James H

Now this will be interesting That Lanc served us well

....started it yet then?

What a great looking figure! Looks to be larger than 1:48 too. Very detailed.

I use Premi-Air Liquid Reamer to clean my airbrush. That stuff will remove anything including potential nuclear waste. It eats Mr Paint for breakfast.

Mr Paint, Various Colours Uschi van der Rosten Catalogue # See article for references and price Available from Uschi van der Rosten Modellers, like me, can tend to be very much stuck in their ways when it comes to the staples of their hobby. Since I came back to the hobby about 7 years ago, and I found out that Humbrol had changed formulation, I was coaxed into using Gunze paints, which, along with Tamiya, I have been using ever since. The stuff sprays like silk and the coverage is superb. I have tried other brands, such as Lifecolor, and I really haven't got on with them very well. In fact, it really solidified my resolution to continue using what I had grown accustomed to, and I rarely venture from it nowadays. A good friend of mine, Alex Glass, from Uschi van der Rosten, tempted me to try something different, however. I always get a bit of a feeling in the pit of my stomach when I come to test new paints, so how would I far with this new brand? The paints which I have been sent are: MRP-3, Super Silver Metallic, €6.30 MRP-4, Basic White, €5.90 MRP-5, Basic Black, €5.90 MRP-31, Chrome, €6.30 MRP-50, RLM02 Grau, €5.90 MRP-51, RLM04 Gelb, €5.90 MRP-52, RLM23 Rot, €5.90 MRP-58, RLM65 Hellblau, €5.90 MRP-60, RLM70 Schwarzgrün, €5.90 MRP-61, RLM71 Dunkelgrün, €5.90 MRP-64, RLM74 Graugrün, €5.90 MRP-65, RLM75 Grauviolett, €5.90 MRP-66, RLM76 Lichtblau, €5.90 It's highly likely that you've never heard of Mr Paint. Please don't confuse this name with the Japanese Mr Hobby range (Gunze/GSI Creos) of paints. The name similarity is where things pretty much stop. Mr Paint are a new name, and hail from Slokaia, and they are distributed by Uschi can der Rosten, who currently carry the full range of these paints. This is also a range which is still currently expanding, and not only carrying many staple colours for German armour (RAL) and aircraft (RLM), but also paints formulated for Russian military vehicles, as well as modern FS Standard colours, Ukrainian Air Force and modern Russian colours. To cap it all, a range of basic colours are available, a well as a number of metallics. Again, the range here is expanding still. All paints are bottled in the same 30ml style bottles that Alclad use, and also have a ball agitator inside them to help you mix the pigment into the carrier solution. I've heard all sorts of stories about 'exploding bottles' with regards to Alclad, but never had any issue with the ball agitators. During my tests with Mr Paint, I also never experienced any issue. Here is where I must mention a first important quality of these paints. They DO need quite a lot of shaking to mix the pigment from the settled sediment that you will see when you first get these, and of course will occur when you come to subsequently use them. The settled pigment is very, very fine, and it can take a few moments before the agitator ball gets going. Stay with it. It's very important you get everything into the carrier solution. So fine is the pigment, that Uschi describes these paints as 'Superfine Inks'. Like Alclad, Mr Paint is not intended to be thinned before application. Don't forget though, these are 30ml bottles, in contrast to the Gunze 10ml bottles which need to be thinned by at least a 1:1 ratio. The carrier solution in Mr Paint is quite thin, and therefore doesn't need further thinning. How does this stuff actually cover though? I have tried Vallejo Air in the past, and absolutely hated it. It clogged up the airbrush and was extremely problematic. My faithful Gunze and Tamiya are flawless in application. Having passed every one of these new colours through my Iwata HP-CH, I can tell you that they also perform flawlessly. Like my trusty Gunze, they spray like liquid silk, with excellent coverage ability. From my previous project, my compressor was set at 11 to 12PSI, and that's the pressure I used for spraying these. I do suggest that you use a facemask and/or spray booth when applying these, as, like Alclad, they are quite noxious in the fume department; certainly more so than Gunze, and most definitely more than Tamiya. Drying time is an important factor too, and here it is similar to Gunze paints, with everything being touch dry within a minute or so of application. Of course, you would want to leave your work a good 30 minutes before you contemplate handling it, and longer before you apply any Klear or masking tape. I usually leave Gunze for a good number of hours before I consider working my scheme further. Upon application, I can tell you that these paints do dry with a sheen to them which should be more than sufficient when it comes to adding a pin wash to your parts. Being acrylic, an enamel wash shouldn't affect this in any way, but I would seal with Klear/Future before applying any extensive weathering. Having Gunze equivalents for more or less all the colours than Uschi had sent me, I decided to create a colour swatch for each of the paints I'd been sent. This is a great way to see how the shades stack up against something I was more familiar with. I was mostly very pleased with the overall results, and perhaps a little more ambivalent with others. Let's look at these in groups of two colours at a time. Super Silver Metallic and Chrome I have to say that I can't actually tell much of a difference between these two at first glance, but angling the colour swatches slightly does indicate a very subtle tonal change between them. Uschi's site talks of applying these over a gloss black base coat, and for the purpose of this test, I have airbrushed each colour with and without a black base. Again, without the black base, I can't see much of a difference between this and the swatch applied over black. In both cases, the metallic colour is both solid and vibrant, and also sprayed very easily. In fact, easier than Gunze Metallics and most certainly easier than Alclad, despite the fact that I find Alclad quite an easy medium to apply. RLM70 & RLM71 Out of the two of these colours, RLM70 has the most marked difference in shade when compared to the Gunze equivalent. As this is mostly used for green splinter camouflage, this will be quite noticeable when covering a large expanse. None of these comparisons are going to give you a definitive summary of what is and isn't correct. Actual paint shades varied in real life, and apparently more so as the war was becoming a lost cause for Germany. The Mr Paint RLM 70 is most certainly a lot lighter than the Gunze equivalent. For you, the modeller, it could all be down to a matter of personal taste. I personally think the lighter Mr Paint will look better on a splinter scheme when applied alongside RLM71. With RLM71, there is a difference in shades between both manufacturers, but it is less marked. Whilst discernible to the naked eye when placed side by side, over a large area, I don't think you'd actually be able to tell any difference unless it was pointed out against a swatch. RLM74 & RLM75 Here we have another combination that is most commonly seen together on the same two-colour 'grey' camouflage . Both paint shades are markedly different to the Gunze equivalent, but I have noticed that there is far more contrast between the Gunze shades than between the Mr Paint shades. In short, using Mr Paint will give you a camouflage in which the overall tonal difference is certainly much less than with Gunze. Again, I can't say whose paint is more accurate in hue and tone. I'm sure most modellers won't have that information available, and even museum re-builds have to be looked at with some suspicion. RLM02 & RLM23 Two fairly random, general colours to look at now. RLM02 is of course used as both an internal colour, but also as an exterior camouflage colour in its own right, as well as in conjunction with others. Again, we have a marked contrast between the Mr Paint and Gunze. Mr Paint is actually FAR darker than Gunze. While this may look great on an exterior, I can't say how it will look in a small cockpit which is already quite a dark, cramped area. Some careful highlighting and lowlighting would perhaps need to be employed. Mr Paint's shade does look very good indeed, but as I say, much darker than what I am used to. RLM23 isn't a much seen or used colour. The JV44 Fw 190D machines had this in stripes on their under-surfaces, and Wolfgang Späte had his Komet painted in this colour. Those are probably the most extreme uses of RLM23 Red. This is another colour which varies greatly from Gunze. Both shades aren't strictly a hard red colour, with the Gunze colour lying more on the natural-red side of the spectrum. The Mr Paint colour has more of an orange tint to it, that I admit isn't very convincing to my eye. It's almost as if looking at it through a badly colour-calibrated monitor. I don't know if this would look better in general use, as the Gunze colour has a slight pinkish hue to it that the Mr Paint one doesn't have. This is one I'll need to try out in anger. RLM65 and RLM76 It almost goes without saying now that both of these colours are again different to the shades I am used to using. RLM65 is actually far 'bluer' than the Gunze paint, and actually more attractive as a shade. It's also generally lighter than Gunze, but still retaining a rich hue. Mr Paint's RLM76 is FAR lighter than the Gunze equivalent, and appears to have more of a greener appearance than the greyer look of the Gunze. Just for comparison, there is far more of a contrast between both Mr Paint shades here than between the Gunze type. In use I recently tested Mr Paint in anger on my 1:48 Eduard Bf 109G-6, by airbrushing the fuselage tail band and rudder. You can see the results for yourself with this image. Conclusion Paint is always difficult to review as we all use it differently, but for me, I can say that this one sprays beautifully, and very akin to Gunze. This brand also has a superb range of colours which is expanding almost weekly, so for me, fulfils most of my spraying requirements. Despite the colour variations between these and my usual brand, and admittedly, I didn't have a third brand to compare against, the colours are still highly attractive and look very authentic. My only real reservation is for RLM23, which has a distinctive orange hue and I feel will look strange in most applications, but I will give it a try. This is certainly a brand to look out for, and I feel that we'll be seeing this more often in future. My next Luftwaffe project will be HK Models' 1:32 Dornier Do 335, and I'll use Mr Paint with this exclusively. I'm really looking forward to that! Check out this video from Doogs Models, showing application: Highly recommended My sincere thanks to Uschi van der Rosten for these review samples. To purchase directly, click THIS link.

I'd better send you those decals with the Profi review stuff, and some stuff for Erik too

That's a cool kit. Those track numbers are odd looking. Build soon?

Perfect. I'd be damn proud of that. Maybe you should finish mine.

Try unplugging your router for 30 mins. be assigned a new IP. That's sometimes worked for me. Failing that, you might need to flush......DNS flush. Easy to do: http://www.noip.com/support/knowledgebase/how-do-i-flush-my-windows-dns-cache/

Jeroen said he's doing this one:

I shit you not, as and when I build this baby, I will do THIS scheme!

Nice to see one in non-luft colours. You on a French trip at the moment?

S E X Y ! ! What artefact you going to display with it?

G.10!

That's still a damn nice result. Such a great kit, and I prefer the Olive drab finish to the NMF too

As long as it's not fatally flawed eh?

Well, imagine that!

Got that one here, and it is a neat read and pretty informative.

1:48 X-Wing Starfighter ‘Moving Edition’ Bandai Catalogue # 0196419 Available from Hobby Link Japan for 8,467Yen From Wookieepedia: The Incom T-65 X-wing starfighter was the primary all-purpose starfighter of the Rebel Alliance and its successor governments. Known for its versatility and exceptional combat performance, it was a favorite with Rebel and New Republic pilots. Possessing deflector shields, a hyperdrive, an R2 astromech for repairs and navigation, and a complement of proton torpedoes, the X-wing allowed the Rebellion to launch raids in Imperial space with improved odds of a successful mission. The X-wing played a major role in the Galactic Civil War following its capture on Fresia and the defection of its designers to the Alliance. It was most heralded as the fighter that destroyed the Death Star at the hands of Luke Skywalker. Later in the war, it would form the backbone of the Alliance Starfighter Corps, defending Alliance ships and leading attacks on Imperial vessels and installations. Most importantly, it could perform on near equal terms with the Empire's high-performance TIE fighters when handled by an experienced pilot. Pilots of Rogue Squadron favored using the multi-role X-wing fighter, flying it as often as they could on most missions; they only employed other craft for highly specialized missions, such as missions that required ion cannons. The X-wing was so predominantly flown by Rebel and New Republic forces that it became a symbol of their faction, much like the TIE fighter and Star Destroyer were symbols of the Galactic Empire. Thanks to continued upgrades to the basic design and improved tactics, the X-wing series remained one of the galaxy's predominant multi-role starfighters for over 40 years. First of all, it needs to be said that if you live outside of Bandai’s far eastern licence territories, then this is going to be like a kick in the balls. For reason’s only Disney can answer, the specific territorial licence for this region is now being strictly enforced, meaning that Bandai Star Wars products are only available there and NOT to other regions. If you want these, you’ll either have to ask a Japanese friend to get and ship to you, or you’ll have to take your chances with the chancers (and their inflated prices) on eBay. I’m really sorry to break that to you. I have my kit on pre-order for about fours months from HLJ, and thankfully they honoured that arrangement. I just wish I’d bought two! Courtesy, Deviantart The kit itself comes in a not insubstantial sized box ( size) with a seriously attractive image of a frontal attacking X-Wing on the upper lid. Various images around the side panels depict the model at different angles, showing the various features and functions of this particular edition. I’m a real fan of Bandai’s visuals on their kit boxes, and this is by far the very best, in my opinion. The box is also quite heavy, and this model is also a very reasonable size, despite it being 1:48 scale! Upon lifting the lid, the interior or split into two compartments. One of these contains the various coloured sprues, and the other a large black box containing the ‘action’ components of the kit. This kit contains EIGHT sprues that are moulded in a variety of colours. In some cases, you’ll see multiple colours per sprue, which is still something that I find a novelty. There’s no doubt that Bandai have mastered this process as the parts quality is unsurpassed, with no flash or flaw and no seams that are apparent. The clear parts are possibly the very best that I’ve ever seen from any manufacturer. All sprues aren’t individually bagged, but they have been packaged with serious care and attention, and are in perfect quality. Bandai’s plastic is also extremely high quality, and the whole model has been designed to fit together without using any glue. From my previous experience, the part fit is also spot on. SPRUE A This is moulded in THREE colours, and also contains CLEAR parts. The most obvious, the Rebel Alliance emblem is moulded in the red sector, and this clips to the base. The other red parts form fuselage and S-Foil panels. Two cream yellow parts form the panels on the forward upper fuselage, and the light grey mouldings include parts for the laser cannon and various other panels, plus parts for the R2 astromech. Clear parts include a whole single piece canopy with moulded frames, or you can use a two-part solution that has a separate frame that clips over it. Diffusers are included for the engine tail pipes, as well as a part for the instrument console and proton torpedo bay. SPRUE B This whole sprue is moulded in light grey styrene, and the four internal S-Foil panels are moulded here, as is the main lower fuselage and rear upper deck. Two pilots are included, for both sitting and standing position. The detail is just beautiful and will requite some nifty painting to do it justice. External X-Wing detail consists of fine panel lines and beautifully raised panels etc. The panel lines will easily take a wash if you want to paint and weather this model. SPRUES C1 & C2 These two light grey sprues contain the main S-Foil wings. Detail here really has to be noted as the inboard walkway panels with their treadboard detail is just amazing! It has to be seen to be believed. Extremely fine….. Also found here are the upper fuselage halves, two part nose cone, proton torpedo channels, rear fuselage chamber and forward engine cowls. SPRUE D (x2) Anything on this model that contains multiples, tends to be found on these two identical sprues. They contain forward laser cannon barrels, tips and flash suppressors, Incom 4L4 Fusial Thrust Engines, various other engine parts, landing gear and doors etc. Of particular note here are the thrust engines that are moulded as complete tubes, and yet retain excellent detail. We have some nifty slide moulding to thank for that miracle of technology! SPRUE E The only way to describe the colour of this sprue is that it appears to have a dark graphite sheen. It certainly helps to bring out the detail on various parts here. Look closely, and you’ll see the deflector and power shield generator panel that fits along the upper rear fuse, forward engine sections, cockpit tub, S-Foil servo actuator, undercarriage struts, and further cockpit parts, to name but a few. SPRUE F Moulded in a sort of bluish-dark grey plastic, this sprue contains canopy frames and the fuselage canopy sealing frames. Display stand and Mecha parts A large matt black box with Star Wars logo, contains the brains behind this outfit. Open one end and you’ll find the internal mecha-module for the X-Wing. This is moulded in light grey and has a series of LEDs and wires that run to the various locations on the model. It’s actually pretty obvious to where they run just by looking at the location of the wires on the block. Four of these with clear LED lenses, concern the engine tailpipes that glow red. Another clear LED runs into the area where the proton torpedoes will fire from, and a yellow LED will sit neatly behind the instrument console and illuminate the panel On the underside of this module is a small black socket into which you will plug the display stand. That stand is to be found in the larger box chamber, and is wrapped in cellophane. Moulded in black, a small screw secures the neck to the base. Be careful not to trap any wires here. Screws for fastening the parts are found in this mecha box. Spin the base over and unscrew the panel to fit 3 x AA size batteries. When you remove the protective cap from the connector plug, there is a recess in the bottom of the base, designed to store this little part. Now…..plug the mecha module to the base and switch on the power. The LEDs start to glow, except for the proton torpedo. Press the left hand button and the S-Foil motor will operate and the foils will open, complete with a really neat sound that looks like it was sampled from the movie. Press the button again and the foils will close. The sound itself comes from a speaker in the lower face of the stand. Press the middle button and the proton torpedo light starts to fade in and out, complete with electronic sounds. You may have heard about the demo mode that this unit has. Since everything is in Japanese, I had to fathom this myself. Turn OFF the model, hold down the left hand button and then power up the model. You will hear a couple of R2 astromech droid noises and then the model will go into a sequence of opening its foils, firing a torpedo and then closing the foils. The unit then powers down to save battery. There are other modes too, including silent, but I need to spend time fathoming them. If you look closely at the underside again, there are three more locations to store parts. If you wish to take the model OFF the stand and display by itself, then three plugs need to be inserted into the X-Wing, to hide the mounting points. Conversely, if you then wish to mount the model on the stand, these plugs can be stored underneath the base. To finish the base, the Rebel Alliance emblem is moulded in red styrene, and pushes onto the upper plinth. Once the model is fitted, its angle can be tilted due to the adjustable head. Decals/Stickers Decals Whilst this model is moulded in multicolour plastic, and there is no real need to paint it unless you want to weather the crap out of it (and who doesn’t!!), there is also a comprehensive decal sheet. Like any decals, you do need to apply these to a gloss surface, and from that, I imagine a painted one. The stickers are simply a duplication of the decals, and they do look very good, despite me being generally averse to anything that peels and sticks. I have used these on the 1:12 figures, and with no issue. The vibrancy of the decal sheet is a little greater than the stickers, but the stickers are cut to precisely fit, whereas you may need to manipulate the decals and trim carrier film. I’m actually quite tempted to NOT use many decals, except for key ones, and actually airbrush the various tinted and coloured panels. I think this would be useful in order to maintain much of the intricate surface detail. Stickers Please note that a small metallic sticker sheet is included, and these printed stickers are designed to shield wire looms from view (engines) and to hold various wires in situ during construction. Instructions Unlike the fold-out sheets that come with the figures, this publication is a proper booklet that is stapled. The illustrative quality is fantastic, BUT, it’s all in Japanese. This means you will need to pay careful attention to every single detail, so that nothing is missed. The instructions do seem to jump around a little in areas, but there is a logic to them. If you have a smartphone (and who doesn’t?), I advise you use a free, real-time translator scanner app. You can hover the phone over the instructions and you see them magically appear in English (or Engrish!!) on your phone screen. Decals and stickers (or painting!) will need to be added as construction progresses, and specific markings are illustrated throughout construction. The rear of the manual also has a final, comprehensive set of model photos that have annotation for these. This also extends to the pilot and R-2 unit. A generalised colour guide is also provided. Conclusion As I said, I really wish I’d bought two of these, or maybe even three. The kit is just mind-blowing, with exceptional levels of detail and authenticity. The fact that it lights up and spews sound at you too is just the icing on the cake. You might be in mourning for missing up the chance to build a FineMolds kit when they were generally available, but seriously, if you have one of these, then you’ll be as happy as a pig in the proverbial. This isn’t a walk in the park to build when you consider the Japanese instructions and the complexity of the model, but it is one that will look amazing in your collection when finished and weathered with blaster marks etc. Recommended? Damn right!!!!! Review sample courtesy of my wallet.

Check out EagleCals. Pretty neat shit there!

1:32 Focke-Wulf Ta 152H-0 Zoukei-mura Catalogue SWS#11 Available from Zoukei-mura for 10,584¥ Kurt Tank’s Focke-Wulf Ta 152 was the ultimate incarnation of his Fw 190 series of thoroughbred fighter aircraft. As Germany’s war situation was worsening, there was a call to introduce a fighter aircraft that could fly at higher altitude in order to intercept enemy aircraft, and the possibility of the B-29 being introduced into the European Theatre of Operations. The Ta 152 was Focke-Wulf’s submission to the RLM when key aircraft manufacturers were approached with the problem of developing a high-altitude interceptor that could tackle the increasing numbers of bomber streams that were pulverising the Reich to rubble. The Ta 152H was based on a lengthened Fw 190D fuselage, although technically different. In order to re-establish the centre of gravity, the nose was also lengthened, producing a startlingly long and sleek fuselage for a fighter of the day. Powered by a Jumo 213E with a good high altitude performance, the ‘H’ series machine had a wingspan of over 48ft. Electrical gear retraction systems were replaced with hydraulic systems, and a heated windshield was introduced, for bad weather operations. Of course, a pressurised cockpit was also a necessity. Weapons were a single MK108 Motorcanone that fired through the spinner, and two MG151/20 cannon in the wingroot. The Ta 152 came way too late to make even the slightest difference in Germany’s war effort, but that shouldn’t detract from the innovation and achievement in the design itself. Very few Ta 152 were built, with the figure standing at around 43 machines of all variants, including prototypes. It’s been a whole FIVE years since Zoukei-mura released their second SWS kit, the Ta 152H-1. With this release, it’s now the turn of the rarer H-0 variant. This is the type which sits in the NASM, and of course is the only machine now left in existence. Of course, there is no excuse to them get this wrong. So, as we have already seen the H-1, what exactly does this kit offer that makes it worth buying? If you don’t have the original release and you like the Ta 152, then nothing is stopping you! However, if you do have the original H-1, then I can tell you that there are significant differences in this kit, and owning the original shouldn’t preclude this from being in your collection. This kit is a mix of original H-1 sprues, newly-tooled H-0 sprues AND re-tooled H-1 sprues! Yes, Zoukei-mura have revisited those areas in their earlier release that some may have thought weak, and perhaps areas they wished to refine themselves anyway. Either way, we’ll now take a look. For a retro look at the original kit, take a look HERE The artwork on this kit does seem quite familiar in style to the original release, and no less attractive, with a single Ta 152 tearing into a stream of Liberator aircraft. Box sides show the completed model, with most text in Japanese. As ZM are now firmly a global brand with their model show presence and US offices selling their kits, some dual language text would be nice for photos etc. Lift that lid and you have SEVEN sprues in light grey styrene, and ONE in clear. You might remember that the early ZM kits, including the Ta 152H-1, were moulded in different colours. This was always something they drew criticism for, with them being likened to Matchbox kits (without the garish colours!). Underneath the plastic lies another sleeve containing the decal sheet, masks, instruction manual and an amendment sheet that is specific to this H-0 release. SPRUE A Notice this is an H-1 sprue, but one that has been reworked and we see it for the first time on this kit. Comparing against my original H-1 kit, the only real refinement I can see here are the main wheel hubs and their brake line. The reworked parts look far better than the originals. If there are no other reworked parts here, then that is just fine as the parts here are already refined, and look far more than they did under the original silver plastic that seemed to make things look soft. Essentially, this sprue concerns itself with the engine and undercarriage. Engine detail is great, and this kit contains a fully featured Jumo 213E that is composed of main left, right engine block, crank case cover, coolant vapour reserve, ignition lead wiring loom and junction box, starter motor, generator, supercharger, oil cooler etc. There are over 20 parts to this and I know from experience of building the original kit for the Concept Note book, just how good the engine looks when painted and weathered. I think the engine firewall could benefit with a little wiring to the engine area, but that’s it. To cap the engine off, literally, a two-part spinner is included. I know the shape of spinners can be contentious, but this looks great to me, and includes a fine ‘panel’ line around the circumference. A forward radiator block and annular radiator parts are included. The latter has fine cooling fin detail on both the interior or exterior faces. Undercarriage struts are superbly detailed, and separate brake lines are included. Oleo scissors are also more than acceptable, and the multipart rear tail strut is no exception. The main part of this anchors high up in the vertical tail fin. SPRUE B Another H-1 sprue, and again re-tooled. Here you will find various engine components such as the supercharger, propeller, guns, fuselage fuel tanks (the H-0 carried wing tanks also), exhausts, and various other engine parts. The propeller is certainly more refined looking than the original, and the exhausts have marginally different detail. One thing I’m disappointed in that ZM didn’t rework are the tires. These would have looked better with a little weighting added. The opportunity was there to sort this, so if you want them to look a little flatter on the bottom, you can always get out a sanding stick. Another inclusion here are the engine bearers. One thing I found with the original release was that fitting the engine and bearers into the fuselage, proved a little problematic. To counter this, I snipped off the lower locating pips and aligned the engine with the upper pins only. The wing root cannon look a little simplistic too, but with some extra work and electrical wiring, they won’t look too bad. If you want to use any aftermarket for these, then look at the MDC resin gun replacements. There has been minimal slide mould use for the barrels on these guns, as also on the MK108 too. SPRUE C With Sprue C, we start to see cockpit parts, starting with the cockpit floor and integral rearmost bulkhead that encapsulates the battery/stowage compartment. Another rear cockpit bulkhead that incorporates the seat location and forward turtle deck is included. ZM’s attention to detail with this release still grabs me in the same way as it did 5 whole years ago, and the levels of detail more than hold up to current eyes, expectations and scrutiny. A new instrument panel, specifically for the H-0, is also included here. The details of the bezels look perhaps a little exaggerated, but they will make for ideal painting and detailing conditions, and a punched decal instrument should sit perfectly inside. A drop of Klear or Micro Crystal Clear will finish these nicely. Decals are provided for the instruments, but I think the definition/detail is poor. My choice, as always, are the excellent Airscale decals. This new part also has rear instrument detail, allowing you to add some wiring. Two seats are supplied. One of these is a standard part that allows you to place your own seatbelt set, and the other has moulded belt detail. I’m absolutely convinced that the moulded belt detail has been improved, and looks akin to the quality I saw on my recent Ho 229 build. Personally, I have no hesitation in using the seats with the moulded belts. They really do look superb! The cockpit contains separate consoles and a throttle lever that connects to a socket on the underlying floor. Rudder pedals are attached to rods that pass under the consoles. Yes, all the detail you want is here, even if you may never see it! You will find other bulkhead details here, and parts for what was the forward weapon bay on the earlier 190 series. Ammunition boxes for the wing root guns are to be found here, as are various oxygen and compressed gas bottles that fit within the tail section. One feature of the Ta 152 series was a nitrous oxide tank that could be used to temporarily boost engine performance. This was located in the rear fuselage. Also here are various other rear fuse internals, such as radio sets. Lastly, a wing spar is included that perfectly pre-aligns the wings for you, and provides some stability to this crucial area. Some wheel bay detail is provided here, and you will also fit the guns into the provisional wing root areas before installing to the fuselage. SPRUE D Here we see a new sprue, designated as H-0, and looking very similar to its counterpart in the previous release. However, things appear to be more refined here. Looking at the surface detail rendering, the new parts have better riveting and panel line detail. Originally, the general rivet lines were exaggerated, but now they appear to be represented far more realistically. Detail on the inside of the parts consists of the same frame lines etc, and remains unchanged. I have no problem with this though. A port is supplied separately on the rear fuse, allowing the modeller to pose this open and display the internals. That refinement of detail extends to the tail where the stabiliser fairing is now fitted with correctly raised line of fasteners, instead of sunken rivet detail. Again, the access panel on the fin is separate, so it may be posed open if you decide to detail the area within a little more. Engine cowl detail is also slightly different around the forward exhaust area, and a new part is included on this sprue, for the upper louvered vent that sits just behind the cowling ring flaps. SPRUE E I can’t see any difference between this sprue and my original H-1 release kit, and indeed it is still designated as H-1 on the ID tab. ZM’s unusual fuselage breakdown means that the lower belly section is separate, and moulded here, complete with internal rib structure detail. The single piece forward upper cowl that incorporates the ex-gun bay and engine cowl, is moulded as a single piece with some internal detail. Unfortunately, ZM didn’t see fit to remove the ejector pin marks from in here, so you will need to eradicate them yourself if you wish to display this part removed. The forward nose cowl is separate to the cowl flaps, and the latter are provided as open and closed options. Tail surfaces have some superb external detail, and control surfaces have a taped effect finish. I’m not absolutely convinced by this, but some photos do seem to look quite similar to the ZM approach, if maybe not quite as raised and obvious. Still, the finish is very attractive. The modular wing approach sees the forward belly section moulded here, as well as the main gear doors and other small parts. Note that there is the H-1 upper louvred panel included here, and this is NOT for use on this kit!! SPRUE F & G These are wing sprues and are essentially mirror equivalents of each other. Now you get an idea of the sheer span of this sleek fighter aircraft. As these are H-0 specific sprues, they are indeed newly-tooled. Due to the difference in airframe wing tank locations, you will see a difference in engraved surface detail that is applicable to this machine only. It is noted that as with the fuselage parts, the riveting on the wings is also more subtle. Only key rivet lines are included too, leaving the way open for you to add the remainder yourself, if this is what appeals. The wheel well bumps are also more organic looking too and far more realistic. Some detail is moulded within the wheel bay roof, and this is more than adequate. Trailing edge flap bay detail is also moulded, but there are ejection pin marks you will need to remove. As with the H-1, the wing leading edges are moulded separately. I’ve heard some say they struggled to make these fit properly, but for me, I had no such issue. Just take your time and be methodical with your approach. Note that the wing roots still remain as single parts on this release. I wasn’t too happy with the protrusion of these from the fuselage when installed, so I thinned the joint face a little on mine before installation. Refinement of detail extends to the gun bay covers for the wing root. Engraving is shallower generally, and these are a big improvement over the earlier release. SPRUE H ZM decided to revisit this sprue and re-tooled it to make it more accurate. As well as a clear instrument panel and a few small parts for wingtip lights and gun sight etc. the main players here are of course the windshield and the familiar blown hood. Noticeably, the windshield looks more refined and the shapes have changed somewhat. Clarity is excellent, and the canopy parts have superb frame definition that will aid accurate placement of the vinyl masks. Plastic Summary I found a new level of plastic moulding quality with the Ho 229, and it continues here. Parts are generally flash free, and seam lines are minimal. There are a couple of sink marks here and there, but nothing too major. You could almost excuse them for metal ‘canning’ from the stressed metal of the real aircraft!! Masks A small sheet of vinyl masks is included for the canopy. My experience of these is that they adhere well, fit perfectly, and adhere well to the plastic. If you ever need to tweak a mask, then the flexibility of the vinyl will allow for that. Decals For me, ZM’s decals are possibly the weakest element of their kits, BUT they do adhere well and conform to surface detail with the help of a little decal setting solution. I don’t know who prints them, but they tend to be a little thicker than I’m used to, but in fairness, they are well printed with good, solid colour and minimal carrier film. Registration is also perfect. As well as markings that are designed to be generic and allow the modeller to make their own decisions, a full set of stencils is also included. I’m not too enamoured with the instrument decals. They lack vibrancy and definition. Swastikas are supplied in two parts, so as not to offend the sensibilities of particular countries that get all offended by them on model kits! Instructions The first thing you’ll notice is that the rather swish looking manual (designed to look like a 1940’s technical document) is actually the same one that was supplied with the H-1 kit back in 2010. However, a supplement is included with the correct H-0 nomenclature, and this includes the amendments and changes to this particular release. The first thing I would do is to mark these changes within the main manual so that you don’t fit the incorrect parts for this version. Illustrations are excellent, with CAD-style detail and shaded drawings. SWS kits have advanced a little since the manual was first printed, and as a result, this one doesn’t have all the fancy technical details of the real aircraft, as was seen in the Ho 229 manual. Still, ZM’s instructions are better than most within the industry. Paint references are Mr Colour and Vallejo. Conclusion I admit that I was a little too hasty to write this release off, due to the relatively small number of external differences between this and the original H-1 release. However, the inclusion of all of those refined and reworked sprues, along with the new-tool parts, serves to make this a worthwhile release. With the original H-1 kit now being currently OOP, the H-0 is the only real game in town for this stunning fighter aircraft, with the exception of the Pacific Coast kit that some claim to be difficult to build or hard to obtain. As far as price too, then this kit is well-pitched, being cheaper in some respects than the PCM kit, and also a more highly detailed kit. If you’ve never had the opportunity to build a ZM Ta 152, then I really, really can recommend it! HIGHLY recommended. Review sample courtesy of my wallet. To buy directly from Volks Japan, click THIS link. To buy directly from Volks USA, click THIS link.

Finished yet? Just stunning. You embarrass me.

What a gorgeous scheme Lovely build too. Seen the kit too, and it looks neat, especially the wing strut alignment trick.

Love it!