Has anyone built Italeri’s offering of the S-3 Viking in 1/48? Whats the quality like? also, pictures from Lucky Model show a clear canopy but of the few that have been built with pics on the internet, the canopy appears to come tinted. Which does it actually come with? Thanks
I built it when it was first released by AMT. It was quite nicely detailed on the outside but, from what I recall, very lacking on interior detail. But as you noted it has a dark tinted canopy so you really can’t see much inside anyhow. The kit had excellent fit and went together with out any problems. Here is my attempt at it. Pardon the yellowing of the decals from some water damage it incurred from an overhead leaking pipe[:$]
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!(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v485/BigFoot01/Aircraft Collection/P1080224.jpg)
I have several of the kits, some ESCI and some AMT and the canopies vary a lot, from clear to way too dark. Clear is best because on the real ones some areas are darker than others. The Italeri is the same kit as the ESCI and AMT.
I’ve built two, from AMT boxings (very dark canopy) and have an Italeri boxing stashed (red rudder markings). The canopy is somewhere between clear and alomst too dark, still see through.
Cockpit detail is pretty sad, I’ve seen better in 1/72, but other than that, I totally enjoyed building them, and will someday enjoy the third!
Some people have had success “tinting” the cockpit canopy with Tamiya clear acrylic Smoke or something similar, but it takes practice and patience.
At least you’re not trying to do a Prowler - their canopies are inlaid with real gold, Try duplicating that in 1/700 …
Ok, thanks everyone.
@mfsob: I actually just built one. You’re right on about the gold tint, there isn’t really a good way to do it. I saw a bunch of people dipping them in future mixed with yellow or orange and they looked too yellow/orange. Instead, I just painted mine with a thin layer of gold on the inside…but it came out looking a little too gold.
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I have built several of them. The cockpit is lacking, but you can’t see it through the tint anyway. The seats are pretty nice, the options are excellent. Someone once made a full resin cockpit in 1/48. True Details makes a fairly nice front cockpit in 1/48 if you really feel the need. And it is nice, but I don’t think it is worth the work.
I have never seen them boxed without the tinted canopy.
There are 3 versions on the market:
S-3A/B I have seen in ESCI, AMT, Testors, and Italeri
US-3A I have in an ESCI boxing
ES-3A Shadow I have in AMT boxing.
Options I can think of:
MAD probe extended or not
Refueling probe extended or not
Bomb Bays open or closed
IR sensor retracted or not
The kit really needs folding wings, and I think someone once made a set in 1/48, but I cannot find them anymore. The kit fits pretty well and requires only a minimum of putty. Aftermarket decals are also plentiful, and recommended. I know the ones from my Testors boxing were pretty bad, and they were the same markings on the current Italeri boxing.
The kit comes with Torpedoes (MK-46 I think), and 2 fairly nice Harpoons. I think the ES-3 comes with a buddy store, failing that, Cobra makes one I think.