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Really nice work, Raymond. It must be hard to find time to build when you are running a business to keep the rest of us happily supplied in kits and producing new ones that we have wanted for years. Being a model builder you must go through sensory overload when you walk through your warehouse. Lol

Tom

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Raymond,

Nice Model :thumbsup:

I think it's very cool that you built a kit from your company. I think kit manufacturers can learn a hell of a lot about they products just by building them as well as other manufacturers kits. That being said, How do you feel about the kit and it's construction? Would you change the way the kit comes together in any way to improve fit, add any different options, part layout....?

Again, well done!

Steven L:wave:

Edited by FAR148
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Raymond,

Nice Model :thumbsup:/>

I think it's very cool that you built a kit from your company. I think kit manufacturers can learn a hell of a lot about they products just by building them as well as other manufacturers kits. That being said, How do you feel about the kit and it's construction? Would you change the way the kit comes together in any way to improve fit, add any different options, part layout....?

Again, well done!

Steven L:wave:/>

Hi Steven,

Yes, I do dry fit other manufacturer product and "learn" from there. With 3D CAD engineerning nowadays, the model kit is more complex than before. However, with take over of Kinetic 4 years ago, I start to feel the model kit should be fewer parts and should be cheaper to build and quicker to finish. I think a lot of people do not agree to my idea. They want a more detail, better engineerning, more crispy, more accurate......

I do agree many customers are demanding more on the aspect, but after taking over the company, I discuss with the "modelling" people from project controller, CAD people as well as tooling people. With all the information, cost, market size... etc, I decide to go for a direction where I told my staff "Please design, tool a model that I can build, painting, within 2 - 3 weekend - that means totally 3 - 4 full days. Any assembling times more than that time would be rejected by me (sorry I am not a professional modeler, but I control the key to "release" the model).

I will classfy myself as a "causal modeler" where I take it as a hobby and building the kit is a relaxtion from the daily work. Also, as modelling require times, the time to finish a model is critical for a successful sales turnover. I discussed with my staff, if we made a kit requires 3-4 months to finish, the next time the customer buy again is 5 months later. If we make the kit can be finished within 2 weeks, he may buy another one in 2 months times.

I also check around my stash before I join this business, taking F-14 as an example (I grow up in TOPGUN era). I found myself with 2 x Haseagwa, 4 Academy and 8 Italeri. But the things is the Italeri's F-14 were build and either it is dropped to dust bin or give away to the kids. 2 Academy was build and none of the Hasegawa was started just because I think I will wait till my skill is ok to build the "preimum" edition.

In addition, I don't mind putting putty, super glue to fix some alignment of the kit. Of course, I build the Tamiya F-16 once and it is good! But I do want more variants with different weapons, so I also build around 12 my F-16. Of course, take more times and skills. But that is one of the tasks I do like "modelling" not only "assembling".

As for the 1/32 HAWK, we started the project in 1/48 at the beginning and when the CAD finished, it seems it will just be another HAWK in 1/48. So, when we go for the T-45 in 1/48, we go for 1/32 HAWK 100 series. With one directive - please reduce the parts count lesser than the T-45! The CAD people deliver what I want. As I cannot finish the T-45 in 2 full days and I can finish the assembly the 1/32 HAWK in 1 day with cockpit painted and another 2-3 to finish the painting (CAF is the simplest paints scheme) and 1 more day for decalling. So, here is the result.

At last, at Kinetic, we are working best at keeping parts count lower, simple to build, faster to finish and most important - keeping the price down. That is what we discover the trend in aircraft modelling maker in China starting to turn an aircraft into a 1/35 tanks! with hundreds of parts and many parts does not seen after assembly. We have implements successfully with our F-5A series where the kit is not Tamiya, Haseagwa quality, but it can be finished shortly and build another one with different markings.

Just my 2 cents.

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As for the 1/32 HAWK, we started the project in 1/48 at the beginning and when the CAD finished, it seems it will just be another HAWK in 1/48. So, when we go for the T-45 in 1/48, we go for 1/32 HAWK 100 series. With one directive - please reduce the parts count lesser than the T-45! The CAD people deliver what I want. As I cannot finish the T-45 in 2 full days and I can finish the assembly the 1/32 HAWK in 1 day with cockpit painted and another 2-3 to finish the painting (CAF is the simplest paints scheme) and 1 more day for decalling. So, here is the result.

Raymond,

I would like to encorage you to go ahead and still produce the Hawk 100 in 1/48 scale. The Airfix Hawk 100 has some significant shape errors. Your 1/32 Hawk is much more accurate than any 1/48th Hawk available. Please consider scaling it down to 1/48th.

Best Regards,

Gabe

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Raymond

I am very happy with your approach to kit complexity and cost. Your 1/48 F-5A is just right for me. It is higher quality and easier to assemble properly than the Classic Airframes kit, yet it is more accurate and has more detail than the old Testors kit. It is just right.

I have bought several Kinetic kits now (Mirage 2000B, 2 X F-5A, and you just shipped me a 1/32 Hawk today). The prices are reasonable, and the amount of detail, accuracy, and fit are just right for me as well.

Thanks for all the insight into your philosophy!

ALF

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