1. Home
  2. Scale modeling discussions
  3. And the truly recommendable kit award goes to...

And the truly recommendable kit award goes to...

Trumpeter's 1/48 Wyvern. Having finished my Academy F16 (and never again will I build one), I looked to my small but perfectly formed stash for something nice to build. Now, a couple of weeks back I picked up the Trump Wyvern in 1/72 and 1/48, so, being a bit of an FAA nut I reached for the

1/48 item.

Presumably, someone at Tamiya is watching every move Trumpeter make, because this kit is almost a statement of intent to move in on their territory. Yes, it has it's fair share of innacurracies, and some goofs (more later) but it really does just fall together. Something like 20 hours of my moderate skills were all it took to get this beastie ready for its first coat of GS sky acrylic. Given enough peace and quiet, this could be kinda finished by tomorrow tea-time.

Good points of this kit are, in no particular order;

Excellent fit (I used putty twice, once on a a pair of ejector pin marks and once on a minor sink mark. Liquid cement took care of every other joint)

Generous weapons load - every weapon and store carried by service Wyverns is here. And a torpedo, which they never carried. But it is a hell of a nice torpedo.

Surface detail - top notch stuff.

The cockpit - which everbody slates as being too spartan, but which in fact with very basic modelling skills and a deft brush looks the puppy's privates. The seat is, however, a pile of... you know.

Nice photoetch - especially the instrument panel. Unfortunately, the seatbelts only highlight the seat's major defiency.

General Wyvern-ness - They've really caught the essence of this aeroplane. Beautiful in a hideously deformed way. All wrong angles and clumsy curves. Perfect.

Bad points, again in no particular order:

The ejector seat is under scale by a farmer's mile. What were they thinking? And the really nicely done PE belts only make it look worse by being to the correct scale. Buy a Pavla MB2B seat for £1.50-ish.

The Turboprop exhausts - throw these away. Mine were replaced with 11/32 brass tube cut off at the appropriate angle, I believe there are resin ones available too.

It's the wrong version for its decals - No, really. See Model Airplane International March 2007 for the lowdown.

Goofs;

The 60lb rocket tails have no exhausts. As supplied, they are 60lb darts. MAI noticed this too.

No gun-laying radar antenna for bomb armed versions. Again, MAI picked this up. Basically all you need to do is remove the outboard port cannon and replace it with whatever you think equates to an 18" x 8" beercan in this scale. I think.

Well, if you got this far... sorry for the long rambling post; thing is, this is a really nice kit of a fascinating aeroplane. My only regret is that I only bought one of each scale. Obviously, I need to go back and clear the shelves. Oh, and the earlier reference to Tamiya, given all these bad points? It falls together. Go build one.

-- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service ------->>>>>>

formatting link

Reply to
flak monkey
Loading thread data ...

Excuuuuuuse me! No apology is necessary. That's *exactly* the sort of post I like to see. Thank you.

I would prefer to build that sort of thing in 1/72. How do you think the

1/72 kit compares to the 1/48 one?
Reply to
Enzo Matrix

Everything I said about the 1/48 applies to the 1/72, but...

Correct rocket exhausts. Oh well done. Rockets have a hole in the fiery end. Well spotted.

Seat looks right scale, and a nice representation of an M2B. As is the 1/48, but too small. Shame.

Exhausts are even worse. 7/32 brass tube is exactly the correct size to replace these.

Instrument panel follows the old Trump pattern of clear styrene over film, and the styrene part is way too thick too see the film through. Given the angled panel of the Wyvern, sanding the clear part back won't really work, so you're on your own there. I'll be inkjetting some instrument decals and splashing on some microsol when I build mine.

Otherwise, it's a really nice kit. Perhaps even nicer, given the smaller scale.

Reply to
flak monkey

Hmmmm... thanks for that. I'm afriad it doesn't help my Emergency Stash Reduction Programme!

Incidentally, I have the Trumpeter Gannet ready to go. It's complete with Pavla cockpit and FAA Models weapons bay. Sadly, I made the mistake of buying the Xtradecal sheet for the Gannet and now I'm on the cusp of a minor obsession. Maybe I should just get some therapy!

Reply to
Enzo Matrix

The Gannet is a worthy obsession. Like all good FAA aircraft, it's as ugly as sin and all the better for it. I live in hope of a 1/32 release.

-- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service ------->>>>>>

formatting link

Reply to
flak monkey

where's my 1/32 stringbag or walrus?

Reply to
someone

Hey- since when do people have to apologize for an intelligently written, well thought out review. I'm gonna have to dig my 1/72 one out of the pile and start it. So the decals aren't right- I'm the only Wyvern expert in 29 Palms, so if it's OK by me, that's all that counts!!!!

Reply to
Jim Atkins

Hoy! Get in the queue...1/48th Scimitar and Sea Vixen first!!!

G
Reply to
Graeme Cosgrove

i started wishing in the 60's!

Reply to
someone

At least there'll be a 1/48 Seahawk soon. Suppose an Attacker would be too much to ask. And how about a 1/32 Sea Fury we can all afford?

-- Posted via NewsDemon.com - Premium Uncensored Newsgroup Service ------->>>>>>

formatting link

Reply to
flak monkey

Trumpeter - 1/32 Sea Fury 2007 on the schedule!

Reply to
Bob B

I'm sorry I have to ask about this. But just what type of Plane is this , and from what era. I am guessing WWII with a Big Prop. Would that be right Apoigies to you ALL for my Not Knowing What it is by myself

... Carl ..........

,,

Reply to
cyberborg 4000

Apparently I'm not the only person who can't make up his mind on one aircraft. "But they're all worthy of being applied to a model!" :)

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

It's a 1950s turboprop stike aircraft with a huge vertical fin and two small finlets mounted on the stabs. The engine runs contraprops and for good measure, they participated in the Suez Crisis, making them genuine warplanes. Prior to this the only injected kit I know of was put out by Frog in the '70s.

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

Special Hobby also announces one. To bad for Paul Fischer,but his model is out of my league anyway.

Reply to
Claus Gustafsen

I too appreciate the complete nature of F.M's post. I recently purchased the 1:48 Wyvern and I appreciate very much the heads up. Any recommendation for substituion of GS "Sky" I use mostly Testors ModelMaster Enamels. As for the high priced kits, how about we leave them on the shelves. Trumpeter and others get the high asking price because we are willing to pay it. I include myself in those who paid too much, but No More kits that cost a hundred beaners. The Tamiya P47 kits are reasonably priced and are FUN, and isn't that what all this is about? Thanks again for the great posts, I'll have a better Wyvern thanks to you. Cheers, BA

Reply to
Bruce Apple

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.