Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Plastic Aircraft Model Kits are Going Away
StrategyPage ^ | 1/31/05

Posted on 01/31/2005 7:41:53 AM PST by pabianice

January 31, 2005: For over half a century, kits have been sold that enable military history buffs to assemble scale models of military ships, aircraft and vehicles. But that era is coming to an end, as the manufacturers of the original equipment, especially aircraft, are demanding high royalties (up to $40 per kit) from the kit makers. Since most of these kits sell in small quantities (10-20,000) and are priced at $15-30 (for plastic kits, wooden ones are about twice as much), tacking on the royalty just prices the kit out of the market. Popular land vehicles, which would sell a lot of kits, are missing as well. The new U.S. Army Stryker armored vehicles are not available because of royalty requirements. Even World War II aircraft kits are being hit with royalty demands.

This move grew out of the idea that corporations should maximize "intellectual property" income. Models of a companys products are considered the intellectual property of the owner of a vehicle design. In the past, the model kits were considered free advertising, and good public relations, by the defense firms. The kit manufacturers comprise a small industry, and the aircraft manufacturers will probably not even notice if they put many of the model vendors out of business.

Some model companies will survive by only selling models of older (like World War I), or otherwise "no royalty" items (Nazi German aircraft) and ships. But the aircraft were always the bulk of sales, and their loss will cripple many of the kit makers.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: dumbideas; hobbies; toys
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 161-180181-200201-220221-223 next last
To: pabianice
This is a sad development. I once had a table full of beautifully detailed aircraft models. My little sister decided to have pillow fight with her friend in my bedroom. All the models were destroyed. I never had the heart to try to rebuild the collection. This development seals any hope of trying again in the future.
181 posted on 01/31/2005 1:08:06 PM PST by Myrddin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Poohbah
Not BS. The model kit companies can't afford the teams of lawyers the aerospace companies can. The litigation costs will crush the model kit manufacturers, even if they win. This is a major argument for loser-pays litigation.

For decades, the aerospace and defense companies have done nothing to stop kitmakers/gamemakers/others from using their trademarks, copyrights, and patents. Having made no attempts to protect their property, they are at serious risk of losing it.

This thing should settle out of court before summary judgement.

182 posted on 01/31/2005 1:08:22 PM PST by fso301
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 170 | View Replies]

To: fso301
For decades, the aerospace and defense companies have done nothing to stop kitmakers/gamemakers/others from using their trademarks, copyrights, and patents. Having made no attempts to protect their property, they are at serious risk of losing it.

One more time: if it was built for Uncle Sam, it's not their IP. They've used that statement as their prime defense in product liability suits stemming from aircraft crashes. If they're claiming ownership of the intellectual property now, they are also claiming responsibility for any damage brought about by defects in design (such as the infamous mast-bumping issue in the Bell H-1 series).

183 posted on 01/31/2005 1:12:29 PM PST by Poohbah (God must love fools. He makes so many of them...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 182 | View Replies]

To: pabianice

BTTT


184 posted on 01/31/2005 1:14:19 PM PST by Fiddlstix (This Tagline for sale. (Presented by TagLines R US))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hopespringseternal
Unfortunately, the useless people eventually wind up running the place...right into the ground.

I've seen that at a few companies. The marketing people have sumptuous lunches with piles of sandwiches, desserts and drinks catered. The rest of the staff labors away producing the core products of the company. Sometimes, a scavenger call goes out at the end of the marketing meeting. The productive staff get a shot a scavenging what is left. Minutes later, you find out that marketing has made a public commitment to an unrealistic deadline. More all nighters and weekends to cover their incompetence and lack of communication.

185 posted on 01/31/2005 1:19:24 PM PST by Myrddin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 49 | View Replies]

To: fso301

> For decades, the aerospace and defense companies have done nothing to stop kitmakers/gamemakers/others from using their trademarks, copyrights, and patents.

Why should they? Back in the 1960's, when Monogram (or Revell??) was working on what would become the ground-breaking 1/48 scale B-17, Boeing bent over backwards to be helpful, providing drawings and expertise for free. Because back then they realized that a good model was Good Advertising and Good PR.

A model hurts a defense contractor precisely None At All, while at the same time a *good* model can help them rather a lot.


186 posted on 01/31/2005 1:25:37 PM PST by orionblamblam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 182 | View Replies]

To: Poohbah
if it was built for Uncle Sam, it's not their IP

True but that's but one example. No male American born executive of those companies will be able to truthfully testify that as a kid he didn't go into the toy store and see all the models. Some of which may have had his current employers name and logo on the toy and the box.

187 posted on 01/31/2005 1:28:39 PM PST by fso301
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 183 | View Replies]

To: RightWhale
Who gets the royalty payment on that?

I forgot his name, but Art Bell interviewed him a few years back.

188 posted on 01/31/2005 1:29:06 PM PST by Freebird Forever
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: 2Jedismom
Looks like you have started a journey of labor...and maybe love. HA!!

Did I ever tell you I have a '61 VW two door Transporter? I've owned it for about 25 years or so......

Best FRegards,

189 posted on 01/31/2005 1:30:32 PM PST by Osage Orange (Did you ever notice Tom Daschle looks like a lizard-eating cat?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 124 | View Replies]

To: Mike-o-Matic

> Sweet Mother Magoo!!!!
That's a buttload of legalese!

Hello, I represent Mother Magoo, a division of Omni Consumer Products. I hereby serve you with a Cease And Desist Notice until such time as you fully comply with the licensing requirements listed on pages 4 through 26 of our Licensing Agreement.

I am sure that we can come to an amicable agreement here. With proper royalties (including back-dated royalities to 1947), you can be using the trademarked Mother Magoo name again in short order. In future, though, you may wish to check with our legal department before each use, in order to prevent inapproriate use of the Mother Magoo trademark. We are quite proud of out Licensing Relationship Department; we can usually respond to a Request For Usage with four to six weeks from receipt of request.

Thank you for your compliance.


190 posted on 01/31/2005 1:31:45 PM PST by orionblamblam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 177 | View Replies]

To: longtermmemmory

Yes, a 45 degree common-crankping v-twin. A design neither originated by H-D nor used solely by them, historically. Well, that combined with poor carburetion and ignition at low rpms leading to a variety of misfires and generally uneven running, especially at idle.

Actually, while I thought the idea of patenting or trademarking or copyrighting an engine sound was ridiculous (as I would expect others who think this whole IP thing has gone too far would agree), I really could care less. The world really didn't need a bunch of crappy Japanese copies of a crappy old design, anyway.


191 posted on 01/31/2005 1:31:49 PM PST by -YYZ-
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: pabianice

Too bad nobody has come up with a software system where you can design and fly your own plane...like Rollercoaster Kingdom.


192 posted on 01/31/2005 1:32:43 PM PST by durasell (Friends are so alarming, My lover's never charming...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: durasell
Too bad nobody has come up with a software system where you can design and fly your own plane...like Rollercoaster Kingdom.

Try the X-Plane Flight Simulator.

193 posted on 01/31/2005 1:33:40 PM PST by Poohbah (God must love fools. He makes so many of them...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 192 | View Replies]

To: Poohbah

I stand corrected -- and that's really, really cool!


194 posted on 01/31/2005 1:36:37 PM PST by durasell (Friends are so alarming, My lover's never charming...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 193 | View Replies]

To: Myrddin
More all nighters and weekends to cover their incompetence and lack of communication.

I have met a lot of these types who believe that all a company really needs is a marketing deparment, those pesky engineers are just overhead to keep the SEC off their backs.

195 posted on 01/31/2005 1:36:48 PM PST by hopespringseternal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 185 | View Replies]

To: orionblamblam

A model hurts a defense contractor precisely None At All, while at the same time a *good* model can help them rather a lot.

I completely agree as long as the model is more or less true to the original. I stated in a prior post that I expect this to settle out of court with the big companys granting some sort of limited use, non-transferable, royalty free license.

never-the-less, the law is the law and the big companies do have an obligation to protect their IP.

196 posted on 01/31/2005 1:37:39 PM PST by fso301
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 186 | View Replies]

To: Myrddin
e seen that at a few companies. The marketing people have sumptuous lunches with piles of sandwiches, desserts and drinks catered. The rest of the staff labors away producing the core products of the company. Sometimes, a scavenger call goes out at the end of the marketing meeting. The productive staff get a shot a scavenging what is left. Minutes later, you find out that marketing has made a public commitment to an unrealistic deadline. More all nighters and weekends to cover their incompetence and lack of communication.

I couldnt have said it better myself, you must have spent some time working in production for a large corporation too.
197 posted on 01/31/2005 1:48:40 PM PST by Husker24
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 185 | View Replies]

To: orionblamblam

LOL! Tell ya what, my net worth is $.05, how about I give ya my last nickel and we call it even. :-)


198 posted on 01/31/2005 2:19:10 PM PST by Mike-o-Matic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 190 | View Replies]

To: pabianice

I have my step brothers lot. When my mother cleaned house she ran them all over to me. Do you think they'll be worth something???


199 posted on 01/31/2005 2:20:02 PM PST by television is just wrong (Our sympathies are misguided with illegal aliens...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mike-o-Matic

> how about I give ya my last nickel and we call it even. :-)

Legal has concluded that as a down payment that will have to suffice. We can have the courts garnish your wages and put a lien against your house for the balance. Indentured servitude is also an attractive option you might like to consider. As always, Mother Magoo (a division of Omni Consumer Products... "We Know What You Want, We Know What You Need, We Know Where You Live") is here to help you.


200 posted on 01/31/2005 2:24:48 PM PST by orionblamblam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 198 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 161-180181-200201-220221-223 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson