Thursday, May 9, 2013

Model Airplane International 05/2013

Sold as a UH.5 (shouldn't that be HU.5?) the various schemes for Fleet Air Arm and Royal Air Force included will allow the modeller to build the kit as HU.5 and HAR.2 variants. When I heard the news of this release I was eager to see what it was like as the last new-tool Italeri helicopter kit I had built (OH-58 Kiowa Scout) had proved a big disappointment. I can safely say that this kit is a huge improvement on their last one. On opening the box you will find five sprues of well detailed, crisply moulded parts. In total 117 grey-coloured and 7 clear with a photo-etched brass fret containing another 11 parts. Also you will find in the box a sheet of plastic mesh which is to be used to make the debris screen for the large intake on the nose cowling. The instructions are in Italeri's usual style with fairly good colour call-outs throughout. The decal sheet is very nice with excellent register and good colour, printed by Cartograf I suspect. Colour schemes for four aircraft are included, one Royal Air Force and three Fleet Air Arm. All in all a nice looking package but how would it go together? Let's find out.

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