[Min]

Originally Posted by Epapazian

Corgi... offering superior quality...

Cracked me right up!! Their Mig-29 will keep them in the market, that's for sure!

[hworth18]

Originally Posted by parsig9

I agree, but who can we live without? Which companies could go?

They must be making money or there would not be so many companies and retailers.

I think there is a chance that there are many more "buyers" of these than we think though not all of them might call themselves collectors. Somebody needs to start selling these things at a national retailer like.....well I don't know but I think that the hobby is mostly limited to online hobby and model shops and that is not good for expanding the collector base. When I show the collection to a guest or friend, most of them still say," where do you get all these things"! They have never heard of or seen anything like it. It's not like diecast NASCAR! I see those things everywhere from Walmart to the local autoparts store. Maybe Tuesday Morning or Target is the place for Warbirds at least and then have a little flyer in the package telling the buyer what else is available. Just a thought.

I have been pushing a while now to try and get some local e-tailers to set up booths at airshows to promote the product, but none seem to want to take the time to do it.. The one thing we don't want is for the higher-end stuff to show up at Walmart, or they will go the way of NASCAR diecast, but as Parsig said, maybe the cheaper Warbirds line can be sold there (as originally intended) to draw more people in..

[JustPlaneNuttz]

Oh come on now -- there are plenty of aircraft for someone like Corgi to do. There are many WW2 U.S. aircraft left (some already mentioned) as well as RAF and Axis. No one has done a very good job of doing the cold-war U.S. stuff -- and there are plenty -- fighters -- bombers -- you name it that could be modeled. To date Civil Propliners have been 'thin', but what about the myriad of OTHER U.S. famous propliners used by very well-known airlines around the world? Territory barely grazed. The classic DC-6 , for instance, is conspicuous by its absence. So is the Convair 240. The way Corgi is going in this category you'd almost think they were admitting defeat.

There is too much of a conservative approach in combination with a very thin marketing budget which virtually does nothing to promote new models or engage new collectors -- and therein lies the problem.

Corgi -- specifically -- will require a minor miracle to survive -- and so far from this lot I just hear pathetic excuses. The survivor (or 'winner') will have started with a significant marketing plan and budget.

JPN

[SKUNKY]

Originally Posted by parsig9

I It's not like diecast NASCAR! I see those things everywhere from Walmart to the local autoparts store..

but even the NASCAR diecast found at these establishments is the bottom of the line trash that 'true collectors' don't even sneeze at (Racing Champions etc.), which would be the equivalent of FOV and 21st Century.

[hworth18]

Originally Posted by parsig9

I agree, but who can we live without? Which companies could go?

Here is a list of manufacturers that I feel are on the edge of bailing out of the market, if they aren't already, or, these same manufacturers could be waiting to see what the market will do before they proceed with any new product:

Gemini Aces
Carousel One
Eagles International
Gaincorp
Sunstar

Already gone:
GMP
Matchbox
Revell
Aeroart

[djjeffhall]

hworth18,
Why do you think Gemini is considering leaving the market? I thought they had a couple of new moulds they are working on currently. Have you had word that they have stopped work on those moulds? (I apologize if I missed something.)

[lanslide]

Add Marushin to that list of "already gone" unfortunately.

[hworth18]

Originally Posted by djjeffhall

hworth18,
Why do you think Gemini is considering leaving the market? I thought they had a couple of new moulds they are working on currently. Have you had word that they have stopped work on those moulds? (I apologize if I missed something.)

Gemini is way behind in their "new" product release (Skyraider, RAF Phantom, MkI Spitfire) and like Carousel One, we have heard that development is delayed or "on hold" until later in the year.. I hope Gemini will stay in as they make a high quality product, but for the fact, also like Carousel, that the majority of their product list still languishes on retailer shelves isn't a good sign..

[hworth18]

Originally Posted by lanslide

Add Marushin to that list of "already gone" unfortunately.

I haven't added Marushin for the fact that they are still producing current models, just nothing new, but the current production list is shrinking, so Marushin will probably be on the list shortly..

[Rush104]

Does anyone have any figures comparing the costs of producing a run of diecast aircraft vs. the costs for a similar plastic model? Are the numbers comparable?