BSteinIPMS
5th March 2005, 03:23
Okay, it's time for the annual posting lamenting the lack of a 1/144 Vickers Valiant. Those of you who have seen this before have permission to leave now.... :D
I’d like to see Corgi produce a 1/144 Vickers Valiant. Yes, I know, this is old (and lengthy) business on this forum. This has been discussed at length, ad nauseum, and you’re all probably tired of hearing more about it. We’ve been told Corgi is adamant about not wanting to produce this aircraft, feeling its marketability and appeal – apart from Great Britain - would not warrant the investment in tooling.
Living in the U.S., I’m part of the market Corgi is concerned about. Apparently, the potential for good sales in the U.S. is considered a necessary part of the production decision. Apparently Corgi management have the impression that Americans don’t know what a Valiant is. And if we did, it wouldn’t appeal to us to the point where we’d purchase one. Why is it thought we’d pass this one by? Is it because the Valiant doesn’t look like an American aircraft? Does it look strange to American eyes? Would we not buy one since they’re no longer operational? No longer “topical”, no longer in the news? Do we think the Valiant never had much of a history? Not one to be remembered fondly? No flashy “eye appeal” in line, form, or color? No glamour?
I’d like to offer an overseas perspective on this issue, and by so doing, perhaps I can dispel some misconceptions regarding the American market. Perhaps this may help to improve the chances for Corgi to reconsider producing the Valiant. Perhaps not. Still, it’s such a desirable aircraft for a collector to acquire that I feel taking the time to compose this is worth the effort.
1. Many American aviation enthusiasts are very interested in British aircraft. We’ve read at length about the Avro Vulcan, the Handley Page Victor, and yes, to a much lesser extent, the Vickers Valiant. We’ve learned about this triumvirate of Britain’s nuclear-deterrent force, the awesome “V-bombers”. We’ve read books about them, built plastic kits of them, and now we’re collecting die cast models of them. Unknown in America? I can’t begin to describe the struggle I’ve had in attempting to acquire the Corgi Vulcan and Victor in any of their guises here in the U.S. Every Corgi dealer I’ve been in contact with has sold his last Vulcan (apart from the latest tanker model) long ago. I’ve been told by a dealer that Americans are snapping up these “unknown” British aircraft immediately they hit the shelves. A brief look at the premium prices the early Corgi Vulcans are commanding on eBay will tell you that Americans not only know what these aircraft are, but are eager to pay several times their original cost just to add them to their collection.
2. To an aviation enthusiast, the Valiant has a remarkable history. Designed in 1949, first flown in 1951 (and from a grass airfield!), the Valiant represented leading-edge technology with its futuristic lines and wing planform, its engines buried in the wing roots for cleaner airflow across the wings, and large bomb bay to carry the Blue Steel nuclear weapon. All this occurred at a time when propeller-driven aircraft were fighting the initial stages of the Korean War. History? The Valiant dropped Britain’s first atomic bomb at Maralinga, Australia, in 1956. Also at this time Valiants were dropping conventional bombs during the Suez Crisis. In 1957 a Valiant dropped Britain’s first hydrogen bomb on Christmas Island in the Pacific. Valiants and their crews have always placed highly in bombing competitions held in the U.S. And yes, the main wing spar metal fatigue problems are part of the Valiant’s history, too. Really, there are many aircraft with much less history than the Vickers Valiant.
3. As far as eye appeal, the Valiant – as well as the Vulcan and Victor – appears as something out of a science fiction movie. It was, and still is, an advanced-looking aircraft with sweet lines. It would serve Corgi well in the marketplace, I believe, since its form is attractive and the variations in livery would allow numerous versions to be produced. White anti-flash paint; glossy black (on the much-different and one-only B Mk. 2); silver; green-and-gray camouflage: all these serve to make the model appealing and would allow several versions to be produced. Bright roundels, subdued ones, bomber, tanker, research aircraft, there are enough variations to offer a bright return on the investment in tooling. There’s more history and appeal to the Valiant than the total number produced of only 104 would make it appear.
4. Collectors collect. Collectors love the rare and obscure. The rarer, the better. The primary purchaser of Corgi collectibles is the adult collector. Adult collectors of die cast model aircraft are discerning individuals and are in a much different market category than the average purchaser of the injection-molded plastic model airplane kit. At an IPMS/USA National Convention I was told by a manufacturer’s representative that their market research revealed that some 82% of plastic kits were bought by a female over 35 years of age for a male under 12. Which is one reason why we have so many Mustangs, Spitfires, and Bf 109s. The female wants to buy something she recognizes for her child. This market research revelation obviously would not apply to Corgi die cast models since the collector himself is usually making the purchase. I believe American collectors not only know what a Valiant is, but would want one. One has only to look at one mail order and Internet hobby supplier, The Squadron Shop (http://www.squadron.com ) to gain an appreciation of the vast numbers of rare and relatively unknown aircraft whose models are selling so well. There is a recent flood of obscure aircraft kits coming out of Eastern Europe and the American market can’t seem to get enough of them.
5. Producing the Valiant as an individually packaged model would be viable in itself, and would also offer the attractive possibility of packaging it, the Vulcan, and the Victor in a box of three as the “V-bomber Presentation Set”, a specially-produced limited edition set which would drive collectors straight to their nearest Corgi dealer.
6. American collectible manufacturers such as Harbour Lights (http://www.harbourlights.com ) feel that it’s good business to “give back” to their collectors, to produce something that’s in great demand by them, and often it’s found that the sales far exceeds even the most sanguine marketing expectations.
7. Saving the best reason for last, as both a collector and one who appreciates historical aircraft, especially British ones, I want one. No, wait, I take that back: I want one of each and every version Corgi might produce. ;)
I’d like to see Corgi produce a 1/144 Vickers Valiant. Yes, I know, this is old (and lengthy) business on this forum. This has been discussed at length, ad nauseum, and you’re all probably tired of hearing more about it. We’ve been told Corgi is adamant about not wanting to produce this aircraft, feeling its marketability and appeal – apart from Great Britain - would not warrant the investment in tooling.
Living in the U.S., I’m part of the market Corgi is concerned about. Apparently, the potential for good sales in the U.S. is considered a necessary part of the production decision. Apparently Corgi management have the impression that Americans don’t know what a Valiant is. And if we did, it wouldn’t appeal to us to the point where we’d purchase one. Why is it thought we’d pass this one by? Is it because the Valiant doesn’t look like an American aircraft? Does it look strange to American eyes? Would we not buy one since they’re no longer operational? No longer “topical”, no longer in the news? Do we think the Valiant never had much of a history? Not one to be remembered fondly? No flashy “eye appeal” in line, form, or color? No glamour?
I’d like to offer an overseas perspective on this issue, and by so doing, perhaps I can dispel some misconceptions regarding the American market. Perhaps this may help to improve the chances for Corgi to reconsider producing the Valiant. Perhaps not. Still, it’s such a desirable aircraft for a collector to acquire that I feel taking the time to compose this is worth the effort.
1. Many American aviation enthusiasts are very interested in British aircraft. We’ve read at length about the Avro Vulcan, the Handley Page Victor, and yes, to a much lesser extent, the Vickers Valiant. We’ve learned about this triumvirate of Britain’s nuclear-deterrent force, the awesome “V-bombers”. We’ve read books about them, built plastic kits of them, and now we’re collecting die cast models of them. Unknown in America? I can’t begin to describe the struggle I’ve had in attempting to acquire the Corgi Vulcan and Victor in any of their guises here in the U.S. Every Corgi dealer I’ve been in contact with has sold his last Vulcan (apart from the latest tanker model) long ago. I’ve been told by a dealer that Americans are snapping up these “unknown” British aircraft immediately they hit the shelves. A brief look at the premium prices the early Corgi Vulcans are commanding on eBay will tell you that Americans not only know what these aircraft are, but are eager to pay several times their original cost just to add them to their collection.
2. To an aviation enthusiast, the Valiant has a remarkable history. Designed in 1949, first flown in 1951 (and from a grass airfield!), the Valiant represented leading-edge technology with its futuristic lines and wing planform, its engines buried in the wing roots for cleaner airflow across the wings, and large bomb bay to carry the Blue Steel nuclear weapon. All this occurred at a time when propeller-driven aircraft were fighting the initial stages of the Korean War. History? The Valiant dropped Britain’s first atomic bomb at Maralinga, Australia, in 1956. Also at this time Valiants were dropping conventional bombs during the Suez Crisis. In 1957 a Valiant dropped Britain’s first hydrogen bomb on Christmas Island in the Pacific. Valiants and their crews have always placed highly in bombing competitions held in the U.S. And yes, the main wing spar metal fatigue problems are part of the Valiant’s history, too. Really, there are many aircraft with much less history than the Vickers Valiant.
3. As far as eye appeal, the Valiant – as well as the Vulcan and Victor – appears as something out of a science fiction movie. It was, and still is, an advanced-looking aircraft with sweet lines. It would serve Corgi well in the marketplace, I believe, since its form is attractive and the variations in livery would allow numerous versions to be produced. White anti-flash paint; glossy black (on the much-different and one-only B Mk. 2); silver; green-and-gray camouflage: all these serve to make the model appealing and would allow several versions to be produced. Bright roundels, subdued ones, bomber, tanker, research aircraft, there are enough variations to offer a bright return on the investment in tooling. There’s more history and appeal to the Valiant than the total number produced of only 104 would make it appear.
4. Collectors collect. Collectors love the rare and obscure. The rarer, the better. The primary purchaser of Corgi collectibles is the adult collector. Adult collectors of die cast model aircraft are discerning individuals and are in a much different market category than the average purchaser of the injection-molded plastic model airplane kit. At an IPMS/USA National Convention I was told by a manufacturer’s representative that their market research revealed that some 82% of plastic kits were bought by a female over 35 years of age for a male under 12. Which is one reason why we have so many Mustangs, Spitfires, and Bf 109s. The female wants to buy something she recognizes for her child. This market research revelation obviously would not apply to Corgi die cast models since the collector himself is usually making the purchase. I believe American collectors not only know what a Valiant is, but would want one. One has only to look at one mail order and Internet hobby supplier, The Squadron Shop (http://www.squadron.com ) to gain an appreciation of the vast numbers of rare and relatively unknown aircraft whose models are selling so well. There is a recent flood of obscure aircraft kits coming out of Eastern Europe and the American market can’t seem to get enough of them.
5. Producing the Valiant as an individually packaged model would be viable in itself, and would also offer the attractive possibility of packaging it, the Vulcan, and the Victor in a box of three as the “V-bomber Presentation Set”, a specially-produced limited edition set which would drive collectors straight to their nearest Corgi dealer.
6. American collectible manufacturers such as Harbour Lights (http://www.harbourlights.com ) feel that it’s good business to “give back” to their collectors, to produce something that’s in great demand by them, and often it’s found that the sales far exceeds even the most sanguine marketing expectations.
7. Saving the best reason for last, as both a collector and one who appreciates historical aircraft, especially British ones, I want one. No, wait, I take that back: I want one of each and every version Corgi might produce. ;)