Page 43 - Model Airplane International - Issue 175 (February 2020)

1:48

’S 1:48 ROCKWELL B-1B LANCERS 1:48 ROCKWELL B-1B LANCER
REVELL’

accurate, in-service aircraft, will have to carry a fully-detailed cockpit interior, capacious highly-detailed model are there for all to see.
out additional work. weapons bays with internal racks and SRAM Work begins with the cockpit, both the pilots
Opening the box is still a bewildering experi- missiles, and then a fi ne set of undercarriage and the Defensive/Offensive Operators sta-
ence. The fuselage is simply enormous, being legs and wheels. Across the board and despite tions being replicated with both the original
so large that even within the suitcase-sized its age, the parts are well-moulded and though plastic parts and a full set of coloured etch
box the kit arrives in, it has to be broken down the panel lines are rather less subtle than from the Eduard sets offered in the box. The
into three sections: nose, mid-fuselage and the we would like in 2020, look to be acceptable, ACES II seats are nicely done, three plastic
tail. To give an idea its size, the mid section is especially once overcoated with a layer of parts detailed with etched straps, being the
larger than a 1:48 F-14 and that’s before you Gunship Gray. order of the day. Though decals are provided
add the nose and tail! Moving through the con- In terms of fi ner details, the kit still scores for the instrument panels, these features are
tents, you are then presented with the large, well and when that detail is embellished with also replicated with overlaid brass panels - it’s
though very simple wings (no separate control the additional Eduard etched frets that defi ne up to you how you choose to complete each
surfaces to break things up) engines, cockpit this ‘Platinum’ release, the possibilities for a one. Personally, I’d go for the etch…

Issue 175 - www.modelairplaneinternational.com 43