New Merit 1/18 DAUNTLESS DISCUSSION

[aferguson]

no it's not a Badcat exclusive.

[Beeavision]

A matter of fact both the Military Toy Shop & Aikens are offering preorders as well.

http://www.militarytoyshop.com/product.asp?P_ID=1646

http://www.aikensairplanes.com/merit%20 ... -88001.htm

I suspect Foxhole Toys and Aviator Nut will carry them too once they get here. Not sure about Flyingmule, Historicaviation, or the Motor Pool to name a few.

[Beeavision]

Currently Historic Aviation is offering the same plane for $200.00 but in 1/32 scale.

http://www.historicaviation.com/product ... %20Bombers

[aferguson]

MTS ad says 'canopy in open or closed position', which i take to mean there are two seperate canopies that you plug in, depending on which option you prefer. This is along the lines of what Jason said Admiral was considering and also makes sense given the plastic model kit origins of this plane.


http://www.aviationarthangar.com/mtuposbddaav.html

[Dauntless]

MTS, that's where I pre-ordered the first Admiral SBD years ago. And the BBI Rabaul Zero with the cool green and silver paint scheme. Neither made it out. The Zero replaced with the Sakai.

The one at Historic Aviation is the Hobbymaster die-cast 1:32. Sweet plane, but more than the 1:18 mmmk.
MTS doesn't mention any deal on shipping, unless I'm missing it.
Aikens is still showing the Midway art SBD and price TBA.

1000 is not a whole lotta planes to go around. I imagine everyone will have the S2 if it makes it into production. No reason to think it wouldn't unless this one flops, but ya never know.

[Jim@Merit]

MTS ad says 'canopy in open or closed position', which i take to mean there are two seperate canopies that you plug in, depending on which option you prefer. This is along the lines of what Jason said Admiral was considering and also makes sense given the plastic model kit origins of this plane.


http://www.aviationarthangar.com/mtuposbddaav.html

The canopy is positional and can slide into open, half open or closed position.

We had a sneak preview for the SBD-3 at the Brewer's Brother Model Kits Expo held at Yank's Air Museum on Saturday. The display drew a lot of attention from the show attendees.

[rohirrimknight]

Hi Jim, please share the pictures of the diving flaps. I would like to see if it design to show open and closed position or not.

[CW4USARMY]

Any good preorder deals from and for our members here?

[Mitch]

I gotta say I am happy with Bad Cat's service so I didn't hesitate to place my order with them.

[sdcc73]

what are some reasons for many of you liking the originally planned 1st paint scheme versus the 2nd (coral) paint scheme?

[gburch]

what are some reasons for many of you liking the originally planned 1st paint scheme versus the 2nd (coral) paint scheme?

I'm just guessing, but I think the very early war scheme looks "old-fashioned" to some folks. Others may not like the very early war schemes because they changed so soon in the war for the US -- like the "winged star" with the red outline, the scheme was only used for a fairly short time.

... but I don't feel that way, myself.

[Yoxford]

Why Midway over Coral Sea?...Well, I did shift gears and pre-ordered this first livery... but if I had to only choose one, it would be Midway… for me, personally, one the reasons I collect is the history of the plane and secondly how much space I have left to display and store these big birds. I look at Coral Sea as a very important battle… for the first time in history it showed what Navy airpower could do…but it was a draw…with the Japanese getting the bigger dig… we sunk a small carrier and they sunk the Lexington…Midway simply broke the back of Japan forcing them to play defense till the end. By the time the battle ended, 3,057 Japanese had died and four carriers sunk …the Dauntless really shined…so both were very important chapters in WWII but to me Midway was a bit more significant…but I am making room for both, damnit...now I won't have room for that F-18 BBI is sitting on

[Dauntless]

I like the Midway version for the same reasons Yoxford explains.
If Merit does the Midway version and does it accurately, there would be a faint remnant of the candy striped rudder and a faint pink dot in the middle of the star insignias on some of the SBD's. This because red paint when it is painted over will bleed through especially with white, no matter how many coats it is painted over. (I experienced this working in a body shop)
I'm not going to be that picky if they do a Midway version, but I would imagine some who received it would be puzzled, probably as much as the Navy men who tried to paint over red with white.

I pre-ordered a Coral Sea one too. Frankly I would have preferred a big star and dot a little further up the fuselage, but then it would be very easy to convert to an authentic Midway version with faint pink dots. Probably why they made this one with the little star and dot way back near the tail, which was painted over with blue paint and a big star later put closer to the gunner (no trouble with the pink dot then) You can see this in one of the pics Snake provided in the previous page.

[[CAT]CplSlade]

Ah, yes, white over red is a no-win situation. Lots of stripping or primering to hide that mess.

[Mitch]

I always liked the Pre War paint scheme (on anything) The Pearl Harbor P40 is a good example. I think this S1 is going to be a winner!

[sdcc73]

We had a sneak preview for the SBD-3 at the Brewer's Brother Model Kits Expo held at Yank's Air Museum on Saturday. The display drew a lot of attention from the show attendees.

If you can bring that display to the Burbank G.I.Joe Show, this March, it would be another great place to bring more attention to the new SBD-3. Also, do let us know ahead of time when / where such sneak previews are taking place so we can tell more people about it. Till then, Burbank is not far from where Merit is located. Furthermore, its a great Show for customers interested in both 1:6 and 1:18 items.

Burbank G.I.Joe Show

Sat, March 17, 2012

G.I.Joes new and old, 12" and 3 3/4" Dragon, BBi, Sideshow, 21st Century and more.

If you have items to sell, tables are available for $40 each.

Ramada Inn
2900 N. San Fernando Blvd
Burbank, CA

Show time 9am - 4pm. (get there early)
Admission is $5. Parking is free!

For event or dealer information email:
[email protected]

[Yoxford]

New picture of the Dauntless up on the Merit site showing a bit of the Dive Brakes
http://www.merit-intl.com/month/mil-88002.html

[aferguson]

if anybody wants a wildcat to escort their Dauntless:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... duct=20562

[gburch]

The weathering on these pics looks very good to me -- I hope it's representative of the final product!

[Buckyroo]

The weathering on these pics looks very good to me -- I hope it's representative of the final product!

Me too

Just ordered mine. I didn't order the BBI 109 when it first came out and haven't been able to get one for a reasonable price yet. I don't want to miss this one.

[aferguson]

there seems to be hardly any retailers offering the Merit Dauntless for pre-order. I only know of Badcat and MTS. I wonder why?

http://www.oldgloryprints.com/Battle%20 ... %20Sea.htm

[Yoxford]

there seems to be hardly any retailers offering the Merit Dauntless for pre-order. I only know of Badcat and MTS. I wonder why?

I called Sally at Aikens and pre-ordered...also saw on the Flying mule BOTH 1st and 2nd releases are up for preorder

also just posted on Merit's site, the working features list...
Moving / Workable Parts
- Rudder
- Ailerons
- Dive Flaps
- Elevators
- Arresting Hook
- Main Landing Gears
- Trapeze for Center Bomb
- Rear .30 cal Machine gun
- Rear .30 cal Storage Compartment Doors
- Pilot Canopy, Gunner Canopy and Rear Canopy

[aferguson]

S2 is going to be Midway, Yorktown. I thought for sure they'd do Enterprise.

http://www.flyingmule.com/products/MI-88001

[Dauntless]

...so how many are going to be made I wonder, does it say?

Is this S2 the more widely and in greater numbered release? Just 1000 like the S1 would be a kind of strange.

[aferguson]

dunno. They may make them in batches of 1000 for each scheme, perhaps. S3 could be a Midway Enterprise version...just a guess. I have no idea what they have planned but i would bet on an Enterprise one at some point and a later war scheme or two as well. Might be a good strategy to, rather than make 10, 000 of one schme make 10 different schemes of 1000 each. Probably only a modest increase in production cost offset by a higher price and greater demand as many people could buy multiple schemes.