"Remaining parts may be discarded"

[SNIP]

: it referred to the parts that could be used to make the : F-5 model, all of which were there!

[SNIP]

: This doesn't make much sense--not telling the buyer that he's getting : more than what the box or instruction sheet says.

[SNIP]

I would think as a for-profit organization, manufacturers much rather that you buy another kit with identical spruce(s) from them with different box and decals for obvious reason. That said, some Japanese manufacturers do included all variants in one box on subsequent reissues.

I'm not sure what tom is objecting to, or about; I have the re-issue on my shelf, and the box says "Optional markings and parts are included for different variations."

The note he quotes is part of the instructions for selecting what ordnance to carry. The kit includes two 2,000 lb. bombs, two 120 gallon drop tanks, and two sets of "christmas tree" rocket launchers. You can mix'n'match as desired. I'm guessing the "remaing parts may be discarded" refer to the extra ordnance.

The kit includes parts to make a P-38-J/L (supposedly Bong's "Marge," I don't recall which model he flew, offhand), a "droop snoot" bomber/pathfinder, or the night fighter.

Not bad for a thirty-year-old kit...

The kit includes parts to make a P-38-J/L (supposedly Bong's "Marge," I don't recall which model he flew, offhand), a "droop snoot" bomber/pathfinder, or the night fighter.

. . and the F-5 recon plane--the extra nose panels and clear parts. The F-5 was the most important recon plane the AAF had in WW2. More than 700 were built of this model alone. (I don't think they made 100 of the night fighter and droop snoot combined.) There are parts for FOUR different planes in the box, but only three are described in the instructions.

30 year old? Closer to 40! Monogram had their act together.

Durrr! (slaps forehead) Yes, you are absolutely correct. Forgot about that.

Regarding frank's comment: I'm surprised. I know the mold's at least thirty years old because I built one as a wee lad. :) But forty?? Good Lord! The mold is in fantastic shape for that age (as I look at my copy still in the box).

A little detail comes to mind, from my wee lad days: there was this irritatingly long chunk of flash extending down from the bottom of the port vertical stabilizer, so naturally I trimmed it off.

It was only until I had nearly finished the plane that I figured out just why it was there... Heh.

"Regarding frank's comment: I'm surprised. I know the mold's at least thirty years old because I built one as a wee lad. :) But forty?? Good Lord! The mold is in fantastic shape for that age (as I look at my copy still in the box)."

Scott Van Aken at Modelling Madness is a stickler for the better old Monogram 1/48 kits, like this one, and the P-39 : you can pay more, but why? If you can change xacto blades and keep all your fingers, you can make one into a decent finished kit.

One thing, it's chepaer to tool all the parts at once, even if you don't use them all the time, the cost of the plastic to make these extra parts is insignificant.

Look at the way Haseagwa molded their 1/48th F-4 Phantom kits, there are always leftover parts when you build one of these kits.

Another one to consider is the Hasegawa 1/48th F-18 kits, these kits are molded to allow you build a CF-18 out of the box, but the instructions for the US versions never mention the modification.

Remember, to a lot of people, modeling is considered a kids hobby and it's thought that kids wouldn't be interested in making the different version, while those of us that are more advanced can see the different variants possible with the extra parts.

Ken

"Remember, to a lot of people, modeling is considered a kids hobby and it's thought that kids wouldn't be interested in making the different version, while those of us that are more advanced can see the different variants possible with the extra parts.'

I don't see too many "kids" buying Hasegawa 1/48 F-18's. My whole point is that if the parts are there to make another variant, mention it in the instructions and add a few bits to the decal sheet--the way Monogram did 40 years ago.

That's nothing compared to how much you have left over from their

1/72 Phantoms. All but one of the RF-4B kits even includes both 'thin' and 'thick' wings!

Then you lose the ability to sell the same kit with a different decal sheet 3 months later like Hasegawa does. :-)

Here's a perfect example of this, the biggest difference between an F-4E and an F-4F is the stabilators, it would be very easy to add both sets of stabs to the box and make the kit 2-in-1, but Hasegawa would rather sell the F-4E for $30, and a couple of months later issue the F-4F for another $30.

I think that some model companies (esp R/M), market kits to the beginner or casual modeler, a modeler who wants to build the kit as is and that's it. And I think this is more of a recent thing, 40 years ago, I think it was more about bang for the buck, ie "2 kits in one!"

Ken

snipped-for-privacy@technologist.com (Ken Lilly) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.citlink.net:

between an

to add both

Hasegawa would

issue the

I keep hearing this argument but there is a fundemental flaw in it. If you want an F-4E AND an F-4F you still HAVE to buy

2 kits. Throwing both sets of stabs in to the box is really irrelevant. If you want both aircraft you're gonna spend $60 either way.

Frank

What if you wanted to build an F-4F but could only find the F-4E kit, or vice-versa?

"Al Superczynski" wrote

Probably the same thing as if you wanted to make a F-4E but the only kit made was a F-4F. . .

Assuming equal availability, why would you care how many versions could be made from one kit so long as you could make the version you want? I think very few of us would buy a kit under the conditions that a) you want to build a particular variant, yet, b) don't know which variant you want until you have the kit. I imagine, for example, that somebody who wants to build a Sherman model either doesn't care which Sherman (meaning any variant is as good as another, so extra variant parts are wasted) or wants to build a specific variant (meaning that they will buy the kit that makes that variant, so extra variant parts are again wasted).

KL

"Mad-Modeller" wrote

That's hardly motivation for the producer of the more expensive kit. . .

KL

Um, aren't most of the high-quality Sherman kits now available absolutely *loaded* with extra parts?

Possibly, but then again one can also buy a cheaper kit by someone else and use the leftovers to get what you want. I bought the Heller Draken years ago and have used the extra parts for converting Airfix's kit to the other variants. That was quite the same plan with Heller's Viggen and the Matchbox kits. Wasn't it the Crapster's slogan that said, "Throw it away and Hell you'll pay."

Bill Banaszak, MFE

"Al Superczynski" wrote

Yeah, but I don't know of much real utility in them. The extra parts are a result of DML including an entire sprue from another kit to give one or two parts, not really an attempt to provide variant options. In other words, if they DIDN'T include those parts, I'd still buy the kit.

That being said, DML has been issuing quite a few 3-in-1 kits lately, which are quite popular, apparently, among the "I don't know what I want" crowd.

KL

I wish Hasegawa did this on the new 1/48th kit, all it includes are the thick RF-4C wings.

Ken

I don't why my argument is flawed, I said it would be easy to put the bits to make an F-4E and F-4F, I didn't say anything about if you wanted both kits.

Here's another way to look at it, Hasegawa has 2 ways of releasing the

1/48th F-4 Phantom family of kits, either as PT (was P) series, which are basically regular production (as regular as model kits can be), and as 4 or 5 digit kit numbers, which are special editions, usually as decal variants.

What's odd is that 2 of the PT kits are issued as 2-in-1 kits, the F-4B/N and F-4C/D, both of which involve a simple add or remove.

The F-4J and F-4S are issued separate, but the F-4J is molded with F-4S features, all you need are the slatted wings from the F-4E and the PE strap set to make an F-4S

Probably the oddest one of the bunch is the new RF-4B kit, the kit comes with the "thick" wings, which limits it to a very late model RF-4B, but with a set of burner cans and a set of slotted stabs, you'll get an RF-4C, but Hasegawa has relased the RF-4C as a limited edition once, and is going to do it again later this year. This kit, like the F-4E/F would seem to be a no-brainer to do as a 2-in-1.

Ken