Tianbo Airborne Soldier (Full Size F Nib .5mm Retractable/Capless))

[J120]

This is not a fake, not a clone, etc.

 

If the nib can be pulled on the nib unit, this could be a fun pen to add your own M, B, Fude, etc loose #5 to. FPR stub frankenpen coming soon?

 

The name makes since when you read the project page on Taobao.  This is a tribute pen to the Chinese Airborne division.  

 

The pen comes in silver and black but only the black is currently on sale. 

 

The are selling a wrench to open the pen. That will be interesting to see. 

 

This pen can take a con-40 converter and weighs 45g.

 

$2.28 for the wrench to open the pen

$13.97 for the pen

 

If the sealing mechanism actually seals properly, my hypothesis would be proven that you reach proper sealing at under $20 at this price point. (LOOKING AT YOU Lanbitou 3088)

 

No idea if I will be able to get these out due to the current supply issues and the freight fees being out of control. There is also the ongoing pandemic issues that are hammering our friends out East but I will check with the traditional sellers to see if I can source this. 

 

This is apparently the second generation so some of the kinks should be ironed out. No idea what those were, but the reviews out East are good so far. 

[Dan Carmell]

That’s an interesting design, much better than the other slim retractables. I like the textured clip and knurled grip section. It has a personality to the overall look. Very neat, hope they become available on AliExpress or eBay soon!

[J120]

I cannot tell if the silver version is the submarine model or if there is another model out there in China in beta testing that we have not seen yet. The reviews I am seeing confirm that the beta version of the Airborne  had an issue with sealing but that this version has resolved that issue. You can see the sealing flap mechanism. I have learned from the Lanbitou 3088 disaster that if the Bilibili and Taobao reviews are eviscerating a pen, do not buy it. All signs point to this being a solid sealing pen. 

 

I am waiting to hear from some of the typical solid Ali/Ebay traditional sellers to see if they can source this despite everything going on over in China at the moment. Bobby got the Lanbitou 6051 out so hopefully he can bring these to the Western wild. 

[Mech-for-i]

I'll wait for some real user review on TaoBao , for one thing , the home market customers are not shy from vocalling their discontent if anything not working , I also note they still use the intial version of a coiled spring in its well, kind of kinked position. I wonder why not using a torsion spring instead

[J120]

There is not cartridge cover used in this model. The lower priced Labitou 6051/ Shipton/Luoshi models also do not use one but it has not been an issue on those models. 

The sealing and the inner mechanism smoothness are the determining factors.  

 

Tianbo Stationary storefront is selling  the pen. 

 

[J120]

The pen is now available on AliExpress by request. Things are a bit crazy with the pandemic right now so please show grace and understanding because I do not know if the seller will be able to ship these to the states anytime soon. I had to recently extend my order time with cartridges I ordered for my A1s from this store. The seller is top notch though and I have always gotten what I ordered. 

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004178532416.html?spm=a2g0s.imconversation.0.0.4f2d3e5fuBoT9W

 

There is a $13.32 markup on the pen but compared with the $156.93 shipping freight from Taobao right now that is totally acceptable. 

 

The wrench to open the pen is 9.99

 

 

[socialmoth]

Assuming the seal's good, I can easily see it becoming a versatile daily driver. Ink capacity isn't too bad, and there are many an approximate-#5 that can fit in there.

 

I think it has the potential to be one of the year's best releases if all goes well.

 

That said: Is there any word on the material? I want to say it looks like aluminum, but I'm hoping for brass. Not too sure about the exposed string by the trapdoor either.

[J120]

I ordered FPR 1mm stub and B nibs in anticipation they might fit in that nib unit. If it takes loose #5 nibs and seals that's a game changer. The dialog models rotary models are the only retractable with "normal" size nibs, so this would be a refreshing change at the sub $30 price point. 

All things dependent on this sealing properly but all reports out East I can find appear positive. 

[gerigo]

Thanks for the call out. I immediately went on to Taobao thinking I might just get it to investigate. The low price is scaring me a little. It's about 14 USD??? At that price, It looks so dodgy.

[OCArt]

On Aliexpress now but for $27!

5 minutes ago, gerigo said:

Thanks for the call out. I immediately went on to Taobao thinking I might just get it to investigate. The low price is scaring me a little. It's about 14 USD??? At that price, It looks so dodgy.

 

[Mech-for-i]

well if one consider the whole mechanism part, the barrel, click mechanism, and the spring loaded flap , ok other than the flap , the others are all just normal click actuated Gel Pen / Ballpoint type and we all know how cheap those can be , the innards is pretty minimal and really do not cost much .. so am not too concern that its priced as such .. if you think about it , the cost of the body would not be that much more than say similar construction gel pen , ballpoint, mechanical pencils

 

I had a few decent Chinese click actuated all metal Gel Pen that , to be honest , better their Japanese counterpart in more way than one and they cost even less 

[J120]

This pen is also made of Makrolon. 

[Dan Carmell]

6 hours ago, J120 said:

This pen is also made of Makrolon. 

That’s a nice surprise, as I assumed it was metal. I ordered the pen and wench immediately after I saw your post. I’ve had to extend times for several sellers as well. I have to say the sellers on AliExpress are easier to communicate with than the average eBay seller, in spite of me being a useless monoglot!

[J120]

The barrel is Makrolon, the section may be metal but we will not know until we get the pens in. 

 

The good sellers on Aliexpress are always solid. With the cost of freight to get things out of China, the markups are not that bad. I have started directly working with sellers to secure the items as they become available on Taobao amd so far, they have been able to get me what I want. That is  how the Tianbo pen availability came about. 

 

 

[gerigo]

Haha... found out from a reviewer on Weibo there is nothing that keeps the opening closed?!!!! The nib just retracts but the end is just exposed. This is the most confusing pen, which would explain the incredibly low price. They just did not bother to engineer a capping mechanism.

[socialmoth]

1 hour ago, gerigo said:

Haha... found out from a reviewer on Weibo there is nothing that keeps the opening closed?!!!! The nib just retracts but the end is just exposed. This is the most confusing pen, which would explain the incredibly low price. They just did not bother to engineer a capping mechanism.

 

Wait, so the trapdoor doesn't work?

 

On 4/17/2022 at 11:02 PM, J120 said:

 

[gerigo]

According to the reviewer there is no trapdoor. If you look into the end of the pen, it's open and you can see the nib inside, just retracted. At least that's what the photos and description said.

[J120]

@gerigo, which generation of the pen did the reviewer have? The beta version had the issues you are speaking about. If it is the second version then that is concerning.  

[essayfaire]

On 4/18/2022 at 11:06 PM, OCArt said:

On Aliexpress now but for $27!

 

@gerigo If one of the two of you bites, I would love to have notes back.  The last time I bought a cheap retractable it was a piece of junk, not even salvageable for parts. Trashed it.  

 

I am trying to not buy any pens that won't be usable, though I would love to find retractable models that were less expensive than the VPs.  I'm not going near the Curidas, either! I can now tell it won't work for me.

[J120]

@essayfaireI already ordered two so hopefully I'll have an answer in a few weeks on the sealing question.  

 

In the interim,  the A1 seals and works just like the VP.