Sword 1/72 T-38A Talon

Kit: No. 72023
Scale: 1/72
Manufacturer: Sword, from Minicraft Models, 847-429-9676, www.minicraftmodels.com
Price: $38
Comments: Mixed media, 112 parts (26 injection molded, 23 resin, 63 photoetched metal), decals
Pros: Gorgeous prepainted photoetched set, excellent resin parts
Cons: No locators for wings, incorrect main-gear bay, canopy fits poorly in closed position, tiny photoetched parts difficult to manage

Kit manufacturers have commonly mistaken the Northrop F-5B for its T-38 Talon cousin. When Sword brought out its 1/48 scale T-38, it appeared that a true Talon was finally available. At first, the 1/72 scale Sword kit looked to be the salvation for small-scale modelers. It features outstanding resin cockpit, seats, wheel wells, wheels, intakes, and exhaust cones. The photoetched parts are from Eduard and are prepainted! If you've never seen them before, you will be instantly entranced with the detail. The plastic parts have recessed panel lines, but the detail is not comparable to the resin parts.

I built the cockpit first and realized some of the tiny photoetched details were impossible to handle. I had to cut away small blocks from the cockpit consoles to fit the painted photoetched panels. Overall, the interior went together well, and it, along with the resin nose-gear well, fit perfectly inside the fuselage.

The resin main-gear well may have been warped, or one of the fuselage halves was - I can't tell, but I had to clamp it in place while super glue created the bond. When I got to the stage of adding the wings, I discovered the kit's biggest flaw and greatest challenge. There were no locating devices for the wings, and I wasn't sure of their exact locations. The instruction drawings didn't help, and the markings drawings show panel lines (which can help in parts location) different than the ones on the parts. I had to pull out an Esci 1/72 scale F-5B kit to help locate my kit's wings. That's when I found that Sword had molded the large wheel housing in the fuselage like the F-5's, not the streamlined one of the T-38. A small glitch, all things considered. The separate fin was thinner than the dorsal fairing leading up to it.

I elected to close the canopies, but the kit is designed to have them open. Sword has provided a photoetched bow between the forward and aft canopies as well as small, fragile structures to hold the canopies open. That's good, but I wasn't sure I could execute opening them properly. The canopies don't fit well in the closed position. Next time, I'll open them.

I painted the model overall gloss white with a flat black antiglare panel. I used Bare-Metal Foil on the exhaust and added the characteristic top shroud with more foil. The decals provide markings for two white trainers and a "shamu" light/dark gray machine featured on the boxtop. The decals were thin and floppy and liked to fold under themselves. Use plenty of water while positioning them. The fuselage insignia were too large.

I spent a bit more than 30 hours on the model, much of it being careful with the tiny photoetched parts and trying to close the canopies. Sword got most of the changes right with its little Talon, and if you're willing to overlook the enlarged main-gear bays and can figure out the wing location, you'll be able to add an attractive model to your collection.

- Paul Boyer