Trumpeter TU07203

Military Illustrated Modeller: Issue 144 4 NEWS Military scale-modelling news 8 THE MOST IMPORTANT TANK OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR? MiniArt's latest T-34/85, previewed 10 SHOWTIME IN SHIZUOKA, PART 2 MIM takes a look at the new armour models shown at the 61st Shizuoka Hobby Show 18 MULTI LAUNCH ROCKET SYSTEM: THE MIGHTY 9K57 URAGAN Zack Sex and Arthuras Skyrius tackle the Trumpeter 1:35 BM-27 Uragan 26 FOR YOU, THE WAR IS OVER German prisoners of war on the deck of a US ship Cover story 28 MODELLING THE MEAN STREETS A detailed 'how to' on the creation of realistic burnt-out effects 38 UNTERNEHMEN SONNENWENDE: EAST PRUSSIA AND POMERANIA, 1945 A small but effective diorama depicting Operation Sonnenwende 1945 in 1:35 46 SKYCRANE FROM UKRAINE ICM'S astonishing 1:35 Sikorsky CH-54A Tarhe heavy lift helicopter, previewed 48 US M113A1 ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIER Detailed modelling references of the M113A1 APC 58 FORMER OWNDER VACATED, NO UPPER CHAIN! A fascinating and well known post-D-Day photograph 60 ORDNANCE DEPOT New and recent accessory sets and modelling materials 62 BOOK REVIEWS Military modelling-related book reviews 66 SIGN OFF A PoW comes ashore

More

Dornier Do-217K & Do-217M 1. Dornier Do-217K-0 Unit/Location: Testbed for Torpedo-bombing, Gothenhafen-Hexengrund, Germany April 1943. Code: RD+JF. Werknummer: 4407. Background: This plane was used extensively for Torpedo-dropping and was the test-bed for the never to be realized M-2 Torpedo-Bomber variant. It was decided, that the Ju 88 is more suiteable for the job. 2. Dornier Do-217K-1 Unit/Location: Stab KG 2, Soesterberg/Holland, May 1943. Code: U5+AA, Werknummer: 4415. Background: Walter Bradel, the former CO of II./KG 2 took over KG 2 on 01.05.1943. In his first sharp bombing raid of the Geschwader in the night of 04./05.05.1943 Bradel and his crew took part in this plane on the attack on Norwich. On their way back they were attacked by a Mosquito night fighter and both motors badly damaged. The pilot, Lt. Ernst Andress made an emergency landing near Amsterdam. He and another crew member were injured, but bomb aimer Werner Becker and Bradel were killed. Bradel only, because he was not strapped! Bradel was a highly experienced officer who earned the Ehrenpokal and the Knights Cross before, when he led II./KG 2 for years and therefore was a heavy loss. 3. Dornier Do-217K-1 Unit/Location: III./KG 2, Gilze-Rijen/Holland, August/September 1943. Code: (U5)+A(D), Werknummer: unknown. Background: This plane first had a very similar appearance as the U5+AA, but the mounting bombing attacks towards the British Islands over the summer of 1943 led to a toning down of the national and individual markings, so that only the individual green "A" was left on the fuselage sides. This plane was flown by Albert Schreiweis, who led III./KG 2 as CO from 14.08.1943 until it's disbandment 1945 to survive the war. Schreiweis earned the Ehrenpokal and the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold for his efforts. 4. Dornier Do-217K-2 Unit/Location: 9./KG 100, Istres/France, Summer-Autumn 1943. Code: (6N)+H(T), Werknummer: unknown. Background: This was one of the 11 Do 217 K-2 who went after the Italian Fleet on 09.09.1943 that possibly were on their way to Malta. They damaged some defecting Vessels with the then brand new and unknown "Fritz X" guided bombs and to sink the Battleship Roma in this action. 5. Dornier Do-217M-1 Unit/Location: 2./KG 2, Hesepe/Germany, 23./24.02.1944. Code: U5+DK, Werknummer: 56051. Background: When "Operation Steinbock" was launched, KG 2 was heavily involved in bombing raids towards the British islands between January and April 1944. Hermann Stemann and his crew took part in a raid to London in the night 23./24.02.1944. This plane carried one AB 1000 and two AB 500 bombs and was flying through heavy Flak over London when Stemann thought their plane was hit, all crew bailed out in the Wembley area to become POW's. But in reality U5+DK took no big hits and flew on some 60 miles to come down near Cambridge nearly intact in a smooth wheels up landing!

More

Sopwith Pup by Matthew Willis (Hall Park Books Limited) By Matthew Willis The Sopwith Pup, as it is unofficially but universally known, was one of the first true British fighter aircraft, and one of the most significant of the First World War. It played a key part in maintaining control of the skies over the Western Front during and after the RFC's toughest period, Bloody April, 1917. Its superb flying qualities kept it competitive as ever-faster and more powerful opposition appeared, and it played an unglamorous but important role in the defence of the UK against zeppelin and heavy bomber attacks, and was fundamental to the development of ship-based aviation. With the very well-established categories of military aircraft that are familiar today, it is hard to comprehend the world in which the Pup was born, where these clear delineations did not exist. Certainly the idea of the fast, agile single-seat fighter was barely thought of when the Pup's outline was first chalked on the floor of the experimental workshop at Sopwith's Kingston-upon-Thames premises in 1915. The new aircraft was known as the 'Sparrow', was powered by a 50hp Gnome rotary. Test pilot Harry Hawker took the aircraft to Brooklands and amazed trainee RFC pilots by flying it under the bridge across the Byfleet Banking. It was fully aerobatic and capable of a speed just shy of 85mph despite the low engine power. It is unclear whether Sopwith intended the machine to form the basis of a military aircraft but in any event, its performance and handling, even on such low power, must have recommended it for that purpose. The 'Sparrow' therefore became the progenitor of the aircraft that would become the 'Pup'. It was around the time of the prototype's first appearance that the Pup seems to have gained its popular name. Brigadier-General SeftonBrancker, then the RFC's Director of Air Organisation, is reputed to have remarked, on seeing the prototype Scout beside its larger sibling at Brooklands, 'Your 1 Strutter has had a pup!' For all its value as a front line fighting aeroplane, the Pup had a potentially even greater impact on the development of naval aviation; in particular, the sometimes tortuous path of launching aircraft from, and returning them safely to, ships at sea. Moreover, the Pup became one of the more successful operational aircraft in this fledgling area of combat. This is the first WWI title in the series and includes all the usual Warpaint features historical text, modellers glossary, colour artwork by Richard Caruana and a three page colour walkaround by author Matthew Willis.

More