Minicraft Model Kits (US) is now a name of the past. All the molds are now property of Academy Plastic Model Co. Ltd. (Korea)

[Homebee]

Minicraft Model Kits closing down ? To be confirmed.

Source: https://www.aviationmegastore.com/en/modelling/lockheed-c130j-30-hercules-last-stocks-mincraft-has-ended-activities-minicraft-14700-134122.html

 

Quote

According to our distributor MINICRAFT has ended her activities per 1st of November 2022 and no stocks will be coming in anymore. We still have some stocks of their kits but when gone it is finished.

Get them while you can (...)

 

Minicraft Model Kits official links:

Homepage: https://minicraftmodels.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054426042044

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MinicraftModels

 

V.P.

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by Homebee

[bootneck]

Reading that blurb from Aviation Megastore, it sounds more like Minicraft has stopped exporting to Aviation Store; as opposed to the implication that Minicraft are ceasing production.

 

Mike

[Branky]

That could be indeed the case. Time will tell. I will surely miss those slightly overpriced 1/144 kits.   

[Piotr Mikolajski]

3 hours ago, bootneck said:

Reading that blurb from Aviation Megastore, it sounds more like Minicraft has stopped exporting to Aviation Store

 

From this note, it appears that Aviation Megastore has received word from their supplying distributor of Minicraft models that the manufacturer has suspended operations. This is, moreover, suggested by the information that there would be no more deliveries and when stocks ran out, the models would be gone. If it was just a distributor issue, Aviation Megastore could have changed to another distributor.

 

Unfortunately, the company's communication channels are so out of date that one might conclude that the company has not existed for several years.

[VMA131Marine]

The Minicraft website is still accessible, you can even add items to the shopping cart, but you immediately get an error when trying to checkout. 
 

I want to say it’s a shame if Minicraft disappears, the brand has suffered from a chronic lack of investment in new products over the years with constant recycling of old tooling. That said, it’s to be hoped, and probably likely, that someone picks up the assets of the company as Minicraft held some unique kits plus the only 1/350th Titanic kit, albeit the old Entex kit reworked for greater accuracy.

[Ad-4N]

If true, very sad.  Their 1/144 DC-8, DC-4 and MD-80 kits were outstanding.  The others had shape problems for sure, but for years they were the only ones catering to us airline modelers in 1/144.   

[janneman36]

Pricing was simply ridiculous at minicraft and for shure that their toolings will be picked up by another producer….

Not surprised that they stop..

Stopped buying their kits long time ago.

[Bozothenutter]

Somehow I have always assumed their kits were knock-offs (maybe just in the early days?) Never bought a single one. 

[SprueMan]

Well, its always a shame to see a model manufacturer close its doors.

The kits were in the low end of the scale (I only bought their models when I was starting in this hobby) but it is still a shame to see it go.

With the closing of a company, that is that much more empty space on the model shop's shelves and that many articles less in an online shop.

[VMA131Marine]

2 hours ago, SprueMan said:

Well, its always a shame to see a model manufacturer close its doors.

The kits were in the low end of the scale (I only bought their models when I was starting in this hobby) but it is still a shame to see it go.

With the closing of a company, that is that much more empty space on the model shop's shelves and that many articles less in an online shop.

It is possible that the company is closing because the current owner wants to retire and already has a deal in place to sell the company assets to another owner or organisation. Minicraft wasn’t a large company, with an estimated 25+ employees and revenue of $5+ million. Those are fairly respectable numbers but we’re gleaned from company profiles on third party websites so who knows how current and/or accurate they are. One thing is for sure, long run model tooling seems to rarely get scrapped these days unless it’s worn out; just look at what Atlantis Models are doing with those old Aurora, Revell, and Monogram (and others) moulds for a start. I would bet most of the Minicraft kits will show up again before too long.

[Ad-4N]

On 11/4/2022 at 11:05 AM, VMA131Marine said:

 I would bet most of the Minicraft kits will show up again before too long.

I would hope so.  They do have some gems.
 

Then again when Kitty Hawk went under it was more than a year before the rumors started that Trumpeter/HB would take the tooling.  And I’ve seen no re-issued KH kits.

 

 I wonder where the actual tooling is located?  If it’s in the US, perhaps Atlantis might come to the rescue.  If it’s Korea (my guess), maybe Academy.

 

All speculation, I fully admit.

[Robertone139]

Well, their 1/72 PBM was a pretty nice kit and they had announced an Olympic to join their Titanic in 1/350.

[VMA131Marine]

1 hour ago, Ad-4N said:

I would hope so.  They do have some gems.
 

Then again when Kitty Hawk went under it was more than a year before the rumors started that Trumpeter/HB would take the tooling.  And I’ve seen no re-issued KH kits.

 

 I wonder where the actual tooling is located?  If it’s in the US, perhaps Atlantis might come to the rescue.  If it’s Korea (my guess), maybe Academy.

 

All speculation, I fully admit.

When Revell went under in the Hobbico bankruptcy, there was tooling in China, the US, and Europe. It wouldn’t surprise me if the moulds were in different locations around the world. In addition to the US and Korea, I would guess a fair number are in China. 
 

And it will take time for any buyer to assess what they have and make a plan for rereleases. I’m sure, in time, the KH kits that didn’t overlap the existing Trumpeter/HobbyBoss range, and there were a few, will be issued again. I’m in no hurry, it’s not like there aren’t a million (give or take) other kits to build.

[peterburns]

I thought they stopped producing kits in the 80's.  

[Branky]

No, up till recently they were releasing new kits albeit often variations on older forms. The 1/72 Mariner and 1/48 T34's were, AFAIK their last completely new aircraft kit. Unfortunately the pricing police made the kits far too expensive to keep the customers buying them.

Communication was difficult at best.  

[Homebee]

Minicraft 1/48th Beechcraft T-34 Mentor kit thread:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234947870-148-beechcraft-t-34ab-mentor-by-minicraft-released-new-boxing/

 

V.P.

[RoscoeRedThree]

On 11/3/2022 at 11:57 PM, Branky said:

That could be indeed the case. Time will tell. I will surely miss those slightly overpriced 1/144 kits.   

I have a load of B-17s, B-24's and a Lancaster for sale

I have been trying to call them now for weeks and emailed them repeatedly about replacement parts. No answer.

[Homebee]

Source Gustav Jung (from Wolpack Design) : https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5997842460310252&set=a.148871311874092

 

Quote

Minicraft is now a name of the past. All molds were acquired by Academy Plastics Model.

 

 

V.P.

[Trenton guy]

And still, those spectacular  Constellation, DC-6, and Electra molds, test shots seen at Donnington (the last time IPMS/UK was there) remain among the missing.

[Paolo6691]

I wonder if they will reissue the MD-80 series in 144

[Piotr Mikolajski]

8 hours ago, Trenton guy said:

And still, those spectacular  Constellation, DC-6, and Electra molds, test shots seen at Donnington (the last time IPMS/UK was there) remain among the missing.

 

If the Academy bought all the moulds, they probably also bought the ones that were in development.

[Trenton guy]

2 hours ago, Piotr Mikolajski said:

 

If the Academy bought all the moulds, they probably also bought the ones that were in development.

Let’s hope so. They were beautiful kits, not at all like the dogs Minicraft eventually released. I have always felt (without actually knowing anything factual) that they got caught up in the falling out between Academy and Minicraft which occurred about the same time, there then being issues over mold ownership. Counter to that, I did have an opportunity to discuss the matter with the subsequent (and most recent) owner of Minicraft. He had never heard of the missing molds.

The test shots shown at Donnington were very high quality, much like the later Revell Constellation. I have often wondered about that also. I have often wondered about also. I believe Revell was also using Academy for tooling at that time. If so, then why did the DC-B and the Electra never see the light of day? Will the story ever come out?

 

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Sad to see a company go but under Academy maybe a series of fresh issues- also they were always rather pricey to me with Academy being in my opinion good value maybe the prices will fall into line with their own 👍

[Paul J]

For me the 144th DC4 kits were very good and a bit better than the 6 which  had surface detail to the tailplanes, much like the Heller  1/72 DC6, mainly and none on the  wings. 

 As for prices, when they first appeared they were around half the price of more recent years. But hopefully for all the propliner fans here, they will come back at a more affordable cost.

[Asmodai]

Most of Minicraft’s stuff is no great loss. It’s time the ex-Crown 1/144 kits and 💩 like the Boeing 377s disappear into the dustbin of history, anyway. I think they turned into an American version of Italeri - got a little too uppity and thought they could get top tier money for their second rate hand me downs. 

Edited April 4, 2023 by Asmodai