FINAL REPORT:  ATLANTIS MODELS IMPROVES ANOTHER CLASSIC.  WHILE IT MAY NEED SOME MINOR CLEANUP, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SEE THIS ONE RETURN AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY TOO!

This was originally a Revell kit, released in 1965.  To produce the P-3, Revell permanently modified tooling from a previous kit, their Lockheed Electra airliner, which originally debuted in 1958.  After the review, we’ll take a close look at this interesting detour of Revell model kit history.  Some kit collectors were frustrated with Revell’s decision to irreparably modify the Electra molds.  Revell can hardly be blamed for their decision at the time and we’ll explore that.

Atlantis Models' P-3A Orion retails at a low $21.99.  That's original Revell artwork dating back to 1965.

Atlantis Models’ P-3A Orion is 1/115 scale.  It has 50 parts and is molded in white plastic.  Like Revell’s original 1950’s-vintage KC-135/707 kit, the P-3A has no clear parts.
 
The new Atlantis kit has box art from the original Revell release, dramatically portraying a P-3A at night, illuminated by a lightning blast as it shadows a presumably Soviet submarine.

Two decal schemes are included.  The boxtop scheme portrays an early P-3A with a white top/gray bottom and Atlantis offers a view of a built model with these decals on the bottom of the box.  In 1984, Revell re-released the P-3 with Project Magnet decals, and Atlantis has provided markings for that version as well, giving you a choice.  Both versions are pretty cool and make a compelling case for wanting two kits, and at only $21.99 MSRP, your pocketbook won’t mind splurging for a pair.

50 parts molded in white, just like the previous Revell release of the kit in 1984.

The kit has landing gear that can be posed up or down.  Kit parts have fine, raised details and engraved lines for control surfaces.
 
One interesting aspect of the kit is that part numbers comprise little round disks attached to many parts.  It appears that they double as ejector pins, so this might be responsible for fewer ejector pin marks on the parts.  Attachment points on these circle-things are thin so they will probably fall off before you take them off.  Breakdown of the kit is simple, so it’s not like you’ll be in a bind if they all fall off.

There is a small amount of flash on the parts, probably less than you’d expect to see in a vintage kit such as this.  Parts cleanup should be minimal.

Fit on the fuselage halves is pretty good - once you've done some cleanup

Wing parts.  The searchlight pod makes up the third pylon on that starboard wing (note the split slot there).

I could find a few minor sinkholes that should be easy to fix or ignore.  The Atlantis version has fewer sinkholes than my vintage Revell kit.  Either Atlantis uses better technology/temperature regulation with the plastic molding process than Revell circa 1960’s which reduces shrinkage and sink marks, or properties of their selected plastic formula reduce this sometimes undesirable phenomenon.  Regardless, it’s the second comparison we’ve been able to do where Atlantis has produced a better quality product than the original releases.

Prop tips will need a little cleanup.

Stabs, landing gear, and landing gear doors.

The fuselage has some ejection pin rounds at the center seam join-surface which should be shaved off to assure a good fit at that major joint.  Scraping or sanding them down should be easy to get a tight joint with no gaps.

One wing bottom has a raised area where Atlantis shaved out a Revell copyright.  It’s small and inconspicuous and probably of no consequence unless you’re doing a contest build.

Here's a closeup shot of the MAD boom and spotlight.

The modeler will notice what looks like a mold part line ahead of the wing on each fuselage half.  When Revell made this kit originally, they simply chopped up their L-188 Electra airliner mold, shortening the fuselage in front of the wing to the P-3 configuration.  The red prop-warning stripe decal actually goes pretty close if not right on that parting line, so that might be an easy solution to hiding the minor ridge that shows up from the tooling modification!  Be patient; upcoming are side-by-side pictures illustrating how the P-3 kit evolved since we also have a vintage Revell Electra kit in our archive!

Cabin windows in the Electra fuselage were indentations, and these were machined out although some slight remnants of this change are still apparent in the fuselage halves.  None of these things are deal-breakers for the prospect of creating a very nice model.  Perhaps a small amount of cleanup with a knife and just a tiny bit of putty around a couple of these “joints” will help.

While some uber-collectors might take issue at Revell’s decision to hack up the Electra mold instead of, say, making a new P-3 fuselage, Revell did an admirable job of modifying other parts of the tooling to execute a reasonably accurate P-3. 

Decals for the Atlantis P-3.  The background for the stars IS blue--very dark blue!

There were quite a few differences between the L-188 Electra and the P-3 Orion and Revell went to efforts to portray the P-3 characteristics.  Stay after the review and we’ll discuss them too.

This box-side has model stats and a multilingual history.  Paint color chart at the right.

This box side lets you see what the decals look like before buying the kit!  Specs and measurements of the actual plane are included.

With no clear parts, one recommendation is to fill in the window openings with Testors Clear Parts Cement and Window Maker.  A rather silly looking cart-thing is included to rest the plane’s back end on display so it won’t sit on its tail.  Put some weight in the nose prior to closing up the fuselage so the model won’t be a tail-sitter without the cart-thing.  Don't forget to paint the insides of the fuselage black while you're at it and those cockpit windows will look a lot more realistic whether you decide to add some sort of "glass" or not.

Box bottom.  Atlantis recommends this kit for modelers 12 and over.  Skill building plastic kits with glue will be helpful here.

There is a bulge at the forward weapons bay.  Some early P-3’s had this.  The Project Magnet P-3’s did not.  If this minor accuracy detail matters, you could try a little slicing and dicing to get rid of the bulge.  I’ll be building a “Magnet” version later on, and will update the article with some suggestions of how to Battle the Bulge without ruining too much of that lovely raised rivet detail.  My “other” P-3 will be built as an out-of-box version portraying an early P-3 with the bulge.
 
The vertical tail got a new loop-antenna with the P-3 mod.  I’d recommend carefully shaving this down, drilling holes at the ends, and installing a half-loop of wire on each side.  This little modification doesn’t take long and will add an extra level of realism to the model.

Another minor bugaboo centers around the landing gear struts.  Posts for the wheels have raised bullet-things to hold the wheels on after they are snapped in place.  The completed model might have rolling wheels, but the raised bullet-things aren’t especially accurate and the wheels might be a little loose and crooked-looking to an anal contest builder (wouldn’t know where there’d be any of those around here).  This is another case where I’d recommend cutting off the post at the bullet-thingies and then gluing the wheels to the posts.  Perhaps a modeler trying to portray the vintage vibe of the original kit isn’t going to care about this at all, and that’s fine.  Just sayin’.

For those who enjoy adding enhancements, tubes for the exhausts could be inserted into those turbo-exhausts at the back end of the engine nacelles.  Brass tube or similar would work great.  P-3's, certainly the later ones, had cuffed props with round tips, so some mods might be in order there if you want to get additionally picky about your props.  Accurate or not, personally, I like the square-tip props!
 
The searchlight could be enhanced without too much effort.  You could warm some clear thermoform-type plastic over a flame (don’t burn your house down or light yourself on fire) and stretch it over the assembled searchlight pod front, then cut off the solid dome front on the searchlight pod and cut your thermoformed clear part to fit.

Instructions are a 11X17 sheet folded in half.  This side has kit history and decal/painting guide for the Project Magnet version of the model.  Note that the searchlight pod isn't portrayed in this drawing or in the photos of the Project Magnet model!

There's a picture of the searchlight pod below to use as a guide.  Scratchbuild a parabolic searchlight reflector to go inside, and you’ll wow all your modeler-friends.

One item betraying Revell’s desire to get as basic as they could with the P-3 release was the decision to machine in some underwing ordnance pods, but no effort was made to portray any ordnance besides the spotlight pod. 

Inside of the instructions has assembly steps along with decal placement guides.  Photo shows what the Project Magnet aircraft will look like.

​Things like missiles and decoy pods were mounted to those outer hardpoints, and a set of, say, Bullpup missiles under the wing would have enhanced the desirability of the kit to young modelers of the day (perhaps that missing detail was the reason I never decided to buy an early issue of this kit as a youngster).  Unfortunately, the aftermarket for 1/115-scale parts is a bit lean, but you could scratchbuild some of that stuff yourself, and at least briefly, you’ll be a hero to all your modeler-friends.

The P-3 may have had a stinger in the tail, but it could certainly pack a punch on the wings!  These are Bullpup missiles.  There's also a nice look at the searchlight pod.

A P-3 in its "Project Magnet" guise.

​Whether or not you remember previous versions of the Atlantis P-3A as the Revell kit from the 1960’s, 70’s, or 80’s, you’ll enjoy this kit.  Whether you want a nice quick build or a contest model, there is something for everyone here and at Atlantis prices, you just can’t go wrong.  Dem Brudders give this one four enthusiastic thumbs up!
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ATLANTIS P-3A ORION KIT ON AMAZON.COM

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​BONUS MATERIAL
 
REVELL’S ECLECTIC COLLECTOR ELECTRA KIT:  HISTORY WAS NOT ON ITS SIDE
 
The late 1950’s was an exciting time for aircraft development.  Technology brought the prospect of economical long-distance travel to the masses in a way it had never done.  Prior to this period, trains and ships were the preferred way to travel long distances, but the economy and reliability of the jet engine changed all that.

Revell's Electra kit box art by Jack Leynnwood.  This 1/115-scale kit was released in 1958.

Post-WWII, Lockheed Aircraft had a strong performer in its beautiful Constellation airliner.  In late 1957, a successor, the innovative Lockheed L188 Electra, first took flight.  Superior performance was promising.  Just after the Electra debuted, Revell Models released a model kit of it.  Jack Leynnwood’s box art was spectacular with a polished American Airlines Electra taxiing in a rainstorm. 

Original Revell Electra kit decals.

However, the actual airplane suffered from some unforeseen catastrophic engineering problems.   Cascading vibration and resonance issues caused two fatal crashes.  These, combined with one additional fatal crash in a year’s time, decimated the plane’s reputation among airline management and the flying public.  From a marketing standpoint, the appeal of the L-188 Electra never recovered thanks to bad press and ground gained by competitors during the fast-moving technological wave in the aviation world of the period.

Apparently, Revell eventually decided the Electra kit lacked any further marketing potential thanks to this unfortunate occurrence.  As early as 1961, faster medium and small jets were competing for marketing territory formerly the domain of the Electra, and Lockheed ceased production of the airliner after building only 170 units.  The vibration issues were fixed, but the damage to the Electra’s reputation was irreparable.

Flying was something special--well over half a century ago.  Today's "Exciting Souvenirs" when flying consist of overcrowded airports, completely full flights, disappearing leg room, and cattle-like treatment by airlines.  Back in the late 1950's, you could send a dollar to Skyway Models and get a Revell Electra model kit.  That same kit, unbuilt in a pristine box, may be worth hundreds of dollars today.

Original box art from the 1965 issue of the P-3A Orion.

​The Electra's story didn’t end there.  In 1957, Lockheed saw the potential of the airframe as a maritime patrol and submarine-hunter platform in a requirement issued by the US Navy, and the P-3 was born. 
 
The P-3 Orion began US Navy service in 1962.  Revell kept selling the Electra kit, but nearing mid-decade, they made the decision to convert the Electra mold into a P-3 Orion with the reasoning that a P-3 would sell a lot better than the Electra.

By this time, jet airliner models were relatively hot properties with young modelers.  Many youth were taking their first flights in passenger jet aircraft, and prop planes, even turboprops, were seen as passé. 

Revell could have easily gone reversible, tooling removable inserts for the Electra mold, or modifying pantograph copies.  They did this with their Boeing KC-135/707.  The cheaper path they took had no return.  The Electra kit was considered a dead end and the molds were permanently changed to make the P-3.  Collector-modelers who try to get a complete set of early Revell kits are frustrated by this.  Since the Electra cannot be re-released, only original 1960’s kits are the way to go to complete a collection and these have become rare.
 
It’s interesting to see what Revell did to depict the P-3.  The Electra airliner design received a number of modifications for its adapted Navy role, and Revell took the accuracy route with quite a few changes, even some minor ones that capture quite well the differences between the P-3 and the Electra.

Compare the original Electra fuselage parts (silver plastic) to the P-3 (gray plastic).  Revell did some re-tooling of the Electra mold to make the P-3.

The P-3 had a shorter fuselage, and this is why the fuselage mold was cut and spliced.  Engraved windows had to come off, so those raised squares on the tooling were shaved off, which brought the window indentations in the plastic up to the level of the fuselage--more or less.  Getting this right in the cavity of the mold was probably a challenge, which is a reason remnants of the old windows can still be detected.  Each fuselage half got a new pair of bubble-windows.  The P-3 utilized a bigger radome than the Electra, and the nose housing for that was extended.  The cockpit windows have a different shape in the P-3 and Revell caught this modification very well.

P-3 wings at top.  Weapons pylons were added and trailing edge wingtip extensions.  You can see sinkholes in the plastic that aren't there on the Atlantis Models version.

Horizontal stabs.  P-3 at top.  A notch was cut out for the new MAD boom, and a tab was added to the trailing edge.

The aforementioned belly bulge was added, a loop antenna was added to the tail, and the tail section was cut so that the MAD boom could be added.  That part and the spotlight comprise the new parts that needed to be tooled.

Compare the forward fuselage on both models.  The airliner (right) had windows optimized for approaches, departures, and ground taxi.  The maritime version needed windows optimized for patrol.  Revell captured this change well.

The airliner (left) had a nice, tapered tailcone.  Revell modified the tooling so the MAD boom could be affixed to the back of what was formerly an Electra fuselage.

Wing pylons for ordnance and countermeasure weaponry were cut, and the hole for the searchlight pylon was also added to the lower wing.  Wingtip extensions were added.  Horizontal tail surfaces were modified to fit the MAD boom extension, and tabs were added.

These were the only new parts tooled to make the P-3 kit; the MAD boom, and spotlight.  Why didn't they make some 1/115-scale Bullpup missiles while they were at it?

Modelers who’d like a Lockheed Electra airliner do have some options.  If you can’t get one on eBay or at a model show vendors area (like I did), you could go to the effort to convert the 1/115 Atlantis kit back to an Electra with a bit of plastic surgery (quite a bit, actually).  Minicraft Models came out with a 1/144 scale Electra airliner in 1998.  A few classic decal schemes have been offered through several releases of this kit including Eastern, National, and American Airlines (the classic Lightning-Bolt livery).  I found this kit to be a bit of work to get a good result, but I’m happy with my Minicraft 1/144-scale Electra airliner in classic American Airlines colors.

Don't mourn the loss of the Revell 1/115-scale Electra kit.  You can build an Electra in 1/144 scale from the Minicraft kit, pictured above.

The P-3 Orion turned out to be a very successful airplane, serving in its capacity for over half a century.  Production went until 1990!  Other roles for the platform included electronic intelligence (in the form of the EP-3E) and it has been utilized as a successful fire-bomber and weather research platform with the NOAA to research hurricane science.

Circa 1973-76, the P-3 came with a photo on the boxtop.

In 1984, another boxtop with a photograph featured the P-3, this time in Revell's Blue-Band guise.  Atlantis Models provides decals for this option in their kit.

MORE ABOUT PROJECT MAGNET
 
Project Magnet was a joint project between the U. S. Navy and Naval Oceanographic Office to accurately map variations in Earth’s magnetic field to aid in navigation.  The program was active from 1953 to 1994.  The first Project Magnet P-3A model kit was released by Revell in 1984.  That release was molded in white to provide easy paint coverage for those modelers who wished to use white paint over the bare plastic.  Atlantis’ release continues this.  Even if one decides not to build the Project Magnet aircraft, the white plastic will make it easier to paint the white-top of the operational Navy version.

The Orion looks quite fetching in its Magnet scheme!

Here's a nice picture of the underside.  A little masking is in order if you decide to build your Atlantis kit this way.  Note that there are no pylons or searchlight!

Another “Project Magnet” was done in Canada from 1950-1954 via resources of Transport Canada.  This version intended to research magnetic fields given off by UFO’s.  This Canadian project often gets confused with or associated with the US Navy version since the name is the same and their timeframes somewhat coincide.  We’ll let the reader decide to what extent these programs are actually associated with each other.  Minicraft Models released their Lockheed Constellation kit in the distinctive orange-and-white scheme as well.  This NC-121K kit even has a small picture of a UFO!

Minicraft's Project Magnet NC-121K with a little friend in the top-right corner!  Is the truth out there?

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ATLANTIS P-3A ORION KIT AT AMAZON.COM!

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