1/48 - Grumman F-14A/B & D Tomcat by AvantGarde Model Kits (AMK) - F-14D released

[exdraken]

Just pre-ordered one at hobbyeasy.... fingers were itching too much

 

[Hewy]

3 hours ago, exdraken said:

Just pre-ordered one at hobbyeasy.... fingers were itching too much

I've got one on the way  too, and the weapons set for future use

[March]

29 minutes ago, Hewy said:

I've got one on the way  too, and the weapons set for future use

Technically I have now ordered nine... one hobby shop I ordered three from has ceased trading, the second order I placed with Sincere Hobby is not listed in the My Account section of their website, so I’m not 100% certain that will be honoured, so I’ve ordered three from the Big H. 

 

Still, loving the build updates and looking at the instructions just make me look forward to starting one. Let’s hope at least one lands! 😁

Edited September 26, 2019 by March

[Hewy]

Here's  for  "fully loaded ready for take off" 

[Julien]

Gents again we are heading off topic. If people are not getting one and have no interest there is no rule that you have to comment.

 

Julien

[jet-mech]

Well I for one am. Really really really excited about the arrival of this tomcat. 

[Nocoolname]

Ditto! Though I'll wait for them to hit these shores before purchase. I already have a HobbyBoss and a Hasegawa kit on the go so not in much hurry. 

[Muzz]

Bought MRP paints for it today at Scale Scotland!

[whiskey]

3 hours ago, Nocoolname said:

Ditto! Though I'll wait for them to hit these shores before purchase. I already have a HobbyBoss and a Hasegawa kit on the go so not in much hurry. 

 

I was thinking the same thing. I just grabbed 3 Hasegawa's for the same price as one Tamiya so I'll have plenty to keep me occupied until the total reviews of the AMK come out.

[Andrewvft]

Does anyone know what happens with the the indiegogo orders? I ordered 2 back then, but i cant find anymore info on how they will send them out.

[Stephen]

Here's the instruction sheet in a PDF for those who don't have Facebook.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/4/9/8/239498-16-instructions.pdf 

[PattheCat]

1 hour ago, Stephen said:

Here's the instruction sheet in a PDF for those who don't have Facebook.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/4/9/8/239498-16-instructions.pdf 

A bit too crowded for my taste. They seem to need some lessons from Tamiya.

[quangster]

9 hours ago, PattheCat said:

A bit too crowded for my taste. They seem to need some lessons from Tamiya.

What prevents you to go out and buy a Tamiya?

[RNoAF Aerobatic Team]

Thanks.

Actually it makes me even more hungry for the AMK Tomcat.......

 

Cheers 

[madcop]

On 9/29/2019 at 9:45 AM, Andrewvft said:

Does anyone know what happens with the the indiegogo orders? I ordered 2 back then, but i cant find anymore info on how they will send them out.

Hi Andrew ,

 

I quite understand you becoming a little bit nervous with the release of the kit to AMK distributors and so to the public. ( Kits were sold at Ed Day !)

I am in the exact same situation as you. No news from Martin Wilson when he himself asked me (via the official website of AMK) to send him an email, which was done on September 21, 2019

I quite do not understand this situation as now AMK is organizing some sort of lottery on another forum talking ( mostly bashing ) about their F-14 . 

 

I guess that's the way Sio has adopted to thank the people who supported the brand and supported the project against all odds.

I send them a request to send my parcel at a specified address, but no answer... Actually I do not even know who is going to pack my stuff and send it !

 

All in all, this is the last time I am participating in such a fund raising, or whatever you may call it. 

 

I knew exactly what I was doing and the risks involved when I decided to support the project. I have no reason to complain about anything, except for a clear lack of politeness and correction towards the participants!

 

Madcop.😒

 

P.S. Just received an answer from Sio. I should receive an email in 1 or 2 days regarding the dispatch of the kit. 

I assume that you'll receive the same ... I hope .

 

Edited September 30, 2019 by madcop
More info

[madcop]

3 hours ago, quangster said:

What prevents you to go out and buy a Tamiya?

 Maybe the fact that Tamiya is TOOOOOOOO  simple ?  🙄

[PattheCat]

2 hours ago, madcop said:

 Maybe the fact that Tamiya is TOOOOOOOO  simple ?  🙄

 

5 hours ago, quangster said:

What prevents you to go out and buy a Tamiya?

 

It seems there is a misunderstanding. I was only talking about the clarity of the instruction sheet versus these of Tamiya, absolutely not comparing the kits nor saying the AMK kit is too complex (or the Tam too simplified). IMHO they just could easily have added a a step or two in the build process.

BTW I think the detailing of the AMK makes it more appealing, offering more possibilities. Also the simplicity of Tamiya's may be considered as a quality. So everyone now has a choice fitting his tastes.

Edited September 30, 2019 by PattheCat

[madcop]

6 minutes ago, PattheCat said:

 

 

It seems there is a misunderstanding. I was only talking about the clarity of the instruction sheet versus these of Tamiya, absolutely not comparing the kits nor saying the AMK kit is too complex. They just could easily have added a a step or two in the build process.

BTW I think the detailing of the AMK makes it more appealing. 

Now, that's only fair ... I can't say you're wrong...maybe due to the complexity of the kit itself ?

Madcop 😉

[Andrewvft]

12 hours ago, madcop said:

Hi Andrew ,

 

I quite understand you becoming a little bit nervous with the release of the kit to AMK distributors and so to the public. ( Kits were sold at Ed Day !)

I am in the exact same situation as you. No news from Martin Wilson when he himself asked me (via the official website of AMK) to send him an email, which was done on September 21, 2019

I quite do not understand this situation as now AMK is organizing some sort of lottery on another forum talking ( mostly bashing ) about their F-14 . 

 

I guess that's the way Sio has adopted to thank the people who supported the brand and supported the project against all odds.

I send them a request to send my parcel at a specified address, but no answer... Actually I do not even know who is going to pack my stuff and send it !

 

All in all, this is the last time I am participating in such a fund raising, or whatever you may call it. 

 

I knew exactly what I was doing and the risks involved when I decided to support the project. I have no reason to complain about anything, except for a clear lack of politeness and correction towards the participants!

 

Madcop.😒

 

P.S. Just received an answer from Sio. I should receive an email in 1 or 2 days regarding the dispatch of the kit. 

I assume that you'll receive the same ... I hope .

 

Thanks! Yeah im a bit concerned because my address haa changed since then. How do i get in contact with Sio?

[madcop]

You can try through the AMK official page on Facebook, or by registering on the AMK Fan page , also on Facebook. 

 

Good luck. I'll keep you posted as soon as I have news. 

 

Madcop😀

 

P.S. I have the same problem as you, as I'll have to have the parcel sent to another address than mine. !

Edited September 30, 2019 by madcop

[Homebee]

Released https://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/tare0bal4idjzfrztyrj.html

 

V.P.

[DarrenH]

I think almost everything AMK has done has been a lesson in how to not release a model kit.

Now i own 6 Mig-31’s and gave supported them financially.

A list of what not to do.

1 Never say your kit will be the best most accurate ever released of a particular aircraft...ever.

2 invite expert help and opinion then when it shows clear issues in your project ignore them and dont fix problems with no commentary as to why. 

3 Flood social media with images saying kits shipping very soon when it was not because the instructions had not even been printed.

4 Pretend issues which are patently obvious to the blindest more one eyed observer dont exist and everyone is out to get you..even people who have significantly supported you financially buying previous kits and trying to assist you when you requested help early in the project.

5 Run a fake info campaign to discredit anyone with any negative view on your kit by stirring social media at every opportunity to discredit anyone commenting on accuracy issues as “haters”. This quickly descends into a spiral of inflammatory posts and you discredit yourself in the modelling community.

6 Get yourself a decent distribution network..there are numerous countries you cant even order them in being forced to pay huge shipping costs.

7 The serious guys who want accuracy are the big buyers...the guys buying 6-12 kits each so you lose them at your own risk by ignoring them and dismissing/attacking them.

Amk after the Mig-31 had a stellar reputation but the F-14. Its delays, people complaining about pre orders unshipped and everyone seemingly having them and building them months ago except those who did support Amk by pre ordering even in the face of the gorgeous Tamiya F-14 have left it in tatters.

I have 4 on pre order, still unshipped like everyone else.

I can live with those upper rear fuse non existant curves etc so will build them.

No more AMK pre orders for me though and AMK has lost the support of many people in the community over its behaviour with this kit.

 

[LUCIANO007]

1 hour ago, DarrenH said:

I think almost everything AMK has done has been a lesson in how to not release a model kit.

Now i own 6 Mig-31’s and gave supported them financially.

A list of what not to do.

1 Never say your kit will be the best most accurate ever released of a particular aircraft...ever.

2 invite expert help and opinion then when it shows clear issues in your project ignore them and dont fix problems with no commentary as to why. 

3 Flood social media with images saying kits shipping very soon when it was not because the instructions had not even been printed.

4 Pretend issues which are patently obvious to the blindest more one eyed observer dont exist and everyone is out to get you..even people who have significantly supported you financially buying previous kits and trying to assist you when you requested help early in the project.

5 Run a fake info campaign to discredit anyone with any negative view on your kit by stirring social media at every opportunity to discredit anyone commenting on accuracy issues as “haters”. This quickly descends into a spiral of inflammatory posts and you discredit yourself in the modelling community.

6 Get yourself a decent distribution network..there are numerous countries you cant even order them in being forced to pay huge shipping costs.

7 The serious guys who want accuracy are the big buyers...the guys buying 6-12 kits each so you lose them at your own risk by ignoring them and dismissing/attacking them.

Amk after the Mig-31 had a stellar reputation but the F-14. Its delays, people complaining about pre orders unshipped and everyone seemingly having them and building them months ago except those who did support Amk by pre ordering even in the face of the gorgeous Tamiya F-14 have left it in tatters.

I have 4 on pre order, still unshipped like everyone else.

I can live with those upper rear fuse non existant curves etc so will build them.

No more AMK pre orders for me though and AMK has lost the support of many people in the community over its behaviour with this kit.

 

 

Well, no preorders for me either, for a number of reasons. Most importantly because the shops offering the preorder option did not provide an option to pay through PAYPAL.

For #1 I agree. For #6 I have no personal opinion, I do not know...

For all the rest, I respect your opinion, but I see matters in a totally different way.

2. Just because one person is complaining, you cannot say that this is what AMK has done.

3. Another assumption. Unless you are into their premises and know what is happening.

4. Issues obvious to you. Still no plastic in hand, still not convinced.

5. The main reason I feel in support of AMK, is just because I believe the situation is quite the opposite to what you describe, They have been under attack and they still are. I would never imagine that Plastic Models Business is like that, but it is!

7. How do you define "seriousness"? If you mean the super modelers, they never buy many models of the same, as it takes a lot of effort to build a highly detailed model. People that buy big quantities are those that usually build OOB and they are not that concerned into the level of detail that the other "serious guys" are.

 

But with 4 F-14 in preorder, I do understand your frustration and maybe your anger. I would most probably feel exactly the same. This is another reason I do not (ever) preorder...

[quangster]

I have no problem with AMK.

 

For the following reasons:

1. I always read comments about newly-born kits with a pinch of salt, especially when they’re based upon CAD renderings and quick photos of the test shots.

2. I don’t decide if a kit is good or not before I see the plastic.

3. Therefore I never pre-order a kit but rather wait for its general release.

4. I never buy more than one kit of a particular a/c at a time because it takes me a lot of time to research, build and correct a model.

 

Having said that, I have no particular interest in AMK or F-14s.

But when I saw the sprue shots of the AMK F-14D on the internet, I was impressed and decided to give their earlier Fouga Magister a go.

I was not disappointed. It’s one of the most pleasurable builds I had in years.

[Nocoolname]

17 hours ago, Homebee said:

Released https://www.hobbyeasy.com/en/data/tare0bal4idjzfrztyrj.html

 

V.P.

I succumbed... x 2