Special Hobby SIAI-Marchetti SF-260 Duo Pack & Book (SH72451) 1:72 Special Hobby

[Julien]

SIAI-Marchetti SF-260 Duo Pack & Book (SH72451)

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, with two kits in this box for the early, and later bulged canopy Aircraft. 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. each model arrives on two main sprues and a single part canopy. There are further small sprues for different aerial configurations and weapons. In this boxing there is a small fret of PE parts and some resin parts including rocket pods. Also included are a set of masks for the bulged canopy, and two for the normal canopy.

 

 

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 on the sprues and in resin for the aircraft.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Markings

The glossy decal sheet is printed in house and looks sharp and in register.  There are eight decal options available from the decal sheet. Only the first scheme uses the Bulged canopy, hence why there are two of the early canopy so two versions can be built from the box. A secondary sheet provides stencils, walkways and seat belts The eight options are;

 

 

• ST-34 Red Devils Aerobatic Display team. No.5 Sqn Belgian Air Force, 2015
• White S, No.4 Sqn Rhodesian Air Force, Thornhill 1978
• FAB-184, Bolivian Air Force, 1980.
• 91-0779/2-779, Turkish Air Force, Izmir Cigli AFB 2011
• N405FD, Sky West Aviation Inc, Trustee , USA This flew with Air Combat USA.
• 70-21/M.M.54437 70 Stormo, Italian Air Force, Wearing special Black & Gold Scheme to commemorate the Squadrons 50th Anniversary 
• No.603 Free Libyan Air Force 2018
• TS-TBP W41-5034, No.14 Sqn Tunisian Air Force 2008

 

 

Book

Included with this package is the Duke Hawkins Aircraft in Detail Number 016 from HMH publications. This is a 90 page book printed glossy paper featuring the SF-260 in use around the world. As well as Airframe detail along with lots of action shots the book looks at the Cockpit, Landing Gear, and maintenance of the aircraft. This is a comprehensive walkaround publication and brings a great deal to this package.

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

It is good to see a new tool out of this much used trainer/light attack aircraft.  The double boxing with the HMH book, and eight new decal options is very welcome. Very highly recommended.

 

 

 

Review sample courtesy of

 

 

[Nymfen]

I wonder why the two canopies have frames. The photo of the Belgian SF-260 shows clearly no frames!

[Julien]

19 hours ago, Nymfen said:

I wonder why the two canopies have frames. The photo of the Belgian SF-260 shows clearly no frames!

There is a canopy frame, its very fine you can see it  just on the top of the pilots shoulder patch;

 

[Nymfen]

There might be an almost invisible frame. However, this frame should not be painted, as the photo clearly shows. The frames must be sanded away,since they are far out of scale thickness The special masks of the kit suggest that the frames are to be painted! This is flaw of the kit. The canopy of another Stelio Frati design, the Aeromere F 8L Falco, has a similar look, however, with painted frames. This fact could explain the fake frames of the canopy of the SF 260. If the frames are unpainted, there are no frames to be seen on a model in such a small scale. The painted frames belong to the F 8L Falco! However, the only problem of this nice little model is in fact to avoid tail sitting, since it is a born tail sitter.