Italeri 1/72 Hudson Mark IV / V

[Bruce]

I have just purchased one of these Hudson kits, not that I specifically needed an additional Lockheed twin, but I was curious how Italeri approached the Hudson compared to the notorious Airfix kit. Obviously anything would be better than the airfix job, but the Italeri offering appears to be superb, using the modern style of very clean mouldings with plenty of detail - including excellent internal detail which may not be particularly visible when completed. included in the kit are a number of "parts not used" which infers that the same mouldings are used to make a transport version - this includes a solid nose and a fuselage top deck without the turret apature. It is of course a P&W powered Hudson, so I will have to do some research into what I will eventually complete the kit as, I was quite keen to do an RNZAF postwar Air Sea Rescue example, but I will have to determine if any Pratt powered machines were used in this role. I may not get this one done for a while, but as it is not a "hard work" kit, it may get put higher up the list. This is a First look review, but on initial impressions it makes a better base kit for a 1/72 RNZAF Hudson than anything I have previously seen. It comes with an excellent decal set with options for 4 aircraft, including an RAAF example, so if a suitable Kiwi Hudson cant be found, there's an Aussie one ready to go.
Anyone else seen the Italeri Hudson? what do you think of it?

[Bruce]

Oh yeah, the slightly frustrating thing is that on the frames as "parts not required" are a set of very nice 9 cyl Cyclone engines! - but the cowls for these must be on an additional frame not supplied - wouldnt it have been nice to have those included as well!

[agalbraith]

Thats great news Bruce, nice to see that old Airfix kit replaced.

Do you see that Special Hobby are doing a 72nd Lodestar too? Boy you 72nd guys are lucky, I wish that one was in 48th scale!

Cheers

Anthony

[kiwi]

This is the MPM kit , MPM have issued it as a Mk1 , from the pictures of the test shots I saw of the Mk1 there were both Wrights and P/W's and their respective cowls . Aswell as this , MPM have a Lodestar as a future release which presumably would use the Hudson kit with a new fuselage .

[mumbles]

I picked up the reissued airfix kit a couple of months ago, purely for a nostalgic no frills fun build.
Course, it may be worth more unbuilt given the current state of play.