Stressy Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 Which is the better 1/72 scale kit to start with, Airfix or Academy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 Academy if you want to do a small tail / 3 blade prop aircraft, Airfix if you want a 4-blade prop aircraft with the Tempest tail. (The Academy comes with a spare 4-blade prop but only has the small tail. Airfix is big tail / 4 blade only) The Academy is probably an easier build than the Airfix. The Brengun kit is also good, if you are an experienced modeller. The Hobby Boss one I would steer clear of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 Hobby Boss is a simplified version of the Academy, just as accurate/inaccurate good/bad. The main flaw in both is the terrible canopy - fortunately replacements are available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 I also concur with WIP's comments; IIRC, I think I recall reading in some reviews that the upper nose contour is too straight close to the spinner, and needs to taper down to meet the spinner backplate. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 Yep - as on the Academy. And a few other older kits. Standard problem of a kit designer not understanding that the shape of a cowling is dependent upon the shape of the engine inside it, so drawing a nice simple curve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressy Posted August 3, 2020 Author Share Posted August 3, 2020 Are there any problems with the Airfix offering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Headroom Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 I don’t recall any. Typical modern Airfix build with tight tolerances. As a bonus it also comes with optional open gun bays. Trevor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Few things mentioned here, not sure if it worth the bother to fix: regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnAndersen Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 On 8/3/2020 at 5:31 PM, Work In Progress said: Academy if you want to do a small tail / 3 blade prop aircraft, Airfix if you want a 4-blade prop aircraft with the Tempest tail. (The Academy comes with a spare 4-blade prop but only has the small tail. Airfix is big tail / 4 blade only) The Academy is probably an easier build than the Airfix. The Brengun kit is also good, if you are an experienced modeller. The Hobby Boss one I would steer clear of. If you choose the Academy, be sure to fix the overlength undercarriage, otherwise it's a very easy build. The Brengun has some issues with panel lines that at places are raised and need fixing. /Finn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Was comparing the Brengun and Airfix fuselages. Airfix is shorter, and height wise/shape don't match one another. Also something funky going on with the Airfix fishplates on the tail. Top area looks fine, but as they go around the bottom, they become progressively narrower. Looks like the CAD designer wasn't paying attention, nor did anyone check his work? regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDriskill Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 (edited) In spite of my minor dimensional complaints in the linked thread above, IMHO the Airfix Typhoon kit is far superior to the Academy one. More accurate, more detail, and a really fun build. If I made one change, it might be to shave the fin leading edge down a bit to match the Bentley drawings - easy to do and noticeably improves the overall proportions of the aft fuselage. But hey, I'm weird that way...normal folk would not notice the difference. The "tip-toe" landing gear stance and cartoonishly over-sized canopy in the Academy kit are deal-breakers to my eye, and as already mentioned it only correctly depicts the early "bubbletop" with small tail and 3-blade prop. The Brengun kits are the most accurate of all, and offer every version of the aircraft as well, but are rather pricey, and as with most limited-run kits require more time and swear words to construct. I find the engineering of the Airfix kit particularly ingenious. The wheel well/radiator bay/cockpit floor insert looks great and guarantees the correct dihedral angles; and the option to do one or both gun bays opened is a wonderful bonus in such a simple and inexpensive kit. Edited November 7, 2023 by MDriskill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, MDriskill said: The "tip-toe" landing gear stance and cartoonishly over-sized canopy in the Academy kit are deal-breakers to my eye, and as already mentioned is only correctly depicts the early "bubbletop" with small tail and 3-blade prop. 3-blade prop and small tail configuration was however the majority of the aircraft built, so you would presumably criticise the Airfix kit for being more constrained than the Academy one. The undercarriage and canopy are both very easy to change, with plenty of vac-form Typhoon/Tempest canopies around in 1/72, so I don't know why they'd be deal-breakers. Edited August 5, 2020 by Work In Progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 3 hours ago, MDriskill said: In spite of my minor dimensional complaints in the linked thread above, IMHO the Airfix Typhoon kit is far superior to the Academy one. More accurate, more detail, and a really fun build. If I made one change, it might be to shave the fin leading edge down a bit to match the Bentley drawings - easy to do and improves the overall proportions of the rear fuselage. But hey, I'm weird that way...normal folk would not notice the difference. The "tip-toe" landing gear stance and cartoonishly over-sized canopy in the Academy kit are deal-breakers to my eye, and as already mentioned is only correctly depicts the early "bubbletop" with small tail and 3-blade prop. The Brengun kits are the most accurate of all, and offer every version of the aircraft as well, but are rather pricey, and as with most limited-run kits require more time and swear words to construct. I find the engineering of the Airfix kit particularly ingenious. The wheel well/radiator bay/cockpit floor insert looks great and guarantees the correct dihedral angles; and the option to do one or both gun bays opened is a wonderful bonus in such a simple and inexpensive Personally, I completely agree with your conclusion. The upper nose contour of the Academy also puts me off, even if the canopy were good straight out of the box.. Rgds & Happy modelling Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Hmm no comments on the Airfix fishplates - elephant in the room, or maybe the plastic detail in my kit is short shotted? Looking at the drawings provided in the Valiant publication on said subject, they should all be the same size... regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warhawk Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 On 8/3/2020 at 6:09 PM, 72modeler said: I think I recall reading in some reviews that the upper nose contour is too straight close to the spinner, and needs to taper down to meet the spinner backplate. To me, the entire Academy nose (also the vertical fin) look a bit under-nourished (provided You align the cockpit opening with the plans) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 @warhawk, If your drawings are accurate, it appears the nose is too short- do the firewalls and/or exhausts line up so the location of an extension would be indicated? I think I can pull my Airfix and Academy kits and see how their fuselages compare. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warhawk Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 Unfortunately, the photos I posted are nearly a decade old, and I no longer have the Academy kit to make a finer assessment. Traded mine for a Brengun mould long time ago, which does fit to these plans, found in Warpaint publication, drawn by D. Howley and based on A. Bentley drawings, almost perfectly (much better than Academy). Regards, Aleksandar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 Unfortunately there isn't a perfect 1/72 Typhoon kit and the Academy kit has lots of issues. I have a comparison build on the Airfix and Brengun kit HERE As mentioned in my build, here is the list of the kits shortcomings. Brengun: - No Fishplates - Radiator Air Filter location looking odd - Cockpit vents on the large side - Representation of engine panel fasteners too large - Many panel lines need to be re-scribed - No navigation lights Airfix: - Wings too thin - Fit not the best - Cockpit vents too small - Representation of engine panel fasteners at wrong places and too many. - No landing and navigation lights - Radiator opening too small The biggest issue for me is the thin wing on the Airfix kit which looks more like a Tempest wing and is nearly impossible to correct. This makes the Brengun kit more accurate but but is a more difficult build. Cheers, Peter 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDriskill Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 (edited) On 8/5/2020 at 9:52 AM, Work In Progress said: 3-blade prop and small tail configuration was however the majority of the aircraft built, so you would presumably criticise the Airfix kit for being more constrained than the Academy one. The undercarriage and canopy are both very easy to change, with plenty of vac-form Typhoon/Tempest canopies around in 1/72, so I don't know why they'd be deal-breakers. No argument here...the Airfix isn't perfect, and the Academy can be built to look very good (c.f., Libor Jekl's rendition in the Valiant book). But the original question was only which do I think is better. I stand by my conclusion (though as is often the case for me, possibly it was a bit too pontifical 😬 ). Philosophically speaking, the most perplexing issue with the Airfix 1/72 Typhoon may be that it has any issues at all! Did it not stem from the same research effort that produced their amazing 1/24 kits...? Edited August 6, 2020 by MDriskill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDriskill Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 1 hour ago, Basilisk said: Brengun: - No Fishplates - Radiator Air Filter location looking odd - Cockpit vents on the large side - Representation of engine panel fasteners too large - Many panel lines need to be re-scribed - No navigation lights Airfix: - Wings too thin - Fit not the best - Cockpit vents too small - Representation of engine panel fasteners at wrong places and too many. - No landing and navigation lights - Radiator opening too small Great post and link, thanks much! Duly added to my Typhoon/Tempest reference file. Quick thought - the Airfix radiator bath looks to be about the right size, with room to enlarge the opening a bit, so maybe that fault at least can be improved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike romeo Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 4 hours ago, MDriskill said: No argument here...the Airfix isn't perfect, and the Academy can be built to look very good (c.f., Libor Jekl's rendition in the Valiant book). But the original question was only which do I think is better. I stand by my conclusion (though as is often the case for me, possibly it was a bit too pontifical 😬 ). Not for me, dear chap. I thought you were very clear that what you were providing was your personal opinion, which seemed to be what the op was asking for. Rgds Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aardvark Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 On 8/3/2020 at 4:48 PM, Stressy said: Which is the better 1/72 scale kit to start with, Airfix or Academy? Every true-modeller must heroically starting FROG...and throw it half way! (Joke, just a joke!)😉😁😁 20 hours ago, 72modeler said: If your drawings are accurate, Best accurate drawings it's factory theoreticall drawings or practical measurements of a real aircraft (the only one in the case of the Typhoon), everything else can contain (and often does!) errors, unfortunately. 🤗 B.R. Serge P.S. Hawker Typhoon it's also not my thematic ... but some in GB FROG could see something ...🤔😏 P.P.S. My vote, as a person who collects Jet fighter - Airfix, but it's just at the level of emotions, without sober analytical calculation..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 On 8/5/2020 at 2:52 PM, Work In Progress said: 3-blade prop and small tail configuration was however the majority of the aircraft built, Is that true of 3-blade, small tail, AND bubble canopy? I suspect not. Any model will only represent a minority of the production run, given the variables involved. Solid rear canopy or transparent on a cab-door Typhoon? Raised surround to exhausts? 12 guns or four? Bomb racks or not? However the point is not that needing a new canopy is iniquitous, just that it will require additional expenditure and is a way of differentiating between the two kits. As for accurate drawings - we are talking about AL Bentley drawings. Which does imply quality unless there is very strong evidence otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aardvark Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 7 minutes ago, Graham Boak said: As for accurate drawings - we are talking about AL Bentley drawings. Which does imply quality unless there is very strong evidence otherwise. With ALL my really respect to AL Bentley ( old school, this is old school! ...and yes, old school is cool!) , there are drawings of AL Bentley that personally raise many questions for me, such as drawings of the Me-263, so for me personally, any, even the most famous and respected, name on the drawings is absolutely not a guarantee of the absolute correctness of these drawings, if these drawings have not been checked with the factory theoretical drawings and measurements of real aircraft. But this is my personal point of view. B.R. Serge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 Of course no-one is perfect, and you could also have mentioned his Bf 110G. However the quality of his work is why he is so famous and respected, particularly when it comes to something so "close to home" as the Typhoon. He is one of the few for whom such respect should be given, and good reason required for doubt. Not just, well he's only one of several to create such drawings and they are all to be regarded with equal respect . Not that all the others are actually disreputable... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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