Herpa mysteries... - Page 11

ragefury32 · 06-13-2019, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charter

Last mystery: why Herpa is the only 1:500 manufacturer?

This is Ebola Virus: anyone "touching" dies (mortality rate 90%).

1:500 scale world seems like Ebola: just one living, Herpa, all the other competitors dead or dying or die soon after welcoming 1:500 scale.
Why? What is different from 1:400 or 1:200 scale, with many manufacturers and competitors?
1:500 scale models have been the most wanted and 1:500 scale still has more collectors than other scale; so why there aren't enough manufacturers to create a good, healthy, interesting competition?

Are we counting the 1:500 stuff from F-Toys (they are doing just fine), or are you only considering only the metal stuff as "genuine"?

And how is 1:500 the most popular when 1:400 is almost the same price bracket nowadays with much more choices in terms of manufacturers?

Charter · 06-13-2019, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ragefury32

Are we counting the 1:500 stuff from F-Toys (they are doing just fine), or are you only considering only the metal stuff as "genuine"?

And how is 1:500 the most popular when 1:400 is almost the same price bracket nowadays with much more choices in terms of manufacturers?

Honestly speaking i did not consider F-Toys as 1:500 manufacturer, not because they release plastic models but because they are not a a regular 1:500 producer.
Until few years 1:500 scale was the most popular: Dusseldorf Fair, statistics of the main shops as ACB and AMS, selling more 1:500 than 1:400 models, the rare and/or impossible to find models in 1:500 scale and the exorbitant prices of some rare/sample models (up to 600 euro!), and so on.
The fact that Herpa is the only manufacturer and the disappointment of many collectors about marketing choices, missing quality check and weird models/flaws, the increasing prices for models not-so-perfect as they should be were maybe the reason for 1:400 scale overtaking 1:500 scale, because many collectors switched to 1:400 world.

Charter · 06-13-2019, 04:38 PM

Herpa Air Albania A319 as Club model is a mystery.
This model has been part of the ten Club models to vote for the year 2019, and i voted for it: a niche airline, almost unknown until its foundation in mid May 2018 and even after May 2018 this airline was almost unknown to everyone.
This airline is born by a deal among Turkish Government and Albanian Prime Minister: Turkish Airlines 49%, MDN Investment 41%, Albcontrol 10%.
Also according to WingsWorld magazine article, this is a troubled airline: based in Tirana, first flight in September 2018 with A319 leased from Turkish Airlines and re-registered ZA-BEL, but the "strange" deal among Mr. Erdogan and Mr. Rama and the not clear origin of the money used to finance the airline made Air Albania a troubled airline since its start.
"There is currently uncertainty about the airline's actual status". (WingsWorld), with rumors stating Turkish Airlines operating the A319 again with TC-JLR registration.
Planespotters indicate A319 ZA-BEL in use at Air Albania while Flightradar24 reports daily Tirana - Istanbul Istanbul - Tirana scheduled flights.
If everything goes well the airline should replace the A319 with two A320's.
Albania, even if a wonderful country, is a small country with just 2.900.000 inhabitants: a "niche" country for a "very niche" airline.
Even being extremely Happy for this herpa release, i wonder were is the high demand for this model and how was it possible to obtain the license for producing a so troubled airline. Maybe a special request of Turkish Airlines, one of Herpa's main sponsors?
For sure with Air Albania the "high demand/low demand" equation doesn't work!

The_K · 06-13-2019, 05:38 PM

> Maybe a special request of Turkish Airlines, one of Herpa's main sponsors?

I've thought something similar; even more, as Turkish investments in Albania are always a big political sign…
On the other side most other 2019 candidates aren't that much different and wasn't it even your first vote? A widebody only flighing national in Africa? A private Saudi? A defunct Mexican, which was used for less than two years? Yet another Cook or Air China with a special slogan? Nameless "OneWorld"?
Only Azerbaijan and Allegiant (however grounded for bad repairs isn't good) are somehow "known and important" – and the Turkish government will have it's friends.

ragefury32 · 06-13-2019, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charter

Honestly speaking i did not consider F-Toys as 1:500 manufacturer, not because they release plastic models but because they are not a a regular 1:500 producer.
Until few years 1:500 scale was the most popular: Dusseldorf Fair, statistics of the main shops as ACB and AMS, selling more 1:500 than 1:400 models, the rare and/or impossible to find models in 1:500 scale and the exorbitant prices of some rare/sample models (up to 600 euro!), and so on.
The fact that Herpa is the only manufacturer and the disappointment of many collectors about marketing choices, missing quality check and weird models/flaws, the increasing prices for models not-so-perfect as they should be were maybe the reason for 1:400 scale overtaking 1:500 scale, because many collectors switched to 1:400 world.

Eh, F-Toys averages about one 1:500 release per year (the year where there are 2 releases will be followed by nothing next year, and since there were 2 releases in 2018 (the JAL WC5 re-release + ANA WC5), well, don't expect much this year (although I would like to be surprised). I would love to see the sales volume from the F-Toys trade models compared to the number of 1:500 planes Herpa sells in a given year. I am willing to say that F-Toys probably moved more units in the past 10 years than Herpa.

As for the 1:500 range getting quenched and people switching to 1:400, it's more of a law of diminishing returns where the pricing on the 1:500 creeps up (Herpa has a near monopoly) and often exceed 1:400 models. At least with 1:400 there are multiple competing vendors fighting for your business.

I mean, just look at this:

1:400 versus 1:500

(they are both N380HAs but one is a Dragon Wings and the other is a Herpa - you can't really tell which is which on first glance, right?)

or this

(Oh look, the Gemini 400 Hawaiian new livery N380HA just joined the party - I have an article on buying diecast models during my Hawaiian vacation that is still waiting to be finished)

And -

1:300 versus 1:500

or

Out of those A330s, all 3 are depicting the same plane - but yet, they are very different.
The 1:400 isn't that much more expensive than the 1:500, but it has so much more detail in most cases - The Gemini 1:400 have engine cowling markings and ETOPS designation on the nosegear doors at 42 USD, the Dragon features swappable tilting gears and multiple design issues at 40 USD, but dammit Herpa, I paid 52 USD for that 1:500, and I might have to detail it using 3rd party decals. Keep in mind that the plastic Daron Skymarks 1:200 models starts at around 50 USD, and they are good enough for display windows in most travel agencies. If it gets to that point, why would any sane person buy Herpa? What am I getting for the money? More shelfspace to put more "meh" planes?

If Herpa handiwork is getting down to F-Toys levels at 3-4x the F-Toys price premium (and look, those 8 USD F-Toys models features panel lines and more accurate molds, stuff that is missing on the 1:500 Herpas), then why am I paying for something like that? Seriously Herpa, either do something to justify the pricing or make models that people actually want to impulse buy.

LeoMuse747 · 06-13-2019, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charter

Herpa Air Albania A319 as Club model is a mystery.

But Club models are, most of the time, exotic releases.
Unknown, exotic airlines, nice classics, etc. The Club models are really different from Herpa regular releases, and that's why they're so nice

I think the "high/low demand" thing simply doesn't work here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charter

a niche airline, almost unknown until its foundation in mid May 2018

How could people know the airline before foundation?

Charter · 06-14-2019, 10:49 AM

Many times we have rumors about new airlines before their foundation, maybe this is particularly true for important airlines or important airlines low cost/charter/leisure brands.

Charter · 06-15-2019, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_K

> Maybe a special request of Turkish Airlines, one of Herpa's main sponsors?

I've thought something similar; even more, as Turkish investments in Albania are always a big political sign…
On the other side most other 2019 candidates aren't that much different and wasn't it even your first vote? A widebody only flighing national in Africa? A private Saudi? A defunct Mexican, which was used for less than two years? Yet another Cook or Air China with a special slogan? Nameless "OneWorld"?
Only Azerbaijan and Allegiant (however grounded for bad repairs isn't good) are somehow "known and important" – and the Turkish government will have it's friends.

I did not look at the Club models under your particular view, thanks for sharing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ragefury32

Eh, F-Toys averages about one 1:500 release per year (the year where there are 2 releases will be followed by nothing next year, and since there were 2 releases in 2018 (the JAL WC5 re-release + ANA WC5), well, don't expect much this year (although I would like to be surprised). I would love to see the sales volume from the F-Toys trade models compared to the number of 1:500 planes Herpa sells in a given year. I am willing to say that F-Toys probably moved more units in the past 10 years than Herpa.

As for the 1:500 range getting quenched and people switching to 1:400, it's more of a law of diminishing returns where the pricing on the 1:500 creeps up (Herpa has a near monopoly) and often exceed 1:400 models. At least with 1:400 there are multiple competing vendors fighting for your business.

I mean, just look at this:

1:400 versus 1:500

(they are both N380HAs but one is a Dragon Wings and the other is a Herpa - you can't really tell which is which on first glance, right?)

or this

(Oh look, the Gemini 400 Hawaiian new livery N380HA just joined the party - I have an article on buying diecast models during my Hawaiian vacation that is still waiting to be finished)

And -

1:300 versus 1:500

or

Out of those A330s, all 3 are depicting the same plane - but yet, they are very different.
The 1:400 isn't that much more expensive than the 1:500, but it has so much more detail in most cases - The Gemini 1:400 have engine cowling markings and ETOPS designation on the nosegear doors at 42 USD, the Dragon features swappable tilting gears and multiple design issues at 40 USD, but dammit Herpa, I paid 52 USD for that 1:500, and I might have to detail it using 3rd party decals. Keep in mind that the plastic Daron Skymarks 1:200 models starts at around 50 USD, and they are good enough for display windows in most travel agencies. If it gets to that point, why would any sane person buy Herpa? What am I getting for the money? More shelfspace to put more "meh" planes?

If Herpa handiwork is getting down to F-Toys levels at 3-4x the F-Toys price premium (and look, those 8 USD F-Toys models features panel lines and more accurate molds, stuff that is missing on the 1:500 Herpas), then why am I paying for something like that? Seriously Herpa, either do something to justify the pricing or make models that people actually want to impulse buy.

I don't care so much about plastic vs metal material of the models; of course Herpa uses many plastic parts but the main body is metal (alloy, to be exact) and the difference is remarkable. I would be happy for a manufacturer with a regular production of plastic models, maybe with little more quality than F-Toys (nose section, landing gear). The costs would be reduced and many of us would be happy.

Charter · 06-29-2019, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charter

Many times we have rumors about new airlines before their foundation, maybe this is particularly true for important airlines or important airlines low cost/charter/leisure brands.

The quote is just to introduce a new mystery (because the PC i am writing with doesn't allow me to post):
- why Herpa has produced a British Airways A350-1000 without the Union Jack flag on the winglets?

Gemini too has produced the model in 1:400 scale without the flag on the winglets, and this time Herpa had the great occasion to make a better job than Gemini and than 1:400 scale.
But Herpa is Herpa...

Even the Gemini 1:200 hasn't the flag on the winglets

Maybe both Herpa and Gemini have realized the model has presented in the FSX games, while even the incomplete first airplane, spotted in Toulouse, had the flag.

License problems? I don't think, because an airline try to have produced the best model possible. License asked and obtained when the A350-1000 was still on the computer? This is sure, because i imagine that before to obtain the license to produce a model some months or even years have to pass.
Herpa has produced this model, a kind of "launch model for advertising":

So, which is the mystere under this mistake/forgetfulness/carelessness?
It seems the same of Transaero Tu-204/214: the model produced despite the awful/completely wrong cockpit windows and then a corrected model produced later.
Referring to British Airways an A350 -001 will be produced in the future, but this lack of control is really annoying.

LeoMuse747 · 06-29-2019, 04:15 PM

Maybe BA decided to tell Airbus to add the flag on the winglet at the last minute, and this was after BA gave the livery information to the model manufacturers...

solicitor82 · 06-29-2019, 11:36 PM

perhaps Herpa can release an updated version of the BA A350-1000 with the Union Jack on its winglets as a re-release in the near future...

cathay250 · 06-30-2019, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solicitor82

perhaps Herpa can release an updated version of the BA A350-1000 with the Union Jack on its winglets as a re-release in the near future...

There are at least 3 errors:

Flag on winglets
No WiFi hump
Poorly sized speed bird logo

Hopefully all 3 can be corrected with a re-release but I really don’t see how they could have got this wrong.

Charter · 06-30-2019, 07:02 AM

The fact the even Gemini produced 1:400 and 1:200 model with the missing flag on the winglets, and Gemini, like Herpa, produces models with licenses, could be an explanation of the mystery: as leo said, maybe the manufacturers asked and obtained the license to produce the British Airways A350-1000 before the airline decided to add the flag on the winglets.
But now this Herpa 533126 model is...what? A fantasy model? A good replica of the 1:1 airplane with missing details? A completely wrong model?

solicitor82 · 06-30-2019, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathay250

There are at least 3 errors:

Flag on winglets
No WiFi hump
Poorly sized speed bird logo

Hopefully all 3 can be corrected with a re-release but I really don’t see how they could have got this wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charter

The fact the even Gemini produced 1:400 and 1:200 model with the missing flag on the winglets, and Gemini, like Herpa, produces models with licenses, could be an explanation of the mystery: as leo said, maybe the manufacturers asked and obtained the license to produce the British Airways A350-1000 before the airline decided to add the flag on the winglets.
But now this Herpa 533126 model is...what? A fantasy model? A good replica of the 1:1 airplane with missing details? A completely wrong model?

I absolutely agree with both of you...such reputed manufacturers making such errors is a big mystery!!! I agree with Leo, maybe BA decided to add the winglets after the Herpa announcement, who knows? The solution is to release the model with added winglets and a wifi dome, simple! But, easier said than done...

DutchCollector · 06-30-2019, 12:31 PM

I hope they'll stop releasing models before their roll out, as this has been far from the first time...