| F261 | 1968-1970 | G1(R) | 90000 | 1xRCAF & 1xNorwegian AF |
Ex-Hasegawa.
FROG model aircraft 1932-1976, R. Lines, L. Hellstrom
|
|
MODELLING
W R MATTHEWS
A TRIO FROM FROG
Frog kits at their best are very good indeed, and the best of this month's three 1/72nd scale releases from this company, the Blackburn Shark, is a superb kit in the world-beating class of Airfix's 'Trimotor'. The value that it offers for its modest UK price of 3s 11d is astounding—it comprises no fewer than 98 component parts! Sharks were operated from both wheels and floats, and both are offered with this kit. Like those of most Naval aircraft, the wings of the Shark folded, so Frog has provided alternative centre sections permitting the wings to be fitted in either position. The ailerons, elevators, and even the slots are separate movable parts, and a selection of bombs and a torpedo are included. The model is extremely neat and possesses a wealth of detail. The component parts fit together well, although some care is understandably necessary during assembly. The decal sheet, which provides four alternative sets of markings, including those of a Portuguese Air Force aircraft, is outstanding, being beautifully printed and semi-matt finished.
It would be surprising if there were not one or two minor points for criticism. One of these is that, owing to the design of the alternative centre sections, there is an ugly triangular gap below the trailing edges of the upper and lower wings when these are fitted in the extended position. The operating mechanism of the elevators is unsatisfactory, and the elevators are, in fact, better cemented in position.
Frog's other offerings comprise an A-7A Corsair II and a Northrop F-5A. Both are good kits, though not up to the standard of the previously-described Shark. Both are generally accurate, although the nose cone of the A-7A is too blunt, and both are finely if sparsely detailed. The fit of the component parts is good, but both models need a considerable amount of fitting and filling at the joints, the fin of the F-5A and the wing roots of the A-7A demanding particular attention in this respect. Perhaps the best feature of either kit is its decal sheet. That for the A-7A provides the colourful markings of two USN attack squadrons, while that of the F-5A offers the markings of an F-5A(G)-NO-25 of the Royal Norwegian Air Force, and out-of-date markings for a Canadian Armed Forces CF-5A (the Canadian roundel is now red and white only, the blue outer ring having now given place to a red outer ring). At UK prices of 3s 11d and 6s 6d, these kits are fair value, though neither can be considered cheap, and this is particularly so in the case of the A-7A, despite the formidable array of underwing stores.
NEW KITS (latest review copies received)
| MAKE | AIRCRAFT | SCALE | PRICE |
| Lindberg | Heinkel He 219 | 1/72nd | $1.00(US) |
| Lindberg | Dornier Do 17Z | 1/72nd | $l.00(US) |
| Airfix | Ford 5-AT | 1/72nd | 6s 6d(UK) |
| Airfix | Grumman F6F Hellcat | 1/72nd | 3s 6d(UK) |
| Frog | Blackburn Shark | 1/72nd | 3s 11d(UK) |
| Frog | Northrop F-5A | 1/72nd | 3s 11d(UK) |
| Frog | LTV A-7A Corsair II | 1/72nd | 6s 6d(UK) |
RAF Flying Review June, 1968, Vol. 23, No. 10
MODEL ENTHUSIAST
Hasagawa: 1: 72 scale aircraft
THREE popular 1:72 scale kits which are (or have been) available in the Frog range are now on sale in Britain in their original Hasagawa form. We've reviewed them all before in the past couple of years, but in Hasagawa packaging all are worth looking at since they come with different markings from those issued by Frog. The F-100D Super Sabre offers a choice of four different USAF machines, though the box art and instruction sheet shows only one of them. The outstanding feature of this kit, however, is the beautiful 'natural metal' plated finish which makes the kit really worth having despite its 20s price lag. Second model is the F-86F Sabre which is supplied with Japanese markings, while the F-5 Freedom Fighter comes with two sets of USAF transfers, one set for a natural metal aircraft and the other for a camouflaged machine. These two latter kits cost 6s 6d each, postage extra, from Jones Bros Chiswick.
C.O.E.
Airfix magazine 1970-12
MODEL ENTHUSIAST
This month's colour subject
Aimed from the outset at the immense potential market for a fighter that can be manufactured economically, can fulfil several roles, can be maintained with relative ease by smaller air arms not necessarily possessing the most sophisticated of servicing equipment nor the most highly skilled of servicing personnel, and, perhaps most important, can be offered by the squadron for little more in terms of riyals, dirhams, kroner, or elephant tusks, if they happen to be the local currency, than a solitary Phantom, Northrop's F-5 provides an excellent subject for the modeller with a penchant for the current combat aeroplane. Soon to be joined by its more muscular descendant, the F-5E Tiger II, the basic Northrop F-5, somewhat pompously referred to from time to time as the "Freedom Fighter", has certainly proved popular with the model kit industry, for at least six different kits of this little warplane have so far found their way via the stockists to the workbenches, and most of them are good, although the 1/59th scale kit originally issued by ITC and re-issued by Progress-work and Ringo, and the 1/48th scale Aurora kit are now decidedly elderly.
Probably the best of all the F-5 kits is that produced to 1/48th scale by Hawk, though this is now rather difficult to obtain. The Fujimi model to 1/50th scale is almost as good, although, as the first in a superb range of kits, it does not quite attain the standards reached by later offerings from the same manufacturer. It is issued in both single-seat F-5A and two-seat F-5B forms, and, somewhat inappropriately, also in a very high-gloss plated finish. The best of the 1/72nd scale F-5s is undoubtedly that first produced by Hasegawa and later re-issued by Frog. The Hasegawa kit was produced in both F-5A and F-5B versions but, to the best of our knowledge, Frog has re-issued only the single-seater. Hasegawa's decal sheet provides USAF and Canadian Armed Forces markings, while the decal sheet from Frog repeats the Canadian markings and also provides excellent insignia for the Norwegian air arm, Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret. There are minor problems with the fit of some parts of the Hasegawa/Frog F-5, but this is basically a good kit, nevertheless. Airfix's F-5 offering is by no means one of this company's best efforts, the surface detail being sparse and all but invisible, while the fit of the component parts leaves something to be desired. It does include, however, an excellent decal sheet for an aircraft of the Iranian Imperial Air Force, one of the largest operators of the little Northrop.
W R MATTHEWS
Air Enthusiast 1972-06 vol.02 no.06
|
