Hello guys

Well, I need to know your opinions about to release new ships in one of these two scales.
Because I am now in the dark side making ships (I usually work with tanks and figures) I would like to know your priorities, I means, do you prefer 1/72 or 1/35 for new ships items??

Our first item was the Bronkeater 1125 in 1/35, now the PG117 small fast boat in 1/35 too, and our new 1/72 Bronekater is coming soon.
Now I want to start new ships projects, always in IIWW, but I don't know if make it in 1/72 or 1/35.

With 1/72 I can make bigger ships, and even more complex, but in 1/35 I must be limited to small ships, maximun size like bronekater (65cms)
What do you guys recomend me for next items???
Which scale is better or more interesting?

Thanks in advance for your sugestions.

Sincerily

Mig Jimenez
www.migproductions.com

Holla Miguel

IMHO both scales are valid, depending mainly in the subject you intend to make.

I have to fully agree on you with the 1/35 scale to be "limited" to small vessels (PT-Boats, Vospers, Vietnam era Riverine forces, Schnellboots) since making bigger subjects would cause a "selling issue" (as I said in a previous post, I am curious on how many LCT's Accurate Armour sold and how many VII-C Andrea did - not that I wouldn't buy them, just very hard to justify all that money spent at home)

In 1/72 (finnaly) the big manufacturers are starting to bet on this scale for warships, although the smaller ones have discoverd it for some time: the extinct Viking Models with their complete Waterline Riverine Forces craft's, Fine Cast Models (FCM) with the DKM Midget submarines and now more recently Kora and Choroszy Modelbud are "attacking" this scale and the more unknow subjects.
I think that all of us grew with them and probably have built any of the PT-Boats or Vospers or LCM(3). I still remember when Matchbox released their 1/72 Flower Class Corvete and how impressive I thought she was (still do!)
I am still impressed with the impact that Revell's 1/72 VII-C U-boat made (still is making), and all the AM producers that took the chance to make products that really helped this beast became a great seller - of course the basis was already excellent

As for what I would like to see, here is a small list - but I have to confess that this is what I want (with no commercial study to support it)

1/35:
S100 Schnellboot
PACV3
Any Brown Water Navy / Vietnam Riverine Craft
Welman Craft (British midget submarine WWII)
Delphin (German Midget Submarine WWII)
Elco PT-Boat (Lindberg made a 1/32 but... )
Vosper MTB/MGB
Siluro San Bartolomeo http://photos.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/14978

1/72
Fletcher Class DD (US Navy)
Z Class Destroyer (DKM)
(and a lot more - but only wrote this ones)

Thanks for asking Miguel,

Skipper

Yes, your words have a lot of sense to me, I agree.
Is true that some subjects interesting to me is too big for 1/35, and it must be made in 1/72, but in defence of 1/72 I must say that actually you can paint a 1/72 ship with the same accurancy or detail that one in 1/35 (I hope demostrate that with my 1/72 bronekater) and also exist a very big range of accesories and fires in that scale that can make easier to use this scale for small naval dioramas combinated with any vehicle or plane.
I think that 1/35 is good for the detail, specially if we are talking about small subs or boats that need a very fine detail, but I cannot imagine a Flecher in 1/35...but I would like to see it.

Still a complex matter for me....1/72 or 1/35...I love both and each one have positive and negative things.....



Thank you so much for your comment RUi, moito obrigado.

MIG

Mig - a compromise? Conversion sets for the Trumpeter or Italeri LCMs to build some of the 'Brown-water' Navy vessels..

You have done a superb job with your AFV conversion sets, why not apply it to naval vessels as well?..Un saludo, Jim

Me neither - but certainly it would be a interesting thing to see




De nada, Miguel

I still think that you are in the good way!
The Bronekater (full hull) will prove a good benchmark item, both in 1/35 and in 1/72. Just work with the dimentions of the full new item using the Bronekater as "reference", price and the quality must be the same
Unless you are producing a "monster" in 1/35, I think that you will work good with your new items
I am looking forward to see the PG-117 boat

Skipper

Yes this could be a field that it as been overlooked (why? I don't know...)

Skipper

I will start out by saying that so far I haven't bought either 1/35 or 1/72 scale ships. At this time they are just too expensive and almost as importantly, too big. When I get to the place in my life I hope to be at one day and those issues aren't as important I will be very interested in getting either scale.

That said I would recommend that 1/35 scale needs to be useable with armor and vehicles to work with it. Many of the Allied landing craft are already covered, in at least some form, but as Jim suggested perhaps there are conversion kits to cover some of the more unusual conversions of the LCM or LCVP? One that comes to mind is the rocket launcher type? Other important items that would work for armor and other vehicles are bridging items or assault craft. On the latter I'm thinking of the boats used to attack across rivers, like in the movie A Bridge too Far.

In 1/72 the issue of working with land forces doesn't apply nearly as much. I would think though that anything you make in 1/35 could also be made in 1/72 so that people could make reasonably sized, and priced, dioramas of beach landings, river assualts, etc. What really excites most people, I believe, is the chance of making a really BIG model of something that has never been made before. The German U-boats now coming out, along with the American Gato, are perfect examples of this. There is an entire world out there of submarines that have never been attempted in any scale, let alone 1/72. The French Surcouf comes immediately to mind. Japanese, French, Italian, and Russian boats could also be done. Then more ships to fight them. Much as I'd love to see somebody else build it I can't believe I'd personally buy a Fletcher in 1/72, but I'd certainly give hard consideration to a Buckley class U.S. destroyer escort. There is a large number of smaller warships, U.S. DEs, cutters, sloops, British MGBs, MLs, German F lighters, etc, etc, etc, that would make interesting subjects.

Based on the photos we've seen of your current work I'm sure anything you come up with will be first rate.

Mig i don't build many ships but when i saw pictures of your Bronekator i was very intrested till i saw the scale and the price, if you make one in 1/72 scale in my opinion you will sell more of them at least one to me.

Hi Mig


In my opinion, 1/72 scale is most suitable and affordable to build a nice collection of ships, like the existing schnellboot and the flower class corvette.


It would be great to see / build a 1/72 Liberty ship, and i guess that there certainly is a market for 1/72 ships accessories (extra life jackets, crates, etc.. to go with her or the Flower Class corv..

Speaking for myself I would like to build a 1/72 (armed) tanker or other (armed) commercial vessel. Even a disguised (and heavily armed) 1/72 fishing trawler which was used to attack surfaced German submarines in the Northsea would be a nice addition to a collection, and would be great to fit in a dio with a 1/72 VII-C U-boat or a Schnellboat.

Thanks for asking, it's nice to know some manufacturers do like and use feedback from their buyers.

Best of luck in the feature

Hi Mig,

I would like to see a 1/72 WW2 US Navy Patrol Craft (subchaser). In 1/350 scale, it's like building a 1/700 scale destroyer. I agree, 1/72 & 1/35 LCM conversion kits would be nice.

Kenny

Miguel

I have the "PG-117" in 1/72 and I was advised that it is actually an NKL-27 “reconnaissance and patrol river semiglider" and PG-117 is the pennant or vessel number.

I have looked longingly at your BK 1125 Bronekater but 1/35 is far too big for me and I'm very pleased to see that you will be releasing it in 1/72 scale.

I have a small collection of 1/72 vessels (some still awaiting construction) including the Type VII and XXIII U boats, S7 and S100 S boats, X-craft, Type A Japanese midget sub, Flower Corvette, MTBs and PT boats and a scratchbuilt LCT 5 (about 75% complete) and I would love to add to my collection.

My preference would be for RN MGBs (including the grey Goose steam MGBs), MLs, and smaller to medium landing craft , German F lighters and Siebel Ferries, Japanese barges, etc, etc - all in 1/72.

If you ever want to venture into more contemporary vessels - Landing Craft, Air Cushion!

David

Mig,
I also don't make many ships but a British Fairmile type 'D' MTB/MGB in 1/72 would be a worthy adversary to the S boat or Type VII sub.
Then what about a German 'R' boat?
Or, as Bjorn said, An A/S trawler.
There must be 100's of others out there.
Tom

Ola Mig, personnaly I'd like to see someone make extencive efforts into the early Pacific war. [all 1/35th ]
Japenese landing barges, gunboats, South Sea island craft, small steamers, early U.S. P.T's., island barges, etc.
Early WWII figs. with tin helmets, Phillipene [ sp. ] Army Scouts etc. Battan era stuff.
Wishful thinking - Cheyenne - I want a Bronekater so bad I can taste it, for a Stalingrad dio I have planned but can't find one in the U.S.
Cheyenne

I'll second the conversions for the LCM's into Brown Water Navy vessels and the idea of a PACV has me drooling on my keyboard!

Do both please!

I'm not much of a 1/72 modeler, so unless it's modern soviet hovercraft or patrol boats, I'll probably pass.

Mike
Mike

one good thing about medium and small size boat in a 1/35 scale is that..you can incorporate them in other military models(armours and figures). like the LCM and LCVP. you can build a diorama on the boat. i'm wishing for more boats(or ships) even planes in a 1/35 scale. think about a skytrain or a B-17. really big but it will give you real satisfaction on finishing this kind of projects.

ah..er..we need a bigger room for that.

check this out..Gambier bay 1/48 scale..by IPMS BAC PHIL.

http://www.ipmsphilippines.com/features/gambierbay/gambierbay.htm

I would love to see something like the Tucumcari and other hydrofoil naval boats in 72nd. You can find them in 350 scale, but at 2 -4 inches....well that ain't much fun

Hola Mig

I know you did not ask for it, but how about a quarterscale release. I'd like to have the PG 117 or a KFK (Kriegsfischkutter in case you do not know) in 1/48 ...

I also know there is not much support for this scale on armorama but I just wanted to give it a try :-) :-) :-)

best wishes from Germany

Steffen

Everything is possible

this is a 1/35 model of Z-28 (IIRC) (The model is much larger than the photo indicates)



Kool Stuff

but to large for my room

Steffen

Mmm.. "Tirpitz" in 1/35th scale...

Ah, might need a new house!

Um, and SWMBO!

Um, and job, (to pay for it and the time required to build it).

Ho hum. :-)

...and a 1/10 yamato!

http://www.oshipee.com/omami/e-photo-yamatomuseum.htm

Hi Mig

First thanks for taking the time to poll some consumers.

Secondly if it was bettween 1/72 or 1/35 for big items then purely for space and display reasons I think 1/72 is prefereable for large items eg warships submarines aircraft carriers etc. Perhaps more smaller vessels like patrol boats would be great in 1/35th.

Thirdly I am new to warships as a topic but an area which could be a viable business opportunity which is not still fully explored is WW2 U Boats. I like many others just love them. How about waterline versions, there are many varities and there is plenty of scope for fugures, resin add ons and diorama bases. I recommend you visit the uboat.net site or the subcommittee website the level of passion for these Tiger tanks of the sea runs deep. Excuse the bad pun.

The weathering possibilities are absolutely fantastic as you can imagine. Please consider this possibilty.

If you need more info just PM me anytime.

Regards

Fordboy

Hi
I think 1/35th scale is viable.
As alredy mentioned, conversions for the Italeri LCM would be useful also some of the German transport craft used in the Adriatic, like F lighters might be worth considering.

Dus

...1/35 scale Elco 80' PT boat ! that's worth the waiting.

Hola Miguel,

I would love to see a Vietnam Monitor (those based in landing crafts) in 1/35...

cheers