Nick Andrews-Faulkner Posted Monday at 15:35 Share Posted Monday at 15:35 Buyers regret here: Fuselage join has huge steps - manageable Wings don't line up - manageable Canopy is about 1mm too wide either side - aaaargh! One that will be in the fire ground of modellers a.k.a a paint mule Disappointing, as on opening the box it looked in pretty good shape for a Vintage Classic 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted Monday at 16:19 Share Posted Monday at 16:19 That's disappointing. Could you cut the canopy and have it open? That might solve the oversize issue Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Andrews-Faulkner Posted Monday at 16:30 Author Share Posted Monday at 16:30 It is just too wide, if I had the skills it might be possible to make a homemade vac form canopy as I think the internal dimensions would be OK. Â I take my hat off to whoever made the kit as displayed on the Airfix website, it would be good to see how they managed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted Monday at 16:43 Share Posted Monday at 16:43 Another alternative maybe to shim the front end of the fuselage with a bit of plastic sheet to make it the same width as the canopy. As you say, it's only going to end up as a mule so may be worth experimenting. May even help with the step on the fuselage join. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted Monday at 17:27 Share Posted Monday at 17:27 I have a lot of admiration for you guys who want to build a good replica from the models Airfix provide of this type of aircraft. By that I mean prototypes or very early versions such as the Kestrel, the NA39 (early Buccaneer), Eurofighter, and some others I’ve forgotten. My disappointment here is the rush to get a kit out to market when there is clearly development of the real thing that will happen. At least, the updates have been modelled in terms of the Harrier and the Buccaneer S2. But, was it really profitable to produce these early versions? Don’t know, but to each, the choice is his/her own. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted Monday at 17:45 Share Posted Monday at 17:45 I guess if they hadn't produced the early prototypes in kit form, there would be some folk who would take the existing kit of a latter day example and strip it back to its prototype days. I for one, would love to take the latest 1/48 S2 Buccaneer and produce the NA.39 from it but unfortunately I need to rely on aftermarket resin as I don't think I could produce intakes etc. of a suitable standard. Cheers Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Andrews-Faulkner Posted Monday at 20:04 Author Share Posted Monday at 20:04 3 hours ago, Valhalla said: Another alternative maybe to shim the front end of the fuselage with a bit of plastic sheet to make it the same width as the canopy. As you say, it's only going to end up as a mule so may be worth experimenting. May even help with the step on the fuselage join. Ian Thank Ian, good idea. The dry fitting didn't show the problem up, or not to the extent that became apparent, so I committed to gluing the fuselage together. Â The mismatches sanded out easily enough, so masked the canopy (the frame is very vague) and went to attach that.... Â The kit is cheap enough, so may get another one and do as you suggest. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominic Thomas Posted Monday at 20:25 Share Posted Monday at 20:25 Perhaps that’s one approach to return to profitability 😄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted Monday at 20:25 Share Posted Monday at 20:25 As you're committed with the fuselage, there is one final option, and that is to sand the canopy to fit. Obviously don't go in too heavy and then you can use these to finish off with. Again, you've nothing to lose 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted Monday at 20:35 Share Posted Monday at 20:35 One of these is going to fall in my basket next time I place an order. I can't resist now 🙂 Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Andrews-Faulkner Posted Tuesday at 10:34 Author Share Posted Tuesday at 10:34 14 hours ago, Valhalla said: As you're committed with the fuselage, there is one final option, and that is to sand the canopy to fit. Obviously don't go in too heavy and then you can use these to finish off with. Again, you've nothing to lose 🙂 Something else for the (ever expanding) equipment collection, thanks for the heads up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john redman Posted Tuesday at 11:38 Share Posted Tuesday at 11:38 I was tempted by one of these, having bought one from pocket money over 50 years ago. What put me off was the crudeness, which was evident even in the website build. That is presumably as good as can be got from this issue, and it still isn't very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted Tuesday at 11:57 Share Posted Tuesday at 11:57 I couldn't believe this one was the Airfix kit. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/airfixtributeforum/airfix-1-72-hawker-p-1127-113-02052-7-00033-t9236-s15.html#p734949 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A J Rimmer Posted Tuesday at 15:24 Share Posted Tuesday at 15:24 That's a pretty fab build Richard I'd agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modeling maniac Posted Tuesday at 18:31 Share Posted Tuesday at 18:31 On 16/09/2024 at 16:35, Nick Andrews-Faulkner said: Buyers regret here: Fuselage join has huge steps - manageable Wings don't line up - manageable Canopy is about 1mm too wide either side - aaaargh! One that will be in the fire ground of modellers a.k.a a paint mule Disappointing, as on opening the box it looked in pretty good shape for a Vintage Classic Are you sure you didn't just get a duff kit? 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jopres57 Posted Tuesday at 21:34 Share Posted Tuesday at 21:34 Seems to be a lot of negativity about this kit but it's as cheap as chips and an aircraft that hasn't been modelled much. I think the main clue on quality is the word 'Vintage'. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topcat_Ern Posted Wednesday at 07:33 Share Posted Wednesday at 07:33 Some moons ago I had a thing with Sea Hurricanes (a family connection) and built many different manufacturer's offerings. There was one kit, by Ark that look promising in 1/48 but the reality was far removed from that. It was a nightmare, especially starboard wing assembly and fit. Finished kit looked no different to others that I made. Why mention it? I look back on that kit as I learnt so much from the process of knocking it into shape and in a perverse way, enjoyed it as the sense of achievement was heightened. Andy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Andrews-Faulkner Posted Wednesday at 09:07 Author Share Posted Wednesday at 09:07 14 hours ago, modeling maniac said: Are you sure you didn't just get a duff kit? 🤔 Quite possibly, I had contacted Customer Services about a missing part (alternative nose probe) and also mentioned my concerns.  It's certainly a kit I would consider having another attempt at, but knowing that it will be a long haul rather than a blitz build. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peebeep Posted Wednesday at 13:52 Share Posted Wednesday at 13:52 On 16/09/2024 at 21:25, Valhalla said: As you're committed with the fuselage, there is one final option, and that is to sand the canopy to fit. ^^^This. I have a set of Infini sponge sanding sticks that run from fairly coarse to ultra-fine, the latter is akin to a nail polisher. Then use the Tamiya compounds. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peebeep Posted Wednesday at 13:54 Share Posted Wednesday at 13:54 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valhalla Posted Wednesday at 14:51 Share Posted Wednesday at 14:51 Agreed, I tend to use nailcare products from Tesco though, with the last one being a nail buffer before hitting the Tamiya compound. Much cheaper 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john redman Posted 21 hours ago Share Posted 21 hours ago At the price you can chuck it together while watching Doctor Who and not worry about the fit. I think that's what I did with the last one I built, in 1970. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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