Possible Re-Issue Of the B-29 Kit...

[BillParker]

I just received this mail:

I have contacted Paul Guillow direct about the availability of the Enola Gay Giant Scale Balsa model. Their response was that if enough modelers request the B-29 then it could go back into production again.

Not sure how many need to request before the decision is made to produce this model but wanted to pass it on to others who have been searching for the B-29.

Thank You.

Jack Freeman

I wrote Mr. Freeman back and told him that this was not the response we were used to hearing from Guillow's regarding the re-issue of this kit, and that this was very exciting news... (if it's true, that is...)

Mark: Is there any truth to this? (crossing fingers...)

Everyone, please take a moment to click the poll below er oops, above......

Thanx!

bp

[Pauli72]

Very cool news Bill!!

If it's true, then those shylocks who charge over $250.00 on e-bay for this kit can go pound salt. Aaah HA HA HA!!

I'd definately buy the rerelease in either die-crunched or lazer cut, but would prefer lazer cut. I'm glad there was the option for that in voting.

[scigs30]

If this kit was laser cut, I really think it would be a big hit with the RC folks.

[BillParker]

As of this minute, we got 10 guys who'd buy it. Long way to 10,000 kits... Do you think there's 10,000 of us left who'd build that thing?

Cross your fangers, guys...



bp

[ADW 123]

the guillows forum isnt exactly the largest place to have a poll like this... you might get a few hundred votes but the forum just isnt big enough. Not enough people

[jkon]

BP...did Guillow's say they needed 10,000 interested people?

[BillParker]

No, but if you do the math... Howard? Can you help with the logistics? (Howard is Kittyfritters, and is a consultant to the Guillow's people...)

[Wildpig]

Excuse me....uh-hum... I hate to be the wet blanket here...

Uh, well .... I mean.... No.

It's a great airplane and a nice kit but, I am sure it would be out of my price range. At this point, I find the 400 series out of my reach.

I agree that it would be a big hit with the R/C crowd.

[SteveM]

Sometimes it is easier to say "maybe some day" instead of "no", but they really mean the same thing. The kit died off for a reason, not enough people were buying it. It's not like more people would buy and build the B-29 now than 10 or 20 years ago, a reality even laser cutting can't change.

My stash is worth $500 according to some who would send me to pound salt and if you keep waiting for a re-issue I'll up the price to $300 a kit.

[scigs30]

I think it died off too soon. WIth the new RC micro gear, I really think this would be a big hit.

[Arlo DiPasquale]

I always wanted to build the B-29, but was never willing to pay the price the rip-off artists on ebay ask for it. It just doesn't seem to be worth the $250 it usually sells for. Guess its artificially inflated. Luckily I was just given one (and a B-17), something I never expected to happen. So once I finish my Mosquito (which probably won't be for a while given the pace I'm currently working), I'll probably build the B-29.

[SteveM]

David hit the nail on the head in all regards.

[Steve Blanchard]

What I have found interesting through all of this is that people are willing pay over $100.00 at all for a Balsa airplane kit. Especially when the plastic parts are suspect. If someone said they were buying it to hold it as a collectors item and didn't want to open it and build it then I'd say if the price is right, that makes sense. Other wise there's about $25.00 of bad balsa, $2.00 worth of plastic (which isn't molded very well so there goes the argument of having the parts ready to go), and a plan that could be had online for free. It may not be the Guillow's plan, but another plan would probably be more complete thus eliminating the need for most, if not all of the plastic parts. So what I'm saying is, if you want to build this beast you can do it for about $30.00 or less and not have the hassle of trying to score an out of production kit for way more than it's worth. What I mean by more than it's worth is that once you open it, break it apart and start building, It's not worth anything but what you make of it.

Oh yeah, I sincerely doubt Guillow's will re-issue it. That's a lot of laser converting and I agree that they will not re-issue it as die cut.

Steve

[SteveM]

Steve - I think the points you made apply more broadly to kit building versus scratch building, not just to the Guillow's B-29. I see a lot of that kind of discussion in regards to model ships and can see both sides of the argument having merit and it comes down to the personal choice of the modeler.


The Guillow's B-29 plans can be had from the AMA plans service, balsa acquired for a song, plastics eliminated or vacuum formed, and decals painted on or printed on new decal paper, but at the end of the day you've gone through a lengthy process that your typical kit builder would find has sucked all of the fun out of it. For them opening a new kit is like Christmas morning all over again while finding and/or making all the stuff that would have come in the kit starts to sound a lot like work.

I have purchased four complete B-29 kits, the cheapest about $85 and the most expensive was closer to $140 because it was sealed in plastic. Yes, you can get a complete Guillow's B-29 kit for under $100 people, but expect to wait and watch carefully 6 months to a year for that opportunity to present, and the months leading up to Christmas are not good months for the buyer on a budget. (start sarcasm) I'm 34 so any of you older than me already know this as it's only the kids these days that don't have patience (end sarcasm).

Since we're talking about the B-29 this might be a good time to remind folks that the first run of B-29 kits had an error in balsa sheets D and E. If your kit has one sheet of D and two of E then you're missing some parts and will have to cut some out of 3/32" stock. If your kit has two D and one E sheet then you've got a later run kit that has been fixed. You can find some pictures and a little more detailed explanation here and the next two photos after it.

[Steve Blanchard]

Steve,

Very good points indeed as I too enjoy opening up new (and old) kits for that Christmas day thrill. Although I mainly scratch build I do have several kits of varying complexity and cost. My main comment was the cost. If I was to build a plane and had a choice of spending $30.00 to scratch build or $100.00 for a kit, I'd always go for the scratch build. I would never feel justified in spending that kind of money on a kit, especially when I have the ability to scratch build. I do know people who have spent more than $300.00 for a single rubber powered kit. Not an antique or even rare. I really don't get that one. But, you are correct that there is a bit more work but usually it's that extra work that helps wring out the issues with the design anyway. It's all about what you want to get out of it and as long as you are getting what you want then it is all good.

Steve