The Impala Mk.II was the single seat South African built version of the Aermacchi MB-326K. These planes played an important part in the “Bush War” on the Namibian / Angolan border. They were used for close air support using unguided rockets or Mk.82 bombs together with their 30mm guns. Typically, they would carry either rocket launchers or bombs with the external fuel tank and not in combination as shown here, which is for illustration only. Interestingly, the Imps also engaged in rather unconventional air to air combat. On at least two documented occasions they were used to attack flights of Angolan helicopters and are credited with downing a number if Mi-8 / 17 transport helicopters and apparently even Mi-24 attack helicopters.
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The model is the Italeri kit (#1308) with the Scaleworx conversion kit from duel to single
seater. The conversion kit also contains the correct wing tip tanks, unguided rocket launcher and the modified horizontal
stabiliser.
The kit was finished with Tamiya paints and MAV decals. The decal sheet included with the kit contained many small detailed decals which took a long time to affix but with a pleasing result.