I just read about this. Anyone know anything about it?
Rumors come and go about the Tamiya 1/48 B-17. Tamiya doesn’t make a 1/48 B-17 and I don’t see them producing one either
Here we go again. As was mentioned above there is no 1/48 B-17 nor is there a B-52 or B-36 in 1/48. There is a fibreglass B-36 in 1/48 but its not precisely a kit and at 2500$(IIRC) is well out of everybodies price range.
Please note RK is refering only to Tamiya kits. Other manufacturers do produce B-17s, B-52s, and B-36s in 1/48.
Revell makes all three.
Sorry I forgot about the RM F & G. And I have four of each in my stash[V][
][banghead]. And on the other two I wasn’t counting the Vac-forms.
Actually Ryan, The B-52 and the B-36 are in 1/72.
The Tamiya 1/48 B-17 started as a rumour/prank at least 2 years ago. Forget about it, aint gonna happen.
Regards, Rick
Damn ,too bad.
Panda (a division of Dragon) did announce a 1/32 scale B-17F/G a few years back. I have seen it on a few list of upcoming kits, but I haven’t heard any more news about it. I doubt it’s ever going to happen.
Bill
I emailed AM and begged them to consider doing a 1/48th B-17 about 2 years ago. Their reply was along the lines that a Polish? company named Mirage was coming out with 1 shortly. AM said that their position was that they werent strong enough at that time to compete with anyone, and that it seemed like we would see a new mold B-17 soon. Um OK fine its been over 2 years and no Mirage (or anyone elses for that matter) new mold B-17. I truely wish AM would make 1 they would be my favorite choice. But at this time Id settle for AM, Trumpeter, Tamigawa or Academy. But alas, it wont come to be and Ill have to build the Monogram offering over and over and pretend its brand new!
Don’t listen to a word AM says. We’re still waiting for their 1/48 P-61 which should have been out a year ago.
Thats AM as in Accurate Miniatures not AMtech just to clarify.
Actually, it was AMTech, not AM, that announced the new 1/48 P-61. Wouldn’t hold my breathe waiting for that one either.
Regards, Rick
Any chance Trumpeter might put out a B-17? They did the Condor,I don’t know how they compare in size but wouldn’t a new tool B-17 sell pretty well or at least as well as the Condor? I build fighters but would probably buy a new B-17.
I would think that a B-17 would sell better than the Condor. The Condor is a somewhat obscure aircraft. Most real enthusiasts know what it is, but casual airplane fans probably have no clue it existed. They only served in small numbers too. The Condor had constant problems with over stressing the airframe. It was not designed for military service.
Most people who have any casual knowledge of WW II aircraft know about B-17s. Someone who doesn’t build many aircraft, or many WWII aircraft would be mre likely to buy a B-17 than the Condor.
I think kit makers have become infatuated with German aircraft. German aircraft and tanks are very popular. Trimaster did nothing but German aircraft. Dragon has a very heavy German line up. We’ve seen some obscure German aircraft come out in manstream injection molded kits, including things like the Ta-183 which wasn’t even built. In 1/32 scale, 50% or more of new mold kits in the last few years are German aircraft.
German aircraft are popular, but other subjects are getting overlooked. The only British heavy available in anything but limited production is the Lancaster and the molds for that are 30+ years old. There is no Stirling or Halifax nor even a Wellington (thought Trumpeter has promised that). In German aircraft we have lots of Luft 46 aircraft, and other aircraft that were built in small numbers like the He-219 and Condor. I’m not complaining. I have quite a few of these nice new German A/C kits, but I think a lot of subjects from other countries are being overlooked in the mad scramble to release another German aircraft.
BTW, the B-17 and Condor are close in size. I think the Condor might be a little bigger in fact.
Revell-Monogram could probably put a bit of money into retooling the old B-17 and give it new life. It isn’t a bad kit. With recessed panel lines and a few other modern tweaks it would be in the ballpark with modern standards.
There is the problem that anybody who does do new American aircraft kits are going ot get harrassed by Lockheed or Boeing (who between them own the rights to just about every American aircraft brand except possibly Curtiss). Tamiya broke down and paid off Lockheed for the 1/32 F-16 kit.
Bill