Tamiya Spitfire IX 1/32

[CorsairMan]

Oh well - better luck with a new Corsair next time.

Hey, at least you Spit guys get a nice model! I am at the paint stage with their 1/32 A6M5 and it has been an excellent model.

On the plus side, I guess I get to save a little money!

But I would like to do that A6M2 someday....

[Shawn C.]

Holy good God! This is excellent news. I'm just finishing up 3 projects and the PCM Mk IX was on my short list of next to build. Well, I know how I operate, so I will be starting the PCM kit next to make sure I build it!

Reference all of the Eduard comments, I have to agree. Most overrated kits ever. I have built them and will continue to do so (with the exception of my single 1/48 Wurger, aka POS). The results with Eduard are nice, but a lot more work than advertised.

Hey, let's rejoice as this is an unexpected release and I feel confident in saying that Tamiya will put out a quality, accurate kit.

Now, where is my dust mask and PCM kit?

[moeggo]

I don't know why everyone is complaining about Eduard... Ok, so they cocked up on the 109 canopy... So what, I still yet to see a 100% correct kit on the market. We should be thankful that these manufacturers are producing kits for us.

If you don't like your Eduard kits... I will PM you my shipping address.

[Jennings]

We should be thankful that these manufacturers are producing kits for us.

That's like going to a quack doctor and getting the wrong medicine but saying we should be grateful there are doctors out there who will treat us. This is the same argument made for Trumpeter's garbage. Why would I spend my money on a crap kit only to have to spend as much or more than I paid for it to get resin corrections for it? I'm not saying that's the case with Eduard (all the time), but the logic is the same.

J

[crazydon]

I don't know why everyone is complaining about Eduard... Ok, so they cocked up on the 109 canopy... So what, I still yet to see a 100% correct kit on the market. We should be thankful that these manufacturers are producing kits for us.

If you don't like your Eduard kits... I will PM you my shipping address.

There's a hell of a lot more wrong with the Emil kit besides the canopy. If someone is going to do a mold in the 21st century they should do it right, and for the cost I don't expect the fit of a limited run kit posing as a "mainstream" mold.

I'd send you mine but its 1/2 started and I'll either finish it or toss it in the trash myself...and I think enough people on this site will say when it comes to Bf 109E's I know what I'm talking about

[rpeck]

I agree with moeggo, glad Eduard is around or other companies.

I will not get the BF.109F/ME.109E (what every you want to call it) not because the canopy is wrong to some but I have no interest in it.

Comparing Eduard to a Quack doctor well sir that is just not right because it is just MODEL airplanes not life or death.

Rick Peck

[ThatJeffGuy]

did anyone else notice that the picture HLJ is showing is for a [i]twin[/i] seat spit. did HLJ make a slight booboo with the picture or is this an actual twin seat spit..cause I would spend the $$$ for a twin seat 32nd scale spit!!!

Sean

Yeah, I saw that too....good thing they put the "kit may not look exactly like picture" proviso in

Oh......and J*EG again? There must have been a few other MkIX's flying around at the time

[TF51GREGWISE]

The picture is a T-9 Spitfire (Harry Stinger of Bartow Fl. has completed the last two resto/conversions).

[timc]

Hasegawa is not doing a new tool P-51... I can tell you that for a fact. But there is another Japanese company that is doing one... the name of company is not coming to me...

Can you tell me how you know this fact to be such? The other company that is supposed to be doing a new Mustang is FineMolds.

[Scooby]

.... and still we wait for a state of the art 1/32 P-51D. Do I hear the mill ginning up at Hasegawa??

;)

I like Spits. Really I do. But aside from Dark Green and Ocean Grey over MSG, or Dark Earth and Mid Stone over whatever, what's one to do with a Spit IX? It's not as if every air force on the planet flew them, nor that they flew from WWII into the 1980s (both of which you can say about the Mustang). C'mon Hasegawa, you know you want to do a Mustang!

J

Lot's of RCAF options with nose-art were released by Eagle Cal.

[A-4Silverfox]

I am a big fan of Tamiya. But I have the PCM Spit IX and I'll stick with that as the sole Spit in my 1/32nd collection.

And what exactly is wrong with the PCM Spit? It looks like a Spit to me, and comes with resin and great set of decals.

[Brad-M]

I am a big fan of Tamiya. But I have the PCM Spit IX and I'll stick with that as the sole Spit in my 1/32nd collection.

And what exactly is wrong with the PCM Spit? It looks like a Spit to me, and comes with resin and great set of decals.

I don't think anyone said there was anything wrong with the PCM Spitifre, I don't think there is and I have two of them. Tamiya is coming out with a Spitfire kit that will be as detailed as their Zeros, which means a full engine and etc detail, so now we have a choice of Mk IX kits, which I think is quite nice.

Brad

[BOC262]

My biggest gripe with Eduard is that they turned to releasing "mainstream" modeling subjects using the justification that, "well yes, these subjects have been done to death, but ours will be perfect". Obviously, their kits aren't perfect, and I was much happier when they were releasing kits of non-mainstream aircraft--now as far as I'm concerned, they are basically just another wannabee, but far from there Tamiya.

[m52tub28]

Can you tell me how you know this fact to be such? The other company that is supposed to be doing a new Mustang is FineMolds.

I was thinking, who could it be beside Tamiya, Hasegawa, Dragon ? I thought about Platz, or Aoshima ? FineMolds ?! Hurrah, wonderful news, considering the excellence of their 1:48 Savoia S.21F Porco Rosso and that Japanese pre-WWII biplan they released something like 2 years ago _I do not recall its name but I remember various mags raving about the incredible attention to detail, plain gorgeous kit they all said_.

Back to the topic, I have wanted for years to build a large scale late Merlin-powered Spit. I quickly forgot about the 1:24 scale, Airfix -> too early Spit, Trumpeter -> too early Spit AND I am done with their comedy-ish rivet treatment. I forgot about the 1:32 scale as well as I hate rescribing raised panel lines -> Rev/Hase, then came the PCM kit with all those nice resin bits I am afraid to work with. 1:48 scale did not please me either, Airfix -> rubbish, Hasegawa -> wrong proportions, ICM -> flimsy, Aeroclub -> recessed details will not match Hasegawa's constant beautiful engravings. And 1:48 is simply too small for me.

Now Tamiya' Spit in 1:32, to my eyes the best combination : a company that produces the finest injected model kits, a lovely subject and the 1:32 A6M5 Zero treatment... Did you say steak ? Sorry, did you say Holy Grail ?

I will buy at least one kit from each Tamiya and Eduard _despite all the criticism I just read about their Bf-109 which I nearly bought 2 weeks ago as it looked great. In the box.

Étienne

LYS

Edited September 13, 2009 by m52tub28

[FrankC]

I'm happy to see a new 1/32 kit from Tamiya and I'll buy it without much thought!

Very cool

Frank

[richter111]

Price, they just keep going up and up

I have my Hasegawa 1/32 Spit, I am happy

[adecore]

Anyone here aware of anyone taking pre-orders here in the UK yet? I really really want one of these kits and I want it soonest!

[Shawn C.]

Started my PCM kit last night. My first true multi-media kit, though I have worked with resin and PE before. So far, so good, the resin parts fit very well. Even the resin wheel wells did not cause too much trouble. This kit will take some work, but it will be easier than the 1/48 ICM Spit Mk. VII HF I just finished!

Frank, did you ever do any more work on your Dragon Mustang?

[Slartibartfast]

I'm happy to see a new 1/32 kit from Tamiya and I'll buy it without much thought!

+1

[Pete "Pig" Fleischmann]

I'm happy to see a new 1/32 kit from Tamiya and I'll buy it without much thought!

Very cool

Frank

+2

[jbrundt]

I'm happy to see a new 1/32 kit from Tamiya and I'll buy it without much thought!+1

+2

+3

Jeff

[wadeocu]

+4

It really looks pretty classy to me; I'll get one now and build it ... someday.

Imagine the pucker factor at Eduard - surely big investments have already been made.

They may well re-think it because this will certainly undercut projections.

I must say though, Eduard makes a classy kit too. They are certainly more difficult than typical Tamiya product, but I don't see that their marketing department has ever professed it to be otherwise. I also feel that the ones I have were very good value, even at full retail. (FAA Hellcat dual kit & a Sopwith Camel).

Different markets that overlap, but there is no doubt some Rolaids were consumed when this news broke. It will be interesting to see what they do. I have often suspected that they may run into this with a 1/48 F-4 project as well.

[Brad-M]

+4

It really looks pretty classy to me; I'll get one now and build it ... someday.

Imagine the pucker factor at Eduard - surely big investments have already been made.

They may well re-think it because this will certainly undercut projections.

I must say though, Eduard makes a classy kit too. They are certainly more difficult than typical Tamiya product, but I don't see that their marketing department has ever professed it to be otherwise. I also feel that the ones I have were very good value, even at full retail. (FAA Hellcat dual kit & a Sopwith Camel).

Different markets that overlap, but there is no doubt some Rolaids were consumed when this news broke. It will be interesting to see what they do. I have often suspected that they may run into this with a 1/48 F-4 project as well.

The trouble with Eduard is as soon as they start adding open panels, their kits start to lose their ability to fit hassle free, unlike Tamiya kits which are a dream to build and fit without problem. I have built both Tamiya Zero kits in 1/32 scale and they are exquisite kits to build. If their Spitfire Mk IX kit is like their Zero kits, Eduard's Spitfire won't even stand a chance, no matter how cheaper it might be.

Cheers

Brad

Edited September 16, 2009 by Brad-M

[Matt Roberts]

I think one area where Eduard will have the upper hand is in releasing alternate versions of the basic airframe. If Tamiya does a IXe it may take a few years to turn out a IXc or VIII, but Eduard may be releasing them 6-8 months apart and within a couple of years have all of them available. It has been a gripe of mine with Tamiya for years, but for some reason they are cranking out Vipers....wonder why :D

So I would say don't cry for Eduard, they will get thier product out and it will sell. Besides I wonder if they may be looking at all Merlin powered Spits - eventually. They could clean up with a Mk I and Mk V kits but probably went the IX direction first, since there were no mainstream kits at the time available for the subject.

Matt

[Brad-M]

I think one area where Eduard will have the upper hand is in releasing alternate versions of the basic airframe. If Tamiya does a IXe it may take a few years to turn out a IXc or VIII, but Eduard may be releasing them 6-8 months apart and within a couple of years have all of them available. It has been a gripe of mine with Tamiya for years, but for some reason they are cranking out Vipers....wonder why :D

So I would say don't cry for Eduard, they will get thier product out and it will sell. Besides I wonder if they may be looking at all Merlin powered Spits - eventually. They could clean up with a Mk I and Mk V kits but probably went the IX direction first, since there were no mainstream kits at the time available for the subject.

Matt

Hi Matt,

I think you'll find that the Tamiya kit may have options to do a few different airframe types, and not just a Mk IXc, which I believe will be the basis of their kit. I think they will include enough options do a Mk IXe, a Mk XVIc or e and a Mk VIII.

Cheers

Brad