Monday, March 25, 2013

Scale Aircraft Modelling 02/2010

SWORD HAVE thankfully stepped forward and provided us with modern toolings of 1:72nd scale F-80's, producing versions of the P-80C and RF-80A. Both kits are identical apart from a clear moulded nose section for the RF-80. Some excellent resin parts are included for the seat, the airbrake bays, undercarriage bays, gunsight or camera controls, along with the nose leg lights. The main injection moulded parts boast neat and highly refined surface detail. One small note is that the sprue attachments are positioned in some awkward spots and are quite large, which requires some careful removal to avoid damaging them. Most of the parts require some cleaning up of seams and flash, however this is not a complex task at all. There are a couple of optional variations provided in the kits, comprising two different styles of nose wheels (spoked and scalloped), and two types of wingtip tanks, the 'Standard' 165 gallon type, or the 'Misawa' 265 gallon option. Two colour options are provided with each kit, the P-80C having overall Natural Metal options of 'Kansas Tornado' trimmed with blue, and 'Evil Eye Fleagle' trimmed in red (my chosen scheme). In addition, both of these schemes have minor differences available for modelling early or late schemes of said aircraft.

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