Airfix

[nev]

Thanks for proving my point

[Sauragnmon]

Airfix 1/72 Su-27 - until the ICM one, which simply adds some parts that were a common fix to one problem on the Airfix frame, the Airfix Flanker was the best 1/72 Flanker out there for accuracy.

[nev]

Based upon what Ken "Flankerman" Duffey says, I think thats more a reflection on the quality of Su-27s kits out there, than the quality of the Airfix kit....

[lancer]

I agree about the Airfix SU27. It's generally a nice kit to build, but the undercarridge, especially the nose gear, is horrendous to build.

[Sauragnmon]

Having never built the Airfix Flanker, I can't definitively comment on it.  Considering its age, it IS rather a comment on the quality of Other manufacturers.  They should all build to MILSpec, if only so we can send them accurate plans and put the code MILTFD41 on it.

I wonder if anybody can guess what the code means... I know, and I'll share the original story I heard behind it tomorrow.

[kitnut617]

Question is though, is it an Airfix kit or a Heller.  I've got the Airfix single seater and I've got a Heller UB two seater version, and apart from the forward fuselage, the parts are interchangeable from what I can remember.

[Hobbes]

Having had the recent misfortune of having to deliver stuff in milspec: God no!

[Barry Krell]

Heller did most of the tooling for Airfix kits in the late 80s/early 90s.

[nev]

Here is my freshly completed Airfix 1/72 Me109G-6 Trop.  For further opinion on this kit please see future issue of SAMI



Not my best work, but I have to say that painting this kit has caused my respect levels for 1/72 Luftwaffe modellers to rise dramatically.

edit:  This is my 6th completed model this year.  7, 8 and 9 should be close behind! 

[Barry Krell]

I found an old Jo-Han Bf 109 kit in the loft a week or so back.  Apart from the cowling lacking the bulges, it looks surprisingly similar to this kit.

Nice work and better than the kit deserves.

[NARSES2]

Thats nice work Nev - I'll await the review with interest -

[JayBee]

A question about the new Spit PR XIX.
The kit gives two different sets of wheels, one set of three spoke, and one set of four spoke.
Both the wheels and the tyres are a different diameter.
There is no mention of the smaller, four spoke wheels, in the instructions.
The book "Spitfire, the history" by Eric Morgan and Edward Shacklady, has a picture on page 462 of the kit's Swedish subject (31040), with four spoked wheels.

Does anyone have an explanation for this?
Is it that AIRFIX have just missed out a little bit of the instructions, or is there more to it?

JimB

[kitnut617]

A question about the new Spit PR XIX.
The kit gives two different sets of wheels, one set of three spoke, and one set of four spoke.
Both the wheels and the tyres are a different diameter.
There is no mention of the smaller, four spoke wheels, in the instructions.
The book "Spitfire, the history" by Eric Morgan and Edward Shacklady, has a picture on page 462 of the kit's Swedish subject (31040), with four spoked wheels.

Does anyone have an explanation for this?
Is it that AIRFIX have just missed out a little bit of the instructions, or is there more to it?

JimB

Photos show late model Spifires had the 3-spoke wheel, I would imagine the increase in size would be to compensate for the increase of overall weight of the Late Spits.  Very early Spits had 5-spoke wheels, then they went to 4-spoke and I think this was to ease manufacture during the war period.

[NARSES2]

Jim

I think both the options in the box are 3 spoke wheels, however early production aircraft had 4 spoke wheels, again I think without looking it up. Might just be Airfix intend using that Sprue in other kits ?

[Radish]

Nice '109 Nev.
Pity the kit is so bad, but you've made a great job of it.