 |
PREVIEW
Italeri's 1/48 AH-1Z Viper
|
Here's a peek at the 1/48 AH-1Z Viper from Italeri. The AH-1Z represents the ultimate version of the Cobra attack helicopter, with a number of improvements added to the AH-1W variant. The most notable of these is that the Viper is now equipped with a four bladed rotor. Other improvements to the airframe and avionics improve it's flight and combat capabilities.
 |
The first sprue contains most of the main fuselage assembly, minus the doghouse. It was interesting to note that the doghouse and main fuselage were molded separately - personally, I don't know why, but hey........
 |
The second sprue contains the doghouse halves, Hellfire missiles, Sidewinders and weapons racks. The Hellfire racks can use some improvement, and Kelly Quirk's Feature Article will give you an idea of what is required.
 |
Rotors and tail sections are contained on this sprue.
 |
The canopy provided with the kit is a good, clear, one piece molding. A hair on the thick side, but still not bad at all.
 |
And finally, the decals. Standard USMC markings are provided for one aircraft, and as you can see, a large portion of the decal sheet is dedicated to the stencilling for the Hellfire missiles.
There have been some accuracy questions about this kit, but remember: this helicopter is still in the developmental stage, and is not being mass produced yet. Overall, a nice kit of the Viper, crisply molded with recessed panel lines, and not a really difficult build. Some work in the cockpit and on the weapons will yield a really nice model. For an example, check out Kelly Quirks' Feature Article by clicking right here. and you'll see what kind of potential this kit has. Kelly did a really nice job on this kit, and he describes the modifications he made in his article.