1:48 EE Lightning. I really like that plane but I am none too impressed with the Airfix kits I have built. Basically they are [censored]. I attempted 4 of their 1:72 kits (Viggen, Lightning, Vampire and Shorts Skyvan) and I am none too impressed. Nothing fit right, the parts for the landing gear were far more delicate than any other 1:72 I had built before.
Thoughts?
I had an Airfix Buccaneer kit I lost in my fire and now it’s out of production. I had lots of nice AM parts for it, also lost. But I heard it had terrible fit problems and that trademark grainy surface found on lots of Airfix’s larger kits. But in the box it was a beautiful rendering of an aircraft that is nothing but a hairball of swirls and swirls of compound curves, which must have been a nightmare for the mold designers, and a major inconvenience to modelers trying to make it all fit. If anyone sees one on the market, please give old Tom a shout. Thanks.
Oh…then I want to tackle that Airfix Lightning you had trouble with. Any more tips to watch out for on that kit?
build it…you won’t regret it! Airfix’s late 1/48 stuff is in a different league from their older 1/72 stuff. The EE Lightning, in particular, is beautiful.
Phil
hhhmmmmmmm…
i was taught…if you don’t have something nice to say…
[banghead]then at least be politically correct[censored]…
…mums the word.
Yeah I also built the airfix 1/48 Buccanner. I absolutley love the airplane but the kit was a nightmare. It has the fusalauge halves joined from top to bottom and they did not line up worth beans! I would like to giver thier 1/48 Jaguar a shot but I’m scared…
Shark, if you are looking for one I have one in my stash which comes with a decal sheet of Desert Storm Buc’s. I am willing to trade.
Ray
I could be completely wrong here, but I believe that Academy had a hand in creating the molds for the Airfix lightning kit, which is, as mentioned, supposedly a pretty darned good kit.
Haven’t seen one myself, but I’d like to get one.
The Airfix Lightning is by far the finest kit they have ever made. It was moulded in Korea, as were their 1/48 late-make Seafire and Spitfire. It is totally unlike the Buccaneer and Hawk, which were moulded in France, and boy, it shows! It isn’t just full-scale military kit that the French aren’t much good at![(-D]
You’ll still have to get aftermarket decals for it, though. The ones included with the kit are, er, up to the usual Airfix standard.
Chris.
Okay, so I’ll be politically correct about the Bucc (treat it like a vacform, use tabs to line up the fuselage & buckets of spackle) The Jag, (never built it, all I’ve ever heard are horror stories) and the Hawk ( not bad, But do note the footstep on the right of the fuselage, the canopy opens that way, DUH!!!), with care can be built into a nice kit.
That said, I’ve built some nice models from Airfix kits, all it takes is time & attention to detail, along with good reference’s. And they’re a sight cheaper than certain far Eastern kits! As for the Lightning, I’ve only ever heard good things, but you do need to at least replace the intake ring with a (polished) metal one for appearance’s sake.
Pete
Rodger that, I got one from Aeroclub, and polished it until I could see my face in it, then protedcted it from oxidising with a layer of Future. Made all the difference. Cheaper than getting a sheet of Bare Metal Foil, too!
Chris.
Hi. I have a mixed bag of comments…kits are good in detail but they do have fit problems…the small parts are very fragile, but most of the details are good. I have a Spitfire MK V and is good, except for the wing fit (very hard)…A Mosquito and Beaufighter are good…good luck
Only the 1/72 Mosquito in Series 3 and the 1/48 Mosquitos are any good. Even so, the Tamiya Mossies blow them out of the water, and are well worth the extra money. The Airfix 1/72 Beaufighter dates from the early 1960s, and is horribly crude and inaccurate. Buy the Hasegawa one!
Chris.
built the airfix lightning , its ok but the under carriage dosent fit all that well , i have a picture of it ill put it up soon
I used to love airfix
Their 1/72 colectors me 109k hartman rocked, but it looked like a g6
Is that kit stil in production, and how much is it worth?