G'day to you, Back around '75 '76 I picked one up a a Swap Meet here in Perth West Aust.for around $5.00, turned in into a RAAF Gun Ship, Rocket Pods under the wings ,Mini Gun at the rear door and 50cal in side door, look good on Wargaming Tables!
I've still got two from it's last release (and two Superfreighters from about the same time. My first Rotodyne build (slapped together really) was about 1965 if not earlier and fondly remembered. Cost at the time was 6/- (30p!). It was destroyed by flak (.22 air rifle) alongside it's Airfix Fiat G91 escort!
Should be getting mine fairly soon then! It does look pretty good for it's age. The bent prop is where it clipped the chimney of Battersea power station.
I received my yesterday as well, remarkably good condition considering the age. Glad to hear the bent prop is a feature, I had the exactly same bend also and foolish me thought it was damaged by the tight packaging.
Mine will be here on Friday, I have been wanting to build this kit since 1969 but never got around to it. No illusions about the build, but that is not the point, it is all about the nostalgia😀 I seem to remember the oval clear parts had sink marks in them? They look like they have managed to remove them...
I built one of these in the 1970's, when it was moulded in that silvery-grey plastic. I loved it as it looked totally unique - British engineering at it's best. A future that we were looking forward to growing up into. A future that, despite everything looking great, got cancelled pretty rapidly, more's the pity. There were craft like this in the 'Dan Dare' strips in 'The Eagle', and in comic strips in 'TV21'. The noise argument was weak, to be honest. It was nowhere near as loud as Concorde, or, indeed, many of the airliners in use at the time. I think, like a lot of things at this time, it was a combination of a terrible lack of imagination, coupled with being persuaded, quite aggressively, to buy something cheaper and less advanced from corporations like Lockheed/Boeing/Sikorsky, in America. A bit cynical, yes, but much more likely than 'It's a bit too noisy'.
2nd unboxing I’ve watched on this model, and both of the videos show the wing props are damaged due to the lack of protection and poor packing. Will Airfix ever learn?
It's not just the wing props that are damaged. The hinges for the rear doors are broken too. Mine were and I think his are too. Part numbers 23, 24, 30 and 31.
This aircraft was an absolutely revolutionary at the time and wotked perfectly. However, the start and landing jets up on the rotor tips were execissly noisy on landing and takeoff and so it was binned. Another piece of world beating British ingenoity confined to the bin. A sad story but not on its own .
