Thomas V.
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Posts posted by Thomas V.
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No 3D renders, no CAD, 3/4 of AZ / KP kits are hand made , usually copies of either resin or other plastic kits, as mentioned with most omissions taken over.
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Right you are both, Viggen in 48th the is first SH full run, V-1 in 32nd.being second, although
whoever tackled former may dispute that title.
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28 minutes ago, Piotr Mikolajski said:
Well... V1 was released nearly 20 years ago by MPM Productions. OTOH at least two 1/48 kits released in last two years are new tool made by Special Hobby and were made in metal moulds - 2019 Siebel Si 204 and 2020 Grunau Baby IIB.
V1 is a new tool, but right you are, Grunau Baby is full run too, Siebel being partially ( only small parts )
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This is Special Hobby first full run injection kit in 1/48 ( aside from V-1 ), I wish them best sales so they can continue with full run 1/48 kits, and hope they
did better homework than on their 1/72 kit, that has more than few mistakes and omissions.
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As said before would prefer someone else doing PC-21, if nothing else, one of the most beautiful plane with prop in front, what would I give for Revell to tool one in 32nd.scale,
but when another round go government subsidies kicks in no doubt HB will release one, hopefully will fall into 20% of TRU-HB without any major inaccuracy.
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12 hours ago, Giorgio N said:
This kit would indeed benefit from a more detailed cockpit, even aftermarket items today seem to be hard to find. Hopefully this reissue will prompt someone to offer a new cockpit
Decalwise, this selection is maybe a bit safe but makes sense as they are all markings that tend to attract quite a lot of interest. Would have been nice to have something a bit more "exotic", I'd have probably sacrificed the Italian grey aircraft for something different
Since this re-release is in my view last one before someone issues totally new tooled MB-326 kit, early AMI, as well as early-mid RAAF and SAAF schemes would have been perfect since I have not seen such decals in 1/48. MB-326K will probably be re-issued next year or as an out of catalogue item who knows when, regarding latter hope that Italeri won't just copy-paste their decal sheet from 2012, but also include proper SAAF Mil-Killers, plenty of info now available on mission and aircraft.
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This kit was ideal subject for Historic Upgrade( had they continued with the concept ), since cockpit is almost non existent, at the same time having fine surface detail, nose is a bit off, but even with few swipes of sandpaper can be remedied to acceptable level. Usually Italeri does give interesting markings, since shortcomings of the kit are well known,
another missed opportunity in my view is not including larger decal sheet with early operational schemes.
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One usually pays package from certain manufacturer covering more than one specific type, such package may be initially expensive but taking number of possible releases into account, rights seldom go over 5% of unit wholesale price, usually 2,5-3%- definitely not huge amounts.
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MiG-19 of late 2019 is by far the best tooling AZ/KP has produced till today, MiG-17 of 2013...run away.
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Maybe some of our Czech colleagues have insider info for 2022, unfortunately i don't, but that pic is strong indication as well as informal teaser that Mustang is in the pipeline.
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Good catch!...although Bf 109G/K, Tempest Mk.V, P-51D/K have been mentioned in the first wave of " 72nd scale revolution" , this is first "news" or teaser in a long time.
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So its more expensive and complex to tool SR-71 to A-400M complete with its interior...
One also has to distingush design phase from actual tooling production, capturing proper shape can indeed be difficult task, but that goes for any more complex shape, and most aircraft are full of those.
Today to produce plastic kit has never been cheaper, with prices linked from CAD to actual tool production being slashed by as much as 100% from even five years ago, highly sophisticated software being at the forefront of radical price cuts.
Every manufacturer can price its models to its liking, its for those buying to send a message, if that message is that it is ok to boost prices by 80% in less than 6 years , tomorrow expect even more.
Its complex topic with many variables, but when speaking about Revell, prices have been skyrocketing with diminishing QC, while I am also pleased to see their Blackbird-not so for the wanted price, and that goes for lot of new kits, where neither size nor quality relate to asking prices.
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And I am amazed how many people take things at face value, one would think that each and every modeller/collector would like
product with fair price/quality ratio. Fair to both manufacturer and final buyer.
While not direct comparison, since SR 71 has unique shape and size-Revell He 219A-0/2 in 1/32 and A-400M in 1/72, both are app.60 euros RRP, in both cases due to subjects complexity tooling costs are far higher than for SR-71, in fact taking tooling costs into account Blackbird is relatively simple tooling, due to mentioned shape and size.
There is only one variable that can push price of SR-71 comparable to other models of its size ( there are none from Revell ), and that are production
rights-trademark from LM, but even that sum cannot push the price to 90 euros.
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14 hours ago, Harry Callahan said:
I dont know if thats a good idea from Revell to make their SR-71 as expensive as a F-14 Tomcat from Tamiya. But i will not complain already, before the kit is available in the hobby shops.
You should, because after it hits the shelves it will be too late, in my view, with model size in mind, more than 60 euros is too much.
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40 minutes ago, 73north said:
I just wish Hasegawa would re-release the Macchi 205 1/48 Veltro ..
it’s well overdue for a new release .
I regard theSurface details on that model one of their very finest .
Italeri still offers the kit with superb decal sheet
https://www.italeri.com/en/product/2587
Unlike Folgore, Veltro is a mix of different series and coupled with some other omissions means that essentially you cannot get proper Velcro
from Hasegawa kit. But if you can live with its shortcomings, kit is very nice.
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Shows that mainstream model companies unfortunately have little knowledge about what to tool and why, money and taste/knowledge seldom go together.
Italeri was/is in perfect position to do it, but current 1/48 helos show that they do not even know how to capitalise current toolings. Lost in space.
I would skip over AMP, while indeed S-51 is interesting as a subject, with their so called quality would prefer TRU/HB or Italeri.
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Italeri was supposed to be working on H-19 family around 2013, after that date heard nothing. A no brainer subject, but since they are not even able to re-issue
1/72 H-19 my hope is that Trumpeter/HB will release one.
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On 4/16/2021 at 9:22 AM, dragonlanceHR said:
Except that the Monogram B nose is too long?
http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/264086-monogram-148-a-26-issues/
"Metal nose is way too long (should be 63 inches long or 33.3mm in 48-th, Monogram - 40mm)."
That is the problem with those "nostalgia kits" - their accuracy is taken as granted.
Thank for the info👍, but promodeler aside, compared to pictures of the real planes in both B and now K from ICM the nose is far too short,
cannot say how short because dont have proper drawings- but more than a small and acceptable omission.
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I love variation, and would like every possible Spitfire subtype and variation as small as it may be,but from both buyers and sellers viewpoint, releasing five Mk.I/II kits in half a year-not smart, but of course everyone is entitled to its own opinion.Eduard as well as companies like Zvezda have in house tooling development+production, thus in time of never cheaper tooling development(due to numerous small tech.revolutions)- even less cost than most manufacturers.
There are definitely no huge investments in any tooling, that was 20+ years ago, no matter where and who took on tooling manufacturing, and even then there were not huge investments, but hefty sums-not huge ones, its a nice story that has been perpetuated ad infinitum to cater some ridiculous pricing policies- but here have to emphasise that I don't include Eduard regarding mentioned .
In fact Eduard produces best quality-price wise ratio products, as example, (and I cannot think of any other aside from Academy and Zvezda) with BFC discount, single prop 1/48 Overtrees can be purchased for +/- 10 euros-bargain compared to quality, but that does not mean that they are beyond critique, in 2021 they did not announce single new
tooling, we already knew about Sopwith Camel and S-199, and even S-199 is pushed most probably for early 2022.
Have no problem with lack of totally new toolings, but please give some variety( applaud F-8), among superlatives like Spitfire IX-VIII-XVI, Tempest Mk.V, Fw 190A-F, Mustang is there a place for limited editions taking full advantage of Brassin and PE lines.
P.S. regarding shortage... how much were the prices this time last year, and comparison to today ( rhetorical question)
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My current beef with Eduard is saturation, in my opinion they are releasing far too similar boxings in way too short timeframe ( Spitfire Mk.IIa/b ) being prime example, also releasing two Profipacks in the same month, again of the subjects already being released, not prudent, regarding Limited Editions, with Eduard stated numbers and policy re-realising good sellers-not limited at all.
Secondly pricing...
For instance, while their early Spitfire trilogy is superb ( The Few, Tally Ho) price wise is far cry from earlier Dual Combo's where unlike today , one paid top 60% value of two Profipacks-now its 110%.
Hasegawa based limited editions are beyond expensive for what one gets in the box.
PE parts getting slowly unaffordable.
I love them dearly, they cater for aviation enthousasts like no one else, and truly wish them all the best, but have feeling that complacency has kicked in.
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Italeri did it with their Do 24 and Cant Z506 models, don't know about other aircraft kits, aside from Italeri, Gunze Sangyo and Fujimi were first to implement such tech. in the mid 1980-ies
46 minutes ago, LanceB said:weld a new layer of metal over the inner surface of the mold and make a new master die for the spark erosion process to resurface the mold, leaving raised lines. The metal that forms those lines would be the remnants of the welded-on metal and would certainly not last through the resurfacing process let alone a production run of any quantity.
Right you are but the process works, how I don't know, but it works.
P.S. Did ask, after welding, and filling cavity, same CNC machine grinds positive welding spot into panel line, again specs I don't know, in hobby it was first implemented in die cast tech.
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Hobbico takeover( and consecutive price hikes ) killed the brand in Europe, and/or heralded the end of what was best quality-price brand in the business.
They won't stop production, but current management does not show that it learned anything form its predecessors, mainly that Revell did well when it catered
to hobby instead of toy markets( key problem ), chasing extra profit led to demise of numerous profitable lines, from Metal line to balsa products, not to mention huge slash of new plastic tools.
All mentioned when plastic kit market is never healthier due to number of reasons, but also do radical change in age when people first enter the hobby, from 5-7
to 25-30 y.o -meaning quality is paramount.
1. Outsourcing tooling conception/production to the lowest bidder with consequential poor research and tooling execution from cca.2006-2007,
2. Sitting on huge number of excellent tools without re-issuing them ( Alouette II, Piper Super Cubs, F-86D, Rafale B, Ju 290, He 162, RF-4E, Bo 105, G.38, FW 200, SB2C-4,
Hunter, Me 410, Seaking, F-101, F-89, Halifax etc... not to mention automotive related subjects...Isetta, Karman Ghia...
3. Sitting or large number of excellent tooling without upgrading them, plenty of Monogram toolings that even today would be highly competitive to those of PRC provenance
if positive details were to be replaced with engraved ones.( F-100, F-89, F-101, A-6, B-58 etc...) for a fraction of new tooling cost.
4. If and when they decide to re-issue, QC issues dominate, quality of styrene and shortcuts in injection process mean that decades old castings still have better
quality then the new ones.
5. For the time sub standard toolings ( 32nd Mustang, Spitfire,Me 262 )catering to diminishing pocket money buyers which would be fine if 32nd scale
did not see prices skyrocket by 100-120%, as most of the other lines.
6. While German owned concerns did start to implement extremely dumb and shortsighted US imported license policies related to hobby manufacturers,
wanted sums are still fraction of those wanted in the US, even with those numbers vast number of German subjects mostly related ti military and automotive ranges
were - are not tooled ( MB U 404,5000, W462 based G-Wagens, Puma, Buffel, L2A1-3, Strv122b, Munga, Mammut, Bison, Iltis etc...etc...)
7. Not all is black, Shackleton and Beaufighter , hopefully SR-71 and F-15E show what they can produce when knowing about competition ( either as developed product or
one still in development ), getting back to hobby mindset instead of toy centered one is the sole way to survive, enhanced manufacturing processes and huge shift in
toy-hobby manufacturing from Asia back to Europe will hopefully facilitate mentioned above.
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On 3/25/2021 at 6:27 AM, haneto said:
It will be most likely Academy(of course GWH will also release theirs).
Kinetic new item will be an Italian jet aircraft.
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Airfix is vastly better, cannot understand all the conversation, if one does not have a kit, Google and Youtube can give you good comparision, yes its anomaly but in this case
Airfix is vastly ( inside and out) better kit, and more accurate as well, Hasegawa giving more or less generic interior, Airfix providing all the small differencies.
Only up for Hasegawa being better quality plastic.
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Posted · Edited by Thomas V.
Someone will buy their toolings, they won't disappear, as far as I am concerned, between way too high prices, non quality plastic , and quite larger number of omissions on majority of their kits-not surprised, but more likely linked to the end of some sort of government subsidies.