What! - you mean someone other than the Americans took part in the war, maybe SWeet have watched too many hollywood films!
I suppose they could argue the hurricanes anf F6Fs cover some RAF type activity although the RAF did fly P51s too! - infact if it wasnt for teh RAF putting RollsRoyce Engines into the P51 it wouldnt have got taken up by the USAAF who rejected the initial version for being underpowered!
a spitfire would be nice ;o) they could put a range of natioanl decals on those too!
When o when is anybody going to start producing something different. Who isn't sick of P-51s, Spitfires, Hurricanes, 109s, 190s and Zeros?? Any true modeller can paint a aircraft to represent a particular one (although decals can be problematic) BUT it is harder to scratch build a whole aircraft. NO one makes the most common German shipborne aircraft from WW2 in 1/144 (Arado 196a) .. Well as a bit of self promoting I DO!!! and they are available on Ebay. BUT I am definetly only a 'garage maker' and don't have the panel lines/detail or decals that commercial makers do. Also what about a Walrus, or Kingfisher OS2U, Buffalo or lots of other well known but forgotten (by the manufacturers) WW2 aircraft. (by the way I also make the Walrus Mk2, Kingfisher, E14Y1 GLEN floatplane in resin and about to produce a RO.43/44 and KOR-1) I will send BD some photos if he wants.
Peter does make an interesting point about colour schemes. Before gashapon, you either used the decals supplied by the kit maker or bought third party ones.
Now we have "secret" items or "limited edition" variants which differ from the "regular" trading miniatures solely in paint scheme. Indeed, some only differ in terms of decals (with some Japanese aircraft like the Raiden, there's not much that wasn't IJN green!), yet eBay sellers ask - and get - enormous prices for these items.
Don't get me wrong - I've bid considerably more for the occasional "rare" scheme, although not to the extent of a 10-fold markup on the "regular" item. Atfter all, with judicious use of a paint stripper like Testor's ELO and an ever-increasing number of 3rd party decal manufacturers offering options for existing 1/144 models (usually created on an ALPS thermal printer), anything is possible at a fair price.
I agree with what you say about the MYK decal sets. According to the website, more than 50% are sold out. Having picked up three old AHM Avenger kits with yellowing decals on eBay recently, I could have done with one of his Avenger sets!
One of the big advantages of many of the ALPS sets is that they provide for three or four complete schemes so, if you only use the one, there are plenty of spare roundels, crosses, numbers, etc. for use on aircraft not covered by the available sets. For instance, I'm looking at getting the Aussie Decals/Novascale set for the P-51B and using leftovers to do a RAAF Buffalo.
I know Aussie/Novascale do a line in inkjet and laser printable blank decal sheets that get around the lack of an ALPS printer, but I've yet to try them out.
1/144 P-51B/C 15th Air Forces MUSTANG (P-51B/C) 
Wouldn't it be nice if Sweet (and Platz) included a token RAF or Commonwealth decal subject instead of a Bazillion different US schemes.
ReplyDeleteWhat! - you mean someone other than the Americans took part in the war, maybe SWeet have watched too many hollywood films!
ReplyDeleteI suppose they could argue the hurricanes anf F6Fs cover some RAF type activity although the RAF did fly P51s too! - infact if it wasnt for teh RAF putting RollsRoyce Engines into the P51 it wouldnt have got taken up by the USAAF who rejected the initial version for being underpowered!
a spitfire would be nice ;o)
they could put a range of natioanl decals on those too!
When o when is anybody going to start producing something different. Who isn't sick of P-51s, Spitfires, Hurricanes, 109s, 190s and Zeros??
ReplyDeleteAny true modeller can paint a aircraft to represent a particular one (although decals can be problematic) BUT it is harder to scratch build a whole aircraft.
NO one makes the most common German shipborne aircraft from WW2 in 1/144 (Arado 196a) .. Well as a bit of self promoting I DO!!! and they are available on Ebay. BUT I am definetly only a 'garage maker' and don't have the panel lines/detail or decals that commercial makers do.
Also what about a Walrus, or Kingfisher OS2U, Buffalo or lots of other well known but forgotten (by the manufacturers) WW2 aircraft.
(by the way I also make the Walrus Mk2, Kingfisher, E14Y1 GLEN floatplane in resin and about to produce a RO.43/44 and KOR-1)
I will send BD some photos if he wants.
MR H,
ReplyDeletefeel free to send me any pics and a bit fo accompanying text.
Anything to keep the 144 flame alive!
I am sure many will find the oppertunity to explore other models interesting.
BD99
Peter does make an interesting point about colour schemes. Before gashapon, you either used the decals supplied by the kit maker or bought third party ones.
ReplyDeleteNow we have "secret" items or "limited edition" variants which differ from the "regular" trading miniatures solely in paint scheme. Indeed, some only differ in terms of decals (with some Japanese aircraft like the Raiden, there's not much that wasn't IJN green!), yet eBay sellers ask - and get - enormous prices for these items.
Don't get me wrong - I've bid considerably more for the occasional "rare" scheme, although not to the extent of a 10-fold markup on the "regular" item. Atfter all, with judicious use of a paint stripper like Testor's ELO and an ever-increasing number of 3rd party decal manufacturers offering options for existing 1/144 models (usually created on an ALPS thermal printer), anything is possible at a fair price.
i certainly agree that poor differentials between standards and specials is just poor imagnation or cyncial cost cuttings!
ReplyDeleteI remember the recent bandai sereis where it took a couple of looks to establish what the differences on the specails are!
as for the 101 green Zeros - special or otherwise, then its even more sutble.
The alps route obviously has opened a whole new route, although i like what MYK do - just wish they would release some of their earlier prints!
i have wondered about the special papers and sprays for decal production, but imagine its to much of sledgehammer appraoch for 144?
BD99,
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you say about the MYK decal sets. According to the website, more than 50% are sold out. Having picked up three old AHM Avenger kits with yellowing decals on eBay recently, I could have done with one of his Avenger sets!
One of the big advantages of many of the ALPS sets is that they provide for three or four complete schemes so, if you only use the one, there are plenty of spare roundels, crosses, numbers, etc. for use on aircraft not covered by the available sets. For instance, I'm looking at getting the Aussie Decals/Novascale set for the P-51B and using leftovers to do a RAAF Buffalo.
I know Aussie/Novascale do a line in inkjet and laser printable blank decal sheets that get around the lack of an ALPS printer, but I've yet to try them out.