AFV Club F-16AM...Anybody see this coming?

[Juggernut]

Not for me (especially at the price being asked) but I had not heard of this coming release so it may be of interest to some.  Linky

 

Most likely the Academy plastic with some injected molded details to backdate the CG/CJ to an AM.

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by Juggernut

[thierry laurent]

It is the Academy kit with some resin parts. However if I'm remembering correctly it does not have all the parts to depict comprehensively an A mark.

[Dave Williams]

Like all of the AFV Club 1/32 F-16s, it’s the Academy plastic with some resin bits (in this case, new tail, TERs and Mk 82 slicks).  It’s not intended to make an A model.  It’s specifically only intended to make a Taiwanese Block 20.  You can see what’s in the kit here.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10823568

It also includes a sprue from the Academy F/A-18 with Harpoons.

Edited May 19, 2022 by Dave Williams

[Confusionreigns178]

At a list-price of US $257.00, they won't need an artificial-limit of "only 3 units per household"! The Academy kit is a pretty good one, but all the a/m resin in the world won't make it worth that asking-price!

 

This whole business of re-boxing other manufacturers' kits, adding some shiny goodies and charged huge prices is getting a bit silly, from where I'm sitting... the only recent exception to this trend was the Special Hobby re-box of the ICM 1/32 Huey Cobra. Now, that was amazing value for money! 

 

What thinketh ye?

 

Chris. 

[Mr.T]

Overpriced and to build a proper A-model of say the EPAF (European Participating Air Forces: Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands & Norway) early and late (MLU; Mid-Life Update) this kit does not cut it. Serious cockpit work needed and the tail is incorrect for Belgium, Netherlands and Norway. Denmark only operates the original short tail. A Taiwanese modeller makes stellar tails and other parts to complete these Vipers. Also to make the early A/B USAF / Israeli / Egyptian Vipers and so on. See here:

 

https://3d-chute-expert.myshopify.com/collections/all

 

So, forget this kit: wayyyyyyy too expensive. But the basic Academy kit may be hard to find. The chute-expert however also makes the parts to convert the more available F-16CJ of Tamiya. Thin landing gear is an issue to solve here though. He is working on it. 

 

[Dave Williams]

The AFV Club F-16s have always been ridiculously overpriced, but not sure if that’s brand related, or if it’s a kit that’s designed primarily for the home (Taiwan) market, and cheaper over there.  Academy reboxes of the Revell F-4E are also overpriced, but again maybe they are cheaper over there.  Might also depend on who’s doing the reboxing.  On the other side, Revell reboxed for Italeri Mirage IIIE for quite a bit lower than the original, and I think their reboxes of ICM kits are also competitively priced.

[BloorwestSiR]

Generally the AFV Club kits are much cheaper in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Japan has duties on imported kits especially from other Asian manufacturers that raise the prices significantly. A better idea of the cost would be to find it on one of the Hong Kong vendor sites. 

 

Carl

Edited May 19, 2022 by BloorwestSiR
Fix typo

[Artful69]

2 hours ago, Confusionreigns178 said:

At a list-price of US $257.00, they won't need an artificial-limit of "only 3 units per household"! The Academy kit is a pretty good one, but all the a/m resin in the world won't make it worth that asking-price!

 

This whole business of re-boxing other manufacturers' kits, adding some shiny goodies and charged huge prices is getting a bit silly, from where I'm sitting... the only recent exception to this trend was the Special Hobby re-box of the ICM 1/32 Huey Cobra. Now, that was amazing value for money! 

 

What thinketh ye?

 

Chris. 

 

There are quite a few kits that go the other way in price though ...

 

The recent Hobby 2000 punch out of the Dragon/Cyber Hobby Bf.109.E's ... Revell with the Dragon/Cyber Hobby Bf.110C rebox - and a couple of Special Hobby kits ... also Tamiya releasing repops of a couple of 1/35 kits by other manufacturers tend to come out with cheaper retail.

 

I guess it just pays to check out what the market says before pulling the trigger?!

 

Rog

[BloorwestSiR]

18 minutes ago, Artful69 said:

 

I guess it just pays to check out what the market says before pulling the trigger?!

 

 

Definitely. I remember when Tamiya re-boxed a couple of the Asuka Sherman kits, they were not only cheaper than the Asuka kits but included a set of figures too.  Oddly enough on the collector market, they're worth around three times their original price. 

[Artful69]

3 minutes ago, BloorwestSiR said:

 

Definitely. I remember when Tamiya re-boxed a couple of the Asuka Sherman kits, they were not only cheaper than the Asuka kits but included a set of figures too.  Oddly enough on the collector market, they're worth around three times their original price. 

 

I think the original pricing on most of those has to do with a combination of the need to recoup front end design costs ... and limited release reducing the potential for economies of scale. Tamiya - much bigger company - (leases the moulds?), designs box, instructions and possibly figures to match - produces a much bigger batch - better marketing and distribution ... 

 

Perhaps the reason for the AFV price hike is limited production numbers (forcing cost per item up) - combined with resin production?

 

Rog

[Royboy]

Perhaps it's time for Academy to consider producing this version in it's entirety rather than others doing half a job modifying it. Probably quite a decent market for it out there. I do wish this company would produce more 1/32 scale jets. Their Hornet is stellar and I have plenty in the stash!! One day maybe?

[Mr.T]

1 hour ago, Royboy said:

Perhaps it's time for Academy to consider producing this version in it's entirety rather than others doing half a job modifying it. Probably quite a decent market for it out there. I do wish this company would produce more 1/32 scale jets. Their Hornet is stellar and I have plenty in the stash!! One day maybe?

But then a redesign in the critical areas as well that have been well documented over the years...so that it is up to the Tamiya standard or beyond it...or maybe Kinetic one day in 1/32

[32scalelover]

At Lucky Model it is listed at $149.99 but is listed as future release.

 

Greg

[Mr.T]

20 hours ago, 32scalelover said:

At Lucky Model it is listed at $149.99 but is listed as future release.

 

Greg

that sounds more reasonably priced (excl. shipping /taxes of course)

 

[Tony T]

On 5/19/2022 at 9:10 PM, Mr.T said:

... A Taiwanese modeller makes stellar tails and other parts to complete these Vipers. Also to make the early A/B USAF / Israeli / Egyptian Vipers and so on. See here:

 

https://3d-chute-expert.myshopify.com/collections/all

 

...The chute-expert however also makes the parts to convert the more available F-16CJ of Tamiya. Thin landing gear is an issue to solve here though. He is working on it. 

 

 

Thanks for this. The F-16ADF fin looks great — puts the Ultimate Diana project one step nearer. 

 

Tony