Review

The Tiger Moth has a special place in the minds of people of a certain age and despite its small size people stop and look. It is one of those aircraft that takes you back to a golden age and trained many of the pilots during World War 2, but it also trained civilian pilots and can still be found performing that role today. This latest offering of the Tiger Moth is the seventh offering from ICM not counting an additional release by Revell of this kit.

The model is packed in the usual way from ICM of a sturdy cardboard tray with a flip top lid and then an additional card lid with all of the artwork on it. An examination of the sprues reveals that the moulds are holding up very well and should continue to provide sterling work. The parts are packed in a single plastic re-sealable bag. Despite being a 1/32nd scale offering the parts are provided over only four sprues and that includes one being the cockpit glazing and another the upper wing mouldings.

If you intend to tackle this release you will need to dig out the drill and drill bits of choice as there are a number of holes that need to be made for stringing the model. I am pleased to see that ICM have supplied the drill size needed and the required hole locations is indicated on the mouldings. The material for string the model is not supplied and so to each their own on that score. The office of the model has a reasonable level of detail but the usual basic of the harness detail is missing. An engine has also been supplied for those that want to dress it up and show it off an ICM has planned the construction around that option.

Moving to the exterior and you see well defined points between metal and cloth skin. Detail on the metal segments is generally pleasing as are the panel lines. You do need to plan ahead as depending on your chosen finish there are some alternate details present. The minimal glazing present is fairly good due to it being of a reasonable thickness.

The wings have been designed in a way that makes them easy to deal with including the stringing of the model. ICM has tried to guide you on string the model in an accurate manner but it does not show the wooden spacers seen in photographs of the real aircraft; this detail can be added by the modeller using anything from a toothpick/cocktail stick to your chosen replicated option. The flight control surfaces have not been supplied as separate mouldings in all cases and so neutral positions it is unless you wish to take a saw to the parts. 

The struts for the wings and undercarriage are fragile and so easily damaged, but due to having been on the market in its various releases after market options are available for those that wish to take that route; the white metal is I believe the strongest product available. On the subject of after market offerings it is worth making yourself aware of what is out there and staging your build with those parts in mind.

DH.82A Tiger Moth (Sk 11), Swedish Air Force 1935

DH.82A Tiger Moth, Portugese Air Force, 1939

DH.82A Tiger Moth, Vichy French Air Force, 1941

DH.82A Tiger Moth, 353rd Fighter Group, US Air Force (USAAF), 1943

DH.82A Tiger Moth, Belgian Air Force, 1945

The finishing options is a really nice selection with those wanting colour pointed at the Swedish offering and those who want a machine of war needing to look at the USAAF finish.

A dedicated paint set has been released for this offering by ICM with item 3083. This offers six paints supplied in plastic pots that hold 12ml of paint. The colours provided are:

1003 Deep Yellow

1007 Deep Red

1023 Aluminium

1058 Tan Earth

1069 Extra Dark Green

1077 Dark Blue