tempestfan

Your last pic suggests that the TSRs fuselage taper would meet nicely with the Tonka nose if cut around an inch or so further aft - surely the later version has taken full advantage of miniaturized digital equipment and hence needed much less space in the equipment bays ?

No offence meant, I needed a parts spread photo. Check out Mr Mehlbergers "review" of the LTD D.520, where he recounts the complete box and instructional blurbs and has about a half-sentence for the kit itself. While I'm aware this is again veering way , I wonder if actually the early Heller French Musée types (especially those preceding the Spit I) may have actually been to 1/75. A good thing Heller disposed of their Spit I to Crovetto and took on the "mid" Airfix Mk I (on topic again).

I'd probably have given up, rather early in the project...

It seems this is one service Deutsche Post/DHL does not demand an extra fee for - if the import VAT details are clear, the VAT is cashed in by the courier on delivery (at least it still was when I had my most recent order from Squadron delivered, some years ago). It's different with other carriers: I once made the mistake of ordering a book via air mail, for which Squadron used GLS. They charged a whopping amount (IIRC the combined fee and VAT approached) the price of the book. Luckily, they handed the book and left an invoice. I only paid the VAT, explaining them that they had already been paid by Squadron for the carrying and the formalities, and never heard from them again .

The Heller I is said (by JC Carbonel) to be inspired by the Revell 32nd kit (like their P-40, reportedly), but with raised rivets. Apparently it's rather inferior to the "mid" Airfix I and probably even the Hase. An interesting feature about the black box version with Bergèse art is that it - unlike his other work for Heller I'm aware of - looks very much like a comic book illustration (of whic he also did a lot in the 70s and 80s). New to me (see first link) is that it may be 1/75, I think I read something similar about their Me 109F. The Heller Vb doesn't look that bad (I had a somewhat different recollection), but it has an integral oil cooler and apparently rather big ejector slots: A plus is the Vokes, and it's possible it has better ailerons than the Airfix.

And I like JE-J ! Wasn't meant as an insult of H-611 - look at all the Starfix kits, who have been "inspired" by others and which generally are much inferior copies. Would it be an insult to the Airfix Skyhawk stating it "inspired" the Starfix kit ? My "thought" came about because I thought the Polistil kit may have the same leading edge shape. Interesting info on the other Polistil kits. They also had a Fiat G.55 (any similarities with the Frog ?), Me 109G, and are reported to have released a Westland Whirlwind (brewerjerry says he has some) and a possible Beaufighter. Polistil kits were reportedly in a separate section of Esci catalogs around 1977. As the Polistil kit at least resembles a Spitfire which BT-K doesn't, I don't think there's anything in common with them, apart from the parts breakdown being different. BT-K had one part semi-span wings slotting into the fuselage much like JE-J, as Graham has stated. It had a number of very gross panel lines on the forward fuselage and I think a few rivets, but not of 88mm calibre as Polistil.

This picture may suggest that the base line of the forward fin root (on German ECRs) is slightly concave. One other photo suggests there may be a sharper forward "corner" on the heat exchanger of German ECRs (see what looks like a circular highlight directly under the leading edge intake). Even if that's the case, Revell would seem to have overemphasized it a bit.

Wasn't there something wrong about the 1st issue Hunter 9 ailerons corrected for the 6 release and now taken over to the 9 re-release ?

You may not be far off - I remember Polistil (only) for the large range of diecast readymade and kit cars from my youth, so this one may have been intended to have been (also) made in metal.

Sorry but I wouldn't pay such a lot of cash for aircraft which are so schmutzig. They at least have to clean them a bit...

The essence of this thread is no-one so far has come up with any perceived problem in the middle section. And the 'pit. And the u/c. And the canopy. I read that as good news. I should finally get me one. Be I allowed a technically-philosophical question, lest we leave this thread without any argument: Can one part join others and separate them at the same time ? There's even an icon for JMN : .

You won't claim a BT-K looks like a Spitfire (regardless of what the header says), will you ? And I'm talking about anything I have no idea of - I'm a lawyer.

"We play both styles her: Rivets AND Panel lines"... Thanks for taking the time to post the pics. My first thought was it may have been inspired by H-611, but the Revell kit's underwing to fuselage join extends much further backwards. Spinner looks a bit large and pointy for a I, but I'm not up to scratch re Spit I spinner variations. -

I'm sorry - it was Tbolt. At least the aircraft type was correct.. .

I have a set of drawings that IIRC covers the H and J, but it comes in a modelling mag from the former GDR (1983, I think), so I have no idea how accurate it is and on what it was based - would have to look if it has the J modified (as Airfix called them). Doesn't the Detail & Scale volume have something in it ? Last not least, there was a series called WarbirdTech some years ago, and I'm quite certain it contained a lot of info on the solid J - though again not sure about what kind of drawings there were (certainly no Bentley-style ones intended for the modeller).

Promodeller is a Monogram brand (at least the one I know of) from the time when Rv and Mono were already combined. In fact some of the new tool Revell WW II fighters were reboxed in the US as Promodelle, with a hefty price tag on them. I think the main cooperation between Revell and Fujimi (or reboxing by Revell, no idea if Fujimi reboxed Revell for the Japanese market) was in the car range, the only two Fujimi a/c in Revell boxes I remember instantly are the SHar and Alpha Jet. I see your point re the FG.1, not much magic will be involved for turning it into a 2, but I don't think any of the kits contain both slatted and slatless stabilators.

I'd say the Starfix "Mk 21" easily beats ANYTHING else. Wait, there was a Polish kit (IX trainer ?) that I saw in a shop some 25 years ago, moulded in semi translucent plastic, crude as crude can, and having a fuselage that was obviously only 2/3 the width it should have been (the rare Spit IX "knife edge"). Those Polistil kits are interesting from a collector's PoV - their very existence only came to my attention some two years or so ago. Please post some pics, as I only ever have seen very general shots of any of their kits before.

When I started my H-611, #4109 Spit Vb was still some years in the future... Agreed, there is an attempt at the gull wing, and probably actually the first ever in a kit, and also agreed that it is probably much better than revell's much younger 1/48 version. However, as I think the Airfix IX has an outline shape generally closer to the real thing, I won't join in beating it into hell and praising the Revell. I'm an Airfix man after all

I don't think Fujimi provided differing cockpit detail anyway. But if you want a 2 - why don't you simply buy a 2 boxing, or is that one even more elusive than the 1 ? Remember they did separate boxings for the 1 and 2 without and with the RWR, respectively, making four in total (8 if you count the early boxings on their own), plus any re-releases in the past close to 20 years I may be unaware of. Plus the Royal Collection versions. It would be a great thing if Revell considered renewing their cooperation with Fujimi and brought us those kits in their boxes.

That was the mid 90s, so not the period when you used slashed prices - my point was that looking around a bit (including ebay, perhaps even including a started but complete kit) often leads to great savings, and the RRP or the actual sales price of one big supplier doesn't mean much. In the event, I think it will be rather hard to find modern kits of jets by any manufacturer for under 10 £, the RRP for Revell's 72nd Tornado in Germany having risen to 17 €, without taking advantage of clear out etc.

In Germany the threshold is 23 EUR, I'd imagine it would be comparable in the UK. I haven't ordered with HLJ myself, but heard good things about their service. However, the kit being on backorder may mean they can't actually get it at a price matching their sales price, leading to an eventula cancellation of your order. I'd check out the duty threshold and if your kit comes in lower (incl. postage) give them a try. As you may be aware of, there are two styles of the Brit F-4s, an earlier incarnation which is all styrene (kits H-6 to H-9), and a later upgraded version that had vinyl tyres and semi-opened aux air inlets (FGR.2 is H-18). No idea if the old numbering system still applies, my kits date from the 90s.

Thanks Bob and Edgar - to read that one as another "5" from the scan takes some imagination.

Thanks Edgar - 532 says it cancels a 45something, I read it as an 8. I will get me one of thos (plus a 48th Tornado) to add to the nevertobebuilt-stash and support local industry.

As you say - rudiments, the fuselage comes out a bit from the undersrface of the wing, but the latter is essentially flat. Possibly not as flat as the flat Vb, but nowhere near correct. I admit Revell may have been a pioneer in trying to replicate this feature. I tried to accurize that kit as one of my (stalled) first attempts at "serious" modelling some 25 years ago, and believe me, it took a lot of plasticard above the gull section to prevent it having holes there after grinding out something approaching the correct shapes. Incidentally, I used the Granger drawings for my build - IIRC the nose is around the plastic thickness thicker than it should be. That is basically my point - it is a child of its time, as is the Airfix IX which preceded it for some 2 years - I don't think Airfix had better source access than Revell.

You haven't even mentioned the utterly useless injection moulded cockpit "sidewalls", the resin wheels of the profi pack that were straight recasts of the styrene parts but utterly useless as - in contrast to the IM parts - couldn't have the recesses opened up, and some more utterly useless resin parts that were straight recasts of the IM parts (armour plate, IIRC). Mine is still not finished... As you say, it's to some extent a problem of the expectations they have raised by their own greatly improved work - and their drum beating.