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Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

Soo.... What did you just get???


Dave J

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@Rog (Artful(:

 

"PCM reduced prices on their FW-190’s ..."

could you tell us where, and to what?

:)

 

Also, thoughts on the HK landing gear?

Is it the soft(ish) white metal that SAC use, but just cast much (MUCH!) better, or the much tougher stuff that G-Factor use?

 

Cheers (and jealous)

 

Nick 

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@Rog (Artful(:

 

"PCM reduced prices on their FW-190’s ..."

could you tell us where, and to what?

:)

 

Also, thoughts on the HK landing gear?

Is it the soft(ish) white metal that SAC use, but just cast much (MUCH!) better, or the much tougher stuff that G-Factor use?

 

Cheers (and jealous)

 

Nick 

 

Heya Nick! :)

 

I'm now into a 7 day shift at work ... I'll endeavour to get onto it in the next few days ... and give you a more detailed heads up then

 

Rog :)

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@Rog (Artful(:

 

"PCM reduced prices on their FW-190’s ..."

could you tell us where, and to what?

:)

 

Also, thoughts on the HK landing gear?

Is it the soft(ish) white metal that SAC use, but just cast much (MUCH!) better, or the much tougher stuff that G-Factor use?

 

Cheers (and jealous)

 

Nick 

 

 

Heya Nick ... ok ...

 

1/ The PCM FW-190's ... This is a while back now (the price reduction) ... When I bought the 1st two in July-August last year (along with the Tempest and a couple of Pz.II.Ausf L's) they were $69.95 USD each ... The ones in the post above, I bought in late October at $54.95 USD each (current reduced price) after Ken posted a notice on either the LSP site or to my email ...

 

2/ The HKM Landing gear ... The only metal landing gear I had prior to this, is the brass stuff that Paul Fisher does for his Sea Fury ... Since I wanted one of his resin canopies for the MDC Typhoon I grabbed a couple ... and I grabbed the landing gear for the PCM Tempest while I was at it. So unfortunately I have no other comparission for you ... sorry!!! ... The HKM stuff (sold through PCM only unfortunately), seems quite decent and sufficient enough for my needs (at least it seems as decent as the kit gear if not better) and with the added moulded nose weight for the B-25 - that sort of sealed the deal - especially since I was getting another two FW190's. If you like ... I can take some more close up snaps on the work bench and email them to you??

 

Cheers

 

Rog :)

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Cheers Rog, much appreciated

 

The gear sure does look nice

I don't have a HK kit (yet - the Lanc and Mossie are definites for me) but being in the UK mine would be bought here (at crazy prices - much higher than yours) or, to avoid customs, from the Far East

Re the gear only being available from PCM, i this is true, I trust HK Models will see sense and have other distributors around the world. Given this is the case with their kits, I imagine this would be the case?

 

The Fw190 is pretty pricey here for what is an 'okay' kit in my opinion. For the money I could buy nearly 3 Revell 109s or nearly 2 Ju88s (gulp!!)

 

As to the Fisher Sea Fury landing gear for other craft, i am not an expert (in anything!) but I do remember reading that whilst they might fit, the gears are not one and the same. So, if accuracy is your thing, at least double check and let me know I am spouting senile nonsense!

:)

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Cheers Rog, much appreciated

 

The gear sure does look nice

I don't have a HK kit (yet - the Lanc and Mossie are definites for me) but being in the UK mine would be bought here (at crazy prices - much higher than yours) or, to avoid customs, from the Far East

Re the gear only being available from PCM, i this is true, I trust HK Models will see sense and have other distributors around the world. Given this is the case with their kits, I imagine this would be the case?

 

The Fw190 is pretty pricey here for what is an 'okay' kit in my opinion. For the money I could buy nearly 3 Revell 109s or nearly 2 Ju88s (gulp!!)

 

As to the Fisher Sea Fury landing gear for other craft, i am not an expert (in anything!) but I do remember reading that whilst they might fit, the gears are not one and the same. So, if accuracy is your thing, at least double check and let me know I am spouting senile nonsense!

:)

 

Heya Nick ...

 

Yes ... HKM have a few other distributers worldwide (including Spruebothers!) ... I bought my HKM kits from Frontline Hobbies, based over east here - at $320.00 AUD for the B-17 and $170.00 AUD for the Mitchell (about 176.00 GBP and 94.00 GBP respectively) ... I wouldn't have normally bothered with that one - but with it being discontinued, it may just work out to be an investment?? ... Anyhoo, I asked them about ANY metal landing gear - they knew of none, whereas Spruebrothers had some (AM), but a chat with them over the phone revealed no knowledge of any Branded HKM gear ... so it was off to PCM ... Like I said the moulded nose weight included with the gear in the Mitchell set, sold that one for me.

 

I've seen some of the PCM kit prices online from UK distributers (Model Hobbies is my Go-To shop!) ... and you are right ... they are ridiculous there! :huh: ... I only buy either Revell kits ... or rare Dragon/Trumpeter kits from there or Europe ... also the occasional Miniart/Masterbox/ limited run resin kits etc. At about $64.00 AUD (from USD) plus postage, they are just shy of the cost of a Hasegawa kit at retail here (I go to either Japan or Hong Kong for those).

 

Ahhh the Sea Fury ... I spoke to Paul OTP before I ordered ... he seemed to think that the gear was the same design for the Tempest ... but not of course, for the Typhoon. There have been 'aye's' and 'nay's' all over the show from the galleries everywhere ... but on the whole, I think the 'aye's' have it! ... lol I suppose I'll see if I've wasted my cash when I come to build the kit - looking to be about two years away with all the other stuff on the go ATM. 3 G-6's Revell/Trumpeter/Hasegawa will take me a while as I scramble for AM/PE etc during the builds :wacko:

 

Rog :)

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My ongoing search for some of the rarer kits (in Australia at least), has me heading out over the boarders (in cyberspace) quite regularly ...

 

While grabbing the new Revell Erla from my UK supplier, I also grabbed the Trumpeter Bf109G-2 Trop ... very difficult to find in Australia ... Not wanting to start a mud flinging match about accuracy - It is probably accurate to say that Trumpeters G-2 series is their best 109 out ... and, for mine, pretty accurate overall (in comparission to the E series or the early G-6 they do) ...

 

At about the same time my Japanese supplier has a few Hasegawa kits in "alternative boxing" ... a couple that I wanted in particular ... but he also had the 109F-2 Trop which is starting to get a little harder to find around the place (at least in "brand new" guise AND with the Marseille figurine!)

 

IMG_0394_zps3d46ff59.jpg

 

My favourite ace ... Heinz Bar ... I had already found one of these ... but since this guy had another going cheaper ... why not?? ... Another in my "Top Five" is Josef Priller ... a specially boxed FW190 in Priller makings?!?! ... I didn't know it existed!!! ... Yes please!! :D

 

IMG_0396_zps58fbbff0.jpg

 

... And another couple of "alternative boxing kits" ... a Bf109G-14 from JG5, plus a sweet looking Dora from JG4 ...

 

IMG_0397_zpsa69c5ccc.jpg

 

Rog :)

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Well, I opened the box an slobbered on the parts, Rog. You're right, it's a splendid model. Africa scheme, no question about it.

 

Ahhh yes ... they should provide complimentary paper towels ... There's no shame in it, I tell you!! I'm sure many more of us have done the same ...

 

Yep - African it is ... there's just something about the way the Luftwaffe do camo. eh? ,,, and I have my A-1 for the "traditional" splinter.

 

Rog :)

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Well ... another couple of kits arrived in the mail today ... Obviously local to the Greater Perth area (deduced by his ad in e-bay) this supplier had one of those rarer Hasegawa boxings of an FW190D-9 ... and I grabbed another Bf109G-14 off him for good measure! ...

 

IMG_0399_zps0718b5eb.jpg

 

I had never seen this edition of the FW190 before ... It's a "Special Edition" and contains some "Detail Parts" although I don't know how these will stand up to scrutiny by the aficionados ...

 

IMG_0400_zps3f017d57.jpg

 

Among other things ... rubber tires, PE, what looks like copper tubing and various other metal detail items ...

 

IMG_0401_zps9adeb4d6.jpg

 

The PE set ...

 

IMG_0404_zps7d8053c3.jpg

 

Some metal landing gear and hubs for the rubber tires (dunno how much more detailed this lot is, and it looks kind of gimmicky wacko.png

 

IMG_0403_zpscb3676ed.jpg

 

Rear landing gear ... with moulded wheel/tire!!!!!????? unsure.pnghuh.png

 

IMG_0402_zps20f966b9.jpg

 

Metal propeller blades ... again huh.png ?????

 

IMG_0406_zps58d75423.jpg

 

Exhaust stacks ... not fully hollowed out either ... so the question begs - why bother?

 

IMG_0405_zpsf6eb8c38.jpg

 

On the surface - impressive ... but maybe they were trying to copy what some of the more recent manufacturers market releases have been doing (all-in-one kits)... only maybe not as well???

 

Rog smile.png

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It's actually the complete opposite Rog...

 

On the surface - impressive ... but maybe they were trying to copy what some of the more recent manufacturers market releases have been doing (all-in-one kits)... only maybe not as well???

 

The original incarnation of this Hasegawa Fw190 kit dates from the mid 1980's, about '86 IIRC. It used many of the sprues from their older 190A kit, with a new fuselage added along with the extra detail parts you have noted. Up until this point, the only other 1/32nd scale Dora kit was the older Revell kit. Although the older plastic parts had raised rivet detail that was at odds with the newer subtle fuselage details, it was perhaps still the better option available to get to a Dora at that time. There have been three different versions of this kit, all of them before the new-tool Dora kit that Hasegawa released in 2003.

 

So although perhaps crude by today's standards, the white metal and p/e details included with these kits were quality items at the time, that many modellers considered well worth the premium prices these kits attracted.

 

Steve.

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It's actually the complete opposite Rog...

 

 

The original incarnation of this Hasegawa Fw190 kit dates from the mid 1980's, about '86 IIRC. It used many of the sprues from their older 190A kit, with a new fuselage added along with the extra detail parts you have noted. Up until this point, the only other 1/32nd scale Dora kit was the older Revell kit. Although the older plastic parts had raised rivet detail that was at odds with the newer subtle fuselage details, it was perhaps still the better option available to get to a Dora at that time. There have been three different versions of this kit, all of them before the new-tool Dora kit that Hasegawa released in 2003.

 

So although perhaps crude by today's standards, the white metal and p/e details included with these kits were quality items at the time, that many modellers considered well worth the premium prices these kits attracted.

 

Steve.

 

Well there you go ... a wealth of information, you are Steve!! :)

 

I had no idea it was the older tooled version ... After reading this I went and opened the box for ST-19 alongside this kit to do a quick comparission ... and waddya know?? Yep! Quite a bit of difference there in sprues!!! ... I suppose I could get all bent out of shape for being dense enough to buy without doing my research - but since I've never seen the kit before (through quite a bit of looking around) and I had figured on grabbing it as a "collectors item" ... I guess it probably still is!!

 

After all ... I'm chasing the odd Matchbox 1/32 kit in good condition for that same reason!

 

Thanks for chipping in! :)

Rog :)

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Couple of things landed today...

 

Trumpeter KV-1

Academy Hetzer (got it landed from Korea for $25!)

 

 

13230-Hetzer-01.jpg

 

 

Excellent! ... the Hetzer is an awesome machine :) ... one of my fav chassis adaptions!

 

um ... 301 + 103 = 404 lol :D

 

Rog :)

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Its a neat looking kit Rog! Even Paint masks are included for the Camo!

 

Just Googled it ... nice looking kit for the price ... I have a Tamiya one for the moment, but will probably look at Dragon soonish (for a Stug IV as well) ...

 

I alway remember the lines from Girls und Panzer and it makes me smile ...

 

"Great shot! ... now target the Lang at 1 o'clock"

"uh ... which one is the Lang?!?! ..."

"The one that looks like Hetzers big brother!" :D

 

Rog :)

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Excellent! ... the Hetzer is an awesome machine :) ... one of my fav chassis adaptions!

 

um ... 301 + 103 = 404 lol :D

 

Rog :)

 

 

Hahaha I wonder what you were referring to Rog! Now I see it! That website That I linked the image from changed it! I will fix that now!

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