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Andy Brazier takes a look at Special Hobbies diminutive 1/72nd DH.100 Vampire Mk.3.

Introduction

The DH.100 Vampire was a British first generation fighter jet aeroplane and was produced in several versions both for the RAF and for export. The Vampire Mk.3 version saw service not just with the domestic force, it was also operated by military in Canada, Norway and Mexico. And these four operators is what you will find offered on the colour schemes and decal sheet of this kit. It might also be interesting to mention that the Mk.3 Vampires were the very first jets to serve with the air forces of Mexico and Norway.

In the box

Packed in an end opening box, Special Hobbies little Vampire comes on two Grey and one clear sprues, a small set of instructions and a decal sheet make up the rest of the contents of the box.

Flash is non existent and pin marks are shallow and out of the way on the major parts.

The larger parts, such as the fuselage and wings have pins and sockets to join the parts together, but most of the smaller parts are just butt joined, so careful alignment is required.

External detail is pretty good with fine panel lines and raised areas over the fuselage and wings.

The fuselage is split into two halves, an upper and lower half, with a separate nose cone. The Canadian marking option offers a feature typical for the RCAF airframes, a glazed nose section in front of the cockpit.

None of the control surfaces are moveable and are moulded onto the wings and tails.

Internal detail for this small aircraft is fairly good with the seat having a decal for the harness. The main instrument panel also gets a decal for the dials.

The sidewalls have a little separately moulded detail, which fits into the upper half of the fuselage.

The air intakes have a blocking plate with the turbine moulded onto it that fits behind the fuselage, and the exhaust has some detail for the rear.

The air intake openings do look a little on the small side.

The undercarriage is nicely detailed and not too fiddly, which is very handy in this small scale.

The main undercarriage bays have some raised spar detail for the inside of the bays, but the nose bay is pretty devoid of detail.

The wheels have a little tread detail on them, and the main wheels have a separate front hub.

The nose wheel is made up of two halves.

The canopy has been moulded in two parts so can be modelled in the open position.

The clear plastic parts are a little on the thick side but are distortion free.

External ordnance for the Vampire is two drop tanks.

Instructions, decals and markings

The instructions are printed on a folded A4 size paper, and consists of 12 pages, including the front and back covers, with the last three, as advertisements for other Special Hobby kits.

The booklet is glossy and in colour for most of the build and the four colour profiles.

The build sequence is over three pages split into 13 stages. The build is easy to follow, with internal paint colours given along the way.

The decal sheet is fairly large with a few stencils printed on the sheet, along with the insignia's and numbers for the four marking options supplied.

Four marking options are supplied -

1 - DH.100 Vampire F.Mk.3, 067-BQ, No. 438 Sqn. 'City of Montreal', RCAuxAF,St Hubert, Canada, Spetember 1955.

2 - DH.100 Vampire F.Mk.3, B-AG, letka C, No. 331 Sqn, RNoAF, zakladna Gardenmoen, Norsko, 1948.

3 - DH.100 Vampire F.Mk.3,yellow 2, (ex RCAF 17085), Escuadron Areeo de Pelea 200, Base Aerea Militar No.1, FAM, Santa Lucia airport, Mexico city, Mexico, 1961-70.

4 - DH.100 Vampire F.Mk.3, VT799, No. 614 Sqn, 'County of Glamorgan' RAuxAF, based at Llandow, Wales, Great Britain, 1951.