Small Scale Military Headquarters

I just know that this new set already available in US. If any of us already get it in your hand,please share pictures and your review. By the way, I looking for BBI to re list their 1/18 BBI F-18 again.

Same here. I've sold my old F-16 for its 1/16-ish scale. It was ~36 inches long.
If this one is really 1/18 as advertised (~33 inches including pitot tube),I'd like to get one.

No way its a new mold.

It will still be the same mould, so the F-16 will still be oversized, just like the first release... What they will change about it, I think, is the use of the softer plastics. I recall hearing somewhere (from a non-official source) that the missiles, bombs, etc would use a harder plastic that would not bend or sag. That was a severe problem with my first plane and it would be great if they correct it with the new repaint. I've got one on preorder, so hopefully not too much longer of a wait

Foxhole Toys has just sent out the first batch of preordered Falcons and would also be interested in knowing if there are any differences in the molds. Besides the new paint, markings and color of flightsuit we can't tell the difference. Great looking plane, however! (:

it will be the same plane for sure...just new paint and probably some different plastics used in certain areas.

It isn't that overscale. It's about 7% too big, putting it at around 1/16.7 scale. It's 33 inches long and should be just under 31, excluding nose probe. 7% doesn't sound like much but it is quite noticable. In human terms, it's the difference between a 6 foot guy and a 6 foot 5 guy.

over scale or not I missed the F-16 first time around and have been waiting to add it to the hanger....(hope the F-18 is not far behind)
till then, here is a nice BBI video of the new bird
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnvEN9LisR8

I won't be able to avoid getting one ... but I sure as he11 wish it was proper scale.

... speaking of which, does anyone know what the story is on why the original mold was made over-scale?

I've got one on preorder.

"speaking of which, does anyone know what the story is on why the original mold was made over-scale?"

most probably a simple goof. They looked up the dimensions for the F-16 but didn't realize they included nose probe and sidewinder missile rails and applied them to the fuselage length, excluding nose probe and true wingspan, excluding rails. In so doing they made each dimension about 7% bigger than it should have been.

I'm sure at soime point they realized their goof but were too far committed to change, they would have had to start from scratch. So they just continued on. That is why the sidewinders and bombs are bigger than on the f-18...they had to make them in proportion with the larger plane.

An amzing goof from a company who made their motto 'accurate 1/18', which of course implied at the time that 21st Century stuff wasn't. However 21st stuff was always very scale accurate, save deliberate stuff like oversized canopies.

It never really bothered me that the BBI F-16 was a bit overscaled. 21st figures are similarly overscaled (closer to 1/16 that 1/18), yet no one really complains about it.

It was funny, but I had the F-16 for years before I realized it was overscale - really not until I got the F-18 that it became aparent (I got the F-18 a couple years after I had the F-16). The F-16 displays alright next to WWII aircraft which it is obviously larger than and while its a bit large compared to the JSI F-14, the F-14 is still larger so they work next to each other. However, the F-18 should be larger than the F-16 and the reverse is true with the BBI jets

I originally found this site while researching this BBI F16 model. I figure it's appropriate my first post be about it. Anyways....I just got a call that mine is shipping today. I ordered to use it for display in our facility (aerospace manufacturer).

I got it. My local Hobbytown USA store got in 8 of them I'll have to cancel my order with TheFlyingMule come Monday.

BBI is trying very hard to move away from being a toy company to being a model/collector-oriented company. I'm not going to complain. This is most evident by a certificate that comes with the plane:

Certificate
This Certificate verifies that the accompanying Elite Force F-16C Fighting Falcon Collector Model Aircraft is one of a Limited Edition production. Every care of each model aircraft has been taken to ensure quality and accuracy - "Detail Counts"

This is the first such statement I've ever seen come with one of our 1:18 planes. Hopefully its something they can live up to and I would say that BBI has the best track record in terms of quality control.

Back to the description... In short, it is the exact same overscale tooling as the original BBI F-16, same functions and everything. The paint work seems just that much better, however. I want to say the missiles, etc feel as though they are made from a harder plastic, but time will tell if they get droopy.

The box is the same size as the orignal F-16 box, but no window and it feels sturdier. The plane comes largely disassembled, even moreso than the original version. Not even the static trails on the wings are attached! All the parts are neatly stored in bags, wich are contained in smaller boxes in the larger one. It all goes together well and the plane looks great when assembled. The pilot is indeed in the desert fatigues. Same accessories as the first plane.

Its a bit more "regular looking" of an F-16 than the first and the 9/11 nose art isn't as garish as I thought it was going to be. I like it and recommend it

what's not 'regular looking' about the first one?

Tail art is a bit flashy, as opposed to it being a more run of the mill plane, but it is the CO's aircraft for the 8th TFW which explains why. Don't get me wrong, though, as I still like the "Wolfpack" F-16.

Sounds good to me so far.

Have mine on pre order through our own American Grenadier.

Not sure what this will do to the prices of the "Wolfpack"? Probably lower them somewhat.

my 3 shipped out friday from bad cat toys they arrive on friday. I am excited i hope these are good.

Aviatornut.com has them and we are selling them to gpxd members for $159.89

TheFlyingmule.com has them for 149.99 plus free shipping. I purchased there and will be here this Wens. . I am looking forward to this!

I got mine for under $144 with free shipping. It will arrive on Friday.

Can someone post some pictures when they get theirs?

YT wrote:Can someone post some pictures when they get theirs?

Here's some pictures - more in the other thread