The Daimler-Benz Project-B package contents secret kits of eleven parasite aircrafts as bonus:
142 resin parts + Clear-cast canopy & Decal
Span 375 mm x Length 243 mm
$68 USD
Reviews of other kits are here:
Interestingly they make kits for "Fantastic Plastic" so this should be a very nice kit!
I think this could be quite popular
11 comments:
This certainly looks like a fascinating kit and one I'll be endeavouring to get hold of. Just one thing, though. Is it just me or why is it that we have a considerable range of 1/144 aircraft that, in the real world, never left the drawing board (the so-called "Luft 46" that Popy have done so well in their "Projekt Flieger" series), when to get anything "RAF" much beyond a Spifire, Hurricane or Mosquito in 1/144 is so difficult? Don't get me wrong - I have a major interest in all things Luftwaffe but, just like fellow 1/144 modellers here "Down Under", I'd love to see a Beaufighter, Beaufort, Blenheim, Fairey Battle, Boulton-Paul Defiant, etc. readily available. Sadly, unless your finances stretch to purchasing pewter replicas from the UK, then paying exorbitant postal changes to get them delivered, you are pretty much on your own.
You cant even get a decent Spitfire (in kitform at least)!
Kryten1
To be honest I think there is still a considerable degree of fasicnation with "prototypes", what ever the country.
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I have wfound when you look into these matters than most nations had a load of crazy ideas, they just don't seem to have come to the fore as as much?
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With aircraft and resin kits, i am not sure there is such a Japan centric view as ther is in Armour, where certainly in 1/144 90% of the armour produced is German WWII items.
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Interestingly the preoccupation with Germam "Luft-46" extends beyon 1/144, I sometiems look at envy at teh kits available in 1/72 scale especialy by the Eastern european resin manufacturs.
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as for the british planes, indeed, i know so many people who are desperate to get their hands on a decent Spitfire kit, at least Sweet do a couple of Hurricanes, but sadly ond oddly not a singe version of the arguably the most famous aircraft of the second world war.
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There was an early Bandai spitfie in the wing club series, but those who have had clsoe inspection tell me its woeful!
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a Boulton-Paul defiuent or a couple of the MArtin-BAkers (especil teh MB3 & MB5) would be great.
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though not proper kits, the FTOYS Mosquitos are nice!
bluedonkey99,
You and "anonymous" are both right about the Spitfire. Whilst I haven't seen one of the old Minicraft, ARII or Crown kits for a while now, I did recently acquire a Bandai Spitfire Mk I via eBay. Unlike many I have seen go for in excess of $AUS15 (about $US11 or 6 pounds sterling), I picked it up for just under $AUS7. Sadly, it is not up to scratch - like the Fw190A in the first Bandai Wing Club series, without even doing any measurements, it looks completely wrong. For a start, the canopy sits way too high, and it just gets worse from there!
Having recently bought the Sweet F2M "Ghostfighter" Wildcat kit, I can attest to the excellence of these little models. I will certainly be looking to add a couple of Sweet Hurricanes to the collection soon. With the recent advent of Bf109Fs and P-51Bs from this manufacturer, maybe a truly decent Spitfire might surface. Mind you, as an Aussie, I'd love to have seen the 1/144 CAC Boomerang that Sweet proposed - but never produced - as one of their first kits.
You are spot on regarding non-German armour in 1/144 scale. If it wasn't for the occasional Japanese limited run "conference special" resin kit on eBay (thanks Starjet!) covering Churchills, Carden-Lloyds, Valentines and the like, you'd really believe the Allies relied solely on Shermans and M3s! I just wish a certain eBayer from Argentina would stop outbidding me with 2 seconds to go on these items!!!
Incidentally, I agree with your observations regarding the "weird and wonderful ideas on paper" making it into model form. Hey, we Aussies had some interesting ideas during and immediately after WW2 - some have even made it into resin model form, albeit in 1/72 scale.
In "Phase One" of my hobby (from school days until my late 20s), I mainly collected 1/72 and 1/76 scale kits. Unfortunately, these went by the board with various moves from work and study in my 30's and, when I finally ventured into "Phase Two" (at the ripe age of 47, much to my Other Half's disgust!), 1/144 seemed ideal. I haven't regretted this decision but, like you, I look longingly at some of the kits now available in 1/72 and 1/48 scale.
Maybe when the Japanese move away from Bf109s and Fw190s and go for more aircraft like the Ar234 and Ta154 from Takara, and the Hs129, He219 and Twin Mustang from F-Toys, then who knows ... we may yet see some of our personal favourites from the larger scales appear in 1/144. Apart from my RAF wishlist, an Fw189 and Hs123 would be good starts!
PS. From what I can see on the Eduard site, the "Dual Combo" Me262 kits do, indeed, contain 2 of the same aircraft, either the Me262A or the twin-seat Me262B. Looks like the Czechs have been watching Sweet! Now all I need is a Eduard supplier here in Oz that doesn't charge $AUS25 for a Ju87 that retails in the US for $7.95 or the UK for around 4 quid. Our exchange rate isn't great but it isn't that bad either!!!
kryten1
The molding on the "Kansai Edition" of the wing club spitfire is "better" but not great, if you checkout Mehusla or "1/144" driect on Ebay he will glady send you some photos for you to review - he also does specially commissioned 1/144 spitfire decals you might enjoy even if you don't want the kits.
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still cant believe there is no decent spit or huricane in this scale!
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The new Me262s from Eduard should be nice they are meant to have PE radar antennas! also and oddly Trumpeter where also due to relase another set of 262s as annouced at teh 2006 Nurnberg Toy fair.
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and don't get me started on the vagaries of the "global" postal system and the dispropotionate costings. Still the Pound is stong at the moment so I am makign the most of it! although we may have to have a rainy day of biblical proportions to enable me to get through everything!
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I still cant belive anigram are to produce this monster!!
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as for the star-jet auctions, tell me about it, very nice items, although I have noticed he has started to buy the "Fairey" (its either green fairy or blue fairy) kits and split them up to sell the vehicles individually, if its any consolation the last two sets of auctions I have missed out on them too...
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the probablem is the more we spread and publicise 1/144 and teh vendors of interisting kits nad items teh more competion there is for the products!
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meanwhile you could try the "smallscalemodel" forum on yahoo groups to see if anyone has any info on a good spit?
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I have heard about the sweet boomerang kit, but have never seen any prototypes or pack shots.
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How much does a flight to tokyo cost from Oz? If you went for the 1/44 Project exhibiton or at a push WinterFest you could fill your suitcases with resin kits come home, flog them on ebay and still have some kits and profit left over.... but then that divorce might wipe out any net gains?
maybe you could talk to Greg at OzMods and convince him to produce a nice short run RAF/RAAF spit?
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Y-Kraft would be up for negotiations to produce decals for a RAF/RAAF/RCAF etc?
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Thanks, anonymous. I will contact OzMods and make the suggestion regarding the Spitfire. Apart from the previously-mentioned Boomerang, Beaufighter and Beaufort, there's some other aircraft in RAAF that would be welcomed, including the Vultee Vengeance, Brewster Buffalo, P-43 Lancer and Lockheed Ventura.
As for your suggestion, bluedonkey99, airfares to Japan from Australia aren't that much removed from those between the UK and the Land of the Rising Sun. And if my wife can give me grief over a couple of Takara Bf109s that barely cost $AUS10 with postage, then the airfare is way out of the question!
Having said that, one of my fellow Aussie 1/144 eBayers is currently over in Japan for work and has promised to bring back a wealth of "conference specials". It pays to keep in sweet with other eBayers at times!
PS. Anonymous: I've got Greg's info at OzMods but do you have the contact info for Y-Kraft? There is a local producer of decals for 1/72 and 1/48, Novadecal, who I might also approach.
You can get a Ventura and Vengeance through Creation Chaubet. Expect a Hudson from OzMods, but no Spitty as there is a persistent, though I believe incorrect, romour that Sweet are doing one. Of course, if you read the SAMI article way back in the day, Sweet should have a Boomerang and SM-79 kit out by now.
Try this for RAAF stuff:
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/3680/144/raaf144.htm
Y-karft can be reached here, it is a "hobby" for the guy running the show; but he is very pleasant and trys to accomdate - (he also produces the decals for the FE-Resin kits)
His english is pretty good, just keep your messages clear and simple
and you should be ok.
if he can help i am sure he will, if not like many of us he does also have a busy schedule and a wife & kids to keep happy ;-)
http://kura11.hp.infoseek.co.jp/dec
al/mswdecals.htm
http://www.alpha-net.ne.jp/users2/kura1/mswtopENGLISH.htm
....shame about the cricket ;o)
I knew someone would mention the cricket! Hey, we can't even knock over the Kiwis now. I'd like to think the team was lulling everyone else into a false sense of security re: the World Cup in the Windies, but only time will tell. Of course, we do have the Ashes back where they belong!
Thanks for the info on Y-Kraft. I was aware of the 1/144 RAAF site ... it has been a good source of info on what's available. In fact, one eBayer has offered me a Welsh Models Short C Class ... just have to find $AUS43 now.
I have also visited the Creation Chaubet site, but had some mixed feedback from a couple of 1/144 collectors here in Oz. From the photos on the site, some look good, others not quite so. I have to admit the Ventura and Vengeance look OK, so I might take a punt.
Now how much is the exchange rate for the Franc?!
id beinterested in feedback on teh Creation Chaubet items eitehr as kits or finished items? any sites with pictures other than teh CC site would alos be nice
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