JayDee

What is the delivery time like? I'm very tempted.

Thanks Jamme, I do like the look of these. How is the quality?

Hi Jamme, Does this sit on top existing workbenches? If so, what style workbenches do you use?

I use a junior hacksaw and grind flat on wet'n dry paper.

Ladies and gentlemen, In a couple of months, I move house and need to equip a fairly small bedroom as my workshop. I want a decent workstation style setup with some storage and drawer units. One drawer unit will have my extractor unit sat on top, and the other, my photo tent. The workstation needs, ideally, drawers and a vertical face onto which I can hang tools and other stuff. I'm in desperate need of ideas. Can you help. Remember, I'm in the UK and need to source easily.

1:32 Focke-Wulf Fw 189A-1 HpH Catalogue # 32030R Available from HpH for €210 If there was one country that didn’t mind defying convention with their aircraft design, it was Germany. Unlike some of the more unusual projects created by the Allied nations, the Germans really didn’t mind pushing the experiment further and as a result, a number of pretty unorthodox airframes entered regular service. One of these was the Focke-Wulf Fw 189, designed by Fw’s chief design engineer, Kurt Tank. This specific machine was the winning design for a requirement to provide the Luftwaffe with a tactical reconnaissance and army cooperation aircraft that was also able to carry a light bomb-load. Another notable machine which the Fw 189 competed against was Blohm und Voss’s unusual and asymmetric Bv 141. The Fw 189 was generally referred to as the Uhu (owl) and the ‘flying eye’, and consisted of a twin boom layout with a heavily glazed fuselage nacelle sitting on the centre wing section. Powered by two Argus As410 engines, the Fw 189 was perhaps a little underpowered, and relatively slow in comparison to fighter aircraft. Despite this, the sheer manoeuvrability of the type, with its incredibly small turning circle, made them relatively hard to shoot down, and the Uhu became a successful aircraft, operating mainly on the Eastern Front, with great effectiveness. A crew of three was carried, and defence was provided by MG15s fixed into two gun cupolas. A further two MG17s were positioned in the wing roots, firing forward. Externally, up to four SC50 bombs could also be carried. Almost 900 Fw 189 were built, with only one surviving today, in a state of severe disrepair (under rebuild at time of writing), and several other nations operated them, including Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria. Norway actually operated the Fw 190, post-war. It’s often been said that large-scale modellers are living in a truly golden age. Who would’ve thought, only a few short years ago, that we would see even one quarter of the amazing and ambitious releases that we are being offered on a regular basis. A number of particular subjects are of course classed as a Holy Grail amongst certain modellers, and the Focke-Wulf Fw 189 is one of them. Great Wall Hobby have given us two wonderful 1:48 kits in injection plastic, and now HpH have stepped up the mark with this new resin-based multimedia kit. As soon as this was announced, I really had to register my interest. The real Fw 189 had a wingspan of 60ft, which means that in 1:32, this model has a span of no less that 570mm. That means this model is no shrinking violet. With that in mind, it might surprise you to find that this kit is packed into a relatively small box, measuring 410mm x 260mm, and with a depth of only 55mm! HpH have decided to use an action artwork on this release, instead of the profile art of previous kits, and I have to say that it’s a smart move. The box itself is quite a rigid type, and inside, it’s compartmented in order to keep parts from sliding around. This also adds further rigidity. If you are ordering this kit from long distance, I have to tell you that HpH pack their products superbly, and this arrived safely, wrapped in corrugated card and bubble-wrap. Open the lid, and sat on top of the mass of bubble-wrap protected packets, sits two zip-lock wallets. One of these contains a set of HGW-made seatbelts, vinyl canopy masks, turned brass parts, single decal sheet and a CD that contains the instructions manual. I quickly printed this in colour, as it’s far friendlier for workbench use. The other zip-lock wallet contains two large brass photo-etch frets and a single colour-printed one, protected by a piece of cardboard. All smaller resin components are bagged into zip-lock wallets that reflect the parts groupings printed in the manual. The larger airframe parts are inserted within the compartments, and bubble-wrapped for protection. Firstly my apologies, as having fumbled through these parts in order to asses and understand them, I seem to have possibly put some of them back into wrong bags prior to taking photographs. I’m sure you’ll still understand what I write though. Parts Bag A I quite like HpH’s solution of casting their parts on ultra-thin wafers. Some decry this, saying it makes it difficult to remove, but I prefer it to casting blocks. This bag contains TWELVE wafer casts and one part on a casting block. Four of these wafers are duplicated once, for those many multiple parts that are required, such as internal undercarriage bay structures, multi-part engine cylinders, rudder counterbalances, internal canopy framing, gear bay wing spar sections, engine bulkheads etc. Generally, parts are grouped onto wafers which are specific for certain areas of construction. Where they aren’t, this can still be pretty easy to locate what you need. There are so many parts here that it wouldn’t be feasible to list them all. Other wafers include cockpit floors and sidewalls, instrument panel, gun cupola rings, and also rods that runs along the leading edge of the landing flaps. The single cast piece in this pack is the rear fuselage deck. If you’ve never seen an HpH kit before, then you’re in for a treat. All detail is excellent, with the minutest trace being there to see. Casting is sharp and among some of the best I’ve seen. Without a doubt, this must go to create one of the best cockpits I’ve ever seen. Take a look at the images for yourself. HpH isn’t relying on resin alone for some of the key parts, like the multipart cockpit floor. These are supplemented by photo-etch parts such as tread-plates. This will look incredible when assembled and painted, and with that large greenhouse glazed area, it really has to be very good indeed. Parts Bag B Another nine wafers are packed into here, but not as large as those in the first bag. Predominantly, this package contains cockpit parts, such as padded cushions, seat buckets, control column, rudder pedal assemblies, armour plate framing, ammunition saddles, compressed gas cylinders, canteens, camera mount, equipment bags etc. The camera itself is to be found in the previous bag of parts. The design of this kit has the camera pointing down through a hole in the fuselage floor, yet the centre underside wing panel has the aperture cast as closed. There is some PE to use as what appears to be a door here, so I assume you can drill out that section and pose the model with the camera door in an open position. Non-cockpit parts include the undercarriage, main gear wheel hubs, and underwing ETC bomb racks. Parts Bag C There are a small number of wafers here. One of these holds the two engine crankcase blocks onto which the cylinders fit. Full engines aren’t supplied for this model, but no doubt that it could be achieved with a little ingenuity. An option to provide for this would have been a nice tough. tail wheel leg with wire reinforcement Immediately recognisable are the amazing looking engine cowls, cast as single pieces into which the engine cylinder assemblies will slide. You can appreciate here the rather beautiful lines of the Argus As 410 engine cowls. Very impressive. External detail is itself worth noting. Panel lines are fine and even. A fine wall of resin needs to be removed from the rear circumference of each cowl, and this is designed to be easy to do. Each of the four 50kg bombs are also cast as single pieces, complete with stabilising fins, and the non-glazed upper fuselage section is also a single piece, connected to its block by another thin resin wall. HpH have cast the spinners as a single part, minus the attractive fins which will be added as photo-etch parts. Propeller blades are cast onto a wafer, and jointed down one of their edges. Care should be taken in removing them for use. All wheels are cast as single parts, and the main gear doors are to be found, two per block, with excellent detail both outside and within. The single piece main gear struts are a beautiful piece of casting, and are made rigid by the insertion of a steel rod. Some clean-up will be required of course, but certainly nothing more than you would expect. Parts Bag 4 If the thought of lots of clear resin parts was to make you wonder about their quality, then fear not. These are probably the best I have ever seen, including those seen in their other kits (and I thought THOSE were good too!). There are fourteen parts here, and the most obvious, the nose, is certainly attention-grabbing. This single piece unit, like the other parts, is crystal clear, with beautiful external framing detail. Like the other parts, it is connected to its casting block by a thin resin wall which will be easy to saw through. I’m still drooling at the nose, but onwards! Framing detail and clarity are standard across the whole of this bag. For the rear gun ring, HpH has cast this in two parts, allowing the modeller to choose the final position of being either opened or closed. Of course, the parts can also be placed in any position on that ring, as it of course swivelled in actual use. You really will need to make an outstanding job of that cockpit, as you’ll see little bit of detail though this canopy. The crew access doors can be positioned in either an open of closed position too. My only reservation here is that all these fragile parts are in the same bag. It would’ve been better to use a few smaller bags in order to prevent scratching. A few clear and coloured resin pieces are included for wingtip lights, plus a few smaller parts for underwing light etc. Parts Bag 5 A lot of key parts here, with the central under-wing/fuselage panel, rudders, stabiliser, elevator and ailerons being found here. Again, external detail is amazing, and as good as any you will find on a top-quality injection moulded kit. Detail consists of fine panel lines and port access plates, as well as restrained riveting. Fabric and rib detail on the ailerons and rudder are subtle enough and will need no further work, and the stabiliser is a two-piece item, being cast as upper and lower panels. You will need to remove the resin webbing from the tail gear well area. Well detail is cast on the upper inside of the stabiliser, and this is enhanced further with photo-etch inner rib detail. Wings Whilst the wing upper and lower panels seem conventional, they aren’t. Upper wing panels also contain a portion of the fuselage nacelle sidewalls. Cast into them is also the tail boom fairing and forward engine cowl. The lower wing panels are shorter, stopping at the tail boom junction. Ailerons and landing flap areas are separate items. I find the surface detail absolutely gorgeous. Look at the photos and see how precise and even the panel lines are, and the other engraved detail. The full airframe is also riveted, and it looks impressive. A lower landing light is provided as a separate inner reflector and external lens, with a PE plate. PE is also used for the aileron actuator and hinge covers. Detail is comprehensive. Of course, there are casting blocks to remove, and these lie along the wing leading edge with the upper panels. These are connected so as to cause minimal disruption to external detail, whilst not affecting the lines of the forward-most leading edge lines. Lower panels have the blocks connected along the rear edge, where the ailerons etc. will fit. Three inner wing spars are also included here, cast onto a wafer. The main spar is reinforced with steel rods. The instructions clearly show their positions, plus there are channels and ribbing within the wings which provide a position location for these parts. Tail Booms Construction is conventional here, with each boom consisting of port and starboard halves. Notice that they insert within the gap left by the lower wing panels, and include the wing cross section at that point, meaning they should be easy to align. Rudders are separate, and we saw those earlier. External detail matches the other parts beautifully, with some very neat rows of rivets. You will need to replace any of these that could become lost when removing seams. External detail is supplemented by photo etch detail, such as the strakes that run along the spine and belly of each tail boom, and the strap that covers the bolts which hold the tail fins to the booms. Like a number of parts in this kit, there are positions within the parts that are designed to accept resin locating pins that will help with alignment. HpH’s attention to detail extends into the main gear wells, where you’ll see some very nice rib and stringer detail. Along with the other components, just a little wiring is all that will be needed to create an amazingly detailed area. Resin summary All parts are cast in a light grey resin, unlike some of the releases I’ve seen where this has a pale green/yellowish hue. Surface finish is superb, looking very akin to an injection kit. External surfaces are polished. This kit appears to have no defects anywhere, or any breakages. Quite simply, an ultra-high quality resin product. Clean up and block removal should also prove to be very simple, in comparison to other resin releases I’ve seen over the years. Turned brass parts MG15 gun barrels are provided here, and look like MASTER parts. If you’ve seen these before, you’ll know just how realistic they are. A small PE fret also provides parts for the reticules. The remaining parts are for the pitot, and two sets of slide-fit tubes for the prop shafts, allowing the finished item to rotate. Photo-etch parts A single colour-printed fret contains the instrument panel and the fascias for other instrumentation units within the cockpit, including various levers etc. A number of non-colour parts are also included for general cockpit use, such as the rudder pedals and observer’s feet racks that sit within the glazed nose. The largest brass fret contains parts solely for the landing flaps. All photo-etch in this kit is produced by Eduard, and these flaps follow their typical design whereby you fold and twist the small ribs within the flaps, to 90 degrees. The skeletal framework is fitted to a separate outer skin, and you will need to add the leading edge tubes to complete them, as well as various other small parts. I did say this fret was solely for flaps, but I can also see the tail-boom spine and belly strakes here too. Lastly, a slightly small fret contains parts which are general to the model. These include the anti-glare panel from the cockpit, ammunition saddle parts, alternative PE bomb fins (requiring removal of resin cast parts), plus various straps, plates and other minor detail. Production standard is as high as is to be expected from Eduard, with everything clearly numbered. Masks With a canopy with so many panels, you’d be correct in assuming that this would be a killer to mask. Thankfully, a beautifully cut set of vinyl masks is included. Mask material exhibits no shrinkage, and appear to be high quality. Either way, you’ll be thankful that HpH included these! Decals HpH’s decal inclusion has undergone its own revolution. In previous releases, standard decal sets have been included, but recently, a fellow Czech company, HGW, have been using a new technology called Wet Transfer. These started with stencil sets, and progressed to actual markings. The beauty with these, as opposed to regular decals, is that they contain ZERO carrier film! Each decal is soaked in water, and then applied to the model. After a few hours, the carrier film is peeled off, leaving just the ink on the surface. HPH have decided to include a custom set of these in this kit, including both national, individual, and stencil decals. Printing quality is high, and in perfect register. Check out those stencils, and they are readable too! Three schemes are available in this release, and these are: Fw 189A-1, 1.(H)32, Pontsalenjoki airfield, Finland, 1943 Fw 189A-1, 1.(H)32, Finland, 1942 – 1943 Fw 189A-1, 1.(H)32, Finland, 1943 Seatbelts HGW’s second collaboration with our kit manufacturer is for the inclusion of some seatbelts, specifically designed for the Fw 189. These are made from a combination of printed and laser-cut textile parts, and a small number of buckles and clasps that are included on the colour PE fret. These belts are simply the best available, and can be posed in a natural way by scrunching the material before assembly. They can also be weathered with oils. Instructions A CD is provided which contains all the high-resolution colour JPG pages that you will need. Ideally, you should print a copy of these and work from that. I hate staring at computer screens whilst I work. Also, as I use a Macbook Pro, I didn’t have a CD drive, and needed to dump the files to a pen drive whilst at work. The instruction files are very high resolution, and start with showing the contents of the parts bags, all numbered. Clarity is very good. Instructions are then shown for assembling the seatbelts, and then construction begins with the wing and spar assembly. These first steps are critical and need to be followed closely. Assembly drawings are in line drawing format and look easy to understand. These are punctuated with colour photos of the test assembly. Colours are indicated, but in simple terms, and not in manufacturer codes. Instructions to add the decals are also given, and of course, each scheme is illustrated in various profile format. In all, a very clear and concise publication that you should have any trouble with. Chocolate What chocolate? Looks like HpH decided to discontinue that little treat. It’s a shame as it softened the way with my wife when I introduced yet another kit to her! Conclusion For me, this is HpH’s best release yet. I know the subject is one that really appeals to me anyway, but I do own a few other earlier kits, such as the Walrus, He 111, Me 410 and Sea Hornet. Those are all masterpieces, but I think this piques even those kits. Yes, this one is slightly more expensive than was originally projected, but the increase in PE accounted for that. This is also no beginner’s kit. In fact, unless you’re well-versed with resin, I would think twice about it due to the unusual layout and the critical factor in getting everything to align properly. As a kit, it’s simply outstanding; highly detailed, and a superb piece of model engineering and casting, along with those seatbelts, photo-etch and turned brass parts. I really couldn’t resist this one, and the main exterior parts indicate this was #03 from the moulds! If this at all appeals to you, treat yourself, and tell them you saw it at Large Scale Modeller. VERY highly recommended My sincere thanks to HpH Models for this review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link. James H

I'd need to see photos of the set. Of course, the cowls would need extending in length too.

1:32 Fw 190 undercarriage and wheels Eduard Catalogue # see article for code and price Available from Eduard Well, barely has the brand new Revell Focke-Wulf Fw 190F-8 hit the shelves, and there are already aftermarket items starting to appear. Having built the kit already, and despite it being a great release, there are a number of things which can indeed be improved, and these two new items from Eduard, tackle the biggest bugbear with this kit; namely the wheels and undercarriage. 632055, Fw 190F-8 wheels, €11,25 632057, Fw 190 undercarriage legs BRONZE, €17,25 Fw 190F-8 wheels The kit parts are pretty crap, to be honest, and not too inspiring, despite the hubs being more than passable. A problem with two-part treaded tyres is of course removing the seam adequately. It was pleasing to see that Eduard planned to tackle this and produce a corrected set of wheels, along with replacement hubs. This set is packaged into the familiar Brassin blister pack, with the contents protected with the use of soft form inserts. To add a little more cream, a set of masks is also included. This set represents the main 700 x 175 treaded tyres of the F-8, as well as supplying a single piece tailwheel replacement. All tyres are cast on their own blocks, and connected via the weighted area, and a thin web which runs around the bottom on the wheel. These are, through experience, very simple to remove and clean up prior to use. Tread detail on the main wheels is excellent, complete with raised detail showing the tyre size and the DUNLOP text. Yes! Dunlop! Here’s an image of a German tyre carrying the name. The tailwheel carries the CONTINENTAL logo, and has excellent hub detail moulded integrally. Even though I thought the kit hubs to be fine, they pale in significance against these resin replacements. Detail is sharp, with various plate and bolt head detail, plus the tyre inflation nipple on the recessed section of the outer hub. The hubs are cast over two blocks, and have a key on their reverse face, allowing correct orientation to the wheels. One small quirk I notice is that the hub locating hole for the bronze leg replacements, will need opening up slightly to accommodate them. The reason for this is that Eduard have made the struts with a more realistic axle diameter to the scrawny one in the kit. If you decide to use the kit legs, then they will fit exactly. Masks are supplied to help you paint these items, but I admit I prefer to paint the hubs separately, if at all possible. All masks are supplied on a single sheet of Kabuki masking material, and the cutting is nice and sharp. The instructions supply colour codes in Mr Hobby format, and mask application is clearly shown. Fw 190 undercarriage legs BRONZE Now we’re talking! Along with the poor tyres of the Revell kit come the anorexic and poorly detailed main gear legs. The axles on them are also so thin that simply gluing the wheels in place, caused the thin protrusions to melt and make the wheels sag. Eduard have now fixed this and produced a perfect product for this kit. Of course, there is also another reason for metal legs, and that is because the thin plastic ones would have to take more load if you add the resin components, such as the forthcoming cockpit and gun bay. I have asked if an engine will be made available, and as soon as I know, I’ll announce. This set is packaged in the same way as the wheels, and contains two beautifully cast bronze leg replacements. They actually look so good that it seems a shame to paint them! There really is no comparison when you look at these parts. A small mould paring seam needs to be removed on the compression strut, but that’s the only clean-up I see. These legs look more accurate with regards to diameter, and they contain all the detail that the kit missed, including a nice, thin brake line. The holes in the oleo scissors are also hollow. These struts also have the lower clips cast integrally to them. These are the parts which I believe were sometimes removed from service machines, although I don’t know if that’s correct. Connection points on the struts will mean that the correct angle is instantly attained. This set also provides replacement resin main gear doors, which are just stunning! Both are cast on their own block and connected via a thin resin wall. Door detail is first rate, both inside and out, and the strut fits perfectly to them, with no ambiguity. I just wish the retraction arms were also included in this set, but not to worry! Again, paint codes for Mr Hobby paints are supplied, and illustration is easy to follow. Conclusion For me, these are quite simply MUST-HAVE for the Revell kit, and addresses the shortcomings in this area. As I said, if you plan to load this model out with other resin and etch sets, then I consider at least the undercarriage legs, to be absolutely vital. With Eduard’s standard quality and attention to detail, you really can’t go wrong with either of these sets. VERY highly recommended My sincere thanks to Eduard for these review samples. To purchase directly, click the links in the article. James H

I was only thinking of this build last night and resurrecting my own build. Got to admit that I love the scratch work here. Very tempting and would open up the possibilities. You bought the Fw 189 yet?

1:12 Stormtrooper Bandai Catalogue # Available from Hobby Link Japan for ¥1,920 I recently took a look at Bandai’s new C-3PO release, and was pretty impressed with it. That was a subject I’ve always enjoyed since I was a kid, so I really couldn’t resist buying that one. However, Threepio was the only character to make the flight here from Japan. I also ordered the R2-D2 & R5-D4, Darth Vader, and the Stormtrooper kits. The latter is what I’m looking at today. I imagine that most of you will recognise the Stormtrooper instantly. This character, one of the evil Empire’s foot-soldiers, is famed for being able to shoot absolutely nothing, despite being deployed in great numbers. Irrespective of that, for me, this is just one of the coolest looking Sci-Fi creations of all time. Bandai’s box, as with C-3PO, shows an action shot of the character on the lid, with the posing options printed on the box edges. The box is another high quality, lustrous affair, and certainly an attractive entrée to the main course that we’ll now see. We have a slightly smaller sprue count that we did with C-3PO, with there being two bags containing FOUR sprues. One main sprue is moulded in white, and the other in black, with a couple of white parts moulded on there too. The remaining sprues are the polythene joint connector one, and also the mandatory display stand. Two decal sheets are included. These are identical, but give you a choice between waterslide decal and regular stickers. SPRUE A Underneath that shiny white armour, the Stormtrooper wore a black suit, and this is exactly what you find here, in a multitude of pieces; some recognisable, and others, not so much. Easily identifiable are upper and lower torso halves, into which fit the polycaps that the arms, legs and head plug into. The black suit doesn’t actually exist in its full form, under the white armour. Bandai have tackled this by moulding the various articulated joints in black, hiding those polycap parts again. Black parts are included which supplement the main white helmet armour. The kit is essentially designed so that painting isn’t necessary. As with C-3PO, options are yet again made available. In the case of the Stormtrooper, you can chose from four sets of hands with different poses, and of course, you will be able to mix and match between them, creating a far higher range of unique posing options. Those hands will also need something to grip, and there are THREE weapon options here, as well as an optional pouch which fits to the soldier’s utility belt. This even comes with a strap to securely fasten the weapon in place. Parts you will recognise on here are the ribbed, fabric neck protection, and the various parts of the helmet which are black, such as the eyes, mouth and the band which sits below the helmet dome. Notice also the display stand insert which is designed to specifically match the Stormtrooper’s foot. Two white parts are moulded here which form the left and right hand pouches which are fastened to the soldier’s utility belt. SPRUE B Seams could always have a potential to ruin your day with a project like this, but Bandai have done a great job in hiding these down the sides of ridges etc. A good example of this are the leg and arm parts. On the real thing, a beading runs down the sides or fronts of these key areas, and the seam runs immediately adjacent to that bead. Quite nifty, and a very good way to make this a pleasurable build. Whilst the engineering of this kit is generally very clever with regard to hiding seams, it may be a little less so with the helmet. The lower rear portion is moulded as left and right halves, with the seam running down the middle of the area. It’s no big deal to be able to remove this if painting later, but I can’t vouch for that if you want to leave this in bare plastic. Apart from that, the helmet is superbly designed with a total of 6 parts going into its construction. This model is fully articulated, as the separate upper and lower torso parts clearly indicate. Most of the external armour parts on this kit are used either or both in conjunction with the black sprue parts and the flexible joints sprue. The lower torso, built up from several parts including the detailed forward control panel. One thing I notice with this kit, as opposed to the C-3PO release is that the sprue connections aren’t on the joint faces but on the part paces themselves. Thankfully, Bandai have made these absolutely minimal, and some of the most thoughtful sprue gate implementation I’ve seen. SPRUE PC As I noted in the C-3PO review, it seemed that this sprue was common to all releases, and it does appear to be that way. Look on ‘PC’ as meaning ‘polycap’. Again, not all parts here are designed for use with this kit, and the plastic itself is flexible, aiding articulation of your finished project. Essentially, this sprue contains all the joint connectors and flexible sockets that fit within both the under-suit and armour of the Stormtrooper. The flexible torso connector is also a common part to the C-3PO release. SPRUE SWB2 The last sprue is again a common item, containing the display stand into which you will add the specific insert from the first sprue, designed to fit the Stormtrooper. The base is plain and black, and I would again look at doing something with this to represent the flooring in the Death Star, or similar. Plastic Summary I’m becoming quite a fan of Bandai’s quality of engineering and moulding, with the end result being very mindful of the modeller’s overall enjoyment. No defects can be seen, nor flash, seams and sink marks. Ejection pin marks simply don’t figure here. A triumph! DECALS Yes, even the Stormtrooper has a few of these, represented in both sticker and waterslide decal format. I would of course, always choose the waterslide type, and a little setting solution. Printing in both cases is excellent, with perfect register and nice detail. INSTRUCTIONS I’m not really a fan of Bandai’s format here. I wasn’t too bothered last time I reviewed C-3PO, but I have to say that a booklet would have been easier to handle and follow, instead of a long strip with both sides containing assembly detail spread among completed images etc. Still, you shouldn’t have too much trouble, unless you work on a small table. Just remember not to leave it all unfolded! Illustration is pretty clear, with the character being split into drawings in which the shaded portion is the one currently being constructed. The sheet also illustrates the options available in this release. Conclusion It must be the kid in me, but I’ve always wanted to build a model of a Stormtrooper, and this pretty much captures the look and feel of the character. I’m not sure if the waist looks a little thin, but in all, I can’t really complain. I do think a nice touch would have been a Han Solo or Luke Skywalker head, and a hollow helmet, allowing you to pose the figure as one of the good guys in the Stormtrooper armour, as seen in the first film. Hey, we can’t have it all ways. I think in some ways, we’re becoming spoilt. This really is a great little kit, and also very affordable. I just hope you don’t spend all your man-cave time posing him instead of building further projects! Highly Recommended Review kit courtesy of my wallet. To purchase directly, click THIS link. James H

1:32 BAE Systems Hawk T.1 2007 Special Schemes RAM Decal Catalogue # RAM32-001 Available from RAM Models for £13.50 In a slightly arse about face way, today we look at the first decal release from RAM Models, following on from their civilian Spitfire decal set that we looked at very recently. This one, unsurprisingly, focuses on the beautiful 2007 special scheme applied to a number of Hawk T.1 aircraft. This particular set caters to two specific machines: XX307 and XX205. As tends to be the format, this set is packaged into an A5 zip-lock wallet, with a colour-printed, folded A4 sheet within, and two decal sheets. One of these though appears to be just a small addition, maybe of decals which had been forgotten from the initial printing. There’s no doubt that the Hawk looks sleek and sexy in this scheme, and one of the two machines is shown in both side profiles on the cover. The only actual difference between both aircraft is the serial number on the rear fuselage, so with all intents, both schemes are nigh on the same. Open up the sheet, and you’ll see that the decals supplied are massively extensive. You really don’t need anything from the kit in order to complete these schemes….whether that is in national markings or even stencils. The decal placement sheet shows both side profiles again, as well as upper and lower plans. All decals are numbered and their positions easily locatable on the airframe. Despite the darkness of the scheme, the profiles have grey panel lines to accurately determine the correct position of each specific decal. As well as those profiles, a small number of other drawings are supplied for the nose and main gear struts, and also the internal main gear door faces. Colour codes are supplied here too, and given for BS, FS, Humbrol, Xtracolour, Xtracrylix, Lifecolor and ModelMaster paints. I would quite like to have seen Gunze and Tamiya codes, but it’s easy enough to work out the alternatives. The sheer number of supplied decals is extraordinary for an aftermarket set. Looking at the decal sheet, we can again see that Fantasy Printshop is responsible for production. This is always good news and I rate their decals very highly. Printing is reasonably thin, with minimal carrier film, solid colour and perfect registration. I know Ray Horwell is a perfectionist with this, so rest assured the quality will be spot-on. The large scheme coloured arcs and curves are the main event on this sheet, and flank the multitude of other decals on there. Your work is really cut out with this set, so take plenty of time at the bench, and a few cups of coffee. Silver decals are also included, allowing you to neatly trim the edge of the canopy. Silver decals are also included for the explosive wires which are connected to the canopy itself. I really don’t know how these would fare though, as decals attached to transparencies is rarely a recipe for success. However, they are there. Due to printing limitations and other factors with screen printing, the roundels have been printed with a separate red centre. The remainder of the sheet is made of from many, many stencil decals, and walkway panel lines. These are very fine indeed, and certainly rival those more commonly seen on the sheets supplied with the kits. Conclusion A first-rate decal set which both beautifully represents the T.1 scheme, and has been meticulously reproduced with its multitude of stencils which pertain to the predominantly black scheme colour. Production is also first rate, and you really should find nothing here that will be difficult. Maybe it’s time to go and source myself that Revell kit now. Highly recommended My sincere thanks to RAM Models for this review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link. James H

That looks great. Real unusual that Silverwings would make a booboo like that with the engine and cowl. I reckon this will be done in a week.

I just got this beauty:

Can these be added to the GB area? DONE!!

This is so cool. How did you find the fuselage lined up? No steps? Can't wait to see the PZL they release.

Cheers! I'm still learning

Do it! N O W

This is seriously nice. These wood and metal 229s seem in-vogue, and you're doing this some serious justice.

I think they do, but just provide an alternative to painting. The gold will remain, but it needs to be flattened down and weathering added, so it's fine to keep.

That'll buy you around a dozen of them

Jesus! I hate you!!!

1:12 C-3PO ‘Protocol Droid’ Bandai Catalogue # BAN996418 Available from Hobby Link Japan for ¥2,800 This one really needs no introduction. If you’ve never heard of, or seen C-3PO, then you must’ve been living with your head rammed in a certain physical extremity, for the last 40 years almost. This is probably the most lovable and well-known arthropod droid that has ever hit the silver screen. Along with his sidekick, R2-D2, this golden tin can character is probably one of the most loved from the original Star Wars film trilogy. Bandai? I always thought they produced electronic video games! I suppose I'm showing my age How I remember Bandai C-3PO (or Threepio) is just one of a number of 1:12 Star Wars figures that have been released by Bandai, and one of four that I have here. I decided to look at this one first, simply to show both the technologies and design features that Bandai have crammed into this release. If you can remember the 1:48 Fieseler Storch that Tamiya released a few years ago, then you will have found the coloured/clear sprue to have been quite a novelty. That seems to be pretty par for the course these days, with some manufacturers. Bandai have used this to good effect; not just with colour, but also with some sprue parts being flexible. Bandai’s Star Wars releases look just sumptuous in their presentation. As with the other kits in this series, this one is packaged into a highly glossy box that shows the main character on the lid, and with a series of model images and options highlighted around the box edges. Unfortunately, all descriptive text is in Japanese, so I can’t readily translate for you. If you have a Smartphone, such as the iPhone, then there are real-time translators that can hack this text for you. C-3PO contains SIX sprues, some of which are sub-divided into a number of other sprues, and packed into heat-sealed cellophane wrappers. Two packets contain a number of connected sprues that are plated in a gold, mirror finish. Another has a single sprue that is chrome plated. C-3PO had a replacement leg which wasn’t of the same gold finish, and this caters to that, as well as a number of other parts. One packet contains two black sprues (one rigid and one flexible), plus a waterslide decal sheet. The last packet is the most unusual sprue I have EVER seen. It is mainly black styrene, but also has gold, red and clear elements, with the red parts appearing to be flexible. That is a neat bit of moulding on behalf of Bandai. Very impressive. SPRUE A This is the sprue which really captivates me due to its multicolour mouldings. The predominantly black moulding contains a number of interconnection parts, such as the torso midriff and the inside hand. The famous torso with its wiring is well depicted here. This is supplemented by a few parts that are moulded in red plastic too, plus mute gold. What this kit does supply are decals in both waterslide and sticker format, and a sticker/decal is supplied for the midriff connecting point. Clear parts are provided for the eyes, and also the electronics module that is located in the panel on the rear of C-3PO’s torso. Look at the arms of C-3PO, and you will see various linkages. Most of these are integral to the mouldings we’ll see in a moment, but the extras are provided here. If you want these to match the other parts, then you really need to airbrush them in something akin to Mr Metal Color Brass/Gold. These are far friendlier to apply than the Alclad colours, and don’t have the same noxious whiff. SPRUE B1 This is a single sprue, and one that is gold plated. A good number of C-3PO’s key parts are here, such as the head shell parts, upper torso, lower torso, and some head and connective parts. Two chest plates are included, one of which has an attachment part of some sort. Sorry, I can’t elaborate further, but if you are a Star Wars buff, you may know exactly what this is. That forward plate is interchangeable too, with the part simply plugging over an internal plate, also on this sprue. Look at the rear torso plate and you can see that the access door for the electronics unit, is a separate part. That electronics unit is also included and the door can be removed to show this. The head is split into a rear shell, interconnecting plate, and the forward shell. Two options are provided here, with one of them having a dent in the forehead. Again, I don’t know the significance of this. I only ever saw the first Star Wars film, and that’s where my knowledge begins and ends. Clear parts are provided for the eyes. I was just thinking how great it would be to model these with a nice, soft light filtering through them. I think I may just do that, as there is plenty of space in the stand to house a switch and any resistors required. That stand also comes with an optional post onto which Threepio can be mounted (charging post?), and because of this, a small plate to the rear of the lower torso, can be removed if you want to pose the model like this for a while. I have to say it does nothing for me, and perhaps detracts a little from the character standing on its own two feet. Other parts on this sprue include one of the integral arm halves, ball sockets for both arms, one of the knee joints, upper left leg halves and electronics unit panel. SPRUES B2/B4/B5/B6/B7/B8 These sprues are connected together to make a larger sprue, and again all finished in metallic gold. It’s now that we see a couple of other options. Notice that the regular bent arms are supplied as halves, with the actuators moulded on them. If you want to pose the arms in a less bent position, then you can make these from a series of individual parts, such as upper/lower halves and separate actuators. It will be useful to use one of these other arms if you wish to pose the model in this iconic way, as the arms and hands can rotate. Optional hands are also included, with the fingers less bent on one set. I really do like the options available here. Due to the arm actuators, it wasn’t really feasible to have a fully moving unit, and I think Bandai’s compromise is certainly very workable. All limbs are movable to a degree, including the legs, and here you see the upper right leg, and the lower left, plus the left foot with a separate sole. Bandai also did a great job of moulding the upper arm/shoulder connection parts, although these are a number of parts that unfortunately have the sprue connections on the part face. As these are very minor parts, they will easily be touched up. SPRUE B3 The reason this sprue is moulded separately is instantly evident. Yes, it’s finished in chrome, and not gold. C-3PO had a chrome finish lower right leg which was obviously shown to be either a replacement, or from another droid. As a result, this sprue contains the lower leg halves, knee joint, actuator, foot and sole. Lastly, the electronics unit is to be found here. SPRUE PC ‘PC’, I hear you say. Yes! I think the best way to look at this is that it might mean ‘Poly cap’. The plastic is flexible, and contains a multitude of joint connectors. Instructions show that not all of these parts are to be used, so it must a sprue that is common to a number of releases. As well as the joint connectors, the flexible torso connectors are also moulded here. SPRUE SWB3 This last sprue contains the model’s plinth. As this is a common part, it has a hole within it that is plugged with a specific part on the first black sprue. Notice that a small connector part is also supplied, which is ideal for joining the base for the R2-D2 kit. With these joined, I might be inclined to add some yellow sand to the base, simulating the Tatooine surface. Plastic Summary Moulding is seriously high quality, with plenty of detail and minimal clean up required. The latter is essential when you consider the metal plating on the majority of parts. No defects can be seen, and you really don’t need to worry about ejector pin marks here! DECALS As I have already mentioned, both waterslide and sticker options are given for all of these. I’m not a fan of stickers, and at least with the decals, you’ll be able to get them to bed down nicely with setting solutions. Printing, in both cases, is excellent. Instructions This is printed on a long, fold-out sheet, and shows every single section of the model, referenced against a drawing that highlights the specific section under construction. Very clever, but then, quite necessary as most folks simply won’t be able to understand the Japanese text. Options aren’t as obvious to start with, and you will need to study the instructions for a couple of hours first. Printing is in a combination of black & white, plus colour, with a number of model photographs included. Conclusions Just wow!! I know some modellers will be concerned with plated parts, and won’t like them……BUT, remember that this finish is a perfect base onto which to add a combination of satin and matt varnishes to simulate the tarnished finish of the real thing. Accentuated with grime and sand, then you really should have a replica of C-3PO that is very close to the movie character. You will need to follow the instructions illustrations closely so that you understand the options available to you, but that is only because of my lack of understanding of the Japanese language! Whilst I’m no fan of Sci-Fi, this and a number of other kits from the same range, are manna from heaven for me. These iconic characters were a big part of my childhood, and to see them immortalised in an amazing kit is just what I’ve wanted to see for many years. Thanks for fulfilling that guilty passion, Bandai! VERY highly recommended Review kit courtesy of my own wallet. To buy this directly, click THIS link. James H

I don't think I've seen one of these built, so thanks for sharing this with us. Beautiful work! Oh, and Welcome to Large Scale Modeller

The candy stripe frame paint on the canopy frame looks great. Wish I'd done that.

This looks amazing Nick! Real good to see what you're doing with this one. You enjoying it so far?