IBEX Plastic Models is a new model company out of Israel and for their first offering they have a T-6A Texan II model kit.  This 1/48 scale multi-media model kit is injection molded styrene with additional resin parts and 2 vacuformed canopies and markings for 10 specific aircraft (8 American and 2 Israeli), but you can make a larger number of the Israeli aircraft by mixing and matching serial number decals.  The Israeli aircraft include one with their Aerobatic Team.

The T-6A Texan II is a trainer aircraft used by 7 different countries including US, Israel, Canada, Germany, Greece, Iraq and Morocco.  The T-6 II was developed from the Pilatus PC-9 Trainer and was heavily modified by the Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas to compete for the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) competition in the 1990s.  They won the competition and the T-6A Texan II went into service in 2003 with the USAF and USN.  

The T-6A Texan II is operated by the USAF and the USN.  In July 2009, the first of 20 T-6As went into operational service with the Israeli Air Force.

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This model kit is molded from styrene and features recessed panel lines (that are not quite as fine as some of the leading Japanese manufacturers) and decals for the side console detail in the cockpit.  The canopy is vac-formed which is fairly standard for limited production kits such as this and the plastic is a nice thickness that will make attachment easier.  You get 2 canopies so you can cut them up to display this kit with an open canopy.  This kit could benefit from an aftermarket highly detailed resin cockpit for the superdetailers so they can pose the canopy in the open position. 

The small bag of 11 resin parts includes the ejection seats with molded in seatbelts, forward piece of the nose with radiator intake, prop spinner, hollow exhausts, main wheels with brake detail and a few other smaller parts.  The seats are well detailed and have molded in seat belts.

The front and rear instrument panels are well done with finely done raised detail and will respond excellently to dry brushing.

Decals are printed by Cartograf and feature good color coverage and very crisply printed stencils.  You get individual serial numbers so you can model any aircraft you choose by mixing and matching the individual serial number decals.

The instructions sheets are in full color and provide all the info needed for assembly and painting.  Colors are called out in FS #.  You will need 20 grams of weight in the nose, but there is room for it and the instruction sheet shows where to put it, which is quite helpful.

The 8 America and 2 Israeli aircraft include the following:

• T-6A Texan II USAF at Vance AFB, 8th FTS 01-3628.  Aircraft is black and white with red stripe down the side of the fuselage (decal provided for stripe).

• T-6A Texan II USAF at Vance AFB, 8th FTS 04-3723  Aircraft is black and white with red stripe down the side of the fuselage (decal provided for stripe).

• T-6A Texan II USAF at Vance AFB, 33rd FTS 05-3771.  Aircraft is black and white with red stripe down the side of the fuselage (decal provided for stripe).

• T-6A Texan II USAF at Vance AFB, 33rd FTS 05-3742.  Aircraft is black and white with red stripe down the side of the fuselage (decal provided for stripe).

• T-6A Texan II USAF at Randolph AFB, 559th FTS 05-3848.  Aircraft is black and white with red stripe down the side of the fuselage (decal provided for stripe).

• T-6A Texan II USAF at Randolph AFB, 12th FTS 02-3642.  Aircraft is black and white with red stripe down the side of the fuselage (decal provided for stripe).

• T-6A Texan II USAF at Laughlin AFB, 84th FTS 05-3812.  Aircraft is black and white with red stripe down the side of the fuselage (decal provided for stripe).

• T-6A Texan II USAF at Laughlin AFB, 85th FTS 03-3683.  Aircraft is black and white with red stripe down the side of the fuselage (decal provided for stripe).

• T-6A Texan II  Ser #400, Israeli Air Force Aerobatic Team.  Aircraft is red and white and Aerobatic Team markings included on decal sheet.

• T-6A Texan II  Ser #492, Israeli Air Force Flight School.  Aircraft is red and white.

Caracal Models has a new decal sheet with with markings for 4 aircraft in 4 different paint schemes from 4 different countries (Canada, Greece Iraq and Morocco).

Click here to order this kit.  http://isradecal.com/?storeid=110&view=products&id=494051

Thanks to IsraDecal for the product sample.

Steve Bamford

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