Kit Collect-aire Models  

Kit no 3209 Limited edition Kit no 86

Price $275.00US

Kit decals

Review & photos Darren Melia

Republic F105D Thunderchief, after market items include PJ Productions figure. Cutting Edge 750lb GP Bombs, Plenty of Reheat photo etched console parts.  I’ve been modeling for 30years and a thud fan for about the same length of time. Imagine my excitement when I learned about the Collect-Aire 1/32 scale F-105.  

Having built many thuds in 72nd & 48th Scale, I could not wait to see this Aircraft in the larger scale.

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The kit over all looks to be quite accurate and that what I go by, if the measurement don’t quite add up then so be it, but the kit looked good, Plenty of hollowed out light weight resin pieces, lots of nice flash on every part, quite pleased I thought, until a former friend told he about Trumpeter pending releases, Never mind, back to the job in hand.

I was most disappointed with the interior of the cockpit as this comprised of 4-5 slab sides resin pieces with lots of bubble holes where I think knobs and buttons are supposed to be.

I was expecting the cockpit to be Aires, Cutting Edge, that kind of thing. But hey it a thud and its big!

Construction took, and I can honestly say “construction” because it was my first complete resin kit, ”ssshhhhh and my last!” about five months of evenings, average shift of three hours a night. And the odd hours overtime at weekends.

The kit canopy is a bit misty in places, the white metal undercarriage legs are different length, but the decals are excellent with three options, these are overall silver lacquer early versions and the “My Karma European lizard scheme, but because thuds were best known dropping iron from the skies of Vietnam, the south east Asia or SEA scheme won. The Polish glider was the personal mount of major Don Kutyna of the 355th tactical fighter wing from Takhli Thailand 1970.

The Access ladder was scratch built the consol placards are reheat, and the 750’s are cutting edge, the Figure is PJ production with a reshaped sand bag for a Chute!

Please Trumpeter let us have a Twin Tub, or F105 F/G

^Darren 

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