Matchbox – PK-101 (40101) – A-7D Corsair II

Description:

A-7D Corsair II

Unassembled plastic model kit in 1/72 scale of a U.S. LTV A-7 Corsair II, a carrier capable light attack aircraft.

Matchbox tooled this kit in 9174, during its life share three different box arts, and a fourth one when was released with new decals in 1991 as Matchbox – 40137 – Corsair A-7D.

Till 1991 this set included two U.S. Air Force markings, for the A-7D variant, but the kit always included the wings split in two parts, as the foldable variant of the A-7E version. Though the wing is split, there is no inner detail on the wings parts to depict them folded. This split in the wings is a small problem to fit the A-7D wings. It would have been solved just releasing it as A-7E with U.S. Navy markings.

The kit suffer of the common Matchbox simplifications and problems, spartan cockpit and too engraved or too raised details.

The payload consists of two Sidewinder missiles attached close to fuselage under wings, twelve bombs attached three by three in two pylons under wings plus another two bigger bombs in another third pylon. The smaller bombs should be the 227 kg (500 lbs) Mk 82 Snakeeye, but the models doesn’t looks a great depiction of the real bomb.

You can optionally remove some of the pylons, such configurations were very common, usually removing the middle one, in fact the A-7 had an interesting versatility about the payload, so maybe it could have been great have more options in the kit. The pylons were able to carry one single weapon, a rack of three or a rack of six, the kit includes the single weapon option, but all the other are rack of three type.

In conclusion, there are better options for the A-7 in 1/72 scale, you can also take a look to a Hobby Boss A-7 review.