"New range of plastic 1/144 WW1 planes kits now available" Topic

Valom have released their first 1/144 WW1 plastic kit for the Sopwith Pup. You get two models per box and decals for four planes.

A Fokker DVII kit will follow mid summer. I have spoken with Valom this morning and they tell me that if these initial models sell well there are more in the pipeline.

So folks if you want this to happen and the range to expand you've got to buy some! The cheapest way I can find so far is to buy direct:

valom.net/modely_en.html

Any pricing info?

What Dom said…

I did some checking and the sites that are listing the kits all indicate that the price is TBA.

Well Valom already do a four plane kit in 1/144 (Messerschmitt Me 1101 and Focke-Wulf Ta 183 x2 of each ) This retails for £24.00 GBP !!! So lets imagine about £12.00 GBP for two and we might be somewhere close.

A bit expensive when you can get the pre-paints for not much more retail and about the same on sale. Let's hope they get discounted. I too have some 1/144th scale WWI planes that I have found through EBay, etc. In every case, it was cheaper than the new models sited. Thanks for the link and I will hope to get these cheaply in the future.

The Pup's never been done as a prepaint though, and the D.VII is the most sought after of the out of production ones – routinely goes for £30.00 GBP+ on Ebay, so there's a niche for them. How useful they are will definitely depend on the quality though – if they're easier to assemble than resin / metal, and better finish and/or price than Shapeways, they'll fill a gap.

with Dom on this..

Could be cool!

Hope they release some others as well, especially with a US retailer.

Would also love to see some of those 1/72nd scale WWII models in 1/144th scale too.

I've spoken at length with Valom about the range. They are very keen to ensure their product gets into the wargames market and they are very aware that this new venture offers the gamer a product that has never been available before ie 1/144 injection moulded plastic kits of WW1 planes.

They are fully committed to developing the range as long as the sales of the first two models, the Pup and the Fokker DVII warrant it and make it financially worth their while. I have no idea how many units they need to sell for it to become viable but should the market be there more types will be added.

Simple, if you want the range to grow buy some.

Now WoG are about £12.00 GBP in the UK so these kits are a lot cheaper, of course you've got to make them up but having done so I think you'll have a model that looks better than anything else available in this scale whatever material it's made from, be it metal, resin or Shapeways stuff.

I think the Fokker DVII will be a massive seller for Valom as ARES, who own WOG, don't seem to be getting their act together and it might be one or more years before you can buy Fokker DVII's from them again. Making up kits like this will enable you to do lozenge schemes (decals are available) before you do the final assembly. That for me is a huge bonus. The kits include decals for four planes so you'll have suitable national markings and some fancy stuff for specific planes. Hopefully there will be some more aftermarket decals to give us more options.

Of course making up kits won't be to everyone's taste or skill level but with the entry of Valom into this market we are going to be spoilt for choice as to what type of model we enjoy collecting. I've listed them starting with the typically most expensive:

Ready painted diecasts coming soon from Canada
Resin from SRAM
F-Toys (OOP and increasingly expensive)
Ready painted WoG
Shapeways
Metal from Reviresco (sorry on my spelling)
Metal from Red Eagle
Injection plastic kits from Valom

One thing is for certain: the original Wings of War game opened this niche market right up. I can't wait for these kits that offer a greater degree of scale fidelity than anything else and at a price, that at least in the UK, is cheaper than anything else. I hope this is a huge success for Valom and that we get a nice range of models to enjoy.

Sounds interesting – must admit etched brass is a put-off for me (generally I'll take ease of assembly and robustness over scale fidelity at 1/144), but I'll be ordering a few to give them a try.

Dom

I've been looking over the kit today and think it would be easier to build using plastic rod for the struts then you've got an all plastic construction. These replacement struts won't be to scale but they'll still look better than WoG struts. Being a plastic kits I'd say they are more accurate and easier to make than Red Eagle that seem to have the holes in the wings in the wrong places.

With these I think I'd set the wings up using the outer struts then add the four cabine struts afterwards. Even once the thing is painted. I'm tempted to leave the whole thing on the frame for painting then just touch up the spots where it gets trimmed off. You will need a pin vice and drill bits to open out a few holes. I do wonder if it might be easiest to drill out the holes in the wings right through so the wings can be adjusted on the struts, glued and the excess strut trimmed off.

They aren't quick build but with some care they will make up into nice models I think.

Not really what I was hoping for from the sounds of it, but I'll be ordering half a dozen later in the week to give them a try at least.

I have just taken delivery of two Sopwith Pups through Rapier minis, they look good on the sprues, so I am hoping they will be an easy build and paint. If they are I may get a few DVIIs and use some of Dom's decals to create a Jasta. I'll post the results on my blog when they are finished!