You asked for a few comments, you may get more than you barganed for.
For What Its Worth.....
>Just yesterday I visited a new hobby store (at least to me) and found the
>following models.
>
>A Meikraft Pfalz D.III in 1/72 (The reissued one not the original)
>A formaplane Halberstadt CL II
>and a Blue Rider Conversion for a Sopwith Camel F1/3 camel Night Fighter
>conversion.
>If anyone has any advice or comments on these 3 I would appreciate them
>Especially on the Camel, the Instructions for this state the conversion
>should be used with the Airfix Camel, but wouldnt the Revel one be better
>since it would seem to be better moulded. The conversion consist's of the
>fuselage mainly with the wings coming from the Airfix model.
>
The Meikraft kit makes for a nice model of the D-III, the re-issue
lacks photo etched parts and the decals, but these shouldn't be major
problems.
The Pegasus Halberstadt CL II is a better kit but the Formaplane was
the only game in town for quite a while, depends on whether you like vac
form kits or not.
The Blue Rider conversion has some very nice etched brass and decals.
I've not researched this one though, I would be interested to determine the
concensus from the list on the relative merits of Airfix vs Revell 1/72
Camel kits.
>I also had to leave behind (Little things like budget or at least not
>earning the wrath of my wife)
>A formaplane BE2c
>A second Meikraft Pfalz, it would be nice to build a D III and D IIIa since
>this model comes with parts for both
>And a Pegasus Sopwith Salamander. (Is this up to Pegasus's current standards
>or would it require a lot of work)
None of these kits are common items in most shops. I think the
Salamander is a bit of a find, since it was a limited production of an
unusual subject. It makes for one of the few British WW fighters that you
can put a camouflage scheme (albeit experimental) onto.
> (I'm fed up with buying from outside Canada and
>getting nailed with customs fees and even a fee for handling the shipment.
>Last one I got was for a Datafile from Wise Owl in the US which cost me
>18 dolars including shipping but then I had to pay at my end a fee of 2
>dollars for excise tax but a 5 dollar
>handling fee. Kind of a tax on a tax eh!
>
If you are looking for Datafiles and have to go outside of the
country, I would suggest buying them direct from England. At least if you
pay customs and excise tax it will be on a lower purchase price, roughly
US$11.00 versus the 18 (Canadian ??) you paid. Buy several at once from
Albatros and the shipping is usually free.
Charles
hartc@spot.colorado.edu