themed build first quarter (flying boats) question

[CDW]

I'm up for having a bash at another aircraft (and making a hash of it no doubt) for the 'flying boat' themed build ..... There are two I quite like and would prefer to do a little diorama of it on the ground 'wheels down' being loaded or cleaned or repaired ..whatever? Both will fit into my Korean war collection (obsession)

My question is I have found two models that look the part, both 72nd scale and would like input from anyone who has built, or just has knowledge of the kits whether they're good detail and can be made wheels down.... The kits are .......

Airfix short sunderland III (do we have the usual fit and flash issues?)

Academy consolidated Catalina black cat. (Is this the poor detail & fit manufacturer for aircraft?)

Bear in mind I'm a plank when it comes to building aircraft, and I only use the hairy stick.

I know I could browse for reviews and get into from other sites but I prefer to have input from you lot ... That way I have someone to moan at directly when I screw up

Any info greatly appreciated

 

[0ne48thtel]

Colin I have the Airfix Sunderland and it does have a wheels down option for wheels down. I have looked in the the box and there is a small amout of flashing but nothing that is to heavy.

 

[CDW]

That's what I want to hear Terry ... Thanks mate

Out of the two I would prefer to do the Sunderland.

What are the destructions like ... Easy to follow for a aircraft building dimwit like me?

 

[0ne48thtel]

They seem to be pretty straight forward so nothing to complicated from what I can see.

 

[CDW]

Thank you kindly mate.

 

[0ne48thtel]

no worries glad to help

 

[yak face]

I built the airfix sunderland when i was a kid colin , so it was many moons ago!!! I seem to remember it didnt have much in the way of internal detail but then again most kits of the time didnt. It had beaching gear included , and bomb racks that slid in and out from under the wings and a front turret that slid in and out too. It had the standard seventies airfix raised rivets but in this case they were probably more true to the real thing than recessed lines , just try not to lose too many cleaning up the seams! The other thing I recall is that I loved making it and it made an impressive looking model , I really must get another one sometime! tony

 

[CDW]

Looks like the Sunderland might be the one.....

.. Thanks for the feedback and info Tony...much appreciated.

 

[flyjoe180]

I have a very old Airfix Sunderland too Colin, looks good to me also. Italeri's recent release will be light years ahead in detail but you can't beat an old classic.

 

[papa 695]

I'm sorry Colin DON'T listen to the others there leading you up the garden path. This is probably the worst kit you could get, flash every where, very ill fitting parts, you may as well get friendly with John in the shop so you can have a discount for all the filler you will need. Go for the Black cat instead.

Well i could be saying all this because i've got the same kit to build for this SIG Go for it Colin not a bad kit really have fun with it.

 

[CDW]

Didn't see an italeri version when I browsed my shops website Joe, I'll look it up and give it the once over thanks.

And Ian, you had me going there mate, looks like we might have a Sunderland build off eh (although I'll be doing a really detailed diorama to make up for the poor workmanship on the flying thing)

 

[0ne48thtel]

Make that a three way fly off then guys as I am planning to do mine. I got it back in the summer and for me it is out of keeping with what I normally build in two ways. The first being it is 1/72 and the other is I always build American produced/ manufactured aircraft like Mcdonnell,lockheed etc and ususally aircraft that fly or have flown with the USAF/USN.

 

[CDW]

Oooh our own little 'build off' within a group build ... Nice

 

[Ian M]

Oooh our own little 'build off' within a group build ... Nice

And it would be really cool if they are all different.

Ian M

 

[CDW]

And it would be really cool if they are all different.Ian M

Mine will be 88 sqn that was involved in the Korean war, and will be in a busy diorama unloading (or something similar)

 

[flyjoe180]

Colin, the Italeri kit is no.1302 and comes with PE etc. It is however a Mk.I which will cause a few accuracy issues for your Korean conflict version. The Airfix kit is of a later version. As for a buld off, maybe, not a lot of time at present but if I do partake it would be in RNZAF colours I think. So that is already two different finishes suggested.

 

[CDW]

Yeah Joe, it'd need to be a mark III at the earliest to be historically correct from my literature, I'm not a rivet counter so if it looks about right it would be fine with me.

I'll have a look at the italeri kit and see if the differences are drastic .... If its near then I might a well go the whole hog and build an aircraft AND have another bash at that PE stuff ..... What have I let myself in for

 

[colin m]

I too built the Airfix version many years ago so can't remember much about it, but you've all got me interested in another one................................