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Modeling in General
General discussions about modeling topics.
No pilot figure?
Schwarzadler
Member Since: May 12, 2014
entire network: 68 Posts
KitMaker Network: 7 Posts
Posted: Sunday, September 09, 2018 - 07:19 AM UTC
Why do airplane kits almost never include a pilot figure?
Tojo72
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North Carolina, United States
Member Since: June 06, 2006
entire network: 4,691 Posts
KitMaker Network: 668 Posts
Posted: Sunday, September 09, 2018 - 07:36 AM UTC
I guess the same reason that most armor kits don't include them either,saves them money,and you probably don't want the cheap one that they would include anyway.
golfermd
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Maryland, United States
Member Since: March 01, 2013
entire network: 152 Posts
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Posted: Sunday, September 09, 2018 - 10:57 AM UTC
I agree with Anthony that the any you would get with the kits would likely be less than ideal. There are aftermarket companies that sell such items.
Vicious
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Queensland, Australia
Member Since: September 04, 2015
entire network: 1,517 Posts
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Posted: Sunday, September 09, 2018 - 11:23 AM UTC
I think the reasons are many, economic and production, because many Companies that make models do not make figures, for them it would mean to pay a sculptor create the mold etc ... and here in addition to the cost also enters another factor, a good part of model makers do not make figures so the producer should invest in something that at least half of the people do not want, then there is the quality, the level and the number of aftermarket has gone up so much that a good part of who makes the figurines however would not use that of the kit that are usually of medium-low level but buy them in resin or printed in 3D ... in addition to any vehicle, plane etc ... it has the possibility of multiple options, theater, year, nation ... so it's easier leave us the choice of if and which to choose
Kevlar06
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Washington, United States
Member Since: March 15, 2009
entire network: 3,670 Posts
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Posted: Sunday, September 09, 2018 - 01:15 PM UTC
And yet Hasegawa and Tamiya have routinely done so for years. Other companies have as well-- to more or less unsatisfactory degrees--Airfix, Monogram, Revell, even Eduard have all included some very nice (and some not so nice) figures in kits. But it's as others have said above, cost and time are the biggest factors. Yet some companies have even included resin figures-- Hasegawa and Roden-Encore among them. Really, the cost in plastic is miniscule, but the effort in design and engraving has been considerable in the past. Tamiya's later figures are becoming first rate, and Hasagawa's aren't bad either. So in answer to your question as to why not?-- The answer is it requires a little more effort. But sometimes the effort does pay off-- the extra ingredient of a nicely sculpted pilot or crew is just one more selling point for many of these companies, whereas others don't bother. Another case in point-- Wingnut Wings is probably the premier model manufacturer on the planet, and they have just started including resin figures as part of thier "special" releases.
VR, Russ
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