Condor 1/72 A-36 Apache

CONDOR 1:72 A-36 APACHE

Reviewer: Bill Osborn (rec.models.scale)

Well, here we go again Martha! The kit comes with three sprues of parts, two in a light grey and one clear. Instructions are the multi-language exploded view type. There are two aircraft markings. One is for the 524th Fighter Bomber Squadron in late 1943. The other is for the 86th FBS in Algeria. Decals look very good; there are two sheets, one a color correct on the Stars and Bars.

The parts looked good with fine scribed detail. There are a few unused parts that could be for a P-51A, which Condor is also releasing.

The first thing needed when I started to assemble the kit was to remove the index pins, as they didn't match. I had to sand off the end of the right body half to get the lower end of the rudder to fair in. With the body glued together, the cockpit floor, stick, seat, and control panel were installed. The exhaust stacks were inserted from the inside. These required the base to be thinned down to allow the stacks to protrude far enough.

The next step was to fit the bottom half of the wing to the body. It needed some minor work but finally went it. Then the top wing sections were added. This was the first glitch. The top sections didn't match the lower section very well. When the sections lined up in planform, there was a .025" to .03" gap at the root with the same overhang at the tip. The story of my life - fill and sand!

As I waited for the filler to dry, I started on the prop and spinner. The assembly is a two-part spinner with three plug-in blades that are not too bad. I glued the two halves of the spinner together, but it just didn't look right - too fat! It chucked it in my Dremel and started with a sanding stick. Fortunately, the plastic is thick enough.

Now came the small parts - a two-part belly scoop, horizontal tail surfaces, and the canopy. No problems here that a little light sanding didn't fix. The canopy is very nice. It's clear and very thin.

Everything was going great. It was too good to last. Something just didn't look right. What was the problem?

Get out the reference books and check - oh poop, they've done it again. It's a P-51D wing. Research, people, research. Out came the files, filler, superglue and sandpaper. It's going to be a bit of work, but I won't stop now.

Back to the rest of the model. The landing gear doors are three-dimensional and medium thin. The gear struts are crisp and in register. Wheels are another matter. They are off-register, and a little bland. A set of wheels from the Monogram P-51B might help. The cheek guns are dimpled to look like cooling holes. Bomb racks are not too bad, but the bombs themselves are too pointed. The landing light lens in the wing leading edge is very much oversized and needs to be worked down. I did this after gluing it into the wing.

This should be a very colorful model, as it is Olive Drab over Neutral Grey. However, there are two yellow stripes, one on each wing, a small white stripe on the vertical tail, and a red spinner. Wow!

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3-view planform of the A-36 Apache