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Discussion starter · #21 ·
Just so there's no confusion, the Voyager kit currently advertised on MiM's site is a re-cast of the Aurora model, not the Randy Cooper/ Lunar Models kit.

As I mentioned earlier, I purchased the Lunar/ Cooper kit a few years ago, and was extremely disappointed with what I received. I have always been a big Lunar Models fan, and have been doing business with them since 1987. This was the first, last, and only time they ever sold me a kit that was too badly warped/ bubbled to build. Hopfully, it was just a fluke. I for one would be happy to pay "Lunar Models prices" for a decent version of the Cooper Voyager, if they ever choose to give it another shot.

Just curious... did anyone besides me purchase the Lunar/Cooper kit when it was out -- and if so did you (i.e. could you) build it? Other than Cooper's original (which somebody posted a link to), I've never seen another build-up of this model.
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
Otto69 said:
Carson, whats the specific name and manufacturer of this clear "sanding resin" please?

Sorry it took so long to reply. The actual name of the sanding resin is HAPOL 1300-1E. I suspect it's manufactured by any number of companies, but if you have trouble finding it locally try Hastings Plastics in Santa Monica, CA. They've been around forever, and I'm pretty sure they'll ship anywhere.
 
And I would buy several.

I would be very surprised if the nostalgia market for the Fantastic Voyage Voyager kit is not equal to or greater than those for the Aurora Skipjack, Invaders UFO and Flying Sub kits, all three of which have been found worthy of re-issue either last year or later this year.

If the molds for the Voyager still exist and are in serviceable condition, why the taboo on re-issuing it as well? The argument against re-issuing which rests on the fact that the original Aurora Voyager sold poorly is flawed; a re-issue to the nostalgia market would sell like hot-cakes today and that is what the current production decision should be based on.

Huzz
 
Discussion starter · #27 ·
I read somewhere that hot-cake sales were on the decline.

Just out of curiosity, how many Voyager kits would R/M (or whomever) have to sell in order to turn a profit? Anybody have any idea?
 
Otto69 said:
They might have to figure out who owned the license to issue, etc. I'd buy one though, maybe two.
You can attempt to discuss this with Dean Millano of Revell/Monogram. He sometimes comes around this board.

Dean stated that the reason that the Invaders ship is called the UFO is because the owner of the license can not be found. So they could reissue the Voyager the same way if nobody can be found for it.
 
The current owner of the Filmation library is a UK company called Entertainment Rights. The situation might be more complicated in that the animated series was based off of the film, which is a property of Fox (wasn't Kent Productions also involved in some way?). So the licensing situation on the Voyager might be quite thorny. It WAS a great little kit...
 
Okay, if you don't like the term "hot-cakes" then I'll say that they will sell like Wilco Proteus's. I gather that Steve Iverson sold out of his shipment of those little gems in under one week.

The Voyager would be equally popular.

Huzz
 
At this past WF, I was talking with Randy of Lunar about some of the kits he had while hanging at the Cult suite. During our conversation I did bring up the Voyager. If memory is correct, he said that he was working on projects that he wanted to see come out first. That he was working on the molds; correcting flaws, etc.

Hope this helps.
 
I read once that Irwin Allen was involved in the "Fantastic Voyage" tv series, I believe that he was hired to produce it. I don't know if he also owned a piece of it though.

Wasn't "the Invaders" a Quinn Martin production?

PerfesserCoffee, the actual term is, "I'm a fixing to do it".

David.
 
Krel said:
PerfesserCoffee, the actual term is, "I'm a fixing to do it".
Good point! The option of adding an 'a' in front of verbs is an aspect of the Southern dialect as well. Aspirating vowels at the front of words is another. It looks as though I have quite a few more lessons to cover. :thumbsup:
 
Discussion starter · #38 ·
Dave Hussey said:
Okay, if you don't like the term "hot-cakes" then I'll say that they will sell like Wilco Proteus's. I gather that Steve Iverson sold out of his shipment of those little gems in under one week.

The Voyager would be equally popular.

Huzz
Okay, let's assume you're as correct as you know you are, and that a Voyager kit would be as popular as Wilco's Proteus. Is that degree of interest enough for a company like Polar Lights or Revell/ Monogram to justify the expense of re-releasing the old Aurora kit (assuming the patterns still exist)? Could a company with a significantly larger overhead than the Sarge reasonably be expected to turn a profit with this particular subject? I mean, I don't know the answer, that's why I'm asking. If someone out there can demonstrate that it makes sense on paper, I'll spearhead the letter-writing campaign myself.
 
I really don't think I would sell that many Voyager kits. Its something that would only appeal to die hard Aurora collectors. Look at how many Aurora reissues pretty much tanked for Polar Lights: the monster rods, the dick tracy kits, the custmizing kits. Those are all rare to extremely rare, yet none were spectacular sellers for PL.

For me, the popular Aurora kits all have tie ins to popular Sci Fi: Lost in Space, Land of the Giants, and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. For me, the figure kits have been really slow sellers. The Fantastic Voyage series is horribly obscure. Whenever any one sees the kit, people have no clue what it is. My guess is I could move 6 to 12 Voyager models if it were reissued.

Just to put things in perspective, cool resin kits from obscure movies don't sell well either. I've sold lots of Proteus and Icarus kits, but the Cosmostrators are sitting very patiently waiting for buyers.

Steve
 
Cosmostrator sales...

I hate to threadjack, but... well the Cosmo is a neat model and all, but I just can't get over that it reminds me of some 70's vintage Danish candle holders :(. I loved the movie though, wish I had it on DVD. More interesting subjet material from the movie might be a dio with the strange shaped "trees" on the planet, or the mud scene with the conical ramped tower and some astronauts. But it is a tough movie to model from.
 
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