gwana

Why not both? Eduard already does it. Armor manufacturers offer a "basic" kit, as well as their own branded add-on packs with extra detail. They can design the whole thing keeping the engine sprue and/or gun bay sprue separate. Sell upgrade packs (at a premium), then after a while bring out a Special Edition with those sprues in the box.

Why not both? Eduard already does it. Armor manufacturers offer a "basic" kit, as well as their own branded add-on packs with extra detail. They can design the whole thing keeping the engine sprue and/or gun bay sprue separate. Sell upgrade packs (at a premium), then after a while bring out a Special Edition with those sprues in the box.

Why not both? Eduard already does it. Armor manufacturers offer a "basic" kit, as well as their own branded add-on packs with extra detail. They can design the whole thing keeping the engine sprue and/or gun bay sprue separate. Sell upgrade packs (at a premium), then after a while bring out a Special Edition with those sprues in the box.

Why not both? Eduard already does it. Armor manufacturers offer a "basic" kit, as well as their own branded add-on packs with extra detail. They can design the whole thing keeping the engine sprue and/or gun bay sprue separate. Sell upgrade packs (at a premium), then after a while bring out a Special Edition with those sprues in the box.

This, all day long. Ace Hardware even has actual zinc chromate etching primer in green and yellow. I just wouldn't recommend decanting it and using it in your airbrush.

If the current holder of the moulds has minimal investment in R&D (let's speculate WNW had paid for a majority of mould-making costs before they went bust), then it only seems like good business that *someone* tries to get a return on all of this work. What's the point of acquiring the moulds otherwise? Or (speculation) let's say they were partnering with Meng or another Chinese venture to do the actual sprue pops. Meng, et al retain ownership of the moulds because WNW either sold them off or failed to pay them off. Now what? Melt them down? Put them in a warehouse like Raiders of the Lost Ark? Or invest just a little more in instructions, boxing, and decals and put in on shelves. It only makes sense to produce this model if it was 98% complete anyway.

If the current holder of the moulds has minimal investment in R&D (let's speculate WNW had paid for a majority of mould-making costs before they went bust), then it only seems like good business that *someone* tries to get a return on all of this work. What's the point of acquiring the moulds otherwise? Or (speculation) let's say they were partnering with Meng or another Chinese venture to do the actual sprue pops. Meng, et al retain ownership of the moulds because WNW either sold them off or failed to pay them off. Now what? Melt them down? Put them in a warehouse like Raiders of the Lost Ark? Or invest just a little more in instructions, boxing, and decals and put in on shelves. It only makes sense to produce this model if it was 98% complete anyway.

If the current holder of the moulds has minimal investment in R&D (let's speculate WNW had paid for a majority of mould-making costs before they went bust), then it only seems like good business that *someone* tries to get a return on all of this work. What's the point of acquiring the moulds otherwise? Or (speculation) let's say they were partnering with Meng or another Chinese venture to do the actual sprue pops. Meng, et al retain ownership of the moulds because WNW either sold them off or failed to pay them off. Now what? Melt them down? Put them in a warehouse like Raiders of the Lost Ark? Or invest just a little more in instructions, boxing, and decals and put in on shelves. It only makes sense to produce this model if it was 98% complete anyway.

If the current holder of the moulds has minimal investment in R&D (let's speculate WNW had paid for a majority of mould-making costs before they went bust), then it only seems like good business that *someone* tries to get a return on all of this work. What's the point of acquiring the moulds otherwise? Or (speculation) let's say they were partnering with Meng or another Chinese venture to do the actual sprue pops. Meng, et al retain ownership of the moulds because WNW either sold them off or failed to pay them off. Now what? Melt them down? Put them in a warehouse like Raiders of the Lost Ark? Or invest just a little more in instructions, boxing, and decals and put in on shelves. It only makes sense to produce this model if it was 98% complete anyway.

If the current holder of the moulds has minimal investment in R&D (let's speculate WNW had paid for a majority of mould-making costs before they went bust), then it only seems like good business that *someone* tries to get a return on all of this work. What's the point of acquiring the moulds otherwise? Or (speculation) let's say they were partnering with Meng or another Chinese venture to do the actual sprue pops. Meng, et al retain ownership of the moulds because WNW either sold them off or failed to pay them off. Now what? Melt them down? Put them in a warehouse like Raiders of the Lost Ark? Or invest just a little more in instructions, boxing, and decals and put in on shelves. It only makes sense to produce this model if it was 98% complete anyway.

Probably an engineering detail to avoid a bunch of wing seams needing work in the area of the gun ports. I've done several kits where that part is a tough fit or the seams don't quite line up because the upper and lower wings weren't exactly right. They have to mold the gun port section separately to get the holes decent anyway, so might as well get the whole leading edge in 1 piece and make the seam in an actual panel line.

Probably an engineering detail to avoid a bunch of wing seams needing work in the area of the gun ports. I've done several kits where that part is a tough fit or the seams don't quite line up because the upper and lower wings weren't exactly right. They have to mold the gun port section separately to get the holes decent anyway, so might as well get the whole leading edge in 1 piece and make the seam in an actual panel line.

Memories. When I was a kid, my local hobby shop was on 3 levels. The basement had seven HO and 1/24 scale slot car tracks - drag and circuits - that you could rent by the hour. I think the longest circuit was over 200'. Plus they had games like air hockey and foosball. It was a sensation when Asteroids came out and they got one. There were lines to play after school.
 
The middle level had an amazing assortment of die-cast in display cases. I don't remember much NASCAR, but more fantasy stuff and the supercars of the time. James Bond cars with working ejector seat and pop-out machine guns, all sorts of scale construction equipment, lots of military - from tanks and other armor to Napoleon's troops and cannons. The other side of that floor was mostly model railroad and slot car items, plus a couple of aisles of dollhouse and crafty stuff.
 
Upstairs was models. Balsa models, plastic models, wooden ships, monsters, everything. Completed kits hung from the ceiling. The beginnings of mainstream RC stuff, but the radio equipment was horribly expensive and the planes were mostly Balsa and tissue. One corner had sporting goods.
 
They changed it up a few times before I moved away - got rid of the slot car tracks and put in more arcade games, and the model section got smaller and smaller as RC and sporting goods got more popular. "Hobby" became a rich-man's sport; rather than 50 customers each dropping $8.95 on a model kit and supplies, they'd wait for one guy to spend $400 on a radio and servos, only to crash his plane and never come back.

Another technique that works for me is to paint the whole thing tire color, mask to the wheel as close as possible and paint the wheel color. Then make an oil wash similar to your tire color and apply it right at the line where the wheel and tire meet. It will capillary around the perimeter and pretty much hide any overspray. You may have to repeat the wash a couple of times.

Another technique that works for me is to paint the whole thing tire color, mask to the wheel as close as possible and paint the wheel color. Then make an oil wash similar to your tire color and apply it right at the line where the wheel and tire meet. It will capillary around the perimeter and pretty much hide any overspray. You may have to repeat the wash a couple of times.

Another technique that works for me is to paint the whole thing tire color, mask to the wheel as close as possible and paint the wheel color. Then make an oil wash similar to your tire color and apply it right at the line where the wheel and tire meet. It will capillary around the perimeter and pretty much hide any overspray. You may have to repeat the wash a couple of times.

Another technique that works for me is to paint the whole thing tire color, mask to the wheel as close as possible and paint the wheel color. Then make an oil wash similar to your tire color and apply it right at the line where the wheel and tire meet. It will capillary around the perimeter and pretty much hide any overspray. You may have to repeat the wash a couple of times.

Just speaking to the engine kit itself I'll say this: Given the chance to do it again, I'd probably just download the Eduard instructions and use them to superdetail the Tamiya engine. Much of the Eduard detail is extra plumbing that they expect you to supply via lead wire. The engine block, oil pan, valve covers, etc were not all that much better than Tamiya's plastic parts - in fact the Tamiya intake manifold is superior so I used it on the Eduard engines. All the major stuff is already there on Tamiya's engine, it just needs to be connected with hoses and wires.

The same engine sprues are used in both Tamiya kits, so if it fits in the Mosquito, it should fit in the Spitfire.
 
That said, the biggest problem with the Eduard engines is that they're detailed - but they're the wrong engines for most WWII aircraft - including the Tamiya kit they're meant for. The engines they depict are the Merlin XX, which were mostly in the Lancaster, possibly some early prototype Mosquitoes, and the MkII Spit IIRC. The Mosquito used the Merlin 25 mostly, which is visibly different than the XX offered by the Eduard kit. It's a quibble, but it's like getting a modern Camaro model with a 1990's LT1 engine in it. Sure, it's a V-12, but it's the wrong block, wrong supercharger, wrong magnetos, wrong ignition system, and the wrong cooling system. But it sure looks nice! I have the set, and I'm working on making them into 25's for my Mossie.
 
Tamiya's Merlin seems to be purposefully vague - it's missing most of the details that define the variants. They just supply a few different superchargers.
 
 
 

The same engine sprues are used in both Tamiya kits, so if it fits in the Mosquito, it should fit in the Spitfire.
 
That said, the biggest problem with the Eduard engines is that they're detailed - but they're the wrong engines for most WWII aircraft - including the Tamiya kit they're meant for. The engines they depict are the Merlin XX, which were mostly in the Lancaster, possibly some early prototype Mosquitoes, and the MkII Spit IIRC. The Mosquito used the Merlin 25 mostly, which is visibly different than the XX offered by the Eduard kit. It's a quibble, but it's like getting a modern Camaro model with a 1990's LT1 engine in it. Sure, it's a V-12, but it's the wrong block, wrong supercharger, wrong magnetos, wrong ignition system, and the wrong cooling system. But it sure looks nice! I have the set, and I'm working on making them into 25's for my Mossie.
 
Tamiya's Merlin seems to be purposefully vague - it's missing most of the details that define the variants. They just supply a few different superchargers.
 
 
 

Great video, but I hardly think it counts as a  '109 in a crate'. No fuselage, engine, or wings, and 90% of the sheet metal they have is repopped. It's a good start to a 109 restoration kit and I appreciate the work and passion, but it's not a broken down 109 in a box. It's a number plate and a bunch of hardware. It would kind of be like having a VIN, a bumper and an ashtray and claiming you had a '69 Shelby Mustang.

Read the full review and I like it. All kits have shortcomings, and pointing them out is the whole point of a review, I don't see you trash-talking the kit at all. Personally I'm going to wait for the WnW kit to drop before I make a decision, but I'd much rather see a "No BS" review than some glowing praise just because there's a lot of plastic in the box. I'm not too personally invested in how precisely a model conforms to a specific real-world specimen - I'm more interested in the engineering of the kit and how much enjoyment I'll get out of it. I want to see sink marks, ejector pins, seams (or lack thereof). Crisp or soft edges (the engines on this one and HK's Mossie do not impress me, for example).

Read the full review and I like it. All kits have shortcomings, and pointing them out is the whole point of a review, I don't see you trash-talking the kit at all. Personally I'm going to wait for the WnW kit to drop before I make a decision, but I'd much rather see a "No BS" review than some glowing praise just because there's a lot of plastic in the box. I'm not too personally invested in how precisely a model conforms to a specific real-world specimen - I'm more interested in the engineering of the kit and how much enjoyment I'll get out of it. I want to see sink marks, ejector pins, seams (or lack thereof). Crisp or soft edges (the engines on this one and HK's Mossie do not impress me, for example).

Read the full review and I like it. All kits have shortcomings, and pointing them out is the whole point of a review, I don't see you trash-talking the kit at all. Personally I'm going to wait for the WnW kit to drop before I make a decision, but I'd much rather see a "No BS" review than some glowing praise just because there's a lot of plastic in the box. I'm not too personally invested in how precisely a model conforms to a specific real-world specimen - I'm more interested in the engineering of the kit and how much enjoyment I'll get out of it. I want to see sink marks, ejector pins, seams (or lack thereof). Crisp or soft edges (the engines on this one and HK's Mossie do not impress me, for example).

My dad used to do maintenance and training on the Hellcat in WWII. Master Sergeant USMC. He had a balsa and paper model that he did up with all sorts of realistic controls and had it as a control-line flying model before R/C was practical. He really had some stories on these and the Corsairs and I'm sure he'd appreciate this kit. Sadly he's long gone.