Speaking of the Is Conte In Business topic going down faster than the Titanic, I spoke to Mrs. Conte today(the pirate lady) and asked her about what ships her husband had planned for this year (hoping they would be making another Viking boat)and specifically told her that it had been reported on Treefrog that Conteco had allegedly told a collector directly that a Titanic Play Set would be made and that this TF collector claimed to have spoken to Mr. C himself.
She called me back after tracking Conte down and told me this:
Conte NEVER had ANY such discussion regarding making a Titanic playset with anyone and that
Titanic was NEVER even considered as a play set or other product for all sorts of reasons including (a) no interest in it on hubby's part and (b) the sheer scale of it would make production impossible. Conte said that the Titanic in 1/32 scale would have to be about 30 feet long and a semi truck would be required for delivery of each with approximate delivery charges of $3500 per ship!!!! She said Richard just laughed uproariously when told that someone had reported that he had promised a 1/32 scale Titanic When she told him he told her that his rule was that if it ain't gonna fit in their bathtub, he's not going to make it!!
That said the great news is that she did hint at a new 3rd Viking ship in late 2010 ( I have the first 2) which would have the Conte logo on the sail and a revamped less expensive Roman Galley which does NOT have the lower deck with all those rowers. They are now sold out of that majestic Roman ship...and have been sold out of the second Viking ship for over a year. Both of these boats, while large, will fit in a bathtub!!