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AIRFIX 2022 rumours/thoughts/chat thread...


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6 hours ago, alt-92 said:

If you mean Paramjit: well, yes. He's a modeller himself and frequently does non-Airfix stuff (although he does like building them for the testshot pics)

 

If memory serves, he's a very good one, too.

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I might enter a kit suggestion to Airfix for a good, new, 1/72  NF-5A/CF-116. 

- Canadian

- Norwegian

- Spanish

- Dutch

- Turkish

- Greek
Long overdue, there's the ancient but good ESCI one, but that's basically it.

No, the Pioneer/PM doesn't count. 

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29 minutes ago, alt-92 said:

I might enter a kit suggestion to Airfix for a good, new, 1/72  NF-5A/CF-116. 

- Canadian

- Norwegian

- Spanish

- Dutch

- Turkish

- Greek
Long overdue, there's the ancient but good ESCI one, but that's basically it.

No, the Pioneer/PM doesn't count. 

 

Of which Airfix first offered a kit in 1966... a really ancient kit usually easily available, at least in my part of the world. Was last reboxed in 2011, meaning that the current management should have some idea of its sales potential.

There was a time when rumours were that the "new" Airifx would have retooled their best sellers from the past, something that kind of happened (probably more by market analysis that by design). Don't know how popular the F-5 was, it was sure reboxed a few times but wasn't one of those kits constantly in the catalogue, that may indicate sales weren't as good as other types.

Personally I couldn't say no to a good new 1/72 F-5, whatever the variant. I'm not too hopeful though and for the time being I'd just like to see at least the Esci kit reboxed (and maybe someone offering a resin cockpit for this...)

 

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I am hoping for:

1:48 Sea King

1:48 Puma

 

1:48 Hamden

 

1:48 Venom

1:48 Scimitar

1:48 Spey Phantom (I cannot believe they still did not release this)

 

And retoolings of

1:48 Fury

1:72 Concorde

1:144 Space Shuttle

 

If they are to release something in 1:24 a Sea Fury could get me very interested.

 

All of these would put my wallet under stress but I can sleep well 🙂

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19 hours ago, cmatthewbacon said:

With the (dis)honourable exception of the British Phantom, has there ever been a time when Airfix hasn't had a 1/72 kit of the RAF's main front line aircraft in the range?(*) Hunter, Lightning, Javelin, Canberra, Buccaneer, Vulcan, Jaguar, Tornado, Eurofighter... I thiink the F-35 is pretty inevitable, even before you get to  the fact the mould can be amortised over 25+ years...

best,

M.

(*)yes, I know you could nitpick about precise release dates and what's "main", but the principle is pretty clear...

Historically it's been the exception rather than the rule for the Airfix range to include the principal contemporary front line aircraft. Airfix only released their Vulcan 27 years after the aircraft entered service, when it was on the point of retirement. Their original 1/72 Canberra B.6 came out in 1973, 22 years after the first squadron was formed and the year after the last bomber variant was retired. The 1/72 Javelin FAW 9 was released in 1994; the last Javelin squadron had disbanded in 1968. Up until 1988 their Lightning kit was an F.1A, which had a production run of two dozen and had been superseded by later marks in the mid 'sixties. In that year Airfix modified the mould to produce an F.3, just as the RAF relinquished its last Lightnings. Their new tool 1/72 F.2A and F.6 didn't come along until 2013. They only kitted a proper Buccaneer (to replace their NA39) in 1989, 20 years after the first RAF squadron formed. The Nimrod had been in service for nearly 40 years before Airfix kitted it. 

It is true that from about 1970 Airfix did cover most if not all of the diminishing number of new types as (or even before: Jaguar, Tornado) they entered service, starting with the Harrier which had massive "wow factor" when they released their GR.1 in 1969 as the world's first V/STOL jet to see squadron service. Now that the number of front line types can be counted on the fingers of one hand, it would of course be easier to include them all in the range.

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31 minutes ago, lasermonkey said:

I'm just going to say it again, just in case Airfix are looking-

 

1/72

Lysander!

Even the smallest subject takes a year to complete.  So:

-  If it's already in the 2022 line up, whether or not they are looking is immaterial.

-  If it's not, then this is the wrong thread which is for 2022 ...

That said, good luck and I think it might just join the Spitfire V and Tempest as an 'entry level' kit.

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5 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

Of which Airfix first offered a kit in 1966... a really ancient kit usually easily available, at least in my part of the world. Was last reboxed in 2011, meaning that the current management should have some idea of its sales potential.

as shown by the fact it is in the current catalogue and available from Airfix.

 

https://uk.airfix.com/products/top-gun-f5-e-tiger-ii-mig-a00502

 

others will correct me if this is not the original Airfix mould

 

corrected by @Giorgio N in a post below

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21 hours ago, 3DStewart said:

 

And I will mention a late war Betty, as no one has ever done one, not even the Japanese!  There's zero chance of Airfix doing one, but just thinking about it makes me happy!

 

Betty, Betty, Betty. There, I've built it in my mind, where all my best builds are.

 

But Hasegawa have already issued a G4M2E, Okha carrying Betty and I think another G4M2 variant.

Not sure how available it is now, but was listed in their 2022 releases. 

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19 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

 That’s now got me thinking… where does the name Denford come from? 
 

Cheers.. Dave  

Denford is a place, and when I've figured out how to send you a private e mail, I'll tell you a little more....

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21 hours ago, JohnT said:

If I had to go off piste with this then a 1/24 Hawker Hunter F6 with optional parts for the other later marks assuming clever moulding.  Would it sell?  Popular in Europe and around the world with 22 countries flying it at some time or other.  Hunter isn't too big for 1/24.  All the same the 1/32 Revell version are reputed not to have sold that well :hmmm:  Maybe she suffers from being subsonic at a time when the must have thing was Mach 1 plus to Mach 2

 

Airfix have said in the past they will not consider any 1/24 jets bigger than a Harrier. 

 

The Hunter is about the same size.

 

What it does mean though is that there is the potential for a 1/24 Hawk, Gnat, Meteor, Swift, Vampire or Venom in future.

 

I'd say though that if Airfix was to do a new 1/24 jet then a Harrier would be a clear winner - reportedly Revell's 1/32 Hunter never sold that well so how would a 1/24 kit fare? 

 

My headliner predictions for 2022 are one the following three;

 

1/48 Spey Phantom

1/48 Sea King HAR.3 or Junglie

1/72 Halifax B.III

 

Cheers,

  WV908

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59 minutes ago, Paul821 said:

as shown by the fact it is in the current catalogue and available from Airfix.

 

https://uk.airfix.com/products/top-gun-f5-e-tiger-ii-mig-a00502

 

other will correct me if this is not the original Airfix mould

 

 

 

Not the same, the one available today is the F-5E kit a different and younger kit, first issued in 1983... so yes, almost 40 year old but still younger than the A 😄

The F-5A and E are different enough that Airfix rightly decided to make a brand new kit of the latter. Their E was not bad for the time, although the similarly aged Italeri kit is IMHO better. The kit was also reboxed by Heller while Airfix briefly offered the RF-5E variant with a recon nose.

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59 minutes ago, Paul821 said:

as shown by the fact it is in the current catalogue and available from Airfix.

 

https://uk.airfix.com/products/top-gun-f5-e-tiger-ii-mig-a00502

 

other will correct me if this is not the original Airfix mould

 

 

 

It is an original Airfix mould but not the same: the one available today is the F-5E, a different and younger kit first issued in 1983... so yes, almost 40 year old but still younger than their F-5A 

The F-5A and E are different enough and Airfix rightly decided to make a brand new kit of the latter. Their E was not bad for the time, although the similarly aged Italeri kit is IMHO better. The kit was also reboxed by Heller while Airfix briefly offered the RF-5E variant with a recon nose.

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1 hour ago, Denford said:

But Hasegawa have already issued a G4M2E, Okha carrying Betty and I think another G4M2 variant.

 

Yes, they've issued it, but it's not the correct variant to carry the Okha for most (all?) of its operations.

 

The G4M3 was the late war version of the Betty, and as I said it's never been produced by anyone.  It also looks materially different from the  M2 as it had a completely redesigned tail gunner's position so it looked more like a Marauder.  The wings were also different in detail as they included self-sealing tanks for the first time.

However, it's all irrelevant as Airfix won't be making it, but writing G4M3 does at least make me feel happy.

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18 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

It is an original Airfix mould but not the same: the one available today is the F-5E, a different and younger kit first issued in 1983... so yes, almost 40 year old but still younger than their F-5A

Yeah this Airfix F-5E Tiger II kit was from the early 1980s originally issued at a time when USAF aggressor squadrons were in their heyday; in particular the 527th Aggressor Squadron at RAF Alconbury here in the UK. With numerous exotic WarPac-esque potential colour schemes to choose from. I've still got an original kit in the stash somewhere bought at the time but it never really appealed to me somehow (even after seeing them in the flesh all lined up in their multi-coloured schemes).  

 

Can't really see it, or its earlier sibling, being high on the to-do list for a new kit unless Airfix start to seriously diversify. But who knows? 

 

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Edited by RichG
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59 minutes ago, 3DStewart said:

 

Yes, they've issued it, but it's not the correct variant to carry the Okha for most (all?) of its operations.

 

The G4M3 was the late war version of the Betty, and as I said it's never been produced by anyone.  It also looks materially different from the  M2 as it had a completely redesigned tail gunner's position so it looked more like a Marauder.  The wings were also different in detail as they included self-sealing tanks for the first time.

However, it's all irrelevant as Airfix won't be making it, but writing G4M3 does at least make me feel happy.

From what you say the G4M3 has about the same relationship to the G4M2 as a Lincoln to a Lancaster.

As for carrying the Okha, I suspect they modified whatever they had available perhaps in the same ways that Lancasters were modified to carry various 'special' weapons such as 'Upkeep', 'Tallboy' and 'Grand Slam'

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22 hours ago, Wez said:

 

I'm in agreement here, I don't think ITAR rules would let them get anywhere near a live F-35 to sufficiently measure it properly let alone LIDAR it.  I don't believe the published data would be good enough for Airfix.

Not my era, but don't Hasegawa have\will have and F-35?  In which case why not Airfix, and at a much lower price too!

Airfix seem to be diversifying - there's not much WWll that they haven't tooled - so an F-35 is a credible expectation for 2022.

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18 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

And yet somehow we have acceptably accurate kits from Academy, Italeri, Hasegawa, Meng, and Orange Hobby.

 

Acceptably accurate but how truly accurate?  Based on what data?

 

1 hour ago, Denford said:

Not my era, but don't Hasegawa have\will have and F-35?  In which case why not Airfix, and at a much lower price too!

Airfix seem to be diversifying - there's not much WWll that they haven't tooled - so an F-35 is a credible expectation for 2022.

 

Again, what data are the other manufacturers kits based on?  Have they been allowed to pore all over an aircraft, measure it, take detailed photographs of it let alone LIDAR it?  Probably not, they've probably based their models on what's available in the public domain, is this good enough for Airfix?  My understanding is that these are all Airfix's preferred methods of surveying a subject.

 

The US defence companies are very tight on the whole ITAR business and export of controlled data especially to non-US personnel/powers because it can result in fines, debarment from DoD contracts and personal court cases potentially leading to imprisonment.  Maintenance and operation of defence systems rely upon the flow of that data so do you seriously think anyone in the MoD/UK Armed Forces are going to want to jeopardise that by letting Airfix have a good snout at the F-35?  I strongly doubt it, just as they don't want to be the one in court for allowing access to controlled data.

 

This is why I don't think we'll see an F-35 from Airfix, I'm willing to be wrong for all of your stated reasons, I just don't think its likely.

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9 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

 

Of which Airfix first offered a kit in 1966... a really ancient kit usually easily available, at least in my part of the world. Was last reboxed in 2011, meaning that the current management should have some idea of its sales potential.

There was a time when rumours were that the "new" Airifx would have retooled their best sellers from the past, something that kind of happened (probably more by market analysis that by design). Don't know how popular the F-5 was, it was sure reboxed a few times but wasn't one of those kits constantly in the catalogue, that may indicate sales weren't as good as other types.

Personally I couldn't say no to a good new 1/72 F-5, whatever the variant. I'm not too hopeful though and for the time being I'd just like to see at least the Esci kit reboxed (and maybe someone offering a resin cockpit for this...)

 

It was in the catalogue from 1966 to 2002, with a couple of reissues as a starter set from 2005 to 2006 and 2009 to 2012, and a thirty-six year run is pretty good. Another long running kit from that period that would probably still sell is the Skyraider (1968 to 2001) though the Westland Scout (1966 to 2003) comes under the "helicopters don't sell" rule.

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Well, Airfix can lay claim to the most accurate 1/72 B-17G. How’s about they continue with perhaps a Fortress IIA/B-17F late, which is sorely missing from the 1/72 B-17 lineup. Also if they did any B-17 in 1/48, it would definitely rival and be superior to the HK. I had an HK 1/48 B-17G for about one week, after measuring and comparing to Boeing factory blueprints, and against the Monogram kit, I flogged it for $100 Cdn. If Airfix did it, they would finally surpass the Monogram and Revell kits, which have been in production since 1975! Do it right, and it’s like printing money!

 

My number one request from Airfix, would be to spend more time and effort on the exterior and surface details, especially on the bombers and transports, where there is very little visible after they’re all buttoned up. Their recessed panel lines are still trenches, and have no place on lap jointed aircraft, much less modern flush riveted butt jointed aircraft. I have spent a lot of time working with both modern military and vintage aircraft, and I am not seeing very much accuracy in the treatment of surface details. Can you imagine a Lanc in 1/72 or 1/48 with the surface details of the WNW Lancaster!

 

In 1/24 scale, I almost purchased the Hellcat, however when I realized that they had drilled out all of the rivets, I backed down. In 1/24 scale especially, the rivets should be there! Thinking about filling all those holes, and trying to sand the filler with the stressed skin surface, well never mind. We need the outside of aircraft models to look like the real thing, not like die cast or toys! Please and thank you 🙏 

 

Jeff

 

 

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