The kit is one that I picked up cheap second hand at a model show some years ago. All the parts are still bagged and in good shape and what a ncie looking kit it is. Let's take a look.
The box is large and sturdy but the box art is, well, not much to write home about. What's more is that the "Optional" scheme that I'm doing, the bottom profile, is incorrectly called out. "VNB-1" should read "VMB-2". Oh well....
Flash is minimal and the moulding is impeccable. The only knock I can give is that the Dauntless featured raised rivets but no such details are visible on the surfaces, just nice, clean, recessed panel lines.
A close-up of the center section underside shows some nice detailing through visible openings along with the bomb shackle.
There are plenty of clear parts for an open and closed canopy. Also, Accurate Miniatures have continued their odd habit of providing a clear IP which I have yet to be convinced looks realistic. This will be replaced with an Eduard PE one.
Engine ignition wires are provided as a separate part. Some cleanup will be needed but I've seen much, much worse.
There are some really nice mouldings for the cockpit side walls and the rudder pedals are very delicate. The perforated dive flaps are a nice touch and, with a bit of thinning, should look the part.
I had removed the fuselage halves already but put them back for this picture. The nose area consists of several parts to allow all version of the SBD to be built. This kit includes the correct parts for the SBD-1.
The part with the 3420 tab below is the large carburettor cowl intake unique to the SBD-1 and, because alternates are not provided, I'm stuck with this option only.
This sprue was still bagged but each of the horizontal stab parts were loos in the bag. That's because just one attachment point is provided and this is at the glue tab which leaves all the visible surfaces clean. These parts are nice and thin.
A tight shot of the same sprue shows a really nice 1000lb bomb with thin fins and a nicely detailed fuse vane. At the top of the pic are the flap actuators - very cool.
The wing bomb racks are very nicely detailed:
Still on the same sprue a delicate trim wheel and a nice little flare pistol.
The last sprue features the wheels with separate hubs, the front-firing machine guns, cockpit floor which correctly follows the top contour of the wing, and of course the engine cylinders.
The decals are nicely printed but incomplete in that AM seem to have ignored the fact that there was a red chevron on the upper wing surface and an aircraft number, in this case number 1. I'll need to paint both.
That's it for the box content.