Airfix 2020

[Meatbox8]

10 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

 

Well, Airfix after the acquisition by Hornby issued 2 1/48 kits and 1in 1/72. Hasegawa in their 50 or so years on the market has issued what, 5 helicopters ? Maybe 6 ?
Revell issued a few but several kits in their catalogue came from... Italeri ! That is really the only company to have constantly issued new helicopter kits. Fujimi did several in the past but their more recent helicopter mould is probably 30 year old

So I'd say that yes, if we tell them that helicopters don't sell, Airfix and Hasegawa will simply agree.

There seem to be a few exceptions, the all yellow Sea King is one and the Wessex seems to be another one, as Italeri has kept this pretty much constantly in their catalogue. Attack copters sure attract some more attention, but the rest...

I'm not even a particularly big helicopter fan but I've bought three Italeri Wessex and one from Matchbox.  Probably my interest in the Fleet Air Arm.  Revell seem to produce a lot of civil or police renderings of helicopters.  I wonder how they sell.

[VMA131Marine]

Some helicopters sell: Hueys, Cobras, Blackhawks, and Apaches.

[The Tomohawk Kid]

What Airfix need to do is buy in shots of the Imai Fireflash rebox it with the BOAC livery/decals.

 

It would be a sure fire winner.

 

Tommo.

Edited January 15, 2019 by The Tomohawk Kid

[JOCKNEY]

Wish list from me would be a

 

1/72 Warwick

1/72 Beaufort 

1/72 Beverley

 

1/48 Beaufort

1/48 Hampden

 

I am reading a book about the Beaufort at the moment, including the VC won by Kenneth Campbell when he torpedoed the Gneisenau in Brest Harbour, the channel dash etc. 

 

Just let me sell my Frog one for silly money on Evilbay first ok ?

 

cheers Pat

[Denford]

On ‎1‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 4:21 PM, Jazzie said:

Denford,

I expect that most people realize that, for new tools at least, Airfix know what they are working to release for next year already. What is wrong with a wee bit of fun in second guessing what is coming out along with a bit of wish listing along with it? Sniper has helped beef out the facts a wee bit when he mentioned Nov 17 for the Buccs LIDAR visit and Feb 18 for the tooling visit. However, the Hellcat from what i remember was put back a couple of times but there seems to be a bit of a change in tact that i think will be successful. For that reason, i think the development guys have re-scale projects ready to go, 2 year projects they know people want, and background projects that some of us dream about!

 

Not sure what you are getting at with no other variants. I dont see the Sea Fury and Walrus as having enough of a worldwide variety of users, but the Walrus must have been a first run success as they put out another run quite quickly. The Tiggie on the other hand, i just wonder why it took so long. My 2 1/72 kits will now be OOB with the 48th built as one i have had the pleasure of working on! Back on track, we have had the Sea Vixen, so why not a Scimitar, or Attacker for that matter? We have had a Walrus, so why no Battle? We have had a Javelin, so why no P-61? 

 

And what is wrong with Airfix trying to get in amongst the supposed top echelon of kit producers? I might be wrong, but isnt the 1/48th P-51D up there with the best? Next up for the Airfix treatment for me is the P-47 in 1/48th, even though i mainly build 1/72nd.

 

The ones you cite, well i have my Boston on the shelf, dont know what the Venom or Vampire have been missed and i have very little interest in the Beaufort. To that end, i only see a Hunter FGA9 and a rebox of the Bucc with RAF marks.

Arabest,

Geoff.

Nothing wrong with a wee bit of fun.

 

However 'they know what people want' isn't really a good basis for selection: it invariably means what some people want.  The number of posts on BM, however well intentioned, aren't really a real guide to worldwide sales. More realistically, Airfix and Airfix alone know what sells. 

 

The reasons for 'why no Scimitar' have been discussed at length on earlier posts.  I sometimes wonder if they would have tooled the Sea Vixen today.  Why no Attacker?  I can't help feeling a Sea Hawk would  be more likely: more users, colour schemes etc.

 

As to why such and such a kit has been missed, it's a case of 'many be called but few be chosen'.  Supposing the Battle had been retooled (I feel unlikely) there would be woeful cries 'Why no Buccaneer' ?  Why did the Tiggie take so long?  Because there were so other many subjects to choose from.

 

Can't see the rationale that having tooled a Javelin it somehow justifies re-tooling the P-61.  Did the Javelin sell well?  Supposing it had, would that be a case for more Night Fighters?  I hear cries of ' but we've just had an Me262-B, why this obsession with Night Fighters - can't we have some examples of, say, the Korean War?.  One of the few things we can be sure of is that there will be variety.  That's what makes speculation (and I try and make mine rational) so enjoyable. My wee bit of fun one could say.

 

 I hope for an Avenger with folding wings, to the cries of 'why no retooling of the Dauntless'.

 

[ththtttu7]

On 1/13/2019 at 2:08 PM, Denford said:

 

 

- There MUST be either an extant example or Manufacturers’ fabrication drawings.  So despite repeated requests, no Wellesley, Stirling, Do-215, Hornet and a host more.

Hi,

So just to clarify the status of one aircraft type listed here, the DH Hornet and Sea Hornet. All of the manufacturer's drawings do exist.

 

All kits produced so far by any manufacturer are innacurate, as they haven't used the drawings, or only had limited access to a few.

Edited January 15, 2019 by David A Collins

[Denford]

16 minutes ago, David A Collins said:

Hi,

So just to clarify the status of one aircraft type listed here, the DH Hornet and Sea Hornet. All of the manufacturer's drawings do exist.

 

All kits produced so far by any manufacturer are innacurate, as they haven't used the drawings, or only had limited access to a few.

I said fabrication drawings: not GA drawings.

Such drawings show, for example, the fabrication details of the wing ribs, their spacing, washout etc.

If they do exist, then where?  Simon Owen, Airfix's Researcher said that Short's drawings of the Stirling were destroyed sometime during Ulster's troubles to make way for …   I forget what.

Now I must admit that I haven't checked the Wellesley, but as Airfix had to visit the RAF Museum to 'measure up' the Valiant it's a fairly safe bet that there are no drawings!  In conversation with designers at Telford, they all seem to prefer Drawings to Scans.  According to Simon Owen, drawings not scans were used for the Javelin.

[12jaguar]

1 minute ago, Denford said:

I said fabrication drawings: not GA drawings.

Such drawings show, for example, the fabrication details of the wing ribs, their spacing, washout etc.

If they do exist, then where?  Simon Owen, Airfix's Researcher said that Short's drawings of the Stirling were destroyed sometime during Ulster's troubles to make way for …   I forget what.

Now I must admit that I haven't checked the Wellesley, but as Airfix had to visit the RAF Museum to 'measure up' the Valiant it's a fairly safe bet that there are no drawings!  In conversation with designers at Telford, they all seem to prefer Drawings to Scans.  According to Simon Owen, drawings not scans were used for the Javelin.

Sea Hornet fabrication drawings do exist, how else can you do this http://warbirdsnews.com/aircraft-restoration/de-havilland-sea-hornet-airworthy-restoration-project.html

 

 

[jenko]

Can I mention Gannett …………….. drawings must be available.... or is that a Fairey tale??

 

Dick

[Denford]

28 minutes ago, 12jaguar said:

Sea Hornet fabrication drawings do exist, how else can you do this http://warbirdsnews.com/aircraft-restoration/de-havilland-sea-hornet-airworthy-restoration-project.html

 

 

I'm delighted to hear it!

[Lord Riot]

1/72 HS748/Andover

1/72 Argosy

1/72 Whirlwind HAR10

 

1/48 Dominie

1/48 Jetstream

1/48 Jet Provost

1/48 Swift

 

New tool 1/72 Vulcan with two jet pipe options (and better still a B1 option!)

 

None of this is going to happen is it. 😕

 

Looking forward to the Hunter F4 though! 

[Toe]

42 minutes ago, Lord Riot said:

1/72 HS748/Andover

1/72 Argosy

1/72 Whirlwind HAR10

 

1/48 Dominie

1/48 Jetstream

1/48 Jet Provost

1/48 Swift

 

New tool 1/72 Vulcan with two jet pipe options (and better still a B1 option!)

 

None of this is going to happen is it. 😕

 

Looking forward to the Hunter F4 though! 

Well as a starter for 10 there is the Argosy from Mach2

Edited January 15, 2019 by Toe

[JOCKNEY]

2 hours ago, jenko said:

Can I mention Gannett …………….. drawings must be available.... or is that a Fairey tale??

 

Dick

Dick, you should be ashamed of yourself ! 

 

Cheers Pat

[Greenshirt]

My annual Airfix wishlist (sadly hasn’t changed much):

• TBF-1 Avenger
• D3A Val
• Ju-88A-1/5
• Battle
• P-51B Mustang
• Yak-9

All 1/72 of course. 

[85sqn]

BAE Systems happen to hold the drawings of much of our nations aviation heritage. The problem is that they wont part with it or release it. Something the Typhoon Preservation trust were trying to do in order to facilitate rebuilding of RB396. If Aifix could get in there along with the many others then alot of kits could be designed and created.

18 hours ago, Denford said:

I said fabrication drawings: not GA drawings.

Such drawings show, for example, the fabrication details of the wing ribs, their spacing, washout etc.

If they do exist, then where?  Simon Owen, Airfix's Researcher said that Short's drawings of the Stirling were destroyed sometime during Ulster's troubles to make way for …   I forget what.

Now I must admit that I haven't checked the Wellesley, but as Airfix had to visit the RAF Museum to 'measure up' the Valiant it's a fairly safe bet that there are no drawings!  In conversation with designers at Telford, they all seem to prefer Drawings to Scans.  According to Simon Owen, drawings not scans were used for the Javelin.

 

 

Anyhow now that a few aircraft have been ticked off many peoples wish lists with Airfix’s releases allow me to give mine. All in 1/48:

 

Fairey Battle

Gloster Gladiator

Handley Page Hampden

De Havilland Chipmunk

Blackburn Buccaneer

Avro Anson

Fairey Seafox

Hawker Hurricane MkI (Fabric Wing)

 

 

in 1/24:

Fleet Air Arm Corsair II, III and IV

Gloster Gladiator

 

At some point in the next three years I reckon something will get ticked off of there at least from my 1/48 list. I hope!

[85sqn]

Oh and a Harvard/Texan

and a Beaufort for good measure!

[Ratch]

The omission of the 03019 1/72 Mossie from the catalogue may indicate a new tooling is on the cards. It was tooled in 1972 and has been continually in the range since 1989.

[Max Headroom]

21 minutes ago, Ratch said:

The omission of the 03019 1/72 Mossie from the catalogue may indicate a new tooling is on the cards. It was tooled in 1972 and has been continually in the range since 1989.

PLEASE!

 

Trevor

[lasermonkey]

^ very much in agreement with the gentlemen above.

[Paul J]

1/72 new tools:

Chipmunk 

Hunter ( with variants as per 48th issues)

Harvard

Mosquito ( various, eg : 2 stage Merlins  single stage Merlins B.IV   and so on)

P-47 ( Not a wish from me but what I think will be wanted)

Anson

Sea Vixen

 

Classic series:

 Skyvan

Cherokee

SA Bulldog

 

Vintage cars ( by nowadays standards any way) the modern cars that are not the ones that are current like the VW, DB-5 Herald etc but various others Victor, Marina Maxi, AH Sprite, Mini and the Edwardian series of Veteran cars

 

Various versions of their 1/48th kits and new tools

 

 

 

[bigbadbadge]

Hi all

 

I would love  to have a 1/48 Beaufort and Sea Venom , but most of all please please please could you see your way to producing a 1/24 Tiger moth. 

 

All the best

Chris

[The Tomohawk Kid]

Airfix pick up the telephone to Aoshima, buy in shots of the Mk 6 Atomic Fireflash  airliner and put it into a BOAC livery, rebadge it as an Airfix product you'll have a winner on your hands that will save Hornby.

 

 

Tommo.

Edited January 17, 2019 by The Tomohawk Kid

[Ratch]

They should re-introduce this

DSC_0002 by Richard Linnell, on Flickr

[Plasto]

Crikey... It’s like the kitstarter thread from a few years ago... all we need is a request for the Boy Scout figure and the SLR Rifle and we’ll have come full circle.

 

If we’re talking about reboxing other manufacturers kits then they could do worse in taking Academy’s 1/48 F-4J kit and reboxing it as an RAF F-4J(UK).

 

That would get a high quality kit onto the shelves in Airfix packaging of a popular subject and allows Airfix to directly compete with ROG and their reboxing of the Hasegawa F-4K. Given the increase in the intercompany  relationship between Academy and Airfix perhaps it’s a viable idea.....

[ththtttu7]

On 1/15/2019 at 9:33 PM, Denford said:

I said fabrication drawings: not GA drawings.

Such drawings show, for example, the fabrication details of the wing ribs, their spacing, washout etc.

If they do exist, then where?  Simon Owen, Airfix's Researcher said that Short's drawings of the Stirling were destroyed sometime during Ulster's troubles to make way for …   I forget what.

Now I must admit that I haven't checked the Wellesley, but as Airfix had to visit the RAF Museum to 'measure up' the Valiant it's a fairly safe bet that there are no drawings!  In conversation with designers at Telford, they all seem to prefer Drawings to Scans.  According to Simon Owen, drawings not scans were used for the Javelin.

Denford,

 

And yes I will reiterate, "(for) the DH Hornet and Sea Hornet. All of the manufacturer's drawings do exist".

 

Thousands of them. Not just a GA.