Albeback52

Another P-51 ? ( Yawns!) No, I'm not that interested in Spitfires either! ( Cue cries of "heretic" and, "burn him on the pyres of Smithfield!") Whatever floats your boat I guess. Still, even if I was interested, I wouldn't buy it. Can't afford the outrageous price!! £95 for a small single engine fighter?? Who are they kidding?

I think you will now find the price is £8.67!! Perhaps a bit of finger trouble on the part of the seller!!

Should look good when it's done. I'm about to start on my 2nd A-380. This will also be in BA colours but, I want to paint in the PROPER BA scheme!! i e the so called "LANDOR" scheme. I thought that was far & away the smartest of the BA schemes. I just HATE that silly squashed Union Flag they're currently using!!l No, it's got to be the dark blue with the silver crown ! I prefer to fill the windows in & use decals where appropriate. Not everybody's cup of tea but, it works for me As an aside, I really enjoyed building the kit. The only real fit problem I had was the large insert on the underside. I certainly had no trouble with the afore mentioned engine parts !!. They just slid into place beautifully ( with a WEE bit of effort!!) One thing that could be a minor problem is getting all 22 wheels to line up & touch the ground!! The u/c assenbly is very complex & I found the nosewheel assembly rather fragile - I've broken mine twice already!! I certainly think this is one of Revells best airliners. I have read several adverse comments here about Revell airliner kits generally & the A380 particularly. I've built many over the years &I honestly wonder if they are describing the same kits? . Suppose it depends what you're looking for I guess. I have no doubt that the purists,rivet counters & others who go looking for inaccuracies may disagree. Fair enough - I respect their views but,this particular model certainly looks like an A380 to me! I don't think you can really appreciate the sheer size of the thing until you actually see one! I have now obtained a 4th one and, this one is going to be the A-410 Samson military transport!! Well, I can't use the names "Hercules" or "Atlas" ( the A-400M) can I !! I've also got the Heller 1/125 scale kit but, I really don't like the way it's engineered.Seems overly complex & every review of the kit I've seen comments at length on the very poor fit & the amount of filling/sanding required. Fair enough - I'll find out soon enough!! Don't mind a challenge. I'm sure there's good reason for the way it's designed.

Impressive! However, any news as to when we proles will be able to get our grubby mitts on this kit? Think I will need at least 3!!

Touche' Nick!! Well, you DIDN'T post this !! "New lower prices on Trumpeter models" - this was on an advert in M A I magazine for Internet Hobbies in the USA. I guess "lower" is a relative term. Here are some examples.Judge for yourselves ; 1/32 Harrier GR-7 rrp $154.99 (£95.16). Lower price $119.34 (£73.27 1/32 F14D Tomcat - rrp $209.95 (£128.90). Lower price $161.66 (£99.26) 1/32 F105D Thunderchief rrp $139.95 (£85.92). Lower price $107.76 (£66.16) Postage charge via UPS is a default $40 for a 3lb parcel (£24.16) I simply refuse to buy anything by Hasegawa/Tamiya/Academy/Trumpeter from UK retailers. Unless of course I manage to pick up a bargain or two on evilbay!

I'd like to think that if every customer did the same Mark then, it might force them to mend the error of their ways ( or put them out of business!) However, I suspect that once a business has been bitten by the greedy bug, the condition is incurable! Have you seen the latest Hasegawa horror stories ; 1/72 F-18 Combo - 2 kits - £67.99 1/48 RF-35 Draken - £51.99 1/200 Space shuttle/Boeing 747 - £48.99 1/72 JU-88A-4 £46.99 1/48 ah-64 Apache - £54.99 1/72 J2MR - Raiden combo. 2 kits - £41.99 I don't use Modelzone myself - I found out myself I could get better deals elsewhere.

Thanks for the advice. Worth a try!

Traffic is on the increase & plans for future expansion include a parallel runway & additional terminal building. All way into the future though All of these shots were taken from the spectator balcony. Thanks to the BAA of course that facility is gone for good!! There's no view airside from the terminal at all unless you are in the departure lounge. And that is out of bounds unless you are a bona fide traveller!!

I know. Sorry folks but I'm having trouble with photobucket - AGAIN!!!! :shithappens: "!£%$^&*)!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, the Victor K2 isn't !! Built straight from the box. No modifications - well, apart from the intake guards. Don't think I got them quite right but, they do the job of hiding the horror story of the intake joints!!. Not the easiest of kits to build but, worth the effort. Yes, the IFR probe IS broken!!. I wanted something different from the TU-22. I know this is really a "what if" but, what the hell! This is the Revell edition of the old Esci kit. I don't care how inaccurate we now know it to be. It's a great looking aeroplane 7

Miscellaneous items from the good old days at Edinburgh!!

I'll try this again!!

Sorry folks!! Someone seems to have kicked my photobucket! Will try again later!!

Hi. Thought I'd contribute a few shots from the golden days at Edinburgh before the BAA closed the spectators balcony! : I've chucked in a few old air show shots as well. Be happy to answer any questionshttp://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/008.jpghttp://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/007-1.jpghttp://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/002-4.jpghttp://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/005-2.jpghttp://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/002-2.jpghttp://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/003-2.jpghttp://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/F6-Leuchars846x5632.jpghttp://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/91-551024x6871024x687.jpghttp://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/2282276http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/26556_800602x4002.jpg0x507.jpg

I can relate to that Andy. I was chatting with the shopkeeper in my local emporium. His wholesaler had commented that imports of kits from the Far East had dropped by over 60% - probably entirely due to the outrageous prices! I asked how they were selling in the shop. He just grimaced & shook his head! Even with heavy discounting, they were just gathering dust. He couldn't discount any more & still make a worthwhile profit. He told me about one customer who was looking for a 1/72 Lancaster. He was offerred a Hasegawa kit at £39.99 or, the new Revell kit at £14.99. The customer bought 3 of the Revell kits for not much more than the cost of the Japanese item!! Latest one I saw was £74.99 for the Trumpeter 1/32 A-4. Even in 1/32, it's quite a small model. £74.99 is just taking the mick surely? ps - I wouldn't pay even £90 for a 1/32 Spitfire - that is STILL criminally over priced!!

That would be nice but, I pray that it is NOT by Hasegawa or Trumpeter! Otherwise you'd probably have to pay about £100 for the privilege!

http://[iMG]http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/084-1.jpg[/img]IMG]http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g362/albeback52/083-1.jpg[/img] One of my latest aquisitions. Another reboxing of the old Otaki 1/144 C-5A Galaxy. Actually managed to get this at a reasonable price on ebay!. I have 2 other C-5A kits. Sorry - they are NOT for sale!!

Unfortunately no. The shop I bought from was in Hong Kong. I didn't think to save it a s a "favourite" seller!! However, it might be worth contacting the shop that is selling the Mig 23 & asking if they will combine postage. Even at £42.99 + £18.00 it's still a bargain compared to rip off Britain! I feel slightly guilty about importing kits myself because, I'd much rather give my business to our own shops but, I have to be practical.

Lol!! There's one on ebay right now at a " buy it now" price of £42.99 with postage to UK of £18.00. Kit is in China

That's a very valid point. One of my recent eBay purchases was a pair of Trumpeter 1/32 MiG 23 kits. I bought them direct from Hong Kong. The retailer offerred a postage discount because it was a multiple purchase. Total combined cost of the 2 kits + postage was just over £97.00. In other words, LESS than the cost of ONE of those kits in the UK. The comment about the distributor(s) is also interesting. If that is the case, how are they able to get away with it? Surely, if sales of these kits plummet due to their outrageous prices will the distributors not end up putting themselves out of business? Perhaps we should all start ordering direct from overseas? If it is true that the distributors are operating some sort of cartel can retailers not order direct from overseas wholsalers & by pass UK distributors?

If you think that's bad, how about £135 for the Tamiya 1/32 Spitfire XVIe Yes, that's right - £135!! That was quoted in a review in a well known UK modelling magazine. I really don't know where these stupid prices come from or how they can even possibly be justified but, I think that is for another forum. Other than a few bargains I picked up on ebay, I have not bought any 1/48 or 1/32 kits from ANY of the oriental manufacturers for several years now. They have simply priced themselves right out of my market. I only work part time & my budget is very limited. I have a self imposed limit of £50 on any model purchase. Of course, the smaller scales are not immune!! £42.99 for a Hasgawa Lancaster & £14.99 for a Revell kit!! I could go on. I am sure there are many reasons ( excuses?) for such OTT prices but, I cannot help wondering if companies like Hasegawa/Tamiya/Academy/Trumpeter will actually price themselves out of existence due to plummeting sales . This was the fear expressed to me by the manager in a local shop. despite heavy discounting ( there is only so far he can go & still make a profit), the kits are stubbornly refusing to sell. He has ordered far fewer &, I understand that massively declining sales ( due to high prices) have seen distributors importing far fewer kits. As an aside, I recently obtained the Hobbycraft re-boxing of the Trumpeter 1/32 F-105 at a very reasonable £42.99. Nearly HALF the price of the original but, the same kit (with different decals!!). Still, it's good to know that Messrs Airfix, Revell, Italeri can still produce high quality kits at bargain prices!!

She's beautiful Alan. Of course, the Phantom has to be one of the most beautifully ugly things ever to fly!! A real aeroplane! Give me one of those instead of a dinky toy F-16 any day! I like the Revell kit by the way. I have 2 in my stash but not much space!! I have in mind a 1/32 "what if" Phantom with a V- tail & forward swept wings. I'd love a Spey engined one but, guess I'll have to settle for what I've got!!. I'm sure the rumour about a 1/32 Spey engined Phantom being produced by Trumpeter was just an April Fool. Irrelevant anyway - I refuse to pay their OTT prices!! Lol!! Anyway, that's not an issue for this thread. Keep up the good work & welcome to the forum.

Ouch!! My eyes are still adjusting to the brilliance!! Looks good though! Will Easyjet be repainting the entire fleet or, is this just a one off?

Conversion kit or not, the price is, quite frankly, outrageous!! I thought the Japanese kit manufacturters were exorbitant but this surely takes the prize.To put this into some sort of perspective, you can buy 2 complete BRA.Z kits for that price or, 4 Revell A-34O kits ( & still have change for a few beers to help you get over the shock of the £90 asking price of the conversion). Of course, if someone (come on Revell) were to conveniently produce an A340-600 kit..................................!!!!!!!

Totally with you on that Mike. Italeri Heinkel HE-111Z £18.99, Hasegawa HE-111Z -£69, Revell 1/32 Junkers JU-88- £29.99, Hasegawa 1/72 Junkers JU-188 £42.00. Revell Lancaster £14.99, Hasegawa Lancaster £41.99, Tamiya 1/32 Spitfire £99.00!!!. Who is kidding who here?? The Far eastern manufacturers have, quite frankly, priced themselves right out of my market. I simply refuse to pay the exorbitant prices being asked. This is not just me being narrow minded - I only work part time so, my budget is severely reduced. For me, the only practical choice is the cheapest one. I was talking to shopkeeper in a model shop recently. I asked him how the far eastern kits were selling given the high prices. He just looked at me, shook his head & grimaced. Even with heavy discounting they were still gathering dust. He is now ordering far fewer. I also understand that poor sales in the UK & Europe have resulted in greatly reduced orders from the wholesalers. He also recounted the case of the customer looking for a 1/72 scale B-26 Marauder. He was offerred the Hasegawa item ( at £32.99) or the Airfix one at £9.99. He bought 3 of the Airfix ones stating he didn't mind putting in the effort but he wasn't prepared to pay an "over the top price (his words) for a relatively small model - regardless of how well detailed it was. £50-£60 is about as much as I can really afford to pay these days. As I stated in an earlier post, I do not go looking for inaccuracies. I take it as read that the manufacturers have done their homework for me! So, I will build straight from the box. As regards prices? Well, Iam sure there are reasons as to why you would need to sell the house in order to afford a Trumpeter 1/32 F-14 but, I just wish someone would enlighten me. I am fully aware that a kit has to be economically viable but, it seems to me that if kits produced in the Far East continue to be priced at such exorbitant levels, then the manufacturers may simply end up by putting themselves out of business . That would be a loss to us all. Just as an aside, I recently purchased the Hobby craft boxing of the Trumpeter F-105 at a very reasonable £41.99!!THis was NOT an ebay auction but, over the counter in a shop. At the end of the day of course it all comes down to choice.I accept that some people will willingly pay £100 + for a model. I respect that choice but, I'm afraid I will just have to do without