Small Scale Military Headquarters

Is there a database of the 1/48 planes that 21C produced? All the models, paint schemes, features, etc? I'm just curious about the landing gear, and if they had pilots, and maybe some good pictures and comparisons to their bigger brothers...

I have the mottled KI-61 Hien, P-51, P-40N, and both HellCats. They don't have pilots and the landing gear pops in place for gear up or gear down.

I believe they made 2 of each version KI 61, Hellcat, P-40N, P-51B/C and BF-109. Also Wings of Glory made a copy from the 21C molds and not as good on the paint as the 21C. I have several 21C and they're not bad, but not the greatest.

I won't go into all the specific paint schemes, but this is basically what 21c made in terms of 1:48 scale WWII fighters:

P-51B/C (model came with pieces for extended or retracted gear, bombs, paper drop tanks, and either the standard framed canopy with open and closed pieces and a Malcolm hood type canopy)

BF-109G10/K (same tooling on both, came with pieces for extended or retracted gear, open or closed canopy)

P-40E (came with pieces for extended or retracted gear, centerline bomb or droptank, had appropriate-style canopy)

P-40N (came with pieces for extended or retracted gear, centerline bomb or droptank, had appropriate-style canopy for late-model P-40s)

KI-61 Hein "Tony" (came with pieces for extended or retracted gear, drop tanks, closed canopy piece, pieces to display canopy open)

F6F Hellcat (came with pieces for extended or retracted gear, drop tank, rockets, canopy and pieces to modify cockpit rear to early design with window or later design without window)

None of the planes came with pilot figures and, IMHO, the Hellcat and KI-61 are the best of the bunch, if you get ones with good paint work and quality control. If you need 1:48 pilot figures, Hobby Master makes a set of 1:48 WWII US and RAF pilot figures. They are made of soft plastic and fit easily into the 21c planes - and look great!

Thanks, both of you. I remember seeing the Tonys in the stores and them having questionable paint, but the Hellcats looked promising, and I like the extra pieces to modify them. Are they using the same kind of plastic as the 1/32 models, or are they a bit more delicate? And do the wheels roll independently?

I want to say the plastics were similar to the larger models, but the 1:48 planes always seemed more delicate (I can't tell you how many antennas I've had to repair over the years!) The wheels do not roll. Also, it should be noted that the tail wheel on the Hellcat was actually retractable and not a plug-in-place piece

Quite frankly, if you want quality 1:48 scale models, go with Hobby Master, Franklin Mint, Carousel 1, etc. They do cost more, but are much better models. Of the 21c planes, I would say only the Hellcat really came close to matching the look of the premium models (albeit in plastic).

Resurrecting my old thread, but did they ever make Don Gentile's P-51B Shangri La in 1/48?

Edit: I see they made a similar one, Boise Bee?

nooker21 wrote:Resurrecting my old thread, but did they ever make Don Gentile's P-51B Shangri La in 1/48?

Edit: I see they made a similar one, Boise Bee?

I don't think so.

nooker21 wrote:Resurrecting my old thread, but did they ever make Don Gentile's P-51B Shangri La in 1/48?

They did. I had one, but it got lost in a move. Here's one currently for sale on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/21st-Century-To ... SwMf1ZnJTT