Jump to content

1/48 - de Havilland DH.112 Venom by MikroMir - released


Homebee

Recommended Posts

The way they've molded the wings and fuselage together makes me think a Sea Venom would need a complete re-tooling of these major parts.  Still, fingers crossed!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, SprueMan said:

The decals are fine. It's the rest of the kit you should worry about.

Several of their kits are in the wrong scale (as in they are advertised as being in 1/48 or 1/144 but are 1/50 and 1/150) have ludicrously complicated assembly for no reason, parts don't fit and instructions that are mere suggestions and guesswork.

If it was not for their subject choice (which is good, I must say) the company would be long gone.

 

Be aware, that when you embark on a Mikromir journey, you embark on a greek tragedy of errors.

The models are buildable, but holy moly.

 

I have heard similar about their DH. 88 Comet and Provost....

 

Perhaps this will replace the Classic Airframes kit in terms of availability and price, but not ease of build (that said, my SA Sea Venom went together fairly nicely).

 

Two major observation from the sprue shots, they method they have chosen to mount the booms is rather unusual - Airfix and Classic Airframe both, sensibly, chose to split the booms on one of the vertical joins on the length of the boom, rather than following the upper contour of the wings surface, as seen here. The cockpit being made of four "sides" looks like a fit challenge too!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Once the two halves are glued together, the attachment of the booms is as per the resin Alley Cat Vampire. If the fit is good as it was on that kit, it is a good way of achieving the joint. I found the Airfix method harder to get a consistent joint in both booms despite the large positioning lug.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • Homebee changed the title to 1/48 - de Havilland DH.112 Venom by MikroMir - FB.4 released
On 10/6/2022 at 10:44 PM, Ad-4N said:

The way they've molded the wings and fuselage together makes me think a Sea Venom would need a complete re-tooling of these major parts.  Still, fingers crossed!

I fear you may be correct. However I hope that we get one from somewhere.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As it seems obvious they they tooled the 1/72 GB-Assc kit and this seems to suffer from the same crazy break down which seems to be mainly focused around creating full depth gun troughs. It should be easier to deal with in 1/48 but is still very disappointing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Homebee changed the title to 1/48 - de Havilland DH.112 Venom by MikroMir - released
1 hour ago, Biggles81 said:

I am going to have to ask the obvious - the boxart is G-VENM which is variously listed as an FB 1 or FB 50. The kit is and FB 4 if I read correctly. How hard is it to get from an FB 4 to an FB 1? I know little about Venoms.

 

FB.4 had powered flight controls, leading to larger ailerons (sticking past the trailing edge of the wings). This in turn needed larger rudders... 

 

At a first glance I think all is in the box to make either an FB.1 or an FB.4, but don't take my word for it. Better to wait for an expert to have a good look over the sprues...

 

Best regards,

 

Guillaume

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, guillaume320 said:

FB.4 had powered flight controls, leading to larger ailerons (sticking past the trailing edge of the wings). This in turn needed larger rudders... 

 

At a first glance I think all is in the box to make either an FB.1 or an FB.4, but don't take my word for it. Better to wait for an expert to have a good look over the sprues...

 

Best regards,

 

Guillaume

Thank you - I think you are right - I can see two styles of rudder and two types of ailerons on the sprues. Great potential

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
7 hours ago, JeffreyK said:

err, centrifugal flow engine, right?🤔

J

 

There is a compressor on the front, but it's a small, centrifugal type - as modelled on the Airfix Vampire. Mikro mir have represented this more like a large turbofan than a small centrifugal compressor. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, wellsprop said:

 

There is a compressor on the front, but it's a small, centrifugal type - as modelled on the Airfix Vampire. Mikro mir have represented this more like a large turbofan than a small centrifugal compressor. 

Yes, I had a closer look at better photos and indeed you can see a bit of the impeller/compressor from the front, I thought it would be behind screens. But still, it's deep in the intake throat and guide vanes and much smaller...Airfix's representation is not right either. But anyway :)

J

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I received my kit today, I just have to write down my first impressions:

 

While looking through the sprues I can just tell that the pics so far doesn't do the contents justice. The surface detail is VERY nicely done! It is very sharp and precise. lots of small rivet indentions that closely follows the panel lines. The way it is executed reminds a lot of recent Airfix at its best, but the panel lines are sharper and the rivets are smaller and very neat. Something between Airfix and Eduards latest. It is not too even and neat however, the size and spacing of the rivets vary, giving "life" to the surface. The real surface of the a/c sometimes has panels that are slightly raised compared to its surroundings, this has been faithfully reproduced on this kit. It all seems very accurate and complete when comparing to walk-around pics.

 

Leading and trailing edges of wings, tails, intakes and flying surfaces are very sharp.

 

Its quite a lot of very small parts, and very sharp detail just about everywhere. No detail seem to be missing and everything looks exact and very accurate. An example, by just looking at the instructions, on Scalemates, I didn't get especially impressed by the ejection seat. But now, looking at all the detail, it has the potential of becoming magnificent in itself. If one cat get the belt to drape and look realistic.

 

The instrument panel is as in later Swiss aircraft (see recent tread in forum)

Quote

 

. Can possibly be replaced by an aftermarket Vampire panel if it is to look British.

 

The canopy is very clear and without distortion, but looks a little thick.

 

I cannot comment on fit yet, but construction comments from Brexit modeller tells about almost perfect fit in general.  By holding some of the major parts together the fit looks very promising, if built carefully.

 

There is some flash here and there, I believe that this kit has to be built slowly and carefully.

 

The decals look just excellent, thin, sharp and in register. The roundels look a little out of proportion, however, the white middle ring has too large diameter and the blue portion is too narrow. Not by much, but it throws them out a little. Replacements can easily be found, Xtradecal, Fantasy Printshop and Euro Decals Venom sheet comes to mind.

 

I cannot comment yet on overall accuracy, but everything looks just right. From all the detail it is very obvious that MikroMir has worked hard with research, I would be very surprised if something has gone wrong.

 

If built carefully I believe that a very pleasing model will result, a masterpiece can easily be obtained. I'm very, very pleased!

 

(If then Pilot Replicas follow with a NF.2A/J33 and a Sea Venom later..)

 

Edit:

-FYI, the kit depicts a FB.4, no parts to make it a FB.1. Without knowing enough, I suppose a FB.1 could be made by grafting parts from an Airfix Vampire:

Tail, early seat, instrument panel. Some small modifications, no extra underwing fuel tanks, no upper fuselage intake, reduce chord of ailerons. Or may Wellsprop be tempted with his 3D magic?

-The outer flaps has square indentions that needs to be opened up to see through holes

-The case/link ejector openings under the belly are very shallow, I will open them up on mine.

-The instructions do not mention it at all, but my kit also contains a set of paint masks for the canopy. It seems that they may assist in getting the light isolation frame right. 

-I'm studying the way the inlet trunking is supposed to be built and fitted. Again, I believe that if built carefully (take care of any flash) a marvelous fit will result.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Tomas Enerdal
  • Like 5
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some more findings:

-The kit main gear legs lacks their scissors links. A little surprising as the mounting lugs are present on the legs themselves..

spacer.png

(Pic from a NF.3 on PrimePortal)

They are not very visible, hidden at the rear between the tyre and the gear cover. They seem to look exacly like the links on a F-86 Sabre and have the same size. They are often found on etched aftermarket sets for the F-86. Check your aftermarket stash. Very similar ones are on the legs of the J29 Tunnan. Plastic ones can be found in the Pilot replicas kit (which will then sorely miss them..)

-Another omission from the kit are the prominent vanes at the mouth of the engine inlets. There seems to be one set on the etched frame, two needed. I have sent a mail to MikroMir and asked for advice.

It shouldn't be difficult making sets from plasticard or thin brass stock, using the brass ones as templates.

-Anyone contemplating an aftermarket resin ejection seat, with nicely draped belts, should seek out PJ ProductionMB Mk2H, ref.481220. Almost as nice is Pavla MB.Mk.2B, ref S 48025. Just make sure that the seat does not sit too high in the cockpit...

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that the Venom used the Mk.2F...

 

EDIT: Just got a copy of the pilots notes; Martin Baker Mk.2F were used in the FB.4 (also retrofitted into FB.1?) The PJ Production seat looks identical, except that the seat should have a single handle at the top, not the twin handle provided.

Edited by Tomas Enerdal
Ejection seat info
  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I have just received my kit, and find there are no fins/rudders for an FB.1 despite the boxart... all parts, instructions and decals are for Mk.4's. Looks like a kit bash using the Aeroclub FB1 in my stash to get my RNZAF leased aircraft in Malaya! Lots of flash as well, but not as bad as a FM kit!!!!!

 

Cheers, Pete M.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...