Small Scale Military Headquarters

New production photos of BBI's "Hurry Home Honey" P-51D have been posted on Bad Cats website and it looks pretty cool. This time unlike BBI's P-51D "Killer" release the weathering on the aircraft has been toned down alot which makes the new 51' very sleek and pristine. Alot of groundcrews kept their P-51's they were assigned to in this condition I have read. BBI did a nice paint job it looks on this one getting everything right on the mark as far as markings and so fourth are concerned. Its a great tribute peice to the 357th in my book and I'm glad I ordered one. Being a BIG FAN of the 357th this completes my 1/18th P-51 collection that is unless 21st comes out with a paint scheme on their New Tool P-51 I just cant live without such as "Sweet Arlene, Big Beautiful Doll or maybe just maybe Old Crow". Those are just a few mind you. But otherwise BBI's "Hurry Home Honey" completes it for me so I can move on to the Jap Zero, Avenger and yes Gunther Ralls Me-109. My 1/18th P-51 plate is full with not much room to spare for another one but being a die hard 51 fan never say never!!

Nice,
I am wondering why they haven't changed the "Hurry Home Honey" to match the B/W photo?????

I was wondering the same thing - why they were so stingy on the catch-phrase? It looks like someone drew it on with a pencil. Otherwise it looks nice.
I think I'm going with gun bays over new paint scheme.

I'm only getting this one because it's close to 'Wee Willy II's scheme at the Planes of Fame Museum. Otherwise I'm also waiting for the new 21st P-51. I'll be getting all schemes of that new Mustang for sure! After seeing it in person at Comic Con... even though it wasn't the final one, it was still very impressive!

p51 I hope you have tons of room to spare if your going to buy all the different paint schemes 21st comes out with on their new tool P-51. Me? I dont have that luxury so "Hurry Home Honey" will do along with "Killer" which I may end up selling.

21st new tool Mustang seems to be really nice with the open gun bays and I'm sure they will be coming out with some famous paint schemes and so fourth HOWEVER I think I may wait and pick up the Avenger and Zero instead because its those two planes I now really look forward to most of all.

I don't have tons of room actually... but I can squeeze in a bunch more. I have 35 aircraft hanging in here... and a Pave Hawk, two F-104s, Spitfire, and Me-109G-6 to hang. And then Hurry Home Honey whever it gets here. Plus, if I have some extra room... I've got two AH-1W Cobras, two Hueys, and a Kiowa (sp) that needs hanging.

Oh... and from that prototype box at Comic Con... looks like Big Beautiful Doll may be one of the new Mustang's paint schemes. It didn't have 32x written on it

I'm going to pass on this one. I'm not impressed with the fact that even with a perfect profile shot of the original, that bbi couldn't get the lettering correct on the model. It's too small and it doesn't meet the OD paint at the top. Yeah, it's picky, but it does alter the look of the plane quite a bit. When 21st kicks out the new P-51, it should look spot-on correct, at least I hope. Now if they could do a 4th FG one, I'm set....

-Ski

After doing some research I decided to change my order and get "Cripes A Mighty The 3rd" instead. Heres the reason behind it. "Hurry Home Honey" like teamski said is not correct being that the lettering is off and "Hurry Home Honey" was done in red NOT black. Now am I being a nit picker on this? I guess I am. Second I had a chance to talk to Robert "Punchy" Powell who was a fighter pilot with the 352nd and runs the 352nd website. He and a couple of others worked with BBI to get the Mustang as accurate as possible when it came to Maj Preddys markings for "Cripes 3rd". To me thats pretty cool and Maj Preddy was the 8ths all time leading Ace when it came to the Mustang. Its just too bad that he had to die the way he did.


So I changed my order and am happy I did because its an honor to have a replica of the Mustang wearing the colors of Maj Preddy. It would be cool to have 21st do their new tool Mustang wearing the colors of Preddys last "Cripes" or maybe "Moonbeam McSwine" Or how about "Little One 3"? Just some ideas for 21st to chew on.




**One General said "When Goring saw the Blue Nosers over Berlin he knew the war was lost"**

I love the Blue Nose as well... and am considering getting that one as well just because I love Mustangs...

But for sure I have to get Hurry Home Honey. I'm slowely growing a collection of aircraft that either ARE in the same paint scheme as Planes of Fame Aircraft, from the same squadron scheme, or at least resemble the paint schemes.


Wee Willy II:

BCA has "production photos" of the Blue Nose repaint but then there is a caveat beneath the photo that reads
"Photographs are of a hand-painted prototype. Production version may vary."
So, you don't have a production photo. They are sometimes so full of sh&t on that site....anyway it looks VERY nice, I think better than the other. Very tempting.

Ah digger that IS the production version of "Cripes" in the photo you now see on BC website and may I say damn is that a pretty Mustang or what?

Just my opinion mind you.

Ah crap, I may have to buy both now. *sigh*

Welcome everyone!

We at Bad Cat do considerable research on any paint scheme in order to insure historical correctness. Due to the extremely expensive nature of offering new exclusive items we take accuracy very seriously. Our goal is for an error-free airplane, or as close as we can get, while remaining within the $50.00 price our customers are accustom to paying. In the end, we take risks our competitors don't in an effort to bring you something that would have never been released otherwise.

Since the lifespan of the average WWII fighter was on the order of 50 hours or so, it is not surprising that Hurry Home Honey and Cripes consisted of several airframes, and every plane was painted differently than it's predecessor. Additionally, paint schemes could easily be adjusted on a daily basis by the pilot, chief, or artist by simply opening up a paint can.

We as collectors need to understand that many airplanes exist in different forms (paint schemes and such), any of which could be considered correct. No, our rendition of HHH does not look like the one currently flying around the airshow circuit, but check out these photos. While there will always be room for criticism and complaints, we think most will find it's worthy.

http://lib.store.yahoo.com/lib/badcattoys/HHH1.jpg
http://lib.store.yahoo.com/lib/badcattoys/HHH2.jpg

Matt

Thanks Matt for your response! We really appreciate you taking time out to talk to us about your products.

Believe me, I realize the risk that you take in doing the exclusives that you have been offering in the last year, and let me thank you for giving us collectors something to look forward to!

-Ski

BadCatMatt wrote:Welcome everyone!

We at Bad Cat do considerable research on any paint scheme in order to insure historical correctness. Due to the extremely expensive nature of offering new exclusive items we take accuracy very seriously. Our goal is for an error-free airplane, or as close as we can get, while remaining within the $50.00 price our customers are accustom to paying. In the end, we take risks our competitors don't in an effort to bring you something that would have never been released otherwise.

Since the lifespan of the average WWII fighter was on the order of 50 hours or so, it is not surprising that Hurry Home Honey and Cripes consisted of several airframes, and every plane was painted differently than it's predecessor. Additionally, paint schemes could easily be adjusted on a daily basis by the pilot, chief, or artist by simply opening up a paint can.

We as collectors need to understand that many airplanes exist in different forms (paint schemes and such), any of which could be considered correct. No, our rendition of HHH does not look like the one currently flying around the airshow circuit, but check out these photos. While there will always be room for criticism and complaints, we think most will find it's worthy.

http://lib.store.yahoo.com/lib/badcattoys/HHH1.jpg
http://lib.store.yahoo.com/lib/badcattoys/HHH2.jpg

Matt

Matt thanks for dropping in. Its always good to know that BC does read these posts and does reply when needed. Your version of "Hurry Home Honey" is a great representation of the actual aircraft that was flown by Richard Peterson with the 357th. I was going to cancel it and go with "Cripes" but after doing my own reasearch on Maj Petersons fighter I decided otherwise. I found on the 357th Website that "Hurry Home Honey" was indeed painted in black when he first recieved the fighter and not red. The crew chief of Maj Peterson changed the color later on at Maj Petersons request. I got that info direct from the Admin of the 357th website. Otherwise BBI and BC did a great job on "Hurry Home Honey" from the photos I have saw and look forward to getting it in August. If I had the extra cash I would order "Cripes" but right now I dont have the room or the funds at this time.


Again Matt thanks to you guys at BC and BBI coming out with "Hurry Home Honey". You have made this 357th fan very happy.

MM- Eh........ I thought you already changed your order to Cripes 3???? Why don't you order both..... they are both pretty accurate and look great. I mean, being the Mustang fan you are.

-Rob

USCGSARdog,

I did then I turned around and changed my order. I know I should have just bought both but I dont have the room and I tend to favor the 357th because it is my favorite group of the 8th AF. Both Fighters are very well done and my hats off to BBI and BC for coming out with them. I didnt ever think I would see a 357th Fighter ever come out in 1/18th scale and now it has. Now I hope 21st releases their new tool Mustang in the colors of "Big Beautiful Doll". I know they already have done one but the new tool version would look awsome.

MM...... As far as the new 21C Mustang eventually being released in the BBD scheme, I think your in luck. (just a hunch mind you) Better make room .

-Rob

Again... they had the box for a BBD 1:18 scale Mustang at Comic Con...

i'm relieved that i pre-ordered both mustangs back when they first came out.

resigning myself to buying both has allowed for greater peace of mind, especially given all these new pictures being posted. if i hadn't ordered both, i probably would've called bct to switch my order 3 times by now.

in fact, i think the only way to make the final determination of which i like better is a closer look.

lastly, wish me luck boys, b/c i'm taking the pa bar exam this tuesday and wednesday. hopefully i've learned something over the past three years, although this site has been a welcome diversion from many hours of studying!

some people meditate for peace of mind.

i pre-order..

gustav wrote:i'm relieved that i pre-ordered both mustangs back when they first came out.

resigning myself to buying both has allowed for greater peace of mind, especially given all these new pictures being posted. if i hadn't ordered both, i probably would've called bct to switch my order 3 times by now.

in fact, i think the only way to make the final determination of which i like better is a closer look.

lastly, wish me luck boys, b/c i'm taking the pa bar exam this tuesday and wednesday. hopefully i've learned something over the past three years, although this site has been a welcome diversion from many hours of studying!

Good luck on the bar, gustav. I bet digger has a couple helpful hints on the test, hehehehe......

-Ski

With my short-term memory loss I don't think I would have much to offer But the good news is I never met an XD collector who failed the BAR!

Let us know when all is said and done gustav!

Well guys call me crazy and a person who cant make up his mind but I called up Bad Cat and canceled my order for "Hurry Home Honey" and ordered "Cripes The 3rd" instead. I was looking at the production photos of it on Bad Cats website and the damn thing looks so damn pretty that I couldnt resist and its more accurate paint scheme wise then "Hurry Home Honey" is. Besides my good freind Sam Sox Jr of the Preddy Memorial Foundation had a hand in making sure the paint scheme was correct and that helped me making my decision that much more easier. Nothing against "Hurry Home Honey" because that too is great re-paint but there is just something about owning a replica of the top Mustang Ace that beats out all others.

My decision is final and no more changes because down the road 21st's re-tooled Mustang will be out and god only knows how many of them I will buy