Twobobs Aviation Graphics

 1/48 T-2C Buckeye model kit
product # TBK48-002

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Feb 10 2010

 

This is the much anticipated first model kit release from Twobobs. 

The T-2C Buckeye is the USN jet trainer and is powered by two General Electric J85-GE-4 turbojet engines.  The T-2C Buckeye traces it's roots back 50 years to 1959 when the single engined T2J-1 entered service.  There were a total of 231 T-2C Buckeye produced and overseas customers included the T-2D for Venezuela (12 built) and the T-2E for Greece (40 built).  The T-2C Buckeye has a top speed of 521 mph (834 km/h), a service ceiling of 44,400 ft (13,500 m) and a range of 910 miles (1,456 km).

Until now, the only Buckeye you could buy was in 1/72 and in 1/48 your only option was to scratchbuild your Buckeye.  And considering this aircraft was a trainer for USN jet pilots that went on to fly the USN fighters that are much loved by jet modellers, it always seemed odd that a 1/48 Buckeye kit was not available.  But Twobobs has stepped up to the plate with their new 1/48 Buckeye kit and a variety of Buckeye decals are also available from Twobobs to permit you to build US Buckeyes from a variety of Squadrons as well as the Buckeyes flown by the Greek Air Force (HAF).  Two Mikes Resin is also busy producing resin detail items to further dress up your Buckeye kit and those items will be released in the future.

So what do you get in this first kit release from Twobobs?  Quite a bit actually.......it appears Bob was keen to make sure his customers had a big grin when they opened up the box.  

This kit includes:

  • 5 sprues of gray plastic for the kit

  • 2 vacuformed canopies

  • 1 sprue of clear parts for various lights and lenses

  • A bag of resin goodies including a resin cockpit and a few other resin parts

  • 1 decal sheet to permit you to build 1 of 2 different Buckeyes

  • A CD Rom with 430 walkaround detail photos of the Buckeye

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

The kit itself has recessed panel lines which are quite nicely done.  The 2 ejection seats are made from resin and include molded in seatbelts.  These seats are better than what you would normally expect from injection molded ejection seats, so going with resin detail parts was a good move.  You also get resin side consoles for the cockpit and various other resin detail parts (control sticks, rear instrument coaming, and a variety of other parts in cream colored resin.  The rear instrument coaming has well defined wiring detail on the back of the instruments.  You do have the option to pose the control surfaces for the wings, the tail and the rudder in any position you choose.  The landing gear bays include surface detailing as do the inside of the gear bay doors.  Access panels on the wings and fuselage include rivet detail.  The 2 piece wheels have great looking spoke detail on one side and very well defined brake detail on the back side.

The 8 page instruction sheets are well laid out with all you need to get your Buckeye assembled.  The decal sheet is loaded with markings and stencils which will make the finished model look very good in it's white and orange paint scheme.  Painting instructions are on the separate full color 2 page decal instruction sheet.  The decals are up to the usual high standard we expect from Twobobs.

The instrument panels are injection molded plastic with raised detail for the gauges, which will respond very well to drybrushing. 

A sample of some of the walkaround photos from the CD Rom included with this kit is included at the bottom of this article.

I did some test fitting of the main parts and the fit looks very good with no problems that I could see.  

All things considered I am quite impressed by this kit and what is included.  For a small operation limited run kit, this is a very well designed kit and I can see why they are selling very fast.  This is good value for the money and I look forward to seeing which kit Twobobs chooses to release next.

This kit is available through http://www.twobobs.net/ for order to US/US Territories/APO-FPO/Canada/Mexico.  All orders from other countries will be declined.  Price includes shipping of $10.35 per kit.

European customers can secure this kit from hobby shops serviced by Hannants in the UK.

Far East customers can secure this kit from hobby shops serviced by Beaver Corporation in Japan.

Steve Bamford

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Photos and text © by Steve Bamford