Aircraft reviews
STEALTHY HOVERING
Modellers wanting to build the B-variant of Lockheed’s F-35 must feel like they’re waiting for a bus: nothing for years, then three arrive at the same time!
KAMIKAZE TRAINER
Brengun has continued its fascinating range of quarter-scale Ohka flying bombs with the two-seat Kai variant, which was used as a trainer.
REGIONAL PROPLINER
Airfix’s Vintage Classics series now includes aircraft subjects and one of the first re-releases is the lovely 1959 Heron Mk.II, with markings for the original Jersey Airlines livery.
SOVIET-SUPPLIED SWALLOW
ICM’s 1/32 Polikarpov I-16 Type 10 returns, this time representing fighters nicknamed ‘Lastochka’ (Swallow) by its Chinese Nationalist operators between 1938-39.
WIDEBODY CARRIER
This new-tool offering from Zvezda is the first 1/144 scale model kit of the Airbus A350-1000 airliner, representing the longer version with a greater passenger capacity and extended range over the A350-900.
SPECIAL OPS 'WOKKA-WOKKA'
Italeri’s CH-47 has been around since 1995, and this Revell re-boxing features the former’s US Army’s Special Operations MH-47E, with an option for an RAF HC.3 machine.
'EMIL' RETURNS
This styrene-only Weekend Edition of Eduard’s 1/48 Bf 109E-3 comprises three runners common to the firm’s ‘family’ of quarter-scale Bf 109Es, but Runner C represents cannon-fitted wings and Runner F the early-style canopy, replaced by a squarer design on E-4s onwards.
THE PEOPLE'S FIGHTER
It may be small, but Special Hobby’s newly tooled He 162 is perfectly formed and is easily the best 1/72 offering of the type in this scale.
MISLABELLED STEALTH
Modellers wanting a YF-22 shouldn’t be misled by the title on MisterCraft’s re-boxed Aeroplast offering – the contents are actually for a full-production F-22, which has a considerably different shape.