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Tamiya 1/48 F-16C. Was it a sales disappointment?


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Given their quick turnaround on the F-14A to F-14D release schedule, would I be accurate in saying that the F-16c releases were eventually, a sales disappointment?  Did the disappointing sales Eventually lead to Tamiya to not release a F-16D? 

 

 

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I am sure it is a "trade secret".  

 

I just cannot understand the lack of a release of a family model.  From what I understand, a Tamiya F-16D would be as simple as creating two sprues(upper fuselage plus 2nd pit and a new canopy), a decal sheet and instructions.  

Edited by ytsejam87
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Tamiya do what Tamiya “want” to do.

The 32nd F-4E has been out for over 20 years selling in droves yet no slatted wing E version all that time.

No Later E, G, S..etc.

If you think a family F-16 is a miss how about half the F-4’s ever built...

They drum to their own beat..thats Tamiya but boy im glad they are doing an F-14D.

 

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I have nine Tamiya F-16 kits, more than any other jet (Hasegawa A-4s used to outnumber until I sold down to seven), so I’d say the numbers were good based on my purchases.

 

I don’t even like the F-16 but it is an awesome kit.

 

I only have two Tamiya F-14s, I love the F-14.

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The C kit was definitely not a disappointment.

 

Not following up with a D kit is definitely a disappointment.

 

Someone who used to post here, and claimed to be in the know wrt Tamiya, and claimed to be involved somehow in the Tamiya C kit kept promising that the release of the D model was just right around the corner - ten years ago.

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I look at it this way. Every dollar (or yen) spent designing and tooling a kit is a dollar (or yen) not spent designing and tooling another kit. I suspect Tamiya believes their money is better invested producing a new-tool F-14 (or example) rather than an F-16B/D.

 

Steven Brown

Scale Model Soup

 

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12 hours ago, ytsejam87 said:

I am sure it is a "trade secret".  

 

I just cannot understand the lack of a release of a family model.  From what I understand, a Tamiya F-16D would be as simple as creating two sprues(upper fuselage plus 2nd pit and a new canopy), a decal sheet and instructions.  

 

How many original* markings for F-16D exist?

Original i.e not just a BuNo and crews change,  rest is the same single-seat markings.

None.

 

So you're a manufacter. 

Do you think it's profitable to release a new kit without drastically new markings than the original release?

Reboxing the same kit with different decals is profitable per se.

Tooling a new sprue with almost the same markings is profitable if and only if the sprue yields a significant amount of new orders.

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, shion said:

 

How many original* markings for F-16D exist?

Original i.e not just a BuNo and crews change,  rest is the same single-seat markings.

None.

 

So you're a manufacter. 

Do you think it's profitable to release a new kit without drastically new markings than the original release?

Reboxing the same kit with different decals is profitable per se.

Tooling a new sprue with almost the same markings is profitable if and only if the sprue yields a significant amount of new orders.

 

 

 

WORD!!!!

Now, I might buy one F-16D (just because I don't have one), but that number pales in comparison to the number of F-16C's I have bought. Market size just ain't there for me for a "D" model and if I were a model producer I wouldn't do it!!!! 

I also think that Tamiya's F-16C does not represent a sales disappointment (I sure have a bunch of them!), and the fact there is no "D" has no relationship to Tamiya F-16C sales.  It's all about market size and IMNSHO it ain't there for a "D". 

Edited by modelingbob
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I can from Tamiya a decent Sufa kit...

 

But Tamiya made a three (or four ?) F-16 (CJ, ANG, Thunderbirds and Aggresor) in quarter scale  - and this is unusual.... Normaly this company made a two boxes, in many cases one, sometimes three (Beau, Mossie)..and this is a F-16 most popular western jet fighter after post ´Nam era....

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Thanks all.  

 

I guess I phrased my question somewhat incorrectly. I was attempting to solicit speculative opinions concerning the idea that Tamiya was disappointed in the F-16C series sales, subsequently, they held back on producing a family model. Alll speculation of course!  (tip of the hat to 11bee!)

 

I have built one single seater, and have 4 on the shelf, and absolutely adore it.  And will continue to buy more.

 

I feel a D model, if a later block (Like a sufa) is one that is eventually produced, it rounds out the family, essentially, allowing nearly any block F-16C/D to be produced.  I believe there would be a great level of decal and aftermarket support, as most (if not all) C operators, also operate D's. 

 

I have read a goodly number of links concerning the kinetic series of f-16's and really don't think (basic modeling skills wise)I am up to the challenge that they present. 

 

 

 

 

Edited by ytsejam87
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Honestly, I wonder if it is the opposite. It's been a GREAT seller, and when interest begins to die down in it, THEN they will come out with a Delta model? In other words, get as much money out of the Charlie's produced while they can, and then when interest wanes, re-kindle it by putting out a Delta. 

 

Don't know. As was mentioned, Tamiya marches to their own drum.

 

Aaron 

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On 4/10/2018 at 6:01 PM, ytsejam87 said:

Thanks all.  

 

I guess I phrased my question somewhat incorrectly. I was attempting to solicit speculative opinions concerning the idea that Tamiya was disappointed in the F-16C series sales, subsequently, they held back on producing a family model. Alll speculation of course!  (tip of the hat to 11bee!)

 

I have built one single seater, and have 4 on the shelf, and absolutely adore it.  And will continue to buy more.

 

I feel a D model, if a later block (Like a sufa) is one that is eventually produced, it rounds out the family, essentially, allowing nearly any block F-16C/D to be produced.  I believe there would be a great level of decal and aftermarket support, as most (if not all) C operators, also operate D's. 

 

I have read a goodly number of links concerning the kinetic series of f-16's and really don't think (basic modeling skills wise)I am up to the challenge that they present. 

 

 

 

 

 

You will NEVER achieve the diversity of models produced with a Tomcat OVER an F-16 family. thinking otherwise is just not so. F-16 A,B,C,D,E,F,I All of the production blocks and nations using it. In my opinion, Tamiya is dropping the ball for not having cornered market with 1/48 & 1/32 Vipers.

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5 hours ago, Mr Matt Foley said:

 

You will NEVER achieve the diversity of models produced with a Tomcat OVER an F-16 family. thinking otherwise is just not so. F-16 A,B,C,D,E,F,I All of the production blocks and nations using it. In my opinion, Tamiya is dropping the ball for not having cornered market with 1/48 & 1/32 Vipers.

Word.

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You see..it's difficult to do more variants of the F-16 when there are still one or two non-modeled versions of the Zero or BF-109 to do..like that one plane that was flown by that one pilot for 2 weeks in 1943 at that one field.

Better make 100,000 of that kit. 

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I just counted the finished Tamiya F-16 Builds. It is currently at 8.I have  7 at home and One given to My Uncle who Worked for Pratt & Whitney.  Then  in my stash I have 18 left. I say left cause I traded away  some :bandhead2: and sold off another batch. Crazy right well the majority were scooped up at Hobby Lobby. I went to visit friends/family in Texas and stopped at one along the I-10 between my house.I live about 50 miles north Of New Orleans,  and there and they were on the clearance shelf..after that I stopped at every one and on the way out of each store I had to check to make sure I wasn't being pranked... lowest price was 12.36 ea....highest 21.00....I'd grab all they had left. Although A couple did not have any at all...I think that was 2011 or 2012..... I got about 20 kits and many were the Aggressor version. When I got home I took a few trips to the area HL and scooped another half dozen... Now days when I get Amazon points I look for the Block 50 from Japan which go for about 28.00 shipped. I attach some points in the payment area and get em for about 10.00-15.00 ea....all total I bought maybe 34+/- kits....

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17 minutes ago, viper730 said:

I just counted the finished Tamiya F-16 Builds. It is currently at 8.I have  7 at home and One given to My Uncle who Worked for Pratt & Whitney.  Then  in my stash I have 18 left. I say left cause I traded away  some :bandhead2: and sold off another batch. Crazy right well the majority were scooped up at Hobby Lobby. I went to visit friends/family in Texas and stopped at one along the I-10 between my house.I live about 50 miles north Of New Orleans,  and there and they were on the clearance shelf..after that I stopped at every one and on the way out of each store I had to check to make sure I wasn't being pranked... lowest price was 12.36 ea....highest 21.00....I'd grab all they had left. Although A couple did not have any at all...I think that was 2011 or 2012..... I got about 20 kits and many were the Aggressor version. When I got home I took a few trips to the area HL and scooped another half dozen... Now days when I get Amazon points I look for the Block 50 from Japan which go for about 28.00 shipped. I attach some points in the payment area and get em for about 10.00-15.00 ea....all total I bought maybe 34+/- kits....

 

Wow, $12.36 is a rock bottom price!

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