It seems as if the modeling world is starting to produce as many An-2 Colt kits as the Soviets did in real life. (Well, OK, maybe not more than 18,000.) HobbyBoss now enters the fray with its 1/48 scale kit, which offers some options not yet seen. Included are skis and a cropdusting rig — presumably not for use at the same time.
Actually, that points out an issue with the instructions — they aren’t very clear about what parts go with which version. Nor do either of the two decal options indicate whether they go with the ski plane or on the cropduster. The two decal options offer a choice of green over blue, with red stars – either Chinese or Russian. Unfortunately, the yellow in the Chinese markings was printed out of register.
I was anxious to see how this Colt stacked up against the Valom kit I had previously reviewed. One of the first improvements I noticed is in the shape and fit of HobbyBoss’ canopy — it is excellent, with only two parts and a seam that runs along a frame line. Also notably improved is the main gear attachment — nonexistent on the Valom kit — which provides nice detail and good structural strength.
The main cabin interior is well appointed, although difficult to see even with the option of an open door. If you use the dropped troop seats, there is an extra sixth hole that should be filled on the left side floor; the holes for the lifted troop seats are visible on the side wall. If you use the lifted troop seats instead, you’re left to fill the holes in the floor — easy with stretched sprue or plastic rod. The cockpit is also detailed, although the side consoles are obviously generic. Prior to inserting the interior, I attached each tail half to its own side – the join was nearly perfect that way. Don’t forget to open the hole to mount the tail-wheel strut.
The engine assembly can be added now as well as the stabilizer. I left the struts off to ease masking. A nice added touch is the separate open cowl flaps. The upper and lower wings assemble without issues, and their fit to the fuselage is outstanding.
Since the color scheme is simple enough and the aircraft large enough, I assembled nearly everything prior to painting, including the cabin step and main landing gear. Watch out for the other step on the main gear. It’s easy to mount it upside down
accidently.
Before painting, I added what little rigging there is by drilling holes through the wing, attaching sutures, then cleaning up the exit points on the wing surfaces. I painted in Testors Model Master Russian topside green and underside blue. The kit decals were applied over a gloss coat; a bit of setting solution helped them settle down just fine.
I added the prop and wheels, touched up the rigging, and after 29 hours my Colt was corralled. The HobbyBoss and Valom models are both nice, but the added detail and excellent fit makes the HobbyBoss kit the easier of the two. I just wish it had more decal options!
A version of this review appeared in the February 2013 FineScale Modeler.