Westland Whirlwind FB.Mk.I
Fighter Bomber

Special Hobby, 1/32 scale

Reviewed by Francisco Guedes

Back in 2021, James Hatch reviewed the Special Hobby brand new release standard release of this beautiful twin-engine fighter.

Today, we got the hi-tech version that has everything from the standard version, with a lots of goodies made by Special Hobby (and CMK) all inside the box.

The plastic parts are the same as James`s review. However I will absent of talking about them as James said everything but I put some pictures here of them.

The hi-tech gives the modeler  two photo-etehed sheet, PUR resin parts and #D resin parts and a canopy and wheels mask.
Starting from these, there`s two masks – one for the canopy and other for the wheels.

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Thumbnail panels:

The canopy one gives the cover along the frame and for the windshield, full cover mask of the windows. To noted that these masks are for the outside and also inside, which, for me, is quite relevant in 1:32 scale specially for those aircraft to post in open canopy.

The wheels you get hub masks.

The main PE sheet is in brass made by Eduard (so quality is not an issue) with some radiator grill ,handles and levers, and nose plate for the guns.

The second sheet are seatbelts, color ones also by Eduard.

The resin parts and 3 D parts, are, for me, the real gem of this release.

The polyuteran one, are in gray resin, and, as usual of CMK (Special Hobby) are perfectally cast, with no bubble at all, and with some beautifull surface detail Top noch as usual.

The new entire nose isa fantastic craft pice. To instally this one you need to make a big but straightforward surgery on the fuselage removing carfully the entire nose… The fuselage will be with no nose and the end part will be quite fragile… So should be handle carefully.

In resin all the four 20mm canons, that have no sag and are perfectly detailed to be expose. A few other details are given in resin as for the cockpit and for the nose.

Another add up in resin are the wheels. I`m sucker for resin wheels. They are always better that the plastic ones.

The 3D printed resin parts come in orange.

Not a familiar color for resin parts, so I don’t know how it could affect the paint on top of it. Probably a resin gray primer would solve it.

In these parts, we got the nose top with exit for the guns, and cockpit details, like throttle consoles and control column.

Mainly the rest of the parts are to the nose armament to let you make an open nose like the ammunition drums and cannon structure.

The clear parts are very well molded with good frames delimitation and also good clearance and transparency.

Markings and Instructions

Four markings options are on the decal sheet:

1. Westland Whirlwind FB Mk. I, P 7094, HE-T, “Bellows”, n.º 263 Squadron RAF Warmwell Airfield, beginning of 1943;

2. Westland Whirlwind FB Mk. I, P 6974, HE-M, n.º 263 Squadron RAF Angle Airfield, July/august 1942

3. Westland Whirlwind FB Mk. I, P 7102, SF-P, “Comrades in Arms”, P/O E.L. Musgrave, n.º 137 Squadron RAF;

4. Westland Whirlwind FB Mk. I, P 7012, SF-V, n.º 137 Squadron RAF;

The decals look quite good with good definition and color pigmentation. I don’t know who printed them as its no reference at all of the manufacture so I don’t know how they will work out.

The instruction are a booklet with 20 pages, in satin paper, with good drawings and location parts and even with aftermarket suggestion  (of their brand) along the way (nice Special Hobby).

The painting indication given are only for Gunze Sangyo.

What a kit!

I have soft spot for the Whirlwind and this model with all these goodies is a must have to all modeler that like, even just a little bit, the Whirlwind.

The new parts are most welcome and being a limited run model kit and with all the resin, is not a beginner model. To be perfect, it only needs the engine!!

Kudos to Special Hobby for keeping release these beauties of some more rare aircrafts!
 
Highly Recommended.

Thanks to Special Hobby for the review sample. 

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2022 by Francisco Guedes
Page Created 22 February, 2024
Last updated 23 February, 2024

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