James H

Nice review, and just in time for the Meng Komet too

Hi guys and gals, For the last 3 or 4 years, I've been drifting. I've completed models on almost an ad-hoc basis. If I've been lucky, the stars have aligned, and I get something completed. It's time that I tried to regiment things a little, so for next year, I have some plans. Everything is subject to change, but I expect to build the following: 1:32 Revell He 111 with HPH detail set, in an engineering study 1:32 HPH Supermarine Walrus 1:48 Tamiya He 219 with full Aires detail set This should allow time to complete my WW1 projects for the Great War Group Build, and perhaps throw another un-named project into the mix. Whilst schedules are the antichrist for some, for others they work. What are YOUR plans for 2014?

Lovely work. Do you have any build images?

As long as it's new and doesn't harm his soft skin.

Jeroen will wave his arms and make those noises anyway

1:32 Sopwith Pups of the RNAS Pheon Decals Catalogue # 32014 Available from Pheon Decals Well, we've had two RFC Sopwith Pup decal reviews from Pheon, so it's only fair that we now redress the balance and turn our attention to a release designed for the RNAS version of the 1:32 Wingnut Wings kit. These RNAS machines are perhaps not quite as colourful as some of their RFC counterparts, having a basic PC10 scheme, but they are quite interesting subjects for a number of reasons that we'll outline here. Pheon's latest release is packed into the customary clear A4 ziplock bag, containing not only the A5 decal sheet, but a number of superbly printed glossy sheets depicting the profiles and plans for the FIVE marking options supplied, but also an excellent instructions leaflet, giving historical notes on the aircraft. The front of the package has an A4 insert, depicting the five schemes which this release contains. Rowan has again opted NOT to supply you with information about the type itself, as this is more than adequately covered within the Wingnut Wings manual. The eight page manual first explains the best way in which to apply the decals, as well as a note on wing cockade application. As a side note here, this set is supplied with ONE set of cockades, but should you want to build further schemes from this set, extra cockade sheets can be purchased from Pheon. The code is 32013a, and these sell for £4.50 per sheet. General colour notes are supplied too, as is the reference list that Rowan has used for producing this release. Also included are a few brief notes on how these aircraft were stained during their service life, and how natural metal panels would oxidize through lack of any treatment. The remainder of the manual goes on to detail the schemes, including both historical and color notation. Also check the scheme notes for modifications that a number of these models will have to undergo in terms of equipment and things like windscreens etc. We'll now take a look at these schemes. N6179, 'Baby Mine', Flt. Cdr T.C. Vernon, Flt Sub-Lts A.W. Carter & L.H. Slatter, 3 Sqn. RNAS, Marieux, France, April 1917 This machine, with a varnished upper decking, battleship grey cowl, and a white band around the fuselage, had a standard clear doped linen underside, and also a CDL vertical tail fin, with the Sopwith company name stenciled upon it. Wheel hubs are also CDL. This aircraft had an unusual windscreen which straddled the MG. This is clearly depicted on the profile, and supplied within this release, pre-printed onto a sheet of acetate!. N6200, 'Bobs', Flt Cdr A. M. Shook, 4 Sqn RNAS, Bray Dunes, France, May 1917 'Bobs' also had a varnished upper deck, but this time it had a bare metal engine cowl and side panels. Unusually for this machine, not only was the vertical fin painted in royal blue, but there was a distinct possibility that the entire upper tailplane was also painted to match this, as were the hubs. The drawings do show a possibility of CDL hubs. N6183, 'Mildred', Flt Cdr. J.A. Glen, 3 Sqn. RNAS, Marieux, France, May 1917 'Mildred' has her name emblazoned, as with the other machines, on the fabric panel just below the pilot's position. With the limitation in understanding how to represent colour from old black and white photographs, it is possible that the name 'Mildred' was stenciled in red, with a white 'shadow' to it. Pheon have included decals including the red version, as well as the shadow stencil by itself. It's up to you how you wish to depict this. I'm sure no one will be able to critique you for using the 'wrong' set! Mildred's engine cowl had its upper portion painted red, whilst the remainder of this and the side panels, were left in natural metal. The upper deck was varnished, and TWO types of hub option are included; a bare white version for the aircraft's early service, and a red, white and blue for later. The latter is supplied as a decal, split to help it overlay the cone shape of the hub. N6203, 'Mina', Flt Cdr. L.H. Slatter, RNAS Seaplane Defence Flight, St Pol, France, July 1917 This machine may have had a white cowl, or it could have been natural metal. Again, limitations in interpreting old photos will always leave more questions unanswered, than it will answer them. Mina's wheel hubs were white, and the vertical fin was painted in PC10 also. This aircraft had two very unusual large, white teardrops painted onto its tailplane. These are included as decals, due to their complex shape N6181, 'Happy', Flt Cdr. L.S. Breadner, 3 Naval Sqn, Marieux, France, April 1917 In amongst the carnage of war, I find it ironic that a pilot could name their aircraft 'Happy', but that's just what we have here. As with Mildred, the 'Happy' name is supplied in decal form as both a red word with white shadow, and as just the shadow itself. It's your decision as to which way you want to go with this. The natural metal engine cowl also had its upper portions painted in red. White horizontal bands adorned the upper and side fuselage, as did it on the upper wing centre section itself. Elevators were also painted white. Again, the unusual split windscreen of this machine is supplied with this set, on a piece of acetate. This set includes 3 glossy-printed sheets depicting the profiles. The first two sheets contain a portside profile of each machine, with cutaway drawings depicting various options. The third sheet shows the aircraft in upper plan. The decals As previously mentioned, the sheet accompanying this release is A5 in size, and contains one set of cockades, and one set of fin decals. Cockades are printed with separate red centres, and with cut-outs for the control surface inspection panels. With the exception of the wrap around fuselage band of the first machine, all other such bars etc are given as decals. Stencils are supplied for each serial machine, too. The decals are printed by Fantasy Printshop, and are both thin and contain minimal carrier film. Colours are authentic and not too vivid, and printing is in perfect register. Conclusion This is a very simple set which will go to produce some fairly unusual PC10 schemes. Rowan has a knack of finding subjects which have a little bit of the unusual about them, and again, he has succeeded with this set. Thoroughly researched and beautifully presented, this set is another winner for WW1 aircraft modellers! Very highly recommended Our sincere thanks to Pheon Decals for the review set. James H

What an inspirational build. If you want to mould and cast this, I'd like to build this too......

Absolutely. I was on the verge of packing stuff away for a year... @ Nick: I got the 'Substitute 'burn' for 'sell'. email notification, but came here to found it deleted. Email notifications never tell a lie! ADH pay well, and I've certainly no problem with accepting their coin.

[pimp] I thought I'd pimp this build again. Signings on request. I'm also available for after-dinner speeches and Bar Mitzvahs' too. Available from this Saturday [/pimp]

VERY nice! I'd love to see this alongside the Takom release.

1:32 Plywood effect decals Old Propeller Catalogue #: see article for # and price Available from Nordland Models We most certainly live in a hobby-world where some of those once previously difficult or onerous tasks are being eradicated. Whilst some modellers find it easy to beautifully replicate wood grain using oils, or perhaps even with brushing the grain itself, some of us do not. With the increase in popularity of World War 1 modelling, we are beginning to see some quite innovative and exciting ideas spring forward to tempt us to be more creative, or to help out where we struggle with those other techniques. One of those ideas which is catching on quite quickly is the use of decals to recreate those warm timber tones we see both internally and externally on some of these early aircraft. A number of manufacturers have entered this arena, with us looking at the Uschi van der Rosten sets here a while ago. Indeed, I recently completed my 1:32 Bachem Ba 349 Natter for the Military Illustrated Modeller magazine, using Uschi's translucent decal system. These are, however, a little different in their approach, as they are printed on a 'base-white' background. This means that there is no colour saturation and tint work to prepare beforehand, but on the other hand, this means that these are perhaps more aimed at interior model work. Of course, you can post-shade these decals, but they are far less flexible in that respect. Old Propeller have sent us TWO of their range of plywood decals. These are: D32037, Plywood Medium, £10.00 D32038, Plywood Dark, £10.00 As with Old Propeller's lozenge sets, the A4 Plywood decal sheets are packed into a re-sealable wallet, and have a card insert to help stiffen the pack a little. Another sheet is inserted to the rear which explains decal surface preparation and decal application. The sheet itself is not a large single expanse of plywood, but instead it is broken down into THIRTY individual panels, measuring approximately 28mm x 50mm. The printing itself is done on a laser printer, so there is no issue with any registration which only applies to silk-screen printing methods. However, underneath the laser printing is a silk-screen printed white base which means that the colour you see on the sheet is the colour you will have after application. The panels themselves carry some extremely varied grain patterns, including some with quite a lot of knots, and some less so. All panels look incredibly real, in fact almost like small pieces of marquetry, I imagine that you could actually create an amazing looking Albatros D.V with this sheet, if you use a little artistic license with regard to the number of knots on some panels. Uschi van der Rosten released a Knotless set to tackle the issue of decaling the exterior of models. You can probably find enough material on these sets to actually create something which isn't too knotty at all. I might give that a try in the near future. Both decal sets contain the same pattern panels, but only in different shades. The Medium set has the warm timber tones we are used to seeing on models, colour profiles and on reproduction aircraft. To me, it is perfect for using as an exterior decal, if you ignore the knots aspect. The Dark set looks very representative of some of the dark timber panels you see inside these period aircraft, or even exterior, where the shellac varnish has aged and darkened the overall appearance of the wood. The instructions do also suggest that you can use decal setting solutions to enable these to seat too. The compound curves involved in some fuselage designs would dictate that you need a little assistance in that respect. As a footnote, these decal sets can also be purchased in Light Plywood too. Conclusion The printing quality is exceptional, as I have mentioned in the main text, and these really have me eager to try my hand at that Albatros I always wanted to build. I do think this set also represents excellent value for money in its generous A4 format. You won't have as much flexibility with regard to your finish as you would do with a transparent carrier, but the warmth and tone of the decals should compensate for that. If anyone has built a model and used these, we'd be interested in hearing from you and seeing your finish. Recommended. Our sincere thanks to Old Propeller for the review samples used here. To purchase directly, click THIS link.

You know you want to

www.sealmodel.com This is Ericyy's new site. I know he's run out of stock at the moment, and due to the parcel weight, he advised I could add other items and not increase postage, so I asked for another 163 to add to the original one. Ericyy is a good guy and a little different to deal with, but he always does the deal!

Placed an order for second Komet. £27 delivered, from HK! I think I'll build Eric Brown's Komet to sit alongside the wood and metal one...

Looks a great show, only balanced out with Laverty being there! Is that Dave Parker's 219?

1:32 Messerschmitt Me 163B Meng Catalogue # QS-001 Available from Hannants for £44.99 Messerschmitt's Me 163 Komet was designed as a point-defence interceptor, designed to lay at rest in various locales around the Third Reich, and then to zip almost vertically towards bomber streams as they approached. The simply astounding rate of climb of this diminutive aircraft enabled the bomber streams to be almost overhead before the Komet had to actually take off. That same speed advantage became very much a disadvantage in combat, with the Me 163 frequently overflying its target before it had a chance to open up with its wing root mounted MK108 cannon. Designed by Alexander Lippisch, the tailless Komet was soon seen to be pretty ineffective as a fighter aircraft due to its limited flight time, relatively high speed, and resultant wide turning circles. The Komet first flew in 1941, although it didn't see operational status with the 'B' variant, until almost mid-1944. Powered by a Walther HWK 109-509 liquid-fuel rocket engine, which saw an injection of two fuels into its combustion chamber (T-Stoff and C-Stoff; Hydrogen Peroxide and methanol-hydrazine water mixture), the Komet took off conventionally before ejecting its dolly undercarriage and climbing almost vertically upwards. The aircraft would later return to earth as a glider, and land on a skid which would be deployed under the fuselage centerline. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fuA2fKHStRw The Komet was a lethal weapon, literally. Most Komet losses were in take-off and landing accidents, with the Komet usually then exploding due to ruptured fuel tanks or the inadvertent mixing of the fuel vapours. It is true that the Komet was a menace for Allied streams, but perhaps more psychologically that due to actual kills. The Komet didn't actually destroy more than a dozen or aircraft, but despite this, further developments were planned and even tested, such as a Komet which could fire upward facing projectiles, triggered with a photocell which detected the bomber's shadow. Further prototypes were also built, with retractable undercarriage. In all, the Komet project was an expensive and dismal failure, and indicative of the wastage of men and materials which the Third Reich seemed to excel in the last 2 years of the war. Well, here it is! Meng's 1:32 Messerschmitt Me 163B Komet. We now finally have something to perhaps replace the now aged Hasegawa kit, which until now, had been the only injection moulded kit of this interceptor that had been available. The Hasegawa has long held out its position and with some work, builds up into a truly gorgeous model of this famous aircraft. But, as that kit needed a generous dollop of resin and PE, plus a total re-scribe in order to bring it up to standard, have Meng finally brought the Komet into the 21st Century? Well, we'll not take a look at this finally. Meng's Me 163B, their first release in 1:32, is packed in a sumptuous, satin-finished box, with a box art image showing the Komet diving away from a B-17 stream, post attack. On top of this, a white sleeve is slid onto the box, containing a cutout of the Komet which cleverly just displays the aircraft. For me, the box art is all part of the kit experience, with good box art certainly being an inspiration for the forthcoming build, and here, Meng excels. Inside the box, the Komet is broken down into SIX sprues, with five of these being in medium grey, one in black, and the last one in clear plastic. Even Zoukei-mura ditched the multi-colour styrene in favour of just grey. I hope Meng follow suit with their releases in future. All sprues are individually bagged, minimizing risk of scuffing or parts being broken from the sprues. Take these sprues out, and I swear you'll have difficulty fitting them back in. I suppose there's only one thing to do then.....build it!. Underneath those sprues, a single decal sheet is to be found in a clear wallet, and two PE frets. Oh, some vinyl tyres too, but we'll come to them later. SPRUE A Looking at the first sprue, you can see that Meng have also followed Hasegawa's lead by moulding the rear fuselage separately to the font, in order for the modeller to display the detailed Walther rocket engine. In fact, that's not the only interior detail present with this kit. Meng have also recreated the fuel tanks and weapons bays. That pretty much buries the old Hasegawa kit, without even looking further. The fuselage isn't just moulded with a separate rear section; the entire wing root it also separate, with the forward wing root being attached to the wing parts, and the rear root being an insert which is to be found on the next sprue. In fact, the whole forward wing root area is a gaping void, into which you fit the underneath fuselage skin, forming the root wall. Onto this of course, you will build the weapons bay. As this kit includes those internal T-Stoff and C-Stoff tanks, the upper forward fuselage is moulded separately, giving the modeller the option to pose this 'open'. The rudder is also moulded separately to the rear fuselage, allowing you freedom to pose this as you wish, as the rudder itself is hinged. As the rear section can be removed, Meng have moulded constructional detail within this area which you will see if you look into the rear shell. In order to fit the two fuselage sections together, a couple of wing root inserts are provided to act as plugs. When you display the parts separated, you just pull the plugs out again. A very nice touch! The nose cone, as with the Hasegawa kit, is also moulded as a separate part. The only similarity here with the Hasegawa kit is that Meng have chosen not to include the detail which would hide behind that cone. There are in fact two slightly different styles of electrical generator impellor on this sprue. You will also find the canopy framing (yes, no pesky masking to do!), wing slats, interior fuselage panels, whip aerial and keel. SPRUE B This sprue contains the 4 largest parts of the Komet, namely the upper and lower wing panels. Moulded in grey styrene, these incorporate the wing root fairing into which the upper panels have the gun bay access panels in an open attitude. Underneath the wings, the ejection chute openings are also open. There isn't much overall detail on the Komet wing, as these were mostly wooden, but the access posts are cleanly scribed, and the wing root fairings have excellent fastener detail. Meng have chosen to make the ailerons and elevons separate too (and moveable), as also with the large plate airbrakes which sit below the wing. These are supplies as photo etch parts. SPRUE C Essentially, this sprue carries a mish-mash of both interior and exterior parts, including rudder, ailerons and elevons, inner wing root fuselage walls (gun bay walls), external fuel tank covers, gun bay covers, and two different ammunition saddles, depending on whether your model will be fitted with MK108 or MG151/20 weapons. You will also find the ammunition belts here too, moulded separately from the saddle. SPRUE D Oddly enough, this sprue is moulded in black styrene. The remit of this sprue is clear. On here, you will find the extendable tail wheel parts, the retractable landing skid, and also the jettisonable dolly undercarriage. The Komet can be modelled with the skid in both a retracted or deployed state. The tailwheel assembly is also moulded here, and again you can choose from a retracted or deployed tailwheel, and options are included to build this with a fairing or without. Wheel hubs are moulded as an inner and outer plate, into which you'll insert a poly cap in order that the dolly axel can grip, whilst allowing free rotation. SPRUE E Another grey sprue, this time we have many internal parts here, including the superbly detailed cockpit. The cockpit parts here are the actual tub, with integral side console fuel tanks, rear bulkhead, detailed separate side walls, and two instrument panel options. These provide for a fully detailed panel, or a plainer panel onto which you'll assemble a number of photo etch panel parts. The cockpit detail is superb, although our reference material at Large Scale Modeller, does perhaps show that a little extra detail could be added within, such as pipework and push/pull handles and levers. The Eduard set might just have a few parts you can use to enhance this further. Displaying the Komet with the engine on show means you will need to find a way of supporting the parts, and Meng have included a stand to hold the rocket pipe up, and a cradle for the rear fuselage. Both MK108 and MG151 armament in included here, with slide moulding employed in order to make those gun muzzles hollow. The guns and muzzle aperture are very finely defined, and they look excellent. Meng have tackled the armoured windscreen by moulding the frame exterior separately to the actual glass panels. Nice touch. SPRUE F This sprue contains the very large T-Stoff tank which sits to the rear of the pilot. Meng have split this into an upper and lower half, with circular end caps. The Walter rocket engine parts are on this sprue also, and the detail here is superb, leaving the old Hasegawa kit very much in the shade. A good number of individual plumbing pipes are included, and these look a little fiddly to line up and pipe the engine, but I suppose the proof of the pudding will be on the eating. I'll be starting this kit shortly, and I'll find out. SPRUE G This is the clear sprue, and includes TEN parts. Meng have seen fit to also encapsulate the sprue in a slightly tacky film in order to protect it. I wish more manufacturers would do this. These include the canopy glazing, inner and outer armoured windscreen plates, quarter-light windows, and the small inner, rear cockpit windows. You'll also find the gun-sight and wing landing lights here too. The whole kit is superbly moulded, with next--to-zero flash, no visible sink marks and with minimal ejector pin marks. A few pin marks can be seen on some parts, but these areas generally aren't visible. PHOTO ETCH TWO PE frets are included with this release. Produced from bare brass, the largest fret contains the wing airbrake, seatbelt parts and fuel tank cover latches. The second fret is exclusively instrument panel sections, comprising the main panel, raised main panel and side panels. Etch quality is superb with excellent detail definition. WHEELS Unusually, Meng have chosen to include rubber/vinyl tyres on this release. Whilst some modellers like these, I don't. The seams can be awkward to remove, as can the sprue gate. Thankfully, seams aren't really too much of an issue here, but I would rather have seen the wheels supplied as plastic parts. The only real downside to this kit for me. Poly caps for the undercarriage are also moulded here. INSTRUCTIONS This kit contains a sumptuously produced, multi-lingual instruction manual, again adorned with that excellent box artwork. A history of the Komet is included within, followed by the kit construction, over 24 cleanly drawn stages. All illustrations are sharp, but take care in the engine stage as some pipework location looks a little ambiguous. Colour scheme illustrations are presented at the end of the manual. Colour call-outs are given throughout, with Vallejo codes being given. DECALS A single decal sheet is included for all THREE schemes available to you. Printed by Cartograf, the decals are thin, have minimal carrier film, and are in perfect register. Thankfully, the colours aren't too vivid also. As well as the various national markings, a full range of stencils are also supplied, as are instrument panel decals. Where markings run over a panel or joint, Meng have supplied these in sections. Swastikas are also included, but these are supplied in parts, so as not to offend any delicate political sensibilities. The three schemes offered are: Me 163B, 2./JG 400, Brandis, early 1945 Me 163B V-41, Major Wolfgang Späte, 13th May, 1944 Me 163B VF241, test flown by Eric Brown, 7th July, 1945 I think I might just build the British evaluation machine, as I once met the pilot who flew that aircraft, Eric 'Winkle' Brown. Me 163 Komet, from Large Scale Modeller 'Walkaround' Conclusion Well, we've certainly waited a few decades for another 1:32 Komet to be released in mainstream injection plastic form, but has it been worth it? A resounding 'YES'! The whole package is of the high quality we have now come to expect with Meng releases, and for their first foray into 1:32, this is an exceptional release, teeming with detail and buildability. It's great to see this aircraft finally released in a format for which you can really respect the architecture of the real thing. With the rear fuselage section removed, you can look into the fuselage of the Komet and see the engine, tanks etc. The detail is both refined and superbly executed, and the engineering is intuitive. Some clever engineering enables you to be able to pose the model split into two, without the need for ugly locating pips. All I can say is 'what a fabulous kit', and I really can't wait to start her. I see myself ordering one of these myself, to satisfy a cunning plan I have ;-) VERY highly recommended Our sincere thanks to Meng Model for the review sample used here. To purchase directly, click THIS link. James H

I just got this bad boy!

Nice review Rick. I like how the nose gear is positionable too. Very useful

I'm building my 1:48 for Martin's blog. No need to be crestfallen with this most noble of web pages, with laughter and true friends.

Such a great looking set. I can tell you that I'll be building a He 111P in the next months, with the HPH interior detail set. I might checkout this set for the build.

Liking this lots. You setting this to a vignette with figures?

I'm not using ANY colour scheme on mine. This will be a wood and metal finish machine, like the Natter.

My Meng sample is almost here....I'm like a bitch on heat!

Windsock Worldwide Vol.29, No.4 Albatros Productions Available from Albatros Productions for £7.60 For a modeller who is a relative newcomer to Great War aviation, there is much to learn. New techniques and perhaps a few new extra skills to help enhance the overall building experience. For both my type of modeller, and the seasoned WW1 modeller, there can be no better and inspirational publication then the Windsock Worldwide, which is squarely aimed at helping us to better understand the genre, to learn about the era, and to better our modeling skills. Today we look at the very latest issue. This very colourful edition, with a cover sporting a lozenge fabric design, and a seriously loud scheme for an American SE.5a, is emblazoned with the words 'WORLD WAR CENTENARY'. This July/August edition is released a the beginning of the 1 year run up to the 100yr anniversary of the advent of the Great War in 1914. It really is hard to believe, perhaps for a guy of my generation, that all the participants and protagonists are now long gone, with the memories of the hostilities now entirely faded out with respect to those who saw active service. It didn't seem long ago since I was a kid, and those same old soldiers were only perhaps the same age as my father is now. Truly sobering. With the Great War now being consigned to just another chapter in the history books, the rise of WW1 aircraft modeling is quite a phenomenon, helped not in part by companies such as Wingnut Wings and Roden. For a good number of years, Windsock Worldwide has been helping WW1 modellers learn their craft, and it continues today, complete with the far wider arsenal of kits and aftermarket items available to us. Opening with the usual Readers Gallery, we are treated to a selection of both static and flying model aircraft, from a 1:32 Junkers J.1, to flying models of a Martinside F.4 Buzzard, Bristol Boxkite and a BE2. For information junkies like myself, a round-up of the very latest titles pertaining to our genre is given in the 'Logbook Entries' section. Each of the 4 titles highlighted here is given a brief review, with purchasing information supplied. If you are a regular reader of this title, then Lance Krieg will be a name you are familiar with. His 'Modelling Masterclass' section covers a whole six-and-a-half pages of fantastic modeling tips and tutorials, all presented with excellent colour photography. This month, Lance looks at the various finishes that are common to this era. These are: Simulating Plywood Weathering Timbers Metals Camouflage: disruptive multi-tone, aluminium doped, speckled, streaked and French 4/5 colour A number of other paragraphs relating to finishes are also supplied, but non-scheme items. Lance's descriptions are concise and easy to read, and should at least give a reasonable grounding for you, and perhaps aid those questions you might have about how to finish a stick and string flying machine. This section is one of my favourites in Windsock Worldwide. This month's featured aircraft is the relatively unknown SE4a. Well, if there was an SE5a, surely there must've been a forerunner! The SE4a was actually quite an attractive single engine fighter that started off with a large streamlined spinner (a'la Bullet), and looked a little like a cross between the Bullet, Nieuport fighter series, a Camel and an SE5a. Difficult to explain but I'm sure the images here will let you see what I mean. The type abandoned the large spinner of the prototype in favour of a familiar open fronted, rounded cowl, as fitted to the Pup, Camel etc. A brief history of the type is given, as well as 3 pages of excellent line drawings. Following on from this, the subject of 'Great War Paint' is given over to the SE5a, inclusive of two pages of highly colourful profiles. If you thought every SE5a scheme was PC10, you're in for a shock to the system. As I previously mentioned, there is now an abundance of new items released for WW1 modellers, each and every month, and Ray Rimell does a round-up here, under the 'On The Transfer List' section. Here, reviews of the very latest products are published, such as decals from Lifelike Decals, Old Propeller, Pheon, and a special feature on Aviattic's lozenge decal sheets, including a step-by-step, photographic guide in how to get the best out of these very different decal sheets. If you're in the market for Aviattic sets, then Ray's write-up is unmissable. It's not all about decals. The very latest in kit releases is also examined, from the glorious, new 1:16 Sopwith Camel from Hasegawa to 1:48 kits from Roden, Eduard's new 1:72 skeletal Fokker Dr.1 triplane, and the most diminutive 1:144 releases from Brengun and Valom. All reviews are informative, and include sprue shots and purchasing detail. Aftermarket accessories aren't forgotten, as we look at the latest releases from Taurus and HGW. Next week, we will be publishing our review of the latest 1:32 figures from Wings Cockpit Figures. In this issue, Ray takes a look at these amazing, sculpted masterpieces. I warn you. Prepare for your wallet to take a hit. The figures are described in detail, as is the very latest release from Tommy's War. 'Rudder Post', aptly named, is the last section of Windsock Worldwide, and it deals with readers' letters, and responses from the editor. Conclusion Never a disappointment, this issue stays true to form with highly informative and innovative content, as well as that inclusion of historical content designed to expand our knowledge further. It's obvious that Ray Rimell puts a lot of effort into this publication, and for me, they are the one of the highlights of writing for SP&R. If you have ever thought about starting modeling in this genre, then you really cannot be without a copy of this being posted through your door. Very highly recommended Our sincere thanks to Albatros Publications for the review sample. To purchase directly, click HERE. James H

1:32 Lozenge decal sets for Fokker D.VII Old Propeller (Wood & Wire) Catalogue #: see article for # and price Available from Nordland Models It's true to say that Great War aviation modeling has taken off in a way that perhaps none of us would have expected, and that Wingnut Wings are primarily the driving force behind its popularity. Yes, there is Roden, and they have released some darn fine kits, but they were really recommended for modellers with some experience, whereas WNW kits have made the genre more mainstream due to their excellent engineering and tolerance. In the wake of this wave of popularity, we have welcomed many aftermarket companies into our little niche, namely Gaspatch Models, HGW, Aviattic and Old Propeller, to name but a few. It is the Old Propeller cookie-cut Fokker D.VII lozenge decals, designed for the Wingnut Wings kit, that we look at today. The sets we have been sent are: D32020W, 4 colour upper and lower wing lozenge, Fokker D.VII (Alb) (pink tapes), £12.63 D32021W, 4 colour fuselage lozenge for Fokker D.VII (Alb), including interior lozenge, £1035 D32022W, 5 colour upper and lower wing lozenge, Fokker D.VII (OAW) (blue tapes), £12.63 D32023W, 5 colour fuselage lozenge for Fokker D.VII (OAW), including interior lozenge, £10.35 D32024W, 4 colour upper and lower wing lozenge, Fokker D.VII (OAW) (blue tapes), £12.63 D32025W, 4 colour fuselage lozenge for Fokker D.VII (OAW), including interior lozenge, £10.35 D32042W, 4 colour upper and lower wing lozenge, Fokker D.VII (OAW) (lozenge tapes), £12.63 D32043W, 4 colour fuselage lozenge for Fokker D.VII (OAW), including interior lozenge, £10.35 D32039W, 4 colour upper and lower wing lozenge for Fokker D.VII (UDET), £12.63 All of these sets are 'base white', which essentially means that the decal sections are printed onto a large white inked background, presumably applied with silk screen printing due to the fact that most modern printing systems cannot produce white as a colour. The white layer itself, whilst discernible as a thickness, is still very thin, and pretty much in line with standard kit decal sheets we see today, from the likes of Cartograf etc. These base-white on these sheets, however, is printed in the Czech Republic by Propagteam, and the actual Fokker decal is laser-printed on top of this base colour. D32020, 4 colour upper and lower wing lozenge, Fokker D.VII (Alb) (pink tapes) D32021, 4 colour fuselage lozenge for Fokker D.VII (Alb), including interior lozenge Each set comes in a re-sealable clear wallet, with a product hanger at the top. Inside the packet, a stiff card insert helps to protect the decals from any bending, whilst there is also a rear, colour printed sheet which explains how to use the decals. This explanation isn't simply a case of teaching a modeller the blindingly obvious, but also acts as a guide as to which order to assemble the decal panels to your model, and also in preparing the decals themselves before use. The latter statement points at a stage in decaling that I've never before encountered, and this is in actually airbrushing the decals sheet before you remove the panels from it. I'm a little unsure as to why this process is needed, but clear gloss Gunze varnish, diluted with solvent in a 1:1 ratio is suggested. I'm thinking that this will help stabilize the laser inking over the top of the screen printed base, as no mention of doing this is apparent on the translucent decal sheets that we'll be reviewing shortly. D32022, 5 colour upper and lower wing lozenge, Fokker D.VII (OAW) (blue tapes) D32023, 5 colour fuselage lozenge for Fokker D.VII (OAW), including interior lozenge The appearance of the decals themselves is quite stylized, with an amazing looking fabric texture, including a degree of both fading and a depth (shadow) which can be seen at the wing rib tape juncture. When I say the decals are stylized, what I refer to is the actual texture itself, which may or may not be a little heavier than would be apparent at 1:32 scale, but again, this certainly doesn't detract from their amazingly attractive appearance. The fading of the fabric also adds an element to the decals that would normally only be achieved by adding a fading filter to standard lozenge sheets. Add to that the fabric texture, and you have a model which will already have that look you wanted to build, simply from decals. D32024, 4 colour upper and lower wing lozenge, Fokker D.VII (OAW) (blue tapes) D32025, 4 colour fuselage lozenge for Fokker D.VII (OAW), including interior lozenge These sheets, as mentioned, contain sections which much be cut around before you can apply them. This is because the carrier film is one continuous layer. The 'base-white' decals are discernible from the transparent sets by the fact that the sections are printed on that large white background, so obvious from the pale blue paper you can see at the perimeter. The paper used is classed as 'high quality English'. Whilst I have never personally used a set of these yet, I know someone who has, and he had no problem in applying them to his Albatros D.V. As he used the Old Propeller 'bolt sheets', covering the wing in panels, he had to apply a little shading to the wing rib tape to fabric junction, whereas these sets already create that image of depth for you without having to go to that trouble. For Albatros fans, I do believe that cookie-cut sets will be available for this, and other WNW kits in the near future. D32042, 4 colour upper and lower wing lozenge, Fokker D.VII (OAW) (lozenge tapes) D32043, 4 colour fuselage lozenge for Fokker D.VII (OAW), including interior lozenge Whilst not being as historically clued-up as I would like with regard to lozenge, these sets, as you can see, are described as OAW, or Alb, for example. Whilst this refers to the aircraft production facility, I'm unsure as to what the difference was in lozenge use between the different factories. Either way, you're sure to find exactly the set you need, whether it be 4 or 5 colour lozenge, and with the different pre-printed rib tape colour ensembles. What I do need to mention is that decals can be purchased with a transparent base, allowing the modeller to create his/her own shading and weathering. D32039, 4 colour upper and lower wing lozenge for Fokker D.VII (UDET) As is standard, your model must be painted in a light colour, preferably pale grey or white, and also gloss coated. Ensure your finish is as flaw-free as you can get it. You will notice that one set of these decals is a bit of an oddity. This is because it is a wing set only, designed for Ernst Udet's Fokker D.VII. The fuselage of this machine was painted red, so only the wing itself need be represented in lozenge form. This set also correctly describes the lower wing as Fokker-built origin, whilst the upper is OAW-built. I can't see any difference in the lozenge pattern on between these sets, nonetheless. The wing decal sets are printed onto a large, main A4 sheet with a smaller insert containing the upper wing upper and lower centre section decals. The fuselage sets are printed onto a single A4 sheet. Conclusion Old Propeller have taken the image of what most of us what expect to see with a fabric surface, and beautifully prepared something which looks both stylish and very convincing. The colours are slightly muted of course, as they have designed to look faded. Compare these with the Wingnut Wings decals, and the latter look highly radioactive in comparison. There's no doubt these are a massive improvement over what the kit itself offers, but of course, you will need to trim each decal from the sheet. As these are base white, you could possibly leave a fine edge to the trimmed parts, and slightly overlap the decals so as not to risk gaps in the finish. Just ensure that you don't leave any prominent ridges, but I don't think this would be possible with these releases. With the transparent versions, you would need to trim accurately, or you would be left with a dark line at the overlap. Highly recommended Our sincere thanks to Old Propeller for the review samples. To purchase directly, click THIS link. James H