I’m hooked, addicted…I picked up a 1/144 Mig-25 for my daughter (she builds too) and after I opened the box (and the kid was asleep) realized it was a neat little model…so I built it…
Between Friday and today, I’ve managed to accumulate about 40 kits, just placed an order with Squadron for the Eduard Fw-190A-5, F-8, and 190F-4.
I also ordered a couple of Sweet (that’s the name of the company) FM-2 Wildcats, a Hurricane, and a Zero…will be interesting to see what these are like.
Anyone else got any lines on oddball stuff, outside of the MInicraft, ARII, and usual subjects found online??
The new copy of FSM has a listing for a WWI Neuport 17. Model Airways used to produce WW1in white metal. I’m actually thinking about trying to come up with the xf-85 in 1/144.
Jeff, I haven’t built them but I have the Sweet 1/144 kits you mention and I think you will be very pleased when you see them. They are, ah, well, Sweet!
I’ve been collecting 1/144 for over ten years now. I’m amazed at the variety of aircraft in that scale, and especially the oddball stuff. I have the 747 with the Space Shuttle on the back, the 707 based Awacs (I forget wwhat it’s called officially), and I found a Grb36 “Ficon” with the F84 parasite fighter. Check that one out at www.greatmodels.com. I have so many ( over 60 I think) I can’t remember them all. I’ll have to check out that Neuport 17. I don’t have any WW1 in that scale.
How in the world do you build these? I did a search and saw the Sweet website. Granted, there appears to be detail but I don’t know how you patiently paint and do detail on the canopy. I assume there is absolutely no cockpit detail, if there is, you can’t see it anyway. Really, tell us how you build them and apply those decals.
I do 1:48 WWII, 1:72 modern fighters and am trying to find a reasonable scale for WWI, the 1:48 offerings are tough and forget the 1:72. I find myself increasingly interested in the new 1:32 from Trumpeter, while storage and display will eventually be an iussue, at least my 51 year old fingers can deal with them. I am very curious about these tiny models. I also knw I have been working on the Trumpeter US Hornet and the B25s are a chore.
I went through a 1/144 phase about 10 yrs ago and built a whole bunch of the flightdeck dioramas by ARII to give to all my ol Ranger buddies. I love 1/144 scale. But now I don’t see these kits much anymore.
I just found in my box of junk a box of Revell 1/144 Corsairs that I thought I had lost in a move. I got them with a few Zeros, Hellcats, Avangers, ME109s and Ju87s from a Squadron close out sale (.99 cents ea) but have never seen them since.
I see ARII has the Avenger, Hellcat, Zero, and Wildcat, but no Corsair.
This is a shot in the dark, but I have not seen and Korean War kits in 1/144.
Scott
Hey Jeff, I just checked out the Sweet site. When they said the Wildcat came with the 8 Cat crew members, I thought they meant catapult crew, not real cats with pointy ears and fur. These look like fun for me and the kids.
Thanks,
Scott
You can go here and download the plans for a 1/144 hanger. It is a card kit but you could use them as plans to cut out of plastic if you want. http://www.tomtom-net.de/resources/cardmodel/hangar/hangar_f.htm
Another great site is here http://airalex.homestead.com/
He has a large collection of finished kits and some great links to manufacturers of 1/144 planes, etc. even decals.
I know Welsh Models and Oz Mods do kits in this scale that are pretty good.
Don Schmenk does a bunch in resin and donated several to our club for our Hill AFB Museum project. His site is here http://www.bright.net/~dschmenk/
Here is a pic of one of the hangers with our models in it. They are using the models to help them figure out where to place the real planes when they finish another hanger.
Very Cool…I just picked up another B-17G and B-26 tonight, along with some MIniHobbyModels (another Trumpeter knockoff I think), at very reasonable prices P-38 for $2.99
There’s also another company called WSN, but I think these are also Trumpeter knockoffs, although the company label on the side of the kit (a P-47D) is call the WASAN Plastic Model Co.
But hey, for $2.99 I can’t complain, and these kits look good…equal to MInicraft…I think they could be ARII knockoffs or even MiniCraft.
I’m dusting off the pressure pots, I think I might start casting up some kits in the near future…
I’m hooked on them for two reasons: One - They’re fun, easy and good time wasters Two - They’re in the same scale as most mecha kits (As can be seen in two of the pics )
I have two F-15s, one MiniCraft and one Mini Hobby one… They’re both almost the same kit… Though I lost some parts to the MC one >.< (I feel bad about that… Since it’s a nice kit and coming along well too… Ah well… )
I still have a small ever growing backlog of the suckers though… I usually buy some when I go to the store… Right now I have a B-1A in progress that I REALLY need to finish (As well as two others, a Mirage and Tiger or something like that, I forgot… ) but I do so much at one time sometimes lol… They’ll get done, some day…
Domi, would you mind telling to the length and wingspan and the decal options on that Eduard Ju52?
I’ve added it to my list of 1/144 kits I’m compiling and I can’t find finished size online. Thanks. You check my (little) progress on my site.
Just finishing the Sweet Zero and you are going to love it. This is the best 1/144 kit I have ever seen. It is more detailed than most 1/72 birds! I’m not exaggerating. The decal sheet is also just outstanding. My only beef is with the color. You are probably aware of the color controversy surrounding the early Zekes. Some say grey others gray-green. Well the markings in the kit include tiny decals for the canopy framing which on a Zero is a-plenty. These are of the grey-green variety and I chose to paint my bird gray so my eyes are now crossed hand painting the Japanese glass house under a magnifying glass. But again just outstanding! Haven’t seen the Wildcat but if it’s as good as the Zero I’m buying.
Two - They’re in the same scale as most mecha kits (As can be seen in two of the pics )