I had some time recently and was reading the latest issue of FSM and came across the most desired model article and I got to thinking…"What would I like model? Well, at the same time the reports on the attempt to “get” Saddam with the 2000lb “bunker busters” came over the air. Well the idea just popped into my head. How about models of past and current munitions items, maybe 1/25 or even 1/16 scale. You could have MK84 (2000lb) in various configurations. You could have interchangeable fuzes and fins. You could have BLU-109 Penetrators with KMU-557 Kits to make the infamous JDAM we’ve grown to love. You could have MK82 (500lb) with DTU-33 timers (delay fuzes). You could have various Air-to-Air weapons, AIM-9, AIM120 or AIM-7’s. You could make older munitions like 750lb M117 with fuze extenders to make the orginal dasiy cutter. You could also make the support eguipment, trailers and such. I don’t know, seems like it would be fun for me. What does everyone else think? [:)]
I know there are a bunch of weapons kits out there that actually cover most of those already. I know Hasegawa and a few other companies have a lot of different sets available to cover different era’s and nations of manufacture. only problem I have noticed is they generally include about 10-12 different types of weapons but only 1 or 2 of each type.
-Hans
Yea there are kits out there but most are just add on for other models. I would like to see a highly detailed kit of only the item itself. Maybe even 1/10 scale! The larger the better.
Not a bad idea, I might like something like that as well. Maybe cutaways?
I would like to see some scale models of machine guns, and I would love to see a kit of a 50 cal. machine gun with WWII and modern options that had working parts, such as an opening breech.
i would like a working weapon! jk i think the cutaway bomb idea is great, but if one side is solid and the other is clear plastic, u have the shape and you can see inside
Unnamedplayer: that’s what what i was thinking. Like those old sub kits except the clear side won’t have to fold down.
Not a bad idea. Up 'til now the only kits available along these lines have been promotional items from manufacturers of munitions or, in some cases, from sub-contractors. I’ve got a few of these laying around and they’re not very detailed.
'Twould be cool to have a decently detailed kit available of a GBU, CBU or a JDAM. Heck, I’d like to see a kit of a 500lb Snakeye. Always liked those things…
Fade to Black…
tinmodeller got me thinking…
What ever happened to the plastic models of various handguns, etc? Maybe they were politically incorrect? I remember seeing them in stores??
M.
theres the dragon 1/6 scale m16/ar15 but ive never seen them 
I’d like to see some large scale cruise missile kits. With the rapid advancement of munitions it certainly is a fertile source of possible kit subjects. How about 1/6 scale?
mkish, bet you hit it on the head regarding the model guns. I wouldn’t mind having a Colt SAA but they cost $$$ so a kit would the next best.
I think that "arms and armament’ would be an interesting category for modelling. Imagine A 1/32 A-10 with a 1/10 GAU-8 Avenger vulcan cannon displayed beside it!
i wanna MOAB in 1/10 scale. And then I wanna get a 1/72 c-130 and moab
I for one would like to see the major kit manufacturers produce “better” weapons. What I mean by that is I often get fustrated glueing 2 bomb halves together and sanding and finishing the seams (a pain the the ****** when you’ve got dozens of them!)
The injection molding process only allows a certain thickness (thus multi-parts). I’d like them to try some other processes. Their are resin aftermarket stuff out there but not at the price and quantity I’d like to see.
Toad
claymore,
There used to be model kits of hand guns: I can remember seeing them in the stores and they were 1:1 when finished. I would guess that was about 15 years ago? Anyone know what happened to those kits or who made them?
M.
I used to be an airforce armourer, I really like the idea of maybe 1/10 or 1/12 scale weapons. I think 1/6 might be a little large, but 1/10th would be a good size for GBUs, Mavericks, sidewinders etc. something as big as a GBU 27 might be a pretty big kit in 1/6!
You could make a whole family of Mk 80 series bombs with all the various tail kits, guidance units, nose types etc.
As for small arms, I have a few of the dragon 1/6 scale action figures, these are basically very detailed ‘action man’, and the level of detail is good enough for this modeller, but 1/6 makes a pretty small M16. I have a MG42 that is a good size, complete with removable barrel and liftable feed cover. It comes with individually turned brass rounds in a non disintergrating link belt.
For small arms 1/3 might be better, but again, a .50 cal ould be getting pretty big. I seem to remember Verlinden did a few resin weapons in about 1/4 scale? They had an M16, an AK47, a lever action rifle and a revolver. I think they made a machine gun - an M1917 Browning .30cal. But these were not very big.
It would be nice to see something like this from somone, especially the aircraft weapons.
Mkish,
One manufacturer that made 1/1 handguns was Crown. I’m looking at one of their .44 Magnums right now as well as a couple LS kits of Grenades. (Sold a Crown Walther P38 at our show here this past Sunday $$$ [:D])
These Crown kits were released in 1981. I dunno if there are any manufacturers still making 1/1 weapons kits, though. There were also the old 1/1 kits of muskets and flintlock pistols and such, can’t remember who made 'em, though. Realistic or Life Like, maybe? I can’t remember.
Fade to Black…
Remember the 1/12th scale cockpit kits that were out a few years ago? I think ERTL sold them. There was an F-16 and an F-104.
Picture this set up: a beautifully detailed 1/48th scale F-16; sitting right next to it a SUPER detailed 1/12th scale cockpit and next to that a 1/12th scale Sidewinder, AMRAAM or JDAM. The Sidewinder would be about six inches long, the perfect scale for super detailing.
What to you think?
Rich
I dont remember who made the kit, but i built up a Colt 44…the gun that won the west, and it turned out very realistic looking. This had to be in the late 70s-early 80s. Wish they still made them. Would like to build a collection. Much cheaper than the gun collection i used to have.
Here is a fairly complete list of the companies that produced 1/1 scale gun models. 1) Academy 2) AHM 3) Eaglewall 4) Entex 5) Lindberg{1 kit the AR-5A Survival Rifle} 6) LS{nearly 40 different kits!} 7) Marusan 8) Minicraft 9) Premier 10) Pyro 11) Revell 12). 1/3 was another popular small arm scale. I hope this helps and feel free to contact me with any collectable kit questions.