F-16XL new kit in 1/32? Need input.

[paul fisher]

Hi Folks, 

 

I have been talking with the fellow who did the original F-16XL master that was put out by Wild Hare years ago.

 

He has completely rebuilt it over the last few years, correcting all of the many errors  that made the first pass such a disappointing model and has offered to sell me the masters as he's not in a position to make up kits. I have the equipment here to do very large castings, so it makes sense to look into it.

 

I've been talking with Mike Valdez, F-16 Guru,  about the model, and having seen it he assures me that but for some final detailing it is now  a very accurate rendering of the airplane, and very much deserving of a kit.There's virtually nothing left of the older model, it's all been changed.

 

Here's my question for you guys....I need to get a good idea of how many I could sell before jumping in.

 

The masters are not going cheap, and final finishing , decals, metal landing gear and  making up all the tooling needed to cast up a high quality kit would be a fairly large investment for me. I can't do it without your support.

 

To cut to the chase, how many of you are interested in a really good kit? Due to the size of the model itself and the molds it would need, cost per kit would be in the ballpark of $300.00, not cheap to be sure, but not insane like the original  conversions were.

 

We can make a cracking good kit, and perhaps even do the two seater later on....please feel free to post your thoughts, or send me an email if you're in and I will create a mailing list .

 

Many thanks, 

 

Paul Fisher

Fisher Model & Pattern

fisher@fishermodels.com

[mark31]

Damn i gave Just bought myself the revell kit To start cutting.

This Will safe Me a lot of Time.

Im in To where i sent the money

 

Mark

 

Will sent You email later

Edited August 17, 2016 by mark31

[LSP_Ray]

I have the Wild Hare kit, I have the so-called 'correction kit' offered about a year later, and I would throw all that on eBay if you came out with a kit!

One question: will this one require the Tamiya F-16 Thunderbird kit, or is this a full kit? Doesn't change my mind, but will need to know...Will be sending an e-mail for your list.

[paul fisher]

Hi....Glad to see some people are watching! I plan for it to be a full kit, no other stuff needed.

 

Paul

[LSP_Ray]

That would be fantastic!

[88phantom]

I would be interested in both the single and dual seat versions.

 

 

West

[seiran01]

Paul, I will absolutely buy one! I had a half built XL conversion that died a horrible death years ago and would love to have a finished one

If needed - mikeswinburne@gmail.com

Cheers

Mike

[ssculptor]

Paul,

I understand how you are sore tempted to reissue the F-16XL.

I have been making, buying, selling model especially airplanes for over 70 years. I also understand that for many model producers it is a labor of love. At least with the original owners of the companies. 

Also, I am not at all a detail enthusiast, or fine scale modeler. However, I have spent over $300 for individual kits in the past so the price you quote does not phase me. 

The problem here si that only two of the original aircraft were produced in reality.. They never saw combat, except perhaps in the board rooms of the government, the Air Force, the banks that would finance the production of more of them and the manufacturer itself, plus various congressional and senatorial subcommittees. 

Thus my advice is try to curb your emotions and consider this, How many of these kits would you have to sell to cover all your costs? Lets guess at a number, say 50 kits to reach the break even point. Then if you sell more it is all gravy. If not, then you may have to eat the leftovers and take the loss. That is the most important consideration to make. Those calculations should include taking a tax loss if you don't make the break even point.  Then you can make a rational decision. 

Of course, you can take the emotional route but do that only if you have lots of money in the bank to fall back on. 

I really like the airplane. It is downright gorgeous. I want one. BUT, ACE kit #800-02 exists and depicted the F-16XL. How accurate? Who knows. but for $300 versus whatever price the Ace kit  could bring on eBay may tempt a person on a budget to ignore your $300 beauty. 

Yes, business is a risk. So it is your decision and a hard one it is. Good luck,

Stephen

P.S. Would I buy one from you at $300?  No. I had the 1/32 Ace kit once and I can probably find another on eBay for at most a third of your price. 

Now, if you were to issue a 1/32 Dornier Do-217, well, that is a different matter. Or a Do-24, perhaps. We all  have our likes and dislikes.

[Guest Peterpools]

Paul

I would have to take a pass.

Sure wish you would reconsider the F11f1 Tiger instead.

Peter

[LSP_Ray]

 

Paul,

I understand how you are sore tempted to reissue the F-16XL.

I have been making, buying, selling model especially airplanes for over 70 years. I also understand that for many model producers it is a labor of love. At least with the original owners of the companies. 

Also, I am not at all a detail enthusiast, or fine scale modeler. However, I have spent over $300 for individual kits in the past so the price you quote does not phase me. 

The problem here si that only two of the original aircraft were produced in reality.. They never saw combat, except perhaps in the board rooms of the government, the Air Force, the banks that would finance the production of more of them and the manufacturer itself, plus various congressional and senatorial subcommittees. 

Thus my advice is try to curb your emotions and consider this, How many of these kits would you have to sell to cover all your costs? Lets guess at a number, say 50 kits to reach the break even point. Then if you sell more it is all gravy. If not, then you may have to eat the leftovers and take the loss. That is the most important consideration to make. Those calculations should include taking a tax loss if you don't make the break even point.  Then you can make a rational decision. 

Of course, you can take the emotional route but do that only if you have lots of money in the bank to fall back on. 

I really like the airplane. It is downright gorgeous. I want one. BUT, ACE kit #800-02 exists and depicted the F-16XL. How accurate? Who knows. but for $300 versus whatever price the Ace kit  could bring on eBay may tempt a person on a budget to ignore your $300 beauty. 

Yes, business is a risk. So it is your decision and a hard one it is. Good luck,

Stephen

P.S. Would I buy one from you at $300?  No. I had the 1/32 Ace kit once and I can probably find another on eBay for at most a third of your price. 

Now, if you were to issue a 1/32 Dornier Do-217, well, that is a different matter. Or a Do-24, perhaps. We all  have our likes and dislikes.

 

FYI, Stephen, it is not really a re-issue. The first kit was simply a conversion set for the Tamiya Thunderbirds F-16. This is an entirely new kit, mastered by the person who did the conversion set.

I had one of the ACE kits, too. There is a reason it goes cheap on eBay. It is horrible. Way off. Way too small, wrong angles and details. Wasn't worth the effort to fix.

 

As a side note, I wonder if the military wishes the XL had gone ahead, considering how they have converted the F-16 to a multi-role machine. The XL would have carried a lot more load. 

[kalashnikov-47]

$300, give or take.....  I'd be in for one.

[Barry]

Great news Paul,

 

I have the Wild Hare kit as well as the Attic Aircraft correction set and will gladly sell them on eBay and purchase one from you!

Barry

[Darren Howie]

Is there any possibility of a conversion rather than a stand alone kit?

As many F-16 lovers may have already have a stash of Tamiya kits it if possible would lower the outlay if possible?

I'd rather an accurate F-105 front itself a big project, and given the incessantly high prices on Ebay of the old Meteor sets which did nothing to fix its issues it would sell forever on one of modellers favourite aircraft the Thud.

Or continue the X plane series...

Love the F-16 but it's a stretch for an 300 dollar kit of an aircraft which has done little in terms of history.

[LSP_Ron]

I am afraid no interest with me Paul.

 

I think anyone interested would really have to want a 1/32 version of this subject and it has such a small impact in aviation history that one could surmise that the client base would be small. 

 

I could be dead wrong since my interest isn't there, therefor perhaps bias? 

 

Ron, (eagerly awaiting my X1A/B )

[LSP_K2]

I personally see it as a very restricted marked, but there just may be enough die hard eclectic model builders to justify it. That's my take, anyway. I suspect I would not buy one.