Scale Plastic & Rail

1:32 FE.2b Early from Wingnut WIngs

 

Wingnut Wings
Catalogue # 32014
Available direct from Wingnut Wings for $89.00 with FREE worldwide shipping

When I first started reviewing back in the early 1980s, it was with a subject as far removed from modelling as you could imagine; I reviewed live pop and rock concerts for the weekly magazine published within the Welsh University I was studying at. I got into it partially because I was a natural writer but mainly because it meant I got into lots of gigs for nothing and allowed me to get good access to bands on stage for photography! I remember being given a piece of advice by a journalism student a couple of years older than me which I have tried to hold true to through all my years of various reviewing: keep personal bias out of your writing as much as you can and always aim for objectivity.

So, I ask myself: I have a kit in front of me of an aircraft that my late grandfather flew in during WW1 – not only the aircraft, with markings of his squadron, but an ACTUAL aircraft he flew in on one combat mission – what price objectivity and lack of bias now?

My grandfather was an air gunner/observer with 25 Squadron, RFC during 1916 and flew in the FE.2b; badly wounded by an 'archie' burst (anti-aircraft fire) in August, 1916, he was returned to the UK to recover. In 1917 whilst in London, he witnessed a daylight Gotha raid (recounted in my review of the wonderful Wingnut Wings 1/32 Gotha G.IV kit); he then carried out training at a gunnery school until he returned to France with 2 Squadron to become a gunner in the Armstrong Whitworth FK8 (or 'Big Ack') until the end of the war.

In April, 1916 he had flown a mission in FE.2b 6341, an early production machine with the "tricycle" undercarriage configuration. This is a famous aircraft in itself. A presentation aircraft paid for by the people of Tanzania called "Zanzibar No.1", it also carried the name "The Scotch Express" because the pilot who delivered the aircraft to the squadron earlier in the year had illegally filled the observer's position with crates containing bottles of whisky. Subsequently brought down almost intact behind German lines on 16th May, it became a much photographed war trophy. It also was the subject of one set of markings in the Aeroclub 1/48 vacform kit of the FE.2b from the 1990s and the subject of one of the two recreations constructed in New Zealand in the last few years which, one day, I hope to travel to and see the aircraft in the air (below).

You are probably aware the Wingnut Wings have recently released a pair of 1/32 models of the FE.2b. The later production model, FE.2b Late, was thoroughly reviewed by our editor, Jim, earlier this month so I will not repeat his findings, nor the history of the FE.2b itself. This early version model holds the same contents apart from the decals and instruction booklet. As with the WNW Rumpler C.IV kits (EARLY and LATE), it is just a case of choosing the right optional parts for each version.

Once you get past the "stylised" and frankly disappointing box-top illustration, with its exaggerated perspective lines (in complete contrast to the atmospheric illustration on the box of the later version), you are faced a box crammed full of sprues. I will take the reader through the contents, offering a few of my own observations where appropriate. The first sprue, sprue A (below) as is often the case with WNW kits, holds a wide array of parts for different sections of the subject. Clearly visible are the rudder, many nacelle interior components, the centre section struts supporting the upper wing and, those most important of pieces in any FE2b kit, the tail booms. With the aircraft having no fuselage as such, these are basically the supports for the tail unit. Made in reality from spruce, WNW have captured the size and shape perfectly, but there is some discussion amongst WW1 modellers as to, whether once the rigging is applied, over time these fine parts could twist or warp slightly. In an ideal world, these parts should have strengtheners inside them, possibly lengths of wire. I shall certainly be investigating the strengthening of the booms when this kit is under construction.

Sprue B (above) holds the other focal point of the FE2B, the two halves of the nacelle along with the optional four bladed airscrews, more nacelle interior components and the oil tank. As with the first sprue, all of these pieces are beautifully moulded with no flash or mis-mouldings. A close up of the starboard nacelle half (below) shows the excellent moulded detail WNW have captured on these pieces. However, it also illustrates a rarity in a WNW kit, a small error. German aircraft from mid-1916 generally had spring-mounted footsteps, whereas those on British and French aircraft were openings backed with a "sock" of material or canvas, or a sloped wooden box to stop the climber's foot going too far into the fuselage. WNW has just supplied the footsteps as simple openings, leaving the modeller to fabricate the canvas sock or box behind it. This is actually visible in the photo of the large extra step carried by 6341 on p.5 of the instruction booklet. I have also heard comment about the lack of "rippling" of the canvas covering the nacelle; however, study of dozens of photos shows this occurrence was rare in the FE2b unless it had suffered the strains of damage.

The duplicated sprue D (above) contains another selection of varied parts, from the excellent wheels, main interplane struts, wingtip skids and upper gravity feed petrol tank through to the various gun mounts, tail boom cross-struts and elevators. I am pleased to say that the detail on all of the flying surfaces is of the same high standard as in the Rumpler kit. The many parts for the Beardmore engine are found on sprue E (below). These set a new level of finesse and detail for a WNW engine, they are really gorgeous. Of course, even more detail can be added by the fastidious modeller and there are plenty of photos to aid this venture within the instruction booklet.

On sprue F (above) are found the major parts for the lower wings, all 4 ailerons and the tailplane, whereas those parts for the upper wing and centre section are on sprue G (below). The standard of moulding, as previously mentioned, is just breathtaking. I did feel that the ribbed footstep areas on the lower wing were a little too pronounced and might require a light sanding back.

Sprue H (above) gives the modeller, amongst many more pieces, the nacelle floor, the optional undercarriage structures, the 2-bladed airscrew option and optional folding windscreen for the observer's position. I have heard comment that the nosewheel for the tricycle undercarriage is undersized, but this is incorrect. The FE2b carried at least 2 different sizes of nose wheel/tyre combination; that provided in the kit is correct for the 2 tricycle undercarriage airframes given as decal options in this model; the other size of tyre is illustrated on airframe 5203 on p.38 of the instruction booklet. Sprue R, the generic RFC armament sprue (below) holding machine guns and bombs, was fully appraised previously in my review of the high quality WNW 1/32 RE.8 kit.

The final sprue, sprue C (above) holds the transparencies – the optional windscreens and small lights. Perfectly clear and distortion-free. After the large number of decal sheets in the Rumpler kit, the FE2b is more restrained and less controversial with its decal offerings. The main sheet (below) gives markings for all 5 options, together with the main cockades and some of the stencilling. The colours are really good and colour density appears fine (though I know many modellers back their cockades with white paint just to be certain that no dark colour shows through).

The secondary, smaller decal sheet (above) holds the remainder of the stencilling; printed, as with the main sheet, it shows perfect registration. Also shown in the photo is the small etched fret, which is largely taken up with lap straps and the optional large footstep for 6341. The aforementioned instruction and reference booklet (below) follows the usual WNW format.

A page spread covering armament and some of the rigging instructions is illustrated above. On this topic, there is no doubt that rigging the FE2b will challenge every modeller who builds it to one degree or another, but taking time, understanding the best rigging order and using the correct cross section and width wires will help enormously – 3 types of wires are carried on every FE2b. Finally, to illustrate the 5 schemes available in the kit, we have:

A. 4852 'C6', G & J Weir built, B Irwin and FG Thierry, 23 Squadron, September 1916 (below)

B. 4909 'Baby Mine', G & J weir built, JRB Savage & Robinson, 25 Squadron, June 1916 (above)C. 6341 'Zanzibar No.1', RAF built, D McMaster & Douglas Grinnell-Milne, 25 Squadron, May 1916 (below)

D. 6352 'Baroda 15', RAF built, FG Pinder & EA Halford, 23 Squadron, March 1916E. A857 'B1', G & J Weir built, FP Don & H Harris, 22 Squadron, June 1917 (both above)

A puzzling issue arises from the colour illustrations of options A, C and D. The profiles show the undersurfaces of the upper wings as having very dark rib tapes, though no mention is made of this in the descriptions. Photos of the undersides of all 3 aircraft are available (2 actually in the booklet) and there is no sign of this strange rib tape colour in the photos. I believe WNW has made a confusing error with these profiles with these tapes.

So What Do We Think?
This kit has ticked so many boxes for me, as you can probably imagine. Perhaps my objectivity and bias are not under my usual control but it is very difficult to explain my feelings at seeing a model of an actual aircraft my grandfather flew in nearly 100 years ago and a model that is of such high quality. I have been honest and there are a couple of minor faults; I also confess I have concerns about the long-term stability of the tail boom structure once rigged if no strengthening is added but that in itself provides a great modelling challenge. Will everything from now on from WNW be of less interest to me until a 'Big Ack' is released? No, I am certain the incredible quality will be tweaked even better as time goes on and I will remain completely enthusiastic about the forthcoming range – but truthfully nothing will ever have the personal impact that this excellent kit has had – until someone decides to launch a new, large scale kit of my late uncle's Boulton Paul Defiant from 264 Squadron in 1940........

Completely wonderful

Robin Jenkins.