HOBBY BOSS 1:72 MIL MI-8T HIP-C
'INBOX Review'

 

Reviewer: Johan De Wolf (rec.models.scale)   

Kit Details

History

The Mi-8/17 family doesn’t really need an introduction. With over 12000 machines produced it is one of the most widely used helicopters today. And even almost 50 years after the first prototype flew it is still in production in its much altered and modernized version as the Mi-171. The first prototype was actually powered by a single engine, but already with the second prototype this was changed to it ultimate twin engined layout. The first production version, the Mi-8T, entered service with the Soviet air force around 1967. Since then over 50 countries have also adopted the type, both in military roles as well as for civil operations. The Mi-8 was developed as a more potent successor to the Mi-4. Like the Mi-4 it was designed from the start as a transport helicopter with a secondary attack role. The second generation, designated Mi-8M, came into being by fitting the more powerful engine and drive train developed for the Mi-14 to the standard Mi-8. This version has been exported as the Mi-17. The Mi-8/17 is a very rugged, easy to maintain and reliable machine. It is successfully being operated in the harshest climates on earth, from the extremely cold polar regions to the humid Asian and south American jungles and from the hot and dry Middle East deserts to the high mountains in the Himalayas.

The kit

Packed in a sturdy top-opening box you will find 4 individually bagged sprues. To further minimize damage the delicate rotor blade ends are protected by bubble wrap. Parts are cleanly formed without flash or sink marks. Panel lines are finely engraved and supplemented by raised detail where appropriate. The fuselage has been formed in a multi segment mold. This produces a fine, easy to remove, mold seam. It also allows for some very fine detail on the underside of the fuselage, something lacking on all other Mi-8 kits. The transparent parts are thin and very clear although the bulbous side windows do have a bit of a lens effect. Dry fitting the major and interior parts revealed an excellent fit. The high quality decal sheet offers two options. The instructions offer a parts location diagram and 9 easy to follow construction drawings. The package is rounded out by a full-colour sheet showing two 4-view profiles depicting the camouflage schemes and placement of the markings for the decal options.

Accuracy

Well there is good and bad. I’ll start with the bad. If you were hoping to get a Mi-8T as it says on the box, you will be in for a shock. To turn this kit into a first generation Mi-8 you will have to do a lot of work as the engine compartment and several other details are completely wrong! Now for the good news: If you want a second generation Mi-8M/Mi-17, the only thing you have to do is mount the tail rotor on the opposite side of the tailboom. So I will just ignore what it says on the box and treat this kit as if it was a second generation Hip. As such the dimensions are within 1mm of what they should be. Surface detail has been superbly rendered and matches the original very well. This is also the first kit that gets the shape of the windshield glazing correct. Although accuracy has been compromised a bit to easy construction, this kit still has the most detailed cargo hold of any Mi-8 kit. On the inside of the fuselage halves there is a deep grove to show where to cut if you wish to open the clamshell doors. The cockpit is also highly detailed, including the roof panels and a separate escape hatch. Instrument panels have finely raised details.  Once built the model will be a very good scale representation of the original.  

Construction 

This kit is clearly not aimed at the same market as the cheaper kits in the Hobby Boss range. It has more parts and a lot more very fine details. Still a lot of thought has gone into it and construction should be simple enough for even a relative novice to handle. Construction starts with the interior. Both the floor and the cargo hold roof have a few difficult to remove ejector pin marks. Still if you leave the doors closed they can’t be seen. The total 23 parts, excluding the windows, which go into the interior, make it very well detailed for this scale. After closing the fuselage the engine compartment can be installed. It’s 7 parts once again giving a very convincing look. Next are several external parts and the landing gear, adding another 24 parts. The cockpit glazing fits very well. The side windows are separate and can be installed open or closed. The sliding door to the cargo hold can also be installed open or closed. If you decide to have it open, a two piece entrance ladder is provided. The rotor blades have rather pronounced raised rib detail that needs to be toned down. Also the blades are missing the characteristic droop. They should really be bent very carefully to depict a parked machine realistically.

Painting and Decals

Painting details are given throughout construction. However I would try to find as much information about the machine I want to model as possible. The interior colour of the machines I’ve seen ranged from light grey to mint green, light blue and that typical Russian turquoise also being possible. Seat upholstery differed a lot from machine to machine too, from simple black to red, brown, green, dark blue to even flower patterns (like it was seen in fashionable in interiors of the 60’s and 70’s of the last century). Colours are given in Mr. Hobby, Vallejo, Modelmaster, Tamiya and Humbrol numbers. The decals are for a green/brown over light blue West German Mi-8 and for a non descript Russian machine. Although these may possibly be used the round zero combined with a squarish nine is a bit odd.

Conclusion

It is strange that Hobby Boss tries to pass this kit off as a Mi-8T while clearly it is not! Having said that, it is by far the best Mi-8MT/Mi-17 available in this scale. If you are looking for a Mi-17 for your collection, you can’t go wrong with this one. You just need to find new decals. You could also wait until Hobby Boss releases this kit as a Mi-17, which, judging by the unused cockpit armour plates in this kit, won’t take too long.

References

 

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