Does anybody know anything about this company? I recently got their Macchi MC 202 in 1/32 and was kinda disappointed with it. Not that it’s a bad kit, it’s just going to take a lot of work.
Hey Whadaya know… It is a Merry Christmas!!! Hey Kevin, Long time no SEE!!!
Glad to see ya found your way back here bro!![:D] Sorry, I aint never heard of the company before but, I’m sure someone here has…
Yeah, I’m at my mother-in-laws and she has internet. And while everybody is visiting (and since I don’t know anybody here and have taken care of obligations) she is letting me use her computer.
The kit is nicely molded and has pretty good detail, but, it has screw holes in it. 4 holding the lower wing together and 3 holding the fuselage halves together all hidden behind plugs. The rest of it is glue together. I figure I can probably fill the seams that are going to be around the plugs, but it just struck me as odd. According to the box side they also have a Zero type 21, a Me 109F3/4, a Corsair and a Ju-87 all in 1/32. The price wasn’t to bad, under $10.00. It’s in the stash now and I may have to put it into the top 5 to-do’s. Hopefully things will settle down enough around here after the holidays where I can actually get some of my projects finished.
Hmmm, not a bad price there my friend!! I’ll have to look into that myself. Screws on a plastic kit??? That is Odd!! Glad your Mother-In-Law is letting you use her computer. Good to see ya on here for a change[:D]
I gotta hit the shower & head for my folks place in a bit… not too thrilled about going up there, it’s 35 miles & Holiday traffic… Oh well… a home cooked meal [not of my own hand] is worth the drive & hassle… I think…
Peace Bro!!
Merry Christmas!!
Eddie
My first few years as a modeler was spent building planes before I got into cars aound '62. I’ve always had a warm spot in my heart for the winged things. Since I build in 1/25 the 1/32 stuff doesn’t hold much allure for me but ever since my son gave me that 1/18 Corsair from them I’ve been hooked on their BIG planes. I know that they are toys and not really kits but they look SO good with my 1/18 ERTL diecast cars. That Corsair now shares hanger space with a Spitfire, FW-190, Me109 and two Mustangs. I think this car modeler may need an intervention. LOL
I believe these are just the kit versions ($9.97 Walmart) of their painted built versions ($15.97). The builts require a few screws for assembly and allows compact retail packaging. Cybermodeler has photos and reviews of several builts: http://www.cybermodeler.com/miscreview.shtml
If a $10 price point for a 1/32 kit including a painted pilot is what it takes to attract new modelers to the hobby via the biggest retailer in the world, then let the games begin…
Hi there, I actually got one of the 1:18 scale figures, and for a figurine it is quite good detail, but considering that these are more toys than model kits, details while great isnt as precise as a modeller would expect…in any case their products are very cool…but not modeller cool!! Cheers!
Well, as a “kit assembler” (not a modeler, way too much baggage there for me) since around '57 or so, I really like them and am looking forward to increasing my window dressing “air force” by a few more in the future.
Well, I was a the local dungeon, er, Walmart. And I saw the zero and the 202. I picked up the 202 [pretty much cause of the price]. As said above, its not bad on detail. Could use a little more. And there is some filling of the screw holes, but otherwise, I thinks its well worth $10. The decals were very good IMO.
Wait until you see the 1/18 modern fighters! I saw the F-18 Hornet, it was HUGE!
Man, I’d like to see a 1/18 RA-5C & the A3D!![:P][bow]
I saw the zero yesterday, and it was opened so i took a peek. What i saw scared me and i put it on the shelf. The body looked translucent, and wavy. {shudder}
Here what BBI offers and again these are toys
http://www.blueboxtoys.com/bbi2005/html/product/1-18_a/1-18_a_index.htm
heres 21st
Be warned about the Zero. While the box shows what appears to be a “completed” kit with a drop tank, the kit does NOT contain the parts for the tank. The company states that the kit was not “tooled” for the drop tank - curiously though they do offer the tank in the built up version of the same kit.
I would suggest that EVERYONE that gets this kit send an e-mail to :info@21stcenturytoys.com and ask for this part. I believe you should get what’s shown on the box.
You might want to remind them of the disclaimer on the side - Paint and model cement are required to complete model as shown in photos.
Good luck.
There are a number of reviews for the 109F & Stuka over on Hyperscale, with a full build review of the 202.
From what I’ve heard they are worth it for the decals alone.
Karl
Okay, okay lets keep some perspective here. These kits are intended as desktop displays, meant to be built by kids and weekenders. Yes, they’re held tegether with screws, but no one says you have to use them. And, no, they are not up to the OOB standards of the Trumpeters and other hi-tech kits we’ve been seeing on the 1/32 bandwagon. They also dont have the leviathan price tag of those kits - for $10, whaddaya expect??
But, with some common modeling skills (you guys do remember those, right?), the abundance of references available and a decent plan of action, these kits can surely be made up into nice pieces. Now, if it were in a lesser scale, I would probably take my Folgore back to WalMart and get a refund. As is, working it up in the larger 1/32 scale will be both a challenge and a pleasure. I wonder it some of us haven’t gotten rather spoiled by the high-priced kits we see these days?
There ARE inaccuracies, like an almost nonexistent wing dihedral and overscale details. The cockpit is spartan and at the same time cheesy and so is the little dummy pilot (prepainted, no less.) The kit strikes me as an obvious marketing angle, more than a purpose designed scale model.
But Oh! Sweet Mother Mary, those decals. Are they ever nice! I’m tempted to frame them until such time as I build the kit and I may go get another one at WM just so I can. You could pay more than the cost of this KIT itself to get this quality… for aftermarket decals alone. HaseTamiMonoReveTestoGawaCraft oughta take some lessons from 21st Century on those babies.
But, $10 for a neat subject in this scale is a cool thing, especially with those decals. I’m sure one of the Big Boys will soon best it, so keep your wallet topped up (as I’m sure you’ll need it). Until then, I wouldn’t expect to do more than clean up the build as a canvas for displaying the excellent markings.
It’s all in how you look at things; all of this kit’s faults can be dealt with pretty handily, if a little work is something you can face up to.
Here are some reviews:
Bf-109- http://www.hyperscale.com/reviews/kits/21cent22103reviewbg_1.htm
Ju-87 http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/21c/kit_21c_ju87.shtml
F4U Corsair- http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/21c/kit_21c_f4u-1.shtml
Macchi C.202- http://www.hyperscale.com/features/c20221c32ir.htm and http://www.modelingmadness.com/reviews/axis/previews/stevens202p.htm
I agree with dahut… these look like fun kits for $10. I hope they produce more kits over time- I’d build 'em as fast as I could. Low cost and I can actually see the parts! LOL
Low cost and I can actually see the parts! LOL
Amen to that! THe old eyes arent what they used to be.
Check out this almost OOB build of the MC 202 from over on Hyperscale. Done in 4 days looks pretty good to me.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/47751/message/1170197846/21st+Century+1-32+MC+202
It’s amazed me how these came outta nowhere and just seem to be everywhere. I think it shows there is a good market for low cost, decent quality kits. I love it! They’re just like me- cheap, simple, and occassionally a screw may come loose! [:D]