Vought F4U-1A Corsair Fighter Aircraft

Quality of molded product: The parts are molded well, zero flash on the majority of parts and if there was flash, it was very little. There were no warped parts and ejector pins were away from seen surfaces. The parts are molded with finely recessed panel lines to aid highlighting them when painting, and every parts details are crisp and faultless. The clear parts were very clear, not thick and there were no blemishes or distortions to disrupt the visual transparency. I give the Quality of molded product a score of 10/10 Quality of Engineering/Fits: As one has come to expect from a recent Tamiya kit, it is very well engineered- the parts go together very well without the need for any filler. The molded parts come loaded with nice details within the cockpit, on the undercarriage and the exterior surfaces. I give the Quality of Engineering/Fits a score of 10/10 Assembly and Painting Instructions: The assembly instructions come in black and white and they are clear, concise and easy to follow with each part clearly numbered along with the Tamiya color code for that part to be painted in. The last two sheets of the instruction booklet include the painting and decaling instructions, again, these are in black and white but are very clear and easy to follow. It would be nice if Tamiya included color references for the painting and decal instructions, along with alternative manufacturers paint references. I give the instructions a score of 9/10 Decals: There is one sheet of decals that are thicker than normal and provide options for two squadron markings. The decals have very little overhanging carrier film, but they are glossy, so make sure you matte them down with your washes and final matte clear coat. Tamiya did make the effort to separate the star and bar decals into two parts so that the center of those decals was reduced in thickness. You just have to be careful to get the star decals centered correctly within the bars. These decals take a while to release from the backing paper and some are delicate when applying to the plane. Fortunately, I didn't have any tear on me, as I did with my previous Tamiya build. Be careful and patient when using these decals. I give the decals a score of 8 out of 10. Packaging: There are three bags of grey sprues, two large bags each containg a large sprue and one smaller bag containing two sprues. There is an additional separate bag with a clear sprue inside. These bags are within a card exterior box base and lid which is pretty sturdy, has great artwork and some images of the finished model in the two different color/marking schemes on two opposite sides of the box. I give the packaging 9/10 Value for money: 10/10! Would I recommend this kit...yes, very much so. It offers a great looking build with options for either a drop tank or a 2,000lb bomb beneath the fuselage and, the wings can be modeled down, or folded up. It includes a nicely detailed cockpit that looks great built OOB and nicely detailed undercarriage. The rear canopy can be modeled open or closed, a detailed radial engine is included, along with both a seated and a standing Pilot figure to finish it off. There are after-market extras that can be purchased for enhancing this kit, such as resin cockpit tub and treaded wheels, PE parts and resin bombs and rockets, should you feel the need to enhance this kit further. My only issue with this kit is; I wish the underwing rockets were included to make it look more mean, loaded and ready to do some damage! If you're thinking of buying this kit, or have it in you're stash and have been thinking about building it, think no more, go ahead, make your day, you won't be disappointed!!