This may fit better in General modeling but I thought we ought to get a crack at it first. Can you believe it they are making laws to keep contractors from suing model and decal manufacturers.

SUMMARY AS OF:
2/28/2006--Introduced.

Military Toy Replica Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to require that any contract entered into or renewed by the Department of Defense include a provision prohibiting the contractor from requiring toy and hobby manufacturers, distributors, or merchants to obtain licenses from, or pay fees to, the contractor for the use of military likenesses or designations on items provided under the contract.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR04806:@@@L&summ2=m&

Here is what Revell had to say...This Bill is to keep us modelers from paying out the ying-yang for all the licensing, royalties.
http://www.revell.com/News_Viewer.ne...a9983d9.0.html

This appeared in the April 2006 copy of Scale Aircraft Modelling (SIG is a Special Interest Group):

"...With new products promised from several companies, modellers interested in UK military aircraft have plenty to celebrate. Elsewhere, bureaucratic machination has forced a change to the name and content of Scale Aircraft Modelling's regular column covering the UK's air force

The change to this column's title has been forced upon us by a Ministry of Defence licensing issue. The abbreviation 'RAF' and the words 'Royal Air Force' can no longer be used in a title describing a group - such as a SIG - without a license from the MoD. The procedures for satisfy­ing this requirement have proved to be swathed in red tape, expensive and unworkable. The trademark arrangements also cover the 'corporate roundel' and all logos used throughout the UK armed forces, each of which has to covered by a separate licence. The IPMS 'RAF' SIG has therefore now been dissolved. Hopefully this issue will eventually sort itself out and common sense will prevail, so that we can again concentrate on our hobby. In the meantime, let's enjoy some UK air arm modelling."


Makes me glad I use terms like BEF and RFC!!!

Yeah, this is been an ongoing debate for some time. The actual intent of the bill is to prohibit U.S. defense contractors from charging copyright or royalty fees to model companies which pass the costs on to us the buyers.
Congress doing something positive for modelers?
I will believe it if and when it becomes law.

Brian

Hi Stephen

Makes me proud to be British! I don't suppose there was any significance in it being the April edition of the magazine?...

All the best

Rowan

WOOHOOO!! Good one,Rowan! :-) :-) :-)

I am quite sure I don't know what you mean...he says coyly...where is that tongue in cheek smilie.

Over here it's been an on going battle.
The bill is basically to protect the tax payers who already got screwed with the forever never ending cost overruns from getting screwed a second time.

We all remember the amazing $275.00 dollar stanley hammer, and $600.00 toliet seat. Not to mention that $725.00 1/4in drive socket set!

I think we need to go back to the old days of "if you build it we may buy it." But we're tired of paying through the nose and out the errr other end.... for crap that does not work.

Hey tax payers...... our $350million project is finished and just rolled out.... sure looks pretty, to bad it can't fly, or drive, but for a mere $600 million more, I'm sure we could get the lights to work.

OK sorry... rant over......

An ongoing contention in the model railroad world is Union Pacific Railroad, who has sued manufacturers to prohibit them, without a licening agreement, from using UP's logos, livery, etc. on models, calendars, etc.--even as far back as 1800's railroad. UP has even come out with their "Heritage" locomotives, painted in colors and logos of the companies UP has merged. A cynical attempt at copyright protection, or a friendly PR campaign to remember the fallen flags?

And to think yeas ago the railroads would give model railroad manufacturers their paint chips and livery stats to encourage them to produce models of their railroads.