1/72- Mitsubishi A6M "Zero" family & Nakajima A6M2-N "Rufe" by Eduard

[Fukuryu]

Thank you very much for your detailed explanation and insights, Piotr. Some of the points you make are non-issues for me, especially in 1/72, but I understand perfectly that they are for other people. Mind you, I am not complaining that Eduard is (eventually) doing what they are doing, just trying to understand why they do it.

[Graham Boak]

Does it make sense to make a new Zero? Of course.  Piotr Mikolajski

 

Your list dos not include the perfectly acceptable Hasegawa kits, which include most of the variant otherwise  omitted.  As to whether Eduard would produce all these variants in 1/72, the jury is out on that one.  Overall your table is misrepresents the case.

[Piotr Mikolajski]

8 hours ago, Fukuryu said:

just trying to understand why they do it.

 

Short answer: because there's money in it.

Long answer: because the Zero is one of the key fighters of WWII. Which has no proper representation in either 1/48 or 1/72 scale, deserving the title of a 21st century level model, covering most of the versions produced. So precisely because the Zero is a key fighter, and because there are no decent kits at the technological level achievable today, it makes sense to make models in both scales and make a fair amount of money doing so.

 

Some people really do not understand that companies are not guided by any sentiment. The fact that there has been a kit on the market for 20-30 years that is considered "good enough" does not mean that a successor cannot be made. Especially when this "good enough" simply does not match modern technological capabilities, so there will be a large group of buyers who will buy a new and better model.

 

That's why Flyhawk is making a new Dauntless in 1/72, that's why Eduard made new Bf 109F/G/K and Zero in 1/48 and that's why Eduard is making a new Bf 109F/G/K in 1/72. And if they make a new Zero family in 1/72, it's for exactly the same reason.

[Fukuryu]

4 minutes ago, Piotr Mikolajski said:

 

Short answer: because there's money in it.

Long answer: because the Zero is one of the key fighters of WWII. Which has no proper representation in either 1/48 or 1/72 scale, deserving the title of a 21st century level model, covering most of the versions produced. So precisely because the Zero is a key fighter, and because there are no decent kits at the technological level achievable today, it makes sense to make models in both scales and make a fair amount of money doing so.

 

Some people really do not understand that companies are not guided by any sentiment. The fact that there has been a kit on the market for 20-30 years that is considered "good enough" does not mean that a successor cannot be made. Especially when this "good enough" simply does not match modern technological capabilities, so there will be a large group of buyers who will buy a new and better model.

 

That's why Flyhawk is making a new Dauntless in 1/72, that's why Eduard made new Bf 109F/G/K and Zero in 1/48 and that's why Eduard is making a new Bf 109F/G/K in 1/72. And if they make a new Zero family in 1/72, it's for exactly the same reason.

 

Fair enough. I won't be selling my 10 Tamiya A6M any time soon, though... Partly because they're good enough for me (even more than I would have bargained for) and partly because Eduard's track on new 1/72 kits is not the most confidence-inspiring at the moment.

[Torbjorn]

I think it makes perfect sense, quite in line with their previous releases (F-W, Spitfires, Hellcats, Mustangs, Me:s - the Zero is really the obvious missing link here, along with maybe some Soviet subjects). Let’s hope they make boatloads of money that they can spend on esoteric pet projects!

[Piotr Mikolajski]

  

3 minutes ago, Fukuryu said:

Fair enough. I won't be selling my 10 Tamiya A6M any time soon, though... Partly because they're good enough for me (even more than I would have bargained for)

 

Personally, I think this is a fundamental point of assessment - whether for ourselves the kit is good enough. If it is, there is no point in considering a new one.

  

3 minutes ago, Fukuryu said:

and partly because Eduard's track on new 1/72 kits is not the most confidence-inspiring at the moment.

 

For me, the information about Zero in 1/72 for now is just a rumour. Alternatively, if one wants precision, it is Eduard's wishful thinking for now.

 

Information about announcements in 1/72 for 2022 are expected to appear in the February issue of Eduard Info. If we get confirmation there of the start of work on the project and a timeline for the release of the Zero family, there will be plenty to discuss.

If we don't get such information, then this line could be one of hundreds of ideas circulating among model companies that no one is pursuing due to lack of time, money, design power or production capacity.

[Modelraynz]

Eduard staff hard at work on profipack edition of project Tora Tora Tora. *Brassin Martin Balsam TBC

 

 

Edited October 19, 2021 by Modelraynz