Eastern express 1/144 kit

[SHAR67]

Hi all

does any of you know how good the 1/144 eastern express B737 is as I was thinking of buying a Lufthansa B737-200

Clive

[feoffee2]

It depends how much time you want to spend filling a sanding?

The parts don't go together well but I made a jet 2 737-300 and it makes a nice little model with a bit of time and effort.

But if you want a 737-200 get the airfix one it is much better.

Thanks

[SHAR67]

Cheers fella The airfix one comes at a price for the Lufthansa kit but if the new release has any inbox views I might try one.

Clive

[garryrussell]

The Airfix kit is the same one it's always been.

A straight re release with new decals in a new box.

[SHAR67]

Hi Gary

I've never had one never been an airliner modeller but I've been working on the real things for years and it's only now I fancy a classic or two but I'm just not going to pay the collectors money for one.

Clive

[Skodadriver]

Personally I'd go with Airfix plus a set of BraZ JT8D engines if you want to do the Advanced version. Airfix 737s turn up regularly on Ebay and you can occasionally nab a bargain. The Eastern Express "B732" kit has oddly shaped wings among other issues. The Airfix kit is less work than EE and doesn't need the wings sorted.

The EE B737 Classics (733, 734, 735) are completely unrelated to their 732. They are "heavily influenced" by the Minicraft kit and not worth thinking about when the DACO kit is readily available.

[SHAR67]

Thanks for that skoda that's a great help.

The other plane I'm looking to get is a VC-10 but again the prices on eBay are to high, I defo don't want to pay silly money for a kit I'm going to build but it's the earlier the kit the better the fit so I've been told and it's the BOAC version I would like to build.

Clive

[Skodadriver]

You really need to pay the going rate for the civilian Airfix VC-10. You might occasionally come across a tanker version going a bit cheaper but you need to remove the boom fairing and fill various holes for other bits of the refuelling gear Also, the tanker version has most of the windows filled in, not a problem if you're happy with window decals but a big deal if you want open windows! Welsh Models do the VC-10 in both Standard and Super versions. Both kits have vacform fuselages with resin flying surfaces and engines.

[garryrussell]

Clive..that's what I mean..the current Airfic is the same kit.

If you wnat LH then AM should be availiable,

the Lufthansa decal in the kit wrere not good. Not very comprehensive..not sure if they even had door surrounds..and the reg was D-LUFT.

[pinky coffeeboat]

I think both F-dcal and 26 Decals offer sheets for LH 737-200. I know F-dcal do as is used them very recently for a nostalgia build (I had the Airfix Lufthansa kit years ago and fancied doing it again).

As Skodadriver mentions, it would be worthwhile getting some aftermarket engines for the kit as the Airfix ones are a bit thin. I've got the Authentic Airliners resin but haven't used them. They're lovely but there's no guarantee they'll fit the Airfix kit (well that's what's stated in their website) and having scratched my head over how to fit the AA JT3C engines for the Roden 720, I don't doubt them.

Jeff

[SHAR67]

Cheers guys

wow so much help I've always admired the finish you guys get on airliner kits and this is just great thanks a bunch for the help from everyone.

It is the Airfix civil VC-10 I'm looking for it might be a long wait but it will be worth it as my granddad was chief airframe engineer at the Vickers works at Weybridge back in the day, so its a kind of personal thing for me.

Clive

[feoffee2]

Cheers guys

wow so much help I've always admired the finish you guys get on airliner kits and this is just great thanks a bunch for the help from everyone.

It is the Airfix civil VC-10 I'm looking for it might be a long wait but it will be worth it as my granddad was chief airframe engineer at the Vickers works at Weybridge back in the day, so its a kind of personal thing for me.

Clive

Kingkit have one on for £29 but I think you could find it cheaper

[SHAR67]

Well I had a bit of a bargain got an Airfix B737 Lufthansa and a BA Vickers Vanguard yesterday, all I need now is the red square BEA decals in 1/144 for the vanguard does anyone know where I could get a set and how much.

Clive

[Skodadriver]

26 Decals did the Vanguard red square scheme although I don't think it's currently available. They also do the Speedjack scheme which their website says is being reprinted:

http://www.26decals.com/epages/62035508.sf/en_GB/?ObjectID=6601275&ViewAction=ViewProduct

Your best bet is to contact Ray at 26 and check what his plans are.

[Eric Mc]

Liveries Unlimited (Jennings Hellig's old decal business) did a very nice set of red square Vanguard markings for the Airfix kit.

You might find a set for sale somewhere.

On the subject of the Airfix 737, the original decals were printed before Lufthansa had taken delivery of their first Series 200 737s (they originally ordered Series 100s). and that is why Airfix used a fictitious registration (D-LUFT as mentioned above).

The kit depicts the early Series 200 which had Pratt and Whitney JT8Ds which featured blow in doors around the air intake. These are represented on the kit with raised lines.

[SHAR67]

Cheers guys thanks for the heads up, are the 26 decals of good quality and where would I find both decals being sold do they both have web pages.

Clive

[feoffee2]

Cheers guys thanks for the heads up, are the 26 decals of good quality and where would I find both decals being sold do they both have web pages.

Clive

I don't think liveries unlimted exist anymore but airline hobby supplies do some I think and you can buy 26 decals from hannants or there own website.

http://kzavn.hupcg.servertrust.com/category-s/2172.htm

http://www.26decals.com/

[pinky coffeeboat]

I remember an old issue of Scale Aircraft Modelling from 1990 (ish) featured the Welsh Models Vanguard kit build in red square BEA colours. The fuselage cheat line was masked and the modeller (who didn't put his name to the article) cut round a Humbrol tin to mask the nose curve as he found it gave the correct curvature. Just suggesting that in case the decals prove difficult to get. The red squares shouldn't be too hard to paint, leaving just the lettering.

Not much help I know and neither is me telling you I've got the Liveries Unlimited sheet.

You could try Classic-Airlines.com as they have a laser printed Viscount sheet in red square colours. I'm not sure of the size differences but it could be worth a look and you may be able to use the BEA letters and adapt to the Vanguard?

Jeff

[Skodadriver]

Cheers guys thanks for the heads up, are the 26 decals of good quality and where would I find both decals being sold do they both have web pages.

Clive

26 decals are generally of very good quality. Some of their decals are laser printed and some are silk screened, the latter generally being easier to use. Their website tells you which sheets are which - follow the link in my previous post. They sell directly and their mail order is usually very good.

Apart from 26 themselves your best source is probably Aviation Megastore in Amsterdam:

http://www.aviationmegastore.comshopid=LM4f8c7047e706364f37c24012e5

Their website is horribly clunky (the advanced search is pretty much the only way to find anything) but they have good stocks of civil decals and their mail order is excellent.

Hannants offer superb mail order and they stock many ranges of civil decals although not 26:

http://www.hannants.co.uk/

Airline Hobby Supplies (AHS) in the USA carry good stocks of civil decals:

http://kzavn.hupcg.servertrust.com/

Personally I have always found them good to deal with but others have reported problems:

http://www.airlinercafe.com/forums.php?m=posts&p=53396#53396

Edited August 1, 2014 by Skodadriver

[SHAR67]

Cheers skoda that's a great help I just hope I can get a hold of some BEA red square decals as those are the ones I remember as a small boy 😃

[Viking]

I remember an old issue of Scale Aircraft Modelling from 1990 (ish) featured the Welsh Models Vanguard kit build in red square BEA colours. The fuselage cheat line was masked and the modeller (who didn't put his name to the article) cut round a Humbrol tin to mask the nose curve as he found it gave the correct curvature.

Blimey, you remember that!

It was me who wrote that article as a first attempt, and the reason it was uncredited is/was a sore point. I sent it off, all paperwork stapled together with my details. Anyway, after publication I rang A W Hall and spoke to him. It was a very one sided conversation, lets just say that I didn't get a word in edgeways, and it was apparently all my fault that he detached my details and lost them. As newbie I was 'right put off' and it was a good 10 years before I had another go at writing an article, with a different magazine.

I figured I might still have that model somewhere, and had a look around the attic. Sure enough I found it in a box, where it must have been since I moved house 16 years ago. It's not suffered too badly. The white has yellowed a bit and the fuselage top & bottom seams have sort of developed a shadow, but it is still all complete.

It was 1989 when I built it, the mag came out in 1990. So after 25 years may I present for a second time;

Then I got thinking about the stash. After building this from the Welsh vac, Airfix re-released the kit, which in turn brought quite a few 'collectors' vanguards on the the market at reasonable prices. I got some, and the stash revealed these (not for sale!) this morning;

Remember when Airfix instructions had words as well?

Eeee, who said nostalgia isn't what it used to be?

Cheers

John

[Skodadriver]

I rang A W Hall and spoke to him. It was a very one sided conversation, lets just say that I didn't get a word in edgeways, and it was apparently all my fault that he detached my details and lost them.

Ah yes, the AW Hall experience. I know it's off topic but my sole contact with that "gentleman" was at the Scottish Nationals many years ago shortly after the show moved to Perth. I had parked my car in the underground car park beside the venue and when I returned to it I found my exit (and the exit of everyone else in the car park) obstructed by a scrappy looking Volvo which appeared to be held together by the paint. After stooging around for quite a while trying to locate the owner so that I could get on with my 70-odd mile journey home, another exhibitor told me he thought it belonged to Mr Hall who was apparently well known for that sort of thing. When I eventually located him and asked him to remove his vehicle I was treated with such rudeness that my jaw still drops when I think about it.

[SHAR67]

Glad it wasn't me he came up against as I would definitely of put him down and in the car like a piece of rubbish into a bin I don't stand for that kind of rudeness there's no need for it. Thanks for sharing your vanguard model it looks the biz Thank you.

Clive

Edited August 2, 2014 by SHAR67

[Viking]

I know what you mean Clive, but in my case I was so unprepared for it, and to be honest not expecting it. I thought I had phoned a fellow modeller and that we were going to have a pleasant chat. I wasn't all that bothered about my name not being put on the article, and just wanted to make friendly contact. But boy, did that guy put me off wanting to have anything more to do with him.

I found it strange because he did so much for the hobby, and produced some great articles and builds over the years. I admired and respected him up to that point, which was what made it all the more upsetting.

Still it was a long time ago now, but it did taint the hobby for quite a while for me.

[marty_hopkirk]

Just be aware that the Airfix Vanguard is not particularly accurate from memory the nose shape is wrong and so are the engines and exhausts, there are more but I can't remember what they are. The 'Speedjack' version is faux as it only flew as a freighter in that particular livery.

Marty...

Edited August 2, 2014 by marty_hopkirk