After having posted up several news items (principally on Osprey's new Releases), a thought just struck me. Several times, I have seen posts on the site with people talking about e-mailing the manufacturers to suggest new models or variants on existing kits. Now, for me, that seems a highly sensible undertaking indeed. The manufacturers should, as every company does, do a certain amount of research on future releases. Obviously they have to consider the viability of such releases. Also, a group of people suggesting the same item is going to carry more weight than an individual petition. The other day, when I put a news item about the (announced) 2004 releases for Academy, PCMODELER added an interesting comment that Academy had been doing an informal opinion poll at the Nationals, asking what new kits people would like to see in the future. The Lees/Grants were top of the poll. Surprise, surprise, the main new releases for 2004 are several variants of the Lee and Grant....

What I am proposing, at least in the initial stages, is to begin with Osprey and send them some suggestions about future reference titles. I am thinking (at first anyway) about future new titles for their Modelling Series. Now I know what I want to see in print, what I would like to see is what the rest of you would like to see as future titles. Two ways to do it, either PM me or e-mail me at: [email protected]. What I will do, providing I get some reasonable feedback, is send on the suggestions to Osprey. It might be worthwhile to establish some criteria for the suggestions. Briefly they would have to be subjects that are not particularly well covered (I don't think Modelling the Tiger I would be counted as an 'uncovered' subject for example) On the other hand I don't think the really esoteric would go down too well either (the Ontos would be fascinating, but I doubt commercially viable).

My Initial suggestions are the following:

Modelling The Bradley
Modelling The Crusader
Modelling British Shermans
Modelling The Churchill
Modelling the M60
Modelling Foreign Vehicles In Wermacht Service (Lorraine, Char etc,)
Modelling the M113 and Variants (2-3 Volumes)

Following usual Osprey policy, they would probably include both 1/72nd and 1/35th projects. Well what do you think? Another way could be to 'Formalize' this as on-site questionnaires or opinion polls. I'm as ever, open to suggestions...Jim

I'm all for the modelling the british sherman but osprey have already done a modelling the sherman book with fireflysin it what I would like to see in a book is picking up a base kit like the tamiya m4 early explaining what need to be done using mostly plastic parts ie AFV club boogies ect explain the diffrence between types of suspension give scale drawings that you can blow up for use in scratch building the likes of the armoured radio boxes ect actually do a better book on airbrushing and basic modelling those books were a bit of a let down didnt really explain that much

GREAT idea ! I will send you a PM with my wishlist

Marc

Nice thinkin Jim i ll pm you my needs

Since there is obviously no real interest in this (apart from those who PM'ed me, thanks guys) , I think I will just let this thread die. Perhaps we could go back to talking about about booze on the forums instead Jim

Jim - I think this is a great idea - don't become dismayed by the dearth of responses. I read the other thread about the "quality vs quantity" in posting comments lately. I agree - glad to hear others saying it now...

The only drawback I see, for both modelers and for the publishers, is producing a volume that will be well received by the consumer. The Internet has likely hurt book sales, in that a modeler can go out and "find" something quickly and easily to suit their particular modeling tastes and skill level(s).

If I were a publisher, I wouldn't even know "who" to approach to pen my prospective volume. Remember the "Modeling Celebrity" thread where Twig (Lee) mentioned some names of modelers who obviously are locally renown, but others never heard of them? He even got torched initially for bringing up his thoughts - as if the very notion of classifing or recognizing one's ability over another is taboo! Further names got dropped in the thread as it went on - but aren't well-known or accomplished modelers by any stretch of the imagination - until the thread spiraled down into irrelevance. That's where the good ideas/intentions keep getting lost.

Modelers are a very fickle bunch, with "celebrity" tossed and bandied about to make the whole lot appear silly and immature to those on the outside looking in. As a publisher, it would appear risky to hang hopes of selling a lot of copies in trying to choose one over another. Even the "well known" modelers cum authors pen what many consider to be "dogs". But, both publishers and manufacturers do actually listen and welcome suggestions. Academy and Osprey have acted on these suggestions too - so all hope isn't lost!

I just think its daunting sometimes trying to separate the wheat from the chaff in finding some quality to forward to our favorite suppliers - for us on Forums as well as Publishers and Manufacturers...

Gunnie

Jim,

I have just been looking through recent discussions and have found this one a day or two late (sorry) Would you still like a PM or are you going to let a sleeping dog lie?

If anyone is really that interested about seeing a book published the best way is to send in a proposal and do one yourself if you feel you can do it. For osprey it is quite easy. see here:

writing for osprey

I have to admit i am just finishing a proposal to send to them. So if you really want something don. try yourself.

Cromwell, the more feedback I can get the better. It has been a little slow... As someone said the other day, post up a load of garbage and you'll get 30 replies, post up something serious and you'll get one. I'm a little hacked-off by the response I must admit but I'm going to persevere....Jim

Mahross

How do you do such a proposal?

May be if we (armorama as a whole) could advertise a survey as in the left coloumn, on the top 20 military reference materials we would like to see. Then send a petition like JimBrae suggested, I'm sure if we got enough numbers a publisher may take things a bit more seriously. Maybe there are other modelling sites like armorama we could get to join in to add weight to a petition.

There must be more of us out there who would want to see something specific in more detail?

Come on you armorama's this could be something good to colaborate on.

Great idea.
Cromwell's suggestion has a lot of merit. It would an excellent way of hitting the manufacturers with a lot of info in one document. After all it helps them as much as us.
It could also be expanded to cover the whole range of modelling areas from armour to ships, then everyone could have a say.
....where do I sign?

Cheers
Peter

I have mailed poll@armorama the the poll suggetion.

I notice there have been plenty of lookers (129 last time I looked) no added wish lists for material it is a bit of a shame I think.

This could be the ideal opportunity to put forward to the publishers what the modeller would like to see rather than 'I think that would be a good idea'.

Remember this doesn't just have to be armour subjects.............does it?

The reaction from some people has been positive. I have received 5-6 PM's from people with concrete suggestions. Some on the other hand do not seem to have grasped the initial purpose of this thread. The idea is to get some concrete suggestions for Osprey to expand its modelling series (aviation and vehicles). I have no influence with Osprey, nor am I currently in a position to begin a new career as an author... Rather, I am prepared to collate some of the ideas together and send them to Osprey as concrete suggestions. The criteria is simple. The suggestions should be attractive enough for Osprey to look at them as a viable, economic entity. I amsure that some of us would love to see a series on 1930s 1/4 ton Portugese armored trailers, but realistically it is not going to happen. Please keep any suggestions sensible and if possible give a rationale as to why this book is needed. Remember that some subjects are already covered, both in books and articles here on the 'net, so please don't duplicate already well documented subjects.

One other thing, please don't post here with NO IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS, nor use this thread as another way TO POST FOR RANK. There are plenty of threads where inane drivel will be more than welcome. Those of you who have and continue to contribute, I sincerely thank you for your interest and effort....All the best, Jim

Jim,

Here is some of my wishes, I thought I'd put it on public display and get the thread pushed on to the front again, so here goes..................

Modelling the A9 / A10 cruiser tank
Modelling the A13 MkI and MkII Cuiser tank
How to scratch build a tracked rapier
WWII Allied landing craft (with 1/35th drawings if the pages are large enough)
Modelling British Shermans (from the desert to europe)

sorry i didnt notice this earlier,

a few titles i would like to see are,

modelling early war british cruiser tanks
the M60 in israeli service, (including the latest uparmoured mods)
allied landing craft in miniature
allied armour in far east asia 1939-45
current israeli vehicles and operations
modelling the A27 cromwell and its variants
allied tank destroyers in action and in miniature

these would be a nice start

cheers

joe

Cromwell - The proposal would be for you to write a book or article in their newsletter. You just put together how you would research it, a poroposed bibliography and an outline of what you write. My proposal is for a book in their new Battle Orders series and, hopefully, will be on Anglo-Canadian armoured divisions in NW Europe. This would therefore, cover doctrine, organistaion, training and their major operations.

One of the few subjects or dare i say twoI feel really need attention are the following

US armoured recovery and engineering vehicles. These vehicles almost always get short shrift even in tomes li R.P. hunnicutts books on the patton and sherman

the other is a look at trucks . yes those boring things that kept us fed clothed fueled. there have been a ny number of variations an the basic 2.5 and 5 ton trucks and now the 10 ton hemtt series. a book that describes the variant and their diferences would be warmly welcomed by many I think

Joshua/shiryon

Jimbrae,

Have you had many PM's on this? Because this thread didn't get as much of a response as I thought it would.

Please post and let us know your findings, I am most interested.

Hi all,

Sorry for being late, but I've only just come across this discussion.

Jim I'll just air my thoughts here, :-

Modelling British tanks/AFV's of the N.Africa campaign 1940-43 :
This can include cruisers, lights, carriers, Lee/Grants & Shermans, I think this would sell better than a dedicated volume on Cruisers etc alone

Modelling Axis tanks/AFV's of the N.Africa campaign 1940-43 :
Similar volume to above but including Italian subjects as well as the ubiquitous Panzers.

Modelling US tanks/AFV's of the N.Africa campaign 1942-43 :

Modelling British tanks of WW2 :
Can include Africa, Italy, Burma and NWE campaigns

Modelling the 'funnies' - Vehicles of Hobarts 79th Armoured Division :
Could cover some really esoteric subjects.

Modelling Post-war British AFV :
Centurions, Chieftains, Challengers, FV 430's, CVR(T)'s, Warriors etc

I know these titles reflect my own personal interests, but with what appears to be the recent upsurge (well slight swell) of interest in Allied vehicles with both manufacturers and modellers, now might be the time before Panzeritus returns with a vengeance

Happy modelling
Ant

I think you could split this into 3 separate books:
1. Modeling British Post WWII Tanks
2. Modelling the CVR(t)s Series in British Service
3. Modelling British Modern APCs and their variants: FV432 & Warrior Series
and if there were more kits available, another book on armoured cars. With BAOR, I/S/KFOR and the 2 Gulf wars there should be plenty of options.

I know I'd buy them.

Paul

I know M-113's will be on that release schedule somewhere