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The Tomohawk Kid

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Posts posted by The Tomohawk Kid

  1. On 10/04/2021 at 02:42, hopkp said:

    I'd really be very interested to know how well all of those 'classic' kits are selling and to whom. I built pretty much all of them in my youth as did any of my friends who are into modelling and none of us have any interest in revisiting them now, either out of nostalgia or for any other reason. Life's simply too short at this stage (we've all seen our 60th birthdays come and go) and there are far too many more recent kits out there still to be built to waste time re-doing all of the old stuff.

     

    Genuinely puzzled as to what market they're aimed at.....

     

     

    They are aimed at the likes of me.

     

    However, Revell have not had a bespoke 'classic' range for some years now. When they were last around I was able to buy dealer packs of quite a few of them at knock down prices where kits were working out at a couple of quid each - I still must have at least 15 Rotodynes, with multiples of the B-47 Jupiter C,  the V2 and others from the range.

     

    They are aimed at the likes of me, but its clear the market is limited or else the range would be still going strong.

     

    Tommo.

  2. On 09/04/2021 at 08:19, Eric Mc said:

    I truly hate posts like this. They are just idle gossip and bring nothing of value to any discussion. 

     

    If someone has definitive news and evidence to back it up, fair enough. But just throwing a dangerous rumour out into the void is downright irresponsible, in my opinion.

     

     

    I bet Revell hate it more!

     

    Agreed there needs to some form of substantiation, otherwise as you say it is very dangerous idle gossip.

     

    Tommo.

    • Like 3
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    13 minutes ago, Paul Thompson said:

    I'm not trying to be funny but I'm confused now. What's the motor I mentioned for? The only one shown in the instructions is to rotate the model and the radar, and although there is no info printed on the motor itself it looks like the type 130 illustrated.

     

    There are 2 clear sprues, one untinted for small bits, and one with the 2 side windows and the large finned dome on the top. The latter are tinted a deep blue.

     

    Paul.

     

     

    You will require a Mabuchi RS-540SH motor (or UK equivalent) to motorise the model and make the lighting work:

     

    https://www.hlj.com/mabuchi-motor-rs-540sh-mab50654

     

    The kit includes the mechanics and wiring/lighting, but not the motor.

     

    Mine has two clear glazing sprues, but it is an original Aoshima boxing, not the Bachmann one.

     

    Tommo.

  4. 8 minutes ago, Paul Thompson said:

    Tommo, there's a bag containing separately bagged nylon or plastic cogs and brass rods, 4 screws, a motor, and a bag with a wire, another wire ending in a wheat-ear bulb, 2 terminal strips, a terminal block, 2 battery terminal ends (one with spring) and a sachet of grease, plus yet another bag with 2 nylon cogs and 4 nylon cylinders. Oh, nearly forgot, 2 round magnets so thunderbird 3 can be mounted removably.

     

    Paul.

     

    Ah! Its the same as the Aoshima boxing.

     

    If you want the TB-5 itself and the radar dish to rotate and lighting to function you will need to buy a motor.

     

    I have just checked my boxing and glazing sprue is clear.

     

    Tommo.

  5. 1 hour ago, Paul Thompson said:

    No time to check if already mentioned, and too doddery to remember, so at the risk of repeating, a Thunderbird 5 just arrived here and it still has the motor and lighting originally included. Also multi-coloured plastic, which is less pleasant (tinted transparancies are a nice idea, but only when a plausible shade). Altogether a very nice package though.

     

    Paul.

     

     

    It has the motor included?  Thats an upgrade on the Aoshima boxing, as one had to buy that seperately - so a giant thumbs up to Bachmann.

     

    This is my favourite Aoshima TB kit, the additional sprues make a HUGE difference to the accuracy and fidelity to the finished model. Although, the included TB-3 is woeful - it is a shame Aoshima could not have included new sprues for that too.

     

    Tommo.

  6. At the risk of thread drift, I would throughly recommend Stephen La Rivère’s definative history of the Anderson's puppet series "Filmed in Supermarionation". Other than being an absolutely fantastic and balanced read - it is chokka full of photos, many unpublished, so therefore it is a fabulous reference resource.

     

    https://shop.gerryanderson.co.uk/products/filmed-in-supermarionation-book-hardcover-with-slipcase?gclid=Cj0KCQjwjPaCBhDkARIsAISZN7RT98LDbzqG12mS0H4uIBzkqdMELLjhOE2d1EMI5AGDY4N4Koe9K24aAn6yEALw_wcB

     

    I believe this is the updated and expanded edition that was originally part of the fab and long out of print and much sought after "Filmed in Supermarionation" box set. That came complete with the 2BD documentry of same name and a whole slew of HD remastered Anderson Supermarionation programmes and emphera such comics, post cards et al.

     

    Tommo.

     

     

    • Like 1
  7. 8 minutes ago, MiG-Mech said:

    But I do not compare with Welsh Models'.

     

     

    I'm not sure where you are going with this one, where else are you going to get one cheaper, I ask? A 1/72 Electra for $90 with full interior, is stonking good value.

     

    BtW I'm not dissing the Welsh kit it is very good indeed - I have a couple and one will be made in the TAA Hi VIz/dayglo livery of the early '60s.

     

    Tommo.

    • Like 1
  8. 14 hours ago, general melchett said:

    It’s handy that TB1 can be built with either the wheeled or skid style undercarriage to allow different configurations, including the reversed main gear legs of ‘type A‘, seen in 9 episodes, including ‘Trapped in the Sky‘ and ‘Pit of Peril’, to be built, (although you’d need to source another ‘Thunderbird’ decal for the fuselage underside). You also get enough decals in the box to cover several versions, (according to Thunderbirds Fandom, there were some 15 variations of the craft seen in the TV series, many probably remodelled earlier versions). Most of it came down to using different fonts, changing the position of the TB1 and centre-line markings, adding a hatch window and the two black rings around the forward fuselage. Different versions would appear in the same episode so consistency wasn’t a thing they worried about back then.  All in all a lot of fun.

     

    Aoshima originally marketed them as two seperate kits (film and Tv versions). However, all the parts one needs are in either boxing to build both variants if one grabs the appropriate refererences.

     

    The screen time of the TB machines in reality was quite limited and all at the time would have watched the episodes on a low grade CRT B/W screen (Thunderbirds was not aired in colour in the UK until 1976, and that was in the Yorkshire region only). There was no thought what so ever, to longevity or repeat viewings on hi-def BD, therefore any variation in the filiming miniatures was not a huge concern. The masterstroke however, was to have all the Anderson and Century 21 productions filmed in 35mm - therefore they scrub up amazingly well in BD. I have the long OOP Japanese BD set and the picture quality is truly astounding/astonishing and one can spot the differences!

     

    Tommo.

    • Like 2
  9. I missed this too.

     

    I have a couple of Heller 707s I snagged for a bargain and made off like a bandit. I have the HaHen BOAC and Lufthansa decals as well as their resin Conways and wing conversion, but I have to date shied away from it as there is a LOT work involved to turn it into a 707-436. Dunno which livery I will eventually dip for tho'.

     

    I have 1/72 Olympic decals too - which suits the 707 in my opinion better than the BOAC livery, not that it does not look cool in BOAC colours, it does. The Olympic version is however an is an easier proposition from the base Heller kit, that in turn might get it on the workbench sooner.

     

    Good looking build BtW, can't wait to see it finished - I always like the idea of a travel agent style model.

     

    Tommo.

    • Like 2
  10. 8 hours ago, Caerbannog said:

    I once build the Atomic City Pod which is not even close to screen acurate inside. Still I like it because of the lightning installed inside.

     

     

    To be fair to Scott Alexander (which I'm not keen on, due to the Atomic City debacle) he never claimed it was. But various companies including Paragrafix did some wonderful interior upgrades that made a huge improvement.

     

    Tommo.

  11. On 18/03/2021 at 20:34, oldmodeler said:

    I have the  MOBEIUS 1/144 Discovery  and 1/55 moonbus to do after.  The MOBEIUS kit is supposed to be from the movie  2001, but some say it is the one from 2010 especially around the windows at the front. The plan is to paint the panel work exactly as the 54ft movie prop, it is mostly a blue-grey that is had to get right. 

     

    Yes the Moebius Discovery is based on the 2010 filiming miniature because it is still extant. Scott Alexander rehabbed it a bit back for TCM the company that owns 2001 and 2010 now and it was/is displayed in thier offices.

     

    When you get around to the Moonbus, both the Paragrafix detail kit (it just been updated and re-issued, so an easy if expensive snag at the moment) and the Stargazer (Ian Walsh) accurate interior kits are both absolutely essential, if you don't already have them. Timless Hobbies (Tony James) did have limited stocks of the later not so long back.

     

    Me, I'm waiting for the Moebuis Boeing Aries 1B, but I do have the AJA 1/48 kit c/w interior in my pending pile if that does not materialise.

     

    Tommo.

  12. On 18/03/2021 at 20:34, oldmodeler said:

    Thanks Tommo,

    The strange thing is the movie was around 1966 when it was made,  the artists and set builders predicted window views on a computer somehow, when few computers were in use, they had punch cards, no graphic display, and then ---they though computers could be intelligent!  Ha, Ha.

     

     

    To  get the the flat screen effect that Kubrick wanted it was a series of 8mm film on a loop. But, in the film its imposible to tell and looks like and iPad screen from 2021.

     

    Tommo.

  13. 6 hours ago, Beermonster1958 said:

    It's not the museum that is the problem.

    The proposed new visitor centre which, would have housed both the Vulcan and, the Comet has been denied planning permissions by the local clowncil.

    All because a noisy group of tree huggers got upset that 300 trees would have to be removed to facilitate moving the aircraft to the proposed new building!!

    The whole area is awash with trees!! There must be thousands of them and yet.......! If I thought I could get away with it, I'd set fire to them or, chop the wretched things down myself!

    The decision to refuse planning permission is under appeal but, we are dealing with a local authority here so, don't expect sense or reason to be involved in the decision making.

     

    John

     

     

    Planning is a none political process and should be made on a set of strict set of mostly national critera and any convenats that may stretch back hundreds of years - such as the land must remain wooded or only be used for recreational use et al. The local authority is purely the adminstrator of the process, if the  decision was deemed to be made on a political basis it will be overturned at appeal and the costs attributed back to the LA.  A good gauge will be in the planning portal - if the officers recommend approval (possibly with conditions), however the elected members choose to ignore thier recommendation of thier officers and vote otherwise there is a very good chance the decision will overturned at appeal. Everything including minutes is publically visable on the planning portal. If in doubt have look to see what the officers recommended prior to the application going to the council committee and see how the members voted.

     

    This is waaaay off topic, but having pretty much having a working life wrapped up in obtaining PP, I thought it was worth a word or two about the process, trying my best to stay clear of the politics, which I have no idea about in this particular case anyway.

     

    Tommo.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  14. 19 hours ago, WV908 said:

     

     I believe they have the funding but not the planning permission yet 

    WV908

     

    It would be strange to obtain funding and not have planning in place - because, one could be in the unenviable position of having to return or reallocate the funding if the app was denied for any reason - if its part funded by third party grant funding planning is nearly always a prerequisite. I suspect there maybe a pre-app in place, this won't appear on the planning portal, but will  however inform if the development is feasible from a planning persepective.

     

    Apologies this is wildy off topic post, but I it was worth a mention before I return to my hole.

     

    Tommo,

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1
  15. 4 hours ago, general melchett said:

     It's a shame they didn't continue the range with a few guest vehicles such as the Crablogger, R.T.L 2, Gray & Houseman Road Construction vehicle, Sentinel strike vessel or my favourite, the Sidewinder.

     

    Too niche even for Aoshima I suspect, given they only appeared in one episode each. Fireflash at least appears in two and is ever present in both. I would have thought the 'helijet' in a decent size might have been an option as it is a recurring vehicle in various episodes. But, I'm sure if they were going to kit it, they would have done so by now.

     

    It will be interesting where Bachmann take this range in the future, if they do at all - given they have cherry picked the best of Aoshima's TB range, save the TB-3 launch silo - which would be worth them re-issuing.

     

    That said, from what I can make out, it looks like it has been an overwhelming success for Bachmann.

     

    Tommo.

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