Page 44 - Model Airplane International - Issue 175 (February 2020)

With the cockpit complete, the nose halves and not the later, petal-less variants found on an almost replaced set of crew access steps,
are joined and then work carried out to current Lancers. Though the nacelles feature a full set of new aerials and then a collection
complete the three weapons bays, their rotary intakes with deep tunnels and turbine faces, of vortex generators for the rear fuselage, fol-
launchers and 16 AGM-69 SRAM missiles. that’s about it, the complexity of the real thing lowed by a similar group of static dischargers
Detail within these bays is superb, lots of being almost entirely absent. You can deal for the tailplanes and fi n. All of the new parts
time being needed to complete even basic with this with some judicious scratchbuilding to will add gloss to the plastic parts supplied by
construction and painting; add detail and you elevate the levels of detail, or you could check Revell and will help to create a closer repre-
could be in for weeks of enjoyable work. out the Barracuda website where you will fi nd sentation of an in-service Lancer than perhaps
Having completed the internals, you can replacements for this part of the model, includ- possible from the basic kit.
bring together the huge airframe. The wings ing intakes and jet nozzles. Having dealt with the plastic and etched
are simple upper and lower halves, these The model is completed with a very fi ne set parts, you are faced with the Herculean task of
being trapped between the two mid-fuselage of undercarriage legs and wheels. Detail here painting the model in its overall Gunship Gray
halves. I’m not convinced by the simple peg is truly superb, bearing testament to the origi- fi nish. With such a huge model in front of you,
and socket joints for the wings, the idea being nal designer’s work and their ability to capture the task will not be an easy one, and I would
that they can swing should the need over- such intricate structures in miniature. Each certainly consider raiding Tamiya’s collection of
whelm you - but not together, as the bomb main leg for instance features around 25 parts AS sprays to fi nd their version of this colour -
bays preclude any form of connecting bar including the wheels which gives some indica- easier and quicker than trying to airbrush such
within the fuselage. I would perhaps fi x them tion of the intricacy that possible from their a large model. With the basecoat down, you
more permanently in place, feeling that each construction. Along with the legs, the bays are can then break up the colour as you see fi t, but
may be prone to drooping should you build as- fully-detailed, careful painting bringing out the be careful as these aircraft are often well-kept
is. Similar comments apply to the joining of the fi ner features moulded in situ. The only pos- and excessive weathering is often noticeable
three large fuselage sections, little more than sible point to be aware of is the need to keep by its absence. A well-printed decal sheet is
butt-joints being use to hold huge sections to- all of the wheels on the ground at the same supplied in the kit, as is a set of masks for the
gether. I admire Revell’s confi dence, but have time, misalignment being a defi nite possibility glazing - a more than welcome touch. The
to suggest the use of additional stiffeners/tabs if your construction is off. All in all though, the decals offer two different aircraft, a 9th Bomb
to ensure that nothing moves/breaks during undercarriage is a real highlight of this kit. Squadron jet from Dyess AFB, Texas and a
construction/display. Be warned. We’ve already mentioned the additional second from the 116th Bomb Wing, Robins
The airframe is completed by the construc- parts that are supplied as part of this release, AFB, Georgia. The decals are superb, being
tion of the underwing engine nacelles that both for the interior of the cockpit and then accurate, perfectly in register and sharply de-
carry the aircraft’s F101 engines. These are thanks to two much larger frets, the interior fi ned, the nose-art on the Dyess aircraft being
rather simplifi ed in the kit, the exhausts in of the undercarriage bays, undercarriage particularly pleasing… ■
particular being simple representations of the legs and then the exterior of the airframe and
original types fi tted to the prototype aircraft interior of the jet pipes. Highlights here include

FINAL VERDICT

It’s good to see this kit reappear. Time has been relatively kind to the parts supplied in the box, the
shape and overall levels of detail being more than acceptable. An in-service aircraft though will present
challenges and a certain degree of corrective surgery will be needed too create an accurate model. That
said, I can’t think of too many kits that are more impressive than this one in terms of sheer presence once
complete. If only I had the space to do so!
Thanks to Revell for the sample seen this month.

44 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - February 2020