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Sprue/Parts Photos

1/32 Heinkel He111 H-6 Revell Catalogue # 4386 Introduction The He111 H-6 is the follow-up to Revell's initial release of Heinkel's twin engined bomber, the P-1 (kit #4696). As is fairly standard practice, we get the more obscure / less popular variant of any new aircraft first, before we get the one we have all been waiting for (the same applies in the world of armour by the way). Perhaps the only surprise here is that we have the H-6 so soon after the P-1, when we are still waiting for the A-4 boxing of the Ju88 (the Junkers preceding the Heinkel by over a year I think). This is a seriously large kit The main difference between the P and early members of the H series was the power plant: the DB601 of the P being substituted for the Jumo 211 series (Daimler Benz's engine being prioritised for use in the Messerschmitt Bf109). The P and H look very similar, but can be distinguished by different engine cowlings: the P has the supercharger intake on the port side of each engine nacelle, whereas the H has it to starboard. There are of course other differences and things to look out for, and I shall try to cover these as we go through the review. The H served on all fronts where the Germans fought in WWII (although relatively few made it to North Africa); it saw action in anti-shipping operations (often armed with torpedoes), transport and supply, as well as its more traditional tactical bomber role. As such, the scope for the modeller is much larger than with the P. He111 P of KG55 (yes, that is Rudolf Hess). Note supercharger intakes on port side of nacelle – the key identifier of a P variant. Also note pointed shape of spinner, and 'fish tail' exhausts [KF] He111 H-6 – note supercharger intake on starboard of nacelle. Also note exhaust type with 'fins'. [KF] Overview This kit shares the vast majority of parts with its predecessor, so the engineering is virtually identical, and the instruction booklets are very similar. The main differences are as follows: new engine nacelles, spinner and prop blades new glazing and armament option for the front nose 'cone', or A-stand additional part for dorsal gun station, or B-stand new ventral gondola, or C-stand options for external bomb load, including both regular bombs and torpedoes markings for two aircraft Because of the similarity between the two kits, the overall assessment is similar: broadly accurate, great value built out of the box (OOTB), large scope for super detailing / use of aftermarket. For modellers who build largely OOTB, Revell offer some of the best bang for your buck out there; this is a truly imposing aircraft in 1/32 (quite a bit larger than their Ju88), and even relatively soon after its release, can be picked up in the UK for less than £45 inc shipping. If, on the other hand, you have the financially severe affliction known as 'aftermarket syndrome' or AMS, then there are already a whole host of detailing options available, with many more in the pipeline I am sure. First and foremost, the kit seems fairly accurate - dare I say 'it looks like a Heinkel 111'?? Joking aside, the plans I have used as a benchmark are from the Kagero Monograph series (see below for a complete list of references), and the kit matches up well. Are the plans themselves accurate - well to be honest who knows? I do know there are inconsistencies in some the details, but as with most review research, I find the more you find out, the more you are able to spot errors in various books, profiles and so on. It is worth pointing out that the Revell used the He111 (a P-2) at the Gardermoen Museum, Norway as the basis for their original kit, which was painstakingly restored by Guttorm Fjeldstad and his team. The defining feature of the 111 for me is the fully glazed nose, putting everything inside very much on display. And whilst this means that all the work you put in on the cockpit will indeed be seen, it also means that the detail needs to be there in the first place, and this is where the Revell kit does fall a little short. Whereas the cockpit of their Ju88 was actually rather good, this one is sparse in comparison. No doubt there will be another update set from Eduard for the H, as there was for the P-1, reviewed here. For those who will be going down the resin cockpit route (there are already two on the market), it is a shame that the main pilot's hatch window cannot slide open. The nose cone or A-stand drew some comments when the P-1 was first released, and when I look at the part in front of me against both plans and period photos, I do think the kit part is not bulbous enough. More on that later. Cockpit detail is a let down compared to their Ju88 kit – this is almost 1/72 scale in its rendition Going further aft, the internal detail in both the bomb bay and the radio operator's compartment is somewhat basic. The shortcomings of the bomb bay have to some extent been addressed by Eduard's bomb bay update set but according to some references the bomb bay itself extends about 5mm too far forward in the kit. It appears that Revell ignored the large bulkhead / main wing spar that separates bomb bay and cockpit. So, when using this set and posing bay doors open (I cannot think why you would use it with the doors closed), there will be a small gap to fill. Personally, I would be unlikely to rescribe panel lines etc with bay doors closed, and would only investigate filling the gap if using Eduard's set. I believe that the two windows either side over the wing are actually access panels, which opened out and down from the aircraft side; so these clear parts should probably be painted over, rather than masked clear. All the parts and layout for the internal bomb bays are included in this kit, even though at best only half of them will be used The internal spar structure around the waist windows, for instance is not correct; whether you can actually see any of this is another matter of course. Some of the internal flooring around the ventral gondola is also incorrectly positioned. And whilst I have seen one skillful and ambitious modeller completely rework this whole space, I think most people are likely to leave things as is. Where the rear portion of the C-stand blends with the fuselage bottom, there are two flat panes of glass; the fuselage contours around this area may not have been captured correctly, but for me this is very minor and certainly not material. Apart from the almost laughable molded on seatbelts in the cockpit, the only other howler that I can see are the MG15s. Whilst I would not expect much of the barrels - turned brass barrels from Master Model will be quite eye catching, especially for variants carrying larger numbers of guns – in over all they are not great48. Thankfully, Aires have already come to the rescue with armament sets for both P and H versions. I imagine some modellers will combine these with Master barrels - I plan to do this. It is worth pointing out that even though this is a very large aircraft, you will not necessarily need to upgrade the landing gear with any metal alternatives. The actual structure was a fairly complicated one, and in 1/32 plastic I think should have enough rigidity. SAC already have a set of metal gear out if you must (I have not seen these, but am not SAC's biggest fan), or you can play the waiting game and see if G-Factor bring out some (costly, but superb detail and strength). Surface detail is restrained, and molding is pretty good. The plastic is not the hardest, but certainly up to the job. The instructions will be familiar to many who made kits over a generation ago - they have changed little and are quite similar to Airfix's. I don't mind so much having what seems like a million assembly and sub-assembly stages, but Revell's refusal to number or letter sprues will mean part location is unduly tedious. The recycled paper feel of the P-1 instructions has been thankfully left behind in the H-6 I can report! Basically the original kit was pretty good, if not without certain weaknesses. Probably its biggest hindrance was that it was a P-1: not that many were built in the grand scheme of things, and markings options are rather limited. Although the boxing trumpeted 'Battle of Britain', most He111s in 1940 were in fact H models, and the Ps that were operated were more likely to be P-2 and P-4 (different engine nacelles, upgraded C-stand). So let's now look a little more closely at the new features in this kit... Engine Nacelles, Props & Exhausts As mentioned above, the H series used the Jumo 211 engine. The H-1 and H-2 used the Jumo 211A, the H-3, -4 and -5 the 211D, and the H-6 to H-20 variants used the Jumo 211F. Early Hs are seen with slightly different engine nacelles: the oil cooler intake on top of the nacelle is much slimmer, resulting in a smoother appearance; the supercharger intake lacks the tubular cowling that runs the most of the length of the nacelle. I had thought this feature was limited to H-1s and -2s, but at least one RAF Intelligence Report on a crashed He111 lists a H-3 with these early engine cowls and being powered by the Jumo 211D. The lack of a definitive reference on the 111 means this is just one of a number questions that seems to have no conclusive answer. Being a H-6, this kit has the correct later style cowlings with deeper oil cooler, and extended supercharger intake. The early style cowling of the H – note shortened supercharger intake and rather flat area over oil cooler [CA] A nice shot of a main production H-6 showing wider VS11 props, larger and more bulbous spinners; also note exhaust type [KF] Whereas here we see an earlier H (possibly H-3 to early production H-6) with thinner VDM props [AD] The props used changed during H-6 production: early examples had the slim VDM blades, which has been also used on all previous P and H models; the majority of H-6s used the wider VS11 blades. Unless viewed at a very shallow angle, the two types are fairly easy to distinguish. If the engines are running such that the blades can't be seen, another thing to look out for is the spinner hub: the VDM blades were matched with smaller but rather pointed hubs, whereas the VS11 blades had a larger more bulbous hub. Head on shot showing the shape of the VS11 props; also note single external rack under port side, internal bay on starboard [KG] The kit props – there are already aftermarket ones available if you are not happy with the shape of these Kit spinners look good to me I have identified four main types of exhausts used on the P and early to mid Hs. Early Ps have separate but rounded exhaust tubes, as supplied in the P-1 kit. Secondly, there are for want of a better description 'fishtail' exhausts with flame dampeners which can be seen on both Ps and Hs, up to and including the H-6, and it is these which are included in the kit. The real things are quite complicated affairs, so I am not surprised that Revell's depiction is a rather crude affair. From the references and pictures I have looked at, this type seems particularly common, and can be seen on both Ps and Hs, from pre Battle of Britain, through to North Africa and the war on the Eastern Front. The third type is much simpler, and consists of a single tube; there appear to have been variations of these. The final type you will see looks from a distance (or in a low resolution WWII pic) similar to the fish tail type. On closer inspection, each exhaust outlet has a number of cooling fins. To date I have only seen these on H-6s, and not on earlier variants. The kit exhausts are, I think, meant to be the fish tail type, but are not really that close; I would use resin ones from CMK Ventral Gondola / C-stand For those who wish to model their subjects as accurately as possible, this was probably the single most limiting factor in the original P kit. The first P and Hs had a C-stand with only a rear-facing MG15, three small windows along each side, and a solid front section which was quite gently curved. This is what came with the P-1 kit. The original C-stand (as featured on P-1 kit) found on early Ps and Hs; note solid front section and only a rear gun station [AD] The same basic structure continued up until the H-5, but with the addition of forward facing gun station. This was due to the urgent need for more defensive firepower against fighters, but also used in an offensive capacity against ground targets and shipping. The same basic profile remained, as did the three side windows, but the solid front was replaced with a glazed section. Despite looking at many photos, I am unsure whether this upgrade was uniform, or whether slight variations in the replacement window configuration existed. Plans showing the upgraded early P / H C-stand with new forward gun station (above) and revised structure of C-stand for H-5 onwards (below) [KA] Either way, the majority of P and early H models seem to have had this modification, and until Revell release an earlier H (or indeed later P), or we get help from the aftermarket world, a lot of 111s are sadly out of reach. Just a note if you want to make an H with the initial C-stand: although unlikely, it was not impossible: I have clear photographic evidence of at least one H-3 with this early type gondola, although it is just one in literally hundreds of examples I have looked at. The C-stand we have in the kit was introduced on the H-5. Although the same basic shape and size, close inspection reveals that it is actually completely different. The three side windows are gone (but there is one each side further towards the front of the gondola), and both gun stations have been re-worked with very different glazing. The armament was either two MG15s, or commonly a MGFF cannon in the front position. The kit instructions suggest the MGFF, but this is a case of check your references as some planes had a MG15 here; overall this new area looks pretty good to me. Dorsal gun / B-stand The dorsal position featured a revolving cradle type seat for the gunner - it wasn't really a turret as such - and a perspex cowling which slid forward to facilitate a wider arc of fire or emergency exit. This rather basic arrangement remained the same from the first P and H-1s through to the H-10, with the only addition being an additional pull down hood from the P-4 and H-4 onwards. One of Rommel's transports – not a great shot, but you can clearly see the three-part hood does indeed fold up and back. The kit part is moulded in the extended position.[bundesarchiv] This hood was formed of three overlapping parts, and looked rather like a sea shell when pulled down. Revell provides this new part (#270) and it should look just fine when down; but I think that the three layers folded underneath each other when the hood was raised, so merely pivoting the same part backwards is not correct. Finding a clear picture of the hood raised has been surprisingly tricky - the best side on view I could find still does not provide conclusive evidence. Irrespective of this, the part's inclusion is a welcome addition. Nose cone / A-stand Some Ps and Hs had an additional MG15 mounted in the glazing between the cone of the A-stand and the seats in the cockpit. It was designed to provide additional defence from frontal attacks. No such mount (or gun) is provided in this kit, but adding one yourself should be fairly straightforward. A-stand for MG15 – should be more bulbous, like in the P variant immediately below Note profile of A-stand [KF] A new nose cone (part #257) is provided for mounting another MGFF cannon - it was rather flatter than the cone for the MG15 when viewed from the side. The original part from the P-1 kit is still included which is good, as not all H-6s were fitted with this new weapon. However, as you can see from the pictures, it does look as though Revell got mixed up here: the later cone for the MGFF is more bulbous than the one for the MG15, when in fact it should be the other way around. Although we already have aftermarket barrels for the MGFF, we don't yet have any with the oversized flash suppressors, nor do we have a more detailed resin body for the cannon; the kit parts are fairly basic. The new A-stand part for MGFF – way to bulbous in my view The A-stand on this H certainly looks more restrained the kit part shown immediately above; also note what looks like twin ETC racks [KF] There are also parts for the remotely fired MG17 which was fitted to the tail cone of some H-6s (the tail MG started to be fitted to H-3 onwards I believe). The new cone is optional, and the gun is integrally moulded to one half of it (part #247). This addition is quite a neat way to 'spice up' your 111, although I would chose to cut away the gun and replace with a turned brass MG17. Bomb Load Early Heinkel 111s were fitted with internal bomb bays. Two side by side racks of vertical ESAC 250 / IX racks could carry up to eight SC250 bombs. The compartments could also be sub-divided to carry up to 32 50kg bombs, but it was a severe limitation that no heavier single piece of ordnance could be carried. The original P-1 kit is made out in the 8 x 250 configuration, and all of these parts are still present in the H-6 kit. In order to lift heavier individual bombs, external racks started to be fitted under the fuselage, over where the internal bays were. The first rack used was the PVC 1006. These are generally seen on the P-4, and the H-3 onwards. The maximum individual rating for these racks appears to have been 1800kg, but when fitted as a pair, loads would max out at one SC1800 and one SC1000, and this for only very short range missions. An alternative was for two torpedoes to be carried, which is one of the options provided in kit - more on that shortly. For even heavier ordnance, a different rack had to be used, the ETC2000. These are seen on some 111s from the H-5 onwards. The two racks are fairly similar, and very difficult to distinguish without a photo from the right angle and close study. The PVC1006 rack [KA] In overall outline the kit parts seem ok, but that's about it – resin replacement please! I am fairly sure the racks should not be joined together like this A common combination appears was a single PVC rack under the port side, with the internal ESAC racks being retained on the starboard side. I understand that sometimes one bank of the internal racks was replaced with an additional fuel tank, but how one can tell this from pictures I am not sure. Spot the difference?! [AE] Using the above, I reckon we have an ETC2000 under port, and PVC1006 under starboard, but it took a lot of staring! [AE] Despite the ETC2000 being mentioned in the introduction in the instructions, the racks in the kit look more like twin PVC1006 to me, although detail is so vague it's hard to tell. The ordnance supplied is either two SD500 bombs, or two LT F5b torpedoes. The two racks are moulded together as one single part (#226), and different brackets / sway brace parts are used depending upon whether you opt for torpedoes or bombs. These torpedoes are huge in 1/32 – over 15cm long! Twin LT F5b torpedoes on what I think are PVC1006 racks [KF] I like the optionality here, and if you build out of the box then you'll be a fan of this. I have concerns that the detail of both the rack itself and the braces is not that great, which is ok as I think we might see some aftermarket help here soon enough. I also have doubts over the shape and configuration of the racks: both pictures I have studied and my references seem to indicate the two racks should not be joined together with a plate that will sit proud from the fuselage / internal bomb bay doors. At this time I am still trying to confirm if there were variations in the PVC1006, but I would advise treating this area with caution (or more likely patience) if you are concerned about accuracy. Much the same goes for the bombs and torpedoes, in terms of the fact that they will look fairly impressive from a distance just because of their size, but detail is a little lacking. There are already a couple of different aftermarket SC500s and also SC1000s around (CMK and MDC) for us to choose from. A resin torpedo is available from CMK; obviously you'd need two, and the rack is made for the Ju88 so totally unsuitable. Once again, patience or some fairly tasty scratchbuilding will be the order of the day if you want more than the kit offers. Markings There are two schemes for which markings are provided, although on of them is probably for two different aircraft: "5J+ER 7./KG 4 Stalingrad, Russia 1942" (and the same codes but with addition of a white stripe on the fuselage is denoted "Africa, August 1942") "1H+GK 2./KG 26 Norway, July 1942 flown by Lt. K Hennemann" "Vestigium Leonis" I do not know if the two KG 4 options are the same airframe - it is possible, but then again the same codes often adorned completely different aircraft at different times also. I have identified the Africa option, and confirm it as a H-6 with VS11 prop blades. There was a MGFF in the A-stand, and what looks like evidence of an additional MG15? The C-stand is not visible so one can only presume armament there was one MGFF and one MG15. Revell's instructions and correctly pick out the location of the white fuselage theatre band, and "ER" decals are provided for the wing leading edges. Close study of the photo leads me to belive an earlier theatre band may have been painted over, but I have not had this confirmed yet. There is no folding cover for the B-stand visible that I can see. Note, however, that the exhausts are not the same type as those supplied in the kit - they those with individual fillets on each exhaust port. The African incarnation of 5J+ER [KF] The KG 26 option is interesting: this is the torpedo-armed aircraft, and comes with ship kill markings. Whilst these are probably based on a photo, but I have not yet located it, so cannot comment on their accuracy, or any other features of the aircraft. As to this being the mount of Lt. Hennemann, he and his crew were lost in an attack on Convoy PQ17 on the 4th July 1942. I have found a number of different sources quoting this aircraft as WNr 7098, and being 1H+GH. I have been unable to find pictures of this machine either, to establish whether Revell got the codes wrong, or if Hennemann was not flying his usual mount that day? The KG 26 emblem of the lion with the famous "Vestigium Leonis" inscription is black lion on white shield background; both lion and background came in different colours according to which Staffel the aircraft was Being Revell, there are no swastikas. The decals look fine otherwise to me, but given the size of some of the markings, especially the underwing crosses, you may wish to have a look at masks?

Wonderful One "criticism": the ETC rack looks super clean compared to the rest of the underside of the plane...

Welcome! Your Dora looks fantastic, thank you for sharing it with us Nick

He111 set... WANT!!!!!

Awesome I have Brian Cauchi's book all reviewed and ready to be published - what with that and seeing this build - makes me want to go and get this kit! Dave, he used the Tamiya canopy, but I would certainly appreciate an explanation of exactly which parts (is there a choice in the Tamiya kit?) and also know what other modifications were used Simply stunning!!!!

Masterpieces for sure, but not for mere mortals :0 Remember you have to make the thing yourself pretty much from scratch, and the the materials involved mean that anything with a complicated compound curve surface / profile is a out of the question I don't think that a gun turret is an option that way - you need someone to provide you with an injection moulded clear part

The common denominator is not necessarily turrets, but basically anything that has clear parts in it The Hobbyboss Spitfire screams for a vaguely correct canopy for instance... The only thing that has come on the market in the past 1000 years is the new canopy for the Ar196 - and that took like 3 years it seems after the (otherwise excellent) kit came out... Basically, I wouldn't get your hopes up

Re the raising of the seat - was it just that, or was it the whole pit?? I can see that a LOT of modellers here in UK want to do Fleet Air Arm birds, but as far as I have seen, Tamiya's kit = Corsair I, and although plenty got delivered, none of these saw action. This certainly makes the MkI a 'zero interest' bird for me sadly. I am confident however that, cockpit issues aside, maybe someone like A2zee will come to the rescue of us UK modellers Apparently the clipped wing DOES NOT equate to demarcation line between wing and wing tip in the kit (from those on LSP who know waaaay more about the Corsair than I do!) although making this alteration is maybe not that difficult?

Petr, Thank you for these images. For our members not entirely familiar with your range, could you confirm whether the Tempest is standard injection mould, short-run injection mould or resin, and whether items like cockpit or wheels, exhausts etc will be in resin? Many thanks once again. Nick

Pretty sure that is on the Revell hit list no? The He177 would be crazy big, but also crazy awesome! Would love to see some German sea planes / flying boats - Do18, He115??

Welcome Petr! Very pleased to have you here Very much looking forward to seeing your excellent products both here and on the Scale Plastic and Rail review site. Please don't hesitate to ask if you need anything (my fiancée is Czech ) Cheers Nick

Nice Danny! Love those early war 109s

Welcome Danny Wonderful work and thank you for bringing it to LSM! Nick

LuckyModel has just put them up for pre-order too by the way

is the MDC mastered by Radu btw? either way, v interesting always thought the 234 was a "Zoukei-mura waiting to happen...."

Fair enough I must say I am looking forward to the Valiant Wings book on the Emil I really like the way they do their stuff, even though the modelling section goes out of date very quickly Certainly if they get round to doing one on the F it will make an interesting comparison

Interested in your thoughts on the supercharger intake, panel lines on wings, amongst other things then...

P-38 Lightning at War Kagero Mini Topcolors series #33 by Sadlo & Goralczyk €13.35 from Kagero This is another offering from Kagero's burgeoning Mini Topcolors series. Having just reviewed #32 (Panzer IV Family) I was tempted to say that this, #33, is 'the latest', but it seems Kagero are churning these out faster than we can review them! Whether latest or just fairly new, this one covers the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, the twin engine, twin boom interceptor that is one of the most recognisable aeroplane shapes of WWII. The formula for these is by now tried and tested: focus on a particular vehicle / aircraft, and / or maybe a particular campaign, colour profiles with some commentary, and high quality decals in the most popular scales to accompany at least a proportion of said profiles. Like the other mini Topcolours I have reviewed, this book is 20 pages long, and in the usual soft back landscape format. It has covers eight aircraft, all shown in four view profiles, and all catered for with decals in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scale. The profiles look sumptuously weathered by the way, and are certainly anything but the sterile offerings I have seen in some other publisher's books. The subjects covered are: P-38G-13-LO, probable s/n 42-2197, 'Nulli Secundus' / 'X-Virgin', flown by Lt. Kenneth G. Ladd of 80th FS / 8th FG, Dobodura, New Guinea, winter of 1943/1944 P-38J-15-LO, s/n 42-104107, 'Jewboy', coded '47', flown by Lt. Philip M. Goldstein of 49th FS / 14th FG, Triolo, Italy, May 1944 P-38J-10-LO, s/n 42-67916, 'California Cutie', coded (KI)- 'S', flown by Lt. Richard O. Loehnert of 55th FS / 20th FG, RAF Kings Cliffe, England, June 1944 P-38J-15-LO, s/n 43-28444, 'Vivacious Virgin II', coded 'E6-T', flown by Lt. Ian B. Mackenzie of 402nd FS / 370th FG, Florennes/Juxaine, Belgium, winter of 1944/1945 P-38L-1-LO, s/n 44-23852, 'Beautiful Bitch', coded 'B7', flown by Lt. John J. Kane of 96th FS / 82nd FG, Vincenzo, Italy, March 1945 P-38L-5-LO, s/n 44-26176, 'Vagrant Virgin', coded 'A', flown by Lt. L. V. Bellusci of 36th FS / 8th FG, San Jose, Mindoro, late 1944/early 1945 P-38L-5-LO, s/n 44-26176, 'Vagrant Virgin', coded 'A', flown by Lt. Peter Macgowan of 36th FS / 8th FG, Ie Shima, September 1945 P-38L-5-LO, probable s/n 44-26568, 'Wicked Woman', coded 'W', flown by Lt. Richard C. Livingston of 36th FS / 8th FG, Ie Shima, August-September 1945. No national markings - or stencils - are provided in the decal sheet, but you would get these anyway in your kit; in the larger scales, and if really going for authenticity, you might use masks anyway, so I don't think this is a serious omission. Furthermore, including these would likely drive up the price, which is extremely competitive when benchmarked against a new EagleCals sheet (where you'll never get markings for eight aircraft). As regards the kits you would use, I imagine that 1/72 and 1/48 are relatively well-served, but I cannot really comment since I have not modelled in these scales for some years now. In 1/32, you'll use the fairly decent Trumpeter P-38 which is a 'L' variant; I'm no expert on this esoteric bird, but I think making it as a 'J' model - the subject of some of the profiles - is fairly easy and will not require major correction? Making a P-38G, the subject I the first profile, will require a correction set produced by Grey Matter Figures. My modelling subjects are usually motivated by a personal connection to either the subject or the location, campaign etc, rather than by flashy nose art or cool looking camouflage. With that being said, the decal sheet for this book really took my breath away - it certainly has that 'wow' factor. Of the eight subjects, only one ('Jewboy') lacks nose art. In providing subjects across a range of marks, and in both natural metal as well as OD/Grey (including one with full Invasion Stripes), there is something for everyone. My only reservation is why the same aircraft is covered twice, when there was clearly plethora of colourful options at the author's disposal. There are a few pictures of the subject aircraft at the beginning, and it is a shame that there aren't more, but perhaps neither space (or copyright?) permitted. I do wish that aircraft specific references were provided for those that wish to do further research. Conclusion Quite striking subjects and excellent decals printed in three scales. Purely as a decal pack alone these Mini Topcolors are great value. The ever increasing coverage of both air and armour means Kagero should be a 'go to' for modellers looking for subject matter inspiration and high quality markings. Highly recommended. With thanks to Kagero for the review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link. Nicholas Mayhew

Messerschmitt Bf109 F - The Ace Maker by Marek Murawski €23.59 from Kagero Overview This is the first of a new Special Edition version of Kagero's extensive Monograph series. It looks at what many to consider to be the definitive version of the Luftwaffe's iconic fighter, the Bf109 F, or 'Friedrich'. At over 180 pages, in softback A4 format, this is certainly quite a meaty volume. The coverage at first glance is extensive, and includes the following: design history chronological walk through of sub-variants accounts of the aircraft in various campaigns and theatres original handbook extracts scale drawings showing differences between sub-variants pull-out plans in 1/32 scale A quick word about format: my first thoughts on this book are why on earth does Kagero not use a contents page? They insist on not having one it seems. Yes, as a reviewer, this makes my job much harder to get a 'feel' for the book quickly (boo-hoo I can hear you all say). But it will also frustrate any purchaser when trying to use this book. I say 'use' because this is not a novel which one just picks up and reads from start to finish. It is - presumably - meant to be a reference work, which will be continually dipped in and out of for particular pieces of information. Come on Kagero – give us a detailed contents page in future! Design History and Variants The first 'chapter' if I can call it that covers design history and descriptions of the variants. Just over 20 pages are devoted to the initial concept, prototypes, through the well-known production Marks F-2 and F-4, and then finally to experimental aircraft and test beds. I found the transcript of Kesselring's report on the problems with the F-2 particularly interesting, and this was not something that I had seen before. When considering information about the Bf109 F, and in particular about the F-2 and F-4, there are certain things I look for. These include, but are not limited to: the different supercharger intakes panel line differences on wing upper surfaces - notable the relatively recent discovery of the 'smooth wing' F-2 possible correlation with different slat mechanisms different oil coolers F-4z and associated propeller blade and fuel type changes In my opinion the majority of the above are not satisfactorily dealt with. There is no mention that I could find of panel line differences, Octane levels on fuel and so on (perhaps I might have done with contents or index pages, who knows?). The different supercharger intakes are touched upon, but are not clearly pointed out in photos at this stage. Of more concern is the fact that to my eye all the intakes in the plans look identical in shape, ring bolt for Trop filter excepted, and I really don't think this was the case. I am no expert on the Friedrich, but I have researched a modelling subject in 1/32 scale (Edu Neumann's F-2) and found all these things out myself (thank you to those who have helped); their absence here makes me rather suspicious. When considering differences between variants of aircraft, I much prefer the way the Valiant Wings series of books have dealt with things: technical information in clear and consistent format, accompanied by bullet point highlights - ideal for quick reference. 20 pages sounds a lot to cover the description of what is after all only two main variants that most people would want to know about, but actually it's not much at all. The Friedrich In Combat The vast majority of the book's pages are devoted to the Friedrich in combat – just over a hundred pages in fact. The narrative is broken down by campaign to include: Combat Debut over The Channel (36 pages) Messerschmitt Bf109 F over North Africa and Malta (25 pages) Messerschmitt Bf109 F over Russia (40 pages) Once again there are no sub-headings, so each of these has text that pretty much demands a read start to finish. The allocation of coverage is also interesting: whilst I appreciate that the vast majority of action for this type took place in the East, I imagine most people's interest is piqued by the time in North Africa, JG27, and one Hans-Joachim Marseille. If this is not the case, why have Afrika Friedrich's in colour on both front and back cover? The text reads like the well-known Osprey Aircraft of the Aces series, except there is just more of it. My opinions on that series are mixed: great value, great coverage, but ultimately light weight, and more of a teaser than anything else. I think this applies here – it is effectively three of these Osprey books in one. You have to flick through it to get a sense of this (again – contents page!), as the information on the Kagero website tells you the number of pages and pictures, but leaves you none the wiser as to what you're really buying. There are indeed lots of pictures, some in very high definition, but they are all in black and white which is disappointing. I have not analyzed every picture, but when reviewing a book like this one of the first things I do is try to assess the accuracy of the captions. With respect to unit etc, I just do not have the knowledge, but regarding sub-type is a bit easier. I found a few F-4s which look to be F-2s to me (distinctly different supercharger intake, shallower oil cooler). Similarly, there are aircraft labelled as F-4z Trop when they appear to have shallow oil cooler, and the narrower prop blades – a combination I did not think possible. That these are labelled as such without an accompanying explanation again gives me cause for concern – if I can find these just by flicking through, how many more are there? On the plus side, there are a couple of shots of Galland's 'hybrid' Friedrich showing enlarged cowling blisters very clearly indeed. There are also plenty of first-hand accounts of combat which always help you 'feel' as if you almost there in the mess with the pilots after a sortie! For a book called 'The Ace Maker', the focus is more at unit level than on detailed accounts of particular pilots and their exploits – Marseille groupies, you will be disappointed I am afraid. The Star of Afrika's exploits are covered, but not to any significant degree, and there is no mention of how he met his end (in a G-2). I can't help but feel all of these chapters would benefit from some colour photos – there are some truly excellent ones out there. The combat section finishes with a cursory look at camouflage and marking sizes, and foreign users of the Friedrich. Flugzeughandbuch We have an appendix of some 29 pages (stretching my schoolboy memory of Roman numerals) containing excerpts from the Flugzeughandbuch - original Messerschmitt manual for the Bf109 F-1/F-4. Some of the pictures and diagrams are more technical than others, and no translation from the German is provided, but these things are always useful to modellers I find. Scale Plans There are 20 pages of scale plans, plus an A2 size pull out; those in the book proper are a mix of 1/72 and 1/48 scale, whilst those in the pull out are full 1/32. There are also numerous mini plans of things like ETC racks, Revi gun sights, various MGs and so on – I quite like this and think it's a nice touch. After doing some digging, I am pretty sure these plans are taken from Kagero's earlier Top Drawings book. The plans look very impressive but nagging concerns over supercharger shapes, and the fact that all the upper wing panels are the same tells me that this is not a book for the Friedrich 'experten'. There is a sheet highlighting differences between the variants – each bit is shaded so you can see it – which is good, but in profile these are pretty minimal. Annoyingly, yet also quite predictably, Kagero have ducked out of providing head-on scale comparisons of the different prop blades used, and yet they include 1/72 plans of experimental aircraft with underwing rocket packs. I find that nothing illustrates more clearly the 'style over substance nature' of this book than this omission. Profiles There are some 44 colour profiles to finish the book off, mostly single port side, but there are six three / four view ones. Only here will you find a (single) Marseille aircraft, along with five black and white photographs. The profiles look nice - profiles usually do – but I would have preferred more than the cursory description provided. I also think that having these interspersed throughout the book – as an illustration of an aircraft with a particularly clear photo for example – would be much more use to the modeller. Once again the depiction of the supercharger intakes causes concern. Conclusion I can see that some people will love this 'Osprey on steroids' approach, and appreciate all the plans which exude gravitas and authority. My own personal research tends to be rather more specific, so I confess I do tend to judge books like this quite harshly. For those who have explored the nuances of the Friedrich in some detail already, the lack of clear technical descriptions, fudging of some issues and avoidance of others, will expose this book. That being said, it looks impressive, and you get a lot of book for your €24, so I will let you and your own personal preference be the judge. Good value; some technical information questionable. With thanks to Kagero for the review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link. Nicholas Mayhew

coolio wasn't "our" Mike going to be there? what happened with that?

Soviet T-26 Light Infantry Tank Mod.1931 HobbyBoss Catalogue # 82494 Available from Creative Models for £23.99 This is my first look at HobbyBoss armour. The 'sister' company of Trumpeter (I have never quite nailed down the relationship between the two) have produced a fair amount of armour, but for the most part they have been peripheral WWII subjects or modern ones. Perhaps their most mainstream WWII subject was the SdKfz 222 armoured car - a kit which has some significant shape issues. I will be upfront and say I do not have any reference for the T-26, beyond what the reader presumably has themselves ie the internet. As such, this will be a 'what's in the box' review. Knowing that we can all wiki search something these days, I won't say too much about the history of the T-26, but suffice to say this Russian tank was based on an English design by Vickers, and was produced in fairly large numbers in the 1930s. A quick glance at it will tell you it was completely obsolete by the outbreak of the Second World War; indeed it was probably so even before that. The kit is labelled as a Mod.1931 version - the initial one - which is slightly misleading, as this is only one of two versions you can build from the box - the other being the Mod.1932 version. They are both twin turreted tanks; later versions changed to one larger turret. The Mod.1931 had a light machine gun in each turret, whilst the Mod.1932 had one MG replaced with a 37mm cannon. I think not making the fact that you can build both obvious in the either the kit title or box front is a bit of an oversight by HobbyBoss - people like to know what they can build straight from the box. Anyway, to the kit...It comes in a small but very sturdy box - definitely stackable! There are a large number of small sprues, and the parts count is very high for such a pip-squeak of a tank (the hull is only about the size of my iPhone). A quick look at the bagged sprues will tell you that the parts count comes almost entirely from the tracks, which are indie link, complete with a separate track pin on either side. Single piece hull – no bigger than your iphone The hull is tub is moulded as a single piece. There is rivet and bolt detail throughout which seems very crisp, and I saw no flash. The suspension is designed to be workable - really only any use if you are a doing a dio, but nice to have nonetheless. There are two suspension units each side, with four road wheels a piece, and each unit comprises some 15 parts. Construction looks fairly straightforward, however. The leaf suspension (parts #A4) are adequately moulded, but perhaps not quite up there with the best that say Dragon or Tasca would produce. Both drive sprocket and idlers are well detailed, but the former has six bracing struts between the two sprocket discs (parts # D9) which look as though they will be very fiddly to line up. Drive sprockets look nice but might be fiddly to construct Detail on the leaf springs is adequate, but not brilliant Engine deck grill moulded with gap between the slats Single piece track guards The tracks are indie link, and look very sharp, but they do not come pre-cut like Dragon Magic Tracks, so you will have to snip each of them from the sprue. Keep in mind that at 113 links each side, there will be the same if not more work on these as there would be on a set of Tiger or Panther tracks. Each link has a track pin either side, and these are different for each side (parts #T8-1 and #T8-2), although the track links themselves are not 'handed'. A small jig is provided to aid construction and ensure the runs line up correctly. This, and the attention to detail in providing different track pins, is really quite impressive on what is 'just' a small kit after all. I have not tested to see whether these track pins will stay in place without glue - if they do then you will have fully articulating tracks - but you should still be able to set / drape them as required if using Tamiya Extra Thin sparingly I think. Lots of these tiny links And even more of these miniscule track pins The hull front and rear comprise one plate each, with various details to be added on top. These include two different types of air intake (?), each with a different photo-etch PE grill. There are also a few PE access panel handles provided, as well as PE braces for the track guards - this is a really nice touch. The two-part driver's hatch can only be positioned closed, but given there is no interior (or ever likely to be from aftermarket) I don't think this is big loss. A single clear part is used for the headlight lens. Photo-etch grills and access panel handles are provided – no need for aftermarket here Nice detail, relatively simple construction As mentioned above there are two configurations for the twin turrets. You can either have both with a single machine gun, or one (on the right) armed with a 37mm cannon. The same turret shell is use in either case, and again the hatches cannot be posed open. The machine guns are quite nice but plastic struggles with small barrels even more than large ones in my opinion; I have yet to confirm of there are any brass aftermarket ones you can use as replacements. The single part for the cannon is adequate, although you may wish to hollow it out a little more? The PE gun shield is very good - nice and simple but really adding detail. One of the two turret shells The machine gun is actually pretty neat As for marking options, these revolve around different configurations of stripes on the turrets, and that's pretty much it. They are both finished in what is described as 'Russian Green' - this predates 4BO I believe, but I think most people will have there own preferences here given scale effect, current weathering and finishing trends etc. Nothing flashy in the way of markings is an understatement Conclusion Quite a nice little kit. I doubt there will be mug aftermarket produced for it - or at least this relatively early version - but in truth it doesn't really need it. It is perhaps a good kit for a beginner who wants to take the next step, given the indie link tracks. Highly recommended for fans of 1930s armour With thanks to Creative Models for the review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link. Nicholas Mayhew

Hi Iain Talking of Heinkels, can I contact you off board as I will be reviewing the 111 H-6 kit and wouldn't mind going over a few things with you...? Cheers Nick

Oooh Very interesting (and cool) Do you have any more / close up pics of the windshield showing exactly what you did? For me the windshield is the one 'issue' that really stops me building this kit...

Niiiiice