Airfix Dambusters Lancaster

[jonesthetank]

I have been on the look out for a cheap Lancaster kit to build as an RCAF version.  On Ebay at the moment someone is selling the Airfix Dambusters version.  

Before I jump in and splash out some hard earned wedge, can anyone tell me if it has the normal bomb bay doors included, or just the underside for the bounging bomb?

Thanks

Mark

[kitnut617]

Has both.

[B777LR]

Airfix dambuster also contains the dorsal turret, although it doesnt fit unless you cut a hole in the top fuselage.

Lots of bombs included as well...  

[cthulhu77]

Unless you want to do a lot of work (and sometimes I do, I like the Airfix challenge), you might want to see if you can locate the Hasegawa kit...night and day between the two in assembly and detail.

[Captain Canada]

It sounds like another dam Lancaster to me.........



RCAF, eh ? What style ? Rescue ? Bomber ?

     

[P1127]

Or search about - I got a bagged one for a £5 last year!

[jonesthetank]

Cheers Gents, very helpful.

As I tend to model on a fairly tight budget, I doubt I will cough up for the new Revell one.  

Airfix will do me fine, as I can spend the time sorting out the "imperfections".

I am intending on doing it as a Maritime Recon version, but I might get myself a set of decals for the later SAR version, as they have always looked "sexy" to me!

Thanks for the advice

Mark

[Daryl J.]

Airfix Paddle props are terrible!   Off angles, and popsicle shaped blades.   It was the first indicator that Non-European tooling might not be all that great.

They are in the Dambuster kit iirc.

Aeroclub make replacements for about $US9.00 plus shipping.



Daryl J. with an opinion.......

[B777LR]

Airfix Paddle props are terrible!   Off angles, and popsicle shaped blades.   It was the first indicator that Non-European tooling might not be all that great.

However, there is still deutches uber quality from revell    

[Jennings]

The Hasegawa kit has shape problems in the rear fuselage?  Where'd you hear that?  That's news to me, and I did two decal sheets for it and know a number of people who have built it.

The tail wheel is closer to 1/48 scale, and there's a misplaced escape panel in the main canopy, but other than that it's a cracker of a kit.  I just wish they'd not put those myriad stupid little windows in the fuselage that 99.9% of Lancs didn't have.  Sadly, the Revell kit will have those as well (I know the guy who is doing the CAD design work for it, and he said Revell wanted them).  

I honestly can't see how Revell is going to better the Hasegawa kit, at least by enough to have made it worth doing another new tool Lanc instead of a new tool 1/72 Lightning family...

Sigh...

J

[Mossie]

I heard the same, although I've never seen the Hase kit personally.  It may have been in the SAMI preview or review, I'll dig it out & have a look tomorrow.

It's a lot of years since I built the Airfix Dambuster, one of my early kits, built on a wet holiday in our caravan, I was around eight.  Strangely, I remember it quite well, IIRC it went together easily & I was very proud of it, although knowing my Dad, he probably took over & built most of it!  I've seen kits built up recentley & they still look damn good, I'm not the type to carry a micrometer around with me but it definately looks right.

If you can get one for a bargain, which you can if you look around, great.  Like Wooksta mentioned, the BBMF set is a good price at rrp & I've seen it for a tenner.  When the version is out in the next couple of months with the new decals for this years repained Lanc, you're likely to be able to find the older boxing going for song & they'll probably have the older decals too.

[cthulhu77]

Hmmm. Well, I do like Revell, but that Hasegawa kit was a real charmer as far as I'm concerned...not a knock against Airfix at all (love those kits), just that it was further along the rung.

[Jennings]

There's also the fact that Lancs are rivetty, they have overlapping panels.

I wouldn't count on the Revell kit to give you any of that.  It'll likely look more like the Hasegawa kit in that respect.

J

[Jennings]

...and Hasegawa are likely to come back for the sockets an'aal.

Sorry Squadron Leader, I don't understand your banter...



J

[cthulhu77]

Why didn't you say that in the first place?  I really don't think it is all that pricey...40 bucks for a huge kit that goes together like a dream?  Yeah, I suppose it is for some modelers, and Airifx fills that niche well, but if you look at the hours needed to correct the kit, how much is your time worth?
  Now, if you are going to build a what if, I'd the Airfix kit hands down.  Of course, I am just an American.