1/72 Hawker Tempest Mk. V by Airfix - release Autumn 2021

[theplasticsurgeon]

Parts look great - apart from some distortion around the Stbd undercarriage root,

Panel lines look OK to me.  Different prop spinners for each version.

Four and 5 spoke wheels, thought instructions only use 5 spokes - so maybe more options next year.

Has anybody else got this distortion?

Should I return this kit?

 

These two options.

 

Already having a Roland Beaumont Tempest, I'm lore likely to build as this one.   Photos of JN766 clearly show the Typhoon recognition stripes.

 

Edited Tuesday 08 March:  This kit was returned to the retailer yesterday.

Much as I'd been looking forward to it since being announced in Jan 2021 - I'm not paying top-whack for a sub-standard article.

Although refunded, the shop are getting me another - hopefully by the weekend.

 

Edited Thurs 17 March:  Replacement model has been received, checked in the shop - perfect.  

Positive callout for Cheltenham Model Centre for facilitating - thanks.

 

[Paul Thompson]

1 hour ago, Yes_Man said:

Be a shame if the panel lines are a step back when the recently released Spitfire Vc panel lines were perfectly fine (not as nice as Tamiya/Eduard of course but certainly something you can live with). Will need to wait for the reviews first I think.

The comment was about the treatment of the lines by the builder, not the lines themselves. Anything will look silly when flooded with black ink or whatever it is modern folk use. It makes the model look like poor quality, when it is far from it. Of course anyone who wants to build that way has a perfect right to. But I don't think it does the product any favours.

 

Paul.

Edited March 5, 2022 by Paul Thompson
Additional cynicism. And then spurious letters.

[Rabbit Leader]

Wouldn’t the No.486 Squadron scheme aircraft have worn the underside 6inch black / 12inch white underwing identification stripes for this period of the war? 
 

Looks like aftermarket 5 spoke wheels are still required if wanting to build an accurate Series 1, Mk. V Tempest and I look forward to seeing the first BM member build this kit without dipping it in a bath of black panel line wash. 

Cheers.. Dave

 

[colin]

I don't think you'll need a wash, the panel lines will cast a nautral shadow 😉😁

[IanC]

15 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Wouldn’t the No.486 Squadron scheme aircraft have worn the underside 6inch black / 12inch white underwing identification stripes for this period of the war? 
 

 

 

Indeed. JN766 at Castle Camps, April 1944:

 

 

IWM CH 13956

 

 

 

[Julien]

 

[ththtttu7]

Hope this is of use. A reference photo of Tempest V, series 1 JN766, N-SA of 486 Squadron in February 1944.

 

As seen on the undercarriage doors, this had the thick white/thin black identification stripes under the wings only.

 

It shows the 5 spoke wheels too.

 

 

 

Photo credit Newark Air Museum.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2022 by David A Collins

[Paul J]

On 03/09/2021 at 12:44, Homebee said:

Expected Winter 2022

Fresh news:

https://uk.airfix.com/community/blog-and-news/workbench/tempest-v-rafs-new-v-1-killer

https://uk.airfix.com/community/blog-and-news/workbench/beamonts-beast-and-unlikely-aviation-siblings

 

 

 

 

Scheme A - Hawker Tempest Mk.V JN751/R-B, Aircraft flown by Wing Commander Roland Prosper ‘Bee’ Beamont, No.150 Wing, Newchurch, Kent, England, June 1944.

 

 

Scheme B - Hawker Tempest Mk.V JN766/SA-N, No.486 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force, RAF Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire, England, April 1944.

 

 

V.P.

Both schemes showing are for  scheme A.   !!???

[VMA131Marine]

15 hours ago, theplasticsurgeon said:

Should I return this kit?

You would certainly be justified if you did. You could also ask Airfix to send you a replacement for the mis-moulded part.

[Giorgio N]

Can anybody who has the kit check the presence or absence of the rear spar bulge at the wing root? Looking at sprue pictures seems to show no bulge.

If I understand correctly this was not on all Series 1 aircraft but I seem to remember that JN751 did have it

[Julien]

3 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

Can anybody who has the kit check the presence or absence of the rear spar bulge at the wing root? Looking at sprue pictures seems to show no bulge.

If I understand correctly this was not on all Series 1 aircraft but I seem to remember that JN751 did have it

Do the review pictures help?

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235107294-hawker-tempest-mkv-a02109-172/#comment-4347965

[Paul Bradley]

6 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

Can anybody who has the kit check the presence or absence of the rear spar bulge at the wing root? Looking at sprue pictures seems to show no bulge.

If I understand correctly this was not on all Series 1 aircraft but I seem to remember that JN751 did have it

 

Here are some notes I made based on @ChrisThomas' research which can be found elsewhere on BM. 

 

The Tempest V came in two basic flavours – Series 1, which is generally reckoned to be the first 100 or so airframes (JN729-773, JN792-822, JN854-877), and Series 2 that encompassed the remaining production of the type. However, within those two basic configurations there were some subtle differences that make it a difficult task to pin down the exact specs of a specific airframe at a specific time.  Without going into great detail, here’s a quick summary of the features:

 

Long-barrelled cannon – Denoting the use of the Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon, at least the first 39 Tempest Vs, up to JN767, had cannon fairings protruding from the wing leading edge. 

Wing root blister – The first 50 Tempests, up to JN796, used Typhoon centre-sections. As the Tempest wing was thinner at the root, part of the steel tubing that made up this structure had to be covered by a small blister. 

Fishplates – These small structural strengtheners were found up to at least the 85th airframe, JN862. 

Cuckoo door dust filters – Not required for Series 1 aircraft.

Main wheels – Early Tempests had Typhoon main wheel hubs with 5 spokes and Dunlop EX 11.25-12 tyres. Sometime in the JN-series, this changed to a new 4-spoke design, but the exact cut off is not known. 

Under wing stores – long-range tank capability was not fitted until JN797, bomb carriage from 151st airframe and rocket projectiles from the 251st airframe.

Edited March 6, 2022 by Paul Bradley

[Ptmvarsityfan]

Thanks for above post Paul, very useful clarification. Cheers, Paul M

[Paul Bradley]

Please thank Chris Thomas - he's the expert! I just cribbed some notes for a previous Tempest V build. There are some very useful Tempest (and Typhoon) threads on BM that Chris has contributed to. 

[Wez]

5 hours ago, Paul Bradley said:

 

Here are some notes I made based on @ChrisThomas' research which can be found elsewhere on BM. 

 

The Tempest V came in two basic flavours – Series 1, which is generally reckoned to be the first 100 or so airframes (JN729-773, JN792-822, JN854-877), and Series 2 that encompassed the remaining production of the type. However, within those two basic configurations there were some subtle differences that make it a difficult task to pin down the exact specs of a specific airframe at a specific time.  Without going into great detail, here’s a quick summary of the features:

 

Long-barrelled cannon – Denoting the use of the Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon, at least the first 39 Tempest Vs, up to JN767, had cannon fairings protruding from the wing leading edge. 

Wing root blister – The first 50 Tempests, up to JN796, used Typhoon centre-sections. As the Tempest wing was thinner at the root, part of the steel tubing that made up this structure had to be covered by a small blister. 

Fishplates – These small structural strengtheners were found up to at least the 85th airframe, JN862. 

Cuckoo door dust filters – Not required for Series 1 aircraft.

Main wheels – Early Tempests had Typhoon main wheel hubs with 5 spokes and Dunlop EX 11.25-12 tyres. Sometime in the JN-series, this changed to a new 4-spoke design, but the exact cut off is not known. 

Under wing stores – long-range tank capability was not fitted until JN797, bomb carriage from 151st airframe and rocket projectiles from the 251st airframe.

 

The question I have regarding the series I aircraft, did they get modified to the series II standard as they went through works/overhaul?

[Meatbox8]

Erm, do my eyes deceive me or does the built up kit on the Airfix site have trailing edges which are about 6 scale inches thick?

 

🇺🇦

Edited March 6, 2022 by Meatbox8

[RidgeRunner]

So, and maybe a daft question, could a better Mk II model be built be replacing this kits front end with that of the KP Mk II?

 

Martin

[Graham Boak]

You would have to change the wingroot radiators as well.  But why spoil a perfectly good SH kit?

[71chally]

22 minutes ago, RidgeRunner said:

So, and maybe a daft question, could a better Mk II model be built be replacing this kits front end with that of the KP Mk II?

Wouldn't you just build the KP kit?

Edited March 6, 2022 by 71chally

[stevehnz]

6 hours ago, Meatbox8 said:

Erm, do my eyes deceive me or does the built up kit on the Airfix site have trailing edges which are about 6 scale inches thick?

 

🇺🇦

Nah, only about 4" I reckon.   I am in fact wondering if it is an illusion caused by a panel line very close to the wing trailing edge. I'll be interested to see it in the flesh having registered interest in one from a couple of sellers, neither of which have stock as yet.

Steve.

[RidgeRunner]

8 hours ago, 71chally said:

Wouldn't you just build the KP kit?

Yes, probably, but I am intrigued whether the Airfix is the better overall offering. I’d prefer the KP to come iout on top!

 

Martin

[keithjs]

19 hours ago, Paul Bradley said:

 

Here are some notes I made based on @ChrisThomas' research which can be found elsewhere on BM. 

 

The Tempest V came in two basic flavours – Series 1, which is generally reckoned to be the first 100 or so airframes (JN729-773, JN792-822, JN854-877), and Series 2 that encompassed the remaining production of the type. However, within those two basic configurations there were some subtle differences that make it a difficult task to pin down the exact specs of a specific airframe at a specific time.  Without going into great detail, here’s a quick summary of the features:

 

Long-barrelled cannon – Denoting the use of the Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon, at least the first 39 Tempest Vs, up to JN767, had cannon fairings protruding from the wing leading edge. 

Wing root blister – The first 50 Tempests, up to JN796, used Typhoon centre-sections. As the Tempest wing was thinner at the root, part of the steel tubing that made up this structure had to be covered by a small blister. 

Fishplates – These small structural strengtheners were found up to at least the 85th airframe, JN862. 

Cuckoo door dust filters – Not required for Series 1 aircraft.

Main wheels – Early Tempests had Typhoon main wheel hubs with 5 spokes and Dunlop EX 11.25-12 tyres. Sometime in the JN-series, this changed to a new 4-spoke design, but the exact cut off is not known. 

Under wing stores – long-range tank capability was not fitted until JN797, bomb carriage from 151st airframe and rocket projectiles from the 251st airframe.

On that theory then, shouldn't Beaumonts aircraft in the kit have the fishplates on? That particular aircraft in the Eduard series 1 kit certainly shows them fitted?

[71chally]

1 hour ago, RidgeRunner said:

Yes, probably, but I am intrigued whether the Airfix is the better overall offering. I’d prefer the KP to come iout on top!

be interesting to see a side by side report, KP have already won me over with the amount of variants.

[Giorgio N]

21 hours ago, Julien said:

Do the review pictures help?

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235107294-hawker-tempest-mkv-a02109-172/#comment-4347965

 

They were exactly the ones I was checking to see if those features were present. I can't see the builges in the pics, guess that they went with a later configuration.

 

20 hours ago, Paul Bradley said:

 

Here are some notes I made based on @ChrisThomas' research which can be found elsewhere on BM. 

 

The Tempest V came in two basic flavours – Series 1, which is generally reckoned to be the first 100 or so airframes (JN729-773, JN792-822, JN854-877), and Series 2 that encompassed the remaining production of the type. However, within those two basic configurations there were some subtle differences that make it a difficult task to pin down the exact specs of a specific airframe at a specific time.  Without going into great detail, here’s a quick summary of the features:

 

Long-barrelled cannon – Denoting the use of the Hispano Mk.II 20mm cannon, at least the first 39 Tempest Vs, up to JN767, had cannon fairings protruding from the wing leading edge. 

Wing root blister – The first 50 Tempests, up to JN796, used Typhoon centre-sections. As the Tempest wing was thinner at the root, part of the steel tubing that made up this structure had to be covered by a small blister. 

Fishplates – These small structural strengtheners were found up to at least the 85th airframe, JN862. 

Cuckoo door dust filters – Not required for Series 1 aircraft.

Main wheels – Early Tempests had Typhoon main wheel hubs with 5 spokes and Dunlop EX 11.25-12 tyres. Sometime in the JN-series, this changed to a new 4-spoke design, but the exact cut off is not known. 

Under wing stores – long-range tank capability was not fitted until JN797, bomb carriage from 151st airframe and rocket projectiles from the 251st airframe.

 

Thanks for the summary, it's good to have all the details in one single post (and of course thanks to Chris for sharing his vast knowledge on the subject).

 

I'd say that Airfix took an interesting approach in offering a "Series 1" aircraft, to my memory these had not been offered before in 1/72. Unfortunately the apparent lack of certain features would make the kit from the box correct for only a small number of aircraft, that do not include either options in the decal sheet.

I'm sure most modellers will not bother with the differences, those who want an accurate configuration however will have to decide what detail to add according to the desired choice of markings.

[RidgeRunner]

58 minutes ago, 71chally said:

be interesting to see a side by side report, KP have already won me over with the amount of variants.

I'm with you, James. I like a lot of the KP offerings. They tend to be more refined when it comes to detail whereas Airfix is often, in my view, a little clumsy. I have the KP winging its way to me so I will be set up, apart from the decals

 

Martin

 

Edit: sorry Mods - I veered off Topic.