1/72 MPM Wellington Ic

[johnd]

Evening all,

I have an MPM Wellington Ic in my pile waiting to be built at some point but it hasn't escaped my attention that this kit is on the receiving end of more than its fair share of criticism.

Is it actually buildable by n average (at best) modeller? Would I be better off unloading it and buying something else, say a Trumpeter example?

John.

[BillyB]

Here's a link

http://modelingmadness.com/scott/allies/gb/wellington.htm

HTH,

Bill....

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

I started an Italeri one, which is a reboxed MPM kit, a while ago (Mk X, I think) but stopped. I also have a Trumpeter Mk III, which looks much nicer and by all accounts is the easier one to build.

thanks

Mike

[johnd]

Thanks for the link Bill, that looks useful if I do go ahead but I reckon Scott van Aken was slightly ahead of me when the modelling skills were handed out :-)

Mike, why did you stop?

[tonyot]

Hello John,

Although the Trumpeter kit appears to be better the MPM kit is perfectly buildable and here is one of mine;

I`ve also converted one into a Merlin engine Mk.II. The only thing that stood out for me with the MPM Mk.Ic were the turrets as they are both very different when they should actually portray the same type. If I remember correctly I think that I swapped mine around, ie nose to tail and tail to nose, and they fitted much better then. It is light years better than the old Airfix kit and I`d say that it is better than the Matchbox Mk.X kit too,..so by no means a duffer. Just build it and enjoy it mate,

Cheers

Tony

Edited December 4, 2013 by tonyot

[AdrianMF]

Nice build! What are the decals?

[Heraldcoupe]

The MPM kit isn't a straightforward build, but it's quite doable with lots of test fitting and tweaking. It's the shape errors which finished it for me though, the Trumpeter kit is just so much better in every way. That kit has a few issues, but only in areas where MPM got it considerably more wrong......

Cheers,

Bill.

[tonyot]

Nice build! What are the decals?

Cheers Adrian,

Those are the kit decals.

Tony

Edited December 5, 2013 by tonyot

[johnd]

Thanks all, looks like it's worth a go. I'll be pleased if it turns out to be half as good as yours though, Tony.

John.

[Heraldcoupe]

Here's a link to my own build of the Italeri boxing of the MPM kit.

Early work is detailed here.

I started this before the Trumpter kit became available, it benefited from some spares from the Trumpeter kit by the time I got to mid-build. It may be useful if you're concerned with making any corrections,

Cheers,

Bill.

[tonyot]

Nice modelling there Bill,...did you ever finish it as it was coming along nicely? I have always fancied doing a couple of Fleet Air Arm Wimpeys myself, one in white and one in bomber colours,

Cheers

Tony

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

Thanks for the link Bill, that looks useful if I do go ahead but I reckon Scott van Aken was slightly ahead of me when the modelling skills were handed out :-)

Mike, why did you stop?

I think I got bored and decided to build something else instead! I have plenty of kits like that!

I can only see the point in the MPM Wellington if you want to build versions that only they make, like the Mk II and IV.

thanks

Mike

[Daniel Cox]

Hi All,

Speaking of MPM Wellington kits does anyone have any thoughts about their Mk II kit or experience or musings on using it in combination with a Trumpeter offering in order to make a nice Wellington Mk II model.

Apologies John for asking about the Mk II, I've got a Mk III and a Mk II kit and I've only got as far as removing the fuselage halves from the sprue of the Mk II kit before putting it back in the box.

Cheers,

Daniel.

[AdrianMF]

Those are the kit decals

Thanks. I have the kit, I didn't realise it had a brown/brown option!

Regards,

Adrian

[Heraldcoupe]

Nice modelling there Bill,...did you ever finish it as it was coming along nicely?

I gave up on it when the white paint on the fuselage reacted - I stripped most of it back but never re-painted.. Silly really after all the work that had been done, perhaps it ought to be dragged out for a KUTA group build!

Cheers,

Bill.

[woody37]

I got the MPM kit and sold it on to buy the Trumpeter one. Don't regret it, the Trumpeter kit is a superb kit. I too would be interested to see if the MPM Merlins would fit the Trumpeter kit.

[DaveCS]

Hmmm.. I offered my Italeri Mk X up to a local club as a raffle gift since I also have the MPM Mk III in my stash - now you guys are making me re-think this and perhaps go out and snag the Trumpy Mk III

As a general comment on MPM/Special Hobby kits, I find that they do warrant more work... sometimes a LOT more work.. and a lot of patience - but at the end of the day, "if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck" and you've completed the kit, I find you have a certain sense of accomplishment that's beyond building any other kits. I found this with building a couple Pavla kits - there were moments when I wanted to toss the things into the bin but I refused (mainly because Pavla was the ONLY one making, at the time, a 1/72 version of the subject) - so I stuck it out and finished them. That's just my opinion on those types of kits mind you.

I do have my share of utter disasters which I really SHOULD toss away (Pacific Coast 1/32 Mk IX Spit....) *LOL*

Cheers,
Dave