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Airfix 2018 range announcement due 10.00 09/01/2018


Stephen

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On 12/23/2017 at 9:57 PM, Tiger331 said:

1:48th scale Hawker Hunter F.6/FGA.9

 

Well......As you can imagine after my last post in this thread.......I'm VERY happy with the news. The Hawker Hunter was also No.1 on the suggestions list I submitted to the Airfix Stand during SMW'17. Taking into account market factors and the current financial wellbeing of the parent company, I think Airfix have done rather well in spite of the comments from some. Sure, there are a lot of re-releases but I am also very happy to see the Phantom FGR.2, Sea King HAR.3 with Norwegian markings, a Post-War RAF Douglas Dakota and the Victor re-boxed as a K.2 with additional parts to name but four 1:72 favourites. I for one will also relieve them of a Gloster Meteor FR.9 and the Supermarine Walrus.....and as for genuinely new aircraft kits, I suspect Airfix's output for 2018 will be triple that a well known Japanese manufacturer and any of the U.S. based 'giants' so it should all be taken in context ;).

 

Yes, in 1:48 scale Airfix have firmly nailed their colours to the mast of Post-War British aircraft with the likes of the Sea Vixen, Javelin, Sea Fury, Gnat etc and long may it continue - The Hunter will obviously be followed by a FGA.9 and given the 'competition' they should do very well. I do not think they could go far wrong if they followed up with the Tempest, Vampire, Venom, Jet Provost family, re-tooled Buccaneer & Jaguar and maybe even a Sea Hawk, Scimitar and Sea Venom.

 

In 1:72 scale, a re-tooled Vulcan must be on the cards (a huge seller IMHO) together with a mainstream 'Bomber Canopy' family of Canberras, re-tooled Bucaneer, Jaguar, C-130 Hercules plus a new mould VC.10 !!

 

I also agree that the re-tooling of some perennial WWII favourites including the P-39, P-47, Mosquito, Sunderland and Catalina would do wonders.....we can all dream but, for now, I for one am very content with the news for 2018.                  

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I'm pretty pleased with 2018 range in 1/72.

 

Indeed there is one new tool in 1/72, but I hoped for Wimpy for a long time.

 

New decals really suits me to. I even looked for decals for Czechoslovakian Me-262 and Polish Mitchell, but now I got those served right of the box. Also I was thinking about making Sea King in some fancy camouflage, and I got Norwegian one.

 

That makes 3 kits I'm interested in without need for aftermarket decals, so I'm happy.

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I have a feeling that there could be an inaccuracy with the 2 squadon markings for the FGR.2 - I have emailed Airfix with the following:

 

"

One of the colour schemes is given as XV469/T; according to Peter R Foster’s book RAF Phantom (Ian Allan 1989) XV469 was issued to 2 squadron on 10/05/76 as “H”, having already had the RWR fairing fitted. The same publication has XT901 as being with 2 squadron as “T” from May ’73 until May ’76.

 

Richard L Ward’s book “Phantom Squadrons of the RAF and FAA” has a photo (page 5) of XT898 as “T” with 2 squadron taken in June ’76.

 

I’d therefore question the accuracy of the proposed markings as my, admittedly quick, research suggests that XV469 did not serve as “T” with 2 squadron.

 

I am happy to be proved wrong."

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This is the first year since the Airfix revival started (red box) that no NEW 1/72 'New Tool' has been announced

We are going to get kits previously announced during 2017, in 2018, but it means a void in 2019.  I see short term thinking going on here

 

This is NOT good.  All this re-box re-decal stuff would be done by the decal/resin cottage people in good time anyway.

What we would all like to see is new kits that all the cottage people can build on.... it's an industry that employs a lot of people. 

Airfix - be a leader, be a believer, invest in yourself, invest in new kits, make it and the punters will come. 

 

Why even ask us builders (at Telford etc) what we want - when not a single 1/72 NEW kit can be included in the 2018 announcement.

PM

 

 

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The Sea King isn't entirely unsurprising - the inclusion of the RWR fairings in the initial HAR.3 release always indicated that a Grey Whale was going to follow....

 

....the choice of markings is, though - didn't expect that, but then also didn't expect the correct serial on the box art, but an incorrect one in the side view!

Edited by andyf117
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11 minutes ago, Patrick Martin said:

This is the first year since the Airfix revival started (red box) that no NEW 1/72 'New Tool' has been announced

 

 

Maybe they should stop announcing new kits throughout the year and do it all at this time of the year like they always used to, then you'd have your 1/72 announcements and maybe be happy :rage:

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19 minutes ago, Patrick Martin said:

This is the first year since the Airfix revival started (red box) that no NEW 1/72 'New Tool' has been announced

We are going to get kits previously announced during 2017, in 2018, but it means a void in 2019.  I see short term thinking going on here

 

This is NOT good.  All this re-box re-decal stuff would be done by the decal/resin cottage people in good time anyway.

What we would all like to see is new kits that all the cottage people can build on.... it's an industry that employs a lot of people. 

Airfix - be a leader, be a believer, invest in yourself, invest in new kits, make it and the punters will come. 

 

Why even ask us builders (at Telford etc) what we want - when not a single 1/72 NEW kit can be included in the 2018 announcement.

PM

 

 

The Wellington in 1/72 was always going to be a 2018 release, even though it was announced last year, so that's one new 1/72 tooling. It's a shame the Camel in the RAF Centenary set isn't new too though. if everything just announced holds to the published schedule, 2018 will be at least as good for new tools released as 2017. In fact, by my reckoning, the completely new tools released last year were the 1/48 Walrus, 1/48 P-51D, 1/48 Ju-87D-1, and 1/72 Me 262A-1a; which is only four. The B-25, Phantom, and Sea Fury have slipped into 2018 so we could get 6 new tools this year.

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11 minutes ago, iainpeden said:

I have a feeling that there could be an inaccuracy with the 2 squadon markings for the FGR.2 - I have emailed Airfix with the following:

 

 

"One of the colour schemes is given as XV469/T; according to Peter R Foster’s book RAF Phantom (Ian Allan 1989) XV469 was issued to 2 squadron on 10/05/76 as “H”, having already had the RWR fairing fitted. The same publication has XT901 as being with 2 squadron as “T” from May ’73 until May ’76.

 

 

 

Richard L Ward’s book “Phantom Squadrons of the RAF and FAA” has a photo (page 5) of XT898 as “T” with 2 squadron taken in June ’76.

 

 

 

I’d therefore question the accuracy of the proposed markings as my, admittedly quick, research suggests that XV469 did not serve as “T” with 2 squadron.

 

 

 

I am happy to be proved wrong."

 

Hi Iain, your NOT wrong.

 

XV489 while with 2 Sqn. was only marked as 'H'. While with 17 Sqn. she carried the code '469'. With 19 she was 'E'.

 

However, in it's time with 56 Sqn. it carried four different idents, to whit, 'A', 'I', 'T', 'B' have a look at 'T' here:-

http://www.ukserials.com/images/ukimages/x/xv469.jpg?d=090118192116

 

With 74 she was 'N' and finally with 92 she was 'AO'.

 

Think someone may have become a little cross wobbled! with her I.D. with 56.

 

Paul

 

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4 hours ago, Paul J said:

Has the AEW Shack hit the shops yet? If not, then that is a nother new/ revised tool for 2018. An the Royal Navy Phantom... that has only just been released so thats another new tool for 2018..  despite being announced for 2

Our LHS in darkest Bedford has had one for a few weeks or so: the new 1/72th Blenheim IV has arrived too.

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There may not be many new kits in there, but I think they've made some great choices of colour schemes with the re-releases. There's a couple I'm tempted by now that I wouldn't have considered in the previous boxing. In fact if I had more time, money and space, I'd have more than half of today's list - some of them several times over so I could build all the options. Not bad going for what I knew would be a quiet year chez Airfix.

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Regarding their choices for this year I am surprised that the RAF Harrier GR.1/3 was not chosen over the RN Sea Harrier.

 

Regarding their non-announcement of a Spitfire XIV they have not said it is going to happen so someone could have put that there as a wind up in which case Airfix will have to produce one or someone is in big trouble.

 

Robert

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On 1/7/2018 at 8:17 AM, IanHx said:

RAF Centenary.... my somewhat cynical prediction would be a box set of eg 5 models, most likely Camel, Spitfire, Harrier, Eurofighter and one other...just like every other anniversary set... possibly priced at £100 coz it's the centenary :)

Well, I called the box set and 3 of the aircraft in it right ......   not bad for sheer wanton :cow6::poop:     !!

 

FGR2 takes prize for 'least unexpected announcement'.

  

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I'm happy.

 

Happy enough to have pre-ordered £170ish worth of kits today.

 

Wellington.

Phantom FGR.2.

Victor K.2.

Hunter F.6.

Spitfire 22/24.

 

I will think about maybe having a couple of others as well.

 

Disappointments?

 

Spitfire XIV.

Vulcan (new tool).

 

Overall.  Well done Airfix!

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 I'm happy with the release programme, will definitely be saving up for the Hunter, and several of the new decal rereleases, Mitchell, Mustang and the Sea King.  Downside for me is no Hampden, but I am a boring old sod on this subject!  (There's always 2019)

 

I was happy to see that the Lightning box art does feature an aircraft with tailplanes; Airfix does listen to us here on Britmodeller :)

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2 hours ago, jaw said:

I am delighted with the 1/48 Hunter kit. What shall I do with the Academy kits now?

 

John

Hi John. I just finished one that I bought of you a couple years back.  But a new Airfix one will always have room on my bench.

 

Incidentally I have just pre ordered £150 worth. Among them the Sea Fury and Mitchell that I cancelled from last years pre orders...'cos I wasn't inspired by the schemes offered and now they do.

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1 minute ago, Paul J said:

But what if they don't float???

What doesn't float...???

 

Apart from gravy and very small rocks?

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2 hours ago, iainpeden said:

I have a feeling that there could be an inaccuracy with the 2 squadon markings for the FGR.2 - I have emailed Airfix with the following:

 

 

"

One of the colour schemes is given as XV469/T; according to Peter R Foster’s book RAF Phantom (Ian Allan 1989) XV469 was issued to 2 squadron on 10/05/76 as “H”, having already had the RWR fairing fitted. The same publication has XT901 as being with 2 squadron as “T” from May ’73 until May ’76.

 

 

 

Richard L Ward’s book “Phantom Squadrons of the RAF and FAA” has a photo (page 5) of XT898 as “T” with 2 squadron taken in June ’76.

 

 

 

I’d therefore question the accuracy of the proposed markings as my, admittedly quick, research suggests that XV469 did not serve as “T” with 2 squadron.

 

 

 

I am happy to be proved wrong."

 

The illustration shows XV469 as 'T' but the listing for the decal options in the description state XV469/H 2 Sqn June 1976. I Checked this morning to see if the RWRs were fitted in 76

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I'll buy a couple of Sea Furies even though I detest the things and I'll get a Hunter for no reason than supporting Airfix.

I hope they make a pile of cash and have the resources to do something I have interest in.

However reading some of the comments regarding the releases I'd suggest a stock up of family sized bags of boo hoo or a 1/1 scale bag of cement.

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