BROPLAN 1:72 JAK-25RW MANDRAKE
Reviewer: Shane Bennett (rec.models.scale)
Broplan have decided to make a decent vacuform kit of a rare subject material, and a rather unique example in the Yak-25 Mandrake family. If you are put off by assembling a vacuform kit then perhaps this one might change your view about this line of kits because it is relatively simple and a worthwhile example to launch into. Don't let the bland packaging and number of parts put you off.
Firstly the kit is packaged in a reasonable size plastic bag so the expense of boxing is not one to be contended with. There are about three 'sprues' (really sets) of dirty white plastic on which about 60 vacuformed parts are molded. There is little surface detail on the moldings but of that there is, it is nicely engraved. Instructions are adequate but nothing more, just a single sheet of paper on which you have assembly drawings on one side and some colour schemes, three view diagrams and some cutaway diagrams for specific placements in the cockpit, engine and undercarriage.
Construction techniques are a little different to the injected mold kits as you need to carefully cut out the parts from the sheets, then clean and sand them for preparation. If you have any experience with vacuform canopies then you are half way there. You first assemble the cockpit and it is rather basic (which is all you can really expect in these kits) and consists of seat, bulkhead, instrument panel, side panels and control stick. This is a delicate step purely for the task of separating the small pieces from the set but if you take your time it's worth the effort. A bit of nose weight is suggested and the fuselage halves align together rather well but make sure you keep it set together for drying overnight.
The wings are quite large on this aircraft and one could be forgiven for expecting a fair bit of work and the need for some internal wire support to ensure a proper droop and attachment of the wings. Surprisingly these are not required as the wings will attach quite well with the right prepatory work and filling afterward. I let my my wingtips rest on some carefully stacked cardboard while drying for the right angle.
The engines proved to be a bit of a chore in getting assembled correctly and required a fair bit of filler and sanding but the rest of the construction process was generally straight forward. The kit doesn't provide much in the way of extra details such as aerials etc and these will need to be scratchbuilt from stretched sprue and the like.
Only one bare metal example is produced from the kit with a black anti-glare panel in front of the nose. The plastic needed a primer undercoat first and then applied a metal finish buffed from Humbrol Metalcote enamel. The decals are terrible and need to be tossed in favour of something a little better - the register is out of whack and the red is not really red. What is supplied is a serial number 35 in red for the front fuselage sides and half a dozen red stars. The number can be used but has more of an orange sheen to it and the carrier film is excessive and needs trimming first.
I think this quite a worthy kit for anyone interested in obscure Russian aircraft and I don't have any qualms with regard to the accuracy aside from the need for the modeller to supply his own aerials etc. It seems to measure up quite well and I am only aware of a couple of Yak-25's which are crude examples in the 72nd scale - including the recent Red Hurricane release in injection mold. Because it goes together rather well and there aren't many small pieces this kit would probably be good for the modeller looking to start out in vacuform kits. I'd certainly recommend this kit and applaud Broplan for their choice of subject material.
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