Amodel 1:72 Polikarpov I-190 Kit 72112

Amodel 1:72 I-190 Kit 72112

During the early 1930s, noted aviation designers Pavel Sukhoi, Artem Mikoyan, Andrej Tupolev and Nikolaj Polikarpov were sitting in a Black Sea dacha, relaxing over some Vodka, when the inevitable dares were exchanged. When it was Polikarpov's turn, his friends dared him to make a 55 gallon drum fly. And so began the I-15/I-152/I-190/I-16 fighter series. Okay, so this isn't how this famous fighter series started, but the one characteristic common to the aircraft series is a big radial engine mounted to a short round fuselage!

In actuality, the I-190 did have its roots with the I-15 biplane fighter. The I-153 was an improved verion of the I-15 that retained the upper gull wing and incorporated other improvements/changes in structural strength, armament, and engine. The I-190 was the last hope at gaining more performance out of the biplane fighter by adding retractable landing gear.

Amodel has released the advanced fighter biplane of the Polikarpov OKB that was designated I-190. This kit represents the gull-winged upper wing, rearward retractable landing gear, and your choice of I-153 (early) or I-190 (late) engines and cowlings.

Moulded in white styrene, the kit is a typical limited production model that will require a little clean-up and dry-fitting of parts, but nothing that would cause any difficulties for a good modeller. The kit features a nice cockpit that will be a challenge to see when assembled, though you may opt to surgically remove and open the Spitfire-styled shoulder entry door.

You're given a choice of early or late styled cowlings, wheels or skis on the main landing gear, bombs on the underwing bomb racks, and your choice of a winter or a winter paint scheme.