Tiger331

Hi there I'm looking to do an early P-38 Lightning (P-38F) in 1:48 scale and cannot decide between a Hasegawa kit with some aftermarket......cockpit detail set and wheels or the 'new' Eduard re-issue of the Academy kit with all of the detail goodies already included. I seem to recall reading good and bad about each of these kits so it would be nice to receive some collective guidance on the best one to go for. I'm not a rivet counter but I would like to know a little about buildability and accuracy. Many thanks for your help Tiger331

The Aviation Workshop never produced the item you refer to although it was quoted on one of their decal sheets for the Indian Jaguar M. Regrettably it was a regular trait of the company to quote accessories that simply didn't exist and were highly unlikely to be released by them in the future. The lesson ?. Be very wary of any references to Model Alliance resin accessories in their decal placement instructions.....in at least 50 per cent of cases they simply wer not available which makes it very irritating for those modelers trying to research what is (or was) available to complete their chosen project. HTH Tiger331

PM on its way 1 copy to be posted (BFPO)...Sadly cannot make SMW12 due to prior work commitments Tiger331

The sight of Non-RWR fin tops on ILS aerial fitted aircraft was actually quite common in the early 1980s. I used to work closely with 4 (Engineering) Sqn at RAF St Athan (that completed the 'majors' on RAF Phantoms) in those days and it was totally dependent on the mod state of the aircraft and how soon Strike Command wanted the aircraft back on the front line. In an ideal world both the RWR fin top and ILS would be fitted at the same time but needs must and quite often the complete mod would have to wait until another suitable gap in the engineering programme.

Valerio Complimenti ! Veramente belissima Mark

Quite........I just love all these 'informed opinions' based on ONE photo of the kit mock up from a show. Of course, there will always be those that 'knock' Trumpeter regardless of how good or bad their kits are.....It's quite laughable now reading the US-based websites and forums and all the ranting about Trumpeter kits and their many apparent 'issues' months before they actually release the kit. I was hoping BM would resist the urge to follow suit. Let's just see what the final product looks like before we all launch at Trumpeter. I fully agree with the comments regarding the superb Vampires that A2zee produces and I am fortunate enough to own several of these exemplary kits....others are less fortunate than I and simply cannot afford these kits so the opportunity to acquire an injection moulded kit for less should be applauded....lest we forget, these are hard economic times for many modellers. As long as the basics are there, it should form the basis of a good replica and there does not appear to be much that a little bit of plastic fettling could put right but the proof will be in the pudding, on release. I do agree about the drop tanks though....they do look a little 'inflated'. Bottom line....let's applaud Trumpeter for, yet again, producing a kit that is unlikely to be top of any other manufacturers 'to do' list and let's think back to what they have produced (accurately or otherwise) over the last 5-10 years......no one (with the possible exception of Tamiya in recent times) always gets it right and the aviation modeling world would be a far poorer place without the likes of the 'new boys' like Trumpeter, Hobby Boss and now Great Wall Hobbies and Kittyhawk. Tiger331 Y t

Jonners Spot on. I am very sorry to see the demise of MIS since it was easily the best monthly magazine. I very rarely dabble in anything other than aircraft subjects but the quality of editorial encouraged me to read most of the non-aircraft related stuff too.like you, I have been a regular WH Smith buyer (rather than reader) when I lived at home in the UK so feel equally entitled to comment on the sad demise of the aviation modeling press. I subscribed to SAM almost from issue 1 for well over 20 years but abandoned it some time ago when it became a shadow of its former self. I still maintain a subscription AMI but even that is now beginning to morph into more advertorial. SAMI and MMI .....I simply will not comment. Yes, it's a sad day when a quality magazine closes but I don 't think it will be the last to go....it 's just ironic that it should be the first. At least here in Norway I have to be really choosy with what I buy.....Most of the mags are around 11 pounds a copy but I will not take out a subscription because of the worry of inconsistent quality/content or the specter of going out of business. I feel for Spence who has worked so hard to produce a quality magazine with meaningful editorial.....I very much look forward to seeing his new title though sadly I will have to wait....work commitments preclude me seeing it at SMW12 this year. Good Luck to Spence ! Tiger331

Are Great Wall Hobby and Lion Roar one and th same ?.....reason I ask is that the latter are showing the forthcoming release of a '9-13' over on HLJ.COM.......good to get confirmation Tiger331

I believe the Coastal command communications Flight was actually headquartered in Malta and based at RAF Luqa.....of course the MEAF was spread far and wide in the 1950s and these aircraft were spotted as far East as Aden and Muhurraq and West to Gibraltar. Another example of Model Alliance not quite getting their research right.

Note to All DO Check your copies of the Trumpeter MiG-23.....I picked up two from my local model shop two weeks ago and thought I had checked the contents. Turns out I hadn't as today, when I revisited the shop, I was presented with four sprues of 'missing' parts for the kit !. I've just checked again and lo' and behold, they WERE missing. I can see where Trumpeter have created a problem for themselves (and their packers). The parts 'map' on Page 3 of the instructions only indicates one each of Sprues WA & WB when there should be two of each. Looks like it was done in haste since, on the same page, there are two white stickers blanking out the tyres which look as if they were originally going to be done in vinyl. Hope this helps........Like I say, best to check and SPREAD THE WORD Tiger331

Chaps Don't want to sound ungrateful here but we appear to have come off the original thread. I've had monthly (often weekly) dealings with Hannants for the last 25 years + so I'm well aware of their customer service and ability to accept back inferior or incomplete items. I've also spent almost 20 years working on the periphery of the decal industry so I'm also well aware of the vagaries of the various decal manufacturers. I think its possibly unfair to single out Microscale.....the vast majority of manufacturers that I have had dealings with (with the possible exception of Cartograf) have had quality issues with their sheets and some are much more expensive than those produced by Microscale. True, generally speaking, you get what you pay for but I believe in this case it is more about the argument concerning the provision of full roundels on sheets or decal sheets where the roundel centre color is separate. The purpose of my original post was to ascertain if the problem with my Wessex sheets was an isolated one or whether the entire batch (based on other buyers experiences) is affected by the out-of-register issue. I await an appropriate response. Thanks Tiger331

Hi there Just wondering if anyone else has experienced problems with off-register examples of the new Xtradecals 1:48 Wessex release ?. I bought two copies on release and they have just arrived. Unfortunately the roundels are out of register and some of the badges show minor signs too. Isolated problem or common throughout the production batch. Grateful for some confirmation before I return them. Thanks Tiger331

I've just been looking over a recent acquisition of the Hobby Boss F-111C and cannot help thinking the long range drop tanks are just not 'right'.....I cannot seem to find a decent review anywhere which highlights accuracy issues (or otherwise) with these items ?. Can anyone shed light on this and whether I need to invest in some aftermarket replacements. Many thanks Tiger331

I've built a few 1:72 scale F-4s in my time and have found the recent Revell issue of the F-4 to be one of the best (if not the best) for buildability.......I've used practically no filler on this kit and it goes together really well..... Having previously struggled with a 'new-generation' (1990 vintage) Hasegawa F-4G Wild Weasel (and subsequently abandoning it), I was wondering if I could convert the Revell F-4F to a F-4G ?. I figure all it needs is a new pod to replace the fin cap and some modification to the under nose gun pod (deepening as well as replacing the actual gun muzzle ?).....I'm not looking to produce a 100% rendition with all the 'bells and whistles' (although I will look carefully at the antenna set up and reproduce this too) but what do you F-4 experts think ?......or should I hold out for the hard to find Hasegawa 1:72 kit and return to the fray when (if) I manage to hunt one down ? Your advice gratefully received. Tiger331

I'll second that.............just picked up two from my LMS here in Norway and it's a beauty...I'll have to wait for the AM boys to come up with some slightly more inspiring decal choices though. Tiger 331

Gents, Thanks very much for your inputs.........It's good to know I can utilize the RF-4B (with modifications) since this appears to be the one that is more readily available and cheaper......I've seen the RF-4Cs go for silly money although I've put a 'wanted' notice up just in case someone has a spare. Thanks again Tiger331

Hi there, It looks as if I will shortly pick up a commission to do a Vietnam-era (1968) USAF RF-4C Phantom. I'm not an expert on this particular variant and I know that Hasegawa RF-4Cs in the two most popular scales are hard to come by.....I think they also feature the late-model RF-4Cs too ?. I think I've read somewhere that an early RF-4C can be produced from the RF-4B with some new all-moving tailplanes (slatted ?) etc but I'm not really sure. I do know the Hasegawa RF-4B is more readily available so it would be easier (and probably cheaper) to obtain one of these but can I produce the right variant from this kit ?. Grateful for any information you can provide. Thanks Tiger331

Your timing on EBay has obviously not been good. I've been monitoring these kits for a while and some of the Revell examples have been going for as little as £8.....It's a bit like the story with the Hunter F.6.....Its all about timing....some weeks they go for silly money and others...its peanuts.....I'd persevere if I was you. Tiger331

Hi there, Title says it all, really. Looking for advice on which is the best 1:48 scale kit of the Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle.....I'm guessing its a fly-off between the latest renditions of the Academy and Monogram-Revell (Germany) examples ? but it would be great to get some independent views from those that may have actually made the kits. I'm looking to do one of the 48TFW examples from RAF Lakenheath Thanks in advance Tiger331

Hasegawa P-51D & F4U-5 (1966 Soccer Wars) Tiger331

Guys, Thanks for the posts so far.......Looks like I'm destined to follow the same road as that I took for my Hasegawa CF-104G and A-4K projects, both with Aires resin cockpits.......As you say, lots of sanding lies ahead....It's a pity Cutting Edge didn't do one in their range before they went under....My CE F-104S cockpit has been so much easier to fit.......ho hum

Hi there, I'm about to embark upon a RAF Phantom project using the Hasegawa kit. I was wondering what would be the best option for the cockpit ?. I want to super detail it and am thinking about the Aires 'pit and seats but my previous experiences with Aires cockpit detail sets and their fit has not been a happy one. Is this one any better ?. Alternatively, I was thinking about using one of the Eduard zoom sets for the instrument panels, consoles etc and a pair of resin seats. Again, any advice on the best 'standalone' resin seats would be gratefully received. I prefer moulded seat belts to using the fiddly photo etched straps unless there is no other option. Thanks Tiger331

Glenn, Agreed........I've been doing a lot of presentational models just lately and most end up 'on a pole' (i.e. shown in flying configuration)....It's been quite difficult sourcing the right figures to put in the cockpit....It's quite incredible how many 1:72 kits now omit the pilot/WSO figures though Airfix and Revell must take credit for including them in at least some (or all) of their newer releases.....still, I suspect this set will be a godsend... Cheers Tiger331

You have several options for the 892 Sqn decals. I think the best are those done by Aeromaster. They produced three UK Phantom specific sheets with two of them featuring variations on the 892 NAS theme. AMD48-557 Smokers Part 1 features the jet that was zapped by the USN and ended up with COLONIAL NAVY titles. Smokers Part 2 (AMD48-558) featured two very-early FAA jets from 700P and 767 NAS and Smokers Part 3 (AMD48-574) had another of the zapped 892 NAS jets. These sheets are OOP but regularly turn up on EBay and do not normally go for astronomical amounts. There is a Model Alliance sheet, referred to above, which features even more options....again, I think its OOP following the demise of The Aviation Workshop though Hannants may re-stock/re-print. HTH Tiger 331

Guys Thanks for your support and replies............I've solved the problem and your reference photos have proved most useful. Thanks Again Tiger331