Jump to content

A joint announcement from Fights On Decals and Vagabond Decals


Recommended Posts

To all our valued customers, we have exciting news regarding the futures of Fights On Decals and Vagabond Decals! 

First off, Mike Pister has been given an incredible opportunity to expand the Fights On brand, so effective April 1, Fights On Decals will be spinning off from Vagabond Decals. When we first launched the Fights On brand, Mike and I always intended for him to spin it off into its own entity, and with this opportunity, he'll be able to do so much quicker than we'd thought. It's been a genuine pleasure working with Mike on the A-4 Adversary sheets, and we both intend to work together on both Fights On and Vagabond sheets in the future.

Secondly, as part of this spin off, there are changes to the way orders will be handled, for both companies, which we believe will improve the process for everyone. Also effective April 1st, Vagabond Decals and Fights On Decals will be available exclusively through our retail partners, Sprue Brothers Models and H. G. Hannant Co, Ltd. Both retailers exemplify the best customer service experience there is to offer, and improves shipping time, reliability and selection for everyone.

I'd like personally to wish Mike Pister and Fights On Decals the best of luck on his new releases. I'm thrilled as can be that he's been given this opportunity, and can't wait to see what he does.

Mike Hazlewood
Vagabond Decals
http://www.vagabonddecals.com

FAQ:

Q. Why are you splitting the 2 companies?
A. The intention all along was to spin off Fights On Decals into its own company. Mike Pister's opportunity has accelerated what was supposed to happen all along.

Q. What is going to happen to my customer account and information?
A. The Vagabond Decals web store will be going away, and replaced with information portals for Vagabond Decals and Fights On Decals, so customer accounts will be deleted. Before the site is completely removed, however, we will send out one last newsletter, asking if you wish to continue to receive Vagabond Decals and Fights On Decals updates. 

Q. Why are you going to a distributor-only model of sales?
A. Fights On Decals - Mike Pister has always intended to serve customers through a distributor and not process individual orders, so this would have happened regardless of changes to Vagabond Decals
A. Vagabond Decals - Mike Hazlewood's recent life events have given him a desire to spend more time with his family, and each evening, he was spending several hours processing, packing and shipping orders.
A. Additionally, with the extra time not spent doing shipping, we'll be able to research, draw and release more sheets more frequently.

Q. Do you still intend to support 1/72 scale, 1/32 scale modelers?
A. We both intend to release decals for all of the popular scales, depending on how sales go with each release

Q. Does Vagabond Decals still intend to release the Bicentennial T-38 Sheet? The VF-111 F-4B/N and the VF-92 F-4B/J/N/S sheets? 
A. Absolutely!

 

Q. What's next for Fights On Decals?

A. Just wait and see...

 

Q. What's next for Vagabond Decals?

A. Same answer - Just wait and see...


Q. What is the answer to life, the universe and everything?
A. 42

Link to post
Share on other sites
9 hours ago, MHaz said:

To all our valued customers, we have exciting news regarding the futures of Fights On Decals and Vagabond Decals! 
First off, Mike Pister has been given an incredible opportunity to expand the Fights On brand, so effective April 1, Fights On Decals will be spinning off from Vagabond Decals. When we first launched the Fights On brand, Mike and I always intended for him to spin it off into its own entity, and with this opportunity, he'll be able to do so much quicker than we'd thought. It's been a genuine pleasure working with Mike on the A-4 Adversary sheets, and we both intend to work together on both Fights On and Vagabond sheets in the future.
Secondly, as part of this spin off, there are changes to the way orders will be handled, for both companies, which we believe will improve the process for everyone. Also effective April 1st, Vagabond Decals and Fights On Decals will be available exclusively through our retail partners, Sprue Brothers Models and H. G. Hannant Co, Ltd. Both retailers exemplify the best customer service experience there is to offer, and improves shipping time, reliability and selection for everyone.
I'd like personally to wish Mike Pister and Fights On Decals the best of luck on his new releases. I'm thrilled as can be that he's been given this opportunity, and can't wait to see what he does.
Mike Hazlewood
Vagabond Decals
http://www.vagabonddecals.com
FAQ:
Q. Why are you splitting the 2 companies?
A. The intention all along was to spin off Fights On Decals into its own company. Mike Pister's opportunity has accelerated what was supposed to happen all along.
Q. What is going to happen to my customer account and information?
A. The Vagabond Decals web store will be going away, and replaced with information portals for Vagabond Decals and Fights On Decals, so customer accounts will be deleted. Before the site is completely removed, however, we will send out one last newsletter, asking if you wish to continue to receive Vagabond Decals and Fights On Decals updates. 
Q. Why are you going to a distributor-only model of sales?
A. Fights On Decals - Mike Pister has always intended to serve customers through a distributor and not process individual orders, so this would have happened regardless of changes to Vagabond Decals
A. Vagabond Decals - Mike Hazlewood's recent life events have given him a desire to spend more time with his family, and each evening, he was spending several hours processing, packing and shipping orders.
A. Additionally, with the extra time not spent doing shipping, we'll be able to research, draw and release more sheets more frequently.
Q. Do you still intend to support 1/72 scale, 1/32 scale modelers?
A. We both intend to release decals for all of the popular scales, depending on how sales go with each release

Q. Does Vagabond Decals still intend to release the Bicentennial T-38 Sheet? The VF-111 F-4B/N and the VF-92 F-4B/J/N/S sheets? 
A. Absolutely!

Q. What's next for Fights On Decals?

A. Just wait and see...

Q. What's next for Vagabond Decals?

A. Same answer - Just wait and see...
Q. What is the answer to life, the universe and everything?
A. 42

That's what i'm looking for, every time i see a Vagabond Decals announcement!

Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, mingwin said:

That's what i'm looking for, every time i see a Vagabond Decals announcement!

Believe me, it's something we want to get out the door, as well. 

 

As part of our decision to continue working together, even as separate companies, Mike P. has agreed to redraw the VF-111 sheet, and is currently working on it, in fact. If things go as planned, Vagabond will be releasing multiple sheets over the summer, including (hopefully) VF-111 and VF-92 and our own C-130 sheet. Also, if my vacation schedule gets approved for the summer, Vagabond will be at the IPMS Nationals this year, in Omaha.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Good to hear Mike, and I'm really hoping that your new A-4 adversary sheets will make it to 32nd scale ;0) I think that they'd do pretty well in 72nd scale as well. I build mostly in 72nd scale, but build all of my adversaries/aggressors in either 48th or 32nd, but not 72nd. I find that the paint schemes just "pop" more in the bigger scales. However, while adversaries have been covered extremely well in 48th scale, and somewhat covered in 32nd scale, there is almost nothing in 72nd scale. I'm not sure why so, but it could very well be an opportunity for someone willing to take a chance. FWIW, Fred K. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 4/2/2017 at 0:52 PM, Gene K said:

So what differentiates Vagabond from Fight's On, at least in terms of subject matter and scale?

 

Gene K

 

At least for the time being, Fights On is sticking to adversary/aggressor aircraft, and Vagabond will be sticking to our usual eclectic choices. We've got several sheets that were delayed by all the issues we had with Becky's pregnancy and loss of Charlotte - Bicentennial T-38's, ANG C-130's (drawn up since July, was going to be in the rotation for December, but we all know how the holidays went around here...), more Phantoms, some Crusaders, Tomcats, fleet Skyhawks, and maybe, just maybe, something for the P-3 Orion crowd. Fast jets are fun, but they're not the only kits out there.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

P-3 Orion!  Yee haw!  What scale?  Hoepfully 1/72 & 1/144.  I have 30 1/144 P-3s, most just waiting for markings.  Are we talking hi-vis USN only, or some foreign operators as well?  Give me some hope!

R/ Dutch

Edited by Dutch
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 years later...

MHaz would have my printing company do his placement guides for a number of their releases, the A-4 Aggressor sheets being the last ones.  Fantastic detail as DR mentioned.   He also got me in on doing the guides for a E-2 Hawkeye Screwtops sheet back at a Nats years ago.    I know he had some seriously tough family issues to deal with.

Link to post
Share on other sites
14 hours ago, sierrascale said:

If they are are not going to reprint them, they should sell the artwork to Caracal or Bullseye.

Yeah... NO. Vagabond Decals will not be selling our art to anyone.

 

Vagabond is still very much alive, and Vince Maddux and I are working on new sheets as we speak. We're about to send it off to Cartograf before the end of the year.

 

Since these sheets were released, I've dealt with:

  • Losing a baby girl at 5 days old
  • Welcoming another daughter into the world
  • Getting laid off
  • Finding 2 new jobs
  • Moving back to Alabama
  • Welcoming a SON into the world (right before the pandemic, no less)
  • House hunting in Alabama

Simple fact of the matter is, I haven't had time to deal with decals since Charlotte passed. Part of the reason for looking for 2 jobs and moving is because my "new" job after the layoffs wasn't a good fit at all. I'm at the point of my career that pulling 65 hour weeks for a couple years without a break isn't anything I have interest in, and it was all but mandatory for most of the time I was at that job. Things have finally stabilized, I'm at a job I love, and the pressure is off my shoulders.

 

Also, for you sci-fi minded types, in what little spare time I've had, I've been working on decal art for a couple of garage kit manufacturers in that realm.

 

The art for the A-4 Skyhawk sheets are property of Fights On! Decals, a.k.a. Mike Pister. I have copies, for obvious reasons (as in I paid to have them printed for Mike, to help him get FOD started). The agreement we have on that art is I can scale the sheet down to 1/72 only. Any 1/48 repops would be done by Pister/Fights On.

Link to post
Share on other sites
8 hours ago, MHaz said:

Yeah... NO. Vagabond Decals will not be selling our art to anyone.

 

Vagabond is still very much alive, and Vince Maddux and I are working on new sheets as we speak. We're about to send it off to Cartograf before the end of the year.

 

Since these sheets were released, I've dealt with:

  • Losing a baby girl at 5 days old
  • Welcoming another daughter into the world
  • Getting laid off
  • Finding 2 new jobs
  • Moving back to Alabama
  • Welcoming a SON into the world (right before the pandemic, no less)
  • House hunting in Alabama

Simple fact of the matter is, I haven't had time to deal with decals since Charlotte passed. Part of the reason for looking for 2 jobs and moving is because my "new" job after the layoffs wasn't a good fit at all. I'm at the point of my career that pulling 65 hour weeks for a couple years without a break isn't anything I have interest in, and it was all but mandatory for most of the time I was at that job. Things have finally stabilized, I'm at a job I love, and the pressure is off my shoulders.

 

Also, for you sci-fi minded types, in what little spare time I've had, I've been working on decal art for a couple of garage kit manufacturers in that realm.

 

The art for the A-4 Skyhawk sheets are property of Fights On! Decals, a.k.a. Mike Pister. I have copies, for obvious reasons (as in I paid to have them printed for Mike, to help him get FOD started). The agreement we have on that art is I can scale the sheet down to 1/72 only. Any 1/48 repops would be done by Pister/Fights On.

That, my friend, is a LOT to deal with. Just having to deal with what you went through with Charlotte would crush most of us. 

Edited by Darren Roberts
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...