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Airfix is doing a new 1/72 B-17G!!!


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While I'm happy with the new Revell, I was happy with the old Hasegawa. And before that (long before that) I was happy with the old Revell. But this is great news because the "new Airfix" has been producing some of the best 1/72 scale kits available. Looks like late 2016 for this one, but it should be worth the wait.

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Typically not my scale, but this is exciting. The recent Airfix stuff is indeed very nice looking. I've built two of the Revell, and it's a nice kit, but the panel lines (for my taste) are just too heavy for putting NMF on, so I'll build one of these.

Cue the "do we really need another...and still there's no injection molded Obscure-o P.O.S. Mk IV. prototype" folks.

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There simply aren't enough "likes" on the entire internet to describe my feelings about this. I was very excited when Revell announced their B-17 a few years back, but the kit left me thoroughly underwhelmed. Maybe now we'll finally get a "definitive" B-17 in 1/72.

SN

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Came on here to post something about this.

Looks like they've got a wealth of information. It'll be nice to have a staggered waist Cheyenne tail straight out of the box. I'll definitely buy one and build it. If it's as good as the other offerings from airfix lately then I may dump most of the remaining 1/72 forts I have for it.

Especially if they make other versions.

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I'd love to see Airfix do an F as well, but since this kit is going to be a late Cheyenne-tail staggered waist G, they'll either have to do a serious modular breakdown of the fuselage, or tool totally separate fuselage halves altogether. Revell tried the former, which meant some serious compromises on the F (which IMHO made it even more disappointing than the G.) I must say I'm pretty stoked about this kit. I've been extremely happy with Airfix's recent efforts. Their panel lines have been getting better with each new release..my only real complaint is their canopies, which a bit thick with raised frames that are a bit too rounded for my tastes..but that's a pretty small gripe.

If Arifix is venturing into U.S. bombers, might I humbly suggest a B-25C/D? That remains a gaping hole in the 1/72 world. The only real options are the Italeri kit (which looks more like a characture of a B-25) or the old Monogram Snap-Tite kit (accurate shapes, but due to its nature short on detail.)

SN

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Did I say otherwise? The nose is far too skinny, the panel lines make Matchbox look good by comparison. But if you like it, by all means buy, fondle, build, and be happy!

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i never "called" this one, but its a perfectly logical release, continuing Airfix' tradition of replacing Jurassic kits in their lineup with contemporary ones.

I wonder if they'd consider an AD or a TBF/TBM....

david

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I'm not as much of a B-17 fan so I'll likely not buy this, but I AM glad that Airfix puts this info out there and engages with the public. I've no doubt this will be a good seller for them, and the ground vehicle set looks pretty cool too.

Now, if it was a new-tool to replace the B-29.... :woot.gif:

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Now, if it was a new-tool to replace the B-29.... :woot.gif:/>

With ya! And hopefully to be the first kit of the airplane EVER to get the cockpit windows right. Every kit ever made has had the greenhouse made up of curved panels. The first two rows of panes are actually flat to reduce optical distortion. Once you know it's there, the kit inaccuracy jumps out at you. I wouldn't hold my breath for Airfix to do one, but the RAF *did* fly them, so you never know!

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Academy "kind of" made an effort to get the cockpit windows right..the forward two rows are inset a bit, while the others are simply outlined with scribed frames. They're still not flat though. The only things about the Academy B-29 that ever bothered me were the missing cooling gills over the turbosuperchargers, and the lack of gunsights for the waist blisters. Eduard gives you the cooling louvers part of their extremely comprehensive PE set, but it's also extremely expensive and probably 50% or more of it is unnecessary or would be invisible. Nobody has made aftermarket gunsights, even though is seems like it would be a no-brainer for QuickBoost (a set of gun barrels and sights for the Academy Superfortress would be right up their alley.)

SN

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I wouldn't hold my breath for Airfix to do one, but the RAF *did* fly them, so you never know!

The RAF factor helps, but also that there's a 1:1 example at Duxford for them to LIDAR scan should help...fingers crossed!

Back to B-17 talk. Sorry!

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