PB4Y-2 Privateer

Here is my 1:72 scale Privateer, a quite big aircraft for that scale.
Backround: Beeing asked after a long range patrol bomber, consolidated modified its b24 liberator bomber for the new task. The first generation the pb4y1 looked a lot like the b24 while the succesor the PB4Y-2 looked quite different. The tail was changed and came from the B23 Dragon(a twin engined bomber) . Also the new radar equipment needed space so it gave the the plane a "bumpy" appearence as the bumps sat on th bottom of the plane. The new Plane was given the designation privateer. The long range patrol bomber had 4 double wasp engines and the armament was upgraded in comparison to the b24: The privateer has 12 50 cal 12,7 mm machine guns, 4 mounted in 2 turrets on top of the plane, 4 more on the sides and 4 guns were placed as twin guns in a front turret and in a back turret. The Privatter prooved itself a vital patrol aircraft in the pacific theatre and its armament was lethal. Privateers were used for reconnasaince, patrol flights and submarine hunting. After the war the privateer was also used in the korean and indochina war. The french used them there as bombers . Even after that the privateers career wasnt over, as it was used by private persons and companys for transport roles. Some privateers remain in service even today, beeing used as firefighting planes.

The model kit: Oh boy what an experience. I got this kit for 19,99€. It is in 1:72 scale and it is from revell although it is originally from matchbox, revell only bought the rights for the molds to produce this kit under their name. So its actually a matchbox kit. Immeadiately as you open the box you can clearly see that this is not a revell kit and I tell you why:
Detail: Lets start with the detail- to be honest, the detail is bad-very bad: the cokcpit detail is rudimentary, the interior is non existent-there is no detail in the interior. The machine guns are a joke-they are just plastic sticks,no detail like some wholed for aircooling or other small details that you usually have even in 1/72 kits. The seats look very unrealistinc the instrument board looks therefore good. The kit also has that strange quality: The colour didnt get any grip on the plasti, I had to clean it with water multiple times and even after that I had to use multiple coats of colour to get it right. You can clearly see that its not an original revell model. Even the parts itself had flaws, one engine cowling had what seems like a manufacturing flaw as the plastic was disorted. What saves this kit from beeing a total bomb is the main landing gear interior which looks nice. But really, the detail is beneath contempt and espeacially for a 4 engined aircraft the detail should be good because these aircraft often have much interior and big windows too look inside. I am really looking forward to build my revell b17g flying fortres which I have now for several weeks but I didnt start it yet. I can ell just by looking at the parts that this will be the complete opposite of this privateer kit,the interior looks superb there and is very well executed. But this kit only gets a rating of
* for detail
Fitting: The fitting of the parts is ven worse: I hav enever expereinced such bad fitting except for that bf 109 kit I mentioned in other reviews. Not only dont the wing parts fit, the tail of the plane is also horrible as the smaller wings have huge gaps, even my instant glue wasntg able to solve this problem. The fuselage is also horrible when it comes to fitting. The engines itself fitted good but assembling them to the wings is again not very good. What i also hate is that ou have to cut out the windows fro the fuselgae frame, something I didnt do cause I know I would mess up. The fitting is very bad all in all, I can only give
**

Functions: The functions are excellent, we have 4 spinable props,4 moving gun turrets, machine guns that can be lifted up and down and 4 that can slide back and forward. The functions are perfect and it scores
*****
Decals. The decals are also well executed and are typical revell quality( the molds are from matchbox but revell put in new decals). The decals are awesome and look very appealing(again we have a shark mouth and as you know I love shark mouths ) .
*****
Extrapoints: Although functions and decals are great, I cant give many extrapoints, as the detail and fitting is very bad and espeacially detail is an important criterium for me when rating a kit. In a small fighterplane of that scale I can look over some small detail flaws, but this is just horrible. Building this plane was very frustrating as so much went wrong.I cant really say that it was a good choice to buy it although the result looks good and makes a nice addition in my collection.
I can only give
** extrapoints
Fazit: As far as i know there are other producers which offer the privateer. If you want one I would advise you to buy one of those. It cant get much worse than this one s I assume the others are better. The detail is bad, the fitting horrible but it comes with good decals and functions so its not a total bomb. But it leaves you wishing for more-much more. But I cant really be too angry as the kit itself is very old. I also dont want to bash matchbox or revell as I know that matchbox had some really nice kits like those1/76 scale tank models which came with a ground plate which is awesome. I already reviewed the matchbox jagdpanther and the sherman firefly and both are in the 4 star region so they are really nice. But this kit is not a succes. If you are the type of modeller who likes to go beyond a straight from the box sembly and if you dont have problems with bad fitting, this kit is a good choice but I persnally like it if you can build a kit right oob so for modellers who are like me and espeacially for beginners this kit is not a good choice. So if you can get your hand on another from another producer I would advice you to take the other one and not this one. Maybe I should do a review on youtube or sth like that, I might do this and will then also review that 109 kit(its about time I tell you about this abomination).
One problem is that the box art looks very good and appealing so you want to buy it, but believe me you really dont wanna have this kit except you are a hardcore model kit builder. I can sadly give only
**