Italeri (Zvezda) 1/72 S-37 Berkut

ITALERI (ZVEZDA) 1:72 S-37 BERKUT

Reviewer: Simon Skinner (rec.models.scale)
Kit Review submitted: 28 September 2002

The Kit:
This is a reboxing of the Zvezda kit, which when it first came out the company said would not be available outside Russia! Sure boss, and I've seen one or two Zvezda Berkuts on model shop shelves and they couldn't stop Italeri from sending the kit West! So what do you get? About 50 grey injection molded parts on a couple of main sprues and three clear parts on their own sprue. Parts are bagged together while the decal sheet and instruction booklet are loose. Panel lines are engraved and raised detail is also featured. Moldings are reasonably crisp and there is virtually no flash.

Zvezda boxart

Instructions:
Printed in a variety of different languages the A5 foldout booklet provides a seven step assembly process that is straight forward to follow and should present no real issues. A page is devoted to colour scheme and markings while painting directions is quoted from Modelmaster range and FS numbers also provided.

Construction:
A pilot figure helps fill up a rather spartan cockpit. Apart from the main instrument panel which is added later the kit supplies a cockpit tub, seat and control column. Decals are supplied for side and main instrument consoles. The tub is installed into the fuselage half, and painted in a Ghost Grey colour.

Fuselage halves are split horizontally on this kit and placed together. Fit is quite good but the mandatory cleaning of seam lines is carried out.

A separate nose section is attached to the front of the fuselage half which is also where the main instrument panel is attached to. The nose section attaches quite well but a bit of test fitting and manoeuvring into the right position is needed first. The section also needs to be sanded so that it blends into the fuselage cross section.

Moving onto the main wings these did not really provide any concerns, going together quite well and only a smidgeon of filler applied at the roots.

The tail fins were a different story. They would not sit flush with the fuselage top. This was rectified using filler applied in the join and sanded smooth. Interior of intakes were painted white and these attached without any major problems. The rest of the construction process pretty well mirrored this.

The kit allows for an open cockpit to be displayed which was my choice when completing the model. A small gap was evident under the windscreen.

Versions & Decals:
Only one aircraft can be made this kit which is an overall black example with white nose and leading tail edges. The decal sheet is relatively small with very good colour register, thin and of matt appearance. They went on without too much problems using decal setting solution.

Accuracy:
Best to refer you to Ken Duffey's site (see links page - Ed) as he has listed a number of flaws and deficiencies of this kit. Overall it is acceptable and perhaps only the beak like nose really detracting from a convincing replica.

Overall:
Recommended. It is quite acceptable in accuracy and goes together fairly painlessly. Best attempted by a novice modeller if they have at least a few model kits under their belt.

Related INBOX Reviews:-

Zvezda 1/72 S-37 Berkut

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