Aircraft reviews
SPITS FROM DOWN UNDER
Modellers who missed out on Eduard’s limited edition ‘Aussie Eight’ dual-combo boxings of its 1/48 Spitfire Mk.VIII will appreciate this Weekend Edition , as it contains two of that offering's schemes.
RECORD-BREAKER
Special Hobby appears to be working gradually through the X-15 airframes with its 1/32 releases, with this fourth boxing portraying the second machine late in the test programme with a white finish.
REPACKAGED STEALTH
Revell has re-boxed Italeri’s 1/72 F-35A – depicting the conventional take-off and landing variant of this stealth multirole aircraft.
UP-ENGINED GLADIATOR
The second large-scale Gladiator offering from ICM adds a new runner F to the standard components, allowing the later Mk.II variant (with its three-bladed propeller and changed instrument panel) to be built.
GULL-WINGED EXPORT
Although a Polish design, PZL’s P.11 entered service with the Romanian Air Force before its home country’s air arm, and IBG has released a 1/72 offering representing these exported aircraft, which were designated P.11b.
ALLISON-ENGINED PONY
Brengun has added new wings plus a resin dorsal intake to KP’s 1/72 P-51 Mustang, for an early Mk.Ia airframe.
CENTENARY RETIREE
This is the first time Revell’s recent 1/72 Hawk T.1 hasn’t depicted a Red Arrows jet (as per the initial release and subsequent starter set); instead, it provides an all-black 208(R) Squadron livery.
MINUTE 'JUGS'
Here’s another small-scale double package in the form of Platz’s 1/144 P-47D Thunderbolt with early-style ‘razorback’ canopy.
SMALL CARRIER FIGHTER
Arma Hobby has again raised the bar for the level of detail in a 1/72 World War Two-era fighter kit with its newly tooled FM-2 Wildcat.
EUROPEAN RAIDER
Having delighted modellers with its ‘strafer nose’ Invader (see Invading Striker), ICM has subsequently released the bomber variant, which featured a glazed forward section for the bomber/navigator.