Small Scale Military Headquarters

There have been a lot of examples of outrageous prices for 21st Century aircraft. Current prices for FOV are getting ridiculous. I assume that buyers on evilbay that are willing to pay such prices are young or naive or just ignorant or just have too much money. As far as FOV, I have personally extremely limited my purchases because you have to pay $60-$70 for Adventure grade goods. The purpose of this new topic is to advise and alert everyone there are still bargains out there if you are patient and continue the search. I have recently seen many 21st 1/32 aircraft in the box still going for $10-$20. Out of the box for even less. I have even seen and am about to purchase FOV 1/32 armor, Enthusiast grade newer releases, for $35. (This Sunday I'm purchasing the recent re-releases such as the KV-1, Pershing, etc. I'll weather them.) In other words, if you seek it you WILL find it for a decent price.

It isn't just 21C and FoV, ketelone.

Century Wings Tomcats in particular go for some big money on the secondary market, particularly the early releases, with the Jolly Rogers usually fetching the most. One recently went for $750, about 10 times the cost just 6 years ago, when it was released.

Corgi heavies usually do quite well, and I have a few GMP 1/12 scale GT40's that I got for less than $300, and fetch $700-$900.

The best way to get a good return, is to get a good quality model, done in relatively low runs. 1000 or less. Give it a few years, and people will pay much more than the list price to get one.

Not sure why 21C 1/32 in particular would go for so much, as they were done in runs of 5,000, so not rare.

But sound advice, telling buyers to be patient, and spend some time looking for a decent price on these. Same could be said for any model.

Very good advice. What troubles me (especially with Unimax products) is not so much the secondary market, but the primary one. The prices keep climbing while the quality dives, even to below the old "Action Grade" standards.

There are a few items I want to get from the FOV line, just they are pricey for what one gets. I have to ballance that with other expenditures, including other military toys. What were $15 1:72 planes sell for $30; 1:32 tanks for $60+ with no accessories or weathering; 1:700 scale ships for over $70 - and these are prices coming from retailers that do not mark up their products. Really makes me miss the days when I got what amounted to a professional 1:32 model tank in the Enthusiast Grade line for around $35...

Had no idea the Century Wings were that high till I looked. A 1:72 Tomcat going as high in price as a 1:18 BBI hornet.

Checking the prices on the Corgi 1:72 B-17's lately and "Bit O Lace" is close to $400 at it's highest. "Memphis Belle" a close second at $350.
I think "909" has gone even higher. Hard to wait for a good deal when everybody wants one.

Being a recent enthusiast of 1:144 WWII bombers for the most part has been a relatively inexpensive experience, but I have paid nearly $100 for the rarest one out there. Nothing I've seen is as high in that scale except for Corgi B-52's, which are in the $150 and higher range.

I thought as you go smaller in scale the prices would be a little less, but a recent 1:200 search for military jets I stumbled upon some of the Gemini Jets airliners up there in the $400 range. The civilian airliner market is a whole different ballgame and doing quite well from what I gather. So many different jets to have, it's crazy.

I haven't even checked any of the 1:18 planes lately as I pretty much have an example of all of them give or take a few. I shudder to think what a "California Cutie" or "Haleakala" P-38 would cost now.

I picked up my FOV today. No accessories and it looks like the tanks just rolled off the factory production line. For sake of discussion, I'll accept the lack of weathering but the color/paint is not what a military vehicle should be. Military colors are flat/drab. These look like cheap plastic toys... Major disappointment.

ketelone wrote:I picked up my FOV today. No accessories and it looks like the tanks just rolled off the factory production line. For sake of discussion, I'll accept the lack of weathering but the color/paint is not what a military vehicle should be. Military colors are flat/drab. These look like cheap plastic toys... Major disappointment.

Surely it is a semi gloss right?
Most of the FOV I purchased at Target and TRU were this way. Yes they looked like they just came out of the factory line, yet a semi gloss matte finish, so even though toy looking most likely authentic.

Being an auto painter and understanding the nature of paint, most of these would appear this way, as they had factory fresh paint, but the nature of a single stage paint job, most likely an enamel without any catalyst in it in the early days of painting would fade very quickly out in the sun or elements.

Doesn't help that you purchased one with that kind of a finish, yet paid the same price as a weathered one would a couple of years ago can be somewhat a disappointment though.