1/72 - Edgley EA-7 Optica by AviS - released - new boxing

[Homebee]

Avis is to release a 1/72nd Edgley EA-7 Optica - ref. BX72025 BX72026

Source: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234994158-avis-new-172nd-kits-in-2016-update/

 

 

V.P.

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by Homebee

[Kuro Nezumi]

Nice to see this sort of plane kitted. Certainly one of the creepiest aircraft to see fly. Plus it sounds like a killer hair dryer. Must get one sometime after its release.

[Homebee]

Box art - ref. BX72026 - Edgley EA-7A Optica

Sources: 

https://www.aviationmegastore.com/edgley-ea-7a-optica-bx72026-avis-models-bx72026-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=170306

https://hobbyterra.com/product/plastic-model-1-72-edgley-ea-7-optica-avis-72026.html

 

 

V.P.

 

 

Edited June 3, 2020 by Homebee

[dalea]

I hate white paint

[Radleigh]

Paint it yellow or blue then...

 

 

[Welkin]

I don't think that they built many of these, did they?

Are any still flying?

[Graham Boak]

wiki says 22/

[Radleigh]

I believe just one flying.. was hope of getting it back off the ground again as it was at Farnborough one year, but nothing heard since. 

[PLC1966]

Remember seeing one fly at Farnborough, there is a WHIF project in this somewhere.

[TEXANTOMCAT]

I think we now need a 1/72 Shadow microlight to recreate Slipstream 🙂

 

if you get that reference you are a very old geek like me...

 

TT

[RicardoD]

I wish it was at least 1/48...

[upnorth]

Nice to see it becoming a reality. I though Avis was trolling us for a while.

 

Nice also to see that it seems to be production standard and not a prototype.

[Homebee]

Released  - ref. BX72026 - Edgley EA-7A Optica

Source: 

https://amarket-model.com/product/optica-edgley-ea-7-plastic-model-kit/

https://hobbyterra.com/product/plastic-model-1-72-edgley-ea-7-optica-avis-72026.html

 

 

 

V.P.

Edited May 13, 2021 by Homebee

[Truro Model Builder]

It would look good in Army Air Corps camouflage...

[Homebee]

In box review http://www.greenmats.club/reviews.html/avis/72_aircrafts-172/avis-172-edgley-ea-7-optica-r93/

 

 

V.P.

[Truro Model Builder]

The paint mask will be a godsend.

[Mr T]

Didn't the Army evaluate one? I have some sort of memory of reafing about it in the early 80's. I fancy one having seen it at Finningley (?) at a BoB display. 

[fightersweep]

40 minutes ago, Mr T said:

Didn't the Army evaluate one? I have some sort of memory of reafing about it in the early 80's. I fancy one having seen it at Finningley (?) at a BoB display. 

Wiki mentions the two seat trainer version (Sprint) as being built with the military in mind, but fails to mention if any trials took place. Interesting to read that ten airframes were destroyed in an arson attack on the factory.

 

Steve

[Mr T]

Yes, I read that. I must have read an in depth article about the plane sometime in the past, but a lot of life has happened in between. 

Edited September 11, 2020 by Mr T
Spelling

[stevehnz]

This has always struck me as an aircraft that deserved to succeed more than it did. I'll be looking out for one of these for that reason if no other.

Steve.

[Work In Progress]

23 hours ago, fightersweep said:

Wiki mentions the two seat trainer version (Sprint) as being built with the military in mind,

No, that is a reference to a totally separate and unrelated design: this

[fightersweep]

30 minutes ago, Work In Progress said:

No, that is a reference to a totally separate and unrelated design: this

Ah! Gotcha. You can tell I don't build civil types very often!

[Natter]

Still not in stock at Hannants though...

[Madoc]

They're in stock at Modelsua!

 

https://modelsua.com/edgley-ea-7-optica-surveillance-aircraft-1-72-avis-72026

[Natter]

Mine arrived from the Big H today, the first Avis kit I have seen so I had no preconceptions. First impressions:

 

The tail booms have locating pins and tabs, as does the engine pod; very unexpected.  We shall see how accurately they actually fit come the build. The sprues have part numbers moulded on adjacent to the relevant parts as well, also unexpected.

 

There is some flash, not entirely unexpected for a short run kit, and the panel lines may be a bit heavy for some. Maybe not as heavy as some of the recent Airfix kits but not as fine as Eduard's perhaps.

 

Some of the sprue gates are quite large, again not unexpected for a short run kit. Some of them encroach on to the mating surfaces of the kit parts though, notably on the tail booms, so careful removal from the sprues and clean up will be required.

 

Both the control columns and one of the flap actuators on my example are short-shot. The actuator can be saved with the addition of a little fine wire, but the control columns will have to be scratch built as there is probably only half the part actually moulded.

 

There is a huge sink mark on the central control console moulding that will have to be filled and sanded.

 

The clear parts are every bit as clear as in the photo posted by Homebee. Assembling and aligning that four piece clear cabin pod looks a bit daunting though.

 

Just my two-penneth.