nmayhew

sweeeeeeet love the masking thank you VERY much for sharing! Nick

Roy Sutherland was involved in the production of the PCM kit - Ken Lawrence has said on HS: "Roy also worked very closely with Sword so that the kit is accurate." Roy's aftermarket is some of the best and most accurate around, so that' a positive in my book.

Hmmm indeed I will be honest and say I am not PCM's biggest fan: mediocre website (that flatters them) and poor distribution (plus an owner who lives in cloud cuckoo land re his views on modelling bricks and mortar shops vs online retailers!) I have looked closely (had the kits) at their Ta152 and both Spitfire IXs and thought there were just too many sloppy errors for my liking - it just seemed like they thought people wouldn't notice. If I can find stuff out on 30mins googling that they missed, then that's just not good enough in my book. I don't have experience with their Italian stuff so can only comment on what I have seen. For me, their kits are just not good value unless that particular subject is your own personal 'unicorn' or Grail. Paying the same or more - assuming you can even find one in the UK - for a Fw190 A-3 or Hawker Hurricane than you would for a He111 or Ju88 is a just a no no for me...and I love the Hurricane! Again, this is a function of their distribution outside of USA into UK / Europe [Why someone like HK Models uses them as a distributor is puzzling, but I suppose they have their reasons.] That being said $75 is not unreasonable if you are Stateside for what should look quite imposing in 1/32, and having two to choose from is always good. Maybe I'll be a PCM convert in a couple of months?!

1/32 Photo-Etch Upgrades for Revell He219 Eduard Check article for catalogue #'s and price Available directly from Eduard Overview The Revell He219 kit followed on from their recent twin-engined successes of the Ju88 A-1 and the He111 P, and came with high expectations; it also came with another kit breathing down its neck – the He219 from Zoukei-mura. There has been a lot written about the Revell offering, but if this is your first dip into waters Uhu, I will summarize thus: on the plus side, it looks like a 219, and captures all its features; it is cracking good value, and significantly cheaper than the Z-m kit; it can be built out of the box into an impressive and imposing model where all but the experts will not spot anything wrong; there is already much aftermarket out there for it, a good chunk of which I will review now (PE) and in the future (Brassin wheels); using this aftermarket will address many of the kit's shortcomings. On the down side, Revell's kit has accuracy issues regarding outline and shape – these centre around the nacelles, but extend to fuselage cross-section and canopy shape, amongst other things; detail is mediocre in some areas eg cockpit; the current aftermarket cannot correct issues of shape, only those of detail; the Zoukei-mura kit seems much more accurate. If you would like to know more about the Revell kit to form your own opinion, then there is an excellent and in depth discussion here. As regards literature, my own preference for an initial primer / one-stop shop would be the Valiant Wings book, but you would also be served by a similar volume by Kagero. A more academic take on things is provided by Ron Ferguson's Research Paper, which might benefit being read in conjunction with material on LEMB. Today I will look at five photo-etch (PE) sets for this kit, and also the canopy mask. They cover the interior (cockpit) , as well as a fair chunk of exterior detail, and in this I include the wheel well set. Eduard pretty much owns the aviation PE market, with little or no competition in many areas, and it is to their credit that their output is of a continually high standard, even if the price of basic PE sets seems to be spiralling somewhat. To that end, I will consider the sets below in terms of what they add to the kit, but also whether I think they are 'worth it'. He219 Interior S.A. #33115 €18.75 The "S.A." stands for self-adhesive, and all this type of PE set come on a greaseproof-like backing paper to protect their 'sticky' side, but otherwise are just normal PE parts, although always pre-painted as far as I can tell. This set is just one fret, and is basically the instrument panels for pilot and crewman, but given the nature of the aircraft, there are actually quite a lot of them. These sets are the real no brainers for me – whenever considering a build, I will nearly always want to use one of these sets. They are usually very simple to install, being either direct replacement or, as here, an add-on to the kit parts once you sanded off the unwanted raised detail. You get a lot of bang for your buck in terms in terms of the difference it makes – compare to some of the kit parts – but then again you do need to: for a relatively small fret, it is not cheap. The details are excellent, and the closer you look, the more you will see. The only detractors of these sets tend to be those who say the RLM66 is too light – maybe it is a bit, but once you get into the whole scale colour debate, you'll never get out – or that they prefer to have a more 3D instrument panel, comprising layers of plastic, acetate film, then PE instrument panel and maybe even PE instrument bevils. Eduard's solution is certainly a lot more user friendly, and has much less scope to mess things up. He219 Interior S.A. #32757 €22,45 This set has the same coloured fret as above, but also includes a slightly larger regular fret for additional cockpit tub details and things like foot pedals. Another small difference is the inclusion of a clear acetate fret where the outlines of the sights are printed for you to cut out. Given the nature of the Uhu's cockpit, and how visible everything will be in there, these are small but quite important parts. At less than €4 more than the first set, I think this represents a much better value proposition. The foot pedals are real improvements over the kit parts, whilst I can see nothing in the other PE on this fret that should cause any problems in construction, even for someone with only limited experience with this medium. The kit panels: ok, but not great – the Eduard parts will really make a visible difference here He219 Canopy Mask #JX145 €11.25 Eduard's monopoly, and ability to price accordingly, is demonstrated no more clearly than in canopy masks. Since their move to the Japanese kabuki tape a few years back (whatever kabuki tape is?!) these masks really do grip, even on gentle compound curves. As such, they save modellers many hours over the course of a year's building, and also much gnashing of teeth – they are very easy to use and offer excellent results. This set also includes masks for the wheel hubs, a feature fairly common in this series now. That being said, I simply can't help feeling that they are just too expensive for what they are. He219 Seatbelts #32755 €14.95 The recent emergence of fabric / paper seatbelts shows that nothing stands still in modelling, and I think that the days of the PE belt, or at least their complete dominance of the market, are numbered. PE belts, especially ones such as these which are pre-painted, generally look 'very good', and can be made to look excellent by some modellers. Their main handicap is the tendency to spring up and a refusal to sit or sag in the way that a real belt would (annealing is not an option due to the paint coating). The new generation of fabric belts do not suffer these problems (although they can be fiddly), and their range is growing extremely fast. Not Revell's finest hour Although I would probably opt for fabric belts if starting from scratch, I will use these ones on the Revell kit in my stash. The less said about Revell's attempt to mould seatbelts to the pilot's seat, the better; I will be using Eduard belts in conjunction with MDC's replacement seats. He219 Undercarriage #32325 €32.35 The Uhu had distinctively large engine nacelles and the underside of these have correspondingly large voids for the landing gear. The problem with these large open spaces is that they require detailing, as on real aircraft they were rarely an empty space, and often filled with plumbing, piping and such like. The He219 was no exception, and this set will go some way to addressing the rather Spartan appearance of the kit here; consulting your references will show there is more that can be added, but this set is certainly a good start. Across two frets, this set is an interesting mix. There are some quite large parts which require the basic rib / spar raised detail to be removed from the kit nacelle insides. There are also smaller parts, some of which represent oleo scissor links, and I'm not sure about these: where the kit parts might be too clunky and lack detail, the PE parts may well be too one dimensional. Also, if you are holding out on G-Factor landing gear to correct the 'sit' of the aircraft which Revell got rather wrong, then some of the Eduard parts might be superfluous. Finally, we have the usual wires / pipes which do not usually stand up to close scrutiny – again too one dimensional – but I know some modellers have dipped these in white glue to add volume, and the results have been fairly successful. If your Uhu is going on static display and is unlikely to be inspected by 'groundcrew', then you probably don't need this set. However, if you are going to look underneath, then the sparse nature of the kit gear bays will really benefit from Eduard's attentions. Some of the kit parts look very bare indeed Whereas others look a little better – this part will still be sanded down for an Eduard replacement He219 Exterior #32324 €22.95 This is probably the largest of the sets: two frets designed to replace / cover pretty much all the access panels on the entire aircraft, plus some finely detailed grill, intake and exhaust covers. The surface detail on the kit is restrained and quite fine, but in places perhaps a little too vague, and this set is designed to rectify that. If I am honest, this is the one set that I am not sure if I will use, or indeed how to use it. The reason for this is that although PE sheet is by its very nature extremely thin, when simply slapped on to a kits surface it does still stick out somewhat. The good part is the majority of these panels are set to lay on flat or almost indiscernibly curved surfaces, so I imagine application will be some very gentle sanding – or perhaps none at all – and then simply glue the part on. Kit surface detail – this looks pretty good to me Where I am not at all convinced most modellers will be able to pull this off is the set of four panels that lay across the sharp curve which mates the fuselage sides to the underneath, and a further panel that lays across the Uhu's belly. The picture below is from Eduard's own website, and if you look closely you can see the fit is not perfect; if they cannot make it look 100%, I am not sure us mere mortals have much hope. Getting the access panels to look convincing over pronounced curves will be tricky [Eduard] The solution is maybe leave these more challenging ones off, but I wonder whether the model might look a bit odd, with slightly raised access panels all over the place, except for these ones? I have yet to decide on this one. Whereas the detail here could do with more definition, as provided by the Eduard parts The other parts in this set are for radiator grills which sit inside the cowling; these are very nice as you would expect, but will sit over probably what are perfectly adequate parts from Revell, so again, your call here. I like the exhaust end grills, as these can also be used on any aftermarket exhausts that the likes of Quickboost will no doubt produce. Finally, one omission from Eduard concerns the cowl flaps: Revell didn't get the overlapping nature of these right, so you may wish to consider the set from RB Productions to complement your Eduard offering. Conclusion I state the obvious by pointing out that if you buy all of these sets, the outlay could be more than double again what you spent on the kit in the first place, but in fairness to Eduard this is as much a reflection of the kit's excellent value, as it is of the high price of PE these days. If budget permits, I would definitely use all but the exterior set – I think these will make a significant improvement to building the kit out of the box. The same may apply to the last set, but I would suggest that you need experience with a very similar set on a much smaller aircraft first, or a lot of confidence in how you think these will look, because once you start putting on the panel covers, you can't really stop half way. Highly recommended; for those with a large budget go for the whole lot; go for interior only if you have to choose just one. With thanks to Eduard for the review samples. Nicholas Mayhew

Ah, but of course!

US Navy / Marines Fighter Pilot - Tropical Master Details Catalogue # 32035 $17.25 available directly from Master Detail Master Details make resin detail and upgrade sets for 1/32 aviation, including figures. I have not used their products before, or indeed seen any first hand, so this is very much first contact for me. The subject here is a WWII American pilot, who can be either from US Navy, or US Marine Corps. With the recent announcement of Tamiya's 1/32 F4-U Corsair, and its use by said Marine Corps, this would seem to be a very timely release. First things first, we have one figure, but with two possible head options. The heads are cast in white metal, everything else in grey resin. The torso and legs are cast as one piece, with separate arms. Per Master Details, the figure features the tropical short uniform with early 'Mae West' life preserver, officer shoes and web belt with holstered .45 calibre pistol and magazine pouch. The quality of casting on the resin parts and detail depicted is very good. I have a fair amount of experience with Alpine Miniatures' resin figures in 1/35, and I consider these the industry benchmark. I would put the resin details here as very good, to an Alpine's excellent. The figure is depicted with right hand in pocket and left hand on the holstered pistol. The right arm ends at the wrist, with the hand not being visible. The left hand's position makes him almost look like a Wild West gunslinger in my mind - but given the holster is still buttoned up perhaps that's my imagination?! In reality, I can imagine this figure being displayed on his own in front of his aircraft, or maybe positioned talking to other pilots / groundcrew (if you can find other figures to match - they are rather thin on the ground). So far so good, but now the heads: they are a big let down. I am not sure I agree with Master Details decision to use white metal here. The medium is just not as suited as resin in my opinion for the rendering of complex shapes and sharp detail. I really think they would look better in resin. As mentioned above, we get two heads: one is plain with officer "ball cap" and one is ready for flight with 1092-S summer flying helmet and Mk. II goggles. The goggles are cast 'hollow' – I did some digging on the Master Details website and found that they suggest filling the depressions with clear epoxy; I have never tried this myself, but I can see how if you get it right the effects would be very good. Talking of their website, I think they need to add some decent quality pictures of their figures – on the basis of what is there I really couldn't make a purchasing decision. Conclusion This is the first Master Details figure I have seen up close and it is a mixed affair. The subject matter is interesting and certainly very timely, whilst the resin castings are worthy of praise. However, I can't help feeling that the use of white metal for the heads lets everything down. I am undecided as to whether I would buy this with my own cash; and if I did, I would be inclined to see if there was maybe a 1/35 head from Alpine that I might get away with, even though it would not be a true pilot's head. High quality resin body; metal heads could be better With thanks to Master Details for the review sample. To purchase directly, click THIS link.

1:35 U.S. M1070 Tractor / M1000 Heavy Equipment Transporter Upgrade Sets HobbyBoss kit #85502 ET Model Today I will look at a number of upgrade sets by ET Model for the HobbyBoss M1070 Tractor / M1000 Heavy Trailer kit (#85502). This kit has been out for over a year now, and whilst not as ground breaking as its WWII equivalent, the more I think about it, the more it bears comparison with Tamiya's Dragon Wagon. In terms of sheer size, this kit is mightily impressive but, as we know, no kit is perfect. The upgrade sets below are available if you want to avoid vinyl tyres (many people's pet hate) or perhaps add extra detail using photo-etch metal (PE); one of the sets allows you to model a slightly different version. Weighted Road Wheels for M1070 Truck Tractor #ER35-041 $24.99 from LuckyModel The vinyl tyres in the kit will undoubtedly have their detractors - not necessarily because they are poorly detailed, but simply because they are in vinyl. Whether they attract as much dust as everybody says - especially after they would be covered in primer, paint and God knows how many pigments - I don't know. These resin replacements certainly get round that problem. They also show sharper detail than the kit wheels. The set comprises eight road wheels and one spare in pale cream resin. They are crisply cast with little or no sign of flash, and a relatively small casting block where the tyre would contact the road surface. They are described as weighted, but this is barely noticeable, and certainly not overdone when compared to contemporary photos. I have reviewed resin wheels in the past where they have simply been cast copies of the kit parts, often repeating errors contained therein. Not so the case here: detail is definitely sharper, and there are four 'varieties' - the position of the Michelin logo / stencilling relative to casting block varies to avoid that unnatural 'samey' look. The wheels are one part castings, and if you wish to model them with the bolt covers in place, you merely use the kit parts supplied.the spare wheel, which again is a one part affair, and requires no additional kit parts, is probably the pick of the bunch. Overall this is a really nice upgrade set which should certainly please those who have an aversion to vinyl. Even if you are indifferent to this medium, I think the ET Model tyres are crisper in detail and given the price, pretty good value. Weighted Road Wheels for M1000 Heavy Equipment Trailer #ER35-042 $36.99 from LuckyModel As with the previous set, we have a direct replacement of the the kit parts for the M1000 Heavy Equipment Trailer. The two key differences here are that these are resin tyres only - one uses the kit hubs; and secondly, the number of them - I am not sure I have ever seen a set of 42 resin tyres before! The level of detail and quality of casting is as above - very good indeed. If you hate vinyl tyres then the trailer will probably set your teeth on edge and this alternative will be a must! The tyres are indeed weighted but the effect is very subtle and not at all overdone. In the pictures I have seen of this rig with an Abrams tank on the back, the tyres still seem pretty normal and in no way 'pancaked', so I think ET Model have got this right. CPK Cab for M1070 Truck Tractor #ER35-134 $51.99 from LuckyModel CPK stands for Crew Protection Kit, and this set reflects attempts to upgrade crew safety in light of the threat posed by insurgent attacks and in particular IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). We have eight frets of PE, two clear perspex type parts, and five small resin pieces which, when all put together, certainly give the M1070 a much more aggressive look. Most notably, the cab gets a new roof, side panels and windshield surround. There are new doors, with detail inside and out, and the windows in these are replaced by the chunky (even in 1/35 scale) clear parts for armoured glass. There are also spaced armour panels on either side attached to doors - these sit slightly lower than the doors themselves to provide additional protection for under the cab I imagine. This is, for ET Model, a fairly pricey set at just over $50 - buy it in the UK and you'll pay more like $80, so personally I would always buy this stuff online from the Far East. There is a lot of PE for your money however, so I think as regards value for money it is still up there. You will need confidence and experience with PE to get the most out of this set, and preferably an ability to solder. I think some additional reference will also be useful - the instructions are clear enough, but I have seen CPK Tractors with slightly different specs (without the spaced armour panels on the door for instance), so some research may be needed. Either way, as if the base kit isn't impressive enough, the CPK version is definitely a head-turner. The instructions are fairly clear, but quite intense - there is a lot going on over six A4 pages. There will be some quite intricate folding to make the frames for the armoured glass windows in the doors. The glass itself is to be cut from clear plastic per templates provided - I am not a fan of this at all; why can't they pre-cut it? New doors are made with detail inside and out and these are to be affixed to a new cab side panel - if you have the dexterity, the parts are provided to make working door hinges although I personally doubt anyone would (or indeed could) do this. At first glance it looks like the kit cab is completely replaced by PE panels, but on closer inspection I see the main kit framework is to be used as a base; otherwise I think this set would be beyond most modellers. Some of the panels eg the roof, are quite large indeed. You will need your own supply of styrene rod in various gauges to complete the spaced armour panels. You should note the completed pics show the Duke antenna system - this is not provided but is available as #ER35-140; the IED detection 'arm' you see is part of this set. The crew steps and additional armour around the fuel tanks will look especially good if you can pull off the involved construction. In summary, whilst the set is not cheap on top of an already expensive base kit, it is definitely an option if you have the budget and desire to make your M1070 just that little bit different. The only real downside that I can see is that this set is not for beginners, and even if confident with PE, probably not for the faint of heart. Interior for M1070 Truck Tractor #ER35-132 $20.99 from LuckyModel This is a smaller but still quite varied and interesting set aimed at detailing the interior of the tractor cab. We have three PE frets in the usual brass colour - one of these is purposely thicker - and another in a silver finish which is very much finer. There are also six resin parts and a piece acetate film. Apart from the door interior panels, I think the majority of this set can be used in conjunction with the CPK set above if you really wanted to go to town. The instructions are only just over three pages. The main features here are a completely new central station between driver and crew / co-driver, replacement instrument panels (where the film comes in), and some very nifty looking seat suspension units. The latter will probably test your PE bending skills a bit, but I think they will look superb, especially if you have the opportunity to pose one or both of the can doors open. There are also lots of other small additions like multiple ties downs, brackets for fire extinguishers etc, and also a brand new monitor screen (the frame is one of the resin parts). The only real downside I can see with this set is I am not sure how much of it would be visible if you model your tractor 'buttoned up'? Seat supports aside, the rest of this set is probably ok for beginners with photo-etch. Conclusion As with pretty much all the aftermarket material I review these days, if you buy all that which is available – or sometimes even only a fraction of that – you will end up spending significantly more than you did on the original kit. That is just the nature of the beast, and I will say that when benchmarked against their competitors, ET Model upgrades are generally very good value. The sets I have looked at here today are no different: a lot of money if you buy them all, but each in their own right worth the money in my opinion, and each adding real value to the model. One can't really ask for more than that. Highly recommended. With thanks to ET Model for the review samples. To purchase, click the links in the review. Nicholas Mayhew

Nice one Dave Where do you get your Super metallics from? LuckyModel?

Don't worry, just ask Mr Jackson to make another film - that should more than cover it

@Ben So the pic you have IS of a MK IX?? Can you post it please? Also, I presume you refer to Brian Cauchi yes? His is the book I shall be reviewing shortly! He used to post on LSP and is one of the original 1/32 scratch builders and master modellers, but has gone 'underground' a bit afaict, and I have only found him posting on a Malta only forum. If it is indeed Brian, perhaps you can invite him here? I think from a Staff point of view, we may also be doing the same, but the more the merrier. Thanks Nick

Ok, with respect, that's not what happened. There were a few tantrums (on both sides) and people then chilled out. And the thread went on. And in a very constructive manner. That thread on LSP is one of their benchmark pieces IMHO.

Your opinion, and I respect it, but personally I could not disagree more. I don't care how many kits someone churns out, or how many magazines they've been published in, or how many test shots they get early, and how many 'how to build the xyz...' books they publish..,they doesn't mean they know jack $h*% about the actual subject matter. They may well do, but the former does not necessarily mean the latter. Of course be happy to 'just build'; but keep in mind there are many (and some on here) for whom technical accuracy and background research is just as if not more interesting and important.

That's a bit cheeky to say that in this thread when Steve has already I think provided precise measurements and sources

Yes Links please because I can't see anything like that Shipping is key Plus for UK eBay is not great unless the guy will mark it way under value Hence LuckyModel (also HobbyEasy btw) get so much custom from us guys Speaking of LuckyModel they have Tasca Shermans for $50 shipped which is awesome I will be ordering 3 very shortly before I miss them (like I did with the Ta152...grrrrr)

Where did you buy that Matt / what price? Am after one of those if 'the price is right'

@ Ben Very interesting finish For someone who is about to review a book on Malta Spitfires perhaps I should be more assertive, but shouldn't that be a Vc rather than a IX?? @Ralph Please do not needlessly quote posts, ESPECIALLY those with large numbers of photos in them. I have edited your post accordingly.

hi researching various He111 projects (Ps and also various early-ish Hs...) and I have a question about the He111 P-1 markings Revell provides: is "1G+ES", which is listed as being III./KG 27 Geschwader Boelcke, Delmenhorst, Germany 1940 actually correct? this is the aircraft with the elaborate drawings on both sides of the tail fin I ask because this same artwork is shown in close-up and also in a wider shot on p37 of "KG55 In Focus" by Hall and Quinlan as being on a completely different aircraft: G1+HP, this time of 6./KG55 G1+HP is also shown on p19, after having been shot down, but is described as being a different airframe. I seem to have read somewhere that the tail fin artwork was not permanent and was perhaps rained / weathered off - so maybe it is the same a/c? G1 makes it a KG55 bird I think, but Geschwader insignia are not visible in either of the Hall and Quinlan pics Did Revell make a mistake on both codes and unit?? Nick

cheers Dave "Outline accuracy appears to be spot-on. The fuselage length is correct..." oh really now? my guess is Wumm would beg to disagree I would also like to know what refs he used, and what measurements he came out with, but hey he's BG and he owns scale modelling if you trawl back through previous BG build reviews, you'll realise you'd better get your technical research elsewhere (Trumpeter EE Lightning *ahem*) issues aside, i still like it vs Hassy on price for us here in Europe... Steve, care to comment on what you see?

Nice Spit and aftermarket! Where did you pick that lot up? I just got the BigEd for the He111 for £65 all in - a lot of money still, but would love to know anywhere cheaper?

and the Ta152 is now out of stock - back in another four weeks (just been speaking to LuckyModel) my wallet is pleased i missed that one i am not! their accessory prices for all the other kits are excellent though - how Hannants (and indeed Z-m) can justify their prices is utterly beyond me, especially for the P-51 where the tamiya offering is basically a better kit (much as i love my Z-m P-51 of course )

If nothing else, it avoids 1. Z-m's brutal shipping costs and 2. Our friends at UK Customs

100 A4 sheets?! Yeah right! No wonder the custom decal market simply does not exist!

I agree with you Steve I will probably get quite a few of these, purely on basis of its cheaper (for me in UK) than the Hassy Yes we all know 'it looks like a 109 to me...' will apply, but ultimately, something's either correct or it's not. @WingCo There are lots of Internet Experten out there who can fire off their (often misguided?) opinions faster than a MG42, but there are also certain people for certain subjects that I trust, just because they know their stuff; Steve is one of those guys we can trust Cheers Nick (who spent waaaay too long in the Bell & Jorrocks last night!)

Good luck, honestly Whilst there are a couple of mask manufacturers out there who do one offs at the same price as an EagleCals sheet, I can't think I've ever heard of similar for genuine decals I just don't think the technology is out there so that you can make decals sheets in mega short runs at a cost anyone but the obsessed with a single subject would tolerate Would love to proven wrong, as I have a couple subjects I'd love to see done myself

Less than £75 for the Ta152, INCLUDING shipping!! Beats Euro importer prices by a mile And they have all the accessories too