tony.t

Fell the need? Probably the dissimilar adversarial Scooter then (but I prefer titchy jets in 1/32 so rather it was a Mirage F.1). Tony

Any news from Dnipro? I wish them well. Tony

Still planning on getting one. After the dog-in-a-box Trumpeter MiG-21F-13, it should be straightforward. But that hail-peppered skin is going to be a bu**er to render smooth enough for a polyurethane aluminium finish. Might do with a coat of slip made from lightly watered Milliput. Will have to experiment with Revell's Supermarine Pockmark IXc. Tony

They've done or are doing 2 out of 3 of those in 1/32, and a Ki-100. Kotare is doing a Spitfire. Lovely if you like 1/32 WW2 fighters but I am hoping ICM can keep trading and push out its Yak-9T. That does appeal. I do quite like the look of Z-M's 1/48 F-4G Weasel, even with the funny parallel canopy shape. Tony

I have two sets for my Trumpys and they look excellent. The canopy framing has been rendered wider to correct the misangled and flimsy greenhouse framing in the kit parts, and there is interior detail and masks included. Gets ☆☆☆☆☆ from this modeller. Tony

Am buying it just on principle.

It looks quite enticing. Diddy scale has its merits, not least of which is that it's still pocket money prices. Will get this Airfix kit, and a Special Hobby NF.11 to go with it. Tony

None. But both use F-4J wheels. The original Hasegawa releases had vinyl rubber tyres and metal hubs. The Revell repop omits these and features only plastic USAF F-4C/D/E wheels. BTW, I though Alleycat had shut down shop and sold off all remaining stock. Maybe time for Aerocraft to give 1/48 F-4 inlets a go. Tony

I have two Revells in the stash and am accumulating necessaries. Apart from Alleycat resin intakes, which are very nice to have, it's essential to replace the MLG wheels with Navy-style ones (either using resin ones or the fat Navy wheels found in the Hasegawa RF-4B box). Have Xtradecals and Eduard cockpit zoom sets and I'm currently in the market to get some Hypersonic canopy hood embellishment sets (and new slotted stabilators for the FG.1 conversion, which also needs underwing bridle hooks and a chunkier NLG leg with the extra scissor link). With the extra gubbins the Revell re-pop is really a nice model, despite its nearly 35 years old Hasegawa tooling. Planning on building the FG.1/F-4K conversion when the Airfix Buccaneer S.2C comes along later this year. Tony

Two ICM Foxbats here, and counting. Availability might be an issue but these are great kits, as are the XMM resin inlets bought a few years back. Not sure AMK is doing anything than recovering Tomcat sales. They were probably unwise tackling an American icon. Tony

Buying

Sadly, the F-111 seems to have been ruled out, along a whole bunch of other stuff by someone allegedly "in the know", who also ruled out anything that hasn't been done before in the unspecified scale. What's the biggest kit Kinetic have made? Hawkeye? So, I don't think we're getting anything larger, although I vaguely recall talk of a big 1/72 C-17 at one time. Would most like a big Sea Harrier, but that hasn't been done in 1/32, only 1/24. Biting into existing competition? And within Kinetic's subject matter and eras? Beyond what's been ruled out, it's got to be a Scooter, SLUF, Mirage or a lesser known trainer, or they are going nuts and taking on Tamiya's Navy jets. Tony

It's just a bit of fun and we'll find out what Kinetic are releasing in a few months. It's also sometimes a curious way of finding out what it isn't. Right now, I've got my sights firmly set on the forthcoming new tool Airfix 1/48 S.2C Buccaneer (and Revell 1/32 Hurricane). Like many others, I like to plan ahead a bit to avoid buying bottlenecks and even to run on a theme for a while. If Kinetic do Release an LTV A-7A/B/C/E it's going to pull me into the consumerist trail of the Kinetic Prowler & Hawkeye, Tamiya Tomcats and Hobby Boss Intruder for a year or more. If it's a Douglas A-4, I'm sticking to 1/32 Naval jet aviation. If it's a Mirage F.1 I'll probably get the Kinetic SuÉ to go with it. So, the conjecture is all part of life's magical mystery tour. And if it's nothing of interest I'll buy a bottle of single malt. Tony

On that basis, so is the Canberra. Like the Scooter, not a fighter but very agile. Tony

I meant too big for Kinetic. I can't imagine them making such a large tooling. More of Trumpeter or Hobby Boss territory, though I'd rather they did a 1/32 scale Hustler, F-106A or Halifax B.III. Kinetic would do well with a 1/48th LTV A-7 series. The Hobby Boss Corsair II has a ghastly nose/canopy and the Hasegawa kit is both rare and a bad fit. Kinetic would do well to complete the latter 20thC carrier deck jet line-up with the SLUF and maybe also an S-3 Hoover. Tony