Post
by Coreyeagle48 » Thu Jul 29, 2010 8:45 pm
Greetings:
A couple of comments in relation to this development.
1.) As someone previously stated, please don't "shoot the messenger" in regards to the news provided by TKO. TKO is an awesome part of this hobby and a collector just like us, please remember that. TKO is only sharing what he is told to share by All-Go, so don't hold him responsible if you do not like his news. I am glad that TKO takes the time to work with these companies and provides these snippets of information, no matter how true or untrue they eventually turn out to be. Thank you TKO for making that happen.
2.) I agree Skyworks does some nice stuff but much of their price range is extremely expensive. That's not to say they are overcharging, Skyworks needs to make money and it takes a lot of time/labor/materials to make those projects. I also know most of the stuff is made to order, which is time consuming. Skyworks saw the opportunity to get the A-10 prototype and like any business in their position, took it. We will find out in due time what the relationship means. For their effort, I hope Skyworks keeps producing models and interesting subjects, as they are the only ones right now breathing any new life into this scale, no matter how expensive their pieces are.
3. An A-10 is going to be a beast in 1/18 and expensive, no matter who does it. If the JSI F-14 costs $230-$300 retail, I expect an A-10 could be much more expensive. The price will make it a true collector piece, but the price could also be the downfall if not enough people buy it. For me, the A-10 would have to be available in the ghost gray with a paint/decal package for the 111th Fighter Wing for me to consider buying it. As the 111th was my local unit and flew practice missions over my house, this is the only option. So if the makers are listening, this is what I want, LOL. Cost, detail and quality control will be the big issues. I think it can be expensive and still sell, but the quality must be there. None of these mysterious fingerprints, smudges, odd color touchups or broken parts will be acceptable.
4. All-Go has some serious questions to answer about itself. Rather than release a press release like they did that is vague and left more questions than answer, why not answer some questions people want to know. Are they serious to 1/18? What is their idea for timetable on new releases?, etc. The most concerning statement about All-Go is the fact that they had to cancel Passion Wagon due to unacceptable quality control issues. This is worrisome. It tells me they have done nothing different since they were 21st, they are using the same factories and the same failed quality control procedures. That entire story with them is getting old, as well as it is for 1/18 in general. Why should the bigger models, which are more expensive, have less quality control than smaller scales? Why as collectors, do we accept this? This is an issue that should have been addressed years ago in this scale, yet it's still there! Too many people say that they don't mind doing touchups or getting a tube of glue, that's fine, but should you have to! When I buy something, no matter what it is, I expect it to be right when I open the box, and if it's not, I return it. Simple. Why the 1/18 companies fail to get this is beyond me and why retailers left them hide behind it under a "no return" policy is beyond me to? Are they held to a lower standard just so we have something 1/18? To me this is totally unacceptable. The reason a lot of the interest in this scale died is the lack of new releases but it's also the lack of quality control and one too many people getting broken parts on their models. People had enough, and left the scale. And quite honestly, if you can't make them so they don't break, then these companies should be in 1/18 collectibles.
5. I like this board and like most of the people here, but as a collector group, we've got to get our heads in the game a bit. We have to lose the notion that these collectibles will cost $40 again, those days are gone, and truth to be told Walmart sold them below what I felt was market value. Prices have gone up. We also need to as a group stop accepting the ridculous statements by these companies. The idea that some members of this board went and bought multiple repaints to supposedly help a company and get them to produce new stuff is either really funny or really stupid, I'm not sure which. The fact that some people believe that brainwashing, both from the companies and some retailers, is worrisome and does not bode well for the future of our hobby. If the companies have it that easy, we'll never get anything new and they will feed on the idea that false statements and rumors will fuel this hobby. A lot more constructive way to help this scale stay afloat would be to offer suggestions and demand better quality by your purchasing decisions.
6. Like everyone else, my interest in this scale has also waned tremendously. It's not the prices, it's the lack of fun in the scale. There is so much more variety everywhere else, but not in this scale. And this scale has a couple of major issues against it, space and storage. I think many who left the hobby did so when they just kept repainting and everyone filled up their space. And the idea of a 1/18 B-17, just not practical. I think modern jets and maybe a twin engined bomber would be as far as this scale will get.
Corey
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I don't care who you are, I just want some of what you're smoking. 
Actually, I'm guessing it will be closer to twelve hundred dollars. After all, they're charging $800 alone for a minor mod and repaint based on 21C's off-the-shelf P-40:
