OK, get ready for this, B-36 fans:
On the back cover of this month’s Koku-Fan magazine, there’s an ad from a company called Wing Club for a 1/48 (I repeat: ONE FORTY-EIGHT) B-36!!
NOT 1/72…NOT 1/144…1/48!!!
1/48 scale!!
The wingspan is listed as 140cm, which is…about 54.7 inches. Thats over 4 1/2 feet!
It’s a completed model, not a kit. Not sure what’s it made of.
No price listed, either. The ad says “call for pricing.” I oughta give 'em a ring!
It sure looks great in the pix.
Just thought ya’ll would get a kick out of that! [:D]
Anytime its call for pricing, you know its not going to be cheap! I guess I can always park my car in the driveway to make room for this in the garage.
Now that’s a really BIG bird… but would probably need a gymnasium to display it in! [:O]
The first time I ever sold a model, was the Monogram 1/72 B-36, way back in 1978 to one of the “Golden Knight” pilots, CWO Burkett, down at Ft. Bragg. I remember looking out of my 2nd story office window at him walking across center ramp with it… looking at it from a distance I remember thinking to myself… “Now that’s a big model” [:)]
There is a pretty large market for pre-built aircraft, mostly wooden or die cast models. A collectors market to be sure, but a market none the less. Not all lovers of aviation are modelers.
Some things I like pre assembled, like an automobile. For a model I don’t want it pre assembled. The fun is putting it together and doing all of the work myself.
I would never buy a pre assembled model. This one especially, as I dont have the space to display it. I know I wouldn’t have the money to buy it. Somewhere out there, someone is willing to shell out the bucks to own this model. Not me.
That’s why we’re called modellers here at FSM, Berny! We like to build.
Some people like to collect. They’re called collectors. I reckon they have their own forums!
To each his own, eh?
I just posted this here because it’s just so nuts!
I wouldn’t (or more accurately, couldn’t) buy it, either.
But as I said before, if one was given to me, I’d sure as heck take it! [:D]
Now, all they need to do is make a kit of this sucker! Well, think about it- How large are some of those ship models people build? I’ve seen some of those well over 5ft long. Why not aircraft?
Think about it- 1/48 B-36s and B-52s, and 1/72 Spruce Gooses… (Geese?) I’d try and get 'em!
If they ever put that 1/48 B-36 out as a kit, I’ll be the first in line to buy it. That’s assuming I can get a second mortgage on the house to pay for it. Large models are definately different. You just have to change your perspective on how you think about them. I have over TWENTY radio controlled airplanes in my basement, (including the red and white one below), and they run anywhere from 52 to 83 inches in wing span. THINK BIG
Check out evil bay sometime for the finished plastic models for sale. A lot are going for about the price of the kit, which, judging from the pictures, is about what they are worth. Others are going for several hundred dollars. Go to Models/kits/air and search for “built”.
[alien]
Hiya Steve,
You dont say??? I hear that Laerton will be selling the sub assemblies as individual kits…!!![:p][;)] Correct me if I am wrong but I also thought that I heard that they would be doing the Sprouse Goose as well??
Flaps up, Mike
There’s a huge market worldwide for pre-built planes and cars.
You should see some of them - extremely fine detail - beautiful tampo printed markings in the airliners, fantastic warpaint on the cars…they’re really great. I can certainly see how people can find them attractive.
But all the fun is in researching/building/detailing/painting/finishing a model.
There are far more people out there who like to display models and CAN’T build them than there are those who CAN build them.
If you’re good at it, consider yourself fortunate.
i agree whole heartedly with yardbird that big models are different. its not just about the detail, but a bigger model has more presence than a smaller model, even though they take alot longer to finish and cost more. in this case, probably ALOT more