JWM Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 Hi, Some more than ten years ago models from Czech/US company Aviation USK jnown as Xotic vanished from market. There were couple of interesting models. I think many of us has some of them in stash. The forms are sowhere out there, likely in Czech. Is there any chance to revitalization? The Chech modelling companies are so vital now on the market. Any rumour on that would be nice to hear... Cheers J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwikitbasher Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 The moulds were epoxy tooling (I don't think even galvanised epoxy) and so would probably be worn out from the original limited run production. The positive masters may survive, in which case new epoxy or galvanised epoxy tooling could, in theory, be reproduced. The original tooling's style suggested very much that MPM/Special Hobby created them. I would prefer to see Special Hobby use its original and new research into the Aviation USK/Exotic subjects to make some new tools to their current much-improved standard. Some subjects might be more suited to an Azur (special Hobby) and FrRom partnership; subjects like the Do 22, SM 84 and Fiat RS 14 spring to mind. But these may or may not appeal to Gilles Fontaine of FrRom. Speculation aside, I agree it would be nice to know what happened to some of these tools and masters. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
occa Posted July 2, 2017 Share Posted July 2, 2017 I believe they were made by MPM then so they could be still in the Czech Republic 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 I'd love to see a new tool Ki-76 & Do-22 at decent prices, not like the silly prices they go for on eBay, there're some there now but too rich for me, especially with global shipping tacked on. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTiger66 Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 Interesting subject J-W This is a Web Archive of their last website: http://web.archive.org/web/20010216081657/http://www.aviationusk.com:80/index.html Based in Nebraska. Started out by importing Czech resin kits into the USA. Took it from there. I bought some kits from them in the early 2000's, then all went quiet. Their stock was supposed to have gone to greatmodels.com in 2005. Greatmodels were in turn bought out by Spruebrothers in 2012. At that point there was a 'sale' of Greatmodels inventory (not an earth shattering sale price wise). I don't know if any of these take overs would have included the transfer of any kind of masters. Maybe someone at Sprue Brothers would know; or a good old paper letter to the original address in Usk, Nevada? I've had good results writing traditional letters to seemingly defunct kit makers on two occasions. The mixed media Heinkel He-59 is quite good for the time. The mix of vac-form and star shaped injection moulded parts frame, does resemble early MPM; like the 1/72 SB2 or Aero 200. Usk did some interesting decal sets too. Nicely printed. I wonder who did those? Best regards TonyT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IrishKiwi Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Since the demise of Aviation Usk and then Xotic, the increasing rarity of their kits has seen the price increase significantly such as the Fiat RS 14 which has gone from about NZ$30 to NZ$240 currently on Ebay, as an example. I have the greater majority of their subject matter but still in the market for those that I do not have. They filled a lot of the market niches at that time and even now there are no other options. To see these models on the market again would be great. I hope someone does manage to eventually do this. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMA131Marine Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 Somewhere in the stash I have the Aviation Usk 1/72 B-32 Dominator. I'm fairly certain it is the only injection molded kit of this aircraft in any scale. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwikitbasher Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 44 minutes ago, VMA131Marine said: Somewhere in the stash I have the Aviation Usk 1/72 B-32 Dominator. I'm fairly certain it is the only injection molded kit of this aircraft in any scale. I understood the Aviation Usk kit to be a vac-form airframe with injection moulded detail part. Contrail also did a 1/72 vac-form with white metal small parts, and Anigrand makes a resin B-32, both to 1/72 scale. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Callahan Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 (edited) Indeed the B-32 was vac with additional bits. I have that one, along with the SM-84, RS-14 and Ki-76 mentioned earlier. If the prices are really that psycho it might be time to turn them over to cash generation. I have most of the Usk kits because Aviation Usk was based in eastern Washington state (I'm near Seattle) and I would occasionally see Tom Friske at shows. A good chap, and I was sorry to see him close up shop when he did. Edited July 4, 2017 by Kevin Callahan 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMA131Marine Posted July 4, 2017 Share Posted July 4, 2017 18 hours ago, Kiwikitbasher said: I understood the Aviation Usk kit to be a vac-form airframe with injection moulded detail part. Contrail also did a 1/72 vac-form with white metal small parts, and Anigrand makes a resin B-32, both to 1/72 scale. You know, it's been a while since I looked at my copy of the kit and I had totally forgotten that the main airframe parts were vac instead of injection molded. I'd like to track down a Contrail kit, but I have heard that the Anigrand has some major errors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonelpablo Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 some time ago I wrote to SPRUEBROTHERS they answered that where not interested in production of kits... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonelpablo Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 (edited) ...Iam waiting for CA 133 - SM 84- and at lesser extent rs 14 that is a wrong one....rare birds...for B32 you have a good monogram kit...some kits of italian a/c are completely extinct as Cant z 1018 of Legato and CA 135 of RESIN KITS (?) Edited July 21, 2017 by colonelpablo ADDINGS 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meatbox8 Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 I built their Typhoon 1B (car door) about twenty odd years ago. Went together pretty well I seem to remember. It was the first vacform canopy I ever did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMA131Marine Posted July 21, 2017 Share Posted July 21, 2017 11 hours ago, colonelpablo said: ...Iam waiting for CA 133 - SM 84- and at lesser extent rs 14 that is a wrong one....rare birds...for B32 you have a good monogram kit...some kits of italian a/c are completely extinct as Cant z 1018 of Legato and CA 135 of RESIN KITS (?) Ummm... There is no Monogram kit of the B-32. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonelpablo Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 b 36.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonelpablo Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 nothing about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now