KIT #:	48132
PRICE:	€40 in 2005
DECALS:	Three options
REVIEWER:	Spiros Pendedekas
NOTES:	I

HISTORY

 Introducing it in 1999 in two versions (single double fin tail), Mirage Hobby finally provided to the modeling world a “mainstream” quarter scale kit of this important plane. Prior to this the only other 1/48 option was a vacform with resin detail parts, made by Polish company S-Model, seemingly very difficult and very expensive. I bought my double tail (“B”) version in 2005, at a sensible price of around 40 euros.

The kit comes in a nice top opening box, featuring a dramatic boxart of a P.37 with all bomb bay doors open. Inside you find 5 dark gray sprues. All surfaces have pebbly texture, which will need some sanding to go away. Hopefully the panel lines are recessed and well defined, so they will not disappear after sanding. I have also noticed quite a few sink marks that will have to be addressed during building. Two spinner options are provided, depending on the version you build, with the prop blades separately molded. Internal detail is good, but, of course, with those extended glazing, it will never be enough!! Transparencies are clear, framing is well defined, with the nose glazing provided in two halves, nicely joined through a frame line.

Instructions are provided in a well printed 16-page booklet. They are written only in Polish, which might be restraining to some, but, since color callouts are provided in Humbrol codes, a moderate modeler can work things out.  Construction is spread in 21 steps, though I would not mind having them spread even more, especially at the interior assembly. Three identical schemes (khaki over light blue) are provided: two Polish Air Force and a Nazi captured one. Decals are superbly printed by Techmod, but they look very thin and should be handled with care.

I started by assembling the 5-piece floor and attaching it onto the starboard fuselage half. I then assembled, painted and installed all interior components (seats, controls, consoles and various boxes, guns, ammo magazines, document bags etc). Having no knowledge on PZL-37s, I completely trusted the instructions upon paint callouts. Basic cockpit color was “aluminum” (I used Testors Steel), with black grey floors (Hu32), black instrument panel, control yoke and consoles, leather seat cushions, khaki bags, gunmetal guns and ammo boxes etc. With only seat belts (made from green doped masking tape) added, the finished interior looked well appointed. The two fuselage parts were then joined and left to cure.

I then went on to assemble the wings. I first attached the three parting bomb bay walls at each lower wing half, then assembled the wings and attached them to the fuselage. The 2-piece left and right flaps were attached “closed”, as well as the two conical engine bases, followed by the cowlings, which had the 2-piece air inlets under them attached as well. The 2-piece clear navigation lights were also attached. Since I typically build my models with bomb bays closed (which makes the current kit’s molded “closed” fuselage bomb bay doors a plus for me), I went on and attached all 8 wing bomb bay doors in “closed” position. Basic construction was accomplished by assembling and attaching the 8 piece dual-fin tail (a mini model by itself) at the rear. General fit was good, with some mismatches here and there.

The nice 3-piece engines were assembled, painted black and heavily dry brushed with silver. The prop base (sans the blades), is a 4-piece affair, including the dome, very nicely executed: it was assembled and painted olive drab (Hu155) and attached to the engine block. Be sure you have selected the correct dome for the version you have chosen.

The 2-piece main wheels were assembled and had their tires painted black. No info was provided regarding the color shades of the rims, cowling innards, landing gear, wheel wells and door innards. By studying net available pictorial evidence, they looked to be “aluminum”, as are the fuselage innards, so I gave everything a coat of Testors Steel.

The whole model was then coarse sanded (which not only evened the joint mismatches, but also eliminated the pebbly surface), then filled at various places, smooth sanded, had its innards blanked by masking tape and headed to the paint shop!

With my trusty Revell Vario, I first gave all undersides (including gear doors outer sides) a coat of Hu65 light blue, followed by a protective coat of Future, then masked them off. Instructions call for Hu142 “field drab” upper color. I decided to use Hu155 olive drab, which sprayed on nicely. Masking was removed and the whole model was Future-d.

I used the kit decals, in order to depict the box art plane. The decals were cautiously thin, so I was extra careful upon applying them. They adhered well, were relatively opaque, but I did experience some silvering which, of course, may very well be my fault. A coat of future sealed them.

The landing gear was attached, followed by the four main wheels and the three piece nose wheel assembly. They were aligned and left to cure. Then, the engines were attached in position, followed by the cowling lips, which were beforehand painted Testors burned metal. The blades were painted Testors Steel and attached in position. Fit was nice and positive, with some care needed as to attach them at the correct angles (do the radical act of following the pictorial instructions here…). The characteristic oil coolers were painted gunmetal and attached at the outer cowling sides, as well.

It was then transparencies time: still attached on the sprue tree (for easier handling), with my 10/0 Springer Pinsel, I brush painted the bazillion of frames. I then carefully detached them from the tree, cleaned and attached them onto the model Fit was not perfect, leaving some gaps and contour mismatches. I did not want to take any risks by stressing the already painted fuselage or the clear parts of unknown brittleness, so, all I did was fairing the gaps with white glue and retouched.

Some extra care must be taken upon assembling the front gun, with the small nose part trapped between, then attaching the mini assembly onto the “main” nose clear part. Looking at the clear parts attached, it became absolutely obvious that I should have installed them at earlier phases of construction and blend them nicely to the fuselage….oh, well, next time, upon building the single fin version!

Net pics show the P-37s in more or less excellent condition, so, I only applied some engine staining and minimal general dirtying, all performed with dry pastels of appropriate dark colors. A satin towards matt coating gave the P-37 its final shade.

I then attached the top front antenna mast, run four silver stretched sprue pieces, in order to replicate the antenna wires, tightened with hot air from my wife’s hair dryer, and called this beautiful plane done!

CONCLUSIONS