Small Scale Military Headquarters

I have a birthday coming up in two weeks, and I get to choose something for my wife to get me (she knows nada about my hobbies so she just does the paying) and since the seeming demise of 21st has left me with no choice but to build my own planes now I am looking at the following aircraft in 1/32:

KI-61 Tony
KI-43 Oscar
N1K2 George
KI-84 Frank
TBM-3 Avenger
ME-163B Komet

Now, I only have a Zero representing Japan currently since that's all 21st made, but having an Avenger in 1/32 is pretty enticing and I can sell my 1/18 Atlantic scheme to offset the cost ($75 for the Trumpeter kit). The Komet is actually cheap enough I could just buy it as well and forget it as a birthday gift.

So, the question is - what would YOU choose from the list above?

And for those of you who might know, would you rather build a Hasegawa kit or a Doyusha kit (all the Jap planes, natch)?

I'd probably choose the Hasegawa Hien from the list, but if you were to open it up I'd definately go for the new revell 1/32 Ju-88. It's a beauty and a much better deal than any of the kits listed. The Trumpeter kits in particular are over priced IMO.

Hasegawa and Doyusha are two totally different animals. The Doyusha kits are from very old, toy-like molds that were usually intended to be motorized. Often the cockpits are half depth to support this. The Hasegawa kits, at least the more recent ones, are very high qualty and generally accurate.

Have fun. You're lucky, my wife (now ex) refused to buy me a single kit in 13 years of marriage.

I would go for either of Hasegawa's Tony or Frank kits. They are modern grade and build into excellent planes. I don't know much about Doyusha, but all Chinese kit makers are NOT the same. The Trumpeter Avenger wouldn't be a bad pick either.

I can recommend the Avenger. I got mine on Ebay for $60. Beautiful kit.

I'd go with either Japaese plane.

Thanks for the help. I think I might go for the Tony, as it seems the most visually distinct from the rest of the Japanese planes I found available in 1/32 and I figure as long as I'm going to show people the collection I need to cater to the fact that they may not understand the difference between a Zeke and a Frank just as they may not understand the difference between a VW Beetle and a Super Beetle.

I may try to get the Avenger later, as I do really want that if no one delivers a 1/32 Devastator or B-25.

So, at the moment I have a Ju88, BF-110, He162, and P-38J to occupy me plus whatever my birthday brings.

my only miff about the junkers kit, well PITA glazing that needs to be masked but that's moot, is Revell didn't include the 4 underwing bomb racks, which maybe or may not have been a feature on the A-1, I know the A-4 had them.

[CAT]CPLSLADE:

Badcat has the 21st Century 1/32 Stuka kit for $5:

http://www.badcataviation.com/justplmokit1.html

dragon53 wrote:[CAT]CPLSLADE:

Badcat has the 21st Century 1/32 Stuka kit for $5:

http://www.badcataviation.com/justplmokit1.html

Thanks. I already have 2 of the pre-built Stukas, but that price makes a conversion attempt seem tempting to me.

[CAT]CplSlade wrote:I have a birthday coming up in two weeks, and I get to choose something for my wife to get me (she knows nada about my hobbies so she just does the paying) and since the seeming demise of 21st has left me with no choice but to build my own planes now I am looking at the following aircraft in 1/32:

KI-61 Tony
KI-43 Oscar
N1K2 George
KI-84 Frank
TBM-3 Avenger
ME-163B Komet

Now, I only have a Zero representing Japan currently since that's all 21st made, but having an Avenger in 1/32 is pretty enticing and I can sell my 1/18 Atlantic scheme to offset the cost ($75 for the Trumpeter kit). The Komet is actually cheap enough I could just buy it as well and forget it as a birthday gift.

So, the question is - what would YOU choose from the list above?

And for those of you who might know, would you rather build a Hasegawa kit or a Doyusha kit (all the Jap planes, natch)?

Before you make up you mind visit this seller on ebay.

http://stores.ebay.com/Must-Bid_1-32-Pl ... idZ2QQtZkm

They sell the Trumpeter 1/32 Avenger for $64 plus $10 shipping, just scroll down a bit to find it. I bought one through them as well as several other traditionally expensive Trumpeter 1/32 scale warbirds and couldn't be happier. I highly recommend them for their price and shipping costs. Just thought I would give you another option.

[CAT]CplSlade wrote:

dragon53 wrote:[CAT]CPLSLADE:

Badcat has the 21st Century 1/32 Stuka kit for $5:

http://www.badcataviation.com/justplmokit1.html

Thanks. I already have 2 of the pre-built Stukas, but that price makes a conversion attempt seem tempting to me.

I am thinking that too. for 5$ I could do a few B/Rs, Minor Axis, Rudel's 1941 Stuka from Luftflotte 1..etc Finding a prebuilt 32x Stukas in Green has been a PITA at the moment.

Airacobra wrote:
Before you make up you mind visit this seller on ebay.

http://stores.ebay.com/Must-Bid_1-32-Pl ... idZ2QQtZkm

They sell the Trumpeter 1/32 Avenger for $64 plus $10 shipping, just scroll down a bit to find it. I bought one through them as well as several other traditionally expensive Trumpeter 1/32 scale warbirds and couldn't be happier. I highly recommend them for their price and shipping costs. Just thought I would give you another option.

Funny you mention that guy as I am watching one of his Avengers as well as a Frank, although I most likely will be going with the Tony. I've already found several sets of decals for it so I can go with an altogether different color scheme if I like.

Airacobra wrote: Before you make up you mind visit this seller on ebay.

http://stores.ebay.com/Must-Bid_1-32-Pl ... idZ2QQtZkm

They sell the Trumpeter 1/32 Avenger for $64 plus $10 shipping, just scroll down a bit to find it. I bought one through them as well as several other traditionally expensive Trumpeter 1/32 scale warbirds and couldn't be happier. I highly recommend them for their price and shipping costs. Just thought I would give you another option.

I have bought a ton of kits from this seller and have had no problems. Just remember that ONLY in the US do they shrinkwrap kits. The kits you get from this guy come directly from asia/japan and won't be shrinkwrapped.

Go for broke, take em all