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It's a Victor!


DAG058

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Thats a funny looking FGR.2. Well done for Airfix I guess making it a mainstream kit and it will sell for sure but I don't really understand why from a business point, over a new 1/72 or 1/48 Spey phantom series. Surely they would outsell a Victor 10 to 1 or more?

Airfix haven't announced the whole of the 2016 range yet, next Thursday "may" hold more surprises...

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I looked at the model in Telford, the intakes looked pretty good to me and I believe The General (Melchie) liked it a lot too

The others there looked pretty good too Car Door Typhoon and Sea Kings

no massive stop the show 1200 scenario but looked liked a lot of very happy anticipators to me

I'll pop off a few snaps of salient import and post tomorrow evening

I'm creamycrackered

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Regarding the intakes: yes, they're different looking, but the photo was taken from a different angle and with a different focal length lens than the virtual one in Airfix's rendering, and with significantly different lighting. Whilst it would be a shame, let's wait until we can compare "apples to apples". I can't believe Airfix would have got such an important aspect that wrong given their capabilities these days.

Looking forward to this one... despite the fact it's not an FG.1 or FGR.2 Phantom.

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Built one already!!!

Why can't I have one THIS November?

I was talking to one of the designers today and he said the one on display is a 3D printed model based on progress to about eight weeks ago. Progress has been made since then and the CAD designs are much more refined now.

Matt.

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The intakes look reasonably good from this view. I love this view, so menacing.

ImageA1.jpg

I agree with xvtonka, the bottom lip looks too shallow. Although we are only looking at cad drawings and a test shot ( I am not even sure it is a test-shot). The built kit may be a prototype and not a test shot, but it does look darn good.

I suspect Airfix looks at these forums,

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I was talking to one of the designers today and he said the one on display is a 3D printed model based on progress to about eight weeks ago. Progress has been made since then and the CAD designs are much more refined now.

Matt.

That sort of answers my suspicions.

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Well some of us will no doubt be mentioning XVTonkers misgivings tomorrow if we can get close to Matt

As a 3D print this looks far more advanced than the amazing Merlin I lusted for a few years back 'cos that one had ridges in the plastic that you could JUST make out as a matted plastic surface

This just has lust etched into its visible surfaces

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If it's a stereolithography model (3D print) it'll have been fettled to an inch of it's life to get smooth surfaces. Either that, or primed heavily and sanded back.

Either way it's not a true representation of the actual kit. It's almost like a model of the model, if that sounds right :mental:

Anyway, it's nice to see a new Victor, having last tackled one when the Matchbox kit came out.

And personally I'm enjoying seeing the new Airfix range develop. I hope the business continues to flourish and give us some more interesting subjects.

Who'd have thought it ten years ago!

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I believe the rest of the 2016 announcements will be made on Thursday? Yes, I would have liked a Spey Phantom in 1/48 but, the absence of same I guess I am going to have to track down a bucket load of 1/72 Fujimi Brit Phantoms before they are hunted to extinction and prices go through the roof!

Allan

More announcements Thursday? So they could still announce a Vulcan?

Are you serious Airfix isn't finished with announcements?

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Why do so many people want the Phantom? Rather an ugly beast, in my opinion. And over the years, plenty of kits of various marks have been made over the years.

Also why do people want another K2 Victor. The bomber is so much sexier.

Edited by STRAT'71
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I would prefer a K2 as its an aircraft I have memories of in service, all the other variants had retired before my time. Think the K2 was a fantastic workhorse and under estimated asset in two conflicts , that's why I'm sure a K2 will follow . Good to see the bomber released first.

I built and enjoyed building a Matchbox Victor as a K2 years ago , I'm sure the Airfix kit will be a vast improvement in any variant.

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Why do so many people want the Phantom? Rather an ugly beast, in my opinion. And over the years, plenty of kits of various marks have been made over the years.

Also why do people want another K2 Victor. The bomber is so much sexier.

Ugly beast??? Never, a hugely popular subject for plane makers, & no new British versions for some years, that's why.

Mac

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Well some of us will no doubt be mentioning XVTonkers misgivings tomorrow if we can get close to Matt

As a 3D print this looks far more advanced than the amazing Merlin I lusted for a few years back 'cos that one had ridges in the plastic that you could JUST make out as a matted plastic surface

This just has lust etched into its visible surfaces

The surface was not all that smooth and he said a lot more details have been added now, which can be seen in the CAD ilustrations on the Airfix web site.

Matt.

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Deeper investigation tomorrow

Whatever, if the intakes need a nudge they have time to introduce improvements

We'll see if they have the inclination

or the need

on this link there are pictures of the 3d and Lusty Linda from ahead to my old and admittedly tired eyes there's not a lot of obvious change needed

http://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/aerodrome/victor-britains-final-v-bomber/

Time will tell no doubt, I like it :thumbsup2:

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I would prefer a K2 as its an aircraft I have memories of in service, all the other variants had retired before my time. Think the K2 was a fantastic workhorse and under estimated asset in two conflicts , that's why I'm sure a K2 will follow . Good to see the bomber released first.

I built and enjoyed building a Matchbox Victor as a K2 years ago , I'm sure the Airfix kit will be a vast improvement in any variant.

Ditto, I have a great memory of the Victor tanker. I was just out of trades training and my base was hosting a large international air show. I was assigned to park a F-111, then I was to run to the next aircraft and Marshall that one in too. Which was a Victor Tanker. It was impressive watching that big beast taxi to me.

I also had cold beer with me. Molson Canadian donated a lot of beer in those days and we always greeted our visitors with cold beer for all crew and pax.

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Why do so many people want the Phantom? Rather an ugly beast, in my opinion. And over the years, plenty of kits of various marks have been made over the years.

Also why do people want another K2 Victor. The bomber is so much sexier.

Because it has a history! It is like a Messerschmidt or a Spitfire. Used in so many theatres, and plenty of users. Like the other popular subjects it needs constant updating. And it will sell well.

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Nice one Airfix,

I only have one concern and that's with the intakes, they look a little too deep, and the bottom lip appears to be too shallow in thickness.

From my Victor K.2 days the intakes sweep out from the saddle heater towards the front of the wing. The picture below shows this effect.

XVTonker

From my brief conversation with the chaps on the stand, the model pictured is only a 3D print at this stage. Final tweaking is still on going before design freeze.

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Thats a funny looking FGR.2. Well done for Airfix I guess making it a mainstream kit and it will sell for sure but I don't really understand why from a business point, over a new 1/72 or 1/48 Spey phantom series. Surely they would outsell a Victor 10 to 1 or more?

Why? The Spey engined Phantom has been kitted perfectly well by Fujimi and Hasegawa in your two preferred scales, and both are still available , albeit at a price. The B Mk2 series Victor has not been kitted at all; the Matchbox/Revell K2 moulding is over 30 years old, and requires a shed load of work to convert to a Bomber variant. Assuming Airfix repeat the multi variant approach of the Valiant we could end up with every Conway engined Victor option doable with modern moulding techniques, recessed lines etc etc. I am thrilled that Airfix are doing this, just as I am with Revell's AEW Shackleton and Meng's F-106. Definitely a " Golden Age."

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More announcements Thursday? So they could still announce a Vulcan?

Are you serious Airfix isn't finished with announcements?

The original announcement states that on saturday , Airfix would be announcing the date when the full list of 2016 releases would be published - these to coincide with the new yearbook which is due Thursday. Now of course, it is quite possible that no more announcements will be made and they are just publishing the final list. As for a Vulcan, I think if one were to be announced, we would have heard that by now :lol:

Allan

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Why? The Spey engined Phantom has been kitted perfectly well by Fujimi and Hasegawa in your two preferred scales, and both are still available , albeit at a price. The B Mk2 series Victor has not been kitted at all; the Matchbox/Revell K2 moulding is over 30 years old, and requires a shed load of work to convert to a Bomber variant. Assuming Airfix repeat the multi variant approach of the Valiant we could end up with every Conway engined Victor option doable with modern moulding techniques, recessed lines etc etc. I am thrilled that Airfix are doing this, just as I am with Revell's AEW Shackleton and Meng's F-106. Definitely a " Golden Age."

But that's the point, the Spey Phantom has not been perfectly well kitted in 1/72nd!

The Fujimi kit looks nice but has shape errors and less than good fit. Whilst it's the best of of a bad bunch it ain't right.

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Despite the arguments that seemm to be brewing, for me I am not against the Victor kit . It is very welcome, clearly! But also I am not upset at Airfix for not announcing a UK Phantom either......yet! I can wait......!

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