MPM 1:72 NAKAJIMA "KIKKA"
'INBOX Review'

 

Reviewer: Myself  (rec.models.scale)   
- A Built up review of this kit exists on this site - see the respective fully built kit review index to locate review

Kit Details

48th Scale Tamiya Sea Harrier FRS.1

History

I’m pretty sure that the Harrier story has been covered by both myself in my 72nd scale reviews and by others here, so I won’t reinvent the wheel.

The Kit

This is a gift from a friend in the UK and as I’ve been out of the quarter scaling world for about 20 years, readers will excuse any glaring omissions or inaccuracies.  It’s funny , however, that this was a kit that I had bought as a ‘new release’ back when I was serving in the RAAF and going through a big 48th scale phase.  This kit represents an earlier Sea Harrier (pre-1982) before they were to get their famous reputation as “la Negra Muerte” over the Falkland Islands.  The sprues are definitely ‘old school’, with predominantly raised detail and some simple constructs for the various assemblies.  In fact, the sprues have ‘1/48 Sea Harrier 1982’ stamped on their reverse nameplate with the frontside having a Tamiya logo and spue letter, but with a large blank space in between, which I suspect would have been for the earlier Harrier GR.1 release.  A single piece pilot is provided for the cockpit area which consists of a floor with raised sidewalls, a control column and an ejection seat.  Each of these items are single mouldings and this area is completed by instrument panel shroud, complete with decalled instrument panel & clear HUD later in the construction process.  The aircraft’s famous vectoring Pegasus engine is provided as a complete assembly with a two piece engine body, front compressor fan & intake and a three piece internal assembly that the four exhausts are glued onto to allow them to move in unison (a nice touch).  The aircraft’s undercarriage are predominantly single piece affairs with the exception of the rear unit, with two separate tires, leg and gear door.  The centerline gear bays are boxed in as is the rear airbrake area although there is no provision for ‘in flight’ modeling which is disappointing.  Clear parts consist of the aforementioned HUD pane, a windscreen and a canopy.

Options

Options include a separate engine bay cover to expose the Pegasus, a choice of ventral strakes or Aden gun pods, two drop tanks, two AIM-9L Sidewinder AAMs, two RN twin-stores carriers and four 1000lb GP bombs.  These stores are a little simplistic for my mind, especially given the scale, but considering the kit’s age are adequate.  A stores diagram suggests three options all carry Sidewinders on the outer pylons with the inners carrying either a tank, a bomb or a store carrier with two bombs.

Colour Schemes

A single colour scheme is provided, applicable to the three decaling options available.  It is the initial scheme worn by the type, consisting of Extra Dark Sea Grey uppers over White lowers with a black radome.  Unfortunately, at no point are these colours noted in English in the instructions which are written only in Japanese.

Decals

Although once again, decals weren’t supplied, the kit offers three sets of squadron markings for No 899 NAS based at RNAS Yeoviltion, and No 801 NAS aboard HMS Invincible & No 800 NAS based aboard HMS Hermes.  All aircraft sport pre-Falkands tri-colour roundels with full colour squadron markings.  A wealth of steniclling appears to be provided.

Instructions

Written in Japanese only, this is a large double sided tri-fold sheet with aircraft history and painting & decaling guide on one side and a total of ten construction steps on the reverse.  Colour callouts for detail and major painting are all given during the construction process, but once again unless the reader is fluent in Japanese, references will be essential to have even the most basic painting done.

Impressions 

When I first bought this kit in the early 80s, I quite naturally modeled it as a Falklands machine given the conflict’s recent occurance.  I suspect that I would have fudged the low-viz decals and paint on that occasion, but completed the kit without any difficulty.   Whilst I can’t recall the instruction sheet being purely in Japanese, I’m sure that there were plenty of references on hand.  Compared to later kits, I’m sure this particular model has many failings, most notably in it’s raised detail and somewhat simplistic undercarriage.  I’ve also no doubt that the supplied Pegasus is only a ‘broad brush’ indication of the real item and would require quite a bit of work to make the effort of the separate engine panel worthwhile.

Conclusions

To conclude, it certainly looks like a Shar and although I’m unaware of aftermarket decals to permit a Falklands era machine to be built, I’m sure that the requisite markings could be knocked up by a modeler with a well stocked decal bank.  Out of the box, an early peacetime Shar is an easy build, if a little basic in it’s general mouldings.  I’d recommend the kit to anyone who is fond of the type, campaign or era.

 

SMAKR Home  |  What's New  |  Submissions  | Information Requests |  News  |  Links  |  Reference Corner  |  Site Info 
1/72 Reviews  |  1/48 Reviews  |  INBOX Reviews