L'Arsenal Review

L'Arsenal 1/350 Loire 130 floatplanes

Reviewed by Martin J Quinn
May 2019

L'Arsenal has released a set of floatplanes for French battleships and cruisers in 1/350 scale, set AC 350 217, Loire 130 1/350. The set includes parts for two Loire 130 floatplanes.

Click to enlarge images

LOIRE 130 PARTS

The package comes with multiple resin runners, each with different parts on them. The aircraft fuselages, the wings, the horizontal stabilizers, engines and floats are all on different runners, one to each runner. There is quite a bit of flash on some of the parts, but it should clean up easily with a sharp hobby knife blade. Generally, the parts are well cast, though the tails of the fuselages look almost see through, they are so thin.

Close ups of some of the parts details.



These photos compare the resin aircraft to the HobbyBoss version, found in the Strasbough kit

PHOTO-ETCH

There is a small photo-etch set included. Included are props, struts and braces, along with some other parts, enough for both aircraft. Since there are no instructions, I'm not sure what everything is, or where it all goes.

INSTRUCTIONS

Surprisngly, there are no instructions included. There are, however, some photos of the partially assembled aircraft on the L'Arsenal website. I'm not sure if instructions are not included, or if my sample just didn't have them.

CONCLUSIONS

Without drawings, I can't vouch for the accuracy, but the parts certainly look like the drawings and photographs I've found on the web. If you are backdating your Trumpeter Richelieu, or building the Hobby Boss Dunkerque or Strasbourg, these look better than the clear plastic parts found in the HobbyBoss kits.

This is set L'Arsenal set AC 350 217, 1/350 Loire 130 floatplanes. They retail for $10.20 USD, and are available directly from L'Arsenal , or from many of our sponsors. Thanks to L'Arsenal for the review sample. Recommended with reservations, due to the fact there are no instructions.