I have always liked the S-3 Viking, and with George Bush being landed on the Abraham Lincoln in one, it made me think of building one. I’m wondering if you have ever built a model Viking, and if so, what kit you might recommend.
Thanks!
There aren’t a whole lot of viking kits out there.
From what I’ve heard, one of the best is the old Esci 1/48 kit, I believe AMT reissued it with some upgrades about 8 or ten years ago. Not long after AMT also released a 1/48 ES-3B Shadow ECM variant.
Hasegawa has a 1/72 kit, but I think its getting a bit dated by todays standards unless they’ve made a new tooling.
About 5 years ago, there was a feature in FSM about a fellow in the Netherlands that superdetailed an S-3 in 1/48. He used the Esci kit and the result is a jaw dropper, so the Esci kit obviously has workability going in its favour.
Thats the sum total of my knowledge of S-3 kits, hope its helpful.
Good luck
Airfix releasd an S3 viking in 1/72. I havn’t built it since i was a kid but i remember that it went together well and looked good, thats all i can say on this as i have not got the model anymore so i can’t testify on its accuracy… Gregers
Revell have just issued a reboxed version of the 1/72 Hasegwa moulding in Europe with new decals
Kit no 04327.
Can’t comment on the quality, as I haven’t built one!
Rob M.
http://www.Megahobby.com just put viking in the search box. This is the old esci kit which is very good
I built the hasagawa kit a number of years ago. as I recall it has droped flaps and excellent detail w/recessed lines.
Remember: any model purchase is a good one!
The ESCI kit in 1/48 was a good kit. I just happened to get one with warped wings and it took a little bit ot work to get them straightened out. Other releases I have seen did not have the wing problem. It will build into a nice kit, but don’t build the IFR boom so it will move.
Dans; Recent re-pop in 1/48 of viking is good although needs resin cockpit in my opinion. Lots of colorful scemes for the S-3A version in aftermarket decals…
Chief John
Just saw a 1/48 S-3 under the Italeri label in a local hobby shop, its a new release, but I don’t know if its new tooling or someone else’s old molds.
One more option for you anyway.
Upnorth - Italeri is reissuing old ESCI kits these days. The 1/72 Backfire bomber is due out at any time. I’d hope that they would make improvements over the originals, but I’m not holding my breath over that one!
Resin cockpit for an S-3? Seems if you tinted the canopy to match the prototype, you wouldn’t be able to see much of the cockpit…