Asanders

I read in the October 2004 Model Airplane News the review on the TF P-51 ARF. I believe it was Gerry Yarrish who did the review. I cant for the life of me find my copy of the magazine.. anyways he used a pretty cool looking pilot for the plane. Anyone know who markets this pilot figure? If you happen to have you rcopy handy I remember he referred to the retailer... I have a little money handy and want to spend iton a good looking pilot !

thanks ! ps it is for my GS P-47

Ham639

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go to www.perfectpilots.com

That is the pilot used. the 1/5 scale Chuck

Asanders

Thanks !

smchale

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I have heard some folks say that the 1/4 scale version of the same pilot actually looks better in the TF P-51 as it has a rather wide canopy/fuse in the cockpit area.

ramcfarland

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Sorry guys as I see it W/the acception of Dave Platts offerings the rest either look like dolls with barbie doll stitching or the topic pilot of this thread,who looks nothing like the youthful if not very MATURE for thier years 'real' pilots of WWII I must say the Blue box WWII Jananese Army or Navy pilot comes----close. I have access to a Community College art department I think I will bring them some photos along W/the Blue box allied pilot and get some feed back. One things for sure whoever"finally"does a pilot and uniform being of true realism will be able to name thier price:less than 49.99 retail

ScalePilots

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My name is Oscar Azevedo and I work for www.perfectpilots.com, we are the exclusive distributors for Aces of Iron pilots that Asanders was asking about from the magazine article.
The p-51 is a 1/5 wing size scale but the fuselage/cockpit area is 1/4 scale wide and tall. We have sold both our P-51 pilots "Chuck" in 1/4 and 1/5 scales for this specific airplane. Down to personal preference in how "full" one wants to have the cockpit. Most have opted for the 1/5 scale model.
In regards to Ramcfarland comments, I invite him and all to our website and see the unmatched accurate details of our pilots.

Happy flying!

Oscar
[email protected]

F4u5

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Oscar, I see that www.hppilots offers the aces of iron series as well. They offer them pre-painted. Do you offer pre-painted versions? I want Luther for my 109

BadLemon

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Asanders

Look in the garbage can for your copy thats where my Wife files all my RC magazines. [:@] But she denies it!!! [>:]

kakem

The Model Airplane News article incorrectly cites Zombi [sic] pilots at hangtime hobbies as the maker for that pilot. The pilot is made by Aces of Iron Productions ([link=http://www.acesofiron.com]www.acesofiron.com[/link]. Aces of Iron Pilots are distributed and sold through perfectpilots.com ([link=http://www.perfectpilots.com]www.perfectpilots.com[/link]) and various other retailers. "Zombie Pilots" was a painting service similar to H.P.Pilots. Zombie Pilots and H.P. Pilots used to offer painting services for Aces of Iron pilots. "Zombie Pilots" recently went out of business. H.P. Pilots ([link=http://www.hppilots.com]www.hppilots.com[/link]) and Balsa USA ([link=http://www.balsausa.com/pilot/itemlist.htp?id=101&shopperid=]www.balsausa.com[/link]) still paint pilots. The figure in the Model Airplane News article was 1/5th scale. About 6 months ago, Chris Spangenberg did a reveiw of the same kit for High Flight and he used the 1/4 scale Aces of Iron pilot. If you want a comparison of how the different scale figures look in the Top Flite cockpit, you can compare the two articles. If you need a full-body, you can fuse a Vailly Aviation lower half to an aces of Iron bust as Evan Quiros has explained in previous threads:

rrudytoo

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I have to agree with Ray on this. I have a Blue Box rendition of an RAF aviator and it is EXACTLY what it should be. The Aces Of Iron busts seem exaggerated in their faces and they don't offer full-figure aircrewmen. Dave Platt's figures look good but are a bit heavy and require some work to get them looking as they should.

I have a Ziroli Stuka that will require a pilot and a gunner and I can't find a good source for them. I don't want the same figure representing both the pilot and the gunner as that would look dumb and, as we all know, one was enlisted and the other was an officer so they dressed differently. ( The gunner in a Stuka didn't even have a real seat for crying out loud! )

If anyone knows of a source for 1/5th scale full-figure pilots, I'd like to know about them, too. (Snake Stuka, are you reading this?)

Al

dragoonpvw

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I agree too, the newer aces of iron pilots are a bit better, at least when they have oxygen masks to cover their caricature faces but they are a long way from unmatched accurate detail or what I would put in an accurate scale model. They do still look too old with the furrowed brow and huge bushy eyebrows. The rest of the figures are far too cartoonish for my liking, and as far as I am concerned are just a step above the old eddie figures. The blue box toys could charge what they liked if they were in different sizes. I have actually started to consider the 5th to 6th scale as ideal just because of this. The desert airforce pilot for my byron p-40 and the luftwaffe pilot for my 262 go great with the raf bod in my 1/5.5 mustang. I now order allied pilots in twos as soon as they come out if they are from ww2 vintage, I know I will use them eventually. I don't usually detract from manufacturers but I think aces of iron are very talented and are actually moving closer to the scale representation and if they know what is wanted then they will provide it. The later models compared to the earlier ones are testament to that. Now if they will get some youthfull raf BOB pilots going then I am in their pocket. Otherwise I am tied to petes pilots which just need careful painting to get good results.
Good Luck
Paul

dragoonpvw

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Al,
here is Petes Pilots link
http://petespilots.mysite.wanadoo-me....uk/page5.html
they can do two similar luftwaffe pilots but supply different heads and accessories especially for a two seater.
They are very light and have a huge range of figures in all scales, almost 400 pilot combinatios or something, as I say though, they do need good painting for the best effect.
Good Luck
Paul

rrudytoo

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Paul,

Thanks for the lead. I'll check them out.

Al

ramcfarland

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Oh geez so I went a bit over board your pilots do look good but your typical early twenty something officer such as Capt/Col. Robert S. Johnson has a more youthful appearance--How did I do it? Bought a toy doll from the spiderman figures collections and dressem em in leather and sharply pressed buff/tan colored pants dressed him up in real leather as in flight jacket and helmet and trousers,which I "constructed using thinand finely woven cloth about the weave of say Sigs Coveral then.. by drizzling on thin Ca achieved true artistry by creating ,"with wrinkles the look of a pair of well pressed (U.S.A.A.C.tan issue pants by dabbing dabbed repeated coats of acrylic paint unfortunatly the little fella is about 1/9 scale and he sits in an (aprox.)1/7 scale WWII allied fighter[sm=lol.gif] "I"being (full of) imagination that day also 'sellected Mr. Olsen (the bad guy in the "Spiderman"movie to replicate one Eddie Stinson with sister katheryn;alias Star Wars Princess Lea: both whom sit in the front office of my Stinson SM-2..

pepflyer

I have a 52" wingspan Fokker D-8 model. This is very close to 1/6th scale. I need a source of a pilot bust, pre-painted with goggles and possible scarf. Any suggestions? Pepflyer

fockewulf37

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For the money and being lightweight,I use the piolts from A-H Design. A 1/5 scale full body is about $35.. There are companies that carry them in the states that double that price... Its cheaper to buy direct...


Ty

LDM

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I just bought a pilot from a fledgeing new small company guy who just started making them for RCU members , all I can say is wow , I will try to get his link

AirRayInc

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Any updates guys?
I need a full body 1/5th scale WWII BLACK Pilot please. Actually, I could use about 3 now that I am back to building.

fw190

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Here ya go ray, its 1/6th same size as the BBP but might be a bit small for your birds.

http://goingoverthetopmilitarycollec...f7abdfc9167358

G-Pete

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the average height for an adult male in the United States is:
69.2 inches, or
69.3 5 feet 9.2 inches
This statistic for the average height for an adult male is from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted from 1999-2002.

The average height during WWII was:

68.5inches, or
5 feet 8.5 inches.


With that info you calculate the real height of your pilot – in that case here 1:5th scale

68.5 divided by 5 equals 13.7 inches


Just for the 1:6th scale guys = 11.41 inches.


Just for an example Ziroli P-38, most think it is a 1/5 scale airframe – nah it’s not. It is actually a 1/5.47. I used a β€œ1:6” scale pilot with 12 inches - that makes the pilot 65.64 - 3 inches under the average height.
The minimum height 1941 to be enlisted as a fighter pilot (USAF) was 63 inches. That makes this pilot perfect. A little bit smaller as the average for that time period, but taller then the minimum.


To sum that up:
Check your real scale and choose your pilot figure about the size and not what they assume what scale it is.

G-Pete

One more - be careful with pictures like that below.

This is Lt. Robert F. McDermott, he flew 61 mission on the P-38 during WW2. For that photo shoot he did not have his parachute strapped on, so he sat lower so he could pose with the rolled down window.

Just check the gun sight

AirRayInc

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Link didn't come up with anything Vic, and I searched the site as well.

sforrest

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http://www.bestpilots.typepad.com/

AirRayInc

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Nice stuff, but no Tuskeegee Pilots. May use one of those in my Airacobra though.

Ram-bro

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Ray, I havent seen mention of the Tuskegee airmen figures. What are these oing in? I believe I have the B25 pilot figure if needed