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"1/144 scale TBD-1 Devastator by Aki" Topic


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2,649 hits since 8 Jun 2015
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miscmini Fezian08 Jun 2015 10:16 a.m. PST

Item: Douglas TBD-1 Devastator
Scale: 1/144
Medium: Resin
Manufacturer: Aki
Vendor: Model Factory Hiro link
Price: a little over $20 USD given the exchange rate at the time

General Impressions: Very nice, very detailed kit. Although this is a resin kit, it looks like a plastic model kit. It comes in a box with an instruction sheet, a sheet of decals (pre-war and Battle of Coral Sea), a clear canopy, and two parts sprues. The kit required very little in the way of clean up and prep. Seam lines were minimal and there were no air pockets. The wing had broken off of the sprue and a bit of the wing tip was left on the sprue. This required a little reconstruction. The kit does not contain ordnance or crew figures. Assembly was easy with the parts fitting together very nicely. As a commission, I assembled and painted eight of these Devastator kits to represent those in Torpedo 8, at the Battle of Midway.

Pros: Very detailed model. Parts went together easily. Decals and clear parts included. Lovely kit that makes a beautiful display model. I especially like that the canopy frame is cast separate from the canopy.

Cons: The following cons are based on using the kit to make gaming pieces for war games and should not be construed as criticism of the very nice model kit. Parts for the model are cast to depict an aircraft on the ground. It was easy enough to cut and file parts to get the gear into the in-flight, retracted position but it was time consuming. The cowl flaps are in the open position, I didn't bother trying to convert the model to have them in the closed position. The detail of the corrugated skin on the wing surfaces is so fine that it makes it difficult to get decals to settle into the grooves. No crew figures and no ordnance.

Recommendations: I recommend the kit for experienced modelers.

Notes: I used Vallejo Model Color paints. I used kit, Eagle Strike, and Miscellaneous Miniatures decals. The kit is overkill for gaming but would make a lovely display model. In the pictures, the propellers are not attached to the models, the prop hubs will be getting clear plastic discs before they are attached.

Additional info is found here: link

Ordering: The vendor, Model Factory Hiro, was friendly and I didn't experience any problems or confusion. I sent them an e-mail, in English, explaining that I wanted eight models. They replied, in English, that they had five but could get the other three in a matter of days. They let me know when all eight were on hand, I paid using PayPal, they shipped them shortly after payment. The models were well packed and arrived safely. I wouldn't hesitate to order from Model Factory Hiro again.

Reviewed by: Kevin Hammond, Miscellaneous Miniatures, LLC. miscmini.com

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inverugie08 Jun 2015 12:21 p.m. PST

Thanks for the review. I've bought 3 of them (and 3 Vindicators) but haven't yet attempted a build, so this is very timely.

NappyBuff08 Jun 2015 12:25 p.m. PST

Nice work on the resin kits. They look great.

I don't have any 1/144 Douglas TBD-1 Devastator in my collection yet. I'm tempted to get a few.

panzerCDR08 Jun 2015 12:56 p.m. PST

Very nice. Great targets for Zeros!

Thanks for posting.

Johny Boy09 Jun 2015 5:01 a.m. PST

Did you use a mask for the canopy?, any insights on how you got such a professional look appreciated as I'm about to attempt some Corsairs for the first time in 1/144 scale.

Cheers

miscmini Fezian09 Jun 2015 7:06 a.m. PST

Thanks all for the kind remarks.

Johny Boy, I used Blu-Tack to mask the canopy but only when I sprayed the final flat finish on the models. I don't have any significant insights, here are the steps I go through: clean the parts with soap and water, let dry, paint the model (I painted the interior first, light colors, then dark colors), let it dry, give the model a coat of clear acrylic varnish, let dry, apply decals, let dry, give the model another coat of clear acrylic varnish, let dry, apply a wash, let dry, give the model a coat of clear flat. I used aerosol primers and clear flat, the rest of the painting was with a brush.

Dave Schmid09 Jun 2015 7:15 a.m. PST

Beautiful work, Kevin.

pbhawkin09 Jun 2015 5:35 p.m. PST

Johny Boy,
The canopy frame is a separate piece of resin that is not attached to the canopy. So it can be painted and then placed on top of the canopy. A great idea for doing frames but very delicate!

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