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Due to Covid19 Kitty Hawk & Panda "slowed down" in 2020 - Zimi Model purchased Kitty Hawk /Panda models molds & projects in 2023


Homebee

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Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2925044454214488&id=736521713066784

 

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Kitty hawk

for the next couple of months Kitty Hawk & Panda will be closed
For the Covid 19 Virus in the world around, most of the retailers stopped ordering from us.
We have production capacity, but there are not enough orders to maintain factory to release more new kits.
We will release Mirage 2000D/N this week, but following new kits, such as MH-60s, FJ-3 and so on will not be released till orders start coming in.Thank you for your support.

 
V.P.
 
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Edited by Homebee
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This will spread unfortunately. We cannot expect the production of model kits to continue when major car manufacturers across the globe shut down their assembly lines. Let's hope production of the really vital stuff will continue (and I am not referring to Tamiya masking tape...).

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2 minutes ago, Doc72 said:

This will spread unfortunately. We cannot expect the production of model kits to continue when major car manufacturers across the globe shut down their assembly lines. Let's hope production of the really vital stuff will continue (and I am not referring to Tamiya masking tape...).

Amen to that Brother. I hope that everybody could come through this OK but, if not, that they are few and don't suffer. Dark Days.

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5 hours ago, Doc72 said:

This will spread unfortunately. We cannot expect the production of model kits to continue when major car manufacturers across the globe shut down their assembly lines. Let's hope production of the really vital stuff will continue (and I am not referring to Tamiya masking tape...).

Lots of things are "vital" maybe not to the end user but certainly to the people that rely on the jobs in these companies. 

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New communication

Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2926341894084744&id=736521713066784

 

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Kitty hawk

To all our friends;

Thank you all for your attention and support. Considering the spread of the Covid 19 virus globally, in order to protect the health and safety of all our employees and agents at home and abroad, and follow the recommendations of WHO, after careful consideration we have decided to slow down the production progress until the epidemic slows down world wide. At the same time, the factory will not be closed, and our staff will provide service when you need it. Let us pay tribute to all the heroes who have contributed to this fight against this epidemic, and look forward to the early end of this virus. we call for humanity to work together to overcome this epidemic.thank you again.

from the staff @ Kitty Hawk, Panda Models & Q'MEN

 

V.P.

Edited by Homebee
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  • 2 years later...

KH molds taken over by Trumpeter/HobbyBoss? 

Source: https://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?/topic/92819-trumpeter-buys-kh-pm-molds/

 

KAGNEW.png

 

Not a real surprise as the guy who was supposed to be the KH boss, M. Song Wang, worked once upon a time as designer by Trumpeter/HobbyBoss and was also once rumoured being a brother in law from one of the Trumpeter boss (having married his sister).

I expect the KH kits being reedited under the I Love Kits label, the new model company from Yatai Electric Appliances Co., Ltd, the group owing Trumpeter & HobbyBoss.

 

V.P.

Edited by Homebee
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  • Homebee changed the title to Due to the COVID-19 crisis Kitty Hawk & Panda have "slowed down" - Fresh news: Trumpeter will buy molds made by Kitty Hawk /Panda models

That means I can have a 1/48 F-35C. I know, the Kittyhawk F-35s were challenging to build, but it's all there is ... for now ... in that scale. To get the Trumpeter 1/32 F-35C, I'd have to cut back on groceries ... that includes cat food. When kitties ain't happy, the whole house is in turmoil. Ain't havin' that! 

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A logical step, and definitely mire logical than Kinetic buying their stuff...

Still, product philosophy is totally different, apart from sloppy research in certain areas like markings, weapons, variants ....

 

I did not see KH oriented towards the Chinese market that much e g.

 

 

Wonder if they'd change plastic type etc.. and how that then works with the KH tools!

 

Their Su-17 series is a major overlap unfortunately.... KH with bad fit but great shape, especially around the canopy, Hobbyboss exactly the opposite :(

 

With the extensive Flanker series on both sides this is similar.. .

 

 

 

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7 hours ago, exdraken said:

Their Su-17 series is a major overlap unfortunately

And the Su-34; not sure which is better but I know the Trumpeter kit has shape issues around the nose.

 

Kitty Hawk had a number of unreleased kit that they had box art for, so I assume the tooling was at a fairly advanced stage when the company shut down. These include:

1/35 UH-1 series

1/48 Ka-52 Hokum (which is a topical subject these days)

1/48 Su-25 Frogfoot (will this make it to market before the Zvezda kit)

1/32 Fw 190A-5 - this will fit in the existing Trumpeter range well


KH were also working on 1/48 kits of the F6U Pirate and F7U Cutlass and it would be nice to see these, or at least the Cutlass, come to fruition.

 

Hopefully the FJ-3 Fury will be one of the earliest reissues.

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3 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

KH were also working on 1/48 kits of the F6U Pirate and F7U Cutlass and it would be nice to see these, or at least the Cutlass, come to fruition.

You can count on my vote for the Cutlass!

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On 3/25/2022 at 8:04 AM, VMA131Marine said:

And the Su-34; not sure which is better but I know the Trumpeter kit has shape issues around the nose.

 

Kitty Hawk had a number of unreleased kit that they had box art for, so I assume the tooling was at a fairly advanced stage when the company shut down. These include:

1/35 UH-1 series

1/48 Ka-52 Hokum (which is a topical subject these days)

1/48 Su-25 Frogfoot (will this make it to market before the Zvezda kit)

1/32 Fw 190A-5 - this will fit in the existing Trumpeter range well


KH were also working on 1/48 kits of the F6U Pirate and F7U Cutlass and it would be nice to see these, or at least the Cutlass, come to fruition.

 

Hopefully the FJ-3 Fury will be one of the earliest reissues.

Zvezda Su-25 is already out!

I have one that will be arriving from Aviation Megastore in just 4 days. You can also order the Frogfoot from Lucky Model (which may be the least expensive option).

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5 minutes ago, Masinissa said:

Zvezda Su-25 is already out!

I have one that will be arriving from Aviation Megastore in just 4 days. You can also order the Frogfoot from Lucky Model (which may be the least expensive option).


I got the email but didn’t order one in time, I have a feeling it will be a long period of time before the next batch will cross the border.

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On 3/25/2022 at 9:04 AM, VMA131Marine said:

And the Su-34; not sure which is better but I know the Trumpeter kit has shape issues around the nose.

 

Kitty Hawk had a number of unreleased kit that they had box art for, so I assume the tooling was at a fairly advanced stage when the company shut down. These include:

1/35 UH-1 series

1/48 Ka-52 Hokum (which is a topical subject these days)

1/48 Su-25 Frogfoot (will this make it to market before the Zvezda kit)

1/32 Fw 190A-5 - this will fit in the existing Trumpeter range well


KH were also working on 1/48 kits of the F6U Pirate and F7U Cutlass and it would be nice to see these, or at least the Cutlass, come to fruition.

 

Hopefully the FJ-3 Fury will be one of the earliest reissues.


Hopefully the kits are easier to obtain under the Trumpeter label and at a lower price point.

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On 3/26/2022 at 3:13 AM, SAT69 said:

You can count on my vote for the Cutlass!

If this will be a continuation of the "Kitty Hawk standard" then I hope not as I'd prefer an accurate Cutlass... KH had a few gems but the majority just had so many accuracy issues. And Trumpeter/HB are not exactly known for accuracy as their strong point either.

J

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2 hours ago, Stephen said:

The kits will have new instructions and box art but Trumpeter won't fix any of the issues , they'll cost more as well. 

Issues definitely wont be fixed but highly doubt they can charge more, since main reason why KH went bust was overpricing and in corelation very poor sales last few years . Aside from lower price can see another benefit of this takeover-quality, KH used low end  styrene thus many parts were warped or did not have sufficient integrity, that ( even if some problems are inherent to tooling itself)can be remedied with better quality of plastic, we will see...

Edited by Thomas V.
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