1/72 Falklands

[Harry_the_Spider]

 

 

I’ve got in to the habit of building kits around the books the I’m currently reading. The Big Show – Tempest V, Enemy Coast Ahead – Lancaster BIII, Fortress Malta & Warburton’s War – Maryland, Macchi 205, Spitfire Vc and so on…

 

Well that is the plan, but it doesn’t work as I read faster than I build. So I have a Dambusters A10, and a Falklands Maryland and will no doubt have a Space 1999 Eagle Transporter to go with a future book about the battle for Sicily.

 

I’ve just started on David Morgan’s Hostile Skies and have dug a Sea Harrier and GR3 out of the stash. Who makes the best Argentine kits? Ideally, I’d like a Skyhawk, Etendard and Pucara with Argentinian decals.

[Giorgio N]

For the Skyhawk your best option is the Airfix A-4B. Not saying it's necessarily the best Skyhawk around but it's a modern kit, easy to find and, depending on the boxing, comes with decals for either a Fuerza Aerea Argentina A-4P or an Armada A-4Q

Both Academy and Italeri issued kits of the Super Etendard with Argentina's markings. IIRC the two kits are quite similar with Academy's being a little better but I may remember incorrectly. For sure I don't know if I'd trust Academy's decals in terms of adhesion and opacity... old Academy decals were often very poor. I don't any think any of the two kits is available at the moment. Academy later reissued the kit with different markings for a French aircraft used over Libya and this is likely still available but does not include the decals for a Falkland war aircraft. Of course you can still buy the kit and then search for the decals elsewhere, there have been decal sheets for these.

The Pucara has only been offered by Special Hobby and reboxed for a while by Airfix. OOP and not the easiest kit to find. They fetch very high prices on Ebay and at second-hand kit shops, your best bet is to keep searching and hope to find one... or hope that SH decide to reissue the kit

[Giorgio N]

Forgot to add... Airfix issued a set covering the Falklands War a few years ago, of the kits included the Skyhawk was their own old A-4A, so pretty useless, the Pucara was the SH kit and the Etendard the Heller kit. If you find the set for sale it may be worth for the Pucara and the Sea Harrier, that was the nice Esci/Italeri kit. And maybe the Etendard.... All other kits were inferior to what you can find around today.

The Heller Super Etendard is not a bad kit but features raised panel lines. If you don't mind these then it's another option. I believe it's still available but in any case it's not that hard to find. You would have to find decals for it as the Heller box only ever included one set of French markings. The same kit however was also reboxed by Airfix and the couple boxes released over the years did have Falkland markings. Latest Airfix issue was in a red box, so not too long ago.

Mind, a quick search on Ebay showed an Italeri kit for a tenner so maybe finding a decent Etendard kit is not that much of a problem....

[Aardvark]

1 hour ago, Giorgio N said:

Both Academy and Italeri issued kits of the Super Etendard with Argentina's markings. IIRC the two kits are quite similar with Academy's being a little better but I may remember incorrectly.

Incorrectly. Italeri and Academi have the same spruce.Italeri / Academi has errors in geometric accuracy compared to Heller / Airfix, which is preferable but has external panel lines.

 

B.R.

Serge

 

[Harry_the_Spider]

I’m not terribly bothered about 100% accuracy or raised panel lines. As long as it is an ESO (Etendard Shaped Object) I’ll be happy. What I really want is one with Argentinian markings as having to go for additional decals pushes the price up considerably.

[Giorgio N]

33 minutes ago, Aardvark said:

Incorrectly. Italeri and Academi have the same spruce.Italeri / Academi has errors in geometric accuracy compared to Heller / Airfix, which is preferable but has external panel lines.

 

B.R.

Serge

 

 

Thanks Serge, good to know ! I built the Heller kit when was first issued and I remember this as a very easy build. I loved the fact that the two wings were joined by a plastic slab sandwiched between the fuselage halves, so giving a perfect alignment.

[Aardvark]

1 hour ago, Harry_the_Spider said:

I’m not terribly bothered about 100% accuracy or raised panel lines. As long as it is an ESO (Etendard Shaped Object) I’ll be happy. What I really want is one with Argentinian markings as having to go for additional decals pushes the price up considerably.

Then best choice Airfix, because quality decal Academy with Argentinean markings it's scary-scared horror. Or if shortly       old Academy decal - 💩.

55 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

 

Thanks Serge, good to know ! I built the Heller kit when was first issued and I remember this as a very easy build. I loved the fact that the two wings were joined by a plastic slab sandwiched between the fuselage halves, so giving a perfect alignment.

For me, Heller is more preferable in most cases, even despite the raised

panels  lines.  More nice old school style.  In addition, for Неller has good photo-etching.

In principle, I have both models, and I even made a photo comparison of these models, including with two different drawings, but I cannot remember where I saved these photos.

 

B.R.

Serge

[Paramedic]

Don´t forget Sharkey Ward´s book!

[Max Headroom]

Well if as you say you’re not bothered about accuracy.......

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/puky-n-a-pucara--940188#

 

no truth to the rumour (that I’ve just started here) that the moulds were mastered by Starfix 🤣

 

I built the Italeri SuE many years ago and  don’t recall any major construction issues. My biggest concern was trying to get a decent match for the upper surface ‘grey’

 

Trevor

[Harry_the_Spider]

Just bought a copy of Sharkey's book for a couple of quid off Abebooks. 

 

Enjoying the David Morgan one despite the poetry.

[stuartp]

I built the Academy SuE in Argentine markings years ago and I don't recall any issues with the decals. Every other Academy kit I've built, but not that one. It includes the Exocet. 

 

Ward's book goes further into the command decisions and compromises required to fight the war than Morgan's does (unsurprisingly), but usually from the viewpoint that Ward was right and everybody else was either wrong, incompetent or empire building. He could be right, I don't know, but it was more annoying than the poetry. 

Edited November 8, 2020 by stuartp

[Richard E]

Some alternative markings for you: Xtradecal Falklands War Decal Sheet

 

And if you want to add you your reading list: Squadron Leader Jerry Pook's RAF Harrier, Ground Attack Falklands and Rowland White's newly published book on 809 squadron.

[beppe]

Hi,

 

regarding the Sué, I think the heller/airfix is the best option

[Max Headroom]

If you find a copy, this book is excellent

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Falklands-The-Air-War-by-Wilton-D-Hardback-Book-The-Cheap-Fast-Free-Post/302492195002?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&itemid=302492195002&targetid=1000164978900&device=m&mktype=pla&googleloc=9046489&campaignid=10204071318&mkgroupid=104953041514&rlsatarget=pla-1000164978900&abcId=1145987&merchantid=137596852&gclid=Cj0KCQiAqdP9BRDVARIsAGSZ8AkjVj4zomViCstGaj6ZVSVtX9MJdW6joPddONB2Qh9xaeBiirTaHF0aArHJEALw_wcB&pageci=bd7f7dcf-5b9d-4f61-85af-e9aadabbd4a6&epid=89995895

 

Exhaustively researched it gives individual battle histories for all aircraft on both sides of the conflict.

 

Trevor

[Sturmovik]

11 hours ago, beppe said:

Hi,

 

regarding the Sué, I think the heller/airfix is the best option

I believe the Airfix/Heller kit is OOP. The Academy one with the 2011 Libya scheme is available, and it has recessed panel lines.

[RAGATIGER]

Hi there

 

For decals you can look for the Aztec decals 

https://aztecmodels.com/products/d48-048-war-for-the-falklands?variant=30271433572489

https://aztecmodels.com/products/d-063-war-for-the-falklands-malvinas-2

 

Wide options selection

 

Both 1/48  and wonderful 1/72 scale!!!

 

Cheers

 

Armando

[beppe]

6 hours ago, Sturmovik said:

I believe the Airfix/Heller kit is OOP. The Academy one with the 2011 Libya scheme is available, and it has recessed panel lines.

is it ? I thought airfix re released it.

[alt-92]

2 hours ago, beppe said:

I thought airfix re released it.

In 2013, yes. Same as the last Heller repop..

[Harry_the_Spider]

Have finished Morgan's book and started on Sharkey's. So far he's not coming across as having an "endearing" personality.

  

[alhenderson]

1 hour ago, Harry_the_Spider said:

Have finished Morgan's book and started on Sharkey's. So far he's not coming across as having an "endearing" personality.

  

Sharkey is known for having a "personality" shall we say.  He certainly doesn't pull any punches regarding his opinions on the RAF!

 

On a similar note to the OP, I'm reading Rowland White's Harrier 809 at the moment (excellent so far), and was wondering how one might go about doing an 809 sqn SHAR in 1/72nd.  I had a quick look around and didn't find any obvious decal sets for this, but maybe there are ways to use 809 markings from Buccs or something?

 

Cheers,

Al.

[Giorgio N]

32 minutes ago, alhenderson said:

Sharkey is known for having a "personality" shall we say.  He certainly doesn't pull any punches regarding his opinions on the RAF!

 

On a similar note to the OP, I'm reading Rowland White's Harrier 809 at the moment (excellent so far), and was wondering how one might go about doing an 809 sqn SHAR in 1/72nd.  I had a quick look around and didn't find any obvious decal sets for this, but maybe there are ways to use 809 markings from Buccs or something?

 

Cheers,

Al.

 

There are a few options for a 809 Sea Harrier:

Xtradecals 72073 has markings for all Sea Harriers involved in the war, including 809 Sqn.

I'm pretty sure that the same were also included in a Modeldecal sheet, can't remember the number though.

The Hasegawa kit in its basic issue includes one 809 Sqn. aircraft.

IIRC the aircraft from this unit serving in the Falklands had the unit badge covered though, so if you want to reproduce one of these it's even easier

[alhenderson]

Thanks @Giorgio N - much appreciated!  Good to know there are definitely options..

 

Al.

[Paramedic]

5 hours ago, alhenderson said:

Thanks @Giorgio N - much appreciated!  Good to know there are definitely options..

 

Al.

 

I like people like him. Not sure I would if I had been there or on HMS Hermes but.. He seems professional and have the attitude of a good boss, I think, udner these circumstances and - he wants to win. He seems like a good fighter pilot.

I kind of want that more than someone bragging about being unfaithful..   And Ward seems to have some points on the Air war. I do recognize the behaviour of some brass, those id.. Similar ones are all over, being brass in most types of jobs. I see plenty similar in health care/medicince. that´s for sure.

 

/hijack.

 

Those kits-world decals, they seems nice?

[Harry_the_Spider]

Yeah, I didn't see the point of publishing the letters to his ex-girlfriend.

[Paramedic]

Nah.. I found it really weird. Maybe makes sense for him but to me he seemed like a selfish @-hole. Must be fun for his fun for example.. He is probably a professional. But Ward just seems to be on a whole other level of deication to the task while Morgan dreams away, does his stuff he is supposed to do but nothing else. Maybe like me but I would like to be as professional as Ward (seems to be?).

 

Sorry if I ranted off topic.. But it is an interesting topic? All of it. Their stuff, The Falkland Wars, SEA HARRIERS..