Lucasfilm movie RED TAILS can + should release 1:18 toys

[sdcc73]

All-Go Toys and Blue Box Toys are 2 toy companies that do not have to produce a lot of new molds in order to make a little line of toys for Lucasfilm's new movie "Red Tails" coming in 2012. Indeed, All-Go Toys already made the P-51 "Bunnie" Tuskegee Airplane, seen below.

In fact, both toy companies already have ready-made molds for the P-51, BF-109, etc. Plus, a media tie-in advertises the toys and vice versa for the movie. May even garner a big enough audience (beyond collectors) to finally produce a big bomber plane in 1:18 scale.

AG or BBI already made molds can + should make it happen. Throw in millions of Star Wars fans very interested in the influences such as WWII that inspired Star Wars (and the fact many of its fans like to play with toys) and I think we got a real opportunity here.

[sdcc73]

For one, I think this new film should have some Star Wars homages to get its millions of toy buying fans to watch this new film and get the new toys. Indeed, the slated release date is January 2012, a mere month before the Star Wars 3D movie hits theaters. So already this may be strategic to release and cross promote these 2 Lucasfilm movies so close together, in order to encourage fans to watch both movies. http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/ ... uary_2012/

[Dauntless]

Agreed, with the air battles being intense, as we would expect from Lucas. Anyone who's read accounts of how he got his inspirations for the air battles in Star Wars knows he closely examined air war footage. With the CGI of Industrial Light & Magic, the air battles can really be enhanced.

I wonder if we'll se an antagonist German ace pilot? Maybe get a BF-109, or even an Me-262, reportedly shot down by one of the Airmen.

I just hope we don't get some toy-like planes, from the other company that has the SW license. Though the figures would obviously be good.

Though they are most known for flying the P-51, and there's plenty of D models out there in real life, it would be nice to see some earlier planes they flew like the P-47, P-40, and possibly the P-51B/C we know they flew also.

[tmanthegreat]

Why am I picturing Hasbro offering a rehash of that GI Joe "Sgt. Savage" P-40 monstrosity from 1994 with the gatling gun and missile launchers done in Tuskegee colors

Seriously, if it came to marketing, it would be a good call for either BBI or Allgo.

[sdcc73]

It would be nice to see some earlier planes they flew like the P-47, P-40, and possibly the P-51B/C we know they flew also.

That would be nice to see other 1:18 planes on retail shelves, not just the P-51. The more the merrier. Here's a pic of a "Red Tails" P-47 Thunderbolt. Anyone else got pics of other ac besides the P-51?

[sdcc73]

If which ever company (AG or BBI) does go crazy with P-51 repaints, I'd like to see a German P-51. I believe it was the cable series Dogfights on History Channel with one of the Tuskegee Airmen who spoke of his own story, seeing a German captured P-51 while battling in the sky. A German P-51 would also make a unique repaint in relation to that reported story.

[aferguson]

if AG and BBI can't get liscenses to produce toys for the film (very likely) maybe they can make an agreement with whoever does get the liscense to lease them their aircraft molds. The new toy company doesn't have to fork out a lot of dough in developlment costs and has a ready made high quality product and AG and BBI make some money and get exposure.

[sdcc73]

Curtiss Warhawk P-40

P-40L-5 'A Train II', Lt Dryden, Fardjouna, Italy, summer 1944
P-40L-15 'Ace of Pearls', 2nd Lt Lawson, Madina, Italy, late 1943
P-40L-10 'Nona II', 2nd Lt Temple, Madina, Italy, late 1943
P-40L-15 'Josephine', 1st Lt Bailey, Madina, Italy, January 1944

[sdcc73]

if AG and BBI can't get liscenses to produce toys for the film (very likely) maybe they can make an agreement with whoever does get the liscense to lease them their aircraft molds. The new toy company doesn't have to fork out a lot of dough in developlment costs and has a ready made high quality product and AG and BBI make some money and get exposure.

This is an idea that has worked before. Maisto leased many molds of their diecast aircraft to another toy company, Hasbro. If Hasbro, the long time partner of Lucasfilm, has done it before, then maybe it can be done again. Leasing AG or BBI molds is a great alternative idea that may make things happen faster and work things better. Below is one Maisto diecast mold (an F-16 coincidentally) leased to Hasbro to sell within their own G.I.Joe line.

[Jnewboy]

If which ever company (AG or BBI) does go crazy with P-51 repaints, I'd like to see a German P-51. I believe it was the cable series Dogfights on History Channel with one of the Tuskegee Airmen who spoke of his own story, seeing a German captured P-51 while battling in the sky. A German P-51 would also make a unique repaint in relation to that reported story.

Buy it today...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/73111435/11 ... -51-kg-200

[Dauntless]

Awesome P-51 jnewboy!

You know if the Germans would have reverse engineered and produced this like the Russians and Japanese did to many aircraft along with the B-17 things might have gone differently. Though I guess there would have been some confusion, hence the yellow undersides.

Of course things could have gone differently too with the Horten and Me-262, too little too late.

[sdcc73]

Agreed, awesome work on your custom German P-51.

[Threetoughtrucks]

The Germans captured many Allied planes and used them, as described in the Squardon/Signal pub "Strangers in a Strange Land".

Planes lost in bad weather landed on German airfields and were captured intact, or sometimes crash landed and were repaired. P-51, P-47, P-38, B-25, B-24, B-17, even a B-29.

Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. They were used to test systems, and to shoot down Allied bombers. Sometimes repainted with German markings, sometimes not even repainted.

TTT

[Jnewboy]

The Germans captured many Allied planes and used them, as described in the Squardon/Signal pub "Strangers in a Strange Land".

Planes lost in bad weather landed on German airfields and were captured intact, or sometimes crash landed and were repaired. P-51, P-47, P-38, B-25, B-24, B-17, even a B-29.

Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. They were used to test systems, and to shoot down Allied bombers. Sometimes repainted with German markings, sometimes not even repainted.

TTT

They also had a Corsair and reportedly a P-40 though I have never seen a pic of it.

[Jnewboy]

Awesome P-51 jnewboy!

You know if the Germans would have reverse engineered and produced this like the Russians and Japanese did to many aircraft along with the B-17 things might have gone differently. Though I guess there would have been some confusion, hence the yellow undersides.

Of course things could have gone differently too with the Horten and Me-262, too little too late.

Thanks, Ive done the captured P-38, the P-51 and the Corsair I want to do a Razorback someday when I can find a cheap one.

[Threetoughtrucks]

Sorry guys... I had a brain fart before, scratch the B-29 from my list and don't add the Corsair. The book on captured planes makes no mention of a Corsair or a B-29.

Picture of a Corsair?

You can add B-26 to my list....... brain fart again.

TTT

[PanzerArm]

Sorry guys... I had a brain fart before, scratch the B-29 from my list and don't add the Corsair. The book on captured planes makes no mention of a Corsair or a B-29.

Picture of a Corsair?

You can add B-26 to my list....... brain fart again.

TTT

Yeah, that B-29 statement had me wondering as well. As far as I know only the Russians captured some of our B-29s (and subsequently copied them), but not the axis.

-Kevin

[Jnewboy]

Corsair JT404 of 1841 squadron. Involved in anti-submarine patrol from HMS Formidable enroute to Scapa after Operation Mascot against the German Battleship Tirpitz, in company with Barracuda of Wing Leader Lt Cdr RS Baker-Falkner. Emergency landing in a field at Sorvag, Hameroy, near Bodo, Norway on 18 July 1944. The pilot Lt Mattholie was taken POW and the aircraft captured intact with no damage. The german authorities made attempts to get the pilot to explain how to fold the wings so as to transport the aircraft to Narvik. Aircraft was ferried by boat for further investigation. It is not known if the Corsair was taken to Germany. This was probably the first Corsair captured by the Germans. Aircraft is listed at Rechlin for 1944 under repair. There are no known pictures I could find. There is a good picture of the one the Japanese captured though. Thats a good book on the subject but does not mention this as this never known if it officially became KG-200, I painted mine as if it had.

[sdcc73]

Speaking of (captured) bombers, looks like the B-17 will certainly make it in the film.
Making a 1:18 model on that will be a bit ambitious, though, given its large size.
But hey, if a company is willing to make it, more power to them.

[sdcc73]

Additional note on bombers, looks like the smaller B-25s can be in the film, too. Here's a pic I found of a B-25 and a P-51 called "Bunnie." Yes same "Bunnie" as in the 1:18 toy done by All-Go Toys. We're all aware All-Go Toys wanted, for almost 5 years, to make a B-25.

Hopefully with a big Lucasfilm movie like this, that B-25 which All-Go toys wanted to make for years, can finally happen. From the looks of All-Go's site, seems they still want to make it. Originally they wanted make a Doolittle Raid B-25. Coincidentally, there was a celebration with a B-25 with crews from the Doolittle Raid and Tuskegee Airmen here = http://www.b25.net/pages/b25jarmy.html

[Threetoughtrucks]

Kampfgeschwader 200 (KG 200) (Battle Wing 200) was the name of the secret German squadron of captured planes of all types.

I did find pics of the German secret museum devoted to enemy planes, aircraft guns, anything devoted to planes. They had entire planes that were unflyable, including Brit Spits, Huricanes, Typhoons, Russian MIG-3 and I-153, and even French aircraft, anything unusual.

The secret museum was open to German officers.

Maybe your Corsair was there as unflyable but there are no pics or even mention of a Corsair. Anything is possible but pics are the proof....

TTT

[Jnewboy]

Maybe your Corsair was there as unflyable but there are no pics or even mention of a Corsair. Anything is possible but pics are the proof....

TTT

Its a pretty well known fact, when Falkner returned from being a POW he wrote about it in his memoirs and his offical debreifing. His story matches German archive records of the Norway landing and the records for Reichlin. Photos are great but they are not the only definitive proof. When multiple independent sources point to the same information historians except it as true until conflicting evidence surfaces.

[Threetoughtrucks]

Jnew..:

I'm not disputing the fact that a Brit Corsair was captured intact and in the hands of the German's, but was it flown by the German's after capture? Does your POW account say that he saw the German's fly his plane? My contention is that my detailed source source does not mention a Corsair being flown by the German's. The Corsair could have ended up in the secret museum, even though it is not mentioned along with the many other Allied types of planes pictured and discussed.

TTT

[Jnewboy]

Jnew..:

I'm not disputing the fact that a Brit Corsair was captured intact and in the hands of the German's, but was it flown by the German's after capture? Does your POW account say that he saw the German's fly his plane? My contention is that my detailed source source does not mention a Corsair being flown by the German's. The Corsair could have ended up in the secret museum, even though it is not mentioned along with the many other Allied types of planes pictured and discussed.

TTT

I understand, and yes it is unknown if they were able to ever fly it. His account was that he did not tell them how to lower the wings and they were very upset. Thats the end of his account as he was shipped off to a POW camp. There is a record of it being transferred to several places in Norway ( maybe to attempt to get the wings down) then it goes cold and it shows up at Reichlin's records when examined after the war as being there under a status of "under repair". The main question is does under repair mean "still trying to figure out the wings" or was it damaged in transport? or.... was there a malfunction during test flying or ground testing. If it was either of the latter than there is a strong possibility that it would have been repainted close to my model as Corsairs were painted with naval camo and not left aluminum on top so it would have been covered with the standard green and the standard yellow on the bottom.

Strangers in a strange land is a good book, lots of good pictures, the sequel is not as good and deals mostly with the swiss af. if I remember correctly. The best book on the subject by far is "KG 200: The Luftwaffe's Most Secret Unit" by Geoffrey J Thomas - get this book, you wont be disappointed!

[sdcc73]

B-25s were flown by the Airmen in training (yet not in combat) too. Its reflected even in toys, herein the backdrop of another G.I.Joe toy's box art, below. Once again, its another way / reason All-Go Toys can finally make a big B-25, they long wanted to make for almost 5 years now...