Revell 1/32 Bell X-1

By Daniel Iscold

Glad to take one more kit out of the stash! This is the old Revell 1/32 Bell X-1.

Well, what can I say about a 37-year-old model? It is actually a very nice rendition. It features fine raised panel lines, a fair amount of cockpit detail, and is quite accurate overall. The fit of the parts is very good, especially considering the age of the kit. Overall, it is still a very enjoyable and surprisingly accurate model for a kit that is nearly four decades old!

The windscreen frames are somewhat out of scale - something I realized far too late during the build! The landing gear is also very accurate and easy to assemble.

For the interior, you should add seat belts (just lay down PE to cover the poor inject seat belts), the famous “broomstick” beside the pilot’s seat, some improvements at the side console. For the instrument panel I used spare 3D decals. It is not 100% accurate but is enough for a closed hatch. These small additions will improve the cockpit considerably.

Special thanks to Paulo Fiote, who kindly made a set of pitot tubes for me on his lathe, truly pieces of art made by a true artisan.

Thanks Martin!!! Thanks Mals!!! I would also like to thank my friend Paulo Rago, who helped me with the correct FS codes for the orange paint, and Revell of Germany, who kindly sent me a brand-new set of decals. My kit is a second-hand, bagged example straight from the ’80s, and the original decal sheet was completely rotten!

Revell 1/32 Bell X-1

By Daniel Iscold

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