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1/72 - Aérospatiale AS.350/550 Fennec/Squirrel/Ecureuil by Mach 2 - released

Homebee

By Homebee
in The Rumourmonger

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Homebee Blabber Mouth

Homebee

Posted
Posted (edited)

Mach 2 (http://www.mach2.fr/avionsg.htm) is to release a 1/72nd family of Aérospatiale Ecureuil helicopters.

ref. GP.059 - Aérospatiale AS.350 Ecureuil (French Gendarmerie)

Source: http://www.aviationmegastore.com/as350-ecureuil-french-gendarmerie-gp059-mach-2-gp059-scale-modelling/product/?shopid=LM545799cb78d2964af7209c241a&action=prodinfo&parent_id=212&art=129296

129296_0.jpg

ref. GP.060 - Aérospatiale AS.350 Squirrel (Royal Australian Navy, Army)

Source: http://www.aviationmegastore.com/as350-squirrel-royal-australian-navy-army-gp060-mach-2-gp060-scale-modelling/product/?shopid=LM545799cb78d2964af7209c241a&action=prodinfo&parent_id=212&art=129297

129297_0.jpg

ref. GP061 - Aérospatiale AS.550 Fennec (Royal Danish Army)

Source: http://www.aviationmegastore.com/as550-fennec-royal-danish-army-gp061-mach-2-gp061-scale-modelling/product/?shopid=LM545799cb78d2964af7209c241a&action=prodinfo&parent_id=212&art=129298

129298_0.jpg

V.P.

MattMemory2.jpg

Edited by Homebee
  • Like 1
foresterab Established Member

foresterab

Posted
Posted

Oh nice. The miku kit was limited produced a long time ago but have wanted one of these since day one getting back into the hobby

Now to wait to find out if it's the base model or the b2 or b3 version

BravoLima Newbie

BravoLima

Posted
Posted

Expecting for the usual crude molding, coarse detailing, awful plastic and exorbitant pricing for the value you get.

Somebody should inform Mr. Palix that owning a molding machine is not enough to learn to be a fine moldmaker.
No good news IMHO.

Luca

LIN

OverTorque New Member

OverTorque

Posted
Posted

The crucial aspect of this kind of kits is that 1:72th scale is too small for them. It would be better using 1/48th. Just check out what did matchbox with the dolphin in 1:72. It's smaller than your hand...

Julien Blabber Mouth

Julien

Posted
Posted

Why is 1:72 too small? If you model in 1.72 you want kits in 1.72 no matter how big or small they are.

I have some OH-6s in 1.72 now they are small but I want them still as they are 1.72.

  • Like 8
ShadowRaider New Member

ShadowRaider

Posted
Posted

Why is 1:72 too small???

Please look closely at the newest Special Hobby AH-1G kit in 1:72:

http://www.mpmkits.eu/2014/07/ah-1g-cobra-kits-are-in-stock.html

Everything (everything!) is breathtakingly detailed. Even the 6 barrels on the miniguns, even the levers that hold the tiny wheels.

So I say - no, 1:72 is just right if the model kit manufacturer really knows his business.

Alex

  • Like 6
chris57 Obsessed Member

chris57

Posted
Posted

To save me searching reference books can someone help me out here. I picked up a Miku Ecureil & two Fennecs some years back but they're ID'd as AS335 & AS355. Why the difference in the numbers?, compared to these issues. thanks gentlemen

Platypus New Member

Platypus

Posted
Posted

Expecting for the usual crude molding, coarse detailing, awful plastic and exorbitant pricing for the value you get.

Somebody should inform Mr. Palix that owning a molding machine is not enough to learn to be a fine moldmaker.

No good news IMHO.

Luca

LIN

Haven't touched a Mach2 kit in a while. They didn't improve at all?

Whirly Obsessed Member

Whirly

Posted
Posted

The crucial aspect of this kind of kits is that 1:72th scale is too small for them. It would be better using 1/48th. Just check out what did matchbox with the dolphin in 1:72. It's smaller than your hand...

Please elaborate: if you think that 1/48th would be better suited to Mach 2's machinery, have you imagined for a moment how the extensive glazing of the Ecureuil would come out in a even bigger reproduction?? The clear parts are already not so clear in 1/72 even after extensive treating, in a bigger scale they would be simply unacceptable.

The truth is that there are no kind words one can say about a producer who hasn't succeded in doing anything better in the last 20 or more years: I purchased their Convair Sea Dart in the first 90s and it is the same quality you get with any new issue, not only the plastic parts but also poor decals, sketchy instructions, flimsy boxes... everything is always the same so it's clear that the owner doesn't feel anything should be changed, it's not only a problem of production tools.

Many say that a poor kit is better than no kit, though I can't subscribe to this point of view: in this way you fill a market void and any chance for a better product to be issued is greatly reduced. Also, it's not a problem of being modellers or assemblers: you can throw how much time you like in building one of these kits but the result will be at best an average model unless you rebuild everything and if you have to do that it's called scratchbuilding.

Fabio

  • Like 1
troschi Established Member

troschi

Posted
Posted (edited)

Nobody has seen any parts yet but the modelers have nothing better to do than to complain.

Obviously bigger manufacturers keep their fingers away from an Ecureuil/Squirrel for whatever reason. So there was Miku - what you got there was more something of a caricature of an Ecureuil - Dimensions and Proportions were awkward. Mach 2 makes such mistakes sometimes as well but I think they will get it better than Miku.

And why 1:48? There are better kits, but the Heller kit is still useable...

I suppose a modeller who considers to buy a Mach 2 product knows what he will get in the end. The Miku kit is around for 2-3 times the price of the Mach 2 kit and you will have no real advantage with it.

Yes, I'm afraid of the clear parts and curious how he (M. Palix) will do the rather delicate starflex rotorhead.

But overall, I'm happy at first that somebody will do an Ecureuil! If it'll be crap - I can also stay away from a purchase then.

Edited by troschi
OverTorque New Member

OverTorque

Posted
Posted

To save me searching reference books can someone help me out here. I picked up a Miku Ecureil & two Fennecs some years back but they're ID'd as AS335 & AS355. Why the difference in the numbers?, compared to these issues. thanks gentlemen

Hi chris! The as 335 is and old version of the 355. They are both twin engine because of the last 5 in the id code ( the as 350 is a single engine).

Regarding to the 1/72 vs 1/48 scale i just wanted to say i prefer 1:48 simply because i think that using 1:72 scale for helicopters with a total length between 10 and 13 meters is...i don't know how to say...i mean, i just don't like it. I'm building the 365N3 by kitty hawk i'm enjoying it much more than what i did with the matchbox one. Obviously is always a personal opinion guys.

But i have to say one thing: putting the dauphin by trumpeter in 1:48 next to a real dauphin photo i can confirm the matchbox is way better: the trumpeter has only the name "dauphin" that makes it a dauphin. Shapes and dimensions are totally wrong. So if the 1:72 ecureuil is accurate in terms of proportion, then it could be a good choice.

Nb: i work on 365n3.

Regards

  • 4 weeks later...
heloman1 Completely Obsessed Member

heloman1

Posted
Posted

Looks neat enough to me and it's not smaller than a Gazelle. Heller 50th kit is very workable.

Colin

The dragonborn Established Member

The dragonborn

Posted
Posted

Whoa! those Danish roundels are off! The white disc's radius should be exactly half of the red one's.

They look like French roundels without the blue dot. :nono:

  • 3 years later...

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