What are Airfix likely to give us next year?

[Foxbat]

And on that theme, next year is actually the the 70th anniversary of the Dambuster raid. I know the Dambuster Lanc is still available in the "gift pack", but it would be an appropriate time for a re-tooled version, along the lines of the Revell release (but without the mistakes).

You know, when I was writing that I *knew* I'd missed something obvious.

[Denford]

Keeping strictly to what I would expect Airfix might issue (and not what like them to). All 1/72

- ‘Dogfight Doubles’ P-51D and Me 109G.

- Another Spitfire: earlier this year I started a thread on this suggesting PRXl, but XlV got more votes. Much though I’d like to see a Vb it’s never been out of their catalogue so it makes no sense replacing it. Seafire 47 will surely come, but not on the heels of the Spitfire 22.

- What else for WWll? A new Blenhiem and early B-25 Mitchell are both long overdue and reasonably well known. So too is the F4F Wildcat, while the F2M Wildcat (the most produced version) has never been available in mainstream!

- Some possibilities for the Cold War: Sea Venom (FAA, RAN, Aeronavel markings), late F4U Corsair (USN/USMC, Banana Republic markings), FJ-4 Fury (lots of colourful markings). Outside chance of (Sea) Hornet, Venom, Meteor (4 or 8) Scimitar, 2 seat Hunter.

- Modern: not my area so I’ll leave it to others. Perhaps ‘Curiosity’ now exploring the surface of Mars.

.

[chaddy]

More likely they do a re-box with the Lanc and the Tornado as a gift set, both with 617 markings, though it could include the Vulcan too, and would be an "excuse" to scale down the Canberra B2/6 to 1/72.

Frankly, the last thing we need is more "gift sets". I know they have an appeal to some, and presumably sell well, but it's just a way of re-hashing old stuff.

Cheers

[Giorgio N]

Much though I’d like to see a Vb it’s never been out of their catalogue so it makes no sense replacing it.

.

IIRC the Gnat has always been present in their catalogue yet it was recently replaced, so there's hope for a new Vb ! More so as the sprues in the recent I/II contained the larger oil radiator of the Mk.V

Edited August 16, 2012 by Giorgio N

[modelldoc]

I decide for reconstrct old models for new versions:

Lancaster to York

Scout to Wasp

and the Canberra as a reissue

modelldoc

[Neil Lambess]

retool of 72nd Bristol superfreighter to Bristol freighter (much as they did with the friendship kit)

New 72nd comet racer........ (pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeee......... we will all re-buy the black magic and green uns again )

[Terry McGrady]

Airfix will release whatever the the Company thinks will be a money earner .

Some of the suggestions listed in all these types of posts can turn out to be somewhat esoteric and likely to sell poorly

I would LIKE to see an Avro Lincoln or a Tempest II/V/VI or DH Venom FB1/ 4 a much under-kitted A/C

Would these however be good money earners for the Company ?

How long is a piece of string ?

Cheers

Terry McGrady

[Dave Fleming]

What will Airfix give us?

Surprises probably! Who expected a P40B, A-4B, a new tool Gnat, Swordfish, or Harrier GR9?

[The Velociweiler]

Only partly tongue in cheek, as i know a little about the industry side of things, it may be that their "strategy" is to release what their planning guys have a personal interest in, the ability to get reasonable references for and a vague idea that they will sell a few of. Apart from the most basic market research that Spitfires, Bf109's and that sort of thing sells well, there isn't a lot of science in it. It's hard to calculate "successes" and "failures" but I suspect there are many of the latter.

Me - I'd like them to keep going through their old catalogue - like the Spitfire, Swordfish etc and I think they will do this.... runs on the board.

I'd agree with that, and that they'll do their best to maximise work already done elsewhere. I think they've already indicated that there will be a further addition to the Spitfire range but just thinking within the logical box on 1\72, I'd say a new Mossie, to take advantage of the work done on the 1\24 kit. Less likely, but possible might be a new Tornado - certainly someone within the Airfix offices would have pondered that in the recent past. Whether in 1\72 or 1\48 (I've not been keeping genuine tabs on this) it wouldn't surprise me to see a F-35B.

Reissues and new versions of recent kits, I'd say the earlier Lynxes in 1\48, a Red Arrows 'special' boxing comprising three of the new Gnat kits, paints, glue and Red Arrows DVD - summat like that. There's very little I could think of that would generate much interest from the classic era of Airfix. I doubt we'll see the ancient F-104 or Mirage returning but as a wild card guess, perhaps the Stirling matched up with a Horsa glider as a tug?

Other classic kits have certainly made an unexpected return - like the Beam Engine etc in recent years, so with the Olympics, it wouldn't surprise me to see a return of the Show Jumper kit, which I think legend insists was based on Princess Anne.

1\76 AFV's, maybe a Tiger or Jagdtiger, and for some reason it wouldn't surprise me to see either a new Centurion ( not just wishful thinking) and\or a new Sherman which would form the bases of several versions. Maybe a cast hull which will take in the potential to build the earlier versions, and with the seventieth of D-Day coming up in two years, such a new Sherman if prepared carefully, could comprise a sprue to build a DD version.

1\48 AFV's and armour, (I think they'll continue working on that range) either a Scorpion\Scimitar, Warrior or Challenger must be a good bet.

Just my tuppence worth.

[jenko]

1\48 AFV's and armour, (I think they'll continue working on that range) either a Scorpion\Scimitar, Warrior or Challenger must be a good bet.

Just my tuppence worth.

Good one!!!!

[pigsty]

Based on Airfix's previous performance and its reception, I predict that they will give us:

• ancient, tired, lovely old unbuildable rubbish
• new, eagerly awaited, brilliantly made unbuildable rubbish
• nothing that they were told people wanted (and so had a duty to produce)
• kits that should cost buttons because "the moulds have paid for themselves"
• the kit of the year
• any number of wasted opportunities
• something we didn't even realise we wanted and
• lots of red boxes.

[jenko]

Based on Airfix's previous performance and its reception, I predict that they will give us:

• ancient, tired, lovely old unbuildable rubbish
  
• new, eagerly awaited, brilliantly made unbuildable rubbish
  
• nothing that they were told people wanted (and so had a duty to produce)
  
• kits that should cost buttons because "the moulds have paid for themselves"
  
• the kit of the year
  
• any number of wasted opportunities
  
• something we didn't even realise we wanted and
  
• lots of red boxes.
  

Trying to get nominated for the "Cynic of the Year Award" are we Sean????

[pigsty]

Trying to get nominated for the "Cynic of the Year Award" are we Sean????

Nah. They let me keep the trophy a few years back.

[jenko]

Nah. They let me keep the trophy a few years back.

[Albeback52]

Based on Airfix's previous performance and its reception, I predict that they will give us:

• ancient, tired, lovely old unbuildable rubbish
  
• new, eagerly awaited, brilliantly made unbuildable rubbish
  
• nothing that they were told people wanted (and so had a duty to produce)
  
• kits that should cost buttons because "the moulds have paid for themselves"
  
• the kit of the year
  
• any number of wasted opportunities
  
• something we didn't even realise we wanted and
  
• lots of red boxes.
  

probably true!!

[kspriss]

Trying to re-rail this thread, as has been said before we will get new versions of kits that they know will sell and sell well..so I'm afraid we will have more spitfires, 109s f-16 to look forward to. That said there's usually something brand new and a little left field for us die hard fans. So I'd like to realistically see a scaling down of the Canberra and sea vixen. I for one would but them. In the fantasy realm an aew shackleton would be great as well as a repop of the buccaneer in 48th for the masochists like me out there

Steve

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Airfix also seem to like theme releases - witness the Lynxs, Merlin and the 48th modern Brit AFV stuff: The P-40 and A6M: The er...Wallace, AND Gromit The Canberras.

So - as they have a 1/72 Spit XIX - a Mk XIV with a new tool 190D might be an idea or even a 109K ( fits with their less well known marks of well known aircraft ).

Perhaps a Ki-84 to go up against the Mustang?

The other thing to look at is - whats due to turn up on the Warbird scene next year- either in new markings or as newly restored. That might give a clue to some potential reboxings.

Jonners

[Tornado]

Don't want to side track this thread, but I not brought airfix model aircraft that has been produced within the last 5 years, are they a lot better now??

Edited August 16, 2012 by Tornado

[Rev.Light]

Well, there is the sole surviving Buffalo that was dredged up from a lake in the Russia that ended up in the US of A after a great deal of back room dealing and 'skulduggery'. Now loaned to the Finns whilst the yanks decide what to do with it - a henious crime to paint it in anything other than its orignial Finnish markings. Personally they should restore it to flying condition as soon as possible and flight test it.

And then there is that P40 in the Desert - which mark was it? Would they be able to use any of the P40B kit to make a a later version?

Airfix are steadily improving, with the odd hiccup hear and there.

Edited August 16, 2012 by Rev.Light

[pigsty]

Don't want to side track this thread, but I not brought airfix model aircraft that has been produced within the last 5 years, are they a lot better now??

Largely, yes. My personal favourite is the 1/48 Sea Vixen, and the 1/72 Valiant is a nice bit of work too.

[Max Headroom]

All in 1/72

Tiger Moth (small and with a large choice of schemes)

CCF Havard (see above for reasons)

MiG 21 (MF or BIS to avoid clashing with Revell)

NO Hunter because Revell's is good and I wouldn't have thought their bean counters would consider the market could stand two.

A Phantom - not necessarily British (bean counters again).

JP5/Strikemaster

Trevor

[Learstang]

I would love them to make a Aew Mk2 Avro Shackleton 1:72 scale

I definitely second this suggestion!

Regards,

Jason

[hythe]

More variants of the new Skyhawk would seem likely, no? Although the existing Fujimi kits cover most of the bases quite nicely...

I don't get why Airfix never released a more modern Harrier 1 family (Kestrel, GR.1, AV-8A/C/S, GR.3) in 1/72 - that would strike me as an obvious seller, if they can top the Esci/Italeri variant (which only comes in GR.3 form nowadays)

Would a nice new accurate BAC Lightning, possibly scaled down from the lovely 1/48 kit, be a seller in 1/72, or has the Trumpeter kit already mopped up that demand, despite the flaws?

Will Airfix ever start upscaling some of their 1/48 kits to 1/32? Or downscaling from 1/24 in some cases...

I'd just love someone to sell a decent 1/72 A-1 Skyraider (including the AD-5/A-1E, please!) - the Hasegawa is near-impossible to find and costs north of £20 when you do! A 1/48 A-1E might also sell, you never know... This probably isn't so much a subject for Airfix, though, I know...

Would the earlier Brit-jets sell well in 1/48 from a name like Airfix? I'm thinking of the Meteor, Vampire, Venom and Sea Venom, in particular.

[tangerine_sedge]

Based on Airfix's previous performance and its reception, I predict that they will give us:

• ancient, tired, lovely old unbuildable rubbish
  
• new, eagerly awaited, brilliantly made unbuildable rubbish
  
• nothing that they were told people wanted (and so had a duty to produce)
  
• kits that should cost buttons because "the moulds have paid for themselves"
  
• the kit of the year
  
• any number of wasted opportunities
  
• something we didn't even realise we wanted and
  
• lots of red boxes.
  

As cynical as that is, it's not without a grain of truth

Although to defend Airfix, my 2 favourite builds of this year so far are the angel interceptor (ancient, tired, lovely old unbuildable rubbish) and the Gnat(new, eagerly awaited, brilliantly made unbuildable rubbish)!

To continue the game, my guesses are :

New tools :

1/72 me262

1/72 Mosquito

1/72 A new Mossie/me262 dogfight double

1/72 Victor - Headline model

1/48 Apache

re-release:

1/72 Thunderstreak

1/72 Mirage F1

1/72 Invader

[JMChladek]

Unbuildable rubbish eh? The Gnat indeed was the best piece of unbuildable rubbish that I have EVER built. If all rubbish built like it did, I wouldn't throw anything away.

More Skyhawk variants I could potentially see, but not necessarily in 2013. Only the wing sprue would be common as I see it (they put in tap holes for the outer wing pylons, which very few Bs ever utilized). Hobby Boss is also doing the E/F and M models in 1/72 (crap shoot as to what those will look like) and if they are good, that would limit Airfix as likely doing them as I see it (since E and F Scooters are already so common on the kit market).

I still think a Hunter has a shot. Sure, Revell's is great. But there are more than a few Hunter variants that could be done as I see it with another kit. Plenty of other companies have done Spitfires, Harriers, Hawks and Hurricanes in 1/72, but Airfix still does them because they know they sell since they are British. I see a Hunter as being no different. And with the multitude of schemes worn by the Hunter, it works perfect for the normal kit, the starter kit and the infamous gift set.

I'm going to let out a left field guess here for something. I'll probably be wrong, but I still have a tingling Spidey sense over it... a TBF/TBM/Avenger in 1/72. I built the old Airfix kit when I was a kid (MPC boxing as I recall) and it was a nice one back then. The Avenger has been done to death in 1/48, but practically untouched recently in 1/72 (I think Cyberhobby is working on one, but I'm not too keen on paying over $40 US dollars for it). The planes were used heavily in both the Pacific and the Atlantic during the U-Boat war, as well as immediate post war period. The release of the Zero seems to hint at a desire to cover other Pacific subjects and 2013 may have an anniversary or two as related to some Pacific campaigns in 1943. The size of the subject as I see it would price it about at the level of the Skyhawk, yet its size and detailing would be more consistent with a twin engine bomber such as a Blenheim or a B-25 and it would potentially make a good safe dive into the medium bomber market while the kiddies might love it since it still has only one engine (potentially easier to build).

So that will be my "prediction".