Denford

Take up bridge. Inexpensive (our local club charges £5 for a 3 hour session), keeps the mind active, and you will meet all sorts of people. Through bridge contacts I have had translations into Polish (for my cleaner), Korean (a note to Wolfpack design), and Japanese. I've found a plumber and someone to sort out my computer problems too. On the domestic scene, four cups of coffee and a packet of biscuits can provide an evenings' entertainment for four, though we generally drink something a little stronger! I've now started giving limited tuition, and yes, there's a member who as a corporate lawyer has given me advice on copyright issues!

A former director of Lines Bros told me that the Soviet Union wouldn't take aircraft of 'faschist' powers. Some of these eg Me410 are now with Revell. Don't know about Harold Wilson: good story though!

Don't overlook the effect of the falling £ . For example, the cost of my holiday to India (where the actual moulding, packing etc takes place) had to be increased because when I booked there were 100 rupees to the pound, and when I left only 80! I'm sure the same applies to China where the moulds are made, and probably others too eg Cartograph (I believe Italian with the strengthening Euro). However all is not doom and gloom as although the UK prices may have risen, overseas should have fallen, or at least held firm.

Others may be able to be more specific, but I think the USAAF sometimes replaced the ball turret with BTO (bombing thru' overcast) radar. The name 'Mickey' comes to mind. Perhaps a reissue with that, with airborne lifeboat (B-17H) though later re-designated SB-17G, and maybe any other suitable variations too.

An absolute non Starter. Airfix don’t yet even have (in 1/72) any of the main UK front-line fighter defence aircraft 1945-65! There are F-86 on and various MiG’s aplenty, but no Meteor, Hunter and early Lightning! Throw in the Tempest, Vampire, Venon, and perhaps Javelin too. Which ones would a Yak outsell? And I haven’t even mentioned the many, many other types long overdue for re-tooling: Battle, Firefly, Avenger, Dauntless and many more. Would a Yak outsell any of these either? I very much doubt it. As usual, there’s the footnote ‘A Yak by Dacoplast makes no money for Airfix’. Why always Airfix: please explain yourself. It makes no money for Revell Germany, Eduard, Zvezda, Trumpeter, Academy or Hasegawa either. If it would be such a big seller, why not approach those Companies and ask them? And if you don’t speak/write German, Czech, Russian, Chinese, Korean or Japanese, be prepared to pay someone to do the correspondance for you. I did this for Wolfpack (though I didn’t have to pay). Interesting that KP turned your request down flat.

I don't think Airfix/Hornby Hobbies or any other company would work quite like that. Person or persons have to approve the Capital Expenditure and other features before 'Go ahead' would be given. Airfix can only put forward costed recommendations (perhaps in response to Market Research's ideas) for others to approve. Ideally more than the budget, so a choice can be made.

Indeed, quite possible (perhaps even more likely than a new tool Vulcan) but not now. Large investment (as it's large aircraft) 3? years from go-ahead to retail sales; from what I've read Airfix/Hornby Hobbies just aren't in a financial position to undertake such a project. Pity as it would have been a 'relevant' subject, meeting what I perceive to be Airfix's criteria for selection, which you've so well noted.

TSR 2 was not tooled by 'present' Airfix, so shouldn't really be included. Swift: yes I agree, but this is one of the Airfix's 'speculative' choices and several years ago at that. Things have changed, sadly for the worst, since then.

Should perhaps headed my categories with "And remember, Airfix are there to make money, and not to provide those subjects justified as being: .... Actually IMHO, the Beaufort doesn't come out too badly on the criteria that Airfix appear to use: - Multiple users (RAF and RAAF) - Different colour schemes (RAF and RAAF) - I think different build variations: engines? extensions to rear of engine nacelles? I'm no expert and can't find much data. Only limitation is rather limited use compared to Blenheim and Beaufighter which replaced it. Not impossible, nor front rank

All this makes pretty dismal reading: I had no idea the situation was so bad. Don't know how Pheonix will manage the situation. However this reinforces my contention that 2018 will be a very lean year perhaps with only 3 or 4 'new tools', all small or smallish, and with potential for at least one further variant. Definitely no 1/24 as one hopeful suggested nor 13 x 1/48 subjects from another! These are all capital investments with no return for 2-3 years, and I suspect the need is for a quicker return than that. To Black Knight's earlier post, I did have a list of 2017 release dates, most probably from Hannants. Me 262: no date Walrus: July Mustang: August Sea Fury: September Phantom: October Now I know that some designers left (perhaps because salaries were being kept right down) and this surely caused a delay through recruitment, training etc, not entirely due to the trading situation. In an organisation having fewer than 10 (true Airfix rather than Corporate) anyone leaving will have an impact and is irretrievably lost ground and the returns that might have come sooner.

If you say so, but Hannants website shows AEW Shackleton and Meteor F8 both for July release, Defiant Aug, and Walrus September: well it can still make it! Hannants can surely only get these dates from Airfix, from whom they will doubtless have placed orders.

Have to admit that I don't go to the length of taking notes, only work from memory! As I recall, the 262 was due June and something else too, don't remember. Original release dates may well have been revised, but that's hardly being on schedule! Something else was due August, another in Sept, but no suggestions of any more imminent releases this month. Would be surprised if a few didn't 'drift over' into 2018: I'm not complaining, just want them to stay afloat! If they really are on schedule, that's fine, but curious that the first 2018 release isn't due till May.

Don’t expect too much of Airfix in 2018: they are already way behind on their 2017 releases which will surely extend well into next year. The only 2018 subject so far (and therefore presumably the first to be released) is the Wellington due in May. Also after a fair ‘run’ of 1/48, expect rather more 1/72: also being smaller, there can be more of them especially if small! I’d say no more than 4-5 subjects with only one in 1/48. Even so, from May, 5 would represent a new release every 6 weeks, which is roughly what has been achieved in the past. Analysis by others have shown that past ‘selections’ to be 1 Luftwaffe, 1 Jet, 1 US type and the rest RAF/FAA, WW11 and early Cold War. To that I’ll add 1 totally unexpected: Kate, Walrus, Javelin, Swift. There are also ‘reworks’ for want of a better word of existing kits eg Blenheim, He111, Whitley, B-17 issued with new, different, parts to give a different variant. B-25 and Wellington have this potential. A lesser consideration is the potential for ‘Starter Sets’, ‘Dogfight Doubles’. A Tempest V (to be developed into ll and Vl of course) would make a fine opponent for a Me262. And there has to be variety: so no Hampden (though it will surely come) as a Wellington has already been announced. Likewise no new Vulcan (if it ever does come) as the Victor is still ‘Active’. So what does this give? 2 seat Me262 for sure. A different variant of Victor if that’s possible. A scale up\down perhaps? 1/72 Meteor 8 is the obvious choice. Types with good ‘rework’ potential. This bodes well for the Mosquito, P-38, Hunter and many more. There must be a variety of paint schemes, users or the like for whatever is chosen. And remember, Airfix are there to make money, and not to provide for: ‘No line up would be complete without it’ ‘A significant aircraft in (British) Aviation’ ‘A Scruggs Wonderplane by XYZ makes no money for Airfix’ ‘So many have been asking for this for so long’ And when? With some 8 weeks to Telford, maybe one announcement before, one after, and the balance at the show.

That adds considerable 'weight' to the answer you got.

An easy to understand, concise, explanation: thank you. Are you able to say how the Xl 'fits into the scheme'?