News from WNW

[Dave W]

Well said Macsporran and I agree with everything you say. As someone who has bought the Tamiya 1/32 Mosquito ($A249 in Australia) , but has also been a solid supporter of Wingnuts since their launch, I put myself in that section of the market defined as modellers who love WW1 subjects but who do other subjects too.

Wingnuts has to compete with increasingly state-of-the-art large scale offerings such as the Mosquito and the HK Models Mossie, their B17, forthcoming Lancaster, sundry Tamiya Spitfires and Corsairs etc. The novelty has worn off the Wingnuts brand and they have to compete for sales in a tough market. Diehard WnW fans and WW1-only modellers do not constitute that big enough a world market, I would guess. It's the big mass of more mainstream modellers branching out into WW1 that has helped drive WNW sales. But don't forget, the WnW success story is at the cost of Roden's WW1 production policy as they are retreating from WW1, sadly.

I will still buy Wingnut kits- if they are a subject I want to have in 1/32 scale and they are within my wider hobby budget. I also do 1/48th scale and am excited by the Copper State Models projects coming along, the Eduard SE5a, the various new Airfix kits and especially the 1/48th Defiant. This is a golden era for modelling, no question, and Wingnuts play a key role - but they are not the only model company out there and they have to compete for my dollar with other model companies.

The potential imposition of shipping charges is economically understandable but they need to be very careful they don't turn the customers away with sudden price rises. It can cost $50 or so to post a 1/32 kit from Australia to America, so unless WNW has a special deal with NZ Post, what would they charge ( in US Dollars) to post to the world?

Would they charge a subsidised postage fee?, or maybe gradually introduce postage costs? or just a flat rate or the actual cost? Depending on how they play this one it could be a deal breaker to international sales- not the postage per se but the economic impact on customers caused by other factors too such as exchange rates, customs and VAT fees and so on.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

[uncletony]

Well of course they could move to a different distribution model -- instead of shipping everything onesy-twosy from NZ. The latest note from RA hints that they might be moving in that direction...

And while the "novelty" of WNW may have worn off, it seems to me they have done a pretty good job of maintaining the interest and excitement. For example the WNW Fans FB page has over 3000 members last I looked, with so many new posts every day that I for one cannot keep up with it.

IMO they have managed to build a brand like Apple. Everyone here knows a WNW release is a special event, driving the crowd to a frenzy in anticipation both of the announcement and actually receiving the kits. Like the latest iPhone, these products are aspirational in nature, and thus relatively insensitive to pricing.

Heck, just read the new member comments here -- it seems like 75% percent start with something like "...and then I got a WNW kit and I was hooked... will never go back... etc."

[Pgtaylorart]

Heck, just read the new member comments here -- it seems like 75% percent start with something like "...and then I got a WNW kit and I was hooked... will never go back... etc."

Yes, this is my story. I was modeling trains until a few years ago when a buddy showed me this new WNW kit he just bought. I'd never heard of them. That was a few years ago and I haven't built a train since. In fact, that buddy regrets showing me the WNW kit, haha.

Now I need to get back to work on my iWings. 

George

[stefanbuss]

That gives hope still for a Friedrichshafen G.III

James, a partial answer for your wish might be derived from R.A.'s answer here:

It will not be possible to create any new twin engined aircraft models to the same sort of cost as the Gotha G.IV released in 2010. Overall production costs have gone up, models are more detailed & complex (as anyone who has built both the Gotha G.IV and AEG G.IV models can testify) and it is no longer 2010.

Which might mean "no further twin engine aircraft at all", or possibly "much more expensive twin engine aircraft".

S.

[Captain Slower]

On the SE5a, I am surprised that they did not follow the Hisso quickly with a Viper version given the subjects available in that configuration.

On twin engines, I read that to mean that any future twins would in the pricier bracket.   

[RAGIII]

On the SE5a, I am surprised that they did not follow the Hisso quickly with a Viper version given the subjects available in that configuration.

On twin engines, I read that to mean that any future twins would in the pricier bracket.

Agreed!
RAGIII

[rhwinter]

On the SE5a, I am surprised that they did not follow the Hisso quickly with a Viper version given the subjects available in that configuration.

I hope(-d) for a Viper-powered SE5a too.

[Des]

On the SE5a, I am surprised that they did not follow the Hisso quickly with a Viper version given the subjects available in that configuration.

On twin engines, I read that to mean that any future twins would in the pricier bracket.

I agree as well and ask the question, why not a Viper powered Se.5.

Even though the large twin engined models are very impressive the price of these kits will undoubtedly rise and this is fully understandable. It just depends on Wingnuts, if they want to turn-over a lot of kits a single seater is the way to go, if they want to turn-over a heap of kits then release a Camel and a Dr.1, but large bombers will be very slow movers (excuse the pun) and may sit on their shelves for a long time.

Des.

[Edo]

Well, I think that we will be surprided very soon!
How do I guess?
Because a new flag is just something to cheer about!  with a new kit as well!



Don't you agree?

ciao
edo

p.s. I personally like the second from left best...

[Jim]

This is the flag I would have voted for...

[Des]

Not that I would have a vote but I prefer No.2 but leaning ever so slightly towards No.4

Des.

[Tony Haycock]

I'm going for no. 2. but I won't bore you all with me reasons why i support the flag change, and I think I may be in the minority in our little part of the world...

[Ernie]

If I were a New Zealander, I would lean toward no.2.
Good wishes to you Kiwi's on the historic decision.

Cheers,
Ernie

[lcarroll]

   This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the official proclamation of our national Canadian Flag, an event which was long overdue IMHO and it's great to see a New Zealand national flag being established. Like the Canadian experience it will not happen without a lot of emotion and anguish, we still refer to the "great flag debate" and partisan political sniping still refers! As a bystander I like option #2 as well, good luck with the issue, you have a beautiful country and rich heritage that deserves it's own unique and hard earned symbol of nationhood. Just label me as meddling if you so wish..........!!
Cheers,
Lance (a proud Canadian!)

[Chris Johnson]

Now this is interesting. I'm going to have to do a bit of research to find out what the different flags represent. As Lance said, as an outsider looking in and just seeing the graphic design, I lean towards #2 as well. After I educate myself a bit, that might change.

Cheers,

Chris