Brengun is very well known for their wide range of photoetch and resin sets for aircraft. They also produce 1/72nd and 1/144th scale model kits.

This photoetch set for the Roden Gotha G. IV and G.V includes replacement parts for the yoke, guns, instrument panel, and radiator. Additional parts include propeller details, bomb racks, skids and gun swivel ring. I was building the G.V and I was surprised to see that the bomb racks and skids for behind the landing gear were not used.

The photoetch bends well on the fold lines and is not too thick to look out of scale. Painting is tricky on the mesh fins mounted near the rear gunner as the holes will plug easily.

This set definitely improves the finished build. The radiators and guns give the most contribution to the build as most other pieces are on the bottom or in hard to see areas.

The Battle of Britain was, it can be reasonably argued, the battle that saved Western Civilization over 80 years ago during World War II, and so is rightly lauded even at this time. There have been many books written about the battle, so what does this new book from Key Publishing bring to the table?

This small volume is, as stated on the cover blurb, a “photographic guide to the surviving planes from the Battle of Britain,” and it does exactly what it says. The author has tried to document as many surviving period airframes as possible, and while the obvious types such as the Spitfire and Hurricane are covered in depth, other less obvious aircraft are also given their due. Within the pages the reader will find the Avro Anson, Bristol Beaufighter and many types of trainers – types that were indispensable to the RAF as it fought the months-long campaign.

Summary

Let me start by sending sincerest sympathies to the family and friends of Valery Grygorenko the illustrator for Roden Models. I learned through my local hobby shop that he was killed in the ongoing war in Ukraine

Like most Great War fighters this is a relatively uncomplicated kit. There are some issues that one needs to be careful with during construction, but nothing so complicated that an average modeler cannot overcome. One of the biggest trouble spots was with shallow or limited gluing surfaces. So have your CA cement handy for this one.