ON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITS80 View more reviews online: http://www.airfi xmodelworld.com http://www.airfi xmodelworld.com 81HIGH-ALTITUDE SPECIALIST
Spitfire HF Mk.VIII
By: Eduard Item no: 8287
Price: €37.45 Web: http://www.eduard.comEduard’s superb 1/48 Spitfire Mk.VIII
is re-boxed in ProfiPACK format, to
represent the high-altitude fighter
with longer, pointed wingtips. These
Spits offer truly high fidelity, but
this item also offers PE cockpit
details (instrument panel, seat back,
harnesses etc), oleo scissors, and
carburettor intake mesh. Kabuki
tape masks are present and the
styrene detail will amaze and delight.
Colour scheme-wise there is pleasingvariety; standard Day Fighter livery is
accompanied by desert tones, high-
altitude Medium Sea Grey over PRU
Blue, SEAC/US markings, and the
South African AF example has red
upper wingtips:- JF364/GZ-N, 32 Sqn RAF, Foggia,
Italy, early 1944 - JF476/QJ-D, 92 Sqn RAF, Triolo,
Italy, November 1943 - JF519/AX-D, 1 Sqn SAAF, Trigno,
Italy, February 1944 - JF630/FL-C, Fg Off L Cronin, 81 Sqn
AF, Palel, India, March 1944 - HL-U, 308th FS, 31st FG, USAAF,
Castel Volturno, Italy, 1944
PV-1 Ventura
By: Minicraft
Item no: 11681 Price: £44.95
Web: http://www.amerang.co.ukThe Academy/Minicraft PV-1 is
re-issued with new markings. It’s
always been a sound base kit,
although it does need a little help
in the detail department. However,
the styrene benefits from fine
engraved panel lines, and the
trademark ‘paddle’ prop blades
are provided. This boxing comes
with a clear nose, on which panel
lines/windows must be filled to
represent the late-PV-1, and theflatter dorsal gun turret is also
supplied. New decals, printed by
Cartograf, cater for two aircraft,
one in natural metal and Arctic
Red panels, the other in overall
Sea Blue, but there’s a glaring
mistake in that the codes for the
Canadian machine are erroneous;
while the style is correct, the
letters are not, as ‘AB’ was worn by
a Vampire unit. The actual codes
for this PV-1 should be DK or GM,
depending on the year.- 2414/AB-A, Royal Canadian Air
Force, 1948 - R823, unidentified unit, United
States Navy, 1945
Lockheed Martin F-16 MLU
100th Anniversary 1st Squadron,
Florennes
By: Revell Item no: 03905
Price: £19.99 Web: http://www.revell.de/en
If one is unfamiliar with Revell’s 1/72
F-16s, they are worthy of any ‘Viper’
fan’s consideration. This re-boxing
of the Mid-Life Update airframe
offers new decals, representing the
100th anniversary scheme applied
to the 1 Squadron Belgian AF F-16AM
FA-132. It’s an impressive livery, with
black and grey bands on the upper
wings and fuselage, and a thistle-
adorned vertical tail. The styrene
is excellent, and MLU features such
as the ‘bird slicer’ IFF antennas are
provided, along with the Belgian-
specific Carapace ECM fairing under
the air intake (the tiny blisters on
the side of the nose, for the same
system, are not represented, nor are
intake strengthening plates). There’s
moulded cockpit instrument detail,
a decent seat, wing/centreline fuel
tanks and air-to-air missiles (AIM-9,
AIM-120). The decals are gorgeous,
with thin, gloss carrier film.THISTLES’ CENTENARY
Zlin Z-50 ‘Worldwide Users’
By: Brengun Item no: BRP72030
Price: €12.83 Web: http://www.brengun.czRegular readers will have seen
our build of Brengun’s original
Z-50 in the March 2017 issue. Well,
the kit’s back with new colour
schemes, a small selection of PE
details and resin mainwheels. The
latter are for employment with
the styrene undercarriage legs,
but one can also build airframes
with spatted wheels, and this is
represented via one-piece plastic
leg/spat/wheel parts. Engraving
is fine and recessed, and theraised embellishment on the
flying control surfaces is pleasing.
There’s a patterned seat cushion
and PE belts, and the resin wheels
are superb. The six aircraft are
all colourful in their own way...
although careful masking will be
necessary for one or two of the
schemes provided:- Z-50LS, ZU-ZLN ‘Zoo York’,
South Africa - Z-50LA, G-ZSOL, Great Britain
- Z-50LX, N6660K, Rob Harrison,
USA - Z-50LS, SP-TRO, Poland
- Z-50LA, D-ENMM, Germany
- Z-50LS, ZSO, New Zealand
GLOBAL AEROBAT
CLASSIC PATROLLER