Post
by Epap » Sun Aug 23, 2015 5:02 am
I think these were dubbed "Junior" because IXO regarded them as toys for children---but that's just a guess.
As for the quality, it's pretty poor with numerous design errors, missing parts, terrible paint jobs and markings, stick-on pitot heads---where they have them, no pilots, lousy stands, etc. and the black panel lines are awful. That said, I have done code 3s on many of these models and some of the WarMaster versions with some success. If you want your models to look something like a good quality Corgi or HM product, forget IXO. If you are into making mods and doing code 3, that's a different matter as there are some decent unusual subjects here that you can't get in the 1:72nd scale anywhere else. These include the French Bloch-152, the German HS-129, the Italian MC-202 and the Japanese, Grace and Jack. There are some more---the Yak-9, the IL-2 and 10 and the HE-219, notably, but their quality is rather poor.
As it happens, other manufacturers, mainly Corgi and Oxford and three publisher subscription lines--- DeAgostini, Amercom and GE Fabbri, have provided better versions of the IXOs or original toolings of many unusual subjects---the U.S. Buffalo, the Brtish Defiant, the French MS-406 and Dewoitine D.520, the German BF-108, ME-210, HS-123, HS-126, ME-163, TA-152, Arado-196, DO-335, Arado-234 and the HE-162, the Russian Mig-3, I-15, I-152, I-153, LA-7, Yak-3, the Italian, Fiat CR.32 and 42,Fiat G.55 and the Japanese Oscar, Tony, Frank, George, etc.