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Airfix 2015


Enzo the Magnificent

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How about (for the 14-18 anniversary) some good 1/350th Grand Fleet / High Seas Fleet models

2014: Med / Coronel / Falklands (Invincible, Canopus (dream on), Goeben, Dresden, Scharnhorst, Emden, Sydney...)

2015: Dogger Bank: (Lion / Tiger / NZ, Blucher... you get the idea...)

2016: Jutland: oooooohhhhh yeah!!!!!

Oh, and stick in a few others as well (F/G/C -- potential for a CV conversion kit later, Nelson -- out of period but lovely in 1/350 IMHO....)

Edited by Ossian
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Shane, you may want the thread to be about the likeliest releases, but you won't be able to stop people sticking in what they want, regardless of the actual chance of it appearing.

(snippies)

The three key words are "Popular" "British" and "Market", or so it seems to me. Anything foreign will only get a look in if it is very well known over here. So probably no Yak 9, sadly.

Yeah, I know Graham, but find it a lot more interesting to try and crystal ball Airfixes intentions than trawl another wishlist (which must be the default thread degeneration destination)

And the Popular British Market phrase is what I have been telling people for ages. Hornby are no fools, and need to make money to survive. Many - maybe most - of the random wish lists including mine would send them bankrupt

Shane

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Well, I've just trawled up my post from end of 2011:

"#38 Rob P

Obsessed Member

Members

774 posts

Posted 24 October 2011 - 06:42 PM

I've had my chrystal ball out and foresee the following retools

Lightning, Harrier GR1/3, Vampire (FB with a new tool T) and Meteor (F with a new tool T) with the T's of the last two making up the Airfix club kits as the Vintage Pair. Blenheim and Tiger Moth for the WWII brigade.

I'm not even going to consider the *whisper* VC10 as that would be too much to pray for.

But then again, I could be wrong!"

Seems my crystal ball sees two years ahead and is only slightly flawed!

I also predicted the 1:48 Javelin way back in August.

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1/24 classic British and Italian sports cars - Healey 3000 and a Ferrari 250 GT SWB anyone?

Oh God Yess!!!! a DB5 as well!!!

RobP you need to bend the crystal ball for a Lightning T Bird in 48th and a Gnat T1 :elephant:

Edited by SleeperService
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And the Popular British Market phrase is what I have been telling people for ages. Hornby are no fools, and need to make money to survive. Many - maybe most - of the random wish lists including mine would send them bankrupt

Shane

It will always be the case that what Airfix think will sell best will be in their catalogue. Hopefully though these will subsidise the inclusuon of some of the more esoteric model, so beloved of some of the contributors here, from time to time.

Cheers

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Chaps,

If I may ask a question*: in which country does Airfix make most money? Is it definitely the UK? If so, more UK releases.

However, one of their researchers gave a brief at Farnborough, and said that they wished to expand in US / Australia as well. Perhaps some appropriately themed releases for those markets?

New USN F-4 anyone? Make it a -J and you could get a UK slant too, couldn't you?

regards,

Martin

*And it's a genuine one; I suspect it's the UK, but I don't actually know the answer.

Edited by mike romeo
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Chaps,

If I may ask a question*: in which country does Airfix make most money? Is it definitely the UK? If so, more UK releases.

However, one of their researchers gave a brief at Farnborough, and said that they wished to expand in US / Australia as well. Perhaps some appropriately themed releases for those markets?

New USN F-4 anyone? Make it a -J and you could get a UK slant too, couldn't you?

regards,

Martin

*And it's a genuine one; I suspect it's the UK, but I don't actually know the answer.

Australia operated Meteors, Canberras, Vampires (including the trainer version) and Sea Venoms of which Airfix haven't done the first and last themselves (I'm not including the MPM tie-in with the Meteor, it wasn't Airfix' own mould), unlike the other two, so if they want to reinforce the Australian link they should do the Sea Venom AND the Meteor.

As for the Phantom, only one squadron operated the F-4J(UK) whereas bucket loads of RAF Sqn's operated the F-4M (FGR.2) over time and a couple of RAF and a couple of Pugwash Sqn's operated the F-4K (FG.1).

Airfix could make a killing with a new mould of the F-4K/M in 1/72nd.

These would all get my vote and importantly, my custom.

Wez

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Given their welcome propensity to maximise their mold potential and research:

1/72

Harrier T2/4/8 from their new GR1/3 models.

Vampires and Venoms from their T11 model which looks fabulous.

Lightning F6 + export variants and maybe F1A/3s

A few more pocket money re-vamps:

P-47

Defiant

Me-262

Mirage III

F-5A

Something new:

F4K/M

Swift

Sea Vixen

Hart/Hind/Nimrod/Demon to the standard of their Swordfish.

1/48th

Scimitar

Gazelle

Puma

Edited by Plastic Bonsai
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Hi Mike

Hornby aren't too specific with sales data (no surprise there) but their last Annual Report had Europe as the biggest profit earner, I'd be amazed if any other country outstripped UK sales. The US Market was identified for growth but needed investment, reading between the lines they didn't think they had product to penetrate the mass US market easily. Australia wasn't mentioned specifically but would make sense as they could lever into the rest of Oceania from there.

Their tactics have been to penetrate with niche interest items then expand with low cost starter kits in mass outlets to gain brand awareness. I'd be looking at items that are on the TV frequently and where there isn't anything available or, if so, it's at a high price. 48th Armour would be good, an Abrahams and Bradley maybe another Hummer. In aircraft Phantom (maybe) Blackhawk, UAVs, Apache etc should all sell in the US and elsewhere.

With WW1 centenaries around the corner a WW1 tank in 35th or 48th to compliment their little 76th gem would probably be a unique offering. Easy to make, not too many parts, it could do well for them.

Interesting to see what actually happens....

Edited by SleeperService
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Hmmm.....given that Airfix's main market is the UK, I'd go as follows:

1/72

Sea Vixen

Javelin

Note that both are straightforward CAD pantograph jobs.

1/48

Tempest V

Tempest II

Spitfire XIV

Priority to the Spit-14. It's a major Spitfire variant not properly kitted.

1/32

Sopwith Camel

It's the one kit Wingnut Wings refuses to do.

Sleepers for '15...World War I dreadnoughts in 1/700. And a 1/700 Zeppelin.

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Given the popularity of Corgis 1/72 Stirling, you'd think a new tool Aitfix one would also be on the cards? Surely some of the CAD drawings etc would transfer.

Glad to help with the Stirling if asked, after all we did help with the Corgi one,but we'd like more input to make the model more accurate :winkgrin:

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Hi Mike

With WW1 centenaries around the corner a WW1 tank in 35th or 48th to compliment their little 76th gem would probably be a unique offering. Easy to make, not too many parts, it could do well for them.

Interesting to see what actually happens....

Airfix don't do 1/35 do they? They've always done 1/32 as far as I'm aware.

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Airfix don't do 1/35 do they? They've always done 1/32 as far as I'm aware.

They did dabble in 1/35th way back in the mid-late 1970's, I don't know if they were Airfix's own moulds or somebody else's but I definitely have two Airfix 1/35th scale kits in my stash, one's the Bedford QL with field gun, the other is the Dodge Command car with 250 Gal Water Carrier.

I guess it didn't work out for them because AFAIK, they haven't touched 1/35th since then.

I got them as Christmas presents back in the day.

Wez

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