SB2 for Blood Red Skies Part 3

I'm going to finish this up with a few thoughts on the Zvezda SB2, and then for balance a quick look at the same plane from Armaments in Miniature.

On the whole I think the Zvezda kit is a nice model and by re-boxing it (and the Blenhiem and Ju88) Warlord have managed to plug something of a gap for Blood Red Skies players. Well done to Warlord for what must have been some fast thinking and fancy footwork.

I can't help but feel however that the style of the SB2 model is out of kilter with the "home grown" Warlord releases, which have a lot of over-scale panel lines that make them a bit more fun to paint. That's not to say there is a problem with the Zvezda kit, it just doesn't share the same style. You can paint panel lines freehand of course, but it will not be as easy as on the Warlord models. It also has some parts that are clearly destined to snap off with normal gaming handling - which is a surprise given these were originally designed as gaming models for Zvezda's "Art of Tactic" game. Having said that, they're not going to be missed and do not contribute towards the overall look of the model particularly anyway, so its not a big issue.

All in all a thumbs up there!

Now on to Armaments in Miniature

Coincidentally I also had a SB2 by Dave Schmid's Armaments in Miniature (AIM), so I thought it would be interesting to paint that one up in the same style to compare to the Zvezda ones.

AIM models are cast in lightweight resin so should sit on an Advantage \ Bomber base for BRS with no over balancing. However to do that you will need to deal with one slightly unusual AIM feature - the hoofing big screw and resin mounting sticking out of the bottom. AIM does this so the models can be attached to a base with a magnet, but I don't think that is needed for BRS and it is pretty obvious. Getting the screw and plug off is simple but takes some faith and balls at first as it feels like you are going to break something, however a pair of side clippers does the job without too much fuss and after a bit of sanding the resultant hole can be opened up to take a Hawk Widget so they will sit on an Advantage base, or you could use greenstuff to make a socket. It is a fairly easy job but it does add to the general level of "faffing on".

AIM are single piece castings, so other than a little cleaning up and removing the screw (if you want to) there is no assembly, which is a plus if you have big clumsy fingers and the innate ability to spill glue like I do this is welcome. The detail is less fine than on the Zvezda models, and on the SB2 in some places is positively agricultural, and it looks "plumper" (more Fat Yak syndrome?) but it does score over the Zvezda kit in that it has a plethora of panel lines to paint.  Interestingly the AIM version has what I think are the earlier SM100 engines with front mounted radiators that look a bit like radials (but aren't).

Dimensions on both models are similar enough that I would be happy using both even in the same flight, though the AIM model looks a little chunkier. I expect on the finer points of dimensions Zvezda to have this right, as they're a "real" established plastic kit company based in Russia so should have excellent research opportunities and production facilities , whereas Dave from AIM is a talented hobbyist working out of a small (I presume) set up.

So here are both models painted in the same style, with the AIM SB2 closest to the camera. I have not finished the undersides, or fitted the Advantage base, but I think it is a fair comparison shot for the purpose of this blog.

All in all the AIM model is a nice option. Pricing is very reasonable $6 each, and shipping from the US to UK is reasonable too. Of course you don't get the Advantage base, cards etc to play Blood Red Skies, but if you have spares you can swap those over as I plan to do.  I understand Warlord are planning to sell the bases on their own so if that happens (and I hope it does soon) AIM becomes a real option, particularly for the planes Warlord don't make.

All in all I think I prefer the AIM model, but only just. If I were buying specifically for BRS and didn't have any spare bases I would buy the Warlord version. As it is I am going to mix and match.

Here is a link to Armaments in Miniature - Dave doesn't have an online shop, but you can easily email him with your requirements and he responds quickly and efficiently.

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