This is the latest release in the Warpaint series of aircraft books from Guideline Publishers. The format follows the other titles in this series and includes 156 pages of color and B/W photos, color side views and line drawings in 1/72 scale. Although this volume is dominated by pictures, there is a history of the F-1s development and operational history of all the operators who used this aircraft. The book is current including a description of an F-1 flying for Draken International that crashed earlier this year right here in Las Vegas.

The PZL (Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze) State Aviation Works were established in 1928 with the main purpose of producing military aircraft of their own design and development. One of the characteristics of the PZL fighter aircraft was the gull-shaped wing which was later known as the Polish wing. The first design developed by the Works was the PZL P.1 which was also the first all-metal aircraft construction in Poland. This development was followed by the PZL P.6 and then the PZL P.7 airplanes. In 1931 the prototype of the PZL P.11 was tested and flown. Several versions of the PZL P.11 were developed: P.11a, P.11b, P.11c, and P.11f. Romania acquired the license for the P.11b but built the P.11f. The PZL P.11 and PZL P.7 were engaged in air combat against the German Luftwaffe in September 1939. Many surviving PZL P.11 aircraft were evacuated to Romania after the Soviet Union attacked Poland on September 17, 1939.

Arma Hobby has released a new 1/48^th scale Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IIc, and it is a great addition to the other 1/48^th Hurricanes variants currently available.

In The Box

The kit box is a side open box with all the contents sitting in a sturdier tray cardboard box. The sprues are enclosed in a single plastic bag. In one corner of the box, the 3D parts are wrapped and attached to eliminate any transit movement.

The injected plastic hardness is on the medium side. The recessed and raised molded details are outstanding. It is very evident Arma Hobby put a lot of research into the making of their kits and it shows on the surface detail. The clear parts are thin and with no distortion and it has options for an open or closed canopy.

The 3D parts are tightly nested on a single print and includes the aft belly fuselage, tail-hook, pilot seat (with harnesses), exhaust tubes, and cannons.

Background

Hauler-Brengun was founded in 1999 and produces scale plastic kits, resin kits and accessories, photo-etched details for kits and other accessories. This kit of the Tupolev Tu-141 Strizh is offered in only 1/144 scale.

The Tupolev Tu-141 Strizh ("Swift"; Russian: Туполев Ту-141 Стриж) is a Soviet reconnaissance drone that served with the Soviet Army during the late 1970s and 1980s, as well as the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2014. As with previous Tupolev designs, it has a dart-like rear-mounted delta wing, forward-mounted canards, and a KR-17A turbojet engine, 4,409 lbs of thrust, mounted above the tail. It is launched from a trailer using a solid-propellant booster and lands with the aid of a tail-mounted parachute. The Tu-141 was in Soviet service from 1979 to 1989, mostly on the western borders of the Soviet Union.

The latest in MMP’s Spotlight On series, this, the 28^th volume, features the Spitfire IX. Author and artist Robert Grudzien opens the book with a quick summary of the type, then it’s straight into the meat of the book, full colour profiles of 40 examples of the Spitfire IX. These have been created especially for the book and are extremely well executed, exhibiting great detail, and they are split about evenly between port and starboard side views.