Guest WINGSCALE (Martin) Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Dear fellow plastic modellers, Wingscale friends, Herewith I like to update you all about the current status of Wingscale. Because I highly respect all your confidence and trust in Wingscale. You all are so supportive and enthousiastic about our oncoming releases. I enjoy every second seeing it happen. Therefore I personally feel it as appropriate to inform you as following. As company Wingscale that is more difficulty, because it gives a naked and vulnerable feeling As you lately maybe have noticed, my response on emails and the discussions in forums is “sluggish”. To a degree it maybe got annoying to some of you. Please accept my apologies for this behaviour ! For that slow response there are offcourse some reasons. Reasons I really regret and I personally do not like either. Because me as the person Martin, and as a Wingscale trademark, like to communicate on a fast, open and honest way to you all. Therefore now my decision to publish this on the forums. I must start at the beginning, a small insight how Wingscale should have been. Wingscale is a intended cooperation between me (commerce) and a chinese partner (technical). The legal establishing of Wingscale was in progress, during which time we went ahead with the projects, to avoid delay. As you all have seen at the first builds of the B-25, we did a damn good job until now ! The rest went into some difficulty though. As I have been discovered during January, they choose to take another partner onboard. Therefore placing me in a position I do not like and do not deserve to be in. Last 3 months I am fully occupied trying to continue communication and seeking a solution how we can proceed in some way. In the meantime trying to get the projects going too. As you can imagine, after 3 months this is personally driving me nuts Reality now shows it just will not succeed. It is mission impossible. And there is a time decisions have to be made. Even when they are not popular for the customers. Even when the chance is there the reputation of the brand is negative affected by it. But that is business !!! Not more, not less !! I have decided per today to end the cooperation with the chinese partner. Maybe a cooperation which was never there !!!! Meaning that the B-25, B-17 and Meteor will be released within their new chinese brand. NOT by Wingscale. All our retailers have been informed already about current situation. With regret, because they all put already so much effort in supporting the Wingscale brand. All the advertisements, trust, cooperation they did for us. So please think of that too, give them a big thumbs up !!!!! They are really great !!!! About the B-25, B-17 and Meteor, I am not participating in these unfinished projects anymore. So I can not quarantee what you will getting regarding quality. And when, how or what so ever. But you as modellers, just see it positive. The B-25 will be coming soon. Enjoy the build of it. Make great models from it. I am proud to have paid some contribution in the realisation of it. How Wingscale will continue, i will keep you posted about that later. Thank you for taking the time reading this publication. I hope I succeeded in telling you clearly about current Wingscale situation. I will keep you all posted about further progress in the nearby future. I truly hope that despite this truly “annoying” situation, Wingscale can keep having all your support and trust. Wingscale will try to repay that support and trust in the nearby future !! Best regards, Martin Oude Vrielink CEO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daywalker Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Martin- I am absolutely stunned! I am so sorry to hear that the business coop worked out the way it did. Sounds like things went south, and I appreciate your posting this to let us know what is happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jozef Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Well, I am the first to respond. I wish Wingscale and yourself all the good luck you can have. Life sometimes puts us into situations we never expected to be in. But that is how it is. Thumbs up to you and yours. Cheers Jozef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wurzacher Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Martin, i have no words. Still trying to understand what has happened to you and Wingscale. Can´t believe what´s going on. I hope you and Wingscale, a company that brought a hefty fresh breeze into this community and the modelling scene in total, will stick it out. Go gather yourself and relaunch Wingscale with new projects again with full force! All the best, take care! Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooper Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Whatever has happened has happened. I hope that you see this as a new start and conviction to continue with Wingscale and make your dream come true. There are many other mold and injection manufactures that I am sure will join you in partnership. Do not give up! James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill M. Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 It sounds like the B-25, B-17 and Meteor will be coming out as Chinese products (Trumpeter or Hobby Boss?) with all that implies. While they seemed to have ripped off your research, development, marketing and input, I am not sure we can have as much faith in their level of research and input (the Hobby Boss 1/32 Spitfire Vb comes to mind here). All in all, it is a sad situation and does not speak well to Chinese business practices. Bill M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) WOW... Sorry to hear about this falling out. I would have thought Wingscale would own the IP on these kits, and just be able to get your molds and take them to another injection company? Perhaps Chinese laws are a bit different than the rest of the world? Regardless, I hope you are able to continue with the vision that you had and will support your future efforts as well! In fact, I only pre-ordered the B25 kits to support Wingscale, and will probably pass on them now - especially after the way this came about. Cheers, Doug Edited March 24, 2011 by DougN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Wrangler Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Martin, Please don't give up on your dreams. I doubt I'll be purchasing any additional B-25's. Best of Luck to you and hope we hear from you soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kagemusha Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Hi Martin, I just hope this all hasn't cost you too much emotionally. It really is short-sighted of your Chinese partners to treat you as they have, after the initial three releases what do they have? A sullied reputation. I look forward to the Wingscale B-26 and P-61, and maybe a Fw 189..? Ultimately you'll be stronger and wiser for the experience, and maybe keep production in Europe? Don't let the b'stards grind you down! Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonnie Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Martin, So sad to hear of these developments. Having dealt with Chinese in my line of business, at one time or another, it is not surprising that this occurred. I don't want to throw all Chinese into the same pile, but it just seems that they have no business ethics. For one, I will not be purchasing these kits from any Chinese company that may release them and have decided to be extremely selective of any kits or products that I may purchase with the label "Made in China" stamped on it. Best of luck in future endeavors. Lonnie Berry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubert Boillot Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Well Martin, If I understand you right, the chinese company you were developing a patrnership with, just decided to work with someone else, leaving you stranded ? This is a very sad story to hear, although I cannot say I am surprised to see such a business practice from a chinese company...It seems the wildest form of "capitalism" has taken over there. Did you pay for the tooling or the research, or did they ? I hope the latter, so that you do not have to suffer a financial setback on top of the rest... This said, you have demonstrated your passion for this new business endeavour, and your commitment to satisfy your customers. With these ingedients, there will be other opportunities for your projects to be resurrected in a new form. I look forward to them, and in the meantime sympathise with your current difficulties. One thing for sure, and because I believe there should be some morality in business, and that a word given is as important as a 10-pages contract, this company will not have my money for "their" kits...I'll save it for the future Wingscale projects ! All the best. Hubert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek B Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigger Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) It sounds like the B-25, B-17 and Meteor will be coming out as Chinese products (Trumpeter or Hobby Boss?) with all that implies. While they seemed to have ripped off your research, development, marketing and input, I am not sure we can have as much faith in their level of research and input (the Hobby Boss 1/32 Spitfire Vb comes to mind here). All in all, it is a sad situation and does not speak well to Chinese business practices. Bill M. BILL Please do not make assumptions about the identity of the company in China being those you have named unless you have proof that it was, there are a lot of companies out there who do injection moulding and they are spread all over the place. Martin I am saddened by this news I hope that you find the strength in you to continue with other projects and that they come to fruition in the fullness of time. Best regards John Edited March 24, 2011 by tigger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ads Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Well you seem to have gotten the feeling of the room Martin - not all chinese are the same of course - but the ones that looked so promising have double crossed you and sold out to another company - they wont get any business from me! Let them keep going down the road they are on - without your attention to detail and let them create 3/4 correct kits and see how well they sell! chin up big guy! Ads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eli Raphael Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Martin, What can I say that hasn't been said before? I am sorry, to say the least. Very frustating to put all that work and time into a project(s) and just having it come crashing down. But rest assured that whatever you decide to do we will support you in anyway we can. Respectfully, Eli Raphael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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