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Kagero seem to be going through a phase of self-betterment. They
have taken some older titles out of print and improved them and meanwhile it
seems raise the bar for their new completely items – the new “MiniTopcolors”
book on the first combatants of the wartime Luftwaffe is just evidence of this.
We look at the book and test the new decals for you.
Kagero Topcolors - Luftwaffe's Baptism of Fire Part I
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MiniTopcolors 30 - Luftwaffe's Baptism of Fire Part 1
Maciej Góralczyk, Andrew Bard, Janusz Swiatłoń, Arkadiusz
Wrobel
Softcover landscape -
20 pages
Decals in 1/72 + 1/48th & 1/32nd
of 8 different aircraft
Printed by Cartograf.
ISBN 978-83-62878-29-1
I have noticed that over the last year or two Kagero
Publications from Poland has strived to upgrade their products and therefore their
customer’s expectations and their reputation in the publishing world. Indeed I have
heard some varied opinions of their books in the past. Having seen a change
myself I am quite positive about the road this company has been on.
By adding aspect to their books like their excellent 3D
series, and the improvements in their translations and the addition of
Cartograf to their supplier of decals - well the future is looking good for
them I feel. This leads us onto their newest “miniTopcolors” book.
This title is called “MiniTopcolors 30 - Luftwaffe's Baptism
of Fire Part 1” and it is a landscape softcover publication of A4 size. Good
paper stock and the lightness of the book should not let you be deceived –
there are eighteen books cited at the start of this book used for reference. I
fell the authors have gone out of their way to make sure the research for this
book was done well. Having cited influences like “Luftwaffe im Focus” and several
other specialist publications in this ilk they are certainly on the right
track.
This is a book of eighteen pages featuring the side profiles
and top-down paintings of eight different aircraft. Each early war Luftwaffe
types, - we see Bf-109 D, and E models, a Ju-87B-I, a Bf-110C-2 and even a Heinkel
He 111 P-2 covered in these excellent profiles which illustrate camo
demarcation and often the particular personal making of each aircraft. With all
of the research that has gone into the markings and colour schemes of each
aircraft what else could you want? Ohh you want to model them? Well this book is
like the poshest decal sheet you would ever get – as it has some info (in dual
Polish and English) and colour schemes and some history for each of the
aircraft but also in this edition eight aircraft’s decals in all the three
major scales on two decal sheets…
The two large sheets of decals are printed by market leader Cartograf
of Italy – so there is no doubt to the quality of the decals provided. It
provides individual markings in the scales of 1:72, 1:48 and 1:32 for the
German aircraft captured in the book – all from the early war period 1939-1940.
In a good feature three is included the “Condor
Legion” national markings for 1 Ju 87 and one Bf 109 in all 3 scales and
swastikas for 1 He 111 in 1:32 and 1:72 scales. That beats you having to source
your own, which the 1/32 kit did not have as it was made in Germany (cha-ching!)
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The aircraft are - in order of appearance..
-Junkers Ju 87 B-1, the '29 side code • 8 'from the 5th K/88,
Legion Condor, airport Sanjurjo, Zaragoza, Spain, the end of 1938,
-Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1; side code '6 • 119 'pilot: Hptm. Siebelt Reents, commander of the 1st J/88, Legion Condor, León, Spain, spring 1939,
-Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1, 'Black 14' with 2 (J) / LG 2, Poland, half of September 1939,
-Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-1; W.Nr. 4048, 'yellow 7' of 3./JGr. 101, Hoya, Germany, 18 November 1939
-Messerschmitt Bf 109 E-3; pilot: Oblt. Wilfried Pufahl of Stab II. / JG 53, Sandhofen Mannheim, Germany, April 1940,
-Messerschmitt Bf 110 C-2, on the code side 'L1 + KK' of 14./LG 1, Crew: Uffz. Hans Bechthold (pilot), Uffz. Wilhelm Harder (radio operator) Sandhofen Mannheim, Germany, late spring 1940,
Let’s try them out
shall we??
I didn’t have a kit with me so I decided to try a fair few
of the smaller 1/48th decals on a board I had painted up in lovely “olivegrun” – it was a little rough but
it would at least show me how it all adhered…
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I used the 1/48th scale decals as I thought they would show up
any silvering or problems
Just as I thought with Cartograf decals – they adhered very
well and sunk in very well with a little decal solution to assist. The whites
are strong and the printing of even the smallest decals is in register. The long
dog decal needed a little bit of positioning and although I did apply it twice
(I am clumsy ok!?) it still handled well and didn’t break up.
Well I was pleasantly surprised by the book and decal
package – though only 20 pages there is enough detail there to let you know a
fair bit about what you are modelling, great artwork in the profiles and
excellent adherence and quality of decals make this an excellent purchase to
anyone interested in early Luftwaffe no matter what scale you model in. (except
1/144 :-) )
A great publication/decal package
Adam Norenberg
