Maquette 7201 Sikorsky Ilya Muromets — 1:72 Plastic model aircraft kit

The manufacturer — Maquette

Maquette was a Russian/Eastern European model-kit brand whose catalogue became particularly interesting to collectors because it concentrated on subjects that were often poorly served by Western manufacturers. Its aircraft range included numerous Russian and Soviet types, along with unusual WWI aircraft and other historically obscure subjects.

The brand's Ilya Muromets is one of those specialist subjects. It should also be distinguished from ICM's later 72042 Ilya Muromets. A historical kit catalogue lists the Maquette BMQ-7201 alongside the ICM kit, confirming that these are separate products.

Maquette 7201 was being sold by specialist European retailers by 2007, although the underlying tooling may be older; I haven't found sufficiently reliable documentation to assign a definitive original tooling year, so I would not treat 2007 as the tooling date. Hobbysta records the kit as Maquette 7201, 1:72, and describes it simply as a plastic kit to assemble and paint.
Kit details

The kit represents the enormous Sikorsky Ilya Muromets, one of the most unusual aircraft subjects available in conventional 1:72 plastic.

The documented information confirms:

1:72 scale

Plastic construction

Glue-and-paint assembly

Maquette kit 7201

EAN 2467731140296

Original boxed kit

No glue or paints supplied

Catalogue weight approximately 0.28 kg

Unfortunately, I cannot find a reliable contemporary source giving an exact parts count, decal-option count or complete sprue inventory for this particular Maquette boxing. I therefore wouldn't quote a parts number as fact.

This is worth mentioning because the kit is sometimes confused with the ICM 72042 Ilya Muromets. The two should not be treated as the same tooling or contents. The Maquette kit is specifically 7201, while the ICM kit is 72042.

The model is a particularly large aircraft for 1:72. The full-size Ilya Muromets had a wingspan of around 31 metres, depending upon version, so a representative 1:72 model has a wingspan of roughly 43 cm. The large wing and four-engine layout make this a substantial display model despite the relatively modest scale.

A useful indication of its collector status is that Maquette 7201 still appears in current second-hand listings as a like-new, original-box kit. One recent listing priced an example at R350, while the same kit has appeared repeatedly in the seller's catalogue.
Kit collector interest

The subject itself is the main attraction here. The Ilya Muromets is an exceptionally important aircraft historically, but there have been relatively few mainstream 1:72 kits of it.

The Maquette kit is therefore useful to collectors looking for early Russian aviation and WWI subjects, particularly because it provides a conventional plastic alternative to resin or scratch-built representations.

It is also worth checking the box and instruction sheet carefully when purchasing a used example. Because these are older specialist kits, complete contents, undamaged large wing components, clear parts and original decals can make a noticeable difference to value.
The real aircraft

The Sikorsky Ilya Muromets was designed by Igor Sikorsky in Russia and developed from his earlier Russky Vityaz. Construction began in 1913 and the first Ilya Muromets flew in January 1914. The Sikorsky Historical Archives records 85 aircraft across the S-22 through S-27 family.

It was extraordinary for its period: a huge four-engine biplane with an enclosed cabin. The earliest version had four 100-hp Argus engines, a wingspan of about 102 ft (31 m) and enough interior space for as many as 16 people. The original design even incorporated passenger accommodation, lighting, heating and a washroom.

When the First World War began, the design was adapted for military use. The Ilya Muromets became the world's first four-engine heavy bomber to operate with a dedicated bomber unit, entering Russian service in 1914 and beginning bombing operations in February 1915.

Different versions used a variety of engines as supplies changed, including Argus, Sunbeam and Renault powerplants. Later versions could reach approximately 130–137 km/h, carry several crew members and carry bombs and defensive machine guns.

The type proved remarkably resilient. During WWI, only one Ilya Muromets is recorded as being lost to enemy action; others were damaged but returned to base. The aircraft remained in use after the Russian Revolution, with the type eventually disappearing from service during the early 1920s.