Collect Aire 1/48 B-57B Canberra Build Review
By Fotios Rouch
| Date of Review | February 2015 | Manufacturer | Collect Aire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | B-57B Canberra | Scale | 1/48 |
| Kit Number | 4838 | Primary Media | Resin, Vac |
| Pros | It used to be the only kit of this subject in this scale | Cons | See text |
| Skill Level | Experienced | MSRP (USD) | Out of production |
Build Review
Going way back on the Wayback machine before Classic Airframes and before Airfix, there was only one way to get a B-57 in 1/48th scale in one's collection. The only solution was the mega dollar resin Collect-Aire kit. The kit was designed and molded in Slovakia. It was not a bad kit in general terms but it suffered from mediocre molding and a general lack of details.
I built this kit with many references out of the very nice and must have Robert Mikesh book and my references from the Pima Air & Space display aircraft. This kit needed a lot of tender loving care. I also wanted a lot of extra detail beyond of what the kit offered. I wanted a decent cockpit, flaps, etc.
All that was scratch built as the kit offered pathetic instrument panels, awful knock off ejection seats and no flaps.
The funny part was that the proprietor of Collect-Aire put up the images from the various modelers on his web site and us modelers got all kinds of emails about how his kits did not meet their expectations!
Elbow grease aside, I was satisfied with my labor of love for the last ten years until the plastic kits came out. Even so, there is still not a definitive kit of the B-57 out there today in 1/48th scale.
