1/24 scale..... What more can Airfix offer ?

[Col.]

May as well stick my name down for the Sea Fury petition as well

[lasermonkey]

Top of the list for me would be a Gladiator, closely followed by any of the Hart family. There's a Shuttleworth connection (sorry!) there that could benefit both parties. Otherwise, a re-tooled Spit Mk I would be ace, as would a Tiger Moth, Defiant, Whirlwind or P-40.

[brewerjerry]

Hi

my wishes in 1:24

whirlwind fighter

beaufighter

DO-217

i suppose a ME262 would sell, as would a P-47

cheers

jerry

[fightersweep]

Despite a 1/24 wishlist as long as my arm, I have to agree with Dr Dave back on page 1.

Purely from the point of sales, and running with their policy of replacing old moulds, a state of the art re-tool of the Spitfire Mk I would be awesome. Especially if it had the options for an early Mk I, Ia and II in the same box. We do have to be realistic here. Additionally, the same treatment applied to the Bf-109E would also be great.

As far as a completely new tool. For me, with my realistic head on, a Mk IX and Mk XIV Spitfire would be popular with the masses. I know it's more Spitfires, but they do sell. I'm hard pushed to think of a subject that will have a sales appeal wider than us enthusiasts.

Regards;

Steve

PS..OK, how about a Gladiator. After all, it was seriously considered before? Or maybe a Hawker Fury?

Edited November 14, 2013 by fightersweep

[GordonD]

Mitsubishi Zero

[Edgar]

With the obvious expertise of their new designer, it should not be beyond the realms of possibility to make a basic Spitfire fuselage section, to which various noses, wings and tail sections could be added, to give the whole range from I to XIV, though rivet counters would likely blench at the idea of a smooth Mark I or "pimpled" late IX/XII/VIII/XIV.

Edgar

Edited November 14, 2013 by Edgar

[Nwanda]

I could most certainly be persuaded to buy a Hawker Hart/Fury/Demon - all the benefits of the extra detail available in this scale, without needing a spare house to park it in .....

[Rabbit Leader]

You took the words right out of my mouth.. I'd say a Hawker Hart family with options to make most versions would be a real winner.

I am hoping that we will get this in 1/72 next year. I believe the original 1957 (?) Hart still goes for a Kings Ransome on ebay these days.

Cheers.. Dave.

[grahamf]

I will wager they will not now do a Tempest, too similar to a Typhoon, I had considered doing a conversion kit but its a lot of resin [ I could replicate all the quality of the rivets with my CNC] but I think nobody would want to pay more than £50.00 for it.

Graham. [ Iconicair ]

[Steve190]

BOB aircraft will always be money makers worldwide:

Boulton Paul Defiant, Junkers Ju-88A-1, Blenheim I, Whitley, Fairey Battle, Lockheed Hudson in 1/72

Pearl Harbor aircraft also seem to be big sellers:

A new early Val, P-36, B-17E in 1/72

Retooling a razorback P-47, P-38 and early Harvard 1/72 would be nice

In 1/48 a Ju-88A-1 or Do-17.

Many of the above have been released in recent years by other companies but some are hard to find, overpriced for overseas market or have issues. Airfix can make an excellent reasonable priced kit of any of the above which will do well in not just domestic but in overseas markets as well.

Steve

[Dave Gibson]

Personally I'd be happy if they produced separate canopies and rear glasses for their high back 1/48 Spitfires. That combined canopy/rear glass is a total abomination.

Are you reading this Airfix?

Dave

[dazdot]

yak 3 or a zero or a p40 would be good but let's enjoy the typhoon first

[Admiral Puff]

Re-do their old 1/24 range so that they are up to modern standards in accuracy and moulding

Specifically: Spitfire, Ju87, P-51, Fw190... these kits are relics of well over a generation ago

Cool when we were kids, but pretty weak when compared to their current Mossie or even the oft overlooked Trumpeter Hurricane

1/24 is not my scale btw (1/32)

I was about to say the same thing! The Mustang, in particular, is crying out for a make-over (as long as it's NOT given yet another set of 'Big Beautiful Doll' decals!), and then there's the two-stage Merlins and bomber fuselage for the Mossie. As to completey new moulds: the Korea twins (Sea Fury and Firefly) would be nice ... and what about a 1:24 DC-3/C-47??

Edited November 14, 2013 by Admiral Puff

[Troy Smith]

Re-do their old 1/24 range so that they are up to modern standards in accuracy and moulding

Specifically: Spitfire, Ju87, P-51, Fw190... these kits are relics of well over a generation ago

Cool when we were kids, but pretty weak when compared to their current Mossie or even the oft overlooked Trumpeter Hurricane

1/24 is not my scale btw (1/32)

The Spitfire, bf109, actually they could be retooled, to a decent standard I think, even some additional sprues would do.

the mustang has shape issues in the nose and would be worth a new tool.

But the Ju87? in what way does that need redoing? While old it's probably the best of the old 1/24th kit, followed by the Hurricane.

Yep, they are old, but not worth retooling.

Surprising no-one has issued etch or resin for these.

Several folks here have asked for a 1/24th P-47 and P-40 B, both of which have been done in the last few years by the Vintage Fighter Company, and and now being reissued by Kinetic I believe. I know it's 'what should Airfix do in 1/24th' but AFAIK these kits were OK.

The ground crew idea is a good one, if thought through carefully, say 3 figures in coveralls done like the old multipose range would be very handy, you could just issues separate side caps and they would do for both RAF and Luftwaffe figures possibly, as coveralls are basically coveralls?

cheers

T

[Black Knight]

There is a small amount of etch and resin available for the Airfix 1/24 kits. Mostly seat belts, replacement guns and few other items.

[Matave]

What should Airfix produce of 1/24 scale aircraft in the future?

Well, to start with: It must sell !!!

What do sell? Good question. One of my favorite aircraft is the BP Defiant. That would be something! ...for me, but not necessary for everyone. I’m afraid that the Defiant is a bit too uncommon and strange aircraft to be sold in large quantities. That goes also for several of the suggestions in this forum thread.

So, what is left, or should I say, what are the characteristics for good selling? That must be to create something that a lot of people want, not just the few.

Characteristics:

It should be a British aircraft or an aircraft that have had great influence on British people.

It must also have been in use in several other countries than Britain.

It must have been built in a large number of aircrafts and/or in similar versions.

It should be an aircraft that is not been produced in 1/24 nor 1/32 scale by other producers. If you have bought/built one in 1/32 it not likely you will buy it in 1/24 scale. Resin and vacuum sets excluded.

It could of course be an aircraft that has become an icon, such as Spitfire, Hurricane or Messerschmitt apart from that most of them are already done…

It should be an aircraft that was in service from ca 1938 – today. Before that is no option.

The aircraft itself should not have bigger dimensions that the Mosquito. Large aircraft makes the kit expensive.

What do we have then?

We can exclude Early mark Spitfires, Hurricane, Mustangs, Bf 109, Zero… and a lot of “modern” jet aircrafts, except perhaps old sets.

Her is mine and hopefully Airfix’s whichlist:

Spitfire mk.IX and mk.XIV

Gloster Gladiator

N A Harvard IIB (AT-16)

DH Vampire

DH Tiger Moth (I have my doubts about this one)

Gloster Meteor F.4 and/or T.7

[Enzo the Magnificent]

I will wager they will not now do a Tempest, too similar to a Typhoon, I had considered doing a conversion kit but its a lot of resin [ I could replicate all the quality of the rivets with my CNC] but I think nobody would want to pay more than £50.00 for it.

You might be surprised. Cutting Edge did a very expensive resin set to convert the Tamiya 1/32 Phantom to a Brit Phantim. That sold well and still fetches absolutely money on evilbay.

[cmatthewbacon]

Not sure why "before 1938" is "no option"?

Seriously, I think the best possible contender for Airfix would be a Sopwith Camel. It hits every one of your criteria except the arbitrary "nothing before 1938"

It is THE iconic British aircraft of WW1, and alongside the Fokker Dr.1, one of the two iconic aircraft of the whole First World War.

It's not too big. There are thousands of aircraft from many different countries (including the US Army Air Service and both White and Red Russians) to model, and some killer special schemes. In any "Great British Aircraft of all eras" collection it can sit there proudly alongside the Spitfire and Hurricane.

WNW have shown the way, but not gone there yet. On the evidence of the Typhoon, Airfix could tool a 1/24 Camel to the same standards as WNW's 1/32 range.

And so what if it has rigging? Any modeller buying a 1/24th scale kit with 600 pieces is going to have some experience and skills under their belts. And as the Tamiya Swordfish demonstrated, for them's as wants it, AIrfix could produce an etched RAF Wire rigging set as a nice little add-on.

Oh, and there's a nice little anniversary coming along on Dec 22nd 2016, just in time for Christmas...

bestest,

M.

[Caerbannog]

Ok here we go again - "It is not my scale". But I wonder who can say that he prefeers 1:24 for his aircraft kits. I think the clue for Airfix is to produce a 1:24 kit which is just too cool not to want to have it and finally also buy it. Their Typhoon looks awsome - in fact so much that I am temped to get one, despite it's scale. But I will only be able to reject it because the Typhoon is a nice airplane and there is one Eduard kit still boxed with AlleyCat tail in my 1:48 line up. But: A Sea Fury or a Spitfire Mk IX or XIV (I would prefer this) would tempt me much more. So for me two things must come together: A subject which I strongly like & a model which is up to a high standard (as 1:48 Javelin or the 1:24 Typhoon). So some airplanes I would consider are:

- Sopwith Camel (if I had to pick one subject of WWI)

- Hawker Fury (great lines, nicest of the interwar planes)

- Spitfire IX or XII or XIV

- Sea Fury

- new tool P-51D

- Me 262

- DH Vampire

- Folland Gnat (small and colourful)

- and yes.... Brit Phantom

But in addition I have to say that I also like the idea behind a DH 88 Comet (I most likely would buy this!!!) and a MewGull is quite nice (somewhere on the first page).

Rene

[Work In Progress]

An SE5a might be better than a Camel, as it was also used by US forces (which has to help sales) and had a longer post-war life including civilian usage.

The Gladiator is a natural, and one that I expect to see in due course.

The biggest commercial opportunity for a WW2 fighter as yet untouched in 1/24 is probably the F4U1a / 1d . Plenty of interesting and colourful schemes available, loads of combat tales, widespread British usage in multiple schemes, plus abundant transatlantic and trans-Pacific appeal.

[depressed lemur]

Wouldn't it be nice to have some ground crew loading rockets onto the new Typhoon?

I am sure that if the play with the moulding (a la multipose figures of yonderyear) separate arms legs etc would allow other options. Include tools and or odds and sods and it is happy bunny time.

[cmatthewbacon]

An SE5a might be better than a Camel, as it was also used by US forces (which has to help sales) and had a longer post-war life including civilian usage.

The Camel was also used by US Army aviators in two squadrons (17th and 148th). And while I agree with you on the Camel not having a long civilian after-life, if you're going to have a single 1/24th WW1 fighter model on the shelf, are you really going to paint it in "Skywriters" silver dope? Everyone who has the slightest interest in military aircraft (and a lot who don't) knows a Sopwith Camel...

Thanks, Snoopy...

bestest,

M.

[Caerbannog]

I think rigging becomes less a problem with the size of a 1:24 kit. Well - I think. Besides I think (again...) that people who buy a 1:24 kit have either appropiate modelling skills or will screw it up - rigging or not :-D

Rene

[Arachnid]

Not sure why "before 1938" is "no option"?

Seriously, I think the best possible contender for Airfix would be a Sopwith Camel. It hits every one of your criteria except the arbitrary "nothing before 1938"

It is THE iconic British aircraft of WW1, and alongside the Fokker Dr.1, one of the two iconic aircraft of the whole First World War.

It's not too big. There are thousands of aircraft from many different countries (including the US Army Air Service and both White and Red Russians) to model, and some killer special schemes. In any "Great British Aircraft of all eras" collection it can sit there proudly alongside the Spitfire and Hurricane.

WNW have shown the way, but not gone there yet. On the evidence of the Typhoon, Airfix could tool a 1/24 Camel to the same standards as WNW's 1/32 range.

And so what if it has rigging? Any modeller buying a 1/24th scale kit with 600 pieces is going to have some experience and skills under their belts. And as the Tamiya Swordfish demonstrated, for them's as wants it, AIrfix could produce an etched RAF Wire rigging set as a nice little add-on.

Oh, and there's a nice little anniversary coming along on Dec 22nd 2016, just in time for Christmas...

bestest,

M.

The Japanese had them as well

[Dave Fleming]

Gnat and/or Hawk