Kitty Hawk Models - My Two Cents...
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 ก.ย. 2024
- You know what they say about opinions right? Well here's my take on this train wreck that I think we all saw coming right in front of us. Let's take a quick look at some of the basic elements that went into bad business on display. It's always bad to see another model company go under, but I think there will be lessons learned by the remaining companies.
Trumpeter have bought all the Kitty Hawk moulds, incase anyone was curious
I had read that - I'm hoping that Trumpeter will fix the instructions and maybe sort things out a little better. Thanks for watching!
Just my luck, I built one Huey model from Kitty Hawk and I LOVE IT!!! It turned out wonderful. I need ten more of them for a large 'Welcome Home' display at work. The two Kitty Hawk Hueys have wonderful Vietnam decals. One Kit has 6 Vietnam sets of decals!!! The other kit has four Vietnam squadron decals. That's why I need ten of these, they are going to be the main part of this display. About 2000 people will see it every day. I have about 30 Helicopters for this huge wall hanging display. I sure hope someone continues production of these two kits.
And there's the rub - the D was a great kit and the later N had an incorrect main rotor because KH either overlooked or deliberately ignored advice from the experts they consulted with.
I will always have a warm place in my heart for Kitty Hawk just for the Mirage 2000 Kits alone - who else would have done those?. We've been waiting years and years for someone to produce one.
Completely agree - some of the subject and scale choices have been terrific even if the execution could have been better.
Thank you for this insightful video. I hope manufacturers and kit designers review it with great care. Most builders are not adverse to minor fit issues or inaccuracies, but when the kit is over-engineered to the point that it requires numerous additions or modifications, we will throw the POS in the can. Word gets out fast. The terrible intakes on the Banshee is a good example. I am in the middle of the F9F-T Cougar and admist the fit problems, laid a fuselage half down on a pool of super glue (placed next to joint because I do not have three hands) requiring me to sand out the fuselage and rescribe. I thought of giving up. This video gave me hope. I refuse to be a complaining, non-producing KH hater.
Well said! So many of the issues found in these kits just didn't need to happen. Had KH not made so many open panels and control surfaces then we'd have some terrific kits that wouldn't fight the builder every step of the way. Thanks for watching!
The sh60f has been flawless and an incredible kit,the evolution was there
The Black Hawk series of kits are well researched and if you look on Large Scale Planes fourms some of the researchers say that KH ignored some of their work. Again, it's unfortunate that they made a serious of bad choices.
Spot on points, I don’t disagree with any of them, it’s very sad they’ve gone under because they had great subjects but fell short at execution.I am going to source a mirage 2000D so will look forward to your review 👍
Looks like a good kit - much like the -C, it will require research.
In China, it was called shitty hawk.
I’ve always been hesitant of Kitty Hawk, i as well as others appreciate your content!!
I think you just have to pick your battles with their kits. Some are good and others... not so much. 🤔
They picked great subjects. They charged Tamiya prices but delivering crap. In today’s world people who spend that kind of money want a kit that goes together great, not just ok.
Exactly - there comes an expectation of quality when you're charging top dollar for your kits. Unfortunately KH usually falls below those expectations.
A very fair assessment. A real shame given what could have been.
Thank you.
I'd like to point out, I am trying to be fair. A lot of kits have small issues that need repair and/or replacement. Yes, I enjoy the hobby and don't mind some work, and am prepared to do so. However, KH kits mostly suck. The Bronco is a sad point in history. We all drooled for this as a release. Pitiful. For the prices charged against the rework required KH deserved to go under. It's a hobby, total rework should NOT be required. Perhaps another company will take over the molds and do some fixes. Much as I liked the topics released, I got so I avoided them like the plague. Oh a new KH kit. Rather have leprosy. Thanks for letting me add my vent, Dane
Points well-taken Dane. I approach all KH kits with caution. I don't think there's one that fell together without significant work. Let's hope someone picks up the pieces and makes something good out of it. Thanks for watching!
Excellent review.
Thank you very much - I call it like I see it. Appreciate you watching!
Ugh, the Kitty Hawk 48th F9F-8 kit I tried to build is right there on the trash heap next to your OV-10.
I feel your pain - I've got a couple of their kits in the stash to try again at some point. I've seen some good builds by more patient folks than me. Thanks for watching!
Zimi Model have taken over Kitty Hawk.
I had heard about that but hadn't seen much. Let's hope they actually do something constructive with what's left.
A very fair and reasonable assessment John thank you. I have just bought a 1/35 Seahawk (panic buy!) and whilst the plastic is great, the instructions are dreadful. No real detail on how all the rotor-head goes together and then another small picture about 2" square showing the rotor blades in a folded position and just the ends showing if you wanted that option. No pictures or explanation notes/parts how to do that. Short of being a crew chief, how can the average modeller work all this out? Likewise, it shows you assembling armaments but then, they magically appear in drawings with no mention how or what to attach them to..! For a £100+ kit, the instructions were just woefully inadequate.
They will be missed however ( I have all I need now especially the Mirage 2000 kits) and it will be interesting to see which moulds, if any, get picked up by other companies.
Thanks John. Gary
Thanks for that Gary - KH instructions are usually subpar, as if nobody even proofread them. It's in line with my belief that if anyone at Kitty Hawk had even bothered to try and build a Kitty Hawk kit then maybe things would change. But here we are...
I got the Blackhawk - best advice is to go on scalemates and look up all the different manuals as there’s a lot of common parts. For example, there’s no instruction on how to install the stub wing covers (which is the only canon configuration of the included decals!) but I found how to do it in the Pave Hawk instructions
I got the TOR (on sale) after watching your build. I have built a couple other Panda kits and don't have any big complaints. The MRAP ATV kit is very good. They sure covered some unique subjects, hate to see them go. I don't build aircraft, but just from KHs reputation i don't think I would consider them.
I'm glad to hear you bought the Tor - definitely an enjoyable build. We'll have to disagree on the M-ATV - I had one of the early boxings and it was terrible. Even with a complete set of aftermarket stuff I just couldn't deal with it.
My 1/48 Super Etendard was short shot on aft fuselage.
That's one of the standard KH issues - lack of quality control. As always great subjects with poor execution.
Its sad to see they went down quite prematurely.I'm sure if they survived over time we can see a number of interesting subject from this manufacturer.How about a 1/32nd scale Sh-3 or a new tool 1/48.Anyone?
I'd love a new tool SH-3. How about a new Jolly Green Giant kit to replace the 50+ year old Revell kit? Unfortunately KH is responsible for the downfall of KH.
This is one issue today’s model manufactures must realize. People’s especially young people have a shorter attention span. If it takes too long to build your going to build less or give up the hobby, so they must make kits that do go together easy at the prices they charge. When a company like kitty hawk comes along for all the great kits they make they might be a detriment to the hobby because it may be someone’s first kit and because it’s so bad they give up Modelling altogether. The people who are willing to grind it out defending these kit manufacturers are in the minority whether they like it or not.
I agree with your overall premise however I would hope that someone just getting into the hobby won't choose an $80-$120 kit, regardless of manufacturer, to get their feet wet. But your point is well-taken. Thanks for watching.
wow, I just saw your Mirage 2000 BN review a couple of hours ago and complained about the cockpit,,,, I did not know the company went down.....!! f.. c ...... so....maybe I ll get the kit after all.....???!! snif.... I .hate to see modeling icons disappear....
Yeah- unfortunately they're on the way out. Great subjects with awful engineering.
In this day and age nobody should have to put up with shit engineering not with all the technology we have today.
I think their biggest issues were poor engineering (no doubt the designers never built a model airplane) and their refusal to take feedback. It's very apparent they made a deliberate decision to ignore their customers comments.
I’m soo pissed I was excited for their 1/48 su25 mi28 ka52 this sucks the fact they announced it like 2 fuckin years ago and now no fruition so bumbed. I really liked their mig 25 su35 and su22 god damn.
I was actually looking forward to their Ka-52 🤔
The instructions were wrong, Yada yada yada. They got what was coming. If the put out kits like that and charged 1/3 of what they did, they might have been ok.
I agree - their price points were set way too high, but there was a segment of their customer base that was willing to pay so they went with it. And when you take their bad business practices in totality then you get to close your business like they did...
Houston Texans....go Pack go from Italy
Hi Sir can i buy the kits that you dont want to build or before you throw away my son wants to build kits thanks
Hi Maverick - I think you can find inexpensive kits for your son if you look in places like Hobby Lobby or look online at the Aircraft Resource Center forums - they have a buy and sell section where you can find kits at reduced prices. Hope that helps.
@@MisterGsWorkbench thank you Sir I appreciate it.
You've turned curmudgeonly from being an Astros fan......Kittyhawk are the Chinese Tamiya
🤔
I wouldn’t go that far