Kovozávody Prostějov Miles M.38 Messenger 1:72 Kovozávody Prostějov

[Julien]

Miles M.38 Messenger

1:72 Kovozávody Prostějov

 

 

The Miles Messenger was developed to meet a British Army requirement for an observation and liaison aircraft. The aircraft would be a low wing single engined monoplane. It was to be powered by the de Havilland Gipsy Major 1D inline engine. It was fitted with retractable auxiliary wing flaps and featured triple fins / rudders in order to maintain sufficient controllability down to the exceptionally low stalling speed of 25 mph. Originally the prototype was converted from the Mile Mercury, this though caused problems as Miles had not sought authorisation from the Ministry of Aircraft supply to do this, Even though it met Army requirements no orders were forthcoming due to these issues with the Army gaining Auster aircraft instead. Later the Messenger would receive a small reprieve with the RAF accepting the design as a VIP transport aircraft, and placing a small order against Specification 17/43. Notable users of the type included Marshal of the Royal Air Force 1st Baron Tedder, and Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery. 21 Aircraft were produced in WWII. Post war the design was further advanced with a retractable undercarriage with a further 71 of these being built. Several Messengers remain airworthy around the world.  

 

 

The Kit

Scalemates says this kit is an offshoot of the 2000 Pavla kit, though its doubtful. That was a multimedia kit where as this kit is entirely injection moulded and a lot better in quality than the earlier kit. I would say this is a new tool 2022 boxing in KP's line of kits. As is usual, they have produced a number of boxings that vary in decals, giving the modeler plenty of choice which one(s) to get.  The kit arrives in a small end-opening box, and inside is a single sprue of grey styrene, an injection canopy, decal sheet and A5 instruction booklet, with the decal options printed in colour on the back of the box.  Detail is excellent for the scale.

 

 

Construction begins with the instrument panel, and connecting panel to the rear seats; instruments are provided as decals. Next up the seats fit to the cockpit floor with control columns also being fitted. Seatbelts for all seats are provided as decals. The main cockpit parts, and the instrument panels can then be fitted in and the fuselage closed up. The engine front and propeller mount is added at the front, while at the rear the tail surfaces and rudders go on. The wings are now added. These are a butt joint so some pinning would be advisable for a stronger join. The wings themselves are conventional left/right uppers/lowers. The prop can now also be added, this is followed by the injection canopy. To finish off the auxiliary wing flaps are added, along with the landing gear and engine exhaust. This is by no means a complicated model, but then again the full size aircraft was not either. It should build up into a good looking model. 

 

 

 

Miles M.38 Messenger "In civil service" (KPM0317)

There are three decal options in the box to represent Aircraft in markings used in civilian service.

 

Decals are printed in-house and have good registration, colour density and sharpness, with a very thin carrier film cut close to the printing. 

 

 

 

 

Miles Messenger Mk.I "Monty's Planes" (KPM0318)

There are three decal options in the box to represent Aircraft in markings used in Military service by Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery

 

Decals are printed in-house and have good registration, colour density and sharpness, with a very thin carrier film cut close to the printing. 

 

 

 

 

 

Miles Messenger Mk.I "RAF" (KPM0319)

There are three decal options in the box to represent Aircraft in markings used by the Royal Air Force

 

Decals are printed in-house and have good registration, colour density and sharpness, with a very thin carrier film cut close to the printing. 

 

 

 

Conclusion

Another great release from KP with excellent detail, and plenty of choices. Recommended.

 

Review samples courtesy of

[Meatbox8]

Definitely one for me.  The civil boxing is my choice.

[Paul Thompson]

Way down the line, I now have a couple of these and have built one. I think it worth pointing out for anyone wanting to build a civil version (and this was mentioned in the Rumourmomnger thread) that the kit only comes with the military style canopy. The difference is the rear windows, being square on the military version and oval for the civvy. The fuzzy on-line pictures I've found of the subjects covered by the civilian boxing seem to show that these particular aircraft were square windowed, for whatever reason. Anyone who saw the projected civilian decals back when this was still going to be an AZ kit will have noted that at least one of them (G-AKIN) had the oval window, and presumably the dropping of these occured whenever the project went to KP and they axed the civvy canopy. For the record, mine built up nicely but the decals needed replacing, which for the price isn't too bad.

 

Paul.

[T-21]

These kits are for the Mk.4 Messenger i.e with the larger rear window. Many of the civil Messengers were the Mk.2 with a separate oval window either side. Not to difficult to remove framing from rear of the Mk.4 canopy and mask off an oval window. Don't forget the interior window.

[T-21]

The civil version MK.2A  with the oval window has now been re released as a kit. KPM72426.