D.H.Vampire Pair in 1/48th, F1 and F3.

[224 Peter]

The new Airfix F3 and onwards Vampire arrived and was promptly "confiscated" by SWMBO as my Christmas present, so I don't get to see it until the 25th, but it did provoke me to dig out my 1/48th Hobbycraft Mk 1 from the Stash! 

My plan is to build the two in parallel, as "Out of the Box" builds and see how they turn out. 

 

This is a box review here...

 

The F1 had very different fins and the tail plane is mounted low, this was changed for the F3 and later. The Goblin engines differed, the F1 had a 3100 lbs thrust Gobin II whilst the F3 had a 3350 lbs thrust Goblin III. I cannot find out if there were any external differences.

 

Comparing the sprues on the Hobbycraft kit from 1993  with the photos of the Airfix ones on this forum shows just how much Airfix designers have done to make a better kit. 

The wings on the Hobbycraft kit are attached conventionally to the fuselage and  as a result it is easy to end up with a pronounced anhedral, as this "Work in Progress" for the Hobby Craft kit explains...

 

The way Airfix engineered the kit should mean that this error is impossible. 

 

In other reviews of the HobbyCraft kit there are comments that the exhaust end of the fuselage is "wrong". Assuming Airfix has got it right then it will be interesting to compare.  

The we come to the tail boom attachment. The Hobbycraft kit simply sats "stick the booms to the locating point on the back of the wing. There is a reasonable area to glue, but nothing like the positive and braced location provided by the Airfix kit. I think getting the booms secure and correctly aligned will be much easier with the Airfix kit. 

 

Although the Airfix kit contains parts for later and export versions some references suggest that when fitted with the Nene engine there were additional intakes under the fuselage. Research is essential! 

 

Enough, I'll post again once I've started comparing! 

 

[clive_t]

Thanks for linking to my Vampire thread, seems like so long ago now.

I shall follow your progress on this with interest, to learn how I should have done mine

 

[224 Peter]

I'm not sure you will learn much from me, other than the Airfix kit is rather  more builder friendly than the HobbyCraft one! 

But yes, come along the trip! 

[mackem01]

I'm in too. Hoping some brightly coloured paint will be flung around later.

[224 Peter]

1 hour ago, mackem01 said:

I'm in too. Hoping some brightly coloured paint will be flung around later.

On the F3, but the F1s were mostly greys and green, the most interesting were some in PRU Blu underside and Grey over, with red/blue markings. I'm trying to get further details of the aircraft that carried this scheme. 

One is VF 352, Code AP W on the nose. Does anyone know the squadron? 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2021 by 224 Peter
Question!

[224 Peter]

I've been allowed to open the box. 

WOW, so different from the HobbyCraft one....

Can't wait to get started....

 

 

[ianwau]

Looking forward to the reveal!  Keen to get a hold of this new Airfix Vampire - might be a bit of a lag getting to Oz.....

 

[224 Peter]

Box Content comparison, the grey sprues are Airfix, the cream are Hobbycraft. 

 

But first the canopies: HobbyCraft don't allow an open canopy, without surgery.  Looking more closely, it seems the Hobbycraft canopy is narrower at the front, but longer aft. 

 

 

 

Now to the first pair of sprues...

 

 

The Hobbycraft booms seem thinner at the wing end and the fuselage seems wider, especially at the nose. The front U/C cut out does look wide, now looking at the upper side of the wings there are obvious differences, 

 

 

especially round the intakes and the boom/fuselage area. 

 

Last, the "other" bits. First, there are rather more on the Airfix kit....

 

 

Note the pilot size difference and the seats. Airfix has 2, one with moulded on belts and one without. 

The HobbyCraft F1 should not have drop tanks, the F3s had strengthened wings and connections for both tanks and bombs/rockets. 

 

That is it for now, Cockpit builds start on Wednesday. 

 

 

[Troy Smith]

On 23/12/2021 at 18:17, 224 Peter said:

In other reviews of the HobbyCraft kit there are comments that the exhaust end of the fuselage is "wrong"

Perhaps of interest,  The Hobbycraft Vampire is one of their kits that has disappeared,  by this I mean various other Hobbycraft moulds have been available under other companies, most of them by Academy, and still are (F8F Bearcat, Bf109 family, P-35 are examples)  but a few ended up in China and were available from Kitech/Zhengdufu around 2010, often very cheaply via ebay,  , I recall the Sea Fury, Spitfire XIV, Seafire XV,  and one of the Do-17.  I saw statements they were copies, but I have boxings of both Kitech and HC  kit and they are the same.

 

The Vampires seem to have vanished though, which is no great loss,  along with the Hobbycraft Hurricane, which wasn't a bad kit overall, though obviously based on the old tool Airfix Hurricane.  

 

This was an interesting thread on the HC Vampire, 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234969211-hobbycraft-vampire-fb9/

 

note the comments from John Adams of Aeroclub

"I have never seen a drawing of a Vampire that remotely resembles the HC one."

 

and this

" Let me tell you a little story. Many years ago. When I announced that we were doing a vacform kit of the Vampire in 4 versions, it was coincidence that with in weeks that a mainstream injected kit company put out full back page adverts for their release of four new Vampire kits.

At this revelation I quietly took the decision to stop production on my kits even though the moulds were made, the metal ready and the decals drawn. I then received a phone call from a foreign trade customer asking for the early delivery of my kits as he had a special customer who couldn't wait to receive them and had we any review kits. On being told that we had withdrawn them he then asked for test shots. Despite a refusal to this he persisted with regular phone calls for months after, asking us to change our minds .

The odd thing is that it took over two years for the advertised other Vampires to arrive on the shelves. and when they arrived the only accurate part was the tailplane, being of the correct span and chord. It may be conjectural or coincidence but I had the feeling that my efforts might be copied had I released them, as a couple of Far Eastern firms were already doing this with new scanning technology.

Seeing there was still a market for a Vampire, I eventually released my vacs, and as after market decals had been done so I didn't need that expense. We subsequently sold quite a few kits. Oh and as the injected kits were so badly shaped my canopies etc won't fit them. Oh and it turned out that my foreign customer was also that countries main importer for a certain brand of kits... you got it."

 

Hope of interest

[224 Peter]

I have been describing my trials and tribulations with the Airfix kit, here....

 

In doing so I've compared this modern tooling with the Hobbycraft kit, which I think isn't worth the bother, other than if represents an early Vampire. My plan is to buy another Airfix Vampire and fit the Hobbycraft tail booms and tailplane to the Airfix wings and body. 

 

I'll keep future reports on the Airfix F3 here, the future F1 and when Airfix release it, the F5... 

 

[elanman]

If you want to convert the Airfix F3 to a F1 then Wellsprop here offers 3d printed replacement booms and a tail surface. Designed as a drop in replacement for the Airfix parts. No connection other than as a satisfied customer.

 

 

[224 Peter]

After measuring the Airfix and HobbyCraft kits it is clear that cross kitting will take massive effort: the tail bos on the Hobbycraft kit are the wrong profile and the span of the tail plane is about 3mm wider than the airfix one. After some serious consideration I've concluded the logical decision i to by the Wellsprop models F1 tail. 

 

I'll put the HobbyCraft kit up in the next load of kits I'll sell. 

[Wlad]

I was looking forward to the comparison between the Airfix and the Hobbycraft Vampires. I am not surprised about your decision though, and it's sound. I've binned a few Hobbycraft kits, though I applaud them for getting an injection molded Sea Fury out at the end of the '80s, and providing other Canadian aircraft, simple as the molds were.

 

Still looking forward to the builds, as I have two Airfix Vampires in the stash.

 

Regarding twists and such, I've been very precise with the parts so far. I noticed the tolerances are very fine. It's not getting much attention now as I'm getting two Spitfire kits out of the way first; they were ahead in the assembly line. One is in the decals stage and the other just entered the paint shop. Then it's Vampire time.

 

Cheers,
Wlad

[bigbadbadge]

The Airfix Vampire looks a lovely kit, got a couple in the stash and want another one at least to do a FB.31 in black and yellow stripes and for someone to do a Sea Vampire conversion,  I am not fussy a Mk.10 with earlier tail or an F.20 will do.

Good luck with your build.

Chris

[224 Peter]

After packing sufficient lead in the nose cone I glued it in place. 

The fit was poor, much filling and sanding needed....

 

 

Not yet finished, and then re-scribing. I'm not impressed, it is like modelling 40 years ago....!

[224 Peter]

Well, the airframe is assembled, painted and varnished, ready for transfers. 

It even stands on all 3 wheels, just!

Transfers next, then some additional details. 

 

 

The next one will be a F1, I was going to use he Hobbycraft Booms but instead I'll be using after market resin booms and tail, the old Hobbycraft kit is simply so incorrect as to be no worth using in a conversion. 

Compare the tail booms...

Upper = Hobbycraft F1

Middle = Airfix F3

Lower = Aftermarket F1

 

 

The Hobbycraft F1 booms are close to 1cm short....  BUT I will build the Hobbycraft kit so its errors can be compared. 

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Great to see this one progress  looking forward to seeing the decals on.  Crikey what a difference between the tail booms.

Chris

[224 Peter]

And it is finished! 

 

 

In closeup... 

 

 

From above....

 

 

And underneath, with nicely oily wheel wells... 

 

 

That is that, not the most enjoyable build ever, but with everything learned from this build the F1 Conversion should (I hope) go together with a bit less greif! 

More on that, soon! 

 

 

 

[224 Peter]

I have started on the HobbyCraft F1 and on the Conversion of the Airfix F3 to an F1. 

First, the hobbyCraft kit: in many ways it is very dated as the level of detail is limited and things like the wheel wells have little in common with the accurate Airfix one, yet it fits together easily. 

I'm going to make it up, just to compare with the Airfix version.

 

I have the FlightPath detail set, intended for the Classic Airframes 1/48 Vampire id planned to use with the Hobbycraft kit, but it would be pointless as nothing fits.

Instead I'm going to use much of it on the Airfix kit and cascade some bits of the Airfix F3 to the F1, such as the instruments, seat, spare U/C legs (why does the Airfix kit have 2 sets?

I also plan to finish it as one of the prototype aircraft, in all over silver (again). 

 

Photos in a few days. 

[bigbadbadge]

The Airfix F3 looks good.  Looking forward to the conversion,  I think the Airfix kit has two undercarriage sets as one , I think, is for the later FB.9 , as I think it is slightly longer,I could be wrong though???

Chris

[224 Peter]

The Airfix kits has two sets of legs, and also two sets of wingtips, plus one air intake with a larger air conditioning intake, so I'm certain the FB5 and or 9 will be released. 

I keep on being distracted from making the models by "domestic duties"!!

[corsaircorp]

Hello Peter,

Great Vampire !!

I'm late to the show but still, can I take a seat ??

Thanks for the comparative pics...

I did'nt start the Vampire but I must confess that I have ALL the Hobbycraft ones....

Silly Huh ??

I bought all the version when it's been issued....

And I'm not going to bin it.... That will be epic....

Sincerely.

CC

[224 Peter]

CC, welcome to the show! 

 

[224 Peter]

I've made a start on the Hobbycraft kit, but will only finish it to primer so i can show how the hobby has moved on and why building old kits should be done with caution. 

 

Let's start with the wheels:  Airfix in grey, Hobbycraft in beige. 

 

 

Now the U/C doors

 

 

The U/C doors match the incredibly undersized and totally devoid of details wheel wells

 

 

And finally, the U/C legs... 

 

 

At best the Hobbycraft kit has the overall look of a DH Vampire F1, but there it stops. 

 

I've started converting the Airfix F3 to the F1 with the Conversion Lit from Wells Prop Models, details here..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-48-Vampire-F1-Conversion-For-Airfix-Vampire-F3-Wells-Props-Models/224745817316

 

This photo shows the two kits, side by side. The Hobbycraft kit errors are numerous, not visible in the photo are the jet intakes, they look nothing like the Airfix kit, then the curved screen rails, is-placed fairings each side of the engine and  the lack of jet pipe fairing... 

Looking at the tail the Wells Prop parts are the correct size and shape and larger and the correct length... 

 

 

Watch this space...

 

[224 Peter]

They are both now assembled and at the first finish stage. 

The Airfix Conversion is painted what is supposed to be Ocean Grey, but it seems to be rather dark. 

The HobbyCraft kit is siver. 

 

From above:

 

 

The Airfix kit is accurate, the WellProp F1 booms look right. There are many things wrong with the Hobbycraft kit, especially the fuselage and the span of the tail. 

 

More as the Conversion moves on...