Small Scale Military Headquarters

When i first started looking at 1/72 aircraft, i was under the impression that Hobby Master stuff is top notch. After examing several of their offerings my opinion has changed a fair bit. Most models i've looked at have major errors in them...major given the hefty price tag. If they were $20 Oxfords i wouldn't sweat it but they're not. They have steep prices.

That said, i've found an A-26 'Stinky' for a pretty good price ($60 shipped). I would like opinions on it, if anybody has one. Aside from the obvious error of the yellow band on the tail being way too deep (a difficult error to fix) are there any other problems with it, i should know about?

Thanks for any feedback on this plane, and HM stuff in general.

I have this version and like it. Somewhere on this forum there is likely a review I posted about it a couple years ago. This was the S1 A-26 and opinions on "Stinky" were, in some ways, stinky, among collectors when it first came out. Some liked it as a first release and others didn't. It has certainly had slow sales compared with other HM A-26 repaints and toolings. The S2 version (a Korean War A-26C in black) which came out only about a month after the S1 version is actually hard to find.

What I like about "Stinky" is that the plane is in a standard WWII all-silver finish with the yellow ID bands and early canopy style. Its basically the classic late-WWII A-26B. I'm not as much of a fan with the "Stinky" noseart, though from what I hear, it is accurate.

In terms of the model itself, it is one of HM's larger 1:72 aircraft. There are not too many noticeable seams and the parts are fitted well. It has the standard plug-in-place landing gear pieces. In an interesting feature, the bomb bay has a piece to display it closed and another insert to display it open with ordinance showing. I'm not sure why HM did this feature, but it does allow for the doors themselves to not look clunky when displayed open - and to remain flush with the fuselage when closed. The display stand is designed so that you can display the plane with the bomb bay open. The turrets rotate, but guns do not elevate (for whatever reason).

My favorite part of the model is the interior. The cockpit canopy framing lifts off to reveal a detailed cockpit interior with instruments, flight controls, seats, jumpseat, and radio. The rear gun station canopy also lifts off (though its a bit more difficult to get off than the cockpit) and has the gun periscope, gunner seat, and compartment details. The plane comes with three pilot figures and you could even hold a fourth one on the jump seat in the cockpit.

Hobby Master has really milked its A-26 tooling, with a few WWII examples, a number of Korean War aircraft, and even A-26s used by foreign nations. Both the solid-nosed A-26B and glazed nose A-26C models are represented. The -B models even have variations with the nose with some having the early WWII 6-gun setup (like "Stinky") and others having the later Korean War 8-gun setup. The later Korean War A-26s also have the revised "clamshell" type cockpit canopy, which replaced the flattened and heavily-famed WWII version.

In my opinion, the Hobby Master A-26 is one of their best aircraft toolings in 1:72. Its certainly more detailed and has a better overall design than their new A-20, which really let me down with its large seams and lack of functionality. If you can get one for $60, I'd say go for it

Couldn't tell you if Stinky is inaccurate. I happened to get Versatile Lady a little while back for $51 shipped, so it's my first Hobby Master twin. I like it a lot.
If I would have had a choice of schemes though for that price I would have preferred Rose Marie, the other WWII version. A real clean no frills look to it.
I had read somewhere the Korean War versions shouldn't have a ventral turret like the WWII versions, but don't know if that's true for all of them.

Considering a less detailed Corgi twin is up or over $100, comparatively I think the HM is a good value.

HM has been making a few mistakes lately, like no bombay doors on the A-20, and a real major gaffe put P-51D wings on their new 1:48 P-51B/C that's about to hit stores.

I'm not much help, but I think that's a good price for what you get.

Thanks Tman for the detailed review. Very helpful. The alternate bomb bay is done on some Dragon models too, like their B-17 and B-29.....it's a neat feature.

Thanks for you input too Dauntless.

I guess i can live with the too deep yellow band on the tail; but it is waay too deep, about 50% thicker than it should be. I really wonder sometimes how they make mistakes like this....all you have to do is glance at a picture to get a rough idea how wide the band should be....to be that wrong is bizarre.

Interestingly, Altaya/Amercom copied this scheme onto their 1/144 A-26 and also made the tail band way too deep. Somehow they got the nacelles painted in olive drab though.....not sure where that came from.