IPMS/USA thanks the Aires team once again for sending us this simple, excellent item for use on a kit, in this case the Eduard (formerly Gavia) Lysander Mk. III. And thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team…

This set consists of eight resin parts to replace the kit’s solid, neutral position Horizontal Stabilizer and Elevators. There are two elevators with leading edge, two stabilizers with concave aerodynamic coves for accepting the elevators, and four hinges.

I liked this set because it gives the kit a more natural look.. Even with aerodynamic mass balances at the end of the leading edge tip of the elevators (which is what those bulky “tabs” on the front of the elevator are, (To prevent damaging and even dangerous “buzz” or “Flutter” in flight, which can rip the control surface off), elevators frequently do not have a neutral “sit” on the ground.

Tony Buttler was born in 1956 and joined High Duty Alloys in Redditch in 1974 as a metallurgist. For nearly 20 years he was closely involved in the testing of aluminum and titanium airframe and engine components for many of the world’s most important airplanes. It was during this timeframe that his interest in military aircraft grew into a passion. Since 1995, Tony has been a freelance aviation historian, with this book being his twenty-sixth major release. He has also written many titles for the Warpaint series of monographs as well as many articles for most of the popular historical aviation magazines.

The German African campaign started with the landing by the Afrika Korps to help out the Italians. This harsh environment seesawed back and forth. This allowed the Bf-109 to evolve from the Emil and to the Gustav. Special Tropical variants were developed for the aircraft.

It is with this Eduard has released this boxing. This boxing includes the Friedrich and Gustav variants. The box top is a beautiful painting of Marseille’s F-4/Trop and a beautiful G-2 with mottled camouflage. Very motivational. The box itself is a sturdy cardboard box.

Inside the box are lots of light grey sprues. There are two of each sprue, I and H, which are the common sprues for the entire F and G line. There are two sprues that feature the unique fuselage and wings for the aircraft. You are able to build one F and one G model. You can’t build two Fs or two Gs. Two clear sprues are there as well for the canopy. There will be plenty of leftovers on the G sprue.

IPMS/USA thanks the Aires Aerobonus team once again for sending us this simple, excellent items for use in a diorama setting. And thanks to Phil and John for obtaining the sets for the team…

This set consists of one perfectly cast figure of a Kettenkraftrad driver. These vehicles were used on many German airfields later in the war to move smaller aircraft around the local flughafen. (One of these also served as a “Rabbit” decoy in the movie “Saving Private Ryan” in the last battle scene).

Not much to say here: It’s simple but can be done to excellent standard if you have the tools, time, and skills. With my painting ability, I could do a lot better, but I’m on deadlines. You get the idea. Paint, wash, highlight, done. I just love micro photography too: shows up every grain of resin dust that I can’t see with my old eyes…

The Do-335 has been well represented in 1/48th scale with the old, but venerable, Monogram kit and the more recent Tamiya one.

Master has had a long held reputation of producing some extremely accurate turned metal barrels and this set is no different. Packaged with a card stock protective backing inside a little ziplock bag are the five beautifully rendered pieces. The nose blast tube is in the front spinner, along with two 30mm cannon barrels on top of the fuselage is included. There is also a pitot tube and FuG-25 antenna. All of them are thin and have no mold lines and are perfectly round. Something I cant do in plastic. The best thing about these sets is that they are stronger and thinner than plastic.

The instructions are easy to understand and follow. You will have to drill some holes but the size and location are clearly shown.