Trumpeter 1/32 scale SBD-1/2 Dauntless

Kit: No. 02241
Scale: 1/32
Manufacturer: Trumpeter, from Stevens International, 856-435-1555, www.stevenshobby.com
Price: $139.95
Comments: Injection-molded, 283 parts (14 photoetched, 3 vinyl, 2 photo film), decals
Pros: Excellent engine and cockpit detail, outstanding fit, good surface detail, choice of open or closed canopy, clear cowling, outstanding painting instructions.
Cons: Vinyl tires only, no spark plugs or wires for engine cylinder holes.

The SBD Dauntless helped turned the tide of the Pacific war at the Battle of Midway. In the span of a few minutes a few lucky SBDs literally caught the Japanese carrier force with its decks full of aircraft, ready for takeoff. The bombs dropped from these SBDs hit four of Japan's mightiest carriers and reduced them to flaming wrecks.

Trumpeter's release of the SBD Dauntless in all four variants is a welcome addition to 1/32 scale. (The SBD-3/4 has also been released). Trumpeter has packed it with just about every detail a serious modeler could ask for. The engine and the cockpit are models in themselves and there is no need for aftermarket details. This is some of the best work I've seen in plastic!

I first assembled the kit with masking tape and found only two minor problems: one side of the cockpit bulkhead and floor positioning tabs had to be cut off for a better fit, and the tail positioning tabs needed to be shortened so the elevators sit correctly. The 20-page instruction booklet is well-done and leaves nothing out. Page 8 shows the right fuselage halves upside down, which is a little confusing. Just rotate the drawing to get a better idea of where the interior parts go.

To get a tight fit on the engine cylinder halves and to minimize seam work, align the parts, mark them, then sand the mating surfaces smooth. Position the parts tightly and run beads of super glue along the tops of the cylinders and under the base of the cylinder heads to minimize seam work. The rest of the engine goes together well. The holes in the cylinder faces are for spark plugs, but you will have to add these with some plastic rod. There are no holes for the plugs on the backsides of the cylinders. The painting instructions for the engine were also accurate.

The cockpit parts - and there are a lot of them - go together well. All the parts have nice surface detail, and it's evident Trumpeter did a lot of research. The only complaint I have is the instrument panel representation: the clear plastic must be carefully masked or instrument faces have to be drilled out to show the photo-film gauges. One way to mask around the gauges is to hold a properly sized Waldron punch over each lens and paint around it.

The wings go together well and seam cleanup is easy. Be careful attaching the horizontal stabilizers to the fuselage as proper positioning will minimize seam work. The wing attachment to the fuselage requires little cleanup, but be sure to cut one side of the cockpit-floor positioning tabs during cockpit construction. If you squeeze the tabs all the way into place there will be small gaps between the upper wing surface and the fuselage.

The dive-brake actuator rods should be painted aluminum and the actuator tabs light gray. (The instructions tell you to paint all of these parts light gray.)

Trumpeter provides two sets of canopies. The ones for the opened position are slightly different so they can be properly nested - a nice touch! The vinyl tires are good, but I wish there were a choice between vinyl and plastic. The landing gear struts have well-represented brake lines. The clear cowling is a nice touch if you want to expose the detailed engine, but realistically removed panels would look better.

I painted the model with Testors enamels. The decals are fragile, but went on nicely and responded well to decal setting solution.

I spent 40 hours building my SBD. Without question this is a great kit, and it was a lot of fun to build. All the parts appear to be correctly proportioned and the kit is packed with detail. Nice job, Trumpeter. Now, how about a 1/32 scale P-47?

- Scott Weller
Photos by Mike Ashey