In this month's Model Airplane International is a full page advert for Easy Model. At first glance they look like just another range of diecasts but ten days ago I had an e-mail from a friend in Warsaw:

"A Polish correspondent tipped me off re: Easy Model - plastic 1/72 kits ready made and painted. I checked out the model shop in Galeria Ursynów (a new one to me) and there was a reasonable assortment of Easy Models. The box art showed two familiar Mk Vb Spits... RF*D BM144 and JH*H AD140 along with three other MkVbs (121 Sqn, 140 Sqn and USAAF 4th Fighter Group). I bought a Spit Mk V Trop in the colours of 417 Sqn for easy conversion into a PFT aircraft.

The Easy Model has two glaring faults... the u/c legs hand vertically down rather than being raked forward, and mysteriously, had no u/d doors. Secondly, the canopy is too wide and bulbous, and lacks the either of the two types of armoured windshield. I then thought 'Hang on... the Hobby Boss kit comes with two canopy options - I'll swap them'. On opening the Hobby Boss box, I discovered that the Hobby Boss kit is none other than the Easy Model kit. Exactly the same pieces. Now, if the Hobby Boss kit costs four quid (UK) and the painted up Easy Model costs 30 zlots (a fiver UK) in Poland, it looks like a quid's worth of work to assemble and paint the Hobby Boss kit is money well spent. (And yes, the prop does appeared to be deeply feathered.)

The Easy Model Platinum Collectible Assembled Models ("Museum masterpieces") range includes 20 WW2 single-engined fighters - Bf 109E, Bf 109E/Trop, Bf 109G-2, Bf 109G-6, Bf 109G-10; P-40B/C 'Warhawk', P-40E 'Tomahawk' (sic); Spitfire Mk Vb, Spitfire Mk V Trop, Hurricane Mk II, Hurricane Mk II Trop, F4U-1 Corsair, F4U-4 Corsair; F4F Wildcat, F6F Hellcat, P-51D Mustang, P-47D Thunderbolt (bubbletop), Fw 190D, Yak-3 and MiG-3.

I'll get a Hurri II Trop for 318 Sqn, and I love the F4U-4 in post-war USN Reserve colours - I plane I feel sure I piloted in my past life :-)

A brace of decent Spit canopies is in order. The u/c doors are no problem - I have tons of surplus doors from the IXO/DeAgostini Spit. PFT decals I have."

So Easy Model are in fact pre-assembled and painted Hobb Boss kits, warts and all. Price is £6.99. I don't think they will be of much interest to members of this forum but you can find a list here if you are curious.

http://www.toyway.co.uk/acatalog/Aircraft_1_72nd_Scale__Minicraft_.html

No pictures though. At the end is a display case to fit your Easy Model - 170mm x 170mm x 78mm. Also £6.99. Probably fit most 1/72 scale fighters so if you have a special model to display or want to give one as a present to somebody it might fit the bill.