Question about late Vampire F3 1/48 kit and optional parts

[Stéphane]

Hello guys,

 

A question for the happy owners of the last Airfix kit, the new tooling Vampire F3.

Would you know if, as in the Hunter or Hurricane kit for instance, optional parts to make an FB5 are already provided in the F3 kit ?

 

From what I gathered, wingtips are squared (instead of rounded F3) and have a longer stroke landing gear.
Possibly additional armour around engine, although I wasn't able to say wether it made an external fuselage shape difference ?

Being french I have project to make a FB5 in french markings

 

Else I'll be waiting for the proper version to be released ,

 

Thank sin advance for any info you may have.

 

Best,

 

Stef (#6)

Edited May 31, 2022 by Stéphane

[Selwyn]

Yes,

all the different wingtip parts fairings and light transparency , and FB5 long stroke undercarriage legs are included in the kit.  They are not in the instructions, but on the sprues. The only bits missing are the 3" rockets and rails commonly seen on the FB5.

 

Selwyn

 

[Stéphane]

Thanks a lot Selwyn, I'll get one, then.

 

Best,

 

Stef (#6)

[neilh]

I've built both of mine with the squared off wingtips.  I found the wing tip lights to be too large so sanded them to shape , however elsewhere on this forum its suggested that I should have trimmed the wingtips along marks on the inner faces to make room for the lights. Another build tip - fit the gunsight before you fit the windscreen as per the instructions ( then protect it) , or you will need to trim the underside of the part to fit afterwards ( as I found out).  The other part that was a real pig to fit was the nose U/C jack that fits in the side of the leg. I just could not see how to fit this after the nose gear was in, so added it in advance at the right angle, trimmed the plug off and butt glued it to the side of the well. You may get on better than I did.