Original Heroes Snap-Together Kits, 1:72 Revell Options

[Mike]

Original Heroes Snap-Together Kits
1:72 Revell

A new release from the Revell stable, which although maybe not of great interest or significance to the majority of our immediate readership, could be great for getting the next generation of modellers started.

The line-up consists of 6 kits, all in 1:72 scale, each made up in a very similar way, with easy snap-fit joints and handed plug-in tails. Each kit arrives in a child-attracting sturdy blister pack, with the parts suspended between the two halves of the blister. Behind these parts is a nicely rendered action picture, which will sadly be damaged if you rip the blister from the backing like I did. On the rear is a pictorial list of all the currently available kits.

For the purposes of this review I have opened and built the US Navy Corsair, but the line-up is as follows:

• Supermarine Spitfire Mk V
• Messerschmitt Bf109G-10
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.II
• North American P-51D Mustang
• Focke Wulf Fw190D-9 "Dora"
• Vought F4U-1 Corsair

The kit took a matter of seconds to build, even without the instructions, although I managed to bend one of the delicate aerials on the forward fuselage. The sticky out bits probably won't last long if they're handled roughly as I suspect they will be if kids today haven't changed much from when I was one. The drop tanks, rockets and landing gear are all supplied fitted, and are quite sturdily attached, although nothing is child-proof in my experience.

The paint scheme is well done, the cockpit full painted (simple by a modeller's standard), and the decals are well applied - even prop decals are present, and the prop itself is painted a contrasting matt black with yellow tips. It's quite impressive how much care has been taken over the detail painting. Even the port & starboard wingtip lights have been done.

Conclusion
Personally, I think they're great, and should hit the spot with the 8+ market that they're aimed at. Hopefully the fun of knocking these little kits together will spur them on to greater things, so guard your stash folks... they may be under threat!

I would have liked to have seen at least a Japanese Zero or similar for the US Navy Corsair to battle with, but other than that the range is good fun for the younger potential modeller, and simple enough to build for even the most attention deficient little person

[Nigel Bunker]

they look like HobbyBoss to me.