Reviewer: Geoff Coughlin (July 2010)
Scale: 1:350
NB: this review features an early production sample and so you may find new and different components in the full production kit
Thanks to Airfix for the Review sample.
Initial inspection
The box as one would imagine is enormous and there will be many happy faces at Christmas when this one is opened up! Straight away, the new box art are fantastic features of the new releases and this new HMS Illustrious is no exception. Three huge light grey sprues dominate the box, plus a further two smaller ones. A good instruction book is also included.
Sprues
Immediately it is clear that the horizontally split hull allows you to construct either a full hull or waterline model so this is great if you want to display your model in a realistic maritime setting. The moulds are crisp and no warping is apparent. The surface detail looks very neat and precise, with some very respectable tooling on the smaller parts like the aircraft, boats and superstructure.
This scale allows a good level of detail and you should able to see for yourselves that the quality of the tooling is good. Accuracy levels are good too – especially in relation to the small aircraft that are included: 4 X Harriers, 2 X Merlins and 2 X Sea Kings. The tooling on these aircraft is first rate, being very delicate and engraved, so they should look superb if care is taken to finish them well.
View a selction of images by clicking on the thumbnails below.
Other highlights are the small boats that are included; the canvas covers look very realistic. The ship’s main screws are again well moulded and these will also be a feature of the completed model.
There are natural limitations with the injection-moulding process and so the helicopter rotor blades, radar antennae and ladders may be a little on the heavy side, but White Ensign Models for example should be able to assist here with their awesome array of accessories for maritime modellers?