Collectaire 1/300th Scale
Italian Airforce

Figures

Reviewed by Bill Rutherford

Produced by Simtac Inc. While at Historicon 98 I picked up several of the new Simtac WW I Italian aircraft miniatures including the CATS-01 Savoia Marchetti Sm-79, CATS-03 Fiat G-50, CATS-04 Reggiane Re-2000, CATS-05, Macchi Mc-200, and CATS-06 Fiat Br-20. The lot are up to Simtac's standards: convincing outlines, reasonable adherence (within a couple of percent) to scale, and generally crisp appearance. There is a bit of flash on each plane that a little filing will take care of and the undersides are largely un-detailed beyond the the major items - visible landing gear, gun turrets, scoops, etc., but all in all, they're a very good looking bunch of aircraft. The SM-79 and Br-20 bombers are easily the best in this scale, well capturing the bulky hunchback of the former and the general clunkiness of the latter. I initially thought the dorsal humps on the Mc-200 and G-50 fighters were exaggerated a bit but after comparing them to prototype photos, I think they'll do nicely. The Re-2000 comes with the extended canopy common to the first production series though careful painting will render whatever canopy you want. If you plan to fly, or fly against, any Italian aircraft in your next air game (perhaps after the release of John Stannoch's med front air game?) you'll do well with these miniatures. Available at $5.50 per two fighters or one bomber from Simtac Inc., at 15G Colton Road, East Lyme, CT 06333. PS – The Japanese purchased and flew 72 Br-20s during their war in China in the 1930s – Allied code name Ruth!

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