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The monthly newsletterof IPMS, New Zealand.Auckland Branch

february

2012

EDITOR Craig Sargent (09)418 3934craig.sargent@xtra.co.nz

ADDRESS• Postal-C/-Kevin Benson 87PointEnglandRoad,PointEngland, auckland1072

• EMaIl-ipmsauckland@gmail.com • WEB-ipmsauckland.hobbyvista.com

• YaHoo- groups.yahoo.com/group/ipmsauckland

• Members John Watkins Brett Sharman Henry Ludlam Mike Rather

CoMMIttEE• Chairman Martin Short

• treasurer Kevin Benson

IntHIsIssuE

•FromtheEditor 1•UpcomingEvents 2•Build 4 Platz1/72MQ-1BPredator By Craig Sargent•Review 9 Revell1/48LockheedPV-1Ventura by Pete Mossong•Review 11 BalkanModels1/72BalkanHueys by Mark Davies•Stash‘nStuff 12•Onthetable 13•Signoff 16

nExtMEEtIngBringalonganythingyouhaveplannedtobuildthisyear.

tuesday21thFebruary-7.30pmleysInstitute(upstairs)20saintMarysRoad,Ponsonby

FrogsforFebruaryCompetition

FirstoffgreattoseesuchafantasticturnoutofmodelsattheJanuaryclubnight–everyonedidverywell!greattoseethatyouwerenotidleoverthebreak. thecommitteehasmet,andthe2012agendaset,withhopefullyaswideanappealaspossible.Februaryisthefinishofthe“FrogsforFebruary”build,andIknowofsomeveryinterestingkitsthatshould

makeittoclubnight.alsoaspartofthedisplay,wewouldaskthatyoubringalongyourbuiltFrogkitstoaddtothenostaligia. WouldpeopleenteringtheFrogsforFebruarycompetition,pleaseplaceyourmodelsintheareasdesignedinthetableplanbelow,andprintoutandcompletetheentryformaswellifpossible.Youwillbeissuedanentrynumberonthenight.

tHECHaIRMan’sBIt

Entrant: (Entrynumber)

Model:

showandtell showandtell

FrogsModelDisplay

showandtell showandtell

lastly,thereisjustoveronemonthtogountiltheagM.timetoputyourthinkingcapsonandseewhatyoucandotohelpruntheClubfor2012-2013. seeyouontuesdaynight,Martin

uPCoMIngEVEntsFebruary:“FrogsforFebruary”:BringalonganyFrogbranded(orreboxed/leased mould releases e.g. Novo,someHasegawaorEasternExpress).FinalnightforthechallengeproposedbyDimitriandPeterHarrison,middleoflastyear.Alsoforabitofnostalgia,agoodchancetodustoffthoseoldFrogkitsbuiltmany years ago and bring them along.

March:AGM.Incomingcommitteewillneedtostartplanningandpreparationsfor2013Nationals.

april:Quiznight

May: Modelling Sea Bases

June:ModelPhotography

July:Buy,Sell,Swap,

august:“AirfixforAugust”:FollowonfromFebFrog.BringalonganyAirfixkitbuiltand/orfinishedin2012formembers’vote

september:Demonstration:Making scale nav lights and vents

october: Build The Same... Night:RNZAF75thAnniversary.AlsoincludesNZPAF,allRNZAFsquadronsandNZdesignatedSquadronswithintheRAF.

november:Demonstration:Aerialwiresandrigging.

December:Sci-Figroupbuildcompetition,and“2012build”ClosedClubcompetition.ThemebuildforDecember2012announcedatJanuaryclubnight:Sci-Fi.Sci-fiwasclarifiedas anything relating to Science Fiction,eg;TVseriesormovies,or

yourownimagination,butdoesn’tincludeLuftwaffe46,whatif’s(regularplanesin‘other’markings!).SoStarTrek,StarWars,Babylon5,Firefly,virtuallyanyGerryAndersonseries,DrWho,LostinSpace,BattlestarGalacticaetc,allqualify..asdoesGundamandotherweirdJapaneseSci-fiandmecha…orsomeassemblyofbitsfromyoursparesbox…yougettheidea ForanybodythatisinterestedhereisalistofFrog/Hasegawareleasesthatwillhopefullyexplainsimilaritiesbetweenthevariousboxingsstilloutthere. Frog/Hasegawareleases1968-1973.Scale1/72unlessotherwisenoted,listingbyFrogreference.

aircraft: LTVCorsairIIF2601968-1973Hasegawamouldings NorthropF-5AFreedomFighterF2611968-1970Hasegawamouldings McDonnellDouglasF-4K/MPhantomIIF2621968-1974HasegawamouldingsF2621974-1977FrogmouldingscopiedfromHasegawa,someminordifferences MiG-21FF2631968-1973Hasegawamouldings,firstbatchinnon-standardsizeFrogboxestoaccommodate larger runners, second batchhadtoolingmodifiedwithsmallerrunnerstofitstandardbox SAABAJ37ViggenPrototypeF2641969-1973Hasegawamouldings NorthAmericanOV-10BroncoF2651968-1972Hasegawamouldings

BACLightningF6/F53F2661968-1974HasegawamouldingsF2661975-1977FrogmouldingscopiedfromHasegawa NorthAmericanF-86FSabreF2671968-1970Hasegawamouldings,spuriouslysoldasa‘CanadairSabre’ LockheedF-104G/AeritaliaF-104S/CanadairCF-104StarfighterF2681968-1973Hasegawamouldings,firstbatchinnon-standardsizeFrogboxestoaccommodate larger runners, second batchhadtoolingmodifiedwithsmallerrunnerstofitstandardbox RepublicF105DThunderchiefF2691968-1973Hasegawamouldings GrummanOV-1BMohawkF2701969-1972Hasegawamouldings McDonnellDouglasA4H/KSkyhawkF2711970-1974Hasegawamouldings GrummanA-6AIntruderF2721969-1972Hasegawamouldings HawkerSiddeleyHarrierGR1F2731970-1974HasegawamouldingsF2731976-1977FrogmouldingscopiedfromHasegawa,someminordifferences NakajimaG8N1RenzanF2741968-1972Hasegawamouldings NorthAmericanRA-5CVigilanteF2751969-1971Hasegawamouldings KawanishiH8K2EmilyF2761969-1971Hasegawamouldings BoeingB-47EStratojetF2771969-1971Hasegawamouldings NorthAmericanF100DSuperSabreF2801970-1974Hasegawamouldings

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GrummanF6F-3/5Hellcat(1/32)F2811973-1974Hasegawamouldings McDonnellRF101CVoodooF2821970-1972Hasegawamouldings LockheedP2V-7S(SP-2H)NeptuneF2841973Hasegawamouldings ConvairF102ADeltaDaggerF2861970-1972Hasegawamouldings MitsubishiA6M5a/b/c(1/32)F2871972-1974HasegawamouldingsMesserschmittBf109E(1/32)F2881972-1974Hasegawamouldings MesserschmittMe262(1/32)F2891972-1974Hasegawamouldings

ships: SportFishingCruiser(1/35approx.)F1311970-1972HasegawamouldingsUSSMissouri(1/455)F1321971-1974Hasegawamouldings DKMBismarck/Tirpitz(1/435)F1331971-1974Hasegawamouldings(Bismarck)F1341971-1973Hasegawamouldings(Tirpitz) HMSVanguard(1/445)F1361970-1973Hasegawamouldings

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Platz 1/72 MQ-1B Predator By Craig Sargent

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BuIlD

BackgroundThePredatorsystemwasdesignedinresponsetoaUSDepartmentofDefencerequirementtoprovideanunmanned intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance platform.InApril1996,thesecretaryofdefenceselectedtheUSAFastheoperatingservicefortheRQ-1Predatorsystem.The“R”istheDepartmentofDefencedesignationforreconnaissanceaircraft,the“M”istheDODdesignationformulti-role,and“Q”designatesanunmannedaircraftsystem.The“1”referstotheaircraftbeingthefirstoftheseriesofremotelypilotedaircraftsystems.Achangeindesignationfrom“RQ-1”to“MQ-1”occurredin2002withtheadditionoftheAGM-114Hellfiremissiles,enablingengagementoftargets TheMQ-1Predatorisanarmed,multi-mission,medium-altitude,longenduranceremotelypilotedaircraftthatisusedasakiller/scout.Givenitssignificantloitertime,wide-rangesensors, advanced communications suite,andprecisionweapons,itprovidesauniquecapabilitytofind,assess,fix,track,targetandengagehighvalue,brieflyavailable,andtime sensitive targets. Predators canalsoperformintelligence/

surveillance/reconnaissance(ISR),closeairsupport(CAS),combatsearchandrescue(CSAR),precisionstrike,buddy-lasing,convoyandraidmonitoring/escort, route clearance, targetdevelopment,andterminalairguidance.

operationThePredatorispartofanUnmannedAircraftSystem(UAS).AfullyoperationalUASconsistsoffoursensor/weaponequippedaircraft,agroundcontrolstation(GCS),a Predator Primary Satellite Link (PPSL),andspares,alongwithoperationsandmaintenancecrewsforcontinuous,remote24-houroperations.ThebasiccrewforthePredatorisaratedpilottocontroltheaircraftandcommandthemission,andanenlistedaircrewmembertooperatesensorsandweapons.ThecrewcontrolstheaircraftfrominsidetheGCSviasatellitedatalink. TheMQ-1BPredatorcarriesaninfraredsensor,acolour/monochrome daylight TV camera, an enhanced image TV camera, a laser designator and a laser illuminator in the under nose sensor turret. The fullmotionvideofromeachoftheseimagingsensorscanbeviewedasseparatevideostreamsorcombined.

Theaircraftcanalsocarrytwolaser-guidedAGM-114Hellfiremissilesforveryaccurateanti-armourandanti-personnelcapability. ThePredatoraircraftcanbedisassembled and loaded into a containerfortravel.Thegroundcontrol system and PPSL are transportableinaC-130Hercules(orlarger)transportaircraft.ThePredatorcanoperateon1,524mx23mhardsurface.TheprimarymethodofoperationemploysalaunchandrecoveryGCSfortakeoffandlandingoperationsattheforwardoperatinglocation,whiletheContinentalUS-basedcrewcarriesoutcommandandcontroloftheremainderofthemission.Poweredby a Rotax engine and driven by a propeller,theairvehiclecanflyupto 400 nautical miles (740 km) to a target,loiteroverheadfor14hours,then return to its base.

BuildingtheMQ-1BPlatzhasnowreleasedtheirdiminutive1/72Predatorin3versions:theRQ-1,theMQ-1AandtheMQ-1B.IbuilttheearlyunarmedRQ-1releasewhenitfirstcameoutmanyyearsago,andwhenPlatzreleasedtheMQ-1A,decidedIneededtobuilditinthearmed

configurationasacontrastwiththeearlyairframe.Overtheinterveningyears,theMQ-1AwentthroughmanychangesupuntilthefinalonerolledofftheassemblylineonMarch3,2011,inaceremonyatGeneralAtomics’flightoperationsfacility.IdecidedthatIwouldconverttheMQ-

1Aandbuilditintheconfigurationofoneofthelastonesbuilt. Thekitcomesontwospruesofgrey styrene and has a reasonable partscountforsuchasimpledesign.ThismodelstartedoutastheMQ-1Aboxing,soprovidedsomeofthe necessary changes such as the

revisedsensorturretandtheHellfiremissilesandpylons.TocompletethemodelinthefinalMQ-1Bconfigurationanumberoffurtherchangeswereneeded,aswellasenhancementstothebasickitparts. Oneofthemostnoticeablechangeswasthenotchesinthetailplanes

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whichwereapparentlytoresolvessomeissuesaroundweaponsdelivery.Theseweremeasuredoffphotosanddrawingsandtheappropriatesectionsremovedandsandedtoanairfoilshape.Thenextchangewasa3mmextensiontoeachwingtipfromstyrenesheetbutt-joinedtothewingtipsandsandedtoshape.Twonewintakeswerefashionedfromsprue,andtheendsdrilledout,beforeattachingtothetopoftheenginehousing.Anumberofsmallerantennaeandinfra-redcountermeasurenodes

wereaddedfrompiecesofstyrene,andapieceofstretchedsprueaddedtothetopofthemaincommsantennaasperphotos.Finally,twodiscsofcardwerepunchedusingaWaldronpunch-and-diesetforthedualcamerawindowsonthenoseofthelate-blockPredators,andallofthelateBlockupdateswerecompleted. AllthatremainedwassomedetailingandcorrectionswhichIalsocarriedoutonmyfirstRQ-1Amodel.Thepropellerbladesaretooanaemic,so

Ireplacedthemwithsomefromthesparesbox,appropriatelyshapedandcuttosize.Thenosesensorwasreplacedwithsomecopperwire,andasmallwindsensoraddedtothefrontwithsomepunchedplasticarddiscsandasmallphoto-etchoff-cutforthewindvane.Apairofunderwingpitottubeswerealsoscratchbuilttoreplacetheoverscalekit ones. Theaircraftwaspaintedgrey,glossedandthendecalsapplied.Iwasabletousethekitdecals

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formostofthemarkings,buttheaircrewnameshadtobecustomprinted,andthelatestCreechAFBtailstripeswerequitecomplexandnotavailableinthekit.Iendedupmaskingandpaintingthe3mainstripecolours–lightbluefirst,thenthedarkbluesegments,andfinallythethinrededgestripes.IthenusedsomecustomALPSdecalsforthefineblackcheckswhichwentoverthetopofthetwoblues.Thedetailpaintingwasthenfinished,before

thewholeaircraftwasglossedandgivenanoilwash.Amattvarnishfinishedoffthepaintingbeforethenavigationlightswereaddedfromsomeshapedandpaintedclearsprue. WiththetwofinishedPredatorkitssidebyside,thedifferencesbetweentheearlyreconnaissanceonlyRQ-1andthelaterarmedvariantMQ-1Barequitenoticeable.Thiswasanenjoyable build, although it took me

afewyearsbetweengettingthepaintdoneandgettingthedecalson. The only real issue is that there aresomanyfineandfragilepartsonthe kit, it is hard not to be constantly havingtorepairsomething.Withtwofinished,myPredatorbuildsaredone.PerhapstimeforaReaperorPlatz’snew“BeastofKandahar”UAVreleaseasafollowup.

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Revell1/48lockheedPV-1VenturabyPeteMossong

REVIEW

ReceivedcqwourtesyofDamonEdwardsandE-Bay

Finally,wehaveabuildable1/48scaleinjectionmouldedkitoftheVentura,thankstoRevellUSA.BillKosterhadproducedabeautifullydonemulti-mediakit,andFonderieMiniatures(FM)inFrancehadproducedone(allegedlyJUSTbuildable)butforthe‘joe-average’modeller,thesehavenowbothbeen

wellandtrulysuperseded,andataverygoodpricetoboot!

Mouldedinamid-greyplastic,andmouldedinKorea(proudlyengravedontheexternalsurfaceofonelowertail-plane!Tsktsk)thelargeboxcontainsthemakingsofthestandardmidtolateproductionPV-1withthe solid radar nose as used by the USNavy,USMarines,RAAF,RNZAF,SAAFandothers.Otherthanthe

decaloptions(twoUSNandoneRCAF)theonlyoptiongivenwiththekitistheundernose‘gunpack’,ortheclearbomberspanel.Theaveragemodeller(probably95%)willbeabletomakeaverynicereplicastraightfromthebox,butthoseamongstusthatpreferanaccurateaspossiblereplicawillhaveabitofworktodo.

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It’sobviousthatthePaulMattdrawingswereusedintheproductionofthemasters,asthekitmatchesthesedrawingsalmostexactly in most areas other than thefuselagecrosssectionsandthetailfinandrudderdimensions!I’veattachedadrawingtoshowjustthe nose area at the station just forwardofthecockpitwherethekit’snosesectionisjoined.Thewell-discussedskinnypropsalsoshowupagainstthoseinthedrawings-now

rectifiedbysetsfromMikeWestatLone Star, and the guys at Vector whohavealsodoneengine‘noses’withthecorrectmagnetosandthemissingpropgovernors.Thewheelsareprettybasic,andIunderstandtherearesetsunderway,alongwith‘corrected’cowlsfromseveralotherresin casters such as Lone Star, Vector,Mastercasters,etc.–thiskitiskeepingthe‘cottageindustry‘aliveatpresent!Oneotheromissionaretheverylargeinternalfueltanksin

the centre cabin just behind the main spar.Thisareacanbeseenthroughthefuselagewindows!Ifoneistoopenupthefuselagedoor,arearfloorsection,andinternalstructurewillalsoneedtobeadded.

OverallaveryniceeffortandRevellaretobecommendedforfinallygettingthisout,andprovidingagoodbasic‘canvas’toworkwithataunbelievableprice!

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REVIEW

Contents&MediaWaterslidedecalswithcolours&markings guide.

FirstlookThesearethefirstBalkanModelsdecalsIhavereviewedthatarenotmarkingsfortheformerYugoslavia’sairforce.Insteadtheycoversixsubjectsfromvariousnationsthatemergedfollowingitsbreakup,thesebeing:· Bell212SerbianPolice,· BellUH-1HBosnian&Croat FederationAirForce,· Bell412SlovenianAirForce,· Bell212CroatianPolice,· Bell212MacedonianPolice,and· BellUH-1DMacedonianAirforce.

theDecalsThedecalsaresuppliedinanA-5plasticzip-lockbagalongwithasinglefoldoutsheetthatprovideseightA-5sizedglossycolourpages.Eachofthesixsubjectsiscoveredbyacoloured4-viewpainting&markings guide that details each helicopter’sunitandthelocationthatitservedfrom.Theseguidesarevery

nicelyproduced,andclearlyindicatedecallocations.Paintcoloursatfirstappeartobegenericallydescribed,butwhenthecolourkeyisrelatedtothepaintchartonthelastpageoftheinstructionstheyarecross-referencedtoFS-595&RALcodes,aswellasamosthelpfullistingofpaintnumbersforthefollowingbrands:· Revell· Humbrol· Model Master· Tamiya· Vallejo MC· VallejoAC

Thedecalslookwellprintedwithgood colour density and registration.

ConclusionThesedecalsshouldappealtomodelersofsmallorobscureairforcesandpoliceservices,andofcourse those interested in the Balkan nationscovered.Theproductandpresentationisverygood,withaverythoroughcross-referencingofcolourstopaintsystemsandbrandranges-Definitelyrecommended.ThankstoBalkanModelsforthereviewsample.

Balkan Models 1/72 Balkan Hueys by Mark Davies

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stash‘n’stuffneedtoBuY,sEllorsWaPstuff?Placeanadforit.SendCraigyourmessageandhe’lldropitinhereforyou.Askforwhatyouwant,includeyourname,contactphonenumber,emailaddressandaphotoifithelps.Emailyourmessageto;

vmfa451@xtra.co.nz

Forsale Modelpaintstash.Approx80xpotsor more.

$100.00

contact:Graemergmanson@hotmail.comMob:021901879

Forsale Displayunit.Whitefinishwithglassshelving.Qualitydispalyunit.

$400.00

Contact:Graemergmanson@hotmail.comMob:021901879

ontHEtaBlE

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gallERY

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sIgnoFF

1917FokkerDr1triplane