Manufacturer: MPM, available from Squadron Mail Order, 1115 Crowley Drive, Carrollton, TX 75011-5010, 972-242-8663 www.squadron.com
Kit: No. 72093
Scale: 1/72
Price: $15.96
Comments: Injection-molded, 39 parts (10 resin), decals
Pros: Good exterior detail, fine resin parts, well-printed decals
Cons: Thick small parts, tricky fit
Of the original fleet of “X Planes,” Northrop’s tiny X-4 was built to study the flight characteristics of “tailless” aircraft – no horizontal stabilizers or conventional elevators were installed.
MPM’s new injection-molded kit of the X-4 features that company’s usual fine recessed panel detail, a basic interior (including instrument panel, seat, and stick), and excellent decals. This particular kit had no photoetched parts, but small details such as rudder balances and wing fences were cast in resin.
The fit is below average, but typical of limited-run kits. I had to shave down the top of the seat so that the injection-molded canopy would fit over it. The model wants to sit on its tail, but there is little room for added nose weight. The instructions are not clear on the locations of small parts such as the landing gear doors and resin wing fences.
The decals give optional markings for three different schemes worn by the pair of prototypes, but I chose a fourth shown in a Craig Kaston article in an old IPMS publication, Replica Wrapup. I used the kit decals along with red decal film
to reproduce the test flight markings.
After about 18 hours, my little Bantam was finished. I keep it on its nose gear with a tiny blob of sticky putty on the bottom of the nosewheel. My X-plane collection grows!