Armadillos

For my tuppence worth going to say Tucano. The existing tooling has now vanished grom the Airfix site, it fits with trainer types they have been favouring with some colourful schemes possible. It's been a regular in the range on and off for years so must have some popularity? Plus 3 years+ since a visit to Raf Linton-on-Ouse. https://uk.airfix.com/community/blog-and-news/aerodrome/raf-linton-ouse-base-visit or maybe just wishful thinking from me?

I'll hold up my hand and give my tuppence worth as i have commented on prices. Now i have worked in manufacturing for a number of years so am more than aware of prices rises and other increased costs. I am very fortunate in the rest i am in full time employ so earning a steady wage. Yes i used to also enjoy going to the footie supporting my team (only away games, home ground is a tad too far!) which of course wasn't cheap as otjers have mentioned. However as no doubt is the case with others being a responsible adult has meant that i have gained the commitments of running a house putting food on the table, clothing kids etc. This of course has meant being more frugle/sensible with what cash i do have again as will be the case will may others. My grumble is that yes i don't have to buy model kits agreed but this is my pass time/hobby which rapidly seems to be out pricing my budget sadly. I think what is odd/confusing is looking around and seeing Revell's Shackleton's for example retailing round the £40 mark whilst a look on Airfix's site theirs is £54! I use this example as both are new "state of the art detailed" toolings and of course would have incurred the same investment researching, tooling etc so why the 35% difference, are Revell doing something better than Airfix?? Another example is Revell's 1:48 Tornado's, again these are new tools and retail in the £35-40 region, however the Airfix Bucc is projected at £65-73 mark almost double the Tornado kits price for a similar sized kit. Whilst the kits i mention above show there are still some reasonable prices these are becoming fewer and further between. Again as i've said before i want to see Airfix/Hornby succeed however if things continue i fear a reduction in "fresh blood" to the hobby and as a result its decline

For me Airfix seem to have provided a reasonable spread with the new 1:24 Spit and various bits through the scales including the vintage classics. For me the worry is as much as i want Airfix (Hornby) to thrive i fear their pricing is potentially going to be a stumbling block. I say this with the view that i'd love new tooled Victor, Vulcan, 1:48 Bucc and the 1:72 Meteor F8. However given prices its a no sadly, if say the Bucc was £50-55 i'd probably get 2 and the same with the V bombers. Whilst this is personal choice i do wonder how many others are of the same view/decision. This also applies to Hornby trains as my eldest took one look at the 2022 prices and declared one 1 train for him this year rather than his planned 3.

This is common across the Hornby range as can be seen on the Hornby trains forums from many very angry comments. Given the increases there 10% on Airfix is a gentle increase, in fact when considering the issues manufacturers such as Revell have mentioned i expect another increase mid year sadly

Ok so might be a bit out there but a new tool Tucano would be nice, maybe even the unexpected 1:48? We know Airfix like their trainers JP, Chippie, Gnat so it would fit, the current tooling is old now. There was an Aerodrome article from Linton over 2yrs ago when the mighty Tuc was retiring. Ok so maybe i'm just hoping so as i don't have to put on some big boy pants to tackle the Alleycat 1:48 resin Tucano i have in the stash

Has anyone spied anything mistakenly loaded onto the Airfix site recently? Only ask because last year they accidently put the Sea Vixen (only on for a day i think before removing) on before it was announced at Telford.

Airfixs 1:72 Tornado GR offering is certainly long overdue replacing, but there again so is their F3 and Jag. New tools of which would all be most welcome

Well i`ll chuck my few pennies worth in and predict the majestic queen of the skies, Shorts Tucano in 1:72 for 2020. Keeps inline with recent series of trainer offerings, will sadly be gone by 2020 (keeps with Airfix releasing things that have just gone ie Harrier & Sea King). Plus wonder if this is a clue? Linton Visit

Luftwaffe can happily paint their Typhoons due to the difference in finish, UK and Italy (i think) have a "stealthy/low observation finish whereas German and Spain have just a standard finish at least thats how it used to be causing fun in the common spares concept.

Well re-pop of 48th Toom, Shack 3 and the Chinook MH-47 (HC3/5) are all nice kits to look forward to next year for me, especially so when the Toom and Shack will no doubt be discounted by a nice amount by retails. May even go in for the 94 Benetton as well

Airfix had the 1:48 Sea Vixen up for pre-order the other day but now it seems to of vanished? Possible glitch accidentally releasing it to the website?? Got to admit i`m finding the advent calendar a tad boring too this time

I really don`t understand this grief from Airbus/Saab about not considering their paper plane, i mean surely thats like Vauxhall moaning at me for buying a Ford in which case i`d be informing them where to stick it! Or am i just a politically incorrect dinosaur?

There are indeed already a number of PC-9`s sorry i mean T-6`s at Valley with more on the way as the Tuc replacement readying for taking over training next year. Interesting to see if Wedgetail is indeed purchased and what token number we do indeed buy, we bought 7 E-3`s and i think currently have 5 (?) still operational due to one thing and another so will that be the precident for a purchase of 5 or will they go for 7 again or even dare i say as low as 3??

Be interesting to see how many F-35B`s we initially get and operate as i seem to remember we`re only getting X number of them to begin with then poss buying the rest over some many years? As such joint operating could be erm interesting with some unhappy campers as there were in the days of joint harrier ops. My main thought about the carrier is that with ever dwiddling budgets and therefore aircraft numbers (these beasties ain`t cheap!) surely to maintain training needs and maintenance down time very few airframes will be available for ops?? As for COD, how was it done in the days of Ark, Lusty and Invincible, wouldn`t it be along similar lines? V-22 Osprey is an expensive and complex piece of kit to warrant a limited number purchase and to answer the Q about them over York, USAF MV-22`s are often floating around the UK often routing upto the Vale of York area then across to the lakes or Spadeadam way, i would say low level but their not the bravest at that (5000ft over Tebay and not the 500ft they claimed!🤬). Considering leasing that would yet again be the most financially stupid idea going in fact down the lines of the C-17`s again so thats what will prob happen if we do get them as we love paying for things twice on the advice of beancounters!!

Cough C-130 HERCULES cough A new tool would appeal to world wide sales, i would certainly expect with say an H model kitted it would sell very well as from that alot of different variants and operators could be produced

Fail to see how this will increase the throughput of pilots as surely they`ll have the same number of jets available and instructors? With reducing numbers of aircraft physically available i fail to see how training requirements will be met for both UK needs and those of overseas air forces we currently train

So another year and more sales of MoD property, granted this and Linton have bother been known about for awhile now. But none of this is any surprise when the budgets are being fiddled thesedays, in recent years Foreign aid, MoD pensions and the nuclear deterent which all used to be seperate items with their own budgets have been fudged i mean levered into the defence/MoD budget. The result of this is that with the defence budget still remaining around the 2% of GDP there really is very little cash left over for such things as actually operating and maintaining equipment/infrastructure as well as purchasing new when required. Its sadly only an issue that will become worse with time and only resolved when the budget is increased or these "additional" areas mentioned above are removed from the defence budget.

Speaking of the Airfix erm yes Eurofighter Typhoon you say i saw last night that the starter set was on sale in Asda for i think £8, surely a sign a much needed replacement is coming??

Good to see sheets being put together by Xtradecal, a dedicated 56 sheet is a surprise. As others have said plenty of scope for more sheets with a few squadrons not being represented here 5, 23, 29, 65/229 plus all markings are from late in F3 service so some 80`s - 90`s markings would be nice. Maybe a sheet could be done solely of special schemes/tails?

Given that Airfix (Hornby) are obviously looking for subjects that will produce the best possible return short term and continued returns going forward then i would of thought a few subjects instantly spring to mind such as a new tool Hercules? Yes a licence fee would have to be paid but as the only game in town as a new tool (and hopefully accurate) and with many users across the globe it would sell quite nicely, as well as hopefully help Airfix get a nice foothold in the US merket. There are of course other subjects to consider such as already mentioned F-35/JSF, Typhoon, maybe even Chinook but the Hercules seems like a real box ticker?

Well i know what i`d like to see from Airfix in 2019 1:72 Javelin 1:72 Meteor 1:72 Tornado GR & F (new tools please) 1:72 Chinook (new tool) 1:72 Puma (new tool) 1:72 Jaguar GR & T (obviously new tool again) 1:72 Eurofighter Typhoon (please the current tooling isn`t even a DA jet let alone production standard!!) But sadly i think it`ll be another reboxing/marking and what i call tying up loose ends year like this year where by work already done is capitalised upon ie the Toom FGR2 work would of all be done same time as the FG1 it was just a case of when they decided to release the kit.

Hmmm big and Seattle, so P-8 as already mentioned (good basis for international sales) or could we be looking at a KC/C135/E-3 family, these would also have excellent sales potential both UK and internationally

I remember that incident hence why i was a tad confused as i thought when Hannants bought Aviation Workshop/Model Alliance they got everything ie decals and resin masters the lot?

Is there any connection between these guys and the old Model Alliance/Aviation Workshop as some of there stuff looks familiar as stuff they used to do?

If the Camel`s been moved at Hendon as part of their re-arranging then would of been an excellent chance for Airfix to of had a crawl around?