Darren Howie

Hasegawa is making a boat load of cash in Japan. Places like Joshin, Volks, Yodabashi are piled high with Hasegawa restocks walking out the doors. 48th Super Horners selling for 3500 yen vs 12600 for Meng, and 11000 HB are bargains. 48th Zeros for a quarter the price of the new Eduard kit. Phantoms for 22-2800, Crusaders for 2400, A-7’s 2600 all bargains compared to newer kits. 32nd Stukas for under half the Trump kits, 109’s for a third the new ZM kit and half the price of Trump. Throw in all the 32nd Japanese WW2 stuff really Hasegawa are killing it in their home market. Moulds all paid for years ago and most of their kits still build into great finished models many still best of type. Hasegawa are cleaning up in Japan if kits moving off shelves is the indicator.

Sorry your just missing out. Wait all you like but the grass in never greener and life is short and Trump have done some wonderful 32nd kits. Your loss to bizarrely ban them? Putting a ban on them based on other peoples priorities and views is crazy i mean how do you know what they are even like? Buy one look at and and sell it off if YOU dont like it. No manufacturer has attracted so much comment and most comes from those with love of aircraft they have released. Forums are full of comments about errors magnified to Everest size proportions from the smallest molehills this thread is evidence of that. The Hasegawa kit and others have their own issues yet no ban for them? Enjoy the wait we have only been waiting for the ultimate P-47 in 32nd since 1945

At low level where visibility is about the single most important criteria to being safely able to fly at speed this thing must be horrendous to fly. Almost no sidewards view, little view out the front, it must be a helo pilots worst nightmare to operate this helo low level in a combat environment. It will make a great kit just glad im not strapping one on to fly against the Ukraine guys and gals in that terrain, no thanks.

Trump all the way any minor errors are trivial compared to the debacle the Revell Super Hornets are.

Nice to see the Trump Hun getting some love its been largely ignored compared to how many spectacular schemes exist for that aircraft.

Anyway about 109G’s. A quick look at any photo and comparison to the plastic reveals the big issue in ALL Trump 109G’s and its the lower cowl. Its far to rounded and creates the look of a very pointed long nose. Its very obvious when out side by side with a Hasegawa kit or compared to a photo of the real aircraft. If you build it fully opened up the issue goes away and other than replacing the undersized rudder the issue wont be seen. The rest of the kit is pretty nice within reason. If you just want to build a 109 get the Hasegawa kit its cheap and its errors are really tiny compared to the Trump nose. But if you want to display it with its engine opened up the Trump kit will give a very respectable result.

And there it is i was wondering how long it would take. So you say this “will be your fourth kit”, in short you dont have the kit so exactly what are you comparing things to? A kit that has been designed by a group of some the best 109 researchers in the world. It been looked at in extreme detail by some of the most critical eyes in the world who haven't spotted any issues. Yet by looking at copies of the OMB you think both groups have missed something? Good luck making that Pelican fly. Maybe wait till you have the plastic in your hand and present some side on photos clearly highlighting what you think is wrong with the real plastic compared to images of the real aircraft. Then someone might listen. Im sorry to sound dismissive but the internet is full of false accusations etc backed up by no evidence, dont be one of them. ZM continually make adjustments to test shots so anything in OMB will not be what is in the final box. As for out of scale plastic which you havnt seen yet the cowls are similar thickness to Tamiyas Mustang cowls so very thin indeed not Revell or Hasegawa thickness you are presupposing. But suggesting corrections are needed when you have provided absolutely no evidence in relation to the real kit is drawing a long bow. Sorry but come back with actual information not just words based off pre release test shots. Then people will be happy to listen.

Quite simple really. A Helldiver is a big complex aircraft with a wide open cockpit area that sales in 48th have proven it to not be popular. The original Promodeller Helldiver sat on shelves for years before finally selling out. Development cost divided by expected sales equals higher unit price. Development cost is driven directly by detail not everyone is happy to pay for so addon detail sets provide an easy option to unload the base price and minimise cost and give buyers options. You end up with a higher total but lower base. Either support the manufacturer who put the money up to release what will most likely be the only Helldiver in 32nd for a long time or dont is your choice. However these manufacturers prepared to gamble big are not going to release secondary and tertiary kits that can be turned into lovely finished kits with a bit of work without support. The thought that a small run kit is going to have either the quality or low cost of a mass produced high quality kit that costs FAR more to develop using far more expensive equipment is a false economy based on false expectations. You want less popular large subjects in high quality for low cost with small kit sales sorry that aint ever happening.

GWH also have a fleet of F-14’s to bring out in 48th. But whatever they do in any scale is welcome given the quality of all the kits so far particularly the stunning P-40 and the 48th Flankers.

Yea it is gorgeous and they where very quick to get a second run out. Hope they do the same for the 109. Great to see it selling out so quickly.

ZM have completely underestimated the sales of the 109. It was out of stock in Osaka and Tokyo almost a month ago and zero restocks available until another run is done if that occurs. Ive never seen that with any SWS release with them all available well after release. If you see one grab it as they wont be around until ZM get either another run done if they even plan to or another version comes out.

Beautiful build love to hear what Trumpy bits you used. Cowl etc? super well done

thanks mate most apprecited now to work out how many i can fit in my suitcase!

Just wondering if anyone with the kit would have the time to measure the dimensions of the box? Need to work out some shipping cost stuff and would be greatly appreciated to get the box size. cheers

Its out now was looking at the kit yesterday. Looked pretty nice. Hard to really tell through plastic bags but looked very similar to other modern Trump stuff ie very nice tooling. Big box.