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Ahoy mates!
Revell Models stopped by the news room to show off their re-release of the classic Higgins Industries PT-212 [...]
If you have comments or questions please post them here.
Thanks!
Gator 
I built the AHM version of this kit many years ago, which was a reissue of Revell's PT-212 with different decals. The model was one of Revell's very first nautical releases, dating originally from 1953. It has been reissued may times over the years as PT-207, PT-211, PT 212, as part of the "Admiral's Fleet" and "Victory at Sea" combination kits, and by AHM as PT-207. The model depicts a Higgins 78 foot PT. Often listed as 1/72 scale (including by AHM), the kit is actually closer to 1/98. The difference is apparent compared with my 1/72 scale 80 foot Elco PT-109, which is significantly more than two scale feet longer.
It is a very old kit, but parts fit and details are fairly good. The full hull is a single piece molding. Designed during Revell's infamous "flat bottom boats" era, this kit actually has a nicely rendered hull with an accurate chine, perhaps to aid operation (one version issued in the 1960s came with a motor). The deck and deckhouse come molded as a single unit, with other details either separate small parts or molded directly to the deck. Some of the surface detail looks good, but the dinghy is molded to the forecastle as is a coiled mooring line-not very convincing in this relatively large scale. Weapons are ok. Torpedoes and 20mm Oerlikons are separate pieces, but the latter have gunner figures cast directly to them, which is a real problem if you don't want to include figures! Actually, the most notable aspect of the kit is those three very nicely sculpted crew figures. A very innovative feature for the time, they were created by master sculptor Anthony D. Bulone, best known as the sculptor of the original Mattel Barbie doll. Not one of Revell's best, it is still an attractive, simple kit good for a quick, fun build.
