Italy retires the AMX

[Doc72]

Very interesting thread so far!

Does anyone know what the Brazilian Air Force thought and thinks about the AMX? They still operate them, don't they?

I guess, for Brasil the project was also a lot about industrial policy, namely supporting the domestic aviation industry and gaining experience in building a modern combat aircraft. Before the AMX, Embraer had only license-built the MB-326. So joing the AMX-project looks like a sensible step to build up expertise.

[tempestfan]

On 5/9/2024 at 1:13 PM, kiseca said:

The book is Warplanes of the Future, written by Bill Gunston and published in 1985. Interesting to recall that back then the F-20 still had an exciting future, and the west had little idea what a MiG-29 actually looked like!

But we had a precise idea about the MiG-28, thanks to Tony Scott (or rather his screenwriters).

[3DStewart]

Italeri managed to kit it in 1:72 just before retirement!  I bet they'll regret that.

[Giorgio N]

21 hours ago, 3DStewart said:

Italeri managed to kit it in 1:72 just before retirement!  I bet they'll regret that.

 

They had a lot of pressure from modellers to issue one since the day the AMX entered service as the type was often at the top of the wish-lists of various magazines and model shows. The fact they never bothered means that they never felt it would have made a profit before.

Now that they made one it's proving to be quite a popular kit, even if the price is relatively high and IMHO it's not a great kit (I'm building one in the NATO GB). Guess simply that today it's a subject that fits their business model, in the past it wasn't.

As the aircraft was never really much in the news (and when it was it was for bad reasons...) I don't think having the kit now instead of earlier will make a big difference. The market for it is made by enthusiasts that want an AMX regardless.

Edited May 17 by Giorgio N