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Your Airfix top (REALISTIC) future releases?


dpm1did1

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I'm happy with the concept of Airfix revisiting their back catalogue and hope to see some of the real oldies get a 21st century make over.

So new versions of the following will suit me, ideally in both 1:72 and 1:48.

dh 88

Sopwith Camel.

RE8

Albatross DV

Bristol Fighter

Douglas Boston 1 (with Turbinlight option)

B25 Mitchell

Halifax BIII/AVII

dh Heron

Harvard.

The aim should be that there should be no mould in use older than 25 years, the fact that there are some 60 years old still on sale is disgraceful.

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The age of the mould is irrelevant. Its condition and quality are all that matter. A lot of Tamiya's and Hasegawa's best-selling 1/48 stuff is coming up to 20 years old, more than 20 years in some cases and there's nothing wrong with it. The Airfix F-80C is 41 years old, still well worth building. The Inpact 1/48 range is almost 50 years old and a lot of those kits are still very much worth building. The classic Tamiya 1/12 scale Grand Prix cars are in some cases up to nearly 50 years old and still make excellent models. Conversely some recent new tools from certain manufacturers have been so wrong that they should be retired immediately.

If everything 25 years old were forcibly retired then the modelling world today would be a great deal poorer for it. The notion that it would be economically viable for every manufacturer to produce new tools of everything they've ever done on a rolling 25 year cycles is, I'm afraid, fanciful. So banning older kits on principle would just lead to huge gaps in coverage.

Edited by Work In Progress
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The problem is that some of those older kits have been superseded decades ago by newer toolings from other manufacturers. However, apparently they still sell or Airfix wouldn't release them time and time again. Now everyone decides what to do with their money and if you buy those kits for nostalgic reasons, fair enough. But many people may not realize that for many of those kits better alternatives are available and they would feel jibbed when they open the box. I know I did when I opened the box of their Mustang some years ago (this was the old tool), as I did with Revell's Hien and Uhu.

If the box would clearly indicate the year of the tooling or at least show some sprue shots or (like Revell on their larger boxes) a built up model, that would also help.

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AC-47 mentioned here recently might be a very logical choice.

And I agree it's quite strange that Airfix does not expand their catalogue through alternative versions of already issued kits. A-4B is the most notable example. I'm sure Airfix already paid off the Scooter molds many times.

Hopefully that changes as suggested by 2016 announcements.

Another strange thing is that Airfix does not try to update older moulds with e.g. engraved panels - for example for their 1:144 airliners.

Edited by Dennis_C
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Another strange thing is that Airfix does not try to update older moulds with e.g. engraved panels - for example for their 1:144 airliners.

You can't actually do that without making the whole of the kit fatter / thicker, as you have to grind it out to the depth of the existing raised panel lines and then some more to accommodate he depth of the new recessed lines. I can only think of the Monogram 1/48 P-51B having tried it, when it comes to physically modifying the moulds to do it and Monogram didn't really make it work satisfactorily.

Plus you would be left with all the shape and fit problems of the original kit which in the case of most of the 1/144 Airfix airliners are quite pronounced. If you're going to spend a stack of money as a manufacturer it would probably be a false economy compared to a completely new kit.

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You can't actually do that without making the whole of the kit fatter / thicker, as you have to grind it out to the depth of the existing raised panel lines and then some more to accommodate he depth of the new recessed lines. I can only think of the Monogram 1/48 P-51B having tried it, when it comes to physically modifying the moulds to do it and Monogram didn't really make it work satisfactorily.

Plus you would be left with all the shape and fit problems of the original kit which in the case of most of the 1/144 Airfix airliners are quite pronounced. If you're going to spend a stack of money as a manufacturer it would probably be a false economy compared to a completely new kit.

Airfix has also said that they are not going to upgrade or modify any of their legacy kits (i.e. anything not created with their current CAD system) with new parts

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My wish list, for what it’s worth chaps, just in case another vote makes the difference....

1/72nd Aircraft

Aichi D3A Val

Curtis P36

Junkers Ju88A-1/C-2

Fairey Battle

B24 H/J

P47D

P51B

P38J

Hampden

Wellington 1C

Manchester

Dauntless

Avenger

Hellcat

Corsair

Me262

Bf109F2

Catalina

Mosquito BXVI/PRXVI

Anson

Lysander

Master Mk1

Harvard Mk1

Whilwind fighter

Sea Gladiator

retools of all the old WW1 range, plus fokker D.VII, Sopwith triplane & 1 1/2 strutter, FE2B, BE2E, Albatros C.III, Nieuport 17, Morane N, Nieuport 28, SE5A, Pfalz DIII

1/48th aircraft

Hurricane IIc

Blenheim I & IV

Gladiator

Lysander

1/72nd scale vehicles

RAF fighter support set - Albion refueller – Fordson type N tractor & trailer – Standard light ambulance

plus starter trolleys, oil trolley, chocks, crates, figures, etc

USAAF fighter support set – GMC fuel truck – Dodge ¾ ton ambulance – Dodge ¾ ton weapons carrier

plus starter trolleys, oil trolley, chocks, crates, figures, etc

New RAF emergency set – Fordson WOT1 6x4 fire tender & Albion ambulance

New twin pack Bedfords - Bedford OX 15cwt GS & Bedford OY 3 ton GS

New tool RAF refuelling set AEC 6x6 fuel bowser & Bedford QL 4x4 bowser

Luftwaffe support set – fuel truck – ambulance – kubel, starters, chocks, crates, figures, etc

Clubmobile bus

NAAFI van

Morris-Commercial CS8 15cwt GS

Fordson WOT1 15cwt GS

1/72nd scale floaty things

Vosper type II MTB

BPBC MGB

D type MTB/MGB

US PT boat

New 1/72nd scale hard plastic figures

RAF personnel

USAAF personnel

Luftwaffe personnel

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My wish list, for what it’s worth chaps, just in case another vote makes the difference....

1/72nd Aircraft

Aichi D3A Val

Curtis P36

Junkers Ju88A-1/C-2

Fairey Battle

B24 H/J

P47D

P51B

P38J

Hampden

Wellington 1C

Manchester

Dauntless

Avenger

Hellcat

Corsair

Me262

Bf109F2

Catalina

Mosquito BXVI/PRXVI

Anson

Lysander

Master Mk1

Harvard Mk1

Whilwind fighter

Sea Gladiator

retools of all the old WW1 range, plus fokker D.VII, Sopwith triplane & 1 1/2 strutter, FE2B, BE2E, Albatros C.III, Nieuport 17, Morane N, Nieuport 28, SE5A, Pfalz DIII

1/48th aircraft

Hurricane IIc

Blenheim I & IV

Gladiator

Lysander

1/72nd scale vehicles

RAF fighter support set - Albion refueller – Fordson type N tractor & trailer – Standard light ambulance

plus starter trolleys, oil trolley, chocks, crates, figures, etc

USAAF fighter support set – GMC fuel truck – Dodge ¾ ton ambulance – Dodge ¾ ton weapons carrier

plus starter trolleys, oil trolley, chocks, crates, figures, etc

New RAF emergency set – Fordson WOT1 6x4 fire tender & Albion ambulance

New twin pack Bedfords - Bedford OX 15cwt GS & Bedford OY 3 ton GS

New tool RAF refuelling set AEC 6x6 fuel bowser & Bedford QL 4x4 bowser

Luftwaffe support set – fuel truck – ambulance – kubel, starters, chocks, crates, figures, etc

Clubmobile bus

NAAFI van

Morris-Commercial CS8 15cwt GS

Fordson WOT1 15cwt GS

1/72nd scale floaty things

Vosper type II MTB

BPBC MGB

D type MTB/MGB

US PT boat

New 1/72nd scale hard plastic figures

RAF personnel

USAAF personnel

Luftwaffe personnel

That's about 5 years production! There'd have to be some Cold War types too.

Do like the idea of the NAAFI van however....

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One kit I'd like to add to the (wish) list of new tools by Airfix is a 1/72 Supermarine Walrus done to same level of quality as their spiffy Swordfish kit. :bling:

Have to agree with you there! Likewise calls for a Lysander.

Edited by Wez
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In 1/48.

Aircraft

Spitfire Mk VB/Seafire Mk III

Corsair (US & UK versions) possibly before/after the same in 1/48

Wildcat (US & UK version)

Scimitar

Jet Provost

Vehicles

Carry on with what they have started with various vehicle from WW II and beyond. In particular:

Scammell Pioneer

Various CMP vehicles

AEC Matador

BSA & Northern Motorcycles

Figures

Expand the diorama possibilities of the above with various army and air force figures.

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In 1/48.

Aircraft

Spitfire Mk VB/Seafire Mk III

Corsair (US & UK versions) possibly before/after the same in 1/48

Wildcat (US & UK version)

Scimitar

Jet Provost

Vehicles

Carry on with what they have started with various vehicle from WW II and beyond. In particular:

Scammell Pioneer

Various CMP vehicles

AEC Matador

BSA & Northern Motorcycles

Figures

Expand the diorama possibilities of the above with various army and air force figures.

They already do a new Spitfire Vb in 1/48th and very nice it is too!

Now a Spitfire Vc which would link in very nicely with a Seafire III would be very welcome

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  • 2 weeks later...

If I can toss my hat in from the other side of the pond?

I know it's been said before, but 1/48th scale new tool Harriers are at the top of this Yanks list.

With the new Tom Hanks Cold War flick about to hit the streets, a nice early U-2 (naturally in 1/48) would be well received.

I'd like a quarter scale Swift too, please.

Believe it or not, I do think there's a market for subjects more interesting than yet another Mustang, P-40, or F-86. Not that there's anything wrong with that ;-) says the guy thinking about tackling the Airfix Lightning (in 1/48 scale)

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If I can toss my hat in from the other side of the pond?

I know it's been said before, but 1/48th scale new tool Harriers are at the top of this Yanks list.

With the new Tom Hanks Cold War flick about to hit the streets, a nice early U-2 (naturally in 1/48) would be well received.

I'd like a quarter scale Swift too, please.

Believe it or not, I do think there's a market for subjects more interesting than yet another Mustang, P-40, or F-86. Not that there's anything wrong with that ;-) says the guy thinking about tackling the Airfix Lightning (in 1/48 scale)

A new 1/48 F-86 A/E/early F kit would be really useful. The only A is the ancient Lindberg, and the E/early F has not been done, the big point here is a slatted wing, which was used on many Sabres, including most RAF ones, as well as early USAF Korean war, early Luftwaffe etc.

Doing a slatted wing at the moment means using a Revell D as a donor kit, or tracking down an as expensive resin conversion.

A P-51 D, or B/C with an accurate wheel well would be a good seller as well, as has been pointed out, the Tamiya kit is 20 years old, and for a company it's got to be a banker given the sheer amount of possible schemes.

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A new 1/48 F-86 A/E/early F kit would be really useful. The only A is the ancient Lindberg, and the E/early F has not been done, the big point here is a slatted wing, which was used on many Sabres, including most RAF ones, as well as early USAF Korean war, early Luftwaffe etc.

Doing a slatted wing at the moment means using a Revell D as a donor kit, or tracking down an as expensive resin conversion.

.

The only 1/72 F-86A is the Matchbox kit so a new one is needed in that scale as well.

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Point taken. I'd admit, there are plenty of schemes in both roundels and stars. Haven't built a Saber in a while.

Question though, being someone who can't resist using a resin set from time to time. Would you rather have a kit, detailed and engineered well enough to just build OOB, or is it just too much fun to bend and fumble tiny etched metal parts?

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We are in dire need of a new tool F-86A in both scale, not something I can see airfix doing though.

You kow an awful lot more about Sabre's than me Julien, but a F-86E/early F with a slatted wing would make a backdate to an A pretty easy.

Given how enthusiastically the P-40 B was received on Hyperscale, an early Sabre would be of similar enthusiasm I think, and it has many RAF schemes as well, IIRC nearly all the schemes on the 4 Aeromaster RAF Sabre sheets need a slatted wing, and they have been doing some classic 50's jets.

As an aside the old Lindberg F-86A matches up very well to the Academy F-86F in basic shapes.

Airfix do read these forums...and from tiny acorns and all that...

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Troy the rear fuselage is different from the A to the E. The A had conventional tail surfaces where as the E had the all flying tail with the powered controls back there.

F-86A a%2007.jpg

F-86 Later f86f10sq.522.jpg

I have the Lindberg kit and intend to cross kit it to make a 1.48 A model sometime.....

Of course if you want to go early A they had the faired in guns as well.

a%2001.jpg

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My list, all 1/72 scale.

DH Venom family

DH Chipmunk

AW Meteor NF. 11 - 14

NA Sabre F-86D

DH Vampire NF.10

Vickers Valetta

Vickers Varsity

BAC Canberra B.2/6

HP Hastings

Avro Anson C.19

SA Twin Pioneer

Westland Whirlwind Helicopter family

Bristol Beaufort

Short Sunderland V

AW Argosy

Blackburn Beverley

BAC Lightning T.4/5

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