AerMacchi C.202

[Troy Molitor]

This cracks me up.  

A kit manufacturer makes a wonderful IM Macchi C.202.  A lovely idea on a wonderful Italian WWII aircraft, hands down.  

Then the flood of after market companies put out numerous accessories to accurately make a better /enhanced C.202 which just about doubled the original price to an already overpriced single engined WWII kit.  I wish this wasn't so complicated, but really?  

I'll pass.  Crazy.  

[quang]

3 hours ago, Troy Molitor said:

Then the flood of after market companies put out numerous accessories to accurately make a better /enhanced C.202 which just about doubled the original price to an already overpriced single engined WWII kit.  I wish this wasn't so complicated, but really?  

In fact, it’s not that complicated.

The aftermarket add-ons for the Italeri kit all come from 2 sources: the Di Terlizzi’s article and @mc65 museum photos on this forum.

If these sources (the Di Terlizzi text and mainly Paolo’s fabulous photos) were available when I was building my kit, it would have made my task far easier and more accurate.

Apart from the disputable nose cone and some rather minor details (flap actuator cover…c’mon), the corrections are well within the abilities of an average modeller using the provided kit parts and a small amount of scratch building.

After all the italeri kit is far from the nightmare that some want us to believe if we consider the fine OOB examples that @shadowmare and @jimvit built in this forum.

 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Quang

[thierry laurent]

Indeed, this is not because aftermarket exists that we cannot do easily most of the work ourselves. This just asks for a little bit of time and effort. And more specifically there is just one major issue in the kit: the spinner. The rest if fine-tuning and cherries on the cake but far from being mandatory. Last, even the spinner can be corrected. Shorten it, cut some slots from the top to half-size and re-glue the sections together before sanding. Problem solved: more rounded profile, shortened height and narrower tip hole!

[mozart]

Indeed, one could easily ask if we, as modellers, have come to rely too much on the AM route for refining our models….have we lost the ability or will power to use our skills to make our own parts or corrections? In my recent quest about 250lb bombs for my planned Hurribomber I was, I admit, delighted that Tim not only provided the bombs but also the carriers, however I was perfectly prepared to scratch build the latter if needs be. 

Edited December 24, 2023 by mozart

[Steve Eagle]

Some modeling skills required The biggest problem I’ve run into is the tubes included for the engine. Will replace them with solder wire. They were too stiff and caused the engine position to be off. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it  I am really enjoying the build actually. 

[Troy Molitor]

All great points gent's.  Thank you for your replies.  I just think the easy fixes (aftermarket parts, etc) and for your scratch building capabilities can fix a majority of the issues, yes.  However, you're still stuck with trench like panel lines and a wonky spinner and the initial price of the kit with some other issues.  Put this into perspective for corrective aftermarket purchases for the 202 (if one chooses) and the price of a Tamiya Mossie kit cost wise.  I have PCM 202's and a couple 21st Century 202's in the stash and yet I really want to buy this kit. I know I'll want the after market for it as well.  I also don't have the Mossie in my stash so just a point of reference in price I'm making.  

 

Merry Christmas and keep the replies coming.  Alway enjoy the LSP friendly community banter.

 

Cheers,

Troy   

[MikeMaben]

14 hours ago, Troy Molitor said:

        Merry Christmas and keep the replies coming.

...and happy holidays to you too Troy.

[hal9001]

Price is a market variable, not strictly a kit quality; what applies to USA does not generally represent the "whole globe".

In Europe you can easily buy the kit for 85€(95$) and, with a little patience and some search, even for 75€ (83$)...that's what I paid and for such a level of price I can't complain. To give some perpective, in Europe we pay 65€(71$) for an Hasegawa P-47 (and they are almost impossible to find). Hasegawa kits are miles better as surface detail BUT they give nothing more (only a pilot), no engine, no deep interior details, even no seatbelts! You have to buy them at extra cost and still you have a serious problem with the engine and cowling alignement that requires some surgery... reshaping a prop spinner or correct the rib stitchings should not be a too daunting task for any medium-level modeller....and anyway how many aftermarket spinners were sold to correct Hasegawa BF-109s?

Modelling market is a business and as such every player tries to get a slice of the pie, you're the only judge of your money, but nothing is "mandatory" and some things are almost "futile" (not to say useless like the Eduard set for the 1/32 Macchi). Recent Tamiya 1/32 kits are almost "perfect", nontheless there are tons of aftermarket sets worth many times the already high price of the kits...do you really need them?

I'm not a fan of Italeri, they're one of the worst money scrounger on the modelling market, but their 1/32 kits are the only reason I keep an eye on their catalogue.

Merry Xmas from me, my lasagna and my bottle of Chianti...

 

P.S.The name Aermacchi only applies to the post WWII production

Edited December 25, 2023 by hal9001