Dave Fleming

Possibly the biggie - the forward cabin bulkhead on my kit was very warped, and if you follow the Airfix instructions by gluing it to the Rear cockpit bulkhead, it makes everything out of alingment. My solution was to glue the forward(cockpit) on ein place first, then attach the rear one where it fitted - the fuselage still closes around it and you can't really see the distortion form outside. Just need to fill that gap at the tunnel Hopefully none of the above is too taxing, and the mantra of 'your model your rules' applies, so feel free to ignore me! If y

- Single row of antennae mounts on port fuselage – this limits the kit to the ‘ZA’ serialed aircraft – ZD batch had the twin rod mounts, and these were eventually retrofitted across the fleet – kit version ZA684 was one of the few Desert Storm Chinooks to retain the single row. The kit design (Where is sprue A, and for that matter I?) makes me ponder if Airfix have a second version planned with the twin rows on a separate port fuselage half - the kit has unused IRCM (G13/14) pods and what look like MAWS sensors (H1/2) - the kit is missing the control rods for raising the ramp - so

- Engine exhausts – these should have a strengthening ring on the forward section. This will be difficult to correct, but I'd imagine an entrprising 3D designer would find it quite easy to design and print a replacement. (later versions had a different exhaust cone with additional rings, and the same plea applies!) - ‘Cone’ intake filters mesh are devoid of detail – would have been difficult to mould, but some detail would have been nice. - Seats – the back of the cabin seats are very visible through the cabin windows, but are provided as ‘flat’ when they are in fact st

- Fuel points provided as decals – in the real thing the centres are inset, - I can live with decals - The circular Sand filters need rails in front of them (The rails were a permanent fit on almost all RAF Chinooks after they first started using the desert filters, even after refitting the cones). My understanding is that these were to enable the heavy filters to slide forward for maintenance, the 'cone' versions being considerably lighter and relatively easier to remove. - again, a couple of pieces of microstrip per side should suffice - Th aircraft depicted in e kit

- Sponson/fuselage – The kit ones are only perfect for early HC1 (with a caveat!) - additional vents( were added along the sponson/fuselage joij – one between forward and second cabin window, one under third cabin window and one just before rear cabin window). ZA675 is the 1983 earliest I've found these visible, (https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1615438). and they can be seen on all versions of the HC1 (and other operators too) after by the second half of the 80s. it's related to the specially designed additional internal fuel tanks - ZA675 will have been recently updated with that and the co

Won't let mu post all in one post! - Rear underfuselage strakes missing - the Chinook has strakes on the underside of the fuselage just in front of the rear undercarraige. These have been missed completely from the kit (I looked on the runners in case they were just missed on the instructions, but no sign). Especially strange as these are clearly shown on Airfix's LIDAR scans! Reproducting them with plastic card strip should be straightforward, but an annoying omission - Pilots yaw pedals - these would be pretty visible through the nose windows - again, plastic c

First up, the new Airfix Chinook is a lovely kit, and, barring an issue with the forward bulkheads that seems to be intermittent, will build into a nice model of a Chinook. What follows isn't a criticism of Airfix - aircraft, especially helicopters, and one as long lived as the Chinook, undergo many small changes over time, and, along with economics, that means producing a kit that can cover a range of options means compromise is needed somewhere. However, if you are interested in possible omissions ,corrections and bits that need amending for the inbox versions, read on!

The kit has been out here in the UK for a few weeks now and I’ve started to build it. It’s very much an early-ish RAF HC1 kit. Conversion to HC2 or CH-47D or later would be a bit of work. Nothing impossible, but not out the box Conversion to a C model is probably easier. I’ve got some notes on what’s what I’ll post later

Just an FYI, 26 Decals have released a sheet for the RAF Rivet Joint that includes those wing walkways http://www.26decals.com/epages/62035508.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62035508/Products/STS44410

Any time scheduled for release? I've got a kit waiting on those BAS decals! PS any plans for an Argentine option?

The Airfix one is a lot more accurate, especially around the Sponsons and engine housing/exhaust areas. XV370 was Sikorsky built, but had most of the Westland features, like the bulge on the port side of the engine. I was looking forward to the Argentine option they hinted at

Stinking Bishop, bought that once, better toasted.

I know the artist. He says they are printed by Cartograph

Good good - although someone sent me a link to a Welsh Models conversion for the same, which I hadn't heard of.

Still hoping for a Rivet Joint conversion :-)