Well, it looks like this thing isn't vaporware after all and will apparently be released...

Yikes!

I'm in...

I´m not - more that 3 times the price of a Gato - no way.

But I have seen it other places for less - lets hope!

Cheers/Jan

Oh, I don't mean to say that I'll be paying that price. I'll be able to get this for FAR less (I have some connections). I'm just saying that I'm in for this build. I mainly posted this for the sake that it actually exists with a release date.

EDIT: Price comparison removed for the following links...

eHobbies has it for $125.99... http://www.ehobbies.com/lnd70818.html
Also, the I-20... http://www.ehobbies.com/lnd70817.html

That's quite alot of money, especially nowadays during the financial crisis. I really can't imagine the average factor worker Joe buying a kit for 230€.

However, there is a market niche for bigger IJN subs (Ahoy, Uncle Tamiya?)

See my above post... not as pricey as you may think.

Fiuh, that cut half of it. But still, its almost double the Gato (if we stick with this example). I am also bit suspicious about Lindberg, since it doesn't have reputation for making super detailed kits. However, lets not kill the bird before it has cracked it's egg and let's wait for the kit.

Note that just because Lindberg's name is on it doesn't mean it's designed by Lindberg. They have a history of releasing other companies' products under their banner. These kits, if memory serves, were developed by a Japanese company.

But yeah, I'm not a big fan of the "A costs X times the amount of B" argument on unreleased stuff, because we don't know what these kits may come with that could maybe end up justifying this amount (aside from the fact that the I-53 is 45 feet longer irl). They already come with additional kits such as kaiten or midget submarine, so there's some added value there.

Plus, a Gato is $20 more than half the cost of one of these (Gato- $80, I-53- $125), so I don't think this price is so bad. $45 more for a bigger sub with an extra midget sub or kaitens doesn't strike me as such a bad deal...

Well, any way you cut it, the I-153 will be relagated to the time when I hit the Megabucks jackpot. If I do, I assure you that I will be in for that one.

I've been waiting for this one!

As for the price - I'm assuming that since HLJ has to import the kit from the distributor, that is the reason for the expense. For once, I'm not having to pay the extra distributor cost for an IJN subject!

Well, Jay, you could have those I-boats moor alongside your Tama....

--Karl

I'm looking forward to getting the I-20 kit for RC conversion, & with PS Ships / Simar Models pending 1/72 Wickes class DD due out later this year, it will have something to run against. All we need now is a Fletcher & Kagero DD to finish out the 1/72 RC fleet.

You can see some new, close ups of the Lindberg's I-53 at the Nurnberg Toy Fair. It still looks as though someone hired a kid to do the painting.

http://www.primeportal.net/models/thomas_voigt3/lindberg

I wrote Ernie Petit, president of Lindberg-Hawk this week & received the following reply regarding the new subs:

"Neither of the 2 subs have been released. We are currently making the final mold corrections . Release is at least 2 months away."

Photos of the kit sprue can be found at: http://s393.photobucket.com/albums/pp19/smallscalecollector/72nd%20Ships/?action=view¤t=72ndIJNI-BoatSubmarine6CharlieKucer.jpg

You'll immediately see that detail isn't up to Revell's standards, & unfortunately only Nautilus at this point plans to offer any aftermarket detail kits, & that will be limited to wood decks. If anyone knows of some hidden reference material or plan sources, feel free to pass it along since that's the main stumbling block for these guys.

Chuck

Excellent, thanks for the info! I thought the pics looked pretty good and the detail looked okay to me, but I guess we'll see in person someday. I'm sure the rest of the aftermarket will get cranking once they have these kits in hand. Reference materials on the I-Go series at least is fairly easy to come by. Still, it may be about a year or so before we see it all come together.

It doesn´t look that bad from the pictures, but i would agree that decent referances, especially detailshots, will be hard to obtain. Still, a out of the box job, some detailing of the tower - maybe turned periscopes and a good paintjob would make it look stunning.

Now we are going to need a crew for it - CMK, are you listening ?

Cheers/Jan

Still 2 months away ??? Great !!! I´m going to start saving some coins, for these ones, for sure...

.

Does anyone here know if it's practical to kit bash Lindberg's I-20 into a B1 type aircraft carrier? Both the B &C subs were based on the KD6 type & their specs are essentially identical aside from deck, tower & front tube arrangements but aside from my Nichimo I-19 kit, I haven't come across enough clear photos or drawings to accurately compare the two.

Hi Charles!

The good news with ship modeling is that it usually lends itself to modification. It all comes down to references, materials, references, a willingness to plunging into "plastic surgery", and references.

I too will be interested in converting one or both kits into a similar class.

--Karl

Thought you guys may be interested in what I came across yesterday that alludes to the kit designed for rc use. Lets just hope that release date is a mistake.

Well, for some of us, the later release date could be a blessing in disguise...it will help spread the expenses around since a lot of other major kits will come out in the spring and summer!

--Karl

My friend visited Burbank House of Hobbies & was told their date was "PFA" & they expect to see stock much sooner than Oct.

Also of note, I was told the I-53's tower is much more similar to the B type should anyone be interested in kit bashing this into a aircraft carrier. I've got mine ordered along with a 1/72 E14Y1 Glen.

That will make a fascinating diorama. Between that idea and Jay's light cruiser project, so one will have to produce a line of 1:72 IJN figures!

--Karl

The test shots look pretty good, and tho US$125 is a lot, it's better than the original price! (remember when models were $10-25 and expensive was 45?)

IJN isn't my fav personally, but I think this has a good chance of being a nice model. And if that 2 months release is accurate, halfway there!

As you can see from the following photos there is going to be a lot of work involved to get these kits accurately detailed to represent the real subs. The Lindberg planes shown in this test shot aren't even close to what what was found on the C3 type.

We've got several guys in the RC community who will offer aftermarket fitting kits & these retractable bow planes will be one of the first fixes.

Chuck

The long wait is finally over. Was advised by Ernie Petit today that the new subs are currently in production with delivery next month.

We're collecting a lot of reference material over at SubPirates for those who are interested in detailing or converting these 2 kits into other subjects. I've already got a Glen for one project that I plan to do.

Would anyone be interested in a conversion kit to build the new Lindberg subs into a B type aircraft carrier? So far, neither IBS nor Nautilus plan to release any after market kits except for possibly Nautilus offering a deck kit.

A friend & I are planning to build a B1 using the C3 I-53 kit & will cast major parts such as hanger (hollow to save weight), gun deck, 14cm gun, range finder & some other smaller parts. Based on what we have seen of photos of the Lindberg kit, the entire bow from the anchor forward needs to be redone but not sure if we'd go that far. Catapult, cranes, & other parts would be scratch built & there are several 1/72 E14Y1 Glen kits already available so we'd see no need to recreate that.

Let me know if anyone here would be interested.

Chuck