After Wingnut Wings closure, how can we support the aftermarket businesses?

[Dave W]

As we deal with the global business shutdowns due to the Covid 19 pandemic, and in the wake of the collapse and closure of Wingnut Wings, the big question facing the hobby now is- what's next for those aftermarket businesses that depended on WnW kits for sales?

The world reaction to the Wingnuts closure has been one of "the kits are gone forever". Except that's not true. In the 11 years of its existence Wingnuts is thought to have generated around 100,000 individual kits in its catalogue range. We know only a small percentage of these has been made so in all likelihood there could be up to 100,000 Wingnut kits in circulation.

The business closure means no new kits will be produced and none of the back catalogue will be re-issued unless the business is rescued by someone else.

In the meantime, what can we do to ensure our aftermarket manufacturers stay viable? Simple. Build the Wingnut kits you are stashing, and support the aftermarket companies too by buying the accessories they make for these kits.

Dollars, not sympathy will get everyone through this hobby ordeal and also show a possible Wingnut company buyer the company is worth rescuing.

The Wingnut Wings kits were produced to be built, not horded in cupboards as future investments or hawked for stupid money on Ebay. They are a hobby item, not a gold investment.

While we modellers can't buy out the company we can make a significant difference to keep the aftermarket businesses financially afloat by buying their accessories.

So rather than bemoan the 1/32 scale Zeppelin Wingnuts never got to produce, you can support businesses such as Pheon Decals, Albatros Productions, GasPatch, Taurus, Proper Plane, Model Cellar, Flugzeugwerke, Bob's Buckles and Aviattic.

We should also support those WW1 kit manufacturers still in the business- Roden, Copper State Models, Eduard, Special Hobby, Lukgraph, MiniArt, ICM, MasterBox, Tommys War among them.

The Wingnuts closure should not be seen as the end, it should be embraced as a challenge for us modellers to more than ever  support our special interest niche.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

[Vickers]

Well put, Dave.

Also, from watching the WNW kits availability on some of the webstores it appears that some of the larger ones have sold more in the past week than in the past quarter. So yes, there will be many in the private stashes and many among us are big supporters of most of the companies you mentioned. Taurus, for instance, isn't accepting orders because they can't ship them out due to their own nation's temporary restrictions. I hope that the company is in a position to crank out more stock- especially some of the bits that sold out earlier- since I have a big wish list awaiting them once they re-open. (Spark plugs, priming cups, and manifolds... oh my). As you know, I spent about twice as much on aftermarket mainly from RB Productions, Gaspatch, Taurus, and Pheon on my WNW Alb D.V as I did on the kit. Like many others, I love the aftermarket industry because I'm not much of a scratchbuilder and these companies help the modeler meet that cost/time/effort/satisfaction equation. Also, I applaud good works and consider it a patriotic duty to the modeling community to reward good manufacturers with sales.

I'm glad you mentioned eBay. For many months, I've been watching several WNW kits there for pure entertainment because their pie-in-the-sky prices are ridiculous and I get the impression that some of these sellers don't really want to part with the kits.

No modeler or Great War aviation enthusiast who witnessed the works of WNW or TVAL will soon forget the revolutions they created in those cross-pollinating communities and if there is to be no resurrection of the team and the existing materials then that will truly be a shame. However, we may anticipate that others such as CSM may be poised to fill the vacuum on further types as they've done with the 1/32nd Nieuports and 1/48th Caudrons, but as you say there are many 1000's of WNW kits in our stashes and between the builds in progress and the secondary selling/trading they're going to be around for a long time to come and the aftermarket industry in support of those builds should be viable for quite some time to come.

[bobs_buckles]

I'm seeing an increase in Buckle production  , but this should flatten off soon when things calm down. In the scheme of things I'm small fry in comparison to larger concerns that have tailored their products solely for WNW kits.  I feel for these guys and I will be supporting them as and when.

I will keep buckling for as long as this community needs me. When the day comes to hang up my twisting tweezers I will proudly bow out knowing that some of the finest builds on this ball of iron and rock has used some of my wee Buckles. That's incredible and makes me so proud. 

Stay safe my friends.
May the sprues be with you...Always.

Von B 

[Dekenba1]

Wingnuts is thought to have generated around 100,000 individual kits

Is that all?

It would mean each boxing had, on average, between 1 and 2 thousand kits made?

[Dave W]

Hi Dekenba

That figure is a very conservative estimate. Wingnuts being a privately owned business did not have to disclose its production runs. I believe some kits had bigger production runs than others.

So my conservative figure may be way too low. But the point is there are thousands of kits in circulation still waiting to be made, hence the call to support our aftermarket businesses and keep the magic flowing through the hobby.

cheers

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

[PrzemoL]

All rightly put, Dave.
I have built 26 WNW kits up till now - all of them have Bob's buckles and many have other aftermarket bits. I have the Pup on the bench with Bob's buckles, too (hard to believe, but well over 100 of them).
And 6 more WNW kits to be built - some will require aftermarket additions, all will have Bob's buckles (yes, Bob, you have all the right to be proud that your fine and ingenious rigging bits are spread all around this globe). And yes, I am currently ordering what aftermarket bits are pertinent to my stash items, to be safe if I wish to build any of them and the lockdown continues.
So, let us indeed support our favourite companies to help them survive this grim time.

[oreodog]

Great comments! While a bit of a sad moment, I now am spending money on aftermarket that was earmarked for WnW kits. so now my kits all get Proper Plane props, Aviaittic decals, Gaspatch guns & turnbuckles, and whatever else I can find - things I might have not ordered earlier. And theere are some very enticing kits as Dave mentioned that i really must order. Well, off to those websites now!
Thank you small businesses! We will help!
terry

[lcarroll]

      In my experience there are so many things that contribute to the enjoyment of this Hobby ranging from the Kits, the trade in vintage products, the myriad of special tools, custom paints, and an impossible array of well researched and wonderful reference publications to name just a few. In my modelling world nothing surpasses the pleasures of the After Market Products we enjoy. Rarely do I not add to the trove of A/M goodies already stockpiled for a Build once the construction phase commences and often the investment in additions exceeds the price of the Kit. With enforced isolation and the demise of one of our premiere kit suppliers now more then ever is the time to support those who do us. We all have our favorites however in my experience the quality of product, service, and loyalty to the customer is top notch in this business sector. Further, they support this Forum in many ways; be it directly by donations or provision of samples for feed back, soliciting our inputs for new products, or providing unsolicited review items. I suspect margins in these businesses are extremely narrow and times like this are going to prove a challenge to say the very least. I join the rest of you in saying "Thanks" and urging all to support our fellow Hobbyists who also provide the great additions to our projects through their After Market businesses.
Cheers,
Lance 

[Ringleheim]

I agree the secondary market for WNW kits will stay strong for years to come, and that assumes that the company isn't revived under new ownership in the relatively near future.

And that's something that I think is almost certain to happen.

If I had to gamble, I'd suggest the employees of the company band together and try to form an ownership group.

It is my opinion that most modelers like to talk about WNW kits, buy them, sell them, and stash them away.  Few seem to actually build them, and I think that's because they are very challenging builds and a lot of modelers assume rigging is beyond their capability before they even try.

The kits won't be going away any time soon.

The real question is what will aftermarket prices look like once the news that the company doesn't exist anymore gets around.

I actually think they will remain somewhat stable.  There is simply too much supply in circulation for prices to go crazy, with a few exceptions.

Kits that never sold well and sold in small quantity are going to cost a fortune.  I saw a Gotha bomber just sold for $400 US on Ebay.   But that will be the exception  IMO.

[Europapete]

Morning all, I always buy all the aftermarket goodies I can for all my kits, not just WNW. I enjoy adding the extra detail that provides, as some kits are rather lacking. Also the quality and detail finese of the A/M parts has advanced increadably over the last few years, just look at Taurus's engines for instance, even WNW's parts look crude in comparison. So I buy in batches, My increadable wife Darlene gifts me a bunch of kits for christmas/ birthday / just besause/ , then I make up a list for each A/M company and put in the orders. I save up a bit, place an order or two, save up a bit, and do the rounds so to speak. Each order covers multiple kits, and can sometimes be a rather decent $$ amount which hopefully gives the company a nice boost as they are usually small one man bands. Being self employed myself, I know they do help with cashflow.  Regards, Pete in RI

[Dekenba1]

I think the smaller AM manufacturers will have to go into semi hibernation for a year or two, until the virus danger is behind us & the industry as a whole recovers. Reduce costs, reduce investment and try to somehow mitigate by perhaps expanding into other eras besides WWI?

Easier said than done.

[smperry]

Instead of buying a new kit, make several smaller orders for AM goodies and specialized supplies like micro tube or nifty tools you have been meaning to get that can used on kits already in your stash.
sp

[Jeff K]

it's probably a good idea to buy aftermarket products directly from their maker rather than ebay, Hannants, Sprue Bros etc, and thereby pay the maker directly, when they need it.

genius plan! now all i need is some money.

[Europapete]

If you have a photocopier, then print some! 

[Jeff K]

Lukasz of Taurus has, after the initial shock, expressed his intention to keep making engines. however, he can't ship anything at the moment, all international shipping is shut down in Poland.