A new 1/48 scale jet kit manufacturer on the modeling scene is AvantGarde Model Kits (AMK) of China. Having been fortunate enough to see several Aero L-29 Delfíns fly at Oshkosh AirVenture in recent years, and having an interest in Soviet/Warsaw Pact-era aircraft, I was keen to see AMK’s kit.
In the box there are 113 finely produced, flash-free injection-molded plastic parts, with nine of these being clear parts for the canopies, gunsight, and wingtip navigation lights. Also included are 27 photoetched-brass pieces for items such as interior wing ribs in the open flap bays, air-brake attachment arms, and ventral access panels. The brass fuselage panels were a little thick and were tough to form to the diameter of the fuselage, even after annealing over a candle flame. On my next model, I will scribe these panels. Interestingly, there are no seat harnesses included.
Cockpit construction is straightforward with no nasty surprises. Detail is accurate, clean, and crisply molded. The only letdown would be the seats. They are well molded but a little simplified. And, as stated earlier, there are no seat belts. (Quickboost has already issued a fabulous set of resin seats for this kit that includes molded-in harnesses.) I used the kit-supplied decals for the instrument panels and was quite happy with the result; several applications of Micro Sol setting solution settled them around the molded detail.
The kit’s options include open or closed canopy and speed brakes and raised or lowered flaps. The nose battery compartment can also be shown open, as I have done. My only complaint would be with the mounting of the main canopy: There are no positive alignment/attachment points, and it can be tricky to get it placed correctly. Overall, the fit is fine, though, with little need for filler and no guesswork thanks to the clear, concise instructions. I especially liked how the engine air intakes were constructed. Brilliant!
Detail throughout is well executed — sharp and perfectly defined, and responding well to both washes and dry-brushing to bring out such things as the wheel-well structural members and undercarriage doors. The separate hubs and tires on the main wheels makes accurate painting and weathering a breeze!
There is a fantastic choice of color schemes offered in this kit to depict aircraft from the air forces of the USSR, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Czechoslovakia, Iraq, Indonesia, and East Germany (I chose the latter). There are also several schemes depicted in silver/natural metal. (I decided against that because there is a fine texture on the outer surfaces of the wings and fuselage that would have required a lot of effort and time to eliminate.) The decals performed perfectly over a coat of Pledge FloorCare Multi-Surface Finish (PFM) with no silvering at all. They do tend to grab the surface quite quickly, though, making them tricky to move if you don’t manage to get them in the right place on your first attempt.
One thing to note: I believe the German markings in the kit are based on a modern, restored warbird; the nose number 338 is in the correct font but is much too small for an active-duty military aircraft. The color callouts are odd, too. I used Testors Model Master enamel RLM 78 for the underside, and Mr. Color C-131 propeller color and a slightly modified C-18 RLM 70 for the topside camouflage, all airbrushed freehand. Reference photos showed the entire wingtip should be painted yellow, not just the front quarter as depicted in the instructions.
The L-29 was built and employed in the heyday of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact, and it was flown by virtually all the nations politically aligned with the USSR. It was used in many roles, from initial fighter-pilot training to light Combat Air Support/Strike armed with rockets and gun pods. It also has become a popular aircraft in civilian warbird circles worldwide. As such, the kit-supplied marking options are only a light smattering of possible schemes.
I don’t know of any associations with any other kit manufacturer, but AMK has really hit the market running. All I can say is wow! AMK has a MiG-31 Foxhound on its list of future products. If the standard of this L-29 is anything to go by, I will eagerly await the release of that kit with little fear of disappointment!
Note: A version of this review appeared in the November 2014 FineScale Modeler.