If Roden resume production of new WW1 kits, what subjects would you buy?

[zavod44]

Unless they radically improve their quality, I wouldn't buy anything from them.....Life is too short to fool with a sub-par quality model kit, and everything I have seen from Roden is definitely sub-par.

[ermeio]

I think that they have improved a lot ... not CSM or WNW quality, but the last kits are much better that the first ones

[Brad Cancian]

For those that haven't seen Roden's recent production quality, please have a look at the link I posted previously in this thread to their most recent release, the Stearman. I'll post it again:

http://www.hyperscale.com/2020/reviews/kits/rodenrd631reviewjm_1.htm

Production quality is excellent, and has vastly improved from the kits released back in the early 2000s. So I would suggest we don't judge them from the kits of old - that would be quite a mistake.

BC

[RAGIII]

For those that haven't seen Roden's recent production quality, please have a look at the link I posted previously in this thread to their most recent release, the Stearman. I'll post it again:

http://www.hyperscale.com/2020/reviews/kits/rodenrd631reviewjm_1.htm

Production quality is excellent, and has vastly improved from the kits released back in the early 2000s. So I would suggest we don't judge them from the kits of old - that would be quite a mistake.

BC

Thanks for re-posting Brad. I for one have built quite a few of their older releases. If the Stearman is an example of what we can look for in the Avro and Strutter I am More than excited!
RAGIII

[Pup7309]

Go Roden looking forward to their upcoming releases. It’s a shame WNW folded but if you’re a WW1 ( or even ‘tween wars) builder the future still looks bright

[Captain Slower]

Brad,

Definitely agree that the Stearman is quite a bit better than the earlier WWI kits.  Hope that their SPAD XIII is also as great.

[Pup7309]

Brad,

Definitely agree that the Stearman is quite a bit better than the earlier WWI kits.  Hope that their SPAD XIII is also as great.

+1.

[coyotemagic]

I've built at least 6 Roden 1/48 scale kits to date. A BE2c, BE12, DH4, 1 1/2 Strutter, a pair of Fokker D.VIIs and maybe one or two others.  All were a real pleasure to build.  I'm now working on my first 1/32 Roden kit, a Dr.I using Aviattic decals and other enhancements.  Aside for the fictitious leading edge scallops and a few other minor details, it's not a bad kit.  Not CSM or WNW by any stretch, but by comparison, most of the other kits I've built were mere lumps of resin.  I personally look forward to any new WWI kits Roden will bring out.

Cheers,
Bud

[zavod44]

I guess all the kits I have seen are their turd offerings.  The Fokker triplane is abysmal.  Their SPAD's are not any better.  I picked up a 1/72 Gotha GVb that is good only to give to a child.  But if you say they have a kit that doesn't require three PE sets, a resin conversion and half the kit needs to be scratchbuilt, then I'll take your word for it.  I can only go by what I have seen, and what I have seen is brutal..... 


Plus I can't believe most guys here would be on board for these Roden kits that need so much "extra" attention.  Mainly because I hear so many people freaking out about the new Meng Dr 1 "warped" wings when all it requires is five minutes, your fingers and a set of opposing thumbs to fix it.  If that is an issue for so many I can't imagine they could ever get past Rodens problems.....

[Dave W]

Zavod... your opinions of Roden kits are now fairly clear but I'm currently making their 1/48 SE5a Hispano Suiza and it's been a fun and very enjoyable build.

You would have seen that the Forum has been encouraging Roden to resume production of WW1 aircraft kits since the collapse of Wingnut Wings and they have stated they will return to our favourite era, so on that basis I think we should be applauding a model company that is showing us it still has faith in producing WW1 aircraft models.

Constantly attacking a model company because of perceived issues with kits produced more than 10 years ago is frankly not helpful now. I have made several Roden kits and all have their challenges but the end result is pleasing and that's what matters.

My concern is this- if model companies perceive their market to be disinterested in their products- which are produced for a very niche customer base- there's a real risk they will just say okay, we'll do a Spitfire or 109 or Mustang instead and make a mint from them.

Just because Wingnut Wings is gone does not mean the whole hobby has to shut down now.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

[Brad Cancian]

My concern is this- if model companies perceive their market to be disinterested in their products- which are produced for a very niche customer base- there's a real risk they will just say okay, we'll do a Spitfire or 109 or Mustang instead and make a mint from them.

Just because Wingnut Wings is gone does not mean the whole hobby has to shut down now.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

+1 from me. I for one want to encourage any and all manufacturers into the hobby. Remember, we're only a small niche of the market.

Yes we have been very spoilt by WNW, but some of us have been around long enough to know that sometimes you have to actually do some modelling in this hobby, not just kit assembling. There will be folks who have their views on all manner of things. Even WNW came in for some ridiculous criticisms, i.e. their kits fit too well...! At the end of the day folks, this is a hobby. Buy what you want to buy and build what you want to build as you want to build it. But I would encourage everyone to be open minded.

I have built quite a number of Roden kits in all scales in the last 15 years or so - their 1/72 Pfalz, 1/72 Fokker D.VII, 1/72 Albatros D.III, two of their 1/48 Fokker D.VII offerings, their 1/48 SE5a, their 1/48 Nieuport 28 (which is a real gem), their 1/48 DH-9, their 1/48 Junkers D.I (another gem), their 1/32 Albatros D.III and their 1/32 Fokker Dr1. If you want to see how they build up, click on the link in my sig and see my builds of these kits on my web page. Now, I am not the best modeller in the world but in my view each and every one of their kits was quite nice. Was there some work to do on some of them? Sure. Was any single one of their kits a 'turd'? Absolutely not!.

I really would encourage everyone that we don't rule out a manufacturer based on their moulding technology from 20 years ago. Imagine if we approached Eduard kits now based on our views from their early 1990s offerings and mould technology - we'd be fools.

Cheers,

BC

[Eric Armstrong]

Zavods criticisms are not without merit.  I will leave it there, but also hope that should Roden do get back in the WWI aviation realm, let companies such CSM, be their model for what should be possible going forward.  Fingers crossed.

[Jeff K]

the problem i have with Zavod's complaints--besides the fact that they are in a thread where a manufacturer is testing the waters for something that just about everyone except Zavod's interested in--is that what are you going to do? wait for the Wingnut Wings 1 1/2 Strutter?

for a great many subjects the choice is between Roden and scratchbuilding. or building Tamiya Spitfires, Corsairs and Mustangs if you're the sort that let the subject matter be dictated by the availability of a near-perfect kit.

[macsporran]

I don't understand people that will only buy a kit if it just clicks together out of the box. Change your hobby: go and buy some Lego.
Part of the enjoyment for me is actually creating something, sometimes out of less promising components.
Of course some kits are good and some less good but I've built plenty of vacforms and resin models and the sense of achievement when you finish is all the greater.
Compared with, for an extreme example, the original Eduard short run 1/48 kits, (which I enjoyed building back then and would do so again now,) the Roden 1/32 Albatros D.III I'm currently working on is a joy - and a better challenge to me, as a modeller, than my WNW D.Vs .
If you want something that presents minimum challenges, there is a range of Corgi diecasts that might suit.

Please Mr Roden, give us anything new you fancy producing. I have all your WWI kits, love them, and will buy anything else you make.
Sandy

[Pup7309]

Can’t wait for Roden’s next WW1 kits. Eduard, ICM and Roden are all producing kits far superior to their efforts in the 9Os and naughty’s - same as Hasegawa, Tamiya and Airfix.