Platz 1/144 JASDF T-6 Texan

The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engined advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1970s. Designed by North American Aviation, the T-6 is known by a variety of designations depending on the model and operating air force. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) and USAAF designated it as the AT-6, the United States Navy the SNJ, and British Commonwealth air forces, the Harvard, the name it is best known by outside of the US. After 1962, US forces designated it the T-6. It remains a popular warbird aircraft used for airshow demonstrations and static displays. It has also been used many times to simulate the Japanese Mitsubishi Zero in movies depicting World War II in the Pacific.

The aircraft was used by literally dozens of military air arms and I would wager there are still hundreds of them flying in civilian hands. The airplane is not the easiest to fly, as befits an advanced trainer, but can be flown in a spirited fashion by an experienced pilot.

Platz has built an enviable reputation for building high quality small scale kits and this one only adds to that reputation. Typical of small 1/144 kits, there are not a ton of parts, but what is there is in scale and well detailed. This kit is part of a growing line that specializes in aircraft operated by Japan.

There is a cockpit interior that includes molded in seats, a separate engine and cowling, two canopies, the option to build the kit with the wheels up or down, and a nicely done display stand. The two canopies differ from each other in the number of panes on the side panels. Though one of the markings options shows a single piece rear transparency, both of the included canopies have the multi-pane version so you'll have to sand those unwanted frames if doing that option. Another options is to have the small ADF antenna housing on the back behind the standard antenna. The fuselage antennas are molded in place as is the pitot tube on the one-piece wing.

The instruction sheet is large and includes sections in English. There are five well drawn construction steps that show the various options. The other side of the sheet is devoted to markings and painting. There are seven options, all Japanese and while I have titled this preview 'JASDF' some of these may be Navy. All save one option is in overall trainer yellow while that lone options is in unpainted metal. Typical of Platz, the decal sheet is very comprehensive, offering even the black anti-glare panels and the wing walk areas. They also include roundels for all seven options, even though you can only build two from the kit.

I am always quite pleased to see new kits from Platz. They pick very neat subjects and the resulting models always look just superb when finished.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_T-6_Texan

December 2014