Model Airplane International – August 2019

KIT BUILD

38 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - August 2019

detail fades away around a number of the

kit’s more subtle curves, the upper saddle

above the oil tank and the wing root panels in

particular losing both rivets and panel lines as

their shapes were moulded in plastic. It’s not a

deal breaker as the detail is easy to reinstate,

but worthy of note nonetheless.

Cockpit detail is superb. Multipart sidewalls,

seat and open lower framework, are all

present and correct, the sidewalls in particular

being a delightful combination of large

panels and smaller ixtures and itting. I was

also pleased to see that the designers had

incorporated delicate wiring and pipe runs,

not completely comprehensive, but enough to

tantalise the viewer into believing that a more

complete cockpit was offered should they

choose to take a closer look. Though many

will no doubt elect to build the cockpit empty

with the canopy open, those with rather less

grounded aspirations may choose to build

and paint the tidy pilot and perhaps mount

the completed model on one of Airix’s neat

— and separately available — stands. As you

can see here, we completed an empty cockpit,

but went rather further than an ‘out of the box’

build, incorporating a couple of Eduard update

sets that elevated the detail further and then

dealt with the missing seat straps. Though this

was extra work, the resulting cockpit looked

very impressive and became a real highlight

of the build, the dropped side door and sliding

canopy allowing everything to be seen with

ease. From the box the kit’s cockpit is certainly

worthy of praise; with additional detail it

becomes a showstopper...

Construction is easy and straightforward.

With little over 118 parts, the contents of the

box are never going to tax many of you, but

given that some the of those parts are options

(wheels, underbelly tank, exhausts) you soon

become aware that this is a simple kit that

will go together easily. Airframe breakdown

follows traditional lines with two fuselage

halves, full-span lower wing and separate

upper wing panels dealing with much of the

structure. Details then include separate control

surfaces (sans laps, which are moulded in

1: The majority of this kit was constructed with Mr. Cement S. Here, that is being used to fix the undercarriage bay liner in place. 2 &

3: The tabs that connect the parts to the runners are in places rather large, so sharp sidecutters and a new scalpel blade were used

to remove each piece. 4: Construction begins with the undercarriage bay and the spars that run from one side to the other.

1 2

3 4

The undercarriage bays are complete. Clever use of

spars help to stiffen up this part of the model and

ensure that the wings and fuselage join accurately.

The wings are supplied full-span, the rounded tips

pointing to other variants from this common set of

moulds. The wing tips need to be removed to build

the two machines offered in the box.