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The WNW Camel is coming!


Admiral Puff

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I've finalised prices for the first batch of WnW kits ordered. You'll find a link to them in my Traders page in the Vendors section here on BM or on the BlackMike Models website. (I can order any of the currently available WnW kits so you're not limited to what I have already coming).

 

Duncan B

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On 18/01/2017 at 2:41 PM, HMSLion said:

I've long suspected the Camel is the WNW bailout kit.  Their last three releases were the Felixstowe, the AEG, and the Albatros B.2 - all of only moderate interest, and the first two backbreakingly expensive.  Three duds in a row hurts. 

 

On the other hand, the Camel is a sure moneymaker.  Especially since there are enough variations and markings to allow WNW to reuse most of the molds and research for multiple releases.  This should get WNW a massive infusion of cash.

 

The other thing to remember is that WNW isn't a large firm.  If we assume design capability is roughly proportional to kit cost, we come up with the following ratio:

Single-seat fighter - 1

Single-engine two-seat airplane - 1.5

Multi-engine - 3

Variation on existing kit - 0.5

 

WNW has traditionally averaged four releases a year, typically two single-seat and two single-engine two-seaters.  This works out to about 5 points of design capability per year.  With the Camels, we've got the basic kit (1) plus four variants (0.5 x 4 = 2), for a total of three points used.  Maybe 3.5 if you count the Duellist set.  The implication being that there may be another release coming out later this year...or WNW may have lost some design capacity.

 

As to the release date, WNW doesn't own the entire manufacturing chain.  They are relying on kit plastic from China, decals from Italy, and PE from somewhere else.  Plus printed materials.  There may be a holdup.

 

Not to mention the whole WETA mess.  I would like to have sat in on THAT meeting.

I'm not sure "three duds in a row" is fair? We don't know how many have been sold. I thought they were three bloody superb kits. 

 

WNW are not an ordinary company. They produce whatever Peter Jackson fancies. He underights the operation, so they are not driven by the market or sales in the same way as other model companies. 

 

I feel they've a lot of releases lined up this year, especially as they've now sorted the shipping debacle out. Whoever chose WETA should not be expecting a bonus this year! 

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Hi all,
I've just received an email from the Weta site (European distribution of Wingnut Wings kits) to say that multiple orders, such as the Sopwith Camel orders I placed, will be sent as a 'single' shipping charge, rather than the initial shipping charge for each kit ordered.  This applies whether the kits are sent as a single delivery or multiple deliveries.  This will be the norm from now on.

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24 minutes ago, Sandbagger said:

Hi all,
I've just received an email from the Weta site (European distribution of Wingnut Wings kits) to say that multiple orders, such as the Sopwith Camel orders I placed, will be sent as a 'single' shipping charge, rather than the initial shipping charge for each kit ordered.  This applies whether the kits are sent as a single delivery or multiple deliveries.  This will be the norm from now on.

That is interesting.

 

 

So I'll see how WETA goes over the next couple of months, but as Hannants offer back-ordering, 10% discounts on back-orders, free shipping over £100, the chance to order all modelling supplies in one order - WETA only sel WNW kits - real-time stock levels and superb service, with next-day delivery, I doubt very much I'll go back to WETA.

 

And that's without looking at he other WNW suppliers popping up in the UK - there are several now. Why order from a Dutch warehouse that costs more, takes longer to arrive and has a history of, at best, mediocre customer service?

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18 hours ago, Beardie said:

I am supporting my local(ish) gunfighter...... Duncan B :thumbsup:

 

Another shout for Duncan who was VERY helpful and positive when I contacted him on this subject.

Cheers Duncan!

 

Gary

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On 2/2/2017 at 4:54 AM, dekenba said:

WNW are not an ordinary company. They produce whatever Peter Jackson fancies. He underights the operation, so they are not driven by the market or sales in the same way as other model companies. 

Which may explain the hint of the irrational in the lineup. One French aircraft modeled? The old story was that the Hobbycraft Spad and Camel (the good ones) prevented a WNW release of same, but that's hard to believe, based on the overlap of WNW/Roden kits, and now the WNW Camel. A Spad would be monster--certainly more so than a Roland DVI. Apparently the French and American and Italian, (and half the postwar air forces in Europe) market have been written off.

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3 hours ago, tomcervo said:

Which may explain the hint of the irrational in the lineup. One French aircraft modeled? The old story was that the Hobbycraft Spad and Camel (the good ones) prevented a WNW release of same, but that's hard to believe, based on the overlap of WNW/Roden kits, and now the WNW Camel. A Spad would be monster--certainly more so than a Roland DVI. Apparently the French and American and Italian, (and half the postwar air forces in Europe) market have been written off.

I couldn't agree more.

 

The story was that WNW had started on the Sopwith Tripe when Roden released theirs, so they just carried on. With the Camel, I assume WNW just thought, what the hell?

 

Why WNW produce German & British planes only is beyond me. The Salmson seems a weird choice anyway, when SPAD's, Nieuports, Farmans, etc abound.

 

At some point, they'll just run out of British & German subjects/!

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Peter Jackson clearly has a lot of input, but I'd also like to see some French aircraft.  That being said, WNW has a strong habit of going for the lesser-known but still important types.  Something like a Hanriot HD.1 would be right down their alley - used by several Allied air forces in significant quantities, but nobody's heard of it.

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12 hours ago, HMSLion said:

Peter Jackson clearly has a lot of input, but I'd also like to see some French aircraft.  That being said, WNW has a strong habit of going for the lesser-known but still important types.  Something like a Hanriot HD.1 would be right down their alley - used by several Allied air forces in significant quantities, but nobody's heard of it.

I think it's an ideal choice. Very good at its intended job in  two theatres, a simple build and relatively easy rigging, and an array of colorful schemes--or Italian monotone schemes, with colorful markings. A simple extra sprue for the floatplane version, with French and US markings. 

http://worldatwar.net/chandelle/v1/v1n3/hd1ital.html

http://worldatwar.net/chandelle/v2/v2n1/hd1for.html

 

And it's a very good looking airplane, from any angle.

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If you go off the numbers of each kit, WNW started at 32001 and have released about 50 kits, with the Camels finishing on 32076 - this likely means that there are at least 20-25 aircraft under consideration/development - bound to be some French, Italian, etc aircraft in there somewhere.

 

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I am guessing that part of it is that the limited choices of 1/32 WWI kits from other manufacturers include Spad VII, various Nieuports, Morane Type N etc. and so the company decided to go, in the main, with aircraft not yet kitted at all. The crossovers are largely because other kits happened to appear on the market after Wingnuts had already put a lot of work into their kit. The Camel is because it has been strongly requested by a lot of modellers and so was pretty much guaranteed a good reception. I am guessing that a Hanriot may well be on the cards at some point as well as a Breguet and the various other aircraft.

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WNW always said they wouldn't do kits that other manufacturers had done in 32nd scale to a reasonable quality.  The exception to this seems to have been the Camel which seems to have been added into WNW's plans later than the others due to constant requests from modellers.

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8 hours ago, Admiral Puff said:

TVAL having done a replica, I reckon that an HD.1 is a better-than-even-money bet.

That's no replica. The TVAL HD.1 is an airworthy original.

 

Based on TVAL's output we're well overdue to get WNW BE.2s. They've done about six or seven airworthy repros so far, most recently a BE.12, as well as maintaining an original airworthy BE.2F. I'm really, really excited for the WNW BE range!

Edited by k5054nz
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59 minutes ago, k5054nz said:

That's no replica. The TVAL HD.1 is an airworthy original.

 

 

I stand corrected! My bet on an HD.1 stands, even so.

 

And I wouldn't say no to one or two BE.2s, either - especially a .2E, so I can do a Qantas one ...

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I'd rather have a Be2 than a Taube.  But an HD.1 would be higher priority for me.

 

In other news, I got two of the Camels in my grubby little hands from Sprue Brothers.  Will start in on the Ship's Camel this weekend.

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5 hours ago, HMSLion said:

I'd rather have a Be2 than a Taube.  But an HD.1 would be higher priority for me.

 

In other news, I got two of the Camels in my grubby little hands from Sprue Brothers.  Will start in on the Ship's Camel this weekend.

You did well, Sprue Brothers sold out within 2 hours apparently.

 

Duncan B

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