1/72 SB2C-4 Helldiver

Description

This is an injection-plastic aircraft model kit.

While the Helldiver got off to a very inauspicious start (one carrier captain refused to allow them on his ship, saying their only potential use to the Navy was as anchors), it redeemed itself once the bugs were ironed out and ended up being responsible for sinking more Japanese shipping than any other aircraft. Long after Academy started listing this kit, they have released it! And having seen it now “in the styrene”, it is very, very impressive. The kit features incredibly-detailed cockpits, landing gear and bays as well as an open bombbay with 2 500 lb. bombs inside. Underwing Yagi radar aerials are included, as are underwing bomb and rocket racks – but no weapons for those mounts unfortunately. Wing slats are designed to be extended, just as they always were on the ground. Markings are for 4 aircraft: aircraft 79 and 80 of VB-85 aboard the USS Shangri-la in June of 1945 (both in overall gloss sea blue), aircraft 110 of VB-3 aboard the Yorktown in April 1945 (in tricolor scheme) and “47” in the Atlantic scheme of dark gull gray over white (unit unknown).