F4B-4 & P-6E

Accurate Miniatures
Air Combat Legends, E-Z Build
1/72 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Accurate Miniatures' 1/72 scale F4B-4 & P-6E are available online from Squadron.com

Accurate Miniatures continues its E-Z Build series with a re-release of two Monogram kits, the F4B-4 and P-6E in 1/72 scale.

Both of these kits are genuine classics. Despite being first released in the 1960s, these biplanes hold up well even by today's standards.

Upper and lower wings are supplied as one piece each, featuring nicely rendered fabric detail. The corrugated flying surfaces on the F4F-B are very well done too.

Panel detail, the little that there is, is raised but quite fine and consistent. Vents in the forward fuselage of the F4B-4 are appropriately recessed.

The 1/72 scale F4B-4 contains 24 parts in grey plastic and one part in clear.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

The US Army P-6E comprises just 20 parts in grey plastic and one in clear.

With so few parts, it is not surprising that interior detail is sparse. Well, non existent really - there is no cockpit detail in either kit at all. Even so, this is compensated by the treatment of the exterior. The single piece engine of the F4B-4, for example, is really very nice.

The small number of parts will make these kits suitable for a fairly new or younger modeller, but some care will be required in handling and aligning the struts. The kits are robustly engineered to help in this regard, with large, deep locating holes (rectangular shaped) in the top of the bottom wing and the bottom of the top wing to fit the ends of the various struts.

Moulding quality is generally very good, but there is a bit of extra flash to clean up on the F4B-4 kit.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

The only options are a plastic stand and a pilot figure for each kit. A locating hole is moulded into the bottom wing of each model so don't forget to fill this if you are not planning to display your model on the stand. The pilots each have a big sink mark in the mid regions.

Decals, by Cartograph of Italy, are brand new and of excellent quality. One marking scheme is supplied for each model.

The package is rounded out with two printed PSP bases, which are cleverly included in the inside packaging.

It is very pleasing to see these two old kits make a return, especially in the quality packaging of Accurate Miniatures with the new decals.

These are still very nice kits more than four decades after their original release, and will be simple enough for relative beginners to tackle with confidence.

Recommended.

Thanks to Accurate Miniatures for the review sample.

Accurate Miniatures kits are available worldwide through hobby retailers and from Squadron.com

Review and Images Copyright © 2007 by Brett Green
Page Created 17 July, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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