Admiral Toys Information Q&A (Jason)

[aferguson]

I have been contacted by Jason of Admiral Toys. He has requested a thread on our board similar to the BBI Information thread with which Mike provides us information.

The arrangement will be similar to the one with Mike; ie Jason will email me information/answers and i will then post them in this thread.

As with Mike, there may be some initial skepticism by some as to Jason's authenticity but in time everyone can decide as to the
validity of the information for themselves.

I'll post information as i get it. Feel free to discuss it within the
thread, as Jason will be monitoring the board from time to time and can
perhaps address other concerns/questions etc that are brought up. Keep all your comments confined to this one thread. All spin off threads will be
deleted. We want to keep it all in one topic so it is easy for him to
peruse during the limited time he will have to visit the board....plus spin
off threads will only create unnecessary clutter.

I will not be giving out his email address so don't bother to ask, nor will
i pass on individual questions to him, so don't pm me with them. They will
be ignored.

I personally think that it is great that Jason is taking the time and making
the effort to inform our little band. I'm sure what he has to say will be
appreciated by all.

So without further ado....

Jason wrote:

"Thank you for your assistance. Let me begin by introducing myself. My name is Jason, and I am General Counsel for Admiral Toys Incorporated. Aside from providing the legal needs of the company, I also assist the company with research and development of our lines and am the liaison with our facilities in China.

I appreciate the opportunity to speak with the forum members. Hopefully, I will be able to answer the members’ questions and give some informative news not yet on our website.

As you may have noticed, our website has changed in the last couple of weeks and is still under construction. The products page is not up and running as of today. This is because we are still working on the website and are waiting for new photos of the final production samples of our F-86 and Panzer IIIL. These photos will be available on the website for you to view around December 10. However, I will try to give the forum a sneak preview of the production samples sometime next week.

Please note that in the future, our products page will say $0.00 as a price for items that have been released for the publics viewing but are not yet available for preorder or for sale. When we are ready to accept preorders, the price will change to the retail price of the product. (To answer a question from the forum, the F-86’s price has not changed, it will be offered for $59.99). We have notified many of your members that we are not yet taking preorders for the F-86, and this is still the case. We have received numerous inquiries, and we are trying to respond to everyone asking to preorder the F-86. I have personally responded to many of these inquiries. At this time, it is still our practice to put those individuals on a notification list that will email you the second we begin to take preorders. We believe that this system is in the best interests of interested customers, including your members, because we do not want to take everyone’s money and then encounter a delay. Therefore, we will only take preorders on a product, including the F-86, for which we have a date of delivery. Please note that to put your name on our notification list, you must send an email with your contact information to customerservice@admiraltoys.com.

I want to personally apologize to “Digger” for not replying to his/her email. I do not know how it passed unanswered. We are making a concerted effort to answer all emails. Digger, hopefully this post will answer all of your questions.

To answer the most popular question asked by this forum, we do not at this time have intentions of producing a 1:18th A-10. We are exploring the cost of its production, and as you may have guessed it will be a very expensive airplane to produce. This does not mean we have counted out the production in the future. To steal a line from a distinguished colleague, “you will have to wait and see.”

This leads me to another point. The development and production of such a large model takes months to produce master models (prototypes), modify those master models, conduct tooling, modify the tooling, produce the production sample, modify that production sample, set up a production line, and finally begin production. With such a timeline you are bound to have overlapping of models from different companies. I have read the posts on this site that have discussed that there are a finite number of “popular” aircrafts that can be mass-produced. With three companies in the 1:18 arena and the months required for development and production, you will see overlap. We generally do not know what the other companies are about to produce.

I am going to China tomorrow morning and hope to return in a week or so. I am going to China to review the production sample of the Jolley Roger F-86. If you review the timeline I have described above, this means we are very close to production. Yes, delays have occurred. This is why you will not have such a forecasted knowledge of future releases. We will keep under wraps all future projects until we know they are ready for production. As a note, if anyone has wondered about the spelling we have used for “Jolley” in our Jolly Roger, it is the name of the pilot Clifford Jolley.

The Jolley Roger will be available on the internet only. We have no plans on using mass-retailers. If we release a form of the Jolley Roger in the future to a mass-retailer, it will be different from the one on the internet and will be sold in limited numbers and offered in a different box. Most of the major internet retailers have contacted us, and you should not have a problem finding our products.

Again, there will be no advanced notice to the public of future releases with the EXCEPTION of one more model that will be produced. I have been given permission, by the powers that be, to release the identity of a future aircraft in 1:18. The only reason I have been given permission is that it will be an overlap aircraft. In other words, another company has already produced it. As I explained, it takes months for development and we were well into development when it was released by another company. Ours does have a few things different about it, so I think you will be pleased. Plus, I promise it will be produced in very limited numbers. Unfortunately, you will have to wait until I return from China to “see” which aircraft."

[DocTodd]

Thank you Jason, and we look forward to the announcement of your other plane and the release of the F-86. I hope it has the detail that we saw at the Wings Over Houston Airshow.
Todd

[flayrah]

Thank you for taking the time and interest to address this board. We greatly appreciate the direct contact with the manufacturer. Many weeks ago, I e-mailed customer service, asking about availability of local pick up of the models once they were available, and the projected number of units that would be packed per shipping box (in order for me to calculate the costs of pick up vs shipping). I never received a reply. Can you address this question for me?

[Birddog]

Thanks Jason. Can't wait to see all you will have to offer. Very glad to hear you are looking into the A-10, I'll cross my fingers.... Can't wait to see the F-86 you will offer.

[Gunner]

It's great to hear from another company.

I can't wait for the F-86!

[digger]

I want to personally apologize to “Digger” for not replying to his/her email. I do not know how it passed unanswered. We are making a concerted effort to answer all emails. Digger, hopefully this post will answer all of your questions....
Most of the major internet retailers have contacted us, and you should not have a problem finding our products.

Thanks! And that is a great answer to my question. Glad you could join us!

[immeww2]

Thanks for taking the time to inform us of your company and production plans. Looking forward to the new products you have planned for release.

[Jesse James]

Nice Jason!

Thanks for the information and liason work with the site here (thanks aferg too of course).

I'm really hoping now that there's a 3rd company that the likelihood of more various figures in 1:18 and ground vehicles/pieces (general) will be a strong likelihood. Love 21st's stuff, love BBI, and I'm glad to see yet another company jump in. This is only good news to me.

[Teamski]

Wow! Many thanks for sharing what you can about your products. I can tell you that we all appreciate what you are doing.

My question is this, and it might be rhetorical. If you are planning only limited runs of certain aircraft, I'm assuming less than 10,000 pieces. Wouldn't it benefit your company to "go off the board" with a somewhat different aircraft than what has been offered? For example, how about the Hawker Typhoon? It's not the most recognizable aircraft out there with the Walmart consumer, but with your niche marketing strategy, it would sell extremely well with us airplane nuts. It would also set your company apart from the rest. If you aren't marketing for department store chains, you could be producing popular, but less known aircraft and filling order sheets in the process.

For us 1:18 collectors, we have seen enough duplication already. I think everybody here would agree that to keep this scale alive and moving, new planes have to be created. Repaints and duplicate tails have stagnated our hobby to a large extent.

Again, welcome to the the board. We are really excited to see a new kid on the block. Expect a lot of customers!

-Ski

[supersonicfifi]

can t wait too !!!!! it will be perfect beside my p 51 ! thanx jason

[supersonicfifi]

dear jason :
there is a thread named "les che
valiers du ciel " sky knights i think it s a great opportunity to market and gain some exclusives rights do not hesitate to contact me , here in France _ Thanx

[WGP Klaus]

Jason

Thanks for taking the time to address questions/comments concerning your company and it's future product line. I've sent an email previously, and never received a reply, but emailed again with the information you require for preorder notification, and all I can say is.....sign me up for 2-3 pieces

Regards,
Todd

[vulgarvulture]

Thank you, Jason. Great to hear from you regarding your company's plans.

As Teamski mentioned above, niche marketing might be a good way to go.

To that end, may I strongly recommend looking into a F-4 Phantom. Please see the 1:18 Phantom posting on this board for our studied reasoning on why this plane should be made.

We look forward to hearing from you with more info on your company and product offerings.

[Quixote511]

I am very excited at the prospect of a 3rd company and I thank you for your time and effort to stay in contact with us. And, I am very excited at the possibility of a F-86; it was my dad's crate.
Aaron

[KAGNEW]

I LOVE the pix we've seen so far
and as long as it not a P-51D or F4U-1
i will buy the second model also
f-86E in John Glenns markings Mig Mad Marine would be nice

[toyktdlgh]

Jason,

do you have a list of the online retailers that will be selling your products or will they only be offered through your web site?

[bluesparrow]

Thanks for joining the fray! I have no questions to ask.

[steelbonnet]

Jason Thank`s very much for taking the time to bridge a gap from your company to this site,we all appreciate that.

As for future releases I asked awhile ago in an email I do truely hope you produce 1/18th armour too,though for that we`ll have to see eh

As for aircraft though,Hell yea a Phantom F4 would be awesome sometime down the path,as too a AV-8B Harrier. Now that`s another solid winner i think.

Anyway i wish your company all the best for these releases & the future releases.
After all another manufacter on the block of 1/18th is a wonderfull thing IMO

Ja
Steel Bonnet

[aferguson]

Mike wrote:

"Welcome Jason and nicely written."

[p51]

Welcome to the boards Jason! Looking forward to see what your company as in store for the community!

[Jericoeagle1]

Hi Jason,

How about making an A-10 in 1/18! (Sorry but it is my job on this thread to be the annoying one, oh and Birddog too.

Jerico "The leader of the A-10 fan club!" Eagle

[digger]

Jason,

do you have a list of the online retailers that will be selling your products or will they only be offered through your web site?

Most of the major internet retailers have contacted us, and you should not have a problem finding our products.

[Morian Miner]

Good to have you here, Jason. Nice to see each of the three current players checking in once and a while. And hats off to Aferg for not only moderating the board, but handling the two BBi and Admiral threads. Nice work .

[luftpanzer]

Welcome Jason.
I hope you will be doing 1/18th armor as well as aircraft. And not more shermans, Tigers and panthers. Somthing like a stug, M7 Priest or a Nashorn would be Nice. Again welcomr to our wold.

[Shin Densetsu]

Welcome to the boards Jason!


How bout an F-14, F-8 or A-4?

The F-14 is on the verge of retirement, it will be sorely missed, and would be a GREAT toy to have in that scale.

The MIGmaster needs it due, and so far noone has made it.

The Scooter is awesome, used by many nations, somewhat small, and has endless possibilities for repaints!