Killer Of The Executor

Fictional / Real-World Background

The RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor was manufactured by Kuat Systems Engineering, based on the R-22 interceptor, which in turn was inspired by the Delta-7 Aethersprite light interceptor. Although the R-22 passed maneuverability and speed tests, the Galactic Empire, which suceeded the Galactic Republic did not approve of its mass production. However, the monarch of Tammuz-an purchased a number of the R-22 prototypes for planetary defence. Because of its resemblance to a Tammuz-an ceremonial weapon, it was dubbed 'Spearhead'. Around  10 years after the end of the Clone Wars, several cells of what would become the Alliance to Restore The Republic managed to acquire  a number of Spearheads. A network of mechanics called Underground Engineers work on these highly customizable fighters. The frame of the R-22 was retained but the weapons were updated, new technology was installed and a pair of Novaldex J-77 engines replaced the original powerplants. The resulting craft was dubbed the RZ-1 'A-Wing' interceptor.

Because of the nature the Rebel Alliance operates, they have to use any readily available materials from the Alliance's Ordnance and Supply Command in order to build the new fighter. The earliest batch of RZ-1s was hand-built and sometimes using second-hand equipment. Not only this slowed down the rate of production; together with its complicated systems and general lack of quality control, it also aggrieved maintenance. The A-Wing was basically a cockpit attached to two engines.Its Novaldex J-77 Event Horizon engines were one of the most powerful engines available. The twin stabilizer wings require careful controls, else it could make a small turn ending as a massive spinout. Armament comprised of two Borstel RG-9 laser cannons and two Dymek HM-6 concussion missile launchers (6 missiles per launcher). The laser cannons can be rotated 60 up and down and can even be made to make a full 360-degree rotation. However the craft lack an astromech droid to manage the systems so the feature was rarely used, if ever.

A fast and powerful strike fighter, the wedge-shaped, 9.6 meter-long fighter came equipped with a hyperdrive. It was ideal for missions that require speed such as hit-and-run raids, surgical strikes on capital ships and intelligence gathering. Essentially a flying cockpit, the A-Wing require precision manipulation of the control surfaces without assistance from an astromech droid. Therefore only the best pilots could pilot an A-Wing without losing control. A capable pilot could emerge from hyperspace, engage the fighter's powerful sensor suite, streak around the objective and vanish back into hyperspace before the enemy can get its fighters aloft.The jammer however not powerful enough to fool larger vessels' systems and instead it became a homing beacon for the larger vessels' targeting systems. The wedge-shaped nose, apart from housing primary sensors, also acted as heat shield for atmospheric entry. It can be also used as a ram in a desperate, last-ditch effort to destroy enemy targets.

The A-Wing's finest hour came during the Battle of Endor. Grouped under Green Squadron, the A-Wings took part in the attack on the second Death Star. Two of the fighters followed General carlrissian into the incomplete battle station but broke off to draw away TIEs from the Millenium Falcon. One of the A-Wings, piloted by Arvel Crynyd (Green Leader) crashed into the bridge of the Super Star Destroyer Executor, which leads to the latter's destruction. The A-Wing proved to be aresilient design, and in its RZ-2 variant, is used by the Resistance in its struggle against the First Order, 30 years after the Battle of Endor.

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Created as 'A-Fighter' by Ralph MacQuarrie for Star Wars Episode VI : Return Of The Jedi, the new fighter originally has blue trimmings but was changed to red after considering the limits of contemporary blue-screen technology. The original Legends backstrory has them designed by General jan Dodonna and Walex Blissex in the aftermath of the Battle of yavin. The backstory was ret-conned following the release of the Star Wars Rebels TV series which explained the existence (prior to Endor) of the A-Wing as being one of the fighter types (the other being the B-Wing) used solely by the Phoenix Squadron of the Rebel Alliance while the Rebel cell under general Dodonna operates X-Wings and Y-Wings. Only during the Battle of Endor that these cells operate together, showing all types of fighters on-screen.

The Kit

Bandai hit the ground running when they were granted the licence to produce Star Wars model kits. The A-Wing was released in 2016 and featured all the hallmarks of the brand. The parts are spread among five sprues with Sprue A featuring multicoloured plastics well-known to Gundam (and now Star Wars) builders. Sprue B contains the main fuselage parts, The Black Sprue C has the cockpit parts (and also a mysterious flat pilot figure). Sprue D contains parts for the display stand, and intersetingly, a Death Star turbolaser turret tower while Sprue D has the 'laser beams'. The breakdown of the parts and by colour means that the model can be build without painting. This however only applies if you want to build Green leader's A-Wing and other references are needed if you want to build generic or other A-Wings  Rounding up the package are the usual choice of stickers or waterslide decals for markings.

Construction

As usual with things that fly (be it real-world or fiction), work started at the cockpit. And as per my usual style too, the parts were painted while still on the sprue and Vallejo Air Anthracite Grey was used. Details representing dials on the side panels were painted Flat White. The main 'instrument panel' was finished using the waterslide decal. The pilot figure was left off at this moment. Moving on to the fuselage, I found that you have to place B16, B17, C13 and C14 to the corresponding site opposite of the ones shown in the instructions, otherwise the upper half won't fit into the lower half of the fuselage. The cokpit module was then inserted (yes, no need gluing, the pegs fit snugly into place). Thge rest of the fuselage parts were then fitted,a gain without cement and without any problems. The sole exception was the wedge-shaped nose, as there is quite a bit of a gap between it and the fuselage. The canopy was also left off at this time.

The engine nacelles were next and take note that the tails are canted inwards and so it the arts are not interchangeable. But before doing anything else, the clear 'thruster port' inside the nacelle was painted Clear Yellow (the instructions say nothing about painting this particular part, mind). As for the rear fuselage panel, I cemented the four small nozzles in place as I feel that push-fit is not sturdy enough to handle the stresses of full flight maneuvers in combat (ahem). The nacelle-rear panel combination was then fitted to the fuselage just to see how it looks and was then removed to facilitate painting. The parts for closed landing gear doors were used as I do not intend to display the A-Wing on the ground, although the opened doors and the gears themselves get a place in my spares box. The cannons were assembled but set aside at this time. The model was then set aside for painting.

Painting And Decalling

As mentioned before, the very breakdown of the parts allow the model to be finished unpainted and (basically) still looks the part. Anyway, the white areas were painted Vallejo Gloss White which tone was 'warmed' up by adding a bit of Desert Tan. The red parts were painted Vallejo German Red Brown Primer which I think is spot on.The grey patches on the fuselage can be replicated using the provided decals (or alternatively, the stickers) but I chose to paint them.The darker patches were painted Tamiya XF-83 Medium Sea Grey while the lighter ones were painted XF-19 Sky Grey. Although originally leaving it in the main fuselage colour, the missile troughs were then painted XF-1 Flat Black. The main body of the cannons were also painted Flat Black with the barrels painted white. The muzzles have the same colour as the main trim of the fuselage. Again, decals and stickers were provided but I chose to paint the parts. The few decals were then placed on the models as per the usual routine.

Finishing

The model was first given a wash using stuff from AK Interactive. Excess fluid was removed by wiping it off in the direction of the 'airflow'. I originally wanted to add a bit more weathering effects (like panel fading and discolorisation) but decided that what I have is enough. The engine-nacelle assembly was then pushed into place and as tested before, did not need cement to make it stay in place. The now-painted pilot figure is placed into the cockpit and the canopy installed. There are two types of canopy that be used. Again, to ease painting, i used the one with the separate front frame. Both styles have separate rear frame and this latter item is quite a tight fit to get it into place. The model was then placed upon the provided display stand. I however did not use the Death Star turbolaser tower. That item is placed into storage and hopefully used in a future Y-Wing or X-Wing build. The whole assembly was then given a final spray of Flat Clear. 

Conclusion

The A-Wing is a neat little model. It actually builds up very quickly, in fact in effect, the basic assembly took only around an hour (although in practice, it was spread over a few days, in order to paint certain parts early on, waiting for the paint to dry, you know the drill). For a 1/72 scale kit, the detail is very nice and I obviously look forward to more Star Wars kits from Bandai (so many models, so little time! Excuses...excuses!)

'Boss' Fighter

Fictional / Behind-The-Scenes Background

In designing the TIE series of starfighters, Rath Sienar of Sienar Fleet Systems drew heavily from the designs of Kuat Systems Engineering, specifically the V-Wing and Eta-2 interceptor. While the main run of the TIE series feature no hyperdrive and deflector shields, experimental versions using technology from earlier craft such as Sienar's own Scimitar Star Courier were built. The first, dubbed TIE Advanced v1 featured basic shields and like the Scimitar, the S-foils could fold in around the cockpit when not in flight, conserving hangar space. This was followed by the x1 which became Darth Vader's personal starfighter. The x1 featured high-performance solar cells in the more angular wing than the v1. Lord Vader also specified a personalised cockpit to accommodate his armoured suit.

Like the regular TIE Fighters, a Sienar Fleet Systems I-s3a solar ionization reactor and paired P-s5.6 twin ion engines powered the x1. The spaceframe is entirely new with elongated rear deck and reinforced durasteel-alloy hull. The bent-wing solar array wings makes for increased surface area for more power and at the same time reducing the craft's profile. Although power was increased, the net effect was not much due to added mass and the fact that some of the generated power was needed to power the shield generators. Weaponry is the usual two L-s9.3 laser cannons. Provision was also made for a cluster missile launcher. The targeting system is more sophisticated than the regular TIE Fighters. However, the system require frequent adjustment in combat for best performance. A modest class 4 hyperdrive was fitted.

The x1 was used by Vader in the attack on the Phoenix Cell of the Rebel Alliance, resulting in the destruction their flagship. the Phoenix Home. During the Battle of Yavin, Vader piloted the x1 and succeeded in destroying a number of attacking X- and Y-Wings before being knocked out of battle following collision with a panicked wingman when the Millenium Falcon intervened. Vader's x1 spun out of control following the collision, allowing him to escape the destruction of the Death Star. Even so, the blast damaged the x1 and vader was only able to return to Coruscant following a rescue by Ciena Ree and Berisse Sai.

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The TIE Fighters of the Star Wars Universe originated as part of sketches shown by George Lucas to concept artist Ralph McQuarrie in order to give the latter a feel for the project. The first model was built by model maker Colin Cantwell  and was then modified and detailed by Joe Johnston. For filming, only one TIE Fighter cockpit was made and was used for all interior shots of the TIE Fighters, including Vader's. However, George Lucas later decided to have Vader's TIE distinct from the the other TIEs. As principal photography has already been concluded, Vader's ship should not stray too far from the basic design and Joe Johnston has to work one in a hurry. He turned to an unused (at that time) design dubbed 'TIE boarding craft' (which later materialised in The Empire Strikes Back as TIE Bomber). Modifying the design, he came up with with what was described as 'a next year's model TIE Fighter...one of gothic evil, as if the Empire fully intended for this to be terrifying psychological weapon'. The design was brought to life by model maker Steve Gawley.

The Kit

While the Star Wars Universe portrayed the x1 as a more advanced and complex version of the TIE series, Bandai's kit, released in 2014, is a bit more simple than the same company's TIE Fighter kit. The x1 kit comprised of parts spread among five sprues. Unlike the TIE Fighter kit, the black solar panels were moulded integrally with the wing frame (and causing extra masking job later on). Sprue A2 (cockpit interior) is the same with the one in the TIE Fighter. Two Vader figures were included - one seated, (again, no hands) and the other standing. A Death Star display base, but with different details was included. Markings are of the usual stickers and waterslide variety and there is also the usual 'laser bolts'.

Construction

The cockpit interior of Vader's TIE Fighter is the same with the one in the TIE Fighter kit, although to avoid the Dark Lord's displeasure and hence being Force-choked, the interior was painted, using Tamiya XF-19. Also, like TIE Fighter, stickers were used for the interior detailing. The front fuselage was then closed up and unlike the TIE Fighter, the fuselage halves fit perfectly from the start. Also of note, the tiny one-half of a Sherman VVSS is also present on the model. The cockpit front viewscreen was left off for painting while the cockpit frontal area was painted Medium Gunship Grey. The rear fuselage consists of two large halves with a few smaller pieces amd they snapped into place with just the smaller pieces being glued, just in case. The inside surface of the wings were then snapped into their places on the fuselage, instead of the main wing structure., to ease masking a bit. I also make sure I leave out Part A2-22 (or at least no glue it into place) so that the slot for the display stand won't be obscured.

Painting and Decaling

As stated elsewhere, the studio models for A New Hope was apparently painted Light Grey (or something similar). However, a number of sci-fi modellers mention that the TIEs in  A New Hope are actually the same colour as those in Empire and ROTJ and that includes Vader's TIE Advanced. So without further question, the model was painted Haze Grey using Tamiya TS-32 while the solar arrays were painted XF-69 NATO Black. A  few small panels and the viewscreen panel frames were painted Vallejo Air 71.097 Medium Gunship Grey. The cannon muzzles were painted a mix of X-7 Red and XF-3 Flat Yellow (since I don't have any orange paint!). As with the TIE (or for that matter, the entire Bandai Star Wars flying craft kits I have to date), the stand was painted black. As for the display base, it was painted Tamiya AS-28 Medium Grey while the stand was painted X-18 Semi-Gloss Black.

Finishing

The model first received a pin wash. And like the earlier of my Bandai kits, I was still hesitant to use enamel-based weathering / finishing products on the Tie Advanced. So I just I use dark grey acrylic wash. The display base remain plain and did not receive any wash. The build was finished when the model received a coat of semi-gloss clear paint. Unlike my TIE Fighter build, the hole underneath the cockpit remain accessible and the model was easily mounted on its display base. Although the mounting allows some'action' pose, I simply place the Dark Lord's fighter in a straight and level pose...just like it does in the Death Star trench. Oh, as before, the 'laser beams' were not used and discarded.

Conclusion

If my previous build of a Bandai Star Wars kit is a joy, this one is even more so due to its even more simple engineering. I heartily recommend the TIE Advanced to all levels of modelers especially novices as it is so easy to construct and display. And yes, I found that there are aftermarket PE set available for this kit for those who think that the level of detail is not good enough (or savour the work of attaching tiny brass parts onto small kit parts). But for the rest of us,OOB, the kit is very good and makes a fine addition to a Star Wars model kit collection.

Swede Swede Tank

Historical Background

In the mid-1950s, the Swedish Army was operating Centurion tanks as its standard MBT. In order to find a replacement, the Kungliga Armérförvaltningens Tygavdelning (Royal Swedish Army Materiel Administration) put out a contract tender for a next generation tank design. A consortium of Landsverk, Volvo and Bofors responded by suggesting that an earlier domestic tank design, the KRV be revived. The KRV was however deemed too expensive to its alternatives - Alternative A was a 50-ton design, with high protection but mediocre mobility from either the British or the Americans and Alternative T (Tysk-Fransk / German-French), a 30-ton design with good mobility but low protection. In 1956, Sven Berge of the Materiel Administration proposed Alternative S (Swedish) as a home-grown alternative.

Alternative S was inspired by post-World War 2 and Koran War battle reports revealing that the risk of a tank being hit by enemy fire was strongly related to height, with more than half of the losses due to the penetration on the turret. Therefore Berge decided that the new design should be as low as possible. Therefore Berge designed Alternative S without a turret, with the gun fully fixed to the hull. To solve the aiming problem arising because of the elimination of turret, a fully automated transmission and a hydropneumatic suspension were provided which allowed the tank to be precisely turned and tilted under the driver's (who is also the gunner) control. The system however can only be used when the tank is stationary but it was not seen as a disadvantage. The gun was a Bofors L74 105mm gun, derived from the Royal ordnance L7 and was equipped with an autoloader.

The S-Tank was powered by two engines: a 240-hp Rolls-Royce K60 diesel for cruising and maneuvering the tank for aiming. For additional power when travelling at higher speed or negotiating difficult terrain, a turbine engine (originally a Boeing GT502, but being underpowered, was replaced by a Caterpillar 553 turbine after the 70th vehicle). The design was fully amphibious  and could swim after a 25-minute preparation. The frontal armour was relatively thick (up to 100mm) but the acute angle meant that the thickness equivalent was much greater. The crew was originally envisaged to be just two persons (commander and gunner/driver) but after considering the tasks issued to tank crews such as maintenance, bivouacking, track-changing and reloading in the field, the number was increased to three. The third person was assigned as the radioman and also as the rear driver as the tank is designed to be driven backwards at the same speed as in forward movement.

The tank proposals (Alternative A, Alternative T and Alternative S) was presented to the Swedish Riksdag during the tabling of the 1958 Defence Plan. Although Alternative S was the most expensive, the defence committee recommended it after considering its symbolic value (a domestic tank for a neutral country) and the spin-off effects on the Swedish defence industry. The formal decision was made on 4 February 1958 and a follow-on contract for two production prototypes were granted and was completed in 1961. Alternative S was accepted into production, with minor changes as the Stridsvagn ('battle wagon') 103 (The '103' meant that this was the third design utilising gun of more than 100mm in calibre). Despite its design, the Strv 103 (or more popularly known as 'S-Tank'), were expected to launch offensive counter-attacks on expected enemy beachheads and landing zones. The S-Tank have never been used in combat.

As the weight of the production tanks increased compared to pre-production vehicles, upgrades were in order. The original 300-hp rated Boeing turbine was replaced with a 490-hp Caterpillar turbine. The first 80 vehicles were retroactively designated 103A while the up-engined vehicles were designated 103B. Adjustments to the hydropneumatic suspension system increased the elevation range from -10 through +12 degrees, to -11 through +16 degrees. A 1986 upgrade programme to all vehicles created the 103C. The C variant featured improved fire-control system, provision for dozer blades on all vehicles (previously, only one dozer tank per platoon), anewer Detroit Diesel engine and additional fuel packs along the side to function as applique armour. Full production of the S-Tank started in 1967 and ended in 1971 with 290 delivered The Strv 103 ended service in 1997 in favour of Strv 122 (Leopard 2).

The Kit

Despite entering service in the late 1960s, the S-Tank has not been kitted by anyone in 1/35 scale (although several kit manufacturers have them in 1/48 including Tamiya). In 2002, Trumpeter released two kits of the S-Tank, the first is this kit and the other is the 'C' version. The S-Tank kits were among the first of the then-'new Trumpeter' kits from the company. The 230 parts were spread among three sprues and a lower and upper hull - all moulded in olive green plastic (there were no clear parts for the relevant components). Also included are a pair of vinyl tracks, a set of poly caps and the usual decal and instruction sheets. The level of detail is reasonable enough even without PE parts. The real downside is that a number of parts suffer from sink marks and ejection pin marks. The dozer blade can be posed in the open position. The small decal sheet provide markings for one vehicle.

Construction

Before I forgot, a number parts have prominent mold parting lines which need to be cleaned up and the task was done to the best of my abilities. Although the instructions have you assemble the wheels first, I started by attaching the various small details onto the lower hull. The adjustable suspension on the real tank can be represented in scale by removing the placement tabs on the suspension arms but that was something I won't do anyway and they were left as they were. The rear hull plate was then put in place but the wheels were set aside at the moment. The return roller mounts were however cemented to the lower hull sans its wheels at this time. A number of placement tabs (for the external fuel tanks of the 'C' variant' were removed and the lower hull was then set aside to make way for the upper hull. As per my usual practice, the lower hull was painted first, the wheels (which also has been painted) and the (also painted) tracks were placed on the model before tackling the upper hull.

Work on the upper hull started by drilling holes at the prescribed places and here Trumpeter clearly marked which ones are for the B (and also the 'C') variant. The lights needed filling as nearly all of them suffered from sink marks. Place the two B33 parts (dozer blade struts) on the hull if you want to have the dozer blade in the stowed position (the real S-Tank has manually-deployed blade). To ease painting, the extra track-links and the pioneer tools were left off at this time. The gun service hatch, while OK has a bit more gap than usual but something I can live with. To ensure that the latches for the driver's hatch is aligned with the hull, the former was cemented only after the hatch has been cemented to the hull. The commander's cupola was treated as a mini-assembly before being cemented to the hull but I decided to leave the machine gun assembly at this time. The headlights need to be fitted properly into its slots or the guards would be a very tight fit later on (guess how I found that out)

The upper and lower hull assembly, sans a number of detail parts were then cemented together prior to painting.

Painting and Decalling

Trumpeter suggested RLM 02 Grau as the colour for the S-Tank. While it sounded weird as the colour is named 'grey', the various photos seem to show that RLM 02 is almost spot-on due to its green tint. I have two RLM 02 in my stash; one XF-22 RLM Grey from Tamiya and 60 from Mr Color. The latter was rejected out of hand as it was too light while the former almost matches the colours seen in the photographs. The tracks were painted a base of XF-69 NATO Black and given a few layers of AK Interactive Track Wash. The tracks however proved rather resilient to paint despite being washed with mild soap solution. The spare tracks were also painted in the same manner while all the vision blocks and optics were painted with several layers of Clear Blue. The pioneer tools' handles were painted Olive Drab and Steel. The commander's MG was painted Flat Black, wafter which graphite powder from a pencil was used to 'metalise' the piece.

Finishing

I kicked off by putting the tracks into place, with the ends being hidden behind the front mud guard. The MG was then added to the commander's cupola. The various on-vehicle equipment were then placed at their respective places. Although the instructions show three shovels are put into place, there is actually space for just two. There was still time to make adjustments but in the end I decided not to use the exhaust extensions although many photos show many S-Tanks with them. The model then received the usual wash. This was followed by the application of Tamiya Weathering Master around the lower parts of the model to represent dust. WWP 'Brown Mud' was then applied to represent dried mud while a combination of MiG Productions 'Russian Earth' pigment and AK Interactive Fresh Mud wash was used to create, well, new mud. Since I'm bad at stretching sprues and that I have run out of guitar strings, no antennas were placed on the model. 

Conclusion

Trumpeter's S-Tank is the only model of this peculiar MBT, especially in 1/35 (or perhaps, in any scale). Just for that reason, Trumpeter should be congratulated. Detail-wise, it is not up to Trumpeter's own current standards but it was good enough for your average modeller. The build is also basically problem-free with only the front (and rear) of the hull needing some puttying. The hydropneumatic suspension of the real tank also allows interesting display possibilty of the model, should one is adventurous!

Gunboat Gustav

Historical Background

The Bf 109 has its origins in the 1933 study by the Technisches Amt (C-Amt) department of the Reichluftfahrtministerium. The study outlined four broad categories for future combat aircraft. One of them, Rüstungsflugzeug III, was for a single-seat fighter/short-range interceptor. The new fighter was to have a top speed of 400km/h at 6,000 meters, with a flight duration of 90 minutes. Power was to be provided by the Junkers Jumo 210 engine of 700hp. Armament would consists of a single 20mm MG C/30 engine-mounted cannon, firing through the propeller hub, or two cowl-mounted 7.92mm machine guns, or a single lightweight MG FF 20mm cannon with two 7.92mm machine guns.The aviation companies Arado, Heinkel and Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW), who was headed by Willy Messerschmitt, received the development contract in February 1934 whilst Focke Wulf received theirs in September of the same year. A proviso was made that the Jumo 210 engine would be interchangeable with the more powerful Daimler-Benz DB 600.

All participants were asked to deliver three prototypes for testing in late 1934. Messerschmitt's design, the P.1034 was begun in March 1934 and the first prototype was ready by January 1935. However the Jumo 210 engines were not yet ready. In order to get the competing prototypes into the air, the RLM acquired Rolls-Royce Kestrel VI engines allowing the P.1034 (given the RLM type designation Bf 109) to fly in May 1935. The Jumo engines were finally available in late summer 1935, allowing prototype V2 to be completed in October 1935. The Bf 109 eventually prevailed against its rivals, especially the Heinkel He 112; being faster, and having superior climb and dive performance. The Bf 109 was first shown to the public when prototype V1 was flown during the Berlin 1936 Olympics.

The Bf 109A was the first production version, powered by a Junkers Jumo 210B or D engine and armed with two cowl mounted MG 17 7.92mm machine guns. This was followed by the serial production Bf 109B, armed with the same armament although some aircraft were fitted with the engine mounted machine gun. Prototype V8 was fitted with two MG 17s in the wings and in prototype V8, 20mm MG FF cannons were fitted. Both Bf 109A and B models were tested under combat conditions during the Spanish Civil War. The A and B models were followed by the C, D and a major redesign in 1938 resulted in the E model. A second major redesign in 1939-1940 resulted in the F series. The Friedrichs have a streamlined nose with a half-elleptical spinner. The type also omitted the stabiliser support struts while all weapons were concentrated in the forward fuselage.

This was followed by the G ('Gustav') model, introduced in the middle of 1942. The initial variants (G-1 through G-4) only have minor differences with the F model but most notably the use of the more powerful (1,455 hp) Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine. Other modifications to the G included a reinforced wing structure, an internal bullet-proof windscreen, heavier and welded framing for cockpit transparencies and additional armor for the fuel tank. Odd-numbered variants were designed as high altitude interceptors with pressurised cockpit and GM-1 (nitrous oxide) boost while even-numbered variants were unpressurised air superiority fighter and fighter-bombers. Later variants (G-5 to G-14) were produced with uprated armaments and provision for factory-supplied equipment/weapons package known as Umrüst-Bausätze (adding the suffix '/U' to the aircraft designation). Field modification kits known as Rüstsätze were also available.  

Armament initially consist of a pair of 7.92 mm MG17 on the upper deck and a 20 mm MG 151/20 Motorkanone firing through the propeller hub. From G-5 onwards, the MG 17s were replaced with 13 mm MG 131s. As the latter has a larger breechblock, resulting in a bulged fairing, the Gustav was nicknamed Die Beule (the bulge). Additional Rüstsätze kit for bomber-destroying missions include R5 (two 30 mm MK 108 cannons in underwing pods) and R6 (two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons in underwing pods). While increasing the Bf 109's lethality, it has an adverse effect on handling qualities, reducing its performance in fighter vs fighter combat. The G-6 can also be armed with a pair of Werfer-Granate 21 rocket system, intended to be employed at a stand-off range against Allied bomber formations.

While faster than the 'F' model, the Gustav was less maneuverable and its introduction into service coincides with the reversal in fortune for Germany, mainly fighting a defensive war. More than 10,000 Gustavs were built, making it the most numerous of Bf 109 variants. Apart from the Luftwaffe, the Bf 109G was also used by Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Spain and Romania. Spain also built licensed copies as Hispano HA-1112 while Czechoslovakia built copies as Avia S-99 and S-199.

The Kit

Hasegawa kit JT47 was a 1998 version of their 1997 'Bf 109G-6 'Hartmann'' kit which in turn was a modified version of the earlier G dan F series in Hasegawa's 1/48 stable. The parts were spread among nine grey and one clear plastic sprues with a number of parts being marked as 'not for use' (belonging to other marks of the Bf 109). Sprue B is absent as it represents the F/early G cowling with the smaller openings for the MG17 machine guns. The parts display Hasegawa's usual quality of nicely done details whether raised or engraved.  Decals provide markings for two kanonenvogels (Bf 109G with the R6 field modification kit):

1. Obersleutnant Alfred Grislawski, J.Gr.50; and

2. Oberfeldwebel Heinrich Bartels, 11./ JG27

The kit can also be made into a plain G-6 simply by leaving the MG 151/20 cannon pods off and using aftermarket decals (well, thank you, Capt. Obvious). 

Construction

As always, construction started at the cockpit. Hasegawa's cockpit consists of 10 parts; detail is so-so and I felt that more could be done by Hasegawa here (like the seat for example). The parts were painted RLM 66 Schwarzgrau using Tamiya XF-63 German grey whilst still on the sprue and were touched up after assembly. No decals were provided for the instrument panel but they do have raised detail here that can be dry-brushed to 'pop-up' the details (I didn't do it - I just dab white paints here and there as 'instrument faces'). The fuselage was joined using Tamiya Extra Thin Cement. Afterwards the instrument panel and the completed cockpit were cemented into place. Certain access hatches on the starboard fuselage were puttied and sanded as per the instructions. The upper nose cowling was put in place although the machine gun barrels were left off for the time being. The supercharger air intake was assembled and cemented but the sand filter was left off as I have not decided which markings I intended to do at this time. There is also an errata sheet as the original instruction had the 'plain' beule placed on the right-hand side of the fuselage. 

Next, the wing assembly. I first painted the inside surface of the radiator cooler intake RLM 76 (the fuselage colour) and the grills in Mr Color 28 Steel. As the Gustav uses larger tyres, bulges were present on the upper wing surface and Hasegawa has you drill holes in order to accommodate the said bulges. This however resulted in marred wheel wells which need to be puttied over; I just let it be as nobody is going to lift the model up and peer underneath it! Extra panel lines were also needed to be engraved on the upper wing surfaces. There are faint lines at the area required so I placed a Dymo tape and engrave the new lines. The elevator trim tabs also needed modification and I simply place the tailplanes against the drawing in the instructions (they are in 1/48), mark the area and cut the excess plastic off.

Painting and Decalling

Both marking options have the standard Luftwaffe mid-war camouflage of RLM74/75/76. The model was painted overall RLM 76 at first, using the Tamiya mix of 7 parts XF-2 Flat White, 1 part XF-23 and 2 parts XF-66 Light Grey. By this time I really have to decide which marking to finish the model. I eventually chose Grislawksi's Gustav simply because he scored more kills than Bartels! With the selection process out of the way, the 74/75 pattern of Grislawksi's can be applied to the model. I originally wanted to use Vallejo Air but reverted to using Mr. Hobby RLM 75 as the Vallejo version is way too dark. I however think that Vallejo's version of RLM 74 is close enough and used it. As usual with mottled Jerman camouflage pattern, I tried to recreate the illusion of airbrush-applied mottling by varying the viscosity of the respective paints and from six feet away, it looks good enough! About the mottling - the instructions did not correspond with the box art and the finished example PLUS photos of the real plane! I should have followed my head!

As the kit dates back to 1998, the whites of the decals has that ivory shade and for my copy, suffers from some yellowing due to age. The former was left as it was but leaving the decals in direct  sunlight for several days helped cure most of the yellowing. Also, probably also due to age, the decals took a bit longer to come loose from the backing paper. There is also a mistake with the instructions as it has the skeletal Balkankreuz for Grislawski's plane (the photo on the box side has the black and white one). I simply Google for photos of the particular plane where it shows it having the Black-and-White Balkankreuz upon which I acted accordingly. The port wing Balkankreuz however flipped upon itself a bit and I was unable to flip it back correctly. I therefore had to retouch the cross with white paint and to make them look symmetrical, retouched the Balkankreuz on the starboard wing too!

Finishing

The model received some wash into the panel lines at first. This was followed by adding some weathering effects specifically some residue marks, exhaust soot and some paint chipping; the last were made mainly on the port wing root, leading edge of the wing and the propeller blades. I originally anted to add fuel spill effect on the drop tank but eventually decided not to. The smaller and more fragile parts were then cemented onto the model such as the gun barrels, the pitot tube, the radio aerial and even the gunsight (I prefer to cement the latter during the finishing process to avoid mishandling and loss inside the fuselage; besides, the cockpit opening is large enough to handle the part). A few more finishing touches aere like....painting the flying lights (which sometimes I forgot to do!). A final coat of Flat Clear finishes the build.

Conclusion

Hasegawa's Gustav 109s can still hold its own despite the introduction of the more modern kits from Eduard and Tamiya. The build is simple enough that novices can try their hand although more advanced modellers might want to dress up their model with aftermarket parts or use the newer kits. My issues with the kit  is concerned with the off-white colour of the decals and the lack of details in the cockpit. Oh, also don't trust the instructions 100%!

Defender Of The Empire

Fictional / Behind-The-Scenes Background

With the transition from the Galactic Republic to the Galactic Empire, the Republic Navy's older starfighters such as the Eta-2 Actis class interceptor and the Alpha-3 Nimbus (V-Wing) fighter began to be phased out of service. To replace them, the Imperial Navy ordered the new TIE starfighters from Sienar Fleet Systems. The design of the TIE starfighters however bear strong relationships with the earlier fighters (designed by Kuat Systems Engineering) as Sienar had acquired designers, engineers and key assets from their competitor. The mass-production TIE/Ln fighter was derived from the original T.I.E design, which took its designation from the Twin Ion Engine propulsion employed by the craft. The engine utilised microparticle accelerators to agitate ionised gases to relativistic velocities. The engine also featured ion stream deflector manifolds for pinpoint maneuvering accuracy. The stream of particles gave the engines a distinct 'howl' which became one of the hallmarks of the TIE series of starfighters. However in order to reduce the mass  and energy consumption, hyperdrive system, shielding and life-support systems were removed from the design, making the craft more vulnerable to even micrometeorite strikes. .

The TIE fighter sported different power generators for engines and weapons, removing the need to balance between engine and cannon power. The lack of shielding, life support and hyperdrive, although a liability, conferred extra maneuverability due to lower mass. The wings are actually a collection twelve solar panels that collected sonar energy and directed it towards the fighter's systems. Flight controls were considered intuitive and easy to master. However, with the lack of deflector shields, the TIE series are pretty easy to destroy and the craft and its pilot are considered to be expendable. Their pilots were instructed to ignore their own well-being in order to achieve their objectives. But with the Imperial navy's vast size, mass-production of the craft and ready supply of pilots, the matter is not of concern to them. The TIEs were designed to attack in large numbers. So many were build and used that they became the symbol of the Empire's military might.

The TIE Fighter is armed with a pair of relatively powerful Sienar L-s1 laser cannons which can take out enemy starfighters or medium transports with just a few shots. No missile launchers were carried although it can be refitted as such. Due to the lack of life support equipment, pilots have to wear fully sealed flight suit. In combat, without any shielding, they have to rely upon the maneuverability of their craft to avoid catastrophic battle damage. The Empire viewed the TIE fighters as expendable, together with their pilots and the latter were expected to consider themselves as such, in accordance with their ideological training. Meanwhile, the absence of hyperdrive unit means TIEs are fully dependent upon carrier ships, be it a modified bulk carrier or a Star Destroyer.

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Originally starting as a part of three sketches drawn by George Lucas the other two being the X-Wing and the Death Star) and shown to Ralph McQuarrie, the TIE fighter was created by Industrial Light & Magic's Colin Cantwell for Episode IV : A New Hope while the distinctive sound was created by Ben Burtt by mixing the sound of an elephant call with a car driving on wet road. Grey was used as the primary colour of the TIEs as the original maroon was found to blend too quickly into the star field background when moving away from the camera. The TIE Fighter models used in A New Hope was painted light grey while those in the next two movies were blue-grey in colour. Although the acronym 'TIE' went back as far as Lucas' first draft, he originally didn't seem to have anything in mind (an ILM employee supposedly suggested that it simply referred to the bow tie-like shape). Eventually Joe Johnston suggested the 'Twin Ion Engine'. 

The Kit

Bandai's Imperial TIE Fighter is another member of Bandai's release of Star Wars kits from the end of 2015 (and now including all the canon TIEs so far, except for the TIE Bomber). As was its brethren, the kit is basically of the easy assembly type and like its mates, do not be put off by the snap-tite method of assembly as it is very well detailed. Breakdown of the parts are basically similar with the First Order TIE Fighter although the wings' outer frame was separate from the spars and hub. Unlike the Bandai Star Wars kits I have built before, the TIE Fighter kit didn't have Bandai's trademark multi-coloured mouldings on a single sprue (the monocolour of the TIE preclude it, I think). Two figures were included; the one in the piloting position is as stiff-looking as others in the series. The display base is there but now featuring a landscape of the Death Star. The double-hinged display stand is also more curvier than the other kits I have made. As before, the assembly and paint guides were entirely in Japanese with generic colour call-outs.

Construction

As usual with flying things, even fictional ones, construction started at the cockpit. The lazy bug strike again so I decided not to paint the interior and just applying dark wash to pop up the details. To further save some time, stickers instead of decals were used for the uh, 'decorations' inside the cockpit. The hand-less pilot was also unpainted although decals were used for the Imperial insignia on the helmet. The cockpit shell halves were then mated together. The snap-tight construction means that there was actually no need to dab cement on the joints but a bit was needed here to seal a slight gap. The cockpit assembly was then trapped between the fuselage halves. The male and female coupling on the parts were too tight (stop giggling back there!) and caused a sizeable gap. I cut down the male part down and afterwards the parts fit like a glove! As with Bandai's other Star Wars kits, two style of cockpit transparencies were provided and I used the clear plastic ones. The smaller parts were attached (and cemented, just in case) and it was set aside.

By the way, it was widely known that the modelmakers of the original studio models made use of off-the-shelf components from toys and scale models in building their models. Scale model manufacturers like Bandai and Fine Molds before have replicated this for their Star Wars kits. In the TIE kit, the most noticeable were wheels (recognizable as a Ferrari I guess) at the hub of the wing and a tiny one half of a Sherman VVSS suspension unit at the rear of the fuselage!

Painting and Decalling

I decided not to use the colour callouts in the instructions and browsed for alternatives. As mentioned before, the TIEs in A New Hope were painted light grey but were changed to blue-grey for the following two movies. I elected to have my TIE in the latter colour and used Tamiya TS-32 Haze Gray after reading the general view of other builders. Some trimmings on the fuselage were painted XF-54 Dark Sea Grey while the viewscreen frames was painted Vallejo 71.097 Medium Gunship Grey. The wings were painted Tamiya XF-69 NATO Black. As I don't have any shade of orange in my stock, I simply mix Flat Red and Flat Yellow to paint the cannon muzzles. Since the trimmings were painted, none of the decals nor the rest of the stickers were used for the model. The display stand was painted XF-85 Rubber Black while the display base was painted Tamiya AS-26 Light Ghost Grey.

Finishing

The model first received a pin wash. Although covered in acrylic and lacquer paints, I was still hesitant to use enamel-based weathering / finishing products on the model having heard the horror stories of disintegrating Bandai plastics when exposed to enamel products. So I just I use dark grey acrylic wash. The display base however remain as it is. When its time to place the model on the display mount, I belatedly realize that I have cemented Part B4 into place! So the mounting plinth has to be superglued directly to the bottom of the model. This also require the removal of the original stub on the pedestal and sanding details off the spot where contact were made. This also means that the model is displayed in 'straight and level' attitude.

Conclusion
The Bandai TIE Fighter is a snap to build (pun intended). There were not many parts, paint was straightforward (just three colours effectively) and being fighters of the spit-and-polish military means not much weathering. If you're really lazy, you can even skip painting the interior as the cockpit is a virtual black hole and can hardly be seen from the outside especially if the clear plastic viewport and top hatch were used (the frame-only equivalent actually makes it easier to peer inside!).