WWI Digest 582 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Re: Smer reissues/Airfix DH4 by Charles Hart 2) Re: Smer reissues by Charles Hart 3) Re: Smer reissues by Carlos Valdes 4) Re: reissues/Airfix DH4 by Sandy Adam 5) Smer Nie.11/16 by Tom Werner Hansen 6) Re: Smer reissues by Tom Werner Hansen 7) New hi-Tech Breguet XIV by Fportier@aol.com 8) Re: Smer reissues by Geoff Smith 9) Re: Air-Britain Files by "Jim Lyzun" 10) Re: Smer Nie.11/16 by "Paul Schwartzkopf" 11) Re: Air-Britain Files by Charles Hart 12) Re: Smer reissues by BStett3770@aol.com 13) Re: Smer reissues by "S.M.Sundberg" 14) Re: Smer reissues by Sandy Adam 15) Re: reissues/Airfix DH4 by Michelle and Rory Goodwin 16) Re: Smer reissues by Michelle and Rory Goodwin 17) Re: New hi-Tech Breguet XIV by DavidL1217@aol.com 18) Re: Smer reissues by bshatzer@orednet.org (Bill Shatzer) 19) Re: Smer reissues/Ansaldo SVA5 by "S.M. Head" 20) Notice of change of Address! by Mark K Nelson 21) Re: New hi-Tech Breguet XIV by Michelle and Rory Goodwin 22) Re: Smer reissues/Ansaldo SVA5 by Jesse Thorn 23) Re: Smer reissues/Ansaldo SVA5 by JimAlley@aol.com 24) Re: Smer reissues by "David Solosy" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 10:08:56 -0700 From: Charles Hart To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer reissues/Airfix DH4 Message-ID: >> And Airfix (or whatever the conglomerate which currently owns >> Airfix is called) still owns the Airfix DH.4 molds although when >> if ever, that kit might be reissued is anyones' guess. > >Airfix has re-released the DH4. I picked a couple up on my last trip to >Toronto a year ago and I see them advertised in various catalogs from time >to time. In fact Rosemont has it listed among those currently available. > >Bob Its my understanding from traffic on this list earlier this year that all the Airfix WW I kits are out of production and not in the current catalog. FWIW, my local shop has a nice stash of most of these. Charles hartc@spot.colorado.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 10:10:34 -0700 From: Charles Hart To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer reissues Message-ID: >On Sun, 15 Jun 1997, Bill Shatzer wrote: >> WW1 stuff. I picked myself up a Nieuport 11 (now being identified >> by SMER as a Nieuport 11/16) and it was just like I remembered it - >> rockets and all - but the decal sheet is considerably upgraded in >> quality and design from previous SMER editions. > >Bill, Carlos et al >I asked a wee while ago for opinions on the transfers/decals in these kits >as I would probably acquire them for these alone if they are good and >opionions seemed to be pretty favourable. >However I saw inside the Dee Aitch Two recently and found the roundels to >be absolutely useless. >The blue outers were so lacking opacity that you could see the white >extending halfway out to the outside diameter. the effect was really a >four colour roundel with red, white, pale blue, dark blue. Also there was >a slight fault all the way round the blue/blue circle. Very disappointing >with the name Propagteam on the sheet. Kit still had raised markings BTW. > >Can anybody who has access to each kit please tell me if the transfers >inside are WTK (worth the kit) or WFA (work it out!). >Also would the Dr1 markings (presumably 1/43) fit the DML Dr1? >Thanks >Sandy Buying a Smer re-issue of the old Merit kit for decals for your DML Dr-I ?? Sorry, but where's the economy in this ?? Charles hartc@spot.colorado.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 12:13:48 -0400 From: Carlos Valdes To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer reissues Message-ID: <33A565C5.698D@conted.gatech.edu> Sandy, The Dr.I comes with two sets of decals, for Baumer's 204/17 and Jacobs' 470/17 (the black one with the thin white crosses but minus the devil's head). They are over- sized for the DML kit but could be used with a little trimming. However, the markings for Baumer are suspect in that they seem to represent a mixture of the early and later looks of the a/c; in addition, the red-white-black wing stripes are presented as red- white-red (trimming would also take care of this, of course, as the wing tips would need to be painted black anyway). If you want 1/48 decals for Baumer's triplane, they are included--at least for the early version of his colors--on Blue Rider sheet 511. As for the Nieuport, the Russian roundels are OK while the French ones are less so (the white intrudes underneath part of the surrounding red section); the gold outline to the tail markings looks rather odd also. BTW, de Turrenne's markings are also featured in the BLue Max Ni.11. Overall, the Smer decals are not up to the standards of DML's, but the prices of these kits are certainly right. Carlos ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 17:46:58 +0100 (BST) From: Sandy Adam To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: reissues/Airfix DH4 Message-ID: On Mon, 16 Jun 1997, Charles Hart wrote: > Its my understanding from traffic on this list earlier this year that > all the Airfix WW I kits are out of production and not in the current > catalog. As a 1/48 man I am not qualified to say anything about 1/72 but I had to ask if people are really? worried about these announcements. It seems to me that Airfix regularly reissue their kits and nothing is ever out of the catalogue for long enough to disappear from the shelves of most of the bigger shops. When I read of the announcements that all the WW1 stuff was going my immediate reaction was to wonder what format the new releases would take. Maybe its cynical, but the 70th anniversary of the end of the conflict is fast approaching and I would not be surprised to see a special Great War edition next year. Failing this, don't worry - they'll be back soon after! I can think of several suppliers near me who have stacks of these things - if you want any of them, you will be able to get them pretty painlessly. Sandy ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 20:11:51 -0700 From: Tom Werner Hansen To: wwi Subject: Smer Nie.11/16 Message-ID: <33A60077.60B1@sn.no> A quick try for a review of the Smer Nie.11/16: Warning: No attempt has been made at putting the pieces together.This is just my impressions on opening the box. On the positive side: +Not much flash +Interesting colour schemes: Escadrille N48, 1916. Pilot de Turenne. Red/white/blue fuselage Russian Nie.16 profusely covered in roundels, otherwise dk.green/aluminium. + Nice decals. Bill remarked on the very nice shade of blue. I wouldn't know, but it's definitely different from the RFC blue or even the blue of the box art. I, too, am a little dubious about the gold rim to the rudder. I wouldn't use the rudder stripes anyway, I prefer to paint them on to avoid the problems of the edges. For myself I'll probably use the 12 !!!Russian roundels. I couldn't resist the skull and crossbones on the rudder. If Russian roundels are hard to get, the kit might be worth the price for these alone. + le Prieur rockets if anyone needs them. To me they look a little too thick, and with a funny coolie hat on top. On the negative side: - Scale must be off. 1/50 I expect. - Not enough sweepback on upper wing. - Remains of engraved markings on the wings. Attempts have been made at removing them, but they're still there. - Thick trailing edges. Not really a problem, just more work. - lower wing too small. Markedly shorter than upper wing. - Rim around cockpit needs to be reduced. - Cowling needs a little reworking. - Rib detail on horizontal tailplane more like trenches than ribs.(If anyone remembers early Matchbox kits you know what I'm talking about.) - Rudder need a little work. Too thick and has remains of markings. - Engine useless. This really is the worst problem, especially since it's so visible. - Machine gun too crude and thick. - Tail skid just a flat piece, cries out for padding out. - Not much interior detail: seat - floor - stick is exactly that - 'instrument panel'. - struts definitely on the thick side, but look OK in side view. All in all, more -s than +s, but I'll still build it, more or less as an experiment, to see what scale I will finally build in.(and don't anybody take this as an ivitation to fire up the scale wars again. I'll make my own mind up, thank you.) Tom ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 19:45:44 -0700 From: Tom Werner Hansen To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer reissues Message-ID: <33A5FA58.2C0E@sn.no> Sandy Adam wrote: > > On Sun, 15 Jun 1997, Bill Shatzer wrote: > > WW1 stuff. I picked myself up a Nieuport 11 (now being identified > > by SMER as a Nieuport 11/16) and it was just like I remembered it - > > rockets and all - but the decal sheet is considerably upgraded in > > quality and design from previous SMER editions. > > Bill, Carlos et al > I asked a wee while ago for opinions on the transfers/decals in these kits > as I would probably acquire them for these alone if they are good and > opionions seemed to be pretty favourable. > However I saw inside the Dee Aitch Two recently and found the roundels to > be absolutely useless. > The blue outers were so lacking opacity that you could see the white > extending halfway out to the outside diameter. the effect was really a > four colour roundel with red, white, pale blue, dark blue. Also there was > a slight fault all the way round the blue/blue circle. Very disappointing > with the name Propagteam on the sheet. Kit still had raised markings BTW. > > Can anybody who has access to each kit please tell me if the transfers > inside are WTK (worth the kit) or WFA (work it out!). > Also would the Dr1 markings (presumably 1/43) fit the DML Dr1? > Thanks > Sandy I opened up my kits to check this out, and found that you're right about the blue of the DH2. However, the decals of the other two kits look better. Especially the Nieuport which has anumber of nice Russian roundels, but the DrI also looks good. I have not checked them against any sources, so I can't vouch for accuracy of the markings, just the quality of the decals and printing, The white crosses of the Dr.1 look a bit thin, but then the black underneath will probably make the white less strong, so it may be a good thing anyway. (For other ideas on the Nie.11/16 see separate mail.) Tom ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 15:04:07 -0400 (EDT) From: Fportier@aol.com To: wwi Subject: New hi-Tech Breguet XIV Message-ID: <970616150133_-792892502@emout03.mail.aol.com> Dear List Members, To be released later this year is a 1/48 injected plastic kit of the Breguet XIV (ref. HT 003) from HiTech (BP 07, 77100 Nanteuil Les Meaux, France). It will include etched metal and (probably) resin detail parts, plus of course decals. price will be FF200 (about $35) :+( That's all I know so far. Please please please don't start a controversy on the subject of prices, scale, the (undoubted) inadequacies of the French, etc; I am NOT answering :+) Francois ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 15:36:20 -0400 From: Geoff Smith To: "INTERNET:wwi@pease1.sr.unh.edu" Subject: Re: Smer reissues Message-ID: <199706161536_MC2-1893-7F4A@compuserve.com> William wrote: >And Airfix (or whatever the conglomerate which currently owns >Airfix is called) still owns the Airfix DH.4 molds although when >if ever, that kit might be reissued is anyones' guess. FWIW the Airfix DH.4 is on the shelves over here along with most of the others. Notable exceptions seem to be the Hannover ( with aspirated aitch= ) and Bloody Paralyser (with silent aitch). ;-) >>And, don't you mean Dee Haitch Fore? >Only the bloomin' limeys and those "putting on airs" would aspirate >the "aitch"! :-) Cheeky sod, any limey worth the name would NEVER do that, though those "putting on airs" certainly would and I can think of one or two. This lis= t would be way over their heads, fortunately. Cheers, "Blooming Limey" (silent zed) (BG) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 15:51:23 EDT From: "Jim Lyzun" To: wwi Subject: Re: Air-Britain Files Message-ID: <19970616155123.013eed5e.in@mail.baynet.net> Does anyone have a listing of all available Air Britain titles? I would certainly be interested in getting a copy. Jim Lyzun ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 14:57:35 +0000 From: "Paul Schwartzkopf" To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer Nie.11/16 Message-ID: <199706162004.PAA29187@tscrypt1.transcrypt.com> If I am not mistaken, isn't this kit the old 1/48 Aurora (or knock-off of it) Nieuport 11? It sounds like the re-issues must have better quality decals--the ones in my older kit(s) are *totally worthless*. It's nice to see that I am not the only one on the list who tackles the Smer kits. For the price, some of them offer a fairly good starting point at the very least. I picked up three of the DH2's a few years back (yes, I've read the reviews!), but when they only cost me $2 apiece, that wasn't bad. Especially now when the Blue Max kit is about $50. Paul There are 2 types of masking tape--one that won't stay on, and the other that won't come off. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 14:07:25 -0700 From: Charles Hart To: wwi Subject: Re: Air-Britain Files Message-ID: >Does anyone have a listing of all available Air Britain titles? I would >certainly be interested in getting a copy. > >Jim Lyzun As I posted yesterday, 15 June 1997: For those interested in Air-Britain, surf on over to: http://www.air-brit.demon.co.uk/ This site lists all publications produced by this organization, I'm afraid to say that the majority of their books are non-WW I in content. Charles hartc@spot.colorado.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 17:06:46 -0400 (EDT) From: BStett3770@aol.com To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer reissues Message-ID: <970616165709_-1227940333@emout03.mail.aol.com> Glencoes got the Old Aurora DH-4 molds. Plans to issue late summer or fall. Barry Rosemont Hobby ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 17:16:39 -0500 From: "S.M.Sundberg" To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer reissues Message-ID: <33A5BB47.1AFC@netins.net> Bill Shatzer wrote: > > I wandered into my favorite local hobbyshop this PM and discovered > a new shipment had arrived including a reissue of the old SMER > WW1 stuff. I picked myself up a Nieuport 11 (now being identified > by SMER as a Nieuport 11/16) and it was just like I remembered it - > rockets and all snip I was quite happy with my six dollar Nieuport. > > Cheers, > > -- > - Bill Shatzer bshatzer@orednet.org - > > - Cave ab homine unius libri! - I recently got a bunch of these kits from Squadron as one of their monthly specials for about $4.00. I'm finishing the Nieuport in Italian markings from Blue Rider. It has the raised decal placement markings "almost" removed, but not noticeable. A little plastic stuff in the cockpit and it looks good. The camel has all of the raised markings. The AVRO 504K, DVII, were better. Overall, I agree with Bill that they are a good value. I think it's also because I enjoy doing a cockpit with Evergreen stuff than getting all those Eduard photoetch thingies stuck to my fingers. Steve Sundberg ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 17:57:28 +0100 (BST) From: Sandy Adam To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Re: Smer reissues Message-ID: Excellent answers Carlos - thank you - anybody got any views on the D.VII, SE5 etc? Sandy On Mon, 16 Jun 1997, Carlos Valdes wrote: > Sandy, > The Dr.I comes with two sets of decals, for Baumer's 204/17 and Jacobs' > 470/17 (the black one with the thin white crosses but minus the devil's > head). They are over- > sized for the DML kit but could be used with a little trimming. However, > the markings for Baumer are suspect in that they seem to represent a > mixture of the early and later looks of the a/c; in addition, the > red-white-black wing stripes are presented as red- white-red (trimming > would also take care of this, of course, as the wing tips would need to > be painted black anyway). If you want 1/48 decals for Baumer's triplane, > they are included--at least for the early version of his colors--on Blue > Rider sheet 511. > As for the Nieuport, the Russian roundels are OK while the French ones > are less so (the white intrudes underneath part of the surrounding red > section); the gold outline to the tail markings looks rather odd also. > BTW, de Turrenne's markings are also featured in the BLue Max Ni.11. > Overall, the Smer decals are not up to the standards of DML's, but the > prices of these kits are certainly right. > Carlos > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 16:17:37 -0700 From: Michelle and Rory Goodwin To: wwi Subject: Re: reissues/Airfix DH4 Message-ID: <33A5C991.1D62@ricochet.net> Sandy Adam wrote: > > On Mon, 16 Jun 1997, Charles Hart wrote: > > Its my understanding from traffic on this list earlier this year that > > all the Airfix WW I kits are out of production and not in the current > > catalog. > > As a 1/48 man I am not qualified to say anything about 1/72 but I had to > ask if people are really? worried about these announcements. > It seems to me that Airfix regularly reissue their kits and nothing is > ever out of the catalogue for long enough to disappear from the shelves of > most of the bigger shops. > When I read of the announcements that all the WW1 stuff was going my > immediate reaction was to wonder what format the new releases would take. > > Maybe its cynical, but the 70th anniversary of the end of the conflict is > fast approaching and I would not be surprised to see a special Great War > edition next year. Failing this, don't worry - they'll be back soon after! > > I can think of several suppliers near me who have stacks of these things - > if you want any of them, you will be able to get them pretty painlessly. > Sandy With the exception of the Hannoveraner... -- Michelle and Riordan Goodwin Visit our websites: Michelle's Home/Resume Page: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/9171 Riordan's Wings of Revolution: http://www.serve.com/rgoodwin ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 16:25:36 -0700 From: Michelle and Rory Goodwin To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer reissues Message-ID: <33A5CB70.42C1@ricochet.net> Sandy Adam wrote: > > Excellent answers Carlos - thank you - anybody got any views on the D.VII, > SE5 etc? > Sandy > Are the Smer S.E.5 molds different from Lindberg's? -- Michelle and Riordan Goodwin Visit our websites: Michelle's Home/Resume Page: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/9171 Riordan's Wings of Revolution: http://www.serve.com/rgoodwin ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 19:55:29 -0400 (EDT) From: DavidL1217@aol.com To: wwi Subject: Re: New hi-Tech Breguet XIV Message-ID: <970616195331_-1627883150@emout12.mail.aol.com> Hey, I look forward to a decent Bregeut in 1/48. The news is tres bon! Actually, given the cost of the Aeroclub and other 1/48 items, if the kit is accurate, it's a good price. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 20:41:40 -0700 From: bshatzer@orednet.org (Bill Shatzer) To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer reissues Message-ID: <199706170341.AA05870@ednet1.orednet.org> Riordan wrote: >Are the Smer S.E.5 molds different from Lindberg's? Yes - and if you have a choice, I recommend going with the Lindberg edition. A better kit all around plus the Lindberg seems to be a genuine 1/48 scale kit while the SMER is closer to 1/46 I'm thinking. Incidently, I just noticed that the FMP French Aircraft book has a photo of de Turrene's Nieuport on page 365. The photo's a little dark but it does appear that SMER got all the markings right including the outline around the rudder. Don't know about a _gold_ outline but some sort of outline seems to be there. 'Course I'm thinking that the top of the horizontal stabilizer and the elevator looks red, not fabric, as SMER shows it and de Turrenne's aircraft had what looks like a Hotchkiss MG mounted on the top wing, rather than a Lewis. (If not a Hotchkiss, perhaps a student of machine guns could better ID this 'un for me?) Cheers -- - Bill Shatzer bshatzer@orednet.org - - Cave ab homine unius libri! - ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 23:48:21 -0400 From: "S.M. Head" To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer reissues/Ansaldo SVA5 Message-ID: <9706162237.aa13660@mail.iapc.net> After all this talk of SMER reissues, I guess I'm going to have to jump in. I bought the Ansaldo a month ago, and I guess it's a reissue. The last one I bought had crummy russian decals and poor box art, but the new one had the markings of the Lion of St. Mark (Blue tail, wood Fuselage, camoflaged wing, etc). The box art is new too, and the decals are indeed Propacteam. They look good, though the green might be too light for me. I'll be "roughing up" the Lion decal a bit with some brushing and shading to make it look more painted as the decal seems so flat and graphic, but otherwise they appear great. Does anyone on the list have any pointers for building this kit? It appears pretty crude, but workable. I tried long ago but put it aside- thinking of doing it again. Thanks! Scott H --------------------------------------------------------------------- Scott M. Head (smh@iapc.net) IPMS/USA #32841 "Make it idiot proof - IPMS/Houston Scale Model Forum and someone will make a better idiot!" http://web-hou.iapc.net/~smh --------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 22:08:11 -0700 From: Mark K Nelson To: wwi Subject: Notice of change of Address! Message-ID: Hello: Just wanted to let you all know that I am no longer 'mnelson@compusmart.ab.ca' but have become 'mnelson@v-wave.com' (Cable modem! Mmmmmm!) The swap of addresses in the list seems to have worked without any losses. _____________________________________________________________________ Mark (An Employee at Kites & Other Delights in West Edmonton Mall) ------------------------ mnelson@v-wave.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 22:04:29 -0700 From: Michelle and Rory Goodwin To: wwi Subject: Re: New hi-Tech Breguet XIV Message-ID: <33A61ADD.3C99@ricochet.net> DavidL1217@aol.com wrote: > > Hey, I look forward to a decent Bregeut in 1/48. The news is tres bon! > > Actually, given the cost of the Aeroclub and other 1/48 items, if the kit is > accurate, it's a good price. What is the MSRP on this kit? -- Michelle and Riordan Goodwin Visit our websites: Michelle's Home/Resume Page: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Vista/9171 Riordan's Wings of Revolution: http://www.serve.com/rgoodwin ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 08:44:01 -0400 From: Jesse Thorn To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer reissues/Ansaldo SVA5 Message-ID: Scott, >Does anyone on the list have any pointers for building this kit? It appears >pretty crude, but workable. I tried long ago but put it aside- thinking of >doing it again. I compared the kit parts to the Datafile drawings. The fuselage looks basically OK, however, the wings and tailplane are going to need some work. Not bad for $5, tho! Jesse ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 08:51:05 -0400 (EDT) From: JimAlley@aol.com To: wwi Subject: Re: Smer reissues/Ansaldo SVA5 Message-ID: <970617085049_878924067@emout15.mail.aol.com> >Does anyone on the list have any pointers for building this [Ansaldo] kit? >It appears >pretty crude, but workable. I tried long ago but put it aside- thinking of >doing it again. Newbie here, again. I built the Ansaldo a while back. Watch out for those struts! ...and a question: I just got back from Atlanta where I picked up a few kits which are new to me, as well as some Aero-Master decals. I found full sheets of wood paneling, which would be appropriate for several planes, especially Albatri. How does one get from a flat sheet to a 3D form? Slice it into strips and overlap? Any guidance from the masters here? Jim Alley ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jun 1997 21:49:14 +0800 From: "David Solosy" To: Subject: Re: Smer reissues Message-ID: 13545445900166@argo.net.au William wrote: > >Only the bloomin' limeys and those "putting on airs" would aspirate > >the "aitch"! :-) > Then Geoff wrote: > Cheeky sod, any limey worth the name would NEVER do that, though those > "putting on airs" certainly would and I can think of one or two. This lis= > t > would be way over their heads, fortunately. > > Cheers, > > "Blooming Limey" (silent zed) (BG) I thought it was the Hirish who haspirated their haitches. Ho well. David S (Another colonial - who at least can tell a zed from a zee) ;-) ------------------------------ End of WWI Digest 582 *********************