This particular boxing is a Limited Edition one from Tamiya that is for Foreign Air Forces. I picked it up because it was less expensive than the standard boxing (which was released in 2008). A few interesting features of this kit are that the clear side windows are molded in with the standard grey plastic fuselage halves. This is a real boon to ensuring good alignment.  The kit also includes metal parts. These are an etched fret for some interior details, a flat metal wing spar, and metal landing gear strut. These are not brass but etched stainless steel. A set of canopy mask are also included. These are not precut so you have to cut each one out from the sheet. Other options are a pilot figure, the ability to model the flaps raised or lowered and a set of skis. You can also build a variant without the rear gun; a flat panel piece being provided for this.

Tamiya provides a fairly complete engine and that is the first thing one builds up. Then one moves to the interior, and this is where you use much of the photo etch. I had thought that the masks included interior ones, but apparently that is not always the case so when painting the inside, you have to be very careful to mask off the inside. You do, however, get inside masks for the separate door, which you can pose open.

The instructions recommend a special metal primer for use on the metal bits so that standard paint will stick. Once the base fuselage is built, then one starts adding things like the wing spar, engine, windscreen, and the pilot/seat. Several construction steps are dedicated to building up the landing gear before moving on to the flight surfaces. As mentioned, you can do flaps up or down and there are separate hinge pieces for this. Some of the last steps are for the wing struts and underwing bits before adding the prop. Note that throughout the build, you are provided with a guide as to which parts are for use with which of the markings options. Only one of these is armed though most have the gun port.

Instructions are very well done with detail images provided where needed. As usual, only Tamiya paint references are provided. There are three Swiss options; two are RLM 71 over 65 while a third is overall silver. Two of the three have the red and white markings used during the war. Some of these markings will need to be painted on though the fuselage bands have been provided. . The silver option has the flat upper canopy section. The other two are in the splinter pattern of RLM 70/71/65. One is an Italian plane from 1942 with a white fuselage stripe and yellow forward nose. The other is a Hungarian version with yellow fuselage band and lower wing tips. The fin and tailplanes are in red, white, green making for a very colorful plane. Tamiya provides a separate set of painting instructions in a fold out format. Decals are nicely printed and should offer no issues.