The new Special Hobby kit (and identical Classic Airframes release) provides the first plastic 1/48 kit of the Fiat B.R.20. Parts are well-molded in gray plastic and feature restrained surface detail. This model represents the initial production run, but from the parts breakdown it is easy to see later versions may be issued.
The kit features a fair amount of interior detail. I started construction with the flight deck and bombardier’s station. The fuselage windows must be added at this time because they seat from the inside.
The fuselage is a very complex construction with separate nose, center, and tail assemblies. The center fuselage also requires two additional sections to complete it. After several dry runs, I found all these components make what should be a smooth, clean assembly difficult (one of the major downfalls of the kit). I spent many hours filling and sanding to eliminate the gaps and mismatches.
The engines are completely resin and have separate cylinder heads. There are no push rods provided, though, and as the engines are very visible this is a quite noticeable omission.
During a dry run, it became apparent that the nose turret would not install without modification of the vertical bulkhead behind it. Also, I found it helpful to leave the lower clear nose section off until the very end.
The dorsal turret was a difficult fit requiring adjustments to the fuselage opening. The real turret was retractable. I decided to show it this way, which in hindsight was a poor decision as it exacerbated the installation issue!
The wing assemblies have a wing-root bulkhead with round tabs that match their fuselage counterparts. I needed to make some minor adjustments to these to obtain a fit without a gap.
The horizontal stabilizers are constructed from top and bottom parts. After assembly, I found their chord was too thick compared with the fuselage attachment stubs.
All of the transparent parts are very clear but also brittle, so be careful when detaching them. I found the cockpit was a poor fit, being a bit too wide.
I painted my B.R.20 with a combination of Tamiya spray and acrylics, matched as best as possible to the color instruction in the kit. The decals are from Avi Print and performed very well. I used some decal solution and applied them over a gloss undercoat. The sheet provides markings for four aircraft.
My reference material was one of the venerable Profile Publications booklets, in this case No. 110, Fiat B.R.20. Based on photos and specifications, the completed model looks good.
I finished my Fiat in 40 hours, a bit longer than I expected. Given the fit issues, this kit is not for a novice; it requires some modeling skill to work out the problems. But it is exciting to have a new WWII Italian aircraft available in 1/48 scale.
