Indonesian Breguet Alize

Gallery Article by Dave 'The Rat' Bailey on Jan 4 2018

Silly Week 2018

 

      

Just glad to get this collection of bits off my desk. No backstory to this one, other than to say that it is an 'almost was', so it's still a 'what if?' The Breguet Alize followed the dictum of most other naval anti-submarine warfare aircraft: ugliness was the prime requirement. France and India were the only operators, but several other countries, Indonesia among them, expressed an interest. This is the Heller 1/100th scale kit, in all its ignominy.

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WARNING: This is a horrid kit. Every so often a manufacturer turns out a real dog. Remember that 'ugliest dog in the world' picture that was going around a few years ago? This makes that one look like a prize-winning German shepherd. I wouldn't give it to a kid, not even that little devil down the street who broke your front window with a hockey puck. I would compliment him on his slapshot before giving him this kit. This would turn a life-long modeler into a hermit who would refuse to use anything made of plastic. If this kit drove you to drink, you wouldn't even thank it. It's that horrid. If you absolutely must put it to use, do only 2 things with it. First, ignore my earlier advice and give it to a kid, strictly to teach them how to use glue. Be very patient, because they may ask you, every few minutes, when it will start to look like an aircraft. Just use the two fuselage halves, the wings, the tailplanes, and the rudder. Canopy is optional. Ignore anything that seems to impersonate landing gear, gear doors, tailhook, or underwing stores. Second, teach them how to blow things up with firecrackers. That may finally bring a smile to your face.

And then I made it even tougher on myself. I decided to use the decals that came with the KP MiG-17. Having tried to use them on that execrable bit of polystyrene, I knew that they would need a coat of Micro Superfilm to compensate for the homeopathic coating of decal varnish that was applied at the factory. It helped, but not much.

Dave Bailey

Photos and text © by Dave Bailey