LeonF

In essence Airfix produced an inferior scale model, and AMW have omitted to point that out - Wether by accident or design is irrelevant. And many people will simply give it a pass because its Airfix. 'Fanboy' support is not an insult but an observable phenomenon and it's not limited to Airfix, although the older UK modellers are generally more vocal. For example Tamiya lovers often omit the reality they also have plenty of 40yr+ kits with errors, lacking details, and with accuracy issues alongside their über kits. However the difference is that if you criticise these you don't shouted down but the issues are discussed as to importance to the finished model itself. l keep my fingers crossed with every Airfix release but I wont sugarcoat things and buy blindly. At times it's hard to keep faith if you are more discerning than just the name on the box as avoidable problems crop up too regularly.

Last couple of buys involved spreading the love for some unusual and rarely kitted types... 1/72 Sword TBM-3W AEW 'Guppy' 1/72 Sword F-94B Starfire Now perhaps one of the big name manufacturers (I wonder who pops in your head?) could bring some of their cousins to mass market so I don't have to dig deep again for a basic TBM or P-80 & T-33.

There's no need to be an expert when some errors are obvious from simply looking at walkaround pics, (eg the missing fasteners, side fuselage vent variations), whilst half an hour of Internet time unveils true rivet counting reviews from various sources that reveal the more subtle differences - that's how I did it and ended up with a long list of issues that the magazine articles had barely touched on. So it was a flawed review of a flawed kit. I do wonder if sometimes the problem is the "Fanboy Factor' that surrounds the Airfix brand and the assumption that with today's LIDAR/CAD errors will not make it to production I wonder if AMW would have the guts to print a negative review? Maybe one day we'll get a third 'correcting the errors' as to go with the 'first look' and now 'throw in some etch/resin' ones printed so far.

I have to agree that whilst the Skyhawk is a great kit it is also unfortunately a mediocre scale model that really needs some added work. Imo it can be placed in the 'so near' category alongside the F-4, 1/72 Blenheim, F4F and others that have avoidable errors that can't be cured with a scrap of card or swipe of a file. I did buy one but converted it to a late YA4D-1 with a solid rudder and minus the probe. Whilst doing so I also did several other minor additions and alterations to bring it closer to the original (I even moved the vortex generators...never again!) What I didn't attempt was to add the rear fuselage fasteners (a very obvious feature that is a frankly shocking ommision and not a quick fix) or hack the nose to shape, although I did remove the errant access panel on the stb side. Whilst I fully support the idea that manufacturers can only go so far in making an accurate model before the profits take a nose dive I do find it a shame that this mould is more than just missing the finer details or subtle curves. I can overlook the original box USN A-4B being based on the museum bird rather than the 60s Vietnam flyer that had an earlier mod state with regards certain aerials and vents - that's just rivet counting compared to the nose. The big question is would I buy another?...the best I can say is maybe. At least I now have a revised build plan if I ever dip my toes in that pond again.

Back to the Fresco, I'm sad to see the CAD drawings have been thoroughly deconstructed on other forums revealing a number of errors and omissions - mostly minor but also including a major wing issue. I'm willing to save opinions for the showing of the first test plastic as opposed to mere graphics. 8 months to go to its penciled in release (and my purchase) date and I hope there's still time for changes.

And so are the MiG-29 (first flight 1977) and MiG-31 (first flight 1975). Don't forget there are other Soviet/Russian/Ukrainian design companies too - Ilyushin, Yakovlev, Antonov, Sukhoi (and smaller, often defunct names) - with types that have also been neglected over the years.

My sole aim at the weekend was to buy a Revell M48 to sit next to the Tamiya M60 on the shelf. But I sort of got distracted... 1/72 Airfix F-86F 'The Huff'...for the #2 Italian decal option 1/72 Airfix Tomahawk IIB 'Pennant' box And to compound matters on the way home I donated some pennies to a Charity for another 1/72 Airfix Tomahawk IIB, this time a 'Sharkmouth' starter box. So I still haven't completed that tank pairing. But I do now have 4x P-40B/Tomahawk/Hawk 81s in the stash to add to the P-40(sans suffix) trainer conversion I have on the shelf. Maybe next week....

Italeri 1/35 M110A1 Howitzer. Been after one for a while but they rarely show up as they don't have the street cred of the Tiger, Sherman, Abrams etc and I believe only Italeri have dipped their toes in the family so far. Doubly happy that it's a short barrel version as the A1 only had one box release many moons ago. The wishlist never gets any shorter though as I'm also after a Vietnam era M110(sans suffix)...one day...

I've been waiting for a new D3A since the Pearl Harbor anniversary that bought the Zero, Kate and P-40B...so only a few years overdue (we didn't even get the old mould). How about a couple more Japanese types? Doesn't have to be rare or exotic just some of the more recognisable types such as the Ki-43, Ki-44, A6M5c, A6M2-N. Alongside a new Lysander you can also add its German equivalent Hs126, both Airfix oldies that are long overdue retools.

A proper 1/72 Me262B-1a & CS-92 Trainer as you can't make them from the current B-1a/u1 2 seater box. Pity Airfix got it wrong as the NF version looks very nice. Maybe next year? Maybe also tweak the single seater with marked cutting lines and alternative noses for reconnaissance, big gun, and 6 cannon versions...although I'm thinking the glass nosed versions might be a cut too far and need a while sprue.

Just for the sake of my old and tired eyes. And please, pretty please with a Flake and raspberry sauce, can we have a Korean War version rather than another Vietnam version? How about 1946 USN (service entry) and a 1985 Gabonese Armed Forces (final retirement) rather than the done to death Vietnam era A-1H/J...and start with 1/72

'Fanboy Grading' - where a company release gets praised due the makers name and not on the quality and accuracy of the kit itself. Airfix, Eduard, Tamiya and others have their diehard fans meanwhile other companies are often maligned however nice their newer moulds are. That's not opinion, just spent time on the various forums and FB groups and the same uninformed comments get repeated at regular intervals. I find this year's new kits no different to most others, generally uninspiring as I tend towards unusual, physically small subjects so 1/48 and large 1/72 kits rarely excite. However I do like the idea of the forthcoming MiG-17, and maybe the Tiger Moth, and just hope they don't have any of the avoidable issues that seem to befall some kits (of many manufacturers). Re: Vintage Concorde - You'll note I gave valid reasons as to why I find disappointing, as I would with any kit judged on merit. Your assumption that this somehow represents a negative attitude to Airfix in general is simply wrong. It is the 53 year old mould of the prototype (or rather unfinished design) and very unrepresentative of the familiar production aircraft which may, or may not also be rereleased with the confusion of the V numbers. Also that Anniversary should have been a big marketing bonus , and as such is a missed opportunity.

It's because I judge individual kits on merit, not on some artificial manufacturer Fanboy grading system - but yes this release does disappoint me. About 1/3 of my stash is Airfix, both old and Hornby era moulds. I buy them when I deem them to be good quality/price. Exactly the same with Tamiya, Revell, Academy and the other manufacturers. As I said its 50th Anniversary of the first flight, a big missed opportunity for a WOW! kit release

If if does prove to be a misprint and only the A5170V Prototype (SK700/05170) is bought out of retirement I feel it would be a backwards move, particularly when there is a later alternative available. I know that might be a very unpopular opinion in some circles but the modelling world lacks a truly modern Concorde in any scale and repoping a 1966 mould that was produced 3 years before the aircrafts first flight in my book is the wrong way to go. Let's not forget 2019 is the 50th anniversary of that first flight and it's a real pity there was no new mould planned a couple of years on advance.

The 2 coming Vintage releases are different kits with different histories: A05170V - Prototype. Repop of original SK700/05170 A05170V - Production. This was previously a Series 6 kit so moving it down means a new number online with current kits. Oddly the earlier releases were sold under 2 different numbers depending on box era : 06175 & 06181 With regards artwork, I suspect they will be altered to be more different closer to the release date which is still months away. I wouldn't be surprised if the prototype remains BOAC, but the production model has the final service schemes of BA and AF (or even Early/Late BA?)