05/2022

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  INFO Eduard

  e-magazine FREE Vol 21 May 2022

  # 147

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  INFO Eduard

  e-magazine FREE Vol 21 May 2022

  # 147

• Page 3

  eduardeduard

  MAY 2022

  CONTENTS

  EDITORIAL

  KITS

  BRASSIN

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED SETS

  BIG ED

  BUILT

  ON APROACH

  –

  June 2022

  TAIL END CHARLIE

  HISTORY

  Z-126 Trenér ProfiPACK 1/48

  MEZEK Limited edition 1/72

  Bf 109G-10 WNF/Diana Weekend edition 1/48

  Spitfire F Mk.IX Weekend edition 1/72

  F6F-3 ProfiPACK 1/48

  Spitfire HF Mk.VIII ProfiPACK 1/48

  A6M2 Zero Type 21 ProfiPACK 1/48

  MEZEK 1/72

  Z-526AFS Akrobat 1/48

  Sopwith F.1 Camel (Clerget) 1/48

  Saburō Sakai part 1

  Avia S-199 in Israeli service

  The air war over Ukraine The second month

  4

  6

  30

  60

  74

  90

  98

  108

  128

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

  Mírová 170, Obrnice 435 21

  support@eduard.com www.eduard.com

• Page 4

  Dear Friends,

  After our participation in the show at Lingen,

  our May release centerpiece, the 1:72 scale

  Avia S-199, was shown off at Prostějov over

  Easter. After that, last weekend we were

  pleased to be at Moson again, in Hungary.

  It was refreshing to be able to do so after two

  years of isolation and home office, and to be

  able to catch up with so many friends, colle-

  agues and customers in one location. It felt

  like a return to the good ol’ days of pre-Covid.

  But it’s not quite like that. The good ol’ days

  ended with the epidemic, inflation and war,

  and won’t be back. A new world is emerging.

  The Russian war against Ukraine and the

  free world is into its third month, and I am

  pleased that our nation is on the right side.

  We are supplying weapons. We may not be

  providing as many weapons as larger coun-

  tries can, or as modern as larger countries

  can, if they were willing, but we are provi-

  ding them quickly and without a lot of talking.

  When I was in the army, I was with a howitzer

  unit, and it pleases me that the Ukrainians

  are receiving Czech self-propelled howitzers

  and salvo rocket launchers. It appeared as

  though these pieces were destined to end up

  rotting in some storage depot or in museu-

  ms, but now we are hoping that they serve

  well in Ukraine and help push back the Ru-

  ssian occupiers. Being on the right side isn’t a

  sure thing here. This wasn’t always the case,

  but just like today, we stood on the right side

  eighty years ago. Our field guns and infantry

  protected North African Tobruk against the

  Germans and Italians, our pilots flew in the

  ranks of the RAF over Western Europe and

  the 1st Czechoslovak Infantry Battalion was

  formed in Buzuluk, preparing for its Baptism

  of Fire against the Wehrmacht at Sokolov.

  Back home, in a country under Nazi occupa-

  tion, there was resistance. On May 22, 1942,

  our British based agents who parachuted

  into the homeland and with the support of

  the local resistance, assassinated the head

  of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia

  SS Obergruppenführer and Chief of Police

  Reinhard Heydrich. He succumbed to his in-

  juries that resulted in the attack and as such,

  became the highest ranking Nazi official to

  be assassinated during the Second World

  War by anti-Nazi forces. The Czech nation

  paid a massive price for this honorable act

  of defiance, the reprisal for which included

  the outright murder of thousands of inno-

  cents, the climax of which was the eliminati-

  on of the towns of Lidice and Ležáky from the

  face of the earth. The democratic, pro-West

  resistance was targeted so effectively after

  that, that there were not enough effective

  resources available after the war to deter

  the newly evolving threat of another dicta-

  torship, this time from the communists, and

  it ruled Czechoslovakia for forty long years.

  Halfway through that reign, we thought we

  could believe in the Russian talk of freedom

  and the right to self-government, but their

  tanks quickly bailed us out of that mistake.

  Our right to belong to the free world was an

  expensive one, and so today, we stand firmly

  behind Ukraine, because Ukraine is deciding

  on the future of our free world.

  The MULE

  By 1948, we were still precariously on the ri-

  ght side, although the communists had just

  come to power. Czechoslovakia neverthele-

  ss supported the newly independent state

  of Israel in the first Arab-Israeli war. How

  the history of this war mimics the current

  situation in Ukraine! Supplies sent to Israel

  back then included aircraft, namely Spitfires

  Mk.IXe and Avia S-199s. The Avia S-199 is be-

  ing introduced in today’s issue of the newsle-

  tter, despite being premiered in the second

  half of April in Prostějov and Moson. And

  it should be added that it was a successful

  premiere, indeed. The kit has been well re-

  ceived, and that pleases me, because to be

  honest, neither we, nor anyone else, is ca-

  pable of doing anything substantially better.

  Of course, they wouldn’t be modellers if

  they didn’t point out some flaws. As soon as

  Moson, we were notified of some things that

  were missing, keeping our S-199 from per-

  fection, and what it was we need to work on

  to get there. We decline, respectfully. We don’t

  produce models as much as we produce kits,

  and a kit is still something in need of com-

  pletion. The model, from the kit, is made by

  the modeller, and if there is an item that the

  modeler deems as missing, he or she needs

  to add said items. As Mr. Zatloukal, the head

  of then Kovozávody Prostějov company and

  one of the fathers of Czechoslovak plastic

  modelling, put it: “A skillful modeller creates

  by himself”. This rule applied then, applies

  now, and will continue to apply in the future.

  Those that are not fully satisfied with a kit, be

  a modeller and take it to that level of comple-

  tion you want. In some cases, we can aid you

  in this endeavor with photoetched, resin or

  other accessory items, but your involvement

  is also necessary.

  MODEL KITS

  The S-199 entitled MEZEK, or “Mule” in Eng-

  lish, comes on the market as a Limited Edi-

  tion Dual Combo kit with two complete sets

  of plastic. These sets are not identical. One

  is for an aircraft with the Erla cockpit cano-

  py, and the other for the later series sliding

  bubble canopy. There are twelve marking

  options, mostly covering Czechoslovak ma-

  chines of both Military as well as Police Air

  Force, three marking options cover Israeli

  aircraft from 1948 as the basis of the Israe-

  li Air Force. After the Limited Edition kit, the

  ProfiPacks will follow, the first of which will

  appear in June with the two-seat CS-199.

  The 48th scale S-199 will in all likelihood see

  the light of day after the New Year, instead

  of before it as originally planned. I initially

  promised this kit for E-day, but I doubt that

  will happen. Yeah, yeah… The wolf made pro-

  mises, too!

  Along with the S-199, we are releasing a 48th

  scale Z-126 Trenér for May in the ProfiPack

  line, plus two Weekend kits, the 1:72 sca-

  le Spitfire F Mk.IX and 1:48 scale Bf 109G-10

  WNF/Diana. Three 48th scale ProfiPacks are

  also making a welcome return to the mar-

  ket as re-editions: the quickly sold-out A6M2

  Zero Model 21, the Spitfire HF Mk.VIII and the

  F6F-3 Hellcat. The last mentioned is not a

  straight re-edition, but in this case includes

  a modification to the marking options and the

  boxart. I don’t see this as much of an issue,

  though.

  EDITORIAL

  INFO Eduard4

  May 2022

• Page 5

  Also enjoying its premiere through April

  shows is an all-new product line. It’s called

  EDDIE THE RIVETER, and as the name su-

  ggests, it is all about rivets and allows mo-

  deller to create realistic raised rivets and

  other surface details on the model. The pro-

  duct utilizes 3D printing technology used

  in the Space line. The rivets are printed on

  a clear carrier film. It’s important to know

  that you must resist any temptation to re-

  move the carrier film after the application of

  the rivets onto the model, as is the case with

  our decals. But you need not worry, as the

  correct application procedure yields invisible

  carrier film. These rivet decals are applied

  over primed plastic that is reapplied after the

  decals are on the model as well. The surfacer

  needs to be airbrushed on with care. Don’t

  use a spray can product, as it provides less

  control, and the result could damage the de-

  licate details of the decal. The first Eddie the

  Riveter is designed for the Zvezda 1:48 scale

  Mi-24V. The price of the product is somewhat

  high, dictated by the scope of the set and the

  intricacies of applying the technology used in

  production. On the other hand, it is a beau-

  tifully executed piece of work and based on

  research of the actual thing. A rivet counter’s

  dream come true. We will follow up with the

  Mi-24D in this line. Although this will stem

  from the Mi-24V set, simplifying develop-

  ment, it will still take a bit of time. Other can-

  didates are the Zvezda Su-25 and 1:72 scale

  Hurricane from Arma Hobby.

  BRASSIN and PHOTOETCHED

  Within the scope of the smaller 3D printed

  Brassin sets are two landing flap sets in 1:48

  scale: the Spitfire Mk.IX and the Fw 190D.

  Their variations will also show up in June re-

  leases, giving ample opportunity to examine

  these items and determine their use in your

  projects. Among 3D printed Brassin sets, we

  also have two ship items in 1:350, and there is

  also a ship set in the Space line. Ship sets will

  continue to be released the following month

  as well. Besides 3D prints, we will be offering

  two sets of watertight doors in the Space

  line. Space and photoetched items will also

  be found for the 1:32 scale Hawk 81-A2, which

  was an export version of the P-40. Great Wall

  Hobby launched their P-40/Tomahawk line

  with this kit, and we will be following their

  release schedule. One of the Hawk 81 sets

  is a steel set for the seatbelts (32298 Hawk

  81-A2 Seatbelts STEEL 1:32), and is in direct

  competition with Space 3DL32006, which

  includes these belts as well. This is standard

  for Space sets that have cockpits as their

  subject matter. Reviews and other mentions

  of the Space sets seldom point out the fact

  that these are combination sets made up

  of 3D decals and colored steel photoetched

  components. This is the cream of the crop of

  what photoetching offers and are included in

  the Space sets in order to optimize the use

  of equipment consistent with what they are

  used to produce. Every technology brings to

  the table advantages and disadvantages. 3D

  printing is very good for the production of

  side panels and other surface details, and is

  even good for instrument panels, although I

  must admit that in my opinion, the best in-

  strument panel is still provided by colored

  photoetching. For details positioned inside

  spaces with relief protruding out from them,

  such as various levers, mirrors or those

  seatbelts, this technology is not optimal be

  cause the requirements for them fall out of

  the envelope of the capabilities demanded by

  such features. Photoetched steel then sim-

  ply becomes the best course of action. If you

  have doubts, take a look at a windshield wi-

  per, or compare seatbelts. If you still prefer

  the 3D print, then fine. It’s a personal choice.

  But we will not do anything that we consider

  an avoidable limit on what we offer our cus-

  tomers.

  AND SOMETHING TO READ…

  In today’s newsletter, you will find three new

  articles. Miro Barič continues to map out the

  air war over Ukraine with a daily account of

  the second month of the war. The other two

  are historical articles that have a connection

  to our modeling. That includes the first part

  of an article by Jan Bobek about Saburō Sa-

  kai, that, among other things, sets straight a

  few inaccuracies in the cult classic biography

  “Samurai”. These inaccuracies were inserted

  into the book thanks to the meddling of

  translators and editors of the original texts.

  They managed to turn this book into an odd

  mix of reality and fiction, not unlike another

  famous biography, The Big Show, about Pie-

  rre Clostermann. However, he himself was

  partially responsible for this, while Saburō

  Sakai was innocent of the inaccuracies and

  later objected to them. Saburō Sakai can no

  longer fight the mistakes, so Jan Bobek has

  taken up the fight to set the records straight,

  and I believe that he will find success. Reality

  is no less interesting than fiction. Also, the-

  re is an article by Yoav Efrati describing the

  service of the Avia S-199 in Israel.

  I hope you find this issue of the newsletter

  a good read. Happy Modelling!

  Vladimír Šulc

  EDDIE AND THE RIVETS

  INFO Eduard

  5

  May 2022

• Page 6

  HISTORY

  Sakai poses next to his Type 96 A5M Claude fighter at Hankow

  Air Base in 1939.

  Photo: Shori Tanaka

  Map Collections courtesy Stanford University Libraries

  The book “Samurai!” contains misinforma-

  tion dating back to its original publication.

  The culprit is Fred Saito, who translated Sakai's

  memoirs into English, so that some events are

  portrayed in the book with incorrect dates or in

  complete contradiction to reality. In this article,

  I describe Sakai's career from the perspective

  of newly available archival documents that se-

  veral authors have worked with over the years.

  I have made a modest addition to their work,

  providing an overview of the combat sorties Sa-

  kai made in late 1941 and during 1942. The text

  refers to inconsistencies in various earlier pu-

  blications that conflict with the records of the

  units in which Sakai served. The article does not

  describe all the victories that Sakai achieved in

  1942 during the air battles in Rabaul and New

  Guinea, according to contemporary documents.

  For a detailed description of these and an ana-

  lysis of Allied losses, I recommend the excellent

  publication Eagles of the Southern Sky.

  Saburō Sakai was born on August 26, 1916,

  in the village of Nishiyoka (Saga prefecture).

  His father Haruichi and mother Hide belonged

  to ancient Samurai families. Despite their noble

  origins, the family was one of the poorest in an

  already quite a poor village. In 1929, Saburō mo-

  ved to Tokyo, where he lived in his uncle's family.

  However, the studies were too difficult, he failed

  to graduate and had to return home in shame.

  He then spent the next two years doing agricul-

  tural work. Navy airplanes often flew overhead

  and it started to inspire him. Once when he saw

  a Navy recruitment poster, he made his decision.

  On May 1, 1933, he joined naval training at Sasebo.

  He successively served on the battleships Kiris-

  hima and Haruna as a gunner of 6-inch (15cm)

  gun while attaining the rank of Petty Officer 3rd

  Class and he often saw various aircraft ope-

  rating from the Haruna. Sakai, in whose veins

  flowed samurai blood, was not happy with the

  life on board of a warship. He realized he could

  Saburō Sakai is a legend of the history of military avi-

  ation, even though there were several Japanese pi-

  lots who have achieved more victories. It's not just

  the book “Samurai!” that makes him so special. It is

  also because how differently, almost rebelliously,

  he acted during the war and what he has helped to

  accomplish after the war to connect the Japanese so-

  ciety with US veterans and public.

  text: Jan Bobek

  INFO Eduard6

  May 2022

• Page 7

  Photo: Shizuo Fukui

  Photo: AWM

  Photo: Shizuo Fukui

  HISTORY

  not fulfill his individuality as a sailor and deci-

  ded to become a fighter pilot. His uncle tried to

  talk to him, but in vain. Sakai was twice rejected

  at the entrance exam but was successful in the

  third (in June 1936) and was admitted to the 38th

  Pilot Training Class (March to October 1937).

  He was one of 70 to be accepted from 1,500

  applicants. Twenty-five of these graduated as

  pilots. On March 10, 1937 Sakai enlisted in Ka-

  sumigaura Kōkūtai and on April 1 conducted his

  first flight.

  In his book, Sakai describes the almost unbe-

  lievable brutality of flight school training. Some

  of the methods were tragicomic from today's

  perspective. For example, recruits were tasked

  with catching as many flies as possible in flight

  and catching them by the wings without harming

  them (Samurai!; page 29). The purpose was to

  accelerate conditioned reflexes. Imagine stu-

  dent pilots running around in a training area,

  waving their arms wildly and catching flies.

  Funny, isn't it? However, after a short time,

  no fly at Tsuchiura Air Base could be sure if it

  would see twilight in peace.

  Sakai completed his pilot training in Novem-

  ber 30, 1937 as the best student of the year for

  which he received a silver watch from the Em-

  peror. The gift was given to him through Prince

  Fushimi and the ceremony was published in the

  Osaka Mainichi on November 9, 1937. Sakai gra-

  duated as a carrier pilot, alt-

  hough he was never assigned

  to aircraft-carrier duty.

  Among the Sakai classma-

  tes was also Kenji Okabe (15

  v.), who on May 8, 1942, got

  eight victories in one combat flight to achieve

  performance that was surpassed only by Shō-

  -ichi Sugita. In his memoirs Sakai mistakenly

  stated that it was seven victories in three com-

  bat flights. Also the information that Okabe fell

  in September 1943 over Bougainville is wrong.

  Okabe survived the end of the war at Kōkūtai

  601.

  The fighter training Sakai received with Saeki

  Kōkūtai and on April 9, 1938 he was assigned to

  Ómura Kōkūtai.

  CHINA

  Petty Officer 3rd Class Sakai first served with

  the Óita Kōkūtai. At this time, the Chinese con-

  flict was ongoing and like every young fighter

  pilot in Japan , he was eager for combat expe-

  rience. On September 11, 1938, he was assigned

  to 12th Kōkūtai, which was using A5M Type 96

  "Claude" fighters in mainland China. Finally, Sa-

  kai´s task was to confront enemy in air combat.

  Sakai achieved his first victory on October 5,

  1938 (not May 21, 1939, as stated in his memo-

  ries). That day, fifteen fighters, under the le-

  adership of Lt Takahide Aioi, took off to perform

  a patrol over the Chinese city of Hankow. Sakai

  flew as Aioi's second wingman. Japanese pla-

  nes attacked Chinese Polikarpov I-16 fighters.

  Sakai left the formation and attacked the Chi-

  nese all by himself. During the duel that follo-

  wed, he possibly broke all the rules of aviation

  combat. Still, he managed to get the Polikarpov

  down and happily returned without ammuniti-

  on back to his formation. After landing Lt Aioi

  yelled at Sakai. "Sakai! You're a damn fool, Sa-

  kai! It's a miracle you're still alive! I did not see

  in my life such a clumsy and ridiculous flying!”

  (Samurai!, Page 37). What did Aioi thought when

  he met Sakai at the end of the war with the elite

  Kōkūtai 343? By then, Aioi had 10 victories and

  Sakai several times more!

  The Chinese 26th Pursuit Squadron flew to Han-

  kow during the day to provide defense against

  bombers and intercepted

  Japanese aircraft. The new

  squadron commander Huang

  Han-Wen was seriously

  wounded and conducted

  a forced landing at the out-

  skirts of the city. He was sent to Hong Kong

  for medical treatment, but died March 20, 1939,

  during surgery. Soviet volunteer Lieutenant I. P.

  Podogov was listed as killed on October 5 but

  The battleship Kirishima at Tsukumowan on May 10, 1937. Sakai was assigned to this ship after he completed basic training.

  It was sunk at Guadalcanal in November 1942.

  Saburō Sakai in his Type 96 fighter “3-107” over China.

  The battleship Haruna photographed in 1934. She was sunk at her moorings on July 28, 1945 and later raised and scrapped

  in 1946. In 1935, Sakai successfully passed the competitive examinations for the Naval Gunners' School. Sakai served on the

  battleship Haruna as a turret gunner.

  "Sakai! You're a damn fool, Sakai!

  It's a miracle you're still alive! I did

  not see in my life such a clumsy

  and ridiculous flying!”

  INFO Eduard

  7

  May 2022

• Page 8

  there is no information about the place of his

  burial (according to other data he is listed as

  killed in a flying accident and buried at Hami).

  Sakai was promoted to Petty Officer Second

  Class rank on May 1, 1939. Almost a year later

  after his first victory, on October 3, 1939, Sakai

  claimed a SB-2 bomber with Chinese insignia

  over Icheng. “Surprisingly, they were much

  faster than I expected.” Sakai had to fly more

  than 150 miles before hitting one of the bombers

  that had raided Hankow Airport, which was al-

  ready in hands of the Japanese. Thanks to this

  performance he became famous overnight and

  returned home as a hero. The reality was slight-

  ly different, first of all, Japanese airbase was

  located beyond range of SB bombers.

  On this day, the airbase prepared festivities for

  the receipt of new aircraft ferried from Japan.

  Here representatives of the fleet command and

  the city authorities were assembled. Nine DB-

  -3s crewed by Soviet airmen led by Capt. G. A.

  Kulishenko flew to the target secretly, in a tight

  wedge, maintaining radio silence. They attacked

  as the ceremony was in progress. Aircraft stood

  in four rows, wingtip to wingtip. From an alti-

  tude of 8,700 meters the Soviets dropped mix

  of high-explosive, fragmentation-high explos-

  ive, and incendiary bombs. According to the re-

  ports of the crews, most of the bombs exploded

  along the rows of aircraft, which were tossed

  in every direction from the force of the blasts,

  with many burning. Antiaircraft weapons re-

  mained silent. Only a single fighter (Sakai) took

  off from the enormous bonfire below, but

  he was unable to catch the departing

  and lightened DB-3s.

  On the airfield, 64 aircraft were

  found destroyed or damaged

  with 130 people killed and 300

  wounded. The fuel reserves

  burned three hours. Japanese

  sources confirm the loss of 50

  machines, seven senior officers of

  Captain and higher rank were killed,

  and 12 more were wounded. Amongst the latter

  ones was Rear Admiral Tsukahara, commander

  of the Japanese Air Flotilla. The airfield com-

  mandant was killed as well. After this disaster,

  a mourning period was ordered.

  Next task for Sakai was to join Ómura Kōkūtai

  in mid-1940, where, as an instructor, he had to

  pass on the experience to newcomers. In the

  meantime, 12th Kōkūtai became the first navy

  unit to enter the fight with revolutionary Mitsu-

  bishi A6M Zero fighter (Chunning raid on Sep-

  tember 13, 1940).

  In April 1941 Sakai returned to his

  old 12th Kōkūtai and in June he

  was promoted to Petty Officer 1st

  Class. He gained another victory

  on August 11, when he shot down

  over, with Zero marked as 3-116,

  a “beautifully colored biplane”

  over Chengdu, identified as Po-

  likarpov I-15. It was a dawn attack on

  Chengdu and four I-153s of the 29th PS sc-

  rambled. Squadron Commander Tang Zhouli and

  two of his deputies, Wang Chongshi and Huang

  Rongfa were killed in the ensuing combat. Du-

  ring this combat the last I-153s were destroyed.

  According to his logbook, Sakai´s last victory

  in China came on August 21, 1941, when he shot

  down an I-16. However official records of 12th

  Kōkūtai confirm only first of Sakai´s victories

  over China. This discrepancy with official unit

  records is typical for many parts of English edi-

  tion of book “Samurai!” as well as for some en-

  tries in Sakai´s logbook as presented by Henry

  Sakaida in his book Winged Samurai.

  PHILIPPINES

  Sakai was transferred in October 1941 to newly

  formed Tainan Kōkūtai in Tainan on Formosa

  (Taiwan), subordinated under 23rd Air Flotilla

  (Kōkū Sentai). Tainan Kōkūtai was commanded

  by Captain Masahisa Saitó, the executive officer

  was Commander Yasuna Kozono and the fighter

  pilots were led by Hikótaichó Lt Hideki Shingó.

  Before the outbreak of war in the Pacific the

  Tainan Kōkūtai had at disposal 45 fighters A6M

  Zero Type 21 and twelve older A5M Type 96 Clau-

  de fighters along with six reconnaissance C5N

  Babs. Another fourteen A6Ms and several A5M

  HISTORY

  Saburō Sakai posing on a 250 kg bomb during his assignment

  in China.

  Photo: AWM

  The A6M2 from Tainan Kōkūtai (c/n 3372) be-

  came the rst Zero to reach Allied hands in

  repairable condition. One of Sakai's colleagu-

  es crashed it on Chinese territory on Novem-

  ber 26, 1941 and was captured. For details,

  see the April 2022 issue of INFO magazine on

  page 12, or the Zero Zero Zero! scale kit.

  This image from the Chinese base shows

  the machine undergoing repairs with the

  code painted over on the tail surfaces. The

  aircraft bore the typical design of the Tai-

  nan Kōkūtai markings from the early months

  of the Pacic War - a white code with red

  outline. In the spring of 1942, the code de-

  sign was changed to black, which made the

  codes easier to read during air operations.

  The purpose and color of the stripes on the

  tail surfaces and fuselages bands of the Tai-

  nan Kōkūtai planes are still the subject of de-

  bate. The bands on the fuselage (one or two)

  may have assigned the machines to dierent

  ghter Divisions (Buntai) within an Air Group

  (Kōkūtai) by their colour. However, other ex-

  planations are possible. The stripes on the

  tail surfaces are usually assigned to identify

  the leaders of tactical formations. One hori-

  zontal stripe apparently identied the leader

  of the Shōtai (three planes) and two stripes

  probably identied the leader the Chūtai

  (usually made up of three Shōtai).

  (

  Photo: USAF)

  INFO Eduard8

  May 2022

• Page 9

  were commanded by Lt Kiku-ichi Inano in frame

  of 22nd Air Flotilla participating in the campaign

  in Malaya.

  Sakai was named as a Shótai leader (Shótaichó,

  leader of flight with three aircraft), which was

  remarkable due to fact he was only Petty Offi-

  cer. But there were several other Petty Officer

  pilots in Tainan Kōkūtai with similar privilege,

  apparently due to lack of officers and large

  number of unit´s flying personnel before the

  outbreak of Pacific war. Sakai was also named

  training leader of Lt JG. Jun-ichi Sasai, who gra-

  duated in November 1941. Although Sasai (future

  ace with 27 victories) was an officer, he was one

  of those who were willing to break barriers be-

  tween officers and airmen with lower ranks. He

  even became friend of Sakai.

  There was a strict barrier in Japanese Navy be-

  tween officers and lower ranks personnel. This

  barrier was present in all aspects of military

  life, including food. Not only in case of separa-

  ted area for dining, but also food quality, supply

  of alcohol and tobacco. And that was something

  that was irritating to Sakai. In order to improve

  food supply, he stole a chicken from local inha-

  bitants. The case was quickly solved and Sakai

  became subject of criticism from officers. But it

  did not stop him to steal some pigs from locals

  later on! He also got access to supply of kanaka

  tobacco with some content of opium. That was

  already too much for young officer Sasai and

  they had an argument about it.

  On the morning of December 8, Japanese naval

  air units attacked US airfields in the Philippines.

  Take-off was, however, delayed by bad wea-

  ther. Therefore, the take-off took place as late

  as 10.00 am. The mission was focused against

  the Philippine bases Clark Field and Del Carmen

  performed by 25 twin-engine Nells from 1st Kō-

  kūtai and 27 Betty bombers of Takao Kōkūtai

  with escort of 36 A6Ms from Tainan Kōkūtai.

  Navy airmen had lost the opportunity to attack

  the enemy in the Philippines first, because al-

  ready at 7.00 am army bombers of 8th and 14th

  Hikó Sentai bombed the Tuguegarao and Baguio

  bases. During flight from Formosa one Nell

  bomber and two Zeroes separated from Sakai´s

  formation due to engine problems and returned

  back earlier. The Japanese formation arrived

  under the command of Lt Shingo over Clark

  Field at 13.30.

  Bombers dropped their bomb load on the ai-

  rport and Shingo's pilots accompanied them

  for another ten minutes on a return flight.

  Then they turned back and carried out a series

  of strafing attacks on American machines at

  the Clark Field. Sakai with his wingmen, Petty

  Officer 3rd Class Toshiaki Honda and Petty Offi-

  cer 2nd Class Kazu-o Yokokawa, destroyed two

  parked Boeing B-17s and then attacked the five-

  -member group of Curtiss P-40. Sakai managed

  to shoot down one Curtiss and the victory was

  confirmed by Honda.

  His victim could be Lt Sam Grashio of 21st Pur-

  suit Squadron, who led another five P-40s over

  Clark Field. He was attacked by two Zeroes (Sa-

  kai and Honda?) and a cannon projectile went

  through the left half of his wing, leaving a huge

  hole. However, Grashio managed to escape in

  the dive.

  On December 8, 85 fighters of Tainan and 3rd

  Kōkūtai claimed a total of 23 certain, 2 proba-

  ble victories and 1 airplane forced to crash (C.

  Shores does not even mention Sakai's victory).

  On the ground, they destroyed about 80 aircraft

  (C. Shores reports 47). A record long-distance

  flight of 1200 miles made by pilots of both fighter

  Kōkūtai during their flight from Formosa to the

  Philippines and back, became a routine matter

  during the following days.

  Two days later, on December 10, 1941, Tainan Kō-

  kūtai made cover for the landing in Vigan. The

  vessels were attacked by a lone Boeing B-17

  from 19th Bomb Group piloted by Capt. Colin P.

  Kelly Jr. The bomber was intercepted by several

  pilots of 1st and 2nd Chútai of Tainan Kōkūtai.

  At last near Clark Field it began to burn, and

  Kelly ordered his crew to bail out; the aircraft

  HISTORY

  Heroic battle of Capt. Kelly´s B-17 crew againt overwhelming

  number of Tainan Kōkūtai fighters is one of top stories from

  start of Pacific war. This painting of Capt. Colin P. Kelly, Jr.,

  displayed in the Air Power Gallery at the National Museum

  of the U.S. Air Force, was painted by Deane Keller of Yale

  University.

  Pilots of No. 75 Squadron RAAF at Port Moresby walk from their aircraft in August 1942. Identified, left to right: Flight Lieutenant

  Lex D'Arcy Winten, Squadron Leader Les D. Jackson, Flight Lieutenant J. W. W. Piper and Flying Officer Peter Addison Masters.

  Photo of Brewster Buffalo in Dutch national markings, probably photographed still in USA before delivery to Royal Netherlands

  Air Force. Saburō Sakai fought several times against Dutch airmen in early 1942.

  Photo: U.S. Air Force photo via Wikimedia Commons.

  Photo: SDASM

  Photo: AWM

  INFO Eduard

  9

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  HISTORY

  then blew up, killing him. Kelly was honored

  with DSO in memoriam, as his last action was

  attributed to the sinking of the battleship Ha-

  runa (note 1). According to Sakai no vessel was

  hit by bomber. Besides that, he claims that the

  victory over the bomber could not be attribu-

  ted to anybody and Japanese authorities did not

  recognize it because the crash of the airplane

  was not observed by anybody.

  However, the victory is noted in his logbook and

  the confusion is even greater due to informati-

  on that Sakai's victory was not recognized (C.

  Shores) and was credited to five of his collea-

  gues as a shared one. Author of this article had

  opportunity to study Tainan Kōkūtai unit diary

  and the mission record shows that the B-17 was

  intercepted by 16 Zero pilots, five of them were

  shooting at the bomber (Sakai was not among

  them) while one shooting pilot’s Zero was hit

  twice by defense fire. Victory was recognized

  as shared to all 16 pilots including Sakai.

  During another patrol over the Philippines,

  on December 12, Tainan Kōkūtai repeatedly

  attacked Catalinas on the surface of the Gulf of

  Subic. Another target, Clark Field found protec-

  tion under the low cloud layer and so 1. Chútai

  turned to the Iba base. Here, during strafing,

  they destroyed six Curtiss P-40s, including two

  by Sakai. Then an anti-aircraft fire hit his pla-

  ne and forced him to land prematurely at Vigan

  further northwards. The ground crews repaired

  the machine and Sakai could return to Formosa

  on the next day with a leg injury.

  On the same day that Sakai's fighter was da-

  maged, the Japanese landed near Legazpi in

  southeastern Luzon. As early as December 14,

  Legazpi was in Japanese hands, and the 2nd

  Chútai of Tainan Kōkūtai, led by Lt. Setó landed

  over there.

  It is interesting to note that according to unit

  diary Sakai performed very few combat flights

  during December 1941. January was not diffe-

  rent. Tainan Kōkūtai performed combat flights

  every day with usual minimum number of six

  planes, often 10 or more. There were days when

  several operations were performed. However,

  during January 1942 Sakai flew just 9 combat

  flights, followed by 11 missions in February. Sa-

  kai was always flying as leader of Shótai with

  three aircraft, but on several occasions he even

  led formation of several Shótais.

  BORNEO

  Coming the end of 1941, the fate of the defenders

  of Philippines was also over. Next target was

  Borneo with its American and Dutch defenders.

  Tainan Kōkūtai transferred between December

  26 and January 7, 1942, to Jolo Island (Horo-

  -tó). Thanks to the rapid advance of Japanese

  combat units, on January 11, another base was

  in their hands, this time on Tarakan, lying west

  of Borneo. The airport was operational from Ja-

  nuary 16, and Tainan Kōkūtai continued patrol

  flights over Borneo.

  On Saturday, January 24, 1941, Japanese for-

  ces landed on Balikpapan, and their ships were

  attacked several times by Dutch and American

  bombers. Six Zeroes of Tainan Kōkūtai inter-

  cepted eight attacking B-17s. This group of Ja-

  panese fighters was then relieved by another

  flight from the same unit, led by Petty Officer

  1st Class Kunioshi Tanaka (17 victories), who

  made several attacks even though he was in-

  jured by defense fire. Allegedly, he shot down

  a four-engine bomber that collided with ano-

  ther one. Both were credited to him as confir-

  med victories. The third B-17 was shot down by

  Tanaka’s wingman Petty Officer 3rd Class Takeo

  Matsuda in cooperation with Sakai (Hata-Izawa

  page 266). Sakai in his memoirs depicts Tanaka

  as unharmed, but enraged, for, as he claimed,

  no bomber was shot down and the Americans

  hit a tanker that had begun to burn. In addition,

  Sakai according to his own words did not take

  part in this combat, but B-17 was mentioned in

  his logbook as well as in unit diary (note 2). On

  American side three B-17s suffered light da-

  mage during the combat.

  The very next day, January 25, the Tainan Kō-

  kūtai members intercepted Glenn Martin bom-

  bers. Their crews attempted to attack Japanese

  vessels off Balikpapan. It was probably during

  this fight Sakai has won two victories over the

  medium bombers that he has chased up to Ban-

  jarmasin where he shot them down.

  In the afternoon, the patrolling Zeroes attacked

  seven Boeing B-17 bombers from the 7th and

  19th Bomb Group. The Japanese performed well

  but lost two pilots themselves. Sakai with his

  wingman Sadao Uehara also attacked the Ame-

  rican formation, although it is not clear whether

  the two airmen performed the attack before or

  after the attack by their patrolling colleagu-

  es. After a great deal of effort, they managed

  to seriously damage a four-engine bomber, but

  the victory could only be verified the next day

  when the crashed machine was photographed

  by Japanese reconnaissance pilots. A total of

  five bombers were forced to land after the ba-

  ttle. As far as it is known, the only victory was

  credited to Uehara. Uehara achieved thirteen

  victories, according to his own records, by the

  end of the war.

  JAVA

  On January 30, Tainan Kōkūtai, together with the

  23rd Air Flotilla, moved to the conquered Balik-

  papan. From this airbase, starting from Febru-

  ary 3, 1942, series of raids on eastern Java were

  performed together with 3rd Kōkūtai. The Japa-

  nese themselves praised the qualities of Flying

  Fortresses and openly discussed difficulties

  Pvt. Irving Weibel and Pfc. Lester W. Hengen apply a coat of liquid wax to the surface of an overhauled Bell P-39 at the 4th Air

  Depot Engine Overhaul And Repair Shop at Garbutt Field, Townsville. This P-39D of the 39th FS, 35th FG was flown by Capt.

  Curran L. “Jack” Jones for at least the first of his five confirmed aerial victories. Jones shot down W.O. Satoshi Yoshino from

  Tainan Kōkūtai on June 9, 1942, over Cape Ward Hunt. Yoshino probably flew the well-known Zero “V-117” carrying Buntaichó

  markings. The production batch for this particular Airacobra replaced the 37mm cannon with a Hispano-Suiza 20mm (externally

  identifiable by its longer barrel, compared to the 37mm), an option normally found only in the P-400 export version.

  Sqn. Ldr. John Jackson returned to Port Moresby in the US

  Douglas A-24 Dauntless aircraft after a walk through the

  jungle from Lae area, after his aircraft was shot down by Tai

  -

  nan Kōkūtai. A distinguished fighter pilot, Sqn. Ldr. Jackson

  served with No. 23 Squadron in Australia (1939), No. 3

  Squadron in the Middle East (1940-1941) and No. 75 Squadron

  in Papua New Guinea (1942). He was killed in action on April

  28, 1942, during a dogfight with PO2c Hideo Izumi

  (9 v.) of Tainan Kōkūtai. He is buried in Bomana War Cemetery.

  Jackson International Airport, Port Moresby, commemorates

  his name.

  Photo: AWM

  Photo: Fold3

  INFO Eduard10

  May 2022

• Page 11

  they had during clashes with these four-en-

  gine monsters. But very soon they discovered

  a reliable method of fighting them – the frontal

  attack. Their colleagues from Luftwaffe were

  going to find out the same method later.

  The new tactics could be tested on February

  8 over Surabaya. At 10.40 am nine Tainan Kō-

  kūtai fighters met by co-incidence eight B-17s

  of 7th Bomb Group, led by Capt. J. L. Dufran Jr.

  His airplane was the first going down during

  the attack, followed by two more aircraft. The

  other three machines suffered extensive da-

  mage. The Japanese claimed the downing of

  two and probable downing of three Boeings in

  cooperation with all the participants. Sakai got

  credit for one confirmed shared victory. Ame-

  rican gunners were convinced that they had

  shot down five Zeroes, in fact only two were

  damaged.

  Command of 23rd Air Flotilla decided that an

  attack on the Javan airfield Surabaya would

  take place on February 19. The raid was carried

  out by 18 bombers with escort of 23 Zeroes of

  Tainan Kōkūtai. Bad weather goaded the bom-

  bers crews to focus to alternative target. Ho-

  wever, fighters continued on and over Surabaya

  they encountered “30 to 50 P-40s and P-36s.”

  After the fight Sakai claimed the downing of

  three Curtiss P-36s and one P-40. The Japane-

  se reported a total of 14 certain and 3 proba-

  ble victories. Americans lost three aircraft and

  four other crash landed. They themselves clai-

  med five Zeroes. However, only Lt Masao Asai of

  2nd Chútai fell victim to their fire (Sakai talks

  about two fallen colleagues). It is interesting

  that both Chútais of Tainan Kōkūtai participa-

  ting in the fight, reported seven kills each. Ap-

  parently, claims were doubled, as Sakai himself

  admits. The Dutchmen fought in Java, but in its

  western part, not over Surabaya. Although C.

  Shores states that in the fight were shot down

  seven Americans, 17. Pursuit Squadron lost

  only three machines from the ten that took-off

  against Japanese (note 3).

  Sakai experienced another battle on last day

  of February. A group of Japanese bombers

  attacked the port of Surabaya on Java. Seve-

  ral American P-40s and Dutch Buffalos were

  sent against the attackers. The Dutch fighters

  relocated to this area at the end of February.

  The Americans, however failed to get closer,

  because of the reduced performance of their

  engines due to difficult climatic conditions and

  rather poor status of their aircraft. However,

  the Dutchmen had more “luck” thus had to fight

  with the escorting Zeroes belonging to Tainan

  Kōkūtai. In a wild dogfight Sakai shot down one

  Brewster Buffalo that spun down into a storm

  cloud.

  Buffalo belonged to Dutch fighter unit 1-VIG

  -

  V.

  Ens. C. A. Vonck was shot down and bailed out,

  another pilot bailed out as well, this time for

  a technical fault on the engine. Beside Sakai,

  one kill was also claimed by Petty Officer 3rd

  Class Saburō Nozawa.

  After the dogfight during which Sakai detached

  himself from the others, he noticed a lone DC-3

  (Australian?) airliner and was going to attack

  the plane. But before he launched the deadly

  fire of his weapons, he stopped to think of him-

  self as a warrior, and he slowly flew along the

  twin-engine plane. What was his surprise when

  he saw the blonde lady with child in her arms!

  Sakai firstly suspected that an important per-

  son was on board and thought about guiding it

  to the Japanese base. But the lady was similar

  to Mrs. Martin, a very kind American lady who

  taught him English in the middle school. He de-

  cided to overlook the aircraft and signaled to

  the pilot of the enemy aircraft to escape and

  told the superior that "I lost sight of it in the

  clouds" after returning home.

  In early March pilots of Tainan Kōkūtai were

  busy with patrols and escorts over Java. Sakai

  performed just two combat missions on March

  1 and 3. On the latter date he participated in the

  destruction of PBY Catalina on the base at Chi-

  rachapu, Java. The flight of six pilots including

  Sakai expended 3250 rounds of ammunition,

  while only one of their Zeros sustained damage,

  a single bullet hole.

  NEW GUINEA

  After the victorious end of the campaign in

  Dutch East India, the Tainan Kōkūtai performed

  their last flights over that area on March 9. Part

  of the pilots was sent to Japan, while another

  HISTORY

  Warming up prior to a takeoff a Martin B-26 Marauder of the

  22nd Bomb Group on an Allied airfield preparing for a raid

  against Japanese bases in New Guinea. In the center is B-26

  (40-1437). In late March 1942 the plane was assigned to the

  22nd Bombardment Group, Headquarters Squadron. Nickna-

  med “Shamrock” with the nose art of a three leaf clover

  below the name. This ship also participated in famous mission

  on June 9, 1942. She was destroyed by Japanese bombing raid

  in Port Moresby on August 17, 1942.

  Photo: AWM

  Future US president Lyndon B. Johnson was a congressman when he was appointed a Lieute-

  nant Commander in the naval reserve in June 1940. He reported for duty after Pearl Harbor

  in December 1941, and served in 1942 as an aerial observer in Australia and New Guinea.

  For participation on June 9, 1942, mission with 22nd Bomb Group he was awarded the Silver

  Star by General Douglas MacArthur. He resigned his commission in July 1942 in compliance

  with President Roosevelt’s order that all congressmen in the armed forces shall return to

  their legislative duties. The photo in front of B-17D Flying Fortress, “Swoose” (40-3097) shows

  him on the June 9 in New Guinea. On the way back to Australia the B-17 had to perform emer-

  gency landing. This legendary B-17 was initially assigned to the 19th Bomb Group at Hickham

  aireld on May 14, 1941. It relocated to Java on December 30, 1941. It returned to the United

  States on November 17, 1944. It was used as a personal hack for Lt. Gen. George H. Brett, and

  later as a VIP transport aircraft. It is the longest serving B-17 in the USAAF. “Swoose” is now

  on display at the National Air and Space Museum (N.A.S.M), in Washington.

  (Photo: Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum/NARA)

  INFO Eduard

  11

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  HISTORY

  part was sent to Rabaul on board of cargo ship

  Komaki Maru. From the new air base Tainan Kō-

  kūtai including Sakai performed first patrols on

  March 22, and before end of March Sakai parti-

  cipated in two more missions.

  Next stop was Lae airfield in New Guinea, whe-

  re 4th Kōkūtai was active since March. Fighter

  pilots of 4th Kōkūtai, including future figh-

  ter legend Hiroyshi Nishizawa, were officially

  included in Tainan Kōkūtai on April 1, 1942. The

  unit was also transferred under the command

  of newly founded 25th Air Flotilla.

  Before Tainan Kōkūtai pilots managed to score

  against enemy over New Guinea, they became

  target. On April 5, PO2c Takuró Yoshi´e was shot

  down near Port Moresby by Australian pilot

  “Les” Jackson, brother of legendary squadron

  commander John Jackson. Both belonged to No.

  75 Squadron RAAF equipped with Kittyhawks.

  This unit based at Port Moresby was in March

  the single fighter unit in the area. “Old John”

  Jackson managed to motivate and transform his

  pilots from a group of newbies to serious adver-

  saries for the Japanese Navy veterans. In April,

  the Allied fighters in Port Moresby

  area were reinforced by Americans

  with Airacobras.

  Some sources state that on April

  11 Sakai claimed two Airacobras in

  dogfight over Port Moresby. There

  were two Allied planes shot down

  on that day, one Kittyhawk with

  pilot captured and one Douglas

  A-24 went down with both crew-

  men killed. But, according to Tainan

  Kōkūtai unit diary, Sakai did not fly

  any mission on that day, moreover

  Sakai did not fly a single mission

  during whole April 1942! It is not

  clear what was the reason for Sa-

  kai´s absence from combat activity.

  But May 1942 was a very different

  story, and Sakai flew 22 combat sorties, his

  highest monthly total during World War II. Sa-

  kai scored his first victories over Port Moresby

  on May 2. Eight Zeros clashed there with seven

  Airacobras of the 8th FG and three Kittyhawks

  of the No. 75 Sq. RAAF. Sakai scored two P-40s

  shot and one in cooperation.

  The Americans with Airacob-

  ras reported four kills. The Ja-

  panese, however, lost a single

  Zero and its pilot, PO1c Haruo Kawanishi. When

  the Japanese fighters returned to base, their

  mechanics found that Sakai had fired 610 rounds

  from the guns during the fight, about 200 rounds

  per kill. The Japanese reported a total of eight

  victories and one in cooperation. The Allies lost

  only Australian Sgt. D. W. Munro in the fight. One

  of the Zeros' weaknesses – low speed in dive

  – became obvious during the engagement. The

  Allied pilots easily escaped by diving and the

  Japanese were unable to pursue them.

  During the very next day, while escorting bom-

  bers over Port Moresby, Sakai claimed two

  downed Airacobras from the 8th FG and his

  colleagues two more. The Americans lost two

  machines and pilots, but one was apparently

  killed by board gunners and the other remained

  missing after a fierce aerial battle.

  The Australians were about to leave Port Mo-

  resby. Over a period of a little longer than

  a month, they had achieved 18 certain victories,

  for which they had lost a total of 20 machines

  (including three on the ground). US 8th FG left

  Port Moresby Seven Mile Drome at the begi-

  nning of June after being replaced in the second

  half of May by 39th Fighter Squadron (35th FG).

  As we can see, the Allies continually replaced

  the losses suffered in heavy combat by ex-

  change of combat units. The Japanese could not

  afford such luxury, so Tainan Kōkūtai was for-

  ced to fight alone and almost without reinforce-

  ment over the jungles of New Guinea.

  Sakai´s struggle to get better conditions for

  him and his men continued also on New Guinea.

  In these primitive conditions better treatment

  of officers was even more obvious. Therefore,

  Sakai decided to steal food and cigarettes from

  officer´s supplies. He even involved in that his

  wingman Toshiaki Honda,

  who was caught and as tra-

  ditional punishment severely

  beaten. But commander finally

  arranged improvement of conditions for enlis-

  ted pilots.

  Even long after the war Saburō Sakai pointed

  out that one of his main priorities was to ensure

  safety of his wingmen. One of them was Honda

  who said, “As long as I fly with Sakai, I will not be

  shot down.” He was probably right. On the day,

  when this rule was broken, he lost his life. The

  incident occurred on May 13, 1942. Ensign Wa-

  tari Handa (13 victories) asked Sakai to borrow

  his wingman Honda for a reconnaissance flight

  over Port Moresby. Sakai regarded Watari Han-

  da as a very experienced pilot, and therefore did

  not see any reason, why to refuse it. As Handa´s

  wingmen flew Petty Officer 3rd Class Honda and

  Petty Officer 1st Class Masu-aki Endó (14 victo-

  ries), the other flight was led by Hiroyoshi Nishi-

  zawa (87 v.). Honda protested, but Sakai calmed

  him down “Do not worry, he's a better pilot than

  I am. Go!” It should be added that, according to

  the original version of this interview, Sakai has

  silenced Honda in a much stronger way (note

  4). Handa´s formation took-off from Lae at 10.15

  and around 12.00 the six Zeroes arrived to Se-

  ven Mile Drome area at Port Moresby. Japanese

  formation claimed one B-26 (that was actually

  damaged) and one Airacobra whose pilot bailed

  out and later returned to unit. The remaining

  seven P-39 pilots from 8th FG were more than

  ready for that fight which lasted an impressive

  forty minutes. Capt. Paul G. Brown attacked at

  an altitude of 8,000 feet the Japanese forma-

  tion with an altitude advantage about 500 feet.

  At the same time the Japanese were attacked

  by 1Lt. Elmer F. Ghram. Honda's machine got in

  Petty Officer pilots of the Tainan Kōkūtai pose at Lae in June 1942. Several

  of these aviators would be among the top Japanese aces, including Toshio Ōta

  (middle row, far left, 34 v.), Saburō Sakai (seated next to Ōta, second from

  the left) and Hiroyoshi Nishizawa (standing to the far left, 86 v.).

  One of most epic fights Sakai experienced over New Guinea was engagement on July 22, 1942 against Lockheed Hudson mas

  -

  terfully flown by P/O Warren Frank Cowan of 32. Sq RAAF. Cowan and his crew perished at the end of spectacular battle. During

  1998, Saburō Sakai wrote a letter to the Australian Department of Veterans Affairs, recommending Cowan for a medal, stating:

  “I recommend that Pilot Officer Warren F. Cowan be posthumously awarded your country's highest commendation. I have encoun-

  tered many brave pilots in my life but Warren F. Cowan stands alone.” The request was rejected on procedural grounds.

  Photo from 1943 shows three Hudsons from No. 6th Sq. RAAF over Milne Bay, New Guinea.

  “As long as I fly with Sakai,

  I will not be shot down.”

  Photo: Hajime Yoshida via Wikimedia Commons.

  Photo: Australia At War

  INFO Eduard12

  May 2022

• Page 13

  HISTORY

  a middle of cross-fire, exploded, and the pilot

  was instantly killed. The airplane crashed at the

  end of the runway.

  Both Americans were credited with a single vic-

  tory. They applied two basic rules in duels with

  Zeroes: “Hit and run” and “Don't dogfight”. In this

  case, it paid off. The shocked Sakai watched the

  return of the five Zeroes instead of the expected

  six. His faithful friend and wingman was dead.

  The apologies of Watari Handa were useless.

  It could not return Honda´s life. Handa did not

  stop to blame himself for the death of Sakai's

  wingman until the end of his life. According to

  Sakai's memories, Honda's score exceeded 15

  victories.

  In the middle of May, Sakai is said to have par-

  ticipated in one of the most epic events of Pa-

  cific war – aerobatics over enemy airfield. The

  story in book “Samurai!” says that on the night

  of 16 May, Sakai and his colleagues, Hiroyoshi

  Nishizawa and Toshio Ota, were listening to

  a broadcast of an Australian radio program,

  when Nishizawa recognized the eerie "Danse

  Macabre" of Camille Saint-Saëns. Inspired by

  this, Nishizawa came up with the idea of doing

  demonstration loops over the enemy airfield.

  The next day, Sakai´s flight included fellow aces

  Hiroyoshi Nishizawa and Toshio Ōta. At the end

  of an attack on Port Moresby that had involved

  18 Zeros, the trio performed three tight loops in

  close formation over the allied air base. Nishi-

  zawa indicated he wanted to repeat the perfor-

  mance. Diving to 6,000 ft (1,800 m), the three

  Zeros did three more loops, without receiving

  any AA fire from the ground. The following day,

  a lone Allied bomber flew over the Lae airfield

  and dropped a note attached to a long cloth ri-

  bbon. A soldier picked up the note and delivered

  to the squadron commander. It read (paraphra-

  sed): "Thank you for the wonderful display of ae-

  robatics by three of your pilots. Please pass on

  our regards and inform them that we will have a

  warm reception ready for them, next time they

  fly over our airfield". The unit commander was

  furious and reprimanded the three pilots for

  their stupidity, but the Tainan Kōkūtai's three

  leading aces felt Nishizawa's aerial choreogra-

  phy of the "Dance Macabre" had been worth it.

  Evidence in historical documents for this event

  is lacking. There are five days when the trio flew

  together, but May 17 is not matching. There are

  also no reports from Allied side of such activity

  of Japanese airmen over Allied airfield.

  FIGHTS WITH MEDIUM BOMBERS

  Saburō Several times Saburō Sakai clashed

  with American twin-engine bombers over New

  Guinea The first battle occurred on May 25, 1942.

  Six B-25 Mitchell belonging to 13th and 90th

  Bomb Squadron attacked Lae. Ten miles befo-

  re the target, the Americans noticed the star-

  ting Zeroes. The bombers successfully dropped

  their cargo and were departing from the target,

  accompanied by accurate flak fire. The Ame-

  rican formation was then attacked by fifteen

  Zeroes. Bomber pilots wanted to find protecti-

  on in low-level flight over the water. This was

  supposed to make fighter attacks more difficult.

  According to information from American side,

  When Allied units entered Buna airstrip on New Guinea at the end of 1942, they found a former Tainan Kōkūtai Zero which became subject of many photos and also souvenir hunting. A6M3 Type

  32 “V-187” (c/n 3028) carries typical markings of Tainan Kōkūtai – the V code and diagonal identification band. Latest research indicates this aircraft with shorter range belonged to Buna deta-

  chment of Tainan Kōkūtai and carried yellow markings. The Hókoku 870 marking with inscription Ko Gen indicates the aircraft was donated by civilian volunteer group.

  Photo: Fold3

  INFO Eduard

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  HISTORY

  at least two “Zeroes” crashed in flames into the

  sea. In fact, it was only Flyer1c Masao Watanabe,

  who, due to the pilot error, crashed into sea sur-

  face and perished.

  The remaining 14 Japanese shot down five Mit-

  chells. The first to went down in flames was

  crew of Capt. Lowery, followed by crews of Lt.

  Shearer, Lt. Wilson, Lt. Rulison and finally the

  machine of Lt. Hesselbarth. Lt. Talley made it

  with his heavily damaged aircraft back to Port

  Moresby, where he crash landed on the Seven

  Mile Drome. He could talk about the luck that

  they had surviving with his crew, his Mitchell,

  was a write-off. Six victories were shared

  among participating pilots after the fight, inclu-

  ding Sakai.

  A few days later, on 28 May, Sakai won another

  victory over the bombers, this time against Ma-

  rauders of 22nd Bomb Group. Sakai, in coopera-

  tion with other pilots of Jun-ichi Sasai's formati-

  on attacked near Lae five American aircraft, and

  one of them crashed into the sea. Several of the

  crew got out of sinking wreck, but soon, as Sa-

  kai could testify, the sharks took care of them.

  It was a Martin B-26 Marauder serial number

  40-1467, belonging to the crew of 1/Lt Spears R.

  Lanford from 33rd Bomb Squadron (22nd BG).

  The Zero pilots claimed one more shot down

  Marauder as shared victory, but the crew made

  it back to Port Moresby with one dead on board.

  On the early morning of June 9, the 22nd Bomb

  Group was scheduled for a combat flight under

  the code name Tow Nine, but for some reason,

  the order for take-off according to the timetable

  did not come. The reason for the delay was the

  arrival of some “big bosses”, one of them was no

  other than the future US President Lyndon By-

  nes Johnson. Boeing B-17 with Johnson aboard

  arrived about an hour after the planned mission

  start. Johnson wanted to take part in the Tow

  Nine mission. It is certainly not possible to say

  that the arrival of VIPs would raise the enthusi-

  asm among the 22nd BG members. Johnson

  was to join the crew of the Marauder named

  “Wabash Cannonball”, but soon he left to get his

  camera. When he came back, he saw his place

  was occupied by another VIP, Lt. Col. Francis R.

  Stevens. So “Some important congressman”, as

  Johnson was identified by pilots, joined another

  Marauder’s crew , “Heckling Hare” with serial

  number 40-1488 and Lt. Walter H. Greer at the

  controls. Eleven machines took-off from Port

  Moresby at 8.51 under the command of 1Lt. Wal-

  ter A. Krella, who flew in his machine “Kansas

  Comet” (40-1433).

  Lae was attacked before 10.00 am by Mitchells

  and B-17s. Shortly thereafter, about two dozen

  Zeroes of Tainan Kōkūtai went to the air. Just

  a little later, at 10.02 the formation of Marauders

  arrived over Lae. During the fight that followed,

  the Japanese shot down the machine of com-

  mand flight “Wabash Cannonball” (40-1508) pi-

  loted Lt. Willis G. Bench. Together with the eight

  men of the crew also perished Lt. Col. Stevens.

  The four other machines were lightly damaged

  by the fire of the fighters and Lt. Pierre Powell

  had to belly land his Marauder (40-1363) at Port

  Moresby. This mission became subject of Martin

  Caidin's book “The Mission” in 1964. According to

  Caidin's account, Johnson's Marauder generator

  malfunctioned during the fight and the machine

  fell out of formation. The Bomber was then pur-

  sued by up to eight Zeroes and returned to the

  base with heavy damage. The Japanese repor-

  ted a total of four downed Marauders after the

  fight including two by Sakai. However, unit diary

  does indicate only four victories as shared for

  all participants.

  Lyndon B. Johnson and Lt. Col. Samuel Anderson

  were honored for the heroism shown during the

  air battle with Silver Star award by Gen. Dou-

  glas MacArthur. Lt. Col. Stevens received DSC

  (Distinguished Service Cross) in memoriam.

  Congressman and later President Johnson ne-

  ver forgot to display the Silver Star ribbon on

  his jacket flap.

  What about Johnson's diary? He says that on the

  way to the target the generator quit, therefore

  after 30 minutes he decided to turn back, so no

  air battle, no war drama. As already mentioned,

  Marauders arrived to target area at 10.02. But

  according to logbook of Greer´s Marauder with

  Johnson on board, the ship turned back halfway

  to the target and landed safely back in Port Mo-

  resby at 10.08, in fact at the same time when

  air battle was taking place far in the north. Let’s

  believe that fictive version of Johnson´s parti-

  cipation was done by authorities and not due

  to Johnson's dishonesty. After the war various

  Americans were repeatedly asking Sakai why

  could not shoot down the B-26 with Johnson on

  board!

  It also seems that the shooting down of Marau-

  der piloted by Lt. Bench is not as clear as it was

  supposed to be. According to 2Lt. Dewey C. Flint

  the Marauder crashed into the sea due to pilot

  error, not battle damage.

  Several times during the Pacific campaign, Sa-

  kai was surprised by the courage of the Allied

  airmen who opposed him in the air. But perhaps

  the most impressive encounter took place on

  July 22, 1942. Nine Zeroes under the command

  of Junichi Sasai took-off from Lae at 8:00 and

  arrived at 8:40 at Buna where Japanese lan-

  ding was ongoing. Sakai and others were quiet-

  ly circling at altitude 2000 m, when he suddenly

  heard the explosions from below. He looked at

  the beach and saw smoke rising from craters

  after bomb impacts. Someone attacked the Ja-

  panese landing!

  “It was very weird,” recalls Sakai, “I was sear-

  ching the sky, but I did not see anything. But

  a few moments later I saw a descending point in

  the distance. I thought it could be a B-25, B-26 or

  Douglas A-20 and was as fast as my Zero!”

  Sakai was the first to caught the bomber. It was

  an Australian Lockheed Hudson. The Zero pilot

  started to fire at the intruder and hoped to force

  him to maneuver and shorten the distance be-

  Lae airstrip on New Guinea was characteristic for its location at a seashore. US photo from air raid shows a narrow design of the

  airfield. Saburō Sakai spent more than two months of intensive front line service on this airbase.

  Photo: Fold3

  INFO Eduard14

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  HISTORY

  tween them. And the Hudson maneuvered inde-

  ed! His pilot performed a 90 degrees bank turn

  and attacked Sakai head-on with all weapons fi-

  ring! Sakai was forced to evade! The Australian

  was skillfully escaping attacks of angry Japa-

  nese and in addition pressed home well aimed

  fire from his gunners.

  The courageous pilot was P/O Warren F. Cowan

  of No 32 Sqn. RAAF in his Hudson (A16-201). His

  crew members were co-pilot D. R. Taylor and

  gunners Sgt. R. B. Polack and L. E. Sheard. Both

  Australian pilots were able to do amazing sharp

  turns due to reducing the gas on the internal en-

  gine in curve. Sakai himself made four unsucce-

  ssful attacks on Hudson. His fifth one was finally

  successful. First, he hit the right then the left

  wing tank. He run out of cannon ammunition, but

  with the fire of machine guns, he ignited leaking

  fuel. Cowan still tried to make emergency lan-

  ding, but he failed and fell into the jungle nearby

  the village Popoga near Buna.

  Many years after the war, thanks to researcher

  Henry Sakaida, Sakai lodged a signed statement

  of the events of that day in the hope that Cowan

  and his crew would be finally acknowledged

  for their bravery and some sort of posthumous

  award be made by the Australian Government.

  Unfortunately, it was contrary to Australian mi-

  litary policy, possibly based on the reasonably

  logic that to award medals to some, after all

  these years, would perhaps open the way to

  many more.

  In June 1942 Sakai completed a total of eleven

  combat sorties. During one of them in the vi-

  cinity of Rabaul he participated in the shooting

  down of a B-17 bomber. The most successful

  day for him became June 16. Over Port Moresby,

  twenty-one Zeros clashed with thirty-five Aira-

  cobras of the 39th and 40th FS. The Japanese

  claimed seventeen kills and four probable after

  the violent fight. Sakai was credited with four

  confirmed victories. The Americans lost five

  machines and two pilots, and two other fighter

  planes were damaged. The Japanese lost only

  one Zero and its pilot. On a second mission du-

  ring the same day, Sakai scored one more Ai-

  racobra.

  During July 1942 Sakai performed only nine

  combat sorties and took part in the destruc-

  tion of two B-25 bombers. He scored his last

  victories over New Guinea on August 2. In the

  morning Sakai and eight of his colleagues par-

  ticipated in the interception of five B-17s of 28th

  BS. One of the bombers was shot down by Lt.

  jg. Jun-ichi Sasai who claimed a second one as

  damaged. Sakai did not score a victory (books

  Samurai! and Winged Samurai provide different

  information). Later on, during the same mission

  the Japanese patrol engaged three Airacobras

  of 41st FS and the Japanese pilots claimed six

  victories, including one by Sakai. Americans lost

  only two fighter planes and pilots.

  To be continued...

  Notes:

  1) On December 10, several B-17s armed with twenty

  100-pound bombs each ran individual attacks against

  ongoing Japanese landings in Vigan and Appari. Kelly

  at Vigan attacked the light cruiser Naka, which Kelly´s

  crew identified as battleship Haruna. The other bom-

  bers attacked vessels off Appari, where direct hit

  damaged destroyer Harukaze and with a near miss

  damaged cruiser Nattori, the flagship of the Rear Ad-

  miral Hara. During the landing, the Dai 19 Sókaitei (W-

  19 minesweeper) was badly damaged by the bombs.

  Damage of this vessel is attributed to Kelly by C. Sho-

  res and his team of authors.

  2) In fact, there was not even one tanker nearby. The

  burning vessel could have been Tatsugami-maru or

  Nana-maru damaged by Boeing B-17 on the afternoon

  of January 23, 1942, or some of the six vessels sunk by

  the Allies during the night of January 23–24.

  3) Before the fight the unit had a total of 24 P-40s

  and lost three while on following day lost five. Four

  other Americans had to perform emergency landing.

  However, the machines were not lost in combat.

  4) According to original version Sakai said: “Shut up

  you fool, Handa is better pilot than me and he is flying

  longer than me. Get out!"

  c/n 5784, Petty Officer 1st class Saburō Sakai, Tainan Kōkūtai, Lakunai Airfield, Rabaul, New Britain Island, August 1942

  Sakai flew this machine in early August 1942. It was manufactured by Mitsubishi in May 1942 and was delivered to Tainan Kōkūtai in June or July. A photograph of the V-172 from this period is not

  available. It is believed that it may have later served with Kōkūtai 204. Its wreckage was found in the spring of 1944 at Gasmata airfield in New Britain and recovered in 1973. The colour of the

  fuselage markings is based on the publication Eagles of the Southern Sky, whose authors assume it was black. However, it cannot be ruled out that it was blue-black or blue, and the colour had

  blackened during the post-war period on wrecks of Zeros due to high temperatures. The machine is currently on display in a restored condition as V-173 in v Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

  A 1944 aerial photograph of Rabaul

  shows Lakunai airfield looking east.

  One of the volcanoes that are part

  of the Rabaul caldera can be seen

  in the background.

  Photo: AWM

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  HISTORY

  Bombardment of Tel Aviv became a daily

  occurrence as REAF (Royal Egyptian Air

  Force) Spitfires and makeshift Dakota

  bombers roamed the skies of Israel unch-

  allenged. With the armies of Egypt in the

  south, Syria in the north, Jordan to the east

  and local Arabs inside Israel bearing arms

  against their Jewish neighbors, efforts

  were made worldwide to obtain arma-

  ment at any cost. The only country willing

  openly to defy the UN embargo imposed on

  the fledgling country was Czechoslovakia

  which supplied Israel with guns and bullets

  as well as with Avia S-199 fighter planes

  and D70 and D250 aerial bombs. Ironically

  all of these of WWII Nazi Germany design.

  Along with small arms and ammunition,

  Israeli owned C-46 Commando transport

  aircraft flying under Panamanian registry

  and markings flew S-199s into Israel in the

  dead of night, in operation given the code

  name “Balak”.

  First sortie, first blood

  The first four Messers, as the S-199s were

  nicknamed, were ready for their first mi-

  ssion on May 29, 1948, to attack El Arish ai-

  rbase in the Sinai, from which REAF Spitfi-

  res and Dakotas took off for their bombing

  missions into Israel population centers.

  The 101 squadron's first mission was chan-

  ged at the last minute as desperate pleas

  came from the IDF southern command to

  attack a 500 vehicle Egyptian Armored

  convoy delayed at a blown up bridge situa-

  ted on the outskirts of Ashdod, 40 kilome-

  ters south of Tel Aviv. This mission was led

  by former VMF-214 Black sheep squadron

  Marine pilot Lou Lenart and it succeeded

  in halting the Egyptian Army’s advance

  further north beyond the bridge which was

  to be called from then on “Gesher Ad Ha-

  lom” (A Bridge to a Halt). The successful

  mission came at the cost of half the IAF

  fighter fleet, as two of four operational

  “Messers” were put out of action and one

  of the pilots, Eddy Cohen, was killed. The

  Egyptian Army forces did not turn back, but

  instead spread along the road connecting

  Gaza to Hebron and Jerusalem which was

  held under siege by Royal Jordanian Army

  regulars. All Jewish settlements south of

  the Gaza – Hebron – Jerusalem road and

  Jewish inhabitants in Eastern Jerusalem

  were cut off behind enemy lines.

  Lou Lenart in the cockpit of Messer D-107.

  TEXT: YOAV EFRATI

  Avia S-199

  in Israeli service

  On the eve of May 14, 1948, Prime Minister Ben Gurion declared the

  founding of the state of Israel. The following morning, Royal Egyptian

  Air Force (REAF) Spitfires bombed Tel Aviv, including Dov Hoz airport

  and the sole hanger which housed light planes that were essential for

  keeping in contact with settlements in the Negev desert and the upper

  Galilee in the north. It was more than clear the new Israeli state would

  need some fighter planes as well.

  INFO Eduard16

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  HISTORY

  First move

  On another ground support mission of the

  following day, a third Messer was put out

  of action, leaving only D-106 (the letter

  was painted as the Hebrew character that

  reads dalet; it is the fourth letter of the

  Hebrew alphabet and thus corresponds to

  the letter D in the Latin alphabet; editori-

  al note) airworthy. In an attempt to seek

  and destroy Israeli fighters on the ground,

  REAF Spitfires bombed the former RAF

  base at Ekron, where Israel’s sole Messer

  was based. To avoid its loss, the 101 squad-

  ron moved its operations to a small orange

  grove located at the outskirts of Herzliya.

  Under open skies, Israel’s single opera-

  tional Messer was hidden under dense

  camouflage netting spread between the

  trees, the adjacent strip of unplowed dirt

  was used as a runway and a water tower

  situated next to the orange grove served

  as a control tower.

  First victories

  In the late afternoon hours of June 3, 1948,

  a pair of Royal Egyptian Air Force Dakota

  bombers, escorted by a pair of Spitfires

  made their way to Jewish settlements in

  the area of Rishon Le Tzion and Tel Aviv.

  As they approached their destination, they

  were attacked from the sun by 101 squad-

  ron commander Modi Alon flying the only

  available combat plane of the Israeli Air

  Force wearing a blue fuselage number

  D-106. The first Dakota was downed over

  Jaffa and the second over the sands of

  Rishon Le Tzion. These were the first air

  to air kills to be credited to the Israeli Air

  Force.

  In order not to compromise the upper sur-

  face camouflage of the airplanes hidden

  between trees, underneath camouflage

  netting, blue and white Star of David roun-

  dels were applied only to the sides of the

  fuselage and the bottom surfaces of the

  wing. In July of 1948, ex-USAAF volunteer

  pilot Stan Andrews drew up the squadron’s

  red, white, and black insignia of a winged

  skull of death wearing a flight helmet and

  goggles. The squadron insignia was prin-

  ted on billboard paper and applied to the

  left side of the engine cowling. The insignia

  was seen photographed on airplanes

  D-108 and D-111, which were operational

  prior to the July 9, along with D-107 and

  D-110.

  A second cease fire went into effect on

  July 18 and lasted until October 15, 1948,

  with the outbreak of Operation Ten Pla-

  gues, later to be renamed Operation Yoav.

  The aim of that operation was to root out

  the Egyptian army headquartered at the

  Iraq El Sudan fortress situated along the

  Gaza – Hebron – Jerusalem road. During

  this offensive, World War II vintage combat

  planes from opposing forces were flown

  together in one squadron wearing the

  identification roundels, the Jewish Star of

  David of the Israeli Air Force. Czechoslo-

  vakian built Avia S-199s, Jumo 211 powered

  Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs, Supermarine

  Spitfires and North American P-51D Mus-

  tangs flew together for a short time be-

  tween October 15–22, 1948.

  Preparations for Operation Yoav began in

  the summer of 1948 with all airworthy air-

  craft including light and heavy transport

  planes, bombers, and fighters. They were

  fitted to deliver bombs brought from ab-

  road or manufactured locally. Most missi-

  ons during operation Yoav were concen-

  Commander of the 101 squadron Modi Alon.

  S-199 D-111 under the masking net at the Herzliya airfield. REAF Dakota bomber prior to be shot down by Modi Alon

  on June 3, 1948.

  INFO Eduard

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  HISTORY

  trated on bombing the Egyptian forward

  airbase of El Ahrish and the Egyptian army

  headquarters set up at the Iraq Al Sudan

  fortress overlooking the Faluga pocket

  along the Gaza – Hebron road leading to

  Jerusalem.

  First coloring changes

  On October 16, 1948, IAF headquarters

  notified all ground units that Israeli fi-

  ghter planes belonging to its only fighter

  squadron had their spinners painted in

  red and the rudders decorated with red

  and white stripes in order to distinguish

  them from Egyptian Spitfires operating in

  the same area. To further differentiate the

  Israeli fighter planes from those of Egypt,

  especially Egyptian Spitfires, Star of David

  roundels were applied atop of the wings

  for the first time. The aircraft available to

  the 101 squadron at the start of Operation

  Yoav included Avia S-199s numbers D-113,

  114, 117, 118, 120, 121 and 123; Spitfires D-130,

  131, 132, 133 and 134; and P-51D Mustangs

  numbered D-190 and 191 which joined the

  fighting on October 21, 1948 in their natural

  metal finish, conducting reconnaissance

  missions over Lebanon and Syria just a

  day prior to a cease fire that was agreed

  upon a day later. On the first day of combat

  operations, Messer number D-121 was in-

  volved in air combat against a Royal Egyp-

  tian Air Force Spitfire Mk.IXc. Although

  Rudi Augarten claimed downing the Egyp-

  tian opponent, the downed airplane was

  not found and no credit was given for a kill.

  With the end of Operation Yoav on October

  22, 1948, and winter weather softening the

  dirt runway in Hertzelia orange grove im-

  Pilots and mechanics of 101 squadron in the summer of 1948 at Herzliya improvised airfield.

  Messer D-115 with Al Freeman and Syd Cohen standing besides the airplane at Herzelia air-

  field. D-115 arrived on July 13, 1948, flew for the first time on July 20 and was damaged during

  landing by Sandy Jacobs on September 8. The aircraft was written off.

  Messer D-117 arrived on July 15, 1948 and was flown for first time on July 21. Here

  it is photographed in July 1948 at Hertzelia field with lead mechanic Eli Reuveni

  who chalked his girlfriend’s name “Nechama” on the Star of David. This aircraft was

  converted for photo reconnaissance between October 17–20, 1948.

  INFO Eduard18

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  HISTORY

  provised airbase, the 101 squadron moved

  on November 9, 1948, to the former RAF

  base at Castina, later to be renamed as

  Hatzor Air Base. The arrival of ten Spit-

  fires Mk.IXe from Czechoslovakia during

  the Velveta II direct flights to Israel on the

  December 23 and 26 curtailed flight opera-

  tions in the Messer. The 101 squadron ope-

  rated from Hatzor air base during operati-

  on Chorev, using Messer airplanes which

  were given a new four digit identification

  number introduced by the IAF to all air-

  planes in inventory as of November 1948.

  The Avia S-199 were given the type num-

  ber beginning with the digits 19 followed by

  two digits identifying the aircraft. Airpla-

  nes to be identified with the new numbers

  included 1901/D-117, 1902/D-118, 1903/D-120,

  1904/D-121, 1905/D-123, 1906/D-108. Me-

  sser number 1907 was the last to arrive in

  Israel and is the only Messer to be painted

  directly with the new four digit number on

  its fuselage. The last combat mission lo-

  gged in an Israeli Air Force Avia S-199 was

  to escort Israel’s first Spitfire D-130 in a

  reconnaissance escort mission over Gaza

  and Rafah. The mission took place on De-

  cember 26, 1948, and was flown by Rudy

  Augarten in Messer number D-108.

  Messer D-122 flew for the first time over Israeli soil on August 5, 1948.

  It was written off in a take-off accident by Horowitz on September 22, 1948.

  Photo of Messer D-123 after final assembly, prior to its first flight on August 15, 1948. D-123 participated

  in Operation Chorev and operated from Castina airbase until it was scraped in 1950.

  The only photo found which was taken at Hertzelia airfield during operation Yoav, showing Messers D-120

  and D-121 in the background as they prepare for take-off.

  Photo of D-121, taken on March 14, 1949 on Castina air base, is the last photograph taken of an operational

  Messer. It is the only surviving S-199 in Israel and has one probable kill on its account. It currently resides

  at the Israel Air Force Museum, wearing an incorrect D-120 tail number.

  The deep cooler nose intake and red spinner belong to the longest

  lasting Messer in IAF service, D-108, which logged its first flight during

  the first week of June 1948 and the last one on December 26, 1948.

  INFO Eduard

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  June 3 Modi Alon C-47 Dakota REAF D-106

  June 3 Modi Alon C-47 Dakota REAF D-106

  July 8 Gideon Lichtman Spitfire Mk.Vc REAF N/A

  July 10 Morris Mann Harvard SyAAF D-107

  July 18 Modi Alon Spitfire Mk.Vc REAF N/A

  September 23 Gideon Lichtman Dragon Rapide RJA D-118

  October 16 Rudi Augarten Spitfire Mk.IXe REAF D-121

  IAF S-199 kills and probable

  abbreviations

  REAF

  –

  Royal Egyptian Air Force

  SyAAF

  –

  Syrian Arab Air Force

  RJA

  –

  Royal Jordanian Airlines

  notes

  According to the IAF historian Alex Yofe

  Not credited as a kill, only probable

  This aircraft is the sole surviving Messer in Israel; it is on display in the IAF museum in Hatzirim.

  1)

  1)

  1)

  3)2)

  2)

  3)

  HISTORY

  S-199 painting

  The most difficult aspect of making accu-

  rate representation of the Avia S-199 is

  confirming the color of the airplane. His-

  torians of the IAF relayed on a document

  issued by the IAF in the early 1950’s which

  listed the airplanes in IAF inventory and

  their colors by name, with no reference to

  any color standard. The S-199 was found

  on this list and was described as being

  painted gray. Post-World War II black and

  white photographs of the S-199 in Czecho-

  slovakian service show lighter and darker

  airframes next to each other, which have

  been interpreted to be differing shades of

  a locally manufactured color MNO 2036

  smalt 02 - similar or the same as RLM 02

  or RLM 02 with a bit of RLM 83 Dark Green

  added. In a mid-1994 visit to the Israel Air

  Force museum by former Messer pilot and

  Israeli president, Ezer Weizman insisted

  that the gray painted S-199 on display had

  wrong color. On January 2, 1995 I met with

  president Weizman and when asked about

  the right color, he pointed to the RLM 68

  color chip in my Official Monogram Pain-

  ting Guide to German aircraft 1935–1945,

  further stating that the color was more of

  a khaki shade “as seen on soldiers uni-

  forms”. In cross reference of RLM 68 pu-

  blished in Monogram Publications book

  on WWII Luftwaffe colors with FS.595, I

  learned that this color is nearly identical

  to FS.34258 green, which is significant-

  ly more vivid than the “khaki green” color

  which he meant. I first published my fin-

  dings about RLM 68 in the December 1995

  issue of IPMS Israel, Kne-Mida magazine.

  This color finding was close, yet wrong.

  A sample of the actual green color was

  found several months after my findings,

  when my fellow model builders and his-

  torians Ra'anan Weiss and Rami Skladman

  interviewed a former IAF Avia S-199 me-

  chanic Shabtai Katz. During their visit, he

  showed them a fuel cap that belonged to

  an IAF S-199. From this fuel cap the color

  of the Avia was found as “khaki green” si-

  milar to German post WWII standard RAL

  6013 Schilfgrün.

  In February 2003 the correct RAL 6013

  green color was relayed to the Joseph

  Goldman, who is in charge of restoration

  of the IAF museum exhibits, and he re-

  painted Messer D-112 in the correct green

  Messer D-121 painted in a brown and blue for 101 squadron's 10th anniversary family day celebrations,

  held in May 1958 when the squadron was operating Mystere IV French fighter planes in the same colors.

  INFO Eduard20

  May 2022

• Page 21

  HISTORY

  April 7, 2004: With no clear UV coating applied to the newly painted airframe, the D-120 faded to an overall gray color in less than a year...

  IAF museum Messer D-121 as of August 10, 2007, painted in RAL 6013 with incorrect tail number D-120 instead of D-121 and clear coated with UV gloss coat to avoid the color degradation.

  and restored the markings to represent

  Messer D-120 as it appeared during ope-

  ration Yoav. An interesting event happened

  when I revisited the IAF museum in April

  of the following year. The correctly green-

  -painted Avia had turned to be… Gray! The

  lack of UV protective layer had turned the

  green into gray and so the mystery of grey

  S-199 was concluded. Now it is clear, why

  the 1950's vintage document was wrong.

  On October 12, 2014 I finally had the oppor-

  tunity to see the Avia S-199 fuel cap on my

  own eyes. IAF museum curator Avi Moshe

  Segal presented me the key to his vault

  where the original Avia-painted S-199 fuel

  cap was kept. With Tambor German RAL,

  United States FS595b, British Standard

  BS381c/1964 and Humbrol color catalogs

  at hand, I compared the color of the S-199

  fuel cap in direct and indirect sun light. The

  fuel cap's khaki color was a direct match

  to RAL 6013, it was slightly darker than

  FS595b-14257 and had no equivalent in

  BS381c and Humbrol color catalogs. For-

  tunately for us model builders RAL 6013

  is available in the Revell enamel range of

  paints as SM362.

  The names given to the S-199

  in the IAF

  The official IAF code name for the Avia

  S-199 was Python. IAF pilots who were

  WWII war veterans referred to them as the

  Messerschmitt and this name was shor-

  tened to Messer as stated to me by Ezer

  Weizman. Messer has also the dual me-

  aning, amongst European Jews who spo-

  ke the Yiddish language, the messer also

  means the knife, which is pronounced as

  Sakeen in Hebrew. So the name Sakeen is

  sometimes used as well for S-199.

  References

  White Crow Publications – Avia S-199 in Israeli

  Air Force Service 1948 – 1950, by Alex Yofe and

  Lawrence Nyveen

  Air Enthusiast Magazine Spring 1995 No. 57

  Air Enthusiast Magazine Sep/Oct 1995 No. 59

  IDF Ministry Publishing, The Messerschmitt –

  the First Fighter Plane of the IAF (Hebrew text)

  Spitfires Over Israel – by Brian Cull, Shlomo

  Aloni and David Nicolle; Grub Street London

  IPMS Israel Kne-Mida magazine No. 23,

  December 1995

  Zlinek model magazine, Avia S-199

  Aero Journal issue No. 22, Dec 1 – Jan 2

  Biaf Air and Space Magazine issue

  no.30, Feb.1979

  Wings & Wheels Publications – Avia S-199

  special

  Personal interviews with Ezer Weizman

  and Lou Lenart

  INFO Eduard

  21

  May 2022

• Page 22

  HISTORY

  There were significant changes on the

  ground, Russians realized that they lacked

  resources to attack in four directions at the

  same time. In Kherson the Russians went

  on defense. Kharkov is still under Russi-

  an bombardment but at Kiev the Russian

  troops had to completely withdraw from

  Ukrainian territory. During March 16 and

  April 16 Donbas faced the strongest Russi-

  an pressure. Also, the brunt of the Russian

  AF activities was concentrated there.

  The Russian troops retreating from Kiev

  left behind the destroyed cities and murde-

  red civilians. Namely the Buche massacre

  marked the significant shift in the attitude

  of Western allies. While up until then mainly

  portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft wea-

  pons were supplied to Ukraine the heavy

  weapons started to flow into the count-

  ry-tanks, armored vehicles, cannons or

  missile launchers from Czech Republic,

  Poland, USA, Britain or Australia. Slovakia

  supplied one battery of the S-300 anti-air-

  craft system to Ukraine. The Americans

  were preparing the supply of 16 helicopters

  Mi-17 originally earmarked for Afghanistan.

  More advanced weapon systems were

  mentioned more often. The Ukrainian am-

  bassador to the USA, Oksana Markarova,

  started negotiations with General Atomics

  representatives about the potential supp-

  lies to the Ukrainian armed forces. Even

  though details were not published Gray

  Eagle, Predator or even Reaper drones are

  being considered. While the Turkish made

  Bayraktar TB2 drone currently in the Ukrai-

  nian inventory can carry 150 kilos of the

  ordnance on four attachment points Reaper

  can carry ten times more ammunition on

  seven hard points.

  Even though Predators or Reapers are cu-

  rrently a matter of the future, during the

  preparation of this article supplies of the

  so-called “kamikaze drones” Switchblade

  were on the way. And not only on the way –

  the Ukrainians reported the first success-

  ful deployment. They destroy the target by

  direct impact. They are launched from the

  tube similar to the mine launcher. After it is

  launched the drone extends its wings and

  propeller in the rear. Then it flies towards

  the target searching for it with a camera in

  the nose. There are two versions of Swit-

  chblade. The older and smaller model 300

  is designed to destroy troops, cannons, or

  light vehicles. It is 50 cm long, weighs 2.5

  kilos and its range is 10 kilometers. Swit-

  chblade 600 can also destroy armored

  vehicles. It is 130 cm long, weighs 25 ki-

  los and its range is 40 kilometers. Ukraine

  was supplied with both versions. The small

  group of Ukrainian soldiers was trained in

  the USA how to use these drones and they

  currently train other local troops.

  More destroyed than in use...

  As we mentioned Bayraktars, the Russi-

  an side claimed to have already destroyed

  around 50 of them. That is quite an interes-

  ting phenomenon because before the war

  Ukraine had a maximum 20 to 24 in their in-

  ventory and during March another 16 were

  delivered from Turkey. That is a total of 40

  Bayraktars in the Ukrainian inventory. It se-

  ems that some of them were destroyed by

  the Russian army twice! Joking aside - the

  loss of only three Bayraktars is photogra-

  phically documented. During the fighting in

  the northern Ukraine these drones were

  pretty efficient because the Russian army

  could only advance in columns and drones

  destroyed their anti-aircraft systems (such

  as Buk) sooner than they managed to get

  into the firing position. Not even traveling

  in the alarm mode helped since Bayraktar

  offers very small radar reflection surfaces

  TEXT: MIRO BARIČ

  The air force and missiles more and more prove themselves as a de-

  cisive factor in the Russian military strategy in Ukraine. By the same

  token, air defense is important for Ukraine. The previous summary

  ended on March 16 so today we will look into the events in the Ukrai-

  nian skies that have happened up until April 16.

  The air war

  over Ukraine

  The second month

  Ukraine's R-360 Neptun anti-ship missile during tests in 2019.

  INFO Eduard22

  May 2022

• Page 23

  HISTORY

  and it was typically too late for Russian

  crews to notice them. After the anti-aircraft

  protection was eliminated the rest of the

  column was easy prey for the drones.

  Ukrainian problem is that they use the am-

  munition faster than they can obtain it – and

  it’s not only true about bombs and rockets

  for the drones. In the East, where in more

  open space the Russians have better condi-

  tions for the anti-aircraft defense, Bayrak-

  tars are deployed in a different way. They

  especially facilitate the gun fire guidance

  utilizing their capable instruments. They

  can see pretty far behind the front line wi-

  thout crossing it and expose themselves to

  the danger. The gun battery fire is therefore

  more efficient that the drones’ ordnance.

  Losses versus claims

  As of April 16, the Russians claimed to have

  destroyed 460 unmanned aircraft systems

  of all types, 134 combat aircraft and 105 he-

  licopters. That is the total of 699 destroyed

  aircraft.

  As of April 16, the Ukrainian armed forces

  reported 163 aircraft, 138 drones shot down

  and 145 helicopters destroyed. That is the

  total of 446 destroyed aircraft.

  Both sides practically daily announce an

  airplane or helicopter shot down. It’s quite

  interesting from the Russian side as they

  announced a long time ago to have destroy-

  ed the whole Ukrainian air force. Regardle-

  ss, the official Russian sources report daily

  more successes fighting this “non-existent”

  Ukrainian AF. But not to pick only on Ru-

  ssians, the Ukrainian side also reported su-

  ccesses which cannot be verified and could

  be categorized as unrealistic. Since the

  war started the destruction of 22 Russian

  aircraft, 42 helicopters and 34 drones can

  be photographically documented. It means

  that the Ukrainian victories versus losses

  ratio is 446:98.

  The disparity on the Russian side is even bi-

  gger. Destruction of 18 Ukrainian airplanes,

  5 helicopters and 14 drones can be docu-

  mented. It means that the ratio of Russian

  claims and positively confirmed Ukrainian

  aircraft losses is 699:37.

  It is true what we stated in the summary

  in the previous issue – the actual numbers

  will be somewhere in between and while

  the war rages cannot be independently ve-

  rified. For sure there will be more aircraft

  destroyed than shown in the available pho-

  tographs however the claims are exagge-

  rated. Moreover, some documented losses

  that were added to the Oryx site during the

  past month are from the earlier period; ho-

  wever, the pictures appeared only recent-

  ly. For example, an Ukrainian Su-34 shot

  down during the first days of war whose

  wreck was found in the fields much later.

  Similarly, two Ukrainian transport IL-76MD

  were destroyed at the Melitopol airport

  in the beginning of war but their pictures

  appeared more than one months later. One

  of them however had been sitting there for

  10 years so it is not included in the combat

  losses. After the liberation of the Hostomel

  airport near Kiev several wrecks of the

  Antonov civilian aircraft were found which

  were seriously damaged there together

  with An-225 Mrija. We don’t know if Russia

  included them on their list of the destroyed

  Ukrainian aircraft.

  The ratio of the confirmed Russian and

  Ukrainian losses, 98:37, is interesting. To

  some extent it reflects the high number

  of missions flown by the Russian AF. The

  number gradually increased from 200 daily

  to 250 to further 300 and at the time this

  article went to print the Russians flew 350

  missions daily. The main target was Don-

  bas, also the focus of the Russian ground

  forces. During the vast majority of the mi-

  ssions the Russian aircraft did not cross

  the front lines and launched their weapons

  from distance. Therefore, the number of

  Russian aircraft shot down decreased in

  comparison to the first stage of war. One

  of very few confirmed claims is Su-35 shot

  down near Izjum on April 3. The Ukrainian

  fighters supposedly played a bait. They lu-

  red the Russian plane into the trap where

  the anti-aircraft battery waited for it. After

  the hit the pilot ejected and became POW.

  One of three Ukrainian Bayraktars destructed and confirmed by photographic evidence.

  Two Ukrainian Il-76MD transports were destroyed at Melitopol airfield.

  INFO Eduard

  23

  May 2022

• Page 24

  HISTORY

  Russian Su-35 shot down on April 3 near Izjum.

  This Ukrainian Su-25 from the 299th Tactical Air Brigade was able to land in a field despite having its tail

  virtually shot off, damaged flaps, and destroyed landing gear tires.

  The symbols under the cockpit of the Ukrainian MiG-29 stand for

  three night kills of cruise missiles.

  The tail of a Ukrainian MiG-29 with patches after damage repairs.

  INFO Eduard24

  May 2022

• Page 25

  HISTORY

  Tough life of a helicopter pilot

  The Ukrainian air force is clearly at a big

  disadvantage and flies just a fraction of the

  missions the Russians fly. In general, it's

  less than 10 per day. Before the war started

  the aircraft managed to disperse to bac-

  kup airfields and were able to operate from

  the grass surfaces however the shocks

  had a negative effect on the missiles. The

  Russians possess two main advantages -

  they enjoy the AWACS Beriev A-50 support

  and their missiles feature longer range.

  Therefore, the Ukrainians have to be very

  resourceful to get the Russians into the

  trap, like in the aforementioned case. These

  are however isolated cases and many

  Ukrainian pilots lost their lives in defense of

  their homeland. The Ukrainian anti-aircraft

  systems also present the top target. There-

  fore, they only engage their radar for a very

  short time (60 to 120 seconds) to impair

  their location. However, with the center of

  the Russian air operations moving towards

  the front lines the Ukrainian anti-aircraft

  batteries had to follow and many paid the

  price.

  On the front the Ukrainians can only use

  the portable rocket systems - Soviet Igla,

  American Stinger and lastly the British

  Starstreak. They are not efficient against

  the aircraft flying at high altitudes however

  can make helicopter pilots’ life miserable.

  Kamov Ka-52 suffered 10% losses of the

  whole deployed inventory. Last one was

  destroyed on Friday, April 15 by the troops

  from 93rd Mechanized Brigade “Kholodnyi

  Yar”. According to their account, during the

  night two Russian helicopters were flying

  so low that they decided not to waste Stin-

  gers and used the Soviet missiles Igla. One

  helicopter avoided the missile with the help

  of flares however the second one was hit,

  crashed in the field, and exploded.

  Before that one Ka-52 was destroyed on

  Tuesday April 5 even with an anti-tank mi-

  ssile. The aircraft was hovering for a long

  time above a cluster of trees and so the

  operator of the Ukrainian made Stugna-P

  missile got him in his sights. On Friday Ap-

  ril 1 a video confirmed the first successful

  deployment of the British Starstreak mi-

  ssile in Ukraine. A Mi-28 helicopter was hit

  and broke up midair. No wonder the Russi-

  an helicopter pilots do not rush into action.

  A video appeared showing Mi-28 and Ka-52

  operating as an air platform rocket launch-

  ers for carpet bombing by the unguided

  missiles. The aircraft arrive at maximum

  speed close to the ground, then they start

  climbing and during this maneuver launch

  salvos of unguided missiles on the ballis-

  tic curve, to extend their range, towards the

  Ukrainian positions. Right after the launch

  they turn around launching the flares as

  a precaution.

  Wreckage of a Ka-52 helicopter destroyed by an Igla missile on April 15.

  Ukrainian Mi-8MSB shot down during an evacuation flight from Mariupol.

  This is not the result of a strike by a giant fly swatter. A Russian Mi-17MTV was destroyed by an anti-tank missile

  immediately after an emergency landing.

  INFO Eduard

  25

  May 2022

• Page 26

  HISTORY

  Missile attacks

  Besides the air attacks on the front line

  targets the Russians also fire the missi-

  les with the long range against the targets

  all over the Ukrainian territory. During the

  week starting Friday March 25 their tar-

  gets were fuel storages. In this manner the

  Russians tried to deprive the Ukrainian

  army of the fuel and thus hamper the trans-

  fer of the troops to the east before the Don-

  bas offensive they were preparing. In April

  the railway stations in Donbas were shelled

  by rockets with the same mission - to pre-

  vent the transfer of the Ukrainian reinfor-

  cements. At the limited scale Ukraine also

  attempts the rocket counter attacks. Their

  repeated target for example was Chorno-

  baivka airport near Kherson. In the first

  half of March, during two attacks, at least 16

  Russian helicopters of various types were

  destroyed. Remaining helicopters retrea-

  ted while the damaged aircraft were towed

  away by trucks with their rotors removed.

  The Russians however maintained the ga-

  rrison there with the large number of ve-

  hicles which became the target of at least

  15 further attacks on April 14. According to

  the Ukrainians besides the destroyed ve-

  hicles the Russians lost the ammunition

  storage and two Russian generals lost their

  lives. Russians did not confirm their death.

  The occupied port of Berdjansk at the co-

  ast of Azov Sea also became the target of

  a rocket attack. In the end of March, the

  Russians media published the propagan-

  da footage where the armored vehicles

  were being off loaded from the ships to

  reinforce the attack on Mariupol. Off cour-

  se the Ukrainians saw the videos as well

  and knew precisely where to attack. They

  deployed Tochka-U missiles which are

  rather inaccurate. The pier was hit by at

  least four missiles but caused no damage

  to the ships on anchor. Shortly after, on

  March 24 however there was an explosion

  on one of the landing ships. It was a vessel

  of the Aligator class later identified as Sa-

  ratov. The wreck was burning and exploding

  for several hours and sank to the bottom of

  the port. Saratov was 113 meters long and

  its displacement was 4,500 tons. Its capa-

  city was 300-400 troops and 20 tanks or 40

  armored vehicles or other cargo up to 1,000

  tons. Besides Saratov the flames reached

  and damaged other two landing vessels

  class Bullfrog, later identified as Novo-

  cherkassk and Cezar Kunikov. The Ukraini-

  an side immediately claimed that this ex-

  plosion was caused by rocket Tochka-U as

  well but owing to the missile’s inaccuracy

  this is rather improbable. The explosion and

  ship destruction can be more attributed to

  the Russian carelessness in handling the

  ammunition.

  End of the flagship

  Thirteen proved to be an unlucky number

  for the Russian Black Sea Fleet flagship. On

  April 13 night the fire erupted on board of

  the cruiser Moskva followed by the ammu-

  nition explosions after which the ship sank

  on the next day. It was the largest ship in

  the world lost in combat since WWII. The

  chain of events described by Ukrainian and

  Russian sides logically differ.

  The Ukrainians claim that as bait they used

  Bayraktar drones. Those drew the attention

  of the cruiser’s radar operators. While the

  Russian sailors were monitoring the drones

  the Ukrainians launched two R-360 Neptun

  cruise missiles. Those flew low above the

  rough seas and the cruiser’s crew did not

  notice them on time. Their hits supposedly

  The Russian ship Saratov burns in the port of Berdyansk on March 24. The other two landing craft are sailing away from her in a hurry.

  The Moskva cruiser in its glory days.

  INFO Eduard26

  May 2022

• Page 27

  HISTORY

  caused the fire and following ammunition

  explosion on board.

  The Russians admitted to the fire and ex-

  plosions, not a single word about missile

  hits though.

  They attempted to tow the ship into the

  port however it capsized in the rough seas

  and sank. At the time of print of this INFO

  Eduard issue the Russians claimed to have

  rescued all 510 crew members. However,

  considering the conditions (fire, explosi-

  ons) it would have been almost a miracle.

  When you read these lines, it will be clearer

  what caused the sinking and how many

  crew members were rescued. The loss of

  the cruiser Moskva is rather serious for

  Russia. Originally the ship’s name was Sla-

  va and was built in the 70s and 80s of the

  last century in the shipyards of the Ukrai-

  nian Mykolayiv. The ship was 186 meters

  long and had 12 500 tons displacement.

  In 1990 she was decommissioned but af-

  ter the modernization in 2000 became the

  flagship of the Black Sea Fleet. Moskva

  was armed with a 130 mm caliber cannon,

  16 launchers for the anti-shipping missiles

  and 64 S-300F rockets to combat aircraft

  and ballistic missiles. Therefore, she was

  in charge of the anti-rocket defense of the

  whole fleet and after her loss the remaining

  ships withdrew further from the Ukrainian

  coast. That Ukrainians had something to

  do with her sinking indicates the Russian

  Ministry of Defense statement threatening

  Ukraine with retaliation for sinking the ship.

  At least one Russian lie is confirmed by

  the picture of the burning Moskva shortly

  before her sinking. Calm sea is visible so

  the ship could not have capsized in the rou-

  gh seas. There is a large hole with metal

  bent inwards visible on the port side at the

  line of displacement which indicates the hit

  from outside.

  In the very beginning of war Moskva beca-

  me famous as a ship the defenders of the

  Snake Island sent to hell. When on Febru-

  ary 24 the ship asked them to surrender

  their response was “Russian military ship

  f..k off”. This sentence became a symbol of

  the Ukrainian resistance against Russian

  aggression.

  On April 13 the Ukrainian Post released the

  stamps featuring the event. And the very

  same day evening the Russian battleship

  complied. There could not have been better

  promotion for a stamp. R-360 Neptun roc-

  kets which Ukrainians supposedly used to

  hit Moskva, are of interest to Czech readers

  because they are intended to be installed

  on the Tatra running gears. Subsonic mi-

  ssiles are 5 meters long and weigh 870

  kilos, out of which 150 kilos is the detona-

  tion head. Their range is 300 kilometers.

  Ukraine added them to their inventory only

  in March last year and till the spring of this

  year intends to increase their number to six

  batteries but more realistically possesses

  just one.

  Supplies for Mariupol

  Ukrainians do not fight with airplanes and

  rockets only the helicopters are fairly su-

  ccessfully used as well. However, they don’t

  report about their deployment for tactical

  reasons. Only at the end of battle for Ma-

  riupol, when the city defense turned into

  several centers of resistance, the infor-

  mation about the successful supply flight

  appeared. Mi-8 pilots flew into besieged

  Mariupol at the maximum speed and the lo-

  west altitude possible. Many times it meant

  flying between the trees and buildings. They

  supplied the city with food and ammunition

  flying back the wounded. At least one Ukrai-

  nian helicopter was shot down during these

  dangerous missions. Mi-8MSB

  -

  V was de-

  stroyed on Thursday March 31 and carried

  the inscription “For Baba Vera” which can

  be seen in various colors on several other

  Ukrainian helicopters.

  Similar missions including the extremely

  low helicopter flying was also conducted

  on the northern side of Ukraine. On Tuesday

  March 23 a series of explosions shook the

  suburbs of the city of Belgorod 50 kilome-

  ters north of Kharkov when the ammuniti-

  on storage exploded. The Russian investi-

  gators inclined to the theory that it was

  caused by carelessness but already after

  a week they stated that the storage had

  been hit by three Ukrainian missiles Toch-

  ka-U. At that time Belgorod went through

  another big series of explosions, this time

  Flagship of the Black Sea Fleet shortly before sinking.

  INFO Eduard

  27

  May 2022

• Page 28

  HISTORY

  directly in the city. On Friday April 1 early

  morning the fuel storage exploded and the

  security cameras’ footage shows that it

  was targeted by unguided missiles launch-

  ed from two helicopters. One video clearly

  shows the Mi-24 silhouette leaving after

  the attack.

  And now it has become interesting. At the

  first glance it was undoubtedly a brave

  attack at very low altitude and deep in the

  enemy territory. The Ukrainians had the re-

  ason to take credit for it. Instead, several

  Ukrainian representatives refused to con-

  firm or deny if the attack was conducted by

  the Ukrainian air forces. Some representa-

  tives even categorically rejected it. Kremlin

  speaker, Dmiti Peskov stated that the inci-

  dent can impair the peace talks between

  Russia and Ukraine. By the way he made

  the statement after a week-long Russian

  attacks on the fuel storages throughout

  Ukraine… Truth is since then the peace talks

  have not progressed in two weeks.

  Next attack, which Russians attribute to

  Ukrainians, took place on Thursday April

  14 in the village of Klimovo in Bryansk re-

  gion very close to the border with Ukraine.

  “Utilizing two combat helicopters armed

  with heavy offensive weapons the military

  personnel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces

  illegally crossed the Russian border” sta-

  ted the Russian side who has been illegally

  crossing Ukrainian border for a month and

  half… According to this official statement

  the helicopters flying at very low altitude

  conducted at least six attacks on the village

  of Klimovo, damaging six civilian houses

  and wounding seven people. Ukraine cate-

  gorically rejected participation in such an

  attack. There were sabotages on the rail-

  ways on the Russian territory and the Be-

  lorussian partisans claimed responsibility

  for them.

  These incidents together with the sinking of

  the cruiser Moskva led to the reinstating of

  the massive Russian attacks in the western

  part of Ukraine. After a relative lull the Ru-

  ssian missiles, during Easter holidays, tar-

  geted Kiev and Lvov. Needless to say, Khar-

  kov has been bombarded non-stop.

  The Russians don’t use only rockets to

  attack. On Saturday April 16 the Tu-22M3

  bombers were deployed over Ukraine for

  the first time. They operated in relative sa-

  fety behind the front lines. They were used

  to bomb Mariupol where the defenders, af-

  ter more than 50 day siege, were pushed

  to the steelworks area. It was not imme-

  diately apparent what ordnance the bom-

  bers carried during this attack but couple

  of days earlier the Russians threatened to

  use three ton bombs FAB-3000. These were

  developed right after WWII precisely for

  this purpose-destroying the large industri-

  al areas. Their age and decades of storage

  could however have caused the problems.

  At the time this article was going to print

  the large Russian offensive in Donbas star-

  ted so the end of war was not on the hori-

  zon.

  Sources:

  www.oryxspioenkop.com (1 2 3)

  www.facebook.com (1 2 3 4)

  www.bbc.com

  Old Russian FAB-3000 bombs prepared for use by Tu-22M3 aircraft in the raid on Mariupol.

  INFO Eduard28

  May 2022

• Page 29

• Page 30

  #82181

  Z-126 Trenér

  1/48

  Profipack edition kit of Czechoslovak single engine two-seat

  trainer aircraft Zlin Z-126 in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 6

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard30

  May 2022

• Page 31

  OK

  -

  JGD, No. 860, Kolín Aero Club, Czechoslovakia, 1980´s

  OK

  -

  IGA, No. 766, PZO Motokov, Beijing, China, April 1955

  OK

  -

  IFG, No. 746, Kunovice Aero Club, Czech Republic, 1994

  This Trenér was produced in 1955 and subsequently

  stored. Svazarm took it over on July 7, 1956 and on

  August 10 of the same year it was taken over by the

  Regional Aero Club Olomouc. There flew the OK

  -

  JGD

  Trenér until December 1960, then it was handed over

  to the Regional Aero Club Ostrava. In the 1980s and

  1990s it served with Kolín Aero Club, which sold it

  to private hands on October 22, 2010. Nowadays, the

  whole aircraft is painted in yellow and bears the em

  -

  blem of the Aero Club of Kolín on the rudder.

  This aircraft was manufactured in 1954 and taken

  over by Motokov company on April 3 the same year.

  Motokov was one of the companies responsible for

  foreign trade in then Czechoslovakia. The aircraft

  was transported disassembled together with another

  one (OK

  -

  IFV) to be exhibited in China. The OK

  -

  IGA was

  destined for a static demonstration at the Beijing

  Exhibition Center, while the OK

  -

  IFV was assembled

  at a nearby airport to perform flight displays. These

  unfortunately ended in a crash and injuries to both

  pilots. After returning home, the OK

  -

  IGA was sold to

  than GDR at the end of October 1956. There it served

  the needs of the army there. From April 1962 to Sep

  -

  tember 1972, it flew as DM

  -

  WAE.

  This Trenér was test-flown on April 24, 1954 and in

  July the same year was assigned to the Regional Aero

  Club Olomouc. He served there from 1955 for training

  and group aerobatics. At that time, the Aero Club Olo

  -

  mouc was a hatchery of aerobatic pilots and several

  aerobatic groups were active there. One of them was

  an all-girls group, where Eva Krenčová flew OK

  -

  IFG

  since 1957. By that time the original green paint was

  replaced by cream color with a red nose. In the fo

  -

  llowing years the OK

  -

  IFG was serving with various

  Aero Clubs of North Moravia region until 1963. It was

  stored than for ten years. At the end of 1973, it under

  -

  went a third overhaul at the Aerotechnik company in

  Kunovice and was put back into service. From 1981, it

  served with the Aero Club Kunovice and after another

  overhaul in 1988 the Tréner No. 746 received a retro

  military green-blue paintjob. Later yellow stripes

  were added to the wing and fuselage to mimic the

  military training aircraft even more. In 1995, OK

  -

  IFG

  was used for the filming of the TV series "The Land

  Gone Wild" and it received a temporary paint job of

  green color on the bottom surfaces as requested by

  the filmmakers. On October 11, Albert Orlita made the

  last flight of this Trenér and the aircraft was handed

  over to the Kunovice Aviation Museum, where it is on

  display today.

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  31

  May 2022

• Page 32

  KITS 05/2022

  OK

  -

  IGT, No. 735, Kunovice Aero Club, Czechoslovakia, 60s and 70s

  2A

  -

  AM, No. 864, Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte, Austria, 1960s

  OK

  -

  JLE, No. 827, Chrudim Aero Club, Czech Republic, 2014

  This trainer was produced in 1953 as C 105-233 and

  served with the army until October 17, 1955, when it

  obtained civilian registeration. It was then handed

  over to Svazarm and flew in the Kunovice Aero Club

  in an attractive aerobatic livery including a “witch”

  drawing on the nose. It served until 1976, when it was

  removed from the registry on September 1 and sub

  -

  sequently cut up to inspect the airframe for corro-

  sion. As it turned out, there was nothing wrong with

  the aircraft...

  In the second half of the 1950s, four Z-126s were

  exported to Austria, one of which was the Trenér

  No. 864, manufactured 1955. It was subsequently sto-

  red and handed over on January 9, 1957. It received

  the OE

  -

  AAL temporary registration for the flight to its

  new owner and subsequently the Austrian Air Force

  designation 2A

  -

  AM. In 1968, the aircraft was sold off

  and Heinz Pollani became the owner. From 1977 the

  aircraft was “grounded” in Gros Enzersdorf. From

  there it went to the Zeltweg Air Museum in February

  2008, where it is on display today. Although it has

  been given a period military livery, it is not entirely

  accurate. The differences are particularly noticea

  -

  ble in the size and location of the insignia and code

  markings. The marking shown here represents the

  period, not museum scheme.

  This Trenér was produced in 1955, Svazarm took it

  over on April 30 of the same year. It was flown by

  a number of aeroclubs, including the one of Havlíč-

  kův Brod in the late 1970s. In 1991, an overhaul of the

  then decommissioned aircraft was carried out in

  Aerotechnik for Mr. David, a customer from the USA.

  However, the Aero Club of Bohemia and Moravia

  banned the sale of the aircraft abroad and the over

  -

  hauled aircraft was purchased by Aeroclub Chrudim.

  There this Trenér served until 2017, when it ended

  up in corn field after a failed take-off and had to be

  decommissioned due to damage. It was subsequently

  sold to a private owner and is currently in storage

  awaiting overhaul.

  INFO Eduard32

  May 2022

• Page 33

  OVERTREES

  OVERLEPT

  #82181X Z-126T/226 1/48

  Product page

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  Recommended:

  for Z-126 Trenér 1/48

  481084 Z-126/226 Trenér landing flaps (PE

  -

  Set)

  FE1219 Z-126/226 seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644119 Z-126 Trener LööK (Brassin)

  644139 Z-126 Trener LööKplus (Brassin)

  648679 Z-126/226 Trener wheels (Brassin)

  648680 Z-126 Trener cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  648681 Z-126 Trener Walter Minor 4 engine PRINT (Brassin)

  3DL48044 Z-126 SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  D48097 Z-126/226/326/526 cockpit placards (Decal Set)

  EX827 Z-126 TFace (Mask)

  KITS 05/2022

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  Z-126 Trenér LEPT 1/48

  Cat. No. 644119

  Cat. No. 3DL48044

  Cat. No. 481084

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  Cat. No. 648681

  INFO Eduard

  33

  May 2022

• Page 34

  MEZEK DUAL COMBO

  1/72

  Limited edition kit of Czechoslovak fighter

  a/c Avia S-199 in 1/72 scale. The kit pre-

  sents aircraft with both types of the cano-

  py during their service in Czechoslovak Air

  Force and in Israeli Air Force.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 12

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  #2141

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard34

  May 2022

• Page 35

  S-199.285, CPL Josef Jiroušek, No. 1 Squadron, Aviation Regiment 8,

  Brno-Černovice, Czechoslovakia, July 25, 1949

  S-199.486, Lt. František Fořt, No. 1 Squadron, Aviation Regiment 7,

  Brno-Černovice, Czechoslovakia, 1950

  S-199.54, Sgt. František Novák, Fighter Training Center, No. 2 Squadron,

  Aviation Regiment 4, Planá u Českých Budějovic,

  Czechoslovakia, May, 1948

  One of the first of seven S-199s produced by the Aero fac-

  tory had an oil cooler installed under the nose, as did all

  early examples. Four aircraft from this seven-unit pro-

  duction run remained in Czechoslovakia; three were re-

  leased for export to Israel (Nos. 282, 286 and 287). “Mezek”

  (translated as Mule) No. 285 was assigned to LP 8 (Aviati-

  on Regiment 8) on August 4, 1948, based at Brno-Černovice

  Air Base. There, the aircraft served with No. 1 Squadron.

  On July 25, 1949, it suffered a mishap while flown by CPL

  Josef Jiroušek and the damaged airframe was sent in for

  repairs, while the engine underwent a factory check. From

  December 12, 1949 to February 25, 1950 the aircraft was

  overhauled at the Kunovice factory and handed over to

  LP 1 (Aviation Regiment 1) in September that same year.

  From June 22, 1953, it served with No. 3 Squadron of No.

  45 Air Artillery Regiment based at Plzeň-Bory Air Base.

  At that time, it bore the fuselage code HY-56. On August 4,

  1953, it was severely damaged in a crash by Lt. Ladislav

  Kadlecovič. The airframe was written off, by which time

  it had logged 116.23 flight hours. At the time of CPL Ji-

  roušek’s accident, the machine was painted standard MNO

  Smalt Avion 2036.02 on all surfaces. Contrary to standard

  practice, there was no arrow pointing to the fuselage step

  on the left side below the cockpit, nor were there triangu-

  lar warning symbols on the rear fuselage.

  This "Mezek" was test flown by factory pilot Antonín Kraus

  on December 12, 1949. On January 24, 1950, the aircraft

  was taken over by the military administration, and as-

  signed to LP 7 (Aviation Regiment 7) stationed at Brno-

  -Slatina airport on February 7 of the same year. It was

  coded IV-8 and, according to the memories of veterans

  and unit logs, it sported a drawing of Diana carrying

  a bow. The author of the drawing was the fiancée and fu-

  ture wife of the deputy Squadron Commander and Flight

  Commander František Fořt. According to period witnesses,

  the same emblem also appeared on the aircraft of two

  other Flight Commanders, Lieutenants Jaromír Jech and

  Jiří Váňa. As it is mentioned in the unit memoirs, more

  S-199s were equipped with various emblems, at least for

  a certain period of time. They are even documented in the

  said memoirs, but it is not clear to which specific aircraft

  they refer. The aircraft was probably painted with a darker

  green paint on all surfaces. At that time, the white color

  of the spinner belonged to the aircraft of Air Division, to

  which LP 7 and LP 8 (Aviation Regiments 7 and 8) be-

  longed, but not all aircraft were so marked and IV-8 was

  probably one of these. There is no photographic evidence

  unfortunately.

  After the communist takeover of Czechoslovakia, military

  pilot defections to the West were nothing unusual. For-

  mer RAF members, who either suspected or even knew

  that they would be persecuted by the communists, cro-

  ssed the border and many younger pilots also decided to

  leave the country. One of them was Sgt. František Novák,

  at that time a trainee of the second class from the Figh-

  ter Training Centre (SVS), who fled to then West Germany

  on May 24, 1948. The aircraft was stored in Munich and,

  after various obstacles were ironed out, was transported

  to Czechoslovakia by land in March 1950. From March 31

  until October 24, 1950, it underwent a general overhaul

  at the Avia factory. Later it served with LP 4 (Aviation Re-

  giment 4). The Avia produced aircraft bore the standard

  MNO Smalt Avion 2036.02 paint scheme on all surfaces

  and this aircraft was the tenth Avia factory production

  piece to be fitted with a heat exchanger instead of the

  original oil cooler. The cabin was of the older design and

  the aircraft did not have machine guns in the wings, nor

  underwing cannons.

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  35

  May 2022

• Page 36

  KITS 05/2022

  S-199.7, Ivan Pavel, Aviation Military Academy, Hradec Králové,

  Czechoslovakia March 17, 1950

  S-199.210, Aviation Regiment 5, Dobřany (Líně) AB, Czechoslovakia, 1950

  S-199.310, PFC Josef Mucha, Aviation School Regiment 5, Zvolen,

  Sliač AB, Czechoslovakia, August 1952

  The seventh “Mezek” produced by Avia was test flown on

  January 10, 1948, accepted by the military on February 3,

  and flown to LP 7 (Aviation Regiment 7) on March 15 of the

  same year. The aircraft was delivered with an oil cooler,

  but after damage that occurred on April 1, 1949, it under-

  went a factory repair which included the installation of

  a heat exchanger and sliding canopy. From February 7,

  1950, it served with the Aviation Military Academy (LVA)

  in Hradec Králové, where it received the A-784 code. On

  March 17, 1950, it was damaged in a collision with another

  aircraft (S-199.82). The student pilot, Ivan Pavel, made

  an emergency belly landing. Subsequently, this aircraft

  underwent a general overhaul during September-Novem-

  ber that year and later served with No. 45 Air Artillery

  Regiment in Pilsen from November 1953. The aircraft is

  interesting for its white and blue spinner, which were the

  colors of the academy.

  Nose-art was rare on Czechoslovak Air Force aircraft in

  the 1950´s and 1960´s. Rigid discipline and regulations did

  not favor such activities, but from time to time comman-

  ders apparently turned a blind eye to a certain level of

  expressionism. Something like this may have happened in

  1949 or 1950 at LP 5 (Aviation Regiment 5). A carefully

  crafted heraldic silhouette in white appeared on the air-

  craft. We will probably never know which emblem was to

  be subsequently added to it, because before the painting

  could be finished, the aircraft suffered an emergency

  landing. During subsequent repairs, the aircraft either re-

  ceived a new engine cowling or the in-progress nose-art

  was deleted. One likely possibility of the original intent

  might be the emblem of the local football club Baník Líně.

  As a result, this aircraft can be modeled in both its real

  form, i.e., with the white coat of arms only, or in the form

  it probably would have taken, if higher powers had not

  intervened. We don't know if the emblem would have been

  painted on the starboard side as well, since only the port

  side was photographed. However, decals are provided for

  either version. The aircraft was subsequently used by

  training units. It was handed over by LP 5 (Aviation Regi-

  ment No. 5) on July 8, 1950 to the Aviation Training School.

  From April 1953, it served with No. 4 lsp (Aviation Training

  Regiment 4) and then was transferred to No. 2 lsp (Aviati-

  on Training Regiment 2). Finally, at the end of 1954, it was

  passed on to No. 1 lsp (Aviation Training Regiment 1) where

  it completed its service career.

  This “Mezek” was assigned to LP 7 (Aviation Regiment

  7) on August 4, 1948 and flew first with the Staff Flight

  coded JP-1. Later, it was assigned to No. 3 Squadron and

  the code was changed to KT-3. On March 9, 1949, it was

  damaged during an emergency landing near Boskovice

  and was sent in for factory repairs. Staff Captain Truhlář

  conduct an acceptance flight on July 14, 1949, in Kunovice

  and on August 17, 1950, the aircraft was transferred from

  LP 1 (Aviation Regiment 1) to the Aviation School. Later,

  after repairs at Avia, it was assigned to LSP 5 (Aviation

  School Regiment 5), where it received the code UL-51.

  On August 26, 1952, a take-off was aborted by PFC Josef

  Mucha, causing damage. No further records are available.

  This aircraft is listed among the ones delivered to Israel,

  although the records of its service in Czechoslovakia con-

  tradict this. The same can be said for S-199s Nos. 302, 307

  and 311. Of the five “Mezek” aircraft produced by Aero and

  delivered to Israel as part of the second batch of fifteen

  aircraft (ten being delivered by Avia), only the case of No.

  287 is certain. As part of its service with the school regi-

  ment, aircraft 310 was given yellow markings, indicating

  its function as a trainer. These consisted of a band on the

  spine at the rear fuselage and stripes on the upper si-

  des of both wings. The wing stripes wrapped around the

  leading edge before terminating behind it on the lower

  surface. Interestingly, although the aircraft lacked the

  wing-mounted machine guns, at least in available pho-

  tographs, the spent cartridge collector bulges remained

  below the wings.

  INFO Eduard36

  May 2022

• Page 37

  KITS 05/2022

  S-199.340, Lt. František Kratochvíla, No. 3 Squadron, Aviation Regiment 51,

  Mladá, Czechoslovakia, July 1952

  S-199.531 Lt. Václav Dvořák, No. 2 Squadron, Aviation Regiment 3,

  Brno-Černovice, Czechoslovakia, April 5, 1953

  S-199.178, Police Air Patrol, Praha-Ruzyně, Prague,

  Czechoslovakia, December, 1948

  Not much is known about the early service of this aircraft.

  It was manufactured in the summer of 1948. The aircraft

  underwent general overhaul in Kunovice from June 5 to

  November 20, 1950 and served with the Police Air Patrol

  service briefly (this aviation arm of the Police was disban-

  ded on December 23, 1950). In May 1952, it was assigned

  to No. 51 lp (Aviation Regiment 51), where it was first as-

  signed to No. 4 Squadron and then served after reorgani-

  zation of the regiment with No. 3 Squadron, which retained

  the original Police code of its aircraft (numbers B-0311 and

  higher). On July 30, 1952, the aircraft made an emergency

  landing in Zvolen while being flown by Lt. František Kra-

  tochvíla This aircraft was one of a number that retained

  their simplified Police markings, including the red nose

  and horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The army insignia

  on the wings were overpainted in a darker colour than the

  camouflage coat. The same color was used to adapt the

  insignia on the rudder from circular to triangles with cu-

  rved edges. It is not known what specific color was used,

  but it may have been a darker shade of green used later

  on the S-199.

  This “Mezek” was test flown on April 19, 1950 and

  was one of the last of this type produced. From June

  12, 1950 it was assigned to the Air Reserve (LZ 8) at

  Zvolen Air Base with assignment to the VLT (Air For

  -

  ce Headquarters) in Prešov. Later it was transferred

  to No. 3 lp (Aviation Regiment 3), which was part of

  No. 22 Air Fighter Division, comprising units flying

  piston engined fighter aircraft. There, “Mule” 531

  served with the code GY-35. On April 5, 1953 Lt. Vác

  -

  lav Dvořák made an emergency landing with it due

  to an injection pump malfunction. The airframe was

  written off. The aircraft was visibly worn at the time

  with numerous signs of repairs to the original paint,

  which had been made in a darker shade of green. The

  engine cowling was apparently a replacement unit

  from a machine painted in the later, darker shade,

  but darker spots were also visible on it. These were

  likely the result of contrast between fresh and fa

  -

  ded paint of the same shade. Similar signs of repairs

  were found on older Avia S-199s of the unit.

  S-199 No. 178 was test flown by factory pilot Anto

  -

  nín Kraus on November 19, 1948, and on December

  27 of the same year was ferried to Ruzyně, where

  it was assigned to the Police Air Patrol. It was first

  coded OK

  -

  BYW, and after a change to the marking

  system it became B-4300 in March 1950. Probably in

  March 1951 the aircraft was passed on to the Army

  for a stated cost of 802,000 CZK. The airframe had

  logged only 94 flight hours. Subsequently, it served

  from 1953 with No. 4 Aviation School Regiment in

  Prostějov, coded UF-25. On October 19, 1953, it was

  severely damaged during landing. The airframe was

  written off, but not scrapped and remained unnoticed

  in the scrap yard at Olomouc. From there, it was mo

  -

  ved to the Kbely Aviation Museum in 1969. Using the

  fuselage of this aircraft, a single museum example of

  the Avia S-199 was then restored and is a part of its

  display to this day.

  INFO Eduard

  37

  May 2022

• Page 38

  S-199, D-106, Modi Alon, 101 Squadron (tayeset), Cheyl ha-avir,

  Aqir, Israel, June 4, 1948

  S-199, D-117, 101 Squadron (tayeset), Cheyl ha-avir,

  Herzliya, Israel, July-August 1948

  S-199 , D-123, 101 Squadron (tayeset), Cheyl ha-avir,

  Hatzor, Israel, October, 1948

  Eight S-199s from the first delivery batch to Israel were

  of early Avia production (aircraft serial numbers 30, 32,

  33, 36, 37, 38, 42, 63) and two from the Aero factory (Nos.

  282, 286), so these were all equipped with an oil cooler

  under the nose. The aircraft with the fuselage code D-106

  was delivered to Israel on May 30, 1948, during Operati-

  on Balak’s Flight No. 16. On June 1, it joined the fighting

  and just two days later Modi Alon achieved the first two

  air-to-air kills for the Czech- built S-199 fighter and, by

  extension, the newly established Israeli Air Force. Alon’s

  victims were two Egyptian C-47s makeshift bombers of

  the Royal Egyptian Air Force’s No. 3 Squadron. On the

  fateful day of the kills, "Mule" coded D-106 was the only

  airworthy fighter available to Israel, as the other S-199s

  delivered up to that time were either destroyed, damaged,

  or in various stages of assembly. The following day, No.101

  squadron pilot Dov Ben Zvi damaged D-106 on takeoff, thus

  leaving the squadron without an airworthy fighter and

  Israel without air cover. To counter REAF air raids, No 101

  squadron relocated to an improvised dirt airstrip set up

  in the town of Herzliya. Repaired "Mule" D-106 was made

  airworthy again, but not for long. On takeoff, while flown

  by Gideon from the Herzliya airstrip, one of the wheels hit

  a patch of mud, causing the airplane to flip over. Gideon

  Lichtman survived the crash, but D-106 was scrapped.

  One of the “Messers”, as these aircraft were dubbed in

  Israeli use, that survived the First Arab-Israeli War, was

  an aircraft coded D-117. The aircraft was delivered on

  July 15, 1948, aboard Balak Flight No. 63 and made its first

  operational sortie on July 21. In the summer of 1948, 101

  Squadron's lead mechanic, Eli Reuveni fell in love with

  his sweetheart named “Nechama”. He commemorated

  this occasion with a photograph in which he posed next

  to “Messer” D-117 with Nechama's name chalked atop the

  airplane's Star of David; Nechama went on to become his

  wife. However, D-117 had a less romantic future, suffering

  its first accident on August 20, 1948, when Mitchell Flint

  flipped it over onto its back in a crash landing. Further

  serious fuselage damage occurred on October 17, when,

  after being hit by ground fire, Giddy Lichtman made a for-

  ced landing at Aqir Air Base. Along with the repairs made

  to the airframe, D-117 was also fitted with a high reso-

  lution camera to conduct photo reconnaissance missions.

  In November 1948, the Israeli Air Force changed its alpha

  numeric aircraft numbering system to a four digit identi-

  fication number, and D-117 was renumbered 1901, where 19

  stood for the airplane type and 01 for the first airframe on

  the squadron list.

  The aircraft coded D-123 was delivered to Israel on July

  28 on board Balak Flight No. 79 and joined the action on

  August 15, 1948. A month prior to D-123's entry into servi-

  ce, ex-USAAF volunteer pilot Stan Andrews drew up the

  101 squadron’s insignia of a winged skull of death wearing

  a flight helmet and goggles. The skull symbolizes the Je-

  wish faith's belief in the rising of the dead to form a large

  army when the messiah comes to earth. The insignia was

  printed on poster paper and applied to the left side of the

  nose of 101 Squadron’s planes. In preparation for Operation

  Ten Plagues (15-22 October 1948), later renamed Operation

  Yoav, 101 Squadron fighters obtained high visibility mar-

  kings consisting of red spinners and red and white stripes

  on the rudders in order to distinguish them from Egyptian

  Spitfires. To further differentiate the Israeli fighters, the

  Star of David roundels were applied atop the wings for the

  first time. During Operation Yoav, Rudi Augarten claimed

  a Royal Egyptian Air Force Spitfire Mk.IXc flying D-121 on

  the first day of the offensive, on October 16. The kill was

  not confirmed by IAF intelligence and is only considered

  as damaged. In November, D-123 was given the number

  1905 as part of the introduction of a new military aircraft

  marking system. There are a few repairs to the fuselage

  that appear as darker areas from photos of D-123. This

  has led some researchers to believe the aircraft received

  a two-tone camouflage scheme on the upper surfaces.

  However, it is merely a contrast of older and newer paint

  of approximately the same shade of green.

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard38

  May 2022

• Page 39

  OVERTREES

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  OVERTREES 1/72

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  OVERTREES 1/72

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  MEZEK 1/72

  Product page

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  672284 S-199 exhaust stacks PRINT (Brassin)

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  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  39

  May 2022

• Page 40

  Sprue A

  Sprue E Sprue F

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard40

  May 2022

• Page 41

  Sprue D

  Sprue C

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  41

  May 2022

• Page 42

  Spitfire F Mk.IX 1/72

  Weekend edition kit of British WWII

  fighter aircraft Spitfre F Mk.IX

  in 1/72 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  No. of decal options: 4

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: no

  painting mask: no

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  #7460

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard42

  May 2022

• Page 43

  EN500, F/O Irving F. Kennedy, No. 249 Squadron, Qrendi, Malta, July 1943

  BS240, W/Cdr Richard Milne, CO of Biggin Hill Wing, Biggin Hill,

  United Kingdom, January - March 1943

  BS152, F/O Lorne M. Cameron, No. 402 Squadron RCAF, RAF Kenley, Surrey, United Kingdom, February 1943

  Irving Farmer Kennedy, an ace with 10 aerial victo-

  ries complemented by five shared and one probable,

  was born in Cumberland, Ontario on February 4, 1922.

  He joined the RCAF in October 1940 and on completion

  of training, he was posted to the UK as a sergeant in

  August 1941. After training with No. 55 OTU, he became

  a member of No. 263 Sqn, flying Whirlwinds. On June

  14, he was posted to No. 421 Sqn but left for Malta on

  October 22, 1942. He joined No. 249 Squadron there on

  December 15, 1942. His first victim was a Ju 52/3m,

  shot down on February 7, 1943. He continued to see

  success against Ju 88s and Ju 52/3ms. His first vic

  -

  tory over an enemy fighter came on June 10, 1943,

  when he shot down a Bf 109G and shared one C.202.

  He was posted to No. 111 Sqn on July 30, 1943, based in

  Sicily. “Hap” Kennedy´s first tour of duty ended in Ja

  -

  nuary 1944, and his second started on June 15, of the

  same year, when he was posted to No. 401 Sqn. He

  became its commanding officer on July 3, achieving

  his last two victories, before being shot down by Flak

  near Dreux on July 28. He bailed out, avoided captu

  -

  re, and reached Allied lines on August 24 but he did

  not return to combat. Instead, he returned to Canada,

  where he joined No. 124 Sqn RCAF. He was discharged

  in February 1945 and resumed his education. He gra

  -

  duated in medicine and practiced for 37 years. “Hap”

  Kennedy passed away on January 6, 2011. His Spitfire

  EN500 was among those finished in Dark Mediterra

  -

  nean Blue and Medium Sea Grey colors, which were

  better suited to fighting over water.

  A pre-war pilot, “Dickie” Milne achieved the status

  of ace during the Battle of Britain, while with No.

  151 Sqn. In mid-1941, Milne was transferred to No. 92

  Squadron at Biggin Hill, first as A Flight Leader, later

  taking command of the entire squadron. On Janua

  -

  ry 19, 1942, he took over command of No. 222 Sqn at

  North Weald, holding the post until the completion of

  his tour of duty in May. At the beginning of January

  1943, he was given leadership over the elite unit at

  Biggen Hill. He was given use of Spitfire BS240 as his

  personal aircraft, which briefly served with No. 340

  (French) Squadron, coded GW

  -

  G. As a reminder of this

  service, the Spitfire retained the Cross of Lorraine

  below the windscreen, while the Wing Commander

  marking was carried on the main fuel tank cover.

  Although BS240 had not served very long, it carried

  signs of non-standard repair and touch-up, such as

  the natural metal replacement canopy. Milne fell into

  his role function admirably, and he had claimed the

  destruction of an Fw 190 and an Bf 109 by January 20.

  He regularly led his Biggin Hill Wing in BS240 until

  March 14, when, after having downed an Fw 190 (his

  15th victory), “Dickie” was shot down by an II./JG 26

  Fw 190A-4 over Berck-sur-Mer and was taken priso

  -

  ner. After being freed in May 1945, he was released by

  the RAF in 1946 as Wing Commander. During his mili

  -

  tary career, Milne shot down a total of fifteen enemy

  aircraft, one probable and eleven damaged.

  Lorne Maxwell Cameron enlisted in the RCAF in Janua

  -

  ry 1941 and after completion of training was stationed

  to the UK in September 1941. Prior to joining No. 402

  Sqn in January 1942, he attended No. 53 OTU for combat

  training. On February 27, the day of his 21st birthday,

  Cameron scored his first victory, shooting down a Fw

  190A-4 of JG 26. He flew this Spitfire serialled BS152

  during that sortie and added one damaged aircraft on

  March 13. After being injured on July 22, he spent some

  time recuperating, returning to the unit in September

  1943. After a period with No. 53 OTU, where he served

  as an instructor, he returned to action with No. 401 Sqn

  and took over the unit‘s commander responsibilities.

  Cameron and his “boys” were tasked with numerous

  anti-ground assignments and the leader really sho

  -

  wed the others the way to do things, being credited

  with some 75 vehicles and five rail locomotives de

  -

  stroyed. He also added five more aerial victories plus

  one damaged. He was shot down by Flak over France

  on July 3, 1944. He was able to hide himself for two

  months before being captured but managed to esca

  -

  pe and returned back to the UK in September 1944.

  At the end of the war, he left the RCAF and served with

  Auxiliary Air Force No. 402 “City of Winnipeg” Squad

  -

  ron, where he was promoted to the rank of Wing Co-

  mmander. His Spitfire BS152 was decorated with nose

  art depicting a skull in a red circle and also featured

  the rather unusual deletion of the outer cannon aero

  -

  dynamic fairing.

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  43

  May 2022

• Page 44

  EN447, Lt Victor N. Cabas, 4th FS, 52nd FG, Le Sers, Tunisia, April 1943

  “Vic” Cabas worked in an aircraft factory in Allian-

  ce, Ohio, and by 1939 was a locally recognized pilot.

  At the age of nineteen, he was hired to ferry bombers

  from Canada to England. In March 1941, he joined the

  RCAF, in which he served with No. 403 Squadron up

  to September 1942. Over his career with the RCAF, he

  flew 51 combat sorties and claimed his first victory

  over Dieppe. On America’s entry into the war, he joi

  -

  ned the American Air Corps as a Lieutenant and was

  assigned to the 4th FS, 52nd FG. He became one of

  a few American pilots to fly a Spitfire in Britain,

  Egypt, France, over the Ardennes, Italy and Germany.

  He flew over 125 combat missions, during which he

  claimed six victories (four individual and two shared).

  In March 1944, he was awarded the DFC and was pro

  -

  moted to Captain. Later the same year, he was ele-

  vated to the rank of Major and at the 9th Air Force

  in Belgium, he flew P-47 Thunderbolts. The Spitfire

  with which Cabas flew in the spring of 1943 carried

  a standard desert camouflage scheme used by the

  RAF. An interesting feature of this aircraft was that

  it retained its original RAF markings under the left

  wing and the tail surfaces. The upper wing roundels

  were overpainted with fresh Dark Earth paint. The

  yellow border of the national insignia on American

  aircraft appeared for Operation Torch and remained

  in place after its conclusion in the MTO.

  Recommended:

  for Spitfire F Mk.IX 1/72

  72623 Spitfire Mk.IX landing flaps (PE

  -

  Set)

  72624 Spitfire Mk.IX (PE

  -

  Set)

  72641 Spitfire F Mk.IX (PE

  -

  Set)

  SS597 Spitfire Mk.IX seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  SS651 Spitfire Mk.IX radiator grilles (PE

  -

  Set)

  BIG72117 SPITFIRE Mk.IX (PE

  -

  Set)

  672110 Spitfire exhaust stacks - fishtail (Brassin)

  672112 Spitfire Mk.IX cockpit (Brassin)

  672123 Spitfire Mk.IX top cowl early (Brassin)

  672126 Spitfire Mk.IX engine (Brassin)

  672134 Spitfire Mk.IX legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  672150 Spitfire Mk.IXc gun bays (Brassin)

  672173 Spitfire Mk. VIII / IX / XVI radiator fairings (Brassin)

  D72008 Spitfire Mk.IX stencils (Decal Set)

  D72010 Spitfire - British WWII roundels late (Decal Set)

  CX454 Spitfire Mk.IX (Mask)

  Cat. No. 672126

  Cat. No. 672112

  Cat. No. 672134

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard44

  May 2022

• Page 45

  Bf 109G-10 WNF/Diana 1/48

  Weekend edition kit of German WWII fighter aircraft Bf 109G-10 in 1/48 scale. The kit is focused

  on 109s produced by Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke / Diana. One aircraft is from the post-war

  service in Czechoslovak Police Air Force.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  No. of decal options: 4

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: no

  painting mask: no

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  #84182

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  45

  May 2022

• Page 46

  Bf 109G-10/U4, II./JG 52, Ainring, Germany, May 1945

  Bf 109G-10/U4, WNr. 612762, Jagdstaffel 5 der ROA (Russian Liberation Army),

  Německý Brod, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, April 1945

  Bf 109G-10/U4, WNr. 613165, 101. "Puma" vadászrepülő osztály, Neubiberg, Germany, May 1945

  In the end of December 1944 this one-o-nine was

  delivered to I./JG 53. Upon arrival it received a ye

  -

  llow fuselage stripe together with the unit insignia

  on the nose, the Stab markings were added to the

  fuselage and rudder was painted yellow while the

  vertical stabilizer port side retained the first nume

  -

  ral 6 from the serial number and the last numeral 8

  on the starboard side. After a brief operational acti

  -

  vity at I./JG 53 the airplane was handed over to II./JG

  52. Here the markings of the previous operator were

  overpainted with the camouflage color. In April 1945

  the II./JG 52 operated on the Protektorat Böhmen und

  Mähren territory where it flew missions in support of

  the German ground units fighting the defense com

  -

  bat against the Soviet offensive on Brno. The picture

  captures the aircraft marked yellow 6 at Ainring air

  -

  port in Bavaria on May 8, 1945.

  Jasta 5 of the Russian Liberation Army, led by Ma

  -

  jor S. T. Bychkov was deployed to the Německý Brod

  base (nowadays Havlíčkův Brod) in the beginning of

  March 1945. It took part in the retreating fights of

  the German units during the battle of Brno in April

  1945. White 24 was found at Německý Brod airport in

  May. One-o-nine sporting the camouflage typical for

  Diana factory carries the large crosses on the wing

  upper surfaces, smaller size crosses on the fuselage

  sides and swastika on the vertical stabilizer, peeling

  off on the starboard side. Serial number was sprayed

  over the light mottles.

  In the end of May 1945 the remaining Hungarian air

  units concentrated on the Tulln airport in Austria

  from where they flew the missions into Wien and

  Brno areas. On April 5, after the frontline approached

  Tulln, these units transferred to the Raffelding air

  -

  port from where they continued to fly sorties to supp-

  ort the ground units around Wien. At the end of war

  the Hungarian aviators, same as their German colle

  -

  agues, preferred to surrender to the American Army

  therefore, on May 8, 1945, 101. osztály pilots flew the

  remaining aircraft over to the Bavarian Neubiberg.

  The aircraft manufactured in the Diana factory were

  camouflaged with the same paints as the aircraft

  manufactured in Wiener Neustadt. The photographs

  of black 16 show that the Hungarian national insigni

  -

  as were spray-painted directly on the camouflage,

  the German markings were not applied at all.

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard46

  May 2022

• Page 47

  Avia S-99, Police Air Patrol Unit, Czechoslovak Police Air Force,

  Praha - Kbely, 1947

  This aircraft, allocated to the air detachment of SNB

  (Sbor národní bezpečnosti - National Security Corps)

  got to the air for the first time in summer 1946. The

  upper and side surfaces were camouflaged in steel

  gray paint, the lower surfaces were sprayed in dar

  -

  ker grey color. The engine cowlings, wings leading

  edges and elevators of the “SNB” Air Patrol aircraft

  were painted in scarlet red. The code letters were

  painted in the same color outlined in white. The

  national insignia was in the form of white outlined

  spherical triangle. The vertical tail stabilizer carried

  a small black numeral 4.

  Recommended:

  for Bf 109G-10 WNF/Diana 1/48

  481006 Bf 109G-10 Erla (PE

  -

  Set)

  FE910 Bf 109G seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  FE1191 Bf 109G-10 ERLA Weekend (PE

  -

  Set)

  644004 Bf 109G-10 LööK (Brassin)

  644046 Bf 109G-10 w/ late wheels LööKplus (Brassin)

  648158 Bf 109G-10 wheels (Brassin)

  648239 Bf 109G-6 radio compartment (Brassin)

  648247 Bf 109G exhaust stacks (Brassin)

  648265 Bf 109G external fuel tanks (Brassin)

  648309 Bf 109G undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648310 Bf 109G control surfaces (Brassin)

  648422 Bf 109G-10 cockpit (Brassin)

  648441 Bf 109G-10 engine (Brassin)

  D48025 Bf 109G stencils (Obtisk)

  D48027 Bf 109G Balkenkreuze (Decal Set)

  D48028 Bf 109G svastikas (Decal Set)

  D48042 Bf 109G-10 Erla national insignia (Decal Set)

  EX608 Bf 109G-10 (Mask)

  EX609 Bf 109G-10 TFace (Mask)

  Cat. No. 648422

  Cat. No. 644004

  Cat. No. 648309

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  47

  May 2022

• Page 48

  #8227

  F6F-3

  1/48

  ProfiPACK edition kit of US WWII

  fighter aircraft F6F-3

  in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  No. of decal options: 5

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  Re-release

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard48

  May 2022

• Page 49

  Lt. Lochridge, VF-34, Nissan Island, 1944

  VF-8, USS Intrepid (CV-11), Summer 1943

  Lt. Oscar Chenoweth, VF-38, Segi Point airstrip, New Georgia Island, September 1943

  The very unusual marking consisting of a white spine

  and part of the tail was typical for VF-34 Hellcats.

  Even more rare were pin-up girls on U.S. Navy fighter

  aircraft. Registration number is spray-painted on the

  engine cowling, used obviously during the deliveries

  from the manufacturer to the units.

  Second unit marked as VF-8 was established on June

  1, 1943, under the command of LCdr. William M. Collins

  Jr. and was dispatched for the operational training

  aboard USS Intrepid which was sailing in the Cari

  -

  bbean Sea at that time. Tri-color camouflage, intro-

  duced as of January 5, 1943, for the application on the

  aircraft deployed to Pacific, composed of Non-specu

  -

  lar Sea Blue, Semi-gloss Sea Blue, Intermediate Blue

  and Non-specular White, was applied slightly diffe

  -

  rently than on the other aircraft. National markings

  featuring the red outline were introduced as of June

  28, 1943.

  Oscar Chenoweth was born on July 16, 1917, in Salem,

  Oregon. Having graduated from the High School he

  continued his studies at the Oregon State University,

  however he interrupted his education and in October

  of the same year enlisted in the US Navy. Having com

  -

  pleted the fighter training Ens. Chenoweth flew as an

  instructor at a training unit. In the middle of 1943

  he was assigned to VF-38 operating in the Pacific.

  Here he achieved his fist kill on September 15, 1943,

  when he shot down a Japanese Zero nearby Balla

  -

  le island. Since January 1944 he flew Corsairs with

  VF-17 achieving another 7.5 victories over Japanese

  aircraft. Since June 1944 he was in command of the

  dive bomber squadron. In 1954 he retired from the US

  Navy and worked for Chance Vought. He passed away

  on May 9, 1968 due to the heart attack. Red outline

  of the national markings was discontinued as of Au

  -

  gust 14, 1943, due to the possible confusion with the

  Japanese Hinomaru. There is no photographic proof

  that Chenoweth aircraft carried the red outlines at

  the time of his first kill. It is possible, that in this time

  carried blue-outlined markings.

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  49

  May 2022

• Page 50

  OTU VF-2, NAS Melbourne, United States of America, October 1944

  Ens. Gordon Arthur Stanley, VF-27, USS Princeton (CVL-23), October 1944

  Naval Air Station Melbourne was established on Oc-

  tober 20, 1942 and the first training course commen-

  ced on January 18, 1943 on F4F Wildcat aircraft. Hell-

  cats started to arrive at the unit as of June 1, 1943,

  fully replaced originally operated Wildcats as of Oc

  -

  tober 1, 1944, and their inventory varied between 75

  and 150 machines. During 1944, 546 pilots completed

  their pilot training at this base, another 916 pilots

  from January to October 1944. Hellcats belonging to

  this unit sported a prominent marking carried on the

  front part of the engine cowling consisting of stripes

  or other geometrical shapes.

  Gordon Arthur Stanley, born on July 13, 1921, in Sea

  -

  ttle, Washington state, shot down 8 enemy airplanes

  in the course of World War Two, all achieved flying

  with VF-27. This unit became famous thanks to its

  unique marking - cat mouth and eyes, painted by Ro

  -

  bert Burnell on all noses of the Hellcats belonging to

  this unit. Most of the Hellcats sporting the cat mouth

  with eyes was destroyed on October 24, 1944, during

  the Battle of Leyte Gulf. The aircraft ended up on the

  ocean bottom together with Light Aircraft Carrier

  Princeton sunk by the single bomb launched from

  the D4Y Suisei (Judy) dive-bomber. Afterwards VF-

  27 operated from the board of CVL-22 Independence,

  however without the cat-mouth and eyes markings.

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard50

  May 2022

• Page 51

  OVERTREES

  OVERLEPT

  #8221X F6F-3 / Hellcat Mk.I 1/48

  #8227-LEPT

  F6F-3 LEPT 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Recommended:

  for F6F-3 1/48

  48585 F6F undercarriage (PE

  -

  Set)

  48588 F6F gun bay (PE

  -

  Set)

  FE951 F6F-3 seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644011 F6F-3 LööK (Brassin)

  648102 F6F wheels (Brassin)

  648683 F6F exhaust stacks (Brassin)

  648747 F6F undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  D48055 F6F-3 part 1 (Decal Set)

  D48057 F6F-3 part 2 (Decal Set)

  D48058 F6F-3 stencils (Decal Set)

  Cat. No. 644011

  Cat. No. 648747

  Cat. No. 648683

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  51

  May 2022

• Page 52

  #8287

  Spitfire HF Mk.VIII

  1/48

  Profipack edition kit of British WWII

  high-altitute fighter aircraft Spitfire

  HF Mk.VIII in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  No. of decal options: 5

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, color

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  Re-release

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard52

  May 2022

• Page 53

  JF519, No. 1 Squadron SAAF, Trigno, Italy, June 1944

  JF630, F/O L. Cronin, No. 81 Squadron, Palel, India, March 1944

  JF364, No. 32 Squadron, Foggia, Italy, early 1944

  No. 1 Squadron SAAF was established in February

  1940 by renaming of the No. 6 Squadron SAAF armed

  with Hawker Hurricane and Fury aircraft. In the mid

  of the year 1940 the pilots of this unit joined the fi

  -

  ghts above North Africa. At the turn of 1942 and 1943

  the squadron received Spitfires and flew them in the

  fights under the African sun. These fights were fo

  -

  llowed by the use of these aircraft above Malta and

  Sicily. The wartime presence of the squadron finished

  in Italy. After WWII, the squadron remained active,

  first with Spitfires, Vampire, Sabre and Impala and

  then, in April 1975, the squadron was rearmed with

  French Mirage F.1. The squadron was disbanded on

  November 25, 1997, at the Hoedspruit Base.

  The Mk.VIII Spitfires used by No. 1 Squadron SAAF abo

  -

  ve Italy had a Day Fighter Camouflage Scheme. The

  upper surfaces were painted in Ocean Grey and Dark

  Green; the undersides with Medium Sea Grey colour.

  The wing tips of Spitfires of this squadron were pain

  -

  ted red.

  According to the interview with Larry Cronin the

  squadron A/C retained their desert colours. The pi

  -

  lot maintains that his aircraft still had its extended

  wingtips when he gained his victories. In November

  1943, No. 81 Squadron RAF, withdrew from Sicily to

  Egypt where they re-equipped with Spitfire Mk.VIII

  aircraft. Cronin recalls that all these aircraft were

  in the JF serial range and had extended wingtips

  and standard rudders. Photos of aircraft in this

  serial batch showing this configuration support

  his comments. Most sources state that the aircraft

  were re-camouflaged in Dark Earth, Dark Green and

  Sea Grey Medium when they arrived in India. The

  comments in those sources appear to be based on

  an order issued by RAF Headquarters, New Delhi. The

  date of the order is April, 1944, some three months

  after No. 81 Squadron's arrival in the theatre, and

  a month after the only known photos of Cronin's air-

  craft were taken.

  The high altitude fighter camouflage scheme adorned

  this Spitfire as well. In accordance with regulations,

  red-blue cockades were painted on the fuselage and

  upper sides of the wings. No national insignia was

  applied on the bottom of the wings. A photo of this

  aircraft shows that the GZ code letters did not adhere

  to regulations on the right side of the fuselage. The

  aircraft was equipped with extended wingtips.

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  53

  May 2022

• Page 54

  JF476, No. 92 Squadron, Triolo, Sicily, November 1943

  308th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, Castel Volturno, Italy, 1944

  Originally No. 92 Fighter Squadron fighting in WWI

  was cancelled in August 1919. On October 10, 1939

  a squadron bearing the same number was esta-

  blished. It was first equipped with Bristol Blenheims.

  Right at the beginning of year 1940 it got Spitfires,

  which were fighting above Dunkerque and also

  fought in the Battle of Britain. In February 1942 the

  squadron was sent to Africa where it served against

  German and Italian armed forces. After the fights in

  Africa terminated, the squadron fought above Malta

  and Sicily, later the squadron served above Italy. The

  squadron was disbanded on December 30, 1946, in

  Austrian Zeltweg. During WWII it reached the highest

  number of shot downs of the enemy aircraft among

  the RAF Wings, 317 victories over the enemy aircraft.

  No. 92 Squadron aircraft had a Desert Scheme Ca

  -

  mouflage. This consisted of Dark Earth and Middle

  Stone colours on the top surfaces, the undersides

  were painted in Azure Blue colour. The colour of the

  letters of coding of the squadron could not be clearly

  determined, various sources state blue and red. Both

  sides of the fuselage bore Desert Air Force sign.

  308th Fighter Squadron was armed with P-39s and

  P-40s. The performance of these fighters was not

  enough to keep up with German opponents, which

  led to a relatively quick rearmament to Spitfires

  Mk.V. The Spitfires were used by 31st Fighter Group in

  a two-month heavy fights above northern France.

  Later the group was transferred to Gibraltar to use

  the base for take offs for Algeria as part of the di

  -

  sembarkation of the Allies in North Africa (Operation

  Torch). What followed were the fights against the for

  -

  ces of the Axis in North Africa. In May 1943 the 308th

  Fighter Squadron received Spitfires Mk.VIII, which

  were than used in the fights above Sicily and Italy.

  In March 1944, the Spitfires were replaced by P-51

  Mustangs, which were used by 308th Fighter Squad

  -

  ron pilots till the end of war.

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard54

  May 2022

• Page 55

  OVERTREES

  OVERLEPT

  #8294X Spitfire Mk. VIII 1/48

  #8284-LEPT

  Spitfire Mk.VIII 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Recommended:

  for Spitfire Mk.VIII 1/48

  49708 Spitfire Mk.VIII (PE

  -

  Set)

  648099 Spitfire exhaust stacks fishtail (Brassin)

  648115 Spitfire wheels - 4 spoke (Brassin)

  648118 Spitfire wheels - 4 spoke w/pattern (Brassin)

  648120 Spitfire - radio compartment (Brassin)

  648199 Spitfire Mk.VIII cockpit (Brassin)

  648200 Spitfire Mk.VIII engine (Brassin)

  648201 Spitfire Mk.VIII gun bays (Brassin)

  648338 Spitfire Mk.VIII top cowl (Brassin)

  648380 Spitfire Mk.VIII / IX cockpit door (Brassin)

  3DL48039 Spifire Mk.VIII SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  D48048 Spitfire Mk.VIII over Europe (Decal Set)

  D48049 Spitfire Mk.VIII over Pacific (Decal Set)

  Cat. No. 648199

  Cat. No. 648200

  Cat. No. 648120

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  55

  May 2022

• Page 56

  #82212

  A6M2 Zero Type 21

  1/48

  ProfiPACK edition kit of Japanese

  WWII naval fighter plane A6M2 Zero

  Type 21 in 1/48 scale.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 5

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  Re-release

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard56

  May 2022

• Page 57

  c/n 5379, PO1c Tsuguo Matsuyama, Hiryū Fighter Squadron,

  aircraft carrier Hiryū, December 7, 1941

  PO1c Saburō Sakai, Tainan Kōkūtai, Lakunai airfield, Rabaul,

  New Britain island, August 1942

  PO2c Kōtarō Koyae, Zuihō Fighter Squadron, Rabaul, New Britain island, April 1943

  During second attack against Hawaii the Hiryū aircraft

  carrier sent nine Zeros under the command of Lt. Sumio

  Nōno. His pilots attacked Kaneohe and Bellows bases,

  claiming two destroyed aircraft and one car. Third Shōtai

  was led by PO1c Matsuyama, who shot down in coopear-

  tion with his wingman P-40s piloted by 2nd Lieutenants

  George Whiteman and Samuel Bishop of the 44th Pursuit

  Squadron. Matsuyama had combat missions with the 13th

  Kōkūtai in China on his account already. On February 25,

  1938, as wingman of the legendary Sadaaki Akamatsu,

  he participated in shooting down four aircraft. During the

  raids on Ceylon on April 9, 1942, Matsuyama's shōtai shot

  down a Blenheim Mk.IV, probably of S/Ldr Kenneth Ault´s

  crew, who was leading formation of No. 11 Squadron RAF in

  an attack on Japanese ships. Matsuyama later served on

  the aircraft carrier Hiyō and was killed on April 7, 1943 in

  combat with the Wildcats off Guadalcanal. The airplane

  BII-124 was shot down on February 19, 1942 during the raid

  on Darwin. After being hit by anti-aircraft fire, Seaman

  1st class Hajime Toyoshima landed on Melville Island and

  was captured by Aboriginal Matthias Ulungura. Toyoshima

  was the first captured Zero pilot and used alias "Tadao

  Minami". He became one of the organizers of the largest

  prisoner escape in World War II. On August 5, 1944 at Cowra

  POW Camp he gave signal to escape. Total of 1,104 POWs

  attempted to espace, 231 were killed and four Australians

  lost their lives as well. Toyoshima was mortally wounded,

  so he lighted a cigarette and committed suicide.

  Saburō Sakai is best known Japanese fighter pilot, thanks

  to his memoirs and meetings with Allied airmen after

  World War II. He was born in 1916 and served from Septem-

  ber 1938 with the 12th Kōkūtai in China. In October 1941,

  he was assigned to the newly organized Tainan Kōkūtai in

  Taiwan and took part in campaign heading South until he

  was wounded on August 7, 1942 off Guadalcanal. After re-

  covering, he served as an instructor with Ōmura Kōkūtai,

  and later, despite bad eyesight, was combat deployed

  with Yokosuka Kōkūtai on Iwo Jima. At the end of war he

  served with Kōkūtai 343 (II) and Yokosuka Kōkūtai. He is

  listed as an ace with 64 victories, but Sakai himself clai-

  med the number of his victories was lower. With the first

  two units he actually achieved 12 individual victories, 8

  shared and 4 probables. The V-128 was also flown by PO2c

  Arita and PO1c Hiroyoshi Nishizawa, who is credited with

  87 victories. The color of the stripes is chosen from Sakai's

  recollection, but there are other interpretations, such as

  a black or yellow stripe on the fuselage. During a fighter

  escort to Guadalcanal on August 7, Sakai shot down Wild-

  cat "F12" from VF-5 piloted by "Pug" Southerland in an epic

  dogfight. Sakai was later severely wounded in the face by

  fire from VB-6 Dauntless near Tulagi Island. After nearly

  five hours and more than 1,000 km, he managed to land

  back at Rabaul. Sakai died in 2000 after formal dinner

  with members of the US Navy.

  Petty Officer 2nd Class Koyae was born in 1923 in Miyazaki

  Prefecture and completed his flight training in November

  1942. He was than assigned to the fighter unit of the air-

  craft carrier Zuihō in March 1943. In April, the unit moved

  to Rabaul and Koyae flew the aircraft during Operation

  I-gō. In this period, green paint was applied to Zeros in

  field conditions. It was usually painted by hand, the edges

  of the green fields being softened with thinner someti-

  mes. However, according to the unit log, Koyae did not fly

  combat sorties in April 1943. In fact he did not encounter

  the enemy until November 1943 over Rabaul. During the

  same month he was transferred to Kōkūtai 253 at Rabaul

  and by early 1944 he was undergoing intense fighting.

  Upon his return to Japan, he was assigned to the Ōmura

  Kōkūtai. While on leave, on February 17, 1944, he spotted

  a Japanese bomber circling in the rain at night over the

  village of Goda, Miyazaki Prefecture. Koyae, with the help

  of the villagers, established a navigation signal and after

  some time he managed to guide the crew to right heading.

  For this achievment he received a written commendation

  from commander of Ōmura Kōkūtai. In July 1944, Koyae

  was assigned to Hikōtai 701 and fought in the defense of

  the Philippines. After returning to Japan, he was assigned

  to Hikōtai 701 (II) and served with Ōmura Kōkūtai at the

  end of the war. After the war he worked as a fireman and

  published his memories. According to the local press, he

  achieved 20 victories, but these may be victories achieved

  by fighter formations in which he took part.

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  57

  May 2022

• Page 58

  Lt. Kunio Kanzaki, CO of Hikōtai 311 of Kōkūtai 381, Kendari airfield,

  Celebes island, May 1944

  Lt. Nobuo Miyatake, Kamikaze Tokubetsu Kōgekitai, 1. Shichisei-tai,

  Kanoya airbase, Japan, April 1944

  Kōkūtai 381 was established in October 1943 at Kendari

  Base on the island of Celebes. It was a mixed Kōkūtai with

  48 fighter-bombers (Hikōtai 602), 24 night fighters (Hikōtai

  902) and 48 fighter aircraft in Hikōtai 311, the latter com-

  manded by Lt. Kanzaki. During the 1944 he operated from

  bases on islands in Indonesia and the Philippines. Their

  most frequent opponents were U.S. Army aircraft. Kanza-

  ki's unit used special phosphorus anti-aircraft bombs to

  attack enemy bombers. Kanzaki's aircraft, manufactured

  by the Nakajima company, has been reconstructed in the

  past with various color markings. It is assumed that the

  vertical tail surfaces and part of the upper wing surfaces

  were painted the same color like lower surfaces. The front

  part of the engine may also have been painted grey or ye-

  llow. It is not entirely clear from the photograph of the

  aircraft whether the white stripes on the lower fuselage

  are joined. It may have been designed to improve the mu-

  tual identification of Army and Navy aircraft when fighting

  Allied fighters. Another reason for this camouflage may

  have been for easier identification during night fighter fli-

  ghts. For example, Lt. Kanzaki and his wingman shot down

  a B-24 of the 380th BG over Balikpapan on the night of Ja-

  nuary 12-13, 1944. Some aircraft of Kōkūtai 331 were also

  painted in the same upper and tailplane camouflage. Both

  units operated in one tactical group during part of 1944.

  From the April 3, 1945 a total of eight special attack units

  with the battle name "Shichisei" were organized from the

  airmen serving in Genzan Kōkūtai (II) and Hikōtai 306 (part

  of Kōkūtai 721). Lt. Miyatake, who was 24 years old at the

  time, led the 1st Shichisei-tai in an attack on a convoy off

  Okinawa on April 6, 1945. During that day, eleven other air-

  men from Genzan Kōkūtai (II) sacrificed their lives along

  with him. They took off successively in four formations.

  Their formation was part of the 524 aircraft of special

  attack units and escort fighters from IJN and IJA sent

  against Allied vessels off Okinawa as part of Operation Ki-

  kusui I. The U.S. Navy lost destroyers USS Bush and Colhoun

  and other ships were severely damaged. "Shichisei" units

  were sent against ships off Okinawa, Yoronjima, Kikai, and

  Tanegashima islands in several missions till May 14. Only

  one of them returned to base due to bad weather. Lt. Miy-

  atake was born in Kagawa Prefecture and graduated from

  the Etajima Naval Academy in 1942. Before the mission, he

  wrote farewell letters to his mother and three sisters. His

  father was interned in Siberia at the time. Nobuo Miyatake

  was posthumously promoted to the rank of Commander.

  His aircraft from Nakajima production is designated "Ke-

  113".

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard58

  May 2022

• Page 59

  Recommended:

  for A6M2 Zero Type 21 1/48

  481076 A6M2 landing flaps (PE

  -

  Set)

  481077 A6M2 Zero (PE

  -

  Set)

  FE1238 A6M2 seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644128 A6M2 LööK (Brassin)

  644134 A6M2 LööKplus (Brassin)

  648692 A6M2 Zero Model 21 cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  648693 A6M2 wheels (Brassin)

  648694 A6M2 engine PRINT (Brassin)

  648695 A6M undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  648698 A6M2 seat PRINT (Brassin)

  648722 A6M2 exhausts PRINT (Brassin)

  648723 A6M2 cannon barrels & cockpit guns PRINT (Brassin)

  648724 A6M2 landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)

  648731 A6M2 Zero Model 21 folding wingtips PRINT (Brassin)

  SIN64883 A6M2 Zero Model 21 ESSENTIAL (Brassin)

  3DL48050 A6M2 SPACE (3D Decal Set)

  D48098 A6M2 stencils (Decal Set)

  D48100 A6M2 national insignia (Decal Set)

  EX821 A6M2 TFace (Mask)

  OVERTREES

  OVERLEPT

  #82212 A6M2 Zero Type 21 1/48

  #82212-LEPT

  A6M2 Zero Type 21 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Cat. No. 648692

  Cat. No. 648694

  Cat. No. 648695

  Cat. No. 648698

  Cat. No. 644128

  KITS 05/2022

  INFO Eduard

  59

  May 2022

• Page 60

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboards

  and STEEL seatbelts for SR-71A in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Revell

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Collection of 3 sets for Z-526AFS in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

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

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  644154

  SR-71A LööK

  1/48 Revell

  644150

  Z-526AFS LööKplus

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard60

  May 2022

• Page 61

  Collection of 3 sets for OV-10A in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: ICM

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

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  Collection of 4 sets for F-14A late in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

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

  - TFace painting mask

  - undercarriage wheels

  - ejection seats

  644155

  OV-10A LööKplus

  1/48 ICM

  644156

  F-14A late Löökplus

  1/48 Tamiya

  Product page

  Product page

  BRASSIN 02/2022

  BRASSIN

  INFO Eduard

  61

  May 2022

• Page 62

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the landing flaps for Fw 190D

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for SR-71A

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and nose wheels. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Revell

  Set contains:

  - resin: 8 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  648737

  Fw 190D landing flaps PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648740

  SR-71A wheels

  1/48 Revell

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard62

  May 2022

• Page 63

  BRASSIN 02/2022

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Vampire F.3

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and a nose wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for F-15A/B

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and a nose wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: GWH

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  648741

  Vampire F.3 wheels

  1/48 Airfix

  648743

  F-15A/B wheels

  1/48 GWH

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  63

  May 2022

• Page 64

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Mosquito

  in 1/48 scale. The set consists of the main wheels and

  a tail wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - resin: 8 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - the undercarriage legs for F6F

  in 1/48 scale. The legs are made of bronze.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  - bronze: 2 parts

  648746

  Mosquito wheels

  1/48 Tamiya

  648747

  F6F undercarriage legs BRONZE

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard64

  May 2022

• Page 65

  BRASSIN 02/2022

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the landing flaps for Spitfire Mk.IX

  in 1/48 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - manually operated M2 Browning

  machines guns in 1/48 scale. Set consists of 4 guns.

  The version for A/C. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  648748

  Spitfire Mk.IX landing flaps PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  648751

  M2 Browning w/ handles for aircraft PRINT

  1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  65

  May 2022

• Page 66

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - USN 36´ searchlights in 1/350 scale.

  The set consists of 6 searchlights. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - USN electric ship winches in 1/350 scale.

  The set consists of 2 types of winches, 6 pcs in total (4+2).

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 12 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  653001

  USN searchlights 36 inch PRINT

  1/350

  653003

  USN electric ship winches PRINT

  1/350

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard66

  May 2022

• Page 67

  BRASSIN 02/2022

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks for S-199 in 1/72 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for S-199 in 1/72

  scale. The set consists of the main wheels. Made by direct

  3D printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  672284

  S-199 exhaust stacks PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  672285

  S-199 wheels PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  67

  May 2022

• Page 68

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks for Fw 190D in 1/72 scale.

  Made by direct 3D printing. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts. Recommended kit: IBG

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Fw 190D

  in 1/72 scale. The set consists of the main wheels.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: IBG

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  672286

  Fw 190D exhaust stacks PRINT

  1/72 IBG

  672287

  Fw 190D wheels

  1/72 IBG

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard68

  May 2022

• Page 69

  BRASSIN 02/2022

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 4 sets to convert Mi-24V to Mi-24D in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Zvezda

  - cockpit

  - undercarriage wheels

  - dashboard, exhausts, chaff dispensers and chin sensors

  - painting mask

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

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

  SIN64882

  Mi-24D conversion set

  1/48 Zvezda

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  69

  May 2022

• Page 70

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 4 sets for A6M2 Model 21 in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - cockpit

  - undercarriage wheels

  - undercarriage legs BRONZE

  - exhausts

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

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

  SIN64883

  A6M2 Zero Model 21 ESSENTIAL

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard70

  May 2022

• Page 71

  www.eduard.com/bfc

  BUNNY BUNNY FIGHTERFIGHTER

  CLUB

  Eduard's special membership club for all modeling enthusiasts!

  15% Permanent Club discount at Eduard Store – you will receive permanent 15% discount on all Eduard

  products and also discount on various other non-Eduard products. Fixed, permanent, forever!

  Unique valuable Club kits and accessories – you will gain access to unique and nowhere else to be sold

  products, specially made for BFC members.

  Even better prices at Eduard events stand – do you know that Eduard usually has huge discounts on

  their products at fairs and events all over the world? BFC members will have even higher discount at

  these events.

  Club T-shirt – you will receive fancy BFC T-shirt with unique design and special barcode

  (used for event discounts). This exclusive T-shirt will be only available

  to the members of BFC.

  Free entry fee on E-day – you will not have to pay a penny to visit Eduard's E-day.

  That means lot of fun at E-day for two days and entry kit, absolutely free!

  * E-day - INTERNATIONAL SCALE KIT EXHIBITION - IPMS Czech Republic Championship

  BOX CONTENT:

  Plastic parts, Marking options 6, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin

  parts (two different types of wheels, landing flaps, dust filter with

  eyelid, intake ring and RP-3 60lb rockets), 3D decals for main and si

  -

  dewalk instrument and control panels with photo-etched details and

  seat belts.

  BOX CONTENT:

  Plastic parts, Marking options 4, Decal Set, PE parts, Maska, Brassin

  parts (undercarriage wheels, cockpit, exhaust nozzle, FOD).

  How to become a member of BFC?How to become a member of BFC?

  Simply by purchasing the Activation product. You will be given 15% discount on (almost) every Eduard

  product in your shopping cart. To apply this discount, the Activation product has to be in your shopping

  cart. Activation product is excluded from this calculation.

  Activation products:Activation products:

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

• Page 72

  3DL32006 Hawk 81-A2 1/32 Great Wall Hobby

  3DL53007

  Tirpitz flags 1/350 Trumpeter

  3DL32006 Hawk 81-A2 SPACE 1/32 GREAT WALL HOBBY

  3DL48063 F-104A SPACE 1/48 KINETIC

  3DL48064 F-104C SPACE 1/48 KINETIC

  3DL53007 Tirpitz flags SPACE 1/350 TRUMPETER

  Product page

  Product page

  Easy

  aplication

  INFO Eduard72

  May 2022

• Page 73

  Easy

  aplication

  3DL48063 F-104A SPACE 1/48 Kinetic

  3DL48064

  F-104C 1/48 Kinetic

  Product page

  Product page

  Detailed

  SPACE

  INFO Eduard

  73

  May 2022

• Page 74

  Hawk 81-A2

  1/32 Great Wall Hobby

  32997

  33298 Hawk 81-A2

  seatbelts STEEL

  33297 Hawk 81-A2

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  MAY 2022

  INFO Eduard74

  May 2022

• Page 75

  36479

  Jackal 2

  1/35 Hobby Boss

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  75

  May 2022

• Page 76

  J1N1-S Gekko

  1/72 Fujimi/Hobby 2000

  73769

  SS769 J1N1-S Gekko

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard76

  May 2022

• Page 77

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  77

  May 2022

• Page 78

  TA-4J

  1/72 Fujimi/Hobby 2000

  73770

  SS770 TA-4J

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard78

  May 2022

• Page 79

  EA-18G

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  491268

  FE1268 EA-18G

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  79

  May 2022

• Page 80

  DECAL SETS

  D72038

  S-199 Czechoslovak

  national insignia

  1/72 Eduard

  D72039

  S-199 Israeli national

  insignia

  1/72 Eduard

  D72040

  S-199 Czechoslovak

  stencils

  1/72 Eduard

  D72041

  S-199 Israeli stencils

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard80

  May 2022

• Page 81

  EDDIE THE RIVETER

  ER48001

  Mi-24V positive rivets and surface details

  1/48 Zvezda

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  81

  May 2022

• Page 82

  EDDIE THE RIVETER

  INFO Eduard82

  May 2022

• Page 83

  EDUcation

  Rivet the Eddie way! Rivet the Eddie way!

  All you need for

  application.

  Assemble the model, fill engraved lines

  and sand off details that are marked in this guide.

  1

  2

  Prepare the model for the painting. Spray with Mr. Finishing

  Surfacer 1500, add drops of Super Gloss Clear to the mixture

  so that the sprayed model has glossy surface (same grade of

  smoothness of the surface like for decal application).

  Step by step application

  EDDIE THE RIVETEREDDIE THE RIVETER (Cat. No. ER48001)

• Page 84

  EDUcation

  Wait until the decal could be released from the

  paper. Put drops of water/saponite mixture on the

  model surface where you want to place the decal.

  3

  5

  4

  Prepare mixture of water (100 ml)

  and dishwashing saponite (2–3

  drops). Soak the dishwashing

  sponge in the mixture.

  Cut off a section with rivets and

  raised details from the decal

  paper along the gray line with sci-

  ssors or sharp modeling knife.

  Put it on the sponge then push the

  sponge so that the decal is wet.

  Step by step application

  EDDIE THE RIVETEREDDIE THE RIVETER (Cat. No. ER48001)

  Rivet the Eddie way! Rivet the Eddie way!

• Page 85

  EDUcation

  6

  7

  Step by step application

  EDDIE THE RIVETEREDDIE THE RIVETER (Cat. No. ER48001)

  Rivet the Eddie way! Rivet the Eddie way!

  Place the decal on its position.

  Remove the decal from decal paper.

• Page 86

  EDUcation

  Press the applied decal

  to the surface with dry

  dishwashing sponge and

  remove all water. Do not

  move the sponge! Just

  apply gentle press and

  then draw the sponge apart

  from the surface vertically.

  Otherwise, the decal might

  get deformed.

  After all the decals are on their positions,

  allow at least 24 hours for drying.

  8

  9

  Step by step application

  EDDIE THE RIVETEREDDIE THE RIVETER (Cat. No. ER48001)

  Rivet the Eddie way! Rivet the Eddie way!

• Page 87

  EDUcation

  10

  11

  Then spray 3–5 very thin layers of Mr. Finishing

  Surfacer 1500 over the whole model using airbrush.

  Do not use spray in can!

  Continue with painting and final as-

  sembly of the model. Pay maximum

  attention to masking when using

  masking tape. The adhesion of the

  tape must be reduced to avoid da-

  mage of the Surfacer layer or even

  the decal!

  Step by step application

  EDDIE THE RIVETEREDDIE THE RIVETER (Cat. No. ER48001)

  Rivet the Eddie way! Rivet the Eddie way!

• Page 88

  EDUcation

  Step by step application

  EDDIE THE RIVETEREDDIE THE RIVETER (Cat. No. ER48001)

  One model with

  Eddie the Riveter set

  and one without this set.

  One model with

  Eddie the Riveter set

  and one without this set.

  Rivet the Eddie way! Rivet the Eddie way!

• Page 89

  EDUcation

  How to build PRINTEDPRINTED

  landing flaps

  (Cat. No. 648738 Spitfire Mk.V)

  IT COULDN‘T BE EASIERIT COULDN‘T BE EASIER

  All you need.

  Assembled flaps.

  Dry fit. Glued parts.

  Assembled plastic.

  Ready to assemble.

  1

  3

  5

  2

  4

  6

  DETAILED SIMPLE

  - -

  FAST!

  DETAILED SIMPLE

  - -

  FAST!

• Page 90

  BIG ED

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

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

  BIG49323 Mi-24D 1/48 Trumpeter

  BIG49324

  F/A-18F 1/48 Meng

  481078 Mi-24D cargo interior 1/48

  491255 Mi-24D 1/48

  FE1257 Mi-24D seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX842 Mi-24D 1/48

  49103 Remove Before Flight STEEL

  491253 F/A-18F 1/48

  FE1254 F/A-18F seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX840 F/A-18F 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard90

  May 2022

• Page 91

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

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

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  BIG ED

  BIG49325 Su-27 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  BIG72170

  Wellington Mk.II 1/72 Airfix

  491249 Su-27 1/48

  FE1250 Su-27 seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX838 Su-27 1/48

  72719 Wellington Mk.II bomb bay 1/72

  72720 Wellington Mk.II landing flaps 1/72

  73766 Wellington Mk.II 1/72

  CX619 Wellington Mk.II 1/72

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  91

  May 2022

• Page 92

  MASKS

  IT FITS!

  EX850 F-104A/C

  1/48 Kinetic

  EX851 F-104A/C TFace

  1/48 Kinetic

  EX852 F-22A

  1/48 I Love Kits

  EX853 F-22A TFace

  1/48 I Love Kits

  EX854 EA-18G

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX855 EA-18G TFace

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX856 Il-2 mod. 1943

  1/48 Zvezda

  EX857 Il-2 mod. 1943 TFace

  1/48 Zvezda

  EX850

  EX850

  EX851

  EX851

  EX851

  EX851

  EX844

  EX850

  EX851

  EX845

  EX851

  EX852

  EX853

  EX853 EX853 EX853

  EX852

  EX853

  EX852

  EX853

  INFO Eduard92

  Květen 2022May 2022

• Page 93

  EX854 EX854 EX854

  EX855 EX855 EX855

  EX857 EX857

  EX857

  EX855

  EX857

  EX855

  EX857

  EX856 EX856

  EX856

  EX855

  EX857

  MASKS

  INFO Eduard

  93

  Květen 2022May 2022

• Page 94

  EDUcation

  How to use Mask

  on Eduard ECR

  (Cat. No. 11154 TORNADO ECR)

  EDUARD MASK

  –

  IT FITS!

  46+23, JaboG 32, Lechfeld Air Base, Germany, July 2008

• Page 95

  EDUcation

  How to use Mask

  on Eduard ECR

  (Cat. No. 11154 TORNADO ECR)

  EDUARD MASK

  –

  IT FITS!

  46+44, 1./JaboG 32, Lechfeld Air Base, Germany, June 2001

• Page 96

  RELEASES

  MAY 2022

  KITS

  PE

  -

  SETS

  ZOOMS

  MASKS

  82181 Z-126 Trenér 1/48 ProfiPack

  2141 MEZEK DUAL COMBO 1/72 Limited

  84182 Bf 109G-10 WNF/Diana 1/48 Weekend

  7460 Spitfire F Mk.IX 1/72 Weekend

  8227 F6F-3 Re-release 1/48 ProfiPack

  8287 Spitfire HF Mk.VIII Re-release 1/48 ProfiPack

  82212 A6M2 Zero Type 21 Re-release 1/48 ProfiPack

  53279 Tirpitz part 1 1/350 Trumpeter

  53280 Tirpitz part 2 1/350 Trumpeter

  32997 Hawk 81-A2 1/32 Great Wall Hobby

  36479 Jackal 2 1/35 Hobby Boss

  481085 Il-2 mod. 1943 landing flaps 1/48 Zvezda

  491266 F-104A 1/48 Kinetic

  491267 F-104C 1/48 Kinetic

  491268 EA-18G 1/48 Hobby Boss

  491271 Il-2 mod. 1943 1/48 Zvezda

  491273 F-22A 1/48 I Love Kits

  73769 J1N1-S Gekko 1/72 Fujimi/Hobby 2000

  73770 TA-4J 1/72 Fujimi/Hobby 2000

  33297 Hawk 81-A2 1/32 Great Wall Hobby

  33298 Hawk 81-A2 seatbelts STEEL 1/32 Great Wall Hobby

  FE1266 F-104A 1/48 Kinetic

  FE1267 F-104C 1/48 Kinetic

  FE1268 EA-18G 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1269 EA-18G seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1270 F-104A/C seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Kinetic

  FE1271 Il-2 mod. 1943 1/48 Zvezda

  FE1272 Il-2 mod. 1943 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Zvezda

  FE1273 F-22A 1/48 I Love Kits

  FE1274 F-22A seatbelts STEEL 1/48 I Love Kits

  SS769 J1N1-S Gekko 1/72 Fujimi/Hobby 2000

  SS770 TA-4J 1/72 Fujimi/Hobby 2000

  EX850 F-104A/C 1/48 Kinetic

  EX851 F-104A/C TFace 1/48 Kinetic

  EX852 F-22A 1/48 I Love Kits

  EX853 F-22A TFace 1/48 I Love Kits

  EX854 EA-18G 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX855 EA-18G TFace 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX856 Il-2 mod. 1943 1/48 Zvezda

  EX857 Il-2 mod. 1943 TFace 1/48 Zvezda

  INFO Eduard96

  May 2022

• Page 97

  RELEASES

  MAY 2022

  BIG-EDBIG-ED

  BIG ED

  BRASSIN

  LöökPLUS

  BIG SIN

  EDDIE THE RIVETER

  DECAL SETS

  SPACE

  BIG49323 Mi-24D 1/48 Trumpeter

  BIG49324 F/A-18F 1/48 Meng

  BIG49325 Su-27 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  BIG72170 Wellington Mk.II 1/72 Airfix

  644154 SR-71A LööK 1/48 Revell

  648737 Fw 190D landing flaps PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648740 SR-71A wheels 1/48 Revell

  648741 Vampire F.3 wheels 1/48 Airfix

  648743 F-15A/B wheels 1/48 Great Wall Hobby

  648746 Mosquito wheels 1/48 Tamiya

  648747 F6F undercarriage legs BRONZE 1/48 Eduard

  648748 Spitfire Mk.IX landing flaps PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  648751 M2 Browning

  w/ handles for aircraft PRINT 1/48

  653001 USN searchlights 36 inch PRINT 1/350

  653003 USN electric ship winches PRINT 1/350

  672284 S-199 exhaust stacks PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672285 S-199 wheels PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672286 Fw 190D exhaust stacks PRINT 1/72 IBG

  672287 Fw 190D wheels 1/72 IBG

  644150 Z-526AFS LööKplus 1/48 Eduard

  644155 OV-10A LööKplus 1/48 ICM

  644156 F-14A late LööKplus 1/48 Tamiya

  SIN64882 Mi-24D conversion set 1/48 Zvezda

  SIN64883 A6M2 Zero Model 21 ESSENTIAL 1/48 Eduard

  ER48001 Mi-24V positive rivets & surface details 1/48 Zvezda

  3DL32006 Hawk 81-A2 SPACE 1/32 Great Wall Hobby

  3DL48063 F-104A SPACE 1/48 Kinetic

  3DL48064 F-104C SPACE 1/48 Kinetic

  3DL53007 Tirpitz flags SPACE 1/350 Trumpeter

  D72038 S-199 Czechoslovak national insignia 1/72 Eduard

  D72039 S-199 Israeli national insignia 1/72 Eduard

  D72040 S-199 Czechoslovak stencils 1/72 Eduard

  D72041 S-199 Israeli stencils 1/72 Eduard

  INFO Eduard

  97

  May 2022

• Page 98

  1/72

  Dual Combo

  Cat. No. 2141

  marking G

  Built by Robert Szwarc

  BUILT

  MEZEK

  INFO Eduard98

  May 2022

• Page 99

  BUILT

  S-199.340, Lt. František Kratochvíla, No. 3 Squadron, Aviation Regiment 51, Mladá, Czechoslovakia, July 1952

  Not much is known about the early service of this

  aircraft. It was manufactured in the summer of

  1948. The aircraft underwent general overhaul in

  Kunovice from June 5 to November 20, 1950 and

  served with the Police Air Patrol service briefly

  (this aviation arm of the Police was disbanded on

  December 23, 1950). In May 1952, it was assigned to

  No. 51 lp (Aviation Regiment 51), where it was first

  assigned to No. 4 Squadron and then served after

  reorganization of the regiment with No. 3 Squad-

  ron, which retained the original Police code of its

  aircraft (numbers B-0311 and higher). On July 30,

  1952, the aircraft made an emergency landing in

  Zvolen while being flown by Lt. František Krato-

  chvíla This aircraft was one of a number that re-

  tained their simplified Police markings, including

  the red nose and horizontal stabilizer and elevator.

  The army insignia on the wings were overpainted

  in a darker colour than the camouflage coat. The

  same color was used to adapt the insignia on the

  rudder from circular to triangles with curved ed-

  ges. It is not known what specific color was used,

  but it may have been a darker shade of green used

  later on the S-199.

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  99

  May 2022

• Page 100

  Cat. No. 2141

  marking L

  Built by Jan Novotný

  MEZEK

  Dual Combo

  1/72

  Product page

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard100

  May 2022

• Page 101

  BUILT

  S-199 , D-123, 101 Squadron (tayeset), Cheyl ha-avir, Hatzor, Israel, October, 1948

  The aircraft coded D-123 was delivered to Israel on

  July 28 on board Balak Flight No. 79 and joined the

  action on August 15, 1948. A month prior to D-123's

  entry into service, ex-USAAF volunteer pilot Stan

  Andrews drew up the 101 squadron’s insignia of a

  winged skull of death wearing a flight helmet and

  goggles. The skull symbolizes the Jewish faith's

  belief in the rising of the dead to form a large army

  when the messiah comes to earth. The insignia was

  printed on poster paper and applied to the left side

  of the nose of 101 Squadron’s planes. In preparation

  for Operation Ten Plagues (15-22 October 1948), la-

  ter renamed Operation Yoav, 101 Squadron fighters

  obtained high visibility markings consisting of red

  spinners and red and white stripes on the rudders

  in order to distinguish them from Egyptian Spitfi-

  res. To further differentiate the Israeli fighters, the

  Star of David roundels were applied atop the wings

  for the first time. During Operation Yoav, Rudi Au-

  garten claimed a Royal Egyptian Air Force Spitfire

  Mk.IXc flying D-121 on the first day of the offensive,

  on October 16. The kill was not confirmed by IAF

  intelligence and is only considered as damaged.

  In November, D-123 was given the number 1905 as

  part of the introduction of a new military aircraft

  marking system. There are a few repairs to the fu-

  selage that appear as darker areas from photos of

  D-123. This has led some researchers to believe

  the aircraft received a two-tone camouflage sche-

  me on the upper surfaces. However, it is merely a

  contrast of older and newer paint of approximately

  the same shade of green.

  INFO Eduard

  101

  May 2022

• Page 102

  BUILT

  1/48

  Cat. No. 82184

  marking C

  Built by Luboš Zach

  Product page

  Z-526AFS Akrobat

  INFO Eduard102

  May 2022

• Page 103

  BUILT

  Z-526AFS, I

  -

  IOIO, s/n 1330, Silvio Bellei, Sassuolo airfield, Italy, 1994

  This aircraft was produced in 1974 and it was the

  last of the Z-526AFS line. She was stored after the

  test flight on April 30, 1974, waiting for her buyer

  for two years. On May 26, 1977, she was flown to

  the new home in Parma by the famous Italian ae-

  robatic pilot Valenti. Two years later, however, the

  I

  -

  IOIO changed hands. She was bought by Dr. Silvio

  Bellei, founder of the ceramics manufacturer No-

  vaBell, long-time president of the Sassuolo Aero

  Club and a respected and renowned businessman

  and pilot. “Signor Bellei”, as the people regularly

  called him, was awarded the Paul Tissandier Di-

  ploma by the International Aeronautical Federa-

  tion for his aviation merit by the way. His aircraft

  was based at Sassuolo airfield near Modena until

  Dr. Bellei passed away (May 22, 2021, at the age

  of 84). The I

  -

  IOIO had one happy-ending accident

  when the pilot decided to make a landing without

  conducting the regular pattern after aerobatics fli-

  ght. Unfortunately, he landed literally on the ridge

  of Partenavia Oscar, which was on her final in

  the moment. Nobody was hurt, but the I

  -

  IOIO had

  to be craned from the back of the Oscar and re-

  paired. The last overhaul of I

  -

  IOIO was carried out

  by ZLÍN

  -

  AVION service company in 1993. She was

  check-flown by renowned pilot Vladimír Peroutka

  prior to her return to Sassuolo. Since then, she had

  been serving to the satisfaction of her owner and

  is still fully aerobatic.

  INFO Eduard

  103

  May 2022

• Page 104

  BUILT

  Cat. No. 82172

  marking C

  Built by Patrik Pěcha

  Sopwith F.1 Camel

  (Clerget) 1/48

  Product page

  INFO Eduard104

  May 2022

• Page 105

  BUILT

  B6299, FL Norman M. MacGregor, No. 10 Sqn RNAS, Téteghem, France, November 1917

  Norman Miers MacGregor entered the RNAS on

  February 1916 and was assigned to HMS Presi-

  dent. He was assigned to No. 6 Squadron in 1917

  and scored four kills there. After that he moved

  to the No. 10 Squadron. His first victory with this