Danny Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) I think this has pretty much been said already but at the end of the day companies like Airfix are out to make a profit and will charge what they can sell their kits at. From our point of view as a consumer, if the kit is one you really want then you'll pay the money for it. For me, the price of the mossie puts me off. I'd love to build one, but I don't love the aircraft enough to want one of that makes sense? If the original of the model is important to you, how important is the price? Danny. Edited December 28, 2022 by Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Airfix have already moved the Battle into a different series - way back in the late'70s, when it was reissued after the mould had been 'rested' for a while. With no obvious justification, the kit - which had been in Series 2 since it was first released in 1968 - was bumped up, unchanged, into Series 3, where it's remained ever since. But I agree that, leaving aside the accuracy issues, it's of pretty good quality. Recently, after taking a look at the MPM Battle in my stash, I decided it would be more fun to rework an Airfix one I built decades ago. I was pleased with the result, and have another one I'll build some day. The Mirage IIIC, on the other hand..... I thought it was pretty cool, too, and I remembered building one as a kid, so I picked up the starter set last year. Sorry, but the quality is abysmal. Leaving aside the fact that my box contained no decals (which didn't bother me but would probably aggravate a young purchaser), the fit is truly awful and the amount of work involved in getting a decent model out of the kit was such that I wouldn't make another. I can fully understand that a lot of youngsters like relatively simple models and that they're not that concerned with accuracy: I was the same. But I think that if you're pitching models at that audience, you at least owe them something that's decently engineered. Otherwise, surely you risk putting them off. Oh, I don't know... The builder of this beauty was delighted with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Cor blimey, the kits not even out yet and you're already complaining! Colin on the Africa Station Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggis Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Quick question; Do we know yet what variants are in the first (will there be more?) boxing? Is it RAF HC.3/HC.3A ? Is a RN version coming later?Cheers, Ed Airfix don't have any plans to do a Royal Navy version. Shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixII Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) Cor blimey, the kits not even out yet and you're already complaining!Colin on the Africa Station Ah, but Colin, that's the beauty of living in a free society, (AND it's Airfix!) you CAN. If you'll note, Revell are "All singing, all dancing" at the mo, (Lanc; B-17, 'Hallibag') short memories. Read hundreds of column inches on these, Hmm, where? Ahh YES, on here! about these. The Lanc doesn't have dihedral.............. The B-17's undersized.................. and at the last look the "jack up windscreen, replace kit then replace windscreen" thred on the new tool? Hallibag was up to 7? or 8? pages. The guy's building various Halifax's are doing a fantastic job, and i take my hat off to 'em, BUT.......................... (They are a great price!! ) Going to burst a LOT of bubbles, that's the Airfix R.R.P. Live with it, buy or not, the CHOICE is yours. Remember, you are VERY little fish in a ruddy BIG pond! The above MAY have been slightly exagerated for artistic purposes !! Paul Edited January 25, 2012 by PhoenixII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 The above MAY have been slightly exagerated for artistic purposes !! It's certainly in with a good chance of winning today's prize for most creative use of smilies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benbow Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 S'pose it's all a matter of "taste" and "wants". I'm with Haggo in that if there was an RN version I'd snap it up straight away however, if it stays a Crab version then it doesn't interest me. My only concern is that by the time someone does do a conversion set, if that's at all possible, it'll be hard to get hold of. Here speaks the guy with a Belcher Lynx in the loft with Airfix now doing a 1/48th Lynx!! Cost is all relevant to what someone is prepared to pay at the time. Having seen the mock up at Telford I think it'll be a cracker and probably provide a lot of pleasure to those that do get it and it'll turn into a real beaut!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixII Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 It's certainly in with a good chance of winning today's prize for most creative use of smilies. I thank you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albeback52 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 It's all relative I guess. On a cost per hour basis, our hobby is one of the cheapest around and, although the Merlin is at the borderline of what I can/will afford, I think it certainly compares favourably with a lot of current items from Trumpitaliyacademygawa. It's all moot of course - I'm only interested in real aeroplanes - i e the ones with wings stuck on the sides!! . However, if Airfix were to offer a 1/72 VC-10 at this price, I'd snap up at least 3!! Lol!! No harm in dreaming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Oh, I don't know... The builder of this beauty was delighted with it. I love to see models like this, and no I'm not taking the ....... it takes me back to those years a long time ago, when gaps, and fingermarks just didn't matter, and any coat of paint looked like liked a work of art. Long may this wonderful hobby reign! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob P Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Could be worse, could be asking £129.60 for a 1:72 Jetstream T2 or T3. Bottom line is, it's a good price for what I hope will be a decent kit. Mind you, if you don't like the price, you can buy the 1:48 Merlin from Revell, Italeri, Hasegawa, or Fujimi. Oh, wait, there isn't an alternative. Hats off to Airfix for doing it. And for regenerating the rest of their range, whether it's the new Gnat at £5.99 or the new Merlin/Lynx/1:24 Mosquito at the once a year (Christmas special) purchase price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albeback52 Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Could be worse, could be asking £129.60 for a 1:72 Jetstream T2 or T3.Bottom line is, it's a good price for what I hope will be a decent kit. Mind you, if you don't like the price, you can buy the 1:48 Merlin from Revell, Italeri, Hasegawa, or Fujimi. Oh, wait, there isn't an alternative. Hats off to Airfix for doing it. And for regenerating the rest of their range, whether it's the new Gnat at £5.99 or the new Merlin/Lynx/1:24 Mosquito at the once a year (Christmas special) purchase price. Perhaps instead of OMEGA models, it should be OMEGOD,- Look at the price models??? That surely IS a tad excessive even for the most ardent Jetstream fan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynx7 Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 S'pose it's all a matter of "taste" and "wants". I'm with Haggo in that if there was an RN version I'd snap it up straight away however, if it stays a Crab version then it doesn't interest me. My only concern is that by the time someone does do a conversion set, if that's at all possible, it'll be hard to get hold of.Here speaks the guy with a Belcher Lynx in the loft with Airfix now doing a 1/48th Lynx!! Cost is all relevant to what someone is prepared to pay at the time. Having seen the mock up at Telford I think it'll be a cracker and probably provide a lot of pleasure to those that do get it and it'll turn into a real beaut!! I'm in the privileged position to be building the Airfix 1/48 Lynx AH7 test shot at the moment and despite not being allowed to post any photos, I can tell you that you will not be disappointed by the kit. OOB is is a cracker and in my mind spot on. You wont have to wait too long for it to hit the streets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sniperUK Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 I'm in the privileged position to be building the Airfix 1/48 Lynx AH7 test shot at the moment and despite not being allowed to post any photos, I can tell you that you will not be disappointed by the kit. OOB is is a cracker and in my mind spot on. You wont have to wait too long for it to hit the streets Good to hear, is an NI fit possible from the box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx6667 Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 (edited) Could be worse, could be asking £129.60 for a 1:72 Jetstream T2 or T3.Bottom line is, it's a good price for what I hope will be a decent kit. Mind you, if you don't like the price, you can buy the 1:48 Merlin from Revell, Italeri, Hasegawa, or Fujimi. Oh, wait, there isn't an alternative. Hats off to Airfix for doing it. And for regenerating the rest of their range, whether it's the new Gnat at £5.99 or the new Merlin/Lynx/1:24 Mosquito at the once a year (Christmas special) purchase price. Well there is the Italeri 1/48 Merlin which apparently is better, cheaper and more detailed than the Airix one. Yes that's right, a kit that doesn't even exist is better than one that nobody outside of Hornby has even seen yet! Edited January 28, 2012 by Jonathan Mock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michaelvk Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Well, after building their new tooled Seafire, and being well impressed, I'm quite happily going to drop whatever the local plastic merchant asks for this littl beauty, because, after all, Airfix's latest stuff has been very impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynx7 Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Good to hear, is an NI fit possible from the box? Yep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_modeller Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Hi Chris,Hannants stay in business as they are also a wholesaler, selling probably half of the ranges they stock are also sold to trade, we would be poorer without them, I know I would as they stock my ranges! This means that if I want to buy one or two Revell or Airfix kits I can buy trade off hannants without taking a vast range direct from Airfix but at the same price, if they also sold below full retail they would be undermining their trade customers, this is something that some US wholesalers have been accused off. Apologies for slight deviation from topic! £55 sounds a lot but as mentioned its a big detailed kit, and I would imagine there are licencing fees to the MOD and Agusta Westland to cover in the price. its bound to drop lower after being out a few months, not a good sign if its discounted on release! Colin Maybe we should keep an eye out for discounting on new models like this happening. According to the Guardian today, looks like Hornby are in trouble again. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/20...ks-of-our-tears Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx6667 Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 (edited) Maybe we should keep an eye out for discounting on new models like this happening. According to the Guardian today, looks like Hornby are in trouble again.http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/20...ks-of-our-tears Another fine peice of balanced Guardian journalism! There was a similar storiy about a year back, and the year before that, doom, gloom, then sales rise again, in fact last Nov saw this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15689609 Long story short Hornby are not in trouble, thats just a journalist looking for a soundbite to write an article - in fact if you read that peice he spends 99% waffling. Edited January 29, 2012 by Jonathan Mock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango 1 Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Mmmmmmm..................interesting debate. Yes, £55.00 is a lot of money out of anyone's entertainment/hobby budget. It comes down to how much one wants that particular kit , at 55 quid I think I'll leave it alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venomvixen Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Can I have a nice Wessex please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat C Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Another fine peice of balanced Guardian journalism! It was a truly preposterous article wasn't it! They're making less money than they did last year big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx6667 Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 It was a truly preposterous article wasn't it! They're making less money than they did last year big deal. From the Guardian's own website: "Guardian News & Media's daily, part of the group that publishes MediaGuardian.co.uk, had an average circulation of 230,108, up 1.61% on the previous month but down 13.11% year on year.' OH MY GOD ITS THE END OF THE LINE FOR THE GUARDIAN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixII Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Can I have a nice Wessex please? Sorry Dannielle, Lost me wand and pink tu tu!! Anyway, you just KNOW it'll be toooooooo expensive! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Can I have a nice Wessex please? Hi Daniellla, I'm with you on that one, in fact I've just finished the Harreir Gr7/9 and what a little cracker it is too. My thought were to email Airfix and prase them for the kit and at the same time ask for aWessex to go with the Lynx and Merlin! Colin on the Africa Station Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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