1/18 hurricanes soon from Skyworks

mikeg · Post by **mikeg** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:18 am

check out the MTS site. Better win a lottery or endure a family inheritance to afford one. God bless em, though

supersonicfifi · Post by **supersonicfifi** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:14 am

only a photo ! i can't wait to see the prototype !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it will be a nice compliment to my spifire NKK !!!!!

Light.Inf.Scout · Post by **Light.Inf.Scout** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:18 am

$525 plus shipping!!! Christ, that thing better fly, shoot, drop bombs, and the pilot better clean my house once a week for that price. It would look sweet next to my Spits though.

Charlemagne · Post by **Charlemagne** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:19 am

I agree that Skyworks is doing some amazing things but mercy....I would have to take out a second and third mortgage(good luck on getting those these days) to afford them. Still, I was wish them well.

Dauntless · Post by **Dauntless** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:26 am

I like what they do, and the Hurricane is a much needed and overlooked warbird, but I wish a company like that could strike a balance between custom planes and mass market. I paid a pretty penny for some of my stuff, but they are way out of my league.

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:31 am

Here is the post
http://www.militarytoyshop.com/product. ... &PT_ID=193

I have been told to keep a tight lip on the project. But I will tell you guys this.
$525 is a lot of money. But as I have said before these cost money to make and the TIME to build them. Casting is the easy part. Have any of yoy guys ever built a model? It takes time . You have to paint it and then you have to put the decals on. But when making these you have to cast the model itself. So $525 for 3-4 days worth of work ?

Just my cannons alone have 6 parts to them . I have made 10 sets of them. That is 120 parts !!! Not to mention the copper barrel sleaves and the sleaves for the flash muzzel. That is another 40 parts.

Charlemagne · Post by **Charlemagne** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:45 am

I have been told to keep a tight lip on the project. But I will tell you guys this.
$525 is a lot of money. But as I have said before these cost money to make and the TIME to build them. Casting is the easy part. Have any of yoy guys ever built a model? It takes time . You have to paint it and then you have to put the decals on. But when making these you have to cast the model itself. So $525 for 3-4 days worth of work

Pickelhaube...totally agree with your point. I whine alot about price but I think all of us understand that when you are a small company or even a group of very talented individuals that can do great customizing and spend a lot of time and money on a limited number of planes the price point is going to be high... very high. Not everyone can run to China and have one of their factories kick out 5000 Hurricanes to bring the prices to a point for mass sales. I'm not knocking their price just my ability to pay for it. As I said before and I really meant it was I wish them all the best and I hope they have great success.

Light.Inf.Scout · Post by **Light.Inf.Scout** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:54 am

I would love to get one...but with the way prices are on things these days (and still getting higher) can't justify spending
that kinda $$$ .

mikeg · Post by **mikeg** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 6:56 am

I don't think anyone would not believe the price is justified for your time and effort at all; I just think most of us fall into the single to middle class arena and financially it's a generous sum of money. I bet if y'all advertised in the back of the Robb report, town and country, and other well off leisure magazines, y'all would have more orders than you can shake a stick at. Most of us on this forum love your product, but we don't hang our with branson and his boys every other weekend. THEIR AGAIN, your price reflects your effort and the necessary profit- more power to ya.

mikeg · Post by **mikeg** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:04 am

When I used to collect firearms- 1880s-1940s, I was able to acquire quite a bit through a layaway program. Of course, it was just one proprietor whom we would discuss politics with and have a beer or scotch with after work. Maybe some sort of payment plan would allow some (or more) of us to afford your products.

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:51 pm

I talked to Jack about the Hurricane and other projects he is working on. He said that he would be happy to drop the price. But the thing is he does all of the work himself. So if he spends 2 or 3 days on one plane of course the price would be high.
The big time collectors are few and far between. The most are 10 to 20 buyers and that is it. If somebody actually wanted 100 pieces the price would come down. He (Jack)would hire more help. Guys to pour resin guys to assemble and guys to paint.
This way each guy could say pour 4-8 planes somebody else would be assembling them and then to the painting booth. This way he could crank out about 5-10 planes out a week. Not 2 or 3. But there are not to many people ordering 100 custom planes out there.

In another post some have said that they will pay $200 to $250 for a custom. $200-$300 is still a fair amount of money. There are stock planes selling for that now. The Spinach 109 the Spitfires and the F-18s. So $250 to $350 is not that bad for a custom if done in volume. But if only 10 to 20 sell then that is were the $550 money is at.
IF EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD WOULD COMIT TO BUY A PLANE THAT WOULD HELP EVERYBODY ELSE OUT AND DRIVE DOWN THE PRICE.

How many guys said that they wanted a Hurricane in the past? Now one will be coming up soon. How many guys since this has been posted said they are going to get one? How many have said that it is too expensive? It is plain to see that the big manufacters are not going to build this livery and the other P-39s Mig-3s, Tempest and the like and some guy makes them and gets shot down because of too much money. Then we might as well say to heck with 1/18 XD shut the forum down and move onto another hobby.
OK time for another cup of coffe. Sorry guys but I had to vent.

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:36 pm

*passes a beer to pickelhaube*

....anyway.....but no, good points haube. I wish I was in Jack's neighbourhood, I would offer my time for free - just to see these birds released. About price points, not just with skyworks but 1/18th in general. I wish the manufacturers would release just unassembled and unpainted models. I would assume this would bring the price down. I guess it's a fine line between producing a ready made model (or toy...there I said it!) or a serious 1/18th replica. And seeing as though 21st still have posable joints on their "action figures" and have stayed away from static figures (like tamiya) they will still produce ready to play toys. So how about skyworks releasing raw unpainted moulds huh?

Come to think of it. This is probably "the line" between toys (21st) and replicas (Skyworks). Maybe thats why 21st is slowing down - because they tried / started to cross that line.

Post by **aferguson** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:47 pm

your points are well made pH but the thing is that while many want a Hurricane, they may not want it $500 worth or simply may not be able to afford spending that much money on one piece. I honestly can't think of any plane i would spend $500 on. Well, not entirely true. I would buy an HPH Me-410 or He-219 for that....however they sell for several thousand.

People just get to the point where the desirability of the model is overpowered by the price point. I don't think anyone is bitching that the price isn't justified. Just that it isn't within practical reach.

However, now that these things are being produced, there is the possibility of larger bulk purchases being made, driving prices down, resulting in more purchases etc. I feel all this custom work is the beginning of a very, very good thing....it's just going to take some time to get the momentum rolling.

flayrah · Post by **flayrah** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:08 pm

Great plane, badly needed in 1/18, will probably be excellent design and craftmanship on the model, fits right into my WW2 collection - but I can't afford that price. Maybe half that, probably more like 1/4 that price. So while I completely understand the time, costs, and desireability of the Hurricane, by not buying one I guess I become part of the problem rather than the solution. Remember the saying 'I would if I could but I can't so I won't"?

PH has he considered selling these unassembled? Or what if he could get commitments and money up front for a specific number of models and manufacture them ONLY when the number commitment is filled; then if he can't get commitments to the numbers at a certain price, the pre-paids would be refunded. This way he might get enough orders in to produce and sell more models, and he would not be out anything other than collecting a few orders and might even get a few $ in interest on the pre-paids.

Airacobra · Post by **Airacobra** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:31 am

I am like everyone else here. Yes, I would love a 1/18 scale Hurricane. Would I pay $500 for one? No way, not ever. Everyone knows these planes take a great deal of time and money to be produced and I applaud companies like Skyworks for offering 1/18 scale planes that no one has offered yet, but the bottom line is for $500 you could purchase a 1/5 scale r/c warbird and finish it as a display model. Unfortunately, I just cant afford to pay that much money for a 1/18 scale plane. Wish I could, but even if I could I am not sure I would. If this means the death of 1/18 scale planes, I guess it was bound to happen sooner than later. Just my .02 cents.

olifant · Post by **olifant** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 1:43 am

This guy does great work and I am glad to see him following his passion and making new additions to 1/18. Unfortunately I won't be able to spend that $500 on this. Sorry PH, I would love to be able to throw my hat in the ring but do you know what the hidden costs are?

Divorce, alimony, new bachelor pad apartment and furnishings...

Dauntless · Post by **Dauntless** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:22 am

I won't say I would never buy one. The more I think about it the more I want one.

I have some questions about Skyworks, as I can't seem to find much info about some details.
I know the authenticity and attention to detail is over the top and mentioned but will these Hurricanes have any moving parts like we expect from the 1:18 models we already buy like, moving flaps, rudder, ailerons, opening canopy, retractable landing gear etc?
I know it's a high dollar resin display piece but I want to er..play with mine if I get one.
At least display it hanging with gear up, or taxiing with the canopy open.
I wouldn't expect it because of the costs of making a super-articulated pilot but is one included? (that really is no big deal 'cause I can always use a BBI or 21st pilot.

I am seriously thinking about getting one. Just which Hurricane I don't know, though probably the Douglass Bader, because it's a Battle of Britain Scheme and would go with at least two of my 21st Spits.
Though that tropical one might look good next to the 21st British P-40. Damn, I would love to get at least two.

scbvideoboy · Post by **scbvideoboy** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 5:58 pm

My thoughts exactly, with a complete aircraft (not a mod job on existing 1/18 planes) cockpit, gear, engine, variations, etc... all have to be modeled, cast, cleaned and detailed, assembled and painted.

That is a ton of work, but collectors will expect it.

DH

As always, people who really want something will find a way to get it.

supersonicfifi · Post by **supersonicfifi** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 1:39 am

The more I think about it the more i am tempted seeing the increase in price of "regular models" like the F 16 & F 18 the skyworks offer is more and more tempting, i will buy some models as soon as i can and keep a crossed finger for the TEMPEST (it's been discussed ?) IMAO the best WW2 fighter .

There is a book that i recommend : "BIG CIRCUS" from Pierre Clostermann (The French leading ACE) [/img]

Website · Post by **Teamski** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:52 am

I feel that it comes down to the money return on an investment. What are the chances that you will get back what you paid on the Hurricane? Not very good.

-Ski

Post by **aferguson** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:46 am

maybe they should try this with the Hurricane: advertize a price of $250, or whatever is a feasible price on an order of say, 20 planes, made all at once. Then people put down deposits of half that amount, on the provisal that production will not start until there are 20 orders. If after a set time limit, say 6 months, not enough orders have come in, then everyone gets their deposits back and that's that. But as soon as sufficient orders are placed, production begins and when the planes are made people pay the other half of the $250....if they don't pay, they lose their deposit and their plane gets resold.

That way, everyone gets the advantage of larger bulk orders with no risk and ultimately more planes will be sold and can be built more cost effectively.

norman888 · Post by **norman888** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:01 am

I agree, doing something like "Project 500" from some of the wargaming companies. Get customers to put down 1/2 and keep the price under $300 and only promise to start shipping if orders go over 20-30ish...or whatever is a break-even point (Project 50??)

Post by **aferguson** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:06 am

interesting that this is already been done, and i assume successfully.

They can even do it over and over again, with new liveries, the same livery, different planes, tanks etc.

I think this is the way to get these higher priced items rolling. Otherwise, if prices are too high then the whole thing dies on the vine and everybody loses.

For future projects you can even have people vote on what they want to see and will pay for, instead of trying to guess what people want.

norman888 · Post by **norman888** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 11:05 am

The wargame companies also give you about a 20% discount for the preorder-they started doing this when the retail venues dried up...this kind sounds familiar to our hobby.

So I could preorder my 1/18th MiG-3 for $125 and pay $125 when ready to ship. After preorders the price goes up to $300.

Ok, I know I am dreaming!!!

Small Scale Military Headquarters

1/18 hurricanes soon from Skyworks

1/18 hurricanes soon from Skyworks

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the more i think ...