Modelling world
by James Goulding
Two modern fighters from Hasegawa
Convair F-102A Delta Dagger
Several new Hasegawa kits have now been released in Japan and include the Convair F-102A Delta Dagger, Convair F-106A Delta Dart, Hawker Harrier, and McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo. I have recently made up samples of the Delta Dagger and Voodoo, and both are superb—apart from a tooling fault on the wing intake/fuselage joint on the Voodoo. It is very unusual to get a fault of this nature on Hasegawa kits, but I understand that the kit is being corrected.
It is to be hoped that all these kits will eventually become available through the Frog/Hasegawa agreement. All are, of course, to 1/72nd scale.
The Convair F-102A Delta Dagger kit makes up into an exciting and impressive model, being extremely accurate both in outline and detail. The wings in particular have been beautifully contoured, with the turned-up wing tips and conical camber along the leading edge very accurately reproduced. This must have been quite a difficult exercise in tool design. These are the sort of features that can easily spoil a kit if they are not accurately reproduced.
This big delta-wing fighter has unusual armament in the form of six Hughes Falcon GAR-10 air-to-air missiles carried on retractable launchers stowed, when retracted, within a conventional weapons bay, enclosed by doors. On the model the weapons are displayed in their extended, firing positions, with the weapons bay doors open.
One of the many pleasing aspects of this model concerns the way that the undercarriage bay stiffeners and "dishings" on the undercarriage doors have been featured. These are so often passed over as unimportant, but they do add that extra look of quality and realism to a model.
The Delta Dagger carries long-range fuel tanks under the wings, but owing to careful area-ruling of the airframe design these restrict the aircraft to subsonic speed when they are fitted. They tend to spoil the otherwise excellent cross-sectional area distribution along the airframe, and therefore cause an appreciable increase in transonic drag—to a point where drag becomes higher than available thrust before supersonic speed is reached. Because of this they are mainly used for ferry purposes. The tanks are included in the kit.
Transfers are provided for two versions of the F-102A. One set is for an aircraft from the 68th Fighter Squadron, USAF, in a colourful red and white paint scheme. The other set is for an aircraft of the 32nd Fighter Squadron, USAF, which was based at Soesterberg, near Utrecht, in Holland, as part of the air defence of Europe. The 32nd Ftr Sqn was the only USAF squadron to operate under the control of the Royal Netherlands Air Force, and each of its F-102As carried the Dutch national colours over the entire fin.
Some Delta Daggers are now camouflaged in the standard USAF three-tone scheme, and photographs of some of these were shown in the October 1969 issue of AIRCRAFT ILLUSTRATED.
AIRCRAFT Illustrated, February 1969
NEW AND IN VIEW NEW AIRCRAFT KITS
HASEGAWA. General Dynamics (Convair) F-102A Delta Dagger. 1/72 scale. Price not yet known.
The Delta Dagger is certainly not one of the world's prettiest aeroplanes, but this new release from Hasegawa must rate as one of their finest kits to date.
The parts are moulded in light grey polystyrene which virtually matches the colour of the full-size aircraft. Surface detail is very fine indeed, the panel lines being so near to scale that some modellers may think that the detail has been omitted.
Assembly is fairly straight forward. The weapons bay doors may be assembled open or closed. If open, they disclose guided missiles complete with rack detail,and extra cars should therefore be taken to avoid marring the model with an excess of plastic cement. Cockpit detail consists of a floor/console to which is attached a separate neatly-moulded ejector seat and a very good pilot figure. The wing root intakes are in two parts; they fit well with no unsightly gaps. The wings are made up of a one-piece bottom half with two sections for the port and starboard upper wings. These fit absolutely flush with the fuselage.
The instruction sheet, although printed in Japanese, is very clear, but care must be taken when assembling the weapon bay doors to ensure that these are attached in the right positions, as they are not interchangeable.
Decals are gloss-finished; the red used is rather pale, but the insignia blue is very near to being accurate. Markings are for two aircraft, from the 32nd and 68th Fighter Interceptor Squadrons. The former has red/white/blue radial stripes accross the fin, the points of these being at its lower front corner, while the other has a red fin carrying a neatly detailed Knight in Armour against a light coloured background. This aircraft also has red trim at the wing tips thinly outlined in white and a miniature Knight's helm on each side of its nose.
Other markings include various stencils and rescue instructions etc.
This is a most interesting kit of a very fine but little publicised aeroplane, and we are particularly pleased that Hasegawa's treatment of their subject does it so much credit.
The IPMS magazine, JULY 1969 VOL.6 No.7
NEW AND IN VIEW
New Aircraft Kits
Also released from ROVEX TRI-ANG LTD. (FROG) is the re-issue of the HASEGAWA kit for the Convair F- 102A Delta Dagger to 1/72 scale. Price 10/6.
Moulded in grey plastic this kit is another example of the very high standard of tooling, workmanship and design now accepted as normal for this Company. The kit is accurate and fits together well although some care must be taken when cementing the weapon bay doors in place as it is very easy to place them in the wrong order. The canopy is excellent and the interior cockpit detail includes a pilot and seat. As the seat is cemented in place in a console rather like a hip bath in appearance, considerable cockpit interior detailing can be added as a complete unit before cementing the whole part into the fuselage halves.
Decals are excellent and include full markings for one aircraft of the 32nd Fighter Sqdn., 86th Air Division as based in Holland in 1962 or alternatively there are markings for a Turkish aircraft. Both models should be finished in very pale gloss Grey finish overall and we were particularly pleased to see on the box art painting guide illustrations that the shade of colour is also quoted, making the finishing a much easier task; using earlier box art colour interpretation as a guide one could perhaps have inadvertently painted the model overall Silver.
A very good kit which makes up into a most striking model.
The IPMS magazine, AUGUST 1970 Vol.7 No.8
NEW to YOU?
MONTHLY REVIEW OF NEW PRODUCTS CONDUCTED BY BOB JONES OF I.P.M.S.
ROVEX TRI-ANG LIMITED (FROG) have several additions released in recent weeks, all to 1/72 scale they include the P-51A/RAF MUSTANG Mk. II, the CONVAIR DELTA DAGGER F-102А, and the RF 101С VOODOO and VULTEE VENGEANCE. At the recent BIGGIN HILL air display, the company were showing models of the DE HAVILLAND HORNET 3 and the FOCKE WULF Та.152H both of which will be released later this year. The made up models on display certainly looked most realistic and appear to be well detailed with excellent transparencies.
New ex-HASAGAWA release from FROG is a 1/72 scale model of the American G.D. (CONVAIR) F.102A DELTA DAGGER at 10/6d. Moulded in nearly seventy pale grey parts, the model makes up into an impressive little replica.
Surface detail is of the finest, rivets and panel lines being as near to scale as possible. Fit of parts is very good although the careful modeller will find a use for his body filler in some areas. Undercarriage legs are de ightfully authentic, the wheels too, are worthy of note having 'spoked' hubs. Full complement of six rockets is included and complex launching rails are provided to mount these.
Choice of either open or closed undercarriage and rocket doors is given, and the drop tanks are optional features. As always Frog provide an excellent decal sheet, giving a choice of either a 32 Sq. USAF or Turkish Air Force machine. The very colourful sheet includes numerous small warning signs and stencilling, positions for these being clearly marked on the box artwork.
At top. Frog's 1/72nd F 102 Delta Dagger. At left and right, comparative views of the Focke Wulf FW 109, as described in the text, the photo of the full-size aircraft will be an aid for those who want to get down to absolute realism.
Scale Models No.14 1970 NOVEMBER Vol.1 No.14
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