Airfix 2019

[Armadillos]

Given that Airfix (Hornby) are obviously looking for subjects that will produce the best possible return short term and continued returns going forward then i would of thought a few subjects instantly spring to mind such as a new tool Hercules?

 

Yes a licence fee would have to be paid but as the only game in town as a new tool (and hopefully accurate) and with many users across the globe it would sell quite nicely, as well as hopefully help Airfix get a nice foothold in the US merket.

 

There are of course other subjects to consider such as already mentioned F-35/JSF, Typhoon, maybe even Chinook but the Hercules seems like a real box ticker?

[Andre B]

A new Hercules would be nice. But it is big and expensive. Would it sell and make the same money back to Airfix as an new and this time true and correct 1/72 scale P-51B/C Mustang?

 

Cheers / André

Edited May 1, 2018 by Andre B

[Shrek51]

21 hours ago, Mancunian airman said:

have you tried makin your own Steve

 

 

 

 

I have about 7 or 8 plans of the various type of towers in 4mm . . . 

 

 

If Mr. Airfix wants the details he only has to ASK !!

Ian

 

Hi Ian, you don't sell copies of your plans by any chance do you? I am looking to build some airfield buildings in 1/72 but don't really know where to start.

Cheers

Mark

[TEXANTOMCAT]

Wow they are superb chap - well done!

 

TT

[Mancunian airman]

Mark

 

PM sent with details of a list

Ian

[Hook]

10 hours ago, Armadillos said:

a new tool Hercules?

 

Unfortunately, the perceived wisdom is "trash haulers don't sell". 

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[Truro Model Builder]

I've said it before and I will say it again. Licence fee notwithstanding, a North American T-6/SNJ Texan/Harvard in 1/72nd scale.

 

[Denford]

12 hours ago, Truro Model Builder said:

I've said it before and I will say it again. Licence fee notwithstanding, a North American T-6/SNJ Texan/Harvard in 1/72nd scale.

 

At least your wish is consistant with what I perceive as Airfix's selection criteria: multiple variants built from the same basic kit (not sure how those you list differ), multiple users/markings and a variety of colour schemes all to the delight of Xtradecal.

As for the licence fee, they must have considered it worthwhile for the NA Mitchell, so should be viable here too.

[Truro Model Builder]

33 minutes ago, Denford said:

multiple variants built from the same basic kit (not sure how those you list differ)

Nothing too drastic. Canopy framing, exhausts, armed or unarmed for the most part. Nothing that would require lots of different sprues. It would also lend itself to the starter kit market, and the aftermarket decal producers would be very happy. 

[Rabbit Leader]

13 hours ago, Truro Model Builder said:

I've said it before and I will say it again. Licence fee notwithstanding, a North American T-6/SNJ Texan/Harvard in 1/72nd scale.

Which is another obvious subject that is so logical it won’t even make the short list!! 

 

Cheers.. Dave (who will gladly eat his hat if proven wrong!). 

[Gorby]

I read at one point that the 1/72 Seaking was one of Airfix's best sellers. After it's relatively recent new tooling I would have thought it would makes sense to release a 1/48 kit. The Hasegawa kit is 26 years old now and still gets silly prices online – there appears to be a market for it.

Just checked and the Seaking (Westland & Sikorsky) served in 23 countries, with more variants than you can shake a stick at, so that ticks that box as well.

Makes sense surely.

[Max Headroom]

Maybe a Whirlwind (the helicopter) would be a good choice? It would replace an old mould and the Italeri ones aren’t common and as far as I’m aware no one else does one? 

 

Trevor

[fightersweep]

14 hours ago, Truro Model Builder said:

I've said it before and I will say it again. Licence fee notwithstanding, a North American T-6/SNJ Texan/Harvard in 1/72nd scale.

 

Join the club. Been banging on about this myself. A T-6/Harvard seems such an obvious choice. I've got a few of the old Airfix Harvards to try and bring up to date....maybe if I start, they'll release a new tool.

 

Steve

[Wez]

19 hours ago, Truro Model Builder said:

I've said it before and I will say it again. Licence fee notwithstanding, a North American T-6/SNJ Texan/Harvard in 1/72nd scale.

 

 

You're not the only one!

 

7 hours ago, Denford said:

At least your wish is consistant with what I perceive as Airfix's selection criteria: multiple variants built from the same basic kit (not sure how those you list differ), multiple users/markings and a variety of colour schemes all to the delight of Xtradecal.

As for the licence fee, they must have considered it worthwhile for the NA Mitchell, so should be viable here too.

 

Definitely ticks all of those boxes!

 

6 hours ago, Truro Model Builder said:

Nothing too drastic. Canopy framing, exhausts, armed or unarmed for the most part. Nothing that would require lots of different sprues. It would also lend itself to the starter kit market, and the aftermarket decal producers would be very happy. 

 

I think that covers it, would certainly work in terms of providing the majority of Texan/Harvard variants.

 

5 hours ago, fightersweep said:

Join the club. Been banging on about this myself. A T-6/Harvard seems such an obvious choice. I've got a few of the old Airfix Harvards to try and bring up to date....maybe if I start, they'll release a new tool.

 

Steve

I've got a handful of the Academy Texan which is great but it won't get me a long canopy version such as a Harvard IIb.

[71chally]

On 4/30/2018 at 6:17 PM, Mancunian airman said:

have you tried makin your own Steve

 

Superb Watch Office builds there Ian!

[Thud4444]

Wow. Those are nice. 

[Rb277170]

Well they’ve exhausted the V Bombers in 1/72 . How about moving onto a 1/72 VC10 . Maybe then follow up with a series of classic British Airliners in 1/72 . A Vickers Viscount  perhaps ,. 

[Meatbox8]

1/72nd scale spitfire XIV with V1.  Imagine the Toobey artwork.  Maybe the same treatment for a Tempest V or a Meteor Mk1.  I also, sorry about the repetition, think it's high time Airfix released a two stage Merlin Mosquito.  Not currently catered for and loads of variants possible if they engineer it well.  I reckon that wouod be a major seller.  

[tempestfan]

On ‎5‎/‎1‎/‎2018 at 10:50 AM, Armadillos said:

Yes a licence fee would have to be paid

Not if they call it "RAF Transport Plane" without making reference to Lockheed, C-130 and Hercules, assuming all that bits are under trademark for toys. As I don't think either B. nor L. have released "toys" of any of the planes they trademarked the designations and names for, it's really annoying that apparently a number of kit companies concluded licence agreements with the vultures them. They just should have waited for five years after application... OK, it's possible they supply the manufacturers with design info, but most of which should be available elsewhere, anyway.

 

I haven't followed this thread too closely, but do we have a modern F-5E/F in 72nd ? Awful lot of markings schemes, but of course not British.

[FIGHTS ON]

On 5/2/2018 at 11:56 AM, Gorby said:

I read at one point that the 1/72 Seaking was one of Airfix's best sellers. After it's relatively recent new tooling I would have thought it would makes sense to release a 1/48 kit. The Hasegawa kit is 26 years old now and still gets silly prices online – there appears to be a market for it.

Just checked and the Seaking (Westland & Sikorsky) served in 23 countries, with more variants than you can shake a stick at, so that ticks that box as well.

Makes sense surely.

plus +1 here - that's what I'm waiting for (just NOT the Crab one obviously!)

[Denford]

21 hours ago, Rb277170 said:

Well they’ve exhausted the V Bombers in 1/72 . How about moving onto a 1/72 VC10 . Maybe then follow up with a series of classic British Airliners in 1/72 . A Vickers Viscount  perhaps ,. 

Awhile back Airfix said they wouldn't be tooling any more airliners.

The difficulty with the VC10 is that it was built in many slightly differing variants.  Others may be able to be more specific but I think, for example,  there were several different spans.  Not easily addressed by extra parts and variants of this would probably need separate wing toolings.

[Denford]

7 hours ago, Meatbox8 said:

1/72nd scale spitfire XIV with V1.  Imagine the Toobey artwork.  Maybe the same treatment for a Tempest V or a Meteor Mk1.  I also, sorry about the repetition, think it's high time Airfix released a two stage Merlin Mosquito.  Not currently catered for and loads of variants possible if they engineer it well.  I reckon that wouod be a major seller.  

It was suggested to me that the reason Airfix haven't (yet) tooled a new Mosquito is that there's still plenty of life in the existing mould and it will continue to sell to those who just want 'a Mosquito' and aren't too concerned about the variant.

That said I wonder why the publicity for a new 2 stage Mosquito from (MPM, KP, I forget who) have gone silent?  Could it be that Airfix have 'struck a deal' with them, for example to market their product under the Airfix label?  It was suggested, I think, that it would be released end 2017 so might not be long coming.  Coincidentally 'Airfix Workbench' have had two successive postings on the de Havilland Heritage Museum prominently featuring the Mosquito.....

[VMA131Marine]

2 hours ago, Denford said:

It was suggested to me that the reason Airfix haven't (yet) tooled a new Mosquito is that there's still plenty of life in the existing mould and it will continue to sell to those who just want 'a Mosquito' and aren't too concerned about the variant.

That said I wonder why the publicity for a new 2 stage Mosquito from (MPM, KP, I forget who) have gone silent?  Could it be that Airfix have 'struck a deal' with them, for example to market their product under the Airfix label?  It was suggested, I think, that it would be released end 2017 so might not be long coming.  Coincidentally 'Airfix Workbench' have had two successive postings on the de Havilland Heritage Museum prominently featuring the Mosquito.....

The currently available Airfix 1/72 Mosquito was released in 1972 and is therefore 46 years old. It has definitely seen better days and the lack of any cockpit, wheel well, or bomb bay detail means it should be a distant second choice to the Tamiya kit. It probably sells because the Tamiya Mossie is not as widely available in Europe and there aren't any other real competitors except for the Revell/Matchbox B.IX, which is similarly lacking in detail (I haven't forgotten about the Hasegawa kit, but it is less available than even the Tamiya and is not as accurate). Airfix should release new kits in 1/72 and 1/48, being as the original 1/48 kit was released in 1980, and the later releases with the two-stage Merlins weren't that well done.

[Ratch]

On ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 8:30 PM, Rb277170 said:

Well they’ve exhausted the V Bombers in 1/72

Hardly, the old Vulcan needs bringing up to date

[Denford]

21 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

The currently available Airfix 1/72 Mosquito was released in 1972 and is therefore 46 years old. It has definitely seen better days and the lack of any cockpit, wheel well, or bomb bay detail means it should be a distant second choice to the Tamiya kit. It probably sells because the Tamiya Mossie is not as widely available in Europe and there aren't any other real competitors except for the Revell/Matchbox B.IX, which is similarly lacking in detail (I haven't forgotten about the Hasegawa kit, but it is less available than even the Tamiya and is not as accurate). Airfix should release new kits in 1/72 and 1/48, being as the original 1/48 kit was released in 1980, and the later releases with the two-stage Merlins weren't that well done.

I agree with much of what you say.  However you didn't mention prices which are (in UK - Hannants - but see below) Hasegawa £40!, Tamiya £17 and Airfix around £10.  The box was also much more compact.

The kit was very good for its day and it may well be that the last production run was large because Airfix thought it would go on selling.  Look at the above prices to see what I mean!  Now if there is still significant unsold stock, then re-tooling would reduce its value to almost nil: this would be true for any commodity.  This is perhaps why some seemingly obvious subjects aren't retooled.

However as of now Hannants have nil stock: do they know something that we don't know or are they merely awaiting a delivery?  Or is it 'squeezed out' of Airfix's programme by other subjects?