Alpha Jet A/E

Kinetic, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Mick Evans

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The Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet is a light attack jet and advanced trainer aircraft co-manufactured by Dornier of Germany and Dassault-Breguet of France. Adopted by many air forces worldwide, the Alpha Jet continues to be widely used even after its useful service life was over for its primary operators, France and Germany.

The French Air Force decided to use the Alpha Jet primarily as a trainer, while the Luftwaffe used the type mainly in the light strike role, preferring to continue flight training in the south-western United States on American trainer types instead of performing training in Germany, although Germany also used Alpha Jets based at Beja, Portugal for weapons training.*

Other operators included Belgium, Cameroon, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Portugal, Qatar, Thailand, Togo, and private contractor companies in Canada and the United Kingdom.

The Alpha Jet was considered by the RAAF as a replacement for the Macchi 326 trainer aircraft that was due to retire in 1994, but it lost out to the BAE Systems Hawk Mk 127.

Kinetic has just released the first 1:48 scale injection moulded kit of the Alpha Jet since the old and now rare Esci Alpha Jet. Until now, the only other option has been the very nice resin kit from PJ Production. 

The Esci kit was very basic and bare on detail, which was typical of Esci at that time but at least it had the shape of the Alpha Jet.

Kinetic’s 1:48 scale Alpha Jet comprises more than 172 light grey injection moulded parts, 20 clear parts and 7 etched metal parts.  The fuselage is constructed from three main parts to which are added the nose cone, wings, intakes, and fin.  The intakes have full intake ducting back to the engine compressor face. This is a big plus.

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Thumbnail panels:

The surface detail is fine and restrained and the best that Kinetic has done so far. It represents the panel lines of the Alpha Jet without being overdone. 

The wings are spot on, the anhedral looks correct, while wing panel detail is great and correct.  Separate flaps are provided and can be positioned in the up or down positions.

The wheel wells look good but they are missing all the hydraulic pipework that is evident in the wheel wells. 

A major plus point is the speed brake bays.  Separate speed brakes have been provided and this should be greatly applauded as they may be positioned either open or closed.

Wheels are provided in typical Kinetic style of separate wheel hubs sandwiched between two tyre halves.

The cockpit has sufficient detail with nicely detailed Martin Baker Mk.10 ejection seats and instrument panels with photo-etched harness assemblies being provided.

The transparencies are crystal clear and well moulded with the canopy is broken into three parts to allow the canopies to be positioned in the open position.

Alternate nose cones are also provided for the A or E version, as are alternate in-fill panels, antennae and fuselage scoops for both the French and German versions of the aircraft.

The stores supplied for this kit are as follows:

• 4 underwing fuel tanks

• Centre line small gun pod

• Centre line large gun pod for German Alpha Jet A

The kit represents a late Alpha Jet A and E fitted with the Martin Baker Mk.10 seat. It does not contain the early Stencel seat so the modeller cannot build a German Alpha Jet A or Belgium Alpha Jet B or any other early version but according to Kinetic this kit will be released by another company with resin parts to depict an early Alpha Jet.

Markings

Decals for three schemes are provided:

• Alpha Jet A of Discovery Air Defence Services - Canada (formerly Top Aces) finished in a wrap-around camouflage scheme of FS 35180 Gloss Light Blue, F36270 Gloss Medium Grey and FS 27874 Gloss White

• Alpha Jet A of Qinetiq United Kingdom finished overall Gloss Black with Gloss White outer wings.

• Alpha Jet E of the French Air Force finished in overall Gloss Black.

Big kudos to Kinetic - this is another excellent kit. Kinetic's Alpha Jet may be built as either a late A or a late E type. Detail is very good and surface detail is their best yet.

Highly Recommended

Thanks to Lucky Model for the sample

* Historical summary courtesy of Wikipedia

Text Copyright © 2013 by Mick Evans
Images Copyright © 2013 by Brett Green
Page Created 12 September, 2013
Last updated 12 September, 2013

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