Frog vs Italeri vs Matchbox b-25

[PhantomBigStu]

Broken my airfix b-25 nose recently, whilst could be repaired by contacting airfix spares, I had to do that to finish it in the first place, so perhaps best to start again, so of the older kits how do they compare? 

 

Should specify I'm interested in RAF mitchells

Edited March 7, 2019 by PhantomBigStu

[Work In Progress]

The Matchbox is a deep-rear-fuselage late-model B-25, the other two are early-model shallow-rear-fuselage, so they don;t all compete as a category. 

I rather like the Italeri one even though I suspect the rear fuselage is actually part way between the two different real life versions. 

The Frog one is very sparse on detail.

The most accurate early B-25 of its era in 1/72 was supposed to be the old Monogram Snap-Tite one.

 

You may well appreciate some first hand impressions from last year's B-25 single-type Group Build, lots of new Airfix but at least one each of Frog and Italeri

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/621-b-25-mitchell-stgb/

 

And there is some relevant discussion of the 1/72 options pre the new Airfix kit here

h

Edited March 7, 2019 by Work In Progress

[dogsbody]

Not the Matchbox, at least in my opinion. It's just too toy-like, no good detail at all. I'd do the Italeri over the Matchbox. I agree with Work In Progress regarding the FROG kit.

 

 

Chris

[Chuck1945]

Are you just asking for overall kit comparisons or hoping to use parts from one of those kits on your Airfix effort?

 

I built all three of those over the years, would never choose the Frog one again. Matchbox is typical Matchbox, and Italeri would be my choice of the three; although still a poor choice given the new Airfix offering.  From a part swapping perspective there is good chance that kit fuselage dimensions vary enough between those three that swapping may become problematic.

[PhantomBigStu]

Build perspective, to replace the first build, obviously could build another airfix but I’d have to splash out on aftermarket decals so it won’t be cheap, where as even with the extra cost the older kits will be cheaper than the airfix on its own, and looking at the italeri I won’t even need the decals as the option in the kit suits me. Seems the consensus is that’s the kit to go for. In terms of part replacement there’s bits from the Hasegawa kit on eBay, be nice if they fit the airfix

Edited March 7, 2019 by PhantomBigStu

[tempestfan]

If I had to choose between MB and old Airfix, I‘d go old Airfix. As has been said the MB is very crude, and while their approach worked alright on many of the smaller kits, it just doesn’t look good as it’s very bare. The old Airfix is 55 now and full of pimples and the fit of the nose, especially J standard, was atrocious as I recall it, but it looks more refined overall. And it has that gorgeous Roy Cross artwork which has a feature that Airfix never repeated, I think.

Anwers on a postcard 😉

[Pete in Lincs]

23 minutes ago, tempestfan said:

And it has that gorgeous Roy Cross artwork which has a feature that Airfix never repeated, I think.

Can't find a postcard, but then after studying the picture I'm still not sure which feature you refer to.

So, I give in. Do tell.

[tempestfan]

It shows all three variants in the box together, even though they (I think) never flew together.

[Chuck1945]

3 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

...In terms of part replacement there’s bits from the Hasegawa kit on eBay, be nice if they fit the airfix

Caution. I got an aftermarket resin radar nose to make a PBJ with the Hasegawa kit. It was sized to fit the Italeri kit and too narrow to fit Hasegawa  

[Seahawk]

9 hours ago, Chuck1945 said:

Caution. I got an aftermarket resin radar nose to make a PBJ with the Hasegawa kit. It was sized to fit the Italeri kit and too narrow to fit Hasegawa  

And, with apologies for wandering off topic, the Italeri B-25G nose won't fit the new Airfix B-25B/C either.

[72modeler]

7 hours ago, Seahawk said:

And, with apologies for wandering off topic, the Italeri B-25G nose won't fit the new Airfix B-25B/C either.

That's most likely because the Italeri B-25C/D/J glass nose was too narrow in plan view. The old box scale Monogram B-25H nose would be a little too big, as I think it was in 1/69 scale. Don't know why none of the aftermarket folks have done the nose for the G/H as well as the manual .50cal tail gun position that was a field/factory modification as well as the different waist gun blisters used on the early variants. If someone wanted to steal the thunder of the announced Airfix Doolittle B-25B, they could do the broomstick tail guns, Mark Twain bombsight, bomb load with three 500 pounders and an incendiary  and a cover for the removed lower turret. I  might have the nose from the old Monogram kit- will have to check my spares inventory.

Mike

[PhantomBigStu]

Well the hasegawa nose greenhouse fits the airfix or at least my one though a little work is needed to blend it in so no need for a 2nd build after all 

[Chuck1945]

Depending on your desired level accuracy, you might want to address the Hasegawa nose glass goof where the bomb aimer’s  escape hatch ie erroneously molded on each side instead of just the port side