Author Topic: Air Modeller's Guide to Wingnut Wings Vol 1  (Read 1702 times)

Offline Jamo

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Air Modeller's Guide to Wingnut Wings Vol 1
« on: July 02, 2013, 06:45:56 PM »
AIR Modeller’s Guide to Wingnut Wings Volume 1

Reviewed by James Fahey




Wingnut Wings needs no introduction on this forum. They set a very high standard with their research, documentation, design philosophy, moulding detail and quality when the first four kits came out in April 2009. Now, nearly 30 kits later, many modellers have been drawn into WWI subjects from other periods to enjoy the Wingnut Wings ‘experience’. This book is partly a celebration of the pleasure in building the kits and also a valuable reference for modellers who want to improve their skills in some techniques that are not commonly used outside WWI. It is the fourth book from the publishers of the highly regarded AFV Modeller and AIR Modeller magazines.



Soft cover, A4 format, 112 Pages, RRP £19.50. Every page is printed in colour and there is almost no advertising.

Seven kits are featured:

Hansa Brandenburg W.29 by Daniel Suarez, 18 pages.



I liked the subtle definition of the rib tapes, they are there but by no means obvious. Also the weathering on the floats and the engine panels was very effective. I found the interior wood grain was a bit too stylised for my taste. Note that Hansa Brandenburg floatplanes were typically fitted with the obsolete LMG 08 Spandau which lacked the muzzle booster and conical flash eliminator found on the more common MG08/15 Spandau. Wingnut Wings got this correct in the kit but the author of this article replaced the kit parts with incorrect after-market parts.



SE5a Hisso by Richard Camoin, 12 pages.



The kit is finished as B603 from a UK-based training squadron, so boasts more personal markings than seen on Western Front service. The modeller replaced the kit seatbelts with a Sutton harness from the Eduard PE set which is more correct for a post-war aircraft.



Roland D.IVa by Emmanuel Pernes, 12 pages.



A relatively ‘clean’ finish with simplified representation of turnbuckles. I liked the tips for the saw-tooth joints of the wood strips on the fuselage - easy and effective.

RE8 by Jose Maria Martinez Fernandez, 16 pages.



The modeller has stripped back the linen covering on the RE8 fuselage to reveal all the gorgeous interior detailing provided in the kit. This is not as straight forward as it may sound, as the thickness of the fuselage sides in relation to the size of the interior pieces has to be addressed. Brilliantly done and very inspirational. Some of the detail photos are unforgivingly close but the quality of the build does not falter. A simplified form of turnbuckles was used which will appeal to some modellers who may be daunted by this part of the rigging. Use of tonal changes on the PC10 was fully explained, but I don’t think many modellers will opt for hand painting roundels. Kit PE seatbelts are replaced with lead foil and HGW buckles.





Albatros D.Va by David Parker, 14 pages



Hand-painted nail heads were very effective on this build, and I liked the restrained rib tape definition which is often seen over done. The plywood finish looks very realistic, very subtle and with a lovely pale straw colour. Replacement PE inspection ports from HGW were fitted.



Sopwith Pup by John Korellis, 8 pages



The exhaust staining on this war-worn Pup looked very convincing. Wood graining acrylic paints used by the modeller are all called out. The realistic finish of the PC10 was all explained with the idea that uniformity of colour is to be avoided at all costs (which causes a ‘toy’ look). A few minor fit issues are pointed out, with simple fixes.

Gotha G.IV by David Parker, 22 pages.



The markings used in this build are not typical of the great bulk of Gotha G.IV aircraft which were either an overall pale blue or wide bands of purple and green camouflage, but is certainly eye-catching. This is a massive build and each step is superbly illustrated. I particularly liked the weathering of the PuW bombs, the replacement of the bomb straps and detailing of the bomb racks. David discussed a number of areas where greater care is required in the build, all very useful. The careful shading of the rib tapes is very effective and subtly done.



Tips & Hints
Rigging, 4 pages covering turnbuckles and rigging materials such as monofilament, elastic thread and photoetched wires.



Wood Grain 4 pages. Three techniques are covered: dragged oils, hand graining and wood grain decals. Again, clear step by step instructions very nicely illustrated.

After-market suppliers 1 page
The list is not an exhaustive listing of after-market suppliers offering items for 1/32 scale WWI models. Some others that also deserve a mention include:
Figures: Model Design Construction, Kellerkind Miniatures, PJ Productions, Brian Fawcett Models & Patterns
Decals: Lifelike Decals, FCM, Old Propeller, Aviattic
Replacement Parts: Barracuda Studios, Doug Craner’s handcarved wooden propellers, Steven Robson’s Spoked Wheel Shop

What I Liked:
•   Eye candy! The photography is truly excellent with large bright images and lots of detail shots. The impact of top class photography is generate enthusiasm, something many modellers need to get their builds finished.
•   Excellent tips and techniques explained in detail that will help modellers build more realistic models. This will in turn increase the satisfaction gained from our hobby.
•   The production quality of the magazine is top notch in terms of paper and binding. Very nice.
•   Coverage of each model is thorough. It is not a ‘once over lightly’ that leaves you unsatisfied
•   No prescriptive approach. Each modeller had slightly different methods to some of the key issues such as painting propellers, seatbelts, rib tape definition, mud and exhaust weathering. The book leaves the reader with a range of finishes to use and adapt for themselves.

On the downside, many of the techniques outlined can be found online in forums and also on Wingnut Wings website. The book is not inexpensive but I believe the production quality makes up for this.  Note the book does not include any historical photos or drawings (there are plenty provided in the kit instructions and on the Wingnut Wings website).

Conclusion
The book is pitched at those modellers who have been attracted to Wing Wings kits but who may feel their skills are not sufficiently developed to make the most of the superb kits. There are plenty of tips and techniques presented for modellers to choose from. Overall, it is a beautifully presented book with superb builds of seven Wingnut Wings kits.

Availability
Available from the publisher and also from many retailers. I found these listings in a brief online search: Wingnut Wings are selling the book from their website for US$35 international postage included. Roll Models have it for US$34.00 excluding postage. Hannants in the UK have it for £19.50

The publisher’s website notes that a digital version of the book will be available shortly through the Apple app store for iPhones and iPads.

Thank you to AFV Modeller for supplying the book for this review
« Last Edit: July 02, 2013, 08:44:48 PM by Jamo »
Happy Modelling
James Fahey

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