Model Airplane International - Issue 180 - July 2020 PDF

ALL THE INFORMATION YOU’LL EVER NEED
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July 2020
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SU SI
FOR TAILS IN
DE
1:32 KIT BU ILD
PANZERKNACKE R
SCALE
ZOUKEI-MURA’S 1:32
HENSCHEL HS 129 B-2
1:4 8 KIT BU ILD
DAWN OF THE
JET AGE
SWORD’S NEW 1:32
METEOR NF.14
GREY 1: 3 2 K IT B U IL
D
CEN TA U R Bu ilding P C M ’s L im it e d R u n 1:32 scale Fiat G.55
PLUS: ALL THE LATEST KITS l ACCESSORIES l DECALS l BOOKS

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Model Airplane International. Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,
Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX, England
VOLUME 15. ISSUE 180. JULY 2020
VOL.15 ISS.180 JULY 2020
Editorial:
Editor: Brett Green
REGULARS FEATURES Publisher: Alan Harman
Administration: Gordon Angus
P04 - NEWSLINE p.12 DAWN OF THE JET AGE Advertising Manager: Alan Harman
P06 - COMMENT Piotr Slominski builds Sword’s 1:48 scale Meteor alan@doolittlemedia.com
P63 - CONTACT DETAILS NF.14 Night Fighter.
P65 - NEXT ISSUE Art:
P66 - FINAL THOUGHTS… Editorial Design: Peter Hutchinson
P 26 PERRY PLANE Advertising Design: Peter Hutchinson
REVIEWS FineMolds 1:48 Kawasaki Ki-10 II Type 95 fighter
“Perry” by Mike Williams Advertisement and circulation:
p.8 IN PRINT Model Airplane International, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,
What books will inspire you this month? Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6 1QX.
p.32 GREY CENTAUR Tel: 01525 222573
Brett Green tackles Pacific Coast Models’ limited E-mail: sean@doolittlemedia.com
p.10 TRANSFER LIST run 1:32 scale Fiat G.55 Serie 1 Centauro.
Choices, choices - which decals will you chose to Distribution:
build something different? p.24 EXPEDIENT SOLUTION Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue,
London, EC1A 9PT.
Huw Morgan presents his Trumpeter 1:48 MiG-3
p.24 THE WILDEST CAT Tel: 020 7429 4000
The Editor checks out Arma Hobby’s brand new
1:72 scale FM-1 Wildcat. p.54 PANZER KNACKER PT. 3 Newstrade:
In Part Three, Nigel Poole paints and finishes his Select Publisher Services, 3 East Avenue,
Zoukei-Mura’s 1:32 scale Henschel Hs 129 B-2. Bournemouth, BH3 7BW.
Tel: 01202 586848 E-mail: tim@selectps.com
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Issue 180 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 3

This month’s round-up of all that’s new in the world of aircraft modelling...
Azur FRROM
www.frrom.com
AZUR FRROM 1:72 MARTIN B-10 KITS

COMING SOON
Azur serie FRROM has sent Preview images and Netherlands East Indies, and Argentine Army) The Argentine Army and Argentine Navy versions are
information on their forthcoming 1:72 scale Martin fitted with a different engine. The engine nacelle goes
B-10 / B-12 releases. ● FR0043 B-10 Export WC/WAN (China and lower on the wing for the second kit.
Argentine Navy)
Boxings will be: We’ll take a closer look upon release.
● FR0042 B-10 Export WH-2/WAA (ML-KNIL, ● FR0044 B-10B in US Service
GWH
www.lionroarmodel.cn
G.W.H. 1:48 RUSSIAN

KNIGHTS FLANKER
Coming soon from Great Wall Hobby - their
impressive 1:48 Su-35S Flanker-E in the eye-
catching colours of the Russian Knights aerobatic
team.
Reviews of the first issue of the Su-35 have been

full of praise, and this one will certainly be an
attention getter.
Shipping soon from GWH.
4 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2020

THE ONES THAT
GOT AWAY…
Jonathan Mock looks at the kits that almost were
s the UK finishes another month survive the transfer of Airfix to Humbrol in 1986 seemed to be in almost everyone’s shopping
A of COVID-19 lockdown, some

restrictions are starting to be eased
– travelling for exercise being one –
but social distancing orders remain
in place. As someone who works from home
by default, the last two months have seen
little change from the normal daily routine,
was the 1:48 Tornado F2 as the tooling was
already well underway before Airfix was put
up for sale. This kit eventually landed in 1987
and was updated to the production F3 model
with the extended rear fuselage. That same
year at the Stoneleigh IPMS Nationals – my
first “Nats” – Airfix announced a whole slew of
bags the 1987 Nats.
Two other interesting kits that never
seemed to get off the ground were both from
companies sadly no longer with us – Aurora
and FROG. In the mid 1970s towards the
end of their existence, Aurora were toying
with the idea of a 1:48 F-14 Tomcat and even
if anything it’s actually sharpened my focus. new kits that included a 1:72 Buccaneer S2, went so far as to produced wooden mock-
The appalling death toll continues to rise and Tornado F3 and T-45 Goshawk, the carrier ups of which photos still exist. Sadly Aurora’s
all eyes are whether the peak will flatten or version of the BAe Hawk being developed for demise outpaced any plans for that project and
whether we get a second spike. the US Navy. perhaps their only other claim to fame when
One of the noticeable things has been Some decades later I spoke to Trevor it comes to lost kits are those – literally – that
the air traffic – or rather the lack of it. About Snowden, Airfix’s R&D guru at the time, disappeared either into a swamp when the
the only aerial passers-by have been the about this period and he admitted that they train carrying them derailed, or were melted
occasional military helicopters, most notably were trying to get product out without any down to reclaim the valuable beryllium.
the low throbbing ‘wokka wokka’ of Chinooks experience or infrastructure to do so, Humbrol The FROG kit that never was their 1:72
as they follow the M5 motorway through the had bought a name and bunch of tools, Dornier Do.24K-1:N-1 flying boat (F281:F403).
Gordano Valley. everything else had to be rebooted from their GA drawings for the project were completed in
In one of the tea breaks spent in café Mock HQ in Marfleet. As such it was another two May 1971 and the tool was ordered in 1975,
– ie, the garden – I was treated to a free air years until the Buccaneer final hit the shops in so it suggests some pattern work may have
display where I could hear a Chinook close the autumn of 1989 as they learned on the job, been completed. Curiously proof decals for kit
by but, because it was below the horizon of and about another year for the Tornado F3. were produced featuring German and Dutch
the hills I couldn’t see it. As happens when The T-45 never made it. schemes. Sadly, I never got the chance to ask
random things come and go, my own thoughts All three kits were admittedly being based the late great Dick Ward about this one and
went AWOL and were drawn to the 1984 Airfix around existing tooling – the F3 was via the why proof sheets were ordered in advance of
Catalogue – sorry “Modeller’s Manual”. 1:72 GR1 which itself started as the MRCA an actual kit. In the end we got a fine model of
Anyone who remembers this will recall release in the mid-70s while bits of the Bucc this elegant looking aeroplane from Italeri.
the rather garish computer-generated neon went further back to the old NA.39 from FROG did have a number of projects on the
artwork which looked like it had dropped 1960.The idea that the existing HS Hawk kit go that never quite reached the shops in their
straight out of Disney’s ‘Tron’ a year or so (actually still representing the P1182 prototype) intended boxes, a few Lockheed Ventura’s
previously, but the publication is perhaps could form the basis of a T-45 eventually slipped out but kits like the Wellington 1C,
more notable for a number of kits that were waned when it was realised just how much Heinkel 115, P-82 Twin Mustang and P-39
teased but never quite made it to production work was involved – literally a whole new kit. Airacobra never wore the FROG logo. Only
– they were a 1:72 Chinook, Agile Combat A T-45 Goshawk did eventually debut from the F-82 managed to appear in it’s intended
Aircraft (precursor to the EAP and then the Italeri in 1989 and they also beat Airfix to the box art, as part of the Russian made Novo
Eurofighter) and the Nautilus submarine from punch with their own 1:72 Tornado F3, as did range, the Wellington and P-39 ended up
Disney’s 1954 movie version of Jules Verne’s Hasegawa. Still, better to be late to the party being domestically produced in the USSR and
’20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’. than miss it completely. the He 115 – like most of the axis aircraft in
Actually the Chinook did eventually make Around the same time that Airfix were the range - was shipped to Revell as being
an appearance in the Airfix range, just not the murmering Chinooks, Matchbox dropped undesirable to the Soviet authorities.
tooling announced in 1984, but we’ll come to the bombshell of a 1:72 Meteor nightfighter There was also the saga of the four Russian
that later. All three kits caused something of at the Toy Fair, a project that then vanished aircraft kits – Anatra DS Anasal, LaGG-3
a stir at the time, the Chinook was a glaring from sight for a couple of years before being MiG-3 and Yak-3 - that FROG produced at
omission in 1:72 with the only previous kit announced in 1986 and released in 1987. I the request of their Soviet contacts which
being Aurora’s 1:48 relic from 1961. Memories have find memories of the phone call (from were never intended to be released under the
of the Falklands War were still fresh in the a red public telephone box!) to Wings and FROG banner but be sold back as part of the
UK and the ‘Wokka’ had been a near nightly Wheels Models in Bath, who had just taken Novo arrangement. Ironcially, when the whole
feature on the TV towards the end of the stock of the kit, and skipping art college Novo deal eventually fell apart, these four
conflict. So a new kit in 1:72 was a no-brainer, that afternoon, catching the direct train from models intended for Russian production never
it would have the market to itself, at least until Weston-super-Mare and finding myself sat left the UK! They were eventually released by
a rival kit emerged… across from the playwright Alan Bennett! Red Star and later Emhar.
The fluctuations of Palitoy’s fortunes saw Matchbox also beat Airfix to the punch with Other manufacturers who announced kit
all new tooling effectively cancelled, about the a 1:72 Chinook also released in 1987, in fact that were never produced include Dragon in
only newly announced kit from this period to both that kit and the Airfix 1:48 Tornado F3 the early 1990s and their range of 1:48 A-26

Invaders complete with box art, roundabout photos taken by Trevor Snowden who visited
the same time Monogram also revealed the States to collect references for this project
plans to for their own kit – Dragon’s kits never – alas, for various reasons, that one also fell
showed, Monogram’s did. through.
Accurate Miniatures displayed plans for a Which brings us to more of less to where
whole range 1:48 Beaufighters in 1996 but the we started with Airfix. Two notable kits that
kits never saw the light of day – Tamiya’s 1:48 were announced towards the end of Humbrol
Beaufighters did a few months later and here era but never released were a 1:24 Hurricane
there has been some ill-informed speculation Mk.II and a reissue of the Heller 1:125 Airbus
down the years that Tamiya saw AM’s plans A380. Of the latter, decal designs and artwork
and decided to jump the gun. Actually the were delivered to Humbrol – I know because I
simple truth is that Tamiya were already cutting drew them!
metal when Accurate Miniatures announced But what of the Chinook? Well Airfix did
their kits. finally release one via a polybagging of the
Perhaps one of the most tantalising projects 1:72 Italeri kit. The ACA – or rather its eventual
that – while not announced – certainly went replacement - was sort of realised when they
as far as some R&D work was a joint Accurate released their Eurofighter kit in December
Miniatures/Airfix range of 1:48 Harrier IIs in 1990.
the late 1990s. The plan was that AM would And the Nautilus? That’s a whole other can
do the US versions and Airfix the British and of worms… or squid.
European variants. I actually have a pile of Stay safe.
IN PRINT
The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka -

A Complete Guide to the Luftwaffe’s Famous Dive Bomber (Airframe and Miniature No. 14)
www.valiant-wings.co.uk
■ By Richard A. Franks interesting and useful. references for both models and Stuka based
■ Published by Valiant Wings Publishing Ltd Work began on the Ju 87 dive bomber con- dioramas. Towards the end of this Preface we
■ Guide Price £22.95 cept as far back as 1933 when Germany was see how the Germans saw the Stuka series
■ SBN 978-1-912932-06-1 still bound by restrictions imposed by the allies develop had they not lost the war, including
■ 240pp softback, 297 x 210mm after Germany’s defeat at the end of WWI. Stukas with folding wings for naval operations
Work on the Stuka and several other aircraft and a Super Stuka.
T
his month we have another bumper was being carried out in secret. The Ju 87 was Chapter 1 begins the evolution of the Ju 87
book from Valiant Wings, the story one of the few aircraft to be used extensively design from the earliest prototype with twin tail
of the Ju 87, Germany’s Blitzkrieg by the Luftwaffe right up to the very end of fins to the Ju 87A-2. As the project progresses
dive bomber. The Stuka would be at WWII after taking a small part in the Spanish through the mid-1930s the aircraft begins to
the front line as the German ground Civil War too. On the opening day of WWII, the look like the Stuka with which we are familiar.
forces swept across Europe at the beginning invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 Stu- Chapter 2 continues the story, by August 1937,
of WWII and still there at the final defence of kas were busy supporting and clearing a path the V7, V8 and V9 models were now the famil-
Germany at the end of WWII. for the advancing German armour and troops. iar Stuka shape with the slimmed-down main
The Airframe and Miniature series The first section of this book describes undercarriage shrouds that would apply to
is settled into a familiar pattern. The contents the development of the Stuka, its introduc- most versions until the end of the war. Chapter
will be of interest to all those with and interest tion into service and its war service with the 3 covers the Ju 87D and G series showing
in Luftwaffe aircraft and the Stuka in particular. Luftwaffe and a handful of foreign air forces. interesting versions built to carry torpedoes
If you have one of the dozens of Stuka kits Many photos of in-service Stukas are used to and wing mounted cannon for anti-tank opera-
available, you will find this book especially illustrate the story. Many will make ideal build tions. The final Stuka versions are covered in

SAMPLES FOR REVIEW
Please send all items for review to the following address: Model Airplane
International, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Bedfordshire, LU6
1QX, United Kingdom. Companies in the European Union should also add
our VAT number, which is GB 789 7020 84
Chapter 4 showing Stukas with folding wings author takes a good look at the kit and what answer many questions where kit instructions
and retractable undercarriage. comes in the box with a concluding verdict, fail to be crystal clear. Again, a scratch-builder
Chapter 5 is the one that may be of most mentioning where the kit is good and not so and converter will find lots of inspiration within
interest to modellers with more than 30 pages good so that you are forewarned. these pages.
dedicated to Camouflage and Markings. The Next follows a 30-page chapter with six full As usual the final pages provide long lists
text describes the changes in camouflage builds of kits spread over 1:72, 1:48 and 1:32 of Stuka kits, accessories, after market decals
schemes as time progresses with a good scales. Each one gives the kit a good workout and books. The list of decals runs to three
quantity of photos and dozens of superb with lots of build photos and easy to follow pages and we are told that there would be
colour profiles by Richard Caruana. The first descriptions of how the build and paintwork more but for space constraints. Finally, we
colour profiles show schemes applied when progresses. At the end of each is a fair and find two sets of 8pp fold-out 1:48 Stuka plans
Stukas were first used in anger in the Spanish honest appraisal of each of the kits built. tipped-inside the back cover.
Civil War. Many Stuka schemes were based Chapter 8 on Building a Collection always From the superb artwork on the front cover
on a splinter pattern of two Dark Greens on makes interesting reading and viewing. Each to the excellent plans at the back of the book,
the upper surfaces and RLM 65 Light Blue page includes an average of three Stuka this is an excellent reference book. We again
undersides with colourful artwork, unit badges, diagrams with captions showing how each ver- congratulate publisher Mark Peacock and
Yellow noses, rudders and fuselage bands. sion and sub-type varied from the last. One of author Richard A. Franks on their mammoth
Those aircraft operating in North Africa were the strangest is a Stuka with a passenger pod efforts that must have been applied to drawing
painted RLM 79, a sandy colour, sometimes on each wing capable of carrying two people. all of this information together into the 240
overall and sometimes with Greens for form a Those modellers looking for extra work will see pages of this book. The value for money is
camouflage pattern. Then of course, in winter many opportunities for building a conversion to outstanding at a cover price that is less than
conditions coats of whitewash were added show one of these oddities. most of the Stuka kits mentioned in the book.
over the base camouflage paintwork. This The final chapter is an impressive 69-page A huge pat on the back for the Valiant Wings
section concludes with half a dozen pages of long look at the Stuka inside and out, in fine team.
notes, photos and colour profiles of Stukas in detail. There are a few colour photos of detail Thanks again to Valiant Wings for supply-
foreign services. Some of the Balkan states on preserved Stukas, the vast majority are ing their latest title for review. See specialist
and Italy operated Stukas in their air forces. black and white with dozens of engineering stockist stands at model shows (remember
Chapter 6 is dedicated to taking a look at sketches. I suspect many of the photos and them?), or visit the Valiant Wings’ web site:
some of the Stuka kits that have been issued diagrams were used in Stuka operating manu- www.valiant-wings.co.uk for direct online sales
in some detail. There is a large number and in als back in WWII. The contents of this chapter details.
all scales from 1:144 to 1:24. In each case, the will be a massive help with a kit build and will Alan Firbank

TRANSFER LIST
Written by Alan Firbank.
EURO DECALS FROM FANTASY PRINTSHOP

www.fantasyprintshop.co.uk
176TH FIGHTER SQUADRON F-16C VIPERS

1:32 SCALE / ITEM NO. ED-32126
We are always pleased to open envelopes containing decal samples to introduce to you, our readers. If
you are looking for an excuse to dig a 1:32 F-16C out of your ‘to do’ pile, this first sheet may just do it.
Being a ‘weekend warrior’ in the Air National Guard units sounds like a good weekend pastime. Regular
USAF personnel who have left the fulltime air force can become involved in their local Air National Guard
unit and continue to fly or service aircraft regularly. While many of the aircraft may be Air Force hand-
me-downs, it is all still good kit. As well as flying locally, ANG units do deploy overseas from time to time
to train away from home.
The subjects on this new sheet from Euro Decals are good examples of ANG hot jets in the form of four
F-16C Vipers with the Wisconsin ANG. Many of the ANG units have eye-catching tail artwork on their
aircraft and make a special effort when there is an anniversary to celebrate. The subjects are described
below:
● F-16C Block 30 87-0348 with the Wisconsin ANG at Madison Air base in 2017. This F-16 carries the
standard scheme of Gunship Grey on most of the upper surfaces and Medium Grey on the tail fin and
lower surfaces. The artwork on the tail fin is a badger’s head.
● F-16C Block 30 87-0278 at Madison Air Base in 2015. All details as No.1 but with shadow lettering
on the tail fin, the badger’s head and a red band with ‘Wisconsin’ superimposed in white lettering at the
top of the tail fin.
● F-16C Block 30 87-0278 at Madison Air Base in 2015. Here is 87-0278 again with a blue tail fin and
some fine 60th Anniversary artwork.
● F-16C Block 30 87-0234 at Madison Air Base in 1999. At this date, the F-16C was finished in the
older three-colour grey camouflage scheme with a Bright Red tail fin. The tail fin artwork and lettering
celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the 115th Fighter Wing.
As well as decals to finish all four Vipers there is a good set of stencilling items for one of the jets.
FANTASY PRINTSHOP
www.fantasyprintshop.co.uk
CURRENT LUFTWAFFE INSIGNIA

1:32 SCALE / ITEM NO. FP-1130
From time to time, Fantasy Printshop will release sheets of generic decals. The sort of sheet that is very handy to have in stock.
As can be seen from the illustration, this sheet is covered with Luftwaffe cross insignia in different sizes. The sizes at 1:32 are
4.3ft, 4ft, 3.3ft, 3ft, 2.3ft, 2ft, 1.3ft and 1ft. Although the sheet is intended for 1:32, the crosses will be useful for 1:48 and 1:72
models too. Also, German army vehicles carry the same style of cross so the smaller crosses on this sheet would be suitable for
1:35 Leopard tanks for example if the sizes are appropriate.
Thanks to Fantasy Printshop for their latest sheets for review. See their web site for details: fantasyprintshop.co.uk or phone
01208 77772.

SQUADRON
BOOKS
AIRCRAFT IN ACTION - SOFT COVER
1200 Fairey Firefly in action
1204 Early MiG Fighters in action
1224 F-84 Thunderjet In Action
10211 P-51 Mustang in Action
10216 F6F Hellcat in Action
10219 B-17 Flying Fortress in Action
10220 F4U Corsair in Action
10221 B-25 Mitchell in Action
10222 P-38 Lightning in Action
10225 TBF/TBM Avenger in Action
10227 B-29 Superfortress in Action
10228 B-24 Liberator in Action
10235 SB2C Helldriver in Action
10236 SBD Dauntless in Action
10238 A-20 Havoc in Action
10241 F-105 Thunderchief in Action
10242 A-26/B-26 Invader in Action
10243 Messerschmitt BF 109 in Action
10246 A-1 Skyraider in Action
10248 CH-47 Chinook in Action
10249 UH-1 Huey in Action
10263 UH-60 Blackhawk in Action
WALK AROUND SERIES - SOFT COVER

5549 OV-1 Mowhawk Walk Around
25043 Messerschmitt Bf 109G Walk Around
25056 Spitfire (Merlin) Walk Around
WALK AROUND SERIES - HARD COVER

65043 Messerschmitt Bf 109G Walk Around
65056 Spitfire (Merlin) Walk Around
65070 Heinkel HE 111 Walk Around
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KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY PIOTR SLOMINSKI
DAWN OF THE
JET AGE
Piotr Slominski builds and assesses the new Sword 1:48
scale Gloster Meteor NF.14
word Models mainly focuses on and quickly started the construction process. As
S 1:72 scale so the release of a 1:48

scale Gloster Meteor NF.14 was
a surprise for many, including me.
When I received one of the first
production kits, I didn’t procrastinate for long
my intention was to prepare a fair build
review, I chose to assemble this kit
almost straight from the box, with
only a few really indispensable
additions.

1:48
SKILL LEVEL:
Intermediate / Advanced
SPECIFICATION:
Sword 1:48 Gloster Meteor NF.14.
Kit No. SW 48011
In accordance with the instructions, I firstly prepared

some basic parts of the cockpit.
Meanwhile, I prepared the
remaining cockpit parts in
order to be able to paint
the entire cabin during one
airbrushing session.
The cockpit is rather modestly represented and even

though the instrument panels are actually nicely
moulded, this good impression is spoiled by the lack of
any decals supplied with the kit. I therefore had to create
the instrument faces on my own. My first step was to
paint them with glossy white paint.
Even though the instructions

doesn’t address this issue,
I chose to add some weight
to the nose, as usually this
proves to be necessary in the
case of models of aircraft with
tricycle landing gear.
All interior surfaces
were then base
coated with Mr. Color
C33 Flat Black.
Once the paint had fully dried, I applied tiny quantities

of AK-Interactive AK088 Worn Effects Fluid over the
instrument faces and let them dry.
Next, I created some highlights by spraying Mr. Color C137 Tire Black over the chosen
areas. Further highlights were added using the dry brushing technique and AK-
Interactive AK501 Dark Grey Fading oil paint.
Now I could finish the instrument panels.

I firstly dampened the instrument faces
with water, and subsequently scratched
their surfaces with a sharpened toothpick
end in order to reveal tiny portions
of white undercoat that would act as
various markings. The result may not be
impressive under high magnification, but
looks acceptable when viewed with the
unaided eye.

KIT BUILD To accentuate the interior
detail, I applied P222
Neutral Wash from MIG
Production into various
nooks and crannies.
The seat belts are not supplied
with the kit in any form. I went for
pre-painted metal pieces from the
Eduard FE818 set.
Before I could install the

cabin within the fuselage,
I had to spray the nose
landing gear well with a
layer of AK-Interactive AK479
Aluminium’…
…and reproduce some damage to the

paint layer within the cockpit, using a
silver watercolour pencil.
…and subsequently
Next, I glued the put the entire fuselage
cockpit into the together. No issues with
starboard fuselage part fit emerged so far.
half… I also must admit that I
was pleasantly surprised
with the quality of
plastic.
f o c uses
m a inly elease
M o dels so the r Meteor
ord le ter ny,
“Sw 1:72 scaale Glos e for ma
on :48 sc urpris .”
1 s
of a was a ding me
4 inclu
NF.1
1:48
I let the fuselage to cure thoroughly
and turned my attention to other
parts of the airframe, including the
horizontal tail…
…and the wings, which had

to be fitted with the landing
gear wells. The latter are pretty
basic and demanding modellers
may choose to detail them (I
doubt that any aftermarket
replacements will be released,
considering the short run nature
of the kit).
Same applies to However, one could consider replacing

the engine, but as it the wheels. The main tyres are
isn’t really visible in weighted, but the effect is incomplete.
the finished kit, its Their contact points with the ground
simplified form won’t were simply cut off, without adding any
be an issue. sag to the sides.
The previously prepared sub-assemblies were

primed in black where necessary, before I could
proceed with the assembly.
Next, I dry brushed the engine parts

with silver paint, and subsequently
glued the engine nacelles and wing
halves together.
The first problem with

part fit emerged during
the installation of the
horizontal tail.
Issue 180 - 15
KIT BUILD
The gap was filled with super glue. Once it had fully cured, I removed the excess with fine grained Afterwards, I had to thin down the rear portion of the wing root in order to ensure the correct
sandpaper and polished the surface with a piece of steel wool. alignment of the fuselage and wings.
However, the joint areas still required some filling with cyano… …sanding and polishing with steel wool. This also concerned the junctions between the engine
intakes and nacelles.
I then had to restore the

panels lines that had been
damaged during the previous
treatments. For this purpose, I
used a scriber and a fine saw
edge razor blade.
With the airframe

complete, I could deal
with some small parts.
I firstly glued the
external fuel tanks and
subsequently prepared
them for the painting
stage. As the pitot tube supplied with the
kit was rather clumsy, I created
a more refined replacement from
two lengths of metal tubing of
different diameter.
1:48
At this stage, I also added some further
cockpit details. These were finished in
the same way as previously.
The thinner tubing

was also used to
reproduce the gun
barrel ends, which had
been ignored by the
manufacturer.
I started by airbrushing a The canopy was masked with tape

pre-shading pattern and and fixed to the fuselage. Fortunately,
painting the radar radome with it fitted well. The kit was now ready to
Flat Black. have some paint applied.
Next, I accentuated some chosen

panels with white paint, added some
streaks in accordance with the airflow,
and finally sprayed some irregular
patches here and there, using a
marbling template.
However, that colour

appeared to be too dark
for me. I therefore applied
a layer of Mr. Color C363
Medium Sea Gray, which
acted as a bright filter.
The undersides were base

coated with Mr. Color C331
Dark Sea Gray.

KIT BUILD
Afterwards, I
airbrushed the green
camouflage patches
over the upper
surfaces, using Mr.
Color C361 Dark
Green.
This allowed me to apply the second camouflage colour.

For this purpose, I used Mr. Color C362 Ocean Gray.
Once the paint had dried, I masked

the green areas with Intelligent
Panzer Putty.
The highlights were created with Mr. Color C317 FS

36231 Gray, whilst for darkening the panel lines I used
Mr. Color C301 FS 36081 Gray.
I then removed the masking putty

and painted various details that
were to be attached soon.

1:48
The paintwork was sealed with
a layer of Mr. Color C46 Clear
Gloss, enabling the application
of decals. I chose to finish my The decals supplied
model as an aircraft from 72 with the kit turned
Sqn. RAF. out to be of good
quality and went on
easily with a little
help of Microscale
setting solutions.
I sealed them with another

layer of varnish and
subsequently applied
A.MIG-1611 Panel Line
Wash Black Night.
The excess
enamel was
removed
with cotton
buds.
The weathering treatments mainly concerned the lower surfaces. I applied

small quantities of AK-Interactive’s AK017 Earth Effects, AK078 Damp
Earth and AK080 Summer Kursk Earth over the chosen surfaces, using
a brush, and subsequently distributed and mixed them together with a
cotton bud that had been previously dampened with white spirit. The key
was to move the cotton bud in a rolling motion.
In those areas
where I wanted
to create some
streaks, I finely
wiped the surface
with an almost dry
brush that had been
slightly dampened with
white spirit.

KIT BUILD
The surfaces adjacent to the landing gear wells
received the most intense treatment with earthy
enamel colours.
The effect was enhanced with the

application of pigments.
With the painting and weathering

processes complete, I could install all the
parts that been painted separately.

1:48
This included the
antennas which had
been scratch built
from lengths of steel
wire and some leftover
photo-etched parts.
Afterwards, I airbrushed
the entire kit with a
layer of Alclad II Klear
Kote Light Sheen.
The final step was to

add some damage to the
paint layer, using a silver
watercolour pencil.
The Meteor was now

ready for the final
photo shoot.

KIT BUILD

1:48
FINAL VERDICT
In my opinion, Sword has produced a fairly nice kit considering that it was created by classic short run moulding
technology. Surprisingly, assembly does not present many challenges, but it does lack some refinement in areas such
as the cockpit, landing gear, wheel wells and the engines.
One could expect that the simplification of the plastic parts would be addressed with the inclusion of some resin
or photo-etched details, but this is not a case here. The lack of instrument panel decals is a major omission
though, especially considering that the plastic IPs are nicely detailed and would be enough if the suitable decals
are supplied.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed building this kit.
Issue 180--www.modelairplaneinternational.com
Issue144 www.modelairplaneinternational.com 23
THE WILDEST CAT
ARMA HOBBY 1:72 FM-2 WILDCAT EXPERT SET. KIT NO. 70031
ARMA HOBBY ADDS A 1:72 SCALE FM-2 WILDCAT TO THEIR GROWING RANGE
scale Eastern Front Hurricane. I was very

impressed with the level of detail, crispness
of surface textures and the quality of their
package. Their subsequent releases have
entrenched their reputation.
Arma Hobby's latest 1:72 scale kit is an
FM-2 Wildcat. This is Arma’s first offering in
the Wildcat family. This is an Expert Set, so
it includes useful additions including photo-
etched parts and masks.
The kit comprises 71 parts in grey plastic,
five parts in clear plastic, 20 photo-etched
parts, self-adhesive die-cast masks for the
wheels and canopy and markings for six
aircraft.
The grey plastic parts are delivered on one
large and one smaller sprue. Moulding quality
is excellent, with no flaws or visible moulding
imperfections on my sample, only a little flash
on some of the smaller parts. Arma’s website
advises that long-run metal moulds are used
for their kit production, and it really does show.
Being a long-run kit, the parts are moulded
with all the alignment aids that you would
expect including locating pins, holes and tabs.
The larger parts are moulded with a satin
finish. Surface textures are just gorgeous.
he Grumman F4F Wildcat was 5,280 FM variants of the Wildcat. Recessed panel lines, raised fastener heads,
T an American carrier-based fighter

aircraft that began service in 1940
with the United States Navy, and
the British Royal Navy where it was
known as the Martlet.
First used by the British in the North
Atlantic, the Wildcat was the only effective
Grumman’s Wildcat production ceased in
early 1943 to make way for the newer F6F
Hellcat, but General Motors continued to
produce Wildcats for both U.S. Navy and Fleet
Air Arm use.
Even when the Wildcat was obsolescent as
a front line fighter compared to the F6F Hellcat
blister fairings and other structural details are
very fine.
The fabric texture on the rudder, elevators
and ailerons are represented by subtly raised
rib tapes. The elevators are moulded as a pair
so they may be posed to taste. The rudder is a
separate part too.
fighter available to the United States Navy and or the much faster F4U Corsair, it remained The fuselage is supplied as left and right
Marine Corps in the Pacific Theatre during adequate for small escort carriers against halves with the characteristic FM-2 tall fin
the early part of the Second World War. The submarine and shore threats. These relatively moulded to the fuselage halves.
disappointing Brewster Buffalo was withdrawn modest ships only carried two types of aircraft, Some cockpit sidewall detail is moulded
in favour of the Wildcat and replaced as the Wildcat and GM-built TBM Avenger. The directly to the inside of the fuselage. These are
aircraft became available. Wildcat's lower landing speed and ability supplemented by a plastic cockpit floor, front
With a top speed of 318 mph, the Wildcat to take off without a catapult made it more and rear bulkheads, side consoles, a moulded
was outperformed by the faster 331 mph, more suitable for shorter flight decks. pair of rudder pedals that plug in behind the
manoeuvrable, and longer-ranged Mitsubishi At first, GM produced the FM-1, identical to instrument panel, control column and more.
A6M Zero. However, the F4F’s ruggedness, the F4F-4, but reduced the number of guns to The instrument panel is moulded with raised
coupled with tactics such as the Thach Weave four, and added wing racks for two 250 lb (110 bezels and switches. Options are offered for a
and hit-and-run manoeuvres using altitude kg) bombs or six rockets. photo-etched instrument panel or decal dials.
advantage resulted in a claimed air combat Production later switched to the improved Photo-etched throttles and handles are also
kill-to-loss ratio of 5.9:1 in 1942 and 6.9:1 for FM-2 optimized for small-carrier operations, included.
the entire war. with a more powerful engine and a taller tail to The decal sheet supplies harness straps
Lessons learned from the Wildcat were later cope with the torque.* although they are not mentioned in the
applied to the faster F6F Hellcat. While the instructions.
Wildcat had better range and manoeuvrability In the Box A nice use of photo-etch is three sets of
at low speed, the Hellcat could rely on superior Although Polish manufacturer Arma Hobby has control pulleys and chains attached to the
power and high speed performance to been around since at least 2016, and before landing gear side of the firewall.
outperform the Zero. that under the brand of Attack Squadron from Wheel wells are nicely detailed. The intricate
In addition to production by Grumman, 2014, they snuck under my radar until early in landing gear is cleverly moulded in a minimum
General Motors / Eastern Aircraft produced 2019 when I received a sample of their 1:72 number of parts, although care will be required

1:72
during alignment and assembly. Test fit easily be lost while retrieving instructions or a
thoroughly! larger sprue, and the format is less structurally Bonus markings are supplied on the decal
Two styles of main wheel are offered, as are rigid, inviting the contents to be crushed when sheet for two alternative FAA Wildcat Mk.VIs
two different tail wheel parts – covered and the box is inevitably at the bottom of a pile of on HMS Searcher – “A”, JV 792 and “W”, JV
uncovered. The main wheels are subtly bulged kits. I know it is a nit-pick but I would prefer to 709. Simply use the marking guide for JV 768
and flattened. see future Arma Hobby releases in a lid-style and substitute the aircraft number and serial of
The engine is very well done. The ring of of box. your choice.
cylinders is provided as one part with fine Stencil markings are included, as black
cooling fin detail. This is supplemented with Marking Options wing walkways, propeller logos, and six yellow
pushrods and the crankcase cover also Six varied marking options are offered – five propeller tip decals.
moulded as one part, topped off with a photo- US Navy and one Fleet Air Arm. Colour callouts are provided for FS numbers
etched ignition harness. Two different styles of Each of the six marking options gets a and model paint numbers from a wide variety
spinner caps are offered. dedicated page with both side views, upper of companies – Hakata, AK, Lifecolor, AMMO,
The wings are moulded in four parts and lower plan views and scrap views where Humbrol, Vallejo and Tamiya.
with upper and lower, port and standard required. Decals are printed by Techmod. They
halves. Trailing edges are very thin – almost are glossy, colours are well saturated and
translucent. Options are: everything is in perfect register.
Six rockets and two drop tanks wrap up the ● FM-2 Wildcat, VC-10, CVE-73 USS Gambier
grey plastic parts. Bay. Finished in overall Gloss Sea Blue. Conclusion
The canopy parts are thin and clear and ● FM-2 Wildcat, VC-10, CVE-73 USS Arma Hobby's new 1:72 scale FM-2 Wildcat
offer separate parts for the windscreen and the Gambier Bay. Finished in unique three-colour is a gorgeous little kit - crisp surface texture,
sliding section. The gunsight is a clear part too. pattern. high moulding quality, with great detail and
Wing tip navigation lights are moulded as ● FM-2 Wildcat, VC-8, CVE-60 USS inclusions. There are many marking options
part of the wings. Guadalcanal. Finished in Dark Gull Grey and too – pick up some Overtrees as well as the
Self-adhesive, die-cut masks are supplied White. Expert Set kit and build a couple!
for the canopies and the main wheel hubs. ● FM-2 Wildcat, VC-69 CVE-60 USS
Instructions are supplied as a 12 page Guadalcanal. Finished in Dark Gull Grey and * Historical background adapted from
stapled A5-sized booklet. Assembly is White. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
described over 23 steps using sometimes ● FM-2 Wildcat, VC-96, CVE 81 USS Rudyerd Grumman_F4F_Wildcat
small but clear diagrams. Bay, Okinawa April 1945. Finished in overall
The kit is packed into a end-opening Gloss Sea Blue. Thanks to Arma Hobby for the sample
cardboard box. I have to say that I have never ● Wildcat Mk.VI, 882 Sqn FAA, HMS www.armahobby.com
been a fan of end-opening boxes - access Searcher, 26 March 1945. Finished in Dark
to the parts is more difficult, loose parts can Slate Grey and Extra ark Sea Grey over Sky.

KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY MIKE WILLIAMS
PERRY
PLANE

1:48
SKILL LEVEL:
Intermediate
SPECIFICATION:
FineMolds 1:48 Kawasaki Ki-10 II Type 95 fighter “Perry”
Kit No. FB13

Mike Williams steps out of his comfort zone Availability: via Hinomaru Hobby Kits www.hhkits.com
to build FineMolds’ Kawasaki Ki-10 II Type 95 Price 29.27
fighter “Perry” biplane BEFORE STARTING:

Tamiya Extra Thin Cement
S
ometimes it is nice to have a how did I come to build this somewhat obscure Tamiya Extra Thin Cement Quick setting
break from the old routine, as the Japanese pre-war biplane? Well, I won it in a EMA Plastic Weld
saying goes. raffle at the IPMS Hornchurch show in March Tamiya masking Tape
Swann-Morton Scalpel No.3 handle with no.11 blades
A case in point for me is this 2019…True story!
Wilder pointed tweezers
FineMolds 1:48 Kawasaki Ki-10 I seemed to recall an online build by a fellow Sponge sanders
Perry kit, as it is as far removed from my modeller whose work I truly admire and take Vallejo Plastic Putty
normal fayre as I would like. Firstly, it is a inspiration from, a certain Mike Grant, who Micro drill and bits
Japanese subject; something I have never has that rare ability to make ANY kit shine as a Super glue
had much of an interest in having only ever masterpiece. So with his build-log downloaded
built one Japanese type before. Secondly it is for future reference this was duly added to my AIRBRUSH:
a biplane; again a genre that has hitherto held “must build soon” pile. Iwata Revolution CR
little appeal to me given the inherent trickiness The opportunity (read: excuse) to build it Bartsharp 180
involved with adding the rigging wires. So, came along a few months later when my
PAINTS USED:
Tamiya XF-71 Cockpit Green (IJN)
Tamiya XF-14 Japanese Army Grey
Tamiya XF-7 Flat Red
Tamiya X-19 Smoke
Tamiya XF-2 Flat White
Tamiya X-35 Semi-Gloss clear
Tamiya XF-68 NATO Brown
Alclad ALC-112 Steel

KIT BUILD
The cables and wires were added from florists wire and lead
wire to add interest, it is possibly fictional though as references
were sparse for the cockpit on the type 95. The rest is as
supplied, just painted suitably.
The completed radiator assembly

painted and weathered in situ, the
cooling fins are exceptionally thin as
are the moulded in faces of the radiator,
all responding well to a dark wash to
add depth.
local model club started to host themed build fuselage halves, a few
competitions, nothing too heavy, just a bit of small cables from
general livening up the club and get us all fine wire were
building for the same reason. The second added to the
theme was “1920-1930” any subject, any scale lever boxes
as long as it was made, used or in service as well as
between those years. Bingo! The Ki-10 first using the
flew in 1935 so fitted the bill perfectly. supplied
The kit itself was a revelation to me, having decal for the
only built one other kit from FineMolds I was instrument panel
particularly aware of their quality and detail which settled quite
just not over enamoured by their subject nicely into the moulded details, though not a
choices, pretty much all of which are Japanese lot can be seen on the finished model. The The instrument panel decals worked a treat as did
subjects. The design and finesse of their kits is
the careful painting and a wash to lift the delicate
cockpit was base coated with Tamiya XF-71 mouldings in the cockpit interior and seat
on a par with their countrymen Hasegawa and Cockpit Green (IJN) which was probably not
Tamiya. It just looks great sitting in the box, correct, but in my defence I could find precious which in turn affixed positively into the
if you know what I mean? Moulded in a pale little information on the interior colours and fuselage as did the radiator unit which I had
grey-green quite hard plastic, the details found details save for a few scratchy black and white painted and weathered in situ. I used a light
are exceptionally moulded with fine recessed photos on some internet site. I wasn’t about to wash mixed from artists oil paints to help lift
panel lines and some rivet details. get bogged down in the details, I was having the moulded detail on the sidewalls of the
too much fun just enjoying modelling for cockpit which contrasted nicely with the light
Construction modelling sakes. The machine gun breeches grey-green interior colour. The smaller details
Starting with the cockpit sidewalls within the fitted to the top front of the instrument panel like the seat belts and cushion were carefully
The sum of parts for the interior is few,

though they look suitably busy once
ensconced within the fuselage.
With the fuselage together,

these three panels with
two cabane struts simply
fit atop the fuselage just
forward of the cockpit
opening.

This was as far as I built it before getting
1:48
ready for painting, leaving the inter-plane
struts and upper wing off for painting to than a few minutes sanding to eliminate the
allow access with the airbrush.
join seam once the glue dried. I did reinstate
the panel line and a few rivets which had
softened due to the sanding, but it was the
work of just a few minutes and not too taxing,
after which the two upper wing sections can
be fitted which they did without issue not
forgetting to drill out the rigging attachment
pints as noted in the instructions. The separate
tail planes and rudder were fitted next after
which the undercarriage strut assembly was
constructed, in fact it could be built up as a sub
assembly such was the quality and finesse of
the way it goes together in almost snap-tite
type way before clicking positively into the
recesses on the underside.
Before painting could commence, the inter-
painted with Vallejo Model Color acrylics, as panels with the smaller cabane struts (more plane struts were assembled on a dry run
were the switch boxes and throttle controls on biplane terminology, I’ve discovered) were with the upper wing unit to ensure everything
the cockpit sidewalls. The cockpit floor had attached along with the gun trough panel and lined up, as I wanted to leave these off to ease
the rudder pedals, seat and control column the upper section of the front of the cowling. access around the model with the airbrush.
fitted and received the same wash as the inner The instructions would have you insert the The rigging attachment points were also drilled
fuselage to add depth and enhance the fine exhausts at this point, however I wanted be out on the inside of the upper wing before
details moulded in. able to paint them separately to save some mating the top and bottom sections.
Once the fuselage halves were joined, the difficult masking, with a slight modification they
rest of the airframe came together very quickly can be left off to be painted and fitted later. Painting and Markings
indeed as the cockpit floor section is fitted from The fit of the one-piece lower wing to the The two markings/colour options in the kit
below into the fuselage. The upper fuselage fuselage was excellent requiring nothing more are quite different, one is offered as a three
With the paint applied and a generous gloss coat applied it was ready for decals and weathering. With the decals not playing ball I opted to remove them with masking tape (that mess to the left!)
and cut my own masks for the main markings
The main marking masks worked perfectly so I made masks for the tail markings and fuselage Using the spare decals as a template, masks were cut for the 77th air regiment markings on the
band also. tail. It is easier than you my think…

KIT BUILD
With the masking removed I was pleased with how it was looking, but the fuselage band needed to With plenty of masking applied the fuselage band was carefully airbrushed flat red.
be added also. Note the subtle exhaust stains and panel line wash here too.
Two generous coats were applied followed

by a coat of Tamiya X-22 Clear Gloss to
smooth the matt finish out and ready the
The main reason shy
away from biplanes is
the fear of rigging and airframe for the application of the decals.
the fiddly attachment Therein lies a tale…
points it entails. The decals are few so with that in mind I
readied myself for a straightforward evening of
decal application, starting with the small stencil
data markings which lulled me into a false
sense of security as they settled perfectly and
easily. The tail markings and even the national
markings, the Hinomaru as they’re known,
all proved to be rather brittle and would not
conform to the detail no matter how hard I tried
with hot water and various decal solvents, my
thinking is that the decals were either old or
had not been stored in a particularly ambient,
dry atmosphere, or a combination of those
factors.
I resorted to lifting them off with masking
tape after I had walked away and left them
to dry overnight on the vain hope they would
settle down. Luckily there were extras for
the same squadron markings on the decal
sheet for the alternative scheme, so these
were employed to measure and
cut masks from 40mm wide
Tamiya tape and a new
Having previously pre-drilled the attachment points blade. The Hinomaru
out on the wings as per the clear and precise were easy enough to
instructions, the rigging was relatively straightforward.
cut using a compass
cutter set to a suitable
tone camouflage pattern while the other diameter and the
is all one colour and is the one I chose aforementioned 40mm
for simplicity as I felt the pale grey- tape.
green really suited the aircraft. To that It turned out far better
end the whole model was wiped down than I had expected
with isopropyl alcohol before I masked using the masks and I will
and fitted the small clear part for the remember this in future if I have a
windshield, the cockpit orifice was minor disaster when decaling.
blocked with packing foam to mask this. Another light coat of X-22 Gloss
Tamiya XF-14 Japanese Army Grey Clear was airbrushed to seal
was my chosen paint, although it has a the small stencils and the matt
definite greenish grey hue, almost akin finish of the painted markings
the Luftwaffe RLM02 Grau. in readiness for a light panel

Using dark grey stretchy thread from Infini models, a few strategically placed dots of superglue and a Microbrush
filled with superglue accelerator, a few expletives and a lot of patience later I was furnished with a fully rigged
Perry type 95 fighter.
1:48
line wash to break up the plain paint work, The main reason I (and I’m guessing a lot of on the instruction sheets. Using dark grey
I also fitted the exhausts and added some modellers) shy away from biplanes is the fear stretchy thread from Infini models, a few
very light exhaust staining using thinned of rigging and the fiddly attachment points it strategically placed dots of superglue and a
Tamiya X-19 Smoke and some light dirt and entails. The actual fitment of the inter-plane Microbrush filled with superglue accelerator,
dust effects around the wheel spats n the struts and the upper wing attachment was, a few expletives and a lot of patience later I
undercarriage legs with heavily thinned Tamiya after all, an easy task aided by the superb was furnished with a fully rigged Perry type 95
XF-68 NATO brown. fit and design of the kit. Having previously fighter.
pre-drilled the attachment points out on the With a final flourish of adding the aerial wire
Finishing Touches wings as per the clear and precise instructions, and a finishing semi-gloss varnish via Tamiya
Having put them off for long enough, it was the rigging was relatively straightforward. It X-35, I carefully peeled off the small pieces of
time to bite the bullet and tackle the wing struts was just a case of following the picture on masking tape from the windshield and fitted
and fit the upper wing and get them rigged. the box art as no rigging diagram is given the propeller to call her done. ■
Tamiya XF-14 Japanese Army Grey bears a FineMolds’ 1:48 scale

resemblance to RLM 02 Grey, a widely-used Perry is an absolute
Luftwaffe colour. beauty of a kit.
FINAL VERDICT
What an absolute beauty of a kit. Decals aside, this was a trouble free build with only the rigging being slightly
taxing for a beginner modeller possibly. The fit of parts, the attractive subject and the fact I did not get bogged
down in details as it was a straight from the box build was a refreshing change for me. It just goes to show that
sometimes it is good to pick up a subject of which you know very little as it can be a breath of fresh air.

KIT BUILD
TA
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY BRETT GREEN
G R E Y C E N
he Fiat G.55 Centauro (Italian: production until 1943, when, after comparative
T "Centaur") was a single-engine

single-seat World War II fighter
aircraft used by the Regia
Aeronautica and the A.N.R.
(Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana) from
1943 to 1945.
It was designed and built in Turin by Fiat.
tests against the Messerschmitt Bf 109G and the
Focke-Wulf 190, the Luftwaffe itself regarded the
Fiat G.55 as "the best Axis fighter".
During its short operational service, mostly
under the Repubblica Sociale Italiana insignia,
after the 8 September 1943 armistice, this
powerful, robust and fast aircraft proved itself
The Fiat G.55 was arguably the best to be an excellent interceptor at high altitude. In
type produced in Italy during World War II, 1944, over Northern Italy, the Centauro clashed
a subjective claim also frequently made for with British Supermarine Spitfire, P-51 Mustang,
the Macchi C.205 Veltro as well as for the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-38 Lightning, proving to
Reggiane Re.2005 Sagittario, but it did not enter be no easy adversary.

1:32
n builds SKILL LEVEL:
Brett Gree run
AUR
d Intermediate / Advanced
the limite
Coa st
Pacific
32 scale
Models 1:
st SPECIFICATION:
Pacific Coa G.55 Pacific Coast Models 1:32 Fiat G.55 Serie 1 Centauro.
t
Models Fia aur
Kit No. PCM 32007
Ce nt
Serie 1 ACCESSORIES AND DECALS USED:
Selected decals from 21st Century Toys’
1:32 Macchi C.205
MATERIALS USED:
Plastic rod and scrap sheet
Copper wire
Brass rod and tube
Tamiya Surfacer
EZ Line
TOOLS AND MODELLING

PRODUCTS USED:
Tamiya masking tape (various widths)
Revell Contacta Cement
Selley’s Super Glue
Zip Kicker (super glue accelerator)
Gator’s Grip Hobby Acrylic Glue
Tamiya Masking Tape
Blu-Tack
Irwin Clamps
PAINTS AND FINISHING

PRODUCTS USED:
Cockpit Interior Paints
Tamiya Acrylics: XF-12 J.N. Grey.
Vallejo Model Color Acrylics: 919 Foundation White; 70950
Black; 70953 Flat Yellow; 70957 Flat Red
Vallejo Panzer Aces Acrylics: 301 Light Rust; 337 Highlight
Ger. (Black)
Future Floor Polish
Winsor & Newton Galeria Matt Varnish
Solvaset Decal Setting Solution
Exterior Paints
Tamiya Spray Cans: Grey Primer; Fine White Primer; AS-12
Bare Metal Silver.
Mr Hobby Mr Color Spray – 117 RLM 76 Light Blue
Tamiya Acrylics: XF-1 Flat Black; XF-64 Red Brown
Gunze Acrylics: H64 RLM 71 Dark Green; H68 RLM 74
Grey Green; H69 RLM 75 Grey Violet; H70 RLM 02 Grey;
H307 Grey FS 36320
Mr Color Lacquer – 117 RLM 76 Light Blue
Future Floor Polish
Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic Mediums – Matt Varnish
Solvaset Decal Setting Solution
Ronson Lighter Fluid
Tamiya Weathering Master Sets A and B

1
KIT BUILD
2
Resin is used for

most of the cockpit
parts.
4
The exhausts, undercarriage bays, engine plug and main wheels are resin parts too.
Italian fighter pilots liked their Centauro but

by the time the war ended, fewer than 300
had been built. By comparison, the Germans
produced 35,000 Bf 109s.
There still is no exact data about the G.55s
captured by the Luftwaffe or acquired by
Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana. About
5 18 G.55s were acquired by ANR while 12–20,
or even 42, according to some reports, were
requisitioned by the Luftwaffe.
The Centauro entered in service with the
ANR. A decision was made to produce 500 November 1943, operating from Piemonte
G.55s, of which 300 were G.55/I and 200 until 29 March 1944, when it was absorbed by
G.55/II Serie II, armed with five 20 mm MG the 1st Gruppo and transferred in Veneto.
151/20s and no machine guns (one in the The 2nd Gruppo was formed at Bresso. It
centerline, two in the upper cowling, two in was initially commanded by Lt Col Antonio
the wings). Only 148 were delivered to the Vizzoto, and later by Lt Col Aldo Alessandrini.
ANR units that, as the number of available It had three Squadriglie (the 4th, Gigi Tre
6 G.55s dwindled, were progressively Osei, the 5th, Diavoli Rossi, and the
re-equipped with the Bf 109 G,
of various sub-versions, even
though Italian pilots preferred There are a number of raised ejector pin
marks on the inside surfaces of plastic
the G.55, with cancellation of parts that need to be removed in case they
production being extremely interfere with later fit.
unpopular.
The ANR had two Gruppi 6th, Gamba di Ferro). The
Caccia Terrestre (fighter unit operated near Milan and
7 squadrons). The first was Varese until April 1944, then it
initially equipped with the was transferred near Parma and
Macchi C.205, from November Pavia, then again near the Lake
1943 to May 1944, then, re- Garda (Brescia and Verona). At the
equipped with the G.55/I in June 1944 end of May, the 2° Gruppo gave its G.55s to
until it switched to the Bf 109G starting from 1° Gruppo and re-equipped with 46 ex I./JG 53
November 1944. The 2nd Gruppo was the and II./JG 77 Bf 109G-6/R6[17]
main unit equipped with the G.55, of which With the ANR, the G.55s gave a good
it had 70 examples from December 1943 account of themselves against Allied fighters
– August 1944, before being progressively like the Spitfire and Mustang.*
re-equipped with the Bf 109G.
The first unit in ANR to be equipped with To Build Or Not To Build
8 G.55 was the Squadriglia Montefusco [it], in I have a number of rare and out of production
1: Pacific Coast Models Fiat G.55 box art. 2: This is a limited run kit without locating pins other alignment aids. 3: Surface texture
is recessed and quite fine. 4: The plastic is shiny and soft. 5: There is some flash on smaller parts. 6: Colour photo-etched parts by
Eduard are also included. 7: Canopy and windscreen parts are quite thin. 8: Markings are supplied for five varied schemes.
1:32
Some of the resin parts could be removed with a razor saw but
the larger blocks required my Dremel cordless motor tool fitted
with a large cutting wheel.
I was a bit overenthusiastic when removing the casting block from the instrument panel and
had to replace the lower side sections with plastic strip.
kits in my I took this as a sign and cracked open my restrained and impressive.
collection that I box to build the model immediately. I also There is a bit of flash on the parts, and
would love to ordered a second PCM Fiat G.55 to use as the being a limited run kit there are no locating
build, but it base for a future Fiat G.59 project using the pins or tabs.
seems cruel Tail Boom Models conversion. The twelve grey resin parts enhance
to show the cockpit, wheel wells, main wheels and
readers In the Box exhausts. The resin parts are perfectly cast
a kit that Pacific Coast Models' 1:32 scale Fiat G.55 was and well detailed.
they most released in 2009 and is a limited run model. The colour photo-etch fret offers parts from
likely won’t The kit comprises a mere 62 parts in grey the front office including the unique Italian-style
be able to plastic, five parts in clear, twelve resin parts, a harness straps, chains and backrest (looks
buy and build colour photo-etched fret and markings for five more like an instrument of torture), radiator
themselves. varied schemes. faces, switches and other small details.
I was therefore The plastic parts have been moulded by The clear parts are very nice - thinly
pleased and surprised Sword of the Czech Republic. The plastic is moulded and good looking in shape. The
to recently find that the shiny and fairly soft. Surface detail is very canopy is a separate part that may be posed
Pacific Coast Models 1:32 scale Fiat G.55 good – crisp and consistent finely recessed open.
could still be bought from a number of sources panel lines and selected rows of rivets are Shapes look good. I haven’t hear anyone
including Kitlinx and Pacific Coast Models. the order of the day. The overall impact is criticise this kit from an accuracy point of view.
The middle of the pilot’s

seat had a big ejector
mark. This was filled
with Milliput two-part Followed by a bigger
epoxy putty. drill bit from the
inside of the upper
cowl insert.
Ejector pin towers were

eliminated with a Mission Models
Micro Chisel.
A pilot hole was drilled through the

machine gun troughs…

The mating surfaces
of the large parts were
gently sanded against a
piece of sandpaper prior
KIT BUILD to assembly.
The Inside Story

I started conventionally with the cockpit, which
looks great straight from the box. The cockpit
comprises a combination of resin, injection
plastic and colour photo-etch parts from
Eduard. You really won't need a single
aftermarket item here.
The first step was to free the resin
parts from their casting blocks. Some
parts could be removed with a razor
saw but the larger blocks demanded a
I departed
bit more firepower. My Dremel cordless from the
motor tool fitted with a large cutting instructions
wheel was used for this job. The Dremel and glued the
kicks up a lot of potentially carcinogenic cockpit sidewalls
to the interior of
dust, so It’s a good idea to wear a mask and the fuselage before
do the cutting outdoors – that’s the advantage painting and further
of a cordless tool! assembly
There are a number of raised ejector pin
marks on the inside surfaces of plastic parts
that need to be removed in case they interfere Cockpit and wheel well parts were attached to a box using
with later fit too. Blu-Tack and given a coat of Tamiya Grey Primer.
With the parts cleaned up, I departed from
the instructions and glued the cockpit
sidewalls to the interior of the
fuselage before painting and
further assembly.
Careful painting,
weathering and the
installation of the colour
photo-etch really brings out
the best in the front office. I
used Tamiya acrylic XF-12
J.N. Grey as the base cockpit
colour followed by a pale dry-
brush and a wash of black/brown
Tamiya acrylic
XF-12 J.N. Grey
was used for
the base cockpit
colour.
Glimpses of the engine plug will be visible

through the open undercarriage doors.
The seat and that

instrument of torture!
thinned heavily with a 50/50 mix of water and

Future Floor Polish.
Details were then picked out with Vallejo
acrylic paints and a fine brush.
The resin exhausts were installed prior to
the fuselage halves being joined. These fitted The distinctive green flying
instrument penal was
well, inserted from the inside, but test-fitting painted by brush.
the lower centre section showed that the rear
of the exhaust casting block would interfere
with the engine plug. A Dremel motor tool fitted
with a medium sized round burr head was
Cockpit and undercarriage bay parts
used to grind down the exhaust casting blocks.
received a wash of black/brown
thinned heavily with a 50/50 mix of
water and Future Floor Polish.
1:32
Details were picked out with Vallejo acrylic paints and a fine brush. Chipping was achieved with dark brown paint applied with a piece of sponge.
The tail wheel well was also glued to one giving you a bit of time to adjust the fit. the rear of the troughs were opened up with a
fuselage side at this stage. Next, the cockpit floor and forward bulkhead drill, working from both the front and the back
sub-assembly was inserted through the with progressively larger bit diameters.
Bringing it All Together bottom of the fuselage and secured with a The plastic spar was glued to the lower
After several rounds of test-fitting the cockpit bead of thick super glue run along the bottom centre wing. This was clamped to ensure
parts, the fuselage halves were glued together. of each side. that it set the correct dihedral before adding
They were taped and clamped while the glue The cowl gun insert was trimmed to improve the engine plug and the main undercarriage
dried. the fit but it remained one of the few parts that bays. When test-fitting, it looks like the engine
When the adhesive had set, I inserted the needed some filler afterwards. The cowl gun plug should fit between some structural detail
painted instrument panel through the opening in troughs were deepened with a rat tail file, and moulded to the front of the wing spar, but it
the bottom of the fuselage and secured it with a doesn’t. It is actually glued partially on top of
few spots of Araldite two-part epoxy glue. This the raised detail. This looks a bit weird but
is a strong adhesive that sets in five minutes, subsequent fitting of the main undercarriage
The pilot’s seat and

cockpit floor ready to
be glued together.
Individual decal dials are supplied for the
instrument panel and consoles.
Undercarriage
bay parts
painted.
A few strands of
yellow wire were
added to the rear of
the instrument panel. My Dremel motor tool
fitted with a medium
sized round burr head
was used to grind
down the exhaust
casting blocks.
KIT BUILD The tail wheel well
was also glued to one
fuselage side.
Test fitting the cockpit floor to the starboard fuselage half. Adding the bulkhead to test the fit against the port fuselage half. Still no glue at this stage.
The fuselage halves,

glued, taped and
bays and clamped.
the outer wing
panels works out
fine.
The instructions would
have you assemble the
entire wing before mating
The painted instrument panel was inserted through the it to the fuselage, but I
opening in the bottom of the fuselage and secured with a
few spots of Araldite two-part epoxy glue. decided to glue the lower
centre section of the wing
to the fuselage first. Only
minor trimming was needed.
Next, the upper wing halves were
test fitted. These needed a bit of trimming
and sanding at the wing root, after which a but still more than
near perfect fit was achieved. Note that I did acceptable for a kit of
not glue the leading edge to the narrow front this type.
section of the lower centre section at this The horizontal stabilisers
stage. are a simple butt fit against the
Finally, the lower outer wing panels were empennage. I thought this looked flimsy
glued into place. Fit was not quite as good, so I reinforced the join by drilling and fitting a
The wiring loom behind the instrument panel can be

glimpsed through the gap.
View of the cockpit through the top
opening. The pilot’s armour plate and
headrest will be added later.
The cockpit floor and forward bulkhead sub-assembly

was inserted through the bottom of the fuselage and
secured with a bead of thick super glue run along the
bottom of each side.
1:32
The plastic spar was glued A few gaps remained around
to the lower centre wing and the upper cowl insert. This
clamped to ensure that it set was the worst fitting part on
the correct dihedral. the whole kit.
Subsequent fitting of
the main undercarriage
bays and the outer wing The lower centre wing section was glued
panels works out fine. in place with minimal trimming and
adjustment.
It looks like the

engine plug should
fit between some
structural detail
moulded to the front
of the wing spar, but it
doesn’t. It is actually
glued partially on top
of the raised detail.
The upper wing halves glued at the wing root and trailing
edge. I did not glue the leading edge to the narrow front
section of the lower centre section at this stage.
Some trimming
and sanding was
required at the upper
wing root join.
A view from the top.

Upper wing halves have
yet to be added.
A couple of scrap plastic

tabs were glued to the
inside of the lower
wing parts to aid in
alignment.
Time to add the

lower wing outer
panels.

KIT BUILD
The wing was taped and
clamped to minimise
steps and gaps.
Perfect fit at the wing roots.
Some of the tail surfaces parts look similar so I marked

the numbers with a pencil before removing them from
the sprues.
Filler was used here

and there to fill gaps
and steps.
The joins between the empennage and the horizontal

tailplanes were reinforced the join by drilling and fitting a
length of brass rod as a strengthening pin.
The model was sprayed with Grey Tamiya Primer.
The lower cowl was sprayed yellow over a base

of Tamiya Fine White Primer. This was masked off
before the camouflage colours.
A little shimming was required at the root, but the

resulting join was strong and gap-free.
The ill-fitting upper cowl insert was filled with Milliput

White two-part epoxy putty. Tape was used to avoid
40 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2020 accidentally filling in the surrounding panel lines.
1:32
The entire model was then sprayed

with Mr Hobby Mr Color Spray –
117 RLM 76 Light Blue.
“I have a number of rare and out of production kits in

my collection that I would love to build, but it seems
cruel to show readers a kit that they most likely won’t
be able to buy and build themselves.”
The well-defined RLM 75 Grey Violet

mottle plus larger patches were sprayed
freehand onto the fuselage sides and fin.
It’s pretty rough here and will be resprayed
several times.
The lower wings were masked to allow

the upper surface camouflage colours to
wrap around the leading edges.

KIT BUILD
length of brass rod as a strengthening pin.
The balance of construction was completed
according to the instructions.
Painting and Markings

I had a particular aircraft in mind for this
project. I had seen a number of colour profiles
of “Red 18-1” online, but I could not find a
Gunze acrylics were used for the
wartime photo of the actual aircraft. upper surface camouflage colours.
Some of the profiles depict hard This first coat on the wings is H69
edged, well defined mottles on RLM 75 Grey Violet.
the fuselage sides and fin.
I wanted to depict this
distinctive and artistic
pattern on my model.
The
undercarriage The camouflage
bays and the pattern was cut from
cockpit were Post-It Notes and
sprayed in sections
masked off with using Gunze acrylic
Tamiya tape H68 RLM 74 Dark
and tissue paper Grey.
before the model
was treated to a
coat of Tamiya Grey
Primer. This was
followed by a squirt of
Tamiya Fine White Primer Basic
over the lower nose area. camouflage
in place.
The lower cowl was then

sprayed with Tamiya XF-3
Flat Yellow. When dry, this was
masked off using Tamiya tape.
The entire model was then sprayed with Mr
Hobby Mr Color Spray – 117 RLM 76 Light
Blue.
Gunze acrylics were used for the upper Further overspraying
of the fuselage
surface camouflage colours. This first coat on camouflage has taken
the wings is H69 RLM 75 Grey Violet. I later place here. There’ll
sprayed a lightening mottle and streaking with be a few more rounds
a shade mixed with a few drops of RLM 76 afterwards too!
Light Blue.

1:32
The completed white
fuselage band.
I decided to add the

white theatre band on the
rear fuselage. This was
masked using various
types of Tamiya tape.
Panel lines were

highlighted with a thinly
sprayed mix of Tamiya
XF-1 Flat Black, XF-64
Red Brown and acrylic
thinner.
“I wanted to
depict this
distinctive and
artistic pattern on
my model.”
The model received a glossy coat of Future Floor Polish. Panel lines were then further
highlighted with a few drops of XF-1 Flat Black and XF-64 Red Brown thinned heavily
with water and Future floor polish, applied by a fine brush.
The camouflage
pattern was cut from
Post-It Notes and sprayed
in sections using Gunze
acrylic H68 RLM 74 Dark Grey.
The well-defined RLM 75 Grey
Violet mottle plus larger patches were
sprayed freehand onto the fuselage sides
and fin. This was followed by several rounds
of repainting in RLM 76 Light Blue and RLM
75 Grey Violet until I was happy with the effect.
Panel lines were highlighted with a thinly
sprayed mix of Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black, XF-64
Issue 180--www.modelairplaneinternational.com
Issue144 www.modelairplaneinternational.com 43
KIT BUILD
Decals were mostly from the kit with the exception

of the “18-1”, the nose unit marking and the MM
number of the fin. These were taken from the 21st
Century Toys 1:32 scale Macchi C.205.
Detail parts were fixed with Araldite two-part

epoxy glue for maximum strength.

The lower surfaces
with masking
1:32
removed.
A little chipping was done with a silver Prismacolor

pencil at the wing root.

KIT BUILD
Red Brown and acrylic thinner. The same mix
was used on the lower surfaces. A slightly
darker version was used to spray exhaust
stains.
The model received a glossy coat of Future
Floor Polish. Sometimes I need to apply
three or four coats, but this time I achieved a
high gloss first time. Panel lines were further
highlighted by a few drops of XF-1 Flat Black
and XF-64 Red Brown thinned heavily with
water and Future floor polish, applied by a fine
brush.
Decals were mostly from the kit with the A length of elastic
exception of the “18-1”, the nose unit marking E-Z Line was used
for the aerial wire.
I still enjoy building

these older limited run
kits and this certainly
won’t be my last!

1:32
Weathering of the lower

surfaces was kept to a
minimum.
and the MM number of the fin. These were

taken from the 21st Century Toys 1:32 scale
Macchi C.205. The “18-1” font is a bit skinnier
than the numbers depicted in the colour
profiles, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Finishing Touches
Metal rod was added as reinforcement to
a number of the detail parts such as the
antenna mast, DF loop and the undercarriage
legs. These were all painted prior to final
assembly. I also drilled out the mounts in the
undercarriage retraction struts to improve the
robustness of the join.
The detail parts were fixed with Araldite two-
part epoxy glue for maximum strength.
The inner undercarriage doors were glued
slightly open to suggest that they were starting
to droop as the hydraulic pressure drops.
I glued a thin piece of folded photo-etch to
the top of the antenna mast and glued a length
of elastic E-Z Line in place. ■
FINAL VERDICT
Pacific Coast Models’ Fiat G.55 Centauro is the only kit of this type in 1:32 scale, and I’m not holding my breath
that we’ll see one from mainstream manufacturers any time soon.
This is a genuine limited run kit requiring all the extra care and attention that this implies. Having said that, I
didn’t encounter any major fit problems and I really enjoyed the project. Surface textures and detail are excellent too.
I still enjoy building these older limited run kits and this certainly won’t be my last!

KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY HUW MORGAN
EXPEDIENT S Huw Morgan builds

Trumpeter’s 1:48 scale kit
of the ill-fated MiG-3
he Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 was a deep end with two launch projects, the Type 65 heavy
T close development of the MiG-1, itself a

contender in the 1941 OKB competition
for a new high-altitude fighter alongside
Yakovlev and LaGG (later Lavochkin).
The Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau (OKB) only
came into existence in 1939, being thrown in at the
attacker (subsequently eclipsed by Ilyushin's Il-2) and
the MiG-1 high altitude fighter.
The emergent design was of mixed construction
with a chrome-molybdenum steel tube framework for
the fuselage extending to just behind the cockpit, the
rear fuselage and tail being built of wood with four

1:48
SKILL LEVEL:
Intermediate
SPECIFICATION:
Trumpeter MiG-3 (early)
SOLUTION
Kit No: TU02830
Scale: 1:48
Materials: IM,
Status: New Tool
Availability: On Line Model Shops
Price Guide: £ 21.99
BEFORE STARTING:
Tamiya OF2 side cutters
#3 and #4 scalpels with #11,#23, and#25 blades
Deluxe Perfect Plastic filler
Mr Hobby Cement S
Loctite cyanoacrylate glue
Albion Alloys and Flory Models sanding boards
Abralon 600, 1000 and 3000 grit foam abrasive
Micromesh polishing cloths
Tamiya masking tape
Pacer Formula 560 canopy glue
Artists’ grey green, black and brown tone pastel chalks
ACCESSORIES USED:
Quickboost QB 48 233 MiG 3 undercarriage covers
Quickboost QB 154 MiG 3 exhaust
Eduard Zoom PE set FE388
Aber A48 114 armament for MiG-3
PAINTS USED:
Tamiya:
X-2 White
XF-7 Red
XF-23 Light Blue
XF-62 Olive Drab
XF-57 Buff
XF-84 Dark Iron
Mr Hobby Aqueous:
H77 Tire Black
H306 Grey
GX 110 Gloss
GX 113 Flat
Ammo of MiG:
One-shot Grey primer
Windsor and Newton oils:

Burnt Umber
Lamp Black
Titanium White
main stringers, and a monocoque skin of 5 water-cooled V-12 with a single-speed

layers of 0.5mm veneer (shpon) glued with a supercharger, designed for high altitude use, spin
bakelite resin. The centre section of the wing but poorly suited to the low/medium altitudes and stall
was of metal construction, with wooden outer where most of the air engagements in Europe and having desperately
panels set at 6o dihedral and fabric-covered were fought. bad longitudinal stability and
aluminium control surfaces. The MiG-1 was a complete dog with a poor manoeuvrability, made it in short, a pretty duff
The engine was a 1350 hp Mikulin AM-35A rate of climb, unreliable engine, tendency to fighter, so no wonder it was seriously revised

KIT BUILD
The cockpit is assembled from several

panels. The detail is pretty good and
benefits from careful paining and a
light touch in weathering.
into the MiG-3 with a new engine location, Trumpeter's instructions come in a
new cooling, more dihedral, new canopy and landscape-format 8-page instruction booklet,
rear deck ...etc. Regrettably, none of these in which the construction is described in 11
improvements served to turn this particular steps. There is a separate colour sheet for the
sow's ear into a silk purse, and the MiG-3 marking schemes. In addition to the base kit,
continued to prove a monster to fly, and barely I had a few aftermarket items: Eduard Zoom
on a par with Axis equivalents. Despite this, photo etch (FE388), Quickboost Undercarriage
over 3320 airframes were built, arriving with doors (QB48233) and hollow exhausts (QB
front-line units in the Spring of 1941, but by 48154) and some nice brass gun barrels from
mid-summer many had been relegated to use Aber (A48114).
by outlying border military districts.
Construction
In the Box Unsurprisingly, the first of the eleven stages
Trumpeter's boxing of the early MiG-3 is the assembly of the cockpit, comprising
(#02830) is a modest kit even in 1:48 scale, a four-part seat and mountings, floor with
being made up of 73 grey plastic parts on rudder pedals and stick, two side panels and
four frames, and six clear parts on a single instrument panel. This is where the Eduard PE
frame. The decal sheet has markings for set makes its biggest impact, with facings and
three airframes, one in mixed greens with a straps for the rudder pedals, new instrument
black nose, one in white with a startling red and side panel faces and trim wheels and the
arrow motif and one in Olive Drab, all having usual levers and grips, while the seat gets a
the typical light blue undersides; none are set of belts. There's some work to be done
identified as belonging to a particular unit. on all of this however, first up being to thin
The moulding is clean and sharp with the edges of the very clunky seat pan and
very fine surface detail and out of the box sand down the instrument panel to accept the
the engineering looks straightforward with a Eduard parts. I painted all the components
promise of a trouble-free build. The surface in Light Grey (Mr Hobby H306) and the seat
detail is worthy of some note, there being backrest in Vallejo Mahogany Brown, picking
a huge number of rivets moulded on the out some of the side frame details with Vallejo
fuselage side panels and the underside metal and Citadel colours; a thin Burnt Siena oil
skinning of the wing. To be honest, I've no real wash and the parts could be assembled into
idea of whether this is accurate or not, but the ready-to-fit cockpit tub.
in the context of this kit's target audience it The instructions now segue into building the
looks pretty good, only those legendary rivet- under fuselage radiator housing, the propeller
counters might be disappointed. and the undercarriage. The radiator bay is

1:48
The fit of the wing to fuselage isn’t particularly good, especially at the front of the wing root. I Here’s the joint filled and sanded. Towards the training edge the white witness mark is white
needed to add some plastic strip packing to fill the joint. water-soluble filler.
The Aber brass guns make a nice addition to the nose. They are The canopy fits quite well, only a small amount of work being Tiny clear parts are supplied for the wing tip navigation lights. I
much better looking than the kit plastic items. needed to blend in the forward decking. painted the backing in red and green first then fixed them with
acrylic glue, sanding and polishing them to shape.
nicely rendered with textured faces and a how such a bland finish might be made to look hubs and some etched representations of the
positionable exhaust flap. I painted the interior interesting, a minor advantage of choosing brake lines, as I often do, I replaced the flat
with Hxx and the radiator faces black, dry this scheme was that I could paint the spinner brass with 0.3mm lead wire, using the Eduard
brushed with aluminium. I thinned the outer yellow, although if truth be told, I suspect instructions to guide location.
edges of the exhaust flap before positioning that as far as Russian fighters of 1941:42 are Returning to the fuselage, the completed
it half open. I'd decided to go with the kit's concerned, anything goes! cockpit can now be fitted, together with the
suggestion of the Olive Drab airframe, having The undercarriage is nicely produced in the radio shelf behind the pilot's seat to which I
just done a few Russian aircraft in greens and kit, although again, the Eduard PE can help added some (un-researched) wiring to make
winter camouflage, and was curious to see with discs to improve the detail on the wheel it a bit busier, and the fuselage closed up,
First stage in painting the upper The bulk of the panels was
surfaces was some raw Tamiya filled in with varying shades
XF-62 Olive Drab in the crevices of XF-62 lightened with XF-
and over the most prominent 57 Buff to produce a mottled,
features. faded finish.

KIT BUILD
An Artool FX texture template was used to add an additional layer of patchy fading. The end result isn’t easy to photograph, but shows up more clearly to the naked eye!
in fact, having a rather gaping hole in the root.

I chose (later) to add the flaps in a slightly
drooped state.
With the wing on, the underside nose panel
and top cowling panel can be fitted. For the
The finished model. latter, the kit offers rather mediocre plastic rods
Variations to the base colour
are subtle.
to represent the guns so I replaced these with
the terrific brass alternatives from Aber, - I'd
fitted small plastic stops at the rear of the gun
troughs so needed to shorten the barrels of
the ShKAS light machine guns. The fuselage
is completed by adding the radiator housing,
which needs only a smear of filler, and the
horizontal stabilisers. The canopy is offered
in three parts, and the centre section can be
fitted in the open or closed position (actually
several Russian pilots had the centre canopy
removed altogether, preferring the easy-exit
option!) The fit of the forward and aft fixed
sections is excellent, just a little care being
needed to get the alignment of the forward
deck as close as possible; I tacked the centre
section in place with blobs of white glue,
intending to show it open.
Painting & Markings

The first stage of painting was the pale blue
undersides, for which I used Tamiya XF-23,
building the colour over the grey primer in thin
coats, and finishing with paint lightened with
quite a lot of white (up to 40%) to add some
contrast. In anticipation of a future panel wash
I sprayed the blue with Mr Hobby Super Clear
Gloss from a can before masking.
It is always quite difficult to inject some
which it does with no issues at all. I left off the root-to-fuselage joint, and it's here that the only interest into the plain green colours of Russian
exhausts to ease painting, and pending the really significant issue of fit occurs. Following aircraft summer camouflage, although
use of the better Quickboost items. the instructions, I glued the inserts into the root the Olive Drab I chose offers a bit more
The wing is made up of a one-piece lower area before fitting the wing to the fuselage, opportunity than the general greens.
and two separate upper halves which helps and although I took care to align thins as best I started by spraying neat Tamiya XF-62
maintain the dihedral arrangement of a flat I could, it still wasn't perfect, - I suspect that along the edges of the main panels and other
centre section and 7o positive inclination on with hindsight, fitting the wing first, then adding significant features to act as a sort of pre-
the outer panels. The centre section was the root pieces might be more successful. shade, followed by thin coats of XF-62 mixed
built of metal on the original aircraft and in The consequence of this was that I needed with increasing quantities of XF-57 Buff over
the model has a full complement of recessed to do some filling and sanding, followed by the panel centres. I'm always amazed at how
rivets, while the outer wood-sheathed sections restitution of the panel lines and rivet detail. much lightening of a base colour like Olive
are typically smooth. The wing has a couple of At the trailing edge, there are separate flaps Drab one needs to do for it to be visible!
small leading edge inserts at the corner of the included, although the wing itself has no detail, In order to add to the impression of patchy

1:48
iffy, although with straightforward red stars
the colour issue is much less problematic,
I did however notice that the decals had a
mottled surface texture. Wanting to get on
with it I chose to add her Trumpeter stars to
the underside but to steal some ex-ICM and
Eduard equivalents from my spares for the
upper surface and fuselage, - as it happens,
the Trumpeter items behaved pretty well, and
the mottle disappeared with the application of
Microsol, so I felt a bit foolish.
Despite the rather monochrome colours,
I decided to add a Burnt Umber oil wash to
pick out the rivet and panel detail, - there's so
much of this that a pin was would take for ever,
so I flooded the surface, allowing it to dry for
around 30 minutes before scrubbing off the
excess with kitchen towel.
Trumpeter's kit of
the MiG-3 offers a Finishing Touches
relatively simple, The last bits to be added were the exhaust
straightforward build
stubs, the undercarriage and doors, the R82
rocket launcher rails and the Aber brass pitot
tube, all fixed with superglue. I rigged the
aerial wire using elastic thread.
With everything in place I unified the surface
fading, I sprayed very thin XF-62 with around random patterns. I gave the areas of the finishes with Mr Hobby Super Clear matt and
60% XF-57 through a set of Artool XF random airframe where decals would be placed a blast sprayed some exhaust stains using a mix of
masks onto the wings and tail surfaces. These of Mr Hobby Super Clear gloss from a warmed black and brown, I applied some local dirt to
masks are made of solvent-resistant polymer can as a base for the decals. the wing roots and undercarriage using various
and have complex cut outs which when held I confess that in the past I've had mixed shades of brown pastel chalk, and some gun
at varying distances from the surface, and results with Trumpeter's decals, and have residue stains using black. ■
different orientations, can generate truly sometimes found their colours to be a bit
Variations to the
base colour are
subtle.
FINAL VERDICT
Trumpeter’s kit of the MiG-3 offers a relatively simple, straightforward build, albeit one where a small amount
of detail and finesse is sacrificed as a consequence of the modest parts count. The end result is however entirely
credible, and on the whole the experience is positive. This is a kit that would definitely suit a newcomer to 1:48
scale fighters. I had planned to sell this kit but I’m pleased that I didn’t!

KIT BUILD
BUILT AND WRITTEN BY NIGEL POOLE
PANZERKN
In Part Three, Nigel Poole
paints and finishes Zoukei-Mura’s
1:32 scale Henschel Hs 129 B-2
n this third and final instalment I will be looking
I at the painting of the Henschel and the final

part of construction to complete this impressive
beast.
With the airframe now mostly complete,
preparation for painting is now the order of the day.
This proved a relatively simple manner due to
the construction route I had chosen.
The undercarriage legs were rotated
back into their bays, panel doors
secured with Blu-Tac to protect the
interior details and machine guns,
the canopy used to mask the cockpit
and rolled Post-It-Notes used to protect
the engine mounting frames and firewalls.
The flying control services weren’t added at this
stage as I wanted to preserve the work that had
already been carried out on them to highlight the ribbed
areas.
Making the Markings

As well as this, I had been beavering away in a
Graphics Design package, Affinity Designer, drawing
up artwork for all the markings, apart from the tiny
stencils. Whenever possible I prefer to paint all my

1:32
SKILL LEVEL:
Advanced
SPECIFICATION:
Henschel Hs 129 B-2
Zoukei-Mura
Scale 1:32
Materials: IM
NACKER
Kit No. SWS 17
Availability : All good model shops
Price £134.99
AFTERMARKET ITEMS USED:

Seatbelt – 132530 HGW for Junkers JU88A-4
Zoukei Mura Hs-129 Weighted Wheel set
Zoukei Mura Hs-129 Turned Metal barrels and pitot.
BEFORE STARTING:
MiG Extra Thin Cement
Mr Surfacer 1200
Perfect Plastic Putty
Dspiae Single Blade Cutters
Tamiya Masking Tape
Silhouette Cameo 4 cutting machine.
Tweezers
Scalpel
Perfect Plastic Putty
Mig pastels Gulf War Sand
PAINTS AND FINISHING

PRODUCTS USED:
Mr. Paint – MRP-50 Grau RLM02
Mr. Paint – MRP-58 Hellblau RLM65
Mr. Paint – MRP-59 Schwarzgraub RLM66
Mr. Paint – MRP-68 Sandgelb RLM79
Mr. Paint – MRP-149 Gunmetal
Mr. Paint – MRP-180 Exhaust Soot
Mr. Paint – MRP-271 Smoke
Mr Color - GX 100 Super Clear
Tamiya - LP-59 Nato Brown
Tamiya - LP-23 Flat Clear
Tamiya - X-19 Smoke.
Pigments
Mig – P023 Black Smoke
Mig - P037 Gulf War Sand
Mig - P0
Oil Paints
Mig Oilbrusher – 3514 Earth
Mig Oilbrusher – 3516 Dust
of a spray gun which produces a fan spray.
Mig Oilbrusher – 3513 Starship Filth
Which can cover large areas in a single pass,
Mig Streaking - 1251 Cold Dirty Grey
with a large amount of paint. The beauty of this Mig Streaking - 1253 Grime
type of airbrush , is that you can always spray
onto wet edge, which negates the problem
of rough builds up of paint, usually found on
wing roots and the like. The downside is that it
drinks paint!
pull back from the surface of the model with
Soft Mottling your airbrush. Starting slowly, keeping the
It was then on to the green mottles using paint release to a minimum, build the centre
Mr. Paints RLM 71 Dunkelgrün (MRP-61), of each individual mottle up, before moving to
markings, having cut all the masks out on my applied with my Iwata Revolution CR. Applying its edges allowing the green to fade into the
Silhouette cutting machine. This ended up these mottles really goes against all my own brown. It’s not a hard task, but you do have to
being quite a large amount work, which is now personal airbrushing rules, particularly those keep your muscle memory in check. To make
available for download from the Cutting Edge of getting close and avoiding overspray. For sure you stay back from the model, to achieve
Facebook page. these we have to remember how they were that very soft edging that is required. Once the
Once happy with how the airframe was applied on the real aircraft. The painter would mottling is completed, just a simple coat of Mr.
looking after a coat of Tamiya Fine white have been wandering about the airframe Paint RLM 65 Hellblau (MRP-58) is required
primer it was time for the first colour to be laid randomly applying the green mottle from 3-4 on the undersides to complete the airframe.
down. This being Mr. Paints RLM 79 Sandgelb ft away. No masking involved, no markers to
(MRP-68), using my Iwata HP-TH airbrush. I work to. Spraying the Markings
use the term airbrush very loosely, as its more So in order to simulate this you need to Next, is what has become for me one of my

KIT BUILD
favourite aspects of modelling - spraying on under the belly of the Henschel, really is the circular shims added on the end of the tubes.
the markings having designed and cut the heart of the aircraft. The aircraft was designed To compensate for the slight loss in length as a
masks myself. around its carriage, much like its modern result of being cut from the clamp.
On this occasion I pushed my cutter to its day equivalent, the A-10 Thunderbolt and its It’s here that the aftermarket brass barrels
limits, managing to design and cut 95% of the Vulcan cannon. set come into their own, not so much for the
markings seen on the finished model from the The construction is simple enough barrel itself but for the perforated muzzle, which
crosses right down to the dashed red walkway consisting of the frame on which is carried, the has splendidly captured every perforation in
markings. All are sprayed on using masks. gun itself and the large ammunition drum. Fit its resin/vinyl material. Whilst it would be quite
Whilst it may be more time consuming than however, isn’t great. Due to the way Zoukei possible to drill out the kit supplied one, with
using decals, the results are far superior. Plus, Mura have designed the front clamp of the clearly defined indentations for each hole, it
if you don’t succeed the first time, you can frame to be an integral part of the cannon. It is several hours of my life that I would like to
always recut new masks and try again. This is also makes subsequent clean-up of the parts spend doing something more fun!
not something you can do with decals. really tricky due to there location. To remedy Having completed the cannon it seemed
this, I took, what appears to be drastic action only logical to move to the gun and bombsight
Decals at first glance. But it was the only logical next. This is a very prominent feature of
Of course you can only cut out so much and approach really. the aircraft, with the sight being mounted,
intricate markings such as the small data unusually, on the outside of the cockpit,
stencils and the complex Wehrmacht insignia Cannon forward of the armoured windscreen. It
were always destined to be applied using the Assembling the two part cannon as per the consists of three parts - the mount, reflector
decals. As such, the model was sealed with a instructions, I then proceeded to square off sight, and bomb sight.
gloss coat of Mr Color GX 100 Super Clear in the recess in which the clamp sits, so that The gun sight is moulded in clear plastic
preparation. both walls sit at 90 degrees to the cannon and at first you will be unable to make out the
As expected, the decals went down body. Cutting the front clamp carefully from fine details. What you will notice is the sprue
flawlessly and whilst they are some of the the rest of the frame then allowed me to attachment point and mould seam, running
thinnest I have worked with, they weren’t offer it to the recess. Using plastic card of directly through the only parts that needs
fragile nor were they lacking in opacity. They appropriate thickness as shims, any gaps and to remain clear - the actual glass lens onto
reacted perfectly to an application of Mig’s new sloppiness in the fit were taken up. The shims which the sight picture is reflected! Due to the
decal softener and fixer, easily adhering to any cut back then sanded to match the contours position and size of these, it would be almost
recessed or raised details they passed over. of the cannon. Once happy with that, the rest impossible to polish them up to the standard
of the frame can be fitted into place, with two I would like so they were cut off and replaced
Finishing Touches
With the airframe now painted and decaled, it
was placed to one side to allow the paintwork The interior of the hatches have
to harden. This allowed me to turn my attention a wealth of detail, begging for
to the final pieces that needed assembling, them to be displayed in the open
position.
namely the cannon, gunsight and propellers.
The MK 101 Cannon, which is carried slung
A positive fit can be achieved without

the need for glue using magnets
fitted to both the propeller shaft and
hub. These allow you take them off
easily along with the engine cowls to
display the engines.
The use of callipers greatly aids the placement of decals, especially

when they need to be equidistance apart in such a visible area
like the propellers. Even though the surface may be perfectly flat, I
always make a point of applying decal solutions to ensure that they
suck down into the paintwork as much as possible.

1:32
with clear plastic cut to the appropriate size. Amazon market place. On their arrival I found
The clear box in which the brass barrels came that I could affix one magnet to the tip of the
proved the perfect donor being perfectly clear propeller shaft and another to the propeller
and quite thick - perfect for this scale. Whilst hub resulting in a satisfying click as they fitted
I was there I also added the back-up ring together and taking up any looseness in the fit
sight using some photo etch from the CMK of the parts.
navigation lights and gunsight set (CMK 4060). Having completed these parts, the time
The bombsight was a very simple affair on had come for the final bringing together of
the real aircraft and bolted onto the portside all the sub assembles, none of which proved
of the gunsight consisting of a series of troublesome. They all fitted exactly where they
plates fixed at varying angles. Each plate should go.
corresponded to different release altitudes at The engines slipped nicely onto the engine
a predetermined speed. The only additional bearers. Main gear legs were swung down
thing that it required was a the thinnest piece from their nacelles and the actuating rams Leaving off items such as the radiator covers and grills
until after the final coat of paint really eases the issue
of wire running vertically down the end of each fitted. Control surfaces were finally fixed in of masking. The excellent fit compliments this approach
plate, which is an aid for the pilot to correctly place, along with a myriad of other parts that throughout the model.
line up his attack run. need attaching.
With that work done both gunsight and
bomb sight were attached to the mounting Weathering
plate. This was in turn attached to the It is now that I delved into the weathering
airframe, with the position dictated by a of the aircraft. Having done some research,
recessed notch on the nose. it would appear that these aircraft, whilst
engaged in the North African Campaign were
Propellers well cared for displaying little in the way of
It was now the turn of the propellers. It was wear and tear, or oil streaking. There’s a
always my intention from the start to make good reason for this, as anyone who has
the engine cowlings removable and in order ever served in a sandy environment will
to do that I would have to do likewise with the tell you. If you use oil or grease to maintain
propellers. The fit of the assembled propellers parts, it quickly absorbs sand particles
to the propeller shaft is good enough if you becoming a highly abrasive paste which will
The instrumentation for the engines is unique in that
intend to use glue and permanently affix them. cause excessive wear on parts or in some they are attached to the engine nacelles, as there isn’t
However, if you don’t, there is some slack in cases seizing them. It is imperative that any enough room in the cockpit for them. Like the cockpit
their fitment, which unfortunately translates sort of contamination is dealt with quickly instruments, Zoukei Mura supply several method in
into misalignment. So the question is how do and effectively to maintain its operational which to replicate them. The panel on which they are
located is clear so just like the cockpit instrument panel,
you get a positive, tight fit, whilst maintaining effectiveness, you can place the decals on the rear over the front or
the ability to remove them? That being the case, a light wash was just paint the raised detail. The decals are supplied
After several failed attempts. I fell upon the applied to highlight the panel lines. Here I was as individual dials, or as a cluster. Here I used the
use of miniature magnets once more. Finding after a real subtle hint of the line, something cluster decal, applying them after all the paintwork was
complete. A drop of clear resin was used to simulate the
circular ones, 1mm in diameter by 1mm that can’t be seen when viewed from a glass for each instrument.
thick, I hurriedly ordered them online from distance, but subtly catches your eye as you
All the markings seen here are

actually painted on.
When an aircraft is being worked upon, it is nearly always

free of munitions. With the ability to remove engine cowls
and other panels I felt it only right to be able to remove the
ordnance as well so magnets were sunk into both bombs
and bomb carriers to facilitate this.
Not a single decal has yet been applied. I’m particularly

pleased with the dashed red walkway markings.

KIT BUILD
As covered in the main body of the text, the cannon

does need some extra work to bring it up to the required
standard. The aftermarket brass barrel and resin/vinyl
muzzle available from Zoukei Mura are excellent and
easy to fit.
Making parts removal as I did allows you to display some of the interior detail so not only you will know it’s there.
draw closer. To do that, MIG Oilbrusher Earth removing excess paint from the sponge by
(A.MIG 3514) was used. Just being a slightly dabbing it on a piece of tissue, much like you
darker shade than the Sandgelb RLM79, would remove the paint from a brush when dry
it provided the effect I was looking for. The brushing. Before brushing the excess away,
underside panel lines were highlighted with until I was happy with the result. This has the
Cold Dirty Grey from Mig’s Streaking Brusher effect of lightening the area and fading the
Once assembled and painted the cannon and chassis it range (A.MIG 1251). Both colours were green mottles. It was then sealed in place
fits upon can be installed onto the airframe using four
small pins. As you can see the extra work in this area
highly thinned with lighter fuel (naptha), which with Tamiya Flat Clear from their new lacquer
really pays off. I find shortens drying times of oil paints and range (LP-23). Sealing it with matt over a semi
allowing them to flow easier, compared to matt enforces that sense of wear and again
white spirit. slightly fades the colours.
Once that was done and dry, an overall coat The fuel tank access points were picked
of Mr. Paint Semi matt Varnish (MRP-126) out with Tamiya Smoke (X-19) and gloss
was applied. I always prefer to use a semi varnish along with some very light steaking
matt, as I feel a pure overall matt coat can around the front of the nacelles. The only
suck the life out of a model. Plus, it allows thing weathering wise that remained were
you to use the matt and gloss varnishes as a the exhaust stains, which prominently flow
weathering technique, along with giving you over the tops of the wings using, surprisingly,
a good surface to work with oil paints and Tamiya NATO Brown (LP-59) (top tip from
pigments. Drewe Manton), which was applied by
The main focus of the weathering fell airbrush along with a very light dusting of
upon the wing root, predominantly where MIG Black Smoke pigment (P023). This was
the aircrew walk to get to the cockpit and sealed once again with Tamiya Flat Clear. It
the groundcrew replenish and maintain the really looks the part.
The pennant supplied for the antenna mask comes by machine guns. Firstly a few smaller paint The antenna mast complete with pennant
way of a decal. I however, chose to construct one from chips where applied using a rough sponge of made from lead foil was then planted onto the
lead foil, which allowed me to give it a more animated the type found in fish tank filtration systems. spine of the fuselage, bringing the build of this
pose as though it was fluttering in the breeze.
Silver oil paint was strategically placed, model to its final conclusion. ■
The cannon is secured by four small pins that, if not glued in place, can be removed along the With the armoured back rest installed, the remainder of the harness can be fitted. This feeds
cannon to be removed for display on its own or as seen here, remove the two starboard pins to through the backrest before being secured against the bulkhead. Also fitted to the backrest are two
allow it to swing down, which is how the real cannon was reloaded. steel cables that prevent it from moving forward in the event of a forced landing and crushing the
pilot. Here they have been replicated with very thin wire and two labels fabricated from decals.
1:32
View of the boarding ladder and the retractable crew steps. Starboard side close-up of the cockpit and hatches.
The completed
lower surfaces
with ordnance in
place.
As well as making the cannon itself

movable, if you have drilled the holes for
its cover in the correct place and of the
correct diameter you can also dispense
with glue and use a friction fit.
Conclusion
This has been a great ride and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it.
There are a few quirks that could have been handled differently such as the gunsight sprue attachment point but these
are easily overcome. In fact, I can’t think of one part of the kit that I didn’t enjoy. Even the extra work required
to ensure a good fitment of the lower wing panel proved enjoyable. Whilst not a difficult kit, it is not a kit for those
starting out in the hobby with a level of detail and complexity not seen from other manufacturers.
Yes, a lot of that extra detail won’t be seen and can be left unpainted to speed up construction but to do that would
be to miss the point of the Zoukei Mura approach.
All I would suggest is take lots of photographs along the way with which to bore your friends and family, otherwise
they won’t believe the wing ribs, spars and fuel tanks are really there!
Thank you for Zoukei Mura for suppling the kit.

ft
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EMIL IN DETAIL KICKING THE KIKKA

Brett Green takes a close-up look at a beautifully restored Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-4 Chris Wauchop reconditions a dusty old Fine Molds 1:48 scale Kikka
TIGER MOTH
Haris Ali builds the brand-new Airfix 1:48 kit…

FINAL THOUGHTS
VE DAY 75:
SECOND WORLD WAR
VETERANS SALUTED
BY LAND, AIR AND SEA
n the 6 May, during the flypast. scheme of a 64 Squadron Spitfire on standby to deploy as part of
O ahead of national
celebrations marking
the 75th anniversary
of Victory in Europe
Day, personnel from all three
Services came together on the
White Cliffs of Dover in Kent,
Second World War veterans,
and the public, watched the
spectacular flypast of the two
Spitfires on BBC One after the
national two-minute silence at
11am on the 8 May.
The Spitfires, piloted by current
at the time of ‘D-Day,’ with full
invasion stripes.
Spitfire Mk IIa P7350, flown by
Squadron Leader Mark Discombe
was built in 1940 and flew on
operations from 1940 until 1942,
it is the only remaining airworthy
the Military’s COVID Support
Force, but on the day (VE75 Fri
8th May) if I’m not tasked, I’ll
be playing outside the Battalion
Headquarters back in Mons
Barracks, Aldershot.
“Ordinarily we’d be moving
to display their gratitude to the serving RAF officers, were both Spitfire that flew in the Battle of into our busiest time of the
Second World War Generation. operational during the Second Britain. The aircraft was selected ceremonial year with big events
A Lone Piper, Pipe Major Andy World War. to fly in the WW2 movie ‘Battle like the Trooping of the Colour,
Reid, from the 1st Battalion Scots Spitfire Mk Vb AB910, flown of Britain’ (released in 1969) and but of course this year it’s all had
Guards played ‘When the battle’s by Flight Lieutenant Andy Preece, is displayed in a scheme that to be cancelled; probably the first
O’er’ whilst two Spitfires from the flew 143 operational missions reflects the Spitfires’ finest hour time since the end of the Second
Royal Air Force Battle of Britain in a remarkable wartime history during the Battle of Britain. World War. I’ve only ever been to
Memorial Flight performed a that spanned almost 3 years from Dover before to catch ferries, so
flypast overhead. August 1941 to July 1944. The Flight Lieutenant Andy this is quite special. It’s great to
HMS Severn, a Royal Navy aircraft provided air support for Preece said: be able to represent my regiment
Offshore Patrol Vessel, was the D-Day landings in June 1944 “It is the ultimate honour and and play my part in the national
positioned off the coast of Dover and is now painted in the colour privilege to be flying such an commemoration of such an
iconic aircraft to commemorate important event.”
the 75th anniversary of VE Day.
As a current serving RAF officer, Armed Forces personnel, both
I’m continually inspired by the in the UK and deployed overseas
service and bravery of those that led the nation this VE Day in
served before me.” saying thank you to Second World
War veterans.
Pipe Major Andy Reid, Meanwhile, Royal Navy
1st Battalion Scots Guards said: personnel from RFA Argus,
“It’s crucial that we and the whole currently deployed in the
nation remember, particularly at Caribbean, showed their support
this time of crisis. I along with by spelling out ‘75’ on the deck of
the other guys back in camo are the ship.

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ALL THE INFORMATION YOU’LL EVER NEED

TO CREATE THE BEST AIRCRAFT MODELS 5 NEW BUILDS

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Issue 180 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 3

AZUR FRROM 1:72 MARTIN B-10 KITS

G.W.H. 1:48 RUSSIAN

Reviews of the ﬁrst issue of the Su-35 have been

Shipping soon from GWH.

4 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2020

A of COVID-19 lockdown, some

6 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2020

The Junkers Ju 87 Stuka -

8 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2020

Issue 180 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 9

EURO DECALS FROM FANTASY PRINTSHOP

176TH FIGHTER SQUADRON F-16C VIPERS

CURRENT LUFTWAFFE INSIGNIA

10 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2020

WALK AROUND SERIES - SOFT COVER

WALK AROUND SERIES - HARD COVER

E. enquiries@doolittlemedia.com T. +44 (0) 1525 222573

S 1:72 scale so the release of a 1:48

12 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2020

In accordance with the instructions, I firstly prepared

The cockpit is rather modestly represented and even

Even though the instructions

Once the paint had fully dried, I applied tiny quantities

Now I could finish the instrument panels.

Issue 180 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 13

Before I could install the

…and reproduce some damage to the

…and the wings, which had

Same applies to However, one could consider replacing

The previously prepared sub-assemblies were

Next, I dry brushed the engine parts

The first problem with

I then had to restore the

With the airframe

The thinner tubing

I started by airbrushing a The canopy was masked with tape

Next, I accentuated some chosen

However, that colour

The undersides were base

Issue 180 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 17

This allowed me to apply the second camouflage colour.

Once the paint had dried, I masked

The highlights were created with Mr. Color C317 FS

I then removed the masking putty

18 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2020

I sealed them with another

The weathering treatments mainly concerned the lower surfaces. I applied

Issue 180 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 19

The effect was enhanced with the

With the painting and weathering

20 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2020

The final step was to

The Meteor was now

Issue 180 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 21

22 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - July 2020

Nevertheless, I enjoyed building this kit.