Pilots and crew

[zenrat]

Way back when, in the dim mists of antiquity, it seems I remember that pretty much every 1/72 aircraft kit came with a full complement of little plastic crew members to paint badly.
Now it seems even Airfix are making their newly moulded kits pilotless.

As I like to have little men (and women, thank you Loretta) sitting in my planes i've been looking around for crews for them.
I've found that there are various sets available but it's hard to tell what they contain.
What i'm after is seated figures and not standing, kneeling etc.
Can anyone recommend any particular sets?
I'm after 1/72 and am not to fussy what particular era or airforce they come from.

Thanks

[Mossie]

PJ Productions do a variety of seated aircrew from various nations and eras, in 1/72 and several other scales:

Hannants listing
PJ Productions website

Armory do a handful too, mostly soviet:
Armory figures

[Captain Canada]

The PJ ones are nice, but a little pricey for '2 dudes' !

I haven't really been paying attention to whether the new Airfix kits had pilots in them. I know the Spits did....

[NARSES2]

Most of the new Airfix kits have pilots although some of them were a little out of period

[zenrat]

No crew in the new Swordfish and quite a lot of my stash (Academy, Hasegawa, Tamiya) also don't have them.

Thanks for the links Mossie.

I've seen some Revell sets on line.  What are they like?
Also Heller.
The Airfix sets seem to contain no seated pilots at all.

[darthspud]

Hobby Boss do packs of 5, seated, painted pilots. They have modern NATO, Soviet, and WWII Allied , german or japanese.  I got some sets a while back at a market, but usually it's hong kong. Sorry can't find links on this tablet.

[zenrat]

Thanks Darth.

I'll have a goggle.

[sandiego89]

I have multiple crew awaiting orders.  Free if you want them, I can pop them in the mail if you PM me an mailing address.

I prefer my builds without crew, so a 30 second look came up with these spares I will never use, others available from various kits.

On the sprues are hawk crew members, 1/72 airfix. Red ones are from the Red Arrows pop.  Poor guys in the back seat have no legs below the knee, not sure how they passed a flight physical  

Loose crew are from 1/72 Airfix harrier T/10. Let me know.

Dave "sandiego89" 

[zenrat]

Dave, YGPM

[Captain Canada]

NM they guy with no legs....what about the guy that doesn't even know which way to sit ? Is he from Ork ?

[Captain Canada]

PS-fire me an address PM as well....no guarantee as to when I'll get them out the door, but they'll get there eventually !

[sandiego89]

PM recieved.  I am sending some seated fast jet crews to zenrat.  Hope to see them in some future builds.   Given the limits on fast jet crews  , their flight from the states to down under will require some layovers, I'm thinking Honolulu, Tahiti, Aukland.... 

[sandiego89]

Zenrat, 10 seated fast jet crew member have been issued orders, war-stock side arms, given South Pacific innoculations and have been dispatched. Mix of harrier, alpha-jet, strikemaster and hawk crews, 2 being Red Arrows. Should take 6-10 days depending on routing, and how much the Red crews and harrier crews fight over who is charge of the detachment and their leisure activities.

Enjoy- Dave "sandiego89" 

[zenrat]

Thanks Dave
All the jet crews arrived OK and they are currently on the beach recovering from jet lag and knocking back a few frothys...

When they saw my current builds I got a "you expect me to fly THAT?" but after I asked who'd like to be a novelty gearshift in a 1/25 car they quietened down and I expect no further trouble...

[Captain Canada]

LOL....good one ! I'm sure the boys have a few stories from their travels as well.