Category Archives: Kit Bashing

F2H Banshee: Comparing the old HobbyCraft kit to the even older Airfix kit.

Video May 23, 2025 Hutchins AAron

Yes, the Academy kit is the old HobbyCraft/Idea kit.

HobbyCraft kits were also sold under the Idea label, but the company that was actually producing most of the aircraft kits sold by HobbyCraft is a Korean company called Academy. There was some kind of legal dispute in the late 1990s/early 2000s and Academy won the rights to sell those kits under its own label.

The old Airfix kit (also issued by MPC), first manufactured in 1980, is of the F2H-2 version of the Banshee. The Academy-HobbyCraft kit (first released in 1987) is of the F2H-3/4 version. Academy-HobbyCraft’s kit has recessed panels lines (no rivets), parts fit is good. The dash-3/4 version is the larger, with much more room for internal fuel tanks, and a big radar in the nose.

The Airfix kit comes with an optional F2H-2P photo-recon nose. For some odd reason, my Airfix-MPC kit came with decals for only the fighter version, no markings for the P version! The kit has subtle raised panel lines (no rivets), the fit of the parts is good.

Short silent film of F2H-2P operations from USS Boxer (CVA-21) somewhere in the Sea of Japan (off the coast of Korea), 15JUN1953:

Airfix provides you with bombs and rockets, however, Airfix incorrectly has you mount the bombs on the outboard pylons. On the real aircraft the bombs, as well as rockets, were loaded onto inboard pylons, the outboard pylons were for rockets only. Airfix does not provide inboard pylons.

Academy-HobbyCraft provides only outboard pylons with rockets, no bombs in this kit.

The wings of both Banshees are close in span, but the dash-3/4 has a bigger wing area, which can be seen when comparing the kit parts.

You can see the differences in wing area and horizontal stabilizers. The dash-3 in this photo has not been updated with the ‘horsal’ extensions.

The Airfix horizontal stabilizers could be used on the dash-3/4, to replicate a non- ‘horsal’ updated version, you just have to mount them with a dihedral (upward angle).

The dash-3/4 horizontal stabilizers are mounted on the fuselage, the dash-2’s are mounted on the vertical stabilizer. The Academy-HobbyCraft kit comes with updated horizontal stabilizers, updated with what was supposedly called ‘horsal’ extensions. The dash-3/4 Banshees suffered from tail flutter which the extensions apparently solved. Notice the leading edge line which extends through the extension on the kit parts, this is not present on the real aircraft. I suspect that the lines allow the modeler to cut them off if they want to build a pre-horsal Banshee, however, there is no mention of such a possibility in the HobbyCraft instructions.

The so-called horsal extension update on the F2H-3/4, to stop tail flutter.

Interestingly, the landing gear on both kits look identical, it’s as if Academy-HobbyCraft copied the Airfix kit. The big problem with this is that the nose gear of the dash-3/4 is different than the dash-2, basically the Academy-HobbyCraft kit is wrong when it comes to the landing gear.

The tail-hook of the Airfix kit looks accurate, while the tail-hook of the Academy-HobbyCraft kit is insulting.

The artwork on the original 1987 issue HobbyCraft kit shows a Canadian Navy plane with a AIM-9 Sidewinder launch rail on an outboard pylon. The Canadian Navy did arm their Banshees with Sidewinders, but the HobbyCraft kit does not come with the anti-aircraft missiles or launch rails. The artwork also shows an accurate looking wingtip without the tip-tank, the kit parts (on both Airfix & HobbyCraft) fail to reflect the look of a tip-tankless Banshee.

Both kits are very basic by today’s standards. Apparently, Academy is the only producer of a 1/72nd F2H-3/4 Banshee. I’ve seen a few reviews of the Academy issue praising it for detail, but no folks, it is just the old HobbyCraft kit with much better decals. Recently, Czech manufacturer Sword produced a much better detailed 72nd scale F2H-2 Banshee (check on production status/availability), including the N (night fighter) and P (photo-recon) versions, with resin and photo-etched parts. They also have recessed panel lines and some divets, I mean recessed rivets. I don’t know if Sword made the nuclear capable F2H-2B.

Both the F2H-2B and F2H-3/4 could carry a single tactical nuke. To model one you’ll need to make a big pylon that goes under one of the air intakes, then probably modify a big fat external fuel tank to look like either a Mark-7 or Mark-8 nuclear bomb. In the above photo you can see that the air intake is not sharp edged, both Airfix and HobbyCraft made their kit’s intakes with sharp thin edges.

You can also add an In-Flight Refueling (IFR) probe to the upper port 20mm gun trough.

Both the Airfix and Academy-HobbyCraft kits are good as shelf-sitters or ceiling-hangers, and are good baselines for those who like to super-detail their models. On top of that, if you take the time to search you can usually find previously owned kits for cheap.

If you want to watch my ‘blah blah blah’ video review you can check out my ‘Model Kit Procrastinator’ playlist on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfmNI-GGQPM

Some pics & vids of the real thing: McDonnell F2H Banshee

Kit Bashing, Reviews

Another Airfix B-24 Bday Bomber Build, made in France?

Video March 17, 2025 Hutchins AAron

Finally, an 11 month late birthday bomber build, another ancient Airfix B-24J Liberator is done! But, I now believe both of the old-skool 1/72 scale Airfix Liberators I built have an inherent molding problem, possibly the result of being produced in France:

The old Airfix kit is way outdated, having been first produced in the mid-1960s, however, I think it has one thing going for it; it’s raised rivet details.

If you look at war time photos of bare metal versions of the real thing you will see clearly that the Liberator is covered in noticeable raised rivets, and the old Airfix engineers were obviously obsessed with capturing that look.

This recent Airfix bomber kit build, and the other B-24 bomber I completed a year prior, suffered from the same problems; misshapen/warped fuselage parts. I realized both these kits were from the time period when Airfix was under new ownership that had moved production from merry ol’ England to France!

To deal with the warped/misshapen fuselage halves I had to cut off the mounting pins, then use plastic bread bag clips as ledges to force the starboard half to meet-up with the port half. The back half was glued first, then after dry the front half was glued.

Bread bag clips:

Unfortunately, the tail end of the fuselage is short on the starboard side and has to be fixed with putty and sanding. This problem is also found on the original Made in England issue of the kit.

I have an original 1960s Made in England kit which does not appear to have the fuselage warpage problems:

See more of my model kit building videos in my YouTube channel’s ‘Model Kit Procrastinator’ Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLmSZxOl5e4&list=PLkZrLGwZbnj_VHa3s9lTJQv79UCXjvYX-&pp=gAQB

November 2024: Birthday P-47D Thunderbolt: Family connection, and made in U.S.A. Monogram -vs- made in China Revell!

February 2024 (the last year video):

Late Model Gift Build for somebody born on Xmas; Airfix Birthday Bomber

Business/Economics, Idaho, Kit Bashing, Technology, U.S.

Pocatello Model Railroad & Historical Society, open house 15FEB2025.

Video February 17, 2025 Hutchins AAron

On a cold, blustery, snowy day, the Pocatello Model Railroad and Historical Society held another Open House. On 15FEB2025, non-club members could come in from the cold and watch some neat displays come to life. Hopefully the club, which also helps to preserve a very important part of Pocatello’s history, which many local railroad hating officials seem to want to bury (I’ve noted elsewhere that a major cause of the demise of the local economy is due to public officials making a decision that ultimately killed thousands of local Union Pacific jobs), will gain more members, or better yet, raise some much needed cash.

Always under construction.

Anybody remember their display in the old Pocatello Mall? Pocatello Model Railroad and Historical Society’s current location needs a new roof. My blustery video report:

East Idaho News, March 2024: “The railroad went to Chief Pocatello to get permission to lay their tracks through here. The Chief asked (what was in it for them) if they donated land. The railroad said, ‘Anytime you or your braves want to ride the train, we’ll let you ride it for free.’ That’s what it took to get the tracks through here.”-Larry Gilbreath, President of the Model Railroad and Historical Society

The ‘Big Room’.

Tax revolt? Some of my video from the Big Room:

Pocatello Model Railroad and Historical Society is funded with membership fees and donations. The club was started by Union Pacific railroad employees, and other fans of mini-trains.

Alas! No more passenger service.

Xmas Build, 2024: Santa’s Van comes to town!

Video December 28, 2024 Hutchins AAron

At the beginning of November, I thought I had found a kit to build as a Xmas gift, but no!:

At the beginning of December I finally investigated what I had to work with, honestly, I’m not procrastinating:

Always making things more complicated:

Of course, by the middle of December, scrambling to get ‘er done!

Eine kleine motor:

Decapitated weenie dogs:

Paint:

Der Flügelhorn, an inherent problem with the kit:

Don’t forget to include drying time when guesstimating how long your build will take:

Finally, 23DEC2024:

2023 Xmas Build: ‘Tis done, Xmas Beerwagon!

Late Birthday Build: P-47D Thunderbolt, family connection, and made in U.S.A. Monogram -vs- made in China Revell!

Kit Bashing

Birthday P-47D Thunderbolt: Family connection, and made in U.S.A. Monogram -vs- made in China Revell!

Video December 3, 2024 Hutchins AAron

In April 2024, I decided to build a birthday present, for somebody whose B-day had already come-n-gone! It was finally finished by mid-November 2024!

Shenanigans part-1:

Shenanigans part-2:

Shenanigans part-3:

Can I use original made in U.S.A. parts to fix the made in China parts, how about some pancakes?:

Why do I have so many P-47 kits?:

The brother of my Great Uncle, Lloyd Hutchins, is the birthday girl-Jenny’s Great Grand Father O.G. Hutchins. I found color film of Lloyd Hutchins’ U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) unit, the 365th Fighter Group (FG, of the 9th USAAF)/386th Fighter Squadron (FS) Hell Hawks:

Great Uncle gets into trouble:

Whoa, whose side are they on?:

It’s working:

More warpage:

More bits:

While my motivation for a full-size file-cabinet stuffed full of P-47s is related to my relative, the markings for the birthday build are based on the gift receiver’s name: Jenny. The decals came from Eagle Strike’s (Cartograf) Early Birds of the 353FG Thunderbolts, #48171, welcome to decal hell:

P-47D 42-76280 ‘Jenny’ was flown by Lieutenant Chauncy Rowan of the 353rd FG/350th FS (of the 8th USAAF), from 1943-44. In May 1944 Rowan became a prisoner of war (PoW), and accused by the Germans of shooting at civilians. More decal hell:

As good as it’s going to get, whose got the best prop? Part-1:

Best props, Part-2:

Anorexic pilots and the magic of clear flat spray paint:

Finally! Be careful with that clear spray paint:

Another gift build: Airfix Birthday Bomber

1949-50 Mercury: Joker’s wild neon Gotham City cop car!

Kit Bashing

Joker’s wild neon Gotham City cop car!

Video November 3, 2024 Hutchins AAron

In February 2024, I joined a group build for the 1949 Mercury, also known as the third generation of the Mercury Eight series of vehicles. Typical; it took me until August to decide which of my stash-kits to build:

A simple snap-together?:

Glass & Lights:

Lights & seats:

Tires:

Paint & Sand:

Headlights:

More sand, sand, paint, paint:

Interior:

Finally finished, October 2024:

Close up:

Joker’s neon cop car:

More neon in plastic: BLACKLIGHT REVELL DEAL’S WHEELS

Neon in the military: Retro Dayglo, and how neon paint helps keep airplanes from falling outta the sky!

Going gangbusters: Lincoln Model L roadster unboxing.

International, Kit Bashing

Cold War Vehicle I-D: ‘Bombing-up’ your F-80 Shooting Star in Korea!

Video October 3, 2024 Hutchins AAron

Cold War: Approximately 1947 (due to U.S. President Harry Truman’s Truman Doctrine) to 1991 (Operation Desert Storm, collapse of Soviet Union).

Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star, developed at the end of World War Two.

In June 1950, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (north) invaded the Republic of Korea (south) in an attempt to unite the country (something that had been promised at the end of World War Two). The recently created United Nations essentially declared war and created the United Nations Command, invading Korea in September 1950. The United Nations Command still operates in South Korea, today.

Date and location not given, very likely to be Kimpo Air Base, 1950.

The F-80 had up to six Browning M3 .50 caliber (12.7mm x 99mm) machine guns.

General Purpose (GP) bombs.

I edited this silent USAF film (by H. E. Reid) showing the re-arming/re-fueling of F-80s on Kimpo, Korea, 19DEC1950:

Tiny Tim rocket and napalm bomb.

Filling up the ‘tip tank’.

Cold War Vehicle I-D:

Korea, date not known.

How to fuel & arm your USAF F-86 Sabre in Korea

Kit Bashing

Going Gangbusters! Lincoln Model L roadster unboxing.

Video July 20, 2024 Hutchins AAron

Round2 is reissuing the old MPC Gangbusters series of car kits, and I just happen to have an original Model Products Corporation issue from the mid-1960s!

Boxing:

More proof its old:

Unboxing:

Bullet riddled:

Whitewall damage:

I need a drink:

Golden crispy instructions:

More golden-crispy instructions:

Cool kits for only $1:

Shenanigans: REVELL-MONOGRAM P-47D THUNDERBOLT

Kit Bashing

Model Gift Build: Finally, the Final Xmas build!

Video April 7, 2024 Hutchins AAron

Finally, the final (late) Christmas car gift build, for 2023, is done! And it is a fine example of why, back-in-the-day, some kit builders did not like AMT.