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OK. While I wait patiently for the Texaco Ford Tri-Motor decals to be decided upon up in Finland, I will throw this one into the ring...yet another 'Tin Goose'...I seem to have them on the mind regarding this GB. There is also a Junkers F.13 in the stash...Hmmm... I have had this kit on the shelf for a while and it seems like a good time to bring it out. Here's the lovely art work on the box. Big, bright red decals for the Aeroflot that will look really nice on the NMF. I'm not sure, but I think this kit represents a 'first flight' of sorts to show off the great skills of the Soviet Motherland. It was built in large quantities and replaced many of the other passenger planes that had been built in and purchased from other countries. Here is the sprue...Big wide wings. I'll do my best to make the interior look right. I'll investigate to see if there any images online of the cockpit and passenger areas. --John

A build from 4 years ago: (the WiP is here: This is a good kit of a nice, classic passenger plane, and a relevant one as aviation history goes. I am really glad that some manufacturers are venturing now into the realm of civil planes. They have a particular charm and usually interesting careers, and in more than one occasion their contribution to aviation and history was truly remarkable. This particular machine was an "agitation" plane, that is a propaganda plane and without doubt it may have provided with rides to people that usually may have never been able to have access to such an experience as flight. It was an elegant plane of sound construction that deserved to be kitted. Looking forward to other Amodel releases of civilian planes, a line they have contributed to with several kits already. For many more!

A build from 4 years ago as a reference for the already posted completed model: The completed model is here: We are not really familiar with Russian aviation, therefore few of us may have heard about the Kalinin K-5. If you thought that I'll tell you its story, achievements, performance, etc., you are sorely mistaken. Do an Internet search, go to your local library, and find out for yourself, watch less TV. Amodel is by now a well-known kit manufacturer. I have built quite a number of their kits and I am fairly satisfied with them. They are accessible and they are mostly OK, if not really refined, with somewhat thick sprues and parts' attachments. Their transparencies are not pristine, their decals are quite so-so, their instructions are not thrilling. And that goes as well for about 80% of the manufacturers, so it is not a big deal for me. Thus I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box of this Kalinin K-5, which I got thanks to the good offices of Mr. Malabamba (he wishes to remain anonymous, hoping not to be associated by anyone with me). This is clearly a much better kit than the previous (years ago) Amodel releases that I have built so far. The part count is high, the molds are more refined (not totally sharp as in much expensive brands), the transparencies a vast improvement on what I have seen before, and no doubt better decals, although my sample had a bad area (shown in the photos bellows). But, before nitpicking: CONGRATULATIONS AMODEL FOR RELEASING A NICE CIVILIAN PLANE KIT!!!!! Oopsie-poopsie: I replaced the prop with a home-made laminated wood one: The plastic is soft and there are some mold lines around the parts, so they have to be cleaned-up. Here we see a few of the parts that had sink holes and needed putty and sanding: As you can see the engine cylinders are provided with some detail; unfortunately these parts are mostly "tubes" as you can see in the sprue. The problem is that if you want to use them, you will have to clean them, due to the mold seam lines. And they are tiny. AND they are many. I am thinking of replacing all of them with soldering wire: The passenger cabin door is cut out and a new one made to pose it open: