Pro Resin 1/72
Avro 707A & 707C
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Overview
 The Avro
707 was the first British aircraft with a delta wing and was designed
as a test aircraft in conjunction with the Vulcan bomber. The bomber design
team had come up with the tailless delta concept for the Vulcan, but it
had never been tried before. Therefore it was decided to build a 1/3 scale
model of the design to test it before construction on the much bigger
bomber commenced. The first Avro 707 crashed in 1949, killing the test
pilot Eric Esler. After a short hiatus, a second aircraft was constructed,
the 707B. This aircraft had its own problems, many of which were unrelated
to the Vulcan design, and after several accidents it was retired.
The third 707 was designated the 707A (confusing, I know). This aircraft
looked very much like a miniature Vulcan, with the wing root intakes and
kinked wing leading edge. This aircraft was still a single seater, and
the next variant, the 707C, widened the fuselage to make for a cramped
two-seater. Both the 707A and 707C flew for many years and presented valuable
information to the Vulcan program. Currently the first 707A survives in
the Point Cook Museum in Australia, while the second can be found at the
Manchester Museum of Science and Industry. The sole 707C is on display
at the RAF Museum in Cosford.
The Kits
 Pro
Resin kits are some of the nicest resin kits out there, with crisp molding
and sharp detailing throughout. Also, the time spent on engineering the
kits is readily noticeable, as the parts fit together very well, which
will make these much less of a challenge to assemble. While the main airframe
pieces are different between these two kits, they share quite a bit in
terms of the smaller parts, so I’ll review them together and highlight
the differences when needed.
Starting with the cockpit, this is one of the main differences between
the two. The 707A is just a single seater, while the 707C is a cramped
two seater. Both kits have a one-piece tub with a separate instrument
panel and separate seats. The detail on all of these parts is quite good,
although with the canopy in place I really am not sure how much will be
visible. There is a separate panel coaming for each, and all of this,
along with the nose wheel well and rear exhaust, gets trapped between
the two fuselage halves. Pay attention to the note in the instructions
about weighing the nose. These aircraft will have a tendency to tail-sit,
but luckily there is ample room in the nose for some extra weight.
 Once
the fuselage is together, the rest of the assembly is very straightforward
and quick. The wings are solid right and left pieces, with each kit having
the correct shape. These include molded in main gear well detail and have
separate wing root intake pieces. The connection to the fuselage is a
butt joint, but the connection area is broad and smooth, so there should
be no problem in making a secure joint. For those not quite sure of that,
it would be an easy matter to pin the wings.
 The
remaining details cover the landing gear and various probes and such.
The landing gear looks to be quite durable and should hold up well with
the weight of the model. The nose gear has a separate mudguard and yoke,
making the painting of the wheel much easier. The canopies in both kits
are vacuformed, with a spare included in case of problems cutting out
the first.
 Finishing
the two aircraft is simple as well. The 707A is overall red, with black
trim on the intake lips, while the 707C is overall high speed silver.
The decal sheets simple but complete, providing roundels, serials, and
some small stenciling. They are printed by Begemot and are in excellent
register.
Conclusion
For those who want a British delta aircraft but aren’t quite ready
to give up the shelf space to that Airfix Vulcan, this is the perfect
answer for you. The simple shape and construction also make these kits
a good choice for your first all-resin kit as well. I am looking forward
to building these alongside the Pro Resin Boulton Paul P.111 kits, which
will give me a nice collection of British tailless designs. My thanks
to Pro Resin for the review samples. |
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