Jump to content

Airfix 1/72 Phantom FG1


Rob P

Recommended Posts

8 hours ago, ICMF said:

 

 

 

I also think you'll find that the costs of research, development and production have plummeted substantially, not risen.  It is far cheaper to tool a model kit in 2017 than it was in 1987.  

Have you any facts to back that up ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CAD licenses are not cheap and have to be renewed annually.

CAM licenses are not cheap and have to be renewed annually.

Scanning software is not cheap and have to be renewed annually.

CAD techs are not cheap to employ and require constant training.

The cost of styrene has risen significantly.

The cost of shipping has risen signifcantly.

The price of cutting steel may have slightly dropped.

Wages has risen significantly over that period.

 

You decide?

 

Thomo.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some of these have appeared on ebay now guys

 

One seller (jadlam) is listing as a pre order but the other sellers are not and are stating a 3-4 day delivery

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does Airfix (Hornby) design the mould tooling?

 

Or do they design the Model and the Tooling manufacturer in China (or wherever) does the tool design and manufacture?

 

I thought about the missing vent issue a bit.

 

Hornby right now are in the midst of some financial issues. There is a whole body of published info and market indicators to suggest this.

 

The kit as tooled doesn’t have the vents based on the test shot images, the build in AMW and the colour scheme schematics which don’t show them, these will be based on the CAD model I think.

 

What a lot of you are hoping is the tooling is revised and the vents added. 

 

While Airfix have retooled stuff in the past based on enthusiast feedback. That was in more financially stable times.. Can we see em doing that at the moment?

 

To revise the tool will be an expense. The balance Airfix will make is. Is this cost of the revision going to result in significantly more sales.

 

Model companies don’t exist to produce the ultimate in accuracy. The exist to sell kits. Accuracy is one of the things they have to do to sell stuff. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Plasto said:

Does Airfix (Hornby) design the mould tooling?

 

Or do they design the Model and the Tooling manufacturer in China (or wherever) does the tool design and manufacture?

 

I thought about the missing vent issue a bit.

 

Hornby right now are in the midst of some financial issues. There is a whole body of published info and market indicators to suggest this.

 

The kit as tooled doesn’t have the vents based on the test shot images, the build in AMW and the colour scheme schematics which don’t show them, these will be based on the CAD model I think.

 

What a lot of you are hoping is the tooling is revised and the vents added. 

 

While Airfix have retooled stuff in the past based on enthusiast feedback. That was in more financially stable times.. Can we see em doing that at the moment?

 

To revise the tool will be an expense. The balance Airfix will make is. Is this cost of the revision going to result in significantly more sales.

 

Model companies don’t exist to produce the ultimate in accuracy. The exist to sell kits. Accuracy is one of the things they have to do to sell stuff. 

 

 

I think after LADAR scanning Duxford's phantom they go back over the image and take out bits not practical for moulding, and as you said, they're showing some financial issues so you'll find they may want to chuck the kits out as quickly as they can to make as much money as possible. Hence, they may remove the vents for ease of moulding and also because I don't think you're really going to miss them in 72nd. Because, if you take the 1/72 scale literally, if you see the real thing 72x further away then normal, you're not really going to see much of the vents.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, The_Lancaster said:

Probably gonna order a few of these!! Regardless of vents missing or otherwise, half hoping maybe at Christmas they'll announce RAF variants. They'll only need to chuck in new decals and maybe a new sprue with a Vulcan gun pod and other under-wing goodies

On the assumption that the RAF version will follow in due course, I think it more than likely that the appropriate goodies will be added.

 

Allan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So based on some CAD images, the CAD render and the pre-release test shot made in AMW, it appears that the Airfix kit does not to give us the intake boundary layer bleed vents or some vents that the Fujimi kit did.

 

Based on the AMW article, we do know the Airfix kit gives us folded wings, posable slats and flaps, a removable radome with a radar antenna plus some other goodies which the Fujimi kit does not.

 

I don't see anyone criticising the Fujimi kit for not having these options all of which were possible back when it was released.

 

I think I'll wait and see what the production kit is like before I criticise the Airfix kit.

 

Remember, it is only a hobby.

Edited by Wez
extra text
  • Like 9
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've been warned about the way this thread is heading on at least one occasion already gang so perhaps we need to reserve our judgement and vitriol until such time as the kit is on general release and the reviews of the production kits are widespread. Then, based on that knowledge, vote with our wallets. If you like what you see and read then buy it. If, however, you do not then turn your attention to some of the other kits in your stash or the shelves of your LMS/favourite on-line retailer. In the meantime let's calm the rhetoric and stick to the facts please.

Edited by Col.
  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Julien locked this topic
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...