Modellers?

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Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 7,989

Anyone here who builds plastic model kits of airplanes?

If so then please help me out.

I'm searching for a kit of the Shenyang J-8II Finback (don't really care what variant as long as its the J-8II).

I'd prefer it in 1/48 scale, but 1/72 will do if there is no alternative.

I've found what seems to be a nice kit in 1/72 scale made by Trumpeter, and this will likely be the kit I get if I can't find a bigger one.

Does anyone know if there is a 1/48 scale J-8II out there, or where a good place on the net would be to go looking for one?

Any and all help is appreciated.

Original post

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 7,989

Realized the other day that I haven't built one before and as such I'd like to build one.

My modelling hobby is a shadow of what it used to be, but from time to time I try to get new aircraft and generally I like to get something I don't already have.

I've put together two (working on a third right now) kits in the past year, with one of them being the North American F-107 Ultra Sabre and the other being the McDonnell Douglas F-110 Spectre.

The kit I'm working on right now is a Junkers Ju-87D-5 Stuka.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 4,450

I see.

Regarding the 1/48 scale kit, I really don't know about its quality, I'd expect it to be quite artisanal. so it will mean a lot of work, and possibly dome crude details.

You should build an EP-3 to put with it :dev2:

BTW, I moved the thread to the modelling section.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 7,989

Yeah I'm kinda skeptical about the quality of the two larger kits.

I've heard good things about the 1:72 kit from Trumpeter though.

Member for

18 years 6 months

Posts: 1,114

An online review of the MiG 17 from AA Kits said the following: 'Highly inaccurate in outline and detail; poor cockpit; giant sunken rivets; soft molding; heavy engraved panel lines; fanciful ordnance.' Of course, the Finback may be better. I haven't yet built a Trumpeter kit but I have several in the build pile and they all look pretty good. Trumpeter also seems to be improving with every kit it issues so I'd say this kit is a safe-ish bet if you want a decent result straight from the box. It's an interesting looking aircraft.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 7,989

I think the Trumpeter kit is the one I'll go with because at the very least the other two kits seem to depict the F-8IIM variant, which is not what I want to build.

I want a PLAAF/PLAN example, and the Trumpeter kit seems to fit the bill.

I agree though that the Finback is a neat looking plane. I'm not really a fan of the way the MiG-21 looks (with the exception of the MiG-21bis which I do like the looks of), but the Finback just looks cool to me. Perhaps I have a thing for airplanes with side-mounted air intakes? ;)