This incredibly detailed and finely crafted set of replacement aerials for the Funk Gerate 220 SN-2 Liechtenstein radar has to be seen to be believed. My poor modeling skills simply do not do them justice. The first photo shows the package, and inside one finds 14 brass pieces, 5 for the horizontal portion and 9 for the vertical, which assemble into 4 aerials. There is one each extra piece for oopsies. The instructions are clear and simple. To get the best results, these must be assembled by soldering

The FuG 220 was installed on several models of the Bf-110, Ju-88 G, and HE-219 A, in two separate orientations. I could not find a reference which supports its installation in the Do-217 series, but my research is by no means exhaustive. Figures 2 and 3 show the kit parts for the AMT Ju-88 G-6 (plastic sprue) and Dragon He-219 A-7 (photoetched metal). Neither comes close to reproducing the true shape of these aerials. My references included Squadron Signal pubs and the Osprey German Night fighters volume, and both show the Master Models aerials to be very close matches to the real McCoys.

The AMT parts are plastic and represent the most common kitting of these complex metal parts which marked Luftwaffe nightfighter radar aerials. They suffer from the common problem of too simple a shape and too thick a diameter. Plastic is just too fragile to give a proper scale representation, and resin not much more durable. The Dragon parts are flat photoetched metal, and while from the side they give a close approximation of the shape of the vertical and horizontal members, they are flat when viewed end on. For my money, the PE parts are better than the plastic, but I cannot conceive of either one being competitive at an IPMS contest if there’s an entry bearing Master Model Poland’s brass parts.

As to assembly, it was my intent to put two of the review aerials and one each of the AMT and Dragon aerials on the same a/c nose for detailed comparison. But in the end, I couldn’t mate the Dragon piece with the AMT mounting bracket and vice versa. However, the brass pieces will go on either kit, and I suspect will mount easily on virtually any 1/72 kit.

The brass should be assembled by soldering; my soldering skills were simply not up to snuff! The sequence should be: 1) solder two horizontal members to each vertical member in the positions indicated (you can’t screw this up, it’s so clear!); 2) paint the aerials and set them aside; 3) drill out the end of the kit’s plastic mounting bracket with a pin vice and mount it to the kit nose as the kit instructions indicate and 4) after the model is finished, mount the brass assemblies onto the kit into the pre-drilled holes. Use the vertical or slanted orientation as your references dictate.

I had no difficulty drilling out the mounting brackets on the kit parts for the AMT Ju-88. The size of the drill bit will depend upon the individual kit’s molding you purchase – it’s that fine a tolerance. The Dragon Owl has finer plastic mounts and was more difficult, but it can be managed. The Ju-88 nose was easier to photograph, so I used that for the final pictures.

Having no luck with the soldering (other than not actually burning down my house, though it was close), I used super glue to tack two of the review aerial assemblies together and mounted them in the kit brackets on one side of the Ju-88 nose and two of the kit provided aerials on the other side, in the later, G-6 slanted orientation. The photos show a dramatic difference. At this price, there is absolutely no reason ever to use a plastic or photoetched aerial ever again. And when I learn to solder better, I won’t. I was so enthralled with this set that I have signed myself up for soldering lessons.

And modelers – they come in 1/48^th as well! Many thanks to Model Master Poland and to IPMS/USA for this exquisite accessory and a fun build.