In Box Review of MPC 1/72nd Scale Lockheed Hudson Mk. 1
Kit no. 1104-100
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: 9.00 pounds
This kit first appeared in 1963 (twice), 1964(twice). Then my kit in 1968. It was re-issued in 1971-1972-1973-1975-1978 and 1986. Price shown above is for the 1986 boxing
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: 9.00 pounds
This kit first appeared in 1963 (twice), 1964(twice). Then my kit in 1968. It was re-issued in 1971-1972-1973-1975-1978 and 1986. Price shown above is for the 1986 boxing
HISTORY:
The Hudson was the first American aircraft to be used operationally during the Second World War, and was in fact in use by the R.A.F. Coastal Command shortly before the outbreak of the war.
When the British Purchasing Commission went to the U.S.A. in 1938, the Hudson was selected for R.A.F. service and an order for 200 placed. Deliveries commenced in early 1939, and further orders were placed. Eventually, some 800 were purchased and the number was brought up to 2,000 by machines supplied under lend-lease.
The Hudson 1 which first flew in December 1938 was developed to British requirements from the Lockheed Type 14 Super-Electra, a widely used civil airliner. The first aircraft were shipped across the Atlantic and the Boulton Paul dorsal turret fitted after they had been assembled in the UK.
After America's entry into the war, the Hudson was adopted by the U.S.A.A.F. as the A-28 and A-29 and by the U.S. Navy as the P.B.O.-1. Production of the Hudson ceased in 1943, but the type continued service on such duties as troop transport, air-sea rescue and target towing until the end of the war.
The Hudson 1 was powered by two 900 h.p. Wright Cyclone engines giving a maximum speed of approximately 250 m.p.h. and a range of 2,000 miles. Armament consisted of four .303 in. machine guns, two in the turret and two fixed in the nose. Bomb load was 1,400 lbs. (later models carried much heavier armament, additional machine guns and often rockets being fitted).
Wing span was 65 ft. 6 ins. and length was 44 ft. 4 in.
The Hudson was the first American aircraft to be used operationally during the Second World War, and was in fact in use by the R.A.F. Coastal Command shortly before the outbreak of the war.
When the British Purchasing Commission went to the U.S.A. in 1938, the Hudson was selected for R.A.F. service and an order for 200 placed. Deliveries commenced in early 1939, and further orders were placed. Eventually, some 800 were purchased and the number was brought up to 2,000 by machines supplied under lend-lease.
The Hudson 1 which first flew in December 1938 was developed to British requirements from the Lockheed Type 14 Super-Electra, a widely used civil airliner. The first aircraft were shipped across the Atlantic and the Boulton Paul dorsal turret fitted after they had been assembled in the UK.
After America's entry into the war, the Hudson was adopted by the U.S.A.A.F. as the A-28 and A-29 and by the U.S. Navy as the P.B.O.-1. Production of the Hudson ceased in 1943, but the type continued service on such duties as troop transport, air-sea rescue and target towing until the end of the war.
The Hudson 1 was powered by two 900 h.p. Wright Cyclone engines giving a maximum speed of approximately 250 m.p.h. and a range of 2,000 miles. Armament consisted of four .303 in. machine guns, two in the turret and two fixed in the nose. Bomb load was 1,400 lbs. (later models carried much heavier armament, additional machine guns and often rockets being fitted).
Wing span was 65 ft. 6 ins. and length was 44 ft. 4 in.
THE KIT:
MPC was the U.S. importer and distributor of Airfix of England's molds. MPC is located in Mt. Clemens, Michigan.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
This box is blousy and 2 inches too long.
The box art shows a Hudson over a background that is divided in two diagonally. Half of it looks like a desert with bomb bursts on it and the other half is stark white. Strange!
The Hudson is in a wave pattern of dark earth and dark green over a light grey undercarraige. It has early war U.S. blue circles with white stars that have a red center on the fuselage sides and ablee the left wing and below the right. There is a white 12 on the cowling sides and a black serial no. 5558 on the rudders. Its dorsal turret is firing its guns.
One side panel says the kit has all authentic Hudson arts and WILD CUSTOMIZING DECALS, above an illustration of a Hudson that is bare metal with 2-tones of blue scalloping above the left wing and below the right with a black serial no. TJ-231. The black TJ-231 is smaller on the rear of the fuselage sides and inside a loop of the scalloping high on the fuselage sides. It says FLYING BUFFALO AIR LINE in side this loop. A logo of a leaping pale blue buffalo is on the rudder and nose sides.
MPC was the U.S. importer and distributor of Airfix of England's molds. MPC is located in Mt. Clemens, Michigan.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
This box is blousy and 2 inches too long.
The box art shows a Hudson over a background that is divided in two diagonally. Half of it looks like a desert with bomb bursts on it and the other half is stark white. Strange!
The Hudson is in a wave pattern of dark earth and dark green over a light grey undercarraige. It has early war U.S. blue circles with white stars that have a red center on the fuselage sides and ablee the left wing and below the right. There is a white 12 on the cowling sides and a black serial no. 5558 on the rudders. Its dorsal turret is firing its guns.
One side panel says the kit has all authentic Hudson arts and WILD CUSTOMIZING DECALS, above an illustration of a Hudson that is bare metal with 2-tones of blue scalloping above the left wing and below the right with a black serial no. TJ-231. The black TJ-231 is smaller on the rear of the fuselage sides and inside a loop of the scalloping high on the fuselage sides. It says FLYING BUFFALO AIR LINE in side this loop. A logo of a leaping pale blue buffalo is on the rudder and nose sides.
A sticker on the box here says the contents were made in England and litho in USA. Model Products Corp. (MPC)'s location of Mt. Clemens, MI is shown.
The other side panel has a one paragraph history of the Hudson followed by color illustrations of features of the kit: modular display stand, simulated swerling propellers, wheels turn, movable turret guns, turret gunner.
The other side panel has a one paragraph history of the Hudson followed by color illustrations of features of the kit: modular display stand, simulated swerling propellers, wheels turn, movable turret guns, turret gunner.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 4 silver grey trees, loose silver grey wing and fuselage halves, 2 clear trees, 2 clear discs (for replicating spinning propellers), the decal sheet and instructions.
There are a lot of the silver grey parts that have boken off the trees. I will put them in an old pill bottle I have to keep them together in the box.
The instructions consists of a single sheet, printed on both sides in 7" x 12" page format, folded twice to fit the box.
The face side begins with READ BEFORE BEGIN BUILDING instruction and the history of the Hudson, above the first 2 assembly steps.
The other side gives the 3rd and last assebly step for the aircrart, above a 3-view of the Hudson in the box art scheme and a side view of the Buffalo Air Line version. The bottom of the page gives the display stand assembly step and MPC's street address.
The 1st silver grey tree holds: the lower rudder fin parts, a crew figure, cockpit lfoor, gear legs, air scoops etc. (9 parts)
This kit contains 4 silver grey trees, loose silver grey wing and fuselage halves, 2 clear trees, 2 clear discs (for replicating spinning propellers), the decal sheet and instructions.
There are a lot of the silver grey parts that have boken off the trees. I will put them in an old pill bottle I have to keep them together in the box.
The instructions consists of a single sheet, printed on both sides in 7" x 12" page format, folded twice to fit the box.
The face side begins with READ BEFORE BEGIN BUILDING instruction and the history of the Hudson, above the first 2 assembly steps.
The other side gives the 3rd and last assebly step for the aircrart, above a 3-view of the Hudson in the box art scheme and a side view of the Buffalo Air Line version. The bottom of the page gives the display stand assembly step and MPC's street address.
The 1st silver grey tree holds: the lower rudder fin parts, a crew figure, cockpit lfoor, gear legs, air scoops etc. (9 parts)
The 2nd silver grey tree holds: the tail wheel, two crew figures, the base plate of the dorsal turret, pitot tube, etc. (15 parts)
The 2nd silver grey tree holds: the tail wheel, two crew figures, the base plate of the dorsal turret, pitot tube, etc. (15 parts)
The 3rd silver grey tree holds: cowling halves, propeller, wing flaps, main wheels and their gear legs (9 parts)
The 4th silver grey tree holds: the cowling fronts, cockpit bulkheads, propeller, elevator flaps, upper rudder halves (9 parts)
Loose silver grey parts are the upper and lower halves of the elevators, the turret tub, cowling halves, a seat, turret turn table. fuselage halves and upper and lower wing halves.
The first clear tree holds the cockpit, fuselage and dorsal turret transparencies. (24 parts)
The second clear tree holds the parts of the display stand (3 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
Parts are not cello bagged.
There are no parts trees illustrations in the instructions nor any number tabs next to the parts on the trees. This means extra work to get the right parts for the assemblies. Bad move Airfix and MPC.
Panel lines and rivets are of the raised variety.
This is a neat model of a bomber and fairly good detail for 60's state of the art.
Somewhere along the line I acquired a huge line drawing blueprint of the Hudson. It is foled multiple times to fit the box.
Recommended.
There are no parts trees illustrations in the instructions nor any number tabs next to the parts on the trees. This means extra work to get the right parts for the assemblies. Bad move Airfix and MPC.
Panel lines and rivets are of the raised variety.
This is a neat model of a bomber and fairly good detail for 60's state of the art.
Somewhere along the line I acquired a huge line drawing blueprint of the Hudson. It is foled multiple times to fit the box.
Recommended.