The 104 and Beyond

[longrifle]

I got my first look at the F-104 and I must say, I beleive we are set for anew beginning for the future of things to come. I must say, even the prototype looks pretty darn impressive. I am looking VERY forward to the F-86 and Mig-15 as even I remember wishing when I saw the first 1:18 aircraft come out by 21st that Mig and Sabre would eventually be released. Eventhough I am not much of a jet fan, I will for sure get the Sabre and Mig.
I am still hoping for the benefit of everyone here that your wishes will come true in what you are hoping for.
I am an RAF fan, and I am really hoping for a Mosquito,Tyhpoon, Spitfire Mk.V or later versions, and a BOB Hurricane. I plan to take some of the US fighters and incorporate RAF markings on them (i.e. P-47, and the Avenger when it comes out) Im looking forward for a newly tooled P-51 from 21st, so I am holding off on the BBi release.
I still beleive however that the actual size of the aircraft are determining whether or not 21st will replicate them in 1:18th, and this trend will remain, but I hope not.
I know there are many here that want an F-4 and for the prop guys a B-25 not to mention the ones that are even larger than that. I guess all we can do is hope and wait and see.

[aferguson]

To be honest i would not hold my breath for an F-4, B-25 etc from 21c. While Roy said 'anything is possible' when i spoke with him i got the very real sense that they were not really keen on producing such large aircraft, mostly because WM does not want them; they are too big to sell well in WM's eyes.

WM is currently the life blood of 21c, so they are going to go with what WM directs them to do...and who can blame them

Right now i think BBI is our best hope for large aircraft....to be honest a C-47 is only somewhat larger than an F-18 and i suspect they could even pack it in the same sized box. Same goes for a B-25, A-10 etc.

Whether BBI is willing to go in that direction only time will tell. They are a much, much larger company than 21c so they may be more willing to go out on a limb. I have to say if we ever do see aircraft of this size it will be an incredible sight.

As far as RAF planes, the Mosquito and Typhoon i would say are about 50-50 propositions as to whether we will see them or not. My guess is that we will. The Hurricane i would not be too hopeful for as 21st does not seem to keen on it and its sales potential (i think they view it the same way they view the Zero).

However, now that this scale appears to be catching on there is always the possibility of other manufacturers jumping into it and that will bring more collectors on line. Once that happens less well known aircraft could see the light of day in 1/18.

Anything is possible...

[tmanthegreat]

If they are planning to do an ME-110, then a Mosquito could be a real possibility. Both are larger than the P-38, but not by a significant amount as to hinder production. The Mosquito might even be more recognizable than a 110 to the general public. It seems that I recall some old film that involved the plane... We have seen what was possible with the Corgi 1:32 version, now imagine that in 1:18!

[Quixote511]

It seems strange to me that they would give the ok to a Typhoon before a Hurricane. Not that I am complaining in the slightest, as, I am in love with the Typhoon. However, I thought the exact opposite. I figured the Hurricane as having a greater recognition factor because of the Battle of Britain. Would you care to expound on this AFerg?
Aaron

[aferguson]

well first this is partly what i have surmized from our conversations. Haven't been told anything for sure....sort of listened between the lines.

I can see a Typhoon before a Hurricane simply on looks appeal alone. I would think the Hurricane has better repaint potential (and this lack of repaint potential may mean there is no Typhoon) but on flash and looks the Typhoon has it hands down.

You have to look at these things as though you were a man on the street who had little knowledge of WWII or aircraft (according to Roy). These are the people that buy the bulk of the xd planes, and they buy on what looks cool....we collectors are a smaller minority of the purchases.

To me this argument doesn't make a lot of sense because if you didn't know much about WWII or airplanes i don't see why you'd buy these at all (any more than i buy Transformers, which are very popular, but since i don't really know anything about them they don't appeal to me at all)....it is the people who are knowledgeable about wwii and planes that buy xd planes, in my opinion and that's why i think things like hurricanes, typhoons, zeros, yak 9's etc would sell well....but 21c does not always agree with me. They won't sell as well as P-51's and Messerschmitts but there are only so many'A' list aircraft. Once you've made them you either have to make other aircraft that won't sell as well but will still sell well enough, or pack up shop.

[flayrah]

...in my opinion and that's why i think things like hurricanes, typhoons, zeros, yak 9's etc would sell well....but 21c does not always agree with me. They won't sell as well as P-51's and Messerschmitts but there are only so many'A' list aircraft. Once you've made them you either have to make other aircraft that won't sell as well but will still sell well enough, or pack up shop.

Aferg has brought up an interesting point that I would liked to have been asked in the interview with Roy on the 21st site. Once 21st has made all the "recognizable" aircraft that can be made to fit thier size restrictions, then what? As it is, 21st has already covered virtually all the US Army/Air Force WWII fighters that it seems they will be making; the Luft aircraft are almost complete; there are only a handful of Navy aircraft; they seem unwilling to go too far outside the mainstream; what's next? Unless they decide larger aircraft will sell, they soon will be out of plane types to make!

[aferguson]

In fact i did bring it up. Roy got quite vague when i did.

I think we are all aware that the party has got to end some day. We ourselves realize that space is a problem and certainly after a very few more years of collecting it will become a major concern for most of us.

I think that 21c realizes this too and that fact plus the perceived weaker sales potential of lesser known aircraft probably means that 1/18 aircraft will stop being produced some day, or at the very least greatly reduced in output.

This is one reason why i am constantly looking for alternative means of finding planes (and tanks) to this scale. I've been searching r/c aircraft, looking into card models, reading up on rapid prototype machines and 3d printers, looking into commissioning wooden models etc because i feel the handwriting is on the wall, eventually.

When that day will be?...don't know, and i suspect there will always be a trickle of new 1/18 aircraft coming out from one source or another as new collectors come onboard, some people may only collect certain types of aircraft thus creating a demand etc.

I don't think this scale will ever die but i think the next 2-4 years will be the golden years where lots and lots of goodies are produced. After that, this board may return to its earlier function of being a support group for large scale addicts looking for their fix.

[digger]

Agreed - the party has to end someday.

BUT, let's not forget what 4 years meant to the Mustang. What I'm trying to say is that if another company tackles, say, the P-38 in a few years it's safe to say it could be practically a whole new plane.

Also, someone is going to have to explore a mid-range price point that has not been touched upon by 21st/bbi. If a 1/16 King Tiger can sell (very well) at $300, I think an amazing 1:18 P-38 could sell for $100. Hopefully in a couple of years another company will come along to take over the scale/genre and take a whole new approach - one devoted to small sales of high-end pieces (think fov King Tiger again) steeped in detail. That way nobody will care about the masses, and we would be target audience.
I know there are $2K planes that could be had, but I'm thinking a little more reasonable than that.....Here's to hoping

[Teamski]

Ok Andrew, which book were you looking at when comparing an F-18 to a Dakota??? You wouldn't fit a 1:18 C-47 in a box twice the size of the F-18's......I just don't know about you sometimes............

I also could see a Typhoon before the Hurricane for the same reason above; the Typhoon is a real hot rod. As far as RAF types, don't forget about Corgi's involvement inthe XD line. Depending how the XD line sells over in Europe, I could see Corgi commisioning some real euro-centric aircraft types. If you see a Hurricane or a Mosquito, you can bet Corgi had a hand in it for the European market. I am proud to be responsible for the sale of a Corgi XD Spitfire to a Dutch guy when I visited the RAF museum in London. The guy must of picked up that box at least 5 times! My buddy Mike (a proud owner of a shipped Spitfire from me) and I got the guy completely sold on it even with the steep exchange rate of the Pound to the Kroner. IIRC they were going for 55 Pounds. Not cheap....

The 1:18 line is going to just be incredible. For 4 years now, many of us have been riding the XD tide here on the XD forum, and the wind is really going to pick up for all of us! I look forward with unbounded excitement!

-Ski

[tmanthegreat]

Unbounded excitement and the very necessary possibility of having to buy some land and construct a large barn on it to store all the XD products

[boyx30]

I just bought a ME 262 1/32 scale...from Walmart..and although it doesn't have the excitement of the 1/18th stuff I can see the better possibilities of many more aircraft dog fighting from my roof...it is a real issue...but the cost of those Corgi aircraft is rather hindering....

[aferguson]

Ok Andrew, which book were you looking at when comparing an F-18 to a Dakota??? You wouldn't fit a 1:18 C-47 in a box twice the size of the F-18's......I just don't know about you sometimes
-Ski

Oh you could so. With a removable tail section or nose section the fuselage of the Dak fits no problem. The wings are of course removable and could be tucked in behind the fuselage which could be moved forward in the box towards the window. Seperate nacelles could be stuffed here and there. You MAY need a box slightly larger than an F-18's but i still think it would fit. The F-18 is a pretty big plane too.

Let's hope one of us gets the chance to tell the other 'i told you so'..

[USCGSARdog]

Good point about Corgi stirring things up in the european market Ski. Corgi moves a lot of product and has many loyal fans, I think that if they make a request, 21C would listen. I would love to see a Mosquito, and a Typhoon as well! (Greedy little booger ain't I? )

-Rob

[Teamski]

For those of you who haven't seen the Corgi XD boxes, check out the pictures of them in the miscellanious folder on page 2:

http://community.webshots.com/user/teamski1


-Ski

[Teamski]

I added the F-104 Profile of this specific plane to the Profile album:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/941 ... 2549scBlyg

Nice paint scheme!

-Ski

[tmanthegreat]

Certainly worthy of your rank/title, aren't you Ski? Where do you find all these profiles?

[Teamski]

This one I found on a Russian model site! I improved it (contrast, etc) but the new one hasn't uploaded yet........

If I can't get them on-line, I do the book search and other members have given me key pictures as well.

-Ski

[Quixote511]

I am certainly going to pick up this first scheme of the 104 but I am awaiting a West German Air Force repaint--the Bavarian blue and white checkerboard.
Aaron

[Teamski]

I am certainly going to pick up this first scheme of the 104 but I am awaiting a West German Air Force repaint--the Bavarian blue and white checkerboard.
Aaron

The Japanese version should also look pretty cool, except it might not look quite right with the Corsair ...........

-Ski

[Jagdflieger]

...in my opinion and that's why i think things like hurricanes, typhoons, zeros, yak 9's etc would sell well....but 21c does not always agree with me. They won't sell as well as P-51's and Messerschmitts but there are only so many'A' list aircraft. Once you've made them you either have to make other aircraft that won't sell as well but will still sell well enough, or pack up shop.

Aferg has brought up an interesting point that I would liked to have been asked in the interview with Roy on the 21st site. Once 21st has made all the "recognizable" aircraft that can be made to fit thier size restrictions, then what? As it is, 21st has already covered virtually all the US Army/Air Force WWII fighters that it seems they will be making; the Luft aircraft are almost complete; there are only a handful of Navy aircraft; they seem unwilling to go too far outside the mainstream; what's next? Unless they decide larger aircraft will sell, they soon will be out of plane types to make!

Well I think 21st should look to the P39s for another US Aircraft...

As for the German Aircraft... the lack of an A model Fock Wulf is a crime against humanity. More A model FWs made than any other FW. Also a TA152 would be a nice choice... A Dornier Pfiel also a very good design that I think would stir some interest.

I'd also like to see some Italian, Russian, and French WWII planes.