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1/32 A-1J skyraider thoughts


Spaced Marine

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At do me point, I want to add a 1/32 A-1J to the collection. I've read through the forums and google searches on the ZM & Trumpeter kits. Both have pluses and minuses.

 

In your experiences, which one do you prefer and why?

 

Just trying to be thorough before laying out for such an expensive kit.

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If you are going to do 1 only and go for a show stopper.... ZM. You will need to source some stores if desired.

 

As mentioned above the trumpeter kit is cheaper, has stores, goes together well. That said the prop blades are not right and the kit does not include the large light on the vertical. Both can be fixed using aftermarket. The doors in the cowl are also not the right shape.

 

Having built both......you really can't go wrong.

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Good luck finding a Trumpeter right now. I placed ordered with two different online or ebay retailers that showed in stock with an email a week or more later that they don't know when they will ever have stock again. Finally bought a used kit off eBay for new price.

Shop carefully. Sprue Brothers didn't have the one I was looking for.

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The Skyraider is one of my favorite planes and I can tell you that the Trumpeter kit is actually NOT as bad as some people on the internet want us to believe. As a matter of fact it's one of their best. I'm currently building one and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

 

Critics always mention the Trumpy too-wide windshield and canopy. Actually comparing with the photos of the real thing, I cannot see what's wrong in the windshield. The Trumpy is obviously different from the ZM version but no one can say which version is the more correct unless one has access to measurements of the real item. In any case there's nothing detracting in the Trumpy windshield and canopy.

 

The main issue of the Trumpy is in the dorsal spine region. The profile of the kit is spot on but they missed the distinct spine extending from the base of the vertical stabilizer resulting in a fat and heavy-looking aft fuselage and vertical tail. Curiously it's something I haven't seen mentioned in the diverse forums yet. Once the spine is restored – by extensive shaving and filing – it's all downhill.

 

The other issue is the propeller whose blades are of the wrong shape and need to be replaced. AMS makes a nice set of correct A-1 blades.

 

HTH

Quang

Edited by quang
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The spine and tail difference between the two kits has not been discussed at length but it was mentioned on LSP when the Trumpy kit was released.

 

With regard to the windshield, the discrepancy is not shocking if you do not compare closely with pictures of planes. However, having done the exercise when I did the research work for the Zotz decal sheets, I estimated the width error to be close to...3mm! Not a small problem to me but I can understand others do not really care...

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Most issues arise when people compare the Trumpy kit with the ZM which costs twice the price. Being the more expensive does not make the ZM the more accurate.

 

It's true that there's a difference between the 2 windshields - 3mm is enormous in my book - but as long as the discrepancy is well 'blended' into the surrounding areas and doesn't appear shocking to the eye, it's all good.

 

I don't go around looking at models with a caliper in my right hand and a flash light in the other. But when a model looks good to my bare eye, it's good.

 

As such, the Trumpy Skyraider built by a competent modeller looks mighty fine to me.

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Well, i keep it simple, keeping in mind that both kit's have their pro's and con's, i just look at the fact that the ZM kit has internals and it's expensive. If you want a see trough, just get the ZM kit. The Trumpy kit is cheaper, and it's a decent kit for it's price. I'm planning to buy a Trumpy Skyraider, i don't even bother to look at the ZM example, saw it a couple of years ago, and i was not impressed by the content of this expensive kit.

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Just finishing up the ZM A-1J. Fabulous kit. Will be using the Trumpeter kit for my fat face Fisher A-1E. The windscreen on the Trumpeter kit just isn't right.

I'll have some spare parts left over from the Trumpeter kit as I'm using it for the A-1E conversion. If anyone needs unused parts ( like fuselage, canopy, etc) let me know-

 

Cheers

 

Pete

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The Skyraider is one of my favorite planes and I can tell you that the Trumpeter kit is actually NOT as bad as some people on the internet want us to believe. As a matter of fact it's one of their best. I'm currently building one and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

 

Critics always mention the Trumpy too-wide windshield and canopy. Actually comparing with the photos of the real thing, I cannot see what's wrong in the windshield. The Trumpy is obviously different from the ZM version but no one can say which version is the more correct unless one has access to measurements of the real item. In any case there's nothing detracting in the Trumpy windshield and canopy.

 

The main issue of the Trumpy is in the dorsal spine region. The profile of the kit is spot on but they missed the distinct spine extending from the base of the vertical stabilizer resulting in a fat and heavy-looking aft fuselage and vertical tail. Curiously it's something I haven't seen mentioned in the diverse forums yet. Once the spine is restored – by extensive shaving and filing – it's all downhill.

 

The other issue is the propeller whose blades are of the wrong shape and need to be replaced. AMS makes a nice set of correct A-1 blades.

 

HTH

Quang

I just sent Sprue a batch of prop blades. They should be added to the available listings later today or tomorrow.

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