ICM Bücker Bü 131A German Training Aircraft (32033) - 1:32 ICM

[Julien]

 Bücker Bü 131A German Training Aircraft (32033)

1:32 ICM

 

 

The Bu 131 was designed by Carl Bucker and Anders Anderssen after Bucker Flugzeugbau was established in Germany in 1932. This was to be the last biplane built in Germany. The aircraft is a conventional two seat trainer with a fuselage made of steel tubes, and wings made of wood; everything being fabric covered. A Hirth HM60R 60hp engine was fitted. The aircraft was, and still is praised for its handling characteristics against even modern aircraft.  This was the last biplane to be built in Germany.

 

The aircraft was before and during WWII the basic primary trainer for the Luftwaffe. It was also selected in this role by the Japanese Army (Kokusai Ki-86), The Japaneses Navy (Kyushu K9W), and the Spanish Air Force (CASA Production). In deed CASA continued manufacturing the aircraft well into the 1960s. Additional licensed production also took place in Switzerland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. A further 21 aircraft were produced in 1994 in Spain using the CASA jigs.  The aircraft is still being produced today by Air Res Aviation in Poland.

 

 

The Kit

The kit arrives on two main sprues, and a small clear sprue. Like the real aircraft construction is pretty straight forward. The build starts with the main lower wing. This is of conventional construction with a single pat lower and split left/right upper. There is an additional sprue in this boxing for the Hitachi Ha-47 engine used by Japanese (Though both the cowlings for the Bu 131B & D are in the box as well). The centre of the wing will also form the bottom of the front cockpit. A section of framing for this cockpit must be placed in once the wing is completed. The ailerons are separate parts and can be added at this stage as well. 

 

 

Construction then moves onto two parts side by side. The rest of the cockpit steel tube framework is added to both the fuselage halves, at the sometime the aircraft's engine is also made up and added to its bearers. Once the cockpit frames are in the fuselage can be joined up. The fixed parts of the tailplanes are added at this stage also. the fuselage can then be joined to the lower wing.

 

 

Moving back to the fuselage the coamings for both cockpits are made up and the instrument panels are added. Instruments are provided as decals. The seats are then added along with the forward fuselage metal panels and the engine firewall. The engine can then be mounted and its covers added. The prop and its housing can then be added at the front.  Next up the two part upper wing is also made up and added. Again the ailerons are separate parts. The interplane struts are then added to the upper wing. Once done this can be mounted to the lower wing. To finish up the  under carriage is made up and added along with a few external parts  A basic rigging diagram is provided in the instructions, this is not too clear to be honest and the modeller would be recommended to check their references. 

 

 

 

Markings

There are four decal options included in the box.  From the box you can build one of the following:

 

• D-EGSY Germany 1936 (Box art)
• WL-ENBA Germany 1939

 

 

Decals are printed by ICM, with good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. If you want Swastikas for the tail on the first option you will need to source them as they are not in the kit. 

 

 

Conclusion

It is good to see an important trainer aircraft kitted in a larger scale, which for the aircraft still wont be a massive model. The quality of the kit is up there with ICM's latest releases, and really could only do with a set of seat belts to improve on whats in the box. 

 

Very highly recommended.

 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

[Jb65rams]

Thanks for the review, hoping they release this 1/48 as I would like to display one next to Airfix’s Tiger Moth and Revell’s Stearman.

[Julien]

4 minutes ago, Jb65rams said:

Thanks for the review, hoping they release this 1/48 as I would like to display one next to Airfix’s Tiger Moth and Revell’s Stearman.

Yes that would be nice, a good chance as they have done it with other 1/32 kits.

 

Julien