# Not So New 2013 Revell Announcements



## dreadnaught726 (Feb 5, 2011)

Revell revealead it's 2013 releases today and all I can say is what is old is new again as far as aircraft/military goes. Of course there are abou 5 new tools for car models (as is to be expected) but as far as aircraft.......zero. They are re-issuing the Voodo and Me262 with new figures and weaponary (big deal) and the only new tool military kit is the M1A1 Abrams.....but it is a snap tight. They are also bringing out a number of old Renwal kits like the Nike missle, atomoc cannon and armor tow vehicle. Now I don't mind reissues to a point but I do mind paying $20-$25 dollars for 25 year old kits whose molds have paid for themselves numerous times over. Adding new non essential parts to old kits just does not do it for me. I realize car models sell more units and profit is the name of the game and that a new tool is very expensive to produce, but at least one "new" military/aircraft kit a year is really not too much to ask.


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

I've never been a big Revell fan, but I *am* thrilled at them bringing back the old missile kits that are all but untouchable on eBay. Granted most of these, if not all, are old Renwal kits that date back to the 50's but I for one am glad they've reached back in time and brought them forward again.

So, for me, Revell not bringing very many *new* kits to life isn't an issue with me. But I know there are a lot of Revell fans out there!

HAL9001-


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

I thought it was a good line up. By now you would figure people knew Revell (USA) was not big on tooling up new aircraft kits. At least for prop planes I think they have done two in 10+ years (Ventura and Spirit of St. Louis). On the other hand, Revell Germany does a lot of new tool airplanes and they are usually reboxed by Revell USA. The new list of kits also does not seem to cover the whole year but just the first quarter or so. I also don't mind Revell not duplicating kits already available by other companies. For example, Tamiya has a new 1/35 Abrams Tusk coming out. Meng Models is doing the F-106, etc.


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## dreadnaught726 (Feb 5, 2011)

I have no problem with re issues but I do have a problem with pricing re-issues. True production costs have risen but the most expensive part of the kit is th mold which in some cases are over 30 years old! I can't believe boxes, instruction sheets and decals can be that costly. Additionally, the average price of a Revell car kit is $25.00 retail! I geuss I am just stuck in the past but when I buy a Moebius or Tamiya kit and pay a premium price, at least I can justify the price somewhat because of the high quality.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Well it costs the same to run an old mold compared to a new one, if not more. The Renwal stuff like the Nike has not been run 35 years or so. It probably needs some tweaking to run on modern molding machinery. I notice a lot of the old molds have new sprue points added as molding machines tend to run at lower pressures today. Kits today are also molded in smaller runs. Back when Revell did runs of 20,000 kits they could afford to sell them for $10 each. Now a run may be as low as 2,000 kits so the price is much more per unit to recoupe costs. Some of these kits too are limited run SSP kits and those cost more. Revell does price cars well under $25. The brand new ones cost more but a lot of the old kits are under $20. Other things that influence cost are boxes, packing, shipping, etc. and that has nothing to do with the age of a mold or not. Tamiya also gets a pass on jacking the prices of reissues but people single out Revell a lot. Tamiya's 40 year old ex-motorized tanks are $35 these days. They suck too. iI always felt Moebius stuff was, for the most part, grossly overpriced for the relatively low quality of a lot (not all but a lot) of their kits. No reason the small Seaview should be $30. Revell's new tool 1/350 subs are $10 and are a much more polished product. The Space Pod was another overpriced clunker.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I saw at squadron Revell has rereleased the old 1/77 Ford Trimotor kit. 
It retails at $17.99
I think that kit is actually older than me. I remember my dad had a built one in his workshop ever since I can remember.
How much was that when it first came out, I wonder? 98 cents?


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

I'm pretty impressed that they released the old renwal kits as I think they are pretty intricate for thier time. Are they not from the Adams molds? Sure wish they (or someone) would do the adams/life like honest john (1/32 I think?).


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

Hunch said:


> Sure wish they (or someone) would do the adams/life like honest john (1/32 I think?).


Now we're talking!! :thumbsup:

HAL9001-


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## chasd25 (Feb 14, 2002)

dreadnaught726 said:


> Revell revealead it's 2013 releases today and all I can say is what is old is new again as far as aircraft/military goes. Of course there are abou 5 new tools for car models (as is to be expected) but as far as aircraft.......zero. They are re-issuing the Voodo and Me262 with new figures and weaponary


I didn't see a F-101 Voodoo, I saw they are re-releasing the F-104, and F-105 with new parts to make the Thunderstick version.

The new releases were only for the first half of 2013 as well, not the whole. year. 

I'm pretty pleased to see the re-issues of the Atomic Cannon (missed it the first time a year or two back, and I'm not paying $100+ on ebay for it), as well as the Nike Ajax, and the USA vs USSR missile set. No more losing out on ebay for that one. I'm pretty happy they are putting out the old Renwal stuff. I'd like to see them dig more into the old missile and space kits that haven't been out in decades.

Anyone who wants info straight from the mouth of Revell, I recommend listening to the recent interview Gerald Voight did on Scale Modeling Radio Hour with Ed Sexton of Revell:

http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/the-plastic-scale-modeling-hour-talk-radio-for-scale-modelers/page/2/

Pretty good for the most part, and some good insights into their business model, what they release and why, as well as costs. One of the biggest things affecting kit costs is transportation and labor.

Revell seems to unfairly take a beating on kit costs (as mentioned), I don't hear the same squawking about Tamiya, or Hasegawa (probably the worst!), or even Round 2! Don't hear much complaining about their prices coming out of old molds that have long paid for themselves.

For the most part, I find their prices still a bargain. Most WW II single engine fighters in 1:48 can be had for under $17, the twin engine bombers for under $30, and the 1:48 jets for under $25. I just picked up the re-issue of the 1:48 Mercury/Gemini Capsules at the local Hobby Shop for $16.95, still a bargain, and we know how old that mold is. 

When you consider the distributer, and the retailer both take a cut, I'm not quite sure what some of you guys think they should be charging....they aren't a charity, they're in the business to make money!

In the early/mid 80s, I bought several of the WWII single engine fighters at longs drugs for $4-5 each. When adjusted for inflation, it puts them at about $11 in todays dollars. Current retail for the 1:48 P-47D Razorback - $16.95, $13.59 from Tower. Not really that much more (when factoring inflation), than what I paid 20+ years ago. I think a lot of us who have been buying kits for a LONG time, and remember what they used to cost, have a harder time accepting the current pricing.

There aren't too many untapped mass market subjects for aircraft, let's be honest, they aren't going to tackle the more obscure aircraft...there's no market for it...the 500-1000 hardcore guys who want it aren't going to be enough to justify the cost. Frankly I was pretty surprised they did the Ventura. 

I've got enough kits to last me a lifetime. I'm perfectly happy with Revell tweaking the existing line ( I'd love to see a B-26K Counter Invader version of their A-26), putting out a new aircraft kit every 3-5 years, and continuing to mine the old catalog of molds they've got. There's still a LOT of kits that have not been put out in a long, long time that they could trickle out for another 10 years.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

hal9001 said:


> Now we're talking!! :thumbsup:
> 
> HAL9001-


The Adams kit is 1/40 and that tooling is now owned by Athern trains (who ran the molds for Life Like in the early 70s).

Renwal had a 1/32 Honest John, based on the same 5 ton truck kit they used for the Lacross and Military Wrecker


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Chas, I think that 1/48 P-47 (Monogram) went for $1.50 retail the first time I bought it in the 70s. Which means HiWay Hobby sold it for $1.05 at the time They always had 30% off retail).

Ah, days gone by...


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## hal9001 (May 28, 2008)

djnick66 said:


> The Adams kit is 1/40 and that tooling is now owned by Athern trains (who ran the molds for Life Like in the early 70s).
> 
> Renwal had a 1/32 Honest John, based on the same 5 ton truck kit they used for the Lacross and Military Wrecker


Yeah, I think the Lacross had the wrong truck didn't it? Or the wrong verson of the 5 ton? Something like that. I can't remember. Regardless, the old kits do take a lot, a LOT, of tweeking to bring them up to the quality of detail we expect these days, but the reasearch and the work is a big part of the fun!

I was thrilled Revell brought back the Teracurzer/Mace! Now I can paint one Air Force blue and one OD. And not have to sell my soul on eBay to get a second one.

By the way, Amazon has this kit for $45.00 and "Free Super Saving Shipping" if anyone is interested.

HAL9001-


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## chasd25 (Feb 14, 2002)

John P said:


> Chas, I think that 1/48 P-47 (Monogram) went for $1.50 retail the first time I bought it in the 70s. Which means HiWay Hobby sold it for $1.05 at the time They always had 30% off retail).
> 
> Ah, days gone by...


I very much remember saving my allowance at the time (about $5 a week), and riding my bike to Longs to buy models. The P-40B, and P-47D "The Turtle" getting those both for under $5 each. yeah...days gone by


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Oh, the P-40 was one of Monogram's 1-dollar kits! HiWay Hobby sold them for 70 cents!

Conversely, I just saw some new 1/48 kits by a new company called "Must Have Hobbies" at Squadron. Their first kit appears to be a 1/48 P-36, based on the HobbyCraft kit. Retail is $59.95. :freak: okay, that includes resin and photoetch parts, but... oh my!


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

I remember back in the early '70s MPC model cars had a price of 2.25 printed on the box and Fred Meyer stores were selling them for under 2 bucks!!
Chas, you forgot to mention Mobieus as being high priced.


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