Reviews : Academy USN PBM-5A Mariner

I was looking for a 1/72 scale kit that I could really put a lot of detail into. I also wanted something different looking and with an incredible service history. This kit provided me with expert level challenges and complete satisfaction with the final outcome! This model provides plenty of options to individualize the kit. Such as; movable control surfaces, guns or no guns, up or down landing gear, open or closed bomb bays, open or closed front hatch and cowl flaps, 2 types of propellors: 3 or 4 blades. The instructions are very clear with no guessing. Clear windows and most of the parts fit very well. Some sanding and trimming here and there. No Filler needed. Overall, my finished kit had over 620 parts. I added aftermarket details. Such as; Eduard metal etched seatbelts, bomb bay, interior and exterior details as well as an Eduard masking kit. I used Caracal Models Mariner part 2 decals and Scale Conversions pewter landing gear. I also added plenty of added decals and parts from my own collection. I used Tamiya sprays and masking tapes. Finally, I used AK hyper thin elastic rigging for the antennae.

This is a huge 1/72 kit. The length and wingspan are large, but the fuselage is also very deep since it is a flying boat. It was a joy to put together. I had no alignment issues with joining the fuselage halves after mounting the cockpit and wheel wells. There was no mention of nose weight in the directions. I had put some in, but after adding the landing gear, it tilted to its tail. Fortunately, the upper turret was not installed, so I was able to add BBs covered in rubber cement to balance the kit. The clear parts were the clearest I have ever seen, and masking was included. The cockpit was good even though alot of it won't be seen after assembly. Mounting the wingtip floats was difficult with alignment. The kit was fun to build, but it takes up alot of shelf space.