RAF S.E.5a
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Kit Review
This is another very much 'Trumpeter' kit, as we have said with their Gladiator in 1/48th. Inside the box you will find a single clear and five grey-coloured sprues plus a large fret of nickel-plated photo-etched. The surface detail is a combination of engraved lines for the cowl panels, raised details for the fixings and stitching. The wings and tail feature raised ribs etc., and even in this scale they still look a little heavy? The fuselage has the interior framework for the sides and base, the cockpit floor, rudder pedals, control column, upper decking and instrument panel; the latter has a decal overlay. The framework actually includes all the supports for the engine, but there is no engine in this kit, which makes us wonder if a more detailed version may be planned. The wheels have excellent detail of the spokes pressing through the outer canvas covers, but the backs are complete flat, oops! The wings have the control surfaces separate and the main struts are also separate with nice detail of the metal fixtures on each end. The etched fret comes into play already by this stage, as it offers all the flight wires, so you add the outer wires between the struts in an 'x' format. The rudder and elevators are separate, plus you get the actuating arm for the former. The cabane struts have more etched flight wires. The support wires for the tailplanes are also included, as are the linkage, all as etched brass. The final job would be to add all the double flight wires between the struts and wings, although most will want to leave these off until after the painting and decalling. The final stage shows the fitment of the Lewis gun above the top wing with a twin ammunition drum arrangement, which I have never seen before. The kit only gives the four-blade propeller.
Colour Options
There are two decal options in the kit, none of which are identified in any way. They are:
• F-943, No.92 Squadron, in the interwar period
• A2-13 (ex-D8476), Royal Australian Air Force
All colours are identified by Mr Hobby Color, Mr Aqueous Color, Vallejo, Model Master, Tamiya and Humbrol paint ranges. The decal sheet is well printed and along with all the national and unique markings you get a decal for the instrument panel, but sadly no airframe stencils.
Conclusion
The kit as moulded depicts an SE.5a with a geared Hispano-Suiza engine, four-blade propeller and the metal tube style undercarriage, whilst both of the option had the later style wooden undercarriage assembly and the direct-drive engine linked to a two-blade propeller, so really the kit decals are not applicable. That said this is an impressive kit that will be pretty straightforward to build, so it will make a nice first biplane.
Our thanks to Pocketbond for the review sample, check out this and all other ranges they import by visiting their website www.pocketbond.co.uk.
This is another very much 'Trumpeter' kit, as we have said with their Gladiator in 1/48th. Inside the box you will find a single clear and five grey-coloured sprues plus a large fret of nickel-plated photo-etched. The surface detail is a combination of engraved lines for the cowl panels, raised details for the fixings and stitching. The wings and tail feature raised ribs etc., and even in this scale they still look a little heavy? The fuselage has the interior framework for the sides and base, the cockpit floor, rudder pedals, control column, upper decking and instrument panel; the latter has a decal overlay. The framework actually includes all the supports for the engine, but there is no engine in this kit, which makes us wonder if a more detailed version may be planned. The wheels have excellent detail of the spokes pressing through the outer canvas covers, but the backs are complete flat, oops! The wings have the control surfaces separate and the main struts are also separate with nice detail of the metal fixtures on each end. The etched fret comes into play already by this stage, as it offers all the flight wires, so you add the outer wires between the struts in an 'x' format. The rudder and elevators are separate, plus you get the actuating arm for the former. The cabane struts have more etched flight wires. The support wires for the tailplanes are also included, as are the linkage, all as etched brass. The final job would be to add all the double flight wires between the struts and wings, although most will want to leave these off until after the painting and decalling. The final stage shows the fitment of the Lewis gun above the top wing with a twin ammunition drum arrangement, which I have never seen before. The kit only gives the four-blade propeller.
Colour Options
There are two decal options in the kit, none of which are identified in any way. They are:
• F-943, No.92 Squadron, in the interwar period
• A2-13 (ex-D8476), Royal Australian Air Force
All colours are identified by Mr Hobby Color, Mr Aqueous Color, Vallejo, Model Master, Tamiya and Humbrol paint ranges. The decal sheet is well printed and along with all the national and unique markings you get a decal for the instrument panel, but sadly no airframe stencils.
Conclusion
The kit as moulded depicts an SE.5a with a geared Hispano-Suiza engine, four-blade propeller and the metal tube style undercarriage, whilst both of the option had the later style wooden undercarriage assembly and the direct-drive engine linked to a two-blade propeller, so really the kit decals are not applicable. That said this is an impressive kit that will be pretty straightforward to build, so it will make a nice first biplane.
Our thanks to Pocketbond for the review sample, check out this and all other ranges they import by visiting their website www.pocketbond.co.uk.
