Hi All:
Santa was nice. I've got the 1/32 scale P-40 and MIG-3 sitting on the shelf. There were some comments on here a few weeks back about the difference in the two kits, vz. an engine. The local Hobby shop has both kits on the shelf with only a $2 difference in price, and some felt that there should be more difference since the MIG had a lot less parts. The P-40B/Tomahawk IIA kit does have an engine. It is probably the most complex power plant assembly I have ever seen in a 1/32 scale injection molded kit. Looks like every pipe and piece of plumbing is included. The problem is, if you build the kit per the instructions, most of this will not be very visible. If you want to do a maintenance diorama you are going to have to find some pictures of an early P-40 with the nose panels off and do some serious surgery. The same goes for the wing machine gun bays. The wing .30s are supplied, but no gun bay detail, no ammo boxes/chutes and no open panels in the wings. The MIG kit looks like a fair effort that will yield a late production "long-nosed" MIG-3. Armament includes a set of those short 80 odd millimeter rockets the Russians introduced. If the fit of parts is good, this will produce a sleek addition to a shelf of W.W.II fighters. Now for the P-38 and a fixed wing Wildcat (F4F-3) in pre-war markings.
Bill Shuey