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Airfix Mustang


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All,

 

I just received an email from Airfix announcing their release of their new tool 1/48th scale P-51D Mustang, and I have a question regarding their box art.  Do any of you out there in ARC land think that the box art looks "right".  When I first pulled up the email and saw the picture before I read the caption, my first thought it was something German, and I didn't see the classic lines of the P-51D that I was use to seeing in other pictures and box art.  What say you on this post.

 

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

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looks fine to me. I think the love drab glare panel, plus the rocket tubes behind the nose, combined with the angle of the plane, hides the nose profile a bit. Between that and the weird shadow around the wing root, it does make it look a little wonky, but overall there isn't much wrong that I can tell.

 

Any one else see anything that I may be missing?

 

Sean

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1015635-15655-87-pristine.jpg

I think it looks fine to me. Although had they not banked the aircraft so steeply to port it would have improved the overall look. That little bit of the starboard rocket tube sticking out by the propeller/spinner throws things off a bit and could have been avoided with a slightly less banked attitude. They also could have left out the black flak cloud behind and under the port wing and lower fuselage. But hey, I am looking forward to this kit and the second markings option :thumbsup:.

 

Regards,

Don.

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Well, I took another look at it and the nose just still doesn't look right to me.  There is a black shadow all the way around the prop hub and a spot at the bottom that almost looks like a radiator intake that I know does not exist.  It almost appears like a "hump" just aft of the propeller hub.  Just compare the box art with the smooth transition from the hub to the fuselage as it appears on the small silhouette on the box.  The fuselage itself looks a bit better to me once I took into account the banking to port, but that nose still looks wookie (pun intended) to me.

 

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

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I can see where Ken is coming from. I just think the angle Airfix chose for the Mustang wasn't the greatest. This brought about that needless tiny piece of starboard rocket tube protruding right where the spinner, prop and upper cowl all meet. Add the spinner and prop blur and it messes with your senses (well...messes with my senses at least LOL).  But hey, kudos to Airfx for stepping up their box art the last few years:thumbsup:.  I have really enjoyed the new red box look and the new kits that have been inside. Remember these oldies:

186879-12999-pristine.jpg

120369-14972-27-pristine.jpg

  123061-10346-pristine.jpg

Not my favorite era for Airfix box art wise.

 

But like DonSS3 points out, its what's in the box that really counts. Airfix has been hitting some homeruns with me lately so I am really excited for this kit.

 

Regards,

Don

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It looks very nice in the box. There is no option to do an early P-51D without the fin fillet from this boxing as both  fin options have the fillet.  Flaps can be installed either raised or lowered  One propeller option given which is the Hamilton standard cuffed. There are three canopies and two windshields on the clear sprue. There are no rockets(apart from the bazooka type) or stubs included but there are flashed over holes in the bottom of the wings.

Edited by Stephen
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On 21/10/2017 at 3:38 PM, SonyKen said:

Well, I took another look at it and the nose just still doesn't look right to me.  There is a black shadow all the way around the prop hub and a spot at the bottom that almost looks like a radiator intake that I know does not exist.  It almost appears like a "hump" just aft of the propeller hub.  Just compare the box art with the smooth transition from the hub to the fuselage as it appears on the small silhouette on the box.  The fuselage itself looks a bit better to me once I took into account the banking to port, but that nose still looks wookie (pun intended) to me.

 

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

 

I can't see what you are talking about, what shadow? And what spot at the bottom? It all looks good and Mustang like to me.

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I don't have the kit as its not out here in the U.S. that I can find, but for those overseas who do have it is this what the Airfix fuselage looks like:

 

http://imodeler.com/2016/11/new-airfix-148-p-51d-mustang-sprue-preview/

And the tail:

http://imodeler.com/2016/11/new-airfix-148-p-51d-mustang-sprue-preview/

EDIT: I can't directly link to picks of the fuselage and tail...scroll down to the picks and see for yourself. Sorry.

 

If so, then perhaps this boxing only has the parts and markings options for filleted 'D's' and perhaps a later boxing will come with the parts and markings options for a non- filleted 'D' version? If the pictures I linked do show the Airfix fuselage and fin then they sure look like they can handle a non-filleted 'D' fin to me.

 

Yes? No?

 

Regards,

Don

Edited by Don
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14 hours ago, randypandy831 said:

Judging from the cad photos, I thought it was suppose to have the early tail option? Another missed opportunity I guess. Hopefully eduard will get it straight. 

 

You must have seen some CAD images that I haven't, because I've only seen the filleted tail. The fin is separate because there are two types ( panel differences ). Airfix may do the filletless tail in a furture boxing hopefully. Though I'm not that impressed with the molding quality from what I've seen - there's quite a few fasteners that blend into panel lines, which is a shame as they are doing some nice work just let down by poor molding.

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I don't see the shadow all the way around the prop hub, but I do see a blur from the spinning prop.  As for the scoop under the nose, all Merlin engine mustangs have them, so its supposed to be there.

 

Since there are flashed over rocket mount holes on the lower wings, does this mean Airfix will be releasing a post-war or Korean War version, with a cuff-less prop?

Edited by afspret
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  • 2 weeks later...
2 hours ago, panzercreations said:

one thing I don't understand about airfix with these new kits...they take the effort to put rivets on this planes wings...but their new B-17 and B-25 have none at all... makes no sense! 

It's a scale thing...you might see some large rivets (or more likely fasteners) in 1/48 but not in 1/72 that you are referring to. By the way the new B-25 hasn't been released yet so you can't have seen it to make such a comment. The B-17 is a beautiful kit and I am working on the RAF Fortress III release right now. The fit is amazing...

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photos of their B25 built have been displayed, and it has none... but the point is.. they put them on the P-51, so modelers need to go back and fill them in... yet don't put them on the planes that should have them?  take a look at images of B17s in the air ..even when theyre far enough away to be even smaller than a 1/72 model you can still see rivets 

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It's still a scale representation thing. I note present kit trends (not just Airfix) of differences like little or no rivets in 1/72,  indented rivets in many 1/48 kits and then raised rivets in 1/32 kits. I remember when many people used to strip off the raised rivets on old Airfix kits before they built them too. Nothing to stop you putting some on if you want them personally but I'm happy with their new 1/72 kits. As to the Mustang I suppose many might fill most of the rivets on the wings for WWII vintage machines but the kit is set up for several variants and for example the wings wouldn't be filled on Korean war machines (holes for rocket stubs) as I understand. I  personally would prefer to fill rather than rivet but to each their own and most probably don't care. 

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