Holy moly, BIG airplanes!

zzzippper · Post by **zzzippper** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 3:05 am

I just got 1:48 B-25 and Mosquito models. I thought they were big. And then I opened the 1:48 He-111...OMG! But then I opened the 1:48 Ju-52...oh lawdy lawdy! If they weren't so bloody big I'd try to hide them from my wife. Where in the name of all that's holy am I going to put them???

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 3:27 am

You can send them to me..I will hide them from your wife...

She will never find them....and you will never be in the dawg house.....LOL

j/k

Panzer_M · Post by **Panzer_M** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 4:39 am

that's why I never built/haven't built my 1:32 Ju 88A, I know how big my 110C-4/B is in 1/32..and I know I don't have a place for the Junkers.

Although I have a saved place for the upcoming 1/32 Arado 196 kit, it's going to be surrounded by my 1/72 Arado 196s, like a mother duck and her chicks.

If I go for the Heinkel in 1/32(coming the same time as the Arado or about the same time)I will have to hang it from the ceiling or in another room of the house.

zzzippper · Post by **zzzippper** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 3:53 pm

And they're so bloody heavy it will take some industrial scale hooks and thread to hold the weight.

snake · Post by **snake** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 7:37 pm

Welcome to Franklin Mint 1/48, zzzipper.

They are rather heavy, aren't they.

Pretty decent detail, and paint.Their best attribute is their size, and weight.And the fact that nobody else makes these multi engines in 1/48.

I have about 15 FM models, and still like them.Including the He 111, Ju 52, and B-26.

FM also does the B-17, and B-24 in 1/48.Those must weigh A LOT!.

Some more good choices zzzipper.You are definitely getting the hang of this.

zzzippper · Post by **zzzippper** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 2:25 am

Snake, I have seen the 1:48 B17 and B24 but not in color schemes that I like. Honest to God, I can't imagine how much they would weigh or how large the box must be. If I can find a D-Day C-47 I'll go for that. Or 8th Aif Force type paint, not the air/sea rescue or formation planes.

I'm very happy about the detail and paint. The only downside is the package mounting screws on the He-111 went right through the German insignia on the underwings. I guess it's less noticeable than if they had gone through the desert tan paint though.

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 9:38 pm

I have an FM B-17 "Carolina Moon"---and it is very heavy.

Sabrefan · Post by **Sabrefan** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 9:50 pm

I have quite a few Franklin Mint 48th scale models, but I think my favorite is the HE-111. They really got the look of that planed down on this model.

Coreyeagle48 · Post by **Coreyeagle48** » Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:42 pm

Greetings:

I have mixed opinions on the Franklin Mint models.

I have two of the A-10's they made in the PA ANG color schemes and like both of them, the quality is excellent and the build is perfect. As they are the only PA aircraft I have, they are the absolute pride of my collection given that the 111th Fighter Wing was located close to where I live.

I have a Blue Angels F-18 from them and must say the colors are good and it has decent detail, but why in the world they put Sidewinder missiles on the rails is beyond me. I don't get that. If I recall, the F-18 was one of the old Armour molds, you can defintely tell it has less detail than the later models Franklin Mint made as new molds.

I have a B-24 Assembly Ship and was very disappointed with the quality. The paint did not look as good with the mix of gloss and drab and there was a big paint chip in the wing as well as one of the landing gear being glued in on a crooked angle. It's presentable but from the Franklin Mint (which makes awesome model cars) I expect much better quality, especially in the paint application. I had heard from someone who dealt with the company that toward the end, they got sloppy and that was part of the reason why the lineup was discontinued. It seems to make sense. I've seen some really bad paint applications on the later molds. It's a shame, Franklin Mint is known to make nice stuff and some of the airplanes didn't hack it.

Now are all like that, no. I've been eyeing a Catalina and they look terrific as do the B-17's, nor do I think every model had problems. My A-10's look great, but the B-24 does not. Just another example of mass production.

The big bombers are impressive size and weight wise though.

Corey

zzzippper · Post by **zzzippper** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:29 am

Corey, where did you see the FM Catalina? What scale?

Coreyeagle48 · Post by **Coreyeagle48** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 1:08 am

Greetings:

The Franklin Mint Catalina is 1/48 scale and gigantic. The only problem is that the landing gear wheels like all FM aircraft are in fixed position. The outer wing floats are movable though. Detail is decent, but they are big

There were three color schemes, a silver prewar version, a pearl harbor version and a late war pensacola version. In my opinion, the prewar one with its bright colors is a real standout. My local Hobbytown still has one in their display case and it's awesome.

You can still find them on ebay and Historic Aviation had a few left in stock as well. As FM has discontinued the line, if you want one I wouldn't wait too long.

Corey

zzzippper · Post by **zzzippper** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 3:07 am

Thanks Corey, I just ordered a PBY Black Cat.

snake · Post by **snake** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 3:34 am

zzzippper wrote:Thanks Corey, I just ordered a PBY Black Cat.

Probably a good move, as they won't get any cheaper.

If anything, these FM 'multies" will get more expensive.

Just something about a 5LB B-17.

Small Scale Military Headquarters

Holy moly, BIG airplanes!

Holy moly, BIG airplanes!

FM 1/48

catalina