WNW: how many kits do they have left?

[Dave J]

Sad to see that much hasn't changed with WETA. Great people... but these are simple issues that shouldn't be happening.

[Pup7309]

A post war Ninak arrived from WETA today - perfect! There is so much plastic for this beast I had to have a few goes trying to fit the sprues in and get the lid on again!

Your lucky, I got an email from weta today saying they oversold the US warehouse and my models would be shipping from NZ, so at least another month for me.

Yes it’s ironic. Because they are such high end products I am dismayed when a box comes in crushed. Some people don’t care. It’s cardboard so shit happens but when I got this one and it was perfect I almost fell off my seat! Plenty I had wished that way didn’t make it undamaged. I have a few on economy mail and they are backed up in Auckland and I have little or no hopes for the same results again.

Weta cancelled a few of my orders due to lack of stock. They kept me informed but it was a let down. 2 are supposed to be coming from NZ so I hope it’s the right Camel! I wonder if they are having these out of stocks coming from WNW in NZ? Maybe.

[Dave J]

I wonder if they are having these out of stocks coming from WNW in NZ? Maybe.

I really doubt that, as they would have more kits on offer than they would. WETA never stocked anything from the Taube onwards.

[Pup7309]

I wonder if they are having these out of stocks coming from WNW in NZ? Maybe.

I really doubt that, as they would have more kits on offer than they would. WETA never stocked anything from the Taube onwards.

That just reminded me of the time they had the Junkers D1 on pre-order. I waited for months being told every time ‘it should be arriving at the end of next week.’ It never did so I cancelled and got it at Mighty Ape. Same happened with the Taube but it Rina arrived crushed but still buildable ( not WETAs fault)
I’m glad I have it now, the EBay prices are ridiculous. I intend to build it rather than collecting so all good. That said I think they do their best and it’s nice emailing them over there.

As an aside both these kits are great the aluminium surface texture on the D1; and the Taube - you can hold it up and see the ribs over the thin wing and tail, outstanding. Dc

[Alexis]

I have been following this thread right from the start and I have a question . Now I hope no one takes this the wrong way or gets up set but .....

Does it really matter how many kits may or may not be left ?


Terri

[Dave W]

Hi Terri

Your comment - Does it really matter how many kits may or may not be left ? - is the calm voice of logic and reason this issue needs. I've watched as people globally go into meltdown chasing Wingnut kits, but  few seem to want them to build, but the kits seem to have become "collector" treasures. They are not Grail items and should not be regarded as such.

They are superb models and as such should be made but if I wanted an appreciating "collector" asset I would go for Faberge eggs or other jewelled creations, not bits of moulded plastic.

No disrespect to those wanting a collection of every WNW kit, everyone's take on the hobby is their personal interest.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

[rayb24]

I have been following this thread right from the start and I have a question . Now I hope no one takes this the wrong way or gets up set but .....

Does it really matter how many kits may or may not be left ?


Terri

I have been watching this thread too. One part of me says who cares how many are left. Give it a year or five. All of the wnw molds will resurface....
Ray

[smperry]

Terri
Thanks for coming right out and saying it. I have been wanting to say something, but every time I have tried, it comes out way too harsh, so I hit the delete key out of respect for the tone of this Forum. Thanks again for saying what needed to be said.
sp

[Pup7309]

Both are valid questions. How many are left and who cares? No harm in asking!
The WNW issue is unresolved and needing to add a few kits ‘to finish/ fill out the spreadsheet’ we hope the NZ warehouses reopens to avoid rip off prices. I started in late 2016 and missed a few I wanted. Maybe others are in the same boat. I don’t understand the ‘tulip fever’ and don’t agree with short term speculation but can’t judge by individual circumstance. But it is ridiculous because I look at the price and think are my skills equal to the current inflated value.
These are not one-off items and can be mass produced so are not rare in that sense.
And yes once you snip them off their trees they become a hobby again.

I think once the last kits are released for sale and WNW is closed, or they by chance re open this will no longer be relevant. Will the moulds go into production again? In fact these are probably the more interesting questions of which we have no answer yet.

I guess patience is needed but a bit of transparency from WNW for people who have supported them over the years might have been good.

Anyway time to get back to the bench...hopefully those Dr1s arrive soon...Dc

[gcn]

This ^^

If I can get some solid information From this thread about availability of certain kits it may stop me paying say £200+ for an Albatros rather than rrp

Builder not collector btw

[Jeff K]

I have been following this thread right from the start and I have a question . Now I hope no one takes this the wrong way or gets up set but .....

Does it really matter how many kits may or may not be left ?


Terri

i've got pretty much everything i need, unless someone releases the Paralyzer and the Lanc.

i'm just watching the way one watches a bad traffic accident. or a funeral.

[Nigrivender]

Hello,
I'll add my:
What is happening now with WnW sets is similar to what happened some 10 years ago with the Tasca company. Everyone panicked that such a company was liquidated (maybe not everyone knows they made the best M4 available on the market in 1:35 scale - and it has remained so until today. I even think that WnW took an example from them), and suddenly some 3 years ago we see ASUKA releases old Tasca. They didn't even change the forms, they added some elements in separate moldings and they changed the boxes. Currently, they are quite a dynamic company, releasing new models. I think the same will be with the WnW forms, or with the company itself. Now people are overwhelmed with panic, or worse "stupidcov". You have to take it all calmly. Great that they have released some great models. We should have only great memories associated with it and what we are doing now will only be remembered about the crazy prices and figuring out what, where and how much is left. And these prices. So let's only have great memories and do what we managed to keep / gain and derive as much joy from the hobby so that at least some remain for our descendants and the future generation of modelers, to see how models were made in the past and have joy and learning from our accomplishments. Because with the current situation and the commitment of young people, I think that we are the last generation who love this wonderful hobby. As someone once said (1940), "Only buttons will remain for me."

[macsporran]

42

[Ringleheim]

Hello,
I'll add my:
What is happening now with WnW sets is similar to what happened some 10 years ago with the Tasca company. Everyone panicked that such a company was liquidated (maybe not everyone knows they made the best M4 available on the market in 1:35 scale - and it has remained so until today. I even think that WnW took an example from them), and suddenly some 3 years ago we see ASUKA releases old Tasca. They didn't even change the forms, they added some elements in separate moldings and they changed the boxes. Currently, they are quite a dynamic company, releasing new models. I think the same will be with the WnW forms, or with the company itself. Now people are overwhelmed with panic, or worse "stupidcov". You have to take it all calmly. Great that they have released some great models. We should have only great memories associated with it and what we are doing now will only be remembered about the crazy prices and figuring out what, where and how much is left. And these prices. So let's only have great memories and do what we managed to keep / gain and derive as much joy from the hobby so that at least some remain for our descendants and the future generation of modelers, to see how models were made in the past and have joy and learning from our accomplishments. Because with the current situation and the commitment of young people, I think that we are the last generation who love this wonderful hobby. As someone once said (1940), "Only buttons will remain for me."

In certain parts of the world and with certain subject matters, model making is alive and well with young people.

We may be the last generation that wants to build weapons of war from WWI or WWII, but I think modeling will continue.

Gundam, mecha, sci-fi type stuff is hugely popular all over the world, and modeling is a huge, mainstream activity in Japan.

To name just a few specifics.

Will WNW kits be re-popped by someone else down the line and re-offered as new kits for normal MSRP? 

Maybe!  It depends entirely on whether or not Peter Jackson wants to go that route or not.  At least as long as he's alive.

[petrov27]

I mean I sorta did care? The thread was/has been useful to point out when certain places received some of the last kits sold at reasonable prices and I was able to pick up two kits that I still wanted but did not want to have to sell a kidney to afford them?

I figure if whatever remains of WNW decides to sell off sprues of the engines and maybe the DVII version trees this thread might be useful for that as well to get the word out to forum-members who are looking for those?