Airfix Sherman and some Matchbox meandering's.

[stevej60]

Hi folk's,well totally unexpected I received the new tool Airfix Firefly yesterday and not having seen the Cromwell

released a few year's back was very impressed by the kit indeed especially as a good few of the old tool Shermans

have come and gone my way so if your into the smaller scale grab one.Now I don't do a lot of armour at all but this

Christmas brings another Blitzbuild starting today so looking for a subject I decided on Revell's re-boxing of the old

Matchbox Puma complete with diorama base and not having seen the kit since I built it new( I think 1978) again was

impressed how nice and crisp the molding's still are,spurred on I nipped back and picked up the Chaffee and Comet

again both( for their age) very crisp molding's indeed.

                                                  It's strikes me the mold creator for their armour kit's had a real love of the subject almost

like a different company from the aircraft side of the business(and I loved their aircraft subjects to),If you are into this

smaller scale it's well worth having a look as most of the range is on re-release.

[Radpoe Spitfire]

It looks a lovely kit by all accounts, I might just treat myself to one.👍

[stevej60]

13 hours ago, Radpoe Spitfire said:

It looks a lovely kit by all accounts, I might just treat myself to one.👍

I agree totally,they've gone down the Revell route with the multi part tracks but also have the one piece track/wheel arrangement

similar to Armour fast and Plastic soldier kits.

[Wm Blecky]

Seriously guys, this new Airfix Firefly is a real let down.  The detail on the running gear is soft.  The old Matchbox 1/76 Firefly is better than this new Airfix offering.  I am not prepared to pay the going rate for a Dragon Firefly kit, but I am also not prepared to waste money on this Airfix one.  To make it even half worth the effort, one would have to spend a small fortune on replacement running gear from OKB Grigorov and even then you are left with a ho-hum kit.  It's a real shame that Airfix did not collaborate with Heller on this one.  Those Heller M4 and M4A2 Sherman kits gave Dragon a good run for their money.  Pity that Airfix cheaped out and gave us nothing more than a child's toy that might appeal to wargamers at best.

Edited December 28, 2020 by Wm Blecky

[stevej60]

1 hour ago, Wm Blecky said:

 might appeal to wargamers at best.

That thought crossed my mind when I saw the one piece wheel/track arrangement noticing much softer detail on those component's.

 

[Sgt.Squarehead]

If you have a couple of Heller Shermans in the stash you may well have enough spares to rebuild the running gear completely (although your tracks are likely to be a little short due to the M4A4's longer hull).....I believe Dan Taylor Modelworks are making a set that should vastly improve the detail level of this kit (but I suspect the running gear is something you will still have to fix for yourself). 

[Mick4350]

On 12/28/2020 at 2:55 PM, Wm Blecky said:

Seriously guys, this new Airfix Firefly is a real let down.  The detail on the running gear is soft.  The old Matchbox 1/76 Firefly is better than this new Airfix offering.  I am not prepared to pay the going rate for a Dragon Firefly kit, but I am also not prepared to waste money on this Airfix one.  To make it even half worth the effort, one would have to spend a small fortune on replacement running gear from OKB Grigorov and even then you are left with a ho-hum kit.  It's a real shame that Airfix did not collaborate with Heller on this one.  Those Heller M4 and M4A2 Sherman kits gave Dragon a good run for their money.  Pity that Airfix cheaped out and gave us nothing more than a child's toy that might appeal to wargamers at best.

Did anyone notice that the box art for the new Sherman Firefly has a machine gun on the glacis plate ?

[Graham Boak]

Before replacing the Airfix wheels with ones from the Matchbox Firefly, remember the Matchbox wheels are too small for the 1/76 kit let alone the 1/72.  There are however other Sherman kits that will provide alternatives: track, wheels and suspension.  I have an Italeri one in my stash, with a similar choice of pre-assembled or kit parts:  I'm sure that there are others.

[Seahawk]

Agree that Airfix don’t even seem to have been trying with this one.  As a plastic AFV kit, it shows no advance in quality or accuracy from the 1/76 Matchbox kit of nearly 40 years ago.  Softly moulded, basic errors from sloppy research (eg glacis plate joins, turret splash section), moulded-on tools in even lower relief than the old Airfix 1/76 M4’s and just basic incoherence (it’s a tank with mudguards from the rear but without from front and sides).

 

On another site Dan Taylor does an admirable job of making a silk purse from this sow’s ear, largely by wholesale replacement of parts with superior Heller or Dragon spares.  If he does an improvement set, it will gain my interest but the cost of kit and improvement set is unlikely to be less than that of a Dragon kit (assuming you can find one). 
 

Can you tell I’m disappointed?  I hope the wargamers enjoy it.

[IanC]

Is the Tiger any better?

 

Shame about the Firefly, but the re-release of the Heller Shermans is some consolation, perhaps.

 

 

 

 

 

[stevej60]

Finished the kit over the Christmas break, for me Mr average modeller a nice easy build using the one piece wheel /track set up but

I can understand peoples disappointment given Airfix's upping of their game over the last few years I suspect they had the younger

modeller on mind rather than a dinosaur like me!

 

 

 

 

[IanC]

I tend to agree with you Steve. It's so easy to get hung up on accuracy and details. But seeing your excellent little model there makes me want to get one anyway!