Encore Models, Kit 1025.
47 parts on 2 sprues, detailed interior,
decals for 3 aircraft. $9.95
This little biplane is easily one of the most satisfactory model kits we have seen for some time. Molded in the Ukraine in the soft, low-pressure injected plastic typical of products originating inside the former Soviet Union, the kit consists of 47 parts on 2 odd, half-round sprues plus a tiny canopy packed in a small manila envelope.
First impressions are anything but promising with this kit. The parts come out of their plastic bag coated with
some sort of thick, greasy goo that emits a strong chemical smell. Is this Russian petroleum jelly used as mold release in some
Ukrainian home-molding shop? 
Or is it a novel and sinister way
of disposing of toxic industrial waste? Be that as it may, the stuff is tenacious.
After several soaks in strong detergent made no difference, I sealed the sprues up in a large plastic bag of denatured alcohol
and left it for a week, agitating it from time to time. This finally did the trick.
Freed from the grease, the kit makes a much better impression. The parts suffer relatively little from flash and are incredibly finely molded, particularly for a product of low-pressure injection. Detail is exceptionally good for a small-scale kit. You get a separate if basic radial engine, molded in cockpit sidewall-detail, a seat, rudder pedals, an instrument panel, a gun sight, and a delicately molded set of parts for the tubular fuselage structure surrounding the cockpit, complete with throttle quadrants. Surface detail includes a mix of engraved and raised features. The metal leading edges of the wings and the ribbing of the fabric-covered portions of the flying surfaces are done in subtle and thoroughly convincing fashion. Gun muzzles, intakes, and exhaust pipes are molded solid, but you can easily drill them out.
Assembly is straightforward, despite the lack of locating pins, and fit is simply superb. No filler was necessary, even around the geometrically complicated joint between the lower wing and the fuselage (a real trouble spot in Heller's conceptually similar I-153). The sharply raked and canted interplane struts butt up against prominent fairings molded into the wings. But these fit perfectly.
The cabane struts are another matter, however. They are far too tall for the gap between the wing and fuselage. To make matters worse, the fuselage reveals few hints as to the correct location of the struts. Deal with this problem as follows.
The landing gear is the only other potential trouble area. The legs have a slender, convincingly scale appearance, but the plain butt joint between the wheel pants and the suspension leg is consequently weak. You can correct this by drilling holes and inserting brass wire pegs, fixed in place with cyanoacrylate superglue.
Encore supplies its usual generous assortment of high-quality decals. This version of the kit includes a Russian aircraft in segment camouflage, from a Baltic Fleet IAP, a captured sand-and-olive camouflaged Spanish Nationalist example, and an overall olive-drab Chinese airplane. The kit is also available with a ski landing gear and decals for Russian and Finnish machines.
This kit took a scant two afternoons to complete.
Highly recommended.