VOLUME 4: ISSUE 1
2012 is well underway and the Kats at AMT have been busy working on many projects! For this month's newsletter, we thought we'd talk about a particular area of "parts development."
Some of you may wonder, "how long does a model kit mold last?" In most cases, a very long time! In the heyday of the plastic kit hobby, long enough to make hundreds of thousands of kits, sometimes over a million or more. It's the longevity of the tools that allows so many desirable vintage kits to be reissued. Still, no tool lasts forever and that's especially true for tire molds. Always looking for ways to improve quality and add value, the Kats at AMT have taken notice of some tire tools that are reaching their "end of life," so to speak. They've worn out past the point of repair, and the time has come to re-create them, with a goal to increase realism and enhance their details. 
First up is the classic Firestone "Deluxe Champion" stock tire. This tire has had to be retooled a couple of times already over the years, as it's used in so many kits. The earliest 1/25 replica of this tire became dubbed the "Trophy Series" tire, as it was generic without any sidewall lettering. Later retools saw Firestone lettering added and changes in the style and accuracy of the tread pattern. AMT's new incarnation of the tire has improved detail, featuring an accurate tread pattern, engraved Firestone lettering as well as the "F" crest and associated "Gum Dipped" lettering. The non-whitewall version of the tire will have the size and "Deluxe Champion" lettering pad printed on. It's too small to be engraved; some of the tiniest pad printing we've ever seen!
A lot of our development team's time is spent on our product packaging. It is a key marketing and sales tool and in some cases, it makes the kit much more desirable. If you read our blog regularly, you are probably familiar enough with our products to know what to expect from us in this regard. I figured I would show you some of the steps we go through and what we encounter as we work.
CAPTAIN AMERICA SPIDER-MAN
Looking to get someone a modeling kit, but don't think they have the patience and time it takes to assemble them Look no more. Pre-painted kits are perfect for new to experienced modelers. The pre-painted kits are factory decorated giving the model a polished look. Pre-painted kits are included under skill level 1 and 2. Skill level 1 is more for the new modeler (ages 8 and up) and there is no need for glue. Parts are designed to snap together for quick assembly. Skill level 2 is aimed towards novice to experienced modelers (ages 10 and up). Skill level 2 requires glue. So assembly will take a bit longer than skill level 1, but still can be completed in 30 minutes or less. Pre-painted kits let you introduce friends and family to the amazing hobby of building models. [ Pre-painted Kits! ]
YELLOW SUBMARINE
Next up are two different sizes of the venerable muscle car tire: Goodyear's Polyglas GT. AMT had the larger L60.15 size found in dozens kits over the years. MPC had the smaller F60.15 size version, which is known for its overly thick raised lettering, and for being included in kits like many of the 70's Pro Stock series. Comparing the two, AMT's larger version is much more true to the appearance of the 1:1 rubber. So it was decided to retool the smaller MPC version to more closely match with the larger AMT version, in order to have a good looking "big 'n little" set of tires. The best part? Since the real tires all had white lettering (with one of two variations - with or without the size included) the Kats are going to pad print the lettering on the tires. They will look spectacular, ready to go right out of the box! No need to try and paint those tiny details. Your models will have a professional edge and sharp appearance! Look for them to appear in AMT's reissue of the all-time classic Pony car: the 1966 Ford Mustang and others later in the year.
A lot of our development team's time is spent on our product packaging. It is a key marketing and sales tool and in some cases, it makes the kit much more desirable. If you read our blog regularly, you are probably familiar enough with our products to know what to expect from us in this regard. I figured I would show you some of the steps we go through and what we encounter as we work.
YELLOW SUBMARINE
SLOT STARS: SLOT STARS: SLOT STARS: SLOT STARS:
2006 CAMARO 1970 CAMARO 1966 NOVA 1957 BELAIR
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