Attack Bomber
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MPM 1:72, upgraded
by Matt Stein
This build was a long time coming - years in construction, after decades waiting to discover the MPM kit, in the first place:
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A repop of a very crude (possibly Heller?) original, this mold nevertheless seems to depict all major shapes accurately - with the possible exception of the nacelles of the Klimov M103bis engines, which apparently were a little more streamlined and "shark"-like, on the real thing. However I don't think this detracts appreciably from the overall aspect, particularly in this rudimentary camouflage, seen on (at least) some bombers of the Soviet Volunteer Group in the Chinese Air Force, during early- to mid-WWII. The sunburst Nationalist Chinese roundels are decals from the kit, and of surprising high quality. Likewise, the box also included a small fret of PE details (not shown) - an obvious, later addition/upgrade to the kit. On my depiction, the number of blue/white tail stripes should be a couple more than depicted, but difficulties handling/masking the camouflage, once applied, persuaded me to leave them "as-is". The number "4"s are decal spares - fictitious but very similar in style to those on real Soviet aircraft of the period.
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The stand, depicting a Japanese "KaiBoKan" patrol vessel sinking by the stern, was still incomplete when the aircraft was finished, as development of the former continues in resin, as a prototype showing great promise for more such displays. All (discolored vacu-formed) clear parts of the kit were replaced by custom, heat-formed replacements, whose main drawback can be a difficulty to cut cleanly - however the improvement was already well worth it, from the start. The dorsal turret was upgraded to rotate, a feature not included OOB. Canopy strapping was provided by aluminum HVAC tape, cut in thin strips - still not thin enough, especially on the nose dome, where they impede visibility into the custom-detailed nose position. Replacement of these may be a subject of a future refit. The clear support pylon is often visually effective - even when in the foreground, and the forced-perspective effect is particularly strong - as viewed from behind. The open bomb bay and its contents were all scratch-built/parts box additions.
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Markings depict a(n again) fictitious naval/maritime raider - though the Chinese Air Force did indeed fly numerous coastal and riverine anti-shipping missions - and decal spares depict attacked vessels on the port side of the nose just ahead of the cockpit, as well as a blue-and-yellow group marking - again completely fictitious, but similar to other such marking on Soviet aircraft, and chosen for its color match with the other markings. Propeller shafts, protruding through the spinner tips, were upgraded to real copper-tubing shafts, permitting them to rotate - another feature omitted from the original design! Exhaust stack-ends, protruding through the top of the wings, were upgraded to aluminum tube, and trailing ends of the engine nacelles between them chopped straight, as (I believe is) more accurate. The guns are all cast-resin, copper-core reinforced replacements.
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Cheers,
-Matty
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