It is rare for this column to be provided an advance sample of a kit that has not yet been released. The kit may not be to everyone’s taste, but it is different and very well done. The Volvo TL-12 (or as it was otherwise known, the Startbil 954) was used in the Swedish Air Force from 1957 to the late 1980s. It was fitted with a powerful ESAB-DA8 generator for starting aircraft engines. The TL-12 was equipped with a inline 6 cylinder engine producing 115 hp. The Volvo TL-12 was also used in the Finnish Air Force during their SAAB 35 Dragon period.
The kit is finely cast in a medium grey green coloured resin and comprises some 43 parts. A two piece photo etch is provided and that consists of 21 pieces. The kit is rounded out with a with a well printed decal sheet that include dial faces, flags, numbers and registration plates.
The casting is very well done with the cab tarp, for instance, being cast so thin that it's basically in scale. How they removed this from the rubber mould is quite frankly a mystery. The wheels are very well done also with the correct hub and tyre profiles. The kit seems quite basic but it is in fact very well detailed . The grille work is a masterstroke as the bars are in scale and would put many 1:35 scale kits to shame.
If you want do something a little different then do yourself a favour and purchase this one. It is very well done.
Thanks to Pilot Replicas for providing the advance review sample.