MPM 1/72 FH-1 Phantom
Price: $12.95
Media: Injected plastic, vacuformed canopy
Decals : two versions, both in dark navy blue.
Accuracy: looks good
Overall: see review
Comments: The original Phantom has long been absent from the injected plastic ranks. When MPM released theirs, I hurried out and bought one. Unlike current MPM kits, there is no brass etched stuff and that is fine with me as the brass stuff is not always what it is cracked up to be. Typical of limited run kits, the parts are thick and need a bit of sanding for a good fit. The wings and stabilizers are butt fit, but do fit well. Since the plastic is a bit soft, it melts like butter with most plastic cements.
It has a basic interior with seat, control stick and instrument panel. The vacuformed canopy is clear and was well defined. The gear doors were all made from plastic card using the template given. Due to the thickness of the plastic, it is a tailsitter without lots of nose weight. I painted it a gloss sea blue using Gunze acrylic paints. Unfortunately, the paint started to crack a bit after a few months, a problem with Gunze acrylics if each coat is not completely dry before the next is applied. It is really a crap shoot on this as I will go several kits with no problem before one cracks. It is usually the darker colors that give me this problem. The decals are thin and very opaque and went on with little fuss.
I recommend this kit as a good one for a first limited run experience.