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Shizuoka hobby show - any new LSPs (aside from Wingnut)?


seiran01

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Guest Peterpools

Dave

Just a guess but maybe the total sales for the Mosquito was a bit low due to price? I bought and built the kit as soon as it came out a few years ago and no questions, the kit easily raised the bar for detail and quality.

Peter

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Dave

Just a guess but maybe the total sales for the Mosquito was a bit low due to price? I bought and built the kit as soon as it came out a few years ago and no questions, the kit easily raised the bar for detail and quality.

Peter

 

The Mosquito may well have been their highest aircraft model price ever, so who knows.

 

By the by, I really like your sig image, Peter; VF-41 is my all-time favorite Tomcat squadron (followed very closely by VF-84).

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Guest Peterpools

Thanks kev

I'm willing to bet low sales just might the reason for no new Mossie. For me, it's worth twice the price.

Right with you about VF-41 and I'll finally be doing a build update by the weekend, as the more then half the decaling will be done by then. It;s a shame, none of the 32nd scale Tomcats can hold a candle to tamiya's 48th scale gem

Peter

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Thanks kev

I'm willing to bet low sales just might the reason for no new Mossie. For me, it's worth twice the price.

Right with you about VF-41 and I'll finally be doing a build update by the weekend, as the more then half the decaling will be done by then. It;s a shame, none of the 32nd scale Tomcats can hold a candle to tamiya's 48th scale gem

Peter

 

I did it in 1:72 many, many years ago, but don't remember the kit used, Hasegawa perhaps, but who knows.

 

euQL6Y.jpg

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Anyone here familiar with Andy from Andy's Hobby Headquarters?  He has a model channel on Youtube and he owns a hobby shop in the Phoenix area.

 

He said recently he has been hearing that Tamiya is cooling on 1/32 aircraft projects and going more for 1/48 in the future, as they can develop/get to market three 1/48 projects for every single 1/32 project.

 

I have no idea how accurate this rumor is, but it sounds about right to me.

 

The 1/48 F-14D should be pretty cool, but I know a lot of folks here only build in 1/32 scale.

 

 

I almost clicked the like button on this. I decidedly do not “like†this post, however I know about Andy's Videos and he gets a lot of Tamiya new releases before anyone else so if he says it, I would find that credible as he has become very close from outside appearances to Tamiya. I also find such a statement to be believable on the general principle of what was said in the quote, but highly disappointing. I think it is a realistic assessment of where the 1/32 market is. As a result I can see how we might not see another 1/32 Tamiya for quite a while. I guess we should all be prepared because if Tamiya is not going to do anything, they are not going to tell us directly.

 

 

I'm in agreement here.  Over the last year, Tamiya seem to have gone very quiet on 1/32 scale subjects which is a great pity.  Their kits are wonderful and have really raised the bar.  It's a pity about the cost, but you get what you pay for.  There's nothing wrong with many other manufacturer's offerings, but the Tamiya kits are just a joy to build, and give your a great model OOB or as detailed as you want, should you be inclined to add more.

 

I'm also a bit surprised that Tamiya haven't offered another version of the Mossie too, but as others have said, perhaps sales were disappointing.  I've never been a big fan of the Mossie, from a modelling perspective, but I'm going to lash out and get one.  I've had a blast with my Spitfire XVI.  Yes it's expensive, but depending on how you look at it, it's mostly sticker shock.  If you build simple kits, you'd probably spend the same amount on many other kits in the same time frame it takes you to build one Tamiya Mossie.  And this approach save you shelf space/home extensions :).

 

I really hope we haven't seen the last of Tamiya's 1/32 models.  They have too many subjects yet to be modelled.  Look at all the speculation in other posts by people, me included, who'd love a FW-190, BF-109, P-47, P-40, P-38, Hurricane, etc, etc, etc.  I'd happily throw out/add to spares box some of my older models to make way for these.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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... 

I'm also a bit surprised that Tamiya haven't offered another version of the Mossie too, but as others have said, perhaps sales were disappointing... Yes it's expensive, but depending on how you look at it, it's mostly sticker shock.  If you build simple kits, you'd probably spend the same amount on many other kits in the same time frame it takes you to build one Tamiya Mossie.  And this approach save you shelf space/home extensions :).

 

I really hope we haven't seen the last of Tamiya's 1/32 models.

Cheers,

Michael

Me too. On the plus side, Tamiya are doing new tools of some of their old armour kits, so with the success of the 1/48 Tomcats there's a pleasant possibility of an all-new 1/32 F-14. Not unrealistic, as Tomcat kits sell by the truckload.

 

OTOH not everyone thinks that an acre of Flightpath etch gives oodles of joy for the money, and the Tamiya 1/32 Mossie is arguably over complicated. Most 1/72 kits get finished, about half of 1/48 kits do but I imagine most 1/32 kits don't even get started. I did build and even finish the Trumpeter 1/35 Zil-157 tractor, trailer and SA-2 missile kit and it took six years - every stage being a PITA. I would have enjoyed it had the parts count been reduced by two thirds.

 

I really think less is more quite often and I see more finished Hong Kong Mossies on t'interweb than the Tamiya. And when Tamiya do a new tool big twin-tailed kitty I'd like separate hubs and tyres but can happily live without deployed flaps. Unnecessary frippery,

 

Tony

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Guest Peterpools

Not having any industry knowledge at all, I had always been surprised at Tamiya's steady diet of new 32nd kits over the past decade or so. Leaving the cost to produce such detailed kits, the market share for 32nd scale is a lot smaller then the king of scales: 48th scale and then 72 nd scale. Time to build, space to display, kit complexity and average kit cost all play into the equation. But sadly, we are the minority in the kit scale sales wars. Tamiya's last new aircraft kits have been 48th and 72nd scale gems. I'm now 75% through their 48th scale Tomcat - a dream to build, didn't break the bank to buy, no problems securing display place in my display cabinet and I'm sure Tamiya has sold a zillion of them. Their next aircraft kit: 48th scale F-14D Super Tomcat shown at the show.
Just a sign of the times
Peter

Edited by Peterpools
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Guest Peterpools

Smitty
Only in terms of sales .. not in detail or impact
My apologies for not being clear.
Peter

Edited by Peterpools
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Their F-16 from a decade ago showed signs of other versions, and we're still waiting on those. The Spitfire included the rudder post for earlier versions, and we're still waiting on those.  Tamiya seems to like giving hints to future versions without following through. Not sure if it's intentional or accidental, but it's happened with their big 1/32 projects.  How long did it take to get a new Zero variant after the 52? 10 years?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matt 

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The Mosquito may well have been their highest aircraft model price ever, so who knows.

 

By the by, I really like your sig image, Peter; VF-41 is my all-time favorite Tomcat squadron (followed very closely by VF-84).

 

Not a chance in being their highest price kit.  They just released the 1/12 Caterham Super Seven which retails much higher, lowest price on ebay right now is $334.00 retail is 350 plus.  Their big tank models also cost a lot more.  They are doing some pretty expensive 1/16 Armor kits.

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