Background

The F-15 emerged from a design study started in the early 1960s called the FX program. When the missile centered American designs of the late 1940s and 50s proved vulnerable to seemingly less advanced Soviet Migs over Vietnam, and after the unveiling of the Mig 25, the U.S. started a concentrated effort to build the next generation of fighters. Centered around the energy maneuverability theory the new designs would have very high thrust to weight ratios. That’s what the F-15 (and F-14, F-16 and F-18) would eventually achieve. Built around two Pratt and Whitney F-100 engines that allow the aircraft to accelerate in the vertical, the F-15 and associated new generation U.S. fighters outclassed any opposition at the time. In 1976 a specially prepared F-15 called the Streak Eagle broke eight time to climb records previously held by the Mig 25. A year prior the Japanese Self Defense Force came looking for a replacement for their F-104 and F-4s.

Osprey Publishing continues to expand its Combat Aircraft line of books. This time with the title Luftwaffe Mistel Composite Bomber Units.

This book, like all the other in the series, is very well researched and profusely illustrated with period pictures. Where relevant, it includes pictures of different pilots (including a few allied pilots) whose diaries and exploits are covered in the book.

The different chapters of the book covers the history of the Mistel units in a chronological way, from its beginning as a way to deliver gliders (rather than towing them it was considered to have a composite Bf-109/DFS 230) and its transition to an offensive weapon via the delivery of a modified war-weary bomber airframe.

Sincere appreciation to Eduard for providing yet another review item, and to the IPMS USA reviewer corps leaders for sending it to me!

This set continues Eduard’s effort to provide modelers with previously unavailable, well detailed resin sets. Consisting of 36 parts, you are presented with six forward bomb casings, six sets of low-drag standard fins, six fuse extenders, six fuses, and two different sets of six forward end caps for transportation or other situations where other fusing is used.

Decals round out the presentation, including yellow stripes for the bomb noses and two types of stencil, yellow and white.

Assembly requires careful sanding of the pour gates after you remove the parts, particularly if you don’t want “wonky” fins. You will have to ensure the fins are also correctly oriented to the mounting lugs on the forward bomb body, as this matters when used on a MER/TER situation. No fin interference!

Eduard’s NATO Fighter is a limited edition boxing of the Hasegawa F-104G with the addition of resin parts for two different ejection seats and several sensors/antennas, a photoetch fret of details for the two seats, as well as a full cockpit, and 2 decal sheets – one of stencils and one with markings for five different NATO air forces that flew the F-104.

Hasegawa’s F-104 kit has been reviewed several times in the past, so other than a few gotcha’s that I learned the hard way, I will focus on the added parts and details.

Simple but brilliant, Eduard’s pre-cut canopy masks now include a set for Academy’s 1/72 F-4J Phantom II kit.

In this case, simplicity of application was demonstrated by 9 year-old Camden as he built his Academy F-4J Showtime 100 for a related IPMS/USA review. In a matter of minutes, the pre-cut masks were transferred to the model canopy and scraps for left-over mask material were used to fill in the holes. Fit of all pieces was spot-on.

The masks adhered well throughout the construction and finishing process, spanning about 3 weeks’ time. At the end of the build, they peeled off with only one slight trace of residual adhesive, which was quickly lifted by the adhesive side of a piece of low-tack masking tape.