AT-37 Dragonfly
Cockpit Set

Black Box

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

One of the latest cockpit sets produced by Black Box is designed to fit the superb Revell/Monogram AT-37.

The set consists of 24 pieces cast in a light tan coloured resin. The set is comprises of the following parts:

• Cockpit tub

• Two ejection seats

• Two ejection seat supports

• An instrument panel

• The instrument panel coaming

• The right side-wall

• The left side-wall

• The overhead canopy frame

• The gunsight platform

• The gunsight cradle

• Two control column bases

• Two control column handgrips

• The canopy actuator base

• Two throttle handles

• Four rudder pedals

Whilst the cockpit supplied with the kit is very nice on its own the Black Box effort leaves it dead in the water.

The rear bulkhead of the cockpit tub displays some beautiful plumbing detail that just has to be seen to be believed. The seats are supplied as a pair. Both are identical which means that the cast-in belts are in the same position. This may upset some people but is not too much of a problem as, generally, the belts are tidied up by the ground crew as a part of the after-flight inspection and are placed in much the same position anyway.

The instrument panel is crisply cast and very “busy” with instruments covering it entirely. Black Box has done a nice job here and has cast-in the instrument needles as well as nice bezels around the lenses. This is good news as it makes the painting task so much easier. Just apply some thinned black paint to each instrument and the raised bezel will act as a dam and hold it in until it dries – simple! Just a quick dry-brush to bring out the needles’ add some gloss varnish to represent the glass and the instrument panel will become a focal part of the model The side walls are also very “busy” and the quilted sound-proofing blankets are well represented as are the various circuit breaker panels and their associated wiring.

All of the parts are crisply cast and there is a total lack of pinholes in my example. Unfortunately, some of the more delicate parts had broken in transit. The rudder pedals are affected the worst and a tiny part of the top of the ejection seat rail was also broken off. Whilst the repairs are simple and not very onerous it still irks somewhat to have to make them at all. I wish I had a suggestion as to how Black Box could better pack these delicate parts but I don’t have one that would be cheap and cost effective. Having said that though I understand that Black Box cheerfully replace any broken or malformed parts without any hassles.

The instruction sheet simple but effective and contains all of the necessary information to identify the parts as well as construction tips, painting notes and a list of further references.

The set comes packed in a one-piece vacuform container with a lid that closes firmly to secure all of the tiny parts.

This is a great little set and looks good in raw resin! Once it is painted and dry-brushed it will be stunning.

Recommended

Thanks to Mike Reeves from Jetset Models for the review sample.

Black Box products are available online from Jetset Models.
Click here to visit Jetset Models website

Review Copyright © 2002 by Rodger Kelly
Page Created 02 June, 2002
Last updated 22 July, 2003

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