1/32 F-22

[Ryan]

Any one care to guess who will bring one of these out, just a discussion I have no insider info.

[Gerhard]

Didnt Testors do one age ago?

[Ryan]

Ehh, that was the YF-22, not the production model.

[LSP_Kevin]

Trumpeter announced one over 6 years ago:

 

https://www.largescaleplanes.com/kitdb/details.php?kit=1999

 

Sadly, no sign or word of it since.

 

Kev

 

 

[Gerhard]

3 minutes ago, Ryan said:

Ehh, that was the YF-22, not the production model.

Ah, true that. 

[Ryan]

It wasn't that bad of a kit, but would take a bunch of work to even be close.

 

The dream kit of course would be from Tamiya.

 

 

[Ryan]

6 minutes ago, LSP_Kevin said:

Trumpeter announced one over 6 years ago:

 

https://www.largescaleplanes.com/kitdb/details.php?kit=1999

 

Sadly, no sign or word of it since.

 

Kev

 

 

 

Perhaps not so sad Kev, considering their track record on some of the kits they produce.

 

Thanks for the link, I was not aware.

 

[Dave Williams]

The problem with the F-22 is that it’s a one-off mold.  You can’t make different versions from the same mold like you can with many other aircraft.  Also, it’s physically large.

 

I’d say Italeri has the best chance, based on them getting into big scale aircraft recently, including the F-35, but it’s not high because of the one-off factor.  There is zero chance that Hasegawa, KH, ZM, or Special Hobby will do it.  I think the chance of Revell doing it is pretty low, at least for quite a while.  It’s probably not a good choice for a company to spend money on when they are just recovering from a bankruptcy.  Trumpeter used to be heavy in 1/32 scale, but their releases have really slacked off in recent years.  They seem to be focusing on 1/35 armor and 1/48 aircraft and don’t see them doing a one-off (probably why the TBD was never released).  Similarly, I don’t see their sister, HobbyBoss, doing one either.  Tamiya can be a wild card, but I don’t see them having a successful business case for making one, unless someone very high up has a massive desire to see a kit.  Their 1/32 kits have been pretty mainstream so far.

 

I don’t see a kit coming out anytime soon.

[Ryan]

Good points, but isn't the real AC a "one off" itself? There are no 2 seaters' etc.

 

 

[KEi]

Love to have it in kit form but in my opinion, it is not appealing to the mass market due to:

1. Lack of color scheme which model makers can rebox them ( Academy F-16s)
2. Sole user is USAF which does not provide incentive to makers (Tamiya, Italeri) to produce them since it will not create a craze to their local market
3. Overshadowed by F-35 in terms of exposure in media, does make a impact of "i want to build that plane after seeing this"

I also didnt see alot of them being built in other scales.

 

Just my opinion and 2 cents with no intent of any impoliteness

[Dave Williams]

42 minutes ago, Ryan said:

Good points, but isn't the real AC a "one off" itself? There are no 2 seaters' etc.

 

 

 

Yes, it is.  Hence the problem of a company spending the money on making a large mold of such an aircraft.  Also, there is only one user and only one paint scheme (not counting a “naked” unpainted one).  One can argue that the F-35 is somewhat similar, but at least you could get three different version out of a mold, plus multiple users that broaden its appeal.

[Ryan]

4 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

 

Yes, it is.  Hence the problem of a company spending the money on making a large mold of such an aircraft.  Also, there is only one user and only one paint scheme (not counting a “naked” unpainted one).  One can argue that the F-35 is somewhat similar, but at least you could get three different version out of a mold, plus multiple users that broaden its appeal.

 

Ahh crystal clear, thanks Dave.

[Ryan]

9 minutes ago, KEi said:

Love to have it in kit form but in my opinion, it is not appealing to the mass market due to:

1. Lack of color scheme which model makers can rebox them ( Academy F-16s)
2. Sole user is USAF which does not provide incentive to makers (Tamiya, Italeri) to produce them since it will not create a craze to their local market
3. Overshadowed by F-35 in terms of exposure in media, does make a impact of "i want to build that plane after seeing this"

I also didnt see alot of them being built in other scales.

 

Just my opinion and 2 cents with no intent of any impoliteness

 

Good points also KEI.

[1to1scale]

This is not a kit I would normally build, but.....if Tamiya made one, I would buy it. Personally, I would rather see Tamiya make a new F-14. But as was said before, I think Trump or Italeri has the best track record for this kit. Of course, I have been known to be wrong occasionally, just ask my wife.

[Tony T]

Is there sufficient access to warrant a 1/32 kit?

If you can't go poking around with a camera and tape measure you can't furnish the extra detail, so the bigger scale is rather pointless.

 

I'd rather manufacturers did the missing dogfight-capable interceptors of yesteryear in 1/32: Voodoo, Deuce, Six, (new tool) EE Lightning, Draken, Flagon etc.

 

Tony