Post
by tmanthegreat » Sat May 07, 2011 1:14 pm
I agree with the above statement that there's not a lot of variety with BBI 1:32 models, but these are the best engineered and best detailed 1:32 aircraft outside of the premium diecast collectable realm.
In terms of "best engineered" it would have to be the Dauntless. It combines the best combination of working features with detail and durability. I like the working landing gear, sliding canopy, elevating guns, bomb trapeze, pilot figures, and of course, the supurb level of detail. It may not have all the moving control surfaces that other planes in this scale have, but this actually makes the model sturdier and does not detract from the plane. I think BBI would have been wiser to have gone with a more popular early-war Coral Sea or Midway scheme on the Dauntless (especially as this was their only release) but the plane still looks good and represents an aircraft based on the famous carrier Enterprise and taking part in the important battle of Truk Lagoon.
My favorite aircraft, however, is the F-4 Phantom. The detail is superior to any of the BBI 1:18 jets (and most 1:32 models as well), it is large for a 1:32 aircraft, and it simply looks flashy in that early 1960s VF-84 livery. It is also the only pre-built Phantom model in a scale larger than 1:48.
The Wildcat is great as well, though its probably the most plain of the bunch in terms of looks and detial.
However, the Wildcat has the most interesting history behind it of all the BBI aircraft - It was flown by USMC Col. (then 2nd Lt) James Swett during the Battle of Guadalcanal. Flying that aircraft on April 7, 1943 (on his first combat mission) Swett was credited with shooting down 7 Japanese Vals and 1 probable before being shot down himself by both enemy and friendly fire - an action for which he received the Medal of Honor.
"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."