Bandai 1:72 B-Wing Starfighter (Limited Edition) – WWII Inspired
2018 Release
Let’s talk about the model: Wow! I knew Bandai had a reputation for quality craftsmanship, but this is my first (and definitely not my last) experience with their kits (aside from a few miniature-scale Star Blazers models a few years back). Two or three parts needed some slight modification to fit, and a few pieces are very small. Some of the decals are also extremely small, so be careful not to lose them. In fact, I assumed one set of four small triangles could be cut into one long strip, but each triangle came off individually from the paper… I was lucky to retrieve them all. Nevertheless, I’d still give the kit a 9 or 9.5 out of 10. It comes with a lighting option, but you need to purchase the batteries separately.
Major modifications: I made no changes to the sculpt, but added decals from my stash and gave it a custom paint job to mimic a World War II fighter plane color scheme.
What I learned: Metallic copper paint can make your model stand out, but only when used in EXTREME moderation. We’re not going for a steampunk look here.
One other observation: I grew up collecting the Kenner toys, and managed to get my hands on some of the die-cast metal ships. When the Micromachines Action Fleet ships were released in the ’90s, I was floored by their realism compared to the earlier die-cast metal line. Today, when I compare the Bandai models to the Action Fleet ships, I realize that Action Fleet was not as accurate as I remembered.
