with the matt finish was No.568 Apricot had originally been introduced
BS 381C number ‘368’ I found that BS 381C does designated Aircraft Finish No.2 Matt Yellow. This to BS 381 as No. 68 Traffic Yellow in February
contain a yellow colour that has the designation colour appeared to have a distinctly ‘orange’ cast 1932 at the behest of the Ministry of Transport
No.368. It is called ‘Traffic Yellow’. In itself, this did to it that in NCS terms it is something like NCS S who used it for road signs and the globe
not come as an immediate surprise as I have 1080-Y30R. In FS 595 terms is something like FS containing a flashing light that surmounted
seen a number of documents that cite ‘Traffic 13432, whilst in BS 381C terms it appeared that Beleisha Beacons on pedestrian crossings. When
Yellow’ as the colour to be used in the Aircraft Finish No.2 Matt Yellow was very similar BS 381C was revised in 1948, Traffic Yellow
application of warning markings to the in colour to No.568 Apricot. retained its name but was renumbered as No.
Blackburn Buccaneer, both on Anti-Flash and 368 Traffic Yellow in line with the new
The yellow with the gloss finish was
camouflage finishes. The problem started when I designated Aircraft Finish No.405 High Gloss numbering system introduced with the 1948
noticed that there was only one set of Section Yellow. In FS 595 terms this colour appeared to edition. Dropped from the 1964 edition of BS
33B reference numbers given for Yellow to DTD lie somewhere between FS 13655 and FS 13538, 381C, it was reintroduced as part of Amendment
899A. this latter colour being that quoted by Mr No.1 dated 30 August 1966. In the 1988 edition
AP 2656A AL 82 of August 1958 lists the Huntley as the FS 595 equivalent of the wartime of BS 381C both the number and name were
following Section 33B reference numbers for colour Yellow and the equivalent of BS 381C No. changed from No. 368 Traffic Yellow to No. 568
Yellow to DTD 899A - 33B/1164 as quoted by Mr 356 Golden Yellow. In BS 381C terms, Aircraft Apricot though the colour itself remained
Huntley that is for a 1-gallon Home container; Finish No.405 was closer to No. 356 Golden unaltered. No.568 Apricot remains in BS 381C at
33B/1165 for a 5-gallon Home container; Yellow than anything else. the time of writing.
33B/9428772 for a 1-gallon Overseas container At the time that I wrote RAF Fighters I was This link between the current BS 381C No.568
and 33B/9428773 for a 5-gallon Overseas under the impression that Aircraft Finish No.2 Apricot and the old No.368 Traffic Yellow only
container. Logically, if the 1-gallon container of Matt Yellow was the same shade of Yellow that became important in the light of my apparent
Yellow to DTD 899A issued under the reference had been used during the Second World War discovery that that Yellow to DTD 899A was BS
33B/1164 contained paint that matched BS 381C because it had a matt finish and the RAF 381C No.368 Traffic Yellow in colour between
No.368 Traffic Yellow, then so did all the other Vocabulary of Stores Section 33B reference 1958 and 1965. Looking back at the colours that
containers in Section 33B that contained Yellow numbers in use for the cellulose finishes to DTD are rendered in the MoS Standard of Colour,
paint to DTD 899A. A little further checking 751-754 during the period covered by the book, Gloss and Smoothness for Aircraft Finishes
revealed that these same 33B reference numbers 1945 – 1950, were the same as those issued in Supplementary to BSS 381 in the Library of the
were all still current in 1965. Thus it would 1945 when the DTD 751-754 series of finishes RAF Museum at Hendon in the light of this
appear that Yellow to DTD 899A was BS 381C were introduced, replacing those of DTD 83A. As ‘discovery’ a couple of questions now arise.

58 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 CO LO U R C O N U N D R U M

Hart Trainer K4927, No.3 Flying Training School, RAF South Cerney, May 1938.
Finished with Yellow fabric coverings and natural metal engine cowlings. The
codes, fuselage band and wheel hubs were painted Red. The serials were black.

Questions Arising shades of Yellow. He then works his way problem with this is the one that so often occurs
through a range of Naval colours mentioning with Mr Huntley’s writing, verifying the accuracy
The first of these is whether Aircraft Finish
that: of what he says from primary source documents.
No.2 Matt Yellow was actually based on BS 381C
No. 368 Traffic Yellow and the second is whether Anti-submarine squadrons are to apply top surface If Mr Huntley is correct, then we might have to
it was Aircraft Finish No.2 that went forward as Yellow (BS.381C-356 Golden Yellow) by local rethink fundamentally what we think we know
the post war shade of yellow used for aircraft action. about the shade(s) of yellow applied for various
markings until it was replaced by BS 381C No. This implies that the FAA used BS 381C No.356 purposes to post war British military aircraft. Any
356 Golden Yellow from 1964. In attempting to as its shade of Yellow. attempt to resolve these questions must
answer these questions, further reading of Mr necessarily start at the beginning with a brief
Mr Huntley then went on to discuss RAF history of the use of yellow on British military
Huntley’s articles was undertaken. This revealed
colours in his usual vague and rambling way that aircraft in so far as it has been possible to
that he had written about the use of BS 381C
lacks any real sense of chronology and is almost compile.
No.368 Traffic Yellow as a marking colour on
entirely un-sourced. The passage that is quoted
British military aircraft in an article entitled Some
below has no date linked to it, but seems to
More Uses for Colour that was published in Scale
follow on from an earlier statement that refers to The Beginning
Aircraft Modelling Volume 7 No.4 of July 1985. In
the outbreak of the Korean War and mentions
the opening paragraph, Mr Huntley wrote: It would appear that little if any use was made
camouflage experiments carried out with
There ought to be less of a problem finding uses for of yellow as a marking colour during the First
Vampire aircraft in November 1952. He also fails
the vast ranges of British post-war and World War period. When a provisional RAF
to make any mention of the source from which
contemporary colours. If anything, modern official Vocabulary of Stores was first issued in April
he obtained the information. Mr Huntley wrote
lists are more confusing than ever. The result is that 1920, Section 33B ‘Aircraft Paints and Dopes’ that
that:
model paint lists are a mixture of official and listed aircraft finishing materials did not include
At that time the old Ident Yellow was continued in a yellow colour. Section 33A ‘Paints, Painters
unofficial titles, many of which have no direct
almost similar, if darker form, as Traffic Yellow Materials, Oils (other than lubricants)’ on the
relation to the actual colour they purport to
(BS.381C-636), and this was used for high visibility other hand, did contain a number of yellow
represent.
markings (and later for ground equipment when pigments under the heading ‘Paint - Dry’. These
An illustration of this is provided by the idea bright blue was discontinued), and for many other were 33A/123 Chrome, Middling Tint; 33A/124
that still seems to persist that there were two markings within the RAF. Chrome Lemon Tint and 33A/125 Chrome,
different shades of yellow in use on British Orange Tint. As I have never seen a sample or
After some trial use of Traffic Yellow bands on
aircraft during the Second World War, one called any other form of colour notation for these
Aluminium finish for Search and Rescue
‘Identification Yellow’ and another called ‘Trainer items, it is impossible to say what hue of yellow
helicopters, a change was made to Golden Yellow,
Yellow’. Colours with both these names remain they actually were, or whether when made into a
which had been, until that time, almost exclusively
available in the Humbrol range of modelling wet paint, they might have been used to mark
used by the RNAS.
paint today. After some discussion of various an aircraft in any way.
colour standards and differences in colour It should be noted that the BS 381C number
notation Mr Huntley then went on to say that: given here is incorrect; it is actually that of PRU This lack of a yellow-coloured finishing
Blue, the subject of the preceding paragraph. material specifically intended for use on an
Just to make things more difficult, the RAF and aircraft appears to have continued into the
This error aside, Mr Huntley seems to be saying
the RNAS used their own choice of 1920s as there is no yellow included in British
that at some point after the war, the RAF began
colours like Yellow and a few Engineering Standards Association Specification
to use BS 381C No.368 Traffic Yellow as a marking
others… 2D 103 Air Ministry Nitro Dope Coverings
colour whilst the FAA used BS 381C No. 358
To my mind, this Golden Yellow until at some point the RAF and Identification Colours of March 1922. At
seems to imply that switched colours and also began to use BS 381C the time of writing, the earliest mention of
the RAF and FAA No. 356 Golden yellow as an aircraft finish that I have come
used different Yellow. The across is contained within Air Ministry

Blenheim Mk I K7170, No. 61 Squadron, RAF Helmswell, May 1938. Finish was Dark Earth/Dark Green upper surfaces with Night undersides. The
codes were Yellow with a thin Night outline. The fuselage serials were Night above and White below the wings.

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 59

CO LO U R C O N U N D R U M

Anson Mk I MG182, No.1 Air Gunnery School, RAF Pembrey, circa 1944. Dark Earth/Dark Green upper surfaces and Yellow undersides. The
individual aircraft number was Sky and repeated on the nose. The serials were Night. Note Yellow trainer bands on the fuselage and upper wings.

Weekly Order 895/24 dated 18 December 1924. Mixed Paints when it was published in November DTD 83A was superseded from June 1945
Entitled Distinguishing Marks on Aircraft this 1930. It is unlikely that the 57 colours contained following the introduction of the new Cellulose
AMO specified that: in BS 381 (1930) suddenly appeared out of finishes to DTD 751-754 in Amendment No.4 to
1. The standardisation of squadron and flight nowhere (Post Office Red is said to date from DTD TC No.360 Issue 2 in June 1945. Changes in
marking on aircraft is under consideration and circa 1900), so the yellow and orange colours the formulation of cellulose-based aircraft dope
orders will be issued in due course. that it contained must already have been in use had been found to be essential because of the
sufficiently widely for some purpose to warrant early breakdown in such materials on fabric-
2. Pending a decision on this subject, any
their inclusion. There were only four colours that covered aircraft structures such as those
squadron which has already adopted a system
could be termed as being either yellow or employed in the construction of Mosquitoes and
may be permitted to retain the distinguishing
orange, these being No.54 Primrose, No.55 Warwicks in tropical areas such as the Far East.
mark provided that it does not obscure the
Lemon, No.56 Golden Yellow and No. 57 Orange. The new formulation was supposed to offer
national markings and is approved by the A.O.C.
Whilst I have never found a document that increased protection by virtue of an increased
3. Fight markings.- It has been decided that a resistance to sunlight and a reduction in infra-
clearly and unambiguously establishes a link
distinguishing mark shall be adopted in respect red heating. New RAF Vocabulary of Stores
between any of the BS 381 yellow colours and
of flights of each squadron by painting the Section 33B reference numbers were allocated
the shade of yellow used on British military
wheel disks of the aircraft as indicated below. to all the camouflage and marking colours in use
aircraft prior to 1964, it is possible that because
These markings will be taken into use forthwith. to this new DTD Specification at that time. Again,
both Specification DTD 145 Nitro Cellulose
‘A’ flight…red only one colour named ’Yellow’ was listed under
Identification Colour (Yellow) and BS 381
33B/663 for a 5-gallon Overseas container,
‘B’ flight…yellow originated in 1930 that there might be some sort
33B/700 for a 1-gallon Home container and
‘C’ flight…blue of link between the two.
33B/701 for a 5-gallon Home container.
4. In no circumstances will radiators, spinners or Specification DTD 145 Nitro Cellulose
Thus between 1930 and 1945, there was no
other parts of aircraft be painted in any other Identification Colour (Yellow) is thought to have
such colour as ‘identification yellow’ or ‘trainer
but their original colour, nor will mottoes, been designated ‘V.Y.1’, ‘Varnish, Yellow, No. 1 in
yellow’, there was only one shade of yellow, V.Y.1,
badges or other devices be painted on aircraft. BESA nomenclature and V.Y.1 was cited in the
named ‘Yellow’ that appears to the eye to be a
RAE Note on the Camouflage Painting of Aircraft
It is not currently known what shade of yellow good match to BS 381 No.56 Golden Yellow. This
dated 19 March 1936 where V.Y.1 was specified
was to be used for these flight markings or was available in a variety of DTD Aircraft Finish
as the colour of the outer ring of the 1-3-5-7
whether it was linked in any way to the dry paint specifications such as DTD 83A, DTD 308, DTD
proportioned national marking roundel that was
pigments listed in section 33A of the 1920 314, DTD 517, DTD 420, and the DTD 751-754
to be applied to camouflaged aircraft. Thus there
Vocabulary of Stores listing given above. series. Thus the same Yellow colour was used in
is no doubt that this is the colour that was used
national markings and as a distinctive colour to a
in identification markings. Unfortunately, at the
greater or lesser extent on an assortment of
Yellow V.Y.1 time of writing, it has proved impossible to
Training and Communications aircraft
obtain a primary source document that deals
What is known is that February 1930 saw the throughout the Second World War.
with the introduction of Yellow as an overall
issue of the Air Ministry Directorate of Technical
finish, bare metal engine cowlings excepted, on
Development Aircraft Material Specification DTD
RAF Training Aircraft. MJF Bowyer has stated that Post War Policy
145 Nitro Cellulose Identification Colour (Yellow)
this took place from July 1936.
that contained Lead Chrome as its pigment. In Post war aircraft camouflage and marking
itself, this is not conclusive evidence as to the The earliest RAF Vocabulary of Stores section policy was set during a conference held at the
colour of the dope because Lead Chrome can be 33B reference numbers I have for Yellow at the Air Ministry in October 1945. The new policy was
produced in many variations that can result in time of writing are 33B/77, 78 and 156. These communicated to all Commands by a letter from
hues of yellow that can range from a greenish were for ½ , 1, and 5-gallon containers the Air Ministry dated 16 February 1946. Under
Primrose through to Orange. That said, when respectively of the cellulose finish to DTD 83, the new policy, all aircraft for RAF Flying Training
Aircraft Material Specification DTD 83A and are thought to date from circa 1930. All Command and Naval Training aircraft were to be
Aeroplane Doping Schemes was issued in three 33B reference numbers were still being Yellow overall and target tugs were to have
December 1935, Paragraph 4 ‘Colour and Finish’ listed in DTD Technical Circular No.360 Night stripes on their under surfaces.
stated that the dry film resulting from the Camouflage and Identification Marking of Aircraft By April 1946 the RAF was experiencing
application of the doping schemes and Issue 2 of February 1943 under the name ‘Yellow’. difficulty in implementing the new policy that
identification colours were to match the There is only one colour named ‘Yellow’ listed. called for different colour schemes to be applied
standard in colour and finish, and that these Examination of several sets of wartime to individual types of aircraft according to their
standards were obtainable from the Director of Ministry of Aircraft Production colour standard Command allocation. These difficulties were
Aeronautical Inspection. Examination of a set of booklets that cover Specifications DTD 83A, DTD being caused because the destination of the
these standards at the RAF Museum revealed 308, DTD 314, DTD 420A, and DTD 517 also show individual aircraft could not be known early
that the shade of yellow in this Standard was that only one shade of yellow was included enough for it to be painted to Command
very similar to BS 381 (1930) No. 56 Golden under the name ‘Yellow’. Anyone with a copy of requirements while it was still on the production
Yellow. British Aviation Colours of World War Two will find line and there was insufficient labour available
I know little of the origin of any of the yellow this colour accurately reproduced therein under either in 41 Group of Maintenance Command or
and orange colours that were included in the the name ‘Yellow’. It appears to the eye to be a on the Squadrons to paint the aircraft
first issue of BS 381 Schedule of Colours for Ready good match for BS 381 No.56 Golden Yellow. retrospectively following their allocation.

60 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 CO LO U R C O N U N D R U M

the
In the light of these difficulties it distance at which the stripe
was concluded that it would be necessary to lay could be distinguished as a separate marking
down one colour scheme per operational role. from the background colours.
Where a single type, such as the Oxford, was With regard to colour perception, Yellow was
used in several roles by different Commands, the generally found to be the most conspicuous
scheme adopted had to be either a general one colour. It was strikingly so on Black and Middle
that did not completely meet the requirements Stone, but only slightly so on Medium Sea Grey.
of any user, or be the scheme required by the On Aluminium, Orange was slightly more visible
major user, possibly with some limited painting than Yellow, a lighter shade being slightly better
being carried out retrospectively on units. With than that proposed by the Admiralty. On White,
regard to Training aircraft, it was proposed that there was practically no difference in visibility.
all Training aircraft, other than those employed With regard to the perception of the presence
in OTU, HCU, CFE, CGWS etc, that required an of a stripe marking without reference to colour,
operational finish to simulate realistic Yellow was again generally the most
conditions, should be produced with a basic conspicuous, especially on Black, Middle Stone
overall silver finish so as to satisfy Overseas and Medium Sea Grey. On Aluminium and White
Commands from the heat reflection and however, Orange was much more conspicuous,
maintenance standpoints, whilst also solving the the darker Admiralty shade being the best.
aircraft allocation problem.
Overall, the RAE concluded that Yellow
was the most suitable colour for the
‘Trainer Bands’ purpose and recommended that it be
retained unless there were overriding
According to a Loose Minute dated
considerations in favour of orange.
12 April 1946 it was proposed that the
silver scheme would then be enhanced by the The reflective value of ‘Identification Yellow’ as
addition of ‘a broad yellow or orange band quoted in the RAE report sits most closely with
visibility of ‘Identification Yellow’ and a shade of
around each mainplane and fuselage.’ Where it that of BS 381 No.56 Golden Yellow that has
orange that had been proposed by the
was not possible to apply this band during about the same value of 47% but unfortunately,
Admiralty for superimposing an identification
production it was thought that it would not be the copy of the report that I have seen does not
marking on a range of war time camouflage
too difficult a task to be carried out by the contain any colour samples so it impossible to
colours. The colours involved comprised know exactly what the shades of orange that
recipient units. Subsequently, the question as to
‘Identification Yellow’ stated to have a reflectivity were tested looked like. BS 381 (1930) only
what colour would be most suitable for these
of 47.5%, ‘Orange, light’ of 35%, ‘Orange medium’ contained one shade of orange, No.57 Light
‘Trainer Bands’ appears to have been passed to
of 31% and ‘Orange dark’ of 29% (the shade Orange, that has an approximate reflectivity of
the RAE for investigation.
suggested by the Admiralty). The camouflage 27%. This puts it close to the shade of ‘Orange
The RAE’s final report on the subject, Technical colours were Medium Sea Grey (22%), Glossy dark’ that was suggested by the Admiralty with a
Memo Chem 994 Relative Visibility of Yellow and Black (5%), White (74%), Aluminium (30%) and reflectivity of 29%. Whether there was any link
Orange for Identification Markings of Aircraft Middle Stone (22.5%). A number of observers between these two ‘orange’ colours is not
Transferred to a Training Role was dated then recorded the maximum distances at which known. Traffic Yellow, by way of comparison has
November 1946. The trial’s stated aim was to
the colour of the various stripes could be an approximate reflectivity of 30%.
obtain information regarding the relative
identified with a separate record being made of

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A I R B U S A 320 N E O

Revell’s Second Sitting

By Ethan Williams

A Bit of History… known as the A320ceo (Current Engine Option).

The A320neo (New Engine Option) boasted a

T
he Airbus A320 was a development of the
choice of CFM LEAP-1A or Pratt & Whitney
company’s pre-existing aircraft, the A310,
PW1000G engines and sharklets fitted as
which itself was a development of the
standard on wingtips. These new engines make
A300. After the A310’s development, Airbus
the A320neo 15-20% more efficient than the
focussed on the single-aisle market, dominated CFM56 or IAE V2500s used on the A320ceo
at the time by Boeing’s 737-200 and Douglas’ aircraft. The aircraft first entered service with
DC-9. The A320’s development was a joint effort Germany’s flag carrier Lufthansa in 2016, just
between BAe, Aerospatiale, Dornier, and Fokker, sixteen months after its first flight. British
in the Joint European Transport (JET) project. Airways had their first A320neo delivered in April
Airbus A320neo ‘British Airways’ This was transferred to Airbus, titled SA1, SA2, 2018, with an order for thirty-five aircraft
and SA3 (Single Aisle 1, 2 and 3). During powered by the CFM LEAP-1A.
Kit No: 03840 development for different-sized aircraft, the
Revell’s recent release of their 2019-tooled
Scale: 1/144 blueprints would later be used for the A319, A320neo supplies decals to recreate one of four
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic A320 and A321 variants. aircraft; G-TTNB, G-TTNE, G-TTNH and G-TTNK. It
Announced in 2010, the A320neo family was a also supplied a new undercarriage sprue and
Manufacturer: Revell
development itself of the A320 family (now external radar domes, not featured in the
www.revell.de

Nose weight is a must in any tricycle gear

A simple, yet detailed cockpit was supplied aircraft, so as much as possible was added
and used, however it was not visible after behind the cockpit assembly and secured Clear parts for the windows were masked with
decalling. Should the builder choose to use with super glue. MrHobby Masking Sol Neo and then put in
the transparent window decals, it would be place.
visible.

The wings came in four pieces; two wing parts Two engine types can be depicted, though
and two separate sharklets. The windscreen The wings were assembled and were attached the British Airways airframes call for the CMF
part also includes the fuselage above it to to the fuselage, bringing the whole thing LEAP-1A engines, rather than the Pratt &
make for an easier installation. together for sanding. Whitney PW1000Gs also supplied.

62 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 A I R B U S A 320 N E O

Seams were primed with Sky Grey to check for

The metallic parts of the engines were masked any problems under paint which had
Ghost seams can be a real problem, especially so the pylons could be painted prior to being persisted through the superglue.
on airliners where they need to be as smooth painted blue.
as possible. Superglue was used to eliminate
the risk of a ghost seam appearing.

Careful masking was needed to paint the blue

on the underside and engines. Fiat Capri Blue
The wings were masked off and the fuselage is a perfect colour match for the Speedbird
was painted with Halford’s White Plastic Blue used by the airline.
Wings were first painted with XF-82 Ocean Primer. It’s best for airliners as it covers a large
Grey 2 before the XF-19 Sky Grey on the rest surface well with a strong white colour.
was applied.

The first decals were applied and left to dry

Tamiya’s Clear Gloss was applied to give a before the main ones went on. The red around The rest of the decals were applied and it
smooth surface for the decal stage. Two coats the APU was put on before the tail so it could brought the whole thing to life, as decals tend
gave the best finish for decals. be lined up later. to do with most models.

previous Lufthansa release. Upon first of airliners. It was decided to try and have all kit was that the windscreen is moulded
inspection, two sprues seem almost identical transparencies masked for painting, allowing including part of the fuselage above it, reducing
(Sprues I and H) though one is for the CFM LEAP- them to be transparent on the finished build, the risk of glue marks on the clear parts. The
1A and the other for the Pratt & Whitney however this was later abandoned. The nose radome was a separate part also, the join
PW1000G. As British Airways use the CFM LEAP- passenger windows were masked with MrHobby falling along a natural panel line which helps it
1A engines, sprue I is used. Decalling an airliner Masking Sol Neo (coincidentally, a very fitting blend in well when glued in place. On the single-
can appear a daunting task, as many have large name for the build) before being put into the piece horizontal stabilisers, ‘top’ is moulded onto
designs on the fuselage and/or tail. The DACO- fuselage halves. the tab inserted into the fuselage, indicating
printed decals supplied in this kit allow easy Once the fuselage was closed up, which goes on each side.
application, even the large tail decals and long construction began on the wings. Being
window decals. moulded in two parts gave them strength, while All Coming Together
also being easy to assemble. Again, these were a
different style to Revell’s previous airliners, which With the wings and fuselage assembled, it
Entering the Production Line was time to get the aircraft together. The
had two pieces per wing rather than two pieces
The kit starts with the simple three-piece for the whole wing section. Also similar to horizontal stabilisers were left off until after
cockpit all painted with Tamiya Sky Grey (XF-19), Zvezda, the two-piece wings had a ‘wing box,’ decaling so decals 42 and 43 could be put on
the seats were carefully brushed with Mr Hobby which allowed an easy attachment to the between these and the fuselage. After this, the
H305, and a small amount of moulded detail on fuselage. The undercarriage bays were painted engines were started. Five pieces were painted
the instrument panel was picked out with a with Sky Grey before the wings were assembled. with Tamiya Flat Aluminium (LP-38), Dark Iron
small brush and Tamiya Flat Black (XF-1). After (XF-84), Sky Grey (XF-19), Alclad Steel (ALC-112),
Winglets, or ‘Sharklets’ as they are known at
this was assembled, it went into the starboard Magnesium (ALC-111), and Vallejo Black 169
Airbus, were provided as separate parts, which
fuselage half before nose weight was added. This (70.150) before being assembled.
can be attached at a later stage so as not to be
tooling, unlike Revell’s previous airliner tools, The join seams on the fuselage, wings, and
snapped off. Sharklets were optional on
contains a large clear sprue featuring parts for engines were smoothed out before a thin layer
A320ceo airframes but are standard on
the passenger windows, similar to Zvezda’s style of superglue was applied to prevent a ghost
A320neos. Another good design feature of this

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 63

A I R B U S A 320 N E O

seam appearing under the paint. Once it had the British Airways Flag on the tail in two parts
been sanded smooth, the engines were masked per side, one for the vertical stabiliser and one
to paint the pylons while the seams had a coat of for the fuselage and APU exhaust. This
Sky Grey to check for any further blemishes. eliminates the difficulty of trying to wrap a large
After these had been remedied, painting began, decal around both a flat and compound curved
starting with the wings. The darker grey was surface. Provided decals also allow for dark
painted first with Tamiya XF-82 Ocean Grey 2 windows or silver window frames to be used,
(RAF) before being carefully masked off for the should the builder want the clear parts to be
Sky Grey to be painted around it and on the shown. The former were opted for with this
entire underside of the wings. The silver leading build.
edge and engine pylons were painted with The rest of the decals went on with no issues,
MrColor Super Fine Silver 2 (SM201) before even the frontmost door decals with two door
being masked off. stencils, and the British Airways ribbon went on
The fuselage and engines were then painted well and the join wasn’t too noticeable after
with White Plastic Primer from Halford’s, as it is being layered up. Once they had all been given
readily available, won’t break the bank, and adequate time to dry out, it was all given a final
works as well on a large surface as any modelling sealing coat of Tamiya Gloss. This was also lightly
white primer would, giving a smooth, even and polished with a clean piece of wet Trizact before
tough finish. This was masked for the distinct the final parts were assembled.
blue on the belly. As per Revell, the Undercarriage legs
instructions call for a mix of were

painted with
paints for the MrColor Super Fine Silver
British Airways Blue, 2 before being attached with
though an excellent match is their respective doors. The
Halford’s’ Fiat Capri Blue; this was engines and horizontal stabilisers
decanted into the airbrush and applied were attached and the model was
to the aircraft’s belly and engines. finished.

Decal Time Final Thoughts

Once everything was unmasked, the This is a great kit for anyone wanting to try
model was starting to come to life. Everything their hand at a clean rather than a weathered
was polished with 3M Trizact polishing cloth aircraft. Well engineered, good fit, fine detail,
(used wet) to ensure a smooth paint surface and an easy livery to paint, this release from
before Tamiya’s Gloss Clear (X-22) was applied in Revell is a step up from their previous airliners.
two coats. This provided a smooth surface for Certainly a great choice for those wanting a
the decals to adhere. The first to go on were the model that doesn’t take up a lot of room on
walkway lines on the wings, followed by the display, and some may even recreate the aircraft
lower tail decals. Revell have handily supplied they flew in on holiday!

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 NAKAJIMA KIKKA

Nakajima’s Kitsuka
By Gordon Scott

1941 the USA and Japan were lagging behind. was superior and that all efforts should be
Japan’s jet engine development was not given concentrated on building it, however work still
priority, their engine research centred on turbo- continued on the Ne-12b and two other engines
prop and other designs, and it wasn’t until they whilst the BMW engine was being reverse
learned of Germany’s success with the He 178 engineered.
that Japanese jet engine research began to By 1944 Japan’s position was becoming
develop in earnest, resulting in ongoing increasingly parlous and as in Germany,
development of the underperforming Ne-12b meetings were held to decide which aircraft to
Nakajima Kitsuka – ‘Kikka’ jet engine. focus their limited production resources on. One
Kit No: 32034 In 1943 the Germans had agreed a technical such meeting decided that Japan would
exchange of information and given Japan concentrate on producing three types of aircraft;
Scale: 1/32 manufacturing rights for the production of a number 1 would adapt current aircraft to carry
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic number of products including the Me 262. an 800kg bomb for shimpu missions, number 3
Technical Commander Eiichi Iwaya travelled to was to concentrate on a conventional radial
Manufacturer: Lemkits Germany and after inspecting a Me262 and jet engine fighter (which was cancelled as the IJN
www.lemkits.com engines left Lorient aboard submarine I-29 with was to build the Ki-115), but option number 2
a Jumo 004 turbo-jet engine and its plans, blue would become Empire Weapon Kokoku Heiki,

T
he subject of this build is Japan’s first and prints for the BMW 003 turbo-jet, the Me 163 which became the Nakajima Kitsuka.
only WW2 jet-propelled aircraft. I had and Me 262, plus a host of other German The Germans believed that the Japanese
always thought that this aircraft was a technological advances. The I-29 made a stop at could not build the Me 262 or Me 163 without
smaller copy, licensed or otherwise, of a Me 262. Singapore where Iwaya decided to leave the their assistance so in April/May 1945
It’s not, it’s far more interesting than that…. submarine and take a flight to Tokyo. The I-29 Messerschmitt were ordered to dispatch four
Originally, this aircraft was to carry out shimpu was sunk after leaving Singapore for Japan by technicians and, together with other high
missions - an alternative reading of the kanji for USS Sawfish and all Iwaya had to show for his ranking German and Japanese personnel,
‘divine wind special attack force’ - manned flying efforts was a single cross section drawing of a 1200lbs of Uranium, blue prints for jet engines
bomb - against the expected allied fleets’ arrival BMW 003 turbo-jet and his experience of and aircraft all went aboard U-234 to travel to
and subsequent invasion of Japan. Kamikaze is the Me 262. Japan in order to assist with manufacturing
not used by the Japanese as a description for Comparing what processes and procuring
special attacks although little information industrial machinery. All
this term has been they had of the except two Japanese
generalised in the west. BMW 003 men, who had taken
Whilst Great Britain, against the Ne-12 poison when told
Germany and Italy it was generally the U-boat was to
had independently agreed that the be surrendered
developed both a German engine and were
jet engine and buried at sea,
flown a jet were still
aircraft by aboard
the

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 65

NAKAJIMA KIKKA

A typical Lemkits production, with nicely The component parts for the engine showing
tooled resin parts and finely cast detail. the standard of production for the resin partsl.
The kit’s cockpit with my own speculative
scratch detail added.

The assembled fuselage with good solid spars Some work was necessary to prep the wings
Here the engines have been constructed and for attaching the wings. for the folded option..
attached to the inner stub-wings.

Wings now
fitted, the
airframe is
ready to paint. After a coat of primer there were no issues to Here’s the underside – finished in a mixture of
address … grey and bare metal panels.

submarine with the relevant cargo when it 1945 a wooden mock-up was ready for resulting in the Kitsuka overrunning the runway,
surrendered at Newfoundland on 16 May 1945, inspection and due to American bombing losing its undercarriage as it went over a ditch,
eight days after the German surrender. attacks production had been dispersed. By and sliding to a halt just short of Tokyo Bay. Thus
Meanwhile Nakajima had produced a number March the first Ne-20 engine was successfully ended Japan’s WW2 jet fighter programme. The
of drawings for the proposed option 2 aircraft run in a cave, and given its greater thrust aircraft would never fly again for at midday
and code named it Maru-Ten. T.C. Iwaya’s input potential it was deemed a better choice for the Japan surrendered.
Kitsuka, which justified the extra delay in getting After Japan’s surrender and the loss of the
to the design team led to an aircraft similar to
it ready for use on the aircraft. Notably, one trial only known complete aircraft, a number of semi-
the Me 262, which was subsequently given
resulted in bent compressor blades, which were complete airframes were found. At least three
developmental approval. The proposed aircraft
removed and hammered back into shape on a were taken to America, all but one being lost to
was to be devoid of undercarriage as the plan
table then re-assembled in the engine! The the mists of time and scrapping, although there
required it to be catapulted from caves in cliffs,
airframe was being assembled in a thatched roof
hence it had folding wings so it could be stored is an incomplete, un-numbered airframe that
silkworm factory building well away from any
and hidden within. No defensive armament was used to hang in the Paul E Garber facility that
airfield.
to be fitted and it was to be armed with a single most scale models appear to be based on.
bomb fixed below the fuselage. Had getting it On 30 June 1945 the first prototype with Ne- Examination of this airframe whilst restoration
airborne proved a struggle for the engines, RATO 20 engines was declared ready for flight testing, was being carried out has revealed that very few
packs would be used to provide additional taken apart and moved to Kisarazu airfield. The systems had been installed and it had not had
power to assist. At the rate the Ne-12b engines first flight attempt was halted when a loose nut undercarriage components fitted. There are
burnt fuel its range was approximately 127 was ingested that shattered the compressor however examples of the engine on display.
miles, but the pilot was expendable - desperate blades in one engine, but 27 July saw successful
So, is it Kitsuka or Kikka? Kitsuka is the proper
taxying trials carried out although the brakes
times dictate desperate measures but the sight translation of the kanji characters however kikka
were found to be inadequate. On 7 August the
and sound of these being catapulted from a cave is how it is pronounced and this has been used
Kitsuka was given a partial fuel load and in the
in a cliff would have been very sci-fi in the in post war reports. Both are correct.
hands of Commander Susumu Takaoka flew,
1940’s! I’ve made a number of Lemkits’ models over
making him the first Japanese jet pilot and the
Nakajima were requested to have the first Kitsuka the first and only Japanese jet aircraft of the years, and some of the moulding, such as the
prototype ready for February 1945 by which WW2 to fly. On 11 August, as Japan’s cabinet hollow, complete front half of their SU-22, is just
time its role had changed. The bomb was now began to draft their surrender terms, Takaoka amazing. Subjects are always well cast in buff
required to be dropped and its use was now began his second flight in front of a selected resin with fine panel lines and good rivet detail
seen as a fast attack bomber so it needed an high-ranking audience. On this flight RATO and this one this no different. The only thing
undercarriage, though no weapons other than a bottles were used but the nose rose too steeply missing is detailed painting information. The
bomb were required to be carried and the and the take-off was aborted. The inadequate resin parts are not attached to moulding blocks
aircraft was now to be called Kitsuka. By January brakes failed to slow the aircraft sufficiently so clean-up is easy and minimal. Two quite stiff

66 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 NAKAJIMA KIKKA

vacformed clear canopies are included with a cracked one windscreen so the pressure was on, After close study of period images it’s
small decal sheet and a CD full of both period but in the end I found that scoring around the apparent that the outer wing panels have slots.
images and photographs of each building stage, part with a new scalpel blade then making a These are probably impossible to cast in resin so
which I find a bit inconvenient as my modelling small cut at the start of the score-line enabled are represented on the kit as panel lines, but I
space is quite small and having a laptop in it me to crack the excess material off in same way decided to give them some depth to represent
reduces the amount to work in. you would cut a piece of glass. The windscreen them better. I ran a scriber along the panel lines
To begin all parts were washed in warm water fitted well but the rear fairing appears too deep and once they were deep enough to stop my
and bleach to remove any release agent then when compared to the real aircraft. It’s not much scalpel blade wandering off, I used the tip of the
rinsed in warm water with washing up liquid (for but will prevent the hood from sitting over it scalpel to angle the slots. Being staggered it’s
once no parts went down the plug hole) then when in the open position. I considered beyond this method to engineer an open slot
left to air dry overnight on kitchen towel. removing the fairing’s lower canopy frame to but you could cut out the leading edge, sand
reduce its depth but having spent over an hour back the wing cut-out and angle the lower edge
Work should begin with the cockpit, however cutting the canopy out I wasn’t that keen so I of the leading edge piece to make the slots if
the space for the wheel bays beneath the went to the spares box and found an old you wished. The wing hinges mesh perfectly but
cockpit needs to be removed so that’s where I injected canopy that I cut and sanded to shape. are too weak to support the wing in its folded
began with a razor saw and scriber. Next I Bingo-bongo, job done. The windscreen and position so a small length of wire was added to
removed the undercarriage covers from the one- fairing were masked and then installed - so far, the upper hinge point and a matching hole
piece, hollow inner wings. The wheel bays were a the only part of the build that had required any drilled into the outer wing to provide support
smooth fit within the wing and after being test extra input from me, and if you keep your and provide somewhere to attach it.
fitted within the fuselage they were tacked in canopy closed its even easier.
place with superglue, forming sturdy wing spars. As far as construction goes all that’s left now is
The main damage having been done the wings All flying and control surfaces are separate so the undercarriage, and as the only existing
were slid off the wheel bays and more superglue short lengths of wire were attached to give example never had any fitted, we’re into best
used to set the bays within the fuselage, then strength and facilitate fitting and offsetting later. guess territory. The nose wheel was a tail wheel
left overnight resulting in a firm base to which to I thought about installing the wings with and taken from a P1Y1 Ginga (Frances) and the main
attach the wings later. without the engines attached, but in the end gear legs were apparently modified Zero
with engines won as it would make any filling on components although how, where and what
The cockpit was tackled next and given extra modifications were made is still a mystery. That
details with redundant KI-61 parts, MDC the inner side easier to get at. The engines were
assembled without issue then attached to the said they were on hand for use. What can be
Japanese instrument dials, Eduard seat belts, gleaned from period images is that both legs
and bits of wire and rod. The only colour images wings (and no filling), thick cyano was run onto
the top of the wheel bays and the wings were and wheels were either light grey or bare metal.
I could locate of the cockpit shows the same Lemkit provide retraction jacks for all three legs
green as the external colour, and the instrument slid over the top, lined up with the wing root
then more cyano was run into the joint along a but nothing for the inner bay doors, although
panel appears to be black painted wood. The there are a pair of attachments moulded to the
kit’s resin panel was sanded to transparency knife blade resulting in a very precise fit, which
only required a minimal amount of filling. I used bottom of these doors that look like the
then a slice of clear Eduard packaging was attachment points for the closing mechanism of
attached representing dial glass over Perfect Plastic filler and cleaned the join up with
a damp cotton bud to prevent sanding the fine the Zeros’ inner doors.
individually placed MDC instrument faces
located on 5 thou plastic card cut to match the detail away. The next decision to make was After some research on other Nakajima
panel front. Plastic rod and tube were used to wings folded or locked down? aircraft, and remembering Nakajima also
represent the instrument cases with lead wire for In the end, and to emphasise that this isn’t a produced Zero’s so had parts on hand, it seems
the electrical connections. A dry run showed small scale Me 262, the folded option was more than possible that the Kikka’s mechanism
that the rear bulkhead was slightly too wide and chosen. Looking at period images and those of could well be a modified Zero Sen mechanism as
this was gradually reduced by sanding and the only known airframe in existence being it was an already proven, readily available,
continual test fitting, then it was all painted and worked on, the kit CD, and Monograms Close Up simple, easy to use, and the pressure was on to
put to one side. number 19 you can see that a couple more holes provide the aircraft. Having made the decision it
need to be added to both the inner and outer was a simple matter to build it from scratch with
The nose wheel bay was added to a fuselage a few bits of wire, it’s also mostly obscured by
half next and once the superglue had set lead wing closing faces. These were drilled out and
then the hinges were attached. Lemkit provide the RATO bottles. When flown on its first flight
was packed around it to prevent a tail sitter. Now the nose gear door was not installed. You can’t
the cockpit was added to the fuselage half and detailed inner wing structures. A small portion of
wing needs to be removed then detailed folds see it in images of its second flight (RATO bottles
closed up. At this stage the fin and rudder were installed) but I found an image of it in a hanger
attached and once set the joints were sanded were attached. There aren’t many additional
items to add as the wings were folded manually with it fitted, so it was attached. All
and primed to highlight any gaps, then it was undercarriage legs and retraction jacks are cast
time to attach the windscreen and rear canopy and supported on struts locating into the
fuselage and upper wing panels, so there are no around a copper wire centre, which gives a
fairing. sturdy base for the completed model.
hydraulic hoses to add but there are what
Experience with vacforms over many years appear to be electrical cables coming from the And so, the painting stage. On the face of it
has led me to attach the windscreen at this stage leading edge cavity. These were made from lead simple enough – green uppers and light grey
as it’s much easier to blend the framework into wire and two pin lowers, and many other kit producers have gone
the airframe now, resulting in something that plugs and sockets with that but which green and grey? Nothing is
doesn’t resemble an afterthought. Having two represented. more contentious for late war aircraft modellers
canopies is always helpful, especially if you want and historians than paint, its shade, its tone, its
to display the aircraft with the canopy open, as opacity etc.
you can effectively sacrifice one. Cutting these
out however became a bit of a I’m not going to begin a never-ending
battle. The clear material used is conversation on deciphering/determining
quite rigid, doesn’t like razor colours from black and white, faded, scratched,
saws, and cracks like an contemporary images, as others have done so
injection moulded piece. I and been seriously embarrassed by their
assumptions. I have been unable to determine
exactly which shade of green, or if
grey was used
for

JUNE 2022 • VOLUME 44 • ISSUE 04 67

NAKAJIMA KIKKA

the underside or if this was bare metal or a 71.151) and chose 10G 3/2 green with a mixture aircraft or any of the others pictured part
mixture of both. There are some images of the of N7/5 light grey and bare metal underside completed. They do however turn up on the
first flight of the aircraft taking off and being panels to represent the different metals used in airframes selected for transport to America and
prepared for its second flight that have been its hasty construction -Japan had run out of the extant one. It’s my opinion that they were
cleaned up and post coloured with a cloudless aluminium and was having to use steel by now. I fitted as canopy locks while the aircraft was in
azure sky as background. These are the result of might be right in my assumptions, which would transit, to keep the hood attached and souvenir
some-one else’s digitally rendered best guess, be nice for a change, or I might have it hunters, out so I chose not to fit them.
so, looking past all the scratches on completely wrong, but I think it looks right and The RATO units were assembled and given a
contemporary black and white images and that’s my opinion. worn metallic finish - I can’t locate colour details
remembering that the jury is still out on whether Painting was straightforward. Bare metal areas for these so again it’s a best guess - then they
the only existing airframe was painted all-over were done first, then glossed. Light grey was were attached. No massive weathering on this
green in Japan prior to is transport or in America, next then the demarcation was masked and the one as it only managed a single flight. The outer
and which nations paint was used, there is no green applied. All was gloss varnished, and once wings were attached with a pair of struts. The
definitive colour to attempt a shade comparison dry some panel line washes were applied then only information I could locate states there was a
with. I have been unable to locate an image of glossed over ready for the decals. pair of support struts located in a panel near the
the aircraft’s undersides so don’t really know if wing tip and catches in the fuselage. There are a
these were bare metal but that would tie in with Lemkits’ decals are straightforward, provide a
number of aircraft, and red straight lines. They pair of catches scribed on each side of the
other late war IJN/IJA aircraft finishes of the time cockpit so these were drilled and four pieces of
due to paint shortages, manufacturing time, are easy to apply to a gloss surface and have
good density but they’re brittle and need to be wire painted yellow - again a best guess - then
manpower etc. the wings were attached, the aerial lead and
cut from a continuous carrier film. Doing this
I’m guessing that as the IJN were paying the with a knife on a flat surface prevents them insulator were attached, and it was finished.
bills they would want the upper surfaces cracking if you use scissors to remove them from I have made a number of Lemkits’ releases
finished in IJN green and that’s simple enough the sheet. and not been disappointed yet. This one is a
until you see the number of shades of the straightforward simple build project. You ‘re
aforementioned. If the thought of late war In some images there appears to be a light
shade on the wing leading edges, which could advised to take care with the canopy and decals
Luftwaffe finishes fascinates you (it does it for but there’s no problem with the build as it goes
me) then try and decipher the Japanese paint indicate use of the yellow warning/identification
standard practice. It seemed to me that it was together well and looks every inch the part.
codes and shades system in 1945, take Judged against some modern injection releases
something for the inevitable headache and after more than likely so these were done with
Aeromaster decal to save an awkward masking its not ridiculously priced, and it’s a limited
a while I recommend you do as I did; put your edition one-off so really, what’s not to like?
trust in your evidence-based most likely TLAR job. A small amount of Paynes grey was added to
selected panel lines and an overall coat of satin Would I buy another? Oh yes. I have asked if
(that looks about right) assumption. If exact they’ll do a 1/32 SU-15 and now need to add
paint colours aren’t your thing my advice is to varnish sealed everything and brought it all
together. another to the request list. We have 1/32 kits of
paint your kit dark green the first jet aircraft for Germany, USA, and now
and light grey. The kit provides a Japan, so, how about Great Britain’s Gloster
I decided after pair of chunky pieces to E 28/39 in the scale?
more hours on the add to the lower frames
of the sliding hood, but While I’m waiting, I think the Shinden that’s
Internet that are been resting in the loft for over ten years may
deemed healthy to referring to
contemporary finally get an outing
order Vallejo’s air war but that’s
Pre-war-1945 images these
do not appear another
Japanese paint world of at
set (ref. on the first
least eight
aotake
shades!

68 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 BLENHEIM MK I

The
Emperor’s
New
Clothes
A Bristol Blenheim in
Japanese Markings
By Harvey Low

machine, or of the others in the photo, are • Separate control surfaces that can be
unknown, but I believe it was one of many RAF displayed at angle
Blenheims captured during the Malayan • Top fuselage spine ahead of the turret is one
campaign (note there were no Dutch or piece thus requiring no seam to fill
Australian use of the type). Four Blenheim
Squadrons were in Malaya when Japan invaded • Detailed pilot figure and light bombs are
on December 8, 1941. There were well known included
Blenheim’s including those of No.62 Squadron in • Wing supports as part of the centre section,
Malaya, flown by famous pilots such as ensures an accurate dihedral and seamless
Squadron Leader Arthur Stewart King Scarf (VC), wing root join
who lost his life in a Blenheim defending against
Bristol Blenheim Mk IF the Japanese onslaught in 1941. This archive
photo shows that these captured aircraft were
The Build
Kit No: A09186 simply dumped at this graveyard after World War While the kit is great, it does have some
Scale: 1/48 2. Verbal testimonials indicate that some challenges. First, the plastic is extremely soft, so
Blenheims were flown in the 1945 Indonesian be careful cutting the plastic with a sharp blade
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic War of Independence. as this easily removes plastic leaving gouges.
Manufacturer: Airfix Their new 1/48 Avro Anson does not have this
soft plastic issue, and there is no indication on
www.airfix.com The Kit the box which type of plastic comes in an Airfix
I used the 1/48 Airfix Blenheim Mk IF, which kit, except through Internet forums and
A Unique History also by the way has the parts to make a Mk I discussion groups.

T
he Bristol Blenheim is well known to World version (ref. A09190). The only difference is the By far the most difficult part of this kit for me,
War Two aviation enthusiasts, but what Mk I’s lack of the underside gun pod, and the was the fit of the cockpit parts. While I found no
about one in Japanese livery? This model is canopy on the port-side having more clear on-line reviews indicating such issues, I had
based on a single black and white photo found window panels. Released in 2018, this is a highly several problems. First, the seat and its
in the National Archives of the Netherlands. The detailed and excellent representation of the supporting framework did not properly fit into
photo is of the aircraft graveyard at Semarang Blenheim and kudos to Airfix for releasing such the main wing spar unit (sub-assembly step #8).
Java in August 1947, while a close-up clearly fine new kits! It finally gives us a new tool after Then again I glued the seat assembly after the
shows the remains of at least three Bristol almost twenty years and more, with the Classic main spar was glued into the port fuselage half,
Blenheim aircraft in Japanese Army Air Force Airframes model released back in 2000. Here is and not to the spar itself first as per the step #16.
markings! Two appear to be Blenheim IVs, with what I liked about this kit: I have read that one needs specifically to follow
one of them converted into a ‘transport’, as • Dimensions are accurate and crisp the assembly steps with this kit. This may have
evidenced by the addition of four small side been the problem and not the kit. But I did find
passenger windows (odd given that the • Highly detailed parts with no obvious injector the parts in general often needed that extra
structural internals of the Blenheim would not pin marks and only minor flash and seam lines sanding and trimming to ensure a good fit. I
easily suit such passenger use). The Blenheim in • Instructions are very clear as to parts locations used Panzer Aces Vallejo colors to hand paint the
the centre of the photo appears to be a • Surface detail is delicate reserve chute and seat cushions using
Blenheim Mk I, which is the subject of this model beige/brown and light brown colours (#310,
– painted to what it might have looked like • Decals are of high quality and nicely #312, #322).
shortly after being captured by the Japanese in registered
Another tricky area are the transparencies.
1941/42. • Option to leave cockpit access hatch open or First, the clear parts are too close to the sprue-
What we know about this aircraft is only from closed gates thus leaving notable marks on the pieces
this single photo. The background of this • Option of open or closed engine cooling flaps when cutting them off the sprues. Be careful

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 69

BLENHEIM MK I

The plastic is so soft that when the wings are

cut-off the sprues, they immediately bend The inner wheel well walls (A31, A32) were ill-
out-of-shape thus requiring small clamps fitting requiring clamps. Do not bother painting the detail on the radio
when glued, to ensure a proper fit. set (part #D9) as it will not be seen!

The only aftermarket parts I added here were Eduard’s parts really add to the model and are
the Eduard LOOK pre-painted photoetch pretty much a drop-in fit with little or no
The Gunner’s turret comes with a jig to ease in instrument panel and seatbelts. preparation.
the complex assembly of the turret
mechanism. Nice touch Airfix!

The engine cowling rings were airbrushed

I painted the engines based on photos of the with Testors Metallic Copper, and then lightly
real thing, and noticed the Airfix instructions over-sprayed with Alclad II Exhaust Manifold,
I next assembled the landing gear and wheel somewhat simplifying the colours, but the deepened with Alclad II Gun Metal.
wells as a single assembly before gluing the base aluminium for the cylinders is correct.
upper wing on.

I modulated the topsides by random

squiggles of Tamiya Yellow for the green
The fit of the wing to the fuselage is very good Initially I painted the model in the standard camo, and Tamiya Flesh with a bit of red for
with the only exception being a small colours for an RAF Blenheim with Dark the earth. Do not over-paint these areas as
triangular gap that needs to be filled once you Green/Dark Earth uppers and Night you want to keep the underlying modulation
add the rear wing fillet (#A18 and #A19). undersides. pattern showing through faintly.

here and use precision tools such as God Hands I found there was a slight misalignment on (#C4) are not positioned correctly, the exhausts
to do this task! As for the canopy itself, I do the centre canopy frames where the upper will be in the wrong position and very noticeable
suggest a diversion from the kit’s instructions canopy (part #G5) meets the lower two canopy given their position with respect to the two
here, as I found it much easier to glue the halves. A small issue that I found hard to correct protruding oil cooler intakes. The fit of the
canopy halves to each fuselage half before but then again barely noticeable. My antenna subsequent engine cowling side panels are
mating the halves together, due to the complex mast came broken (apparently an issue with simply poor, requiring lots of super glue and
angles of the canopy. Mask off the canopy clear many of these kits). Also be aware that the filler.
parts before any assembly. I used a no-name antenna mast is too small for the locating hole in Make sure you get a good fit of the turret into
brand tape I bought from a local show, which the fuselage and will require thicker tube glue or the fuselage as it does not sit perfectly, requiring
was slightly thicker with a vinyl feel to it, which gap-filling super glue to install. super glue to hold it down in place. The external
in hindsight I should have avoided. It was not as Important: Make sure you take care fuselage parts such as the bomb-bay doors, top
crisp in masking edges as kabuki tape, such as assembling the engine as steps #70 and #71 are fuselage spine, and gunner’s hatch, however
produced by Eduard,who do make a set for this not clear as to the position of the cowling ring to were a superb fit. The clever design of the
kit (ref. EX780). the engine itself. If the three mounting rods horizontal stabilizers, requires no filler putty at

70 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 BLENHEIM MK I

The Blenheim Mk I can be seen just above

the centre of the picture, apart from the rest
of the debris, with the two Mk IVs to either
side, the one to the right minus its wings
but with additional fuselage windows.

The wing roots were sprayed silver and

hairspray applied, in preparation for later
weathering techniques.

I used LePage’s Blue Fun Tac to mask the

separation between the colours, as I find it
does not overly settle-down like Panzer Putty,
and is thus better for camo schemes requiring
a fine separation between colours.

the joints! Notice the rear horizontal stabilizer age of this aircraft by 1945. The kit benefits Flat Aluminum (XF-16) for the wheel wells, and
elevators are in the ‘down’ position as almost all greatly from the after-market instrument panel then I hand-painted the gear legs in black and
photos of Blenheim’s on the ground show them and seatbelts from Eduard’s LOOK line of very oleo shock absorbers bright silver (yes the
in this position. high-quality pre-painted parts (ref. 644105). Blenheim landing gear were seen in both black
They are applied with super glue as provided and medium/light grey). An oil wash of dark
without any need for painting. brown was applied for subtle weathering. The
Interior Painting wheels were replaced by resin weighted ones by
The landing gear is extremely well detailed
I always paint my cockpits first with flat black and went together without any issue. I would CMK (#4382).
(any brand will do). I then lightly airbrushed only suggest that you use styrene tube-glue to An important note is that this Mk IF kit
Tamiya Dark Green 2 (XF-89) leaving the darker cement the delicate gear arms and then while actually contains parts for the Tropical filter.
black in the recesses. I still setting, dry-fit them into the wheel wells. While not mentioned, it is parts #C23, #C24, and
lightened the colour with This process #C17, which are noted in the Mk I instructions.
white and yellow and focused allows the I opted to use these air filters
on highlights. An oil wash of entire given
Winsor-Newton Raw Umber assembly to their
554 was applied for align and more
more depth. I situate itself common use in the
chose this properly. It Middle East and
slightly was first Pacific. The engine
darker colour as I airbrushed cowling rings were
wanted a more using airbrushed with
weathered Tamiya Testors Metallic
appearance given the Copper, and then

JUNE 2022 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 71

BLENHEIM MK I

Burma in
1943. Could this
aircraft have belonged to the
8th Sentai? The 8th Hiko Sentai was a light
bomber unit operating Ki-48 Lilys and Ki-30
lightly Anns in Burma, so that makes sense, but it could
over-sprayed also just simply be the camo-pattern
with Alclad II coincidentally looking like an 8. I went for the
Exhaust Manifold (ALC latter as I would assume these aircraft would not
123), deepened with Alclad II Gun have been serving officially in the JAAF and thus
Metal (ALC 120). Exhaust was replicated using a would carry no Sentai markings. It was also not a
light grey misted on. common practice to apply specific unit markings
to captured Allied aircraft. As regards the
With the interior painted and fuselage built, underside, it is unclear as to whether it was
the wings were attached. The kit’s flaps are by repainted in Japanese colours or left in the
default in the ‘down’ position. Since I found original RAF Black – I opted for the later under
almost all photos of parked Blenheim’s with flaps the assumption of expediency and added
‘up’, I removed the inner rib structure to display hinomaru for ID purposes.
them closed, which was also very fiddly.
Outboard of the flaps, the single part ailerons the
are added, but be aware that their fit with the Exterior Painting & Weathering 8th Sentai as
ailerons is not perfect and requires some mentioned earlier. I
The first stage is to apply a primer coat, which used the old formula
wiggling to get them to sit properly. Again I consists simply of Mr Finishing Surfacer 1500
resorted to tiny drops of tube glue initially to Gunze’s Aqueous IJA Green (H60) + Black-Green
Black. For the underside, I modulated it by (H65) (75:25 ratio) thinned with distilled water
give some time to position in place before the random squiggles of white, with some areas
application of liquid glue. Note that the and isopropyl 70% (50:50), applied with an Iwata
heavier than others, then the final coat of RAF HP-B+ with .3mm tip and close distance using 8-
instructions do not indicate the colours of the Black-Grey using Tamiya Nato Black (XF-69) with
wing-tip navigation and formation lights (only 10psi. A coat of thinned AK Satin (AK11238) was
a touch of Hull Red (XF-9) for ‘warmth’, applied in applied to seal the finish. The final touch is the
the forward light was coloured, red on the port several light layers.
wing and green to starboard). aerial wire is from Uschi standard thickness
For the topsides, I again modulated it by (#4005).
random squiggles of Tamiya Yellow (XF-3) for the Weathering was simply an overall wash of
Note on Japanese Colours & Markings green camo, and Tamiya Flesh (XF-15) with a bit Winsor-Newton Raw Umber #554 thinned with
I painted the model in the standard colours of of red for the earth. Do not over-paint these area Humbrol enamel thinner, allowing it to settle in
an RAF Blenheim, but the camouflage in the as you want to keep the underlying modulation the rivet and panel lines and the excess wiped
aforementioned photo however, is clearly pattern showing through faintly. I then applied away, and the application of some AK
Japanese Army mottling, appearing to be tightly the final RAF camo colour scheme using Tamiya weathering powders to the wheels and wing
airbrushed over the original RAF colours. If so, I Dark Green 2 RAF (XF-81), and a mix of Tamiya roots in varying mud and dirt tones. I used
speculate it to be a JAAF dark green. The Khaki (XF-49) and Flat Earth (XF-52) in a ratio of Tamiya Accent Panel Line (Black) to accentuate
hinomaru are evident as well, except those on 85:15 for the earth colour. I wanted wear and the aileron and flap separations. Some oil, fuel
the wing, which are therefore speculative. This tear on the wing roots, so I painted that area and dirt colours from the AK Oil Brusher line
aircraft also clearly displays the Japanese- with Mr Color Super Fine Silver 2 thinned with were used, as well as the application of MIG AK
applied white fuselage ID stripe, along with a Mr Color Rapid Thinner, then subsequently weathering powders in varying shades of mud
white-surround fuselage hinomaru. It is unclear applied the hairspray technique at the wing root to the wing root and wheels.
if these aircraft had yellow wing ID strips but I areas, and then refined this after the final matt
added these markings given the presence of the coat later with a silver Prismacolor pencil.
white ID band as standard markings for Not knowing which RAF aircraft this machine Conclusions
Japanese Army aircraft at that time. It is originally was, I simply used the decals of No.23 I always wanted to do one of these Blenheims
noteworthy that you could even add a Japanese squadron from the Airfix kit, as these would be in an unusual livery and this new tool offers such
engine to a Blenheim! Testimonials in the book painted over with Gunze’s old formula Aqueous opportunity! This kit fought me all the way and I
My Home My Base, Perjalanan Sejarah Pangkalan IJA Gray (H62) anyway. The wing hinomaru were was not expecting that from a new mould. It has
Udara Iswahjudi 1939-2000 refer to a Blenheim IV sprayed on using round masks cut from Tamiya a lot of great qualities but be prepared for a
re-fitted with Nakajima Ki-43 (Ha-115) engines. It tape with a Shadow Hobby Circular Cutter. I struggle. In the end, I now have a unique
is not known if these captured Mk Is were mixed my own hinomaru colour using Tamiya Japanese bomber in my collection, in a paint
similarly fitted. It should be noted that any Red (XF-7) and a bit of Red Brown 2 (XF-90). scheme which I am still trying to get used to!
colour profiles of these ‘Japanese’ Blenheim’s that The Japanese mottling pattern is based on the
I found on the Internet are totally inaccurate in photo as much as possible and is speculative for
terms of markings and Japanese characters and References
the areas not seen. My observations here show a
are not worthy of any serious consideration. tight mottling pattern of mostly circular shapes National Archives of the Netherlands. Photo
My other speculation is about the tail consistent throughout, including the masking (#2.24.04.03-11837). Aircraft graveyard at
markings, which unfortunately are not clear in and spraying of this pattern over the cockpit Semarang, Java in August 1947. Aircraft Graveyard
the photo. It seems to show a stylized ‘8’, similar canopy frames. I tried to emulate the pattern on | National Archives (nationaalarchief.nl)
to those found on Ki-48s of the 8th Sentai in the rudder to show the possibility of an ‘8’ and Nick Millan’s Aviation of Japan
thus the remote chance it may have belonged to (www.aviationoapan.com) June 2016 blog

72 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 GREAT WORLD
OF SMALL AIRCRAFT
(
ALL NEW MODELS FROM METAL MOLDS - PRODUCTION 2023

! !
( (

! ! ! !
( (
(

! !
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(
REVIEWS

SPECIAL HOBBY

SAAB SK-37
Viggen
By Bruce Leyland-Jones

T
here was a deluge of delirious delight detail, blank cockpit sans pilot, dodgy decals and
amongst the downtrodden disciples and often short-shot.
devotees of the double-delta, when Now Special Hobby have boxed the Tarangus
Tarangus deliberated and delivered their kit and I am fortunate enough to have been
delightful and well detailed Viggen kit, back in given the opportunity to add a delicious double
2018. SAAB’s ‘double delta’-inspired alliteration
double-delta to my collection of trainers,
to one side, this kit was a revelation and
(aircraft, that is and NOT over-priced rubbery
followed decades of neglect, when modellers of
footwear). To add to my delectation, a set of
Swedish weather phenomena had only the
Special Hobby’s splinter camouflage painting
classic, (though superlative) Heller to play with.
masks has been included, sparing me the
I’ll discount the earlier Airfix, based upon the
trauma of painstakingly hand-painting each and
prototype, the Hasegawa effort, later boxed by
every single splinter, as I did, way back when,
Kit No: SH72381 FROG, and the later relatively accurate, though
and an airbrush was something that artists for
also toy-like Matchbox. Of these, only Heller and
Scale: 1/72 Matchbox made any serious effort to provide the Athena used.
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic SK-37 trainer version, with the latter being a Whilst the kit has now been issued many
butchered version of their original Viggen, times since it’s first inception, the plastic remains
Manufacturer: Special Hobby produced in Hong Kong and with all of the almost perfectly flawless, with crisply engraved
www.specialhobby.eu accompanying issues that that implied; soft panel lines and practically no flash evident on

74 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 REVIEWS

the detail parts, some of which are Mr. Kipling of that provided by Matchbox, I feel Special Fortunately, the plastic used does have the
exceedingly fine. Having tackled the Matchbox Hobby missed a trick by omitting any required degree of flexibility. One detail that I
International kit not so long ago, I was pleased suggestion of harness or instruments, especially thought was initially missing from the cockpit
to see that this kit includes the little ram-air given that other Czech companies show great was the provision of extended ejector seat
turbine, the tiny struts between the intakes and skill in providing even decals, if not the curtain pull handles, which should extend from
fuselage and, of course, the two periscopes, complexities of etch. In the end up and, because righthand side of the headrests. Further research
which give the beast a somewhat devilish air, I was planning on displaying the model with the informed me, however, that these were
when viewed from the front. canopies open, I felt somewhat compelled to discontinued soon after initial employment and I
add at least some painted tape harness and was reassured that Tarangus certainly knew
Only fuel tanks are provided for ordnance,
devoted some time with a cocktail stick and gel what they were doing.
(even the old Matchbox provided those XL5-like
antiship missiles) and the decal sheet, whilst pens to suggest at least some instrumentation. When grounded, the Viggen employs a small
appearing to be in perfect register and suppling Whilst the aforementioned instrument panels auxiliary power generator and this is very nicely
a plethora of stencils, seems to lack instrument are recessed, they are visible and so I thought represented in the kit, with the small turbine
panel embellishments. my efforts were worth the time. beautifully reproduced and the bay in which it
Note that the kit provides the internal normally resides also detailed.
windscreen for the rear crew. The fit of this is Staying with the forward fuselage, four pieces
On with the build… excellent, but you do need to be brave enough make up the intake trunking, including the large
Nice though the plastic is and far in advance to risk flexing it a little, in order to fit it in place. fan for the Volvo turbofan. Note that it’s worth

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 75

REVIEWS

painting these as you will be able to see them, Clearly, whether using an airbrush, or a proper inconsistent. This became more of an issue as
once the model is complete. Whilst they could brush*, some form of masking must be the way more of the individual masks were removed
not be described as ‘seamless’, the fit was more forward and, given the quality of die-cut masks from the sheet. The cutting of the masks on my
than adequate, with little evidence of seams nowadays, I was extremely hopeful that Special sheet at least was incomplete, with some masks
later on. Hobby had provided the answer and I could look completely lacking cuts and other only partially
Looking towards the business end, the kit forward to many more splinter-camo’d aircraft in cut. To remedy this, I had to effectively cut my
supplies separate petals for the exhaust, my future. own from the supplied sheet. Finally, and the
allowing the modeller to display their So, four different colours are required for the biggest issue for me, was that the masks
splinter camouflage and the Internet is full of supplied did not match the clear colour profiles
thunderbolt in full reverse thrust mode, full
many and varied recommendations. Personally, I also provided. This caused me to have to use my
afterburner or anywhere in between. Again, the
refuse to become too pedantic with so-called imagination on several occasions and
fit of this sub-assembly is superb, but please be
precise colouring, as I am aware of how different occasionally to second-guess which mask went
aware that there is a significant gap between the
lighting, the photography used, and the age and where. This issue may have been due to a mis-
exhaust fan and reverse thruster assembly. If you
degree of weathering of the individual original match between a 2D drawing and a 3D subject.
follow the clear instructions, like a good and
sensible modeller, you should have no problems subjects affect the colours … and that’s before I Wondering if these more negative
and please don’t ask me how I should know this. open the can of worms that is scale-effect!** I impressions were due to my unfamiliarity of the
looked at many images of splintered Viggens, masks, I bought myself a second set and
With the rear fuselage complete, the three-
frequented several Swedish modelling groups, experienced the same issues with masks being
piece main wing assembly can be attached, and
and even liaised with a chap who had genuinely incompletely cut and not matching the provided
I was, once again, impressed by the lovely fit of
worked on both painting and maintaining the colour guides. All that said, I was very happy
parts (I also appreciated the detail provided in with my completed tufted duck.
beasts in their lairs. Cutting a long and
the wheel bays). This quality of fit continued
potentially tedious story short, I opted for the
with unification of front and rear fuselage halves
following, from my readily available stash of
and the mark-specific spine and fin, with nary a Summary
Humbrol enamels:
smidgin of filler being required throughout the This kit is superb and a marvellous example of
build so far. Light Green: Humbrol H226
the kit maker’s art. The plastic was flawless, fit
Whilst the instructions made no mention of Dark Green: Humbrol H116 was gorgeous, and the provided detail informed
the need for any nose weight, I withheld my Tan: Humbrol H119 me that those involved knew exactly what they
judgement until I could see for myself and left Black: Humbrol H33. were doing. As a consequence, I’d happily
off the nosecone until after I’d installed the recommend this kit to anyone who possesses
beautifully-detailed undercarriage. I need not Note that I was ‘allowed’ to use black for the the most basic of modelling skills. The masking
have worried … again, the creators of this piece camouflage, because I used a dark grey for the set was useful, to be honest, although I’d
of plastic art knew exactly what they were doing, radome and fin tip aerial and another dark grey strongly suggest a review of the supplied
and I was able to add the nose cone and for the de-icing boots on the leading edge of the instructions and perhaps some attention paid to
effectively finish the build. Note that the flying surfaces. At this point, I’ll refrain from the actual cutting. I might consider buying
foreplanes came with separate powered flaps, describing each and every brush stroke, leaving another set, although I’m just as likely to use my
allowing some animation for the finished model. the fancy techniques with an airbrush for other own method, as described briefly, below:
modelling rags and simply summarise…
On reflection, it would’ve been nice to have 1. Obtain 3-view drawings of your desired
separate control surfaces for the main wings, but The light green was applied all over and subject in the scale required. Ensure the
I’m sure most modellers handy with a knife appropriate masks applied. Patches of tan were different colours are sufficiently clear…I set to
would be able to facilitate this. than applied, which were then masked.Patches with my coloured pencils.
of black were applied, which were then masked,
With the build effectively complete, it was 2. Laminate these three times. (The extra plastic
and finally, all areas so far unmasked received
now painting time and I confess to some layers are required to accommodate what’s
the dark green. I then had the self-actualising
excitement on receiving the Special Hobby coming next).
moment of removing all of the masks and
masks, for that complex splinter camouflage. I’ve 3. Using the widest masking tape, place the tape
surveying the end result.
heard of other modellers, trying to decide over the patches of colour and, using a fresh
between the splinter or a natural metal finish, The adhesion of the masks had proved
blade, cut out the individual masks. Apply the
decide that they want to build a Draken instead. adequate, with only a little touching up required
masks as you create them, so as to avoid any
Back in the day, when it was all fields around and the final detail painting soon followed, to
confusion about placement later on.
here and my Matchbox kit was accompanied by my own satisfaction. On the face of it, the
process sounds quite painless, and it was Please note that whilst my own method did
a quarter of Tiger Nuts and another of Bullseyes,
certainly less effort than painstakingly painted not take into account the 3D nature of the
I spent ages carefully hand-painting, with my
each individual patch of colour by hand. subject, I do believe that the Special Hobby
best detail brush, each and every individual
However, I had a few issues with using the masks did. Many thanks to Special Hobby,
patch of colour and, even if I say so myself, my
masks, leading to a definite sense of meanwhile, firstly for increasing the accessibility
result was really good. More recently, when I
anticipointment on my part. of the Tarangus kit and secondly for attempting
decided to try another method with my
to bring a complex camouflage within reach of
Matchbox SK-37, I also achieved a good result. Firstly, the masks are divided into sub-
the more mediocre modeller. (i.e. Yours Truly).
(I’ll describe my second, more grown-up sections, relating to different areas of the model
method, at the end of this review). That said, to cover. Unfortunately for me, I found the *Dear Editor, Imagine my shock and surprise, etc
both methods took a long, long, long time. orientation of the masks unclear and ** Dear Editor, Imagine my shock and surprise, etc…

76 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
Kovozávody
Prostějov

Cessna C185
Skywagon
‘Polar Pumpkin’
By Robert Rose

highlight the importance of the Polar regions to I decided to replicate this by gluing a small slab
the health of the planet as a whole. The Pumpkin of plastic card to the cockpit wall in place of the
first landed at the South Pole in 1999, and many seat. Photos also show the rear seats left in
years of planning and several attempts later place, although I suspect they would have been
completed its mission over the North Pole in routinely removed to allow more equipment to
2013. Its adventures in the northern hemisphere be carried. I left them in to help the cockpit look
are documented in detail on a dedicated busy. There is a small and well-intentioned
website, www.polarflight90.com, and it has bulkhead piece to the rear, which makes no
since retired to the Dakota Territory Air Museum attempt actually to fit the space, so I wasted a
Kit No: KPM0372 in North Dakota. good amount of time trying to carve it into
Scale: 1/72 This is a fairly standard short run kit in that shape before abandoning the whole exercise.
there are relatively few parts and all require a bit Fortunately, once the windows are on you can’t
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic of clean up, but there is some nice detail, see well enough inside to spot the missing
Manufacturer: Kovozávody Prostějov including the classic corrugated control surfaces bulkhead. In fact, nor can you really see much of
typical of Cessnas. There have been some the interior at all, rendering my in-flight-desk
www. Kovozavody.cz
comments online about how the rear fuselage modification kind of pointless. Oh well, at least I
tapers a bit too sharply at the tail, while the know it’s there. No guidance is given for interior

K
P have been churning out several variants
of their recent Cessna 185 ‘Skywagon’ kit inner wing sections have a slightly Lysander-ish colours so I painted the walls pale beige and the
for a while now, so if you want to model a shape to them rather than the simple seats and door trim reddish brown, based on
nice wee civil machine then you have many rectangular slab of the real thing. These glimpses of the cockpit of the real thing. I
colourful options to choose from. I’m pleased to inaccuracies could be fixed, but with effort, and I figured the floor was most likely to be the sort of
see that small general aviation aircraft are decided that a mildly inaccurate Pumpkin was black that swallows pens, keys, fuel testers, and
featuring more often in the modelling world, as better than no Pumpkin at all. other assorted oddments in Cessna cockpits, so
there can be plenty of history behind even the The cockpit is simple and straightforward. painted it appropriately.
humblest of puddlejumpers. One oddity is that the instructions advise you to Once you’ve closed up the fuselage sides
A nice selection of three colour schemes is chop off the edges of the instrument panel, around the cockpit (and you did remember to
provided in this kit. While the black-and-yellow which kind of suggests they didn’t get it quite trim the instrument panel, didn’t you?) the rest
privately-owned option is undeniably right there. I tried to ignore this step but it is of the build is quite straightforward, with some
handsome, and the Canterbury Aviation one absolutely necessary for the windscreen to fit small modifications. The Pumpkin’s landing
represents a ‘working’ aircraft, I was dead set on later, so I had to go back and butcher the panel lights are mounted in the nose, rather than the
the Polar Pumpkin. This little aircraft (and its after all that work spent painting and decalling wing as supplied, so a bit of judicious filling and
pilots, chiefly Art Mortvedt) set out to traverse it. There are few photos showing anything of the drilling was employed to relocate them. I also
both north and south poles, hence its interior of the Pumpkin, though from what little I sanded off and rescribed the somewhat crude
registration. The mission was not only to prove can find, the front right seat and yoke were air filter detail. The wingtips need to be cut off
the practicality and honour the contribution of removed to allow a small desk to be mounted in and replaced with the drooped tips provided,
single-engine aircraft to polar science, but also the space. Whether or not this was a permanent and the odd little protuberance moulded on the
to document the effects of climate change and arrangement I am not sure, but for novelty value outboard section of one wing was removed. The
reviews

fin (make sure you use the correct one, as two chunkier option with the prominent brakes are of the aircraft is liberally festooned with decals
are provided) and tailplanes are butt-jointed correct for the kit, they do look a little oversize to featuring polar bears, penguins, various
somewhat precariously on to the fuselage. Quite my eye so maybe the other ones would look elaborate expedition logos and a list of pilots’
a lot of filling and sanding is required overall to better. Sadly, there are no skis included in this names just forward of the port door. The
perfect the joins, but being a small model, it’s kit, which I feel is a bit of an oversight given the registration text is slightly oversize, but
not that much of an ordeal. subject matter. It probably wouldn’t be beyond otherwise the decals are super - thin and crisply
the wit of the average modeller to scratch build printed. The finished model looks more like a
The windscreen fits OK, but not perfectly
or scavenge from spares, and perhaps I’ll do this mobile art installation than anything else.
(perhaps I didn’t trim that pesky instrument
later. Finally, I added a tiny pitot tube to the port
panel enough) and the windows are kind of This was a simple enough build, though
wing, and two stretched sprue aerials to the top
approximate at best. I trimmed around the of the fuselage - although I didn’t feel up to perhaps not the easiest due to the filler and
window frames to try to help the fit, though including the aerial wires, which stretch from fin fiddling required, and if you want to be picky
possibly using Crystal Clear or similar to fill the to mid-fuselage. There are quite a lot of small there are some inaccuracies in shape. But the
apertures instead would be a better bet. Don’t details you could add to this model, which could C185, humble though it might look, has a history
forget to replicate the very thin frame line down easily enough be scratch built. of aerial work and round-the-world adventuring
the centre of the windscreen with a stripe of and it’s worth a bit of filling and sanding just to
Several coats of orange spray paint (and many
paint - easily missed! commemorate the type’s exploits. The sheer
tears as it leaked under the masking for the
The undercarriage is as delicate as it looks, windows) later, I had a Pumpkin in all its variety of colour schemes available with the KP
especially the tailwheel assembly, which due to cheerful, eye-searing glory. The real thing also kits is a pretty good incentive too. Thanks to KP
that very skinny leg and the angle at which it sits has black leading edges on the tailplanes and a for this review sample. If you want a dose of
is extremely prone to snapping. Two sets of thin line of black sealant around the base of the sunshine on your shelf, or to honour a plucky
mainwheels are provided, and while the slightly fin, which the instructions don’t capture. The rest little explorer, go for a Polar Pumpkin!

Kovozávody Prostějov

Hawker
Tempest V
‘Series 1’
By Bruce Leyland-Jones

S
adly, the Hawker Tempest has seen little model both the VI and then the II. At the turn of
Kit No: KPM0221 interest from kit manufacturers over the the century, Academy produced a more modern
Scale: 1/72 years, with the old classics from FROG, then and acceptable kit of the V and CMR produced a
Revell and finally Heller and Matchbox providing truly gorgeous pair of IIs, in resin. So it has taken
Type: Injection Moulded Plastic all that was allegedly required for many decades. far too long for serious kit makers to come up
Manufacturer: Kovozávody That latter kit was my introduction to the type, with the goods, with KP pipping Airfix to the
www.kovozavody.cz and I remember buying two, so that I could post by a year.

78 w w w. s c a l e a i r c r a f t m o d e l l i n g . co. u K
 Shesto products available now from the
GUIDELINE PUBLICATIONS SHOP

GP: PAB1000
GP: PBU1019/1 GP: PTW1131 GP: PFL1006
Dual-Grit Flexi Sanders x 3
Glass Fibre Brush (4mm) Pick & Place Tool (Fine) 6 Pce Warding File Set
(90x19x6mm)
£6.49 £7.00 £8.50
£4.49

GP: PDT0982 GP: PFL6040 GP: PKN4200

GP: PFL6020/B
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Sanding Bands (20mm) x 3
Stainless Steel Carver (40mm, Medium Grade) & 2 x Spare Blades
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£4.00 £8.99 £7.00

GP: PKN3301 GP: PFL6020 GP: PFL6025 GP: PFL6010

Modelcraft Classic Spring Loaded Finger Sander Spring Loaded File Sander - Spring-Loaded Finger Sander
Craft Knife #1 (20mm, Medium Grade) (25mm, Medium Grade) (10mm, Medium Grade)
£2.20 £7.00 £8.99 £5.50

GP: PTW5000
GP: PFL6025/3 GP: PFL6040/B GP: PKN6004
4 Pce Stainless Steel
Sanding Bands (25mm) x 3 Sanding Bands (40mm) x 3 A4 Cutting Mat
Tweezers Set
£9.49 £9.49 £8.99
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Telephone: 01582 668411 Email: [email protected]

www.guidelinepublications.co.uk
www.guidelinepublications.co.uk 17
REVIEWS

This new tool from KP is not a complex kit and nicely detailed and the walls of the bays were norm, these were often applied in a hurried
has relatively few parts. The cockpit opening isn’t provided by single pieces, rather than the manner and whilst tape was often used, it wasn’t
the largest on the planet and so little time is multiple bits found in too many Spitfire kits. The always. Further, different paints wore off at
wasted within. That said, from my researches, the fit of these was excellent and, for very little different rates for different reasons and,
exterior shapes are all good and the plastic modelling effort, I had detailed undercarriage apparently, there was a War on. So, with all of
appears flawless. Due to a number of similar bays that were more than adequate. Adding the these excuses in mind, I find that a stripe of 6mm
aircraft in the range, several parts are surplus to upper wing halves was problem-free and the is ‘goodenuff’ in 1/72 and slapped on a wide
requirements and it is clear that some have engineering of the kit ensured suitably fine expanse of white, (three coats for a good
adaptations, to accommodate other marks of the trailing edges. Note that I needed to ascertain opacity), before masking it with my 6mm strips
aircraft. the mark of Tempest I was building, as I had an of tape (I prefer Tamiya).
The cockpit sub-assembly is not made up of option of adding two pairs of machine guns to With time well spent carefully pressing the
too many parts, but some of those parts are the wings at this stage of the build. As mine was tape down, I usually find that the Modelling
finely moulded and some care was needed to be armed with four cannon, I could leave Gods will approve and that only the barest of
extricating them from the sprue. There is detail these off until towards the end of the build. At touching up will be required. (I don’t know
moulded onto the cockpit sidewalls and this was this point, I decided to be bold and to deviate about your good selves, but removing tape to
a little soft in definition, but given just how little from the instructions … reveal a successful masking is always one of
will be seen, once the fuselage halves are put There are gaps in the forward leading edges, those ‘Go-To’ moments for me and this is
together, then this should not be a problem. at the wing root and deigned to accommodate especially true when stripes are involved.
Interior colours are suggested to be radiator intakes in other marks of the kit. The KP offers colour callouts for Humbrol with the
dominated by black, with some interior green instructions told me to add the filling pieces at exterior of this kit, with just generic terms for
items. There is a fair bit of shooting the breeze, this stage, but I chose to leave these off until interior colours, such as ‘Interior Green’ and
with occasionally some hot air blowing about, after I’d applied the wing sub-assembly to the ‘Anthracite’, or ‘Black’. Normally I would have
regarding the colours used, which can depend fuselage. My reasoning was that I still needed to painted this late-War subject using a camouflage
upon the factory the particular aircraft was build the separate nose section, with the of Humbrol H163 and H164, but for the sake of
made, alongside the ‘when’ it took to the air. prominent chin radiator intake and to join this to this review, I’ve used the suggested colours of
Throw in the vagaries of maintenance and such the main fuselage. I was unsure about the fit of Humbrol H27 and H30, with Humbrol H64
like and all manner of … erm … fascinating this and, for the sake of this review, I intended
undersides. Personally, I’ve never liked H30 as an
debate could be wafted about. Personally, I’ll caution.
RAF Dark Green, preferring H116 or H163 as my
leave such expertise to Paul Lucas and go with Three pieces go to make up the interior of the green of choice. This followed too much time
my own amateur findings, namely that at the radiator and the front piece in particular is very getting up close and personal with WW2 RAF
time my particular subject took to the air, the nicely moulded, responding well to metallic subjects in my youth, at air shows and museums.
cockpit interior was interior green below the paints. A modelling mate had warned me about
pilot’s elbow and black above. Whilst happy with the plastic, I confess that I
his difficulties in assembling the nose, but I had
was not so happy with the decals. The roundels
There is no decal for the instrument panel no such difficulties, (sorry Frank). Perhaps
were not opaque enough to cover the D-Day
and, even though this will be practically forewarned was forearmed.
stripes, the Sky lettering was too green for my
invisible, post-closure, I painted mine a dark grey This left me with three sub-assemblies: taste and, worse of all, the main roundels were
and added some black gel pen dials. (This was, in fuselage, nose, and wings. My order of assembly slightly off-register, showing a distinct white
the end up, a waste of time). There is a gunsight was wings to fuselage, then nose to fuselage. Fit edge to one side. I’ve left these in place for the
provided and the instructions told me to cut an was again truly excellent throughout, with only a review, but once you guys look elsewhere, I’ll be
acetate piece for the reflecting sight. As far as I little light sanding of joins required and I was replacing them with better from my own supply.
am aware, the gunsight used on the Tempest happily impressed. This then left me a very solid All that said, I now have a decent Hawker
reflected directly onto the windscreen, so this structure upon which to add those wing root Tempest, as flown by one of my heroes, Wing
instruction may be erroneous. However, my leading edge pieces, which also only needed a Commander Roland Prosper ‘Bee’ Beamont, of
model is of a ‘Series 1’ aircraft, and it could well light sanding to blend in with the rest of the the Newchurch Tempest Wing, from March 1944.
be me wafting foolish. wing. So far, so good.
This is a nice kit, and for anyone with a
There were clear indications as to where to With the model largely built, it was time to penchant for the Tempest, in all its forms, I’m
place the completed cockpit sub-assembly and, consider painting and my subject had D-Day suggesting that KP will be the one to go for. The
as I had some spare harness decals from another stripes to consider. Because the Tempest has plastic and general shapes were all good to my
KP kit, I chose to apply these to the seat. (NOTE large undercarriage doors, I needed to apply the eye and anyone who knows the subject would
that these were not included in my boxing of stripes to the doors in a fashion consistent to the have no issue navigating the few possible
this kit). rest of the wing. To help me achieve this, I simply discrepancies. The only disappointment was the
The fuselage halves came together very, very added some blobs of Blu-Tac to temporarily hold quality of the decals. I’m sure there’ll be no
nicely and I was reassured by my inability to see the doors in place and the rest was a breeze. shortage of aftermarket replacements
much within the cockpit coalhole, although my Out amongst the precious, there will be all appearing, but KP are doing themselves a
decision to add my own harness was a good one. manner of precise measurements available for disservice if they do not address this issue.
With fuselage largely complete, I turned my the required width of stripe and there may even Decals aside, I would happily recommend this kit
attention to the wings. be instances of precise application. Whilst 5 to any modeller and am even considering
The interior of the main wheel bays was very stripes, white-black-white-black-white, were the buying a few more, of different marks.

80 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
H E 162 N OT E S

A READER WRITES:

The Heinkel He 162 Spatz

By Victor F W Copson

S
ome notes on the He 162 following your feature, and on Harzer mine works east of the Mittlewerk and two camps were
the controversial non-existent Volksjager Programme, built, one at Harzung and one at the Mittlewerk train station. At
which is a word listed in official documents just once. Kaufering in Bavaria a massive bunker under construction was
due to be ready for the Autumn of 1945.
A meeting was held at the RLM on 28 May 1943 with
reference to a single-seat single jet fighter built using non- On the 29 April 1945 Unteroffiziers Anton Reimer and Helmut
strategic materials first discussed in late November and early Rhiel were flown to Rostock Marienehe by Lt Wolfgang
December 1942. It would be seen as a disposable commodity Wollenwebber in a Storch to fly the last aircraft out. On 1st May
in that context, and just two firms were involved. In the Reimer left in W.Nr 120100 but it was unflyable and on return
meeting Heinkel and Schwartzler, the designer with Gunter, crashed at the boundary, but he was uninjured. Rhiel left in the
put forward the P1073-01/04, a fourth design concept with a last aircraft built there, W.Nr 120104, but crashed on route with
He 162-type fuselage, swept back wings, butterfly tail, and leg injuries. Rostock was no more. Chunks of concrete and
either a HeS-8 or Jumo 004C dorsal-mounted engine. Focke various bits of aircraft were strewn around, parts of the He 343,
Wulf submitted a similar design called the Entwurf 1 and a some said. The He 178V-3 and He 176V-2 had been at Rostock
second design the Entwurf 2 again with dorsal mounted but were now denied to the Russians. They all landed safely
engines. back at Leck.
At no time did the He 162 engage with Allied fighters, and it On 4 May 1945 Lt Wollenwebber took off in W.Nr 120972
never shot any aircraft down and that’s official from the pilots ‘Yellow 3’ at 15.00hrs to escort Grossadmiral Doenitz’s aircraft
themselves. Just one engagement is recorded as follows. On over Kiel. He landed at 15.30hrs this being the last operational
the 4th May 1945 at 11.38hrs Lt Rudolf Schmitt took off in W.Nr flight, and thus brought the operational career of the He 162 to
120212 ‘White 1’ and later on return claimed Typhoon Wirksam an end. The red arrow on the nose is confirmed by pilots of JG
Beschosen. Gun camera film confirms it was in fact a Tempest 1, who had named the aircraft Pfiel (Arrow), and to signify this
without effect. Later, that Tempest flown by Flying Officer M. had painted it on the nose. Finally was it really designed and
Austin of 486 Sqn, is shot down by flak, and he jumps out flown in ninety days? Going by official documents it was not, as
uninjured to confirm that fact. RLM officials confirm:

Regarding thirteen combat losses these are non-operational Heinkel’s design appeared to be the only one which could be
losses, and I have the W.Nrs, staffel numbers, and in many cases quickly put into production, chiefly due to the aircraft’s simple,
engine W.Nrs. There was just one combat loss as follows: non-standard layout and several month’s worth of development,
which had been put into the P1073 design.
On 19 April 1945 an Alarmstart at Leck was conducted by Fhj.
Fw Gunther Kirchner in W.Nr 120008 ‘Yellow 2’ and Lt Gerard Major Grasser and Fliegerstabsingenieur would approve any
Steimer to intercept some Thunderbolts. Steimer says: I glanced redesign needed. Rudiger Kosin of Arado was instructed to go
over my shoulder to see Kirchner’s canopy blow away and his to Heinkel to approve the design on 7 October 1944:
ejection seat shoot into the air. The Heinkel/Drager seat The same thing had happened on the Me 262, and once again I
performed perfectly but Kirchner was too low to survive. was to approve a clean bill of health or recommend modification
‘Yellow 2’ came down four kilometres from Leck near the to the design. And that at a time when the essential sub-
village of Klintum. Now there is a lot of controversy here as no assemblies were virtually complete. It was All Souls day 1944, and
Thunderbolts were in the area but Typhoons were, and that is five weeks later the He 162 was flying.
another story. Despite that, this is the only combat loss of a He
162, and the first operational use of the ejection seat on the By March 1944 after two years of research, the RLM had run
aircraft. There are many more successful ejections but not in out of patience and wanted their fighter now. C-E2 requested
combat, and one of those was a curious sentry on the ground those submitting designs should do so by April or May 1944.
who landed on a hanger roof luckily, shaken and well stirred, Later C-11 of the Technischeamt would request all bids be sent
but he survived. The aircraft was U/S for several days. to Department C-IV Verwaltung for a final review on 1 July 1944
in what became known as the ‘Great Shakeout’.
Now to the Baugruppes. On 19 March 1945 EHAG (Heinkel)
Heinkel put forward the P1073 in early April 1944, and the
documents show a letter of intent outlining codename Molch
RLM officials visited Vienna Schwechat in March and April and
(Salamander), referencing the relocation and supply of aircraft
approved a partial mock up. Those present were Oberst I.G.
firms to dispersed sites. Projekt Molch came under the
Diesing Chef TLR head of the Entwicklungshauptkommission
directorship of Herr Heinrich Lubke as Projekt Schildekrotte
(EHK Chief of the Development Committee),
(Turtle or Tortoise) commanded by Generalkommisar Philip
Generalstabsingeneiur Robert Lucht, Chief of Technology of the
Kessler. The Baugruppe Rustungskommandos were to build sites
General Luftzeigmeister, and Oberst Geist commanding
and production lines for each individual company. Under these
Amtsgruppe Entwicklung. Before leaving Heinkel was ordered to
directives Heinkel would relocate to Poland, Arado to Silesia
develop and put into production the P1073 by June 1944,
and Messerschmitt to Czechoslovakia.
despite the fighter competition still being in progress. Shortly
Already built was a bunker at Muhldorf in Lower Bavaria after this it seems the old Messerschmitt number 162 was
producing the Me 262 as Projekt Kuckuck (Cuckoo) or approved for the aircraft and the name Spatz from Heinkel was
Bauvorhaben 11 at Zinnstein. Schildekrotte would be at the accepted by the RLM.

82 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 H E 162 N OT E S

Rudiger Kosin was present on the 1st July 1944: non-strategic materials for the production of the P1073/He 162
as soon as possible.
Several firms submitted designs, many more than one. Around
twelve were submitted and most rejected. The RLM, it seemed to After initial mock up approval in July 1944 a visit by Lucht,
the other firms, were going through the motions to obtain a Behrens and Scheibe in early September 1944 accepted all
fighter as quickly as possible, and favoured Heinkel’s design, modifications on the final design and approved fifteen design
which had some actual data from wind tunnel tests at DVL and changes. These, along with RLM GL/C E2s Major Hoffmann,
some hardware. This caused a lot of in house problems. This is Walter Friebel, Heinkel’s Director and pilot Carl Francke,
why several refused to take part. Siegfried Gunter, Wilhelm Benz and Lusser, Schwartzler, Adolf
Jensen (He 176/178) Dr von Ohain and Hans Regner (He
It is interesting to note here that the SS Hauptamt had
176/178) were all at the 28 May 1943 meeting so familiar with
already elected Hauptsturmfuhrer Dr Kurt May as the official
each other on the designs.
procurement executive under a Fuhrer Order to put in place all

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 83

U P D AT E S

AIR-GRAPHICS representation of the Tornado GR.1s used during the Mirage III, Mirage F1, Jaguars and early the
Operation Granby/Gulf War I. The set provides a Mirage 2000D by the French Air Force.
www.Air-Graphic Models.uk
replacement cockpit tub, Mk 10 ejector seats Grumman S-2G Tracker Folding Wing Set
An impressive collection of 1/72 resin and 3D and instrument panels cast in resin. (ref. AC-489)
printed accessories add to a vast range of Post MDD F-4M Phantom FGR.2 Pylon & Chaff Designed to be used on the Hasegawa kit, this
War western subjects for Air-Graphics: Dispensers (ref. AC-411) pack allows the wings to be depicted in the
RAF Tornado Crew Access Ladder Fitted to the RAF Phantom FGR.2 when used in folded position whilst also providing the correct
(ref.ACL-001) the interceptor role, this pair pylons feature the style wing tips for the S-2G when used by the
This set adds a superbly fine 3D printed one integrated chaff dispensers. The accuracy of the Royal Australian Navy. The set was 3D mastered
piece crew ladder and platform as used on all parts is assured having been mastered and cast by Colin Chapman and includes the outer wings,
versions of the Tornado by the RAF including all by Paul Lucas. internal wing-fold faces of the main wing, and a
of the handrails. SJU-4 Stencil Ejector Seat (ref. AC-417) set of resin brackets providing all you need to
A pack of two finely-detailed resin Stencil Ejector make a parked Tracker.
HS Buccaneer Crew Access Ladder
(ref. ACL-007) Seats to allow you to upgrade the cockpit of any Boeing Chinook HC2/3 Composite Rotor
An impressive pair of 3D printed crew access late model AV-8A, AV-8B/AV-8B+, TAV-8B, or the Blades (ref. AC-492)
ladders designed to be used with the Alpha Jet A in German Air Force service Designed as a direct replacement for the rotor
Blackburn/HS Buccaneer in all its guises. MBB MW-1 Bomb Dispenser (ref. AC-441) blades on any Chinook kit, this set provides the
The MW-1 is found fitted to IDS Tornadoes in the composite blades fitted to the RAF Boeing
BAe Sting Ray Torpedo (ref. AC-275) Chinook HC.2/3. The blades are cast in a ridged
A pack of two highly-detailed one piece Sting service of the Luftwaffe with this single-piece
resin item allowing this dispenser to be added to resin with the correct resting ‘droop’ seen on any
Ray Torpedoes with associated racks as separate parked Chinook, whilst also being resistant to
parts to allow them to be hung on any suitable any 1/72 kit of the type. The part features detail
on all faces, including that facing the aircraft, further potential sag.
Westland Lynx.
with locating marks for the pylons. Sea King Composite Rotor Blades
Harrier GR1/3 Aden Gun Pods (ref. AC-328) (ref. AC-493)
As fitted to the RAF Harrier GR.1 and Gr.3, RAF Sea King Mk 43A Life Rafts (ref. AC-443)
This set allows the addition of the pair of Composite rotor blades were retro-fitted to
Harrier T.4/T.5, as well as the Royal Navy Sea
externally carried life rafts fitted each side of the many version of the Sea King family in late
Harrier FRS.1 and F/A.2. These parts offer a direct
fuselage to the Royal Norwegian Air Force Sea service life including those operated by the RAF
replacement for the kit parts which often lack
King fleet. and Fleet Air Arm. This pack provides a complete
detail.
set of resin blades with the correct sag for a
F-104S Martin Baker Q7 Ejector Seats AN/ALQ-131 ECM (Deep) Pod (ref. AC-447) parked Sea King whilst being cast from a harder
(ref. AC-330) The widely-used deep version of the AN/ALQ- resin that is resistant to further bending over
Designed to be used with any suitable F-104 kit, 131 ECM pod is provided as a single item in this time.
this pack contains two highly detailed MBQ7 pack. This provides an accurate and detailed
addition to the any of the numerous aircraft RAF Jaguar Small CBLS-100 (ref. AC-495)
seats as fitted in many NATO F-104's including
fitted with this vital asset. This pack contains a pair of the practice bomb
the Italian Air Force F-104S
dispensers often seen fitted to both the RAF
AGM-114 Hellfire Missile Set (ref. AC-235) Alpha Jet E Patrouille de France Smoke Pod Jaguar GR.3 and Harrier GR.3. Ideal for providing
The Hellfire missile is used with so many aircraft (ref. AC-462) an accurate service weapons load to these
it would to impossible to list them all here, A neat and accurate addition for anyone classic ground attack aircraft.
however this set replaces the often very basic kit planning to build the highly attractive Alpha Jet
missiles with a set of eight detailed missiles and E in its aerobatic guise and designed to fit any kit Canberra B2/6 Tail Correction Set
a pair of double rail pylons to upgrade any of the aircraft. (ref. AC-498)
suitable kit. This item corrects the shape and size of the
MATRA LRF4 Rocket Pods (ref. AC-473) rudder on any of the recent Canberra B.2/6 kit
Raytheon Mk 54 Torpedo (ref. AC-343) As fitted to the Mirage F.1, Mirage 2000 and releases from Mikro-Mir, S&M or AMP. A simple
This set provides a pair of the widely utilised Mk Sepecat Jaguar in French service, this set upgrade to help you ensure accuracy.
54 Torpedoes with separate fuses, propellers and contains a pair of rocket pods with separate
fins to add to any suitable aircraft or helicopter pylons to allow fitment to any appropriate Tornado IDS/ECR Post 2013 Update Set
including the P-8 Poseidon in RAF service. aircraft. (ref. CS-34)
This pack includes all you need to build an
BAE Sea Harrier FA2 Tail Correction Set Type 100-4 100mm Rocket Launchers accurate upgraded Luftwaffe Tornado IDS to
(ref. AC-359) (ref. AC-474) ASSTA 3 upgrade standard as fitted to all aircraft
A two part replacement vertical tail designed to The Thompson-Brandt LR 100-4 100mm rocket by 2017. The set includes a new tail fin with the
be a direct replacement for the Airfix kit tail, launcher is widely used by the French Air Force, revised RWR arrangement, a pair of correct AGM-
which corrects the faulted shape and adds the often fitted under the wings of the SEPECAT 88 Harm missile pylons, the revised ECM suite,
ability to pose the rudder in a deflected position. Jaguar. This set provides two pylons and and a LJDAM pod to install under the fuselage.
BAe Sea Harrier FRS1 Tail Correction Set launchers to allow an accurate load-out on this The set can be used with both the Hasegawa
(ref. AC-360) long serving ground attack aircraft. Tornado IDS or Revell Tornado kits.
This pair of resin parts replaces the tail on the AN/ALQ-131 (Shallow) ECM Pod (ref. AC-476) RAF Modern Ground Crew (ref. GSEf-72009)
Airfix FRS.1, which is too short. It also allows the This pack contains a single accurately- A collection of five resin figures in authentic and
modeller to pose the rudder in a deflected reproduced shallow AN/ALQ-131 ECM Pod as realistic poses to allow you to bring life to your
position. utilised on a vast range of NATO aircraft, modern RAF subject diorama.
Tornado F3 Cockpit Set (ref. AC-385) including the F-16, F-15 and A-10A.
RAF V-Bomber Crew Scramble
This set provides a whole new cockpit tub, front RF-5/CF-116 Freedom Fighter Recce Nose (ref. GSEf-72010)
and rear instrument panels and a pair of Martin (ref. AC-479) This set of five figures allows you to add a V-
Baker Mk 10 Ejector Seats. Designed for use with This pack provides a replacement nose cast in bomber crew rushing towards their aircraft,
the Hasegawa tool, this set can be adapted to fit clear resin to allow the production of an RF-5/CF- recreating the scrambles undertaken regularly
in the Italeri and Revell kits too. 116 on any suitable F-5A or CF-116. The set also during the height of the Cold War. Wearing RAF
Tornado GR.1 Cockpit Set (ref. AC-400) contains a replacement resin nose mounted uniforms typical of the period, all of the figures
A worthy upgrade for the Hasegawa, Revell and pitot tube. have been 3D-mastered and resin-cast in
Italeri kit of the RAF Tornado GR.1 and GR.1A. Barax ECM Pod (ref. AC-481) realistic individual poses to bring life to your V-
Includes 1990 to GR.4 Update versions and This pack includes one resin Barax pod and Bomber diorama. The pack comes with a colour
allows the production of an accurately detailed pylon. The BAREX ECM Pod was widely fitted to leaflet to help painting accuracy.

84 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
U P D AT E S

italeri sheet, and two small screws for the swing-wing radar suite, and of course with airbrakes closed
www.italeri.com mechanism. On opening the box, one cannot fail or deployed.
to be impressed by the sheer magnitude of Stores and weapons are naturally pertinent to
terrific tonka what’s included. Detail on the parts is quite Italian or German operations. Included here are
by bill Clark pronounced, with wide panel lines. Italeri give AIM-9L and AIM-88A missiles, a Cerebus pod, a
the modeller quite a few options, including pair of external fuel tanks, BOZ107, and GBU-
italeri's 1/32 paNaVia tornado iDS alternative screen parts for pilot and navigator. 31JDAM.
Kit No 2520 There is also the option of portraying the wings
as ‘swingers’ or fixed, and with the slats and flaps Decals provided are printed by Cartograf and are
Following on from Italeri's RAF Tornado GR.4 is quite superb! It isn’t particularly cheap, and the
their IDS offering, with decals for four versions, deployed, although this negates the swinging
wing option. deeper panel lines won’t be to everyone’s taste
three in Aeronautica Militare schemes, and one but, carefully made and painted, it will result in a
Luftwaffe. The kit features nine large grey plastic You also have the option to display one of the quite spectacular model. I now need to make
sprues, one clear, one small vinyl sprue featuring engines externally, with thrust reverser buckets some space on the workbench ...
tyres and wing glove seal, one photoetched open or closed, the radome open exposing the

beizzi line of rivet wheels which have twin wheels so to add extra detail or
www.beizzi.cz that the rows of rivets line up perfectly. The are addicted to
range contains an array of differing sizes and scratch
Anyone who’s tried to add rivets to an aircraft rivet pitches to suit all scales, which are also building
model knows how arduous it can be, especially available in singe rows so you can make all your then
those twin rows that need to line up perfectly. rivets the same size. The handles are clearly these tools
This is where this new range of rivet wheels marked with the sizes to help you find the right are worth looking
come in really useful as Beizzi have produced a one and are very comfortable to use. If you like into.

CMK
www.specialhobby.eu Centaurus engine exposed for maintenance. The construction and
alterations to the base model are covered in a clearly illustrated instruction
F/A-18F Super Hornet Cockpit 1/72 (ref.7511) leaflet and so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem to show off the
Designed as a replacement for the cockpit in the recently re-released beating heart of the Tempest.
Revell F/A-18F, this detailed resin set provides a sizeable upgrade over the 2000lb Bomb AN-M66A2 equipped with conical fin assembly M130
kit parts. The set comprises eighteen resin parts including a new cockpit 1/48 (ref.4459)
tub, ejector seats, instrument panels and associated cowls, controls, and
side panels. In addition a fret of photoetch provides harnesses, latches, and The AN-M66A2 general purpose bomb was introduced into service during
HUD frames whilst the actual HUD glass is provided as an acetate sheet. the tail end of World War Two and also saw use in the Korean War. CMK
Careful painting will see an impressive and accurate F/A-18F cockpit have provided a pair of resin AN-M66A2 bombs with 3D-printed tail
emerge. sections, along with photoetched fuse timers. The pack also includes a set
of decals to cover the various markings and stencils along with an
Tempest Mk II Engine (Centaurus) 1/48 (ref. P48005) understandably simple instruction leaflet. This set enables the construction
Tucked in a smart looking box, this addition for the Eduard and Special of two highly-detailed and accurate AN-M66A2s to be added to any
Hobby Hawker Tempest Mk II allows you to display the beast of a suitable US or allied aircraft of the period.

SpeCial Hobby and authenticity to the RAF Kittyhawk. a placement diagram as well as instructions to
www.specialhobby.eu Avia VR-1.1 (Fa223) SNB (Police) Marking allow you to make suitable alterations to the
Decal Set 1/48 (ref. K48004) Special Hobby kit to produce an accurate model.
RAF Kittyhawks Pitot Tube (2 Pieces) 1/72 Designed to be used with the impressive 1/48 A superb way to add the forerunner of today’s
(ref. P72005) Fa223 series of helicopter kits produced by Police helicopter patrols to your collection.
Ideally timed to coincide with the re-release of Special Hobby, this decal set allows you to build
Special Hobby’s excellent P-40D in RAF service, an aircraft representative of the type in service
this pack provides a pair of sharply 3D-printed with the SNB/Police during the period
pitot tubes, which are a further improvement immediately following the Second World War.
over the kit parts, providing scale dimensions The decals are of superb quality and joined with

86 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 WARPAINT
ANNIVERSARY
SPECIAL
Dambusters
and the
Lancaster

GINTER BOOKS:Navy/Air Force

Telephone: (805) 584-9732
1754 Warfield Circle, Simi Valley,
CA 93063 Author of SAM's widely respected 'Scaled Up' series, and a researcher and
historian of some repute, Des Brennan describes the role of the Lancaster
www.ginterbooks.com and how it came to be used in Operation CHASTISE in 1943. The book
NFAF224 North American B-45 Tornado $56.95 provides full background on the events and technical developments of the
NFAF225 Bell XFM-1/YFM-1 Airacuda $19.95 time, climaxing with what has passed into legend as the 'Dambusters' raid.
NFAF226 Martin XB-48 Bomber $21.95 Address your orders to: Guideline Publications, Unit 6 Kensworth
NFAF227 North American YF-93 $24.95 Gate, 200-204 High Street South, Dunstable, Beds LU6 3HS
Telephone: 01582 668411 • Email: [email protected]
NF113 Douglas F4D Skyray $59.95
NF114 McDonnel Douglas C-9A/C-9B $39.95 AVAILABLE NOW FROM GUIDELINE PUBLIC ATIONS
NF115 McDonnell FH-1 Phantom $29.95 www.guidelinepublications.co.uk
U P D AT E S

EDUARD 54 from ICM. In 1/32 the Great Wall Hobby P-40B super detail include the new 1/48 F-35 from
www.eduard.com is a major beneficiary, and as with the others Tamiya, and Kinetic’s F-16s.
sees a mix of full detail sets, ZOOM options,
Eduard like to bet on a winner, and this month is One new decal sheet joins the range – offering
SPACE interior upgrades, and masks.
no exception with a whole range of details and five B-25Js in 1/48, and designed for the HK
The Brassin range meanwhile proliferates, and Models kit.
upgrades for Academy’s PV-1 in 1/48. Other kits this month sees new sets for Eduard’s 1/48
receiving the treatment this month include the A6M2-N Rufe, among others. A new panel for the For full details of all new items – and of course
Revell F-86D and AMK Mil-17 in 1/48, while quick Airfix 1/24 Spitfire is of note, while other kits the rest of Eduard’s extensive catalogue, check
off the mark are all the sets for the new 1/35 CH- receiving Brassin’s mix of photoetch and resin out the website.

BUNNY FIGHTER CLUB events. Membership also gets you a Club T-shirt with
www.blackbirdmodels.co.uk unique design and special barcode (used for event
discounts). This exclusive T-shirt will be only available to
Check out the full range of ‘Bunny Lady’ kits and T-shirts, the members of BFC. On top of all this you’ll get free
featuring the Tempest Mk V from Bfc. Membership gets entry at Eduard’s annual E-day show, for both days, and
you a 15% permanent club discount at Eduard’s online you’ll still get the entry kit.
store, access to unique Club kits and accessories, and Join now at www.eduard.com/bfc/
even better prices at Eduard’s trade stand at shows and

88 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
U P D AT E S
U P D AT E S

VFR MODELS types such as Autocrat, Aiglet and Alpha, and seriously. With a production life of nearly 70
www.vfrmodels.co.uk even allows the modeller to make a Beagle years, there have been significant alterations to
Husky, with a Lycoming engine cowling the design over the years and (provided you can
Ancient and Modern - 1/72 Austers and included. There are 3 sets of markings, including see them to scale!) VFR have accounted for them
Cessna 172s those of the famous Auster (G-AHHP) stolen by a all. The Early production kit, VFR7202000,
VFR Models have had a busy start to the year teenager in 1950 and flown to France! The features the prototype as a decal option and
having released two of their most ambitious and second kit, the J/5 Autocar, allows the builder to covers the ’fastback’ fuselage; the Mid
popular pro-jects to date. The Auster type is well make Auster’s ‘family wagon’; the Autocar has a
Production kit, VFR7202010, covers version from
known to modellers, particularly through the substantially modified fuselage to allow extra
172D to 172H including two engine options, and
legacy Airfix Auster AOP kit, but many real life width for two rear seats. The type which was
Austers, particularly those still seen flying today, particularly popular as a bush plane in Australia. the Late Production kit takes us up to the
are post-war civilian spec models. With a present day.
The Cessna 172 is the most numerous aircraft in
significantly different profile, converting an history. No other types—not even Sturmoviks or The kits are made in VFR Models’ standard
Auster AOP kit to civilian spec has been the Messerschmitts – have been more widely format with vacformed transparencies and high
frustrating lot of many a modeller for decades. manufactured. Although not ignored by the kit quality 3D resin-printed parts. Laser printed
VFR have released two new kits covering Austers industry, 172 kits in 1/72 scale have been thin on decals are also provided. Sales as ever are
after 1945. The first, the J Series, covers sub the ground. VFR’s series of 3 kits takes the 172 exclusively through the VFR webshop.

HATTONS MODEL MONEY

www.HattonsModelMoney.com
Hattons Model Money is a revolutionary way for modellers to trade in unwanted
collectables and kits for quick cash, utilising the powerful online self-service trade-in
system. Hattons have recently expanded the range of models they buy, by adding
tens of thousands of model aircraft to their database. This means it is now easier than
ever for customers to trade in their collection. Simply searching for a product code or
descriptor of the item (such as the vehicle type, carrier or airline) will quickly yield
products for the customer to build their list from.
Using the self-service
website means that
BACHMANN the user can submit a
www.bachmann.co.uk list of products for
one quick valuation.

A
HK Models previewed their new 1/32 scale A-20 at the IPMS
The expert team at
show last November, and now it has been cleared for
Hattons is on-hand to
export from the China factory and UK importers Bachmann
provide a valuation
are expecting to receive a shipment in June/July 2023.
seven days a week.
The kit will include a boxart poster, photoetch parts, and They are typically able
three marking options for US Air Force aircraft. Noseweight to make an offer
is also included. within just 48 hours.

SCALE AIRCRAFT CONVERSIONS

www.scaleaircraftconversions.com
New Product for May 2023:
48438 CH-47A Chinook Landing Gear (HB)
Note: The early CH-47A had single wheels on either side of the rear landing
gear. The CH-47D and later variants have tandem wheels on either side of the
rear landing gear. Hobby Boss incorrectly issued the ‘D’ as an ‘A’ and vice versa.
SAC didn't catch the error so their original release in December of 2022 of 48429
was incorrectly listed as an ‘A’. SAC say they will replace any of the sets
purchased between 12/22 and 04/23 at no charge upon request.
48439 B-25J Mitchell Landing Gear (HKM)

90 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 U P D AT E S

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 91

BOOKS

Title: Clean Sweep Eighth Air Force Fighter Command and the from both sides of the
VIII Fighter Command against battle to establish daylight air superiority over conflict, including ‘Hub’
the Luftwaffe, 1942–45 the Luftwaffe to pave the way for the invasion Zemke, Don Blakeslee,
Author: Thomas McKelvey Cleaver , of Europe. Over the course of twenty-five and Chuck Yeager, Adolf
chapters the author presents a detailed Galland, Gunther Rall,
foreword by
history of the ‘Mighty Eighth’, from the very and Walter ‘Count Punski’
Clarence E. ‘Bud’ Anderson
beginning of the US involvement in the Krupinski, which helps to
Publisher: Osprey Publishing aerial conflict of World War Two by bring the book to life and
ISBN: 978 1 47285 548 0 volunteers in the ‘Eagle Squadrons’ to the provide even further
Format: Hardback creation of the Eighth Fighter Command in credibility. The result is a
234 x 153 mm 464pp 1942. Illustrated with sixteen pages of black book that provides a
www.ospreypublishing.com and hhite photographs, the author also uses detailed and thoroughly researched narrative,
his collection of fascinating first-hand which is both informative and engaging, and
T his book follows the story of the creation,
development, and operation of the USAAF
accounts by many of the legendary pilots which will help inspire the modeller.

Title: Rivet Counter Guide #1 - investigated and illustrated in a high level of numbers for all of
Corsair Cockpits: F4U-1 Family detail. This includes placement of the the F4U-1
Author: Dana Bell numerous placards and labels. The book is production by
heavily illustrated with a huge number of Vought, Goodyear,
Publisher: Dana Bell
publications-specific diagrams, carefully and Brewster are
ISBN: 978 0 57837 642 4
selected photographs, and tabulated also provided. The
Format: Paperback author’s passion
information. Each individual dial, instrument,
280mm x 217mm 72pp for the subject
lever and switch is investigated in jaw-
dropping detail, including the radio matter is clear to
T he first in what will hopefully be a growing
series of books ideal for both the model
equipment carried. Detail extends to research
on the original colour and paint specifications
see, meaning
that the text is highly
maker and aviation enthusiast, this title by as well as information gleaned from research informative as well as readable. If you
aviation historian Dana Bell offers a complete from the US National Archives, the Library of want to produce a truly accurate model of the
guide to the cockpits of the Vought Corsair Congress, and the National Air and Space F4U-1 in any of its guises then this book is an
F4U-1 family of aircraft. Each area of the initial Museum. The Variations between factories is impressive and vital resource, and well worth
versions of the Corsair’s cockpit is tabulated in each section whilst the serial seeking out.

Title: Combat Aircraft - Bf 109 Jabo types, the Bf109E, F and G during its use as a informative and
Units in the West (COM149) Fighter-Bomber between 1940 and 1942. well-researched
Author: Malcolm V. Lowe (Author), Jim Following the in-field conversion of the text and concise
Laurier (Illustrator), Gareth aircraft in the early days of its use in this role, captions spread
the book then follows the Bf 109 units over four
Hector (Illustrator)
engaged in the use of this specialised aircraft chapters. Eye-
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
in combat, providing precision strikes against witness and
ISBN: 978 1 47285 445 2 targets in Southern England. The book combatant
Format: Paperback contains a series of twelve pages of full colour accounts help
248mm x 184mm 96pp profiles to illustrate the different camouflage to add further
www.ospreypublishing.com patterns used on the aircraft along with a animation to the book, making for
range of fifty contemporary black and white an engaging read. Another excellent addition
M alcolm V Lowe brings a fascinating study
of one of the Luftwaffe’s primary Fighter
photographs. These are joined by the to the Osprey Combat Aircraft series.

Title: Hawker Typhoon Part 2 is based around 120 annotated and included.
Summer 1943 to early 1944 extensively captioned contemporary black Certainly
(Wingleader Photo Archive and white as well as colour photographs, there
Number 21) which are all chosen for their relevance to the would
modeller and have been enhanced to help be no
Author: Chris Thomas
bring out hidden detail. The captions explain excuse
Publisher: Wing Leader Ltd
each photograph in a way that increases their to over
ISBN: 978 1 90875 733 3 or
value to the model maker but also maintain
Format: Paperback the reader’s engagement. The book also under-
210mm x 300mm 82pp contains a series of full-colour and highly- weather a
www.wingleader.co.uk detailed profiles for six different Typhoons Typhoon as all the various
with accompanying notes regarding fields of operation are covered including
T he second volume in the Wing Leader
series on the Hawker Typhoon covers the
change in the aircraft’s role from Fighter to
particular features and camouflage details to
help when building the particular aircraft. It’s
photographs of aircraft that have had various
accidents, which help reveal further features
obvious that a huge amount of research and due to their unusual angles.
Ground Attack aircraft. Included is the late
effort has been undertaken in the production Again Wing Leader and Chris Thomas have
1943 change from the car door-style canopy of this book, making it the ideal companion produced a superb document that will be an
to the sliding hood (known as a ‘Slider’) as to any modeller undertaking a typhoon build invaluable asset to the Typhoon modeller,
well as trials as a night fighter, and desert on any scale, from 1/144 all the way to, and which is both engaging, accurate, and
operations. especially 1/24, as a large amount of relevant.
As in previous volumes in the series the book information on the smallest details is

92 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
IPMS UK

IPMS UK
By John Tapsell

I
realised recently that I've been struggling over the past few
months. I have the luxury of being able to dedicate an entire
room in the house to my hobby. It's the smallest of the three
bedrooms in the house and since my partner's boys have long since
flown the nest, I have been able to convert it into an
office/modelling den. However, because it's small, the room
gradually fills up with all the usual detritus that comes with being a
modeller, a photographer, and a bookworm.
I last had a really good clear-out perhaps six years ago and had
now reached a point once again where I could no longer get from
the door to the desk without shimmying around assorted piles of
stuff on the floor. My modelling bench was a tip and I couldn't see
the project I was working on, let alone make any progress with it.
The problem wasn't going away but neither could I find the
motivation to tackle it because it would mean several days of effort.
Finally, the opportunity presented itself. I had some time to myself.
My other half would be away for a week and that meant I could
borrow space in other rooms in the house to dump things
temporarily without being glared at.
It's astounding how much junk you accumulate over time, both
your own and that of others. As an IPMS committee member I keep
a stock of magazine back-issues for use when I run our membership
stand at various shows through the year, a task we undertake on an
The new desk layout works better than the old one but it is already getting informal rota basis. Even keeping ten to fifteen copies of each issue
untidy – must develop a tidier work ethic! soon adds up. With six issues per year, that's close to 100 extra
magazines to find room for every twelve months, even before I
start finding room for my personal magazines and journals. On top
of that (quite literally), I also manage our stock of IPMS-branded
merchandise so that means additional boxes of seam tools, pens,
lanyards, and whatever else we have decided to invest in.
Individually, they don't take up a lot of room, but as a collection, it
eats into my limited floor space. The floor gradually gets covered in
piles of various thngs and of course once you start generating piles
of 'stuff', they seem to attract other, totally unrelated 'stuff' because
they become a convenient dumping ground for it.
Several hours and multiple cups of tea later, I could see the floor,
I could reach the window without risking my neck and I could
actually wheel my office chair more than six inches in any direction!
That still left the modelling desk to sort out, but at least I felt I'd
achieved something. The next day I tackled the desk and another
couple of hours of effort left me with a clear space for modelling, all
tools returned to their racks, packs of plastic strip tidied away, paint
bottles put back in the large toolbox where they should live, several
part-built projects stowed properly in their boxes so that I wouldn't
lose any of the parts, and the desk cleared of scrap plastic and
random bits of paper.
Except it wasn't that straightforward. I had already decided that
the room needed to be re-organised completely. What had worked
A re-organised and more logical layout for the bookshelves has proved popular for me for years was no longer viable so stage two of the project
with the regular visitors... began. The bookcases were in need to rebuilding so the first one
was emptied, transferred to the living room (don't tell the boss) and
then drilled and pinned to give it back some strength. The other
four followed for similar treatment and then came the desk, which I
had decided to split into two separate desks, rather than a single 'L'
shaped surface. With the room clear of furniture and once again an
empty box, it was an ideal opportunity to rejig the layout.I can now
report that my new layout has worked admirably. Despite
containing the same amount of furniture, it feels larger and better
organised. There are already a couple of piles of books in one
corner, but that's laziness on my part and they do have places on
the bookcases. Most importantly, I have the mental and physical
space to get back to my modelling.
IPMS has long had a reputation for being the preserve of expert
modellers and only being interested in the best. Actually it's full of
modellers who can't keep their rooms tidy, who get frustrated
when models don't go together correctly and who suddenly lose
interest in a project – in other words, ordinary modellers just like
everyone else. One of the greatest values to me of belonging to
IPMS is being able to share those frustrations and setbacks with
people who truly understand where I'm coming from and can
laugh with me (or at me) and claim sympathy for my plight.
Modelling can be a solitary pursuit but for me it's about sharing the
hobby with others, both the good parts and the bad parts. Whilst it
The new layout even has room for a semi-permanent photo booth, something
won't suit everyone, belonging to IPMS makes my hobby so much
that the old layout couldn't accommodate. more satisfying than just gluing bits of plastic together.

94 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
SHOW DIARY

2023 UK ShowS by Geoff Cooper-Smith of 580 Modellers

N
o new shows to announce this month, so it looks like the they can have the pick of the slowly dwindling number of traders.
calendar for 2023 is now pretty well set. However, bearing The intention is to keep the list of model shows as up-to-date as
in mind how well stacked the 2023 season became, some possible so please contact Geoff Cooper-Smith at
organisers are already announcing their date for 2024; East [email protected] or on 07841 417680 to ensure your event
Midlands (Hinckley) will be 07th April. No doubt this is to ensure receives the promotion it deserves.

2023 Shows 16 July (Sunday) Romsey Modellers Scale Model Show

Crossfield Hall, Broadwater Hall,
03 June (Saturday) IPMS Salisbury Scale Model Show Romsey. SO51 8GL
Wyvern St Edmund’s Sports Hall, Church Road, Contact: [email protected]
Laverstock. SP1 1RE
23 July (Sunday) IPMS bDAC Model Show 2023
Contact: [email protected]
Hangar 1 South, Boscombe Down Aviation
04 June (Sunday) Northern Model Show (IPMS Tyneside) Collection, Old Sarum Airfield, Old Sarum,
Parks Sports Centre, Howdon Road, Salisbury. SP4 6DZ
North Shields. NE29 6TL Contact Sandy: [email protected]
Contact Rob Sullivan: [email protected]
29 July (Saturday) IPMS Dundee Annual Show & Competition
10 June (Saturday) The white Rose Figure world North 2023 & 30 July (Sunday) The Boomerang Centre, 10 Kemback Street,
The Galtres Centre, Easingwold, Dundee. DD4 6ET
near York. YO61 3AE Contact: [email protected]
Contact Nic Burden on 07986 619234
30 July (Sunday) The Essex Modellers’ Show
10 June (Saturday) Shepway Military Modelling Club Show Hosted jointly by IPMS South-East Essex, IPMS
Hawkinge Community Centre, Hornchurch, IPMS Chelmsford and MAFVA Essex at
Heron Forstal Avenue, Folkestone. CT18 7FP Hannakins Farm Community Centre, Rosebay
Contact Tony Thunder: Avenue, Billericay. CM12 0SZ
shepway_mods @hotmail.co.uk Contact Jim Smith: wiffl[email protected]
11 June (Sunday) barry war Museum Model Show 06 August (Sunday) IPMS Avon & Lincombe barn’s combined
Station Approach Road, Barry, Modelling & wargaming Show
South Wales. CF62 5TH Thornbury Leisure Centre, Alveston Hill,
Contact: [email protected] Thornbury. BS35 3JB
17 June (Saturday) Ipswich Model Show (IPMS Ipswich) Contact Andy White at: [email protected]
Ipswich & District Indoor Bowling Club, 13 August (Sunday) North Devon Model Show
136 Rushmere Road, Ipswich. IP4 4JU (North Devon Model Society)
Contact Graham Lovell: [email protected] The Park Community School, Park Lane,
17 June (Saturday) East Neuk of Fife Model show Barnstaple, Devon. EX32 9AX
Cupar Old Parish Centre, Short Lane, Contact Sera Staples: [email protected]
Cupar. KY15 5EQ 20 August (Sunday) west Cornwall IPMS – 2023
Contact Bruce Pert: [email protected] Hayle Day Centre, Commercial Road,
18 June (Sunday) MAFVA Nationals Hayle. TR27 4PE
The Burgess Hall, Westwood Road, Contact: [email protected]
St Ives. PE27 6WU 27 August (Sunday) Stoke Model Show (IPMS Stoke Model Club)
Contact: [email protected] Prestwood Centre, Staffordshire Show Ground,
25 June (Sunday) west Anglia Scale Model Show Weston Road, Stafford. ST18 0BD
(west Norfolk IPMS) Contacts: [email protected]
Littleport Leisure Centre, Camel Road, 03 September (Saturday) ASVC wombourne Scale Model Show
Littleport, Ely. CB6 1EW The Community Centre, Church Road,
Contact: [email protected] Wombourne. WV5 9EZ
25 June (Sunday) Coventry & warwickshire 2023 Model Show Contact: [email protected]
Midland Air Museum, Coventry Airport, 10 September (Sunday) IPMS Chiltern Model Show 2023
Baginton. CV3 4FR The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road,
Contact Paul Redfern: [email protected] Biggleswade. SG18 8JH
01 July (Saturday) hailsham & District Model Club Scale Contacts John Hayes: [email protected]
Model Show 17 September (Sunday) IPMS Fenland wings N’Things
Eastbourne Sports Centre, Cross Levels Way, University Academy, Park Road,
Eastbourne. BN21 2UF Holbeach. PE12 7PU
Contact: info@hailsham-district-scale-model- Contacts: [email protected]
club.org 17 September (Sunday) west Midlands Police Scale Model Club
09 July (Sunday) IPMS North Somerset Show blue Lamp Expo
Helicopter Museum, Locking Moor Road, Tally Ho Conference Centre, Pershore Road,
Weston-super-Mare. BS24 8PP Edgbaston. B5 7RN
Contact: [email protected] Contacts: [email protected]

96 W W W. S C A L E A I R C R A F T M O D E L L I N G . CO. U K
 CO M I N G N E X T M O N T H

Coming Next Month A N D F I N A L LY…

I
n the next issue of Scale Aircraft Modelling the editorial
team present the usual eclectic mix of historical and
reference material, news, reviews, and, of course, the
best in modelling features, both out-of-the-box and
Planet Models
HESA Shahid 136 / Geran-2
beyond. Here are a few of next month’s highlights:
By Colin ‘Flying’ Pickett

1
PZL’s for export
Building Arma’s 1/48 kit
as a P.11F
By Jon Tabinor

2
Fleet Fighter
McDonnell Douglas
Phantom FG.1 in 1/48
By Jon Bryon

3
An Italian in Japan
Building a Unique WW2
Long-Distance Aircraft media kit of the type, with a finely-
in 1/72 Kit No: 277
detailed main airframe of resin
By Harvey Low Scale: 1/72 coupled with 3D printed elements for
Type: Resin the engine, fins, and propellers as well
as smaller, more delicate components
Manufacturer: Planet Models
including the RATO engine used for
www.specialhobby.eu take-off. Finally a storage trolley is also
4 supplied formed from three injection

T
he ongoing conflict in Ukraine
moulded parts. Decals are included to
Hercule and the has brought the use of drone
allow an Iranian or Russian UAV to be
technology to the fore. The
Heracles Iranian-built HESA Shahid 136 / Geran- produced. The instructions provide
Building a 3D printed 2 has seen use by the Russian forces, detail of the construction and painting
Handley Page HP 42 utilised as a loitering reconnaissance of the UAV in colour to help the
in 1/72 and attack resource as well as a ‘suicide’ modeller produce an accurate and
drone. Planet have produced a mixed informed replica.
By Tony Grand

5
Golden Hawk
Kinetic’s F-16A as an
IAF Netz
By Yoav Efrati

Plus all our usual updates on kits, decals, and,

accessories, book reviews, columns, and more.
Please note – this contents list is speculative and the vagaries of deadlines
and print schedules can sometimes result in the magazine’s contents
changing later in production.

JUNE 2023 • VOLUME 45 • ISSUE 04 97

NEW DECALS Expeditionary Force, Royal Air Force, based at Lille-Seclin, France, May,
Berna Decals 1940; Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia, P9372, 'GR.R' of 92 Sqn, Royal Air Force,
BER35-002 1:35 Fieseler Storch Fi-156C / Morane-Saulnier 500 Criquet Armee de l'air based at RAF Croydon, UK, May, 1940. £8.99
(French Air Army): Prefecture de Paris 08-1944, N°1074 Tan Son Nhut X48236 1:48 Desert Air War Collection Part 1 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop,
(Indochina) 1947-48, N°1071 G.A.E.L. Villacoublay 1948, N°347 Ecole de ES276, 'WD*D', flown by Lt. Sylvan Feld of 4th Fighter Squadron, 52nd
l'Air Salon-de-Provence 1948. £16.99 Fighter Group, USAAC, based at La Sebala, Tunisia, June, 1943; Curtiss
BER48024N 1:48 Reprinted and modified: Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat of French fleet air Tomahawk Mk.IIb, AM406, 'DX.O' of 4 Squadron, South African Air Force,
arm in Indochina, France & Tunisia (4 schemes) £11.30 based at Lille-Seclin, North Africa, May, 1942; Supermarine Spitfire
BER48123N 1:48 Reprinted: Sikorsky H-19 (S-55) of French fleet air arm over Algeria Mk.Vb Trop, ER758, 'S', 'Hero', of 336 (Greek) Squadron, based at
& France (5 schemes £9.70 Benghazi, Libya, February, 1944; Curtiss P-40F,'12', 'Jo' of 57th Fighter
BER48156 1:48 Dassault Mirage IIIB EC 2/2 'C'te d'Or' : 2-FS N°208, 2-FI N°209 & two Group, originally aboard USS Ranger, circa July, 1943; North American
schemes of 2-FP N°227 - Dijon 1966-67. The aircraft are appearing in P-51A, serial unknown, 'WU.B', of 225 Squadron, Royal Air Force, based
three different episodes of the French TV series 'The Knights of the Sky'. £12.20 in Algeria, May, 1943. £8.99
BER72132 1:72 Dassault Mirage IIIB EC 2/2 'C'te d'Or' : 2-FS N°208, 2-FI N°209 & two
X72342 1:72 Beagle Bassett 206 Collection (7) Bassett CC.1 XS743 of Empire Test
schemes of 2-FP N°227 - Dijon 1966-67. The aircraft are appearing in
Pilots School, based at Boscombe Down, July, 1989; Beagle Bassett CC.1
three different episodes of the French TV series 'The Knights of the Sky'. £8.99
XS743 of Empire Test Pilots School, based at Boscombe Down, 2007;
Caracal Models Bassett CC.1 XS769 of Royal Air Force Transport Command. based at RAF
CD144021 1:144 Re-printed! Douglas C-133 Cargomaster: £13.99 Benson, 1966; Bassett CC.1 XS770 of Aeroplane and Armament
CD48063 1:48 Re-released! Stearman PT-17 Kaydet / N2S "Kaydet": US Army Air Experimental Establishment, based at Boscombe Down, 1980s.; Bassett
Corps PT-17 U.S. Navy N2S2, NAS Corpus Christi, 1943; U.S. Navy N2S3, CC.1 XS768 of 60 Squadron, Royal Air Force 1970; Bassett CC.1 YK-AMA
1942; Royal Canadian Air Force PT-27; Chinese Air Force pre-delivery of Syrian Air Force, based at Boscombe Down; Bassett CC.1 XS769 of 207
markings £11.99 Squadron, Royal Air Force, based at RAF Bovingdon, 1969 £8.99
CD48146 1:48 North-American F-82 Twin Mustang £15.99 X72343 1:72 Battle Of France WWII Collection (7) Morane-Saulnier MS.406C1,
CD48184 1:48 Back in stock! Sikorsky CH-53 £14.99 No.795/L824/'5', flown by Jean Bertrand of 6 escadrille, Groupe de Chasse
CD48227 1:48 Lockheed-Martin F-16C "Dark Vipers" Part 4 £14.99 III/7, Armee de l'air, based in France, 14 May, 1940; Hurricane Mk.I, L2047,
CD48228 1:48 Aggressors Now – and Then F-35A 11-5020, 65th Aggressor 'LK.H' of 87(F) Sqn, 60 Wing, Air Component of British Expeditionary Force,
Squadron, Nellis AFB; F-35A 11-5021, 65th Aggressor Squadron, Nellis Royal Air Force, based at Lille-Seclin, France, May, 1940; Spitfire Mk.Ia,
AFB; F-16C Block 42 89-2048 "Wraith", 64th Aggressor Squadron, Nellis P9372, 'GR.R' of 92 Sqn, Royal Air Force, based at RAF Croydon, UK, May,
AFB; Mikoyan MiG-21F-13 (USAF "YF-110") "Red 85", 4477th TES, 1986;
1940; Marcel Bloch MB.152, No.622/'15' of flown by C. C. Szaposznikow
Mikoyan MiG-23MS "Flogger-E" (USAF "YF-113E") "Red 49", 4477th TES,
of 3 escadrille, Groupe de Chasse II/6, Armee de l'air, based in France,
1986; Mikoyan MiG-23BN "Flogger-F" (USAF "YF-11B") "Red 74", 4477th
TES, 1985 £14.99 June, 1940; Breguet Bre.693, No.5/'2', of 2 escadrille, Groupe de
CD72071 1:72 Re-released! North-American F-100 Super Sabre in Vietnam £14.99 Bombardement d' Assaut II/54, Armee de l'air, based in France, 5 June,
1940; Hawk H-75 C1 No.N35/X834/'5' of 3 escadrille, Groupe de Chasse
CD72131 1:72 US Navy Douglas A-1 Skyraider £12.49 II/5, Armee de l'air, based at Toule, France, May, 1940; Fairey Battle Mk.I,
CD72138 1:72 Lockheed-Martin F-22A Raptor - Part 1 £14.99 K9353, 'HA.J' of crewed by Sgt. J.B. Horner, Sgt. L.C. Flisher & LAC L.D.
Davies of 218 Squadron, Air Component of British Expeditionary Force,
ITA Decals Royal Air Force, based at Bouillon, France, May, 1940 £8.99
ITAD4801 1:48 "13th TFS McDonnell F-4D Phantom's Over Vietnam" £8.00 X72344 1:72 Desert Air War WWII Collection Pt1 (10) Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb
ITAD7201 1:72 "13th TFS McDonnell F-4D Phantom's Over Vietnam" £6.00 Trop, ES276, 'WD*D', flown by Lt. Sylvan Feld of 4th Fighter Squadron,
52nd Fighter Group, USAAC, based at La Sebala, Tunisia, June, 1943;
Lima November Hurricane Mk.I, Z4244, 'H', Flown By Lieutenant H. P. Allingham of RNFS,
LN72-572 1:72 DDL Danish Air Lines Focke-Wulf Fw-200C-4 Condor Part 1 with based in Western Desert, August, 1941; Tomahawk Mk.IIb, AM406, 'DX.O'
window masks £14.99 of 4 Squadron, South African Air Force, based at Lille-Seclin, North Africa,
May, 1942; Hurricane Mk.Ib, W9291, 'M' of 30 Squadron, Royal Air Force,
Mark I Decals
based in Edku, North Africa, August, 1941 North American P-51A, serial
DMF14405 1:144 No.1435 Flt. Panavia Tornado F.3 Tornado F.3s, based at RAF Mount
Pleasant, provide air defence for the Falkland Islands, South Georgia unknown, 'WU.B', of 225 Squadron, Royal Air Force, based in Algeria,
and the South Sandwich Islands. (Revell and Dragon) £3.50 May, 1943; Martlet Mk.III, AX733, 'K' of 805 NAS, Royal Navy Fighter Unit,
based at Mersa Matruh, Egypt, August, 1941; Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop, ER758,
Quinta Studio 'S', 'Hero', of 336 (Greek) Squadron, based at Benghazi, Libya, February,
QL32001 1:32 German WWI 5-Colour Lozenge (upper surface) £5.40 1944; Wellington Mk.Ic, T2607, 'LF.P', 37 Squadron, Royal Air Force, based
QL32002 1:32 German WWI 5-Colour Lozenge (lower surface) £5.40 at Shallufa, Egypt, January, 1942; Boston Mk.III, W8376, 'C', of 24
Squadron, South African Air Force, based at Zuara, Libya, April, 1943;
Xtradecal Curtiss P-40F, '12', 'Jo' of 57th Fighter Group, originally aboard USS
X48234 1:48 Avro Anson Mk.I Part 4 (6) Anson T.I, EG317/'603'/'C', of Air Service Ranger, circa July, 1943 £8.99
Training Ltd, in service under Royal Navy Admiralty contract, based at X72345 1:72 de Havilland Beaver Worldwide Collection (10) de Havilland Canada
RAF Hamble,UK, 1952; Anson Mk.I, DJ513, of Royal Norwegian Air Force, DHC-2 Beaver, 55-4585, 'S.9', of 334 Squadron, Royal Netherlands Air
based in Norway, 1946 – 1947; Anson Mk.I, '214' of Portuguese Air Force, Force, based at Valkenburg, Netherlands, 1957; L-20A Beaver, 51-16532,
based in Portugal, 1947; Anson 10 '02' of Israeli Air Force, based in Israel, 'LG-532', of 50 TFW, USAFE, based at Hahn AB, West Germany, 1958;
early 1950's; Anson Mk.I, R3530/'55', of 6 Service Flying Training School,
DHC-2 Beaver, 'KAF102', of Kenyan Air Force, based in Kenya, 1968;
Royal Australian Air Force, based at RAAF Station Mallala, South Australia,
DHC-2 Beaver, 54-2000, '8019', Taiwanese Air Force, based in Taiwan,
Feburary, 1945; Anson Mk.I 'D.9' of Royal Netherlands Air Force, based at
Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands, early 1949. £9.99 1980; DHC-2 Beaver, 26156, of E.L.A. 54, Armee de l'air based in Indochina,
X48235 1:48 Battle Of France Fighters Collection (4) Morane-Saulnier MS.406C1, 1954; DHC-2 Beaver, '3B.GC', of Austrian Armed Forces, based in Austria,
No.795/L824/'5', flown by Jean Bertrand of 6 escadrille, Groupe de Chasse 1963; U-6A, 'MT 16534', of South Vietnamese Air Force, based in South
III/7, Armee de l'air, based in France, 14 May, 1940; Marcel Bloch MB.152, Vietnam, 1968; DHC-2 Beaver, '375', of Peruvian Air Force, based in Peru,
No.622/'15' of flown by C. C. Szaposznikow of 3 escadrille, Groupe de 1965; DHC-2 Beaver, '301', of South Arabian Air Force based in South
Chasse II/6, Armee de l'air, based in France, June, 1940; Hawker Hurricane Arabia, 1964; DHC-2 Beaver, A95-201, 'Miss Sheila' of Royal Australian
Mk.I, L2047, 'LK.H' of 87(F) Sqn, 60 Wing, Air Component of British Air Force, Antarctic Flight, 1956. £8.99

NEW KITS Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4 £21.95 Dekno RESIN KIT

ALL INJECTION MOULDED UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE
Border Models AR481000 1:48 Keith-Rider R-3 Marcoux-Bromberg
BF-010 1:32 Avro Lancaster B.Mk.I/III Avro Special £37.20
3D Blitz Lancaster B.Mk.I/III (Ex unreleased GA481100 1:48 Travel Air 6000B - The limousine of
3DB72101 1:72 Back in stock! Pilatus PC-21 £28.50 Wingnut Wings) £619.99 the air £51.99
GA721100 1:72 Travel Air 6000B Kachemak Bay
Airfix Clear Prop Models Flying Service £35.60
AX50190 1:72 Then & Now Supermarine Spitfire CP72030 1:72 Mikoyan MiG-23MLA Flogger-G
Mk.Vc & Lockheed F-35B Lightning II £29.99 Expert kit (includes CPW7201) £47.20 Dora Wings
AX50191 1:72 Dambusters 80th Anniversary Gift CP72031 1:72 Mikoyan MiG-23MLAE-2 Flogger-G DW48050 1:48 Vultee Vanguard Mk.I/J10 RAF and
Set Avro Lancaster and Lockheed Martin Expert kit (includes CPW7201) £47.20 Sweden £30.95
F-35B Lightning II £54.99 CP72032 1:72 Mikoyan MiG-23ML/MLA Flogger-G
AX55010 1:72 Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II Advanced kit £38.70 Dream Model
Starter Set £19.99 DM720021 1:72 Dassault-Mirage 2000N £28.99
Copper State Models
Beacon Models CSM32-007 1:32 Bristol Scout (type C) £69.99 HobbyBoss
BMK0009 1:144 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia vs HB81777 1:48 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I £34.99
 Copper State Models Kotare Models Special Hobby Tamiya X-Scale
CSM32-007 1:32 Bristol Scout (type C) K32001 1:32 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia SH72391 1: DH.100 Vampire 6 TA25206 1:48 Dornier Do-335A Pfeil & Kubel- X144002 1:144 Douglas DC-8-32 SwissAir
£69.99 £109.99 with Pinocchio Nose £17.30 wagen Type 82 Set £44.99 £35.99

ICM Planet Models RESIN KITS AIRE4892 1:48 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
ICM72143 1:72 'Radar Hunter', Mikoyan MiG-29 PLA14848 1:48 Back in stock! CAC CA-6 Wackett.. £54.70 wheel bay (Revell) £18.80
'9-13' Ukrainian Fighter with HARM PLA25948 1:48 Back in stock! CAC CA-25 Vinjeel ll. £64.99 AIRE4893 1:48 Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II
missiles BRAVE UKRAINE £19.80 PLA27772 1:72 HESA Shahid 136 / Geran-2 Iranian £13.50 exhaust nozzle - opened position (Tamiya) £12.50
AIRE4891 1:48 M. B. Mk.9A/B ejection seat £4.80
IsraDecal Studio Revell
IC-48103 1:48 North-American T-6A Texan II £39.99 RV3817 1:144 Airbus A300-600ST Beluga £36.99 Bra.Z Models
Aircraft conversions (resin)
Italeri Roden BZ4129 1:144 Back in stock! Boeing 757-200C
IT2825 1:48 Lockheed-Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon £34.99 ROD350 1:144 Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker £47.99 Cargo Conversion (Zvezda) £33.20
ROD635 1:32 Sopwith 1½ Strutter WWI Fighter, Aircraft wheels (resin)
Kotare Models 1916/17 £69.99 BZ4131 1:144 Back in stock! Boeing 777-200, 777-
ROD636 1:32 SPAD XIIIc1 French/US WWI Fighter £65.99 200ER, 777-300 Wheels weighted
K32001 1:32 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia (Mid) . (Revell and Zvezda) £13.50
117 high-quality injection moulded plastic Sova-M BZ4135 1:144 Back in stock! Boeing 767 Wheels
parts, 35cm wingspan, Optional De SVM-72049 1:72 Learjet 36A with radar pod weighted early type (Zvezda) £10.80
Havilland and Rotol propellers, Optional (in GFD service) £38.99 BZ4136 1:144 Back in stock! Boeing 767 Wheels
TR.9D and TR.1133 wireless controllers weighted late type (Zvezda) £10.80
and aerials,Optional pilot's seats with Special Hobby
and without Sutton Type K harness detail, SH72391 1:72 Re-released! de Havilland DH.100 CMK/Czech Master Kits
Optional open and closed cockpit doors, Vampire 6 with Pinocchio Nose. £17.30 3D printed resin
Optional open and closed canopy & hood, SH72473 1:72 CAC CA-9 Wirraway 'In training 129-P72005 1:72 RAF Curtiss Kittyhawk Mk.IA
28 page fully illustrated instruction manual, and combat' £16.99 Pitot Tube (2 pcs) £12.40
Wheels with weighted tyres featuring a SH72478 1:72 Douglas A-20G Havoc 'Low Altitude Diorama accessories (resin)
correct alignment system, High quality Raiders' £23.60 CMK8063 1:48 Zetor 25 'Military with Towbar for
Cartograf decals for 3 mid-production Mikoyan MiG-15/MiG-17s' £25.20
Spitfire Mk.Ia colour schemes £109.99 Tamiya
TA25203 1:48 Kawasaki Ki-61-Id Hien (Tony) & 4x4 Infinity Models
Kovozavody Prostejov Light Vehicle Kurogane Set. £44.99 Aircraft detailing sets (resin)
KPM7299 1:72 Re-released! de Havilland DH-88 TA25204 1:48 Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6 & INF3203-0 1:32 de Havilland DH-100 Vampire Mk.3
Comet 'Racer' new mould in 2018 Kubelwagen Type 82 Set. £44.99 (Infinity Models) Accessory pack includes
(short-run) kit £15.70 TA25205 1:48 North-American P-51D Mustang... IINF 3203 1+ DH-100 Vampire F Mk.3
& 1/4-ton 4x4 Light Vehicle Set. £34.99 Photoetched detail set, NF 3203 3+ DH-100
Mark I Models TA25206 1:48 Dornier Do-335A Pfeil & Kubelwagen Vampire F Mk.3 Wheel set, INF 3203 5+
MKM144123 1:144 de Havilland Mosquito NF/F/PR.II Type 82 Set £44.99 DH-100 Vampire F Mk.3 Wing tip's
'Intruder' new plastic parts (propellers) £21.60 navigation lights, INF 3203 6+ DH-100
MKM144125 1:144 de Havilland Mosquito FB.VI Valom Vampire landing flaps and air brakes,
'Commonwealth Service' new plastic VAL14429 1:144 Hannover Cl.II (Double set) £23.99 INF 3203 9+ DH-100 Vampire Nose weight,
parts (propellers) £21.60 VAL14430 1:144 Salmson 2 A2 (Double set) £23.99 INF 3203 10+ DH-100 Vampire F Mk.3 paint
MKM144158 1:144 Hawker Sea Fury F.X/FB.11/F.50 VAL72031 1:72 Re-released! Bristol Buckmaster £44.50 masks (Canadian nose art) £61.30
'Early Schemes' (2in1) new mould £20.50 VAL72042 1:72 Re-released! Handley-Page
MKM144159 1:144 Hawker Sea Fury FB.11/FB.60 Hampden Mk.I torpedo bomber £43.40 Mark I Models
'Commonwealth Service' (2in1) VAL72077 1:72 Re-released! Vickers Wellesley Aircraft detailing sets (resin)
new mould £20.50 Mk.I (LRDU) £30.80 MKA14428 1:144 Hawker Sea Fury Weapon Set (resin
MKM144160 1:144 Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 ' VAL72126 1:72 Re-released! Grumman J2F-2 Duck £35.99 parts: 6 pcs 60lb RP, 2 pcs 1000lb bomb)
Mediterranean & Middle East' (2in1) VAL72162 1:72 Grumman J2F-4 Duck £33.30 (MARK I Models) £8.20
new mould £20.50 VAL72163 1:72 Grumman J2F-5 Duck (Coast Guard) £33.30
MKM144161 1:144 Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 'Far East' Quickboost (by Aires)
(2in1) new mould £20.50 X-Scale Aircraft detailing sets (resin)
MKM144164 1:144 Hawker Sea Fury 'Special X144002 1:144 Douglas DC-8-32 SwissAir £35.99 QB49049 1:48 Lockheed-Martin F-35A Lightning II
Schemes' x 1 kit new mould £17.30 pylons & missile launchers (Tamiya) £14.60
Zvezda QB49050 1:48 Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot open airbrake
Miniwing-Plastic ZVE7233 1:72 Re-issue! Fokker F.VII £12.99 parachute (Zvezda) £4.99
MINI357 1:144 BAC Strikemaster / Oman 1 kit QB49051 1:48 North-American B-25J Mitchell
bagged, 1 decal version £7.50 NEW ACCESSORIES Mitchell cowlings (Hong Kong Models) £12.40
MINI359 1:144 Aero L-159A ALCA / Czech AF + Aires QB49052 1:48 Mil Mi-8MT/Mi-17 IR Jammer L-166
Desert Draken £13.50 Aircraft detailing sets (resin) Lipa (Avant Garde Model) £6.60
AIRE4885 1:48 McDonnell-Douglas AV-8A/S Harrier QB49053 1:48 Mil Mi-8MT/Mi-17 correction of fuel
Modelsvit (VA.1 Matador) cockpit set (Kinetic Model) £18.80 tank back (Avant Garde Model) £6.60
MSVIT4821 1:48 North-American P-51H Mustang£40.99 AIRE4890 1:48 Dassault Rafale B - early cocpkit set QB49054 1:48 Mil Mi-8MT/Mi-17 DISS cover
(HobbyBoss) £24.99 (Avant Garde Model) £4.99

Zvezda Micro-Mir RS Models Special Hobby Sword

ZVE7233 1:72 Fokker F.VII MM48-020 1:48 de Havilland DH.112 Venom RSMI92093 1:72 Lightning P-322 SH72463 1:72 Gloster Meteor Mk.8/Mk.9 IAF SW72139 :72 North-American FJ-3/FJ-3M Fury
£12.99 £44.99 £24.99 £22.50 £17.99
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