Greetings All,
Does anyone know what the Masterkit(?) 1/144 Beriev Be-12 flying boat
model is like.
I came across a website that has it on sale and it looks interesting :
http://www.aviapress.com/viewonekit.htm?OKB-005
Any comments/reviews would be appreciated.
Thanks to ‘Cobrahistorian’ for pointing out that this is probably the best forum
(rather than Helicopters)!
Thankyou from Western Australia.
Celestialsphere
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie ! Oi ! Oi ! Oi !
Greetings Western Australia!
I got one when they first came out a decade or so (or more?) ago. It’s very basic—just shapes, heavy “trench” panel lines that don’t match up from side to side, quite a bit of flash on smaller parts, and some bad warpage on wing parts, which was nonetheless easily correctable with careful assembly. (I’ve heard the newer issues include photoetch parts, which my version didn’t have.) Fuselage seams and wing-to fuselage joints took a lot of putty to fill in and smooth out. Decal was for one a/c, thick but fairly well registered, and included a decal for the cockpit and nose windows which aren’t molded.
Having said all that, I fell in love with the ungainly beast. (I knew nothing about the a/c to begin with, but was captivated by the bent-wing configuration.) I did mine pretty much out of box, with the exception of building the gear struts from wire and plastic rod. It’s shape makes it stand out, and if you love flying boats (which I do), it’s a must-have. I just wish someone would do one in a larger scale.
Regards,
Greg
One additional point—there weren’t any positioning tabs for the wing parts, so careful lining up is essential while building. The instructions gave a good drawing view, from which I made cardboard jigs to keep everything even, which made it much easier. Good luck.
There is also a Russian-made 1/72 kit of the Be-12. I made one years
ago as a kid and still have it, unpainted and minus most of its propellor blades, in the loft.
Maybe one day (when I have the space) I’ll get it down, repair and repaint it!
I often see this kit for sale (usually very cheap) at collector’s fairs and model shows, don’t know
if it’s so common in the US though.
Thankyou for an interesting review, Greg.
The Be-12 was one of those planes on the very edge of my conciousness until a few days ago. Now, I’m nuts about it!
Also my girlfriend is Ukrainian and the current model that’s available has Ukrainian decals so I’ll be popular on that front. 
And since she speaks Russian, perhaps a visit to Monino could be easier… Oh Yeahhhhhhhh ! Cheers Andrew
Andrew:
Sounds like you’re good to go. On the remote chance that you’d be interested in something more colorful than the standard naval versions, check out this “water bomber” version:
http://www.f4aviation.co.uk/airshow01/zhukovsky/civilian/be-12p.htm
All the best
Greg
are you sure about that revell kit being a Be-12? I only know of there Be-6, which was orginally a plasticard mold. White plastic for al the major components and black for the props etc. No interior detail what so ever.
There’s a review of a nice 1/72nd resin Be-12 Chaika on Hyperscale.
Around $US140…
Celestialsphere