Airfix 1/72 Aichi D3A "Val"

[Eric Mc]

This was supposed to have been a quick build but, as ever, took a lot longer than anticipated. It's definitely a "nostalgia" build and I would not recommend the kit to anybody who wanted a properly accurate Val. But I enjoyed bashing it together and wrestling it into submission. It actually went together quite well but the major problem area is the canopy which has very poorly defined frame work and didn't fit terribly well - making it difficult to paint.

The kit originally dates from 1965 so very "ancient" compared to today's offerings.

[tangerine_sedge]

I love these old-tool Airfix builds, the 'Val' being a kit that I never got around to building as a kid.

There's something very satisfying about building these kits, I don't know if it's nostalgia, or the fact that they have so few parts, but I always revert to building them when I've lost my modelling mojo (I've not touched plastic since March this year!).

[Eric Mc]

That's my philosophy about these ancient kits too. I never built this one in period but I remember my brother having go - probably around 1971 or 1972 - and both of us thinking it turned out quite nicely at the time.

It's definitely of its time. I sanded away most of the overscale rivet detail but apart from that, didn't do much else. The modern decals in the Vintage Classic boxing (which this is) are a lot better than in the original.

The paint guide provided in the kit contains a number of inaccuracies and inconsistencies so you need to look at the guide carefully to sort out what is really needed.