1/72nd RNZAF Hercules

[Dave Homewood]

Here is a review of the Flying Kiwis release of an RNZAF Hercules. Looks very nice.

modelingmadness.com/reviews/mod/fordham130.htm
Has anyone here built this kit? I realise it is a Italeri kit repackaged, but I wonder what the decal quality is like, and what the kit itself is like.

I have the Italeri 1/48th scale Hercules still in its box (since 1990) as it's too big to build! I intended to do it in RNZAF colours, now that some (all?) are in plain grey, it'll be easier to paint I guess.

[Craig Sargent]

There is a serious (and reasonably well-known) problem with the alignment of the engines horizontally.

Decals - well the all grey scheme is on my cards to do and may even get around to the old blue and white.

[Bruce]

I have constructed this kit for my RNZAF collection, its not too bad although there were some parts alignment issues. The decal set is actually very minimal with just high vis (and "RAF type") and two types of low vis roundels (With the Kiwis all facing the same way!) and RNZAF titles and serials. There is the 40sqn fin emblem as well, but no squadron crests or warning markings etc, not even fuselage propeller stripes. I wanted to model mine in very early "blue stripe" scheme with "red dot" roundels (which meant I didnt have to find a kiwi facing the other way) but I had to compromise on the blue stripes and make them a single stripe as it was virtually impossible to mask the sequence of very fine lines - A decal for them would have been nice. Despite all this I have certainly come across worse kits, and this looks really good as it is quite big - I'd still recommend it, but try printing your own decals to address the shortcomings of those in the kit.