Uncle Dick

Noticed Hannants and other UK retailers have pulled this new release off their shelves - presume sent back to manufacturer after the Daily Mail article For a review of the set see the following link http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2647 The offensive figures being on 3rd row of link (execution scene man kneeling & executioner with knife) I think this may be the first set of plastic model figures ever pulled from sale?

Well I must say I am looking much less forward to this release now - if my comparison is correct some glaring errors in the decal sheet does not bode well for the plastic... If the well circulated photo of NP 230 is the aircraft they are depicting - have a look at the starboard marking on top of the wing "230 NP" firstly Hobbyboss have joined the letters N and P when they should be separate and secondly the marking is way to small they have roughly sized the "230 NP" to be the length/size of the US national marking star and bar when it should be much bigger about one and a half the length in size, not to mention they have the "230" placed along the middle of the N when it should be in line with the top of the N, the application of "USS BON HOMME RICHARD" is not present on the fuselage - easily fixed, and the VA-212 lion has some inaccuracies As for the price of $51.10 at HLJ if you are purchasing this kit would recommend UnLucky Model based in Hong Kong for example the Trumpeter 1/72 Mig-31 is $58.30 at HLJ while it is $36.99 at Lucky Model and the Hobbyboss 1/72 Jaguar A is $41.11 at HLJ while it is $26.99 at Luckymodel for comparison, so if you are not in a hurry would wait until Luckymodel lists it If the parts count of 160 is correct will certainly be interesting to see the features and detail of the plastic!!!

Thanks Selwyn, So empty tanks outboard were a real load for ferry purposes; just to clarify could they be used outboard (not empty) for fuelling the jet in flight?

Came across this image of a Thai Navy AV-8A (I realise they have been retired) am wondering whether this was a realistic load? i.e. drop tanks on outer wing pylons or just the display team being a little adventurous with a fictional load that was never carried in real life as I cannot recall seeing a GR.1/3 or AV-8A/C or SHAR with fuel tanks on outer wing...for that matter were the outer stores hard points plumbed to flow fuel... https://imgproc.airliners.net/photos/airliners/1/9/9/5368991.jpg?v=v4ce8b19718e

Still have not been able to find any link to the decal options in the new RB boxing - anyone have the kit and able to post a scan of the decals or marking options please or know of link with the decals????

I have at least 25 Fujimi (various variants / boxings)! Will have to get me one of the new Airfix 2019 boxing just for the Tonkin Yacht club boxing...

Well Airfix is slowly releasing the Ark Royal air wing, we have Seaking (albeit no Navy boxing), Phantom and now Buc! So Wessex multiple variants, Gannet AEW/Cod and a cross deck Wasp to go...

Hold the phone for a minute - how many in the stash to be King of Fujimi Skyhawks?

Well I had to check my eyesight, but the caption confirmed it as well, a SLUFF carrying a spare tyre, first time I have seen this...A7E 159645-NG301 VA146... this type of thing probably happened more often than we think... Images from http://www.aircraftslides.com

Their French Jaguar release was a similar porridge - no air brakes open option which ruled out a realistic depiction of the Jag on the ground!!! Shame about their Scooter depiction missing slats (and I don't see air brakes open either though not as critical for the Scooter on the ground) not to mention wing spoilers and flaps would have been an outstanding addition. But lets wait and see what they actually release in the kit as opposed to judging them on 3D renders - we can always live in hope they make changes! Fujimi would make a small fortune if they re- released their Scooters, I even sent them an email (albeit in English) one or 2 years ago, never received a reply! Perhaps an Airfix Scooter wing graft on the Hobby boss model might work - but I do not know if A-4B and A4E wings were the same??? The Fujimi Scooters go for a small fortune on Evilbay...

For my money the most impressive load out would be 8 x 1,000Lb Mk83 on the fuselage stations - I have seen RAF Tornados with 8 x British 1,000lb bombs but I have not seen a Luft Tonka with 8 x Mk83

Revell did the Recce pod in their 1/72 kit lots of other interesting add on bits in the kit too - added bonus of a jaguar aircraft kit and decals as well!

Nice image of operational Hornets with Mk56??? Type air dropped sea mine (Practise ordnance denoted by white and red for easy recovery on the sea floor) image from www.aircraftslides.com

Which kit is the most accurate for shape overall in 1/72 (If you do not want to wait for Airfix, Kitthawk, Orange Hobby and who ever else might make one in the future) - I realise Hasegawa has no open option for the weapons bay but does have lift fan exhaust doors open option etc compared to Fujimi...

Thanks for the identification - apparently according to another forum they were only in use from 1968 to 1970? Did a quick search on google - unfortunately looks like no one makes them in 1/72 or 1/48

Came across this interesting image of "LETHIFEROUS LOLA" (BTW LETHIFEROUS MEANS EITHER OBSOLETE/ARCHAIC OR LETHAL/DEADLY - a new word for my vocabulary!) Need some help in identifying the store on the inner port pylon (with the yellow stripe - which usually means its "live" ordnance) you can also see the same store on the far left on another Hun image from www.aircraftslides.com

I still have my finished Italeri Tomcat built over 30 years ago - a lot simpler to build than the Hasegawa / Fine Molds/ Fujimi newer tools but then a lot simpler detail. I also like the box art on this new release - might pick one up for sentimental reasons...

Well Chaps and Ladies, I can definitively say interest in Airfix products is waning - since this thread was started by "Robert The First" in early October of this year we have had less than a thousand posts to date! I know quantity is not a measure of quality but as Joseph Stalin famously said "quantity has a quality all of its own". So there you have it

Thanks Jens, never would have realised the Danish Romeo's were not equipped for sub hunting and no external armament unless pointed out to me, come to think of it I have not seen a single image of a Danish Lynx helicopter with any external armament either (Torpedo / depth charge / Sea skua missile)? Anyway, good to see Denmark operate the Romeo with some unique features as (aside from the US Navy 290+) the international operators of the Romeo are a fairly small club at the moment: Australia 24, Denmark 12, Saudi 10 (The Germans are looking at Romeo as their replacement but we shall see what happens). We are fairly fortunate here in Australia as our government acquired the full set of armament for our Romeos although we could not shake off the boring haze grey camouflage everyone seems to have adopted including the Danish and Saudis, I much prefer your previous Lynx blue hi viz colours with full size national roundels, but such is life! Hopefully some kit manufacturer will come out with an MH-60R with all the options Cheers

Thanks Jens most informative, for external stores you obviously have fuel tanks and the ELRP as per images. As far as you are aware do Danish Romeos have: Hellfire missiles ? APKWS 2.75 inch Hydra Rockets ? Torpedoes ? I realise Danish Romeos have no underwater submarine hunting capability as per lack of sonobuoy and dipping sonar however do they still fly with torpedoes directed to drop by ships or other aircraft with appropriate sensors?

Thanks for that info Jens, I was under the impression the sonobuoy rack and associated equipment was removable as is the dipping sonar, to create space in the cabin as can be seen here the window is fitted in place of the sonobuoy rack, the Danish Romeos also appear to have sonobuoy racks when needed as can be seen in the attached video walk around link (the sonobuoy blanking panel is fitted instead of the window on one machine while on another machine the extra seat and window are fitted, also the pilot talks about the ELRP - I only wish I knew how to speak Danish!

Outstanding detective work Scimitar & Phantom726! Thank you! That is most interesting, so the MH-60R has no floatation bags??? I did not know that! So another thing learnt! How they managed to certify a modern naval military helicopter without float bags in this day and age is beyond me? So one drawback with ELRP pod is that it takes up a stores station on the Romeo! did some more digging following info from the manufacturer http://www.mapcorp.com/life-raft-pods/ Much larger images and info in the brochure http://www.mapcorp.com/wp-content/uploads/ELRP.pdf Another excellent image of MH-60R with ELRP pod fitted https://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/952176/n-973-denmark-air-force-sikorsky-mh-60r-seahawk/ Another difference with the Danish Romeo to that of US NAVY and the Australian Navy examples is the long aerial along fuselage

Came across this photo of a Danish Romeo (image from aircraft slides.com): I am familiar with most stores carried by the Romeo but this has me guessing, my best guess is that it is that it is a new ECM pod that the US Navy had in the works but I am only guessing... Anyone able to identify????

Brilliant - that is some serious Kenwood Sound System - many thanks for that!

Just curious - what is the function of the "pigeon hole" housing arrangement device on the front door of this Navy Frog, have seen it on a number of US Navy CH-46? http://www.aircraftslides.com/Auction/AuctionDetail.aspx?ID=1651844