Howdy, folks![:)]
There was a post recently (Most Accurate Kits??) that peaked my interest in the Accurate Miniatures 1/48 B-25 series, and lo and behold, I found a bevy of ‘em down at the LHS today! B-25B, B-25C/D, and a B-25G. I’ve been wanting to build a B-25H (like the ol’ Monogram kit), so I was juuuust about to purchase the AM G until I noticed one thing: it costs 8,500 yen!! (Over $77 USD). [:0]
Now, I knew these were not inexpensive kits, but that price pushed it past my “gotta have it now!!” threshold.
What does the AM B-25 series go for in the States?
Just to put things into perspective, Trumpeter’s monstrous 1/24 Type 21 Zero was on the shelf above it, for about $5 USD less!
Hmmm…almost 80 bucks for a 1/48 B-25G…hmmm…I know it rocks, but hmmm…
Anyway, I did pick up two other kits today:
Tamiya 1/35 Challenger 2 (me loves me armour!)
Tamiya 1/100 BAC Lightning F Mk. 6 (nice little kit!)
AM B-25G I just bought retails for $49.95 US, but even though I paid retail for it because, like you, I just had to have it, it can be got cheaper from just about any mail order house. After getting it home, I don’t feel as though I paid a dime too much for it. It is truly a magnificent kit. After this, I’d like to do the more colorful Pacific Squadrons with Hawks and Bats on the nose, using the earlier varients. I still can’t find any AM decals for my G. Does anyone know if there are any aftermarket decals for the B-25G?
Guys, alot of these cheaper kits work out much more expensive when you factor in the shipping costs - especially to Japan.
Getting anything mail ordered on this side of the pond usually means a €20 shipping cost - this often makes kits more expensive than buying them in the shops.
It’s the same thing here with the overpriced Tamiya kits. If I spent that much, I’d MUCH rather have AM’s B-25 than Tamiya’s Swordfish. But I still have both.
J-Hulk: Yeah, my LHS has also started stocking AM kits, including the B-25B and G variants… Both kits cost about 3200 Pesos, which translates to about $60 USD… It’s not as bad as your $75, but the Philipine Peso doesn’t have as much purchasing power as the Yen or the US Dollar… Surprisingly though, i went to daydream over the B-25B the very next day… and it was gone! [:O]
Yes, Jeff, if you want to be picky about it, I would feel my life had all been worth it if I could own “a” Tamiya Swordfish. As far as I know, Tamiya’s corporate entity does not own a restored Swordfish. In fact, I don’t think anyone does, do they? A flying one, I mean. I’m still gasping over a $60 Monogram Skyraider. That kit, along with the F-80 and the other Korean star, Monogram’s venerable F-86, all came out at the same time – early 70s, and the technology of that time is well represented in those kits. But I sure wish someone would give us an F-80A,B and C in 1/48.
I’m sure if I made my mind up right now to get one, I’d get over there, and POOF!
It’d be gone, for sure!
Actually, although the 8,500 yen price tag did slow me down, it was mainly because it was not the precise version I wanted that stopped me from buying that kit. Had it been a B-25H, I would have gotten it. I really like the twin-50 turret mounted right behind the cockpit (B-25H), rather than amidships (B-25G), to go along with the 75mm cannon and all the extra 50s up front. Cool plane!
I paid £39 for my B25 C/ D here in the UK, as I had to have it when it came out, as it is sooooo much better than the Monogram kit (I had the old Revel B25 H at one time). That price works out about 7800 yen or $70. I wasnt disappointed with the kit as it was supposed to be £60 when it was released, and I would have paid that for it too. Ive always learned that if you didn`t buy the kit you wanted, it was always gone when you went back for it!
I got lucky on the B. Great Models had bagged kits a couple of years ago for $30. I grabbed one at that price. I had to buy the masks seperately, but only about another 3 or 4 there.
Lets see here. I can get the AM B-25’s for $40 online. I was in the LHS on Monday morning and saw the Trumpeter 1/32 P-38 kit listed for $120 with a “sale price” of $100. And right above it was the Tamiya Swordfish for $75.
Brian, if you want one of the AM kits let me know, I still have your address!
sharkskin,
Look for Albatross set ALC-48008 B-25 Mitchell at War.There
are 5 B-25G’s in the set . It’s not cheap but there are 13 choices in the set
and four full sheets of decals .Here’s a list of the different B-25’s just in
case. B-25C 1
B-25D 2
B-25G 5
B-25H 1
B-25J 4
Almost forgot there are stars / stars and bars for 5 aircraft in the set .
jhulk,
Under the recommended kits they list a 1/48 Revell / Monogram
B-25H/J.Have you heard of one of these kits? Does anyone know if Monogram made a kit with a separate nose for the B-25H?
Fuzzy
Hi, Fuzzy!
Yup, I built the ol’ Monogram 1/48 B-25H kit waaaaay back in the 70’s. I loved it then, and I still think it’s a great kit, just nowhere near the level of the Accurate Miniatures offerings. The Monogram only offered the H model. I don’t think it came with the parts to make it a J. Revell had a B, D and a J, I believe, but those kits were Revell’s and were unrelated to Monogram’s. In my opinion, the Monogram kit was vastly superior to the Revell kits.
Tim, thanks for the offer, bro![:)]
BUT: I sort of solved my dilemma. Today I picked up the very nice 1/72 Hasegawa B-25H for a very sweet 2,000 yen ($18 USD).
So, while not the exact scale I wanted, and not quite as detailed as the AM B-25s, it was the H model that I desired, and the price was too sweet to pass up.