Wonderland Models Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 (edited) The new tool 1/72 Gloster Gladiator from Airfix is due into stock tomorrow. We received an advance copy so we have uploaded some sprue shots for you. The kit comes in two sprues, plus one for the clear parts.http://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/airfix-172-gloster-gladiator-mki/ There are 2 sprues of partsĀ - sprue A. The kit only comes with the 2-bladed propellerAnd logically enough Sprue B. This has options for weighted and non-weighted tyres.The clear parts include options for open and closed canpoies and there are 2 different windscreen designs. Decal options are for the Shuttleworth Collection's aircraft in the markings of K7985 73 Squadron and aircraft 26 of the Irish Air Corps in 1940.One nice touch in the instructions is the inclusion of a rigging diagram. Edited May 30, 2013 by Wonderland Models Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selwyn Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 (edited) Looks really good and really well detailed, and all for less than Ā£8. (Are you listening Hasegawa!) Interesting feature on the interplane struts. when looking at the instructions. Although its not too clear on the scans, it looks like the inner frame between the struts on the sprue makes sure you get them all correctly aligned and at the correct angle when gluing to the bottom wings, this allows you to get the Top wing on correctly, and when its all dried in place you just chop them out!(see step 24 on the instructions) looks like a good idea! Selwyn Edited May 30, 2013 by Selwyn 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Mmmm! I'll deffo do the Irish option. Something a bit 'different'. Looking at the undercarriage does the leg slot positively into the fuselage recess? Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Interestingly, the Gladiator with skis (presumably with an extra sprue) is being shown on the Airfix website at the same price: http://www.airfix.com/airfix-products/new-for-2013/aircraft-172-scale/a02063-gloster-gladiator-plus-skis-172-a02063/?searchguid=2013530165845&resultspage=&sortorder= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 also like the idea with the inner struts fixed to the front fuselage cover. With these four struts perfectly aligned it shouldn't be a problem to attach the interplane struts without the bracket, as the wing is already aligned by the inner struts. I feel that cutting the braces away may be a bit tricky... The Matchbox AW Siskin uses the same principle, and the alignment of the two wings was very easy! well done, Airfix! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Millman Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Looks really good and really well detailed, and all for less than Ā£8. (Are you listening Hasegawa!) Interesting feature on the interplane struts. when looking at the instructions. Although its not too clear on the scans, it looks like the inner frame between the struts on the sprue makes sure you get them all correctly aligned and at the correct angle when gluing to the bottom wings, this allows you to get the Top wing on correctly, and when its all dried in place you just chop them out!(see step 24 on the instructions) looks like a good idea! Selwyn It would be a good idea if the sprue gates were not stronger and thicker than the struts! Not looking forward to cutting them off or cleaning the struts up in situ. So far the fine parts have needed a great deal of care when detaching from the sprues and a lot of clean up. It is not always obvious where the sprue ends and the part starts! I came within a whisker of permanently damaging the near scale canopy post in trying to detach the cockpit rear bulkhead and then trying to clean up the resultant bur. The sprue pics above show the challenge very clearly. The cockpit assembly is also not as positive as expected but looks excellent once it is together and painted. Cutting out the cockpit access door was not easy either and the fuselage split as I was doing it. Fortunately the open door is a separate part and I suggest the unwanted plastic is nibbled away carefully rather than attempting to cut it out along the panel lines as no concession appears to have been made in the thickness of the plastic where it is designed to be cut. I recommend patience, great care and a very sharp knife when detaching and preparing the smaller parts for assembly. And don't forget to install the fuselage guns before offering the cockpit assembly up to the fuselage - Step 5. It's obvious really but after the access door alarums I still managed to miss it! Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misterfriend Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 The gladiator having internally sprung wheels it's nice that they've included different wheels for in-flight or on the ground. Can't wait to get my hands on one of these. Let's hope Pheon release their 1/48 decal sheet in 1/72 for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 I'll definitely be buying one. No telling what markings I'll be using, as I wish to do a camouflaged WWII version and I may nick the Irish decals to do an Irish Hind (although they do look a bit small for a Hind). I do have a desire to build a Soviet Gladiator (yes, the Soviets used them - "absorbed" Latvian Gladiators) - certainly no shortage of Soviet stars on my part. Regards, Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Great to see the canopy options, Sir! Very useful for building a full range of Gladiator subjects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 I'll definitely be buying one. No telling what markings I'll be using, as I wish to do a camouflaged WWII version and I may nick the Irish decals to do an Irish Hind (although they do look a bit small for a Hind). I do have a desire to build a Soviet Gladiator (yes, the Soviets used them - "absorbed" Latvian Gladiators) - certainly no shortage of Soviet stars on my part. Regards, Jason My first will be a 33 Sqdn example in Palestine, and the next a Chinese 28th sqdn machine. I may bite the bullet and order from Hannants for this.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 The gladiator having internally sprung wheels it's nice that they've included different wheels for in-flight or on the ground. Can't wait to get my hands on one of these. Let's hope Pheon release their 1/48 decal sheet in 1/72 for it. Hi, saw the model in Boswells today, in Oxford. Not my scale so passed, but having just built a 48th Glad for Pheon - I saw this thread. I think its safe to say that the Pheon sheets will be released in 1/72nd. It does look like a lovely little model though.Nice to see a decent rigging diagram as well - in sections which is a nice touch as it helps clarify things no end. Just a note here - no turnbuckles required - your late 30s biplanes had moved on a tad!! Plus I'd mix silver with a little white or pale grey to give you the overall pale aluminiun paint that Glads were finished in. Humbrol No 11 will be just too "silver". I notice that the other boxing has Pattle's 1940 camouflaged Egypt based aeroplane as its decal option. Perhaps it would scale up to 1/48th too? Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 My first will be a 33 Sqdn example in Palestine, and the next a Chinese 28th sqdn machine. I may bite the bullet and order from Hannants for this.... There were some pics recently of Chinese Glads with aluminium painted wings and the dark green fuselages, rather than overal dark green. If I can remember where I saw them, I'll post... Jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamwalker Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Wonder if a Sea Gladiator is on the cards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 There were some pics recently of Chinese Glads with aluminium painted wings and the dark green fuselages, rather than overal dark green. If I can remember where I saw them, I'll post... Jonners I would be very curious to see that, Sir. It would be new information, to put it mildly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 I would be very curious to see that, Sir. It would be new information, to put it mildly. yeah - I know and I'm struggling to think where i saw them. Im away for the weekend from tomorrow but let me get back to you. jonners Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I thought the only photo was a blurred one of an example being erected in a graveyard. IIRC Scale Aircraft Models had it in their Aircraft Profile many moons ago. Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPAD64 Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I'm disapointed by decals option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I'm disapointed by decals option. So, which is more important - a really good kit with (you think) hackneyed decals or a mediocre kit with eight Cartograf markings alternatives? There will be so many 3rd party decal alternatives that posting a complaint about the kit markings, as your only comment on the new Gladiator is... well, I'll refrain from commenting. Joachim 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Millman Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 The first deliveries to Ireland had green fuselages and aluminium wings but I've never seen that scheme suggested for the Chinese Gladiators in any of the documented sources. It is an interesting possibility. There are at least four known photos of Gladiators in Chinese service and two were reproduced in Andrew Thomas' 'Gladiator Aces' for Osprey but none of them are especially clear. The one showing an aircraft being wheeled out after assembly does show a "light" coloured leading edge on the lower wing that might be interpreted as aluminium but all the Chinese sources have them painted initially in overall dark green. One photograph (see links below) shows an aircraft with "light" coloured struts and undercarriage legs which have been interpreted as the under surface light blue in a later two-tone scheme. Personally I doubt there was much time to re-paint them once they entered service but there are two distinct differences in the way the four-digit aircraft numbers are displayed - with either large white numbers on the fuselage sides or small numbers on the fin. A single colour painting showing Chin Shui-Tin in Gladiator 2809 ramming an A5M with his undercarriage on 3rd August 1938 over Liang Chia-tien, Hupei, depicts a dark green scheme with standard blue/white sun insignia on both wings, blue/white rudder stripes, large white fuselage numbers and a red spinner. Major Chin claimed 5 destroyed and 3 damaged in the Gladiator. Wong Sun-Shui also had claims for 5 destroyed and 2 damaged in the Gladiator. Both pilots were American citizens with Cantonese parents who were taught to fly privately in the USA and then volunteered to join the Cantonese Air Force. The Cantonese Air Force was absorbed into the (Nationalist) Chinese Air Force in July 1936. More about Chinese gladiators here:- http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/gladiator_china.htm and here:- http://cwlam2000.0catch.com/caf34.htm There are decals available for various Chinese Gladiators from Bestfong and previously from Kora with a resin spinner-less prop. The new Airfix kit usefully has a separate spinner as some Chinese Gladiators were flown without it. Definitely worth modelling as the Gladiator's combat debut was in Chinese service and their story is a fascinating one that I shall be featuring at my blog shortly. Nick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I'm disapointed by decals option. How and why? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPAD64 Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 How and why?firstly It's a good news this new gladiator, cheaper and more available than sword one.for the decal option , I believe that the first one is the same than the old matchbox .I'll hope more exotic... maybe in future box.But I'll catch one when I'll find it in France . Ludo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I think it's highly unrealistic to expect Airfix to put out a new mainstream kit without markings that the target market can relate to. Given that this - - is the Gladiator that will be seen by most people who see one at an airshow, and one of only two airworthy in the world, the choice of kit markings is obviously a good one to encourage sales of the kit to the general public What does it matter whether the Matchbox kit had similar markings? There's a slew of after-market options available for the small minority of Airfix buyers who want "more exotic" options, and even within the kit box there is an exotic option in the form of the Irish one. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 IIRC this is the first Irish AF decal option in a 1/72 mainstream Gladiator kit (I am tempted): "Old " Airfix: RAF Matchbox: RAF & SwAF Frog: RAF & Norwegian AF Heller: RAF & Swedish F16 volunteer regiment in Finland Heller for Sweden: SwAF Heller for Finland: FAF Encore: RAF, SwAF, Norwegian (with insignia red and blue swapped), Lithuanian, Latvian, Chinese Revell (ex-Matchbox): RAF & RAAF Sword: RAF Did I miss anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPAD64 Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 nevermind I'll wait for a Mk II Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hwallen1410 Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 A decent Gladiator for less than Ā£8, what is there to moan about. Keep it up Airfix..... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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