1/18 Tomcat

Jericoeagle1 · Post by **Jericoeagle1** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:55 pm

I decided to take a chance and Pre-Order one. They say you won't be charged or asked for payment until it is actually ready to ship. Shipping cost according to their order form is between 17.00 and 29.00 Dollars US roughly. There may be more charges tacked on to that of course for customs etc.

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 5:36 pm

Holy S#@T!!! Not my favorite modern jet, but it's awesome news.

$300 is a steal for a 1/18 F-14. Hope Kawai Toys is planning on doing more modern jets!!!

Still pretty cool.....

Post by **aferguson** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 5:45 pm

wow, the shipping is astonishingly cheap for something that size, shipped from japan. I'm wondering if it's really 1/18. The box will be huge.

FieroDude · Post by **FieroDude** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 6:19 pm

maybe it comes in lots and lots of little pieces...

but that does seem kind of low. Most of my 1/6 figures come from Japan or Hong Kong, and shipping is usually between $12 and $20 - and they are only a couple pounds, in a box that is smaller than a shoe box.

vmf214 · Post by **vmf214** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 6:52 pm

popeye357 wrote:I think the cute word is spelled with two I's...Im probably wrong though.

You're right it is, cute or pretty is "kawaii" pronounced as kah-wai-ee.

Kawai is a last name. I do have some 1/72 model stuff from them, with old age the ole memory shrinks, hopefully that's the only thing..

They bought the old Sanwa model company several years ago and are a fairly old company. My wife said she's remembers them.

I bet we'll see some on ebay soon from some dealers in Hong Kong, always do on Japanese releases seems like. Right when BCA announced the elusive "exclusive" Konioke Zero, a couple guys in Hong Kong were peddling them too..just a few clicks shy of Europe too..

tankduel · Post by **tankduel** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 7:14 pm

The tomcat finished product of the super big scale is appearance.It reappears faithfully on-board missile of full equipment, over detail such as carrier landing hook and variable wing! The size is enormous after all! Size becomes total length 105cm× height 27.5cm× width (at the time of wing development) 110cm.1000 limited production items.
The color ring has planned the VF−154 “[buratsukunaitsu]” CAG machine NF100 number machine, but it is not decision.There is a possibility the unit marking and the like becoming modification.Please acknowledge beforehand.
http://www.bigthunder.jp/product_search ... -15%81@%8B@

vmf214 · Post by **vmf214** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 7:20 pm

I'd prefer VF-1 Wolfpack but will take anything they decide!

FieroDude · Post by **FieroDude** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 7:24 pm

Based on those dimensions, it's about right, then - a 1/18 Tomcat should be about 41-7/8 inches long, which is about 105 cm.

Which makes me REALLY question the shipping costs. I foresee something more like $300 for the plane and $150 for shipping! Plus all those wonderful customs fees...

USCGSARdog · Post by **USCGSARdog** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 7:55 pm

I just tried to pre-order the Tomcat, but got a "Busy server error, please try back later." prompt. However, the manufacturers website does in fact say that this plane is 1/18 scale once you get to the point of placing your order. It also gives three shipping options, one of which being FedEx. The FedEx option cost 2,600 Yen, or $28.11 USD. It is the most expensive shipping option BTW.

I'll keep trying to get my order in. I just hope this isn't some disgusting, cruel joke

.

-Rob

chunks · Post by **chunks** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 8:26 pm

Well, that didn't take long. As translated by babelfish.

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_ur ... =Translate

"Reservation acceptance it ended"

Post by **aferguson** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 8:47 pm

dimensions are pretty close to 1/18, within a centimeter...so negligable difference.

This is really something, coming so out of the blue like this. Will be very interested to see if preorders get filled....and yes, i think we'll all take whatever scheme they decide on (i have to wonder how it's going to be released this month if they haven't even decided on the paint scheme yet). The shippng still has me baffled. The box will have to be much larger than a BBI Hornet box, since the Tomcat is very wide and the fuselage would have to be molded as one large section.

I bet the actual shipping is substantially more, i would guess $80 to $100 if they're sending it by courier.

Be aware, couriers have huge brokerage fees for bringing a package through Customs. It's $25 plus a percentage of the value, so the brokerage fees alone can run $60 plus....this is on top of whatever custom fees the government charges. Air shipping includes the cost of any brokerage fees, surface shipping does not. If there is a Postal shipping option choose that because the government's brokerage fees are like $5. This all applies to Canada but i suspect it's not much different in the US. Normally toys are not subject to any Customs charges but ask them to low ball the value on the Customs form.....they may not want to but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Sabrefan · Post by **Sabrefan** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 8:53 pm

Is there any mention of a date that the Tomcat will be available?

USCGSARdog · Post by **USCGSARdog** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 8:54 pm

That doesn't sound good.

-Rob

Sabrefan · Post by **Sabrefan** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 8:55 pm

Would it be possible for BadCat or other online retailers to pick these up?

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:07 pm

That cockpit is looking a little funky. I guess one could always do a custom cockpit if one needed too.

USCGSARdog · Post by **USCGSARdog** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:09 pm

aferguson wrote: Normally toys are not subject to any Customs charges but ask them to low ball the value on the Customs form.....they may not want to but it doesn't hurt to ask.

......I don't think that would fly too well as they have already stated on their website that all overseas packages will be declared at full value and will not be declared as "gifts".

Pretty stuffy aren't they?

-Rob

Post by **aferguson** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:26 pm

is kawai toys an actual manufacturer or just an etailer? I ask because the more i look at the Tomcat the more it reminds me of BBI. And a while back Jason hinted at some exciting new release coming from BBI at the year's end. And i know that BBI had done some r&d work on a 1/18 Tomcat.

So, i'm wondering if this is a new bbi product and Kawai just has an exclusive of 1000 units on a specific paint scheme, the same way Badcat and others have had exclusives in the past.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:30 pm

this is all I can find on Kawai

http://www.1999.co.jp/search_e.asp?Typ1 ... ai&SPage=2

FieroDude · Post by **FieroDude** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:31 pm

If it is bbi, that would be awesome! There would be a much better chance of getting one here in the US. I did a couple searches on Kawai and F-14 / Tomcat, and the only references that popped up were the article from Shin and the sales listing from the hobby shop in Japan. No other references or links that I could see.

Post by **aferguson** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:39 pm

see, they strike me as being just an etailer, since they sell a wide variety of model kts etc. So i would hunch that this is an exclusive of a new BBI product. Too bad Mike isnt' still around to ask..

Sabrefan · Post by **Sabrefan** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:06 pm

Where is Mike when you have a BBI question like this.

vmf214 · Post by **vmf214** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:19 pm

I have some model kits of Japanese aircraft made by Kawai so they're abit more than an online etailer. Time to check ebay and see, if for nothing else it's a great source of info on different products..

vmf214 · Post by **vmf214** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:30 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/AKawai-1-100-Do-217 ... dZViewItem

Kawai 1/100 Do-217

I am quite sure the shipping rates given, at least for EMS are quite incorrect and don't include all the appropriate fees mentioned. My kids get a box from Tokyo every year from their aunt and she sends it EMS. It usually weighs around 20lbs and generally measures at least 24x18x10. Shipping rate: 35k yen avg or roughly 320-330 bucks!! And these are in fact gifts and so annotated.

JohnLumley · Post by **JohnLumley** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:57 pm

Oh my gosh!

I placed an order for one and they sent me an e-mail confirmation with an order number.

317.03 US dollars (at the current exchange rate) with the FedEx shipping option

E-mail states they will send another e-mail for a payment request at time of shipment.

Sounds like they are testing the waters to see what kind of pre-order response they are going to get.

Fingers crossed.

I am wondering if Bad Cat will acquire a pallet or two of these for the USA.

Black_Dragon_One · Post by **Black_Dragon_One** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:27 pm

i hope bbi jump on this i will go into dept to get this or sleep in my car... what ever comes first..