News from Special Hobby 05/21

This May’s top model is the quarterscale Tempest Mk.II, released in the Hi-Tech format and dubbed ‘The Last Radial RAF Fighter’. The Tempest Mk.II aeroplane belongs to the period just after WW2 when the last radial-engined fighter planes reached the limits of their performance. They were the very top of fighter planes of the time and in some respects outperformed even their jet counterparts. Along with the Eduard team, with whom this model kit has been prepared, we aimed for this model to become nothing less than the very best this category of models can offer. And let me say I am convinced we have succeeded in this goal. There is also one more new model to be released this month, the South-African Mirage F.1. The title of the kit has been chosen perhaps a bit controversial - ‘The South African Commie Killers’. But bear in mind please that in our country, the then Czechoslovakia, we had the chance to experience communism firsthand. And we do remember that this utopian ideology simply did not work at all. And now, if we compare the racist regime of South Africa, restricted just to the southern areas of Africa, with all the communist regimes, effort to export of the communist revolution to the world, then there is no wonder that South Africa simply had no other option than to try and stop the Cuban commie engagement in Angola. Unfortunately, various ex-KGB agents and people longing for old commie orders, are still trying to destabilize our country, Europe as well, and in fact, the whole world. Good example of this is the explosions of the ammo depots at Vrbětice and in Bulgaria. Well, you must forgive me this somewhat political editorial. The good news, however, is that neither the old communists nor their current successors did not manage to destroy our hobby and the production of the models. Basically, the communist economy taught Czech modellers how to improvise and help themselves because a lot of goods were simply not available. After the fall of communism, this handiness became the basis on which Special Hobby and other Czech modelling companies were built. And in case you dislike my slightly political editorials, just please do not read them and rather focus on what we have in common, the models we produce. 

A. Riedel 

SPECIAL HOBBY PLASTIC MODEL KITS

Tempest Mk.II ‘The Last RAF Radial Engine Fighter’

Art.no. Scale Barcode
100-SH48214 1/48 8594071087920

   The Tempest Mk.II was the last radial engine fighter aeroplane to have been introduced to service with the RAF. The type had been developed for the planned attack against Japan in the closing stages of the war. But using the atomic bombs by the Americans meant an end to those plans and the Tempest Mk.II was deployed in a couple of post-war era conflicts instead. Bearing RAF colours, it fought the China-backed Malayan communist insurgents in the 1950s. They also fought in the Indo-Pakistani wars.
   Our model of the Tempest Mk.II has been prepared in cooperation with Eduard. It contains eight styrene sprues including two clear parts sprues. The kit is topped up with a handful of resin items – resin undercarriage wheels, a partial replica of the engine with the covering panels, plus the necessary photo etches and painting masks. The decal sheet offers markings for five schemes – three as flown with the RAF, two of which are camouflaged and one in aluminium overall, then we have a Pakistani camouflaged machine and an Indian one in aluminium lacquer finish.
   

  • This version has never been kitted before in styrene format
  • Attractive paint schemes
  • Accessories already in the box
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Mirage F.1AZ/AC ‘The South African Commie Killers’

Art.no. Scale Barcode
100-SH72435 1/72 8594071088125

The Mirage F.1C came about as a private venture by the French Dassault company. The first flight of the Mirage F.1 took place on 23rd December 1966 and production aircraft entered service with the Armée de l´Air as the F.1C single-seater fighter  and F.1B two-seater trainer versions. During their service with France a number of these aircraft were upgraded by fitting of IFR probes which resulted in the designation F-1C-200. The Armée de l´Air also flew dedicated reconnaissance and a ground-attack versions of the MirageF.1 designated respectively as the F.1CR and CT, the latter being converted from the earlier F.1-200 airframes. A total of 246 Mirage F.1`s of all versions served with the French and the Mirage was also exported  successfully further afield. In Europe, Spanish and Greek militaries operated the type, in South America Mirage F.1`s were ordered by Ecuador (F.1JA and JE two seaters) for the Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana while in Africa and Asia the Mirage F.1 proved especially popular, serving with the air forces of Gabon, South Africa, Morocco, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar and Kuwait. Flying with these air forces this variant of the famous Mirage family saw combat action the world, including mock dogfights over the Aegean between Greek F.1`s and Turkish fighters,  French aircraft saw action over Chad, Libya, Afghanistan, Mali, Ivory Coast and even stood up against Iraqi Mirage F.1`s during the 1st Gulf War, Ecuadorian F.1`s were used in cross border skirmishes with Peru and South African Mirages also saw extensive action as a ground attack aircraft and fighter during the long Border War with Angola and Mozambique, often coming up against Cuban flown Soviet Mig 17, 21 and 23 jet fighters. Libyan F.1`s alo saw brief action during the Civil War of 2011 when several of them defecting to Malta. 
   The South Africa Air Force operated two versions of the Mirage, the F.1 AZ and F.1CZ, the former being a ground attack airframe fitted with a laser range finder, the latter a standard fighter version with the large Cyrano radar dish in the nose. In the 1980s, the South African Republic found itself engaged in a civil war in Angola as well as in a conflict in Namibia. The Mirage F1 of both versions did well in their respective roles during these wars, the most successful Mirage pilot being Maj. J.Rankin who, flying two different machines, scored two kills of Angolan MiG jets.
 

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SPECIAL MASK

P-40N/Kittyhawk Mk.IV Mask

Art.no. Scale Barcode
100-M72016 1/72 8594071088019

Pre-cut paint mask for Special Hobby P-40N/Kittyhawk Mk.IV kits.

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Fouga C.170 Magister Mask

Art.no. Scale Barcode
100-M72017 1/72 8594071088026

Pre-cut paint mask for Special Hobby Fouga C.170 Magister kits

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SIAI-Marchetti SF-260EA/D/EU ‘Late Bulged Canopy Type’ Mask

Art.no. Scale Barcode
100-M72023 1/72 8594071088163

Pre-cut paint mask for Special Hobby SH72433 kit and for all future  reboxings of the bulged canopy SF-260 kits

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RESIN KITS & SETS

OnePage

Junkers Ju 88A/C Life Boat

Art.no. Scale Barcode
129-7468 1/72 8595593128610

All versions of the Junkers Ju 88 twin engine bomber had the life boat fitted in the rear fuselage, ahead of the empennage, beneath a rectangular panel. Our resin cast set offers the raft compartment, the raft itself and the cover panel, too. Fits all versions of the Revell’s Ju 88.

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Westland Whirlwind Mk.I Wheels

Art.no. Scale Barcode
129-5135 1/32 8595593128634

Superbly detailed resin cast wheels which in fact are much better than those styrene ones in the Special Hobby‘s Westland Whirlwind Mk.I kit. The new wheels are weighed and unlike the styrene wheels, these come in one piece, so no glueing is necessary. The set also contains a new tail wheel.

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German Speed Boat Life Raft / Schnellboot Rettungsfloss

Art.no. Scale Barcode
129-N72037 1/72 8595593128566

This life raft set consists of resin parts accompanyied by a fret of photo etches. The raft itself offers much more detail than those styrene ones from Revell’s E-Boot and Schnellboot kits and is a rather straightforward replacement. The German fast boats were equipped with a special style of the life raft.

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German Kriegsmarine Life Raft / Rettungsfloss

Art.no. Scale Barcode
129-N72038 1/72 8595593128573

Set of a life raft, resin parts come along with a fret of etches. The raft was usually used on various Kriegsmarine vessels, from the smallest kutters to the heaviest battleships.

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15 cm TbtsK C/36 ‘WWII German Destroyer Gun’

Art.no. Scale Barcode
129-MV125 1/72 8595593128580

German naval gun in a standard style gun turret was originally developed as main armament of German destroyers and secondary armament of heavier vessels including the planned battle ships of the Kriegsmarine. Finely detailed resin cast parts come with a fret of etches.

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Zetor 15 ‘Czechoslovak Tractor’

Art.no. Scale Barcode
129-MV127 1/72 8595593128627

The Zetor 15 was the first farm tractor to be produced at Zbrojovka plant in Brno after WW2. The Zetors were delivered both to civil users and the military, in Czechoslovakia and abroad as well. The Czechoslovak army for example used Zetor 15 tractors for towing the military aircraft such as the MiG15 on airfields.

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