lol! It really wasn't - I have the Airfix Model World build review for this kit open next to my bench, all I can say I'm obviously building a different kit because this sure as hell isn't the wonder-kit he's describing.
Okay so just like that Buccaneer I built, the interior parts fitted pretty well. However, the
fun
starts when you start assembling the fuselage halves together. They went together well enough in regards to gaps, but try as I might every join had a step. Alright so there's nothing too much to worry about, some filler and some sanding, and some rescribing and it'll look fine
BUT, as I suspected, the tail fit was truly bloody awful. For starters the two halves didn't fit together very well, which meant I had to fill around the base of the tail and thus loose all the detail around the tailplane cuffs, but secondly the profile of the part didn't match profile of the fuselage halves! So I've had to sand it to shape and then add more filler.
The real turd on the stick however is the width - the fin part is wider than the parts they fit onto, which has resulted in a step both sides. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a result of me just slapping it together, this was the third attempt at a best fit and I used three clamps to get that - and I still have bloody gaps were the tails will locate that I don't even want to know how it's going to effect their fit yet.
And if that's not all, the strange way they've tried to advert seams around the bottom of the rad exhaust has resulted in the need for rescribing as well.
AND the bloody top cowling is slightly too narrow!
As I said - this was the best fir I could get...
It's not that this is a bad kit as such and you know me,
''I has me some modelling skillz '' when it comes to slapping old crappy kits together - this is nothing I can't deal with. But I really shouldn't have to on a brand-new-wonder-best-ever-super-dooper-Airshits kit. And I haven't even looked at the multipart wing fit yet.
But this is it, after that damn Buccaneer and now this, I've had it with new tool Airfix kits. I was going to get the Sea Fury but no, fin, finito, no more.
And did I mention the plastic is like soap?
I'm sure if you get this kit you'll enjoy it and make a decent model, but personally I'd say get the nearly 30 year old Tamiya kit and have some fun instead - it blows socks off this one.
