2016 Revell releases

[Panoz]

I stand corrected.

Tamiya is the exception that proves the rule.

If Tamiya ever did a B-17 (as it was rumored years ago), people would buy it no matter what the price.

But from other manufacturers no.

Edited February 14, 2016 by Panoz

[Jas Madahar]

You never know my friend 😀😀😀😀

[SeaVenom]

Because a Tamiya kit makes no money for Revell.

Its a popular model, Revell want to make money, they will sell what they can to do this.

No point gambling on the Fairey Fruitbat XXII float plane if they perceive no market for it.

People are always using that excuse. There's plenty of other things companies like Revell can do and make money from than going over the same old ground.

And nobody's suggesting they should do really obscure things but if companies don't take a few risks then everything will stagnate.

[Giorgio N]

I love cars and have built many car models but that Mclaren is like a lot of new supercars. They bring them out and the model companies go ballistic over them. I know it's a kit but there's a million pre made diecasts of that around for a start (or so it seems anyway). What about something like a MkIII Cortina etc? Or some other cars that haven't really been done before in plastic or diecast.

The only half decent diecast of that Cortina is the Vanguards one. Apart from that pretty much nothing.

Wy shouldn't model companies go ballistic over the latest new supercar ? Here comes a new car that people dream of, fills the pages of magazines and appears in all TV programs, it only makes sense to try and have a kit in the catalogue as enthusiasts are likely to want to have a model if they can't afford the real thing (and some of those who can afford the real thing may want ot have a model too).

If a kid in a toy store passes in front of kits of a McLaren and a Cortina, which of the two will he want to buy ? The brand new supercar that everybody dreams of or the old car that he may have only seen by accident in some old movie while dad said "your grandpa neighbour had one of these in brown"? Would he choose the symbol of the rich and beautiful of today or the memory of the good old 1970's recession days ?

Guess Revell believe that the "casual modeller" who makes for a large part of their market would choose the brand new toy, hence the McLaren and not something that they would sell to a small number of UK enthusiasts only

[MetroRacing]

I for one and glad to see so many new tooled car kits from Revell this year. I was very surprised tbh.

I consider the remark about there being plenty of diecasts to chose from is very nieve. Buying a diecast and building a model are very different things and how many people continued to moan about the lack of a new tooled Stirling when there was the Corgi diecast to be had.

Aircraft builders are very lucky that they have the range of kits they have. Just how many different kits of the same aeroplane there are and how little choice there is for us automotive modellers.

I would love a nice 1/24 Volvo 480 as I own one and would love to have a nice model of her with all the mods and rare oem parts scratchbuilt into it. Is it going to happen. No yet nearly every rare and prototype plane is catered for, sometimes multiple times in fact.

Rant over lol.

Ashley

Edited February 15, 2016 by MetroRacing

[IanC]

I'm pleased the little PzKpfw III is being re-issued. That's one of the best small scale tank kits ever made, IMHO...

[Homerlovesbeer]

I consider the remark about there being plenty of diecasts to chose from is very nieve. Buying a diecast and building a model are very different things and how many people continued to moan about the lack of a new tooled Stirling when there was the Corgi diecast to be had.

Rant over lol.

Ashley

I agree. I have never bought a die cast model....ever. I find them boring and most are pretty average anyway. They give me no satisfaction.

Diy plastic model kits win hands down, we should NEVER complain when a new tool car is released no matter what it is.

[Graham Boak]

I have diecasts and kits - admittedly most of the diecasts have been bought cheaply. The vast majority are kits but there are subjects that I would like to have around but either are not available or would take too long to reach a high priority in my build/conversion list. I have used my modelling skills to improve some of the diecasts - you don't have to just accept blindly whatever comes. I already have more kits than I could possibly make in my remaining years - yet these stupid companies keep bringing new ones out!

[Jay]

Revell will always release a kit that they believe will generate the most returns. A new large scale Hornet should be a good seller for them with their pricing strategy, not many 'casual' modellers are going to shell out £90 for the other offerings. Tamiya have always managed to sell large scale kits for £140+ because the modeller that buys them knows the quality will be good and is willing to buy maybe 1-2 kits a year. The flip side of that price is I don't see Tamiya releasing some nice shiny new tool kit every year? With regards to Revell being 'sheep like' I would have thought that releasing kits like a 1/72 shuttle, a large bucket excavator, an oil rig, the space station would surely mean that they are hardly following everyone else? Granted they may be old tooling but what about the 1/24 Routemaster/ Black Cab? if that isn't a niche market I don't know what is.

[Chimpion]

Revell are a business. Faced with a choice of which of these to develop :

1) New tool of something they already make.

2) Me-too of what a competitor makes.

3) New subject.

the second option often makes most sense to them.

Option 2) has a proven demand and will win business from their competitors if they can make it cheaper or better. Option 1) cannibalizes their own business - only makes sense if the original kit has stopped selling because it's not good enough (hard to be certain it's not because interest in the subject has dwindled). Option 3) is risky and needs good market research.

[Viper15]

Hopefully now Revell US are in charge they'll follow the Super Bug with a new tool 32nd F-16 family. As lovely as the Tamiya kit is, it's very pricey, the Academy kit is rather inaccurate and both are limited in versions. A nice modular Viper family from the A up to the block 60's at Revells pricing would be a licence to print money.

I agree on the F-16 family, if they could keep the price down they would fly off the shelves. I'd love to see Airfix do them given their recent balancing of superb quality vs fair pricing, but we know that is very unlikely...

[SeaVenom]

Wy shouldn't model companies go ballistic over the latest new supercar ? Here comes a new car that people dream of, fills the pages of magazines and appears in all TV programs, it only makes sense to try and have a kit in the catalogue as enthusiasts are likely to want to have a model if they can't afford the real thing (and some of those who can afford the real thing may want ot have a model too).

If a kid in a toy store passes in front of kits of a McLaren and a Cortina, which of the two will he want to buy ? The brand new supercar that everybody dreams of or the old car that he may have only seen by accident in some old movie while dad said "your grandpa neighbour had one of these in brown"? Would he choose the symbol of the rich and beautiful of today or the memory of the good old 1970's recession days ?

Guess Revell believe that the "casual modeller" who makes for a large part of their market would choose the brand new toy, hence the McLaren and not something that they would sell to a small number of UK enthusiasts only

Because it's not really kids who buy kits anymore. It's older blokes and most kids will skip past kits in a toy shop (if the shop even has any kits) and go for RC or diecast cars and you can guarantee the shelves will be full of the latest supercars that little Jimmy can play with.

Until the casual modeller comes back into the picture in large numbers (and obviously I'm not saying this shouldn't be encouraged) they should be trying to please the older bloke market too. I'm not saying that older blokes don't like the latest supercars but there's many other things they could be producing instead of thinking kids will all of a sudden drop the RC and diecasts and start making kits in the numbers they used too years ago.

[SeaVenom]

I have diecasts and kits - admittedly most of the diecasts have been bought cheaply. The vast majority are kits but there are subjects that I would like to have around but either are not available or would take too long to reach a high priority in my build/conversion list. I have used my modelling skills to improve some of the diecasts - you don't have to just accept blindly whatever comes. I already have more kits than I could possibly make in my remaining years - yet these stupid companies keep bringing new ones out!

Well many people build kits as they enjoy building them but many people build something not because they enjoy building them but because they want the finished product. If I relied just on kits to get all the stuff I want.............I'd never finish them in my lifetime.

[DIO]

Just to say that modern Airfix is a fair product for a fair price. Nothing superb though.

I had to say that, just to be fair with other manufacturers that do provide superb products (but for a price).

[Giorgio N]

Because it's not really kids who buy kits anymore. It's older blokes and most kids will skip past kits in a toy shop (if the shop even has any kits) and go for RC or diecast cars and you can guarantee the shelves will be full of the latest supercars that little Jimmy can play with.

Until the casual modeller comes back into the picture in large numbers (and obviously I'm not saying this shouldn't be encouraged) they should be trying to please the older bloke market too. I'm not saying that older blokes don't like the latest supercars but there's many other things they could be producing instead of thinking kids will all of a sudden drop the RC and diecasts and start making kits in the numbers they used too years ago.

The fact that in Germany Revell kits are plentiful in toy stores and even some supermarkets seems to show that the older enthusiasts are not really their main market. The fact that starter sets feature heavily in their catalogue seems to show the same.

The reality is that we older enthusiasts are but a small niche in the overall market for plastic kits. A Ford Cortina is like an interwar French biplane, a good subject for companies that need sell a few hundred pieces to repay for the master and the mould and make a profit. A company like Revell need to sell many thousands of pieces to repay the investment and make a profit, they are not going to lose money to make a subject that only a few people are interested in. Even among the enthusiasts of this forum, how many would buy a Cortina Mk.III ??? 5 ? 6 ? 10 ? In a forum with 16,000 members..

[MetroRacing]

Almost all kids like cars and seeing a kit on the selves will entice them to ask their parents for it. I believe the reason this Hobby is mostly populated by the middle aged and older is because of that fact. There just isn't enough car kits available as well as the limited distribution here in the UK at least.

I personally think that the manufacturers are missing the chance to regrow the market by tapping into the love of cars by youngsters and even people in their 20's like me.

Ashley

[Graham Boak]

I've been modelling since the 50s, and have to say that in the UK cars have always been a minority interest. Although other items sold, and I did make some cars, it was always the aircraft, and in particular the WW2 ones, that you'd see in your friend's houses, or you'd talk about at school. I don't think the lack of recent car kits explains the age spread of the enthusiasts, there are just too many other more convincing reasons. I see the main reason why most modellers are older nowadays is because of the massive bulge in modelling that appeared with the first 50s/60s plastic kits. This bulge is passing through, and outside that age range the percentage of the population actually interested in modelling is returning to what it was before - a small minority.

[Jas Madahar]

I think that there are many kits that we would like manufacturers to produce. And I know that not all will ever be produced by mainstream companies. I accept all of that. But my personal gripe is the lack of a decent 1/32nd Hurricane. Now, you can't tell me that this was an obscure aircraft? Poorly served in IM, I'm sure it would sell. But for every Hurricane I'm sure there's a thousand others.

[Work In Progress]

Good job we're getting a nice new 1/32 Hurricane very soon

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234974701-132-hawker-hurricane-mkiic-iic-trop-by-fly-box-arttest-sprues-release-expected-in-february-2016/page-2

[alex]

The fact that in Germany Revell kits are plentiful in toy stores and even some supermarkets seems to show that the older enthusiasts are not really their main market. The fact that starter sets feature heavily in their catalogue seems to show the same.

Yep, in the place where I live there are at least a supermarket and two toy (not model!) stores which sell Revell, colours and tools included. The supermarket also has some other brands, and two Airfix quick build. I guess they sell more kits to the "toy"-market than to the "serious modellers" as we are.

Alex

[Jas Madahar]

Good job we're getting a nice new 1/32 Hurricane very soon

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234974701-132-hawker-hurricane-mkiic-iic-trop-by-fly-box-arttest-sprues-release-expected-in-february-2016/page-2

Is it a limited run kit?

[MetroRacing]

I've been modelling since the 50s, and have to say that in the UK cars have always been a minority interest. Although other items sold, and I did make some cars, it was always the aircraft, and in particular the WW2 ones, that you'd see in your friend's houses, or you'd talk about at school. I don't think the lack of recent car kits explains the age spread of the enthusiasts, there are just too many other more convincing reasons. I see the main reason why most modellers are older nowadays is because of the massive bulge in modelling that appeared with the first 50s/60s plastic kits. This bulge is passing through, and outside that age range the percentage of the population actually interested in modelling is returning to what it was before - a small minority.

And thats my point. When I was a child me and my friends weren't interested in airplanes. Cars and the whole automotive side is what we all talked about and yes we had little diecasts of our favourites. As I grew up I discovered modelling admittedly via airplanes and Airfix however they have little interest with me and there was never the readily avaliable supply of car kits of stuff I wanted. And that was at the late 90's early 2000's tamiya car boom. And so I lost interest in the hobby.

Since getting back into it my friends do think it's cool and have happy said they would give it a go, and one has but they have repeatedly said that they cant find a kit of the car they want. And thats why I'm sad to say I can see this Hobby dieing off eventually.

Ashley

[Work In Progress]

Is it a limited run kit?

Does the size of the production run influence you when buying a kit?

It will be made in smaller quantities than Revell or Tamiya would do it in, but that is of no relevance to the quality of the product and if they sell out quickly they'll make some more. At a mere £35.99, and given the evident good detail and fit, that may not take long.

You've seen the sprue shots on the other thread. Have a look here for what people thought about their fairly recent 1/48 JP / Strikemaster:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234932799-bac-jet-provost-tmk5-and-strikemaster-148-fly-models/

http://modelingmadness.com/review/korean/gb/reysm.htm

Edited February 16, 2016 by Work In Progress

[Graham Boak]

Since getting back into it my friends do think it's cool and have happy said they would give it a go, and one has but they have repeatedly said that they cant find a kit of the car they want. And thats why I'm sad to say I can see this Hobby dieing off eventually.

Ashley

The hobby is currently showing no sign of dying off. To the contrary, every year there are more releases. Car modelling may not be booming in the UK, but it is highly successful in the US and in Japan, at least. If you aren't getting the car releases you want, this is no different from the position of modellers of light civil aircraft (always), or WW1 subjects for many years, or ships of the Royal Navy (until recently). Or indeed modellers of 1950s aircraft. These people have long been a minority neglected by the mainstream kit manufacturers, but they haven't gone away, and won't go away. The hobby changes, but as long as there are people some of them will be modelling, and no doubt some of them will be complaining because their particular interest isn't being properly covered by whoever or whatever passes for kit producers. Eventually? In the long run we're all dead.

You could always try scratchbuilding it yourself. People do: people did before there ever were such things as kits. Maybe you could even (eventually) set yourself up as a garage (excuse pun) producer.

[Jas Madahar]

Does the size of the production run influence you when buying a kit?

It will be made in smaller quantities than Revell or Tamiya would do it in, but that is of no relevance to the quality of the product and if they sell out quickly they'll make some more. At a mere £35.99, and given the evident good detail and fit, that may not take long.

You've seen the sprue shots on the other thread. Have a look here for what people thought about their fairly recent 1/48 JP / Strikemaster:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234932799-bac-jet-provost-tmk5-and-strikemaster-148-fly-models/

http://modelingmadness.com/review/korean/gb/reysm.htm