Special Hobby - Fokker D.II or Hansa Brandeburg C1?

[mgunns]

We must remember guys we are a fringe of a niche in a small hobby that's dwindling. Experts have estimated only 10 to 20,000 ww1 aircraft modelers worldwide we should thank the stars anyone makes products for us at all.

What Experts?

[Dave W]

Actually I'd be surprised if we had 20,000 WW1 modellers worldwide. Despite the WW1 Centennials etc, the further away from those events we get, the less appeal they seem to have with new blood modellers. Despite doomsayers, plastic modelling continues to thrive but I know some brilliant world class modellers who flat out refuse to touch a WW1 subject. Top wings! Rigging! They flee at the mere mention of such things.

Aircraft Kit manufacturers generally shy away from WW1 so we are fortunate companies like Wingnuts, Special Hobby, Copper State and Eduard still give us new kits while Roden and others keep the back catalogue stocked. We are well supported in this niche but sadly it's unlikely to ever be more than a niche now.

That said my poor little Paypal account is doing its best to support the manufacturers who support us.

Dave Wilson
Gold Coast
Australia

[rayb24]

Despite some of the doom and gloom, I’m pretty hopeful and happy with what I see. I can remember when the only games in town was Meikroft, Veejay, Pegasus, Blue Max, Skybirds, and Edward were just releasing the first of there 1/48th. I think it was the original Schuckert. None of these models was easy to build and some were unbuildable unless you were willing to scratchbuild a large percentage of the model...  Veeday and Meikroft being my pet hates..Back then I also heard the same “models are dead” . But since the 2000’s it’s been a golden age. I have resin and vac forms that I probably won’t build because they have been superseded by much better models. No ww1 model is shake and bake but so many are light years ahead of what existed 20 years ago, that a decent result is guaranteed.. Even if no more come out we probably have enough to work on for many many years.

Just my opinion... Ray

[ALBATROS1234]

Back when I was a member of the aerodrome forum ,along with some other members here such as des ,coyotemagic and ragiii as well as others around 2007ish it was being called the golden age of ww1 aircraft modelling by guys in the industry such as Stephen Lawson who is the administrator at aeroscale. There were discussions about estimated amounts of ww1 modelers worldwide and other industry members whom i cannot recall at this moment . By this I mean guys who have been life long ww1 aircraft modelers as well as  company owners and writers of ww1 aircraft books such as Alex revell were members back then.. im going by their data and was s participant in these discussions. We are definitely a tiny group of enthusists.

[rayb24]

Nowadays niche groups can be quite profitable... we have always been small. Now of course we are small even within a small group. Some manufacturers though have figured out though that if you think the model engineering through so that there is a good chance of completion by most modellers then people do want to build wwi, I mean wwi aircraft are so elegant looking... 
Eduard figured this out first around the time of the first Albatros DV/a then Toko/Roden.. those models took effort but are wonderfull when completed.. I wonder how many though get bought but stored. WNW’s figured out how to manufacture well thought out models.. They raised the bar as it were. The problem with that is the average modeller looking at a Special Hobby Bristol M1c knows all Special Hobby models take effort wwi or kero burners and rigged wwi more so. Therefore they don’t buy so Special  Hobby then move on to other subjects and the HB C1 doesn’t come out, but they fail to see that they need to up there engineering make them a reasonable project... There are people who would buy...  btw no critique of Special Hobby, just that even limited run has improved light years. Look at CSM...

Ray

Ray - building a Special Hobby N11

[RLWP]

Back when I was a member of the aerodrome forum ,along with some other members here such as des ,coyotemagic and ragiii as well as others

Me, for instance

Richard

[hiddeous1973]

Still, there are differances with today's 'golden age' and back then when there were fewer options.
I don't think there are many manufactures that go way outside the box and play it more or less safe.
The Taube is evidence that not all hope is lost, but some of those resin and vac kits that were made then and impossible to find now a days were unique models.
Kits made by CSM and others are models I would love to have, exotic and very buildable, even with my limited skills.
Even tough the kits coming out these days are (much) better then those efforts, some of them will never been seen as kits I fear.

I really wish i bought some of then then when they were availlable (and affordable...)

[janh]

The approach is near: the instructions are available on their internetpages:
https://www.specialhobby.eu/out/ftp/media/100-SH32065.pdf

[lcarroll]

Quote from Dave W.   " I know some brilliant world class modellers who flat out refuse to touch a WW1 subject. Top wings! Rigging! They flee at the mere mention of such things."

   I joined the small local IPMS Chapter Club a year or so ago and took my "Fee" to display at a meeting at the member's request. After complimenting me on my work a very highly regarded Armor Modeller told me I had to be "crazy to build something like that"! The rigging was something he stated would drive him insane......... Like many here it's usually my favorite part of the Build.
To each his own I guess!
Cheers,
Lance

[rayb24]

Looking at the instructions for the DII, it would seem Special Hobby have put much more detail and thought in the instructions around placement of parts and rigging in comparison to there earlier Nieuport... this will be an interesting model I think
Ray

[Juan]

The approach is near: the instructions are available on their internetpages:
https://www.specialhobby.eu/out/ftp/media/100-SH32065.pdf

Thanks Janh

[Mike Norris]

Hi all,
I've seen a few posts from various modelers who have received their Fokker D.II kits, so it seems they are now out on the streets.

[rhwinter]

Hi all,
I've seen a few posts from various modelers who have received their Fokker D.II kits, so it seems they are now out on the streets.

Question remains: On which streets?

[RLWP]

Hi all,
I've seen a few posts from various modelers who have received their Fokker D.II kits, so it seems they are now out on the streets.

Question remains: On which streets?

How about right here?: https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=9180.0

Richard

[rhwinter]

Hi all,
I've seen a few posts from various modelers who have received their Fokker D.II kits, so it seems they are now out on the streets.

Question remains: On which streets?

How about right here?: https://forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com/index.php?topic=9180.0

Richard

So it‘s Hannants and perhaps Special Hobby. At least that‘s what I understand from that thread, Richard.