1/48 scale Lockheed Ventura

Sep 05, 2004 2 Replies

In box comments.



Fonderie Miniatures kit #6040, Lockheed PV-1 Ventura. 1/48 scale, mixed media. Box holds both injection molded, resincast and some cast metal parts. This is a typical limited run type of molds in that the surface has a slightly "grainy" texture, and there is some flash. On the plus side, the sprue gates are much more delicate than we usually see on limited run molds. There are two engines made up with a resincast gearbox and 18 cast metal cylinders, most of the cockpit and interior are cast resin. Cast metal parts are the landing gear, seats, guns, rocket rails and some of the cockpit details. Clear parts are mostly vac-u-form but there is a small clear sprue of clear side windows. This looks like it will make a nice companion to the Classic Airframes Hudson. Decals are for one U.S. Navy bird and a post war French Aeronavale aircraft. There are alternate instructions for a U.S. Marine Corps night fighter bird, but no applicable decals. If you are really in need of a British bird, you can get decals and the correct clear parts from Bill Koster. I'm very glad to have this one to add to my collection, now about that long promised Short Sunderland......



Bill Shuey


The FM kit is smaller than 1/48. Interestingly, the FM fuselage and wing pieces fit perfectly inside the Koster vacuform kit pieces. It looks like FM used the inside of the Koster kit as a master. Also, most of the resin, clear, and metal parts are direct ripoffs of the Koster kit. FM missed some of the details (like the bottom of the engine nacelles), but overall, the kit still looks good. I'll be building the FM kit since it's less hassle than the Koster Vacuform. It is nice to have this kit in injection molded plastic.

Mig

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