Lindberg 1/72 OS2U Kingfisher

            This is another quickie review for the sake of fun and nostalgia. Along with Hawk and Aurora, Lindberg (howeverthedevil it was spelled) was a staple of our pediatric modeling. As with the others, fit and construction ease seemed to be primary objectives, with accuracy not even in the running as a consideration. As long as they could stick it together without too much fuss, a “reasonable representation” was good enough for the kiddies. Another big selling point, though this kit lacks any, was “operating details” – a.k.a. moving parts. I had a Lindberg F-8 Crusader jet with a working ejection seat. You pressed a little projection beneath the nose and a rubber band would shoot off  the canopy and seat (no, there was no parachute). You guessed it! One day the canopy shot off into Never-Never Land, only to be found later by Mom’s foot. I recall having a Lindberg (that’s the spelling I’ll settle on) catalog that listed a Grumman avenger with: sliding canopy, rotating turret and gun, droppable torpedo,  control surfaces that moved with the joystick (actually, it’s “Joyce” stick – presumably named  for the inventor), along with the usual spinning prop and wheels. Though it listed for the un-spendable, if ever accruable $2.49, I searched for years in toy stores until accepting that it never existed. Lindberg did produce a 1/72 Avenger (I have un-built  parts of it in my spares bucket) but nothing, except perhaps the prop, moved; and, like this Kingfisher it was a horribly bloated and misshapen attempt at representing the aircraft. I digress; but, What The Hell, I said this was for the sake of nostalgia.

Can’t remember when I built this one. Had to be early in my career because its gross deformity didn’t consign it to the trash; yet not so early, as it sports an acceptable brush painting job, especially the canopy framing. My spares bin also holds un-built pieces of a duplicate kit. Only explanation I can figure for buying another was the notion of kitbashing it with Airfix’s OS2-U; but no parts were useable. (Watch this space for an upcoming  report on a heavily modified Airfix kit.)  These fossilized remains confirm my memory that parts were, if inaccurately, at least cleanly molded in bright blue plastic. Lindberg was habitually heavy handed on rivets and surface detail, but this kit is smooth; though  with panel lines incised to a depth and width which may have been the inspiration for Matchbox’s famed “trenches”.  Everything is simplified and over-size; but what makes the kit unfit for any re-hab is it’s perfectly circular cross section – a Kingfisher that has imbibed too many Twinkies and failed to get proper exercise.

Nevertheless, everything, particularly the canopies, fits together with a preciseness that a pre-teen builder would have appreciated. (Your editor recalls building this kit and though Joel makes it sound as if it is a rough kit, I found it to be easier to build than the Airfix version. In fact, in my humble opinion, when it comes to construction this is in many ways superior to the Airfix offering, providing a better fitting  and detailed canopy, a more detailed interior [such as it is] and a tighter fit. I don't recall using as much filler on this one as I did my Airfix kit. I'll leave the accuracy issue to the micrometer crowd.  Ed)

   Looks like I brush painted this with a Humbrol shade, since it’s not over-coated and they’re the only ones who make a semi gloss (“satin”). Humbrol paints would be decent, if they ever switched from those accursed tinlets that waste half the paint on the rim and let the rest dry out because the top can’t be tightly closed. Looks like I did a commendable freehand job of painting the canopy, but the height at which the framing was molded mitigates the accomplishment. Kit decals have stayed stuck uncoated all this time. I might have known about Solvaset back then.

  This one should long ago have been consigned to the recycle bin; as no parts are worth using.

 P.S.  Does anyone know if Lindberg is still in business? (Yes they are and still releasing some of their older kits as well as some very nice car kits. It has been a while since they did a new one, though. Ed)

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Joel Hamm

June 2006

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