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

[Jeff K]

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.

no i get it, it's lego-driven not subject driven though. so why give a sideways f*** about WWI at all then though. if kits are your thing, Tamiya will keep doing Corsairs etc forever. and even if you hate Corsairs it's a gorgeous kit.

but if you care about the subject more than someone else's clever engineering? SO WHAT. i mean yeah a gorgeous kit might get me interested in a subject. but what drew me back into this is what drew me in when i was 7: history. subject. stories. so, nice kits are nice (for me) but so what.

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

Dear Roden ppl, +1. I have a LOT of your "old" "bad" kits already and will buy more. any WWI subjects you release i will automatically buy at least one. i do hope you do your best work  but if you can't afford to keep up with the brief period of Sir PJ throwing a ton of money at the subject i'm ok with that.

just give me the correct shape and some good decisions please.

[Pup7309]

Yeah they should get shape and surface right. WNW was awesome for accuracy but if Roden want to skip on super- detailing under the hood and having 3 types of engine cover that’s fine with me- save some $.

[zavod44]

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

Well I would say this, almost every time wingnut would announce any new kit, tons of guys on this very site would chime in and say, "I'm not going to buy it", or  "I'm not interested" and I never once saw you correct any of them for saying that.   If you don't believe me go and look for yourself, it's on almost every thread.  It actually boggled my mind that people would bother chiming in to say that.  I'm curious why you have changed your policy now?  Is it because wingnut went out of business?  When and if Roden decides to make more kits, and the usual suspects on this site start chiming in and saying they are not interested in that particular subject will you be admonishing them for saying that?  The purpose of my comments are to let them know we will not accept lousy kits any longer.  The bar has been risen and they should rise to the occasion, and frankly keep striving for more.  Maybe if we all encourage them to make something of quality....they just might, and in turn we just might buy them. 

[zavod44]

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

I'm sorry I don't like crummy kits, but that's me.  Lots of awesome models are made by lots of awesome manufacturers.   Have you ever seen Tamiya's quality, and for that matter Hasegawa, or Dragon, or Meng, or Rye Field Model?  You compare those manufacturers to Lego....really?   In my mind I would rather spend the time building three Meng Dr. 1's instead of spending all that same time putting the rib tape details on the toy like wings of the Roden kits.  If that's what you like, that's great, I don't begrudge you for it, nor do I throw shade in your direction.  I'm just letting Roden know, that if they want my money, they should step it up.  I do not have a Roden fetish, and I will not blindly love and buy whatever they serve up......

[Brad Cancian]

Well I would say this, almost every time wingnut would announce any new kit, tons of guys on this very site would chime in and say, "I'm not going to buy it", or  "I'm not interested" and I never once saw you correct any of them for saying that...  I'm curious why you have changed your policy now?  Is it because wingnut went out of business? 

Guys, I think this thread is starting to stray into dangerous territory, but what I would say Zavod to your comments above regarding people not buying WnW kits is that people were likely less interested in the esoteric subject matter, rather than attacking the kit's quality (no one would suggest WnW kits weren't high quality). You can't equate the two, nor turn around and claim that Dave isn't supporting manufacturers because he didn't stop people from saying they weren't interested in a particular subject - that's illogical (a strawman fallicy).

You're judging Roden on a kit they haven't even produced yet, based on their technology from 20 years ago, and conveniently ignoring the very recent example that I have posted of their current quality. That's called confirmation bias - using evidence that confirms your position but ignoring evidence that goes against it. Do you think their Stearman is a 'turd'? I certainly don't.

At the end of the day, you don't have to accept a 'lousy kit'... just don't buy it. I (and probably a few others) will take a less then perfect kit over no kit at all. No kits means no sales, which means no manufacturers, and we're all back to building mustangschmitts or carving kits out of hunks of wood and plastic, Harry Woodman style.

Lastly, as a moderator, I'd kindly ask that you cease from making inflammatory comments against the manufacturer of a kit that hasn't even been produced. We're trying to encourage Roden to produce more WW1 kits and your comments are certainly not helping. More importantly, i'd ask that you desist against making derogatory comments and attacks against Dave, our forum owner, who pours his heart and soul into this site and our hobby.  Otherwise folks, I dare say that this thread will meet a quick end.

Regards,

Brad

[Dave W]

Zavod.... you have made your points very clearly (and repeatedly) but now it seems you feel a need to personally criticise me too.

Here's what I'm trying to do Zavod. I am trying to have our forum form a close co-operative connection with the WW1 model manufacturers, like Roden and Copper State etc. No other forum or model site has really achieved this, they just sit on the sidelines and bitch and whine about manufacturers models. As if this will encourage the companies to do better or regard the hobby website with any respect.

I want our forum to be able to work with the model companies and liaise with them on subject choice and help them, with colour schemes and marking options etc. Our forum- us- helped persuade Roden to resume production of WW1 aircraft models after Wingnuts closed. No other hobby website has ever achieved something like this. I am rather proud of us all for this achievement.

Our friends at Copper State consulted the forum for marking options of their Nieuport XXIII RFC edition coming soon and I have offered Roden the opportunity to consult our membership for marking options for their new WW1 kits.

This thread that a handful of members have tried to derail with trolling remarks was designed to encourage Roden to re start WW1 production. It succeeded but now we have a sad change of direction toward flaming and nastiness.

In such situations I try to be as fair and impartial as possible despite provocations. So I asked myself : what would Des have done in a situation like this?

Well Des did not suffer such attitudes lightly so his options might have included deleting all the critical posts or locking the thread or even banning the member for their trolling.

I have not done any of these things but I will say this- don't push me.

The members of our forum are our #1 priority here and being a forum we expect there will sometimes be a robust exchange of views on issues, but that does not mean repeated posts pushing the same message over and over again.

So let's focus on the positives please. What we are trying to do here is encourage the growth of the WW1 aircraft model hobby.

I think that's worth fighting for.

David Wilson
Forum Owner & Administrator
Gold Coast
Australia

[rhwinter]

I for one am really looking forward to seeing Roden's new WW1 kits. (As well as Copper State's!) Thank you, Dave, for keeping up your good contacts to the manufacturers and thus giving us the chance to get the kits we want.
Richard

[PrzemoL]

Thanks, Brad and Dave, for your efforts to keep this discusion civil (as well as the rest of the forum of course

I just wish to confirm my interest in any 32nd scale WW1 aircraft model. I do not say, this interest and eventual purchase will be regardless the kit quality, but having build some 20 Roden kits in 72nd scale and Spad VII in 32nd scale I will just say, they all were pleasure to build, even if some were very much demanding. And seeing the progress Roden makes recently (for instance the Stearman - very much tempting) I am sure we will have fine kits next year to discuss, buy, "plastic-sniff" and eventually build. I am really looking forward to the incarnation of the release announcements. Do go for it, Roden!!!

Yes, there will always be complaints around, it is a human nature, and we modellers are by no means any exception, but then, there are many of us waiting for the gap after WNW closure to be filled. And luckily it seems we have good reasons to see our hopes fulfilled.

[mgunns]

I am glad to see the progress that the forum has made in regards to Roden getting back in the game with WWI kits and Copper State Models on-going production and expansion of the Nieuport line.   The potential ripple effect of these two companies is enormous.  Aftermarket producers can now focus on materials to enhance the kits as they are produced.  We could be seeing new decals, seat belts, resin goodies and whatever else the aftermarket folks can come up with.  As Forum members, as WWI Modelers and enthusiasts, we should be encouraging these companies to continue down the path.  Undue criticism helps no one.  Make your point and move on.  If you don't like the kit, don't buy it.  I am glad to see Roden stating they are going to begin production of new WWI Kits.  If they are like their Stearman, they will be great kits.  I am also looking forward to the upcoming year to see what CSM has up their sleeve as well.
Yes, this is an historic event where a model company actually seeks the ideas of the forum.  Let's ensure that it's positive ideas.
Kudo's to Dave W. and the team for reaching out and seeing this through.  Exciting times I tell ya!

[Pup7309]

Hi,
I’ll say it again- can’t wait to get a new tooled SPAD and look at the Strutter and Avro

[rhwinter]

Hi,
I’ll say it again- can’t wait to get a new tooled SPAD and look at the Strutter and Avro

Me, too! Me, too!!

[Alexis]

Said it somewhere before and will say it again ...Pfalz Dr.1 and a Pfalz D.VII/III 



Terri

[zavod44]

I hear these points and I agree with most.  If we have Rodens ear, they we just need to let them know, molding and the hobby has come a very long way.  And I would tell any manufacturer to shoot for the moon.  Do your best, let the next kit be better than the last.  Good enough is never good enough.  Tell them that Wingnut kits were so good, I would buy them even if I wasn't jazzed about the subject.  They were just so damn good I had to have it.  Here's to hoping that's where Roden is heading.  If they do, I'll be the first to say thank you.....and in a thread asking for ideas, then what about a nice 1/32 Albatros D III Oeffag, so I can use some of the sweet Aviattic Sworl decals.   And what about a 1/32 Breguet 14.  I love USAS Roundels so that would be something I could paint them on. 

[rhwinter]

Ooooh, yesss, I'd be in for a Breguet XIV, too! With USAS roundels! And with french cockardes!

[Dwaynewilly]

I still think that if they did their own Albatros D.V and Fokker D.VII versions, they would sell a ton of them, just like Wingnuts could have. If they get a steady stream of income from those obviously popular kits, they could spread out to the more esoteric subject matter. Every Jasta operated those aircraft and the marking schemes are innumerable. I know everyone here wants something that hasn't been done before but if you want Roden to really invest in our niche, why not encourage them to make kits that would be sure hits to the model buying public? Just sayin.

Dwayne