atdb27 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Hi there, I have a couple of Airfix DC-10's and just recently off e-bay have aquired a Laker 'Skytrain' and KC-10 from Revell. Overall look good from both but are there any major issues with these kits? Any comments, tips on accuracy / problems would be most welcome. Cheers Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 (edited) Hi there,I have a couple of Airfix DC-10's and just recently off e-bay have aquired a Laker 'Skytrain' and KC-10 from Revell. Overall look good from both but are there any major issues with these kits? Any comments, tips on accuracy / problems would be most welcome. Cheers Adrian Hi Adrian, The major 'accuracy' issue with the Airfix kit that I can remember off the top of my head is that the passenger windows are too low in the fuselage - easily cured if you don't mind filling them & using decals. I think the shape of the nose & tail engine is allegedly slightly 'off' too. No doubt there'll be someone with more DC-10 knowledge than me along soon! I seem to recall that with Revell, the nose shape again has issues - and possibly that the undercarriage is incorrect for certain boxings. It either has, or doesn't have (can't remember which!) the centre bogie needed for some claimed versions. IIRC, from conversations on the Yahoo airliner model group, the Revell kit is generally accepted to be the 'best' DC-10 available in 144th. Keef Edited February 7, 2008 by keefr22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippiebg Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 (edited) 1. Airfix (vintage 1982): this is a DC-10-30/40 as built until 1978 when a Performance Improvement Package (PIP) affected the Ten's shape in detail. Blobby, tough, somewhat overinflated/too-rounded feel that hides loads and loads of early-80s sod-it-nobody-f***ing-cares sloppy detailing. Nose profile is good, spoiled by a locator pin protrusion on the lower seam, below the windscreen. However, nose and especially radome/nosecone cross-section is seriously "pinched". Dull, indistinct transitions between tapered and constant section portions of fuselage. Window line is a tad low, as mentioned by Keefr22. Indistinct wing/body fairing whose contours you have to _really_ squint to see. No attempt whatsoever to represent the tailplane/body fairings. Centre engine intake is fine (well, many would say it is a Series 40 intake, which was flared. According to my measurements, it is halfway between Series 30 and 40); however, its rear end and pylon (below the fin trailing edge) is midway between the Series -30 and -40. Fin 1-2 mm too high, has 1-2 degrees less sweep than it should. Wing trailing edge has a bodged kink at the inboard ailerons which is marked on the real Ten. Landing gear is toyish. Fit is okayish on the fuselage, _atrocious_ on the wing and tailplane halves and pretty poor elsewhere. Most Airfix Tens I've seen seem to have been spattered with machine oil on release from the moulding machine and need a damn good washdown with detergent. 2. Revell (vintage 1972? Well, that's when I first saw it in SAS drag [nice!] in an Indian newsagents on the London Rd Mitcham [box said "DC-10 Airbus" which is pretty hilarious nowadays!]): the Laker pack is a DC-10-10 as built until 1978-ish (key-shaped reverser afterbodies on engines, no centre landing gear, short wing, short wing/body fairing). Occasional Laker-labelled packs have long wings and centre landing gear, but still the short wing/body fairing and early engines. The KC-10 is a proper 30 (like the Airfix) but _not_ a proper KC-10 which has all the PIP recognition points (bulbous wing/body fairing forebody, revised tailplane/body fairings, "twirled" junctions between tailplanes and body and fin and centre engine intake). To make an early 30 of the KC-10, you have to castrate the kit fuselage :shithappens: Feel is flimsy, not helped by the five-piece wing. Fidelity is surprisingly good overall, _except_ for the nose (looks like a, er-r... marital aid, shall we say... I better shut up, 'coz Ann Summers will be around, byuing 'em all up) which has to be got rid of and replaced with the Airfix item. Also poor is the centre engine intake which you can also replace with Airfix. The fin is a tad too short and lacking in chord at the top (the opposite to the Airfix kit). Engines are _frightening_ and shoud likewise be replaced with Airfix ones. The window strips are a joke: fill them up with Milliput and use window decals. Overall, though: nice! The wing is beautifully crisp, if you can ever persuade it to fit together... Landing gear is a tad overdone and fanciful but on the whole better than Airfix. Fit is pretty poor-to-appalling throughout, not helped by flimsy/thin/springy parts and lack of bulkheads inside jellyfish/springy fuselage. Kinda wobbles... Err-r... that's about it! Oh, almost forgot! Anyone who makes a Revell Ten with all wheels touching the ground gets my vote for Life President of IPMS. (Still, you can claim they built the real thing like those juggernauts that have some wheels hovering off the road when in lightweight mode :-) ) Basically, bash the two togevver, shake'em and something real nice may happen. Kit decals are beyond redemption (both Revell and Airfix). You're best off getting one of the smashing markings by 26 Decals or F-DCAL. Pick up some nice detailing decals while you're at it. Another alternative is, just paint the Revell all greyish-pink and sell it to Ann Summers (you won't have to bother with the wings or any other troublesome bits). And pop round to airlinercafe.com to ask questions or just have a peek. Edited February 7, 2008 by skippiebg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 See Adrian, I told you there'd be an expert along before long!! I remember now why I stick to Hasegawa 200th scale -10's !!! Keef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BAC Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Yup, I pretty much agree with whats already been said. However once built the only really noticable errors (to me anyway) are that the windows and engines do look too low. I don't recall that it needed loads of filler though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atdb27 Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 WOW What a great reply my friend. As Keef said about 'someone' out there. I used to work on them in BCal days many years ago, then B.A f**ked up the colour scheme! BAC your kit looks good to me mate. Will try and make someting that is correct to all your good advice. (will have to buy more filler me thinks? ) Many thanks guys and as they say "if in doubt ask" cause someone round here will know. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippiebg Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Yup, I pretty much agree with whats already been said. However once built the only really noticable errors (to me anyway) are that the windows and engines do look too low. I don't recall that it needed loads of filler though. BAC, yes, forgot the Airfix engines hoovering up the ground. The Revell ones tend to do the same, 'coz the flimsy bloody wing droops something rotten (you end up with something with a Tupolev stance, with bird of prey wings). Next time, I'll try making "spars" from paperclips or something... And you're right, not much filling to the Airfix. Revell needs a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric2020 Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 I do have the KC-10 and the one from Airfix as well. One I have nearly completed and the other still in the box. I do remember that the airfix is better of the two Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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