James H

Coming to a Swafeler near you in November

1:32 Messerschmitt Bf 109H conversion Alley Cat Catalogue # AC32037C Available from A2Zee Models for £20 Have you ever wanted to try something different when it comes to large scale Bf 109 models? The endless stream of Emils, Friedrichs and Gustavs can become a little samey, even to ardent Luftwaffe fans. Alley Cat have never shied away from producing conversion sets to help the modeller create something a little more unusual when it comes to the Emil (with A, B, C and D conversions available), and now they've turned their attention to the new Revell 1:32 Bf 109G-6. This set will let you build this sleek aircraft as the not-quite-so-sleek Bf 109H, high altitude fighter. Before the advent of the Ta 152, this was Messerschmitt's solution to intercepting the massed bomber streams that flew high above German towns and cities. Basically, this machine was an adapted Bf 109G, which had a taller tail section, pressurised cockpit, and an extended wingspan. The latter was achieved by adding a new un-taped, centre wing section which extended the wingspan of the 109 by over 3 metres. The whole project was cancelled before production began, due to the prototype being destroyed in an air raid, and newer aircraft coming on-stream. Alley Cat's conversion set is packaged into a small, sturdy box that has a colour label depicting the product in profile format. Inside the box, two Zip-lock wallets hold a total of FOURTEEN parts, cast in light grey resin. The largest of these, the wing centre section, occupies its own wallet. A series of laser printed instruction sheets are included, as is a mask set for the scheme. What this conversion sets out to do is actually very simple and logical. The regular Bf 109G wings remained unchanged in their format, with the exception that the under-wing radiators were moved into their original locations, which now lay on the new centre piece. I don't know Messerschmitt's logic for doing this, but of course this means we need to erase those radiators from the kit wings. The wing centre section is impressive, and is cast with the new location for the undercarriage strut on the outboard side of the panel, giving the aircraft a wide-track undercarriage instead of the narrow one it is always seen with. Detail on this section is excellent, with cutaways to install the new radiator positions. A small resin pouring stub exists on forward point, where it connects to the engine cowl. This is totally unobtrusive and will cause no problem when removing it. As with the rest of the Revell kit, the exterior is devoid of rivets. What again will make this aircraft look unusual is that this new section is without any dihedral. The kit wings, when fitted to this, will have their regular upward angle kept 'as is', creating a most unusual looking bird. To remove the radiators from the kit wings, a blanking insert is included. New radiator parts are included for the extra wing section, complete. As the kit wing itself contains the centre fuselage section, you will need to cut this, and the instructions clearly show how you go about this. It's suggested that you perhaps pin the kit wings to the new resin panel, and I think that's a pretty good idea in the circumstances. New resin radiators are provided for the new section, complete with internal grilles. Those radiators are handed, so ensure you fit them correctly. This new wing calls for the split, trailing edge flaps to be reinstated on the new section, and resin parts are supplied for this, clearly identified on both the casting block and instructions. You will need to use the forward, adjustable shutters on the kit radiators and fasten them to the new resin ones, in the same location. The next major change comes with the removal of the entire tail section from the kit fuselage. Careful measurement is needed here, and this is given on the instructions sheet. It still always pays to take the last fractions of a millimetre off very gradually so that you get an even and perfect match between the plastic and grafted resin part. The new tail is very different to the standard 109 style, and this comes with a separate rudder. Revell did sort of drop the ball on the kit gun troughs. This conversion supplies a corrected gun trough, but oddly enough, not the corrected Beules or spinner. For these, you will need the buy the G-6 correction set we reviewed HERE. There is a small dark mark on the upper piece, but this appears to be a little dark resin, and will cause no problems when I build this. I really can't complain about the quality of the resin parts. They are flawless, easily identifiable, and any casting blocks will easily be cut away. It's also not greasy, and no visible signs of mould-release agent can be seen anywhere. Perhaps just lightly scrub them to be sure. Masks are supplied on a sharply cut vinyl sheet, and look superb, with no shrinkage. Only the fuselage codes and swastikas are supplied, as you will use the kit markings for the Balkenkreuz. Three colour-printed sheets are provided for the instructions, with photographs and clearly notation. I would have perhaps liked to have seen a photo of the completed model, or at least with the wing having the inboard slit trailing edge installed. You really shouldn't have too much of an issue following these instructions. The last sheet contains the line drawings of the 109, with the scheme applied to the side profile. Conclusion Alley Cat has produced another superb conversion set for a version which you only occasionally see in smaller, short-run kits/conversions. The finished 109 will look a little clumsy and ungainly, but that is part of the attraction for this machine. There isn't provision for creating that pressurised cockpit, so for that area, you will have to check out online references for similar machines, or at the very least, conjure up your own solution. I also assume the engine had some differences, but externally, you won't have seen them. That would only really apply if you wanted to add a resin engine. In all, a really good, solid conversion set that should be manageable by modellers who have worked with resin parts before. A good, first conversion perhaps? Very highly recommended My sincere thanks to A2Zee Models for this review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link. James H

You kept that one secret That's an inspired choice, and at a fraction of the price of the ZM. I know there are the sets you're adding which adds to cost, but hey, this is about modelling! Really can't wait to see what you do with this. The ZM kit is pretty much full of crap you'll never see, and your work is targeted at the stuff you can see. I heard they might release this as 1:48 too, but I have the perfect antidote to that too. Watch this space!

Just amazing work. You should write some tutorials for us here.....

1:32 Gloster Meteor F.8 conversion Fisher Models Catalogue # A3231 Available from Fisher Models for $85.00 There is only one game in town if you want to build an injection-moulded 1:32 Gloster Meteor, and that is the HK Models kit which was released around the beginning of 2014. The kit itself is superb, even if you build OOB, and offers a number of upgrade paths for those who like to detail their models further. Profimodeller and Eduard have released sets to help you build your ultimate Meteor. HK have only released the Meteor as an F.4, so if your particular ultimate Meteor was a different variant (most were), then until now, there was no viable option for the regular modeller. Enter Fisher Models with their F.8 conversion.... Paul Fisher is a craftsman. There's no doubt about that, and his sheer finesse and attention to detail can be seen in all of his products, so when one of the F.8 conversions dropped through the door, not only could I not wait to see what it contained, but I was already fomenting a plan to build this as soon as the review was completed. This set is packaged into a reasonable size box for a conversion, and it's also got quite a bit of weight to it. But then it needs to! To convert the F.4 to the F8, you'll have very little fuselage plastic left. Opening this box, you see one trademark of all their sets, and that is swathes of soft, crispy tissue paper that not only provides some padding, but is also used to individually wrap certain parts and assemblies. One such wrapped assembly are the two forward fuselage sections. As well as being carefully taped together, they also contain a little zip-lock wallet tucked inside. This holds the clear resin parts, again, carefully wrapped in tissue paper. New Nose The real difference between the kit fuselage nose/cockpit area and the resin parts, are that F.8 had an extended nose, so Fisher has taken the kit nose and also extended this, whilst replicating the kit standard detail on the new areas. This is been done extremely well except for one or two panel lines which just need a quick lick with a scriber. Exterior detail is sharp, again, matching the standard of the host kit. One part of the HK kit that I didn't like was the oblong part that inserts into the upper forward nose. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get it to sit flush all the way around. No problem with that here, as that section is cast in situ. Apart from that, there are a few minor differences to the kit parts, with one noticeably being the two fairings that protrude from either side of the cockpit canopy area. You will also note that the rear turtle deck, so devoid of detail on the HK kit, is actually opened up here. We'll look at the reasons why very shortly. It's pretty obvious that the cockpit internals and wheel bay area will install as per the kit, and a very solid ridge has been left along the inner area of the mating surface, to allow the modeller to align the new nose as easily as possible. Seams are very good here, with the upper seam being the better of the two. The lower seam is a little uneven in some places, and there is a little raised resin around that seam. When these are jointed, you'll need to apply a little putty or thick CA as filler, and carefully rub back so as not to damage any surrounding detail. Casting is among some of the best I've seen, with no actual casting block to remove; just a little tidying instead. No flaws can be seen anywhere. Intakes There are TWO sets of corrected intakes available for this kit. These are the long and short chord type, with all parts being wrapped in tissue to protect them. This release will be packaged with the long chord as standard, unless you ask them to be substituted for the short chord parts. Installation of these will be very different, with the long chord type needing the most invasive surgery, as you cut back into the wing root area in order to graft these into place. On the other hand, the short chord, whilst not needing that level of surgery, does involve having to install the part before you glue the upper wing to the lower. This is because this type has a short but flared intake channel within, which correctly tapers to an oblong shape. I do find that the long chord intakes need a little re-scribing in places, and both sets have a few very minor divots in the joining edges, around the circumference. Again, this is no big deal and won't take long to sort out. One point of contention in the inclusion of both parts is that the artworks don't specify which machine was installed with what type of intake. You'll have to use your own reference there, or your imagination. My sample also has two sets of wing leading edge areas that you see through the intake opening. I can't see any difference in them at all, so presume these are all merely packaged because I have two intake sets with this sample. Cockpit Fisher has totally reworked this area, almost beyond recognition. This is an area where you really should take your time and employ considerable patience, due to the many parts that not make up the Meteor pilot's humble office. Out of box, the kit parts make a very tidy and acceptable cockpit, but this takes the whole result up ten whole levels! The basic cockpit tub assembly is as per kit, with the starboard side locking to the pips that are cast into the interior of the nose. This perfectly aligns the whole tub when complete. There is far more detail in this cockpit than is supplied in the basic kit. This comes from both adding the detail that HK missed, right up to corrections and of course that detail which differs from the F.4 variant. If cockpits are your thing, then this could well be one of the most detailed that you'll yet see. Sidewalls are resplendent in extra detail, such as wiring and re-faced/refined instruments/avionics units. My sample set has two identical casting blocks containing various levers etc. These are added to the sidewalls, and also to the totally reworked rear wall. This is designed to accommodate the new ejection seat, and there is a lever unit either side of the gap, accommodating two levers each. Even the floor gets a little extra refinement with the addition of the two walled channels for the pilot's feet/rudder pedals. Now, onto that seat. This is the only part of the conversion that Fisher didn't master for themselves. It is actually the Martin-Baker ejection seat from Aero Club, and very fine it is too. There are three parts to this; the main chair, cushions and belts, and the top pull-release on the upper headrest. As far as standard and depth of detail go, this doesn't disappoint, and entirely compliments the Fisher conversion set. Casting quality is first rate, with the tiniest bit of feathery flash to remove. You will notice that the instrument panel is very different in this release. The first think that struck me was the lack of bezels. Checking this out online, this is indeed correct. The panel is also very thin as it is designed to fit to a separate plate, sandwiching a decal that shows through main panel. There are numerous other small parts that go to make up this masterpiece, including a reworked control column and gun-sight. Extra Internal Detail I already mentioned the lack of any detail on the kit turtle-deck. This isn't so much of a problem when the canopy is closed (though it still isn't properly represented), but when the canopy is opened, as most of us no doubt model it, there is an entire lack of detail that should be shown. In fact, the kit totally leaves it out. What should sit there are the hydraulic drip pan and reservoir, plus the two large ammunition boxes. Well, fret no longer, as they are indeed included in this kit, and in stunning detail. There is also a curved interior shell that fits within the canopy, and then when closed, obscures this area from view. New Tail Section If sawing the entire nose from your fuselage didn't give you palpitations, then the next modification most certainly will. A major difference between the F.4 and F.8, and certainly the most visible, was the difference in the shape of the tailfin, rudder and horizontal stabiliser/elevator areas. These were major reworkings, and the only thing that can be done is to dispense with the plastic totally. The new resin fin is cast with its rudder in situ, but the effect is very convincing and it looks like separate parts. In fact, hold it to the light, and you will see a sliver through the resin. In some places, the resin is gone, and I'm thinking the best thing to do here is to gently run a razor saw down the leading edge of the rudder, just to give a little extra definition. To add the new tail, the fuselage will need to be sawed as a pre-determined panel line. Stabilisers and elevators are supplied as left/right, and are marked as such with a thin web that is cast to them. Apart from the elevators, there are no casting blocks to remove at all on the stabilisers or the main tail section. A very thin strip of easily removable resin serves as the casting block on the elevators. Just a minimal clean up. Test-fitting the stabilisers to the vertical fin shows the fit to be extremely good, with perhaps just a wipe of putty being needed, if at all. Detail is excellent and commensurate with the finesse of the host kit, with finely scribed panel lines and access ports. Clear Parts One of the criticisms of the HK kit had been the canopy. The actual F.4 canopy is a little shallow and wide, and whilst that doesn't concern us here, the windscreen does. This was also incorrect on the HK kit, so a new resin part is included here to replace that. There are also TWO main canopy parts; both early and late hoods, as well as a clear cover for the radio compass on the Australian machine, and a small piece of acetate for the gun-sight reflector. The windscreen is crystal clear, exhibiting zero distortion, and the main hoods, whilst not distorted, aren't quite as clear as the windscreen. I think a tickle with a buffing and polishing stick should sort that, and a dip in Klear may seal the deal. Frame definition is good, and the frame areas themselves are frosted. Decals There are THREE sheets included here, printed by Fantasy Printshop. It's always good to see decals that I know to be of high quality. FIVE schemes are supplied with this release, with an Israeli machine in the offing still. Contact Fisher Models regarding that. Whilst there are five schemes, there are actually only 4 unique machines, as one of these was repainted in camouflage, from its original high-speed silver. I really can't complain about the decals. They are superbly thin, contain minimal carrier film, authentic colour, and they are in perfect register. Unlike the HK kit, this conversion supplies you with a full set of stencils too. The schemes available here are: Meteor F.Mk.8, WF737.V, No.63 Sqn. RAF Waterbeach, UK, 1956 Meteor F.Mk.8, WH359.K, No.611 Sqn. Royal Aux. Air Force, RAF Hooton Park, UK, 1953 Meteor F.Mk.8, WH445.S, No.615 Sqn, Royal Aux. Air Force, RAF Biggin Hill, UK, 1958 Meteor F.Mk.8, A77-207, No.77 RAAF, Korea, 1951 Instructions There's no doubt that these have been a labour of love for Paul Fisher. Every stage is photographed and passages of text annotate the images. My only real criticism is that the photos are perhaps a little small, and it would have been good to have these in colour and not in black/white. The text certainly helps to make up for things generally, and colour notation is given throughout the conversion construction. Colour profiles are supplied for the various machines, and a stencil diagram is given on the back page. • I already mentioned that none of these machines have any information about whether they use the wide or short chord intakes. In all, you shouldn't have any real issue in converting your Meteor if you closely study the instructions. Conclusion Wow! This really is a superb resin conversion set, with a very decent parts count. There are far more schemes available for the F.8 than there is for the original F.4 kit incarnation, and this set opens up many exciting possibilities. There are already decals slated for this release, from other aftermarket manufacturers. As well as the conversion aspect, this release also opens up a whole new depth of detail to the cockpit, which now becomes a real showpiece of this aircraft. Resin production is amongst some of the very best, and if you want to know about accuracy, then the fact that this is from Fisher should be enough for you. Paul has done his research, and there notable names from our industry, listed on the instructions front page. This is a quality product throughout and screams to be built. In fact, by the time you read this, I already will have! Very highly recommended My sincere thanks to Fisher Models for the review sample seen here. To purchase directly, click THIS link. James H

Such a great finish. I was pretty sceptical about that scheme, but you brought it to life. I shouldn't have questioned your intentions. I'm sorry.

I'm having the same issue with the tail on mine. Removed plastic to the panel line and got a beautifully squared off joint. If I push the tail into each fuse half, the fit looks great, but when i put the fuse halves together and plug the tail in, there's a serious step. I have a plan to fix mine, and I'll post it in my topic if it works.

Evening ladies, Is anyone who's going to the Nationals at Telford in need of a room for Saturday night? Due to a slight reworking of my arrangements, there is a room going at the beautiful Madeley Court hotel, which is a very short drive from the show. Rooms tend to be at a premium at that time of year, but I can offer this one for £50 (no breakfast, but can be arranged at the hotel if you wish) If you're interested, post here, and PM me. This is the place:

I sprayed hairspray directly on one of my models. Worked great. I had to steal from Shirley. I don't have hair.

Can't wait! Come on folks.....whose coming?

a grand total of £900. Makes a Tamiya Über-kit look like pocket money.

Damn, how will you fix that? Looks a back yard out.

What did you use on that cowl? Looks very good

Hi all, As some of you may know, I've been wanting to start my DeAgostini D51 loco. This is in 1:24, so while still LSM in stature, it now has a place on the forum which fits the subject matter. The loco itself is a super-detail monthly partwork which is mostly build from solid brass, with other metal components. It's got a choo-choo whistle, working wheels and also a glowing fire in the boiler. This isn't a toy either, but a very expensive and extremely accurate reproduction. There are currently about 5 month's worth of parts (out of 25 months supply!), and I figure I should start this in the next month or so, once I'm way ahead on my current project. Take a look at this video. I intend to paint and weather this, and for it to look like it's about to deliver supplies to the Japanese military. This is a whole new adventure for me, so please bear with me.....

A Helo that you display on a narrow shelf! Great job too. So many projects....so little time!

I love this build. I remember you finishing it. If I could get that finesse on a larger scale kit, I'd die happy.

1:24 Cockpit Instrument Decals: Hawker Typhoon Airscale Catalogue # AS24TIFF Available from Airscale for £10.95 What better a time to show you this decal set, with us only yesterday having reviewed the epic new 1:24 Hawker Typhoon from Airfix. I did actually touch upon this release in that article, and today I'm pleased to show you in full what this set offers the modeller, in terms of options and entirely new content. If you've ever bought or seen the Airscale range of cockpit decals (both instrument and placard), then you will no doubt be impressed. Both scratch-builder and novice alike, they offer something that is often lacking in many commercial kit releases. I like to use these products as often as I can, and if you've read any of my magazine articles or forum topics, then that will be plainly clear! So, what can Airscale offer the Über-Typhoon from Airfix? Well, let's see. As with all Airscale's decals sets, this is packaged into a small Zip-lock wallet, with a light card insert inside, which is laser printed and in full colour. The front of the insert shows a photograph of an actual Typhoon cockpit, with the given options listed below. This set allows the modeller to mount his/her decals to the rear of the instrument panel, so they show through the clear plastic film which is included, or you can apply individual instruments over the top of the dial locations, once the clear plastic part is attached to the instrument panel. The description of this product actually does it a disservice, because not only do you get the instrument decals, but you also get a full suite of cockpit placards too! Unfolding the insert reveals a series of photos of the interior of the Airfix Typhoon cockpit. First of all, there are two images of the instrument panel. One of these pertains to the instruments only, and the other to various placards which fit onto this piece. All decals are clearly numbered, and there are a LOT of decals to apply. The instrument panel alone contains THIRTY-ONE decals! Yes, patience will be needed, but as this is 1:24, your endeavours won't go unnoticed. Photographs are also included for the port and starboard sidewalls, incorporating the instrument consoles, and to cap that, two images are shown of the separately moulded cockpit coaming. Again, this is home to a handful of decals, all numbered. A decal guide is also provided, and this actually lists what each of the decals is in reality, using that same numbering system. Whilst this isn't particularly important to attaching your decals, it is quite interesting, and there is most definitely something to be learnt from studying it a while. The decal sheet is quite small, but most definitely perfectly formed. Of course, the largest decals on here are for the option to lay the instruments behind the panel. This is broken down into the panels 3 constituent parts. I would opt to use the individual decals though. These would be placed on top of a painted and glossed clear part, to aid adhesion. Even if you use the first option, there will still be a small number of instruments that you will attach to the regular plastic panel part. The rear of the sheet descries both decal options, and you will need to draw around the shape of the IP and cut it from the clear film that is included. My only reservation with this idea is that the instruments themselves will be recessed too much within the bezel. Still, the option is there, should you want to use it. Decal printing is by Fantasy Printshop, and everything is very sharp, and no fuzziness that would detract from a 1:24 instrument panel. The placards aren't legible, but they don't need to be. They are still very small, even in 1:24 scale. Printing is also nice and thin, with minimal carrier film, and registration is perfect. There are other colours in play on some instruments, such as green, yellow and red, and they look very authentic. The instructions suggest a setting solution to help with adhesion too, and a drop of Crystal Clear be applied to the dials, so simulate the glass lens. Conclusion Another clear winner from Airscale, and one which you should definitely contemplate if you are thinking of building the big Tiffie. As will all Airscale products, these are meticulously researched, and the real proof of the pudding is in what they add to the overall appearance of the cockpit. From experience, I know that I really couldn't model with these products. For me, they are the cherry on the cake. Very highly recommended My sincere thanks to Airscale for the review sample seen here. To purchase directly, click THIS link. James H

I had the Sabre, and I just thought the surface was badly done! Perhaps I should say that the Typhoon is the first model to properly represent the stressed skin effect...

SPRUE I More large pieces here as we find key control and flying surface parts. I had no idea that the ailerons and elevators of the Typhoon had raised riveting, but that's just what we have here. I've certainly no reason to doubt it after seeing the different riveting on the rest of the airframe. These parts are supplied as upper and lower halves, as are the short-chord, original Typhoon tail plane, also included here. I am so pleased that the fabric-covered rudder has been properly represented here. It could so easily have been either understated or overstated, as you see with many other kit releases. Well done, Airfix! The remainder of useable parts here include the constructional elements for the gun bays, access step, leading edge lamp fairings, and also the landing flaps. I have to admit to being a little disappointed with the representation of the latter. The detail seems very simplified. If you can wait, I would use a set from Eduard, which will inevitably appear before too long. The kit parts also suffer from ejector pin marks between the small ribs. Parts that aren't slated for use here are two sets of exhaust manifold shrouds. SPRUES J & K Here we find the upper, main wing panels, complete with the openings for the gun bays and location for separate ailerons. Detail is commensurate with that of the other external pieces we've seen, with gorgeous stressed metal finish, fine panel lines and rivet lines of varying pitches. The starboard side root has a small step indent, which can be posed, in either pressed or non-pressed position, but as this would probably have been spring-loaded, it would make more sense to just fair it over. SPRUE L We go back into the cockpit temporarily here, with a few parts here which are assigned to this already heavily detailed area. Aside from those, the alternative 'Tempest' style tail plane can be found here along with the vertical fin option that allows these to be fitted. The alternative elevators are found here too. I feel I also need to mention that the forward joint of this latter part actually lines up along the tail joint section as was on the real aircraft. One of my tail plane parts had broken free from the sprue; possibly because of the poor system of packing that is used, or my excess manhandling in the Indian moulding plant. It's pretty obvious from some unused parts in this kit that there will be future versions of this released. One of those key areas is how Airfix has chosen to represent the fuselage area around the cockpit. This is created as separate port/starboard halves, which leaves the option of a future car-door version as a firm possibility. There are some pesky ejector pin marks that do need removing before you can use these. Lastly, we have the actual rocket rails that plug into the holes you drilled into the wings. SPRUE M I imagine that for the modeller, this will be the first sprue they seek out. Yes, it's that mightily impressive fuselage sprue. My initial sample had a very bad short-shot which meant that part of the fuselage was actually missing. Thankfully, Airfix's Customer Service Dept. is absolutely first class, and despatched a new one to me as soon as I reported it. The same applies to the canopy that we'll come onto later. Well, what can I say? The parts are simply superb. They really are one of the highlights of this release. Surface detail is very varied in its appearance, just like that of the real aircraft, as well as the rivet lines of varying pitch, and that amazing stressed skin. You will also notice overlapping metal skin plates, excellent fastener representation and also a very fine recreation of the tail stiffening plates. Again, you can pose the foothold on the fuselage in either an open or shut position. That really is a very nice touch. From the photos, you can see that the fuselage underside it moulded separately. We'll look at that very soon. If you decide to display that amazing engine, you will need to remove the two strips that run over the top of the engine bay area. These are just used to support the cowl pieces, if you go the electric motor route. Within the fuse, there are a number of ejector pin marks. You'll have to check and see how and if these coincide with the viewable detail areas. A detailed interior wall is supplied for the tail wheel area, and the fuselage has a number of circumferential stiffening ribs in the rear section. SPRUE N Here you will see that fuselage underside part I just mentioned. Take care with this part as the wing root fairing extremities look very fragile. This sprue is very much to do with external surface parts, with the multipart engine and nose radiator cowl found here, as well as more gun bay panels with their superbly reproduced hinge detail. Engine panels are NOT detailed on the inside, which is a little disappointing. If you wish to pose these off-model, you'll either have to show them exterior side up, or thin them and add the detail within that Airfix missed. SPRUE O Airfix must've run out places to mould the remainder of the internal parts on the other sprues, as here, on the rocket sprue, we find the tubular framework for supporting the armoured back-plate in the cockpit. So apart from that, this sprue is pretty much taken up with eight rockets, split into halves. I'm not sure if these are the High Explosive type or the Armour Piercing type. Sorry, I can't help further there. These have been moulded with hollow tail pipes too. SPRUE P This last sprue is another elongated one, which is entirely tied over to external ordnance. Here you will find the other variety of rockets, and the correct rails on which to mount them, as well as the fins for the bombs we saw on an earlier sprue. A number of smaller bombs can also be found here too. Smaller parts include the bomb fusing propellers or solid tip option, as well as bomb sway racks and their external fairing. SPRUE Q This is otherwise known as 'Airfix's headache'. Yes, this is the canopy sprue that has proved to be a bone of contention since this kit was released. My sample has reasonable clarity, but with a bumpy surface on the hood, as well as the infamous dimple. The part had broken free from the sprue and a small crack was present in it. If that wasn't bad enough, the windscreen was optically poor due to a flow mark defect. Airfix did replace this for me, but the replacement wasn't much better. I think I'll wait for them to resolve this issue before I build the model. In the meantime, Alley Cat has released a very nice resin alternative. The paper towel that these parts are wrapped in isn't lint-free, and you'll need to wash these parts thoroughly to remove the fuzz. That is especially important if you like to dip the canopy parts in Klear. SPRUE R What is odd with this release is that you have an option for adding the leading edge lights. None of the finished models in the manual show them. I mean, did these specific aircraft have them fitted, or not? Were they perhaps painted over? If so, why not just paint over the clear parts instead of supplying grey parts? I can't answer any of these questions. Nevertheless, clear leading edge parts are supplied here, as well as the inner lamp itself. The navigation lights and identification lamp is also moulded here, as is the instrument panel rear plate and tubular bar which includes the compass. PLASTIC SUMMARY Generally very good. Yes, there is some flash, but it is minor. They are pin marks, and some will prove a little troublesome. Seams run from being negligible to needing more paring down. I had a sink mark on the undercarriage door, but that was extremely minor. Detail seems very sharp, and engineering is quite ingenious. The canopy is a big let down, but I'm sure that doesn't come as a surprise. DECALS There is ONE large sheet included with this release, covering FOUR schemes. Again, I had to request a replacement sheet from Airfix as mine was damaged at one side, cracking the decals. Cartograf is the printer, and their reputation generally precedes them. Printing is thin, and the colours are solid and authentic, but nothing being too vivid. Carrier film is also minimal and everything is in perfect register. Just about everything (apart from invasion stripes) is printed here, including the chequerboard design on one of the machines. This is supplied in parts for ease of application. The multipart method applies to the complex shark mouth on one scheme. I believe that the inner area could have possibly been red, so you will need to apply that yourself if you wish to go that route. A full suite of stencils is also provided, as well as bands etc. for the ordnance. Wing walk ways are also provided as decals, but I would be inclined to spray these. Decals are provided for the weapons bays too. The four schemes available here are: MN666, 'CG', flown by Wing Commander Charles Green, No.121 Wing, RAF Holmsley South, England, and B.5, Le Fresne-Camilly, Normandy, June 1944 DN252, 'ZY-N', No.247 Sqn, 2nd Tactical Air Force, France/Belgium, June – September 1944 MK197, 'MR-U', "Sharkmouth", No. 245 Sqn, 2nd Tactical Air Force, Germany and England, June – August 1945 RB389, I8-P', No.440 Sqn (RCAF), 2nd Tactical Air Force, Netherlands/Germany, February – May 1945 INSTRUCTIONS Some would say these are a work of art. Unfortunately, I require a manual to build, and not an art form. The 217 constructional steps are generally printed in grey scale, which can be difficult to follow if your eyes are slightly impaired. My eyesight, however, suffers no colour blindness etc, and I find he drawings overly complicated and 'muddy' to follow, with some images of wing spars etc having optical illusions which mean you could possibly be viewing them from either side. Quite confusing. I really do NOT like this style of instruction. It needs to be simplified. You can't look through them and search for a part very easily due to the busy appearance. This manual is printed on card, in an A4 format, covering 48 pages, but I have to say that it lets the kit down somewhat. Almost like 'hey, look what I can illustrate as CAD!'. Airfix asked me to be honest, and I like to think my reviews do reflect that approach. Sorry, for me, this manual does nothing. It's awkward and hard to work with. You will really need to study each assembly sequence as you go. If the part arrows were heavier and a different colour, things might be a tad easier to follow. Some red ink is used to highlight parts, but this is haphazard and rarely useful. Possible optical illusions abound! As a very nice touch though, the last pages are taken up with a double spread for each of the four schemes. One page shows the drawn scheme with decal placement, and the other page has images of a model finished in that scheme. The start of the manual does show the engine display options. Chose your option at the very outset. Conclusion Of course, stressed metal skin effects are only one element of this model. The sheer level of detail here seemed to have not only raised the bar significantly, but also put Airfix back into a newly realised and significant position as a premier injection moulded model manufacturer. Of course, one model release is rarely a game-changer in this industry, but is an extremely promising step onto a whole new standards platform. As for the kit, well, apart from the manual and the defective canopy, I have to say that overall, it really is a triumph, and most certainly one that's been worth waiting for. I would have to say to Airfix that they need to change their manual style and also sort out their QA when it comes to what's put in the box. If large scale is your thing, then I really do recommend you try your hand with this kit. The parts count is crazy and it will look brutal when sat on your shelf. In this part of the world, this kit retails for around the same price as the Tamiya über-kits, and is every bit as good. In some respects, when you look at the detail and that sexy, stressed skin, it's even better! Very highly recommended My sincere thanks to Airfix/Hornby for this review sample. To buy this model directly, hit their web-store via THIS link. James H

1:24 Hawker Typhoon Mk.1B Airfix Catalogue # A19002 Available from Airfix for £99.99 If anything could be classed as a 'main event' at a model show, then the test shot sprues for the 1:24 Airfix Hawker Typhoon which were on show atScale Model World 2013, Telford, in November last year, certainly is the epitome of that statement. You would have had serious difficulty in getting anywhere near the plastic, such was the continual throng of modellers crowding out the Airfix stall. Some perseverance and the occasional rigid elbow eventually got our website team in to get the all-important photos. This looked to be a model like no other. Yes, Airfix are the original stalwarts of 1:24 model aircraft, with their last release, the Mosquito, being released in late 2009. However, something was very different with this new kit. In fact, something that I'm pretty sure hasn't been seen on an injection-moulded kit before. That difference was the stressed metal surface that this model sported. Yes, something that we see on practically all metal skinned aircraft, now reproduced with amazing authenticity on a plastic model kit. The Typhoon was a large and heavy fighter plane, and in 1:24, it really is no shrinking violet. It also has a very large box in order to accommodate the rakes of plastic within. I quite like the design of Airfix's packaging. It's got great artwork that harkens back to the time when this was a big selling point for us when we were young. It's extremely bold and almost shouts 'buy me' at you as soon as you see it, and the glossy gorgeousness also carries the four varied schemes on one edge. The back of the box not only carries those 4 scheme profiles again, but also superbly realistic digital renders, in heavy weathering. You also get a potted history of the Typhoon and a map of operational Typhoon bases in June/July 1944. There are also some impressive CAD renders of the model too. Lifting that substantial lid does immediately blow away any idea about this being a sturdy looking box. It simply isn't. In fact, it's quite flimsy and twists easily. There are no separators in there either, as you get in some Trumpeter releases, so the sprues are free to bang around a little. Several parts had come adrift from my sprues, but were thankfully undamaged. Sprues aren't all individually packaged, with many sharing their tough polythene bags. These are sealed up using heat. I'm not a fan of sprues being bagged in multiples, but the packers have had the good sense in ensuring that those external surfaces are facing away from each other. I don't know if that's by accident or design, but it pleases me. Of course, the clear sprues are separate. Inside their bags, these are wrapped in foam, and within that, what looks like kitchen/toilet tissue paper. As well as the two clear sprues, there are SIXTEEN others, all moulded in light grey styrene, and these are generally packed in bags containing two each. There was never any doubt that this was going to be a complex kit to look at, so we'll do our sprue-by-sprue and see what this kit offers the builder, who no doubt will want to see all those details that they either saw at Telford SMW2013, and those little touches which do so promise to set this kit above all others in its class. Many sprues in this release are quite narrow, but also long. That's a little quirky, and I suppose makes them a little easier to package into this behemoth of a box. It makes the photos a little awkward, so we'll have to compensate with many close-up shots. SPRUE A Airfix has apparently designed this model so that it more or less constructs in the same manner as did the real aircraft. I'm not going to approve or disprove that statement, but the construction sequences are quite unusual and may seem to back that up. We'll look at the sequence at the end of the sprues evaluation. That construction does start with the cockpit and wing spar joint assembly, and this sprue contains more than a few of those key, initial components. The most obvious parts here are the tubular sidewalls for the cockpit. These sure give a sense of scale to proceedings. Airfix have properly captured the impression of the various tubes being riveted, plated and bolted together. Definition of that detail is generally excellent, but like many parts on this sprue, there is a little flash here and there, and more annoyingly, there are a few seam lines that will need paring before you start. Another thing I notice on this model generally are the number of very visible ejector pin marks. The side frames do suffer from these, but they have been placed on the exterior side of them, so won't be seen when the model is assembled. I am reliably informed that the majority of these marks are designed not be seen when the model is built, despite the beautiful levels of detail existing around these anomalies. Another example of this are the marks on the forward bulkhead/firewall. There are no marks to be seen on the engine bay side of this superbly detailed part (resplendent in wiring, connector points, raised rivets etc), but the reverse does have pin marks. The upper two will be hidden by the two-part fuel tank, and the lower will be in the shadows of the foot well. There are two short, sub wing spars on this sprue, and pin marks exist on one face of them. These are mated to the larger main spar, so I can say that Airfix do seem to have thought this out with the modeller in mind. That oil tank assembly is a little odd, with it being literally sliced in half. Having said that, the seam will be easy to remove due to no other detail causing you a headache here. Other parts on this sprue include the oval bulkhead to the rear of the cockpit (with integral tubular braces and excellent connection point detail). Other parts on this sprue are the footboards, rudder pedal bar, and various other cockpit parts; both major and minor. This kit also supplies a pilot, and the forward and back parts of his torso/legs are moulded here. The arms and head are separate. Airfix have designed their pilot so he properly interacts with the control column etc, and his feet do indeed reach the pedals! Seatbelts are spread between this sprue and sprue L, and look very reasonable. I would still opt for an HGW set though. SPRUE B I think the reason for long, narrow sprues is clearly defined here when we see the two key wing spars for the Typhoon. They are long! In fact, each measures approximately 330mm (over 13 inches), and these aren't even the full span of this model kit. There are clear connection points on here that tie in with the addition of the cockpit module, and even though I keep harkening to the detail levels, I really need to. Those spars are a combination of strut, plate, tube and rivet, and they look incredibly realistic. Under a coat of Alclad, and with an oil wash, they will no doubt look indiscernible from the real thing. If you like to see a well-moulded and highly detailed instrument panel, then the one Airfix provide will not disappoint you. Despite being almost a 'triptych', this areas is moulded as a single piece, with nicely raised bevel detail, and switches/selectors etc. Those instrument faces are moulded as holes, so the glazed section can fit to this from the rear. There has been some criticism of the depth of those clear lenses, so if you wish to use the Airfix approach, you could actually grind them down a fraction and re-polish them. This is where I really do begin to question why they included a clear part at all. Individual decals are supplied for this kit, and unlike the Tamiya approach where they are printed face side down, these are standard in approach, meaning they sit ON TOP of the glass, and not below it. Unless I'm missing something, that part didn't need to be clear. I'd apply the decals to the instrument faces, once that rear plate has been installed. A drop of Micro Crystal Clear will then replicate the lens. Perhaps at this juncture, it's a good time to mention the excellent Airscale set of instrument decals that are available, including Typhoon-specific cockpit placards. This set is designed specifically for this release. This sprue is another myriad of internal cockpit parts, including sidewall panels and integral cabling, control consoles, quadrants, seat parts and numerous other tubular framing parts. Again, a little flash will need to be removed here and there, and some seam lines paring down too. SPRUE C Onto a nice, large sprue now. Apart from a set of neatly moulded, weighted wheels with a little simplified hub detail, this sprue more or less contains the parts for the massively powerful 24-cylinder Napier Sabre engine. If you so choose, you can build this with an optional miniature electric motor tucked away within (bought separately), and there are various options available to the modeller when it comes to displaying the engine itself. These are highlighted in the first pages of the manual. For me, I feel it sacrilege to not show the engine when complete. The kit allows you to model the engine with the electric motor completely hidden within, and not affecting the finished result, or you can opt to just cowl the area over and not show the engine at all. As you'll imagine, the engine itself isn't a quick build in itself, and this highly detailed area of construction contains around 60 to 70 parts, but my very quick estimation. The Napier was quite unusual in appearance, and those ignition distribution conduits and their associated leads are neatly moulded too. A little flash again, and some seams will most definitely need to be removed too. There is some very neat slide-moulding trickery on the separate exhaust stubs too, with each one having a neatly hollow end, as well as weld seams. As well as the engine and ancillary parts, you will find some very fragile-looking plumbing here too. . Needless to say, flash is present, and those infernal seams, but the latter aren't really too bad here. Just take your time when it comes to shaving them away. Dual packing of sprues didn't pay off here as one connector hose has broken away from the sprue. SPRUE D A real mish-mash of parts here. Undercarriage doors are provided as an external plate, with a separate interior section that has tabs that locate into the slots on the undercarriage legs. A very small sink mark can be seen on the exterior of one door, and that will need to be filled and sanded back. Of course, one of the most characteristic parts of the Typhoon design was the enormous chin intake. This is broken down into several parts, as is the actual exterior cowl (on another sprue). There are also a couple of optional intake parts for the forward section of the intake. One is a simple framework that sits in front of the filter, and the other is a plate grille. There are actually two types of the latter on the sprue, but I can't see any use mentioned of the plainer part. The rest of the sprue is taken up with yet more sections of plumbing, and also parts for the main undercarriage/tail wheel, including various actuators and tanks that reside in the main gear bays. Looking at the sprues and the instructions, I really would be hard-pressed to see what else you'd need to add, maybe apart from the odd section of lead wire. Remarkable. SPRUE E Only one part here, but it is, er, pretty important! For the first time, we see something containing that rather impressive stressed metal skin; the lower bottom wing panel. Depending on how you intend to display your model will then depend on which holes you need to open up from within this part. Stage 90 (yes, 90!!!) graphically shows which holes are intended for the various tanks and ordnance. If you fit the electric motor, then you will need to open up another hole. This is also true if you decide to mount on a stand. I can't understand why Airfix didn't include the stand as standard. It used to be in the other 1:24 releases. For those of you that saw the test sprues at SMW2013, you were no doubt awestruck by that stressed metal rendition. Some of you will have seen photos on other forums etc., and I imagine you felt that same way. To have the parts here in hand, and experience it again has certainly not dulled those first impressions. This is a seriously nice piece of design work, impressively carried off at the tooling and moulding stage. The surface is resplendent in various bumps and bulges, subtly accommodated between various riveted lines. The whole effect is extremely authentic, and hopefully will set a bench mark, not just for Airfix, but also their competitors. Other surface detail is no less nice. The rivets, which divots, are very small and just right to my eye. Panel lines are superbly neat and narrow, and not at all too deep, and numerous screwed and riveted plates are perfectly executed. Cartridge ejection chutes are also moulded 'open', and the Hispano cannon fairings are separate entities. There is a little flash present again, around the internal opening of the gear bays, and also in the landing flap areas. Nothing at all to worry about, and I imagine you could remove it in less than a minute. SPRUE F This sprue mostly concerns itself with the wing interior detail, including the gun bay areas. Airfix has designed this model so that the lower wing panel (Sprue E) is attached to the completed cockpit and engine section. On top of this, you now add the various internal wing spars and ribs, forming the wheel bays and gun bays. Detail across these is astounding, with riveted plates, wiring, and even the leather grommet in the spar, through which the Hispano pass. You have a real sense that the designer was extremely passionate about his work here, because if a lot of this was missing, you'd still be impressed with the result. Other detail on the spars includes strut sections with domed rivets, and even a pouch/wallet item in the wheel bay area. When the spars and ribs are added, a ground plate is then added to the gun bays, consisting of structural elements and mounts for the cannon. Those cannon are very impressive in their sheer size, but unusually, the muzzles aren't hollow moulded! I can't understand why at all, and certainly not in a release of this importance. You can of course drill them out yourself, or wait until Master Model release a set of replacement barrels with recoil springs. The latter are moulded in situ here and look as good as you can expect to get them. After all, they will mostly be enclosed with the fairings anyway. Those cannon fairings are moulded as halves. That in itself doesn't sound like an issue, but Airfix have moulded the shape within so that it fits the recoil spring. That would normally means that you would have to attach them to the model and then remove the seams. On a big model, it can be awkward. I suggest opening the interior up a little and building them off the model. You can then slide them into position when the seams are history. Other parts on this sprue include the ammunition boxes and separate belt feeds and rear spars which form the face onto which you will add the flaps etc. SPRUE G There are THREE spinner options available here, including those for both three and four blade propellers. Two back-plates are separately moulded to cater to these, with internal face detail. You'll be hard-pressed to see it when assembled though! Hubs for both types of prop are supplied as front and back parts too, but this is nothing unusual for a large-scale model. A third of this sprue is taken over with various fuel tanks, including the wing leading edge tanks. All tanks are two part affairs, and seams will be easy to remove. Of course, filler cap detail is there the rib-capping strip that fits over the main wing tank. The real drying shame is that you won't see any of this detail except through the odd chink in detail within the gun and wheel bays. Still, you will know it's there, and that's what counts in my book. The remainder of sprue parts are taken over with the bomb bodies, external fuel tanks and the rocket mounting rails. Bombs and tanks are moulded as halves, and you will need to take care when removing the seams on the tanks, due to raised detail that gets in the way of a clean joint. SPRUE H This model comes with two types of tail-plane. Firstly, the standard chord tail-plane is of course present, but also the later, wider chord type that is commonly referred to as the 'Tempest tail-plane'. Normally, this sort of inclusion would have been very difficult to implement in kit form due to the difference required for the fuselage slot. The difference here is that Airfix has designed the vertical fin and lower section to be separate parts. On this sprue, you will find the parts of the fin that will allow you to attach the original, short-chord tail-plane. I am reliably informed that the fin section fits effortlessly to the fuselage. That lower wing section, as I mentioned, wasn't full span. Here we have the lower, outboard sections of the wings, which appear to attach along a panel line. These are tabbed to aid alignment, and of course, that delicious stressed skin is very evident. A wing spar which extends past the centre section of the wing also gives the tip addition some rigidity. As the upper wing is pretty skeletal, Airfix have chosen to adopt a better system of representing the roof of the main gear bays instead of simply moulding it to the inside of the upper wing panels. This gives a far better representation for the modeller, allowing perhaps a little extra wire etc. to be added before the wing is closed up. There are wiring boxes and wiring itself on these parts, accompanying the wing structure detail. As well as the multipart gun bay covers which also exhibit that stressed skin relief, a second set of main gear bay doors are provided, as single parts, allowing the modeller to pose his model 'wheels up' with no problem.

That's looking seriously good, but you forgot the ailerons. I knew you would. I sensed it when I sent you the kit.

What Alclad shades did you use, and what did you use to create the shading? Much better photos Now get those wings done

You did better on those metal shades than I thought you would. For a quick build, you're doing this one proud.

Beautiful metal, great shading and soft skin. The whole package.

Loving the multiple alclad panel shades. Real odd with that camo tail!