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New Beaufighter Resin Cockpit Set from Model Monkey!!!


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1 minute ago, petrov27 said:

 

Scratching my head but it seems LSP has become pretty hostile to vendors lately - whats up with that? I guess we gotta chase 'em off quick so they don't consider doing more 1/32nd stuff?

 

 

I dont see that at all. I see a few individuals who apparently dont like the fact that items like this are being produced for an older kit............and/or are upset about the cost or for what ever reason are not into it. 

Thats fine, but judging from the reaction MMs vendor post created on the Beauf pit, Id say the exact opposite is in play. AAMOF, because of MMs vendor post, Im about to place an order right now. 

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A Beaufighter.  That is all you need to mention.  I was sold on the damn yoke.  How cool is that yoke seen through some 50 year year old injection molded thick canopy!?!?!?   I’m holding out on those possible awesome dihedral tailplanes to make my order.   We shall see.  

 

MM to the rescue and beyond!!

 

Troy 

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Thanks to the Beau enthusiasts for your very kind, supportive and encouraging comments!  And thanks to my family for supporting two months full time researching and designing the cockpit at considerable expense.

 

To those concerned about cost, I appreciate your concern and share it.  I am keenly aware of, and sensitive to, the prospect that modelers may not be able or willing to purchase a product due to its cost.  I try my best to make products attractive and affordable to most potential customers. 

 

Please be advised that 3D-printing remains an expensive medium.  It is often difficult to understand how expensive an aftermarket product may cost to develop.  So here are some figures for your consideration.  The 3D printer itself, together with alcohol cleaning bath, UV light curing booth and supporting consumables costs nearly $6000 USD (if interested, click here to learn more about the Form 2 printer, IPA bath and UV light booth).  Photosensitive gray resin costs $178 USD per liter shipped with tax.  The typical CAD designer rate where I live is $22 per hour.  The Beau cockpit required 355 hours to research and design (2 months).  At the local, typical CAD rate, that makes the Beau cockpit (two actually, a TF Mk.X cockpit will be released shortly) a $7040 design project.  That investment in printer, materials and research/design time was paid for by my family.

 

The calculation to determine a product's price is complex.  All of the factors above, and many others, were considered in arriving at a cost of $55.  In my opinion, that is the best price given what was required to produce the model.

 

Suitable projects are selected based on market research and data from many sources, including posts made by modelers here on LSP.  If there appears to be sufficient demand for a specific subject, that research helps determine a likely number of possible sales, a number that by its very nature is speculative at best.  It's a "SWAG", a scientific wild-a** guess.  My best SWAG is possibly 125 to 150 sales over a three-five year period.  To help put that into perspective, if we just consider recovering the $7040 design cost for this project (not including the printer or resin), 128 sales are required at $55 per cockpit.  Obviously, more sales will be required to pay for the expensive resin.  Products typically sell well for the first two months after release then sales quickly decline.  20 cockpits have sold.  We're off to a very good start.

 

Only the individual modeler knows if $55 is affordable.  I hope so.

 

If it would help drive sales, I could offer a free Dallachy haggis to qualifying customers.  :coolio:   

 

Thanks again for all the kind and supportive comments.

 

 

Edited by Model_Monkey
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Wish you all the best. Very appreciative of your efforts.

 

Like Tim, I live two miles from Filton where many were built, 25 miles away from Weston-Super-Mare where there was a shadow factory turning them out, and my adoptive father was a RAD/NAV on VI.f Beaufighters in 1944-45 with Nos.153 and 46 Squadrons, and 600 Sqn for a bit before they converted to Mosquito's. 

So, I'm up for a cockpit set — pilot and navigator — dihedral tailplane and nose radome, and intend to order when more is on offer.

 

I can live with the slightly naff wheel wells and engines. 

 

Tony 

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May I please just add an addendum to my post?

 

It wasn't meant to be critical of MM, although upon re-reading, it may well read like that. In that case, my apologies to MM

 

The actual product looks superb and, judging from where 3D technology costs are at the moment, $55 is entirely reasonable in relation to costs of production.

 

My frustrations are more to to with the fact that the Beau has been utterly ignored in 1/32 for almost 50 years, so that we have to spend a small fortune on AM and scratch build various bits, in order to get a decent, accurate Beaufighter. That's certainly not MM's fault, but it does mean that the market is fairly small dues to the costs & effort involved in turning the kit into a reasonable model.

 

The Beau would make a brilliant 1/32 kit. It looks like a very cool warplane, it carries plenty of ordnance, it's popular - especially with us Brits - plenty of schemes available, especially for a Brit aeroplane, and historically it's a significant WWII warplane.

 

I'd snap up a new tool Beaufighter without a seconds thought. In the meantime, thanks to MM for allowing die-hard Beaufighter fans to improve the ancient Revell kit.

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Thank you, STWilliams!  We share a frustration with Peter Llewelyn Davies (see poster below).

 

I'd buy a new-tool Beau, too.

 

I love the Spitfire for it's elegant lines and its history, the Mustang for it's long-range shepherding, versatility, its straight lines and bubble canopy.  The Beau is none of these things.  It's simply a big, blunt-nosed, barroom brawler.  And I love that, too.

 

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20 hours ago, Kagemusha said:

 

I've had a set of Vector engines for years, Quickboost exhausts too, Aviaeology decals, and not much else, but a cockpit, and hopefully a few other bits, and it changes the game.

 

I'm the same, bought the kit again recently along with the Vector engines and Quickboost exhausts in the hope the rule would be invoked and we'd see a brand new one from Tamiya or someone. Hasn't worked yet so maybe the cockpit upgrade will do the trick :frantic:
As many have said, it's a Beaufighter in 1:32, that's all you need to know. :piliot:

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