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Airfix to release Mary Rose!


Martian

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For me the highlight amongst many in Airfix's 2014 new release schedule was the announcement of a 1/400 Mary Rose. That should be a money spinner if ever there was one. It will sell like hot cakes at the new Mary Rose visitor centre and go on selling. Who knows it might prompt Airfix to do a larger scale version................

Martin

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For several years now I've been putting the Mary Rose* on the wish list Airfix hand out at Telford. Presumably my handwriting is bad because I keep writing 1:72 as the scale I can't understand how Airfix read that as 1:400.

* Actually I put her down twice, 'As she was' and 'as she is now'.

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Well they'd only need to tool the starboard side...

That had occurred to me as a possible diorama project. And the and now display could look pretty cool.

Martin

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1/400th scale seems a bit diminutive for this ship. The Revell Vasa is 1/150th scale, and I feel that the Mary Rose in 1/150th would be a more sensible size, and would slot better into their Classic Ships series, seling at about the £25.00 mark.

It will be interesting to see what the quality of the kit will be.....hopefully not with sails moulded to the yards like their previous small scale kits.

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I'm in favour of the small scale, as it is likely to sell more to tourists and other visitors. I feel they missed a chance with their RNLI boat, as a smaller simpler kit (or series of kits) would have provided a suitable range for the RNLI to sell in much larger numbers to more people. Just my opinion.

Nothing wrong with a proper large scale model too.

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I suspect that the most important design requirement was a kit that could be sold for pocket-money/souvenir prices in the MR gift shop. But if they've done all the work to create a 3D model of the ship as she was, then I guess if it's really popular they might consider adding one more to the Classic Ship series, taking her period place alongside the Sovereign of the Seas and Wasa.

bestest,

M.

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I suspect that the most important design requirement was a kit that could be sold for pocket-money/souvenir prices in the MR gift shop. But if they've done all the work to create a 3D model of the ship as she was, then I guess if it's really popular they might consider adding one more to the Classic Ship series, taking her period place alongside the Sovereign of the Seas and Wasa.

bestest,

M.

My thoughts exactly, They know that this one will sell like hot cakes at the museum, hence the gift set format, but are also testing the water with it. I would never be surprised if they did not do the same with HMS Warrior, they would then have the option of adding their existing Victory kit and issuing a three kit gift boxing. At least, that is what I would do from a commercial point of view.

Incidentally I noticed that Zvezda are bringing out a 1/350 scale Henry Grace Dieu soon.

Martin

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  • 1 year later...
  • 1 year later...

AFAIR there is a Matchstick model which would be about 1/175 at about £12, a solid wood model which is about 1/200 at about £10 and a plank on frame kit which is about 1/72 to 1/90, that one costs about £2500

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AFAIR there is a Matchstick model which would be about 1/175 at about £12, a solid wood model which is about 1/200 at about £10 and a plank on frame kit which is about 1/72 to 1/90, that one costs about £2500

The plank on frame kit is to 1:80 and you have a frightening typo there. The kit cost in the region of £250 not £2500.

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  • 2 years later...

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