Brengun has issued another delightful photoetched accessory set for small scale aircraft modelers. This particular set is designed for use with Mark One's offering of the German Bf-109, specifically the Bf-109G-10 model. [ Note : There is a detail set for the K model of the 109, as well.]

Typically these small scale (1/144^th) aircraft kits come with two complete models in the box and Mark One is no exception, nor are the offerings from either Armory or Sweet. Brengun provides detail bits for two kits. Those bits include photoetched pieces for the:

• cockpit tub
• two part seat
• rudder footrests / stirrups
• seat belts (four pieces)
• instrument panel
• trim wheel
• control column
• throttle controls
• side console details
• floor details
• resin center console (alas, w/o cup holder :))

Additional items are provided for the:

Eagle Editions has produced some of the most accurate decals on the market. Normally known for their Luftwaffe subjects, they have quite a collection of other aircraft as well, including the Spitfire. With new 1/48th subjects from Airfix, Eduard, and Tamiya these decals are perfectly timed.

There are decals for three aircraft that represent the evolution of the Temperate Land Scheme and the under-surface colors. One aircraft has the black and white belly, the next has the sky color and the following one has the Sky-Blue belly. The first one is flown by P/O Al Deere with the Kiwi emblem in front of the cockpit. The next is flown by Sgt. Bernard Jennings from No.19 Squadron and is typical of the Battle of Britain period. The final option has an American flavor, with a red spinner, flown by an American, P/O Hugh Reilley, flying with No.66 Sqdn.in the Battle of Britain. He was shot down and killed by Werner Molders.

History

Atlantis Models has released a PBY-5A Catalina in 1/104 scale. This was originally a classic Monogram kit, which debuted in 1955. On the older model there was some issues reported with parts alignment, I found none of that with this kit.

In the Box

• Instructions
  • There is a one-page instruction sheet. Illustrations for the parts and their construction sequence were very clear.
• Sprues: 2 molded in blue plastic
• Clear plastic: 1 sprue
• Decal Sheet: 1

Building the Model

Cockpit

The cockpit has only the upper half of a pilot and copilot no other detail for it.

Because there was no detailing in the cockpit and the waist gunner positions (they too had upper body figures only) I decided to paint those areas black and did not install the figures.

Canopy Clear Parts

Included Cockpit, forward gunners’ area and two waist blisters.

Supermarine’s Spitfire was one of the classic fighters of World War II. Produced in different Marks (the British name for versions), the Spitfire served from the beginning of the war until the end. The Mark IX was originally developed as a stop-gap measure in response to the German introduction of the Focke-Wulf FW-190, but later grew into it’s own as a fighter aircraft.

Platz’s Mark IX kit is nice, with finely engraved panel lines and no visible flash. There are 152 parts molded on 5 grey plastic sprues and one clear sprue, of which approximately 57 are used in various Mk IX versions and possibly other Spitfire versions as well. There are 2 Mark IX versions with 4 paint schemes that can be built using this kit.

This set is designed for Great Wall Hobby’s recent F-14D Tomcat kit and will nicely spruce up your build. The set includes complete photo-etch replacements for the instrument panels and cockpit side consoles for both cockpits, including the circuit breaker panels behind the Radar Intercept Officer’s (RIO’s) seat. A nice touch is the inclusion of not only the rudder pedals for the pilot, but also the foot pedals for the RIO which while not connected to any flight controls are important as the location of the RIO’s radio/ICS talk buttons. In order to install the etch parts you will need to remove the molded-on details from all the panels and consoles before painting the cockpit and installing the etched parts. Unfortunately, I received the set after I had painted and assembled the cockpit, so I have set them aside for the next one.