New-ish Airfix 1/72 C-47 Skytrain - Available now

[Rabbit Leader]

All,

Just received this email from those nice people at Hattons to advise that the Airfix C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) is now available.

I believe this may be a re-issue of the Italeri (possibly Esci) kit from many many years ago - although not 100% sure.

Hopefully it is not their original mould from the 60's with no dihedral.

Does anyone know what decals choices are on offer? - I suspect some type of RAF scheme and perhaps a US Berlin Airlift option as well.

"Hello

This is an automatically generated email to tell you that Airfix A07005 Douglas C-47 Skytrain transporter is now in stock and ready to purchase at http://www.ehattons.com/StockDetail.aspx?SID=60322 for £17.10."

Cheers.. Dave.

[Seahawk]

Definitely the ex-Italeri: Airfix customer relations told me so. Whereas the forthcoming Italeri Dakota will be the ex-Esci kit.

[Rabbit Leader]

Definitely the ex-Italeri: Airfix customer relations told me so. Whereas the forthcoming Italeri Dakota will be the ex-Esci kit.

Had no idea that the Esci and Italeri kits were different. Thanks for the info.. strange that Italeri are not releasing their own product. I suspect the Esci one must have been better.

Cheers.. Dave.

[GrzeM]

Here: http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=178726 is the comparison.

[Jennings Heilig]

In the early 1980s when those two kits came out, ESCI and Italeri were arch-enemy competitors.

[Work In Progress]

Does anyone know what decals choices are on offer? - I suspect some type of RAF scheme and perhaps a US Berlin Airlift option as well.

Wonderland has the box art indicating exactly that:

http://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/airfix-172-douglas-c-47-dakota-skytrain/

Which is a surprise given that three minutes ago when I checked, even Airfix didn't have that image on their own website. I'm sure they will put it up shortly.

However, unless you really really want those decals, then the Italeri one, which is current stock and therefore probably the actual Italeri kit, is waaaaaay cheaper at £12.82.

http://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/italeri-172-c-47-skytrain/

[Seahawk]

Had no idea that the Esci and Italeri kits were different. Thanks for the info.. strange that Italeri are not releasing their own product. I suspect the Esci one must have been better.

Cheers.. Dave.

See this recent thread, especially post 22, for a discussion of their relative merits:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234936282-best-172-c-47dc-3/page-2?hl=dakota

Edited April 24, 2013 by Seahawk

[Navy Bird]

Way back when, I built a 1:72 DC-3 in Eastern Airlines (Airways?) markings on commission. Probably the only airliner I ever built. My frizzled brain seems to recall that it was in a Testors box - but I could be completely wrong. Does anyone recall if Testors ever reboxed either the Italeri or ESCI kit? The model had engraved panel lines, that I remember. Most likely it was the Italeri kit, since they and Testors had a nice distribution partnership.

Cheers,

Bill

[Seahawk]

According to post 36 in the thread above, the ESCI kit 9014 had TWA, Eastern and Sabena markings. I think I can recall an Italeri boxing with Eastern markings as well but may be wrong.

[Navy Bird]

Just found one on eBay - my old brain was working right after all!

Eastern and Western Airlines markings, it seems to be the Italeri kit based on the logo.

Back on target, I like the looks of the new Airfix box. I may just have to pick that one up, too!

Cheers,

Bill

[Max Headroom]

Definitely the ex-Italeri: Airfix customer relations told me so. Whereas the forthcoming Italeri Dakota will be the ex-Esci kit.

Airfix = Italeri

Italeri = Esci

Eh? Why didn't Italeri give Airfix the Esci?

Trevor

[Seahawk]

Airfix = Italeri

Italeri = Esci

Eh? Why didn't Italeri give Airfix the Esci?

Trevor

Kept the better for themselves? I imagine that at the time Italeri put out their Dakota they didn't also have access to the ESCI moulds.

[Test Graham]

There were a lot of releases of the ESCI kit, civil and military, including slightly different toolings with wartime and postwar noses. The Italeri and ESCI kits came out at much the same time, it was only some time later that ESCI sold their moulds. Testors did have links to Italeri, so I think it is a pretty safe bet what's in the Testors' box.

Generally speaking, most people seem to prefer the ESCI kit. It is certainly more detailed and comes without the rather excessive panel lines, but the Italeri is a fairly nice if somewhat simple kit.

[Max Headroom]

For buildability I preferred the original Italeri (would it have been Italeieri at the time?) version even though the ventral flaps were not separate and the gills at the rear of the cowling were moulded shut.

Trevor

[KRK4m]

ESCI kit is a little better in general outline and it depicts Friese ailerons well. Italeri has symmetrical ailerons which is wrong for the actual DC-3/C-47/Dakota.

[Seahawk]

For buildability I preferred the original Italeri (would it have been Italeieri at the time?) version even though the ventral flaps were not separate and the gills at the rear of the cowling were moulded shut.

Trevor

On that criterion I would agree with you. On the ESCI kit the separate flaps, which continue across the underside of the fuselage, mean there's no fixed underside trailing edge of the wing to align with the fuselage. And the flap wells are completely open - no boxing in to add rigidity.

[tempestfan]

To add to the confusion: There was a boxing of Esci kit 9014 including Eastern Airways markings (the UK regional operator).

Was kit 7005 (Airfix) actually released ? If it was the Italeri, it would have entailed a remarkable price rise against the preceding Series 5 release.