Decent 1/72 Vought Kingfisher?

[peter havriluk]

A few minutes ago I conceded defeat and tossed what I considered a thorough POS kit into the trash, an early Airfix 1/72 Kingfisher.  Last straw was the spectacularly bad canopy fit.  Enough.  Life's too short.

 

So...is there a decent 1/72 Kingfisher out there in model-land?  I ain't trying for fancy, just buildable and presentable if assembled out of the box. 

 

Thanks very much.

Edited October 21, 2016 by peter havriluk

[Steve N]

The ancient Lindbergh kit looks OK when built up.  Fit is decent, although it's pretty basic and I'm not sure how accurate it is.  I've got a limited run kit somewhere, I think from Octopus or somesuch..but it pretty "fiddly" and as I recall has vacuform canopies.  I really wish Airfix would give us a new-tool 1/72 Kingfisher..especially since they've already done the Wildcat, early P-40, Zero and Kate.

[peter havriluk]

The last straw for me was a product of the monstrously lousy canopy sections' fits with the fuselage, in all directions; too narrow at the base, not mating with each other, snaggletoothed height alignments, nonexistent match between windshield and pilot's canopy sections, huge mismatches between observer canopy sections.  Did the Lindbergh canopy fit well enough not revolt an observer?  'Basic' modelling is not a problem, it will be a shelf model.  Simple is nice compared to poor execution of ambitious features.  But it ought to look like all the parts were meant for the same model.

[Hal Marshman Sr]

It's most unfortunate, that the model companies do not recognize just how popular that old ugly, but charismatic airplane really is. Outside of the ancient Monogram kit, this bird is not well served in 1/48th, either.

[DonSS3]

As mentioned above, the Lindberg kit is your only other option in 1/72. It is a bit (ok, a LOT) lacking in detail. But as I recall it went together pretty easily and looked pretty good built up. After all these years, I can't remember if it had the beaching gear included or not, and I think it had the dreaded raised panel lines (which in the eyes if many make it an unbuildable kit). 

Edited October 22, 2016 by DonSS3

[dogsbody]

No beaching gear on the Lindberg kit.

 

Chris

[Steve N]

I just dragged my old Lindbergh Kingfisher out of The Stash, and found I had put an Airfix kit in the box with it, allowing a side-by-side comparison.  The Lindbergh canopies are definitely better, although there's no interior to speak of.  Lindbergh's surface detail is basic, but the panel lines are engraved (albeit a bit heavy.)  Wings and horizontal stab are one-peice (wing is top and bottom halves) so you have to assemble the fuselage halves around them.  Engine is a simple generic front molded into the cowling.  Float struts are noticeably thicker than Airfix.  The underside of Lindbergh's main float lacks the double-concave surface, which airfix captures.  No beaching gear with the Lindbergh kit, although there are a pair of wheels for optional wheeled landing gear.

 

Looks like your best bet might be to use Lindbergh for the basic airframe, combined with the floats, struts, beaching gear, engine and smaller detail bits from the Airfix kit.  At least until someone comes up with a new-tool kit (note: the engine appears to be missing from my Airfix kit, so I can't comment as to its accuracy.)

 

SN

Edited October 22, 2016 by Steve N

[peter havriluk]

Thanks, folks.  I found a Lindbergh kit online for magazine money, and it's paid for.  Canopy alone is enough of an improvement over the Airfix. 

[barkin mad]

I recall building one from Revell a long time ago. No idea whose kit it actually was but it came with both floats and wheeled gear.

 

--------------------

 

[DonSS3]

I remember the Monogram kit in 1/48, but I can't remember a 1/72 Revell kit.

[dogsbody]

If I remember it right, the Airfix engine isn't anything worth writing home about. The front of the gear casing is too big around and flat-faced.

 

Chris

[DonSS3]

Plus it had the raised rivets detail that was so popular at Airfix when this kit was designed. IIRC, the main float struts were separate parts that fit none to secure...

[Loach Driver]

It is possible to build a nice model from the Airfix kit. It just requires some skill!

 

http://www.blitz72.com/2011/07/not-your-average-kingfisher/

 

I have the build article of this model in one of the recent Airfix "Build and Convert" books. The model was built by Mike Grant and he used a Falcon clear vac canopy amongst other refinements to improve his model.

 

LD.

[kiwikitbasher]

The best 1/72 kit is by Octopus (a Pavla brand) but as a limited run kit needs some work:

http://modelingmadness.com/scott/allies/previews/pavla/72025.htm

 

Airfix's kit is I think a better basis than Lindberg's, but you will need a Falcon Vac-from canopy to fix its greatest weakness, Set No.1: US Navy World War II (part 1):

http://www.falconmodels.co.nz/clearvax/set01.html

 

AZ Model have announced their intention to release a new tool Kingfisher in 1/72 for early 2017 (see bottom post in linked page):

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234931186-azmodellegatoadmiral-wwii-aircraft-comments-questions-and-wishes/&page=46#comment-2484671

[peter havriluk]

I just looked at the pictures that Loach Driver posted of his Airfix Kingfisher.  Mercy, that's just spectacularly gorgeous.  And I know what he started with.   I'll see if I can execute a shelf model from the Linberg kit that will be fit to put on the shelf with its friends. Nothing at all like the pictures Loach Driver presents.