JayDee

Are you feeling alright Jeroen? Time to insert that thermo up the ass and see if you're ok? You are working far faster than normal. I'm worried. Apart from that....great stuff as usual

Seriously nice piece!

I thought the LSM team should share with you a recent article published in SAMI magazine, and relating to the first UK IPMS show at Bolton, this January. Large Scale Modeller was the sponsor for this show, and we had the HK Models Meteor sprues on show. As far as I know, we were the first to do this publicly. Here is the scan of the article for you. We hope you enjoy it. (Also, lookout for Tamiya Model Magazine International this coming Monday, issue #222, for another LSM mention)

Looking real good Danny, and that engine is sweet. You may or may not be pleased to know that the Benz engine in the new D.VIb kit has moulded ignition wiring! You sure did a great job adding yours. I know how tedious it is to get it to look right.

1:32 Roland D.VIb Wingnut Wings Catalogue # 32107 Available from Wingnut Wings for $69.00 with FREE worldwide shipping The Roland D.VI first entered service in early 1918, just before the use of 5 colour lozenge was phased out (see notes later), and with its Daimler- Mercedes D.III engine, it was a designed to restore Roland's credibility as a producer of fighter planes, in the face of the earlier, poor performing D.I, D.II and D.III types. Pfalz was also becoming a strong competitor to Roland, with the success of its D.III aircraft. In early 1918, the Roland D.VI and the Fokker D.VII were in direct competition to each other to win a fighter contract, and the D.VII won. The excellent performance of the Roland D.VI with its Klinkerrumpf (clinker-built) fuselage and pylon mounted lower wing, ensured a contract was still awarded, just in case Fokker couldn't fulfill its obligations. The D.VIa entered service in February 1918, and by April 1018, a Benz Bz.III powered machine was entering service, replacing the older Mercedes engines. Balanced, moveable control surfaces were eventually introduced to the 'b' type, which improved maneuverability. A total of around 200 D.VIb machines were built, slightly outstripping the production of the previous variant. After the Armistice, some D.VI machines could be seen in service with the Freikorp. Well, we really weren't expecting this one! Now and again, Wingnut Wings gives us something a little unexpected, and this falls into that category. Ok, we have had a Roland D.VIa reviewed here back in 2011, so it was always possible that the D.VIb could be released at some point, but certainly for me this still fell way under radar, as I imagine it did for just about every other WNW fan. The clues were on the original kit I suppose, when you look at the nomenclature of the sprues themselves. Some are labeled D.VIa, whilst others were simply classed as D.VI. It's always interesting looking at this aspect of Wingnut Wings kits, and trying to work out what they might be doing behind the scenes. With this kit being the latter Benz Bz.IIIa powered machine, you now get an entirely new sprue to cater to this engine. There are other differences in this kit, of course, and we'll look at those in the course of this review. In total, there are only two sprues which are new to this version of Roland's dainty fighter, with both of these being newly tooled for the purpose. Wingnut Wings artwork is always the first thing that strikes you about these kits, with another superb Steve Anderson artwork depicting a colourful Jasta 59machine, framed with a silver edged border. The box sides depict the remaining schemes on offer in this release. All in all, a sumptuous package, as always. That's only the start, as we now take a look at what's on offer within. This release contains FIVE light grey sprues, ONE clear sprue, a single PE fret, and THREE A4 size decal sheets from Cartograf. All sprues are individually packaged, as is the PE fret. Sprue's E and F are supplied co-joined in the same packet. The PE is sealed in a larger sleeve containing the decal sheets. As you'll have seen from recent Wingnut Wings releases, the instruction manual is no longer packaged in a sleeve. SPRUE A Most sprues in this release are not new, and this first one we saw in the original D.VIa release. Mostly concerning the cockpit, this sprue contains the framework sidewalls, but not the bulkheads. Those are on a newly tooled sprue. For that pilot's office, here you will find moulded the control column with separate grip and throttle control, starting magneto, ammunition magazine and empty belt box, three-part fuel tank, rear fabric bulkhead, pilot seat and cushion, rudder bar, grease pump, spark advance lever, and also the footboards with integral lower bulkhead. You will need to make a small but simple modification to the latter due to the changes within the D.VIb type. Cockpit detail is superb throughout with perhaps only the MG trigger cables worthy of being added extra. Of course you will ideally need to rig the interior using EZ-Line or similar, and a full diagram is given for this purpose. A back plate to the rear of the rear bulkhead contains a series of holes which are placed so that your rigging points terminate in the correct place. Of special note are the extremely fine but fragile looking internal cockpit side frames. Be careful when you come to clean the sprue gate location plastic from these. As with many WNW kits, the gates are actually quite short and there can be minimal space between the sprue and part. I find it good practice to use a razor saw to remove parts, and to leave the sprue cutters well away! Many key non-cockpit parts are also moulded here, and these include the undercarriage V-struts and spreader bar, propeller and spinner/back-plate, single piece cabane struts, externally mounted fuel gauge, empty belt chutes, radiator and control horns. SPRUE B Again, this is identical to the Sprue B supplied in the previous incarnation of this kit, and contains all of the Roland's flying surfaces. It's pretty obvious that the airframe of the D.VIa, as we know it, carried on over to the Benz-powered D.VIb type, for a period, and in this kit, those earlier traits are known as 'Early Production', with the 'Late Production' parts being found on a new-tool sprue we'll look at soon. Both upper and lower wings are moulded as single, full span pieces. Of course, the lower fuselage wing mounting pylon makes this very easy for this type. All control surfaces are superbly detailed with excellent rib and taught fabric detail throughout, exhibiting just that right amount of sag. Rigging points are clearly defined, but I would perhaps just drill them out a little further with a micro-drill bit. Strut location points are very clean and deep too, with the various points being shaped to fit the specific strut required to fit there, making assembly trouble-free. SPRUE C As always, this is the clear parts sprue, and it's identical to that in the previous incarnation of this kit, containing two windscreen options. Clarity is excellent. SPRUE D This is the last grey sprue which is common to the previous release, and that sleek looking clinker-built fuselage is presented here. Whilst this is the same as the previous variant, there are of course some changes to be made to this relating to the position of the various engine services access ports moulded on its exterior. This will require some parts which are supplied on a newly tooled sprue. As far as I can see, this is the only variation that needs to be made to the fuselage. Wingnut Wings did a great job in recreating that clinker fuselage, with nice, sharp strakes and nail pattern lines. The rear stabilizer is designed to slot into the rear fuselage as a single piece. Internally, that clinker construction is carried through, creating a most unusual cockpit interior. Unlike some other WW1 German types, such as the Pfalz machines which were painted grey/green within, the Roland was natural wood, so you will need to master that oil-drag technique, or similar. Wing struts are to be found here, and there are two sets, with one of them marked as not for use. Don't get these mixed up. Two versions of Spandau MG are supplied too. One of these is the standard plastic moulded one, whilst one is classed as 'high detail', and is moulded without the jacket. This particular option will be fitted with photo etch jackets which are also supplied. I know there can be a tendency for modellers to use the MASTER barrels with many of these kits, but the PE parts supplied by WNW are actually very good and fit superbly. They perhaps are more authentic due to being thinner, but of course the MASTER barrels and muzzles are first rate. Wheels are supplied as a single piece inner hub and wheel, and a separate external hub which is fitted after the wheel locking washer is fitted. Other parts on this sprue are tachometer, Spandau cocking levers, and control horns. SPRUE E I love busy looking engines, and the Benz Bz.IIIa is one of those. This model allows also for the high altitude Bz.IIIau also, but of course you'll need to check your specific scheme to see which type you should fit. The main difference between the two types is the intake manifold. All parts on this sprue are slated for use except for two parts which form a different cylinder head block. Whilst you are quite at liberty to paint the red bands on the cylinders which indicate over-compression, decals are supplied to do this, as they were in the D.VII releases. Having spent hours masking these up previously to paint them, I know which path I'll be taking here! Serial numbers are also supplied for the forward cylinder, with options being given dependent on which machine you are modeling. This engine comprises around 20 parts, and some images, both period and contemporary, are supplied in the manual, to help you detail your masterpiece. Pushrods are integrally moulded, but there are alternative parts, should you wish to add your own detail. Another 'first' with this engine is the moulded ignition and magneto wiring detail!!! It' actually quite nice. Take a look. SPRUE F This is the second newly tooled sprue supplied with this release, and provides you with all those Late Production tail surfaces and ailerons for three schemes which warrant their use. Those internal bulkheads are also moulded here, as is an entirely new upper, forward coaming to suit this variant. There is another which is moulded on sprue D, but DO NOT USE that particular one. The instructions clearly show it's not for use, do don't get them mixed up as they are very similar. A new engine needs new cowls, and here is where you'll find them, as well as the forward nose cowl too. Other parts are the engine bearers, oil tank radiator, instrument board, water coolant pipe, exhaust manifold, new engine access ports for exterior, and control horns. Just a quick note about the exhaust manifold. This is moulded so the outlet is a formed from an extra part which fits to the main manifold, creating a hollow structure which looks quite authentic. I would perhaps thin this a little further before assembly, but the lion's share of the work is done for you already. Decals are supplied for the instrument board. The Roland D.VIb had quite a sparse set of instruments, but what there is, is authentically reproduced here. Of particular note is the forward nose cowl, moulded with fine, open louvres. When it comes to finesse and detail like this, Wingnut Wings never lets us modellers down. Plastic Overview Sometimes it seems pretty pointless doing this section for a WNW kit as all I can really say again is that the kit is flash free and seams are minimal. There are no issues with ejector pin marks as these are either on tags external to the parts, or they are hidden after assembly. There aren't any sink marks either. It's pretty much as good as it can possibly get. PHOTO ETCH The single bare brass fret in this release contains a full set of seatbelts, ejector chutes, Spandau jackets and sight reticules. Still no idea why an elephant is used to indicate PE part gluing. If WNW's Richard Alexander is reading this, please explain and put me out of my misery! Etch quality is excellent as always, and tags holding parts in situ are minimal and thin. DECALS THREE sheets of decals are included with this release. Two of them contain lozenge fabric and rib tapes, exclusively. Lozenge is supplied in both four and five colour types, and as none of these are 'cookie-cut' types, it's intended that you cut the required panels yourself. Hardly any sort of hardship. The last sheet contains all the individual machine national markings and personal emblems, as well as a full suite of stencils and instrument decals. There are also a set of linen rib tapes supplied, as an alternative to the 4 and 5 colour ones on the main lozenge sheets. Where a marking crosses over an aileron, it is presented in parts for your ease. All sheets are printed by Cartograf, and are in perfect register. Colours are authentic, and decals are thin, and with minimal carrier film. In my experience with WNW decals, they adhere well without setting solutions, but can also be used with Mr Mark Setter. There is a tutorial on Large Scale Modeller which shows you how to apply WNW decals using a hairdryer, for an even more effective method of compliance and adhesion. The five schemes supplied in this kit are: Roland D.VIb, 'Berg Wappen', mid 1918 Roland D.VIb, Jasta 59, mid to late 1918 Roland D.VIb, 7502/18 "P132", McCook Field, Dayton Ohio USA, May to June 1920 Roland D.VIb, 7504/18, November 1918 Roland D.VIb, 7535/18 "Marie", Oskar Freiherr von Boenigk, Freikorps, late 1918- 1919 (26 victories) Hang on, did I say FIVE schemes? Sorry, I meant SIX! There is a bonus scheme available in this kit. This one is: Roland D.VIb, 2225/18, currently in Krakow Museum, Poland. This last machine was restored in the 1990's and the manual says to use optional parts for scheme 'A' in order to build this one as it would looked when fresh off the production line. Instruction manual This A4 sized publication stretches to 26 pages, all printed in a satin finish, with beautiful constructional sequence images within. These images are coloured in grey, with newly added parts being highlighted in blue for clarity. These drawings are interspersed with colour drawings which show assembled sections, with an even clearer colour call-out being given. Paint reference codes are given for Tamiya and Humbrol with FS codes also supplied. A number of period and contemporary images are also supplied, and the various schemes have images to back up the artworks which have been ably produced by the talented Ronny Bar. Full rigging drawings have been supplied, but some study of this is perhaps required, along with looking at the period images, if you want things to become all the more clearer in relation to what needs doing. Conclusion The Roland is certainly an attractive little fighter plane, and WNW have captured its essence perfectly. This highly detailed model is detailed throughout, with clever engineering and high quality parts. Again, the schemes selected for this release are nice and varied, and will perhaps cause you a little headache in finally choosing what machine you want to build. For me, I've narrowed it down to three schemes, and now I'm stuck. The inclusion of the experimental low-visibility scheme which the Americans used on their evaluation aircraft, is a very nice touch. For more information on this, there is a detailed description in the Windsock Worldwide issue which we reviewed here. Very highly recommended Our sincere thanks to Wingnut Wings for this review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link . James H

1:32 Spitfire Mk.IX Stencils HGW 'Wet Transfer' series Catalogue # 232001 Available from HGW for 159,- Kč Today we have the first product from a brand new line by HGW; the Wet Transfer stencil series. Basically, this means they are water-slide decals, but this really is an area that HGW have never previously tapped, and what better a way to start than to release a set for the iconic Spitfire Mk.IX. This set is packaged into the same letterbox format sleeve as the seatbelt and detail sets which we see from HGW. To protect their product further, a stiff cardboard insert does the honours. Now, when I say these are water-slide decals, they do have a difference from the regular kit options, and that is that these leave NO CARRIER film in place when they are attached. These work in very much the same way as HGW's wood nail and rivet decals. In case you haven't seen an article on these, this is how they work. Cut out required decal Soak in warm water and slide from backing paper Apply to your model using a decal setting solution such as Mr Mark Setter Leave for two hours, then remove carrier film Use a wet cotton bud to remove any glue residue/marks Simple as that! This is almost the equivalent of having masks for your stencils, which of course is impossible due to the nature of the stencil size etc. These should look almost entirely sprayed on! The decal sheet itself is pretty comprehensive, including wing walkway lines, trestle points, etc, and of course the beauty of applying the walkway lines in this format is that they will be perfectly straight each time due to the application method, and only removing the carrier film once the decal is attached. Printing is excellent, and everything is in perfect register, despite there only being two ink colours in use. When all decals are in place, I would seal everything over with gloss varnish in order to protect the delicate inks. An A4 sheet is included which clearly shows all decal locations, with everything clearly numbered, and where a specific decal is only to be used with the early Mk.IX, this is clearly indicated. Conclusion That's it. Not a lot to say really, except this really is quite a ground-breaking product for the modeller. I have never seen stencils which come in this format before. Having used the rivet and wood nail decals, I just know these will be excellent. It makes me wonder whether whole national marking decals could be produced in this way, without the need for carrier film adding their thickness to the result. Very highly recommended James H Our sincere thanks to HGW for this review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link.

1:32 Fokker E.I and Fokker E.IV Super Detail Sets HGW Catalogue # and price: see article Available from HGW The old saying goes that there are only two certainties in life; death and taxes. However, there is a third and that is an HGW full detail set release for each Wingnut Wings kit release. Unlike the first two certainties, this one is something which we certainly won't complain about here at SP&R. The wonderful and highly innovative Jan Bobek from HGW has sent us the very latest sets for the Fokker E.I and E.IV kits. #132116, Fokker E.I Super Detail Set, 609 Kč #132117, Fokker E.IV Super Detail Set, 644 Kč Unlike some of the Fokker Eindecker types where some changes weren't as apparent as others, the biggest revisions in the airframes could clearly be seen between the first and last in the series. Whilst this sounds obvious, it was made more so by the fact that the E.IV was a seriously major revision in terms of appearance and power-plant. The E.IV retained the same wings as the E.II and E.III, but these were longer in span than the E.I. The E.IV fuselage was also a full bay longer in order to re-establish the centre of gravity, due to the installation of the heavier Oberursel U.III engine. Cockpit changes were also notable between these versions, so please know now that you really do need the specific set for the type you are building. You simply can't 'make do' with whatever you can find. Now, onto each set and what they offer the modeler. Fokker E.I Super Detail Set Each of these sets comprises a number of previous releases, but packaged into HGW's equivalent of Eduard's BIGED sets. This specific release includes the following items: 132536, Fokker E.I seatbelts 132114, Fokker E.I PE set 132118, Oberursel U.0 engine 632022, Fokker E.I mask Looking at the seatbelt sets on both the E.I and E.IV releases, they look identical except for the colour of the fabric parts, which look to be a darker beige on this specific release. They are also labeled differently, despite the similarities between the two. This isn't uncommon for HGW. The textile parts are manufactured from a plasticized micro-fibre textile sheet, and the individual parts are colour printed and laser cut. This means you only have some small tags to remove in order to free the parts. Unlike HGW's earlier sets, you also don't need to worry about the width of these not passing through the buckles due to cutting them too wide. Colour printing is also very neat, and the localized heat from the laser cutting has shaded the edges quite realistically. Whilst there is printed stitching, there is also laser etched stitching which comes out best when you apply a wash. All textile parts have a paper backing which must be peeled off first. A small Eduard-produced PE fret includes the various buckles and clasps requires, all beautifully produced to the high standard you expect from this manufacturer. The instructions card which is ensconced in the rear of the stiff cardboard backed re-sealable wallet, is dead easy to follow, and should give no worries. Use CA or similar to assemble. The PE set incorporates detail from both interior and exterior of the model. Internally, detail is supplied for the internal framework wires/turnbuckles, instrument panel (bezels, wiring and toggle switches), control column firing trigger, and fuel mixture control. A little surgery will be required to fit a number of these parts, but nothing major. Externally, there are PE replacements for the under-fuselage stitching, pylon cable pulley and bracket, and also for the strap which fits to the rear of the engine cowl. Again, a little surgery will be required for some of these additions. HGW have also supplied a PE ammunition belt feed. Consider pepping this up a little with some dilute white glue, so that it doesn't look as flat. PE cable grommets for control wires are also included. A single fret is included for the Oberursel U.0 engine. Looking at this, it looks identical to that given in the E.IV set for the Oberursel U.III, except the latter obviously has two of these due to its dual engine format. The parts included here replace the kit armatures, ignition cables and prop hub. For the armatures, you will need to supplement this with a little plastic rod. Of course, surgery is needed again for this, but in my opinion, it is very much worth the effort. Depending on which prop you use on your specific model, 3 hub options are provided. As this fret is identical to the U.III ones, the ignition wires will need to be trimmed to the correct length for this single rotary unit. Of course, the double U.III would have longer wires to reach to the forward-most rotary section. The masks for this kit are provided on a cleanly cut piece of kabuki masking sheet, and include inner and outer parts for the various windscreen options provided by Wingnut Wings. As is customary with HGW, they have also provided a small sampler of decal, and this time it's wood grain. The printing of this is on a transparent base, meaning you will need to lay down either a white or tinted paint job in order for this to look realistic. The transparency of these does leave a lot of flexibility for the modeler to create his/her own specific tailored finish. The various instruction sheets and cards in these are included in the rear of the packaging. For the PE sets, you'll immediately notice these are produced by Eduard, in their familiar, easy to follow style. Fokker E.IV Super Detail set This set comprises the following individual components: 132537, Fokker E.IV seatbelts 132115, Fokker E.IV PE set 132119, Oberursel U.III engine 632023, Fokker E.IV masks As discussed earlier, the seatbelt and engine parts here are identical, and of course don't need describing again. However, the PE set is subtly different. Apart from the lack of instrument panel in the E.IV, this fret is too almost an identical item, with only perhaps an instrument here and there, plus a bezel for the wing mounted compass. Again, the kabuki mask sheet includes interior and exterior parts for the various windshield options that WNW provides. The decal sheet in this release is again another transparent base item, but has a fabric texture on it. This could be quite useful for overlaying onto a green painted interior. Don't quote me that it would perfectly. I would test a very small piece first. You could perhaps mist some thinned green over it to give it a more suited appearance. Conclusion These sets are pretty much the only game in town when it comes to PE for your WNW kits, and they rarely disappoint. These particular sets don't disappoint in the slightest, and provide some excellent upgraded detail of which I think all parts are worthy of being included in your project. Great news is that none of the parts here are beyond the scope of most modellers either. Very highly recommended James H Our sincere thanks to HGW for the review samples seen here. To buy direct, click the links in the article.

Is Graham sending this one to you Cees?

In a mirror topic to the one we have going about what new model-related stuff we have, how about one for what military relic stuff do you have? This would be rather cool to update as we get new stuff. I'll start the ball rolling with my entire port-side window frame for a Ju 88C-0. This one is from the actual machine on an AIMS decal sheet, so I suppose I should really build it. This one suffered engine failure and belly-landed on a Norwegian mountain side.

Holy crap! What do you use for the worn effect, and how did you produce the tones on the olive drab paint?

Something's wrong here. You're working far faster than normal. SLOW DOWN! I know what a great kit this is, and you're doing it more than enough justice.

Great work. I beat myself up over the swirls, yet you seem to do it effortlessly.

Review coming next week. I can't wait

New Bf 109G-10 decal sheets from Barracuda Studios Barracuda Studios is proud to announce two new decal sets in 1/32nd for the new Revell Erla built Bf-109G-10. The Erla Built Bf 109G-10 is not to be confused with a G-10 fitted with a Erla hood. This variant had a completely unique engine cowling arrangement. The new Revell kit, which is a very nice kit and, for the most part, quite accurate, is the first time this variant has been kitted in injection. Each sheet contains SEVEN varied and interesting schemes for the Erla G-10. Exhaustively research by Anders Hjortsberg with further assistance by other notable 109 experts, these sheets reflect the very latest knowledge on the Erla G-10s. Anders has produced superbly detailed and accurate profiles, and larger versions can be downloaded from the Barracuda Studios website to assist you in recreating the fascinating camouflage schemes. .Extensive and detailed painting notes highlight a number of interesting points about the finish of these very late war Gustavs. For those wanting to know more, there is a link on the sheets to Ander's blog, where much more in-depth discussions of these aircraft can be found. Decals are gorgeously printed by Cartograf, and much effort was put into color matching. Each sheet contains all the specific markings for all seven aircraft, along with 2 full stencil suites and two complete sets of national markings and spinner spirals. BC32144 Erla Bf 109G-10s - Part 1 Bf 109G-10 (Erla built). White 14, Ex II./JG3 aircraft. Flown by Waldemar Wagler, JG51 at Garz, Germany, April 1945 Bf 109G-10 (Erla built). Yellow 6, JGr.300. Pilot Unknown. Neubiberg, Germany. June, 1945. Bf 109G-10 (Erla built). Black 13, JG27(?) Location Unknown, Mid June 1945 Bf 109G-10 (Erla built). Red 5, 2./JG300. Flown by Friedrich-Wilhelm "Timo" Schenk. Borkheide, February 1945 Bf 109G-10 (Erla built). Blue 1, JG301. Pilot Unknown. Base Unknown. Spring, 1945 Bf 109G-10 (Erla built). Black 22, 5./JG52. Pilot and location unknown. Bf 109G-10 (Erla built). No identity markings. Squadron and location unknown. June, 1945 http://barracudacals.com/proddetail.php?prod=BC32144&cat=33 BC32145 Erla Bf 109G-10 - Part 2 Bf 109G-10 (Erla Built). Black 4, JGr.300. Pilot Unknown. Found at Langensalza, Germany. June, 1945 Bf 109G-10 (Erla Built). Green 7, 11./JG300. Prague-Kbely in May 1945 Bf 109G-10 (Erla Built). Black 10, I./JG4. Pilot unknown. Giessen, Germany. June, 1945 Bf 109G-10 (Erla Built). Black Chevron, JGr.300. Pilot unknown. Location unknown. Bf 109G-10 (Erla Built). Yellow 2, KG(J)27. Pilot unknown. Kaufbeuren, Germany. May, 1945, National markings: Small Bf 109G-10 (Erla Built). Yellow 24, 6./JG27. Flown by Staffelkapitän Antonius Wöffen. March 11, 1945. Bf 109K-4 (Erla Built). W.Nr 570375, Unit, pilot and location unknown. http://barracudacals.com/proddetail.php?prod=BC32145&cat=33 These 2 new sheets are up on the website and available for ordering now! 109 fans also note that we now stock the terrific ADH book on building the Revell 109G-6 by Brett Green, with additional models by Marcus nicholls, Chris Wauchop and Roy Sutherland. A nice one stop reference for building the Revell G-6. http://barracudacals.com/proddetail.php?prod=ADH017&cat=9 A number of new resin sets for both the new 1/32 Revell 109G-6 and G-10 are coming shortly. Watch this space for announcements. Happy modelling! Roy

I agree. Any build images too?

Off to a great start! I quite like the TBD from an interior detail aspect, and you proved this could be something I look at in future. Can't wait for next updates. PLEASE post more of your work here too

1:32 Desktop Bf 109F Imcth Catalogue # IMCZ-003 Available from Hobby Link Japan for ¥30,000 This is one we have seriously been waiting to see for what seems like ages, yet it was only a few months ago that Imcth announced they were releasing a Messerschmitt Bf 109F in their amazing 'Desktop' series of all-metal kits. If you've been living under a rock for those last months, check out our reviews of the jaw-dropping Desktop Mustang and Desktop Zero. I do warn you though, prepare to have your wallet seriously dented in the process. Admittedly, these kits aren't cheap, but you are paying for quite a niche item, and one which will never let you see these aircraft in the same way ever again. When you buy something from Imcth, you are getting something which they have obviously poured their heart and soul into. First impressions are everything, and the packing box in which this kit came was also adorned with their 'Desktop Bf 109F' logo, hidden amongst the various address labels and invoice sheets. This study box, once opened, revealed the actual kit box, produced in a glossy white cardboard, with a metallic product sticker on the lid. This rather substantial box is then opened via a large side flap which then lifts the lid to reveal a number of other boxes within. On top, two smaller boxes contain the various white metal parts, wire, vac form canopy etc. These are safely held in situ by a couple of rolls of bubble-wrap around the internal box perimeter. Remove all of these, and underneath is a much larger box, securely fastened with tape, and containing the instruction manual, and various large sheets of stainless steel photo-etch parts. If you've read our previous reviews on the Mustang and Zero kits, you'll know that these aren't simply a flat, two-dimensional affair.....they are actually STAMPED to curve wing panels and fuselage sections! I don't recall seeing any other kit that includes such an innovative idea as this. Whilst we are in this particular box, we'll start to take a look at the various components on these sheets, interspersed with any specific findings on the instruction sheet which might help to colour things in a little for you. Then we'll work onto the white metal parts and other accessories in this release. The PE sheets themselves are quite fragile due to the pre-shaped parts, but thankfully, these are separated from each other with plenty of bubble-wrap. The flat sheets are packaged into a clear sleeve, protected from each other with tissue paper. SHEET A One thing you will notice with these kits is that the stainless steel PE sheets are actually a thicker gauge than you will be used to. This is obviously because it's more to scale with this being a 1:32 model. Whilst I'm explaining this, I will say that there are various parts within this kit, more namely bulkheads, which you will build up from laminated parts in order to achieve the desired thickness, but I digress. This first PE sheet contains wing components, and is laid out so that it is obvious that one half of the sheet is port, and the other starboard. Every wing rib in the 109F's svelte wing is immaculately recreated here, all individually. There are full ribs, sub-ribs to allow for wheel bay placement etc, and also partial ribs where they weren't full depth in the real aircraft. In short, if you could really peel back the skin on one of these iconic fighters, then what you would see, has been beautifully recreated here. This sheet contains the dual upper/lower inboard radiator flaps too, which will actually move on this model, so you can pose them as you wish. The landing flaps are built up from an exterior metal skin and a number of rib-lets, whilst the ailerons start life as a single piece of PE in which you need to twist the various ribs 90 degrees to the upright. As these are still too thin at the leading edge, they will be supplemented with white metal upper and lower frames which will give these parts their aerodynamic shape. Simplicity, but neatly executed. A wing needs spars of course, and this is where you will find them. Wing tips are actually supplied as cast metal parts, and we'll look at those later in the review. These comprehensive wings will eventually be fitted with ammunition, wing slats and slat actuators etc, all from white metal. SHEET B We take a break from the wing at this point and look at a sheet which contains the lion's share of the fuselage parts. All formers are presented here with various notches into which longerons and stringers are inserted. I did mention earlier about laminated formers. You will find these here. These notable go to the front and rear of the cockpit module, and the middle lamination of three is notched to allow the external framework tabs to slide into the recesses cut into the middle lamination. Everything is extremely well thought-out during the design process. This sheet contains those longerons and stringers, as well as various frameworks that exist within the fuselage, and also items such as the sloping plate to the rear of the pilot's head. Whilst we are in that specific region of the aircraft, the cockpit module itself is formed from a single piece of PE which starts at the cockpit wall, bends to form the floor and forward bulkhead, then back on itself to produce the upper framework, extending to the rear cockpit fuselage frame. This clever way of creating the basis onto which every fits, ensures that all the various extra frameworks and internal details should fit perfectly. SHEET C Now we're talking! I mentioned those pre-shaped PE parts, and here you'll most certainly see them in the form of upper and lower wing panels. These contain the caps to the wing ribs and other major wing structural elements. The curvature of the wings is superbly captured here. Apart from the wing panels, spars and ribs are also supplied here for the horizontal stabiliser, as well as a couple of vertical fuselage formers for the construction of the vertical fin. SHEET D This is the last of the PE sheets in this kit, and again it contains pre-shaped parts, namely the fuselage belly, cockpit module side frames, and undercarriage doors. Other parts on here include the elevators and rudder, supplied as per the ailerons with twist ribs and a structure that will be 'bulked' with white metal castings, as well as exhaust plates, nose radiator meshes and a number of other smaller airframe detail, as well as seatbelt buckles. All photo etch is produced to the very highest of standards, with no defect. I'm particularly impressed with the loop tags that Imcth now use to hold the shaped parts on the frets. The previous straight tags could break, meaning a small piece of tape was added to hold the part in place. These looped ones are designed to open up when the fret is stamped into shape. Now, onto the white metal parts. All of these are supplied in grouped bags in one of the smaller boxes. All white metal parts are expertly produced by Model Factory Hiro, who produce some of the very best castings seen in our hobby. There are no horrible pitted textures here, and poor, soft detail as seen on white metal undercarriage legs that we see from a particular manufacturer. These are sharp, smooth and perfect. Nowhere on my sample did I see any parts bent out of shape either. A little clean-up of parts will be required. Some cast parts will have the faintest of mould paring lines that a quick tickle with a fine grade sanding stick, will eradicate. The cloudy appearance of the parts is also only mould release residue, and a polish with a rotary tool will show these parts to be as sharp, if not sharper, than contemporary plastic kit equivalents. E – Propeller Parts This is a simple packet containing just three parts. These are a full piece propeller and boss, and a main spinner with a separate back plate. The propeller locates to the rear spinner plate by means of a cast pin. As with the majority of these white metal parts, you will need to open up most locating holes with a small drill bit, as indicated on the instruction sheet. A hole in the rear plate allows the hub cannon aperture to seat neatly, and the spinner itself falls neatly over the top of everything. You will need to open up the central hole in the spinner as this is cast closed. A little clean-up of the prop edges will be required. F – Engine Parts There are FIFTY-TWO parts which go to produce the Daimler Benz DB 601E engine. That's pretty impressive, as is the design of this area. All parts are split between THREE bags, stapled closed. I would use some cheap zip-lock bags to store the parts, until you come to use them. Of course, you need to check everything to ensure it's all there, and you don't want those parts rolling loose in the box. A very traditional method of assembly is used for the engine, and one that plastic modellers will immediately recognise. What is particularly neat are the cylinder banks. These are supplied as halves, with the cap casing separate. The banks themselves are designed so that the inner half inserts within the outer, meaning there is no horrible and awkward joint line at the front and rear. Another example of how Imcth are evolving their design work. The breakdown of the engine is very traditional, with supercharger intake, engine bearers, oil and glycol tanks, fuel injector block, supercharger induction pipework, ignition conduits, magnetos, hub, prop shaft, and split crankcase. Some parts are supplied on casting blocks with a paired part. These are easily identified as left and right parts with L and R being cast. Even the fragile looking engine bearers are die-straight with no bending. Congrats to Model Factory Hiro for getting this so darn right! G – Main Wing Parts All of the structural elements of the wing that can't be reproduced with PE are here, as well as parts to give the ailerons their correct profile. The latter is achieved by means of adding a half aerofoil section to both upper and lower faces of the flat PE ailerons. This specific group contains TWENTY-THREE parts. Here you will find wing slats, slat actuators, wingtips, radiators and housings, wing ammunition bay, control surface horns, and aileron mass balance etc. H – Cockpit Parts For the detail connoisseur, the cockpit is always a main area of focus, and I think Imcth know that, because this rather detailed and busy group of white metal contains no less than FIFTY parts. In all fairness, not all of them are strictly in the cockpit, but are more concerned with what can only be described as the cockpit module, incorporating the undercarriage unit and forward weapons bay. This kit actually comes with two sets of undercarriage legs; one for deployed, and the other for retracted. You CANNOT change these once you install them, so you need to decide how you will pose your model when complete. Those legs include the bracket/pivot assembly as part of the leg itself, and this is what dictates this move. As it comes, the PE cockpit tub is devoid of any detail except for a number of holes which are used to locate the various white metal components. It's now you really begin to see the level of detail afforded to the modeller. There are THREE bags of white metal included here. These include forward ammunition bulkhead/feed, machine guns, oleo scissors, control column, rudder pedals and rudder pedal spacing bar, foot plate, fuel tank, various instrumentation and avionics units, two part pilot seat, two part trim wheel (to be supplemented with PE), lower fuselage support framework, and instrument panel. That is by no means a comprehensive list, as you'll see from the photo of the parts. The instrument panel is so designed that two colour printed paper inserts fit into a recess from behind to form the dials. On top of this sits a plate depicting the rear instrument area. Those instruments themselves are better than the previous release. The larger panel is very good, but the smaller could do with some Airscale decal magic. I – Tail Parts The TWENTY-FIVE parts included here are concerned with the rear fuselage, right down to, and including, the tail area. Detail in this rear fuselage area isn't often depicted, unless you super-detail using resin aftermarket sets, but here, absolutely everything is included. Here you will find two bags containing compass, radios, compressed gas bottles, choice of retracted or extended tail gear leg, tail fin and stabiliser parts including the elevator and rudder surface profiles, junction boxes and socket plates. All I think could be added as a little extra is some lead wire to wire things up. That's the end of the metal parts. Now we look at the last box in this kit. J – Sheeted Parts & Rubber Parts Vac-form parts are supplied for the canopy. Please don't let that put you off as these are exceptionally clear, and with superb frame line definition. Rubber tyres are provided, but they don't look quite right for a 109. Perhaps these can be replaced with an aftermarket item. For your information, the hubs are separate to the tyres. Some resin parts are supplied for the wingtip lights and gun sight reflector. These are milky in appearance, so I would look at replacing these with clear plastic. The box also contains a fabric material which is for the seatbelts. The parts are pre-cut, but as the sheet is a little thick, I would perhaps use some HGW or RB Productions seatbelts here. As well as the instruments printed sheet, there are two self-adhesive foil sheets which are pre-cut, and contain the canopy framing. These also have laser etched riveting on them. This can be a tricky area, hence the reason you have been supplied with two sheets of parts. Take your time. This sheet also contains gun barrel jackets, designed to be wrapped around wire. Again, I would replace these with barrels from the MASTER series of products. The last remaining parts in this box are some lengths of piano wire and some tubing. Instructions These are about as comprehensive as it can possibly get. Firstly, there are A3 two sheets which contain parts maps and also an explanation as to the different fold styles employed. The assembly drawings have different symbology which refer to things such as 'valley fold', and 'mountain fold', referring to whether parts are to be internally or externally folded. Instructions are also given on how to eradicate any pouring nubs and paring lines on the cast parts. As for the constructional sequences, there are MANY! Whilst this project isn't quite as complex as the Mustang and Zero with regard to airframe (nature of the beast!), it is still a complex model which deserves your time and patience. Construction is broken down into various areas, such as engine, wings etc, as you would imagine, but there are TWENTY-FOUR pages of A4, double-sides diagrams which you need to carefully study, and explain all aspects of that construction, including memos for when you need to fold, drill and file etc. The drawings themselves are actually very clear when you look at them in relation to the parts, and start to mentally visualise the skeletal form of the model. Model Stand My sample was sent with an acrylic stand which simply plugs together. The clear acrylic is protected by paper sheet which needs to be peeled off. Bearing in mind that the narrow undercarriage is white metal, this would probably be a good idea to use, and of course, it's unobtrusive. Conclusion As I just mentioned, the Bf 109F airframe doesn't have the same level of overall complexity as that of the Mustang and Zero, but it is faithfully reproduced here for you in mindboggling detail. You still have a LOT of work to do to complete this model, and the results, from the finished images we have, or staggering. Yes, I would replace the seatbelts, barrels, and the clear resin parts, but that is something and nothing. The wheels and hubs seem simplified too, but there are so many accurate and cheap ones on the market that these can easily be replaced. My only other minor niggle is the lack of weapons tray for the MGs mounted on the upper fuse. This area is faired off with a cowl panel. If you wanted to make something representative here, which I may just do, you'll need to employ a little scratch-building. You may not bother too much about this, and it certainly is no deal breaker for this amazing kit. Where else can you get something which contains all this detail such as fuel tanks etc? Also of note are the wing to fuselage connection points. These employ lugs and pins, as per the real aircraft. The level of detail is simply that good. This is a brand new release, and it just seems that Imcth are getting better and better. If you liked the Mustang and Zero, this will blow you away! VERY highly recommended James H Our sincere thanks to Imcth for this review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link.

Gorgeous Cees! What did you use for the wash? It still looks a real busy surface despite just being silver. Like it lots

Danny, that's far too clean for a modeller. It's unhealthy NOW...go dirty it up a little. Great looking area though. I wish I could be as organised.

This has been an EPIC in the making What a superb build this has been to follow, and one of the best schemes for the Fok Fok I've seen. You pulled it off magnificently.

Some very useful detail there, even for the HK builders. Thanks for sharing

I place on a rubber mat, and use a fresh scalpel blade and roll it over the tube, applying a little pressure. Eventually it gives, and you get a pretty clean cut. Depends on the material you use too. Works well on brass, copper and Nickel-Silver for me.

That's looking real good. What repairs did you have to make?

This work is superb. Please can EVERYONE who has their own methods of creating this technique, post your hints and tips for us so we can build a catalogue of the best way to achieve this look?

Have you glued the wing to fuse? Would it not have been easier to fit and blend nacelles with the wing by itself? Loving this one. Now, get that Dutch Decals decal set at the ready.