why no plastic modern jets?

[dcmacharlie]

Hi hope you do not mind me throwing in my two,three or four cents, first let me say what a joy it is to read everything that there is to read about 1:18 scale at this site! and I am only about a third done reading, i try and read a little every night, second, I to am a 1:18 or nothing at all guy, I went to my local hobby store and they had the BBI F-4 in 1:32 scale and i almost bought it, (because like someone said the box is as big as the 1:18 scale box) but looking at it real close i was not impressed as i thought i would be, It was nice do not get me wrong but with out looking at it out of the box I could not really give it a real close once over. Having worked on this aircraft as a crew chief for 2 years and having been at a CLSS (Combat Logistics Support Squadron) and traveling all over the world making major mods on this aircraft for 4 years, then working at the Depot level on this aircraft for 5 years changing everything on this bird you can think of, I can really look at any model of a F-4 built by who ever with a critical eye, OK get to the point!!!! I want the F-4 in 1:18 scale and will buy 3 or more just because (they need to be in Viet Nam camo) and if need be will build another room just for them!!! Would also be nice to see the F-100 ,A-37,and F-5 in camo and any AGE equipment in 1:18 scale would be nice also, OK am I asking to much! love the site and I hope I did not ramble to much. Carlos

[olifant]

Welcome to the forum dcmacharlie! Hope you enjoy as much as we do! Please be careful though because once that 1/32 bug bites, you never recover!

[jeffrowse]

But back to the original question. Why no modern planes? Honestly, just look at the military scale model hobby. WWII-related stuff are faaaarrrrrrrrr more popular than modern ones.

Am I saying that modern stuff don't sell well? Of course not. There are many of those that love to build modern warplane models. But for every guy that wanted to build a Block 52 F-16J, there are perhaps a hundred other people who wanted to build some obscure experimental WWII uber-mensch German fighter plane.

First off, this is a bit like what my wife was told in a shoe shop; "Sorry we don't have your size - we've had lots of people ask for bigger shoes but the manufacturers don't make them that big as nobody wants them"... I hope everyone can figure out what sort of reply that statement got.

As for the bit regarding the numbers of people who want to build obscure WW2 subjects as compared to newer jets, I'd disagree. Out of every hundred-and-one modellers, there's one who wants another F16 variant with minor differences from the dozen already on his shelf, and 100 who want something new. My father would probably prefer the weird old thing, but I'd rather see a new modern subject any day.
The sad fact is that there are few new aircraft out there - force reduction programs mean the same number of older airframes are kept in service longer and swapped around between usage and storage, and fewer new aircraft are being designed (where the UK once had a world-class design and manufacturing capability, we are now reduced to designing and building bits and pieces for other countries' "project leader" companies to bolt onto the new aircraft they then sell back to us... sometimes. I believe there are still some bits of the Joint Strike Fighter that the Brits won't get - even if we did design and build them!)

Of course, then something like the F15 fuselage break problem and the F22 keel overstress problem appear and the aviation industry gets to take it up the butt again... what do Governemnts seriously expect to happen when they always go with the LOWEST bidder??


(Sorry, didn't mean to wander so far off-topic and don't want to start any flame wars, but this is one thing that really gets my goat - the Powers That Be want brave men and women to put their lives on the line fighting for Truth, Justice and Freedom and then turn round and give them the cheapest tat they can get... how about we let the politicians go fight the wars they start, see how long it takes them to come up with peaceful settlements if it's their butts on the firing line!)

[dcmacharlie]

Hi back again and yes it will be fun to see what BBI or 21 century’s F-4 looks like up close ( if they do come out with one this year) and the Mig21 and B-24, I have a question for you? do you know of anyplace I can get the F-18 with out having to pay 300 dollars, bid for one on E-bay the other day and it went for 250.00 or so plus shipping way to much for me, every web site I have looked at has them sold out, and all the hobby stores in town, do not have any (live in Vegas) also in your opinion which one of the German WW2 aircraft should I try and get there are a lot around in the 60 dollar range. Any help would be appreciated take care and remember 1:18 scale has that WOW!!! look to it, when anyone sees a plane or vehicles in that scale.

[olifant]

Hi back again and yes it will be fun to see what BBI or 21 century’s F-4 looks like up close ( if they do come out with one this year) and the Mig21 and B-24, I have a question for you? do you know of anyplace I can get the F-18 with out having to pay 300 dollars, bid for one on E-bay the other day and it went for 250.00 or so plus shipping way to much for me, every web site I have looked at has them sold out, and all the hobby stores in town, do not have any (live in Vegas) also in your opinion which one of the German WW2 aircraft should I try and get there are a lot around in the 60 dollar range. Any help would be appreciated take care and remember 1:18 scale has that WOW!!! look to it, when anyone sees a plane or vehicles in that scale.

The Military Toy Shop has the new aggressor scheme F/A-18 up for preorder; if you can wait this will be your cheapest bet.
There are lots of great German models out; both Me-262s are great as is the Me-109F/G. Can't go wrong with either!

[dcmacharlie]

Thanks for the information! I pre ordered the F-4, Mig-21 and the F-18 so hope it will not take to long, but have lots of that! so will just keep watching for the Ups man to show up, will order from small Joes one of the German fighters, my goal is to get one aircraft from each side for each war, I’m a librarian at an elementary school and plan on showing all the planes for a week at school, separated on each shelf by war and have information cards in front of each aircraft for the students to read a little about each plane, and talking to some of the students about what i plan on doing they will love it!!! when I do this ill take pictures to share with the forum. Hope to see 1:18 scale new aircraft soon from 21st , BBI or admiral, read somplace Admiral may also have a F-4 out this year have you heard that?