Stinson L-5 Sentinel

AZ Model, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Glen Porter

HyperScale is proudly supported by Squadron.com

The Stinson L-5 Sentinel was a US built high wing, single engine monoplane with a tandem two seat cabin used for liaison and observation work. It was developed from the pre-war Stinson model 105 Voyager.

With over 3,800 built between October 1942 and September 1945 and known by the troops as the “Flying Jeep”, it was the second most widely used light aircraft during WW II. The RAF acquired a number late in the war and used them mainly as air ambulances in Burma and India.

AZ Models has produced two different kits of the aircraft, the L-5 Sentinel and the OY-2 Sentinel but all of the plastic parts for both are in each kit and similarly, the instructions cover both kits. Only the decals and the box art separate the two. This means you get two complete fuselages, two canopies and two sets of undercarriage legs. The problem is, some of the parts shown in the build diagrams don't always reflect the shape of the parts in plastic. For instance, diagrams 6 and 7 are almost identical. 6 is for the L-5 (AZ 7274) while 7 is for the OY-2 (AZ 7275) so there should be two different fuselages, canopies and U/C legs but only the legs are shown different. It would be very easy to end up with the wrong parts on your model if care is not taken. Fortunately, the diagrams where this is a problem, are marked with the kit number so if you only follow those and the part numbers within them you should be okay.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Thumbnail panels:

The quality of the moulding is quite typical of the short-run kits from AZ with good surface detail, most ejection marks and towers in unseen places, no flash or sink marks but plenty of mould seem lines to be removed.

Interior is not bad, seat harnesses are moulded on to the seats, some interior side-wall detail is present and a small amount of framing is supplied to go under the canopy which is not as over-scale as that in the Auster kit.

The canopies for both kits are two-piece items and the join is on a frame line however, unlike the Auster canopy, these have locating holes for the wings but mounting might still be a challenge.  

Decals look very good with no register problems and nice colours. There are markings for five examples beginning with a US L-5 serialed 298248 and coded 6C-C, in Olive Drab and Neutral Grey and D-Day stripes on the lower fuselage. Next is one of the RAF aircraft serialed KJ408, in OD uppers and Sky below with SEAT roundels and fin flash in the usual places. We then have a Swiss L-5 serialed A-96  in OD uppers again but light blue below and red and white Swiss markings in the usual way. An overall silver  Italian L-5 with red, white and green  roundels in six places and serialed WW 52409 and coded S-1-2. The last aircraft is not on the back of the box but in the instructions and is a Chinese Air Force L-5. 

The colours aren't given but looks like the those of the US example with Chinese roundels in six places and a blue and white striped rudder. The unit, time and location is not given for any of the above aircraft, in fact no information of any kind is given except for the Chinese aircraft.

Again, not a “Shake and Bake” kit, but still a good effort of an interesting subject that with some care could be made into a show stopper. Now come on Mr AZ Models, do something about those instructions for goodness sake.

Thanks to Legato  / AZ Models for the sample

Review Text Copyright © 2009 by Glen Porter
Page Created 4 August, 2009
Last updated 4 August, 2009

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Reviews Page