ALL AT SEA FOR THE NEW QE

a collector and occasional model maker of 1/1200 and 1/1250 model ships, I read the review of the new Corgi HMS Queen Elizabeth in the March issue with interest. I found it more interesting for what it left unsaid than what was actually contained in the review. I shall explain. I bought one of these models as soon as my local Antics (Plymouth) had it in stock. In broad terms it is an extremely accurate, well finished and nicely presented model. It is clearly aimed at the ‘collector market’ rather than the ‘toy market’ and states this on the card outer sleeve. However, Corgi appears to have not understood the collector market in 1/1250 scale model warships. There is a significant and thriving collector base for 1/1250 waterline model ships. There is almost no interest amongst collectors of waterline models for full hull models that cannot be displayed alongside the rest of their waterline collections. When this model was first announced I know several well-known collectors of long standing contacted Corgi and almost ‘begged’ them to make it waterline with a detachable, plastic lower hull. A concept adopted decades ago by French Dinky Toys when it issued its very nice 1/1200 model of the SS France. A model configured in this manner would attract customers from both the waterline collector community and those who like a full hull model on their mantlepiece. It would also have made the tooling cheaper for Corgi as well as material costs as plastic is far cheaper than mazac – which would have reduced the selling price. Another benefit would have been in the longer term for Corgi just to produce the waterline option as this is where the bulk of sales would have been. At the moment there are only two other waterline versions of the QE available to collectors – one German (white metal) and one resin, made in England. Both of these models are more expensive than the Corgi. In my view neither of these is as accurate or well finished as the Corgi QE. A waterline Corgi QE would have dominated this market. Apart from this major ‘miscalculation’ by Corgi (I say that in the knowledge that I don’t have to make the decisions on the expenditure of thousands of pounds to get a model to market!) there are also a few issues with the model that the review didn’t really deal with. The model is aimed at adult collectors. Adult collectors do not want to see poorly moulded aircraft (they are poor!) ‘welded’ to the deck of a carrier. This is what a toy should feature. Nor do they want to see Chinook helicopters on the flight deck. The QE does not embark Chinooks but can land and handle them. The helicopters should have been Merlins. (I note from your editorial pages that the upcoming HMS Price of Wales does feature more appropriate helicopters.) The air wing should have been supplied separately for the collector to use or not. My final comments concern the ‘display options’. The review says that the model has a flat bottom to 'facilitate stand alone display’. Sorry, but this is plain silly. The QE actually has a flat bottom and the model reproduces that faithfully. The model cannot be displayed on its bottom in any collection of 1/1250 models as it looks ridiculous. The blue plastic vac-form ‘sea’ included in the packaging is awful. I’m sorry but I cannot agree that the wake lines ‘give the impression of movement’; they are not at all accurate and look ‘cheap’. I threw mine away at once. A model with a separate lower hull wouldn’t need this sort of poor quality ‘extra’. There’s an Eaglemoss model, counter-sunk into a base with a painted wake – it’s not perfect but it’s far better. To sum up – Corgi has produced an excellent model, but at the same time I fear it has scored an ‘own goal’ by not making it with a separate lower hull. It has excluded itself from a customer base desperate for a really good quality waterline model of the QE. In the longer term, although I hope they will sell well, I really do fear that the models will not sell well and Corgi will decide ‘ships don’t sell’ and not make anymore. This would be a tragedy for collectors. For my own part, I took my Dremel to my model and cut the bottom off it. Without bragging, you need to be skilled to do this! A friend took a hand saw to his and did the same. This simple act transforms the model into the one Corgi should have made.

Jeff Stevenson, email

ED Wow, an epic letter, Jeff. And I am so impressed by your Dremel skills! Many thanks for taking the time to offer such a comprehensive analysis. In Corgi’s defence, I’d always assumed that this release would be largely aimed at the souvenir market, although I’m not sure quite where. I’d read about the helicopter type boo-boo shortly after we’d gone to press but, either way, the toy-like appearance of the aircraft is a bit disappointing. It will, indeed, be interesting to see if there are any further ship releases by Corgi in the near future.

ED Great news, Ted! And yes, an RM3 would be wonderful - we can indeed hope!