Pre-Built Pegasus Bell X-1 Up on BadCat

[Tinman]

http://www.badcattoys.com/bex1pr1peenn.html

[Mitch]

Thanks for the Heads Up

I placed my order...glad i waited for a fully built/painted one!!!

[snake]

$60 is a good deal.

Especially for those of us that don't want to paint the kit.

[456THBG]

Sweet Deal! Just ordered mine!

[aferguson]

nice.

i hope it does well to encourage more such offerings from Pegasus.

[tmanthegreat]

$60 is not bad! I think I nearly spent that much between purchasing the $40 kit, paints, and putty when I built the model myself.

I'd like to see an actual picture of the pre-built model just for comparison. I'm very happy with the way my own kit came out and do not feel the need to get this, but want to see how it looks compared to my own efforts

[ExC17load]

I told Santa-wife about this one. She was less than thrilled at another airplane for the collection, but hopefully one will be under the tree in December. Looks like a nice addition to the "Man-cave Museum."

[Mitch]

I told Santa-wife about this one. She was less than thrilled at another airplane for the collection, but hopefully one will be under the tree in December. Looks like a nice addition to the "Man-cave Museum."

Santa-Wife

[Fritzkrieg]

Just watched, "The Right Stuff" again, and it really got my me pumped, to add this plane to my collection.

[pcoughran]

When one of you guys gets yours please post pics.
After JSI's Spotcat fiasco I'm very hesitant to buy something "site unseen" again. I know there are pics of the finished Kit versions that look excellent, but still like to see what Pegasus can do in the "fit and finish" department before buying one.

[Tinman]

Now they have photos up

[aferguson]

i assume this doesn't come with a pilot figure....what would be a good pilot to use to customize one?

Looking forward to reading reviews.....i hope, if they use decals, the applicaton of them is straight.

[tmanthegreat]

i assume this doesn't come with a pilot figure....what would be a good pilot to use to customize one?

Looking forward to reading reviews.....i hope, if they use decals, the applicaton of them is straight.

Its quite likely they will use decals. Pegasus did on the V1 and Geebee prebuilt models. On my V1, the decals are straight, though you can still see the border around them. Application of dullcote fixed that, however.

No figure will be included. When I built my Pegasus X-1 Kit, I used the S1 "midget" P-51 pilot figure. It was sort of an afterthought and is pretty inaccurate, (why would you need a life vest when flying over the Mojave desert?) but the size of the figure made for an easy fit in the very cramped cockpit space. I tried fitting other 1:18 pilot figures, including the F-86 pilot, but they are all on the large side. I still even had to remove the feet from the midget figure to get it to fit.



The famous picture of Chuck Yeager in front of the X-1 shows him wearing simple flight gear consisting of a jacket, jumpsuit, parachute, and holding a simple crash-helmet:



I imagine that something like the S1 P-40 pilot body or a repainted US tanker body could work. In all cases, you would have to have a different head. The F-86 pilot head could work, though a US tanker helmet, repainted, would probably look more like the crash helmet in the picture. The figure would need modification, such as removing the lower portion of the legs, to fit properly in the cockpit.

[pcoughran]

I noticed on Badcat's site that the X-1 pictured doesn't have the "Glamorous Glennis" marking on the right side. Can anyone tell me if that is indeed how it comes, or if there is a decal they send with the "finished" model. I noticed one of the other guys (tmanthegreat pictured above?) put up pictures of his "kit" version had the Glamorous Glennis decal on it so I would guess it came with the kit version - just wondering if it is already on the "finished" version or something we have to add ourselves?
Thanks for any clarification.

[pcoughran]

Can anyone please answer the question in the my previous post above about the actual "Glamorous Glennis" decal on this "finished" version?
Thanks

[456THBG]

Just received my X-1 today! Man, that is an ORANGE aircraft!
I really like it - It assembles easily as there are few parts to put together.
Landing gear looks pretty good & functions easily enough - The nose wheel even has a "Remove Before Flight" tag!
No Glamorous Glennis decal on the plane or anywhere in the box that I could find. The actual aircraft differs slightly from the picture on the box:
1.) The canopy frame is not painted once it is on the fuselage (as it is on the box).
2.) The pitot tubes & antenna are silver, not orange as shown on the box.
3.) The paint is really nice, with a gloss finish - A few scuffs, but no real blemishes.
4.) The box itself is quite sturdy, similar to the 21C box, but much sharper colors & detail.
5.) No way, that I can see, to get a pilot inside - The hatch does not open!
All in all, I'm happy with the product, the price, and Badcat's quick shipping!
Will try to post a picture later - Hopefully, someone will beat me to it!

[pcoughran]

Just received my X-1 today! Man, that is an ORANGE aircraft!
I really like it - It assembles easily as there are few parts to put together.
Landing gear looks pretty good & functions easily enough - The nose wheel even has a "Do Not Remove" banner!
No Glamorous Glennis decal on the plane or anywhere in the box that I could find. The actual aircraft differs slightly from the picture on the box:
1.) The canopy frame is not painted once it is on the fuselage (as it is on the box).
2.) The pitot tubes & antenna are silver, not orange as shown on the box.
3.) The paint is really nice, with a gloss finish - A few scuffs, but no real blemishes.
4.) The box itself is quite sturdy, similar to the 21C box, but much sharper colors & detail.
5.) No way, that I can see, to get a pilot inside - The hatch does not open!
All in all, I'm happy with the product, the price, and Badcat's quick shipping!
Will try to post a picture later - Hopefully, someone will beat me to it!

Thanks 456THBG for answering some questions.
Maybe someone else or you can also answer these.
Do you mean that the canopy is not painted (the black lines are not black - it is entirely clear)? That would suck as that is probably the hardest piece to paint and was hoping it would be done for a finished model.
The lack of the "Glamorous Glennis" marking is a bummer too.
Didn't the "kit" version have an opening hatch for the pilot?

Thanks again.

[456THBG]

No, the canopy frame is painted, but where the frame goes into the fuselage (about 1/8"), on the box art that part is painted as well, but not on the actual model.
I'm probably not expalining it very well - "A picture would be worth a thousand words"...

[456THBG]

Finally, pictures!

[pickelhaube]

Just use a black mars a lot to blacken those lines.

It looks like the hatch opens on the side for access to the canopy. Maybe the glass did not swing open.

Still for $60 you can't go wrong.

Except for the Glam Glen decals missing.

[aferguson]

how can it not have that decal on it? That is an incredible oversight. They better make good on it somehow.

[mikeyt]

No, the canopy frame is painted, but where the frame goes into the fuselage (about 1/8"), on the box art that part is painted as well, but not on the actual model.
I'm probably not expalining it very well - "A picture would be worth a thousand words"...

look at some pictures of the real plane the black lines do not extend on to the fuselage sides the box art is wrong the side hatch does not open the canopy can be removed buy prying it up from the rear corners i used the small pilot from the first P-51 to fit

[456THBG]

No, the canopy frame is painted, but where the frame goes into the fuselage (about 1/8"), on the box art that part is painted as well, but not on the actual model.
I'm probably not expalining it very well - "A picture would be worth a thousand words"...

look at some pictures of the real plane the black lines do not extend on to the fuselage sides the box art is wrong the side hatch does not open the canopy can be removed buy prying it up from the rear corners i used the small pilot from the first P-51 to fit

Thanks, Mikeyt...I'll try to get the canopy off - I've got a spare P51 pilot, I'll see if I can make him fit!

[aferguson]

with the major overisght of the glamourous glennis decal, that should open the door for somebody to make and sell them for $5 or so. Amazing oversight from Pegasus.

Otherwise a fine looking model.

[pcoughran]

with the major overisght of the glamourous glennis decal, that should open the door for somebody to make and sell them for $5 or so. Amazing oversight from Pegasus.

Otherwise a fine looking model.

I find myself thinking " how can it be that hard to make a model and NOT forget something that seems so obvious as the Marking of the Name of the aircraft?!" I realize many may say I'm nitpicking, but is it really that difficult to "get it right?"
I understand the whole "swastika" issue on various WWII planes and having to put out decals afterwards, but this is ridiculous. Can't a person just buy an advertised "finished" model without having to do things to it themselves like paint, add decals, etc... ?
The JSI F-14 tested my patience to the limit, was expecting more from Pegasus with such a seemingly "simple" model.
Am I going overboard, expecting too much? I'm a Cardinal fan, so when I order a Cardinal baseball hat or jersey, it seems only natural it will have a redbird on it. I guess as long as it's red I should be happy?
Trying to stay motivated about 1/18.