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

[dadgaddad]

Anything that begins with Sea...

[Wez]

Anything that begins with Sea...

Canberra..???

Wez using his Baldrick Defence

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Wez using his Baldrick Defence

[Matave]

Why not before 1938?

Unfortunately there are not enough people who build WW1 or interwar aircrafts.

There is an old Sopwith Camel and Fokker Dr I kit from Revell in 1/28 which are not that bad... There is also a Camel from Academy in 1/32 scale which is really nice. WNW will certainly come with one in the future. And of course we have the one in 1/8 scale which is for real belivers... We dont need another Camel, do we?!

I'm afraid that a Canberra will be too large and expensive in 1/24 scale...

Sea Fury, Me 262 and the Hawker interwar aircraft are for people with special interests and would not sell to many enough...

[MilneBay]

I think the most deserving is the Armstrong Whitworth Ape.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armstrong_Whitworth_Ape

[cmatthewbacon]

There is an old Sopwith Camel and Fokker Dr I kit from Revell in 1/28 which are not that bad... There is also a Camel from Academy in 1/32 scale which is really nice. WNW will certainly come with one in the future. And of course we have the one in 1/8 scale which is for real belivers... We dont need another Camel, do we?!

There are more years between today and when the Revell WW1 big-scale kits were tooled up than there are between them being tooled and the first flight of the REAL Camel. And yes, it is not bad:

...but it's not state of the art. The Academy Camel is OK, but you really need to find the hard-to-obtain retooled Hobbycraft boxings ("Aces" and "Clerget" IIRC) if you want a good one.

And if we're going to argue that if something has been done in 1/32, then it can't be done by Airfix in 1/24, then that cuts out rather a lot of options!

bestest,

M.

[Scimitar F1]

Of all the plausible 1/24 kits a Sea Fury would really float my boat. In 1980 in Scale Models (I think) there was an article on one in that scale that was scratch built. It made such an impression that I remember it clearly 33 years later!

Will

[Albeback52]

A Lightning, or a RN Phantom would be amazing................

......but probably unaffordable & too large for many!!! . Personally, I don't think the size of these would be the issue as much as the price!! Inevitably into 3 figures, I just wouldn't buy them. No matter how much I'd love them. I won't buy the Typhoon or Mosquito either. That's sheer necessity given my limited budget. I'd (personally) rather that Airfix DIDN'T extend their 1/24 range but rather concentrate their efforts on the smaller scales and more affordable kits. Now, if said hypothetical kits were sold at round about the £50 mark (never happen of course!), I might change my mind but , not otherwise!

If they make a good profit out of their 1/24 range, more power to them but, just not for me

Allan

[Radleigh]

It won't happen, I'm sure but I would love to see some of the experimental types the British built early on..

Like so,

VT935 Boulton Paul P.111 by Totallyrad.co.uk, on Flickr

Gloster E28/39 on the A426 Rugby Road / A4303 Lutterworth Road by Totallyrad.co.uk, on Flickr

[alex]

My guess? Not too big, used by many coutries and forces, many different liveries, research already done for another scale, some famous examples... so I would guess the Gladiator maybe? would fit all points mentionned.

Alex

[alpine_modeller]

Boulton Paul Defiant would be a beauty.

Yes, deffo

[davidelvy]

When I came back to our our club table to tell the other members about the Typhoon the consensus seemed to be that Airfix would have been better off releasing a Hawk. I'm sure the Typhoon will be a success, but a Hawk would be a good one for the future. It's not too big and there are plenty of colour schemes available, including a lot of foreign operators. It is also an aircraft that is very familiar to the general public.

[alex]

The Hawk would be a nice choice too, I agree. but shortly after Revells good 1:32 Hawk it would have been more risky. With the Tiffie they have no competition in the 1:32-scale (at least, none I know about... but I could be wrong). Which leads to the interesting question if 1:24 will remain a niche, or if Airfix revamped a whole new series, and other manufacturers will jump on this scale too.

Alex

[Radleigh]

The Hawk would be a nice choice too, I agree. but shortly after Revells good 1:32 Hawk it would have been more risky. With the Tiffie they have no competition in the 1:32-scale (at least, none I know about... but I could be wrong). Which leads to the interesting question if 1:24 will remain a niche, or if Airfix revamped a whole new series, and other manufacturers will jump on this scale too.

Alex

MDC do a resin 1/32nd scale kit, but as it's resin it's in another league.

[Work In Progress]

The Hawk might be practicable as it fits the same sort of shelf footprint as a Typhoon: it's as long as the Typhoon is wide, and as wide as the Typhoon is long, near enough.

[JohnT]

When I came back to our our club table to tell the other members about the Typhoon the consensus seemed to be that Airfix would have been better off releasing a Hawk. I'm sure the Typhoon will be a success, but a Hawk would be a good one for the future. It's not too big and there are plenty of colour schemes available, including a lot of foreign operators. It is also an aircraft that is very familiar to the general public.

And I suspect we would have seen lots of 1/24 Hawks in piles in LHS selling at knock down prices to shift them fast too! 1/32 Revell Hawk retailing at a tenner yet? Anyone say why that model was in effect remaindered?

So on the face of it yes, the Hawk would be a good option (size etc) I doubt it would be a seller as Revell one was not. More, I suspect that Airfix are looking at the Typhoon (and 1/24 scale subjects) as a flagship showcase product producing a single 1/24 model a year on average, if that. So they have picked a subject that is

1 UK centred,

2 not otherwise generally available in any large scale - i.e. above 1/48, - I discount the MDC product good though it is and I have one in the stash.

3 easily recognised as an important historical type,

4 a combat aircraft (never underestimate the selling pull of things that go "bang" over trainers and passenger types) and

5 has an Anniversary coming up to tie in with sales launch.

The Hawk misses out on all those counts bar number 1 nice bird though she is

[Troy Smith]

Of all the plausible 1/24 kits a Sea Fury would really float my boat. In 1980 in Scale Models (I think) there was an article on one in that scale that was scratch built. It made such an impression that I remember it clearly 33 years later!

Will

By Peter Cooke.

Edgar knows him. He also did latemark Spitfires, a Tempest, and a Hurricane. He won the Model Engineer Trophy. There is more here in a thread somewhere.

He pioneered scratchbuilding using resin. There was an article by him about how he built them in a later Scale Models as well. he also used to sell them, they were expensive but also museum quality, bear in mind this was before the advent of commercial photo etc and resin as well.

But a 1/24th Sea Fury would be very impressive!

The Hawk would be a nice choice too, I agree. but shortly after Revells good 1:32 Hawk it would have been more risky. With the Tiffie they have no competition in the 1:32-scale (at least, none I know about... but I could be wrong). Which leads to the interesting question if 1:24 will remain a niche, or if Airfix revamped a whole new series, and other manufacturers will jump on this scale too.

Alex

Revell did a 1/32 car door Typhoon in the late 60's, which is basic but essentially accurate AFAIK.

A search on Large Scale Planes I'm sure would turn up chapter and verse on it.

cheers

T

[VMA131Marine]

My top ten list for future Airfix 1/24th scale kits

1/ Defiant

2/ Westland Whirlwind

3/ Vampire

4/ Gladiator

5/ Bf109A/B/C/D

6/ E.E. Lightning

7/ Spitfire XIV

8/ DH Chipmunk

9/ Supermarine S.6b

10/ Supermarine Spiteful/Seafang

Bonus 11th item: V-1 Doodlebug to go with the new Typhoon kit

[Col.]

My top ten list for future Airfix 1/24th scale kits

1/ Defiant

2/ Westland Whirlwind

3/ Vampire

4/ Gladiator

5/ Bf109A/B/C/D

6/ E.E. Lightning

7/ Spitfire XIV

8/ DH Chipmunk

9/ Supermarine S.6b

10/ Supermarine Spiteful/Seafang

Bonus 11th item: V-1 Doodlebug to go with the new Typhoon kit

The Gladiator seems an ideal subject and certainly a popular suggestion. Never thought about the Dh Chipmunk but sure it'd also be a good one. Now a Supermarine S6b; oh wow, oh yes please, that would make a stunning centrepiece to and model collection

Please Airfix

[davidelvy]

So on the face of it yes, the Hawk would be a good option (size etc) I doubt it would be a seller as Revell one was not. More, I suspect that Airfix are looking at the Typhoon (and 1/24 scale subjects) as a flagship showcase product producing a single 1/24 model a year on average...

I suspect that the problem with the Revell Hawk was that it was over-produced, not that very few were interested. Revell clearly think there is still money to be made as they have re-released the kit with a black colour scheme and without thatnawful red plastic.

Personally I think Airfix have made a good choice, I was just saying that the consensus of those I spoke to seemed otherwise.

As for lists of useful attributes, how aabout this?

1. Easily recognised by the public.

2. Frequently seen at airshows.

3. Long service history.

4. Bought by other nations.

5. Variety of colours and markings.

[Doug Rogers]

If they're prepared to do a Mosquito then why not a Beaufighter?

S6B would definitely be good, or a K5054 prototype Spit.

[ludwig113]

if they did the supermarine S6B , i'd be first in the cue for one.....or two.....

[Edgar]

Like it, or not, trainers (and other non-combat aircraft) are not as popular as those that fight (Frank Brown discovered this, when he sold four times as many single-seat Echelon Hunters as he did the two-seater.)

Edgar

[geedubelyer]

Hi gang, all of this speculation is fun is n't it?

..... list for future Airfix 1/24th scale kits

3/ Vampire

4/ Gladiator

.....

8/ DH Chipmunk

9/ Supermarine S.6b

I'd go along with these although the only one that I can think that would be financially viable would be the Vampire and given the success of the 1/72nd scale version it might just be on the cards. Personally I love the idea of a 1/24th scale Chipmunk but I'd go with a 1/24th scale Tiger Moth even more.

Has anyone mentioned the Gnat yet? If the Hawk is a no go then what about a Red Arrow/Yellow jacket Gnat in 1/24th scale?

[Adam Maas]

Hi gang, all of this speculation is fun is n't it?

I'd go along with these although the only one that I can think that would be financially viable would be the Vampire and given the success of the 1/72nd scale version it might just be on the cards. Personally I love the idea of a 1/24th scale Chipmunk but I'd go with a 1/24th scale Tiger Moth even more.

Has anyone mentioned the Gnat yet? If the Hawk is a no go then what about a Red Arrow/Yellow jacket Gnat in 1/24th scale?

I'm pretty sure the Gladiator would outsell the Vampire by a fair margin, particularly if they had all the bits in the box to do a Swedish or Finnish Gladiator with Skiis and a Mk.II (even better if they also included the Sea Gladiator bits). There's good reasons why the Gladiator's been kitted so many times over the years (although we still need a good one in 1/48, the Roden's a PITA to build). And it's got far more interesting colour schemes than the Vampire.