just been on wikipedia and it says up to 107 has been realsed when i havent even recived 104 yet and then on 108 and 109 it has a question mark next to it !!
I think the person who is updating the Wiki page just put the question marks there as the release order is not yet known.
just been on wikipedia and it says up to 107 has been realsed when i havent even recived 104 yet and then on 108 and 109 it has a question mark next to it !!
I think the person who is updating the Wiki page just put the question marks there as the release order is not yet known.
It's 106. The news stands get them before the subscribers do. Issue 107 will be the dreadful Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II and is already in production. Issue 108 will probably be the 1971 Ford Econoline (spoke with someone whose supplier...at Fabbri...confirmed this, though I'm not totally convinced given the tons of Impala Custom Coupes out there), Issue 109 will be the 1973 Chevy Impala Custom Coupe, and Issue 110 will be the already-seen Aston-Martin DBS sans passenger side door from QoS.
It's 106. The news stands get them before the subscribers do. Issue 107 will be the dreadful Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II and is already in production. Issue 108 will probably be the 1971 Ford Econoline (spoke with someone whose supplier...at Fabbri...confirmed this, though I'm not totally convinced given the tons of Impala Custom Coupes out there), Issue 109 will be the 1973 Chevy Impala Custom Coupe, and Issue 110 will be the already-seen Aston-Martin DBS sans passenger side door from QoS.
Issue 110 has to be the worst one out of the whole collection. An aston martin missing a door , big deal . Come on GEF you've plenty of time to end this collection with a gem not a cop out !
Issue 110 has to be the worst one out of the whole collection.
Are you joking?! You apparently haven't seen the Silver Shadow-wannabe's, the reverse-chop-topped Ranchero or the cardboard-GT40. Yes, it's a quick one, and I really don't get why they didn't give it the damage treatmens á lá Mercury or even a scratch-treatment á lá Bronco, because the damage looks simply to fake, but to call it the worst one is to mutch overdramatizing for my opinion
Issue 110 has to be the worst one out of the whole collection.
Are you joking?! You apparently haven't seen the Silver Shadow-wannabe's, the reverse-chop-topped Ranchero or the cardboard-GT40. Yes, it's a quick one, and I really don't get why they didn't give it the damage treatmens á lá Mercury or even a scratch-treatment á lá Bronco, because the damage looks simply to fake, but to call it the worst one is to mutch overdramatizing for my opinion
Sorry , it is the worst one. Don't get me wrong I am a big Aston fan. This model however does not float my boat in the collection. I agree with everything you are saying but as part of a collection the others you have named are competent models. The first QoS DBS was fantastic but do we really need another in the collection albeit minus a door. Not really ! I would rather see something else done badly than a repeat . We have all seen the list of what should have been made. Plenty of cars/vehicles to choose from and they make this! I have been on my soap box recently and further down this thread calling for GEF to honour the specials we signed up to as subscribers as yet un seen. The cherries that keep you wanting for more. To no avail nothing . This must be one of the biggest collections, it seem such a shame to finish on such a low point. I would also argue the older 'James Bond Aston' was over issued also. I have faithfully collected each issue for better or for worse but I think GEF should be rewarding the loyal subscribers with something better than this! My opinion still stands the QoS DBS minus a door is the worst issue in the whole collection !
Issue 110 has to be the worst one out of the whole collection.
Are you joking?! You apparently haven't seen the Silver Shadow-wannabe's, the reverse-chop-topped Ranchero or the cardboard-GT40. Yes, it's a quick one, and I really don't get why they didn't give it the damage treatmens á lá Mercury or even a scratch-treatment á lá Bronco, because the damage looks simply to fake, but to call it the worst one is to mutch overdramatizing for my opinion
Sorry , it is the worst one. Don't get me wrong I am a big Aston fan. This model however does not float my boat in the collection. I agree with everything you are saying but as part of a collection the others you have named are competent models. The first QoS DBS was fantastic but do we really need another in the collection albeit minus a door. Not really ! I would rather see something else done badly than a repeat . We have all seen the list of what should have been made. Plenty of cars/vehicles to choose from and they make this! I have been on my soap box recently and further down this thread calling for GEF to honour the specials we signed up to as subscribers as yet un seen. The cherries that keep you wanting for more. To no avail nothing . This must be one of the biggest collections, it seem such a shame to finish on such a low point. I would also argue the older 'James Bond Aston' was over issued also. I have faithfully collected each issue for better or for worse but I think GEF should be rewarding the loyal subscribers with something better than this! My opinion still stands the QoS DBS minus a door is the worst issue in the whole collection !
I like the idea of the damaged QOS Aston. And I can understand why Fabbri included this model, no doubt because of the DIY 'damaged doorless versions' that people on this forum attempted when the first one was released, and the favourable comments received once the photos were posted. We all know Fabbri were watching.
At least it's an interesting model and not quite the dying whimper it could be, like another GT40 for instance. I've been thinking of buying another QOS Alfa so I can swap the bases around, in other words have a clean Aston + Alfa in the tunnel scene and then a damaged Aston + Alfa in the quarry scene.
To my mind the worst, most pointless model of the lot was the Bondola. Someone else said it looked like a cheap souvenir from Venice and they were right. Maybe it was a bit of fun, but it was at the expense of including a far more worthy model, possibly the topless bus or Kenworth so many wanted. Or the GF Merc I wanted.
However, I do agree that all the weary die hard subscribers deserve an 'end of series special' for all their patience (and money!) hopefully it may yet happen!
I agree. The GT40 is not great (I have a much better model of the same car made by one of the Italian companies (Best/Bang/Brumm/Box - it's hard to work out the relationship between these companies) made almost 20 years ago, that is far superior. The Aston V8 Volante is all wrong at the rear. The Jaguar XJ in QOS is entirely the wrong generation. So these 3 are not displayed in my collection.
The Bondola is just as bad. It does look like a cheap souvenir, but the real crime is that it's entirely the wrong scale. This collection is meant to be a collection of models, not toys. Models tend to be to a specific scale, and toys do not (eg Matchbox and HotWheels cars are about 1:64 scale but each one does vary).
As for the DBS with the missing door, is there a chance that it will acquire some dirt like the Bronco before the final versions are released? The original Bronco photos showed a clean car, whereas the production version was dirty.
Are you joking?! You apparently haven't seen the Silver Shadow-wannabe's, the reverse-chop-topped Ranchero or the cardboard-GT40. Yes, it's a quick one, and I really don't get why they didn't give it the damage treatmens á lá Mercury or even a scratch-treatment á lá Bronco, because the damage looks simply to fake, but to call it the worst one is to mutch overdramatizing for my opinion
Sorry , it is the worst one. Don't get me wrong I am a big Aston fan. This model however does not float my boat in the collection. I agree with everything you are saying but as part of a collection the others you have named are competent models. The first QoS DBS was fantastic but do we really need another in the collection albeit minus a door. Not really ! I would rather see something else done badly than a repeat . We have all seen the list of what should have been made. Plenty of cars/vehicles to choose from and they make this! I have been on my soap box recently and further down this thread calling for GEF to honour the specials we signed up to as subscribers as yet un seen. The cherries that keep you wanting for more. To no avail nothing . This must be one of the biggest collections, it seem such a shame to finish on such a low point. I would also argue the older 'James Bond Aston' was over issued also. I have faithfully collected each issue for better or for worse but I think GEF should be rewarding the loyal subscribers with something better than this! My opinion still stands the QoS DBS minus a door is the worst issue in the whole collection !
I like the idea of the damaged QOS Aston. And I can understand why Fabbri included this model, no doubt because of the DIY 'damaged doorless versions' that people on this forum attempted when the first one was released, and the favourable comments received once the photos were posted. We all know Fabbri were watching.
At least it's an interesting model and not quite the dying whimper it could be, like another GT40 for instance. I've been thinking of buying another QOS Alfa so I can swap the bases around, in other words have a clean Aston + Alfa in the tunnel scene and then a damaged Aston + Alfa in the quarry scene.
To my mind the worst, most pointless model of the lot was the Bondola. Someone else said it looked like a cheap souvenir from Venice and they were right. Maybe it was a bit of fun, but it was at the expense of including a far more worthy model, possibly the topless bus or Kenworth so many wanted. Or the GF Merc I wanted.
However, I do agree that all the weary die hard subscribers deserve an 'end of series special' for all their patience (and money!) hopefully it may yet happen!
One other thought, regarding the possibility of a bonus model at the end for subscribers. Clearly Fabbri won't want to make a free model as this eats into their profits. However, since the UK is a long way in advance of other markets in the collection, issuing a bonus model only to subscribers will mean that collectors in other markets will be more likely to continue to subscribe until the end, so a bonus model could in fact make more money for Fabbri than it would cost to produce.
I am sure that everyone will have a special model in mind. I think I would most like a really well detailed WetBike.
One other thought, regarding the possibility of a bonus model at the end for subscribers. Clearly Fabbri won't want to make a free model as this eats into their profits. However, since the UK is a long way in advance of other markets in the collection, issuing a bonus model only to subscribers will mean that collectors in other markets will be more likely to continue to subscribe until the end, so a bonus model could in fact make more money for Fabbri than it would cost to produce.
I am sure that everyone will have a special model in mind. I think I would most like a really well detailed WetBike.
GEF are watching closely and in some ways have been influenced by what is being said on this forum. I think there is demand for some specials even at a price. Years ago as a kid my father subscribed to magazine called ' War Machine' for me, every two weeks a new magazine would arrive and at regular intervals gifts would accompany the magazine, such as binders, stickers etc etc. Recently there was a collection of napoleonic cavalry. Every second month a special was released additional to the main collection at a cost. I was hoping this collection would offer the same with regular specials as the collection progressed. This has not happened. I would like GEF to address this and least give us one special to conclude this amazing collection. I think there is demand and certainly as said above this would encourage others to continue collecting.
There are some gems in the collection and indeed dogs but the main thing one man's rubbish is anothers treasure. I like the bondola, as it is a fictious vehicle anyway, we have to allow a certain amount of artistic license with scale etc. The poor GT40 which seems to get a lot of flack is a reasonable model ok not exact but for £7,99 not bad. Like many i have invested alot of money in this and will stick it out to the very end. It is a fantastic collection and the bondola etc all add to the pleaure of the whole thing.
GEF if you read this come on finish the collection with a real gem (or gems) The icing on the cake . You know what you have to do the demand is there . We are waiting with anticipation !!!:):)
I agree. The GT40 is not great (I have a much better model of the same car made by one of the Italian companies (Best/Bang/Brumm/Box - it's hard to work out the relationship between these companies) made almost 20 years ago, that is far superior. The Aston V8 Volante is all wrong at the rear. The Jaguar XJ in QOS is entirely the wrong generation. So these 3 are not displayed in my collection.
The Bondola is just as bad. It does look like a cheap souvenir, but the real crime is that it's entirely the wrong scale. This collection is meant to be a collection of models, not toys. Models tend to be to a specific scale, and toys do not (eg Matchbox and HotWheels cars are about 1:64 scale but each one does vary).
As for the DBS with the missing door, is there a chance that it will acquire some dirt like the Bronco before the final versions are released? The original Bronco photos showed a clean car, whereas the production version was dirty.
Sorry , it is the worst one. Don't get me wrong I am a big Aston fan. This model however does not float my boat in the collection. I agree with everything you are saying but as part of a collection the others you have named are competent models. The first QoS DBS was fantastic but do we really need another in the collection albeit minus a door. Not really ! I would rather see something else done badly than a repeat . We have all seen the list of what should have been made. Plenty of cars/vehicles to choose from and they make this! I have been on my soap box recently and further down this thread calling for GEF to honour the specials we signed up to as subscribers as yet un seen. The cherries that keep you wanting for more. To no avail nothing . This must be one of the biggest collections, it seem such a shame to finish on such a low point. I would also argue the older 'James Bond Aston' was over issued also. I have faithfully collected each issue for better or for worse but I think GEF should be rewarding the loyal subscribers with something better than this! My opinion still stands the QoS DBS minus a door is the worst issue in the whole collection !
I like the idea of the damaged QOS Aston. And I can understand why Fabbri included this model, no doubt because of the DIY 'damaged doorless versions' that people on this forum attempted when the first one was released, and the favourable comments received once the photos were posted. We all know Fabbri were watching.
At least it's an interesting model and not quite the dying whimper it could be, like another GT40 for instance. I've been thinking of buying another QOS Alfa so I can swap the bases around, in other words have a clean Aston + Alfa in the tunnel scene and then a damaged Aston + Alfa in the quarry scene.
To my mind the worst, most pointless model of the lot was the Bondola. Someone else said it looked like a cheap souvenir from Venice and they were right. Maybe it was a bit of fun, but it was at the expense of including a far more worthy model, possibly the topless bus or Kenworth so many wanted. Or the GF Merc I wanted.
However, I do agree that all the weary die hard subscribers deserve an 'end of series special' for all their patience (and money!) hopefully it may yet happen!
The QOS damaged Aston does have dirt added, according to 'Kingsmodel's' pic placed on eBay:
Click pic to enlarge
If it's a straight development of the first QOS Aston model it should have bullet holes in the rear screen too. It would have also been easy to add extra scrapes/ denting whilst taking out the door from the original casting - this damage may be too subtle to be clear in the photo if it was added. The biggest question is whether a driver figure is included, or if it's being to be shown just after DC apparently jumped out at high speed
Looking at the photo just underlines my point it looks unfinished not damaged. I will still buy it as it is part of the collection. It needs figures also. Poor effort on this one from GEF. I repeat lets campaign for a gem , a final special that will be the icing on the cake . No 111 '?'.:)
While the QOS Aston is a poor finale to the collection,I might change my opinion slightly, if the car contains DC with machine gun.Would someone remind me of the reason ,why CR&QOS cars never featured any figures?
Excuse me, pardon me, but did you say the '64 Falcon Ranchero is a competent model? I have a VERY good friend with the '64 Falcon sedan (restored correctly on the outside, though I will admit the upholstery isn't correct) and I have seen my share of '64 Rancheros (including an unrestored car in superb shape). The U.H. Ranchero is, aside from the GT40, the worst-sculpted model in the collection. Its primary problem is that it is not even to scale WITH ITSELF. You have a 1/36 scale cabin, a 1/40 scale grille, and the rest seems to mash it down into 1/43. Issue 110, while a huge letdown, at least resembles an Aston-Martin DBS of some kind. Can you hate it for its laziness? Well, okay, that I can understand. But can you call it a less competent model than the Silver Shadow II, Ranchero, or GT40? I just can't see any way you can.
"To my mind the worst, most pointless model of the lot was the Bondola."
You COULD argue this on the basis that Ixo just threw it together. It's like my other grandfather (who drove a '54 Chevy 210 Sedan for well over a decade...) used to say: "You don't call a dentist to work on your back. Just because they both went to medical school doesn't mean they'll give you the same results." Likewise, you don't hire an intensely-car-centric company like Ixo to make a Bondola. Just because they make really nice 1/43 CARS doesn't mean they're automatically going to make any other good vehicle. They don't even make many trucks (although admittedly, the few large, 1/43 Ixo trucks that have been made are excellent...see the Atlas DDR Trucks collection as well as some of Ixo's entries in the WWII 1/43 scale series, such as the ZIS-6 BM-13 "Katyusha" rocket launcher). U.H., on the other hand, I will give props to for being a more versatile company. They make tractors, farm equipment, and I know some other stuff aside from cars. IMO, a much better way to do it would have been to give UH the Bondola and Ixo the DBS. Would it cost more? Probably. But would Ixo produce a better car that would look weathered and shot up? Yes, that too (albeit at the cost of a figure, though I can't see why you couldn't add your own).
"Would someone remind me of the reason ,why CR&QOS cars never featured any figures?"
Licensing problems. Neither UH nor Ixo (even if the latter wanted to) can or will produce any due to an agreement between EON and a different company. This is the ONE AND ONLY flaw people have been repeatedly criticizing GE Fabbri for that they have no control over and which I will defend them for. I mean, would you rather they be left out of the collection, or at least leave room to just unscrew the bottom and use other figures from other cars?
" The poor GT40 which seems to get a lot of flack is a reasonable model ok not exact but for £7,99 not bad."
I beg to differ. I mean, look at all of the really GOOD models that were produced for 7.99 GBP, EVEN IF WE LEAVE OUT IXO: the Sunbeam Alpine, the Renault Traction 11RB Late Model (apparently, they did use 7CV bodies when that line was discontinued...my bad for being wrong there), the 1957 Chevy Bel Air Convertible (BY FAR the best diecast '57 convertible on the market), the Rolls-Royce Phantom III Sedanca de Ville, the Renault Taxi (yes, I know it was all wrong for a Paris Taxi in the film, but the car itself is very well done), the Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliners (both TB with the top up and DAD with the top retracted), some of the more modern Fords (I'm avoiding Bond-exclusive stuff)...you could easily resell these as diecast model cars away from the JBCC. But try selling things like the Falcon Ranchero or GT40 on their own. That's the measure of a "good model" I'm using...can it be sold well as a car unrelated to Bond?
"As for the DBS with the missing door, is there a chance that it will acquire some dirt like the Bronco before the final versions are released? The original Bronco photos showed a clean car, whereas the production version was dirty."
No. No chance. The Bronco II that we saw was literally an unfinished model; Ixo had yet to apply the weathering to a batch of rejected cars; the dealers selling them for all intents and purposes went dumpster-diving...the car that KINGsMODEL offers is the finished product.
"At least it's an interesting model and not quite the dying whimper it could be, like another GT40 for instance."
I agree here. You can at least Code 3 the Aston if it's insufficient; you don't have anything to work with to produce a correct model with the GT40.
"Just the Miami Dade police cruiser from CR. But that figure could be anyone, just looks like the bomber."
Correct. And I bet Ixo was doing that to see how far they could push the limits.
Excuse me, pardon me, but did you say the '64 Falcon Ranchero is a competent model? I have a VERY good friend with the '64 Falcon sedan (restored correctly on the outside, though I will admit the upholstery isn't correct) and I have seen my share of '64 Rancheros (including an unrestored car in superb shape). The U.H. Ranchero is, aside from the GT40, the worst-sculpted model in the collection. Its primary problem is that it is not even to scale WITH ITSELF. You have a 1/36 scale cabin, a 1/40 scale grille, and the rest seems to mash it down into 1/43. Issue 110, while a huge letdown, at least resembles an Aston-Martin DBS of some kind. Can you hate it for its laziness? Well, okay, that I can understand. But can you call it a less competent model than the Silver Shadow II, Ranchero, or GT40? I just can't see any way you can.
"To my mind the worst, most pointless model of the lot was the Bondola."
You COULD argue this on the basis that Ixo just threw it together. It's like my other grandfather (who drove a '54 Chevy 210 Sedan for well over a decade...) used to say: "You don't call a dentist to work on your back. Just because they both went to medical school doesn't mean they'll give you the same results." Likewise, you don't hire an intensely-car-centric company like Ixo to make a Bondola. Just because they make really nice 1/43 CARS doesn't mean they're automatically going to make any other good vehicle. They don't even make many trucks (although admittedly, the few large, 1/43 Ixo trucks that have been made are excellent...see the Atlas DDR Trucks collection as well as some of Ixo's entries in the WWII 1/43 scale series, such as the ZIS-6 BM-13 "Katyusha" rocket launcher). U.H., on the other hand, I will give props to for being a more versatile company. They make tractors, farm equipment, and I know some other stuff aside from cars. IMO, a much better way to do it would have been to give UH the Bondola and Ixo the DBS. Would it cost more? Probably. But would Ixo produce a better car that would look weathered and shot up? Yes, that too (albeit at the cost of a figure, though I can't see why you couldn't add your own).
"Would someone remind me of the reason ,why CR&QOS cars never featured any figures?"
Licensing problems. Neither UH nor Ixo (even if the latter wanted to) can or will produce any due to an agreement between EON and a different company. This is the ONE AND ONLY flaw people have been repeatedly criticizing GE Fabbri for that they have no control over and which I will defend them for. I mean, would you rather they be left out of the collection, or at least leave room to just unscrew the bottom and use other figures from other cars?
" The poor GT40 which seems to get a lot of flack is a reasonable model ok not exact but for £7,99 not bad."
I beg to differ. I mean, look at all of the really GOOD models that were produced for 7.99 GBP, EVEN IF WE LEAVE OUT IXO: the Sunbeam Alpine, the Renault Traction 11RB Late Model (apparently, they did use 7CV bodies when that line was discontinued...my bad for being wrong there), the 1957 Chevy Bel Air Convertible (BY FAR the best diecast '57 convertible on the market), the Rolls-Royce Phantom III Sedanca de Ville, the Renault Taxi (yes, I know it was all wrong for a Paris Taxi in the film, but the car itself is very well done), the Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliners (both TB with the top up and DAD with the top retracted), some of the more modern Fords (I'm avoiding Bond-exclusive stuff)...you could easily resell these as diecast model cars away from the JBCC. But try selling things like the Falcon Ranchero or GT40 on their own. That's the measure of a "good model" I'm using...can it be sold well as a car unrelated to Bond?
"As for the DBS with the missing door, is there a chance that it will acquire some dirt like the Bronco before the final versions are released? The original Bronco photos showed a clean car, whereas the production version was dirty."
No. No chance. The Bronco II that we saw was literally an unfinished model; Ixo had yet to apply the weathering to a batch of rejected cars; the dealers selling them for all intents and purposes went dumpster-diving...the car that KINGsMODEL offers is the finished product.
"At least it's an interesting model and not quite the dying whimper it could be, like another GT40 for instance."
I agree here. You can at least Code 3 the Aston if it's insufficient; you don't have anything to work with to produce a correct model with the GT40.
"Just the Miami Dade police cruiser from CR. But that figure could be anyone, just looks like the bomber."
Correct. And I bet Ixo was doing that to see how far they could push the limits.
On the point about missing figures from the QOS and CR related cars because of EON's licencing issues, it would be great if Fabbri could offer us 'spare' figures. They could be sold as generic, unamed items such as 'male driver figure, black suit' or 'female passenger, white dress' etc etc or even in mixed assortment packs. As long as they don't say 'Daniel Craig driver figure', for instance, or 'to fit Quantum of Solace Aston Martin' they would avoid any licence problems. By the very nature of large scale die-cast model or toy production, the factory in China is probably awash with spare figures that will most likely be thrown away when the series ends, so it would be a shame to scrap them when they are needed.
I agree on the GF Ranchero - a real shame, it could have been so much better. I bought it because it was Goldfinger related, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. Oddjob looks like a tiny child sitting inside it!
Quick message to say that, as a UK subscriber, I received models #104 and #105 in the post* today. Unfortunately, no replacement Anglia was included in the packing box also, which would have been a really nice surprise.
I feel that #104 the ZIL-117 is a nice model but would have been so much more impressive in a larger box with a more detailed diorama / figures around it, but ... well, that's a modelling opportunity for someone! Even better if the boot lid was open ... with the bodies in there.
As regards #105, the Ford Country Squire, I think it's a lovely model and one of the highlights of the collection.
Cheers
Rhinoman B-)
Quick message to say that, as a UK subscriber, I received models #104 and #105 in the post* today. Unfortunately, no replacement Anglia was included in the packing box also, which would have been a really nice surprise.
I feel that #104 the ZIL-117 is a nice model but would have been so much more impressive in a larger box with a more detailed diorama / figures around it, but ... well, that's a modelling opportunity for someone! Even better if the boot lid was open ... with the bodies in there.
As regards #105, the Ford Country Squire, I think it's a lovely model and one of the highlights of the collection.
Cheers
Rhinoman B-)
* that's the 'mail', Dalko
I too rec'd 104 & 105..Unfortunately the Country Squire looks as if it has been in a car crash as is the mag. ....104 is OK ..... -{ :007)
That's hard luck Dokk, hope you get it sorted OK.
As regards the ZIL-117, the usual double page spread of the vehicle in the centre pages of the magazine has been replaced by a large picture of Daniel Craig with two inset photos of the very lovely Eva Green. Yes, I'd definitely rather have a Vespa than a ZIL haha
Cheers
Rhinoman B-)
"On the point about missing figures from the QOS and CR related cars because of EON's licencing issues, it would be great if Fabbri could offer us 'spare' figures. They could be sold as generic, unamed items such as 'male driver figure, black suit' or 'female passenger, white dress' etc etc or even in mixed assortment packs. As long as they don't say 'Daniel Craig driver figure', for instance, or 'to fit Quantum of Solace Aston Martin' they would avoid any licence problems. By the very nature of large scale die-cast model or toy production, the factory in China is probably awash with spare figures that will most likely be thrown away when the series ends, so it would be a shame to scrap them when they are needed."
Seconded!!! I might make it just a bit more ambiguous...i.e. giving the figures "generic" faces to avoid a lawsuit...but other than that, that's a perfect idea.
"I agree on the GF Ranchero - a real shame, it could have been so much better. I bought it because it was Goldfinger related, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. Oddjob looks like a tiny child sitting inside it!"
I bought it because it was the only Ranchero from the 1960's that has been released. To this day, it remains the only JBCC car that I actually have some regrets about purchasing.
"that's a modelling opportunity for someone!"
I'm seeing cars with Soviet plates, real wire antennas, whitewall tires, and even MORE detailed interiors coming out of the former Soviet Union by certain collectors.
"Even better if the boot lid was open ... with the bodies in there."
I do know of ONE collector in the former USSR who opened the trunk on a GAZ-12B "ZIM" Ambulance because that is in actuality how the stretchers would go in! Through the trunk!!! Someone else propped open a GAZ-M20V Pobeda's trunk, as well. Still, it's a really, REALLY difficult conversion. The kind that sounds easy, but is far harder than you'd think. The guys on RCForum I know of that make all kinds of truly mind-blowing conversions of former Soviet bloc automobiles have barely done this at all, citing the difficulty. One of the problems is having to make your own interior for the trunk, but the big one is cutting it perfectly.
"Unfortunately, no replacement Anglia was included in the packing box also, which would have been a really nice surprise."
Didn't someone say that Fabbri received them? I wonder if they go out with 106 and 107...
"Unfortunately the Country Squire looks as if it has been in a car crash as is the mag."
Sorry! Hope you get one soon, as it is a truly terrific model (save the size of the lenses on the headlights, which are a tad too big...of course, if that's the worst you can complain about a model, then it's pretty darn good...).
Quick Update Re #89 - Anglia.
I have spoke to Kate at DB Faftory and the update is as follows "They are on there way from Germany and should be here in a few weeks"
It's 106. The news stands get them before the subscribers do. Issue 107 will be the dreadful Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II and is already in production. Issue 108 will probably be the 1971 Ford Econoline (spoke with someone whose supplier...at Fabbri...confirmed this, though I'm not totally convinced given the tons of Impala Custom Coupes out there), Issue 109 will be the 1973 Chevy Impala Custom Coupe, and Issue 110 will be the already-seen Aston-Martin DBS sans passenger side door from QoS.
Also, on that note, Issue 108, whatever it is, should be released VERY soon, possibly even within the week, as per my friend. Issue 109 will be released some time in mid-late June for the newstands and that's when subscribers should be getting both.
Comments
I think the person who is updating the Wiki page just put the question marks there as the release order is not yet known.
what numberis this?
Issue 110 has to be the worst one out of the whole collection. An aston martin missing a door , big deal . Come on GEF you've plenty of time to end this collection with a gem not a cop out !
Are you joking?! You apparently haven't seen the Silver Shadow-wannabe's, the reverse-chop-topped Ranchero or the cardboard-GT40. Yes, it's a quick one, and I really don't get why they didn't give it the damage treatmens á lá Mercury or even a scratch-treatment á lá Bronco, because the damage looks simply to fake, but to call it the worst one is to mutch overdramatizing for my opinion
Sorry , it is the worst one. Don't get me wrong I am a big Aston fan. This model however does not float my boat in the collection. I agree with everything you are saying but as part of a collection the others you have named are competent models. The first QoS DBS was fantastic but do we really need another in the collection albeit minus a door. Not really ! I would rather see something else done badly than a repeat . We have all seen the list of what should have been made. Plenty of cars/vehicles to choose from and they make this! I have been on my soap box recently and further down this thread calling for GEF to honour the specials we signed up to as subscribers as yet un seen. The cherries that keep you wanting for more. To no avail nothing . This must be one of the biggest collections, it seem such a shame to finish on such a low point. I would also argue the older 'James Bond Aston' was over issued also. I have faithfully collected each issue for better or for worse but I think GEF should be rewarding the loyal subscribers with something better than this! My opinion still stands the QoS DBS minus a door is the worst issue in the whole collection !
I like the idea of the damaged QOS Aston. And I can understand why Fabbri included this model, no doubt because of the DIY 'damaged doorless versions' that people on this forum attempted when the first one was released, and the favourable comments received once the photos were posted. We all know Fabbri were watching.
At least it's an interesting model and not quite the dying whimper it could be, like another GT40 for instance. I've been thinking of buying another QOS Alfa so I can swap the bases around, in other words have a clean Aston + Alfa in the tunnel scene and then a damaged Aston + Alfa in the quarry scene.
To my mind the worst, most pointless model of the lot was the Bondola. Someone else said it looked like a cheap souvenir from Venice and they were right. Maybe it was a bit of fun, but it was at the expense of including a far more worthy model, possibly the topless bus or Kenworth so many wanted. Or the GF Merc I wanted.
However, I do agree that all the weary die hard subscribers deserve an 'end of series special' for all their patience (and money!) hopefully it may yet happen!
The Bondola is just as bad. It does look like a cheap souvenir, but the real crime is that it's entirely the wrong scale. This collection is meant to be a collection of models, not toys. Models tend to be to a specific scale, and toys do not (eg Matchbox and HotWheels cars are about 1:64 scale but each one does vary).
As for the DBS with the missing door, is there a chance that it will acquire some dirt like the Bronco before the final versions are released? The original Bronco photos showed a clean car, whereas the production version was dirty.
I am sure that everyone will have a special model in mind. I think I would most like a really well detailed WetBike.
GEF are watching closely and in some ways have been influenced by what is being said on this forum. I think there is demand for some specials even at a price. Years ago as a kid my father subscribed to magazine called ' War Machine' for me, every two weeks a new magazine would arrive and at regular intervals gifts would accompany the magazine, such as binders, stickers etc etc. Recently there was a collection of napoleonic cavalry. Every second month a special was released additional to the main collection at a cost. I was hoping this collection would offer the same with regular specials as the collection progressed. This has not happened. I would like GEF to address this and least give us one special to conclude this amazing collection. I think there is demand and certainly as said above this would encourage others to continue collecting.
There are some gems in the collection and indeed dogs but the main thing one man's rubbish is anothers treasure. I like the bondola, as it is a fictious vehicle anyway, we have to allow a certain amount of artistic license with scale etc. The poor GT40 which seems to get a lot of flack is a reasonable model ok not exact but for £7,99 not bad. Like many i have invested alot of money in this and will stick it out to the very end. It is a fantastic collection and the bondola etc all add to the pleaure of the whole thing.
GEF if you read this come on finish the collection with a real gem (or gems) The icing on the cake . You know what you have to do the demand is there . We are waiting with anticipation !!!:):)
The QOS damaged Aston does have dirt added, according to 'Kingsmodel's' pic placed on eBay:
Click pic to enlarge
If it's a straight development of the first QOS Aston model it should have bullet holes in the rear screen too. It would have also been easy to add extra scrapes/ denting whilst taking out the door from the original casting - this damage may be too subtle to be clear in the photo if it was added. The biggest question is whether a driver figure is included, or if it's being to be shown just after DC apparently jumped out at high speed
Just the Miami Dade police cruiser from CR. But that figure could be anyone, just looks like the bomber.
Excuse me, pardon me, but did you say the '64 Falcon Ranchero is a competent model? I have a VERY good friend with the '64 Falcon sedan (restored correctly on the outside, though I will admit the upholstery isn't correct) and I have seen my share of '64 Rancheros (including an unrestored car in superb shape). The U.H. Ranchero is, aside from the GT40, the worst-sculpted model in the collection. Its primary problem is that it is not even to scale WITH ITSELF. You have a 1/36 scale cabin, a 1/40 scale grille, and the rest seems to mash it down into 1/43. Issue 110, while a huge letdown, at least resembles an Aston-Martin DBS of some kind. Can you hate it for its laziness? Well, okay, that I can understand. But can you call it a less competent model than the Silver Shadow II, Ranchero, or GT40? I just can't see any way you can.
"To my mind the worst, most pointless model of the lot was the Bondola."
You COULD argue this on the basis that Ixo just threw it together. It's like my other grandfather (who drove a '54 Chevy 210 Sedan for well over a decade...) used to say: "You don't call a dentist to work on your back. Just because they both went to medical school doesn't mean they'll give you the same results." Likewise, you don't hire an intensely-car-centric company like Ixo to make a Bondola. Just because they make really nice 1/43 CARS doesn't mean they're automatically going to make any other good vehicle. They don't even make many trucks (although admittedly, the few large, 1/43 Ixo trucks that have been made are excellent...see the Atlas DDR Trucks collection as well as some of Ixo's entries in the WWII 1/43 scale series, such as the ZIS-6 BM-13 "Katyusha" rocket launcher). U.H., on the other hand, I will give props to for being a more versatile company. They make tractors, farm equipment, and I know some other stuff aside from cars. IMO, a much better way to do it would have been to give UH the Bondola and Ixo the DBS. Would it cost more? Probably. But would Ixo produce a better car that would look weathered and shot up? Yes, that too (albeit at the cost of a figure, though I can't see why you couldn't add your own).
"Would someone remind me of the reason ,why CR&QOS cars never featured any figures?"
Licensing problems. Neither UH nor Ixo (even if the latter wanted to) can or will produce any due to an agreement between EON and a different company. This is the ONE AND ONLY flaw people have been repeatedly criticizing GE Fabbri for that they have no control over and which I will defend them for. I mean, would you rather they be left out of the collection, or at least leave room to just unscrew the bottom and use other figures from other cars?
" The poor GT40 which seems to get a lot of flack is a reasonable model ok not exact but for £7,99 not bad."
I beg to differ. I mean, look at all of the really GOOD models that were produced for 7.99 GBP, EVEN IF WE LEAVE OUT IXO: the Sunbeam Alpine, the Renault Traction 11RB Late Model (apparently, they did use 7CV bodies when that line was discontinued...my bad for being wrong there), the 1957 Chevy Bel Air Convertible (BY FAR the best diecast '57 convertible on the market), the Rolls-Royce Phantom III Sedanca de Ville, the Renault Taxi (yes, I know it was all wrong for a Paris Taxi in the film, but the car itself is very well done), the Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliners (both TB with the top up and DAD with the top retracted), some of the more modern Fords (I'm avoiding Bond-exclusive stuff)...you could easily resell these as diecast model cars away from the JBCC. But try selling things like the Falcon Ranchero or GT40 on their own. That's the measure of a "good model" I'm using...can it be sold well as a car unrelated to Bond?
"As for the DBS with the missing door, is there a chance that it will acquire some dirt like the Bronco before the final versions are released? The original Bronco photos showed a clean car, whereas the production version was dirty."
No. No chance. The Bronco II that we saw was literally an unfinished model; Ixo had yet to apply the weathering to a batch of rejected cars; the dealers selling them for all intents and purposes went dumpster-diving...the car that KINGsMODEL offers is the finished product.
"At least it's an interesting model and not quite the dying whimper it could be, like another GT40 for instance."
I agree here. You can at least Code 3 the Aston if it's insufficient; you don't have anything to work with to produce a correct model with the GT40.
"Just the Miami Dade police cruiser from CR. But that figure could be anyone, just looks like the bomber."
Correct. And I bet Ixo was doing that to see how far they could push the limits.
On the point about missing figures from the QOS and CR related cars because of EON's licencing issues, it would be great if Fabbri could offer us 'spare' figures. They could be sold as generic, unamed items such as 'male driver figure, black suit' or 'female passenger, white dress' etc etc or even in mixed assortment packs. As long as they don't say 'Daniel Craig driver figure', for instance, or 'to fit Quantum of Solace Aston Martin' they would avoid any licence problems. By the very nature of large scale die-cast model or toy production, the factory in China is probably awash with spare figures that will most likely be thrown away when the series ends, so it would be a shame to scrap them when they are needed.
I agree on the GF Ranchero - a real shame, it could have been so much better. I bought it because it was Goldfinger related, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. Oddjob looks like a tiny child sitting inside it!
I feel that #104 the ZIL-117 is a nice model but would have been so much more impressive in a larger box with a more detailed diorama / figures around it, but ... well, that's a modelling opportunity for someone! Even better if the boot lid was open ... with the bodies in there.
As regards #105, the Ford Country Squire, I think it's a lovely model and one of the highlights of the collection.
Cheers
Rhinoman B-)
* that's the 'mail', Dalko
I too rec'd 104 & 105..Unfortunately the Country Squire looks as if it has been in a car crash as is the mag.
As regards the ZIL-117, the usual double page spread of the vehicle in the centre pages of the magazine has been replaced by a large picture of Daniel Craig with two inset photos of the very lovely Eva Green. Yes, I'd definitely rather have a Vespa than a ZIL haha
Cheers
Rhinoman B-)
Yes, I do know it's spelt Vesper.
Seconded!!! I might make it just a bit more ambiguous...i.e. giving the figures "generic" faces to avoid a lawsuit...but other than that, that's a perfect idea.
"I agree on the GF Ranchero - a real shame, it could have been so much better. I bought it because it was Goldfinger related, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. Oddjob looks like a tiny child sitting inside it!"
I bought it because it was the only Ranchero from the 1960's that has been released. To this day, it remains the only JBCC car that I actually have some regrets about purchasing.
"that's a modelling opportunity for someone!"
I'm seeing cars with Soviet plates, real wire antennas, whitewall tires, and even MORE detailed interiors coming out of the former Soviet Union by certain collectors.
"Even better if the boot lid was open ... with the bodies in there."
I do know of ONE collector in the former USSR who opened the trunk on a GAZ-12B "ZIM" Ambulance because that is in actuality how the stretchers would go in! Through the trunk!!! Someone else propped open a GAZ-M20V Pobeda's trunk, as well. Still, it's a really, REALLY difficult conversion. The kind that sounds easy, but is far harder than you'd think. The guys on RCForum I know of that make all kinds of truly mind-blowing conversions of former Soviet bloc automobiles have barely done this at all, citing the difficulty. One of the problems is having to make your own interior for the trunk, but the big one is cutting it perfectly.
"Unfortunately, no replacement Anglia was included in the packing box also, which would have been a really nice surprise."
Didn't someone say that Fabbri received them? I wonder if they go out with 106 and 107...
"Unfortunately the Country Squire looks as if it has been in a car crash as is the mag."
Sorry! Hope you get one soon, as it is a truly terrific model (save the size of the lenses on the headlights, which are a tad too big...of course, if that's the worst you can complain about a model, then it's pretty darn good...).
I have spoke to Kate at DB Faftory and the update is as follows "They are on there way from Germany and should be here in a few weeks"
104 has a grey base just like the bondola
I guess the big question, then, is "will the cars have changed, or is it just the base?"