Author Topic: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation  (Read 425762 times)

Offline Eric Armstrong

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1125 on: March 21, 2015, 02:39:31 AM »
You are right, Sandy......I'm afraid I have been spoiled by WnW's extraordinary quality and just don't get quite the same ooh, ahh feeling when I open a box from one of these other companies.

Cheers
Case in point is the Roden Sopwith triplanes.  The fuselage is too short and, as a result, only permits the accurate building of a prototype.  But, even with those shortcomings ( pun intended) overlooked, the overall look of the WNW tripe is just so much better.  Not to mention, the quality of the styrene in the WNW kit is much better, at least between those two manufacturers.
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Offline macsporran

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1126 on: March 21, 2015, 04:54:11 AM »
 .... and actually I find the sheer quality of WNW a little daunting.
eg - I'm working on an Avis E.V just now and I have no hesitation in grabbing the drills, filing sticks, dremel etc to "improve" the kit, but when I was working on my WNW SE5a, I didn't want to sand anything in case I lost all that beautiful detail. Even cutting bits from the sprue felt a bit of a desecration: the attachment points needed work to remove them but that meant scraping and sanding amongst the finest detail.

OK, this is a first-world problem - but I feel nearer the old modelling skills with a Roden or Special Hobby kit. Mayne when I've made a few more Wingnuts I'll attack them with less care!
Sandy   

Offline zavod44

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1127 on: March 21, 2015, 05:02:52 AM »
I don't think anyone is knocking the Roden stuff, it's just the bar has been raised.  I do have the Eocore (Roden) Fokker and a few SPAD's, and I would build any of them, but when I have a stash of awesome WNW kits, I keep the Roden stuff on the back burner for now.  Now if I had an absolute chub to build a SPAD or the Triplane, I would do so, but at this point I feel like I have enough good quality WNW kits to keep me busy until maybe WNW does indeed release a F.1/Dr.1.....As I said it's no knock on Roden, they have been in this market for a long time.  Now there is a new(ish) game in town.  I'm willing to bet we will see other companies start doing WWI.  The 35th scale armor has seen a bunch of WWI tanks released lately with a bunch more on the way.  I believe WNW is responsible for that as well.  No one had made any WWI tanks before this.  There were a few turds, but they weren't worth building, unless you just had to build one.  Now a bunch of up and coming companies such as Takom and Meng even Tamiya have jumped in and made really nice WWI tank kits.  It wouldn't surprise me a bit if you saw someone like Takom or Meng, even Trumpeter get in the 1/32nd WWI aircraft arena.  They will no doubt raise the bar again, maybe not higher than WNW but they will be good solid kits.  Roden will have to step up to modern day standards....it's just how it is......

Look at Tamiya, they invented the 1/35th space, they made a bunch of groundbreaking kits in the 70's and 80's.  Then in the early 90's Dragon started making kits. Dragon exposed Tamiya's shortcomings and started making better more accurate kits.  Then Trumpeter came along and started making tons of nice kits, (yes some were better than others.)  Tamiya could have sat back and said "hey we created this space" and rest on their laurels, but instead they bucked up and started making great stuff, they raised their own level.  Dragon then followed suit again, making even more phenomenal kits.  I feel that the tank guys might be the pickiest bunch of modelers in the world.  If it's not 100% accurate it is ripped, they demand excellence and the manufacturers deliver it to them.  I don't know if WWI is a big enough genre right now, but it seems it's ranks are growing every day.  If marketing people notice this, you will see more from others, no doubt.....

Offline zavod44

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1128 on: March 21, 2015, 05:09:35 AM »
The quality of WNW is what lured me away from 1/35th.  It was the only thing I had seen that rivaled Tamiya, and Dragon.  I had always admired these planes but I didn't want to spend all my time turning a mediocre kit into something respectable, I wanted to take a great lit and make it a show stopper.  I know a lot of guys don't like to do that, but my time is limited and I really want to make the most with what I have. 

 I do also want to say that the Fokker DR.1 is prob the most iconic of all WWI images.  it just is. Everyone knows exactly what it is and when it's from, even people who are historically challenged... :)

Offline Eric Armstrong

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1129 on: March 21, 2015, 06:34:26 AM »
You are right, Sandy......I'm afraid I have been spoiled by WnW's extraordinary quality and just don't get quite the same ooh, ahh feeling when I open a box from one of these other companies.

Cheers
Case in point is the Roden Sopwith triplanes.  The fuselage is too short and, as a result, only permits the accurate building of a prototype.  But, even with those shortcomings ( pun intended) overlooked, the overall look of the WNW tripe is just so much better.  Not to mention, the quality of the styrene in the WNW kit is much better, at least between those two manufacturers.

That's a little unfair on Roden. Their Tripe was made some years ago, and they ploughed a furrow that WNW have widened considerably. There is a modified fuselage available for the kit that corrects the error, which not many people would notice anyway unless they were told.

Roden also cater for other scales & genres.

When launched, Roden kits were praised. Windsock magazine were drooling over them. It's hardly their fault that WNW, supported by bucketfuls of money & a boss who just makes whatever takes his fancy, have subsequently raised the bar.

No one's blaming anyone.  However, the stark contrast in quality is self-evident.  It was evident enough to Roden to chase them from the market.
Honor Necessity

WarrenD

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1130 on: March 21, 2015, 09:11:08 AM »
It would be very interesting, wouldn't it, to see what sort of WWI aircraft kid a company like Tamiya might produce. But, I think Tamiya-san is too savvy a businessman to try and compete with Sir Peter, at least at this point.

No, it's because there is little to no interest in WWI modeling in Japan. It's just not their thing. Based on conversations with friends and/or acquaintances that have lived and worked in Japan, the kits produced from Tamiya, Hasegawa, Fine Molds, Bandai, Nichimo, Fujimi, etc. are driven by market forces in Japan for the most part.  There are a lot of kits that never hit the markets in the Europe, N. America, Australia, etc. because they're intended for the Japanese market.

Warren

Offline Des

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1131 on: March 21, 2015, 10:12:33 AM »
You made some good points Michael.

My heart also went out to Mike West and his soon to be released Felixstowe, the same thing happened to Costas at GasPatch with his brilliant Salmson kit, and we now have a similar situation with the Alley Cat Bristol M1.c and now the newly released Special Hobby Bristol M1.c

I can see where you are coming from Warren with your comment on Tamiya and the other Asian manufacturers, like most manufacturers they go where the market is best suited for their product.

Des.
Late Founder of ww1aircraftmodels.com and forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com

Offline LukasTheLight

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1132 on: March 21, 2015, 12:54:20 PM »
Hello guys,

just a wonder... maybe(and quite possible) it's just me being late but how long these http://www.wingnutwings.com/ww/productdetail?productid=3028&cat=3 been around??? I'd swear I haven't seen them until today and I visit WNW page on daily basis :D

Cheers for updating me on this :)
Lukas
"Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines.
They Can Fly Upside Down With Their Feet In The Air.
They Don't Think of Danger. They Really Don't Care.
Newton Would Think He Had Made A Mistake."

Lukas

Offline LukasTheLight

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1133 on: March 21, 2015, 01:48:34 PM »
Hi,

They have been there as long as all the other Albatos sets.

I saw all the others but can't remember seeing these before... well, thanks for clarifying that :) Well, at least that cheered me up :D

Lukas
"Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines.
They Can Fly Upside Down With Their Feet In The Air.
They Don't Think of Danger. They Really Don't Care.
Newton Would Think He Had Made A Mistake."

Lukas

Offline Jamo

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1134 on: March 21, 2015, 02:34:39 PM »
Here is Richard Alexander's build of one of those camouflaged Albatros







Happy Modelling
James Fahey

Check out my massive photo collection here: https://jamesfahey.smugmug.com/

Online RAGIII

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1135 on: March 21, 2015, 11:14:51 PM »

I used to feel exactly the same way. They were just so beautifully presented that I didn't want to 'ruin' them by building them. Having now 'ruined' a couple it isn't really a problem, but even so when the AEG arrived I quickly opened the box, pulled out the decal bag, and ripped it open - there - ruined! Ready to build :)

I have been doing just as you from the beginning! When my next two kits arrive they will both have bags opened and get "Ruined"  ::)
RAGIII
PS: My biggest three on the wish List are the Dolphin, Fokker EV, and 1 1/2 Strutter.
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Offline uncletony

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1136 on: March 21, 2015, 11:28:14 PM »
Three worthy choices Rick

Hmm top three

Halberstadt CL.II
Vickers Gunbus
SPAD A.2 (unlikely!)

Offline petrov27

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1137 on: March 22, 2015, 12:26:20 AM »
Totally agree on needing a Halb Cl2

My top desires (PJ are you listening?)    :)

Macchi M5
Halb Cl2
Hanriot HD1
Halb Cl4

Pretty sure we will see em do the Cl2 and the HD1 but the others I think are more iffy....
-Patrick

Offline James

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Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1138 on: March 22, 2015, 12:44:27 AM »
My Top Choices.

Farman MF.11 Shorthorn
Friedrichshafen G.III
Hanriot HD.1
Voisin - Any make
Axes Grind and Maces Clash

Offline jamieg

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Re: Time for the annual Wingnuts speculation
« Reply #1139 on: March 22, 2015, 03:20:02 AM »
My wishes;

Berg D.I
Oeffag Albatros D.III series 153 or 253
Hanriot HD.1
Hansa-Brandenburg D.I