My Conversation with A Merit Rep Regarding 1/18th Scale

[thatf14guy]

true, and I am planning on buying a harrier myself, I just hope its not a waste of money like the f-14 was/yes it was a very nice model, but everyone I bought eventually the landing gear would break! gets old after a while. hopefully merit will do a better job on the harrier than JSI did with the f-14.

[dannyc]

Jnewboy - I have to agree with you. If the truth is that one parody on one board messed with them THAT much; then the toy business is not for them. I agree that they really have taken a long time with things, over thinking can be bad.. As for price point- for that money the jet will almost have to fly. Companies like Hot Toys can pullthose high prices off with 12 inch figures because the likeness are dead on and the quality is unbelievable; but there are alot more people who want a dead on iron man then a Harrier. I know that some of the guys know I am in the toy business, and let me tell you both kids and the adults who buy the toys are really not happy with the prices these companies are starting to charge for a single action figure. So 200+ for a plane, there is a VERY slim market of adult collectors who will go for that. But we as collectors are also to blame because there are so many guys who would not drop $ 50 on a 1/18 plane if the wing is supposed to have 58 rivits and only has 49. So these compaines go crazy in a vain effort to please rivit counters. Star wars toys is a great example. Fan boys bitch and moan for bigger more accurate vehicles. So hasbro made a huge Falcon and ATAT. What did the demanding fan boys write on every board? "Too Rich for my blood, ill buy it on clearance" Guess what supplies were limited there was no clearance and now they complain they have to spend 3 times the money to get one and hasbro got burned. Unfortunately toys are changing and I think toy companies spend too much time thinking and listening to fan boy complaints instead of putting a toy on the shelves.

holy crud you just described the HISSTANK forum for gi joe and many other idiot fans that they listen too

[snake]

Ease up a little guys .

My rep was nice enough to disclose info .

We do not want to rub them in the wrong way.

Well said, Pickel.

With the negativity posted, no wonder reps don't bother frequenting forums.

[Axis Nightmare]

I've been doing a little re-thinking myself.

Let's look at some positives about Merit then....

The Dauntless is in my opinion the finest 1/18 pre-built prop plane ever made by far. It looks like the time and effort to get the next two right is being invested. 21st C. and BBI rushed examples into production without such care and we ended up with sub-standard issues with glaring errors in outline, thickness of wings, crappy undercarriage, no dihedral, and QC problems. Probably the same of us that are complaining about the time and cost would have been complaining a year ago had the new releases come out at $99 with a ton of issues. Quality takes time and costs more, period. We'll just have to wait and see.

Ease up a little guys .

My rep was nice enough to disclose info .

We do not want to rub them in the wrong way.

Well said, Pickel.

With the negativity posted, no wonder reps don't bother frequenting forums.

[scbvideoboy]

if you think $220 is too rich for a freaking plane that will take up your kitchen table, don't even look at 1/18 diecast CARS!

CMC Aston Martin DB4 $440.99
Autoart 1993 Alfa Romeo $274.99
Schuco Porsche Renntransporter $649.99
Minichamps 1978 Lotus Ford 79 $184.99

Me, I'm buying any 1/18 Harrier, FW190, or even a freaking SPAD - anyone for a biplane?

[skypirate]

Looking forward to the Fw-190. There haven't been a lot of new premade 1/18 items to compete for my wallet that past few years. Even better when it's something I want.

[thatf14guy]

well said as well, I am sure merit will do a better job than jsi! the first release tomcat was a flop, so I don't mind waiting for a quality model! I just cant wait to see this thing and I am sure it will hopefully turn things around for 1/18. we will just have to be patient and trust that merit will produce a quality product. soon I hope!

[hotrodrock]

Even though I have bought a couple of pickel's well done releases, I gave up 1/18 armour for dead years ago. I switched to 1/16 due to the all of the customizing accessories available for them. Each to their own, I just didn't want to keep hanging on to a dead scale when so much was available in 1/16. You can still get most of the armour (certainly not all) in the $100 to $125 range and then do lots of customizing with the available accessories.

[parrish333]

I'm excited for the Harrier! It's one of my favorite jets, and is a living legend IMHO. Of course the delay and price point are unfortunate. But I suppose the price is about proportional to what I paid for my Black Knights JSI F-14 (which I actually think was well done). And if Merit keeps the quality on par with their Dauntless, I think most will be well-pleased.

Also great to hear the FW-190A is still coming - another great choice of airplanes. As to the Hitler video, maybe they didn't realize that is a parody genre. Maybe they also didn't realize it means you have fans who love your product enough to be disappointed when it's delayed. I took it all in good fun and never thought worse of Merit just because of the video!

Sad to hear them getting out of 1/18 armor but I understand they need to follow the money trail.

1/18 military doesn't die - it just gets reborn in strange ways at strange times!

[Keith B]

I do not normally post but feel compelled too.I am sure I speak for others, Merit's delays on products were not intentional but quality control issues I am sure they had the best intentions but wanted to deliver a quality product.This parody that caused a response from Merit served its purpose.Poke fun at,antagonize,humor?The author of this still wants to illicit unproductive responces from the manufacturer, to what end?,this use to be a place that was positive and free from spite,drama.I sorely miss those days

[Jnewboy]

I do not normally post but feel compelled too.I am sure I speak for others, Merit's delays on products were not intentional but quality control issues I am sure they had the best intentions but wanted to deliver a quality product.This parody that caused a response from Merit served its purpose.Poke fun at,antagonize,humor?The author of this still wants to illicit unproductive responces from the manufacturer, to what end?,this use to be a place that was positive and free from spite,drama.I sorely miss those days

[p51]

Hey guys, I think it's time to put that video, and the references to it, in the past. Regardless or not if it was meant in good fun, this world of collecting has been on the edge of late, and we don't want to send anyone over to vanish like Admiral Toys or even 21st.

[DocTodd]

I appreciate the news! Thank you for posting. I was beginning to wonder if they had tabled the Harrier. Sounds like they are simply increasing the quality. I hope the price point doesn't scare off too many. But for those of us that stocked up on WM deals back in the day- it is quite a price jump- but the quality is much better with these more recent Merit products. I hope they sell well so we will see an A-10 produced. That plane if done right could be the Holy Grail of my collection!

[scbvideoboy]

I only check in once in a while so I'm gonna assume when a new 1/18 plane is available someone here will post the info!

[Beeavision]

I only check in once in a while so I'm gonna assume when a new 1/18 plane is available someone here will post the info!

You better believe it.

I appreciate the news! Thank you for posting. I was beginning to wonder if they had tabled the Harrier. Sounds like they are simply increasing the quality. I hope the price point doesn't scare off too many. But for those of us that stocked up on WM deals back in the day- it is quite a price jump- but the quality is much better with these more recent Merit products. I hope they sell well so we will see an A-10 produced. That plane if done right could be the Holy Grail of my collection!

I agree. Though the price maybe a little high I believe the time and effort Merit has been putting into these projects especially as of lately has certainly made up for it and then some. Because they are trying to broaden the 1:18 market by offering these in kits it is almost imperative the work on them is done right. Besides if this means the difference between getting a A-10 or not down the road I would rather them do a great job now if everything is riding on it.

[DocTodd]

I agree with Pickel, too much resentment when Merit is about the only game in town right now even considering nice, realistic 1:18 scale items. I appreciate them trying to get this plane correct and paying attention to detail.

[Black_Dragon_One]

If you like the dautless u like the av 8b..
it is really nise in person

[Black_Dragon_One]

true, and I am planning on buying a harrier myself, I just hope its not a waste of money like the f-14 was/yes it was a very nice model, but everyone I bought eventually the landing gear would break! gets old after a while. hopefully merit will do a better job on the harrier than JSI did with the f-14.

They did the harrier landing wheel beef up and the harrier is much lighter then f14

[dragon53]

What is the squadron tail code on the Harrier's tail?

[TankAce]

I had a bbi f16 at one time which i paid $75 on ebay from a private owner.
I don't collect airplanes at the moment, the point is that many of us can not afford to pay $200 for a aircraft but i rather have Merit make it so maybe on the future we can find a used one on ebay for $100 bucks.
The 1/18 scale is big compared to 1/32. Shipping this things from overseas and the amount of plastic used is probably the reason for price being high.
I have tough about switching to a smaller scale to save money and space but i am already used to large scale.
Maybe if i would have never had anything in 1/18 scale it would have been more easy the transition to smaller scale.

[granch]

I've mounted a lot of 1/72 airplane kits when I was a teenager, very few 1/48 and 1/32 scale aircraft. Some decades later, I found my first 1/18 model, the BBI Blackhawk, then some soldiers. What I like in 1/18 is not only the impressive size of the model, but also the fact that I can play with it. Changing the crew, desert camo for the european one, other loads in the helo, other position of each figure, with the possibility to put the same UH-60 in different environments for pics of different scenaries outdoor. This versatility is not possible with 1/72 scale. Once the model is finished even with a lot of add-on kits for more details, it is finished. Figures can't be moved, once cemented, they are definitively at their place. I will never return to smaller scale models. OK, 1/18 models need place, but are usually more realistic and are less big than 1/6th vehicles. I'm just sorry that 1/18 brands usually offer only one choice for the offensive loads for the planes (a little more on the BBI Little Bird and Kiowa). Hope Merit will give us alternative weapons for different missions with the Harrier.

[Studly]

G'day Chaps. I will definitely be in for the Fw190 and the Harrier...Bring em on

I am hoping for the same quality as their SBD's so look forward to the release of these two.


Cheers
Studly

[Black_Dragon_One]

What is the squadron tail code on the Harrier's tail?

I didn't really notice that ..were is it on the bird
the pic of the new paint up on the other post

[A-10LOADER]

Looks like VMA-231 markings so, the tailcode should be CF.


Steve

[MUDHEN336]

Looking at the photos from the most recent prototype, it looks to me like VMA-211 Wake Island Avengers.