Magnus Friedsell takes a look at the content of Airfix 1:72 scale model kit of DeHavilland Vampire T.11.

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Thanks!

Hi,

Thanks for the nice review of this Vampire T11 !

BTW, I started this kit two weeks ago and until now the build has no major problems.

Main parts fits well, just some gaps had to be eliminated using mr surfacer 500.
Talking about gaps, the main problem is that I had to eliminate some big gaps on the rear horizontal surfaces.
The join line with the tails are not so good and I had to insert some 'sprue' to fill them.

About the cockpit, I think details are very nice but I think airfix forgot to include some parts for the right position 'pilot'(student or instructor place ?).
I had to add some home made parts on the right side of the central column to solve this problem.

About the air intake parts, I think the two vertical 'frames' are not in 72 scale so I have replaced them for new ones made of 0.13mm evergreen stripes.

Now please i have a question, can I do a Chilean one with this T11 model ?

Cheers Pierre.

Chile operated T.11s, so yes you can

Pierre! I'll start this kit hopefully tomorrow so thanks for pointing out those areas of special interest.

I have very little on the subject of South-American aviation but I found one booklet cover and one profile showing Chilean Vampires by googling and they have the same canopy as in the kit so Jessica is right: it will be possible to do one out-of-the box!

This is a place where you maybe can get a bit more help!



Magnus

A very informative review and two builds going on on this nice looking plane. That is nice altogether. I like the yellow color on the metal finish.

If I am correct, there is also a attack variant of this plane. Does a company makes this variant or is only the T version available?



Jelger

The attack version was the Venom. I don't think that Airfix ever did a Venom, but the two seat night-fighter has been done by Dragon and multiple versions have been done by Czech Master. Here's a page full of Czech Master Vampire variants (plus a ringer thrown in).

Thanks Jessica and Magnus for your feedback about the Chilean Vampire T11.

I have just received the AZTEC decal sheet with some south american Vampires and a Chilean Vampire MkII. Is the Mk II the same variant of the T11 please ?

Cheers Pierre.

To make it very simple: if it looks the same it is the same. Check canopy and possibly lack of ejection seats!



Magnus

Thanks Magnus, I will check these points !

BTW, I've just applied the first primer coat (surfacer 1000). I will apply the second primer coat very soon and paint the model.

Cheers Pierre.

A build blog is now up and running here!



Magnus

Thanks Magnus ! I'll take a look....

I guess it's better late than never so my thanks to Magnus for reviewing this kit and doing a build Blog. I just received this kit as a Christmas gift from my SWMBO and have been researching about it.

From reading the review and the BLOG and a few other articles it appears things in the kit have changed. Primary is the option that one of the aircraft choices is now that of a Swedish J-28C. Here's a pict of the "newer" decals and paint instructions.

Vampire-A-2 by Jan Etal, on Flickr

Vampire-A- - 1 by Jan Etal, on Flickr

Cheers,
Jan

Jan! Thanks for your update and I'm glad you found your way around to this old thread !

Note that the Swedish aircraft in this latest boxing is a museum aircraft.

It is not possible to do an operational green-over-grey aircraft from the Airfix kit out-of-the-box since all aircraft that had the more modern "buldged" canopy as in the kit were painted silver.

All operational green-over-grey aircraft had the older framed canopy that is not included in the kit.

Note also that no operational SWAF aircraft no matter what canopy had ejection seats (!), they all had a classic "Spitfire-type" seat. How to make one of these from the kit seat can be seen in my build blog !

Gotta finish that Vampire soon, it stalled due to a decal mishap but it otherwise fit to fly another day...



Magnus

Kitmaker has a good track record of finding things on the first try if they exist. Subsequent searches aren't always so good.




I read somewhere that it was some "Preservation Society" effort to keep a Vampire alive kind of like the British Vampire Preservation Group.




Darn I was sort of leaning toward that version.




Yes I read your note on the seats in the Blog and saw the pictures where you changed them. My intention was/is to keep the build simple and pretty much OOTB to sharpen some 'rusty' skills that have been dormant for a while .

Just a couple of quick observations on my kit. The grey sprues look pristine with no flash and I haven't noticed any visible sink holes or ejector pin marks that won't be hidden after assembly. The clear parts although separately bagged had a few light scratches on a couple of spots. HOWEVER, the main windshield was not cracked but did exhibit a scratch in the approximate area where your one in a picture was cracked.

Thanks again for your review and insightful Blog. Good luck on finishing your build, I'll stay tuned.

Cheers,
Jan