History
Dragon was established in 1987, as a sister company to model retailer Universal Models Limited (UML), to manufacture plastic model kits according to its own designs, so that UML would be less reliant on imported products. For the next decade Dragon focused only on models of military vehicles. It later began to share distribution agreement with model companies of other countries, so that their products could be exported worldwide. Since its founding it has released more than 1,000 items.
In 1997 Dragon diversified into other model fields. It started manufacturing a line of 1/400 airliner models called Dragon Wings, which is now one of Dragon's most important series. In 1999, Dragon introduced its styrene, 1:6 scale New Generation Life Action Figure series. The series currently encompasses more than 600 releases.
To capitalize on the success of Dragon Wings, Dragon introduced the Warbirds in 2002. A line of 1/72 scale diecast fighter aircraft, the series included both World War II and modern day planes. In 2003 Dragon began to manufacture 1/72 die-cast tank models to accompany Warbirds, marketed with the label "Dragon Armor".
As a military model maker, Dragon is distinguishable from other makers in that Dragon often has most number of parts, i.e. catering toward top end experienced modellers, rather than beginners. However, Dragon is also trying to appeal to the more casual audience through its current release of 'Smart Kits' (see below).
Read more about this topic: Dragon Models Limited
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“If usually the “present age” is no very long time, still, at our pleasure, or in the service of some such unity of meaning as the history of civilization, or the study of geology, may suggest, we may conceive the present as extending over many centuries, or over a hundred thousand years.”
—Josiah Royce (1855–1916)
“No one can understand Paris and its history who does not understand that its fierceness is the balance and justification of its frivolity. It is called a city of pleasure; but it may also very specially be called a city of pain. The crown of roses is also a crown of thorns. Its people are too prone to hurt others, but quite ready also to hurt themselves. They are martyrs for religion, they are martyrs for irreligion; they are even martyrs for immorality.”
—Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874–1936)
“I believe my ardour for invention springs from his loins. I can’t say that the brassiere will ever take as great a place in history as the steamboat, but I did invent it.”
—Caresse Crosby (1892–1970)