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New Arma release to be announced 30/12: 1/72 FM-2 Wildcat!!!


Procopius

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The first project for 2020, planned for February-March, is the FM-2 Wildcat carrier-borne aircraft. Three boxes will be released:

70031 FM-2 Wildcat Expert Set

70032 Wildcat Mk VI Model Kit

70033 FM-2 Wildcat Model Kit

[...]

The next design of the model is planned for May-June 2020 and will be presented at a later date.

 

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Okay, I was wrong, again; from the Arma site, I quote:

"The first project for 2020, planned for February-March, is the FM-2 Wildcat carrier-borne aircraft. Three boxes will be released:

70031 FM-2 Wildcat Expert Set

70032 Wildcat Mk VI Model Kit

70033 FM-2 Wildcat Model Kit"

 

But is there a Polish connection? Up to now we've all assumed that any new Arma kit had to have that; does this one?

 

John

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Just now, John Thompson said:

But is there a Polish connection? Up to now we've all assumed that any new Arma kit had to have that; does this one?

 

I guess some could be find, like American pilot with Polish roots, Janusz Żurakowski testing them in Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment, or maybe some Polish pilots making ferry flight, but that is so far fetched that anything goes now. Also IBG have picked up many Polish planes alrready.

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What a disappointment of choice, I guess it shows the lack of ideas by some producers. People were screaming for Battle or early Mustang but they go with Wildcat. The kit nobody asked for and the subject that was covered just fine by AZ Model and Hasegawa as well as by Airfix. This one will keep my wallet intact.

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2 minutes ago, MarkoZG said:

What a disappointment of choice, I guess it shows the lack of ideas by some producers. People were screaming for Battle or early Mustang but they go with Wildcat. The kit nobody asked for and the subject that was covered just fine by AZ Model and Hasegawa as well as by Airfix. This one will keep my wallet intact.

I couldn't disagree more. The FM-2 has not been accurately or well-kitted, Hasegawa don't do it (they do an FM-1), and the extant AZ kit on it is additionally a hellish nightmare to build.

 

The early Mustang is a tricky subject -- they may yet do it, but many have tried and failed to do it well, so I'd rather they did it right and took a little longer. People are also clamouring for more Hurricane variants, and they've announced they'll be doing those. Arma are a very small company, and they have to consider what will sell. I'm willing to bet they can sell more FM-2s than Fairey Battles, at least.

 

That said, I wish they'd offer an Expert Upgrade option for their non-expert boxings, because the FAA one is definitely where my interest lies.

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I for one am quite pleased by this, I've long awaited a decent mainstream Wildcat VI and this news means we'll now be getting one, thanks Arma!

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14 minutes ago, MarkoZG said:

What a disappointment of choice, I guess it shows the lack of ideas by some producers. People were screaming for Battle or early Mustang but they go with Wildcat. The kit nobody asked for and the subject that was covered just fine by AZ Model and Hasegawa as well as by Airfix. This one will keep my wallet intact.

or to put it another way, "The producer hasn't done what I wanted. Therefore they are rubbish"  Judging form the other more positive reactions on here, I don't think they will miss your money :)

Cheer up, it could have been another 109!

Jonners

 

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4 minutes ago, Procopius said:

I couldn't disagree more. The FM-2 has not been accurately or well-kitted, Hasegawa don't do it (they do an FM-1), and the extant AZ kit on it is additionally a hellish nightmare to build.

 

I believe you are thinking of the Sword kit, I don’t recall AZModels doing an FM-2. The Sword kit is a difficult build.

 

HobbyBoss has an EasyKit version they call an FM-2, but it’s just an F4F-4 with a taller tail and does not correctly represent any variant.

 

The original Airfix Wildcat kit is also an FM-2, but it can’t be compared to these new toolings.

 

I think this is a good choice although, unlike the newer Airfix Wildcat, it does not have a folding wing option. You could possibly cross-kit it with the Airfix folding wing parts if you wanted a model with folded wings.

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Just now, VMA131Marine said:

I believe you are thinking of the Sword kit, I don’t recall AZModels doing an FM-2. The Sword kit is a difficult build.

AZ in fact reboxed the Sword kit, so while I was thinking of the Sword kit, I was technically correct (the best kind of correct).

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27 minutes ago, Procopius said:

That said, I wish they'd offer an Expert Upgrade option for their non-expert boxings, because the FAA one is definitely where my interest lies.

 

Expert set will have one FAA scheme. Also, Techmod have set no 72026 - General Motors Wildcat VI, maybe now more aftermarket decals for Wildcat VI will appear. I am going to put FAA all Dark Blue Wildcat VI from Pacific on my ever growing wishlist.

Edited by Botan
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15 minutes ago, Jon Kunac-Tabinor said:

or to put it another way, "The producer hasn't done what I wanted. Therefore they are rubbish"  Judging form the other more positive reactions on here, I don't think they will miss your money :)

Cheer up, it could have been another 109!

Jonners

 

Time will tell, time will tell...

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I am also pleased with this subject.  The FM-2 was an important naval aircraft on escort carriers and operated in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.  Now let me see, what did I do with that decal sheet I have squirreled away...

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Not my scale, sadly.....I wish Arma would consider issuing some of their kits (in particular the Iskra) in 1/48, I'd buy them all.

 

(Before someone points it out, I know they did the Iskra as a 1/48 resin kit, but that doesn't count!)

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1 hour ago, GrzeM said:

To be honest, knowing Marcin's and Wojtek's (Arma Hobby owners) love to all those USN "cats" (in their resin period they produced Bearcat and the F2F kits) it was no great surprise.

Yes, I was thinking about that as well. I remembered the Bearcat, and once I saw the next kit was an FM-2, I was like "of course! It all makes sense now!"

 

giphy.gif

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Didn't see that one  coming! A pretty reasonable choice given it will pick up sales in the States and I have the Sword FM2 and from playing with it, it does not look a straight forward build. 

They are announcing another kit later this year and so still time for a Battle. 

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Just now, occa said:

Btw has anyone else noticed this too ?

 

Hurricane model series will continue next year.

I mentioned it a little ways up. I'm excited, since it likely means a Hurricane IIb! And if Arma do a Ceylon-based one during the Indian Ocean Raid, it will mean they truly love me.

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