V'ger
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2006
- Messages
- 308
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Well I am not surprised that this is happening. As I understand and have gone to the Semroc.com site to confirm, Carl and Sheryl are no longer selling the X-21, and Space Plane. I am not surprised as these and many other kits they sell are for a niche segment of the model rocket community.
What I am wondering is the following: Is it a good idea to run your business based on what only a few hundred or so people want?
Estes, Centuri and the rest, made their businesses work based on mass production; e.g. making as many units as possible to lower the overall cost of each unit, then sell to the consumer at a profit several 10s/100s times the manufacturing cost. An Estes engine cost only pennies to make, then Vern would sell them for $0.50 - $1.00s.
The other thing to note is that if Semroc were making $$$ off of sales of the X-21 and the Space Plane, then why stop selling it? Because they infact weren't making $$$ off the kits. If they were, they would still be selling it. The original kits had a lifespan of 5 - 10 years respectively. The Semroc offering lasted 14 months??? There were complaints about instructions not included with the kit, or skills needed to built the kit were too high ... to that I say to those people, 'Would you like some chesse with that whine?'
And this brings me to yet another thought: The majority of early Estes, Centuri, and others kits didn't exactly fly [pun] off the shelves. Many an Astron 'this' and early Centuri 'that' stayed in the warehouse, distributor, and hobby shop inventories for YEARS after the end of production. I remember buying Centuri kits in the early 70s and still getting the 1965/67 packaged versions straight from Centuri!
So what does one make of this discontinuation of the X-21 and Space Plane?
Is there a finite number of sales that clones/carbon copies can hope to make. The Red Max and Interceptor have been re-released. Will they pull in record sales for decades to come, or will they only satisfy the appetites of BARs and collectors (resalers) and within a few years go back to 'out-of-production' status?
Its too bad to see the X-21 and Space Plane go, but I feel that they had their reign some 40 - 43 years ago. Modern designs are simpler to build and operate. Modern designs also perform better; you get more 'glide for the ride'.
One thing to note: I have searched high and low for a hobby shop that has the X-21 and Space Plane in stock. Not a one out of 20 - 30 I have called and emailed has the kits in stock. I wonder if there was a rush for the kits and/or, there weren't very many in the supply lines to begin with?
I also might get a couple Semroc Space Shuttles and a Sat 1b or two before those go away. Oh and a couple Little Joe IIs, all of the Enerjet clones x2, Arcas, ... the list goes on and on.
I guess all good things come to an end...
V'Ger
P.s. the Semroc X-21 and Space Planes are great kits to BUILD and operate. I found them to be simple and straight forward. I downloaded and printed the instructions from JimZ site and had no issues following the instructions. I took my time, read then re-read the instructions. Test fitted parts BEFORE applying glue. Something that makes perfect sense if you are building a house, building car engines, ect.. I have Estes, Centuri, Monogram/Revell to thank for giving me the modeling skills that I still use today. Now if I could only get my fingers to work faster on my gamepads...
What I am wondering is the following: Is it a good idea to run your business based on what only a few hundred or so people want?
Estes, Centuri and the rest, made their businesses work based on mass production; e.g. making as many units as possible to lower the overall cost of each unit, then sell to the consumer at a profit several 10s/100s times the manufacturing cost. An Estes engine cost only pennies to make, then Vern would sell them for $0.50 - $1.00s.
The other thing to note is that if Semroc were making $$$ off of sales of the X-21 and the Space Plane, then why stop selling it? Because they infact weren't making $$$ off the kits. If they were, they would still be selling it. The original kits had a lifespan of 5 - 10 years respectively. The Semroc offering lasted 14 months??? There were complaints about instructions not included with the kit, or skills needed to built the kit were too high ... to that I say to those people, 'Would you like some chesse with that whine?'
And this brings me to yet another thought: The majority of early Estes, Centuri, and others kits didn't exactly fly [pun] off the shelves. Many an Astron 'this' and early Centuri 'that' stayed in the warehouse, distributor, and hobby shop inventories for YEARS after the end of production. I remember buying Centuri kits in the early 70s and still getting the 1965/67 packaged versions straight from Centuri!
So what does one make of this discontinuation of the X-21 and Space Plane?
Is there a finite number of sales that clones/carbon copies can hope to make. The Red Max and Interceptor have been re-released. Will they pull in record sales for decades to come, or will they only satisfy the appetites of BARs and collectors (resalers) and within a few years go back to 'out-of-production' status?
Its too bad to see the X-21 and Space Plane go, but I feel that they had their reign some 40 - 43 years ago. Modern designs are simpler to build and operate. Modern designs also perform better; you get more 'glide for the ride'.
One thing to note: I have searched high and low for a hobby shop that has the X-21 and Space Plane in stock. Not a one out of 20 - 30 I have called and emailed has the kits in stock. I wonder if there was a rush for the kits and/or, there weren't very many in the supply lines to begin with?
I also might get a couple Semroc Space Shuttles and a Sat 1b or two before those go away. Oh and a couple Little Joe IIs, all of the Enerjet clones x2, Arcas, ... the list goes on and on.
I guess all good things come to an end...
V'Ger
P.s. the Semroc X-21 and Space Planes are great kits to BUILD and operate. I found them to be simple and straight forward. I downloaded and printed the instructions from JimZ site and had no issues following the instructions. I took my time, read then re-read the instructions. Test fitted parts BEFORE applying glue. Something that makes perfect sense if you are building a house, building car engines, ect.. I have Estes, Centuri, Monogram/Revell to thank for giving me the modeling skills that I still use today. Now if I could only get my fingers to work faster on my gamepads...