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New Airfix Me 262


kev67

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13 minutes ago, Work In Progress said:

  The 1970s Airfix Mosquito kit is more accurate in shape than the Tamiya one, though of course I accept it is less easy to throw together for the unskilled modeller.

 

I think that this needs qualifying.  For a long time I had doubts over the Tamiya wing, but Mark Gauntlett's plans in Dave Brown's "Mosquito FB.VI Airframe, systems and RAF wartime usage"  do suggest that Tamiya - who did spend a lot of time measuring the example(s) in the Mosquito Museum - have got it right and yes, all the others are based on incorrect plans.  At the time I was not concerned with the fuselage, but perhaps comments on different kits' accuracies need re-assessing there too.  Eyeballing, I I have long thought that the Airfix kit was correct in being rounder at the front of the bombbay, but incorrect in not being flatter at the rear.   The only part of the Airfix kit that presents any problems to unskilled modellers is the undercarriage, which is downright fiddly, but I have managed to make three so far.  The canopy is indeed poor (too long, too thick) and needs replacing.  This wouldn't seem to be enough to demand a new tooling- particularly when considering the alternative possibilities - but Mosquitos can be considered as sure sellers.

 

However, can we get back to the Me262?  It would seem remarkably easy for Airfix to cope with the fighter, bomber and recce versions with little trouble.  To restrict themselves to a single fighter boxing would seem foolishly restrictive.  This really only leaves oddballs and the two-seaters if AZ wished to be distinctive, but surely the market will cope happily with more than one Me262, if not releaswed simultaneously?

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On 05/10/2016 at 1:56 PM, Nick Millman said:

 

The old Airfix Beaufighter was not that inaccurate. It had poor cowlings, lacked detail and had the old style surface treatment but it was never irredeemable. 

 

Nick

Well, I agree that no kit is irredeemable, but we'll have to disagree on the old Beau being, "not that inaccurate".  Horses for courses, of course, but I have the old Airfix, Matchbox, Frog & more recent Hase examples in my cabinet, together with the new Airfix and the old Airfix is very clearly underscale in fuse length, chord and wingspan, together with a very underdepth rear fuse in front of the fin compared to all the others and incorrect (for a TFX) short span dihedral tailplane.  

 

I like building and correcting old kits, and I would happily build (and correct) the old Frog and Matchbox ones again, but imho, without major surgery to all major airframe components, the ol' Airfix kit just isn't close.

 

Regards

 

Martin

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On 10/5/2016 at 3:24 PM, Eric Mc said:

Does it still have access to the Heller 1/72 Tempest mould - which is a nice mid 70s kit. I built it from its Airfix boxing.

 

mXp38M8h.jpg

That's a very attractive result Eric.  The Heller Tempest is still my favourite in 1/72 despite the presence of the Academy kit.

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11 hours ago, mike romeo said:

Well, I agree that no kit is irredeemable, but we'll have to disagree on the old Beau being, "not that inaccurate".  Horses for courses, of course, but I have the old Airfix, Matchbox, Frog & more recent Hase examples in my cabinet, together with the new Airfix and the old Airfix is very clearly underscale in fuse length, chord and wingspan, together with a very underdepth rear fuse in front of the fin compared to all the others and incorrect (for a TFX) short span dihedral tailplane.  

 

I like building and correcting old kits, and I would happily build (and correct) the old Frog and Matchbox ones again, but imho, without major surgery to all major airframe components, the ol' Airfix kit just isn't close.

 

Regards

 

Martin

 

Well, yes, but I did say "not that inaccurate" rather than asserting that it was accurate and I guess the degree of acceptance for its inaccuracies is subjective! 

 

I agree about the Frog and also prefer it to the old Airfix too but the latter was an older kit anyway. 

 

Many have built the old one and made it look good. I particularly admire "haldane's" in flight example below. Sorry for the cliché but "it looks like a Beau to me"!  Inaccurate against plans and in dimensions?  Yes, I don't doubt you, but all kits eventually are aren't they, even the latest releases! I can think of only a very few that have survived without a whinge when the dreaded plans and rulers come out.

 

http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=39821&start=120

 

Regards

Nick

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On 05/10/2016 at 3:24 PM, Eric Mc said:

Does it still have access to the Heller 1/72 Tempest mould - which is a nice mid 70s kit. I built it from its Airfix boxing.

 

mXp38M8h.jpg

 

Moulds last seem in the hands of SMER, I think, and still available from them.  Think Tiger Hobbies are the UK importers.  I'm with Joseph Lalor in preferring it to the Academy kit.

 

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19 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

 

 

However, can we get back to the Me262? 

 

or re-title this thread!

 

Looking forward to seeing what Airfix can do with a new 262, would almost certainly be a massive worldwide seller..with some detailing in the fuselage cannon bays and open gear wells and why not a mini-Jumo with detachable cowlings. 

 

And they don't necessarily need to do a Dogfight Double with a Mossie or P-51. A Lancaster would be an interesting option. I corresponded with 'Timo' Schenk who flew with III./JG 7, where after a handful of training flights he flew an R4M rocket-toting 262 for the last few months of the war. He vividly recalled launching salvoes against RAF Lancasters by day, especially on 31 March 1945 when he claimed one shot down. He followed this with a B-24 four days later...

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41 minutes ago, Seahawk said:

 

Moulds last seem in the hands of SMER, I think, and still available from them.  Think Tiger Hobbies are the UK importers.  I'm with Joseph Lalor in preferring it to the Academy kit.

 

 

Me too. The wing in particular.

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20 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

 

However, can we get back to the Me262?  It would seem remarkably easy for Airfix to cope with the fighter, bomber and recce versions with little trouble.  

 

A twoseat nightfighter / trainer would also seem a safe bet. 

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

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21 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

 

 

Excuse the above: this comes from an earlier attempt when my connection failed, and now I can't get rid of it.

 

A two-seater would require a new fuselage or a split between upper and lower fuselages, with a new top, canopies, and interiors.  Jo Han did this, of course, but it is still rather more work than a choice of noses.  The radar aerials would add more.

 

When Hasegawa take this approach they are criticised for the excessive modularity making assembly more difficult (for some people).

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Airfix really have upped their game in the past few years, it is indeed time to replace their older kits like the ME262. I am pleased to see them attempting this aircraft again

 

Mo money mo money!

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  • 11 months later...
On ‎10‎/‎7‎/‎2016 at 5:16 AM, Nick Millman said:

 

Have you seen all the add-ons people buy for even newly issued kits? You can find plenty of add ons for the Tamiya and Hasegawa Mosquitos. Using vacform canopies is no measure of a kit's merit since many modellers prefer them and most kits don't come with them. 

 

The Airfix Mosquito is not a 2016 kit - it was released in 1972 -  44 years ago. The links, photos and comments about it are testament to its enduring merit. Is it perfect? No. But it's not the dog that you are accusing it of being. Your comments about it are just Airfix-bashing hyperbole. 

 

 

And then there is the really old Airfix Mosquito VI series two in a bag - first kit in series two. 

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