News from Copper State Models

[Dave W]

With the closure of Wingnut Wings, modellers' expectations for new releases have shifted to companies such as Copper State Models, and it's fair to say some of the  expectations imposed on them are unrealistic.

There are assumptions that CSM will somehow fill the Wingnut gap with a ramped up production line of new aircraft kits every few months. The reality is different.

Unlike Wingnuts CSM does not have a multi millionaire funding the business. Edgar Liepinsh  of Copper State says kit sales fund development of new projects and at the moment WW1 armoured cars are generating more income than sales of aircraft kits.

Consequently the Hansa Brandenburg DI project is on hold, due to low sales of CSM's 1/32 scale Nieuports - both the 17 and 21-23 variants.

Edgar says the Hansa Brandenburg moulds are very expensive so Copper State is looking for a way to get some money for this project.

He notes armoured cars are doing much better for CSM, so they are trying to earn more money from armoured cars to re-invest into 1/32 scale aircraft.

Edgar assures forum members that Copper State has not abandoned the Hansa Brandenburg D.1 project, merely paused it to develop other kits to fund it, mindful that customers now expect WW1 kits to be of a particular quality.

Now for the good news- Copper State is completing its next 1/32 scale aircraft model, one not previously done, which is a  single-engine multi-purpose French two-seater. For now he is not disclosing the subject name so let the guessing begin!

And there's also another one that's been in development for a while now, which he describes as "not another boring PC-10 British aeroplane (although it has also PC-10)". No clues to its identity have been offered.

CSM will feed the armoured car market with its forthcoming Minerva armoured car ( A Belgian WW1 vehicle). An Italian Lancia armoured car is also in development and scheduled for later this year as well.

So for a small company Copper State has a full production slate but while they would like to expand their aircraft range, they can't afford to release a new 1/32 aircraft kit every six 6 months.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

[Berman]

  If you want new CSM 1/48th and 1/32nd scale kits then buy their existing 1/48 and 1/32 kits.

[coyotemagic]

  If you want new CSM 1/48th and 1/32nd scale kits then buy their existing 1/48 and 1/32 kits.

Precisely!  And their armored cars are a wonderful change of pace for when the WWI aircraft doldrums hit.
Cheers,
Bud

[hiddeous1973]

Having build both the Lanchesternand the Romfell, I can only say that they are kits of the highest quality, worthy of your time, attention and your money!
I don't think that there will ever be better kits of these models, attention to detail and instructions is amazing.

[rhwinter]

Thank you Dave!
I only bought one of their Nieuports so far, although I am not a huge Nieuport-fan. But I am a fan of the quality of CSM's kits!
Unfortunately I don't want to have armoured cars (although CSM's are really looking good), so I don't buy them. (Or did not buy any yet.) As I want CSM to go on producing those beautiful high-level kits they produced up to now, I do buy their really beautiful resin figures. But only one from time to time. All in all I am afraid that unfortunately it won't be me, who will significantly fund their new 1/32 WW1 aircraft. Sad! Maybe I will get another Nieuport? Maybe a Minerva? Some more figures? Hoping that CSM will somehow be able to produce the Starstrutter! - By the way: My guess for the french 2-seater: Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter.
Richard

[Jeff K]

i have plans to buy 3 more late 17s, 3 21s, and a 23...

however, at the moment i don't have the money. blew my budget hoovering up WNW kits while they were still available at retail prices. i'm not funded by a multimillionaire either so i'll have to wait for more pay before i do this.

not very interested in armor generally, but the armored cars do look interesting.

my hope is that the French 2 seater is a Breguet 14, but it might be a Nieuport 12...

[Pup7309]

A French 2 seater and British Type sounds good!

[Borsos]

I‘d open a bottle of champagne if CSM would release a Nieuport 12. I am looking forward in anticipation to this release (whatever it is. We urgently need French twoseaters) and the armored cars. I was looking for the SPARTA resin Lancia until I saw CSM preparing one 
Andreas

[rhwinter]

Although this is not a wishlist here, a german Erhardt armoured car would be tempting even for me.

[drdave]

Cackling like witches around a Caudron.....

[RAGIII]

The French two seater sounds Fantastic. If a Strutter I will need a couple. If something else at least one! A Non boring single seater with PC 10. FE8 or DH5 :-) The expected Nieuport 23 in RFC service ? Looking forward to whatever they are!
RAGIII

[Dekenba1]

What I take from this is that, as a forum, we are not representative of the wider modelling community.

Lots of us bought at least one Nieuport kit, but it seems it was nowhere near enough for CSM to make a reasonable profit. So the wider modelling community didn't buy it in large enough numbers.

It's tricky, because we never knew the volume of kits WNW sold. Is there a possibility that the WWI 1/32 market is not as large as we think it is? Are CSM getting the pricing correct - a few modellers have told me the price is just a bit too high, especially with Roden kits available for around a third of the CSM Nieuport price?

Maybe CSM are making the right move by working on previously unreleased subjects, with Roden - via pricing - and WNW - via quality - having saturated the market for the types they've made.

I, for one, are far more likely to buy a French two seater & new British type than a Nieuport. I have 4 Roden's, 2 Special Hobby's & an Academy - seven, or eight including the CSM XVII Late. Whereas I have zero French 2 seaters (besides the Salmson), so I'll get at least one, several if it's a Caudron G.4 or Breguet XIV.

[Pup7309]

A Breguet or Cauldron would have a pretty decent wingspan in 1/32.

[Borsos]

Cackling like witches around a Caudron.....

Oh yes, so true.

[janh]

i vote for a Breguet XIV/14. high production numbers, so a lot of decoration possibilities, including USA!