[smartd]

Originally Posted by firefighterpilot1

I think the basic answer is everybody has different wants. I personally would not care for an F-100, F-105 or F-111 and would take an F-15E over any of them but obviously there's others who want the opposite.

Unlikely to see these in any event. CW seems to have a game plan and they are working their plan quite well.

[David Hingtgen]

There's a basic problem with a lot of people's new mold requests:

Even Century just copies pre-existing plastic kits like everyone else, and makes them in diecast. They are only as accurate as the kit they're based on. There is no accurate F-15E out there in 1/72 to copy. Why do you think Dragon's model is like it is? Because it's a perfect copy of the Hasegawa kit---which simply is not really an F-15E kit. Nor can you ask for a 72nd or 48th B-1B regardless of size/cost, because there's not one out there to copy. (there are B-1 kits, but not really B-1B's) The only companies that actually make their own molds "from scratch" are the 1/400 and *some* 1/200. Every 1/72 diecast jet I've ever seen, has been an exact copy of some plastic kit I have in my closet.

Or the short version: if there's not already a *good*, pre-existing plastic kit of it in 1/72, you're not going to get a good 1/72 diecast model of it.

Now if Century would go out and make an F-18C based on the new Academy 1/72 kit, it'd blow away Dragon's...

[lanslide]

Originally Posted by David Hingtgen

There's a basic problem with a lot of people's new mold requests:

Even Century just copies pre-existing plastic kits like everyone else, and makes them in diecast. They are only as accurate as the kit they're based on. There is no accurate F-15E out there in 1/72 to copy. Why do you think Dragon's model is like it is? Because it's a perfect copy of the Hasegawa kit---which simply is not really an F-15E kit. Nor can you ask for a 72nd or 48th B-1B regardless of size/cost, because there's not one out there to copy. (there are B-1 kits, but not really B-1B's) The only companies that actually make their own molds "from scratch" are the 1/400 and *some* 1/200. Every 1/72 diecast jet I've ever seen, has been an exact copy of some plastic kit I have in my closet.

Or the short version: if there's not already a *good*, pre-existing plastic kit of it in 1/72, you're not going to get a good 1/72 diecast model of it.

Now if Century would go out and make an F-18C based on the new Academy 1/72 kit, it'd blow away Dragon's...

Then we need to keep our requests realistic. We need only request diecast models of plastic kits that are well made, otherwise the diecast model will be as bad as the kit. Well, that shoots down over half of my wish list - darn it! From now on we should only request a diecast model if we provide the plastic kit equivalent.

[muesingman]

Originally Posted by David Hingtgen

There's a basic problem with a lot of people's new mold requests:

Even Century just copies pre-existing plastic kits like everyone else, and makes them in diecast. They are only as accurate as the kit they're based on. There is no accurate F-15E out there in 1/72 to copy. Why do you think Dragon's model is like it is? Because it's a perfect copy of the Hasegawa kit---which simply is not really an F-15E kit. Nor can you ask for a 72nd or 48th B-1B regardless of size/cost, because there's not one out there to copy. (there are B-1 kits, but not really B-1B's) The only companies that actually make their own molds "from scratch" are the 1/400 and *some* 1/200. Every 1/72 diecast jet I've ever seen, has been an exact copy of some plastic kit I have in my closet.

Or the short version: if there's not already a *good*, pre-existing plastic kit of it in 1/72, you're not going to get a good 1/72 diecast model of it.

Now if Century would go out and make an F-18C based on the new Academy 1/72 kit, it'd blow away Dragon's...

Good statement, David. That´s of course a point of view that should always be kept in mind.

David, how "good" is (or which flaws has) Dragon´s F-15E got apart from the ones which are really obvious (at least to me):

-missing LANTIRN pods
-missing hardpoints
-copper canopy frame ?

In other words: I think could live very well with that mold. BUT: if I owned the factory, I would modify it like this:

-undercarriage: same "one block" system as on CW´s F-14´s (should be quite simple on F-15s!);
-canopy mechanism (open/close), no copper frame;
-drilling holes for the LANTIRN pods and the centerline pylon;
-conformal tanks with holes drilled in for the hardpoints;
-hardpoints and weapons already combined like on CW´s F-14s;
-underwing pylons: fitting system like on Hobbymaster planes (if it´s already glued on, how should one apply weapons to the conformal tanks? it would be to fiddly);
-dark grey camo a little bit enlightened (Dragon´s grey looks far too dark to me - am I right?);
-ejector seats a little bit modyfied so that pilots could be inserted.

Wouldn´t this come quite close? I am sure that it would work, technically. Of course I know that the decisive point is not the technical ability (Century have already proven that they know what they are doing) but the financial power. I will order order one of their A-6´s and surely the VA-86 A-7, too, just to contribute a bit of the money that they need for the modifications. ;-)

[David Hingtgen]

I haven't seen a Dragon F-15E in person---I doubt the paint is too dark, as fresh 36118 is quite dark.

In addition to what was mentioned, to make a proper F-15E also requires a new rear cockpit (the cockpit difference is obvious even at 1/72 scale), the "ammo loading bulge" under the fuselage, chaff/flare launchers, remove the tailhook fairing, add a larger tailhook, new landing gear bay doors and wheels, new front gear strut (if you're doing a modern one), modified tailboom tips, modified light strips, (and if you're really picky, the wing nav lights need to be moved a bit) and I'd really like to see the upper rear fuselage "re-detailed" (as in panel lines, vents, etc---the E model is very different there---it has different panels/doors all over, but most obviously there).

Frankly, you really cannot make a truly accurate F-15E from a model of any other type. Too many small things were changed. The only accurate F-15E models in the world were made from the ground up as F-15E's, not modified from a B/D kit.