Airfix 2018

[cathasatail]

What I want: 1:72 Vulcan, 1:72 F35b*, 1:72 Tornado GR4 (to commemorate its pending withdrawal from service).

 

What I expect: 1:72 Hunter, another spitfire of some kind (I quite like the Spitfire but I'm more a modern jet person), probably a Victor K2 (whether that's a new kit or a conversion set as seen with the Valiant, I don't know) and probably something 1:72 WW2 either German or U.S.

 

 

*Yes I like the F35b, shocking I know

[Dave Fleming]

In 1/24th scale, a Camel would be nice (A Pup even nicer)

[Max Headroom]

Didn't Airfix say they would cover all Spitfire marks????

 

Trevor

[The_Lancaster]

My (hopefully obvious to airfix) choices:

1/48 Phantom FGR.2 (or other variants UK)

 

1/72 Me262 variants, just got hold of airfix's new one and it's got drop tanks...?

 

1/72 B-17F

 

1/72 Buccaneer???

 

and of course the new tooled Vulcan everyone's been whittling on about for donkey's years

 

[SeaVenom]

About time we had a new Halifax in 1/72 and Vampires, Venoms and Sea Venoms in 1/48th.

[Cammer625]

1/72 Spitfire VC - nothing around at the moment so no competition. Money earner.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Cammer625
Can't spell for nuts!

[Lightningboy2000]

Shouldn't there be a poll of some kind attached to this thread?

I want..

1/72 Buccaneer. Remember when news of the Airfix Shackleton first came about. Shortly after another company decided they wanted to release one.

       Maybe the same will happen with the Buccaneer.

1/72 Single seat Venom, seen other posts requesting a kit so evidently it does have some popularity

1/72 Republic F-84F Thunderstreak & Thunderflash. Yes I know exactly what your thinking, I keep harping on about it but we do NEED ONE! Airfix did a nice 1/72 Douglas A-4 Skyhawk so they can do another 1/72 American fighter jet can't they?

1/72 Hawker Hunter, there's only one other decent kit and that's starting to get hard to find.

1/72 Supermarine Scimitar

1/72 Canberra B2 - I'm looking forward to Telford for that one!

[RussellE]

I may have mentioned this before but I think a 1/24 kit is about due to be announced at Telford.

I hope it's a new tool Spit to commemorate Airfix's 75th birthday and the Spitfire's 80th birthday (of entry into service). Yer, I know, there'll be those who lament another spitfire, but hear me out. Imagine it done to the standard of the Typhoon. Perhaps a MkIX! And if done right, with the correct parts break down, llater on down the track it be released as other marks. Well, I can dream can't i?

 

If not that, then a 1/48 Hunter would be my next guess.

[PhantomBigStu]

I agree the time does seems right for a new 1/24, Still I'm hoping for the new vulcan. 

[Denford]

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.

[Black Knight]

34 minutes ago, Denford said:

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. 

Really?

By my notes Airfix have released everything new in either the month they said this year or a couple of items have been issued early

What new tool kits do you know have been late?

[Denford]

3 minutes ago, Black Knight said:

Really?

By my notes Airfix have released everything new in either the month they said this year or a couple of items have been issued early

What new tool kits do you know have been late?

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.

[Black Knight]

According to the Airfix release programme for 2017 issues the Messerschmitt 262 was always scheduled for release in September

Also scheduled for September was the RAF B-17, which became available during last week

[Denford]

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.

[vppelt68]

A new Bristol Beaufort would be nice extension to current Bristol twins. I think there should be enough commercial iinterest for BoB era Ju 88 versions like A-1 and A-6 to continue the Luftwaffe twins lineup too. No, we don't have those available as im kits. V-P

P.S. And let's keep the hope for a new Yak-9 alive

[Gary C]

3 hours ago, Black Knight said:

Really?

By my notes Airfix have released everything new in either the month they said this year or a couple of items have been issued early

What new tool kits do you know have been late?

The P-51D was meant to be July although I think it may have been even earlier than that. Either way even Hornby themselves have admitted that products have been delayed as mentioned in the profits warning issued a couple of days ago.

 

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent-business/county-news/model-maker-hornby-shares-plummet-after-warning-weak-summer-sales-sandwich-kent-131676/

 

If things carry on the same way to the end of the year then there will be real difficulties. They've already been to the shareholders twice, sold off property and been to the bank. It's hard to see where money is going to come from if they can't generate it themselves. Expect a thin 2018.

Edited September 9, 2017 by Gary C

[old thumper]

4 hours ago, Denford said:

 

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’

 

 

 

1 hour ago, vppelt68 said:

A new Bristol Beaufort would be nice extension to current Bristol twins.

 I think the Beaufort falls into three of the four categories listed by Denford. But who is to know what subject would prove to be a popular kit that would make money for Airfix? Really there is only one way to find out whether it is worth while bringing out a Beaufort kit. I reckon the Beaufort to be worth a go by Airfix.

[John Thompson]

3 hours ago, vppelt68 said:

P.S. And let's keep the hope for a new Yak-9 alive

 

Eminently sensible - as I've mentioned before, there was even one used as a personal hack flown by RAF Wing Commander J. E. Storrar in the early post-war years, so there's a British connection. At least one preserved VK-105 Yak-9 still exists, so a genuine example is available for LIDAR scanning. Airfix have reissued their existing sort-of-looks-like-a-Yak-9 many times over the decades since it was originally released (1963, per Scalemates), so it must be making them some money, even though calling it a Yak-9 by today's standards of detail and accuracy is almost fraudulent.

 

Rework potential? As was done by ICM and Dakoplast in the past, all that's needed to cover all of the several VK-105-powered versions is a second pair of fuselage halves to represent types with the relocated cockpit (Yak-9T, -9K, -9DD, -9M).

 

Variety of paint/markings schemes? Tons of those in VVS usage.

 

Variety of users? Besides Russia and Great Britain, how about Bulgaria, Poland, and Yugoslavia?

 

John

Edited September 9, 2017 by John Thompson

[Denford]

1 hour ago, Gary C said:

The P-51D was meant to be July although I think it may have been even earlier than that. Either way even Hornby themselves have admitted that products have been delayed as mentioned in the profits warning issued a couple of days ago.

 

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent-business/county-news/model-maker-hornby-shares-plummet-after-warning-weak-summer-sales-sandwich-kent-131676/

 

If things carry on the same way to the end of the year then there will be real difficulties. They've already been to the shareholders twice, sold off property and been to the bank. It's hard to see where money is going to come from if they can't generate it themselves. Expect a thin 2018.

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.

 

[Denford]

4 hours ago, old thumper said:

 

 I think the Beaufort falls into three of the four categories listed by Denford. But who is to know what subject would prove to be a popular kit that would make money for Airfix? Really there is only one way to find out whether it is worth while bringing out a Beaufort kit. I reckon the Beaufort to be worth a go by Airfix.

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

[old thumper]

3 hours ago, Denford said:

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

 I would say the same thing about the Beaufort, in my mind there are more obvious contenders but then I am often surprised by Airfix.

[Albeback52]

6 hours ago, Denford said:

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

Good points. I don't think limited use has stopped Airfix either;

-Supermarine Swift

- years late in entering service

-only one operator (RAF)

-used by only 2 squadrons

-built in limited numbers

-only used for short period in one role.

And how many TSR 2s were built/used/operated by the RAF and overseas air forces? The Swift was not exactly one of Britain's finest aviation moments either.

 

OK - maybe these are not very fair examples but, I would certainly deem the Beaufort every bit as worthy a type than (if not more so) than both the aforementioned. It at least saw extensive operational use during its relatively short career. Its illustrious successor - the Beaufighter actually used large parts of the Beaufort airframe did it not?

 

Allan

[Botan]

Beaufort would mean two new tool twin-engined British bombers from WWII in the same year. I think it is not going to happen.

[Robert]

That report is not looking too good for the Hornby Group.

 

I would have thought that if Airfix's is the jewel in the crown someone would have made a bid by now. Or perhaps Hornby are reluctant to let them go which would mean Airfix going down with the sinking ship.

 

At the end of the day the problem is the Group needs to generate a greater cashflow, yes Airfix's can do their part but if the rest of the business is not then we could well see the return to the bad years.

 

Robert

 

[TonyTiger66]

Retail isn't an area I know anything about. I worked behind a counter a few times as a young man, but the actual workings of running a retail business aren't my area at all.

 

I'm not in the UK at the moment, but I notice every now and then Airfix kits are spotted in various stores at very low prices.

 

What does this mean? Kits for which they've over estimated demand? 

 

I'm sure like a lot of people here I would like to see them continue. If other plastic kit manufacturers can manage it, surely Airfix can?

 

Regarding kits that they could possibly release. Long term, given that they've released the Shackleton and Lancaster, how about the Lincoln? Served in a number of theatres/roles. 

 

Used by RAF, briefly RAF NZ Squadron No. 75, Argentina, RAAF (largest aircraft ever built in Australia), one built and three in use by RCAF. Plenty of potential for conversion by modellers; fuel tanker, research aircraft, Berlin airlift, more (use the wings to make an Avro Tudor). A good variety of paint schemes across the nations mentioned.

 

It's an important Cold War aircraft. I have the Sanger kit and some improvement components, conversion kits are quite hard to find (admittedly very good) and not too far off the full price of a large Airfix bomber kit.

 

I guess all sorts of market research has to be done. 

 

Just a thought 

 

Best regards 

TonyT