Polikarpov I-16 Type 29

Eduard, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Eduard's 1/48 scale I-16 Type 29 will be available online from Squadron.com
 

Eduard has expanded its Polikarpov family with the final variant, a 1/48 scale I-16 Type 29.

Eduard's 1/48 scale I-16 Type 10 comprises 119 parts in olive coloured plastic, 2 parts in clear, a colour photo-etched fret, a small masking sheet and decals for four marking options.

Click the thumbnails below to view larger images:

This model differs from the earlier releases in terms of armament, cowl configuration and the newly designed lower wing. I applaud Eduard's continuing strategy of providing entirely new parts for different variants, and not relying on inserts which can be tricky to fit and blend.

In common with the earlier Polikarpovs, this kit is state of the art in terms of packaging, quality of injection moulded parts, detail and markings.

The styrene parts are attached to five sprues via fine connectors. Moulding quality is superb. I could not find a single sink mark or ejector pin in any area that will be visible on the finished model.

Ample options are supplied, including a choice of cowling styles, positionable cooling grille (either open or closed) and a RS 132 under wing rockets. Attention to detail is exceptional. Eduard has even provided small acetate windows for the wheel bays.

What continues to impress me most, however, is the lovely depiction of fabric detail on the wings and the tail surfaces. Eduard has really nailed this - not surprising considering their history with fabric-covered WWI aircraft - with a very convincing yet subtle texture. As on the real aircraft, the fabric effect is different on the lower wings (mixed with metal panels) compared to the upper wings and the tailplanes. Really superb.

The remainder of surface detail is a combination of finely raised access panels, recessed hinge lines for control surfaces, and a minimal amount of crisply engraved panel lines.

Smaller details are no less impressive. For example, each of the exhaust stacks is supplied as an individual part, and they are all hollowed out at the end.

The colour photo-etched fret is a welcome inclusion. This fret provides the harness and instrument panel in glorious colour, plus more metal detail parts for the cockpit and the front cowl cooling grille. The instrument panel should look fantastic when assembled, incorporating all the tiny details of the dials and even Cyrillic stencilling on the panel itself.

Instructions are supplied in a colour 12 page booklet, with a detailed history on the front page followed by a parts list and six pages of construction steps and four pages of full-colour marking guides, each with a four-view illustration.

Markings are supplied for four aircraft, all with different schemes. Decals are produced by Aviprint and look to be very thin and of high quality.

Eduard has now reached a point where their new-tool offerings regaularly rival the best kits from Japan. Indeed, Eduard's overall packaging and level of included detail is, in my opinion, better than most mainstream model companies.

Eduard's Polikarpov I-16 Type 29 is a beautifully detailed, simple to build kit that offers many interesting marking options.

I hope that we will see a few squadrons of colourful late Ratas in defence of Moscow at model shows before long!

Highly Recommended.

Review Text Copyright © 2007 by Brett Green
Page Created 14 August, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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