HONG KONG COMMENT by Colin Bramwell

News this month mainly consists of a re-draft of Hasegawa's kit release programme. Members will recall the publication of a very ambitious programme of new releases by this firm, and later a comment to the effect that the OV-10A appeared to be delayed. It now appears that this model will not be released until January 1968, presumably to allow modification of the dies to represent the production aircraft. The next kits to be released will be the F-4K and F-4J Phantoms, followed in December 1967 by 'Rita1 and the Grumman A6A Intruder, early and late in the month respectively. Next comes the OV- 10A and late in the following month the OV-1B Mohawk, with the S.A.A.B. Viggen in mid-March 1968, followed by the Mirage F-1 in late March.

The IPMS magazine, Vol.5 No.10, NOVEMBER 1967

NEW AND IN VIEW NEW AIRCRAFT KITS
FROG. North American OV-10A Bronco. 1/72 scale. Price 6/11 (U.K.)

Present day COIN and close-support aircraft appear in many rather unusual guises, and the Bronco, with its twin boom/twin engine layout and bug- eye cockpit canopy, has great appeal as a model subject.

The kit is moulded in medium green plastic with excellent surface detail and virtually no flash. The fit of the many component parts is excellent and we particularly liked the multi-piece cockpit transparency. Care must be taken when cementing this in place but it does enable to keen modeller to 'open' the various windows for display. This capability is particularly valuable, as the cockpit interior is well done, with two excellent seats and some very neat crew figures.

The box art shows the sixth pre-production Tri-service test machine and an optional finish for a Combat Crew Trainer of the 4410th Wing in an overall light grey scheme. Decals are included for each version and here again Frog show their obvious lead in this respect over their competitors by including an excellent set of markings complete with wing-walkways, all stencilling, rescue arrows etc. This is an excellent kit of an unusual aircraft.

The IPMS magazine, DECEMBER 1968 VOL.5 No.12

NEW AND IN VIEW NEW AIRCRAFT KITS
FROG. North American OV-10A 'Bronco'. 1/72 scale. Price: Not yet known

The development of Counter Insurgency (COIN) aircraft has been accelerated by the needs of the Vietnam war, and the Bronco is giving stout service in that theatre in the support and strike roles.

The parts are moulded in a colour which is very near to the correct shade of green, and panel and surface detail is excellent. Assembly is quite straightforward, though care must be taken when aligning the wings and tailplane. Cockpit detail includes a floor, upon which two very nicely detailed seats are fitted, though with such a vast area of glazing the interior of the cockpit could be improved by the addition of further detail.

The warload consists of drop tanks and bombs carried below the wings. The cockpit canopy is made up of a one-piece windscreen, two separate side pieces and a canopy top, but the parts are easily assembled, and this method of production does ensure that the completed unit has the correct bug-eyed appearance.

Decals are once again excellent, and include masses of stencilling, wing walkway strips etc. The front of the box shows the machine in a low attack situation, and is an excellent guide for adding additional detail and markings, while the box profiles show a Tri-service machine and an overall pale grey aircraft of the 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing.

One most important requirement, which we would have expected to have been stressed in the instruction sheet, is the need to weight the nose.

This is another example of a well-designed and well-made kit that we feel sure will prove deservedly popular.

The IPMS magazine, JANUARY 1969 VOL.6 No.1

Modelling world
by JAMES GOULDING
New Frog 1/72nd kits
North American OV-10A Bronco

"This is a nice, detailed model of this interesting, if unconventional aeroplane. Bombs and drop-tanks are provided for the under-fuselage strongpoints and Sidewinders for the underwing pylons. Transfers are supplied for two versions.
The kit costs 7s 6d.

AIRCRAFT ILLUSTRATED, March 1969

NEW AND IN VIEW NEW AIRCRAFT KITS
HONG KONG COMMENT - 19.5.68.

At last the Hasegawa OV-10A 'Bronco' is to hand. It is well moulded but with a slight amount of flash on the smaller parts, in Lindberg Green plastic. There are no moving parts, except for the propellers and main wheels. Control surfaces are deeply scribed, while panel lines are very light and not quite as clear as is normal on Hasegawa kits. It appears to be accurate in scale and outline and includes all the stores packs and some internal detail though I doubt whether the crew of this aircraft would have a great deal of use for oxygen masks1. The canopy is in four very clear pieces, windscreen, two sides and a top, presumably because of the need to mould curved surfaces. A well-printed semi-matt decal sheet covers Air Force and Marine variants. Not Hasegawa's best, but a good kit of an interesting aircraft. The price is ¥200.

Possibly the best piece of moulding I have ever seen in a 1/50 scale kit, and very definitely the best Fujimi have ever done,is their latest kit, the A-4E Skyhawk; without reservation I can say that I have not seen anything to surpass the surface detailing of this model. Moulded in their standard mid-grey plastic without a blemish or trace of flash, the kit includes just about every piece of ordnance that this aircraft could carry. There is also a substantial amount of internal detail but no moving parts except the wheels. Full assembly and colouring instructions are provided in Japanese and English, and a matt decal sheet covering Coral Sea, Hancock, Enterprise and Marine alternatives for finishing. A must for anyone interested in 1/50 scale kits, particularly of modern aircraft.- Price ¥300.

Advertised by Tamiya is a new series of kits of modern jets to 1/100 scale at ¥100 each. The first five in this series are scheduled as MiG-19, Corsair II , Skyhawk, Lightning F6 and Mirage III. From photographs of the MiG and Lightning it would seem that Tamiya have managed to get a wealth of detail into these small models. It seems a pity that they have not seen fit to continue with this series in fheir already established 1/72 scale range, where at least the MiG and Skyhawk would have been most welcome.

Hasegawa have released the Frog P-38, Gannet and Me410 retailing at ¥250. Marusan, or San as they are now called, have advertised a 1/100 scale B-24J Liberator. Kogure, who ran into financial troubles some time ago, are having their old kits marketed by a new firm, which will be of interest to members who may have been concerned over the disappearance of the large scale car kits.
C.B.

The IPMS magazine, Vol.5 No.6, JUNE 1968

HONG KONG COMMENT 12.6.68 by Colin Bramwell

No. 17 in the Hasegawa 1/72 series, the A-6A Intruder, has been released in the new style box which this firm are now using, and in my view this is one of Hasegawa's best kits to date. It is moulded in good quality white plastic with only a modicum of flash on the smaller parts. The only moving parts are the wheels, although the dive brakes can be fitted in closed or extended position. Surface detail is quite well handled by faint raised lines, and as far as I can see all the intakes, blisters, recesses etc. as well as a full load of stores have been included. The only fault I can find is that the dive brake doors appear to be perforated on the real aircraft, the kit only providing scribed circles in lieu, but in consolation there is a very nicely detailed control panel in the cockpit in the same type of scribing. The otherfault appears to lie in the decal sheet, the figure 5 in the U. S. S. Enterprise version 513, being much heavier than the other figures. . . . but who knows, this may be correct? The decal sheet is semi-matt, very clearly printed and covers aircraft from Enterprise and Constellation complete with Black Panther and Ace of Spades motifs. The canopy, as was to be expected, has been moulded in two halves to obtain the correct bulging.

This kit makes a good companion piece for the Buccaneer in any display.

I should like to add a note to my earlier comment on the OV-10. Now I have actually made up the kit, I find that the mouldings are far more complex and to a far higher standard than my earlier brief examination indicated - in particular the double curvature of the underwing section is very well done. One word of warning: this kit takes one heck of a lot of lead fo keep it oil the nose wheel - I found it necessary to line the whole cockpit and cut away the seat bases to get enough weight in.

Also to hand today is the Frog/Hasegawa Me.410 kit, which appears to have been moulded in U.K. w'ith the instruction sheet, stand, cement and decal sheet made and packed in Japan.

The IPMS magazine, Vol.5 No.7, JULY 1968

NEW AND IN VIEW NEW AIRCRAFT KITS
AIRFIX. North American OV-10A Bronco. 1/72 scale. Price 3/9 (U.K.)

Unlike previous models of this aircraft, the Airfix offering accurately represents the operational version as used by the U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps.

It is moulded in white polystyrene, and panel and rivet detail is excellent, though perhaps a fraction too heavy around the engine cowlings. However, with only one coat of paint, this detail is reduced to near-scale proportions.

Assembly is very straight forward, and the fit of the parts is very good indeed, but this model is a confirmed tail-sitter and much weight must be fitted into the nose or cowlings to ensure that it stands correctly on its tricycle undercarriage.

The b«he noir of Airfix kits of late has been poor canopies, but happily this remark does not apply to this model. Its canopy is excellent and very neatly thought out, the side windows being in one piece which is inserted into the fuselage halves from the inside, with separate top and windscreen, while the frames are moulded integrally with the fuselage halves which simplifies painting. Cockpit detail consists of two crew members plus seats, no other parts being included. Separate weapons pods, rockets and drop tanks make up optional war loads. The only item not quite worthy of such a fine kit are the decals, though these are much better than in some previous Airfix kits.

Whether the OV—10A will ever warrant the attention kit manufacturers have lavished on it remains to be seen, but the Airfix offering is certainly the most accurate model of it we have seen so far. It is well worth its modest price.

The IPMS magazine, MAY 1969 VOL. 6 No.5.

Modelling world
by JAMES GOULDING

Airfix Bronco and Duck Kits

AIRFIX'S kit of the North American OV-10A Bronco is the best yet of this twin-boom COIN aircraft. It is very accurate, and beautifully-detailed and moulded. The whole kit has a delicate appearance, and the rivet detail is just about as fine as one could wish. Transfers are provided for two versions—USAF and US Marines. Stores include bombs, under-fuselage drop-tank and under-wing Sidewinders. This is a Series 2 kit, selling at 3s 9d.

AIRCRAFT ILLUSTRATED 1969-07