Marushin

[Hoverbug]

Anyone here into the Marushin diecast? I've got a number of these and think they're fairly well done. Hard to find though...

[ascot]

Marushin diecast...never heard of them...Are they any good?

[Hoverbug]

http://www.aikensairplanes.com/marushin.htm
http://www.petescollectibles.com/Marushin.asp

The P-51s aren't worth messing with, but the Japanese stuff is great, especially the Kates, Vals and Tonys. The Betty is also quite impressive in both size and weight. Most of these are in kit form, but can be put together with a few screws and some white glue. They come prepainted and are fairly high quality, except for the guns and pitots, which are just aluminum rod. The canopies and antennas are plastic. They sell pilots seated and standing as well as IJA and IJN.

[PierreMarch]

I confirm: the P-51's are not really worth it, but the Japanese aircrafts are more than just interesting (I've got 2 Zero's). They make the only high quality metal 1/48 die cast with retractable u/c. The planes look great. They can be purchased directly from Japan (http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljlist.cgi?Maker1=MRS&Category=AirPro&Dis=2). The site is in English and the planes are usually cheaper than on American Websites.
I bet that it could be a source of inspiration to Corgi: selling pre-painted kits instead of fully assembled models would probably help reduce the costs, thus making them more competitive. Besides, the Marushin box are very small compared to the size of the planes - a good thing nowadays, as many models are sold in e-shops.

[Agent X20]

mmmm.......... some tasty stuff, one or two look a bit 'thin'.. could be the photography (esp the P51and Ki 61)........ but too large a scale for a 'collection' without the removal of Mrs Agent....!!

[maple 01]

The models are MUCH cheaper -

Zero costs $99.95 USD = 55.8381 GBP

6,980.00 JPY = 35.5400 GBP

Oh, thank God they anen't 1/72 scale, another drain on the resorces!

[Hoverbug]

Maybe it's the photo. Personally, I think the Ki-61s are spectacular. The Raidens are a nice change of pace as well. One of the zeros has kill markings that are unusual - U.S. stars.

[PierreMarch]

I must say that most airplanes they sell are practically unknown in Europe/US, even though they were fine fighters. Who has ever heard of the Hayate 84, for example? Probably no more than a few specialists, but I've read that it was one of the best fighters of the war in the Pacific, arriving just too late in the conflict to prove its real value.
Other example: the Val. It was probably the best dive bomber of the war, being the first carrier based airplane to destroy an aircraft carrier (HMS Hermes, Ceylan). It also destroyed the Cornwall and the Dorsetshire. At the beginning of the war, it could even take part to dogfights with good chances of victories.

That's what I think about Marushin models. The other good thing about them: they don't churn new models all the time, the catalogue is very stable, so there is a real chance to possess the entire collection.

[Agent X20]

Shame about the scale... :(

Just cannot have 'another' collection.

Ki - 84.. Frank.. as in Sinatra.... Dont think you have to be a specialist, just an reader of the Recognition Mags.... theres more of us anoraks out there than you think... :D

[P51D]

Stumbled on some pictures of these while looking for something else on the Web. Don't collect this scale (bit big as others have mentioned) but for anyone who does i would imagine they would compliment the Armour/Eagles international models well!?

Be nice if they would produce some 1:72 Japanese stuff too (and help Altaya/IXO out)

[PH-LKK]

For a description of the full line, see Marushin's own website:

http://www.marushin-kk.co.jp/
http://www.marushin-kk.co.jp/page2.htm (the page devoted to 1/48 scale aircraft)

The site is in Japanese, but the pictures are universal. ;)

I've mentioned this elsewhere (maybe even on this forum), but the level of interior detail on these things does not approach any other manufacture. Indeed, there is virtually no interior detail. Still, the overall lines of the various aircraft are perfectly represented (to my eye), and the models are heavy.

I have three Marushin aircraft, and ordered all three from Japan (to the States), which gave me substantial savings over getting these things domestically.

[johnnyboy]

While surfing I have came across this site and have found some interesting bits on here but I am sure there is a lot more to find if I could only read Japanese http://www.marushin-kk.co.jp/
8894;)

[kevjb64]

While surfing I have came across this site and have found some interesting bits on here but I am sure there is a lot more to find if I could only read Japanese http://www.marushin-kk.co.jp/
8894;)

No , sowweee !!:rolleyes: :D

[scramble]

Try using Babelfish translator

[IWM2]

Strange site? Use some english, for example on the titles, but does not seem to have a translation button. Those things with the flags to bring up the English language site?

Plus lots of gobbledygook, not even Japanese! Just wing ding font looking stuff!

[IWM2]

Always have a plan B.

not advertising this site, but it gave the first hit on Marushin models.

http://www.aikensairplanes.com/marushin.htm

1/48 scale. some assembly required. die Cast. Some nice looking beasties in it as well. Agent Carr should be pleased.

[johnnyboy]

Thanks for the suggestion's guys. As close as I have been get the photos and a short video clip seems to indicate this from a promo for a film :cool

[buzzard]

Theres also a bay shop having marushin models now & then.
It is, of course, in japan, but shipping to europe is a moderate €18.- range.
Search for sellers with "hobby" & "japan" in the search field.
I myself am thinking of getting one or two moseld from him, but have not yet done so.

[MiGAlley]

Like someone mentioned earlier, Marushin has one of the stablest lineups I know - nothing ever goes out of production, and there's never anything new. Except for now! Marushin have been producing a Ki-43 Hayabusa for ages now, but now they've added a new late version (a Ki-43-III I believe), which has a three-bladed prop and more importantly, a far nicer scheme than their previous two offerings. Apparently this particular plane is starring in a new Japanese war movie called Chiran 1945, which tells the story of a unit still flying this - by then very obsolete - fighter in 1945. It may be only a minor modification of the existing model, but it could mean Marushin is paying some more attention to its aircraft range, which is still missing a Ki-100, Ki-44 and Ki-45!

[ZS-VAN]

I've been looking for any of these for sale for years without success. Everyone offering them for sale never has them in stock. The Japanese planes all look fantastic! they even have a Betty!

[MiGAlley]

Have a look on eBay, there's a Japanese seller who usually has a number of these in his eBay store - Zeroes mostly, but he also has two Hayabusas (Oscars), a Val, and a Shiden-Kai (George) in stock at the moment. He's reliable and speaks good english, and ships pretty much everywhere - I presume SA as well. I got all of my Marushins from him as well.

I've yet to receive a Marushin Zero (it's on its way, as is the Oscar), but I'm very pleased with the Tony, Jack and George - these are great and very weighty models. I also have the Betty bomber (got up at three in the morning once to win that auction!), but I haven't assembled it yet - I have nowhere to put it! On my first try I found that some of the parts didn't fit that nicely on that one, though, so that'll need some more work. Plus, postage on a model of that size was simply monstrous. Still, it's a stunning piece of diecast which I hope to have on display somewhere in the near future. Bottom line is that I really like Marushin's lineup. Their planes look absolutely stunning (even the props are metal), they produce preassembled versions and ones that require some assembly (these are very compact with regards to packaging, so postage is cheap), and where else are you going to get anything as oddball as this? I definately recommend them to anyone who's interested.

[CKS1]

You're right, tis a promo for a film, just got back from a two-week trip to Japan. This movie is due to be released latter this month (I think). Neither the wife or I speak the lingo, but that's what we worked out. This particular Oscar is a Kamikaze it would seem, not surprisingly the movie is about a group of Special Attack Force volunteers, the lead up to their mission and the mission itself (we asked a local about that : )). Marushin have released this aircraft, had a look at it in the flesh and wasn't pleased, the paint application was very tardy and not up to their usual standard.

Cheers CKS1.

[IWM2]

Mods....anyone want to link this to the 'Anyone speak Japanese' thread...also about Marushin models?

[CFBC]

Mods....anyone want to link this to the 'Anyone speak Japanese' thread...also about Marushin models?

Merged. :)

[MiGAlley]

Thanks CKS1, it's great to hear a bit more background on this particular model and about the movie. My Oscar arrived this week and I'm inclined to agree with you Marushin has done better paintwork than this, particularly the areas that are yellow or white are a bit sloppy, too much overspray. The model does look nice though, I might still add the other green Oscar if I stumble across it somewhere.

The other model I ordered was a Model 32 Zero, one with a very nice mottled green paint scheme. I'm very pleased with this one, it looks great. I was torn between this one and the other Zero which has a similar, but more worn finish (more white undercoat around the edges) but I'm pleased with my decision. Now after the rave reviews of the Hobbymaster Buffalo I think I'll be on the lookout for something for the Meatballs to shoot at! It's great to see the Pacific theatre getting just that bit more attention over the last few years, I hope we'll enjoy a few more nice releases. I'm not holding my breath for any new Marushin releases just yet, though, as those tend to be as rare as hens teeth!

[Tomcat]

For a description of the full line, see Marushin's own website:

http://www.marushin-kk.co.jp/
http://www.marushin-kk.co.jp/page2.htm (the page devoted to 1/48 scale aircraft)

The site is in Japanese, but the pictures are universal. ;)

I've mentioned this elsewhere (maybe even on this forum), but the level of interior detail on these things does not approach any other manufacture. Indeed, there is virtually no interior detail. Still, the overall lines of the various aircraft are perfectly represented (to my eye), and the models are heavy.

I have three Marushin aircraft, and ordered all three from Japan (to the States), which gave me substantial savings over getting these things domestically.

Try - www.trainsandplanes.co.uk - they stock Marushin in the UK.

[theodore]

OK, I'll open up an 'old' thread!! :D I have only 1 Marushin, a Mitsubishi J2M3 Type 21 Raiden 'Jack' and I think they have the best 1/48th diecast ever made!! (that's right; these might be fightin' words for some!!:rolleyes: ). If I can find more, then I will be buying more in the future. I have both HobbyMaster Spits (the Mk XIV's), a HobbyMaster Buffalo (from the USS Lexington), 4 Carousel 1 aircraft, and 15 Franklin Mint aircraft and Marushin edges out all others!! They have phenomenal recessed panel lines, their paint schemes and decals are excellent, they are very accurate, they have no screws, bolts, rubber stoppers, or any 'writing' whatsoever on the undersides of their aircraft, and they are extremely heavy!! :D The main drawbacks are that their canopies don't always fit well and they have no detail in their cockpits.

[Cruver Collecter]

I only have three Marushins, but I like them. I have the Aichi D3-A1, Oscar 64Kato, and one of their Bakas. I am thinking real hard about picking up one of their K5Y2 Willows on floats. Comparisons wise, still have to give a slight edge to Hobby Master as far as quality goes. Have the four Brewster Buffalos that have been released and real impressed with the quality. Marushins are great looking models, but unfortunately have a pretty great looking price too. It sure would be nice if Marushin folks put out a model of the Ki-44 Shoki.

[theodore]

Hello, Cruver Collector

Granted, HobbyMaster does have some excellent diecast as a 'newbie' in this business, but Marushin has recessed panel lines that blow HM away!! HM has some recesssed lines, but they still draw in lines at times. The underneath sides of their aircraft are very clean; HobbyMaster still has rubber plugs to hide the screws. Marushin has excellent paint schemes and their decals are phenomenal. I give the edge to HM for their canopies and cockpit assemblies.

[Kubikali]

I have one of the Marushin Zero's and too am looking at the Willow floatplane... I am a bit scared for the (possible) assembly required on this one though.

Jack, Oscar, Frank or George look allright to me too and, believe it or not, I now recall a dream were Betty was among the models offered bij HJ... :o

[Cruver Collecter]

I have one of the Marushin Zero's and too am looking at the Willow floatplane... I am a bit scared for the (possible) assembly required on this one though.

Jack, Oscar, Frank or George look allright to me too and, believe it or not, I now recall a dream were Betty was among the models offered bij HJ... :o

The Marushin Oscar is a nice looking model and like other Marushin planes, has some real heft to it. It sure would be nice if the Folks a Marushin would do another run of their Betty Bombers. Kick myself for not picking one up when Aikens was still carrying them.

[theodore]

The Marushin Oscar is a nice looking model and like other Marushin planes, has some real heft to it. It sure would be nice if the Folks a Marushin would do another run of their Betty Bombers. Kick myself for not picking one up when Aikens was still carrying them.


I agree; I lost out on some much lower prices for Marushin a few years back. I made the same stupid mistake on a 1/72nd scale Lancaster.....:confused:

[MiGAlley]

Hey, great to see some action in the Marushin thread! I've been collecting Marushins for some years now, and they're among the stars of my collection - but I'm really craving for some new ones now! I started collecting when Hobby Japan was only just starting out, when the Betty still popped up from time to time. I've been lucky enough to add that one to the collection, and over time it's been joined by two Franks, two Tonys, two Oscars, a Jack, a George, and a Hamp. Now, though, there's not that much more to get, unfortunately - and we have no right to moan because 07 was a very special year: a new (well, modified) one was relased!

I'm really hoping for that Shoki, or a Nick or Nate, but probably we won't see any. For now my new target is to get those very rare preassembled ones - I have only one of these, but have never seen them on the Bay since. If any of you are tempted to get a regular one, though, please do: you won't regret it!

[theodore]

Hey, great to see some action in the Marushin thread! I've been collecting Marushins for some years now, and they're among the stars of my collection - but I'm really craving for some new ones now! I started collecting when Hobby Japan was only just starting out, when the Betty still popped up from time to time. I've been lucky enough to add that one to the collection, and over time it's been joined by two Franks, two Tonys, two Oscars, a Jack, a George, and a Hamp. Now, though, there's not that much more to get, unfortunately - and we have no right to moan because 07 was a very special year: a new (well, modified) one was relased!

I'm really hoping for that Shoki, or a Nick or Nate, but probably we won't see any. For now my new target is to get those very rare preassembled ones - I have only one of these, but have never seen them on the Bay since. If any of you are tempted to get a regular one, though, please do: you won't regret it!

Hello Hordak,

I have only one Marushin, unfortunately, :mad: (Mitsubishi J2M3 Type 21 Raiden, 'Jack') and I love it!! :) :D I would love to get my hands on a Betty from them!!

You did not mention that you have a 'Kate' or 'Val' from them!! :confused: :unsure:

[MiGAlley]

Hi Theodore, yeas, that's true, I have neither a Val or a Kate - I tend to go for fighters, and if I do fall for bombers, they tend to be the big ones! The Betty just pushed all the right buttons for me, and although I do like the Kate and the Val, I'm really aching more for that final Frank (the one from the ramming unit, with the red tail markings) - which is almost impossible to get these days. Anyway, I do recommend you look up a certain store on eBay, they have almost all the Marushin range on sale, and a nice Frank, George or Tony would fit very nicely with your lone Jack!

[theodore]

Hi Theodore, yeas, that's true, I have neither a Val or a Kate - I tend to go for fighters, and if I do fall for bombers, they tend to be the big ones! The Betty just pushed all the right buttons for me, and although I do like the Kate and the Val, I'm really aching more for that final Frank (the one from the ramming unit, with the red tail markings) - which is almost impossible to get these days. Anyway, I do recommend you look up a certain store on eBay, they have almost all the Marushin range on sale, and a nice Frank, George or Tony would fit very nicely with your lone Jack!

What E-bay store are we in reference to? :confused: :unsure:

[MiGAlley]

If you search for the term "Marushin" in eBay stores, you'll come across a seller called Hobby Japan. I bought all my Marushins from him, and over the past four, five years he's never let me down. Even better is that he always has a number of Marushins in stock, and at the moment has almost all of the range on sale - this means that there's not only different models, but also different schemes to choose from. Hope you find something you like!

[theodore]

I only have three Marushins, but I like them. I have the Aichi D3-A1, Oscar 64Kato, and one of their Bakas. I am thinking real hard about picking up one of their K5Y2 Willows on floats. Comparisons wise, still have to give a slight edge to Hobby Master as far as quality goes. Have the four Brewster Buffalos that have been released and real impressed with the quality. Marushins are great looking models, but unfortunately have a pretty great looking price too. It sure would be nice if Marushin folks put out a model of the Ki-44 Shoki.


Yeah, I second this thought: a Ki-44 'Tojo' would be an excellent choice since no diecast manufacturer has ever made this. :( :confused: I would even take this in 1/72nd scale, from HobbyMaster or IXO!! :) :cool: