Any Tamiya 1/32 rumours?

[Pup7309]

2 hours ago, Tony T said:

The almost nonexistent output of 1/32 jets is why many of us want Tamiya to revisit the F-4, F-16 etc with a few bits for different Blocks or eras. I have no hope of a new kit per se, but would like re-pops with a few new bits and markings. 

 

If I ever actually build a WW2 single engine piston fighter ever again in this life (and I have fourteen such 1/32 kits in the stash, only one of them Tamiya), it'll likely be in 1/24. I quite fancy the extra heft and the detail is exquisite. More interested in what Airfix and Trumpeter might do. 

 

Tony 

Yes the F-4 and F-16s look really nice. Unfortunately I only have enough time to make half my propeller kits, but double my life on this planet and I'd get into jets, including Cold War stuff. I think variants of these are a major possibility

[Tony T]

9 hours ago, Pup7309 said:

Yes the F-4 and F-16s look really nice. Unfortunately I only have enough time to make half my propeller kits, but double my life on this planet and I'd get into jets, including Cold War stuff. I think variants of these are a major possibility

 

Tamiya have stated they're not making any more F-4 variants.

Somebody indicated they said the same about the F-16s. 

All I'm asking for is a repop with a new fret to fix the sub-size F-4 J79 jetpipes and maybe add a few small items. 

Others want the earlier Block Thunderbirds F-16C repopped in grey plastic.

 

But somebody at Tamiya has a time vault mentality. Everything has to be frozen in time. A bit like the National Trust here, classifying 1950s pebbledash rendering as a listed building feature. It can only be replaced by materials reproducing 1950s pebbledash. 

 

Tony 

[cbk57]

3 hours ago, Tony T said:

 

Tamiya have stated they're not making any more F-4 variants.

Somebody indicated they said the same about the F-16s. 

All I'm asking for is a repop with a new fret to fix the sub-size F-4 J79 jetpipes and maybe add a few small items. 

Others want the earlier Block Thunderbirds F-16C repopped in grey plastic.

 

But somebody at Tamiya has a time vault mentality. Everything has to be frozen in time. A bit like the National Trust here, classifying 1950s pebbledash rendering as a listed building feature. It can only be replaced by materials reproducing 1950s pebbledash. 

 

Tony 

That is not an entirely correct analysis.  As Tamiya has matured it has started revisiting and revising.  However that has not extended to 1/32.  Here are a few examples of revisiting:  all new Matilda, all new Tiger, all new Jagdpanzer Iv.  Each of these were preceded by kits from early in the Tamiya world and replaced with all new kits.  Yes my examples are in armor.  So far they have mostly not done this with their airplanes.  Only all new update I can think of are the 1/48 a6m5 and a6m3 zero.  

 

As far as partial update, that has become kind of a thing, They did some new parts for the Tyrell 003 in 1/12 scale, they did a 1/20 Lotus 79 where they used some old engine parts and a mostly new kit, they issue a revised SDKFZ 232 Africa Corp with some revised parts.  

 

Most of the kits they replaced were from their armor line of the 1970's.  The only LSP old enough they have done that they might do a full redo is the F-14, but I don't think they will.  An LSP eligible for new and revised parts is the Zero series where they could eliminate the working landing gear and replace with better detailed parts.

 

I don't see them revisiting most of their LSP's though not because they are perfect, just cheeper and broader demand for armor kits and enough value to do redoes in those kits.  I suspect in their time we will see them do something new with the f-16 either as a reissue or minor upgrade, maybe with the F-4 but it could be a really long time.  However, in the end Tamiya does a lot of things, it just is a lot bigger than LSP's.  Their biggest redo of all was probably the Yamato.  It was one of their classic 1/350 kits and a number of years ago they did an all new ground up uber kit.  So if they can find good reason from their perspective anything can happen.

 

If you have not concluded I am a Tamiya Fan boy at this point then you are missing the boat.  I love Tamiya, however I respect their broad perspective vs a narrow view of looking to LSP's only.  Now I don't go out and buy everything.  I only buy if it is compelling to me.  But I do love their work.

[Pup7309]

8 hours ago, Tony T said:

 

Tamiya have stated they're not making any more F-4 variants.

Somebody indicated they said the same about the F-16s. 

All I'm asking for is a repop with a new fret to fix the sub-size F-4 J79 jetpipes and maybe add a few small items. 

Others want the earlier Block Thunderbirds F-16C repopped in grey plastic.

 

But somebody at Tamiya has a time vault mentality. Everything has to be frozen in time. A bit like the National Trust here, classifying 1950s pebbledash rendering as a listed building feature. It can only be replaced by materials reproducing 1950s pebbledash. 

 

Tony 

Nice pebbledash analogy! Like to see the re pop on that

[thierry laurent]

By the way, Tamiya just revisited the 1/48 Spitfire Mk.I. 

[Pup7309]

4 hours ago, thierry laurent said:

By the way, Tamiya just revisited the 1/48 Spitfire Mk.I. 

So they might revisit a Vb in 1/48? Maybe a mk 111?