Authors: Maciej Góralczyk,Andrzej Sadło, Janusz Światłoń, Arkadiusz Wróbel

Introduction

Each story has its beginning. Some starts with “Behind the seven seas...”, others starts “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...”. So do the wars. Each war has its staring point and place. Although the World War 2 has started on 1st September 1939 by German invasion on Poland historians agree that the testing ground for new conflict was home war in Spain, which started in 1936. In this conflict Germans have tested their new tanks and airplanes under real fire, on real battlefields. These two conflicts were chosen by Kagero Publishing as the Luftwaffe's baptism of fire.

Painting schemes

The book contains 8 painting schemes in three most popular scales: 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32. Markings for the He-111P-2 are presented only in 1/72 and 1/32 scale as there is no model of this type on the market yet.

Here is the line-up of the available painting schemes:

• Junkers Ju-87B-1, coded „29•8” of 5.K/88, Sanjurjo airfield, Zaragoza, Spain, late 1938
  
• Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1, coded „6•119”, flownby Hptm.Siebelt Reents, Staffelkapitan of 1.J/88, Leon, Spain, spring 1938
  
• Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1, coded „Black 14” of 2.(J)/LG 2, Poland, mid-September 1939
  
• Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1, W.Nr 4048, coded „Yellow 7” of 3./JGr.101, Hoya, 18th November 1939
  
• Messerschmitt Bf 109D-1, W.Nr.630, coded „Black N 7”, flown by Oblt. Johannes „Macki” Steinhoff, Staffelkapitan of 11.(N)/JG 2, Hage, Germany, April 1940
  
• Messerschmitt Bf 109E-3, flown by Oblt. Wilfried Pufahl of Stab II./JG 53, Mannheim-Sandhofen, Germany, April 1940
  
• Messerschmitt Bf 110C-2, coded „L1 KK” of 14./LG , crew: Uffz.Hans Bechthold (pilot), Uffz. Wilhelm Harder (radio operator), Mannheim-Sandhofen, Germany, late spring 1940
  
• Heinkel He 111P-2, coded „1G HL” of 3./KG 27, crew: Uffz. Otto Kaiser (pilot), Hptm. Robert Sichart von Sichartshoff (commander-observer), Uffz. Gustav Bergmann (radio operator), Uffz. Paul Kleinitzke (flight engeneer), Neukuhren, East Prussia, 15th September 1939

Decals sheets

This issue of miniTopColors contains two big sheets of decals in the nearly A4 size. Bigger sheets is dedicated only to the first two machines in Spanish markings. Kagero have provided not only the individual markings of these planes in three scales but also gave us Spanish national markings seen on these birds. On this sheet we can also find two swastikas, sliced into two halves, for the He 111. Decals have captions of the planes types so the possibility of using wrong decals is almost none.
Second sheet, slightly smaller than described above, contains all other necessary markings for the rest of depicted machines but without national markings such as swastikas or balkenkreuzes and without captions. You will have to recognize proper decal on your own however I think if you will not hurry there is no chance to be wrong.
As usual for Kagero publication decals are printed by Cartograf, world's leader of decals quality. I have absolutely no remarks to their quality: thin, sharp prints, no misalignments. Even in 1/72 scale all details of the artworks are visible.

Conclusion

I really like the variety of planes which Kagero have chosen for this publication. We can paint our models with the schemes from very regular, by the book, to mottled and weathered options. The artworks are painted by well known artists: Arkadiusz Wróbel (who have painted 6 of depicted planes), Janusz Światłoń and Andrzej Sadło. Brief descriptions of planes or pilots history in Polish and English makes a historical background of modeling more attractive. I was a bit surprised by the time frame of book content. I expected to find planes used is Spain and during invasion of Poland but I also though none of these will be later than late 1939. Kagero have chosen the time frame from Spain to “just before the invasion of Norway” - that's also ok. This is just my subjective feeling. What we will get in part II? Unfortunately do not know yet but maybe some Do 17, Hs 123, Hs 126 or Storches? We will have to wait some time to find out.