2016? (1 Viewer)

[RPZ]

Aside from items covered in recent threads what other things would anyone like to see from Figarti going into 2016?

I will start with Luftwaffe pilots and ground crew for European and Scandinavian areas. My preferred figures would be detailed, well proportioned 1/30 scale - without the oversize heads and club like hands I see quite often. Emphasis on realistic miniature and correctly scaled figures.

Also generic Luftwaffe airfield accessories like open crates/boxes of 20mm, 30mm aircraft cannon ammunition etc, aircraft wheel stops, ladders, grease cans etc. All to go with 1/30 scale aircraft.

 

[RPZ]

Well that went down like a lead balloon

 

[maddadicus]

Well that went down like a lead balloon

I think that it is more of a lack of faith that Figarti may be doing anything at all..:redface2:Michael

 

[wayne556517]

How many of anything have they released in nearly 2 years ^&confuse^&confuse

 

[RPZ]

I've been out of the loop for quite awhile. I read the posts concerning the change in Figarti's management etc. I didn't realize it had been stagnant all this time.

 

[katana]

Hobby Bunker still has the Winter Panther listed as a preorder; that does not suggest a very responsive new owner. The Chinese economy is in a downward spiral due to increases in labor costs and over investment in infrastructure! Cash for new tooling is probably in short supply. Polystone tooling is soft tooling; basically a Silicon Rubber mold suitable for short production runs of 100 pieces. A new mold must than be made for the next run. Injection molded plastic molds are steel and last a very long time. Monogram tank models from 1970 are still produced today in 1/32 scale. Until the Chinese economy improves I would not expect new vehicles from a smalll company like Figarti!

 

[wayne556517]

Hobby Bunker still has the Winter Panther listed as a preorder; that does not suggest a very responsive new owner. The Chinese economy is in a downward spiral due to increases in labor costs and over investment in infrastructure! Cash for new tooling is probably in short supply. Polystone tooling is soft tooling; basically a Silicon Rubber mold suitable for short production runs of 100 pieces. A new mold must than be made for the next run. Injection molded plastic molds are steel and last a very long time. Monogram tank models from 1970 are still produced today in 1/32 scale. Until the Chinese economy improves I would not expect new vehicles from a smalll company like Figarti!

^&confuse^&confuse^&confuse^&confuse^&confuse^&confuse^&confuse^&confuse^&confuse^&confuse

 

[OzDigger]

Hey guys my 1/28 figures fit perfectly with my 1/24 scale tanks and my genuine 100% 1/30 scale First Legion figures go really well with my 1/32 scale Forces of Valour tanks. I'm also an expert on toy soldier making, plastic kit manufacturing, the global economy.....and other stuff like silicon molds. And man those Silicon Rubber molds smell great in the morning {sm4}

 

[katana]

The First Legion WWII German figures measure 60mm tall. My FOV Jagdpanther deck height is 57mm; so if all the First Legion germans are considerted to be over 6 feet tall than I guess that could work. Also its a heck of a lot less expensive than the polystone stuff! The FOV armor is pretty decent for the price. I have an FOV Jagdtiger and it is better example of the type than any I have seen to date in polystone! I like my Minichamps Armor better though, the metal tracks and working suspensions are sweet. A 1/25 scale Panzer with a 1/28 scale figure looks a lot more realistic than a 1/30 scale panzer with a 1/28 scale figure; whose head is much higher than the 6 foot high deck. I really think first Legion has done it right, Armor and figures to the same scale no matter what the scale is. I think if Figarti survives, and I hope they do, moving to 60mm figures to match their 1/30 Armor would be a goog thing

 

[Panzer Meyer]

Any word on the panther release date ?

 

[Hunter Rose]

Any word on the panther release date ?

They brought over a number in two batches. The last batch was at the Chicago show. I've got two.

Some dealers in London have some as they always pop up in the London SHow pictue threads.

 

[katana]

Hey guys my 1/28 figures fit perfectly with my 1/24 scale tanks and my genuine 100% 1/30 scale First Legion figures go really well with my 1/32 scale Forces of Valour tanks. I'm also an expert on toy soldier making, plastic kit manufacturing, the global economy.....and other stuff like silicon molds. And man those Silicon Rubber molds smell great in the morning {sm4}

Actually Matt silicon rubber molds do not smell very good; morning or afternoon does not seem to matter! I am glad to hear that you agree with the use of 1/28 scale figures with 1/25 scale vehicles. Several photos have been posted of this combination. Wayne posted a very nice diorama photo using the 1/25 Tamiya T34-85 which is far superior to the polystone models in detail and accuracy as well as being much less expensive. First Legion WWII figures measure at 60mm as do the recently released W.Britains Fallschirmjager. I do not use them with FOV 1/32 vehicles; but with my Figarti Armor, which measures at 1/30 scale. The FOV armor is nice for the price. The FOV 1/25 scale M26 Pershing is a superb model far superior to the polystone pieces from Figarti or TCS. By the way the last time I checked the Chinese stock market was not doing very well!

 

[jazzeum]

Some dealers in London have some as they always pop up in the London SHow pictue threads.

That's because Grey Goose (Clive Gande) the Figarti distributor for the rest of the world (except the US) goes to the London Shows.

 

[katana]

If the Winter Panthers are not here yet they probably never will be. The Chinese ecconomy is not in a happy place; they are living in interesting times.

 

[wayne556517]

They are history the FIGARTI of old is gone unfortunately.

 

[katana]

The loss of Figarti armor is as great as the loss of Honor Bound armor. Two of the best polystone armor makers in the business. Figarti made the only Panther to equal or excel the Honor Bound Panther A; which established new standards for accuracy and detail in polystone armor. The question is what caused the demise of the two best armor makers in the Toy Soldier market?
The figures of both companys were not up to the standards of K&C or TCS. I belive in the case of Figarti they over extended themselves into aircraft to the point where expenses exceeded income!
Figarti tried to control prices by offering less detailed lower cost armor that does not seem to sell as well as the better quality pieces like the Panther G, T34-85, Desert Tiger etc.

 

[jazzeum]

Hold on there folks. Figarti is not dead and buried. They are under new management. They indicated to Matt of HB that product would be coming out in the first quarter, which has not run yet. Moreover, Figarti was notoriously slow in getting product to market so let's not perform last rites on them just yet.

 

[katana]

The Winter Panther is just a repaint; not a new product. K&C has already beat them to market with a decent Winter Panther, eating their market share. When and if it arrives the market will be diminished! What decision would you make at this point as to how to proceed with this product?

 

[tsukaiban]

Agreed on that. Figarti has gone through a lot of changes in the management of this entity. I would not speculate of what happen in the past, the financial trend and it direction. New management just looking on the different perspective on how to make it better and other intricacies they have to look at.
Business is not always perfect. If the continuity of running a business is really that solid then it should be able to overcome or divert to a strategy to gain success and meet its goals....Let's see what is store for us this 1st quarter and take it from there.....that's my two cents.

 

[spartan71]

... the shock and awe pieces that Figarti made, was so far ahead of its time. And for us that does have it, are very lucky
.because it might never happen again. We can only hope. Rick took us into what this hobby can go, into a dream that was made by him, the vision to make it possible.
Figarti might live another life, but the person that had the vision is not leading it anymore. And that is such a great lost, and it will never be the same. A real shame, to maybe never ever have such a grand shock and awe sight ever again....