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1/35 - Messerschmitt Bf.109G-6 "Gustav" by Border Model - released


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4 hours ago, Chaotic Mike said:

1/35? Why, oh Lord, why? (And that's before the chuntering about 'Another 109...')!

 

Compatibility with the numerous 1/35th vehicles kits and figures I suppose. Ideal for dioramas.

 

V.P.

Edited by Homebee
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That was my take too. If I wanted to build a diorama utilising the huge amount of stuff available in 1/35, I'd be buying this kit. Looks to be a decent kit as well, so with that in mind, a good call by Border I think.

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I think Aviation Usk released a similar 1/35 109 in resin back in the day.

I recall the same discussions about scale choice then.

 

Not sure how well it sold - I had one for a while and then moved it on

 

SD

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  • Homebee changed the title to 1/35 - Messerschmitt Bf.109G-6 "Gustav" by Border Model - box art+sprues+test model - release in 2021
  • Homebee changed the title to 1/35 - Messerschmitt Bf.109G-6 "Gustav" by Border Model - box art+sprues+test model+3D renders - release in 2021

This makes pure sense, I never really understood why aircraft were in 1/32 and tanks/afv kits in 1/35

 

This makes them very compatible with all the existing armour kits and figures meaning an aircraft diorama is very easy to produce for everyone 

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15 hours ago, thepureness said:

I never really understood why aircraft were in 1/32 and tanks/afv kits in 1/35

 

because of blinkin' Tamiya...... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1:35_scale

 

"1:35 scale is the most popular scale for model military vehicles, with an extensive lineup of models and aftermarket parts available from a wide variety of manufacturers.

The roots of 1:35 as a military modelling scale lie in early motorized plastic tank kits. To accommodate electric motors and gearboxes, these models needed to be made in a larger scale. There were many companies making such tanks, but it was Tamiya's example that made 1:35 a de facto standard.

Company chairman Shunsaku Tamiya explains the origins of the scale in his book Master Modeler:[1]

After the success of the Panther, I thought it would be a good idea for us to produce other tanks from different countries in the same scale. I measured the Panther and it turned out to be about 1/35 of the size of the original. This size had been chosen simply because it would accommodate a couple of B-type batteries. Tamiya's 1/35 series tanks eventually got to be known around the world, but this is the slightly haphazard origin of their rather awkward scale."

 

1/32nd was an established scale for figures, as in 54mm,  (which is usually taken to be 1/32nd)  and some companies did make 1/32nd armour, the most notable range was by Monogram.  

 

Not why 1/32nd for aircraft,  1/36th had been popular in the early days of solids, but was too big for larger aircraft, and it was halved by Skybirds, giving 1/72nd. 

 

similar complaints have been made re 1/72nd and 1/76th, which derived from a railway scale, HO/OO, which used to be on Airfix boxes, which come about from differences between UK and Europeans railways scales and IIC is the bizarre metric vs imperial clash of 4mm to the foot....   There is more on wiki about scales and their history IIRC 

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Curious scale choice. I can see the relevance to doing dioramas though how many sales to modellers wanting to do a) a diorama - implies a decent skill set across several modelling disciplines and b) that one wants a tank or vehicle in the same dio to boot. Not many Panthers nudging across Luftwaffe airfields but other vehicles yes. So a limited market if that’s the rationale. 
 

Then the AM market. I can’t see a rush to produce much yet. I assume a conservative approach by the AM producers until they see if it takes off (pun intended :D). So unless the modeller scratch builds or can do his own decals/masks then another limitation to the OOB build

 

Last but not least while I was not watching AFV trends really I thought I noticed some vehicle kits coming along in 1/32?  As Troy pointed out 1/35 was an accidental scale dictated by the desire of Tamiya to motorise their AFV range. 
 

Any new manufacturers and kits are welcome in my book but I don’t see where the big market is here and it seems a bit niche.  
 

Yours, puzzled of Earlston 

 

:shrug:
 


 

 

 

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It doesn't just have to be for dioramas.  If you're primarily an armour modeller, but fancy the occasional aircraft then having one that's the same scale means things look correct on your display shelf.

 

Or maybe you've never done a large scale aircraft and this is your first one. If its nice and a good scale why not go 1:35?

 

I think it's a slightly risky venture, but it's not my money so good luck to them.

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Reading the thread over on LSP about this kit, some of them actually want it to fail, and the only reason being, is simply because it's not 1/32 scale. Don't think I've ever read so much negativity in one thread before. I've never really understood the gnashing of teeth over scales, especially a subject like a Bf-109. Crikey! It's not like there's a shortage of Bf-109s in any scale.

 

Personally, and only my opinion of course, I think there's a gap in the market for a few 1/35 aircraft. I can see the benefits and possibilities of having some choice in this scale. It's not my scale, but if I ever have need for a 1/35th Bf-109 or Ju-87, I know where to go. I'm just glad to see any new release, in any scale. Especially in these difficult times.

 

Besides, as @Troy Smith points out. It's all Tamiya's fault! 

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  • 5 weeks later...

I'm moderatly active over on LSP , and yes there were howls of rage when this kit was announced, but I'm not one of the people demanding the head of the designed fro daring to produce kits to match the vast range of 1/35 figures/vehicles that exist in this "heathen" scale, (their words not mine) 

 

The 109 kit looks rally rather nice , and close to what I'd imaging a Tamiya 1/32 G6 would look like , the surface detailing is impressive , and it looks like it will build into a decent model , and you know that there are only a handful of 1/32 G series 109s out there each with their own issues , Hasagawa, Old and simplified, Revell, Soft plastic and an odd parts layout produced down to a price, and Trumpeter , say no more 

 

Yes it's a slightly odd choice for scale , but it looks an impressive kit , and 2% difference be dammed , I'm getting  couple, now where did I put my Opel Blitz and Kublewagen models again?

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Looks like a good kit (regardless of the "unusual" scale). They certainly haven't scrimped on moulding the rivets, that's for sure. Loads of nice detailing. I wish them lots of success with it. 

 

Chris.   

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Yes, 1/35 will give you access to a world of figures and diorama accessories. My first thought was a 1945 airfield scene with US troops poring over an abandoned Gustav. 

 

And surely an Me 262 will follow to make use of the forthcoming new Tamiya Kettenkrad 'prime mover'... 😄 

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