1/72 Fairey IIIF family by Kora models

[Roger Holden]

11 hours ago, AMB said:

The only issue I have is the eye-watering price!   £44.60 from Hannants and with postage that will be around £50. How many modellers can justify £50 for a 1/72 kit I wonder? 

Indeed, especially as it's a quite rough, limited-run kit that's just the starting point for producing a decent model. Interesting to hear that it's going for about £10 cheaper in Holland. 

I've noticed that Hannants sometimes add their 'little extra' if they think it will appeal to British modellers.  They tried that with the Dora Wings Percival Vega Gulls and Dora Wings got themselves a new UK distributor who is much cheaper..... 

[JWM]

In Poland Fairey costs 196 zł (http://ksmodel.pl/sklep/kategoria/samoloty-i-szybowce-1-72-2/str/3) what is 43 euro or  39 pounds. So almost same as in UK. However the minimal salary in UK is about 1500 euro whereas in Poland 500 euro (data vis Google). So looks that in Poland it is 3 times more expensive. Similar UK you can buy only 8 bears in pub instead and in Poland you have 25 bears in pub instead... That is relativity in practice

The best way of convincing that model is affordable is following. If you are doing models three weeks every evening, you do not drink at all or you drink one  beer at home paying 1 pound per bottle in shop instead of paying 5 pounds  in pub. So with model you spent 50 pounds for model +21 for beer at home. If you do not buy a model you go to pub and in pub you spent 2*5*21= 210 pounds during 3 weeks! Look how much money you save if you buy model....

Regards

J-W

[Roger Holden]

The way I look at it, is not to compare it with non-related costs, which are irrelevant, but how it compares with the going market-rate for that type of product. Thus we have similar-sized aircraft like the LF Models Fokker C.V (about £25), or the Azur/ Special Hobby Vildebeest or Potez 25 (about £30). The Kora Fairey IIIF is 50% more expensive than those, but a much lower quality.... 

 

 

[TEXANTOMCAT]

I have to thank Kora - without their  1/72 Hart Trainer being £40, I wouldn't have had the motivation to scratch a conversion on the £18 Amodel machine myself with some filling, sprue gloop and patience!

 

TT

[JWM]

With high prices of Kora - that is true! Of course I am joking with this beer/pub/home/model budgets. What I wanted to say is that sometimes the price is repulsing us from buying the model and then no of us is counting the time which one is spending on build ant the joy it brings is priceless benefit...  . However I must admit, that I am not free from this kind of feelings , so I prefer to do a lot of scratch work instead to pay let say 80 or maybe 140 euro for rare resin kit. So in my joke I was convincing also myself

Regards

J-W

 

Edited October 7, 2020 by JWM

[Patrik]

From a reliable source. RAF, FAA and Greek IIIF floatplanes on approach, together with Brazilian Gordon and Peruvian Seal.

[stevehnz]

An RNZAF IIIF & Gordon would be nice too.

Steve.

[JWM]

15 hours ago, Patrik said:

From a reliable source. RAF, FAA and Greek IIIF floatplanes on approach, together with Brazilian Gordon and Peruvian Seal.

And the Latvian one is in pipeline too

Later, when Soviets occupied Latvia they wear red stars as well...

http://img.wp.scn.ru/camms/ar/1181/pics/1_1.jpg

 

Regards

J-W

[Patrik]

I am sure we will get them all in due time, including the early versions with the rectangular fin. Much faster than we (I for sure) manage building them anyway.😀

[Modelarz1973]

I would be happy about the Latvian version.  

[Learstang]

Well, I'll be buying the Gordon and/or Seal when they come out. A couple of aeroplanes I've long wanted in IM plastic. As far as being limited-run, on the sprues the parts of the IIIF certainly look to be more than acceptable to this long-time builder of limited-run kits.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[Meatbox8]

On 10/6/2020 at 11:49 PM, JWM said:

In Poland Fairey costs 196 zł (http://ksmodel.pl/sklep/kategoria/samoloty-i-szybowce-1-72-2/str/3) what is 43 euro or  39 pounds. So almost same as in UK. However the minimal salary in UK is about 1500 euro whereas in Poland 500 euro (data vis Google). So looks that in Poland it is 3 times more expensive. Similar UK you can buy only 8 bears in pub instead and in Poland you have 25 bears in pub instead... That is relativity in practice

The best way of convincing that model is affordable is following. If you are doing models three weeks every evening, you do not drink at all or you drink one  beer at home paying 1 pound per bottle in shop instead of paying 5 pounds  in pub. So with model you spent 50 pounds for model +21 for beer at home. If you do not buy a model you go to pub and in pub you spent 2*5*21= 210 pounds during 3 weeks! Look how much money you save if you buy model....

Regards

J-W

Ha!  I do often think 'I can't really justify spending £xx on a kit' and then the next night spend more than that in the pub.  And all I get for it is a sore head.

[Homebee]

New boxings

 

- ref. 72122 - Fairey IIIF MK.IVB & MK.IVM/A RAF long type float late

Sources: 

http://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_5_73&products_id=3462

https://www.aviationmegastore.com/fairey-iiif-mkivb--mkivma-raf-long-type-float-late-kpk72122-kora-models-kpk72122-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=174917

 

 

- ref. 72123 - Fairey IIIF MK.IIIB & MK.IIIM FAA long type float late 

Sources: 

http://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_5_73&products_id=3463

https://www.aviationmegastore.com/fairey-iiif-mkiiib--mkiiim-faa-long-type-float-late-kpk72123-kora-models-kpk72123-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=174912

 

 

- ref. 72124 - Fairey IIIF MK.IIIB ROYAL HELLENIC AIR FORCE - long type float late

Sources: 

http://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_5_73&products_id=3464

https://www.aviationmegastore.com/fairey-iiif-mkiiib-royal-hellenic-air-force---long-type-float-late-kpk72124-kora-models-kpk72124-aircraft-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=174913

 

 

 

See also dedicated threads for other variants:

 

- ref. 72125 -  Fairey Gordon Mk.I - Brazilian NAVY - long type float late 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235084478-172-fairey-gordon-mki-by-kora-models-released/

 

 

- ref. 72126 -  Fairey Seal Mk.I - Peruvian Service - long type float late

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235084480-172-fairey-seal-mki-by-kora-models-released/

 

 

V.P.

Edited December 6, 2020 by Homebee

[Homebee]

Kora Models - 1/72nd - ref. DS72256 - resin transport undercarriage for Fairey floatplanes

Sources: 

http://www.lfmodels.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_42_43&products_id=3467

https://www.aviationmegastore.com/transport-undercarriage-for-fairey-floatplanes-ds72256-kora-models-ds72256-ground-equipment/product/?action=prodinfo&art=174916 

 

 

V.P.

Edited December 6, 2020 by Homebee

[JWM]

Great news. That one  is "must have" for me...

Regards

J-W

[Patrik]

Today, packet from Kora arrived, which felt like Christmas in mid-January to me.

 

 

Now, just to the Fairey IIIFs. The plastic is identical with the landplane versions, with the addition of one more - quite nice - floatplane sprue.

 

 

Three markings in each box, most of them - I would be first to admit - rather dull. But then, the choice of attractive markings for late mark floatplanes is not exactly rich, especially in case of RAF.

 

 

 

Has someone here purchased one of the Gordon/Seal boxings already? I would be happy to see the fuselage sprues.

Patrik

Edited January 13, 2021 by Patrik

[Patrik]

Next, we can expect more colourful Mk.I (combined RAF+FAA) and quite attractive Mk.II (FAA) landplanes with the older type fin and rudder.

Edited January 23, 2021 by Patrik

[JWM]

I have ordered today the Greek one on floats and extra beech wheels... Thinking what to chose next - Gordon (RAF) or Seal (Latvian)? Both not released yet but soon will be...

There should be some proportions on shelves. Having only two Swordfish in collection I should not have three Fairey III family members, two is more than enough... Or should I?

Regards

J-W

 

[Patrik]

That is because for an interwar freak, as I am, there is only one eligible Swordfish version, the Mk.I. OK, two, if you count the floatplane.

And then there is Fairey IIIF Mk.I, Mk.II, Mk.III, Mk.IV, Gordon Mk.I, Gordon Mk.II, Seal Mk.I, all with their individual external peculiarities, most of them both as landplane and floatplane, so altogether it is, now let me count, oh sh..! Wait, did you say Latvian Seal? What about Argentine IIIF with Lorraine-Dietrich or Panther with cowling? And you think about just two or three, @JWM? What a cowardice.😀

Edited January 25, 2021 by Patrik

[JWM]

16 minutes ago, Patrik said:

That is because for an interwar freak, as I am, there is only one eligible Swordfish version, the Mk.I. OK, two, if you count the floatplane.

And then there is Fairey IIIF Mk.I, Mk.II, Mk.III, Mk.IV, Gordon Mk.I, Gordon Mk.II, Seal Mk.I, all with their individual external peculiarities, most of them both as landplane and floatplane, so altogether it is, now let me count, oh sh..! Wait, did you say Latvian Seal? What about Argentine IIIF with Lorraine-Dietrich or Panther with cowling? And you think about just two or three, @JWM? What a cowardice.😀

Similar was with mine Hawker Hart family - I ended up with "only" 5 of them: Bristol driven Audax from Iran and AW driven another Audax from Egypt (ie. Avro 674), RAF Hart Trainer, SAAF Hartbeest and RAF Hector... But there are three slopes of upper wing, two very different radial engines as well as V and H engines and small variances in fuselage and armament... Maybe I have to study more carefully the differences among various Fairey III series to motivate myself better...

 

From what you wrote on your interest it is about British machines of Interwar era.  Is it so strictly restricted? Because France was these days a real world-wide airplane supplier mainly with two constructions: Breguet 19 and Potez XXV, each of them produced in long series counted in thousands. I have already two Breguet XIX (A2 and 19.8) and two Potez XXV (Vichy Toe and Croatian ambulance with Jupiter) plus transport derivative variant Potez 29 and due to variety of engines I need more of them.. .

 

Anyway - a lot of modelling evenings before us!

Regards

J-W

 

[Patrik]

In order to stay mentally healthy, I restricted my modelling to British, interwar and single-engined, possibly biplane. Fairey IIIF family is my long time "favouritestest" ...

I am now contemplating to make fixed five-year-modelling-plan and to keep it. However, judging by your birth date. @JWM, we both know too well from our shared history in Comecon, how well Five-year-plans succeed face to face to reality.😀

Edited January 25, 2021 by Patrik

[Graham Boak]

Obviously I can't speak for Patrik, but I suspect part of the situation is due to the history of French aircraft being almost completely absent from the books and magazines published in English.  Not just French, of course, few modellers seem to have even realised that aircraft industries existed in countries such as Japan, Italy and Russia, and show little interest in them.  Honourable exceptions exist, of course.

 

Another part is the general omission of interwar types, even from otherwise well-documented countries such as the US and Germany.  WW2 acts as a magnet for information, and a blanket over what went before.  Public attitudes are still biased by the wartime perceptions of France and Italy as incompetent losers, Japan and Russia just too far away and pretty basic anyway.  For Americans, of course, France and Italy were not even involved by the time the war started, although here the Japanese do have a rather higher public stance.

 

I don't know, of course, but do suspect that the Potez 25/29 family is not actually that exciting even for French modellers.  Neither Heller nor Azur thought them popular enough to offer for sale.  But then, even in the UK, only Airfix ever offered a Hart or variant.  (I know this is discounting the Fury, perhaps arguably so.)  Three cheers for those companies producing such esoterica as we see above.  

 

But buying them, putting my money where my mouth is  - ah, probably not.  With my age and stash size, I don't think I'd work my way far enough down my bucket list to reach them.  Maybe a decent Hart Trainer...  However the stash does include Harts, Demons, Wapitis, Jungmanns,  Hector, Moths, Koolhoven 51, Hanriot 182,  Steiglitz and a few others, so perhaps my conscience needn't sleep too troubled.

 

PS, OK, Matchbox did the Siskin, Heyford, Stranraer, Airfix the Bulldog, and there were some 1/48 including a Flycatcher.  Not quite a complete desert.

[Moggy]

4 hours ago, Patrik said:

 What about Argentine IIIF with Lorraine-Dietrich or Panther with cowling? And you think about just two or three, @JWM? What a cowardice.😀

 

Like this:

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers, Moggy (dreaming of Lorraine / Panther-engined Fairey IIIF)

[occa]

Don't give KORA more ideas, it will be my ruin for 2021 ...

[JWM]

2 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

but I suspect part of the situation is due to the history of French aircraft being almost completely absent from the books and magazines published in English. 

Graham, you are certainly right. In 1960s and 70s the national brands were doing national machine: Airfix and Frog mostly British, Heller French, Monogram US, Supermodel Italian, Hasegawa and Tamiya Japan ones. Then it changed in some way, but still some bias like this exists and we will be surprised seeing for example Morane 406 released by Airfix...

 

2 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

I don't know, of course, but do suspect that the Potez 25/29 family is not actually that exciting even for French modellers.  Neither Heller nor Azur thought them popular enough to offer for sale.  But then, even in the UK, only Airfix ever offered a Hart or variant.  (I know this is discounting the Fury, perhaps arguably so.)  Three cheers for those companies producing such esoterica as we see above.  

For me it is really hard to understand why Heller never did Breguet XIX nor Potez XXV, given how they were important for French aviation.  The Breguet was so widely used in extra long range pioneer flights, namely the variants Bidon and Super Bidon (different from "normal A2") , and some are preserved in museums like Le Bourget (Paris) or Cuatro Vientos (Madrid) . So the lack of Breguet XIX is especially really strange. I spoken about this with people who are designing kits and their excuse was in lack of reliable drawings for Breguet XIX. However, the special variants do exists as preserved machines...

 

Anyway, great that Kora released the Fairey III series, it was a "big absent" for sure

J-W