Airfix 2017

[Dave Fleming]

OK, pure guesswork but I suspect we will see:

1 or 2 WW1 types

1 new mould to replace an ancient one in the range

1 new slightly left field WW2 kit

1 post-war type

[Graham Boak]

Max: Which Airfix Mosquito is horrid? The 1/72nd one has a too-long canopy but is otherwise the most accurate - unless you happen to believe that the oddball Tamiya one is the only kit in step and the plans are wrong.

AICZ: Airfix sells kits to a wider market than the keen modeller who only buys the most accurate version around. A halfway decent P-47 would make them money - and that's what it's all about.

Dave: I like your categories but I would add something from the "everybody has one" list of iconic subjects of single-engined WW2 fighters. Which is probably the P-47 as the most obvious gap in the recent re-toolings. I would personally prefer a Tempest or Yak 9, or even an Oscar, but these are more subjects for the enthusiast.

I think the obvious WW1 gaps are the SE5 and Fokker DVII, but feel replacement Camel and Fokker Dr1 are more likely. P-47 for the replacement and/or iconic gap. I've no favourite suggestion for the "slightly left field" WW2 but following the replacement line, then a Lysander (yawn). A Venom would indeed be nice as a postwar subject but a bit of a long shot. How about a Mig21?

[wombat]

British phantom, FE2, Sopwith dolphin please

[Max Headroom]

Graham!

My main gripe is the undercarriage. I had an early release in the 70's and it wouldn't fit and I tried it for the French Fancy GB last year and wouldn't fit AND was warped.

I can live with lack of cockpit detail - I had fun busying the office, I had a replacement canopy so that was sorted and being mostly wooden there was minimal rescribing needed.

I just think that a new kit done to the standard of their Blenheims would clean up.

In short, dump the old moulds!

Please.

Trevor

[Wez]

British phantom, FE2, Sopwith dolphin please

You see, I think an FE2 may be a bit tricky for some (I know all those struts and sticks scare the willies out of me), the Dolphin may be a bit esoteric, now if Airfix follow form they'll re-do the Sopwith Pup.

Concur on the Brit Phantom.

[Botan]

Airfix sells kits to a wider market than the keen modeller who only buys the most accurate version around. A halfway decent P-47 would make them money - and that's what it's all about.

If this is true then why even Airfix bother with LIDAR or blueprints, instead keeping a Hurricane MkIIc/Bf109G level?

If I remember correctly in their report they decided to rather go into hobby part. Going into producing semi-toys for brick and mortar shops for UK is a good way?

Anyway, I hope Airfix do not pick up a Great War plane already made by Roden, Eduard have Fokker D.VII and MiG-21 in plans, and Airfix can't stand to them.

There are British WWI planes completely lacking on plastic 1/72 scale models market like DH.9 or Short Type 184.

Funny thing, only Airfix model mentioned in report (link was in Chat forum Airfix thread) was Westland Sea King.

[Todd Brown]

All I want is a 1/72 P-38.

[HMSLion]

There are British WWI planes completely lacking on plastic 1/72 scale models market like DH.9 or Short Type 184.

Good point. I'm a big believer in going where the competition isn't. The real trick is the design. Wingnut Wings does outstanding work engineering their kits so that they don't require a lot of fancy jigging.

[The_Lancaster]

Well everyone's throwing in their guesses so here's mine!

1. either a 1/72 or 1/48 Phantom of some sort

2. Retooled Catalina in 1/72

3. Bf109 K-4 in 1/72

4. F-35 in 1/72 or 1/48 considering that the UK has just received theirs and Airfix is one for keeping up to date with UK defence

5. 1/48 Do 17??

[Rafdec]

I would like to see in 1/72 scale:-

Beverley

Valetta

Meteor NF versions

Chipmunk

Twin Pioneer

Lincoln

Venom ( All versions )

Whirlwind HAR 1 / 10

Prentice

Spitfire XVIII

Not too many to ask for!

[Max Headroom]

Balliol or Sea Balliol I'm Not fussed.

Trevor

[Wez]

Balliol or Sea Balliol I'm Not fussed.

Trevor

Sorry, I saw this but in my head I heard this as Chipmunk, 1/72nd and 1/48th - obviously the effect of too much tea!

[Max Headroom]

Sorry, I saw this but in my head I heard this as Chipmunk, 1/72nd and 1/48th - obviously the effect of too much tea!

Try shoe horning a Merlin 35 on a Chippie and see what happens!

Trevor

[Wez]

Try shoe horning a Merlin 35 on a Chippie and see what happens!

Trevor

It makes an interesting WHIF.

Moving swiftly on, it is evident from most posts that RAF/RN trainers continue to be popular subjects.

[LN-KEH]

Hei,

We know that Airfix will only make kits when they either have access to the original or proper documentation and being Anglocentric, preferring to produce something that has been in British service or an opponent. They also like to be able to release multiple boxings.

So what I can think of thats fit the above in 1:72:

BE2e by adding new new wings to the BE2c kit, they are then halfway to an RE 8

Avro 504K - bomber/trainer/civilian aircraft that can be modified to 504N, replacing the very old Airfix kit and the AModel knock-off.

Junkers Ju 52/3m, old kit that deserve to be replaced, Airfix had access to a very nice original when they measured up the He 111.

North American T-6 / Harvard, easy access to original aircraft, multiple boxings possible following up on their trainer series.

Westland Lysander agent taxi / target tug.

Curtiss P-36 / P-47 Thunderbolt / F-4U Corsair are US aircraft used by RAF / FAA and in need of good kits.

Hawker Sea Fury - so they can make a Dogfight double with the MiG 15.

Boeing B-29 Washington to go between the Lancaster and the V-bombers, can even make it in Australian markings.

Modern military aircraft have been overlooked by Airfix; AW 101, Wildcat Lynx and F-35 are or about to become operational.

Airfix might be able to get closer to the originals than many others.

What I am certain about is that Airfix will surprise us again - as they did with the very nice Whitley.

And I hope to see more versions of the Sea King without paint and glue, maybe a Royal boxing with Sea King(William/Andrew) and Apache(Harry).

The next surprise could be Sikorsky S-92 since they have taken over the rescue work and most of the North Sea transport tasks.

Edited July 5, 2016 by LN-KEH

[VMA131Marine]

My predictions:

1/24th Scale Aircraft

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb

1/48th Scale Aircraft

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIV

DeHavilland Vampire FB.5

Sopwith Pup

Fokker Dr.I

DeHavilland Mosquito FB.VI

1/72nd Scale Aircraft

Avro Shackleton AEW.2 (modification)

Blackburn Skua

Fairey Battle

Vickers Wellington Mk.III

Consolidated Liberator GR Mk.VIII (B-24J)

Hawker Sea Fury

McDonnell-Douglas Phantom FG.1/FGR.2

Junkers Ju 87B-2/R (modification of Ju 87B-1)

SE5a

Albatros D.III

SPAD VII

Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless

Hawker Hunter F.4

Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4

Edited July 5, 2016 by VMA131Marine

[Dave Fleming]

.

So what I can think of thats fit the above in 1:72:

BE2e by adding new new wings to the BE2c kit, they are then halfway to an RE 8

The design of the kit suggests a Be12 is very likely, possibly a Hisso variant as well, not so sure about a 2e.

Also noteworthy is the fact the kit has the late pattern tail fin (Be12/2e) supplied but not used on either option provided.

Edited July 6, 2016 by Dave Fleming

[Graham Boak]

Maxheadroom: Agreed on interior detail in the Mosquito kit. The undercarriage is awkward, but I've done three so far with more to come (one day). I'm sure that you're right about a new Mosquito selling, it is one of those iconic subjects, but I don't feel that the state of the current one demands immediate replacement. Not when compared with other toolings, some of which would also sell well.

Botan. I can only guess at Airfix's reasons for improving their models after the early examples from the new regime: possibly because they were still learning their trade, possibly through a response to the (fair) criticism, probably a bit of both. Good for them, whatever the precise reasoning. However, that doesn't change the fact that Airfix does sell in the UK to a much wider market than the other companies. Perhaps you have to be in the UK to see this, judging from the level of surprise whenever this is mentioned.

There is the separate question of whether more recent Airfix kits have actually got the balance right between complexity of parts and ease of fit, but I see this as a problem of progress. I expect to see it go away.

[AlCZ]

I think a British modelers really can a Airfix go to bankrupt... Wake up Gentlemans !

1/72 B-24J - against hi-tech and excellent Hasegawa kit ? Hasegawa have full interior, nice surface details with rivets - i really don't understand why make another Liberator ?

De Havilland Mosquito in quarter scale - Best kit maker on the world is still a Tamia. Their quarter scale Mossie is shake and bake kit - a for few coins (in Czech cost as Airfix Hurricane/Spitfire (around 20GBP/650CZK) and Tamiya is still very nice kit , with open nose guns, bomb bay and nice cockpit with all avionics.... New tool Mossie was probably have price tag over 100% higher. Look on Revell and their "bid" on new tool Mossie in quarter scale (B.IV) as fast bomber version.... Where is Revell kit (Out of Production) and Tamiya is a bestseller - notwithstanding is "adult" (have 19 years...). When i can bought a Me-262 and have choice between HobbyBoss Schwalbe and Tamiya i go to Tamiya because Tamiya is for me a Rolls Royce in kit modeling (HobbyBoss was cheapest and have few details (radio compartment) as Tamiya not, but Tamiya is Tamiya. ¨

Only very important type, what have bad representation on the market in small scale - is on my eyes Grumman TBD "Avenger"/"Tarpon". Academy is old and ugly, and Hasegawa was overpriced with no interior details.

And i not understand why Airfix don't release a very attractive lookin' Seafire Mk. 47 in small scale (downscaled quarter scale) kit used in combat over Korean Peninsula.... This is most attractive piston engine fighter with counter prop... Mk.22 have, why not Seafire Mk.47 ? :/

[71chally]

I still think the lack of decent helos in both 72nd and 48th is woeful.

The market for modern kitted S-51/Dragonfly (even Widgeon), S-55/Whirlwind and S-58/Wessex must be quite large when you consider British service variants and the original American & export markets.

It amazes me that there still isn't a modern kit of the evergreen Puma.

The whirlwind in particular seems a fairly easy break down to make different versions, and plenty about to measure etc.

[mozart]

New tools of golden oldies (any of the following): Me 262, Douglas Devastator, Sopwith Camel, Fokker Dr1, Mig 21, F-4 Phantom, Ju-88A all in 1/72nd scale

I also expect a Spitfire/Seafire and metal wing Hurricane in 1/72nd.

Whitley, Blenheim, Gladiator/Sea Gladiator and F86F in 1/48th

New tool Spitfire I/Ia/II and Me 109E4 in 1/24th

[Truro Model Builder]

My prediction: a lot of disappointed people.

[moaning dolphin]

My prediction: an Airfix 2020 thread with the same predictions and the same grumblings, including mine asking where the 1:48 Scimitar is!

[Albeback52]

My prediction: a lot of disappointed people

You surely mean a lot of disappointed people whining and whinging about Airfix producing _________________( complete as appropriate) when what modellers are really screaming out for is_______________________________(complete as appropriate)!!!!!

Allan

Edited July 6, 2016 by Albeback52

[Caerbannog]

My prediction: a lot of disappointed people.

Hmm... when I look at your other post of a few minutes later (here:http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235002283-hornby-grim-day-for-the-share-price/page-21) it makes me think that we will not see much of the kits listed here if any.