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1/32 - MRCA Tornado by Italeri - GR.4, ECR & IDS released


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A quick review of the kit suggests that only the GR1 specific parts , the  front Instrument Panel has the square MFD, rather than the earlier round one , and a gun barrel are the only GR1 specific pieces missing - I think!

 

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4 hours ago, speedy said:

I may have missed it in the chat but can you make a GR.1 out of it?

If the gun port for the port side is included then it should be. Add the gun port and dont add the FLIR sensor. The cockpit is a GR1 cockpit other than a round moving map display in the front.

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Yep, I looked at mine today and the port gunport is there and possibly a second Mauser barrel. Interesting that it’s just the front panel that needs altering - an Eduard Zoom would do it - did they do a set for the Revell Tonka? And then some small drop tanks from a Revell kit and some 80’s stores to go on the fuselage pylons. I think this could be a very good kit with some care taken in getting the fuselage sub assemblies together as it’s quite complicated- a case of ‘rush slowly’! I like the option for either rubber or plastic weighted tyres. I think Italeri have tried to use etch where it is most effective although I would prefer an etch HUD frame ,but you can’t have it all!!

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Eduard Zoom would do it - did they do a set for the Revell Tonka

 

There is a very small Eduard set for the Revell GR tornado , but it is long out of production and getting your hands on one is akin to hunting Unicorns  the best option might be to get an Airscale generic set that should provide enough pieces to modify the kit IP 

 

It's strange that Eduard never released any sets for the current Revell tornado , you would think it would have been a massivly popular set , but no , there's nothing - hopefully that will change 

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My kit arrived mid week but I've been away with work and have just got my paws on it. First thing I've noticed which I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere is that there is an option with the rear cockpit, the older round GR1/GR4 central display or TARDIS display. Really pleased to see this and surprised I've not seen anyone mention it.

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Sounds like you know your stuff Muzz - do you think anything’s missing? I’m gradually taking the view that this is best built as a GR.4 (funny that) and I suspect an IDS/GR.1 and even an F.3 may be in the offing later!!

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1 hour ago, Muzz said:

surprised I've not seen anyone mention it.

They're much too busy slagging off the panel lines :D (not you Simon)

I can understand being a bit more critical granted it goes for 120€ or so, but this looks like a solid up-to-date kit with plenty of room for further adaptations.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Simon Cornes said:

Sounds like you know your stuff Muzz - do you think anything’s missing? I’m gradually taking the view that this is best built as a GR.4 (funny that) and I suspect an IDS/GR.1 and even an F.3 may be in the offing later!!

I've not had a proper look at the plastic yet but nothing I can see is missing, 1500lt tanks would have been good and maybe some BOL rails but that would just really be the icing on the cake.

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4 minutes ago, Muzz said:

I've not had a proper look at the plastic yet but nothing I can see is missing, 1500lt tanks would have been good and maybe some BOL rails but that would just really be the icing on the cake.

Agreed but then I thought that if the kit had included 1500lt tanks, there would be a temptation to build a GR1 but then I considered the need for a decal sheet with stencils for a DG/OG camouflaged jet and the only way you can get that is with a Revell sheet and the Revell kit is pretty good so I'd be loathe to split the Revell decals from the plastic, hence either Hannants do a huge decal sheet with stencils our Italeri do a re-box as a GR/IDS with appropriate decals! The only 'teeny' pity is that the nose halves don't have an option for a 1a/4a sensor window on both sides or the bulge on the underside but then the windows could just be masked and painted on or drilled out and filled with clear styrene so just 'basic' modelling! 

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10 hours ago, Simon Cornes said:

Agreed but then I thought that if the kit had included 1500lt tanks, there would be a temptation to build a GR1 but then I considered the need for a decal sheet with stencils for a DG/OG camouflaged jet and the only way you can get that is with a Revell sheet and the Revell kit is pretty good so I'd be loathe to split the Revell decals from the plastic, hence either Hannants do a huge decal sheet with stencils our Italeri do a re-box as a GR/IDS with appropriate decals! The only 'teeny' pity is that the nose halves don't have an option for a 1a/4a sensor window on both sides or the bulge on the underside but then the windows could just be masked and painted on or drilled out and filled with clear styrene so just 'basic' modelling! 

I’m just finishing the Revell 1/48 kit and didn’t think I’d want to start another Tornado but this kit is making me! It’s an old cliche but think I will hold off and wait and see what aftermarket items are released (Quinta Studios cockpit?), as you say the TIRRS pack would be great, CBLS pods and I imagine a few company’s will release decals.

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I'm secretly hoping that someone's putting one of these away for me this year (or next). It does look a really nice base kit and I really love the way they've done those

dropped flaps and the way it just 'looks like a Tornado'.

I'm guessing that the test build has been put together without going overboard on things, just to give a built-up impression, as my only (very slight) concern looking at that

is the gap between the wing top surface and the panel which covers the pivot points. Hopefully it'll all go together nice and snug, with a bit of care.

Anyway, I'd really like one.

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Mine is on the way from the Big H courtesy of my back pocket. Unfortunately they hit me hard for shipping :(

 

Although its still cheaper than a Revell kit and a set of Paragon flaps....

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If anyone is desperate to build a GR.1, please PM me as I will happily swap the GR.1 specific parts in the Revell kit I have for the GR.4 specific parts from your Italeri kit :)

 

Cheers,

  WV908

 

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17 minutes ago, Shalako said:

I just saw on Youtube the review video from FloryModels. £150 for this kit? Seriously? And there are no details on the cockpit's sides walls?

 

 

I think its RRP is £139.99 but can be picked up without much fuss from various vendors for under £120.

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23 hours ago, Muzz said:

I think its RRP is £139.99 but can be picked up without much fuss from various vendors for under £120.

Well, even £100 for a kit these days is quite a lot. At least, for me.

 

It would be interesting to see a comparison though, between the Revell and the Italeri kits.

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I've had one arrive this week and have to say the points raised in FloryModels review YouTube are valid points, before I go any further, and cop flak for it, I'm not putting this kit down at all, these are simply some of the things I've noted. I LOVE the look of this kit, I'm a huge fan of the Tornado and had no real intention of picking one up as I have plenty Revell kits in 1/72, 1/48 and also a 1/32 GR.1 with some Flightpath goodies already, but this new offering looked to have some nice features that tipped me towards picking one up. Here's a few of my observations:

 

It is expensive there's no getting away from that, and its not Tamiya quality at that price. I picked mine up well below the RRP with free postage so I would recommend shopping around a lot.

 

Ejector pin marks, theres lots, some will require dealt with to not be visible. Italeri's sprues are huge, I guess smaller more rigid sprues that can pop out of a mould with less ejector pins drive up the cost of tooling (and plastic) even further. Some of the thicker cast parts have some sink marks but really not as bad as some other Italeri kits I've got, the worst ones are on the underside of the flaps but nothing a swipe of filler won't fix.

 

Cockpit sidewall detail on the fwd fuselage halves is non-existent but I'm planning a canopy shut, possibly crewed aircraft so there won't be much visible. I'm sure the aftermarket companies will have something up there sleeves. Detail on the canopy itself looks good with parts for the ducting and mirrors.

 

The vinyl tyres and sweep seals I'm not a fan of, unfortunately theres no solid plastic alternative for the sweep seals but there are wheels.

 

The engines are not bad but I wish they'd give you additional (basic) nozzles, turbine faces and compressor faces so that you could at least have the aircraft complete and still display an engine on the stand. Full length intakes and blow-in doors are a great touch, including the PE vane inside the left inlet. The seams will take a bit of work to clean up though.

 

Flaps, slats, spoilers and deployed reverser options, fantastic in my opinion, personally I like the look of the Tornado under heavy braking post touchdown and a few alterations to the nose gear and this would look fantastic on a diorama. Or an airborne jet in a tight banked turn on a stand, the spoilers can be displaced accurately to suit. Or if you're really brave  the option of partially retracted gear at take-off. It opens up the scope of this kit no end.

 

Other nice touches are the open panel below the RH intake, radar inside the nose cone and a crew ladder.

 

The instruction book is a hefty article but pretty well laid out and clear, and there's a separate colour book for markings and decals.

 

The only issues I've noted are that the colour of the Tornado silhouette on the special retirement scheme appears to be incorrect, and the weapons are a bit sparse if you don't want Paveways on your aircraft. There's no LITENING pod or other weapon option for RAF aircraft. Brimstone or a couple of Storm Shadow would have been a nice addition, but again its scope for the aftermarket companies, albeit further increasing cost for those choosing to go down this road.

 

All in all I like it a lot and am really looking forward to having a crack at this. Would I buy it again now I've seen it, hell yeah, just not at RRP.... shop around for a good deal!

 

Eng

 

 

 

 

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On 11/23/2020 at 6:17 PM, TEXANTOMCAT said:

£114 inc free shipping is the cheapest U.K. price on eBay - £105 with free shipping from Japan - but you may get hit with taxes 

I got mine from Model Hobbies for £104.99 + free UK delivery. Since gone up to £111.99  (£93.33 ex. VAT) still free UK delivery (a discount on shipping for overseas orders too).  

 

Rich

 

PS £104.99 still sounds so much better than £105...:happy:

Edited by RichG
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Is anyone aware of any WIP's that have popped up yet? I've made a start on mine that I picked up today and there's some interesting issues. I've only really looked at the hangy-offy bits so far. There's the missile fit for an F3 on the sprues so I have my hopes up for that in a future boxing. 

 

The kit is a bit of monster - makes the old Revell look flimsy in comparison. The engines are amazing but why oh why didn't Italeri supply extra / dummy burner cans and thrust reversers?

 

Cheers,

  WV908

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