I know somewhere in my back issues this is answered, but I wanted to throw it out for discussion for one reason; to determine if we as the consumer could possibly influence the manufacturers.
So…there are how many different P51’s or ME 109’s out there? But of all those kits how many P51A (A36) are there {only AM as far as I know} how many Bf109 C’s & D’s? {I believe only Hobbycraft} This is what I mean, we have been flooded with specific types that alot of good topic matter has been missed. I am sure some one has it already but imagine doing a 1/48 history of the 109! From the first to the Avia’s in IAF service! Besides how may G-6’s can you do? I am not bashing the ME 109 by any stretch but this bird and all her types are the best example of what I am talking about…
The gaps have been filled to a certain degree by AM parts, add ons and conversion kits…but would the complete kit, one time one purchase, interest any builder ( I know dumb question, but of COURSE it would) then if this is the case do we have any sway with a manufacturer like Hasegawa or Tamiya of AM for producing what we are looking for? And if we do, how to we make the move in that direction? Is it even worth talking about or attempting? I know the magazine reader survey has some pull…just curious to hear individual opinions…
Some of the younger Companies, like Trumpeter, MPM & Classic Airframes, seem to be more responsive to filling voids left by the big guys. Hasegawa is beginning to respond, with new kits like their 1/72 WWII bomber series & the new 1/48 P-40 series they just released. A Company like AM doesn’t seem to have the financial resources necessary to release new kits on anything like a regular basis. Tamiya is a total mystery, they have done nothing new in 1/48 since the P-47D’s. Tamiya now seems to be committing all of their resources to the launch of new 1/48 Armor kits.
The costs of a set of molds is very expensive. The manufacturer has to be able to anticipate a sufficient number of unit sales, at a competitive price, to be able to recover all costs and make a reasonable profit.
If the manufacturer needs 100,000 unit sales just to recover their costs (break even), and the market research indicates potential sales of only 50,000 kits, then the kit is not going to be produced.
If the manufacturer could make a profit on a smaller number of sales by doubling or trippling the price would the comsumer (us) buy the kits?
How many of us are going to be buying the new 1/48th B-36 at $10,000 each?
I suspect we will continue to see the most popular variant of the subjects because it sells, and is therefore less risky, financially, for the manufacturers.
Accurate Minitures is a perfect example. They have given us the perfect model of aircraft not previously produced, or not produced in as good a quality. Their prices are competitive but on the high side. They ran into financial difficulty because their kits were not being purchased in sufficient quantity.
As consumers we have spoken. We want the perfect kit as long as it is cheap.
Agreed the fiscal must make sense as well as the physical…However, what if we to set up a criteria (for test purposes)
First - Scale
Second - Type. Ideally it should “parallel” the current types available. The 109 is a good example, all the E’s, F’s and G’s should be balanced by the C’ & D’s.
We actually use a petition type approach. Interested parties would submit the type they want to see mass produced. If it is done as a parallel then it could be pitched as a “balance” to thier current line. With the petition it would give a “short” sampling of available consumers…
Does this make sense? Of course this could all be academic.
What rangerj has described is closely intertwined to the decline of the LHS in direct correllation to the rise of internet hobby shops. It’s very simple economics. LHS cannot compete with the buying power of a Greatmodels, squadron or even lare chain like Hobby Lobby.
What we, the model hobby crazies, have control over is which do we want: cheap models or new, interesting and unproduced variants to the airplanes and armor we know and love?
It’s a sensative issue: we, the model building public, have limited funds for our hobby. How can anyone turn down a 50% off coupon at Hobby Lobby?