Revell (Mathbox) 1/72 Eurocopter SA.365 Dauphin 2

REVELL (MATCHBOX) 1:72 EUROCOPTER SA.365 DAUPHIN 2

Reviewer: Paul Wherran (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review submitted: 15 November 2008

Kit Details:

Revell (Matchbox) 1/72 Eurocopter SA.365 Dauphin 2- #04467

Aircraft History:

The single engined SA 360 Dauphin was designed to replace the classic Alouette III. It was the first helicopter to adopt the shrouded Fenestron tail rotor. The demand was for a more powerfull, longer range machine that developed into the 365 with two Textron Lycoming 680 shp LTS 101 – 750A – 1 engines. Some versions were also fitted with 650 shp Turbomeca Arriel turboshafts. In Cosatguard service the Dauphin was known as the HH-65A Dolphin.

The Kit:

Initially I thought this kit might have been an Italeri chopper kit reboxed by Revell, but you soon realise its roots as soon as you open the box, since the plastic is molded in a reddish colour, giving away its Matchbox roots. I’ve not seen the original kit so I am not sure if anything has changed other than the box and instructions. There are 65 parts in this kit, of which almost a dozen are a thickish clear parts. The surface detail is mediocre at best but at least it is engraved, and not typically the trench style that Matchbox is renowned for.

Instructions:

These are provided in the form of an A5 booklet with the typical array of blocky assembly steps found in Revell kits followed by four view decal placement and painting information and preceded by the usual brief history and model explanations. Revell paint numbers and information are quoted throughout construction.

Construction:

Being a matchbox kit there really is not a lot of detail provided inside the chopper. The cockpit gets the usual double block seats, rear bulkhead, cabin floor, centre console with instrument panels and rudimentary rudder pedals but no other detail such as roof console or collective control leavers. The internal cabin has very little detail other than the floor and seat.

The cockpit section was installed and the fuselage halves affixed together. Other than a little trimming, everything fits quite well. Then it was installing the cabin roof and windscreen and some fit issues were first encountered here. Do your test fits first, trim to suit and make sure the parts will assemble in place before glueing them in. After a bit of mucking around the result was worth the effort.

The engine assembly is straightforward as is the rear rotor even though this actually covered later in construction, pretty much test fit and then put into place but keep in mind the decals that need to go in place in the centre, might be worth painting and decalling this before installing. But the cabin roof windows were again a bit more problematic, needing a test fit first and trim. These were also painted clear green in line with the instructions.

Then comes the remaining clear parts for the windows, and these are a bit more frustrating than other components of the kit. Interestingly there is a door provided but if you are building the coast guard version then this needs to be filled in and painted as if it were not there. All I can suggest is a bit of patience, test fit and coerce the parts into place. Mine fitted quite well... eventually.

This then moves onto the undercarriage which is simplistic and lacking in detail but straightforward to put together. The antenna array under the nose is also added and this is a bit blocky for the scale. Finally the addition of the main rotor blades, exhausts and engine intakes complete the fairly straightforward construction process.

Colour Schemes:

There are two options to choose from, the red US Coast Guard version which adorns the boxart or a French L’Armee D’Air machine. Given the extensive usage of this aircraft by the US Coast Guard I couldn’t go past this particular option. In spite of the Humbrol matches to Revell colour references, I ended up painting the chopper in the typical H19 gloss red with white highlights around the rotor. Given the likelihood of bleed through effects I did the white and masked off before applying the red.

Decals:

There is not much on the decal sheet at all other than the basics to cover the roundels and unit badges of the versions the kit enables to be produced. Register is pretty good and applying the decals was very straightforward with no problems noted. However, the white fuselage unit badge and band on the fuselage is shaped the wrong way with a backward slope instead of a forward one unless I had it inside out... which I don’t think so. I ended up slicing the decal in half and then carefully cutting the edges and applying a matching white section underneath to enable the decal to slope forward. Yes you can tell if you turn the aircraft upside down but it worked out okay. There is also a bit of red bleed-through on the white decals.

Overall Recommendation:

Don’t go looking for the most definitive looking Dauphin 2 with this kit as you will be disappointed. The kit is undersized to scale, particularly the fuselage length but overall it still captures the look of the Dauphin 2 quite well. It’s a good solid replica that has all the basics in detail, if not much more, but is still a generally straight forward build, other than the frustrating transparencies. I am not aware of other kits in this scale for this aircraft, so it is recommended on that basis.

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