I’m hoping to find a comparison or two of the Airfix and Italeri 48 scale Tornados, and also to see if there’s anything that upgrades either to a 4. Been a real bear to find out exactly what has changed, though the RAF site has led me to think that only weapons and navigational system updates were made, no real structural changes.
Anyway, back to topic: has anyone done a review/comparison of the relative pros and cons of the kits? I’m looking to add one as the last in a RAF History set for myself and would like a bit more info before I jump at one…
STAY AWAY FROM THE AIRFIX ONE!(if you dont want a lot of work)shallow gear bays,badcockpit,canopy too short at rear,…Iendedup useing a old italiari kit to help it out.
Go to the RAF Marham web page for pics.
By far the best tornado kit is Revell!(built a GR1 in my old squadron celebration markings)but dont know if they do 1/48.
If not,go italaria.
Merv
I have an Airfix 1/48 GR.1B Do not touch this kit! OK, let’s have a quick flip around: The cockpit is a real filler job, and lacking details. The instruments are decals. Not acceptable in 1/48, and even more so when the decals don’t even fit! Seriously, you need to cut the decals to fit the ‘panels’. The airbrakes are risible, and when down, need serious amounts of sanding to be flush. The two fuselage halves almost, but not quite meet, resulting in loads of filler and modelers licence!. The fin another time when you need plenty of filler. It simply does not fit! At this point I lost a fin winglet, and then dropped some paint on the cockpit decals. OK, I could have repaired and replaced, but I so fed up, that it’s now in the spares bin.
Wow, my thanks to both of you for the replies. I’d been leaning toward the Italeri kit out of no more than gut instinct, and had also thought of trying to find both somewhat cheaply and just coming to my own conclusions. Off to the races then with the Italeri as soon as (ahem) I’ve finished the SE.5a… many thanks again.