sharkman
Master at Arms
I was at one of the local stores on the weekend and a second hand kit caught my eye. It was Revell's Mitsubishi KI-21 Sally in 1/72 scale (made in 1975).
Now, aside from floaters and other ugly planes, I do like Japanese planes and find their bombers to be particularly interesting. Probably why I was drawn to this kit (and the nice box art). It was selling for $10 but because it was 1/72 scale I passed it up (I've built the Matchbox Do 18 in 1/72 and have the BV 222 but that's as much as I've been willing to delve in the smaller scales, I just like 48 better)!
Anyway, I went home to see if anyone had produced a 1/48 Sally and found that only a Sanger VacForm and a rare resin Tri Angle kit were the only two to be had. After deciding my chances of finding the Tri Angle kit were next to nil and the amout of work needed for the Sanger kit would take me the rest of my life, I thought for $10, what the hey!
The next day I went back to get the kit (fortunately, it was still there) and after getting it home I was quite surprised how much detail there was. The interior isn't much to write home about but I am in awe by the fine engraved panel lines and rivets molded into this kit. The fit is amazing (I doubt it will need any filler at all), the clear parts are crystal clear with no defects, the fabric surfaces look great, there's a slight bit of flash on the props and even the instructions (though all in Japanese) are partially printed in colour (there's even a silver paint painted on the paper of the bare metal version). I was just very impressed at the complexity and detail for an almost 40 yr old kit!
I read online that the molds for this kit were possibly lost at sea on their way back to America and only MPM has made one since which had a resin interior but the fit wasn't as great as the Revell kit. I would say it easily holds a candle to some of the more elaborate kits out nowadays (all it needs is a good resin interior).
Here are some shots:
Just goes to show there are some really good older kits still out there!
(and that we could use some more of these Japanese bombers in 1/72 and 1/48!)
Now, aside from floaters and other ugly planes, I do like Japanese planes and find their bombers to be particularly interesting. Probably why I was drawn to this kit (and the nice box art). It was selling for $10 but because it was 1/72 scale I passed it up (I've built the Matchbox Do 18 in 1/72 and have the BV 222 but that's as much as I've been willing to delve in the smaller scales, I just like 48 better)!
Anyway, I went home to see if anyone had produced a 1/48 Sally and found that only a Sanger VacForm and a rare resin Tri Angle kit were the only two to be had. After deciding my chances of finding the Tri Angle kit were next to nil and the amout of work needed for the Sanger kit would take me the rest of my life, I thought for $10, what the hey!
The next day I went back to get the kit (fortunately, it was still there) and after getting it home I was quite surprised how much detail there was. The interior isn't much to write home about but I am in awe by the fine engraved panel lines and rivets molded into this kit. The fit is amazing (I doubt it will need any filler at all), the clear parts are crystal clear with no defects, the fabric surfaces look great, there's a slight bit of flash on the props and even the instructions (though all in Japanese) are partially printed in colour (there's even a silver paint painted on the paper of the bare metal version). I was just very impressed at the complexity and detail for an almost 40 yr old kit!
I read online that the molds for this kit were possibly lost at sea on their way back to America and only MPM has made one since which had a resin interior but the fit wasn't as great as the Revell kit. I would say it easily holds a candle to some of the more elaborate kits out nowadays (all it needs is a good resin interior).
Here are some shots:
Just goes to show there are some really good older kits still out there!
(and that we could use some more of these Japanese bombers in 1/72 and 1/48!)
Mania, before it was Hasegawa, made some crisp little gems as well. 
