The Little World

On my holidays to Melbourne, I slipped into the new Metro Models shop in Bourke Street to see what I could find. This Academy model of the McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee did not call to me at first until I turned up the side of the box and was staring at three colour profiles of Royal Canadian Navy jets from the 1950’s and 60’s. They were the first jets flown by the RCN from their two aircraft carriers and would exactly fit into my Air World museum.

My experience with Academy has been excellent, so I had no hesitation in plucking it down and adding it to the order.

The kit is in a large enough box – when you see what some of the short run Eastern European kits are packed like, you appreciate the Korean determination to make sure you get the parts in good shape. Their concern also extends to a number of warning leaflets about not cutting or poisoning yourself.Since they don’t supply poison or knives in the box, I think the warning superfluous But I daresay it is prompted by some tort lawyer in New Jersey who finds that adults need close watching…in case they injure themselves.

No flash. Nowhere. If you want flash, get another kit maker.

Basic parts in some areas but you can be sure that they actually fit. Fuselage seams no problems and wing fit superb – no putty needed. Tail slot assembly tight and correctly angled. Clunky horizontal stabiliser design, but that’s down to McDonnell.

Good detail on the canopy frames – you can even make out the rivets.

Good decal sheet – far too many choices there, but the spares envelopes are going to appreciate it – particularly the ” Royal Canadian Navy ” fuselage lettering. That’ll be seen again, eh?

Basic instructions – you also get a colour call-out table that gives equivalent shade numbers for Humbrol, GST Creos, and Testors. I trusted the GSI list but suspect that I could have done better eyeballing some net illustrations. Next RCN plane I do will be in Duck Egg Blue and Extra Dark Sea Grey and I’ll see if I like it better. As it is, I’m sure you could find justification for nearly any colouration in a museum.

Also a note for the future – on return to Perth and upon making a visit to our local hobby shops I found the same models I got in Melbourne – minus freight costs. Even if I forego holidays to the eastern states I can still get kits to build here. This lessens the panic about interstate trips and packing models on the plane.