1/72 SM79 Sparviero

A new release from Italeri, and very well done, too! I was very pleasantly surprised when I opened the box to find petite and crisp details with fine recessed panel lines (with heavier lines marking movable surfaces). The cockpit is decently appointed for the scale, the landing gear looks very nice, and the bomb bay doors, crew boarding door, lower aft gunner's doors and the large access panel over the top of the bomb bay may be posed open. No provision is made to close the "hunchback". One torpedo is included, while the Sparviero could carry two it generally only carried one. The torpedo and related bracing is likewise well done. Markings are included for 4 aircraft, two with the three-color mottling, one of which consists of so many tiny mottles it could only be recommended for those with very steady hands! The third aircraft is in a sanity-preserving plain dark green over blue gray scheme, while the fourth is in a "desert scheme" of sand mottles over olive green. Decals are by Cartograf, and are nice and crisp.