Kit: Miles M.20

Scale: 1/72

Kit Number: 1

Manufacturer: Box Kites

Price: £5.00

Media: Vacuformed plastic

Decals : none

Accuracy: pretty close

Overall: see review

Comments: When I first saw this advertised by Maintrack Models in the UK, I sent in an order that included this kit. It is a really novel way of offering a vacuform. There is a vacuformed box that is white on the bottom, containing most of the kit parts with a clear top that has two canopies. The instructions are sandwiched in the middle. My copy survived the horrors of international mail totally unscathed.

This is vacuformed modelling the way it was in the beginning. No brass, no white metal, no injected bits, no decals. One must make the prop blades by filling in the vacuformed molds and sanding to shape. The wheels are integral with the gear fairings on this kit so no need to make gear doors or sweat wheelwells as there aren't any. The tail wheel was reinforced with wire and the prop spinner was filled with epoxy to provide reinforcement and support for the blades. All the vents and intakes were opened and the interior was made from the included floor panel, front and rear bulkheads, seat and instrument panel. Other bits were fashioned from scrap plastic and wire.

It was a pretty quick build and soon it was time to apply the paint. Since the M.20 was a prototype only, it was painted in Dark Earth and Green with a Yellow underside that went halfway up the fuselage. Fortunately there was no `Circle P' prototype marking on the kit as they are tough to find. Modeldecal provided all the insignia and lettering. Once it was finished, I found out that the wing should have some dihedral outside of the landing gear. OH WELL!!

It is hard to gripe about a kit that is advertised as being very basic so I won't. It is vacuforming as it was in the past and I would recommend it as a first kit due to its ease of build and the requirement that all vacuforming skills are needed.