New 88 pic (4 Viewers)

[Dragoon]

Plenty of time to save the pennies needed

I did save my pennies..........And they were very helpful buying a FL Tiger when my patience wore out waiting for this WB 88.

 

[Guest]

I don’t believe that’s correct, otherwise we would have seen photos at that time.

I was there you were not, a Britain's member of staff had a picture of the pre-production 88mm.

 

[Guest]

I checked the March 2014 London Show thread; no photos of the 88.

Staff on the Britains stand had a pre-production picture.

 

[jazzeum]

A photo is not the same as the model, as I think you know.

 

[Andanna]

The model was in Chicago. A couple of years ago. In a shadow box. I still had hair.

 

[joesgis]

The model was in Chicago. A couple of years ago. In a shadow box. I still had hair.

Sadly I know what you mean Andreas! {sm4}

Joe

 

[jazzeum]

The model was in Chicago. A couple of years ago. In a shadow box. I still had hair.

Based on information, I believe we shall see it sometime this year.

 

[Raider]

Holy smokes,I remember the shadow box with the 88 in the Britains room in Schaumburg.I thought that had been released Just realized you're all talking about the same model.Wow,that has taken a minute to be released.You guys are patient,I'm on a toy soldier budget.I would have already blown my money on something elseIt's a beautiful model though.

 

[Desertkiwi]

The model was in Chicago. A couple of years ago. In a shadow box. I still had hair.

I have hair, but it's growing in places hair just shouldn't grow........like the top of my ear!{eek3}

 

[Andanna]

Holy smokes,I remember the shadow box with the 88 in the Britains room in Schaumburg.I thought that had been released Just realized you're all talking about the same model.Wow,that has taken a minute to be released.You guys are patient,I'm on a toy soldier budget.I would have already blown my money on something elseIt's a beautiful model though.

 

[Guest]

Wait, so this was first seen 4 years ago this March? Does any collector remember a longer wait period between and unveiling and an actual item being available for sale?

Note it was a pre-production picture I saw and they said late 2015 or 2016, I thought it would have been there 'signature piece' as with the Nile Boat, Zulu artillery etc.

It has been a long long time, but that can be said of the vast majority of the pieces WB release, I have been very vocal on the poor delivery timing from WB on the forum, but this was the company, as a child, which hooked me on to TS collecting and now I just do not bother with them, my 11 year club membership stopped 3 years ago when they started selling the club exclusives at the London show to anyone and cheaper than I paid. Stopped collecting due to lack of releases and now all I have are War of the Nile [now have more JJ in this range than WB], a few Museum pieces and His of British army gloss, as well as my ceremonial gloss sets. But there has been no bands released for a while and the other gloss figures for the HotBA are just too expensive.

I also have to highlight all the other manufacturers manage to release stuff on a monthly basis, they tell you when it will be release and over 90% of the time they say they will.

The team in the UK do a great job and they are always helpful, but have nothing to promote or sell.

 

[WeekendWarrior]

I know Ken posts often on these forums and he's always very gracious and helpful! I wish he'd respond with some type of corporate statement on these delays.

 

[Andanna]

That would be on post ≠21

 

[TomNT]

Personally I'm happy to continue to wait for this gun to be released as I'm in no rush to receive it and I prefer that Ken gets it right in detail (read his post) and is able to ship it to customers without any breakages. This will be a highly detailed piece not to mention fragile so it's important that Ken gets it right the first time in all aspects of production and shipping. I have been putting money away for it and it allows me to concentrate on releases from other manufacturers. I also prefer few and far releases in my area of collecting (WW2) from manufacturers as opposed to monthly releases.

Tom

 

[ivanmoe]

[...]I also prefer few and far releases in my area of collecting (WW2) from manufacturers as opposed to monthly releases.

Tom

I’ve been following discussions like this for a while, and find myself a bit perplexed by some of the comments. For instance, do we actually KNOW that the WB production and release schedule are a shambles? While Britain’s doesn’t appear to be following the monthly release regime of several other manufacturers, does that really mean that something is amiss with the company’s operations? I realize that the “dreaded 88” has been VERY long in gestation, but hasn’t WB tried to explain the delays with the set? Finally, might it be that Britain’s has decided to pursue a completely different business model than other TS-makers, one in which its unconstrained by all this scheduling business. The company appears to generate announcements regarding upcoming product, not by the month, but the year. For the majority of collectors who likely aren’t perched on the edge of a keyboard, obsessed with opportunities for immediate TS- gratification, that may well be all that’s needed or desired. Perhaps this is all going pretty much according to Britain’s grand design Just something to consider.

-Moe

 

[Panzer ace]

I certainly understand the packaging issues with the 88 but 2.5 years does seem like a long time.

Also, they unveiled the aforementioned WW2 Germans in September of 2017. Surely those are not running into packaging issues etc. 5 months later?

 

[MichaelRutherford]

I love this hobby more than anything , but it has just become too expensive. I go to all the shows and talk to all the dealers as well as email manufacturers on a fairly regular basis. And i will be the first to admit that I do not know everything about everything, but the prices of these things are just too much to attract new collectors. This is not a shot against this or any other manufacturer, it's just a fact. It has never been an inexpensive hobby, but my gosh, some of the products out there cost half of a mortgage payment for most people. I never want to see this hobby die out, but we will probably be down to 1 or 2 manufacturers in the near future. I don't know a solution unless maybe if some items are made with diecast? I really don't know because I'm not an expert,this is just my advice. And i have been collecting for over 20 years from every maker, and I would like nothing more than to collect for over 20 more years. Just my thoughts. -Mike

 

[ivanmoe]

I love this hobby more than anything , but it has just become too expensive. I go to all the shows and talk to all the dealers as well as email manufacturers on a fairly regular basis. And i will be the first to admit that I do not know everything about everything, but the prices of these things are just too much to attract new collectors. This is not a shot against this or any other manufacturer, it's just a fact. It has never been an inexpensive hobby, but my gosh, some of the products out there cost half of a mortgage payment for most people. I never want to see this hobby die out, but we will probably be down to 1 or 2 manufacturers in the near future. I don't know a solution unless maybe if some items are made with diecast? I really don't know because I'm not an expert,this is just my advice. And i have been collecting for over 20 years from every maker, and I would like nothing more than to collect for over 20 more years. Just my thoughts. -Mike

Mike, there are niches within the hobby that remain affordable. For instance, WB has its "Jack Tar and Leatherneck" range. It's possible to collect all of them, and not break the bank. At the end of the day, it remains possible to accumulate a nice, cohesive cache of excellent figures. Were it not so, I wouldn't be collecting.

I've never commented on this before, but I only started collecting "toy pilots" out of grief. I had to have a "special friend" put down the week after a xmas in 2011. I'd have crawled up there on the table with the dog had the vet allowed it. My wife wanted to travel more and convinced me that we shouldn't get another, insisting that caring for so many critters kept us tied down.

Anyway, I started collecting the following month. Funny thing is, I didn't realize what had spurred me to this new found acquisitiveness. In retrospect, however, it was clearly my friend's departure. Britain's makes a number of pilot sets, and I've added most of them to my collection. As to the cost, I'd rate it squarely between the expense involved in maintaining a home menagerie and that associated with keeping my wife entertained.

A buck is a buck and best spent on things that bring us joy.

-Moe

 

[enricoquinto]

I love this hobby more than anything , but it has just become too expensive. I go to all the shows and talk to all the dealers as well as email manufacturers on a fairly regular basis. And i will be the first to admit that I do not know everything about everything, but the prices of these things are just too much to attract new collectors. This is not a shot against this or any other manufacturer, it's just a fact. It has never been an inexpensive hobby, but my gosh, some of the products out there cost half of a mortgage payment for most people. I never want to see this hobby die out, but we will probably be down to 1 or 2 manufacturers in the near future. I don't know a solution unless maybe if some items are made with diecast? I really don't know because I'm not an expert,this is just my advice. And i have been collecting for over 20 years from every maker, and I would like nothing more than to collect for over 20 more years. Just my thoughts. -Mike

I couldn't agree with you more, Mike. I've been collecting toy soldiers for a really long time and I can't tell you how many times I've wondered why I had spent so much money. I can't find an answer! {sm2}. Lately, I'm trying to make savings... I'll get by, don't you think?

Cheers

Enrico :salute::

 

[Panzer ace]

Any update on this?