This is another lovely 1/144 kit from Platz
Hobby...actually you get two kits in the box. The fine panel line detail
as well as excellent detail in other areas of this kit is easily as good as 1/72
scale. Platz Hobby has taken the 1/144 scale kit to a very delicate looking and
well detailed level. All panel lines are fine and recessed. The
canopy and windshield are a one piece affair and there is even the oval
winshield glass common on the A-4. If you want to pose this model
with an open canopy, you have 2 choices. Use an Xacto knife and carefully
cut the windscreen apart from the rest of the canopy.......or just cut
grind/sand/file away the unwanted parts from the 2 canopies included in this
kit. Yes you actually get 2 kits in this one box......so if you are
willing to sacrifice the second kit to have an open canopy on your model, then
this is an option.
Cockpit detail is spartan and only
includes a separate ejection seat, so maybe opening the canopy wouldn't be the
best route to go. Super micro detailers could have fun doing up this
cockpit if they were crazy enough to try. The wheels have nice
spoked hub detail and smooth tread tires.
Click on
images below to see larger images
There is 2 centerline fuel tanks to go under the wings that also come with each
kit. The engine exhaust has some nice detail on the face inside the
exhaust cone. The nose wheel and nose gear leg is very delicate and nicely
detailed and of course the main landing gear look very good as well.
Platz was careful to
select some very appealing paint schemes. The decals include markings for 4
colourful A-4E Skyhawks which include the following:
-
A-4E Skyhawk Bu151988 with VMA-211 Wake Island Avengers
-
A-4E Skyhawk Bu150076 with VMA-211 Wake Island Avengers
-
A-4E Skyhawk Bu159651 with VMA-153 / VMA-311 Tomcats
-
A-4E Skyhawk Bu15050 with VMAT-102 Skyhawks
The decals are excellent quality and
in register and include stencils and are packed in a separate bag with
protective paper. All canopies are packed in a separate bag from the other
sprues to protect them from being scratched.
1/144 models are a blast to build
out of the box and I guarantee you will enjoy building in this tiny scale and if
you are crazy enough to try.......I've seen some stunning detailing in 1/144
scale.
Platz
Hobby has an ever growing selection of
1/144 kits that are well done and beautifully detailed and if you haven't built
a 1/144 kit, you really should give it a try.
Check out http://www.platz-hobby.com/
for this and other fine products. I'd like to thank Platz
Hobby
for the review sample......this kit is made in Japan and the high quality
is evident throughout this tiny model kit.
Steve Bamford
Click on
images below to see larger images
|