[Elmer]

Originally Posted by Epapazian

I'm sorry to say this, but most of the comments by Carousel's president suggest to me that they have gone into a holding pattern. I hope I am wrong, but these are not words to inspire confidence that more of this company's excellent product is really on the way---or even in the works.

I have to agree. "If we want more, we have to buy more" is not inspiring. I mean... I understand this rationale, it is a business after all, and to make a profit, the product has to sell. But how the heck are we going to get the models moved off the shelves? I count 18 castings from 6 molds that are not flyboys models... am I wrong? And 5 flyboys castings from 2 molds? So that should be a total of 23 castings... I think. Anyway, I have more than a third of these. I am willing to buy up a few more Me 109s (4 castings here) another Wildcat, and another P-40/Tomahawk, this will about max me (sorry, I cannot buy the flyboys releases--I think these castings were a big mistake). Every little bit helps, but in six months, I bet we will still see plenty stock at all the vendors.

"If we want more, we have to buy more" isn't a terrific marketing strategy. If Frank wants to sell these models, and make more, he has to come up with better ideas to move current stock. I don't want these models to BIN, but at least a small price reduction across the board may help. How about some advertising? Maybe a uniersal in-flight display stand that one can purchase separately? This has been a sore sticking point with a lot of collectors. Do something, C1, other than beg the collectors to buy more of the current stock. I don't need much of an incentive, but the market will.

[Elmer]

Originally Posted by hworth18

I've bought my share also (7)....

How about adding some non-Luftwaffe C1 models to your collection??

[leeG]

The Carousel 1 website is a wealth of information. I believe him when he says he needs to sell 3000 models to break even. All the aircraft models are limited editions, so we know exactly how many of each has been made.

Fw-190D #7143 LTD 1200
Fw-190D #7142 LTD 1200
Fw-190D #7141 LTD 1200
Total Fe-190D = 3600

Bf-109 #7104 LTD 600
Bf-109 #7103 LTD 1200
Bf-109 #7102 LTD 600
Bf-109 #7101 LTD 1800
Total Bf-109 = 4200

F4F #6183 LTD 1200
F4F #6182 LTD 1200
F4F #6181 LTD 1200
Total F4F = 3600

P-40 #6103 LTD 600
P-40 #6102 LTD 1200
P-40 #6101 LTD 1800
Total P-40 = 3600

Neiuport 11 #6142 LTD 1200
Neiuport 11 #6142 LTD 1200
Total N 11 = 2400

Fokker Dr.1 #7123 LTD 600
Fokker Dr.1 #7122 LTD 600
Fokker Dr.1 #7121 LTD 1200
Total Dr.1 = 2400


Flyboys N 17 #6051 LTD 1800
Flyboys N 17 #6052 LTD 600
Flyboys N 17 #6053 LTD 600
Total N 17 = 3000

Flyboys Dr.1 #6054 LTD 600
Flyboys Dr.1 #6055 LTD 600
Total Dr.1 = 1200
Note: The Dr.1 total is actually 3600 (historical plus Flyboys)

So the target seems to be 3600 models from each mold. I guess thats 3000 to recover tooling/production costs and 600 profit.

If that's the case, we are due for another 1200 Nieuport 11s and are still shy 600 Nieuport 17s.

Is there a market for 3600 models from each mold Carousel has made? I don't know, but any future models are dependent on the answer. We know there are two in the pipeline. The market will decide if we get any more after that.

[Louie]

I guess I am trying to drum up enthusiasm and perhaps I am guilty of making it seem as if Frank said"want more buy more" well he didn't.
He said he wants to make many more models but sales are soft and alot of excess inventory remained because folks don't understand or appreciate the price.
I do now.
I understand after owning 1/48 bi-planes by Corgi,Hallmark,Matchbox,Model Power and C1. Am I an expert? No. Am I a company spokesman? Hardly. I want more and his models aren't cheap and demand drives sales and we as a whole want more for less and those days are gone. Corgi is good and you could build a big collection of WW1 with Corgi but if you ever want near perfection you gotta pay. I would, I will.
Forgive me guys if I made it sound as if he said you gotta buy more or else. If a car manufacturer is not getting the orders the model doesn't last long. he wanted to do Spads and Corgi beat him to it. This is just an example he pointed out. He pointed out innacuracies on a couple of Corgi's and said basically (not knocking Corgi he likes Corgi and collects Corgi) that we as a whole want models and for less and put less emphasis on some of the details that he seeks in his bid for the right model to offer. I will not elaborate further because it will lead to other things and so on. I have had about 3 hours of phone time total with him(at least it seemed the times I called) and we discussed much.
I am the one behind the buy more scandal. We need to empty the shelves and make the vendors beg for orders. I think I wil let this go. I have pictures to take of a Corgi I detailed. Sure wish they came that way like C1's, but that would cost us all.

[wmosner]

Did he mention anything about stands?

[Louie]

It has never been my concern,(I'm a gear down guy) but if they are not out it is pretty much a foregone conclusion IMHO.

[wmosner]

Just seems that the well designed magnetic retractable gear begs for a stand. Also, I can fit more planes in my cabinet if I have one on a stand and another gear down.

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by wmosner

Just seems that the well designed magnetic retractable gear begs for a stand. Also, I can fit more planes in my cabinet if I have one on a stand and another gear down.

Have to agree with you on this point. Why go for all the bells and whistles on a gear up configuration, unless there is a proper way to display it. Whole magnet idea is neat, but why bother if there is no stand for displaying model with its gear up.

[Elmer]

Originally Posted by Louie

I guess I am trying to drum up enthusiasm and perhaps I am guilty of making it seem as if Frank said"want more buy more" well he didn't.
He said he wants to make many more models but sales are soft and alot of excess inventory remained because folks don't understand or appreciate the price.
I do now.
I understand after owning 1/48 bi-planes by Corgi,Hallmark,Matchbox,Model Power and C1. Am I an expert? No. Am I a company spokesman? Hardly. I want more and his models aren't cheap and demand drives sales and we as a whole want more for less and those days are gone. Corgi is good and you could build a big collection of WW1 with Corgi but if you ever want near perfection you gotta pay. I would, I will.
Forgive me guys if I made it sound as if he said you gotta buy more or else. If a car manufacturer is not getting the orders the model doesn't last long. he wanted to do Spads and Corgi beat him to it. This is just an example he pointed out. He pointed out innacuracies on a couple of Corgi's and said basically (not knocking Corgi he likes Corgi and collects Corgi) that we as a whole want models and for less and put less emphasis on some of the details that he seeks in his bid for the right model to offer. I will not elaborate further because it will lead to other things and so on. I have had about 3 hours of phone time total with him(at least it seemed the times I called) and we discussed much.
I am the one behind the buy more scandal. We need to empty the shelves and make the vendors beg for orders. I think I wil let this go. I have pictures to take of a Corgi I detailed. Sure wish they came that way like C1's, but that would cost us all.

Louie, I should have said thank-you for taking the time to talk with him and give us updates... I really do appreciate it. Any news from C1 is better than none. I am hungry for more C1 models, and I like Frank's philosophy to making models. I am with you... I would rather pay more for a really great detailed model than less for a less detailed model. And I admire your effort to drum up support for sales. I try to do the same thing by posting something positive about the models, whenever I can, both here and on the UK forum (btw... the UK boys have to pay a lot more for these models than us... I think they have to import them... tough for them). I think Frank is wise to keep his proposed toolings a secret. In this market, I would too. Nevertheless, I wonder if C1 has a solid marketing strategy, and if the company is flexible enough to make mark concessions? For example, he seems to ignore market pleas for in-flight display stands? Or he is just stubborn on this issue? Would stands help sales? I'm not sure. I'm kind of a gear down type myself also. But I did mod one model for in-flight display on a Corgi stand. Nevertheless, there sure seems to be a lot of screamin' for stands on this forum.

[PappyB]

Originally Posted by wmosner

Just seems that the well designed magnetic retractable gear begs for a stand. Also, I can fit more planes in my cabinet if I have one on a stand and another gear down.

Not sure how well designed the 109 gear is -- most of mine sag or don't sit quite right....