Posted 5 years ago
fortapache
(3422 items)
This is one of the better mini-plane models. Sadly the pontoons under the wings are missing but still a neat model worth sharing. Plus it is rare. There is a guy with a photographic memory who keeps telling me he has a mint one and will bring it next month but never does. Does not recall our previous conversations but oh well..
The real one was known as the Emily Flying Boat. As can be seen by all those gun blisters it was heavily armed. It had 5 x 20mm cannons and 5 x 7.7 machine guns. Also it carried torpedo's and bombs which can be seen in photo #3. These were used in a second Pearl Harbor Raid but poor visibility made it a wasted trip. It was considered one of the best sea planes of the war.
The model could have used a few guns but then it does have the bombs and torpedoes under the wing. There was budget on these and as they charged the same for every model there had to be limits.
This is impressive. I didn't realize the Mini Planes were so diverse. I'm amazed they offered the Emily, great choice. It was a great sea plane very long range and surprisingly hard to shoot down. They were sturdy and well armored compared to a lot of IJN aircraft.
Thank you very much Toyrebel. Yes this was a great choice and a great plane. They didn't do any of their other bombers but they did the Zero and another fighter.
Thank you
vetraio50
Newfld
fattytail
racer4four
Broochman
TheGateKeeper
bobby725
Toyrebel
elanski
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purvis
Vynil33rpm
buckethead
iggy
blunderbuss2
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valentino97
jscott0363
Thank you gargoylecollector.
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Roycroftbooksfromme1
burtmacklin
Hey! My favorite Mini-plane. If I recall, the one I have has a broken torpedo, faded decals, but otherwise complete. The pontoons have been re-cemented on years ago. What a gem of a little model. You are right about the missing guns. They did it for the clunky B-17 and the Lancaster... why not the Emily?
I love the B-25 too (the first one I bought, all those years ago. The PBY-5 was cool, but at the scale it was at, silver just didn't look right. Time to go find the box full of these and take a trip down memory lane...
Thank you very much Plane Crazy. I think Backmann had a budget of only so much for each model so no guns ( I think). I should be looking for a complete boxed one of these.
@fortapache.
Yeah, Bachmann was definitely on a budget. The first Mini-Plane I ever purchased was the B-25. The cardboard support that held the vacuformed surround that held the model in place -- it was made from repurposed printed card. That is an economic measure you will not see today.
Quality control was questionable back then too. My Lancaster was missing a bomb-bay door. (I suppose I should fashion one to complete it.) A couple of the other ones have obviously touched up finishes or poorly placed stickers. It was the 1970's, and that is what we all expected. :-)
Like many manufacturers, there seems to be different design teams. For example, the Kingfisher was very well done and looked every bit an OS2U. So did the Dornier Do-17Z, Ju-88 and the Mosquito. On the other hand, their Corsair, or P-51 barely resembled the subject. It seems that either "moving parts" or authenticity. You rarely got both.
I never did get any of the Japanese fighters, but I wish I had (especially the Raiden Jack).
Still, the Emily is my favorite.
Thank you very much Plane Old Crazy. All valid points. I point out the details or lack thereof with each post. The Lancaster was very well detailed compared to the B17. Remind me to post the Raiden. Don't have the Zero yet.