1/48 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VI

This is easily the best 1/48 kit of the Beaufighter yet produced. Parts are perfectly crisp with no signs of flash anywhere. The radar antennas are extremely fine -- they'll require careful handling. Pilot/gunner figure is nicely molded, too (same guy twice). Clear parts, too, are very transparent and not overly thick. Instrument panel detail is raised and good-looking, as is the rest of the modestly-detailed interior. Canopy can be open or closed. There are no separate flap parts. Most importantly, you're given all the parts necessary to build a night fighter version, with loads of antennas, or an attack bomber version, with loads of rockets. Overall, this kit has quite a few more parts that other recent Tamiya aircraft kits due to the nature of the Beaufighter and all the stuff sticking out from it. A 1/48 scale marking sheet is also included to aid in painting. Markings are included for 272nd Squadron, 96th Squadron and 600th Squadron.

Copies of the kit with U.S.-printed decals suffer from some printing-quality trouble. If you're really a stickler on decals, you may wish to consider purchasing an after-market product.