1/32 Lancaster - Do We Really Want It - Or Would Something Else Have Been Better?

[woody37]

Well, I'd prefer a 1/1 scale Lanc, but that will produce marginally more storage issues than the 32 scale one

[tomprobert]

I agree with the vast majority of opinion on this - it will sell, but not in huge numbers.

I think you have to have a particular interest in an aircraft if you are to spend the asking price for a 1/32nd Fortress or Lancaster, not to mention the storage space required. (I have both in 1/32nd already, but in rather basic vacform, and know how big they are!)

There are already some large bombers covered in large scale injection molded form, such as the 1/32nd Ju-88, He-111 and B-25, not to mention the 1/24th scale Airfix Mosquito. I've only bought the Mosquito because it is an aircraft I love and really wanted one, but have passed on the others as they do not really 'float my boat.' I'm sure many others do the same.

Thus I feel it will be the same with the B-17 and Lancaster; I for one will buy the B-17 as it is my all time favourite aircraft, but I won't get the Lanc as 1) I already have one in this scale, and 2) I don't have the same passion for it as the B-17.

I get the feeling the Fortress will do reasonably well the world over (and especially in the US and UK as they are iconic aircraft due to the connections with WWII) but I suspect the Lanc won't sell as well in the US... but I hope I'm wrong!

I also feel that this is why mainstream manufacturers don't tackle the lesser known Bomber Command aircraft in 1/48th scale. Granted, they'd sell like hot cakes here in Blighty, but can you imagine the US market (or even European for that matter) falling over itself for a 1/48th Hampden or Whitley? It's a shame, but I can't see it happening.

Just my

Tom

[JohnT]

I've been following the posts with interest and there is much in what is being said.

Trumpeter must have anticipated sufficient market sales to justify not just one mark of Wellington but two. If they had their sums right then I would guess the same market would buy a Halifax and a Stirling though maybe not a Hampden or Whitley. Just my gut feeling.

If I were Airfix I'd be looking at doing the 3 RAF heavies. I would be looking at price so no fancy internal details that can't be seen a la Monogram B29. I would spend my development cash on getting outline and dimensions correct along with the basic stuff so it could go to market at a very attractive price. I would have the model presented so those such as us could if we wished add as much AM as we wanted

But then I am not and so we don't have those models and maybe Airfix will make a bigger profit as a result!!

[Work In Progress]

It's way too big for me. I build flying models of that size and up, but they are tough enough to cope with an outdoors life. I can hang them on the garage wall or wherever, and I leave off any detail that I can't see in flight. A static model, detailed and covered with delicate breakable features, makes no sense whatsoever to me. It would have to go in a case just to survive, and that case would have to be the size of a whole tabletop.

[Alan Kelley]

Considering the size of the 1/48th Lancaster I think the 1/32 would be far too big.

Detail would be exceptional, though. I would much rather see a state of the art 1/48 Lancaster-

one that is accurate and well detailed- looking at the detail in Great Wall releases- 1 by them would

be the ticket.

[ArnoldLayne]

Keep'em coming, I'll get them all. The 32 scale frenzy is a really nice launch from HK-Models

[gingerbob]

One question I haven't seen asked yet- who's going to offer the Manchester conversion to go with it!?

bob

[JohnT]

One question I haven't seen asked yet- who's going to offer the Manchester conversion to go with it!?

bob

Thats coming after the Lincoln conversion set

[pigsty]

Size, and even price, aren't of themselves what would make or break something like a 1/32 Lancaster. The wingspan would be a whisker less than that of the Monogram 1/72 B-36 and the length considerably less. Amodel offers a 1/72 Hughes H-4 that's over four feet across and manages to find buyers at something like £350, and the 1/35 Soar Art Dora was six feet long and well past £300 as well. There's even been a 1/24 vacform Lancaster, hasn't there? We must conclude, from the plans to actually sell one, that someone has done the sums and reckons they can make this work in 1/32. Either that or they're a multi-millionaire with a quixotic sense of philanthropy.

As is usual with these things, we don't know what alternatives they might have had in mind. I doubt the manufacturer weighed a single 1/32 heavy against all three in 1/48; this has more of the air of a labour of love, influenced by the fact that the Lancaster has a much higher public profile than the Halifax or the Stirling. We can't legitimately complain that they've somehow wasted effort that "ought" to have been put into something else. While they stand or fall by their sales, any company can still sell what it likes.

As for what I'd buy - not a chance. I did go mad and buy the B-36, but it was only twenty quid. I shudder to think what a 1/32 Lancaster will cost - even with no interior at all it would be stupid money, and I can't see there being no interior at all. The three heavies in 1/48 have a certain appeal, but I don't love them enough to shell out what would need to be over £300 to get half-decent kits (based on the price of Tamiya's Lancaster). All three in 1/72 makes more sense. They'd fit well alongside my other multi-engined bombers in 1/72 and would finally bring me full circle - playing with my brother's old Airfix Lancaster, Halifax and Stirling. Though I wouldn't want those old kits! Airfix's new Lancaster looks promising, Revell's Halifax may be salvageable once they produce a Hercules-engined variant, and now we have Italeri threatening us with a Stirling.

[gingerbob]

Size, and even price, aren't of themselves what would make or break something like a 1/32 Lancaster. The wingspan would be a whisker less than that of the Monogram 1/72 B-36 and the length considerably less. Amodel offers a 1/72 Hughes H-4 that's over four feet across and manages to find buyers at something like £350

As for what I'd buy - not a chance. I did go mad and buy the B-36...

I finally got a B-36 in the last year or two. The only thing that had stopped me before was that it was 72nd, and I'd long since turned my back (almost- there are always exceptions!) on that scale. When I finally lifted the lid... wow, that's a big beastie! (I've seen real ones, so I should have known, but I'd have thought stepping down from 48th to 72nd and all...)

As for the Hughes, I'm holding out for 48th! I might have to make my own RC Electric someday, or something.

Oh, and by the way, there already IS a 48th Halifax, though you'd never know it (and probably most people prefer to forget it).

bob

[pigsty]

When I finally lifted the lid... wow, that's a big beastie!

On mine the fuselage halves won't go back in the box. They must have gone in at the factory, but now ...

Oh, and by the way, there already IS a 48th Halifax, though you'd never know it (and probably most people prefer to forget it).

And a 1/48 Hampden, which had much the same reception. Though I think the chances of a 1/48 Whitley, even one as bad as that, are fairly slim.

Monogram also offer a 1/48 B-29. But of course their interest will stop at the US coast, so they're not really an example that can be read across to the RAF heavies.

Edited February 25, 2013 by pigsty

[tomprobert]

And a 1/48 Hampden, which had much the same reception. Though I think the chances of a 1/48 Whitley, even one as bad as that, are fairly slim.

Monogram also offer a 1/48 B-29. But of course their interest will stop at the US coast, so they're not really an example that can be read across to the RAF heavies.

Don't forget that if you are desperate for 1/48th Bomber Command aircraft Sanger have pretty much the whole range ecovered in 1/48th.

They do the Halifax (Hercules and Merlin), Stirling, Whitley, Hampden, Beaufort, Blenheim and Manchester. There is also a Wellington but of course the Trumpeter version has since been released. They are not the easiest of builds, but with a bit of graft can make fantastic representations of the real aircraft.

If you want post war heavies, they are pretty well covered too with both the Lincoln and the Shackleton well catered for.

[ArnoldLayne]

Keep'em coming, them big beasts... I would even consider getting them in 1/24 scale. I really love the added detail and they look darn cool on the shelf.

[gingerbob]

Well, I'd prefer a 1/1 scale Lanc, but that will produce marginally more storage issues than the 32 scale one

On the other hand, it would give you a great place to store your stash of kits- just don't park it out in the sun.

bob

[is it windy yet?]

If I was ever to buy a 1:32 heavy it would only be the Lancaster. That being said I don't do 1:32 heavies or even twins, might make an exception for a mosquito. Offer me a fairly mainstream fighter in 1:32 and I'd be all over it

[martinj]

Just got the new SAMI magazine looks like the B-17 comes with a bracket to hang it on the wall

think that would scare me.

doesn't mention if this option is available for the Lanc

[Work In Progress]

Keep'em coming, them big beasts... I would even consider getting them in 1/24 scale. I really love the added detail and they look darn cool on the shelf.

You have a 52" wide shelf? That's four inches wider than a UK-standard double bed.

[ArnoldLayne]

You have a 52" wide shelf? That's four inches wider than a UK-standard double bed.

LOL. Oh, I figure the landing gear could sit on a 30" shelf, the rest sticking out

Edited March 3, 2013 by ArnoldLayne

[Albeback52]

If that's the case, or "cold reality", I'm surprised so many manufacturers are heading towards producing 1/32nd models!

Max

1/32 is fine up to a point. A small aeroplane like a Me -163, Spitfire, or Harrier builds into a respectable sized model and, even a large aeroplane ( e g Beaufighter, F-105, Phantom, F-14 ) is within manageable proportions. the scale also permits a large amount of fine detail that would be impractical in smaller scales. There are however limits. Out of all the manufacturers "heading toward prodicing 1/32 models", how many are actually producing or going to produce 1/32 models of the size of a Lancaster and/or B-17?

For all your (understandable) enthusiasm, I think you need to temper it with a little caution and practicality. I respectfully suggest that, no matter how good this kit is, sheer size alone will make it impractical. Also, given the outrageous price levels for many imported Far East produced models, what is thing going to cost? I also therefore think it will be well nigh unaffordable for a lot us. I include myself. I am assuming HK have done market/sales research into the viability of the B-17 and Lancaster. It might be interesting to see the results as I don't think they would invest in these models without sound resaons?

No, I will not be buying this or the B-17. Sadly, I think they will not sell well for the reasons stated and, they may well be the last 1/32 kits we see of subjects like this. I would be pleased to be proved wrong but, for very practical reasons, I honestly believe that 1/32 is a scale too far for these particular subjects. My own view is (again for practical reasons) that 1/48 is really the limit for aircraft such as these.

Allan

Edited March 7, 2013 by Albeback52

[Shar2]

Albeback, the price of the B-17 is £184 although I pre-ordered mine at £164, so, considering the size I think it's pretty reasonable. Talking of size, it may require a large square to display it, but it's still nothing compared to the 1:200 Bismarck or 1:35 Dora railgun that I also have in the stash. Hopefully it will have the ability to detach the wings in the same way as HKs B-25s.

[Mike]

Here's a few pointers:

• If you can afford it, and like the size, buy it
• If you can't afford it, don't buy it
• If you can afford it but don't like the size, don't buy it
• If you wished they'd done something else with it, have a moan

Quite simple really

...and here are some additional commas for Mr Haskell to insert where the sun don't shine ,,,,,,,

[gingerbob]

...and here are some additional commas for Mr Haskell to insert where the sun don't shine ,,,,,,,

I guess I must have missed something again. Would your comment be considered appropriate if made by someone else, Mike? Anyway, I believe the punctuation in question is the colon.

[Shar2]

He just hates being picked up for bad grammar.

[gingerbob]

Although I guess if you stick a comma there then it becomes a semi-colon.

[Max Headroom]

Well, I'd prefer a 1/1 scale Lanc, but that will produce marginally more storage issues than the 32 scale one

Peter Jackson has 10 (allegedly) stored waiting to film Dambusters 2.

Back on topic, I would covet a HK Lanc but would never have the patience to build one and store it.

Oh and I couldn't afford it anyway.

Will they do a mk II (tee hee)

Trevor