Small Scale Military Headquarters

Gentlemen..
Any latest info on when the new 1/18th scale harrier will be released and or availability for purchase..? Would be a great addition for any collection.
F56...

Merit will be present at San Diego Comic Con July 9-12 booth# 4734. I'm sure we will find out more by then.

What we do know so far....(subject to change)

Type:

Harrier AV-8B II


Release date:

End of August (3rd quarter)


Price:

$240


Packaging/box art:

TBD

Box size: 33.07" x 23.43" x 7.68"


Size:

Scale: 1:18

Wing Span: 20.75 inches

Length: 31.5 inches

Weight: TBD


Payload:

AIM-9 sidewinder x2

MK-82 "snake eye" bomb x2 (functional tail retarding fin assembly)

Drop tank x2


Features:

-Adjustable landing gears
-Functional horizontal & vertical stabilizers/flaps
-Functional cockpit canopy
-Functional turbo fan exhaust system limited to forward rotating fan near intakes, four pivoting exhaust nozzles, & opening auxiliary inlet doors along the lip of both outer cowlings
-Two removable access panels along the top looking into detailed engine compartment
-Functional refueling probe
-LED tail light (pending)


Features no longer included:

-Pilot
-Full LED lighting package
-Nose cone/radar dome access revealing radar/antenna dish array
-GAU-12 cannon (gun pod)


Squadron/paint scheme:

VMA-211 (Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona)

Color: Low visibility two tone camo

Flight number: 02

Pilot: Lt. Col. Bret "Critter" Ritterby

$240? OUCH!

Will this be a deal breaker for anyone?

Doesn't bode well for the FW-190 but considering the price of the recent re-paints by Flight Wings and repaint MiG-15s over $100, I suppose it's right in line with the skyrocketing prices for newly released 1/18 planes, especially with the amount of time invested in developement.

$240 is a bit steep, but I guess it could be worse... Prices have increased over the past six years, so I'm not entirely surprised to see us paying $20-$30 over the initial asking price for the JSI F-14 in 2009. I just hope the Harrier has good overall QC and no spots!!

$240? I've spent more for diecast 1:18 cars. I'm in for at least one, maybe more. I hope they give us a heads up as the release date nears.

ASC McLaren wrote:$240? I've spent more for diecast 1:18 cars. I'm in for at least one, maybe more. I hope they give us a heads up as the release date nears.

That's the spirit! I realize it's been hard for you guys, waiting so long for new 1/18 to appear. And watching prices rise on everything just rubs a little salt in it.

But, as all true collectors know, if you really want it you will get it. You may lose a spouse or friend in the process, but hey...

Currently I'm saving for a 1/32 Lancaster kit and that should hit $250 before I've even bought my building supplies.

I like the Harrier , But i like the 190 more, so i will wait for the Fw190A-? to come out and get myself one.

Cheers
Studly

Thank you all for responding especially all the great info, options and a pic of the real plane and pilot. I really hope this happens. Way too long over due for a fresh new subject and not just some lame repaint of a plane that has been around forever. This could possibly signal the beginning of a string of some modern jets in this scale and hopefully the harrier will be a hit with collectors with good sales. i am in for at least 2. One to display and the other untouched to collect. I would love to see some century series jets..,F-101, 102, 106, and maybe even perhaps a F-4 or 105. We can all dream I guess..... Thank you all again for the info... Looking foreword for this release.
F56..

Hey Bee- quick question- was there confirmation at the most recent show on the lack of gunpods? There were pictures up from a Asian toy festival about a year ago that looked like they might have been added or in the works.

Just curious if this was news since then, as I also hadn't heard about the August date.

Testing a link to the merit fb:

https://www.facebook.com/MeritIntlLtd/p ... =3&theater

That picture looks like the Gau might be on it. Admittedly, kinda hard to tell.

We don't really have any hard facts from Merit on the gun pod (GAU-12) yet. From the pictures taken at SDCC 2014 and the discussions here on this forum from Black_Dragon_One and a couple of others elsewhere who have had recent run ins with Merit it seems they maybe leaving it off to keep the costs down. Then again I could be wrong. And I very much hope to be for that matter. I think it would give it greater appeal if anything. After all it is a fighter jet. If they do leave it off though it doesn't seem to me to be a feature that hard to fabricate on our own especially if Pickelhaube and some of the talented others here are up to the task of doing on the side.

Here is a little History on the pilot...

On December 9, 2011 Bret "Critter" Ritterby was promoted to commanding officer for the VMA-211 Avengers. Flight number was 01. I'm not sure if he still currently holds this position however according to Linkedin he is listed in the U.S. European Command, United States Marine Corps.

Present:

Joint Force Headquarters Exercises Branch Chief
U.S. European Command
July 2013 – Present (2 years)Stuttgart Area, Germany

Officer and Naval Aviator
United States Marine Corps
December 1993 – Present (21 years 7 months)Various

"Winterstar"]Hey Bee- quick question- was there confirmation at the most recent show on the lack of gunpods? There were pictures up from a Asian toy festival about a year ago that looked like they might have been added or in the works.

Just curious if this was news since then, as I also hadn't heard about the August date.

Testing a link to the merit fb:

https://www.facebook.com/MeritIntlLtd/p ... =3&theater

The photo you linked indeed has the gun pod attached. So they did make one for sure on the new prototype. At SDCC 2014 almost three months prior to that photo taken there was another round of other photos taken with no gun pod present at all. The recent photos shared by PanzerArm from a friend who attended the "Best of the West Show" in Las Vegas of April this year revealed nothing under the main fuselage. So I suspect it could be possible. I'll go ahead and update the information above just to be safe. Thanks for the link Winterstar.

Looking forward to this one. It's a definite buy!

$240 isn't too bad, and about what I thought it would be.

Considering the model looks good, from what we have seen of it, think it is a fair price. Was disappointed to see that no pilot will be included, but not a deal breaker.

Like everyone, looking forward to pics of the actual production model.

If they plan on getting this shipped out by the end of August we should be seeing a complete working model come this July at SDCC. Whether its the prototype or an actual production version right off the assembly line. In any case we will probably have some boots on the ground during the event. So we should have further intel in two weeks. Stay tuned....

The one I saw had no gun pod no weapons load

$240? I've spent more for diecast 1:18 cars. I'm in for at least one, maybe more. I hope they give us a heads up as the release date nears.

Years ago $240 was a top of the line Exoto 1/18 F1 car! Now they are almost $500 with years of wait time. I just paid $170 for a Mattel "elite" Ferrari 312 T2

I've been wanting a large scale Harrier since the mid 1980's so $240 is a non issue. My issue is the freaking wait time. It must be a resource/scheduling and or funding production time issue.

Regardless of the price and the delays, got to give it up to Merit for taking on a plane with complex shape and details that could be so much more challenging than say an F-117 Stealth with all the simple flat panels. Taking the time to get it right is worth a wait and a few more $$ too. Still looking forward to the FW-190

I wonder if some planes would be more expensive to produce based on current day trade-mark/brand name licensing costs?

Axis Nightmare wrote:Regardless of the price and the delays, got to give it up to Merit for taking on a plane with complex shape and details that could be so much more challenging than say an F-117 Stealth with all the simple flat panels. Taking the time to get it right is worth a wait and a few more $$ too. Still looking forward to the FW-190

I wonder if some planes would be more expensive to produce based on current day trade-mark/brand name licensing costs?

Agree with Axis Nightmare.

While smaller, the Harrier is quite complex to do, and looks like Merit have done a good job on it, even though it seems to be taking a long time.

I certainly hope that this actually makes it to production, as think it should be a great 1/18 model of a modern jet.

Pics up.

https://www.facebook.com/MeritIntlLtd

No mention of strakes or gunpods, I shot them a message. Might hear from them on monday.

Flying Mule has it listed.

Link: http://www.flyingmule.com/products/JS-60027

Aiken's Airplanes

http://www.aikensairplanes.com/av-8b-ha ... nes-corps/


Legends Toys & Hobbies

https://legendshobbies.com/?dest=products&prod_id=4858

I have no intent on buying, but I must say that is a beautiful model!