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Merit Models

Royboy

By Royboy
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Royboy

Royboy

Posted
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Hi Guys,

I wonder if any of you can assist with this enquiry regarding Merit Models?

I've noticed that they have some 1/18 scale aircraft plus a flak 88, also a 1/200 aircraft carrier for sale, are they ready made or in kit form?

What's the quality like? The flak 88 looks really good from the published pictures! B)

TIA.

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ssculptor

ssculptor

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As usual I looked up Merit Models on Google (I just love the internet).

I found Merit International LLC which appears to be a (dealer or distributor) and on their website

http://www.merit-intl.com/merit/

I scrolled down and found a box showing 4 models from JSI and Merit. JSI took over the production and distribution of the old 21st Century molds.

The 88mm AA gun in 1/18 could be the 21st Century one remade into a model kit like some of their 1/32 airplane kits. The built model was offered just before 21st Century went belly up. It is a wonderful detailed model. They can be found on eBay at a reasonable cost today. Go take a look. I'm not sure about this new one.

The 1/18 M e109E looks like the JSI reissue of the 21st Century built and painted model.

The 1/16 M198 155mm howitzer (USA) could be a new kit.

The 1/200 U.S.S. Hornet is probably a kit.

That is a very interesting site, by the way. Scroll down and view the 1/6 naked women, some even come with extra big bazooms.

They even have anatomically correct men figures. Remember the movie Space Balls where Darth Vader was playing dolls with Princess Leah and his figure? Nowadays they can really get it on.

Adult toys get more and more interesting. I wonder when they will come out with real exploding scale model artillery shells.

"No officer, I did shoot him with a real gun. This is just a radio controlled scale model I built from a Mattel toy kit."

Or perhaps pregnant Barbie dolls? :wub: And all this time we thought Ken doll was just a poof. :yahoo:

This is such an enjoyable hobby at times.

Stephen

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Royboy

Royboy

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Hi Stephen,

Thanks for the link!

I dug a little deeper there and found that the USS Hornet is indeed a full kit with 44 sprues and lashings of etched brass to go with it also.

This model is truly massive!!!

I'd love to own one but I think this is way too big for the space I currently have available. :wacko:

This looks stunning, I'm going to have to requisition some more space from somewhere?

This hobby is amazing is it not!

Happy days.

 

 

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ssculptor

ssculptor

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I am not sure of the 1/18 SBD. There was a fully built and painted one produced by BBL a few years ago like 21st Century's. Maybe they made a simple kit of it like 21st Century did with their 1/32 aircraft? We will have to see what happens.

Merit International will have a booth at the Hobby Industry trade show in Rosemont, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago) in October of this year and that show usually allows civilians (non-industry people) to attend the last day. I'll get more info for you guys later.

Merit was at the February Toy trade show in N Y City this year but I missed it as the storms shut down just about everything. Even the trains were not running to New York City as I recall. I live only a hour away by train and I usually attend that show. So I missed that show this year, unfortunately.

Such is life. Hey, its only a hobby.

The U.S.S. Hornet (CV-8) in 1/200 scale comes out to about 49 inches long. Yes that is a massive model. I have a wood U.S.S. New Jersey in that scale and I really do not know where to put it. That is the reason I quit modeling ships. Airplanes I can hang from the ceiling and on the walls. Tanks are not so big, even in 1/15/16/18 scale and they fit nicely on a shelf. My fire engines are 1/24 and 1/25 scale and they fit on shelves nicely.

If I want larger scale fire engines I'll just buy the real ones, full size. Second hand fire apparatus are really relatively inexpensive, running from $2,000 to $10,000 depending on age and condition. Just park them in the back yard and drive them around now and then. I was going to buy one but I tried to join the volunteer fire department instead. But I could not meet the physical requirements at the age of 65 so I gave it up. No, I'm never going to grow up. Besides, its to late now as I am an old fart and rather set in my ways.

Just keep in mind that if a model airplane or tank is available in 1/18 scale the odds are that they are the 21st Century type and not fine scale model kits. The real model kits would be in 1/16 scale.

Stephen

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ssculptor

ssculptor

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Hi Stephen,

Thanks for the link!

I dug a little deeper there and found that the USS Hornet is indeed a full kit with 44 sprues and lashings of etched brass to go with it also.

This model is truly massive!!!

I'd love to own one but I think this is way too big for the space I currently have available. :wacko:

This looks stunning, I'm going to have to requisition some more space from somewhere?

This hobby is amazing is it not!

Happy days.

Well, we could always hang the ship models from the ceiling like they did in the 12th to 15th Centuries in churches in Europe. That is how we know so much about the old ships as some of these models survive today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_model

 

Of course you would have to have a high ceilings or guests would be constantly ramming the ship models with their heads like The great white whale Moby Dick attacked Captain Ahab's whaling ship Pequod.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moby-Dick

 

By the way, there are groups of ship modelers who make large scale model warships and actually do battle with them. The models are about 6 to 10 feet long and are radio controlled. The turrets move and shoot BBs. The RC and other mechanisms are contained in waterproof containers within the model and the rest of it is made of thin fragile balsa wood. The ships swim around shooting at one another and the last ship afloat is the winner. Then the guys pick them out of the shallow pool, take them home and rebuild them. Great fun and the H.M.S. Indecisive will once again do battle with the German S.M.S. Farblunget and the Japanese I.J.N. Itchi Krotchi. Refer to

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_warship_combat

Enjoy, its a hobby.

Stephen

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ssculptor

ssculptor

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I just saw the 1/200 Hornet listed on Bad Cat Toys as a 1200 part kit by Merit and their price is $380. Well Bad Cat is the most overpriced kit/toy site I have ever come across so I do not take their prices seriously. But it is nice to know it is a detailed kit. With 1200 parts one certainly would get his almost 400 bucks back in just time spent in building the beastie.

Enjoy,

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Derek

Derek

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Hi Guys,

 

Chango seems to be right. I found out yesterday from someone within the industry that Merit is indeed owned by Trumpeter.

 

Rowen, the 1/18th scale SBD was being sold at a local model meet that I attended yesterday (IPMS Avon). I couldn't resist having a look inside the box. It's big and impressive. The quality of the moulding is pretty fine too. The design and layout of the instruction manual and colour sheet would seem to confirm that this is in fact from the house of Trumpeter.

 

Here's a link to some shots of the sprues and instruction manual: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10220980

Just click on the thumbnails to enlarge the images.

 

I have to admit, I tempted...

 

Hope that helps.

 

Cheers,

Derek

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Guest Nigelr32

Guest Nigelr32

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Hi Roy,

 

I also had a look over this kit at the show yesterday, and was very impressed. It looks like a superdetailers dream and in this massive scale will require every line wire and switch adding to the massive and oh so visible cockpit.

 

You know the guy who attends lots of shows with his motorised models? The one with the Mossie operating undercarriage and motorised props on his aircraft, well, he bought one at the show and will be giving it retractable U/C and motorised prop...

 

The only reason I didn't buy one was because I was awestruck by the HK B-17..

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