Airfix 2020 catalog - programme

[Dave Fleming]

Also note the 1/72 Hurricane is a series one boxing with the two blade prop, which I don't think has been done before

[JamesP]

4 minutes ago, Work In Progress said:

Mark X: do you mean the narrow-body Jag 420 that they did?

Yep, I was reading the Wikipedia page on it a few weeks ago and the reference to 420G/mkX stuck in my head.  

[Work In Progress]

Always glad to see the 1/24 Spitfire out because then I can buy spare decal sheets from Airfix, and the one they're putting out this time is a nice one, including X4561, QJ-B, 92 Squadron with a black lower wing, and DW-K 610 Squadron with the oversides markings. I use them on 1/24 scale flying models

 

[TEXANTOMCAT]

To be fair if you compare the new tools/new stuff issued by Airfix and compare it to Scalextric/Hornby/Corgi - the trains are top (lots of new stuff inc APT), the kits are second, the slot cars third and the diecast fourth....

 

(And just google Bassett Lowke Steampunk - for a laugh....) 

 

I know its OT, but it shows the relative health of Airfix in the Hornby stable...

 

I hope they sell a shedload - but I'd rather like my Jetstream, Hunter F.4, & Tiger Moth from LAST YEAR please!

 

TT 

 

 

[Richard Humm]

54 minutes ago, VMA131Marine said:

Of, course, but Airfix wouldn’t try to pass that old kit off as an E ... would they?

Maybe it's another Academy rebox. They do both generations of F/A-18.

 

A hundred quid for the 1/12 Bentley? I remember when it was £2.50. (Then again, a 1/72 scale Spitfire was 17p back then...)

[Work In Progress]

2 minutes ago, Richard Humm said:

A hundred quid for the 1/12 Bentley? I remember when it was £2.50. (Then again, a 1/72 scale Spitfire was 17p back then...)

They generally go for anything in the region of £150-180 in the secondary market so it;s worth stocking up...

[VMA131Marine]

1 minute ago, Richard Humm said:

Maybe it's another Academy rebox. They do both generations of F/A-18.

 

A hundred quid for the 1/12 Bentley? I remember when it was £2.50. (Then again, a 1/72 scale Spitfire was 17p back then...)

Airfix do list it as a “New Tool,” which they don’t do with the other Academy reboxes. I guess time will tell though you might be right that this is the Academy kit. It is a nice enough kit in it’s own right.

[Work In Progress]

42 minutes ago, JamesP said:

Yep, I was reading the Wikipedia page on it a few weeks ago and the reference to 420G/mkX stuck in my head.  

I was worried I'd missed something. Would be nice to see the 420 back, yes. Hopefully it wasn't one of those where they butchered the moulds for a 'custom car' version as they did with the Capri 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Work In Progress

[Paul Bradley]

A new F-35B, but only as  QUICKBUILDTM - hopefully, they'll issue a real kit of the type shortly......

 

 

[klr]

30 minutes ago, Foxbat said:

Nope, new Firefly and Tiger. Basic kit is £9.99 so I'm assuming 1/7x. Both come as vanilla kit, starter sets and as a double boxing.

 

Andy

Both no doubt based on the examples in Bovington, where there are a lot more potential subjects, not mentioning the Comet and Conqueror in particular. That's assuming Airfix is serious about 1:72 AFVs.

 

The "vanilla" Firefly has stowage on the front hull that is not on the other versions. It also has one of the chevron-type tracks (the exact same type as the Bovington Firefly Vc, naturally :), whereas the other versions have plain rubber track faces. You can also see that the "vanilla" version has separate road wheels, as some are a different colour from the bogies*. All 3 versions are supposed to have just 31 parts, but maybe the "vanilla" kit actually has more?

 

*Trumpeter 1:72 Shermans usually include both "simplified" and "complex" bogie units.

[cmatthewbacon]

15 minutes ago, Richard Humm said:

Maybe it's another Academy rebox. They do both generations of F/A-18.

 

A hundred quid for the 1/12 Bentley? I remember when it was £2.50. (Then again, a 1/72 scale Spitfire was 17p back then...)

Well, the Italeri 1/12 Alfa Monza is £140-150 and the Bentley remains a pretty good kit even by comparison. There aren’t a lot around, and eBay prices seem rather higher than £100, so it makes sense. I picked mine up in Modelzone Holborn for £22.99 about 20 years ago so I agree £100 might seem a lot, but demand and supply is what this business is about. Hornby/Airfix would be daft to miss out and what must be a good chunk of profit on a kit that must have paid for itself long ago...

best,

M.

[Adam Poultney]

Box art checks out, I like it but I prefer the one from Telford. So we now know one scheme that will be included, XM594 in camo over gloss white (black radome and fin tip) I definitely approve of the choice. I'm fairly sure it's white looking at pictures of the aircraft in question from her Blue Steel days. 

If I was to be a rivet counter I'd say they have added the skybolt pylon mounting blisters to '594 which I don't think had them but shhhh this box art is awesome. 

 

[Patrick Martin]

As long as endless Spit-one-0-nines fund the real gems, they should continue.  Beaufort is one I have been waiting for.  All they really have to do is look at the Frog range (at the end) and pick the topics that have not been done to a modern standard – and the research is done.

Firefly, Baltimore, Maryland, Attacker, Vampire, Venom, Tempest ….

 

Airfix could shrink their 1/48 range into 1/72 and cash in – Sea Fury, Javelin, Sea Vixen etc..

[Work In Progress]

The Maverick P-51 A00505 is shown as "new tool". Yet the 1/72 and 1/48 P-51D/K kits are both current, and Cruise's own Mustang, which is the one that appears in the new film, is adequately covered by them - it's actually a P-51K and reasonably standard apart from the usual radio removal and rear seat. 

 

Wonder if this Top Gun Maverick's P-51D Mustang A00505 "Small Beginners Set" Supermarine Spitfire MkVc A55001, both priced at £9.99, are a new scale, maybe 1/100?  Or maybe some kind of super-easy assembly / pre-paint deal? They are both in what look like packages we haven't seen before, with a new kind of stand in the case of the Spitfire.

 

Edit: apparently not, now I've finally been able to get onto the product page for it, it's 1/72 and 53 parts.

Edited January 6, 2020 by Work In Progress

[Paul Bradley]

13 minutes ago, VMA131Marine said:

Airfix do list it as a “New Tool,” which they don’t do with the other Academy reboxes. I guess time will tell though you might be right that this is the Academy kit. It is a nice enough kit in it’s own right.

Airfix lists 94 parts. Looking at the Academy runners for their kit, I only count 70-odd, 

[Paul821]

46 minutes ago, TEXANTOMCAT said:

I'd rather like my Jetstream,

The position regarding the Vintage Classics is interesting: the SM-79. Concorde and P-61 appear as 2020 releases but others outstanding are still listed on the Classics section of the web-site with Winter 2019-2020 as expected delivery. This include the aforementioned Jetstream

 

Apart from the 1:24th scale models, there seems to be no more issues planned. I hope this is not the end of these re-releases as (im my view) there are many kits from the 1970's that hold up well and could do with a re-issue,

[klr]

8 minutes ago, Paul Bradley said:

Airfix lists 94 parts. Looking at the Academy runners for their kit, I only count 70-odd, 

You beat me to it. 94 is the exact part count for the Airfix kit, including the 2 extra parts added during the 1980s. "I have a bad feeling about this ...".

[Julien]

Some nice stuff there.

 

I await the 1.48 Sabre 4,  Just hope they dont copy the errors over from the 1.72 kit

 

Julien

[fightersweep]

5 minutes ago, Paul821 said:

I hope this is not the end of these re-releases as (in my view) there are many kits from the 1970's that hold up well and could do with a re-issue,

I hope so too! I was hoping to see the Cherokee Arrow, Skyvan, Islander and Beaver make a re-appearance. After all, they are all still pretty decent kits, so I hope that we do get to see more aircraft in the Classics Range.

 

Steve

[fids]

Can't complain and TBH I've given up Airfix bringing out some helicopters but I have to say, nothing grabs me as a must buy

[Diggers11]

7 minutes ago, klr said:

You beat me to it. 94 is the exact part count for the Airfix kit, including the 2 extra parts added during the 1980s. "I have a bad feeling about this ...".

I'm guessing this F/A-18 Hornet is the same as the newly announced Revell Easy Click kit (04965) as they seem to share the same Top Gun theme and even share artwork.

 

Revell

http://www.kitreviewsonline.de/revell-neuheiten-2020/

 

Airfix

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/new-for-2020/top-gun-f-18-hornet-maverick.html

 

Maybe Airfix are releasing the E and Revell the F.

[cmatthewbacon]

19 minutes ago, klr said:

You beat me to it. 94 is the exact part count for the Airfix kit, including the 2 extra parts added during the 1980s. "I have a bad feeling about this ...".

Well, if the movie makers can release a a barely updated version of the 80s original with the same old parts just looking a bit the worse for wear, why shouldn’t Airfix do the same?

best,

M.

[Adam Poultney]

59 minutes ago, Dave Fleming said:

Also note the 1/72 Hurricane is a series one boxing with the two blade prop, which I don't think has been done before

It is!? I'm having one!

 

46 minutes ago, Paul Bradley said:

A new F-35B, but only as  QUICKBUILDTM - hopefully, they'll issue a real kit of the type shortly......

 

 

Hope so but it's in Modern Boring Grey

40 minutes ago, Patrick Martin said:

As long as endless Spit-one-0-nines fund the real gems, they should continue.  Beaufort is one I have been waiting for.  All they really have to do is look at the Frog range (at the end) and pick the topics that have not been done to a modern standard – and the research is done.

Firefly, Baltimore, Maryland, Attacker, Vampire, Venom, Tempest ….

 

Airfix could shrink their 1/48 range into 1/72 and cash in – Sea Fury, Javelin, Sea Vixen etc..

I like spits so I'm not complaining lol

 

[klr]

19 minutes ago, Diggers11 said:

I'm guessing this F/A-18 Hornet is the same as the newly announced Revell Easy Click kit (04965) as they seem to share the same Top Gun theme and even share artwork.

 

Revell

http://www.kitreviewsonline.de/revell-neuheiten-2020/

 

Airfix

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/new-for-2020/top-gun-f-18-hornet-maverick.html

 

Maybe Airfix are releasing the E and Revell the F.

I'm not sure ... kits from different manufacturers are probably required to have similar artwork as part of their merchandising deals.

 

Based on the part counts, most of the other Top Gun kits appear to be Airfix molds, be they "recent" (Mustang - 53 parts), or "old" (Tiger II - 75 parts, Tomcat - 110 parts). The odd one out is the Skyhawk. Airfix says it has 116 parts which would match the Fujimi kit. The current Airfix kit is c. 75 - 80 parts.

 

If Airfix is trying to pull a fast one with the F/A-18, it would not be the first time they (or someone else) has done so.

Edited January 6, 2020 by klr

[wombat]

Pretty sure one of the previous boxings of the hurricane  has a two blade option though can’t recall which.