1950s - the lost decade in models

Ask away....
User avatar

Topic author
BMW
Major Constructor
Major Constructor
Posts: 1009
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:05 pm
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Ferrari, Alfa Romeo
Location: Switzerland
Status: Offline
Switzerland

1950s - the lost decade in models

Post by BMW »

I am sure I am not the first to notice this, but the 1950s are severely underrepresented in F1 scale model kits.

The 1980s and 1990s are the "golden decades" with the most kits made (22 and 25 respectively) while the rarest is 1960s with just 6 models (Lotus 25, 33, 49a/b, Brabham BT18 and Honda RA272) but when excluding the ancient Casadio/Revival kits, there is not a single 1950s F1 car kit made in plastic in 1/20.

That is a shame.

That was the time of the fights between the great manufacturers of Lancia, Ferarri, Maserati and Mercedes against the "garagisti" of the UK.
The days of Fangio, Ascari and Moss.
The days that made Ferrari the legend that it is today.
The days of iconic cars such as the powerhouse of the Mercedes W196, the nimble Ferrari 156 and the first world championship car of the Alfa Romeo 158 and 159
Days without seatbelts, fire extinguishers and guard rails.

How come no manufacturer has really stepped into this realm?
Even Fujimi, when they were spamming the F1 scene with sometimes even questionable releases never stepped below the 1977 mark with their Tyrrell P34, and Ebbro has also stayed in the 1970 and 1960s.
Fujimi had the Ferrari rights/licensing agreements, so they could just as well have released a Ferrari 156, D50, 500 or any other car during their years of F1 kit making, but they chose not to.
I have heard the argument that Japanese modelers in particular build modern cars only, that has not stopped Fujimi from releasing the Ferrari 126CK/C2 or prevented Ebbro from making a whole stack of Loti from 1960-1970.

So what is the hold up?

Is it because the cars of those days were too simple and that therefore the kits become too small (70 parts rather than 190 parts)?
Is the decade lost from consciousness?

What is up?

I just want an Alfa 159, Lancia-Ferrari D50, Ferrari 156 and a Maserati 250F :(
Last edited by BMW on Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Currently building:
Alfa Romeo 159 (since 2021)
Recently finished:
Renault R30 (since 2010)
User avatar

Topic author
BMW
Major Constructor
Major Constructor
Posts: 1009
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:05 pm
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Ferrari, Alfa Romeo
Location: Switzerland
Status: Offline
Switzerland

Re: 1950s - the lost decade in models

Post by BMW »

BTW: I cannot attach an Excel file to my post?
I wanted to attach a list of 1/20 F1 kits...
Currently building:
Alfa Romeo 159 (since 2021)
Recently finished:
Renault R30 (since 2010)

ronnie1972
F2 Champion
F2 Champion
Posts: 168
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2016 1:03 am
Status: Offline

Re: 1950s - the lost decade in models

Post by ronnie1972 »

I suspect it’s as simple as demand. What is a model manufacturer more likely to sell more of, a Lotus 79 or McLaren MP4/4 vs a Vanwall or Ferrari 246?
At the end of the day they are in the business of selling models & making money.
User avatar

Topic author
BMW
Major Constructor
Major Constructor
Posts: 1009
Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2008 10:05 pm
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Ferrari, Alfa Romeo
Location: Switzerland
Status: Offline
Switzerland

Re: 1950s - the lost decade in models

Post by BMW »

Ah, why must you ruin it with your logic and good arguments! :D

I still think that a Ferrari 156 F1 would be more known and desirable than say a BT18.
Currently building:
Alfa Romeo 159 (since 2021)
Recently finished:
Renault R30 (since 2010)

ronnie1972
F2 Champion
F2 Champion
Posts: 168
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2016 1:03 am
Status: Offline

Re: 1950s - the lost decade in models

Post by ronnie1972 »

I’m with you, I love the great cars of the fifties. But in the eyes of a model manufacturer a Ferrari 641 is going to outsell a 246 every time.
User avatar

bossy122
Constructors Champion
Constructors Champion
Posts: 1372
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 11:04 am
Location: HOT California, USA
Status: Offline

Re: 1950s - the lost decade in models

Post by bossy122 »

My guess would be the wire wheels would be problematic/costly. Even Tamiya with the couple of cigar cars they made were with more solid wheels.

F1tommy
Constructors Champion
Constructors Champion
Posts: 1414
Joined: Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:39 pm
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Niki Lauda Brabham Alfa
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: 1950s - the lost decade in models

Post by F1tommy »

They make many of those cars in resin/metal1/43rd, 1/24th, 1/20th and 1/12th scale kits. They have also done a few of those cars in 1/20th Revival kits. Plastic kit makers have a hard time duplicating wire wheels at an economic price.
User avatar

indycals
FOTA Chairman
FOTA Chairman
Posts: 2926
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:27 pm
Your Name: Indycals
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Lotus
Location: 6450'/1955m Colorado USA
Contact:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: 1950s - the lost decade in models

Post by indycals »

Tamiya started the 1/20 F1 trend, and Ebbro was founded by the guy who designed many of the early Tamiya kits. He's doing what interests him. And frankly as great as some of those 50s cars were, they don't capture the imagination of cars from the 60s onward when technology exploded.

stubeck
Constructors Champion
Constructors Champion
Posts: 1477
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2002 11:36 am
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Stewart Grand Prix
Location: Charlotte, NC
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: 1950s - the lost decade in models

Post by stubeck »

ronnie1972 wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:41 pm I suspect it’s as simple as demand. What is a model manufacturer more likely to sell more of, a Lotus 79 or McLaren MP4/4 vs a Vanwall or Ferrari 246?
At the end of the day they are in the business of selling models & making money.
Agree. Even the Lotus 79, people were clamoring for it for years, somehow we got two kits at the same time and then the amount of WIP threads we see for it is very small. I'm sure more people built it, but I was expecting it to be a huge success
User avatar

indycals
FOTA Chairman
FOTA Chairman
Posts: 2926
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 8:27 pm
Your Name: Indycals
Favorite F1 Team or Driver: Lotus
Location: 6450'/1955m Colorado USA
Contact:
Status: Offline
United States of America

Re: 1950s - the lost decade in models

Post by indycals »

stubeck wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 11:50 am
ronnie1972 wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:41 pm I suspect it’s as simple as demand. What is a model manufacturer more likely to sell more of, a Lotus 79 or McLaren MP4/4 vs a Vanwall or Ferrari 246?
At the end of the day they are in the business of selling models & making money.
Agree. Even the Lotus 79, people were clamoring for it for years, somehow we got two kits at the same time and then the amount of WIP threads we see for it is very small. I'm sure more people built it, but I was expecting it to be a huge success
I think Tamiya had one in the works but never followed through for some reason (as a product developer I can tell you I have a LOT of those), and when they saw Hasegawa coming out with one the got off their behind and brought it out. Unfortunately the Hasegawa kit was the better of the two but based on my decal sales Tamiya probably outsold it by close to 10-1 and we never did see another 1/20 F1 kit from Hasegawa after that.
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post