History

The Petlyakov Pe-2 (nicknamed Peshka – “Pawn”) began life in 1939 as a high altitude fighter project, designated VI-100. It was designed under very unusual circumstances, as the design team which included both Vladimir Petlyakov and A.N. Tupolev had been swept up in one of Stalin’s paranoidal purges, and both were imprisoned as “threats to the state.” However, they managed to begin design work during 1939, producing a high altitude fighter prototype by the end of that year. Later, when the Russians discovered that Germany didn’t have any high altitude bombers, the fighter project was canceled.

Part 2: Continuing the saga of the new Eduard parts for the HK B-17; again, extreme thanks to Eduard for providing these sets for IPMS USA to review!

This set is a basic but necessary item to complete the HK Models B-17G. This set contains one color fret of PE to cover the requirements for seven separate seat arrangements within the kit: the pilot and co-pilot seatbelts, the bombardier and navigator seats, and the seats in the radio operator’s compartment.

As you can see by the set, when used on the pilot and co-pilot seat, the “almost operational” level of detail is there. I will note the appearance on the other seats when I get to those particular parts of the aircraft. These harnesses have stitching, male and female buckle components, release levers, leather pads, and tightening straps. Stellar in appearance is a nice phrase for these belts; they take a bit of time, but add more than sufficient, convincing detail to these most visible areas.

History

The Junkers Ju-88 was probably one of the most versatile multi-engined aircraft that the Luftwaffe had available during World War II, and it seemed that whatever was asked of it, it performed very well in the role. Designed originally as a fast medium bomber, one variant was adapted as a long-range heavy fighter, eventually evolving into one of the most effective night fighters of the war. With the development of airborne radar, the Ju-88C series, and later the Ju-88G series, was active wherever Luftwaffe night fighters were employed. The first Ju-88C fighters, designated Ju-88C-2, began operating from Norwegian bases against Allied shipping – and these were basically fighter versions of the Ju-88C-1.

The usual “Thanks very much” goes out to our friends and suppliers at Quickboost for an excellent detail item, in this case an upgraded, simple radio rack drop-in for the Meng kit item.

Almost the same as the Aires radio rack, the difference is in the mounting. Check out the photos – on the side-by-side, the right is the Quickboost item, the left is the Meng item, and the manufacturer picture shows the Quickboost item. The QB item facilitates use with the already stellar Meng basic cockpit interior; this alone makes the upgrade worth the cash!

Again, a 10 for detail and appearance. Thanks again to Quickboost and IPMS USA for providing these items for review.

The ejection seat provided in the Trumpeter 1/32nd A-4 kit is very nice, combining both injection plastic and photo etched parts, ten in all. It is certainly passable. It does not compare, however, to the Quickboost seat, which consists of six cast resin parts. The casting is some of the best I have ever seen. The belts are very detailed and the finished seat should paint up nicely. While attaching the separate oxygen hoses, one of them decided to break off and go airborne. The last I saw of it was passing over my left shoulder.

The seat fits perfectly in the Trumpeter cockpit. I did not have a Hasegawa kit to compare it with, so I don’t know how it would stand against that kit seat. I can’t wait to get it painted and installed in the Trumpeter cockpit.

My thanks to Aires for providing this excellent product, and IPMS USA for allowing me to review it.