Just started hobby modeling 1/72 aircraft. Can anyone advise why some kit manufactures do not include pilot/crew figures ?
Have kits from Italeri and Revell without pilots.
Is there any aftermarket for 1/72 aircraft crew.
Looked on usual ebay and Amazon. Many figures but no pilots.

Thanks for any advise.

Hi!

There are, for example CMK, Aerobonus, Hecker + Goros and Verlinden who offer good quality aftermarket pilots and crew figures in 1:72 and 1:48 in good / very good quality to name just a few but there are much more companies outside who offer pilot figures.

I think the reason most kit producer omit pilot figures is that just most of the enthusiasts want to show an empty cockpit with all its details. This will be difficult if a crew member is sitting inside the already cramped cockpit. But you have the chance to decide

There are many different aftermarket figure sets available. Here's a good list which includes some soldiers and sailors as well as pilots and ground crew figures.

Thanks to Black_sheep and Jessie_C for the replies. I have found aftermarket figures now.
As a child in the 60's in the UK we only had Airfix models which always had pilot figures in the kits so I assumed it was general practice. I started modeling again last year after retirement and was surprised that some manufactures do not include crew. To me it's the figures that bring a model to life and gives a perspective to aircraft size. Also reminds us of the hardships that wartime pilots had to endure. Where I live (Thailand)I cannot find any modeling shops so have to buy from Internet. With the exorbitant costs of P&P and import duties even small items become very expensive. I think it's a bit penny pinching of manufactures to not include figures. Selling aftermarket figures is just another profit stream. Can understand that some modelers don't want the figures but if they were included in the kit the choice would be there. So I suppose I need to be more selective when buying kits.
Thanks again for the replies.