AIRFIX 2022 rumours/thoughts/chat thread...

[Dave Fleming]

The DH4 was 1967, so it's a year older than me! I always though if we were to get a new HP O series it would be from Roden, but they seem to have moved away from WW1 in recent years too.

 

The second 1/72 Spitfire mk I was pretty worn by the time it was replaced - the wing tip navigation lights had gone. I remember searching ebay for early boxings so you got the better mold

[Paul Thompson]

42 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

The DH4 was quite a bit later than 1957., or it seemed that way at the time!  However, I recall Airfix claiming 100.000 for its original Lancaster a long time ago and it is currently on its third set of tools.  Similarly the third early Spitfire and Hurricane Mk.1.  The interval between second and third was significantly longer than between first and second, in each case.  You can add P-51D and Bf.109G to this list of triple issues - there have been releases of other variants of these types in between, of course.

 

But only two Zeroes, Typhoons, Blenheims, and only one Halifax, DH.4 or P-47.  A fairly clear indication of their relative popularity.  No doubt a stronger case can be made  by considering the number of appearances of the kits in each year's catalogues, lacking the true sales or even production numbers.

My mistake - conflating the 1957 F2B about which I'd just been talking further up this page with the  1967 DH4. That's still 54 years ago, and my arguments still applies, feeble though it may be.

 

 

Paul.

[Graham Boak]

No problem.  The big book of Frog does actually give production numbers for at least some years, some types.   Basic message is Spitfires sell very well but Bf.109s are off the clock.  Of course that was The Good Old Days (to be referred to in future as TGOD.

[Giorgio N]

35 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

No problem.  The big book of Frog does actually give production numbers for at least some years, some types.   Basic message is Spitfires sell very well but Bf.109s are off the clock.  Of course that was The Good Old Days (to be referred to in future as TGOD.

 

Those may have been great days but looks like for some these days aren't bad either: a few weeks ago I was talking to a friend who mentioned that Eduard sold around 200,000 copies of their 1/48 Fw.190 family.. if these figures are correct (and I can't guarantee it unfortunately), it would be a pretty impressive number. Of course the Fw.190 in all its guises is one of those subjects that are guaranteed to sell and also one for which there are many enthusiasts who purchase several boxes of the same kit

[Denford]

5 hours ago, 3DStewart said:

If a steel tool is worn out it's likely had 100,000+ shots through it.  That's evidence of demand!

Nor actual evidence of demand: only the number of sprues produced.  There could be stacks of unsold kits....

[Graham Boak]

1 hour ago, Denford said:

Nor actual evidence of demand: only the number of sprues produced.  There could be stacks of unsold kits....

Not when you consider that this is over decades: if/when a subject stopped selling the retailers/wholesalers would stop ordering it.

[brewerjerry]

Hi

    Well my thoughts are still on a 1:24 being an american aircraft 

 

 a 1:24 corsair makes sense

 

   and maybe  a 1:48 Hudson 

 

      cheers

          jerry 

   

[jackroadkill]

5 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

who purchase several boxes of the same kit

Who would be silly enough to do that?!  Oh, me....!

[Meatbox8]

On 11/25/2021 at 2:43 PM, AntPhillips said:

Airfix have tweeted this morning that they are doing an online Advent Calendar again, and are promising "an incredible aviation experience, sneak peak, giveaways, competitions & more, this is not to be missed!"

 

Hopefully we might get some teasers of whats to come in '22

I hope what tey say is right.  Some of their previous advent calenders have been a little underwhelming. 

[Paul Thompson]

8 minutes ago, Meatbox8 said:

I hope what tey say is right.  Some of their previous advent calenders have been a little underwhelming. 

Yes. Stuff like 'You, too, can now own a tin with a picture on it'.

 

Paul.

[TEXANTOMCAT]

I think they might up the ante this year having not gone to Telford and being on the telly🙂

 

TT

[fatalbert]

Apparently someone has been lidar scanning the Solet to sky museums stored Scimitar.one can but hope and prey its you know who.🙏

[trickydicky210]

Airfix Facebook link

 

Airfix post text:

 

Albatros D.Va. What a beauty 😍

We’re back on location, can you figure out where? 

#Airfix

 

are they responding to the bi plane posts?  Or are they working on something with 2 wings?

 

 

[Max Headroom]

2 minutes ago, trickydicky210 said:

Or are they working on something with 2 wings?

 

 

A slip wing Hurricane?

 

🚪

 

Trevor

[sniperUK]

1 hour ago, TEXANTOMCAT said:

I think they might up the ante this year having not gone to Telford and being on the telly🙂

 

TT

Quite probably 😁

[Meatbox8]

4 hours ago, Paul Thompson said:

Yes. Stuff like 'You, too, can now own a tin with a picture on it'.

 

Paul.

Pretty much sums it up perfectly. 

[Meatbox8]

1 hour ago, trickydicky210 said:

Airfix Facebook link

 

Airfix post text:

 

Albatros D.Va. What a beauty 😍

We’re back on location, can you figure out where? 

#Airfix

 

are they responding to the bi plane posts?  Or are they working on something with 2 wings?

 

 

If they do a DVa something in my waters makes me think  it will be in 1/48th.  Either way not a biggie for me as I've built the 1/72 Roden one ( a million times better than their D.VIIs) and have had a Dual Combo Eduard box in the stash for more years than I care to remember. 

[Paul Thompson]

1 hour ago, trickydicky210 said:

Airfix Facebook link

 

Airfix post text:

 

Albatros D.Va. What a beauty 😍

We’re back on location, can you figure out where? 

#Airfix

 

are they responding to the bi plane posts?  Or are they working on something with 2 wings?

 

 

If I was Airfix, and privy to all sorts of secret market research info, and if the other me had spiked that research, then I might go out on a limb and make my next 1/24th superkit an Albatros, featherless variety. But then both of me would have been responsible for finally sinking the company.

 

Still......................................... nah. Wishful thinking. Be nice, though.

 

Paul.

[Meatbox8]

8 minutes ago, Paul Thompson said:

If I was Airfix, and privy to all sorts of secret market research info, and if the other me had spiked that research, then I might go out on a limb and make my next 1/24th superkit an Albatros, featherless variety. But then both of me would have been responsible for finally sinking the company.

 

Still......................................... nah. Wishful thinking. Be nice, though.

 

Paul.

I think that is a pretty good call. 

[Paul Thompson]

2 minutes ago, Meatbox8 said:

If they do a DVa something in my waters makes me think  it will be in 1/48th.  Either way not a biggie for me as I've built the 1/72 Roden one ( a million times better than their D.VIIs) and have had a Dual Combo Eduard box in the stash for more years than I care to remember. 

I like the Roden kits, but would happily take more in 1/72nd if it was new Airfix. And the Eduard 1/48th, well, it was a quantum leap when it came out, but as you say, that was a loooong time ago. And to be accurate you should make new, longer undercarriage legs.

 

I really wonder what the potential number of buyers would be compared to one of the more mainstream (i.e. Spitifrey) types. Those who do primarily WW1 (me, but also at least two others) tend to build multiples if cheap enough due to the scores of substantially different colour schemes. I mostly build allied aircraft, but still have over 20 built Albatrosses, and plenty of afternarket decals still to go. Glass half emptilly though, I'd probably have to buy at least 2,000 for Airfix to break even.

 

Paul.

 

[mps02]

I think the next 1/24  super kit will be a German one and I am hoping for a Me262. I would be surprised if Airfix went WW1 especially after the centenary coming and going without much new. I wonder if there is a different aircraft out of shot? 

[JPuente54]

Count me as a supporter of a Luftwaffe ground transport set. Airfix has 3 new medium bombers and there are a large number of other kits of Luftwaffe bombers to make such a set a great addition to anyone's collection. And, Airfix will probably add several new Luftwaffe bombers to its line.

 

[IanC]

23 hours ago, brewerjerry said:

Hi

    Well my thoughts are still on a 1:24 being an american aircraft 

 

 a 1:24 corsair makes sense

 

 

 

After the Hellcat? I'm not so sure.

 

Maybe it's time to revisit the Spitfire in that scale. A bubbletop, clipped wing Mk XIV or a Mk XVI would be sufficiently different from their earlier marks. I wouldn't mind one, anyway.

 

[VMA131Marine]

On 11/26/2021 at 4:49 AM, Dave Fleming said:

I always though if we were to get a new HP O series it would be from Roden,

Well, it’s not 1/72, but we know the Wingnut Wings 1/32 tooling for the O/100 exists along with a number of near final test shots that have been built. It would be a shame if that kit were never issued.

[VMA131Marine]

3 hours ago, Meatbox8 said:

If they do a DVa something in my waters makes me think  it will be in 1/48th. 

Although they have done 1/48th biplanes (Hawker Fury, Supermarine Walrus, actually, I think that’s it) they have never done a WWI biplane in 1/48th. It’s a small sample size though, so they wouldn’t really be breaking precedent.

 

Edit: I forgot about the 1/48 Tiger Moth