"1/144 planes thoughts" Topic
19 Posts
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pbhawkin | 09 Jun 2011 8:06 p.m. PST |
"just wish he would do 1/144 scale resin stuff as well as 1/100 stuff as I prefer the smaller scale for my FOW aircraft." A quote from another thread. Blowing my own trumpet a bit so I apologise in advance. I make resin 1/144 planes and have done so for a few years. it is NOT done to make money from and so is for the joy of making planes. I certainly can not compete (and am not trying to) with other makers such as AIM. If fact it takes quite a bit to find the spare time in order to do the casting especially if someone orders 3 or more of the same plane! I have announced releases here on occassions and even had miscmini do some review of some of the planes here (with thanks!). There are two markets for 1/144 planes as I see it. 1. Wargaming. 2. collecting to display. These are not always 100% compatible (delicate parts and smudging of paint etc when handling). Wargamers want a cheap product (don't we all :-) ) with enough details to show the model as being a reasonable representation of what it portrays. Collectors want it to be as accurate as possible with as much detail as possible and don't neccessarily care too much about price as they will perhaps only have one of that type. Always exceptions to the above and no critisisms meant of either school. My early models did not have panel lines (moveable control surface lines yes) and were good but not great representations of the real plane. My later models are (I think) little gems. My early planes sell for A$10 with a set of decals unless they are large or complicated to make (think Dornier 26 or He115 or B&V Ha139) and then they are about A$20. My 'little gems' are currently A$20 (spitfire Mk.XIVe) and A$25 (Beaufighter). I am very interested to know from the members here a couple of things. 1. What the ratio of 1/100 versus 1/144 for aircraft is amongst wargamers? 2. What is a reasonable cost for a wargaming plane? 3. What is the MINIMUM level of detail for the plane in point 2? 4. With my more detailed models would a lower price but a reduction in detail (Ie NO props, no wheels or landing gear (landing doors in closed position), no vacform canopy (solid resin only), no option parts (rockets, torpedoes), etc) be more attractive to wargamers? I am working on a Beaufort Mk.II and Mk.VIII (optional parts) as well as a Spitfire Mk.VIII. With some thoughts to do a Blenheim, Dornier 17Z and even a Wellington down the track! I am also looking at upgrading some of my earlier models to the 'gold' standard (Fw189, J2F 'Duck', Arado196 first). Thoughts and suggestions welcome. regards Peter H petersplanes.com |
miscmini | 10 Jun 2011 4:06 a.m. PST |
Hi Peter, here's my answers: 1. Ratio of 1/100 & 1/144: toss up – my interests are 1/300, 1/200, 1/144, and 1/100. 2. Reasonable cost for a wargaming plane: depends on scale, detail, type/size of the mini (mono v bi, fighter v bomber). 1/144 unpainted, monoplane, moderate detail, fighter $8+/-. 3. Minimum detail for above. Wheels only if fixed gear; panel lines & control surface lines for spinners, cowlings, canopies, windows, ailerons, rudders, flaps and elevators; exhaust stacks; and anything unique and prominent on the particular type of aircraft. 4. High quality kit w/less detail = lower price? Yes, I don't need all of the smaller details. Resin canopy is fine (doesn't need to be clear
if it is clear then there needs to be a pilot figure/bust included, no prop, not antennas, don't need the ordnance unless it was very distinctive (i.e. torpedo slung under a Devastator). Other: It's nice to have decals/transfers readily available for the mini. It's nice to have at least a small hole in the belly of the mini at the center of gravity (add magnet, steel screw, or larger hole for whatever type of stand I'm using). For most gaming I buy a minimum of three or four of any given airplane mini. The above are my thoughts and preferences. I don't pretend to represent any groups or clubs. Kevin |
John the OFM | 10 Jun 2011 4:49 a.m. PST |
I game in 1/144, and not at all in 1/100. Yes, I am cheap. I can get metal 1/144 from True North with an Old Glory Army card for around $4.80. I can get metal 1/160 (the same thing as far as I am concerned) for around $6-$8. Reviresco is comparable. I do not want to pay too much more for resin, particularly if the kit is already available. I usually buy 3 to 6 models of "standard" planes. I might be willing to pay a bit more for a funky one off, like an Arado 234 for a once in a lifetime Remagen scenario, but not much more. I game with mine, paint them as best I can, but will never enter any competitions. I see no ppoint in detail parts made in fragile resin. No props, no landing gear unless it was non-retractable. No antennas. I am ambivalent about cannons and guns, since I have done some 1/100 for friends. I would prefer metal because of resin fragility. However, for open cockpit planes, pilots and gunners would be nice. If "detail" = "a lot of tiny bits", then no. If it means corrugated fuselage and panel lines where appropriate, then yes. Clear canopies are to me a waste. "BTW, a Fokker C.X would be nice in 1/144", said the Finnish Flames of War player. |
Mako11 | 10 Jun 2011 2:45 p.m. PST |
$5 USD – $8, or $6 USD – $10 USD for single-engined aircraft (depending upon the detailing, and overall quality), and $7 USD – $12 USD for twin-engined. A decent level of quality is needed in my opinion, for wargaming, e.g. wing and tail panel lines/flaps at a minimum, but they don't need to be super-detailed. I'm fine with a resin/solid canopy, since presumably that will help to keep the cost down. Props aren't needed, since I'd prefer to use clear plastic disks to represent them spinning. No need for landing gear, since my aircraft will be shown in flying mode. My preference is for 1/144th scale. A significant discount for multiple unit purchases should at least be considered for customers. I could use 9 x Do-17's for the Battle of Britain now, if they are nicely done, since no one produces those. No doubt, many others would like to see this one produced in quantity too. The Ju-88G, and Me-410, as well as the B-26 are other candidates I'm interested in as well, for the twin-engined aircraft. Please consider production in metal too, even if that means having to outsource production, and a slightly higher cost, since they will be more robust for gaming. I'd much prefer metal planes for that, and imagine many others will as well, for the same reason – tail surfaces probably won't survive for long if produced in resin. |
svsavory | 10 Jun 2011 3:37 p.m. PST |
My 2 cents. 1. 1/144 exclusively. 2. Anywhere up to $10 USD or so for single-engine. Less is better, of course. 3. What miscmini said. 4. Mostly yes, although I prefer clear canopies. I've generally shied away from collecting metal models, mainly because of weight considerations. My wish list of affordable, lightweight resin aircraft would include a P-39 and P-47 Razorback. |
Mako11 | 11 Jun 2011 12:03 a.m. PST |
The P-39 is apparently finally available in plastic, in 1/144th scale. |
Dave Jackson | 11 Jun 2011 9:06 a.m. PST |
Can't add to much to above. I owned True North, and went specifically to 1/144 because it was a collectors scale and smaller aircraft scale than ground troops was preferable among the gamers I spoke to (including me and my crowd!!). I also stuck with ground attack as they would more likely appear in games than bombers and there were also quite a few bombers dome in plastic. |
Dave Jackson | 11 Jun 2011 9:10 a.m. PST |
Before I sold the business, I was considering doing bits & pieces due to large # of requests, ie: bombs torpedoes, rockets etc. Also, wanted to do a JU 52 as there were none available at the time, althought I believe Edouard does one in 1/44 platsic now. |
Chips88 | 12 Jun 2011 3:24 p.m. PST |
Peter - I would like to second Miscmini's and the other guy's comments both pricewise and modelwise. I wargame in several periods but when I game in the air, I am a 1/144 modeler with a bit of a collector thrown in. Like John and Kev, I don't need the fiddly items but if it's a Dauntless or TBF then it should have some bombs or a torp hanging on it. I don't need landing gear unless it is fixed and I always break off the props. If I am modeling a specific timeframe, like the Battle of Britian, then I am going to buy several of the same type. In my collection, I have as few as two of some models and several types that I have a dozen or more. As Mako said, I, too could use about 6 DO-17s. The more modern the era, the less the number of planes I tend to buy but I never buy less than two because if the dice roll badly one of your planes can go down quickly. With two of the same type you stand a better chance of seeing how the aircraft really fared against the enemy. One good thing about TMP is the guys will tell you exactly what they would like to have. Best of Luck, Kimball |
tuscaloosa | 14 Jun 2011 11:46 a.m. PST |
"The P-39 is apparently finally available in plastic, in 1/144th scale." Do tell where, I'm very interested. "
a JU 52 as there were none available at the time, althought I believe Edouard does one in 1/44 platsic now." The Eduard one is for collectors, i.e. lots of fiddly bits and very expensive. AFAIK, still a crying need for a reasonably priced (i.e., $20 USD or less) Ju-52 in 1/144. I game in 12mm, but use 1/144 for aircraft. I have checked out your website before Peter, but quite frankly didn't see the plane types I was in the market for. You do have quite an exotic and interesting range, though. My "reasonable cost" estimate is $15, that's about the max I'm willing to pay for a 1/144 aircraft. Maybe $20 USD if it's all that's available. |
Mako11 | 14 Jun 2011 11:46 p.m. PST |
Check eBay, or HLJ (Hobby Link Japan). I'd recommend ordering soon, since they'll probably be in demand, and tend to be short-run productions of the planes. |
zippyfusenet | 15 Jun 2011 9:10 a.m. PST |
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tuscaloosa | 15 Jun 2011 10:03 a.m. PST |
Thanks for the tips, they're still a bit over my budget, though. |
pbhawkin | 15 Jun 2011 2:35 p.m. PST |
"Thanks for the tips, they're still a bit over my budget, though." You do realise that price is for a mixed box of 10 don't you (3 of each plane plus a special)? so that works out at A$4.36 each! And that's a great price compared to what they can go for individually! |
svsavory | 15 Jun 2011 3:28 p.m. PST |
I've been tempted by Wing Kit Collection 7, but I already have plenty of P-40s and Bf-109Es (although I do like the desert 109). The P-39Qs look very nice, but I'd prefer them to all be in US markings. |
Mako11 | 16 Jun 2011 2:48 a.m. PST |
Well, plus shipping, which may cost almost as much as the models, depending upon the service chosen. I'd go with SAL, if you aren't in a rush, and buy from HLJ. |
pbhawkin | 21 Jun 2011 6:57 p.m. PST |
Ok guys, I currently sell the FULL Beaufighter kit for A$25 and the Spitfire Mk.XIVe for A$20. I am prepared to reduce these prices by 30% (postage extra)to: A$17.50 for the Beaufighter with solid resin for glazing, parts for closed landing gear doors (although could be made to represent open by a simple cut), no landing gear, no props, no rockets, no torpedo. A$14 for the Spitfire with prop spinner only, resin canopy, gear doors. How does that sound? Peter |
hurrahbro | 28 Jul 2011 5:16 a.m. PST |
1/144 for me. I game mainly in N Guage (Pendraken, Pithead etc). Appealing to me are Rusiian Civil War/Russo-Polish, China Warlords, Spanish Civil War, Very British Cival War, Inter-war Banana Republics, WW2, Post war banana republics upto around the late 70's. Something I can use in ground attack, stand alone, and as a ground target appeals. Here in the UK it seems as True North and Reviresco do not have a distributor, so early war/inter war aircraft are tricky to impossible to find. WW1 is easy (wings of war, Skytrex), late WW2 and Post WW2 and jets is easy enough. So I would be looking for 1930's aircraft that may have seen servcie in early WW2. if resin, I'd advise against casting struts for bi-planes, it would be better to cast either dimples to be drilled out or mounting points for brass rods or sprue/plastic rods to be inserted. Stronger, more work on my part but less aggro than fiddling with a bendy white metal strut or a fragile resin one. Most of mine are currently Furuta Choco Eggs which while the scale is all over the place, have been affordable, and when carefully chosen, the models are big enough for the tripple duty I want from them (they also lack the fragility of resin and the weight of lead that makes a fighter on a stand top heavy). I'm with John The OFM on the detail level. |
Lion in the Stars | 28 Jul 2011 4:20 p.m. PST |
I know this is in the WW2 section, but I have decided that the only time I want 1/100 aircraft is if they are landed. So, 1/100 for helicopters or gliders and targets for my LRDG to shoot up. Otherwise, 1/144 or smaller. I'm starting to think that 1/200 might be about right. 1/300 is too small for support aircraft. Because I do my collecting in 1/72, I don't want lots of fragile bits in my gaming minis. No prop blades, landing gear only for fixed-gear, and clear windows only for the open-cockpit birds. I would prefer metal gunbarrels if they're long. However, ground-attack aircraft should have bombs or rockets to hang under the wings. I don't mind paying ~$10-$12 for a single-engined plane, and I will buy 3 of whatever. Hey, I play Flames and I like to see the rolled number of aircraft. However, I would prefer lighter aircraft with good surface detail. Generally, that means plastic, but the right kind of resin can be light and resistant to breaking. |
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