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Colonial Viper Mk.VII (FP06 for Moebius) 1:32


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Colonial Viper Mk.VII (FP06 for Moebius)

1:32 GreenStrawberry

 

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Battlestar Galactica was a firm favourite with kids in the 80s, and its reimagining in the early 2000s brought a whole new generation of fans into the mix, as well as some complex, exciting stories and a different organic Cylon than the shiny metal clankers we had become used to.  The ships also received a make-over, although the Colonial Viper still showed its Aaron Spelling produced origins, retaining the same overall shape for the older Marks, and for the later Mk.VII a sleek, streamlined hull that still bore a family resemblance to the original.  Its fatal flaw was its software that let the Cylons disable them when the time came for their invasion and attempted genocide of the colonies.  Those that survived the initial onslaught were stripped of the virus that had disabled them, and were later increased in numbers after the Galactica encountered the Battlestar Pegasus, which had manufacturing capabilities that the older Galactica didn't possess.

 

This FruitPACK allows the modeller to purchase the two Photo-Etch (PE) sets available for the 1:32 Moebius model of this sleek fighter, which includes both the Wheel Bay & Nozzles set (01215-1/32) and the Cockpit & Exterior set (01015-1/32) in one thick card envelope printed in the usual dark theme of all their boxes.  Once the tape has been cut from the tongue, the resealable envelope divulges the two sets that are themselves wrapped in their individual foil packages in which they are sold separately.

 

 

Cockpit & Exterior set (01015-1/32)

This set consists of a single large fret of PE, a sheet of stickers for the instruments, a sheet of acetate with printed instrument for a lit model, and the instruction booklet.  This is a complete replacement for almost the entire cockpit, and construction begins with the side consoles using your choice of stickers or acetate, with the completed sub-assemblies attached to the larger parts for later insertion into the new cockpit.  The cockpit floor is next with foot plates and rudder pedals added before it too is put to one side.  The seatbelts are a complex affair and have separate buckles that are fitted pretty much like the real thing and have the same four belts as a modern fighter pilot would have plus an extra central strap between the pilot's legs - probably to discourage hard deceleration!

 

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The cockpit tub is folded up from a large part with a few of the instrument screens added to the sides, and the consoles slipped in from the top.  Here a number of small L-shaped parts can be used to assist in the strengthening of joins if you feel you need them, as attaching edges of PE is often tricky with small contact areas.  The kit seat has its lower sides reduced in thickness to accommodate the new seatbelts and is then set aside while the instructions go off and detail the three fin-mounted guns, make up some very nice RBF tags printed double-sided in red, then add a launch hook to the front gear leg.  The instrument panel is a complex affair with three main segments, all of which have large detailed screens that are represented by stickers or acetate again.  There is also an angled keyboard at the front of the panel, which also has stickers or acetate, and folds around to give the impression of a three-dimensional part.  The completed panel is inserted into the cockpit tub after the floor, completing the majority of the internal work.

 

If you plan to pose the cockpit open with the canopy raised you will need to remove a small area behind the cockpit that is marked in red and apply a small PE insert to the hinge-point before making and installing the canopy.  The kit's clear canopy is augmented by a panel that wraps around the rear and incorporates the new hinge as well as some internal details and rams that hold it open.  These are left off the closed cockpit, which must have a tiny fillet removed around the sides to fit in the aperture after the alterations.  The cockpit tub is inserted from below into the upper fuselage, and the final few parts are vents for the nose intake and the ancillary intake in front of the nose gear bay.

 

 

Wheel Bay & Nozzles set (01215-1/32)

The kit wheel bays have a little detail in the roof but are lacking around the walls, which is part of the main reason for this set.  The simple kit bay doors are first relieved of their clunky hinges, then skinned inside with layered PE parts and more realistic hinges.  The bays themselves have sidewall detail added and the nose gear bay also gets a roof insert that takes the detail up a level.  The boxes in the rear bays are joined by additional wiring harnesses, then the bay doors are joined at the edges, having location points etched into the new sides.

 

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The three engine nozzles are hexagonal and have rough detail moulded inside them, which must first be removed to provide a good mating surface for the new parts that are folded up and fitted with a perforated backplate to facilitate lighting.  The engines are each closed up around this new assembly, noting that the top engine has a smaller diameter than the bottom two and has a thin detail strip added at the front.  Once glued together, small vanes are added to the very tip of each nozzle to give the impression of some kind of steering ability.

 

 

Conclusion

Yet another cracking set from GreenStrawberry, improving a kit that just lacks a little for those that like their detail sharp and adding a discount over buying them separately.  Add this to your Viper and you'll stand out from the crowd.

 

Very highly recommended.

 

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