Airfix 1/48 B-57B.

[F4DPhantomII]

How is it? saw one today in box for $41.00.The panel lines looked a little deep like the old Matchbox kits.How does the cockpit look?Thanks.I think I'll stick with my Classic Airframes kits with the resin cockpits and wheelwells.

[Jennings]

The cockpit is pretty dismal. Very toy-like (as the whole model is IMHO).

J

[onosendai]

Strictly IMHO, the entire series of Airifix Canberra (72nd & 48th) win the prize disappointment model of the 2009, deep panel lines and very bad fit.

[Fat Russian]

I just picked this kit up two days ago, the cockpit is indeed garbage, enough so that if there is no aftermarket pit available I am going to build it up as a mothballed AMARC jet and "spraylat" the canopy, it's pretty bad. The instrument panels aren't even close, the side consoles are some sort of joke and the seats (two different types) are junk, it's the kind of detail that reminds me of the old Italeri kits I bought in the 80's. The panel lines are very deep by todays standards, but they are workable, I was a bit disappointed in the overall lack of detail in the gear, weapons, and speed brake bays, for a kit that retails for around $45 USD I expected better, but it is Airfix and only the second kit of theirs that I have ever bought after the TSR.2 which suffers from the same detail inaccuracies. However with all that being said it is what most people say the best 1/48 B-57 out there, I have never seen the Classic Airframes kit firsthand so I can't say which is better. It does include three different noses which is cool enough to make up for some of the kits failings, and the decal sheet is HUGE and takes up the entire bottom of the box, speaking of the box, if you open the box and remove the contents good luck getting it all back in again, it's a tight fit, there are a lot of extra parts in there that I had trouble identifying and can only assume they are for the original British Canberra versions. All in all I like this kit as it has a great deal of potential, I would like to see a resin cockpit for it and maybe some aftermarket decals including jets from the Vermont ANG, I am even thinking of purchasing another. I have seen on some websites that this kit is only going to be released once or something to that effect, I don't know if thats true or not or just some sort of fearmongering sales tactic to get everybody to rush out and buy one, at any rate it did not influence my decision to buy this kit, I just think the Canberra is odd enough to be cool.

Eric Strohmeyer

[thegoodsgt]

You probably know this, but for those unfamiliar, if you Google Airfix B-57 you'll find several online reviews of the kit that might be helpful.

[Kei Lau]

However with all that being said it is what most people say the best 1/48 B-57 out there, I have never seen the Classic Airframes kit firsthand so I can't say which is better.

From what I have read, the Classic Airframe B-57B is a much more refined kit with good complements of resin cockpit and wheel well included in the kit. It did not received the complaints that users laid on the Airfix kit. But I have not seen the Airfix kit first hand. The CA kit is in my stash and I can say that it is an excellent kit.

Alas, Classic Airframe has stopped producing new kits and closed the door mostly. You can still find the CA Canberra kit, in fact, at excellent price. See the SprueBrothers link here.

You can easily find the ESCAPAC ejection seat for the B-57. Any A-4, A-7, early A-10 or early F-15 seat will do. But I have not seen cockpit upgrade for the Airfix yet. CA kit has an excellent tube and won't need one.

[F4DPhantomII]

Gordon has a good deal on the Classic Airframes B-57B at $42.99.

[Charlie D.]

Also in the latest squadron flyer (airfix version) for $35 I believe.

[Kei Lau]

Also in the latest squadron flyer (airfix version) for $35 I believe.

The resin cockpit and wheel wells alone worth more than the $7 difference, not to say the mold quality. May be someone will get both and take some side by side pictures to post here.

I had the link to SprueBrothers (Gordon's) CA Canberra offer in my earlier post.

[Charlie D.]

The resin cockpit and wheel wells alone worth more than the $7 difference, not to say the mold quality. May be someone will get both and take some side by side pictures to post here.

I had the link to SprueBrothers (Gordon's) CA Canberra offer in my earlier post.

Depends on what you're looking for......here's some comparisons...

http://www.internetmodeler.com/artman/publ...-box_review.php

http://www.internetmodeler.com/2008/decemb...ix_canberra.php

[Bonehammer73]

Pavla makes resin sets for the Canberra but I do not know to which version they apply. Unlike their earlier stuff these sets look good.

[Kei Lau]

Depends on what you're looking for......here's some comparisons...

http://www.internetmodeler.com/artman/publ...-box_review.php

http://www.internetmodeler.com/2008/decemb...ix_canberra.php

Brett Green has a pretty comprehensive collection of articles on the Canberra at the Hyper-Scale web site.

Here is a quote from Green: "I suppose that comparisons with the recent Classic Airframes Canberra will be inevitable. On the one hand, the Airfix kit offers more ordnance options, an open bomb bay, separate control surfaces and simple construction; while on the other hand Classic Airframes Canberras feature finer surface texture and better cockpit detail but it will undoubtedly be more of a challenge to build. Perhaps the most important point, though, is that Airfix and Classic Airframes offer completely different variants, so there is nothing stopping you from buying the Airfix B(I)8 even if you have a closet full of CA Canberras!"