KIT:

Special Hobby 1/72 Vengeance TT

KIT #

 72042

PRICE:

 £

DECALS:

 3 options

REVIEWER:

Scott Van Aken

NOTES:

 short run with resin and vac formed parts

HISTORY

As most of us are aware, the Vultee Vengeance was not the winner than Vultee and the USAAF had hoped. It was really only produced to keep Vultee in business and once the contract ran out (after over 700 planes were produced) that was it. In US service it was called the A-35 and served mostly in training units. I don't think the US ever took the plane to war.

It was offered to the British who didn't want it in Europe as it was just too vulnerable. It eventually decided that Burma was the place for it and it equipped several squadrons where it met with some success. Others were pawned off to either training commands or the Australians. The Aussies also gave it a go in combat but the lack of reliability and effectiveness made it less than a beloved aircraft. What they wanted were Beaufighters and as soon as enough were available, the Vengeance was quickly relegated to second line units. There they were trainers and target tugs, a job for which it turned out to be well qualified, thanks to its speed.  
 

THE KIT

This is the third boxing that I know of for the Vengeance. The other two covered US and Aussie planes in the regular bomber version. The major airframe parts are provided as injected plastic while the interior and many of the smaller bits are in resin. A pair of vacuformed canopies are included. The detailing is excellent as we have come to expect from MPM. It seems as if there is a glut of MPM boxes as this kit had the Special Hobby box art taped to it.

The kit continues the separate blades/hub deal that I so hate, providing a resin hub and styrene blades. There are few options and those basically are small ones such as exhaust, small intakes, and a set of louvers for the Royal Navy versions. The RN aircraft also have the winch devixe located on the opposite part of the fuselage from the Aussie bird. Though it doesn't seem to come in the kit, a cover is shown over the gun ports. A piece of stiff paper should work well for this.

Instructions are typically well done with all color info in Humbrol numbers throughout the construction sequence. A chart giving generic color names is provided for those not having access to Humbrol paint. Markings are provided for three aircraft, though that is a touch misleading. The box art plane is from 7 OTU, RAAF in late 1944 and is Foliage Green/Earth Brown over Black/Yellow stripes. Masking skills will be put to the test on any of these aircraft, but well worth it. The other two are Royal Navy planes. One from Tricomalee, Ceylon in Dark Slate Grey/Extra Dark Sea Grey over Black/Yellow. The other from Belfast in Earth Brown/Dark Green over Black/Yellow. Neither plane has any distinguishing unit markings and other than camo colors and serials are the same.

Decals are very well printed and should prove to be excellent. They will be very thin so care is needed in application.

 

CONCLUSIONS

If you missed out on the previous boxings or just want one with some color to it, then this would be a great kit for you. MPM's kits have been getting better and better over the years and this one will undoubtedly build into a very nice model.

Review kit courtesy of me and the international post!

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly by a site that has over 200,000 visitors a month, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.

Back to the Main Page

Back to the Previews Index Page