Faust Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 If there’s one thing I love about modelling, it’s when someone makes a kit of something a bit different, esoteric or just plain weird in some way. I normally don’t even care if the kit’s not the greatest thing going. Heck, my collection of Farpros and Frogs are proof of that. However, one brand has nothing but my scorn; Airfix. I’ve built a couple of old Airfixes, and I swore never again. It saddens me, though, because they have such odd stuff in their line; greats like the Boulton Paul Defiant and Fairey Battle! I have long wanted a good, 1/72 kit of both of these. When the “New Airfix” announced the Defiant I couldn’t help but get excited. I have built a couple of the New Airfix kits, and find them good, but not without their issues. Still, the new Defiant should be light years ahead of the old one! For some reason, it took my local shop a lot longer to get these than the dofight double with the Defiant in it! However, I didn’t care for the Do-17, so I just had to wait patiently. Thankfully, my persistence paid off the other day, and I snagged one of these oh-so-weirdly-loserish turreted ugly ducklings. This is going to go to the workbench pretty soon, so I thought I’d do an out-of-box review for it before the sprue gets all cut up! I have to say, this one looks miles better than anything I’ve seen from them; I hope that bodes well! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/172-airfix-boulton-paul-defiant-oob/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Greenghost Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 The Do-17 is a new tool kit and won't be disappointed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Faust Posted April 11, 2016 Author Share Posted April 11, 2016 Oh, that's not so bad, then! The thing is, I'm not actually a fan of German bombers. Like most of continental Europe, they just never really got what bombers were supposed to be about. If you're going to have a two engined bomber, I'd rather have a B-25 or a B-26, personally. I hope the plastic on the bomber kits is strong enough so the landing gear can support it. I worry with Airfix plastic being so flimsy. I'm quite worried about my 1/72 Lanc B.II, actually! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 I have seen a couple of the new tool Lancaster kits built and there are no issues with the integrity of the undercarriage struts. I have a few of the Lancaster kits and have no qualms about them and the strength of the gear. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve N Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 If you're going to have a two engined bomber, I'd rather have a B-25 or a B-26, personally. I'm hoping that Arifix might give us a new-tool B-25C/D in 1/72. Hasegawa doesn't seem interested in adapting their J kit, and to me the ancient Italeri B-25s are more caricatures than scale models, with all kinds of shape errors. SN Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K5054NZ Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 I second the comments about the new Lanc - no undercarriage issues and a really nice build. Not much filler needed except a little along the spine seam. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Faust Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 Glad to hear that about the Lanc. I wanted a B.II for so long, that I was willing to risk it. I guess Airfix might finally have gotten their act together, eh? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mawz Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 (edited) Glad to hear that about the Lanc. I wanted a B.II for so long, that I was willing to risk it. I guess Airfix might finally have gotten their act together, eh? They did around 5-6 years ago, once the new team Hornby hired got a little experience under their belt. There's still been a few oopses (the less that's said about their MiG-16 the better) BTW, that's their previous Defiant, the new one is the 1.48 kit that was released a couple months ago ;-) Edited May 8, 2016 by mawz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Flankerman Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 (the less that's said about their MiG-16 the better) Their MiG-15 was quite awful as well........ Ken Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mawz Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Their MiG-15 was quite awful as well........ :whistle:/> Ken I said MiG-16 for a reason ;-) It's like it was halfway between a -15 and a -17 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
K5054NZ Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Glad to hear that about the Lanc. I wanted a B.II for so long, that I was willing to risk it. I'm guessing (hoping?) they're broadly similar, but my experience was with the B.I(FE)/B.III. Hopefully the B.II is as lovely - the Lanc and the big Tamiya Mosquito are the best-fitting kits I've ever built. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Faust Posted May 10, 2016 Author Share Posted May 10, 2016 BTW, that's their previous Defiant, the new one is the 1.48 kit that was released a couple months ago ;-) Well, technically, I guess it's "previous" by that standard. However, I'm comparing to the old travesty of the ancient Airfix kit that we've been forced to suffer with for so long. Compared to that one, this one is brand new! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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