thierry laurent

Converting an AGM-84 Harpoon may be easier than starting with a Kormoran.

Hi, the title says it all. Does anybody know if such translations were really published or if they were just a bunch of typed pages that were transmitted to some happy few? I saw references to them on the J-planes site and Charles put four of them in his database but besides that it looks like such translations disappear from the surface of earth...!?! Actually, I have never seen anything on evilbay or even anywhere else for years! Any clue? Thanks in advance Thierry

There is no offer for such Japanese missiles. So, you are on your own for that antiship model. GT resin has the exhausts you need. Adding two good seats would also noticeably improve the cockpit without a tremendous effort and investment. Other elements are up to you. Personally, I hate so much the simplified variramps details that I allocated a lot of time to correct the area (AMS and GT resin have such parts). However, what is a problem for somebody may be a very minor issue for somebody else! Resin wheels may also be a good idea if you do not like vinyl tires. Hth Thierry

They made some improvements when they released the B-17F (e.g. they removed the infamous step in the floor of the radio compartment). The sprues for which such changes were still applicable for the B-17G were accordingly used for that "new" release. Besides that and the decals, there are no major changes. Hth Thierry

Here's the set I mentioned : http://www.modeldesignconstruction.co.uk/mall/productpage.cfm/ModelDesignConstruction/_CV32031/54286/Me109 K4 Cockpit And here's the other option: http://www.eagle-editions.com/eagleparts-fine-cast-resin-parts-to-update-or-modify-model-kits/bf-109-1-32-resins/bf-109-k-cockpit-kit.html Both are excellent! I do not think Aires ever released a Kurfurst cockpit set. Thierry

MDC made one. It was initially made for the Hasegawa kit but may be used in the Trumpeter kit as the kits have very similar cross sections at that level.

By the way I forgot mentioning that the Green Arrow Zero book also had a sketch showing the floatation bags configuration (P. 163).

Cutting edge released some in a Vietnam Phantom 1/32 decal set but this was a looooong time ago. Caracal released far more recently a postwar sheet with ANG grey birds that had essentially similar markings. You mainly need to add the TAC badge on the tail.

They are close to perfect enlarged copies. I had both kits in my hand and can confirm it. This explains why the Hobbycraft kit details are so basic: What is nice in 1/48th is a little bit crude in 1/32nd!

Thanks very much! I ordered the white ones as well as the spark plug parts.

It is a very nice set but it has two drawbacks: First the windshield is far too thick. It would already be excessivley thick for armored glass. So you can imagine the issue when you know that part was made of normal hardened glass! Second, the cockpit parts are limited to two additional parts. This is not really correct. There were other changes on both sides. Just to give two obvious examples: the spare gunsight lamp holder should obviously be removed and the lever intended to open the shutter protecting the belly camera window is missing. Last, the three big oxygen bottles stored horizontally behind the seat are also missing. As most people do not know well such reco variants, this is not very obvious. So, solving such issues mainly depends on the level of accuracy you want to get. I'm using such parts on an hybrid kit made of parts from the Revell Mk II and IX. This simplified the wing conversion tasks but complicates noticeably the nose, canopy and rear wheel changes! Hth BR Thierry

3 cm, so 22.5mm in 1/32nd scale. Ouch! I never had a look at the Trumpy D/G as I already had the Hasegawa kits but thought they globally looked OK. It really looks like we should not always believe our eyes! Thanks for the detection of the problem as this IS a major error. I am amazed to see so many Stuka kits have so different fuselages lengths as a similar discussion occured years ago about the length of the Revell Bertha!

Well, I recently discussed with a large aftermarket company the release of that item. The result is that I'm currently gathering all the technical data for them. So, that lack of accessory will disappear in the future!

Here's the Scalemates description of that Eagle Strike sheet: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/eagle-strike-productions-32018-mitsubishi-zero-zen--176735 and for the earlier type: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/eagle-strike-productions-32025-a6m2-zero-model-11-21--280687 Hth Thierry

Very nice! Hopefully, now that you had to go the hard way somebody will understand that this topic deserves a large scale kit!!!