Armour 1/48 Scale

[DCRanger]

In various threads there seems to have been a general view that some of Corgi's larger models and more unusual colour schemes are not viable for them to continue with and could result in the demise of the AA range. So what do we think of something like this and other examples in the Armour 1/48 scale range?

http://www.swapmeet-models.co.uk/armour/b662-b17-silver-swiss.htm

[CFBC]

It does make you wonder DC.

[minter]

ooh dont like that :o

[CFBC]

I think DC was looking at the wider picture of "how does Armour do it and survive as long as they have" and things to that degree, but your right Minter..... Why that scheme? :confused:

[DCRanger]

CFBC - well put, that was what I was thinking. I can't see the logic of producing a model that size let alone that scheme but Armour seem to produce a steady stream of such models without certs, without dumping and as far as I am aware without the support of forums like this that Corgi enjoy.

[Agent X20]

Well its £99 and twice the size of a Corgi... ( blo8dy awful mold though when you notice the engine cowlings...) and they do seem to have a far greater, stronger distribution system worldwide... Dont forget dem Yankees like things bigger... they seem to stumble along quite happily and the dealers seem to be quite happy with them...

Cant wait for the Corgi one..!! ( Swiss AF B17 if you cant open the thread which I couldnt until today)

[Rusty]

I think DC was looking at the wider picture of "how does Armour do it and survive as long as they have" and things to that degree, but your right Minter..... Why that scheme? :confused:

Something different - French York - Swiss B-17...

Plus there's this one (http://www.diecast-aviation.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=1592). As far as I can tell, Armour produce good/bad/OK models (depending), rarely dump, and when they do, not very cheaply! The models you really want you have to make tough decisions about as they are always expensive...

In short, I only have three, and that is because of their schemes, not because I like 1/48 particularly. Looking forward to the Spanish Eurofighter and (maybe) the RN Sea Harrier!

[Cooper]

So that's silver then, is it!!!! :eek: :mad:

You'd have thought they'd learnt their lesson after the "Bit O' Lace" debacle.

[Agent X20]

The models you really want you have to make tough decisions about as they are always expensive..... Go to the toyfairs... :D , pound for pound though they seem to offer more than a certain hound.. didnt say it was better though.. :D

[Rusty]

The three I have are:

1/48 Ju-52 (Lufthansa) - highly impressed (though my 1/150 scale one from Herpa has more detail)
1/48 Spanish Civil War Ju-87 Stuka - again, very highly impressed, and
1/48 Spanish Civil War Me109 - not bad, but nowhere near as good as the Junkers'

Remembered the other ones I was looking for:

1/48 DC-3 (Lufthansa Special edition, no chance of getting this for cheap anytime soon, or ever)
1/48 Ju-52 (Second LH, Sp. Ed. as well, ditto)
1/48 Spanish Eurofighter (waiting for the right price, early reports are that the EF Typhoon from Armour looks good)
1/48 RN SHAR (will wait for a proper picture and THEN maybe think about geting it!)

[ANDYGRAY]

The three I have are:

1/48 Ju-52 (Lufthansa) - highly impressed (though my 1/150 scale one from Herpa has more detail)
1/48 Spanish Civil War Ju-87 Stuka - again, very highly impressed, and
1/48 Spanish Civil War Me109 - not bad, but nowhere near as good as the Junkers'

Remembered the other ones I was looking for:

1/48 DC-3 (Lufthansa Special edition, no chance of getting this for cheap anytime soon, or ever)
1/48 Ju-52 (Second LH, Sp. Ed. as well, ditto)
1/48 Spanish Eurofighter (waiting for the right price, early reports are that the EF Typhoon from Armour looks good)
1/48 RN SHAR (will wait for a proper picture and THEN maybe think about geting it!)

I have seen the RN SHAR and it is NOTHING like a Sea Harrier!!

[Typhoon-MKV]

I picked up the EF Typhoon at Elvington - was actually very impressed by it, hence why I purchased it.

Looks like they maybe Tampo printing again, judging by the amount of detail on there.

[klepto4]

I think the overall answer here is variety and most aircraft covered and thats something that corgi can't seem to get their heads around.
For example:

1) Why just stop with the Phantoms and not gamble by doing others (Money or no Money)
2) Why suddenly stop the Bf109e's and continue the Spits and Hurri's
3) Why so little amount of harriers?
4) Why so many Libs?
5) Why bother with legends?
6) Why no real modern jets like the F14/15/16/18, Eurofighters
7) Why the daft priorities eg Orange Phantom? Another Sand FW190 in such a short space of time? Why are all the Corsairs BLUE? Alot of plain grey colour schemes and then the Bicentennial Phantom Yuck!
8) Ridiculous amount of Mustangs

Right OK, I appreciate that most if not all of these subjects have been covered. But what Armour have done right and Corgi have done so wrong is that Armour have had "CONSISTANCY".
Let me explain when Armour bring out a plane they exhaust all known colour schemes and variant. Corgi do not not. What corgi do... is a build either to death (i.e the spits) or they produce a small number and just seem to give up which doesn't give the buyer any real comfort in knowing if their collection will ever be complete or not. Frustrating the customers is not really a way to go in sales is it!?!
I appreciate that some armour ones may prove to be a little inaccurate but so can corgis(Blah). So what price would you put on "having your collection complete or incomplete" in regards to colour schemes and variants and minor errors.
I know I would prefer small errors rather than having an incomplete collection. I'm not saying each company should lower their standards but you do'nt see Armour producing legends do you?
Now lets have those Spey RAF and Navy Phantoms now please and be done with it :mad:

Haha, Just came out with this Corgi have problems with PVC!!!! Priority/Variety and Consistancy :D :D :D :D lol

[G-force]

When I get the time I'm going to reply properly to what is a very good post klepto4.

[G-force]

Why we haven't had those Spey Phantoms, I'll never know, as there are certainly enough schemes to warrant one, plus people actually want one (ah, there's the problem). I can't understand their seemingly lack of logic in producing weird schemes over more mainstream ones. The examples you've given are certainly only the tip of the iceberg, and consistancy would be my biggest worry. If I start collecting anything, I want to know that someday I can complete that collection, my view of Leg ends is that they are a threat to that. Sure, plenty like them, and that's fair enough but when you only want AA's and an aircraft comes out in the scheme you desire, only as a Leg end, then you're going to be pissed. Lightning and Buccaneer, excepted, I only collect one of each, so when I wanted a Bomber Command Canberra, I'm stumped. Why, oh why can they not do each scheme in both versions - you buy the one you want - simple as that, a two-tier simple that will not ruffle feathers. I have no problem with Corgi doing as many models from each mould, but variation is the key here, Silver Mustang anyone? Dang the nice camo is a Leg end!
Up until now, Corgi have had no real competition, Dragon we thought we sticking to warbirds and F-16's and the like, but now we see they are starting to tread on toes, they're even doing a Tornado. Corgi have had the "British Aviation" market to themselves, with no-one to challenge their "quality". All about to change, and Corgi are going to have to diversify and up their game if they want to survive. Are they that bothered? We have been filled with promise (feels like something else though) of brighter days with the next catalogue, lets see if they deliver.
Nothing that hasn't been said before, only probably never with the amount of pain relief in the system. :cool: wwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!

[DCRanger]

Klepto

"Why the daft priorities eg Orange Phantom? Another Sand FW190 in such a short space of time? Why are all the Corsairs BLUE? Alot of plain grey colour schemes and then the Bicentennial Phantom Yuck!"

I agree with what you say but that is the point of my first post. How come Armour can do a Swiss AF B17 (plus many other exotic schemes) and get away with it but every one sees this as a fault with Corgi.

" ....when Armour bring out a plane they exhaust all known colour schemes and variant".

Isn't this also something that Corgi gets slated for?

G-Force - thats a good sugestion, to bring out models in both AA and Legends. Sort of had/getting that with the MOM set. (And I'm getting both!)

One other thing. A lot of collectors have been bemoaning the fact that you can't get many 1/72 B17s etc into a display cabinet. Size wise the 1/48 B17 must rival the 1/32 Mossie that no one has room for. The Mossies are getting dumped but not the Armour big boys.

[klepto4]

Klepto
"
" ....when Armour bring out a plane they exhaust all known colour schemes and variant".

Isn't this also something that Corgi gets slated for?


.

Some nice replys Geforce and DC Ranger. To answer your comment of above DC is that with Armour you know they wont just stop with a few schemes where as Corgi when they produce a aircraft with a colour scheme their consistancy has been bad. So when they exhaust all known colour schemes and variants on one aircraft it's normally at a cost to another. So the reason why they get slated is because we know when corgi do exhaust all options for one aircraft they total neglect another line.
See Armour don't do this... they made sure they brought out as many Aircraft as possible first (to satisfy demand because not every body likes the same thing) and then they do the schemes. And you can see where corgi now gets it's slating. We have to now guess which aircraft they will produce and if we want it and will it get the coverage it deserves? with questions like this it's no wonder the customers are getting frustrated and losing faith in corgi. But corgi can turn it around by paying attention to this forum...
So corgi need to address the following in my honest opinion. (Always good to see an ARMOUR CATALOGUE first...Like obvious, Duh!!!)

1) Put the Balance of aircraft right e.g. More Bf109e's or 1:72 Bf109g's with at least one swiss colour scheme.

2) Put a Hold on all Mustangs for the time being

3) Start a different Mk of Spit and have Full protruding guns on a hurricane

4) Loads more Zero's please

5) Lets start having different european countries marked on WWII Fighters. Swiss, Russian, Poland, France etc The Israeli Mustang was a good start with the french Corsair with the stripes down it. That's if you feel there's a need for more spits and Hurri's which I THINK THERE IS!!!!

6) PLEASE PLEASE Sort out the Phantoms as I have a total incomplete ill advised collection of them on my Shelf and it's Frustrating!!!! :mad: :mad:

7) Don't mind the Harriers but the Number of Hunters by comparrison is embarrassing

8) Put Blooming bombs and missiles under the wings of some more WWII Fighters. I'm sure the Corsair would benefit

9) Do at least one decent modern day fighter. e.g. Gripen, F16, Eurofighter, Mirage 2000 etc

10) AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE FORUM. SOME GREAT SUGGESTIONS HERE
e.g

BF110
BeauFighter
Mirage III (or my fave the 2000) Whatever!!
Hawk
Hawker Typhoon (A bit of a must here me thinks)
Hellcat/Wildcat etc

If corgi pay attention to some of these ideas I think they will sell alot more aircraft don't you!

;)

[klepto4]

When I get the time I'm going to reply properly to what is a very good post klepto4.

I didn't say thankyou,, urm Thankyou :)

[Red Leader]

Two points that are interesting about Armour;
1.They rarely get dumped and
2. You rarely see em escalate in crazy value like some of the Corgis!!

[klepto4]

Two points that are interesting about Armour;
1.They rarely get dumped and
2. You rarely see em escalate in crazy value like some of the Corgis!!

Right on the nose there! If I had the money and the space I would have also started collecting armour seriously aswell as corgi. Even if some of the models are not the best moulds in the world and a little off, Armour still have the variety and consistancy. No dropping of Certs, No Change of Box Styles, No Legends, No overpriced commissioned ones and no dump bins. Just good old fashion reliability. Oh how I wish I had the space and the money.

I believe corgi' has now become over confident, complacent and has neglected some area's (Harsh words I know). But it's because of this that:-
a) People wait for the price to drop
b) More selective in what they buy
c) Complain alot on the forum of soppy Special yearly models like the Grey Spit (for example).

Lets not forget the Legends threatening the overall out put of quality AA as Nicely put by G-Force. So again following on from what G-Force said- We need some top models for next year if we don't get them more & more customers will get selective and more AA's will fall into the dump Bins and be bought for half the price (Which I do believe the rot has already started, Hey corgi just read the forum. There must be a million and one messages about dump bins :rolleyes: )
.
The reason why we started so well collecting the AA's in the early days and were buying every Warbird insight was because we had a great selection to start with. If you "corgi" are going to come out with a poor scheme make sure you do another one in a better scheme and don't seperate the two over 12 Months. Also don't start moving in mysterious directions. Just keep do the AA's, No Legends, No tacky Working Models and don't just stop a mould for 2 Years just because it requires a modded tooling. Jeeze do we "the people" on this forum have to spell the obvious out to these people.
That's why I firmly believe that money is more the motivation than the planes. Not by much granted as they wouldn't have done the planes in the first place but someone at corgi needs they're botty smacked otherwise they're bottom may well become one of those dump bins :D Urgh Horrid thought :eek:

:cool: ;)

[Rusty]

See Armour have two civil DC3's in 1/48th. Eastern airlines and Pan AM.
look interesting but yet another scale, apart from matching the corgi Hueys.

There is also a Special Edition Lufthansa DC3 in 1:48 by Armour/FM!

[totalplanenuts]

Some nice replys Geforce and DC Ranger. To answer your comment of above DC is that with Armour you know they wont just stop with a few schemes where as Corgi when they produce a aircraft with a colour scheme their consistancy has been bad. So when they exhaust all known colour schemes and variants on one aircraft it's normally at a cost to another. So the reason why they get slated is because we know when corgi do exhaust all options for one aircraft they total neglect another line.
See Armour don't do this... they made sure they brought out as many Aircraft as possible first (to satisfy demand because not every body likes the same thing) and then they do the schemes. And you can see where corgi now gets it's slating. We have to now guess which aircraft they will produce and if we want it and will it get the coverage it deserves? with questions like this it's no wonder the customers are getting frustrated and losing faith in corgi. But corgi can turn it around by paying attention to this forum...
So corgi need to address the following in my honest opinion. (Always good to see an ARMOUR CATALOGUE first...Like obvious, Duh!!!)

1) Put the Balance of aircraft right e.g. More Bf109e's or 1:72 Bf109g's with at least one swiss colour scheme.

2) Put a Hold on all Mustangs for the time being

3) Start a different Mk of Spit and have Full protruding guns on a hurricane

4) Loads more Zero's please

5) Lets start having different european countries marked on WWII Fighters. Swiss, Russian, Poland, France etc The Israeli Mustang was a good start with the french Corsair with the stripes down it. That's if you feel there's a need for more spits and Hurri's which I THINK THERE IS!!!!

6) PLEASE PLEASE Sort out the Phantoms as I have a total incomplete ill advised collection of them on my Shelf and it's Frustrating!!!! :mad: :mad:

7) Don't mind the Harriers but the Number of Hunters by comparrison is embarrassing

8) Put Blooming bombs and missiles under the wings of some more WWII Fighters. I'm sure the Corsair would benefit

9) Do at least one decent modern day fighter. e.g. Gripen, F16, Eurofighter, Mirage 2000 etc

10) AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE FORUM. SOME GREAT SUGGESTIONS HERE
e.g

BF110
BeauFighter
Mirage III (or my fave the 2000) Whatever!!
Hawk
Hawker Typhoon (A bit of a must here me thinks)
Hellcat/Wildcat etc

If corgi pay attention to some of these ideas I think they will sell alot more aircraft don't you!

;)

is among the worst Corgi AA : they just repainted their F4U1 in the colours of a FN F4U7 :eek: :mad: ! Except that the F4U7 is totally different : 4 bladed propeller, F4U4 cowling, 20mm cannons, buble canopy, different antennas...
Pure crap.