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1/72 Airfix Avro Vulcan **NEW TOOL**


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I received my new 1/72 Airfix Vulcan yesterday and despite having an overflowing workbench, I just couldn’t resist having a look! As is traditional, I’ll start with a shot of the box. It’s big - note the 12” ruler along the side:

 

box.jpg

 

To be honest, the box could probably have been smaller as the largest sections are the wings, which are half the size of the box… I guess Airfix were aiming for as large a presence as possible when stacked on a shelf!

 

The scheme options are all white, or white undersides with camouflage on top. I will go with the latter:

 

scheme.jpg

 

I already have the old kit in a similar scheme:

 

vulcan-rfi-7.jpg
 

I would have liked to do the new model in wraparound camouflage, but it was not an option and I’m planning to make this one OOB, to see what can be achieved with the basic Airfix offering.

 

Time to look inside! Every sprue is wrapped in plastic, presumably to protect the plastic from scratching. The first sprue has the tail fin, control surfaces and engine plates:

 

fin.jpg
 

Once the bags are opened, some very crisp plastic is inside. Here’s the nose, cockpit and bomb load:

 

nose.jpg

 

And a close up of some of the pieces:

 

stk.jpg

 

The construction is completely different from the old kit. You build the nose and tail sections and then attach them to the central wing section. There are no large pieces in the kit, hence my comments about the size of the box. Here are the wing top sides:

 

ts.jpg

 

Note the housing for the air brakes. The wing top side in more detail:

 

tsw.jpg

 

I’ve never noticed those protrusions on the wing before. The panel lines look a little large, so I will probably end up filling these. Here’s the underside:

 

wlr.jpg


You can see the nose gear bay is moulded asymmetrically. The detail is again very crisp:

 

bay.jpg
 

This is the largest sprue:

 

tail.jpg

 

And again some more detail:

 

exh.jpg

 

gear.jpg

 

wheels.jpg
 

All very nicely detailed, which bodes well for OOB!

 

The last major sprue shows the spars - this should be strong:

 

spr.jpg

 

Some lovely detail for the bomb bay and undercarriage bays too. 👍

 

The intakes look far better than the old kit, which is a relief! 😁

 

Finally the transparencies:

 

clr.jpg

 

This looks to be a great kit and I am looking forward to seeing this one come together.

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The detail, mould quality and presentation makes me think the wait was worth it. Thank you for taking the time to show so much to us.

  

5 hours ago, Back in the Saddle said:

scheme.jpg

All I want to know is, where is the aircraft currently preserved? 😁

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Excellent synopsis of the sprues, thank you. It looks like it’ll be immeasurably superior to the old kit. I’m still waiting for my pre-order to arrive so it’ll be good to see you build this one.

 

I think I’m going to need to order at least a couple more though, it looks too good to have just one!

 

 

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I still have an unbuilt ‘ old tool ‘ which will probably remain unbuilt now.

I think I’ll put this on my birthday present list as the Vulcan is one of the few aircraft that SWMBO recognises and she always did like their displays.

Looking forward to this.

 

John

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I don't think that box will physically fit inside my stash cupboard 😆

 

I didn't bother pre ordering but will get one at some point, watching with interest.

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Wow, excellent choice of subject Matt, and great to see it really is out in the market now. I will have to get (at least) one, but storage is becoming a challenge at moment as wife and i share the hobby room - she has the art studio half. Plans are afoot to move me lock, stash and barrel to a newer larger hobby room come internal workshop when the integral garage gets converted, but thats in the design/quote stage at moment!

 

I'll follow this with much interest. It does look a beautifully engineered kit.

 

Terry

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It looks a very nice kit, hopefully it will sell well, I have still the old one which I began re-scribing many years ago, plus all the extra stuff that went with it.

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7 hours ago, Lord Riot said:

Excellent synopsis of the sprues, thank you.

Yeah! First out of the blocks!

 

I'm personally hoping to see loads of new Airfix Vulcan WIP threads on here to maintain my energy and enthusiasim levels whilst I wait the 4/5 weeks for mine coming in the second Airfix consignment.  Might even have a crack at an Airfix "Classic Vulcan" (as I think we shall have to call it) whilst I wait.

 

Rich

Edited by RichG
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10 hours ago, k5054nz said:

All I want to know is, where is the aircraft currently preserved? 😁

I've told you once... (in the voice of John Cleese)

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10 hours ago, k5054nz said:

The detail, mould quality and presentation makes me think the wait was worth it. Thank you for taking the time to show so much to us.

It does look rather good! Ironically I’m busy for the next few days, but will get stuck in soon!

 

10 hours ago, k5054nz said:

All I want to know is, where is the aircraft currently preserved? 😁

I hadn’t noticed that typo! 😂

 

8 hours ago, Lord Riot said:

Excellent synopsis of the sprues, thank you. It looks like it’ll be immeasurably superior to the old kit. I’m still waiting for my pre-order to arrive so it’ll be good to see you build this one.

 

I think I’m going to need to order at least a couple more though, it looks too good to have just one!

Thank you! Work will start after the weekend, when things are quieter around here… For now, I’m sticking with just one of these kits, but others may feature in the future! 😁

 

6 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

Looking forward to this.

Me too! It looks very well engineered - time will tell once I get stuck in properly.

 

5 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

Wow, excellent choice of subject Matt, and great to see it really is out in the market now.

Thanks Terry. It was one of those kits which had to be bought, I didn’t even need to think about it! 😄

 

45 minutes ago, RichG said:

Yeah! First out of the blocks!

I know - I’m still a bit surprised that I was the first! 😁 Shame I need to leave it for a few days… 😕

 

Once I start I will record the process quite extensively, so you can see any good/bad issues for yourself. It won’t be a quick build (are they ever?!😁) but hopefully it will look the part when it’s done.👍

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Excellent will be following this mine is delayed until the end of July .. so very much watching with anticipation.. my 1/49 version waiting in the wings .

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Quote

Betting Andy @general melchett is just about to the painting stage on one! Can't wait to see his finished model and read his observations! (That's going to take a LOT of primer, General!)  

Mike

I'm about to start my second Mike. If you didn't catch the pre-production model I built for AMW back in January, here it is again (apols if you've already seen it).

 

 

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Don’t see how anyone can have been a ‘plane mad kid in the 70’s and not love the Vulcan.  l’ll tag along too if I may, Matt.  Although how you’ll have space to display it given the 747’s etc. I don’t know :D

 

Steve

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2 minutes ago, general melchett said:

(apols if you've already seen it).

 

Andy,

 

I AM getting old! Not only did I see that build, I commented on it! The old Mk 1a memory banks ain't what they used to be- guess they need to go in for IRAN! I had pre-ordered one from the Lowsestoft outfit, but when I got the notification that one was available, the shipping was as much as the kit! (Thanks to the Chinese and their sloppy lab protocols, if you can believe what you read, for the exorbitant increases in global shipping costs!) Sooo, I found one from a stateside distributor, and even though the kit cost is higher, the shipping is 'way lower, so I come out saving money. That is a BIG box Airfix has it in! :sorry:

Mike

 

Thanks for re-posting your build- it will be a real inspiration for me!

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1 hour ago, Fritag said:

Don’t see how anyone can have been a ‘plane mad kid in the 70’s and not love the Vulcan.

Absolutely. I still remember the Vulcan at the RAF Abingdon Battle of Britain Display in 1980, when the weather could generously be described as overcast. The Vulcan came in fast and low under the cloud at what couldn't have been more than 300m agl and vibrated everything within range. My jeans fluttered (and they were not flares).

That was also the year I got into the cockpit of one of 44 Squadron's machines in the static display. With permission, of course. I found it a bit cramped for my lanky frame.

Not as svelte these days, alas...

Some years later, I was allowed into the cockpit of one of 55's Victors. I doubt very much anyone's allowed on board the Valiant at Cosford. Does anyone know if there is entry to the Valiant cockpit at Brooklands, so I can notch up the trio of V-bombers?

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Wow, thanks for the great photos of the parts. I knew of the Vulcan when I was younger, but it was their visit to the Dayton OH air show in the late 70s or early 80s that just blew me away. First, it was BIG. The gear struts seemed taller than my house. I recall lots of black smoke, not unlike the F-4, and the shape - what a shape! The traditional "lawn dart" delta wing aircraft (I had seen F-102 and F-106 at this point) were cool, but the Vulcan was what Batman flew. No contest!

 

I haven't bought this kit yet, but I did manage to get a good price on eBay for the old tool kit plus some resin gear bays, seamless intakes, and exhaust. I suspect that once this kit is in wide distribution, those old kits will go for peanuts.

 

Looking forward to your build!    :popcorn:

 

Cheers,

Bill

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10 hours ago, Steve Coombs said:

Some years later, I was allowed into the cockpit of one of 55's Victors. I doubt very much anyone's allowed on board the Valiant at Cosford.

They do have open days when the cockpit is accessible, think probably once or twice a year. They open the conservation hangar as well which is amazing. If you go you will have to get there very early, when I went the Valiant was booked up for the day. You get time slots to go in. We went on the Nimrod which was fascinating.

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Following this. Mine arrived this morning, expect a thread up from me later today. 

Must say, I'm quite impressed with how much is included; there are a few additions that I think are needed in the next rebox of the kit, but for a first release this is fantastic.

On 01/07/2021 at 10:18, Biggles87 said:

I still have an unbuilt ‘ old tool ‘ which will probably remain unbuilt now.

The old tool still looks like the best starting point for a Vulcan B1/B1a conversion, there's always the option of doing that.

On 01/07/2021 at 05:51, k5054nz said:

All I want to know is, where is the aircraft currently preserved? 😁

It's at Newark Air Museum, you can get right around it and up close underneath. It's supposed to be having some new paintwork done at some point soon iirc

 

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The Vulcan is a bit outside my modelling area, but I am tempted.... then will have to get a Valiant then the Victor when they bring that back!

I remember when I was 8 years old, my dad was based first at Penang then at Butterworth, '68 to '70 and he took me across to see a Vulcan that had arrived, I think it had the Glossy camo scheme, and I was in awe looking up into the open bomb-bay and just the HUGENESS of the thing! 

Must resist, although they're probably all sold out now!

 

Davey.

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Looking superb.....I'll be watching with Mother, er interest.

 

On 7/1/2021 at 9:21 AM, Andy I said:

Mine was delivered yesterday too, but to my daughters house in Leeds. It will have to wait a few months until I get back from NZ.

Sounds like a VERY elaborate ruse to get it past SWMBO undetected! Be sure to tell us if it works.

 

Q

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