Tempest V Fighter

If you've built any Academy kits before, you'll be accustomed to the clean molding and precise fit of the pieces. For the most part, this Hawker Tempest provides what you'd expect: the cockpit detail is very good, though most of it will be hidden once the kit is complete; the undercarriage is sturdy; the canopy comes in two pieces to be posed open; and the kit includes bombs and drop tanks to go under the wings. The instructions are clear, and the decals are on the thick side but still usable. The kit's one shortcoming is the fit of the fuselage to the wings. This was impossibly tight, and required an endless process of sanding, trimming, and test-fitting. Even when I'd finally slimmed the wingroots enough to glue it together, I still wasn't satisfied. But, if you have the patience for that task, this will make a very good model of the Tempest.