Testors Model Kit

5.0 1 customer review

This is an excellent all-around kit that was issued by Testors in 1988. It is based on the early 1960s U-2 kit originally released by Hawk. Testors did a great job when they reworked the old Hawk U-2 molds to improve detail level for their own release of the kit. They've included additional parts to build a well-detailed version as shown on the box cover. Extra parts & beautiful decals for a two-seat trainer & NASA research versions are included as well.

Detail level is quite good for a relatively low-priced kit of this vintage & the decals are outstanding. The parts count is not overly high at just over eighty pieces, but the kit has a good balance of nice molded-in detail & enough separate parts to make a very good replica that is not at all toylike like other kits of this age.

The instruction format is similar to most Testors kits; they are well written with very good painting information called out in detail for each assembly step. When assembly options are available, they are clearly defined & help the builder understand which parts, painting information, decals & assembly steps to follow for each particular option. History & technical information is included for the actual aircraft as well.

Beginners may have a little trouble with assembly of this kit only because the fuselage & wings are made up from very large pieces. Applying the usual tube-type cement on all the joining surfaces & getting parts together neatly before the glue begins to set could be a challenge.

I suggest that larger parts could be dry-fitted together, carefully aligned & held with rubber bands, tape or clothespins. I would then carefully apply a liquid-type cement for styrene with a fine-tipped brush along the outside perimeter of the seams. Capillary action will draw the cement into the joints & form a strong, clean bond. Only a small amount of cement is needed when applied in this manner.

I would recommend this kit to anyone who likes to build 1/48 scale aircraft in general, or Cold War era & later historically important or unusual aircraft in particular. Overall, I think this is a very good kit & would make a fine addition to anyone's collection. A nice model can be built right out of the box, but more advanced builders will likely want to add aftermarket or scratchbuilt details to further enhance the appearance & accuracy of the kit.