Whilst this news is most welcome to the 1/72nd community (of which,in my youth,i used to be one)i wish they`d have thought of re-tooling their 1/48th scale kit at the same time. I got really excited when i picked one of these at my local toy store for what i thought was a bargain price,only to discover what a horror it is !. If i was a teacher my report score to Revell would be :- Nice try,could do better.

I, too, would prefer an updated kit in a larger scale (there are plans for a 32 scale Flying Fortress in the works after the B-25s in that heft are all released), but I'm glad to see more early planes. The DVD looks interesting, and I would also recommend Donald Miller's Masters of the Air, THE book about the strategic air war over Germany (though it also has some extensive material about fighter escorts and ground attack fighter bombers). The Memphis Belle is a great story, but it's also not the ONLY heroic story from the Eighth Air Force. I hope some supporting decals will bring to the fore some of the other heroes from that theater.

I can't wait, first off this kit will hopefully allow you to make the Belle, which the Academy kit doesn't. There are plenty of decals to make other "F"s already, hopefully there will be more.

Jowady - The Academy B-17F most certainly does let you build the Memphis Belle. It's been out a good while - I have one in my stash. The Revell one will most likely be a better kit but the Academy one is still not bad. thanks Mike