Jon Bryon

I know. It's been ages since they showed those shots. I don't really want two Hips, so the question will be: buy Trumpeter or hope for Anetra? Jon

I assume this will be a scale down of their 1/35 kit. Does anyone know how accurate that is considered to be? I guess the Anetra kit is vapourware. Given the long-announced Mi-4 still has yet to be released, I also assume this will make an appearance sometime later than November... Jon

Hi Arnaud, I seem to recall in the past you might have been working on intakes for the Revell 1/48 Eurofighter. Did you ever produce these? Thanks Jon

Interesting. I have 48050 and there are no wheels in it that look anything like those in the photo. Jon

Of the three Kinetic Mirage kits I have, none have wheels that look anything like these. What kit exactly are the smaller tyres from? Because they're not from the Mirage 5, Mirage IIIE or F-21 kits. Jon

This is super useful - thanks. I have 3 Kinetic Mirage kits and have measured the main hubs and tyres. Note that not all Kinetic Mirages have the same main wheels. 1. Wingman Mirage 5F Resin wheels - Do = 14mm (I measured 14.02, but don't trust that level of precision) *48 = 672mm (i.e. tyres are around 73-88mm too small, or 1.5-1.8mm too small in 1/48) Df = 9.5mm 8 48 = 456mm (i.e. hubs are around 27mm too *large*, or 0.5mm in 1/48) Plastic wheels - Do = to all intents and purposes the same as the resin wheels Df = 8.65mm *48 = 415mm (i.e. hubs are around 15mm too *small*, or 0.3mm in 1/48) 2. Kinetic F-21 Lion Plastic wheels - Do = to all intents and purposes the same as the plastic wheels from the Mirage 5 Df = 8.83mm *48 = 424mm (i.e. hubs are around 5mm too small, or 0.1mm in 1/48) *NOTE THAT THE WHEELS FROM THIS KIT ARE NOT THE SAME MOULDINGS AS FROM THE MIRAGES!* 3. Kinetic Mirage IIIE (original IIIE/O/R/RD/EE/EA boxing) Plastic wheels - these are the same plastic from the Mirage 5F kit above I'm not going to worry about the differences in hub sizes. I would like to get tyres of the correct diameter. Does anyone have any aftermarket tyres they can measure? I'd love to know if companies like ResKit corrected the diameter issue. Thanks Jon

I am sympathetic to your point and that is the way I approach modelling: for me, it's subject driven. However, it's pretty clear from the online communities I participate in that a lot of people are not like me (maybe a significant minority) and choose kits on the basis of quality first and subject second. I see lots of Tamiya F-4Bs being made on YouTube, FB, etc., by people who would never have done so were it made by Airfix rather than Tamiya, The same for the P-38. There were acceptable kits of these subjects before, but the number being made has exploded now there's an exceptional kit available. If Tamiya did the impossible, and made a 1/48 Buccaneer, my bet would be a significant number of people who never had any intention of getting one would suddenly be rather interested... Jon

I wonder if I can ask for your opinion on an RF-84F and the drag chute housing? I want to make 52-7366 from the 45th TRS (USAF) from around the 1955-1957 or so timeframe. This aircraft is on the 1/48 RF-84F sheet by Caracal with the polka dot markings. I can only find one photo of this aircraft that shows the rear fuselage, but it's small and blurry. I *think* it doesn't have the large drag chute housing, but can't be sure. I'd love it if it did since I could make this using the Tanmodel kit, but I'm pessimistic. Anyway, I'd love a second opinion: Many thanks Jon

A UK seller on eBay has sold a few. He has one left last time I looked. Jon

I'd be grateful if they released the IM canopy separately as I have the original release. Special Hobby did this for the MPM L-39. Not holding my breath though Jon

The problem is that it doesn't matter what anyone does. No one has come up with a meaningful definition of what a 'type' is beyond arbitrary nomenclature. What's the parts commonality between a Mk.I and Mk.24 Spitfire? I don't know, but given the nose, tail, rear upper fuselage, canopy, wings, etc., are all different, it can't be that much. That's what the discussion is about: what is a type vs a sub-type. You have your opinion and I have mine, but that's all it will be: an opinion. Jon

Well my comment was intended to show the futility of trying to distinguish between an aircraft type and sub-type in any meaningful way, but when it comes to the Mirage/Kfir and Spitfire 1/24 distinction I'll stick with what I wrote on the basis that a kit manufacturer can make a Mirage/Kfir by modifying a common set of mould (a la Kinetic) but no one has done this for a Spitfire Mk.I and Mk.24, presumably because you can't. Ergo a Kfir is a Mirage sub-type (at least the wings are the same!) but a Spitfire Mk.24 is effectively a different aircraft. Of course it also matters which Kfir we're talking about... But all this is highly debatable, which is precisely my point. Jon Jon

Good to see some progress on this! Jon

Hi Des, That sounds like a logical approach although I've started on a slightly different path using body filler. However, it's not working out that well and I haven't actually cut anything yet. If you have any photos to share I'd love to see how you did it. Kind regards Jon

Thanks. It might give me a good starting point if I can find a scrapped kit. Jon