Mi-8MT/Mi-17 Hip-H

JDenmark
This kit is underway for me, I am just about to start painting it. Some initial thoughts.

Kit is overall pretty average, much to be desired for the detail-oriented but a good kit nonetheless. It's nice to see many schematics available to build future kits from different countries, different production models, etc. I am building mine to be the Chinese Mi-171 per the three options given by Hobby Boss.

Here's where I've spent most of the time so far on this kit:

-sink holes in crew and rear cabin are VERY frustrating. Some occur on a curve in the plastic, making it very tough to fill and then re-sand. Others occur in between raised panels such as in the ceiling. These sections of panels are only 2-3cm x 2-3cm equidistant, so these are even more difficult to patch and sand. I opted to do my best but leave the cabins closed, as there isn't much to show off without aftermarket PE, which I am not using.
-instruments are crude and need reworking, same with seats. Everything in the cockpit needs work and has poor details.
-poor execution of side and rear cabin window mounts. Hobby Boss has made the windows so that they are glued in from the inside, which of course means that there is a huge area that sticks out which serves as the contact portion to glue onto the doors and walls. The windows are NOT flush fit and leave much to be desired.
-fuel tanks needed extra work to achieve continuous lines
-engine and air intake areas needed much sanding and filling, worst fit of anything so far on this model
-wheels must be sanded down and completely re-scribed
-exterior detail is molded into the half shells along seam lines, you end up filing these off. I wish Hobby Boss would have just made these details on the sprue sheet to glue on after you are done fitting the two shells

Rating: 3.8/5