Next Kotaré kit after Spitfire ??? ...

[Tony T]

If it had Kiwi use and hasn't recently been expertly kitted (P-40) then more Spitfires and Seafires would be a success story. 

If they want to burn money give me an Airspeed Oxford. 

 

T

 

[LSP_K2]

25 minutes ago, mozart said:

You’re surely not suggesting the Hornet is “ungainly”……British or not! 

 

To me, yes it is. I'm sure some like it, it's just not my thing.

[jbrennan]

1 hour ago, cbk57 said:

Really I think there are lots of openings British and otherwise.  While you can say any given major subject has been done, a great number of them would benefit from something better.  I think it most important right now Kotare make money and not take too many risks.  Too many esoteric kits did in WNW in the end.  I feel also they failed to commit to unlimited runs of popular kits though also.  

 

Technology and research have advanced a lot so to my eye the possibilities are huge for subjects that would sell well in lots of markets.  It is easier to suggest what they not do, than what they should do.  Just take WWII single engine fighters, I think you can eliminate the P-40B(hawk 81), P-51D, Spitfire IX, VIII, BF-109E series(Dragon), A6M2 and 5 zero(tamiya, Hasegawa), Henshell Hs-129, Me 262, Dauntless.  Basically if a major manufacturer has done the kit in the last 10 years maybe Kotare should not do that subject.  However beyond that almost anything out there could stand improvement.  I know Fly did the Hurricane, but I have looked at their rendition and this would be a perfect subject for Kotare.  Wish lists go on and on so i think it almost easier to say we have an a subject well covered or not.  Hasegawa made a great effort of some Japanese subjects in recent years so those can all be eliminated also.   

 

My thoughts only come from a desire to see Kotare prosper, not from a disrespect for the Hornet and those that love unusual subjects.  

Nice to read your points cdk57. At the end of the day its up to them, there the manufacturer and maybe they have learned, after all thieve gone back and started again do we know better !? I'm sure I don't. 

thanks

jon

[jbrennan]

4 hours ago, Gary Needham said:

 

Agree 100%. I am a member of several clubs and prior to C19, attended also lots of model shows both domestic and abroad and I have never once heard anyone say - "What we need is a 1/32 Sea Hornet". Likewise and prior to this announcement, any calls for it in magazines or online either. It is such a niche subject that even if it goes together like Lego, how many people will be paying £100 /$135+ for a subject like this just to go in the stash, for many, as a curio kit..? Also, all those saying "great" and a 'must buy" today, how many say 12-24 months hence when it is all tooled up and on the market will then actually pull the trigger and buy one when it is time to press 'Pay' on PP or reach for the credit card?

 

I also think this site which has many experienced and highly skilled modellers and some of whom are into esoteric subjects even I have never heard of despite being in the hobby 50 years or so, are not representative of the wider hobby and buying market for kits. 

 

I know as well that many if not most modellers (myself included) are recently being much more circumspect in what we buy as both the disposable income diminishes along with the time which remains to build them all or even, a mere fraction of the stash in the case of many; myself included. As such, I think manufacturers will also be acutely aware of this too and whilst any new 'safe' releases may attract rolls of eyes and a chorus of 'boring!' in some quarters, not many companies will be taking big financial risks with subjects as the world moves towards global recession.

 

Given this, the goals are wide open for Kotare or another quality manufacturer to do a (correct) 1/32 P-51B/C or an equally good 'banker' of a Spit Vb or, a Korea War era F-86 Sabre for the jet boys if we are playing the 'commercial success' game. The last suggestion would certainly make my day!

 

Gary

Bet you never heard anybody say they wanted another 109 or F-15 either, people don't usually speak out about what they don't expect to get that's human nature.

[jbrennan]

1 hour ago, Panzerwomble said:

 

Amen to that brother ...what it actually needs is another 1/35 German tank .....Tiger I ....... presumably with a link to the Whack-of Tanks franchise .

 

Personally I hold out hope for the Blackburn beauty that is the Dart .....that begot of a wildebeest, some drainpipes and a tree. 

 

 

 

Actually I like the above - think one in 1/18 scale would go down a storm 

[vince14]

Wow, three pages already for what is essentially a 'I know a bloke down the pub who knows the Queen' story. Kotare are truly the heirs to WNW.

[ringleheim]

4 hours ago, LSP_K2 said:

 

To me, yes it is. I'm sure some like it, it's just not my thing.

It does nothing for me either, just like the Mosquito...a kit that sold so poorly it scared Tamiya away from 1/32 aircraft forever....apparently.

 

 

[adameliclem]

1 hour ago, vince14 said:

Wow, three pages already for what is essentially a 'I know a bloke down the pub who knows the Queen' story. Kotare are truly the heirs to WNW.

There are more blokes down the pub who actually do know the Queen than blokes who actually know what Kotare’s plans are.

[Dave J]

16 hours ago, MikeMaben said:

From another Forum :

Tuesdays IPMS meeting in Aukland :

 

"One of our members (Who shall remain unnamed, who is closely involved with Kotare Models, but was not Richard!) was at Tuesday's meeting and during the general discussion let it be known that, should their upcoming Spitfire Ia kit be a success, one of their next projects is proposed to be a 1/32 De Havilland Hornet or Sea Hornet (At the moment undecided which or both! This is the first public announcement regarding future projects I know of."

 

Hmmm ....

 

Knowing how Richard operates... I would take this as a gain of salt. Only believe it when you hear it directly from Richard or Kotare directly. Not from someone that is "closely involved"

[Artful69]

4 hours ago, ringleheim said:

It does nothing for me either, just like the Mosquito...a kit that sold so poorly it scared Tamiya away from 1/32 aircraft forever....apparently.

 

 

Unless there is a direct quote from a senior Tamiya employee to that effect - I would suggest that notion should be taken with an entire salt mine - not just a grain … the Mosquito STILL has plenty of buyers on the market, along with Zeros, Spitfires and Mustangs … whenever I’ve gone to buy one on sale (along with other Tamiya kits), they’ve been sold out within a very short timeframe - less than 24hrs. 
 

No … I’d suggest that Tamiya pulled back on ‘32 about the same time a LOT of manufacturers reduced investment in the scale … Circa 2015/16 when the artificial world economic boom came to a close.

 

Rog

[MikeMaben]

Q - Will you make a model of (my favourite subject)?

A - Kotare have a long list of models that we want to make. Model subjects are chosen for a variety of reasons but, most importantly, we will not consider attempting a subject until we are sure we have enough reference material available to do it justice.

 

 

More than sufficient coolness factor for this Yankee. 

[fastterry]

Living where I do I have a soft spot for aerial activity in the areas south of the equator including the CBI, SWPA in WW2 and the Malayan 'emergency'. I have spent numerous manhours making the Revell Beaufighter into a Mk 10 operated out of Kuala Lumper using the Lodella boxing and a DH Hornet would fit perfectly into the theme as they were used quite extensively in the Malayan campaign with bombs and rockets and in silver and camo finishes. Such a beautiful aeroplane with power to burn. Apparently winkle Brown used to loop the loop with both props feathered during demos. This colonial will be up for at least one of each ie Hornet & Sea Hornet.

TRF

[Tony T]

9 hours ago, John1 said:

All that's missing is the recently departed windbag telling us that due to his deep industry connections, Kotare will never produce a _________. 

 

I enjoyed his slightly arrogant theories, which occasionally was interspersed with an interesting observation. A pity he decided to go.

 

At this juncture I'm waiting for the new Kotare early Spitfire and couldn't care less about a hypothetical propeller Hornet. Sorry, let's see the goods in the first Kotare release. 

 

Tony

 

[Thomas Lund]

21 hours ago, Rick Griewski said:

No F no F.  No and planes. Mongo want P-51B.  Mongo want!

Oh yeah - that would be good - and should be a big time seller !!

 

The 109F was merely a suggestion to what is (slightly) missing in the market of a plane that usually sells well. If it was my company I'd establish a solid base before going into the more exotic - and uncertain - kits

Edited June 24, 2022 by Thomas Lund

[mozart]

Just after VE Day the first semi-naval Sea Hornet PX 212 arrived at the RAE, Farnborough. Eric Brown initiated "work-up to deck-landing" trials. 37 years later, he was still impressed:

"...the next two months of handling and deck landing assessment trials were to be an absolute joy; from the outset the Sea Hornet was a winner!""The view from the cockpit, positioned right forward in the nose beneath a one-piece aft-sliding canopy was truly magnificent. The Sea Hornet was easy to taxi, with powerful brakes... the takeoff using 25 lb (2,053 mm Hg, 51" Hg) boost and flaps at one-third extension was remarkable! The 2,070 hp (1,540 kW) Merlin 130/131 engines fitted to the prototypes were to be derated to 18 lb (1,691 Hg, 37" Hg) boost and 2,030 hp (1,510 kW) as Merlin 133/134s in production Sea Hornets, but takeoff performance was to remain fantastic. Climb with 18 lb boost exceeded 4,000 ft/min (1,200 m/min)"..."In level flight the Sea Hornet's stability about all axes was just satisfactory, characteristic, of course, of a good day interceptor fighter. Its stalling characteristics were innocuous, with a fair amount of elevator buffeting and aileron twitching preceding the actual stall"..."For aerobatics the Sea Hornet was absolute bliss. The excess of power was such that manoeuvres in the vertical plane can only be described as rocket-like. Even with one propeller feathered the Hornet could loop with the best single-engine fighter, and its aerodynamic cleanliness was such that I delighted in its demonstration by diving with both engines at full bore and feathering both propellers before pulling up into a loop!"

 

 

Quite remarkable for such an ungainly aircraft. 

Edited June 24, 2022 by mozart