Naughty Airfix and Corgi and a Tornado F3

[Meatbox8]

Got all excited just now as the Airfix website has a Tornado F3 as a pre-order in 1/72.  Then I saw the price.  £76.99!!!!!

 

Anyway, turns out to be a Corgi die cast so panic over.  However, I wonder whether this is a precursor to a new tool F3 kit.  I also wonder whether it 'leaked' in to the Airfix site from the Corgi one.  I also wonder who would spend £76.99 on a 1/72 die cast model, or maybe I'm just tight-fisted. 

[Col.]

Hmmm. Perhaps a test to gauge reaction and see if it would be worthwhile doing the work required for a new kit? The answer, by the way Airfix, is yes!

[Meatbox8]

36 minutes ago, Col. said:

Hmmm. Perhaps a test to gauge reaction and see if it would be worthwhile doing the work required for a new kit? The answer, by the way Airfix, is yes!

Abso-blummin-lootely.

[PhantomBigStu]

12 hours ago, Meatbox8 said:

Got all excited just now as the Airfix website has a Tornado F3 as a pre-order in 1/72.  Then I saw the price.  £76.99!!!!!

 

Anyway, turns out to be a Corgi die cast so panic over.  However, I wonder whether this is a precursor to a new tool F3 kit.  I also wonder whether it 'leaked' in to the Airfix site from the Corgi one.  I also wonder who would spend £76.99 on a 1/72 die cast model, or maybe I'm just tight-fisted. 

 

 

Tools been out a few years, I own two of the earlier releases, if airfix are going to do it they better update the CAD, corgi stuffed the nose up. As for the prices, yep one of the reasons I'm an ex diecast collector for the most part, though I'm not totally out the market, there are some cracking toolings, and releases still out there and occasional bargains. 

 

As for whether I'd tale a new tool from airfix, the answer is a yes. 

 

 

 

11 hours ago, Col. said:

Hmmm. Perhaps a test to gauge reaction and see if it would be worthwhile doing the work required for a new kit? The answer, by the way Airfix, is yes!

 

 

More likely just an a cockup it appearing on the airfix section

Edited April 4, 2017 by PhantomBigStu

[Albeback52]

Well, I'm actually quite surprised that thus far, Airfix have actually chosen NOT to give us a brand new tool Tornado or, for that matter a Eurofighter Typhoon. Still, plenty time yet!!

 

Allan

[PhantomBigStu]

1 hour ago, Albeback52 said:

Well, I'm actually quite surprised that thus far, Airfix have actually chosen NOT to give us a brand new tool Tornado or, for that matter a Eurofighter Typhoon. Still, plenty time yet!!

 

Allan

Well I'm not, there focusing on the core demographic of those old guys who built airfix as kids, so modern stuff is not in there radar it seems 

[Albeback52]

19 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

Well I'm not, there focusing on the core demographic of those old guys who built airfix as kids, so modern stuff is not in there radar it seems 

Fair comment. I'm not actually complaining as I like what Airfix is doing regarding their subject matter. Just bought a job lot of JP 3s to go with the Xtradecal sheet so, hopefully a JP 5 will follow soon!.

 

Allan

[Graham Boak]

23 hours ago, PhantomBigStu said:

Well I'm not, there focusing on the core demographic of those old guys who built airfix as kids, so modern stuff is not in there radar it seems 

 

One guideline to their thinking, that Airfix have given us, is that they are replacing those of their older kits which have sold so well that the moulds are now worn.  That does rather point in the direction of subjects that were around when these old tools were made.  As they are making other subjects, it doesn't actually rule out doing more modern subjects (as they have in their ships, for example), but it does bias their product line somewhat.  Some of the others in their range seem to be directed (perhaps not deliberately!) at replacing those kits that were in the old Frog range but not in Airfix's, but that points away from recent types too.

 

However, I don't think that their (rather nice) JP5 tooling will have reached that stage yet!

[Meatbox8]

8 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

 

One guideline to their thinking, that Airfix have given us, is that they are replacing those of their older kits which have sold so well that the moulds are now worn.  That does rather point in the direction of subjects that were around when these old tools were made.  As they are making other subjects, it doesn't actually rule out doing more modern subjects (as they have in their ships, for example), but it does bias their product line somewhat.  Some of the others in their range seem to be directed (perhaps not deliberately!) at replacing those kits that were in the old Frog range but not in Airfix's, but that points away from recent types too.

 

However, I don't think that their (rather nice) JP5 tooling will have reached that stage yet!

I hope their Hunter FGA.9 has though.

[PhantomBigStu]

25 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

 

One guideline to their thinking, that Airfix have given us, is that they are replacing those of their older kits which have sold so well that the moulds are now worn.  That does rather point in the direction of subjects that were around when these old tools were made.  As they are making other subjects, it doesn't actually rule out doing more modern subjects (as they have in their ships, for example), but it does bias their product line somewhat.  Some of the others in their range seem to be directed (perhaps not deliberately!) at replacing those kits that were in the old Frog range but not in Airfix's, but that points away from recent types too.

 

However, I don't think that their (rather nice) JP5 tooling will have reached that stage yet!

 

That does change things a bit, obvious there not just focusing on their own back cat, I suspect as well as frog, there also looking at the MB field. So perhaps we may see a tornado from them one day, though I suspect their mould isn't worn yet based on the one I brought from the latest boxing, pity as it should be retired as its naff (as is the abomination that is their eurofighter) . 

[Graham Boak]

I don't see many examples where new Airfix have picked Matchbox subjects that weren't in the old Airfix line, but perhaps I'm missing some.  Whereas we have Frog favourites such as the Shackleton, Whitley, Javelin and Sea Vixen.  But I'm not saying that this is a deliberate matter of policy: they are just promising subjects.  For the "Golden Age" of the 60s-70s, 1950s aircraft were not new and not WW2, so not popular, whereas they are now old enough to get nostalgic about, and Airfix do seem to be deliberately addressing that period.  If it sells, good for them.  Whereas modern types are fewer on the ground than in almost any previous period, and have much less in the way of variety of markings and camouflage.  In short, despite being in the media and thus drawing attention, they just aren't as interesting as modelling subjects to many.

 

In particular, given the Hornby Group's current problems, a worn tool means a popular subject.  It sold well, it will do again.  A new subject is stepping into the comparatively unknown, and there are a lot of competitors producing the same subjects.  If the Board says "But you've already got one in your range" you haven't got the hard evidence to show that you must have another.  But never mind: in 20-30 years time it will be the Tornado that people get nostalgic about and the good kits will appear.

[PhantomBigStu]

19 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

I don't see many examples where new Airfix have picked Matchbox subjects that weren't in the old Airfix line, but perhaps I'm missing some.  Whereas we have Frog favourites such as the Shackleton, Whitley, Javelin and Sea Vixen.  But I'm not saying that this is a deliberate matter of policy: they are just promising subjects.  For the "Golden Age" of the 60s-70s, 1950s aircraft were not new and not WW2, so not popular, whereas they are now old enough to get nostalgic about, and Airfix do seem to be deliberately addressing that period.  If it sells, good for them.  Whereas modern types are fewer on the ground than in almost any previous period, and have much less in the way of variety of markings and camouflage.  In short, despite being in the media and thus drawing attention, they just aren't as interesting as modelling subjects to many.

 

In particular, given the Hornby Group's current problems, a worn tool means a popular subject.  It sold well, it will do again.  A new subject is stepping into the comparatively unknown, and there are a lot of competitors producing the same subjects.  If the Board says "But you've already got one in your range" you haven't got the hard evidence to show that you must have another.  But never mind: in 20-30 years time it will be the Tornado that people get nostalgic about and the good kits will appear.

Probably just my ignorance of the frog range making me think there looking at the MB backcat. Would definitely like to see airfix add more modern RAF subjects as well. New tools of the Tornado and Jaguar to go alongside there harriers would be very nice. Would also love them to do a go at the eurofgihter given the revell new tool has not solved the probelms of the first one, and Hasegawa's is no longer as reasonable to buy direct thanks to the brexit devaluing of the pound. Still there definitely not averse to modern subjects as the fact they did the Harrier GR7/9. One can hope. I'm already nostalgic over the Jaguar and Harrier, and really sad the tornado will be gone soon. 

[Meatbox8]

11 minutes ago, PhantomBigStu said:

Probably just my ignorance of the frog range making me think there looking at the MB backcat. Would definitely like to see airfix add more modern RAF subjects as well. New tools of the Tornado and Jaguar to go alongside there harriers would be very nice. Would also love them to do a go at the eurofgihter given the revell new tool has not solved the probelms of the first one, and Hasegawa's is no longer as reasonable to buy direct thanks to the brexit devaluing of the pound. Still there definitely not averse to modern subjects as the fact they did the Harrier GR7/9. One can hope. I'm already nostalgic over the Jaguar and Harrier, and really sad the tornado will be gone soon. 

It would be great to see new tools of all the above.  As you say, the Hasegawa Typhoon is really expensive.  It would also give Airfix the opportunity to tool a Typhoon with all the latest upgrades re weapons etc.  In a way it's odd that they haven't produced new kits of the Tonka, in either form, bearing in mind how much it's been in the public eye in the last 20 years or so.  I remember buying the MRCA kit back in the seventies and I believe their Tornado GR1 kit is essentially the same mould.  As for the MB back cat, I always thought they produced some of the most interesting and unusual subjects for a mainstream but, I suppose, it didn't work for them having gone bust.   I wonder if Airfix would consider a Meteor nightfighter variant, surely one of MB's most popular kits.