BBI Thunderbird F-16 in 2012

[Sabrefan]

I asked the BBI rep on their Facebook page if there would be a chance of an F-16 model in the Thunderbirds paint scheme. They told me yes in 2012. Sure hope they come through with it, would be great to have a 1:18th scale Thunderbird!

[sdcc73]

Can you ask a follow-up question?

"You successfully just sold a F-16 (Enduring Freedom) upon the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Can you repeat this success in next year's F-16 Thunderbird and F-18 Blue Angel? Both squads just made history with their 1st women pilots and next year is thee 75th Anniversary of Amelia Earhart's still mysterious disappearance. LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of media attention will be given to those remembering Earhart's loss and the gains her life paved for others (includng thee 1st women just inducted to the Blue Angels + Thunderbirds).

[sdcc73]

^^^ Added note - I think this maybe the only good chance / great reason to release BOTH demo birds. I'm sure no one here wants to hand over $1,000 for the only Blue Angel on eBay!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BBI-Elite-Force ... _500wt_898

BBi has to put a name on it, anyhow. So might as well put a name (Amy Tomlinson and/or Nicole Malachowski) that can grab some great media attention, sure to come next year. This will also gives e-tailers a good chance at offering some specials / discounts (e.g Women's History month or Earhart anniversary special) when buying both closely-related demo birds.

[Birddog]

Ask them if they are going to produce a 1/18 A-10 they are supposed to have a prototype of? It would be nice to see something new from them...

[Panther F]

I'm with you Birddog. If there was only one more aircraft for ME to get it would be the A-10.




And the B-25.




And the Me-163.



And the Dornier/Arrow.

[AMERICAN_GRENADIER]

that would be GREAT!

[MCalamari]

I agree. 1/18 Thunderbirds and Blue Angels would sell great at air shows! Though my brother has a 1/18 Blue Angel, they need to release it -- who cares about the value, it is a fantastic plane.

-M

[456THBG]

Good for you for asking, Sabrefan! I agree with all that you & others are saying here, I'm in for both birds!
I love my new "Enduring Freedom" F16!

[tko211]

Oh, I so hope this is true! I will easily buy 2-3!

[snake]

Thunderbirds scheme would be fantastic, and I think a big seller.

Even tempting non collectors, as it is such a recognizable aircraft.

I am all up for any new releases in 1/18 F-16 or F-18.

Although, they will reduce the value of the models I have right now. Which would be ALL of them, with some being multiples.

Bring on the new releases, BBI.

[dcway]

Hey Sabrefan can you post post BBI facebook page ??? i'd like to post on that !!!
yes both of these would sell great !!!! I think Air Show verders would go crazy for them !!!! At one time i did see a blue angels f-18 at an air show !!!! could;nt find out what they wanted for it though ........

[Sabrefan]

Hi, I am not sure how to post the BBI Facebook page, but it is called: BBI Collectible

[sdcc73]

Thunderbirds and Blue Angels would sell great at air shows! Though my brother has a 1/18 Blue Angel, they need to release it -- who cares about the value, it is a fantastic plane.

yes both of these would sell great !!!! I think Air Show verders would go crazy for them !!!! At one time i did see a blue angels f-18 at an air show !!!!

If and when BBi releases another Blue Angel, it should not be too much of a "re-release" per se if they decal it "plane #8" and slap the name "Lt. Tomlinson" on it. Polish it up in a more glossy paint and its a different plane in many ways. So yeah. All the more reason to sell BOTH show birds that'll definately sell great to many kids (boys or girls) throughout the nation's many airshows...

[MCalamari]

If and when BBi releases another Blue Angel, it should not be too much of a "re-release" per se if they decal it "plane #8" and slap the name "Lt. Tomlinson" on it. Polish it up in a more glossy paint and its a different plane in many ways. So yeah. All the more reason to sell BOTH show birds that'll definately sell great to many kids (boys or girls) throughout the nation's many airshows...[/quote]

The new GI Joe Sky Striker came with stickers (decals) for multiple pilots, tail wing art, and aircraft numbers.

I think BBI should provide the decals for the BAs that actually tour and include the names of a number of pilots who have flow the birds over the past decade.

The idea of also having the first female BA and Thunderbird pilots is great, though the only female 1:18 pilots I've seen are the GI Joe Scarlett (and she really did not fit well in the Sky Striker) and the Terminator A-10 pilot (I pretend her name is Trudy ... don't know why).

-M

[Norsican]

All the more reason to sell BOTH show birds that'll definately sell great to many kids (boys or girls) throughout the nation's many airshows...

---------

I think BBI should provide the decals for the BAs that actually tour and include the names of a number of pilots who have flow the birds over the past decade.

When I go to airshows the last thing I expect or want to do is to make an impulse purchase of $200+ for a big toy airplane that I'll have to lug around all day in the hot sun. Online is the preferred venue for buying 1:18, although promoting the scale at airshows can certainly spread the word.

Using the real names of pilots would be a real legal nightmare. Look at all the trouble Chuck Y's delightful wench caused with the X-1. BBI would be better off building the planes and allowing collectors to approach people like Jackson to make custom decals behind the scenes.

[MCalamari]

When I go to airshows the last thing I expect or want to do is to make an impulse purchase of $200+ for a big toy airplane that I'll have to lug around all day in the hot sun. Online is the preferred venue for buying 1:18, although promoting the scale at airshows can certainly spread the word.

Using the real names of pilots would be a real legal nightmare. Look at all the trouble Chuck Y's delightful wench caused with the X-1. BBI would be better off building the planes and allowing collectors to approach people like Jackson to make custom decals behind the scenes.

Me too. But there are plenty of people who buy stuff at air shows too. If the country was rational we'd have far fewer of the political issues we do today. And the toy companies should take advantage of this.

And I thought that the name issue might be a problem, but at the same time, it couldn't hurt to ask the pilots. Chuck Yeager is a special case with regards to his name and logo, and I bet that some of the demonstration team pilots would agree that his coining in on his name now is *not* why they joined the flight demonstration team.

'sides, I'm hoping the Chinese just go ahead and make a set of Yeager decals ... but that is because I really don't own my name (heck I just had a county take my government work, butcher my name, misrepresent the work, and sue the state -- not a thing I or California can do, I work for the government and it pays for mortgage and beer).

[Coreyeagle48]

Greetings:

I already have a Thunderbirds F-16 with Malchowski's name on it so I am all set. Though I would like an authentic Thunderbirds F-16 that BBI actually produced to go with the Blue Angels F-18 that was produced some time ago.

Tomilson was not one of the active demo pilots on the team. Yes she was a pilot and with the Blue Angels but she did not fly in the actual demonstrations. I believe she worked with the public affairs and may have been one of the advance pilots. Malchowski however flew postion #3 on the T-Birds for two years and another female pilot Samantha Meeks also flew with the team as one of the solo pilots for two years. In fact one of the years, Malchowski and Meeks were on the team together...so the TBirds had two female pilots actually flying in the demonstrations. Tomilson, while on the team, was not one of the demonstration pilots and never was in that position during her time as a Blue Angel.

These would easily sell at airshows if they were made available. Especially in the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angels color schemes. Many people buy stuff after the shows and people could easily get them at the end of the day. With all the TBirds and Blue Angels items sold at the shows, trust me, they would be an easy sell. When XD was hot, many vendors at the World War II themed shows did very well with it.

I think generic pilots would be better than the real pilots. The real pilots change frequently and things can happen. Just this year the Blue Angels Team Leader stepped down midway through the year and last year's Team Leader took his place. This of course messes up the yearbook, team brochures and all else. Generic names would be best with a few choices perhaps.

[MUDHEN336]

I actually knew Nicole Malachowski very well. She was a Lieutenant in my squadron and flew on my wing many times. I even had a hand in giving her her tactical callsign! Seems like forever ago. She turned out to be a very talented fighter pilot. Glad to see her career is going well.

[pizzaguy]

Here's the link and it will take you to the BBI Collectible site.
I don't think you need to have a facebook page. 21 friends so far.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/BBI-Co ... 2475407430

[MCalamari]

Cool hearing the stories about the RL pilots.

And generic names are fine too ... if you go that route, while not make names of the model designers or their kids.

[formerblueangel]

Can you ask a follow-up question?

"You successfully just sold a F-16 (Enduring Freedom) upon the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Can you repeat this success in next year's F-16 Thunderbird and F-18 Blue Angel? Both squads just made history with their 1st women pilots and next year is thee 75th Anniversary of Amelia Earhart's still mysterious disappearance. LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of media attention will be given to those remembering Earhart's loss and the gains her life paved for others (includng thee 1st women just inducted to the Blue Angels + Thunderbirds).

For the love of God no. Besides, #8 is a NFO and not the first female officer to serve on the team.
A better suggestion would be the 50th Anv Scheme of the Blues AND the 2011 Show Birds hornoring 100 years of Naval Aviation.

Edward "Dusty" Rhodes
Former AK1 (AW)
USN 5/88 - 3/01
Blues Logistics '95 - '97
BA Alumni Association #165
If you haven't already, be sure to Check out my 1/72 Carved Fat AlBert AKA 'Bert'
http://public.fotki.com/formerblueangel ... 00109.html

[sdcc73]

[

Can you ask a follow-up question?

"You successfully just sold a F-16 (Enduring Freedom) upon the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Can you repeat this success in next year's F-16 Thunderbird and F-18 Blue Angel? Both squads just made history with their 1st women pilots and next year is thee 75th Anniversary of Amelia Earhart's still mysterious disappearance. LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of media attention will be given to those remembering Earhart's loss and the gains her life paved for others (includng thee 1st women just inducted to the Blue Angels + Thunderbirds).

For the love of God no. Besides, #8 is a NFO and not the first female officer to serve on the team.
A better suggestion would be the 50th Anv Scheme of the Blues AND the 2011 Show Birds hornoring 100 years of Naval Aviation.

Edward "Dusty" Rhodes
Former AK1 (AW)
USN 5/88 - 3/01
Blues Logistics '95 - '97
BA Alumni Association #165
If you haven't already, be sure to Check out my 1/72 Carved Fat AlBert AKA 'Bert'
http://public.fotki.com/formerblueangel ... 00109.html

Tomilson was not one of the active demo pilots on the team. Yes she was a pilot and with the Blue Angels but she did not fly in the actual demonstrations. I believe she worked with the public affairs and may have been one of the advance pilots. Malchowski however flew postion #3 on the T-Birds for two years and another female pilot Samantha Meeks also flew with the team as one of the solo pilots for two years. In fact one of the years, Malchowski and Meeks were on the team together...so the TBirds had two female pilots actually flying in the demonstrations. Tomilson, while on the team, was not one of the demonstration pilots and never was in that position during her time as a Blue Angel.

There is a confusion and vagueness evident in a lot of the online articles. Tomilson has been described numerous times (as Corey just described too) as a "pilot" and not a "co-pilot" NFO per se (at least for the Blue Angels per se). Also, she's described as a "first" in some articles yet a second in others. There was another "first" female to fly the 'Bert cargo plane per se, and Tomilson being described as somewhat of another "first" to fly the BA's fighter plane, per se. So there's a lot of confusion (depending on what "per se" is used or not used). If BBi can do what 21st did, and produce 1 plane with 2 different canopies (like the Me-262 1 seater AND 2 seater canopies to include a oo-pilot) perhaps a two-seater Hornet canopy can make a Tomilinson Blue Angel plane #8. Malchowski is obviously not a problem. So that's pretty much something that can easily be done. Too bad Malachowski did not fly a THunderbird during AF's 50th, for that's a great looking logo. Perhaps the idea of including different decals / names can make these other ideas, names, and logos work.

[Coreyeagle48]

Greetings

Here is the BBI-F-16 that I had custom painted in Nicole Malachowski's aircraft when she was with the Thunderbirds. BBI should be able to do this plane great if they want to.

She was down for a cleaning and I thought I would post a picture since you guys were just talking about BBI doing a T-Birds F-16

Corey

[gburch]

If they want to do an F-16 with a female pilot, I think it should be this one:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/f-1 ... print.html

If you don't get choked up reading that, you need to check your pulse ... But the T-bird it is ...

[sdcc73]

Greetings

Here is the BBI-F-16 that I had custom painted in Nicole Malachowski's aircraft when she was with the Thunderbirds. BBI should be able to do this plane great if they want to.

She was down for a cleaning and I thought I would post a picture since you guys were just talking about BBI doing a T-Birds F-16

Corey

Agreed. BBi can do this.