NEW AND IN VIEW
FROG Fairey Firefly F.I. 1/72 scale. U.K. Price 24p.
A noticeable gap in British Carrier aircraft kits has been filled by the release by Frog of the Firefly I kit. Moulded in grey plastic surface detailing is limited to fine lines rather than the grossly over scale rivets once seen on Frog Products. The kit is straightforward with wings formed without provision for folding which is not too difficult to achieve, however, as it is simply a matter of cutting the wing through. Cockpit detail is, as usual with Frog kits rather sparse, but the cockpit transparencies are good for Frog and the bulbous pilot's canopy is faithfully reproduced. Some of the parts e.g. the undercarriage... are rather heavy and one is tempted to use items from the Airfix Firefly V, but even from the box this kit has the somewhat aggressive appearance of Fairey's most successful WWII fighter.
Decal choice is somewhat strange in view of the wartime role of the aircraft. Kit markings provide two sets of postwar markings, one for a Firefly of 860 Sqdn. R.Neth, Navy in Sumatra 1946 and the other from H.M.C.S. Magnificent in 1950. We hope to feature WWII markings for the Firefly in a future monthly.
Painting is simple. The Dutch machine in a gloss finish of Dark Slate Grey/Extra Dark Sea Grey (use Humbrol FAA set with a thin coat of MATT varnish to represent the scaled down gloss finish.) The R.C.N. Aircraft is glossy Extra Dark Sea Grey with Light Grey Gloss undersides (Humbrol Light Aircraft Grey Gloss from the N.A.T.O. paint set is almost the exact shade of the latter.). R.A.F. Grey/Green from Humbrol Cockpit colour set for the interior and wheel wells. The wheel wells can be painted underside colour as an alternative.
The IPMS magazine, NOVEMBER 1972. Vol. 9 No. 11
Scale Models 1973 JANUARY
NEW TO YOU?
The big rush of new kits and re-issues is 'on' - a survey by Bob Jones (I.P.M.S.) and Scale Models
Firstly, we have the Fairey Firefly Mk. 1 packet kit F257, 1,72 scale; this is a really good kit of this well-known (but to date rare in kit form) British W.W.II carrier fighter. Moulded in medium grey plastic, the kit has no working parts or gimmicks, and we particularly like the wings being moulded in the down or extended in flight position, with the demarcation line of the wing fold neatly marked, thus enabling those who wish to do so to 'convert' the model to folded wing configuration. Accurate in outline and scale, the fit of parts leaves little to be desired, though some filling was necessary on our sample around the wing root/ fuselage join lines; also the lip of the engine intake on the front of the cowling needed slight tidying up, using a round file for the purpose.
The cockpit transparancies are fortunately excellent with the correct bulbous hood of the prototype and neatly detailed frames moulded on to the observer's canopy.
The location of the arrestor hook-moulded as a separate item - is none too clear, and a slight groove should be cut into the underside of the fuselage to accommodate this. Underwing stores consist of rocket rails, but no other stores are provided.
Unusually the markings are for post-war Firefly 1's; the one set of decals are for an aircraft of 860 Sqdn. R. Neth. N.A.S. 1946, in Northern Sumatra, and the alternative markings for a machine from H.M.C.S. Magnificent, Royal Canadian Navy, 1950, both attractive schemes and the quality of the decals is good, but surely at least one set of markings could, indeed should, have been for a British machine of say the famous strikes against the Tirpitz, or as used by the British East Indies or Pacific Fleets? This criticism apart, the kit is very good, and provides scope for further detailing for those who wish to add same, for example cockpit interior detail in minimal to say the least, and the 'sit' of the model suggests that the undercarriage legs are slightly too long or not correctly set to give the required ground angle.
Scale Models No.40 1973 JANUARY Vol.4. No.1
KIT COMMENT
FROG FIREFLY
One of the recent releases from Frog which up to now we have not had space in this column to review is the Fairey Firefly F.Mk. 1. This model in 1:72nd scale, complements the Airfix Mk.IV and avoids the rather tedious job of converting the latter—at the best of times a long and difficult job.
There is little one can say about this model—it is accurate, the parts fit well together and it was a pleasure to build. The cockpit canopies are beautifully clear though rather on the thick side—a word which seems to fit the kit as a whole. Frog's Firefly did not capture our imagination as being a totally satisfying kit to make. The construction was simple and the finished effect was one of a rather heavy model on to which one could not pin any real criticism.
We chose the Royal Canadian Navy version of the two provided in decal form in the kit. Here criticism can be made, as the markings are not especially good, particularly the national markings which were out of register. The instruction sheet too is not particularly good, as the colour printing of the three-view drawings is poor and it proved difficult to see exactly where the small stencil lettering of the decal sheet should be placed. The alternative set of markings is for an aircraft of No 860 Sqdn. Royal Dutch Naval Air Service operating in Sumatra in 1946.
This model, as it comes, is no competition winner but a valuable and accurate replica of a useful addition to a Fleet Air Arm collection. It is also reasonably priced at 24p.
Aviation News Vol 1 Num 18 19 January - 1 February 1973
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