JC Wings 1:200 BOAC VC10

[VC10]

Just got it delivered from Airspotters.com this weekend. I am in two minds about sending it back. On the whole is isn't bad, but it is spoiled by the hugely out of scale aerials. The 'V' aerial wasn't even a civilian fit.



In addition it has been produced from a VC10 tanker mould as underneath is the fairing for the CCTV camera

[DaveB]

I'd be tempted mate.. really tempted.

I bought the Corgi Aviation Archive 1:72 60th Anniversary Berlin Airlift model of G-ALEF as a crimbo present for myself and this is equally inaccurate.. perhaps a little less obvious than that VC10 unless you're au fait with the Halifax Mk8. The pre-release shots shown everywhere including the box show it to have extended wingtips and various other small details which differentiate a Halifax CMK8/Halton from a Halifax bomber (ALEF is a MK8) but the model itself has aerials that were not fitted to a Mk8 (there should be no mention at all of a Halton as these were different again!) and it wears the early Halifax Mk3 bomber square wingtips. Why Corgi did this is a mystery Point with the Corgi model is that the box shows one thing and the model inside is something different. I've kept mine regardless of the faults (even though they wind me up) but had it been advertised online and on the box as being SO wrong.. I'd not have bothered buying it. I suppose it all boils down to the fact that I can't be @rsed to send it back now :roll: Had I seen shots of the BOAC VC10 looking like yours does.. I'd not have ordered it. That said.. I couldn't live with a VC10 so wrong as that model is! I suppose you could snap off the V ILS aerial and shamfer down the blade AE's a bit but then what do you do about the bulge for the tanker camera

TBH.. I'd send it back Paul ;-)

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[VC10]

Hi Dave, It's gone back. As soon as I got it out of the box on Saturday and saw those aerials I was 75% certain I wasn't going to keep it. I wouldn't like to try filing the aerials down as I think they would snap off in short order. I rang Airspotters today to say I was returning it and I had a short conversation with the proprietor who said he had sent a model to Brize for a review and they gave it "the thumbs up". Tonks?

In the view below you can see the CCTV bulge and another 'lump' on the belly aft of the fwd cargo door, I don't know what that represents. There is one other error on this model. Can you see it?


On the plus side what I did like in the model was the clear plastic for the tail nav light and the small red transparency for the upper anti coll light.

***Late flash, I've just seen a second error on the photo***

[DaveB]

Hi Paul..

Rgr that. I take it the chap wasn't too miffed Wonder who it was at Brize that gave it the thumbs up :think: If these models were cheap.. you could excuse the odd faux pas but they're far from it :roll:

I note those wing fences are a tad.. oversized :o Perhaps they're off a different scale model along with the aerials :brick:

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[Archer]

In the view below you can see the CCTV bulge and another 'lump' on the belly aft of the fwd cargo door, I don't know what that represents. There is one other error on this model. Can you see it?

Hmmm, handy spot for the cargo door there.... :brick: And is that an extra set of outflow valves as well on the RH side?

I was visiting a model aircraft forum last week (just visiting, you don't want to actually spend time there! ;-) )and the comments over there aren't too positive either. The story seems to be that JC Wings is just a name for another company using fairly shabby moulds. In the USA they're actually marketed as Gemini Jets but I wonder how long that will last with quality control like this. I guess they tried to cash in, presenting a not too expensive 1:200 model that was quickly produced.

Dave, the troubles with Corgi's Halifax are known to some, have a read here: http://tricatus.wordpress.com/2008/12/2 ... hp-halton/

Nice collection there Paul, I see you've got A4O-AB as well. I bought mine off the net just a month or two ago, looks like it's getting rare.

[VC10]

Hmmm, handy spot for the cargo door there.... :brick: And is that an extra set of outflow valves as well on the RH side?

You've got it! I'd have been very disappointed if you hadn't. There is a cargo on the other side aswell!

It was my first JC model, it looked quite good on the original shot on Airspotters, not the one above, but if that is the standard it will be my last. I didn't know about the link with Gemini.

Thanks for the comment about the collection. I've got all the Gemini except the RAE version & the camo' tanker prototype, I'm just waiting for the price to drop on ebay!

The A40-AB is a Jet-X model which I got off ebay together with the Jet-X RAE model. Supposedly they are 1:400 like the Gemini ones but they are definitely slightly smaller.

[Archer]

It was my first JC model, it looked quite good on the original shot on Airspotters, not the one above, but if that is the standard it will be my last. I didn't know about the link with Gemini.

I found a bit of an explanation about the link here: http://www.diecastaircraftforum.com/1-2 ... 200-a.html About halfway down in post #19. (I've got a feeling that you're active on that forum as well ;-) ) It is a shame that the JC Wings model is so disappointing, the only other option is an expensive Skyline model and I've heard that being cast in white metal they may not stay true to shape over time.

The A40-AB is a Jet-X model which I got off ebay together with the Jet-X RAE model. Supposedly they are 1:400 like the Gemini ones but they are definitely slightly smaller.

I've only got two models now, A4O-AB and G-ASIX from Jet-X and Gemini respectively. Having them standing next to each other it isn't hard to spot the differences. The Jet-X models are definitively smaller and while on its own it is a nice model, I feel that the Gemini ones portray the VC10 better. I had a look at the VC10 Tanker prototype the other day and it is a very nice paintjob on the model, that one's worth buying (once the price drops of course ;-) ).

I bought these two models as they are the same airframe, the one I worked on. It would be nice if Gemini could do G-ASIX in the early BUA livery and BCal as well. (I know that they do have those liveries but with different registrations.)

Corgi released their second 1:144 VC10 last week, I'm looking forward to seeing that as I hope that it is an improvement on their first attempt.

[DaveB]

Tks for that link Jelle.. you can now see what I mean!! :roll: What the guy who wrote that report DIDN'T highlight is the mast AE you see above the flightdeck glass. This was also not present on the pre-pro model but miraculously appeared on the production version. You can see it clearly in the first large shot :brick:
Other comments off another well known diecast model forum pointed out the amount of plastic in the Halifax when compared to say their Lancasters which are pretty much full diecast.. the exceptions being the gear doors and gear structure which is pretty standard. Hold one in one hand and one in the other and you can FEEL the difference immediately. Perhaps this was also part of a possible cost issue that guy mentioned

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[VC10]

(I've got a feeling that you're active on that forum as well ;-)

I wouldn't say I am active there, only joined at the weekend to say what I thought of that model.

Anyway, here is a view of my complete collection

[TSR2]

Fantastic collection!