Small Scale Military Headquarters

* I just got an email yesterday from Military Issue ,ie.. Historic Sales , that the KingTiger I've had on order since 3/27/08 has been discontinued.

* When I called to confirm this email notification , I was told that , "due to low order #'s , the company 21st. Century Toys has decided to discontinue production on it altogether.

........... This may come as no surprise to alot of you including myself.

* Unless somebody seizes the mold for it , we'll never get to see it at all.


.......... Due to economic circumstances , the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.



Mitch v MG

Rats!

And that, as they say, is that.
Everyone take a piece of office furniture when you leave, and last one out shut off the breakers.



Jeffrey

You mean cancelled. Discontinued means it was already being made and sold.

Too bad. You can always buy the 1/16th and paint her up!

Hmmmmmm ......

Panther F wrote:You mean cancelled. Discontinued means it was already being made and sold.

>>> You're dead right ! ... It's been definitely Cancelled !

* I confirmed this again w/ Military Issue ,..ie Historic Sales , to make sure.


Mitch v MG

well if they are just going by order numbers that's pretty dumb. I mean i want 3 but i haven't preordered any with all the uncertainty regarding when and if it will be released. I suspect my case is not unique.

Too bad....it would have been their best selling piece of armour. Another questionable decision......although it may have nothing to do with low order numbers and everything to do with no money.

thats a pisser for sure
I just got a PzIV to finish out my German Armor and a KT would have definately been the center piece of my collection. Well one can hope 21C hold the mold's for a later time or sells them so someone else can produce it.

aferguson wrote:well if they are just going by order numbers that's pretty dumb. I mean i want 3 but i haven't preordered any with all the uncertainty regarding when and if it will be released. I suspect my case is not unique.

Too bad....it would have been their best selling piece of armour. Another questionable decision......although it may have nothing to do with low order numbers and everything to do with no money.

>>> I totally agree.


Mitch v MG

historic and others pre sell way to early! they do that all the time.
it makes me mad!

Too bad....it would have been their best selling piece of armour. Another questionable decision.......

Have to disagree. People were already balking at the MSRP. Despite years of clamoring, the price and paint on the 88 kept some of the loudest from buying it (until MD that is). The KT, with high price point, limited role in the war, and clear inaccuracies (see no zimmermet) is just the kind of piece people would find an excuse not to buy.

Sorry to say, Digger is on the beam.

The KT, if produced as shown would find a small maeket with us, but just not even all of us.

TTT

You guys are joking right...the KT would have been the ultimate 1/18th armor piece to have...at $50 or $75 or $100

This news really comes as no big surprise, with the economic dowturn I think even the most optimistic XD collector had to know the KT was a long shot at best. To be honest, I doubt we'll see anything new in 1/18 from 21st in the near future, except perhaps some figures, and even that might be a stretch.

the KT would have sold very well, no question. Lots of KT's had no zimmerit, as its use was discontinued in sept '44. Besides, lack of zimmerit didn't hurt Tiger I sales.....and most TIger I's did have zimmerit, nor did inaccuracies, which were far more numerous in it. It's always been popular.

Despite limited use in the war, the KT has a wide appeal because of it's size, looks and mythos. Would have been a clear winner.

The 88 sold well, but as i said many times, was definitely released in the wrong colour for a first run. Would have sold twice as many in dark grey.

Watch how many people now buy the Matorro KT which is around 50% more in price. And a lot of them won't be buying it for the r/c, just to use as a display piece in their 1/18 collection.

So we saw the prototype. How far along did they get?
Did they make the molds?
And where do these mold go?
In a vault, and who's?

Inquiring XD enthusiasts must know these things!

Wha... the KT has been canceled? Inconceivable! I can't believe it!

Oh well... if I want one bad enough, there are 1/16 options... And odds are that some off-brand Chinese company will come out with one in neon colors and featuring lights, sounds, and firing missiles. Mostly under a name like "Hero Force Action Tank", with a crew of figures with giant hands that don't quite reach to their waists.

[+] > I already have a Tiger II by Tamiya w/ Full blown Option , metal tracks etc ...

....... but it would'a been nice to have one in 1:18 though.


............. "Oh well".


Mitch v MG

Well if true this is sad news. I like many others have been waiting for 21st's XD King Tiger for over 2 years now and to hear this, well its very disappointing. I'd buy a few of these.....http://www.21stcenturytoys.com/area21/a ... newsID=261
http://www.21stcenturytoys.com/area21/a ... newsID=261

I've had a Tamyia 1:16th King Tiger for years now, great kit but at the time it was $400.00 and Verlinden 1:16th figures were $30.00+, I found 1:18th XD and the price and scale were just to good to pass up.

So now it seems we've come full circle XD armor (KT) was expected to sell around $100.00 and now some 1:16th RC armor sells for that price.

I'm very happy to have the 21st XD collection I have and I will support them in any way I can........

noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
WHAT A CRUEL WORLD

It's too bad to see this happen, yet remember, it is only one E-tails/retailers word that this is happening. It (the KT) could pop out somewhere else or under a different brand I too was going to pre-order 6 of them thru bad kitty, but for now, it's just water over the dam Let's wait to see what happens. Besides, I have LOTS of other projects to work on So I will keep busy

Da General

the KT paint scheme 21C planned to release should have had zimmermet to be accurate - we've been through this. Also, no 1/18 armor has ever been released at $100 MSRP, so to say it would have sold very well is just speculation tainted with personal preference for the piece...

At $100, I don't think it would've honestly... equally spiffy tanks sold OK at mass retail for half that price... But we all saw some on clearance. I think this huge mark-up was just a sign of the end ultimately.

Just my opinion on the matter... Ultimately this is just aiming me in new directions I think.

digger wrote:the KT paint scheme 21C planned to release should have had zimmermet to be accurate - we've been through this. Also, no 1/18 armor has ever been released at $100 MSRP, so to say it would have sold very well is just speculation tainted with personal preference for the piece...

AU$100+ for 1/18 armour is the norm' down here and I just paid AU$160 for a Yellow 7 262, the 88 is selling for between AU$190 to AU$200+ in the shops. You guys don't realise just how cheap things are in the States (and parts further north) compared to the rest of the world, but the items still do sell even at these hefty prices.

Just bring out the KT in a kit form (and all the 1/18th stuff for that matter) and they will easily sell, and I'm sure there must be 1/16th after market zimmerit available like that for 1/35th kits that can be used, the scale difference on such a product I think would be acceptable.