Another ship model company up for sale

I've bought kits from Squadron and Free Time with no complaints.  I once bought an SE-5a from Wingnut Wings, and was flabbergasted at how quickly it arrived (all the way from New Zealand).  I've never had a serious problem with Model Expo's service, and I'm a big fan of Bluejacket. Also Micromark for tools and materials.

Another firm from which I buy stuff pretty frequently is the Canadian woodworking tool company Lee Valley.  Though it doesn't specifically target modelers, a lot of its tools are great for model building - and many are just plain beautiful to look at and handle.  Worth checking out:  www.leevalley.com . 

To get back on to the OP's subject more or less, which is NOT sophOmoric to any degree (I do not understand that misspelled and, to my mind, petty reference to John's acronym), I'd like to know from whom (which plastic kit model retailers) you all usually buy.

I have a lot of faith in Hobbylinc, both here and HLJ. I've also bought from Freetime, Squadron, Dragon, and several others. Since there are several of you on this thread for whom I have the utmost respect, I'd apprectate your opinions on your favorite retailers.

Mike

Of course those who wish can continue to use a clumsy and sophomoric expression. Free speech and all that.

HECEPOB is iconic and must stay.

Is this argument really worth having?  I came up with HECEPOB as a semi-joke with a serious purpose:  to draw attention to what awful ripoffs those expensive Continental European sailing ship kits are.  (The British ones, e.g. Calder/Jotika, are another matter entirely.  And there's a new Czech firm called Dusek whose kits, on the basis of photos, look promising.). If any Forum members feel like using the term, fine.  And if they don't, that's fine too.

Back to the original subject of this thread.  Bravo, Model Expo.  May it make enough money on real scale modeling that it doesn't feel obliged to sell HECEPOBs.

Thanks, guys! Ya learn something new every day.

HPLQ or HPLA 

 High Priced Low Quality or Accuracy in the alternative version. But really we are not texting so writing out what we refer to is fine without all of the extraneous adjectives.

That's why there's no M (for "model") in HECEPOB - much less an S (for "scale").  I suppose HECEPOBO (Hideously Expensive Continental European Plank-On-Bulkhead Object) would work, but it seems a bit cumbersome.

A person could argue for EOWBK--European Over-priced Wood Boat Kit.

But, it would be only an exercise in semantics to no greater good end.

Thus, I'd vote to keep the Professor's acronym for being in keeping forum history, and from considered study, too.

My only quibble would be in the use of the word "model" as this implies some sort of attempt at fidelity to scale and accuracy..  Said notion can be disabused by looking at the two "M"-named companies both offering a USS Constitution (or an HMS Victory).   Which can cause a person to squint and think "Ok, that's vaguely like a Hawker Hurricane, and that's sort-of a Spitfire, so, why is it labeled a P-40?"

Haha!  Personally, I think changing HECEPOB would be a blow to the community...kinda.  It's an original *Tilleyism*.....

I get the gist, John.      

As a matter of fact I came up with a four-letter version myself, but I don't think the site administrators would care for it.  The word represented by the first letter is "silly."

I suppose shortening John Tilley's acronym, although a desireable modification for some, might possibly leave the "statement" too general to have the wanted effect.

Since John seems amenable to shortening the acronym, perhaps others could jump in and come up with variations on his creation. Of course he should have the opportunity to point out the shortcomings or merits of those newer versions of his, to my mind at least, delightful string of letters.

An example of shortening without conveying the precise intended meaning might be "HEEMS" (Hideously Expensive European Model Ships).

Mike

I agree:  a shorter one would be better.  I'm certainly open to suggestions.

Hecepob is too long to be a useful acronym.

I have to confess that HECEPOB is my own personal contribution to the English language.  It's an acronym for Hideously Expensive Continental European Plank-On-Bulkead.  Examples of HECEPOB manufacturers include Corel, Mamoli, Mantua, and Artisania Latina (aka Artist in the Latrine); there are others.  Serious scale modelers avoid them.

No initiation necessary.  Just a relatively shallow wallet and an interest in what ships actually look like.

Indeed good news about Model Expo.  I just have the proverbial stupid question--what does HECEPOB stand for??  Hope it's not a secret society.  I just hate initiations.

Well, the ME website seems to be back in operation - and announcing a new St. Paddy's Day sale.  I checked on a handful of items that have been out of stock for a long time - and they still are.  But, as the Facebook message Dave told us about confirms, the company seems to be healthily alive and kicking.  And a nice surprise:  they're bringing back the solid-hull 1/96 Newsboy.  Handsome little brigantine.

I messaged ME on Facebook, with regard to their plans for the future...Here's the response I got:

[Model Expo Online Hello Dave,

I am happy to tell you that we are solidly in business and together with our 15 employees we are committed to making great products well into the future.

Aside from top secret kits still in the works here are our new kit releases scheduled for 2014:

--Model Shipways U.S.S. Essex and U.S.S. Cairo

--Model Trailways 1:12 scale Chuck Wagon, 1:12 scale Phillips 66 horse-drawn Oil Tanker and 1:12 Allerton horse-drawn Fire Engine - all metal kit (the world's finest)

--Model Airways Fokker DR1 Tri-Plane (Red Baron)

Did you get our new 2014 40th Anniversary catalog? If not, give us a call so we can send you one.

Better yet, if you are ever in South Florida near the beach ... come have coffee with us and see what an American ship model factory looks like!

Model Expo]

Very interesting.  Thanks for the link, Force9.

That series of posts on the Modelshipworld site does, I think, a pretty good job of addressing most of the problems I've ever had with Model Expo - and it certainly looks like Mr. Mosko sincerely wants to do something about them.  (I'd add afew more suggestions:  quit selling HECEPOB kits.  Drop Mamoli and Corel, as you dropped Artist in the Latrine.  Bring back the best of the Amati line, and add Calder/Jotika.  But I gather not all the folks at Modelshipworld would be happy if all that happened.)

What a litany of horror stories.  Shoddy wood, bad castings, burned laser-cut parts, and plywood with voids in it.  I have to say I haven't had those experiences.  The Elsie kit that I'm about to start has a hull carved from a single, beautiful piece of basswood, the castings are nice without exception, and the other wood parts look fine.  (There's no plywood or laser-cutting.)  And the plans are simply the best I've ever seen in a ship model kit.

I was particularly cheered by the announcement of a new catalog, with lots of new stuff in it.  I hope that doesn't just refer to what I got in the mail the other day, which I'd describe as a flyer.  If you click on "Catalog" on the ME home page, you get a catalog dated 2012.

The last post in that thread is dated February 28.  It looks to me like something important has happened at ME since then.  I'm encouraged, though; Mr. Mosko doesn't seem like the type who'd hand over his company to somebody who didn't know what he/she was doing.  Let's hope something gets resolved soon.

There was an interesting note posted on the MSW site recently that may help explain some of the swirl at Model Expo:

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/4899-big-change-at-model-expo-and-i-need-help/

Essentially... The owner of the company had stepped back for a number of years and let his hired gun run the company and try to pull them into the next century with online sales.  The guy recently took a more lucrative job offer and the owner is now stepping back into the operations to try and bring the quality of their products and service back to a high level.  You can follow the link to find ways to submit constructive input on how they can improve the customer experience...

It may also be the case that the owner would be open to selling the company instead of dedicating himself to running the operation again...

Evan

For what it's worth, I follow the Model Expo Online page on Facebook, and they update frequently with special offers, and lots of people comment on their page regarding their recent purchases and projects and whatnot...from that perspective, they seem to be *alive*....in fact, just this afternoon they mentioned the MAD14 offer code on a post...

It is strange that some of the page functionality is down...could be any number of things.  I've always thought their format was a little clunky, anyway...perhaps they're just preparing to re-launch the site?  *optimist*

Well, today the home page still guides you to a page describing a sale that (it says) ended February 21, and the sale prices are still on that page.  But when you click on the individual items that are (or were) on sale, the sale prices are gone; the items are back to full price.

So somebody is manning the ME website, but there's no hint of what's going on.  I guess we'll have to stay tuned.

Another interesting and worrisome thing about the ME website:  the "About Model Expo," "Leadership Team," "News," and "Guarantees" buttons no longer function.  Optimistic interpretation:  a change of ownership is in progress.  Pessimistic interpretation:  the company is in the process of going under. 

Let's keep our fingers crossed.

There was a company, A. J. Fisher, that went out of business a number of years ago.  They sold plans, fittings, and a few (wooden) kits.  After being dormant for a number of years, someone bought the assets and brought the company back.  They haven't gotten fittings back into production yet, but at least the bringing back of some of their line brings hope.

I really hope ME can find a buyer!! There are at least 3 ship kits I want to get (Pride Of Baltimore, Pinace, and longboat), but I don't have the money for right now.  I was druling over the Triplane too, but I don't think they ever had more than a few availble.  I'm glad I got the Fair American when I did!!  That is a nice kit, as were some others I had, but have unfortunatly sold over the years, thinking I could replace them in the future!

I'm really getting worried about Model Expo.  As most sailing ship modelers probably know, the company for years has advertised special web sales on its website, with the sale merchandise and the prices changing every few weeks.  The last new sale was a Valentine's Day one that, according to the website, expired February 21.  That was two weeks ago.  No new sale announcement since.

The website now lists only three Model Shipways solid-hull kits:  the Phantom, Sultana, and Harriet Lane.  All three have been marked "out of stock" for some time.  Several of the plank-on-bulkhead Model Shipways kits are out of stock as well.  And almost all of the HECEPOB kits are in the same category.

I know not all modelers like solid-hull wood kits - and they do have some serious drawbacks.  But I'd hate to see all the Model Shipways ones disappear.  I've got an Elsie that (fortunately) I bought a couple of years ago, and the machine-carved hull is beautiful.  (Better, I have to say, than the Bluejacket solid hulls I've seen recently - but maybe the ones I've seen aren't typical.)

As Mr. Stauffer noted earlier, Model Expo's catalog of fittings has shrunk a great deal recently.  The number of sizes of wood stock has also gone down - and a lot of common sizes are out of stock.  (I did get a nice flyer from Model Expo in the mail recently.  It advertises boxwood strips - on which I'd love to stock up.  But all four supposedly available sizes are marked "out of stock" on the website.)

Until a week or so ago, each kit page on the website had a section for comments from customers.  Those sections are gone now.

The website does (thank you, ME) indicate how many of the available kits are in stock.  I've been eying the plank-on-bulkhead Flying Fish for a long time.  I know I wouldn't get around to it for at least a couple of years, but only five are in stock....I'd also like to try one or two of the recent plank-on-frame small boats; the stock situation for them looks a lot better.

Worrisome.  As I said earlier, I've had a long and slightly mixed relationship with Model Expo.  But the most recent Model Shipways kits - especially the small craft - appear to be superb.  (As do the Model Airways WWI aircraft and the old wagons and stagecoach.  I'd love to build that big Jenny, but I don't know where I'd put it.)  Model Expo's disappearance would be a big blow to ship modeling.

The good news is that the new ownership of Bluejacket certainly seems to be carrying on that fine company's traditions with gusto.  Long live Bluejacket - and, I fervently hope, Model Expo too.

The new owner is an excellent modeler (despite being a stick and string type :-} ), a long-time BJ customer, very enthusiastic about the company, very customer-oriented, and a gear-head - all good things in my mind.  Look for some interesting new stuff as the year progresses.

Al Ross

I recently got an e-mail newsletter from Bluejacket, announcing that it had found a buyer.  There was also a message from this individual (whose name I fear I've forgotten), in which he gave the impression that he's just the sort of guy we'd like to see running such a company:  a veteran modeler with a respect for and understanding of the hobby, and some interesting ideas for the future.  (He specifically mentioned miniature figures for ship models.  Yay!)

Maybe Al Ross can fill us in further, but it looks to me like the news from Bluejacket is great.  Let's hope something similar happens at Model Expo.