Small Scale Military Headquarters

So, I think I'm going to splurge on the Coral Sea Dauntless. I just was wondering which retailer has the best prices on these things (including shipping)? Does the rear gun swivel left to right? And does the rear gun store in the body of the plane like the real thing (with the folding panels behind the canopy), or do you just remove it? Edit: I've seen pics that show those panels are part of the canopy and removed - is there just a gap left there, or a panel that can be swapped out to fill that space?

Thanks,

Michael

i have made most all of my HM purchases from aikensairplanes.com
i have also made a purchase or 2 from flyingmule.com. aikens will also throw in a piece of candoy or 2 (sally, send only chocolate!) to placate the wife when the big box shows up!

NOOKER21:

I have the Richard Best Dauntless. I got mine from Diecastairplane.com with 10% off using the promo code ("OCT10") and free shipping which has the Coral Sea SBD at $144.95 minus 10% with "OCT10" and free shipping---that's about $130.45 delivered.

The machine gun has a peg which fits into a hole on the gun rack. It has two green armor plates on either side of the gun so it doesn't normally swivel unless you raise the gun upwards out of the gun rack. The gun does not retract into the cockpit. If you want it "stowed", you remove the gun. There's a blue, rectangular piece that fits into the slot where the gun is stowed to cover it (on mine the piece doesn't fit entirely in the slot).

I also have the BBI 1/32 Dauntless. It has much better crew figures, weathering and it cost around $40---but it's not an historically famous Dauntless like the Richard Best version.

Thanks for the responses. I have the BBI one, but didn't care for the paint scheme and I love those old rudder stripes and meatballs on the stars. I also really wanted working dive brakes. I may swap out the pilots since the HM ones seem pretty poor quality compared to the BBI ones.

How's the build quality on these things? Are the little parts going to give a little when attached, or are they going to break? Is the stand nice and sturdy and able to pose it dive bombing without tipping over?

NOOKER21:

The HM Dauntless seems to have a pretty good build. The stand is adjustable with the supplied wrench and seems stable, but it's pretty high. It also comes with a spare pitot, upper and lower antenna and the choice of a single or twin machine guns.

On mine, the lower antenna crunches up against the stand cradle and, as I said before, the machine gun cover doesn't fit well in the fuselage slot.