Airfix new tool 1/72 Vulcan

[Dave Williams]

Just got the kit that I ordered off eBay today, and WOW!  Big improvement over the old Airfix kit, but to be fair, the original was a relatively old kit.  Lots of options in the box (not all used or mentioned), so you can pretty much build any standard B.2.  About the only thing missing is the special pylons and armament for the Black Buck raids, although flashed over holes in the lower wing suggest that will be coming in a future release.

[ElectroSoldier]

I got mine too, I didnt open it yet, but Im also rather excited about it. Ive built a couple over the years, the first many many decades ago, the second time around I make a better job of the fusalage and wing joints.

 

I also would like to build one of the Shrike armed Operation Black Buck aircraft. Im not sure if this will be done by Airfix, I do remember C-Scale did conversion set for it as thats the one I used the second time I built the kit about 25-30 years ago...

 

Aftermarket industry wheels grind slowly, but when they do they make a good job if it.

[Dave Williams]

I opened mine because I wanted to make sure it was OK.  There are reports of QC issues with some of the kits over at Britmodeler (short shot parts, two sets of bottom wings, but no top wings, etc.). Fortunately mine was OK.  

I’m sure they will do a Black Buck as a release.  There is a “missing” area on one of the sprues, and there are flashed over holes in the lower wings in the correct positions for the underwing pylons.  It seems very unlikely that they would do only one release of the kit, and Airfix clearly know the popularity of the Black Buck Vulcans as they’ve reissued the old kit in those markings (but without the correct details).  Besides, next year is the 40th anniversary.  Airfix would have to be completely brain dead not to do this.

[ElectroSoldier]

Oh right. Thanks for the heads up. I didnt know that. Ill have to have a look, make sure mines ok.

 

I think you might be right about another release, they would be missing a trick if they dont release a Black Buck version, but COVID does seem to have pushed many things back a year or two because of production schedules...
I do know its happened to a few companies now.

[BillS]

Although not beyond the reach of most serious modelers, the ECM fairing on the fin will have to be cobbled up. Betcha someone does a resin rendition. Otherwise most color scheme options will be the full color ones.

[Stefan buysse]

4 hours ago, BillS said:

Although not beyond the reach of most serious modelers, the ECM fairing on the fin will have to be cobbled up. Betcha someone does a resin rendition. Otherwise most color scheme options will be the full color ones.

Hi, Bill.

 

I don't have one (yet), but I believe that parts 7 and 8 on this sprue have this fairing. Top of the sprue, just left of the middle.

sprue5.jpg (1024×768) (britmodeller.com)

 

I gather that there are many alternate parts in the box, just not the ones for the Falklands version.

 

Cheers, Stefan.

Edited July 16, 2021 by Stefan buysse

[Dave Williams]

Yes, there are many alternate and unused parts in the box.  
 

• Four nose options (smooth, IFR probe only, TFR only, both TFR and IFR probe),
• plain fin top or fin top with ARI 18228,
• Olympus 201 or 301 exhausts,
• single emitter or dual emitter X-band head for under the tail,
• both port and starboard counterpoise ECM plates, with the starboard plate option of original three Red Shrimp domes, or rear dome replaced by an L-band antenna,
• early and late UHF antennas
• also, there are many late details molded on the surface that can be removed for earlier aircraft, or those that didn’t have them, like Doppler radar antenna, and Skybolt attachment blisters.

The only things missing for a Falklands Vulcan are the underwing pylons and stores (Shrikes and ALQ-101 pod), and decals of course.

[ElectroSoldier]

Maybe Airfix will be a small update pack like they did for the Valiant model

[Dave Williams]

I guess it’s possible, but the “missing” area on one of the sprues seems to suggest another full release with extra parts is on the way.  If they did a small update pack, it seems more likely that it would be for a Vulcan K.2 tanker.

 

In any case, we won’t know until it happens.

[ElectroSoldier]

Thats true.

A B.1 version would be nice too. 
I built one years ago from a conversion which I think was DB Productions. I seem to remember it was the only way to build a B.1 with the straight wing leading edges. 

[Dave Williams]

A B.1 would require massive changes to the very large wing parts.  Only very few B.1s were built with the straight wing, production swapping over pretty quickly to Phase 2 kinked wing.  I believe the straight wing B.1s were retrofitted with the Phase 2 wing.  That said, even the B.1’s kinked wing would require revision of the wing parts since the B.2s used the Phase 2C wing, which was greater in span.

[ElectroSoldier]

Yeah I didnt think it was a small thing to make it. All four wing pieces would need replacing as would the tail. The early version was more pointed 

[Falcon053]

I wanted to build the Vulcan that was stolen in Thunderball, but its a B.1 version. If Airfix comes out with a B.1, that would be moved to the top of the build list.

Edited July 16, 2021 by Falcon053

[Dave Williams]

In stock at Sprue Brothers.

 

https://spruebrothers.com/afx12011-1-72-airfix-avro-vulcan-b-2/