Matt,
Before you try to rationalize why the kits are so expensive, do a bit
more research into the matter, dig into your own pockets and start a one
man operation and produce the kits yourself. Put them into the major
distribution lines and keep the price down to about $10.00 and we will all
love you for it.
I think you will find that it is not as easy to do as we think. I used
to think that the model makers were getting rich with the kits that we see
and the prices we have to pay. That was when I was just a modeler scraping
up the bucks to buy the kits to feed my itch. I started to get set-up to
make resin conversion parts prior to my retirement from the Air Force. It
did not take a rocket scientist to figure out that I had two ways to go.
The first would be to produce every thing myself. This included making
masters, designing and drawing instruction sheets. Drawing and producing
the decal sheets. Obtaining some sort of package, along with a logo and
header for the package, and then make the molds myself. Pour the resin,
and try to get it done without air bubbles and short shots and seam lines.
Then build up a supply, advertise them to the modeling world, and finally,
fill orders, ship parts, and do the book keeping. Not a problem,
$20,000.00 in resin casting equipment, another $10,000.00 for the decal
printing equipment. Add another $10,000.00 for the computer equipment to
do the layout and drawing of the decals masters and instructions. About
$40,000.00 for an offset 4 color printing press, $at least $80,000.00 for a
building to keep all the stuff in, as it is against zoning laws to run a
manufacturing facility in a residential area. $45,000.00 for a shipping
machine. $5,000.00 for the computer software needed to do the book
keeping, inventory, CAD work, and graphics stuff, etc. $1,000.00 min. per
Mo. for advertising.
I think you can figure out real fast that this was not going to be a low
budget venture. This was for resin cast parts in 1/72 scale, not injection
molded parts or kits.
We all have the right to complain about anything we want, but give these
folks who are doing it a pat on the back for making the kits available.
After all, $40.00 for a Hanover in plastic and brass is far better than a
block of pine, carving knife, scale drawings and a lot more time to produce
a marginal looking shape in about 6 months instead of a scale replica in
about 30 hours or so of your time and enjoyment to building it.
Walk a mile in their shoes before you hammer them for their pricing.
Just my two cents worth, well maby a nickel's worth.
John Huggins, MSgt, USAF Retired