I-153 By A-Model In 1/72: Anyone Seen This Kit?

[Old Man]

Just came across this listed at a place I have never heard of before:

http://hobbyterra.com/product.asp?idProduct=790

Does anyone know anything about this kit? Is it a new-tool limited run item, or the old Heller under a fresh flag?

[dragonlance]

Just came across this listed at a place I have never heard of before:

http://hobbyterra.com/product.asp?idProduct=790

Does anyone know anything about this kit? Is it a new-tool limited run item, or the old Heller under a fresh flag?

According to scalemodels.ru forum, it's a "improved" Heller kit, still inaccurate.

Here is a MM preview: _http://tinyurl.com/6fgvs5y

Edited May 14, 2011 by dragonlance

[John Thompson]

Just came across this listed at a place I have never heard of before:

http://hobbyterra.com/product.asp?idProduct=790

Does anyone know anything about this kit? Is it a new-tool limited run item, or the old Heller under a fresh flag?

Hah! Dragonlance wins this one... ;)

It's neither a new mold nor a simple reissue of the Heller kit, it's one of Amodel's original earliest releases, and is not only a pretty rough kit, but also has some accuracy problems of its own. It may be an attempt to correct the Heller kit as Dragonlance says, but it's a failed one. Go here for a comparison with Heller's "Chaika":

http://vvs.hobbyvista.com/Modeling/Polikarpov/I-153/72nd_Comparison/index.php

If you really want a 1/72 I-153 (I know I do, badly!), ICM have promised one for later this year, as well as a 1/48 version. Judging by their other 1/72 Polikarpovs, the ICM kit will be perfect, or as close as we'll ever get. Trying to predict the quality of their as-yet-unreleased kits by using the existing ones as a yardstick may not be 100% correct because they're changing the source of their masters, but I'm sure they'll do an excellent job regardless.

If you decide to buy anything from HobbyTerra, have no worries - they're among the best. I've dealt with them numerous times with no problems.

John

PS - If you're dedicated (crazy?) enough to want to kitbash one, here's a couple of threads about it. The fact that neither thread has been updated recently should tell you something, although others have tried the same thing and succeeded:

http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=940.0

http://sovietwarplanes.com/board/index.php?topic=871.0

Edited May 14, 2011 by John Thompson

[John Thompson]

Just to encourage further interest in 1/72 I-153 builds, here's one based on the Amodel kit; it sounds like he chose it because the plastic is thick so he had plenty of material for reshaping. I especially like the line, "the (kits) themselves were terrible, like a night in the woods". He seems to have made some major parts from scratch, if I understand the translation correctly:

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dishmodels.ru%2Fgshow.htm%3Fp%3D750%26lng%3DE&act=url

Here's one built from the Heller kit, with an excellent description of the build included:

http://mig3.sovietwarplanes.com/modelphoto/i153tex/i153tex.htm

And here's one kitbashed from the Smer (Heller reissue) kit, with parts from the ICM I-15bis:

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fmodelism.airforce.ru%2Fgallery%2Fruchkovsky%2Fi-153%2Findex.htm&act=url

John

[Old Man]

Thank you very much, Gentlemen! Glad to have the straight scoop on this; I had thought (hoped) I was onto something, as I have done some Amodel kits, and consider them reasonable short-run makers. In this instance, though, I will await the promised kit by ICM; if they do the I-153, it will be an excellent kit for sure.

I am glad of the endorsement of 'hobbyterra' as well, Mr. Thompson, for they do have a great selection listed.