Review by: Doug Booth

These two kits are the same sprues in different boxes with different decal sheets for the appropriate aircraft depicted. The box art is very well done and the molding of the parts is superb. The 1:144th version is a tremendous advance over the admittedly much more elderly 1:72nd offering from the 1960s by Hasegawa. The panel lines are recessed, accurately placed and subtly done. The fuselage interior halves have recessed pressings that are to be removed for the chosen subject. The clear tree carries turrets, windows and portholes for the bomber/reccon and the military transport version.

Here lies one of the few flaws in the kit. If you wish to build the civilian airline (H6K2-L)flying boats represented by the decal sheet, you must add 4 more portholes forward of those provided, on each side, the 2 below the engines slightly higher between the mainplane struts. For the military transport, the ports provided are correct (This version being designated H6K4.). The gun turrets fit well and require only armament made from hypodermic needle barrels with shaped plastic butts. Rigging was done with stretched sprue. The only parts requiring fabrication were the twin struts running between the horizontal stabilizers and the main braces (clearly shown on the box art) and the exhaust stub outlets. These latter were made from small pieces of Evergreen plastic tubing.

If I were to build more of this kit, I think that I would attempt to re-position the control surfaces. I’m hoping Trumpeter does further subjects along these lines, such as a Short “Sunderland”, Martin “Mariner” or even a Short “Singapore III”.

Pros: Molding well-engineered, smooth assembly, clean & flash-free. Interesting, slightly esoteric subject. Excellent-quality decals. Precise instructions.

Cons: Missing tail assembly bracing struts and exhaust stubs. (Relatively petty)

References: Profile # 233.
AEROPLANE, April 2004.
Koku – Fan ’75, # 10.
Air International, Vol. XXI, # 6.
Scale Modeler, Vol. V, # 8.