Nico Teunissen

Hello Tim, Even though this one looks nice, I wouldn't recommend this kit. As said I was lucky to get a different engine from the AML kit for free. With the original engine the model totally does not look like what it shoud be! This is a picture of the project halfway it's build, on which Azur's interpretation of the engine can be seen: At his moment I was considering throwing it away! Cheers, nico

Hello, hereby my latest build a Hawk 75 A7 from Azur as used by the Dutch in the Dutch East Indies during the Japanese invasion 1942. This Azur kit is about 10 years old. Pretty allright, except for the engine, which is totally useless. This was seperated and changed by one from the AML kit. Got it from a friendly help. Propellor was modified. Cheers, Nico

I am sorry to say, even tough the whole picture looks nice, I can imagine it turned out 13th place. I see some very basic errors. Parts which are not painted, rigging is not complete and there are some very obvious seems on the wings. Cheers, Nico

I got one on my stash. It's an incredible kit, but I suffer from 3 things. Where do I find the time to finish it, how much would it cost me to find decent Lozenge, where do I keep it! Cheers, Nico

Nico, Just read some replies and the link to the guy who was happy with it. They lead me to say this, which you may also want to pass on: When I opened the box I was delighted - really good looking decal sheet, and an old but fun-looking kit that looked much as I remembered from building one in the late sixties. Then I tried to build it. My copy of the kit could not have been built out of the box by any sort of child. It *was* intended as a quick build, for nostalgia purposes only, and knowing the age of the kit I did not expect anything except what I got, in terms of accuracy. The problem is, mine was full of sink holes, and the mould so misaligned that the struts would not fit without major knife work. To shape the parts well enough that the kit builds well enough for a kid would take an adult several hours. All parts were flash ridden, and I am used to very short run kits, many of which are better. In terms of value for money, I agree the decal sheet is worth it, just, so long as it works. I don't know because I haven't used it yet (it will be used on some Matchbox kits). But then it might have been wise for the box to say something like "if you don't have fond memories of making this model 40 years ago, maybe you should buy a different kit". Finally, if the kit had been moulded well, I'd have been happy enough with the package. But it was one of the poorest shots I've seen from Airfix. I also recently got the re-issued Bird Dog and Devastator kits. The plastic in these is excellent, but the decals well out of register. I'm much happier with these. For what it's worth. If this kit is aimed at 50 year old modellers with fond memories of the Airfix of old, and if that had been stated on the box, plus the disclaimer that the actual example in the box could be a really poor shot but the decals would make up for it then I sould have been content. But not as it is. Paul. Paul is active on the unofficial Airfix website as Flutes. Cheers, Nico

Earlier I told I saw one of these on a workbench of a friend of mine. I linked him this topic. He actually finished it today: This was his reaction: Nico, I'n not subscribed to them but FWIW you could tell them from me I just built the f*ing (cencored by me) thing and it's awful. Not a 10 minute excercise in nostalgia, it took me a week, with a very poor result, and I'm not inexperienced. The decals were only relevant for the one (silver) example and the fit was too poor to do that, so I used the Revell ones which disguise it a bit. Feel free to submit any of these photos. Cheers, Paul. Cheers, Nico

Only thing to say is simply deny this. Nico

As it happens to be I run a modeller's club at my work (autistic youngsters). Some time ago one showed up with an Airfix DH 88 Comet Racer. A reissue from some years ago. Same story as with the Gladiator. Totally outdated mold, enormous flash. In all an unbuildable kit for a youngster his age. So luckily I was around and after a lot of effort it was turned into a model. He would never buy an Airfix kit again! Cheers, Nico

Even in 1984 a far better Gladiator was for sale (the Heller one). Anyway what strikes me is this: if for example a youngster is buying his first modelkit, and it happens to be this awful Gladiator, he wil probabaly turn back to his Gameboy immediately! It simply is bad marketing for the whole hobby. And come on, Airfix (or Honrby) is making money from a 1956 mold. They had there money returned many many times. Cheers, Nico

I saw one yesterday on the workbench of a friend of mine. As far as I am concerned Airfix should be prosecuted (correct spelling? => sorry English is not my native language). It's junk... Cheers, Nico

Big compliment for the propellor too! Cheers, Nico

Just finished this one last weekend: These Lockheed's were painted in a color called "Oudblad" which means "Oldleaf". Comparing it with a mixture PC 10 I made a few months ago for my 1,5 Stutter, it looked just the same. So I used this! Furthermore it was a very nice kit to build. It fitted reasonably well, for Special Hobby standards. Canopy and turret were vacformed. Remarks: I think the gun turret is too small, and air intakes onderneath the engines are too big. I built it on a Dutch website for a Groupbuild called "Battle of Java". http://forum.modelbrouwers.nl/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16103 Cheers, Nico

very inspiring, makes me wanna do one myself. Cheers, Ncxo

I thought is was the paining by Van Klomp.. Anyway that's a very convincing Morane, trex beau! Cheers, Nico

Built one as a kid, found for a bargain on a flea market. Would really like to do one again some times. I really liked te figures included. Not the easiest kit, good luck. Cheers, NIco

Nice one, typical cobination with a DH2 though! Cheers, Nico

I think the answer to the topic title is: "YOU" ! Cheers, Nico

It looks like there is still a firstreleaserodenkitmagnet somewhere in Sweden! Cheers, Nico

Nice model, but in my opinion too much weathering for a plane which did not see wartime action. Cheers, Nico

Of course it's not a secret;) Basically it's 29 earth 50%, 116 green 25% and 33 black 25%. Cheers, Nico

It was a mixture of various Humbrol colors. Cheers, Nico

Oh yeah one more thing. This example was in real life flown by Raymond Collishaw. He mainly used it as a fighter so his observer was allowed to stay home, so was the Lewis gun. Cheers, nico

I built several Roden kits. Always nice detail and good shape, but they can be tricky when it comes up to the fitting of parts. They are not the shake and bake kits like Eduard for example, but with a little bit more effort they turn into excellent models. Cheers, Nico

Strange kit (seethrough plastic) but well worth the effort. I built it during a move, so it's not my best modelkit so far: I like the way the PC10 worked out. In real life it looks more greensih, but on the photograph more brownish! I used Bob's Buckles! Cheers, Nico

What more can I add, briljant piece of work! Cheers, Nico