In 1947 Philips a Dutch technology company organized the first Eindhoven - Darwin Intercontinental Air Race to launch & promote their brand new state of the art airplane radio receiver & transmitter "R Unit #378".
An amazing number of 47 teams took part in this 2 week intercontinental air race event. Race-modified World War 2 planes like the De Havilland Mosquito, Heinkel He 219 Uhu, Northrop P-61 Black Widow, Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter and many more types took part in this unique post war air race spectacle.
Soon after the announcement of the Eindhoven - Darwin intercontinental Air Race half way summer 1946 a team of enthusiastic retired Russian plane engineers immediately started to set up a race team to take part in this trilling event. They choose a Polikarpov i 16 "Rata"as their contender. Due to his light weight structure and powerful engine this was one of the fastest contenders.
This 1/32 scale Revell re-boxed ICM kit is what's called a "Shake & Bake" so very easy to assemble. I only added some aftermarket seat belts and a metal pitot tube from the spare-box. The super thin & sharp printed decals are from Gofer Racing. The metals are done using Xtreme Metal from AK-Interactive, a Tamiya Smoke postshade was applied and the complete metal surface was finished with AK-Interactive Panelliners. Black race-numbers are dry transfers from Mecanorma.
© 2018 by Marcel du Long