Home  |  What's New  |  Features  |  Gallery  |  Reviews  |  Reference  |  Forum  |  Search

YP-59 Airacomet

 

Special Hobby, 1/72 scale

S u m m a r y

Catalogue Number: Special Hobby kit no. SH 72084 YP-59 Airacomet.
Scale: 1/72
Contents and Media: 65 short run, dark grey injection moulded plastic parts, 2 very clear injection moulded canopies, 1 fret of photo etch containing three parts, 5 double sided A5 pages with history, build instructions, parts plan, painting and decal diagrams and decals for three aircraft.
Price: USD$21.96  from Squadron.com
Review Type: FirstLook
Advantages: Very clean moulding for a short run kit, includes photo-etched parts; injection moulded canopy; important subject; both British and American markings.
Disadvantages: Red in the British markings looks a bit on the bright side.
Recommendation: Recommended


Reviewed by Glen Porter


 Special Hobby's 1/72 scale YP-59 Airacomet is available online from Squadron.com
 

FirstLook

 

The YP-59 Airacomet was America’s first effort at building a jet fighter so it is very historically important. That it was slower than a Mustang and most other front line fighters of the times is not so important, as the first German and British efforts were no better. The fact of the matter is that all three led to much better things and got us to where we are today.

The British were much more advanced than the Americans in jet engine development and decided to share the technology with them. The American airframe builder, Bell, had very little idea of the potential of the engines, which led them to design a very conservative aircraft, and so its not surprising that it didn’t perform all that well. It wasn’t until Allied developments were combined with German research and technology post-war that we started to get the really high performance jets like the Sabre and Hunter.

As usual, Special Hobby [MPM] has given us a very competent model of this aircraft, which should appeal to many modellers. Unusually, it doesn’t have any resin parts in it and also there are only three P.E. parts [scissor links for the three U/C legs] and the canopy is injection moulded so it may even appeal to some novices. British markings, as well as the U.S., give it even wider appeal.

 

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:


Although two canopies are supplied, one is not a spare as the RAF aircraft has a slight dome in it.

 

 

The three marking options are interesting - RAF., U.S.Army and U.S.Navy. The decals look quite good although the register isn’t exact and the red in the British examples looks a bit bright. Usable just the same.

Overall, I would have to give this kit very high marks for its wide appeal and the quality of the short run mouldings.

Add to that the interesting subject and I would say they are on to a winner.

Recommended

Thanks to MPM/Special Hobby for the review sample.


Review Text Copyright © 2004 by Glen Porter
Images Copyright © 2004 by Brett Green
Page Created 02 November, 2004
Last updated 02 November, 2004

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Reviews Page