I happened to receive a couple of 1/48 kits from a company called Gavia, though they are distributed from the Eduard catalogue. The kits come in two boxings: the “regular” version and the “Professional Accessories” version, which is what I have.
The La-7 and Bristol Scout C kits that were sent to me apparently have been around for about two years, based on the copyright dates on the Edward photoetched frets that come with the kits. They also have Eduard pre-cut masks (the crappy old kind, but they don’t cover any compound curves, so they’ll work) and very nicely done resin parts.
In the case of the La-7, there is are a resin cowling ring and prominent resin upper-forward fuselage panel to convert it to the “Three Gun” version of the La-7. The decals are also impressive, with markings for five aircraft, and the colors and markings sheet and the separate instructions are a bit more detailed than Eduard’s minimalist approach (thought the new Eduard “Limited Edition” kits, which tend to be basically new releases of the Profipak kits with colorful painting and markings guides and a half-dozen or so schemes to choose from, using, apparently, a new decal contractor because the new Eduard 'cals are beautiful and the sheets are large. They like their new sheets so much, they are selling at least some – the Mirage III, for one – separately.)
Anyway, I’m just curious. Does anyone know if these Gavia kits are Eduard in another suit of clothes, or are the plastic and resin castings from a whole different company? Has anyone out there built one of this brand’s kits and can warn me about how they fit, etc.? I really want to build an La-7 and this looks like just the ticket.
BTW, on Eduard’s January advance release list, they have a 1/48 La-7 scheduled for the newest in the “Limited Edition” series. It looks a lot like this Gavia kit, in fact.The $40 you spend on one of these “Limited Edition” kits gives you a lot more for your money than one of those short-run European kits that cost half-again as much, and don’t fit for squat, and give you lousy painting instructions, limited paint schemes and even worse decals.
TOM
Gavia was one of the subsidary brands under the Eduard umbrella, as well as Flashback. I believe these brand name are being phased out & new releases will come with the Eduard label.
Regards, Rick
Thanks Rick. That confirms the similarity with the “new” La-7 to be released in Eduard’s “Limited Edition” (that still makes me chuckle). Chuckle or no, it’s a fine looking kit.
And speaking of Eduard kits, I finally went back to a build I’d put aside six months ago, an Eduard Profipak X-1A. Nothing special, just another Glamorous Glennis which most of us have done at one time or another using one company or another’s kit in one scale or another.
But for some reason, I’m really happy with the result. It’s a nice kit. After I had to solve an unsolvable cockpit problem by ditching the entire rudder pedal assembly, I still came out with a beautiful PE and resin cockpit (oh, and it has some plastic in there too). I painted it overall with MM acrylic insignia orange with plain old FS 34151 Interior Green wells and cockpit. I fixed the color problem on the “Glamorous Glennis” backing decal as best I could using one of those ball-point paint markers (the kit has the red name outlined on a blue background, when it fact it should be outlined in silver. If you choose not to fix it, only the most obnoxious rivet counter will notice or mention it). I haven’t placed this “fixed” decal yet, but if it doesn’t work, I’m just going to do it without a background. It doesn’t show well in photos anyway.
And, tada!, I’m photographing it as well as my limited photog skills will allow, and with the aid of Kurt, I’m going to post my first photos on this site (or any other site). Kurt quite rightly figured that after almost 1,500 rambling, babbling, largely irrelevent posts on the subject of modeling, it was past time that I should have to show some of my work just like every other brave soul who regularly posts to this site, so with his help my lack of camera and scanner are going to be overcome to show a few pieces of my handiwork off sometime in the next two or three weeks. I feel like I’m about to give a speech in front of a hundred-thousand people and I’m very nervous about it. Hell, I’m still rattled at seeing that exquisite scratchbuilt “lantern” gunsight for that French Dewoitine fighter floatplane. With skills like that, one doesn’t need to fear showing off anything.
TOM
I am really looking forward to seeing your work, Tom, I have the same problem with uploading my stuff to the computer, too. Good luck with it. LEE
Heya Tom,
That Gavia Kit has been out for a few years. LAl the reviews I have read up on it all say the same thing. The rear fuselage is wrong, too narrow and has to be shimmed out, as well as the “glass” clear parts. Not a huge fix but needs to be adressed.
Jeff:
I’m planning to build this sucker, so I should ask, did the review you read mention that it has a resin fuselage insert about two inches long and 3/4" wide that goes just ahead of the windscreen. If that’s part of the too narrow fuselage, not much can be done to save it. Maybe I will get the new/old Eduard re-release and see if it’s the same.
Thanks,
TOM
No its the after top of the fuselage from that end of the “glass” to the rudder.