Does anyone know why Revell has only 2 models for new releases the last 2 consecutive months. I always look forward to new products from them and the last 2 months have only been autos.
It may have something to do with this:
http://www.finescale.com/online-extras/shows-events/2018/01/hobbico-files-for-chapter-11
Gary
Hobbico is a supplier, not a company that owns Revell. The link mentions nothing about Revell or any model manufacturer. But I have seen starnger things happen…
I beg to differ. From wiki …
On May 2, 2007, Hobbico, Inc. announced it had acquired American Revell-Monogram, LLC, corporate owner of the Revell name (Dodson 2007). The Revell name now stands alone in the company logo, without the Monogram name also present, though Monogram still exists as an important line of models in the Revell stable. Hobbico also acquired Revell of Germany in 2012, reuniting the two brands under one banner, but often models sold in the U.S. show Revell Germany as the parent with Hobbico nowhere labeled.
On January 10th, 2018, Hobbico, Inc. [12] filed for bankruptcy protection. The future of Revell company is not clear at this moment.
If you look at Revell’s website, the very bottom of the page says:
© 1995-2018 Revell Inc. A subsidiary of Hobbico, Inc.
I don’t know what else is a subsidiary of Hobbico, but it is possible that Hobbico may sell its interest in Revell or other companies as part of the bankruptcy process.
They are repops of old kits also so who know whats going to happen.
has there been any further developments regarding the bankruptcy procedure?
Revell have rarely come out with new molds themselves for years. They either rebox other companies kits under licence or just re release old kits with new decals and new box art. That’s part of why Hobbico is going bankrupt. The other reason are all the loans that they have taken to stay afloat with the RC side. Eventually the loans must be paid. The economy was not friendly to them, the loan pipeline had dried up and they are out of operating capitol. No money for r and d or new toolings. Revell USA will maybe be sold to someone else but Hobbico was the 3rd or 4th owner of revel in the last 20 years. It’s too bad.
I have built several Revell kits in recent years that are new molds.
First was the Kurtiss Kraft Midget race car. A lovely and super-detailed kit- it was a flop because of the subject matter. No one else except a few of us old dirt trackers seem to like old racing cars. Revell took a gamble and it didn’t pay off.
The second and third were the two two versions of the PT-17 in 1:48. These were exemplary kits, the equal to any from anywhere around the world. Detail and fit were the best I have ever seen in Revell kits. And at a bargain price!
You know nothing of what you talk about. In just the last few years Revell has done 2 early 70’s For Broncos, new tooling, 2 versions of a 75 Ford Torino, a Starsky and Hutch car and a almost stock 75, new tooling. Check your facts before you speak.
I’ve seen some new looking Nascar kits, like a Danica Patrick Aspen Dental 2017 car. Is this really a new kit or something older that has decals for her 2017 car?
My understanding is that Revell has new NASCAR kits, but not sure if the Patrick car is one of the new ones. One of our club members who has built one of the new kits says it is good.
I built the Kevin Harvick version and it’s a great kit. The Patrick car is identical with different decals.
Thanks guys. I was given a very old Nascar kit in the 1990s (98-99?) and was interested in building it and was wondering if any of the newer ones are really new kits. Is $25ish the going rate for new Nascar kits? That’s what the clearance one is priced at.
New domestic eg., AMT, Revell, etc, car kits are between $25 and $30.
Revell has concentrated more on cars and sci fi stuff than on their military scale models in new moldings. Plenty of Star Wars stuff, and recently Halo as well. Yes in 1/48 over the past few years the only real new kits released were the PV-1 and the Stearman, but obviously they are going to make new molds where the market is.
Not much has changed with Revell (which is really Monogram) since the 1970s. They all but abandoned military armor, but did some pretty decent sci-fi kits like Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers, with the lion’s share of their kits being 1/48 scale warplanes and cars.
As a kid Revell (old Revell) had some overly complicated cars with working hinges, chrome you had to attach to the body, etc. Monogram had what I though were better tooled cars with a one piece body and separate hood. Their 1/48 scale fighters and bombers were top notch.
I wrote to Revell and suggested they do another run of the big 1/48th B-1B because it is in the news with the North Korea situation and they said it was a good idea. We’ll see.
I built the Revell 1/32 Spitfire latest version and it was a new mold kit and literally $100 dollars cheaper than the Tamiya alternative.
However there was a major problem with a run on their 1/48th PBY canopies that were in large part unusable for a kit selling for near $100 dollars.
Fewer people are modelling overall. But those that are, are spending more money.
Kids no longer model and grow into the hobby like we did in the 50’s 60’s 70’s. Modelling is pretty big in Europe however and Revell DE is there.
The economics is interesting. Fewer people spending more money. With all the companies like MIG and AK, and Takom, Meng sooner or later something has to give.
It’s much cheaper to make things in China than it is in Europe. That may have something to do with it.
It may be cheaper to make things in China, but Revell Germany and Airfix tend to put out new tool kits that cost significantly less than comparable kits by Asian companies.
Have to wonder a little how much pricing is due to $ vs. other currencies.
Or…the RoG kits tend to have fewer parts vs. the 9 million in late issue Japanese and Chinese kits, and the theory that "we can charge more because of the parts count and the extra tooling we had to make to do it…or “how much can we charge and still move product”