Airfix AEW Shackleton

[fatalbert]

Hi guys n gals,have just picked up the December issue of Airfix magazine that comes with a free calender and the June picture shows an AEW Shackleton. Looks like the  Revell AEW  kit will get some competition next year.

[PhantomBigStu]

just as I was considering buying the revell....

[Albeback52]

A bit late maybe? I would suspect that most of us (myself included) who wanted an AEW Shackleton have already bought the Revell kit. Perfectly understandable Airfix releasing one but, wonder of they might not have been better releasing a different version? Just a thought.  I am personally very reluctant to buy another Airfix Shackleton anyway. Absolute pig of a kit with horrendous fit problems. Fought it every inch of the way. Sure the AEW Shack will do well though.

 

Allan

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2016 by Albeback52

[fatalbert]

I was considering getting the Revell kit,I shall now await the Airfix one.Nothing against Revell,I just like Airfix.

[Albeback52]

10 minutes ago, fatalbert said:

I was considering getting the Revell kit,I shall now await the Airfix one.Nothing against Revell,I just like Airfix.

Fair comment! I like Airfix too but, the  Revell Shackleton was a much less painful build. Horses for courses I guess! If Revell were to produce another tail dragger version of the Shack, I would probably buy that in preference to Airfix!

 

Allan

[PhantomBigStu]

8 minutes ago, Albeback52 said:

Fair comment! I like Airfix too but, the  Revell Shackleton was a much less painful build. Horses for courses I guess! If Revell were to produce another tail dragger version of the Shack, I would probably buy that in preference to Airfix!

 

Allan

 

Tell me more, I may still buy the revell 

[Albeback52]

Just now, PhantomBigStu said:

 

Tell me more, I may still buy the revell 

I found the Revell kit a much easier build overall. Fit of parts was almost flawless - particularly the clear parts. Also, it is not as highly detailed inside as the Airfix kit. Revell have concentrated most of what detail is provided where it can be seen. Bomb bay,flaps and other visible internals ( I e undercarriage) are every bit as good as Airfix. Don't get me wrong. The Airfix kit is a beautiful  model (when built) but, I had so many problems with it that I would be very reluctant to buy another. It got to the point where building it became a chore instead of a pleasure. Now, that was just my personal experience. Others may not have been so unfortunate. I am not going to make any comments about accuracy or otherwise as, such things do not bother me. The Revell kit certainly looks every inch a Shackleton. You pays your money, you takes your choice!

 

Allan

[PhantomBigStu]

Thanks Albeback, just looked at the instructions as well, looks awesome, I have a 25 pound amazon voucher left over from my birthday for it

Edited November 2, 2016 by PhantomBigStu

[71chally]

Having done the Revell, and on my second Airfix I wouldn't touch the Airfix again, hard build, poor quality and has shape issues. The Revell is even cheaper and surface detail and plastic quality wise is up there with Japanese kits.

In fact I wish there was a conversion set consisting of long bomb doors to do the the Revell kit as an MR.2.

 

edit, I concur with all of Ablebacks findings

Edited November 2, 2016 by 71chally

[modelldoc]

When I was at the Nuremberg Roy Fair in 2015, Airfix present the Shackleton with the APS radar.

 

So nothing really news for that, but the problem is Revell has more options on this kit.

 

(MR.3 / MR.1)

 

modelldoc 

[Radleigh]

I'm waiting for the Airfix kit... won't rush out and get it though.

[Albeback52]

3 hours ago, 71chally said:

Having done the Revell, and on my second Airfix I wouldn't touch the Airfix again, hard build, poor quality and has shape issues. The Revell is even cheaper and surface detail and plastic quality wise is up there with Japanese kits.

In fact I wish there was a conversion set consisting of long bomb doors to do the the Revell kit as an MR.2.

 

edit, I concur with all of Ablebacks findings

At least I am not the only one who had problems!.

 

Allan

[janneman36]

Hi all, 

I really like it that they put the AEW in their range, the  radome of the Revell kit has some shape issues. 

And i sincerely think that after seeing the cads and pics from the test build of  the Airfix Shack that it's radome  is better then the Revell one .

I have a Revell radome and i wanted to make it fit on the Airfix kit but after a looking better at it i didn't do it ..

Those small details won't bother the most of us because a never saw a post about it.

But i noticed it and i bother and wrote to Airfix about the Revell shape and asked them to put it in their range..

They replyed to me that the would pass it on to the marketing division...

Thank you Airfix.

 

Everybody can thankfully make a choice about what you want to buy and build when you have different producers providing us the same kits.

I am also glad that don't have the same model of spause as my neighbour has he has the trumpeter modell

 

Bets regards, Jan a red box lover

Edited November 2, 2016 by janneman36

[Shane]

11 hours ago, 71chally said:

Having done the Revell, and on my second Airfix I wouldn't touch the Airfix again, hard build, poor quality and has shape issues.

 

 

Eh? Surely it's the Revell kit with the shape issues?

 

Shane

[The wooksta V2.0]

Apart from some slight issues with the fuselage, I never had much bother with the Airfix Shattipus and I've another three in the stash.  Conversely, I found the Revell kit to be the disappointment and it sits forlornly unfinished in a box until I can find some enthusiasm to finish it.

[71chally]

8 hours ago, janneman36 said:

I really like it that they put the AEW in their range, the  radome of the Revell kit has some shape issues. 

And i sincerely think that after seeing the cads and pics from the test build of  the Airfix Shack that it's radome  is better then the Revell one .

I have a Revell radome and i wanted to make it fit on the Airfix kit but after a looking better at it i didn't do it ..

 

 

Everybody can thankfully make a choice about what you want to buy and build when you have different producers providing us the same kits.

 

 

 

 

8 hours ago, Shane said:

 

Eh? Surely it's the Revell kit with the shape issues?

 

Shane

 

Out of interest Jan & Shane, what shape issues have you encountered with it?

 

 

I've been into Shacks all my grown life, and have been lucky enough to have been involved with the restoration/conversion of one MR/AEW.2 and had close encounters with others.  I have poured through manuals, and taken measurements.

I haven't encountered any noticeable shape issues with the Revell kit.

 

I take it you've seen this thread, worth taking your time for a read through

 

I think some of the negative comments about the Revell product came from certain quarters on this forum, just because it was a Revell product.

The Airfix kit is toy like in comparison, I initially brought three kits and was disappointed when they arrived, sold one immediately, built one and I have one in the WIP section currently being converted to an MR.1.  The conversion uses the Contrail vac parts, and the hardest part of the build is the Airfix kit parts.

My issues with the shape are with the centre to rear fuselage transition, spinners, and the fact the cabin windows are in the wrong position for option A of the kit (though they are right for an AEW), and the two main wheel halves having the same detail, and some MR minor details missing.

There are some really nice detail parts on the Airfix offering, as an example most of the pilots cockpit and front gunners position detail is better than the Revell kit.

It could be the batch of kits I had (though one came from a different retailer), but all have warping in the wings, and sink marks on a fuselage half, and the plastic is of a horrible quality.  Hopefully these last issues will be resolved if it becomes a UK produced kit.

 

I get that the building experience for two different kits for two different people won't be the same.

I absolutely agree with you Jan, in that we have a choice of two kits for which we are very lucky, it just happens that one is far superior than the other - and cheaper.

Edited November 3, 2016 by 71chally

[janneman36]

The  only thing i said is that the radome isn't shaped correctly..

The angle of the what i call cheaks is not right and the curvature to the aft is off.

The depht is right though and also the side view but these are minor things ....but not for me 

Both of these kits have a good thing for them going but also both of them have small ugly details so build what you like please .

I also build revell kits, build two of them lately (a spitfire and bf109 in 1/32) and won silver with both kits at modelshows.

So i am not trying to bash Revell kits i like them a lot , much better then the overpriced hasegawa's .

@James i must agree that i was also a little disapointed when i ripped the box open of my Airfix Shack, no radome ....

And you are right about that details ofthe Airfix offering..

In my honest opinion i think that Revell and Airfix could have done better in this arms race....

And the Airfix propellor construction is overly complicated, they should have done it the Revell way...much easyer for the not so gifted modeller and modeller with not so much spare building time.....

 

Happy modelling, Jan

Edited November 3, 2016 by janneman36

[71chally]

I must admit I can't spot any shape issue with the radome, and even checked it against the real thing which happens to be handy where I work.

But agree with a lot of what you say above.

[Thomas V.]

I can only confirm regarding "shape issue" of the radome that compared to all available plans+pictures its in fact spot on...if possible would like to see what is wrong....