72nd scale detail entry | |
Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet. | |
| Kits | ||
| Airfix tooling | Airfix 03035-5, | |
| Alpha Jet A/E | Heller tooling | |
| Cast Detail Parts | ||
| Martin Baker Mk 4 seats | Pavla S7204 | |
| Martin Baker Mk 10 seats | Hi Tech 72503 | |
|
Aeroclub EJ009 | |
| Decals | ||
 Belgium | ||
| National Insignia | Daco 7201 | |
| Alpha Jet B | AT29 1989 Display a/c | Daco 7210 |
| Alpha Jet B | AT11 70th Anniv 'Batbird' | Daco 7211 |
| Alpha Jet B | AT11 1990 Display a/c Cdt Danny Payeur | Daco 7217 |
 France | ||
| Dayglo orange anti collision panels | ||
| Alpha Jet E | Patrouille de France demo team | Model Art 7231 |
| Alpha Jet E | ET 1/8 & ET 2/8: 8-ML, 8-MH, 8-NN; 8-MA ETO 00/008 60th Anniv | Model Art 72028 |
| Alpha Jet E | 118-BQ CEAM | Modeldecal 057 |
 Portugal | ||
| Alpha Jet A | 15223 ex-Luftwaffe scheme, 15226 standard Portugese scheme | |
| Alpha Jet A | 15248 NATO Tiger Meet 1996 Beja | Santa Cruz SC7215 |
| Alpha Jet A | 15250 NATO Tiger Meet 2001 Kleine Brogel | Santa Cruz SC7216 |
 Qatar | ||
| QA 52 11 Sqn | Carpena 72037 | |
| Kit Reviews | ||
Airfix tooling Easily recognised by hexagonal cross section part runners and gloss finish. Early shots grey, later shots silver. Has longer 450l wing drop tanks, more detailed mainwheel hubs, 4 CL755 cluster bombs, sink marks on upper wing near root trailing edge & upper & lower wing leading edge outboard of dog tooth, area ruled empenage, tailplane & fin slightly thicker, more taper from root to tip (thickness) on tailplane, straight nose spine, curved nacelle top, more pronounced area ruling on nacelle, leading edge aerofoil more accurate, canopy smaller & shallower than Heller, intake cross section more accurate, better detailed front oleo, correct production version pylons. |
Heller tooling Easily recognised by round cross section part runners and frost matt finish. Early shots grey, later shots were grey-green in colour. Canopy frame more clearly defined & refined; canopy larger than Airfix. Wing trailing edge sharper. Separate and better defined front wheel, curved nose spine, straight nacelle top more accurate, deeper empenage, more refined intake splitter plates, more refined tooling generally, more accurate gun pod, shorter 310l wing tanks, no ordnance, more refined rear oleos. More refined jet pipe, but suffers from fit problems. Main wheel well & nacelle component engineering offers better scope for open main doors & wheel well detail as well as open engine bay than Airfix tooling. Better cockpit. | |
Summary Original Heller tooling is better, but needs the more refined parts from the Airfix kit to achieve complete accuracy. There is disagreement regarding the location of the wing leading edge dog tooth, and both kits have raised panel lines. |
| Selected References |
Air International June 1984 (Vol 26 No 6)
Modelaid International June 1987 Scale Aircraft Modelling December 1988 (Vol 11 No 3) |
last updated 18/12/02