There has been some discussion lately about the status of AMtech. I’m happy to report it appears they are still actively releasing kits. They have a reboxed 1/48 P-40K with Black Box resin tail coming out:
http://www.modelingmadness.com/scotts/allies/amtech/489213preview.htm
I’ve already asked AMtech, and for those who don’t live near Hobby Lobby (like me), the kit will be available direct from them. Looks like I’ll be putting some more of my stash of P-40 decals to work[;)]!
Mark
Thanks for the info, Mark!! [:)]
Take care,
Frank
Thanks for the warning[|(]
Tom [C):-)]
I’m going to start up my own model company, SAY I’m going to release new kits, keep pushing the release date back, and then never really release them. As much as I would like to like AmTech, I’m having a hard time doing it with their track record.
I agree, I know we should be supportive of these guys, (and others like them) for the sake of the hobby, but they suck. I won’t miss them.
[soapbox]
You left out the part where they get some off-beat molding (like Ertyl) and “slap-adapt it” to the subject at hand with a huge chunk of resin to “correct the slight imperfection in the molding” that actually really doesn’t fit, and actaully takes more time to adapt then to build the balance of the kit. This is what they did with the P-40 L/N.
I have also built Arii’s P-40E, and I say “hands down”, a much better kit.
Now Arii’s decals are good to replace with aftermarket’s, but for a $15.00 kit you can afford to!
Basically, with their kits, you are getting a ready-boxed “kit-bash-kit” with extensively revised instructions-for-the-instructions, nice decals, but minimal black/gray-and-white painting diagrams.
Not only is their kit “not for the beginner”, to finish it right, you really have to go to your PC and search the net for decent color illustrations to see what their “slight shades of gray” really mean!
For small domestic companies, I 'm sticking with Accurate minitures.
Tom [C):-)]
AmTech is on my list of model companies to be vary wary of. Their track record is really pretty poor so far.
Regards, Rick
What about Amtec’s Huchbein?I think that I heard they had leased the tooling to Tamiya,who offered a re-boxed version.Is this kit still produced?I seem to hve missed it the first time it was released.
yeah their huckbein is supposed to be excellent.
I tell you what… why don’t you folks do just what these two fellas did (yes, the meat and bones of AMtech is pretty much two guys)… start your own model company and see exactly how easy it is. I think if you did that you’d wake up pretty quick and quitcher bitchin’.
We all bitch, moan and complain about stuff like this. But put yourself in their position. You think doing what they do is easy or cheap? These things cost money to produce and there’s also the issue of getting someone to actually produce it all. Ever consider the possibility that they have trouble with tool makers?
Also, they had a guy making masters for them who either jumped ship or was let go. I dunna recall the exact story there. And then there were some health issues for both fellas… and a car accident… again the exact circumstances escape me but both fellas who run the shop were out of action for quite awhile. I’d say that’s excusable… as though they need our ‘approval’ to be sick or hurting…
True, they’ve fallen behind. But when a setback occured, they usually told us about it in the newsletter and even when the newsletter wasn’t delivered the drones in the office always made informative responses to personal inquiries… at least I’ve always received a response.
Speaking of the newsletter, how many so-called ‘major’ model companies have put out as informative a communique as these folks? NONE. They told us what was going on and gave the who, what, when, where, how and why when they were able to do so. When they just plain didn’t know, they said so. They pulled no punches and told it the way it was.
Oh, and if you were not aware of the newsletter then chances are you’re probably in the dark as the who, what, when, where, how and why of AMtech. If that’s the case, and you have little or no information regarding the situation, then you have no grounds to bitch and moan.
Now, as to the matter of “slap-adapt it” kits which are not for beginners… who said they have to make kits that don’t involve some work? I personally do not like the AMT P-40 kits very much and I’m not a huge fan of resin replacement noses and the like. But I don’t begrudge AMtech their decision to use the AMT molds and a resin nose to release a kit of a certain variant of the P-40 which has never been done before. Matter of fact, I applaud that effort and had there been no new P-40E or N kits I would have built theirs eventually. Same goes for their Merlin Hawks… even with their resin parts that supposedly take more time to adapt than to build the rest of the kit.
Also, what most folks don’t realize is that the reason AMtech has reboxed older kits is to help get their foot in the door until some more of their newly tooled stuff becomes reality. Newly tooled kit$ co$t lot$ more ca$h than reissues… and these guys ain’t rich… the profits from the reboxed stuff will help in their quest to produce entirely new models. You think these guys make much profit on what they currently sell? Think again. It’ll be quite awhile before they make any real money.
Anyhoo, right now I’m in the middle of building the AMT P-40N. It has fit problems and lacks detail and I’d build a Mauve or Hasegawa kit next time. But I ain’t complaining because I have to do some work on a kit to make it look okay. I grew up when that was the rule rather than the exception and I don’t moan because I have to use some putty or do a bit of shimming. That’s part of the fun for me.
Oh poor little you… what the hell is wrong with that? And what’s so tough about it? The same is true of almost any kit manufacturer. Matter of fact, if you want something worth using as reference material for a model then you’re pretty much better off ditching the instructions for ANY kit and looking around yourself. That’s the name of game if you wanna build an historically accurate model.
Going back to the money issue… one thing alotta folks don’t bother to consider as regards the resin pieces in AMtech’s kits… it’s much less expensive for them to do it that way than it is to provide injection-molded replacement parts or a whole new kit. I personally would like a whole new kit (and indeed, in the case of the P-40s… they’re coming) but, again, I don’t begrudge them for doing what they’ve done.
Now, if you haven’t the skill or patience to deal with these types of kits, fine. But don’t bitch about the company for not producing a product that is suitable for beginners. Who says they have to? They market kits aimed at REAL modelers who can handle the work involved and who probably enjoy doing that work.
I myself have become lazy because of the all the excellent kits that have been released over the past decade and a half. But I work on something a little more challenging every once in awhile because to me, it’s fun. And the AMtech kits, with all their problems, look to me as though they’d be alotta fun to build.
So give these folks a break. Their Ta 183 is a great kit and if it’s any sign of things to come then I’ll gladly wait. It’ll be disappointing to many out there, and to me personally, if some of their future new tool releases never materialize. I’ve already been very disappointed by the cancellation of one of their intended releases. But I don’t think any less of the company because of that or because of the delays with other projects.
They started a venture which was going okay for a while… things have slowed up and maybe come to a stop for a bit. Perhaps, eventually, it will be a permanent stop. Who knows?
But don’t just blast them because they’re having trouble and because they provide a product that doesn’t meet your expectations or standards. Critique is fine. Blasting is not. On the contrary, as modelers you should support them to the end. But to each their own, I suppose…
Fade to Black…
Blackwolf,
I agree with you! Good post!
Jeeez, Steve, let it go. I completely agree on most things… especially about them not having to release kit for beginners but- that speech was a tad strong wasn’t it? I agree, don’t give em hell because they’re having problems. The “Fade to Black” was a bit of anti climax after that whole thing warn’t it?[;)]
Too strong… maybe for the general crowd we have here, yes. But those of you who know me from these forums and on a personal level know that I speak my mind and that I don’t really care if I offend anyone by doing so.
As I write this I see a few folks who are reading the thread and one of them is bound to have a scathing rebuttal… you know who you are and all I can say is don’t waste your time on my account because I usually don’t bother to read anything you write… [;)]
Fade to Black…
I of all people certainly can’t blast Steve for being long-winded, but regardless of the number of words, I’m with him all the way on this one. I have a lot more support for a cottage company struggling to make it among the wolves of this industry as best they can. I’d much rather support them than a company that has millions upon millions of dollars or euros or yen in capital cranking out one overpriced, inaccurate kit after another with absolutely no care or consideration for those who build them.
I remember when AMTech first came out with the P-40E and as soon as I read the directions, semi-professional graphics and all, I thought, “These are people who are modelers, who think like modelers, and care what other modelers think.” If I’m not mistaken, they even offered up a free corrected fuselage when theirs turned out to be slightly incorrect.
Somehow, I don’t recall Tamiya giving two &*^%$s when they released a long-awaited Meteor that was anything but the airplane advertised on the box. They just kept on selling it, and hoped most modelers would be too unsophisticated to notice it wasn’t a proper Meteor Mk. 1.
And for all the love letters we write about AcMin (I’ve been guilty too), I haven’t seen them offering corrected cowlings for their $50 B-25’s. And yes, I’m the one who wrote about people getting hysterical about a slight inaccuracy in a kit, but this is another point altogether. If you email AcMin about this inaccuracy, and ask them how to fix it, they will ignore you. Go ahead, try to get an answer from them. I’ll save you the trouble. No, “We’re sorry.” or “We’re correcting it on subsequent runs.” They just ignore you.
In fact, try to ask AcMin anything and see if you get a reply. Yes, they’re good about replacing parts, and they make great kits, but they really don’t care about the people who build their kits. I’ve learned that first hand lately.
So I, for one, will stand by AMTech. Can any of the critics out there actually claim to have been swindled by this little company that’s fighting for its life? I don’t think so. There’s a BIG difference between being slightly disappointed and being outright cheated. Most adults know this difference. Personally, I thought that P-40E was excellent, and I enjoyed the extra work to bring it up to a better standard. The decals were outstanding and so were the instructions. They even went to the trouble to reprint them at the last minute to get a couple of photos of the subject in for the sole use of the builder. I don’t think Tamiya or AcMin would do that for us.
Give 'em a chance. There’s a big difference between having trouble releasing the kits you’ve announced, and releasing kits that are substandard, overpriced and shouldn’t have been released until the glitches were fixed. AMTech has done the former, but other, much, much wealthier companies routinely do the latter.
TOM
I was reading this thread and was going to put in my 2 cents but I think I will go build a model.[:p]
That’s a good idea, actually…
Fade to Black…
Actually, Accurate Miniatures is closer to being a small cap, cottage business, same as Am Tech. I think AM has done a better job, but they are far from being a mega company like Tamiya or Hasegawa. I’m pretty sure lack of investment capital has held AM back on getting new kits to market, same as Am Tech.
Regards, Rick
I’ve not purchased an AMTech kit yet, but where else are you going to get a kit of an EC-135 ARIA? One day I’ll grab that bird.
Those of us who like the oddball stuff usually know that we will have to depend on the limited run cottage industry folks to provide and that they have to charge higher costs to make their profits.
I bought Classic Airframe’s 1/48 F-5A a couple of years ago at about 60 Dollars Canadian. Opened her up and can say I’ve got my work cut out for me. But hey, they guy’s a small operator. there’s only so much he can do.
If you want to begrudge a manufacturer, begrudge one who has the finances and means to spoon feed the kit to you, but the finances not to care if the don’t do it right (Tamiya’s Meteor kit is a good example, the Classic Airframes ones are more work, but better investment).
The small operators do what they can, the big ones do what they like.
One day I’ll buy an AMTech kit and judge for myself, but really how hard can it be to improve upon a stock AMT/Ertl kit?