Iconicair | 1/32 David Brown Aircraft Tractor
Reviewed by Aaron Scott
The David Brown Aircraft Tractor was a common sight on UK airfields throughout World War II and until the mid-1950s, where it was used extensively for towing aircraft and bomb trolleys. It weighs nearly 4 tons and is powered by a David Brown 4-cylinder, 2523cc, overhead-valve petrol engine delivering 37 bhp. The towing pull is 2.5 tons.
The transmission is a four-speed gearbox driving rear wheels through a Brockhouse turbo transmitter torque converter. The brakes are mechanical with a vacuum servo unit. The suspension is without springs and there is a swivelling front axle. The tractor is fitted with a 5-ton winch at the rear.
The kit is presented in a nicely produced cardboard box with full colour artwork on the boxtop. This is a full resin kit consisting of approx 40 parts, so a possible good starting point for someone new to resin kits. There is also an A4 folded instruction booklet and a small decal sheet.
As soon as the kit was announced at Telford last year (2019) I was eager to get my hands on one. Like many of us the large scale Lancasters of Hong Kong Models and Wingnut Wings as well as Bomber Mosquitoes utilised these units to supply them with their payloads. Iconicair also produces a range of bomb trolleys and ordnance which make a perfect pairing.
The Kit
All the parts are neatly packed into four ziplock bags and bubble wrap. My kit had only one small breakage but an easy fix. The resin is beautifully cast. Clean, sharp details and virtually free of any flash.
Instructions
Again clean, sharp and well printed, with clear well defined drawings of parts and assembly.
Conclusion
Very impressed by how good this kit looks. It will fit perfectly into a diorama with a big old British bomber, but equally as good as a stand alone model.
© Aaron Scott 2020
This review was published on Saturday, April 25 2020; Last modified on Saturday, April 25 2020