Bent Throttles No. 43
Journal of the Racing and Record Aircraft Special Interest Group of IPMS-UK

Reviewed by Tim Nelson

This issue, compiled by editor and SIGmeister Anders Bruun, includes the following topics on 22 A4 size pages:

- The regular New Products roundup of books, models, and modeling products related to air racing and record setting aircraft.

- A report on Scale Modelworld 2007 at Telford, UK by Fred Harris and Neil Crawford.

- An interesting article by BT regular contributor Ferdinand C. W. Käsmann on a Howard Hughes connection with postwar Me-262s in the United States. A brief summary of the fairly well-known Operation Lusty efforts to transport captured German jets and rockets to the US is followed by the lesser known story of Hughes’ interest in potentially entering a Me-262 in the 1946 Bendix Trophy race.

- A build review by Neil Crawford of the High Planes 1/72 Yak 11 “Czech Mate” racer.

- Detailed cockpit photos of Cosmic Wind #3 “Little Toni” courtesy of owner Jim Fernandez, and Anders Bruun.

- A review by Andy Bannister of the much anticipated Pavla 1/72 Supermarine S.6B/S.6A kit. This is the first new 1/72 kit of the famous British Schneider racers in 40 some-odd years

- A review by Andy Bannister of the Karaya 1/72 Short Crusader racer, which crashed prior to the 1927 Schneider Trophy race. Karaya has been releasing a steady stream of very impressive resin kits of rare types, including “Golden Age” racers.

- A review by Anders Bruun of the 1/72 Alitaliane Macchi M.33.

- A review by Anders Bruun of the 1/48 XS-Models Hughes 1B (long wing) racer.

- A review by Anders Bruun of the book “Idrocorsa Macchi – Macchi Seaplane Racers”, by Giorgio Apostolo and Gianni Cattaneo. The book covers Macchi racers from 1925 to 1934, which (as Anders laments) is a period less needing of new book coverage than the earlier Macchi types.

- A review by Anders Bruun of the book “Heinkel He 100 – Record Breaker” by Erwin Hood.
- A review by Anders Bruun (he’s a busy guy, and not done yet!) of the book “Howard’s Golden Age” by Art Hall.

- A review by Anders of the book “Air Racing over Reno” by Philip Handleman.

- A review by Anders of the 1/48 XS-Models R3C-1 conversion kit for the old Testors/Hawk R3C-2 kit. The conversion allows building a Pulitzer race landplane rather than the more famous 1925 Schneider Trophy race floatplane.

- Neil Crawford and Anders close things out with the usual “Around the Pylons” review of current air racing news.

This journal and SIG (which has a web site and Yahoo on-line forum) is a treasure trove of resources for those interested in air racing and air records of all types. Contact Anders Bruun for details. He accepts PayPal and generally makes things as easy as possible.