Airfix 2018

[Denford]

3 hours ago, Albeback52 said:

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

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.

[Albeback52]

7 hours ago, TonyTiger66 said:

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? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Often happens I think when they are selling off old stock about to be discontinued. On the other hand, maybe steep price increases have put customers off?  I don't know what (if any) "market research" Airfix does.? It won't be difficult to establish the types that sell. That is why we get an endless stream of done to death WWII subjects like Spitfires, Bf-109S, P-51s etc along with an equally endless stream of boring grey jets!! I'm sure lots of us would like a Lincoln (me included) but, unless it can guaranteed good sales, it won't happen. Remember the Nimrod? Airfix kind of got their fingers burnt on that one. It was apparently a kit that "modellers were screaming out for". Unfortunately, the screams became somewhat muted when the shiny new boxes appeared and retailers found their stock gathering dust! I think the Academy C/KC-97 kits were others that were apparently "most wanted" by many modellers. They didn't sell very well either and have never been reissued. Shame really.

 

Allan

Edited September 10, 2017 by Albeback52

[Denford]

25 minutes ago, TonyTiger66 said:

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

 

 

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.

[Albeback52]

17 minutes ago, Denford said:

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.

Fair point re TSR 2 . Thanks for pointing that out.. I think actually a lot of choices are speculative. I don't know how successful the Swift was. Personally, I didn't like the kit. It was an absolute pig to build. Almost nothing fitted. Getting back to the present, given Hornby's financial woes, I would not be surprised if virtually nothing new was announced for 2018 and Airfix continued to re-issue existing kits in order to try and keep the cash flowing in.

Allan

Edited September 10, 2017 by Albeback52

[Beard]

On 8 September 2017 at 3:17 PM, Max Headroom said:

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

 

Trevor

 

I hope so, a MkXII or Seafire 46/ 47 would be nice.

 

On 8 September 2017 at 10:45 PM, Cammer625 said:

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

 

AZ are releasing one soon in the KP line.

 

21 hours ago, RussellE said:

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?

 

 

A dream that could be, relatively, easily achieved.

A MkV could be used, with some changes, for  MkIX (that'd cover the two most produced variants), a MkI, MkII and a MkVI. A MkVIII could be easily be done as a MkVII and, with the obvious changes, a MkXIV. If browser wings were molded, then PR IV, X, XI and XIX could be done.

Edited September 10, 2017 by Beard

[Rabbit Leader]

If, due to extended lead time large-ish size kits are to be discounted (probably wrong choice of words) then surely the time is ripe to work on / release the many smaller sized stuff that surely will inject many instant sheckles into Hornby's coffers - 

 

Just for starters and in no particular scale -

Tin Wing Hurricane

Spitfire XIV / 18

Harvard family

Hawker Hart family

Tempest V / II / VI

Lysander

Venom

 

.... I'm sure I could think of plenty more. I would buy multiple kits of all the above and I bet many others would invest their hard earned money on such a list as well. 

If we are taking about instant money spinners - the list above just cannot be ignored by the Airfix development / Market research departments. 

 

If they need additional employees - where does one sign up!! 

 

Cheers.. Dave

 

 

 

[Seahawk]

On 08/09/2017 at 0:43 PM, Black Knight said:

Just a thought; a '100 years of the RAF' boxing of the;  BE2C, Gladiator, a Spitfire, a Lightning, Phantom II, Harrier, & a new tool Typhoon GR4, with glue, brushes and a load of paints

6 or 7 kits for £100

[adding up the above list with appox/estimate prices comes to £120 plus]

The encouraging thing about your scenario is that it shows that Airfix could do such a set with modern toolings that will not put newbies off modelling for life.  It highlights how far Airfix have come on since the FAA 100 Anniversary gift set that had ghastly old fossils like the old Airfix Swordfish, old Wildcat, Corsair and Camel in it.

[Denford]

2 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

If, due to extended lead time large-ish size kits are to be discounted (probably wrong choice of words) then surely the time is ripe to work on / release the many smaller sized stuff that surely will inject many instant sheckles into Hornby's coffers - 

 

Just for starters and in no particular scale -

Tin Wing Hurricane

Spitfire XIV / 18

Harvard family

Hawker Hart family

Tempest V / II / VI

Lysander

Venom

 

.... I'm sure I could think of plenty more. I would buy multiple kits of all the above and I bet many others would invest their hard earned money on such a list as well. 

If we are taking about instant money spinners - the list above just cannot be ignored by the Airfix development / Market research departments. 

 

If they need additional employees - where does one sign up!! 

 

Cheers.. Dave

 

 

 

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.

[Rabbit Leader]

Well here's one thing I do know - 

A .. 

Eduard - Tin Wing Hurricane

Hasegawa - Spitfire XIV / 18

Revell - Harvard family

AZ / KP - Hawker Hart family

Tamiya - Tempest V / II / VI

Sword - Lysander

Special Hobby - Venom

 

.... will not make any money for Airfix! 

To quote a famous saying "Build it, and they will come" 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Denford]

18 hours ago, John Thompson said:

 

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

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.

[KRK4m]

OK, I also build 1/72 aircraft... But not only

I still cannot understand why 1/32 vintage cars that have been sold so successfully for years (Airfix Bentley 4.5, Bugatti T35, MG K, Alfa 8C, Matchbox/Revell Aston Ulster, Merc SSKL, MG TC, Jag SS100, a.s.o.) disappeared so abruptly from the shelves some years ago. I think there's still place for them and Airfix should bring back to the market their old range as well as introduce some new items, like Riley MPH, Sunbeam 3L, Lagonda Rapide, BMW 328, Alfa 6C... to list just a few.

Cheers

Michael

[old thumper]

6 hours ago, Botan said:

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

 

Which is probably the best reason why we won't see a Beaufort this year, although the Beaufort was a smaller aircraft than the Wellington.

 

I wasn't really trying to make a case for a new a Beaufort in particular. My point was that sometimes it is the less likely subjects ( B P Defiant for example) that make the money, and that the only sure way to find out how many sales a certain type of kit would make is to produce it.

In some ways Airfix reminds me of how Frog was in producing kits of lesser known types such as the Whitley, although I also actually feel as though Airfix were in their day responsible for either increasing or decreasing the profile of certain types by either including or excluding them from their range. To add to this I feel that Airfix are probably influenced by sales figures from their original line of kits, through trial and error they may have learnt that there is no point in producing a new Fairey Battle kit but a new Defiant kit yes.

Finally while I am not against the current Airfix box art, I feel it does not give potential buyers the same encouragement to buy as Roy Cross once offered.  

[Botan]

44 minutes ago, old thumper said:

I wasn't really trying to make a case for a new a Beaufort in particular. My point was that sometimes it is the less likely subjects ( B P Defiant for example) that make the money, and that the only sure way to find out how many sales a certain type of kit would make is to produce it.  

Defiant have additional "weirdness" trait, when Beaufort is absolutely bori... I mean normal aircraft.

[Chimpion]

51 minutes ago, old thumper said:

... the only sure way to find out how many sales a certain type of kit would make is to produce it.

 

I've seen this and similar comments several times in this thread, and it's not really true. Market research can give them a pretty good idea, and this it about much more than just asking modellers what they want. They will probably have data on which periods and scales are growing in popularity and which are declining, for example. Also it's not the number of sales that matters, but the return on investment, and right now the cash flow forecast. A struggling company needs to invest in the products most likely to succeed quickly and build the brand image going forward.

 

[John Thompson]

2 hours ago, Denford said:

An absolute non Starter.

 

Airfix don’t yet even have (in 1/72) 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.

 

Oh lighten up...

 

John

[vppelt68]

2 hours ago, John Thompson said:

 

Oh lighten up...

 

John

+1

[RussellE]

On 9/9/2017 at 11:43 PM, 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.  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. 

 

Cyclically, it would be a number of years of 1/72 kits, a year or two of 1/48 (last year) and then a 1/24 release, then back to the 1/72 kits. Although it seems we're reaching a point where most, if not all the mainstream topics are now covered in 1/72, so what does that leave?

On 9/10/2017 at 4:11 AM, 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.

 

16 hours ago, Robert said:

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

 

The easiest solution to this if for us all to go out and purchase one Airfix kit each now, rather than lamenting later on their closure.

14 hours ago, Beard said:

A dream that could be, relatively, easily achieved.

A MkV could be used, with some changes, for  MkIX (that'd cover the two most produced variants), a MkI, MkII and a MkVI. A MkVIII could be easily be done as a MkVII and, with the obvious changes, a MkXIV. If browser wings were molded, then PR IV, X, XI and XIX could be done.

Indeed! With today's technology and clever parts break down in the tooling, this could be easily achievable at a cost effective level. Given the profits the 1/24 Typhoon generated for Airfix, a new tool 1/24 Spitfire might just be the magic pill Airfix needs to get them out of Hornby's situation!

Edited September 10, 2017 by RussellE

[Scott_]

I'll add my 2c for a Mosquito - in both 72 and 48 so they can spread their development costs across two scales and fill both gaps in their catalogue. Plus a year or so back Airfix mentioned that the 262/Mossie dogfight double was one of their most popular, so with the 262 out this year they can fill that market as well. I suspect they'd go for the NF II/ FB VI/XVIII as per the original.

 

As for others, the Pacific war seems to be doing well for them - perhaps a Hellcat in 72 (gives both USN and RN choices) or a Dauntless

 

Wildcard - 1/24 Spitfire Mk.IX for the RAF 100th Anniversary next year

 

 

[fightersweep]

On 9/10/2017 at 2:01 PM, KRK4m said:

OK, I also build 1/72 aircraft... But not only

I still cannot understand why 1/32 vintage cars that have been sold so successfully for years (Airfix Bentley 4.5, Bugatti T35, MG K, Alfa 8C, Matchbox/Revell Aston Ulster, Merc SSKL, MG TC, Jag SS100, a.s.o.) disappeared so abruptly from the shelves some years ago. I think there's still place for them and Airfix should bring back to the market their old range as well as introduce some new items, like Riley MPH, Sunbeam 3L, Lagonda Rapide, BMW 328, Alfa 6C... to list just a few.

Cheers

Michael

 

Several years ago, I was invited to Margate for the years trade releases. Put up in a hotel for the night, with meal and drinks and off to Hornby the next day to place loads of orders for the year. Mingling with the Airfix guys the night before, I asked Darrell Burge if Airfix would ever re release some of the old classic 1/32 cars such as the Vauxhall Victor estate, Austin Maxi or Morris Marina. I explained how much they fetched on the secondary market and that they would probably sell well, even as a limited release, maybe as a gift set. He felt that there wouldn't be any interest so re-releases would be unlikely. Shame really, as I'm still convinced they would sell again.

[Roman Schilhart]

4 hours ago, Scott_ said:

I'll add my 2c for a Mosquito - in both 72 and 48 ..

 

Special Hobby are working on 2-stage Mosquitos in 72scale.

Saw the advert at Plastic Winter Bratislava last November.

But maybe both companies will release the same kit in same scale at the same time, as had happened before ...

 

[IanC]

2 hours ago, fightersweep said:

 

Several years ago, I was invited to Margate for the years trade releases. Put up in a hotel for the night, with meal and drinks and off to Hornby the next day to place loads of orders for the year. Mingling with the Airfix guys the night before, I asked Darrell Burge if Airfix would ever re release some of the old classic 1/32 cars such as the Vauxhall Victor estate, Austin Maxi or Morris Marina. I explained how much they fetched on the secondary market and that they would probably sell well, even as a limited release, maybe as a gift set. He felt that there wouldn't be any interest so re-releases would be unlikely. Shame really, as I'm still convinced they would sell again.

 

Sadly, I think the Airfix bod was right. Collectors want them for their rarity value. I doubt if this niche enthusiasm would translate into healthy sales of re-issues to the mainstream market. Who under 50 has even heard of these cars now?

 

That said, I'd love to get hold of the Marina - a car my dad took us round Europe in. Didn't Clarkson call it the worst car Britain produced?

[PLC1966]

On 09/09/2017 at 3:41 PM, Black Knight said:

 

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

Definately one in Langleys in Norwich yesterday, in fact, Mrs PLC1966 got a photo sent to her phone of me holding one as a hint towards what the Big Man with the white beard needs to bring me in December !!

[fightersweep]

On 9/12/2017 at 10:27 AM, IanC said:

 

Sadly, I think the Airfix bod was right. Collectors want them for their rarity value. I doubt if this niche enthusiasm would translate into healthy sales of re-issues to the mainstream market. Who under 50 has even heard of these cars now?

 

That said, I'd love to get hold of the Marina - a car my dad took us round Europe in. Didn't Clarkson call it the worst car Britain produced?

 

To a large extent I agree, but it didn't stop Airfix re-releasing the Ford Escort Mk 1 or the Viva and Triumph Herald before that. I would love the chance to build these kits, but I would never pay the inflated collectors prices asked for on eBay. I did the same with the Esci Transit Mk 2 for years, until Italeri came up trumps last year with the re-release. I was a happy bunny!

 

Like you, I'd love to build the Marina. My Dad had one too in orange. I used to pretend it was the General Lee and would only get in and out of it by climbing through the window. He used to own an orange Maxi as well, so that's another I would like to build. In fact, he owned far too many BL cars for my liking!

Edited October 15, 2017 by fightersweep

[IanC]

9 minutes ago, fightersweep said:

 In fact, he owned far too many BL cars for my liking!

Haha. I think they all did in those days. Dad had a few from the opposition too, including a Hillman Avenger and Hunter. Don't think they were much better!

 

[fightersweep]

4 minutes ago, IanC said:

Haha. I think they all did in those days. Dad had a few from the opposition too, including a Hillman Avenger and Hunter. Don't think they were much better!

 

Dad did have at least one short circuit after owning the Marina. It was a Datsun 280C estate that was enormous, equipped with more luxury than we had ever known, and took up the whole street when he parked it. We felt like royalty for a while.....then he bought the Maxi!