MPM 1/72 Douglas DB 8A-3N
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History
With World War Two looming on the horizon, the Netherlands ordered 18
export versions of the Northrop A-17 ground attack aircraft. Before they
were delivered, though, Northrop was taken over by Douglas, which is why
the export versions carried the name Douglas DB 8A-3N, while the USAAC
versions retained the Northrop name. While in Dutch service, they entered
combat against Germany on May 10, 1940. Of the eleven that managed to
get airborne that day, seven were shot down. The remaining four managed
to get a few Ju 52s, but eventually all were destroyed on the ground except
for five held in reserve, which were captured intact by German forces.
 The
Kit
This is a re-release of MPM's earlier A-17 kit, but with Dutch decals
and a different cowling, engine and propeller. The kit features two sprues
of gray plastic and one of clear, with crisp molding and recessed panel
lines throughout. The decal sheet provides both the orange triangle and
tricolor roundel national markings, and options for three aircraft.
 The
interior is nicely done, with detailed sidewalls molded into the fuselage
halves and separate cockpit floors. Bulkheads are also included, with
the rear bulkhead including a channel for the rear gun. The seats are
nicely done as well, with separate rear bracing. Once put together, the
combined interior will look quite nice once the fuselage is together.
The two-piece cowling sandwiches a front-face engine, and the three-bladed
propeller is molded as one piece, so there are no separate blades to try
to position at the correct angle.
 Moving
out from the fuselage, the wings come in five main pieces, with two smaller
inserts. This somewhat complex assembly features a central lower section,
two upper wing sections, and two outer lower sections. This will ensure
the proper dihedral in the outer sections, but some care will be needed
to make sure that filler is kept to a minimum. In contrast, the stabilizers
are molded as solid right and left halves. Final details include antennae
and wing guns, with the landing gear being simple struts and wheels.
 The
decals are nicely printed, with three options, all finished in the same
camouflage pattern of brown, olive green and sand. The first two feature
the orange triangle national markings, while the last has the roundel-style
national marking. The first is white 388, and was shot down by a Bf 110
on May 10, 1940. The second is coded white 393, and it too fell to the
guns of a Bf 110. The third, coded 397, survived and was captured by the
Germans on May 10, 1940. The decals are well printed, with just a slight
misalignment in the white of the propeller bands (which has more than
enough to wrap around the blade, so the alignment really is not an issue).
Conclusion
This is another interesting kit from MPM that helps fill the growing
collection of Dutch aircraft at the beginning of World War Two. The interesting
camouflage colors, coupled with those bright orange triangles, will result
in an interesting addition to any WW2 model collection.
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