In Box Review of Italeri 1/72nd Scale
Soviet Petlyakov PE-2 Bomber
Kit no. 056
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1995. I paid $16.00 for my kit back in the 90's.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1995. I paid $16.00 for my kit back in the 90's.
HISTORY
The Petlyakov Pe-2 (Russian: Петляков Пе-2) was a Soviet light bomber used during World War II. It was regarded as one of the best ground attack aircraft of the war and it was also successful in the roles of heavy fighter, reconnaissance and night fighter.
It was similar in many respects to the wooden British de Havilland Mosquito. Pe-2s were manufactured in greater numbers (11,427 built) during the war than any other twin-engine combat aircraft except for the German Junkers Ju 88 and British Vickers Wellington.
The Pe-2 was fast, maneuverable and durable. Several Communist nations flew the type after the war, when it became known by the NATO reporting name Buck.
Six captured Pe-2s were also transferred from the Germans to the Finnish Air Force during the Continuation War, with the serial code PE- and the unofficial nickname Pekka-Eemeli.
SPECIFICATIONS
Role: Bomber
Manufacturer: Petlyakov
Designer: Vladimir Petlyakov
First flight: 22 December 1939
Introduction to service: 1941
Retired: 1954 (SFR Yugoslav Air Force)
Primary users: Soviet Air Force, SFR Yugoslav Air Force, Air Force of the Polish Army, Czechoslovakian Air Force
Number built: 11,427
Variants: Petlyakov Pe-3
The Petlyakov Pe-2 (Russian: Петляков Пе-2) was a Soviet light bomber used during World War II. It was regarded as one of the best ground attack aircraft of the war and it was also successful in the roles of heavy fighter, reconnaissance and night fighter.
It was similar in many respects to the wooden British de Havilland Mosquito. Pe-2s were manufactured in greater numbers (11,427 built) during the war than any other twin-engine combat aircraft except for the German Junkers Ju 88 and British Vickers Wellington.
The Pe-2 was fast, maneuverable and durable. Several Communist nations flew the type after the war, when it became known by the NATO reporting name Buck.
Six captured Pe-2s were also transferred from the Germans to the Finnish Air Force during the Continuation War, with the serial code PE- and the unofficial nickname Pekka-Eemeli.
SPECIFICATIONS
Role: Bomber
Manufacturer: Petlyakov
Designer: Vladimir Petlyakov
First flight: 22 December 1939
Introduction to service: 1941
Retired: 1954 (SFR Yugoslav Air Force)
Primary users: Soviet Air Force, SFR Yugoslav Air Force, Air Force of the Polish Army, Czechoslovakian Air Force
Number built: 11,427
Variants: Petlyakov Pe-3
THE KIT
Italeri is an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a PE-2 flying above the clouds. It is in a wave pattern of 2 shades of green above a light-blue under carriage. It has a red 1 outlined in yellow on the rudders and white spinners.
One side panel has one-paragraph histories of the PE-2 in 8 languages, including English. Each labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks that language.
Italeri is an old prolific model company based in Italy. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a PE-2 flying above the clouds. It is in a wave pattern of 2 shades of green above a light-blue under carriage. It has a red 1 outlined in yellow on the rudders and white spinners.
One side panel has one-paragraph histories of the PE-2 in 8 languages, including English. Each labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks that language.
The other side panel continues with the histories in 3 more languages, followed by a suggested paint color listing of Model Master brand paints. Model is not suitable for children under 3 due to sharp parts. Copyright of kit is given as 1995. Kit is intended for modelers over 10 years of age to adult. Parts were made in Italy and Russia, packed in Italy by Italeri and Italeri address in Italy is provided.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX
The kit holds 1 medium-grey tree and loose medium-grey fuselage halves and the clear parts trees in a sealed clear cello bag, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 13" x 7" page format.
Page 1 has one-paragraph histories repeated in 9 languages, including English.
Pge 2 begins with ATTENTION about the kit, over a suggested listing of Model Master hobby paints in 10 languages, including English.
The top of page 3 is the parts trees illustrations, over the 1st assembly step.
Page 4 through 6 gives a balance of total of 8 assembly steps.
Page 7 has a 4-view of the box art scheme (already described above). It is a PE-2 with the 140th BAP, Leningrad, 1943.
Page 8 has another 4-view of a PE-2 in the same camo as the box art one. It has a white fuselage number 01 and an Order of the Red Banner logo on the sides of the nose. It is with the 12th GV.PAP., Gulf of Finland, 1944.
A small sheet is in the box, printed on both sides in 7" x 4" format. It has important information concerning this kit on it in 20 languages, including English.
Tree is not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do have part number tabs next to parts on the tree.
The lone medium-grey tree holds: wings, nacelles, main wheels, landing gear legs, bombs, rudders, elevator, spinners, individual propeller blades, machine gun, tail wheel, slatted air brakes etc. (69 parts)
The kit holds 1 medium-grey tree and loose medium-grey fuselage halves and the clear parts trees in a sealed clear cello bag, the decal sheet and the instructions.
The instructions consists of a single-sheet that accordion-folds out into 8 pages in 13" x 7" page format.
Page 1 has one-paragraph histories repeated in 9 languages, including English.
Pge 2 begins with ATTENTION about the kit, over a suggested listing of Model Master hobby paints in 10 languages, including English.
The top of page 3 is the parts trees illustrations, over the 1st assembly step.
Page 4 through 6 gives a balance of total of 8 assembly steps.
Page 7 has a 4-view of the box art scheme (already described above). It is a PE-2 with the 140th BAP, Leningrad, 1943.
Page 8 has another 4-view of a PE-2 in the same camo as the box art one. It has a white fuselage number 01 and an Order of the Red Banner logo on the sides of the nose. It is with the 12th GV.PAP., Gulf of Finland, 1944.
A small sheet is in the box, printed on both sides in 7" x 4" format. It has important information concerning this kit on it in 20 languages, including English.
Tree is not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do have part number tabs next to parts on the tree.
The lone medium-grey tree holds: wings, nacelles, main wheels, landing gear legs, bombs, rudders, elevator, spinners, individual propeller blades, machine gun, tail wheel, slatted air brakes etc. (69 parts)
Next is the 2 medium-grey fuselage halves.
The clear tree holds cockpit and gun blister transparencies (8 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kits contents.
It has a tissue to protect its face from scratching. But it was floating around loose and not protecting a darn thing. So, I stapled it to the decal sheet.
It has a tissue to protect its face from scratching. But it was floating around loose and not protecting a darn thing. So, I stapled it to the decal sheet.
There are no crew figures in the kit. Detail is all of the raised variety. Flaps are all molded solid.
Recommended.
Recommended.