If asked to name a fighter aircraft that served in WWII, most everyone will mention Messerschmitt before they begin counting on their second hand, and they generally are referring to the Bf 109. The Bf 109 actually earned its iconic position in the late 1930s, when the E model entered service with the Legion Condor in Spain, and then went on to etch its place firmly in history during the Battle of France and Battle of Britain. It’s no surprise, then, that the E has been marketed in all popular scales by almost every plastic model kit manufacturer. Now Cyber Hobby (AKA Dragon) has added one more to the list of kits to choose from when interested in building a Bf 109 in 1/32 scale.
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Review author’s note: I had difficulty finding this book on any US web site. It may be too new or only available in Europe. The MSRP is an approximation calculated from the MSRP in Euros with a W.A.G. factor added.
This book is the English translation of the original Spanish version. It is well translated but I did find several odd things which were easy enough to figure out. The publication consists of 8 chapters and a gallery of photos from people who are obviously master modelers to illustrate what can be accomplished with patience, skill, and technique.
Okay, I stepped up to review this since nobody else asked, nor volunteered. I have never used a Big Ed add-on before and I have a Tamiya A6M3 so I thought, “Why not try it?” When the Big Ed arrived, I opened it with joy like a kid at Christmas who had a good year with Santa. Then, while looking at the instructions, I realized I had the new Tamiya Zero and this Big Ed is for Tamiya’s OLD A6M3 Hamp kit. So, for a few months, I watched a bunch of these kits on eBay sell for more than I could pay. I have been unemployed for two and a half years now, so I don’t get to buy kits any more unless I can get them for under five bucks. Earlier this week I was able to borrow an old Tamiya Zero so we can at least get the review done. Of course, that Zero did not arrive until today...
This issue is one I’ve been looking forward to for a while now, and the reason is the subject on the cover…Zoukei Mura’s beautiful new 1/32nd scale A-1H Skyraider! In addition to a full 10 page build article, there is also included a ten page walkaround with numerous photos in both color and black and white. Without a doubt, this is likely the most impressive array of interesting subject matter, well documented build articles, and some of the handiest tips and techniques. The contents of this issue are as follows:
Quickboost just keeps adding to their growing line of quality resin aircraft accessories. This time they have put out a nice set of propellers for the Academy B-24 Liberator. They are molded in grayish resin, smooth, seamless and bubble-free.
The propellers that come in the Academy kit are okay but lack the level of detail that the Quickboost propellers have. The Quickboost ones are just more believable when you look at the finished kit. When you compare them, the Quickboost hub detail is superior and the tool that they include ensures that you have the right pitch. Installing them is also no problem and they could go on almost any other B-24 kit.
I highly recommend this product if you want a really superior-looking model. Thanks to Quickboost and IPMS USA for the chance to do this review.