Modelling the RNZAF in 1/48 scale

[Dave Homewood]

Modelling the RNZAF in 1/48 scale has gotten a lot better in recent years.

We now have:

• Airspeed Oxford = Special Hobby's new kit
• Avro Anson = Classic Airframes
• Chance-Vought Corsair = Tamiya makes a top notch F4U-1 now
• Consolidated Catalina = Revell's kit is very good
• Curtiss P-40 series - Hasegawa make the best nowadays
• De Havilland DH89 Rapide/Dominie = Kiwi Resins
• Douglas Dauntless = Hasegawa or Accurate Miniatures
• Douglas C47 Dakota = Monogram is the only out there I think
• Grumman Avenger = Accurate Miniatures
• Lockheed Hudson = Classic Airframes
• Lockheed Ventura = Revell very soon
• Miles Hawk = Kiwi Resins
• Miles Magister = Kiwi Resins
• North American Harvard
• Supermarine Walrus= Classic Airframes
• Vickers Wellington = Classic Airframes

Does anyone make nice decent kits of these RNZAF aircraft in injection or resin/mixed media in 1/48th scale?

• Avro 626
• Beech C-17L Staggerwing
• Blackburn Baffin
• British Aircraft Swallow II
• De Havilland DH60 Moth
• De Havilland DH80A Puss Moth
• De Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth
• De Havilland DH83 Fox Moth
• De Havilland DH84 Dragon
• De Havilland DH86 Express
• De Havilland DH94 Moth Minor
• Fairey Gordon
• Foster-Wickner Wicko GM1
• General Aircraft Monospar Jubilee
• Hawker Hind
• Lockheed Lodestar
• Lockheed Harpoon
• Miles Whitney Straight
• Percival Gull Four
• Percival Vega Gull
• Porterfield 35W
• Rearwin 9000 Sporster
• Short Singapore
• Short Sunderland
• Vickers Vildebeest
• Vickers Vincent
• Waco

[ZacYates]

Hey Dave! Great survey.

There is at least one vacform Shorts Sunderland kit, but this has been surpassed by the AlphaFlight resin/multimedia kit (check out a review here: www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/alpha/kit_alpha_4817.shtml )

AModel have recently released a range of injection-moulded DH.60 Moths.

Sticking with DH, the Tiger is pretty poorly represented, there is the old 1/50ish Smer one and the apparently gorgeous mixed-media Aeroclub kit which is OOP but can be had on eBay.

Also Aeroclub did a DH89 in vacform, low-pressure injected plastic and white metal.

Apparently there are resin/multimedia kits of the DH86 by Aircraft In Miniature and Rugrat Resins....I can't find any pics or reviews though.

Roden have recently released a range of boxings covering the Beech 17 series in civil and military variants (representative review here: modelingmadness.com/scotts/allies/previews/roden/447.htm ), this has (I think) replaced the much older AMT kit.

After the reception received by the recent 1/72 Vildy/Vincent I'd be very surprised to not see a 1/48 version in our future.

Aeroclub say they are developing a Demon and Hind series, otherwise there's only really a couple of oooold injected Furies.

Modeling, in terms of sheer variety and coverage of the more "esoteric" subject matter, has IMO entered a true Golden Age. Now we just need the Fletcher so many of us are crying out for :-P

[Dave Homewood]

Yes I think the 1/48 Vildebeest/Vincent is in the wings. I really want one in 1/32nd but 1/48 will be a great stop gap and I'd definately think about getting one.I didn't know about that Staggerwing and the injected Moths, cool.Are the Moths nicely done?

I think given the wide use and also huge appeal of the Short Sunderland it is high time that a 1/48th scale kit was injection moulded. It was used on every front, Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, Meditteranean, Indian, etc, in Coastal Command. It served well into the 1960's in many Air Forces. It has much more merit than some of the big kits out there. Howevr it's sadly really only the US manufactirers who want to make the big kits (Monogram, Revell USA, etc). The likes of Tamiya and Hasegawa wouldn't touch it as their prices are far too high and no-one would bigh it. And the Yanks never used them so that's the US makers out. Dammit.

I do think it is high time a really decent new tooled Harvard/SNJ/T-6 was made in 1/48, the only one around is so old. And for that matter it's high time one was done in 1/32nd. It was used by everyone in the world practically, even the Japs and Nazis had some. It annoys me how this important aircraft is constantly overlooked but every year a new Bf109, Fw190 and Mustang seems to be tooled by someone...

I know that Aeroclub used to do a 1/48 Tiger Moth but I don't know if it's still available, so i put that into the second list.

[ZacYates]

The Amodel Moths seem very nice, Scott van Aken reviewed the Cirrus Moth: modelingmadness.com/scotts/civil/previews/amodel/4803.htm . If I actually built models I'd buy a DH.60G, perhaps as Jean Batten's bird G-AARB.

And I would love a 1/48 Gull...sadly the only 1/48 Gull series model available is of the Mew Gull racer. Hopefully it's on Amodel's schedule, going by the quality of the Moths.

[silverfox]

This has been my mission since 1999 so I'd agree with the fabulous list, but add, the Aeroclub DH.60M and DH82 are still available, the Flashback Miles Magister makes a passable Miles Hawk and the Aeroclub Demon about to be launched looked fabulous at Telford this year. Both types of rear gun position are included so a Hind is very do-able.

Going back to the NZPAF days, there is the Smer Avro 505K, Roden do a DH4, DH9 and F2B, The Aeroclub Grebe is still available 2nd Hand. Roden are also supposed to be doing a passenger version of the DH9.

There is a Resin Sunderland Mkv as well but at over £250 I've had to pass.

[Damon]

Eduard have the 1/48 Bristol Fighter. NZPAF scheme would be nice.

[kiwichappers]

The Aeroclub Grebe has tapered top wings with the aileron hinge line parallel to the taper. Unfortunaely the three Kiwi Grebes had no taper and parallel to the chord ailerons so a new top wing will need to be made.

BlueMax made a rather good Avro 504K which whilst not common can still be found for around £10.00.

[Dave Homewood]

I forgot that Kiwi Resins made an excellent Miles Hawk too in 1/48.

How about a 1/48 scale Hawker Tomtit? The RNZAF still used them in WWII, but only as instructional airframes.

[rholland]

A couple of additions; Trumpeter do a C-47, and as well as the Monogram T-6 / Harvard there are the Modelcraft, Occidental and Italeri versions. Also the Classic Airframes Vampires and Venoms, Airfix Canberras and Hasegawa Skyhawks. Or are you only talking WW2 and earlier?

Alley Cat have just released a resin Vampire FB5 which has been well received, and Ali at A2Zee Models has said there will be further boxings and a trainer in future. It would be interesting to see a comparison with the Classic Airframes kit (with Aeroclub corrections). 45 pounds is a bit steep for me though...

The Blue Max Avro 504K is still available from Freightdog Models for 20 pounds.

Great subject this. Years ago I had a typed booklet from the RNZAF Museum with all the 1/72 kits of RNZAF types listed - that will have changed by now!

[rholland]

Oops, and to state the obvious, the P-51D by just about every manufacturer and the Mosquito FB VI from Tamiya and Airfix (discounting the old Monogram one).

[Dave Homewood]

I was only talking about the RNZAF's own aircraft in WWII for my original list, but yes we can add a list of other types used by NZ squadrons in the RAF too:

75 Sqn Wellington - Classic Airframes
75 Sqn Stirling - no-one?
75 Sqn Lancaster - Tamiya
485 Sqn Spitfire marks - Tamiya for Mk II, and V. Who makes the best Mk IX? XVI?
486 and 488 Sqn Hurricane - Hasegawa?
486 Sqn Typhoon - Monogram?
486 Sqn Tempest - Eduard?
487 Sqn Ventura I - Revell soon
487, 488, 489 Sqn Mosquito variants - Tamiya
488 Sqn Buffalo - Tamiya?
489 Sqn Blenheim - anyone?
489 Sqn Beaufort - anyone?
489 Sqn Hampden - anyone?
489 Sqn Beaufighter - Tamiya
490 Sqn Catalina - Revell
490 Sqn Sunderland - as in above discussion

[silverfox]

Stirling Sangar vac form but only if you are very brave
(They also do a Vildebeest if you are even braver)
Blenheim Classic Airframe( if you can find one)
Beaufort Special Hobby keep promising one
Hampden Fondriere Miniatures

The Wellington is Trumpeter both MkI and III not Classic Airframes, Hasegawa do both car door and bubble top Typhoons

[kiwichappers]

ICM do a pretty good Mk IX Spitfire. It is perhaps over engineered which demands care when building but the effort is well worth it. Early mouldings were very poor but later production quality greatly improved. It was ans early ICM kit that I used for the Warren Schrader 1435 Squadron aircraft posted here a few years ago.

[scorpiomikey]

The Revell 1:48 AT-6/SNJ is a damn fine kit, it includes parts to have a rear gunner (The SNJ) which at least 1 RNZAF Harvard had buried inside it.

Ventura do a damn fine set of decals for it too.
www.venturapublications.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=83&products_id=280

(Picture from baronvonplastic.com)

[Dave Homewood]

An update to the list then of the best available model in 1/48th scale:

• Airspeed Oxford = Special Hobby
• Avro Anson = Classic Airframes
• Beech C-17L Staggerwing = Roden
• Chance-Vought Corsair = Tamiya
• Consolidated Catalina = Revell
• Curtiss P-40 series = Hasegawa
• De Havilland DH60 Moth = A Model
• de Havilland DH82 Tiger Moth = Aeroclub
• De Havilland DH89 Rapide/Dominie = Kiwi Resins
• Douglas Dauntless = Hasegawa or Accurate Miniatures
• Douglas C47 Dakota = Monogram
• Grumman Avenger = Accurate Miniatures
• Hawker Hind = Aeroclub coming soonish
• Lockheed Hudson = Classic Airframes
• Lockheed Ventura = Revell very soon
• Miles Hawk = Kiwi Resins
• Miles Magister = Kiwi Resins
• North American Harvard = Monogram/Revell
• Short Sunderland = AlphaFlight
• Supermarine Walrus = Classic Airframes
• Vickers Vildebeest = probably coming very soon
• Vickers Vincent = probably coming very soon
• Vickers Wellington = Trumpeter


Chapter XV Squadrons
• Avro Lancaster =Tamiya
• Brewster Buffalo =Tamiya
• Bristol Beaufighter = Tamiya
• Bristol Beaufort = Maybe Special Hobby one day soon
• Bristol Blenheim = Classic Airframes
• Consolidated Catalina = Revell
• de Havilland Tiger Moth = Aeroclub
• de Havilland Mosquito = Tamiya
• Handley Page Hampden = Fondiere
• Hawker Hurricane - Hasegawa
• Hawker Tempest = Eduard
• Hawker Typhoon = Hasegawa
• Lockheed Ventura I = Revell soon
• Short Stirling = Sangar vac-form (not recommended?)
• Short Sunderland - AlphaFlight
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk II = Tamiya
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk V = Tamiya
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk Mk IX =ICM
• Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVI = ?
• Vickers Wellington = Trumpeter

Not known if there is a decent kit for these RNZAF aircraft in injection or resin/mixed media in 1/48th scale?

• Avro 626
• Blackburn Baffin
• British Aircraft Swallow II
• De Havilland DH80A Puss Moth
• De Havilland DH83 Fox Moth
• De Havilland DH84 Dragon
• De Havilland DH86 Express
• De Havilland DH94 Moth Minor
• Fairey Gordon
• Foster-Wickner Wicko GM1
• General Aircraft Monospar Jubilee
• Lockheed Lodestar
• Lockheed Harpoon
• Miles Whitney Straight
• Percival Gull Four
• Percival Vega Gull
• Porterfield 35W
• Rearwin 9000 Sporster
• Short Singapore
• Waco

[Damon]

Trumpeter do the Wellington in 1/48th.

[Dave Homewood]

My error, I forgot to change one of the two entries, fixed now.

[Damon]

Airfix and ICM also do the 1/48th Spitfire XVI in lowback.

[ZacYates]

Opinion is that the ICM kit is the more accurate of the 1/48 IXs, but that no-one has yet cracked it. Many reviewers believe that should Tamiya scale down their 1/32 kit we would have the perfect 1/48 Spitfire IX.

[kiwichappers]

Now then Dave,

The Hasegawa Hurricane appears to be no longer available. I can see no other explaination for it not appearing last year during the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain which most other kit manufacturers acknowledged with all sorts of gimmicks. All is not lost however as Italeri have recently issued a newly tooled Hurricane which looks very good and does not sell for the silly money Hasegawa examples currently do.