[:)]Hi all.
I was just wondering if any of you had ever built the 1/72 Airfix B-29? I piked one up during a visit to an out-of town model shop and was quite taken with it[:I].
My friend warned me that I may live to regret buying another Airfix kit, but I really like the aircraft and I think considering it’s age the mould is pretty good, if you don’t mind thousands of raised rivets[:p]
Anyhow, any advice/tips would be welcome.[:)]
Later,
Darren.[;)]
It was the only one in it’s scale for a long, long time. You can make a decent replica with a lot of work. If you want more outstanding detail with far less effort, go for the Academy kits. Much easier on the eyes, but a bit harder on the wallet.
Keyworth is right. It will take a lot of work but it still finishes into an attractive B-29. I built mine in the early 80s and sports the markings of Microscale’s Coral Queen. The kit’s Pacific Pioneer is also nice.
I built my first one 30 odd years ago and felt it was a pretty good kit. Only problem was I didn’t have room to display it on the shelving I had, so gave it to a friend of my dad’s that flew in them. About 6 months ago got two of them for the right price (free, or close to it). Anyhow going to use both models to make one - work on it when I don’t feel like working on anything else. Typical old Airfix, lots and lots and lots of rivets and all those raised panel lines! Add to that the four bomb-bay doors that have a 1/16 " gap on three sides ( I guess that wouldn’t be too much of a problem if I left them open - but I won’t). yea, it needs a lot of work to get it up to standard, but to me thats part of the challenge. Besides I could have bought 2 of them at the LHS, two double cheeseburgers, medium fries and a supersize Coke at Mickey D’s and still had a couple of bucks change left over before matching what an Academy kit would would cost me. (The first one I bought 30 years ago cost $3.95 including s&h from Squadron - that was a high priced kit in those days)
I have one of each. Don’t get me wrong. I love the old kits, since I honed my skills with them. But if you ask me which B-29 I’ll reach for when I want to build one, it will be the Academy. Depending on which kit you buy, you get either the basic B-29A, the Enola Gay with weapon, or the Bock’s car with weapon. The fit is excellent, the results are extraordinary. As much fun as I had with the Airfix kit, I’ll take the Academy kit now everytime.
I once modified once into Enola Gay, and had lots of fun doing it, but with the better kits available today you’d better follow Keyworth’s advice!
I’ll second what the others have said,get the Academy kit! I had the airfix one for a while but got so fed up with the poor fit etc that i filed it under BIN.
Regards
Pete
[:)]Thanks for the info.guys,
my kitbashing buddy has just read these posts and is giving me that “I told you so…” look.[:o)][:o)][:D]
I’m going to stick with the airfix kit and hopefully enjoy the challenge it presents. If goes horribly wrong, I’ll go get the academy version![:D][:D]
Later,
Darren,[oX)]
Hey Darren i hope you like sanding[:D], mind you, i have no room to talk when it comes to old kits as i have a frog shackleton on build and it betters the airfix B29 for rivets almost 2 to 1. plus i have the old airfix bristol superfrieghter an fairey rotodyne to build and they’re just as bad with the rivets too[:D].anyhow have fun with your build, now i have got an old idea of mine in my head about doing a Boeing Washington. guess who will be on the look out for a CHEAP airfix B29. Greg
[:D][:D]I just love sanding!(Not!) I’ll be looking out for a few cheap kits at the nationals tomorrow[;)]. If I end up with another B-29, I’ll shoot you an email.Nuff said!
Darren.[oX)]
great stuff Darren, cheers. i can’t make it to the nats as i have got to get my landrover ready for its M.O.T. (nuff said there too, LoL). i already know i am going to have to buy a tyre and this landie has got outsized all terrain tyres on it already so that’ll be megabucks to replace no doubt [sigh]. thats the trouble with everything these days, it all seams to eat into modeling time and modeling funds but thats another thread i suppose. anyways have fun at the nats and please post pics if you can, hopefully hear from you soon. Greg