Small Scale Military Headquarters

From Badcat's blog:

20/20 Hindsight Bad Cat's 1:18 Exclusives Proved Good Investment

Bad Cat Toy's numerous 1:18 scale plastic model airplane exclusives are now worth a pretty penny in today's market. Here's a brief history and what I believe are legitimate street prices for a "mint-in-the-box" military toy. Figure out of the box pieces to be worth about half:

Pappy's Corsair (2004): Our first and last exclusive with 21st Century Toys, the Pappy's Corsair was released in August 2004 and we had 90 days "exclusive time" to sell the 1600 pieces we brought into the country. This popular F4U easily sold out in the ninety day time frame and then 21st brought in another 1600 or so and sold it as a general release to independent retailers. We tried to convince 21st to make a new action figure that looked like Pappy or even Conrad but the time this would take was too long. We made due with the original figure that had his Mae West restenciled to read VMF 214. Est Market Value $500

F-18 VA-82 Marauders (2005): Following the success the S1 Golden Dragon, I proposed the Marauder scheme to BBI. I like paint schemes that are attractive but still in keeping with a "plane of the line" philosophy. I believe collectors like their warbirds to look like warbirds with just a dash of panache. We brought 700 of this scheme into the country and sold them in about six months. The aircraft was never as popular as the Golden Dragon but was still a hit, nonetheless. Est Market Value $500

F-18 Blue Angels (2005): The Blue Angel paint scheme was disappointing at first because the production process left the finish flat blue instead of high gloss. Collectors didn't seem to mind, however, and the orders trickled in during the preorder period. Initial sales during October were rather poor but remained very steady and even accelerated during the following airshow season. By July 2006 the 700 Blues were all gone. This plane came with stickers that let the owner customize any of the seven he wanted, and several people bought all seven! The pilot names included friends, family, and even Pete Miller, our Jack Russell terrier. Est Market Value $750

F-16 ANG Series (2005): A basic two-tone F-16 offered with a choice of six different ANG squadrons (TX, AR, IN, NY, AL, CA) or Hill AFB. In what I consider one of my more creative moments, I proposed the ANG to BBI and they liked the idea. The guys at Vex developed the decal packs based on the squadrons I selected. The decals packs were of high quality but large and expensive which made this project costly to manufacture and package. The consumer refused to pay more for this version than the general release so we had to sell these aircraft at only slightly above cost. There was also resistance from would-be buyers in having to apply the decals themselves. Therefore, the general release "Husky" outsold these 2:1. In the end, the planes were gorgeous and are still the most striking of any 1:18 produced. These aircraft became more popular as time passed. Est Market Value $500

F-18 Red Devils (2006): The only Marine F-18 produced. Despite our corrective emails to BBI this plane came with two squadron numbers painted on. Corrective stickers came with the plane to mask this error. We grudingly agreed to bring in 200. These sold out quickly and we went to collect the remaining 500 in China, these pieces reportedly "disappeared." So this aircraft, despite its flaws, is very, very rare. Est Market Value $750

P-51 Hurry Home Honey (2006): We spit a container of these planes with our Cripes Mustang, 1300 pieces in total. I loved the story behind the plane's name and I thought the aircraft had a nice, subdued look to it. Another plane of the line that was 100% warbird. Est Market Value $75

P-51 Cripes A Mighty (2006): It was unbelievable to me that this bird had not yet been produced when I suggested the scheme to BBI. Preddy was one of the best pilots to have ever aviated and this scheme has always been popular with warbird fans. It was one of those "can't lose" projects. 1300 produced. Est Market Value $100

A6M2 Pearl Harbor Zero (2006): I pushed for the Zero at a time when there were no Pacific Axis planes available. How can anyone collect good guys without having some bad guys to shoot at? At the time the manufacturer wanted to go with a P-47, which had already been done to death by 21st. I talked them out of it and they offered the S1 exclusive and the initial release to us! Going with the theory that there was no bad guy like a dead bad guy, I found crash pictures of Hirano's zero at Pearl Harbor, researched the colors, and even the data plate. The result was a bonafide homerun in the modeling business with 2600 pieces delivered and sold in just a couple of months. Est Market Value $250

So what happened in 2007 and 2008? Well, the market dried up, costs skyrocketed, and Minimum Order Quantities went to 3000. I wish we could still order 700 planes for about $20 bucks apiece but those days are behind us. A new F-18 would be a $180K investment and nobody can afford to do that. So for now, no new exclusived are planned.

As you can see, certain 1:18 aircraft are worth a lot of money. Take care of your aircraft they will probably continue to outperform the DOW!

Well, I've got all the propeller driven aircraft mentioned.
Glad I did, especially the Pappy Corsair. I didn't know it had appreciated that much.

Thankful I guess, but I shoulda coulda woulda got some Jets.

That's pretty crazy stuff. Of course they must be still in the box as new. Otherwise, why have them?

I think the estimates are too high, especially in this market.

Agreed -way too high.

be gone, ya new in the box primadonnas!!!!!!!!!!

If anyone wants my pappy corsair for 500.00 ( lovingly dusted and gingerly placed back in the box), I will give a thought to selling it! I might not even charge for freight.

HEY!! wher'd everybody go??

It makes me appreciate getting the Red Devils F-18 when I did. I almost sold it a year ago for 80 bucks but didn't.

Jericoeagle1 wrote:It makes me appreciate getting the Red Devils F-18 when I did. I almost sold it a year ago for 80 bucks but didn't.

Me too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, I am going to go dust off my Blue Angel F-18!

dragon53 wrote:From Badcat's blog:

<snip>Pappy's Corsair (2004): Our first and last exclusive with 21st Century Toys, <snip>

I would have posted to Rob on his blog, but I think he is forgetting the original Big Beautiful Doll. That was the one that brought me to Bad Cat for the first time... Still haven't spent as much there though as my Blue Angel F-18 is worth now. BTW, it's box has never been opened and it is still in the box it was shipped from Bad Cat in.

And how lame is this: I think I bought the Pappy Corsair, but I'm too lazy to go look and find out. I can't remember!!!

Yeah, I hate it when a seller establishes a phantom street value for stuff. It's pure B.S. and a conflict of interest. "So, we'll establish the Boyington Corsair at $500 so people will think they got a steal at $250, the price we sell it for." Pure crap.

-Ski

If I had a choice of investements between a 1/18th plane and the DOW, I'd go with the DOW. Not that I dislike any of the planes, but I think there's more long-run appreciation value in the stock market in my opinion.

Exactly how did they estimate the price?

Probably grabbed the highest price on ebay when things were really hot and everybody had money (or high credit limits)
This last summer I saw the PH Zero go for that, but since the prices have gone down all of a sudden. Most of us know why.

Teamski wrote:Yeah, I hate it when a seller establishes a phantom street value for stuff. It's pure B.S. and a conflict of interest. "So, we'll establish the Boyington Corsair at $500 so people will think they got a steal at $250, the price we sell it for." Pure crap.

-Ski

I would like to apologize to BadCatMatt for the above comments. We talked about it and I see that I was out of line in making an assumption about the conflict of interest. Bad Cat Toys doesn't have these aircraft in stock and did not have a stake in the established values. Sorry about that Matt!

-Ski

Panther F wrote:That's pretty crazy stuff. Of course they must be still in the box as new. Otherwise, why have them?

That's why you buy extras when they are cheap.
I think I've got three PH Zeroes. I ordered two from Badcat.
I liked the way if you ordered two of the same size box, you would get a nice outer box to keep them both in, when you take down the one you've displayed and put it back in.

The third one I won on ebay from a guy who listed all his 1:18 airplanes with a buy it now of $25. I was in a buying frenzy and got at least six of his planes before everybody caught on and started to buy them up.
The boxes were trashed but the planes were cherry.

I'm gonna paint or trade at least one of them.

Ski:

That's not entirely accurate since they obiviously have some they keep in storage for a rainy day. I bought an original PH Zero from them on ebay last year when they apparently didn't have any more, and shortly afterward, someone bought a Bunker Hill Avenger. So I think they have more of an understanding of what the current prices are than we know, they are selling some of these rarer pieces on ebay after they run out of store stock.

I really wish in many ways Badcat wouldn't even write a blog, I think it hurts the hobby more than it helps. It seems to create publicity for them in the wrong way. For example, look at how people felt about the annoucement of their "Private Reserve" a few weeks back. I think the blog just puts them in a bad light with some of the collectors on here and over the web. I could be wrong, but everything I have read in that blog has made me feel less inclined to buy anything from them. It just seems they are more concerned about the politics of the hobby than about enjoying it and really loving the products they sell.

They also forgot the very first exclusive BBI F-16, the two tone gray one with no unit/squadron markings that was the Badcat exclusive. One of those is in my collection courtesy of boardmember kevrut.

The flat Blue on the BA Hornet has never bothered me. I think it was done just fine. I thought about clear coating it but have since decided to let it go, it's an impressive model and I only hope BBI does the F-16 for the Thunderbirds soon.

Just a side thought, given the popularity of the US Airshows and the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds, why in the world BBI didn't sell these two birds on the airshow circuit is beyond me. They would have sold cold sodas on a hot airshow day! That decision never made any sense!

Coreyeagle48 wrote:
That's not entirely accurate since they obiviously have some they keep in storage for a rainy day.

Not true. We do not own any of the items mentioned in the article. We created, invested and sold them at one time but they are all gone.

Coreyeagle48 wrote:So I think they have more of an understanding of what the current prices are than we know, they are selling some of these rarer pieces on ebay after they run out of store stock.

Correct. We sell our merchandise in any market we deem appropriate in this capitalist democracy, without Corey's permission.

Coreyeagle48 wrote:I really wish in many ways Badcat wouldn't even write a blog.

The blog contains editorial opinions, product announcements, etc.. Again, it's a capitalistic democracy, Corey. Don't like it, don't read it. Pretty simple.

Coreyeagle48 wrote:Why in the world BBI didn't sell these two birds on the airshow circuit is beyond me. They would have sold cold sodas on a hot airshow day! That decision never made any sense!

BBI is a manufacturer, not a retailer. Their expertise is in making toys, not selling them to individuals at airshows. Our experience selling 1:18 Blue Angels F-18s at airshows was dismal. Nobody wanted to spend an unexpected $80 or lug that big box around. Small, three dollar crap sells like hotcakes at airshows.

I like the Bad Cat blog. Any info on models is cool with me.

Model value is only determined by what a person is willing to pay for it at that particular moment. This is one reason you'll see a 1/18 Zero go for $250 one time and $50 the next.

To say that a particular plane has a certain value is nonsense.

hworth18 wrote:Model value is only determined by what a person is willing to pay for it at that particular moment. This is one reason you'll see a 1/18 Zero go for $250 one time and $50 the next.

To say that a particular plane has a certain value is nonsense.

Harry

At this moment, if you have a mint Hirano Zero you'll sell me for 50 bucks, please let me know!

I'll buy all you have at that price . . . then sell each and every one for $250--at some other moment.

Badcat and anyone else can sell for what ever they want. If they sell then its thier good fortune. As stated before prices are based on how much someone wishes to pay. We arent dealing with gold or silver here they are collectibles and value lives in the present. That same plane maybe worth nothing in a few weeks or years??? I can remember when MJ starting lineups went for hundreds now i can buy all i want for 20 bucks or less. Thats the nature of the beast.

Coreyeagle48:

Ski:

That's not entirely accurate since they obiviously have some they keep in storage for a rainy day. I bought an original PH Zero from them on ebay last year when they apparently didn't have any more, and shortly afterward, someone bought a Bunker Hill Avenger.

BadCatMatt:

Not true. We do not own any of the items mentioned in the article. We created, invested and sold them at one time but they are all gone.

hworth18:

Model value is only determined by what a person is willing to pay for it at that particular moment. This is one reason you'll see a 1/18 Zero go for $250 one time and $50 the next.

BadCatMatt:

Harry

At this moment, if you have a mint Hirano Zero you'll sell me for 50 bucks, please let me know!

I'll buy all you have at that price . . . then sell each and every one for $250--at some other moment.

So it’s not true that you kept some PH Zeros in storage in the past to sell them on eBay (even though Corey claims you did) but at the same time you claim you’d be willing to buy the PH Zero at $50 from hworth18 and sell it at $250 each at some other moment?

So you didn’t but you would?

Hmmm, what?

............ Uh Oh ,.. I knew this thread was going to erupt into a feud.

* Better lock this thread down !



Mitch v MG

MG-42 wrote:............ Uh Oh ,.. I knew this thread was going to erupt into a feud.

* Better lock this thread down !



Mitch v MG

no crap............