1/72nd AMX from Italeri

[Robertone139]

On 5/18/2023 at 9:38 AM, Hook said:

And yet Italeri gave us the SM.82.

 

I can't image that one having a bigger market potential than an AMX, especially when Italeri make provisions for a Brazilian and twoseat versions.

Cheers,

 

Andre 

Out of a total of 199 aircraft, including prototypes, Brazil still operates about 50 and Italy 35.

Unless a completely redesigned fuselage is released, or perhaps two (one for a Brazilian gun configuration and one with a redesigned two seat cockpit) this is what you get, so the market potential is limited to some Italian aficionados.

I'd be more interested in a nice Gripen E.

[Piotr Mikolajski]

On 5/18/2023 at 3:38 PM, Hook said:

And yet Italeri gave us the SM.82.

I can't image that one having a bigger market potential than an AMX

 

AMX has just two operators: Brazil and Italy.

The SM.82 was used by all three Italian Air Forces during WWII (Regia Aeronautica, Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana), by Croatia and in large numbers by the Luftwaffe. Last but not least it was operated by the Italian Air Force after the war.

 

Much more important in assessing the sales of these two models is their size. But still the SM.82 was the more sensible economic choice for Italeri.

[ElectroSoldier]

3 hours ago, Robertone139 said:

 

After zooming in those images I was able to discern the secret fine sculpting tool used by Italeri to render the panel lines..

 

This is for you

[Graham Boak]

17 minutes ago, Piotr Mikolajski said:

 

AMX has just two operators: Brazil and Italy.

The SM.82 was used by all three Italian Air Forces during WWII (Regia Aeronautica, Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana), by Croatia and in large numbers by the Luftwaffe. Last but not least it was operated by the Italian Air Force after the war.

 

Much more important in assessing the sales of these two models is their size. But still the SM.82 was the more sensible economic choice for Italeri.

However, combat types sell in greater numbers than transports.  Small models sell in greater numbers than larger ones.

[ElectroSoldier]

Italian air force isnt something I build a lot of, ive only done a couple I think one was a G.91 and the other a Helicopter maybe but this looks alright with some nice decals to chose from.

[Vultures1]

Looks nice built up, and some good marking options. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on one 

[Giorgio N]

10 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

However, combat types sell in greater numbers than transports.  Small models sell in greater numbers than larger ones.

 

Combat types used by major air forces and/or that are in the news sell.

The AMX was never the best known type and when it made the news if was more because of accidents than else. The type actually has a decent combat record and did its job well enough over these years! Yet even in Italy it's often been overlooked, everybody would know the Tornado or the Typhoon but the AMX is often forgotten

[Robertone139]

Some sources state that the AMX wings derive directly from the Tornado wing set at a fixed sweep angle.

[baldwin8]

From the looks of the wing sprue, they have followed the leading edge lower half along the slat outline. So modifying to show them extended will be easier. Their main landing gear looks quite simplified.

 

[gioca]

On 5/20/2023 at 6:02 AM, Robertone139 said:

Some sources state that the AMX wings derive directly from the Tornado wing set at a fixed sweep angle.

I have a friend was member of the team projected the Amx and he confirms data and design of tornado wings were used for the amx also. 

[Giorgio N]

I've ordered mine, let's see when the kit arrives and then I'll post some comments...

 

Edit: now what to do with the various Cunarmodel and other similar kits ? Flog them on Ebay and similar ? Hmmm.. the Cunarmodel kit allowed deployed flaps and slats and a featured a number of open panels, something that the Italeri kit will not have...

Edited May 22, 2023 by Giorgio N

[Robertone139]

33 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

I've ordered mine, let's see when the kit arrives and then I'll post some comments...

 

Edit: now what to do with the various Cunarmodel and other similar kits ? Flog them on Ebay and similar ? Hmmm.. the Cunarmodel kit allowed deployed flaps and slats and a featured a number of open panels, something that the Italeri kit will not have...

I remember Cunarmodel's early works in 1/72 like the MB-339 and 326, their quality evolved to very nice products like the AMX.

[Hook]

6 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

now what to do with the various Cunarmodel and other similar kits 

Build 'em!

 

[baldwin8]

I've got mine on order from Aviation Megastore as well. Only seen the AMX first person once in the late 90s at a Maple Flag in Cold Lake. Recalled reading about the aircraft early on in old Air Internationals.

Tough to decide on which scheme, all four look great.

[JFM148]

After watching at the pictures of the finished model, it looks really nice in the correct pair of hands.  Great to see this addition in 1/72.   Good it doesn´t look like the early crappy L-39 Albatros Eduard kit...

[Giorgio N]

9 hours ago, JFM148 said:

After watching at the pictures of the finished model, it looks really nice in the correct pair of hands.  Great to see this addition in 1/72.   Good it doesn´t look like the early crappy L-39 Albatros Eduard kit...

 

Well, it'd better be an improvement over the Eduard Albatross... that kit was first issued over 20 years ago and plastic kits have moved quite a bit in the last couple of decades...

 

[Dennis_C]

I just read that Italy is considering participation in F-16 transfer to Ukraine by giving them AMI Tornadoes and AMX (!). Given various Ukraine schemes are likely selling hot now - AMX could unexpectedly produce quicker payback... 

Does Italy still stores F-104S-ASA-M somewhere?

[Pete57]

Does anyone know what color the lower part of the cockpit of the ItAF AMX happens to be?
In color pictures, it appears to be a blue-gray, slightly darker than the exterior color.

The exterior color, at least to my untrained eye, seems to have been extended to the upper part of the cockpit interior.

From what I could glean, the exterior color should be FS 36280 "GRIGIO CIELO MEDIO" per Table 1 (list of colors) of Publication AER(EP).M-P-100.

There are three more grays listed in Table 1, specifically, Dark Gray "GRIGIO SCURO" FS36081, Dark, Sky Gray "GRIGIO CIELO SCURO" FS36152, and Light Sky Gray "GRIGIO CIELO CHIARO" FS36314.

FS36314 should be the most likely candidate, given its closeness (FS595-wise) to FS36280, but I'm gonna leave the final word to the experts...

 

TIA

Pete57

Edited May 25, 2023 by Pete57

[Giorgio N]

14 hours ago, Pete57 said:

Does anyone know what color the lower part of the cockpit of the ItAF AMX happens to be?
In color pictures, it appears to be a blue-gray, slightly darker than the exterior color.

The exterior color, at least to my untrained eye, seems to have been extended to the upper part of the cockpit interior.

From what I could glean, the exterior color should be FS 36280 "GRIGIO CIELO MEDIO" per Table 1 (list of colors) of Publication AER(EP).M-P-100.

There are three more grays listed in Table 1, specifically, Dark Gray "GRIGIO SCURO" FS36081, Dark, Sky Gray "GRIGIO CIELO SCURO" FS36152, and Light Sky Gray "GRIGIO CIELO CHIARO" FS36314.

FS36314 should be the most likely candidate, given its closeness (FS595-wise) to FS36280, but I'm gonna leave the final word to the experts...

 

TIA

Pete57

 

The rest of the cockpit is in "good old" FS 36231 used on US aircraft since the '50s. 

This is not included in the Air Force document as the latter only lists exterior finishes but has long been used in Italy for cockpits of military aircraft 

[Giorgio N]

14 hours ago, Dennis_C said:

I just read that Italy is considering participation in F-16 transfer to Ukraine by giving them AMI Tornadoes and AMX (!). Given various Ukraine schemes are likely selling hot now - AMX could unexpectedly produce quicker payback... 

Does Italy still stores F-104S-ASA-M somewhere?

 

No F-104 remains in storage, apart from those given to museums or sold as scrap (there are a few in private hands, of course not in flying conditions).

In any case the type would not be particularly useful today.

 

Personally I have my doubts about any delivery of Tornado or AMX to Ukraine. 

Of the two, the AMX is the one with higher chances for a number of reasons but at the moment nothing is decided. Broadly speaking, part of the government would be in favour, others in the government are against it. The Air Force is generally not really in favour. 

That is for the moment, things may change when Italy receive further F-35s and the AMX is retired.. but really,  would you take an AMX when there are F-16s available?

[Dennis_C]

1 hour ago, Giorgio N said:

That is for the moment, things may change when Italy receive further F-35s and the AMX is retired.. but really,  would you take an AMX when there are F-16s available?

Hi Giorgio, 

Thanks for insights into Italy politics. I personally do not expect anything other than F-16 coming to Ukraine any time in the foreseeable future. But who knows.

As to AMX usefulness - I think anything could be useful and in particular AMX could probably replace Su-25 when no more would be available from Ukrainian allies. Of course if you choose between F-16 and AMX - F-16 is a go for option. But in case a nation gives just some incremental AMXs - why not to take 'em?

Anyway Italeri AMX can be in time to at least do some what-ifs.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Dennis_C

[Giorgio N]

3 hours ago, Dennis_C said:

Hi Giorgio, 

Thanks for insights into Italy politics. I personally do not expect anything other than F-16 coming to Ukraine any time in the foreseeable future. But who knows.

As to AMX usefulness - I think anything could be useful and in particular AMX could probably replace Su-25 when no more would be available from Ukrainian allies. Of course if you choose between F-16 and AMX - F-16 is a go for option. But in case a nation gives just some incremental AMXs - why not to take 'em?

Anyway Italeri AMX can be in time to at least do some what-ifs.

 

Of course having the AMX could still be useful, the problem is more how many are needed to make sense. In February there was an announcement about less than 10 aircraft possibly ready to be sent to Ukraine... IMHO (and more important, according to experts in the field) this would have made no sense at all. 5-to-8 aircraft requiring a dedicated logistic chain would just be a waste of resources. That's why I wrote that things may be different once the type is retired as that may allow to pass all the fleet and associated spares to Ukraine, something that would make much better sense

[Pete57]

11 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

 

The rest of the cockpit is in "good old" FS 36231 used on US aircraft since the '50s. 

This is not included in the Air Force document as the latter only lists exterior finishes but has long been used in Italy for cockpits of military aircraft 

Thanks Giorgio

[Pete57]

On 5/25/2023 at 12:37 PM, Dennis_C said:

Hi Giorgio, 

Thanks for insights into Italy politics. I personally do not expect anything other than F-16 coming to Ukraine any time in the foreseeable future. But who knows.

As to AMX usefulness - I think anything could be useful and in particular AMX could probably replace Su-25 when no more would be available from Ukrainian allies. Of course if you choose between F-16 and AMX - F-16 is a go for option. But in case a nation gives just some incremental AMXs - why not to take 'em?

Anyway Italeri AMX can be in time to at least do some what-ifs.

I don't know...in terms of survivability, I believe the AMX is nowhere close to the Rook

[Giorgio N]

1 hour ago, Pete57 said:

I don't know...in terms of survivability, I believe the AMX is nowhere close to the Rook

 

True but in the context of the operations in Ukraine this would make little difference: the kind of air defences present on the frontline can easily deal with the armour of the Su-25 and even the A-10 would not fare any better. As a result the type is mainly used from both sides in "spray and pray" attacks using unguided rockets, where the mission profile minimizes the exposure to the enemy defences. Even so the Su-25 is the type that til now has suffered the highest losses in the conflict

Unfortunately the AMX is known for not being particularly quick in terms of engine response and this makes the type not as suited as others to operations at low level, this could be a problem more than the lack of armour