INFO Eduard

# 158

e-magazine FREE Vol 22 April 2023

 INFO Eduard
e-magazine FREE Vol 22 April 2023

# 158

© Eduard - Model Accessories, 2023

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 APRIL 2023

CONTENTS
4 EDITORIAL
6 HISTORY
Rufe
The Cavalry Arrives - VMF-223 at Guadalcanal
The high-altitude Hinds
The air war over Ukraine - A year of bloodshed

37 BOXART STORY
Happy crab
Like dogs on chains
Green Hearts Umbrella
Fatal mistake
The Breakpoint

42 Chemistry 101
Instant, Epoxy and Dispersion Adhesives

46 KITS
Z-326/C-305 Trenér Master ProfiPACK 1/48
Bf 110C ProfiPACK 1/48
RUFE DUAL COMBO Limited 1/48
Fw 190A-4 engine flaps and 2gun wings Weekend 1/48
Tempest Mk.V Series 2 Weekend 1/48
UTI MiG-15 ProfiPACK 1/72 reedice

76 BRASSIN

94 PHOTO-ETCHED SETS

102 BIG ED

112 BUILT
RUFE 1/48
Z-326 Trenér Master 1/48
F-35A 1/48
Spitfire Mk. IXc early 1/48
Bf 109G-2 1/48
Fw 190A-2 1/48

120 ON APPROACH – May 2023

Published by Eduard-Model Accessories, spol. s.r.o.

139 TAIL END CHARLIE
Mírová 170, Obrnice 435 21
[email protected] www.eduard.com eduard
EDITORIAL
Good evening, Dear Friends One More Thing about Nuremberg
We have completed our retail department move. As We wrote about this year's Nuremberg Toy Fair in the last
of yesterday, we have vacated the facility in Most issue of this newsletter, and to be honest, I didn't need
that since June, 2019, has served as our main retail to return to the exhibition until last week. I changed my
headquarters as well as the facility that served as opinion after reading the evaluation of the exhibition by
final kit packaging. It’s also the facility in which we lost Jindra Štěrbáček in Modelář magazine. I will not sugarcoat
a lot of the plastic for our kits when a fire broke out in this mess … I found the article extremely biased and even
December 2020. I admit to having hoped for an earlier insulting. Its evaluation is unfair to both the organizers
move to a new facility after that fire. Immediately in the and the participants. I do not intend to argue with the
spring and summer of 2020, we prepared for a new-build announcement that this year's fair was a significantly
facility, but that was ultimately quelled by the turbulent smaller event for our industry than what we were used to
supply issues in the construction industry. In the fall of in the pre-Covid years, but that was expected and at least
2021, we began to negotiate the purchase of an existing we went there with a clear idea of what we were getting
facility in Sedlec, a village neighboring our main office into. Accordingly, we made arrangements and changed
in Obrnice, some 5km away. We were able to keep the our usual procedures based on our years of attending the
negotiations pretty short with the owners, and the same fair. Specifically, for us and our colleagues and friends
goes for the financing talks with the bank. The talks at Special Hobby, it meant joining together and sharing revolutionary step. If I am not mistaken, this is the first
hit a typically Czech roadblock though, when it was one booth. But it was no mini-stand, as was written in time in the history of the fair that children were allowed to
revealed that the access road to our new facility was Modelář. Compared to previous years, we reduced the visit the exhibition. I’m sure that something like this would
bisected by a 10mwide swath of land belonging to the area of the stand by one third. In the same way, our never have happened if it weren't for covid lockdowns and
neighbor. Said neighbor is American, and as such, the previous stands were no opulent exhibitions; I think their the changes in circumstances caused by it. If it weren't
negotiations making the access road all ours took about size corresponded to the size and importance of our for the above-described reduction in exhibitors and the
another 9 months. This finally happened last September. companies. We, that is, Eduard, will most likely stay with corresponding reduction in the number of visitors, the
In February, all the plastic was moved to the newly this size of stand next year, Special Hobby will probably organizers would not have opened the exhibition up like
renovated facility, officially known as Hall 2 and this was separate from us and set up its own tables. It will be a bit that. In fact, I would bet on it. However, I wouldn’t put money
followed by the retail department last month. The next of a shame, for me, living with them was pleasant and down on them keeping it that way when things settle down
step is to move final kit manufacturing into the building conflict-free, even if I did eat their peanuts. again. But I will be happy if the weekend open to the public
and that is slated for June. The absence of a number of companies was expected, remains a part of the fair. Among other things, it brought
This was the easiest part of the whole thing. As I wrote in and not surprising for those who follow at least a little us a change in the perception of Exhibition Sunday. It used
the March editorial, the next phase is the reconstruction of what is happening in the world. Asia is still struggling to be traditionally boring, nothing happened by then, we
the premises for Department 012, which is kit production. with the repercussions of the pandemic, air travel is just always kind of agonizingly waited for it to finally end
That requires setting up space intended for a tool shop, a currently more of a hassle than normal, discouraging and we could go home. Not that we didn't want to go home
press shop, warehouses for molds and materials, as well many from traveling to Europe. Ukraine is defending this year, we wanted to, and how! But we didn't get bored.
as for the offices of designers and technologists. This itself against Russian aggression, so the absence of More people came on Saturday and Sunday than on the
will be more demanding. The installation of the required Ukrainian companies is completely understandable, previous three days combined, maybe even more than at
equipment will be significantly more complicated than and it is also clear for the Russians, they are under any other time during the entire exhibition’s history. So we
the modification of the premises for product storage and sanctions and their participation is unwelcome for ended up packing our stuff in the evening, tired as hell,
shipping. If everything goes well, we could move production obvious reasons. In addition, Russian companies never but with a good feeling that at least we got away with
from Obrnice to Sedlec at the end of this year. It’s all exhibited much in Nuremberg, I honestly only remember it and did a good job. And Fredy and I have to find time
a little like kit development. Yeah, we can get it done in Zvezda. Americans aren’t exactly into travel either, and to go for coffee, because what we left to discuss on the
x amount of time, but then the reality of the situation frankly, in terms of the participation of different nations, traditionally boring Sunday, we didn't have time to discuss
inevitably kicks in. So it’s probably more realistic to two things are a mystery to me: why didn't the Poles this time due to the unusually high number of visitors
expect the relocation of the manufacture of kits in the actually come, and why did so many Australians come interested in our products.
first half of next year, but the entire project is expected this year? No one has to travel further than them, they So to sum it up, next year will be even better, if Putin
to be complete by the end of next year. So, we actually also knew what they were getting into and how limited doesn't completely screw up and unleash a nuclear
have a relatively good supply of time, and we can still the possibilities of contact with manufacturers would apocalypse. I don't know how much better it will be,
realistically believe that this move will turn out like be in Nuremberg this year, and they came anyway! Hats I rather expect the exhibitors to return gradually to
our Zero or Nieuport 17projects. We managed these off to them! When I add the year-over-year increase in normal, but it may be different. In any case, I hope Jindra
projects in a significantly shorter time than anticipated. turnover with the Australians between 2021 and 2022, actually makes it to Nuremberg next year in person and
If everything works out, it will benefit us a lot, and you too, it was a 71 % increase for us, so I personally consider doesn’t have to write a report based on what he heard
as our ability to release new kits at a faster pace after it a definite positive point and I am slowly starting to from someone else. That would be awesome and much
the move will gradually increase. In the end, however, you research the process of obtaining an Australian visa. more accurate.
decide how much it will grow, because we will be guided It’s time to fly to Australia, even though they have
by demand for expanded production capabilities. poisonous spiders, snakes and all kinds of other fun stuff! Kits in April
I consider the opening of the toy fair to the public, and Before I start with the news, let me make one
above all to children and youth, to be a positive and more announcement. At the end of March, we had

4 INFO Eduard April 2023

224 active items in the kit range. Before the fire in reinforcement of the fuselage in the cockpit area, which and you'll also find three new BigEd and six Space sets
December 2020, there were 180 items, so now we have look really nice on the model, are included and I strongly
a significantly wider range than back then. With that, I suspect that no kit thus far represented this feature. Historical and Other Articles
I dare to consider the renewal of the range of model For those who don’t feel the need for the expense of I have already made mention of Honza Bobek’s article about
kits finished. Of course, it’s not the same range as in a dual combo boxing, and its associated price, please note the Rufe fighter floatplane. It is in two parts, the second
2020, but it wouldn’t be even if there was no fire. The that the classic ProfiPACK kit will be out in July. part will be published in the May newsletter. In addition to
range of kits has always been dynamically changing, a number of lesser-known or hitherto unknown technical
and given that we've regularly released an average of BRASSIN and historical facts, it also brings a very interesting visual
six new kits every month for the past two years, some For the Rufe, we are offering a whole range of accessories component. Several unique, in some cases unpublished,
of which were brand new and some of which were in parallel with the release of the kit, based on the photographs have been obtained from Japan courtesy of
rehashed older items, the current range is significantly collection of kits for the A6M2 Model 21. Of course, we Messrs Izawa and Yoshino, thanks to the assistance of the
changed. The current situation also does not mean that leave out the wheels, but among the accessories, there editors of Scale Aviation magazine. I should also add that
we will stop presenting older kits as news, kits which are, for example, the folding wingtips. Some publications in completing the kit we used the advice and materials of
are currently still missing from the catalog. In April, state that the Rufe did not have these. As you will learn Mr. Ryan Toews, who also helped Honza considerably in
the 48th Bf 110C returns in the form of a redesigned from the aforementioned article by Honza Bobek, the fact the preparation of his article.
ProfiPACK, kit, as does the 72nd scale UTIMiG-15, as is that at least several dozen aircraft from the start of Part two of Tom Cleaver’s article Arrival of the Cavalry
a reissue of the original kit. We are also nearing the end the production run were equipped with folding wingtips. comes out this month, about the activities of VMF-223,
of the packaging changeover. We have very few kits left For the Zero’s main adversary early on, the F4F-3 Wildcat, flying Wildcats during the battles for Guadalcanal. Thus,
in the old boxes in our warehouse, the vast majority of we have an engine kit for the late version dash-3 in the in this issue of our magazine, you have the opportunity
the range is in new boxes, whether they’re Weekend or collection of April releases , differing from the older kit for to see the war in the Pacific from the point of view of the
ProfiPACK kits. Those that we currently have in stock the F4F-3 Early in the engine cowl and with two versions two opposing sides. Article of Tomáš “Hindman” Dvořák
in their original packaging will be sold out in the next of the face ring and some detail installations underneath, is offering interesting insight into service of high-altitude
installment of the Sweep campaign in April. such as a reduction gear. The 48th scale sets also include Hind E helicopters in service of Czech and Czechoslovak
So this finally brings me to the April news. In the a machine gun set for Anson from Airfix, two sets, Air Force. In addition to these historical notebooks, as
ProfiPACK range, we are expanding the family of Trener a radar and exhaust, for all F-16s from Kinetic, and with virtually the entire previous year, we are continuing
kits (you’ll recall that this is the Czech word for “Trainer”, a Mi-24V cockpit in that Soviet turquoise finish, in addition with our look at the air war over Ukraine with the series of
and was the name bestowed on this line of aircraft) to a few other smaller sets. This set, as was the black articles by Miro Barič. The war is entering its next phase,
with the first Tener with a retractable undercarriage, cockpit version for the same kit from Zvezda, is released and I’m afraid Miro will have plenty to write about in the
the Z-326 in M and MF versions. The kit also includes as a combination of a 3D printed base complete with a months to come. I have no doubt that the just delivered
military machines, known locally as the “Three- Space 3D decal. Slovak and Polish MiG-29s will soon be mentioned as
Hundreds”, consistent with their military designation In 1/72 scale, this month we focused on the Bf 110E well. Most of you will know that the majority of these
C-305. In the Weekend series we have two new 48th (Eduard) with three sets. These are an upgraded version machines will have hailed from the inventory of the
scale items for April, the Tempest Mk.V Series 2 and of the older sets for this model. The set of wheels is Czechoslovak and Czech Republic Air Forces.
the Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-4. The Fw 190A-4 thus returns cast traditionally, as is usually the case with wheels. We also have new Boxart Stories. Richard Plos prepared
as one of the last Focke-Wulfs that was missing. This is, Conversely, the nose machine gun setup is 3Dprinted. a Boxart Story for the Z-326/C-305 Trener Master,
among other things, because it is a rather complicated Of interest is the cockpit set, the base of which has Tempest Mk.V Series 2 and the UTI MiG-15 kits. The first
version with different combinations of armament remained cast, but the floor with the installation of the two images were created by Adam Tooby, the boxtop
and engine cooling exhausts. In this case, the kit is of deck guns and the rear machine gun are printed. So it image of the Czechoslovak UTI MiG-15 comes from an
a version with two cannons in the wing roots, and cooling is a kind of hybrid, rare in the Brassin line, but for this earlier work by Kateřina Borecká. We are transformed
flaps. One of the machines offered is a pure fighter, the set this combination seemed appropriate to us. In the back to the Battle of Britain era in a story describing the
remaining three are fighter-bombers, covering a choice Brassin line, you will also find several small sets for the Bf 110C painting, as Honza Bobek takes us back to the
of aircraft from the Western Front, the Eastern Front and Hurricane IIb (Revell 1/32), two kits for 35th scale armor Second World War with the author of the painting Piotr
the North African battlefield. and three new sets of the Look line. Forkasiewicz, who, as is his custom, faithfully captured
I saved the crown jewel of April‘s new releases to the the atmosphere of air combat from this period. The
end of this section, and that is the A6M2-N Rufe. I’ll Masks, Photoetched and Space Sets encounter between the Sturmoviks and the Focke-Wulf
admit that I’m a little worried that you'll think of the Rufe In traditional photoetched sets, we are, among other Fw 190s of JG 54 “Grünherz” is described in detail by
as another, and even less interesting, Zero incarnation. things, releasing items for the competing Zero A6M2b Andrey Dikov, who also helped us with the preparation
I hope that we will convince you of the opposite, both from Academy, the bomb bay for the B-24D from Revell of the background for this image, created by Mark Ryś. It
with the kit itself and with a two-part historical-technical (ex-Monogram), the F4U-1D from Hobby Boss and the Mi- depicts our subject, flown by Otto Kittel, one of the most
article by Honza Bobek with some very readable, often 8MT from Zvezda, all in 1:48 scale. April also sees the long- successful fighter pilots of the Luftwaffe, for whom one of
unknown, information about this unique float equipped awaited renewal of photoetched sets for our Hellcats, his many encounters with the Sturmoviks would become
fighter. The Rufe is being first released in the Limited both the F6F-3 and F6F-5. Both of these are based on fateful.
Edition line as Dual Combo boxing, and shares only older sets, but are upgraded to current standards. To vary the themes of this month’s articles a little, we
two sprues with the older Zero Model 21. One is of the Of interest will be the two Spitfire Mk.IXc 1/24 sets have the second part of Josef Blažek’s summary on
canopy, the other contains small detail parts. The from Airfix, and three sets, including two for the new instant, epoxy and dispersion adhesives in the still new
other four frames are new, and are Rufe-specific. We SdKfz 251/1 Ausf C from Academy, are for combat section on modelling chemistry.
incorporated a number of features consistent with vehicles in 1:35. Set 36499 for this model also includes And with that, I wish you a good read with this month’s
the Rufe’s differences from your basic Zero, based on a small instrument sheet made with 3D printing newsletter, and I look forward to hopefully seeing you in
newly discovered findings made during the completion technology, used for the production of our Space sets, Prostějov and Mošon!
of the project after consulting recognized experts on and indicates that the trend of combining different
the type. This is a good argument to consider for those technologies can also make its way to the photoetched Happy Modelling!!
who are on the fence over whether it is worth replacing range. Also being offered is one 1:350 USS Missouri set Vladimír Šulc
their old Rufe kits with ours. For example, the external from the Hobby Boss kit, three 1:72 scale aircraft kits,

April 2023 INFO Eduard 5

Photo: US Navy HISTORY

Text: Jan Bobek

This photo shows one of the first completed Nakajima A6M2-N seaplanes. This is the 13th aircraft produced, with serial number 913, completed on April 23, 1942.
The picture was apparently given to Japanese troops to familiarize them with the new type of seaplane, as it was later captured by the Americans and published
in the enemy aircraft identification manual in 1944.

The Zero fighter became the symbol of the Japanese air Chinese battlefield since the summer of 1940,
power during WWII. The light and maneuverable fighter but their existence eluded Western intelligence
because no one wanted to believe reports
had the upper hand over Allied aircraft at early stages of from China that suggested the Japanese had
the war in Pacific theatre, but gradually lost its advantage a world-class fighter. Further modifications to
against newer opponents. During the war, other versions of the its design were made during 1941, creating the
Zero came along, one of the most iconic being its floatplane A6M2 Type 21, which included several changes,
the most visible of them being folding wingtips
version, known by the Allied codename Rufe. for easier handling on the decks. With the A6M2
During the 1920s and 1930s the Japanese aircraft engine. During the flight tests, the wing surface Type 21 modified this way, Japan entered the
industry was oriented towards the production of suffered cracking during overload, and aileron war against the US and other Western nations.
foreign aircraft built under licenses. However, control during high-speed maneuvers had also Mitsubishi needed to produce other aircraft in
the armed forces, especially the Navy, with to be addressed. The new fighter had a powerful addition to the Zero, so the Nakajima company
regard to the specifics of the Chinese and armament of two cannons and two machine began licensed production in late 1941. Total of
Pacific battlefields, came up with requirements guns, extremely long range (over 1,800 km) 740 A6M2 aircraft were produced by Mitsubishi
that foreign aircraft designs did not offer. Hence, and excellent maneuverability. The new fighter by June 1942 with additional 800 delivered by
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries developed the Type reached top speed of 533 km/h at an altitude
96 naval fighter aircraft, better known as the of 4,550 m. However, it lacked armor and other
A5M “Claude”. The head of the design team was protective features and had a structural speed Photo: ©Izawa
a young Japanese engineer, Jirō Horikoshi. limit of 600 km/h.
Despite an engine that lacked some power, he
managed to design a light and fast fighter with Surprising Zero
a fixed landing gear, which had no comparison in The new aircraft entered service in 1940 with
the world regarding maximum speed. In October the 940hp engine Sakae 12 and received the
1937, Mitsubishi and Nakajima were approached official designation Rei shiki Kanjō sentōki (Type
to develop prototype 12-shi Carrier-based 0 carrier fighter), with the “zero” being derived
Fighter. The requirements were so extreme, and from the imperial year 2600 (1940). Japanese
in some cases contradictory, that the two design pilots usually abbreviated it as Rei-Sen. That
teams investigated whether they could be less was also the origin of the name Zero often used
stringent. Nakajima eventually withdrew from by Allied pilots instead of the official code name,
the project, while the criteria for the prototype derived from the male name Zeke. As part of the
were even raised based on experience on the Navy’s system, the new aircraft was given the
Chinese battlefield. In the end, Horikoshi‘s team type designation A6M, where A6 meant that it
managed to meet the technical specifications, was the sixth type of carrier fighter to enter
not only thanks to the aerodynamic design and service, and M stood for the Mitsubishi company
Lieutenant Ri-ichirō Satō, leader of the Yokohama
a new type of light alloy used for the aircraft‘s name. Zero fighters, specifically the A6M2 Kōkūtai’s fighter unit. He was killed in September 1942
skin, but also thanks to the Nakajima Sakae 11 Type 11, had been successfully deployed on the in a ground combat with USMC troops.

6 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY
Nakajima by February 1944. The gun armament
was improved and variants with magazines for
up to 150 rounds could be used on the Type 21.
Such a Zero may have been designated as Type
21a.

Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command

Here comes the Rufe
Floatplanes are a very old idea. Fighters of this
design had already been deployed in combat
during the First World War. After the war, their
priority gradually declined as the performance
of these seaplanes fell gradually behind that
of fixed landing gear machines. The Imperial
Japanese Navy returned to the idea in 1933
during preparation for a new seaplane tender.
IJN came up with a specification for a machine
that was to protect a coastal base during its
Wildcats aboard the USS Wasp prepare for an air strike against Tulagi and adjacent islands in the early morning
construction and was to be capable of reaching hours of August 7, 1942.
speeds of 200 knots. Kawanishi had been
preparing a study of such a seaplane since 1934.
It was to operate from a tender, or launch from
a catapult, and be able to counter fighter aircraft.
The prototype was not built, and preparations
were halted in 1936. Subsequently, the concept
of a two-seat machine was considered, but even
this idea was abandoned.
In the late 1930s, the US Navy prepared a plan to
build 2,000 flying boats. The Japanese decided to
respond to this threat. Therefore, in September
1940, the IJN commissioned Kawanishi with

Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command

the specification for the 15-Shi fast interceptor
seaplane. Kawanishi had already been working
on a fast floatplane reconnaissance aircraft
(later designated the E15K Shiun) for several
months, and the Navy hoped for synergy from
this decision. However, at the same time, it
feared certain delays because Kawanishi’s
aircraft carried a number of innovative features.
Therefore, the IJN decided to convert the
Mitsubishi A6M2, which was currently
undergoing combat test deployment in China,
to a fighter seaplane. Mitsubishi was fully
This picture taken from Dauntless on August 7, 1942, shows smoke rising from burning fuel supplies
occupied with the production of Zeros and other on Tanambogo Island, where the Rufe seaplanes were based. To the right is Gavutu Island and to the left
types of aircraft. Therefore, the IJN turned to is Gaomi Island. Florida Islands can be seen in the background.
Nakajima, which began licensed production
of A6M2 fighters at its Koizumi plant in late where the Zero had the auxiliary tank attached. which protruded from the float at the top, were
1941. The company had some free design and The absence of the auxiliary tank was replaced protected by a hemispherical cover. The float
production capacity and was therefore awarded by tanks in the float. The stabilizing floats were was also fitted with a rudder.
with works on the seaplane. mounted on separate pylons. Hatches were The last significant change from the Zero was
Shinobu Mitsutake was appointed chief added to the wing´s skin to allow access to the an increase in the vertical tail area for the
designer. His team tried to make the most of the internal wing structure and pylons. stability of the machine. Testing of the prototype
A6M2 design. Some authors state that standard This elegant solution for mounting the central began on the day of the Japanese attack on
fighter seaplane was based on the A6M2 Type 11, float was already used on the F1M Pete biplane Hawaii and continued intensively during early
which did not have folding wingtips. In fact, at and contributed to the high aerodynamic purity 1942. The prototype was converted from the
least the first few dozen production machines of Mitsutake’s design. The central float and land-based version of the Zero fighter, the A6M2
had folding wingtips. On captured Rufes, this its dynamic effects on the fuselage structure Type 11 c/n (6)69. The next nine A6M2-N aircraft
design feature is still documented on the 37th during take-off, high-G maneuvers, and landing, were to be produced at Nakajima by conversion
aircraft produced. necessitated the need to reinforce the fuselage from Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 21 carrier fighters,
The designers added a metal central float to the structure in the cockpit area by additional metal which were to undergo repairs due to damage
fuselage. The pylon was mounted to the main sheets. in combat. Among them were the machines c/n
wing spar and attached to the rear wing spar by On the first few dozen machines, a system for (5)159 and (3)312, which took part in the attack
a “V” shaped strut. The pylon, with incorporated purging the fuel tanks was installed on top of on Hawaii aboard the aircraft carrier Shōkaku.
the oil cooling system, was located roughly the central float. The fittings of this system, However, the converted seaplanes suffered

April 2023 INFO Eduard 7

Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command HISTORY

A close-up photo of Tanambogo Island after the attack of Wildcats shows the wreckage of two Rufe seaplanes, several beaching trolleys and a wooden seaplane ramp
sloping into the water.

Photo: BUAER Newsletter

Yokohama Kōkūtai aircraft that USMC technicians took from Tulagi to NAS Alameda, USA.
Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command

Courtney Shands pictured in 1957 at the rank of Rear Admiral. As commander of VF-71,
he was instrumental in the destruction of the Rufe aircraft from Yokohama Kōkūtai
on Tanambogo Island on August 7, 1942.

8 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY
Its empty weight increased by approximately
14 % over the A6M2 Type 21 and its speed was
reduced to 234 knots at 5,000 meters from the
original 275 knots at 4,400 meters of the Type
21. The seaplane had a range of 962 nautical
miles and a maximum flight time of 6 hours.
Armament consisted, as with the A6M2, of two
20 mm cannons in the wing and two 7.7 mm
machine guns in the fuselage. The aircraft
could carry two 30 kg or 60 kg bombs carried
under the wing. However, unlike the Zero Type
21, seaplane was not equipped with a circular
directional antenna at the rear of the cockpit
and did not have a headrest behind the pilot's
seat.
This fighter seaplane was first designated
Rei-Shiki Ichi Gata Suijō Sentōki (Type 0 Mk.1
Seaplane Fighter). In July, the aircraft was
accepted by the IJN and entered service under
the designation Ni-Shiki Suijō Sentōki, or Type
2 Seaplane Fighter. It bore the abbreviated
designation A6M2-N. Nakajima considered
preparing another fighter seaplane, which was
to reach a speed of 250 knots, but eventually
abandoned its preparation.
Series production began in April 1942 and ended
in July 1943, as production of the Kawanishi
N1K Kyōfū (Rex) fighter seaplane began
a month earlier. Nakajima produced a total of
Photo: BUAER Newsletter

258 A6M2-N seaplanes, with the highest number

of machines (24) in a single month leaving the
gates of the Koizumi plant in April 1943. As soon
as the Allies observed this machine in aerial
encounters, they assigned it the code name
Rufe.
The first pre-production and production A6M2-N
Fire-damaged Rufe seaplane from Yokohama Kōkūtai being transported to NAS Alameda, USA. seaplanes were received in the spring of 1942 by
the Japanese Navy's oldest unit, the Yokosuka
from corrosion. Therefore, the conversions of weight due to the floats and design changes, Kōkūtai. Its main task was research and
A6M2-N Nos. 8 and 9 were not carried out and but the Zero´s landing gear and tailhook weight testing of new aircraft, weapons and technical
No. 10 was instead completely manufactured as was missing. The machine had excellent equipment. It was also involved in training and,
a new machine. maneuverability and stability at medium and late in the war, was deployed in combat.
The floatplane fighter did not exceed comparable higher altitudes and retained reasonably good With the Rufe aircraft, the unit was joined by their
seaplanes in performance. It did increase in flight characteristics even at lower altitudes. previous flight pilot, Lt. Ki-ichirō Nishihata, who
Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command

Seaplane tender Kimikawa Maru in Ominato Bay, Japan, pictured in April 1943. F1M Pete seaplanes are visible on the deck. This vessel delivered most of the Rufe seaplanes
to the Aleutians during 1942 and 1943.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 9

 HISTORY
was in charge of training on these seaplanes. It After training aboard the destroyer Tachikaze, gunners reported that one of the floatplanes
would be difficult to find a more ideal officer for he first served with the Yokosuka Kōkūtai and broke away from the fight with a smoking
this task. Nishihata was a native of Fukuoka and other aviation units, but from late 1924 he was engine. The crew also managed to photograph
graduated from the Etajima Naval Academy in assigned to the Japanese embassy in Paris. one Rufe. A week later, B-17s from the same unit
its 59th class in November 1931. He successively From June 1926 he was naval attaché to the killed PO1c Hori who remained missing after
held several command positions as Buntaichō. League of Nations, and from April 1927 to May the fight. Aboard the Flying Fortress were US
From late 1934 he served with Sasebo Kōkūtai, 1928 he was the Japanese plenipotentiary to Marine Corps officers who managed to take
then commanded the seaplane carrier unit the Geneva Naval Conference. After a series of valuable photographs of the northern coast of
Kamikawa Maru. In late 1937 he became an command and training posts, he took command Guadalcanal and the Tulagi area, despite being
instructor at Kasumigaura Kōkūtai and a year of the Yokohama Kōkūtai on 20 April 1942. forced to retreat by other Rufe seaplanes.
later became leader of the seaplane unit on Leader (Buntaichō) of his fighter unit was Lt. The same fate befell the Sea.1c Matsui in
the light cruiser Kinu. He apparently served on Ri-ichirō Satō, who had previously served with combat with a B-17 of 11th Bombardment Group
this ship until October 1941. Therefore, it is not the Yokosuka Kōkūtai. Twelve fighter seaplanes (Heavy) on July 23. Seven bombers of this unit
surprising that his age and experience earned arrived to Rabaul in early June. The first patrol in encountered twelve Rufe seaplanes during
him the nicknames “foster parent” and “real the vicinity of Rabaul was performed on 5 June 1 August, and the Japanese, with no losses of
parent” at Yokosuka Kōkūtai. His influence and five days later five Rufe pilots saw same their own, severely damaged three of them. The
on the development of the A6M2-N seaplane, number of B-17s from the 19th BG. However, 11th BG board gunners, however, reported two
its acceptance into the Naval Air Force's there was no combat. During June, the seaplane kills.
armament, and the success of its deployment, pilots encountered the enemy machines several B-17s raided Tulagi also on August 4, 1942.
was profound. more times, but never got chance to shoot at Seven Rufes attacked the heavies over their
Nishihata attained the rank of corvette captain them. target. The gunners of the 26th BS, 11th BG
in November 1942 and by the end of the war In early July, they moved to Tulagi Island off claimed one seaplane as downed, but one Rufe
was one of the commanding officers of Kōkūtai Guadalcanal and encountered enemy aircraft collided with a B-17E commanded by 1st Lt. Rush
302, armed with, among other aircraft, Raiden almost daily. The naval base for the Rufes E. McDonald. All of his crew and the Japanese pilot
fighters. In September 1945 he was promoted to became the nearby islet of Tanambogo, while the Sea.1c Kobayashi perished.
the rank of Commander. Mavis seaplanes moored at the islet of Gavutu. During the Allied landing on Guadalcanal in
The garrison commander on these islands was the morning hours of August 7, Wildcats and
Anchorage at Tulagi Capt. Miyazaki. All marine and engineer units, Dauntless bombers from USS Wasp attacked the
The first Rufes to engage enemy in the South as Japanese and Korean civilian personnel were anchorage at Tulagi and surrounding islands,
Pacific belonged to the fighter Buntai, which under his command. But only a small portion of destroying all seven H6K Mavis flying boats and
was formed in May 1942 as part of the Yokohama the 1,500 or so men he commanded were trained six Rufes in water and two on the island. One
Kōkūtai. The commander of the entire Kōkūtai for ground combat. Rufe later apparently escaped and joined two
was Capt. Shigetoshi Miyazaki. He was born in The first victory was claimed on July 10 in colleagues at Shortland Island off Bougainville.
1897 in Kōchi and graduated with distinction a battle with two Liberators of the 435th BS. Under Miyazaki's leadership, Yokohama Kōkūtai
from the Naval Academy in 1918 in its 46th class. One of the Liberators was damaged, but the personnel at Tulagi, Gavutu, and Tanambogo,
Photo: American Air Museum in Britain

The first aircraft shot down by Rufe pilots in the Aleutians was a B-17B (c/n 38-215) "Old Seventy". She is pictured in this photo from Alaska back when she was also
used as a cargo machine.

10 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY
along with other units, engaged in ground

Photo: ©Izawa
combat. Miyazaki's last radio message was,
“Enemy troop strength is overwhelming.
We will defend to the last man. Pray for our
success.” Improvising under harsh conditions,
the defenders under Miyazaki's command
performed superbly. In the first landing on
August 7, they inflicted 10% casualties on the
American troops, and the defenses on some
islands persisted until noon on August 9.
Five Rufe pilots were killed on Tanambogo Island
on August 8 in action against U.S. Marines. They
succeeded in setting fire to a Stuart tank of 1st
Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines. Of the
three tankers, two were killed and one was Seaplane A6M2-N from Tōkō Kōkūtai moored off the shore in the Aleutians. Note the lighter colouring of the
wounded. Forty-two defenders were killed, control surfaces. It is possible that some sort of waterproofing is stuck to the top of the wing to cover the edges
including the executive officer of the Yokohama of the cannon hatches.
Kōkūtai, Lt. Cdr. Saburō Katsuta, who was last
seen on the tank’s turret. Commanding officer of Yokohama Kōkūtai Capt. Aleutians and Kurils
Lt. Satō escaped to Halavo Island with about Miyazaki was formally in command of the unit The first unit to engage the enemy with Rufes
forty men and was killed with thirteen of them until October 1, 1942, when he was posthumously was Tōkō Kōkūtai. Formed in late 1940, it was
in a battle with members of the 2nd Marines promoted to Rear Admiral. According to the deployed at the start of the war in the Pacific
on September 19. Only one of his pilots was testimony of one of Japanese prisoners, during the conquest of the Philippines and the
captured, it was Warrant Officer Yomichio Miyazaki committed suicide by explosive in Dutch East Indies. In June 1942, with six H6K
Hirahashi. a dugout on August 8. One of his former Mavis flying boats, this unit was deployed in
Patrol flights continued from Shortland for colleagues in the Geneva Naval Conference the capture of Attu and Kiska Islands in the
several days in late August under the command negotiations, Rear Admiral William Ward Smith, Aleutians. Protection for the invasion force
of Ensign Kofuji, but on September 2, 1942, the commanded Cruiser Division 9 at the time with was provided by floatplanes from the seaplane
Yokohama Kōkūtai fighter unit was disbanded the cruisers USS Indianapolis and USS Louisville tenders Kamikawa Maru and Kimikawa Maru.
and the personnel and remaining Rufe seaplanes during the Battle of the Aleutians. The command soon recognized that to fight
were taken over by the Kamikawa Maru. the Americans in the Aleutian area, fighter

Photo: ©Izawa

In this photo taken in August 1942, some of the fighter pilots of the 5th Kōkūtai are posing at the Kiska base. Rear row from the left: Sea2c Hachirō Narita, next to him stands
the most successful fighter pilot in the Aleutian area, PO2c Gi-ichi Sasaki, PO2c Saishi Okawa and the last airman is probably leader of fighter unit Kushichirō Yamada.
Front row from the left: Sea2c Minoru Minazawa and Sea2c Yoshio Suzuki. Sasaki and Okawa were killed during raids against Amchitka. The Rufe R-106 has a partially
visible convex cowling located on top of the main float. An E16A Jake seaplane can be seen in the background.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 11

Photo: Naval History and Heritage Command HISTORY

A picture taken on November 7, 1942, shows several damaged Rufe seaplanes in Holz Bay, Attu Island.

seaplanes needed to be deployed to protect the operated at relatively low altitude. Yamada's The fighters of the 5th Kōkūtai scored their
anchorages and bases under construction, as pilots first encountered enemy on July 7 and first victory on August 7, 1942. The warships
float-type observation aircraft were not ideal 8, 1942, during a Liberator raid on Kiska. First under the command of Rear Adm. W. W. “Poco”
for this purpose. Moreover, both tenders got victory was achieved ten days later, one B-24 Smith sailed from Kodiak to Kiska to shell the
tasks in another part of the Pacific. and one B-17 were claimed, but Americans lost Japanese positions. The fog made combat
In early June a Rufe fighter unit was formed in only one Flying Fortress of the 28th Composite activity considerably more difficult for both
Yokosuka under the command of Lt. Kushichirō Bombardment Group. It was an old B-17B c/n belligerents. In addition to the heavy cruisers
Yamada. Six machines were transported to 38-215 “Old Seventy” from the 36th BS, with USS Indianapolis and USS Louisville, the light
Kiska by seaplane tender Chiyoda, and the unit seasoned veteran Major Jack Marks at the cruisers USS Honolulu, USS St. Louis and USS
was integrated into Tōkō Kōkūtai. The planes controls. The machine exploded at 2,000 feet Nashville and four destroyers were also part of
were usually moored to buoys in shallow water in a dogfight with Rufe pilots near Rat Island. the fleet.
and transported ashore for maintenance using However, there is another version saying that Despite the fog in the area, the Americans
bamboo structures. They usually patrolled the damaged bomber crashed into a mountain managed to open fire at 19:55, simultaneously
in pairs and sometimes engaged with enemy range. sending six SOC Seagull observation aircraft
aircraft several times a day. Very soon they In early August, Yamada's fighter unit was over the target.
started using 30kg bombs against heavy detached from the Tōkō Kōkūtai and became The Japanese came into contact with the
bombers. During anti-submarine patrols they the 5th Kōkūtai, whose number of aircraft was observation planes several times but had little
probably used 60kg bombs. The weather in the expanded to twelve fighter seaplanes. During chance to attack them successfully in the bad
area was often inclement with fog and low cloud. August it was also reinforced with observation weather. The first to fire was Lt. Yamada with
Therefore, even the four-engined aircraft often floatplanes. his wingman and they claimed a Seagull shot

12 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY

Photo: Fold3
This photograph is one of the images that fell into the hands of the Allied forces after the landing on the Aleutians. It probably dates from late 1942 and early 1943
and shows the airmen of Kōkūtai 452.

down. Later, Yamada got into a fight with the PO2c Gi-ichi Sasaki scored four victories over of the fuselage. Yet unit´s technicians managed
observation planes again, and with a PO2c fighter aircraft in this engagement and claimed to keep most of the seaplanes operational.
Gi-ichi Sasaki, they scored two victories. one as probably destroyed, but his machine Primarily they operated from Kiska Island, and
The Americans lost one Seagull and three were turned over on landing. At the end of the day spare planes were offloaded on Attu, where
damaged. The crew of the downed Seagull only one Rufe remained operational. In late there was less danger from Allied aircraft.
apparently survived, but interestingly, the September, the Kimikawa Maru arrived at the On January 24, 1943, a patrol of two Rufes
machine (Bu. No. 9945) belonged to the air unit island, bringing six Rufes and two observation discovered five cargo ships with escort cruisers,
of the battleship USS Indiana, which was not aircraft. In the following week the unit faced which were securing the landing on the island
part of the fleet. significant odds on several occasions including of Amchitka. Rufes attacked with 60kg bombs
The crews of H6K Mavis attempted to blindly P-40s of No. 111 Sqn RCAF, and on October 4 was and continued their strafings in late January
bomb the American vessels through low cloud completely without fighter seaplanes. American and during February. Their main target was the
cover, and one of the Rufe pilots attacked the and Canadian fighters often strafed the anti- airfield, which the Americans were building on
destroyer USS Case in very adverse weather aircraft gunner positions to reduce the risk to the island with their usual incredible speed.
conditions. He was driven off by defensive fire low-flying bombers that arrived over the target American air defenses managed to shoot down
from 5-inch and 20mm guns. Japanese gunners only minutes later. several of the Rufes. Sasaki, who became the
from shore batteries also attempted to engage At the beginning of November, the 5th Kōkūtai only Rufe fighter ace in the area, did not return
the US ships, as the Rufes' pilots dropped was redesignated Kōkūtai 452. In same period from one of these dangerous missions.
phosphorus bombs over them , presumably to additional aircraft were supplied, but these It occurred on the evening of February 18, 1942,
identify enemy´s position. were destroyed in the following days during a the day after the first Curtiss P-40s from the
American troops landed on Adak Island on storm and in a strafing attack by Lightnings and 18th Fighter Squadron arrived at the newly
August 30 and built with incredible speed an Marauders. In late December, Kimikawa Maru completed airfield, which was named Fox Field
airfield in the following weeks. For the Japanese again brought in new Rufe seaplanes. On the because of its short runway. The Rufe pair was
on Attu and Kiska, this worsened the prospects last day of 1942, Japanese fighters managed to led by Warrant Officer Kunitsugu Nakamachi
of completing their own airfield. shoot down a B-25 of 28th CBG, a P-38 of 343rd and PO1c Sasaki flew as his wingman. In the
An unequal battle occurred on September 15, FG and destroyed a Catalina that was forced to air, however, two quadruplets of Curtiss planes
1942, when the submarine base at Kiska was land. were waiting for them. The Japanese pair
attacked by fourteen heavy bombers from the The Kōkūtai 452 was still operating in extremely was attacked by the first flight, led by Major
28th CBG, accompanied by fourteen Lightnings difficult conditions. Planes were anchored Clayton J. Larson. Hundreds of soldiers from
and the same number of Airacobras from XI. in Arctic temperatures at the seashore or the surrounding hills watched in amazement as
Fighter Command. This formation was engaged in shallow water, their only protection being the battle took place off the west coast of the
by four Rufe pilots, two of whom were killed. a tarpaulin stretched across the forward half island.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 13

 HISTORY
Nakamachi, still over the water, dropped his a name for himself in the South Pacific as a Pete In addition to the Rufe seaplanes, the sporadic
bombs and turned northwest back toward his biplane pilot and later became a fighter ace. fighting involved IJN observation aircraft as
own base, but he had little chance against the The formation faced ten Lightnings and claimed well as Army aviators with Ki-43 Oscars from
fast Curtiss planes that attacked from above. He two victories, but the Americans recorded no the 54th Hikō Sentai.
was hit by Larson and his wingman 1st Lt. Beary. losses. The Kōkūtai 452 fighters achieved their last
The burning Rufe crashed into the sea. This seaplane fighter unit, which changed victories on September 12 in a battle with
A determined Sasaki gave up the raid on the designation three times during its operations, a formation of eight B-24s and twelve B-25s.
airfield just off the coast and also tried to break had shot down fifteen aircraft certainly and They reported two B-24s shot down and one
through to the northwest. American fighters five probably since the summer of 1942. In less probable. However, Japanese Army fighters
made repeated runs on Sasaki. The experienced than eight months of its combat deployment, also joined the fight and the Americans suffered
Japanese pilot combined tight 360-degree turns it operated against the enemy over sixty days, heavy losses. In addition to the two Liberators,
and steep descents. He even fired twice at in many cases conducting multiple actions in they lost seven Mitchells and some crews made
Larson without result. His fight against the odds a single day. It lost twelve fighter seaplanes emergency landings in Soviet territory.
was like this over 35 miles stretch. However, and ten pilots in aerial combat. Its remaining 23 In early October 1943, the fighter Buntai of
Sasaki was eventually hit and crashed into the machines were written off in the Aleutians due Kōkūtai 452 was disbanded and the unit
sea about 5 miles west of the northwestern to defects and weather conditions. continued to serve with reconnaissance aircraft
tip of Amchitka. The victory was scored by Lt. At the end of March 1943, the remaining airmen in the Kuril Islands until the summer of 1944.
Stone. of Kōkūtai 452 were evacuated by submarine The original commander of this unit, Kushichirō
The last aerial engagement of Rufe seaplanes in to Japan. In May the unit was reorganized and Yamada, later served as the Hikōtaichō of
the Aleutians occurred on March 17, 1943. received new Pete, Jake and Rufe seaplanes. Its Kōkūtai 302 at Atsugi Base and committed
In ten hours, the Americans made a total of five fighter unit was commanded by Lt.(jg) Shunshi suicide on August 15, 1945. Araki ended his
raids on Kiska from the Adak and Amchitka Araki. From July his unit was based on Lake service in the same fighter unit as Yamada, and
bases. They deployed 13 B-24s, 16 B-25s, 32 Bettobu on the Kuril island of Shumshu, 11 km he too did not live to see the end of the war.
P-38s, and eight P-40s. The Japanese could southwest of Kamchatka.
only send seven Rufe fighters against them. Their opponents were again the Liberator crews. To be continued…
Among them was Kiyomi Katsuki, who made Rufes engaged them for first time on July 19.
Photo: Fold3

Pilots of the 11th Fighter Squadron at Umnak Air Force Base, Alaska, pose for a photographer while playing cards. They were among the opponents of the Rufe seaplanes.
The unit's commander was John S. Chennault, the eldest son of Claire Lee Chennault, who led the legendary volunteer Flying Tigers in China. The P-40E's nose shows that
the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

14 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY
Shots of the wrecks of Rufe seaplanes after landing on Attu and Kiska islands in mid-1943. The hangar images were taken at the base on Attu.

Photo: US Navy Photo: US Navy

Photo: Alaska State Library Photo: US Navy

Photo: US Navy Photo: US Navy

April 2023 INFO Eduard 15

 HISTORY

Colors and markings Text: Jan Bobek

Rufes had a grey paint coating on all surfaces, green on the upper surfaces. Ground personnel was accompanied by the introduction of white
which was sprayed over a reddish-brown base usually made use of paint that was available outline on the Hinomaru on upper surfaces. With
paint. To prevent corrosion, the interior surfaces for maintenance on aircraft of other categories combat units this white part was often thinned or
of the flap area were also painted aluminium that already had green paint. In the case of the completely repainted, which could also be done
instead of the Aotake paint that was common on seaplane units, these were the Aichi, Mitsubishi on the fuselage Hinomaru.
A6M Zero fighters. and Kawanishi aircraft. The shades of their The coloring of the transport cart is often given
Due to the change in the name of the aircraft, the camouflage paint varied slightly depending on as black, but this does not match contemporary
fuselage identification stencil changed in July or the paint supplier. The use of war booty paints, for photographs. More likely is the dark grey-blue
August 1942. It occurred between approximately example in Rabaul, or the use of paint designed color used for naval vehicles and technical
the 30th and 50th Rufe produced. From October for warships cannot be ruled out. When this equipment. The dark blue color used by the
1942, the manufacturer stopped putting the date paint was applied, the white outline of fuselage Imperial Navy, for example for workshop
of manufacture on the stencil. Hinomaru was often thinned or completely equipment, cannot be ruled out either. The
At the end of August 1942, Nakajima introduced repainted. However, some aircraft were left in construction of the cart was composite, with the
a yellow identification stripe on the leading edge grey paint on all surfaces and are documented vertical stabilizing parts and the parts on which
of the wing on A6M2-N aircraft, and at the same from as late as 1944. the float was mounted being made of wood. The
time introduced a white outline of Hinomaru on In the final months of production, the new A6M2-N whole cart was painted in one color, but in service
the fuselage. aircraft received a standard coat of D1 dark green the paint naturally showed signs of wear and tear,
In February 1943, naval fighter units were paint on the upper surfaces, a shade specific the grey paint from the main float sometimes had
instructed to spray the aircraft with dark to the Nakajima paint supplier. This change worn off and remained on parts of the cart.
Photo: US Navy

Photo: ©Izawa

Unpublished photograph of Rufe NI-119 with a group of Kōkūtai 802 NCOs taken in early 1943 at Shortland Base. This is an aircraft that was finished with grey paint
on all surfaces and the unit level received a coat of dark green paint on the upper surfaces. The rectangular field of grey paint on the fuselage is clearly visible, which the
mechanics have retained for the machine's production stencil.

16 INFO Eduard April 2023

 Modelářský klub Ostrava 446
a předsednictvo IPMS.CZE
zve všechny příznivce
plastikového modelářství
na Mistrovství České republiky mládeže a
doprovodné akce

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V Kulturním domě Rychvald

Mistrovství ČR mládeže (letadla 1/72,1/48,1/32), bojová technika

(1/72,1/48,1/35), lodě a ponorky, dioramy a civilní technika.
Doprovodná porovnávací soutěž seniorů, letadla (1/72,1/48,1/32),
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Mistrovská soutěž mládeže je organizována pod záštitou SMČR

PROPOZICE NA STRÁNKÁCH SMČR

HISTORY
Photo: National Archives via NAAS

Text: Thomas McKelvey Cleaver

We left the pilots and mechanics of VMF-223 in the first Photo up: Aerial view of the runway of Henderson
Airfield on August 22, 1942, two days after VMF-223
part of this article as they began to familiarize themselves arrived on the island. The buildings to the south of the

with Henderson Airfield and the situation on Guadalcanal. runway were intended as workshops and the roofs
were made of 7/8-inch-thick steel.
The latter certainly did not make them so happy, but it did
compromise their combat determination.
It was fortunate the Japanese were initially of regional air operations. The one-armed 600 miles of the Solomon and Coral Seas.
as nearly hamstrung as the Americans. senior aviator, who had lost his arm to Though the Zero was the longest-legged
The Imperial Navy’s 25th Air Flotilla (5th a spinning propeller, advocated a policy of operational fighter in the world, the 1,300
Air Attack Force), based at Rabaul, had strong reprisals against the Americans. mile round trip between Rabaul and
been reinforced only days before the However, since his bomber force had Guadalcanal taxed even its capabilities to
Allied incursion into the Solomons as taken severe losses during the first two the limit, while the twin-engine Betty had
part of a general build-up preparatory to days of aerial combat, the admiral was fuel for only 15 minutes over the target.
occupying Guadalcanal and supporting restricted to planning harassment and The range limitations of the Zero and the
a further Japanese drive into the New reconnaissance missions to the island. Betty meant missions had to be flown by
Hebrides. On August 9, Vice Admiral The Americans were fortunate that the most direct route, with no margin for
Nishizō Tsukahara activated the Eleventh Guadalcanal and the Japanese airfields feints or for speeding up the throttled-back
Air Fleet at Rabaul and assumed control at Rabaul were separated by more than engines of the fuel-conserving fighters

18 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY
departure until as late as 1000 hours. As
the Japanese formation flew down The
Slot, the aircraft were spotted by the
Australian coastwatchers on the various
islands, who radioed their sightings to
Cactus Control at Henderson Field. By the
time they passed Munda, the defenders
on Guadalcanal would man their fighters
and take off. The Wildcats needed every
minute of warning they could get, since it
took around 45 minutes for the airplanes
to get to 20,000 feet. The enemy formation
would finally arrive between 1100-1300
hours. Given the variability of weather,
there were a few times where the clouds
over The Slot prevented the coastwatchers
from spotting the oncoming Japanese in
time to give sufficient warning.

The Japanese Are Intent on Taking

Guadalcanal Back
Much of the battle noise that had kept
Lieutenant Trowbridge awake that first
night on the island came from the fight
along what the Marines thought was the
Tenaru River but was actually a lagoon.
The Ichiki Battalion - the first Japanese
Photo: NHHC

troops to arrive on the island as part of

Yamamoto’s plans to drive the Americans
into the sea - were engaged by well-dug-in
The commanding officer of VMF-223, Maj. John Smith after returning from Guadalcanal at NAS Anacostia. defenses as they advanced on Henderson
Field. Dawn on August 21 found the
surviving Japanese holding their position.
and bombers. Additionally, the weather Mason's warning and the arrival of the First Battalion, First Marines, moved
in the South Pacific meant they flew bombers over Guadalcanal. This schedule inland around the lagoon and enveloped
from their bases after the morning cloud allowed the Marines to count upon several the enemy.
buildups had dissipated, which meant quiet hours after dawn and before dusk for As the enemy troops tried to escape down
adherence to a predictable timetable The getting work done, with at least two hours the beach, they were strafed by newly-
route took them from Rabaul to Buka, off during mid-day in which to find cover and arrived VMF-223 Wildcats. All resistance
northwestern Bougainville, down to Buin, take aim. The Japanese arrived punctually ended by 1700 hours. When some wounded
overlooking the Shortland Islands, then between 1200-1300 hours, depending Japanese opened fire on the Marines, they
straight through New Georgia Sound, soon on the weather enroute. Weather in went through the battlefield and shot
to be known as “The Slot.” this equatorial region was marginally every enemy soldier they came across
Before the war, the Australian Navy predictable and subject to rapid change whether dead or alive, except for 15 taken
had recruited Australians living in the without prior notice. prisoner. Thirty Japanese survivors
escaped to tell the tale to their comrades
at Taivu Point. Food, equipment, weapons,
and ammunition were taken from the 871
The Wildcats needed every minute of warning they dead. That evening, Colonel Ichiki buried
could get, since it took around 45 minutes for the his unit's colors, drew a ceremonial
airplanes to get to 20,000 feet. dagger, and disemboweled himself in the
soft sand beside Lengo Channel.

The Marines Meet the Enemy

Solomons to remain behind if the Japanese A combat schedule developed since At mid-day, Admiral Fletcher’s carriers
appeared and operate a radio warning the Japanese could only fly a large gave cover so that two transports could
system when they spotted Japanese naval formation of bombers from Rabaul in slip into Sealark Channel and unload
or air forces. Coastwatcher Jack Read, daylight. Weather allowing, the bombers supplies. MAG-23’s senior mechanics
whose station in the hills of Bougainville and their escorting fighters would take were a welcome addition when they
overlooked Buka, was generally first to off from their air bases at Rabaul by came ashore from the destroyer that had
send t word of an impending air strike. 0800 hours, though delays were caused brought them up from Efate.
Paul Mason, near Buin, was next. There by early morning build-ups of weather Coastwatcher Jack Read radioed
was invariably two hours between over the Solomon Sea that could delay a warning that a strike force was on the

April 2023 INFO Eduard 19

HISTORY
way down the Slot. Lieutenant Hugh
MacKenzie, the coastwatch liaison
officer at Lunga, patched into the Marine
communications net, known as Texas
Switch, and for the first time was able
to pass the news to American aviators
who could rise to the challenge. Captain
Smith’s four-plane division responded to
the call.
They were over Savo Island at 1207 hours,
climbing through 14,000 feet, when they
spotted six Zeros five hundred feet higher
and on a reciprocal heading. Smith opened
fire head-on at the leading Zero as the
two aircraft roared toward one other. The
Japanese pilot flinched first. He pulled up,
exposing his belly to Smith's six .50-caliber
machine guns, and then fell away smoking
as Smith was engaged by a pair of Zeros
that had latched onto his tail. Smith quickly
discovered the Wildcat was heavy enough

Photo: via author

to disengage by diving away if there was
sufficient altitude. His wingman, Sergeant
John Lindsey, was hit in the fight but
managed to make a dead-stick wheels-
up landing at Henderson Field, with his Aces from Guadalcanal. From left: Maj. John L. Smith, Lt. Kenneth Fraizer, Maj. John Dobbin and Maj. Robert Ga-
Wildcat becoming the squadron’s first loss, ler. The first two from VMF-223 the second from VMF-224, the unit which reinforced the fighters at Guadalcanal
on August 30.
while Smith became the first pilot claim
a Zero shot down. In a second fight later launched 19 Kates on searches out to launched as soon as she and her escorts
that afternoon, Lieutenant Trowbridge a distance of 250 miles. No one really were within range.
claimed two more, though the Japanese expected to locate the Americans, since Because there was as yet no operational
recorded all planes returned. Over the the Japanese carriers had sailed out of radar as yet at Henderson, and since
next two days, the Marines claimed two range during the night. coastwatcher sightings had proven to be
more Zeros and proved they could stay in The Reinforcement Force transports were less than completely reliable due to the
the same air with their more-experienced scheduled to arrive off Guadalcanal the vagaries of weather in the region, Air
opponents. night of August 24. If the 5th Air Attack Group 23 Executive Officer Lt. Colonel
Force’s Bettys could not knock out Charlie Fike had begun launching one or
The First Big Battle Henderson, carrier aircraft would have to two divisions of Wildcats at “Tōjō Time,”
Over the next four days, what would be committed. Since Admiral Yamamoto 1100-1500 hours, when it was most likely
become the Battle of the Eastern
Solomons began to shape up as the two
navies sought to find each other. When the “Condition One” flag went up in response, their
Despite the loss of the heart of the pilots scrambled to man all the available Wildcats, followed
Imperial Navy’s carrier strike force with by a further scramble down the main runway. While they were
the sinking of Akagi, Kaga, Soryū and supposed to take off in order of divisions and sections behind
Hiryū at Midway, their remaining carrier the flight leader, in practice everyone rushed to get airborne
fleet was still formidable when compared to gain the altitude advantage over the incoming bombers.
with the carriers the U.S. Navy could Because of performance differences between the individual
bring to action. The First Carrier Division
planes, the system of elements and divisions broke down, and
now formed the heart of Japanese naval
everyone joined up on whomever was closest.
aviation, composed of the fleet carriers
Shōkaku and Zuikaku and the light carrier
Zuihō. The light carriers Jun´yō, Hiyō and had stipulated that the Shōkaku and that an incoming strike might appear. Thus,
Ryūjō of the Second Carrier Division were Zuikaku air groups were not to attack land when the small Ryūjō attack force arrived
a worthy second line. targets so long as Task Force 61 remained at 1415 hours, a division of Wildcats led by
At 0600 hours on August 24, Admiral a threat, the only force available for an Marion Carl was waiting at 20,000 feet,
Nagumo’s Kidō Butai turned southeast, attack on the airfield was the small Ryūjō with another 12 Wildcats and P-400s from
into the wind, and Shōkaku and Zuikaku Air Group, with its nine B5N Kates and 24 the newly-arrived 67th Fighter Squadron
launched the first search patrols of the Zeros. Since the scheduled 5th Air Attack on alert at the field. Carl’s wingman
day. Admiral Kondo’s Advance Force, 120 Force mission against Henderson was was Tech Sergeant Johnny Lindley, with
miles southeast, also turned to remain in scrubbed because of bad weather, use of 2nd Lieutenant Fred Gutt flying section
position to guard Nagumo’s eastern flank. Ryūjō’s small force on August 24 became leader with VMF-212’s Marine Gunner Tex
Starting at 0615 hours, the two carriers became inevitable. The strike would be Hamilton on his wing.

20 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY
The Ryūjō force approached Guadalcanal
from the direction of Florida and Malaita
islands at 10,000 feet. Lieutenant
Murakami led the six Kates along with
the six escorts led by Warrant Officer
Shigemi in one formation, while the
formation of nine “attack” Zeros led by
Ryūjō’s Hikōtaichō (air group commander)
Lieutenant Nōtomi, flew about 1,600 feet to
the right of the bombers.
Carl spotted the force over Tulagi. As he
wheeled his four Wildcats into position,
Photo: Cpl. L. M. Ashman, USMC via NHHC

he radioed a warning to Henderson Field.

When the “Condition One” flag went up in
response, the r pilots scrambled to man
all the available Wildcats, followed by
a further scramble down the main runway.
While they were supposed to take off in
order of divisions and sections behind
the flight leader, in practice everyone
rushed to get airborne to gain the altitude
advantage over the incoming bombers.
Because of performance differences
The wreckage of a Wildcat after one of the Japanese raids on Henderson Field. between the individual planes, the system
of elements and divisions broke down,
and everyone joined up on whomever was
closest. Leading the dash was Captain
Rivers Morrell, VMF-223's executive
officer.
At 1423 hours, Carl peeled off and led
the way as the four Wildcats dived on the
Ryūjō force. Carl lined up on six airplanes
in the larger formation that turned out to
be Shigemi’s six escort Zeros. Firing from
overhead and diving through the formation
with Technical Sergeant Lindley glued to
his wing, Carl was certain he had set one
of the “bombers” on fire for his first victory
over Guadalcanal and second of the war.
Close behind, Hamilton and Gutt fired at
the same formation. While Hamilton was
drawn into a protracted dogfight with
three of the “escort” Zeros, Gutt was able
to shoot one of the Kates and dive through
the formation behind Carl and Lindley,
who became separated as they zoomed to
regain altitude for a second attack.
The Kates came directly over the beach
and lined up on the four 90mm antiaircraft
guns of Battery E, 3d Defense Battalion.
At 1428 hours the guns opened fire while
the Kates released their 36 60-kilogram
bombs in a group drop at 1430 hours.
A “Betty” was claimed by the overexcited
gunners, who actually hit nothing. The
Kate’s drop was equally ineffective, with no
damage inflicted even though the bombs
detonated on either side of the guns.
Photo: via autor

Nōtomi’s attack formation had more

success. The three shotai formations
attacked from three directions just as the
bombs were dropped, strafing the runway
Capt. Joe Foss (left) became the most successful ace of the Southern Solomons campaign and the first American
aviator to match Eddie Rickenbacker’s World War I score of 26 victories. with impunity. Nōtomi’s threesome caught

April 2023 INFO Eduard 21

HISTORY
up with a Wildcat that had just lifted off pass and disappeared. Both P-400s were a wide formation turn to the north after
and shot it up. Wounded in the head and hit by 7.7mm bullets, but Brannon and they dropped their bombs, in an attempt to
shoulder, the pilot managed to keep the Fincher were undeterred. Unfortunately, retire from the area. At 1433 hours, Marion
airplane airborne long enough to ditch as Brannon later recalled, “When we got Carl executed what observers called “the
reasonably well off Florida, where he up to Guadalcanal, one of the first things most beautiful overhead pass,” downing
was rescued by islanders and returned to that we found out was that the British had a Kate on the formation’s left side. Lindley
Tulagi the next day. put a high-pressure oxygen system in and Gutt also fired on the Kates. As they
67th Fighter Squadron skipper Captain our airplanes. The Marines had oxygen, did so, reinforcement began arriving.
Dale Brannon and his wingman, 2nd but it was low pressure. I remember we Captain Morrell, flying what was probably
Lieutenant Deltis Fincher, dashed for their managed to get all the way up to 16,000 the best Wildcat on the island, was in the
Airacobras when they saw the Condition feet on our first fight. We were really lead followed by five second lieutenants.
One flag go up. Both remembered they woozy. And of course, the Zeros were way All six attacked the five surviving Kates
could hear the drone of the enemy up above us.” and five escort Zeros from below. As they
overhead by the time they were in their Three Wildcats took on the retiring attack did so, two attack Zeros arrived to help
cockpits and starting up. As they raced Zeros at low altitude over Lengo Channel. ward off the attackers. 2nd Lieutenantt
in echelon along the runway, they could VMF-212’s 2nd Lieutenant Bob McLeod Ken Frazier destroyed a Kate on the right
hear the explosions of the bombs over the got good hits on one that he claimed side of the formation on his first pass
roar of their engines. Just as they lifted off destroyed. In fact, the pilot – Lieutenant while Carl shot a Zero off Lindley’s tail;
and retracted their gear, a Zero swooped Nōtomi’s wingman – was able to nurse his however, he did not destroy it, as credited.
in front of them. They turned into one stricken fighter back over Guadalcanal, Gutt was shot up and wounded in the left
another and let fly with everything: eight where he crash-landed, was found by arm and left leg by another Zero, but made
.30-caliber machine guns, four .50-caliber Japanese troops, and was eventually it back to Henderson Field. Lieutenants
machine guns, and two 20mm cannon, evacuated off the island. In return, Rex Jeans and Red Taylor teamed up to
disintegrating the Zero. They flew through VMF-223’s 2nd Lieutenant Elwood Bailey disable a Kate, but Taylor - one of the six
the debris as they clawed for altitude but was shot down. Last seen in his parachute, VMF-212 reinforcements - was immediately
were attacked in turn by the shotai leader descending toward the water near Tulagi, shot down and killed by a Zero. Last of all,
and wingman of the fighter they had just he never made it home. VMF-212’s 2nd Lieutenant John King
destroyed. The enemy fighters made one Lieutenant Murakami’s Kates executed fired on a Kate that blew up. After

Photo: via autor

Many Wildcats were destroyed not only in combat but also on the ground. Either as a result of enemy attacks or in crashes during take-off and landing. These aircraft
then became a source of spare parts.

22 INFO Eduard April 2023

Photo: via autor
HISTORY

Capt. Jimmy Flatley led VF-10 to Guadalcanal after the USS Enterprise was severely damaged in the Battle of Santa Cruz.

King’s victory, the Wildcats withdrew. fighter-versus-fighter battle. Leading six floatplanes closing on his formation. He
Altogether, the Marines claimed 20 VMF-223 F4Fs, Marion Carl scored what called a warning and reversed course; the
confirmed victories: 12 Kates, a non- would turn out to be his last victory, other six followed. Spotting the oncoming
existent “Betty,” and seven Zeros. However, bringing his score to 16.5 before his guns Americans, the enemy formation turned to
the Japanese lost only four Kates, jammed. His wingman Ken Frazier was flee, but the Wildcats caught up and shot
including the one that crash-landed, and able to shoot down two before the others down six Petes and three Rufes. Smith’s
three Zeros, including the one Brannon turned on him and shot up his Wildcat Rufe was his final victory, giving him
and Fincher had blown up. Marion Carl badly enough that he was forced to bail a total of 19 to make him the leading Marine
was credited with four victories, including out. His score of 12 put him in third-place in ace to that point in the war.
the phantom Betty, and was immediately VMF-223's “ace race,” behind Smith and October 12, 1942, saw the survivors of
recognized as the first Marine Corps ace. Carl. Newly arrived VMF-121 pilot 1st VMF-223 climb aboard an R4D headed
In fact, he was actually two kills shy, but Lieutenant Floyd Lynch dropped one for Espiritu Santo. Over their nine-week
would make up the difference two days enemy fighter, but the top score of the tour, the squadron claimed 110 victories,
later. The Marines had won the first big air day went to “Coach” Bauer, whose four including 47 Zeros and 47 Bettys. John
battle. There would be many more. victories made him an ace in only two L. Smith was credited with ten Bettys
sorties. This time, Japanese records while Marion Carl claimed eight, to give
The End For VMF-223 confirmed the nine Zeros claimed by the both pilots more Japanese bombers in
By October 2, the surviving fliers of Marines was accurate. their scores than any other Marine pilots
VMF-223 were exhausted from near-daily VMF-223's exhausted fliers took off for during the war. Nineteen pilots had landed
battles and the terrible living conditions on what turned out to be their last mission at Henderson Field on August 20; ten paid
Guadalcanal. That day, the enemy returned from Henderson Field on October 10. the ultimate price.
with another fighter sweep; the skies were Squadron leader John Smith led seven
clearer and the coastwatchers radioed Wildcats to escort SBDs and TBFs to New Adapted from “The Cactus Air Force: Air
their warning in time for the Wildcats to Georgia where more enemy ships had been War Over Guadalcanal,” by Eric Hammel
get off the field and grab sufficient altitude. spotted. Halfway there Smith happened and Thomas McKelvey Cleaver; Osprey
to meet the 27 Zeros in a hard-fought to look back and saw 15 Rufe and Pete Publishing (2022).

April 2023 INFO Eduard 23

HISTORY

THE HIGH-ALTITUDE HINDS

CZECH AND CZECHOSLOVAK

HINDS E FROM TECHNICAL
PERSPECTIVE Tomáš „Hindman“ Dvořák

24 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY

The original type designation of Hind E was Mi-24V, where L-006 system were moved behind the
rear cockpit and raised out of reach
the letter V means “vysotnyi” which translates as “high- from the ground. The three-fingers
altitude”. This corresponds to engines' higher power available SRO-2 antennae were changed for the
at higher level. This allowed not only a higher ceiling but, most trapezoidal antennae of new system
62-01 Parol. As a third visible change, the
importantly, the ability to hover at higher height above sea flare dispensers were moved from the
level, both with or without the ground effect. tail to the rear of the center section of
the fuselage behind and above the wing.
The Hind’s E predecessor, the Hind D, landing light FFP-7 added. On the trailing Also, their number was increased from
was continually developed and many edge of the tail, two small bulges of the four to six (three on each side). They
of the features of the Hind E were warning system antennae were added. firstly had covers, but as their removal
already adopted. The only differences These were monitoring the rear area. and fixing during maintenance was rather
distinguishing the two at first sight at The early Hinds E also kept the frame in complicated, the covers were gone on
every stage of development are the ATGM the wheel bay separating the port and later series of Hind E.
used and the location of the APU intake. starboard compartments. The last Hinds E supplied to Czecho-
The Hind E used more advanced and The early Hind D were additionally slovakia were choppers with the numbers
beam-targeted supersonic 9M114 Shturm equipped with the flare dispensers 0927, 0928 and 0929. They sported minor
missiles instead of wire-controlled ASO-2V. These were fixed to the rear of changes on the instrument panel in the
subsonic 9M17P Falanga ones. The guiding the tail by the metal belts encircling the rear cockpit, but otherwise were the
system appearance also differed in the tail. The early Hinds E had the dispensers same as the previous ones. Two of these
shape of the antenna cover on the port screwed directly into the frame of the tail. were lost in fatal air crashes and seven
side below the nose and different doors As the Hind E was developed the later airmen were killed.
and other details on the sighting/aiming series (Nos 0786 through 0790 and 0812 After several technical inspections and
system on the starboard side. Also, while through 0816 in Czechoslovakia) had the overhauls, most of the oldest Hinds E
the Hind D has the intake for APU on the gun camera removed from the port side in the inventory of the Czech army were
starboard side of the fuselage ridge just wing and a new type (SS-45) installed in discarded and Nos. 0702, 0710, 0788,
opposed to the APU’s exhaust on the the rear pilot-in-command cockpit in the 0790, 0815, 0835 and 0839 were sold to
port side, the Hind E is feeding the air to case on the right side of the gunsight. The AAL company from United Arab Emirates.
APU through the whole tail beam via the above-mentioned frame in the main wheel After some non-specified overhaul, they
triangle-shaped opening in the low part bay was removed, which was greeted by were sold – probably to Libya or Sudan.
of the vertical stabilizer on the starboard. technicians as it made easier the access
All the other features, including more to the serviced components in the bay. First modernization
powerful TV3-117V engines, “wet” pylons, The choppers with tail numbers 0832 After the political changes in 1989, first
shape of the main as well as tail rotor through 0839 presented another step in upgrades to the Czechoslovak Hinds E
blades and other features can be seen not the development of the Hinds E supplied were made. Due to the rising number
only on the Hind E, but also on late Hind to Czechoslovakia: The covers of the of participations on Western airshows,
D choppers, depending on the state of the
development. But Czechoslovakia did not
use these late Hind Ds.

Series variations
Early series of Hind E (numbers from
0701 to 0710 in Czechoslovakia) were
equipped with older type of the Friend-
Foe identification system SRO-2 Chrom.
It was recognizable by the “three fingers”
antennae on the top of the WSO’s cockpit
canopy windshield frame and on the
bottom of the tail fin. The gun camera
S-13 was mounted on the port side on the
front of the joint section of the wing and
the vertical pylon. This corresponded to
the Hind D, but the early Hinds E lacked
the small, bulged antenna of the warning
system S3M Sirena (it was also absent
on the rear of the outer pods). Instead,
the Czechoslovak Hinds E used the
more advanced passive system L-006
Beryozka (birch) installed in the bulky
oval covers on both sides of the front
fuselage between front and rear cockpit.
Photo: author

These were quite popular among pilots

as they were used as handy shelves for
the map cases or helmets prior to or
after the flight. Behind and under the The first batch of Hinds E sported the gun camera placed in the intersection of the end of the wing and the
port Beryozka antenna, there was a fixed end pylon like on the Hind D but the small bumpy antenna of the warning S3M Sirena system is missing.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 25

Photo: Petr Soukop HISTORY

The chopper number 0836 demonstrates the form of the final supply during the existence of the socialist Czechoslovakia. On the frame of the windshield of the WSO’s
cockpit there is the trapezoidal antenna of the 62-01 Parol system and the bulky covers of the L-006 Beryozka system are already moved behind the rear cockpit.

equipment had to be added to ensure Shturm replacing the much slower Seven of them kept the older designation
at least very basic “westernalization”. Falanga, Hind E had a much wider variety Mi-24V, while ten others were designated
The GPS system, digital feet-calibrated of weapons. There were unguided rocket Mi-35, which was the export designation
altimeter and western-standard trans- blocks B8V20 of 80 mm caliber, gun pods of basically the same aircraft . But some
ponder were added. The GPS antenna GUV either with 30 mm grenade launcher minor differences existed.
was mounted on the frame of the 9-A-669 or with one 12,7 mm 9-A-624 four- The first batch consisted of seven
windshield of the WSO’s cockpit and the barrel Gatling gun plus two 7,62 mm ones choppers numbered 7353 through 7358
white fin-shaped antennae of the APX-100 of the same system. Another option were plus 0981. They were all powered by the
transponder were placed behind the front cannon pods containing two-barrel UPK- new engines TV3-117VMA and the flare
wheel bay and on the top of the tail boom. 23/250 cannon of 23 mm caliber, mine dispensers were fitted differently to the
containers KMGU-2 or rocket launchers fuselage. The cockpits were painted in
Stealth Hind RM-122. More to it, up to four external fuel black instead of the turquoise color used
The Hind E No. 0837 was selected for tanks, each of 450 liters of volume, could previously. This change was done with aim
the trials of the special surface finish. be fitted to the inner and outer racks. The to allow use of the night vision goggles
Rubber panels covered nearly the whole Shturm missiles could be fitted not only to (NVG). Unfortunately, the illumination was
fuselage with intention to delete the radar the end pylons, but also to the outer racks not NVG compatible, so the effort was
frequency and so make the helicopter through special adapters, increasing the useless.
less visible on the radar screens. The maximum number of ATGMs to eight. As there was no GPS system installed,
new surface was also painted with an Prior to the political changes at the end of these choppers were in fact the same as
experimental camo scheme. The paint was 1989, one set of the exhaust gas cooling those supplied in the eighties, including
to degrade the visibility of the helicopter system (EVU) was supplied, but it was the Cyrillic stenciling in the cockpits.
through the night vision goggles. None of never used. This system was eventually What was missing was the system
the measures proved efficient, the only tested by the Czech army in 2002 with Friend-Foe, so these machines had
effect, apart of the smooth surface (the a new set of the same type previously neither the antennae of the SRO-2 Chrom,
riveting was hidden under the rubber supplied. nor the 62-01 Parol. But early into use,
panels), was the added weight which these new choppers were fitted with
unbalanced the weight distribution of the The “new” generation APX-100 transponders and a little bit
chopper. As a part of the debts payments by later also with LUN 3520 radio of Czech
Russian Federation to Czech Republic, origin. The T-shaped black antenna was
The weapons 17 new Hinds E were supplied to the fitted on the tail slightly to the right side.
Apart of the above-mentioned ATGMs Czech army between 2003 and 2006. In the WSO cockpit, the control panel was

26 INFO Eduard April 2023

 Photo: author HISTORY

Photo: author
The control panel of the new radio LUN 3520 allowing continuous change of the Control panel of the infrared-guided missile countermeasure system L-166V-11E
frequency replaced the Doppler navigation system DISS and the navigational data „Ispanka“ was located next to the right front weaponry panel in the WSO’s cockpit.
were instead supplied by the GPS system.

Photo: author
Photo: author

Left side of the WSO’s cockpit already in black color with English stenciling and the
Control panel of the LUN 3520 radio was fitted over the left front weaponry panel conversion table from feet to meters. Necessary, as the altimeters were calibrated
in the cockpit of WSO. in meters.
Photo: author

Photo: author

The cargo compartment with two black cases for the NVG system accessory. The proof the chopper number 3365 was originally (or was intended to be) Hind F …

April 2023 INFO Eduard 27

 HISTORY

mounted on the left front panel while in former position behind the front wheel end of the Hinds E service in Czech
the rear cockpit of the pilot-in-command bay like in the case of APX-100. As the army, the short-wave radio Jadro was
it replaced the now obsolete Doppler KT-76C did not need the second antenna, deleted and with it also its wire antennae
navigation system DISS. there was none on the tail boom. between the rear fuselage and horizontal
Next supplied were three Hinds E stabilizers.
now designated Mi-35 as mentioned Last seven Of the 17 newly supplied Hinds E, 11 went
previously. These were Nos. 7360, 3361 The very last of the Hinds E supplied through general overhaul in the LOM
and 3362. These choppers were already either to Czechoslovakia or to Czech (Aviation Repair Shop Malešice; Malešice
NVG compatible, the cockpit stenciling Republic (Slovakia only received the being part of Prague) company. They
was in English. In the cargo compartment, former Czechoslovak Hinds D and E got the same colors (so-called NATO
there are two black cases hanged on the in the process of dividing the assets standard, as described in Czech army)
starboard side to store the NVG cabling. of Czechoslovakia and did not buy any as they were supplied from Russia in
These choppers were equipped with the new Hinds) were seven examples with compliance with Czech requirements,
GPS antenna fitted to the tube of the numbers from 3365 to 3371. They were but as the colors were not sprayed with
DUAS system. To be honest, the solution in the same configuration as the three the use of templates, the borders of the
developed by the LOK (Aviation Repair previously supplied and underwent the color shades are diffuse. The twelfth Hind
Shops in Kbely; Kbely being part of same changes regarding the transponders E planned for the general overhaul did
Prague) looked much better … and radio installations. Later, four of them not make it, as it was lost in an accident
As a new transponder KT-76C was (3367, 3368, 3370 and 3371) got the KT-76C (engine failure while conducting the hover
installed, its antenna was placed on the transponders replaced by APX-119 . It was check ).
bottom of cover of the Shturm guiding visible by minor change of the position of
system. This placement was rather the antenna behind the front wheel bay Why just the Hinds E?
unhappy, as the antenna was quite (from centerline slightly to the starboard There might be a question why the Czech
vulnerable when the towing shaft was to side) and the second antenna was added Republic opted for the already obsolete
be fitted. Due to that, it was moved to the again on the top of the tail boom. At the Hind E during negotiations with the
Photo: David Všetíček

A nice view on the rear cockpit illuminated for the use with the NVG.

28 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY

Russian side and did not ask for the much

more advanced Hind J or its derivatives.
There was for sure the aspect of the
price, as the Hind J would have been more
expensive and so less of them would have
been supplied. But the main reason was
(according to some sources) that the
army did not want to enter a new type into
its inventory due to logistic reasons. And
more to it, there was a quite ambitious
plan for upgrades, which was to be
shared by the V4 states (Czech Republic,
Slovakia, Poland and Hungary). But the
plan collapsed and in effect it marked
the beginning of the end of the Hinds E
in the Czech army. Although a tough
attack and transport helicopter, it had
only the essential avionics to be allowed
to fly in the modern airspace of the 21st
century and would be sentenced to doom
in the modern battlefield, as it lacks all
the modern Defensive Avionics Systems
as well as target and data acquisition
systems.
In fact, the request for Hinds E supply was
quite a surprise for Russians because this
version was already out of production for
several years. But they finally fulfilled the
request, although rather peculiarly. The

Photo: author
airframes of the Hinds E supplied were
not newly manufactured, which is clearly
supported by the fact the serial numbers
were the continuation of the line of the Detail of the GPS antenna fitting developed in LOK.
Hinds F supplied to Niger. The 3365 Hind
E, i.e., Mi-24V, even had a Mi-35P machine
data-plate. According to the author’s own
experience, that he got during his 2001
stay in the Rostov factory, where the
Hinds are produced, it was a common
practice for a Hind E to enter the general
overhaul to leave it as an Hind F.

In the foreign services

Apart of the older Hinds E sold to AAL,
Czech Republic donated six of these
helicopters to Afghan government. In
the Afghan National Army, they got new
numbers 113 (originally 0836), 114 (0703),
115 (0816), 116 (0834), 117 (0838) and 118
(0812). During the general overhaul prior
to being sent to Afghanistan they received
the more powerful TV3-117VMA engines,
while all the GPS and identification
equipment was removed. VHF and UHF
radios were installed and the T-shaped
white antennae were placed on the top of
the tail boom (for the AT-160 COM1) and
on its bottom (AT-160 COM2). Probably the
most visible change was the installation
of the long tubular antenna of the HF
radio 10-389. It ran alongside the whole
tail boom on the starboard side. There
were also several other minor upgrades
and changes. These choppers served in
Photo: author

Afghanistan very reliably form the end of

November 2008 until their dischargement
in 2016.
Antennae of the APX-100 transponder were fitted behind the front wheel bay and on the top of the tail boom.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 29

HISTORY

The air war over Ukraine Text: Miro Barič

A year of bloodshed Photo: Ukrajinian armed forces, social media and other public sources

The first UH-60 Black Hawk of the Ukrainian GRU military intelligence.

Even though the Russian aggression against Ukraine started of it were destroyed. Without supplies the Russians
had to start a retreat.
in the Crimea and Donbas in February 2014, and their terrorist
activities even sooner, in February this year we commemorated April 2022
the first anniversary of the Russian attack on the whole Ukrainian In the beginning of month, the Russians had to
withdraw from the areas north of Kiev. After they left
territory. It is the largest conflict in Europe since 1945. a lot of evidence was found about the massacre of
civilians in the town of Bucha and other cities. After
This part of our series will be a summary of the to capture the airport Hostomel near Kiev so that its retreat from Kiev, the Russian army started to
events in the past 12 months. In the end, as usual, the reinforcements and heavy equipment could be focus on Donbas where heaviest fighting has taken
we focus on the events taking place between moved there by the transportation airplanes. The place since. Even though Russians withdrew from
February 1 to March 1 and relevant to Russians however failed to capture Kiev and kill or certain areas, they continued to shell the Ukrainian
the air war. capture Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. cities with missiles. Step by step the military aid for
He refused the American offer to evacuate saying: Ukraine started. In the beginning of April Slovakia
February 2022 “I need ammo not a ride!” was among the first countries to offer aid by
For several months the Russian troops were delivering S-300 AA system. In the middle of April,
gathering near the Ukrainian borders and the March 2022 in the Black Sea, the cruiser Moscow, a flagship of
American intelligence services warned it was not The Russian advance on Kiev and Kharkov was the Russian Black Sea Fleet was sunk having been
an exercise but preparation for the invasion. The stalled and was very slow in Donbas. The Russians hit by two Ukrainian missiles.
government in Kremlin repeatedly stated that it made a rapid advance in the south only. The local
was not going to attack Ukraine, on the contrary Ukrainian command there failed miserably in May 2022
the troops would be withdrawn after the exercise organizing the defenses, a criminal deed in fact. In The Ukrainians started heavy shelling and bombing
was completed. None of it was true. On Thursday, a couple of days, Kherson, north-west of Crimea of the Snake Island located near the coast and
February 24. 2022, early morning the massive and Melitopol, north-east of Crimea, were captured. border with Romania. The island controls the
bombing of the targets all over the entire Ukraine Mariupol was surrounded but the advance from shipping routes to Odessa. The Russians captured
started and the Russian troops attacked in four Kherson to Mykolaiv and Odessa was halted by it during the first day of war. In the middle of
directions – to Kiev, Kharkov, Donbas and Kherson Ukrainians. The key moment was the Russian defeat May, the defenders of the steelworks Azovstal in
from Crimea. The most important target was Kiev. at Voznesensk. At Kiev the Russians tried to break Mariupol were ordered to cease the resistance.
Putin’s army wanted to capture the capital and through with a convoy many kilometers long. The By May 20 all of them surrendered. Even though
consequently the whole country in a couple of days. Ukrainian troops however (and Russian logistical these days is considered taboo, during this
The paratroopers from the helicopters were tasked mistakes) stopped the convoy and significant parts month the Ukrainians received their first aircraft

30 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY

deliveries – 21 decommissioned Mig-29 fighters

for the spare parts and 14 Su-25 combat aircraft.
The deliveries were made through the mediating
parties.

June 2022
In their advance in Donbas the Russians took
advantage especially of their overwhelmingly
superior artillery. Therefore, the Ukrainians started
to receive the new 155 mm howitzers from the Allies
and above all HIMARS rocket launchers which are
crucial for destroying the Russian ammunition
dumpsters, bridges and command posts. In June the
Czech Mi-24 and Slovak Mi-17 helicopters arrived
in Ukraine. In the end of the month, after another
series of successful Ukrainian attacks, the Russian
troops had to flee from the Snake Island. On the
other side, after a long-lasting effort the Russians
managed to capture the city of Severodonetsk in
the Luhansk area.
The memorial with the MiG-17 aircraft in Bachmut underwent A Ukrainian soldier takes a picture in
July 2022 renovation shortly before the war. front of the memorial in Bachmut during
The front line practically stalled. In the beginning the fighting.
of month, the Russians captured Lysychansk but
did not advance any further. The fiercest battles
were fought for the town of Bakhmut and have been
going on until the present time. The Ukrainians
started to successfully deploy HIMARS rocket
launchers to destroy the Russian ammunition and
fuel dumpsters. The Russians retaliated by bombing
the civilian targets.

August 2022
The Ukrainians received the anti-radar HARM
missiles a started to use them successfully to
blind the Russian AA defense. During this month
the large-scale attacks were launched against
the Russian military airports on the occupied
Crimea. On August 29 the long-awaited Ukrainian
counterattack was launched in the Kherson area.

September 2022 Belarusian volunteers from the Kastuś Kalinoŭski regiment in Bachmut.
While the Russians focused on the defense of
the Kherson area the Ukrainian troops launched
a surprise attack on the other side of the front
line. In a couple of days, they liberated Balakliya,
Kupyansk and Izyum and by the end of the month
Lyman and practically the whole Kharkov area.
Putin reacted by declaring partial mobilization even
though only in March he promised that there would
not be any. The hastily organized referendums about
the annexation to Russia took place on the occupied
territories. The Russians started to use the Iranian
kamikaze drones to bomb the Ukrainian cities.

October 2022
The counterattack towards Kherson continued.
On October 6, in the vee hours, the explosion took
place on the Kerch bridge connecting the occupied
Crimea with Russia, one road lane was destroyed,
and the railway section was seriously damaged. On
October 29 in Sevastopol the attack of the remote-
controlled boats against the Russian warships
at anchor took place. The Russians launched the
bombing campaign against the Ukrainian energy
infrastructure.
The MiG-17 at the memorial was eventually destroyed like most of the town of Bakhmut.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 31

HISTORY

November 2022 the stored ammunition, was hit by HIMARS missiles. attacked across the large, widely open terrain, the
On November 11, the Ukrainian troops liberated There was an ammunition dumpster in that building Russians suffered big losses – they lost more than
Kherson. It has been only 42 days since Putin as well. After several months, the Russians hundred tanks and armored vehicles and the whole
declared the city will be Russian forever. At Bakhmut achieved the breakthrough at Bakhmut. They took Marine brigade.
the fighting in the muddy trenches, reminiscent of advantage of the poorly planned Ukrainian troops
WWI, continued. The Russian bombing of the civilian rotation and captured the town of Soledar north Russian losses
infrastructure continued as well. As a reaction to it, of Bakhmut. Germany and USA promised Ukraine Several aircraft and helicopters were reported
the West started to supply Ukraine with the modern Marder and Bradley AFVs. shot down on both sides, but these claims could
AA defense systems. not be verified. Same as during the previous
February 2023 months, many of these destroyed aircraft could
December 2022 The Russians continued with the push they initiated be only documented later when the wrecks were
The muddy terrain did not allow any significant immediately after the New Year. They tried to discovered, and the new images surfaced. The
movements at the frontline. The Ukrainians, using attack along the whole frontline, from Kupyansk destruction of the Russian Mi-35M helicopter (other
the drones, attacked the airports from where and Kremnina at the junction of the Kharkov and sources stated Mi-24VM) was confirmed however
the Russian strategic bombers took off. The USA Luhansk areas through Bakhmut and Avdiivka in as it had to perform emergency landing on February
promised Ukraine the delivery of the Patriot AA Donetsk up to Vuhledar. The pressure at places was 9 near the frontline at Tokarivka in the Kharkov
defense system and later were joined by Germany enormous accompanied by large losses, but the area, barely 3 kilometers from the Russian border.
and Netherlands as well. advance was minimal. According to some reports, Immediately after landing it was destroyed by the
in two months since the beginning of the year the artillery fire from the 14th Independent Mechanized
January 2023 Russians captured only 85 square kilometers of Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This was
The New Year started with the largest massacre territory. Each square kilometer of the Ukrainian recorded on video by a drone and later photographs
of the Russian soldiers when the building where territory gained cost them 250 soldiers killed … appeared showing a helicopter wreck lying on the
hundreds of them stayed for celebrations, including Especially at Vuhledar, where they stubbornly side. On Monday, February 13, the Russian Sukhoi

Russia launched at least six balloons with corner radar reflectors into Ukraine on A Russian Mi-35M had to make an emergency landing near Tokarivka in the Kharkiv
February 15. At least one of them was shot down by Ukrainian air defense forces. region on February 9 and was subsequently destroyed by Ukrainian artillery.

Su-25 with designation RF-95143 and fuselage number “yellow 37” photographed
in February 2022 in Belarus and destroyed a year later in Belgorod Oblast.

32 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY

Su-24M of the Ukrainian Air Force. The yellow coloring of the lower surfaces is to prevent firing from their own ranks.

Shots of the wreckage

of a Ukrainian Mi-8
helicopter from the
deck of another
chopper of this type.

Damaged Ukrainian Mi-8MSB-V in digital

camouflage during ground transport.

Sequence of shots of a Ukrainian Tu-143 drone launching from an SPU-143 wheeled launcher.

Su-24M, carrying registration RF-93799 and bort aircraft was confirmed. On February 13 near Also, the images of the Ukrainian Mi-8, hit under
number “blue 45”, was hit above Bakhmut by the Pishchanka in Vinnytsa area, while intercepting unknown circumstances in the previous period,
portable missiles. Its crew members belonged to the Iranian-made drones Shahed-136, a Mig-29 appeared. First, on February 13, an image of the
the so-called Wagner mercenary group. Despite was destroyed. Its pilot, Lieutenant Dmytro Mi-8MSB-V sporting digital camouflage and bort
the number thirteen in the date, the aviators were Shklyarevskyi saved himself on the ejection seat number “yellow 88”, was published. The fuselage
lucky and managed to land the burning aircraft but suffered injuries and had to be hospitalized. of the damaged helicopter was filmed during its
at their home base. On February 23, the pilot of From the hospital the pilot wrote that he had ground transportation. Immediately next day, on
the Su-25SM carrying registration RF-95143 and survived by a miracle and an operation was February 14, the video of another Mi-8MSB-V wreck
bort number “yellow 37”, was not so lucky. On his awaiting him. On the same day, the information carrying digital camouflage, appeared. The wreck,
return from the combat mission, he crashed near appeared in the Ukrainian media that after four lying in the snow-covered countryside, was filmed
the village of Orekhovo in the district of Valyuki months long recovery Major Vadym Voroshylov from the board of another Mi-8. No further details
in Belgorod area. The cause of the crash was from 204th Brigade of the Tactical Aviation returned are known at this time.
supposed to be a mechanical failure. The pilot from to the duty. We wrote about him in the previous
the 266th Squadron of the Attack Aviation did not parts of this series. On October 12 he shot down Equipment deliveries
survive. five Shahed-136 drones and the debris from the last On February 21, the Ukrainian military intelligence
one hit his Mig-29 and he also had to eject. Hanging service GRU published the photograph of the
Ukrainian losses on the parachute he took a selfie of his bloodied first Black Hawk helicopter in its service. Based
During the reported period, loss of one Ukrainian face – in this way he wanted to check his wounds. on the coloration it was determined that it was

April 2023 INFO Eduard 33

HISTORY

most likely the former US Army UH-60A serial

number 80-23439 which later received the civilian
registration N60FW and was modernized by Ace
Aeronautics company from Alabama. After a long
diplomatic pressure, Germany, USA and the Great
Britain committed to deliveries of the modern
tanks Leopard 2, Abrams and Challenger 2. Other
countries joined the effort to deliver Leopard tanks,
Poland in the first place. Training of the Ukrainian
tank crews began in Germany, Poland and Great
Britain and during our reporting period the first
Leopard 2A4 tanks arrived in Ukraine from Poland.
After this delivery the discussion started about
deliveries of fighters and long-range missiles.
We will talk about this next time.

Russian improvisations
While the stream of the modern armor is coming
to Ukraine increasing variety of the emergency
modifications appear on the Russian side. In a year
of fighting Russians lost more than 1700 tanks, 2100
AFVs and further 1000 armored personnel carriers
and other armored vehicles. Moreover, these are
all the losses documented on the Onyx server by
photographs and videos, the actual losses will be
even higher. The high losses lead to the deployment
of the artillery tractor MT-LB, originating in the
1950s, in the role of an AFV. It had not been intended
for the first line employment therefore it features
weak armor (maximum 10 mm on the hull) and
light armament (one 7.62 mm machine gun).
To increase the firepower of these vehicles the
Russians started to install the naval AA cannons on
them, which were removed from the old warships
rusting in the ports. Part of the modifications are
2M-7 turrets carrying 14.5 mm caliber twin machine Russian MT-LB with 2M-7 naval turrets with two 14.5 mm caliber machine guns.
guns which in 1950s had been installed on the small
torpedo and patrol boats.
The 2M-3 turrets carrying the 25 mm caliber twin
cannons promise better firepower. This weapon
was produced during 1953–1984 in the Soviet Union
and was installed on patrol ships, minelayers or
landing crafts. Only the Soviet Navy used 25 mm
caliber 110-PM cannons. Their rate of fire was up to
300 rounds per minute, horizontal range 2.5 km and
vertical range 1.7 km. However, their installation on

MT-LB with barbette and

2M-3 turret with a pair of
25 mm caliber guns, which
the Russians removed from
the old ships.

34 INFO Eduard April 2023

 HISTORY

MT-LB is bizarre. They are welded on the ceiling of radar screen. The goal is to disable the Ukrainian south of Moscow! No surprise the the Russians
the rear part of the hull including the whole ship AA defense. Not only the Ukrainians waste the started to build the AA defense around Moscow
barbette, instead of cutting the opening in the precious rockets on the useless balloon, but the and even the Pancir AA systems appeared on the
hull and putting the barbette inside. This doubled chances are that the actual missiles will break roofs of several houses in the Russian capital.
the vehicle’s height. Originally these turrets were through as the anti-weapon will be confused by However, the most daring attack against the
designed for the AA warfare, but they cannot meet multiple targets. The Ukrainians also retaliated by Russian targets took place at the end of February
the current requirements. They only feature manual the drone attacks. During February 27 and 28 the in Belarus. On February 26, at the Machulishchy
aiming which is sufficient for the slow flying targets. whole series of incidents took place deep in the base near Minsk two explosions damaged Beriev
It is supposed then that these vehicles are assigned Russian territory. Ukrainians do not officially claim A-50U AWACS aircraft. The Russian AF has been
to ground warfare, to provide supporting fire for the them but the whole situation looks like testing the operating out of this base since the beginning of
infantry. Due to their height, however, they present capabilities of the variety of UAVs before the large- war and besides A-50U Mig-31s are flown out of
an easy target for the opponent. scale attack. There were different types of drones there. The attack was supposedly conducted by
used on different targets. The Russians official the Belorussian resistance who consequently
Drone attacks statement is that all these drones were shot down fled the country. According to their claims they
In addition to their effort to break through the and no damages were sustained which is not quite damaged the radome and the hump containing the
Ukrainian defense on the front line the Russians true in the case of Tuapse on the Black Sea coast. satellite communication located behind the pilot’s
continued with shelling of the civilian infrastructure On Tuesday, February 28 the Rosneft oil refinery cockpit. They used two commercial drones each
in the Ukrainian cities. During the large-scale attack was damaged by the drone explosion. A smaller fire carrying 200 grams of explosives. At least the
on February 10, they launched 71 cruising missiles broke out. The Russians were lucky as the explosion hump damaged behind the cockpit was recorded
out of which 61 were shot down by the Ukrainian AA and fire took place away of the main oil tanks. on video and later confirmed by satellite images.
fire. 20 Shahed-136 drones were destroyed as well. At the same time the attack of at least 15 drones Destroying the electronics effectively disabled
However, the rockets that penetrated the defense was launched on the targets in Crimea, at least two A-50U from performing its missions even though
hit and damaged four power stations. In addition hit Belgorod in the Russian territory. The old Tu-141 the flight capabilities were not impaired by such
to the missiles and drones the Russians started to Strizh jet reconnaissance drone, full of explosives, small charges. A couple of days later the aircraft
launch the balloons. They carry the radar reflectors crashed in the Krasnodar southern outskirts. One was flown in for repairs. The question is how fast
which deflect the radar microwaves back to its drone crashed right next to the gas compressor the Russians can fix it. Only seven A-50U were built
antenna. This causes a strong disturbance on the station in Kolomen area which is only 100 km in 10 years, between 2011 and 2021.

Satellite shot of Maxar after the attack. Damage to the hump on the fuselage A satellite image of an A-50U at Belarus’ Machulishchy airport was taken
and the antenna dish are discernible. by Planet Labs PBC shortly before the attack.

Russian Defense Ministry photo of an A-50U before the drone attack.

A drone also crashed near Kolomna, just 100 km Footage of the attacking drone. It landed on a hump with antennas
from Moscow, on February 28. on the back of the aircraft and exploded there.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 35

HISTORY

Wreckage of a Tu-141 Strizh drone that landed

on the outskirts of Krasnodar on February 28.

Drones also landed on Belgorod on February 27 .

Refinery in Tuapse damaged by drone strike on February 28.

36 INFO Eduard April 2023

#82183 BOXART STORY

Happy crab
Text: Richard Plos
Illustration: Adam Tooby

When the first prototype Z-326, serial number for night flying, future military pilots did so. wing tips and the upper part of the vertical
301 with the OK-90 matriculation (later A young pilot often had a full plate during his stabilizer were painted red. A little later, the
changed to OK-LHA), took off at 9.20 a.m on first night solos, even with such an easy-to- undercarriage covers got black paint with
August 12, 1957, it marked a further extension control aircraft the Trener was. So, the risk two stripes (presumably white). Later still,
of the Z-26 series production. It was to of forgetting to deploy the landing gear and as part of the overhaul, OK-OTE received
end with the Z-226 version, but persistent subsequently bellying the aircraft was high. a red paint job in standard Z-226, but it can’t
interest abroad eventually exacted not only Two small lights therefore signaled to the be said to have helped its appearance... In the
the resumption of production, but also a fairly observer on the ground the landing gear of end, however, it got the attractive metallic
significant modernization of the entire design. the aircraft was down. In case no lights were military coloring mentioned above. It was
The Z-326 with its retractable undercarriage visible a flare was fired to “wake up” the pilot, done in the Zbraslav Aero Club in 2008 after
and new cockpit canopy moved further away who either still had time to get the wheels the aircraft was repaired from a previous
from the original design of a wooden wing down or he had not and then retracted the accident. Today it is in the possession of the
and tailplane underpowered aircraft with flaps, gave the full throttle and went for Military Historical Institute, unfortunately in
a four-cylinder engine. In the form of the another try. a non-airworthy condition.
Z-326 Trener Master, it was an all-metal, C-305s were also used for training Indonesian In 1972, however, it was still in good shape,
six-cylinder aircraft with the aforementioned pilots in Czechoslovakia then nearly all of albeit with one limitation: “OK-OTE was
retractable landing gear, which, like the them were gradually handed over to Svazarm classified in Normal category and thus was
Z-226T, was also very good in aerobatics (organization for cooperation between civilian not allowed to fly aerobatics. It was due to
(though not as good, being heavier) and could sector and army) from 1970. The aircraft with the collision with another C-305 in which it
also be used for basic training of both civilian number 0610 was among the last to be handed suffered major fuselage damage during its
and military pilots, as well as for flying for over. This was done in September 1972 and military career. Before it was modified for
fun or towing gliders. the aircraft was assigned to the Kladno Aero towing of gliders, we used it only for training
The Czechoslovak People’s Army ordered ten Club and obtained the OK-OTE registration. It day and night and for navigation flights,”
C-305s, a slightly modified military version was one of the C-305s that were delivered recalls Jasoň Kučera, a long-time member of
of the civilian version, after good experience to the army in simple aluminum overpaint the Kladno Aero Club.
with the previous C-5, C-105 and C-205 instead of the more attractive green-blue On the boxart of kit No. 82183, made by Adam
versions. These aircraft, delivered in 1960, metallic supplemented with blue and white Tooby, an unspecified aeroclub member
sported several minor changes. They had stripes on the fuselage. And in this form the from Kladno is flying with OK-OTE over
small signal lights on the undercarriage leg former 0610 began its civilian career. Not long the beautiful landscape of the Křivoklát
covers, illumination of the cockpit and flares afterwards, a cartoon of a cheerful crab was Protected Landscape Area. Apparently before
dispenser with a small control panel in the painted on the left side of the engine cowling. the OK-OTE got the towing equipment, and
cockpit. The undercarriage lights were not The painting was inspired by the well- also before the landscape below became the
there to illuminate the surface during taxi, known author of animal-themed cartoons, PLA Křivoklát...
but to signal the undercarriage is down. As Pavel Kantorek. In addition, the front of the
the C-305s had all the instruments needed engine cover was painted blue while the

April 2023 INFO Eduard 37

BOXART STORY #8209

Like dogs on chains Text: Jan Bobek

Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

The Battle of Britain is one of a long list of by Piotr Forkasiewicz. The Luftwaffe sent 73 could bite to death. The machine “3U+GT”,
legendary milestones that defined World War bombers escorted by nearly 500 fighters to which is depicted in Piotr’s artwork, belonged
Two, though it’s the only one that played out the targets near London. The bombers were to 9./ZG 26 that emerged successfully from
exclusively in the air. Between August 8 and divided into several groups. A formation of the battle. Two Spitfires were claimed by
October 31, 1940, the Luftwaffe paid for the thirty Do 17s from II./KG 2 hit the North Weald Ofhr. Lugger, one Spitfire and one Hurricane
Battle of Britain with the loss of 221 Bf 110s, airfield, escorted by Bf 110s from I./ZG 2 and were claimed by Lt. Sidow while Lt. Grisslich
either destroyed outright or heavily damaged. III./ZG 26 and Bf 109s from JG 26. and Ofw. Hott each shot down a Spitfire. The
Approximately four hundred of their airmen On departure, the Germans got into a dogfight crew of the badly damaged “3U+GT” made an
were either killed in action, captured, or with Hurricanes from No. 17 Sqn RAF and emergency landing at Wissant without injury,
seriously injured. German airmen including Czechoslovak No. 310 Sq as well as Spitfires but their machine had to be written off.
Bf 110 and bomber crews claimed 2,169 from No. 19, 54 and 222 Sqn RAF. A total of How successful was the Bf 110 in the role of
victories. five Bf 110s from I./ZG 2 went down. Off the fighter in the Battle of Britain? There are well
The RAF experienced Bf 110 crews created English coast, I./ZG 26 joined the defence. documented victories and losses of Spitfire,
a defensive circle (Abwehrkreis), but this was One Bf 110 was lost by I./ZG 26 another one by Hurricane and Bf 109 units, giving their kill/
not always a strictly defensive manoeuvre. II./ZG 26 (plus one damaged) and two had to loss ratios as 1.7, 1.2 and 1.5 respectively. The
Bf 110 airmen often used it as a decoy to be written off by III./ZG 26. Bf 110 units are a bit enigmatic due to missing
attract the attention of the enemy and allow Al Deere of No. 54 Sqn RAF was trying to detailed records about their victories. Only
their bomber colleagues to escape. get into a firing position behind one Bf 110 216 aerial victories are documented in detail
However, if a Bf 110 crew had the freedom to of ZG 26 when his target was unexpectedly between August 8 and October 31, 1940.
choose the tactical situation, the advantages attacked by Colin Gray in a vertical dive. However, this figure is based on records of
of their aircraft could be used with great To Deere's surprise and considerable only three Zerstörergruppen, while details of
success against Spitfires and Hurricanes, displeasure, the enemy aircraft burst into four others are completely missing!
such as concentrated firepower, long range, flames under the fire of his colleague. He had However, from the data of the higher
better initial acceleration in a dive, better rate to admit, however, that Gray had performed Luftwaffe command, it is known that during
of climb and a higher operational altitude. an incredible feat of marksmanship. But to the abovementioned period, Bf 110 and
But when Bf 110 crews were forced to provide boost the artillery men's morale the victory bomber crews claimed almost 600 victories.
direct escort to the bombers, they could get was eventually credited to the AA unit, to the If we accept the estimate that 75 % of this
into trouble because of the lower speed of chagrin of all the airmen. figure was achieved by Bf 110 airmen, then we
bombers. If they wished to retain their speed The Germans lost only one Dornier 17. The get an unexpected champion of the Battle of
advantage, the German fighters were forced Bf 110s crews scored some 20 victories and, Britain. The kill/loss ratio for the Bf 110 would
to manoeuvre around the bomber formation. according to British records, can be credited be 2! Despite this achievement, the battle
In a way, they were like dogs on a chain. with about nine RAF fighters shot down and ended with the first German failure since the
This was the situation that RAF fighters seven damaged. Five RAF pilots were killed beginning of the war.
observed when defending against the air raid and six suffered injuries. Although the Bf 110
of September 3, 1940, re-created in artwork were chained to the bombers like dogs, they

38 INFO Eduard April 2023

#84117 BOXART STORY

Green Hearts Umbrella

Text: Andrey Dikov
Illustration: Marek Ryś

On February 11, 1943, with the help of Soviet seaters No. 33 and No. 39 of deputy squadron later joined the surviving Il-2 group north of
aviation units, the Soviet 55th Army of commander Soldatov (credited with some Neva river, without losses and escorted them
Leningrad Front continued its offensive as 15 combat sorties) and Stn. A. Litvinov safely to Grazhdanka airfield. Before that
a part of the “Polar Star” operation against (2 sorties) and two-seater No. 35. the Fw 190s had managed to make several
German Army Group Nord. So the fighters As it was discovered after the war, Myakinkiy attacks, damaging two Shturmoviks and
of JG 54 created an “umbrella” over the managed to survive the crash-landing and claiming three.
German ground units to prevent raids by made his way to the frontline. In the forest A Group of two Il-2s of 943. ShAP led by Maj.
groups of Soviet ground attack aircraft. The he met another Soviet pilot with a broken leg. Mikhail Vasilyev escorted by two Yak-1s of
following description covers only one hour of By night they plodded to Pustyn’ka railway 14. GIAP and two P-40s of 196. IAP led by St.Lt.
fighting over the front. station and Pavel tried to find a rest in the A. Slipchenko had failed to fulfil its task and
One of the Shturmovik groups consisted of house of locals. Unfortunately, the house he returned to base. Behind the enemy lines near
four Il-2s of 57. ShAP KBF led by St. Lt. V. knocked to was occupied by German station Zakhozhye the wingman rammed his leader
Soldatov escorted by Kpt. A. Baturin’s five guards and he was killed by a hand-grenade and Vasilyev went missing. Most probably,
I-153s 71. IAP KBF approached the frontline in the following skirmish. His wounded friend this is the unknown pilot with a broken leg
around 11:35 and was reportedly intercepted was found in a haystack nearby and beaten killed together with Myakinkiy. On the way
by more than 10 Fw 190 and Bf 109 fighters. to death with rifle butts. Locals found Pavel’s back home the Shturmovik fighter escort
Soviet biplanes were tied in air combat and documents as well as pilot’s wife letter was attacked at 11:50 by lone Messerschmitt
set up a defensive circle, but despite all the addressed to “Mikhail” and buried the aviators. without result.
combat instructions demanding Il-2 leaders to Then JG 54 attacked another group of four As result of the day the Luftwaffe fighters
keep with their fighter escort, the Shturmovik Il-2s of 57. ShAP KBF led by Ml. Lt. P. Morozov claimed 19 Soviet aircraft shot down on
group continued its way along the route escorted by three Yak-7s, one Yak-1 of Maj. G. Leningrad front, including 8 Il-2, 4 P-40,
Popovka–Nikolskoye seeking for targets. As Romanov and four I-16 of Lt. A. Lomakin of 21. a P-39, 4 LaGG-3, one MiG-3 and one La-5.
a result, all were lost. IAP KBF. The Shturmoviks arrived on the battle Two Fw 190 and one Bf 109 were shot down by
They were attacked by several 2./JG 54 scene at 11:45 and had time to make their first fighters, one Ju 87 and one Bf 110 by ground
Fw 190s. Apparently the Shturmoviks, most strafing attack against targets in Nikolskoye. fire. On the other hand, Soviet 13th Air Army
of which were one-seaters without gunners, On their second run they were reportedly and subordinated navy units lost 4 Il-2, 1 La-5,
decided to split and try to reach Soviet lines attacked by two Fw 190s and eight Bf 109s 1 P-40 and 1 MiG-3 shot down in air combats,
in two pairs. Those two who turned right were coming from the side and at first glance one more MiG-3 made a forced landing on
attacked by Oblt. H. Götz (claims at 11:33 and Soviet pilots thought those were also Soviet airfield and 2 Il-2 were damaged. One Il-2 was
11:40) and Fw. H-J. Kroshinski (11:35), while the aircraft. But they were obviously 1./JG 54’s lost due to aerial collision and another one shot
left pair was shot down by Lt. A. Mack (11:38) Fw 190s of Lt. H. Adameit and Uffz. R. Raupach by Flak. Meanwhile the Soviet pilots claimed
and Fw. Otto Kittel (11:42). It is supposed the accompanied by 4./JG 54’s Bf 109s. The Yaks 16 German aircraft shot down, including 6
first aircraft downed was a wingman’s one- were involved in battle with the Bf 109s Fw 190, 5 Bf 109, 4 Ju 87, a Ju 88 plus a Ju 87
seater with board number 41 piloted by young resulting in two apparently unsubstantiated and one Bf 109 claimed by AA units.
Sgt. Pavel Myakinkiy. The others were one- claims, while Germans claimed “LaGG-3”. Yaks

April 2023 INFO Eduard 39

BOXART STORY #84187

Fatal mistake Text: Richard Plos

Illustration: Adam Tooby

At the end of the war, the Me 262 jets Anti-Aircraft batteries including over 150 Me 262s were pulling away from them,
pushed the boundary of flight performance four-barrel 20mm Flakvierling batteries gently descending. Neither of the men in
above the level of all fighters of the time. specifically protecting the landing approach the cockpits of the Tempests could have
Yet they were not invincible. In addition to area. After seven Tempests were lost to done anything about it had it not been for
the faulty deployment and the technical flak fire at Hopsten within a week, the Rat a surprising reversal. For some reason, the
problems, surprise or disadvantageous Scramble tactic was abandoned. pilot of the leading Schwalbe decided to
position at the enemy encounter often dealt On November 3, 1944, however, W/Cdr John turn left and continued until he was heading
them a fatal blow. But the biggest trouble B. Wray, commander of No. 122 Wing, was east. This put him directly in front of Wray's
was the landing approach, during which not in the air to hunt rats. He was up for an guns.
the Schwalbe was most vulnerable. In any “air test” with his personal Tempest coded It was perhaps only at that moment that
case, shooting down a jet was something JBW. At the same time, he was going to try the German pilot realized what a mistake
special for any Allied fighter and by the end out the new anti-glare goggles. At 18,000 ft he had made and began to maneuver wildly
of the war, a good number of them had this (5,500 m), he saw two Me 262s about 2,000 at low level. This was his second mistake,
valuable scalp to their credit. ft (700 m) below. They were not at their top because instead of using full power to
One of the former pilots of the Me 262, speed, but spotting him, they turned tail. increase the distance between himself and
Hubert Lange, said that the most dangerous Wray dived on the nearest one and opened the dangerous Tempest, he thus continued
opponent in his opinion was the Hawker fire at 300 yards. Several 20 mm shells hit to lose his speed advantage and probably
Tempest. “It was extremely fast at low their target, which flipped onto its back and also lost sight of his surroundings, he
altitudes, very agile and heavily armed,” dived vertically into the cloud. Wray claimed subsequently hit a building with the wing
the German pilot recalled. Some Me 262s it as a “probable” but was only credited and only a few seconds later crashed
fell victim to a tactic known in No. 135 Wing with a “damaged”. But as post-war records into the waters of the nearby Rhine. The
as the “Rat Scramble”. In this scenario the revealed, this Schwalbe did not actually moment just before the fatal collision with
scramble Tempests standed at the runway survive his attack. the building was captured by Adam Tooby
of the B-80 Volkel Air Base waiting for the More than a month later, on December 17, on his boxart. We may never know why the
notice about Me 262 in the air. Then they Wray took off again from Volkel Base and pilot of the Me 262 made the unfortunate
took off immediately, but the pilots made was steered by No. 83 Group Control Center maneuver that put him in a very awkward
no attempt to engage the German jets. to Weert, where several jets had been position. He may not have known about the
They instead headed straight for Rheine- spotted. Shortly after he turned his Tempest Tempest pair before. In any case, he was
Hopsten airfield where the Me 262 and at an altitude of just 2,500 ft (760 m) to the one of the twelve confirmed Me 262s lost
Ar 234 were based. The aim was to attack south, he saw a pair of Me 262s crossing his in combat with the Tempests, sixteen more
the jets during their approach to land, when path, flying westwards. He began to pursue being acknowledged as damaged by the
they were flying slowly with flaps deployed, the leader of the pair while his wingman Allied pilots of these mighty fighters.
so they were unable to accelerate. The focused on the other Schwalbe. Although
German response to this tactic was a strong both were on full throttle, using maximum
air defense system with more than 500 power of their Napier Sabre engines, the

40 INFO Eduard April 2023

#7055 BOXART STORY

The Breakpoint Text: Richard Plos

Illustration: Kateřina Borecká

“Canopy, oxygen, KAP, ARK, SRO, battery, gyro, was the first country to obtain the rights to 155 were destined for the Czechoslovak Air
landing gear ...” The instructor listens to the license production of the MiG-15. A licensing Force, where they ended their service on April
pre-flight check by the student pilot in the agreement was signed on April 17, 1951. The 1, 1983, with the 4th Squadron, of 1 Fighter
front cockpit. A few seconds later, the student first ten MiG-15s were however assembled Air Regiment based in České Budějovice.
moves the thrust lever forward, revs the from parts shipped from the USSR, and the At that time, the unit's inventory included two
RD-45 engine to 11,560 rpm, releases the first of these took to the air on November 6, UTI MiG-15s, Nos. 2311 and 2470.
brakes and heads out for his examination 1951. As early as May, however, the Air Force The aircraft No. 2463 depicted in the painting
flight. Unless he screws up, he's in for took delivery of six single-seat MiG-15s by Kateřina Borecká, started its service
his desired first solo flight ... “Watch the which flew in directly from the USSR. In July, in 1957 at 15 Fighter Air Regiment based in
heading,” comes the instructor’s calm voice they were supplemented by four two-seaters Žatec. In 1970 it underwent repairs at the
over the headset as the nose lifts. “He's really UTI MiG-15s, delivered in crates. All these Kbely Aviation Maintenance Center (LOK)
got a good memory,” flashes through the aircraft were intended for the No. 5 Fighter and was assigned to 6 Fighter-Bomber air
student’s mind as the main gear wheels leave Squadron based at Mladá airbase. It was Regiment in Přerov. Its service ended with
the concrete runway. He screwed up one of the only unit in Czechoslovakia to use the 30 Fighter-Bomber air Regiment in Hradec
his first take offs as he got a little bit off S-92/CS-92 (Me 262) and S-101 (Yak-23) jets. Králové at the beginning of 1983.
the heading of the runway and immediately This unit was transformed into the Air Force ... A hand on the throttle pulled it back to speed
got a telling off from the instructor. So far Jet Training Center (PVSL) on June 1, 1951 and down to below 400 km/h, the maximum for
today, though, it’s looking good. He’s raising Lt. Col. Jaroslav Týkal, later Czechoslovak flaps and landing gear deployment. But there
the landing gear, retracts flaps and takes Air Force commander, led it for the first was still time for it. First, he had to obtain
the engine revs down to 10,800 rpm. An eye two months. clearance to enter the airfield traffic pattern,
on the exhaust gas temperature: 680°C. The Center first task was to retrain the then to adjust the altitude and lower the
That’s good. Feeling like everything's going personnel of the entire 3 Air Division, which speed even more. “Slow down descending,”
like clockwork, he sets course towards the command was subsequently taken over by comes the instructor’s voice in the headset,
training zone… Lt. Col. Týkal. Since then, the UTI MiG-15s but more just for saying something at last, as
The year 1951 marked a major breakpoint for were in constant use and their need grew there wasn't a single comment from the back
the Czechoslovak Air Force. After a period as the number of pilots of this type was cockpit during the whole time of maneuvering
in which a handful of pilots had become increasing. However, the Czechoslovakian in the training zone. On the final approach,
familiar with the S-92, i.e., the Me 262, or production started only in 1954, until then the everything looked fine and after the landing
with the early designs of Soviet jets as aircraft used for training and conversions gear wheels touched the runway smoothly,
the Yak-17 and Yak-23, the wheels of first were delivered directly from the USSR. A total he knew, he’d done it. “Are you afraid?” the
MiG-15s touched the runway of Mladá of 3,454 MiG-15s rolled off the Czechoslovak instructor snaped at him, barely out of the
airbase in May. The qualitative leap from the production lines, and the UTI trainer was cockpit. “N... no, Captain,” the student pilot
madcap and unreliable propeller-driven Avia by far the most numerous of the variants replied in surprise. “Okay, so scat and prepare
S-199s to the best jet available at the time produced. By 1961, 2013 of them had been yourself for solo flight!”
was enormous. Moreover, Czechoslovakia produced, most of them were exported. Only

April 2023 INFO Eduard 41

CHEMISTRY

Foto: autor
Text: Josef Blažek
JOSEF BLAŽEK

Instant, Epoxy and Dispersion Adhesives Vítěz mezinárodních IPMS soutěží v kate-
gorii Master a několikanásobný mistr ČR.
Autor článků v mezinárodních časopisech
To continue our discussion on modelling chemistry and s celosvětovým dosahem (Military Illustrated
tips for beginners (and maybe advanced modellers will Modeller, Cocardes International, ModellFan,
find out something new, too), we will look at more types Modelář). Spoluautor modelářského startupu
Plastic Invasion.
of adhesives that are commonly used in the hobby.

We will then focus on cyanoacrylate (CA) and pretty much any place that caters to the perspective, explains why open containers of
glues, their accessories, epoxy adhesives and handyman. To begin, we’ll discuss the principle glue gradually set (moisture penetrates the glue
dispersive type glues. We will discuss their on which these glues work. They are based on an after initial opening and consequent initiation of
differences and their composition, how they work, unstable compound, which in this case is ethyl the reaction).
and their properties that make them suitable for cyanoacrylate. The compound reacts with water
different situations. We’ll demonstrate specific (or moisture in the air) to quickly harden. To get STORAGE AND SHELF LIFE
glue types, with products from Bolt due to their a little more technical, the chemical reaction OF CA GLUES
wide range of products and popularity among with water leads to reactive sites at the end of
modellers. However, the characteristics we will the molecular chains. These reactive sites then There are a lot of myths in the modelling
be discussing are applicable to products from connect to each other under the influence of the community about how to store and how not
other manufacturers as well. ongoing reaction, which leads to the formation to store instant glues in order to extend their
of a dense network of interconnected molecules. life. Unopened adhesives have an extended
CYANOACRYLATE GLUES This process is actually visible to the naked shelf life due to the protective gas filling,
eye. If there is a sufficient quantity of the glue but this does not mean that their shelf life is
These are also known as instant glue and often applied, the gradual hardening can be observed infinite. In general, higher storage temperature,
shortened to CA, and as the name implies, until the adhesives has hardened as a whole. higher exposure to UV radiation (light) and
these are rapid curing systems that harden on On the contrary, if we spread a small amount of higher humidity always have negative effects
contact with the bonding surfaces. Practical glue, the whole process of gradual solidification on the overall life of cyanoacrylate adhesives.
applications of these types of adhesives are far is extremely dynamic, which is caused by the To give a specific example illustrating the idea
and wide, to include such materials as plastics, rapid penetration of moisture from the air of the dynamics of the shortening of the shelf
glass, metal, fabric, paper and wood. Bonded (that is, water) into the glue. This penetration life, when storing instant glues at an ambient
materials can be dissimilar. They can easily of moisture into the glue fundamentally affects temperature of about 30 degrees Celsius,
be obtained from hardware and hobby stores the speed of setting, which, from a modeler’s the shelf life will be shortened by some 60 to

42 INFO Eduard April 2023

 CHEMISTRY
70%, which is a relevant decrease of the overall
usability of the product. It follows that the ideal
storage environment is dry, cool and dark. You
Storage Medium Temperature Resulting Shelf Life
have a refrigerator or a freezer, as does every Freezer -18 °C 2 Years
household, and this is ideal for storing CA. To the
contrary, these recommendations do not apply
Fridge 4 °C 1 Year
after opening the glue container and exposing Indoors 18–20 °C 6 months
the contents to the local environment. Storing
opened adhesives in the refrigerator or freezer
in order to extend their life is a pure myth. The the reaction, which results in the formation
aforementioned locations provide high levels of micro particles of hardened instant glue.
of moisture, relatively speaking, which within the A larger amount of these hardened micro particles
conditions of the way the glues work, impact the settle in the vicinity of the applied glue and the
shelf life of the material negatively. On opening, frosting effect becomes obvious. There are some
the container with the glue loses its protective gas options to minimize or optically eliminate this
layer, and the moisture can now directly activate phenomenon. It is easiest to use only a small
the chemical reaction of the adhesive. One way amount of glue to minimize the fumes. Another
to combat this might be to store the containers option is the use of special alkoxycyanoacrylates,
in plastic Tupperware with sealable lids that will which have a reduced evaporation rate.
restrict the amount of moisture getting to the In general, it is good to avoid closing the area
glue, and combine this with storage in a cool, where we apply the CA adhesives early, so that
dry dark place. But in the case of storing the there is room for evaporation. When drying, it is
container in a sealable containers, it is necessary a good idea to rotate the parts resulting with the
to consider the unavoidable rise in the glues glue at the top, to allow vapors to escape into
temperature to that of the local environment. space and prevent them from spreading over
The shelf life of the glue can be extended, but the the surface of the model, which would happen
gradual thickening of the liquid is unstoppable. when they are turned over and the fumes have glues. They can be applied in the usual way, i.e.
With this in mind, it makes sense that the size access to them as they escape. Since the release by applying them to one or both glued parts,
of the package and quantity of glue that it of vapors can occur even after some time, the which are then pressed together. Alternatively,
contains, are a factor corresponding to shelf life. entire glued joint can be sealed against vapor the procedure where the parts are pressed
The modeller should acquire bottles of CA that release by applying an overcoat, which ensures together and the glue is applied along the joint
they can use in the course of a couple of months coverage of the release adhesive even after can also be used. Here, however, it is necessary
after first opening it. It is also important to store it has hardened and thus minimizes negative to maintain a gap between the parts to provide
the glue away from other materials, especially effects on the model. Despite all our efforts, the glue someplace to wick into. The minimum
those that act as activators. The glues are however, a situation may arise when unwanted size of such a gap depends on the viscosity of
generally compatible with one another, so that if vapor escape occurs and we are forced to remove the thin instant glue, but in general it needs to
one bottle of CA becomes thick, it can be thinned these negative consequences of CA use. In most be at least around 0.03 mm, which in modelling
with thinner stuff to achieve a compromised cases, it is sufficient to clean the affected areas practice is quite small. Thin instant adhesives
viscosity that is acceptable to the user. with a dry brush or cotton swab (on clear parts). are especially suitable for gluing non-porous
After opening the adhesive, its lifespan in the Alternatively, you can use the thinner embedded materials, and wood and paper should generally
above-mentioned storage in the freezer or in the surface, which, however, must not dilute be avoided, where the glue will quickly soak
refrigerator will be quite variable, depending on the base color of the given parts. into the material, causing insufficient amounts
the quality of the seal and exposure to moisture. of CA in the joint its subsequent instability and
However, if after opening, the glue is stored in BASIC TIPS FOR CYANOACRYLATE fragility. The reaction time of thin second glues
a typical modelling room at a temperature GLUES AND THEIR USE ACCORDING TO is generally very short and varies between
between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius and always COMPOSITION AND VISCOSITY 1-3 seconds, which restricts the possibility
closed tight after use, a shelf life of about three moving and manipulating glued parts.
months can be expected. A large number of cyanoacrylate adhesives
from various manufacturers are available on the CA HOT BOLT ULTRA THIN
CYANOACRYLATE GLUE VAPORS market today. As was mentioned at the beginning The follow-up type to thin instant
of today‘s chemistry class, for the sake of clarity adhesives is the so-called ‘super
After the application of cyanoacrylate adhesives between the basic types, we will focus on Bolt fast’ adhesives with an accelerated
and their subsequent hardening, effects of the brand products. At the same time, the described reaction time. Their application
inevitable vapors can often be seen, which properties and use can be freely applied to differs from regular thin glues
resemble frost. Such evaporation has negative various products of other manufacturers with the in that it becomes impossible to
effects when it is released into difficult to reach same or similar consistency and composition. apply them to the abutting surfaces
places on the model, such as the inner parts of of the parts and then pressing
the canopy, especially when they are displayed BOLT! CA BOLT THIN them together, because during the
closed. Why does this phenomenon arise and can The classic representative among cyanoacrylate necessary handling, the glue reacts
it be eliminated or reduced? During the hardening adhesives are the thin variety, which are the most with the surrounding environment
of the glue, the natural and gradual evaporation of accessible type of CA in terms of their consistency. and hardens virtually immediately.
ethyl cyanoacrylate and its reaction with humidity Their use is very universal and they represent So, super fast instant glues need to
occur. These vapors thus harden as a result of the ideal ‘entry’ type for working with instant be used by applying drops at points

April 2023 INFO Eduard 43

HODINA CHEMIE
CHEMISTRY
of contact of the target components, which can particularly suitable for flexible materials, which
be used to advantage, for example, in the joints are very rare in plastic modelling. Examples of
between main parts of the model. Complete such materials include the aforementioned rubber
curing of the applied glue is generally within parts, softened and foamed plastics or composite
one second of application. Thanks to the speed materials, and several others. In general, these
of curing, the disadvantage of using the adhesive are joints where it is claimed that the flexibility
in porous materials is eliminated, since the of the glued materials and the durability of the
adhesive sets up faster, before it is absorbed glued joint under stress are maintained. Such
into the surface and thus remains in the glued connections are not typical for static plastic
joint, which ensures the required strength of the modelling and the use of such special glues is
joint. For the sake of completeness, it is good not generally of any great advantage to plastic
to mention that the presented representative of modellers.
super fast instant glues is not interchangeable
with other types of cyanoacrylate glues. SPECIALIZED ACCESSORY ITEMS
FOR CA ADHESIVES

Since the mere application of cyanoacrylate

adhesives and subsequent gluing is often not
enough for the ideal desired results, there are
be used effectively in the case of gluing porous special accessories for working with instant
materials and at the same time the possibility of adhesives. The basic products are accelerators
joining glued surfaces with a greater clearance and, conversely, debonders of already hardened
of up to 0.5 mm. When gluing parts with greater glue The following takes a closer look at these.
clearance, the curing time of the glue is BOLT UP Accelerator
significantly extended and can be sped up using
accelerators, which will be discussed in the
next part of this article. Thick CA adhesives are
best applied in the classic way, where they are
applied to one or both mating surfaces, and then
the components are pressed together. As already
indicated, the total reaction time is significantly
longer, which carries with it the added bonus of
CA BOLT MEDIUM manipulation time and fine adjustments. The use
Secondary adhesives of medium viscosity are of thick instant adhesives is very suitable for small
very versatile in their use. This type of glue is parts, when after applying the glue to point(s)
suitable for most materials (even porous ones) of contact, time is allowed for a clean and precise
and can be used for most common situations connection. Due to their composition, this class of
encountered when assembling plastic models adhesive is normally mixable with thinner types
and their accessory, dissimilar items. Their (medium and thin adhesives). A longer curing
application is possible in one of two ways, as in time is associated with the negative impact
the case of thin instant adhesives. They can be stemming from a greater amount of fumes visible
applied to one or both bonding surfaces, which emanating from the area of glue application. Accelerators are used for instant or very fast
are then pressed together. The reaction time These vapors, which we have already described, curing of CA adhesives, even in thick layers. They
is longer compared to thin glues and varies can be produced for a long time with this type of have a thin consistency and their application is
between 5 and 15 seconds. This extended curing glue, and it is advisable to take this manifestation via a swab, wire tip, dispersal sprayer or a brush.
interval gives us the possibility of subsequent into account during future assembly steps, The reaction speed on contact with the glue is
manipulation and correction of part positions. especially with regard to clear parts of the model. almost immediate, which is appreciated when
This can be used to great advantage when there is a need to quickly cure a large amount
gluing more complex or larger units, where it CA BLACK BOLT of glue between parts with visible clearance or
may be necessary to achieve optimal alignment. It‘s been a few years since the when the glued surfaces are compressed under
The second typical method of application is the modelling world was hit by the ambient stress. Immediate bonding of the contact
drip method, which, however, due to the thicker phenomenon of the so-called surfaces between the parts is achieved, and
consistency of the glue compared to thin glues, ‘black instant glues’, which sand the need to further manually press the parts
requires a gap of increased size to a minimum very well. In most cases, it is together becomes no longer necessary. When
of 0.1 mm. However, its viscosity is of a universal not an admixture of a special choosing an activator, it is good to pay attention
consistency that can be mixed with both thin and miracle ingredient or black to the suitability of its use on plastic parts.
thick types of instant glues. pigment, but the addition of
rubber (if its presence is desired) BOLT OFF Debonder
CA BOLT THICK to the glue. This special type of In modelling practice, it is almost impossible to
Thick cyanoacrylate adhesives (often described cyanoacrylate adhesives stands always achieve gluing of parts without unwanted
as gel types) are characterized by having the out, in addition to its visibility and visible traces of glue around the application.
highest viscosity of the discussed basic types on most common surfaces, due Furthermore, incorrect positioning of the parts
of CA adhesives. This property allows them to to its elasticity. It is therefore can lead to a need to separate the attached parts

44 INFO Eduard April 2023

 CHEMISTRY
and start over. All these cases can be solved with of aftermarket accessory sets. A general
the help of cyanoacrylate adhesive removers. shortcoming is their apparent softness compared
Simply applying this liquid to the glued joint to hard cyanoacrylate joints, and therefore they
will, over a few dozen seconds, help to separate are sand poorly. Currently, there are already
wrongly adhered parts, but it is always better to special two-component epoxy adhesives with
take an active approach to cleaning and ungluing additional additives on the market that can
parts and removing the glue using a debonder. minimize these shortcomings.
Probably the most suitable tool for cleaning parts
from cyanoacrylate glue is the use of cotton DISPERSION TYPE ADHESIVES
swabs dipped in the remover. Traces of the glue
are removed by gently rubbing As in the previous cases, we will explain what
the area with a moistened swab dispersion adhesives are and what they are
until we are satisfied with the suitable for in plastic modelling. A common
appearance of the fixed area. mistake in the definition of dispersion adhesives
Since the glue dissolves under is that they are a solution consisting of a polymer
the cotton swab and clogs the in water. In fact, it is a mixture of polymer with
cotton tip, depending on the water, whereby the aforementioned polymer is
extent and amount of glue to be not dissolved, but only perfectly dispersed in the
removed, it is advisable to use resulting emulsion. Dispersion adhesives have
several applications with clean a milky white color that gradually fades to clear as
swabs, as required. For areas it hardens. The white color is therefore not caused the needs of creating dioramas or for attaching
that are difficult to access or by any pigment, but by small polymer particles that accessories to models of combat equipment. The
areas with a broken surface, it is scatter light and create that ‘milky effect’. Many benefit of this type of glue is mainly the shortened
appropriate to use fine brushes, dispersion adhesives can be diluted as needed curing time compared to classic dispersion glues
that have been relegated with water (non-waterproof dispersion adhesives (for example Herkules, Tamiya Craft Bond, etc.),
specifically for this purpose after such as those produced by Herkules) and thus which enables accelerated creation and thus
serving out their usefulness as create a liquid that can be embedded into porous saves invested time. Specifically, the complete
paint applicators. Inexpensive surfaces to attach individual details. A typical drying time is between 5-15 minutes, depending
brushes from art supply stores example is the simulation of natural surfaces in on the amount of glue and the extent of the glued
or hobby shops will suffice for the creation of dioramas. The opposite is the case joint. As with other dispersions, the glue is white
these needs. When choosing a cyanoacrylate of dispersion water-resistant adhesives, which in its liquid state and clear after curing. The high
adhesive remover, or debonder, it is good to have a substantially higher dry matter content dry matter polymer content of the in this type of
check to make sure that the type doesn’t etch the of the polymer and are therefore not as thin as glue means above all the ability of the glued joint
plastic of the model, as some will. adhesives that can be diluted with water. Dilution to be stronger. Such a property is suitable for the
of these adhesives is only possible to a small use of gluing clear parts on aircraft models. The
EPOXY TYPE ADHESIVES amount, to some 5% and always only with distilled glue is thus a good compromise for those who
cold water; otherwise precipitates will form. At the are afraid of damaging clear parts when gluing
Epoxy glues, which consist of two components, same time, if we let such diluted glue stand, the them with solvent glues or, on the other hand,
are also included among the glues that water will begin to separate. A higher dry matter are afraid of the fumes that are released from
are commonly found in plastic modelling. content of the polymer then means a higher cyanoacrylate glues. Gluing with a dispersion
The principle and application of this class of strength of the joints, and the adhesives thus have adhesive is not as strong as compared to the
adhesive is very simple. After mixing both up to 3 times greater strength (as in the case of, mentioned types of adhesives, but if we choose
components in the specified ratio, usually for example, Herkules vs. PERFECT G Express). a suitable dispersion adhesive with a higher
one to one, a chemical reaction occurs, the Another difference compared to glues with polymer dry matter content, we will also achieve
observable start of which begins after a few a lower dry matter content is their hardness and good bond strength.
dozen seconds. Subsequently, the mixed the possibility of sanding the hardened glue. If we
components harden very quickly. Epoxy glues use glues with a lower content of polymer solids, SUMMARY
are especially suitable for hard materials, which when trying to sand, the glue starts to chew up
underlines the suitability of their use in plastic because it is soft. On the other hand, dispersion In the first two parts of our series focusing on
modelling. Their biggest advantage is that after adhesives with a higher proportion of polymer modelling chemistry and tips for beginners and
curing, they do not leave visible traces in the solids are significantly harder after curing and advanced modellers alike, we presented the
form of fume production in their local vicinity, can be sanded. Here, however, it is important basic, readily available and commonly used types
as in the case of instant glues, and are thus to note that it is better to use coarser/sharper of glues that can be used for plastic modelling.
a big help when gluing larger models, especially sandpapers and to minimize friction, because All the mentioned types described in the first and
if they are made of a polyurethane or laminate. high friction creates a higher temperature, which second parts of our series have their strengths
Such types of models cannot be glued with causes the glue to soften after setting, despite and weaknesses, and the use of all the mentioned
solvent type glues, which we detailed in the first its high percentage of polymer solids (i.e. D3/D4- types of glues gives the plastic modeller the
part of this article, and epoxy two-part glues are based glue). ability to deal with constructing all conceivable
a suitable alternative for gluing together large assemblies from various materials that they
surfaces and eliminating the shortcomings of PERFECT G Express glue might come up against. In the next part, we will
cyanoacrylate glues. Another good use of these An example of dispersion PVAC glues is Bolt focus on tools and aids suitable for applying and
types of adhesives is joint reinforcement along Perfect G Express. The specific properties of this working with the types of glue presented thus far.
invisible join lines, allowing any required thinning glue make it suitable for porous materials such as
of plastic parts in preparation for the installation wood or paper, and it is therefore useful mainly for

April 2023 INFO Eduard 45

KITS 04/2023

Z-326/C-305 Trenér Master 1/48

#82183
ProfiPACK edition kit of Czechoslovak single engine two-seat trainer
and aerobatic aircraft Zlín Z-326 Trenér Master including C-305, Z-326M
and Z-326MF versions in 1/48 scale. Kit presents markings selection
including Czechoslovak, Czech and foreign users.

plastic parts: Eduard

marking options: 6
decals: Eduard
PE parts: yes, pre-painted
painting mask: yes
resin parts: no

Product page

46 INFO Eduard April 2023

 KITS 04/2023

Z-326, No. 610, Kladno Aero Club, Kladno Airfield, Czechoslovakia, 1975

This aircraft served as C-305 in the military Kladno Aero Club at the end of September 1972. the port side of the nose with unusually stylized
aeroclub of Czechoslovak People’s Army for basic Prior to conversion to the tug version, it was Trener Master inscription above it. The painting
training of student pilots. During this service an used for training and navigation flights. The was based on a cartoon by Pavel Kantorek,
unspecified collision (on the ground) with other aircraft retained the overall silver livery as it Czechoslovak professor of physical science at
aircraft occurred according to some sources, was used in army, but the nose was adorned Ryerson University, Toronto. He was author of
resulting in fuselage damage. The aircraft with blue color, while wingtips and top of the many humorous cartoons with animals starring
was repaired but lost its aerobatic category vertical stabilizer were painted red. More to it, in the main role.
classification and was overhanded to the civilian the cartoon of the smiling crab was painted on

Z-326MF, No. 918, Repülőiskola Nyíregyháza, Nyíregyháza Airport, Hungaria, 2020

Hungaria is one of the countries, where the mark TR-LMX and later was delivered to France, with four wide louvres. This was later changed for
Trenér family is very popular. There were 12 of where it was flying under registration F-BSTA the standard cover for the M-137 engine. Today,
Z-326 Trenér Masters delivered directly from the as Z-326. The conversion to MF version was the University of Nyíregyháza is the owner of the
factory in 1961 and 1962, but this one is not one of done in Hungary and the aircraft sported non- aircraft and uses it along other ones for pilot
them. This aircraft was sold to Gabon (Air service standard right engine cover – the one used on training of its students.
Libreville) in December 1966 with registration Z-326 powered by Walter Minor 6-III engine, i.e.,

C-305, No. 604, Czechoslovak People’s Army, Czechoslovakia, 1965

Czechoslovak People’s Army obtained ten served for basic pilot training in Military Aero representative (Svazarm organization) on May
Z-326 in military version C-305. These aircraft Clubs, where young beginners were starting 8, 1968 and was assigned to Vrchlabí Aero Club
varied only slightly from the civilian ones, as their career of military pilots prior to enlisting. consequently. Later it was transferred to Olomouc
they were equipped with small indication lights Some aircraft were flying in simple silver livery, Aero Club and finally to nearby Prostějov Aero
on the undercarriage leg covers and with the other obtained attractive three-tone coloring Club, where it is flying with OK-OTA registration
signal rockets dispenser under the belly with with metallic light blue-green as a basic one. This today.
corresponding control panel in the cockpit. These aircraft was handed over to civilian Aero Clubs

April 2023 INFO Eduard 47

KITS 04/2023

Z-326M, No. 609, private owners, Slaný Airfield, 2022

This is one of the still flying aircraft produced as its time between overhauls and was grounded. conversion to the Z-326M version. The Aero Club
C-305 for the Czechoslovak People’s Army. It was During the process of the assets allocation than used it primarily for towing of sailplanes. In
handed over to the civilian Svazarm organization of the then Aero Club of the Czecho-Slovak 2006, however, it was sold to a private owner who
on May 26, 1972 and was given the OK-OTD Federation Republic, this aircraft was assigned operated it at the Líně airport. Subsequently, it
registration. It served in the Aero Clubs of Točná, to the Aero Club Polička. There it underwent was sold to a pair of private owners who keep
Kladno and briefly also Jičín, where it reached overhaul, making it airworthy again, and also the flying this Trenér Master from Slaný airport.

Z-326, No. 902, private owner, Großenhain, Germany, 2022

In 1963 the management of the Moravan Otrokovice 1965, the No. 902 aircraft left Czechoslovakia for being sold to Germany, it bore the registration
company officially ended the production of the France with registration F-BMQX. One of its first HB-TCB. In this form, it also briefly appeared
Z 26 series aircraft. So, this Z-326 serial number bases was Villefranche Airport. After completing during maintenance in the Czech Republic. It
902 was manufactured as the “last” of all Trenérs its flight school career, it was stored and later was registered as D-ERIO after 2015 and remains
and was factory stored until 1965. However, the sold to Switzerland. Since 1992 it was in the privately held.
customer demand was strong, so after two years, possession of Groupement Avion Historique in
serial production was running again. In June Lausanne. At that time, but also shortly after

Z-326, No. 894, Escadrille Orion, Marmande Virazeil, France 2013

After manufactured in 1963, this Z-326 was the flying school in Challes and later was in the enthusiasts today, Escadrille Orion, based at the
factory stored until June 25, 1965, when it was inventory of Association Pour La Sauvegarde Des Marmande Virazeil airfield.
handed over to a French customer. It served in Avions Anciens. It is a part of another group of

48 INFO Eduard April 2023

 KITS 04/2023

Recommended:
for Z-326/C-305 1/48
# 3DL48096

644186 Z-326 LööK (Brassin)

644197 Z-326 LööKplus (Brassin)
648729 Z-326/526 wheels (Brassin)
3DL48096 Z-326 SPACE (3D Decal Set)
D48097 Z-126/226/326/526 cockpit placards (Decal Set)
EX912 Z-326 TFace (Mask)

# 644186

# 648729

OVERTREES OVERLEPT
#82183X #82183-LEPT
Z-326/C-305 Z-326/C-305 PE-Set
1/48 1/48
Product page

Product page

April 2023 INFO Eduard 49

KITS 04/2023

RUFE DUAL COMBO 1/48

#11171
Limited edition kit of japanese interceptor/fighter bomber
floatplane A6M2-N (Allied code name Rufe) in 1/48 scale.
Kit presents Rufe serving in Imperial Japanese Navy Air
Service during World War II.

plastic parts: Eduard

marking options: 8
decals: Eduard
PE parts: yes, pre-painted
painting mask: yes
resin parts: no

Product page

50 INFO Eduard April 2023

 KITS 04/2023

Yokohama Kōkūtai, Tulagi Island, Solomon Islands, August 1942

This plane is early production Rufe with purge 1940 and received rank of Lieutenant when he Allied invasion of Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942,
system cover on the top of the main float and with was assigned to the Yokohama Kōkūtai in May most of the Yokohama Kōkūtai pilots were killed in
folding wingtips. The commander of the fighter 1942. From early July his unit was based on ground combat, including Satō. USMC technicians
unit, which was part of the Yokohama Kōkūtai, Tulagi Island off Guadalcanal. Their adversaries found on Tulagi Island ten Rufe wrecks and took
was Lt. Ri-ichirō Satō. He was born in Sendai, were American Flying Fortress bombers and two, including the Y-161, to the U.S. Naval Air
Miyagi Prefecture and graduated from Etajima Liberators. His unit claimed five victories. Satō, in Station Alameda for research.
Naval Academy in 1938 in its 66th class. He was cooperation with other pilots, claimed one certain
promoted to Lieutenant junior grade in November and one probable victory over a B-17. After the

5th Kōkūtai, Kiska island, Aleutians, August 1942

This plane is early production Rufe with purge commands. Its most successful fighter pilot was Kōkūtai in the Aleutians, which was eventually
system cover on the top of the main float and the CPO Gi-ichi Sasaki. He came from Miyagi renamed the 5th Kōkūtai and then to Kōkūtai 452.
with folding wingtips. Rudder and probably other Prefecture and joined the Navy in 1937. Sasaki He achieved a total of four individual victories
canvas-covered control surfaces had lighter became a pilot of two-seat float planes and – five shared and one aircraft credited shared as
color shade. The aircraft of this fighter unit participated in combat in China. He took part in probably destroyed. He was killed on February
successively bore at least four different markings the conquest of the Philippines and the Dutch East 19, 1943, over Amchitka Island in a dogfight with
on their tail surfaces, depending on how this unit Indies on board of the Mizuho seaplane tender. a Curtiss P-40 pilot.
was designated and subordinated to different After its sinking, he was assigned to the Tōkō

April 2023 INFO Eduard 51

KITS 04/2023

c/n 15, Lt.(jg) Keizō Yamazaki, Kōkūtai 802, Shortland Island, February 1943

This is the fifth A6M2-N produced and is one of 802). It is possible that the two bands on the from the Etajima Naval Academy in its 68th class
the few Rufes converted from the A6M2 Type 21 fuselage were in fact grey, obscuring the original in 1940 and completed his flight training in June
carrier fighter. This plane had purge system cover white markings of the Kamikawa Maru. In March 1942. After his unit was integrated into Kōkūtai
on the top of the main float and folding wingtips. 1943, this machine was transferred to Marshall 902, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant
It was one of two Yokohama Kōkūtai seaplanes Islands. The tail surfaces are marked with in November 1943. In February 1944, he became
that were based in Shortland during August 7, victories achieved by several pilots, including commander of Kōkūtai 256’s fighter unit equipped
1942, when the rest of the unit was destroyed on Lt.(jg) Keizō Yamazaki, who achieved a probable with Zeros based in Shanghai. During the fall of
Tulagi Island. Rufe was then taken over by the kill of P-38 of the 339th FS on February 13 during 1944 he led his unit in Taiwan during air battles
air unit of the Kamikawa Maru, and in October the defense of Shortland. Yamazaki was born in against U.S. Navy aviators.
1942 it was taken over by 14th Kōkūtai (Kōkūtai Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture. He graduated

Kōkūtai 802, Faisi-Poporang base, Shortland Islands, February 1943

This aircraft was among the new ones that of tail surfaces was left in original color. The the unit’s identifying marking. It is likely that the
Kōkūtai 802 took over in Japan during December aircraft probably had a late production stencil aircraft took part in the aerial combat on February
1942. The top of the main float did not have purge on the fuselage. The rudder sported a victory 13 and 14 in the defense of the Shortland Islands
system cover. At the unit level, the aircraft mark and there was also a horizontal red stripe and Buin, in which the American units suffered
received a dark green paint, but the upper part on the vertical tail surfaces, which was probably fairly significant losses.

52 INFO Eduard April 2023

 KITS 04/2023

Kōkūtai 452, Bettobi Lake, Shumshu Islands, Kuriles, July 1943

This aircraft was taken over by Kōkūtai 452 in biplane pilot. In January 1942, he claimed shared victories during the same day. After retraining
Japan after evacuation from Aleutians. The top of destruction of Dutch PBY flying boat. In the to A6M2-N, he was assigned to Kōkūtai 452 and
the main float did not have purge system cover. Solomon Islands area, he shot down a Dauntless claimed B-25 and B-24. With N1K Rex at Kōkūtai
At the unit level, the aircraft received a coat of on October 3 and during the following day, while 934 he shot down a B-24 in January 1944. He
dark green paint. The aircraft probably had a late defending his own ship, he rammed a B-17 of the achieved two more victories as Zero pilot with
production stencil on the fuselage. Among the 72nd BS. The entire crew of Capt. David C. Everitt Kōkūtai 381 over Balikpapan and Singapore. At
successful pilots of this unit was Warrant Officer was killed, but Katsuki and his observer survived. the end of the war, he served with Kōkūtai 352
Kiyomi Katsuki. He served on the seaplane tender Katsuki received a written commendation from in Japan.
Chitose at the start of the Pacific War as a F1M the unit commander. He achieved two more

Kōkūtai 802, Emidj Island, Jaluit Atoll, Marshall Islands, October 1943

This late production aircraft was finished in reconnaissance was carried out by another part markings on the tail surfaces of Rufe seaplanes
a factory applied dark green paint. After relocation of this unit, which was armed with H8K Emily changed from red to white during service in
to the Marshall Islands area in March 1943, Kōkūtai flying boats. In September 1943, the designation the Marshall Islands. In October, fighter unit of
802 under the command of Lt.(jg) Yamazaki was of its aircraft was changed to Y4 in connection Kōkūtai 802 was integrated into Kōkūtai 902, and
primarily engaged in anti-submarine patrols and with the transition to the subordination of the in November, the fighter unit clashed with US
the pursuit of four-engine bombers. Long-range 22nd Kōkū Sentai (Air Flotilla). The identification Navy aircraft during a raid on Truk.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 53

KITS 04/2023

Ensign Jin´ichirō Ozawa, Sasebo Kōkūtai, Sasebo Air Base, Japan, September 1944

This late production aircraft was finished 30, 1944, while practicing a fighter dogfight a formation of more than thirty American aircraft.
in a factory applied dark green paint. After between two Rufe seaplanes, Ozawa had to bail He was then reassigned to Kōkūtai 723 with C6N
participating in the defense of Chichijima in out from his aircraft when the elevator control Myrt reconnaissance planes and was to conduct
July 1944, Sasebo Kōkūtai continued seaplane cable broke. He almost did not survive the bailing a Kamikaze mission on that type of aircraft.
pilot training in Japan. The Sa-106 was flown by out. At the end of the year, the Sasebo Kōkūtai’s After the war he pursued electrical engineering
Ensign Ozawa. He joined the Navy in 1943 after fighter Buntai was transferred to land-based and took part on the first microwave intercity
graduating from high school and received his fighter unit. During the fighting over Okinawa on transmission in Japan.
flight training at Tsuchiura Kōkūtai. On October June 22, 1945, Ozawa achieved one victory against

Kōkūtai 934, Ambon island, Moluku Islands, March 1944

This late production aircraft was finished in PO2c Hidenori Matsunaga, scored approximately of the pilots to whom belonged the seaplanes
a factory applied dark green paint. At the unit ten Beaufighters as shared victories. In March with lightning is unknown. It could have been
level the white outline of Hinomaru was repainted 1944 he was transferred to Kōkūtai 381 flying a formation leader’s machine, or possibly the
to reduce the visibility of the machine. In early Zeros. In some publications, the Rufe with aircraft of a fighter squadron unit commander
1944 the Kōkūtai 934 was equipped with E13A a lightning bolt was considered to be Matsunaga’s Lt.(jg) Toshiharu Ikeda, who scored a victory
Jake and F1M Pete observation aircraft and also mount. He was photographed with Rufe (unknown over a Spitfire with a Rufe. Ikeda later became
with Rufe and N1K Rex fighter seaplanes. Their tail code) with similar marking together with commander of Hikōtai 603 and was killed on June
frequent opponents were the Beaufighter crews of another pilot. Design of the lightning bolt varied, 23, 1944, at Saipan.
No. 31 Sqn. RAAF. One of the Kōkūtai 934 pilots, and its color was most likely white. The identity

54 INFO Eduard April 2023

 KITS 04/2023

Recommended:
for RUFE 1/48 # 644205

644205 A6M2-N Rufe LööK (Brassin)

648845 A6M2-N Rufe seat PRINT (Brassin)
648846 A6M2-N Rufe exhaust PRINT (Brassin)
648847 A6M2-N Rufe cannon barrels & cockpit guns PRINT (Brassin)
648848 A6M2-N Rufe folding wingtips PRINT (Brassin)
648849 A6M2-N Rufe gun bays PRINT (Brassin)
3DL48114 A6M2-N Rufe SPACE (3D Decal Set)
EX934 A6M2-N Rufe TFace (Mask) # 648848
648850 A6M2-N Rufe cockpit PRINT 1/48 Eduard - release 05/2023
648851 A6M2-N Rufe landing flaps PRINT 1/48 Eduard - release 05/2023
648852 A6M2-N Rufe engine complete PRINT 1/48 Eduard - release 05/2023

# 648847

# 648846

# 648849

# 3DL48114

OVERTREES OVERLEPT
#82219X #11171-LEPT
A6M2-N Rufe RUFE PE-Set
1/48 1/48
Product page

Product page

April 2023 INFO Eduard 55

 KITS 04/2023

RUFE - new sprues in detail

Sprue G
Sprue L

56 INFO Eduard April 2023

Sprue T
Sprue U KITS 04/2023

April 2023 INFO Eduard 57

KITS 04/2023

RUFE - test build

built by Jakub Nademlejnský

58 INFO Eduard April 2023

 KITS 04/2023

April 2023 INFO Eduard 59

BUILT

1/48 Eduard

built by Jan Kotas

# 11171
Kōkūtai 452, Bettobi Lake, Shumshu Islands, Kuriles, July 1943

This aircraft was taken over by Kōkūtai 452 in Japan after own ship, he rammed a B-17 of the 72nd BS. The entire crew of
evacuation from Aleutians. The top of the main float did not have Capt. David C. Everitt was killed, but Katsuki and his observer
purge system cover. At the unit level, the aircraft received a coat survived. Katsuki received a written commendation from the unit
of dark green paint. The aircraft probably had a late production commander. He achieved two more victories during the same day.
stencil on the fuselage. Among the successful pilots of this unit After retraining to A6M2-N, he was assigned to Kōkūtai 452 and
was Warrant Officer Kiyomi Katsuki. He served on the seaplane claimed B-25 and B-24. With N1K Rex at Kōkūtai 934 he shot down
tender Chitose at the start of the Pacific War as a F1M biplane a B-24 in January 1944. He achieved two more victories as Zero
pilot. In January 1942, he claimed shared destruction of Dutch PBY pilot with Kōkūtai 381 over Balikpapan and Singapore. At the end
flying boat. In the Solomon Islands area, he shot down a Dauntless of the war, he served with Kōkūtai 352 in Japan.
on October 3 and during the following day, while defending his

60 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BUILT

Product page

April 2023 INFO Eduard 61

KITS 04/2023

Bf 110C 1/48
#8209
ProfiPACK edition kit of German WWII twin-engine heavy
fighter aircraft Messerschmitt Bf 110C in 1/48 scale.
This version was used as a day and night fighter.

plastic parts: Eduard

marking options: 5
decals: Eduard
PE parts: yes, pre-painted
painting mask: yes
resin parts: no

Product page

62 INFO Eduard April 2023

 KITS 04/2023

Bf 110C-2, WNr. 3578, 9./ZG 26, Barly, France, August 1940

In the beginning of the war this Zerstörergruppe controls of this One-Ten, participated with the insignia painted on the both sides of the nose
was equipped with Messerschmitts Bf 110D. whole III./ZG 26 in escorting Do 17 from II./KG 2 – a white cock at the fighting stance. The aircraft’s
III./ZG 26 converted to 110s in the beginning of 1940 on their raid to the North Weald airfield. While individual letter, repeated on the wingtip, is
under the command of Hptm. Johannes Schalk. defending the bombers, his aircraft was damaged painted in the Staffel color i.e. yellow. There
Before the war, this aviator commander the and Ofw. Hott crash-landed it at Wissant, are three white bars painted on the vertical tail
Austrian Jagdgruppe 1 and he was also one of the France. The damage was assessed as being at surfaces marking the enemy aircraft shot down.
first Bf 110 pilots decorated with Knight’s Cross. eighty percent. This aircraft was camouflaged
On September 3, 1940, Ofw. Hott behind the in RLM 70, 71 and 65 colors. There is a 9./ZG 26

Bf 110C-4, WNr. 2095, 4./ZG 1, Trier-Euren, Germany, June 1940

II./ZG 1 was established on May 15, 1939, based to the western border, in the preparation for the was renamed as III. Gruppe Zerstörergeschwader
on I. Gruppe JG 54 and equipped with the single- attack on the Netherlands, Belgium and France, 76. The unit’s insignia in the form of three wasps
seat Bf 109D and Bf 109E. The conversion to the Bf the unit was incorporated into the Luftflotte 2 painted on the aircraft nose, was retained even
110C two-seat heavy fighters took place in March under which command it flew combat missions after the unit’s transfer.
1940 in the Northern Germany. After the transfer until the surrender of France. Then the II./ZG 76

Bf 110C-2, WNr. 3257, Hptm. Heinz Wagner/Stfw. Adolf Schmidt, CO of 4./ZG 76, Abbeville, France, August 1940

II. Gruppe Zerstörergeschwader 76 was unit was transferred to Abbeville airfield on the industrial area which took place on August 30,
established on May 1, 1939, by renaming I./ZG 144. French coast from where it started to fly bomber 1940. The plane was most probably shot down
It was equipped with single-seat Messerschmitt escorts to the targets in the Great Britain. The by P/O William McKnight (flying as a wingman to
Bf 109D which in February and March they last flight of the Messerschmitt Bf 110C-2 marked S/Ldr Bader) at the altitude of 1,000 feet.
traded for Bf 110. Flying One-Tens the unit took M8+BM and crewed by Hptm. Heinz Wagner and It crashed on Enfield Sewage Farm, Wharf
part in the attack on the Netherlands, Belgium radio operator Stfw. Adolf Schmidt, was a bomber Road, Ponders End near the large reservoir and
and France and after France surrendered the escort to the Luton airfield with the adjacent the crew was killed.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 63

KITS 04/2023

Bf 110C-2, WNr. 3026, Lt. K. Koch, 1.(Z)/JG 77, Kirkenes, Norway, October 1941

Zerstörerstaffel of the newly established I./JG 77, the railroad connecting the important port of were camouflaged in RLM 65. The factory markings
equipped with the aircraft and personnel from Murmansk with the rest of the Soviet Union. The unit were over sprayed with RLM 02 and the mottling
III./ZG 76, was formed in May 1941. The reason was equipped with Bf 110C, D and probably several was sprayed in the same color. The unit insignia,
were the preparations for the attack against the Bf 110E aircraft. In January 1941 the unit was a dachshund biting the Soviet airplane, was
Soviet Union. The unit was transferred to the renamed to 6.(Z)/JG 5. The camouflage of this painted on the aircraft’s nose.
Hoybuktmoen airfield near Kirkenes. The mission aircraft was probably sprayed with RLM 71 and 02
of the Bf 110 crews were the attacks against on the upper surfaces, side and lower surfaces

Bf 110C, 1./NJG 3, Benghazi, Libya, May 1941

I. Gruppe Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 was formed Derna airfields. The unit flew missions with its insignia, an owl sitting on the Moon, was painted
by renaming V./LG 1 and its mission was the Messerschmitts Bf 110C and D against the British on both sides of the fuselage. During its service
night interception of the British middle and bombers attacking the German and Italian troops. in the south, the featured airplane had its vertical
heavy bombers flying raids against the German During the unit’s operations on the southern front tail surfaces and complete horizontal tail surfaces
cities and industrial centers. Between February the fighters were camouflaged in black color. replaced due to the damage. The replacement
and October 1941, the 1. Staffel was temporarily The white band on the fuselage tail, marking the parts retained their original camouflage.
relocated to the south, first in Sicily and Greece aircraft flying on the southern front, was painted
followed by the North Africa, Benghazi and only partially, on the fuselage spine. 1./NJG 3

Recommended: OVERLEPT
for Bf 110C 1/48 #8209-LEPT
Bf 110C
644076 Bf 110C LööK (Brassin) 1/48
648085 MG 15 gun (2 pcs) (Brassin) Product page
648602 Bf 110C/D radio equipment (Brassin)
648607 Bf 110C/D/E exhaust stacks (Brassin)
EX752 Bf 110C TFace (Mask)
OVERTREES
#8201X
# 648085
Bf 110C
1/48
Product page

64 INFO Eduard April 2023

 KITS 04/2023

Fw 190A-4 w/ engine flaps & 2-gun wings 1/48

#84117
Weekend edition kit of German WWII fighter aircraft Fw 190A-4
in 1/48 scale. This version of the Fw 190A-4 was equipped with
flaps on the engine cooling outlets. The wing was equipped with
two cannons in the wing root.

plastic parts: Eduard

marking options: 4
decals: Eduard
PE parts: no
painting mask: no
resin parts: no

Product page

April 2023 INFO Eduard 65

KITS 04/2023

WNr. 0142481, Fw. Otto Kittel, 2./JG 54, Krasnogvardeyjsk, Soviet Union, February 1943

Otto Kittel was born on February 21, 1917, subsequently became German citizens. Kittel was September 14, 1943, he achieved his 100th kill.
to German parents in Korunov (German: apprenticed as a car mechanic in Mladá Boleslav However, he did not survive the war. His aircraft
Kronsdorf, since 1945 Krasov) near Krnov in and joined the Luftwaffe in 1939. He completed went down in flames near Dzhūkste, Latvia, after
Austria-Hungary. After the declaration of the his first combat deployment during the fighting a dogfight with a formation of 14 Il-2s. However,
Czechoslovakia, the Krnov region became part of in Yugoslavia in the ranks of JG 54, which was it is not clear when this occurred, it is stated to
it, but after the Munich Agreement it was one of deployed in East Prussia to support Army Group be either 14 or 16 February 1945. During World
the territories that Czechoslovakia had to cede to North in the advance on Leningrad during the War II, he shot down 267 enemy aircraft, all on
Germany under pressure from the Great Powers. attack on the USSR. On June 24, 1941, Otto Kittel the Eastern Front, ranking him 4th in the list of
The inhabitants claiming German nationality scored his first two aerial victories, and on Luftwaffe aces.

Lt. Leopold Wenger, 10./JG 2, Caen-Carpiquet, France, February 1943

At the end of 1941, the Luftwaffe considered This role was taken up by 10.(Jabo) Staffel within The fox biting a ship in two was the insignia
a resumption of the bombing of Great Britain and JG 2. Under the command of Oblt. Frank Liesendahl, of 10.(Jabo) Staffel. One of the pilots of this unit
coastal shipping. It was ordered that every fighter the unit sank twenty ships for a total of 630,000 was Leopold Wenger, born on November 19, 1921
unit taking part in operations against Great BRT of shipping in four months. Wenger’s aircraft in Graz. He was killed on April 10, 1945, when he
Britain would include one Staffel for the purposes carried the standard day camouflage scheme of was shot down over Vienna.
of the so-called “hit and run” bombing missions. Luftwaffe fighters consisting of RLM 74/75/76.

WNr. 142317, Fw. Ludwig Seif, 11./SKG 10, Sidi Ahmed, Tunisia, January 1943

An order dated November 30, 1942 redesignated 1943, when they handed over their remaining aircraft flown by Feldwebel Seif was camouflaged
III./ZG 2 as III./SKG 10, but the unit maintained four aircraft to II./Schl.G. 2, the unit they shared in RLM 74/75/76. The white fuselage band was
its combat assignment for ground support, a base with. During combat operations, pilots of applied to aircraft operating in the MTO. The port
bombing and destroying of enemy ground III./SKG 10 destroyed hundreds of Allied tanks side of the engine cowl sported the III./SKG 10
assets including airfields and ports in Tunisia. and other ground equipment, shot down thirteen unit marking, a yellow winged arrow on a blue
III./SKG 10 operated in the area until April 30, aircraft and sank or damaged twelve ships. The shield.

66 INFO Eduard April 2023

 KITS 04/2023

Jaboschwarm I./JG 54, Krasnogvardeysk, Soviet Union, Spring 1943

JG 54 received its first Fw 190A-4s in early winter period, the upper surfaces of the aircraft The Roman numeral III marked aircraft is an
February 1943, with white camouflage on the were painted black RLM 70, dark green RLM 71 example of such a state and the color scheme is
upper surfaces and RLM 65 on the bottom. On and brown. As was customary with JG 54 in a partly a mere reconstruction based on the better
February 19, 1943, JG 54 scored its 4,000th aerial variety of camouflage fields. The winter white documented aircraft of JG 54. Roman numerals
victory, achieved by an Fw. Otto Kittel. After the paint remained on some of the less worn areas. were used to mark staff aircraft in this period.

Recommended: # 648352

for Fw 190A-4 1/48

48936 Fw 190A-4 landing flaps (PE-Set)
FE863 Fw 190A seatbelts STEEL (PE-Set)
648351 Fw 190A-4 cockpit (Brassin)
648352 Fw 190A-4 engine (Brassin)
648354 Fw 190A-4 fuselage guns (Brassin)
648356 Fw 190A wingroot gun bays (Brassin)
648366 Fw 190A propeller (Brassin)
648371 Fw 190A control surfaces early (Brassin)
648381 Fw 190A exhaust stacks (Brassin)
648778 Luftwaffe rudder pedals PRINT (Brassin)
SIN64837 Fw 190A-4 advanced (Brassin)
SIN64839 Fw 190A-4 essential (Brassin)
D48038 Fw 190A-4 national insignia (Decal Set)
EX587 Fw 190A TFace (Mask)
# 648351

# 648778

April 2023 INFO Eduard 67

KITS 04/2023

Tempest Mk.V Series 2 1/48

#84187
Weekend edition kit of British WWII fighter aircraft Tempest Mk.V
in 1/48 scale. The kit offers the aircraft manufactured within Series 2
and serving in the RAF during and after the end of World War II.

plastic parts: Eduard

marking options: 4
decals: Eduard
PE parts: no
painting mask: no
resin parts: no

Product page

68 INFO Eduard April 2023

 KITS 04/2023

EJ750, W/Cdr John B. Wray, CO of No. 122 Wing, B.80 Volkel, the Netherlands, December 1944

W/Cdr John Wray was an experienced fighter- 3 he claimed a Me 262 damaged. After the war 1945, W/Cdr Wray finished his tour of duty as
bomber pilot who flew Beaufighters, Whirlwinds, however this “damaged” aircraft turned out to a No. 122 Wing commander and the Tempest EJ750
Hurricanes and Typhoons and after the No. 122 have been destroyed. On December 17, 1944, was re-marked with SA-B code letters indicating
Wing’s commander W/Cdr R. P. Beamont was shot Wray claimed another Me 262 jet kill. Its pilot, that it belonged to No. 486 (RNZAF) Squadron.
down he assumed his position. Wray’s Tempest Lt. Wolfgang Lübke from II./KG 51 hit a building by On February 8 it was lost during the anti-
EJ750 was marked with the first letters of his the left wingtip and crashed into the nearby river shipping attack when the pilot F/Lt Miller made
full name‚ i.e, JBW, and flying it on November Rhine during the low altitude dogfight. In January an emergency landing in the occupied territory.

EJ536, F/Lt Pierre H. Clostermann, No. 56 Squadron, B.80 Volkel, the Netherlands,
beginning of April 1945

The well-known French pilot, F/Lt Pierre Henri fuselage it again carried the US-W code letters. (in total 12 confirmed kills and four probables).
Clostermann, flew with No. 56 Squadron from On April 5, 1945, while at its controls, he damaged He finished his combat career flying with No. 3
March 18 until April 5, 1945. His usual mount was two Fw 190D-9s and destroyed four Ju 88Gs on Squadron with the total score of 14 confirmed
initially a Temperst serial number EJ708 marked the ground. On the starboard side under the kills, four probables and nine enemy aircraft
US-W, in the end of March it was replaced by windshield Clostermann had painted 16 crosses, destroyed on the ground.
a Tempest serial number EJ536 and on the symbols of his current air combat successes

EJ705, P/O Frank A. Lang, No. 80 Squadron, B.80 Volkel, the Netherlands, December 1944

Right before D-day, the No. 80 Squadron, serial number EJ705 was most frequently flown cooperation with other pilots from his unit shot
operating Spitfires Mk.IX, was incorporated into by an Australian pilot P/O Frank Lang. On the down a Bf 109. Flying EJ705, other pilots from
the Great Britain air defenses. In August it was starboard side under the windshield his Tempest No. 80 Squadron destroyed two Bf 109 and one
re-equipped with the new Hawker Tempests Mk.V. carried the nose art in the form of a kangaroo Fw 190. EJ705 finished its wartime career on
In the end of September, the unit was transferred holding the Australian flag. Flying this aircraft on March 11, 1945, when it was seriously damaged by
to the Continent as a part of the 2nd TAF. Tempest January 22, 1945, he destroyed two gliders and in an in-flight engine fire.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 69

KITS 04/2023

SN330, S/Ldr Colin H. Macfie, CO of No. 3 Squadron, Wunstorf, Germany, 2nd half of 1947

Tempest serial number SN330 missed the wartime repairs were completed, it was delivered to the 1948 the Tempests were replaced by Vampires
service. In November 1945 it was dispatched to No. 3 Squadron sporting the overall coat of the F.1 and SN330 was returned to the Great Britain
Germany and in January 1946 assigned to the aluminum paint and new, type D cockades. J5-H for storage. In November 1950 it was sent for the
No. 80 Squadron. During the following month it code letters were painted in the unit’s traditional scrap metal.
was damaged and returned to the Great Britain green color. S/Ldr Colin Hamilton Macafie chose
for repairs at Hawker company. After the this aircraft as his commander’s plane. In May

Recommended:
for Tempest Mk.V Series 2 1/48 # 648417

48976 Tempest Mk.V upgrade set (PE-Set)

48977 Tempest Mk.V landing flaps (PE-Set)
FE943 Tempest Mk.V seatbelts STEEL (PE-Set)
FE1079 Tempest Mk.V series 2 Weekend (PE-Set)
BIG49212 Tempest Mk.V (PE-Set)
644006 Tempest Mk.V LööK (Brassin)
644039 Tempest Mk.V w/ late wheels LööKplus (Brassin)
648416 Tempest Mk.V cockpit (Brassin)
648417 Tempest Mk.V engine (Brassin)
648418 Tempest Mk.V exhaust stacks (Brassin)
648419 Tempest Mk.V gun bays (Brassin) # 648416
648421 Tempest Mk.V wheels late (Brassin)
648446 Tempest Mk.V undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)
648450 RP-3 60lb rockets for Tempest Mk.V (Brassin)
648499 Tempest Mk.V intake ring (Brassin)
648500 Tempest Mk.V dust filter w/ eyelid (Brassin)
SIN64858 Tempest Mk.V ADVANCED (Brassin)
3DL48023 Tempest Mk.V SPACE (3D Decal Set)
D48030 Tempest Mk.V stencils (Decal Set)
EX628 Tempest Mk.V TFace (Mask)
EX695 Tempest Mk.V (Mask)

# 644006

70 INFO Eduard April 2023

 6. KVĚTNA 9–16.30 h
KULTURNÍ DŮM KOPŘIVNICE
25. ročník mezinárodní výstavy a soutěže
Mezinárodní soutěž plastikových a papírových modelů ve vyhlášených kategoriích

SOUTĚŽ MODELŮ SPECIÁLNÍ CENY „MORAVSKÝ KNIPL“

MLÁDEŽE DO 15-TI LET A „MORAVSKÝ ŠRAPNEL“
KITS 04/2023

UTI MiG-15 1/72 Re-release

#7055
ProfiPACK edition kit of Soviet two-seat jet trainer
aircraft UTI MiG-15 in 1/72 scale.

plastic parts: Eduard

marking options: 5
decals: Eduard
PE parts: yes, pre-painted
painting mask: yes
resin parts: no

Product page

72 INFO Eduard April 2023

 KITS 04/2023

6 Fighter-Bomber Air Regiment, Přerov Air Base, Czechoslovakia, summer 1974

The unit emblem on the nose hints the aircraft it. It might be the Squadron 2, and thus the top painted in red while the Squadron 3 yellow.
belonged to 6. sbolp (6 Fighter-Bomber Air of the fin and the dot in the unit crest were blue.
Regiment), but it is unclear which squadron flew Aircraft flown by the Squadron 1 had these parts

Indonesian Air Force, Jakarta-Kemajoran Air Base, Indonesia, 1960s

A total of fifteen Czechoslovak-built UTI MiG-15s All were taken out of inventory in 1973 when the tail appeared on Indonesian MiG-17s and MiG-21s
was delivered to Indonesia during the late fifties. T-33A Shooting Stars replaced them. The colorful as well.

Soviet Union, 1960s through the 1970s

Many Soviet two-seater UTI MiG-15s wore the fuselage number. It was the abbreviation of walkways are not visible in the photo of this
underlined letter “U” in Cyrillic along with the the term “uchobnyi”, meaning “training”. Black aircraft.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 73

KITS 04/2023

Algerian Air Force, 1960s through the 1980s

The Algerian Air Force obtained its first examples national insignia on the upper starboard and locations.
of the MiG-15 in the mid-sixties. Twenty of them lower port wings is unclear. Current Algerian
were still in service in 1984. The presence of the aircraft repeat the fuselage codes in these

c/n 922226, Hävittäjälentolaivue 31, Rissala Air Base, Finland, late 1960s

This aircraft was sold to Finland on November 10, Czechoslovak Il-18 with president Ludvík Hävittäjälentolaivue 31 (Fighter Squadron 31).
1962. It crashed on November 27, 1970 and was Svoboda on board during his visit to Finland.
written off. During the fall of 1969, it escorted The lynx silhouette places this aircraft with

OVERTREES OVERLEPT
#7055X #7055-LEPT
UTI MiG-15 UTI MiG-15 PE-Set
1/72 1/72
Product page Product page

Recommended:
for UTI MiG-15 1/72
672077 UTI MiG-15 cockpit (Brassin)
3DL72014 UTI MiG-15 SPACE (3D Decal)

74 INFO Eduard April 2023

BUNNY FIGHTERCLUB
Eduard's special membership club for all modeling enthusiasts!

15% Permanent Club discount at Eduard Store – you will receive permanent 15% discount on all Eduard
products and also discount on various other non-Eduard products. Fixed, permanent, forever!

Unique valuable Club kits and accessories – you will gain access to unique and nowhere else to be sold
products, specially made for BFC members.

Even better prices at Eduard events stand – do you know that Eduard usually has huge discounts on
their products at fairs and events all over the world? BFC members will have even higher discount at
these events.

Club T-shirt – you will receive fancy BFC T-shirt with unique design and special barcode
(used for event discounts). This exclusive T-shirt will be only available
to the members of BFC.

Free entry fee on E-day – you will not have to pay a penny to visit Eduard's E-day.
That means lot of fun at E-day for two days and entry kit, absolutely free!
* E-day - INTERNATIONAL SCALE KIT EXHIBITION - IPMS Czech Republic Championship

How to become a member of BFC?

Simply by purchasing the Activation product. You will be given 15% discount on (almost) every Eduard
product in your shopping cart. To apply this discount, the Activation product has to be in your shopping
cart. Activation product is excluded from this calculation.

Activation products:
MiG-21MF + T-shirt 1/72 Tempest Mk. V + T-shirt 1/48

BOX CONTENT: BOX CONTENT:

Plastic parts, Marking options 4, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin Plastic parts, Marking options 6, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin
parts (undercarriage wheels, cockpit, exhaust nozzle, FOD). parts (two different types of wheels, landing flaps, dust filter with
eyelid, intake ring and RP-3 60lb rockets), 3D decals for main and si-
dewalk instrument and control panels with photo-etched details and
seat belts.

www.eduard.com/bfc
BRASSIN
632188
Hurricane Mk.II exhaust rounded PRINT
1/32 Revell
Brassin set - exhaust stacks for Hurricane Mk.II in 1/32
scale. Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,
replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Revell

Set contains:
- 3D print: 2 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

Product page

632189
Hurricane Mk.II exhaust fishtail PRINT
1/32 Revell
Brassin set - exhaust stacks for Hurricane Mk.II
in 1/32 scale. Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,
replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Revell

Set contains:
- 3D print: 2 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

Product page

76 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BRASSIN

632190
Hurricane Mk.II wheels
1/32 Revell
Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Hurricane Mk.II
in 1/32 scale. The set consists of the main wheels and
a tail wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.
Recommended kit: Revell

Set contains:
- resin: 3 parts
- 3D print: 2 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: yes

Product page

634032
Bf 109G-4 LööKplus
1/32 Revell
Collection of 4 sets for Bf 109G-4 in 1/32 scale.
Recommended kit: Revell

- LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

- TFace painting mask
- exhaust stacks
- undercarriage wheels

Product page

April 2023 INFO Eduard 77

BRASSIN

635024
WWII German 10 ton jacks PRINT
1/35
Brassin set - 10ton jacks for German WWII AFV
in 1/35 scale. The set consists of 3 jacks. Made
by direct 3D printing.

Set contains:
- 3D print: 15 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

Product page

635026
WWII German wire cutters PRINT
1/35
Brassin set - wire cuters for German WWII AFV
in 1/35 scale. The set consists of 5 wire cutters.
Made by direct 3D printing.

Set contains:
- 3D print: 5 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

Product page

78 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BRASSIN

644204
Anson Mk.I LööKplus
1/48 Airfix
Collection of 4 sets for Anson Mk.I in 1/48 scale.
Recommended kit: Airfix

- LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

- TFace painting mask
- radiators
- undercarriage wheels

Product page

644205
A6M2-N Rufe LööK
1/48 Eduard
LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL
seatbelts for A6M2-N Rufe in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,
replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- resin: 2 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no

Product page

April 2023 INFO Eduard 79

BRASSIN

644206
B-25J LööK
1/48 HKM
LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL
seatbelts for B-25J in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,
replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: HKM

Set contains:
- resin: 3 parts
- 3D print: 2 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details:
yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no

Product page

644207
F-16C Block 25 LööK
1/48 Kinetic
LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL
seatbelts for F-16C Block 25 in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,
replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Kinetic

Set contains:
- resin: 2 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no

Product page

80 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BRASSIN

648826
F4F-3 engine late PRINT
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - the engine for F4F-3 in 1/48 scale.
The cowling are included. Made by direct 3D printing.
Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 36 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

Product page

648842
A-1H seat
1/48 Tamiya
Brassin set - the seat for A-1J in 1/48 scale. Seatbelts
are printed together with the seat. Easy to assemble,
replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Tamiya

Set contains:
- resin: 1 part
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

Product page

April 2023 INFO Eduard 81

BRASSIN

648844
Anson Mk.I guns PRINT
1/48 Airfix
Brassin set - guns for Anson Mk.I in 1/48 scale.
The set consists of the 4 guns. Made by direct 3D printing.
Recommended kit: Airfix

Set contains:
- 3D print: 10 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

Product page

648845
A6M2-N Rufe seat PRINT
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - seat for A6M2-N Rufe in 1/48 scale.
Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts. Made by direct
3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 1 part
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no

Product page

82 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BRASSIN

648846
A6M2-N Rufe exhaust PRINT
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - exhaust pipes for A6M2-N Rufe
in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.
Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 4 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

Product page

648847
A6M2-N Rufe cannon barrels & cockpit guns PRINT
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - gun barrels for A6M2-N Rufe
in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble, replaces
plastic parts. Made by direct 3D printing.
Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 4 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

Product page

April 2023 INFO Eduard 83

BRASSIN

648848
A6M2-N Rufe folding wingtips PRINT
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - folding wingtips for A6M2-N Rufe
in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.
Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 4 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

Product page

648849
A6M2-N Rufe gun bays PRINT
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - gun bays for A6M2-N Rufe in 1/48 scale.
Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 16 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

Product page

84 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BRASSIN

648854
F-16 exhaust nozzle P&W F100 PRINT
1/48 Kinetic
Brassin set - exhaust nozzle for P&W F100 powered
F-16 in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.
Recommended kit: Kinetic

Set contains:
- 3D print: 4 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

Product page

648855
F-16 radar early PRINT
1/48 Kinetic
Brassin set - nose radar for F-16 in
1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.
Recommended kit: Kinetic

Set contains:
- 3D print: 5 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no
Product page

April 2023 INFO Eduard 85

BRASSIN

648857
Mi-24V cockpit turquoise PRINT & SPACE
1/48 Eduard/Zvezda
Brassin set - turquoise-painted cockpit for Mi-24V
in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.
Recommended kit: Eduard / Zvezda

Set contains:
- 3D print: 10 parts
- resin: 46 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no
- SPACE 3D decals: yes

Product page

86 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BRASSIN

672311
Bf 110E nose guns PRINT
1/72 Eduard
Brassin set - nose guns for Bf 110E in 1/72 scale.
Made by direct 3D printing.
Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 13 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

Product page

672312
Bf 110E cockpit
1/72 Eduard
Brassin set - the cockpit for Bf 110E
in 1/72 scale. Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains: Product page

- 3D print: 4 parts
- resin: 25 parts
- decals: yes
- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no

April 2023 INFO Eduard 87

BRASSIN

674003
P-39Q LööKplus
1/72 Arma Hobby
Collection of 4 sets for P-39Q in 1/72 scale.
Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

- LööK set (pre-painted Brassin

dashboards & Steelbelts),
- seat
- exhaust stacks
- gun barrells

Product page

672310
Bf 110E wheels
1/72 Eduard
Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Bf 110E
in 1/72 scale. The set consists of the main wheels and
a tail wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.
Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- resin: 3 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: yes

Product page

88 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BRASSIN

SIN63216
Tornado IDS armament
1/32 Italeri
Collection of 6 sets for Tornado IDS in 1/32 scale.
Recommended kit: Italeri

-AIM-9M/L Sidewinder
- AGM-88 HARM
- BOZ-107 pod (2 sets)
- AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening pod
- GBU-24 bomb

All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

GBU-24 bomb
but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30%.

Product page

AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening pod

AIM-9M/L Sidewinder

AGM-88 HARM

2x kontejner BOZ-107

April 2023 INFO Eduard 89

BRASSIN

SIN648102
F-14D
1/48 Tamiya
Collection of 4 sets for F-14D in 1/48 scale.
Recommended kit: Tamiya

- undercarriage wheels
- cockpit wheels
- exhaust nozzles
- Remove Before Flight tags SPACE

All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30%.

Product page

cockpit

exhaust nozzles
RBF

SPACE

90 INFO Eduard April 2023

 easy n
3DL48113
Product page
F4U-1D SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss
ap p l i c a t i o

3DL48114 A6M2-N Rufe SPACE 1/48 Eduard

Product page

92 INFO Eduard April 2023

 SPACE

3DL48115 A6M2b SPACE 1/48 Academy

Product page

3DL72013 U-2C SPACE 3DL72014 UTI MIG-15 SPACE

1/72 Hobby Boss 1/72 Eduard
Product page Product page

April 2023 INFO Eduard 93

PHOTO-ETCHED APRIL 2023

Spitfire Mk.IXc landing flaps

1/24 Airfix
23038

Spitfire Mk.IXc engine

& undercarriage
1/24 Airfix
23039

94 INFO Eduard April 2023

 PHOTO-ETCHED
BRASSIN 02/2022

A6M2b landing flaps

1/48 Academy
481105

F4U-1D
1/48 Hobby Boss
491342

April 2023 INFO Eduard 95

PHOTO-ETCHED

A6M2b
1/48 Academy
491344

96 INFO Eduard April 2023

 PHOTO-ETCHED

April 2023 INFO Eduard 97

PHOTO-ETCHED

Mi-8MT
1/48 Zvezda
491340

Mi-8MT
seatbelts STEEL
FE1341

Mi-8MT
FE1340

98 INFO Eduard April 2023

 PHOTO-ETCHED

April 2023 INFO Eduard 99

PHOTO-ETCHED

M48A5
1/35 Takom
36498

100 INFO Eduard April 2023

 PHOTO-ETCHED

Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf.C

1/35 Academy
36499

3D Eduard SPACE
included.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 101

 BIG ED All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,
but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30%.

BIG33150 Tornado IDS 1/32 Italeri Product page

32480 Tornado IDS exterior 1/32
321004 Tornado IDS interior 1/32
321005 Tornado IDS undercarriage 1/32
33342 Tornado IDS seatbelts STEEL 1/32
JX303 Tornado IDS 1/32

BIG49361 Beaufort Mk.I PART II 1/48 ICM Product page

481094 Beaufort Mk.I bomb bay 1/48
481095 Beaufort Mk.I landing flaps 1/48
481096 Beaufort Mk.I undercarriage 1/48

102 INFO Eduard April 2023

 All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately, BIG ED
but with every BIG ED set you save up to 30%.

BIG49362 A-10C 1/48 Hobby Boss Product page

481097 A-10C exterior 1/48
481098 A-10C armament 1/48
491324 A-10C 1/48
FE1325 A-10C seatbelts STEEL 1/48
EX915 A-10C 1/48

E-Bunny wishes you a Happy Easter!

April 2023 INFO Eduard 103

MASKS IT FITS!
EX934 A6M2-N Rufe TFace
1/48 Eduard
EX935 F4U-1D
1/48 Hobby Boss
EX936 F4U-1D TFace
1/48 Hobby Boss
EX937 A6M2b TFace
1/48 Academy EX934 A6M2-N Rufe TFace EX934 A6M2-N Rufe TFace
EX938 Mosquito B Mk.IV / PR
Mk.IV TFace
1/48 Tamiya
EX939 Fw 190A-4
1/48 Eduard
CX645 UTI MiG-15
1/72 Eduard
CX646 U-2C
1/72 Hobby Boss EX934 A6M2-N Rufe TFace EX934 A6M2-N Rufe TFace
CX647 F-14B
1/72 Academy

EX935 F4U-1D
EX936 F4U-1D TFace EX936 F4U-1D TFace

EX937 A6M2b TFace EX937 A6M2b TFace

EX937 A6M2b TFace EX937 A6M2b TFace

104 INFO Eduard April 2023

 MASKS

EX938 Mosquito B Mk.IV / PR Mk.IV TFace EX938 Mosquito B Mk.IV / PR Mk.IV TFace

EX938 Mosquito B Mk.IV / PR Mk.IV TFace EX938 Mosquito B Mk.IV / PR Mk.IV TFace

CX646 U-2C CX646 U-2C

CX647 F-14B CX647 F-14B

April 2023 INFO Eduard 105

RELEASES APRIL 2023
KITS
82183 Z-326/C-305 Trenér Master 1/48 ProfiPACK
8209 Bf 110C 1/48 ProfiPACK
11171 RUFE DUAL COMBO 1/48 Limited
84117 Fw 190A-4 engine flaps and 2gun wings 1/48 Weekend
84187 Tempest Mk.V Series 2 1/48 Weekend
7055 UTI MiG-15 reedice 1/72 ProfiPACK

PE-SETS
53292 USS Missouri BB-63 1/350 Hobby Boss
23038 Spitfire Mk.IXc landing flaps 1/24 Airfix
23039 Spitfire Mk.IXc engine & undercarriage 1/24 Airfix
36498 M48A5 1/35 Takom
36499 Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf.C 1/35 Academy
36500 Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf.C side stowage bins 1/35 Academy
481104 B-24D bomb bay 1/48 Revell
481105 A6M2b landing flaps 1/48 Academy
491340 Mi-8MT 1/48 Zvezda
491342 F4U-1D 1/48 Hobby Boss
491344 A6M2b 1/48 Academy
491346 F6F-3 1/48 Eduard
491347 F6F-5 1/48 Eduard
72730 F-14B exterior 1/72 Academy
73799 U-2C 1/72 Hobby Boss
73800 F-14B 1/72 Academy

ZOOMS
FE1340 Mi-8MT 1/48 Zvezda
FE1341 Mi-8MT seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Zvezda
FE1342 F4U-1D 1/48 Hobby Boss
FE1343 F4U-1D seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Hobby Boss
FE1344 A6M2b 1/48 Academy
FE1345 A6M2b seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Academy
FE1346 Fw 190A-4 Weekend 1/48 Eduard
SS800 F-14B 1/72 Academy

MASKS
EX934 A6M2-N Rufe TFace 1/48 Eduard
EX935 F4U-1D 1/48 Hobby Boss
EX936 F4U-1D TFace 1/48 Hobby Boss
EX937 A6M2b TFace 1/48 Academy
EX938 Mosquito B Mk.IV / PR Mk.IV TFace 1/48 Tamiya
EX939 Fw 190A-4 1/48 Eduard
CX645 UTI MiG-15 1/72 Eduard
CX646 U-2C 1/72 Hobby Boss
CX647 F-14B 1/72 Academy

106 INFO Eduard April 2023

 RELEASES
APRIL 2023
BIG ED
BIG33150
BIG49361
Tornado IDS
Beaufort Mk.I PART II
1/32
1/48
Italeri
ICM
BIG-ED
BIG49362 A-10C 1/48 Hobby Boss

BRASSIN
644205 A6M2-N Rufe LööK 1/48 Eduard
644206 B-25J LööK 1/48 HKM
644207 F-16C Block 25 LööK 1/48 Kinetic
635024 WWII German 10 ton jacks PRINT 1/35
635026 WWII German wire cutters PRINT 1/35
632188 Hurricane Mk.II exhaust rounded PRINT 1/32 Revell
632189 Hurricane Mk.II exhaust fishtail PRINT 1/32 Revell
632190 Hurricane Mk.II wheels 1/32 Revell
648826 F4F-3 engine late PRINT 1/48 Eduard
648842 A-1H seat PRINT 1/48 Tamiya
648844 Anson Mk.I guns PRINT 1/48 Airfix
648845 A6M2-N Rufe seat PRINT 1/48 Eduard
648846 A6M2-N Rufe exhaust PRINT 1/48 Eduard
648847 A6M2-N Rufe cannon barrels & cockpit guns 1/48 Eduard
648848 A6M2-N Rufe folding wingtips PRINT 1/48 Eduard
648849 A6M2-N Rufe gun bays PRINT 1/48 Eduard
648854 F-16 exhaust nozzle P&W F100 PRINT 1/48 Kinetic
648855 F-16 radar early PRINT 1/48 Kinetic
648857 Mi-24V cockpit turquoise PRINT & SPACE 1/48 Eduard/Zvezda
672310 Bf 110E wheels 1/72 Eduard
672311 Bf 110E nose guns PRINT 1/72 Eduard
672312 Bf 110E cockpit 1/72 Eduard

LöökPLUS
634032 Bf 109G-4 LööKplus 1/32 Revell
644204 Anson Mk.I LööKplus 1/48 Airfix
674003 P-39Q LööKplus 1/72 Arma Hobby

BIG SIN
SIN63216 Tornado IDS armament 1/32 Italeri
SIN648102 F-14D 1/48 Tamiya

SPACE
3DL48113 F4U-1D SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss
3DL48114 A6M2-N Rufe SPACE 1/48 Eduard
3DL48115 A6M2b SPACE 1/48 Academy
3DL72013 U-2C SPACE 1/72 Hobby Boss
3DL72014 UTI MiG-15 SPACE 1/72 Eduard

April 2023 INFO Eduard 107

GUNZE PRODUCTS - WEATHERING

WEATHERING COLORS

YAKUMO
These Yakumo Colors—Mr. Weathering Color and Mr. Weathering Paste-based weathering colors—
were supervised by the world-famous modeler, Mr. Mig Jimenez. The mud and dirt colors are made
with pigments that have been collected from all over the world.

WWII WESTERN FRONT

CAT.NO.: WY01
WY01 is a weathering paint set for German vehicles in the
WWII Western Front. Thin each color with the separately-sold
Mr. Weathering Colour Thinner (WCT101/102); or MIG015 thinner
(YAKUMO thinner).
From a modeler’s perspective, Europe was the setting of many
of the most interesting battles of the war, including Normandy,
the Battle of the Bulge, Hungary, the Warsaw Uprising and the fall
of Berlin. On these fronts the Germans used several standardized
camouflage patterns, but each was always based on green and
brown camouflage colours over a dark yellow base (C039 dark
yellow, C041 red-brown and C070 dark green). Dust in summer and
dry mud were the most common effects seen in German vehicles.
In addition to the two products used to represent these effects,
the perfect wash tone is also included, and another for streaked
dirt stains. For the most complete finish, combine with SET
D-BASICS.
Product page

MIG DARK WASH MIG DARK STREAKING GRIME

001 Apply the wash with a fine brush to details, in panel lines, 002 Stroke well Draw vertical lines on vertical or sloped
and around hatches to enhance contrast and volume. surfaces with irregular shapes and different intensity,
Remove the excess with a clean brush moistened with then blend with a flat brush and YAKUMO thinner to
YAKUMO thinner. Let it dry 24 hours. soften. Let it dry 24 hours.

MIG DRY MUD MIG EUROPE DUST

003 You can apply the mud with a thick brush to the underside 004 Pigment colour to simulate dust effects, particularly
of the vehicle, the tracks, and the suspension. You can on the horizontal areas and around surface details.
also apply splashed earth effect with the mud product Apply the pigment dry with a brush and then moisten the
by the flicking a thick brush loaded with product using surface with thinner. Once dry, it can be moistened again
a toothpick. This will create mud splatter effects. Make and touched up to achieve the desired effect.
a few tests on an old model or a piece of paper before
trying it on the model. Let it dry 24 hours.

MIG
002
 GUNZE PRODUCTS - WEATHERING

WWII EASTERN FRONT

CAT.NO.: WY02
WY02 is a weathering paint set for winter camouflaged vehicles
in WWII Eastern Front. Thin each color with the separately-sold
Mr. Weathering Colour Thinner (WCT101/102); or MIG015 thinner
(YAKUMO thinner).
The Germans camouflaged their vehicles in the harsh Russian
winters with white paint to blend it with the snowy landscape.
A white vehicle needs a very special treatment of aging and dirt
to be realistic and credible. This special set for German winter
vehicles includes the necessary products to achieve a realistic
appearance in a winter environment such as the battles of Moscow,
Stalingrad, or the siege of Leningrad. This set is specially designed
for white camouflage applied on German panzer grey colour
(Panzer Grey - C040 German Grey, C513 „Dunkelgrau“, C514 „Grau“
etc). For the most complete finish, combine with SET D-BASICS.

Product page

MIG WINTER WASH MIG WINTER STREAKING GRIME

005 see MIG 001 for description 006 see MIG 002 for description

MIG MIG-007 - FRESH DARK MUD MIG MIG-008 - DRY EARTH

007 see MIG 003 for description 008 see MIG 004 for description

WWII AFRIKA KORPS

CAT.NO.: WY03
WY03 is a weathering paint set for model vehicles in the WWII Afrika
Korps. It can add realistic sand stains from the harsh weather
conditions of Africa to your scale model. Thin each color with
the separately-sold Mr. Weathering Colour Thinner (WCT101/102);
or MIG015 thinner (YAKUMO thinner).
The landscapes of Tunisia or Libya were very harsh and hostile
environments for the vehicles of the German Afrika Korps (DAK).
The scorching sun and heat faded the colours quickly while
the dust was ubiquitous. The Germans over painted their grey
vehicles with various shades of sand colour (i.e. C039 Dark Yellow)
to make them less visible on the open desert plains. The product
included in this set allow you to apply washes, dirt effect, and large
accumulations of dust to give your model realistic look. For more
complete finish, combine with SET D-BASICS.

Product page

MIG SAND FILTER MIG DESERT WASH

009 Apply the filter over the entire surface of model uniformly for 010 Apply the wash with a fine brush to details, in panel lines, and around
a transparent and subtle effect, without letting the product hatches to enhance contrast and volume. Remove the excess with
accumulate in recesses and panel lines. Allow the filter to dry a clean brush moistened with YAKUMO thinner. Let it dry 24 hours.
for 24 hours.

MIG GRAY STREAKING GRIME MIG MIG-008 - DRY EARTH

011 see MIG 003 for description 012 see MIG 004 for description
GUNZE PRODUCTS - WEATHERING

BASICS
CAT.NO.: WY04
WY04 is a weathering paint set that can be used on various
military models including tanks. This set of paints can replicate
basic oil stains, chipped paint, and rust. Thin each color with the
separately-sold Mr. Weathering Colour Thinner (WCT101/102);
or MIG015 thinner (YAKUMO thinner).
Most German military vehicles showed certain universal
weathering effects, no matter the setting or time of the year. Tanks
or half-tracks usually showed chipped paint, rust effects, or large
areas of fuel stains soaked into caked dust or dirt over top. These
are the weathering effects that bring more life and realism to the
model, and that is the reason why you must pay special attention
when adding them. This universal set will allow you to create
extremely realistic effects on your models, no matter the location
or time of the year in which they are set. The colours and effects
are accurate for the cold Russian winter, the Normandy campaign
or the barren landscapes of the North Africa. Always use this set
in combination with one of the YAKUMO sets for military vehicles
in a specific setting.

Product page

MIG FUEL & OIL MIG EARTH & GRIME

013 Apply this product to the sides of model in the shape of vertical 014 A pigment tone to simulate accumulated dirt, or to create a base
lines, or add small drops over a surface treated with MIG014 onto which you can apply fuel stains. Apply the pigment dry with
pigment. This effect can be diluted with YAKUMO thinner to create a brush to the designed areas. It can also be used to emphasize
a softer and more natural effect. Use this effect sparingly and shadows or dirt effect on nooks and crannies.
apply the effect in scale. Let it dry 12 hours.

MIG CHIPPING MIG MIG-008 - DRY EARTH

015 The perfect colour to represent chipped paint effects on your 016 Eventually all vehicles rust in specific areas due to rain, snow and
models, as long as the surface you are depicting was made out dew. Apply the product in small quantities around small details
of iron or steel in the real vehicle. Use a brush with a fine tip to such as screw heads, brackets or other fixtures, as well as on
paint the chips on the zones most exposed to wear and tear, You vertical or sloped surfaces in the form of faded lines. Use he effect
can also apply the chipping with a piece of sponge or packing foam. sparingly and apply the effect in scale.
Let it dry 10 minutes. Can be cleaned with water.
BUILT
ZLIN Z-326
built by Mattia Pancotti

1/48

# 11167 Z-326, No. 908, private owner, Reykjavik, Iceland, 2020

112 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BUILT

This Z-326 became the first ever aerobatic aircraft in even after his 80th birthday he was still performing great
Iceland. It set off from Czechoslovakia to the island aerobatics with TF-ABC including the famous “Lomcovac”
country on July 14, 1966, first by rail, then by ship. It has on various occasions. The aircraft got an unusual livery in
changed several owners in Iceland. Today, it is owned by Iceland. The painting overlays all the stencilling; it was
Helgi Rafnsson. Among the pilots who put their hands not restored. The number 168 on the vertical fin does
on the controls of this aircraft is also one of Icelandic not correspond to the serial number, as usual with other
most famous pilots, Magnus Norðdahl. The former airline Treners.
commercial pilot and DC-4 captain was born in 1928 and

Product page

April 2023 INFO Eduard 113

BUILT

F-35A
1/48
Tamiya

ACCESSORIES USED: built by Matthias Becker

FE1332 F-35A (PE-Set)
FE1333 F-35A seatbelts STEEL (PE-Set)

114 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BUILT

April 2023 INFO Eduard 115

BUILT

Spitfire Mk. IXc early 1/48 Eduard # 8282

built by Martin Prosser EN354, 1st Lt. Leonard V. Helton, 52nd FG, 4th FS, La Sebala Airfield, Tunisia, June, 1943

116 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BUILT

Bf 109G-2
Bf 109G-6, MT-423, ylikersantti (Staff Sergeant) Hemmo
Leino, 1/HLeLv 34, Kymi, Finland, June 1944

1/48 Eduard

built by Didier Waelkens

April 2023 INFO Eduard 117

BUILT

Fw 190A-2
1/48

#82146
KAMO D
built by Jan Baranec

118 INFO Eduard April 2023

 BUILT

W. Nr. 0125310, Hptm. Josef Priller, CO of III./JG 26, Wevelghem, Belgium, June 1942
Josef ”Pips“ Priller was born on July 27th, 1915 in 1941, his successes were rewarded - Priller was Germany. He died of heart attack on May 20th,
Ingolstadt, Bavaria. In 1935, he joined Wehrmacht, decorated with Knights Cross of the Iron Cross 1961. The aircraft flown by Josef Priller in June
and as soon as one year later, in October 1936, with Oak Leaves and Swords. On January 28th, 1942, in the standard camouflage scheme for
he started to attend the fighter pilot training. He 1945, he was appointed a post of an Inspekteur der Luftwaffe fighters, had a yellow rudder and
managed his first shot down as a commander of Jagdflieger Ost, where he remained till the end of bottom portion of the engine cowl. It also carried
6. Staffel JG 51 when he downed a Spitfire above WWII. Priller’s total score of shot downs was 101 the marking for the CO of the III. Gruppe. The tail
Dunkerque on May 28th, 1940. In November 1940, enemy aircraft. All of the shot downs happened in carried 73 kill markings, his tally to June 1st, 1942.
he was appointed a commander of the 1./JG 26. the Western Front. After war he married Johanna
On December 6th, 1941, he became commander Riegele, the proprietor of a brewery and became
of III./JG 26, from January 11th,1943 he lead the general manager of Riegele brewery in Augsburg,
whole Jagdgeschwader 26. His total number of
shot downs kept growing. On December 20th,

April 2023 INFO Eduard 119

ON APPROACH MAY 2023
634034
BIG ED (May) Spitfire Mk.IXc LööK
BIG49363 Anson Mk.I 1/48 Airfix
BIG49364 F-16C Block 25 1/48 Kinetic 1/24 Airfix
BIG49365 F-16C Block 42 till 2005 1/48 Kinetic
BIG49366 F-16C Block 42 from 2006 1/48 Kinetic LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard
and STEEL seatbelts for Spitfire Mk.IXc in 1/24 scale.

BRASSIN (May) Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

Recommended kit: Airfix
634033 Hurricane Mk.IIb LööK 1/32 Revell

ES
634034 Spitfire Mk.IXc LööK 1/24 Airfix Set contains:
G
IMA
644211 F-16A MLU LööK 1/48 Kinetic - resin: 1 part
- decals: no
Y
644212 F-16C Block 42 till 2005 LööK 1/48 Kinetic
644213 F-16C Block 42 from 2006 LööK 1/48 Kinetic - photo-etched details:
IN AR
M
624003 Spitfire Mk.IX exhaust fishtail PRINT 1/24 Airfix yes, pre-painted
ELI
632191 Luftwaffe rudder pedals PRINT 1/32 Revell - painting mask: no
635027
635028
WWII German towing cable eyes PRINT 1/35
WWII German trench binoculars PRINT 1/35 PR
648827 F4F-3A engine PRINT 1/48 Eduard
648850 A6M2-N Rufe cockpit PRINT 1/48 Eduard
648851 A6M2-N Rufe landing flaps PRINT 1/48 Eduard
648852 A6M2-N Rufe engine complete PRINT 1/48 Eduard 644211
648853
648856
F4F-4 gun bays PRINT 1/48 Eduard
F-16 radar late PRINT 1/48 Kinetic F-16A MLU LööK
648858 F-35A ejection seat PRINT 1/48 Tamiya
648860 F-35A exhaust nozzle PRINT 1/48 Tamiya 1/48 Kinetic
648861 Lewis 97-cartridges ammo magazines PRINT 1/48
LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL
seatbelts for F-16A MLU in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,
LöökPlus (May) replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Kinetic
644208 A6M2-N Rufe LööKplus 1/48 Eduard
644209 Mosquito B Mk.IV LööKplus 1/48 Tamiya Set contains:

GES
644210 F-16C Block 25 LööKplus 1/48 Kinetic - resin: 3 parts
- decals: no
A
BIGSIN (May) - photo-etched details:
R Y IM
NA
yes, pre-painted
MI
ELI
SIN648103 F4F-4 ESSENTIAL 1/48 Eduard - painting mask: no

PR
SIN648104 F-16 armament w/ laser guided bombs 1/48 Kinetic

634033 644212
Hurricane Mk.IIb LööK F-16C Block 42 till 2005 LööK
1/32 Revell 1/48 Kinetic
LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard
and STEEL seatbelts for Hurricane Mk.II in 1/32 scale. and STEEL seatbelts for F-16C Block 42 in 1/48 scale.
Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.
Recommended kit: Revell Recommended kit: Kinetic

GES
Set contains: Set contains:
- resin: 1 part - resin: 3 parts
A
- decals: no
GES - decals: no
R Y IM
IMA NA
- photo-etched details: - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
Y MI
ELI
yes, pre-painted - painting mask: no
- painting mask: no
N AR
L IMI PR
R E
P
120 INFO Eduard April 2023
 ON APPROACH

644213
F-16C Block 42 from 2006 LööK
1/48 Kinetic
LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and
GE S
STEEL seatbelts for F-16C Block 42 in 1/48 scale.
Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.
IM A
Recommended kit: Kinetic

R Y
Set contains:
IN A
- resin: 3 parts

L IM
E
- decals: no

PR
- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no

624003
Spitfire Mk.IX exhaust fishtail PRINT
1/24 Airfix
Brassin set - exhaust stacks for Spitfire
Mk.IXc in 1/24 scale. Made by direct 3D
printing. Easy to assemble, replaces
plastic parts. Recommended kit: Airfix

Set contains:
- 3D print: 12 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

632191
Luftwaffe rudder pedals PRINT
1/32
Brassin set - rudder pedals for German WWII
aircraft in 1/32 scale. The set consists of 3 pairs
of pedals. Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to
assemble, replaces plastic parts.

Set contains:
- 3D print: 6 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

April 2023 INFO Eduard 121

ON APPROACH MAY 2023

635027
WWII German towing cable eyes PRINT
1/35
Brassin set - towing cable eyes for German WWII
AFV in 1/35 scale. The set consists of 10 eyes.
Made by direct 3D printing.

Set contains:
- 3D print: 10 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

635028
WWII German trench binoculars PRINT
1/35
Brassin set - German WWII trench binoculars
in 1/35 scale. The set consists of
5 binoculars. Made by direct 3D printing.

Set contains:
- 3D print: 5 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

648827
F4F-3A engine PRINT
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - the engine for F4F-3A in 1/48 scale.
The cowlings are included. Made by direct
3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 29 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

122 INFO Eduard April 2023

MAY 2023 ON APPROACH

648850
A6M2-N Rufe cockpit PRINT
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - cockpit for A6M2-N
in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.
Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 28 parts
- decals: yes
- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no
- SPACE 3D decals: no

648851
A6M2-N Rufe landing flaps PRINT
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - landing flaps for A6M2-N Rufe in 1/48 scale.
Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 6 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

648852
A6M2-N Rufe engine complete PRINT
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - the engine for A6M2-N in 1/48 scale.
The separate cowlings are included. Made by direct
3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 24 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

April 2023 INFO Eduard 123

ON APPROACH MAY 2023

648853
F4F-4 gun bays PRINT
1/48 Eduard
Brassin set - gun bays for F4F-4 in 1/48 scale.
The Set consists of gun bays for both wings.
Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Eduard

Set contains:
- 3D print: 26 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

648856
F-16 radar late PRINT
1/48 Kinetic
Brassin set - nose radar for F-16 in 1/48 scale.
Made by direct 3D printing.
Recommended kit: Kinetic

Set contains:
- 3D print: 5 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: yes
- painting mask: no

648858
F-35A ejection seat PRINT
1/48 Tamiya
Brassin set - ejection seat for F-35A in 1/48 scale.
Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.
Made by direct 3D printing. Recommended kit: Tamiya

Set contains:
- 3D print: 9 parts
- decals: yes
- photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted
- painting mask: no

124 INFO Eduard April 2023

MAY 2023 ON APPROACH

648860
F-35A exhaust nozzle PRINT
1/48 Tamiya
Brassin set - exhaust nozzle for F-35A in 1/48 scale.
Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,
replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Tamiya

Set contains:
- 3D print: 4 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

648861
Lewis 97-cartridges ammo magazines PRINT
1/48
Brassin set - ammunition magazines for Lewis
guns in 1/48 scale. The set consists of 12 magazines.
Made by direct 3D printing.

Set contains:
- 3D print: 12 parts
- decals: no
- photo-etched details: no
- painting mask: no

644208
A6M2-N Rufe LööKplus
1/48 Eduard
Collection of 4 sets for A6M2-N RufeI in 1/48 scale.
Recommended kit: Eduard

- LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

- TFace painting mask
- exhaust pipes
- seat

April 2023 INFO Eduard 125

ON APPROACH MAY 2023

644209
Mosquito B Mk.IV LööKplus
1/48 Tamiya
Collection of 3 sets for Mosquito B Mk.IV in 1/48 scale.
Recommended kit: Tamiya

- LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

- TFace painting mask
- undercarriage wheels

126 INFO Eduard April 2023

MAY 2023 ON APPROACH

644210
F-16C Block 25 LööKplus
1/48 Kinetic
Collection of 4 sets for F-16C Block 25 in 1/48 scale.
Recommended kit: Kinetic

- LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboards & Steelbelts)

- TFace painting mask
- undercarriage wheels
- ejection seat

April 2023 INFO Eduard 127

ON APPROACH MAY 2023

SIN648103
F4F-4 ESSENTIAL
1/48 Eduard
Collection of 4 sets for F4F-4 in 1/48 scale.
Recommended kit: Eduard

- cockpit
- undercarriage legs BRONZE
- undercarriage wheels
- exhaust pipes

All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30%.

128 INFO Eduard April 2023

MAY 2023 ON APPROACH
BRASSIN 02/2022
SIN48104
F-16 armament w/ laser guided bombs
1/48 Kinetic
Collection of 8 sets for F-16 in 1/48 scale.
Recommended kit: Kinetic

- AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening pod

- AIM-120C AMRAAM
- GBU-12 bomb (2 sets)
- Sniper ATP
- AN/ALQ-131 (deep) ECM pod
- GBU-49
- AIM-9M/L Sidewinder

All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

but with every BIG SIN set you save up to 30%.

April 2023 INFO Eduard 129

ON APPROACH MAY 2023

PE-SETS
53293 USS Missouri BB-63 part 2 1/350 Hobby Boss
32482 CH-54A exterior 1/35 ICM
321007 P-40B 1/32 Great Wall Hobby
321008 CH-54A 1/35 ICM
481106 PV-1 exterior 1/48 Academy
481107 PV-1 bomb bay 1/48 Academy
481108 PV-1 undercarriage 1/48 Academy
481109 A6M2-N Rufe landing flaps 1/48 Eduard
481110 Mi-17 cargo floor 1/48 AMK
491348 PV-1 1/48 Academy
491350 F-86D 1/48 Revell
491352 Mi-17 1/48 AMK
491353 Mi-17 cargo seatbelts 1/48 AMK

ZOOMS
33345 P-40B 1/32 Great Wall Hobby
33346 P-40B seatbelts STEEL 1/32 Great Wall Hobby
33347 CH-54A 1/35 ICM
33348 CH-54A seatbelts STEEL 1/35 ICM
FE1348 PV-1 1/48 Academy
FE1349 PV-1 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Academy
FE1350 F-86D 1/48 Revell
FE1351 F-86D seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Revell
FE1352 Mi-17 1/48 AMK
FE1353 Mi-17 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 AMK
SS801 MiG-21MF interceptor WEEKEND 1/72 Eduard

MASKS
JX307 CH-54A 1/35 ICM
JX308 CH-54A TFace 1/35 ICM
EX940 F-86D 1/48 Revell
EX941 F-86D TFace 1/48 Revell
EX942 Mi-17 1/48 AMK
EX943 Mi-17 TFace 1/48 AMK
EX944 PV-1 1/48 Academy
EX945 PV-1 TFace 1/48 Academy
EX946 Do 335A TFace 1/48 Tamiya

SPACE
3DL32014 P-40B SPACE 1/32 Great Wall Hobby
3DL32015 CH-54A SPACE 1/35 ICM
3DL48116 F-86D SPACE 1/48 Revell
3DL48117 Bf 110C SPACE 1/48 Eduard
3DL48118 P-400 SPACE 1/48 Eduard
3DL48119 Mi-17 SPACE 1/48 AMK
3DL72015 Spitfire Mk.IXc SPACE 1/72 Eduard
3DL72016 B-25J SPACE 1/72 Hasegawa

DECAL
D48112 Angel of Mercy 1/48 HKM

130 INFO Eduard April 2023

MAY 2023 ON APPROACH

F6F-5 Hellcat #8229 1/48

Lt. Eugene A. Valencia, VF-9, USS Lexington,
February 1945

Lt. Cornelius N. Nooy, VF-31,

USS Belleau Wood, August 1945

BuNo 70597, Lt James L. Pearce, VF-17,

USS Hornet, March 21, 1945

BuNo 72663, Ens William A. Sinnott,

VF-24, USS Santee, July 7, 1945

BuNo 72296 Lt Louis A. Menard, jr., VBF-12,

USS Randolph, February 17, 1945

Flottille 1F, PA Arromanche,

French Indochina, 1951

April 2023 INFO Eduard 131

ON APPROACH MAY 2023

SPITFIRE STORY: Malta #11172 1/48

Dual Combo

Spitfire Vb Trop, AB264, F/O Robert W. McNair,

No. 249 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta,
March 1942

Spitfire Vb Trop, EP122, Sgt. Claude Weaver III,

No. 185 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta,
July 1942

Spitfire Vb Trop, EP706, P/O George F. Beurling,

No. 249 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta,
August - October 1942

132 INFO Eduard April 2023

MAY 2023 ON APPROACH

Spitfire Vb, EP829, S/Ldr John J. Lynch,

No. 249 Squadron, RAF Qrendi, Malta,
February - May 1943

Spitfire Vb, ER647, S/Ldr John R. Urwin-Mann,

No. 126 Squadron, RAF Luqa, Malta, spring 1943

Spitfire Vb Trop, ER187, Maj. Frank A. Hill, 309th FS,

31st FG, Xewkija, Gozo - Malta, beginning of July 1943

Spitfire Vb Trop, ER187, Maj. Frank A. Hill, 309th FS,

31st FG, Xewkija, Gozo - Malta, beginning of July 1943

Spitfire Vc Trop, BR190, F/Sgt Virgil P. Brennan,

No. 249 Squadron, RAF Ta Kali, Malta, May 1942

Spitfire Vc Trop, BP975, F/Lt Denis Barnham,

No. 601 Squadron, RAF Luqa, Malta, April - May 1942

April 2023 INFO Eduard 133

ON APPROACH MAY 2023

Spitfire Vc Trop, BR126, P/O Jerrold A. Smith,

No. 126 Squadron, USS Wasp (CV-7),
May 1942

Spitfire Vc Trop, BR311, F/Lt Roderick I. A. Smith,

No. 126 Squadron, RAF Luqa, Malta, October 1942

Spitfire Vc Trop, BR321, F/Lt John A. Plagis,

No. 185 Squadron, RAF Hal Far, Malta, June 1942

Spitfire Vc Trop, BR387, P/O John W. Yarra,

No. 185 Squadron, RAF Hal Far, Malta, June 1942

Spitfire Vc, BR498, W/Cdr Peter P. Hanks,

Luqa Wing, Malta, August 1942 – February 1943

Spitfire Vc Trop, JK715, S/Ldr Evan D. Mackie,

No. 243 Squadron, RAF Hal Far, Malta, June – July 1943

134 INFO Eduard April 2023

MAY 2023 ON APPROACH

MiG-21MF Interceptor #7469 1/72

1st Squadron, 9th Fighter Bomber Air Regiment,

Bechyně, Czech Republic, September 1993

116. CBP (116th Combat Training Center),

Privolzhsky, Soviet Union, May 1990

10. Pułk Lotnictwa Myśliwskiego, Airport Łask,

Poland, 1986 - 1993

Mogadishu Airport, Somali Air Force, Somalia, 1991

April 2023 INFO Eduard 135

ON APPROACH MAY 2023

Bf 109F-4 #84188 1/48

Bf 109F-4/ Trop, WNr. 8673,

Hptm. Hans-Joachim Marseille,
CO of 3./JG 27, Quotaifiya, Egypt,
September 1942

Bf 109F-4, Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer,

8./JG 54, Siverskaya, Soviet Union,
April 1942

Bf 109F-4/Z, WNr. 7420, Lt. Hermann A. Graf,

CO of 9./JG 52, Kharkov-Rogan, Soviet Union,
May 1942

Bf 109F-4/ Trop, WNr. 10145, Fw. Rudolf Müller,

6./JG 5, Petsamo, Finland, June 1942

136 INFO Eduard April 2023

MAY 2023 ON APPROACH

Fokker Dr.I #8162 1/48

425/17, Rtm. Manfred A. Freiherr

von Richthofen, CO of JG 1, Cappy,
France, April 1918

577/17; Lt. Rudolf Klimke, Jasta 27,

Halluin-Ost, France, May 1918

479/17; Lt. August Raben, Jasta 18,

Montingen (Montoy-Flanville),
France, October 1917

213/17; Lt. Friedrich P. Kempf, Jasta 2,

Bavichove, Belgium, February 1918

425/17 flown by Rtm. Manfred A.

Freiherr von Richthofen, CO of JG 1,
Lechelle, France, March 1918

564/17; Lt. Werner Steinhäuser, Jasta 11,

Avesnes-le-Sec, France, February, 1918

April 2023 INFO Eduard 137

ON APPROACH MAY 2023

Fw 190F-8 Re-release #70119 1/72

5./SG 77, Cottbus, Germany, early March 1945

SG 2, Hungary, Winter 1944/1945

1./SG 4, Piacenza, Italy 1944

WNr. 584592, SG 2 or SG 10, Neubiberg,

Germany, May 1945

SG 10, České Budějovice, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, May 1945

138 INFO Eduard April 2023

THE MOVING
Do You like moving? I absolutely hate it! I had to move PanthersCup is one of the meetings that is worth I hope that the Panthers will again organize their event
three times in the last five years and will be moving a visit every year. And I really appreciate the work of next year and that this competition will not disappear
again this year. And more to it, I got a “bonus” due to the Panthers club who organize the contest, more so like other big ones, for instance ModellBrno, Nymburk
work obligations - moving our warehouse! Just so as there are not so many such big events in the Czech Kitsaloon or Pilsenkit. This year, as if by chance, the
not to get out of practice … With colleagues we moved Republic this year. date of PanthersCup clashed with the Euro Model
the sales department from the Rico facility (yes, that’s The reasons for termination of these events are clear. Expo in Lingen, which we participated in the previous
the infamous facility where a million of sprues were The overwhelming organizational complexity with two years, and also with the exhibition in Bytom,
burned in the fire) to our own facility in Sedlec. And to all the necessary steps, like premises arrangement, Poland, which is certainly also worth a visit.
be honest, I actually enjoyed it! It is not bad to get up people needed to run the event, appropriate In a week we are going to Prostějov and then, in April,
out of your chair sometimes and change sitting at the refreshments, prizes for the competition and all to Mosonmagyarovar. But where to go later this year?
office for a few days of physical work, getting your the other issues which need to be tackled like If you are organizing a plastic modelling event on a
hands dirty too. Within four days we moved almost the registrations, side events and many other things, all larger scale and you would like to have our stand at
entire department, the truck turned around ten times require a lot of effort. Although if the enthusiasm of the event, write me an email, maybe we could come.
in total, and the shelves with most of the goods were the organizers is usually not lacking at the beginning And we don’t mind going abroad. In the second half
soon standing in the newly renovated hall. It is about of such projects, it usually fades with time. If we add of the year, we have just a trip across the pond to
the same size as our former premises in Rico (about to this the usually very demanding Czech modeller,, IPMS in San Marcos, then our E-day off course, and
1,400 m2) and the whole new premises offer a total who as a visitor, with his typical perfectionist attitude, the Slovakian “combo” of events in Bratislava and
usable area of about 5,500 m2. looks for the slightest mistake in order to reveal it on Nitra, which was by the way a pleasant surprise in
The event went smoothly, with virtually no discussion forums or social networks, we cannot be our schedule of events last year.
complications, and we were able to resume sales surprised that some exhibitions and competitions are All in all, I would love to move our stand for modelling
and shipment of goods on schedule. Thanks to this ending. Moreover, youngsters’ interest in our hobby events and so I hope that this year we will find other
we were also able to prepare the goods in time for isn't increasing, so we can only hope for a miracle great places like Nitra and we will have reasons to
the first major modelling event this year, which we that everything will turn for the best. So, let’s at least expand our schedule again. For now, sadly we are
attended with our travelling sales stand. Yes, it was think twice, when publicly evaluating these events, rather reducing it ...
the December PanthersCup. And even though I had that they cost someone a lot of effort and that we
to move all the boxes to and from the event again, should be happy there are still some people with the Jakub Nademlejnský
I thoroughly enjoyed this event as well. Indeed, enthusiasm to organize them.

Stánek na výstavě v Nitře 2022 Prázdné regály po přestěhování v areálu v Sedleci Plné regály po přestěhování v areálu v Sedleci

Výstavní prodejní tým Eduard

Plný stánek na výstavě

PanthersCup 2023

April 2023 INFO Eduard 139