ESCI 1:72 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS AV-8A MATADOR
'INBOX Review'

 

Reviewer: John Lacey (rec.models.scale)   

Kit Details

72nd Scale Esci AV-8A/Mataor 

History

Once again, I won’t go into too much detail regarding the type, but will note that this is the McDonnell-Douglas produced variant that saw service with both the USMC and Spanish Armada.  This review will however make an interesting comparison to the Hasegawa boxing of the type.

The Kit

Although certainly an older kit, this is streets ahead of the elderly Hasegawa boxing with delicate engraved panel lines replacing the former’s raised detail.  The cockpit consists of a single piece ejection seat, control column, instrument panel and cockpit floor with sidewalls.  Both sidewalls and instrument panel are supplied with decals.  This assembly is added to the forward fuselage halves (the kit being reboxed as a GR.3 and Sea Harrier with the requisite changes) and another two piece assembly completes the forward undercarriage bay and intake area.  Once again, a blanking plate with fan is added to block in this area, whilst the vectoring nozzles are two piece assemblies that are added to the fuselage sides, glue once again being a pre-requisite.  The rear airbrake bay is a separate piece that boxes in this area, but the rear landing gear bay is merely a hole in the fuselage underside.  As with previous Esci Harriers, the landing gear are predominantly single piece mouldings with the gear doors moulded onto them and no option for an ‘in flight’ pose.  The large antenna on the dorsal spine specific to the type is supplied (unlike the Hasegawa kit) whilst the clear parts consist of a HUD and two-piece canopy and windscreen.

Options

Options include either gun pods or strakes, two drop tanks and two generic AIM-9 AAMs complete with separate rails.  No store is provided for the centerline pylon, although this is present.

Colour Schemes

Two schemes are provided for, an early USMC tactical scheme that is erroneously noted as FS34079 / 36173 over FS3440 lowers whilst the Spanish machine is listed as FS36440 Light Gull Grey over FS17875 White lowers although my references suggest these are FS2 type colours (eg FS26440) or semi gloss rather than 3 (Matt) or 1 (Gloss).

Decals

Decals are provided for a Marine aircraft from VMA-542 sporting early full colour cocardes and a Spanish Armada 8 Esquadrilla machine.  A comprehensive set of stencils are also provided.

Instructions

These consist of a long double sided page with multi-lingual aircraft history, painting & decaling guide and two construction steps on one side, with colour callouts and eleven construction steps on the reverse.  Detail painting is noted throughout the assembly where applicable for either marking option.

Impressions 

It would be hard not to compare this kit against the Hasegawa example and the comparison is definitely in Esci’s favour.  A greater degree of detail, recessed panel lines and accurate choices for equipment and stores place this well ahead of the generic Hasegawa Marine option.

Conclusions

For an early Harrier, I think this is a much better choice than the Hasegawa example and given that Italeri have recently released the Sea Harrier (an ex Esci mould), I guess the possibility of this kit re-release is there.  This would however be a slim one, I feel, given the popularity of the later AV-8B among modelers.  For anyone wanting to do an early Harrier, whether it be an RAF GR.1 or Marine AV-8A, I can heartily recommend the kit.

 

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