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“DE ‘INDISCHE’ SPITFIRES” by Nico Geldhof and Luuk Boerman (Dutch
Profile)
A new entrant in a style of publication I am becoming ever more fond
of – a specialist research book accompanied by a back-up decal set.
With full text in both Dutch and English (although laid out in a
manner that can prove a little difficult to follow at first),
including all photo captions and the 17 colour side and 2 full
colour profiles, the book covers the known history of the 100+
Spitfire IIa/IIb/Va/Vb fighters that were bought with a funding
effort generated by citizens of the Dutch East Indies. Originally
planned to be allocated to Dutch units within the RAF, it transpired
that not a single fighter was so allocated; however, history shows
they served with no less than 90 different RAF Squadrons (the
largest single operator being 118 Squadron) and ended their days
serving as far away as the Soviet and Portuguese air forces, and in
one case, still surviving in an Italian aircraft museum. Most
notably, one presentation Spitfire Vb, BONDOWOSO, became the first
ever Seafire, with which all initial deck trials were held.
The book is well researched and offers a fascinating read on the
history of the fighters. The English translation is, on the whole,
of a very good standard. There are plenty of photographs new to me
which offer lots of detail of certain subjects. There is also an
interesting section on a small group of Dutch fighter pilots. It is
supported by a decal sheet in both 1/72 and 1/48 covering 11 of the
fighters, a couple of which have some interesting fuselage artwork.
I did not get a chance to try the decals, but will do on a model I
intend to build of the aforementioned BONDOWOSO. Highly recommended.
ROBIN JENKINS
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“STRIKE BACK! – Modelling the B-24 Liberator in RAAF Service” by Bob
Livingstone (Red Roo Models Modeller’s Guide Series)
I have
been a fan of Gary Byk and his Red Roo publications for many years
now. Although not of the very highest standards in their final
appearance, they almost glow with enthusiasm for their subjects and
offer the modeller loads of information on the specified aircraft (indeed,
in my personal top 20 of modelling-related books, I would have to
place Red Roo’s offerings on the Brewster Buffalo and the Douglas
Boston in Australian service).
This latest offering covers the nearly 300 B-24s that served with
the RAAF. The format is the usual Red Roo one – the acquisition of
the aircraft, training, operational history and post-war service,
followed by two major sections on modelling the aircraft and
detailed diagrams and photographs to aid the modeller. There are
also 8 large colour side profiles of particular B-24s.
The modelling section is a real highlight, a veritable “join A to B”
on the methods to make accurate RAAF B-24 models in both 1/72 and
1/48 scales. Indeed, as the author notes, only a dearth of decal
availability (particularly in 1/48 scale) prevents many more
Liberators being finished in these schemes. Two subjects, a B-24L,
A72-156, with the huge Australian Black Swan on the rudders and a
B-24J, A72-58, “Penelope II” with its plethora of bombing mission
markers and ship and aircraft kill markings, would be fantastic
models to complete.
The detail section just takes your breath away – there is so much
here for the general Liberator enthusiast, let alone those with a
RAAF penchant, that you want to reach for the modelling tools
straight away.
I cannot commend this book highly enough, and is definitely my
modelling book of the year so far.
Next up? – well, a Red Roo definitive treatise on the Beaufighter in
RAAF service would be wonderful, guys!
ROBIN JENKINS
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P-51H, CMR. 1/72nd scale
 A
new offering from CMR, and it’s another delight. The P-51H has been
severely neglected hitherto, the only 1/72 examples of which I am
aware being a rather clunky kit by Beechnut and a Rarebits vac-form
conversion which made no attempt to address the distinctive wing
shape of this version.
And so, at last, beautifully packed in a flimsy box, an exquisite
resin model in no fewer than 103 crisply moulded parts. I would like
to be able to tell you that they fell together with no problems, but
that wouldn’t be honest, so I’ll take a brisk canter through the bad
stuff.
1. The fuselage halves were warped. If I joined them at the nose
there was a 10mm divergence at the tail. The right wing was also
noticeably wavy. Some heroic work in a bowl of hot water solved both.
2. Two vacformed canopies were included, both squashed in transit.
Rubbing the handle of a paintbrush on the inside almost rescued one.
3. The front cockpit coaming was incompletely moulded.
These small glitches apart, this is a super kit providing almost
everything you could ask - alternative fin assemblies, alternative
fuel tanks, alternative rockets, even alternative rails, depending
on the rockets selected. The cockpit sidewall detail is a touch
basic, but paints up into an acceptably busy area for the scale.
Oddly, you get a huge radio and three oxygen bottles which are
inserted behind the seat and then covered with a flat plate, but you
don’t get the prominent D/F loop which should sit on top of that.
Neither do you get the option to drop the flaps, even though this is
the normal configuration for a P-51 at rest. But then, you don’t get
that with anybody else’s kits either. (Same with Corsairs. Why?)
The instructions are simple, clear, and in English when words are
necessary. The decals are sharp, opaque and extremely thin and are
for aircraft from seven units, each illustrated in four views.
This is my third CMR kit, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. The
deficiencies in the pictured model are all down to me.
Mog Ahern
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