Tupolev Tu-2 'Bat' - ICM

The Sabre Kits version is just a repackaged ICM kit, with two additional, different 3D printed propellers and a new decal sheet provided. All the other parts are the same. 

Fret 1. As you can see, the fuselage is the old version of the Tu-2 with three small round windows in the back and not the later version with one single, larger window and a wider fuselage section. There are no panel lines but rows of tiny rivets. However they are so shallow, that they will probably disappear under the primer coat. I might be tempted to rescribe some panel lines instead. 

Fret 2 - wings and engines. Three crewmembers are also provided, two reasonably detailed pilots, and a bizarre crouching gunner without any human features whatsoever.  

Fret 3 - engine nacelles and stabilizer. You may be able to see that all the parts on all the frets are covered with some sort of thick, sticky residue, kind of like engine grease. It definitely needs to be washed off thoroughly before assembly. 

Fret 4 - undercarriage and smaller details. Everything seems fairly detailed although a lot of flash is present everywhere. 

Fret 5 - transparencies, loosely rattling inside the box without any protection at all. 

The main canopy is unfortunately badly scratched - it almost looks like a crack developing so I am not sure I can repair it. 

In this "Limited Edition" kit, very crisp 3D-printed four blade propellers and spinners are provided - unfortunately four blade propellers were not used together with the old style three-window fuselage provided in the kit, so these parts are not usable. 

This is what the box art describes as a "detailed decal sheet". Ho-hum. It contains markings for two aircraft: a Polish number 8 and a Hungarian number 10. Unfortunately none of these two aircraft can be built from the parts in the box, so other decals need to be sourced. 

Instructions are clear at least if you have built a few plastic model kits before. 

Not a very exciting camo: Soviet green upper sides and light blue undersides. But again, the version depicted here is not the version provided in the box.