What if kit x was back in production, then I'd....... ----->

[Sauragnmon]

Ah, but Gary, you're forgetting we live in the modern world, ruled by capitalism, where companies like Stevens International like to shove their hands deep in your pocket, and rip you off with 50% markup on the stuff from China that they import.  The more hands these products go through, the heavier they get marked up, each hand trying to make a profit on it, it's just a wonderful world we live in, isn't it?  The price on oil plummets, but the price at the pump only drifts down like a feather, as they milk their stocks for every last cent they can get, because they've killed ever alternative power source for cars at every chance they can get, with stunts like slapping Hindenburg pictures on every Hydrogen Fuel program to make people scared.  They know they've got you by the cojones, so they'll squeeze as much as they can, because they know we're all too damned complacent to hit back.

Ok, I'm going, enough soapbox for me.

[McColm]

What happens to all the prototype kits, shop models and promotional images?

A 1/72 air refueling tanker range covering the VC-10, Tri-Star, KC-10, KC-135 and IL-78M.
A carrier deck in 1/72 scale i.e. HMS Eagle.
1:35 scale UK cars of the 1980's.

[tigercat2]

Aurora AH-56A Cheyenne.  I saw one the other day at Dean's Hobby Stop for $80; this is a bit too much for me even now.



Wes W.

[McColm]

Matchbox did a series of model boats that could be modified for R/C use.
The F-4 Phantom series including proposals that were never built in 1:48 scale.
The Airfix RA-5C Vigilante.
A reconnaissance pod for the Mirage IV in 1:48 scale.

[Weaver]

Think for moment, the molds are made and sitting idle somewhere. Simple corporate short sightedness is to blame. What is the minimum cost to repackage these older kits in a blister package or similar and get them into the mass market for young consumers and give them the taste?

The problems are:

1. You've got to convince the big chains and distributors that they can sell them. They've been out of the kit game for 10-20 years and have lost all experience with it. If they decide that kits arn't fashionable or cool or whatever, then you'll never get to your mass market.

2. You've got to convince modern kids, brought up on "action" toys and games and with the attention span of a goldfish, to put a lot of effort into building something that, let's be honest here, probably won't look too good if it's a first attempt and doesn't actually do anything once it's finished.

3. It's not just the kids either: you're two generations into the problem now, i.e. the first lot of kids who couldn't be bothered with models are now parents themselves. You have to convince them to encourage the kids too, and that's an uphill battle in itself. I was in a toy shop that stocks a few kits the other day, and a boy of about ten was much taken with the artwork on a kit box. He showed it to his mother, whose immediate response was "oh no you don't want that dear, you've got to build it and paint it and that's much too difficult and you'll get paint and glue everywhere" and then steered him to some ready-made stuff - I could have slapped her.....


On the upside, I think that the adoption of modelling by craft shop chains like Hobbycraft is a good thing for the future. The clientele are self-selecting as those who see the value in putting effort and skill into making something that you can call your own, yet they also have lots of stuff that pulls kids in: sympathetic peer group, encouraging enviroment....  .

[McColm]

On the same thread as Weaver,

There has to be a theme running through the collection.

Dale Brown and Tom Clancy need to base their novels on kits that are available to the masses.

JK Rowling hasn't included a single aircraft in the Harry Potter series, sales of the Ford Anglia, triple decker buses , Hornby train sets and Lego have conquered that market.

When I was a nipper, I was dragged round RAF Hendon on a wet bank holiday, mainly because this was free and my parents gave me £5 to spend in the shop.

I think that schools should encourage children to make plastic kit models, have competions and win prizes at local level. this could encourage the kids to make films and use their imagenation.

If its not your cup of tea ,you can always say no.

[Weaver]

I think that schools should encourage children to make plastic kit models, have competions and win prizes at local level. this could encourage the kids to make films and use their imagenation.

<MODE = SCHOOL H&S CONSULTANT>

Forget it! - They'll stick themselves to the desks with the glue, drink the paint, poke each other in the eye with the brushes, and you can't give them knives or they'll turn into deliquent hoodies in the blink of an eye, and we'll get sued for any and all of it by their parents.

<MODE = TRENDY TEACHER>

Yes and anyway, most of these kits are of military things which celebrate death and war and we really don't think that's the right thing to fill children's heads with is it?

</MODE>

[Weaver]

Anyway, back on thread: how about Airfix re-popping the Space 1999 Eagle and Hawk, and the Angel Interceptor? Judging by the silly prices being paid on ebay, the demand is there...... (don't know what the rights situation is, mind)

[McColm]

I think that schools should encourage children to make plastic kit models, have competions and win prizes at local level. this could encourage the kids to make films and use their imagenation.

<MODE = SCHOOL H&S CONSULTANT>

Forget it! - They'll stick themselves to the desks with the glue, drink the paint, poke each other in the eye with the brushes, and you can't give them knives or they'll turn into deliquent hoodies in the blink of an eye, and we'll get sued for any and all of it by their parents.



<MODE = TRENDY TEACHER>

Yes and anyway, most of these kits are of military things which celebrate death and war and we really don't think that's the right thing to fill children's heads with is it?

</MODE>

We played cowboys and Indians when I was growing up. If you had a broom, you could turn that into a horse.

There are civilian airliners, cars, boats, trucks and sci-fi kits out there.

Doctor Who? Space 1999 Star Wars Star Trek Thunderbirds Joe-90 Transformers the Brats and Sindy. Even the toned down version of Action Man is less war like.

Kit models come in various themes, you used to be able to build a fire engine or a police car, a tractor or a combine harvester.

The kit doesn't have to be made of plastic, what ever happened to wood, card and metal?

[kitbasher]

Matchbox Hawker Fury, Stranraer and Wellesley
Airfix P-61 (just for  alaff/whiffing)
Any 1/72 Esci aircraft
Heller Su27B
Revell F-101 Voodoo
And if Airfix could do to the Special Hobby dH Hornets what they've done to the Special Hobby/MPM Pucara, Wellington and Meteor....

[Weaver]

I presume that someone must have done an F-101A Voodoo at some point? if so, I'd like them to put it back into production, purely so I can nick the front end off it an stick it on a Phantom.....

[jcf]

I presume that someone must have done an F-101A Voodoo at some point? if so, I'd like them to put it back into production, purely so I can nick the front end off it an stick it on a Phantom.....

Nope, an A always requires a conversion.

Aeroclub sells a conversion for the Hasegawa/Frog etc RF-101C, however its only a radome and some metal bits,
so you'd still need the RF-101C kit. The other alternative is to combine the RF-101C with the Matchbox F-101B.

http://www.aeroclub-models.com/p.html?n=7&c=K835

http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=ABK83572

Jon

[Weaver]

I presume that someone must have done an F-101A Voodoo at some point? if so, I'd like them to put it back into production, purely so I can nick the front end off it an stick it on a Phantom.....

Nope, an A always requires a conversion.

Aeroclub sells a conversion for the Hasegawa/Frog etc RF-101C, however its only a radome and some metal bits,
so you'd still need the RF-101C kit. The other alternative is to combine the RF-101C with the Matchbox F-101B.

http://www.aeroclub-models.com/p.html?n=7&c=K835

http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=ABK83572

Jon

Cheers: if it's just a radome, then how do they do the guns?

[jcf]

I presume that someone must have done an F-101A Voodoo at some point? if so, I'd like them to put it back into production, purely so I can nick the front end off it an stick it on a Phantom.....

Nope, an A always requires a conversion.

Aeroclub sells a conversion for the Hasegawa/Frog etc RF-101C, however its only a radome and some metal bits,
so you'd still need the RF-101C kit. The other alternative is to combine the RF-101C with the Matchbox F-101B.

http://www.aeroclub-models.com/p.html?n=7&c=K835

http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?FULL=ABK83572

Jon

Cheers: if it's just a radome, then how do they do the guns?

My mistook according to Aeroclub: "Resin Fighter Nose for Hasegawa RF-101A/C kit"
I guess there is some of the nose aft of the radome.
Perhaps the little metal bits are the gun fairings? 

[Green Dragon]

Didn't Revell do an F-101A in "fit the box" scale? I remember doing one when I was little, single seat with four guns, think it an A.

Paul Harrison