Guest Ta152H1 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 (edited) Hi all, a few days ago our Modeling Club recived this email from a team of friends that gathered together to produce "exotic" Axis (mainly Italian and German) AFVs and aircraft. We knew they were working on something "special" but what we didn't know is that it was...THAT special. No pictures were included,apart of a B&W picture of the aircraft with British insigna and a few pictures that we cannot show due to the very peculiar way Exoticraft has tackled a few well known issues concerning resin castings,styrene injecting and photo etching.No word on pricing but I (we) fear it won't be cheap!!! Here's a translation of the most interesting part of the email: After a few years of hard work and research we are glad to let the modeling World know that our first aircraft kit,namely the Messerschmitt 410 A1/U2 Hornisse (Exoticraft#3201A) and our first two AFV kits,namely the Italian Carro Armato Medio M11/39 (Exoticraft #3501T))and the Carro Armato Medio M15/42 (Exoticraft #3502T) are nearly ready. The Exoticraft #3201A Messerschmitt 410 A1/U2 Hornisse will feature: 1)In-scale recessed panel lines and rivets made with an all-new technique that makes them look like the ones obtained with jewelers’s beading tools. 2)State of the art multi-media DB 603A engines that can be disassembled like the originals showing their mechanicals ( gearbox,pistons,crankshaft etc).They will be released separately in the future with optional parts to be fitted on already existing kits using the DB engine family! 3)ALL panels and hatches are photo-etched and can be positioned opened with pre-assembled and in-scale stainless-steel piano hinges where required,showing the internal details such as gas tanks,radio equipment ancillaries,refueling points,ammo stowage,weapons,cables,links etc. 4)Ultra-thin multi-part transparent resin canopy with pre-formed brass framing for both interior and exterior.An injected transparent styrene canopy with molded-in detail will be also supplied. 5)A comprehensive and Super-detailed multi-media (styrene,resin,photo-etch,cast brass,pre-formed brass,colored copper wire) cockpit with pre-assembled seatbelts made of a new,special silk-like fabric and PE fittings. 6)Super detailed wheel wells and landing gear made of styrene,cast brass,resin,PE and bulged tyres made of “Tyre-black” flexible resin. 7)Incredibly detailed FuG X Radio and nose and fuselage mounted pivoting weapons systems. 8)A complete assortment of in-scale braided hoses and pipes,code-colored wires and brass fittings,just like the originals. 9)Two A-4 decal sheets with a myriad of tiny placards and and an A-4 sheet with Aluminum manufacturers stampings and micro WaA stamps that will be released separately in the next future.. 10)CD to help you along the building of what will be the ultimate kit! Price TBA We've contacted the "team" to ask if they had a pre-production "hack" ready and they replied that they do have that,but at the time being they haven't totally solved a little problem with the backwards-firing guns and that they strive to have a model that although being as complex as they come,will have a near-perfect fit of every part.It sure won't be a kit for the faint of heart and sure won't "fall together" but it sure will be a killer! Hope to post more soon Cheers Lou Edited January 10, 2011 by Ta152H1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Thanks for the good news Lou. At long last a (hopefully) decent Me 410 in 1:32. Regards, Hans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Matt Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Wow... thanks Lou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmayhew Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Wowzers!! I've always liked the 410 but either way that checklist of features is pretty damn impressive. The engine that you can take apart is definitely a new one, although my feeling is that it will only really be utilized be those who build aircraft dioramas. For me the most intriguing bit is the canopy with turned brass frames. If they have that tech at their disposal then there really is almost nothing they could not tackle in terms of complexity. Thanks for the heads up Lou. Re the armour, it will be interesting to see what they have planned - can you post any info you have in our other forum if you have it available? Thanks again, Nick PS my wallet is quivering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Palimaka Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Sounds very impressive! I'm sure the price will be too, but for those who love the subject that is never a barrier. I think in most cases if you have an interest in the aircraft you find a way to afford it. It should raise the 1/32 kit bar a little higher and that's great. Another company producing kits is a promising thing too. Not my cup of tea, can't see putting that much energy into a Me 410. Thrilled for those who will though. The time will arrive, a 1/32 Tempest V will come from somewhere. Cheers, Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ta152H1 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Hans,Matt,Nick and Richard, I'm not the one to thanks mates....I've only "reported" what the owner of EC has emailed our club's secretary ! We know the guys behind this interesting venture and they want to treat the lucky modelers that will be able to add one of these beauties to their collections to a real masterpiece at the cost (their words!) to cancel the whole project and focus on the two Italian tanks and a new line of VERY COMPREHENSIVE conversion sets which are still TBA,but I can only say that amongst them there will be several conversion/detailing set for the Hasegawa's 1/32 D-9 that will include the D-11,the D-13,the D-14 and the D-15...with fully detailed engines,cockpits,radio compartments,fuel cells aso.They started working on a "Full Monty" for the Pacific Ta152H but as they started making the patterns ZM announced their kit.At this point they started working on a Ta152C conversion for the same kit but again Pacific announced the release of this baby when the work on the masters was well underway.One of the guys then thought that the conversion could have been steered towards the ZM kit but since it's a kit which is not widely distributed/available his team-mates have stopped him on his tracks!Two of the guys involved worked for a well know Superbike Team and a third worked for a F1 team until 2008 and they know their s... darmn well;I've had the honor to see a "combined effort" to build a 1/6 F1 car for a well known first-drive of the 80s and it took me one week to recover..these guys are literally outta their heads!The idea of supplying the kit(s) with engines and other parts full of internal details and that could be disassembled like the real thing probably came from there!For these "caballeros",as with the guys at WNW and the Wingscale team(not to mention the ZM one!) when it comes to the money the only limit is the sky,and their goal is to achieve a kind of detail on the styrene parts that will be on the same league as Tamiya's,Wingscale and and WNW's,that's the part on which they're working very hard.This kit and the two Italian tanks,the latter's hulls and turrets being almost entirely made of thick and pre-formed PE,will be very complex but the fit will have to be stellar before being even presented to the public.I just can't wait to see more....I can only say that the masters of the resin/brass disassembled radios and engines are breath-taking! Let's keep or fingers crossed. Cheers Lou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ta152H1 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Wowzers!! I've always liked the 410 but either way that checklist of features is pretty damn impressive. The engine that you can take apart is definitely a new one, although my feeling is that it will only really be utilized be those who build aircraft dioramas. For me the most intriguing bit is the canopy with turned brass frames. If they have that tech at their disposal then there really is almost nothing they could not tackle in terms of complexity. Thanks for the heads up Lou. Re the armour, it will be interesting to see what they have planned - can you post any info you have in our other forum if you have it available? Thanks again, Nick PS my wallet is quivering. Hi Nick, they are working on the M11/39 and the M15/42...the team consists of ten or twelve enthusiast and at the moment they're are even too busy to consider something else other than the Hornisse,the two Italian tanks and the conversion sets. They don't want to step on anybody's feet and when contacted as to why they decided to go this deep into letting us know about the details this kit will feature their replied that they are not afraid by the "competition" and that if somebody else will follow their steps it sure won't do the modeling world no harm...cool way of thinking! I haven't posted on my own accord though ..upon hearing about this new kit I was so excited I called the club's secretary on the phone asking him if I couldpost the nesw here...he has called the EC boss who has given the "go ahead"...as soon as I'll have more info that I can share be sure that I'll do that immediately! I've asked (almost begged for,to be honest!) for pictures and for the permission to post the ones that came with the email but the reply has been a steady "NO"! Cheers Lou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vali Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Wonderful news! I have only one question: in which country is Exoticraft ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmayhew Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 (edited) my guess is Italian... F1 doesn't really exist in the US, and is most popular in Europe (though God knows i find it boring but that's another matter!)...Italian tanks...need for original email to be translated...hmmm...let me see.... obviously i will be way off, but that's my (semi-) educated guess! so re-reading Lou's original post, and more importantly teh armour one, i take it that all the panels and hatches through which we will be seeing all this detail will pre-formed PE? that should allow some rather sharp detail i would think. can't wait till we know more now i'm off to get some interesting schemes for the 410! thanks again for the news N Edited January 10, 2011 by nmayhew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radub Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 (edited) Please allow me to be sceptical. I know from personal experience that if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. If this was intended to be a "press release", I see no reason why you should not be able to show us photos. If this was not intended to be a "press release", I see plenty of reason for Exotic Raft (or is it Exoti Craft...?) to be annoyed with you for blowing the lid off their big surprise. As a pattern maker and small-time manufacturer, all I see here is a packaging nightmare. Radu Edited January 10, 2011 by Radub Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ta152H1 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 (edited) Please allow me to be sceptical. I know from personal experience that if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. If this was intended to be a "press release", I see no reason why you should not be able to show us photos. If this was not intended to be a "press release", I see plenty of reason for Exotic Raft (or is it Exoti Craft...?) to be annoyed with you for blowing the lid off their big surprise. As a pattern maker and small-time manufacturer, all I see here is a packaging nightmare. Radu You have the right to be and to remain skeptical...this wasn't intended to be a press release and if you take your time to read my previous posts you will see with your own "ears" that we've asked ourselves to the EXOTICRAFT's owner as to why he let US (the people who know him and the rest of the guys) know about their project going deep in detail and what he (they)replied...and you'll see for yourself that I haven't posted on my own accord and that I(we) have asked for the "go ahead" on behalf of the "mind" behind this project! I smell a touch of that "green" sentiment here...the fact that they don't want any pictures to be shown is because they don't want to let anybody know (excepting,maybe,a handful of close friends )how they have solved a few issues familiar to anybody dealing with photo-etching,plastic injection and resin casting of details and pieces nearly impossible to be cast in resin! I don't know about you or your means,but what may look like a nightmare to you may as well be as smoking a cigarette to people to whom money is no object,just like the guys who created WNW out of the blue! The team is Italian/French and from San Marino and right a few minutes ago our club's secretary has called one of the EC guys to ask for more info about scheduled release,price and availability. The injection moldings will be made by one of the European manufacturers they've contacted in a very limited number while the PE (not "your" ordinary photo-etching,anyway...here's another reason why no posting of pictures is allowed!),brass and resin casting will be made by the EC guys themselves. Price?The reply has been "If you ask you probably cannot afford it!" (with tongue in cheek,of course,and without disrespect towards the ones that won't be able to afford this kit)...and that should speak volumes about the exclusivity of this kit.TWO samples to be reviewed will be sent to a well known European forum and to a French magazine chosen by the EC owner as soon as it will be ready and all the bugs ironed out! Cheers Lou Edited January 10, 2011 by Ta152H1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollieholmes Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Well if it is true then great but i still remain sceptical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeroenpeters Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I remember hearing Wingscale's news for the first time. My first reaction was sceptical. Now that I have seen the sprues and the first WIP pics, I stand corrected. I'd love to see a Me410. No hurry here though. Got my hands on the Arado today Cheers, Jeroen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radub Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I smell a touch of that "green" sentiment here... Am I envious? Of course I am. That sounds like the stuff of wonder. Radu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radub Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I remember hearing Wingscale's news for the first time. My first reaction was sceptical. WnW did not promise any of this "incredible" stuff. I was not sceptical. They showed us photos and I believed. Radu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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