I`ve just received these Marushin G4M`s from a friend in Japan which i`m unbelievably happy with! I am also really,really pleasantly surprised at how well the wings mount into the fuselage. So well in fact, that they can be inserted quite securely without gluing or using the screws, as long as you don`t tilt the aircraft! This has obvious advantages for storage concerns, which was a big headache for me before deciding to purchase them. This got me thinking why manufacturers are not making 1/72 scale bombers such as B29,B36,B47,B52`s or Tu95`s,Tu16`s,Tu22`s,M4`s etc. when big aircraft like the 1/48 G4M`s can certainly be produced, if of course manufacturers have the will to do so.
Is it because the expense would be too great to produce? Too expensive for the customer? I`m sure 1/72 B52`s (as an example, say) would sell well, regardless of the retail price, and, with so many potential variants. Especially if the wings could be removed for storage. What do you think?
Is it because the expense would be too great to produce? Too expensive for the customer?
You hit the nail on the head! The production cost and retail costs just couldn't justify enough sales. There are already 1/72 scale plastic kits available of all those types you listed. Corgi made a 1/72 scale diecast AVRO Vulcan bomber, but I do wonder how many they sold and how many people have the space to display one...and a shelf strong enough to support it!
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The missing B.707s still needed to be done in 1/400: Uganda Airlines, Luxair,
DC-8s still needed to be done in 1/400: UAT, Iberia ('80s scheme), Air Ceylon, Air Spain, Seaboard World (-63CF)
Aeroclassics Comets still missing- Dan Air (4 & 4C), United Arab Airlines/Misrair/Egyptair, Kuwait AW, Sudan AW, East African AW, Saudi Royal Flt.
well ADRIAN first 2 VULCANS sold out. not sure yet on last years release. and they are doing another this year! so they must be selling. but at around £180 getting too expensive for some. would guess b52s etc would be £200 +. shipping would also be huge with the huge rise in postal costs in last 6 months due to covid.
as for space its possible to find! ok, a slight cheat. they are kits. but could put diecast there instead. middle vulcan has added lights!
Any idea how much the Betty weighs once it's assembled?
Around 2.3kg. Though the Marushin aircraft are considerably heavier than their counterparts. (compare HM Zero`s to Marushin`s and you`ll see what i mean). They surely used a different alloy to HM. AF1/Terebo? produce the Chinese version of the Tu16 Badger (Xian H6)in 1/72 scale. It would be interesting to see how much that weigh`s too for a comparison.
I could see people purchasing larger aircraft if they displayed maybe one or two at a time perhaps?
I have three of the Corgi Avro Vulcans and a Terebo H-6K Badger, which are all still in their boxes due to a lack of display space. They are all heavy, especially the Badger. From what I can recall, the postage alone for the Badger was more than the cost of a typical Hobby Master model.
From the box size given for the TU-95 (34cm X 35cm) and the price (US $62.55), I suspect it is more likely to be 1:144 scale. This fits in with the 50.1m wingspan of the real aircraft.
That doesn't seem very large for 1/72 scale. 35 cm is what...13.5 inches? Thats not really all that huge. Didn't these bombers dwarf the F-14 during the cold war by an extra 100 ft or so? I can't imagine that a 13.5" Tu-95 Bear is to scale with a 1/72 scale Tomcat that is 10.75" long. Feels like that Tu-95 might be a miscategorized 1/100 scale model
That doesn't seem very large for 1/72 scale. 35 cm is what...13.5 inches? Thats not really all that huge. Didn't these bombers dwarf the F-14 during the cold war by an extra 100 ft or so? I can't imagine that a 13.5" Tu-95 Bear is to scale with a 1/72 scale Tomcat that is 10.75" long. Feels like that Tu-95 might be a miscategorized 1/100 scale model
Yeah I agree....mis categorized is what I’m thinking as well.....my initial post about it was wording kind of eluded in that direction. Welp it was a hope...but now peterred out,
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The only heavy bomber i would still like to see in 1:72 scale Die-cast is the one in the picture below.. but i understand it would probably be to big, well that is what she said..
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The only heavy bomber i would still like to see in 1:72 scale Die-cast is the one in the picture below.. but i understand it would probably be to big, well that is what she said..
I must admit, i`m really surprised nobody has produced a 1/72 B-29 by now. I`m sure they`d sell like hot cakes.
You can preorder an H-6K (Chinese modified version of Tu-16) in 1/72 made by Air Force 1 on flyingmule. It is a huge and heavy one. While it is lack of some details that a 1/72 diecast can have, as many other models produced by AF1.
You can preorder an H-6K (Chinese modified version of Tu-16) in 1/72 made by Air Force 1 on flyingmule. It is a huge and heavy one. While it is lack of some details that a 1/72 diecast can have, as many other models produced by AF1.
Yes. It just goes to show it can be done, and for a fair price as well. I`m sure if AF1 can produce a single schemed model, which surely must sell, other manufacturers could produce similar sized aircraft profitably.
Yes. It just goes to show it can be done, and for a fair price as well. I`m sure if AF1 can produce a single schemed model, which surely must sell, other manufacturers could produce similar sized aircraft profitably.
Knowing AF1, “die cast” might be a stretch. Some parts will assuredly be plastic.
Which brings me to the topic of weight and shipping. My plastic 1/72 Monogram B-1s a physically substantial model , and I’d hate to imagine how heavy she’d be in die-cast metal. Especially from China where their Terebo Mig-19 weighs as much as my Air Commander F-4C.
You’d end up paying for freight shipping once it’s said and done, unless it was a plastic/ die cast hybrid.
Maybe. Tu-16 is 35m in length compared with the SR-71 Blackbird which is 33m in length. Century wings` SR-71 is reasonably priced i think. The B1 is 10m longer at 44m. Or the Tu-22 Blinder at 41m. It`s not unreasonable to suggest that it couldn`t be done. HM used plastic on their Mig-23 wings. I wouldn`t mind too much if some plastic was used to save weight, especially in the wing sections. If they were removable too, that would reduce the dimensions of the box as well. Which would also decrease shipping costs.
I bought the 1:72nd scale Chinese Badger a number of years ago---long before it showed up as an AF1 product. It's a very heavy and large beast but could use some more detail for a model of its size. Here's a picture:
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Large 1/72 scale diecast bombers? possible?
I am also really,really pleasantly surprised at how well the wings mount into the fuselage. So well in fact, that they can be inserted quite securely without gluing or using the screws, as long as you don`t tilt the aircraft! This has obvious advantages for storage concerns, which was a big headache for me before deciding to purchase them. This got me thinking why manufacturers are not making 1/72 scale bombers such as B29,B36,B47,B52`s or Tu95`s,Tu16`s,Tu22`s,M4`s etc. when big aircraft like the 1/48 G4M`s can certainly be produced, if of course manufacturers have the will to do so. 
