T-33A Shooting Star

Czech Model, 1/32 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

Czech Model's 1/32 scale T-33A Shooting Star is available online from Squadron.com
 

The long-serving Lockheed-built Shooting Star two seat jet trainer aircraft was developed from the P/F-80 fighter. Often referred to as the 'T-bird', it remains one of the world's best known aircraft, having served with the air forces of more than 20 countries over a service life spanning nearly 40 years.

Squadron's house-brand Czech Model released a 1/32 scale F-80C in March 2009. They have now followed up with the logical development - a 1/32 scale T-33A Shooting Star.

Czech Model's 1/32 scale T-33A Shooting Star comprises 87 parts in grey coloured plastic, 11 parts in clear, 25 cream-coloured resin parts, a colour photo-etched fret plus a large decal sheet with three colourful marking options.

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Thumbnail panels:

The plastic is smooth and features crisply recessed panel lines, plus selected rivets and vents. The tail has some raised panels too. The overall effect is restrained and impressive.

The cockpit is nicely detailed with a beautiful coloured photo-etched "sandwich" for the each of the instrument panels, two resin seats with a busy jumble of harness straps, and side console detail moulded to long consoles for the port snd starboard sides. These consoles are glued to the floor to create the long cockpit tub. Additional colour photo-etched parts contribute to the upper cockpit side rails and more front-office details.

The intake ducting is a three-part assembly that is installed between the wing and the fuselage.

Wheel wells are boxed in with separate parts.

Control surfaces are moulded in neutral positions, but the separate air brakes may be posed open if desired.

Two styles of resin wheels are supplied with different hubs and tread patterns. In this case, Parts R4a and R5a are recommended for all three marking options, so you already know which set you will have left over. A third set of wheels is also attached to the plastic sprues.

The cylindrical wing tip tanks are also supplied.

Clear parts include a thin and distortion-free canopy, plus several alternate styles of wing tip navigation lights.

The instructions advise the number of the parts and the specific locations of the lights - an improvement over the earlier F-80C kit.

Instructions are called out over 27 steps in a 12 page booklet. The construction illustrations are presented as exploded CAD diagrams.

Engineering and parts breakdown is quite conventional, but being a limited run kit we do not have the luxury of locating pins. Extra time should be spent preparing the parts and test-fitting before commiting to glue. There are a few raised ejector pins on top of the wheel well (inside the wing) that may interfere with fit. These should be cut off prior to assembly. There is also a little flash here and there, notably around the outside of the gear leg openings on the bottom of the wings and on the intake lips. A few minutes with a sharp knife will take care of this.

Markings are provided for three colourful options on the big decal sheet:

• USAF T-33A-5-LO, s/n 58-2106, 318th FIS, McChrod AFB, WA, 1980 in overall Aircraft Gray.

• Luftwaffe T-33A-5-LO, No. 9524 finished in Dark Green and Medium Gray over Light Gray with outer wing tanks in Fluro Red-Orange.

• Belgian Air Force T-33A-1-LO, FT16, 1969 finished in a disruptive scheme of Medium Green, Dark Green and Tan over Greay, with Fluorescent red-Orange and White.

The decals have been printed by Cartograf, and they look fabulous - glossy, well saturated and with a minimum of carrier film.

Czech Model has delivered an impressive and well detailed kit of this aviation milestone.

The straightforward breakdown of the parts should make Czech Model's 1/32 scale T-33A Shooting Star a good prospect for modellers looking for their first large-scale limited run kit.

Thanks to Squadron for the sample

Review Text Copyright © 2009 by Brett Green
Page Created 8 May, 2010
Last updated 8 May, 2010

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