Trumpeter 1/700 US Naval Aviation Accessory Set Kit First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | October 2005 | Manufacturer | Trumpeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | US Naval Aviation Accessory Set | Scale | 1/700 |
| Kit Number | 3418 | Primary Media | Styrene |
| Pros | Nice variety of US WW2 aircraft for the series of 1/700 aircraft carriers; molded in clear | Cons | |
| Skill Level | Basic | MSRP (USD) | $14.95 |
First Look
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In the last few years, Trumpeter has been producing an unbelievable series of aircraft carriers in 1/350 scale of modern as well as World War Two subjects. These kits are very nicely detailed and build into masterpieces straight from the box.
Of course, if you built more than a few of these kits, you'll need to expand your home or look for larger accommodations. Fortunately, Trumpeter has been downscaling many of their 1/350 scale kits into 1/700 scale which translates into getting the same nice detail in 25% of the space.
One of the other innovative things Trumpeter did with their 1/350 scale kits was to offer a few of each type of aircraft in each carrier kit and then sold more of each type separately, allowing you to select the composition of your airwing. What was also innovative was that these aircraft were hollow-molded and featured clear canopies, prompting White Ensign Models to produce photo-etched interiors for these kits.
In this case, Trumpeter has provides a wide array of aircraft in this set. These are molded as one piece as multiple parts would be impractical in this scale. To facilitate the scale effect and realism, these aircraft were all molded in clear styrene, giving the modeler some interesting effects to achieve.
Mask the canopies, paint the aircraft zinc chromate, then the appropriate camouflage. The results will be eye-catching!
This set includes four B-25 Mitchells (for the Hornet), six F4F Wildcats, six SBD Dauntlesses, six F6F Hellcats, six TBD Devastators, six F4U Corsairs, six SB2C Helldivers, and six TBF Avengers. A total of 48 aircraft in each set.
Each set also includes several copies of two decal sheets. Sheet A has the early war roundels with and without the red dot in the center, as well as aircraft/squadron ID numbers in black. Sheet B has the late-war stars and bars, plus ID numbers in white and black.
This set gives you more than enough aircraft and markings to replicate the air wings of virtually any WW2 US Carrier at any stage of the war. You'll definitely want to stash several of these away for your collection of fleet carriers! Recommended!
My sincere thanks to Stevens International for this review sample!