Kitty Hawk models is going out of business

[Rick Griewski]

Check Kitlinx they had stock a few hours ago

[Nanook]

On 6/3/2021 at 11:56 AM, KAGNEW said:

we are selling what kits we have left in stock, no new molds.

Wow that’s a real shame! Super sorry to hear it. Do you know if there are any spare sprues around? I’ve got a kit I bought that’s missing one sprue. 

[Dave Roof]

4 hours ago, quang said:

I don’t know about you all but I’ve always felt uneasy to see a commercial company ask for help from its customers in order to develop and manufacture a product and sell it back to the very same guys who helped them.
I find such method unethical and at the least un-professional.

Or else is it a smart commercial way to make the customer feel involved and think he had his say in the development of the final product while on the other hand the manufacturer keeps a whole different agenda?

 

In both case, we are just pawns in their game. And as such, the most we can do is to look at what’s laid on table and let our wallet do the thinking. 

 

Not necessarily. Several of us don't ask for anything in return. In fact, if you're not an "employee" or working as a paid consultant and offer to help on your own, you shouldn't expect anything in return. Back in 2002 when Academy released their F/A-18, I pointed out several problems with the test shots. They contacted me and asked if I would send them details on what needed to be corrected. I did and they corrected them. A few months later, a check for $200 and a case of Hornets were delivered to my house. It was a pleasant surprise.

 

Over the course of the next few years, I helped with the F/A-18D, F-16C, CH-46E and CH-53E. Got my name in the instructions and was satisfied with that. There are currently three other kit manufacturers I'm 'working' with on potential new kits and want nothing more than to help them make the best model of 'XXXXXXX' available. Don't expect to get paid, have my name mentioned or get free kits. 

 

I'm not alone here either. We don't offer to help to get stuff. We offer to help because we enjoy helping and have been blessed to be in a position to do so. There is no tangible substitute for the satisfaction of knowing you were part of a project that helps other modelers enjoy this hobby. 

[Hawkwrench]

1 hour ago, Dave Roof said:

 

Not necessarily. Several of us don't ask for anything in return. In fact, if you're not an "employee" or working as a paid consultant and offer to help on your own, you shouldn't expect anything in return. Back in 2002 when Academy released their F/A-18, I pointed out several problems with the test shots. They contacted me and asked if I would send them details on what needed to be corrected. I did and they corrected them. A few months later, a check for $200 and a case of Hornets were delivered to my house. It was a pleasant surprise.

 

Over the course of the next few years, I helped with the F/A-18D, F-16C, CH-46E and CH-53E. Got my name in the instructions and was satisfied with that. There are currently three other kit manufacturers I'm 'working' with on potential new kits and want nothing more than to help them make the best model of 'XXXXXXX' available. Don't expect to get paid, have my name mentioned or get free kits. 

 

I'm not alone here either. We don't offer to help to get stuff. We offer to help because we enjoy helping and have been blessed to be in a position to do so. There is no tangible substitute for the satisfaction of knowing you were part of a project that helps other modelers enjoy this hobby. 

We offered our help through Floyd because at the time, the only 1/35 H-60 model out there was from Academy and quite frankly, it was atrocious. 

We knew that with the input from former H-60 pilots and crew chiefs, that the model would be light years better in accuracy. 

As for the free models, that was our reward for helping in its design. A "thank you" from KH as you will.

I will never understand how this all came out all of a sudden. There had to be a large outside influence or circumstance that may or may not have been COVID related to cause this decision to be made.

I think none of us saw this coming!

I was so looking forward to a new tooled MH-60M special ops hawk!

According to the schedule, I think that was next in line right after the roll out of the MH-60S.

 

Tim

Edited June 6, 2021 by Hawkwrench

[John1]

1 hour ago, Hawkwrench said:

We offered our help through Floyd because at the time, the only 1/35 H-60 model out there was from Academy and quite frankly, it was atrocious. 

We knew that with the input from former H-60 pilots and crew chiefs, that the model would be light years better in accuracy. 

As for the free models, that was our reward for helping in its design. A "thank you" from KH as you will.

I will never understand how this all came out all of a sudden. There had to be a large outside influence or circumstance that may or may not have been COVID related to cause this decision to be made.

I think none of us saw this coming!

I was so looking forward to a new tooled MH-60M special ops hawk!

According to the schedule, I think that was next in line right after the roll out of the MH-60S.

 

Tim

I'm guessing there is a good chance we'll see some of the KH kits re-released under a new brand.   Depending on how far along they were with cutting the molds for the MH-60M, hopefully that also see the light of day.   If not, I guess it is what it is.   I've got my Hawk enroute from Sprue Brothers so at least I'll still be able to build my Lima.  

[chrish]

12 hours ago, Dave Roof said:

 

I agree that many of the 'accuracy' minded modelers that frequent the forums are probably less than 1% of the modeling community as a whole. A quick search of the various modelers on YouTube and Facebook prove that. However, I am referring to the instances when a company puts CAD work out there and/or solicits help from the community, then ignores the input given. I'll bring up Kittyhawk again. On more than one occasion, the very team they put together to provide SME input was subsequently ignored. How do you ask for help, ignore the help given, then be upset when the final product is criticized? 

 

Once again I'll refer to Kinetic doing things right. On their first couple releases of the F/A-18, the vertical tails were too flat on top. It was pointed out and they corrected them. The first few releases also had a couple small missing parts and the windscreen didn't fit properly. They listened and added the missing parts, as well as retooled the windscreen. Again, each kit they've released has been better than the previous kit because they listen to their customers and those of us that provide input on the subjects we know. It's about getting the basics right, not 100% accuracy down to the correct number of rivets on a bulkhead inside the wheel well. 

I’ve built 3 of the F/A 18’s and…thank you!

[MikeC]

7 hours ago, D.B. Andrus said:

Tech question re. P-39 kits:

 

Does the Kitty Hawk P-39 have the same fuselage length issue as does the Special Hobby kit?

 

Quoted length of actual a/c is 30' 2".  11.3125" in 1/32. Does that jive with the Kitty Hawk kit?

 

Thanks,

Damian

 

6 hours ago, LSP_Kevin said:

 

As far as I'm aware, they have roughly the same fuselage length. Personally, I'm not convinced there's an issue, but my eye for shapes is pretty poor, and my opinion is probably not to be relied upon!

 

Kev

 

Some say there is an issue, like Kevin I'm not convinced.  When built, it captures the look and "sit" of the Airacobra, which to me is far more important than sub-millimetre accuracy.  (But that's a whole other thread, so perhaps best not explore it here and go o/t.)

 

As for mismatches between parts and instructions, that is something I have also come across with other manufacturers, and it seems to be getting more prevalent - again why that should be so is another thread entirely, but is serves to illustrate that it was not a fault unique to KH.

 

 

[thierry laurent]

If this is indeed the final end of the story the people who decided to remove the plug will try to get a maximum of money back and this implies quickly selling the molds to someone else. I'm surprised the range was seemingly not financially viable as they released many 1/48th kits that looked quite popular. Panda also had its share of interesting models. One thing that possibly penalized them was the marketing. Some model companies play well with the events, social media, special editions of kits, limited releases and so on. Just look at Eduard or ZM. In comparaison, KH was rather discrete.

 

[quang]

3 hours ago, MikeC said:

Some say there is an issue, like Kevin I'm not convinced.  When built, it captures the look and "sit" of the Airacobra, which to me is far more important than sub-millimetre accuracy.  (But that's a whole other thread, so perhaps best not explore it here and go o/t.)

Uh-oh it’s more like a 5mm extension. You can check it HERE. It was my first WIP on LSP.
 

[quang]

59 minutes ago, thierry laurent said:

Just look at Eduard or ZM. In comparaison, KH was rather discrete.

KH definitely didn’t get the hype that mobs love to swallow.

[Neo]

19 hours ago, John1 said:

I bought the same kit to convert into a UH-60L.   I have no use for the cannon.   If it's in mine and you get shorted, I'll gladly send it your way.

That canon is sooo cool

[Neo]

One thing that im finding odd is the speed of the take down. 

Website facebook page some stores like lm removing almost all listing. 

I mean sincerehobby went out of buiseness taking my money with them and their fb and site were still up for a year! 

 

Wonder if they got a cease and desist or something legal with an aircraft company for not licencing maybe? 

[John1]

23 minutes ago, Neo said:

One thing that im finding odd is the speed of the take down. 

Website facebook page some stores like lm removing almost all listing. 

I mean sincerehobby went out of buiseness taking my money with them and their fb and site were still up for a year! 

 

Wonder if they got a cease and desist or something legal with an aircraft company for not licencing maybe? 

Or possibly bought out by a competitor?

[Derek B]

Irrespective of their kit features or quality issues, KH have produced some gutsy releases which others have dared not release or have refrained from, so the modelling world is much richer for that fact alone. There may well be much bigger issues which KH have to handle that we are not privy to (nor need to be), so it is sad to see the demise KH - I wish them well.

 

Derek

[LSP_Mike]

Excellent point Derek.