1/72 - Hunting Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1 by Special Hobby - released

[Homebee]

New Special Hobby boxing in 2025 - ref. 72524 - Hunting Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1

Source: https://www.aviationmegastore.com/en/modelling/hunting-percival-p66-pembroke-mk-c1--cold-war-raf-reissue-special-hobby-sh72524-208270.html

 

 

V.P.

 

Edited February 10 by Homebee

[TheyJammedKenny!]

I knew it would happen, and just after I purchased one of the originals at discount, too!  I could tell something was afoot when one of the resin manufacturers recently released sensor noses for the Swedish Tp.83.  Hopefully they made some tweaks to the molds to make this an easier-fitting kit.  It's overdue and most welcome.  

[CarLos]

Time to finish my Airmodel vac (as a Prince).

 

[Lummox]

Crikey, what's a Percival Pembroke doing flirting with a MiG 23?

 

Must admit that's one Dogfight Double I never thought I'd see!

[Creepy Pete]

@Lummox, I guess they got the inspiration for the boxart from these flights to Gatow: https://www.16va.be/pembrokes_part1_eng.html

[PLC1966]

I was in E-Mail comms with somebody selling one on E-Bay for £114 last year.   I was saying it was overpriced and they said they were happy for it

to stay on sale constantly as kits usually go at one point.  It is still on sale.

 

I will have one when it comes out.  RAF Germany's answer to the SR-71!!!

[Piotr Mikolajski]

5 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Hopefully they made some tweaks to the molds to make this an easier-fitting kit.

 

Don't expect this type of improvements. I don't recall SH introducing such in any of their reissues. In recent years they have replaced some of the resin cast details with 3D printed details, that's all.

[Piotr Mikolajski]

CZ: Nové katalogové číslo SH72524 bude mít i stavebnice Pembroke C.1, ta bude mít ale nové obtisky. Z původní stavebnice zůstane jen schema A, které je na krabičce. Obtisky pro další tři stroje budou nové, včetně letounu, který pilotoval excelentní československý pilot Ferdinand Kepka (za války létal na Wellingtonech a Mosquitech).

 

EN: The new catalogue number SH72524 will also have the Pembroke C.1 kit, but it will have new decals. The only thing that will remain from the original kit is the A scheme that is on the box. The decals for the other three machines will be new, including the aircraft piloted by the excellent Czechoslovak pilot Ferdinand Kepka (he flew Wellingtons and Mosquitos during the WWII).

 

Scheme from the boxart: WV746 from 60 Squadron, RAF Wildenrath.

 

Source: https://www.specialhobby.net/2024/12/navraty-roku-2025.html

[TheyJammedKenny!]

This is most welcome news.  The Pembroke used several interesting schemes during its career, so anyone who purchases this kit and decides against using the blue flash scheme for 60 Squadron, please PM me!

[71chally]

I quite like this kit, one thing that would be nice to see remolded is the cockpit glazing which doesn't faithfully follow the original, it's a bit more complex than it looks.

 

Be great if a Sea Prince T.1 & C.2 boxing comes next, the wing moldings already allow for this.

[PLC1966]

I will have one of these, still remember seeing them parked up on the 60 Sqn pan not knowing the work some of them were getting up to, and remember talking to an Ex-Shack Air Eng a few years later who claimed that as a young Techie on 60Sqn was arrested and locked up with a pal for starting up and driving one of these around Wildenrath Airfield having partaken in a few local ales. 

[Paul Thompson]

I built one for a friend once and wasn't happy to let it go. As I recall I had trouble with the canopy fit, but what I don't remember is if it was me or the canopy to blame. I'll happily get another though.

 

Paul.

[Meatbox8]

Beware the wing tips.

[TheyJammedKenny!]

13 minutes ago, Meatbox8 said:

Beware the wing tips.

Yes, these are troublesome, and sufficient justification for attempting a Sea Prince instead of a Pembroke.  I've been strategizing how to deal with these based on my previous experience, which I never completed.  I might suggest as follows: rather than assemble the tips as a unit, attach one half to each wing half and get the alignment absolutely right.  If it's too thick, gently sand until it matches the wing half in thickness.  If you want added security, auger out two parallel trenches in the direction of the wing span and run thin steel wire between each tip half into the respective wing half.  MPM should have created the Pembroke's long wing as a starting point and given the modeler "cut lines" to create a Sea Prince.  That's why this is an advanced model.

 

Anyway, this is a welcome and overdue re-release.  Hopefully we'll see their Hudson and Super-Electra in due course.

[Meatbox8]

26 minutes ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Yes, these are troublesome, and sufficient justification for attempting a Sea Prince instead of a Pembroke.  I've been strategizing how to deal with these based on my previous experience, which I never completed.  I might suggest as follows: rather than assemble the tips as a unit, attach one half to each wing half and get the alignment absolutely right.  If it's too thick, gently sand until it matches the wing half in thickness.  If you want added security, auger out two parallel trenches in the direction of the wing span and run thin steel wire between each tip half into the respective wing half.  MPM should have created the Pembroke's long wing as a starting point and given the modeler "cut lines" to create a Sea Prince.  That's why this is an advanced model.

 

Anyway, this is a welcome and overdue re-release.  Hopefully we'll see their Hudson and Super-Electra in due course.

Actually, I'd quite like a Sea Prince. Mine too was abandoned because I followed the Instructions and glued the wing tips together first, meaning it was impossible to blend them in. I couldn't wedge them apart again after glueing, either.

 

Presumably the Sea Prince has the shorter span provided for in the kit? Might be somewhat academic though because It's possible I binned it in disgust. Can't remember.

[TheyJammedKenny!]

4 minutes ago, Meatbox8 said:

Presumably the Sea Prince has the shorter span provided for in the kit?

That's correct; the Sea Prince has the shorter span and uses the clear parts provided to round off the edges (and provide a seamless navigation light) on both wings.

[AaCee26]

On 12/24/2024 at 1:42 AM, 71chally said:

cockpit glazing which doesn't faithfully follow the original, it's a bit more complex

What I have been looking in Pembroke models is too soft corners of the cockpit canopy when it is more angular.

 

Cheers,

 

AaCee 

[Meatbox8]

On 12/24/2024 at 4:39 PM, TheyJammedKenny! said:

That's correct; the Sea Prince has the shorter span and uses the clear parts provided to round off the edges (and provide a seamless navigation light) on both wings.

Thanks. I'm going to see if I can dig it out and have another go. Most of the main components were put together so, hopefully, I didn't bin it!

[Homebee]

Decals - ref. 72524 - Hunting Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1

Source: https://www.specialhobby.net/2025/01/sh72524-pembroke-c1-nahled-obtisku-info.html

 

 

 

Schemes

Source: https://www.specialhobby.net/2025/01/schemata-pro-pembroke-stavebnice.html

 

V.P.

Edited January 20 by Homebee

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Nice!  Those look great!  The only thing I don't see are the dotted outlines around the cabin entrance.

[Homebee]

Released - ref. 72524 - Hunting Percival P.66 Pembroke C.1

Source: https://www.specialhobby.eu/percival-p-66-pembroke-c-1-1-72

 

 

V.P.

Edited February 19 by Homebee

[AMB]

This reissue is due to me advising Special Hobby of the imminent publication of my Warpaint book on the Pembroke, Prince and Sea Prince family, backed up by Gary Hatcher.  Now with that in hand, there is no excuse not to build one of these!

[TheyJammedKenny!]

14 hours ago, AMB said:

there is no excuse not to build one of these

Hear, hear!  Well, there's postwar twins GB coming up, so...

[71chally]

On 1/17/2025 at 1:11 AM, TheyJammedKenny! said:

The only thing I don't see are the dotted outlines around the cabin entrance.

They didn't feature the 'cut here' dashes around the entrance doors, they were completely removable in an emergency anyway.

 

Nice set of decal markings for this release.  There were so many nice one off markings for various Pembrokes used on Comms Flts etc.

 

Be interesting to see if they follow up with a Sea Prince T.1 / C.2 boxing this time, it would nicely compliment Valoms' C.1 kit . 

From a modelling perspective it just requires different mainwheels from the Pembroke, the Sea Prince C.2 is otherwise similar, the T.1 is similar but very early in its carrier it featured a unique bluff nose cone, quickly gaining a thimble type ASV radome before settling on the 'Prince 6 / Pembroke' style nose cone.  The T.1 also featured the twin 'bomb bays' and the cooling air intakes on the port stb' fuselage.

 

Percival Sea Prince T.1 WP321 by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

Sea Prince C.1 WF137, T.1 WF118 & Pembroke C.1 XK885 27 Sep 13 by James Thomas, on Flickr

Edited February 23 by 71chally