Steel Dragons More Proof of Recasting

[toyrific]

Hi Guys

Sorry this is a long post, but it is the only way I can make my point and warn you all about this unethical person that is still trying to scam the members of this hobby.

It has been eighteen months since I was aware that Richard Tripp AKA Steel Dragons was recasting my products, which was in November 2010. A lot has transpired since then, which you can read about in the thread at the top of this forum. It took almost a year, with a "cease and desist" letter, plus several other letters between our attorneys to get him to remove my products of his web site. He finally removed my products and all other vender products in September 2011 and posted the statement on his web site shown below, which is still there today. To remove all the products he simply discounted the links to his product sales pages.

If you read this statement it implies that his failure to delivery products was due to venders not supplying him and that he was discontinuing relationship with these venders. The real truth is that these venders cut him off due to his unethical practices.

In January 2012 he reopened his product pages and all the vender parts were re-listed. I cannot speak for Armorpax, Panzerwerk, East Coast Armory and Steve Winstone, but I do know that he cannot supply many of my parts without recasting them, which I know he is doing. There is a slim chance he may still have some of my original products in stock, however my last delivery to him was in August 2010. He currently has about a hundred of my products listed on his site, some of which I have never delivered to him.

The products listed below on his site I know are recasts, for evidence of recast download the PDF file at the following link. The spread sheets at the same link shows a complete list of parts supplied to Steel Dragons since 2005, plus parts listed on his web site that I have never sent him. I have hundreds of hours of work in making the masters to cast these parts, he has just used my original castings to make molds and has been reaping the benifits from my hard work.

http://www.afceremonials.com/steeldragons/

TT05-01 Tiger 1 & Sturmtiger ‘U’ Shackle Set of 4 $30.00
TT05-03 Tiger II and Jagdtiger "U" Shackles Set of 4 $50.00
TT21 Tiger 1 Air Vent Early Type Deluxe Set $75.00
TT21A Tiger 1 Air Vent Early Type Basic Set $30.00
TT22 Tiger 1 and 2 Air Vent Late Type Deluxe Set $65.00
TT22A Tiger 1 and 2 Air Vent Late Type Basic Set $25.00
TT37K5 Tiger 1 and 2 Periscopes Cover Kit $45.00
PZIVUS Panzer IV/Hetzer 'U" Shackles Set of 4 $20.00

I also suspect these parts have been recast, but have no evidence to prove it, merely that the quantity of these parts I have supplied to him are so small and so long ago in many cases, he can not possibly offer them for sale and be able to deliver them, unless he is selling recasts.
TT05-02A Tiger I, II and Jagdtiger "C" Shackle Pair, with working wing nuts. $65.00
TT05-02B Tiger I, Tiger II and Panther "C" Shackles Pair assembled $35.00
TT37K3 Tiger 1 and 2 Periscopes Kit $160.00
TT37K4 Tiger 1 and 2 Periscopes Top Kit $60.00
TT37K6 Tiger 1 and 2 Cupola Exterior Detail Kit $155.00
Pan25 Panther and Jagdpanther "U" Shackles set of 4. $50.00
Gent022A Small Armored Hinge with Pin $2.50
Gent022B Spacer for Small Armored Hinges $1.00
Gent023 Small Armored Hinge with Hatch Stop Post and Pin $3.00
Gent024A Large Armored Hinge with Pin $3.00
Gent024B Spacer for Large Armored Hinges $1.00

Latest proof of recasting my products is on his Tiger 1 build page. I have no idea who he is building the FOA Tiger for, but the customer should be aware the he is using some of my recast parts to build it.

The recast parts he is using is my Tiger 1-2 late cupola, he has only had two of these from me, a complete one in 2008 (TT37) and a external detail one in 2010 (TT37K6) Yet he is offering TT37K3 ( Periscope Kit), TT37K4 ( Periscope Top Kit), TT37K5 (Periscope Cover Kit) and TT37K6 (Cupola Exterior Detail Kit) all of which he can recast from the cupolas I delivered to him.

The main evidence of have of this recasting is the periscope armored covers. I know these are recast as the casting lines of the front edge of the covers do not match the casting lines on my original. See comparison pictures below. As these parts are recast I must assume the whole cupola has been recast. The hatch arm appears to have been modified before casting, but it is still are recast.

Casting molds are like a finger print, none are exactly the same as you can never accurately control shape at the parting line of the rubber of a vulcanized mold, a professional mold maker can set the parting line were you want it, but it will always vary slightly. On the recast parts of the armored covers they are way off from my originals.

I have taken pictures of my armored covers freshly molded.

Armored covers still in mold, you can see the shape of the parting line in the mold and on the parts.

Armored covers still attached to casting ring.

Comparison picture of both castings.

Further proof that he is willing to recast any other manufactures parts. He is offering for sale FOA Tiger 1 track links in white metal. To my knowledge FOA never produced these in white metal and I was informed by a third party the he did not have permission to do this. These white metal links are clearly recasts of the original FOA links, they still have the FOA logo in them.

Here is a copy of a e-mail I received from one of my customers, name and address removed. I received this e-mail on Dec 17, 2010, as the customer met with Tripp 18 months earlier I can only assume by the statement made by Tripp to the customer that he has been recasting parts since mid 2008 and possibly a lot earlier.

All I have is photographic evidence of my parts being recast. What I really need to prove beyond doubt is a actual recast part or parts to inspect. If anyone has done business with Steel Dragons and purchased any of the parts listed here I would like to hear from them. I would like a photograph of the parts to determined if they look like recasts. If I feel they are I will pay all costs to have them sent to me, I will replace the parts with my originals and offer a $100.00 credit to purchase more parts from me to cover your time involved. Your name will not be used in any future posts or communications.

If you have been a victim of this person and want some payback, read my new post in the main topic of Steel Dragons at the top of this forum.

E-mail: toyrific@mindspring.com

Regards
Mike

 

[Rolling Thunder Tech]

As the past owner of FOA, we never produced any cast metal parts, and we also know that the current owner, Loic, also does not offer any cast parts.

Leonard
Rolling Thunder

 

[SgtUSMC]

What is the differance between FOA and BRA kits? Did a company named Douglas Models ever produce BRA kits?

 

[Sixth Vanguard]

What is the differance between FOA and BRA kits? Did a company named Douglas Models ever produce BRA kits?

Maybe Loic can explain better if he likes, but BRA kits became FOA kits.
Great Models / Douglas Models at one time owned FOA (and the formerly named BRA kits) and continued making the kits.
When Great Models/ Douglas Models was bought by the new owner Loic kept FOA and is still making and selling the kits as FOA.

http://www.fieldofarmortanks.com/

.

 

[SgtUSMC]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I had gotten an email from richard tripp stating that steel dragons had gotten the rights to start producing BRA kits under the steel dragons trademark.

 

[Rolling Thunder Tech]

Field of Armor was started by three people, Randy Killen, Lee Price and unfortunately I've forgotten the name of the third person. At that time, FOA was producing the Tiger tank and then the ill fated Sdkfz-251 version 1 kit. By that time, Randy had left FOA, and the other two were more business people and not modelers. With the version 1 kit, FOA had put most of their money into the kit which was difficult to build and was scaled incorrectly, which led to the company going out of business.

At that time our company Rolling Thunder was a dealer for FOA, amoung other brands. We were able to work with FOA to take over the Tiger kit and then produced the version 2 kit of the Sdkfz-251.

With the decline of the economy, we at Rolling Thunder could not justify the expense to produce other kits, although we did have drawings and templetes almost complete for the U.S. Halftrack and about seventy percent complete for the Chaffee. At this time, Randy was also beginning production of his very nice U.S. Halftrack kit, and we did not see a large enough market for two of the same vehicles.

Great Models was always interested in producing 1/6 scale kits and began producing the Battle Ready Armor (BRA) line up. Loic of Great Models approached us about buying the FOA name and products and adding them to the BRA line. This was a good fit for them, as BRA had not yet produced their own Tiger and '251 kits. There was also the possibility that if we did not sell, BRA could then produce their own version of the Tiger tank with metal, rather than ABS, and we would then face direct product competition.

So taking all into consideration, we decided to sell the FOA name and products to Loic, who recently has sold the Great Models company and will use his time and funds to expand the BRA line. The FOA name will probably be used for the entire product line, phasing out the BRA name.

As for Steel Dragon, they never contacted FOA, ourselves at Rolling Thunder or Great Models (as far as I know) to produce their own copies of our products. It is obvious that Steel Dragon would copy these products, just as they have done to Toyrific, Armorpax and Panzerwerks and not care about the morals or ethics concerning theft of intellectual or products rights.

Leonard
Rolling Thunder

 

[SgtUSMC]

Leonard,

Thank you for explaing all of that to me. So I guess I proof in hand about the way tripp operates. I just wish I would have known all of this before I paid him a large sum of money for products I will never get from him. I have a very bad habit ok not deleting many emails, and I have each and every email between him and I.

 

[loic]

SgtUSMC could you forward me the email from Steel Dragon AFV about his right to produce BRA kit under his name!

I am the owner of FOA

Loic Anthian
loic@fieldofarmortanks.com

 

[armorpax]

Based on pictures of the latest Steel Dragons jack parts I believe now without a shadow of doubt that Tripp is recasting. Up until now I have never been able to prove anything as all parts of mine shown have always been in the medium they were produced in. These new parts are in resin with clear mould marks and I have only ever produced them in metal.

All pictures and details have been downloaded and saved to my PC and I will be filling an interlectual property breach with Ebay on Monday morning. I will also be taking advice on what further action is available to me.

Regards

Dave

 

[Sourdoh]

It will be interesting to hear what eBay does about this. They have shown little interest in the subject of IP theft and re-casting in the past. I feel they see addressing these issues as removing some profit-producing sellers from their site. I think eBay feels that it isn't their job to police piracy so they do nothing.

 

[chamildav]

Guys, please remember that the threads in the cooler section are for those with personal experiences with the subjects to post in. Your opinions and comments are appreciated in the rest of the sections, but this area is only for those who have direct information on the threads subjects. Posting here is for those with actual direct dealings with the subject. Thanks for reading.