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Avia B.135
RS Models, 1/72 scale
S
u m m a r y
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| Catalogue Number: |
RS Models No. 92025 Avia B.135 |
| Scale: |
1/72 |
| Contents and Media: |
36 tan coloured plastic parts on two
sprues, 1 very clear injected plastic canopy, 21 PE parts on one fret,
decals for two aircraft plus a 4 page instruction sheet with history,
parts plan, 15 build drawings and paint/decal instructions on the rear
of the end opening box. |
| Price: |
From £11.91 available online from Hannants and specialist hobby
retailers worldwide. |
| Review Type: |
FirstLook |
| Advantages: |
Rare and interesting subject; good
detail inside and out; beautifully subtle surface textures; clear
injected canopy; pre-coloured PE from Eduard; well printed decals. |
| Disadvantages: |
Instructions are basic but usable,
multi-media so not for beginners. |
| Recommendation: |
Highly Recommended to moderately
experienced modellers |
Reviewed by Glen Porter
HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron.com
The Avia B.135 was designed and built by the Avia
Company in Czechoslovakia during the Second World War as a modification
of their B-35. Considering that its license built Hispano Suiza V12 only
put out 860 hp, it is remarkable that the aircraft reached around 330
mph. Although one Bulgarian pilot, Lt. Jordan Ferdinandov, is credited
with shooting down one of the Ploiesti Raid Liberators, the engines
proved unreliable and the B.135 spent most of its time in training
squadrons.
This is one of two B.135 kits RS have produced, the other, No. 92024,
has Czech markings as opposed to this one's Bulgarian and German. On
opening the end-opening box, the first thing you will notice is the tan
coloured sprues reminiscent of those from Eduard with next to no flash
and finely engraved panel detail.
Click
the thumbnails below to view larger images:
[../../../photogallery/photo00020318/real.htm]
The “A” sprue carries everything other than the
main wings. There are alternative props, exhausts, gear doors, wheels,
and under-nose scoops depending on which variant you wish to model, and
here-in lies a problem. They don't tell you in the instructions which
alternative parts go with which aircraft, just mentioning them as
alternative parts.
“B” just has the three piece wing but the opening for the gear bays only
matches one of the alternative gear doors. Again, this is not explained
in the instructions. Could these extra parts be for the other kit with
the Czech markings?
“C” is the clear one-piece canopy which looks quite good except that it
is a little on the thick side. If you can't find a vac-formed example it
may be better to leave the canopy closed.
The Eduard PE fret is one of their pre-coloured ones and has instrument
panel, seat belts, radiator matrix and other small items including a
flare gun and hand wheels.
Decals are by Boaagency and are very well done as is so often the case
now with decals coming out of Eastern Europe, with markings for two
aircraft. There is the aircraft flown by Lt. Jordon Ferdinandov in
Bulgarian markings and painted RLM 70/71/65 when he reportedly shot down
the Ploiesti Liberator in March 1944.
The other example is one of the prototypes in RLM 02 marked D-IBPP,
1941.
I don't know if you can really classify these RS offerings as short-run
because everything inside the box is top quality, but for any-one
interested in this particular aircraft or any of the other subjects
presented by RS, they can't go past these kits. The conventional way
they are designed suggest they won't be hard to build and it is only the
presence of the photo etched parts that precludes their appropriateness
for absolute beginners.
Highly Recommended for moderately experienced modellers.
Thanks to RS Models for the sample
Review Text Copyright © 2007 by Glen Porter
Page Created 18 September, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007
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