Fiat BR.20 "Cicogna"

Italeri

Reviewed by Glen Porter

Italeri's 1/48 scale Fiat BR.20 will be available online from Squadron.com

This is a limited reissue of one of Italeri's better twin engined bomber kits.

Designed and built before the war started and exported widely to Japan and Venezuela, the BR 20 was still in front line operations at the Italian surrender and was taken over by the Germans and used until war's end.

Showing it's age some-what with raised panel lines ( which will not be a disadvantage to some modellers) and crew figures, the sprues are none the less cleanly moulded with no sign of flash or sink marks. The clear parts are supplied in their own plastic bag although the rest of the sprues are loose in the top opening box. The level of detail is almost as high as what you would expect from a kit newly produced in 2005.

As you would expect from Italeri, the decals are excellent with perfect register and good colour density. There are enough markings for four aircraft, 2 Italian Air Force ( one at home and one in Spain), 1 for the Japanese Army Air Force in Manchuria and 1 for a Luftwaffe example after the Italian armistice.

Although I'm not a fan of raised surface detail, I have no reservations at all in heartily recommending this kit to all modellers.

Highly Recommended

Thanks to Italeri for the review sample