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One of those 'Recommend a kit' threads


Filler

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I know that these ‘what should I build next?’ or ‘recommend a kit’ threads can be a bit weird, but I was wondering if there is a kit that would meet my fairly specific needs.

 

I don’t build a lot, and a factor in this might be that  find a lot of it difficult. A lack of skill probably doesn’t help, but I have taken on some older kits with fit, detail and accuracy issues and they’ve usually caused an enthusiasm drain at some point. Especially where I have bought resin aftermarket which seems invariably ill fitting and very fragile.

 

So what I’d love to do is build a 1:48 scale kit that has modern detail, a good degree of shape accuracy, decent quality decals and meets my rather narrow area of interest – aircraft operated between 1986 and 1989 in Europe by air arms in NATO. To build something that pretty much falls together and doesn’t require over fifty quid’s worth of resin exhaust, cockpit, flaps and slats and decals etc or a full re-scribe (which for me usually looks like I used a lawnmower) would be a dream.

 

Is there such a kit?

 

In the meantime I will return to snapping bits off the resin cockpit and exhaust parts for my Italeri Mirage IIIE as I try to figure out how on Earth they are meant to fit together and into the kit parts and continue converting the kits surface from inaccurate raised panel lines to something resembling a detailed map of the Mekong Delta.

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Yes, the Eduard Spitfire IX /XVI strictly meets your parameters, though I presume operation as a historic / vintage element within the RAF isn’t quite what you had in mind!  😎

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Nope, not exactly what I had in mind, however, as long as it is an example that was on the airshow circuit in that time frame then it would qualify. Weird that I'd never given warbirds much thought. A great way to be able to add a Spitfire or Hurricane to my fast jet-centric collection!

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1 minute ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Tamiya 1/48 F-16 should nail it on the head. The Tamiya quality and ease of build is there. ✔️ The use by NATO members in your time frame. ✔️ Cost is a bit high but worth it if you want the two factors of quality and ease of build. 

^^^ What Dennis said. They build into great models from the box.

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Thanks gents. I did know the Tamiya F-16s were very highly thought of, I just didn’t realise that they catered for any early European based versions.

 

I’ve got a few Hasegawa F-16A, B and Cs and they are still nice kits for their age, but the intake isn’t great and the exhaust is very basic. And the Aires resin replacement simply does not even nearly fit. It’s this kind of hassle I’d love to avoid for at least one build.

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2 hours ago, Filler said:

Thanks gents. I did know the Tamiya F-16s were very highly thought of, I just didn’t realise that they catered for any early European based versions.

 

I’ve got a few Hasegawa F-16A, B and Cs and they are still nice kits for their age, but the intake isn’t great and the exhaust is very basic. And the Aires resin replacement simply does not even nearly fit. It’s this kind of hassle I’d love to avoid for at least one build.

Hmm i looked it up here. 
 

https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/tam/kit_tam_61101.shtml
 

It says you can back date the kit but would need to use A/M vertical and horizontal stabs. My bad on that, i assumed it had the pieces in the box. There is this one as well but ive never seen one up close, so cant tell you much about it.

https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/kin/kit_kin_48002.shtml

 

Ive built the early Hasegawa kits and they are decent. 

 

Dennis

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Tamiya F-16 is certainly a good shout, on the cheaper end of the scale what about the Airfix Lightning F6 kit? It goes together pretty easily, it’s accurate and you should be able to pick up recent boxing with good decals for a reasonable price. If you’ve already built an Airfix Lightning then Kinetic kits are pretty decent I’ve built a few of their kits. Their instructions are never usually the best but the kits are decent, their Mirage III is a nice kit IMHO.

 

Also just remembered about the Hasegawa F-104 Starfighter, building the Eduard boxing at the moment in RNLAF markings, lovely kit. The recent Kinetic F-104 is apparently a lovely kit too!

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Falcons, Schmalcons...

 

I always liked the Italeri (ex-Esci) Mirage F.1.

It looks the part and goes together quite well. I only invested in an ejection seat and an exhaust nozzle, both of which were quite cheap.

You also get a raft of markings options.

 

There’s also the CF-188.

I’ve only built the Hasegawa kit, which is pretty good - I can’t speak to the other 1/48 F/A-18 kits out there.

Edited by Blimpyboy
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9 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

It says you can back date the kit but would need to use A/M vertical and horizontal stabs. My bad on that, i assumed it had the pieces in the box. There is this one as well but ive never seen one up close, so cant tell you much about it.

 

Ive built the early Hasegawa kits and they are decent. 

 

Dennis

Thanks for the links Dennis. Seems that Tamiya haven't produced parts for the pre MLU aircraft operated in Europe. Still might be worth  go though as the early stabs were largely gone by the late eighties and the USAFE aircraft were mostly Block 25 C versions by then. So a Ramstein or Hahn jet should be possible, but would need aftermarket decals if they're available.

 

9 hours ago, Muzz said:

Tamiya F-16 is certainly a good shout, on the cheaper end of the scale what about the Airfix Lightning F6 kit? It goes together pretty easily, it’s accurate and you should be able to pick up recent boxing with good decals for a reasonable price. If you’ve already built an Airfix Lightning then Kinetic kits are pretty decent I’ve built a few of their kits. Their instructions are never usually the best but the kits are decent, their Mirage III is a nice kit IMHO.

 

Also just remembered about the Hasegawa F-104 Starfighter, building the Eduard boxing at the moment in RNLAF markings, lovely kit. The recent Kinetic F-104 is apparently a lovely kit too!

The Lightning is a good shout. If it isn't crying out for aftermarket and has recessed panel lines then it fits. I see the boxings have decals for late examples which is good.

 

The Kinetic F-104G also looks worth checking out. The decals are late eighties markings printed by cartograf, modern kit detailing and looking at this build review  (https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/builds/kin/build_kin_48083.shtml ), the fuselage is not split into dozens of sub-assemlies as seems quite common these days. That might be just the kit to get.

 

Funny you mention the Kinetic Mirage III kits as I had become aware that they are pretty good whilst I was in the midst of my agricultural attempt at re-scribing and droping the flaps on the Italeri Mirage IIIE. I went for the old kit because it was inexpensive (until I ended up with the aftermarket cockpit and exhaust sets) and it contained decal options that fit my period of interest.

 

9 hours ago, Blimpyboy said:

I always liked the Italeri (ex-Esci) Mirage F.1.

It looks the part and goes together quite well. I only invested in an ejection seat and an exhaust nozzle, both of which were quite cheap.

You also get a raft of markings options.

 

I've got one of those Mirage kits in the stash and I have both a resin cockpit and exhaust (the exhaust is vital). but it's just too similar to the Italeri Mirage IIIE I'm fighting at the moment. But I'm glad to hear it goes together quite well as I was intending to get round to that kit soon.

 

I guess, if I just focused on getting better at the hobby, I wouldn't find myself asking about 'shake and bake' kits. At present I feel like my efforts suggest my tool box contains a mallet, hacksaw, Prit-Stick and a 6" brush.

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12 hours ago, Filler said:

At present I feel like my efforts suggest my tool box contains a mallet, hacksaw, Prit-Stick and a 6" brush.

 

Sigh, tell me about it!

 

Ooh, just a thought - there's also the Kinetic Alpha Jet and Magister. Both are really nice kits and there are some lovely markings options.

This is a nice bird (1984, 'though, so...): https://erix7.home.xs4all.nl/models/alfakoli.html

Edited by Blimpyboy
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Here's a review for the 1/48 Alpha Jet (with German markings): http://www.hyperscale.com/2014/reviews/kits/wingman48009reviewme_1.htm

 

 

Also, what about a Spanish F-5A/F-5B or F-4C? I can't speak to the Phantom, but from seeing a friends Kinetic F-5 (in the box), they seem like they'd meet your building criteria.

 

f5_sp01.jpg 

 

McDonnell_F-4C_Phantom_II,_Spain_-_Air_F

Edited by Blimpyboy
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Hasegawa Starfighter - very easy to build kit! just search for the right markings/ box you want!

Hasegawa Hornet?/ F-16? not that easy to build but still (F-16s are often quite cheap due to the improved Tamiya versions available)

Hasegawa Phantoms a- neary all marks qualify somehow

Hasegawa Harrier II (day attack versions only I think for your timeframe)

Tamiya F-14A

Kinetic Sea Harrier

 

 

 

lots to choose from!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kinetic Sea Harrier sounds another perfect choice. Kinetic have been on fire these last few years. After the Airfix Lightning I think most other candidates are Kinetic kits. 

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How about the Revell Phantom FGR2? Ex-Hasegawa and seems a decent kit, I've made two of them and I never do rescribing or use any Eduard stuff or resin either. I'm sure rivet counters might baulk but they look like RAF Phantoms to me.

 

I liked the Revell Jaguar too, but purists probably list a myriad issues. Again, it looks like a Jag to me and from what I recall fitted together ok.

 

And another shout for the Airfix Lightning. You can make an LTF F3 from circa 1986 out of the F1 kit. 

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