Zvezda Pe-8... Finally!

[Greg C.]

I have been anxiously awaiting this kit, well, ever since reading of it's announcement over a year ago.  I finally picked-one up yesterday.  Impressive looking kit "in the box".  I was very impressed with their La-5FN, and it looks like Zvezda is improving with each new effort.  The parts are cleanly molded, with very smooth, consistent detail.  Panels are well-done.  I carefully clipped off the fuselage halves to test fit them, and li looks like there will be little difficuly assembling this kit.  The framing of the canopy clear parts looks to me to be too heavy, standing well out from the "glass' of the windows, but I think this can be remedied easily with some careful sanding.  I'm looking forward to building it!

I'll try to get some shots of the sprues later.  Anyone aware of any alternative markings?  The kit comes with one option only.

[John Thompson]

AML has a new sheet for the Pe-8:
http://www.modelimex.com/detail/decals/1-72/1-72-decals-petlyakov-pe-8

John

[Massimo Tessitori]

Nice! But I have to say that many decals sheets for Soviet planes are made mainly of red stars. I think that in some case one could make sets for 6-8 planes instead of four avoiding to duplicate red stars.
Massimo

[Greg C.]

AML has a new sheet for the Pe-8:
http://www.modelimex.com/detail/decals/1-72/1-72-decals-petlyakov-pe-8

John

Cool!  Thanks John, I hadn't started looking for makings yet.  Hopefully we'll see more!

[Massimo Tessitori]

I have bought the kit, that looks very good.
Having a look to the frames, I think that it will be developed in further versions: a transport one (windows are engraved on the inner side of fuselage) and a M-82 one (engines and part of the wing leading edge are separate).
A small complain is for the tyres, that look without any engraving.
Massimo