Page 5
Info Eduard - January 2011
Page 5
EDITORIAL
Kits covered from other manufacturers will include 48th
scale the MiG-29A and Su-27, augmented by Brassin sets
in the same style as last year’s Su-7, Su-22 and Su-25.
It can be safely assumed, I would think, that the Brassin
sets will do their job, and create rapid best sellers from
these kits. The Sukhois disappeared from stock at an
incredible rate.
With respect to kits of our own production, we are planning
some very interesting projects that will mimic the results
of, for example, the nightghting Focke-Wulf Fw 190s
or the JV44 Fw 190Ds. The rst will appear in February
in the form of the ¼ scale Bf 110 instrument panel which
was originally released with the Royal Class edition of the
same kit, and which is the subject of constant enquiries
directed at us. This will be followed by the Bf 109E over
the Balkans in 1/32nd scale, then the Fw 190A of JG 54
in 1/48th. In the fall, there will be another release of the
1/32nd scale Bf 109E, this time encompassing the theme
of the Battle of Britain, followed by a 1/48th scale Bf 110
maintaining the same theme. Besides German aircraft,
we will also release Limited Edition kits of the I-16 Type
10 in the Spanish Civil War, and the F6F-5K in colorful
post-war markings.
That’s essentially it with respect to model kits. I have tried
to give the most likely outcomes for our plans, but please
keep in mind, that the year is long, the times are rough,
and its tough to keep track of minutes and hours when
curve balls are thrown by life. With our rm, it’s not a case
of inability, but rather an opportunity to demonstrate our
exibility and ability to adapt to adversity. We’re almost
as good at it as the old Marshal von Manstein. So, don’t
fret when it goes slowly time to time, Eduard will always
gain its momentum, and give you all topics for passionate
debate!
So, even though I have dedicate most of these lines
to our planned kit release schedule, despite that as far
as sales and ultimately our prosperity are concerned, kits
are by far not our most important product, even though
from the point of view of effort and investment expended,
the case is different. In any case, production of detail
sets for models still rule, and the main product line
of that remains the photoetched brass line, still accounting
for over 50% of our sales. Over the course of 2010,
we invested signicant amounts of resources into the
purchase of better equipment for the production of color
photoetched parts, which was a radical step towards
improving the quality of said line. If the rapid decline
of complaints is any measuring stick, the step taken was
also a decidedly successful one, one which furthermore
opens the door to other products in the future. Personally,
I am hoping that it will also prove to be key in the reopening
of the 1/35th scale armor line, which we have basically
cleared out over the last few years. That is a situation which
we are determined to change. Models depicting armor
pieces have gone through an evolutionary jump recently,
in terms of quality and quantity. Some of the new releases
give the distinct impression of not even needing any
aftermarket accessories, which opens up a list of questions.
Notably, the same was assumed with model aircraft kits,
with similar technological steps taken forward in their
design and production. Our experiences, and success,
speak otherwise; the better the kit they are designed for,
the better they tend to sell. A good example can be taken
from the new 1/32nd scale Spit from Tamiya. We have
been selling amazing quantities of photetched for this kit,
at times not being able to keep stock. On the other hand,
the opposite is true as well. No amount of photoetched
helps a lousy model, it would seem. You’d think that
lower quality kits would present great opportunities for
using detailing and corrective sets, but they sell as badly
as the kits they are designed for. I don’t see any reason
why this principal shouldn’t apply to armor kits as well.
I am optimistic that we can take advantage of the color
etches for the armor market as well. The rst of these
is on its way in the shape of color camouage netting.
In my opinion, it is a great product, and I hope it is not
overlooked. Naturally, there will be debate. With respect
to the behavior of the material, it was necessary
to change the structure of the netting in some cases (which
had nothing to do with the coloring process) because
if it was, in fact, a perfect copy, it did not behave as
it was supposed to. After all, brass is not fabric,
and this is reected in the scaling process. For this reason,
we found it unavoidable to modify the pattern of the
netting, but the end result, conforming to its nal shape,
is very realistic and effective. That is in the end the main
thing for the active modeler, and with collectors of boxes
and bags, it may be a bit different. This condition will not
apply to all netting we will introduce to the market, but only
some modern types. What is common to all types is their
formability. I recommend following our Facebook page,
where instructions on using our nets are appearing. I also
expect to not only release these sets on an individual
basis, but also in bundles for models of modern armor.
Still with photoetched brass, we have another innovation
that affects sets for ships. There is often the opinion
that our ship sets are too soft and difcult to work with.
We have therefore, as of December, 2010, initiated
the use of a harder material for use in our ship sets.
The material in question is one of the hardest available
insofar as brass is concerned, and it is hoped that it will
help to improve and increase the use of our product
among ship modelers. And I also personally hope that
my designer colleagues will design a greater number
of sets for ships. There are a heck of a lot of ship kits
on the market, and it could be said that the wave of kits
is impossible to miss; the production of model kits being
akin to the naval build up just prior to both world wars.
In fact, I didn’t waiver, and I purchased one very impressive,
on rst sight, Chinese model for my son for Christmas.
Even he didn’t sit still, and started gluing on Christmas
night. The model is well executed, but the t is less than
ideal. We will need to learn how to putty a boat.
Among our product lines is one who’s niche is still growing
regardless of the economy and the sale of everything else.
These are the masks, and there is not more to add to that,
other than that they deserve their position even though
84150 Oeffag 153 1/48 Weekend edition
84152 Oeffag 253 1/48 Weekend edition