Scale aviation modeller international

Sam

THE FIRST LOOKS!

• Tamiya 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6


• Airfix 1/72 Boeing Fortress Mk III


• Artesania Latina 1/16 Fokker DRI
  
  
  • Italeri 1/48 F-104G Starfighter
    see page 54
  
  
  
  

January 2018 WORLD’S BEST MODEL NEWSPAPER ‘FREE’ http://www.sampublications.com

Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6 First look at Tamiya 1/48 Messerschmitt Bf-109G-6 (Late Test Shot)

Lto what Tamiya have achieved with this kit. Amazingly, they et us leave the “Do we really need another 109G?” bit until the end, and move on

have managed to raise the bar yet again for what is achievable in a plastic kit; surprisingly,

however, they have not included the one feature that would have made it unbeatable.As was to be expected, the kit

has been designed to produce a very late mark 109, although with this manufacturer’s history for

dragging out the most from their toolings, do not expect any further versions until at least 2019.This approach has led to a

number of compromises, such as the removal of the umbrella mounting points for the Trop version, and several doors on the

side of the fuselage that have to be filled. There are also a lot of optional parts that, with some

aftermarket decals, could keep you busy for years. These include the tropical dust filter, a choice of short or long aerial masts, two styles

of DF loops, and three options for Morane mast mounting points. And we have not even started

on the stand out feature of this kit: a very nice representation of the Daimler-Benz engine, which, with careful painting, will look

very nice out of the box. The unique feature of this kit is that you do not have to choose between displaying the engine or closing

the cowlings and hiding it. Using small magnets, you can quickly and easily swap between the

supplied alternative open or closed cowlings (I cannot wait to try this feature out!). Other options include poseable control surfaces, dropped

flaps, and leading-edge slats. three aircraft, all finished in RLM Markings are supplied for

74/75/76 splinter camouflage, with various amounts of mottle on the fuselage side.• Messerschmitt Bf109G-6,

Yellow 1, 9/JG54, February 1944. Blue Reichs Defence Band.• Messerschmitt Bf109G-6, Yellow 1, 9/JG52, October 1943. This aircraft

• Messerschmitt Bf109G-6/R6. has yellow trim under the nose and wing, plus a half tail band.
  White 9, 7/JG27, Maleme, Crete, December 1943. This aircraft has a white rudder and tail fin plus
  a white tail band. It is also a gunboat, so it has 20mm gondolas under the wings.
  As well as the various marking options,

you are also supplied with a full set of stencils and dials for the instrument panel, and, in case you

do not use the rather nice pilot figure, a set of seatbelts. In the same packet is a set of painting

masks for the canopy, though these have to be cut from the sheet using a sharp scalpel blade.I am really impressed by this

kit, but I do wish that Tamiya had invested in slide-mould technology, so that they could hollow out the

ends of the machine guns, cannons, and exhaust pipes. But if they did, there would probably be nothing for the aftermarket to supply, as

the plastic detail is so good.CONCLUSION

Over the last three years, we have had two state-of-the-art representations of the 109G-6, and these are both

beautiful kits. The Tamiya example, however, offers you more options in the basic box, and has probably the best plastic details of them all.

And if past Tamiya products are anything to go by, they will certainly be the easiest to assemble.

The only downside is that it will

also be the most expensive option, at £39.99 in the UK. However, it is also the most widely distributed and is

easily available for those modellers who do not like using the internet. So, when this kit is released

in February, treat yourself. I know you will have an enjoyable experience, as that has been the hallmark feature of every Tamiya

kit I have built in the last 30 years. Company, Tamiya’s UK importer, My thanks to The Hobby

for supplying us with this late test shot. We hope to have a full build in the next issue of Scale Aviation Modeller International – just in time

for the kit’s scheduled UK release.

Boeing Fortress Mk III First look at Airfix 1/72 Boeing Fortress Mk III by Huw Morgan

Tboxes of the aircraft, in natural metal or olive drab, droning over he Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is probably best known from the images of

Germany in daylight, besieged by swarms of Luftwaffe fighters, and, often as not, trailing smoke and sundry airframe

parts. Little known, however, is the use the RAF made of this remarkable aircraft, in several

variants, but most notably as the Fortress Mk III. This was roughly equivalent to the USAAF B-17G, and was used in clandestine

operations by 100 Group.special operations unit, assembled to deploy the increasingly 100 Group was a clandestine

sophisticated electronic warfare techniques being developed to jam and disrupt German ground-based

and airborne radars (at times, German-speaking crew were even carried to impersonate German

ground controllers to misdirect night fighters). The Fortress III variants had the chin and ball

turrets removed, and a large, chin-mounted radar installed, together with various transmitting and receiving aerial arrays.

Fortress III kit, based on their 2016 B-17G issue. The kit contains Airfix has produced a tidy

all the original parts, adding an additional sprue to carry the aerials, radar scanner, and plain wheels appropriate to the RAF version, plus

a clear sprue, modified to include the nose radome. The 264 plastic parts are very neatly moulded, but

as the panel lines are much more restrained than on earlier kits, they will no doubt recede under paint. Two very similar

schemes are offered:• #223 Squadron 100 Group, RAF Sculthorpe and RAF Oulton. 1944. (Dark earth and

dark green overnight black, with painted radome).

• “Take it Easy” #214 Squadron, 100 Group, RAF Sculthorpe and RAF Oulton 1944. (Dark earth and dark green overnight
  black, with frosted radome). Airfix’s instructions follow the recent pattern of being based on
  3D, computer-aided design images, with incremental parts shown in red; there are 127 assembly
  stages altogether. Painting instructions are covered in two separate A3-sized colour sheets. Paint references are for Humbrol
  enamels only. There’s no listing table, so you’ll need a paint chart to be able to find alternatives.
  There are no sprue maps to help find those elusive parts.lots going on in the interior and Detail looks excellent, with
  gun turrets, and the engine front faces and turbo superchargers look to be nicely rendered. The
  engineering of the kit is well thought out, albeit perhaps a bit

over-complicated to simplify moulding. There’s a full interior for the bomb bay, but no bombs,

and a hefty central spar on which to hang the wings. At first sight, fit looks like it will be trouble-free,

although where there are multiple parts to make up sub-assemblies, care will be needed in alignment. Airfix is to be commended

for bringing us a modern model of a remarkable and unsung RAF aircraft. Thanks to Airfix for the review sample.

52 • JANUARY 2018 • SCALE AVIATION MODELLER INTERNATIONAL

WWW.SAMPUBLICATIONS.COM • JANUARY 2018 •^53

FIRST LOOK! FIRST LOOK!

WINGNUT WINGS 1/32 SOPWITH 5F.1 DOLPHIN FIGHTER

7

M D F

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uilt on the success of the F/A-18C and

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and electronic warfare capability. The newer

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larger than its predecessor, but contains forty-

two percent fewer structural parts, and can

fly greater ranges with heavier payloads, has

more powerful engines and provides greater

survivability, and the brand new electronic

warfare variant, the EA-18G adds tactical

jamming to the aircrafts already impressive

abilities. Entering service in 1999, the Super

Hornet replaced the mighty F-14 Tomcat in the

fleet defence role and also works in conjunction

with the ‘Legacy’ Hornets in the strike role.

The forward fuselage remains unchanged

from the earlier aircraft, but the remainder

of the Super Hornet shares little with the

F/A-18C and D models. In July 2002, the

F/A-18E/F began its maiden operational

deployment on board USS Abraham Lincoln,

and in November 2002, the aircraft made

its combat entry, striking air defence sites

in Southern Iraq with Joint Direct Attack

Munitions (JDAMs). The aircraft was

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Freedom’ in March 2003, and has since

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THE BOEING F/A-18E/F

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000-CoverFront-MDFSD-OUTPUT-FRONT_MDFSD-07-Cover.qxd.indd 1 11/09/2017 15:17

Modellers Datafile Scaled Down

SUPER HORNET

Boeing F/A-18E/F and EA-18G Growler

SAM-MDFSD-07-Superhornet-Ad.indd 1 02/11/2017 12:45

A

t Telford, we had a few

announcements from smaller

companies but most of the big

boys had nothing new to announce.

Let’s hope they are saving things for

the Nuremberg Toy Fait in Nuremberg

at the end of January. And once Telford

is over new announcements tend to tail

off as manufacturers prepare for the

Xmas rush. With one notable exception,

as just before Christmas Wingnut

Wings made their now traditional pre-

Christmas surprise announcement.

A Dolphin with Teeth

With no warning Wingnuts Wings

released a 1/32 scale Sopwith 5F.1

Dolphin fighter.

W

ingnuts box art is typical of the

superb art that Wingnuts are

famous for featuring a Dolphin with

a Fokker DR.1 Triplane on its tail, I am sure

many will now be using this to prophesise

the release of a Triplane at some point!

But there are two stand out Items of this kit

that show there is nothing new under the sun.

Many readers will be familiar with the

Luftwaffes use upward firing cannons on

Bf110 and He-219 Night Fighter during the

second world war. But I am sure that many

will not be aware that the RAF used this

concept on the Sopwith Dolphin during 1918.

It is a similar story with Sharksmouths.

Many would associate the first appearance

of these with the P-40 during the second

world war but a number of aircraft had these

applied during the First World War. But none

were as dramatic as the sample that is one

of the marking options in this new kit and is

shown on the built-up model photographs

that Wingnuts have supplied us with.

First Chopper

R

egarded as the first helicopter to

reach series production the Flettner

Fi282 Hummingbird was used by

the German Nav y for tests from the cruiser

Koln as well also with ground units in the

Mediterranean and Aegean during 1943.

At Telford, Mini Art announced the type

as their first aircraft kit in the military scale

of 1/35. This is proving increasingly popular

for large scale Helicopters. The sample on

display looks amazing with plenty of detail

and clearly show the intermeshing rotor

design that many will be more familiar with

from the 1960s Kaman Husky helicopter.

The Luftwaffe two seat version will no

doubt follow in due course and I am already

storing wooden coffee stirrers to produce a

section of ship deck to display this model.

Extra Large

Jumping Bean

F

ollowing on from the large scale Focke

Wulf Fw-190 HobbyBoss have now

announced the release of a 1/18 scale McD

AV-8B Harrier. Both of these kits have their

origin in prebuilt kits produced by Merit, but do

not let that put you

off as they are quite

nice out of the box

and in this scale

super detailing

will be easy to add

and take them to

an all new level.

Vixen

L

ike many

Airfix

kits

recently the

1/48 scale Sea Vixen has been increasingly

hard to find and is starting to attract

premium prices. Trumpeter had also

noticed a gap in the market and have

responded by announcing an all new Sea

Vixen for the early part of this year.

We wil have to wait and see how this

compares with the Airfix kit for accuracy

but at least it will be readily available.

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