Warbird Information Exchange

Mr Vracui's mount by Hobby Master in 1/72 diecast.

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FLORIDA DIECAST AVIATION FORUMS
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Man, that's not bad at all for a die cast!

(Gooneybird, if you're reading this, that would be fine for my B-day)

Nice, but have you seen the MRC "Easy Model" Hellcat in these same markings? The MRC offerings are some of the best I've seen for quality and accuracy and they are only about twelve bucks a piece! I've got their Vraciu Hellcat and one of their Corsairs and I will certainly be getting more of them.

No doubt Easy model makes great little models for the money im with you 100% on that.
But IMO if the put the two side by side you wil find the Hobby Master to have much better detail & weathering.

The Hobby master Hellcats also have some options not seen in the photots.
Both easy & HM have display stands but the HM model has both landing gear up or down options.
Hobby Master Hellcats also come with removable drop tanks & optional bomb or rocket loads, some models come with pilot figures too.
All & all not a bad little package for $28.

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FLORIDA DIECAST AVIATION FORUMS
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Diecast as come a long long way in the past few years.
The stuff is getting very detailed now, you have to check it out.

Just for the heck of it I shot some pics of my Dragon F-6D (phtoto recon P-51D).
Nobody makes a better 1/72 diecast D Model Mustang.

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FLORIDA DIECAST AVIATION FORUMS
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I find the parting lines too obvious and the surface detail to be far too overdone on the die-cast stuff for my tastes. Not that I dislike them, I would have a whole shelf full if I could afford them, but I like the Easy Model stuff better and the price can't be beat. Either way, you have to admit it's nice to have options anyway! Best regards,

Chad Veich

I find the panel lines on most professionally built models to be overdone and ugly as well, but I guess that is the state of the art (or what is expected) in the hobby. I suspect that true to scale, skin joints would be nearly invisible even for parts like gun bays.

As for Mr. Vraciu, I suspect we will be seeing a Hellcat restored to flying condition in his honor within the next few years.

http://www.alexvraciu.net/index.html

Another one you mean?

It occurred to me last night after posting the pic of the TFC Hellcat above that the Lone Star Hellcat is also in Vraciu markings. So, Brandon, will there be a third?

Panel lines have always been a big issue in the diecast collecting world.
Some guys love them & others hate them.
But as mentioned above scale has more to do with them than anything, they wont show up at all if there 100% true to scale.
Also it's not as easy to make such fine details in a 1/72 diecast mold as it is in plastic.

Still not all diecast company make models with heavy panel lines like the ones pictured above.
Also Hobby Master puts a light ink wash on their models which darkens the panel lines & gives the model that overall dirty worn look.
Corgi has a new line of models out in which they use the Mobby Master molds but have no wash & a little less fine detail.

Here are pics of the Corgi version of the F6F w/o the ink wash.


Here are a few examples from tricatus of Corgi models wich do not have heavy panel lines.
http://www.tricatus.co.uk/index.htm

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FLORIDA DIECAST AVIATION FORUMS
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BTW not all diecast will cost you a arm & a leg.
Most Hobby Master single engine WWII & jet fighters only cost $24-28.
Corgi also makes the warbirds line wich retails for about $15-20 each.

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FLORIDA DIECAST AVIATION FORUMS
www.forumsvibe.com/cfldiecastmodel