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Which 1/72nd scale Vampire fighter is the best?


MarkoZG

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As I never had a chance to see a comparison between Heller, Amodel and recent Special Hobby, I would like to ask you guys which one is the most accurate for 1/72nd scale?

Looking forward to your answers.

Thanks.

Marko

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The Special Hobby/Xtrakit/Azur Vampires are really nice and much more detailed than the Heller kit. I don't know how they stack up accuracy-wise against the alternatives, but nothing leapt out at me as glaringly wrong.

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I

The Special Hobby/Xtrakit/Azur Vampires are really nice and much more detailed than the Heller kit. I don't know how they stack up accuracy-wise against the alternatives, but nothing leapt out at me as glaringly wrong.

I quite like this kit as well, however the intakes do seem a little off to my eye.

If you can live with this (I'm not sure if I can yet), the rest looks quite good.

Cheers.. Dave.

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I

I quite like this kit as well, however the intakes do seem a little off to my eye.

If you can live with this (I'm not sure if I can yet), the rest looks quite good.

Cheers.. Dave.

The F.3 boxing features corrected intakes as well as an intake option to make the FB.9.

Don't forget the Dragon/Cyber Hobby - or perhaps do. The Heller is accurate, if a little dated in surface finish. I don't feel any need to try the others - I did buy the Dragon because of the squadron markings but prefer the Heller.

In one of the several interminable threads on the Xtrakit/MPM/Azur/Bobsyeruncle Vampire, it was suggested that the Heller kit was too short in the nose. I have no idea if this is correct.

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The F.3 boxing features corrected intakes as well as an intake option to make the FB.9 .

That'll be right... I wonder if I could send the SH guys an email requesting the new intakes - although I've purchased the Xtrakit FB.5 version which kind of confuses it a bit!!

I'd be keen to get the FB.9 intake but still need the correct one for the other side..

Cheers.. Dave.

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I'm puzzled; did the Vampire see service in WWII?

Was just wondering that myself, as I just grabbed an Airfix T.11 (which will be Rhodesian). Maybe there was another type of aircraft also called a Vampire that served in WW2 (I'm thinking of the De Havilland, obviously).

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I'm puzzled; did the Vampire see service in WWII?

Prototype first flight on 26 September 1943; first production Vampire I on 20 April 1945. Entered service with 247 Squadron in March 1946.

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I am currently making, and just about to finish a Heller Vampire. The parts fit is very good, just a little filler required to blend in the join to the wing for the separate intake parts. It is an old kit and has raised panel lines. It is also a little short on some of the details that come in Special Hobby kit, but mine only cost a £5 so you get what you pay for. It looks good to me and I'm happy with it, I will pick up a few more whenever I see them.

For my money the Heller is a very good representation of the original.

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Last week I made the detailed comparison of four latest Vampire FB 5 offerings in 72nd scale, namely Heller, Dragon-Cyber Hobby, Amodel and Special Hobby/MPM. I had no chance to include ancient FROG kit in this "competition", but it's overall crudeness should perhaps prevent anybody from bothering with it (although maybe in some areas it could be shapewise better than some of the recent kits).

I'd like to share the results of my work with you at the BM, but dozens of photos and hundreds of measurements have to be properly elaborated - it will take some time, not longer than a week I hope. Fortunately I have the opportunity to take the measures of the real aircraft at the museum and - it's a pity to say - NEITHER kit is perfect. What's more, the dimensional inaccuracies are horrible.

So, Gentlemen, would you please wait another week to find the mentioned quadruple inbox review within the Cold War section of the Modelling Discussion.

PS. Speaking very shortly IMHO the closest to real thing (dimensionally and shape-wise) is one by Special Hobby/MPM

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Thanks KRK4m,

This will be a good comparison of the available kits out there so I look forward to it.

One quick question if I may - do you know if the new revised intakes that come with the SH F.3 kit are interchangeable from left to right wing etc. I have a copy of the Xtrakit FB5 (with dodgy intakes) and was just wondering If I was to use the FB.9 extended intake, could I get away with using the smaller right F3/FB5 intake on the left hand side?

I've sent a PM to Petr at MPM models to see if he can supply the new replacement intakes, however if he cannot help then I might be able to request some unused intakes from the generous modellers here on BM?

Cheers and thanks.. Dave.

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Hi Gents,

I'm guessing that the focus here is on injection moulded Vampires, which is a shame as it would be worth checking out the CMR range of Vampires and indeed Venoms in resin as they are simply exquisite.

I've built most of the range now, which covers pretty much every variation produced.

I know that many people "fear" resin kits (for no reason in my experience), but it would be poor form to leave the most accurate kits available out of the discussion.

Cheers

Col'

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Thank you all for your replies and especially KRK4m, I am looking forward to your comparison.

So do I but I know for sure that the CMR kit is the most accurate, followed by the MPM ( czech-chinese ) CMR reproduction.

The old ( very ) Heller kit is still far better (shapewise) than the "Hi-Tech" Dragon that may look like a vampire after a glass or two.

Budget wise go MPM.

Shape, details and quality wise go CMR (if you really are in love with the Vampire) .

Go Heller if you really are on a very tight budget and do not care too much about the details..

Forget the Dragon heap of styrene..

Madcop :winkgrin:

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I'm puzzled; did the Vampire see service in WWII?

I know, I know... I started building again the kits that I built when a teenager (a long time ago now) and was sure I'd stick to WWII. Mostly things with props then.

Then I saw a Gloster Whittle. So cute, and a milestone. And an ME262. No props, but still OK.

Then a TSR2 kit looking lonely at a show - you have to rescue it don't you.

Then a Lightning to accompany that (not a T2, couldn't find one easily so have Airfix F2).

Then an anniversary Tornado to go with the Dambuster Lancaster.

Now, like a 'person' (being PC here) drawn to the shiny rocks in jewellers' windows, I'm thinking that early jets might be acceptable. Maybe. And I have lots of metal paint / lacquer / AK to use up.

So I think you must excuse the abuse by some members using the WWII forum for things that are shiny, cute, or just plain (plane?) desirable.

The torture they will go through deciding how to display them will be punishment enough!

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It was conceived, designed, flown, ordered into production, and resources devoted to commencing said production during WWII- I'd call that close enough!

Besides, I like them, so :bleh: ! (Except I do think the two-seaters rather lumpy...)

There, a left-brain, right-brain response. Looking forward to the comprehensive analysis, even though my version of that problem is 1/48. Until, of course, somebody does a 1/32 one. I'd even make an exception for 1/24- Airfix, are you listening?

bob

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Then I saw a Gloster Whittle. So cute, and a milestone. And an ME262. No props, but still OK.

Then a TSR2 kit looking lonely at a show - you have to rescue it don't you.

Then a Lightning to accompany that (not a T2, couldn't find one easily so have Airfix F2).

Then an anniversary Tornado to go with the Dambuster Lancaster.

Now, like a 'person' (being PC here) drawn to the shiny rocks in jewellers' windows, I'm thinking that early jets might be acceptable. Maybe. And I have lots of metal paint / lacquer / AK to use up.

Don't forget the Gloster Meteor, which actually did enter squadron service before the end of the war, the Bell P-59, Lockheed P-80, and Nakajima Kikka, all of which flew during WW2.

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Gnnnaaaa! Now there's more to go on my wish list!

Looking at some images of those, what's this - belt and braces??!!

8040427106_11545b291e_z.jpg

Edit: And then I searched t'internet for WWII jets and found this: http://www.ww2pacific.com/jethist.html. "Little known fact: Over two thousand jet aircraft were in existence before the end of War Two"!!!

Luckily not over 2000 types!

Just when you thought it was safe to...

I may do a list of models available... although the Ju 287 looks like something one of you guys could knock up?

"The first prototype was intended to evaluate the concept, and was cobbled together from the fuselage of an He 177 A-5, the tail of a Ju 388, main undercarriage from a Ju 352, and nosewheels taken from crashed B-24 Liberators. Two of the Jumo 004 engines were hung under the wings, with the other two mounted in nacelles added to the sides of the forward fuselage."

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hi

Curiosity, what was the old frog kit like, i still have one somewhere.

Cheers

Jerry

Typical Frog kit, reasonable in shape (though I haven't taken to mine with the verniers )

No cockpit cept for the chap protecting his bits, the undercarriage etc is rough as guts.

I've fiddled with putting a Pavla cockpit in, it seems to fit ok.

Edited by NAVY870
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