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 Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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Italeri 1:9 WWII U.S. Harley Davidson WLA 750 Motorcycle (Kit No: 7401)
This is the first release in a new series of 1:9 scale 'Military Motorcycles' being released by Italeri and is essentially, a re-boxed and updated version of the old Esci kit from many years ago. At first glance it is amazing to see the quality of the parts from what are now quite ancient moulds. The parts are very crisp, with great detail and only some very occasional instances of ‘flash’ on some parts though it is very minimal to say the least and there are a few ‘sink’ marks on some parts, but nothing that is hard to fix? This kit must have been quite something when it was first released by Esci and even now the kit can be considered to be up there with the best – I am very impressed with this model!!
There are three large ‘Olive Green’ sprues containing mostly frame, suspension, wheels, fuel tank and pannier parts and also including a beautifully rendered 1:9 Thompson machine gun which fits into the scabbard on the front of the bike when completed. There is one silver sprue containing the engine, crankcase/gearbox and exhaust parts along with some engine ancillaries, a clear sprue containing the various light lenses and also a large windscreen, which is beautifully thin. The kit also contains a soft black vinyl sprue containing the chain, saddle and various straps and also the lower section of the windscreen which is made of either leather (early war) or heavy fabric (late war) on the real bike, and which has quite good texture on the front face of the kit part but is smooth on the rear facet for some reason? Would have been nicer I feel if Italeri had textured both sides, but I may replace that part with something better when I build this bike anyway, so we’ll see at a later date on that one. There are two nicely moulded tyres made of a rubber/vinyl type material which have good detail in the tread pattern and sidewalls, though there is a seam line to remove from around the circumference of the tread and a quite prominent nodule where the tyre was cut away from the mould gate, but nothing that can’t be fixed with a little careful sanding. There is also a small packet of parts containing some wiring and various cone shaped springs for the suspension and there is also a small but quite comprehensive decal sheet, though unfortunately this is for just one particular motorcycle – it would have been nice to have at least two options I feel? To round it all off there is a very clear and well presented instruction sheet of seventeen stages with a decal application guide at the end.
Suggested colours are all Italeri ‘Acrylic’ paint codes as follows:
Flat Olive Drab - 4728AP
Flat Wood - 4673AP
Flat Leather - 4674AP
Metal. Flat Steel - 4679AP
Flat Rubber - 4861AP
Flat Black - 4768AP
All in all, this is a very impressive kit from Italeri with a very nice level of detail and it should build into an eye-catching model. Length of the model when built is: 27.7cm. In the following photos, the first two shots of the main sprues (#4 & #5) are both of the same sprue but there is some detail to show on both sides of it, hence the double take?
My own personal opinion of this model is that it's a little cracker and is therefore a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED kit - thanks Italeri!!  
Thanks for looking .... now go and buy it!!
Kev  ModelMania attached the following image(s):
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 Rank: Super-Elite       Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/01/2014 Posts: 5,060 Points: 14,980
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That's a nice looking kit of something different, will look pretty cool when finished
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Oooooo got this one on my Xmas list!!! 
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Rank: Super-Elite   Groups: Registered
Joined: 31/05/2010 Posts: 5,679 Points: 17,011 Location: Wiltshire
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Kev Now that looks a top notch model with lots of lovely parts. looks like it will make up into a very nice model. Happy Modelling
BUILDING: Hachette Spitfire Mk 1A, Constructo Mayflower
SUBSCRIPTION COMPLETE (Awaiting building): USS Constitution, Sovereign of the Seas, 1:200 Bismarck (Hachette)
COMPLETED: Porsche 911, E-Type Jaguar, Lam Countach
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Looks a nice kit Current builds:-C57,Zero, Lamborghini Countach, Caldercraft HMS Agamemnon,Robi,R2-D2, MFH Cobra .
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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Thanks for your comments Dave, Daran, Tony and Andy, much appreciated. It's a superb kit that looks better in the flesh than in the photos and I'm still finding it hard to believe that these kits are from such old mouldings?!
Kev
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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A great review and look forward to seeing its build
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Rank: Pro Groups: Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 48,827 Points: -13,348
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Thanks for the comment Tom, much appreciated.
I'm planning to make a start on this and the other 1:9 Italeri military bike I have just bought - the British Triumph 3HW - sometime in the first quarter of the New Year? I'm itching to make a start on them now but I really need to finish some of my existing builds first, especially my 1:32 Tamiya Spitfire so I'm trying to restrain myself from fiddling with the bike kits ... though it's not easy!  
Kev
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