The Little World

I must confess to a slightly pusillanimous nature when it comes to buying model airplane kits sight-unseen. I was bit by a Revell Tradewind kit as a child and the scar still throbs in wet weather. I prefer to look carefully at what I’ve got before I spend my money.

Nevertheless I do read reviews and watch YouTube and can form some impression before I go to the shop. In the case of the Tamiya company’s kits I have always heard very good reports of them, and can remember building a Tamiya Tiger I tank back in the 1960’s that was a gem. So I was prepared to take them on their merit when I picked up the Mosquito Mk II.

I was not disappointed.

Note: I am normally put off a little by photographic box art – some of the results I’ve seen has been discouraging. But not this – it is just what I would like to see, albeit not the exact model I’m building.

Inside, it is all bagged carefully, and if you’ve a mind to reclose the bags there are staples to do it with. I am leery of staples as they have an affinity for my fingers – I snipped the things open.

I dread the inside of cockpits after the Anson resin experience, but this one seems to have just enough detail suggested to make for an easy assembly. The plastic seems harder than the Airfix standard too, which may not be a bad thing.

Now you’ll pardon me for being delighted and a little patronising about the instructions. They are very nearly perfect – showing a sensible graphic design understanding as well as a recognition that if you are going to sell kits to an English-speaking market, you are wise to get a native English speaker to write the words. I hope that the other languages have received the same intelligent treatment. The drawings are clear, and the intention of the instructions is easy to decipher.

And Praise Be! The paint codes are in Tamiya numbers. I use Tamiya and Mr. Hobby almost exclusively and welcome this. I’m a little amused by the precision with which they purport to define a British Cockpit Green…and ask you to make a concoction of three of their paints. I find a single one of their colours is fine for the purpose.

The decals look good – I’ll be using a number of them, but not the bright ones – I’m making a  night fighter after all. But I welcome more for the stash as I’m sure they will come in handy.

If the indicators are correct, this may be one of the nicest kits I’ve yet encountered. Uncle Doug would’ve been proud.