ICM has made an unusual move with its latest Diorama Set, as it focuses on 1/72 aircraft: Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3s and a Tupolev SB 2 during the Spanish Civil War.
John Fuller lifts the lid on this exciting three-kit package.
‘Over all of Spain, the sky is clear’
By: ICM Scale: 1/72 Item no: DS7202 Price: £25.80 Web: www.hannants.co.uk
For the most part, ICM’s range of Diorama Sets (identified by their DS item number prefix) contain combinations of the firm’s 1/35 scale military-themed kits and figures, while 1/48 aircraft-themed sets have also included personnel or ground-based support vehicles. This latest effort from the Ukrainian firm is a little different: it’s the first to feature 1/72 aircraft, with two Bf 109E-3s and a Tupolev SB 2 bomber the complete contents. Adding further intrigue, all three feature Spanish Civil War liveries, lending unusual appearances to the ensemble.
Digging further into the contents, it soon becomes apparent none are particularly fresh toolings: the firm’s Messerschmitt Bf 109 was first released as an E-3 in 2004, with E-4, E-7/B and E-7/Trop versions following in the intervening years. It’s a similar story for the Tupolev, which arrived in 2005, with Spanish-operated, Soviet and Czech example…
