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1/72 - Blackburn Buccaneer S.Mk.2 by Airfix - S.2C & S.2B released - new S.2B boxing


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18 hours ago, Wez said:

Whilst the Americans like to go in for names like Desert Storm, us Brits like to give these operations rather more understated and less obvious names.

Definitely, the names for British operations have been very understated and at times obscure.

However, the relevant department must have been on block leave for the other time RAF Buccaneers were called to action. Op Pulsator in 1983 was a bit more of a dynamic name!

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On 1/9/2019 at 12:05 PM, Mr T said:

The CAD shown on the website showed the cockpit area with a half fuselage Tha locked like a vertical split to me. I am not a fan  of horizontal splits either, but I think design and tooling has moved on a lot in past few years. 

Yes, it looks like a vertical split, but until airfix release the plastic...:popcorn:

 

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Has anyone else noticed that the Airfix Hellcat announcement thread (realise that they had their reasons for choosing it) only went to four pages and this is at five already?

Just imagine if they'd unveiled a 48th or 24th scale one of these instead....🤩.

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34 minutes ago, bobsyouruncle said:

Has anyone else noticed that the Airfix Hellcat announcement thread (realise that they had their reasons for choosing it) only went to four pages and this is at five already?

Just imagine if they'd unveiled a 48th or 24th scale one of these instead....🤩.

True. I actually thought that had this and the 1:48 Tiggie been unveiled at Telford, they would have received a bigger reception than the big cat. Either way, we are all winners I reckon. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

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1 hour ago, bobsyouruncle said:

Has anyone else noticed that the Airfix Hellcat announcement thread (realise that they had their reasons for choosing it) only went to four pages and this is at five already?

Just imagine if they'd unveiled a 48th or 24th scale one of these instead....🤩.

 

36 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

True. I actually thought that had this and the 1:48 Tiggie been unveiled at Telford, they would have received a bigger reception than the big cat. Either way, we are all winners I reckon. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

That could have been in the minds of Airfix, if the Hellcat had been announced in amongst a batch of releases then it may have been somewhat overshadowed, by holding back the news of the other releases it increased the fanfare for the Hellcat, I don't know why the Hellcat had such an understated welcome maybe it's because the Hellcat (despite it's sterling WW2 service with the FAA) is viewed as a non British subject.

 

 

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1 hour ago, AntPhillips said:

 

 

That could have been in the minds of Airfix, if the Hellcat had been announced in amongst a batch of releases then it may have been somewhat overshadowed, by holding back the news of the other releases it increased the fanfare for the Hellcat, I don't know why the Hellcat had such an understated welcome maybe it's because the Hellcat (despite it's sterling WW2 service with the FAA) is viewed as a non British subject.

 

 

It's because it was the RAF Centenary and 100 yrs since the end of WW1 so the general consensus would be a 24th RAF WW1 type or failing that an RAF WW2 fighter, the USN  Hellcat was a bit too left field for the hype and they didn't even illustrate the FAA or Aeronavale options at its unveiling at SMW 2018. It's actually a very nice looking model and should do OK its just a case of expectations were up and thus many were left feeling underwhelmed.

 

 

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5 hours ago, stevehnz said:

I'm happy to see the Eagle option shown, I'm a bit pf an Eagle fan & this could save me doing my Matchbox one with Modeldecal markings.

Steve.

Yes its nice to see the 800 sqdn option and early 809 markings, kind of surprised they didn't do an early 801 as well in the white scheme with EDSG uppers, although its already been covered with the aftermarket sets.

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Going off the CGI images and the marking options this is definitely a RN S2 variant, pre-Martel.

 

So rather than assuming the next boxing likely due in 2020 is going to be an RAF S2B we may also see a third boxing for the S2D with Martel for later FAA aircraft ?

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20 hours ago, Geoff_B said:

Going off the CGI images and the marking options this is definitely a RN S2 variant, pre-Martel.

 

So rather than assuming the next boxing likely due in 2020 is going to be an RAF S2B we may also see a third boxing for the S2D with Martel for later FAA aircraft ?

I'd suspect that this is a little too specialist compared to the sales potential for an RAF version covering the RAFG, Maritime and Gulf War options.

Edited by Agent K
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9 hours ago, bobsyouruncle said:

Has anyone else noticed that the Airfix Hellcat announcement thread (realise that they had their reasons for choosing it) only went to four pages and this is at five already?

Just imagine if they'd unveiled a 48th or 24th scale one of these instead....🤩.

I did notice this!  I was waiting until the view count exceeded the Hellcat thread to comment, but I see I am not the only one that noticed!  I suspect the view count will surpass the Hellcat thread sometime before the weekend is over.  This thread has 111 posts (112 now) and 6,143 views.  It was first posted four days ago.  The Hellcat thread has been up for two months and has 79 replies and 6,712 views. 

 

The difference in interest is clear.  I think perhaps that has a lot to do with the audience.  There is thread on ARC with 9 replies and 456 views.  Mention on Hyperscale is limited to a comment within a thread posted about the Mig-17.  Obviously the market for a 72nd scale Bucc is right here!  I am not sure that a larger scale would have garnered any more attention.  I personally would be all over it regardless of scale but I do think 72nd holds its own in the popularity department around these parts.     

Edited by wadeocu
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4 hours ago, Geoff_B said:

Going off the CGI images and the marking options this is definitely a RN S2 variant, pre-Martel.

 

So rather than assuming the next boxing likely due in 2020 is going to be an RAF S2B we may also see a third boxing for the S2D with Martel for later FAA aircraft ?

Oh gee - when you say it like that it seems so far away!  I guess 2020 is just next year!

 

They could have put RAF options in this box.  An XV or XT serial from one of the transferred lots that made up the original 12 squadron or early OCU for example.  Of course all we need is a decal stash to get carried away in any direction we wish!  

 

Obviously this is going to be a RN only boxing as indicated by Airfix.  I think an RAF boxing will likely include an RAFG and Granby option.  They could easily slip a Martel capable S.2D or an S.2C option in with that but I bet they keep it RAF only given that this one is RN only.

 

I personally would like to see these after this S.2 RN release:  a RAFG/Granby boxing with LGBs and pavespike; a Maritime strike boxing with Martel equipped 12 Sqn and 809 examples (don't forget the TV Martel option!) and then a later 208 scheme with Sea Eagle; and then a dedicated SAAF boxing.  They really could do a lot with a stand alone SAAF release.  There were a lot of unique weapons configurations like AS.20 or AS.30 or even Raptor Glide bombs! 

 

Well one can dream anyway right!

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22 hours ago, Dennis_C said:

Would this approach simplify later S.1 release? Or nose sections/cockpits were different anyway?

Probably the other way around, if the whole fuselage is split vertically then by necessity the engine nacelles would be separate (like Matchbox did), that makes it far easier to manufacture an S.1 kit as the main differences was the engine nacelles, especially regarding the intakes and tail pipe area.  The forward fuselages are very similar, with a few vents etc being different.

I can see why split horizontally is attractive to the manufacturer though as just two moldings cover the fuselage halves, engine nacelles and the stub wings.

 

Re the various versions and Martel etc, I would be amazed if the aftermarket companies don't step up to provide nice weapons and pylons options, and hopefully various other bits.

Airfix haven't provided a large weapon array in the Phantom kit.

 

Edited by 71chally
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7 hours ago, Geoff_B said:

Yes its nice to see the 800 sqdn option and early 809 markings, kind of surprised they didn't do an early 801 as well in the white scheme with EDSG uppers, although its already been covered with the aftermarket sets.

 

Schemes are only for illustrative purposes at the moment 

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This is way cool and badly needed.  Try and find a Buc S.2 in the red box.  I looked on ebay and they have "0".  I'm sure with all the info that they gleaned from the 1/48th kit as well as LIDAR etc.  it will be the ultimate 72nd Buc.  Can hardly wait.

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And there you have it: this thread had 6,826 views over the last week and the 1/24 Hellcat thread had 6,806 views over the last two months. 

 

The 1/72 Buccaneer is officially (if not scientifically determined to be) more popular than the 1/24 Hellcat.  Around here anyway! 

 

Of course I think I have to claim 200 of the hits on this thread!  

 

 

 

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13 hours ago, wadeocu said:

Of course I think I have to claim 200 of the hits on this thread!  

 

How can I resist adding a reply then. ;)

 

On 1/10/2019 at 8:56 PM, 71chally said:

Re the various versions and Martel etc, I would be amazed if the aftermarket companies don't step up to provide nice weapons and pylons options, and hopefully various other bits.

 

Being blessed with impeccable tastes, I have a few (as of now) old tool Airfix Buccs in the stash - as I suppose most of the fine folks here who are interested in this new kit will.

 

Lots of pylons and things that go boom in that one to rob.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

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On 1/9/2019 at 8:10 PM, Phone Phixer said:

Definitely, the names for British operations have been very understated and at times obscure.

However, the relevant department must have been on block leave for the other time RAF Buccaneers were called to action. Op Pulsator in 1983 was a bit more of a dynamic name!

I believe British operation names are essentially randomly picked code words (Operation Corporate anyone 🤷‍♂️) whereas US major operation names have to be viewed in a somewhat political light.

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Even though I've built both the 1:72 CMR Buccaneer S.2 and the Scale Resin 1:72 Buccaneer S.1, I'm very excited about this! If Airfix have designed a vertical split for the fuselage halves, perhaps this means the wing root will be in the correct location. On kits with a horizontal split, the centreline of the intake and wing are almost always the same; on the actual aircraft the wing is a bit higher than the intake centreline. I don't know of any 1:72 kits that depict this correctly, but I haven't seen them all. Judging by the Airfix CADs, they've got this right.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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On ‎1‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 9:03 AM, 71chally said:

I get your point Wez, but Desert Shield and Storm was the NATO coverall name for the operations in the Gulf War, of which Op Granby was a major part.  I certainly knew what Patthecat meant when he referred to it as such.

 

@Dennis_C Though they would still be in service until late 1991 my understanding is that SAAF Buccaneers weren't deployed to the Gulf War.

Would be nice to see a SAAF option for the kit, but I guess aftermarket will give us parts, such as the large tanks, rocket pack and later Countermeasures fit.

 

@hairystickI agree, would be nice to see a vertical split this time, looking at the CADs the cockpit does seem to be be, but unsure about the majority of the fuselage.

I'm sure it will be a fine product either way though, unlike what we are used to!

Would be great to see it get the Airfix Gnat treatment and end up in 48th as well.

 

 

I bet @Massimo and @perdu will be overjoyed at this news of a new Buccaneer in their scale after all their superb work with the available kits!

 

I have been looking through all my books on the Gulf conflict of 1990-91, and I cannot find any reference to Desert Storm being a NATO coverall name. The only things that I can find is the UN resolution about the removal of Iraqi forces from Kuwait. I can also find reference to President George Bush sending American troops to Saudi Arabia under the code name of Op Desert Shield, which then morphed into Op Desert Storm of Jan 17 when hostilities commenced. When I look through my books these being published in the USA,  UK and other parts of the world, they refer to forces from USA partaking in Op Desert Shield/Strom, British forces in Op Granby, French Forces from Op Daguet, Italian forces from Op Locusto, Canadian forces from Op Friction and the such like. The only time I can find references to NATO is when the Allied Mobile Force with countries including Belgium, Germany and Italy (Separate from the aforementioned Op) sending aircraft to based in Turkey to protect NATO incase Iraq decided to attack in that area. Now I will admit that I maybe wrong (And often am) and I am happy to be corrected (also do not want to get into an argument about it), but I think that most people think of the whole thing being Desert Storm is due to the fact that the majority of the force provided were from the USA.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       I for one am very happy to see this kit coming out, but would have liked to have seen the RAF (being biased) version coming out first.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Sorry for all the quotes as I only wanted the top part, but for some unknown reason I was unable to cut this down.

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On ‎1‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 10:10 PM, Wez said:

There wasn't a Desert Storm version, but if you mean Gulf War 1 version, I'd expect to see an Op Granby jet in 2021 to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the conflict.

 

Hopefully with a new Jaguar and /or Tornado

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