Thoughts about Possible Future Kotare Releases - NOT a wishlist

[Pup7309]

25 minutes ago, CRAZY IVAN5 said:

Strickly from a business point of view , The P-40 and Hurricane MkI would be the ones that I would put my rope around if I were running things [ neither of which are MY personal favs]

Yes I’d put them as ‘mainstream’ along with P51B even though they are 2nd tier popular compared to 109 they really only have competition from ZM (announced p51b) Revell (Hurricane- not bad kit but with Kotare treatment would still sell) and Hasegawa (P40- not that available)

Edited January 24 by Pup7309

[Archimedes]

6 hours ago, MikeC said:

No problems Paul, I'm just a little bit paranoid about about the thread wandering off, as I'm genuinely interested to know what other people think is likely to be a candidate for production at some stage.  As an aside, it's made me realise what a tough job the mods have.

 

The ironic thing is that I'd probably have one of these, as there is one (it's called a Travel Air something, but it looks the same, complete with a side-by-side front cockpit) based at Shuttleworth where I volunteer.

All good Mike. My more serious answer to your question is no different to the one I have proposed in the other threads on Kotare that eventually got shut down: They will follow the business model suggested by owner Mark Robson: 4-5 ‘bankers’ for every one left-field kit. What might that look like?

1.Spitfire

2. 109

3. P51 B/C and maybe a D

4. Fw190

5. Hurricane

 

The ‘banker’ list writes itself whatever anyone may wish for  because Kotare, like every other model company, needs to make money. The ‘left-field’ choice is a Hurricane because, even though I am British (and probably therefore biased) I still recognise that it probably does not sell as well as the aircraft in places 1-4.  Black crosses sell and a decent P51 B/C is a gap unfilled by anyone.

 

Kind regards,

Paul

[MikeC]

I'd only challenge that list to the extent that I think the P-40 should perhaps be on it, mainly because of the age and the known issues (fit of the various modular sections to cover the versions) of the Hasegawa kits, the use by the RNZAF, and the many other potential colour schemes like O/D, bare metal, RAF desert camo, etc.  I wondered about the Fw 190, mainly as I'm not so familiar with what's already out there. I've heard and read only good things about the newer Revell kits like the F-8; I know Hasegawa have done a whole series, but I'm not familiar with the kits and any issues they may or may not have. 

 

This is all very interesting, thanks everyone.

 

 

 

[thierry laurent]

The 190A is covered by various good kits. I do not think this would be a very good idea. A D9 would be a better choice but there are other options for which we do not even have a simple but globally correct Hasegawa kit.

[CRAZY IVAN5]

1 minute ago, thierry laurent said:

The 190A is covered by various good kits. I do not think this would be a very good idea. A D9 would be a better choice but there are other options for which we do not even have a simple but globally correct Hasegawa kit.

Didn't Z-M hint at doing a 190D? Kotare could still do one regardless even if Z-M does one. it wouldn't be apples to oranges , more like oranges to tangerines.

[thierry laurent]

38 minutes ago, CRAZY IVAN5 said:

Didn't Z-M hint at doing a 190D? Kotare could still do one regardless even if Z-M does one. it wouldn't be apples to oranges , more like oranges to tangerines.

Five 1/32 190A kit families were already released. One is totally outdated (Hasegawa gen1 rebranded by Revell), one is ok but is OOP and asks for elbow grease (PCM), another one - the Hasegawa gen2 - is globally correct, easy to build, somewhat simplified and available here and there, still another  one - the Revell gen2 - that is more detailed, not very expensive and generally available and finally you have the new series from ZM. So, that specific market is rather crowded with two quite recent detailed and accurate kits launched by competitors. The question here is: if most people already have one, two or three varieties or oranges and mandarines, are they still going to buy expensive tangerines...? The D9 market is different. We have three outdated kits from Revell, Hasegawa gen1 and gen2 (the hybrid kit) with just one acceptable and not very detailed one (Hasegawa gen3 recently re-released by Hobby2000). This looks more promising to me as there is no release agenda from ZM.

[Pup7309]

50 minutes ago, thierry laurent said:

Five 1/32 190A kit families were already released. One is totally outdated (Hasegawa gen1 rebranded by Revell), one is ok but is OOP and asks for elbow grease (PCM), another one - the Hasegawa gen2 - is globally correct, easy to build, somewhat simplified and available here and there, still another  one - the Revell gen2 - that is more detailed, not very expensive and generally available and finally you have the new series from ZM. So, that specific market is rather crowded with two quite recent detailed and accurate kits launched by competitors. The question here is: if most people already have one, two or three varieties or oranges and mandarines, are they still going to buy expensive tangerines...? The D9 market is different. We have three outdated kits from Revell, Hasegawa gen1 and gen2 (the hybrid kit) with just one acceptable and not very detailed one (Hasegawa gen3 recently re-released by Hobby2000). This looks more promising to me as there is no release agenda from ZM.

Well they’ve shown a fancy for late war lufty so a D could beckon though latest Hase/ Hobby 2000 is fairly decent

[Archimedes]

4 hours ago, MikeC said:

I'd only challenge that list to the extent that I think the P-40 should perhaps be on it, mainly because of the age and the known issues (fit of the various modular sections to cover the versions) of the Hasegawa kits, the use by the RNZAF, and the many other potential colour schemes like O/D, bare metal, RAF desert camo, etc.  I wondered about the Fw 190, mainly as I'm not so familiar with what's already out there. I've heard and read only good things about the newer Revell kits like the F-8; I know Hasegawa have done a whole series, but I'm not familiar with the kits and any issues they may or may not have. 

 

This is all very interesting, thanks everyone.

 

 

 

P40 in place of the Fw190? Definitely maybe. I went to the trouble of creating a Kotare P-40 mockup in another thread a few weeks ago because, like you, I feel it is a contender if Kotare stay with WWII fighters. Although the Hasegawa offering is good and (I believe) accurate in outline, they tried to get as many versions as possible from E to N from a single set of molds. This means an awkward join on the fuselage. Kotare’s Spitfire shows that they are approaching the thorny problems of optimizing molds in a a clever way which they could also employ with the P-40. But others may have a better sense of whether the P-40 would sell well. 

 

Kind regards,

Paul

 

Edited January 25 by Archimedes

[Shoggz]

2 hours ago, thierry laurent said:

Five 1/32 190A kit families were already released. One is totally outdated (Hasegawa gen1 rebranded by Revell), one is ok but is OOP and asks for elbow grease (PCM), another one - the Hasegawa gen2 - is globally correct, easy to build, somewhat simplified and available here and there, still another  one - the Revell gen2 - that is more detailed, not very expensive and generally available and finally you have the new series from ZM. So, that specific market is rather crowded with two quite recent detailed and accurate kits launched by competitors. The question here is: if most people already have one, two or three varieties or oranges and mandarines, are they still going to buy expensive tangerines...? The D9 market is different. We have three outdated kits from Revell, Hasegawa gen1 and gen2 (the hybrid kit) with just one acceptable and not very detailed one (Hasegawa gen3 recently re-released by Hobby2000). This looks more promising to me as there is no release agenda from ZM.

 

Great analysis and summary Thierry.

[thierry laurent]

19 minutes ago, Archimedes said:

P40 in place of the Fw190? Definitely maybe. I went to the trouble of creating a Kotare P-40 mockup in another thread a few weeks ago because, like you, I feel it is a contender if Kotare stay with WWII fighters. Although the Hasegawa offering is good and (I believe) accurate in outline, they tried to get as many versions as possible from E to N from a single set of molds. This means an awkward join on the fuselage. Kotare’s Spitfire shows that they are approaching the thorny problems of optimizing molds in a a clever way which they could also employ with the P-40. But others may have a better sense of whether the P-40 would sell well. 

 

Kind regards,

Paul

 

The problem with the Hasegawa P-40 is the bad design of inserts and tail panel lines. It is impossible to get a clean result without a ton of work ...

[Borsos]

I‘m just wondering, regarding the title of this topic, in what way this is NOT a wishlist … 

[GeeBee]

Well, if "black crosses" are top sellers, and a correct P-51B is still missing in 1/32, maybe they can release one including the markings of the Mustang flown by the Zircus Rosarius !

https://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2014/11/p-51-mustang-t9-hk-wanderzirkus.html

https://www.venturapublications.com/news/publish/printer_Ventura-decal-v4895-captured-luftwaffe.shtml

[MikeC]

1 minute ago, Borsos said:

I‘m just wondering, regarding the title of this topic, in what way this is NOT a wishlist … 

Apologies, I thought I'd been reasonably clear in the OP. I'm asking what people think is a possible future release, based on perceived saleability, gaps in the market, etc. Not just put a few types that are unlikely to ever be released by anyone, let alone a new manufacturer trying to get established, based on their own preferences.  Sorry if that's still not clear.

 

[MikeC]

6 minutes ago, GeeBee said:

Well, if "black crosses" are top sellers, and a correct P-51B is still missing in 1/32, maybe they can release one including the markings of the Mustang flown by the Zircus Rosarius !

https://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2014/11/p-51-mustang-t9-hk-wanderzirkus.html

https://www.venturapublications.com/news/publish/printer_Ventura-decal-v4895-captured-luftwaffe.shtml

Given that WNW (iirc) included at least one captured subject (can't recall which atm, may be misremembering) that may even be a possibility.

[Pup7309]

45 minutes ago, MikeC said:

Given that WNW (iirc) included at least one captured subject (can't recall which atm, may be misremembering) that may even be a possibility.

The original Sopwith Snipe had a captured version with crosses.

 

The HP 0/100/400 was going to have one as well