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Is this a brilliant idea, or am I nuts?


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Okay work with me: The rage seems to be "bigger is better, so REALLY big must be WAY better", right? So here's a crazy-go-nuts idea for some kit manufacturer:

1/72 aircraft carrier island kits - with *all* the details! Imagine a CV-2 island, or a CV-12 island (with some 5" dual mounts even!), or (wait for it)... a CVN-65 island with a *GINORMOUS* bee hive on top!!

By adding a small section of deck, the possibilities for aircraft dioramas are endless.

All you manufacturers - you can write me a check for 25% of the gross :)

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Bat-s&^%t crazy. You can't expect more than a small consultant fee. Maybe 1% of net. And watch it be money loser for the maker.

I wonder what they'd have said about a 1/32 B-17G, say, oh, 15 years ago? They didn't say anything, because it was such a far-fetched, looney idea nobody had even thought of it.

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Or maybe it wasn't economical for a company in 1992.....ya think?

Aaron

What's the difference between then and now? The economy was certainly a **lot** better in the 1990s than it is in 2013, yet here we are with a 1/32 B-25, P-61, B-17, etc, etc...

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I reckon it's a fairly good idea.

There's room for plenty of spin-offs too - aircraft handling vehicles, deck crew sets, etc.

Hope it's not too off-topic, but back in 2008, I scratch-built this rudimentary 1/72 elevator section out of Tamiya & Evergreen plastic sheet and other structural shapes.

P1060066.jpg

P1060067.jpg

Since it is a matter of cutting a lot of plastic sheet the thought crossed my mind about producing a model kit which provides pre-cut plastic sections for the deck pieces, bulkheads, etc. and a few resin parts for elevator tracks.

Bear in mind that it is rudimentary. A lot of plumbing and more structural pieces could be added.

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I wonder what they'd have said about a 1/32 B-17G, say, oh, 15 years ago? They didn't say anything, because it was such a far-fetched, looney idea nobody had even thought of it.

I honestly think these big kits today are a result of economical CAD/CAM mold making technology that wasn't available in the 90's were you had humans making the masters.

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Most of those who do, do so because of a lack of space.

It would be a nice display though.

NOBODY!? Funny - you must live in a strange place... Today 1/72 scale subjects are created by makers in a 50-1 proportion. Surely they wouldn't produce kits nobody would buy and build, right!? The range available in 1/72 is HUGE; in 1/48 is VERY limited - mostly ol' boring stuff as 345 kits of 109's and 190's and spits etc. :whistle:

WE build 50 1/72 models per 1/48... AND it has NOTHING to do with space - it has to do with all subjects in the same scale! :thumbsup: I LOVE multiengined subjects; I build by themes. The size aspect is just a bonus; BTW my other scale is 1/32 :coolio:

You can get as much detail in 1/72 as in 48... It just takes a BETTER modeller with better skills. It's called modelling :woot.gif: ;)

We have this little piece about scales:

"The REAL Braille scale is 1/32 - because the bits are so big even blind people can put them together;

1/48 is the DUPLO scale - for those with fingers too fat for Lego;

1/72 is the Gentlemen's scale - SIZE doesn't matter but finesse, skill and execution DO;

1/144 is the BONZAI scale - for those who like torturing trees in miniature..." :D

Cheers! (with tongue firmly in cheek)

Edited by Moggy
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I reckon it's a fairly good idea.

There's room for plenty of spin-offs too - aircraft handling vehicles, deck crew sets, etc.

Hope it's not too off-topic, but back in 2008, I scratch-built this rudimentary 1/72 elevator section out of Tamiya & Evergreen plastic sheet and other structural shapes.

P1060066.jpg

P1060067.jpg

Since it is a matter of cutting a lot of plastic sheet the thought crossed my mind about producing a model kit which provides pre-cut plastic sections for the deck pieces, bulkheads, etc. and a few resin parts for elevator tracks.

Bear in mind that it is rudimentary. A lot of plumbing and more structural pieces could be added.

BEAUTIFUL! Outstanding! :wub:

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I honestly think these big kits today are a result of economical CAD/CAM mold making technology that wasn't available in the 90's were you had humans making the masters.

They were making 1/1 scale molded fiberglass swimming pools back then, and they weren't using CAD for that. There's no particular size limit on what physical masters can be used for.

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I'd be more inclined to struggle finding display space for say, a 1/350 WWII Ark Royal or other British aircraft carrier, than I would a 1/72 carrier island which would essentially be nothing more than a backdrop for a model airplane. But that's just me. I'm not much for diorama work having completed zero out of all the ideas I have in my head.

Rick L.

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I'd actually started scratch building a 1/144 scale one. THAT scale might actually be marketable cause it's not really that large. I still intend to return to it one day and now that there are more and more good 1/144 scale aircraft models, it would be that much better. Darn it Jennings, ya' done lit a fire under me and now I want to start working on that again...MAN I gots too much in the frying pan as it is!

Bill

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Well, there is this 1/72 USS Enterprise CVN-65...

There's also Task Force 72, who like to sail them.

What...No Task Force 48? Of course the house to store it would have to be IMMENSE! :monkeydance:

So how about a USS Theodore Roosevelt "The Big Stick" in 1/48 scale. Hate to be the one who has to tell the SWMBO that "Hey, honey...I'm thinking of building a 1/48 scale USS TR!" :woot.gif:

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I wonder what they'd have said about a 1/32 B-17G, say, oh, 15 years ago? They didn't say anything, because it was such a far-fetched, looney idea nobody had even thought of it.

Oops, forgot the tongue-in-cheek emoticon. Hyperbole sometimes doesn't come across on the Interwebs.

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