P-61B Radar Ops Station & Cockpit & Gunner Station

Avionix, 1/32 scale

Reviewed by Brad Fallen

Eduard's 1/72 scale Lancaster Wheels is available online from Squadron.com

These two detailing sets from Squadron’s Avionix line are intended for HobbyBoss’ big 1/32 P-61B Black Widow.  This kit is reasonably detailed out of the box but injection moulded plastic can rarely compete with the finesse of resin casting, and there is a lot of finesse on display here from Avionix.  Incorporating these sets into your model will mean some additional effort, but the results of your work will be highly visible beneath the P-61’s glasshouse canopies.

The cockpit and gunner station is the more complex set, with nearly three times the parts count of the radar ops station.  These parts are packed into four plastic bags that, along with the folded instruction sheet, fit very tightly in the 4 ½ by 3 ¼ inch (11.5 by 8cm) Avionix box.  This snug fit meant that no parts were damaged in transit despite the presence of some delicate castings.

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The cockpit set is dominated by five substantial pieces of resin:  the main and forward cockpit floors, the port and starboard sidewalls and the rear bulkhead.  All are fine examples of casting.  Impressive levels of detail have been incorporated into the sidewalls and bulkhead, particularly the bundles of cabling with their associated junctions and clips.  If you were adding this much detail to the kit from scratch, or even a dedicated photo-etched set, you would need to work for a long time to achieve the results that are presented here on a few pieces of resin.

The floors, sidewalls and bulkhead are attached to moderately sized casting blocks, which should be reasonably straightforward to remove with a razor saw and/or sanding block.  None of these larger parts appear to be warped, but they will still require test fitting and adjustment to ensure a good match with the kit parts (a point that is clearly spelled out in the instructions).

The smaller cockpit parts are also well cast.  There are some nice touches of detail, like the textured seat back for the gunner’s chair and the delicate control column and yoke.  These parts build up the layers of detail to give a good impression of the busy and somewhat cluttered P-61 cockpit.

The instrument panel is constructed by the comparatively old-fashioned method of sandwiching an acetate sheet of pre-printed dials between a rear main panel and two smaller panels that have been cast with bezels in place.  This for me is the weakest part of the set because I think better results can be achieved with individual instrument decals or Eduard-style pre-painted photo-etch, although with care the method used here can deliver good results.

The radar ops station set is also well detailed.  It has fewer parts than the cockpit set, but – in the highly detailed electronics shelf – boasts the best piece of resin casting I think I’ve seen.  I’ve taken photos of it from several angles to try to convey its three dimensional nature as well as the sheer amount of detail that has been captured.  As with the cockpit sidewalls, the highlight of this piece is the tangle of cables that connect and weave between the other components.  With the addition of several delicately cast scope hoods, followed by appropriate painting and weathering, the electronics shelf should look superb.

Completing the radar ops station set is a lower bulkhead on to which the electronics shelf is mounted, and a seat and gun sight assembly identical to that provided in the cockpit set for the gunner station.  These are made up from a number of small, perfectly cast parts that are attached to their casting blocks via rebates, which should make removal and clean up straightforward.  Most of the smaller parts have been cast with a finger of resin protecting them on either side, a thoughtful touch from Avionix to avoid damage in transit.  

The details in both sets compare favourably with photographs of P-61B cockpits and radar stations.  However these photos also reveal a number of minor differences in equipment and layout, so consult your references for the specific aircraft you are modelling.

Both sets of instructions are printed in black and white on single A4 sheets.  Only one side of the sheet is required for the radar ops instructions, while both sides are used for the cockpit and gunner station set.  The instructions helpfully identify each part by both number and name (eg.  ‘11. Gun Sight Mounting Post’) and then use photographs of the resin parts to step you through the assembly process.  This approach is good in theory but I found it difficult to follow in places, particularly in the cockpit instructions where some of the photos aren’t as clear as they could be.  My recommendation is to take your time and do plenty of test fitting and cross checking with photos of the real thing.

You’ll also need some references for when you start painting your cockpit and gunner station, because neither set provides advice in relation to the original colours used.

Integrated and painted with care, these two sets from Avionix will result in stunning crew compartments for your 1/32 HobbyBoss P-61B model.  The parts will require some clean up, test fitting and fettling to look their best, and for this reason are best recommended to modellers with some experience in working with resin detailing sets.  Painting guides would have been useful, but P-61B interior colours aren’t a mystery and relevant images can be found on the internet.  The bottom line is that if you’re prepared to spend USD $200 on a HobbyBoss P-61 kit (which is the current asking rate at both Hannants and Squadron), you should also consider investing in these sets as they will significantly improve the look of your model where it matters most.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Squadron for the samples

Review Text Copyright © 2014 by Brad Fallen
Page Created 16 June, 2014
Last updated 17 June, 2014

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