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1/48 F-106 Photoetch...??


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Hello,

A while back I contacted Eduard support and suggested they build and release a photoetch set to dress up Monogram's 1/48 F-106 Delta Dart. I received a reply from Libor Havranek at Eduard that read as follows:

"Unfortunately, I've found out that we've already released detail sets for the mentioned kit in the past. However we're not going to re-issue them, nor make a redesign of them. The previous sets are quite old and depreciated - we do not have any of them left in our stock."

I've spent weeks searching the internet; all I found was an F-106B 1/48 resin conversion from C & H Aero Miniatures yet nowhere did I find where Eduard (or anyone else) ever released an etched set for the F-106. I do know they currently have a canopy mask for it but I cant find an etched set anywhere! Can I get a second opinion?

Thanks!!

Edited by Hawk1270
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I've noticed that generally Eduard seems to have no interest in older kits, particularly older Revellograms, when I once sent them a note asking about the possibility of sets for a few kits.

Perhaps it's in part 'cause Eduard knows, at least in the case of the Six, what Revell refuses to recognize: while the only game in town, the tooling has aged very poorly and is BADLY warped, and is in dire need of a retool to modern standards which just isn't likely given the ratio of cost to interest. (Mind you, this is said as someone who wants to build an entire squadron flightline...)

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I've noticed that generally Eduard seems to have no interest in older kits, particularly older Revellograms, when I once sent them a note asking about the possibility of sets for a few kits.

Perhaps it's in part 'cause Eduard knows, at least in the case of the Six, what Revell refuses to recognize: while the only game in town, the tooling has aged very poorly and is BADLY warped, and is in dire need of a retool to modern standards which just isn't likely given the ratio of cost to interest. (Mind you, this is said as someone who wants to build an entire squadron flightline...)

That's a good point Diamondback. I agree, compared to today's standards the tooling on these kits is ancient. I guess that Eduard deems these old dinosaurs of no particular value and that's why they replied like they did. Oh well, it's their loss not mine!

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You mean like the fiftyleven detail sets Eduard's put out for the Revellogram P-61. ;) Really, would it cost them so much to do an self-adhesive color Zoom set for the only 1/48 106 in existance? Given the truly obscure stuff they do products for? Eduard has plenty of business and projects in the hopper with the flood of new kits.

There's been a 2-seat conversion, vac canopy, canopy masks, SAC metal gear, resin and white metal seats years ago, but that's been about it for the Dart. DB conversions made a seat. Black Box had a full pit. Falcon and Koster did vac B conversions.

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You mean like the fiftyleven detail sets Eduard's put out for the Revellogram P-61. ;)/> Really, would it cost them so much to do an self-adhesive color Zoom set for the only 1/48 106 in existance? Given the truly obscure stuff they do products for? Eduard has plenty of business and projects in the hopper with the flood of new kits.

There's been a 2-seat conversion, vac canopy, canopy masks, SAC metal gear, resin and white metal seats years ago, but that's been about it for the Dart. DB conversions made a seat. Black Box had a full pit. Falcon and Koster did vac B conversions.

Koster did a B conversion? Did not even know about that. The only 2 seat conversions I know about are the resin sets by C&H Aero and Airwaves. Oh the Falcon one is vac form.

As for interest, the new F-102 by Meng sure got a bunch of interest even though it is in 1/72nd Maybe this was Meng testing the waters and then issue a 1/48th kit? I hope so although I still like the Monogram kit. I have 6 in my stash and I really want to do the 2 seater but cannot get my hands on a conversion for a decent price. Maybe I should try the Falcon vac and see how that goes.

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Diamondback,

Probably you are right, but let me offer an alternative explanation.

I am the lucky owner of a couple of Monogram Dart. Both are the original release, so the mouldings are sharp and there are no warping issues. Well, I have to say that in my opinion this kit does not really need any resin or etched aftermarket.

Cockpit, weapons and undercarriage bays are so detailed that I almost do not see room for improvement, the additional detail would not be worth the cost. No match comparing this kit to modern Trumpeter or Hobby Boss releases.

But maybe I am wrong.

Edited by galfa
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Galfa, you're probably right--Bert Kinzey gave the original release rave reviews in his Detail & Scale volume on the Six back when it first came out, so most of the problem is probably just tool overuse and poor maintenance of them, along with bad QC from the cheap Chinese labor producing them now.

The only things rivaling a new-run Revellogram Six for warping that I've seen are the wings on Testors U-2s, and from my model railroading days Eastern Car Works passenger-railcar kits, about whom it's been said "the kit is rejected by QC if any part is NOT twisted into a corkscrew".

As for the P-61, the big thing hlping it is that WWII is a perennial favorite, and the Black Widow has a hell of a lot bigger fanbase than us Sixers. (My grandfather slung wrenches for the 318th during their Osan deployment in '68.)

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I have a recent boxing of the Monogram six and my copy has no warping to speak of.

And the detail is superb. I wouldn't even mind the raised detail If I didn't have to sand and fill the thing. All in all I still consider this a nice kit overall.

I feel like a new mold kit would only let me down. Even if it looked right and scaled out correctly there are few manufacturers that include Monogram's level of detail in the cockpit and wheel wells these days. At least as far as jets go anyway.

We will see what the Kitty Hawk F-101A/C has to offer when stood up against the old Monogram B. I know a few shape issues have been identified but I fully expepct the Monogram details to outshine the Kitty Hawk kit. It's not a dig agaianst KH just a nod to the meticulous work that Monogram did on their century series jets over 30 years ago.

Zach

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I have the Koster conversion if anyone is interested. PM me. (Is there a PM feature on here somewhere?) I've removed the fuselage halves. Includes a vac canopy and a rear vac cockpit. Actually it also includes parts for a 105B Thunderchief and an F-4H-1 Phantom. I'll never get to it.

I would agree there's not much you can do to improve the base kit that's not subjective. Personally, I'd love an ejection seat and a color zoom set, but not really necessary.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have the Koster conversion if anyone is interested. PM me. (Is there a PM feature on here somewhere?) I've removed the fuselage halves. Includes a vac canopy and a rear vac cockpit. Actually it also includes parts for a 105B Thunderchief and an F-4H-1 Phantom. I'll never get to it.

I would agree there's not much you can do to improve the base kit that's not subjective. Personally, I'd love an ejection seat and a color zoom set, but not really necessary.

Ok now I know what you have. That conversion is the Falcon vacuform set. I have that. Pretty nice for the time. I will try to get my hands on the C&H Aero conversion which I think is still available.

Also, Black Box had a full cockpit set including the seat and it is very nice.

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Not too long ago I built a recent pop of the 106.. It barely needed any filler. I don't know what people are smoking that think it's a bad kit. Honestly, I can't see a reason for someone to make another one in 1/48. The cockpit is even pretty nice.

Oh that's right.. Raised panel lines.. UNBUILDABLE!!! SHUN THE KIT!!

The recent pop of the 102 I built was a little rough. That might be what people are thinking of. The resin "improvements" in the box were a joke and ended up getting tossed.

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Diamondback,

Probably you are right, but let me offer an alternative explanation.

I am the lucky owner of a couple of Monogram Dart. Both are the original release, so the mouldings are sharp and there are no warping issues. Well, I have to say that in my opinion this kit does not really need any resin or etched aftermarket.

Cockpit, weapons and undercarriage bays are so detailed that I almost do not see room for improvement, the additional detail would not be worth the cost. No match comparing this kit to modern Trumpeter or Hobby Boss releases.

But maybe I am wrong.

You are not wrong. I also think the kit needs no additions. I built one ages ago and just managed to get another, along with two F-102's. Both are excellent kits.

Finished1LeftFront.jpg

Julien

Edited by Julien (UK)
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The main fir problems with the Monogram kit is in the fuselage just behind the wings and makes the rest of the rear fuselage a problem. Also there is a gap where the top and bottom wings meet as well as the verticle tail meet. These have always been there.

I want to do a "tub" conversion and do have the Falcon set but I'd rather have the C & H set to work on. My idea is to have two 106s and a T-33 from the 5th FIS and maybe put in the F-15A since they were all operated at the same time.

There's a couple things I'm going to need, a new front windscreen, a good color for the "B" model canopy and a way to mount a gun under the "A" model. I heard some one suggest a early F-4E nose mount would work I have a drawing and picture of the hud so I can build that.

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