Airfix 2020 catalog - programme

[Julien]

27 minutes ago, Albeback52 said:

Is the A-4 not the recent tooling?

The Airfix website description notes 116 parts. That cannot be the ancient 1960 kit!?

Other than that, I tend to agree with you 😊

 

Allan

Scalemates show it as the old old tool, only time will tell, if its the new tool thats good

[Albeback52]

45 minutes ago, PhantomBigStu said:

The new tool has 75 parts so it is the old one unless there’s sprue for some reason airfix have failed to issue in all releases of the new tool it’s the oldie

Fair comment. Maybe I misread the catalogue. 😊.

 

Allan

[Dave Fleming]

If it's got 116 parts, it can't be the ancient A-4A either. That is close ot the Fujimi kit, but I suspect it's a typo

 

It's interesting to note the box art is subtly different  the 80s issue showed an A4E/F, this time it's showing an A-4B

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2020 by Dave Fleming

[Hook]

8 hours ago, Julien said:

Scalemates show it as the old old tool, only time will tell, if its the new tool thats good

Just not good if you want to represent a version of the Skyhawk used as an adversary.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[Albeback52]

16 hours ago, Dave Fleming said:

If it's got 116 parts, it can't be the ancient A-4A either. That is close ot the Fujimi kit, but I suspect it's a typo

 

It's interesting to note the box art is subtly different  the 80s issue showed an A4E/F, this time it's showing an A-4B

 

 

 

Just checked Airfix website. Definitely says number of parts 116. Obviously (and thankfully),, not the ancient 1961 kit.

 

Allan

[PhantomBigStu]

33 minutes ago, Albeback52 said:

Just checked Airfix website. Definitely says number of parts 116. Obviously (and thankfully),, not the ancient 1961 kit.

 

Allan

The new tool only has 75 parts

[cmatthewbacon]

26 minutes ago, PhantomBigStu said:

The new tool only has 75 parts

Well, the old one has only 27, so unless they've included 4 of them in the pack, or a couple of old tools and a new tool, it ain't that one either... The Fujimi only has 85 parts, so if the Airfix new tool has 75, it's pretty hard to see how you can GET 116 parts into a 1/72 Skyhawk...

best,

M.

[Dave Fleming]

56 minutes ago, Albeback52 said:

Just checked Airfix website. Definitely says number of parts 116. Obviously (and thankfully),, not the ancient 1961 kit.

 

Allan

 

 

If it's not a typo on the website, it's intruiging

[Albeback52]

25 minutes ago, PhantomBigStu said:

The new tool only has 75 parts

Well, either it's a typo on the website or, its someone else's kit in the box!😊

Allan

 

[Albeback52]

3 minutes ago, Dave Fleming said:

 

 

If it's not a typo on the website, it's intruiging

Beats me Dave!😊.

 

Allan

[Dave Fleming]

11 minutes ago, Albeback52 said:

Beats me Dave!😊.

 

Allan

The only 1/72 A4 kit with that sort of parts count is Fujimi. 

[Graham Boak]

Which raises the question of whether the old kits would actually make a better introduction to the hobby than newer multi-part tight-tolerance kits.

[Albeback52]

33 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

Which raises the question of whether the old kits would actually make a better introduction to the hobby than newer multi-part tight-tolerance kits.

Interesting question. I would suggest that old, badly fitting kits might be just as likely to put people off as new, badly fitting kits .

People such as us with a lot of modelling experience would normally take such issues in our stride and, deal with them.

For newbies however, I think it might be a different matter. However, that's just my take on it.

Allan.

 

Allan

Edited June 16, 2020 by Albeback52

[PhantomBigStu]

3 hours ago, Dave Fleming said:

The only 1/72 A4 kit with that sort of parts count is Fujimi. 

Now that would be interesting if not a typo 

[Truro Model Builder]

10 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

Which raises the question of whether the old kits would actually make a better introduction to the hobby than newer multi-part tight-tolerance kits.

That, actually, is a very valid point.

 

[alt-92]

12 hours ago, Truro Model Builder said:

That, actually, is a very valid point.

Just for funsies, I spent a day and a half in total building an ancient Revell 1/72 I-16, and it felt great because it went that fast.

Sometimes, simple(r) works better.

 

[IanC]

On 6/16/2020 at 12:06 PM, Albeback52 said:

Interesting question. I would suggest that old, badly fitting kits might be just as likely to put people off as new, badly fitting kits .

People such as us with a lot of modelling experience would normally take such issues in our stride and, deal with them.

For newbies however, I think it might be a different matter. However, that's just my take on it.

Allan.

 

 

I'm pretty sure the 1970/80s Airfix Spitfire Mk I, Hurricane Mk I and Fw 190A-8 were a lot easier to put together than the new-tool versions we have now.

[Ratch]

If you look at the Make'n'Take tables that Airfix run at shows, you'll see lots of kids enjoying throwing together old kits. They're not worried about the fit, how accurate the kit is or whether the decals are right. They just enjoy the activity of sticking the plastic together and painting it. Too many experienced modellers try to put their own values on which kits are good for kids. They forget that ignorance is bliss - when you're starting out its all a learning process - a journey that shouldn't be spoiled by someone else's criteria.

[Thomas V.]

2 hours ago, Ratch said:

If you look at the Make'n'Take tables that Airfix run at shows, you'll see lots of kids enjoying throwing together old kits. They're not worried about the fit, how accurate the kit is or whether the decals are right. They just enjoy the activity of sticking the plastic together and painting it. Too many experienced modellers try to put their own values on which kits are good for kids. They forget that ignorance is bliss - when you're starting out its all a learning process - a journey that shouldn't be spoiled by someone else's criteria.

Don't think that anyone on this topic or in fact in modeling world as a whole would spoil childrens learning curve,or better said introduction to scale modeling by refraining from old scale models.I do agree that kids will enjoy old models as well as new ones, but in latter case mostly as free hand downs, not newly boxed relatively expensive 40+years old kits.

Same goes not only for Top Gun franchise, but other " classic " toolings that popped up in 2020 catalogue, not doing Airfix any good in the long run.

Its not just Airfix, plenty of brands where management thinks that ancient toolings can have new "lease of life", Italeri, Heller resurgent under G2B, and recently Revell.

Edited June 18, 2020 by Thomas V.

[Graham Boak]

The kids aren't the ones paying anyway.  It's only when they grow up and add concerns about accuracy and surface finish and does it have fourteen pieces for each rudder pedal that they start wondering about value for money.  And it shouldn't take long on this site to realise that here are many grown-up modellers who are perfectly happy with these elderly kits.  If the needs of the times drive companies to get the best value from their old stocks, then as long as these are not their only products then we purists will just have to grit our teeth and bear it.   It's better than the times when Airfix was ONLY living off their back catalogue and were falling further and further behind the market norm, let alone the cutting edge.

[janneman36]

9 hours ago, Thomas V. said:

Don't think that anyone on this topic or in fact in modeling world as a whole would spoil childrens learning curve,or better said introduction to scale modeling by refraining from old scale models.I do agree that kids will enjoy old models as well as new ones, but in latter case mostly as free hand downs, not newly boxed relatively expensive 40+years old kits.

Same goes not only for Top Gun franchise, but other " classic " toolings that popped up in 2020 catalogue, not doing Airfix any good in the long run.

Its not just Airfix, plenty of brands where management thinks that ancient toolings can have new "lease of life", Italeri, Heller resurgent under G2B, and recently Revell.

Don’t forget Hasegawa as they also have some several old tooling that can profit from being redone...

 

cheers, Jan

[Albeback52]

9 hours ago, Thomas V. said:

Don't think that anyone on this topic or in fact in modeling world as a whole would spoil childrens learning curve,or better said introduction to scale modeling by refraining from old scale models.I do agree that kids will enjoy old models as well as new ones, but in latter case mostly as free hand downs, not newly boxed relatively expensive 40+years old kits.

Same goes not only for Top Gun franchise, but other " classic " toolings that popped up in 2020 catalogue, not doing Airfix any good in the long run.

Its not just Airfix, plenty of brands where management thinks that ancient toolings can have new "lease of life", Italeri, Heller resurgent under G2B, and recently Revell.

And, how does one  define "ancient"? An old kit is not necessarily a bad kit and, a lot of "ancient" kits now being reissued have never been repeated, at least not in IM styrene.

I don't see how issuing Vintage Classics can actually harm Airfix at all. There is clearly a demand and, if anyone personally does not like "ancient" kits they are clearly under no obligation to buy.

I agree that this is not related to Airfix in isolation but, if it were not for manufacturers reissuing "ancient" kits we would have no (at least in my preferred 1/72)Junkers Ju-86D/E, no 1/72 Boeing 707 /E-3A, no Lockheed Constellation, Nord Noratlas,DC - 6,Canadair CL-215, to name but a few.

So, from my perspective, I welcome these ancient kits. Long may they continue! 😊.

Your opening comment about the "relatively expensive 40+ year old kits" is a fair and valid one. I, for one, object to paying contemporary prices for such items and, I know I'm not alone. Airfix at least label the reissues as "Vintage" so, we know what's in the box. I wish other people would do the same. Its then a matter of judgement as to whether or not to buy.

Cheers

Allan

 

Ps, for what it's worth, I think there are some old kits that should have been consigned to history long ago and yet, still manage to resurface from time to time. 😂

[JagRigger]

On ‎6‎/‎16‎/‎2020 at 11:09 AM, Dave Fleming said:

The only 1/72 A4 kit with that sort of parts count is Fujimi. 

Hobbyboss ? Playing with various sprue numbers though closest I can get is 112 ( only one weapons sprue instead of 2 )

[Ratch]

On 14/06/2020 at 23:17, Thomas V. said:

Whoever decided on bringing back not only mentioned, but other ancient toolings deserves a sack, kids will be majority of ones buying these boxings( except few decal hunters ), and they will be turned off modeling upon seeing/building contents of the boxes, not to mention asking price-Pure greed-bad decision, won't do brand any good.

 

17 hours ago, Thomas V. said:

Don't think that anyone on this topic or in fact in modeling world as a whole would spoil childrens learning curve,or better said introduction to scale modeling by refraining from old scale models.I do agree that kids will enjoy old models as well as new ones,

Your first post comes across as exactly the point I was making

they will be turned off modeling

I don't think so.

[Rabbit Leader]

I was pleasantly surprised to see that my newly purchased ‘Vintage Classics’ Heron came in a Series 2 sized box for what has always been a Series 3 kit - finally common sense prevails. The normal retail price for this kit was also no more expensive (probably cheaper in fact) than buying an older boxing online and including postage. IMO these Vintage reboxings are great and I’m looking forward to adding the HS Dominie and Jetstream when they come out as well. 
 

Now kids of all ages (including us 40-50+ year olds) all enjoy gluing parts together, we would take up a different hobby if that wasn’t the case! 
 

Cheers.. Dave