Small Scale Military Headquarters

Two questions about new BBI planes:

1. How often does BBI release entirely new planes and repaints?
2. Is there a particular time of year when new stuff and repaints are released?

1. Not often
2. No specific time of year to date

Last new mold in 1/18 I believe was the Zero.

VMF214:

Thanks for the info.

That sounds bad for 1/32 F-4 repaints and entirely new 1/18 planes.

BBI has US WWII fighter planes well-covered with repaints of the P-51, F4U and F6F already released. That leaves the P-47---I would love to see a 1/18 Gabreski P-47D.

The latest new plane from bbi is the F6F Hellcat.

P-47 wasn't done by bbi it was done by 21st century, and yes a Gabreski version in 1/18 would be outstanding.

As vmf214 already pointed out there seems to be no set time when new aircraft are released from any of the manufacturers

KILLERF6:

I've seen the 21st Century P-47s online . When I was a kid, I had a neat Revell 1/72 P-47D that had the same paint scheme as 21st Century's "Eileen"---green with the checkered nose. From what I've read, Eileen had paint flaws...and probably other flaws, too, based on my experience with their P-51s. That's why I prefer a BBI P-47D...and more BBI 1/32 F-4 repaints. I'm wary of anything from 21st Century in terms of workmanship.

dragon53 wrote: I'm wary of anything from 21st Century in terms of workmanship.

21st Century Toys has pretty much set the bar for 1:18th scale military toys. They have production issues like everyone else and once in a while you will find a few bad seeds but their products are all top notch. I wouldn’t be concerned about buying their planes. If you look close enough you can find faults in any plane made. The worst paint issue I ever had with a plane was a smeared number on the fuselage and that was an Admiral plane not 21C. I have owned nearly every plane made in 1:18th at one time or another and that one was the worst I have seen and it still wasn’t that bad.

Killerf6 wrote:The latest new plane from bbi is the F6F Hellcat.

geez I knew that...

dragon53,
I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for bbi to make a P-47 in 1/18th. I'm not saying that they won't but I feel that it is unlikely that they will. You could ask Mike in the Direct from the Source forum, but his normal responce is "wait and see". And truthfuly I would be happier if they made something else like perhaps a Val.

I own 5, 21st P-47's including Eileen, and I can say that the paint is acceptable to me on all five. Not perfect, but acceptable. If I wanted perfect I would do it myself.

There is a new BBI camo Zero paint scheme "Rabaul" that MTS has for preorder with a February (I think) release date.

I sure hope BBI makes a bunch of F-4 repaints. I want to fill the house with those babes.

i have Eileen and she is a beauty, I love the look of the jug and that paint scheme is awesome! I really would like the one with the yellow nose and skull n crossbones on it.