k5054nz Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 Hi team, I have a couple or three TBF-1Cs I’d like to build in 1/72 but I see there are a few different options. What’s considered the most accurate kit, and what are the pros and cons of each? Many thanks in advance!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 Zac, afaik, this Hasegawa TBF/M kit is the best in 1/72 but spendy, the Academy one is less the half the price but can build up quite nicely, it is basically a clone of the old Frog kit, not necessarily a bad thing but not as well detailed externally as the Hasegawa one. The Academy seems to be unavailable locally but still quite cheap on ebay. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k5054nz Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 2 minutes ago, stevehnz said: Zac, afaik, this Hasegawa TBF/M kit is the best in 1/72 but spendy, the Academy one is less the half the price but can build up quite nicely... Thanks Steve, the Hasegawa kit looks good but right now cheap is the name of the game so I appreciate the info! Thank you 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Touvdal Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 The Hasegawa kit has been rereleased under the brand Hobby 2000, just build one same quality as the Hasegawa. https://exito.site/en_GB/p/HOBBY-2000-72009-172-TBFTBM-1C-Avenger/51128 Cheers Jes 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 The Hobby 2000 kit comes with canopy masks, which is quite useful given the number of frames on the canopy 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 Also available direct via Arma Hobby, under the Limited Edition menu. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson Duvalier Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 IMHO the Hasegawa/Hobby 2000 kit is the only way to go. I will declare with a haughty sniff that the Airfix and Academy offerings are certainly decent practice for the beginner, but not worth the time investment for we Very Serious Bona Fide Modellers. Nota bene, Hasegawa include a second seat behind the pilot which may need correcting depending on the machine you plan to model. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 In the case of the Hobbby2000 kit, considering they're limited series reboxings they tend to sell quite fast. I ordered my A-4M Skyhawk 10 days ago when they didn't indicate low stock, and they're sold out now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gmat Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 I remember that the Frog Avenger's main landing gear was positioned wrong. I think that Academy copied this. The bomb bay in the Hasegawa kit is too shallow. The Mk 13 torpedo in the kit is a tad too thin and too short. 13' 5" by 22.4" in real life (56.8mm by 7.9mm in 72nd) versus 55.75mm by 6.55mm in the kit. The older Airfix Beaufighter torpedo is closer. If you want to make a very accurate Avenger in 72nd, I'd look for various Accurate Miniatures kit builds as a guide to add detail. If you want a typical mid to late war ASW fit, I'd add sonobuoys https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Weapons-bay-of-an-Avenger-showing-the-two-depth-bombs-at-the-rear-and-the-six-sono-buoys_fig5_312221907 and the MK 24 mine, AKA the secret acoustic torpedo FIDO. https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/80-G-373000/80-G-373112.html http://www.hauler.cz/e-shop/1-48-accessories-22/mk24-mine-„fido“-torpedo-1550 If you want a TBF-1D, The Italeri F4U-5N has a wing mounted radar that can be used. The Academy Typhoon or Tempest kit has longer launch rails that the USN also used for the underwing rockets. VC-8's Torchy 21 from the USS Guadalcanal had TBF-1Cs with the launch rails when the U-505 was captured. Part D4 should have the thin cross rods added to the underwing yagi antenna like on the box art on the Atlantic and RN kits. Hasegawa has the half engine molded to a plate. You may look for a good Wright Cyclone 14 radial engine. Grant 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k5054nz Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 I think I overthought my question as one of the builds is an unrealised New Zealand agricultural conversion, the other is a playground installation my late grandfather painted and helped set up (and which my mother and aunt played in as kids): https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503459&objectid=12000035 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted February 25, 2020 Share Posted February 25, 2020 I'd guess the Academy/Frog will do in that case? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k5054nz Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share Posted February 25, 2020 24 minutes ago, alt-92 said: I'd guess the Academy/Frog will do in that case? Academy it is! 😆 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.C. Bahr Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 2 hours ago, Gmat said: If you want a TBF-1D, The Italeri F4U-5N has a wing mounted radar that can be used. Negative, the radar fairing on the TBF's is different in that it squares off at the back on top of the wing. I believe OWL did a resin conversion for this that included the night exhausts, but their stuff is pretty limited run and it's probably hard to find now. Would take some work to properly modify a Corsair radar fairing to be acceptable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gmat Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 You're right. The thread seems to have settled on the Academy kit. Wish Hasegawa released a TBF-1 with the gun in the nose. The boxing would be nice to have. VT-8. Grant 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denford Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 I'm still hoping that Airfix might re-tool it, complete with folding wings of course. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff.K Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 14 hours ago, Jackson Duvalier said: IMHO the Hasegawa/Hobby 2000 kit is the only way to go. I will declare with a haughty sniff that the Airfix and Academy offerings are certainly decent practice for the beginner, but not worth the time investment for we Very Serious Bona Fide Modellers. i second the declaration + haughty sniff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson Duvalier Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 15 hours ago, Gmat said: Wish Hasegawa released a TBF-1 with the gun in the nose. The boxing would be nice to have. VT-8. It would be great box art, but the conversion is too simple to cut new moulds. Plug the wing guns, carve the nose gun trough, fix lower fuselage windows, rustle up decals, Bob's your uncle. Hasegawa even include the second seat that wasn't there after the TBF-1. You could do more to snazz it up but the basic work is... basic. 6 hours ago, Denford said: I'm still hoping that Airfix might re-tool it, complete with folding wings of course. I'd buy a few. A new Dauntless is also a pressing need IMHO. I've managed to accumulate a few Hasegawa SBDs and one of the Hobby 2000 reissue, and it's nice as a kit but it doesn't really satisfy current standards as a model, at least not without lots of extra work. The dive flaps were deplorable when the thing was released, twenty odd years ago now. If somebody in some eastern land unburdened with priggish western notions of "copyright" and "intellectual property" were to pantograph the Accurate Miniatures Avenger and Dauntless kits down to 1/72, I'd be a happy panda. Maybe when this Wuhan bat pox thing blows over they'll get round to it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 I could be happy with an Airfix kit with a bit of modeling. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrahs Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 Regarding Academy I think it should probably be pointed out that as far as interior detail goes, well, there's no instrument panel at all, nor any wheel wells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 Considering the intention was (I believe) to recreate the playground TBM, that may not be such a problem. Otherwise, scratchbuild canvas! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k5054nz Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 On 2/27/2020 at 7:57 PM, alt-92 said: Considering the intention was (I believe) to recreate the playground TBM, that may not be such a problem. Precisely! I think I may have over-thought my question, considering my plan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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