Star light, star bright

[Mitch]

I like the 400 series and I think it could be expanded with some more planes from other countries... Here is just one example:

Italy, the Macchi 202

[jpuke]

I agree with the 500 series Corsair, but I'd add a P-47, I like the "N" variant best.

[Arlo DiPasquale]

I'd rather see the Macchi C.200, either in the 400 or 500 series. According to Wikipedia, the C.200 flew the most combat missions of any Italian aircraft in WW II. I want to build one, but can't even find any suitable plans, let alone a kit. The C.202 and C.205 might be prettier, but the C.200 was built in greater numbers, flew more sorties and probably had a greater impact on the war.

By the way, I'm pretty sure Dave Diels has a C.202.

[Bill Gaylord]

But Guillows has a different Market Group. Most people in the hobby shops only heard of Guillows, they have more public exposure in the Local Hobby Shops. With Guillows construction and plastic cowlings they would be easier to build and make better static models. Seems like half the modelers build for Static Display.

Exactly. I see more of these kits built for static display, than any other reason. When I first started building, what attracted me to these kits was that they gave you detailed molded parts that other kits do not. Good scale looks sells. After a number of years in building, I've learned ways to make detail parts, but initially the idea of having a beautiful molded cowl, canopy, engine, pilot, and other parts was very appealing. The same goes for keel-and-former construction, which is easier than other methods. I still buy and build these kits, much in part to the molded detail parts included. While I can hand fabricate/mold them now, it's still a good bit of work, where the Guillows kit makes for a nice relaxing scale build. For rc conversions, the robust construction and scale detail are excellent. I would imagine that there are currently more folks building these kits for either display or rc, versus rubber powered free flight.

The Macchi warbirds would be a great addition. I've downloaded plans for several of them, and been threatening to build one for some time. If Guillows made a kit for one of them, I'd buy it immediately.