[leeG]

Here are three Thunderbolts from my collection. Altayas' Macchi MC.202 Thunderbolt - Folgore, IXO's Mitsubishi J2M3 Thunderbolt - Raiden, and Dragon's Republic P-47D Thunderbolt. The Americans and Japanese made their Thunderbolts by starting with a big radial engine then building an airplane around it. The Italians made theirs by taking the wings and tail of an existing radial engine aircraft design and adding a new fuselage with an inline engine. It puzzles me that the BIG diecast manufacturers don't make more Japanese or Italian airplanes. Italian in particular. The MC.202 is a beautiful airplane, and there are some wonderful Italian liveries. I would love to see HobbyMaster or Gemini tackle the MC200, MC.202 and MC.205.

[Cruver Collecter]

Good looking selection of the Thunderbolts. Not sure why the major diecast companies make so few Japanese aircraft and pretty much ignore the Italian planes. There are some really good looking Italian fighters and they also had some of the neater looking paint schemes. I particularly like the Italian paint scheme referred to as Sand and Spinach (Like the 202 in the picture you posted.). There are also quite a few good looking Italian bombers to consider. Japanese aircraft have some minor coverage, but still some major gaps in coverage here too. Marushin has done a pretty good job with regards to 1/48th scale, but if you are into 1/72nd scale pickings get kind of slim (IXO does its part though).

[Gort]

I couldn’t agree with you two more. If somebody somewhere dared to produce relatively small batches of Japanese and Italian (and Russian) fighters and bombers, I’d kiss the guy square on the nose.

Honestly, the Japanese and Italians made some of the most comely, graceful, thoroughly cool warbirds on planet earth. And I for one would stock my shelves to the rafters if Dragon or Corgi or Hobby Master or whoever bit the bullet, threw caution to the wind and manufactured these beauties.

But, and this is a big BUT, they’d have to rise to Corgi’s and/or Dragon’s and/or Hobby Master’s quality. None of this IXO dribble.