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PJ Production 1/32 US Fighter Pilot: WWII Pacific |
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Kit Number 321103 |
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Reviewed By Charles Landrum, #26328 |
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MSRP: 10 Euro (approx $13) Review copy provided by: PJ Production Rue A. Bodson, 38 B-6280 Gerpinnes Belgium
Phone/Fax: 32 71 50 44 39 I don’t know what is in the fertile soil of Belgium, but it has spawned some great model patternmakers and sculptors. We are all familiar with Verlinden and Blackbox, but there is also a relative newcomer, PJ Production. Their product line is surprisingly large and their workmanship is first rate. I first encountered the products of PJ Production on repeat business trips to Brussels when I frequented two superb hobby shops: Point 50 on Boulevard Lemonier and AU 16e Escadron on Avenue de l’Armee 136 (both of these are listed as distributors on the PJ Production website). If you do not make regular trips to Brussels, you can order the product line from Hannants in the UK. So when IPMS offered this newly released figure in 1/32 I jumped at the chance to review it, I was not disappointed. The pilot comes molded in tan resin in four pieces: the torso and legs together, two arms, and a head. Curiously I received a third arm, not attached to a pour block. The castings are crisp with little in the way of flash or seams. When assembled the pilot has a relaxed sitting pose, suitable for the wing of an aircraft. He is decked out in his flight gear and Mae West. There is even a stuffed teddy bear in his left leg pocket. The kit identifies him as a Pacific theater pilot, but I could see no difference in his uniform with that of an Atlantic pilot in warm weather. I don’t think there is a difference, frankly. Assembly was simple. It was no trouble to remove the pour blocks and the seams cleaned up quickly. The neck fits into a socket below the collar and gives a tight fit. I recommend attaching the head after painting to achieve a cleaner demarcation between skin and clothing. The arms mated perfectly and gap-filling CA took care of what little seam there is. The extra right arm I believe is the correct arm, because it matches the picture on the box. The pose of the other right arm, while fine, is a little more awkward. When seated on the plane, his pose looks natural. My only complaint is that I don’t like the teddy bear. You can file it away but I may leave it, still it is gimmicky. Overall I really like this figure and all of their figures that I have seen. The detail is crisp so that in painting it will be easy to pick out detail. If you like to give your aircraft a little animation, especially a figure that will not obscure your award winning cockpit, you can’t go wrong with this little guy. Most certainly recommended. |
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