Please help - getting desperate. My 3 year old son loves the FW190. He has many small Matchbox & Maisto diecast WWII planes (eg. http://maisto.wordpress.com/2009/05/22/enough-about-cars-and-trucks-%E2%80%94-we-also-make-planes/ )...and he would really love a FW-190 for Christmas. Unfortunately, Maisto doesn't make the FW-190, nor does Matchbox. I can't seem to find anybody (in Canada or online) that sells FW-190's similar to the Maisto diecast planes (which are great for 3 year old's because they are quite durable). Yes, I know there are several collectible companies that make diecast FW-190's (eg. Dragon, etc), but they are not really suitable for young child play as they have propellers, extra fuel tanks, landing gear, etc, that easily fall off.

Does anybody know of any company that sells small diecast FW-190's similar to Maisto that little guys can play with????

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

http://www.amazon.com/100-Die-Cast-FW190-Stab-JG1/dp/B000BQTOBO

Just did a Google search for "FW-190 die cast model" and came up with several hits on Amazon, Diecastairplane.com (nice site btw)...

http://www.diecastairplane.com/store/c/488-Focke-Wulf-Fw-190.html

They can be a little pricey since the Corgi ones don't seem to be in production any more.

Another possibility is the big Pegasus EzSnaps 1:48 plastic kits - my daughter has 5 that she started with at around 3.

The sprues are rather thick so adult help will be needed to separate the parts with a very sharp knife, but the parts are chunky and fit together well so little hands are quite capable of assembly/disassembly (if the patience and interest are there).

We started with the Me262, and followed with Me109G, V2, Hurricane and Fw190A most recently.

You can build with gear wells closed, and omit the propeller blades on the first build - the whole thing can be taken apart and details added & the whole painted at a later date if the interest remains. A few of the smaller parts (pitot tubes/antenna) might be too fragile and can be carefully cut away and added to the 'spare parts in the box' for possible reattachment later - we kept all ours on, and built with gear out, and props fitted, and nothing broke in several years of occasional play except the V2 mid-joint (when dropped, by me - oops)

The cost is ~$8-10 or £6, which is comparable or cheaper than most 1/72 kits.

Thanks guys for the help.

Did a pretty exhaustive search beforehand already on the internet...great info on those kits Lieste, as I will definitely look into those in the future. I'm just amazed and disappointed that there really isn't a FW-190 out there very similar to the Maisto planes he already plays with.

Anyways, I went with this one:
http://www.flyingmule.com/products/MP-5352

This should fit the bill as it is pretty close in scale to the other aircraft he plays with...just going to have to convince the little guy that he shouldn't/doesn't need to spin the prop on it (as I don't think it is anywhere as durable as the planes he already has).

Thanks again for the input.

Come on Red ... get motivated!

Help the boy build a real one ... great Father/Son project.
By the time he's 5 he will be geard up to start designing his own planes.

Sigh!!! ... You need to look ahead mate

Cheers

One caution about planes with non-functioning props, gear or cockpits: if a toddler thinks they should work, he may very well break them off trying to make them do so. Been there, done that.

See if you can sell him on WWI-era planes. The top wing helps prevent the prop from breaking when it falls on the ground. Or jets, which always last longer. (They shed canopies, but not props)

I wish more companies made props from flexible plastic. It makes them far less breakable.