| Montex 1:32nd MiG-3 Early Conversion kit # K32122 Super Mask Special Edition Review by Jay Laverty March 2008
The Mig-3 seems to grow on me for some strange reason as it never really appealed to me until Trumpeter released their 32nd scale kit. After I picked up the kit and started looking into the history of the aircraft, it became more and more fascinating. As with any aeroplane the ability to build different marks and variants allows for an increasing array of markings options to be applied, in order to make your model just that little bit more unique than any others that may be on the tables at the next model show, and now Montex have come through with a conversion and markings in one tidy little package.
The resin is cast to Montex’s usual high standards, and completely free of any air-bubbles. The detail has been captured perfectly and the masters have been expertly produced. The instructions clearly lay out the work to be done with the resin provided in the kit, but unfortunately a bit of extra work will need to be done, and there is no mention of this on the instructions.
(I have provided a link via the slats diagram below)
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| Preview by Jay Laverty March 2008
With every progressive release Montex add not only a subject that would not likely ever see the light of day at the hands of the major injection moulded producers, but also raise the bar of quality in resin models. We have recently been treated to some superb resin releases over the past couple of years with the Fisher Models Sea Fury, and the MDC Typhoon, Rady Brinzans sublime Ki-61 and Arado 234, and Montex's Boomerang, Gauntlet, and now the Hawker Fury easily stand alongside these releases in my opinion. Intricately and expertly mastered, the level of detail is highly impressive, with the cockpit being an incredible bit of engineering. Reproducing the tubular frame of this ancestor to the Hurricane has been done impeccably, with finely details controls along with a beautifully done instrument panel. In fact all the complex and accurately detailed cockpit could do with would be the addition of some wiring in the appropriate places, and a harness for the seat.
The exterior surfaces are nicely rendered, with appropriately textured surfaces representing the fabric covered parts of the fuselage, although the resin could do with some buffing smooth before assembly as the texture is slightly rough. The fury was the first RAF fighter to exceed 200 mph in level flight and this model captures the elegant lines of the Fury that betray it's parentage to one of WWII's most famous and enduring fighters, the Hawker Hurricane. In the early looks at the pre-release shots of this kit some question was raised about the shape of the nose, and while it may not be perfect, personally it is not out enough to cause me any concern, although for those who want to correct the profile some small surgery will be required. If the area is to be reworked, care must be taken not to alter or ruin the MG channels as the guns themsleves are beautifully rendered.
A quick test fit of the parts reveals that the quality of engineering in the cockpit has extended to the rest of the model, and as far as resin kits go, this kit will go together very easily indeed, with only small amounts of filling required. Another impressive bit of engineering is the solution to ensuring the undercarriage assembly fits together properly with the attachments being integrally moulded to the wheels, which means that it would be very difficult to get the fit wrong, and will add extra strength to the joins. If there is a weakpoint in the overall presentation it is the instructions, as they are not up to the tidy standards of the Boomernag or the Gauntlet, although that is not to say they are poorly done. On the contrary they are very clear, and relatively simple to follow, it's just that htese are hand drawn and do not look as professional as those in the previous Montex kits. Yes, something very superficial to worry about, and they in no way affect the overall high quality of this kit, but I felt it worth mentioning. As can be expected, the kits markings are provided in vinyl cut masks and if you have ever used Montex masks before you will know already just how good they are. Two sheets are provided that give full colour profiles for the markings options, both being colourful and interesting choices.
Overall this is one very impressive release, and while there may be one or two small issues or innacuracies that may be found, this will always be the case with any model kit, however the stunning casting and detail realised in this model more than compensate for any small errors. There is no doubt that this will easily build up into a highly detailed, and very impressive looking model with very little effort, and it is well within the realm of any modeller with some expoerience working in resin. There are no overly complicated assemblies, and as such this will prove to be a great choice for an introduction into resin kit building, even if it is a bi-plane. I highly recommend this kit. You can win a copy of this kit by registering as a member of the Europeanmodeller forums here. |
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| Trumpeter 1:32nd Messerschmitt Me 262 B-1a / U1 Previewed by Jay Laverty
A Well Earned Reputation Trumpeter have established a well earned reputation as a friend of the large scale modeller, quickly establishing an extensive catalogue of 32nd and 24th scale subjects, covering a vast array of subject matter ranging from WWII to Modern. Filling a void in the market by producing subjects that had been neglected for decades by the other mainstream kit producers, they have also taken subjects that have been around for decades and were in dire need of updating. The Messerschmitt 262 is just one. Two previous manufacturers had produced versions of both the single and two seat 262 and both may have been cutting edge at the time of release, but were looking decidedly unrefined, and under-detailed when compared to the latest offerings available in the modelling market. A couple of years ago Trumpeter made a rather large splash in the market with what is in my opinion one of the greatest 32nd scale models ever released, the Me-262A-1A. Two other single seat variants followed, and now we have a largely new tool two seat variant in the Me-262B-1/U1 which lives up to its predecessors standard’s in every fashion. The high level of detail spread across the 10 sprues of Grey and 2 sprues of clear styrene make this an ideal model kit for all level of modeller. Out of the box, the model offers a very respectable representation of details that will allow it to stand out, and for the super-detailer the model presents a perfect starting point for the addition of any level of detail ranging from slight, to well over the top. There are several fresh details added the were omitted on the earlier releases, namely front and rear fuel tanks, new bulkhead detail along with drop tanks and a few other details, some of which are specifically for this variant including the radar arrays. All of the detail is crisp and well moulded, although there are spots where the seams are slightly heavy and will need attention, and there were a couple of spots of flash on this example, although they were nothing that some quick tidying with a scalpel couldn’t easily rectify. Along with the plastic parts, there are some white metal undercarriage legs (sparingly detailed, and whether you use the plastic or the metal legs, either would benefit immensely from the addition of some brake line wiring.) a small photo-etched sprue that consists of the seat-belt components, an acetate film for the instrument panel, and finally rubber tyres. If you are not a fan of rubber tyres you can always replace them with a set of MasterCasters ones. I thought that the DF loop would have been a prime candidate for addition to the photo-etched sprue but unfortunately it is moulded in plastic (albeit well protected on the sprue). This will be an easy fix however as all that is needed is a small length of spare metal to quickly fabricate one. If the assembly is anything like the original kit, there are only one or two spots on the entire model that require any extra effort, namely the fit of the engine nacelles and the windscreen. Markings
The decals may not be printed by Cartograph in this release, however they are done quite well, looking very thin and being in perfect register. Another web reviewer has made erroneous claims that the markings option in the kit are incorrect and “spurious” as he chose to put it, however research by Radu Brinzan has cleared up any mystery surrounding “Red 10”. "Red 10" W.Nr 110635 is one of the aircraft captured by the British. On page 462 of "Me262 Volume 3" by J. Richard Smith and Eddie J. Clark, there are photos showing the aircraft, the red number 10, the serial number, as well as Oblt. Kurt Welter and your friend Lt. Georg Czypionka assiting a RAF pilot in the cockpit. A profile of this aircraft appears on page 463 of the same book. On page 59 of Model Art Special 367 "Messerschmitt Me262" there is a photo of "Red 10" with British roundels. …"Red 10" is not at all spurious. The only problem I can see with that decal sheet is that the "0" in "10" is a tad too wide and squarish. "Red 10" was also included in the Dragon and Heller kits. BTW "Ltn. Kurta Weltera" is actually the Czech spelling of "of Kurt Welter" It is evident that Trumpeter wre inspired by a Czech language book where the line read something like "the aircraft of Kurt Welter".” "Red 12" had solid upperwing camouflage. There is a photo on page 144 of "Scale Aviation Modeller" (Volume 1 issue 3) that shows the aircraft from behind (wearing British roundels). In this photo it is evident that the upper camouflage is solid. Also, the "nose" of the right engine pod was a replacement taken from another aircraft and is painted RLM76 with a strip of dark colour at the top (or may be natural metal). (see page 468 of the Creek and Smith book mentioned above). This may not clear up any issues surrounding “Red 11” on the decal sheet, although I did find a profile of the aircraft in the AJ Press monografie Lotnicze 31 on the 262 (pt. 2) published in 1997 which would appear to be where Trumpeter got all of their markings reference from, as Radu later pointed out: Actually, after further research, I found out that "Kurta Weltera" is more likely to be a Polish genitive, so it is likely that they were inspired by a Polish book. Which I found to be the case when of course the profile in the Polish book was labelled as belonging to “Kurta Weltera”, and to be honest I am willing to go with the research of AJ Press, Swereyn Fleischer and Marek Rhys before I go with un-researched claims. It is the genuine research and attention to detail by guys like Radu Brinzan that make sure errors do not get perpetuated into fact. Overall Impression Overall I am extremely pleased with this model, and I would strongly recommend it to any 32nd Luftwaffe modeller, or to anyone with an interest in building a quality kit, of a historically significant airframe. The price of Trumpeter kits may be creeping up slightly, but I think that overall in comparison to what else it out there, they rate very favourably in the value for money stakes.
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Tristar 35034
Below are a couple of images of Jenny Wrights completed Storch, that will appear in a future issue of Military Modelling:
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