[dragon53]

I've heard from some Hobby Master dealers that the Ritchie/Cunningham F-4s are sold out and won't be restocked. Instead they'll be replaced by the upcoming VF-84 F-4, etc.

It sounds like Hobby Master has discontinued the Ritchie/Cunningham F-4s and replaced them with the upcoming F-4s.
Can anyone confirm that Hobby Master has ceased production of the Ritchie/Cunningham F-4s?

[kb466]

Originally Posted by dragon53

I've heard from some Hobby Master dealers that the Ritchie/Cunningham F-4s are sold out and won't be restocked. Instead they'll be replaced by the upcoming VF-84 F-4, etc.

It sounds like Hobby Master has discontinued the Ritchie/Cunningham F-4s and replaced them with the upcoming F-4s.
Can anyone confirm that Hobby Master has ceased production of the Ritchie/Cunningham F-4s?

Like all of their airplanes, I think it was their intention all along to make a certain run and then move on to something else. The reason that many other airplanes remain available for months, if not years, after release is that the run is not sold out-- not that the factory is still cranking them out. In the case of the two Phantoms, the Ritchie and Cunningham runs were so well-received, they will soon be sold out of all that were produced. You see the same phenomenon happening with many of Century Wings releases. It just goes to show that when a manufacturer listens to its customers and gives them a high-quality product of something they want, the manufacturer will find success in the diecast market.

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by kb466

In the case of the two Phantoms,


the Ritchie and Cunningham runs were so well-received, they will soon be sold out of all that were produced.

You see the same phenomenon happening with many of Century Wings releases.

Or in this case (over here) THREE Phantoms.


There was a MAJOR problem; (U.K) sales of "Showtime-100" were compounded due to a (by now) relatively "well-known" incident during transit........ leaving an already "short-supply" of Cunningham/Driscoll's, much shorter.

Luckily, (for me) I was given a "tip-off" of said incident (whilst buying my 'S'-Sugar Lanc'); so I knew they'd be "Hen's-Teeth".

Fortuitous-timing & the (God-Bless) Waddington airshow meant that I was able to pick up a 'brace' of these birds, along with a 'Ritchie' F.4-D' & the 74.Sqdn Tiger-meet, at the same time; all from one-dealer

By 9.00.am; There was a large box, with about 14 (ALL) "Showtimes" inside (& ALL had damaged boxes !)

By mid-afternoon, only TWO remained (& they soon went).

Anyone arriving Sunday was "out of luck".


For that reason, I also snapped-up the 1st TWO 'Century-Wings' F-8 Crusaders (as 'kb' says; "the phenomenon").


Shooting my mouth off, here; maybe......... but it REALLY annoys me that folks who want this particular plane, should have to buy it in such a "snatch & grab" frienzied fashion...... or, simply go without !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There should be a REASONABLE length of time to be able to purchase a new release like this one....... NOT (in my opinion) a situation where something that has ONLY-JUST this moment been released, is suddenly "unavailable".

It's just plain STUPID !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



(& NO, I WON'T pander to 'pre-order' ! = I never have; & so far I've ONLY missed one (C.W) release.

I can only see things getting worse.


As for "Showtime-100".......... they should have produced more ; save inciting a riot !!!!!!!!!!!

[dragon53]

KB466:

Do you think Hobby Master's limited production run will also apply to the F-105 and shark-mouth F-4E that William Liu said are upcoming?

[leeG]

Originally Posted by dragon53

KB466:

Do you think Hobby Master's limited production run will also apply to the F-105 and shark-mouth F-4E that William Liu said are upcoming?

I think the normal Hobby Master run is 2000 units.

[lanslide]

Originally Posted by dragon53

KB466:

Do you think Hobby Master's limited production run will also apply to the F-105 and shark-mouth F-4E that William Liu said are upcoming?

I wouldn't take any chances - PRE-ORDER! Sometimes you save money by pre-ordering too. You know that anything HM or CW makes is gonna be good so - why not? Hornchurch, how badly damaged were those infamous HM boxes anyway? Hide your eyes, Gort! LOL

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by lanslide

I wouldn't take any chances - PRE-ORDER! Sometimes you save money by pre-ordering too. You know that anything HM or CW makes is gonna be good so - why not? Hornchurch, how badly damaged were those infamous HM boxes anyway? Hide your eyes, Gort! LOL

Well, lan',

It was a simple case of "buy 'em 'mashed; or DON'T buy 'em at all" !!!!!!!!!!

Might suprise you Guys (as I'm a Brit'), but since the late 60's I've LOVED U.S.Navy stuff (WW.II-Vietnam).

Hence why I bought my C.W. F-8 Crusaders so hurriedly....... AND wanted "Showtime" so bad (MUCH more than the other TWO).


(you can see by the "H.M. 'Phantom' poll; "which one is best" , where my sympathies lie !!!!!!!!!!)

Within the week; I'd bought 'em all (ALL 'H.M' F.4's); cheifly because I attended the (Huge) Waddington Airshow.

I'll never sell the Cunningham/Driscoll birds anyhow; so ****ed boxes = I'll live with 'em.
(seems bizarre that my 'Ritchie' & 74-Tiger are MINT !!!!!!!!!)


EVERY one of those x 14 had 'damaged-boxes' = some worse than others !!!!!!!!!!

I checked about x 7

Personally; I concentrated MORE on making sure the canopies on mine were a tight-fit (no-gaps).... & I even noticed one ("Showtime") with a slight glue-mark on the front-shield (so I by-passed it !!!!!!!!).

When I get some time, I'll take pix of the boxes if ya like, but to be honest I doubt a digital-camera will give the impression that they're all that bad; (as opposed to what they REALLY look like, with a few creases & buckles).

Anyhow; still stand by my "Rant" on the previous post.

Regarding your 'pre-order' suggestion; I NEVER DO - cause I wanna see MY ONE in the flesh; i.e. no defects.


If I'd have ACCEPTED the 1st "Showtime" I picked-up at Waddington; I'd have the 'Glue-smeared' canopy one !


Same as when I drove to London to buy my "Phantom of the Ruhr".

One inside the display-case looked MINT = till I 'clocked' the rear-turret & it's missing 'perspex' !

Not fun - paying £ 90/$180 for a 'defective' "Ruhr" model.

Nothing beats seeing WHAT you're paying for !!!!!!!!!!!

[hworth18]

I am very fortunate that OMI is close to me and Richard lets me "preorder" without having to pay. When I finally see it in person I don't necessarily have to buy it if it isn't what I expected, although that hasn't happened yet.

[kb466]

Originally Posted by dragon53

KB466:

Do you think Hobby Master's limited production run will also apply to the F-105 and shark-mouth F-4E that William Liu said are upcoming?

Yes, I do. As I understand the process, HM and many of the other manufacturers will dedicate the factory to turning out what is scheduled that month. Once that run is complete, they move on to the next sceduled release and start making those. I don't know what the standard run is, but I think the reported 2000 may be accurate. The point is that the HM factory will make a run of 2000 of some particular airplane and then move on to the next item; make 2000 of those and so on. They do not make a few of a certain item each month as demand dictates. If they did, I suspect the cost would be considerably more than what it is now. Maybe when William gets back to his computer, he can comment on all this.

[kb466]

Originally Posted by Hornchurch

Regarding your 'pre-order' suggestion; I NEVER DO - cause I wanna see MY ONE in the flesh; i.e. no defects.

I hear you, Hornchurch. The way I see it, pre-ordering has its positives and negatives. The positive is that you are sure of getting an airplane you want. The negative is that you get whatever they send you, and you may end up with none at all. For me, if it is an airplane I really want, I pre-order it and take my chances that it will be wart-free. So far I have been lucky in that respect.