Pheon Update – 12 April 2015

[rowan broadbent]

Happy Third Anniversary, Des!

New things coming soon from Pheon......

1/32nd Scale Etched Brass

E32001 Details for the Felixstowe F.2A

Our first venture into etched parts production. Our aim is to only use photo etching to produce details which will suit the medium and which will improve the model’s scale appearance – no “brass for the sake of it”!

The Felixstowe parts comprise:

•   Internal details for the upper longeron frames, replacing the moulded on cable run on the starboard side and the framework strengthening/joining brackets on both sides.
•   New pilot’s electrical switch panel and separate switches
•   Six Norman vane foresights for the kit’s Lewis guns
•   Details to improve the bow-mounted Low Altitude Bombsight
•   Engine bearer strut brackets and fittings

After removing the various moulded-on details, the painted etched brackets and fittings are added to the wood finished frames and struts to give a crisp scale appearance – much easier and more satisfying than trying to pick out the moulded detail. The modeller will need to add his own fine wire cables to the tray on the starboard side of the cockpit, but this is simply done using 0.2mm lead wire or similar material.

The set, which includes a detailed instruction booklet, is priced at £10.75 plus P&P and can be pre-ordered from our website and should be available in the next couple of weeks. Photos of the etched parts in situ, coming soon.

1/32nd Scale Decals

32056 Hansa–Brandenburg W.12 (Early)

A set of three additional options for the early version of the H-B W.12, including Christiansen’s, of course:

Price will be £7.75  plus P&P. Pre-order on the website at reduced price of £6.20 plus P&P can be made until end of April 2015. The decals will be available at the end of May. In print now.

32053 Airco DH.9

10 alternative markings for the Wingnut Wings DH.9, including five from the Independent Air Force, one from Mesopotamia, the Armee de l’Air Museum survivor, the famous one with the blue arrow from the 1919 Russian action, one of Murphy’s Afghan “deal” and one from post WWI Poland (serial only – simple checker boards to be masked and painted).

The idea for this set was floated a while ago and we didn’t get a massive response but I’ve gone ahead with a strictly limited run – if for no other reasons that I have affection for the subject, a vague family connection with a DH9 pilot and RFC/RAF subjects haven’t been getting much love lately.

If you want a set I suggest that you reserve one via pre-order on the website. Price will be £13.75 plus P&P. Pre orders made before the end of April 2015 will get the set for  £11.00, plus P&P. The decals will be available at the end of May. In print now.



32057 & 32058 Two Limited Edition 1/32nd scale decal sets for the Felixstowe F2A (Early version)

32057L and 32058L are markings for two colourful early type Felixstowe F.2A flyingboats, as in Wingnuts kit 32050 and the “Duellists” boxing, 32801.

32057L includes double-printed white diamonds which will give the effect of blue “Saltire” crosses, when applied to a blue-painted model – the double printing ensuring full opacity for the white diamonds. Also included in this set are a pair of brass-etched arms for the semaphore signalling device carried by N4300 of 230 Sqn., together with black or red stripe decals to be applied to the arms.

32058L comprises an extensive selection of red decals to be applied over a white-painted hull. As with 32057L, they are carefully tailored to exactly fit the kit’s contours and will result in a stunning model of the 228 Sqn. original from 1918.

These two sets are being produced in a numbered limited edition series and will never be re-printed.

Both come with the usual full colour side and plan views and a detailed booklet with full instructions for applying the decals and which kit part options to use (where known).

They are being offered exclusively to existing customers for the next two weeks, thereafter any remaining sets will be available to pre-order on the website. The decals will be available during June, both priced at £12.50 plus P&P. [/size]


Amendments and improvements:

•   In  Bruno Schmälling’s excellent Jasta 30 history he revealed that Otto Fuch’s cockerel in his fox and cockerel motif was red, not black. We have this correctly portrayed in the latest Jasta 30 decals but earlier we had produced decals for his Jasta 77b Albatros D.Va, included in Albatros  sets in all three scale; 72013, 48019 and 32011 in which the cockerel was black. Reprinted decals with a red cockerel in all three scales will be available at the end of May and a note will go up on the website when they are ready. Please let us know via the website link if you have previously purchased the set and want these updated decals. The decals are free, but postage will be charged at cost, unless you are ordering something else at the same time.

•   James Fahey revealed a printing defect in his review of the 48th scale Siemens Schuckert D.III decals (48037) on the “Fritzel” name. This is being reprinted at the same time as the cockerel above and will be sent post free to anyone who has already bought the set and included in the set for new orders. Please notify us, via the website link, if you want these.

Better definition profiles on the website:

http://www.pheondecals.com/

[drdave]

Ooh lovely. Can I ask if you are still planning the Felixstowe with curlicues? If not I'll get one of these

[radio]

Hello Rowan
Come everything new in 1/48scale ?
Martin

[rowan broadbent]

Ooh lovely. Can I ask if you are still planning the Felixstowe with curlicues? If not I'll get one of these

Hello Dave,  I decided that I could only manage to do two sets and as the "curly" one had the worst references (a single blurred in-flight photo) and the greatest likely controversy over the scheme, I went with these two. If there is sufficient demand I might do a "Late" F2A scheme - probably a red/white chequer board. I haven't asked him, but Jon McIlmury did the Curly job in 72nd scale, so perhaps he will consider doing it in 32nd - but probably not as he seems well occupied with Junkers 88s!

Hello Rowan
Come everything new in 1/48scale ?
Martin

Martin, in 48th scale I am currently putting together a single set for the Hanriot in Italian service and I'll announce more on that here very soon. Due to uncertainty about the 1/48th scale market and a recent severe price increase from our printers, this will only go ahead if I can get sufficient pre-orders before going to print.

[Des]

Thank you for your kind thoughts Rowan, three years seems soooo long.

Congratulations on your new products, I'm sure that they are going to prove very popular.

Des.

[radio]

Thank you for your answere, Rowan.
Martin

[uncletony]

Great stuff Rowan!

All of it looks brilliant.

Wondering if the PE German oxygen set will see the light of day?

[rolanddvi]

Rowan,

I am definitely in for a set of the Hanriot markings!!

Mike

[eclarson]

Love the red-diamond Felixstowe markings!  Just submitted a pre-order reservation. 

Oh, and I want to pre-order the Felixstowe etched brass detail set but even though it says "Pre-order Now", I can't seem to do so.

Cheers,
Eric

[WarrenD]

Rowan,
           This is great news, I'm happy for the 1/32nd and 1/48th guys. I'll definitely pick up 72013 in May when you get the new red foxes in!

Warren

[Eric Armstrong]

I just placed an order, Rowan.  Great news.

I just read your comments regarding affection for the Airco DH-9.  I am glad you feel that way.  I have interest in the subject, too and am glad you are committed to a release of this subject.

[PrzemoL]

Great news, Rowan! I am glad you addressed the newest releases from WNW. And even though it is already too late for me to get interested in buying your aftermarket sets for Felixstowe, I placed a pre-order for W.12 decals. Especially that one with red-white checkboard is interesting for me.

I am also very happy to see your continued commitment to Polish subjects. I hope there will be more Polish DH.9 models seen around. The simple checkboards without rim can indeed be simply masked, while the serial H5721 is a welcome addition.
Yet, if it is not too late, please correct the side colour drawing for it. That example had a different layout of linen/wooden side panels in the rear fuselage with the wooden panel reaching further forward - a modification is also necessary to the WNW model here, you might also point it out in the instruction manual. Also, it was most probably armed with a retrofitted German Parabellum gun, not a Lewis.

I am very happy to learn about your continued input into our hobby! 

[rowan broadbent]

I just placed an order, Rowan.  Great news.

I just read your comments regarding affection for the Airco DH-9.  I am glad you feel that way.  I have interest in the subject, too and am glad you are committed to a release of this subject.

Thanks Eric, for your tremendous support, as always. There's something about the look of the DH9 that has always appealed and the history of the heroic crews of Trenchard's Independent AF demands particular respect. I hope that these go better than the RE8 decals. I know all about the "boring PC10" argument but I think it allows the character of the individual aircraft to come through and I've always been a fan of the resolutely "uncool"!! Anyway, there are enough different markings here to attract the anti-PC10 crowd as well, perhaps.

Great news, Rowan! I am glad you addressed the newest releases from WNW. And even though it is already too late for me to get interested in buying your aftermarket sets for Felixstowe, I placed a pre-order for W.12 decals. Especially that one with red-white checkboard is interesting for me.

I am also very happy to see your continued commitment to Polish subjects. I hope there will be more Polish DH.9 models seen around. The simple checkboards without rim can indeed be simply masked, while the serial H5721 is a welcome addition.
Yet, if it is not too late, please correct the side colour drawing for it. That example had a different layout of linen/wooden side panels in the rear fuselage with the wooden panel reaching further forward - a modification is also necessary to the WNW model here, you might also point it out in the instruction manual. Also, it was most probably armed with a retrofitted German Parabellum gun, not a Lewis.

I am very happy to learn about your continued input into our hobby! 

Thanks for the positive encouragement but especially for the info on the Polish DH9, certainly not too late - perhaps you could drop me an email with some specifics (or photos)? and I'll adjust the drawings as required and make sure the changes are noted in the booklet. Would the pilot's gun have been a vickers or a Spandau? Love the idea of a Parabellum for the observer. Many thanks for your input, as always. By the way, the chequerboard W.12 will need bulged pilot's cockpit doors (see the Datafile).

Rowan

[PrzemoL]

Thanks, Rowan for the additional info on the W.12 1414. I have just sent the answer on DH.9 H5721 to your emailbox.
I am sorry, but I do not have jpg-formatted photos to show here but anybody interested in them can get a pdf-copy of my modeller's documentation where the photos are included. And you can see how it looks in the model in my another thread:
http://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=3452.0

[eclarson]

Love the red-diamond Felixstowe markings!  Just submitted a pre-order reservation. 

Oh, and I want to pre-order the Felixstowe etched brass detail set but even though it says "Pre-order Now", I can't seem to do so.

Cheers,
Eric

Just an update on my last line.  I was able to place a pre-order for the Felix brass set this morning.  Cool!   

Eric