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My opinion on the Lancaster from HK Models


Eagle Driver

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5 hours ago, Eagle Driver said:

That last one was about the lack of color. Exclaiming LSM and that the fault for b&w instruction wasn't theirs. 
I actually don't care who's fault is, just didn't like paying 400+ British Pounds for b&w instructions :) :) Simple as that.

 

@barkhorn

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26 minutes ago, JamesHatch said:

 

You seem to think that people who advise on shapes and stuff also have a say on the finished product in terms of instructions colour scheme sheets.. 

 

I corrected you. Sorry that offended you. 

 

Actually nothing offended me. No need to sorry.
And that seems only to you. Because I don't know and never pretended to, how deep was LSM involvement in this project. That was my first impression and I wrote what I felt.

LSM and AK on the front page. Good.

B&W color guide. Baaaaaaad. 

Defensive position came from somewhere else, not from me.

Do I know are LSM experts? No.

Nor I care.

 

30 minutes ago, JamesHatch said:

Or simply don't post stuff for which your assumption is factually incorrect.. You didn't ask. I would have given an instant answer. 

 

I can post whatever I want in general /please don't take this as sounding aggressively, I know that it does, but it is not my intetion/. I can say that LSM and AK did a brilliant job or did a lousy advisory. That is ONLY up to me.

That was not even an assumption. I shared my wondering.


To ask - this made me laugh, and honestly. Do you think with every review I do I need to get through the manufacturer or the people involved? Whoever made the product took the risks of bad reviews. Remember please, THIS ONE WAS POSITIVE.  
Ask? Do I care or any of HK Models clients for that matter, do we care who dropped the ball?
You know, in Switzerland the price of that kit is 450 Euros. The PE, B&W instructions, flimsy clear parts /sprues only/ and few other things does not justify that price.

It is my opinion and it is based on hundreds of kits I've seen, 29 years in the hobby. /why I mention this?/

My conclusion was positive.

The reactions were .... blah.

Especially in Facebook, where some idiot decided that I don't know nothing about models nor airplanes. /this is why I mentioned it/.

I never allowed myself to comment there freely as here, simply because here, especially in this forum people are friendly and helpful. But the facebook comments are pathetic. Aggressive and mediocre. Tons of idiots and Danning-Kruger textbook examples.

 

My thoughts only, nothing that would involve you: In the end, instead of making comment there, you could've send me an email through the contact form or even PM in FB to suggest the correction.
I would've made that one without hesitation. 

Now, not so much.

 

Please do not forget that this isn't my first language either. The review might sounds odd to some, but I can assure you, I know what I am talking about.

Many many bad decisions with this kit. 

Still very good kit.

Am I evil for pointing those out? Here someone said that doesn't care about B&W sheets. I don't care about PE. Everything is good.

No need to explain me the involvement of LSM. I don't need that information for conclusion. Which was...again - positive.
 

This is not meant to be a fight or feud of any kind too. Please take it with my respect.

 

 

 

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1 minute ago, JamesHatch said:

You post a review. You get mixed feedback. You come to LSP and complain about those that did it.

 

What did you expect?

 

Be critical in your reviews. Assume where you have to, but never a good idea to make critical assumptions. 

I didn't come to LSP buddy.  I am here for years already.

I just requested folks' opinions here. Because of Facebook latent aggression. Knowing what individuals are there...it is self explanatory of course.

 

My reviews are mine, I don't need guidance, please!

Maybe you were involved in the kit and it hurts when someone points out weak points. That is of course, another assumption.

Were you? Do you know somebody that is? 

If answer to any of those is YES, why wouldn't you spend some time writing to HK Models to advise them that they can improve without much effort, adding a color leaflet?

Constructive, wouldn't you agree? 

Or maybe next time write me and say: hey I am from LSM we did this and that. How about altering what you wrote?

Because I write reviews every week and for many companies. That might help make them more useful for the fellow modelers. Which is the most important thing.

 

By the way I have the statistics and less than 1% were negative. That means possibly two things:

1. The review is not that bad.

2. It hasn't reached enough people.

 

Again from the statistics, it isn't the second. Maybe Lancaster fans or HK Models fans are too devoted. Who knows.

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10 minutes ago, Eagle Driver said:

Maybe you were involved in the kit and it hurts when someone points out weak points. That is of course, another assumption.

Were you? Do you know somebody that is? 

 

Only for external shapes, as I've repeatedly told you. AK were involved too, and as I told you, they had no input on how HK present their model outside of specifics. Decisions such as instructions etc. are HK's prerogative. I don't honestly give a flying one what weak points it has outside of my input. If LSM screwed uo, then yes, that would be on us. 

 

Quote

If answer to any of those is YES, why wouldn't you spend some time writing to HK Models to advise them that they can improve without much effort, adding a color leaflet?

Constructive, wouldn't you agree? 

 

Do you not think this is something that they've been told endless times? Another assumption on my part, maybe.

Did you email them after your review to tell them of your preference?

 

Quote

Or maybe next time write me and say: hey I am from LSM we did this and that. How about altering what you wrote?

 

I did, via your website before the Facebook post exploded. Your call....

 

Quote

1. The review is not that bad.

 

Correct. I can agree with that. I was trying to make your review more correct, but I am 'a guy' who criticised you after repeatedly telling you were incorrect about your assumption. 

Edited by JamesHatch
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1 minute ago, JamesHatch said:

Do you not think this is something that they've been told endless times? Another assumption on my part, maybe.

 

I have no clue. Being told and not doing nothing about it speaks a lot about what kinda company are they. If that is the case: it is bnthig surprisingly new, coming from China.

 

Do you want to hear my honest opinion? Don't tell anybody! I think the guy that decided on B&W instructions for colored schemes is an IDIOT. 

The one who designed the PE set is AMATEUR. My very first PE set design was better than this. 

 

2 minutes ago, JamesHatch said:

I did, via your website before the Facebook post exploded. 

 

I haven't received such an email.

I am 100% honest. I never, ever leave emails without reply.

No idea what it said.

But again, why not in PM in fb? 

And again, did I have to ask about the involvement? No. If someone feels the need to explain themselves, I am open for a discussion. - please do not take this offensively just as my thoughts.

 

Again, no email, I would've answered you. Besides I deeply appreciate comments on my reviews. I found quite a few friends that way. All around the world. Good reason to travel :)

 

Here's an idea!

Give me your address. /PM or email of course/ I will send you a free sample of our Lancaster masks. You can review them and trash talk them as much as you feel the need to. 

They might be very bad in the eyes of the modelers. I would love to know. 

The flaw that you might find, we will try to eliminate. I can guarantee you that.

 

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4 minutes ago, Eagle Driver said:

 

I have no clue. Being told and not doing nothing about it speaks a lot about what kinda company are they. If that is the case: it is bnthig surprisingly new, coming from China.

 

Do you want to hear my honest opinion? Don't tell anybody! I think the guy that decided on B&W instructions for colored schemes is an IDIOT. 

The one who designed the PE set is AMATEUR. My very first PE set design was better than this. 

 

 

I haven't received such an email.

I am 100% honest. I never, ever leave emails without reply.

No idea what it said.

But again, why not in PM in fb? 

And again, did I have to ask about the involvement? No. If someone feels the need to explain themselves, I am open for a discussion. - please do not take this offensively just as my thoughts.

 

Again, no email, I would've answered you. Besides I deeply appreciate comments on my reviews. I found quite a few friends that way. All around the world. Good reason to travel :)

 

Here's an idea!

Give me your address. /PM or email of course/ I will send you a free sample of our Lancaster masks. You can review them and trash talk them as much as you feel the need to. 

They might be very bad in the eyes of the modelers. I would love to know. 

The flaw that you might find, we will try to eliminate. I can guarantee you that.

 

 

There is a form on your site for feedback. That is what I filled in before the FB post. I presume your software will send out an automatically generated email to you of any contact?

 

HK is a very small company, and decisions about anything are up to Neil. He is the final arbiter of what is acceptable standard for HKM products. 
The kit has many flaws, non very critical, such as lack of chutes, dinghy panels on both wings, stabiliser confusion meaning two lower faces are shown as a matching pair, missing cockpit details, postwar/tropical intake filters, maintenance strut on undercarriage etc. In all cases, the first time we were aware of these was when (i) the kit had already been tooled, and (ii) customer feedback through both the HK Fans FB page and Lancaster Assembly Line FB page. Several of these are schoolboy errors

 

I'll PM you now.

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19 minutes ago, JamesHatch said:

 

Did you email them after your review to tell them of your preference?

Sorry, missed that, but I feel obligated to answer, that is why the repetitive post.

 

No, never wrote them because I don't care.
Lancaster to me looks like a log with wings. It is ugly and inefficient. I can think of only three British planes that deserve attention: Spit, Harrier and Lightning. /UK guys don't kill my voodoo doll please!/

However, there is another reason.

I will go WnW way. I trust that they will do better. Besides I am keen onto start working with them for a while. 

Their Lanc will set new standards, this I can guarantee.

HK kit will do nothing of that kind.

 

Still a good kit. Still deserves attention.

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2 minutes ago, JamesHatch said:

 

There is a form on your site for feedback. That is what I filled in before the FB post. I presume your software will send out an automatically generated email to you of any contact?

 

Beats me. Contact form works fine. I don't know about blog posts. That should be limited by default.

3 minutes ago, JamesHatch said:

 

HK is a very small company, and decisions about anything are up to Neil. He is the final arbiter of what is acceptable standard for HKM products. 

 

To my knowledge, a kit moulding hardware starts at 150 000$. To that you can add workforce and rent or ownership of workspace.

For me a scale model producer cannot be small. Unless of course, compared with others.

Maybe I am thinking small. 

 

No idea who Neil is. Sorry. B&W colored schemes are not acceptable at least not in my book. Not in 2019.

6 minutes ago, JamesHatch said:

 

The kit has many flaws

 

I don't think so. I think they are few. 

But that's me and I am by no means Lanc professor. Far from it.

The things I found to be weak - already are written in my review.

 

I like it! Some gal wrote about bad landing gear. I have no idea.

It is a good kit.

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ED,

Thanks for you to take the time to write your observations on the Lanc. As a member of the LSM team who participated with HK Models it is good to read that in general the model is well liked and no model is perfect. And as Jim said we supplied data on the exterior of the Lanc. The initial idea HKM was to upscale the Tamiya Lanc. Although still an impressive model it has many flaws. We wanted to make sure the exterior would be as good as possible. The interior details we had nothing to do with.

 

The only thing I didn't like in your review is the constant comparisons to WNW, ZM, Tamiya, HB Liberator etc. IMHO that is useless.

But that's my opinion.

Cheers

Cees

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Very interesting review, thank you for posting. Some good observations from someone who actually has the kit in his hands.

 

My only comment is that you are making an assumption that WNW will be better (reasonable IMHO), but I am not sure it is strictly fair to compare an existing kit to something that is far from being on the market yet. Not a big deal and you can write what you like, I am just saying it didn't sit well with me, that's all.

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24 minutes ago, Cees Broere said:

ED,

Thanks for you to take the time to write your observations on the Lanc. As a member of the LSM team who participated with HK Models it is good to read that in general the model is well liked and no model is perfect. And as Jim said we supplied data on the exterior of the Lanc. The initial idea HKM was to upscale the Tamiya Lanc. Although still an impressive model it has many flaws. We wanted to make sure the exterior would be as good as possible. The interior details we had nothing to do with.

 

The only thing I didn't like in your review is the constant comparisons to WNW, ZM, Tamiya, HB Liberator etc. IMHO that is useless.

But that's my opinion.

Cheers

Cees

Thanx!

I don't know what ED abbreviation stands for though.

Anyhow. We are in touch with Jim on private already. Working on to see how to make the article better.

In the meantime my wife came up with an idea:

Why don't someone from your team /they will listen to you, not the customer probably/ advise HK Models to at least upload better instructions for the color scheme online? 
Download, print, done deal!

I told her I like it.

 

As for comparisons, I trust that this is the only way to know. That is why there is bodybuilding competitions, VW Golf class shoot-outs, Reno Air Races.
One to another, things always seems more clear.

 

8 minutes ago, DonH said:

Very interesting review, thank you for posting. Some good observations from someone who actually has the kit in his hands.

 

My only comment is that you are making an assumption that WNW will be better (reasonable IMHO), but I am not sure it is strictly fair to compare an existing kit to something that is far from being on the market yet. Not a big deal and you can write what you like, I am just saying it didn't sit well with me, that's all.

Thank you!
I am sure WnW will rock. Stressed skin will be the first in its kind. No doubt about their instructions, packing etc. too.
Now, the kit was shown at Telford so it exists, it is not out for sale yet. That is why I did it.

Besides, in my personal opinion /no offense to anybody please/ - a reasonable man, a smart man, /or a lady for that matter/, an experienced modeler -

WILL PREFER TO WAIT TO SEE BOTH KITS BEFORE MAKE THE COMMITMENT!

In that scale for that kinda money.

It is only months away. Not that biga deal. 

Or, as suggested, get both. As I will do with Su-34. I know HB has flaws, Kitty Hawk has them too no doubt about it.

So to live happily ever after, get them both.

Edited by Eagle Driver
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3 minutes ago, Eagle Driver said:

Thanx!

I don't know what ED abbreviation stands for though.

 

Eagle Driver

 

As to the kit, if the Lanc fits ANYTHING like their Do-335, then building the Lanc regardless of any flaws it may have accuracy wise (which every kit has) is going to be a very enjoyable experience.

I think every kit is going to have some kind of issue accuracy-wise, so if those are only minor, or fixable, then it comes down to fit and buildability. 

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2 hours ago, Eagle Driver said:

There is aftermarket substitute for those decals, although there is hardly anything that can beat Cartograf’s quality. However, some sizes are improved on the aftermarket version.


What do you exactly mean saying this?

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