Giorgio N

At least Airfix would have some good information about the sales potential of a new TSR.2 since they issued one not too many years ago and I guess the numbers would still be available to them. They can therefore decide if it's a viable subject for a new tool based on proper data rather than modellers wishlists. The same could of course be said of many other subjects, not last the abovementioned Halifax... Airfix have had this in their catalogue for many years and have issued other heavies over the last few years, they should know its commercial potential

Good point, it was indeed a correction set rather than a conversion. I have one that I started mating to the Matchbox kit but then abandoned the project.. I should get back at it and finish the model! Aeroclub offered a similar set for the F.6 at the same time for the same reason, that the Matchbox kit nose is seriously wrong! For some reason I didn't mention the complete kits. I've never seen the Skybird 86 one, guess you're right that it would not be easy to find. Probably easier to find should be the relatively recent Pro Resin kit, a full kit in resin from what I believe to be the same people of Olimp. The kit seems to be currently available from a number of Eastern European outlets, not cheap but may be a good option. IIRC it was considered a decent kit when first issued, maybe someone here has one and can coment Last but not least, I did not mention the Matchbox kit for the reason that IMHO it does not represent a real Hunter T.7...

To add a bit more on the subject.. There have been other conversions on the market, some of which may be easier than others to find.. and in theory there should be one still available! This is the LF Models set, that features full resin fuselage halves. It's available in several variants on LF website... although I've never seen one in the flesh or even seen a model built from it so can't comment on how good or not it is. It is also pretty expensive (like most LF products) You can see the parts here; https://www.modelimex.com/172-hawker-hunter-tmk7-convset-for-revell-lfm-72093 Of the various OOP conversions, the easiest to find is probably the old Aeroclube vacuform set, that's been OOP for many years but still appears on the second hand market more often than all others combined. It was designed for the Matchbox kit but can be made to fit the Revell one. It's very basic but the shapes look fine so if you don't mind adding all the internal details yourself it may be an option. Odds and Ordnance also issued one with a single piece front fuselage but I can't remember how well rated it was. I'd expect this to be not easy to find. Maybe slightly easier could be the old AIR conversion, that however was designed for older kits so may or not fit the Revell one

Maybe it's me, but I'd replace the word excellent with the word mediocre.. The Xtrakit T.7 is a very disappointing kit, even for a short run of its era. Rough plastic parts, bad fit in several areas and shapes are so-so. Its redeeming quality is that it allows to build a 2-seat Hunter from the box. Most Hunter aficionados however have always rated the PJ conversion as a better way to build a T.7

Thanks for the welcome ! I will build this pretty much OOB, I may just add seatbelts. What I may try to achieve is a weathered look, the conditions in this theatre were not the best for the paint. Speaking of paint, now I have to decide on the colours of the internals... if I've read the various threads properly this, being a late production aircraft, should have cockpit completely in grey-green and wheel wells in the undersides colour....

You know the feeling when a box in the stash keeps drawing your attention? Well, boxes should just be cardboard things filled with plastic and paper but I've recently felt that this box was looking at me whispering "build this kit, build this kit..." So with a Hurricane STGB going on it would have foolish not to build the kit. Or better, one of them since this is Arma's famous recce Hurricane issue, with 2 kits and a bunch of 3D printed parts to build various reconaissance versions. Inside we have sprues for 2 Hurricane Mk.II kits, both with parts for both a IIb and a IIc And the small set of 3D-printed parts These are pretty nice, with a very smooth surface. However I wonder if the cameras shouldn't have clear lenses.. or were these protected by covers? The box also includes masks for 2 models and a nicely printed decal sheet for 6 aircraft. Of these 6 options, I will build LE208 of 28 Sqn., not the most colourful subject maybe but I've long wanted to build one of these Tac-R Hurricanes so I'd say it's time to do it...

Looks impressive! However I'm a bit puzzled by the choice.,, 3D printing has generally been used to reproduce unusual subjects, here on the other hand they are covering a subject that is already available as a modern enough kit at a fraction of the price. Should this imply that the Special Hobby kit is not considered satisfactory by the French modelling community ? If so I'd be interested in knowing more.. Said that, I wish best of luck to this new manufacturer!

To find what should be on the various Italian F-104S configurations I suggest looking at this https://modelingtime.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17306 It's in Italian but an online translator should sort it and the pictures are very clear. The pylons for an Italian S are included in the Hasegawa kit, the only "pylon" missing would be the launcher for the AIM-9L, that was attached to the original wingtip rail Apart from this, all the things the Hasegawa kit needs are reshaping the ventral fin and sorting the various details (antennas, instrument panel, lights)

No, Fine Molds follow the Hasegawa philosophy of offering weapons in separate sets

Heavy weight gear and relevant doors are the main difference, keeping in mind that early production Gs retained the same narrow wheels and non-bulged doors seen on the F-104J. Then a different type of ventral catamaran and, for those air forces that changed seat, a Martin Baker Q7 in place of the Lockheed C2. German Gs also saw the nozzle retrofitted with the longer type used on the S (that was also used on some As). Of course there were differences in antennas and other details among the various users over the career of the type.

And the seats are done! In the I decided to also use the ejection handles from the Eduard set, maybe not the most realistic option since they're a bit flat but I was happy to not have to paint them Now I have to glue the glass for the sight and the cockpit will be complete. Then it will be time to fit the tail and the canopy, mask where needed and it will be priming time

Very true but on the other hand a single piece rear fuselage end may avoid the risk of damaging an area that is in pretty thin plastic while gluing the two halves. On the Hasegawa and Revell kits this is a very delicate spot that needs care.

Maybe the best looking scheme ever worn by the 326

Great news! That for some reason I was expecting, they had done the F-4EJ and the F-15J, I was sure they'd have followed with an F-104J at some point to complete the trio of the JASDF supersonic interceptors. The sprue layout clearly shows potential for other variants, with seat and engine nozzle on a separate sprue, separate tail section and intakes. The inclusion of two full canopies, open and closed, is also nice... now I'll have a spare canopy to correct my Esci kits! 2026 is going to be a great year for Starfighter fans...

What intakes are included in the Supermodel kit ? Intakes that are moulded with the wing on a sprue common to both variants of the 326 but also on their MB.339