B-26B Marauder with USAAF Pilots and Ground Personnel

This is the all-new tooling of the B-26B (#48320) from ICM combined with their USAAF figure set (#48088) and it is issued to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Allied liberation of Europe in June 1944.

Inside the box you will one clear and eight grey-coloured sprues for the B-26B and a single grey-coloured sprue for the figures. The former depicts the B-26B-55-MA built at the Baltimore factory and it comprises over 350 parts. Surface detail is via finely engraved lines, with a few access panel fasteners, but no structural rivets, which a lot are going to have wanted, considering the bare metal nature of the type. The fabric-effect on the control surfaces is done via subtle raised ribs and undulations in the surface of the plastic and is very effective. The clear parts have clearly defined frames that are slightly frosted, so there can be no confusion, plus the sprue is individually wrapped in thin foam to ensure nothing gets scartched. All colour call-outs are now only via ICM's own paint range, so you will have to work out equivalents in your preferred paint range/s. Detail wise the kit is impressive, with interior structure moulded inside each fuselage half for the front, bomb-bay and rear sections. This means that the rear crew hatch is separate and can be posed open, plus the bomb bay doors are also separate for the same reason. The interior of the tail gun position is very nice and you have the two rearward-firing guns in the lower rear fuselage. The mid-upper turret is equally well detailed and you have a set of six 500lb bombs to hang in the vertical racks in the bomb bay. The cockpit interior is well detailed, with a decal overlay for the instrument panel, but no seat belts depicted in any way. The instructions clearly show that 50g of weight needs to be added aft of the cockpit area, plus you could probably add a little more in each engine nacelle if you want to be sure. The rudder and elevators are separate, as are the ailerons and landing flaps - all bar the latter have the fabric-effect. Guns packs to go on either side of the forward fuselage are included as separate sub-assembles for two of the decal options. Each engine is nicely detailed and multi-part, all that needs adding is the ignition harness, as they even have the exhaust collectors on the back. Each engine cowling is multi-part, to depict the two intakes on the top and the nacelles aft of this are split into two vertically with separate internal bulkheads plus moulded structure within that reason of the lower wing half. Because you get spars on which to mount the wings, you can leave the three main assembles separate if you want, but it will also ease painting. The undercarriage is made up of three parts per leg, with four for the nose leg. All the wheels are multi-part, with the tyres split vertically in two and that is going to make removing the seam difficult as the types have a diamond tread pattern engraved in them. The hubs are separate, so all that needs adding are some brake lines. The final touches are the propellers, which are moulded with the hubs separate. There are no pre-cut paint masks in the kit, but the instructions have 1:1 scale templates so you can cut this from masking tape.
The figure sets depicts the five figures in the poses depicted on the box art. Each is a multi-part assembly and the facial and clothing details are nicely done. None of the badges or rank insignia are supplied as decals though, so you will have to have a steady hand to paint these on.

Colour Options
The kit offers three decal options: 
• B-26B-55-MA, 42-96077, 'Ladies Delight' of the 584th BS, 394th BG, Boreham, summer 1944
• B-26B-55-MA, 42-96214, 'Coral Princess III', 494th BS, 344th BG, Pontoise, France, autumn 1944
• B-26B-55-MA, 42-96165, 'The Big Hairy Bird', 599th BS. 397th BG, Peronne, France, December 1944
All options have invasion stripes, although the second option has these toned down. Option one is Olive Drab over Neutral Grey, whilst the other two are bare metal. 
The decals are beautifully printed, with perfect register and colour and they are very glossy. The sheet includes a set of national insignia, along with the yellow tail marking of the third option, but only the teeth etc. of the nose marking, the modeller will have to match the yellow to the tail band and then spray that on in the correct shape before applying the mouth/eyes - a template for this in the instructions would have been helpful for this. A good set of stencils, walkway markings and a decal for the instrument panel are also included.

Conclusion
We have not had a new 1/48th B-26 since Monogram did it in the late 1970s, so this new one is very welcome as it has nicely engraved surface detail, which is very much in vogue of late. I am sure the experts will go over this with a fine tooth comb and decide what is and isn't there, but from the box you have a very comprehensive reproduction of the final B-26B production block and it is most highly recommended to all USAAF modellers.

Our thanks to ICM (www.icm.com.ua) for the review sample, UK modellers can obtain this kit from Hannants here.