The Little World

If you have a good story to tell, tell it simply.

No need for magic tricks, special effects, or complex plot lines. If your story has any merit to it, the simple approach is fine. People will be interested. They will also be grateful.

Likewise a model airplane kit. If you have a simple plane and simple machinery, mould it simply. Make it symmetrical – apart from a couple of experimental aircraft, everything that ever flew looked the same from port or starboard. Make it fit together.

The kit buyer can add whatever bells and whistles they like – that’s where you soak ’em with the aftermarket parts and decals – but give them something satisfying in the box or baggie. Don’t sell just one kit to an unhappy customer – sell 6 more to a satisfied one.

So… the Ann is simple. The heading image shows what a day of cutting things off sprue trees and sanding out mould feeds can do. All the attachment faces for wing or tailplane elements are clean and square. They have no tabs but this will be covered later – suffice it to say that there can be a good cement layer between them.

The engine cover is a three-part thing that traps the engine at the front of the assembly, but doesn’t grip it tightly – hence the three sprue re-enforcements you can see. There is also PVA in there so it’s solid.

The cockpit is basic and bare – and I don’t feel inclined to crowd it out. I do wish I had some Hasegawa Japanese aviators to fill the seats but these have never been seen in our local shops. I may have to modify someone else for the front seat at least – the vac-form canopy is a clear one.

When I consider that this kit was got at the same price as a Hobby Boss snap together fighter, I am even more delighted.