TSR-2


Bye bye Airfix

Airfix has gone into administration. They’re blaming the closure on the collapse of Heller earlier this year and the French company’s refusal to hand over certain moulds.

It’s a damn shame. The company was going through something of a revival and had released, or planned to release, quite a few kits I was eager (if too poor) to buy. I did get their TSR-2, but I also wanted the classic cars collection and various of the smaller military models. Wonder what this is going to do to the price of their kits lying around in model shops?

As yet the official Airfix site has nothing to say on the subject.

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TSR-2 photos

I have my Airfix TSR-2. Because I ordered it so long ago it went to my old address, despite the fact that I’ve bought, and received, other stuff from the suppliers in the meantime. I’m not likely to build it for a while, but here are a few pictures of the sprues. No in depth review, I have only taken them out for the pictures and put them back again. Click on the image for the full picture.


The box art. One presentation of the model suggests itself- the TSR and Lightning on the tarmac whilst their pilots chat in front of them and technicians run through pre-flight checks.


The sprues were sealed in a plastic bag and the transparencies were in their own bag
inside this.


The fuselage halves are on a large sprue.


The pilots, some cockpit detail and a selection of non-undercarriage struts. I won’t be putting the crew inside the plane, I’d rather have a couple of figures on the tarmac in front of the plane.


Mostly bomb bay and engine details on this sprue. There are two loads, an instrument package from the test flights (bottom right, I think) and atomic bomb (I’ll let you find that for yourself). You know I’m not going to be putting the instrument package in it.


The wings have an interesting design that a few people have commented on. It should cut down on the amount of filler where it meets the fuselage.


Mostly undercarriage and underside details on this sprue.

I need to build a couple of other large aircraft kits before I’ll feel confident in tackling this one- I have a Vulcan and a Revell built “Amerika Bomber” flying wing that I can practice on. And those aren’t going to be started until I have somewhere I can safely airbrush.

Another reason to put off building the kit is that there are few detailing sets available yet. I expect some will appear in a month or two. There are the “could have been” decal sets, though. I like the look of “Bad Attitude/ Hello Saddam” from Gulf War 1.

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I am so jealous right now

Alan has received (one of) his Airfix TSR-2 kits and I haven’t got mine.

I ordered it through Hannants ages ago, before moving to the new casa Spinneyhead. This, and the fact that the old casa Spinneyhead has one of those “It was too large to get through the letterbox” cards, leads me to think (hope) it may have gone to the old address.

Pleeeeeeeeeze!

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It's heeeere (almost)

Airfix hs announced the date that TSR.2 kits arrive in the UK. I should, if Hannants have remembered my order, get mine some time after the 20th of Febryuary. Anticipation is tinged with the knowledge that it’s a large kit and there is no way I’ll get to build it whilst living in this flat. There’s nowhere to store it and definitely nowhere to do any spray painting. I need a workshop.

We are now in a position to give dates on TSR.2 availability. The kits are due in the country on February 15th and, assuming no delays with customs, will start shipping week commencing February 20th. Customers can expect to see the first kits appearing in shops later that week, with other stockists following shortly afterwards.

Club members will have exclusive access to a further 250 kits which will be pre-sold on Airfix.com shortly and strictly limited to 2 kits per club member. As we expect this offer to offer be over-subscribed, we will advertise the timing in advance to ensure fairness to all.

The February edition of Scale Aviation Modeller International, available to buy shortly, features an exclusive first look at the TSR.2 via pre-production test shots.

Kind regards

Gary Bent

Check out the rest of Airfix’s releases for the year.

via Alan Bell

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Scale Aircraft Modelling

I picked this up mainly because it had an article about the TSR.2 and I’ve ordered the upcoming Airfix kit. the article gave a potted history of the failed project and backed it up with 1:72nd scale drawings so now I know just how much space I’m going to need for the model. The plane is depicted with the leg of the front wheel extended in an extreme nose up attitude designed to help short take offs. It’s tempting to model it this way, but god knows how much weight I’m going to need in the nose.

Other features included the evolution of the Zero fighter, and a round up of various models of it, and lots of full colour paint scheme illustrations. The F-16s are the dullest of the bunch in different shades of grey.

The magazine is rounded out with reviews and short build articles, previews of upcoming product and an end page opinion piece that returns to the TSR.2.

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