New Italeri Tornado GR.4 1/32nd scale - first impression - pics

[Piero]

Hello,

 

this morning I've just got this new kit from my favorite local hobby shop.

First thing, payed € 129.

Ok, it's almost the triple of the price of a Tornado kit from Revell in the same scale... but we'll see that the contents and the details are almost the same ratio in favor of the Italeri's kit.

I'll going to compare the new Italeri kit with the old one from Revell also because I've finished to build a Revell's Tornado in the recent time.

 

Ok, let see some pics: the box is not too big, same size of the F-104 or the F-35 box... almost half size of the old Revell's Tornado kit.

 

 

Decal sheet is well printed, hi-gloss finish and no color mismatch.

 

We have a good size PE sheet with the access ladder and many details for the cockpit, airframe and weapon loads as the BOZ chaff&flare pods.

 

We have a color book for painting and decals and another one for construction guide.

 

What I really like of the construction guide book is that we have clear step-by-step guide when we have to choose between two or more options: each option is showed on separate pages, so we have less probability to use the wrong parts. 

For example here we have the choice between the engines with the extracted reverse thrust or with the retracted reverse thrust.

 

Very clear, don't you?

 

We have also a couple of nice drawings that shows us the final configurations we can have...

 

Another nice first for me is that we have some drawings in scale, like this two for the cockpit IP, external pylons and weapons...

 

next will be some pics of the plastic sprues... don't move!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2020 by Piero

[Uncarina]

Excellent! Thanks for posting this.

 

Cheers,  Tom

[chrish]

Well......that looks pretty darn good!!

[Piero]

ok, now some pics of the plastic sprue.

 

Here we have the wing. As you can see all the moving surfaces are separate so we can have a completely "open&down" wing as during take-off, landing or parking.

Panel lines are not fine but also not too deep. With many layers of primer, colors, gloss and matt cote... this could be a benefit.

 

Here the top of the main jet intakes... the same part of the Revell's kit as almost no detail or panel lines.

 

Here you can see the detail parts that go inside the canopy.. not bad.

 

Here the radome with the correct static discharger stripes. 

 

The front fuselage section: note the separate underside part. In general, all the aiframe is splitted in a way that we could have more Tornado varints in the future... also an ADV!!!

 

As showed by the separated wing-gloves... with also the option of kruger or not-kruger devices.

 

Here you can see that we have the engine's air intake trunks.

 

The undersurface are full of details. Note the arrestor hook vane... an important detail completely missed in the Revell's kit.

 

The top surface has good panel lines and details too... note the details of airbrake vanes.

 

We have the central-rear right side of the airframe with the APU exhaust... another evident detail missed in the Revell's kit. Note also the details on the wheel bays.

 

Here we have the different gun's panels... we'll have and IDS/GR.1 for sure in the near future.

 

Another important detail well represented is this air exit on the left side...

 

The Big Fin... also here we can see details that shows future IDS/GR.1 variants. We have a separate mobile rudder.

 

The extended flaps and ailerons... we like to have this kind of options already in the box, right?

 

...

[The Dude]

Looking good! I hope the kit is as nice as the instruction, looks good with crisp surface detail.  i'm in for a couple for my long overdue Desert Storm "dirty" birds build!

Edited November 7, 2020 by The Dude

[Piero]

I like this kind of solution for the fin air intakes... no need of filler and sanding, so the lip will not ruined.

 

We have weighted plastic wheels...

 

... and soft rubber wheels too. Here we have also soft rubber wing-gloves seals.

 

Main undercarriage legs has nice printed hydraulic lines... also the retraction legs arm are well detailed compared to the almost plain and slim parts in the Revell's kit.

 

Here we have different type of RWR antennas to be placed on the top of the fin... again, IDS/GR.1/GR.4 variant of UK, Italy and German are all possible.

 

A pics of the IP of the front and rear seats.

 

We have at least 4 different type of rear instrument panels of the early, late GR.4... and again IDS/GR.1 variant.

Also for the MK.10 ejection seat we have early and late head-rest cushion.

 

Clear parts of the canopy and windshield are well printed with no molding lines. Rivets are represented.

 

...

 

 

[viper]

Excellent thank you for sharing this sir ...and the early and late instrument panels look good 

Edited November 7, 2020 by viper

[ade rowlands]

Thanks for posting. It looks really nice. Some nice schemes out of the box and Cartograph decals are always good. I’m mightily tempted and here’s to hoping we get other versions in the future. Just caved and ordered one. I do miss seeing these beasts down low in the valleys when I go back home. At least now I can zoom one around the house making jet noises. 

Edited November 7, 2020 by ade rowlands

[Piero]

ok last pics for today, external loads.

 

We have two big Hindenburg fuel tanks, with nice raised welding lines and recessed access panels. Correct bulged pylons for UK variant too.

 

ECM Sky Shadow and chaff&flare BOZ pods.

 

Just let me know if you need specific pics of the kit's parts.

 

I'm thinking of build this kit as a desert camouflage Saudi's GR.1... all the parts needed are in the box and I have a couple of old-but-still-nice SuperScale decal sheet for this birds.

 

CIAO!

Piero 

[Confusionreigns178]

The sprue shots look great. This is obviously streets ahead of the old Revell kit in terms of detail and finesse. I may well be tempted to get one (some day). 

 

Thanks for sharing with us. 

 

Chris.   

[alaninaustria]

Looks like an awesome kit, thanks for sharing the photos!

Cheers

Alan

[Stevepd]

I like it a lot. You’ve got loads of options to choose in the configuration. Thanks Piero for sharing.

[LSP_K2]

I absolutely 100% agree with the panel line comment. I've built more than a few models in my day, that after primer, paint and clear coat, the panel lines were so full, that a complementary wash was near impossible, rendering them pretty much useless. So, to me, a little deeper is excellent, and while the Tornado is really not my bag at all, I will seriously have to consider snatching one of these for myself. Thanks for popping this stuff up here for us.

[Stokey Pete]

I have a vision.

It’s of a Tornado under very heavy braking. An adjustment to the nose gear to compress it down, let all the flaps,slats, and spoilers out, reverse buckets deployed. 
Dammit, I’m talking myself into one. 

[chrish]

I only clicked the "like" button because there's no "holy crap" or "wow" buttons