The latest variation of Hasegawa's stunning Liberator is a boxing featuring two aircraft from 220 Squadron, RAF, Coastal Command.
As the RCAF in a variety of schemes also used this version, no self-respecting admirer of the largest Colonial air force
of WWII can have any credibility without having at least one in their collection – preferably built!
On opening the large well-illustrated box, one is almost overwhelmed with the contents. Well protected in sealed clear bags and actually filling this large box are 13 sprues, including two clear. One will quickly run out of superlatives while describing the contents and this kit. It is the finest rendition of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator from its petit engraved panel lines to the attention to detailing in any scale!
Hasegawa’s supplies an interior that starts with an eight-part cockpit, travels aft through a; full framed upper gunners station, a 34 part bomb bay including bombs, a 10-piece fuselage gunners position. One can display the bomb bay closed or open to view this impressive interior. All of the parts are finely detailed but somewhat surprising, the fuselage walls lack any detail. Included as part of the interior are the retractable belly radome and three gun turrets. Not only do the latter feature some of the best detailing in a kit in this scale, the clear parts are ingenious in two regards. First, they are seam free where it matters as the clear front section attaches to the remainder of the clear dome on actual panel seams. The large clear domes are fully protected on the spruces by a rectangular box moulded as part of the sprue – bravo Hasegawa.
Moving to the landing gear, the main gear bays feature fine ribbing while the nose bay lack any detail, but it is fully framed in. All of the remaining parts are great with the wheel detail on the main tires worthy of note. Another nice touch are the tires that are all somewhat flattened and very slightly bulged. The only details to add are the brake lines.
With the B-24 being a four-engine aircraft, Hasegawa has treated these as separate assemblies that feature both full cylinder rings and a separate cowling lip. Tied into the engines are the superchargers and the deep moulding on the pipe running aft from the engines must involve slide-moulding.
As has been mentioned is the quality of the clear parts – and there are lots. One of the engineered aspects of this kit that is interesting is that the entire nose, including the cockpit area is moulded in clear. No need with trying to fit the separate nose clear parts and the upper nose section and canopy glazing is one-part, eliminating the seam that usual results in a conventional break-down. This entire assembly, including the cockpit interior, attaches to the assembled fuselage.
As one can appreciate, the assembly requires complete attention to get correct and Hasegawa's well-illustrated 16 steps are certainly a first rate guide. Detail colour notes are included and these are tied to the Gunze Sanyo Creos Aqueous Hobby Color. However, the colours are cross-reference by name so one should be able to use other brands as substitutes.
Two marking subjects are offered and both are from 220 Squadron, RAF Coastal Command in over all white with Extra Dark Sea Grey uppers. The decals look very good with the proper dull red being used for the large fuselage codes. All appropriate stencilling and national marking are included along with decals for the instrument panel and central consoles. For some reason, there are two other options on the sheet. These are for Liberators ZZ*K and H, also of 220 Squadron, but are not for use with this boxing.
If you are looking to build a show-stopping Liberator in the original scale – look no further.
Reviewed by Vic Scheuerman, IPMS Edmonton
On opening the large well-illustrated box, one is almost overwhelmed with the contents. Well protected in sealed clear bags and actually filling this large box are 13 sprues, including two clear. One will quickly run out of superlatives while describing the contents and this kit. It is the finest rendition of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator from its petit engraved panel lines to the attention to detailing in any scale!
Hasegawa’s supplies an interior that starts with an eight-part cockpit, travels aft through a; full framed upper gunners station, a 34 part bomb bay including bombs, a 10-piece fuselage gunners position. One can display the bomb bay closed or open to view this impressive interior. All of the parts are finely detailed but somewhat surprising, the fuselage walls lack any detail. Included as part of the interior are the retractable belly radome and three gun turrets. Not only do the latter feature some of the best detailing in a kit in this scale, the clear parts are ingenious in two regards. First, they are seam free where it matters as the clear front section attaches to the remainder of the clear dome on actual panel seams. The large clear domes are fully protected on the spruces by a rectangular box moulded as part of the sprue – bravo Hasegawa.
Moving to the landing gear, the main gear bays feature fine ribbing while the nose bay lack any detail, but it is fully framed in. All of the remaining parts are great with the wheel detail on the main tires worthy of note. Another nice touch are the tires that are all somewhat flattened and very slightly bulged. The only details to add are the brake lines.
With the B-24 being a four-engine aircraft, Hasegawa has treated these as separate assemblies that feature both full cylinder rings and a separate cowling lip. Tied into the engines are the superchargers and the deep moulding on the pipe running aft from the engines must involve slide-moulding.
As has been mentioned is the quality of the clear parts – and there are lots. One of the engineered aspects of this kit that is interesting is that the entire nose, including the cockpit area is moulded in clear. No need with trying to fit the separate nose clear parts and the upper nose section and canopy glazing is one-part, eliminating the seam that usual results in a conventional break-down. This entire assembly, including the cockpit interior, attaches to the assembled fuselage.
As one can appreciate, the assembly requires complete attention to get correct and Hasegawa's well-illustrated 16 steps are certainly a first rate guide. Detail colour notes are included and these are tied to the Gunze Sanyo Creos Aqueous Hobby Color. However, the colours are cross-reference by name so one should be able to use other brands as substitutes.
Two marking subjects are offered and both are from 220 Squadron, RAF Coastal Command in over all white with Extra Dark Sea Grey uppers. The decals look very good with the proper dull red being used for the large fuselage codes. All appropriate stencilling and national marking are included along with decals for the instrument panel and central consoles. For some reason, there are two other options on the sheet. These are for Liberators ZZ*K and H, also of 220 Squadron, but are not for use with this boxing.
If you are looking to build a show-stopping Liberator in the original scale – look no further.
Reviewed by Vic Scheuerman, IPMS Edmonton