Having spent much of my glory days in the seventies, I can tell you first hand that one of the most memorable songs of the period was “Do the Hustle.” While I’d prefer to forget about the Huckapoo shirts and platform shoes that helped me while away the weekend evenings, thank you very much, I can’t help but reflect on one of the most iconic aircraft of the era – the Convair B-58 Hustler, the first operational jet bomber capable of Mach 2 flight. Despite its place in the annals of aviation history and importance during the Cold War era, this iconic aircraft seems to have been overlooked from a diecast stand point, briefly offered in a 1:200 scale by Sky Defenders that never quite did the aircraft or the collecting community justice.
One of the reasons why diecast model makers seem loathe to offering a 1:72 scale replica of the Hustler was, as some claim, only a handful of variations are available to justify the costs associated with building a mold. This, however, is anything but the case, as shown by the accompanying infographic, which clearly shows five different variations and an equal number of paint schemes that could be easily adopted should a savvy manufacturer decide to take up our challenge.
So what say you collectors? Should a company such as Hobby Master pick up the gauntlet and take a shot at diecast immortality by building the Hustler or are you content with what you’ve gotten thus far? (Hint, nudge them with a quick jab to the abdomen so you too can add the B-58 to your diminutive collection)