WEM Closing Operations as of 11/28/14 (update: Nov 2016)

[Charlestonguy]

Correction they sent me a notice of order but never took the funds. Looks like I missed out

Anyone know if there are any 1/350 5"-51 open mounts out there?????

[LordAnkarin]

Anyone know if there are any 1/350 5"-51 open mounts out there?????

I needed the same thing

I found one on eBay, and I think it was the last one. I needed 2 sets, so I guess I'll have to come up with a extra somehow

What about the 1/350 Hood Anchors? Any leads on them?

Update:
Recieved my order from WEM. Was under the assumption it hadn't been placed in time.
So I'm set for all the future planned kits, thank the model gods.

[spikesliew]

Have been away for the past couple of months and just saw this - this is super sad news.

Had bought some bits from Caroline and the gang quite a few years ago, and it was always a pleasure dealing with them.

Thanks for all the great stuff you've done for all of us all these years; take care, and all the best.

ChinWen

[antityco]

I remember the company when the Carters ran it. They were very helpful and a pleasure to do business with. In the later years, under American direction, not so much.

[John Snyder]

I remember the company when the Carters ran it. They were very helpful and a pleasure to do business with. In the later years, under American direction, not so much.

WEM was never under American direction. Since 2009, it was under the sole direction of Dave Carter.

[Graham Boak]

I always found the company helpful and friendly, before and after the arrival of the American connection, before and after his departure for snowier climes.

[MichelB]

And their good sense of humour: I remember a reply to a small error (fully rectified later) in an order, in which they promised to find the culprit and have him shot. There was also the Iraqi WMD weapons PE fret (an empty fret) they had on their site for a while in '03, a decidedly political joke with some grumpy replies from this American site.

[simon b]

Very funny though

[PetrOs]

Ouch, just read this. VERY sad loss to us ;(

[GlennCauley]

I am TRULY saddened by this news.
I was not a "regular" customer with WEM but did rely on them for ColourCoats paints and other mostly 1/72 U-boat items over the years.
They were always nice to deal with.
I wish them only the very best in whatever they move on to.

If anyone knows (or finds out) what the future holds for the ColourCoats paint line-up - perhaps in North America? - I hope that this information will be shared with the modelling community at large.

[Loren Perry]

Regarding Colourcoat paints - I have always wondered if these were produced by Humbrol under contract to WEM? The classic Humbrol-like tins and the pigments needing to be well-stirred to break up the accumulations on the bottom of the tin seems so very Humbrol to me. Any way to confirm this?

[Timmy C]

I remember them saying they've had to change paint manufacturers before, so if it was Humbrol, it wouldn't have been them the entire time.

[John Snyder]

a. it was not Humbrol.
b. We never had to change paint manufacturers.

[Graham Boak]

Humbrol cancelled their UK production and transferred it to China - low quality concern has led to them returning at least some production to the UK. The tins are normal for UK production, although sizes do differ slightly. Glass bottles have been tried in the past but proved unpopular. I've yet to have any kind of enamel paint that didn't need stirring: Humbrol, Airfix, Gloy, CSC (or whatever it was called), Precision Paints, WEM, Xtracolour ... or indeed acrylics such as Tamiya, Gunze or Akan. Isn't this just gravity, which acts on paint manufacturers equally?

[Timmy C]

b. We never had to change paint manufacturers.

My bad - I must have misremembered the wording of this post.

[Christian M.]

Regarding Colourcoat paints - I have always wondered if these were produced by Humbrol under contract to WEM? The classic Humbrol-like tins and the pigments needing to be well-stirred to break up the accumulations on the bottom of the tin seems so very Humbrol to me. Any way to confirm this?

Revell has at least same tins for their Enamels's as Humbrol ... as had WEM.

[EJFoeth]

I tested several types of paint for their adherence to various materials (plastic, brass, steel, resin), resistance to scratches and drying times. Humbrol generally did better than WEM so I do not think Humbrol makes the paints for WEM (or, more variables are at work than I know of). I found WEM and Humbrol superior to any of the water based paints from model making brands. I settled on Humbrol after WEM suffered troubles with restocking their paints with the downside of mixing paints to arrive at a nice colour (which worked well in the end).

The enamels are really easy to use for fine fine detail and lines, while most waterbased (model) paints resulting in tip-dry for me. I haven't tried the artist acrylics yet...

[Charlestonguy]

What will happen with the left over stock?

[BJohnson]

What will happen with the left over stock?

If the Official Receiver is now in charge it is up to them. If there is much stock they may send it to auction??

[AllianceModelWorks]

Correction they sent me a notice of order but never took the funds. Looks like I missed out

Anyone know if there are any 1/350 5"-51 open mounts out there?????

Yep.
3D almost done on them, just need to setup PE and machined barrels
that goes for 5/51, 5/25, 5/38 open pedestal, and 3 inch.
I think March or something, there is one batch of releases before those.