Kitty Hawk has announced an Fw 190A-5

[Adam Maas]

If they end up delivering an A-8 like the CAD, I just can't see how it can be a successful cash cow for them, as given their typical pricing it will probably rival the Hasegawa in price, and is unlikely to be better than the cheaper Revell, even if we do see a jump in Revell pricing once they get their distribution sorted out again. There really has to be a value-add for the small brands when they release a kit competing with the big guys.

An actual A-5 would be a different story, as we know that ZM is doing an A-3 & A-4 to start with based on their announcements, and the A-5 is only available from Hasegawa right now. That might sell well, as long as it's either better or cheaper than the Hasegawa (and from KH's track record, I'd bet on it being neither).

 

[RBrown]

2 hours ago, Gigant said:

As an example, back in the late '60's a popular scale modeling magazine did a survey as to which subjects their readers would like to see the most in 1/32 scale.

They then published their answers and Hasegawa "stepped up to the plate" and in 1971 released their large scale "yellow wings" series starting with the P-12E and F4B-4, and the rest is history.

So why isn't Kitty Hawk listening to us like Hasegawa did nearly 50 years ago?

 

While it is true that Hasegawa did release the F4B-4, P-12, BF2C-1 and a P-26 early on, they abandoned this genre for WWII fighter planes with an significant representation of Axis types.

In the ensuing decades the original yellow wing series has been re-released but never added to.   I would suggest the reason is sales. 

[Gigant]

17 hours ago, RBrown said:

In the ensuing decades the original yellow wing series has been re-released but never added to.

 

Never added to, but it got their reputation established as a better maker of the large scale model subjects in that genre then either Lindberg's Gee-Bee (seriously, I tried building one when it was first released, and with it's no-glass canopy, no cockpit interior, etc., I would not try again), and far more buildable then the typical Williams Brothers releases.

Thus the excellent reviews for the "Yellow-Winger's" became a springboard for their excellent WWII series releases that were following along to be competitive with Revell in particular.

So far as I know, KH has yet to do as well for 1/32 scale.

Edited July 23, 2018 by Gigant
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[DeanKB]

8 hours ago, Gigant said:

 

I know you are suffering burn-out but still I tend to wonder why another typical example of the single-engined German fighter of the type that has been produced ever since Aurora first brought their 1/48th FW-190 in 1954 myself?

 

IMHO, if Kitty Hawk is to successfully follow in the "footsteps" of Williams Brothers and later on Hasegawa in 1/32 releases, then they really should focus on subjects not typically available from Revell, Hasegawa (and that I already have in my stash), etc.

 

As an example, back in the late '60's a popular scale modeling magazine did a survey as to which subjects their readers would like to see the most in 1/32 scale.

They then published their answers and Hasegawa "stepped up to the plate" and in 1971 released their large scale "yellow wings" series starting with the P-12E and F4B-4, and the rest is history.

So why isn't Kitty Hawk listening to us like Hasegawa did nearly 50 years ago?

 

Although in broad terms I tend to agree, in my capacity as a model consumer I've already got a choice of kits that me from 20 years ago - even 10 years ago - would never have even envisaged possible.

 

I just feel very spoiled.

[Tony T]

It's all harmless banter while we wait on the platform for the next train.

 

It's true that we've never had it so good. On the other hand, if there was a paucity of 1/32 we'd still be buying 1/48 and spending much less. 

 

Tony

[MikeMaben]

20 hours ago, Gigant said:

 I tend to wonder why another typical example of the single-engined German fighter of the type that has been produced ever since Aurora first brought their 1/48th FW-190 in 1954 myself?

 

Because they still can't top the original ...

 

 

 

[williamj]

Someone here said...there "IS" a P-51B-C in the works as we speak... can't remember who though.

  Oh!  nice job on that FW Mike.like the oil staining on the spinner,nice touch that.

Edited July 23, 2018 by williamj

[Kagemusha]

Hong Kong Models apparently have a P-51B/C in development...

[williamj]

54 minutes ago, Kagemusha said:

Hong Kong Models apparently have a P-51B/C in development...

   Not another P-51,  why??   There so many out there now. 

[Martinnfb]

[Artful69]

10 hours ago, Martinnfb said:

 

That's DAIMLER - Benz ...

 

Rog

[cbk57]

I am happy to see some new large FW-190’s coming out.  I might get a KH 190.  I have never like the Hasegawa kits as I looked at them and felt they were more like a 1/48 scale kit in detail. Years ago I built their D-9 but never a have built any of the A series although I considered it.  I am very interested in the SWS 190 series.  Looks like nice choices are coming in any event.

[gwana]

9 hours ago, Artful69 said:

 

That's DAIMLER - Benz ...

 

Rog

 

At least it's not Daimler Chrysler.

[MikeMaben]

On 7/23/2018 at 2:09 PM, williamj said:

  Oh!  nice job on that FW Mike.like the oil staining on the spinner,nice touch that.

 

Not mine Bill  , but I did build a couple of those back in my childhood tho. 

 

Don't worry , Tamiya's gonna drop a P-51B on us next year 

 

 

[JeffH]

3 hours ago, gwana said:

 

At least it's not Daimler Chrysler.

 

I have the joy of seeing that under the hood of my 2003 SL500. The upside is they had such quality problems during that period the resurrected MB give (original) owners from that era 20% off parts and labor to get things fixed right and use authentic MB parts.