Pacific Coast Models 1/48 Macchi C.200 Serie VII By Richard Marmo

Here's a kit review that starts out with a few questions. What kit combines original patterns from Italian master modelers, decal design and painting instructions from Skymodels, decals printed by Cartograf, boxart by Jerry Boucher of England, photoetch by Eduard and kit production by MPM, both of the Czech Republic? Answer? A truly beautiful kit of the AerMacchi C.200 serie VII in 1/48th scale and offered to us fortunate modelers by Pacific Coast Models, Inc. If you're not salivating by now at the prospect of getting your grubby little mitts on one of these kits in short order, you will be.

I had intended to actually build the kit for this review but the flu managed to interfere, though I still plan to get around to it. Besides being half Italian with a perfectly understandable interest in Italian aircraft, this little puppy just begs to be built. It would literally be a crime to set the box on a shelf and leave it there without ever building it.

So, when you open the box (which utilizes a conventional top over bottom design), you will find one large bag containing all the styrene parts, along with two vacuformed canopies. One is obviously a spare in case you booger one, a very nice touch indeed. I wish more manufacturers would follow that pattern. Within the larger bag are two other bags containing all the resin parts. Also in the box is a photoetch fret of fine details -including the instrument panel - and a small piece of photofilm containing instrument faces. Both items are contained in their own package with a stiff backing card to prevent damage. Decals have their own ziploc bag for protection.

Printed matter will also get your attention. The main instructions are in the form of a 6-page 8 1/4" x 11 1/2" booklet (5 pages are printed) and another similar sized page (printed on both sides) takes you thru all the photoetch construction. Incidentally, the main instructions also include a note correcting a problem in the instructions. Pay attention to it or you'll put the guns in backwards. That, people, is a class act. Finally, there's a 4-page, full color, 6" x 9" booklet depicting six different camouflage and markings schemes.

Now, it's one thing to have a model kit that utilizes the highest quality packaging - and this one certainly does that. But there's a more important question. Does the kit in question rise to the same level of quality? In a word, absoutely.

Quality of the styrene parts are excellent with very light recessed panel lines. Moldings, which are a medium gray plastic, are crisp with a minimum of flash. One thing you will find -and this is a potential problem for the less experienced - is the fact that there are no locating pins on the major component halves. You also won't find a tab/slot interface on the horizontal tails, simply a butt joint. Personally, I don't find this to be a problem and the same can most likely be said for anyone who's got more than a dozen or so kits under his (or her) belt. At the same time, you get a firewall/fuselage former that includes partial wing spars to aid in attaining the correct dihedral and a complete engine mount frame. Gear struts are very nicely done, as are the wheels/tires that are produced in halves. Don't figure on using the split styrene tires because you get one piece versions in resin as well.

Resin parts give you the cowl, an extremely nice twin row radial engine that's built up out of multiple parts -including individual cylinders and photoetch parts, separate prop blades and a fully detailed interior that even provides resin sidewalls to fit inside the fuselage halves. The photofilm and some of the photoetch parts are combined with the cockpit tub to create a very realistic interior.

Moving on to the photoetch sheet, you'll notice that it's a little different because it's not brass. Instead, it's silver in color. Whether aluminum or stainless steel I can't say, though I suspect stainless steel due to it's .005" thickness. Aluminum would simply curl up and die at that dimension.

Detail is exquisite, even to the point of rivet lines on the gear doors that can't be seen unless you tilt the part in the light and lightning holes in other structural parts. As with all delicate photoetch parts, you need to keep a few words of warning in mind. First, use an OptiVisor so you can actually see the little buggers. Second, use scissors or snips especially designed for photoetch parts removal. Third, remove the parts by putting the fret, cutting tool and your hands inside a plastic bag so the part won't be launched into near-earth orbit when it comes loose. Finally, if you've got the nerve to work without a bag, do it in an ultra-clean area so you can eventually find the thing if it shoots across the room. There are no duplicate components, a common practice where photoetch is concerned, so be very sure of what you're doing.

Decals are beautifully done and completely in register. Since I haven't built this beauty yet, I can't comment on how the decals will actually apply. However, based on their appearance on the sheet and past experience with similar types of decal sheets, I suspect you'll get the painted-on look that we're all after.

What's the bottom line? Two words: Buy it. While this is not a kit for the raw beginner, anyone with a reasonable level of experience will be able to create a very nice model that he or she will be proud to display. As for the advanced builder, I wouldn't be at all surprised if quite a few of these kits show up in various IPMS contests - and winning.

If you're in the process of building up a comprehensive 1/48th scale collection of WW-II Italian aircraft, this little jewel is an absolute necessity. Price? Only $38.95.