No introduction is needed for the subject that would carry these wheels! The B-17 has long been a favorite among modelers, and many remember Shep Pane’s diorama using the Monogram B-17G. Revell also released the B-17F, and now both molds have long been reissued many times. Needless to say, it’s still the only game in town for a quarter-inch scale B-17, and overall is still accurate in shape. However, the finer details show their age.

Eduard has been releasing lots of very useful resin upgrades that can add a little extra life to some older kits. These new resin wheels for the B-17 are no exception, and are little jewels to support your detailed B-17 project properly.

Thanks first to Judy and Jerry Crandall of Eagle Editions for providing IPMS USA these great decals; as fellow IPMS members, we always appreciate your support by providing us review items!

If you have never used Eaglecal decals before, now is your opportunity. The Revell Uhu is an absolutely fantastic build, and the kit decal sheet is comprehensive. However, Eaglecals has decided to provide more options, as usual…and very well done indeed they are!

Three aircraft are included in this decal sheet: an He-219A-0 (which will require a bit of antenna scratchbuilding on the Revell kit to depict the additional radar array), an He-219A-7 with a bit of different camo on the upper side (RLM 76 mottling over RLM 75, with RLM 76 lower surfaces), and an He-219A-2 with RLM 76 uppersurfaces, RLM 75 mottling, and satin black undersurfaces.

Osprey Publishing provides many different lines of aircraft information books for the enthusiast. These include the Aces series, the Elite series, the Dual series, and others. This latest series, Air Vanguard, seems to combine the best of the other series and really seems to be aimed at the modeler as well as the aviation enthusiast.

Good news – Hasegawa has re-issued its Skyraider kit, too long absent from the hobby store shelves. Their first boxing comes with decals for an aircraft of VA-65 from the USS Enterprise – featured on the box art – plus optional markings for the CAG aircraft of VA-165 aboard the USS Oriskany. You’ll see two models in an accompanying photo, but note there’s only one model in the box – I thought it’d be a nice comparison to show off the alternate decal markings provided in the kit by building a second A-1, pulled from my kit stash. There’s only one set of common markings in the kit (insignia, wing walks, instrument panel, etc.) so I used these items from the second kit’s sheet.

Comparing the sprues, the re-issue is identical to the first release I built when this nice kit first appeared on the market many years ago. The clear parts are packed in their own separate poly bag to prevent scratching them.

History

Numerous experienced Polish pilots served in England, and although they were not technically part of the RAF, they served in special units and distinguished themselves in combat. By the time that the Spitfire XVI was available, the war was nearly over, and although the type was not generally flown in combat (one Polish pilot flew Mk. XVI’s with No. 602 Sqdn.), numerous Polish units operated these aircraft in the immediate postwar years. With the disbanding of the Polish Air Force in Britain in 1946-1947, about 500 Poles joined the RAF and served with various units. The Spitfires were eventually scrapped, and of several that were given to the Polish government after the war for museum displays, none survived. The Communist Government wanted to de-emphasize the role of Poles in the RAF during the war, as there were also Poles flying with the Soviets.