1/72 - Lockheed P-38 Lightning family by RS Models - P-38D/G/H, F-4(A)/F-5(A) released - new F-5B/C & P-38J variants

[TheKinksFan]

2 minutes ago, Work In Progress said:

rival product from somewhere else. It's pretty much an admission of defeat, if that's what they've done

They are not rivals, Academy a big Korean company, RS model a small short run kit manufacturer from the other side of the world. RS is just content if they can make some profit, that's what matters. 

[Tbolt]

4 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

Maybe it is just Academy plastic with new parts and details. As I said, it's possible. But it's unusual for a kitmaker to jettison its own fairly recent tooling and margins in favour of buying in bagged shots of a rival product from somewhere else. It's pretty much an admission of defeat, if that's what they've done

 

If it's cheaper to use the Acadamy kit than design new tooling for late P-38's ( I dont know how the RS kit breaks down ), then it's probably just a financial decision. I still find it amazing that we still haven't got a decent P-38 series in 1/72nd, it would be such a good seller for someone like Tamiya. Anyway I'll be getting at least one F-5.

[TheKinksFan]

3 minutes ago, Tbolt said:

I still find it amazing that we still haven't got a decent P-38 series in 1/72nd, it would be such a good seller for someone like Tamiya. Anyway I'll be getting at least one F-5.

Yes it is very strange. Academy's kit is already 20 years old, the newest kit that is not a short run kit. I'm pretty certain I wouldn't enjoy building a RS kit, but if these F-5s are based on the Academy kit, they go together well, so I think I'll get one. 

[Botan]

From my point of view, RS just made a conversion set, plus saved clients a trouble with searching and buying basic kit.

[TEMPESTMK5]

9 hours ago, Tbolt said:

 

If it's cheaper to use the Acadamy kit than design new tooling for late P-38's ( I dont know how the RS kit breaks down ), then it's probably just a financial decision. I still find it amazing that we still haven't got a decent P-38 series in 1/72nd, it would be such a good seller for someone like Tamiya. Anyway I'll be getting at least one F-5.

 

9 hours ago, TheKinksFan said:

Yes it is very strange. Academy's kit is already 20 years old, the newest kit that is not a short run kit. I'm pretty certain I wouldn't enjoy building a RS kit, but if these F-5s are based on the Academy kit, they go together well, so I think I'll get one. 

Good morning 

I totally agree with you I think that we really need a decent P-38 series in 1/72 , I hope that Airfix will do it one day because I don't think that Tamiya will downscale  it's 1/48 kit .. 

 I think that I will buy at least one of these RS/Academy F5 too.. 

 

Best regards  

Patrice 

[TheKinksFan]

1 hour ago, TEMPESTMK5 said:

Good morning 

I totally agree with you I think that we really need a decent P-38 series in 1/72 , I hope that Airfix will do it one day because I don't think that Tamiya will downscale  it's 1/48 kit .. 

Good morning Patrice, yes it seems unlikely that Tamiya would release 1/72, when they don't even bother with a new Spitfire mk I. Everyone is releasing 1/72 Lightnings, but not the right ones, not the original good looking P-38! Arma Hobby would be my preferred manufacturer, but would of course be more than happy with an Airfix kit. 

 

[TEMPESTMK5]

19 minutes ago, TheKinksFan said:

Good morning Patrice, yes it seems unlikely that Tamiya would release 1/72, when they don't even bother with a new Spitfire mk I. Everyone is releasing 1/72 Lightnings, but not the right ones, not the original good looking P-38! Arma Hobby would be my preferred manufacturer, but would of course be more than happy with an Airfix kit. 

 

I agree with you I think that Tamiya is no longer interested in WWII kits in 1/72 scale when it would be nice to see some new P47 Thunderbolts too ...

 

Best regards

Patrice  

   

[JFM148]

On 23/04/2024 at 10:13, TheKinksFan said:

👍 I hope you are doing well Juan. 

Thank you !  Yes, I am very well.  Hope you're well too.  🙂

[J.C. Bahr]

I'm hoping Arma will do the early Lightnings justice as well.  Not going to hold my breath for Tamiya.

[Piotr Mikolajski]

On 4/23/2024 at 6:14 PM, Work In Progress said:

But it's unusual for a kitmaker to jettison its own fairly recent tooling and margins in favour of buying in bagged shots of a rival product from somewhere else.

 

RS Models releases short run kits, made from resin moulds, if I remember correctly. Such moulds are short lived so RS Models doesn't have to jettison anything, after several hundred injections moulds are junk anyway.

  

On 4/23/2024 at 6:14 PM, Work In Progress said:

It's pretty much an admission of defeat, if that's what they've done

 

Not at all, RS Models reissued recently F-5A (#72278) and P-38G (#72280), both still in stock.

[TheKinksFan]

Still no photos of the parts, only a drawing of the decal sheet: https://www.rsmodels.cz/p/426/92289-f-5c-lightning

 

Does the shark moth decal have wrong shape, when comparing to a photo? Or is it just the angle of the photo? Colour photo: https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/aircraft/42-67119

 

Foxbot have both Ginger Snap and Dot + Dash in their Pin Up sheets 72-066 and 72-067. RS versions of the pin-ups look a bit rough, especially Ginger Snap.

Edited 6 hours ago by TheKinksFan

[TheKinksFan]

7 hours ago, Piotr Mikolajski said:

RS Models releases short run kits, made from resin moulds, if I remember correctly. Such moulds are short lived

Looking at these pics, I wouldn't be surprised if you told that the moulds were made out of soap: https://www.mojehobby.pl/products/P-38G-Lightning-50595676.html#gallery_start

 

Maybe there is special hell for modellers where you have to suffer all eternity cleaning parts like these.

[Piotr Mikolajski]

To be honest this P-38G looks much better in the flesh than on these photos but of course this is not the standard we are expecting nowadays. Unfortunately P-38s are not the subject many companies are interested in. I would say it's quite the opposite, a few manufacturers said they will not release it - tooling whole family will be expensive for sure while predicted return on investment is not the highest one. I have older release from RS Models (92127) and since there is no other option around I'll keep it.