[JustPlaneNuttz]

Originally Posted by Shamrock

. . . I got into aviation through reading, movies, and spending my hard earned pocket money on Airfix and Frog plastic models. In some ways I'm trying to recreate the joy of those (halycon) days with diecast.

Yeah, I have to agree. At first my Dad used to drag my brother and I up to the airport, then I got into kit building when I was around 10 or so and by 12 Airfix and Revell 1/72 models. Monogram 1/48th came later. (Yes, I worked like dog to make the money). Gawd did I learn a lot too from those instruction sheets. History Lesson 1. Then I discovered the local Library for History Lessons 2+(!)

Today, I am a time-poor business owner who has amassed a nice collection of Corgi aircraft -- many of the bombers I actually built as kits as a kid. (Corgi does do a better job than I did then too!)

Sidenote: What other 12 year-old could tell you the differences between the B-17c/d/e/f & g according to Edward Jablonski? Halcyon days, indeed! You bet!

[JustPlaneNuttz]

Originally Posted by Shamrock

Some of the Warbirds are superb aircraft that look great with a bit of work;Typhoon, Bader Spitfire, Smik Mk1V Spitfire, Tuck Hurricane, Molders ME-109 etc. With a pilot added and some minor work they are great. IMHO these models would do really well with decent packaging as Legends.

Actually, I have to agree again, as I wanted a 1:72 Bader Spitfire and the only one available was a Va in the Warbirds range. By adding a pilot from a no-name AA Hurricane that suffered a fatal 'crash' from a wifes over-zealous desire to 'dust' (Urrgghhh) I ended up with a pretty civilized companion to my SnS Dambuster Lanc. Now Bader is eternally 'Reaching For The Sky' on my desk. It works.

[Shawn 507]

Originally Posted by JustPlaneNuttz

Yeah, I have to agree. At first my Dad used to drag my brother and I up to the airport, then I got into kit building when I was around 10 or so and by 12 Airfix and Revell 1/72 models. Monogram 1/48th came later. (Yes, I worked like dog to make the money). Gawd did I learn a lot too from those instruction sheets. History Lesson 1. Then I discovered the local Library for History Lessons 2+(!)

Today, I am a time-poor business owner who has amassed a nice collection of Corgi aircraft -- many of the bombers I actually built as kits as a kid. (Corgi does do a better job than I did then too!)

Sidenote: What other 12 year-old could tell you the differences between the B-17c/d/e/f & g according to Edward Jablonski? Halcyon days, indeed! You bet!

Um yea I was that kid.
- Shawn

[bsmith13]

Originally Posted by Shawn 507

Um yea I was that kid.
- Shawn

Me too. Used to bug my friends. Now I merely annoy them.

[timbo]

Originally Posted by JustPlaneNuttz

Interesting stand you've got there.

[Hurriup!]

I was influenced early in my life as I was an army brat and exposed to all kinds of military vehicles saw the occaisional Voo-Doo or T-33 buzzing around when a joint exercise was on. I really got into aircraft and especially WWII ones when i received a Spit and a Stuka in small scale metal (I think Matchbox made them??) and then I was hooked. I had built, collected, flew and "lost in combat" many plastic planes and some still survive intact today. From there it was documentaries and movies like the Battle of Britain that got into the history of planes, battles, & pilots Now through the dicovery of this forum & Ebay I am a collector although on a smaller scale than you vets! I have two warbirds in my collection and only because of the pilots they represent the Hammy Gray Corsair and the Buzz Beurling Spit 403 Sqn which is now a helicopter sqn here at CFB Gagetown in my area. I am also baffled as well why Corgi would not put a pilot in the cockpit of a plane posed in an inflight position i just hope that Corgi listens to people like the ones on this forum.

[JustPlaneNuttz]

Originally Posted by timbo

Interesting stand you've got there.

Yes, isn't it? Well it is a quick solution to an immediate problem. The original stand was just too short. The Spit barely cleared the rudders on the Lanc (My desk is my main display area -- everything goes into rotation every few months). I have several 1:144 Bristol Britannias, but due to the fact I almost always display these on their landing gear, I have a number of spare stands (8 or 9?). I found that when I removed the large plug at the top, a metal stub is exposed that fits my AA and WB aircraft perfectly. I trimmed the stub down a bit and painted the stand a very near match to the wall (regrettably, the camera shifted the colours somewhat, so the stand colour looks a bit 'weird'.) using a mix of matte Humbrol paints. Needless to say, the Bader Spit has the appearance of screaming into the sky at the normal line of sight, and dominance of the stand has been reduced to a 'secondary' position. Considering it is WarBirds model, it doesn't look too bad. (I have Bader's 242 Hurricane coming which will find its way there. Mmmmmm -- Hurricane).


My line of sight!

I really wish someone would take up the manufacture of 3rd party accessories like clear stands in different heights that would fit the hundreds of thousands of Corgi aircraft that are out there. I'd really like rotating props too. The outfit that supplies them now seems to be a bit hit-and-miss when it comes to supply (as I hear it anyhow). Anyone know of someone making variable height clear stands that fit Corgi?

[Kiwi Dave]

As we were told before the Warbirds were first released, these are for the younger/cheaper/mass produced market and are not part of the Aviation Archive collection. There is no reason why Corgi can't release Warbirds schemes as Aviation Archive schemes, and it wouldn't surprise me if we see a double up of some of them. Corgi should be getting an idea as to which ones are more popular. No point harping on about how many Warbirds there are, should harp on about which Aviation Archive schemes there aren't.

[David Hingtgen]

A stand of "unusual" height is so very useful and sought after. I hoard any I ever get. I mean, you could "stack" planes at 3 or even 4 different heights and get a LOT more planes on a shelf. I have far more 1/400 airliners than 1/72 planes, and most 1/400 planes have similar, if not the same stand-hole. So you can mix and match stands from different companies for different heights. Can't quite achieve a three-tier layout, but I come as close as I can.

My Corgi stands let me keep my Phantoms and Tornado "below" my Witty Super Hornet etc. If I had even taller, or shorter stands--I could fit even more planes in--tuck some smaller props into the smaller spaces, etc.

[JustPlaneNuttz]

Originally Posted by David Hingtgen

A stand of "unusual" height is so very useful and sought after. I hoard any I ever get. I mean, you could "stack" planes at 3 or even 4 different heights and get a LOT more planes on a shelf. I have far more 1/400 airliners than 1/72 planes, and most 1/400 planes have similar, if not the same stand-hole. So you can mix and match stands from different companies for different heights. Can't quite achieve a three-tier layout, but I come as close as I can.

My Corgi stands let me keep my Phantoms and Tornado "below" my Witty Super Hornet etc. If I had even taller, or shorter stands--I could fit even more planes in--tuck some smaller props into the smaller spaces, etc.

Precisely! Here is an opportunity to an entrepreneurial firm, perhaps associated already with this market, to fill a need. I myself would be up for quite a number of these, as, to your point, I could display a lot more of my collection in my limited space.

And it doesn't have to stop there as well.

I have a number of 1:144 civil airliners that would look a bit better displayed if I had some scale passenger ramps (visable in the Tricatus package shot) like I got with my BOAC Britannia 102 (G-ANBA), perhaps some refueling and provisioning ground equipment, etc. My WWII bombers sitting would certainly look more 'active' with a refueling bowser (now available as part of a diorama kit from Airfix at the RAF Hendon gift shop for £14.99) or the discontinued Lledo BoB 50th Anniversary set. How about some bomb trucks and trollies? I'm sure many of you guys have some ideas as well. I realize that this isn't for everyone, but I sure would be up for this. To my knowledge, none of this collateral material exists except in discontinued items from eBay or in 'D-I-Y' kit form -- and I don't have the time to build kits, hence why I am into diecast.

Considering that Corgi already has some experience with this already, it seems logical that they would be the first ones I'd expect doing some form of this. I can see it now: 'Passenger Ramps for Airliners -- 2 different sets of 10 for your 1:144 civil airliners' (Gee -- I hope there is someone from Corgi trolling this forum ) And we haven't even touched the 1:144 military bombers yet . . . !!!

Just my 2¢ worth anyhow. Have a great day guys.