Airfix

[KiwiZac]

Airfix is announcing its full 2017 range at 10am GMT on January 4. That's my bedtime so I'll be frantically refreshing their page on Facebook 

[KiwiZac]

The 2017 range can be found here: http://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/new-for-2017.html

No new-tool surprises except the 1/72 B-25C/D (which some saw in a recent Hornby magazine) and a few new schemes too (eg Tomahawk IIB boxings in both scales).

The anticipated Shackleton AEW.2 is there, likewise the Fortress III and a new boxing of the Meteor F.8 (x2 RAAF , x1 Dutch).

[Jeffry Fontaine]

1/48 Sea Fury!

Here's a LINK!

48th scale Sea Fury is definitely a welcome bit of news.  Looking at the teaser images (computer rendered images) there is one image that depicts the Sea Fury with a load of bombs and drop tanks but one of the drop tank shapes has no nose.  What is the intended purpose of that tank shape?  It looks like a normal drop tank shape save for the rather large open area in the front of the tank.  Link to image in question: ------> http://assets.airfix.com/media/catalog/product/cache/2/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/e/sea-fury.jpg

[GTX_Admin]

Jeff, I think you will find that the pod in question is a "underwing camera pod when employed on photographic reconnaissance duties" - refer about 4/5 down the page here.  Mind you, cut off the other end and it could be an underwing jet pod.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Thank you for that link Greg, it does confirm what I thought it was :)

[GTX_Admin]

Mind you, my searches for photos of the real thing have proved fruitless.

[kitnut617]

They must have a real one at the place where Airfix went to measure up a Sea Fury Greg ---  somewhere I've seen a post of someone saying they had seen Airfix at the place doing their measuring on a Sea Fury. I'll see if I can find it but I know it wasn't on this forum.

[GTX_Admin]

I have seen the comment re Airfix scanning/measuring up a real Sea Fury too. It is even mentioned in the article I linked to above.  That said, there are still no photos of the real pod.

[KiwiZac]

Some images have been put on Britmodeller of the Airfix stand at this year Nuremberg Toy Fair which include some colour scheme information that has not yet been added to the Airfix website  -  http://data3.primeportal.net/models/thomas_voigt11/airfix/


Phantom FG.1  -  http://data3.primeportal.net/models/thomas_voigt11/airfix/images/airfix_26_of_49.jpg

Three RN colour schemes – 892 NAS with RWR bar but before either form of nose flash was adopted ; 767 NAS ; what looks like the NASU Dayglo Stork – but nothing for the two RAF operators, 43 Sqn. which operated them from initial delivery and 111 Sqn. which converted from the FGR.2 when the FG.1 was withdrawn from naval service.


Walrus  -  http://data3.primeportal.net/models/thomas_voigt11/airfix/images/airfix_01_of_49.jpg

The box reads RAF , RN and Australian but the artwork only shows two and they are a bit too small for my eyesight.


Sea Fury  -  http://data3.primeportal.net/models/thomas_voigt11/airfix/images/airfix_09_of_49.jpg

The box read two RN examples which look like 155/R from 801 NAS on HMS Glory and 107/Q from 802 NAS on HMS Vengeance.

Great to see the Mitchell and 262 in plastic...but no Sea Fury yet...[optimism]maybe they're waiting until Sunday to show off the prototype?[/optimism]

[Spey Phantom]

im really looking forward to the Phantom, that is, if the price is right 

[The Big Gimper]

Coming in 2018, 1/72 Boeing Fortress Mk.III











More imges and full write-up can be found here in the Workbench section:

Clandestine Fortresses of the RAF: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/clandestine-fortresses-of-the-raf/

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Is there a conversion for the Fortress III in 48th scale that gives you the H2S radome to mount under the nose? 

[The Big Gimper]

Is there a conversion for the Fortress III in 48th scale that gives you the H2S radome to mount under the nose?

There is/was this Paragon kit, RAF 100 Group B-17G & B-24J/M Conversion Paragon Designs - Nr. 4893 - 1:48

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/163996-paragon-designs-4893-raf-100-group-b-17g-and-b-24j-m-conversion



There is this build thread over at Large Scale Planes using the Paragon kit: http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=32910

[GTX_Admin]

Maybe combine on with a SB-17G/PB-1G conversion to provide a RAF SAR bird.  Very subtle mod that would confuse many if done well.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Since Paragon is OOP/OOB that conversion will be quite challenging to acquire. 

I do have a spare H2S radome from the Tamiya Lancaster that could be used but that clear plastic is so unforgiving when it comes to mistakes. 

[kitnut617]

Coming in 2018, 1/72 Boeing Fortress Mk.III

Now there's one I'll be looking out for. I've got a 100 Grp conversion set in the stash for a bunch of different aircraft so this will go well with it.

[Rickshaw]

Since Paragon is OOP/OOB that conversion will be quite challenging to acquire. 

I do have a spare H2S radome from the Tamiya Lancaster that could be used but that clear plastic is so unforgiving when it comes to mistakes.

If you make a mistake, just paint the dome.  As the war progressed, most H2S domes were painted.

[Daryl J.]

I didn't know the Brits had Flying Fortresses with laser weapons under the bombardier!   Oh wait, that would be made up.   

[Rickshaw]

I didn't know the Brits had Flying Fortresses with laser weapons under the bombardier!   Oh wait, that would be made up.   

How else do you think the Nazi flying saucers were defeated?

[Jeffry Fontaine]

I didn't know the Brits had Flying Fortresses with laser weapons under the bombardier!   Oh wait, that would be made up.   

How else do you think the Nazi flying saucers were defeated?

So it was a an active defense against the notorious Foo Fighters encountered over Europe during WW2?

[FAAMAN]

Can't wait to get my grubbies on both the new Airfix Fortress kits (after I build my 5th original Airfix B-17G that is ) and maybe even the Fortress kit with the USAAF ground equipment too

[Rickshaw]

I didn't know the Brits had Flying Fortresses with laser weapons under the bombardier!   Oh wait, that would be made up.   

How else do you think the Nazi flying saucers were defeated?

So it was a an active defense against the notorious Foo Fighters encountered over Europe during WW2?

And over Asia and the Pacific at approximately the same time, although to a much lesser extent.  Foo Fighter activity became centred around the secret Nazi base in Antarctica after the official end of WWII.  The use of these Flying Fortresses in the Antarctic campaign is not well known.

[KiwiZac]

I, for one, would have welcomed our new foo fighter overlords.

[KiwiZac]

A 1/72 Vickers Wellington Ic is coming next year! https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/workbench-edition-50

[Jeffry Fontaine]

I, for one, would have welcomed our new foo fighter overlords.

You would have changed your tune once the probing got underway...