1/72 Prototype Tornado - Back Dating the Revell GR.1?

[Rabbit Leader]

This is quite outside my normal sphere of modelling themes, however I'm getting a fettish to build and add a Red / White Prototype Tornado to my colourful collection of kits (the exact prototype a/c is still to be determined). Now I'm aware of at least three 1/72 Tornado kits that were produced around the late seventies and was just wondering which one would build up best as a Prototype Tornado. I think Airfix came out first with a Series 4 kit, then there were kits from Esci and Italeri. 

 

Does anyone know what are the pros and cons of each of these three kits? I quite like Esci's panel line interpretation on their series of F-100's and F-5's although am not sure if this earlier Tornado kit was treated in the same manner. Decals would also be required and believe that both Airfix and Italeri came out with these although not sure about the Esci kit. Does anyone know of any AM Prototype decals ever being available? 

 

Cheers and thanks .. Dave 

 

* Edit - Slight change of thread and topic. Since this OP, I've now obtained a Revell GR.1 and will back date this kit?.. Cheers. 

[Hook]

Esci reviewed:

 

http://modelingmadness.com/scott/mod/gb/tornadopreview.htm

 

HTH, 

 

Andre

[Rabbit Leader]

30 minutes ago, Hook said:

Esci reviewed:

 

http://modelingmadness.com/scott/mod/gb/tornadopreview.htm

 

HTH, 

 

Andre

Thanks Andre, looks similar but a little different to the more common Italeri kit, a little like the F-100’s from the two companies. Do you know which one is marginally better or are they both a pretty close match?

 

Cheers.. Dave

[modelldoc]

I had build the Airfix one decades before:

 

 

modelldoc

[Troffa]

Let me know what decals you are going to be using, as I've been hankering to do one of the Pre-Production Tornado's for a while now. 

It's a great subject!

 

[canberra kid]

@Rabbit Leader Dave, I can't add much/anything regarding the kits but when the time comes I can pitch in with some photos.

 

John

[Giorgio N]

I have the esci kit and alas, this has nothing in common with their later kits. Panel lines are recessed on the fuselage (quite soft but not that bad) and raised on wings and tailplanes. Shapes are so-so, the fixed part of the wing is correctly under the level of the fuselage back but the nose is not good. Detail is decent for the landing gear legs, bad on the engines and the cockpit is a joke. Overall it's a kit of its age, and not the best made in those years

The decals sheet did not include markings for the prototypes, or better not for the red/white prototypes but for later camouflaged test aircraft in Germany and Italy.

I've had one of these kits for sale for a while without registering any interest, should things stay this way I may as well use this myself to build a prototype, but I wonder if modifying a Revell kit isn't a better choice

[theplasticsurgeon]

Here's a link to the Airfix MRCA that I built last year. Photobucke  t has botched the photos, but some still show.

[Rabbit Leader]

2 hours ago, theplasticsurgeon said:

Here's a link to the Airfix MRCA that I built last year. Photobucke  t has botched the photos, but some still show.

How good does that look Tim?, that's even more incentive to add one of these colourful and beautifully shaped beasts into ones modelling cabinet - very well modelled. 

 

Now since I posted the original question, a mate of mine who purchased one of the new-ish Revell GR.1 kits in order to display it against some cockpit control stick of sorts, has now realised that this piece of memoribillai now belongs to an F.3 and has offered his Revell kit to me. Now following on from @Giorgio N's post above, I'm now thinking that back dating one of these 'better' kits is probably the smartest way to go. I'm sure there's a few minor details here and there but hopefully the knowledgable Tonka fraternity on here can steer me in the right direction. 

 

I'll now change the subject heading to better reflect where this thread is going, but decals are going to be an issue should I decide to include one of those tri-coloured roundels (which I do like!). Perhaps a 'wants' post in the appropriate section might yield some good results? 

 

Cheers and thanks to all.. Dave 

[Vicarage Vee]

The Italeri and Esci are,  as has been pointed out, kits of their time to be built for nostalgia only when the Revell and (still my personal favourite)  Hasegawa are available.  The Airfix/Heller version much the same, but it is a good basis for the prototype. It's a kit you need to add your own 'finesse' to, as several people here have shown is possible.

[tempestfan]

If you don’t have it yet, the Mason book is an excellent account (IMHO) of Tornado development up to 1986 or so, and a good read at that. It may often be found for literally pennies.

The choice of kits may be influenced by your choice of P: From some point (P.13 ?) onwards, the airframe was almost exactly the definitive configuration, with the enlarged tailerons and rear fin base fillet. Monogram and my version of the Esci reflect that, but then the Revell or Hase would be superior kits.

@Giorgio N, do you mean the fixed glove to be above the intake trunking level, as that would be in line with the „series“ tail of the Esci (and my recollection of that kit)? The original Italeri kit had the „low“ wing configuration, Airfix had it level, and the Italeri evolved over quite a few different boxings. Re the nose shape, I don’t think any of the early kits was entirely successful in capturing the subtle and tricky transition from box to round. The interior of the Esci is no worse than Airfix and Italeri (IMHO, again) with their peculiar „separate box“ consoles. Probably a moot point anyway, as I seem to recall especially the rear cockpit changed regularly in line with testing requirements.

 I should have some spare original Airfix sheet if required. Somewhere...

[Rabbit Leader]

Many thanks for the book tip @tempestfan, I’ve just ordered it for quite a good price online so am really excited about that. My small research so far would tend to think that a red/white scheme would apply to one of the earlier P:  builds so it would appear that slight modifications may be required to the production GR.1 Revell kit. I’d be more than happy to purchase a set of Airfix or even Italeri Prototype decals should you have these spare. 

 

We’ll chat later, however- big thanks.. Dave 

[JayBee]

Another good source is the Tornado Data website.

 

Prototypes

Pre-Series

[Giorgio N]

 

 

@tempestfan the kit has the fixed glove in line with the fuselage, I have to check the tailerons. IIRC the wing fillet is one of the intermediate designs tried before adopting the final one

 

@Rabbit Leader , I should have somewhere an old Italian magazine with a list of modifications needed to bring a prototype to the production configuration, I'll check if they have drawings, if so I'll let you know and send you a copy. Of course you'll have to go through the process in reverse. 😁

 

 

[rs2man]

Just a thought for you - if you just want a red & white aircraft as opposed to an actual prototype , then Syhart do a decal sheet for a red & white German aircraft painted to celebrate 40 years of the Tornado .  The paintjob's not the same , but it still looks very striking & would save you the bother of modifying the kit . 

 

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/SY72097

 

 

[Rabbit Leader]

6 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

 

 

@Rabbit Leader , I should have somewhere an old Italian magazine with a list of modifications needed to bring a prototype to the production configuration, I'll check if they have drawings, if so I'll let you know and send you a copy. Of course you'll have to go through the process in reverse. 😁

 

6 hours ago, rs2man said:

Just a thought for you - if you just want a red & white aircraft as opposed to an actual prototype , then Syhart do a decal sheet for a red & white German aircraft painted to celebrate 40 years of the Tornado .  The paintjob's not the same , but it still looks very striking & would save you the bother of modifying the kit . 

 

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/SY72097

Many thanks Giorgio. Seems silly to do this conversion in reverse however for some strange reason that's even more appealing! Appreciate your effort to track done that article, although my Italian is as good as my 'Martian'?? I'm sure the diagrams (if included) will stil tell 1000 words. 

 

The Syhart decal option does make a lot of sence, so thanks for recommending that. I'm still tending to sway for the original prototypes as the historical element of this build is also something that I'd like to replicate. The representation scheme is nice, however the original with tri colour roundels is even better. 

 

Cheers and thanks for your comments.. Dave