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Whetever Happened to FreMs?


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Hello all,

Having just picked up a package from the local post office containing a couple of 1/48 FreMs Aermacchi MB-339's, I'm curious as to whatever happened to this company? After having released the MB-339 kit in a couple of versions, they simply faded away. I remember seeing initial drawings of a 1/48 F-104S on their site, but sadly, it never was released. A visit to their website now simply states that it is being updated. They showed great promise, but sad to say that they seem to be gone for good.

BTW, thank you Pac Models for excellent service, and 'j-fever' (ARC member) for referring me to them where I was able to get the kits + the monograph for this same beautiful little airplane.

My two (eventual versions): AMI all-grey and Argentine Armada (Navy) versions.

Michael

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They were/are an injection moulding and/or tooling company, so plastic kits weren't their main business then and aren't their main business now. I'm not really sure how they got into the kit business, whether it was to show off their capabilities, or because the owners just liked the hobby (or if the project just kind of fell into their laps).

They announced their F-104 series just before Hasegawa unveiled their own, and got scooped and pushed out by the bigger name. Could be that hit put them out of the plastic business (the same way that Accurate Miniatures having to eat the development cost of their scooped-by-Tamiya Beaufighters helped put AM out of business). Could be they just decided to return to their primary revenue stram and quit dabbling in models. Could be they decided the effort involved in tooling a new kit wasn't worth the hassle/return. But I strongly suspect that getting beaten to the punch by Hasegawa on the F-104 is what put a stop to things.

Whatever the exact reasons, it IS quite a shame. Their Macchi's are probably *the* nicest first kits I've seen a company release, and they're *this* close to being absolutely spectacular kits. The kind of thing that seems to have been produced by a true enthusiast with a lot of knowledge of, and love for, the hobby (aftermarket quality decals, brass gun barrels to get slightly better detail and hollow tubes...). An F-104 series from them would have been well worth seeing, as would an AMX. Shame it'll never be. :worship: Especially since Hasegawa flubbed their 1/48 S so badly.

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