Feeling much better, I decided to post one review before tomorrow's two.
So grab your $1000 cigar and spicy mojito and pull up a seat.
This review is in particular, dedicated to South American and Russian aircraft fans.
I hope my mate Fidel is reading...
Enjoy!
Model: GJCUB688
Airline: Cubana de Aviación
Aircraft: IL-62M
Registration: CU-T1284
Release Date: 7/15/2006
Units: 1500
Notes: Gemini Jets' first IL-62M
Cubana de Aviación was founded on October 8, 1929, and has its corporate headquarters in Havana, Cuba. Its main base is at José Martí International Airport.
Cubana is wholly owned by the Cuban Government but during the days of PAN AM 1932, the airline was a subsidiary of the great airline.
Cubana has and is currently operating a diverse fleet of aircraft. IL-96s are used on transatlantic services to moscow on one of the longest routes in the world. The IL-62, TU-204 and A320s are used to link up Havana with other South American cities and the Bahamas. AN 24s and YAK 42s are used on domestic and island link routes.
The Pros
My love for Russian models in 1:400 scale, the simple yet elegant livery of Cubana and even my interests in Cuba, made me pre-order this model the day it was announced.
Being the first IL-62 model from Gemini Jets and one more Russian aircraft in 1:400, I had to have it!
The VC-10ski of Eastern Europe is great and well done.
The wings look fairly accurate and feature details such as flaps and spoilers which are in the correct position on the wings but don't stick out like dogs balls either but rather blend into the final product and make it more realistic.
The grilles over the landing lights and indentations in the wings proves that this model was to be a leader in quality and detail.
I use the word 'quality' lightly due to some issues I will explain latter.
Im not a huge expert or nit picker on landing gear but the gears on this model seem fairly good excluding the chunky nose gear.
The T tail was executed well and I must say that for a Gemini model, the printing quality and detail can be compared to that of an AeroClassics model!
Correct colours and details and features even down to the tiny windows on the cabin doors, vents running along the fuselage, 'cut here in emergency' titles and small titles revealing IL-62M on the engines have been done well and accurately.
The cabin doors and windows are correct and in the right places where they would normally be and no crooked windows or cargo doors.
The Cons
What angers me a tad is that for such a fine model which I was really looking forward to recieving, it arrived to me in a terrible state!
The 'Cubana' logo on the forward front fuselage section on both sides has been smeared something shocking.
Someone had hobbyist glue on their fingers and obviously grabbed the forward part of the model, smearing the glue in the process.
I have herd reports from other collectors that they too had issues with smeared logos on their Cubana IL62s.
This isn't good on both the manufacturer and seller as they both obviously don't have a quality control system in place, so I got a $27 credit which I never used for other reasons but it still doesn't fix the fact that now I have a messed up model worth nothing.
Apparently, some people say the major downfall are the engines being inaccurate. I feel that although a tad big and the paintwork and cutting of plastic work dodgy, they are not that bad.
The seem is probably the most annoying part of the mould apart from the shonky logo quality which is the model's printing, not mould.
It sticks out and is very noticeable probably due to the fact that the wing seem doesn't match the body or viceversa and that glue seeps from beneath the wing attachment.
Final gripe is that if you as a model company or even quite possibly a retailer are going to touch up a model with paint, then make sure the paints match and are done properly so the customer cannot tell.
Also, dripping white paint on the grey wings is a bid noticeable, don't you think?
Below are ratings out of 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being excellent.
1: Worst
2: Bad
3: Poor
4: Could be better
5: Satisfactory
6: Average
7: Good
8: Great
9: HOT!
10: Excellent
Mould (Airframe): 7
Detail (Inc. Spoilers, Flaps, Gear bay doors, Cargo Doors): 8.5
Printing (Accuracy, Colour, Finish, Correct Fonts): 8.5
Quality (Any Scratches, Chips, Bent Pylons, Finish): 5.0
Value (Price, Money well spent): 5.5
Verdict: 6.5/10
Final Verdict
After much contemplation on what scores this model should recieve I didn't beat around the bush, they may seem harsh to some or too fair for others but the model has fantastic printing, too bad about quality and that bloody seem!
It is a great shame as this model deserves much more credit but how can it recieve good reviews when the craftsmanship is bodgy?
With mixed reviews floating around, the fact that this model is still readily available isn't a suprise but rather an insult not beacuse I and many other paid under 30 bucks for it, but rather that there were many people wanting it or had it as number one on their holy grail list only to recieve it and go what the........ I know I did!
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Originally Posted by PeeWee
