Small Scale Military Headquarters

Don't know if its been announced yet, but HobbyBoss is releasing (2) SBD Dauntless kits in 1/18 scale... Just something for you XDer's...

1:18th
81801 Douglas SBD-1/2 Dauntless
81802 Douglas SBD-3/-4 Dauntless/A-24A Banshee

no pics yet?

Any word if these might be new molds or Admirals?

Well, guess we'll get a 1:18 Dauntless one way or another

Interesting, hold on to your wallets.

The rumor has always been Trumpter was in a deal with Admiral on the Dauntless. My late Dad told me this years ago, and he was a award winning modeler and went to all the shows, plus he had over 10,000 hours volunteering at the pensacola naval air station in the reserach department.

If any body has built a Trumpter kit, you know how detailed they are.

Dave

scbvideoboy wrote:The rumor has always been Trumpter was in a deal with Admiral on the Dauntless. My late Dad told me this years ago, and he was a award winning modeler and went to all the shows, plus he had over 10,000 hours volunteering at the pensacola naval air station in the reserach department.

If any body has built a Trumpter kit, you know how detailed they are.

Dave

You might be onto something as Hobby Boss have been planning to release a 1/18th Dauntless kit for awhile. HB are owned I believe by Trumpeter who also produce the 1/72 Easy Model range. Time will tell, better than saying 'wait and see'....

If this is the Admiral Toys dauntless it's bad news.

Pre-built $64.99 collectable, to an unassembled, unpainted kit that will be far into the triple digits. $$$

Exactly.

I'm a little concerned about the pricing considering Trump's 1/32 line is $80+

Will have to wait and see.

It is not Admiral's SBD, and they have never been in negotiations with Trumpter. However, an SBD in 1:18 is a possibility by year's end if everyone gets on board... James of Admiral Toys will be discussing this in a post later tonight or tomorrow.

Regards,
Jason

Jason of Admiral Toys wrote:It is not Admiral's SBD, and they have never been in negotiations with Trumpter. However, an SBD in 1:18 is a possibility by year's end if everyone gets on board... James of Admiral Toys will be discussing this in a post later tonight or tomorrow.

Regards,
Jason

Sweet, I still have a pre-order for 2, paid for through MTS. I wonder how this will all shake down?

Should be interesting now that everyone feels we should be shelling out $100 per plane..........

Airacobra wrote:Should be interesting now that everyone feels we should be shelling out $100 per plane..........

I didn't sense any sarcasm in that post

NWarty wrote:

Airacobra wrote:Should be interesting now that everyone feels we should be shelling out $100 per plane..........

I didn't sense any sarcasm in that post

I know, beating a dead horse.

Happy for you "modeler" guys, sad for those of us who aren't
Hope AT does come through, & appreciate Jason's willingness to check in from time to time and give us some idea of AT's activities!

NWarty wrote:Exactly.

I'm a little concerned about the pricing considering Trump's 1/32 line is $80+

Will have to wait and see.

I have a few Trumpy planes

great models but expensive

But for a Dauntless I will come up with the money

Well, love it or hate it, ebay is a source for cheap Trumpeter kits. I got my 1/32 Avenger for half retail (including shipping) and my MiG-3 for about 40% off. The MiG's a cheap kit by Trump standards anyway so I didn't get as good a deal.

If not for ebay, I would own no Trump kits as I can't justify paying over $100 for a plastic kit.

Good news, but not for my. Because of my very limited kit assembly and airbrush skills, I will have to wait until there will be a pre-assembled Dauntless.

I'll take an SBD anyway I can get one.
Still have my order up at MTS.
I can't think of a 1:18 plane I want more.

A 1:18 kit has got to be pricey. The 1:32 Trumpeter kits are high already at retail, though cheaper at auction.

Here's to hoping All-Go has success and Admiral will get back on the bandwagon.
They had some cool 1/32 stuff in the works too.

$69 is still Admiral's price @ Military Toy Shop.

Geez. $69 seems so much more like a deal now; compared to more expensive releases + repaints (JSI repaints, AGT repaint, now Trumpeter).

C'mon y'all. $69 is not bad. Get onboard. I really want a new (reasonably affordable) warbird...


http://www.militarytoyshop.com/prodtype ... hCriteria=

sdcc73 wrote:$69 is still Admiral's price @ Military Toy Shop.

Geez. $69 seems so much more like a deal now; compared to more expensive releases + repaints (JSI repaints, AGT repaint, now Trumpeter).

C'mon y'all. $69 is not bad. Get onboard. I really want a new (reasonably affordable) warbird...


http://www.militarytoyshop.com/prodtype ... hCriteria=

I don't think people are not "getting on board" for $69. That is an incredible price for a 1st run newly produced piece (I have one on pre-order since it was first put up on their site). There is probably a reason Admiral went on hiatus - they weren't making money. They practically had to give away the German F86 to clear inventory.
I think that the 1/18 market just isn't big enough to justify the $50-$60 price point anymore, especially for a 1st run where you have to recoup costs of molds, design, etc...
Without the Walmart and TRU crowds (non collectors) buying these for $39 for their kids to play with, there just isn't enough of us out here to make it worth their while. Hence, we probably won't see the deals we did in the past unless something is a rotten seller, which doesn't help the manufacturer anyway. I think $100 will be a minimum price point going forward, unless it is a repaint of an already used mold. Even then I don't think you'll see it break $80 unless it is $79.99 or something like that.
My 2 cents.

Admiral toys never sold their products at retail giants.

BBI's recently released Saki Zero was $50-60.

The All go P-51 re-paint is the first 1:18 scale plane to retail at $100. (Aside from the JSI F-14 and custom work)

I'd say $100 isn't the norm yet.

Even if MTS couldn't honor the $69 price point and had to raise it to $100, I would still be on board to get one.

Some (including me hopefully) are going to pay that for a re-painted P-51D.

A 1:18 SBD is worth more than a JSI F-14 IMO, though it's doubtful they could sell many for that price.

mountian-man wrote:Admiral toys never sold their products at retail giants.

BBI's recently released Saki Zero was $50-60.

The All go P-51 re-paint is the first 1:18 scale plane to retail at $100. (Aside from the JSI F-14 and custom work)

I'd say $100 isn't the norm yet.

I never meant to imply that AT sold at TRU or Wally. Just trying to make the point that the "market" was flooded with 1/18 stuff that wasn't selling even at the $39 price so had to get clearanced out even lower.
AT did not sell at Wally or TRU, but also had a hard time getting rid of their stuff at etailers. The AT F86s were going for $19.99 at many etailers and even at that price they were not flying off shelves. I remember seeing them at those prices for at least a couple months. And when you could get a 21st Mig or F86 from Walmart clearanced at $15 or even $10 you can't blame people for not buying the AT product at the time. Wally and TRU did a lot of damage to AT and 21st.
BBI's Sakai Zero is a repaint of their other two Zeros, so it wasn't a new mold. It also retailed for $70 at most places though now you can get it for $59. It isn't exactly flying off shelves even after most etailers lowered it by $10 from original price, so they probably aren't doing too well with that release.
My main point is you probably won't see too many new releases under 79.99. They will have to start making smaller runs at a greater price because the market isn't supporting the lower price (too many go sitting on the shelves). I think JSI is learning that lesson as well. They had a larger run than the market seems to support as there are still F 14s in stock all over the place. Only so many people are going to buy 1/18 collectibles whether they are $30 or $250 the market doesn't expand much when the price is lower as there just isn't a large fan base.
I think most of us would agree that if you see the Dauntless at $100 it is still a good deal. $69 is a no brainer.

It still doesn't make sense with a worldwide recession and people not buying things... to raise the prices?

Me thinks it's still a pure marketing ploy, take things away and put highly desirable items "on the shelf" and then when the fan and collector base are begging to buy something new, out comes the stuff at double the price.

How many would have bought a $200 plus 1/18 plane 3 years ago?

DH

edit I got a FREE F86 for waiting on a preorder.

Good lord.......Why stop at $100 norm for a single prop warbird. I think they should cost at least $2,000 a piece........ Please people, lets stop prematurely shooting ourselves in the foot with the whole elevated price talk. How about we just let the manufacturers put a price point on their products and see if they sell before we automatically appoint higher and higher prices on these planes. Funny how you can still find BBI planes through etailers for $60, yet people here are constantly saying we should feel blessed to pay $100 for similar releases.