Academy is one of the most eclectic kit manufacturers on the market. Not only do they make traditional models in a range of scales, they also make educational kits such as this one. It’s nice to see a mainstream company try a variety of strategies to entice younger modelers into the hobby.

The Kit

There are four sprues, all of translucent plastic that are of different colors. The plastic is on the soft side, but certainly strong enough to meet the demands of moving the kayak through the water. For those of us not mechanically inclined, the motor and gear box are pre-assembled, so no fears of trying to trying to become an electrician or mechanical engineer. There is a small sheet of stickers for the little robot man, but that’s about it.

This is direct replacement for the Airfix part. At first glance you might question why a replacement is needed as the kit part is actually very nice. Upon closer examination you’ll see that Aires has spared the trouble of drilling out the exhaust tips to represent the open ends of the pipes. It’s worth the price of admission if you what to avoid that tedious task. The parts are easy to get off the casting block and a perfect match for the mounting holes on the base kit. Aires also makes another set with fishtail ends (set # QB 72 483) reviewed elsewhere in this site that don’t come in the Airfix kit. Thanks to Aires for improving an already great kit.

This set replaces the horizontal stabilizers and elevators of the base kit. While the Airfix parts are certainly nice in their own right, this set allows the control surfaces to be posed and have slightly thinner trailing edges for a more scale appearance. Be very careful trimming the resin away from the mounting tabs and test fit to ensure as close a fit as the kit parts provide. The elevators fit very well into a recess molded into the stabilizers. If you want to have the rear control surfaces offset this is the way to achieve that. Thanks to Aires for the sample of a well done set.