Tamiya's release schedule next 5 years (suggestion)

[LSP_K2]

30 minutes ago, AresShrike said:

1/32 P-51B/C

 

Hong Kong models, supposedly.

[cbk57]

1 hour ago, Jennings Heilig said:

 

Why? Tamiya has a history of being able to walk and chew gum at the same time.  Nothing in the history of the past decade leads me to think it will be years before there is a new tool 1/32 kit.  

Hi Jennings, according to Any at Andy's hobby headquarters he had some indication that Tamiya was taking a 1/32 break.  I hope that is not the case but could understand them doing so.  They do go through phases from what I see.  You see them do a lot of cars, you see a big burst of armor, you see a burst of 1/48 aircraft, then we had a phase of 1/32 planes with very few new 1.48 aircraft.  Lately to me it feels like more emphasis on 1/48 planes and armor.  I could see nothing in the 1/32 front coming from them for more than a year maybe longer.  I will be overjoyed if I am wrong.  I just hope they keep release great models.  I don't buy them all, only the ones I want but they make such great stuff.  I was actually hoping they would do the Toyota that won LeMans this year, but don't see a car announcement so far.  

 

I am fairly enthusiastic about this spitfire release although would have preferred it in 1/32.  Maybe next year or the year after we get it in 1/32.

[esarmstrong]

1 hour ago, Jennings Heilig said:

If I had a nickel for every “inside scoop” from Tamiya I’d heard since the internet came online, I’d be retired now.  

 

That said, given the mount of research they obviously did on the 1/48 Bf109G-6 kit, and assuming the Spit Mk.I is similar (why else would they replace their ca. 1994 kit?), I’d fully expect to see one or both of them in 1/32 before it’s over.

 

That 1/48 scale 109 G-6 kit already looks like a 1/32 scale kit, with the level of detail it has.

[RBrown]

 

CAD Image

 

Tamiya's press release:

■1/48 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I (Tentative)
The Spitfire remains a legend of the air thanks in part to the heroics of the Mk.I during the Battle of Britain in WWII. This is a brand new tooling of the Spitfire Mk.I in detailed Tamiya 1/48, with the graceful form captured in style. Parts are included to recreate various specifications of the Mk.I. ★Length: 191mm ★Choose between open and closed canopy. Cockpit features realistic detailing. ★Photo-etched parts are included. ★Comes with seated pilot figure and 3 marking options.
*CAD image shows product still under development.

 

No mention of an engine (which is fine by me) but interestingly photo etch parts are incorporated.

 

I believe Eduard also has an early Spitfire planned.   Perhaps this release will change that?

 

 

 

Edited September 7, 2018 by RBrown

[thierry laurent]

Too bad they do not go for a 1/32 MkI-II-V family but well I have yet to understand Tamiya release policy...!

 

The fact they never released an Aggressor Block 32 Viper just demonstrates they have a quite weird view of profitability of large scale planes...! They had the basic kit and already made the decal research for the 1:48th kit. I have yet to understand that.

 

T.

[thierry laurent]

19 hours ago, cbk57 said:

I generally disagree with the idea that because something has been done before, that It can’t be redone.  I do equate scale models directly with technology, we could have said in 1989 we already have PC’s why do we need something newer.  The intel 386 chip is plenty good, we don’t need no pentium processor or anything better.  I would agree with the premis that the 109 was done enough if we had a contemporary kit done to the standard of Tamiya or Zoukei.  For me the Hasegawa kit’s are more like big 1/48 kits than the modern tooling I am interested in. 

 

I do not speak to the 109 per se but to any subject that has been done as the argument is made frequently with any kit Tamiya might realistically do that someone has already done it.  Tamiya is not going to do a plane in 1/32 that is not a main stream subject and completely new.  It will be a mass market subject like the 109 or certain other choices but I assure if they do another 1/32 kit it will be something obvious that many will complain it has already been done.  

 

The state of the modeling art is rapidly advancing, and I am not particularly sentimental about old plastic, I want the latest that new molding state of the art can bring.  I know many others want the old stuff but, for me even a kit that is 10 years old can be improved upon.

 

 

 

I also prefer better kits but with an exterme view of that approach, we would only get Spiftires, Mustangs, Me-109, Phantoms, Vipers and so on. To me, my favorite approach would be a manufacturer that would alternate two mainstream topics with less common one. This would ensure long term profitability while expanding the scope. I love Tamiya kits but hate their business approach. They only focus on mainstream topics and often stop after one or two models of a topic whereas modellers are generally asking for other versions! They are a total source of frustration! Frankly, I am never holding my breath for a new Tamiya release...

[cbk57]

2 hours ago, thierry laurent said:

 

I also prefer better kits but with an exterme view of that approach, we would only get Spiftires, Mustangs, Me-109, Phantoms, Vipers and so on. To me, my favorite approach would be a manufacturer that would alternate two mainstream topics with less common one. This would ensure long term profitability while expanding the scope. I love Tamiya kits but hate their business approach. They only focus on mainstream topics and often stop after one or two models of a topic whereas modellers are generally asking for other versions! They are a total source of frustration! Frankly, I am never holding my breath for a new Tamiya release...

Your points are fair but with the expense of 1/32 Tamiya won’t do the unusual, they have done some unusual subjects in 1/48 but we won’t see that in 1/32.  We will have to rely on other manufacturers to provide the off the beaten track.  

 

Their business model is what it is, they are a huge toy company not just a model maker, they do what they want and what they can make money on.  To me the modeling world is booming and there are plenty of companies taking risks on being different, just look at HKM and Zoukei-Mura.  They are the risk takers in 1/32 plastic.  Please don’t expect the same from Tamiya as I don’t think they are interested or willing.  I find it amazing that a company would do a Lancaster in 1/32.  The new releases Zoukei is releasing are very interesting as well.  

[thierry laurent]

Well saying they don't take risks is true but saying their strategy is the most profitable one from a business perspective is at least debatable.

 

Indeed, the topics they choose are always mainstream ones but the versions are not always the most desirable ones and sometimes they do not even release versions that would just ask for a new decal sheet and/or a small additional sprue. The Agressor Viper being an obvious case: when you have done the research job and have the kit, it is not really expensive to print a bunch of decals, some boxes and an addendum for the instruction sheet! Moreover, it is not that they do not foresee such releases as the way sprues are designed clearly demonstrate they always consider additional versions. Another obvious case: the Korean War P-51D: they made the research for the 1/48th kit and even added rockets ends on the photoetched fret in the current 1/32 releases BUT they never released the kit! Same thing for the A6M3 Zero that has never been released by anyone and was the main type used during the Rabaul battles! Same for the British Corsair, the F-14 B/D, the F-16A or D, the F-4B and slat-wing F-4S or USAF Phantoms, the Mosquito 2-stages Merlin nighfighter, the Spitfire Mk1, etc. etc.

 

I am not producing models but I have a company and try to give what my customers are asking for, more particularly when the risk is close to nil and the cost to do it is ridiculously low in comparison with the benefit I can make! This is business and the fact I may have other activities has nothing to do with that. What you do not sell is not bringing you money!

 

What is frustrating me is not the fact they have their own business model or decide they want to release this or that. I would not care if this had no global LSP market impact. The problem is the fact such a behaviour is unfortunately locking the market for some releases!

 

Think twice about that: knowing that Tamiya has molds for a F-16, if you were the boss of another model company, would you dare investing in new molds to release a F-16A? This fortunately occurs (e.g. the Hasegawa A6M5) but is in fact quite rare for logical reasons. This is what I really dislike but have to live with. At least their kits are marvellous and this somewhat compensates their weird release policy :-)

[Tony T]

19 hours ago, Jennings Heilig said:

 

Why? Tamiya has a history of being able to walk and chew gum at the same time.  Nothing in the history of the past decade leads me to think it will be years before there is a new tool 1/32 kit.  

 

I remember the jet output being quite sporadic, before the flurry of WW2 props which culminated (as a new tool) with the Mosquito FB.VI about three years ago. 

Tamiya can pirouette and blow bubbles at the same time but it doesn't follow that they wish to do so.

 

But yeah, I can join in the fantasy and dream of a 1/32 Beaufighter, Seiran, Voodoo or Draken. Or even a Griffon bubble top Spitty or low back Ki-61.

 

Tony 

[MikeMaben]

21 hours ago, Jennings Heilig said:

 

            I’ve seen the CAD.

 

            I'd rather see the plastic ...

 

 

[MikeMaben]

 

That may be too , but saying "we have the cad" is like

saying "we're working on a cure for the common cold".

Not much value to people with a cold.  

 

 

[Tony T]

 

Any news as to the 1/32 HKM F-4K Spey Phantom?  

 

A follow-on FGR.2 excepted, it might well be the most definitive version of the series. But another very expensive set of tools no doubt.

 

Another CAD teaser is the Tan Model Su-33 Sea Flanker. Another perfect subject wrapped up in lines of code on a hard drive.

 

I'd gladly pay for a plain brown box containing test shots of either.

 

Tony

 

 

 

 

[LSP_K2]

Figuring out what Tamiya is likely to do next, is like figuring out what the weather will be like next August the 23rd. There just seems to be no real rhyme or reason to their release policy/philosophy (assuming there is one, which I very seriously doubt) in the real man scale, aside from a predictable tendency of picking rather mainstream (safe) subjects.

 

I've seen more than one online guru try to determine some genius analytical methodology for calculating the odds of what they'll likely do next, and it's a complete and utter exercise in futility to do so, in my opinion

[The Dude]

Ok ill let the cat out of the bag, based off my dealings with the many, many inner circle and vast contacts deep  within tamiya... the next two 1/32 kits are a razorback p-47 and a hellcat. 

[cbk57]

1 hour ago, LSP_Typhoonattack said:

Figuring out what Tamiya is likely to do next, is like figuring out what the weather will be like next August the 23rd. There just seems to be no real rhyme or reason to their release policy/philosophy (assuming there is one, which I very seriously doubt) in the real man scale, aside from a predictable tendency of picking rather mainstream (safe) subjects.

 

I've seen more than one online guru try to determine some genius analytical methodology for calculating the odds of what they'll likely do next, and it's a complete and utter exercise in futility to do so, in my opinion

Agree, it is longs said they do whatever they feel like.  What too many I think fail to appreciate is that Tamiya is interested in the big picture of scale modeling not just one subject or scale and that they will focus on major projects and the choice of major project will effect everything else.  So if they choose to do a 1/350 ship like the Yamato a few years ago, we may not see a /132 plane coming at the same time.  They have done a bunch of 1/48 planes lately, a lot of 1/35 armor, 1/24 cars, and a 1/12 bike.  For a while they were doing almost no new 1/48 planes.  

 

i just think their focus swings across different modeling subjects and scales, they seem to try to keep some diversity at the same time.  I don't think they want to get pinned down in to just one thing.  I think as a result the next 1/32 plane if any is completely unpredictable and it is not a given that we will see one in the next year or three.