Less Parts but Better Model with Airfix Bristol Bulldog build of the new tool kit solving issues

[@armedbrit493]

Thank you for reminding us that the big knob goes in the bottom.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

I consider that a public service announcement. Happy to make you aware.

[@anthonylichfield3540]

Hello mate so many kits are like this nowadays engine detail/ cockpit detail that you aren't going to see when built recently built a car great engine and transmission but you can not see them now it's finished anyway you made a great job of this kit so as always happy modelling everyone 👍

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Thanks for your comment Anthony

[@nickbrough8335]

Fiddly design and poor instructions. A pet hate of mine

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

mine too :(

[@Lambonights]

Less is more! Seems to fit much better now Harry, well done. 🙂

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Solved the problem and yes, made the kit fit better

[@RichardsModellingAdventures]

The kits fine. A bit irritating to build but looks quite nice when it's done. I foiled the front of mine

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Yes I am sure it will all come together in the end. I am just an old man yelling at Airfix clouds harking back to the nostalgia of the 60’s when building kits was a joy, not a complex task that taxed you.

[@eugenedubey1758]

Since you have a Polish pilot, the least you could do for him is install a pickle jar. This is not a slur, they love their Pickles . Families fly to Poland every pickle season to make, eat, celebrate Pickles. Perhaps a pickle coat of arms for the pilots. Poles who fought in the RAF were ferociously brave and skilled.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Wow Eugene how do you know the pilot is polish… is it because his skin colour is so blue? I have some RAF pilots on 3D STL files to print out once I get the repair parts for my broken 3D printer.

[@eugenedubey1758]

@@HarryHoudiniModels You said he is Polish, plus the skin hue from all them pickles.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Must be a misheard mumble? Thanks for the info on the pickles

[@eugenedubey1758]

@@HarryHoudiniModels My wife is having knee surgery, surgeon is a great young man, from Poland. He's very skilled with the robo methods, has a track record of less pain and quicker recovery than his peers. Poland, on Putin's border, he should be very careful.

[@Yves95128]

Hi Harry, You were right about the interior, can't really see anything, I didn't realize that the pilot's hole was so tiny (it sounds wrong but you know what I mean). Plus you could use the interior in a shadow box wit a blueprint as a background. You are also right about the useless profusion of parts, I didn't see that during the review. I looked-up on Scalemates if it was a re-boxing, nope, genuine Airfix. Good continuation👋🏻

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

It is apparently a new tool CAD developed model kit. And that is where I think they went wrong. Just because you have a CAD tool doesn’t mean it is better to go berserk with extra fiddly parts. The result should be buildable by humans.. not AI Robots!

[@andyrowe6764]

Some modellers like to take photos of completed interiors before closing-up the fuselage. They can go to town with extra detailing and painting or not. The choice is there. Manufacturers really can't win can they? Still love your posts by the way Harry from a whinging pom!!!!!!

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

As I took photos of my Wingnut Wings interior, and others I showed in the first few minutes of the video. I have no issue with that. My complaint about this kit was Airfix gave no option other than build the full hidden interior to complete the kit. I have now shown another simpler build option which I hope will help those put off by a complex interior they neither want nor need.

[@robertgrimsted877]

That engine looks awesome Harry I know it’s a nightmare building 😂 but it will look great

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Yes Robert I have high expectations it will all come together in the end.

[@alisteraitken2149]

Good stuff Harry! Got to work the system sometimes !! :)

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

The system sucks and I ain’t working for anybody… ooops I have been listening to Bask Dercat too much! LOL

[@davegreenwood7575]

Well done with the Tamigon bustard...brilliant vid. 😂

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Thanks Dave.. maybe we can call it a Tamfix kit? Tampax was already taken. LOL

[@TheSargeNZ]

Excellent video, Harry. I often find it useful to attach small parts to a model with a short length of sprue still attached to the part and then trim it up like you did.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Well that’s one way to do it… thanks for sharing

[@TheSargeNZ]

@@HarryHoudiniModels You have to think of different ways of modelling once the eyesight goes and the hands shake too much!!

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

ain’t that the truth matey

[@TheBez1965]

Nice one Harry , we all like a good rant video , tall be good in the end I’m sure , take care buddy

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Yes it will all end up in my end. LOL

[@basfinnis]

Thanks for this. I can understand if it strengthened the kit but all that detail would be hidden! I definitely don't understand the reasoning of painting and detailing stuff then it disappears! I'm lazy. Each to their own I guess 😉

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Yes Basil, each to their own and Airfix usually knows to options, they just dropped the ball on this design.

[@lesgl]

Similar prob with the Airfix 1/48 Hurricane..the tubular frame can cause problems with the fit of the wing to the fuselage..so similar fix to what you are doing..cut away the frame which isn't visible through the cockpit opening

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

That was another option I though of, but means you need to use those cradle parts. I wanted to see how few parts I could use to achieve about the same visible interior. Result 7 instead of 16.

[@alanrogers8535]

Luv It All Matey.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Good on you Alan

[@onixfieroandscalemodelworks]

I really enjoy the experience of building so I like it when a kit is fully detailed ,even if you can’t see it. The experience of building painting and detailing is the whole point of model building for me. That being said I do understand your point. Airfix should have given 2 ways of building that plane so the choice could be made by the builder ,to build or not.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

I do enjoy the building as well… and as I said at the start of the video I have done many interiors. But this one is neither interesting or viewable afterwards. So it does not interest me at all.

[@ronaldbyrne3320]

Give the man a sword and he makes a knife. 🤦🏻‍♂️ Just kidding Harry, your humour is infectious. 🤣 Love your kit reviews mate and you never fail to make me laugh along with you. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

If it made you laugh Ronald then my work is done. Sword or knife.. I get to the point.

[@ronaldbyrne3320]

@@HarryHoudiniModels 😁😁😁

[@idiot-cd6pl]

Good one Harry. I couldn't agree with you more, now if you look at the old Airfix 1/72 Bulldog, it's a beautiful kit and virtually has all the detail you could wish for except maybe a bit more interior including the usual questionable pilot but at least you do get a pilot? All that but without any over engineering, I think Airfix is forgetting it's heritage and looking at the far Eastern companies and thinking this is what the modern modeler wants they don't or at least this one doesn't. If anyone wishes to try an over-engineered 1/72 just try the Bristol Fb2 Fighter from Roden. It can be built because I've made it with only one side open and with full rigging. Unfortunately I was taking some extra photographs of it and a gust of wind caught it and broke it. This bulldog could be engineered much less fiddly bits, there was a 48th scale Bulldog made by Merit (an English Merit) back in the late 50's and very early 60's. Obviously not as finessed as the more Airfix model but for it's time those old Merit kits were in many ways better than the modern offerings.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

I do feel a lot of the old kits were, and still are, better than the new ones. CAD has over complicated and made sterile facsimiles of the hobby. The heart and soul of a scale model seems to be absent in these modern cold clones.

[@michaelvalenzuela2528]

Groovy video, if you want simplicity the vintage (old as hell) Monogram P-51b and Messerschmitt Bf-110 had a pilot with tabs to glue it directly to the fuselage side and a decal for the instrument panel.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

That is very simple!

[@Ravenstudios-s5o]

I agree with you on this video, i been turn off on a spitfire mk ix kit from eduard because of it's overly engineered cock pit in 1/72 scale people probably will disagree with me on it but thats ok because it's my opinion and i lost interest in it because of it, i would be much happier if i just had a pilot to put in there to help hide the detail that no body is going to see in that scale

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Bring back pilots…. just another job replaced by AI.

[@adm65260]

Interesting the issues with this one , just finished the Chinook , great kit (watch the decals though as once they get a sniff of setting solution are best left well alone). Just goes to show that Airfix are still inconsistent. Great work Harry.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Never been much of a chopper man myself. Built one half a century ago but could not get the rotor blades to hold up or stay on. Still I have seen many fine egg beaters at model shows.

[@scurvy8895]

I would like to do this on my current build, the fiddly interior on a 1/48 ju-88, but it has a huge clear canopy 😡

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Yes Scurvy in that case with a big canopy you have no other option. However as I have done, if it is out of the sight line, just omit the part, no need if it is hidden.

[@crisslastname9417]

I picked up my first Airfix kit at a show yesterday. It's the 1/72 scale Grumman Duck. It's a very old kit. Box stamped "Made in England." It came with a complaint card you could fill out and mail to a London address. I paid $10.00 US for it and it has all the parts & decals.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Sounds like on old classic kit. Was it in a “white box” as those are the most sought after kits from Airfix and usually the best.

[@crisslastname9417]

@@HarryHoudiniModels Yes. It's in a white box. Is it o.k. if I build the kit? I won't be looked down upon if I build it, will I?

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Only by Tamiya rivet counters… Fokker em… build the kit and have some fun with the hobby

[@crisslastname9417]

@@HarryHoudiniModels Thank you!

[@Blowinshiddup]

With all the improvements on kits these days, there's one particular one I'd like to see- the DeHavilland Dash-8. There was a horrible Hobbycraft one put out in the 80s, hard to find now. Given the widespread use of them as a commuter turboprop, you'd think it would be an offering...

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

There are some very nice vacform kits available for the Dash 8, although they are not my thing, I have seen them built up into a respectable model.

[@baanibarnes9711]

With you on the Dash 8, a very smart design, the ATM is very similar (license built version of same? Not my area of expertese). Not enough out there on modern short range passenger aircraft. I personally really like small business jets, very few of those available as kits and they are such sweet designs, I'm sure there's a market for these.

[@deanmaguire6701]

Hi Harry, you should give the 1/72 "Vintage Classic" version a go as a comparison build. It's not quite so detailed, but it's still a lovely little kit and the engineering of the Jupiter engine on the 72nd scale version is a thing of beauty 😍. Airfix at its best ! Thanks for the great Video 👍 P.s. it's a shame that Airfix didn't include the option of the forward fuel line modification with the 48 scale version. It appears that most of the Bulldogs eventually had this mod. ( see the RAF Museum Bulldog ) 🍻

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

I didn’t know they had rereleased it in the Vintage Classic range. Thanks Dean I may try to find one.

[@deanmaguire6701]

@@HarryHoudiniModels Hi Harry , ... yes and it comes with a very nice set of updated decals 👍 Ive taken the liberty of fliking a pic of mine to your email address. 🍻

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Got it… thanks

[@owenscott7674]

Thought provoking as always and entertaining. Ha ! Try building a 1:12 motorcycle using detail up sets that cost twice the bike kit price. Then , cover it all up with a fairing. Realised with my Ducati, then Suzuki leave em naked. Maybe Airfix want us to experiment with x-ray , cut-away kits.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

At least you can leave off the faring for a motorcycle. This mid war biplane leaves no option to show off the interior, not even a door to the cockpit. As for cut away kits, my friend Becker calls them autopsies! LOL

[@beckersmodels]

How did you get my kit!? I need to upgrade my stash guard dog - Penny you're fired!

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

You never lock your doors and the dawg is a pussy cat LOL

[@michaelpeters1644]

I have noticed with some recent Airfix kits fit problems of this kind. I am currently having a nightmare build of Airfix's 1/72 Typhoon 1b. Now these might be my fault, but I have built hundreds of kits down through the years, but I have never had problems like this. It is centred round the internals of the wheel wells which are meant to provide both the cockpit base and the intake scoop that forms the internal part if the nose. It got so bad I ended up having to take apart all that I had built and practically start again. Anyway, it now seems like I'm getting there, famous last words, and still problems are arising in other areas. I know I will not attempt to build another one.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

It certainly is not the Airfix I remember… a little fiddly, sure you might want to make minor corrections, but it didn’t drive you insane! Thanks for commenting Michael

[@sammy_dog]

I'm glad you didn't have to bulldog all that pointless interior frame into the airframe it will be a good looking dog once it's built up n painted

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Yes I will get this mutt heeled even if it is the last kit I build before my heart attack!

[@philmitchell8109]

I think they where going for a Wingnut Wings vibe with the interior. "Look how clever we are we can do what they did" and it's not needed for a 1/48. If you want WNW quality go buy one, I have a few

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

I first suspected it was Wingnut Wings CAD from a model they never released before going belly up. However after discussion with Becker its just what you get once you start creating model kits in CAD and printing your instructions with images from the software. Oh bring back hand made models and hand drawn instructions. AI is just to dumb to give us what we really need!

[@cosmarendy8417]

Thanks for sharing Harry. Happily 1/72 and 1/48 scale biplanes’s rigging scare me greatly, so this kit is not on the horizon for me.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

I might have a 3D printed solution for that Cos.. much like my parts for ship rigging, I am planning a rigging set you just click into place for this kit.

[@josephstabile9154]

Perhaps the Inpact/Pyro/Lifelike/Lindberg 1/48 Bristol Bulldog would have made a less frustrating build?

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Maybe so, but here I am with my beloved Airfix brand… how much it has changed since the 60’s when I first started building their kits.

[@randalscott7224]

With all that detail that comes with the kit, perhaps it was originally intended to be 1/24? Somebody got mixed up, the tool makers started making it 1/48, and it was too far along by the time they caught it. 😉 By the way, remember when the 1/72 Wellington came out Airfix shaded the unseeable bits that could be left out green on the plans. Maybe someone could rethink the plans?

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Yes I remember the Wellington instructions… now the people who did that need to talk to the people who did the Bulldog!

[@jb_makesgames2264]

Hey Harry - I totally agree with your comments re interiors - I see far too much effort by modelers to put detail in locations that will never see the light of day. You would need to go in with a surgical Opti scope to see it. What a waste!!!!

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Sometimes it seems so… fun if you want to do it…. but not for everybody Airfix!

[@leoburgess6678]

Right? Unless one is taking pictures of the interior when completed AND before it is sealed up, there is really little point in doing it.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

@leo yes thats what I did with my Wingnut Wings kit. Lots of photos of the interior, which was a model in its own right. However that was 1/32 scale and the fuselage has 2 larger openings, so a lot of what I did was still visible.

[@michaelpeters1644]

Airfix might have believed the amount of detailing inside the fuselage and cockpit area would have been useful for people who like to open up panels, show aircraft under maintenance and the like. And Airfix could only gain by impressive models made that way on display at modelling shows, it would be practically free advertising.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

True but that is not the point of my video. Airfix should have given the option of full interior, or just the basics as I have done. I proved it required no extra parts and could be achieved quite easily. This is very disappointing because in my 60 years of building Airfix kits they usually give you options. This time they failed.

[@michaelpeters1644]

@@HarryHoudiniModels I understand why you chose to point out the issue over the number of internal parts. I was just trying to fathom why Airfix did it. And I could see how they might think some competition class modellers might be able to produce models that would look good for their image.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Honestly I think Airfix is just trying to keep up with the Jones; “look we have a fancy new thingamjig in our kits too!”. I doubt it’s any consideration for autopsy modelers, just a marketing ploy to woo in the easily swayed and impressed consumer by reacting to a lot of useless tinsel. I got the kit because I had been waiting 50 years for Airfix to put out a 1/48 Bulldog. I didn’t buy it for an over engineered interior.

[@robertgrimsted877]

Hi Harry I nearly piss myself laughing thanks you make me laugh you will have to get drunk and do a video ha haha no better not I don’t think you’re kits will be built ha ha

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Glad you get my humour Robert… many take my banter seriously and then get all upset LOL

[@jaws848]

Tamiya kit with Dragon instructions in an Airfix box.....i wonder how many will sand off those knobs by mistake thinking they are flash becaue the instructions dont show them?​@HarryHoudiniModels

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

@jaws well if a seasoned 60 year experienced modeller familiar with Airfix like myself got caught then who knows… I was so surprised. Airfix instructions used to be good, even their old 1960’s exploded diagrams, which I liked because they came with a written list of what each part was called and how it fitted.

[@jaws848]

@@HarryHoudiniModels agreed..👍

[@tomsenior7405]

Why on earth were people offended when you revealed an Airfix kit to be wanting? This sounds like excessive brand loyalty to me. Much as I have been a builder of Airfix since the 1960s and consider myself a collector of their kit range, I am more than willing to expose Airfix shortcomings. Such exposure helps the consumer and helps Airfix identify their own faults. What's the alternative: Are we to blindly accept mediocrity and call it 'good'? If we encourage bad production techniques we are surely endorsing a lesser standard. I expect only the best from Airfix, after a long haul of sticking with them through thick and thin. If we allow Airfix to lower their standards, we my as well build other manufacturers' kits and be happy with that instead. Thank you for your honesty, welcome any time.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

I think so many are blinded by excess detail and engineering but forget this is a hobby, so it should be a relaxing and unstressed pastime. Bells and whistles don’t fool or impress me. Well thought out buildable kits do.. a little challenge sure, but primarily designed for enjoyment.

[@rogerbowen5753]

Just like your namesake, you found yourself in a tight spot, but, you got yourself out of it. The Bulldog should come together now you've worked all the kinks out.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

More kinks to come no doubt, but my iron it hot and ready!

[@morgandude2]

The obsession with detail that will not be seen is a kind of madness. To then justify it by saying "I know it's there"...is double bonkers.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

I hear you Morgan… if they just said they like building them and know it’s gone for ever but don’t care.. sure. But why should the rest of us, the majority of modellers, be forced to make a pointless interior? I think not!

[@arthurmee]

Returning to this hobby after several decades I was flummoxed by the detailed cockpits now included which would not be seen. I tried one model with a detailed but hidden cockpit and suffered feelings of losing the will to live. Not just construction but painting the god forsaken subassembly too. I'd much rather have the option of a pilot especially on the open cockpit biplanes. Horses for courses I suppose. 😖

[@gramus51]

Great kits these days, but lots of Hidden Details that nobody will ever see. Never thought I'd be one for a Curbside version but if all is hidden whats the point.

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Yes we only have ourselves to blame. Wanting more and more from the manufacturers… be careful what you wish for….

[@Mike-mm4mx]

Tamiya are a breeze to make in my experience, perhaps even too simplified, what's he on about?

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

The click ability of Tamiya… no fettling needed… shake’n’bake kits. unlike Airfix which had been more a modellers brand where some work was required to achieve the best from them.

[@4ngu54110tt]

Great idea to use Beckers model to test build the engine etc 😂😂😂 Cheers Harry👍🦘🇦🇺😀🐈‍⬛

[@HarryHoudiniModels]

Wait until he finds out LOL