tony.t

All I want is about ten missing Cold War jet types or newer tools of now very old kits. But the ratio, yes, is indeed depressingly in favour of that grassy 1940s World War Two Forever airfield. If they really have to stay in that groove why not go bigger and do a Halifax or, if that's too big, a whole range of Profipack Mosquito variants? I'd buy these. Tony

The currently planned 1:48 MiG-21F-13 and MiG-15UTI are definite buys. The piston-powered propellery stuff will apparently sell gloriously spectacularly without me or other Cold War era fans spending a single penny on them, so everyone's happy. We could indeed use a number of missing Cold War jet subjects and it's good that other firms are also producing some of these aircraft at respectable intervals, so between them keep the hobby from deteriorating into just depressing flightlines near Stalingrad. Tony

I build Aerospace Ground Equipment made of resin parts successfully, and also use conversions, enhancements etc., but that's as far as I go. Fortunately, there are few parts in those sets, mitigating the masochism in achieving an end goal. Cyanoacrylate glue and I simply don't get on, and mine is far from an uncommon experience. Add to that the cost: resin kits are more expensive, and the assembly experience akin to gluing icecream wafers together with runny treacle or soft toffee (epoxy glue). Happily sniffing polystyrene cement and Humbrol paints since 1964. However I would take the plunge into £250-300 resin kits if JetMads offered a 1:32 RF-101C or Su-15TM. Tony

Beautifully built Blunty Tony

Having a marked preference for 1:32 scale I regret not ordering a Draken and would love a Thunderstreak too — and would buy either in a thrice if these were regular styrene kits that may be constructed with polystyrene cement. But I'm not keen on spending a lot of cash then having to wait a long time before having to get out the dreaded superglue. I know this is the future, especially for 1:32, but I think it's a completely different hobby to the one I grew up with. And I'm old fashioned. I'd rather JetMads stuck to the esoteric zoomy testbeds like the Skyrocket so that the window remains fully open for mainstream kits of regular hardware. Tony

That is very encouraging Will. If, perchance, it will be 1:32 scale, that is especially good news. Tony

Very helpful review. The pictures of the raw taped llastic, especially, reveal that the kit will offer a very happy outcome with just a little effort, thanks to a good fit of parts. The etch seat straps, markings and decal instruments also seem to offer an out-of-the-box experience, albeit with some internal filling and use of sanding and polishing sticks. Thanks again, Tony

So does the NLG strut, zoomed-in a tad. I don't have an Airfix fugly variant to act as a reference but am beginning to see the PR kit as something to wrestle to the finishing line — a past-time normally reserved for just 1:32 scale Trumpeter kits. Tony

It's not the wing thickness per se, but rather the profile of the leading edge. I'm starting to work out exactly what needs to be done but not sure I have the skills or energy to carry it off successfully. Hopefully, somebody else will and be able to print replacement parts for the rest of us. Then we can get a T.11. Tony

A bit of filler added to the top of the nose and blended in might fix the glareshield area. The wings' leading edges definitely need sharpening. Perhaps a replacement resin/printed set would do it. The rest I can live with though we might need a new NLG assembly still (?) What a tragic mess. If the kit were £30 I'd take the plunge but £50 is too much for something that might all too quickly end in the bin. I'm going to wait and see what aftermarket correction sets, if any, emerge over the coming months. Have Airfix categorically ruled out a Vampire T.11, the way they stu*#@%ly did with the Hunter T.7? Tony

RF-4Cs did that, using the pointy LAU-17 pylons with stores adaptors (to carry ECM or baggage pods). They also carried Sidewinder rails during the final few years of service. Tony

I'm hoping for a volte-face on a 1:32 Fishbed, maybe starting with their extensive recent work on the MiG-21F-13. Tony

I'm hoping you're right as this isn't a buy-and-see inexpensive kit. I'd like to see pics and perspectives from those who took the plunge, even if they fail to understand my sense of humour. Tony

In that case, touch carefully, as it would be good to see some taped-up shots and your perspective as to whether it can be fixed before you trash it. Tony

It may need part re-tooling to redeem Pilot Replica's hitherto good reputation. It's a real shame but it still has potential. I find it all a bit tragic, as it's a subject many of us want. We need to be solution-focused at this stage. Tony .

Oh dear, it just gets worse. If it were 1:32 I'd fight it all the way to the finishing line, but I build 1:48 for pleasure. Dommage.

This is where we're heading. I wasn't planning on getting the lovely Airfix kit of the fugly variant but am beginning to see this as a, hmm, necessary side-by-side venture. Tony

Slang for something not quite right. I want to buy the RAF edition but do sense that the leading edge isn't "sharp" enough / wing too chunky outboard of the inlet. Lovely looking kit of the elegant Vampire variants. Tony

The Z-M canopy is too parallel in plan or front view. The real aircraft canopy profile bows out towards the middle then reconverges. As Scimitar says, once seen you can't "unsee" it. The Meng has intake ducting and the correct canopy profile so the Hasegawa, with blanked off inlets, is essentially out of date. The Hasegawa range, however, does include the RF-4 Photo-Phantom variants which Meng have yet to tackle. Tony

Oh yeah! Tony

Will there be a mystery new release? Will it be in 1:48 scale? What might it be if the above is true? [Insert wish here]

Thanks for that. I was beginning to think it was all a fantasy venture. The Scimitar will be very warmly welcomed, because of the subject more than the scale. I'd happily buy it in 1:32, but 1:48 is great as it'll accompany the Airfix Sea Vixen and Buccaneer. Tony

Yes, what about the 1:48 Supermarine Scimitar F.1 kit's status? Has it died a death? Would appreciate the 1:32 Seafire too, but... Tony

It's pretty, but not as exciting as a Fugly SLUF. But I'd buy a 1:32 Blue Angels edition. Nice move, but Scimitar soon, please Tony

Some notes based on my research for Ian Allan MCA 26 Intruder/Prowler back in the dark ages: The fuselage airbrakes were deleted on the A-6A line in the Spring of 1968 starting with BuNo 154171. Earlier As retained the (now) fixed holed airbrakes for the remainder of their operational lives, including as CILOP'ed A-6E Mods. As such, you can have an A-6A without them and an A-6E or A-6E TRAM with them. Trumpeter should have included both types in all the kits, but it's hardly a show-stopper. The level fin cap does need a little scrap and filler to give it its slightly parakeet look, but very doable. A-6A to E Mod Conversion In Lieu Of Procurement embraced 240 airframes between 1973 and 1980, the bulk happening between 1973 and 1978, with the later conversions coming from airframes in short-term storage in the boneyard in Arizona (e.g, retired TIAS A-6Bs, as the A-6E Mods included 3 Pave Knife, 4 Condor and all 25 surviving A-6B/C Iron Hand and TRIM specials). GRU-7 seats were introduced from mid-1972 and were Fleetwide by around 1975. Note that the GRU-5s had very distinctive red seat survival packs, not the green later used on the '7. The cut back Doppler fairing was necessary with the introduction of the "round hole" ALE-29 pyrotechnic countermeasures dispensers, fitted around the same time, 1968-69 onwards, as the ALQ-100 DECM which introduced the protruding jamming rods or 'stirring spoon' antennae from the outboard wing pylons. For those with the new countermeasures, the jamming poles are too thin. If doing a pre ALE-29 fit from circa 1964-1969, two small slots need to be opened up just aft of the jetpipes for the ALE-18 drum dispensers. The other thing to look out for is that A-6A/B/C Intruders had simpler-looking, slightly different, wheel hubs to the later E type featured in all the kits. Overall, the big Trumpeter A-6 is a work of art which needs only a few tweaks. The 1:72 version not so much. The omission of the fwd main wheel bays is harder to fix. Note that, as the gear doors there did affect a full stores load on the inboard MER, the USMC did remove them at one time -- leaving just the wheel holes in place. (The gear rotated through 82⁰ for the wheel to fit). But that does mean surgery, with or without the gear doors, and constructing the well itself. Naughty Trumpeter! The big scale Trumpy and derivative quarter inch Hobbyboss both have correct and complete MLG bays and doors. HTH rather than hinders, Tony