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Airfix announcement at Telford 2018, F6F-5 Hellcat 1/24 scale


Robert

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1 hour ago, Terrain Safe said:

Or a B29 to replace the ancient one that's still knocking around.

I'd go for a B-29/Washington/Tu-4!

 

The interior of the Academy kit is a bit sparse, especially the bomb bays if you leave the doors open, and the wheel wells and engines are also naff!

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3 hours ago, Max Headroom said:

Eliminating it further, is there a market for. WB-47E or a Lockheed M-21 Blackburn Drone Carrier?

I'd say there is definitely a market for a B-47 Stratojet series. The only kit in 1/72 is the Hasegawa effort, which is so old it once appeared in a FROG box.

 

I think people would also go for an A-12/YF-12A/M-21/SR-71 series in both 1/72 and 1/48

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Oh this is a fun thread 😎

 

Amazing how speculation on what the next Airfix kit will be can generate so much buzz (13 pages and counting!)

 

But, why is there such a "hang up" on topics from the "museum of flight"? Just cos Airfix were there scanning stuff doesn't mean that's what the release will be, or the one that will be announced at Telford 😜

 

But having said that:

 

I think we're all missing the Curtiss P40N Warhawk/Kittyhawk Mk IV, they have at the Museum of flight... Could that be Airfix's next 1/24 release?

 

There were lots of operators (USAAF, DAF, RA, RAAF, RNZAF, Soviets, RCAF) so there's a huge potential market/markings, it's the most produced variant, 5220 units, lots of sub-variants which only require minor variations in the tooling... big operational history in North Africa.... hmmm

 

Then of course, there's the Yak-9 they have-imagine that in 1/24!

Edited by RussellE
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2 hours ago, PLC1966 said:

I never knew there was a Connie at Wroughton, bloomin heck, I lived that way for years and would have popped in :rage:

The plane in Wroughton even carried the Rolling Stones in it's career.....so there is a british link....

I would say go for it Airfix..

Altough i tend to believe that they lidared a Comet overthere or the 1049....(in the states)

But given the fact that most things they do are military at first it is probably not likely...

That there are Comets out there in the uk does not rule out that they won't go for that airframe, they also went to Finland for the 1/48 Blenheim...

Edited by janneman36
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Is anything that they have LIDAR'ed recently likely to make it through the various research and design processes into production and release during 2019 or would it not be more realistic to imagine that whatever this announcement may or not be has been progressing through their system for quite a while?

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46 minutes ago, janneman36 said:

they also went to Finland for the 1/48 Blenheim...

 

The Finnish example is the only surviving intact Blenheim though, Airfix got caught out on the 1/72 kits by basing them on a Bolingbroke/Blenheim hybrid airframe.

 

Cheers,

Bill.

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3 hours ago, PLC1966 said:

I never knew there was a Connie at Wroughton, bloomin heck, I lived that way for years and would have popped in :rage:

and

 

43598958640_0446e165a9_b.jpg

 

and 

 

31540401698_b80ba77f94_b.jpg

 

and

 

44501012185_8d91edcb0b_b.jpg

 

and behind that (I didn’t photograph it when I was there in the 80’s) is the world’s fourth oldest DC-3.

 

Airfix have done the Dak already and it would be nice for one of the others to have their treatment too (the Gugnunc though is a bit of a long shot!).

 

Trevor 

 

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In trying to guess the subject of the ‘big announcement’ at Telford, the writers of most posts (dreamers excepted) have forgotten one thing: Airfix’s purpose is to make money and help pay off the Bank Overdraft.

That 2019 would be the anniversary of such and such an event, that no line up would be complete without this or that, or that the present tooling is no longer up to current standards, are all utterly irrelevent.  The chosen subject has to make money, lots, as soon as possible, and with as little loan\investment as can be achieved.  There have been few ‘new’ subjects that havn’t been tooled to allow other variants to follow, and this year has seen a significant number of re-issues.  Both in effect seek to minimise investment yet produce sales from ‘new’ subjects/unrealised assets.

It was said that 1/24 Mosquito was designed to allow other variants to follow. Now some 10 years, on it must surely be the prime candidate for the ‘big announcement’: certainly big, yet with a disproportionatly small capital investment and tooling lead time!  Of the options, I would expect the single-stage Bomber version.  I can’t see that making it two-stage (new engines would be needed too) would further enhance sales and there’s always the possibility that the cowlings (without engines) might appear as after-market items.

The other question mark seems to be the ‘Seattle Subject’.  That Airfix travelled there, it doesn’t follow (as many assume) that it must be in the ‘Museum of Flight’, or indeed in Seattle at all!  They may well have flown there (lots of flights) then gone on from there to somewhere remote.  I can only add that, from Simon Owen himself, it had been put on hold and we would ‘know it when the identity was revealed’ or words to that effect.

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57 minutes ago, Denford said:

In trying to guess the subject of the ‘big announcement’ at Telford, the writers of most posts (dreamers excepted) have forgotten one thing: Airfix’s purpose is to make money and help pay off the Bank Overdraft.

True! But on that basis nobody would have predicted the 1/48 Walrus and that the first issue version would sell out so quickly that it has become as rare as unobtainium. 

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56 minutes ago, VMA131Marine said:

True! But on that basis nobody would have predicted the 1/48 Walrus and that the first issue version would sell out so quickly that it has become as rare as unobtainium. 

I'm hoping that the Walrus and Defiant experience prompts Airfix to try out the occasional less-than-mainstream subject in 1/48. There's no chance of them doing large aircraft in that scale (sorry Lancaster fans) but I could see a cautious Airfix still having a go at something like a Gladiator or Lysander in that scale. 

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39 minutes ago, Scott_ said:

There's no chance of them doing large aircraft in that scale (sorry Lancaster fans) 

I disagree! If a 1/48 Walrus sells well, a 1/48 Lanc would sell even better. Remember, the Tamiya kit is over 40 years old. A 1/48 B-17 would also be a money maker. If Wingnut Wings can afford to tool a 1/32 Lanc, Airfix can manage to do one in 1/48.

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13 hours ago, AWFK10 said:

Actually, the RE8 has been done in 1/48 scale: John Adams produced a limited run injection kit about 20 years ago. But you're absolutely right, it would be the ideal choice for a new, mainstream kit to mark the centenary as it was probably the single most important type in RAF service in 1918. As the most numerous army cooperation two seater, directly supporting the troops on the ground, it was the mainstay of the RAF's primary contribution to winning WW1.

 

Sadly, it isn't going to happen. Despite the high profile given to the centenary, Airfix have marked WW1 with just two new kits, the BE2c (excellent choice, I've bought 5, including one just for parts to use in an eventual build of their 60 year-old 1/72 RE8) and Fokker E.III. The new figure sets they announced were cancelled. Presumably their market research indicated that WWI doesn't sell. And I bet we're not going to see a 1/48 Hart family, either.

If I recall, their only other "recent" WW1 kit was the 1975 Sopwith Pup. Still a very nice little kit . Not a big WW1 fan I have to admit but, I do dabble occasionally.

7 hours ago, Denford said:

 

That 2019 would be the anniversary of such and such an event, that no line up would be complete without this or that, or that the present tooling is no longer up to current standards, are all utterly irrelevent.  The chosen subject has to make money, lots, as soon as possible, and with as little loan\investment as can be achieved.  There have been few ‘new’ subjects that havn’t been tooled to allow other variants to follow, and this year has seen a significant number of re-issues.  Both in effect seek to minimise investment yet produce sales from ‘new’ subjects/unrealised assets.

You are spot on. Also, if I may also respectfully point out, you omitted the other oft quoted cliché that some use to "justify" kit production, namely that the subject is "iconic"!😊

 

Allan

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11 hours ago, Modelraynz said:

"In celebration  of the RAF centenary; airfix are proud to announce a commemorate membership to the airfix club!!!..."

 

*wump wump*

Could be worse. Maybe the new tooling is for end-opening boxes 😫

11 hours ago, Modelraynz said:

"In celebration  of the RAF centenary; airfix are proud to announce a commemorate membership to the airfix club!!!..."

 

*wump wump*

Could be worse. Maybe the new tooling is for end-opening boxes 😫

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Sorry chaps ,I have been enjoying the banter and of course nobody knows do they? It's a healthy enough subject and we all have idea's. So in the spirit of the thread  ( whatever it was ) 1/24th  De Havilland Hornet!

 

Keith. 

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1 minute ago, Britman said:

Sorry chaps ,I have been enjoying the banter and of course nobody knows do they? It's a healthy enough subject and we all have idea's. So in the spirit of the thread  ( whatever it was ) 1/24th  De Havilland Hornet!

 

Keith. 

If Airfix released a 1/24 Dh Hornet, It would have me doing my best Meg Ryan/When Harry Met Sally impression! 😄

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10 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

True! But on that basis nobody would have predicted the 1/48 Walrus and that the first issue version would sell out so quickly that it has become as rare as unobtainium. 

Not quite sure what you are trying to say.  That nobody/BritModeller fans would have predicted it says only that Airfix have a better understanding of their market than they.  As for selling out quickly, there is to be a 'follow on' release, but with different markings and presumably box art.  Again this seems well judged.

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