72modeler Posted March 1 Posted March 1 I just recently saw this conversion set by Air-Graphics on another modeling website, and while it looks to be very nice and comprehensive, I noticed that they made the same mistake as other kit makers, in that the shape of the speed brake wells is incorrect. I sent them text and photos of the actual speed brake and speed brake well, hoping that this mistake could be corrected,, and I did get a quick reply that the molds had already been tooled, so it was too late to correct the problem . What a shame! If we had only seen illustrations before it was too late! That being said, the error can be corrected, but with the references, technology, and preserved examples available nowadays, there is little excuse for this kind of mistake. Mike At least Heller got the speed brake s and speed brake wells correct, on their 1/72 Sabre kit, although they messed up on the wing sweep; glad i kept all my old Heller Sabre kits! When in doubt, check with @Sabrejet 1 1
Sabrejet Posted March 1 Posted March 1 I can't be 100% sure but when (Tasman?) did the first CAC Sabre conversion set back in the (1980s?) they too included the 'Fujimi'/'Hobbycraft' speed brakes & wells. I got the feeling at that time that they'd based their master heavily on one or the other of those kits. Certainly the speed brake well detail looked very similar, like they'd used it as a mould. It's a great shame that this has happened yet again: when I was doodling Sabres on my maths books in school they included tapered speed brakes, so if an 10 year-old kid can get it right.... 1 5
Julien Posted March 1 Posted March 1 Is the Air Graphics a new conversion? not that I really need one having picked up a bag of Tasman ones going cheap at a show. Julien
RidgeRunner Posted March 3 Posted March 3 Apart from the speed brake issue it does look like a comprehensive conversion set. https://aeroscale.net/news/avon-sabre-conversion-april-release 1
72modeler Posted March 3 Author Posted March 3 (edited) On 3/1/2025 at 3:32 PM, Sabrejet said: I can't be 100% sure but when (Tasman?) did the first CAC Sabre conversion set back in the (1980s?) they too included the 'Fujimi'/'Hobbycraft' speed brakes & wells. I got the feeling at that time that they'd based their master heavily on one or the other of those kits. Certainly the speed brake well detail looked very similar, like they'd used it as a mould. It's a great shame that this has happened yet again: when I was doodling Sabres on my maths books in school they included tapered speed brakes, so if an 10 year-old kid can get it right.... I was eight years old in 1955 and drawing 8th FBG F-86F's on my school notebook paper in my 2nd grade class at Itazuke AB Elementary; I even got the folded front nose gear door right, as my Mom had saved some of my doodles and showed them to me many years ago...if an eight year old kit could get that right...but them again, I got to see the real ones every day on the flight line! Mike Edited March 3 by 72modeler corrected spelling 4 2
Sabrejet Posted March 4 Posted March 4 20 hours ago, Bedders said: Is there another modelling site? J Haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere: we seem to have the scoop!
Julien Posted March 5 Posted March 5 On 03/03/2025 at 22:34, Bedders said: Is there another modelling site? J There are loads On 03/03/2025 at 17:06, 72modeler said: I was eight years old in 1955 and drawing 8th FBG F-86F's on my school notebook paper in my 2nd grade class at Itazuke AB Elementary; I even got the folded front nose gear door right, as my Mom had saved some of my doodles and showed them to me many years ago...if an eight year old kit could get that right...but them again, I got to see the real ones every day on the flight line! Mike Is there any reason all your posts are in bold text? please can you just use normal text like everyone else?
Julien Posted March 5 Posted March 5 On 03/03/2025 at 08:17, RidgeRunner said: Apart from the speed brake issue it does look like a comprehensive conversion set. https://aeroscale.net/news/avon-sabre-conversion-april-release Thanks, thats nearly a complete kit there! 1
72modeler Posted March 5 Author Posted March 5 On 3/3/2025 at 4:34 PM, Bedders said: Is there another modelling site? J I was trying to be kind- you try to be nice,and you get bit on the butt every time! Mike 2
72modeler Posted March 5 Author Posted March 5 @Julien The BM font is so small and pale that these old eyes have a problem seeing what I have typed, and as I thought others in my age group might have the same issue, (old Mk 1a eyeballs) I have been putting my posts in bold face. is there a reason why this is problem? Mike 1
72modeler Posted March 5 Author Posted March 5 On 3/1/2025 at 5:13 PM, Julien said: Is the Air Graphics a new conversion? not that I really need one having picked up a bag of Tasman ones going cheap at a show. Julien Yes, it is a new conversion Julien, and unlike the Tasman kit, which I also have, it doesn't just have the fuselage and intake ring, but all the parts except for the landing gear. Mike
viscount806x Posted March 5 Posted March 5 On 3/3/2025 at 5:06 PM, 72modeler said: I was eight years old in 1955 Thank you Mike, you have made my day, at last somebody older than me....albeit only by 3 years sadly. Nige
Space Ranger Posted March 7 Posted March 7 On 3/3/2025 at 11:06 AM, 72modeler said: I was eight years old in 1955 So was I!
AlbertLima Posted March 7 Posted March 7 The post says it's a conversion set but it seems to me that you'd be donating the canopy, windshield, landing gear legs and bay doors, jet exhaust, and the speedbrakes from the Fujimi/Hobbycraft/Academy kits to an otherwise complete kit? That's a few more molds and vacforms from being an entire resin kit, at least if you're fine with displaying the completed builds in flight 1
Admiral Puff Posted March 7 Posted March 7 8 hours ago, Space Ranger said: So was I! Ha - I beat you! I was 9 ... 2
Ed Russell Posted March 7 Posted March 7 It is surprising that they did not go the extra mile and put in the few parts needed to make a complete kit. You are chucking away 90% of the Fujimi kit. It would be understandable if it was necesary to include an injection moulded canopy but a good quality vacform would be fine. 1
Tony Edmundson Posted March 7 Posted March 7 (edited) 3 hours ago, Ed Russell said: It is surprising that they did not go the extra mile and put in the few parts needed to make a complete kit. You are chucking away 90% of the Fujimi kit. It would be understandable if it was necesary to include an injection moulded canopy but a good quality vacform would be fine. I use the cheaper (and easier to find) Heller kit as my donor when I've needed to improve either a Matchbox kit or the Airfix attempt Tony Edited March 7 by Tony Edmundson 1
72modeler Posted March 8 Author Posted March 8 (edited) 22 hours ago, Tony Edmundson said: I use the cheaper (and easier to find) Heller kit as my donor when I've needed to improve either a Matchbox kit or the Airfix attempt Tony I agree, Tony- if you wanted the speed brakes out, you could cut the conversion kit fuselage at the correct break point for the Avon Sabre, and then attach the rear fuselage from the Heller kit, having cut it at the correct locations- then you could use the Heller speed brakes and stabilizers; I don't recall if the tailpipes would be the same, but easly checked. As stated above, they stopped just short of providing a complete kit, but perhaps they didn't have the capability to mold those parts. In their defense, the reply I got after I pointed out the error sounded like they were unaware of the issue, but the molds had already been finalized. To be perfectly honest, it's fairly easy to correct the speed brake well and speed brake, and for many who were unaware of the Tasman conversion and can not find one, can have a very good start on building the best of the Sabre family! Mike @Space Ranger and @Admiral Puff- looks like we are all God's older brothers! Edited March 8 by 72modeler corrected text 2 1 1
stevehnz Posted March 8 Posted March 8 It may be the HPM conversion that you're thinking of, otherwise I wouldn't be transplanting the speed brake wells (suitably corrected ) from the Academy kit to the Tasman fuselage in my long stalled Avon Sabre build. My Tasman ones are moulded shut. Steve. 1
Admiral Puff Posted March 8 Posted March 8 I used the Tasman conversion to make an Avon Sabre many years ago, when that conversion first came out. I used a Heller kit as the base, and from memory it came together quite well. I chopped out the Heller speed brakes and blended them into the Tasman fuselage. The model's still in one piece despite a couple of intervening house moves, but it's now out in the shed somewhere and I can't put my hands on it at the moment. 3
WillDeeks Posted March 12 Posted March 12 On 08/03/2025 at 06:54, Ed Russell said: It is surprising that they did not go the extra mile Well ... given that the aircraft type that they've gone to the trouble of designing almost an entirely new kit for has an extremely obvious and easily-spotted feature that they apparently just never noticed ... maybe not quite so surprising? As stated in the OP, "little excuse" seems to be a very applicable comment. 1
Ed Russell Posted March 12 Posted March 12 On 3/6/2025 at 3:21 AM, 72modeler said: The BM font is so small and pale that these old eyes have a problem seeing what I have typed Somewhere on your profile ( @Julien will tell you exactly where) you can edit the view so you see the old style green/blue presentation, rather than the brown one, which I find easier to read.
Julien Posted March 12 Posted March 12 20 minutes ago, Ed Russell said: Somewhere on your profile ( @Julien will tell you exactly where) you can edit the view so you see the old style green/blue presentation, rather than the brown one, which I find easier to read. Dont be asking me about site magic thats @Mike department 2
Jackman Posted March 12 Posted March 12 Just curious: Looking at the Air-Graphics set, (and ignoring the squarish airbrakes) apart from the 2 main fuselages and the nose ring, everything else can be substituted with a Fujimi or Academy F-86F, right? Maybe just have to widen the Fujimi/Acad intake trunk a bit?
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