Stu Fone previews the first of Airfix’s 2024 new toolings, in the shape of it's superb 1/72 Consolidated B-24H Liberator
What a way to start a year! We bring you an exclusive preview of Airfix’s impressive, newly tooled 1/72 B-24H Liberator – a subject that’s received comparatively less attention when compared to the B-17 or Lancaster, yet was built in larger numbers – with a build to follow in May’s issue of Airfix Model World.
Airfix’s B-24H (A09010) comprises eight styrene runners in total: six are in the firm’s favoured dark-grey plastic, with two clear frames for the turret, cockpit and fuselage glazing. First impressions are properly positive: crisply rendered components, well-engineered parts breakdown and a lack of surface blemishes, meaning that the moulding quality is apparent immediately.
External features include fine engraved panel lines, plus delicate representation of rivets around glazing panels and on the wings, horizontal and vertical stabilisers, but these are quite restrained and avoid any ‘mad riveter’ tendencies as seen on other manufacturers’ kits. The nose section is separate to the main fuselage – hinting at further variants to come – with a cleverly designed insert tab to ensure alignment and a strong join.
Similarly, Airfix provides two areas for ballast – preventing the model from being an inevitable ‘tail-sitter’ – for a total of 55g weight, including a cleverly designed box that’s sandwiched between the bomb and nosewheel bays. Inserts are supplied for the cockpit and waist gunner sidewalls; these serve a double purpose, as they feature far better detail than the (otherwise impressive) integrally moulded framing on the fuselage interior and cover several ejector-pin marks. The latter are notable for their placement, with none being visible once the fuselage halves are joined.<…
