Jump to content
Playing in the Sandbox Group Build Sept 1, 2024 - Jn 1, 2025

1/32 Blenheim IV & Bolingbroke IV from AviaReplica


Guest Kagemusha

Recommended Posts

It's great news (seriously, the late Blenheim is a gorgeous plane!) but the fact that you don't get a 100% refund in the event that they don't get enough pre-orders is complete bullshit so I won't be partaking until I actually see this thing in person.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

It`s great news indeed, that someone would consider release a Blenheim... but seriously I really have some setback on this one. Like Mike said, no 1005 refund and only 135 $ for a massive resin kit???? hummmm..... something is not right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's great news (seriously, the late Blenheim is a gorgeous plane!) but the fact that you don't get a 100% refund in the event that they don't get enough pre-orders is complete bullshit so I won't be partaking until I actually see this thing in person.

 

... I'm almost willing to take the punt ... $60.00 is neither here nor there as far as being out of pocket in the short term ... But I agree - no kit should equal no money!! most especially for international buyers who stand to lose out on the exchange rate! ... My other reason for scepticism is below ...

 

It`s great news indeed, that someone would consider release a Blenheim... but seriously I really have some setback on this one. Like Mike said, no 1005 refund and only 135 $ for a massive resin kit???? hummmm..... something is not right.

 

... Well ... It's not completely resin, bro ... apparently there's some plastic in there as well ...

The main problem for me is that we've got no previous releases to go off ... what will their kit turn out like??

I can't say I'd speak for everyone here, ok? ... But I'm inclined to think that the benchmark for complete resin kits would be HpH??

So for a detailed twin engined kit - with the lot, in good quality ... 170.00 - 200.00 EUR

 

The vac form canopy is a turn off - I'd expect a resin one, at least, in this day and age - bearing in mind that this is a complete kit, not a conversion - no matter how well done!

 

... and yet still ... the subject matter is attractive!! ... decisions, decisions ...

 

Rog :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think in fairness...

 

It reads as you get a refund less $7 if the minimum order amount isn't reached. But if they do get their full quota, then production will go ahead, and if you then change your mind you lose your original stake - probably because they've made the commitment to the Manufacturer themselves. Which I supposenis fair enough?

 

I agree with Rog, it appears to require a little bit of a leap of faith... but how badly do you want a Blenheim?

 

S

Link to comment
Share on other sites

... I agree with Rog, it appears to require a little bit of a leap of faith... but how badly do you want a Blenheim? ...

 

I don't want to sound completely sceptical!! ... A little is healthy - a lot is not, like being a dark cloud raining on everyones parade. I may just take the punt anyway - they'll be posting up numbers on their website of those who've invested and updating them regularly ... I'll wait and see - If it gathers momentum and it looks like they'll reach their target, I'll shell out some cash.

 

Apparently ... the story is (from what I've read around the various forums): that they'd like to release two LSP kits per year and two large scale engines as well - and this Blenheim (and it's Canadian counterpart) are the first crack at the market. From bits I've read ... the idea is to produce kits that are in demand and that not a lot of manufacturers will take the punt to make on their own investment. Certainly, crowd funding the first effort is a wise choice - I have no problem with someone asking others, who are pleading for a Blenheim, to put their money where their mouth is!

 

It could, possibly, turn out that if the first few runs are successful and they generate enough investment capital ... we'll end up with another "Fly Model" type company producing the Combo IM/Resin kits that others refuse to make the investment on. This is a good thing! ... And may - finally - bring me closer to the 1/32 Do.17z that I'm so desperately craving!!

 

Rog :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really want a Blenheim, and I support this idea fully, but before committing myself I want to see substantial progress. I understand the airframe will be plastic, not resin. I am enthusiastic but realistically sceptical at the same time.

Cees

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just remember folks ...

 

That if this kit hits the market ...

and if it makes a name for itself (and the company) ...

 

... that the Blenheim was a precursor to the Beaufort .... and therefore the Beaufighter - which has gained a rather large 'wishlist' following in 1/32, the variant possibilities of which, are endless. I wonder if this pair might be on their radar for the future also??

 

Just a thought!

 

Rog :)

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello, 

 

I am the founder of Avialogs & AviaReplica and I would like to clarify a few things:

About the refund minus $7:

 

You have two options:
-To play fair : With the $60, there is an Avialogs subscription with a value of $14 you keep in any case.  The $7 is to cover Paypal fees and some of my fees . One kit (the prototype)  will be produced in any case. As I posted in another forum, subscriptions are here to fund production. Not conception. 

- To play not fair: You are covered by the 180 days Paypal buyer protection (180 days since April 15th.) and you can ask a full refund at any time

The kit price for this first production run has been established practically at cost. Despite Avialogs exists since 5 years and is used by thousand, AviaReplica is new on the market and I have everything to prove in this domain. Critics, sceptics are welcome. 

About the vacform canopy, it's not definitive, the goal of the subscription delay is to collect suggestions and feedback too. 

Feel free to ask questions, 

Benoit

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Benoit,

 

This sounds like a really cool project. At the moment, we've only seen a small CAD render of the exterior. 

 

Any chance you can post some renders of the detail you'll be offering, such as the cockpit, turret, undercarriage and engine etc?

 

What will the undercarriage be made from? White metal can be a bit hit and miss, but HpH's resin and still pin insert stuff is great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Thank you for the clarification Benoit.

The Blenheim has been on top of my wishlist for a long time. (As is the Hampden).

 

I'll wait for a little more pics and drawings and will definitely jump in when my enthusiasm is tickled a little bit more ;)

 

Cheers,

Jeroen

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Undercarriage will be resin. With a short run like the one here, SLA is the material / process I have selected. If everything goes well, I plan to offer ski and floats versions.  I will be off during 15 days but I plan to publish all details and documentation before end of July. I start to post documents on the FB page ( on the site later. I will post to this thread too. 

The Boly used as reference (Blenheim cockpit is based on photos/ magazine / pilot's notes, as throttles are on the left): 

10648363_1013520342000282_72620796634846. I will post update in this thread too. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The schedule is the following:
- July: documentation published
- August: Parts of the prototype published
- First week of september : Kit must be completed. 
- September 15-20th : Go or no go (refund in this case). 

 

But if there are more than half preorders missing during the first week of september, It can be problematic to reach the number and respect the schedule. Decals are done by a third party and I will not order them the time I am not sure the kit will be sold 75 is not a "Hard limit" but I hope to have a good number of preorder . My projection was to reach 20-25 before the end of this week, 35 before end of july and 75 for September 15th. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

... My projection was to reach 20-25 before the end of this week, 35 before end of july and 75 for September 15th ...

 

It's not a negative thing to only have 14 subscriptions to this point ... The industry is so 'rumour fuelled' ... and more than a few people have been 'burned' with announcements that never came to fruition, so there will always be that scepticism. Even Tamiya (A VERY well reputed company in the industry) was rumoured to have a 1/32 Mosquito in the pipeline 12 months before it was announced and the majority of the community was sceptical until it became official.

 

No-one has seen any of your castings - I'm quite sure that once you display quality prototype masters / shots for visual reference ... you'll gain momentum with pre-orders ... nothing says 'we're serious' like moulded plastic / resin!

 

... and remember ... those pic's may take time to circulate! ... It might be worth extending your deadline if you end up with 65-70 preorders ...

 

Rog :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...