I just bought my first Sword 1/72 AC kit. What a pleasant surprise! The kit, a Vultee P-66 Vanguard, had very finely engraved panel lines and the parts were flash free. I was also impressed by the nice photoetchings, jewel like resin cockpit, and two vacuformed canopies. To top it off the crisp and well registered decal sheet had markings for three nationalities! I have walked past these kits and discounted them as MPM like, but I will now buy them without reservation. Anyone else know of a small company that turns out a high quality kit like Sword? P.S. I almost forgot about the film negative for the photoetched instrument panel. Nice kit.[8D]
Sword kits? I’ve got a Northrop N-9MA and I must agree - the quality of the moldings isn’t bad for a limited production kit, nice panel lines, nice vacuum formed canopy, but all those wings (top & bottom, port, cantre and starboard) and every one as warped as can be.
It’s gonna take a fair amount of boiling water to take care of this one…but I’ll do it - othyerwise I like the kit.[:D]
Tree
Yes, Sword makes some very good kits…wish they would do more. I too have the P-66 Vangard, but I don’t think it is nearly as well done as their Curtiss Seamew. The Vangards landing gear is a disapointment…like two poles rather than anything resembling a gear strut. Be careful not to slam MPM unless you have seen some of their newer kits. They have come a long way over the past couple of years and their quality is very good now. Their Blenheim kits, for instance, are superb! Let’s hope all of these limited run companies keep offering kits we thought we would never see!
Joe
I wasn’t trying to slam MPM. I have most of their kits that interest me, bought the Fw-190 V1 the same time I bought the Vanguard. I do think the Sword kit is just a bit better, especially the injected parts - less flash and crisper detail. I mainly made the post because I wished I’d known how nice these kits are. Anyone else know of a small company that puts out quality kits?
I have the Sword Vanguard kit in addition to several of their other 1/72 offerings. I’m impressed with the overall quality of all the kits. They’re all a vast improvement over the older kits I started with in the 60-70’s.
Well Keyworth and ninedriver what markings are you going to build your Vanguards in? I can’t decide between the British or American machines. I do have a book with a good picture of the British plane so I’m leaning that way.[:D]
I suspect I’ll do mine in Chinese colors…I think that was the only country to use them in combat and I have no aircraft in Chinese markings currently…hate to leave them out. I agree, by the way, that Sword’s molds are very crisp and don’t need the clean up that some others require.
Joe