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1/144 Lockheed Tristar, Eastern Express RELEASED


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Personally, I can live without the side windows - I prefer decals although I appreciate not everybody's cup of tea. Still, huge variety of schemes to choose from. Court Line & B-Cal would be great! A new DC-10/MD-11 would be nice as well.

Allan

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The very early Tristars had narrow doors 4L/4R, early engine afterbody and long exhaust cone. Perhaps that's the reason they tooled a separate rear section, to allow for a 2nd rear section for later "long" Tristars that incorporated the whole deal (wide 4L/4R doors, late engine afterbody, short exhaust cone and freezbee fairing)?

Or it's moulding limitations, for example an injection machine which do not accept big enough mold cavities, resulting in multi-section fuselage parts, "à la Eastern Express Antonov An-22 C o c k".

Anyway, even if it is a copy of the Otaki kit, I'm still interested, the recessed details look like an improvement over the Japanese kit.

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I was interested until I found out the side windows are decals.

I would normally agree, but considering the vast majority of airliner kits always mess - being polite - up the windows (Revell 737, A350, Zvezda A320...) not having windows is now becoming a bit of good thing for me.

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Same here, plus we're now getting realistic pax windows decals from Authentic Airliners and other brands, I like this trend and the 1st ones are especially well designed and realistic as well as beautifully printed.

AA's Tristar kit will most certainly be very accurate but I still think there's a market for EE's cheaper kit.

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I would normally agree, but considering the vast majority of airliner kits always mess - being polite - up the windows (Revell 737, A350, Zvezda A320...) not having windows is now becoming a bit of good thing for me.

I don't know the problems with those kits but I'd rather have slightly dodgy windows than decals. I don't know why anyone would prefer decals over proper windows. They don't look at all realistic and they're just bits of paper.

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I don't know the problems with those kits but I'd rather have slightly dodgy windows than decals. I don't know why anyone would prefer decals over proper windows. They don't look at all realistic and they're just bits of paper.

For myself, I prefer decal Windows on airliners for two reasons. First is laziness, I simply don't want to mask dozens of tiny little Windows. And second, clear bits almost always look wayyyy to thick in 1/144 scale. Really good ones look about a foot thick and the bad one several feet thick.

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For myself, I prefer decal Windows on airliners for two reasons. First is laziness, I simply don't want to mask dozens of tiny little Windows. And second, clear bits almost always look wayyyy to thick in 1/144 scale. Really good ones look about a foot thick and the bad one several feet thick.

Masking won't take long with a bit of Blu Tac. It's easier doing small airliner windows than something like a Ju 88 canopy. And I don't think you notice the windows being thick once they're in place. They still look miles better than decals and light doesn't hit flat bits of paper in the same way it does with clear plastic.

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031-1.jpg015-2.jpg

I don't know the problems with those kits but I'd rather have slightly dodgy windows than decals. I don't know why anyone would prefer decals over proper windows. They don't look at all realistic and they're just bits of paper.

In such a small scale, I think the windows are a waste of space. As for realism?. Well,the attached photos will show that (from a fairly short distance ) the windows on the real article look just like decals!!. :D .Personally, I'm lazy. anything for an easy life. If the kit DID have windows, I would putty them over and sand them smooth. Guess this is one argument that will run and run. Horses for courses my friend.. Just a thought - if you prefer the windows and don't like the kit clear parts, have you used Kristal Kleer in the apertures?

Allan

Edited by Albeback52
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The main reason why I prefer window decals to genuine cabin windows on 1/144 airliners is "window frames". Many airliners have polished metal/chrome window surrounds which are just impossible to replicate when the windows are holes punched in the side of the fuselage. I actually fill and paint over windows on those kits (such as the Airfix Skyking series) where window apertures are provided.

Flight deck windows often have metal surrounds as well and I just think they look so much better when replicated by decals. It also means that incorrect window shapes (which are common on airliner kits) can be easilly corrected.

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