Kitty Hawk models is going out of business

[jenshb]

Dropped by Hannants  in Colindale today and picked up the Mirage 2000C that was sitting on the shelf.  Thinking about making one with a full load of MICA's - would anyone have a couple to spare?  The kit only gives you two.  Can swap for other missiles/stores in the kit.

 

BTW, is it just the 2000-5 and -9 variants that can carry the  MICA missiles on the fuselage pylons? 

Edited June 7, 2021 by jenshb

[chuck540z3]

This is very sad, just like the WNW demise that was equally sudden.  I've build 2 of the Kitty Hawk kits (T-6/Harvard and F-5E) and although they were a real challenge that I often complained about in my build threads, they were the only game in town for these aircraft in 1/32 scale (excluding the Hasegawa F-5E which is truly bad).  Having said that, there was enough goodness in both kits that they turned out pretty good and Pig Fleischmann couldn't have made his HH-60G masterpiece without the KH kit to start with.  As mentioned by Kevin and a few others, I hope the moulds are somehow transferred to somebody else and the kits are re-released.  Meanwhile thanks to 3D printing, there are a lot of aftermarket suppliers hoping for the very same thing!

 

Cheers,

Chuck

[ade rowlands]

14 hours ago, Phartycr0c said:

Having prevaricated for some time over the KH mirage , do I? dont I ? i did. 

 

call me shallow but this has forced my hand.

 

do fully intend to build it but i needed to grab one while they are still available without the rarity tax..... 

 

I built the Kingfisher, Am building the Bronco have the Trojan and am now awaiting the Mirage. 

 

Although KH kits do have their issues, for me its possibly about lamenting the fact that we have a little less choice of subjects now. 

 

Done the same thing myself with the Mirage 2000D, was dithering on replacing the one I had and sold a while back. Thought best get one now before sitting on the fence caused a few splinters in the rear from sitting on the fence too long.

 

I caved just less than an hour later and got a single seat Mirage 2000C too. My justification being that I can rob the Stormshadow ( I forget the French Designation) missiles for my Italeri Tornado. Granted I could have done the same with the ones from the 2000D I’d already ordered but the Mirage is just such a good looking airframe. Also, I’m pretty weak willed at this point in my 6 days on 6 days off work rotation, it being day 6 of being in work, 12 hour shifts to boot. 

Edited June 7, 2021 by ade rowlands

[Derek B]

12 hours ago, LSP_K2 said:

 

Finding the kit right now is no real problem, but affording it most certainly is. Thanks for the input though, I do appreciate that.

 

Hi Kev,

 

This is also the reason I have not bought one, which is unfortunate, as it is probably the one kit (KH Mirage 2000) I would love to have more than any in this scale!

 

Derek

[Chek]

Oh gawd, I just ordered the KH Mirage 2000D/N from China for £80+ all in. which I don't really need or want right now but may well do at some future date.

But then there's the Reskit nozzle, metal legs and a cockpit etch to consider before they too disappear.

Where does it end (apart from penury)?

[blackbetty]

just ordered a bronco, a mirage and an F-5, sigh....

[Phartycr0c]

at least we know where the remaining stock is going! LSP'ERs!

[Tony T]

16 hours ago, LSP_K2 said:

 

Finding the kit right now is no real problem, but affording it most certainly is. Thanks for the input though, I do appreciate that.

 

3 hours ago, Derek B said:

 

Hi Kev,

 

This is also the reason I have not bought one, which is unfortunate, as it is probably the one kit (KH Mirage 2000) I would love to have more than any in this scale!

 

Derek

 

That makes three of us.

 

I just hope someone like the Trumpy gang acquires the jet aircraft moulds and pop them out, 1/48 Dassault Breguet stuff too.

 

Tony

[gwana]

9 hours ago, Phartycr0c said:

at least we know where the remaining stock is going! LSP'ERs!

This may be the root of the problem. We all have dreams about kits we'd like to do "some day". But there are 3 on the bench and (how many?!) in the stash. So I don't really need to buy that one kit that's sorta interesting right now. They're big, they're expensive, and I need to store them. Oh, they're going under? HOARD ALL THE KITS!!!

 

Now, some of us just collect the kits themselves as part of the hobby, but those who build more... sequentially might just wait, since they can pick one up any time. Everything is in stock on the internet until it isn't. So all the wholesalers buy a big run when the kit first pops, and if it's not a super hit, they will sit on that stock for some time. Meanwhile, the manufacturer produces nothing since the wholesalers aren't ordering. Not being able to get containers across the Pacific for the better part of a year didn't help anyone financially, either.

 

I imagine the vast majority of folks who got into, or back into the hobby during the pandemic, did not jump into >$100 large-scale kits with super detail and that require weeks or more to build. Even pre-Covid, the market for a 1/32 Lancaster was a niche within a niche.

[ade rowlands]

Not to Hi-Jack the thread but seeing as its Kitty Hawk kit relevant. What’s the consensus on Berna decals quality and performance? Never used them, or Kitty Hawk decals for that matter, which may be fine in themselves but Berna seem to be the only game in town for Mirage 2000 decals single and twin seat versions. Need to nail down a scheme for both my kits before deciding on which Quinta sets to go for. There’s also and FCM set which is another manufacturer I know nothing about. Any others I’m missing? I’ve only done a quick search on Hannants so far.

 

I’ve had a despatch notice on the 2000C I’ve ordered yesterday from my usual eBay Far East source, but nothing on the 2000D I’d ordered from the same place 24 hours before, they’ve never let me down before, with kits listed for sale actually in stock but maybe some are already getting thin on the ground. 

Edited June 8, 2021 by ade rowlands

[npb748r]

11 minutes ago, ade rowlands said:

I’ve had a despatch notice on the 2000C I’ve ordered yesterday from my usual eBay Far East source, but nothing on the 2000D I’d ordered from the same place 24 hours before, they’ve never let me down before, with kits listed for sale actually in stock but maybe some are already getting thin on the ground. 

I've never bought from the far east before until last week. I hit buy now on ebay for a kingfisher that was listed as in stock, 30 mins later I got an email explaining that the seller had contacted the kitty hawk warehouse only to be told that they were no longer making the kit (Really ?? That's why I was buying !!!).  I guess not all that's listed as in stock is actually in stock ? I suspect there are actually less kits available than is actually being shown on the interweb. If only we could have local model shops selling stuff from just around the corner from home..........now that really was the golden years of modelling !

[ade rowlands]

6 minutes ago, npb748r said:

I've never bought from the far east before until last week. I hit buy now on ebay for a kingfisher that was listed as in stock, 30 mins later I got an email explaining that the seller had contacted the kitty hawk warehouse only to be told that they were no longer making the kit (Really ?? That's why I was buying !!!).  I guess not all that's listed as in stock is actually in stock ? I suspect there are actually less kits available than is actually being shown on the interweb. If only we could have local model shops selling stuff from just around the corner from home..........now that really was the golden years of modelling !

 

I use Dawngrocerystore and I’ve not been let down on any of the many orders I’ve made with them. Also never had them stopped by Customs and extra charges levied. Granted this is actually my first post Brexit order so we shall see on that front if Customs are now a bit more alert to overseas stuff. I’ve used Enchanted89 once or twice but found them to be not quite as good as Dawngrocerystore and a touch slower at getting stuff out the door and also not stating that stuff they list isn’t necessarily with them and is a pre order the prices are writhin a £1 or 2 of each other anyway so even though Dawngrocerystore is that touch more pricey I’ll pay that £2 premium for sticking with the one I’ve had a better service from.

[VMA131Marine]

On 6/6/2021 at 11:47 AM, Tony T said:

Kitty Hawk produced quite a few Dassault Breguet jets in 1/48, so you're saying that's what busted their finances?  Or is it just contempt for fine aircraft?

There’s no contempt for the aircraft ... as an aircraft ... implied by me. Now as a 1/32 model subject, an Etendard seems like a way to turn a large fortune into a small one.

Edited June 9, 2021 by VMA131Marine

[ade rowlands]

Well after a bit of a prod to Dawngrocerystore my Mirage2000D is on the way along with the 2000C. Still not decided on schemes as yet. I may hold off and see what the Kittyhawk ones look like in regards quality. 

[Stokey Pete]

On 6/8/2021 at 8:38 AM, ade rowlands said:

Not to Hi-Jack the thread but seeing as its Kitty Hawk kit relevant. What’s the consensus on Berna decals quality and performance? Never used them, or Kitty Hawk decals for that matter, which may be fine in themselves but Berna seem to be the only game in town for Mirage 2000 decals single and twin seat versions. Need to nail down a scheme for both my kits before deciding on which Quinta sets to go for. There’s also and FCM set which is another manufacturer I know nothing about. Any others I’m missing? I’ve only done a quick search on Hannants so far.

 

I’ve had a despatch notice on the 2000C I’ve ordered yesterday from my usual eBay Far East source, but nothing on the 2000D I’d ordered from the same place 24 hours before, they’ve never let me down before, with kits listed for sale actually in stock but maybe some are already getting thin on the ground. 

My humble opinion would be to avoid using the kit decals at all cost. They’re atrocious, so thick that they almost feel like vinyl film rather than decals. I tried a couple out on a test mule before shelling out on some Berna Decal later.