Airfix Model World -- late for range announcement?

[cmatthewbacon]

Just twigged... I've been wondering where my latest Airfix Model World is: it normally shows up around the 4th/5th of the month, so I would have expected it late last week, but no sign. I wonder if they've held this issue for a few days so it can land with a full range announcement (or at the very least, a new tool 1/24 Spit IX "exclusive preview..."). Anyone already got it to refute that theory?

 

best,

M.

[Colin @ Freightdog Models]

I normally get an advertiser electronic copy, it hasn't turned up in my mailbox yet so your probably right.

 

Thanks, Colin 

[treker_ed]

It's stated in the back of the magazine that the on sale date would be 12th of January.

 

I would imagine that there is an "embargo" at the moment until after the range announcement tomorrow to stop any "unfortunate" slip from happening if the magazine was to arrive in subscribers hands early.

 

I would normally receive it up to a week before the usual on sale date as a subscriber, so on a typical month where the date is between 3rd to 6th I would expect to receive it from about 28th/29th of the previous month. However it is always, without fail, much later in January due to the Airfix product announcement.

[Agent K]

23 minutes ago, cmatthewbacon said:

Just twigged... I've been wondering where my latest Airfix Model World is: it normally shows up around the 4th/5th of the month, so I would have expected it late last week, but no sign. I wonder if they've held this issue for a few days so it can land with a full range announcement (or at the very least, a new tool 1/24 Spit IX "exclusive preview..."). Anyone already got it to refute that theory?

 

best,

M.

if you’re a subscriber and thus got the calendar for this year it shows January 12 as publication date for reasons I suspect as you suggest.

[WarthogMKL]

Makes sense the rest of the modelling  press do not normally get any advance announcements before the big day though we do get an email with all the info and photos shortly after. I am holding the next Phoenix Aviation Modeller News so I can get the Airfix announcements in before we go to print on Tuesday though the rest of the magazine was finished weeks ago.

[T-21]

Yes, its due out this week. Held for the 2022 Airfix new kits announcement. I spoke to the Editor at Duxford on Sunday at the 1/24th Spitfire IX  preview.

[Whofan]

48 minutes ago, T-21 said:

Yes, its due out this week. Held for the 2022 Airfix new kits announcement. I spoke to the Editor at Duxford on Sunday at the 1/24th Spitfire IX  preview.

It wasn't available in the shops here yesterday (12th).

[T-21]

Give it time probably has to go to the printers for the new range inclusion. I subscribe will post on here when my copy arrive's.

Edited January 13, 2022 by T-21

[Des]

My reserved copy and stock on the shelves were in my local newsagents this morning (Thursday).

 

For any who do not have a set aside or home delivery arrangement might be worth checking out supermarkets that normally stock it , in previous years Tesco has had it bundled with a copy of the Airfix catalogue for less than the combined cover price.

 

PS just checked the Key website and the bundle is available post-free in the UK for £10.48  -  https://shop.keypublishing.com/product/View/productCode/AF22BUNDLE/AirFix Catalogue 2022 BUNDLE

[T-21]

My  latest  subscription copy arrived by post today.

[Stephen]

In the shops in Glasgow today.

[Paul J]

I picked up my Airfix Catalogue in my local McColls yesterday. Another for my collection.   Interestingly, I noticed that the captions to a number of the Vintage Classics they include the dates of original release and artworks. Some real nostalgic years.

[treker_ed]

Sadly, Royal Mail seem to be decidedly AWOL round where I live at the moment! Not only am I expecting my subscription copy of AMW, but I have a few bits of masking & decals due from Hannants. Posted out on Monday, with a tracking ref that is only used by the RM when they attempt to deliver said item (so about as much use as a chocolate fireguard!)

 

Seems that they are even more useless as a quick message on our local area FB page, and the response so far, yes they have been seen, but post supposedly for my road, was delivered to another road instead! So goodness knows what's happening with our letters and parcels!

 

(update: @16:09 just spoke to Key Publishing regarding another matter, and asked about the magazine. Due to the embargo surrounding the 2022 announcement, they couldn't send out the magazines as normal. They were only handed to the Royal Mail on Tuesday 11/01/2022 @ 16:30. So should start landing over the next few days.)

Edited January 13, 2022 by treker_ed

[spruecutter96]

I've always been curious about all the secrecy surrounding Airfix new releases. Does it serve any real purpose? Or is it designed to stimulate model-makers' interest and generate a bit of hype?

 

It certainly isn't to stop other makers from "stealing Airfix's thunder" - the only other company that produce their own 1/24th WW2 aircraft is Trumpeter and their output in that scale has slowed down to a crawl in recent years.  Ok, there are some very limited-number releases from very small manufacturers, now I think about it, but these generally seem to be pretty difficult to find.  

 

So, why all the secrecy?

 

Chris. 

[stever219]

20 minutes ago, spruecutter96 said:

I've always been curious about all the secrecy surrounding Airfix new releases. Does it serve any real purpose? Or is it designed to stimulate model-makers' interest and generate a bit of hype?

 

It certainly isn't to stop other makers from "stealing Airfix's thunder" - the only other company that produce their own 1/24th WW2 aircraft is Trumpeter and their output in that scale has slowed down to a crawl in recent years.  Ok, there are some very limited-number releases from very small manufacturers, now I think about it, but these generally seem to be pretty difficult to find.  

 

So, why all the secrecy?

 

Chris. 

There's always been an element of "trade secrets" in most industries; in this instance Airfix might have wanted to suppress the Buccaneer announcement because of the number of requests that they must have had for a 1/48th Brick since the old tool kit started being produced in unobtanium.  They certainly wouldn't have wanted Revell, for example, getting early wind of the project and trying to beat them to market with their own interpretation.

[T-21]

Airfix Model World  subscribers can order a 2022  calendar online or call Key publishing at the reduced rate of  £4.99, came on the reverse side of my address label. Need to enter a discount code.

Edited January 13, 2022 by T-21

[treker_ed]

31 minutes ago, T-21 said:

Airfix Model World  subscribers can order a 2022  calendar online or call Key publishing at the reduced rate of  £4.99, came on the reverse side of my address label. Need to enter a discount code.

Do you mean the catalogue? As a calendar was sent with the December 2021 issue for free!

[T-21]

Apologies yes the catalogue !   Re Royal Mail . I ordered from Hannants on Dec 24th. Did not arrive till January 06th despite 48 hour tracking.

[Jabba]

24 minutes ago, T-21 said:

I ordered from Hannants on Dec 24th. Did not arrive till January 06th despite 48 hour tracking.

But Hannants themselves were closed for most of the time period that you state.

[nheather]

52 minutes ago, T-21 said:

Apologies yes the catalogue !   Re Royal Mail . I ordered from Hannants on Dec 24th. Did not arrive till January 06th despite 48 hour tracking.

I’m not convinced by the Royal Mail 48 service at the moment.  I have a current order with Jadlam, had a shipped email last Friday and still not with me.  It could be lost but I doubt it, I expect it to soon up soon.  So either Jadlam bend the truth when they say it has ‘shipped’ or the Royal Mail 48 service is slow at the moment.

 

I also ordered some books from the Tank Museum using second class Mail since my Jadlam order and they have already arrived - I thought Mail 48 was meant to be faster than Second Class.

 

Also in their own description of the service Royal Mail say that the 48 service usually delivers in 2 to 3 days (so the 48 in the product name is a little misleading) as is the idea that it is tracked because when I enter the tracking number I simply get told “An update will only be provided when we attempt to deliver your item”.

 

My theory - when Jadlam said it was shipped they actually meant that the order had been passed onto their shipping department.  The email was dated Friday afternoon so maybe it wasn’t picked by by Royal Mail until the following Monday.  Even so it should be with me by now but I suspect the 48 service is running slow at the moment.

 

I haven’t received my Airfix magazine yet either.

[Latinbear]

16 hours ago, treker_ed said:

Sadly, Royal Mail seem to be decidedly AWOL round where I live at the moment! Not only am I expecting my subscription copy of AMW, but I have a few bits of masking & decals due from Hannants. Posted out on Monday, with a tracking ref that is only used by the RM when they attempt to deliver said item (so about as much use as a chocolate fireguard!)

 

Seems that they are even more useless as a quick message on our local area FB page, and the response so far, yes they have been seen, but post supposedly for my road, was delivered to another road instead! So goodness knows what's happening with our letters and parcels!

 

(update: @16:09 just spoke to Key Publishing regarding another matter, and asked about the magazine. Due to the embargo surrounding the 2022 announcement, they couldn't send out the magazines as normal. They were only handed to the Royal Mail on Tuesday 11/01/2022 @ 16:30. So should start landing over the next few days.)

 

We're experiencing service issues with Royal Mail here in east Surrey. When our postman has his days off we don't get any deliveries. I saw a newsfeed article the other day that said there are 90 postal areas across the country where service levels have been affected by lack of staff. Our postie is scathing about his employer and says that unless there is a tracked item to be delivered then any deliveries will be held at the depot until there is staff availability. He attributes the lack of staff to the RM's refusal to recruit more people rather than issues like Covid. 

[Whofan]

Picked up Airfix magazine in Sainsbury yesterday.

 

Our local Tesco has had a revamp, starting six weeks before Christmas, , and has dropped 75% of the magazines it used to carry, including the Airfix magazine, and dropped about the same percentage of books - and it dropped childrens books altogether!

[T-21]

Jabba,.       Hannants informed me by email that my goods were despatched on Dec 24 the. My argument is with Royal Mail 48 hour tracked service for which we as customer's are paying. Maybe there is a staff shortage possibly due to Covid ,but it seem's other  colleagues here are experiencing late delivery .

[wasacop]

22 hours ago, T-21 said:

My  latest  subscription copy arrived by post today.

Still waiting for my copy!

[treker_ed]

22 minutes ago, wasacop said:

Still waiting for my copy!

Ditto. Have been informed that our local office is only delivering parcels and special delivery items. Standard mail is being held as they are experiencing high levels of sickness. Well if they are delivering those, why can't they deliver the post to the same addresses? It's also a concern if important letters are being held up. Hospital appointment, test results etc. This can have a serious impact on people's lives.