RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want?  
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RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/3/2007 3:52:17 PM   
G-EMMA


 

Posts: 32
Joined: 8/25/2007
From: Essex, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		Hi guys,

I best explain this post which is probably a bit cheeky and probably in the wrong place. I've just got into electric RC so don't have a lot of background or contacts.

I've been looking at the pilot figures available for RC aircraft.

They have ranged from fabric clothed animated pilots costing big $

To low cost vac formed figures that might just pass as a pilot from a distance

Then finally some cast ones that look great but need finishing and are only available in a limited scale range.

Now my questions:

What do people actually want from pilot figures?

What is the right price?

Do you want all the work done, i.e. painted etc?

Do you want fabric outfits lots of detailed equipment or would one piece figures be what you are looking for?

What about weight? Would you be prepared to except a heavy but well detailed pilot figure, or is weight the deciding factor?

I'm asking this for one reason only. I have a great career but it is seasonal. I get to spend most of the winter months doing not a lot. I have the cash to start a new business and I'm thinking about producing... well you guessed it pilot figures for RC aircraft.

Any help I get here may help you guys to get the pilot figures you really want in the future. I most likely to be looking at producing WWII subjects at first. What else would people like to see?

If this post breaks the rules, or is in the wrong place, apologies in advance from a newb.

       Post #: 1

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/3/2007 4:48:12 PM   
fancman


 

Posts: 1287
Joined: 11/21/2002
From: N. Charleston, SC, USA
Status: online 		For me I would love to be able to go go one site and pick a pilot figure for my scale airplanes, not having to wonder if they are the correct size. Seems like nobody has cataloged the pilots to fit all the most popular warbirds etc. I know there at a lot of them out but not really that many different sizes to fit most cockpits I would think.

If the price was right I would rater have a pilot to just put in place and not have to paint or dress. My two scale planes are a Topflite P51 and a Uravitch OV 10 Bronco. I'd love to just go to a site and pick out a pilot for both instead of having to measure and guess what will fit.

As an example I got my pilots for the Bronco from Horizon. Nice pilot figures that are light and nicely detailed but I had to paint them......yuk and on top of that their catolog list's the sizes in scale terms.....1/5th, 1/6th etc which in no way tells me if they would fit. I had to call direct to find out exactly the height and width of the figure to fit.

(in reply to G-EMMA)
       Post #: 2

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/3/2007 4:48:19 PM   
rwright142



Posts: 1817
Joined: 9/2/2004
From: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Status: offline 		For me, I'm into historical accuracy. I'm building a F4U-1A Corsair and looked for a scale pilot to match. BBI made a Corsair pilot but did not product it in great numbers so I could not locate one. I ended up with a Doc Miller that I bought on eBay - $40 including shipping. It will do. It is very detailed - you'd have to see on to believe it, and although the equipment is not historically correct for the plane I am building (VF-17 - Jolly Rogers) I can live with it. It came with many accessories - pistol, oxygen mask, goggles, knife, Mae West, parachute, hat, sunglasses, etc.

For weight, that is a consideration too. I will be drilling out a lot of this 'action figure's' parts to lighten it.

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In the works: 1/6 Scale F4U Corsair

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       Post #: 3

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/3/2007 4:54:07 PM   
PilotFighter



Posts: 2060
Joined: 10/9/2002
From: Houston, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I liked the William Brother's pilots, although the features were slightly Asian. I want hard plastic pilots that I can paint to my liking. Busts, from the chest up.

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RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/3/2007 5:46:01 PM   
Gringo Flyer



Posts: 2247
Joined: 1/16/2004
From: Formosa, ARGENTINA
Status: offline 		I would like a reasonably priced prepainted pilot. Painting one just doesnt interest me.


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       Post #: 5

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/3/2007 7:05:26 PM   
Campy



Posts: 3410
Joined: 1/2/2002
From: Baltic, CT, USA
Status: offline 		It would seem that the following is what is wanted (not necessarily in this order, but probably close ):

1. Full figure, painted and detailed in various scales and (ideally ) with some measurements also (height, width, thickness ).

2. Busts, painted and detailed in various scales and (ideally ) with some measurements also (height, width, thickness ).

3. Full figure, NOT painted or detailed painted in various scales and (ideally ) with some measurements also.

4. Busts, NOT painted or detailed painted in various scales and (ideally ) with some measurements also.

This would cover 99.9% of the bases. The non painted ones could just be some from the run you didn't want to paint.

As mentioned above, weight is ALWAYS a factor, however, many modelers are willing to accept a LITTLE extra weight PROVIDED the detailing and/or painting is accurate and top shelf.

The final factor will be the price. I would pay $75 for a 1/8 or 1/7 scale full figure pilot that is painted and WELL DETAILED.

(in reply to Gringo Flyer)
       Post #: 6

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/3/2007 8:24:09 PM   
G-EMMA


 

Posts: 32
Joined: 8/25/2007
From: Essex, UNITED KINGDOM
Status: offline 		Thanks for the responses so far - some things I hadn't thought of, some comments confirm what I thought was missing from the current market.

I have to look at viability before producing anything. It seems to me that the currently available pilot figures are 'generic' pilots - i.e. they may/may not fit a particular model so finding just the right one for your particular model presents problems.

What would people think about figures and possibly scale cockpit detailing that just dropped into popular existing RTFs and ARTFs? I'm thinking here of starting out with really popular models like a detailed figure or maybe figure and detailed cockpit unit that would drop straight into models such as the PZ Mustang or the Hanger 9 ARTFs?

The idea would be to make a run of these, if the products were well received the range could be expanded to take in a wider range of models based on consumer demand.

Any thoughts on this?

(in reply to Campy)
       Post #: 7

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/3/2007 9:48:02 PM   
da Rock



Posts: 6961
Joined: 10/11/2005
From: western, NC, USA
Status: offline 		For the last two years, there have been almost no smaller pilots that are usable. The Williams Bros standby's still look just as silly as they did in the 60s so forget that they were still available.

There is a Chinese line that has had spotty availability but are pretty awful unless you plan a total makeover.

1/8 scale warbird pilots. Painted or not.
1/7 same

(in reply to G-EMMA)
       Post #: 8

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/4/2007 2:20:30 AM   
tailskid



Posts: 5527
Joined: 11/30/2001
From: Tolleson, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		I would like to paint my pilots....can't stand the 'same pilot' in 5 aircraft all parked next to each other on a Saturday morning! I would also like to see some dimensions IN ADDITION to the scale. I like H9 pilots because you can cut away what doesn't fit your model.

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       Post #: 9

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/4/2007 5:34:36 PM   
Cub Man



Posts: 359
Joined: 1/1/2003
From: LEXINGTON, KY, USA
Status: offline 		I wish DGA would open back up!!!!!

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       Post #: 10

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/4/2007 7:26:23 PM   
rclement



Posts: 2493
Joined: 3/24/2004
From: Auburn, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Cheaper would be nice! I like some of the ones that have the goofy faces but for $19.00 ? Forget it.......pilot

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       Post #: 11

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/5/2007 12:36:29 AM   
cwrr5



Posts: 2135
Joined: 5/19/2004
From: Tucson, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		In order of preference:
1. Variety - they all look the same!!! (except for the extreme pilots, which are great for sport, but don't work for scale)
2. Realistic - I don't want a pilot that looks like a lump of plastic - even if that's really what it is.
3. Size/Weight - I need to know how big it is and how much it weighs before I'll buy it. 1/4, 1/5, 1/6 etc doesn't cut it. a selection of different sizes would be nice too.
4. Cost - my least critical parameter. If it's good quality, I'll buy it - but it has to be somewhat reasonable. I won't pay $100 for a pilot.

For scale subjects, I generally carve my own from balsa or foam, sized and painted to match. Nothing out there seems very good (IMO). For sport flying or general putting around, I "borrow" my son's toys.

(in reply to rclement)
       Post #: 12

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/5/2007 2:59:11 PM   
Steve Collins


 

Posts: 2151
Joined: 12/21/2001
From: St.Charles, MO, USA
Status: offline 		Whatever pilots you decide to produce, they need to emulate the detail found already on Aces of Iron pilots.

Jet pilots are in very short supply so you might consider that type pilot figure as well.

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Steve Collins

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       Post #: 13

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/5/2007 7:40:40 PM   
Big_Bird



Posts: 3328
Joined: 12/18/2001
From: Arlington, TX, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Cub Man

I wish DGA would open back up!!!!!

Me too! Or at least sell out to some one who would continue to produce his line of products.

DGA's concept was pretty interesting. The kit would consist of molded soft hollow rubber head, helmet, gloves, boots, and goggles plus instructions for using the enclosed patterns to cut out all of the parts to make the body, jacket and pants. The instructions were easy to follow. My wife has a good sewing machine but would not tackle the project. I did it myself and it was a lot of fun. Although, a couple of times I sailed the pilot against the wall. You see, it was his fault that I sewed something backwards. It only took a few bucks worth of material from the fabric shop. I think the kit was $19.95.

Here are photos of the finished product in my 1/3 scale Bucker Jungmeister.

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WACO Brotherhood #70

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       Post #: 14

RE: RC Pilot figures are you getting what you want? - 9/5/2007 8:33:07 PM