new tool Airfix Gloster Gladiator in 1:72nd scale - first look in the box

With a couple of kids in tow - including my 24 year old who is just recuperating from major abdominal surgery - we popped up to Margate and Hornby HQ to pick up one of the new tool Gloster Gladiators. I also managed a whopping £9 discount on a lovely new tool Dambusters Lanc (damaged box..) and nabbed a box of 'Flypast' magazines from the RAF Manston History museum for £3.50. I also got to have a quick look around the museum's Meteor by way of pre-build research for the Cyber Hobby Meteor F.3 I'm planning on doing soon, so all in all quite a successful day despite the pouring rain. Here's a few shots of the Gladiator, which again, like most of these Airfix new tools looks superb in the box! The kit features a detailed cockpit including control column and side wall detail and two canopies, one of which can be posed open. There are also two decal options and a rigging diagram on the instruction sheet...

Strange that Airfix have included the same decal option as the Hobbyboss Gladiator but on all other counts this kit is far superior to the HB offering - it has far more parts than the HB kit for less money (at least in the UK) for a start. From the contents of the box the Airfix kit provides a detailed cockpit, both weighted and 'un-weighted' wheels, two cockpit canopies, detailed multi-part engine, the option of posing the cockpit 'door' open, rigging diagram etc etc..Airfix are also offering a Finnish option with skis..

Tune in to my build elsewhere on this blog......
http://falkeeinsmodel.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/new-tool-airfix-gloster-gladiator-in.html

and more pics of the finished model are here