Sturdy and agile, the Bücker Bü 131 became the primary trainer for the Luftwaffe and it served with “virtually all” the Luftwaffe’s primary flying schools during the World War II, as well as with night harassment units.
The Revell kit, a reboxed ICM offering, features two bags of gray finely molded plastic and a small bag of clear parts, a colorful instruction manual, and decals to mark two aircraft.
Overall the kit is beautifully molded and construction progresses smoothly. I had no fit issues what so ever.
The thin cockpit framing can break during removal from the large attachment points. My only complaint was the ejector-pin marks in the middle of the seats.
The clear instrument panels add realism, but the decal dials were out of register. Fortunately, they are hard to see in the completed cockpit. Decal seat belts, separate rudder pedals, and throttles complete the simple cockpit.
The engine shows nice details but lacks an exhaust manifold. If you want to pose the multipart cowl open, you will want to add one. I closed the cowl on mine and all of the panels fit perfectly.
The wings, including separate control surfaces, were a straightforward assembly, and the lower wing comprises the lower half full span, including the bottom of the fuselage. Pay attention to the outer wing struts as they differ. I removed mine from the sprue and forgot which one was which during painting.
The landing gear looks flimsy in the kit with its small and very authentic attachment points but it was strong enough to support the completed model.
The instructions are clear and concise, but the rigging step is vague; extra references are invaluable.
The decals were trouble-free over a smooth surface.
Revell’s Bü 131 was a breeze to build, looks terrific when done, and will fit on most shelves — despite being 1/32 scale, it’s about the same size as a 1/48 scale single-engine fighter. I would recommend this model to anyone looking to build a fun and unique trainer.
Note: A version of this review appeared in the October 2019 issue.