Gary Needham

Spitfire MK1 (all new tool) or even a Griffon engined Spitfire XIV or 22/24 series to the same standard as their 1/24 MK IX kit perhaps..? A P-51D would also be 'a banker' as you say. I would also have mooted a Hurricane MkI too but in truth, the Trumpeter 1/24 Hurricane kits seem pretty decent from what I have seen. Gary

UPDATE RECEIVED TODAY from JETMADS. Hello, We are pelased to inform you that the project is progressing steadily. Our mold makers have started working, molds are beginning to come out ready for production, which is planned to start by the third week of April whereas the test printing of the 3D parts are also estimated to be completed in parallel. All pre-production works are expected to be completed around the end of April and the plan is to start full scale production by early May. All projects have their own specifics and it is generally better to make an estimate as to when shipments can begin only after the production of a kit is at full throttle, however now based on the experience of previous releases we can roughly expect the shipments of the Draken to start by late June / early July. Best, JETMADS Team

The 1/32 Dragon /Revell re-box is a great kit and an absolute steal for what is in the box. Also, they are frequently featured in 'Sale' listings. It is a true enigma however why they never did the 'G' Night-fighter version which would probably (IMHO) have been the most popular variant of them all. I doubt however that we will ever see it from that set of moulds now though. Gary

There's a build on YT by 'Richie' RW Hobbies with about 8 or 9 build episodes from memory. It looks great but it really took some work (filling and re-scribing) to get there...! Gary

Excellent review Thierry thank you. All i can add is that it is absolutely essential to make sure there is not so much as a coat of paint where the wing slides into the fuselage as a number of people have experienced fit issues here by the wings then not lining up correctly and so, causing later issues with the placement and fit of wing and cabane struts. A lovely kit but do take your time with it. Gary

The point or analogy was made to expose the naivety that some folks think something should be sold for the same price or less than the buyer originally purchased something (anything) for. In the case of the WNW phenomena Thierry, they effectively doubled in price overnight not 6 months once the news WNW were 'closing due to C19' was announced and which no-one really believed from the start anyway ..! I think in the instance of WNW keeping consistently high prices, the main reason is that the tooling is owned by an unimaginably wealthy man who 'does not need the money' and is renowned for not selling his ideas or creations to others; indeed, I understand he actually destroyed rather than sell to other his LOTR film props worth millions.? As such and unlike just about every other model company I can think of who have now ceased trading such as 'Kittyhawk' etc, then the tooling will be a prime asset of the company and so be sold as quickly as possible to get some money back on their original investment and outlay. With SPJ, those fiscal concerns don't apply and so if he has decided to never again "share his toys" with the rest of us, then they are most unlikely to ever see the light of day again as model kits for general sale. I think it is that acknowledgement among modelers which makes them so desirable and expensive and with no sign of any cooling of re-sale and eBay prices in the near future...if ever. Gary

Absolutely right BIll and I wonder if the very same people moaning about 'market forces' in the pricing of OOP and desirable model kits like the WNW range etc. (or indeed anything in life) would be quite as subjectively naive if someone was to suggest to (them) .."OK then so on the basis of that logic, how about you reciprocate and sell me your house for the same or at a lower price than you originally paid for it...?" Gary

Received this update today. Hello, The design works of the 1:32 J35 Draken including the skin geometry and parts breakdown structure have been completed, while our designers are currently working on the detail parts of the kit such as landing gears and the cockpit. The fuselage and wing parts are now workable, we will conduct test casts throughout March and all approved large parts are expected to be delivered by the end of the month to our craftsmen for moulding and full production. Best, JETMADS Team

If Eduard did straightforward 1/32 kit builds to the standards of their 48 scale 109, 190 and Spitfire ranges (no opening cowls or toy-like engines like their 1/32 109E's) then a MIG 15, MIG-21 and even a F-86 Sabre in 1/32 would be surefire winners as no one does decent versions of these subjects in 1/32 other than the resin MIG 15 by HpH which is expensive and also as I understand, a very fiddly build. Gary

Mike - If their Sea Fury, Hunter, and more recent Gannet, Buccaneer (New tool one) and Sea King are anything to go by, then a new 1/48 Spey F4 by Airfix would more than meet most modelers expectations and requirements. I think a 1/48 F4 Spey engine kit by Airfix given they are seemingly on a Fleet Air Arm 'roll' at the moment with 1/48 subjects makes the Spey F4, I would say, possibly as high as a 50% possibility for the future. Given the prices the old Has 48 kits command and get snapped up, then it would be a 'no brainer' for Airfix in terms of kit sales and commercial profit. Thierry - As for Trumpeter doing it in 1/32 as mooted, then if done by their team who did the 1/32 Intruder and F8 Crusader then it may be a reasonable and acceptable effort (nothing is perfect kit wise) but if those who made the BAC Lightning series abomination are set loose upon it then personally, I would rather have no kit at all then suffer the crushing disappointment that would result once the kit sprues were put up for viewing and in doing soon, eliminate forever the chances of someone, ever, doing it again as a subject in 1/32. Gary

Italeri may be the most likely company to produce one on 1/32 but if their F-104 and Tornado are the benchmark, then in 1/32, any RAF/RN Spey engined F4 (or any other mark) would simply resemble a scaled up (decent at best but not state of the art) 1/48 model in terms of detail and finesse....but sadly not with a price to match. Given the tool costs, I think if any (all new tool) 1/32 F4 kit (s) were to be released by a A or A+ model company, then commercially, the obvious choices would be the versions sold to multiple air forces or operated by the USAF/USMC/USN - F-4B/C/D/E/J etc. I just don't see how Spey versions operated solely by the RAF & RN could be commercially viable for the outlay of a 1/32 F-4 to the standard which a modern tool kit by someone like Tamiya, Z-M, GWH, possibly HK Models or even an outsider like Academy would involve. As others have said, a really well detailed (and fitting!) 3D conversion set by a competent designer is the most likely route to (ever) having one of these in 1/32. Gary

My second one turned up today so it looks like they are now starting to find their way through the UK post network and also, both kits seem to have avoided the clutches of HM Customs to tax and squander even more money from me. VERY happy indeed with what I received. Gary

PHEW....! The first of my two en-route kits has just been placed in my hands (literally 2 mins ago) and the outer box appears to be fine with no signs of any "interesting" handling or route diversions whilst en-route. Just waiting now for the second one to arrive. Just mentioned to hopefully reassure UK buyers still waiting for theirs given the absence of any meaningful parcel tracking information. Gary

Like others, I have 2 x kits (separate track numbers) en-route to the UK and no updates since last registered in Turkey. I have never had this issue with their JA Viggens I ordered and so, I have no idea what the issue is with the (same) tracking system (17 TRACK) this time which is utterly useless. My kits were listed by JETMADS as posted 12th January in an email of that date and the tracking website shows nothing updated since 19th January when they were last showing as departing Turkey for country of destination; (UK) in this instance. I haven't had any HMRC tax demands arrive either in the interim and so where they are at the moment, who knows. I guess all one can do is wait...and wait. Gary

They are somewhat simplified by todays standards but don't forget, those Hasegawa 1/32 kits were 'cutting edge' 20+ years ago when they were released and still make very nice models if treated with some aftermarket and TLC. If anything, what we have today is a testament to manufacturers responding to modeller demands. Gary

PLUS 1 - EMAIL JUST ARRIVED. Please be informed that 1:32 AJ37 Viggen kits of your order #12221 have been delivered to our carrier today with the tracking numbers xxx and xxx. Packages are processed and forwarded by Turkish Post to destination countries generally in a few days.

I am amazed they can still ask that sort of money for a 50 years old model and which absent a huge amount of scratch or AM detail work, still looks like a toy no matter how nicely painted once built. As Kagemusha says, we need this subject in 1/32 by someone like GWH or Border etc. ....but (not) Trumpeter..! Gary

Plus 1 - Notified on the 1st December that 2 x kits were "sent for packing" and saying that 'an email will be sent when despatched' but nothing further. Gary

Great news - how about a SPAD VII whilst they are at it too..? Every one of theirs I have bought to date are fabulous kits. Gary

A new tool 1/32 MIG 21 to current Rye Field standards would be phenomenal. Fingers crossed! Gary

Are they going to be released under another name or has MBK located and bought a stash of KH models made before the company went T-up..? Gary

JUST been on the Jetmads site and they are still showing as available to order Bill - no idea how many are left though given the high order reference numbers quoted by some members on here. Gary

Same CC problems for me too when ordering with an initial rejection of the transaction as 'Suspicious Activity'. I have however made a quick call to the CC helpline (UK) and the transaction is now reversed and authorised. 2 x ordered (13011). BTW, I had an email from Jetmads asking me previously that if I don't want the (reserved) kits anymore, to please let them know asap as they have a 'waiting list' (already!) for cancellations. As such and if procrastinating, I would get them sooner rather than later if demand is high and exceeds supply. Given the subject, I'm not surprised at all by this. Gary

Being honest, if the HKM 1/48 B-17G kit is anything to go by which I am just finishing, don't waste too much time and money on expensive etched internal parts (unless doing a cutaway or similar) as having detailed mine inside, you can see squat once the transparencies are in place. Just concentrate on the Bombardier nose section and the cockpit seats/instrument panel and you will be fine (IMHO). A HUGE improvement however to the overall look and especially so in 1/32, will be replacing kit .50 cal gun barrels with the superb brass ones by MASTER. Gary

Detail of the parts is phenomenal and if post & duties isn't a deal killer, I may well get some of these sets! Thanks for bringing the company and product to our attention. Gary