Maly Arado 196

[Darwin]

Model: Arado 196
Publisher: Maly Modelarz, 1-2/96
Scale: 1:33
Format: Hardcopy
Purchased from: Lighthouse Modelart

Eight parts pages (all cardstock). Sufficiently detailed construction diagrams for intermediate level card modelers to successfully perform the build. The parts are printed on fair quality card stock. Level of detail marginal. Model has a cockpit, but very little detail is provided, either printed or 3D. Instruments are depicted only as white circles. No external armament, observer's machine gun somewhat simplistic. Printing quality is adequate. Minor color voids and a few minor artifacts appear in some of the parts, good color registration. Draftmanship good. Artwork fair, more cartoonish in style than realistic. No attempt at shading or weathering. Fuselage onstruction method is the usual Maly Modelarz butt-jointed segments; pontoons appear to be assembled with joining strips. Kit is presently available from Lighthouse Modelart for about $5 US, and is frequently available on Ebay. I would not recommend this model to absolute beginners, but would be a good kit selection for anyone having mastered the basic papermodeling skills. Overall grade a C+, with a good value-for-cost rating.

Instructions: C
Paper quality: B
Level of detail: C-
Printing quality: C+
Artwork: C+
Value for money: B-
Skill level: Intermediate

 

[cygielski]

Well, I'm building this one now, so I guess I should pipe up. There are things here that may not be apparent before you start to build the thing. Several fuselage elements do not match -- generally sizewise they're OK, but various panel lines (very few of those, but still) end up not joining up when the registration marks are lined up. I ran into problems with too large/too small formers that had to be made to fit.
What I would turn your attention to is the color scheme, which is completely wrong (the planes used by the Kriegsmarine had a two-tone scheme on top surfaces). The tactical numbers would indicate an aircraft that in real life was an A-2, while the model most closely resembles an A-3. The observer's machine gun is completely wrong -- the original was armed with an MG-15, with very characteristic magazines.

Overall, a very middle-of-the-road model with serious accuracy problems, and a definite candidate for modifications for anyone interested in having it look anything like the real thing.

Simon

PS. I'm still having a blast building it

 

[Darwin]

Simon, when you complete the build, please post an in-depth kit review in the "other" review forum....this is the kind of information I would hope to come out there. The first impressions section may or may not discuss fidelity to scale (making that kind of judgment is largely going to depend on the familiarity of the reviewer with the prototype), but certainly is fair game in either the initial impressions or built kit review forums. My own concept of the initial posting of a string in this forum is that main emphasis be on impression of the kit quality and buildability, with the in-depth review forum the place to focus items such as fidelity to scale. Items such as parts/artwork mismatches, etc. (unless extremely gross) will not be apparent until the model actually gets built, and I expect this kind of info will come out in replies such as yours (and thank you for giving such a great illustration of what can be accomplished in this forum). Fair warning...anyone posting replies saying they have done or are doing a build of the subject model shouldn't be surprised if asked to do an in-depth review. It appears that my first impression of the model (C+) is in agreement with yours (middle-of-the-road), so maybe my judging criteria are working.