Sweetheart Angel Of The Marines

Historical Background

In February 1938, the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) released two requests for proposals for a single-engined and a twin-engined fighter. For the former, the Navy requested a speed of 400 mph and a range of 1,000 miles. It had to carry four guns and provision for anti-aircraft bombs to be carried in the wings. Chance-Vought answered the proposals with prototype V-166 (Navy designation XF4U-1) and a contract was signed in June 1938. In February 1939, the XF4U-1 prototype was built and was powered by a prototype Pratt & Whitney XR-2800-4 Double Wasp radial engine rated at 1,805 hp. The first flight was made on 29 May 1940 and on 1 October 1940, the XF4U-1 became the first single-engined US fighter to fly faster than 400 mph. The proposed armament of two .30 cal synchronised engine cowling-mounted machine guns and two 12.7mm machine guns was however found insufficient nad in November 1940, the Navy requested a heavier armament of six 12.7mm machine guns, three in each wing. Acceptance trials began in February 1941 and on 2 April,  Vought ws awarded a contract for 584 F4U-1s. The name 'Corsair' was bestowed upon the aircraft and the first production fighter made its initial flight on 24 June 1942.

As the Corsair incorporated the largest engine at the time, a relatively large (4.06m diameter) Hamilton Standard three-blade propeller was used to extract as much power as possible from th engine. The wide propeller necessitated a long landing gear which was originally considered to retract backwards. However, the chosen chord of the wings made it difficult to make it long enough. The solution was the use of inverted gull wing design which shortened the landing gear. However, partly owing to advanced technology and greater speeds, numerous technical problems had to be solved before the Corsair can enter service. The early Corsairs suffers from low-speed stalls, poor forward visibility because of the position of the cockpit, size of the engine and the short tailwheel. The Corsair have a tendency to 'bounce'. All these were revealed during carrier trials aboard USS Sangamon on 25 September 1942. The Corsair earned disparaging nicknames such as 'Hog', 'Hognose' and 'Bent-Wing Widow-Maker'. As a result, the US Navy released the fighter to the Marine Corps who operated their aircraft from land bases.

The Corsair was sent to the frontline, specifically in the Solomon Islands in February 1943. The first combat involving Corsairs took place on 14 February 1943 but it was an inauspicious one 10 American planes lost (including two Corsairs) for the loss of four Zeroes.The Marines however quickly learned to make better use of the aircraft and they started demonstrating its superiority over Japanese air units. Also, despite the decision to issue the Corsair to the Marines, two Navy squadrons, VF-12 and VF-17 were equipped with Corsairs in 1943. VF-12 soon transferred its aircraft to the Marines while VF-17 was removed from its parent carrier, USS Bunker Hill and operated from land bases. The US Navy only cleared the Corsair to operate from carriers in April 1944 after the fitting of longer oleo struts to reduce bouncing and the adaptation of a curved approach used by Royal Navy Corsairs, which operated their Corsairs from carriers since November 1943. The first effectively carrier-based units were, interestingly, Marine Corps VMF-124 and VMF-213. The increasing needs to defend carriers against kamikaze attacks resulted in more carrier-based Corsair units.

The Corsair also show great abilities as ground attack aircraft, performing strikes using bombs, napalm and unguided rockets. This ability was demonstrated with the -1A version, and was carried over to the -1C and -1D versions. The F4U-1C was only introduced in April 1945 the -1D was introduced a year earlier. It had the new -8W water-injection engine which gave the aircraft up to 250 hp more power, which, in turn, increased performance. Speed, for example, was boosted from 417 mph to 425 mph. It also had a payload of rockets double the -1A's, as well as twin-rack plumbing for an additional belly drop tank. Such modifications necessitated the need for rocket tabs (attached to fully metal-plated underwing surfaces) and bomb pylons to be bolted on the fighter, however, causing extra drag. proved too vulnerable and were removed. The extra fuel carried by the two drop tanks would still allow the aircraft to fly relatively long missions despite the heavy, un-aerodynamic load. The canopies of most -1Ds had their struts removed along with their metal caps.

Apart from the derogatory nicknames described above, the Corsair was affectionately nicknamed 'The Angel Of Okinawa' and 'The Sweetheart of The Marianas' by the ground troops due to their CAS role during the two campaigns. It was also nicknamed 'Ensign Eliminator' because of tricky handling and it was allegedly nicknamed 'The Whispering Death' by the Japanese (no Japanese sources supported this allegation; it was however known, rather bafflingly, to the Japanese as the 'Sikorsky'). The Corsair was also built by Goodyear with designation FG-1. Corsairs of USN and USMC flew 64,051 operational sorties during the war, of which just 9,581 were flown from carrier decks. Corsair pilots claimed 2,140 aerial victories against 189 losses for a ratio of 11:1. The Corsair was also a durable design, being built between 1942 to 1953 in 16 variants. The 12,571st (and the last Corsair built), was delivered to the French in 1953. As a type, the Corsair flew its last combat missions for the both sides during the so-called 'Football War' between Honduras and El Salvador in 1969.

The Kit

Tamiya has a number of Corsairs in their catalog with the F4U-1D kit making its debut in 1998, after the F4U-1 in 1996. Tamiya's Corsairs are among the best in the market despite some 'misses' such as the step on the inner flap on the starboard wing (which was a post-war addition). The wings are also moulded in a way that modelers can choose between folded or deployed positions. Rocket launcher stubs are also provided even though no rockets were included, unlike the 1/72 scale version. Panel lines were also crisp and clear. Speaking of clear, the clear parts include two types of canopies - with or without framing. Two pilot figures were also included: one sitting in the cockpit and another standing on the wing. The kit was re-released in 2002 featuring a deck tractor, new markings and the 'missing' rockets. The decal sheet provide markings for three aircraft, all in Gloss Sea Blue:

1. VF-84, Wing 167, USS Bunker Hill February 1945;
2. VMF-112, Wing 1, USS Bennington,, January 1945; and
3. VMF-193, Wing 107, MCAS Cherry Point, January 1945.

The last aircraft has disk-less US star-and-bar.

Construction

As usual construction starts in the cockpit. The entire cockpit (plus the landing gear bays) were painted Tamiya's version of US interior green using a mixture of 1 part XF5 Flat Green and 2 parts XF3 Flat Yellow. Tamiya has accurately reproduced the Corsair's 'bottomless' cockpit and also the lengthened control stick and rudder that go with the raised pilot's seat. The instrument panel faces is supplied as a decal, which nicely conforms to the raised details on the instrument panel part especially after the application of Mr Mark Softer.. Alternatively, one can simply use drybrushing to 'pop-up' the details on the instrument panel. The seat belt is provided in the form of decal and look flat. I didn't use decal solution as it will make the seat belt even flatter! The fuselage is then closed around the cockpit - very nice fit I should say.

The engine was then assembled. Again, the parts have very nice details and only needed careful painting and wash plus additional wiring to turn it into an excellent piece of plastic art (but not me, mind). Tamiya provided two engine cowl flaps and I chose the closed one. The inner wings were then assembled; again no problems were found. The fuselage halves were then joined together, trapping the cockpit assembly. Inserts were then cemented behind the cockpit. Usually separate inserts like these (to allow multiple versions to be manufactured while using just a single mould for the main fuselage) can be the cause of fit problems but again, thankfully, it was not a problem here.The lower fuselage / inner wing and the cowling assembly were then cemented together to the fuselage. I also added the horizontal tailplanes, finishing the basic fuselage.

The wings came on next. As mentioned before, the kit allows one to build the wings as folded or deployed. In order to allow that the wings are moulded in four parts - upper/lower and outboard/inboard. I chose the deployed position. However, the joint is not very strong and that there is a slight gap between the inner and outer wings. Tamiya has designed the kit's flaps to be in the down position, which makes it visually interesting. The hole/step in the inner flap of the starboard wing was filled with two-part putty and the excess was then sanded off. The rest of the assembly is uneventful and I left the smaller and more fragile parts such as antennas, landing gears and external fuel tank for assembly after painting had been done. And while rummaging through my spares box, I found 5" HVARs from my previous build, a 1/48 Hasegawa P-38 Lightning. Great! There were eight of them and would appropriately arm my Corsair.

Painting and Decalling

I love late-war US Navy planes as they are easier to paint! Yes, I know it's kinda boring with just one colour and without much personal markings to speak of. For the Gloss Sea Blue, I used Tamiya AS-8 Navy Blue sprayed straight from the can. As mentioned before, I chose the markings of '167' off USS Bunker Hill. As that particular marking was chosen, the nose cowling ring was painted XF-3 Flat Yellow. The decals were then applied the usual way with no problems encountered, except for the decals representing tapes in front of the windscreen, which broke into several pieces which required a tedious and careful rearrangement. While looking around for pictures of the aircraft, I found that '167' was the mount of 12-victory ace LCDR Roger Hedrick, the CO of VF-84 at the time and the former XO of the original VF-17, the first 'Jolly Rogers' squadron. Many of the core of VF-84 consisted of former VF-17 veterans; however their request to have it named 'Jolly Rogers' was denied by the Navy (VF-84 eventually took over the name in the 1960s and proudly flashing the skull-and-bones insignia on the fin of their Phantoms, and later, perhaps most famously, by the F-14). Hedrick survived the kamikaze attack which decapitated the Bunker Hill and killed most of the pilots in the ready room on 11 May 1945 and retired from the Navy with the rank of Rear Admiral.

Finishing

To complete the model, I attached all the remaining parts such as the landing gears, wheel well doors, flaps, external fuel tanks and the rockets. I must mention that I goofed up painting the rockets as I misread the Hasegawa instructions. Instead of white, I painted the rockets black! And instead of OD, the warhead section was painted red. I only realised this mistake after the model has been completed! Arghhhhh!!!! As for the rockets, after searching the Internet, I decided to paint them aluminium. It's a bit tough to repaint the rockets as I had attached them using superglue and cannot be removed without damaging the railings or the rockets themselves. The warhead area was painted olive drab. I also managed to knock off the pitot tube which were quickly gobbled up by the Carpet Monster. To replace it, I used a length of styrene tubing while the 'hook' on the tube was replaced by a piece of palstic sheet cut to shape and size (more-or-less). The model than received a sludge wash and was followed by two layers of semi-gloss clear to seal everything in. 

Conclusion

Tamiya kits have the reputation of being shake and bake kits (or 'put glue and paints inside the packing box, shake it and out comes a complete model'!) and the Corsair is no exception. All parts fits nicely with no putty needed. On the down side however, the kit decals are quite thick and barely responds to setting solutions, even the strong Mr Mark Softer. Also, despite the -1D's reputation as a fighter-bomber, no ordnance were included, which is a shame for an industry leader like Tamiya.

A Large Hunting Dog

Historical Background

Despite the initial Western panic about its perceived performance, the MiG-25 had substantial compromises in order to achieve high speed, altitude and the rate of climb. The Foxbat lacked maneuverability at interception speeds, short operational radius and excessive weight caused by its mostly nickel steel construction. The Smerch-A radar, while powerful, had a short range and lacked look-down, shoot-down capability. The MiG-31 began as an upgrade program for the MiG-25RBK 'Foxbat-D' reconnaissance variant. The first prototype was designated Ye-155MP which first flew on 16 September 1975. It was intended to be a long-range interceptor with look-down, shoot-down capability, able to engage penetrating bombers and low-flying cruise missiles. For that, it was to carry another crew member - the radar systems officer in tandem position. Although it resembled a stretched MiG-25, in many respects it was a new design and warranted a new name, which was designated MiG-31.

Externally, the main difference between the MiG-25 and MiG-31 was the stretched forward fuselage to accommodate the new radar and its operator, LERX, extended tailpipes and reshaped vertical fins. The interior changes were more substantial. Most of the structures now comprised of aluminium alloys, with titanium and steel limited to critical areas only. The wings and airframe were made stronger than the MiG-25 with the addition of a third spar. The MiG-31 was however limited to 5 g at supersonic speeds; this wasn't really a handicap as it was not designed for close combat and rapid maneuvering. The main undercariage was changed to tandem staggered arrangement to allow operations from snow-covered or semi-prepared airfields. The Tumansky R-15 turbojets powering the MiG-25 were replaced with a pair of Soloviev D-30F6 low-bypass turbofan engines capable of generating 34,200 lb of thrust with afterburner. Most importantly, it allowed the MiG-31 to fly at supersonic speed at low-level, unlike the the MiG-25. While the thrust-to-drag ratio allowed it to go past Mach 3, the engine was redlined at Mach 2.83 to avoid unacceptable hazards to engine and airframe life.

But the most significant change was to the detection and weapons system, centred on the RP-31 N007 Zaslon phased-array radar (NATO codename 'Flash Dance'). The Zaslon was able to track up to 24 targets and engage 8 of them simultaneously. It was also equipped with ECCM capability to counter the jamming systems carried by aircraft such as the B-1 Lancer and the B-52 Stratofortress. The Zaslon was also coupled with the RK-RLDN and APD-518 digital secure datalinks with the latter enabling a flight of four MiG-31s to exchange data within 200km from each other. It may also be used  with other aircraft with less sophisticated avionics (such as the Su-27, MiG-29 and MiG-23. The radar was backed by a IRST system in a retractable turret under the nose. The main armament was a quartet of long-range (160km) Vympel R-33 (NATO : AA-9 'Amos'), which was considered to be the Soviet/Russian equivalent of the Hughes AIM-54 Phoenix missile. The earlier R-40 (AA-6 Acrid) and the shorter-ranged R-60 (AA-8 Aphid) and R-73 (AA-11 Archer) IR-guided missiles can also be carried. The MiG-31 also carried an internal cannon, the six-barrel GSh-6-23 23mm with 800 rounds of ammunition.

The MiG-31 (NATO : 'Foxhound') entered service with the Voyska PVO in 1982 where it became the only interceptor able to (and did) intercept the Mach 3 Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance plane. In 1990, a new variant, MiG-31B was introduced. This was as result of the discovery that Adolf Tolkachev, an engineer at the Phazotron radar division had sold secrets of Russian radars to the West. A new version of the Zaslon was hurriedly developed and many MiG-31s were re-equipped with the new radar, and designated MiG-31BM. A more advance variant, called the MiG-31M was begun 1983 and first flew in 1986. However the break-up of the Soviet Union curtailed further development.  The MiG-31M added further features such as GPS and GLONASS receivers and three colour MFDs for the radar officer. Around 280 Foxhounds served with the Russian Air Force with another 29 serving with Kazakhstan.  Syria ordered eight MiG-31E (export) in 2007 but in 2009 the order was suspended due to either Israeli pressure or lack of Syrian funds.

The Kit

Zvezda came up with a 1/72 kit of the baseline MiG-31 in 2004 and a year later came up with the MiG-31B. The kit is molded in a light grey styrene with a rather thick sprue gate. While the parts were nicely moulded, apparently the Matchbox trench digger has found new employment in Russia as the panel lines would resemble Western Front trench lines if enlarged to 1:1 scale! The large intakes have no details inside them and you can actually see all the way to the exhaust piece. Interior detail is rather sparse and the ejection seats are best replaced with resin products. I also found that the clear parts are rather thick. Weapons and stores include two large fuel tanks, a quartet of R-33 missiles and a pair of R-40 (probably R-40RD version) missiles. Marking is provided for one aircraft, Blue 74 of 786th GIAP, Pravdinsk in 1995. There were however no stencilling decals included. The decals are also typically Zvezda - thin and in register but matt in appearance.

Construction

As always construction starts with the cockpit. MiG cockpits are painted in a shade of blue-green which is rather hard to capture (especially when I didn't have the correct paints at the time). I tried to mix XF-23 Light Blue with XF-5 Flat Green but it ended up greener than it should be. The Zvezda K-36 ejection seats have basic details but they look better than the one in the Italeri MiG-29. Also to note that this is my first modern aircraft kit, building only WW2 ones previously. Lacking proper information from the instruction sheet (and common sense, ha!), I painted the whole cockpit, including seats and internal cockpit frame XF-5 Flat Green! Once dry, I applied the decals, which are provided for the dashboards only.

The nose was then closed up. But before that, a weight of 7 grams were put inside ( I used plasticine). The fit between the halves was not very good and some filling and sanding works were needed Construction then moved to the main fuselage. The main wheel wells were cemented to the bottom half of the fuselage and this was followed by the outer walls of the intakes. There  were no air intake tunnels or compressor faces (or at least plain bulkheads). One can see all the way through the fuselage as a result. On the other end however, Zvezda provided a bulkhead with patterns for the rear turbine faces molded on. The upper and lower halves of the fuselage were then cemented togther with the wing structure sandwiched between them. The dorsal fairing extension at the end of the fuselage was then cemented but I temporarily leave off the ventral strakes and the tail surfaces off in order to facilitate another round of filling and sanding the main fuselage joint.

Turning back to the forward fuselage, the nose section was cemented to the main fuselage. As for the intake ramp, Zvezda provided two positions for the intake ramp: an open one at roughly 45 degrees and a 'closed' one (almost all the way): I chose the 45 degree position. The bleed air doors were the last parts installed at this time. Available in open or closed position,  I have them in the latter. 

Painting and Decalling

According to the instructions, the fuselage is painted FS 36375 (which makes me wonder whether the Russians refer to US Federal Standard in the first place!). Anyway it was painted so using a mixture of Tamiya paints. Nose cone and dielectric panels were painted FS36118, also using Tamiya paint mixes. Landing gear wells were painted FS36320 and the wheels were painted Tamiya XF58 Olive Green. Decals are then applied. My example has yellowed and were very noticeable on the pale grey fuselage. Apart from the Red Stars, bort numbers and the Russian coat of arms, there is only a small number of stencils. The model is then completed when I attach all the small parts, the landing gears and the canopies.

A few months back, while looking for model kits at Hobby HQ Kuala Lumpur, I came across Begemot Decals Sheet 72-006. Not only does this sheet has more marking options, it also has a more comprehensive stencils compared to the kit sheet and also decals for the cockpit side console. Not only that, it is also quite cheap! Without much hesitation, I bought it. Also in the meantime, I found out that the actual color of the Foxhound is not straight FS36375 and someone suggested an 80:20 mixture of FS36375 and FS36320. So after soaking the original kit decals in Mr Mark Softer, I pulled the now fragile decals off using strips of Tamiya tape. The paint was then stripped off using Easy-Off Bang kitchen cleaner.

Having realised that modern warplanes is painted differently from their WW2 ancestors, I repainted the K-36 bang seats according to the guide I found on the internet. The inner frame of the canopy is now painted flat black using Tamiya XF-1. The whole airframe was then painted according to the mixture above. Once the paint is dry it's time for re-decaling. I decided on the rather colourful markings of Foxhound 'Red 08' assigned to the 174 GIAP at Monchegorsk, Kola Peninsula in 1995. The 174th was named 'Boris Safonov' after the Soviet World War 2 fighter ace, who fought in the same region during the German invasion (see here for my build of Major Safonov's Polikarpov I-16). 'Red 08' was a MiG-31 rather than -31B. However, no major surgery was made to the kit as the difference is mainly internal.

Finishing

The landing gears were tackled first as they would allow the model to stand on its own, so to speak. The tyres were painted Flat Black while the wheels were painted XF-58 Olive Green. After the landing gears have been cemented, I add the wheel bay doors, although the one on the bottom of the fuselage would be cemented later. The R-33 missiles were painted and decalled and were then superglued to the fuselage bottom  The pylons for the fuel tanks and missiles were then cemented to the bottom of the wings followed by the external tanks and the missiles themselves. The pitot and other probes were then cemented, followed by the canopies; the latter were set in the open position. Finally the airbrakes were cemented. To prolong the build a bit, I knocked the dorsal antenna and had to build a replacement using scrap plastic. The panel lines were enhanced using pencil. A final spray of Semi-Gloss Clear completed the build.

Conclusion

Ok, Zvezda's kits are not of the same level with Tamigawa's. However, their generally lower price makes great enticement to buy their kits. Whilst OOB the kit is fine enough, detail freaks might want to replace kit parts with aftermarket resin, PE, white metal or vacform parts plus filling and rescribing the panel lines. I'm not suffering from AMS, and to my eyes the kit looks like a MiG-31 and that was good enough for me. 

Eagle Fly Free

Historical Background

In 1967, the Soviet Union unveiled the MiG-25 at the Demodedovo airfield near Moscow. Although the truth was not known at the time, the Foxbat appeared similar to the ongoing F-X fighter design studies by the USAF: an aircraft with high speed and a large wing offering high manuverability. It spread concern in the Department of Defense that the United States is being outclassed. The F-X programme was continued but with improvements to counter the MiG-25. The USAF HQ and the Tactical Air Command called for a multi-purpose aircraft, like the F-4 Phantom while TAC commander, General Gabriel P. Disosway and USAF Chief Of Staff General Bruce K. Holloway preferred an air superiority fighter. During the same period, the US Navy had ended its VFAX programme and accepted a Grumman Aircraft proposal for a smaller,  and more maneuverable design known as the VFX (which entered service as the F-14 Tomcat). As the USAF feared that the VFX programme be forced upon them, the USAF top brass ended their infighting in May 1968 and decided that the F-X is going to be an air superiority fighter.

In September 1968, a Request For Proposals was released. It called for a single-seat fighter having a maximum take-off weight of 40,000 pounds for the air-to-air role with a maximum speed of Mach 2.5 and a thrust to weight ratio of nearly 1:1 at mission weight. It was to have a twin-engine configuration as it was believed this would respond more rapidly to throttle changes. However, details of the avionics were largely undefined. Four companies - General Dynamics, Fairchild Republic, North American Rockwell and McDonnell Douglas - submitted their proposal of which only GD was not awarded with a contract for the definition phase in December 1968. On 23 December 1969, McDonnell Douglas was chosen as the winner. It's design resembled the F-14 by having twin tails but with fixed wing platform. The large, thin wing, resembling a cropped delta shape, confers excellent maneuverability through low wing loading while the high thrust to weight ratio allow tight turns without losing airspeed. The wide fuselage also provided an effective lifting surface. As the requirement called for a single-seat aircraft, the flight and weapons control systems are designed so that the single crewmember can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat. The cockpit is also mounted high on the forward fuselage with a large, unobstructed canopy to increase visiblity and 360 degree field of view.

Originally, the F-15 (later changed to F-15A) and TF-15 (later F-15B) trainer variant were powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney F100 afterburning turbofans. The main sensor is a Hughes An/APG-63 all-weather multi-mode radar with a basic range of 160 km. Built-in armament was originally proposed to be a Ford-Philco 25mm GAU-7 cannon but development problems caused it to be dropped and replaced with the tried-and-tested M61 Vulcan 20mm rotary cannon. Missile armament comprised of AIM-7 Sparrow BVR missile and AIM-9 Sidewinder close-range weapons. In 1978, the improved single-seat F-15C and two-seat F-15D versions entered production. The 'C' and 'D' models were fitted with the Production Eagle Package 2000 which included an additional 2,000 lb of internal fuel, provision for external conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) and increased maximum take-off weight to 68,000 lb, strengthened landing gears and a new digital computer. In 1983, the F-15 Multistage Product Improvement Program (MSIP) was initiated. Improvements include an upgraded central computer, a Programmable Armament Control Set, allowing for advanced versions of the Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles and also the (then) incoming AIM-120 AMRAAM and an expanded Tactical Electronic Warfare Systems that provide improvements to the ALR-56C Radar Warning Receiver and ALQ-135 countermeasures set. The APG-63 radar was upgraded while the final 43 F-15Cs built were equipped with the newer APG-70 radar.

The first airframe, a TF-15, was delivered in November 1974 whilst the famous 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron 'Triple Nickel' received the first single seat F-15 in January 1976. Israel became the first export customer for the Eagle when they received an initial batch of 25 airframes in 1977. An Israeli AF Eagle also scored the first kill for the type on 27 June 1979, a Syrian AF MiG-21. Between 1979 through 1981 Israeli Eagles claimed 15 Syrian MiGs (thirteen MiG-21s and two MiG-25s). A further 41 Syrian aircraft were claimed during the 1982 Lebanon War (23 MiG-21s, 17 MiG-23s and a single SA.342L Gazelle). On 5 June 1984, two Iranian F-4 Phantoms were shot down in a skirmish with Royal Saudi AF F-15Cs. USAF F-15s were deployed to the Gulf region in August 1990 to participate in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In combat against the Iraqi AF, air-superiority F-15Cs claimed 34 Iraqi aircraft shot down (five MiG-29s, two MiG-25s, eight MiG-23s, two MiG-21s, two Su-25s, four Su-22s, one Su-7, six Mirage F1s, one Il-76, one PC-9 and two Mi-8s). RSAF F-15s claimed two Mirage F1s shot down. In 1994, two US Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters were mistakenly shot down by Eagles enforcing the no-fly zone in Northern Iraq during Operation Northern Watch while four Yugoslav MiG-29s were shot down during Operation Allied Force in Kosovo during 1999. In all, Eagles have scored an impressive air-to-air kill : loss ratio of 104 to 0, with roughly half achieved by Isareli Air Force pilots.

The F-15 was further developed into the multirole F-15E version. The curtailing of the production of the F-22 Raptor mean that the F-15 would still be around for some time. The production line of the Eagle is scheduled to end in 2019 and the bulk of the air superiority F-15Cs are expected to remain until the mid-2020s.

The Kit

As I have remarked elsewhere, Hasegawa is the 'king of re-boxings', especially of their own kits. The F-15, being one of the most popular airplanes was reboxed so many times that I have trouble tracing their lineage. The kit used for this build is the 2005 reboxing of kit E13. This kit replaced the early 1980s-vintage, less detailed kit No. C6 (and its own re-boxings). Parts are divided among 7 sprues plus one clear sprue. Details are typically Hasegawa being sharp with petite panel lines. The cockpit is quite well-detailed although, as usually happened, the ejection seat was not really up to par. There are no weapons included (as usual!) Decals are provided for three aircraft, all nicknamed 'Gulf Spirit'. The first two are for aircraft 80-0002 and 80-0018 while the third was the more famous of the 'Gulf Spirits', aircraft 85-0102 in which its pilots scored three victories during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

Construction

Almost invariably, building starts with the pilot's office. I discarded the kit's seat and installed Neomega's excellent resin replacement in its place. The interior is then painted Gunze Sangyo H317. According to instructions, the avionics bay behind the cockpit should be painted metallic blue-green, a colour which I don't have at this time. However, after making queries on the ARC Forum boards, I found out that 85-0102 is a MSIP aircraft and the bay is painted white. The bay is duly painted so. While Hasegawa suggested that the raised instrument and switch details be removed if one wants to use the decals, I left them alone as they add that 3D effect (even though the decals did not really match the raised details). The nose assembly was then put together. Although not suggested (and with hindsight, I think unnecessary), I placed a piece of fishing weight inside the nose, just to be safe. The main fuselage was next. It consists of an upper and a lower half with separate intakes.

The intake trunking although very basic, at least had the engine compressor face which blocked a see-through down the fuselage. Careful assembly helps to reduce the dreaded seam lines on the intake ramps and also between the upper and lower fuselage halves. The wing assembly also consisted of upper and lower halves; the upper half is the larger than the bottom. There were no fit problems but there was a bit when fitting the wings to the fuselage. The fin and tail planes however went on without a problem. The exhaust nozzles are of the coorect featherless type but to improve details, the petals were separated into five parts and again, careful assembly is needed to ensure the symmetry. Plus, the actuator rods are pretty tiny, making assembly rather fiddly. The exhuasts were left aside at this time to facilitate painting. The large airbrake cemented in the closed position while the rest of the parts would also be left off until after painting.

Painting and Decalling

Hasegawa provided three marking options of the planes which have the 'Gulf Spirit' nose art, all of which served with the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida. The first two options are for airframe 85-002 and 85-005 in 2003 with the darker paint scheme. The third one is the more famous airframe 85-102 during Operation Desert Storm in 36320/36375 scheme. I chose this latter option as it doesn't involve any paint mixing, the markings are also more colourful plus the history of the plane itself. Hasegawa's instructions however erred by using the paint mixes for the first two markings for this option. Kit is painted using Gunze Sangyo acrylics. Once dry, the decals were applied, a rather boring and long work as there were quite a number of stencil decals to be applied. Once done, the decals were secured with Mr Mark Softer.

As a side note, Airframe 85-102 was marked for 33rd CO, Col. Rick Parsons who during Desert Storm, managed to shot down an Iraqi Su-22. However 85-102 was also used by other pilots to shot down two other Iraqi planes, hence the three victory symbols on the nose. Also, rather than the Persian Gulf, the nose art actually refers to the Gulf of Mexico, on which coast Eglin AFB, home of the 33rd TFW is located. However the connection between the art and Persian Gulf is an apt one considering the role the 33rd played during Desert Storm, being credited with 16 air-to-air victories.


Finishing

With aircraft models, the final run started with the landing gears, allowing the model to stand on its own hence allowing things under the wings to be put in place. The exhausts were then cemented to the model, followed by the gear doors and the underwing stores. As there are no weapons provided by the kit, I used missiles in Hasegawa's Weapons Set V. I decided to use the AIM-120 AMRAAM on the outside rails to reflect the weapons configuration used by the Eagles towards the end of Desert Storm which later become the current air-to-air weapons configuration. The kit launcher rails were also replaced with LAU-129A/A rails from the same Weapons Set. All the external tanks were used as Eagles in the Gulf sported this configuration, including Gulf Spirit itself. Panel lines were then enhanced using a 2B pencil. Afterwards, Tamiya Gloss Clear was used to protect the paint and decals. The canopy and the pitot probes were finally cemented and I called it a wrap.

Conclusion

One of the most satisfying build I have ever attempted, with hardly a drop of putty needed while the markings for Col. Parson's 'Gulf Spirit' is the icing on the cake. Now, will anyone PLEEEEAAASE kit a decent F-15E in 1/72? (Update : Hasegawa have since released a new-tool F-15E in 2012, while Great Wall Hobby is coming out with their 'E' this year (2017))

Slow But Deadly

Historical Background

The Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bomber had its genesis in the shape of Northrop BT-1 dive-bomber. The BT-1 was designed by Ed Heinemann (who went on to design many of Douglas' aircraft) and built by Northrop Aircraft to the same 1934 Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) specifications that resulted in Vought's SB2U Vindicator. Only 54 BT-1 were purchased by the US Navy, serving with VB-5 and VB-6 on board USS Yorktown and USS Enterprise. In 1937, Northrop was taken over by the Douglas Aircraft Company, becoming the latter's El Segundo Division, but all of Northrop's active projects were continued by Douglas.

Ed Heinemann continued work on the BT-1, which was was developed into the XBT-2. The perforated dive-brakes of the BT-1 was retained as they eliminate tail buffering during diving maneuvers. The rearward-retracting landing gears of the BT-1 were however changed to a laterally-retracting gears. Wind tunnel tests resulted in further modifications to the flight controls and leading edge slots, a dorsal fin was also added. Since Douglas has taken over the design, it was designated SBD (Scout Bomber, Douglas). The production aircraft was powered by the Wright R-1820 9-cylinder radial engine, producing 1,000 hp during take-off (in its Dash 32 version). A 1,000 lb bomb, mounted on a swinging cradle can be carried underneath the fuselage together with a 100 lb bomb underneath each wing. Two 12.7mm machine guns were fixed to fire forward in the nose and a single 7.62mm machine gun was mounted on a flexible mount in the radio operator/observer station.

In April 1939, the US Marine Corps and the US Navy ordered the new plane, designated SBD-1 and SBD-2 respectively. The SBD-2 differed from the SBD-1 by having 65 US gallon tanks in the outer wing panels and armament was reduced by one 12.7mm machine gun. The SBD-1 entered service in late 1940 and the SBD-2 in early 1941. In early 1941, the SBD-3 was introduced, featuring increased armour, self-sealing fuel tanks and four machine guns. The SBD-4 provided a 12 volt electrical system, replacing the 6 volt used on the previous variants. The most-produced variant was the SBD-5, equipped with 1,500 hp engine and increased ammunition supply. The final version was the SBD-6. The USAAF also operated their version of the Dauntless, called the A-24 Banshee. The Banshee lacked the tail hook and the solid rear tyre was replaced with a pneumatic one.

The Dauntless entered squadron service in late 1940 when VMB-2 received their SBD-1s. The US Navy received theirs late in 1941 when VB-6 on board USS Enterprise and VB-2 received their SBD-2s. The Dauntless was also supplied to the Fleet Air Arm , designated Dauntless Mk. I but was not used operationally. The Dauntless's first taste of action was during the Pearl Harbor attack where USN and USMC aircraft were destroyed on the ground. They also became the first aircraft to sink a Japanese warship, the submarine I-70 on 10 December 1941. The Dauntless, being the primary scout/dive-bomber of the US Navy took part in the various raids on Japanese bases and installations in the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands, New Guinea, Rabaul, Wake Island and Marcus Island. It faced the first big test during the Battle of Coral Sea in May 1942, sinking the light carrier Shoho and damaging the fleet carrier Zuikaku.

The Dauntless's finest hour was, without doubt, during the Battle of Midway in June 1942 where they spearheaded the attacks that sank carriers Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu and Soryu and also the heavy cruiser Mikuma. The USMC SBDs however were less effective during the battle, using the easier-to-intercept (as they have not yet been trained in dive-bombing) glide bombing technique. The SBDs then took part in every Pacific island-hopping campaign with their last major engagement being the Battle of Philippine Sea in June 1944. The Marines continued using their SBDs until the end of the war. The SBD also saw operations in the Atlantic during Operation Torch and Operation Leader. The SBD was eventually replaced by Curtiss SB2C Helldiver in 1944. A total of 5,936 SBDs were built with the last rolling off the production line on 21 July 1944. Its battle records showed it has sunk 6 carriers, 14 cruisers, 6 destroyers, 15 transport ships and numerous smaller craft.

The Kit

The Accurate Miniatures kit of the SBD is hailed by modelers worldwide as one of, if not the best kit in the world. The word Accurate is definitely not a gimmick! The parts were spread among six light grey and one clear sprues. They are bagged in separate bags and the clear parts, decals and the instruction sheet is hidden under a false bottom, which features a nice profile of the SBD. The AM instruction sheet is definitely not the norm with written instructions supplementing the rather simplified diagrams, yet it was easy to follow. Furthermore, while other manufacturers put the 'follow the instructions carefully' warning, they were not in large, bold format! It was a sensible precaution however as Accurate Miniatures' instructions are not strong on graphics. A small decal sheet is provided, with just one marking scheme - 'S-12' off USS Lexington during The Battle of Coral Sea.

Construction

As usual, construction started at the cockpit. I painted the interior parts while still on their sprues as I found that it was easier to touch up the scars later on. While I obediently following the instruction sheet, I found out that certain steps have to be done out of synch. For example the map table - if one follows the instructions, I wonder what kind of calisthenics one's fingers have to do in order to fit it inside an already assembled fuselage? The various boxes and switches were cemented to their places on the sidewalls. The gunner's MG mount was assembled and it, along with the bulkheads and various panels in-between the cockpit walls were then cemented to the right-hand fuselage half. While the cement is still soft, the fuselage halves were mated together, aligning the in-between parts along the way. The completed lower assembly of the cockpit was then inserted into the fuselage from below.

The one-piece lower wing was then cemented to the fuselage and was followed by the separate upper halves. There was only a small spot on the wing roots which needed puttying. This was then followed by the two-piece horizontal taiplanes. The hook was however left off. Moving to the front of the fuselage, I first painted the engine Steel followed by dry-brushing of Silver. The machine guns were painted Flat Black and cemented beneath the upper forward fuselage piece. The forward fuselage pieces were then cemented together, taking care to avoid any seam lines. The engine was then cemented to the bulkhead and the cowling closed around it. AM gave you the option of having the dive flaps in closed, partially open or fully open positions. As I was thinking of having the flaps partially open, I only add the internal structure and the upper half of the split flap. Moving to the bottom of the fuselage, I only add the fairing for the bomb cradle, leaving everything else off until after painting and decalling.

Painting and Decalling

Early war US Navy aircraft were painted in a two-tone grey. Using the Tamiya F4F kit as guide, I painted the lower fuselage using a mixture of Tamiya XF-2 Flat White and XF-19 Sky Grey. For the upper fuselage, I mixed Tamiya XF-18 Medium Blue and XF-2 Flat White. But before that the wheels wells were painted Interior Green while the inside surfaces of the flaps were painted X-7 Red. Decals provide markings for only a single plane - 'Sail 12' of VS-2 during the Battle Of The Coral Sea. This is the plane flown by Lt (jg) John Leppla with gunner ARM3 John Liska during the Battle where, despite flying a dive bomber, the two of them managed to down five Japanese aircraft - Leppla downed three Zeroes DURING the diving run on the light carrier Shoho and a Kate two days later whilst serving as anti-torpedo bomber CAP. Liska also managed to down a pursuing Zero during the same engagement. Leppla, having proven himself as a fighter pilot, was later promoted to Lieutenant and posted to VF-10. He was killed in action during the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands. As for 'Sail 12', she went down with the Lexington when the latter was sunk.

The Accurate Miniatures decals are thin and went down without much trouble. The full designation '2-S-12' was also included even though the actual plane only have the partial codes during the Battle of Coral Sea. Whilst it is not known whether VS-2 still have their squadron logos during the battle (which Accurate Miniatures acknowledged), I put them on the model to break the monotony of a two-tone grey scheme. Unlike other manufacturers' kits with 'Sail 12' markings, no 'kill marks' were included, as they were actually applied (together with '2-S-12' on the fuselage sides) on another. 'publicity' Dauntless. There is one little goof though - the aircraft ID (or whatever it is called) on the rudder read 'SBD-5' whereas this plane is an SBD-3! Oh well, it is small enough and I can get away with it. The decals were then subjected to Mr. Mark Softer treatment and they all reponded beautifully.

Finishing

My finishing process started by making the model 'stand on its feet' i.e by attaching the landing gears. Care has to be taken here as the Dauntless's main landing gears are basically of 'Z' shape (when viewed from the front) and need to be properly aligned. Once this was done, the rest of the parts can now be permanently attached to the model. The lower flaps went on first, followed by the bomb cradle and carrying pylons and of course, the bombs. The separate canopy pieces were then put in place and I decided to have the gunner's compartment in the open position. The rear machine gun, pitot tubes and radio aerial were then cemented. The fit between the pilot's canopy and the fuselage wasn't good, as the windshield sit too far back. The model then was subjected to watercolour sludge wash. The excess was removed using damp cotton balls and earbuds. Exhaust stains were made using Tamiya X-19 Smoke and Tamiya Weathering Master 'Soot'. Everything was then sealed with Flat Clear.

Conclusion
AM kits is recognised as among the best in the hobby. Whilst one might initially be awed/intimidated by the level of detail and the different approach in instructions, it is not really difficult nor troublesome in the end. Too bad I have ran out of space in the display cabinet as I am very keen on their TBF Avenger and Shturmovik kits. Highly recommended.

Italian Thunderbolt

Historical Background

In the second half of the 1930s, as a result of the Italian military authority to adopt just radial engines for its aircraft, the Italian aero industry failed to develop a more powerful engine based on the streamlined liquid-cooled engines. This forced Macchi to use the Fiat A.74 radial engine of 848 - 947 hp for its C.200 Saetta.  This in turn made the Saetta underpowered, reducing performance while having the open cockpit of a bygone era. In July 1939, the Regia Aeronautica requested Reggiane to build a prototype Re.2000 fighter powered by a German Daimler-Benz DB 601Aa inverted-vee inline engine rated at 1, 159 hp.  In November 1939, Alfa Romeo acquired the licence to produce the DB 601 as Alfa Romeo RA.1000 R.C.41-I Monsone. While waiting for production of Monsones to start, Aeronautica Macchi imported DB 601s and their chief designer, Mario Castoldi began the work to mate the empennage of the C.200 with a new fuselage incorporating the new engine. Design work began in January 1940 and initial tests showed that Castoldi's original design was sound, it was just lacking a suitable powerplant. On 10 August 1940, the first prototype of the aircraft, designated C.202 Folgore, took to the air.

The C.202 was of conventional design. The control surfaces had metal structure with fabric covering. As with the C.200 the left wing was longer than the right, designed to counteract the torque of the propeller. The armament was however fairly light: a pair of Breda-SAFAT 12.7mm machine guns in the nose. While based on the Browning M2, the Italian machine gun fired a slightly smaller 12.7 x 81mm rounds, which have a lower muzzle velocity than the Browning's 12.7 x 99mm rounds. Standard ammunition load was 700 rounds per gun. From Serie VII onwards, a pair of Breda 7.7mm machine guns, along with 1,000 rounds of ammunition each, were fitted in the wings. These however added another 100kg to the aircraft and many pilots had them removed, not only to minimise weight penalty, but also because of the ineffectiveness of rifle-calibre machine guns against 1941 fighter aircraft. Despite that, Allied pilots who flew against the Folgores were impressed with its maneuverability and performance. The Folgore was considered the equal of Spitfire V and superior against Hurricanes and Kittyhawks it fought against.

In May 1941, production of the C.202 was started. Early production Folgores (Lightning/Thunderbolt - as they were named) were powered by imported DB 601s. And due to engine delivery delays, some C.202 airframes were completed as C.200 fighters. The first units earmarked to receive the Folgores were the 17° and 6° Gruppi of the 1° Stormo and 9° Gruppi of the 4° Stormo. However, the machines did not see action until autumn of that year, because of defects in the early batches. They first saw action at the end of September 1941, intercepting RAF Hurricanes over Sicily. The C.202s were in the thick of action in the Mediterranean; they were also used by the Regia Aeronautica in Russia. At the time of the Armistice, there were 186 Folgores, these were later split between the Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana and the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana. Some of the Folgore airframes were re-engined with DB 605 engine, essentially turning them into C.205s, The Folgores also served with the Luftwaffe and the Croatian Air Force.  The Folgores remain in service as trainers until 1948. A total of 1,106 airframes were built.

The Kit

Hasegawa originally released their 1/48 Folgore in 1995. Since then, as king of re-boxings, they have made a number of re-releases over the years. The kit I built is the 2006 special boxing of the baseline C.202 kit featuring the markings of Italian aces. The Hasegawa kit consists of 78 parts, however not all are used as some of the parts are meant for the C.205. Quality is typically Hasegawa with crisp panel lines. However, the landing gear have some rather prominent ejector pin marks which need to be cleaned The decal sheet provides for markings for two aircraft of the aces, one flown by Captain Franco Lucchini, 84ª Squadriglia, 10° Gruppo (21 kills), and the other flown by Sgt. Maj. Teresio Martinoli from 73ª Squadriglia, 9° Gruppo (22 kills);  both from the 4° Stormo. As usual with Hasegawa decals the white portions are more ivory than white.

Construction

Construction started at the cockpit...where else? Hasegawa provides a nice enough cockpit although detailers might want to add PE parts or substitute it with resin. The instrument face can be painted or using the provided decals, although the decals have some areas of the dashboard in black, while the painting instructions didn't show it to be like that. The interior was painted Tamiya XF-21 Sky which to my eyes looked similar with the Italian Verde Anticorrosione. The seat was painted Mr. Color 8 Silver. Hasegawa did not provide seat belts and the seat looked real plain inside the cockpit. Then the cockpit assembly and a part for holding the propeller were inserted into their respective slots and the fuselage closed up. Some small bulges were then removed as per the instructions. The upper cowling, air filter and horizontal tailplanes were then added. Fit was good for all these parts.

Before assembling the wings, the interior was painted first. The wheel well was assembled, put into place and the top halves of the wing were mated to the one-piece lower wing. Having decided to build the first option on the markings sheet, I filled the hole for the radio aerial behind the canopy. The radiator was then glued to the fuselage and then it was off to the painting stage.

Painting and Decalling

As mentioned earlier, I have decided to choose the first option which is the mount of Captain Franco Lucchini, commander of 84ª Squadriglia, 10° Gruppo in September 1942. This particular aircraft has unusual camo pattern - having large disruptive olive green pattern rather than small patches of olive green common to most Folgores. Furthermore the starboard upper wing is painted in smoke ring pattern camo which are usually found on later marks of the Folgore (and the MC.205 Veltro) which means that it was probably a replacement. The undersides were painted a mixture of Tamiya XF2 Flat White and XF66 Light Grey. Topside is painted Tamiya XF59 Desert Yellow and the camo patterns were painted using XF58 Olive Green. The wingtips were painted XF2 Flat White. I tried to differentiate the right wing by varying the scale effect but eventually it ended up the having same tone as the rest of the model! Now it is time for the decals. Although fairly thick, the decals went on without any trouble and were secured using Mr Mark Softer. Just one complaint about the decals, and one which applies to nearly all of Hasegawa's in-house decals: the white is more ivory.

Finishing

There is actually nothing much to do at this stage. I started by painting the landing gear parts on the sprue and then assembled them; the scars were cleaned up and the paint retouched. After cement has dried, they were put in place. This was followed by the exhaust stacks and the pitot probe. The propeller was assembled, painted and stuck at the nose. Since the Folgore is almost a pure fighter / interceptor, there is no underwing stores to speak of, not even external fuel tanks. Sludge wash was then applied to the model and a final spray of flat clear finished the build.

Conclusion

This has got to be one of the easiest (if not the easiest) aircraft kit that I have ever made. Assembly was quick (especially when I ignored the pin marks on the landing gears). The good fit also helped a lot. The Hasegawa kit builds into a fine replica of this important Italian fighter. Add it to your collection of World War 2 fighters now!