I wonder which of these three companies is going to step up and fill the void left by Honour Bound's cessation of its "Golden Series" armored vehicles? The market clearly exists for museum quality armored vehicles at "warbird" prices. Both Figarti, with its magnificent "Shock and Awe" pieces, and K&C with its museum quality Warbirds, clearly have the capability to step up and produce incredibly high quality armored vehicles.
I recall when, during the first spate of Warbird production (1990-1997) K&C also produced amazing wood vehicles with metal detailing in the same factories. These pieces had incredible details like hinged hatches that opened and closed, but, like the early Warbirds, were usually not "weathered" in appearance (they looked like they just came off the production line). However, a few of the late production wood and metal vehicles (see photos of the 8th Army Sherman and the wood M113 from my collection for examples)were weathered, greatly adding to their realism.
K&C's present warbird studio is far superior to the original warbirds, and could probably produce a properly weathered and perfectly detailled true 1:30 armored vehicle in wood and metal, with hinged hatches that opened and closed, and interior details in view of the hatches, for around the price of the "Golden Series" tanks that were just retired. If Andy treated these hand crafted vehicles like the warbirds, they would be limited to production runs of 5-20. If the detail was identical in quality to that of the warbirds, these vehicles would equal (and possibly exceed) the quality of the HB Golden versions.
Figarti has already exceeded the quality of anything anyone else in this hobby has done with armored vehicles in its 1:32 scale "Shock and Awe" Tiger Tanks. These vehicles, made mostly of metal parts (more than 900) assembled around a polystone superstructure, are in my opinion the finest armored vehicles ever made by a toy soldier manufacturer. Were these vehicles, or vehicles using this identical "internally accurate" technology, upscaled to 1:30 scale, and priced in the range of Honour Bounds offerings, these would also more than adequately fill the void, particularly as Rick Wang already offers customization of Figarti vehicles and aircraft on request. However, I suspect these would be produced in the same numbers as all other Figarti items (100 sets) and would not be quite is limited as the Golden series.
Frankly, if I were laying out $500+ for one vehicle, I would be much more attracted to wood and metal or superdetailled mostly metal vehicles than to vehicles made principally of polystone. Honour Bound opened this particular market, but I hope that K&C or Figarti steps in and expands it. I guess only time will tell . . .
