Airfix Model World
{94}www.airfixmodelworld.comON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITSON THE SHELF
AIRCRAFT KITSALL-NEW CLASSIC
Zvezda has recently produced a series of excellent airliner kits, and its
latest is the Il-62 (NATO reporting name Classic), which had the same
engine/tailplane design as the British VC-10. Labelled as an ‘Ultimate
kit’, it offers at least three configurations, wheels up, landing (flaps and
wheels down) and parked. With all parts moulded cleanly and featuring
engraved panel lines, single-piece upper and lower wing halves, and an
entrance corridor for the forward
fuselage hatch, this is a cracking
kit. Options include extended and
compressed undercarriage legs,
a rear fuselage support, raised
or lowered flaps and even a neat
stand for the wheels-up/landing
configurations. The expansive decal
sheet offers five schemes, four
Aeroflot and one for the Russian
Ministry of Emergency Situations.Having already released the C-119C Boxcar, Roden now offers this
Vietnam-era gunship. It portrays the K-variant, unofficially known as
the Stinger, and benefits from four 7.62mm miniguns and two 20mm
cannon (vertical ammunition drums for the latter are not provided),
along with other vital gear such as the 20Kw Xenon light, AN/APQ-133
Beacon Tracking Radar, AN/AAD-4
FLIR turret and Night Observation
Scope. The detail is excellent
for a relatively small model, and
highlights include the under-wing jet
engines (solid-fronted), decent radial
engines and fine engraving. A single
‘Stateside’ scheme is offered, that of
airframe 52-5910/IH, of the 4413th
Combat Crew Training Squadron, 1st
SOW, 1969.Special Hobby Meteor kits offer classy detail, but here the firm provides a very
interesting sub-type of the ‘Meatbox’. The kit depicts the so-called T Mk.7.5; a
standard T.7 airframe but with an F.8 tail unit and wingtip tanks; it was used
in test and demo in the UK, but served operationally in Belgium and Israel.
Fine engraving features throughout, and the F.8 tail is separate, but one must
part the original tail from the fuselage with a razor saw. Resin is the chosen
medium for the wingtip tanks, and
although the glazing is very clear it is a
one-piece part. The decals are splendid
and offer four options, one of which
sports a PR.10 nose (clear part):- G-ANSO, Gloster Aircraft Co., 1950s
- VW411, Experimental Flying
Department, RAE Bedford, 1962-64 - ED-28, Belgian AF
- White 21 ‘Viper’, 110 Sqn Knights of the
North, Israeli DF, 1964
HYBRID GLOSTER
Classic Airframes’ released a 1/48 Hornet some years ago, but this
new release from trumpeter should be much easier to build. In terms
of accuracy it’s not bad, and arguably better than the same firm’s
Westland Whirlwind from last year. When compared to Warpaint plans,
the fuselage, vertical/horizontal tails and wings size well, but the
engine nacelles appear to be approximately 2-3mm short at the front...
arguably a trifling amount. There is a fair amount of raised detail in the
undercarriage bays, and a pleasing portrayal of mesh in the radiators.
Decent four-spoke wheels also feature and the cockpit is reasonable,
with convincing raised moulding on the instrument panel; an F.3-style
vertical tail, and exhaust flame dampeners, indicate further releases.
Trumpeter provides two painted
aluminium schemes via the
sharply printed decal sheet. No
unit information is given, but the
liveries are in fact:- PX252, 65 Sqn, Linton-on-
Ouse, 1947 - PX216/WA-TN, Wg Cdr WA
‘Tiny’ Neale, Yorkshire Sector
commander, Linton-on-Ouse,
1947-49
BIG STING
TRUCK-HUNTING TRAINER
PRODUCT SPEC
De Havilland Hornet F.1
By: Trumpeter
Item no: 02893
Scale: 1/48
Price: £28.99
Available from:
Pocketbond,
http://www.pocketbond.co.ukPRODUCT SPEC
Gloster Meteor T Mk 7.5
By: Special Hobby
Item no: SH72317
Scale: 1/72
Price: €22.50
Available from:
Special Hobby,
http://www.cmkkits.comPRODUCT SPEC
Fairchild AC-119K Stinger
By: Roden
Item no: 322
Scale: 1/144
Price: £21.99
Available from:
Pocketbond,
http://www.pocketbond.co.ukHaving already released the C-119C Boxcar, Roden now offers thisPRODUCT SPEC
Civil Airliner IL-62M
By: Zvezda
Item no: 7013
Scale: 1/144
Price: £21.99
Available from:
The Hobby Company,
http://www.hobbyco.net94_Aircraft Kits.CC.indd 94 19/03/2015 16:25