Cutting Edge 1/32 F-4B/N conversion set prices announced

[David Walker]

I know a question was asked just recently as to what the price was going to be for Cutting Edge's new 1/32 conversions sets for the Tamiya F-4C/D and F-4J kits. I got an email from Meteor tonight mentioning that the sets were currently listed on the Meteor site as below:

CEC32180 F-4B/N Airframe Basic Conversion Set $69.95

CEC32185 F-4B/N Airframe Conversion from Tamiya F-4C/D $28.95

CEC32187 F-4B/N Airframe Conversion from Tamiya F-4J $26.95

but that in ten days (May 24) they're going to go up to

CEC32180 F-4B/N Airframe Basic Conversion Set $84.99

CEC32185 F-4B/N Airframe Conversion from Tamiya F-4C/D $34.99

CEC32187 F-4B/N Airframe Conversion from Tamiya F-4J $39.99

so if you're interested you might want to grab them now I guess.

The conversion requires 32180, and then either 32185 or 32187 depending on what kit you're starting with. Also mentioned in the email is that the F-4B/N burner cans will be a seperate set and will be released soon. They also expect to have a conversion set for the newer, recessed panel line Has. 1/48 F-4J ready in about three weeks.

Edited May 15, 2007 by David Walker

[Skull Leader]

Here's to hoping the 1/48 kit is NOWHERE near as expensive...

[Scotsman]

Ok this summer's project has been ordered , B/N conversion, J specific set , and intakes, just the engines and decals to sourse .. thank goodness I've got a J and pit set in stock !, (oh and $2 to £1 dosen't hurt either !)

Actually when you look at the work inolved , and the size of the kit when complete - I don't think its that expensive a set ... :(

[jbrundt]

Put my order in last night. For the two conversion sets and a set of seamless intakes it was $130 (with shipping)

I plan on using an F-4C/D i already have in my stash.

Of course I'll need burner cans, decals, cockpit, etc. But what they, it's fun, right?

Jeff

[Gene K]

Here's to hoping the 1/48 kit is NOWHERE near as expensive...

Hoping won't do much good -- you're talking Meteoric pricing here. Of course the price will go up if you don't buy in the next 30 seconds.....

Gene K

[David Walker]

...you're talking Meteoric pricing here.

I love that phrase. I may have to steal it for future posts. :lol:

[FlyAndFight]

Any chance that Tamiya will come out with an F4-B/N of their own? It would be less expensive...

[Gene K]

Any chance that Tamiya will come out with an F4-B/N of their own? It would be less expensive...

Nice - very subtle - almost.

In 1/48 - it's really not that hard to take a (scribed) Hasegawa F-4J and turn it into a C/B/N. The "process" has been covered many times here at ARC and on other forums. Can't speak to 1/32, but the Hasegawa 1/48 bulged wings are thick enough to take the sanding without breaking through - that's the most challenging part of the B/N conversion.

Gene K

Edited May 15, 2007 by Gene K

[FlyAndFight]

Nice - very subtle - almost.

Direct and to the point. Why mess around with semantics. The Update sets are $98.90 now and if you wait 10 days, it's $119.98. Tamiya's 1/32 scale F4-B/C kit is approximately $87.99. I unfortunately have to budget my hobby funds accordingly.

[jbrundt]

Any chance that Tamiya will come out with an F4-B/N of their own? It would be less expensive...

IMO.......it's highly doubtful Tamiya will introduce an F-4B/N/S in 32. The kit is over 10 years old. If they were going to do it the logical assumption is that it would have been done by now.

Jeff

[Gene K]

I unfortunately have to budget my hobby funds accordingly.

I hear you!

As for the Meteor "conversion" - wonder why they molded the trunion covers on the wing rather than having them as separate add-on pieces. Seems it would be much easier to just leave them off vice sanding/rescribing if you're modeling an aircraft that doesn't have them!! What "DUH" don't I understand?

Gene K

[FlyAndFight]

Gene, I apologize if I came across a little harsh. Was not my intent. I guess it was a little bit of sticker shock hitting the wallet. I know that these update sets are amazing and come with a ton of well researched detailing but I was still surprised that they would cost more than the base kit needed to build the variant Phantom.

Alex

[Gene K]

Gene, I apologize if I came across a little harsh. Was not my intent. I guess it was a little bit of sticker shock hitting the wallet. I know that these update sets are amazing and come with a ton of well researched detailing but I was still surprised that they would cost more than the base kit needed to build the variant Phantom.

Alex

I never took it the wrong way - in fact, I agreed with every word you said/implied from the beginning. I think the Meteor sets are way overpriced, especially since you need more than one to do any conversion....but that's the Meteor way - always has been a price "leader" along with companies like Aires and Eduard. Thanks goodness we have more user-friendly aftermarket companies like CMK and True Details.

What I really find hilarious about Meteor, though, is the transparent PR which purports that their must-buy-multiple-sets packaging is designed to save us all money. And the "buy it now before the price goes up next week because my accountant didn't properly advise me to charge more"...well, ....are we really that gullible as a target group?

Gene K

[hemi]

I ordered mine today.I agree they are way overpriced but I have wanted an F-4B/N for a long time.My real fear is the Meteor will never produce the burner cans and cockpit.Why not release all the items at the same time?And why no decals? A few accurate sheets for MIG-killers and colorful jets would really jack -up sales.Well I hope Im wrong. Mark

[Bob Rock]

I ordered a basic set and a F-4J set.Yeah,the price is high,it will go higher and I was just gonna pass on it,but then again,ever since I started modeling,I wanted to build a proper F-4B in 1/32.

After the burner cans and cockpit come out,I'll order them as well and I am done for this year,no more money for any model related items,not even a jar of paint...

,Miro.

[dmthamade]

I really want a F-4B/N in 1/32, so i will order up the conversion stuff for a F-4J. Problem is, i have a C/D in the stash as well and i`m trying to restrain myself from converting it as too. Ì want to do the B/N in VF-111

scheme, can`t wait to see the decals they`ve been working on. This will be a winter project, along with one maybe two other builds. Oh, and thank you Meteor for doing this much wanted conversion set.

Don

[BrockyTaz]

I ordered mine today.I agree they are way overpriced but I have wanted an F-4B/N for a long time.My real fear is the Meteor will never produce the burner cans and cockpit.

The cockpit won't be too much of a problem if you start with the Tamiya J kit. As a matter of fact the front instrument panel in the Tamiya J kits is a hybrid of the B and J cockpits. It has the J type radarscope at the top center part of the panel, but the B/N weapons control/selection station in the lower left corner.

As for the rear cockpit the major difference in the B cockpit from the J/N/S is the location of the radar azimuth/slew control stick and its associated control pad. This was located to the right of the radarscope under the instrument panel on the cockpit wall in the F-4B vice in the center of the instrument panel under the scope for the F-4J/N/S.

If you start with the F-4C/D kit you might be able to get by with modifying Black Box's F-4J set.

[MickeyThickey]

I never took it the wrong way - in fact, I agreed with every word you said/implied from the beginning. I think the Meteor sets are way overpriced, especially since you need more than one to do any conversion....but that's the Meteor way - always has been a price "leader" along with companies like Aires and Eduard. Thanks goodness we have more user-friendly aftermarket companies like CMK and True Details.

What I really find hilarious about Meteor, though, is the transparent PR which purports that their must-buy-multiple-sets packaging is designed to save us all money. And the "buy it now before the price goes up next week because my accountant didn't properly advise me to charge more"...well, ....are we really that gullible as a target group?

Gene K

...and that's why the thread's going to get deleted. Unfortunately.

[BrockyTaz]

Any chance that Tamiya will come out with an F4-B/N of their own? It would be less expensive...

Sure. Right after I order my second set of J wings from Tamiya after messing up the first ones trying to modify them.

[Gene K]

Sure. Right after I order my second set of J wings from Tamiya after messing up the first ones trying to modify them.

Could you share what problems you had, please? Did you sand through?

Gene K

[BrockyTaz]

Could you share what problems you had, please? Did you sand through?

Gene K

Gene,

There was no problem, just an attempt at humor. I was reminiscing about my experience with CE’s F-4E set for the Tamiya F-4C/D. I waited and waited for Tamiya to come out with an F-4E and gave up and bought the conversion sets for the F-4C/D kit from CE. The day after and I do mean the day after I botched up my fuselage and had to reorder one form Tamiya USA here comes Tamiya announcing their F-4E “early versionâ€.

But now that you got me going, I think Tamiya will release an F-4B/N sometime. The problem is that a B/N variant as well as the Wild Weasel G and Tomb variants would be pretty much a sure thing. I’m guessing Tamiya will hold off on these until the stock holders are grumbling about 2nd quarter profits somewhere down the line when Tamiya would need a sure thing to get their profits back up. Maybe we should not by anymore Tamiya F-16s for a while? :)