Sea Vixen repop cancelled

[tony.t]

Just got a deposit refund from Jumblies saying the 1/48 Sea Vixen re-pop has been cancelled by Airfix.

 

Oh well. Wonder what other repop might get the chop this year - Javelin too ?

 

Tony 

[franky boy]

I’ve just had that email to. Shame. 

 

Tony, I do hope they don’t cancel the Javelin too. 

 

James

[petetasker]

I can’t see any mention of the 1/48 Sea Vixen on the Airfix site. Is it still due for re-release this year or am I missing something?

[Homebee]

 

V.P.

[exdraken]

That is sad to read!

I do hope it is only postponed!!

[Albeback52]

I had pre ordered the kit as well albeit direct from Airfix. Its a shame people had to find out from the retailer.

 

 

Unless I missed something, I don't recall any such announcement on the Airfix website and, indeed, I have recieved no contact from Airfix re the cancellation of the pre order.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allan

Edited June 7, 2020 by Albeback52

[Simon V]

Considering it was originally due early 2019, I wouldn't hold your hopes u.

[Paul Thompson]

Odd. Do  a search for 'sea vixen' on both Airfix and Hannants sites, result returned for the Phantom Fg.1, saying out of stock in both cases.

 

Paul.

[alt-92]

This might be a knock on effect from the covid reshuffle. If you want to be sure that your high attention releases don't get seriously delayed, dropping a rerun might be a sensible idea because it frees up a slot in the production schedule. 

[Graham Boak]

Yet they are rerunning their Black Widow.  Does this imply that a minor USAAF WW2 type in 1/72 is likely to sell better than a 60's FAA jet in 1/48?  Or is the reason somewhat more subtle?

 

I suspect this might have more to do with the Vixen being a much more recent release, so the market for a rerelease is smaller than that for a kit last seen decades ago.

[SleeperService]

1 hour ago, Graham Boak said:

I suspect this might have more to do with the Vixen being a much more recent release, so the market for a rerelease is smaller than that for a kit last seen decades ago.

Just consider all the newbies to the hobby who will end up trying to build this. Likely the last model kit they buy from anybody.

[Graham Boak]

Not considering all the worse stuff that is floating around.  The P-61 wasn't that bad.  It might be difficult to work up to modern exhibition standards, but that's not what most newcomers want anyway.   A current production Airfix 1/48 kit isn't exactly the finest introduction to the hobby one can imagine.

 

However, I do get amazed at the difficulties some board members find with perfectly ordinary models.  When I began ten year olds were putting together Airfix RE.8s, a 2-bay biplane with much less than modern standards of fit!  Old fogey mode maybe, but it's true that having to make such efforts didn't put most people off then, and to my mind wouldn't now.  Unless you believe that all youngsters nowadays are a bunch of softies with the attention span of a gnat - which is at least a little harsh.

[alt-92]

4 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

Unless you believe that all youngsters nowadays are a bunch of softies with the attention span of a gnat - which is at least a little harsh.

Beg pardon, but that's highly unfair to gnats.

They can focus for longer than the average TikTok video.

 

all joking aside, the Vintage/Classic kits actually require that little bit of elbow grease you refer to so once the S-V re-appears, those youngsters are at least well prepared, having cut their teeth on the P-61.

[tony.t]

10 hours ago, alt-92 said:

This might be a knock on effect from the covid reshuffle. If you want to be sure that your high attention releases don't get seriously delayed, dropping a rerun might be a sensible idea because it frees up a slot in the production schedule. 

I don't much care what the reasons are, I simply think a statement from Airfix would be polite. Of course they have the right to withdraw a product, but AFAIK this didn't even merit a one-liner on any of the social media sites that seem to be everybody's shop window these days. I'm not expecting a full page apology in The Times, but some pimply snowflake could surely make a statement saying "cancelled altogether/post-poned/possibly to be reissued in x years' time" (delete as appropriate).

 

Tony 

 

[Albeback52]

On 6/7/2020 at 9:28 PM, tony.t said:

I don't much care what the reasons are, I simply think a statement from Airfix would be polite. Of course they have the right to withdraw a product, but AFAIK this didn't even merit a one-liner on any of the social media sites that seem to be everybody's shop window these days. I'm not expecting a full page apology in The Times, but some pimply snowflake could surely make a statement saying "cancelled altogether/post-poned/possibly to be reissued in x years' time" (delete as appropriate).

 

Tony 

 

Hard to disagree with that Tony. The first I knew of the cancellation was reading this actual discussion.. I had  pre ordered one from Airfix direct but, nothing from them at all to state the order would be cancelled.

Pretty poor customer service especially, when one considers the number of emails they send regarding other Air fix news/ products

 

Allan

[Simon V]

Even less forgiveable that this isn't new. I don't remember where, but I read this week's ago. I think it mas maybe from airfix responding to a question on Facebook.

[Tbolt]

57 minutes ago, Simon V said:

Even less forgiveable that this isn't new. I don't remember where, but I read this week's ago. I think it mas maybe from airfix responding to a question on Facebook.

About the 15th April? 😜

[Truro Model Builder]

Sorry, guys, but jeez, have you listened to yourselves? You ordered something, you've not paid any monies, the item seems to have been cancelled and you will doubtless be emailed to inform you that your orders have been cancelled. End of. I would understand it if Airfix had taken your money, but honestly? It sounds like a bunch of angries from Tunbridge Wells.

 

Waiting for the harrumphing to start.

[Work In Progress]

On 6/7/2020 at 10:59 AM, Graham Boak said:

Yet they are rerunning their Black Widow.  Does this imply that a minor USAAF WW2 type in 1/72 is likely to sell better than a 60's FAA jet in 1/48?  Or is the reason somewhat more subtle?

 

I suspect this might have more to do with the Vixen being a much more recent release, so the market for a rerelease is smaller than that for a kit last seen decades ago.

Those two tools make very different requirements of the injection moulding machinery required to run them. Quite possibly they have not been able to get access to suitable machine time at the quality that a complex and large new tool requires, given the severe constraints on physical manufacture remaining in most of the world (and indeed still growing rapidly in some global manufacturing centres, especially India).

[Graham Boak]

Do they really?  I don't see why, but then I'm not familiar with the machinery involved and don't have the newer kit.  Does it require slide tools or other technical improvements introduced since the Black Widow?  Larger frames perhaps, that I can see.  (The state my Black Widow is in, I can't even tell if it ever had frames.)

[tony.t]

4 hours ago, Truro Model Builder said:

Sorry, guys, but jeez, have you listened to yourselves? You ordered something, you've not paid any monies, the item seems to have been cancelled and you will doubtless be emailed to inform you that your orders have been cancelled. End of. I would understand it if Airfix had taken your money, but honestly? It sounds like a bunch of angries from Tunbridge Wells.

Waiting for the harrumphing to start.

My deposit to Jumblies was returned but I bought some AM in anticipation which I now have the inconvenience of selling. So, minus £25 of which £5 recovered so far + hassle + disappointment. Not angry, but jeez, what pee-poor public relations.

The reference to The Times was a joke Truro my buddy.

 

Tony 

 

 

[Simon V]

On 6/9/2020 at 10:45 AM, Tbolt said:

About the 15th April? 😜

Maybe 🙄🤣

[bootneck]

Could it be that the current situation is impacting them?  Less staff available to work on products;  lack of sources for product, materials or decals etc?

I have seen a few posts recently, not just this one, where people seem to be assuming that all is well with the world.  It seems to come over as "I'm OK so why aren't the suppliers, producers, importers and retailers at their place of work and doing their jobs? 

I say, lighten up and get a grip with what is happening outside.

 

Mike

[Mr T]

If I am right in assuming that a lot of Airfix stuff is still being down in India, then I am not holding my breath for much of anything. The Covid19 situation in several parts of India seems pretty awful and in many urban areas the virus still apparently to have a firm hold. The problem with a modern pandemic is that is spread is uneven. In Europe it seems to be past its peak, but in many parts of the world it is only just getting into its stride. 

Hornby Hobbies could do better in terms of communication, but it depends on information they are receiving from their suppliers. The release schedules will be completely up the creek and my guess is that they themselves may be struggling to pin down what is actually happening in the factories in India and China where a lot of stuff comes from, not forgetting Cartograf in Italy and who ever prints the boxes in the UK.