Monogram A-5A Vigilante, Kit #6514

This and the similar Revell model are the only injection-molded plastic kits of the early attack version of the classic Viggie. Billed as 1/72 scale in this release the kit is actually closer to 1/76, being somewhat larger than Revell's 1/80 scale rendition and smaller than the various 1/72 scale kits of the later RA-5C recon version.

The kit consists of only 21 parts, all molded in light gray plastic except for the clear canopy. All detail is raised, including both the panel lines and control surface outlines. Cockpit "detail" consists of a single pilot molded integrally with his ejector seat. The landing gear is highly simplified and there is virtually no detail in the too shallow gear wells but interestingly enough there is some nice relief detail on the inner faces of the gear doors. The original release of this kit apparently included a bomb that could be ejected from in between the afterburner nozzles as per the actual aircraft but this "feature" has thankfully been deleted.

My example is cleanly molded with little flash and a fit shows that the model should go together very easily. The decal sheet is actually pretty good for the era if lacking in stenciling and other details and appears to be quite usable. The instructions are adequate for a model this simple with an adequate, but basic, painting guide.

It's unfortunate that this model isn't truly 1/72 scale since there is no other kit of the early Vigilante available in a constant scale. As it is it would make an adequate shelf model but would not be worth the effort to detail; it would take so much work that the builder might as well go ahead and convert a true 1/72 scale kit into an A-5 to begin with.

See you all again next month, with a "twofer". Till then, model on and "Build what YOU like, the way YOU want to."

Be sure to visit Al's Place while you're surfing the 'Net!

Al Superczynski