BloorwestSiR Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 With all the recent modeler's block and frustrations surrounding a couple of my current LSP builds, I decided maybe I should find a simpler, less stressful build to work on. I decided on the Fine Molds 1/48 X-Wing fighter kit. Fine Molds is a Japanese model company and they have focused on mostly Japanese modeling subjects. Around 2000, they received a license to produce Star Wars models. Most have been in 1/72 scale with a couple in 1/48 and 1/44. The kits are so much better than the old MPC kits that came out at the same time as the original three films. This particular kit was released in 2007 and is a snap together kit with your choice or decals or stickers for the markings. I had started it back then but didn't get very far with the build. Anyways, it was just what I needed. scvrobeson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloorwestSiR Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 I didn't take any pics for a WiP so here is the finished craft: The biggest hurdle were the decals. They didn't want to conform and seem to silver even though they were on a gloss surface. If I had known they were like that, I probably would have painted most of them. The markings are for Red 5 and are the only option in the kit. The 1/72 version gives you a couple more choices on top of that. Here's a shot of some of the 1/72 kits that I have: If any of you are a Star Wars fan, I highly recommend getting any one of their kits. They are well worth it but recently they announced that they are being discontinued as Fine Molds no longer has the license from Lucasfilms so are getting scarce. Carl Girlscanplay2 and scvrobeson 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Very nice work Carl! They look great. I only have a couple of the old AMT kits unfortunately, as I've never been able to afford the Fine Molds kits. And their prices are already starting to skyrocket on eBay! For those who aren't aware, the licence for Star Wars kits from 2015 onwards has been awarded to Bandai. It's rumoured that Fine Molds will be destroying their tooling. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfists nz Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 I loved Star Wars as a kid but I have to say it... The front of those things are sort of...phallic.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloorwestSiR Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 Very nice work Carl! They look great. I only have a couple of the old AMT kits unfortunately, as I've never been able to afford the Fine Molds kits. And their prices are already starting to skyrocket on eBay! For those who aren't aware, the licence for Star Wars kits from 2015 onwards has been awarded to Bandai. It's rumoured that Fine Molds will be destroying their tooling. Kev Thanks Kevin. I hear you about the prices going up already. That being said, Seal Model from Hong Kong is selling off what they have left at their regular price (around$30 CDN) for most of the 1/72 kits and the Millenium Falcon was $195. I'd be tempted to grab a second one just to sit on it but with so many other kits coming that I would rather get and build, it would tie up a bit too much of the budget for a hoped for win fall. As for the Bandai kits, they had some prototypes shown at the Shizuoka show in the summer, including a Star Destroyer and they looked decent. If they're as nice as the Yamato 2199 kits or their EX line of models, they'll be just as good as the Fine Molds I think. Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloorwestSiR Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 I loved Star Wars as a kid but I have to say it... The front of those things are sort of...phallic.. Me too. It was the only blockbuster movie I saw on a school trip. They took most of the school on trip to see the film. I was seven at the time and remember that well. As for phallic, well, it could have been more overt. The ship from Battle Beyond the Stars had breasts! Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mywifehatesmodels Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 (edited) Nice X-wing and I'm anxious to see the rest, as well. I've built a couple of the various AMT/Ertl Star Wars kits, but haven't had the pleasure of the FM offerings, yet. On a somewhat related note, my brother and I collaborated on building an AT-AT driver helmet (we modified it from a tie fighter pilot's helmet) and sold it on ebay. I have another one in my shop that he wants to keep, but we have to do the conversion yet. John Edited September 9, 2014 by mywifehatesmodels Girlscanplay2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpastern Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Very nice work Carl! They look great. I only have a couple of the old AMT kits unfortunately, as I've never been able to afford the Fine Molds kits. And their prices are already starting to skyrocket on eBay! For those who aren't aware, the licence for Star Wars kits from 2015 onwards has been awarded to Bandai. It's rumoured that Fine Molds will be destroying their tooling. Kev I hope that rumour [of destroying their tooling] is wrong. I really do. I have the Millenium Falcon (1/72) in my stash. Hell, tell you a secret, I have 2 of them in my stash! Along with the NCC-1701-D Enterprise, it's my favourite all time favourite spaceship. I spent many a day in my younger youth pretending to be in the cockpit! Carl - another nice job on a Star Wars kit! Especially love Artoo! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I hope that rumour [of destroying their tooling] is wrong. I'm pretty certain it is wrong, Dave. What I'm being told is that Revell has acquired the tooling in order to help service its US/Europe license, and will be re-releasing them alongside their own, more toy-like offerings. Kev dpastern 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scvrobeson Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 I'm pretty certain it is wrong, Dave. What I'm being told is that Revell has acquired the tooling in order to help service its US/Europe license, and will be re-releasing them alongside their own, more toy-like offerings. Kev That's what I've heard. With Bandai getting their license pulled, Revell will now have the monopoly, and the rumor mill says they'll have the Fine Molds kits as well. I'm fine with it, since I missed their 1/48 kits the first time around. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 That's what I've heard. With Bandai getting their license pulled, Revell will now have the monopoly, and the rumor mill says they'll have the Fine Molds kits as well. I'm fine with it, since I missed their 1/48 kits the first time around. Matt Nothing's actually changed with Bandai's license, Matt, only that the ability to sell the kits outside of Japan has been reined in. Bandai has the license for Japan only, with Revell covering Europe and the US. Since Bandai were first to market with decent kits, they've been very popular globally, and have been selling like hotcakes through the usual channels. Disney got wind of this (the popular theory is that they were dobbed in by Revell, but vehemently denied by Revell itself), and demanded that the terms of the license be adhered to, and the kits withdrawn from the international market. You can still get them sent to you from Japan if you know someone there, but you can't buy them from HLJ if you have a non-Japanese address, or from anyone else outside of Japan. Unfortunately, the original kits that Revell has produced on the back of their license so far have been aimed at kids, not modellers. That's apparently the reason for scooping up the Fine Molds tooling, as it's far cheaper, and quicker to market, to do that, versus starting again from scratch. So, hopefully we'll see those kits again soon. Kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nessus Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 That's what I've heard. With Bandai getting their license pulled, Revell will now have the monopoly, and the rumor mill says they'll have the Fine Molds kits as well. I'm fine with it, since I missed their 1/48 kits the first time around. Matt Actually, Bandai only had the license for the Japanese market, so it is still alive and kicking on that front. You can still buy Bandai kits through Amazon and Japanese proxy buyers. As for Revell, yes they have the FM moulds, and a myriad of other versions of the same subjects, some very toy like. There are over 70 pages dedicated to this discussion alone on Starship Modeler.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpastern Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 Nothing's actually changed with Bandai's license, Matt, only that the ability to sell the kits outside of Japan has been reined in. Bandai has the license for Japan only, with Revell covering Europe and the US. Since Bandai were first to market with decent kits, they've been very popular globally, and have been selling like hotcakes through the usual channels. Disney got wind of this (the popular theory is that they were dobbed in by Revell, but vehemently denied by Revell itself), and demanded that the terms of the license be adhered to, and the kits withdrawn from the international market. You can still get them sent to you from Japan if you know someone there, but you can't buy them from HLJ if you have a non-Japanese address, or from anyone else outside of Japan. Unfortunately, the original kits that Revell has produced on the back of their license so far have been aimed at kids, not modellers. That's apparently the reason for scooping up the Fine Molds tooling, as it's far cheaper, and quicker to market, to do that, versus starting again from scratch. So, hopefully we'll see those kits again soon. Kev well if that's true, Revell should be done for being anti competitive imho, much like the US DOJ did AT&T. I've never liked Disney and I'm pretty ticked that Lucas sold the franchise to them. I for One won't be going out on opening night to see the new Star Wars film (to echo Han Solo, "I have a bad feeling about this"). I'll wait for a few suckers, oops, trusted friends who are fans, to go first ;-) Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpastern Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 That's what I've heard. With Bandai getting their license pulled, Revell will now have the monopoly, and the rumor mill says they'll have the Fine Molds kits as well. I'm fine with it, since I missed their 1/48 kits the first time around. Matt i'm not really fine with Revell getting the Fine Mold toolings - I consider it cheating to be honest. Let them do their own toolings. I don't know if fine molds was told by disney "destroy the tooling or sell it to our nominated new owner of the rights to sell the kits" or not (I'm guessing the latter). The fine molds MF 1/72 kits are exceptionally good by all accounts, and based on my checking out the box! The old AMT/ERTL kits are absolutely terrible in comparison!!!!!!!! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nessus Posted November 1, 2015 Share Posted November 1, 2015 i'm not really fine with Revell getting the Fine Mold toolings - I consider it cheating to be honest. Let them do their own toolings. I don't know if fine molds was told by disney "destroy the tooling or sell it to our nominated new owner of the rights to sell the kits" or not (I'm guessing the latter). The fine molds MF 1/72 kits are exceptionally good by all accounts, and based on my checking out the box! The old AMT/ERTL kits are absolutely terrible in comparison!!!!!!!! Dave The FM kits are works of art, but if the hype is to be believed, all of them have flaws. It just depends on how fanatical you are. As for the MPC Falcon, nothing wrong with it that a bit of elbow grease and patience can't fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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