Hasegawa 1/72 Santa Cruz

The Princess and the Pilot (とある飛空士への追憶 To Aru Hikūshi e no Tsuioku, "Recollections for a Certain Pilot") is a 2011 Japanese anime film, based on the fantasy light novel of the same name by Koroku Inumura. It was released in Japanese cinemas on 1 October 2011.

To Aru Hikūshi e no Tsuioku is a joint production by Japanese animation studios Madhouse and TMS Entertainment, and it was directed by the director Jun Shishido. The cast of this film was officially revealed on 19 May 2011.

Koroku Inumura's original war romance light novel revolves around Charles Karino, a Levamme Empire mercenary aerial pilot who mans the twin-seater reconnaissance seaplane Santa Cruz. One day, he receives a surprise assignment: to fly over 12,000 kilometers of enemy waters to protect a girl named Juana del Moral. This mission is actually a covert operation as the original escort was taken down by the enemy. Charles eventually discovers that both the original operation and the covert operation have been figured by the enemy decoding military telegraphs sent by the crown prince to Juana.

Creator Works is a Hasegawa side brand that concentrates on vehicles from various anime presentations. This kit is one of at least three different boxings from the film, 'The Princess and the Pilot'.

The kit itself is molded in a blue plastic with all the parts in a single bag. There is a second bag that contains the clear parts and a display stand. The aircraft itself is a single engine float plane with fully retractable floats and a crew of two; pilot and rear gunner.

The interior is quitenicely done with a full cockpit that uses decals for the instrument panel. There is side wall detail and some parts to fit there. Two figures are included. All the attachment points are quite large so it seems that building the kit will be relatively easy. One must open holes for the display stand if that is to be used.

There are few options with the kit, with the main one being able to display the plane in flight or with the floats extended. For the in flight option, separate gear door pieces are provided. Conversely, one could model it on floats and still have it on the stand. Since it is a tail dragger, no nose weight should be used. You also have the option of cutting out the molded in wing tip and tail lenses and replacing them with clear parts. Another optional part is a second set of figures to place in a life raft atop a clear 'sea' section.

Instructions are well done with Gunze paint references. The lone option is a darkish blue that will need to be mixed with an underside of FS 36495. Decals are nicely printed and offer more insignia than you'll need.

Just after writing this preview, I viewed the film on Crunchroll. The aircraft not only has floats, but it also has standard wheels. The wheel option is not provided with the kit but it looks like an enterprising builder could add them with a bit of help from the parts box. The plane is powered by hydrogen and there is a hydrogen converter built into the floats for when it lands on water. This allows the fuel to be recharged. According to the movie, it is a recce bird and the fastest plane in this nation's air force. Once again, not everyone's cup of tea, but it is an interesting subject that could well be painted in any scheme one thinks will look nice. It will also make a pleasant diversion from one's usual fare. Finding is not difficult as a good google will locate a seller.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_and_the_Pilot

May 2016

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