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Airfix 1/48th Auster


AMB

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44 minutes ago, Max Headroom said:

Anyone one have a dummies guide to the main differences?

 

The recent Warpaint No. 131 publication should see to that. A nice publication, although I haven’t read it cover to cover as yet. 

Cheers.. Dave 

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On 01/08/2022 at 11:58, Aeronut22 said:

Any Auster kit will live or die by the quality of its canopy and visible internal structure mouldings.

 

2 hours ago, Max Headroom said:

Careful spruage (is that a word?) could get multiple marks.

 

Agreed to both the above!

 

The Auster is similar to the Chipmunk in as much as it is relatively common on the airshow/fly-in scene and has military and civilian schemes as well as different engines - so it could be the type Airfix would do, but it certainly lacks the iconic status of the Chipmunk.

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On 7/31/2022 at 8:53 PM, One 48 said:

Embarrassed to say .. I don't know what an Auster is?, an Aircraft I presume, and yes I should go google it :)

EDIT: It looks interesting, would love Airfix to do a 1/48 Lysander though.

 

I see you live in NE Scotland, 'One 48'. If you go to Insch airfield, and ask there, one of the pilots based there has no less than three Austers!  Can't recall exactly, but I think two Workmasters and a J4, now somewhat modified with larger tyres and a VP prop.

 

" Auster. the 'all steel aeroplane'." 

 

 

I do hope that rumour is true. A well detailed 1/48th scale Auster should sell well. Many of us have flown or owned them, and there is lots of super detailing potential with all the various modifications made in civil use.

 

 

John B

Edited by John B (Sc)
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On 8/1/2022 at 11:58 AM, Aeronut22 said:

Any Auster kit will live or die by the quality of its canopy and visible internal structure mouldings.

As to which Mark would give the manufacturer most options its not an easy choice as many of the military to civilian conversions were more than just a new paint scheme. Adrian, as for the AOP 9 being a poor choice I disagree, there are several variations on the standard 'sand and spinach' camo using nose art and Day-Glo along with overall yellow as well as overall white with a blue stripe. There's also a number of variations in the fit out of the cockpit and external stores to give enough variety.

Actually Air Graphics have announced they will be doing an AOP.9 in 1/72, so there's something to look forward to. Indeed several schemes can be applied to an AOP.9, but 'sand and spinach' was never one of them!!  The Army's AOP.9s were olive drab and dark earth camo.  Check out my Auster book in Guideline's Warpaint series. Which ever variant emerges from whoever, this will be an invaluable reference.

Edited by AMB
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2 hours ago, AMB said:

 Check out my Auster book in Guideline's Warpaint series. Which ever variant emerges from whoever, this will be an invaluable reference.

I already have your (excellent) book on my shelves alongside several other books on Austers. But I'll admit I'm also spoilt for references as I work at Middle Wallop and so have access to a Mk I, a Mk V, a Mk VI and 3 x AOP 9 as well as the Museum's archive of technical manuals and AOP Squadron histories.

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2 hours ago, Aeronut22 said:

But I'll admit I'm also spoilt for references as I work at Middle Wallop and so have access to a Mk I, a Mk V, a Mk VI and 3 x AOP 9 as well as the Museum's archive of technical manuals and AOP Squadron histories.


You didn’t happen to notice some men secretly walking around with a tape measure, numerous cameras and a LiDAR scanning machine by any chance? 

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The only laser scanning I've seen at Wallop was someone scanning the tip of the BERP rotor blade of the Museum's Lynx AH 7, and no they weren't a model company.

If any model company wants to scan something at Wallop can I suggest the Horsa glider. Wallop is the only place in the world that has both original Mk I and Mk II noses and no scale plans draughtsman, kit manufacturer or replica builder has ever got the shape correct.  

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An Auster is not 'iconic' 😟  WHAT. I'm lost for words 😆 Used in WW2 by RAF and AAC, Malay emergency and Aden.   Other military service with around fourteen countries.

 

In civilian use included wheeled, ski and float variants.  Also agricultural employment so lots of family variants possible.  Come on Airfix.

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I should add I have a 1/48th Taylorcraft Auster Mk III by Sword in my model stash that I chased for years but they are made from unobtainum.  The kit is complete with a pair of vacuum formed cockpit glazing (ones a spare). We know Airfix could do way better and produce a real gem.

 

52263588122_f7aac01363_z.jpgD6FED5C0-78B7-4A79-A707-2BFDB870CC83_1_201_a by tankienz, on Flickr

Edited by dcrfan
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  • 3 weeks later...

Hands up all those former Air Cadets who used to fly with 5AEF at Cambridge and are now considering the possibility of a Beagle Husky.  :pilot:

 

That would be a somewhat complex job when starting with an AOP IV or 6!!

 

I have to confess that I have my doubts as to whether this will ever materialise, but if it does I'd buy more than one in a heartbeat.  (And by saying that I have my doubts, I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, least of all the OP, but we all know that some rumours come to fruition, others don't.)

Edited by MikeC
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On 7/31/2022 at 12:26 AM, AMB said:

I have heard there might be  a 1/48th Auster kit from Airfix next year. No idea which variant, so watch this space. Anyone else heard this? 

Can I dare to ask where you heard this rumour? Was it from a reputable source or from a drunk bloke in the pub?

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2 hours ago, Gordon J said:

Can I dare to ask where you heard this rumour? Was it from a reputable source or from a drunk bloke in the pub?

 

The drunk bloke might still be a reputable source if he works for Airfix.

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6 hours ago, Gordon J said:

Can I dare to ask where you heard this rumour? Was it from a reputable source or from a drunk bloke in the pub?

I suspect that there never was a rumour of an Airfix kit, and that this thread was started by the original poster purely to advertise and promote his book

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3 hours ago, Acinonyx Jubatus said:

I suspect that there never was a rumour of an Airfix kit, and that this thread was started by the original poster purely to advertise and promote his book

Possibly, but it does seem like a very Airfix-y thing to tool and there are worse crimes than some light self-promotion. There's already been one Airfix leak that we can't talk about, so who knows 😀

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4 minutes ago, cerperal said:

There's already been one Airfix leak that we can't talk about, so who knows 😀


Has there been? Please do tell (in cryptic form if you have too!). 
Cheers.. Dave 

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14 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:


Has there been? Please do tell (in cryptic form if you have too!). 

Well let's just say we were kindly asked to remove the thread about it! I'll dm you the limited details I know 

 

Will

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11 hours ago, Gordon J said:

Can I dare to ask where you heard this rumour? Was it from a reputable source or from a drunk bloke in the pub?

Both rumoured kits I've heard info directly from a source on has been realised in plastic, namely the Vulcan and Anson both of which I fully knew about long before they were announced. If this comes from a reasonable source I'll be inclined to believe it

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hoping for a J.1  Autocrat  version very widely used on the civil market. Would easily lend itself to conversion to the J.1N Alpha. Aftermarket could supply conversion kit's.  Also a market for 1/72nd scale decals of GB civil alphabet.

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  • 4 months later...

Well you can squash this rumour as I had heard that Airfix were going to do an Auster and just assumed it would be a new tooling in 1/48th. However their announcement today has just dashed all hopes of that and it is yet another reissue of their 1/72 Auster Antarctic....with new transparencies...whoopy do! 

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