Plugging the Gaps
When it comes to model aeroplanes, I really geek out, even for what is already a pretty geeky hobby. I make lists. Lots of lists. One of them, which lies at the heart of all the other lists, is an attempt to list every single military aircraft type, defined by unique designation, that has seen operational service since 1946. My aim in my collection is to make as representative a sample as possible of this list in 1/48, which is why I only build one example of each type. There will always be gaps – I’m never going to make a 1/48 KC-135 (although I was tempted by the HPH 1/48 B-36 and B-52, the temptation only being resisted by the fact I’d have nowhere to display them) – but it’s sort of a direction for why I make what I make.
Which means I am interested in the gaps: the aircraft types that have not been kitted in 1/48, either at all or to a standard I’m happy with. And having maintained this list for nearly 20 years, I thought I’d reflect a bit on the gaps that were recently filled and those that remain.
2020 was an okay year for filling some gaps. The ICM O-2 Skymaster was an important aircraft missing for many years and an instant purchase, as was the ICM B-26C Invader, since I’d never been willing to buy and rescribe the Monogram/Revell kit. Airfix obliged with a decent Tiger Moth, which wasn’t exactly a major post-war aircraft, but was an excuse to add another biplane to the collection. Kinetic’s early Harriers were essential buys, as I added the GR.3 and AV-8A to the stash; this is the first time these have been kitted with recessed panel lines and a modern tooling. Lastly, in terms of what was released last year, I was delighted that AMP released a HUP Retriever, which is a gorgeous looking helicopter with some beautiful schemes; the joy I had building the same company’s Huskie only increased my determination to order one of these as soon as they were released. Right at the end of the year I added LF Models‘ model of the a rather obscure OH-13 Sioux variant, the HUL-1 Ranger, simply because I have a thing for little helicopters. So it was a pretty good year for plugging some gaps.
Which leads me to look forward to 2021. A whole bunch of kits have been announced which will plug more gaps in my quest to model a wider variety of post-WWII aircraft.
Kinetic’s Pucara has already arrived this week, and the Hobby Boss MV-22 is on its way to me as I write. Ark Models’ La-11 Fang, will be on its way as soon as the Russians allow post to the UK; I hope their La-9 will follow before too long. Airfix are again in my good books for promising a Chipmunk in the Spring and I’ve pre-ordered it from Hannants. The same goes for ICM’s OV-10A, OV-10D+ and B-26K kits. The Broncos, in particular, will fill a void that has existed for far too long. Freedom Models have released an AT-3, but it’s not available in Europe and they don’t seem that keen to send it our way. I’m holding out for the early version which is promised but has yet to materialise. Also near on the horizon are the Special Hobby/Eduard Tempest II and the Special Hobby SF-260 series. These will be instant purchases once they are available to plug some gaps.
Other kits announced that would plug some holes, but with no sign of any appearance soon, are the AMP Gazelle, TH-55 Osage and HH-43B/F Huskie, Anetra’s Mi-8/17 Hip (we’ve even seen sprues…where is it???), Clear Prop Models’ Firebrand, Kitty Hawk’s Ka-52, Mars Models’ MiG-9, Modelsvits’ F-82 Twin Mustang, Pilot Replicas’ Saab 105, and S&M’s Wasp. All are big gaps I want filled.
Which brings me to what’s still missing. I shall divide these into the Baffling, the Understandable and the Predictable.
The Baffling
Some of the gaps in my list baffle me. I am baffled there are no even semi-decent kits of these kits in 1/48. My assumption is that the kit companies know what they’re doing and know their markets, so I’m not baffled that they haven’t been made; I’m baffled there apparently isn’t a market for them.
Let’s start with what must be widely agreed as the most attractive of all helicopters ever made: the AH-1G. I don’t understand why this isn’t available in 1/48. It’s good looking, it’s pioneering (first dedicated gunship design), and it saw extensive combat use. We have kits of its ugly offspring (the terrible Italeri AH-1W, the barely adequate Monogram AH-1F/S, the great Kitty Hawk AH-1Z), but the original, and the almost-as-good-looking AH-1J are sorely missing. Special Hobby are rumoured to be working on it, but why this is not considered a mainstream viable proposition is beyond me.
Next we have the missing French jets. Why do they get so little love in 1/48? We are crying out for a Mirage F.1. It looks great, has loads of different schemes and loads of different operators. There are rumours of Kinetic working on one; if it’s as good as their Pucara, they can’t get round to it soon enough for me.
Then there are the early French jets. No kits (worth mentioning) of the Ouragan, Mystere and Super Mystere. Again, pioneering aircraft and operated by the Israelis for extra exoticism and cool colour schemes. Who will step up to the mark?
Lots of gaps among trainers have been filled in the last decade, but the Cessna T-37‘s absence cannot be missed. (And if I hadn’t already built an obscure resin kit, I’d say the same about the T-34C.) For the RAF, we’re still missing a Shorts Tucano and a mainstream Jet Provost (yes, I’m aware of the Fly kit).
Early US Navy jets also miss out on the love. We have Tamiya to thank for giving us a model of a plane as wonderful as the Skyray, but the lack of a decent Vought Cutlass – what must be the most exotic design to ever see carrier service – is mind-boggling to me. As is the lack of a Grumman F11F Tiger. I know these were not exactly successful aircraft, but I don’t see how anyone can disagree that they are eye-catching and saw operational service with the largest military machine in the western world, and they flew with the Blue Angels. Throw in an early F2H Banshee as well while you’re at it, and a late one too to make up for Kitty Hawk’s monstrosity.
Even the mighty USAF is missing key aircraft designs. It beggars belief there’s no market for an F-86A or F-86E given how famous the Sabre is and its combat record. No F-86H is rather more understandable, but is a gap that surely should be plugged?
Lastly, it’s the USN again, with the gaping hole that is the lack of conically-nosed Crusaders: the F-8A/B/C/D. Hasegawa never got round to them, and oh I wish they had. (Along with the fat-bellied RF-8.)
So these are the really big gaps for me.
Oh, and I forgot: I assume someone will give us a decent F-35B and the first F-35C before too long.
The Understandable
Next we have the gaps that really, I understand. I can accept the market for them might not be great, but I genuinely think they should be, maybe even will be, made. I’m sure enough of us would buy them…wouldn’t we?
I suspect that the de Havilland Hornet and Sea Hornet well has been well and truly poisoned by the Trumpeter and Classic Airframes disappointments. I hope we get decent and accurate kits eventually. Similarly, the Sea Venom and Sea Vampire surely deserve some love at some point. Keeping with the Royal Navy theme, the absence of a Supermarine Scimitar is a real shame, as is the fact I can’t buy a Fairey Gannet in either its AEW or ASW forms. From the RAF, we’re missing the Supermarine Swift. Every year I hope Airfix announce they’ve scaled up their relatively recent 1/72 kit…just like I hope they’ve decided to make a Westland Puma in 1/48, too….
Some American aircraft have been similarly neglected: a Douglas F3D Skyknight would be unbelievably welcome, as would the side-by-side seater Skyraiders – so many variants unexplored, in US Navy, USAF and foreign service. Early F-94A/B Starfires carried some amazing schemes and would look great alongside modern toolings of the F-94C and T-33 that already exist. The F-89 Scorpion is due a revamp; I fancy a J model. The short-nosed F-105B was a great looking jet that deserves a model.
I’m surprised that a Japanese company hasn’t tooled a Fuji T-1, given we can get good kits of most other operational Japanese aircraft, and similarly I don’t get why a Chinese company hasn’t given us a Q-5 Fantan.
One of the biggest advances in the past 15 years has been the filling of many Russian/Soviet gaps. Some still remain though. There is no good kit of the MiG-27, and a Kamov Ka-25 would complement Hobby Boss’ Ka-27 very nicely. Mil helicopters haven’t been particularly well served, and I’m hoping Zvezda will oblige with an early Mil-24A. I’ve lost track of where the Mil-28 is operationally, but it looks very cool and I’d like one. If someone could do a Yak-25 Flashlight as well, I’d be most grateful.
When it comes to France…all I can say is Sud-Ouest Vautour.
The Predictable
Lastly, we come to the gaps I doubt I’ll ever see filled; it’s predictable no one has made these. But when 2019 gives you a Sud-Ouest S.O.1221 Djinn, you can live in hope.
Business jets get little love, and so whilst a BAe Dominie and T-39 Sabreliner would be awesome, I’m not holding my breath. Same for the Beech C-12 family, which have a bewildering array of great looking variants, but I doubt will get many people’s blood pumping.
Every so often a Canadian makes a call for a decent CF-100. Look, I’d buy one straightaway, but I don’t see it happening anytime soon. Same for a Bristol Brigand. It would be nice to have one to allow the end of the Bristol twin-prop series to be modelled.
A Hiller H-23 Raven would be welcome, and might come from AMP since ultra-obscure choppers is where they camp out. I guess it depends on if anyone actually buys what they’ve made already.
Dare I hope for a McDonnell FH-1 Phantom? No. Nor a North American AJ Savage or B-45 Tornado, however great they might look alongside a Vigilante, Canberra, Tracker, etc.
Pilot Replicas made a well-lauded prop-powered Saab J21A; there’s an outside chance they might get round to the jet-powered J21R, but they seem to struggle to deliver on what they’ve already planned, which is a shame.
I think that’s pretty much it. Looking back over the past 20 years, it’s not that big an ask really. I know others will have plenty of other gaps I haven’t mentioned – a new Buccaneer tooling is an obvious choice, but having built two Airfix kits, I’m not in the market for any more – but this is my personal list. It’s not exhaustive either (I’d probably not say no to an F-104A, since no one’s made one, or an A-4A), but these are the main gaps I’d like filled.
What are yours?
The Addenda
Somewhat predictably, feedback and further musing have highlighted some additional holes. So, further to the above, we have two additional categories:
The Ones I Forgot
I would buy these:
Bell OH-58A/TH-57
de Havilland Canada U-6 Beaver
Fiat G91Y
Hawker Hunter T.7
North American F-100C/F Super Sabre
Sikorsky SH-60B/F
Sikorsky HH-3 Jolly Green Giant
Sikorsky UH-19/Westland Whirlwind (the helicopter. Obviously.)
Vought A-7A/B/C
Westland Scout
This list will get longer, I’m sure.
The Ones I Don’t Care About
Some holes have been plugged in my collection by obsolete, inaccurate kits + corrections, or models I think are good enough, and so I have no need of better kits. However, were I starting again I would definitely be agitating for:
Bell UH-1B/C/E
Blackburn Buccaneer
Convair F-102 Delta Dagger
de Havilland Venom
Fiat G91R
General Dynamics F-111
Grumman F9F Panther
Lockheed U-2R/TR-1A. We need accurate older versions, too (shame on you AFV Club!).
Lockheed F-16A/B/D/exotic foreign variants. Another bonkers omission in the world of 1/48
Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star
North American T-6 Texan
North American T-34C Turbo Mentor
North American FJ-1 Fury
SEPECAT Jaguar. Were someone to make a decent two-seater, I might be tempted.
Sikorsky UH-60 series
Sukhoi Su-7 Fitter
Sukhoi Su-15 Flagon
Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer
Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot
Yakovlev Yak-15 Feather
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