Revell's 1/72 Ki-21-I Ko

The new Revell 1/72 Mitsubishi Ki-21-I Ko 'Sally' kit # 03797 is now to hand for comparison to the ICM first release kit of the Ki-21-I Otsu released in 2022 and the Ki-21-I Ko released in 2023. The Revell kit advertises 186 parts but there are some blacked out parts on the instructions. Both ICM kits state they have 163 parts.

ICM Kit # 72203 of 2022

The Revell kit is rated at level 5 for the skill needed to build it - 'complex model kits for experienced model builders. In-depth know-how and skills required' - and comes in a larger end opening box which always seem flimsier. Mine was sent in a plastic bag protected only by a thin cardboard wrap around which did not prevent it from being squashed, fortunately with no damage to the parts. 

Revell box art (heading image) by Egbert K L Friedl is technically competent but rather bland and does not evoke much excitement, lacking any hint of action of course (because anything shown opened up and firing or dropping stuff would not represent the kit itself and the modern litigious might pounce) I sat looking at it, considering the kit's presentation as a whole, and felt a bit sad remembering Revell's original multi-option presentation from 1975. More imaginative and better value for money with its multiple variant parts and options, but now fatally flawed.

The Revell instruction sheet is a colour coded booklet of 27 pages with 71 stages of construction, including the mind boggling printed masks for the multitude of transparent panels. The ICM instruction booklet is 16 pages with 70 stages of construction. The blacked out parts in the Revell kit are those for the tail, tailplanes and elevators on sprue frame B and parts 2 and 12 on the clear sprue frame E in the original kit. A sprue frame F containing new tail, tailplanes and elevators appears to be the same as that included in the ICM Ki-21-I Ko kit # 72205 released last year (box art shown below). The other parts appear identical to the ICM Otsu release. Confused yet? I have been, presuming that the Ko would have been released before the Otsu.

ICM Kit # 72205 of 2023

ICM Kit # 72206 of 2023

A third ICM Ki-21-I Ko kit featuring Royal Thai Air Force options was also released in 2023 (box art shown above). This was rather splendid in offering both white elephant and roundel insignia with markings for six different aircraft in three schemes. All three kits have slightly differing lower nose and beam transparencies which require care in selection as some are marked not for use. Although designated Type 97 heavy bomber by the Japanese (Kyu Nana Shiki Juh Bakugeki-ki - 九七式重爆撃機 or Kyu Nana Juh-baku -九七重爆 ) 'Sally' was more equivalent to Allied medium bombers like the Wellington.

Revell Ki-21-I Ko Decal Sheet 

For a kit selling for nearly forty quid the Revell decal sheet options are disappointing. Whilst the 64th Sentai example is interesting it cannot be considered representative of a Sally bomber unit and the only other option is for a 60th Sentai aircraft in overall grey-green with yellow and red tail band which was one of the four options in the original ICM kit. The sheet does include instrument panels and seat belts but at the price a more extensive decal sheet with other subjects might have been expected. Perhaps Revell's bean counters cynically considered that the aftermarket to pick up their slack was already up and running in response to the ICM releases. Having noted all that the Revell kit is one to build because there would be no delight in keeping it as treasure, it is not a dragon to hoard and it reflects the times. 

Revell suggest their matt enamel # 59 'Sky Blue' for the overall grey-green but that paint is actually listed in their paint range as 'RAF Sky' so they are off down the Airfix rabbit hole. To be fair it's probably the closest in the Revell enamel paint range. I found the painting instructions shown throughout the construction stages a little confusing but most of the interior is suggested to be finished in Revell 79 matt Blue-grey (matched to RAL 7031 Blue grey) with some parts in matt 57 Grey (matched to RAL 7000 Grey aka Squirrel Grey). The upper surface dark green of the 64th Sentai option is suggested as 42 Yellowish Olive (no RAL equivalent). Unfortunately that particular paint is not to hand to comment on.    

It has been mentioned that the Revell kit contains a bomb sight missing from the ICM kit. In fact the ICM kit contains the bomb sight and has it in the same deployed for use rather than stowed position. Will there be a full crew compliment like the Hasegawa Emily or the neatly moulded Zvezda aircrew with their alternate heads? Probably not. The rather nicely moulded twin guns for the dorsal position can't be deployed without modification because the long canopy is in one piece and closed. And no bomb bay despite Revell's early marketing spiel.

You can probably tell by now that I'm somewhat underwhelmed by the Revell kit's presentation which is not meant to detract from the ICM originals, but interest has probably moved on to the 1/48th scale ICM release. Can we expect a rash of the old Revell kits appearing on eBay, blinking in the sunshine from their stash confinement? Now where's that Mania Ki-48?    

Image credit: Box art and decal sheet © 2024 Revell (Carrera Revell Europe GmbH); ICM box art © 2022 & 2023  ICM Holding.