Fairey Flycatcher
& Hawker Fury Mk.I

Lindberg Value Pack, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Cookie Sewell

In 1967 four new 1/48 scale biplane kits arrived in the US from a company in England called Inpact. These were the Gloster Gladiator, Bristol Bulldog, Fairey Flycatcher, and Hawker Fury Mark !. All of them were incredibly detailed for that time with a four piece pilot, simulated fabric covering, and provisions to rig the aircraft (albeit originally no rigging materials were provided).

When compared to the only real competition at that time, Aurora’s WWI aircraft, these kits basically blew them away. Detail was molded into both sides of the wings and tail assemblies and small parts were separate, not molded into the larger parts. All four came in the silver dope finish of their time with very colorful decal and marking sheets.

Apparently though Inpact did not do well enough to survive and as a result the molds – as with many other kits – began traveling around, going to at least Pyro and Life-Like before winding up here with Lindberg (Round 2 now markets them as “New Lindberg Line”).

Amazingly the molds must have been made from very hard steel because they still hold up well today. Details are still relatively sharp and complete and with care a very nice model can be produced from these kits. While the Gladiator has now come out from other companies with all of the current add-ons modern kits have such as etched brass, the other three remain as unique kits in this scale with no other entries in styrene on the market.

Alas, Lindberg does not provide info on the markings for each model anymore and no longer having my copies of the original “Profile” publications on these aircraft I cannot cite them.

If you are a fan of the interwar aircraft this is a nice kit and if found at an Ollie’s as I did the pair are dirt cheap at only US$7.99.

Sprue Layout

Flycatcher:

• 1              Length of steel wire

• 16           Right fuselage, struts, propeller, tail fin/rudder

• 8              Elevators, wheels, engine

• 34           Upper wing, pilot, braces, balances

• 11           Lower wing, landing gear legs, engine

• 1              Left fuselage half

• 1              Clear styrene windscreen

Fury:

• 7              Elevators, fin/rudder, cowl panel, arms

• 9              Upper wing, landing gear, radiator

• 13           Propeller, lower wing, struts

• 17           Left fuselage, pilot, cabane struts, interior, details

• 1              Length of steel wire

• 1              Clear styrene windscreen

Text and Images Copyright 2021 by Cookie Sewell
Page Created 3 September, 2021
Last updated 3 September, 2021

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