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Airfix 2018 range announcement due 10.00 09/01/2018


Stephen

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3 hours ago, Agent K said:

Do they need to be made by a "British" company to be any good? it's a global scene and a global market out there........

Totally agree. Ok,so Airfix have released no new ships/armour/car/sci fi or whatever ever else people are moaning about.What's the problem? If I want an airliner/warship/tank or Imperial Stormtrooper I go elsewhere. It ain't rocket science.

 In all honesty, I think Airfix would be up against some pretty stiff competition if they were to branch out into other fields like armour, ships etc. 

 

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3 hours ago, Paul J said:

Not content with the lack of new tools by some they now moan about the cost of the kits!! Look at how much Italeri kits have gone up to let alone some of the eastern European ones an far eastern kits. I still think Airfix are a lot cheaper than most others in Europe

Come on .... reallly!!!

Sorry, but no.

Nineteen quid for a 1/72 Me 262 is insane!

If Eduard can do a really good Spitfire or Fw 190 for around a tenner, and Avant Garde a  stunning Kfir for eleven quid, one has to wonder why Airfix, a company that mostly relies on impulse/pocket money sales, can't or won't compete. Chucking an extra set of stickers into a series 1 kit and bumping the price by three quid is, at best, a cynical marketing ploy. Want more people to buy your kits? I know, keep whacking the prices up. That'll work!

People are quick to point out that Airfix aren't a charity. By the same token, neither am I. I don't have the luxury of being able to splurge on what to me are overpriced kits just because I want the company to survive.

As for the likes of Italeri, well, I haven't bought  a brand-new Italeri kit in over a decade. I bought just two Airfix kits last year, and both of those were in sales.

To be honest, Revell are getting just as bad. Asking twenty quid for the re-popped Hunter is just daft. They'll sell precisely none to me at that price.

Oh well, I guess my money will be staying firmly in my wallet this year.

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Arguing over whether a kit is expensive or not is a totally pointless row.  What's cheap to one man could be a fortune to another, so it's totally irrelevant.  We don't need eachother's circumstances, whether that person is on a limited income or independently wealthy, or whether they're just a tightwad or not.  Let's not get bent out of shape over it though, eh?  It's ok to have different opinions, but it's NOT ok to come to blows over something that is subjective. :fraidnot:

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20 hours ago, Mike said:

It's not how we do things here though, and it's all very petty.  I don't see what pleasure one would derive from purposely winding someone up, or lying about stuff just to get a rise.  It's a very unpleasant side of the modern human psyche. :fraidnot:

 

...and yes, I know it was only tongue in cheek :shrug:

Ahh, but the thing is I never lied, just played slightly fast and loose with facts.

There is, somewhere out there a 1/16th (maybe 1/18th?) mould for a McDD Phantom II.

As I remember, the 21st Century price was absolutly stupid, as in, LOW! around the $70 mark,

which at the exchange rate back then would have been £40ish!

 

As for it being 'modern' Na! ask anybody on here that did an apprenticeship.............................

Long Weight (wait) can of elbow grease, tartan paint, can of steam.........................the list goes on and on!

 

Thanks for realising it WAS tongue in cheek :speak_cool:

 

Paul

 

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I agree to those that complain, the flood of negative comments is highly annoying.

Being critical is OK but selling personal grudges as objective opinions is not.

 

It seems to be aimed especially against Airfix so that gives me the suspicion of a concerted effort to sabotage, sorry guys, that's my personal impression. Maybe I missed it but I've not seen so much bitching against any other major model company before.

 

Now repent and stand into the corner for a minute or two at least.

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18 minutes ago, occa said:

I agree to those that complain, the flood of negative comments is highly annoying.

Being critical is OK but selling personal grudges as objective opinions is not.

 

It seems to be aimed especially against Airfix so that gives me the suspicion of a concerted effort to sabotage, sorry guys, that's my personal impression. Maybe I missed it but I've not seen so much bitching against any other major model company before.

 

Now repent and stand into the corner for a minute or two at least.

Really?? , trumpeter and hobbyboss kits attract so much bitching that their products are written off at the announcement stage before any plastic has been seen, it seems some are not happy with airfix price hikes and thats O.k., this is a discussion forum it would be boring if you had 25 pages of comments all saying airfix is great and they can do no wrong, i cant understand your sabotage effort comment, how could comments on a forum sabotage airfix in anyway?

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Following their "rebirth" Airfix released a lot of new tools, presumably feeling that they needed to put in the investment to update the brand's product range. Over the last few years Airfix has reduced the number of new tools and taken to re-releasing recently re-tooled kits (and the better and/or good sellers amongst their old kits) with new decals. Each year we however still seem to assume that Airfix is going to treat us with a large number of new tools but I imagine that those days are gone for now.

 

The 2018 catalogue has some stuff in it that interests me. Not an overwhelming amount but then again I don't want to be overwhelmed!

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Bit confused about anyone getting upset about new tool 1/72 announcements being 12 months apart - ie from June last year to (maybe) June this year? They used to announce their complete ranges at the end of the year....ie 12 months apart! Also by my maths the C-47/DC3 is actually into its fourth boxing with the new edition - D-Day Kilroy was here - Dan Air - SEAC & Jeep and now the postwar edition. Fair play to them, it builds very well - have done one in Derby Airways colours and have another in the stash for a 315th TCG machine (the separate wing fillets were very odd but worked well in the end!)

 

All kits have gone up...in price and I totally accept an individuals modelling budget is their own business. Airfix's new business model revolves around new red box tools - with a few very rare examples of 'older' tools which are repopped. If they are repopped its because either the base kit is pretty decent (Spit 22/24 for example) or there is relatively little competition for them (Marauder? Halifax?) or they simply make good profit.

 

No other manufacturer - on this forum has got a 25 page thread on its products - proof of interest, if not popularity, of the brand. 

 

Further, if one takes on board the new CEO and look at how Oxford do things - they put a model out in loads of different liveries - works for Hasegawa too but you get the point. So - instead of say doing 5000 Vampires in scheme A and having dead stock- they do 2000 Vampires in scheme A, sell out, reissue in scheme B - 1000, scheme C 1000 and so on.....pretty smart move maximising the return on the expensive bit - ie the tool - with a new decal sheet and box art.

 

For reasons that escaped me, I wanted the Sea Hurricane boxing of their lovely 1/48 Hurri, despite having built the one from the Ready for Battle set and having the Trop version in the stash....the plastic simply being the same inside. The marketing worked on me!

 

What I can see in the future is a Luftwaffe Resupply set AND if they have any sense a V Bomber resupply set released at the same time as a new tool Vulcan -  Blue Steel loader, Taskmaster tractor and even lob in an old JB models Landie. Sorted. Three boxes - Vulcan and set, Vulcan on its own, set on its own....

 

In the future (wrong thread) the Spit XIV would seem to be highly likely (I'd have gone 1/24 with it but thats me - or started with a IX then worked up) 1/72 Battle and JP V, work their way through the Wimpey marks - then maybe a Hampden to tie in to the RAFM completion of theirs.

 

As it is, will get a Wimpey and a Hunter, have a Sea Fury on order but thats probably it for me from them this year....thanks to Amodel and their Jetstream T1. 

 

TT

 

 

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15 minutes ago, gavingav said:

Really?? , trumpeter and hobbyboss kits attract so much bitching that their products are written off at the announcement stage before any plastic has been seen, it seems some are not happy with airfix price hikes and thats O.k., this is a discussion forum it would be boring if you had 25 pages of comments all saying airfix is great and they can do no wrong, i cant understand your sabotage effort comment, how could comments on a forum sabotage airfix in anyway?

Hi Gav, think what occa's getting at is the quantity of negative comments re Airfix,

some may be justified, many are just sour grapes, for whateven reason.

Remembering also, that English isn't occa's first language, his command of it is better than my command of Austrian,

you know the place, North of Italy, South of Germany!

 

Trumpeter and Hobbyboss could do FAR better than they do, it appears with them it's a case of

'get the moulds cut, get the plastic boxed, get it out and sold' accuracy HAS taken a back seat.

BUT that finger can be pointed at all LARGE model companies, up to AND including Tamiya (SHAR FRS.1 anybody?)

 

Some of the 'wish lists' have been, hmm, how to phrase it? OFF the wall! with NEVER a cat in hells chance of mainstream production.

Guess what............the posters KNOW this.......so it becomes a 'bit of a laugh'.

 

The tendancy over years, by some people, is to rip the 'Airfix' brand to shreads whatever they do.

Are Airfix bothered? NO CHANCE! but it can become a bit wearing to be constantly harangued.

CONSTRUCTIVE critism is a good thing, provided it's targeted to where it NEEDS to be.

Critism for it own sake get ignored by the people it's directed at, a no win situation.

Remember folks, (it's already been posted here) we 'mature?' modellers account for 15% of the Airfix market, or £1.8 million,

the other £10.2 million is down to Mum/ Dad/ Aunt or Gran buying for 'little Jimmy'.

 

From a view of what is produced and at what price point, WE DO NOT HAVE A SAY, and I doubt we'll be invited to a board meeting!

Only thing we CAN do is 'vote with our pockets', or fill out the 'market research' list at Telford..............and HOPE!

If it's not what YOU want, don't buy, If it's too expensive, again, don't buy, simple.

Just DON'T bitch about it! the World and his brother ain't listening.

 

16 minutes ago, jenko said:

I it me or is this thread past it's sell by date ?

 

Dick :(

YES....................

 

Paul

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2 hours ago, occa said:

It seems to be aimed especially against Airfix 

True enough.  It will all die down eventually though and soon enough someone else will be in the firing line.   Remember a few years ago when it was Trumpeter receiving the same treatment?

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I think this thread is getting a little long in the tooth, and some dummies are very close to being spat.  We need to deal with disappointment with an appropriate reaction.  Just be glad you're not having a leg amputated against your will to provide table legs for the queen.  That would be worth getting upset for!

 

If spats can be removed from the equation, I don't see the harm in letting it chunner on for a bit, but the moment anyone gets their pants in a bunch again, it'll go the way of the Dodo. 

 

Fer chrissakes, we've already got the 2019 bunfight to contend with for the next 12 months! :crying:

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7 minutes ago, TEXANTOMCAT said:

on the 15% side of things - a poster mentioned that there was a 10,000 run of Phantoms and they have sold out - surely thats more than 15% of revenue on its own?

 

 

Depends on what the price is for dealers and distributors and how many are sold through direct sales, assuming on average Airfix gets 70% of the price to take into account the different prices (just a figure thrown in, no idea of the real figures) we're talking £175,000, that on last year revenues of £ 6 milion is barely 3% of total.

The 10,000 Phantoms are also interesting in terms of putting a company like Airfix and others into perspective and understand how numbers affect the choice of subjects.: according to these rumours the first production batch was 10,000 pieces, this should be followed by another batch, meaning that even if this will be the last batch of the year for this kit Airfix will have made 20,000 pieces. Of course we already know as it's been announced that an FGR.2 will follow sometime in 2018, meaning at least another production run with some new parts, say likely another 10,000 pieces at least.

A number of subjects discussed in the previous pages have been kitted by short run manufacturers, companies that rarely make more than 3-5,000 pieces of a certain kit. And we're talking total production, not a single batch. Now compare their 5,000 total production with 3 production batches in a year totalling 30,000 pieces and it's clear that if a subject has a potential market of only a few thousand pieces, it's hard to justify the investment for Airfix (or Revell or Italeri). Sure a company like Airfix have a way larger distribution network and this alone can get more sales, but we're talking a different order of magnitude here.

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i was mildly surprised to see - no, wait - surprised to see the February Airfix magazine in the big Tesco today ( Airfix P-40B on the cover) tosday, instead of tomorrow as anticipated, and even more surprised to see the 2018 catalogue alongisde it!

 

I don't know about anyone else, but frankly I object to paying someone to find out what they sell, so didn't purchase it. And to maintian the moral humbuggary, didn't have a look inside it for free, either.

 

 

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7 hours ago, Denford said:

I'm told that the view of the actual aircraft is NOW taken from the computer design of the model.  The Lightning without a tailplane should now be a thing of the past!  

 

Always was, the missing tailplane was due to a layer not rendering properly

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Big conundrum , not two hours ago I stood in the Hornby shop in Margate with a new Phantom in my hands. I had to put it back on the shelf because I just could not justify buying it just to stash it as I am up to neck with projects! I would love to have a crack at it , but not yet. Big part of the decision process s that I have started my  1/48th Buccaneer.......

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6 hours ago, lasermonkey said:

Sorry, but no.

Nineteen quid for a 1/72 Me 262 is insane!

 

Export price with club discount is £14.25 which seems reasonable even though the Eduard weekend kits of the 1/72 Fw 190 and 1/72 late Merlin Spitfire series are selling for around £8 (at modelsforsale.com ) each.

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Well, I hadn't caught up with Airfix' new releases from 2016 and 2017 so no real loss on a personal level. I still need that B-25!

 

It is a shame and a bit worrying though that Airfix have slowed down their catalog renewal so much. They were doing great about 5-6 years ago with loads of new tools coming out every year at great prices, but they seem to be struggling a bit. Hope it passes and we'lll see them back in form in a few years.

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2 hours ago, Whofan said:

i was mildly surprised to see - no, wait - surprised to see the February Airfix magazine in the big Tesco today ( Airfix P-40B on the cover) tosday, instead of tomorrow as anticipated, and even more surprised to see the 2018 catalogue alongisde it!

 

I don't know about anyone else, but frankly I object to paying someone to find out what they sell, so didn't purchase it. And to maintian the moral humbuggary, didn't have a look inside it for free, either.

 

 

 

Was the catalogue free in days of yore? I can't remember. I assumed you always had to buy it? Just wondering...

 

But there seems no need to have one these days anyway.

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2 minutes ago, IanC said:

But there seems no need to have one these days anyway.

As a callow youth, the Airfix catalogue was something that I had to have each year.  How I wish I had kept those from the 70s.

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