I ordered this as well (Flying Hours) - arrived Friday and I've found that my kit has exactly the same issue with the wing roots curling up. I loved the original release and I was looking forward to having another go with the nice Coastal Command scheme but this is a fairly major QC issue . Thanks for the heads up.
My first release version was in Airfix’s older, light grey plastic. It looks crisper and the panels are finer than they seem to be on your version, Gary. Odd, maybe it’s just the high magnification of the camera. Very peculiar about those wing roots.
I know what you mean; that older 'blu-tack' plastic (as some call it) was, in my opinion, better! Details were sharper, panel lines more crisp, and it was lovely to work with...
Being from the area it's nice to hear Castle Kennedy mentioned, still has an intact concrete airfield, a couple of the original hangers and brick shelters, a hidden gem really. After the war it was used for a couple of years by Silver City Airways flying Bristol Freighters.
Great review Gary! The sprue damage could be it was dropped taking it out of the mould, put the wrong way up and not corrected. Playing Russian Roulette with QC (Airfix) and mould age (Revell) damage the company's reputation and cause customers to look elsewhere like Italeri, Tamiya, ICM etc. Sadly one figure seems to be the maximum supplied in any kit - even single crew fighters often have no figure. I'd love a resin / 3D print set from an aftermarket company of say a bomb aimer, navigator, radio operator, gunner, flight engineer, but I can't see it happening.
In a way an interesting kit with a lot of parts for a 1/72 kit. However, as you were showing the sprues it looked more and more to me like a quite dated kit with the rather soft moulding and especially the figure. All in all very "Airfixy" This said we must bear in mind the price compared to competitors. I would request a new sprue from Airfix but also try the fuselage halves together to make sure they are not warped in more than one direction. To cause the whitening of the plastic requires quite a bit of force. I am thinking that this sprue has been dropped and trod on.
I definitely want to do a Beaufort soon (a Malta based example), but I don't know what to think about this kit. Exterior looks ok but the interior detail looks a bit soft for a 2020 moulding. But it's the only game in town at 1:72. Do you think the better option is to go with the 1:48 ICM kit Gary?
Hi everyone, just done the airfix Me 262 and De Havilland Vampire, both had issues with engines or wing roots. Not impressed overall with Airfix recently. Just a thought. Some good details but some less than positive points as well. Thanks for the video Gary, interesting as always. James
Received one of these ordered direct from Airfix the other day, the box is definitely lower quality than previous ones. Thinner, less rigid and poorer fitting. I'll be checking my parts now!
Production QC seems to be a running theme with Airfix. Shame that the designers have gone to the trouble of putting in protection for the wing roots and the bad packing has caused them to be bent.
It's a common theme with airfix unfortunately, and they don't seem bothered about it, getting replacements can be hit and miss as well....that's what you get when you outsource production to India and don't have any input for QC
The first generation of kits coming from India was good, in my experience. However, standards are now noticeably slipping. This is such a shame as the recent generation of Airfix kits have been well engineered with good attention to detail. This is now sadly being let down by poor QC. Production needs to be returned to the UK.
I'm disappointed for you Gary and I don't see why you shouldn't still complain. Unless you have to build it next week, you shouldn't have to accept that sort of thing. But I agree completely about the coastal command livery.
@@garys_stuff But why is the pilot figure so blobby when the rest of the kit is sharp? I don't understand. Airfix pilots used to be very sharply moulded.
I ordered this as well (Flying Hours) - arrived Friday and I've found that my kit has exactly the same issue with the wing roots curling up. I loved the original release and I was looking forward to having another go with the nice Coastal Command scheme but this is a fairly major QC issue
. Thanks for the heads up.
That is interesting - I had assumed this was one bad bit of packing. Maybe it was a heat issue in the mould. I need to talk to Airfix about this.
@@garys_stuffthanks, identical issue - same pressure marks on the sprues as well. Regards
I have the ICM 1/48 kit - very similar parts breakdown.
Great review Gary! I may invest in one once I've caught up building my existing stash of kits!
Waited for this version as it will go with the Shack, Whitley, Wellington that are already on the wall. Good review as usual.
My first release version was in Airfix’s older, light grey plastic. It looks crisper and the panels are finer than they seem to be on your version, Gary. Odd, maybe it’s just the high magnification of the camera. Very peculiar about those wing roots.
I know what you mean; that older 'blu-tack' plastic (as some call it) was, in my opinion, better! Details were sharper, panel lines more crisp, and it was lovely to work with...
Being from the area it's nice to hear Castle Kennedy mentioned, still has an intact concrete airfield, a couple of the original hangers and brick shelters, a hidden gem really. After the war it was used for a couple of years by Silver City Airways flying Bristol Freighters.
Great review Gary. If it were me I'd be requesting new parts as that is a pretty shabby deal. Hope you give that a try.
Great review Gary!
The sprue damage could be it was dropped taking it out of the mould, put the wrong way up and not corrected. Playing Russian Roulette with QC (Airfix) and mould age (Revell) damage the company's reputation and cause customers to look elsewhere like Italeri, Tamiya, ICM etc.
Sadly one figure seems to be the maximum supplied in any kit - even single crew fighters often have no figure. I'd love a resin / 3D print set from an aftermarket company of say a bomb aimer, navigator, radio operator, gunner, flight engineer, but I can't see it happening.
In a way an interesting kit with a lot of parts for a 1/72 kit. However, as you were showing the sprues it looked more and more to me like a quite dated kit with the rather soft moulding and especially the figure. All in all very "Airfixy" This said we must bear in mind the price compared to competitors. I would request a new sprue from Airfix but also try the fuselage halves together to make sure they are not warped in more than one direction. To cause the whitening of the plastic requires quite a bit of force. I am thinking that this sprue has been dropped and trod on.
I definitely want to do a Beaufort soon (a Malta based example), but I don't know what to think about this kit. Exterior looks ok but the interior detail looks a bit soft for a 2020 moulding. But it's the only game in town at 1:72. Do you think the better option is to go with the 1:48 ICM kit Gary?
That prompted me to check mine and the wing fillets are fine, phew!
I would cut a piece from the protection tabs and graft it on to the damaged roots then re shape it. I certainly wouldn't be binning it!
Exactly. Not the end of the world.
Easy fix.
No intention to bin it, but so ironic considering the lengths to which they went to protect the roots.
Yes, the very thing it was meant to protect it didn't!
Hi Gary, Looks cool. 🛩
Hi everyone, just done the airfix Me 262 and De Havilland Vampire, both had issues with engines or wing roots. Not impressed overall with Airfix recently. Just a thought. Some good details but some less than positive points as well. Thanks for the video Gary, interesting as always. James
I found the fit of the engine halves sketchy. I wound up gluing one the propeller shafts in place trying to get the halves to stay together.
Hopefully you will be building it soon in a video
It's in the schedule, a couple of other things to do first but it's not too far away...
Received one of these ordered direct from Airfix the other day, the box is definitely lower quality than previous ones. Thinner, less rigid and poorer fitting. I'll be checking my parts now!
Yes, I had noticed a slightly different feel to the boxes recently. I must ask them about this...
Production QC seems to be a running theme with Airfix. Shame that the designers have gone to the trouble of putting in protection for the wing roots and the bad packing has caused them to be bent.
New tool Beaufighter Xs, Blenheim I/IVs and now Beauforts. Someone at Airfix likes Bristol twins, me thinks.
What's next, Brigands?
Big omission from Airfix who should have issued a separate sprue, and that is the aerials under each wing and nose.
would not surprise me if the kit was damaged by the courier company in transit.
Does not blow me away this one,will look for another one.
I've lost count of the number of Airfix kits I've seen unboxed that are damaged in some way. Not good.
still having issues with QC is not acceptable puts me right off
Whats QC mean?
@@neilthefish quality control
It's a common theme with airfix unfortunately, and they don't seem bothered about it, getting replacements can be hit and miss as well....that's what you get when you outsource production to India and don't have any input for QC
The first generation of kits coming from India was good, in my experience. However, standards are now noticeably slipping. This is such a shame as the recent generation of Airfix kits have been well engineered with good attention to detail. This is now sadly being let down by poor QC.
Production needs to be returned to the UK.
I'm disappointed for you Gary and I don't see why you shouldn't still complain. Unless you have to build it next week, you shouldn't have to accept that sort of thing.
But I agree completely about the coastal command livery.
Given that I know Airfix watch my videos…😜
@@garys_stuff very true
Another blobby pilot.
I should paint him pink with yellow spots... blobby blobby.... (I have forgotten how bad TV used to be sometimes)
@@garys_stuff But why is the pilot figure so blobby when the rest of the kit is sharp? I don't understand. Airfix pilots used to be very sharply moulded.
I must admit that the previous version is much better.