The DHC-4 Caribou was the first multi-engine aircraft designed by de Havilland Canada and the first large freight aircraft designed for STOL performance. It found acceptance in several military forces and also in the civilian freight market, especially in Canada's North and in Africa where good performance is critical.
First Impressions
These sets are very reminiscent of Aires or Eduard's new Brassin line of details. They are packaged in a two compartment blister pack with the brass fret(s) in a separate blister from the resin parts. They are quite comprehensive and contain many very small parts. They will definitely spice up the rather bland Hobbycraft plastic.
Cockpit details
The cockpit parts completely replace the Hobbycraft kit parts. Etched instrument panel overlays and seat belts compliment the resin parts very competently. The strengths of each medium are used intelligently and their concurrent weaknesses avoided. Two vac canopies are provided to replace Hobbycraft's inaccurate injection part. A small bit of surgery will be necessary to make the fuselage properly fit the new canopy. The resin parts duplicate the cockpit, and the avionics racks which reside on the bulkhead behind the pilots' seats. The Caribou's characteristic multi-level cockpit floor is convincingly portrayed.
Empennage
Separate rudder and elevators add a touch of animation to the otherwise bland kit parts. The kit stabilisers get completely replaced by resin ones. The small trim tab actuators will test your patience but will definitely make your kit look fantastic. Don't forget to pose the yokes in the cockpit if you choose to deflect the control surfaces.
Engines
The engine parts are beautifully moulded. One engine is designed to be displayed with the nacelle open and is therefore moulded with its engine mounts, accessory section and of course the separate nacelle panels. Complete sets of induction tubes and exhaust pipes are supplied, plus a short length of copper wire to cut cowling support rods from. Magneto housings and other small accessories are also separate parts. All of these parts are very small and delicate. It would be easy to accidentally break the exhaust pipes while removing them from their casting block. The second engine is just the front cylinder bank which replaces the kit part and must be glued to the kit's rear cylinder bank. Unfortunately, Aero Line's designers copied the kit engines, giving us 18-cylinder R-2800s rather than the correct 14 cylinder R-2000s. Replacement R-2000 engines are available from Engines and Things. If you wish to use these engines in another model, the R-2800 was used in many different aircraft:
Brewster XA-32
Breguet Deux-Ponts
Canadair CL-215
Canadair C-5 North Star
Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf
Convair 240, 340, and 440
Curtiss P-60
Curtiss XF15C
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Douglas A-26 Invader
Douglas DC-6/C-118
Fairchild C-82 Packet
Fairchild C-123 Provider
Grumman AF Guardian
Grumman F6F Hellcat
Grumman F7F Tigercat
Grumman F8F Bearcat
Howard 500
Lockheed Ventura/B-34 Lexington/PV-1 Ventura/PV-2 Harpoon
Lockheed XC-69E Constellation
Martin B-26 Marauder
Martin 2-0-2
Martin 4-0-4
North American AJ Savage
North American XB-28
Northrop XP-56 Black Bullet
Northrop P-61 Black Widow
Northrop F-15 Reporter
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave
Sikorsky S-60
Vickers Warwick
Vought F4U Corsair
Vultee YA-19B
The reduction gear and magneto housings could vary between aircraft. Check your references before committing yourself to an aircraft to make certain these mouldings are correct for your subject.
If you wish to overlook the error, the engines will look fantastic, especially in the open cowling. This is a very comprehensive and complicated kit. It's just a pity that the wrong engine type was chosen. Only one etched ignition harness is supplied, for the open cowl. I guess the designers thought that the closed cowl would hide most of the harness so it wouldn't be worth including.
Please remember, when contacting retailers or manufacturers, to mention that you saw their products highlighted here - on AEROSCALE.
SUMMARY
Highs: Very fine details which complete a kit which so desperately needs it.Lows: Engines are not accurate for the subject, tiny parts may test your patience.Verdict: These sets will make your Caribou come to life
Our Thanks to Plus Model! This item was provided by them for the purpose of having it reviewed on this KitMaker Network site. If you would like your kit, book, or product reviewed, please contact us.
Really a nice review, Jessica.
These look like very fine sets that I should like to own for my unbuilt Hobbycraft kit. Unfortunately, after checking it out, I find the cost of these to be prohibitive. The cockpit alone, which one might not even see in the finished kit, is way more money than cost of the kit. I'd really have to want it, to be able to rationalize the expenditure.
But, a really well done review
It's up to each of us to decide exactly how much our finished model is going to cost, and whether that cost can be supported. It's up to the aftermarket to offer these goodies to tempt us
If I were buying these, I'd get the cockpit and the cargo bay sling seats (which I didn't get a chance to review). The tail feathers and engine are nice, but I don't like to show my models' lines spoiled by opened bits or deflected control surfaces so they don't really appeal to me.
It helps that I got my kit seriously on sale, so I feel that I can afford to splash out a bit on aftermarket for it.
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