T-6G Texan

Italeri, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Mick Evans

Italeri's 1/48 scale T-6G Texan will be available online from Squadron.com

This Italeri North American T-6G Texan is in actual fact a re-release of the Occidental kit.  There are 66 light grey injection moulded plastic parts and 7 clear parts in the kit and a decal sheet covering 5 different schemes.

When this kit was first released under the Occidental brand was applauded for its very nice interior frame detail.  I placed the kit against the Warpaint Texan plans and the kit was very accurate in outline. The instrument panel is nicely detailed with raised details for the dials and markings.  The engine detail is adequate with separate ignition lead details.  A big improvement for the detail enthusiasts would be to replace this with an after market engine from Aires or Cutting Edge.  Separate flaps are provided with reasonable internal rib detail so that these can be displayed in the lowered position.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

The canopies are moulded crystal clear with good definition of the framework.  Separate sections are provided so that the canopy can be displayed fully open or closed.

Two types of weapons are provided, these being twin gun pods and rocket pods as under wing armament.  These are only fitted to the French Air Force Versions.

The fit of this kit should present no problems at all and I think that very little filler will be required.  All major parts dry fit together nicely.

Decals are provided for five aircraft as follows:

1. Texan T-6G of the Armee de l’EALA 11/72 based at La Reghala in Algeria in 1957.  This aircraft was finished in all over gloss yellow with a French blue nose cowl, black anti glare panel and has French National Markings.

2. Texan T-6G of the Armee de l’EALA 3/1 “Air Pluto” based at in Algeria in 1961.  This aircraft was finished in all over aluminium with a black anti glare panel and has French National Markings.

3. SNJ-5 of the United States Navy based at NAS Guantanamo in Cuba in 1956.  This aircraft was finished in all over dark ghost grey fuselage, yellow wings, fin and tail planes, Red rudder and nose ring with a black anti glare panel and has US Navy National Markings.

4. Harvard MK.IV of the Luftwaffe Kaufbeuren Fligerhorst in Germany in 1961.  This aircraft was finished in all over aluminium, with yellow rear fuselage and outer wings, fin and tail planes.  The rudder is aluminium with a black anti glare panel and has German National Markings.

5. Texan T-6G of the Aeronautica Militare of the Accademia Aereonautica based at Naples in Italy in 1955.  This aircraft was finished in all over orange with a black anti glare panel and has Italian National Markings.

The decals are crisp, accurate in colour and in register.  My previous experience with Italeri decals is they have been a bit stiff and have not conformed well to the surface detail, but these look very good.

Recommended for all modellers of all ages and experience.

Thanks to Italeri for the review sample