1/72 - Bell AH-1Z Viper by DreamModel - released

[hsr]

Looks like they are sold out already

[Trenton guy]

3 hours ago, hsr said:

Looks like they are sold out already

Available. Again? or a website glitch.

[Stilwell]

The rest of their order arrived in the post today.

 

Or a lot of people with pre-orders decided to cancel once the kit was in stock.

 

   Jonathan.

[Stilwell]

Either that, or they decided their original price was £5 too low.

 

 

[Stilwell]

Re-stock:

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/DM720012

Looks like the variation in prices last time was because some of the kits had damaged boxes.

 

  Jonathan.

[Jackman]

30 GBP for a 1/72 chopper. Wow.

[stakor]

On 7/22/2020 at 7:30 AM, Jackman said:

30 GBP for a 1/72 chopper. Wow.

And one element is missing in the kit. it's easy to  scratch it  but as I paid 30 pounds...  

[Robertone139]

Their 1/72 Chinese J-20 (the best so far) cost less than that!

[Jackman]

On 7/24/2020 at 11:28 PM, Robertone139 said:

Their 1/72 Chinese J-20 (the best so far) cost less than that!

The odd thing is that I cannot find this kit at Luckymodels or Hobbyeasy .  They have every other Dreammodel chopper but this one.  Marketing ploy?

[gota]

The distribution MO is very peculiar indeed, it looks like they did not provide the Chinese market at all. It's also much more expensive than their prior kits.

[Stilwell]

I suspect that the decision makers at Dream Model decided to treat the AH-1Z as a niche product. Unlike the J-20, which has at least as much Chinese domestic demand as it has export potential, the AH-1Z is aimed almost exclusively at the export market. And probably recognising that USMC subjects in 1:72 probably aren’t seen as worthy of much investment (or (pure) helicopters, at least – the F/A-18, AV-8B, F-35B and MV-22 are fairly well covered) – given the length of time it has taken for a good AH-1Z to come out (ignoring the Kitech abomination) and the lack of a UH-1Y, CH-53K or Bullfrog standard CH-46 in kit or conversion form in 1:72, they have gone for the small volume / high price / export only (for the moment, at least) option to get a return on their investment.

 

So Hannants have some (including  currently some more cheaper examples with damaged boxes https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/DM001272),

Sprue Brothers have them https://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/drmdm720012.htm,

1999.co.jp and HobbyLink Japan have had some (but discounted from a “list” price of 50+ GBP to 35+ GBP) https://www.hlj.com/1-72-scale-usmc-ah-1z-viper-dmo720012

and some sellers in the USA on ebay.com have got some. But as observed above – nothing from the Chinese ebay sellers yet – mainland or Hong Kong.

 

   Jonathan.

[VMA131Marine]

13 hours ago, Stilwell said:

given the length of time it has taken for a good AH-1Z to come out (ignoring the Kitech abomination) and the lack of a UH-1Y, CH-53K or Bullfrog standard CH-46 in kit or conversion form in 1:72,

The CH-53K isn’t even in service yet. It will be a couple of years more before they are in widespread squadron service and I’d rather wait until there is a choice of marking options other than the prototype or LRIP aircraft.

[VMA131Marine]

13 hours ago, Stilwell said:

and some sellers in the USA on ebay.com have got some. But as observed above – nothing from the Chinese ebay sellers yet – mainland or Hong Kong

I got mine from Spruebrothers in the US for $42.49 plus shipping. That puts it in the expensive side, but not outrageously so. Granted if you get it shipped to the UK from the US that will jack up the price considerably.

[Robertone139]

18 hours ago, Stilwell said:

I suspect that the decision makers at Dream Model decided to treat the AH-1Z as a niche product. Unlike the J-20, which has at least as much Chinese domestic demand as it has export potential, the AH-1Z is aimed almost exclusively at the export market. And probably recognising that USMC subjects in 1:72 probably aren’t seen as worthy of much investment (or (pure) helicopters, at least – the F/A-18, AV-8B, F-35B and MV-22 are fairly well covered) – given the length of time it has taken for a good AH-1Z to come out (ignoring the Kitech abomination) and the lack of a UH-1Y, CH-53K or Bullfrog standard CH-46 in kit or conversion form in 1:72, they have gone for the small volume / high price / export only (for the moment, at least) option to get a return on their investment.

 

 

   Jonathan.

What is a Bullfrog standard CH-46?

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Ah thats easy - it's specced to land on a lily pad not a helipad

 

TT

 

 

[Stilwell]

> What is a Bullfrog standard CH-46?

 

The upgraded USMC version with the enlarged sponsons - and general later standard kit.

 

Pictured below is what you get in the Fujimi, Airfix and I understand Hobby Boss kits - good for as-manufactured H-46s:

 

 

(I assume from the shape of the exhaust that this USN machine is a -46A or -46D; early -46Es had similar sponsons:

https://nara.getarchive.net/media/a-right-side-view-of-a-marine-ch-46e-sea-knight-helicopter-in-use-during-operation-446bb9?zoom=true

 

Note that the leading edge of the sponson sits in the gap between the rear two circular windows.

 

But with the upgrade, the sponsons grew so that the leading edge sits under the second-from-rear window:

 

 

Bigger, but not the same as the large sponsons used by JASDF, JMSDF, Canadian and Swedish aircraft.

 

I assume this is the standard that the Academy 1:48 CH-46E kit models. But so far I am unaware of it being covered in 1:72 scale, by kit or conversion.

Hopefully the differences aren’t too difficult to scratch build.

 

   Jonathan.

Edited July 27, 2020 by Stilwell
Edited for clarification

[Stilwell]

> I got mine from Spruebrothers in the US for $42.49 plus shipping.

 

I am curious as to who controls the price there – using a conversion rate of 1.26 USD to the GBP, that gives a price of 33.72 GBP – higher than the Hannants price of £29.99; the differential almost covering the £3.98 domestic postage Hannants charged me for a pair of the kits.

 

Which makes me think whoever is setting the pricing is trying to milk more out of US buyers; presumably due to perceived higher demand (or possibly due to import tariffs). My perception is that the prices for Chinese made kits are usually lower in the US than the UK; unfortunately Spruebrothers doesn’t appear to have any other DreamModel kits in stock to make a comparison against something like the J-20 kit.

 

The AH-1Z kit has turned up with some Chinese ebay sellers now:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264809891576

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254666813648

But priced at 39.99 GBP currently on ebay.co.uk, even including postage, it is cheaper for UK modellers to buy from Hannants while they have stock.

And priced at 51.99 USD including shipping on ebay.com, Spruebrothers may still be more cost effective in the US, depending on their shipping costs.

 

    Jonathan.

[VMA131Marine]

On 7/27/2020 at 6:10 PM, Stilwell said:

higher than the Hannants price of £29.99;

The damaged box listing is even £5 cheaper than that. Not sure how Hannants is selling these kits so cheaply, especially because they have to add 20% VAT, which Sprue Brothers, where I got mine, does not.