by Acey27. October 2012 20:17Let me get this out of the way first: if you like a given diecast aircraft, then get it, no matter what I or somebody else might say. It's not my intention to rain on anybody's parade.
The following list is a bit of a strange one. Basically, it's models that I feel that people get for the wrong reasons. Without further ado:
- HA3703 - Recon Voodoo. We all know that the USAF used Voodoos pretty extensively over Vietnam, especially for recon purposes. Fair enough. But this SEA-camo bird isn't that. Far from it, this two-seat ANG bird represents what was more or less an expensive and pointless peacetime version of the aircraft which differs from Vietnam Voodoos in many significant ways (such in that it had two seats) that lasted a very short time even in ANG service in this guise. To top it off, the HM release has an extra set of numbers stenciled on that are from the aircraft in boneyard storage. Nevertheless, this model is in more or less high demand by people who think that this model had anything to do with Vietnam.
- HA3314 - Tiger II Luke AFB. Much of what I wrote about the HA3703 above applies here. SEA-camo does not make this a Vietnam bird. Much better to wait for an actual South Vietnam Air Force bird, preferably with that snazzy yellow and black checkered fuselage band. We all know that one's coming at some point.
- HA1050 - F-104 Luke AFB two-seater. I have this one in my own collection and don't regret it. While I'm not a fan of bicentennial schemes, this one kind of works here, at least for me. Red White and Blue spirit of 76 all American aircraft, right? Well, sort of. Despite the big "United States Air Force" markings on the side, this was a Luftwaffe aircraft used for training Luftwaffe crews in the USA.
- HA1519 - AT-6 "Beetle Bomb." People will buy this to further complete a "Blue Angels" collection. The problem is, that this was a very marginal player - basically a hack aircraft. to top it off, it's one of HM's weakest offerings in terms of detail. They basically dipped the thing in yellow paint and added the meagrest of details. Despite having a pretty complete Blue Angels collection otherwise, I'm giving this one a very wide berth (unless I find it on extreme discount)
- Any F-22 after your first one. Honestly, they're all pretty much the same. The only one that's a little different, "Cripes a Mighty" by having a bit of blue paint on the nose, actually manages to look worse, not better.