Just recevied my 1/48 Airfix Buccy....

[Corvi]

What a nice kit!..  I maybe the first across the Atlantic to have one in my possession.  This kit is rather nice ....Needs very little in after markets!  I got a Kit World decal sheet since I want to do a EDSG over White scheme.  Maybe some canopy masks but the framing is pretty pronounced ...should be simple enough to maks au natural!

 

This will sit very nicely with my Sea Vixen & FG.1 Phantom !!

 

Airfix is making some great kit!!  

 

Steve,

 

 

[VMA131Marine]

I got my Buccaneers (plural) yesterday on the East Coast of the US. I may not have been first but I might have the most. 🤣

[Rabbit Leader]

Good to see this kit being made available outside the UK so quickly. You’ve mentioned your intention to possibly paint your kit EDSG over white, however Airfix have said there are some subtle differences with these earlier versions, hence the reason why the kits four schemes are overall EDSG. I’m sure the other threads may assist uncovering the detail(s) between these versions and schemes. 
Cheers.. Dave. 

[VMA131Marine]

The Buccaneer S.2 does not have the semi oval fairing between the fuselage and each intake. This was fitted on later versions to reduce noise, apparently. You can see the difference between the S.2 and the new kit in this image. From what Airfix has said they don’t plan to produce a kit of the S.2. The original Airfix 1/48 Buccaneer also had the fairing so, even though they included decals for an S.2 you couldn’t produce a completely accurate model out of the box.

[Rabbit Leader]

Thanks @VMA131Marine, but where specifically am I looking on that lovely photo, I’m still a little baffled. Is it something that a competent modeller could modify? 
Cheers.. Dave 

[Rabbit Leader]

9 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Thanks @VMA131Marine, but where specifically am I looking on that lovely photo, I’m still a little baffled. Is it something that a competent modeller could modify? 
Cheers.. Dave 

Actually, I see it. The S.2C/D has a large curved bulge just aft of the fuselage roundel in between there and the front of the intake. It would take a bit of surgery to get this right. 

[VMA131Marine]

18 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Actually, I see it. The S.2C/D has a large curved bulge just aft of the fuselage roundel in between there and the front of the intake. It would take a bit of surgery to get this right. 

Yep! You got it.

[Julien]

The Bulge;

 

 

 

[Fred piket]

I'm jealous. Hopefully my backorder will be delivered soon.

 

[Corvi]

SO I will need to remove the bulge....I noticed that.  Anything else major??

What fairing is the kit missing??   pic. please  see if I can scratch it

 

I really like the EDSG over White scheme.

 

Steve

[Corvi]

I think a little surgery will remove the bulge.  IT should be ok.

 

I am looking for the fairing that needs to be added to an EARLY  S2.

 

Steve

[Corvi]

I see is it the Tail Fairing??

 

I suppose that can be scratched from a good pic??

Steve,

[Phone Phixer]

5 hours ago, Corvi said:

SO I will need to remove the bulge....I noticed that.  Anything else major??

What fairing is the kit missing??   pic. please  see if I can scratch it

 

I really like the EDSG over White scheme.

 

Steve

You don't need to add anything.

Just remove the bulge between the intakes and cockpit sides. The tailplane bullet fairing may have to be slightly re-profiled (the fairing front and rear of the tailplane where the elevators meet the fin). VMA131Marine's photo above is an excellent reference item.

Compare the aerials on the spine, against what is in the kit. Use the non MDC canopy in the kit. Looking at that photo, you may need Martin Baker Mk 4 seats if you want to go that far.

That's "all" you need to do.

[Corvi]

Thanks  Noted

 

Steve,

[Des]

In at least the northern parts of the UK 'Buccy' has quite unsavoury connotations of the sort associated with being wrapped in a brown paper bag for public consumption in the US.

[At Sea]

Looking at the way it goes together it is remarkably similar to the 1/72 version.

 

Hoping for a 1/48 Phantom FG.1 to join it!

[John B (Sc)]

On 8/11/2022 at 10:31 PM, Des said:

In at least the northern parts of the UK 'Buccy' has quite unsavoury connotations of the sort associated with being wrapped in a brown paper bag for public consumption in the US.

 

Interesting, Des - never heard of that one before, even though I'm from just North of you originally. Is it related to the dreaded 'Buckfast' ?

[Des]

1 hour ago, John B (Sc) said:

 Is it related to the dreaded 'Buckfast' ?

 

It is indeed , no public flower bed in some parts complete without the dark green bottle and bright yellow label.

[RichG]

On 8/11/2022 at 10:31 PM, Des said:

In at least the northern parts of the UK 'Buccy' has quite unsavoury connotations of the sort associated with being wrapped in a brown paper bag for public consumption in the US.

Possibly needed when trying to get the old 1994 Airfix 1/48 Buccaneer fuselage halves to meet together - or to celebrate if you did!  

 

Rich

 

[RichG]

On 8/10/2022 at 1:11 AM, Rabbit Leader said:

It would take a bit of surgery to get this right. 

Actually Dave, I don't think it's all that difficult as it happens.  About 10-20 mins work I recon. The fuselage nose pieces are separate parts (the intakes are also separate) which makes the bulge / fairing fully accessible. Just some gentle scraping/sanding to remove the fairing itself, whilst at the same time ensuring the fuselage contour/profile there remains rounded - i.e. no "flat spot".  The plastic there should be thick enough. 

 

Rich

 

 

[Des]

1 hour ago, RichG said:

Possibly needed when trying to get the old 1994 Airfix 1/48 Buccaneer fuselage halves to meet together - or to celebrate if you did!  

 Or not notice the difference 

[John B (Sc)]

Having just completed the fuselage build of an old style Airfix 1/48th Buccaneer, I think the difficulty of this is rather overstated at times. Perhaps I have been lucky with my kits, three built so far. Yes, the sanding and clean up of the joins is a pain,  but that is required on more or less every model at some point.

 

Having built the new 1/72 Buccaneer (as well as the previous version and the original NA39 kit), it has a few minor challenges too. The 1/48th new kit looks to be fairly close to a straight resizing of the 1/72 mould, which means these same issues will arise. Easier than the first 1/48th moulding -  sure  - but not without some fit 'challenges' to overcome. 

 

Incidentally, on both old and new kits, that noise reduction bulge is very easy to remove.  Both 1/48th moulds will produce a satisfactorily solid looking Buccaneer !

 

 

[Des]

12 minutes ago, John B (Sc) said:

Having just completed the fuselage build of an old style Airfix 1/48th Buccaneer, I think the difficulty of this is rather overstated at times. Perhaps I have been lucky with my kits, three built so far. Yes, the sanding and clean up of the joins is a pain,  but that is required on more or less every model at some point.

Quite agree , out of interest were these the original mid-1990s releases or the re-release around ten years later?

 

Built one each of the original releases first time round and it was just a case of patience and caution with the fuselage join  (their1/48 Lightnings required much the same in order to neatly trap everything in place) , still have the later 'accidental' double pack to build someday (seem to remember that cost somewhere between £20/£30 at very most when new) and have always wondered if the moulds had lost anything with age or if the grade of plastic had changed between releases.     

 

Did read that when Airfix were seeking suggestions for some classic re-releases much later that that they were quite clear that for technical reasons the Buccaneer could not be considered.

[VMA131Marine]

1 hour ago, Des said:

Did read that when Airfix were seeking suggestions for some classic re-releases much later that that they were quite clear that for technical reasons the Buccaneer could not be considered.

I strongly suspect that when Airfix did test shots of the original 1/48th kit they had trouble getting the fuselage halves out of the mould without excessive warping. This was an issue with earlier releases and I suspect Airfix thought they would get too many complaints if they rereleased it like that. The mould can’t have been worn out because it didn’t get that much use.

[RichG]

46 minutes ago, Des said:

Built one each of the original releases first time round and it was just a case of patience and caution with the fuselage join 

Yes I still remember the first release and the excitement I felt opening the box. Inside was a lot of plastic - an engraved panel line Airfix kit of a near contemporary RAF subject, with a very reasonable set of weapons options, detailed cockpit (although the structure seemed more shipbuilding than aircraft industry) and a new style of instruction booklet; and in fairness the fit of mine was OK.  I bought another some years later (it may have been the S.2C/D & S.50 version) and one fuselage half  was totally warped and twisted so as to be unbuildable; I sent for, and received a replacement part. So I do wonder if later production runs suffered  QA  or plastic related issues and the kit's later fit problems were a product of production, rather than the kit design?  Yes I've got the double boxing too - I do wonder if it was a mistake and the original intention had been to include only the alternative sprue - not 2 complete kits -  so as to enable any version from the one box.

 

I do recall reading a few years ago, that the mould had been damaged in some way - so it was unlikely there would be any more Airfix 1/48 Buccaneers...

 

Rich