Meng announces a 1/32 scale Fokker DR.1

[bobs_buckles]

After I've built the kit, the empty box usually goes in the bin. I'm sure the guys in the bin lorry aren't offended by inaccurate box art.
As long as the contents are accurate and the box is sturdy, who cares if they've kept the price down like this.

For that is in my mind also. 
Yes, I would love to see Steve Anderson's art splashed all over the box, but that won't happen.
The box is just a vessel. A vessel that will end up in my recycling bin along with all the other cardboard. The kit on the other hand will be built, painted and enjoyed for ( I hope) many a year.

vB

[RLWP]

After I've built the kit, the empty box usually goes in the bin. I'm sure the guys in the bin lorry aren't offended by inaccurate box art.
As long as the contents are accurate and the box is sturdy, who cares if they've kept the price down like this.

For that is in my mind also. 
Yes, I would love to see Steve Anderson's art splashed all over the box, but that won't happen.
The box is just a vessel. A vessel that will end up in my recycling bin along with all the other cardboard. The kit on the other hand will be built, painted and enjoyed for ( I hope) many a year.

vB

I don't think we are the intended target for the box art. We will buy them in any kind of box

That red triplane is aimed at casual buyers looking for presents

Richard

[LuckyLuke]

As long as the contents are accurate and the box is sturdy, who cares if they've kept the price down like this.

Since you are taking a survey:  I care.

Gene K

I like to second that !

[Pup7309]

I don't think we are the intended target for the box art. We will buy them in any kind of box

That red triplane is aimed at casual buyers looking for presents

Richard

Absolutely.

WNW kits are premium products for the collector/builder

The Meng box art is just enough to say ‘this is one of the most iconic aircraft ever, buy me now’

[Dekenba1]

I don't think we are the intended target for the box art. We will buy them in any kind of box

That red triplane is aimed at casual buyers looking for presents

Richard

Absolutely.

WNW kits are premium products for the collector/builder

The Meng box art is just enough to say ‘this is one of the most iconic aircraft ever, buy me now’

These good points show why MENG has managed to get the kit to market at a much less price than WNW's kits.

It's priced to sell at volume, across the entire retail sector, with some marketing beforehand & no money "wasted" on superfluous box art.

I'm sure MENG are doing a bigger production run than WNW would have, and I'm also sure that, if MENG sell out, they'll waste little time in simply making some more, rather than putting the "sold out" sign up and moving onto some obscure German 2 seater, available in two boxing's....

Whilst this approach - which I term "making a profit" - will ensure MENG don't do a WNW and run up too much in losses & fold, it will ensure the end of the cross subsidy of kits, meaning no more DFW. C.V's, or 4 boxing's of Fokker Eindecker, or three of Felixstowe's, or numerous other types that modellers were not screaming out for.

As somebody who bought pretty much every kit WNW offered, this is a little sad, but my attitude is that it was great whilst it lasted, and from now on we can look forward to solid, popular choices, rather than PJ favourites.

I hope. I'm assuming the demand for 1/32 WWI aviation is sufficient to see kits continue to be kitted......

[rhwinter]

What the people at Wingnut Wings did was a labour of love. What Meng now does and pretty much all the other model companies do is a business. I have to admit, I have bought a lot of WnW kits simply because EVERYTHING about them was beautiful (yes, I also have a Gotha G.I!), so I am not the average mass-customer a Company has to aim at if it wants to make a living out of producing plastic kits. I am quite sure that we won't see many more WW1 airplanes from Meng, except maybe, if they should acquire WnW's Camel moulds. Copper State Models were the ones we could put our hopes on and they truly were a worthy successor of WnW's, but they need more capital - and unfortunately I am not ready to buy 5 or more of their (beautiful!) Nieuports to help financing their Starstrutter... THEY should have made a Fokker Dreidecker!
I am sure, our Golden Age is over, but there's still hope for a Silver Age to come.
Cheers, Richard 😊

[Dave W]

Folks... I have deleted another post which speculates about the possible reissue of  WnW kits by other than Wingnut Group- the official owner of the moulds. I have previously asked everyone to stay away from this touchy issue please.
This thread is about the Meng Dr.1 release. Any posts speculating on unauthorised use of the wnw moulds will be deleted.
This is the third time this has arisen. I dont want to lock the thread but it is an option if necessary.
Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

[macsporran]

As long as the contents are accurate and the box is sturdy, who cares if they've kept the price down like this.

Since you are taking a survey:  I care.

Gene K

So you would rather pay 99USD for an F.1 or a Dr.I with Steve Anderson's admittedly beautiful box art than 39USD (LuckyModel price) for a combined F.1/Dr.I kit with the same plastic parts (and presumably same quality brass, decals etc) but in a poorly decorated box?

[Pup7309]

In an ideal world I’d want one of each! One to collect, one to build.
I would pay more for WNW but as they don’t exist I’ll take the Meng offering 100%

[Dave J]

I don't think we are the intended target for the box art. We will buy them in any kind of box

That red triplane is aimed at casual buyers looking for presents

Richard

Absolutely.

WNW kits are premium products for the collector/builder

The Meng box art is just enough to say ‘this is one of the most iconic aircraft ever, buy me now’

These good points show why MENG has managed to get the kit to market at a much less price than WNW's kits.

It's priced to sell at volume, across the entire retail sector, with some marketing beforehand & no money "wasted" on superfluous box art.

I'm sure MENG are doing a bigger production run than WNW would have, and I'm also sure that, if MENG sell out, they'll waste little time in simply making some more, rather than putting the "sold out" sign up and moving onto some obscure German 2 seater, available in two boxing's....

Whilst this approach - which I term "making a profit" - will ensure MENG don't do a WNW and run up too much in losses & fold, it will ensure the end of the cross subsidy of kits, meaning no more DFW. C.V's, or 4 boxing's of Fokker Eindecker, or three of Felixstowe's, or numerous other types that modellers were not screaming out for.

As somebody who bought pretty much every kit WNW offered, this is a little sad, but my attitude is that it was great whilst it lasted, and from now on we can look forward to solid, popular choices, rather than PJ favourites.

I hope. I'm assuming the demand for 1/32 WWI aviation is sufficient to see kits continue to be kitted......

As long as the contents are accurate and the box is sturdy, who cares if they've kept the price down like this.

Since you are taking a survey:  I care.

Gene K

On thing you need to take into consideration that Meng doesn't have the overheads that have gone into production of this kit... They haven't had to invest in the R&D of Triplane, all that was done WNW. So there could be a few factors that in play that are keep in the costs down...

[Gene K]

So you would rather pay 99USD for an F.1 or a Dr.I with Steve Anderson's admittedly beautiful box art than 39USD (LuckyModel price) for a combined F.1/Dr.I kit with the same plastic parts (and presumably same quality brass, decals etc) but in a poorly decorated box?

That's an absurdly skewed question. 

Gene K

[macsporran]

Exactly, Gene. Nobody sensible would care that much.

[Captain Slower]

With the cost difference, i can get some 'non-red' drI decals and other upgrades if needed

[Dave W]

Folks... while the markings options for the Meng Dr.1 are yet to be confirmed ( obviously MvR is one) we can address the question of the kit instructions.

While the Meng Dr.1 is the Wingnuts plastic, I understand the Meng kit will not have the Wingnuts instructions booklet with it.

The instructions were not completed when the company was closed down and so their status is in limbo.

Ray Rimell is working on an Albatros special publication to model the Fokker Dr.1 and this publication will be the definitive title to get the best from Roden and Meng Dr.1s, plus those in other scales.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

[Pup7309]

Thanks Dave
Shame about the instructions, but looking forward to Ray Rimmel’s publication. Daz