[Ara1]

Yesterday, as a birthday gift, I gave a friend Hobby Master's Spitfire, HA7103 (Invasion-stripe version of HM's excellent Griffon Spitfire). I bought this model from Wings and Wheels, picking it up personally on Friday (Carl lives up the road a bit from me).

The model was opened at a party w/ lots of family and friends, and it was ohhed and ahhed over--even by the women. All thought it was a plastic model until they gave it good examination; they were impressed with the idea of a HQ diecast model. They were also impressed with the packaging; hinged velcro cover, quality graphics, solid feel, product info, see thru insert.

My friend's primary interest is trains but he owns a very nice FM Wildcat. This will look great next to that model on his home office shelf. Later that night he called me, having waited for the party-goers to leave before taking the plane out of the packaging. He loved it, marveling at the finish, features, 5-bladed prop (of course), and the markings.

This plane made a great gift for a 43 year old who used to make models and now appreciates the quality available to the collector today.

[parsig9]

Good story. Like a drug pusher trying to boost his clientel base. You have likely created another adict. We should all consider this as over the long term the values of our collections would be driven up.

It really was a nice story but that's where my mind goes.

[STARMAN 352ND]

That is a great story....You just watch in a few years his collection will only get bigger....
Then the wife will blame you....
That was a nice gift too by the way.
JP

[Cruver Collecter]

Good to see you are spreading the diecast fever!

[Ara1]

If more people knew about this product, it would make for a viable gift option for the businessman or man with a home office. Even if someone bought one plane for a man's office, it would be a good addition to that space. Maybe this is a different type of "Collector", who buys one or 2 for a desk or shelf, as opposed to those of us who buy 10, 20, 30+.

One Spit, or Mustang, or F4U looks great next to a service award or professional achievement plaque. Think aobut it, a plane between a signed baseball and a nice mounted pen set. It's an understated market: the business office.

Masculine / sporty / competitive / asethetically pleasing. I'd be interested to hear of anyone else who's given the one diecast as a gift to a non-collector. How did it go?

[conemaugh]

Not to stray too far off topic. I have a Corgi 1:32 Big Beautiful Doll perched on the shelf over my office desk along with the Ferocious Frankie 1:72 offering by Gemini. Co-workers often ask about them and are surprised that they are metal and not plastic.

[Ara1]

Hi Conemaugh, perfectly on topic, thanks for posting pics too.

[Cruver Collecter]

Originally Posted by conemaugh

Not to stray too far off topic. I have a Corgi 1:32 Big Beautiful Doll perched on the shelf over my office desk along with the Ferocious Frankie 1:72 offering by Gemini. Co-workers often ask about them and are surprised that they are metal and not plastic.

Attachment 10437

Attachment 10438

Neat seeing these models at the work place, might be good advertisement too.

[conemaugh]

I realized that I forgot to explain the second photograph. Those are my diecast drill rigs and dump truck - I am a geologist afterall. That is REALLY off the subject.

[ZS-VAN]

Originally Posted by conemaugh

I realized that I forgot to explain the second photograph. Those are my diecast drill rigs and dump truck - I am a geologist afterall. That is REALLY off the subject.

Those drilling rigs are super cool!