New mag?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I am making a business case for a new military vehicle magazine, covering CMPs and other countries' vehicles. I would like to know if there is any interest in foreign-language versions, e.g. French, German, Norwegian? It is very likely to proceed especially with the backing of Mr Ask!

Are there any prospective overseas distributors please? That includes Canada, US, Netherlands, Australia, and NZ.

[Keith Webb]

Hi David

There are a couple of distributors I can think of - The Technical Bookshop in Melbourne were the Wheels and Tracks distributor here, but the biggest one (who distribute nationally through newsagencies) is Gordon and Gotch.
A friend of mine is the editor of "Flightpath" magazine, a specialist warbird mag to which I contribute occasionally - they are part of a larger publishing group - I'll have a talk to him if you like.

Good to hear you're planning something like this!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

The idea is to creare something like WHEELS & TRACKS for the modern age, and possibly in non-English languages. Do our Francophone Canadian friends want a Francais version?

[Brian Gough]

David,

I for one sure miss Wheels & Tracks. Fortunately some
of that void is filled by contributors to this Forum.

The Canadian distributors for W & T was:

Vanwell Publishing Limited,
P.O. Box 2131
1 Northrup Crescent
St. Catharines, ON L2R 7S2
CANADA
sales@vanwell.com

You might find it worthwhile to contact them. They provide
excellent service and now have a lot of military history titles.
From one of their catalogs, "In addition to our own titles,
we act as a distributor for many publishers from the UK,
USA and other countries. Contact us anytime regarding
our program, manuscripts or specific requests."

Good luck with this.

Brian

[Crewman]

When it comes to distribution of the magazine you may negotiate with Warsaw-based Pelta company, the publishing house and the owner of the greatest military books bookstore in Poland.

For more information:
Pelta
ul. Swietokrzyska 16
PL 00-950 Warsaw
Phone +48 (22) 827-66-14, 828-57-78, 828-34-86
Fax +48 (22) 826-91-86
E-mail pelta@warman.com.pl


They are the greatest military books importer in Poland. They have majority of world magazines dedicated to tanks and military vehicles. What they sell you may see here:
http://www.pelta.com.pl/ksiazki-obce.html

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by David_Hayward
I am making a business case for a new military vehicle magazine, covering CMPs and other countries' vehicles.

David, I´d love to see a worthy successor of Wheels & Tracks! But the threshold to surpass W&T is very, very high. Bart told me W&T was only marginally profitable, probably because the number of ads were kept very low. I recently cancelled my subscription to one of the two leading mags, simple because there were too many ads and the articles were either rehashes of subjects found in W&T, very thin or simply plain wrong! And much of my craving for HMV´s is satisfied here.

I would like to know if there is any interest in foreign-language versions, e.g. French, German, Norwegian?

Forget about publishing in Dutch. There are a number of very good French magazines against which you will have to compete. I don't know about Germany or Norway.

If you are going to make it happen, I herewith promise to take a subscription!

H.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

And oh, apparently Canada is a difficult market. Then again, they should be able to understand English, eh?

On the CMP mailing list, Marc Montgomery of Convoy Magazine wrote
Im at a crossroads here. I wonder if Canadian HMV community needs or wants a Canadian magazine about our hobby and history?

A country like Norway for example, has about 1/4 of our population, yet 10 times as many subscribers to their national HMV hobby magazine.

Convoy takes a huge amount of work as I try to produce a professional result, but I cant afford to keep supporting it on my own.

As such it's on the verge of dying just like other Canadian efforts before it.

This leads me back to the original question of whether its worth the time money and effort, whether Canada can afford its own magazine, or cares?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Professor Alan Earnshaw echoes all the comments about W&T and reminds that it was only sold in the UK by mail order or in specialist shops. One thing we have to do is cut down the adverts, and also take on board contributions from MLU members particulalrly!

At least we have the resources and also the means to maintain as much accuracy as possible.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

May I please plug the 'new' re-launched VINTAGE ROADSCENE magazine, which incorporates a military vehicle article each month written by me, and also from the next issue a civilian article written under a pseudonym? Copies can be sent anywhere and I am making enquiries about existing distributors overseas. The issue is out now!!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Vintage Roadscene details


If we can achieve the same result with a military magazine then it should appeal to MLU members, those most discerning of mag buyers! I am I have just found out, an Assistant Editor!

Originally posted by Hanno Spoelstra
I recently cancelled my subscription to one of the two leading mags, simple because there were too many ads and the articles were either rehashes of subjects found in W&T, very thin or simply plain wrong!

Its worrying.
At least you could trust W&T, either it was accurate or corrected in a following issue.

Its worrying that where you have access to real and proven info, some articles are horrendously wrong in multiple respects and experience shows that letters of correction are ignored. I note a current case of the centre-fold two page spread with text detailing the German Sd.Kfz. 138/2 Jagdpanzer 38(t) 'Hetzer', however, the huge picture is of a Swiss G-13, easily spotted by the muzzle brake as the gun is entirely different, let alone the various non-Wehrmacht, Swiss fittings on the glacis plate.

It therefore brings into question all the articles on things you don't know about, assuming the same level of inaccuracy applies throughout, then it is likely the reader could be seriously misled.

R.

[dougiebarder]

If the magazine being refered toas one of the two leading magazines is a "classic",I can't agree more. Some of the articles are blatent adverts. I've already E-mailed and threatened to cancel my subscription,and if/when your's comes out I probably will.
Good luck with the project.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

The problem was that W & T could often take some time to correct erroneous text, and look how long the WIFO saga went on!

[sapper740]

Are there any prospective overseas distributors please? That includes Canada, US, Netherlands, Australia, and NZ. [/B][/QUOTE]

For the U.S. you might try:

Pictorial Histories Publishing Co. Inc.

phpc@montana.com

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I have just finished this amateurish website for Nostalgia Road Publications. Check the link for details about all books and my forthcoming series of military vehicles books.


NOSTALGIA ROAD

[Phil Waterman]

Just took a quick look through look very interesting. Keep us posted on the After the War Was Over and the advance notice.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Wilco...watch this space.