Vintage Kit Build #1 - The Worst Kit You'll Ever Build?

I’m going to start by saying I have fond memories of Airfix kits, I grew up making them. So imagine my surprise when I found out that this kit was exactly one of those kits I built as a child, it hadn’t changed! By today’s standards it’s a really bad kit, much as I like a bit of nostalgia I have to wonder why kits like this aren’t retired.

I would imagine that given its pric of £5.99 (I actually got mine for £1.99 a few months ago) it would be picked up by novices and I have to wonder how many would continue with the hobby after trying to build something like this. Airfix are producing wonderful kits with their recent releases (some of which we’ll be looking at soon) and I feel it’s such a shame for the brand if someone chooses this one and misses out on one of the others.

So what is it like? It’s basic, really basic. The cockpit consists of just a seat, but that shouldn’t be too much of an issue given the thickness of the clear parts, you’ll never see inside this one.

The fit is deplorable, the base of the tail just doesn’t exist and so you’ll be sculpting it yourself. The wheel wells seem to contain plastic wedges which are presumably there to support the ill-fitting wheel covers should you choose to do an in-flight version. Add to this an instruction sheet that fails to mention adding weights to the nose to prevent it becoming a tail-sitter and the landing gear down  option is an equal recipe for disaster.

Next up, the marking options. The box clearly shows a P-39N (with guns mounted in the wing, not below as they were in the P-39Q). The marking diagrams also clearly show two options for a P-39N but the parts are for a P-39Q. I think this lack of attention to detail is just unforgivable.

 

Now despite this I’m not going to completely right off this kit, the decals look to be good quality and the colour schemes are interesting if you want to attempt a P-39N conversion. If you want a basic but inaccurate build straight out of the box then it can be done.

 

Mine will be pressed into service in my "Experimental"s, a special unit whose duties will include being painted and stripped, over and over. A task this one will perform admirably, I’m sure.

The to do list

So a quick look at my to do list for the rest of the year.

This lot comes courtesy of Academy Hobby Model Kits, (and my wallet), all in 1/72 scale, all Second World War aircraft.

First up is the P-39Q/N kit. I'd like to do this one in a VVS (Soviet) colour scheme as Soviet aircraft from this time is an area of particular interest to me. Second will be a P-51B Mustang, I'm undecided between a well known USAAF scheme or a lesser known RAF (Polish) version. Truth is, if the build goes well, I'll probably end up getting another one and doing both.

After those two comes the F6F-3/5 Hellcat kit, typical US Navy colours but by then I figure it'll be fun to paint something different than Olive Drab. And rounding up I hope to finish with the infamous Hans-Ulrich Rudel's JU87G-1 Stuka and a bare metal P-47D Thunderbolt.

Plenty to be getting on with and of course they'll all be appearing here as work progresses.