1:48

ICM 1/48 Bristol Beaufort Mk.I (48310)

This review is dedicated to ICM 1/48 Bristol Beaufort Mk.I (48310). Aircraft model comes as new-tooled release in popular scale. Such model might be interesting for modelers who were waiting for the new plastic for a long time, and now there is finally an option available. Packaging is typical, all parts come in one resealable plastic bag. There are 217 parts and assembled model will have 368mm wingspan. Let's open this box and take a closer look at all parts.
By the way, here you can read review with another 1/48 scale aircraft kit.
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Watch this video-review where I show all parts even closer.


We are going to start with wing parts. Each side should be glued out of two halves. Note that wing mechanization is molded separately.


Inside you will find guiding elements which should help with assembly.


External features include recessed panel lines, but I would recommend to be careful with layers of primer and paint.


Next we see some of the fuselage panels as well as tail surfaces. Note also large bulkhead with wings supports.


Cockpit parts look fine out of the box, but I would recommend to get PE replacement for even better appearance. Aftermarket brands will release something for sure.


Don't be fooled by 1/48 scale, kit features plenty of small parts, which will require due care. Molding quality looks great on them too.


Note that cowlings should be assembled out of two halves. There are guiding pins inside, but I would recommend to be extra careful in order to get a smooth joint between two.


This frame comes in two pieces. It is not difficult to guess that it is dedicated to engine and landing gear parts as we deal with twin-engine aircraft.


All these parts look fine, but for wheels I would rather recommend to find a resin replacement as it will be a noticeable upgrade. ICM doesn't mention a possibility to build an aircraft with retracted landing gear, but with some tweaks it should be possible.


Torpedo comes on the separate frame. This part was also released as separate kit which we reviewed before.


Machine gun turret should be assembled out of several parts. I would recommend to play with weathering in this area.


Last frame features fuselage halves. Both are molded together with tail fin. External features include recessed panel lines.


Inside you will find guiding pins as well as some minor features for interior walls. This is actually a great thing as interior will be visible through the canopy.


Clear frame comes in the separate plastic bag. Molding quality looks fine, and you will find masks template in the assembly manual.


Decals sheet is not that big, but you will find all necessary symbols there. On the photo below you can see all markings.


Assembly manual is typical for this brand. You can check all pages in the video-review.


New kit should be already available for purchase. In my opinion it is a great aircraft kit, and I am sure that all fans of RAF twin-engined machines will be happy to see such release. Moreover, ICM made it in a quite sleek way, so there are no weird engineering design cues. Another thing to remember is that such aircraft model will be popular among aftermarket producers, so there will be a lot of add-ons soon. :)
Get this and other kits in Modelimex webshop.

Pros

  • Nice molding quality
  • Clever parts division
  • Good decals
  • Masks templates included

Cons

  • Might be tricky for beginners

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