1/18 Tomcat

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:17 am

I don't think it's a bbi bird. and I don't think the pics are of a 1/18th tomcat. can't wait to see it........I could be wrong and it could be a bbi bird.

CW4USARMY · Post by **CW4USARMY** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:42 am

I just received an email from them telling me that they have now sold out on the pre-orders and that it will be shipped this month. Looks like I snoozed and lost on this one. If anyone finds another etailer to order from, please pass it on.

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:37 am

CW4USARMY wrote:I just received an email from them telling me that they have now sold out on the pre-orders and that it will be shipped this month. Looks like I snoozed and lost on this one. If anyone finds another etailer to order from, please pass it on.

I hate to hear that for you.

That is great news in a way though. If anything it should show that there is a market out there for 1/18 modern jets even at a higer price tag. Should eliminate the doubt of "they won't sell" with a higher than $60-$80 price tag we've been feed for so long....

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 8:52 am

The cockpit photos don't suggest it's a BBI---it doesn't appear to be as detailed as BBI planes.

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:56 am

the cockpit photos could be of anything; not necessarily the finished product.

As far as the preorder being sold out goes, that doesn't mean they sold a thousand. The preorder is a tiny pecentage of the total, so they probably sold 50 or so, which is still good at the price.

There's no way this is their own product...they've only made small model kits before and then all of a sudden a huge elaborate 1/18 jet?...doubtful. And why would they only make 1000? Even at $300 a pop they wouldnt cover the tooling and production costs. It sounds like an exclusive to me and i will bet anything this is a new BBI plane. It also explains how they can have a preorder up when the final paint scheme hasn't been decided on...production is ready to roll and they just need to submit their final markings choice. So if it is a BBI, we'll be hearing and seeing lots more of them. I bet regular retail will be about $150...the Japanese price is no doubt inflated because they are the first with an exclusive, it's Japan where prices are inflated anyway and they may be subsidizing the shipping cost with a higher unit cost. Anyway this is all my own speculation.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:07 am

Aferguson you could be right...do you have any contaacts at bbi?

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:31 am

used to have Mike but he seems to be long gone.

vmf214 · Post by **vmf214** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:02 am

Never said they made it, pointed out the fact they aren't just an online etailer..

Prices for products are inflated, and so are the wages and the cost of living. I've found it pretty much equals out in the end.

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:15 am

I wouldn't count out that it could possibly be this company's model. They do have experience in creating model kits even if it is on a smaller scale. Other than an opening cockpit and swinging wings, we really don't know how detailed this model is going to be. Everything else could be static.

For example, there's Admiral Toys. They weren't producing anything and boom their first aircraft model was a 1/18 scale plane. It was on par with the current competition who had been making them for years. If I recall, I believe 21st and even bbi weren't producing any type of model kits when they first introduced their lines of 1/18 aircraft.

If the Pre-Order listings that we've found were only tiny percentages of the total 1,000 units and they have already sold out their initial orders, I would hope these retailers offer more units for Pre-Order. There should be more units left out there to fill over orders unless there are more retailers selling it than we've found.

vmf214 · Post by **vmf214** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:44 am

Yeah birddog kinda what I think too, just coz they have a history of small scale doesn't limit them to expanding. Think I'll have my wife sweet talk her sis in a little recon of the local hobby shops in Tokyo and see what she can find out. Hobby shops in Tokyo are like adult stores in SF, one on every corner. Somebody will know something.

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:55 am

A 1/18 F-14 isn't on BBI's website---the last one listed is the 1/18 BF-109.

Assuming the 1/18 F-14 is a BBI release, maybe it's the surprise Aviatornut mentioned earlier this year.

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 12:00 pm

If it is a bbi bird, it's very weird how they haven't release it yet for Pre-Order through an American retailer. It is an F-14 Tomcat, an American aircraft no matter how famous around the world it is and I'm sure there is a bigger market for it here than anywhere else......

Post by **aferguson** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:08 pm

it's interesting none of the etailers have chimed in yet. Maybe they've been sworn to secrecy?

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 1:17 pm

aferguson wrote:it's interesting none of the etailers have chimed in yet. Maybe they've been sworn to secrecy?

I'm surprised at this too. I wonder if anyone has inquired to them if they know anything about it or if they are looking into it?

vmf214 · Post by **vmf214** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:03 pm

I don't know. For years Marushin 1/48 planes were only available in Japan then when they were available in the US in the beginning (during the internet age), only a few US etailers carried them. Fortunately now quite a few carrier them...finally!! Imo I don't think it's a Bbi plane but I hope I'm wrong. If this company did just outright decide to get into the currently lacking 1/18 aircraft market then the Tomcat is a for sure homerun I'd say. And maybe too it's gonna take 1000 sales to get the production line up and running...who knows. I sure hope it comes to fruition as if it does, and they're not affiliated with Bbi...maybe an A-10 will finally be made! One thing I know is the Japanese populace are toy nuts and I'm sure this thing will sell well and quick there!

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:08 pm

I just hope the detail is up to standards............I do know the Japanese are crazy when it comes to detail and models...I just hope this is true for the 1/18th f-14.

Could it be an AT product???..would be cheaper to ship to Japan not that much of a hop from mainland China

iflabs · Post by **iflabs** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:15 pm

How did I miss this thread?! This is a definite get if it's at least on par with BBI's F-16 and F-18!

Wow! I mean wow! A 1/18 F-14! Wow! It just needs a JR scheme. Wow!

olifant · Post by **olifant** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:22 pm

HOLY CRAP! See what I miss when I only have time to check in quickly a few times a week?!?! I have got to get one of these. As far as I am concerned the F-14 has to be the holy grail of 1/18 just due to it's huge size. Never thought I'd see the day. Now I am kicking myself I couldn't get in on the pre-order. E-tailers, do you have any thoughts on this?

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:25 pm

Etailers please don't abandon us in the 1/18th realm...DO SOMETHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wounder how many calls bad cat has gotten from this news on the F-14.

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 4:19 pm

I'll probably buy one---if it's confirmed it's from BBI and available in the US.

CW4USARMY · Post by **CW4USARMY** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 4:39 pm

Birddog wrote:
CW4USARMY wrote:I just received an email from them telling me that they have now sold out on the pre-orders and that it will be shipped this month. Looks like I snoozed and lost on this one. If anyone finds another etailer to order from, please pass it on.
I hate to hear that for you.

That is great news in a way though. If anything it should show that there is a market out there for 1/18 modern jets even at a higer price tag. Should eliminate the doubt of "they won't sell" with a higher than $60-$80 price tag we've been feed for so long....

Amen! I'm thinking the same way!

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:13 pm

JERICOEAGLE1:

Since you ordered the 1/18 F-14, can you ask the dealer who the manufacturer is?

Jericoeagle1 · Post by **Jericoeagle1** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 5:34 pm

dragon53 wrote:JERICOEAGLE1:

Since you ordered the 1/18 F-14, can you ask the dealer who the manufacturer is?

I'll send them an email.

vmf214 · Post by **vmf214** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:09 pm

I'm going to have my wife call them tonite as I'm dying to know as well.

Jericoeagle1 · Post by **Jericoeagle1** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:45 pm

I just got an email from HW Japan saying that my pre-order was cancelled. They go on to say that the Pre-Orders were closed on November 3rd and they are unable to understand how I was able to order the aircraft and they appoloqize for any inconvienance. I think they realized they screwed up with the shipping cost and didn't want to lose money. That's my take on it anyway. Hopefully though these will appear again.