12/2024

INFO Eduard is a monthly scale model-historical magazine published in Czech and English by Eduard Model Accessories since 2010. The magazine is available for free on the Triobo platform and can be downloaded in PDF format. Eduard is a manufacturer of plastic models and accessories with over 30 years of tradition. Throughout its history in the plastic modeling industry, Eduard has become one of the world's leaders. Further details about the company and its product range can be found at www.eduard.com. You can subscribe to the INFO magazine and receive product information for free at: https://www.eduard.com/cs/info-eduard/

• Page 1

  INFO Eduard

  e-magazine FREE Vol 23 December 2024

  # 178

• Page 2

  INFO Eduard

  e-magazine FREE Vol 23 December 2024

  # 178

  © Eduard - Model Accessories, 2024

  FREE FOR DOWNLOAD, FREE FOR DISTRIBUTION!

  This material may only be used for personal use. No part of the text

  or graphic presentations can be used in another publication in any other media

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  Editorial and Graphics - Marketing department, Eduard - Model Accessories, Ltd.

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  eduard

  eduard

  DECEMBER 2024

  CONTENTS

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

  Mírová 170, Obrnice 435 21

  support@eduard.com www.eduard.com

  EDITORIAL

  KITS

  BRASSIN

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED SETS

  SPACE

  BUILT

  ON APPROACH

  –

  January 2025

  TAIL END CHARLIE

  ARTICLES

  BOXART STORY

  Spitfire Mk.IXe ProfiPACK 1/48

  Bf 109G-14 ProfiPACK 1/72

  WARHAWK 1/32

  F4F-4 Wildcat late 1/48

  P-51B Malcolm Hood canopy cockpit PRINT 1/48

  P-51B/C seat w/ integral belts Type 2 PRINT 1/48

  Ace in a Single Dogfight

  War Museum Athens

  Aerial War in Ukraine

  -

  Russia Gave Ukraine

  the Wreckage of Its Latest Combat Drone

  November 16, 1944

  4

  6

  25

  26

  36

  48

  60

  70

  78

  100

• Editorial

  Good day, my Friends! So, here we are, in the home stretch. This is our last installment of our newsletter for the year, and it was a year with very little boredom attached to it. On Saturday, we successfully completed our final show of this year, the renewed Plastic Winter in Bratislava, Slovakia. Our gratitude goes out to the organizers for a great event, and we find ourselves back hard at work in that said home stretch with the finalizing of the development of the P-40E Warhawk kit in 1:48th scale, as well as with the development of accessories for it.

  Good day, my Friends!

  So, here we are, in the home stretch. This is

  our last installment of our newsletter for the

  year, and it was a year with very little boredom

  attached to it. On Saturday, we successfully

  completed our final show of this year,

  the renewed Plastic Winter in Bratislava, Slovakia.

  Our gratitude goes out to the organizers for

  a great event, and we find ourselves back hard at

  work in that said home stretch with the finalizing

  of the development of the P-40E Warhawk kit in

  1:48th scale, as well as with the development of

  accessories for it.

  So I think that it makes sense to start off today's

  editorial with a report on the development status

  of this kit, which will certainly be of interest to

  everyone who ordered the Royal Class P-40E

  Warhawk during the preorder process that

  went up last week. On that occasion, we also

  introduced the make-up of the kit. Unfortunately,

  we weren’t in a position to show off test shots of

  the sprues, because all we really had at the time

  was one, with small details on it. Not a lot to show

  off. However, this changed in a big way during

  the past week. We have completed three more

  forms, and as of today we have these finished

  and tested, giving us four sprue frames out of six,

  three with smaller parts and one containing the

  fuselage. This week, the last two forms will be

  finished and likely tested, and these are the wing

  and clear parts. We are already producing plastic

  from two of the forms and another will be put

  to work in the coming days. The decal sheet will

  also be ready this week, and we are working on

  other components of the kit. Some components,

  such as the 3D prints of the Brassin inclusions,

  are already being produced, the photoetched is

  on the verge of completion, and only the masks

  are outstanding. These need to be tested on a test

  shot for fine tuning, and that will be available this

  week. With the completion of the instructions,

  we are waiting for the first test assembly of the

  kit and the valuable information that this will

  yield. The goal is to have the box, the instructions

  and the decals at the printers before Christmas

  so that we have everything ready for packaging

  in the first week of the new year. And while we

  will be filling Royal Class orders in January,

  we will be finishing the preparation of the

  successor to the Royal Class release, the Limited

  Edition ‘Pacific Star’ kit, dedicated to the P-40E

  Warhawk deployed to the southwest PTO. If you

  don't want to spend the money on the more cost

  intensive Limited and Royal Class kits, you can

  wait until June for the first Profipack P-40E to

  be released, or until the summer for the British

  Kittyhawk Mk.Ia. As always, we will offer the new

  kits gradually in all our editions with differing

  levels of included parts, from the deluxe Royal

  Class kit through Limited Editions to the Profipack

  kits and finally, the base Weekend Edition items.

  You can find out what the next stage will be

  regarding further development versions of the

  Warhawk in my January newsletter editorial,

  which will be largely devoted to new products

  for 2025. You can be sure that 2025 will not be

  limited to Warhawks and Kittyhawks.

  You may be surprised to learn that among

  the new December releases we only have two

  new kits, the Spitfire Mk.IXe in1:48th and in the

  Profipack line, and the Bf 109 G-14 also Profipack,

  but in 1:72nd scale. Both are interesting new

  items, with a carefully selected assortment of

  colour schemes. This is especially relevant to

  the Spitfire, which we have released before, but

  we came to the conclusion that previous decal

  options were somewhat leaning towards bland.

  We decided to fix that and give the second edition

  of the Spitfire Mk.IXe a somewhat contemporary

  flair and elegance. I hope we succeeded and

  that you, as our customers, will appreciate the

  effort. The main reason why we have fewer new

  releases in December is the second release of

  the Limited Edition ‘The Bloody Hundredth 1943’

  kit, a 1:48th scale B-17F. This is a kit that, due

  to its price and scope in terms of both size and

  makeup, is expected to overshadow anything

  else released in the same month. That's why

  we've slowed down our release activity a bit so

  as not to create an unnecessary overpressure on

  the supply side of things. But don't worry, with

  the January releases we'll be back to normal and

  raise that overpressure a little in the opposite

  direction!

  You may have noted a new media effort

  being put forth by us in November, the Eduard

  On Air Podcast, moderated by Katka Borecka.

  In the first three episodes, dedicated to the

  P-40E Warhawk project described above, three

  interviewed guests took turns: myself, Richard

  Plos and Jakub Nademlejnsky. To be honest,

  the first three episodes are a lot about dipping our

  toes into the water of the learning curve involved

  with this endeavor. On the other hand, I think it is

  clear that we are learning relatively quickly, and

  as such, presenting you with the opportunity to

  have more and more fun with it. The intensity of

  our podcast activity will decrease in the coming

  months compared to its November launch;

  the plan is to publish one podcast, linked to

  the publication of our newsletter, per month.

  We will focus on the latest news of the current

  month, explain various production and design

  processes, introduce you to the people behind

  our products, our external collaborators, and

  generally give you a peek behind the scenes of

  creating kits, developing accessories for other

  products, and even their sales. From time to time,

  we will broadcast special editions of Eduard On

  Air, especially when new premieres are being

  released, such as the current P-40E or the

  P-40N and MiG-21F next year. Special editions

  before and after E-day are also expected.

  In a year's time, we will tell you how far Eduard

  On Air has developed. I am interested in listening

  to that one myself!

  Our home stretch sprint includes another

  project, the launch of our paid supplement to our

  newsletter that we have labeled the ‘Modeler's

  Den’. We call it EMD internally, and we have been

  working on it for a long time. We have postponed

  the release date of the first issue several times,

  which is, to be honest, very similar to some of

  our other projects. Typically, it is no different

  than it used to be with our new kit releases until

  recently. Many modelers still express a certain

  annoyance at the slow pace of our kit projects,

  and according to them, we are unnecessarily

  messing around with their wish lists. After all,

  The ‘Eduard Year’ became a concept in our field

  at one time, and it was a reference to generally

  altered release schedules. But believe me, it is

  not because we are lazy or incompetent. It is

  simply because we are trying to do honest work.

  In the case of EMD, such a long delay occurred

  primarily because during the preparation of

  EDITORIAL

  INFO Eduard4

  December 2024

• Page 5

  this project, we encountered difficulties and

  pitfalls, whether technical, organizational or

  administrative, which we initially did not see

  coming. Of course, that’s half the fun with such

  adventures.

  That is why I am pleased to announce the

  upcoming release of the premiere issue of the

  Eduard Modeler's Den online monthly magazine.

  It will be released next week, on Friday, December

  13th. The premiere issue will be available on the

  Triobo platform for free. Pay attention to the

  time, it will be in the afternoon, around 5:00pm

  local time. From the first issue, which will be

  published in January 2025, EMD will be a paid

  resource. Access to each issue will cost 5 Euros,

  or around 5 USD. The cost will be offset in the

  subscriber’s favor, everyone who pays for access

  to permanent reading and also downloads

  a given EMD issue will receive a one-time

  discount coupon for purchases off the Eduard

  e-shop for 10% of the purchase price, and it will

  not be limited in terms of use in conjunction with

  other offers.

  EMD is a paid supplement to our regular

  ongoing newsletter, and its concept is derived

  from it, and will be based on historical and

  professional articles, interviews and reports.

  It will also include a section dedicated to current

  news from the modeling market. Unlike the

  standard newsletter, however, the focus will not

  be on our products, which will be referred to

  minimally on an as-needed basis when relevant.

  In fact, within the news section called Burst

  Shots, we will focus on developments from other

  manufacturers. We also assume that over time,

  advertisements from manufacturers, magazines,

  and possibly even modeling events will appear

  in our EMD.

  So what will we offer in the premiere issue

  of EMD? Besides the Editorial, which in this

  case is not written by me, but by the editor-

  in-chief of our newsletter and indeed, the EMD,

  Jan Zdiarsky, there is an interview with military

  pilot John ‘Lucky’ Lakadoo, which was conducted

  by Matt Mabe with the 102-year-old veteran of

  the 100th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force this

  year, and whose transcript and translation

  into Czech was taken care of by Jan Zdiarsky.

  The historical article by Don Caldwell is

  dedicated to the first raid on Schweinfurt and

  Regensburg. It was supplemented with historical

  ‘notebooks’ written by Jan Zdiarsky and Jan

  Bobek. I wrote the report titled Submarines at

  Manitowoc, but its not just about the Wisconsin

  Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. It is

  a bit of an experimental work and it will be up to

  you how much you delve into the offered topics.

  The historical column and reflections on current

  topics are written by Jan Bobek, and the author

  of the already mentioned report on current news

  regarding plastic kits and their accessories is

  Marian Cihon. In total, it will be almost 100 pages

  of reading covering history and current events.

  It is so much reading that it should last you at

  least until Christmas, and perhaps even beyond.

  Should keep you busy til the next one is posted.

  On Friday, December 6th, the last Sweep

  sales event of the year will begin on our e-shop.

  The offer will include twenty-four kits and more

  than 200 items of related accessory items, all

  discounted by 30%. The sale will last until the

  beginning of January, 2025 and it will also be

  possible to shop during the Christmas and New

  Year break, when our sales department will be

  closed. That will be December 22nd, 2024 to

  January 3rd, 2025 and in that span, no orders

  will be going out. As a result, please note that

  orders received after December 16th will not be

  shipped until January 4th, 2025. The sale will

  run until stocks last, which will be especially

  important for accessory sets, which are not in

  stock in large quantities in most cases. You can

  find detailed information about Sweep 1224 sale

  on the page dedicated to it.

  As we do every year every year, we are

  releasing a photoetched New Year's card.

  As always, it refers to one of the important

  projects of the upcoming year, and because there

  has always been great interest in our New Year's

  cards, we decided to release it for regular sale

  this year. You can order it with other December

  releases on our e-shop.

  My Friends, I wish a very Merry Christmas and

  a prosperous Happy New Year, hoping that all

  your wishes come true!

  Vladimir Sulc

  EDITORIAL

  INFO Eduard

  5

  December 2024

• Ace in a Single Dogfight

  During World War II, legendary Spitfire fighter planes were flown by pilots of many nationalities. Many of them fought and achieved victories, some became flying aces during the war, a few even earned this status in a single day. However, only one pilot flying a Spitfire managed to shoot down five aircraft in a single dogfight. That pilot was Canadian F/Lt Richard Joseph "Dick" Audet.

  HISTORY

  The Spitfire with which F/Lt Audet achieved

  this remarkable success was an LF Mk.IXe,

  serial number RR201. According to the

  records of No. 411 Squadron RCAF, RR201

  first appeared on December 26, 1944, and

  subsequently became the personal aircraft of

  F/Lt John Joseph "Jack" Boyle (credited with

  5+1 victories). In honor of his daughter, Boyle

  had the white inscription "Sweet Sue V"

  painted on the left side of the fuel tank cover.

  The Spitfire RR201 initially flew with the codes

  DB

  -

  G. After Jack Boyle took command of

  B Flight of No. 411 Squadron RCAF in January

  1945, his Spitfire was also assigned to B Flight

  and recoded as DB

  -

  R. However, the actual

  re-coding occurred in early February 1945,

  following Boyle's return from a two-week

  leave. After this period, there was an exchange

  of Spitfires between A and B Flights. The RR201

  DB

  -

  G (reassigned as DB

  -

  R for B Flight) was

  swapped for the MK950 DB

  -

  R (reassigned

  as DB

  -

  G for A Flight). After the aircraft

  exchange, F/Lt Boyle flew RR201 continuously

  During World War II, legendary Spitfire fighter planes were flown by pilots of many

  nationalities. Many of them fought and achieved victories, some became flying aces

  during the war, a few even earned this status in a single day. However, only one pilot

  flying a Spitfire managed to shoot down five aircraft in a single dogfight. That pilot

  was Canadian F/Lt Richard Joseph "Dick" Audet.

  Jan Bobek

  Ace in a Single Dogfight

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  F/Lt Richard Joseph "Dick" Audet. (DND PL 41192)

  Text: Michal Krechowski

  INFO Eduard6

  December 2024

• Page 7

  HISTORY

  from February 6 to April 4, 1945, when his

  operational tour ended. During this time,

  he completed 36 operational flights in the

  cockpit of RR201 and destroyed two Bf 109s

  during strafing attacks on enemy airfields.

  Although RR201 was the personal aircraft of

  F/Lt Jack Boyle, its greatest achievements

  were made by another Canadian pilot and

  Boyle's friend, F/Lt Richard Joseph "Dick"

  Audet.

  Richard Audet was born on March 13, 1922,

  in Lethbridge, Alberta. From a young age,

  he excelled in sports, particularly hockey,

  basketball, and baseball. As he reached

  adulthood, he decided to join the Air Force.

  He completed his basic pilot training in October

  1942. After transferring to the United Kingdom,

  he was assigned to his first combat unit,

  No. 421 Squadron RCAF, on July 20, 1943. This

  squadron was part of the elite Kenley Wing,

  commanded at the time by the famous James

  Edgar "Johnnie" Johnson (34+7 victories).

  The commander of No. 421 Squadron RCAF

  was S/Ldr Robert W. McNair, an ace from the

  battles over Malta with 16 victories, and the

  squadron was equipped with Spitfire Mk.IXs.

  However, "Dick" remained with the unit only

  for a short time. In August, he was transferred

  to a second-line unit, No. 1623 Flight (renamed

  No. 691 Squadron on December 1, 1943), whose

  task was to collaborate with anti-aircraft

  defense. The unit's primary operational

  activity involved towing targets for artillery

  training. This assignment allowed "Dick" to

  improve his piloting skills and provided the

  opportunity to fly various types of aircraft.

  The young Canadian spent a year in this

  secondary role, during which time he also

  married Iris Gibbins from Northampton.

  A turning point in Audet's career came on

  July 22, 1944, when he reported to No. 1 Tactical

  Exercise Unit. This unit specialized in fighter

  and fighter-bomber training. In August, Audet

  moved to the continent, and on September 14,

  1944, he was assigned to his second combat

  unit, No. 411 Squadron RCAF, one of the oldest

  Canadian squadrons in Europe. Since July 1943,

  the squadron had been part of No. 126 Wing

  within the 2nd Tactical Air Force (TAF) and

  operated successfully over occupied Europe

  from the forward airfield Advanced Landing

  Ground (ALG) B.88 near the city of Heesch in

  North Brabant, southern Holland. By December

  28, 1944, "Dick" had flown 52 combat missions

  but had not encountered a single enemy aircraft.

  However, everything changed the following day.

  On Friday, December 29, 1944, shortly before

  1:00 PM, Audet climbed into "Boyle's" Spitfire

  LF Mk.IXe RR201 DB

  -

  G and took off as the

  leader of Yellow Section on a patrol in the

  area of Rheine, Osnabrück, and Münster.

  Near a railway station close to Osnabrück,

  the Canadians destroyed four locomotives,

  39 railway cars, and damaged several others.

  They then spotted a trio of enemy aircraft and

  attacked, with two of them being taken down

  by F/Lt Ireland and F/Lt Cook. Soon after, "Dick"

  saw another group of 12 enemy aircraft over

  the city and led his Yellow Section towards

  them. The German planes, identified as eight

  Fw 190Ds and four Bf 109Gs, failed to notice

  the approaching Canadians. The Canadians

  struck quickly, and the German formation,

  despite outnumbering them 12 to 4, suffered

  a crushing defeat. The first victory was claimed

  by F/O McCracken, and then Audet took over.

  His dogfight lasted no more than five minutes,

  during which he reported five victories. In his

  first encounter with enemy fighters, Audet not

  only became an ace but also the only Spitfire

  pilot to shoot down five aircraft in a single

  dogfight.

  This event turned the 22-year-old into

  a celebrity, drawing significant attention

  from numerous press correspondents

  and photographers. Audet described his

  engagement with the enemy in his combat

  report as follows:

  “I was leading Yellow section of 411 Squadron

  in the RHEINE/OSNABRUCK area when Control

  reported Huns at RHEINE and Squadron turned

  in that direction. An Me 262 was sighted

  and just at that time I spotted 12 e/a on our

  starboard side at 2 o´clock. These turned out

  to be mixture of approximately 4 Me 109´s and

  8 FW 190´s.

  I attacked an Me 109 which was the last a/c in

  the formation of about 12 all flying line astern.

  At approximately 200 yards and 30 degrees to

  starboard at 10,000 feet I opened fire and saw

  Photo from December 29, 1945. Far left: F/Lt R. J. Audet demonstrates his impressive feat of shooting down

  five German fighter planes to his No. 411 Squadron colleagues, WO J. A. Kerr, R.M. Cook, and Olsen.

  (Public Archives of Canada PMR 78-252)

  F/Lt John Joseph "Jack" Boyle in his Spitfire Mk.IXe RR201 "Sweet Sue V". (Jack Boyle, Spitfire: The Canadians

  VOL.1, courtesy of Andy McNiece)

  INFO Eduard

  7

  December 2024

• Page 8

  strikes all over the fuselage and wing roots.

  The 109 burst into flames on the starboard side

  of the fuselage only, and trailed intense black

  smoke. I then broke off my attack.

  After the first attack I went around in

  a defensive circle at about 8500 feet until

  I spotted an FW 190 which I immediately

  attacked from 250 yards down to 100 yards and

  from 30 degrees to line astern. I saw strikes

  over the cockpit and to the rear of the fuselage,

  it burst into flames from the engine back and

  as I passed very close over the top of it I saw

  the pilot slumped over in the cockpit, which

  was also in flames.

  My third attack followed immediately on

  the 2nd. I followed what I believed was an

  Me 109 in a slight dive. He then climbed sharply

  and his canopy flew off about 3 to 4,000 feet.

  I then gave a very short burst from about

  300 yards and line astern and his aircraft

  whipped downwards in a dive. The pilot

  attempted or did bale out. I saw a black object

  on the edge of the cockpit but his chute ripped

  to shreds. I then took cine shots of his a/c

  going to the ground and the bits of parachute

  floating around. I saw this aircraft hit and

  smash into many flaming pieces on the ground.

  I do not remember any strikes on this aircraft.

  The Browning button only may have been

  pressed.

  I spotted an FW 190 being pursued at about

  5,000 feet by a Spitfire which was in turn

  pursued by an FW 190. I called this Yellow

  section pilot to break and attacked the 190 up

  his rear. The fight went downwards in a steep

  dive. When I was about 250 yards and line

  astern of this 190 I opened fire. There were

  many strikes on the length of the fuselage and

  HISTORY

  Spitfire RR201 undergoing maintenance shortly after

  being transferred to B Flight in early February 1945 and

  recoded from DB

  -

  G to DB

  -

  R. The fuselage codes DB

  -

  R

  were previously used on Spitfire MK950, which F/Lt Jack

  Boyle regularly flew from January 7 to February 3, 1945,

  after assuming command of B Flight No. 411 Squadron.

  Meanwhile, Boyle’s RR201 DB

  -

  G "Sweet Sue V" was flown

  with A Flight throughout January by his friend F/Lt Richard

  Audet, who achieved seven of his eleven confirmed

  victories with it. Following the exchange of Spitfires

  between A and B Flights (likely an arrangement between

  the two friendly pilots), F/Lt Audet took over MK950, now

  recoded as DB

  -

  G, and regularly flew it until March 3, 1945,

  when he was shot down during an attack on an armed

  train. F/Lt Boyle returned to his RR201 "Sweet Sue V",

  which from then on bore the new fuselage code DB

  -

  R. After

  F/Lt Jack Boyle completed his operational service with

  No. 411 Squadron in early April, Canadian pilots achieved

  two more confirmed victories with RR201. On April 20, 1945,

  F/O Wilson shot down a He 111, and the following day,

  F/Lt McClarty shot down a Bf 109. The flying career of RR201

  ended on April 30, 1945, when F/Lt McClarty crash-landed

  near Scharesbek after flak damage to the engine. (DND)

  In the foreground is Spitfire MK686 DB

  -

  L, with which "Jack" Boyle shot down a German Me 262 piloted by Ober

  -

  leutnant Hans Georg Lamle of 4./KG(J) 51 on December 25, 1944. In the background is Jack’s RR201 DB

  -

  R "Sweet

  Sue V". (Spitfire: The Canadians VOL.1, courtesy of Andy McNiece)

  F/Lt Richard

  Joseph "Dick"

  Audet with his

  Spitfire MK950

  DB

  -

  G in February

  1945. (DND PL

  41719, Steve Sauvé)

  INFO Eduard8

  December 2024

• Page 9

  it immediately burst into flames. I saw this

  FW 190 go straight into the ground and burn.

  Several minutes later while attempting to

  form my section up again spotted an Fw 190

  from 4,000 feet, he was at about 2,000 feet.

  I dived down on him and he turned in to me from

  the right. Then he flipped around in a left hand

  turn and attempted a head-on attack. I slowed

  down to wait for the 190 to fly in range. At about

  200 yards and 20 degrees I gave a very short

  burst, but couldn’t see any strikes. This a/c

  flicked violently, and continued to do so until

  he crashed into the ground. The remainder of

  my section saw this encounter, and Yellow 4

  (F/O McCracken) saw it crash in flames.”

  The opponents of No. 411 Squadron were

  most likely Fw 190D-9 aircraft from 9./JG 54.

  Twelve "Doras" had taken off on a mission to

  patrol the Rheine area, but the mission ended

  in a "bloodbath." Six pilots were killed, and

  two other aircraft were damaged, including

  the plane of the 9th Staffel commander,

  Oblt. Willi Heilmann. These losses correspond

  to the claims made by the Canadian pilots.

  This Staffel was part of III./JG 54 "Grünherz,"

  which operated under the command of JG 26

  and was redesignated IV./JG 26 in February

  1945. On December 29, this experienced

  Jagdgruppe suffered severe losses across

  several engagements, losing at least

  17 aircraft, with 13 pilots killed and two injured.

  Audet proved it was no fluke during

  the following month. On New Year's Day,

  he contributed to the Luftwaffe's defeat

  during Operation Bodenplatte with two aerial

  victories, and by the end of January, he had

  added six more to his tally. His final victory

  came on January 23, 1945, when he achieved

  a prized kill: a jet-powered Me 262. On that

  day, Audet led an armed reconnaissance

  mission in the Münster area, again flying the

  RR201 DB

  -

  G. First, he destroyed an Me 262

  (post-war research identifies it as an Arado

  Ar 234, T9+KH, WNr. 140349) parked at an

  airfield near Rheine. Five minutes later, near

  Osnabrück, he encountered a lone Me 262.

  It was likely WNr. 170295, piloted by Hptm.

  Hans Holzwarth of 12./KG 51, and Audet

  decisively sent it down in flames. The next day,

  he damaged another Me 262 on the ground.

  In February 1945, Audet was awarded the

  Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his actions

  on December 29, 1944, and he became the

  commander of A Flight. In the following days,

  No. 411 Squadron’s primary missions involved

  attacking ground targets, which were heavily

  defended by flak. By that time, flak had become

  far more dangerous than Luftwaffe fighters,

  with whom Audet no longer encountered

  combat in the air. F/Lt Audet’s fate was

  sealed on March 3, 1945. After returning from

  a week-long leave, he took off in his Spitfire

  MK950 DB

  -

  G with his section on an armed

  reconnaissance mission in the Dinslaken-

  Emmerich area. Near Coesfeld, Audet’s section

  attacked an armed train, but unfortunately,

  the flak crews were highly accurate, and

  Audet’s Spitfire was hit. According to No. 411

  Squadron’s report, his Spitfire caught fire and

  crashed into a forest. F/Lt Audet is still listed

  as missing in action (MIA).

  An official post-war investigation was led

  by Major H. Cleaver, who conducted a thorough

  and comprehensive study spanning 120 pages

  of evidence and notes. This investigation

  managed to identify the crew of the anti-aircraft

  battery that shot down Audet on March 3, 1945.

  During their interviews, the flak battery’s

  leader confirmed that Audet managed to make

  a forced landing with his damaged Spitfire,

  set it on fire, and was subsequently captured.

  He was then transported to Gelsenkirchen-

  Buer, where he was interrogated. As Audet

  revealed only basic identification information

  during his interrogation, he was scheduled to

  be transferred to a prisoner-of-war camp in

  Dortmund. Unfortunately, Audet’s trail ends

  there, and his ultimate fate remains unknown.

  HISTORY

  Photo from December 25, 1944, showing intelligence officer P/O Gordon Pancuk being “briefed”

  by No. 411 Squadron pilots Flt/Lt J. Boyle, Sqn/Ldr J. Newell, and Flt/Lt E. Ireland about Boyle’s successful

  attack on a German jet Me 262. (www.spitfiresite.com, courtesy of Harry van Grinsven)

  Color profile of Spitfire RR201 DB

  -

  G "Sweet Sue V" as it appeared on December 29, 1944, when F/Lt Richard Audet shot

  down five German fighters in a single engagement. The aircraft features rapid identification markings used from early

  September to late December 1944, with remnants of invasion stripes still visible on the underside of the fuselage.

  INFO Eduard

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  In February 1945, the local Volksgemeinschaft

  in the German town of Gelsenkirchen-Buer,

  a "people's community" of local residents,

  received authorization from the head of the

  "security police" to execute anyone without

  reason. When Audet was brought into this

  environment, where indiscriminate killings

  by civilians, police, and soldiers were not

  only commonplace but also encouraged,

  it is not difficult to imagine the fate that might

  have befallen him. Whether Dick Audet was

  murdered or died while attempting to escape,

  and who was responsible, will likely never be

  known. His body was never found.

  During 83 combat missions, F/Lt Audet

  achieved 11 confirmed aerial victories

  (and destroyed two additional aircraft on

  the ground). He was twice awarded the

  Distinguished Flying Cross (the second

  posthumously on March 9, 1945). Audet flew

  a total of 15 operational missions in the Spitfire

  RR201 DB

  -

  G “Sweet Sue V” between December

  29, 1944, and February 3, 1945, achieving seven

  confirmed aerial victories (six Fw 190Ds and

  one Me 262, along with two more aircraft

  destroyed on the ground).

  Thanks to Audet's exceptional achievements,

  "Boyle's" Spitfire RR201 ranks among the most

  famous Spitfires of World War II.

  Sources:

  BRACKEN, Robert: Spitfire Canadians

  CHAPIS, Stephen, THOMAS, Andrew: Osprey

  Aircraft of the Aces 136 Allied Jet Killers of

  World War 2

  CALDWELL, Donald: The JG 26 War Diary,

  Volume Two 1943 -1945

  NIJBOER, Donald: Osprey – Aviation Elite Units

  No. 126 Wing RCAF

  SHORES, Christopher, THOMAS, Chris:

  2nd Tactical Air Force Vol.2 - Breakout to

  Bodenplatte - July 1944-Jan 1945

  SHORES, Christopher, THOMAS, Chris: 2nd

  Tactical Air Force Vol.3 - From the Rhine to

  Victory - Jan-May 1945

  THOMAS, Andrew: Osprey Aircraft of the Aces

  122 Spitfire Aces of Northwest Europe 1944-45

  National Archives, files: AIR-27-1804-23, AIR-

  27-1804-24, AIR-27-1804-25, AIR-27-1804-26,

  AIR-27-1804-27, AIR-27-1804-28, AIR-27-

  1804-29, AIR-27-1804-30, AIR-27-1804-31 and

  AIR-27-1804-32

  valka.cz: Audet, Richard Joseph

  wartimes.ca: F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411

  Squadron RCAF

  acesofww2.com: Dick Audet

  http://spitfiresite.com

  HISTORY

  Color profile of Spitfire RR201 DB

  -

  R "Sweet Sue V" with rapid identification markings updated as of January 3,

  1945. All fighter aircraft in the Second Tactical Air Force (2nd TAF) featured revised Type C1 roundels with yellow

  outer rings, removed remnants of invasion stripes on the underside, a black-painted spinner, and overpainted

  fuselage bands originally in SKY color. This scheme was used until early February 1945, when RR201 was recoded

  from "G" to "R."

  Color profile of Fw 190D-9, W. Nr. 210079,

  flown by Lt. Theo Nibel of 10./JG 54 from Varrelbusch

  base, Germany during Operation Bodenplatte

  on January 1, 1945.

  INFO Eduard10

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  HISTORY

  Audet’s combat report from December 29, 1944, confirmed

  by four other pilots and the intelligence officer.

  Audet’s combat report from January 23, 1945, describing

  his engagement with a jet-powered Me 262.

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  REPORT

  author and photo: Petr Uzsák

  War Museum Athens

  Smack dab in the center of Athens, near the famous

  Syntagma Square, is the War Museum Athens

  (Πολεμικο Μουσειο in Greek), belonging to the

  Greek Armed Forces. The building is located on

  the corner of Vassilissis Sofias and Rizari Streets

  and those interested can get there in several ways,

  such as using Metro Line 3 (Blue) and getting off

  at Evangelismós Station. You can also use buses

  no. 203, 211 or 235. The museum also has branches

  in other parts of the country, such as Thessaloniki

  (Thessaloníki), Chania, Rethymno, Nafplion

  or Chalkida.

  Address:

  Vas. Sofias & Rizari 2

  Athens 106 75

  Greece

  Getting There

  Bus: 203, 211, 235, 550, 608, 815

  Subway: Π2, Π2Α, Π3Β

  Metro: Μ3

  Hours of Operation

  Monday-Sunday

  09:00-17:00

  Media:

  https://warmuseum.gr/en/athens-war-museum/

  https://www.youtube.com/@WARMUSEUMATHENS

  www.instagram.com/athens_war_museum/

  www.facebook.com/AthensWarMuseum

  A Lockheed F-104G fighter in Greek colors.

  INFO Eduard12

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• War Museum Athens

  Smack dab in the center of Athens, near the famous Syntagma Square, is the War Museum Athens (Πολεμικο Μουσειο in Greek), belonging to the Greek Armed Forces. The building is located on the corner of Vassilissis Sofias and Rizari Streets and those interested can get there in several ways, such as using Metro Line 3 (Blue) and getting off at Evangelismós Station. You can also use buses no. 203, 211 or 235. The museum also has branches in other parts of the country, such as Thessaloniki (Thessaloníki), Chania, Rethymno, Nafplion or Chalkida.

  REPORT

  The War Museum was founded in 1975,

  a year after the removal of the ruling military

  junta, and covers a wide range of topics and

  collections, which are clearly arranged and

  very well maintained. Its task is to collect,

  preserve and exhibit artifacts related to the

  military history of the country. The focus is of

  course on Greek military history, that includes

  the classical Hellenic period and the struggle

  for national liberation in the 19th century.

  There is also a broader view of the Greek role

  in the history of the Mediterranean and the

  Middle East, and this study goes back to the

  Latin and Byzantine periods, when Greece was

  part of other empires.

  The collections are thoroughly complete

  with weapons, uniforms, flags, documents,

  paintings, photographs, maps and personal

  belongings of famous personalities. There are

  also models of fortresses, ships and aircraft.

  Small arms and similar exhibits are housed

  inside the building, while artillery equipment

  and vehicles are outside the museum.

  There are also several aircraft, mostly jets,

  as well as a naval torpedo launcher from

  a surface vessel, a British-made 21 inch Model

  1937 torpedo originating from the armament of

  the Y-2 Papanikolis submarine, and there are

  rockets and naval mines as well. In addition

  to the aircraft, a Marmon-Herrington Mk.IVF

  armored car of South African origin is on

  exhibit. A unique item on display is a Krupp-

  Schuman type armored vehicle dating from

  1894. It was captured from the Bulgarian army

  in 1918, and the interesting thing about this

  vehicle is the absence of an engine and its

  consequent use as a horse drawn item, as well

  as its 57 mm cannon, quite a powerful weapon

  in its day.

  The museum takes you on a tour from the

  beginnings of the settlement of Greek territory

  in the Stone Age, through to the Bronze Age

  and then through the significant period of

  antiquity. Then the tour continues through

  the Middle Ages to the Greek Revolution of

  1821, the Balkan Wars, World Wars I and II,

  and finally into contemporary periods.

  Part of the museum’s collection focuses on

  the German airborne and amphibious assault

  on Crete, Operation Mercury, which occupied

  the island in 1941. From the later period of the

  war, the participation of Greek soldiers in the

  Battle of El Alamein is also commemorated.

  There, they formed the 1st Greek Brigade,

  which was subordinate to the British 50th

  Division, and in the autumn of 1942, clashed

  fiercely with the Italian 185th Airborne Division

  ‘Folgore’.

  The museum organizers did not forget

  the Greek civil war that took place between

  1946 and 1949, which, incidentally, brought

  many Greeks to Czechoslovakia. At that time,

  Northrop F-5, with a Marmon-Herrington Mk.IVF armored car in the background.

  An F-104 G

  Henry Farman III Daedalus, the first Greek military aircraft. It was used during the First Balkan War.

  INFO Eduard

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  defeated Greek communists sought refuge in

  communist countries throughout the eastern

  half Europe.

  Virtually unknown to the wider public is

  the participation of the Greek Expeditionary

  Force in the Korean War, when the country

  heeded the UN call and, together with other

  states, made efforts to counter North Korea’s

  aggression against the South.

  The contingent consisted of an infantry

  battalion, called the Sparta Battalion, backed

  up by a transport squadron with seven Douglas

  C-47s. The Greek soldiers proved themselves

  in the conflict, having some experience in

  this type of warfare unlike many of their UN

  colleagues, and saw several years of combat

  against communist guerrillas there. More than

  ten thousand ground troops were deployed and

  remained in theater after the armistice was

  signed up to 1955.

  Coverage of more recent history includes

  displays about the Greek-Turkish clashes in

  Cyprus and the division of the island, a very

  sensitive topic to this day.

  An attractive display is the mini-submarine,

  located in front of the entrance to the museum

  building. It is an Italian-made CosMoS

  CE2F/X60 submarine with a length of around

  eight metres and a weight of over two tonnes,

  designed to transport two divers, equipment

  and material. The Hellenic Navy bought

  a total of four of them and operated them from

  the late 1970s to the mid-1990s. They were

  used mainly on American-made submarines

  of the Balao and Tench Class. The vessel has

  an interesting light blue paintwork, which is

  undoubtedly suitable for the azure coastal

  waters of Greece.

  Very unusual is the collection of small arms

  literally from all over the world, to which

  a large hall is dedicated. It includes such gems

  as Turkish and Arab weapons, and surprisingly,

  a samurai outfit, complete with helmet

  and armor, hailing from the 14th century.

  The collection also includes unique

  weapons used during the Greek Revolution.

  This collection was donated to the museum

  by private collector and philanthropist Petros

  Saroglos and is the most famous collection of

  weapons in the country.

  As already mentioned, the collections and

  displays are very interesting, often even

  unique, and the museum is definitely worth

  a visit. The entrance fee is 6 Euros, which is the

  price of two coffees. And if the visitor comes to

  Athens in the summer, they and their entourage

  will certainly appreciate the pleasant coolness

  in the museum building.

  Korean War diorama.

  Plaque commemorating the Greek contribution to the Battle of El Alemain. A unique collection of small arms donated by Petros Sargolos.

  REPORT

  INFO Eduard14

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  Exhibit of pilot equipment from different periods.

  A British 535 mm torpedo from the armament of the Y-2 Papanikolis submarine

  A radar-equipped F-86K fighter.

  A Krupp-Schuman armored car from 1894.

  The front part of a Krupp-Schuman vehicle. The driver's seat and the mechanism for

  closing the turret hatch are worth noting.

  REPORT

  INFO Eduard

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  December 2024

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  The front part of a CosMoS CE2F/X60 mini-submarine. The two separate cockpits for divers are clearly visible.

  CosMoS CE2F/X60 special operations submarine. Greece had four of these vessels and used them on American-made submarines.

  Detail of the rear of the CE2F/X60

  mini-submarine, with the propeller and

  control surfaces clearly visible.

  REPORT

  INFO Eduard16

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• Aerial War in Ukraine - Russia Gave Ukraine the Wreckage of Its Latest Combat Drone

  “We wanted the best, but it turned out as always.” This famous quote from Russian statesman Viktor Chernomyrdin in 1993 has become widely known and is deeply ingrained in Russian culture. It is also fitting for the biggest event of the observed period (October 1–31), which was the loss of the latest Russian combat drone, the Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B, during one of its first operational deployments.

  Miro Barič

  Russia Gave Ukraine the Wreckage

  of Its Latest Combat Drone

  Russian propaganda had long boasted

  about these heavy combat drones. This year,

  according to various bombastic statements,

  mass production of hundreds or even

  thousands of units was supposed to begin.

  However, according to available information,

  only four prototypes have been produced so

  far, and one of them has already been lost.

  This happened on Saturday, October 5.

  The S-70 Okhotnik-B took off from the

  Akhtubinsk base, located over 580 km east

  of the front line, for an operational-test flight.

  It was accompanied by a Su-57 fighter jet.

  The approach of the pair of aircraft to the front

  line was clearly visible due to the condensation

  trails they left behind. Suddenly, the second

  aircraft fired a missile that hit the leading

  aircraft, which then spiraled to the ground in

  a flat spin.

  Initially, Russian channels celebrated,

  claiming that the Russian fighter jet had shot

  down a Ukrainian F-16. However, the downed

  aircraft was neither Ukrainian nor an F-16—it

  was Russian and, moreover, a highly valuable

  asset. The Okhotnik-B drone first flew in 2019,

  though its development by the Sukhoi and MiG

  companies began long before. The drone has

  a wingspan of about 20 meters and weighs

  20 tons. It can reach speeds of 1,000 km/h and

  is primarily designed to serve as an escort

  aircraft for the Su-57. Its armament is carried

  in an internal weapons bay in the fuselage.

  For its last flight, the Okhotnik-B was armed

  with a guided glide bomb, the UMPB D-30SN,

  which was later found among its wreckage.

  It is believed that during this flight, the drone

  was supposed to test bombing Ukrainian

  positions. However, the drone went out of

  control. When all attempts to regain control

  failed, the accompanying Su-57 shot it down

  to prevent it from falling into Ukrainian hands.

  Yet, this plan did not go as intended for

  the Russians. The drone crashed near

  Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region,

  approximately 11 km from the front line—but

  on the Ukrainian side. Ukrainian forces quickly

  reached the wreckage, and photographs

  showed that at least one wing and a large part

  of the fuselage remained relatively intact.

  Although Russia fired two Iskander ballistic

  missiles at the crash site, it did so with

  a significant time delay. In the meantime,

  Ukrainian forces managed to transport the

  wreckage for analysis. Among the remains,

  numerous electronic components of Western

  origin were found, indicating how Russia has

  been circumventing sanctions. Additionally,

  a serial number was discovered, suggesting

  that this was the fourth and most recent

  prototype.

  “We wanted the best, but it turned out as always.” This famous quote from Russian

  statesman Viktor Chernomyrdin in 1993 has become widely known and is deeply

  ingrained in Russian culture. It is also fitting for the biggest event of the observed

  period (October 1–31), which was the loss of the latest Russian combat drone, the

  Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B, during one of its first operational deployments.

  Aerial War in Ukraine

  Drone S-70 Ochotnik-B: An official image of the Sukhoi-made drone.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard18

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  Another official photo of the Sukhoi-made S-70 Ochotnik-B.

  Debris of the Ochotnik-B drone, including its fuselage and engine.

  Ukrainian soldiers quickly accessed

  the wreckage of the Ochotnik-B.

  Based on its serial number, this appears to be the

  fourth prototype of the S-70 Ochotnik-B.

  A wing from the downed Ochotnik-B drone

  remained intact

  UKRAINE

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  Further Russian Losses

  In addition to the Okhotnik drone,

  the Russian Air Force suffered relatively high

  losses during the observed period, losing

  five aircraft and one helicopter. Interestingly,

  most of these losses occurred under unclear

  circumstances, leading some media outlets to

  speculate that Ukrainian F-16 fighters might

  be responsible for shooting down some of

  these aircraft. However, there is no evidence

  to support this claim.

  The first Russian loss in October occurred

  on Wednesday, October 2, in an unspecified

  area of Ukraine. A Su-25 attack aircraft from

  the 960th Assault Aviation Regiment crashed,

  killing Lieutenant Colonel Igor Gaivoronsky.

  It is reported that the crash was caused either

  by a technical malfunction or pilot error.

  The aircraft was likely flying low, and the pilot

  did not have time to eject.

  On Thursday, October 10, a Yak-130 trainer jet

  crashed under unknown circumstances in the

  Volgograd region. The pilots ejected and were

  hospitalized. The case is being investigated by

  the military prosecutor’s office of the Southern

  Military District.

  The streak of losses continued on Saturday,

  October 12, when a Su-34 fighter-bomber

  crashed under unclear circumstances. Both

  crew members died in the incident. Two weeks

  later, on Saturday, October 26, Russia lost

  two more aircraft. In the first case, a Su-25

  attack aircraft crashed after running out

  of fuel just before reaching its destination

  airport. The pilot ejected safely. On the same

  day, a Mi-28 helicopter crashed into the Kerch

  Strait between occupied Crimea and Russia.

  It belonged to the 487th Independent Helicopter

  Regiment, and both crew members, including

  Captain Artem Pavlov, were killed.

  At the very end of the month, on Thursday,

  October 31, Russia lost another Su-34. Again,

  the circumstances of its loss remain unclear.

  The aircraft belonged to the 2nd Mixed Aviation

  Regiment, and its two crew members perished.

  One of the airmen was identified as Captain

  Arman Bigalinov.

  During this period, the first photos surfaced

  of the wreckage of a Russian Mi-24 helicopter

  that had been destroyed on April 5, 2023,

  near the village of Berestove in the Bakhmut

  district. Members of the Ukrainian 10th

  Separate Mountain Brigade shot it down using

  a Polish-made Piorun portable missile system.

  The helicopter’s crew—Major Vyacheslav

  Dolgobrod and Senior Lieutenant Ilnaz

  Fazylov—did not survive. While the downing of

  this Mi-24 was known, until now, only distant

  footage of the burning wreckage had been

  available.

  In another case, the circumstances remain

  unclear. Social media in October featured

  photos of Su-25 wreckage and Russian trucks

  hauling it away from the crash site. It is likely

  these images are tied to a known incident,

  though they were published for the first time.

  One photo shows a serial number, 06090.

  Lastly, one photo emerged from a highly

  publicized incident where an Il-76M transport

  plane (RF-86868) belonging to the 117th

  Military Transport Aviation Regiment was shot

  down on January 24, 2024, near Yablonovo

  in Russia's Belgorod region. All six crew

  members aboard were killed. At the time,

  Russia claimed Ukrainian prisoners of war

  were on board, but this was never confirmed.

  The new photo shows the front section

  UKRAINE

  Loss of Su-25 pilot: Lt. Col. Igor Gaivoronsky died

  on October 2 when his Su-25 crashed.

  Mi-28 Helicopter crash: Capt. Artem Pavlov died

  on October 26 when a Mi-28 helicopter fell into

  the Kerch Strait.

  Su-34 crash: Capt. Arman Bigalinov was one of two

  crew members who perished in a Su-34 crash on

  October 31.

  Mi-24 helicopter

  downed in 2023:

  A photo of the

  wreckage from an

  Mi-24 shot down

  in April 2023 was

  released.

  INFO Eduard20

  December 2024

• Page 21

  of the fuselage, seemingly reconstructed

  from wreckage during the crash investigation.

  It reveals that the aircraft was riddled with

  shrapnel.

  Ukrainian Losses

  The only operational loss on the Ukrainian

  side during the observed period occurred on

  Tuesday, October 22, at an unspecified airfield

  in the Lviv region. A Mi-24PU1 helicopter, tail

  number 605, belonging to the 16th Independent

  Army Aviation Brigade, crashed while

  approaching for landing. There were three

  crew members on board—a major, a captain,

  and a senior lieutenant—who all sustained

  injuries. The helicopter suffered damage to its

  fuselage, main rotor, and tail rotor.

  Sabotage operations at airbases have

  primarily targeted Russian aircraft and

  helicopters, carried out by Ukrainian special

  forces or local saboteurs (often teenagers

  recruited online). However, on Tuesday, October

  29, an arson attack occurred at Ukraine's

  UKRAINE

  Wreckage of a Russian Su-25 with serial number 06090; photos were recently made public.

  Wreckage of a Russian Su-25 with serial number 06090;

  photos were recently made public.

  Il-76M front fuselage: The remains of a transport Il-76M shot down on January 24, 2024,

  in the Belgorod region.

  Mi-2 arson attack: On October 29, an old, decommissioned Ukrainian Mi-2 helicopter was damaged in an arson attack.

  INFO Eduard

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  Kropyvnytskyi airfield in the Kirovohrad

  region. A Mi-2 helicopter was damaged in the

  attack. However, it was an old decommissioned

  aircraft that had been stationed there since

  at least 2012.

  During the observed period, new footage

  emerged of several older incidents, some

  previously unknown or lacking detailed

  accounts. One such incident occurred on

  August 22, during a training flight in the

  Khmelnytskyi region. A Ukrainian Aero L-39M1

  Albatros collided with a stork mid-flight.

  The bird penetrated the cockpit windshield,

  causing the cockpit canopy to detach and the

  ejection seat to activate. For unknown reasons,

  L-39 collision: A photo from an incident which took place on August 22 when a Ukrainian L-39 collided with a stork.

  Major Pliguzov’s death: The pilot, Major

  Sergey Pliguzov, died as his parachute

  failed to open fully during the incident.

  Despite the challenges the ukrainian pilots maintain their

  sense of humor.

  Czech Mi-24 helicopter: A former Czech Mi-24

  adorned with markings for downed Iranian

  Shahed drones and other UAVs like Orlan-10.

  Supposedly the helicopter was previously

  marked as 3366.

  Propaganda images of Ukrainian Su-27 fighters.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard22

  December 2024

• Page 23

  the parachute of Major Serhii Plihuzov, one

  of the crew members, failed to fully deploy,

  resulting in his death. The other crew member,

  Major Viktor Zhos, remained in the damaged

  aircraft and successfully landed it. Both

  officers served in the 7th Tactical Aviation

  Brigade. Major Zhos had previously flown

  as a navigator on Su-24M aircraft.

  Destroyed Slovak MiG-29

  Unfortunately, photos have surfaced of

  the wreckage of a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter

  jet. Based on its characteristic gray-green

  camouflage, it was identified as one of the

  aircraft donated by Slovakia in March 2023.

  The photos appear to have been taken during

  the winter months, given the lack of vegetation.

  No details are known about its loss—whether

  it crashed or was shot down. However,

  the wreckage includes the ejection seat

  handle, indicating that the pilot did not eject

  and likely perished. According to The Military

  Watch website, it is almost certainly MiG-29AS

  with the original Slovak number 2123.

  Slovakia donated 13 MiG-29 aircraft to

  Ukraine. Of these, ten were operational, and

  three were without engines, meant to serve as

  spare parts. Out of ten operational jets, only

  four flew to Ukraine from Slovakia’s Sliač

  airbase under their own power on March 23,

  2023. Aircraft number 2123 was among this

  group. The remaining six repairable aircraft

  were transported to Ukraine by land. At least

  one of these, the two-seater MiG-29UBS with

  the number 1303, was repaired by Ukrainians

  and entered service with a new number, 80.

  F-16s Gradually Arrive

  A final piece of recently revealed information

  pertains to the loss of an F-16AM destroyed on

  August 26, which claimed the life of Lieutenant

  Colonel Oleksiy Mes of the 204th Tactical

  Aviation Brigade. The cause of this crash

  remains unclear, though rumors suggest it

  may have been struck by Ukraine’s own Patriot

  air defense system. The serial number of the

  destroyed jet has now been disclosed: it was

  80-3600, a former Danish Air Force aircraft

  previously designated E-600.

  Denmark has confirmed delivering six

  F-16AM jets to Ukraine, marking the first

  shipment that arrived in July. Denmark has

  pledged a total of 19 F-16s, with two more

  shipments scheduled. One is expected to

  arrive before the end of 2024.

  At the turn of September and October,

  the Netherlands retired its fleet of F-16s after

  45 years of service, having first acquired the

  type in 1979. With 40 of its 58 ordered F-35s

  now delivered, the Netherlands could phase

  out its older jets. The country has pledged to

  supply 24 F-16s directly to Ukraine, with the

  first Dutch aircraft arriving in early October,

  although the exact number delivered remains

  undisclosed. An additional 18 Dutch F-16s have

  been sent to Romania, where Ukrainian pilots

  are undergoing training. All 18 have already

  been transferred.

  For now, Ukraine is deploying its F-16s to

  counter Russian air raids, officially using them

  against cruise missiles. No reports of other

  engagements have been confirmed. Further

  details about aircraft deliveries to Ukraine

  and pilot training will be discussed in the next

  installment of this series.

  Slovak MiG-29 wreckage: Debris from a former Slovak MiG-29, likely serial number 2123.

  An older image of a former Slovak MiG-29 in Ukrainian service.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard

  23

  December 2024

• Page 24

  A photo from March 2023

  showing four Slovak MiG-29AS

  jets departing for Ukraine,

  including aircraft 2123.

  A message on

  a Ukrainian drone

  mocks Putin,

  labeling him

  a pedophile.

  Drone defense: Ukrainian forces in action against daily Shahed drone attacks from Russia.

  Gepard tanks: Proven German-made anti-aircraft tanks in use.

  UKRAINE

  INFO Eduard24

  December 2024

• November 16, 1944

  November 16, 1944 would prove to be a heavy day of aerial combat. Luftflotte 4’s Fliegerkorps 1 would put up about 420 flights of which 163 were with fighter variants of the Bf 109. By the end of the day 28 enemy aircraft would be claimed destroyed with 6 more damaged. All combat stations, whether operational or otherwise, were busy adjusting to the Hungarian sector they now found themselves in. With the front line approaching the capital city of Budapest, the pressure of consistently performing at the highest level must have been great for every combatant: German, Hungarian or Soviet. Fighter pilot Hptm. Erich Hartmann of II./JG 52 was no exception. With well over 300 claims under his belt much was expected of him and his unit to fight back against the broad Soviet push headed westward. That day the weather would reach a high of 9 degrees Celsius with partially cloudy skies, an ideal environment for surprise attacks by fighter aircraft.

  #70161

  BOXART STORY

  November 16, 1944 would prove to be a heavy

  day of aerial combat. Luftflotte 4’s Fliegerkorps

  1 would put up about 420 flights of which

  163 were with fighter variants of the Bf 109.

  By the end of the day 28 enemy aircraft would

  be claimed destroyed with 6 more damaged.

  All combat stations, whether operational

  or otherwise, were busy adjusting to the

  Hungarian sector they now found themselves

  in. With the front line approaching the capital

  city of Budapest, the pressure of consistently

  performing at the highest level must have been

  great for every combatant: German, Hungarian

  or Soviet. Fighter pilot Hptm. Erich Hartmann

  of II./JG 52 was no exception. With well over

  300 claims under his belt much was expected

  of him and his unit to fight back against the

  broad Soviet push headed westward. That day

  the weather would reach a high of 9 degrees

  Celsius with partially cloudy skies, an ideal

  environment for surprise attacks by fighter

  aircraft.

  In the morning Hartmann took off on

  a mission headed in the direction of the Tisza

  River. In the combat zone 10 soviet aviators

  approached from the East, tasked with

  covering their ground forces in the Jászberény

  – Pusztamonostor – Jászárokszállás triangle.

  All from the 5th Air Army’s 73 GvIAP, they

  flew at 4000m altitude. The two flights of

  these aviators were led by regiment-CO Gv.Lt.

  Col. Porfirii A. Mikhailyuk and flight-leader

  Gv.Capt. Pyotr P. Fomichev.

  Over Jászárokszállás, the pair consisting

  of pilots Vladimir M. Savchuk and Aleksandr

  S. Shuvalov separated from their group. Their

  radio connection with the group remained

  stable and no dogfights were reported. Without

  warning, Gv.Ml.Lt Aleksandr S. Shuvalov

  disappeared with his last location being about

  20km east of Gödöllő at Pusztamonostor.

  Hptm. Hartmann filed a claim over a Yak-9

  fighter at 08:45 local time at 4000m in the

  coordinate square of PlQu. 14 Ost 98368 which

  is just NW of Gödöllő. It is possible that Erich

  Hartmann downed Gv.Ml.Lt. Shuvalov by means

  of a surprise attack thus resulting in no radio

  warning from the Soviet pilot.

  Owing to the lack of unanimous agreement

  of information from both sides, the difference

  in stated location is approximately 20km,

  we are only able to classify Hartmann’s

  abschuss as a possible victory. For more detail

  victory verification and what classifies a victory,

  readers are invited to review publications such

  as

  Combat Kill: The Drama of Aerial Warfare in

  World War 2 and the Controversy Surrounding

  Victories, Verified Victories: Top JG 52 Aces Over

  Hungary 1944-45

  , and the original claiming

  directives held at BArch. Additional information

  about claiming controversies will appear

  shortly.

  What is known from this engagement are

  the specific aircraft details for Hartmann’s

  potential victim: Gv.Ml.Lt. Aleksandr

  Stepanovich Shuvalov (1921-1944) flew in

  a Novosibirsk, Factory No.153-built Yakovlev

  Yak-9D fighter of the Soviet 5th Air Army (2nd

  Ukrainian Front), 6 GvIAD, 73 GvIAP, 2nd Sq., c/n:

  2015315, built around March 1944, powered by

  VK-105PF engine No.415-1333 built in the first

  quarter of 1944. Planes of his unit were marked

  with a short inscription over a white horizontal

  lightning-bolt under their cockpit on both sides

  of the planes. (TsAMO RF)

  Details on Hartmann’s aircraft are more

  difficult to pin-point, however his usual

  Messerschmitt at this time was a Bf 109 G-14

  with a black tulip pattern adorning the nose

  coded ‘white 1’. Furthermore, the Author of

  this article would cautiously state that based

  on the camouflage mottling and presence of

  a data plate mounted forward of the cockpit

  these features are consistent with those found

  on G-14/U4s built by WNF (Wiener Neustadt,

  Austria) in the 51x.xxx series. The 51x.xxx

  series entered production in the second half

  of 1944. Lack of further proofs limit our ability

  to confidently identify Hartmann’s aircraft.

  As the aircraft was equipped with methanol

  water injection evidenced by the battery

  box cover plate protruding into the cabin,

  the engine in this aircraft was a DB 605AM

  model capable of producing around 1700 PS

  at 4000m while the VK-105PF could produce only

  about 1050 PS at the same altitude. Translated

  to speed, when the MW-50 system was being

  used Hartmann’s Bf 109 G-14/U4 could approach

  speeds at 4000m of up to around 625 kph, while

  Shuvalov’s Yak-9D could only reach about

  590 kph. If the engagement took place without

  MW-50, the Yak-9D would actually have

  a level speed advantage, showcasing how

  much assistance the MW-50 system provided

  Luftwaffe pilots.

  Illustration: Antonis Karydis

  November 16, 1944

  Text: Daniel Horvath

  INFO Eduard

  25

  December 2024

• Page 26

  #8288

  Spitfire Mk.IXe

  1/48

  The ProfiPACK edition kit of British fighter aircraft Spitfire Mk.IXe

  in 1/48 scale.The kit offers to build Spitfire Mark Nine serving in the RAF,

  Czechoslovak Air Foce and Israel Air Force.

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 7

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  KITS 12/2024

  INFO Eduard26

  December 2024

• Page 27

  RR201, F/Lt Richard J. Audet, F/Lt John J. Boyle, No. 411 Squadron, ALG B.88 Heesh,

  The Netherlands, December 1944

  RR201, F/Lt John J. Boyle, No. 411 Squadron, ALG B.88 Heesh, The Netherlands,

  February-April 1945

  Spitfire serial number RR201 is probably the

  most famous Spitfire of the IXe version. Although

  it was F/Lt Jack Boyle’s personal Spitfire,

  the greatest successes with the RR201 were achieved

  by another Canadian pilot and friend of Boyle,

  F/Lt Richard Joseph “Dick” Audet. The latter flew

  a total of 15 operational sorties between December

  29, 1944, and February 3, 1945, achieving seven

  of his eleven confirmed kills with Spitfire RR201

  DB

  -

  G. The aircraft was decorated with the

  inscription “Sweet Sue V” on the left side of

  the fuselage tank. F/Lt Audet achieved his

  greatest success with it on December 29, 1944,

  when he shot down three Fw 109D-9s and two

  Bf 109Gs (post-war research leans towards five

  FW 190D-9s being shot down) during a dogfight,

  thus becoming the only Spitfire pilot to achieve

  ace status in a single sortie. He achieved another

  valuable success on January 23, 1945, when he

  shot down a Me 262 jet with RR201 and destroyed

  another during the bombing of Rheine airfield

  (post-war research confirms the Arado Ar 234).

  Unfortunately, Audet did not see the end of the

  war, as his Spitfire MK950 DB

  -

  A was hit and

  crashed on March 3, 1945, during an attack on

  an armed train. Although the original No. 411

  Squadron report stated that Audet died in his

  aircraft, post-war research confirmed that he had

  made an emergency landing with his Spitfire and

  was captured. After interrogation, he was to be

  taken to a POW camp, but there Audet’s trail ends.

  It is likely that he was murdered or died trying to

  escape. His body was never found.

  The RR201 first appeared in the records of

  No. 411 Squadron on December 26, 1944, and

  subsequently became the personal aircraft of

  F/Lt John Joseph “Jack” Boyle, who had a white

  “Sweet Sue V” painted on the left side of the tank

  cover in honor of his young daughter. Spitfire

  RR201 first flew with the codes DB

  -

  G and after

  Jack Boyle took command of No. 411 Squadron

  B Flight in January 1945, his "Sweet Sue V" was

  transferred to B Flight as well and recoded DB

  -

  R

  code. However, this did not occur until early

  February 1945, when the RR201 DB

  -

  G (newly

  coded DB

  -

  R by B Flight) was exchanged for the

  MK950 DB

  -

  R (newly coded DB

  -

  A by A Flight).

  F/Lt Boyle flew the RR201 until April 4, 1945, when

  his operational tour ended. He flew 36 operational

  sorties in the cockpit of the RR201 and destroyed

  two Bf 109s in strafing of enemy airfields,

  as well as 10 locomotives and 42 military vehicles.

  In total, Boyle achieved six confirmed kills during

  his wartime career and became, among other

  things, the first Allied Spitfire pilot to shoot down

  a Me 262 jet (December 25, 1944) as an individual

  victory. Boyle’s Spitfire RR201 shown here sported

  the elements of the fast identification valid after

  January 3, 1945, for the 2TAF, type C1 roundels,

  a black propeller cone and a shaded Sky band

  in front of the VOP. The serial number RR201

  was painted in reduced form in white above the

  vertical stabilizer cockade. In this form it was

  flown until February 3, 1945, with the code letter

  G. Starting from February 6 onwards it sported

  the code letter R.

  KITS 12/2024

  INFO Eduard

  27

  December 2024

• Page 28

  PV181, W/Cdr Rolf A. Berg, No. 132 Wing, ALG B.79 Woendstrecht,

  The Netherlands, winter 1944

  RK889, S/Ldr Otmar Kučera, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Manston, Kent,

  Great Britain, May-July 1945

  This aircraft was used as a personal aircraft

  by the commander of No. 132 (Norwegian)

  Wing, W/Cdr Rolf Arne Berg. He had the pre-

  war Norwegian insignia painted on it during the

  autumn of 1944, and at the same time requested

  approval from RAF officials to use them. However,

  he found no sympathy and had to remove the

  marking in January 1945. Berg’s fate was sealed

  on February 3, 1945. He was at the very end of

  his operational tour but decided to undertake one

  more combat flight. However, he took a direct

  hit to the wing from anti-aircraft artillery over

  the Dutch Eelde and crashed fatally with PV 181.

  His score thus stopped on six confirmed kills, two

  probable kills and five enemy aircraft damaged.

  The HF Mk.IX high altitude Spitfires with the

  Merlin 70 were also produced with an E wing

  with standard wingtips. An example of this

  variant is the RK889 (RY

  -

  A) of Commander

  No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron S/Ldr. Otmar

  Kučera DFC. The aircraft, manufactured at the

  Vickers-Supermarine plant in Castle Bromwich,

  was taken over by the RAF on October 6, 1944,

  moving to No. 45 MU in Kinloss, Scotland. It waited

  for its first allocation until May 10 the following

  year. At that time it replaced the existing Kučera’s

  Spitfire HF Mk.IXc ML148 at Manston, which bore

  the same codename. The RK889 was donated

  aircraft named “Edmonton II” and was the last

  one purchased from fund-raising and assigned to

  the Czechoslovak Air Force. With the new Spitfire,

  S/Ldr Kučera took part in air combat training

  with Americans flying P-51D Mustangs on May 23,

  1945, at the 8th USAAF base in Debden, together

  with other Czechoslovak fighters. The livery

  depicts Kučera’s codename “A” with the

  commander’s pennant under the cockpit from

  July 1945, when round emblems with a hawk

  appeared on the engine cowling and the propeller

  cone was decorated with the Czechoslovak

  national colors.

  KITS 12/2024

  INFO Eduard28

  December 2024

• Page 29

  TE517, S/Ldr O. Kučera, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Manston, Kent,

  Great Britain, August 1945

  RK917, G/Cpt Douglas Bader, RAF North Weald, Great Britain, September 1945

  During his service in the Royal Air Force, Otmar

  Kučera had flown almost 540 operational hours,

  which included 130 flights over enemy territory.

  He achieved seven confirmed kills during his

  wartime career. After five years of fighting he

  left Britain with a new Spitfire LF Mk.IXe with

  Czechoslovakian insignia. This was TE517 (RY

  -

  A),

  which he flew back to his homeland at the head

  of No. 313 Squadron from August 7 to 13, 1945.

  The Spitfire TE517 was built by the Castle

  Bromwich factory and fitted with a Merlin

  66 engine. After completing test flights, TE517

  was flown by F/Sgt Karel Stryk to RAF Manston

  on July 21, 1945 and taken over by No. 313

  (Czechoslovak) Squadron on July 25, 1945.

  The standard RAF cockades were repainted with

  Czechoslovak Air Force insignias in the early

  days of August 1945. However, the original RAF

  codes were retained. Unlike the other Spitfires of

  No. 313 Squadron, which had their propeller cones

  painted red, Kučera’s machine was distinguished

  by white paint on the tip of the propeller cone and

  the Squadron Commander’s pennant under the

  cockpit. Spitfire TE517 has survived to the present

  day after service in the post-war Czechoslovak

  Air Force and subsequently the Israeli Air

  Force. On April 7, 2023, it took to the air again

  after several years of restoration at Biggin Hill

  Heritage Hangar.

  On April 15, 1945, the famous Douglas Bader was

  freed by American troops from captivity at Colditz

  Castle. Upon his return to England and after

  a short leave of absence, he returned to duty and

  was appointed Commanding Officer of the Fighter

  Leader’s School at Tangmere Air Base. Shortly

  afterwards he was promoted to the rank of Group

  Capitain and became Sector Commander of North

  Weald No. 11 Group RAF. On September 15, 1945,

  an air show was held in London to mark the fifth

  anniversary of the Battle of Britain, with a total of

  300 aircraft taking part. The parade was opened

  by a group of 12 Spitfires piloted by heroes of

  the 1940s. The leadership of this group was

  entrusted to legless ace Douglas Bader, who flew

  his personal Spitfire RK917, which he used from

  1945-1946, in this ceremonial parade. Bader’s

  Spitfire HF Mk.IXe RK917 had its armament

  removed and bore the standard night fighter

  livery of Medium Sea Grey, with camouflage

  fields of Dark Green applied to the upper and

  side surfaces. The identification markings were

  without yellow outline, the fuselage cockades

  and propeller cone were in shade of Roundel

  Blue. On July 21, 1946, G/Cpt Bader resigned of

  his own accord and accepted an offer to head

  the Shell Corporation’s aviation department.

  For the next twenty years he flew regularly and

  personally piloted the company aircraft. He died

  on September 5, 1982, at the age of 72.

  KITS 12/2024

  INFO Eduard

  29

  December 2024

• Page 30

  2003 (ex TE531), 105. Tajeset, Ramat David AB, Izrael, September 1953

  An exception among the Spitfires delivered

  by Czechoslovakia to Israel was the TE515

  which was unpainted and had a distinctive red

  lightning bolt on both sides of the fuselage.

  TE515 was flown to Czechoslovakia with the

  fuselage designation DU

  -

  W. In the ranks of

  LP 5, it bore the designation MP-11. At the

  turn of May and June 1946 it was modified

  to the form with red lightning bolt and was

  the command aircraft of Colonel Jaroslav

  Hlaďo, who was the head of the Air Division

  2. In December 1948, this Spitfire became

  a part of the research squadron at Letňany in

  Prague under the designation V-20, retaining its

  colors. However, it was not used for research

  tasks but for training flights of local test pilots.

  The aircraft retained its livery even after it was

  sold to Israel, where it arrived with the last

  land and sea delivery in 1950. In its “silver” form,

  it served for three years with the 105 Training

  Squadron at Ramat David serialled 2058 with

  the tactical number 58. It then underwent

  a revision and paint job at Bedek and in February

  1955 was delivered by air, already as UB439, to

  Rangoon, Burma, as part of Operation Orez B

  from February 15 to 22, 1955.

  OVERTREES

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  Spitfire Mk.IXe

  1/48

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  Spitfire Mk.IXe

  1/48

  Product page

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  FE840 Spitfire Mk.IX seatbelts STEEL (PE

  -

  Set)

  644008 Spitfire Mk.IX late LööK (Brassin)

  648100 Spitfire Mk.IX cockpit (Brassin)

  648112 Spitfire Mk.IX engine (Brassin)

  648113 Spitfire Mk.IX gun bay (Brassin)

  648306 Spitfire Mk.IX top cowl late (Brassin)

  648368 British 500lb bombs (Brassin)

  648748 Spitfire Mk.IX landing flaps PRINT (Brassin)

  EX1082 Spitfire Mk.IX TFace (Mask)

  Recommended for

  Spitfire Mk.IXe 1/48

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  KITS 12/2024

  INFO Eduard30

  December 2024

• Page 31

  #70161

  Bf 109G-14

  The ProfiPACK edition kit of German fighter aircraft Bf 109G-14

  in 1/72 scale. The kit is focused on aircraft used in Luftwaffe,

  Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana (italian National Republican

  Air Force) and Zrakoplovstvo Nezavisne Države Hrvatske

  (Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia).

  plastic parts: Eduard

  marking options: 6

  decals: Eduard

  PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  painting mask: yes

  resin parts: no

  Product page

  1/72

  KITS 12/2024

  INFO Eduard

  31

  December 2024

• Page 32

  Hptm. Erich Hartmann, CO of 4./JG 52, Csór, Hungary, November 1944

  WNr. 462649, Hptm. Alfred Grislawski, CO of III./JG 53,

  Paderborn, Germany, September 1944

  Erich Hartmann, the most successful fighter

  pilot of all times, joined the 7. Staffel of JG 52

  on October 10, 1942, as his first unit to serve

  with. He remained with Jagdgeschwader 52 till

  the end of World War Two; in fact, he became

  the commander of its I. Gruppe. The total count

  of his victories is believed to be 352. For his

  exceptional success he was awarded the Knight’s

  Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords

  and Diamonds. After WWII he was transferred

  to the POW camp in the Ural Mountains in the

  Soviet Union and was not released until 1955.

  The following year he joined the ranks of Western

  German Luftwaffe. He became the commander of

  JG 71, the first fighter plane Luftwaffe squadron

  equipped with jet fighter aircraft. Hartmann

  retired in 1970 and died on September 20, 1993.

  Standard camouflage of Hartmann’s “white 1”

  was complemented by black tulip outlined in

  white on the nose of the aircraft. This was the

  appearance from the time of his command of

  4. Staffel. On the left side, underneath the cockpit,

  there was a heart with Hartmann’s wife’s name

  written over it. The yellow bottom wingtips and

  the yellow band around the rear fuselage were

  markings of the aircraft serving on the Eastern

  Front. The photograph of the nose of this aircraft

  shows that the engine cover is identical to those

  produced by Erla factory in Leipzig.

  Alfred Grislawski was born on November

  2, 1919, in Wanne-Eickel in the Ruhr area.

  In July 1940, he joined III./JG 52 on the Western

  Front. After several months III./JG 52 moved

  to Romania and was tasked with defense of

  Ploesti in mid-1941. Later, the unit participated

  in combat on the southern front in the USSR.

  In April 1943, Grislawski achieved his 100th

  aerial victory. In June 1943, he and his comrades

  were wounded by a mine explosion near

  Taman. After recovering, he was transferred

  to the Western Front, joining JG 50 in August

  1943. In November 1943, he was transferred to

  JG 1, where he served in command positions.

  In August 1944, he was given command of

  11./JG 53. On September 26, 1944, he shot down

  a P-38, his 133rd and final victim in aerial

  combats. Shortly afterward, he was downed by

  Colonel Hubert Zemke flying P-51. Grislawski

  bailed out but, fearing he might be killed while

  parachuting, deployed his parachute too late

  at low altitude. That resulted in a hard landing

  that injured his spine. He was treated in Bad

  Gastein and fell into American captivity in May

  1945. Due to his war injuries, he did not join

  the Bundesluftwaffe. The Black 6 aircraft was

  a relatively new aircraft, recently built at

  the Erla factory in Leipzig. It’s camouflage

  reconstruction was based on Grislawski’s

  description.

  KITS 12/2024

  INFO Eduard32

  December 2024

• Page 33

  WNr. 781183, Uffz. Werner Zetzschke, 4./JG 4, Darmstadt-Griesheim,

  Germany, January 1945

  WNr. 462xxx, Uffz. Karl-Heinz Erler, 16./JG 5, Rygge, Norway, April 1945

  The target of the mission flown by I. and III. Gruppe

  JG 4 on January 1, 1945, was Le Culot airfield but

  neither pilot of these groups was able to attack

  it due to the very strong anti-aircraft defense.

  Instead, the 4. Staffel probably attacked the

  Ophoven airport. One of its pilots was 21 years

  old Werner Zetzschke, who was shot down

  nearby the town of Sittard and crashed into

  its street. Upon the impact he was catapulted

  from the cockpit and died within couple of

  minutes because of the injuries he suffered.

  He was buried in the German Military Cemetery

  in Ysselsteyn. Appearance of this airplane is

  a conjecture based on the other aircraft of the

  same manufacturer’s block and on the planes

  operated by I./JG 4. The camouflage was spray-

  painted in RLM 74/75/76 complemented by

  black-white-black band on the rear fuselage

  which was carried by JG 4 aircraft deployed in

  the Reich Defense role. There is a JG 4 marking

  painted on the left side of the engine cowling,

  on the right side there is a I./JG 4 – a rooster on

  the blue base, reminder of the former I. Gruppe

  JG 4 commander Franz Hahn.

  After its establishment in mid-1942, IV./JG 5

  was tasked with operations against Western

  Allied forces based in Norway. However, from

  August 1944 to early November, it was deployed

  to Finland, where its mission was extended,

  as it included fighting the Soviet units as

  well. Additionally, a new adversary emerged:

  the Finns, who had switched to the Allied side.

  In October 1944, a newly formed fourth Staffel

  was added to the Gruppe’s three existing Staffels,

  designated as 16./JG 5. The unit was commanded

  by Lt. Hans Vollet, who had previously served

  with III./JG 5 and II./JG 54. The 16. Staffel scored

  its first victory on December 28, 1944, when

  Uffz. Walter Smejkal claimed an RAF Mustang.

  Lt. Vollet achieved a victory over a Mosquito on

  January 11, 1945, marking his 11th and final kill.

  In March 1945, Lt. Adolf Gillet took over command

  of 16./JG 5, but on April 11, he was killed during

  a parachute jump after being shot down by

  a Mustang from No. 65 Squadron RAF. Following

  his death, Lt. Höhn took over the administrative

  command of the unit, while Fw. Heinz Halstrick

  assumed command during combat operations.

  KITS 12/2024

  INFO Eduard

  33

  December 2024

• Page 34

  WNr. 464068, Str. Josip Cekovič, 2. ZLJ (Zrakoplovno Lovačko Jato),

  Iesi airfield, Italy, April 1945

  WNr. 464444, Maj. Carlo Miami, CO of 2

  o

  Gruppo Caccia, ANR,

  Aviano, Italy, February 1945

  After the Red Army’s summer offensive in 1944

  on the southern front and its troops’ entry

  into Hungary and Romania, the German High

  Command had to address the security of its

  positions in the Balkans. One of the components

  of this effort was the Croatian Air Force.

  To strengthen it, the delivery of thirty new

  Bf 109Gs was arranged in three stages during

  October 1944. By November 1944, the Croats had

  already received ten Bf 109Gs. On December 1,

  1944, these aircraft landed at Lučko airfield near

  Zagreb and were assigned to the 2. Zrakoplovno

  Lovačko Jato (ZLJ). Subsequently, the 2. ZLJ

  was incorporated into the Defence of the Reich

  and stationed at Borongaj airfield. In January

  1945, additional Bf 109Gs were delivered, making

  the 2. ZLJ the only combat-ready unit on this

  section of the front. Its combat operations

  were diverse, engaging Soviet forces, domestic

  Communist forces, USAAF and RAF units.

  The Black 10 aircraft had its original German

  crosses repainted. Also a yellow fuselage band

  was overpainted as well as a yellow V on the

  bottom of the wing. On April 16, 1945, Str. Josip

  Cekovič defected to Iesi airfield in Italy with this

  aircraft.

  After the declaration of Italian Social Republic

  on September 18, 1943, a puppet state on the

  territory of Italy occupied by German military

  under the command of Benito Mussolini,

  Germany allowed this Republic to establish its

  own military force consisting of four divisions.

  Its air force component called Aeronautica

  Nazionale Repubblicana consisted of two

  fighter plane groups (Gruppo Caccia), torpedo

  groups (Gruppo Aerosiluranti Buscaglia) and

  several transportation squadrons. In 1945, both

  fighter plane squadrons flew Messerschmitts

  Bf 109G-6/G-10/G-14. The commander of

  2

  o

  Gruppo Caccia was Maggiore Carlo Miami.

  His aircraft was camouflaged with RLM 74/75/76

  colors. The staff marking was asymmetrical on

  the right side of the fuselage, probably due

  to the 24V electric plug. The German crosses

  were retained, only on the upper surface of the

  wing they were oversprayed with dark green

  and Italian insignias were added. The fuselage

  emblems were supplemented with Italian

  insignia in the shape of a postage stamp.

  KITS 12/2024

  INFO Eduard34

  December 2024

• Page 35

  OVERTREES

  #70160X

  Bf 109G-5/6/14 late

  1/72

  OVERLEPT

  #70161-LEPT1

  Bf 109G-14

  1/72

  Product page Product page

  672292 Luftwaffe rudder pedals PRINT (Brassin)

  672324 Bf 109 SC250 bomb (Brassin)

  672329 Bf 109 balance weights PRINT (Brassin)

  672338 Bf 109G undercarriage legs BRONZE (Brassin)

  672344 Bf 109G radio compartment PRINT (Brassin)

  672346 Bf 109G propeller PRINT (Brassin)

  672347 Bf 109G-5/G-6 cockpit PRINT (Brassin)

  672348 Bf 109G-5/G-6 wheels PRINT (Brassin)

  672352 Bf 109G-6 engine PRINT (Brassin)

  672355 Bf 109G-5/G-6 gun barrels PRINT (Brassin)

  D72048 Bf 109G stencils (Decals)

  Recommended for

  Bf 109G-14 1/72

  #672329

  #672344

  #672347

  #672355

  #672338

  #672352

  KITS 12/2024

  INFO Eduard

  35

  December 2024

• Page 36

  BRASSIN

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seat belts for P-39N in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for A-4M in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Magic Factory

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  644290

  P-39N LööK

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  644291

  A-4M mod. 1970 LööK

  1/48 Magic Factory

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard36

  December 2024

• Page 37

  644292

  A-4M mod. 1975 LööK

  1/48 Magic Factory

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard and STEEL

  seatbelts for A-4M in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble,

  replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Magic Factory

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  BRASSIN

  Collection of 4 sets for P-39Q in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

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

  - gun barrels

  - pilot seat

  - painting mask

  644288

  P-39Q LööKplus

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  37

  December 2024

• Page 38

  BRASSIN

  624005

  Spitfire Mk.VIII exhaust fishtail PRINT

  1/24 Airfix

  Brassin set - exhaust stacks for Spitfire Mk.VIII

  in 1/24 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 12 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  Collection of 5 sets for Bulldog Mk.II in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

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

  - gun barrels

  - pilot seat

  - undercarriage wheels

  - painting mask

  Product page

  644289

  Bulldog Mk.II LööKplus

  1/48 Airfix

  INFO Eduard38

  December 2024

• Page 39

  BRASSIN

  624006

  Spitfire Mk.VIII wheels 4 spoke

  1/24 Airfix

  Brassin set - undercarriage wheels for Spitfire Mk.VIII

  in 1/24 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

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

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Product page

  Brassin set - pre-painted radio equipment for Sd.Kfz, 251/1

  Ausf. D in 1/35 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Border Model

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 11 parts

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  635037

  Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. D radio equipment dark

  yellow PRINT

  1/35 Border Model

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  39

  December 2024

• Page 40

  6481037

  P-38F/G right engine PRINT

  1/48 Tamiya

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - starboard engine for P-38F or P-38G

  in 1/48 scale. Cowlings are included.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 41 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  Brassin set - Python 5 air-to-air missile

  for Israeli A/C in 1/48 scale. Set consists

  of 4 missiles. Made by 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 12 parts

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  648813

  Python 5 PRINT

  1/48

  INFO Eduard40

  December 2024

• Page 41

  6481055

  MG 15 magazines & case catchers PRINT

  1/48

  Brassin set - MG 15 machine gun magazines and case

  chatchers in 1/48 scale. Set consists of 10 magazines

  and 10 case catchers (2 types, 5+5 pcs). Made by direct

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

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 20 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - engine for P-51D

  in 1/72 scale. Cowlings are included.

  Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 32 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672389

  P-51D engine PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  41

  December 2024

• Page 42

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Chinook HC.1

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

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

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 6 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  672393

  Chinook HC.1 wheels

  1/72 Airfix

  Product page

  Brassin set - cockpit for F-35B

  in 1/72 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Tamiya

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 7 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  672392

  F-35B cockpit PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Product page

  INFO Eduard42

  December 2024

• Page 43

  Brassin set - US 500lb bombs in 1/72 scale.

  Set consists of 6 bombs. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  672394

  US 500lb bombs PRINT

  1/72

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - oxygen cylindres for USAAF WWII

  multiengined a/c in 1/72 scale. The set consists

  of 6 cylinders. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672395

  WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-4 PRINT

  1/72

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  43

  December 2024

• Page 44

  BRASSIN

  Brassin set - oxygen cylindres for USAAF WWII

  multiengined a/c in 1/72 scale. The set consists

  of 6 cylinders. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672397

  WWII USAAF oxygen tank G-1 PRINT

  1/72

  Product page

  Brassin set - oxygen cylindres for USAAF WWII

  multiengined a/c in 1/72 scale. The set consists

  of 6 cylinders. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 6 parts

  - decals: yes

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  672396

  WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-6 PRINT

  1/72

  Product page

  INFO Eduard44

  December 2024

• Page 45

  Brassin set - propellers, air intakes

  and an undercarriage for L-410UVP

  in 1/72 scale. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Gavia / Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 10 parts

  - resin: 9 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: yes

  672398

  L-410UVP 2024 ex-Gavia EDUARD EDITION upgrade set

  1/72 Gavia/Eduard

  Product page

  BRASSIN

• Page 46

  Collection of 4 sets for P-51B in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - cockpit

  - propeller

  - undercarriage legs (BRONZE)

  - 75gal fuel drop tanks

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

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

  SIN648134

  P-51B Birdcage canopy ESSENTIAL

  1/48 Eduard

  Product page

  BRASSIN

  INFO Eduard46

  December 2024

• Page 47

  Product page

  Collection of 3 sets for P-51D-5 in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - cockpit

  - propeller

  - wing gun bays

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

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

  SIN67226

  P-51D-5 ESSENTIAL

  1/48 Eduard

  BRASSIN

  INFO Eduard

  47

  December 2024

• Page 48

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  DECEMBER 2024

  USS Midway CV-41 part 3

  1/350 Trumpeter

  #53316

  INFO Eduard48

  December 2024

• Page 49

  USS Midway CV-41 part 4

  1/350 Trumpeter

  #53317

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  INFO Eduard

  49

  December 2024

• Page 50

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  M48A3

  1/35 I Love Kit

  #36526

  INFO Eduard50

  December 2024

• Page 51

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  M2 Bradley

  1/35 Magic Factory

  #36527

  INFO Eduard

  51

  December 2024

• Page 52

  PHOTO

  -

  ETCHED

  F-86A

  1/48 Clear Prop

  #491488 #FE1488 #FE1489

  INFO Eduard52

  December 2024

• Page 53

  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 54

  INFO Eduard54

  December 2024

• Page 55

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard

  55

  December 2024

• Page 56

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard56

  December 2024

• Page 57

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard

  57

  December 2024

• Page 58

  B-17 ACCESSORIES

  INFO Eduard58

  December 2024

• Page 59

• Page 60

  3DL32028 Spitfire Mk.VIII SPACE 1/24 Airfix

  3DL48203

  F-86A SPACE 1/48 Clear Prop

  Product page

  Product page

  easy

  application

  INFO Eduard60

  December 2024

• Page 61

  SPACE

  3DL48204 MiG-35 SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss

  3DL48205

  Bf 109G-4 SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  SPACE

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  61

  December 2024

• Page 62

  3DL72050 Meteor FR.9 SPACE 1/72 Airfix

  Product page

  SPACE

  3DL48206 F4U-2 SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss

  Product page

  INFO Eduard62

  December 2024

• Page 63

  Product page

  SPACE

  3DL72051 L-39C SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  SPACE

  Product page

  DECAL SET

  D72052

  P-51D-5 "357th FG"

  1/72 Eduard

  INFO Eduard

  63

  December 2024

• Page 64

  BIG ED

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

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

  BIG33164 AH-64A early 1/35 Trumpeter

  BIG49429

  Fulmar Mk.II 1/48 Trumpeter

  BIG49430

  U-2S 1/48 Hobby Boss

  321020 AH-64A early 1/35

  33372 AH-64A early seatbelts STEEL 1/35

  JX327 AH-64A early 1/35

  491467 Fulmar Mk.II 1/48

  FE1468 Fulmar Mk.II seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX1056 Fulmar Mk.II 1/48

  49103 Remove Before Flight STEEL

  491469 U-2S 1/48

  FE1470 U-2S seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX1058 U-2S 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard64

  December 2024

• Page 65

  All sets included in this BIG ED are available separately,

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

  BIG ED

  BIG49431 A-4B 1/48 Hobby 2000 / Hasegawa

  BIG49432

  A-4C 1/48 Hobby 2000 / Hasegawa

  481149 A-4B/C landing flaps 1/48

  49103 Remove Before Flight STEEL

  491473 A-4B 1/48

  FE1474 A-4B/C seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX1060 A-4B 1/48

  481149 A-4B/C landing flaps 1/48

  49103 Remove Before Flight STEEL

  491475 A-4C 1/48

  FE1474 A-4B/C seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  EX1062 A-4C 1/48

  Product page

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  65

  December 2024

• Page 66

  MASKS

  IT FITS!

  LX009 Spitfire Mk.VIII

  1/24 Airfix

  LX010 Spitfire Mk.VIII TFace

  1/24 Airfix

  EX1076 F-86A

  1/48 Clear Prop

  EX1077 F-86A TFace

  1/48 Clear Prop

  EX1078 MiG-35

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1079 MiG-35 TFace

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1080 F4U-2

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1081 F4U-2 TFace

  1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1082 Spitfire Mk.IX TFace

  1/48 Eduard

  CX677 Meteor FR.9

  1/72 Airfix

  CX678 Bf 109G-10

  1/72 Eduard

  CX679 Bf 109G-14/AS

  1/72 Eduard

  LX010 Spitfire Mk.VIII TFace

  LX010 Spitfire Mk.VIII TFace

  EX1077 F-86A TFace

  EX1077 F-86A TFace

  EX1077 F-86A TFace

  LX010 Spitfire Mk.VIII TFace

  LX010 Spitfire Mk.VIII TFace

  LX009 Spitfire Mk.VIII

  LX009 Spitfire Mk.VIII

  EX1076 F-86A

  EX1076 F-86A

  INFO Eduard66

  December 2024

• Page 67

  MASKS

  EX1079 MiG-35 TFace

  CX677 Meteor FR.9

  CX679 Bf 109G-14/AS

  CX677 Meteor FR.9

  CX679

  Bf 109G-14/AS

  EX1079 MiG-35 TFace

  EX1079 MiG-35 TFace EX1079 MiG-35 TFace

  EX1078 MiG-35

  EX1078 MiG-35

  INFO Eduard

  67

  December 2024

• Page 68

  RELEASES

  DECEMBER 2024

  KITS

  PE

  -

  SETS

  ZOOMS

  MASKS

  8288 Spitfire Mk.IXe 1/48 ProfiPACK

  70161 Bf 109G-14 1/72 ProfiPACK

  53317 USS Midway CV-41 part 4 1/350 Trumpeter

  36526 M48A3 1/35 I LOVE KIT

  36527 M2 Bradley 1/35 MAGIC FACTORY

  23040 Spitfire Mk.VIII 1/24 Airfix

  23041 Spitfire Mk.VIII landing flaps 1/24 Airfix

  23042 Spitfire Mk.VIII engine & undercarriage 1/24 Airfix

  23043 Spitfire Mk.VIII seatbelts STEEL 1/24 Airfix

  491488 F-86A 1/48 Clear Prop

  491490 MiG-35 1/48 Hobby Boss

  491492 F4U-2 1/48 Hobby Boss

  73838 Meteor FR.9 1/72 Airfix

  FE1488 F-86A 1/48 Clear Prop

  FE1489 F-86A seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Clear Prop

  FE1490 MiG-35 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1491 MiG-35 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1492 F4U-2 1/48 Hobby Boss

  FE1493 F4U-2 seatbelrs STEEL 1/48 Hobby Boss

  SS838 Meteor FR.9 1/72 Airfix

  LX009 Spitfire Mk.VIII 1/24 Airfix

  LX010 Spitfire Mk.VIII TFace 1/24 Airfix

  EX1076 F-86A 1/48 Clear Prop

  EX1077 F-86A TFace 1/48 Clear Prop

  EX1078 MiG-35 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1079 MiG-35 TFace 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1080 F4U-2 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1081 F4U-2 TFace 1/48 Hobby Boss

  EX1082 Spitfire Mk.IX TFace 1/48 Eduard

  CX677 Meteor FR.9 1/72 Airfix

  CX678 Bf 109G-10 1/72 Eduard

  CX679 Bf 109G-14/AS 1/72 Eduard

  BIG-EDBIG-ED

  BIG ED

  BIG33164 AH-64A early 1/35 Trumpeter

  BIG49429 Fulmar Mk.II 1/48 Trumpeter

  BIG49430 U-2S 1/48 Hobby Boss

  BIG49431 A-4B 1/48

  Hobby 2000 / Hasegawa

  BIG49432 A-4C 1/48 Hobby 2000 / Hasegawa

  INFO Eduard68

  December 2024

• Page 69

  RELEASES

  BRASSIN

  LöökPLUS

  BIG SIN

  SPACE

  DECAL SET

  644290 P-39N LööK 1/48 Arma Hobby

  644291 A-4M mod. 1970 LööK 1/48 MAGIC FATORY

  644292 A-4M mod. 1975 LööK 1/48 MAGIC FATORY

  624005 Spitfire Mk.VIII exhaust fishtail PRINT 1/24 Airfix

  624006 Spitfire Mk.VIII wheels 4spoke 1/24 Airfix

  635037 Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. D radio equipment dark

  yellow PRINT 1/35 Border Model

  648813 Python 5 PRINT 1/48

  6481037 P-38F/G right engine PRINT 1/48 Tamiya

  6481055 MG 15 magazines & case catchers PRINT 1/48

  672389 P-51D engine PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672392 F-35B cockpit PRINT 1/72 Tamiya

  672393 Chinook HC.1 wheels 1/72 Airfix

  672394 US 500lb bombs PRINT 1/72

  672395 WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-4 PRINT 1/72

  672396 WWII USAAF oxygen cylinder A-6 PRINT 1/72

  672397 WWII USAAF oxygen tank G-1 PRINT 1/72

  672398 L-410UVP 2024 ex-Gavia EDUARD EDITION

  upgrade set 1/72 Gavia/Eduard

  644288 P-39Q LööKplus 1/48 Arma Hobby

  644289 Bulldog Mk.II LööKplus 1/48 Airfix

  SIN648134 P-51B Birdcage canopy ESSENTIAL 1/48 Eduard

  SIN67226 P-51D-5 ESSENTIAL 1/72 Eduard

  3DL32028 Spitfire Mk.VIII SPACE 1/24 Airfix

  3DL48203 F-86A SPACE 1/48 Clear Prop

  3DL48204 MiG-35 SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss

  3DL48205 Bf 109G-4 SPACE 1/48 Eduard

  3DL48206 F4U-2 SPACE 1/48 Hobby Boss

  3DL72050 Meteor FR.9 SPACE 1/72 Airfix

  3DL72051 L-39C SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  D72052 P-51D-5 "357th FG" 1/72 Eduard

  DECEMBER 2024

  INFO Eduard

  69

  December 2024

• Page 70

  BUILT

  built by Tomáš Török

  Own decals used.

  #11175

  1/32

  WarhawkWarhawk

  INFO Eduard70

  December 2024

• Page 71

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard

  71

  December 2024

• Page 72

  BUILT

  F4F-4 Wildcat late

  1/48

  built by Robert Szwarc

  #82203

  MARKING A

  INFO Eduard72

  December 2024

• Page 73

  BUILT

  Lt.(Jg) William E. Eder, VGF-29, USS Santee (CVE-29), November 1942

  Prior to his assignment to VGF-29, William Eder

  fought with VF-3 at the Battle of Bougainville

  and with VF-2 at the Battle of the Coral Sea.

  He downed one Zero and shared a victory over

  a Betty bomber plus one probable kill of a Val

  bomber during these engagements. In all, Eder

  is credited with 6.5 kills of Japanese aircraft,

  and he destroyed another 10 of them on the

  ground. He also destroyed three French aircraft

  during Operation Torch. The Wildcat that Eder

  flew during Operation Torch wore standard

  camouflage consisting of shades of Light Gray

  and Blue Gray, the insignia being complemented

  by a yellow border on the fuselage and underside

  of the wing. Below the cockpit, two kills and the

  unit emblem were painted on both sides.

  Product page

  INFO Eduard

  73

  December 2024

• Page 74

  Product page

  BUILT

  P-51B Malcolm

  Hood canopy

  cockpit PRINT

  1/48

  #6481032

  built by Jan Baranec

  INFO Eduard74

  December 2024

• Page 75

  BUILT

  INFO Eduard

  75

  December 2024

• Page 76

  BUILT

  P-51B/C seat

  w/ integral belts

  Type 2 PRINT

  Product page

  1/48

  #6481032

  built by Jan Baranec

  INFO Eduard76

  December 2024

• Page 77

  Dunstable Business Centre, Office Suite No.2, Blackburn Road, Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire LU5 5BQ

  Tel: +44 (0)1582 668411, Email: kim@guidelinepublications.co.uk

  All major credit cards accepted.

  Orders can be placed by mail, telephone, email or through the website.

  (www.guidelinepublications.co.uk) Plus postage and packing on all

  orders. Overseas readers pay postage at air mail printed paper rate.

  Warpaint on the web

  For more information and secure ordering please visit:

  www.guidelinepublications.co.uk

  1 Bristol Beaufighter £13.00

  2 Blackburn Buccaneer £13.00

  3 Junkers Ju 87 Stuka £13.00

  4 North American F-100 Super Sabre £13.00

  5 Hawker Typhoon £13.00

  6 Avro Shackleton £14.00

  7 Junkers Ju 88 £13.00

  8 Hawker Hunter £17.00

  9 Grumman F4F Wildcat/Martlet £13.00

  10 Vickers Wellington £13.00

  11 de Havilland Sea Vixen £13.00

  12 Fairey Swordfish £15.00

  13 Focke Wolfe Fw 200 Condor £14.00

  14 BAC Lightning £18.00

  15 Short Stirling £14.00

  16 Hawker Sea Fury £13.00

  17 Gloster Javelin £14.00

  18 Douglas Skyraider £14.00

  19 de Havilland Hornet and Sea Hornet £14.00

  20 Supermarine Seafire (Griffon engine) £15.00

  21 Armstrong Whitworth Whitley £14.00

  22 Gloster Meteor £20.00

  23 Fairey Gannet £15.00

  24 Dornier Do 217 £14.00

  25 Short Sunderland £14.00

  26 Bristol Blenheim £15.00

  27 de Havilland Vampire £20.00

  28 Fairey Firefly £17.00

  29 Hawker Sea Hawk £15.00

  30 Avro Vulcan £16.00

  31 RAF/RN Phantoms £17.00

  32 Douglas A-20 Boston/Havoc £17.00

  33 Heinkel He 177 £14.00

  34 Avro Lincoln £16.00

  35 Fairey Barracuda £15.00

  36 Handley Page Victor £16.00

  37 Gloster Gladiator £17.00

  38 Republic F-105 Thunderchief £15.00

  39 Supermarine Walrus £13.00

  40 Canadair/Commonwealth Sabre £16.00

  41 Fairey Fulmar £15.00

  42 Boulton Paul Defiant £13.00

  43 Lockheed F-104 Starfighter £18.00

  44 de Havilland Venom £15.00

  45 Martin B-57 Canberra £16.00

  46 Handley Page Halifax £17.00

  47 McDonnell F-101 Voodoo £15.00

  48 Westland Lysander £15.00

  49 Fiat G.91 £15.00

  50 Bristol Beaufort £15.00

  51 Lockheed Neptune £16.00

  52 Fairey Albacore £15.00

  53 Avro Anson £16.00

  54 Westland Whirlwind F.Mk I £13.00

  55 Hawker Tempest £14.00

  56 Blackburn Firebrand £14.00

  57 Handley Page Hampden £14.00

  58 Supermarine Swift £14.00

  59 Lockheed Hudson £14.00

  60 English Electric Canberra £20.00

  61 Savoia Marchetti S.79 Sparviero £14.00

  62 Handley Page Hastings £14.00

  63 Vickers Valiant £14.00

  64 Convair F-102 £15.00

  65 Westland Wessex £17.00

  66 Bristol Bulldog £13.00

  67 Folland Gnat and Ajeet £13.00

  68 Bristol Brigand £13.00

  69 Martin B-26 Marauder £14.00

  70 Vought Corsair £18.00

  71 Armstrong Whitworth 650/660 Argosy £14.00

  72 Vickers Supermarine Merlin Seafire £14.00

  73 North American B-25 Mitchell £15.00

  74 Hawker Siddeley Harrier £17.00

  75 BAe Sea Harrier £15.00

  76 Grumman Tracker/Trader/Tracer £17.00

  77 Curtiss P-40 £15.00

  78 Aer Macchi C.202-205 Folgore-Veltro £15.00

  79 Consolidated PBY Catalina £17.00

  80 Saab Draken £17.00

  81 Junkers Ju 52 £14.00

  82 BAC Jet Provost £17.00

  83 Fairey Battle £17.00

  84 Grumman F6F Hellcat £18.00

  85 Supermarine Scimitar £15.00

  86 Vickers Wellesley £15.00

  87 Grumman Avenger £18.00

  88 Lockheed T-33A £15.00

  89 Avro Lancaster £18.00

  90 Boeing B-17 £18.00

  91 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 'Fishbed' £27.00

  92 Grumman HU-16 Albatross £17.00

  93 Messerschmitt Me 262 £15.00

  94 Supermarine Attacker £15.00

  95 Westland Sea King £18.00

  96 Consolidated B-24 Liberator £27.00

  97 North American RA-5C Vigilante £18.00

  98 Avro York £17.00

  99 McDonnell Demon £17.00

  100 Republic F-84F and RF-84F £20.00

  101 de Havilland D.H.82 Tiger Moth £16.00

  102 Convair B-36 £16.00

  103 Avro Manchester £14.00

  104 General Dynamics F-111 & EF-111A £20.00

  105 Sopwith Pup £14.00

  106 Sikorsky S-55/H-19 & Westland Whirlwind £18.00

  107 Ilyushin Il-2 ‘Sturmovik’ £15.00

  108 Martin Mariner and Marlin £17.00

  109 Douglas C-54/R5D Skymaster & DC-4 £21.00

  110 Westland Scout & Wasp £16.00

  111 Vought OS2U Kingfisher £16.00

  112 Douglas A3D Skywarrior £20.00

  113 Panavia Tornado ADV £17.00

  114 McDonnell F-4 Phantom II £25.00

  115 Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle £14.00

  116 Hawker Fury and Nimrod £17.00

  117 Douglas F4D/F-6 Skyray & F5D Skylancer £15.00

  118 NAA B-45 Tornado £16.00

  119 Grumman F9F Panther £15.00

  120 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 £17.00

  121 Douglas A-4 Skyhawk £26.00

  122 Albatros D.I - D.III £16.00

  123 de Havilland (Canada) Chipmunk £15.00

  124 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 £17.00

  125 Bristol Britannia, Argus and Yukon £17.00

  126 Grumman F-14 Tomcat £26.00

  127 Cessna T-37 A/B/C and A-37 A/B £21.00

  128 Bristol Scout £15.00

  129 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 £18.00

  130 Ilyushin Il-28 £18.00

  131 Auster in British Military & foreign air arm service £18.00

  132 Boeing B-52 Stratofortress £25.00

  133 Douglas C-47 Skytrain/Dakota £25.00

  134 Aero L-29 Delfin £21.00

  135 DH.89 Dragon Rapide & Dominie £17.00

  136 Airspeed Oxford & Consul £18.00

  137 Douglas SBD Dauntless £28.00

  138 Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk £18.00

  139 de Havilland (Canada) DHC-2 Beaver £18.00

  140 North American OV-10 Bronco £28.00

  141 Vickers Viking, Valetta & Varsity £19.00

  142 Dassault Mirage F1 £19.00

  143 Boeing B-29 and B-50 Superfortress £25.00

  Warpaint Specials

  No.1 Republic P-47 Thunderbolt £19.00

  No.2 Messerschmitt Bf 109 £25.00

  No.3 de Havilland Mosquito £25.00

  No.4 Cessna Bird Dog £12.00

  No.5 NAA P-51 Mustang and Derivatives £22.00

  No.6 Dambusters and the Lancaster £20.00

  The Pembroke originated as a development of an idea sponsored by Lord Brabazon towards the

  end of World War II, when he chaired a committee whose brief was to assess the civil aviation

  requirements after the end of hostilities, and recommended several specifications for civil aircraft required

  to keep Britain ahead for both home and export sales. A twin-engined transport emerged from Percival

  called the Merganser in 1947. This was refined and in 1950 the Prince was born, being immediately

  snapped up by companies as there was nothing similar on the market at the time. The Royal Navy were

  quick to order the type as a communications aircraft and could see the potential for it as a navigation

  trainer. With an extended nose for radar and other equipment, Percival were quick to assess that as

  being suitable. Named the Sea Prince, the Royal Navy ordered three of the early short-nosed variant

  as the Sea Prince C1 for communications, forty-one of the T.1 version built for navigation and anti-

  submarine training, and four C.2s as a transport version of the Sea Prince T1. The RAF, seeing this interest,

  finally ordered forty-five of the type naming it ‘Pembroke’, the last of which was completed in February 1958. The

  Pembrokes were used for light transport and communications, and were also used as pilot trainers and flying classrooms. Overseas,

  ten countries ordered the type for similar roles in their Air Forces in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sudan, Sweden, Rhodesia,

  Thailand and Zambia. This is another Warpaint by author Adrian Balch, comprehensively illustrated with over 100 top quality photographs from his extensive

  archives, once again being illustrated by accurate quality colourful profile drawings by artist Sam Pearson including

  5-view line drawings/plans making this a must for the aviation historian and modeller.

  PPeemmbbrrookkee

  PPrriinnccee

  &&

  SSeeaa PPrriinnccee

  By Adrian M. Balch

  WV701 was one of the last Pembroke C.1s in

  RAF service with No.6 0 Squadron at RAF

  Wildenrath, Germany in July 1977. (MoD photo)

  WARPAINT SERIES No.145

  Hunting-Percival

  roke.qxp_Warpaint Master 16/10/2024 16:52 Page 46

  This latest authoritative work of reference to join the Warpaint series charts the rise of the helicopter in

  both military and civilian use throughout the vast territories of the Soviet Union from the mid-1950s. The

  Mi-4 was the first successful series production type, and its widespread use with the Soviet Army and

  Navy saw fundamental changes to tactics and doctrine. Lavishly illustrated with original images, the

  story unfolds in detail and tells how the Mi-4 went on to serve globally, ranging from China to Cuba,

  through Africa, India, and the Middle East, and was to remain ubiquitous both in military and civilian

  use throughout the Eastern Bloc, and with Soviet client states across the World. The 88-page book

  tells of the aircraft’s inception, development, and all the many facets of its long service. Few aircraft

  can have achieved so much yet remained so unsung, but author Jakub Fojtik brings the story to life

  with a comprehensive and informed text that makes this book the definitive reference on the type,

  including all the usual Warpaint features, with artwork and scale drawings by Sam Pearson.

  All these titles are available in printed format via our on demand printing service. Please contact our office for further information.

  £17.00

  Warpaint series No.145

  Orders from the world’s book

  and hobby trade are invited

  Previous Warpaint titles

  £20.00

  Warpaint series No.144

  Mil MMii--44 HHoouunndd

  Hunting-Percival PPeemmbbrrookkee,,

  PPrriinnccee && SSeeaa PPrriinnccee

  GGUUIIDDEELLIINNEE PPUUBBLLIICCAATTIIOONNSS LLIIMMIITTEEDD

  Mil

  MMii--44 HHoouunndd

  By Jakub Fojtík

  Ph.D.

  Aeroflot departments all over the large territory of the

  USSR were provided with standard Mi-4 and Mi-4As,

  without the underbelly gondola with machine gun and

  IFF dev ice. Th ese he licopters wer e occa sionally

  referred to as Mi- 4SP (SP stands for Se rial and

  Passeng er) an d retai ned mi litary-style circul ar

  windows but were equipped with a passenger interior.

  WARPAINT SERIES No.144

  44 Warpaint Mil Mi-4 Hound.qxp_Warpaint Master 20/08/2024 15:00 Page 86

  New

  release

  Warpaint 145 Pembroke + Mi-4 Hound.qxp_Warpaint Advert 17/10/2024 14:42 Page 1

• Page 78

  ON APPROACH

  JANUARY 2025

  634048

  Spitfire Mk.VIII LööK

  1/24 Airfix

  634049

  MC.205 Veltro LööK

  1/32 Italeri

  BIG49433 P-39Q 1/48 Arma Hobby

  BIG49434 A-4M mod. 1970 1/48 Magic Factory

  BIG49435 A-4M mod. 1975 1/48 Magic Factory

  BIG72184 F-35B 1/72 Tamiya

  BIG72185 Chinook HC.1 1/72 Airfix

  634048 Spitfire Mk.VIII LööK 1/24 Airfix

  634049 MC.205 Veltro LööK 1/32 Italeri

  644294 F-86A LööK 1/48 Clear Prop

  632202 Bf 109E wheels 1/32 Eduard

  632203 MG 15 magazines & case catchers PRINT 1/32

  632204 MC.205 Veltro wheels 1/32 Italeri

  648591 MiG-19S gun muzzles 1/48 Trumpeter

  6481051 P-39 wheels early 1/48 Arma Hobby

  6481052 P-39 wheels late 1/48 Arma Hobby

  6481056 F-86F ejection seat 1/48 Hasegawa

  6481062 Tempest Mk.V landing flaps PRINT 1/48 Eduard

  6481063 F-5E/F/N wheels 1/48 AFV Club

  653018 IJN ventilators PRINT 1/350

  653021 IJN Type 96 25mm AA gun (triple) PRINT 1/350

  672399 Bf 109G-10 WNF engine PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  672400 Bf 109G-10 Mtt Regensburg engine PRINT 1/72 Eduard

  644293 P-39N LööKplus 1/48 Arma Hobby

  674023 Bf 109G-14/AS LööKplus 1/72 Eduard

  SIN648135 P-51B Malcolm Hood canopy ESSENTIAL 1/48 Eduard

  SIN67227 P-51D-10 ESSENTIAL 1/72 Eduard

  BIG ED (January)

  BRASSIN (January)

  LöökPlus (January)

  BIGSIN (January)

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seat belts for MC.205 Veltro in 1/32 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Italeri

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seat belts for Spitfire Mk.VIII in 1/24 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Airfix

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details:

  yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  644294

  F-86A LööK

  1/48 Clear Prop

  LööK set - Brassin pre-painted dashboard

  and STEEL seatbelts for F-86A in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Clear Prop

  Set contains:

  - resin: 1 part

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  PRELIMINARY IMAGES

  INFO Eduard78

  December 2024

• Page 79

  632202

  Bf 109E wheels

  1/32 Eduard

  632203

  MG 15 magazines & case catchers PRINT

  1/32

  632204

  MC.205 Veltro wheels

  1/32 Italeri

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for Bf 109E

  in 1/32 scale. The set consists of the main wheels

  and a tail wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - resin: 5 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - MG 15 machine gun magazines and case

  catchers in 1/32 scale. Set consists of 10 magazines

  and 10 case catchers (2 types, 5+5 pcs). Made by direct

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

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 20 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for MC.205 Veltro

  in 1/32 scale. The set consists of the main wheels and

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

  Recommended kit: Italeri

  Set contains:

  - resin: 4 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  ON APPROACH

  INFO Eduard

  79

  December 2024

• Page 80

  ON APPROACH

  JANUARY 2025

  648591

  MiG-19S gun muzzles

  1/48 Trumpeter

  6481051

  P-39 wheels early

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  6481052

  P-39 wheels late

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  Brassin set - the nose gun muzzles for MiG-19S

  in 1/48 scale. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Trumpeter

  Set contains:

  - resin: 5 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for P-39

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

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

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: yes

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for P-39

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

  and a nose wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic

  parts. Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: yes

  INFO Eduard80

  December 2024

• Page 81

  ON APPROACHJANUARY 2025

  6481056

  F-86F ejection seat

  1/48 Hasegawa

  6481062

  Tempest Mk.V landing flaps PRINT

  1/48 Eduard

  6481063

  F-5E/F/N wheels

  1/48 AFV Club

  Brassin set - ejection seat for F-86F in 1/48 scale.

  Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Recommended kit: Hasegawa

  Set contains:

  - resin: 9 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes, pre-painted

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - deployed landing flaps for Tempest

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

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 2 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  Brassin set - the undercarriage wheels for F-5E/F/N

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

  and a nose wheel. Easy to assemble, replaces

  plastic parts. Recommended kit: AFV Club

  Set contains:

  - resin: 3 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: yes

  INFO Eduard

  81

  December 2024

• Page 82

  ON APPROACH

  653018

  IJN ventilators PRINT

  1/350

  Brassin set - air ventilators for Imperial Japanese

  Navy vessels in 1/350 scale. Set consists of 70

  ventilators of 14 types. Made by 3D printing.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 70 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: no

  - painting mask: no

  653021

  IJN Type 96 25mm AA gun (triple) PRINT

  1/350

  Brassin set - triple mounted 25mm AA gun for IJN vessels

  in 1/350 scale. Set consists of 18 guns. Made by direct 3D

  printing. Easy to assemble, replaces plastic parts.

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 18 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  JANUARY 2025

  INFO Eduard82

  December 2024

• Page 83

  ON APPROACH

  Brassin set - engine for Bf 109 G-10 produced by Wiener

  Neustädter Flugzeugwerke in 1/72 scale.

  Cowlings are included. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 26 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  672399

  Bf 109G-10 WNF engine PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  Brassin set - engine for Bf 109 G-10 produced by

  Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg in 1/72 scale.

  Cowlings are included. Made by direct 3D printing.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  Set contains:

  - 3D print: 26 parts

  - decals: no

  - photo-etched details: yes

  - painting mask: no

  672400

  Bf 109G-10 Mtt Regensburg engine PRINT

  1/72 Eduard

  JANUARY 2025

  INFO Eduard

  83

  December 2024

• Page 84

  ON APPROACH

  644293

  P-39N LööKplus

  1/48 Arma Hobby

  Collection of 4 sets for P-39N in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Arma Hobby

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

  - gun barrels

  - pilot seat

  - painting mask

  674023

  Bf 109G-14/AS LööKplus

  1/72 Eduard

  Collection of 4 sets for Bf 109G-14/AS in 1/72 scale. Recommen-

  ded kit: Eduard

  - LööK set (pre-painted Brassin dashboard & Steelbelts),

  - gun barrels,

  - undercarriage wheels,

  - exhaust stacks.

  JANUARY 2025

  INFO Eduard84

  December 2024

• Page 85

  SIN648135

  P-51B Malcolm Hood canopy ESSENTIAL

  1/48 Eduard

  SIN67227

  P-51D-10 ESSENTIAL

  1/72 Eduard

  Collection of 4 sets for P-51B in 1/48 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - cockpit

  - propeller

  - undercarriage legs (BRONZE)

  - 75gal fuel drop tanks

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

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

  Collection of 3 sets for P-51D-10 in 1/72 scale.

  Recommended kit: Eduard

  - cockpit

  - propeller

  - wing gun bays

  All sets included in this BIG SIN are available separately,

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

  BRASSIN 02/2022BRASSIN 02/2022

  ON APPROACHJANUARY 2025

  INFO Eduard

  85

  December 2024

• Page 86

  PE

  -

  SETS

  53318 USS Wasp LHD-1 part 1 1/350 Trumpeter

  53319 USS Wasp LHD-1 part 2 1/350 Trumpeter

  36528 IDF Eitan 1/35 Hobby Boss

  36529 LVT-4 1/35 Italeri

  36530 M3 1/35 I Love Kit

  32492 MC.205 Veltro landing flaps 1/32 Italeri

  321021 MC.205 Veltro 1/32 Italeri

  491494 Junkers F.13 1/48 MiniArt

  491496 Chipmunk T.20 1/48 Airfix

  73839 Re.2002 Ariete 1/72 Italeri

  73840 IAR-80 1/72 IBG

  73841 IAR-81C 1/72 IBG

  ZOOMS

  33373 MC.205 Veltro 1/32 Italeri

  33374 MC.205 Veltro seatbelts STEEL 1/32 Italeri

  FE1494 Junkers F.13 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 MiniArt

  FE1495 Bf 109K-4 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Eduard

  FE1496 Chipmunk T.20 1/48 Airfix

  FE1497 Chipmunk T.20 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Airfix

  SS839 Re.2002 Ariete 1/72 Italeri

  MASKS

  EX1083 Junkers F.13 1/48 MiniArt

  EX1084 Junkers F.13 TFace 1/48 MiniArt

  EX1085 Chipmunk T.20 1/48 Airfix

  EX1086 Chipmunk T.20 TFace 1/48 Airfix

  EX1087 Bf 109G wings leading edge wavy lines 1/48

  CX680 Re.2002 Ariete 1/72 Italeri

  CX681 IAR-80 1/72 IBG

  CX682 IAR-81C 1/72 IBG

  SPACE

  3DL48207 Chipmunk T.20 SPACE 1/48 Airfix

  3DL72052 Bf 110G-4 SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  3DL72053 Re.2002 Ariete SPACE 1/72 Italeri

  3DL72054 IAR-80 SPACE 1/72 IBG

  3DL72055 IAR-81C SPACE 1/72 IBG

  DECAL SET

  D72053 P-51D-5 "8th AF" 1/72 Eduard

  ON APPROACH

  JANUARY 2025

  INFO Eduard86

  December 2024

• Page 87

  PE

  -

  SETS

  53318 USS Wasp LHD-1 part 1 1/350 Trumpeter

  53319 USS Wasp LHD-1 part 2 1/350 Trumpeter

  36528 IDF Eitan 1/35 Hobby Boss

  36529 LVT-4 1/35 Italeri

  36530 M3 1/35 I Love Kit

  32492 MC.205 Veltro landing flaps 1/32 Italeri

  321021 MC.205 Veltro 1/32 Italeri

  491494 Junkers F.13 1/48 MiniArt

  491496 Chipmunk T.20 1/48 Airfix

  73839 Re.2002 Ariete 1/72 Italeri

  73840 IAR-80 1/72 IBG

  73841 IAR-81C 1/72 IBG

  ZOOMS

  33373 MC.205 Veltro 1/32 Italeri

  33374 MC.205 Veltro seatbelts STEEL 1/32 Italeri

  FE1494 Junkers F.13 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 MiniArt

  FE1495 Bf 109K-4 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Eduard

  FE1496 Chipmunk T.20 1/48 Airfix

  FE1497 Chipmunk T.20 seatbelts STEEL 1/48 Airfix

  SS839 Re.2002 Ariete 1/72 Italeri

  MASKS

  EX1083 Junkers F.13 1/48 MiniArt

  EX1084 Junkers F.13 TFace 1/48 MiniArt

  EX1085 Chipmunk T.20 1/48 Airfix

  EX1086 Chipmunk T.20 TFace 1/48 Airfix

  EX1087 Bf 109G wings leading edge wavy lines 1/48

  CX680 Re.2002 Ariete 1/72 Italeri

  CX681 IAR-80 1/72 IBG

  CX682 IAR-81C 1/72 IBG

  SPACE

  3DL48207 Chipmunk T.20 SPACE 1/48 Airfix

  3DL72052 Bf 110G-4 SPACE 1/72 Eduard

  3DL72053 Re.2002 Ariete SPACE 1/72 Italeri

  3DL72054 IAR-80 SPACE 1/72 IBG

  3DL72055 IAR-81C SPACE 1/72 IBG

  DECAL SET

  D72053 P-51D-5 "8th AF" 1/72 Eduard

  ON APPROACH

  Bf 109K-4 1/48

  #82166

  WNr. 331413, 1./JG 4, Berlin-Schönefeld, Germany,

  February-March 1945

  WNr. 334xxx, 11./JG 27, Goslar, Germany, April 1945

  WNr. 335xxx, Lt. Ernst-Dieter Bernhard, Stab III./JG 53,

  Kaufbeuren, Germany, April 1945

  WNr. 332884, 9./JG 3, Leck, Germany, May 1945

  WNr. 335215, Lt. Willy van de Kamp, Stab II./JG 52,

  Neubiberg, Germany, May 1945

  WNr. 330230, Uffz. Heinrich Munninger, 10./JG 77,

  Neuruppin, Germany, November 1944

  JANUARY 2025

  INFO Eduard

  87

  December 2024

• Page 88

  ON APPROACH

  P-51D Mustang

  1/72

  #70173

  P-51D-20, 44-72218, Lt Col. John D. Landers, CO of 78th FG,

  8th AF, Duxford, United Kingdom, March 1945

  P-51D-10, 44-14896, Maj. Leonard K. Carson, 362nd FS, 357th FG,

  8th AF, Leiston, United Kingdom, September 1944

  P-51D-5, 44-13298, Capt. Fredie F. Ohr, 2nd FS,

  52nd FG, 15th AF, Madna, Italy, Autumn 1944

  P-51D-15, 44-15041, Lt Col. John C. Meyer, CO of 352nd FG,

  8th AF, Y-29 Asch, Belgium, December 1944

  P-51D-20, 44-63607, Lt Col. Glenn T. Eagleston,

  CO of 353rd FS, 354th FG, 9th AF, Y-64 Ober Olm,

  Germany, April 1945

  P-51D-20, 44-72570, Lt. Ralph S. Gardner/2nd Lt. Chester Jatczak, 457th FS,

  506th FG, 20th AF, Iwojima, June/July 1945

  JANUARY 2025

  INFO Eduard88

  December 2024

• Page 89

  Hptm. Hans Hahn, CO of III./JG 2,

  Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, France, July 1941

  WNr. 8165, Hptm. Karl-Heinz Leesmann,

  CO of I./JG 52, Amsterdam, the Netherlands,

  June 1941

  WNr. 8239, Lt. Hans Strelow, 5./JG 51,

  Bryansk, the Soviet Union, March 1942

  Lt. Max-Hellmuth Ostermann, 7./JG 54, Dugino,

  the Soviet Union, September 1941

  ON APPROACH

  Bf 109F-2 1/72

  #7474

  JANUARY 2025

  INFO Eduard

  89

  December 2024

• Page 90

  ON APPROACH

  F4F-4 Wildcat late

  1/48

  #84204

  VMF-441, Nanumea, November 1943

  VC-13, USS Core (CVE-13), August 1943

  VMF-111 (121), 2Lt. Thomas Mann,

  Samoa Spring 1943

  VGF-29, Lt Cdr John T. Blackburn, USS Santee (CVE-29),

  November 1943

  JANUARY 2025

  INFO Eduard90

  December 2024

• Page 91

  ON APPROACH

  US Navy Carrier Deck

  1/48

  Re-Release

  #8802

  JANUARY 2025

  INFO Eduard

  91

  December 2024

• Page 92

  P-40E WARHAWK

  DUAL COMBO 1/48

  Pre-order from

  your hobby shops!

  February 2025

  #R0023

  Premiere of Eduard kit

  from new moulds

  - The kit contains two complete sets of sprues for

  two models to be built as P-40E Warhawk and

  P-40E-1 (Kittyhawk Ia).

  - Number of markings: 12

  - PE parts: yes, pre-painted

  - 3D Prints: seats two types,

  wheels two types and exhausts

  - Painting mask: yes

  - Masking insert of the main wheel wells (Omask)

  - Poster

  - Magnet sticker with the P-40 theme

  41-5726, Capt. Philip G. Cochran, 65th PS, 57th PG,

  Mitchel Field, USA, spring 1942

  41-5647, 2Lt. John Landers, 9th FS, 49th FG,

  Darwin, Australia, 1942

  41-5509, 1Lt. Joseph J. Kruzel, 17th PS (Provisional),

  4th CG, Java, February 1942

  41-36171, 2Lt. Clyde H. Barnett Jr, 8th FS, 49th FG,

  Kila Kila, New Guinea, late 1942

  11th FS, 343rd FG, Atoll Kiska, Aleutian Islands,

  summer 1943

  A29-113, S/Ldr. Richard Cresswell, No. 77 Squadron

  (RAAF), Australia, late 1942

  AL194 (1087), WO2 S R. J. McLeod, No. 111(F) Squadron

  (RCAF), Kodiak Island, Alaska, April 1943

  ET790, Sqn. Ldr. Billy Drake, No. 112 Squadron (RAF),

  LG91, Egypt, July 1942

  ET953, S/Ldr. Robert H. M. Gibbes, No. 3 Squadron (RAAF),

  LG91, Egypt, August-September 1942

  Maj. Pyotr A. Pokryshev, 154 IAP, Plekhanovo, USSR,

  September 1942

  41-36402, 2Lt. Dallas Adellon Clinger, 16th FS,

  23rd FG, Kunming, China, 1942

  Col. Robert L. Scott, CO of 23rd FG, 14th AF,

  Kunming, China, October 1942

• Page 93

  KIT:

• Page 94

  ACCESSORIES

  MARKINGS:

  wheels

  seats:

  exhaust:

  41-5726, Capt. Philip G. Cochran, 65th PS, 57th PG, Mitchel Field, USA, spring 1942

  41-36402, 2Lt. Dallas Adellon Clinger, 16th FS, 23rd FG, Kunming, China, 1942

• Page 95

  Col. Robert L. Scott, CO of 23rd FG, 14th AF, Kunming, China, October 1942

  41-5509, 1Lt. Joseph J. Kruzel, 17th PS (Provisional), 4th CG, Java, February 1942

  41-5647, 2Lt. John Landers, 9th FS, 49th FG, Darwin, Australia, 1942

  41-36171, 2Lt. Clyde H. Barnett Jr, 8th FS, 49th FG, Kila Kila, New Guinea, late 1942

• Page 96

  11th FS, 343rd FG, Atoll Kiska, Aleutian Islands, summer 1943

  AL194 (1087), WO2 S R. J. McLeod, No. 111(F) Squadron (RCAF), Kodiak Island,

  Alaska, April 1943

  A29-113, S/Ldr. Richard Cresswell, No. 77 Squadron (RAAF), Australia, late 1942

  ET790, Sqn. Ldr. Billy Drake, No. 112 Squadron (RAF), LG91, Egypt, July 1942

• Page 97

  ET953, S/Ldr. Robert H. M. Gibbes, No. 3 Squadron (RAAF), LG91, Egypt,

  August-September 1942

  Maj. Pyotr A. Pokryshev, 154 IAP, Plekhanovo, USSR, September 1942

  ON APPROACH 02/2025

  :

  P-40E Warhawk OVERTREES 1/48

  Cat.No.: 82241X

  P-40E LööK 1/48

  Cat.No.: 644295

  P-40E wheels cross tread 1/48

  Cat.No.: 6481058

  P-40 exhaust stacks rounded

  PRINT 1/48

  Cat.No.: 6481060

  P-40 exhaust stacks shtail

  PRINT 1/48

  Cat.No.: 6481061

  6481060

  6481061

• Page 98

  P-40E seatbelts STEEL 1/48

  Cat.No.: FE1498

  P-40E 1/48

  Cat.No.: EX1088

  P-40E TFace 1/48

  Cat.No.: EX1089

  P-40E cockpit 1/48

  Cat. No.: to be dened

  P-40E radiocompartment 1/48

  Cat. No.: to be dened

  P-40E SPACE 1/48

  Cat.No.: 3DL48208

  P-40E engine PRINT 1/48

  Cat.No.: 6481069

  P-40E landing aps 1/48

  Cat.No.: 481155

• Page 99

• Tail End Charlie - How to Choose a Gift for a Modeler

  The end of the year is approaching, and during its final days, many of our customers will celebrate Christmas, a holiday often associated with gift-giving tradition. Every year, families of modelers face the same challenge: What gift should we choose for the modeler in our lives? For family members, a model kit might seem like just another colorful box filled with boring gray plastic parts. Yet, for reasons that often seem mysterious, the modeler greets its contents—and sometimes even the packaging—with an enthusiasm comparable to a fisherman who has just landed the catch of a lifetime.

  The end of the year is approaching, and

  during its final days, many of our customers will

  celebrate Christmas, a holiday often associated

  with gift-giving tradition. Every year, families

  of modelers face the same challenge: What gift

  should we choose for the modeler in our lives?

  For family members, a model kit might

  seem like just another colorful box filled with

  boring gray plastic parts. Yet, for reasons that

  often seem mysterious, the modeler greets its

  contents—and sometimes even the packaging—

  with an enthusiasm comparable to a fisherman

  who has just landed the catch of a lifetime.

  I understand how difficult it can be to choose

  such a gift. Thirty years ago, I worked as

  a salesman in a model shop. Throughout most

  of the year, our customers were predominantly

  men. However, in the last few weeks leading

  up to Christmas, we noticed a significant

  increase in female customers. Mothers, wives,

  girlfriends, and daughters would visit, hoping to

  find something suitable, and we, as salesmen,

  did our best to advise them.

  We would try to roughly determine which

  kit might make a good gift by asking questions.

  The women would tentatively answer, describing

  the size of the models in the modeler’s collection,

  whether they were airplanes, how many engines

  they had, and what national insignias they bore.

  Using these clues and working within the given

  price range, we would suggest a kit that we

  believed would delight the modeler.

  It was much easier when my friend Pavel’s

  mother, whose son built 1/35 scale tank models,

  came to me for advice. I knew exactly what he

  was interested in and what kits he already had

  in his collection. I managed to surprise him

  with a brand-new kit—a Tamiya Tiger tank—as

  I didn’t tell him that such a kit had been released.

  He practically flipped under the Christmas tree!

  Back then, the internet was still in its infancy,

  and social networks didn’t exist.

  Today, pulling off such a Christmas

  surprise would be far more difficult. We live

  in a completely different information age.

  On platforms like Scalemates, for instance,

  modelers can maintain detailed databases of

  their collections and whishes. While incredibly

  useful, this makes it harder to keep it a surprise.

  At the same time, the number of physical hobby

  shops where one can get expert advice is

  dwindling.

  This has made me wonder how I would go

  about choosing a gift for a modeler if I knew

  nothing about the hobby. It’s certainly no easy

  task. Our readers and customers know how

  specialized their wishes can be. It’s not always

  about the latest releases; sometimes it’s the

  rare, discontinued kits that a modeler truly

  desires. Take me, for example. I’ve always

  dreamed of owning the 1/350 scale Akitsushima

  seaplane tender kit from Hasegawa. But I will

  probably never become one of the lucky owners

  of this unique kit—only 500 were ever made!

  With only a few dozen kits in my collection—

  compared to a much larger number of books—

  I decided to try a simple experiment with

  ChatGPT. This chatbot uses "artificial

  intelligence", implementing a large language

  model (LLM) and artificial neural network

  technology. I provided it with a list of my kits,

  including the scale, manufacturer’s name, and

  catalog number, and tasked it with suggesting

  a new kit as a gift for the modeler who owns

  this collection.

  I was pleasantly surprised by the results.

  The chatbot deduced that the owner of the

  collection prefers 1/48 scale kits, with

  a particular fondness for the Zero from various

  manufacturers. It also noted that, in addition

  to the dominant Eduard kits, the owner’s

  favorite companies include Tamiya, Hasegawa,

  and Nichimo. Since I hadn’t given specific

  preferences for the gift selection, the chatbot

  set its own criteria. It defined the ideal gift as

  a 1/48 scale kit, preferably a limited edition

  featuring iconic WWII aircraft, while avoiding

  kits already present in the collection.

  Based on these criteria, ChatGPT

  recommended the Eduard Royal Class F6F

  Hellcat kit in 1/48 scale. It explained that the

  Hellcat is a key WWII-era aircraft missing from

  the modeler’s collection. The Royal Class edition

  aligned perfectly with the modeler’s interest

  in premium editions, and the chatbot added

  a logical argument: an American aircraft would

  nicely complement the Japanese and European

  types that dominate the collection.

  The recommendation, however, had one

  flaw—the Royal Class edition of the Hellcat

  kit has long been out of stock, and the chatbot

  also provided an incorrect catalog number.

  After I pointed out both issues and requested

  an updated recommendation, my virtual mentor

  suggested two alternative kits: the F6F-5 in the

  ProfiPACK edition and another in the Weekend

  edition. It also mentioned that a night fighter

  version could be acquired as a specialty item.

  The chatbot even listed the sources it used for its

  recommendations, citing the Eduard e-shop as

  well as the Hyperscale and Scalemates websites.

  I had no issues with this choice and its

  priorities and would have easily purchased

  one of the Hellcats. When analyzing data, the

  system clearly works with parameters that are

  statistically prevalent in the dataset. However,

  it was intriguing that the chatbot specifically

  identified a U.S. Navy aircraft. Interestingly,

  I don’t actually have any U.S. carrier-based

  aircraft in my modest collection, making

  the Hellcat a logical counterbalance to the

  avalanche of Zeros in my stash.

  This small step of AI assistance led me to

  a more devilish question—I asked the chatbot

  how much the kits in my collection cost.

  Amazingly, ChatGPT produced a detailed

  list, item by item, along with the usual prices.

  While this system sometimes invents or omits

  information, in this case, it only left out kits

  from two companies. After adding the missing

  entries, I had a complete list. In the next step,

  following my instruction, the chatbot summed

  up the total cost of the kits.

  I vividly remember my time working in

  a model shop and how some modelers grappled

  with the challenge of hiding a new kit purchase

  from their partners. Occasionally, they would

  even tear off part of the price tag to make the

  cost appear smaller, especially if they knew

  they wouldn’t be able to sneak the new addition

  home unnoticed.

  I shudder to imagine the potential situations

  that might arise in some households if

  a modeler shared their complete kit list with

  both their partner and a chatbot. For the sake of

  a peaceful Christmas and maintaining healthy

  relationships, I’d probably recommend sticking

  with the tried-and-true method for selecting

  gifts. As always, the modeler should pick out the

  kit themselves, NOT LOOK INSIDE OF THE BOX IN

  DETAIL, and simply look forward to unwrapping

  the present under the tree. That’s exactly what

  I do with books.

  Merry Christmas!

  HOW TO CHOOSE A GIFT FOR A MODELER

  Jan Bobek

  INFO Eduard100

  December 2024

• Page 101

• Page 102

• Editorial

  
  

  Good day, my Friends!

  So, here we are, in the home stretch. This is our last installment of our newsletter for the year, and it was a year with very little boredom attached to it. On Saturday, we successfully completed our final show of this year, the renewed Plastic Winter in Bratislava, Slovakia. Our gratitude goes out to the organizers for a great event, and we find ourselves back hard at work in that said home stretch with the finalizing of the development of the P-40E Warhawk kit in 1:48th scale, as well as with the development of accessories for it.

   So I think that it makes sense to start off today's editorial with a report on the development status of this kit, which will certainly be of interest to everyone who ordered the Royal Class P-40E Warhawk during the preorder process that went up last week. On that occasion, we also introduced the make-up of the kit. Unfortunately, we weren’t in a position to show off test shots of the sprues, because all we really had at the time was one, with small details on it. Not a lot to show off. However, this changed in a big way during the past week. We have completed three more forms, and as of today we have these finished and tested, giving us four sprue frames out of six, three with smaller parts and one containing the fuselage. This week, the last two forms will be finished and likely tested, and these are the wing and clear parts. We are already producing plastic from two of the forms and another will be put to work in the coming days. The decal sheet will also be ready this week, and we are working on other components of the kit. Some components, such as the 3D prints of the Brassin inclusions, are already being produced, the photoetched is on the verge of completion, and only the masks are outstanding. These need to be tested on a test shot for fine tuning, and that will be available this week. With the completion of the instructions, we are waiting for the first test assembly of the kit and the valuable information that this will yield. The goal is to have the box, the instructions and the decals at the printers before Christmas so that we have everything ready for packaging in the first week of the new year. And while we will be filling Royal Class orders in January, we will be finishing the preparation of the successor to the Royal Class release, the Limited Edition ‘Pacific Star’ kit, dedicated to the P-40E Warhawk deployed to the southwest PTO. If you don't want to spend the money on the more cost intensive Limited and Royal Class kits, you can wait until June for the first Profipack P-40E to be released, or until the summer for the British Kittyhawk Mk.Ia. As always, we will offer the new kits gradually in all our editions with differing levels of included parts, from the deluxe Royal Class kit through Limited Editions to the Profipack kits and finally, the base Weekend Edition items. You can find out what the next stage will be regarding further development versions of the Warhawk in my January newsletter editorial, which will be largely devoted to new products for 2025. You can be sure that 2025 will not be limited to Warhawks and Kittyhawks.

   You may be surprised to learn that among the new December releases we only have two new kits, the Spitfire Mk.IXe in1:48th and in the Profipack line, and the Bf 109 G-14 also Profipack, but in 1:72nd scale. Both are interesting new items, with a carefully selected assortment of colour schemes. This is especially relevant to the Spitfire, which we have released before, but we came to the conclusion that previous decal options were somewhat leaning towards bland. We decided to fix that and give the second edition of the Spitfire Mk.IXe a somewhat contemporary flair and elegance. I hope we succeeded and that you, as our customers, will appreciate the effort. The main reason why we have fewer new releases in December is the second release of the Limited Edition ‘The Bloody Hundredth 1943’ kit, a 1:48th scale B-17F. This is a kit that, due to its price and scope in terms of both size and makeup, is expected to overshadow anything else released in the same month. That's why we've slowed down our release activity a bit so as not to create an unnecessary overpressure on the supply side of things. But don't worry, with the January releases we'll be back to normal and raise that overpressure a little in the opposite direction!

   You may have noted a new media effort being put forth by us in November, the Eduard On Air Podcast, moderated by Katka Borecka. In the first three episodes, dedicated to the P-40E Warhawk project described above, three interviewed guests took turns: myself, Richard Plos and Jakub Nademlejnsky. To be honest, the first three episodes are a lot about dipping our toes into the water of the learning curve involved with this endeavor. On the other hand, I think it is clear that we are learning relatively quickly, and as such, presenting you with the opportunity to have more and more fun with it. The intensity of our podcast activity will decrease in the coming months compared to its November launch; the plan is to publish one podcast, linked to the publication of our newsletter, per month. We will focus on the latest news of the current month, explain various production and design processes, introduce you to the people behind our products, our external collaborators, and generally give you a peek behind the scenes of creating kits, developing accessories for other products, and even their sales. From time to time, we will broadcast special editions of Eduard On Air, especially when new premieres are being released, such as the current P-40E or the P-40N and MiG-21F next year. Special editions before and after E-day are also expected. In a year's time, we will tell you how far Eduard On Air has developed. I am interested in listening to that one myself!

   Our home stretch sprint includes another project, the launch of our paid supplement to our newsletter that we have labeled the ‘Modeler's Den’. We call it EMD internally, and we have been working on it for a long time. We have postponed the release date of the first issue several times, which is, to be honest, very similar to some of our other projects. Typically, it is no different than it used to be with our new kit releases until recently. Many modelers still express a certain annoyance at the slow pace of our kit projects, and according to them, we are unnecessarily messing around with their wish lists. After all, The ‘Eduard Year’ became a concept in our field at one time, and it was a reference to generally altered release schedules. But believe me, it is not because we are lazy or incompetent. It is simply because we are trying to do honest work. In the case of EMD, such a long delay occurred primarily because during the preparation of this project, we encountered difficulties and pitfalls, whether technical, organizational or administrative, which we initially did not see coming. Of course, that’s half the fun with such adventures.

   That is why I am pleased to announce the upcoming release of the premiere issue of the Eduard Modeler's Den online monthly magazine. It will be released next week, on Friday, December 13th. The premiere issue will be available on the Triobo platform for free. Pay attention to the time, it will be in the afternoon, around 5:00pm local time. From the first issue, which will be published in January 2025, EMD will be a paid resource. Access to each issue will cost 5 Euros, or around 5 USD. The cost will be offset in the subscriber’s favor, everyone who pays for access to permanent reading and also downloads a given EMD issue will receive a one-time discount coupon for purchases off the Eduard e-shop for 10% of the purchase price, and it will not be limited in terms of use in conjunction with other offers.

   EMD is a paid supplement to our regular ongoing newsletter, and its concept is derived from it, and will be based on historical and professional articles, interviews and reports. It will also include a section dedicated to current news from the modeling market. Unlike the standard newsletter, however, the focus will not be on our products, which will be referred to minimally on an as-needed basis when relevant. In fact, within the news section called Burst Shots, we will focus on developments from other manufacturers. We also assume that over time, advertisements from manufacturers, magazines, and possibly even modeling events will appear in our EMD.

   So what will we offer in the premiere issue of EMD? Besides the Editorial, which in this case is not written by me, but by the editor-in-chief of our newsletter and indeed, the EMD, Jan Zdiarsky, there is an interview with military pilot John ‘Lucky’ Lakadoo, which was conducted by Matt Mabe with the 102-year-old veteran of the 100th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force this year, and whose transcript and translation into Czech was taken care of by Jan Zdiarsky. The historical article by Don Caldwell is dedicated to the first raid on Schweinfurt and Regensburg. It was supplemented with historical ‘notebooks’ written by Jan Zdiarsky and Jan Bobek. I wrote the report titled Submarines at Manitowoc, but its not just about the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. It is a bit of an experimental work and it will be up to you how much you delve into the offered topics. The historical column and reflections on current topics are written by Jan Bobek, and the author of the already mentioned report on current news regarding plastic kits and their accessories is Marian Cihon. In total, it will be almost 100 pages of reading covering history and current events. It is so much reading that it should last you at least until Christmas, and perhaps even beyond. Should keep you busy til the next one is posted.

   On Friday, December 6th, the last Sweep sales event of the year will begin on our e-shop. The offer will include twenty-four kits and more than 200 items of related accessory items, all discounted by 30%. The sale will last until the beginning of January, 2025 and it will also be possible to shop during the Christmas and New Year break, when our sales department will be closed. That will be December 22nd, 2024 to January 3rd, 2025 and in that span, no orders will be going out. As a result, please note that orders received after December 16th will not be shipped until January 4th, 2025. The sale will run until stocks last, which will be especially important for accessory sets, which are not in stock in large quantities in most cases. You can find detailed information about Sweep 1224 sale on the page dedicated to it.

   As we do every year every year, we are releasing a photoetched New Year's card. As always, it refers to one of the important projects of the upcoming year, and because there has always been great interest in our New Year's cards, we decided to release it for regular sale this year. You can order it with other December releases on our e-shop.

   My Friends, I wish a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous Happy New Year, hoping that all your wishes come true!

   

  Vladimir Sulc

  
  

• Ace in a Single Dogfight

  Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz

  
  

  Text: Michal Krechowski

   

  During World War II, legendary Spitfire fighter planes were flown by pilots of many nationalities. Many of them fought and achieved victories, some became flying aces during the war, a few even earned this status in a single day. However, only one pilot flying a Spitfire managed to shoot down five aircraft in a single dogfight. That pilot was Canadian F/Lt Richard Joseph "Dick" Audet.

   

  The Spitfire with which F/Lt Audet achieved this remarkable success was an LF Mk.IXe, serial number RR201. According to the records of No. 411 Squadron RCAF, RR201 first appeared on December 26, 1944, and subsequently became the personal aircraft of F/Lt John Joseph "Jack" Boyle (credited with 5+1 victories). In honor of his daughter, Boyle had the white inscription "Sweet Sue V" painted on the left side of the fuel tank cover. The Spitfire RR201 initially flew with the codes DB-G. After Jack Boyle took command of B Flight of No. 411 Squadron RCAF in January 1945, his Spitfire was also assigned to B Flight and recoded as DB-R. However, the actual re-coding occurred in early February 1945, following Boyle's return from a two-week leave. After this period, there was an exchange of Spitfires between A and B Flights. The RR201 DB-G (reassigned as DB-R for B Flight) was swapped for the MK950 DB-R (reassigned as DB-G for A Flight). After the aircraft exchange, F/Lt Boyle flew RR201 continuously from February 6 to April 4, 1945, when his operational tour ended. During this time, he completed 36 operational flights in the cockpit of RR201 and destroyed two Bf 109s during strafing attacks on enemy airfields. Although RR201 was the personal aircraft of F/Lt Jack Boyle, its greatest achievements were made by another Canadian pilot and Boyle's friend, F/Lt Richard Joseph "Dick" Audet.

  Richard Audet was born on March 13, 1922, in Lethbridge, Alberta. From a young age, he excelled in sports, particularly hockey, basketball, and baseball. As he reached adulthood, he decided to join the Air Force. He completed his basic pilot training in October 1942. After transferring to the United Kingdom, he was assigned to his first combat unit, No. 421 Squadron RCAF, on July 20, 1943. This squadron was part of the elite Kenley Wing, commanded at the time by the famous James Edgar "Johnnie" Johnson (34+7 victories).

  F/Lt Richard Joseph "Dick" Audet. (DND PL 41192)

  F/Lt John Joseph "Jack" Boyle in his Spitfire Mk.IXe RR201 "Sweet Sue V". (Jack Boyle, Spitfire: The Canadians VOL.1, courtesy of Andy McNiece)

  
  

  The commander of No. 421 Squadron RCAF was S/Ldr Robert W. McNair, an ace from the battles over Malta with 16 victories, and the squadron was equipped with Spitfire Mk.IXs. However, "Dick" remained with the unit only for a short time. In August, he was transferred to a second-line unit, No. 1623 Flight (renamed No. 691 Squadron on December 1, 1943), whose task was to collaborate with anti-aircraft defense. The unit's primary operational activity involved towing targets for artillery training. This assignment allowed "Dick" to improve his piloting skills and provided the opportunity to fly various types of aircraft. The young Canadian spent a year in this secondary role, during which time he also married Iris Gibbins from Northampton.

  A turning point in Audet's career came on July 22, 1944, when he reported to No. 1 Tactical Exercise Unit. This unit specialized in fighter and fighter-bomber training. In August, Audet moved to the continent, and on September 14, 1944, he was assigned to his second combat unit, No. 411 Squadron RCAF, one of the oldest Canadian squadrons in Europe. Since July 1943, the squadron had been part of No. 126 Wing within the 2nd Tactical Air Force (TAF) and operated successfully over occupied Europe from the forward airfield Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) B.88 near the city of Heesch in North Brabant, southern Holland. By December 28, 1944, "Dick" had flown 52 combat missions but had not encountered a single enemy aircraft. However, everything changed the following day.

  On Friday, December 29, 1944, shortly before 1:00 PM, Audet climbed into "Boyle's" Spitfire LF Mk.IXe RR201 DB-G and took off as the leader of Yellow Section on a patrol in the area of Rheine, Osnabrück, and Münster. Near a railway station close to Osnabrück, the Canadians destroyed four locomotives, 39 railway cars, and damaged several others. They then spotted a trio of enemy aircraft and attacked, with two of them being taken down by F/Lt Ireland and F/Lt Cook. Soon after, "Dick" saw another group of 12 enemy aircraft over the city and led his Yellow Section towards them. The German planes, identified as eight Fw 190Ds and four Bf 109Gs, failed to notice the approaching Canadians. The Canadians struck quickly, and the German formation, despite outnumbering them 12 to 4, suffered a crushing defeat. The first victory was claimed by F/O McCracken, and then Audet took over. His dogfight lasted no more than five minutes, during which he reported five victories. In his first encounter with enemy fighters, Audet not only became an ace but also the only Spitfire pilot to shoot down five aircraft in a single dogfight.

  Photo from December 29, 1945. Far left: F/Lt R. J. Audet demonstrates his impressive feat of shooting down five German fighter planes to his No. 411 Squadron colleagues, WO J. A. Kerr, R.M. Cook, and Olsen. (Public Archives of Canada PMR 78-252)

  Spitfire RR201 undergoing maintenance shortly after being transferred to B Flight in early February 1945 and recoded from DB-G to DB-R. The fuselage codes DB-R were previously used on Spitfire MK950, which F/Lt Jack Boyle regularly flew from January 7 to February 3, 1945, after assuming command of B Flight No. 411 Squadron. Meanwhile, Boyle’s RR201 DB-G "Sweet Sue V" was flown with A Flight throughout January by his friend F/Lt Richard Audet, who achieved seven of his eleven confirmed victories with it. Following the exchange of Spitfires between A and B Flights (likely an arrangement between the two friendly pilots), F/Lt Audet took over MK950, now recoded as DB-G, and regularly flew it until March 3, 1945, when he was shot down during an attack on an armed train. F/Lt Boyle returned to his RR201 "Sweet Sue V", which from then on bore the new fuselage code DB-R. After F/Lt Jack Boyle completed his operational service with No. 411 Squadron in early April, Canadian pilots achieved two more confirmed victories with RR201. On April 20, 1945, F/O Wilson shot down a He 111, and the following day, F/Lt McClarty shot down a Bf 109. The flying career of RR201 ended on April 30, 1945, when F/Lt McClarty crash-landed near Scharesbek after flak damage to the engine. (DND)

  
  

  This event turned the 22-year-old into a celebrity, drawing significant attention from numerous press correspondents and photographers. Audet described his engagement with the enemy in his combat report as follows:

  “I was leading Yellow section of 411 Squadron in the RHEINE/OSNABRUCK area when Control reported Huns at RHEINE and Squadron turned in that direction. An Me 262 was sighted and just at that time I spotted 12 e/a on our starboard side at 2 o´clock. These turned out to be mixture of approximately 4 Me 109´s and 8 FW 190´s.

  I attacked an Me 109 which was the last a/c in the formation of about 12 all flying line astern. At approximately 200 yards and 30 degrees to starboard at 10,000 feet I opened fire and saw strikes all over the fuselage and wing roots. The 109 burst into flames on the starboard side of the fuselage only, and trailed intense black smoke. I then broke off my attack.

  After the first attack I went around in a defensive circle at about 8500 feet until I spotted an FW 190 which I immediately attacked from 250 yards down to 100 yards and from 30 degrees to line astern. I saw strikes over the cockpit and to the rear of the fuselage, it burst into flames from the engine back and as I passed very close over the top of it I saw the pilot slumped over in the cockpit, which was also in flames.

  My third attack followed immediately on the 2nd. I followed what I believed was an Me 109 in a slight dive. He then climbed sharply and his canopy flew off about 3 to 4,000 feet. I then gave a very short burst from about 300 yards and line astern and his aircraft whipped downwards in a dive. The pilot attempted or did bale out. I saw a black object on the edge of the cockpit but his chute ripped to shreds. I then took cine shots of his a/c going to the ground and the bits of parachute floating around. I saw this aircraft hit and smash into many flaming pieces on the ground. I do not remember any strikes on this aircraft. The Browning button only may have been pressed.

  I spotted an FW 190 being pursued at about 5,000 feet by a Spitfire which was in turn pursued by an FW 190. I called this Yellow section pilot to break and attacked the 190 up his rear. The fight went downwards in a steep dive. When I was about 250 yards and line astern of this 190 I opened fire. There were many strikes on the length of the fuselage and it immediately burst into flames. I saw this FW 190 go straight into the ground and burn.

  Several minutes later while attempting to form my section up again spotted an Fw 190 from 4,000 feet, he was at about 2,000 feet. I dived down on him and he turned in to me from the right. Then he flipped around in a left hand turn and attempted a head-on attack. I slowed down to wait for the 190 to fly in range. At about 200 yards and 20 degrees I gave a very short burst, but couldn’t see any strikes. This a/c flicked violently, and continued to do so until he crashed into the ground. The remainder of my section saw this encounter, and Yellow 4 (F/O McCracken) saw it crash in flames.”

  In the foreground is Spitfire MK686 DB-L, with which "Jack" Boyle shot down a German Me 262 piloted by Oberleutnant Hans Georg Lamle of 4./KG(J) 51 on December 25, 1944. In the background is Jack’s RR201 DB-R "Sweet Sue V". (Spitfire: The Canadians VOL.1, courtesy of Andy McNiece)

  F/Lt Richard Joseph "Dick" Audet with his Spitfire MK950 DB-G in February 1945. (DND PL 41719, Steve Sauvé)

  
  

  The opponents of No. 411 Squadron were most likely Fw 190D-9 aircraft from 9./JG 54. Twelve "Doras" had taken off on a mission to patrol the Rheine area, but the mission ended in a "bloodbath." Six pilots were killed, and two other aircraft were damaged, including the plane of the 9th Staffel commander, Oblt. Willi Heilmann. These losses correspond to the claims made by the Canadian pilots. This Staffel was part of III./JG 54 "Grünherz," which operated under the command of JG 26 and was redesignated IV./JG 26 in February 1945. On December 29, this experienced Jagdgruppe suffered severe losses across several engagements, losing at least 17 aircraft, with 13 pilots killed and two injured.

  Audet proved it was no fluke during the following month. On New Year's Day, he contributed to the Luftwaffe's defeat during Operation Bodenplatte with two aerial victories, and by the end of January, he had added six more to his tally. His final victory came on January 23, 1945, when he achieved a prized kill: a jet-powered Me 262. On that day, Audet led an armed reconnaissance mission in the Münster area, again flying the RR201 DB-G. First, he destroyed an Me 262 (post-war research identifies it as an Arado Ar 234, T9+KH, WNr. 140349) parked at an airfield near Rheine. Five minutes later, near Osnabrück, he encountered a lone Me 262. It was likely WNr. 170295, piloted by Hptm. Hans Holzwarth of 12./KG 51, and Audet decisively sent it down in flames. The next day, he damaged another Me 262 on the ground.

  Photo from December 25, 1944, showing intelligence officer P/O Gordon Pancuk being “briefed” by No. 411 Squadron pilots Flt/Lt J. Boyle, Sqn/Ldr J. Newell, and Flt/Lt E. Ireland about Boyle’s successful attack on a German jet Me 262. (www.spitfiresite.com, courtesy of Harry van Grinsven)

  
  

  In February 1945, Audet was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his actions on December 29, 1944, and he became the commander of A Flight. In the following days, No. 411 Squadron’s primary missions involved attacking ground targets, which were heavily defended by flak. By that time, flak had become far more dangerous than Luftwaffe fighters, with whom Audet no longer encountered combat in the air. F/Lt Audet’s fate was sealed on March 3, 1945. After returning from a week-long leave, he took off in his Spitfire MK950 DB-G with his section on an armed reconnaissance mission in the Dinslaken-Emmerich area. Near Coesfeld, Audet’s section attacked an armed train, but unfortunately, the flak crews were highly accurate, and Audet’s Spitfire was hit. According to No. 411 Squadron’s report, his Spitfire caught fire and crashed into a forest. F/Lt Audet is still listed as missing in action (MIA).

  Audet’s combat report from December 29, 1944, confirmed by four other pilots and the intelligence officer.

  Audet’s combat report from January 23, 1945, describing his engagement with a jet-powered Me 262.

  
  

  An official post-war investigation was led by Major H. Cleaver, who conducted a thorough and comprehensive study spanning 120 pages of evidence and notes. This investigation managed to identify the crew of the anti-aircraft battery that shot down Audet on March 3, 1945. During their interviews, the flak battery’s leader confirmed that Audet managed to make a forced landing with his damaged Spitfire, set it on fire, and was subsequently captured. He was then transported to Gelsenkirchen-Buer, where he was interrogated. As Audet revealed only basic identification information during his interrogation, he was scheduled to be transferred to a prisoner-of-war camp in Dortmund. Unfortunately, Audet’s trail ends there, and his ultimate fate remains unknown.

  In February 1945, the local Volksgemeinschaft in the German town of Gelsenkirchen-Buer, a "people's community" of local residents, received authorization from the head of the "security police" to execute anyone without reason. When Audet was brought into this environment, where indiscriminate killings by civilians, police, and soldiers were not only commonplace but also encouraged, it is not difficult to imagine the fate that might have befallen him. Whether Dick Audet was murdered or died while attempting to escape, and who was responsible, will likely never be known. His body was never found.

  During 83 combat missions, F/Lt Audet achieved 11 confirmed aerial victories (and destroyed two additional aircraft on the ground). He was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (the second posthumously on March 9, 1945). Audet flew a total of 15 operational missions in the Spitfire RR201 DB-G “Sweet Sue V” between December 29, 1944, and February 3, 1945, achieving seven confirmed aerial victories (six Fw 190Ds and one Me 262, along with two more aircraft destroyed on the ground).

  Thanks to Audet's exceptional achievements, "Boyle's" Spitfire RR201 ranks among the most famous Spitfires of World War II.

  Color profile of Spitfire RR201 DB-G "Sweet Sue V" as it appeared on December 29, 1944, when F/Lt Richard Audet shot down five German fighters in a single engagement. The aircraft features rapid identification markings used from early September to late December 1944, with remnants of invasion stripes still visible on the underside of the fuselage.

  Color profile of Spitfire RR201 DB-R "Sweet Sue V" with rapid identification markings updated as of January 3, 1945. All fighter aircraft in the Second Tactical Air Force (2nd TAF) featured revised Type C1 roundels with yellow outer rings, removed remnants of invasion stripes on the underside, a black-painted spinner, and overpainted fuselage bands originally in SKY color. This scheme was used until early February 1945, when RR201 was recoded from "G" to "R."

  Color profile of Fw 190D-9, W. Nr. 210079, flown by Lt. Theo Nibel of 10./JG 54 from Varrelbusch base, Germany during Operation Bodenplatte on January 1, 1945.

  
  

  Sources:

  BRACKEN, Robert: Spitfire Canadians

  CHAPIS, Stephen, THOMAS, Andrew: Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 136 Allied Jet Killers of World War 2

  CALDWELL, Donald: The JG 26 War Diary, Volume Two 1943 -1945

  NIJBOER, Donald: Osprey – Aviation Elite Units No. 126 Wing RCAF

  SHORES, Christopher, THOMAS, Chris: 2nd Tactical Air Force Vol.2 - Breakout to Bodenplatte - July 1944-Jan 1945

  SHORES, Christopher, THOMAS, Chris: 2nd Tactical Air Force Vol.3 - From the Rhine to Victory - Jan-May 1945

  THOMAS, Andrew: Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 122 Spitfire Aces of Northwest Europe 1944-45

  National Archives, files: AIR-27-1804-23, AIR-27-1804-24, AIR-27-1804-25, AIR-27-1804-26, AIR-27-1804-27, AIR-27-1804-28, AIR-27-1804-29, AIR-27-1804-30, AIR-27-1804-31 a AIR-27-1804-32

  valka.cz: Audet, Richard Joseph

  wartimes.ca: F/L Richard “Dick” Audet, 411 Squadron RCAF

  acesofww2.com: Dick Audet

  http://spitfiresite.com

• War Museum Athens

  A Lockheed F-104G fighter in Greek colors.

  
  

  Smack dab in the center of Athens, near the famous Syntagma Square, is the War Museum Athens (Πολεμικο Μουσειο in Greek), belonging to the Greek Armed Forces. The building is located on the corner of Vassilissis Sofias and Rizari Streets and those interested can get there in several ways, such as using Metro Line 3 (Blue) and getting off at Evangelismós Station. You can also use buses no. 203, 211 or 235. The museum also has branches in other parts of the country, such as Thessaloniki (Thessaloníki), Chania, Rethymno, Nafplion or Chalkida.

   The War Museum was founded in 1975, a year after the removal of the ruling military junta, and covers a wide range of topics and collections, which are clearly arranged and very well maintained. Its task is to collect, preserve and exhibit artifacts related to the military history of the country. The focus is of course on Greek military history, that includes the classical Hellenic period and the struggle for national liberation in the 19th century. There is also a broader view of the Greek role in the history of the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and this study goes back to the Latin and Byzantine periods, when Greece was part of other empires.

   The collections are thoroughly complete with weapons, uniforms, flags, documents, paintings, photographs, maps and personal belongings of famous personalities. There are also models of fortresses, ships and aircraft. Small arms and similar exhibits are housed inside the building, while artillery equipment and vehicles are outside the museum. There are also several aircraft, mostly jets, as well as a naval torpedo launcher from a surface vessel, a British-made 21 inch Model 1937 torpedo originating from the armament of the Y-2 Papanikolis submarine, and there are rockets and naval mines as well. In addition to the aircraft, a Marmon-Herrington Mk.IVF armored car of South African origin is on exhibit. A unique item on display is a Krupp-Schuman type armored vehicle dating from 1894. It was captured from the Bulgarian army in 1918, and the interesting thing about this vehicle is the absence of an engine and its consequent use as a horse drawn item, as well as its 57 mm cannon, quite a powerful weapon in its day.

   The museum takes you on a tour from the beginnings of the settlement of Greek territory in the Stone Age, through to the Bronze Age and then through the significant period of antiquity. Then the tour continues through the Middle Ages to the Greek Revolution of 1821, the Balkan Wars, World Wars I and II, and finally into contemporary periods.

   Part of the museum’s collection focuses on the German airborne and amphibious assault on Crete, Operation Mercury, which occupied the island in 1941. From the later period of the war, the participation of Greek soldiers in the Battle of El Alamein is also commemorated. There, they formed the 1st Greek Brigade, which was subordinate to the British 50th Division, and in the autumn of 1942, clashed fiercely with the Italian 185th Airborne Division ‘Folgore’.

   The museum organizers did not forget the Greek civil war that took place between 1946 and 1949, which, incidentally, brought many Greeks to Czechoslovakia. At that time, defeated Greek communists sought refuge in communist countries throughout the eastern half Europe.

   Virtually unknown to the wider public is the participation of the Greek Expeditionary Force in the Korean War, when the country heeded the UN call and, together with other states, made efforts to counter North Korea’s aggression against the South.

   The contingent consisted of an infantry battalion, called the Sparta Battalion, backed up by a transport squadron with seven Douglas C-47s. The Greek soldiers proved themselves in the conflict, having some experience in this type of warfare unlike many of their UN colleagues, and saw several years of combat against communist guerrillas there. More than ten thousand ground troops were deployed and remained in theater after the armistice was signed up to 1955.

   Coverage of more recent history includes displays about the Greek-Turkish clashes in Cyprus and the division of the island, a very sensitive topic to this day.

   An attractive display is the mini-submarine, located in front of the entrance to the museum building. It is an Italian-made CosMoS CE2F/X60 submarine with a length of around eight metres and a weight of over two tonnes, designed to transport two divers, equipment and material. The Hellenic Navy bought a total of four of them and operated them from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s. They were used mainly on American-made submarines of the Balao and Tench Class. The vessel has an interesting light blue paintwork, which is undoubtedly suitable for the azure coastal waters of Greece.

   Very unusual is the collection of small arms literally from all over the world, to which a large hall is dedicated. It includes such gems as Turkish and Arab weapons, and surprisingly, a samurai outfit, complete with helmet and armor, hailing from the 14th century. The collection also includes unique weapons used during the Greek Revolution. This collection was donated to the museum by private collector and philanthropist Petros Saroglos and is the most famous collection of weapons in the country.

   As already mentioned, the collections and displays are very interesting, often even unique, and the museum is definitely worth a visit. The entrance fee is 6 Euros, which is the price of two coffees. And if the visitor comes to Athens in the summer, they and their entourage will certainly appreciate the pleasant coolness in the museum building.

  Northrop F-5, with a Marmon-Herrington Mk.IVF armored car in the background.

  Henry Farman III Daedalus, the first Greek military aircraft. It was used during the First Balkan War.

  An F-104 G

  Korean War diorama.

  Plaque commemorating the Greek contribution to the Battle of El Alemain.

  A unique collection of small arms donated by Petros Sargolos.

  Exhibit of pilot equipment from different periods.

  A Krupp-Schuman armored car from 1894.

  The front part of a Krupp-Schuman vehicle. The driver's seat and the mechanism for closing the turret hatch are worth noting.

  A British 535 mm torpedo from the armament of the Y-2 Papanikolis submarine

  A radar-equipped F-86K fighter.

  The front part of a CosMoS CE2F/X60 mini-submarine. The two separate cockpits for divers are clearly visible.

  CosMoS CE2F/X60 special operations submarine. Greece had four of these vessels and used them on American-made submarines.

  Detail of the rear of the CE2F/X60 mini-submarine, with the propeller and control surfaces clearly visible.

  
  

• Aerial War in Ukraine

  Drone S-70 Ochotnik-B: An official image of the Sukhoi-made drone.

  
  

  Russia Gave Ukraine the Wreckage of Its Latest Combat Drone

  Text: Miro Barič 

  
  

  “We wanted the best, but it turned out as always.” This famous quote from Russian statesman Viktor Chernomyrdin in 1993 has become widely known and is deeply ingrained in Russian culture. It is also fitting for the biggest event of the observed period (October 1–31), which was the loss of the latest Russian combat drone, the Sukhoi S-70 Okhotnik-B, during one of its first operational deployments.

   

  Russian propaganda had long boasted about these heavy combat drones. This year, according to various bombastic statements, mass production of hundreds or even thousands of units was supposed to begin. However, according to available information, only four prototypes have been produced so far, and one of them has already been lost.

   This happened on Saturday, October 5. The S-70 Okhotnik-B took off from the Akhtubinsk base, located over 580 km east of the front line, for an operational-test flight. It was accompanied by a Su-57 fighter jet. The approach of the pair of aircraft to the front line was clearly visible due to the condensation trails they left behind. Suddenly, the second aircraft fired a missile that hit the leading aircraft, which then spiraled to the ground in a flat spin.

   Initially, Russian channels celebrated, claiming that the Russian fighter jet had shot down a Ukrainian F-16. However, the downed aircraft was neither Ukrainian nor an F-16—it was Russian and, moreover, a highly valuable asset. The Okhotnik-B drone first flew in 2019, though its development by the Sukhoi and MiG companies began long before. The drone has a wingspan of about 20 meters and weighs 20 tons. It can reach speeds of 1,000 km/h and is primarily designed to serve as an escort aircraft for the Su-57. Its armament is carried in an internal weapons bay in the fuselage.

   For its last flight, the Okhotnik-B was armed with a guided glide bomb, the UMPB D-30SN, which was later found among its wreckage. It is believed that during this flight, the drone was supposed to test bombing Ukrainian positions. However, the drone went out of control. When all attempts to regain control failed, the accompanying Su-57 shot it down to prevent it from falling into Ukrainian hands. Yet, this plan did not go as intended for the Russians. The drone crashed near Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region, approximately 11 km from the front line—but on the Ukrainian side. Ukrainian forces quickly reached the wreckage, and photographs showed that at least one wing and a large part of the fuselage remained relatively intact.

   Although Russia fired two Iskander ballistic missiles at the crash site, it did so with a significant time delay. In the meantime, Ukrainian forces managed to transport the wreckage for analysis. Among the remains, numerous electronic components of Western origin were found, indicating how Russia has been circumventing sanctions. Additionally, a serial number was discovered, suggesting that this was the fourth and most recent prototype.

   Another official photo of the Sukhoi-made S-70 Ochotnik-B.

  A wing from the downed Ochotnik-B drone remained intact.

  Debris of the Ochotnik-B drone, including its fuselage and engine.

  Ukrainian soldiers quickly accessed the wreckage of the Ochotnik-B.

  Based on its serial number, this appears to be the fourth prototype of the S-70 Ochotnik-B.

  
  

  Further Russian Losses

   In addition to the Okhotnik drone, the Russian Air Force suffered relatively high losses during the observed period, losing five aircraft and one helicopter. Interestingly, most of these losses occurred under unclear circumstances, leading some media outlets to speculate that Ukrainian F-16 fighters might be responsible for shooting down some of these aircraft. However, there is no evidence to support this claim.

   The first Russian loss in October occurred on Wednesday, October 2, in an unspecified area of Ukraine. A Su-25 attack aircraft from the 960th Assault Aviation Regiment crashed, killing Lieutenant Colonel Igor Gaivoronsky. It is reported that the crash was caused either by a technical malfunction or pilot error. The aircraft was likely flying low, and the pilot did not have time to eject.

   On Thursday, October 10, a Yak-130 trainer jet crashed under unknown circumstances in the Volgograd region. The pilots ejected and were hospitalized. The case is being investigated by the military prosecutor’s office of the Southern Military District.

   The streak of losses continued on Saturday, October 12, when a Su-34 fighter-bomber crashed under unclear circumstances. Both crew members died in the incident. Two weeks later, on Saturday, October 26, Russia lost two more aircraft. In the first case, a Su-25 attack aircraft crashed after running out of fuel just before reaching its destination airport. The pilot ejected safely. On the same day, a Mi-28 helicopter crashed into the Kerch Strait between occupied Crimea and Russia. It belonged to the 487th Independent Helicopter Regiment, and both crew members, including Captain Artem Pavlov, were killed.

   At the very end of the month, on Thursday, October 31, Russia lost another Su-34. Again, the circumstances of its loss remain unclear. The aircraft belonged to the 2nd Mixed Aviation Regiment, and its two crew members perished. One of the airmen was identified as Captain Arman Bigalinov.

   During this period, the first photos surfaced of the wreckage of a Russian Mi-24 helicopter that had been destroyed on April 5, 2023, near the village of Berestove in the Bakhmut district. Members of the Ukrainian 10th Separate Mountain Brigade shot it down using a Polish-made Piorun portable missile system. The helicopter’s crew—Major Vyacheslav Dolgobrod and Senior Lieutenant Ilnaz Fazylov—did not survive. While the downing of this Mi-24 was known, until now, only distant footage of the burning wreckage had been available.

   In another case, the circumstances remain unclear. Social media in October featured photos of Su-25 wreckage and Russian trucks hauling it away from the crash site. It is likely these images are tied to a known incident, though they were published for the first time. One photo shows a serial number, 06090.

   Lastly, one photo emerged from a highly publicized incident where an Il-76M transport plane (RF-86868) belonging to the 117th Military Transport Aviation Regiment was shot down on January 24, 2024, near Yablonovo in Russia's Belgorod region. All six crew members aboard were killed. At the time, Russia claimed Ukrainian prisoners of war were on board, but this was never confirmed. The new photo shows the front section of the fuselage, seemingly reconstructed from wreckage during the crash investigation. It reveals that the aircraft was riddled with shrapnel.

  Loss of Su-25 pilot: Lt. Col. Igor Gaivoronsky died on October 2 when his Su-25 crashed.

  Mi-28 Helicopter crash: Capt. Artem Pavlov died on October 26 when a Mi-28 helicopter fell into the Kerch Strait.

  Su-34 crash: Capt. Arman Bigalinov was one of two crew members who perished in a Su-34 crash on October 31.

  Mi-24 helicopter downed in 2023: A photo of the wreckage from an Mi-24 shot down in April 2023 was released.

  Wreckage of a Russian Su-25 with serial number 06090; photos were recently made public.

  Il-76M front fuselage: The remains of a transport Il-76M shot down on January 24, 2024, in the Belgorod region.

  
  

  Ukrainian Losses

   The only operational loss on the Ukrainian side during the observed period occurred on Tuesday, October 22, at an unspecified airfield in the Lviv region. A Mi-24PU1 helicopter, tail number 605, belonging to the 16th Independent Army Aviation Brigade, crashed while approaching for landing. There were three crew members on board—a major, a captain, and a senior lieutenant—who all sustained injuries. The helicopter suffered damage to its fuselage, main rotor, and tail rotor.

   Sabotage operations at airbases have primarily targeted Russian aircraft and helicopters, carried out by Ukrainian special forces or local saboteurs (often teenagers recruited online). However, on Tuesday, October 29, an arson attack occurred at Ukraine's Kropyvnytskyi airfield in the Kirovohrad region. A Mi-2 helicopter was damaged in the attack. However, it was an old decommissioned aircraft that had been stationed there since at least 2012.

   During the observed period, new footage emerged of several older incidents, some previously unknown or lacking detailed accounts. One such incident occurred on August 22, during a training flight in the Khmelnytskyi region. A Ukrainian Aero L-39M1 Albatros collided with a stork mid-flight. The bird penetrated the cockpit windshield, causing the cockpit canopy to detach and the ejection seat to activate. For unknown reasons, the parachute of Major Serhii Plihuzov, one of the crew members, failed to fully deploy, resulting in his death. The other crew member, Major Viktor Zhos, remained in the damaged aircraft and successfully landed it. Both officers served in the 7th Tactical Aviation Brigade. Major Zhos had previously flown as a navigator on Su-24M aircraft.

   Mi-2 arson attack: On October 29, an old, decommissioned Ukrainian Mi-2 helicopter was damaged in an arson attack.

  L-39 collision: A photo from an incident which took place on August 22 when a Ukrainian L-39 collided with a stork.

  Major Pliguzov’s death: The pilot, Major Sergey Pliguzov, died as his parachute failed to open fully during the incident.

  
  

  Destroyed Slovak MiG-29

   Unfortunately, photos have surfaced of the wreckage of a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet. Based on its characteristic gray-green camouflage, it was identified as one of the aircraft donated by Slovakia in March 2023. The photos appear to have been taken during the winter months, given the lack of vegetation. No details are known about its loss—whether it crashed or was shot down. However, the wreckage includes the ejection seat handle, indicating that the pilot did not eject and likely perished. According to The Military Watch website, it is almost certainly MiG-29AS with the original Slovak number 2123.

   Slovakia donated 13 MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine. Of these, ten were operational, and three were without engines, meant to serve as spare parts. Out of ten operational jets, only four flew to Ukraine from Slovakia’s Sliač airbase under their own power on March 23, 2023. Aircraft number 2123 was among this group. The remaining six repairable aircraft were transported to Ukraine by land. At least one of these, the two-seater MiG-29UBS with the number 1303, was repaired by Ukrainians and entered service with a new number, 80.

  Slovak MiG-29 wreckage: Debris from a former Slovak MiG-29, likely serial number 2123.

  A photo from March 2023 showing four Slovak MiG-29AS jets departing for Ukraine, including aircraft 2123.

  An older image of a former Slovak MiG-29 in Ukrainian service.

  
  

  F-16s Gradually Arrive

   A final piece of recently revealed information pertains to the loss of an F-16AM destroyed on August 26, which claimed the life of Lieutenant Colonel Oleksiy Mes of the 204th Tactical Aviation Brigade. The cause of this crash remains unclear, though rumors suggest it may have been struck by Ukraine’s own Patriot air defense system. The serial number of the destroyed jet has now been disclosed: it was 80-3600, a former Danish Air Force aircraft previously designated E-600.

   Denmark has confirmed delivering six F-16AM jets to Ukraine, marking the first shipment that arrived in July. Denmark has pledged a total of 19 F-16s, with two more shipments scheduled. One is expected to arrive before the end of 2024.

   At the turn of September and October, the Netherlands retired its fleet of F-16s after 45 years of service, having first acquired the type in 1979. With 40 of its 58 ordered F-35s now delivered, the Netherlands could phase out its older jets. The country has pledged to supply 24 F-16s directly to Ukraine, with the first Dutch aircraft arriving in early October, although the exact number delivered remains undisclosed. An additional 18 Dutch F-16s have been sent to Romania, where Ukrainian pilots are undergoing training. All 18 have already been transferred.

   For now, Ukraine is deploying its F-16s to counter Russian air raids, officially using them against cruise missiles. No reports of other engagements have been confirmed. Further details about aircraft deliveries to Ukraine and pilot training will be discussed in the next installment of this series.

  Despite the challenges the ukrainian pilots maintain their sense of humor. 

  Czech Mi-24 helicopter: A former Czech Mi-24 adorned with markings for downed Iranian Shahed drones and other UAVs like Orlan-10. Supposedly the helicopter was previously marked as 3366.

  Drone defense: Ukrainian forces in action against daily Shahed drone attacks from Russia.

  Gepard tanks: Proven German-made anti-aircraft tanks in use.

  Propaganda images of Ukrainian Su-27 fighters.

  A message on a Ukrainian drone mocks Putin, labeling him a pedophile.

• November 16, 1944

  Text: Daniel Horvath

  Illustration: Antonis Karydis

  Cat. No. 70161

  
  

  November 16, 1944 would prove to be a heavy day of aerial combat. Luftflotte 4’s Fliegerkorps 1 would put up about 420 flights of which 163 were with fighter variants of the Bf 109. By the end of the day 28 enemy aircraft would be claimed destroyed with 6 more damaged. All combat stations, whether operational or otherwise, were busy adjusting to the Hungarian sector they now found themselves in. With the front line approaching the capital city of Budapest, the pressure of consistently performing at the highest level must have been great for every combatant: German, Hungarian or Soviet. Fighter pilot Hptm. Erich Hartmann of II./JG 52 was no exception. With well over 300 claims under his belt much was expected of him and his unit to fight back against the broad Soviet push headed westward. That day the weather would reach a high of 9 degrees Celsius with partially cloudy skies, an ideal environment for surprise attacks by fighter aircraft.

  In the morning Hartmann took off on a mission headed in the direction of the Tisza River. In the combat zone 10 soviet aviators approached from the East, tasked with covering their ground forces in the Jászberény – Pusztamonostor – Jászárokszállás triangle. All from the 5th Air Army’s 73 GvIAP, they flew at 4000m altitude. The two flights of these aviators were led by regiment-CO Gv.Lt.Col. Porfirii A. Mikhailyuk and flight-leader Gv.Capt. Pyotr P. Fomichev.

  Over Jászárokszállás, the pair consisting of pilots Vladimir M. Savchuk and Aleksandr S. Shuvalov separated from their group. Their radio connection with the group remained stable and no dogfights were reported. Without warning, Gv.Ml.Lt Aleksandr S. Shuvalov disappeared with his last location being about 20km east of Gödöllő at Pusztamonostor. Hptm. Hartmann filed a claim over a Yak-9 fighter at 08:45 local time at 4000m in the coordinate square of PlQu. 14 Ost 98368 which is just NW of Gödöllő. It is possible that Erich Hartmann downed Gv.Ml.Lt. Shuvalov by means of a surprise attack thus resulting in no radio warning from the Soviet pilot.

  Owing to the lack of unanimous agreement of information from both sides, the difference in stated location is approximately 20km, we are only able to classify Hartmann’s abschuss as a possible victory. For more detail victory verification and what classifies a victory, readers are invited to review publications such as Combat Kill: The Drama of Aerial Warfare in World War 2 and the Controversy Surrounding Victories, Verified Victories: Top JG 52 Aces Over Hungary 1944-45, and the original claiming directives held at BArch. Additional information about claiming controversies will appear shortly.

  What is known from this engagement are the specific aircraft details for Hartmann’s potential victim: Gv.Ml.Lt. Aleksandr Stepanovich Shuvalov (1921-1944) flew in a Novosibirsk, Factory No.153-built Yakovlev Yak-9D fighter of the Soviet 5th Air Army (2nd Ukrainian Front), 6 GvIAD, 73 GvIAP, 2nd Sq., c/n: 2015315, built around March 1944, powered by VK-105PF engine No.415-1333 built in the first quarter of 1944. Planes of his unit were marked with a short inscription over a white horizontal lightning-bolt under their cockpit on both sides of the planes. (TsAMO RF)

  Details on Hartmann’s aircraft are more difficult to pin-point, however his usual Messerschmitt at this time was a Bf 109 G-14 with a black tulip pattern adorning the nose coded ‘white 1’. Furthermore, the Author of this article would cautiously state that based on the camouflage mottling and presence of a data plate mounted forward of the cockpit these features are consistent with those found on G-14/U4s built by WNF (Wiener Neustadt, Austria) in the 51x.xxx series. The 51x.xxx series entered production in the second half of 1944. Lack of further proofs limit our ability to confidently identify Hartmann’s aircraft. As the aircraft was equipped with methanol water injection evidenced by the battery box cover plate protruding into the cabin, the engine in this aircraft was a DB 605AM model capable of producing around 1700 PS at 4000m while the VK-105PF could produce only about 1050 PS at the same altitude. Translated to speed, when the MW-50 system was being used Hartmann’s Bf 109 G-14/U4 could approach speeds at 4000m of up to around 625 kph, while Shuvalov’s Yak-9D could only reach about 590 kph. If the engagement took place without MW-50, the Yak-9D would actually have a level speed advantage, showcasing how much assistance the MW-50 system provided Luftwaffe pilots.

   

• Markings for Spitfire Mk.IXe 1/48

  RR201, F/Lt Richard J. Audet, F/Lt John J. Boyle, No. 411 Squadron, ALG B.88 Heesh, The Netherlands, December 1944

  Spitfire serial number RR201 is probably the most famous Spitfire of the IXe version. Although it was F/Lt Jack Boyle’s personal Spitfire, the greatest successes with the RR201 were achieved by another Canadian pilot and friend of Boyle, F/Lt Richard Joseph “Dick” Audet. The latter flew a total of 15 operational sorties between December 29, 1944, and February 3, 1945, achieving seven of his eleven confirmed kills with Spitfire RR201 DB-G. The aircraft was decorated with the inscription “Sweet Sue V” on the left side of the fuselage tank. F/Lt Audet achieved his greatest success with it on December 29, 1944, when he shot down three Fw 109D-9s and two Bf 109Gs (post-war research leans towards five FW 190D-9s being shot down) during a dogfight, thus becoming the only Spitfire pilot to achieve ace status in a single sortie. He achieved another valuable success on January 23, 1945, when he shot down a Me 262 jet with RR201 and destroyed another during the bombing of Rheine airfield (post-war research confirms the Arado Ar 234). Unfortunately, Audet did not see the end of the war, as his Spitfire MK950 DB-A was hit and crashed on March 3, 1945, during an attack on an armed train. Although the original No. 411 Squadron report stated that Audet died in his aircraft, post-war research confirmed that he had made an emergency landing with his Spitfire and was captured. After interrogation, he was to be taken to a POW camp, but there Audet’s trail ends. It is likely that he was murdered or died trying to escape. His body was never found.

   

  RR201, F/Lt John J. Boyle, No. 411 Squadron, ALG B.88 Heesh, The Netherlands, February-April 1945

  The RR201 first appeared in the records of No. 411 Squadron on December 26, 1944, and subsequently became the personal aircraft of F/Lt John Joseph “Jack” Boyle, who had a white “Sweet Sue V” painted on the left side of the tank cover in honor of his young daughter. Spitfire RR201 first flew with the codes DB-G and after Jack Boyle took command of No. 411 Squadron B Flight in January 1945, his "Sweet Sue V" was transferred to B Flight as well and recoded DB-R code. However, this did not occur until early February 1945, when the RR201 DB-G (newly coded DB-R by B Flight) was exchanged for the MK950 DB-R (newly coded DB-A by A Flight). F/Lt Boyle flew the RR201 until April 4, 1945, when his operational tour ended. He flew 36 operational sorties in the cockpit of the RR201 and destroyed two Bf 109s in strafing of enemy airfields, as well as 10 locomotives and 42 military vehicles. In total, Boyle achieved six confirmed kills during his wartime career and became, among other things, the first Allied Spitfire pilot to shoot down a Me 262 jet (December 25, 1944) as an individual victory. Boyle’s Spitfire RR201 shown here sported the elements of the fast identification valid after January 3, 1945, for the 2TAF, type C1 roundels, a black propeller cone and a shaded Sky band in front of the VOP. The serial number RR201 was painted in reduced form in white above the vertical stabilizer cockade. In this form it was flown until February 3, 1945, with the code letter G. Starting from February 6 onwards it sported the code letter R.

   

  PV181, W/Cdr Rolf A. Berg, No. 132 Wing, ALG B.79 Woendstrecht, The Netherlands, winter 1944

  This aircraft was used as a personal aircraft by the commander of No. 132 (Norwegian) Wing, W/Cdr Rolf Arne Berg. He had the pre-war Norwegian insignia painted on it during the autumn of 1944, and at the same time requested approval from RAF officials to use them. However, he found no sympathy and had to remove the marking in January 1945. Berg’s fate was sealed on February 3, 1945. He was at the very end of his operational tour but decided to undertake one more combat flight. However, he took a direct hit to the wing from anti-aircraft artillery over the Dutch Eelde and crashed fatally with PV 181. His score thus stopped on six confirmed kills, two probable kills and five enemy aircraft damaged.

   

  RK889, S/Ldr Otmar Kučera, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Manston, Kent, Great Britain, May-July 1945

  The HF Mk.IX high altitude Spitfires with the Merlin 70 were also produced with an E wing with standard wingtips. An example of this variant is the RK889 (RY-A) of Commander No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron S/Ldr. Otmar Kučera DFC. The aircraft, manufactured at the Vickers-Supermarine plant in Castle Bromwich, was taken over by the RAF on October 6, 1944, moving to No. 45 MU in Kinloss, Scotland. It waited for its first allocation until May 10 the following year. At that time it replaced the existing Kučera’s Spitfire HF Mk.IXc ML148 at Manston, which bore the same codename. The RK889 was donated aircraft named “Edmonton II” and was the last one purchased from fund-raising and assigned to the Czechoslovak Air Force. With the new Spitfire, S/Ldr Kučera took part in air combat training with Americans flying P-51D Mustangs on May 23, 1945, at the 8th USAAF base in Debden, together with other Czechoslovak fighters. The livery depicts Kučera’s codename “A” with the commander’s pennant under the cockpit from July 1945, when round emblems with a hawk appeared on the engine cowling and the propeller cone was decorated with the Czechoslovak national colors.

   

  TE517, S/Ldr O. Kučera, No. 313 Squadron, RAF Manston, Kent, Great Britain, August 1945

  During his service in the Royal Air Force, Otmar Kučera had flown almost 540 operational hours, which included 130 flights over enemy territory. He achieved seven confirmed kills during his wartime career. After five years of fighting he left Britain with a new Spitfire LF Mk.IXe with Czechoslovakian insignia. This was TE517 (RY-A), which he flew back to his homeland at the head of No. 313 Squadron from August 7 to 13, 1945. The Spitfire TE517 was built by the Castle Bromwich factory and fitted with a Merlin 66 engine. After completing test flights, TE517 was flown by F/Sgt Karel Stryk to RAF Manston on July 21, 1945 and taken over by No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron on July 25, 1945. The standard RAF cockades were repainted with Czechoslovak Air Force insignias in the early days of August 1945. However, the original RAF codes were retained. Unlike the other Spitfires of No. 313 Squadron, which had their propeller cones painted red, Kučera’s machine was distinguished by white paint on the tip of the propeller cone and the Squadron Commander’s pennant under the cockpit. Spitfire TE517 has survived to the present day after service in the post-war Czechoslovak Air Force and subsequently the Israeli Air Force. On April 7, 2023, it took to the air again after several years of restoration at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar.

   

  RK917, G/Cpt Douglas Bader, RAF North Weald, Great Britain, September 1945

  On April 15, 1945, the famous Douglas Bader was freed by American troops from captivity at Colditz Castle. Upon his return to England and after a short leave of absence, he returned to duty and was appointed Commanding Officer of the Fighter Leader’s School at Tangmere Air Base. Shortly afterwards he was promoted to the rank of Group Capitain and became Sector Commander of North Weald No. 11 Group RAF. On September 15, 1945, an air show was held in London to mark the fifth anniversary of the Battle of Britain, with a total of 300 aircraft taking part. The parade was opened by a group of 12 Spitfires piloted by heroes of the 1940s. The leadership of this group was entrusted to legless ace Douglas Bader, who flew his personal Spitfire RK917, which he used from 1945-1946, in this ceremonial parade. Bader’s Spitfire HF Mk.IXe RK917 had its armament removed and bore the standard night fighter livery of Medium Sea Grey, with camouflage fields of Dark Green applied to the upper and side surfaces. The identification markings were without yellow outline, the fuselage cockades and propeller cone were in shade of Roundel Blue. On July 21, 1946, G/Cpt Bader resigned of his own accord and accepted an offer to head the Shell Corporation’s aviation department. For the next twenty years he flew regularly and personally piloted the company aircraft. He died on September 5, 1982, at the age of 72.

  
  

  2003 (ex TE531), 105. Tajeset, Ramat David AB, Izrael, September 1953

  An exception among the Spitfires delivered by Czechoslovakia to Israel was the TE515 which was unpainted and had a distinctive red lightning bolt on both sides of the fuselage. TE515 was flown to Czechoslovakia with the fuselage designation DU-W. In the ranks of LP 5, it bore the designation MP-11. At the turn of May and June 1946 it was modified to the form with red lightning bolt and was the command aircraft of Colonel Jaroslav Hlaďo, who was the head of the Air Division 2. In December 1948, this Spitfire became a part of the research squadron at Letňany in Prague under the designation V-20, retaining its colors. However, it was not used for research tasks but for training flights of local test pilots. The aircraft retained its livery even after it was sold to Israel, where it arrived with the last land and sea delivery in 1950. In its “silver” form, it served for three years with the 105 Training Squadron at Ramat David serialled 2058 with the tactical number 58. It then underwent a revision and paint job at Bedek and in February 1955 was delivered by air, already as UB439, to Rangoon, Burma, as part of Operation Orez B from February 15 to 22, 1955.

• Markings for Bf 109G-14 1/72

  Hptm. Erich Hartmann, CO of 4./JG 52, Csór, Hungary, November 1944

  Erich Hartmann, the most successful fighter pilot of all times, joined the 7. Staffel of JG 52 on October 10, 1942, as his first unit to serve with. He remained with Jagdgeschwader 52 till the end of World War Two; in fact, he became the commander of its I. Gruppe. The total count of his victories is believed to be 352. For his exceptional success he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. After WWII he was transferred to the POW camp in the Ural Mountains in the Soviet Union and was not released until 1955. The following year he joined the ranks of Western German Luftwaffe. He became the commander of JG 71, the first fighter plane Luftwaffe squadron equipped with jet fighter aircraft. Hartmann retired in 1970 and died on September 20, 1993. Standard camouflage of Hartmann’s “white 1” was complemented by black tulip outlined in white on the nose of the aircraft. This was the appearance from the time of his command of 4. Staffel. On the left side, underneath the cockpit, there was a heart with Hartmann’s wife’s name written over it. The yellow bottom wingtips and the yellow band around the rear fuselage were markings of the aircraft serving on the Eastern Front. The photograph of the nose of this aircraft shows that the engine cover is identical to those produced by Erla factory in Leipzig.

   

  WNr. 462649, Hptm. Alfred Grislawski, CO of III./JG 53, Paderborn, Germany, September 1944

  Alfred Grislawski was born on November 2, 1919, in Wanne-Eickel in the Ruhr area. In July 1940, he joined III./JG 52 on the Western Front. After several months III./JG 52 moved to Romania and was tasked with defense of Ploesti in mid-1941. Later, the unit participated in combat on the southern front in the USSR. In April 1943, Grislawski achieved his 100th aerial victory. In June 1943, he and his comrades were wounded by a mine explosion near Taman. After recovering, he was transferred to the Western Front, joining JG 50 in August 1943. In November 1943, he was transferred to JG 1, where he served in command positions. In August 1944, he was given command of 11./JG 53. On September 26, 1944, he shot down a P-38, his 133rd and final victim in aerial combats. Shortly afterward, he was downed by Colonel Hubert Zemke flying P-51. Grislawski bailed out but, fearing he might be killed while parachuting, deployed his parachute too late at low altitude. That resulted in a hard landing that injured his spine. He was treated in Bad Gastein and fell into American captivity in May 1945. Due to his war injuries, he did not join the Bundesluftwaffe. The Black 6 aircraft was a relatively new aircraft, recently built at the Erla factory in Leipzig. It’s camouflage reconstruction was based on Grislawski’s description.

   

  WNr. 781183, Uffz. Werner Zetzschke, 4./JG 4, Darmstadt-Griesheim, Germany, January 1945

  The target of the mission flown by I. and III. Gruppe JG 4 on January 1, 1945, was Le Culot airfield but neither pilot of these groups was able to attack it due to the very strong anti-aircraft defense. Instead, the 4. Staffel probably attacked the Ophoven airport. One of its pilots was 21 years old Werner Zetzschke, who was shot down nearby the town of Sittard and crashed into its street. Upon the impact he was catapulted from the cockpit and died within couple of minutes because of the injuries he suffered. He was buried in the German Military Cemetery in Ysselsteyn. Appearance of this airplane is a conjecture based on the other aircraft of the same manufacturer’s block and on the planes operated by I./JG 4. The camouflage was spray-painted in RLM 74/75/76 complemented by black-white-black band on the rear fuselage which was carried by JG 4 aircraft deployed in the Reich Defense role. There is a JG 4 marking painted on the left side of the engine cowling, on the right side there is a I./JG 4 – a rooster on the blue base, reminder of the former I. Gruppe JG 4 commander Franz Hahn.

   

  WNr. 462xxx, Uffz. Karl-Heinz Erler, 16./JG 5, Rygge, Norway, April 1945

  After its establishment in mid-1942, IV./JG 5 was tasked with operations against Western Allied forces based in Norway. However, from August 1944 to early November, it was deployed to Finland, where its mission was extended, as it included fighting the Soviet units as well. Additionally, a new adversary emerged: the Finns, who had switched to the Allied side. In October 1944, a newly formed fourth Staffel was added to the Gruppe’s three existing Staffels, designated as 16./JG 5. The unit was commanded by Lt. Hans Vollet, who had previously served with III./JG 5 and II./JG 54. The 16. Staffel scored its first victory on December 28, 1944, when Uffz. Walter Smejkal claimed an RAF Mustang. Lt. Vollet achieved a victory over a Mosquito on January 11, 1945, marking his 11th and final kill. In March 1945, Lt. Adolf Gillet took over command of 16./JG 5, but on April 11, he was killed during a parachute jump after being shot down by a Mustang from No. 65 Squadron RAF. Following his death, Lt. Höhn took over the administrative command of the unit, while Fw. Heinz Halstrick assumed command during combat operations.

   

  WNr. 464068, Str. Josip Cekovič, 2. ZLJ (Zrakoplovno Lovačko Jato), Iesi airfield, Italy, April 1945

  After the Red Army’s summer offensive in 1944 on the southern front and its troops’ entry into Hungary and Romania, the German High Command had to address the security of its positions in the Balkans. One of the components of this effort was the Croatian Air Force. To strengthen it, the delivery of thirty new Bf 109Gs was arranged in three stages during October 1944. By November 1944, the Croats had already received ten Bf 109Gs. On December 1, 1944, these aircraft landed at Lučko airfield near Zagreb and were assigned to the 2. Zrakoplovno Lovačko Jato (ZLJ). Subsequently, the 2. ZLJ was incorporated into the Defence of the Reich and stationed at Borongaj airfield. In January 1945, additional Bf 109Gs were delivered, making the 2. ZLJ the only combat-ready unit on this section of the front. Its combat operations were diverse, engaging Soviet forces, domestic Communist forces, USAAF and RAF units. The Black 10 aircraft had its original German crosses repainted. Also a yellow fuselage band was overpainted as well as a yellow V on the bottom of the wing. On April 16, 1945, Str. Josip Cekovič defected to Iesi airfield in Italy with this aircraft.

   

  WNr. 464444, Maj. Carlo Miami, CO of 2o Gruppo Caccia, ANR, Aviano, Italy, February 1945

  After the declaration of Italian Social Republic on September 18, 1943, a puppet state on the territory of Italy occupied by German military under the command of Benito Mussolini, Germany allowed this Republic to establish its own military force consisting of four divisions. Its air force component called Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana consisted of two fighter plane groups (Gruppo Caccia), torpedo groups (Gruppo Aerosiluranti Buscaglia) and several transportation squadrons. In 1945, both fighter plane squadrons flew Messerschmitts Bf 109G-6/G-10/G-14. The commander of 2o Gruppo Caccia was Maggiore Carlo Miami. His aircraft was camouflaged with RLM 74/75/76 colors. The staff marking was asymmetrical on the right side of the fuselage, probably due to the 24V electric plug. The German crosses were retained, only on the upper surface of the wing they were oversprayed with dark green and Italian insignias were added. The fuselage emblems were supplemented with Italian insignia in the shape of a postage stamp.

• Tail End Charlie

  How to Choose a Gift for a Modeler

  Text: Jan Bobek

   

  The end of the year is approaching, and during its final days, many of our customers will celebrate Christmas, a holiday often associated with gift-giving tradition. Every year, families of modelers face the same challenge: What gift should we choose for the modeler in our lives?

  For family members, a model kit might seem like just another colorful box filled with boring gray plastic parts. Yet, for reasons that often seem mysterious, the modeler greets its contents—and sometimes even the packaging—with an enthusiasm comparable to a fisherman who has just landed the catch of a lifetime.

  I understand how difficult it can be to choose such a gift. Thirty years ago, I worked as a salesman in a model shop. Throughout most of the year, our customers were predominantly men. However, in the last few weeks leading up to Christmas, we noticed a significant increase in female customers. Mothers, wives, girlfriends, and daughters would visit, hoping to find something suitable, and we, as salesmen, did our best to advise them.

  We would try to roughly determine which kit might make a good gift by asking questions. The women would tentatively answer, describing the size of the models in the modeler’s collection, whether they were airplanes, how many engines they had, and what national insignias they bore. Using these clues and working within the given price range, we would suggest a kit that we believed would delight the modeler.

  It was much easier when my friend Pavel’s mother, whose son built 1/35 scale tank models, came to me for advice. I knew exactly what he was interested in and what kits he already had in his collection. I managed to surprise him with a brand-new kit—a Tamiya Tiger tank—as I didn’t tell him that such a kit had been released. He practically flipped under the Christmas tree! Back then, the internet was still in its infancy, and social networks didn’t exist.

  Today, pulling off such a Christmas surprise would be far more difficult. We live in a completely different information age. On platforms like Scalemates, for instance, modelers can maintain detailed databases of their collections and whishes. While incredibly useful, this makes it harder to keep it a surprise. At the same time, the number of physical hobby shops where one can get expert advice is dwindling.

  This has made me wonder how I would go about choosing a gift for a modeler if I knew nothing about the hobby. It’s certainly no easy task. Our readers and customers know how specialized their wishes can be. It’s not always about the latest releases; sometimes it’s the rare, discontinued kits that a modeler truly desires. Take me, for example. I’ve always dreamed of owning the 1/350 scale Akitsushima seaplane tender kit from Hasegawa. But I will probably never become one of the lucky owners of this unique kit—only 500 were ever made!

  With only a few dozen kits in my collection—compared to a much larger number of books—I decided to try a simple experiment with ChatGPT. This chatbot uses "artificial intelligence", implementing a large language model (LLM) and artificial neural network technology. I provided it with a list of my kits, including the scale, manufacturer’s name, and catalog number, and tasked it with suggesting a new kit as a gift for the modeler who owns this collection.

  I was pleasantly surprised by the results. The chatbot deduced that the owner of the collection prefers 1/48 scale kits, with a particular fondness for the Zero from various manufacturers. It also noted that, in addition to the dominant Eduard kits, the owner’s favorite companies include Tamiya, Hasegawa, and Nichimo. Since I hadn’t given specific preferences for the gift selection, the chatbot set its own criteria. It defined the ideal gift as a 1/48 scale kit, preferably a limited edition featuring iconic WWII aircraft, while avoiding kits already present in the collection.

  Based on these criteria, ChatGPT recommended the Eduard Royal Class F6F Hellcat kit in 1/48 scale. It explained that the Hellcat is a key WWII-era aircraft missing from the modeler’s collection. The Royal Class edition aligned perfectly with the modeler’s interest in premium editions, and the chatbot added a logical argument: an American aircraft would nicely complement the Japanese and European types that dominate the collection.

  The recommendation, however, had one flaw—the Royal Class edition of the Hellcat kit has long been out of stock, and the chatbot also provided an incorrect catalog number. After I pointed out both issues and requested an updated recommendation, my virtual mentor suggested two alternative kits: the F6F-5 in the ProfiPACK edition and another in the Weekend edition. It also mentioned that a night fighter version could be acquired as a specialty item. The chatbot even listed the sources it used for its recommendations, citing the Eduard e-shop as well as the Hyperscale and Scalemates websites.

  I had no issues with this choice and its priorities and would have easily purchased one of the Hellcats. When analyzing data, the system clearly works with parameters that are statistically prevalent in the dataset. However, it was intriguing that the chatbot specifically identified a U.S. Navy aircraft. Interestingly, I don’t actually have any U.S. carrier-based aircraft in my modest collection, making the Hellcat a logical counterbalance to the avalanche of Zeros in my stash.

  This small step of AI assistance led me to a more devilish question—I asked the chatbot how much the kits in my collection cost. Amazingly, ChatGPT produced a detailed list, item by item, along with the usual prices. While this system sometimes invents or omits information, in this case, it only left out kits from two companies. After adding the missing entries, I had a complete list. In the next step, following my instruction, the chatbot summed up the total cost of the kits.

  I vividly remember my time working in a model shop and how some modelers grappled with the challenge of hiding a new kit purchase from their partners. Occasionally, they would even tear off part of the price tag to make the cost appear smaller, especially if they knew they wouldn’t be able to sneak the new addition home unnoticed.

  I shudder to imagine the potential situations that might arise in some households if a modeler shared their complete kit list with both their partner and a chatbot. For the sake of a peaceful Christmas and maintaining healthy relationships, I’d probably recommend sticking with the tried-and-true method for selecting gifts. As always, the modeler should pick out the kit themselves, NOT LOOK INSIDE OF THE BOX IN DETAIL, and simply look forward to unwrapping the present under the tree. That’s exactly what I do with books.

  Merry Christmas!