Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer

Planet Models, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Mick Evans

 Planet Models' 1/72 scale PC-7 is available online from Squadron.com
 

The Pilatus PC-7 Turbo trainer is one of the most successful and widely used trainer aircraft in the world. The development of this aircraft was initiated in the mid 1960s. The first prototype was derived from the piston engined Pilatus P-3. The prototype was fitted with the PT6A-20 turboprop engine. This was however not successful. The company redesigned the prototype in 1970 completely redesigning the P-3 aircraft this time using a PT6A-25. The wings have a different shape, the fuselage was lengthened, and the tailplanes were redesigned. A new strengthened undercarriage was also fitted. The aircraft is in service with the Swiss Air Force, Holland, Burma, Bolivia, Austria, Guatemala, Mexico, and Iraq. The PC-7 played an important role in the development of the PC-9.

The kit by Planet Models is all resin and has been superbly moulded. The kit contains 34 pale yellow resin parts and 2 vacuum formed canopies. The surface detail matches the detail of the best injection moulded plastic kits and is free from flaws and air bubbles. Most of the moulding blocks should be easy to remove, but some care will be need on some of the more delicate parts, with the cockpit having the largest moulding block to remove.

Click on the thumbnails below to view larger images:

The cockpit and instrument panel has some nice detail. The undercarriage is a real work of art and it would be nice to have seen the masters that were crafted for this kit. The detail is very fine and faithfully reproduced. Underwing drop tanks are also provided.

The decal sheet has been nicely printed by Aviprint. The decals are in perfect register and have good colour saturation. The clear carrier film is ultra thin so the decals will have to be handled carefully and the decals should snuggle down into the surface detail nicely. The decals have 1/48 scale printed on them but this is obviously a printing error

Finally the canopy is nicely vacuum formed and is crystal clear. A second canopy is provided in the case of damaging the canopy during cut-out and trimming.

Markings are provided for two aircraft a Swiss and a Dutch aircraft.

The Dutch aircraft is a very striking gold/white/red of the Dutch solo display team aircraft serial number L-11 piloted by Luitenant Kolonel Ruud Huisman.

The second aircraft is orange/black/silver of the Swiss PC-7 team.

The instruction sheet is very comprehensive and easy to follow. The colours and markings instructions could have had a bit more detail on the colours rather tha leaving the interpretation of shades of colour to the modeller. You will need to dig into some other reference detail to find the colours.

Highly Recommend to modellers who have experience in building resin model kits.

Thanks to MPM/Planet Models for the review sample.

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2007 by Mick Evans
Page Created 20 June, 2007
Last updated 24 December, 2007

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