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Vintage Airfix Kits


Crossiant Oliver

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On 23/11/2017 at 6:54 PM, VMA131Marine said:

I would not put the ICM Do 17Z over the Airfix kit in terms of accuracy or detail.

I raised an eyebrow at this one as well. 

 

While I didn't buy the latest ICM Do-17Z, I have it's big brother in 1/48 and understood it carried over that kit's deficiencies in terms of accuracy,

 

Cheers,

Bill.

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19 hours ago, old thumper said:

I find these old Airfix kits are more rewarding and enjoyable to build than a lot of the more modern ones that cost several times as much money. I have had Azur kits that looked as though they were moulded under a hedge by a bloke drunk on cheap cider. 

Agree 100%. AML and Valom kits also spring to mind as being particularly unforgiving,even with my best efforts. By the way I love cheap cider,nectar of the Gods!!!

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1 hour ago, Heraldcoupe said:

I raised an eyebrow at this one as well. 

 

While I didn't buy the latest ICM Do-17Z, I have it's big brother in 1/48 and understood it carried over that kit's deficiencies in terms of accuracy,

 

I would be interested in hearing more about the deficiencies of the ICM kit, but wouldn't want to derail OP's thread.  I'm currently building the Revell (nee ICM) Do 17Z-10 and it is possible that I have been seduced by the sharp delicate mouldings and exquisite fit, which are up there with Eduard IMHO.  Whereas the Airfix kit has soft and sometimes heavy detail and needs flash trimming, distorted parts bent back into shape, etc, which means it has scarcely made it out of the box so far.  I had however noticed that the Airfix kit is generously furnished with spare machine gun magazines of which the ICM kit has precisely none.  Maybe the ICM's kit's flaws will be more obvious to me when (or if) I complete an Airfix one to compare it with.   

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1 hour ago, Seahawk said:

I would be interested in hearing more about the deficiencies of the ICM kit, but wouldn't want to derail OP's thread.  I'm currently building the Revell (nee ICM) Do 17Z-10 and it is possible that I have been seduced by the sharp delicate mouldings and exquisite fit, which are up there with Eduard IMHO.  Whereas the Airfix kit has soft and sometimes heavy detail and needs flash trimming, distorted parts bent back into shape, etc, which means it has scarcely made it out of the box so far.  I had however noticed that the Airfix kit is generously furnished with spare machine gun magazines of which the ICM kit has precisely none.  Maybe the ICM's kit's flaws will be more obvious to me when (or if) I complete an Airfix one to compare it with.   

One big thing Airfix got right and ICM did not on any of their Do 17 or Do 215 kits is the horizontal tail. On both aircraft the entire horizontal tail pivoted to adjust the trim of the aircraft. ICMs kit ignores this, although there are resin correction sets you can get in both 1/72 and 1/48.

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Can I throw in the Short twins, Stirling (with bomb trolley and tractor) and Sunderland.

 

No doubt someone will point out that there are better Italeri offerings, but the  joy of building these two is what the thread is about.

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Further to others' suggestions, while I'm not saying the following haven't been surpassed, they're pretty good shapewise and are pleasing to build oob.

 

1/48 Spitfire Vb

1/48 Bf109F

1/48 Ju87B

 

Regards

 

Martin

 

 

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Talking about the Airfix B-26, I've just finished one for the Classic British Kits  SIG stand at SMW:

 

B26_1.jpg

B26_2.jpg

B26_3.jpg

 

Mostly straight oob.  Needs a lot of noseweight, though, and I've never liked the props.  The hubs are too short and blunt (I replaced them with ones from the Academy P-47D), and the blades have a greater pitch angle at the tips than the roots;  I believe the opposite is more aerodynamically traditional . . .

 

regards,

 

Martin

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Agree on the  old 1/48 109f, Spitfire Vb and JU87B they are all old enough to be classic plastic. 

 

The 1/48 109F scrubs up really well and is a simple build. I did one earlier this year the only let down was the decals. 

 

I’d happy build another. I recommend that kit fwiw

 

 

 

 

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I would add the Beaver to this list, multiple options (ski, wheel, floats) and lots of civil or military aftermarket decals available.

Another favourite of mine from the "classic" days would be the Mirage F.1, sure there are more modern kits out there but they aren't Airfix which is what the OP was asking about.

Others that spring to mind:

 

Marauder

Strikemaster

Banshee

Skyvan

Cherokee Arrow

Islander

Cessna 0-2

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5 minutes ago, DennisTheBear said:

What, no votes for the classic Halifax B.Mk.III?

One thing about that kit, I have some of the earliest issues of that kit and the clear parts are still horrible. I don't think they were ever acceptable.

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4 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

One thing about that kit, I have some of the earliest issues of that kit and the clear parts are still horrible. I don't think they were ever acceptable.

On the other hand it doesn’t have the shape issues of the newer Revell kit?

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7 hours ago, DennisTheBear said:

What, no votes for the classic Halifax B.Mk.III?

Not sure it meets OP's criterion of "a good Vintage Airfix kit that can hold up today OOB".  As General Melchett showed in Airfix Modelworld a while back it can be scrubbed up nicely but OOB it's a relic of the sixties.  

 

PS Agree about the transparencies, even back in the sixties.

Edited by Seahawk
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11 hours ago, GordonM said:

On the other hand it doesn’t have the shape issues of the newer Revell kit?

The Revell fuselage is very good; much better than the old Airfix kit. I've seen suggestions that grafting the Airfix wings onto the Revell fuselage would be the most accurate combination of components. This seems like it would be a lot of work since the Airfix wings would have to be rescribed at the least. The Hercules power-eggs would have to be upgraded as well.

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3 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

I've seen suggestions that grafting the Airfix wings onto the Revell fuselage would be the most accurate combination of components.

Did those suggestions predate the issue of the Revell B.III?  I can recall people suggesting that as a means of a. getting a better B.III and b. making some practical use of the seriously flawed Halifax I/II kit but I can't recall hearing anyone suggest it since Revell released their own Halifax B.III, which has been much better received.  While it may not be perfect, I have trouble believing that it's so bad that the Airfix wings would be an improvement.  

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Going back to the OP question, I think that almost any Airfix kit from the mid 70s onwards is still worth building. Recent kits may be more refined, but the Airfix kits of this era are generally accurate, straightforward to build and satisfying if done as an out of the box build.

 

I think the late 70s Airfix Spitfire Mk I is still the best there is; it's not quite as chunky as their new kit and the fine raised panel lines look more realistic.

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Having made their Boomerang a few months ago, Great fun‼😊 and having made most of the WW2 back catalogue, most will not compare to modern tools, some are 60year old😐, but fun.

FW 189

Bv 141

Hs 129

Pe 2

Battle

And, we have those fantastic box art's to recall, worth the price alone😏

 

Airfix, Revell and Matchbox, is almost a side line to a fantastic hobby, and I make at least one a year 😋

 

I'm making a new 1/48 IAR 80, something is missing, think it might be soul😜 and there's still things not great with this 21 century kit😐

 

Best classic Airfix kit, for me, 2017, it has to be, Bv 141, said everything about the hobby, and I do think, modellers of a certain age, know what I mean 😉

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On ‎25‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 11:56 PM, Plasto said:

Perhaps I should have said the Sky van is a hard kit to find local to me....

Not only you!! I've been trying for a very long to find a couple of those kits  at reasonable prices . I'm not prepared to pay silly money for them

 

Allan

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On ‎26‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 11:46 PM, Seahawk said:

Did those suggestions predate the issue of the Revell B.III?  I can recall people suggesting that as a means of a. getting a better B.III and b. making some practical use of the seriously flawed Halifax I/II kit but I can't recall hearing anyone suggest it since Revell released their own Halifax B.III, which has been much better received.  While it may not be perfect, I have trouble believing that it's so bad that the Airfix wings would be an improvement.  

Well, given the choice, I'd have the Revell Halifax BIII over the ancient Airfix kit any day!!.

 

Allan

Edited by Albeback52
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