The Little World

The last time I built an Airfix Gladiator I was 14 and had 50¢ to spend.

I am older than that now, and richer, and glad to see that Airfix have kept up the pace – issuing this new kit a couple of years ago. It is vastly more detailed, with weighted tyres, alternate propellers, and even a ski landing gear. There was an issue of the kit that featured the Swedish or Finnish Gladiators.

That’s still a temptation, as I have accumulated a number of Swedish decals on spare sheets…but I may reserve this plane for the Swuping Air Force or the Chinese nationalists. Ask me later.

The sprue trees are flashless, and look to be accurate. There is a choice of canopies, and you can pose either one open or closed. Open in a Swedish winter sounds appealing…

The inter-plane struts have the sensible addition of locating bracers that you clip off after they are hardened into place. This is something that I welcome for all biplanes.

The instructions are detailed, though not quite to the same drawing sophistication of the latest multi-coloured ones. The colour call out, however, is all that could be desired, as are the decals. Pity I will be using others.