IPMS/USA Reviews

The Airfix Stuka is an impressive kit but there is some room for improvement. When you think of Eduard you automatically think photo etch. So matching these two great modeling companies together is a natural.

Packaged in the typical Eduard resealable packaging with a cardboard stiffener inside are two different frets. The first fret is the pre-painted fret that is the ZOOM set. It is nickel plated and has the instrument panel and interior parts. The parts are really nicely done and the pre-painted is better than I can paint by hand. Some people have issue with pre-painted parts, but I do not.

The second fret contains the detail parts on a brass fret. Things like interior details, ammo drums, radios, gun ring details and other highlights are replicated or replaced. This set will lift the kit cockpit to the next level. There are also detail parts for the wing guns, including the access panels that are realistically thin like the real thing. The rudder and elevator actuators are also provided.

Instructions

The instructions in this kit are similar to those of all of Airfix's new issues. They are on full size sheets, with one page of general historical information in 5 languages, one sheet of brief modeling instructions in 12 languages, and 19 detailed assembly drawings on 4 pages. There is also one sheet of excellent rigging instructions with 1/72 scale drawings, since this model needs wire rigging to look realistic. The box art has the color guide and painting references, although there isn't a lot of interior information, especially since not all interior colors are covered. There is no sprue diagram or detailed information on the forward part of the cockpit interior. The photo on p. 20 of the Imrie book should solve this problem.

The Air Force's 18^th Aggressor Squadron is based at Eielson AFB in Alaska and flies specially painted F-16s in fulfilling its role of simulating opposing air forces. Over the years its F-16s have worn a wide variety of paint schemes mimicking those used by potential opponents. Recently, the Squadron painted some of its F-16s in several variations of the "Splinter" scheme recently observed on Russian Su-34s and the Sukhoi T-50. Two Bobs have now issued decal sheets in 1/32, 1/48 and 1/72 scales to allow modelers to depict these schemes.

Fundekals provided these five sample sheets for my review.  Each sheet provides numerous decals. The F-102A sheets each provide either five or six sets of individual markings. In the case of the Stencil sheet at least one complete set of markings (many of which I used in completion of my F-102A model, and in the Stars and Bars sheets, numerous national insignia.

This is a very handy reference publication for modelers. In this booklet by Maciej Noszczak, there are 20 pages of beautiful line drawings, side view color plates and photos of the XF4U-1 prototype.

There is little in the way of text, aside from a long paragraph detailing the basic developmental stages for the Corsair family of aircraft.

The line drawings are highly detailed (including one full page inserted and removable page). The line drawings are prepared in 1/48^th scale while the color plates are done in a larger unspecified scale. However, these color plates provide a number of valuable color references in both two-tone grey over white, solid dark grey, and the ever popular intermediate blue and dark blue over white schemes. Though far from an expert on the Corsair, I made several comparisons, using Tamiya's 32^nd scale kit and panel lines and even rivet details appear to be accurate.

I was particularly impressed with the two pages which illustrate and graphically describe the visible external changes in the Corsair's development.