Landships II

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

Airfix Mark I female

Rob · Legend

Thanks for the links - the Portugese site mentions the kit actually depicts a Mk 2 - I always thought it depicted a weird hybrid of a Mk 1 and 'Mother'? I may get it myself.... although will probably play it safe and wait for someone else to do so and post a preview up first!

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

The 'male' kit has always been an accurate model of the 'Mark I' on display at Bovington Tank Museum. Sadly, not the real Mark I that is currently on display there, but a mock up that had been made with a Mark II,�one male and one female sponson, and some tail wheels. The same hybrid is in a photo in 'Tanks of The World'. So that's why it has the wrong hatch, width of cabin, exhaust pipe and track tensioner apertures. Doesn't explain why there are so many rivets, and other details, missing in places like the top of the sponsons.

So�the female sponsons in the new Airfix kit could have been measured up and on the drawing board some 40-odd years ago. That is a very long time to release a new kit, and probably beats Pegasus and Imex!

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

I am back home and can look up that photo.

Page 69 of 'Pictorial History Of Tanks Of The World 1915 - 45' by Chamberlain and Ellis, 1972. Photo captioned; 5. Tank Mk I Female. I believe this is the tank that Airfix measured up, and based their Mark I male tank on. The photo is also the source of Centurion's confusion in a previous thread concerning the shape of the track tensioner aperture on a Mark I tank.

I also believe that the tank (that Airfix used as their Mark I) is the Mark II that is currently on display at Bovington. It has a hatch in the cabin roof because it was (or may have been) used as a supply tank (or maybe they just fancied a sun roof). And that detail has been faithfully copied in the Airfix kit for nearly 50 years. And dutifully filled in with Milliput, for just as long, by people like us! (Has Milliput been around that long?)

I've just noticed that the new box art for the male tank has square track tensioner apertures, whereas the box art for the female (HMLS We're all in it) has the correct rounded apertures. And I would bet my left wisdom tooth that despite the swanky box art, the new kit still has the old faults, despite having 20 new parts!

-- Edited by philthydirtyanimal on Saturday 7th of November 2009 04:47:27 AM

Mark Hansen · Legend

philthydirtyanimal wrote:

...Doesn't explain why there are so many rivets, and other details, missing in places like the top of the sponsons...

�The excess rivets are probably due to photos of Mother. The Mk II that Airfix used has a bit of battle damage and the kit designers may have wanted to use clear photos of an undamaged�Mk I. Unfortunately for the kit, they used nice clear photos of Mother.

Rivets missing from the top of the sponsons is a problem with the state-of-the-art in modelling at the time. IIRC, the kit first appeared in 1967, way before the slide-mold, photo-etch, every-detail-you-could-possibly-want (and-a-few-you-don't) modern armour kits. It has its flaws, but it's still got a better body shape than Emhar's offering from 12(?) years ago.

Rob · Legend

Be interesting to see what the 20 extra parts consist of - presume it must be worth the extra �1 on the price tag for the Female too!

Mark Hansen · Legend

With 20 new parts they could just about fix all the major faults. If you allow 1 part each for the Vickers, 1 part each for their respective turrets, 2 sponsons,�and 1 door for each�sponson, you have 8 parts unaccounted for. 2 each for the sides and 4 for a corrected cab... is it too much to hope for?

Ironsides · Legend

Hi PDA well im getting quite enthusiastic, I hope that the cab and hull top have been replaced at least...

either way if the sponsons are well done it will be worth it just for them and�I will certainly stock up.... and will be on sale here in 9 days....

http://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/airfix-176-wwi-female-tank/

also here is a pic of the western front gift set box art, curiously enough its not currently on the airfix site... which Im also tempted by....

http://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/airfix-172-wwi-western-front-gift-set/

Cheers smile

�

-- Edited by Ironsides on Sunday 22nd of November 2009 04:35:31 PM

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

Don't know about 'enthusiastic', but I'm certainly getting excited.

I am on Airfix's 'alert' system so that they�email me when this kit becomes available. I've heard nothing! I hope they haven't put Gerald Ratner in charge of customer relations!

Rob · Legend

Looking forward to it - even if not changed, so I can build it as a late�Mk II Female

Ironsides · Legend

"Looking forward to it - even if not changed, so I can build it as a late�Mk II Female"

Exactly my thinking wink

�

Cheers smile

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

I'm looking forward to it too! I'm thinking it will make a great Mark I female with a little work.

smile

James H · Legend

Airfix haven't gone to a lot of expense for the artwork on the "Gift Set". They've just photoshopped the old boxes of the German and British infantry and the "Mk I", incidentally turning the Germans round so they're left-handed. Perhaps this is something to do with Hornby's recent, disappointing profit announcement.

None of which gets round all the inaccuracies (Service Caps, Pickelhauben, etc).

Rob · Legend

Five days to go.... wondering whether to pre-order on the Wonderland models site or�wait for it to turn up on the Airfix site

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

There is no mention of�an impending release�in November's newsletter on the Airfix site.

http://www.airfix.com/latest-news/newsletters/2009/11/16/airfix-november-2009-newsletter/

Rob · Legend

Oh f.....iddlesticks. Now not to be release until January - from the Wonderlandmodels site

"This item will be available in 48 days on Fri 15th January 2010"

Ironsides · Legend

Ratts..... evileye

Rob · Legend

...22 days to go!

Rob · Legend

3 days to go now. Might have a trip up to Hannants on Friday just in case

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

Again I am sorry to burst your bubble, Rob, but there is no indication on Airfix's site that this will be released in a couple of days.

Maybe you would like to sign up for notification of when this will be available? Maybe if Airfix get enough people signed up wanting notification they might believe there is a significant interest (and speed things up)?

You can sign up here (if you want):
http://www.airfix.com/airfix-products/military-vehicles/tanks/a02337-wwi-female-tank-a02337/

Rob · Legend

Hi mate, I signed up on the Airfix site a while ago but hadn't heard anything - was hoping they'd just release it without prior notification. I do wonder why wonderlandmodels are bringing out imminent release dates however, presumably they must be based on some information from Airfix. Either way, hope it's worth the wait - till then, it's back to work on what will be either 'Iron Duke' or 'Lusitania'

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

"presumably they must be based on some information from Airfix" - Rob.

Yes, hopefully the dates�are based on that, or else�someone (not me!)�could think they were�trying to drive up pre-orders.

I have been studying the tea leaves, shapes of clouds, and looking for eagles flying high on my right. The portents are confusing. But we live in hope.

baldwin · Hero

Phill
Have you been on the Labbats big time????????????????

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

No. I'm more of a Rickards Red kind of guy. smile

Did you like the eagle reference? Little bit of Homer on a Wednesday morning.

Hope all's well.

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

Confusing news:

Airfix site doesn't say it is released today (Friday 15th January 2010)

Hannants doesn't seem to have it listed any more.

Wonderland Models appears to have it for sale.

So is it released? Or not?

baldwin · Hero

I know some females can be a bit awkward but this one should have a book written about it!!!! Something for you to do Phill !!!
Barry John

Rob · Legend

I think this one may be more accurate!

'This product will be in stock on Wednesday 01 January, 2020.'

http://www.creativemodels.net/product_info.php?products_id=11867

Date: Jan 18, 2010

I received an email from Hornby customer care on 3rd December saying that release is "delayed until early next year."

I was waiting to see if it did come out on the 15 Jan, as that could mean "early next year" - although my interpretation is that the date was as yet unknown, making 15 Jan unlikely.

The fact that is taking longer than anticipated means - perhaps optimistically, but I have faith in this one - that it will be all-knew, contrary to a prediction made below:

"And I would bet my left wisdom tooth that despite the swanky box art, the new kit still has the old faults, despite having 20 new parts!"

Airfix have had quite long enough to have read all the feedback about the inaccuracies of the Mark I Male, and I am guessing they took the decision to put it right for the female, knowing it could be a bit of "big thing" if they do (rather than a disappointed and resigned sigh if they don't).

This of course raises the possibility of them using some of the revised parts from the female to help correct some of the inaccuracies of the Male in a future update�- maybe...

First Circle · Private

I received an email from Hornby customer care on 3rd December saying that release is "delayed until early next year."

I was waiting to see if it did come out on the 15 Jan, as that could mean "early next year" - although my interpretation is that the date was as yet unknown, making 15 Jan unlikely.

The fact that is taking longer than anticipated means - perhaps optimistically, but I have faith in this one - that it will be all-new, contrary to a prediction made below:

"And I would bet my left wisdom tooth that despite the swanky box art, the new kit still has the old faults, despite having 20 new parts!"

Airfix have had quite long enough to have read all the feedback about the inaccuracies of the Mark I Male, and I am guessing they took the decision to put it right for the female, knowing it could be a bit of "big thing" if they do (rather than a disappointed and resigned sigh if they don't).

This of course raises the possibility of them using some of the revised parts from the female to help correct some of the inaccuracies of the Male in a future update�- maybe...

-- Edited by First Circle on Monday 18th of January 2010 10:42:04 PM

Rob · Legend

Cripes, I hope they don't revise the Male too much, else i'll have to stockpile all the Mk II's while I can! Personally I think they must have re-designed it, as I can't otherwise work out what the extra 38 parts (as well as being 20 more parts in the Female, there's also the 18 parts for the Male sponsons and guns which won't be included) can consist of - if they were just chucking in new sponsons, the only parts I can think of are

Sponson x2
Seperate sponson door x2
Turrets x4
Vickers x4
Maybe two parts per Vickers to keep it in the turret, as used on the Male, so in total 'keeper' x8

Which comes to 20, then maybe if they have the parts which keep the turret in place in the sponson as per the male, which has 2 per gun, then x8, which comes to 28, leaving ten parts unaccounted for, and even if what i've put is correct that's a heck of a lot of effort for the sponsons.

Rob · Legend

Turns out they aren't in stock at Wonderlandmodels

We are waiting on stocks of the 1/76 Female Tank coming in. I am expecting them some time over the next couple of weeks. If you place an order one will be sent to you as soon as they arrive.

Ironsides · Legend

Hi Rob, I suspect its only the sponsons as a seperate sprue it would be nice if the other problems were also sorted as it would enable a MKI to be made without all the messing about.... and of course there is still the re-issued MKII composite original kit which appears to be unaltered but as I already have 6 of the last issue I dont really need it, although�I may buy one for the nice box art...

Cheers smile

-- Edited by Ironsides on Tuesday 19th of January 2010 01:05:45 PM

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

I am trying to re-train my brain to be a positive person, I really am. And I'd like to be positive about this new kit. I think it's great that Airfix are going to eventually release another kit for WWI. And I will buy a few.

However (here we go) they don't seem to read any forum comments. Why do I say that? 3 Reasons; a. WWI British Infantry, b. WWI US Infantry and c. WWI Royal Horse Artillery. So I doubt they have done any research for the new kit. My money is on them using the drawings and measurements that were made years ago when they designed the male tank. Heck, maybe they even made moulds for the female all those years ago, and they've just found them again.

Yes it is a new WWI kit. Yes I will buy it. And, yes, I think it will still have a plethora of problems.

-- Edited by philthydirtyanimal on Wednesday 20th of January 2010 03:55:57 AM

Rob · Legend

On the plus side, it isn't an A7V!

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

True enough, Rob.�A company could legitimately make 20 different kits of the A7V as that's how many different A7Vs there were (or was it 21?). Actually I'm surprised they haven't.

Reasons to be cheerful, part IV.

kieffer · Commander in Chief

Hi Ironsides,

I just compared the "new Mk I male" with a 15 year old one. The only things changed are the colour and the tracks, and the box.
The new tracks are too short, the same trauma as the silver ones , but you can stretch them now...
May be they should bring it on the market in the old plastic bag and original artwork, Revell does that with some of their oldies.

Kieffer

Rob · Legend

philthydirtyanimal wrote:
True enough, Rob.�A company could legitimately make 20 different kits of the A7V as that's how many different A7Vs there were (or was it 21?). Actually I'm surprised they haven't.

Reasons to be cheerful, part IV.

Don't worry, i'm sure when the 100th anniversary of the Great War comes around it'll be A7V-fest from Dragon, Revell, Trumpeter etc....

baldwin · Hero

Just had an email from Airfix saying the Female is out.
Don't panic chaps!!!!!!!!

philthydirtyanimal · Commander in Chief

Yay!

Everybody go mental!!!!!

Rob · Legend

Pah, nothing here! (Pretty certain I signed up to the notification anyway)

Website still says out of stock though?