Some of you may know this info, some may not. Especially if you concentrate on only building car models.

Round2 wanted to make a large USS Enterprise from the original Star Trek show. But the cost would be enormous. It would be a huge gamble with their funds. Sure model fans requested it all the time - but would they actually BUY one. It would not be an inexpensive kit. In fact they were around $ 150.00.

So Round2 came up with a new plan. As far as I know it’s the only time it has been done. They would produce the model if 1701 people would pre-pay and pre-order the kit. They used a popular retail model site to except the pre-payments. (I don’t remember if they just held your credit card number - which is what I think they did - and didn’t actually run the card and charge you until the model could be shipped).

In other words - it was ‘put up or shut up time’ (not that Round2 would ever use that language).

It took some time but 1701 modelers preordered.

It would take around 1.5 years if I remember till the kit was available and shipped. Till then you received special emails about the progress of the kit. They sent you a special Star Trek shirt. These preordered kits had special parts and a numbered COA and box.

Long story short I would say it was a success as far as getting the kit produced. They haven’t done it again so while the model is popular and successful today - I don’t know if the pre paying program worked well or was a total headache for them.

But it was an exciting time. I participated and with each special email in your box - you knew that model kit was one step closer to getting to your door. That’s how bad I wanted that model. Luckily 1700 people wanted one just as bad and together we were able to get the model made.

So many times I wonder when people say, “Yeah, I want a model of that - or I would buy models of that”, I often wonder -

Do you want it bad enough that you would prepay for the kit?

Would you wait a year or so while the mold and product was being made?

( by the way the kit is around 32.5 inches long !)

..