Hobby Boss 1/72 Z-10 Attack Helicopter Kit First Look
By Dave Manter
| Date of Review | March 2013 | Manufacturer | Hobby Boss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | Z-10 Attack Helicopter | Scale | 1/72 |
| Kit Number | 87253 | Primary Media | Styrene |
| Pros | Cool subject, choice of weapon systems | Cons | None |
| Skill Level | Basic | MSRP (USD) | $25.99 |
First Look
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The Z-10 attack helicopter's development began in the mid-1990s. The prototype of the Z-10 made its maiden flight in 2003. The primary mission of the Z-10 is anti-armor and battlefield interdiction. It also has some limited air-to-air capabilities.
The Z-10 helicopter has a standard gunship configuration with a narrow fuselage and stepped tandem cockpits. The gunner is seated at the front and the pilot is at the rear. The fuselage has sloped sides to reduce the radar cross section. All vital areas are believed to be protected by armor plates.
The prototype of the Z-10 is powered by two Canadian Pratt & Whitney PT6C-67C turbo shaft engines, delivering 1531hp each. This helicopter may be fitted with a fly-by-wire control, helmet-mounted sight for the head-up display, television and forward-looking infrared sensors, radar and laser warning receivers, infrared jammer and decoy dispensers.
The HobbyBoss Chinese Z-10 Attack Helicopter kit consists of 152 styrene parts on 7 sprues. All of the parts are very well molded and detail is great for this scale. There is no flash at all. Seam lines are very fine and will be easy to cleanup. The canopy parts are crystal clear. Decals are provided for one aircraft in overall black.
Construction begins with the cockpit and the details are great here. Decals are provided for the instrument panels. Paint colors are called out during assembly. You move from here to the main gun and rotor head assembly, followed up by the main body. The next several steps have you adding detail to the aircraft. This is followed by the assembly of all of the weapon systems. You have the option of external missiles or rocket pods. The detail on all of the weapons is great. Final assembly is the main rotor blades and the tail rotor assembly.
With the level of detail on the parts and based on previous builds on kits from HobbyBoss, this one should not present any problems.
My sincere thanks to Squadron Mail Order for this review sample!