The Pilot Maker: Boeing PT-17 Stearman
I have always love the Stearman and all of it's different schemes and variants. For many years I have been frustrated due to the lack of modern quality kits of this fabulous bird in my favorite build scale of 1/48, or even 1/32. Then to the surprise of many, good old Revell releases a new tooled version of the Stearman. What would it be like? Was it really a new tool?
Yes it is really new, and newly tooled. It has all the features and quality of a top rate, modern kit produced by a quality manufacturer. Thank You Revell! It is simple to review this kit because it is engineered so well. Basically all I can say is it is a dream to build, especially for a bi-plane model. I built this baby out of the box and it is museum quality when completed properly. It just fell together. I could assemble many steps at a time without glue when dry-fitting. Even the top wing sits securely and accurately to its braces and struts without glue. No filler was needed anywhere. Because of this I finished it in record time as compared to many of my more recent builds. This model is so complete and accurate that it even has a wood grain decal for both sides of the propeller.
The only thing I needed to to add to this kit was some rigging wire. I used my trusted and true EZ-Line elastic string. This product makes rigging so much easier for me. Since the completion of this kit I have had so many requests from my customers to make one of these for them. So, if it is so popular why the wait from the manufactures to produce a decent kit? Who knows? Anyhow hope you enjoy.
That's a really well done model, Paul...very nice work indeed.
The manufacturers have learned not to listen to modelers who say they want a kit of anything that didn't go bang! bang! boom! boom! And it's sadly true. Just as a for instance, Paul fisher released both Panthers and Cougars. 13 years later, he has gone through three runs of both Panther kits, and is still trying to sell off the last of the first run of the Cougars. As Monogram how they did with the Ju-52 that was on the top of every "want to have" survey of modelers for years before it was finally released.
The Stearman kit is indeed quite nice. It's as accurate as you say it is, and every modeler I know how has bought a kit and built it loves it. They're still shelf-sitting at my LHS.
How to create a "tidy sum": start with a lot of money, invest in a model company, and then listen to modelers when deciding what to produce.
Sorry, but them's the facts and everybody I know on the production side will tell you it's true.
Very nice model, BTW. As someone with 150 hours in type 40+ years ago, it's very realistic.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Guess I’ll buy one soon
A great build!
Nicely done Paul I'll have to get busy and build mine. Saw a pilot from SW Ohio do stunts with one at not much higher than tree level. Scary stuff to watch but it was a beautiful thing to see.
Excellent - love the weathering and detail work. A beautiful build Paul.
Nice job, Paul.