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SIAI-Marchetti SF-260M/AM/W (SH72418) 1:72 Special Hobby The SF.260 was designed by Stelio Frati as a three seat aerobatic aircraft designed for the sport aircraft market. It was designed for full IFR flight and with a capability similar to some military aircraft. It was these qualities which caused it to be favoured by Air Arms as a trainer and even light attack aircraft. Production was originally by Aviamilano with the first flight in July 1964. SIAI Marchetti soon after purchased the rights to the design and production continued by them until being bought by Aermacchi in 1997. Both piston engined and turbo prop aircraft were developed. Aermacchi continued production on taking over the company. The Kit This is a brand new tool for 2020 from Special Hobby. The quality is fist class with crisp moulding and fine engraved panel lines. Given the small size of the real aircraft, in 1/72 the model is quite diminutive. The model arrives on two main sprues and a single part canopy. There are two further small sprues for different aerial configurations and a weapons sprue. Construction starts in the cockpit. The instrument panel is first mounted to the centre console with two different panels in the kit depending on your preferred decal option. The instruments are provided as decals. The console is then fitted to the cabin floor and the flight controls added in. Next the two front seats and rear bench type seat go in. All being provided with decal belts. The rear bulkhead is fitted along with the shelf which goes behind the rear seats. The cockpit can then go into the fuselage along with the front bulkhead. No mention is made of nose weight though I would highly suspect it will be needed. The single part main wing can then be fitted to the fuselage making sure to fit the nose gear well in the front section of it first. At the front the engine face and prop can be added, and on the tips of the wing, the tip tanks. These are followed by the tail planes and the single part canopy. The landing gear and doors can now go on. Depending on your decal choice aerial are fitted where needed. Lastly if doing an armed version the pylons can be added. The kit provides rocket pods for the Irish example but these are not the six shot SNEB pods they flew with. A bit frustrating as Special Hobby have produced these pods in the past. There is also no gun pods with the Irish Air Corps used either. Markings The glossy decal sheet is printed in house and looks sharp and in register. There are three decal options available from the decal sheet; SF-260M No.20 Basic Flying School, Belgian Air Component. Special scheme to commemorate 250,000 hours of flying training for the type. SF-260AM 70-63 70 Stormo, Italian Air Force 2009. Ceremony to mark the types retirement after 235,500 hours of training for the type. SF-260W No.226 Flying Training School, Irish Air Corps, retired 2004. Conclusion It is good to see a new tool out of this much used trainer/light attack aircraft. Very highly recommended. Masks Special Hobby are starting to produce a broader series of masks for their aircraft and this is one of them. The yellow tape mask set for this aircraft features masks for just the canopy. Review sample courtesy of