[FormerViperDriver]

Originally Posted by ZS-VAN

Excuse me, weak Mirage? Are we talking FMs poor attempt at one or the aircraft itself? The Mirage III is a combat verteran of note.

Agreed, ZS-VAN. The Mirage III is a classic in its own right.

All the more disappointing that FM didn't do a better job with it.

Also, the Israeli scheme they chose is really weak. Why couldn't they do a combat scheme instead of a training livery? I guess FM/A is into their "gaudy livery" period in 2008 (all-yellow Mosquito, assembly ship B-24, bicentenial F-14, Stras-and-Stripes F-18, etc...) so they had to go with the orange triangles on the Mirage. Anyway, moot point if they didn't correct the aircraft's shape (as seems to be the case from the picture at the Flying Mule, but these are likely pre-pro, so who knows...).

FVD

[dasboot]

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

I'm really disappointed also and would have liked to see some newer molds and especially not a junker F-13????

[markko]

Originally Posted by FormerViperDriver

Agreed, ZS-VAN. The Mirage III is a classic in its own right.

All the more disappointing that FM didn't do a better job with it.

Also, the Israeli scheme they chose is really weak. Why couldn't they do a combat scheme instead of a training livery? I guess FM/A is into their "gaudy livery" period in 2008 (all-yellow Mosquito, assembly ship B-24, bicentenial F-14, Stras-and-Stripes F-18, etc...) so they had to go with the orange triangles on the Mirage. Anyway, moot point if they didn't correct the aircraft's shape (as seems to be the case from the picture at the Flying Mule, but these are likely pre-pro, so who knows...).

FVD

Hi folks, I'm not so sure that the livery that FM chose for it's IAF Mirage IIII CJ is a training version. According to my Histoire & Collections book on Mirage III's (Planes and Pilots #6, published July 2004) the 1973 Yom Kippur War was the first conflict in which Mirage fought Mirage, following the appearance of Libyan Mirages over the battlefield on Oct. 18, 1973. In order to differentiate their Mirages from hostile ones, the Israelis painted yellow-orange triangles with black borders on the wings and tails of their Mirages. The text goes on to state that these identification markings remained in effect until the signing of the Camp David peace agreements. The rendering of the modelled aircraft in the FM '08 catalogue is so poor, that it is impossible for me to guess the ID of the aircraft to be presented, but it appears it quite possibly be No.159--- the most famous of all IAF Mirages, with 13 kills to it's credit. This is the very aircraft that I hoped to see done, one that I would have recommended to FM myself. For a great look at what a properly modelled version of this very aircraft should look like, check out the Jan. '08 issue of SCALE AVIATION MODELLING magazine (sampublications.uk). In the article , the author/modeller states that the model is of a combat MirageIII CJ---No. 159. -------Happy Collecting, markko

[trex0770]

Originally Posted by Patrick1978

Go figure, FM/Armour decided a long time ago I guess that aircraft like the weak Mirage were more important than planes like the A-6 Intruder or F-111, or A-4, or F-5 to name a few. I don't get it. Am I the only FM nut that longs for these planes? Nothing is more appealing to me than the thought of a big, beautiful Aardvark from the 48th TFW, or a classic A-6. PLEASE FM, GRANT ME THESE JETS!

I'd too like an F-5, A-4, F-100 BUT not an F-111! Let me clarify, it's not that I don't like the Aardvark but to have FM/Armour do it would not be my first choice since they seem NOT to do swingwings with the actual swingwing feature. HM would be my choice to make this plane (or any other 48 scale instead of FM).

Just my .02.

[rarmenda]

Hey guys at least FM is trying to give us more aircraft for 2008 ulnlike Carousel 1 and the other 1/48 scale builders. They are lacking in variety, but I think unfortunatley for now they are the only real 1/48 aircraft company trying to provide us with some aircraft in the 1/48 scale.

[Elmer]

Originally Posted by rarmenda

Hey guys at least FM is trying to give us more aircraft for 2008 ulnlike Carousel 1 and the other 1/48 scale builders. They are lacking in variety, but I think unfortunatley for now they are the only real 1/48 aircraft company trying to provide us with some aircraft in the 1/48 scale.

Too true. However, let's not forget that Hobby Master and Corgi will put out new 1:48 castings this year.

And... welcome to the forum!

[Captain Eddie]

Welcome to our little asylum, rarmenda!

[RockJock]

Originally Posted by rarmenda

Hey guys at least FM is trying to give us more aircraft for 2008 ulnlike Carousel 1 and the other 1/48 scale builders. They are lacking in variety, but I think unfortunatley for now they are the only real 1/48 aircraft company trying to provide us with some aircraft in the 1/48 scale.

a real big "AMEN" to that statement !!!!!!!
My word it takes Eagles and Carousel years to poop out one plane.
Look at what the Franklin / Armour line has done. Nine years and 43 different molds with nearly 500 different paint schemes.
Do you know how hard it is to make "the perfect plane"? Ask GMP. They spent over a year longer than planned on making the P51. This year cost them more than they ever imagined. This perfection thing caused them to sell off their inventory just to get cash flow to pay off their debt. Now we see GMP planes selling on eBay for as low as $30 dollars.
Even when a plane is made almost perfect, Eagles or Carousels, like some some say. Look at their sales. Some models are limited to only 600 worldwide and their not sold out. In fact none of their models are sold out. From what I have seen on the Model Hanger some demand perfection but yet complain about the cost of this perfection.
I think we should give Franklin a little more credit for their 1/48 effort. Maybe some of their models are not picture perfect but then they weren't made to actually fly either.

[Ara1]

Originally Posted by RockJock

I think we should give Franklin a little more credit for their 1/48 effort. Maybe some of their models are not picture perfect but then they weren't made to actually fly either.

Yes... they are the in vogue target of criticism but the net result of their output gives us some cool stuff in the only scale I'll buy.

[Elmer]

Originally Posted by RockJock

My word it takes Eagles and Carousel years to poop out one plane.

Definitely true for Eagles. But Carousel?...

Carousel released its first mold (P-40) and two models from it in November 2005. To date (28 months since that time), Carousel has released 7 molds with 23 different models. This averages out to be about one mold for every 4 months and just under 1 model per month. In 2006 alone, C1 released 4 molds (possibly 6, I can't remember if the Nieuport 17 and Fokker flyboys models came out in late 2005 or 2006), with more than 12 models from those molds. C1 slowed down quite a bit in 2007 with no new molds and only 4 new models. So, the facts are that C1 has the potential to put models out at a decent clip. What is going on now is anyone's guess. Maybe C1 does not "poop" models out at the same clip that Franklin does, but I would say that C1's "poop" looks healthier and smells cleaner.