In the late 1930s, Reggiane was given the task of developing a new fighter along the lines of the Seversky P-35.  The successful fighter, designated the Re 2000, entered Italian service in 1940.  Later customers included Sweden, Hungary and even England, although they later cancelled their order.

 Even before the Re 2000 entered service, Reggiane engineers began investigating the idea of replacing the Piaggio radial engine with a license-built Alfa Romeo copy of the Daimler Benz DB 601.  The resulting airframe was designated the Re 2001.  Prototype testing of the new fighter began in early 1940 with production starting the following year.  The Italian Air Force ordered the new machine in several different variants, including night fighter, carrier-based fighter, and fighter bomber versions. 

 Ultimately, production challenges cropped up, mainly due to problems obtaining enough DB 601s for the aircraft.  Reggiane explored the idea of using a domestically produced engine, but results were disappointing.  Production ended shortly after the Italian Armistice with 252 examples produced.  According to the Preserved Axis Aircraft website (http://www.preservedaxisaircraft.com), one example survives.

THE KIT

 

This kit is unlike any other Italeri kit I have seen.  My guess is that it is a reboxing of the Supermodel kit.  At any rate, what you find when you open the box are forty pieces of medium grey plastic along with a one-piece clear canopy and two-piece clear stand.  The kit features raised panel lines that are a little too prominent for scale, but look to be in all of the right places.  Exterior detail is o.k., but interior detail consists simply of a pilot and seat.  Your only option is to build the kit with or without a center line bomb rack.  Instructions consist of one large exploded view diagram and two smaller aircraft painting and marking illustrations.  No interior or detail colors are specified. 

 Markings are provided for two green over grey aircraft, but the decal sheet that came in my kit is badly yellowed and highly suspect.  Fortunately, Tauro produces a nice aftermarket decal sheet (72522) with markings for three different Re 2001s.  All are green over grey--the usual fare for the Re 2001.

CONCLUSIONS

 My guess is that this kit will build into a nice little replica of the Re 2001.  Superdetailers are out of luck regarding aftermarket parts, but Squadron and Ali Ditalia both have reference books dealing with this aircraft.