1/48 AF-2W Guardian “Submarine Hunter” Special Hobby #48158 Shrink Wrapped MISB

Description: I have to clear some space on my shelves, so I need to part with some of my collection. THIS IS MY LAST ONE! The Grumman Guardian was the largest single engine piston-powered propeller-driven aircraft to operate from US carriers. The AF-2W was the “Submarine Hunter” with a specialized search radar to find periscopes and snorkels from long distances. The AF-2S was the “Submarine Killer” with a large internal bay for torpedoes and depth bombs. Both Hunters and Killers could carry an external load as well. Special Hobby (one of the brands from the well-known CMK / MPM group in the Czech Republic) has released limited edition kits that cover both subjects. They have included some special parts, like a resin engine mini-kit and detailed photo etched metal parts. I found about a dozen listings for this kit on eBay (from a variety of sellers), but as a Top Rated Plus US Seller, I have this in stock and can reliably ship this to you very quickly. Here is some of the info I found from around the web about this Limited Edition kit: The CMK site no longer has a page for this kit, so I assume it has been Discontinued or is Out of Production. From other sources, I have found the following information on this rare kit: · Both versions can be built· Realistic reproduction of the fabric covering· Finely crafted resin parts for engine, air scoops and small parts· Building instructions with detailed and correct color specifications· Various useful photo etched parts (esp. Girths and chassis scissors)· Good rendering of the contours of the Guardian· Convincing presentation of the slotted wings Scalemates.com shows that this is a 2014 release based on a new tooling from the same year. There is a link to download the complete 12-page full-color instruction set and painting guide. There are links to reviews, references and aftermarket products to get you through your project. Tom Cleaver did a First Look Review for the modelingmadness.com site, which had a nice history of the Guardian. He indicates that you could build either the Hunter (AF-2W) version or the Killer (AF-2S) version using the parts in the box. He was excited to finally have a Guardian in 1/48 scale and felt that Special Hobby did a great job with this release, saying: “The fabric detail is very petite and is the most accurate representation of fabric covered surfaces I have seen. The rest of the surface detail is of equal quality. Test-fitting of the major airframe parts shows that the kit goes together easily.” Wilfried Eck posted an excellent In-Box Review for the German-language ipmsdeutschland.de archive site with a dozen photos of the box art, sprues, resin parts, decals and photo etched parts. He confirms that you could build either the Hunter or the Killer version with this kit. He loved the fabric detail, the resin engine parts and the instructions. His final words were: “A kit of a rare, but also particularly interesting machine, very nicely implemented in the kit of Special Hobby. Despite small flaws, it is highly recommended.” Rowan Bayliss presented a great In-Box Review for the archive.aeroscale.net site with over 30 high-resolution photos of the kit contents including close-ups of the resin engine parts and other finely molded details. He walks through the assembly sequence, providing tips as he goes. His Conclusion starts with: “What a monster! - In the nicest possible way! It’s one thing to know an aircraft was the largest single-engined prop plane ever to operate off carriers, but it still doesn't really prepare you for just how big the beast is in 1:48. It's certainly going to be an impressive model when finished, and should look great in any collection of Navy aircraft.” This kit is in a lovely box about 15” x 9” x 3”. As you can see from the pictures, the box is in pristine condition and still sealed with shrink wrap, so I consider this factory sealed and gift-ready. This item contains one complete injection molded plastic model kit with grey and clear plastic parts, 36 resin parts, photo etched metal fret and a set of decals. It requires cement and paint to complete as shown. I use eBay Managed Payments, but I no longer ship internationally. Auction winner pays the winning bid, and for a limited time, I am offering this multimedia kit with $10 Flat Rate shipping in the US! No reserve and a low starting bid. Check out my other great auctions for combined shipping. Good luck! Those familiar with my listings can tell that I really enjoy these products and the modeling hobby. I like to provide more than just the bare facts about the items, trying to lead you to discover more about the subjects and optimizing your builds (if that is your goal). I started out picking up models that I was interested in, with an eye toward building them when I had time. Always a bargain-hunter, I accumulated many more than I can build, so I found myself in a Collector status (sounds nicer than a hoarder). As I am sure you have noticed, my items are almost always sealed and in mint condition (I call them Gift-Ready), since I only open them when I am ready to build them. Now I enjoy making these products available to my fellow modelers; both Builders and Collectors. For the Builders, there are probably better (at least cheaper) ways to add to your project lists than buying from me, but you know you are getting top quality. For Collectors, my goal is to save you a few bucks over the competition for the same item in factory sealed and collectible (or resellable) condition.

Price: 49.99 USD

Location: Bradenton, Florida

End Time: 2024-12-02T16:53:29.000Z

Shipping Cost: 10 USD