Will we be seeing the release of the Wingnut Wings Lancaster after all?

[tr1ckey66]

With Mengs release of the ex Wingnut Wings Fokker Dr.1 (I notice John is stocking them and I will be purchasing ) I wonder if this means that the Lancaster may yet still be released albeit under another brand (probably Meng)?
Just a thought...
Also, the crazy prices that WNW kits are fetching on eBay is slightly puzzling to me. Im not complaining, I sold an SE5.a on eBay for £245 when I bought it for around £75! But I do think that the moulds/rights to these kits will turn up somewhere else down the line, I think they're too good to simply disappear.
Anybody any thoughts?

Cheers
Paul

 

[colin m]

I think you're correct. There's value in those moulds. Even if WnW don't re-start production, surely the moulds will be sold and production started. Then the poor souls paying £245 might regret rushing in so quickly. I've just looked on ebay, big prices and lots of people bidding. Crazy world.

 

[tr1ckey66]

I think you're correct. There's value in those moulds. Even if WnW don't re-start production, surely the moulds will be sold and production started. Then the poor souls paying £245 might regret rushing in so quickly. I've just looked on ebay, big prices and lots of people bidding. Crazy world.

I do hope the Lancaster is released. Having seen the kit ‘in the plastic‘ at Telford (I think you probably saw it too) I can say first hand that it is a simply stunning kit. The detail and surface effects (oil canning) are amazing. Talking of Telford, it doesn’t seem 2 minutes since I was there - a lot has happened since then!!!

Cheers
P

 

[Jakko]

the poor souls paying £245 might regret rushing in so quickly.

Not if they’re kit collectors rather than builders.

 

[AlanG]

From what i understand. Meng had some input into the DR.I so they had the rights to use the moulds. Not sure how many other manufacturers have those rights to do other kits.

 

[Gern]

If the company has gone broke, then surely the moulds will be considered as part of their assets and sold to recoup the losses. Modelling companies would be crazy not to take advantage of getting hold of them given the quality of the kits.

Look how many old Airfix moulds have turned up over the years in other guises - and they weren't always that brilliant to start with!

 

[tr1ckey66]

It will be interesting to see what happens.
I think collectors will still seek out the WNW brand as ‘collectables’ - even the packaging and instructions were incredible. Marry that with the fact that this company was the brain child of film director Peter Jackson and... well, you’ve got a pretty good story behind your purchase.
Personally, I’m sad to see them go. They were a maverick company with benchmark standards that stood out in a sea of Chinese manufacturers (who, it has to be said, also offer good kits but perhaps not with the same flair or soul?)
Anyhoo, I’m still hoping to see the Lanc in some guise as it looked awesome.
Cheers
Paul

 

[colin m]

Not if they’re kit collectors rather than builders.

Unless production starts again. Maybe they're gamblers ?

 

[Jakko]

Even then it would have value to a collector: that kit they bought is from the original run, and so is a distinct item from a kit from the restarted run.

Producers of action figures began taking full advantage of this attitude maybe 20 years ago: every serious collector would buy two already anyway (one to display, one to leave in its mint packaging), so then the manufacturers began releasing ones with only slightly changed paint jobs and packaging, so the collectors would buy two of each again …

 

[prichrd1]

If the company has gone broke,

They did not go broke - that's the whole thing !!!

WNW Podcast 85

WNW Podcast 86

Paul.

 

[BarryW]

I am very hopeful that we will see the WW Lanc released, probably under another brand. These molds are worth a lot of money and that Lanc was on the verge of release. It is an asset that cannot be ignored. It is also a great opportunity for another company to be able to produce a ground breaking kit of unprecedented quality with a negligable development cost, essentially just the cost of the moulds. While valuable they could probably be snapped up at a fraction of the cost to make them.

I might just snap up that new Meng kit myself to dabble in WW1 for a change and see how it goes.

 

[tr1ckey66]

I am very hopeful that we will see the WW Lanc released, probably under another brand. These molds are worth a lot of money and that Lanc was on the verge of release. It is an asset that cannot be ignored. It is also a great opportunity for another company to be able to produce a ground breaking kit of unprecedented quality with a negligable development cost, essentially just the cost of the moulds. While valuable they could probably be snapped up at a fraction of the cost to make them.

I might just snap up that new Meng kit myself to dabble in WW1 for a change and see how it goes.

Just as an aside. I’ve just discovered that the Meng DR.1 builds as either early or late versions which is useful (Wingnut Wings had 2 separate kits lined up). In this respect Meng is an improvement on WNW!
Cheers
P

 

[BarryW]

Just as an aside. I’ve just discovered that the Meng DR.1 builds as either early or late versions which is useful (Wingnut Wings had 2 separate kits lined up). In this respect Meng is an improvement on WNW!
Cheers
P

Some think the Meng is the Wingnut.... if so, then maybe a Meng 1/32 Lancaster? Now that would be interesting.

 

[AlanG]

Would be very interesting Barry. Especially the price tag difference?

 

[tr1ckey66]

Some think the Meng is the Wingnut.... if so, then maybe a Meng 1/32 Lancaster? Now that would be interesting.

It is the WNW kit. And your point about the Lanc is exactly what I was hinting at in this thread. It would be nice though.
Cheers
P

 

[tr1ckey66]

Would be very interesting Barry. Especially the price tag difference?

Don’t bet on it. I wouldn’t expect much change out of £400 - Meng or not
Cheers
P