The successful French Fouga CM.170 Magister lightweight jet trainer found its origins in a powered glider design of all-metal construction called the C.M.8.15 which sported a butterfly style tail empennage and was designed by P.Mauboussin and J.Szydlowski. This turbojet-powered glider flew for the first time in 1949 and during development of this design a number of test machines emerged including a unique twin-fuselage aircraft designated as the Gemeaux. The final stage of development of the C.M.8.15 glider led to the CM.170 Magister which was designed to meet an Armée de l´Air specification and like the powered gliders which preceded it this also sported a distinctive butterfly-type empennage.

An initial order for three prototype Magisters was made, the first of which made its maiden flight on 23 July, 1952 and as the performance was found to be acceptable this led to a follow on order for a batch of ten pre production aircraft. As per usual most of the prototype and pre production aircraft were used for testing of various components and improvements which would later be incorporated into full production airframes, the only exception to this was the second prototype which at the request of the military was modified to accept a standard fin and tailplanes. However as the flying characteristics in this configuration were found to be no better, all subsequent machines continued to feature the trademark butterfly tail. As well as serving with the French military the Magister was also an export success for Fouga which sold the type to a multitude of foreign operators and it was even built under licence in three countries. The first licence-built Magisters entered service with the air forces of Germany and Finland in 1958 where they also joined French-built Magisters and the third licence producer of the Magister was Israel, which produced its first aircraft in 1960. The Israeli Magisters were known locally as the Tzukit (or Thrush) and as well as basic training they were also used in the light-attack role where they proved successful during several of the Israeli-Arab conflicts. In the ground attack role the Magister could carry a pair of machine guns fitted in the nose section and various weaponry was mounted under the wings in the form of bombs and unguided rockets.

Within Europe the Magister was flown by France, Belgium, Austria and Ireland but there were also many other operators worldwide in Africa, Asia and South America, many of whom were no doubt attracted by its lightweight design and low operating costs. Among these far flung operators were countries such as Algeria, Bangladesh, Biafra, Brazil, El Salvador, Libya, Morocco, Togo and Uganda. Some Fougas are still flying these days, many of them in civilian hands.

Besides the standard trainer and light attack versions there was also a navalized variant of the Magister known as the Fouga CM.175 Zéphyr which was operated solely by the French Navy to carry out deck landing training for its trainee fast jet pilots. This airframe was stronger to cope with the rigours of deck operations and the main external differences were a set of strengthened undercarriage legs, a different nose section incorporating rear-sliding canopy hoods which could be opened in flight to aid swift exit in case of emergency during take off and landing at sea and of course it was also equipped with an arrester hook. Further variants of the basic Magister design concept were also proposed but most remained on the drawing board as paper projects or did not proceed past the prototype stages.

The Letov Š.328 was, besides the iconic Avia B.534 biplane fighter, the most famous Czechoslovak warplane of the pre-war times. Although originally designed for the Finnish Air Force, it eventually became a standard light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft of the Czechoslovak Army. It was used also in heavy fighter or floatplane versions. There were in total six slightly differing production series, the first and second of them (I.série and II. série in Czech) were distinguishable by having the upper fuselage skinning behind the cockpit made from sheet metal. The type was affectionately known among Czechoslovak pilots as “Kravka” or Little Cow. During the 1938 Moblilization, the Š.328s were ready to defend the republic. The Czechoslovak army used the Šmolíks against foreign armed groups that were terrorizing our frontier areas, mainly between Czechoslovakia and Hungary. The machines were also ready to defend the country against Nazi Germany. But, owing to Munich Agreement, no defence was required in the end and the Š.328s deployed throughout the country fell to the hands of the occupying Nazi forces. The Germans used those aircraft mainly for training, but supposedly also for night intruder missions at the Eastern Front, some of them were later sold to Bulgaria. The machines that had been used in the Slovak territory of the former Czechoslovakia, formed part of the newly established Slovak State air force and were engaged in actions against Hungary in 1939 (so called Malá válka, or Little War), later were also used during the Second World War when the Slovak State fought by the side of its German ally. The Šmolíks saw action in the 1939 Polish Campaign and in 1941 attack on the Soviet Union and although already being rather obsolete biplanes, they enjoyed some success at the Eastern Front in 1941-43. They were performing surprisingly well also in the Slovak National Uprising that broke out in 1944. In Slovakia’s mountainous terrain, Letov Š.328s were used in both reconnaissance and ground attack roles. The insurgent forces Kravkas claimed numerous enemy vehicles destroyed and one of the biplanes even succeeded in shooting down one enemy Fw 189 recce aircraft using defensive fire of the observer’s machine gun. Bulgarian aircraft, which were initially used mainly for maritime surveillance, did also rather well. As Bulgaria had joined the Allies in their fight against Nazi Germany, the Šmolíks were involved also in actions against the Wehrmacht. The remaining Bulgarian machines continued flying until the 50s when they were written off and scrapped.

The fuselage and wing parts of the Š.328 models differ to portray the production series correctly (I./II.série = first and second series, III.série = third series and later). Small parts are common for all boxings and have been designed using CAD and injected within metal moulds. Clear parts are also injection moulded. As the Slovak insurgent forces used Letovs of various production series, we simply had to offer the modeller a complete set of all possible wing and fuselage versions in the kit. The decal sheet caters for one first series machine and three of the later series. Three of the options wore insurgent insignia, the fourth one had red stars as it was used in liaision role and was flown across the front.

In the early 1930s, the Italian Regia Aeronautica operated IMAM Ro.1 (licence-built Fokker C.V) reconnaissance and observation biplanes. The military were quite happy with the type, however when IMAM offered a new biplane type designed by Giovanni Galasso, the decision was taken to acquire the new type. Following the prototype’s successful test flights, the production was commenced in 1934. The Ro.37 was powered by an in-line Fiat A.30 engine, but the Italian military also showed interest for a version fitted with a Piaggio P.IX radial engine. This version was known as the Ro.37bis and was produced along the in-line engined type. The Ro.37 and 37bis became the main observation and reconnaissance types of the Regia Aeronautica and were kept in service until Italy surrendered on 25 August 1943. By this time, a total of 621 machines of both versions had been produced, 325 of which were the bis version. The very first time the type saw combat action was during the Italian attack on Abyssinia (Ethiopia). They also fought in the Spanish Civil War, operated both by the Aviazione Legionaria and by the Aviación Nacional.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, the type saw service everywhere the Regia Aeronautica were fighting, except for the Eastern Front and the English Channel. By the time Italy became involved in the war, the Regia Aeronautica had had 483 of both versions, 200 of which were the bis, but only about a hundred of machines were in fact in air worthy conditions. They saw service over the Balkans, Northern Africa and mainland Italy too.

As the type possessed rather satisfactory performance and also because of the fact that two different powerplants were possible for the airframe to be fitted with, both the types were successfully offered to users abroad. In Europe, the type was flown with the Royal Hungarian Air Force as well as in Austria and in Spain by the Nationalists. The bis version were seen also outside Europe, flying with the military of Afghanistan, Paraguay and Ecuador.

Our Ro.37bis model kit has been laid out to as many as six sprues of grey styrene and one of clear canopy parts. The styrene items are accompanied by a whole bunch of resin and photo-etched details. The decal sheet offers markings for four eye-catching schemes which portrays machines in service almost throughout the world. A Grupo 4-G-12 option of the Nationalist forces is adorned with a titling to remind a killed comrade-in-arms. One of the Italian machines offered in the kit is an aircraft flying from bases in Albania in 1940 during the Italian attack on Grece, the other Italian machine displays camouflage and markings of the Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana (Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force), this being one of the last Ro.37s to see active duty. It wore inscription Cocco Bello on the cowling panel. The final option of the Ro.37bis kit