Kit: 04744
Set includes: Kit; decals; instructions; paints; Richthofen DR.I painting print.
Full review by Geoff Coughlin (July 2017)
Price around: £13.00GBP; €14.49; $16.64USD; $21.37AUS; $21.26CAD
Our thanks to Revell for supplying our review sample. Revell model kits are available from all good toy and model retailers. For details visit www.revell.de/en
The Revell kit
OK, this is a very old kit – you’ll see the date moulded into the inside of the fuselage – 1957 – wow! Very old then. Inevitably, that means you are not going to get a state of the art kit, not by any means and what you have here is a package aimed at newer modellers (a paint set with glue is included).
This is a very basic kit, although it does include three figures and doesn’t really need much in the way of rigging, so some plus points there. In all honesty, if you want a larger scale DR.I (bigger than 1:32 scale) you do at least have an option to build one and detail it up yourself. You won’t break the bank either.
Some years back, Paul K. made a good effort at building this kit and you can find that build in Aircraft-Finished Now-Revell along with all the other completed builds we have for Revell aircraft kits.
Overall look
The basic model shape isn’t too bad – it certainly looks like a DR.i, just some of the finesse of the original is lacking as you’d expect.
Moving on
As I say, you get additional small spurs that contain the parts relevant for a Mk.IX like the broad chord rudder, clipped wings, angular propeller blades, new spinner and the changes in underwing radiator arrangements. This is all very good, allowing you to build pretty much any of the main early and late Mk.IX variants.
Other observations
• cockpit set, stick but no instrument panel
• wheels have the subtle angled faces
• fabric effect on wings
• guns in this scale are best replaced
• figures are very poor – soft detail and will need a lot of work to be usable.
Clear parts
None required or supplied
Instructions
These are clear enough, although it’s a shame that only Revell paint colours and mixes are shown. Having said that, there are a huge number of references readily available on the web and in print form for finishing your chosen aircraft.
Decals
I like the two options included in the kit one the standard overall red and one with that greeny washed out camo in various areas.
Print and paints
As mentioned, you do get a nice rolled up painting/print of Richthofen peeling away to make his attack.
A basic set of paints and glue is included.
Overall then, here’s my summary…
Geoff C.
SMN Quick summary Star rating out of 5
FEATURE | STAR RATING (out of five) |
---|---|
Quality of moulding | ** |
Level of detail | ** |
Accuracy | ** |
Instructions | *** |
Decals | **** |
Subject choice | **** |
Overall | ** |