1/48 Fairey Swordfish Mk.I Floatplane

Description

This is an injection-plastic aircraft model kit.

This kit was offered for sale in Japan only by direct Internet mail-order sales from Tamiya to consumers at first. However they are now offering it to distributors and retail stores normally. Tamiya is exporting the kit normally, and it has been available outside of Japan previously.

Tamiya’s Swordfish Mk.I Floatplane is another one of those kits that serves to cement their place as the world’s finest manufacturer of plastic models. The extremely complex configuration of the plane is perfectly rendered into plastic and, if you purchase the optional photo-etched parts set, metal. In particular, the Swordfish’s fabric-on-wood construction is faithfully duplicated in a surface texture that is neither under or overstated.

Because of the construction of this biplane, there is a lot of parts in this kit, and the price reflects it. But they have gone out of their way to make it a great building experience, throwing in plenty of 250lb. Bombs, a torpedo, smoke floats, signal flares, support stand & wheels, and three crew members. Decals included for aircraft of 701st Squadron (see box art), and 765th Squadron (camouflage scheme). Perhaps the kit’s greatest feature is that you can choose to build it with the wings folded (select one or the other configuration — they don’t move after assembly). Sure to be a classic for years to come.