Small Scale Military Headquarters

Well it's been a long time with no news from the 21C camp. I think I still have my post as Fan Club president (however lacking it might seem at the moment). But alas I do have some news that might inspire some hope with everyone (myself very much included)...

The word I got was that last week some new production samples came in for the 88 gun in 1:18 scale! It's only a shred of info and like most everyone I would agree not to hold your breath. -BUT, traditionally this would signal the final step toward a full run.

Perhaps slow ups, changes in the marketplace, and economy are all simply factors that are contributing to a slow year with 21C and not something worse as it had seemed to be.

My info is brand new and comes from inside 21C directly. Don't know if I should have talked about it but I would assume it to be fine to confirm some hope here!

Hope some find this helpful to know. I will try to get more real data soon!

thanks tko

Unfortunately though, the hefty pricetag has put this item well out of my "I can justify that" range. I'll stick with the stack of PAK-40's I managed to get for my artillery fix I guess.

I'd love an 88 though, but man they really aren't doing themselves any favors with uppin' the financial anty on that and the KT as they are. I know it's driving me out of the vehicle aspect of the hobby and only to figures now.

Thank God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Zach!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zach, you make my day

phil

hopeful news indeed.

Jesse: were i you i would get at least one 88. I know you'll be sorry if you don't in a few years when they're selling on ebay for $300+ a piece. And i wouldn't hesitate either. If we get one production run of these that might be it.

I hope they decided to release the S1 in dark grey instead of DAK. A sand coloured 88 will definitely hurt sales i'm afraid; a dark grey will sell like mad.

Ditto Aferg.

I sure hope the 88 comes, no matter what the price I'd like to see it. How high can it go for? $100? sure, $150? maybe, $200? I hope not $300? on e-Bay, guaranteed.

TTT

aferguson wrote: I hope they decided to release the S1 in dark grey instead of DAK. A sand coloured 88 will definitely hurt sales i'm afraid; a dark grey will sell like mad.

I hope they release the 88 in dark grey too.


tko211 any news on the King Tiger??

Good news indeed, but these may have already "been in the pipeline" so to me the overall future of 21c is still in question. But, the prospect of the 88 is great.

I totally agree with Aferg and the others that releasing it in a DAK scheme will hurt sales. (Sort of like how releasing droves of the "Atlantic" Avengers first as opposed to a more popular Pacific scheme pretty much killed the sales of that plane and hurt 21c's relation with Wal Mart.) The cannon is going to have the greatest appeal to collectors and while DAK-related items are popular, the gray scheme is the most standard and will find the widest use for dioramas, etc. After all, 21c's first 1:32 88mm gun was in the standard scheme, as was FOV's. There is a bit of logic there, but we are familiar with 21c's antics as of late...

Why all the love for a gray 88? The DAK made it famous.

Maybe if we had a 1/18 Char B1 I'd agree with you guys

norman888 wrote:Why all the love for a gray 88? The DAK made it famous.

Maybe if we had a 1/18 Char B1 I'd agree with you guys

Agreed. Man wouldn't that be great... 1/18 Char B1.

A Grey version was ALWAYS in the works and was going to be done. S2 I am pretty sure! But... it's all up in the air now and I am out of the loop a bit. The original plan was that the DAK version was going to be released already and would have gone with all the DAK guys we already have so timing is now obviously off with the delays. Still- like others have stated... I am not going to wait. I am going to move on 88's regardless of paint scheme. Just hope we see them now! Hopefully it's a good sign of new product shaking loose finally.

dark grey was used on all fronts, including north afrika. It was used from sept 1, 1939 til mid '43, when the 3 colour camo came into being. So it has a lot more usefulness, in dark grey, than sand. Plus it just looks really good in dark grey.

That's really good news. Judging from the pics, the 88 is 21st's best ground-based model so far. I wasn't a bit impressed by the KT, but was WOWed by that beautiful 88.

If you really think about it, historically, a dark yellow 88 makes sense. Because nearly all of 21st's German armor are mid to late-war models.

It would have been odd to put a gray 88mm with a Panther G, or a KT.

dark grey!

Encouraging news indeed, even if only a tantalizing tidbit.

If it comes in grey, so be it. Just have to repaint it in dark sand. Just as long as its made, I'm fine with any color.

I'll be happy with any color, just as long as it comes out.

I really hope the 88 & King Tiger come this year.

This is a must have, as I am sure its the only way we will ever have a 88 in our hobby scale. I am with grey too as I have little in the way of Dak. Now I have 2 Mato 1/16 KT, thats taken the pressure off ever seeing the 1/18 KT. I am finding at last I can scan 1/16, 1/18 and 1/20 as all fitting into my requirements, that is not too big for space and expense and not too small to miss the detail and wow factor.

what have you got that's 1/20. May be something i should know about?

And there is actuallly a 1/16 88 in existence already. It's diecast and pretty nice. Quite heavy. They are out of production now but you can still find them around on ebay and such. Nowhere near as nice as 21c's potential offering and no wheels for it.

Hi Aferguson, as i think you have said, some of our 1/18 vehicles are closer to 1/20 in some instances. For me it has now come down to, if my 700 figures look in scale with the item and its pre 1945, than its on board. I have abit of G gauge train items which are more likely 1/20, but keeping the tanks away, everything else looks in scale and also a fishing trawler that fits in. Schleich trees and wagons all fit nicely, but are probably closier to 1/20. My local hobby shop had that fixed 1/16 metal 88 and I kept coming back to it time and time again, hoping I could see it in my collection, but each time I just saw it as too big for figures. With my second 1/16 Stug on the way, I am starting to feel my collection is starting to round off, with a good cross section of German vehicles. A 88 and 8t towing vehicle would do the trick and any future items would be a bonus.

well i think all the 1/18 vehicles are 1/18.....haven't notice any of them being underscale. If they were 1/20 it would be pretty noticable. Yes most of the schleich stuff is borderline 1/20 ish....probably more like 1/19.

The metal 88 did look too big with the figures. I had one and ended up selling it because of it. So i'm really looking forward to multiple 21c 88's.

The only 1/16 i have is my t-34. I'm trying to use self hypnosis to make myself believe it is 1/18.

aferguson wrote:.

The only 1/16 i have is my t-34. I'm trying to use self hypnosis to make myself believe it is 1/18.

How is it working?

i've got it to about 1/16.5 scale now. So, it's shrunk a bit. Still working on it......ooooohmmm