Review by: Geoff Coughlin (June 2011)
Available for: Under £40 (UK)
See our FINISHED NOW BUILD REVIEW
Our thanks to Airfix for supplying our review sample. Get this impressive kit here now at: www.airfix.com.
A bit of background…
The Vickers-Armstrong Valiant was a British four-jet bomber, once part of the Royal Air Force’s V-bomber force. As the Valiant was an entirely new class of aircraft for the RAF, 232 Operational Conversion Unit was established at RAF Gaydon.
The first operational RAF unit to be equipped with the Valiant was 138 Squadron, also at RAF Gaydon, though it later moved to RAF Wittering. At its peak, the Valiant equipped at least seven RAF squadrons.
A Valiant B.1 (WZ366) of No 49 Squadron (captained by Squadron Leader E.J.G. Flavell AFC) was the first RAF aircraft to drop a British operational atomic bomb when it performed a test drop of a down-rated Blue Danube weapon on Maralinga, South Australia, on 11th October 1956.
It was the last time the V-bombers flew a war mission until Avro Vulcans bombed Port Stanley airfield in the Falkland Islands during the Falklands War in 1982.
Introduction
Well, here it is – the Vickers Valiant in 1:72 scale by Airfix. From the numerous conversations we had at the excellent West Norfolk model show (UK, England) recently, many of you will be building this kit in the near future and here you have the first in-depth review of this impressive looking new release.
Having recently completed the Airfix Avro Vulcan B.Mk.2, I have been keen to see this new release. Fear not, you will too and James V is about to start the build in Build Now later this week – keep your eyes peeled for that!
The Vickers Valiant is a big bird and the lines are very graceful. Airfix appear to have captured this well, because there are many complex curves, bends to the wing leading edge and fuselage. So all seems set for a decent build, with huge anticipation all-round.
That box again…
You’ll see that Airfix has hit the mark again with some evocative box art and the six sprues; five large light grey sprue trees containing all the parts and options, along with a small clear sprue with canopy (X 2 with different window arrangements) and other small glazed items.
The best bit – the contents!
Click on Image to enlarge/go back.
As with the equally-excellent Supermarine Seafire release, I feel the best thing to do is to just let you look at all the images I’ve taken above to give you the best possible coverage of the parts, but here are a few initial observations:
- Panel line and other detail: These are highly accurate and just about spot-on in this scale (from a modellers’ perspective). Certainly on a par with Tamiya and Hasegawa, for example. You can see in the images what I mean, whilst there are other nice touches like the detailed ribbing in the wheel wells – these are large areas that needed detail moulding and it’s been supplied.
- Cockpit – I’m really not sure how much of this is likely to be visible, but what’s in the cockpit is impressive. Seats, instrument columns, colour decals for the main instrument panel and radio operator/flight engineer positions behind the front seats, although it’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to see much of this on your completed model.
- Good options – the variety of stores is one that stands out (see below). Bulged tyres look good on their detailed wheel hubs.
- 2 canopies – A clever addition, because there were two slightly different window arrangements of canopy window and both are supplied here. The glazing is packed separately to avoid scratches in the box and the clarity of all clear parts is exceptional, with no obvious nasty sprue gate joins located in annoying positions. Nice.
- Stores options – A full weapons load of bombs is supplied, as well as the huge nuclear weapon (see images). Importantly, the bomb bay doors can be displayed open and the internal pattern on the doors and bomb bay roof is there, adding interest to this area when you eventually pick-up your completed model or show it off on a mirror base.
Instructions
These are very clear and follow the usual Airfix way of exploded diagrams, making it plain what to do at each stage of the build. The build itself looks very straightforward and so this looks like a kit suitable for all levels of ability.
Decals and colour schemes
You get the four schemes illustrated in the gallery images above and again, Airfix should be applauded– four different and varied schemes, all interesting and typical of the type at the same time. Excellent!
What’s also great is to see the colour diagrams back. Not on glossy paper maybe, but colour nonetheless and if, by keeping down printing costs by going down this route helps to maintain colour in all their kits, then that’s fine by me and I’m sure many of you too.
Decals are again printed by Cartograf, just make sure you apply them to a really gloss surface. Check out your Techniques Bank, I’ve just added an item connected to this very recently.
To sum up…
If you read my review of the hugely-impressive Seafire F.XVII from Airfix, you’ll see that my advice was straightforward and to the point : just buy it!
The same advice applies here.
This is a fantastic choice of subject that 1:72 modellers have been waiting for – for far too long! Now it’s here you’ll see many of these on the club tables at shows around the world – just wait and see!
Highly Recommended.
Geoff C.
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