Only 2 new model kits from Revell the last 2 months in a row?

[armor_2.0]

stikpusher

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”

Dragon is a prime example of why dragon kits are so high half the kit you don’ use and you end up with a punch of basically worthless parts that you will never use.

[stikpusher]

Dragon kits help keep my spares bin full for those scratch built mods or conversions that I plan and occasionally actually do…

[EdGrune]

Hobbico’s assets set for auction on the 26th of March. Get your financial package together

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2018-03-13/hobbico-hopes-find-buyer-auction-set-march-26.html

[Rob_Gronovius]

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.

When I was a kid (born in '64), you could get small 1/72 scale Monorgram or Revell planes for a dollar and change. I remember the Aurora preshistoric scenes kits were a whopping $5. Even the 5 and dime had Airfix bagged kits for under a dollar.

Revell tried foil bagged star wars kits for around $5, but right now, you can’t touch a “real” model kit in a retail store for under $20.

[EdGrune]

Revell tried foil bagged star wars kits for around $5, but right now, you can’t touch a “real” model kit in a retail store for under $20.

The new Airfix Wildcat comes in under 20USD. While some quarter-scale afficionados would say that a 1:72 scale aircraft model isn’t ‘real’, I think it qualifies. So too the Airfix Stuka. Look at some of the Airfix beginner kits; kit, glue, acrylic paint, brushes. Less than 20USD; VW Beetle, Zero, Tomahawk, Tornado, Spitfire, etc. Shows it can be done. The company boards of directors need to take a longer view for the ROI.

Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbors need to look at some of these instead of the video game. I gave a friend’s grandson one of the Revell Starwars snaps. He built it - by himself - even though he was younger than the recommended age on the box

[stikpusher]

I could swear that I see some of the new smaller scale kits for closer to $10 than $20. The new Airfix 1/48 stuff is coming in at around $25. Eduard’s Weekend Edition kits in 1/72 are around $15 for the single seater stuff. And probably the best entry level aircraft kits out there that I’ve come across, by Pegasus, 1/48 single seaters, start at a bit over $10.

[richs26]

The destruction date of Hobbico has been set according to this article:

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2018-03-13/hobbico-hopes-find-buyer-auction-set-march-26.html

[MJames70]

Sounds pretty dire from the article. It seems this auction coming up is expecting to only raise a tiny fraction of the debt they owe. More like a fire sale/going out of business deal. Some have mentioned the Revell/Monogram molds are likely to survive. I would say that is likely, but I doubt any current European or Asian kit manufacturer would be that interested in picking up a back catalog of items that are frankly, mostly quite elderly. I think the best we can hope for is that someone like Round2 Models acquires as much of it as they can. I don’t know if they have that kind of money to burn, but hopefully someone that can run a similar business models does - respect for nostalgia, and some reasonable improvements to the kits when reissued, like new decals, etc.

[goldhammer]

I would suspect an Asian company to scarf it up, if nothing else to lock it up and eliminate somecompetion, but maybe keep the car line as an addition to what they make.

[Don_Stauffer]

There is a review today in the ships forum of the new mold 1:72 Revell PT-boat. Not sure if I will build it or not, but it does look like a nice kit. Love the full-color instruction booklet! Hope they do that on any new kits (sure hope there will be some new kits).

[modelmaker66]

Sounds pretty dire from the article. It seems this auction coming up is expecting to only raise a tiny fraction of the debt they owe. More like a fire sale/going out of business deal. Some have mentioned the Revell/Monogram molds are likely to survive. I would say that is likely, but I doubt any current European or Asian kit manufacturer would be that interested in picking up a back catalog of items that are frankly, mostly quite elderly. I think the best we can hope for is that someone like Round2 Models acquires as much of it as they can. I don’t know if they have that kind of money to burn, but hopefully someone that can run a similar business models does - respect for nostalgia, and some reasonable improvements to the kits when reissued, like new decals, etc.

They owe too much to come out of this intact. Revell is only a small part of their sales. They are primarily a r/c distributor. a couple auto kits lately for a major player like Revell is not exactly major investment in new tooloing either.