Those who’ve read my aircraft reviews (both of you) know that I like to focus on what I call “transition-era” aircraft – those that bridge the gap between an older and a newer generation (generally the first of its kind, or the last of its kind). The transition-era P-36/P-40 is a first-generation “modern” fighter, with an enclosed cockpit, a single cantilever wing and retractable landing gear. However, this review is about one at the other end of the scale – a fixed-gear biplane fighter that served operationally as late as 1944, long after far more powerful fighters had come on the scene. Despite its rampant obsolescence, in the right hands (and against the right enemy) this plane, the Avia B.534, could still function on the Eastern Front battlefield.
The Avia was a fixed-gear, single-bay biplane – but it had an enclosed cockpit and more armament than was common for biplane fighters – in this, it bridged the gap between eras as one of the last of the biplane fighters (and perhaps THE last one to see combat use, when it served on both sides during the Slovak uprising of August-November, 1944 – that bravely futile effort for the nationalistic Slovaks to throw off the Nazi shackles and join the fight on the Allied side. During that fight, one Avia scored the last combat air-to-air victory for a biplane, shooting down a Hungarian transport aircraft. Not bad for a plane that was designed in 1934 and in widespread squadron service in 1937 – a lifetime in terms of air combat capabilities.
Eduard, the Czech-based model manufacturer, put its heart and soul into this kit – not surprising, as the Avia B-534 is to the Czechs what the Spitfire and Hurricane were to the British – the definitive home-grown fighter aircraft of the war. Eduard manufactures a superb kit – it’s no secret that I’m a big fan – but this one is better than most, and that’s saying a lot. Subtle details, such as pre-drilled holes for the rigging (a godsend to those of us who often shy away from biplanes because of the rigging hassles) abound. The kit has three plastic sprues in one bag, a clear sprue in another, colored PE, masks and the typically superb Eduard decals, offering three 1937-version fighters and one from the 1944 Slovak uprising. This is an attractive, sleek and colorful aircraft – it will dress up any 1/48th scale collection of WW-II fighters – and the kit itself is a dream to build. If you’re the kind of modeler who couldn’t wait to build the 1/48th Gladiator a few years ago, you’ll want to scarf this one up and build at least one. I’m planning on building two – the ragged, rugged Slovak one is a sentimental “must” but the colorful and pristine prewar fighters are show-stoppers for sure.
