Tomcats and Spitfires.

If this is the aircraft being referred to, that is a neat story:

"50th anniversary In 2003, Airfix celebrated the '50th' anniversary of its first aircraft kit, the Supermarine Spitfire. The celebration was two years early due to an incorrect 1953 date commonly accepted at the time. As the moulds for the original kit were long gone, Airfix reissued its 1/72 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia kit in blue plastic. The kit also included a large Series 5 stand (the moulds for the smaller Series 1 stand having been lost) and a copy of the original plastic bag packaging with paper header."

Pat

story:

been getting pretty good reviews. Apparently it's getting better reviews than their Mk.IX. IIRC it's a little more accurate than Tamiya's kit shape-wise. I can't remember the pecking order for the F-14s. I think the Hasegawa kit was at the top of the list, but it's not one of Hasegawa's better fitting kits. The Academy kit is pretty nice, but the Tomcat boffins have an issue with the shape of the nose (too square?).

There's never an Enzo around when you need one, is there? :o)

(kim)

Hello? Yes? :-D

I haven't seen the new Airfix MkI. I *hope* it's better than the MkIX. The MkIX had issues with the wing chord and incidence. The Spitfire wing is a very complex shape and is quite twisted. In level flight the tips actually have a negative incidence, which means that in a very sharp turn, the tips can still be producing lift when the root of the wing has stalled. This subtle shape has been captured on the Tamiya I and V and the Hasegawa IX. Sadly, the Airfix IX just doesn't have it - but at least it's better than the earlier Airfix V, which might as well have had a plank for a wing. The internal detail on the MkIX was also - in my opinion - slightly overscale and ill-defined.

I'm considering getting one of the new Airfix MkIs. If it doesn't come up to the standard of the Tamiya kits, then I can always use it to build a "what-if" USAAC aircraft in OD and Neutral Grey. The two-bladed prop and early canopy can then go on a Tamiya MkI, as can the alternative Rotol prop, which will produce a MkII. (That's always assuming that the props are decent representations and not complete abortions, like both props in the MkIX)

Incidentally, the MkIX itself isn't a total washout. There are two sets of wings in the kit, one from the earlier MkVc. You can take the underside panels from either wing and graft them on to a Tamiya Vb, as well as the uppersurface bulges and cannon barrels. This will give a decent MkVc - I've already done it so I know it works. You can also use the rear fuselage and pointed rudder which can be transplanted to the Airfix Mk24 to give - with a few detail alterations - a Mk21.