herpa new releases-threads: 1:500-scale radiance through the prism of achieved views

[getifero]

Since 2012 this site and herpa went through some changes. New Wings900 owners came and went, team members quit or were forced out, maintenance and programming knowledge could not be saved. On herpas part productions facilities and mould toolings were lost, and prices went significantly up. But in spite of all these difficulties the interest for Wings900 and herpas 1:500-releases always kept alive, had its ups and downs, but seems nowadays at a higher level as compared to the beginning of the year 2012.



What do you think, where are we heading towards?

[getifero]

05-06 2014 saw the poorest response for a »herpa new releases«-thread since 09-10 2012. After a minor response increase in 07-08 by 09-10 the number of views had suddenly more than doubled.

What happened now between 07-08 and 09-10 2014, what caused the sudden views-increase? In China Witty Wings factory was already struggling. In Europe some of the 03-04 announced releases were reaching the shops. herpa had announced a comparatively high number of releases in 05-06 and 07-08 (24) and even topped this in 09-10 (27), but 3 previously announced models had already been deleted (Fanhansa A321 and A333, Vladivostok Avia Tu 204). In Wings900 Charter had organized »A vote for the not released Herpa club models« and stayed in constant correspondence with Miss Schroeder (herpa), there had been a »Petition to bring back the previous owners«, some Wings900 members were lobbying for other Forums (Dima, Aircraft Collector Forum).

One could argument that 09-10 2014 herpas latest mould developments (C5, E175 and E195) were beginning to pay off. But even after the Witty Wings factory closure, the following productions delays, release + development cutbacks and some stupid quality and printing issues (Transaereo Tu 214, Delta L-1011) public interest for herpa releases kept relatively high. That lets me conclude, that we tend to overestimate the impact of specific release or mould-development decisions, quality issues and price increases. Despite all the turbulences in the aftermath of the Witty Wings factory, some discord and dissatisfaction within Wings900, constantly rising Chinese production costs the overall appeal of 1:500 scale modelling was not seriously affected.