Airfix 1/48 Buccaneer S.2 for 2022!

[Gordon J]

After digesting the Buccaneer release news and reading the comments on here, and for what it's worth, I do think the price tag is a tad on the high side but I guess that is the going rate for a new tooled 1/48 model in this post Covid, post Brexit, high oil price, high container price, high inflation world that we are living in.

 

Airfix have listened to the UK modeller though so what more can you ask?

 

 

[dragonlanceHR]

Re: price. Folks should add the cost of the old kit, cost of aftermarket cockpit, wheels and decals and they'll see that the new tool is not in fact expensive.

[sniperUK]

1 hour ago, One 48 said:

Seriously though ... I wonder if this new Airfix 1/48 Bucc will have that horizontal fuselage split too? that might be problematic in future too ??  time will tell I suppose, have not seen any sprue shots 

So looking forward to this, really am 💥

It doesn't, the breakdown is similar to the 72nd and the real thing, nose to rear of cockpit vertical join to bulkhead, central section Horizontal the tail section from exhausts vertical, it works well in 72 so should be no different in 48.

[sniperUK]

6 minutes ago, dragonlanceHR said:

Re: price. Folks should add the cost of the old kit, cost of aftermarket cockpit, wheels and decals and they'll see that the new tool is not in fact expensive.

Also add intake and exhaust covers plus boarding ladders. 

[sniperUK]

10 minutes ago, Beermonster1958 said:

All of which are purely optional, not essential.

All of which are included as standard in the kit 

 

[One 48]

11 minutes ago, Beermonster1958 said:

All of which are purely optional, not essential.

 

Indeed, those two items are about the last things on any modellers wish-list A/M wise, I would rather see the inside of the exhaust and I cant miniature myself enough to climb 1/48 boarding ladders, will be able to see any cockpit detail I can re-create with my Specsavers glasses.

I know, I know, some folk like diorama's, but lets at least wait until the kit is released already please ... !!! LOL

And apparently included as standard, TY Sniper UK ,,, we really are running out of reasons not to like this brilliant Airfix kit now, eh?

 

Edited January 12, 2022 by One 48

[Retired Bob]

I am looking forward to this kit, glad that Airfix have added the Data Link Pod along with the TV variant of Martel missile.  I have a pair of the old kits, the Navy one I bought while I was down in the Falklands in 1996 so bringing it back has put a lot of air miles on the kit but yes it is rather warped.  I think Airfix are getting there, perhaps I've just been lucky with very little in the way of problems with quality issues.  Hopefully this will be the start of many Bucc releases.

[dragonlanceHR]

26 minutes ago, Beermonster1958 said:

With all due respect, I think that's irrelevant.
 Nobody is forced to buy aftermarket wheels, Cockpit, decals etc.

That is the personal choice of the modeller.

I do not therefore consider these purely optional items to be of any relevance when discussing the price of the basic kit.

 

John

 I beg to differ. What is important is the level of detail and quality that you get in the box for the price. Else we are talking apples vs oranges.

 

From what I see in the renders, It takes a lot of aftermarket to bring the old Bucc halfway to what you get in the new kit.

 

It is the same for Tamiya P-38 vs Hasegawa or Academy. Tamiya is expensive until you open the box.

 

That being said, no one is forced to buy new kits to survive.

 

Cheers,

Vedran

[John B (Sc)]

Thanks for the information about the old moulds.  That description of no longer being viable because of increasingly high moulding reject rates - which is effectively what is being said - makes engineering and economic sense.  It also suggest that older 'stashed' copies of the original mould are more valuable, since being earlier pressings they are less likely to have suffered those failures.   

 

Like RichG, I still have one of the accidental 'two kits in one box' cases, as well as several other early pressings. I still intend to build an SAAF example, remembering having seen them at Lossiemouth.

 

As  Beermonster1958 says , the question of aftermarket items is very much optional.  I am old enough to recall and to have attempted some of the ideas of Alan Hall and others. Do it yourself.  Some things, like intake and exhaust blanks, are easy to make. - a waste, for this frugal Scot - to buy. Wheels and cockpit details are easily enough improved with some careful filling, filing and painting/shading.  Colour scheme details I used to enjoy hand painting, with great care, at least to my standards. 

 

The thing is, I realise that most of my models end up being viewed from several feet away, only occasionally inspected in detail. So 'stand-off scale' works well ; a common idea in radio control flying, which some of you will recognise. Heck, some of my models are still displayed hanging up from ceilings.  (Just like in some museums!) 

 

So aftermarket mostly isn't vital, though it slightly disappoints me when I read of the speed with which some folk throw away the moulded items in favour of new 'extras', sometimes described as 'essential' !   That's  a matter for each individual; that is the fun of modelling.

 

For me aftermarket is used rarely, for the few cases where I really want close detail for later inspection. Things like wing folding mechanism details can be interesting and useful.  Occasionally the learning from examining the aftermarket detail has helped me with some later scratch building, to define what can and cannot be seen and hence what really matters  for the model...

Edited January 12, 2022 by John B (Sc)

[RedhillPhil]

Dear Mr. Airfix,

                      Thankyou for listening to us and releasing a newly tooled kit of the Buccaneer. It does seem a tad expensive but I do realise that the research and tooling does take time and time is money. And now - if I may - could I ask for just one more thing. Could we have a 1/48 Scimitar please,  pretty please?

Regards,

Phil.

[wadeocu]

7 hours ago, hairystick said:

Splendid to see airfix concentrating on the immense library of British topics and releasing this in the correct scale!

 

I'm wondering how they have joined the fuselage halves though on this new-tool. Hopefully they have seen sense and used the vertical plane instead of the old moulds using the horizontal plane (much more cleaning up to do in visible areas...).

The CAD renderings indicate a vertical split for the forward fuselage.  I suspect it will be designed like the 1/72 kit which I feel is really the best approach. 
 

EDIT:  I made the mistake of posting before reading more recent posts with SniperUK’s confirmation on this.  Thanks for sharing what insights you can sir; I am very pleased to have them!

Edited January 12, 2022 by wadeocu

[wadeocu]

As far as design features, we can see in the pictures published this week that there is some sort of insert in the nose area.  I am trying to figure out what that is about.  Is it for a nose weight or perhaps something to accommodate a nose fold option?  The forward fuselage doesn’t appear to have a separate nose section.  It’s an interesting feature that is puzzling to me. I suspect a nose fold option would be listed with the other options already disclosed so I will go ahead and rule that out.  I think that is a reasonable decision to leave that up to aftermarket offerings.  Look what Blackdog did for the 1/72 kit; that would be just as welcome for the 1/48 kit and probably best left out of the Airfix design in my opinion.
 

 The 1/72 model design is really quite clever in my opinion; much like the real thing!  The design of this 1/48 model appears to be just as clever.

Edited January 12, 2022 by wadeocu

[treker_ed]

5 hours ago, sniperUK said:

It doesn't, the breakdown is similar to the 72nd and the real thing, nose to rear of cockpit vertical join to bulkhead, central section Horizontal the tail section from exhausts vertical, it works well in 72 so should be no different in 48.

@wadeocu this comment from SniperUK advises the breakdown will be similar to that of the 1/72 kit.

 

(i was literally typing this as you posted!)

Edited January 12, 2022 by treker_ed

[Bertie McBoatface]

Our varying reactions to the price of this new kit is fascinating me. I'd be very interested to know whether our judgements, positive or negative, are in any way related to the money we have spent on those stashes, in some cases perhaps running into thousands of pounds, and which many of us old boys will never live long enough to build. Humans are a funny species. 🤪

[treker_ed]

I've been debating with myself for a couple of days now over whether I say something about all the posts moaning about the prices, or the renderings, or the multiple other little gripes that people have had about the various things on the thread directly or indirectly related to the fact that Airfix have decided this year to bring us a 1/48 Buccaneer. I for one am glad that they have decided to do so.

 

Back in 2007 when I got married, I was fortunate enough to be able to buy and build one of the original mould Buccs, which was used in the centre of the table for our guests, and to represent a time in my life when I was stationed at RAF Lossiemouth.

 

 

It went together without any problems. No resort to any aftermarket products, no resin cockpit, no resin engines, nothing. Sadly, It didn't last for very long as the kids attending got their hands on it....... But that's not the point. It was built to a reasonable standard, at a fairly reasonable cost at the time. Fast forward 15 years, and multiple things have changed. Cost of living has increased dramatically, fuel, transport, RPI, CPI, wages, etc, etc. Containers that would have cost £5000 to get from India, or China 2 years ago, now cost upwards of £15 to £20 Thousand EACH and you may have to have 3 or 4 at a time to fulfil an order. That's no small increase on your base line. Those costs need to be recovered somehow. That's just one increase. Tooling costs, manufacturing costs, everything has gone up. Airfix/Hornby still need to pay their staff, pay their bills, pay their suppliers, keep the lights on, heat their offices (and we all know those bills have gone up substantially even in the last 6 months, and will be going up further in to the near future). They cannot afford to keep prices stagnant. Prices need to go up for multiple reasons. And sadly all the extra costs that they incur have to be passed on, it's a reality we have to face in ALL facets of our lives. I know that for myself I will have to save to enable me to afford this years releases from the various model companies (Airfix, Revell, etc) that I wish to buy. But I I want them, that's what I will have to do. I won't moan about it, because I know that is what I will do. I am looking forward to all these great kits that Airfix are releasing this year. Especially the Bucc.  I'll leave you with one final image. This is one I built last year in tribute to a Lossiemouth Aircrew that lost their lives whilst I was stationed there. Only 1 was lost in the time I was there, and had to do some digging to find it. this was my 1/72 tribute to that a/c and crew. I was on the funeral party that provided a full military funeral for the Navigator, I was actually a member of the guard that provided a firing party/gun salute at the funeral.

Edited January 12, 2022 by treker_ed

[Filler]

32 minutes ago, Bertie Psmith said:

Our varying reactions to the price of this new kit is fascinating me. I'd be very interested to know whether our judgements, positive or negative, are in any way related to the money we have spent on those stashes, in some cases perhaps running into thousands of pounds, and which many of us old boys will never live long enough to build. Humans are a funny species. 🤪

The reaction I’ve seen a few times on line that has tickled me is I suppose a positive one, but in relation to stashes is head scratching. I’ve read quite comments stating that they have 3/4/5 or more of the old one in their stashes and have already pre-ordered 2 or more of the new one. If discussing value for money, our stashes are expensive and ineffective loft insulation!

[exdraken]

very much appreciated news!

way to go, Airfix!

[VMA131Marine]

6 hours ago, Beermonster1958 said:

The new Airfix Buccaneer is, at least in my personal view, overpriced at nearly £73. It appears I'm not alone in that opinion.

£54 each shipped to the USA direct from Hornby; granted I ordered 4 to get free shipping.

[treker_ed]

29 minutes ago, VMA131Marine said:

£54 each shipped to the USA direct from Hornby; granted I ordered 4 to get free shipping.

Great price - as an overseas buyer you don't get hit with the 20% VAT (Value Added Tax)-  I'll be getting a 10% discount being an Airfix club member so that will soften the blow for me somewhat!

[Bobby No Mac]

Getting way ahead here, but...Given the popularity of Eduard's Desert Babes Tonkas and the prospect of Airfix releasing the S2B at some stage, it would be interesting to see if Eduard are looking into doing Sky Pirates reboxings in 1/48 and 1/72 with all the Granby schemes... Though admittedly the pricing maybe somewhat of a hindrance to that idea.

[treker_ed]

4 minutes ago, Bobby No Mac said:

Getting way ahead here, but...Given the popularity of Eduard's Desert Babes Tonkas and the prospect of Airfix releasing the S2B at some stage, it would be interesting to see if Eduard are looking into doing Sky Pirates reboxings in 1/48 and 1/72 with all the Granby schemes... Though admittedly the pricing maybe somewhat of a hindrance to that idea.

They would only be able to do the 1/72 at the moment. If they wanted to do 1/48 they would have to wait for the RAF version to be released (unless they did their own resin extended bomb bay and what ever other alterations are needed)

[Bobby No Mac]

4 minutes ago, treker_ed said:

They would only be able to do the 1/72 at the moment. If they wanted to do 1/48 they would have to wait for the RAF version to be released (unless they did their own resin extended bomb bay and what ever other alterations are needed)

 

I agree, I was thinking waaay ahead into the future after the 1/48 S2B was released and been on sale for a good while.

[mackem01]

On 1/10/2022 at 4:40 PM, Steve Coombs said:

Looks good, but I shall bide my time and wait for its smaller brethren to be re-released with that weapons fit. I need to subject the neighbours to Vangelis' To The Unknown Man during the build.

You too - that album was always required on all of our 80's airshow trips.

[VMA131Marine]

2 hours ago, Beermonster1958 said:

Fair point.

However, those of us in the UK get clobbered with 20% VAT (value added tax) included in the £72 price.

 

Yes, but Airfix has to make a profit on what’s left after the VAT is taken out and they don’t have any control over the VAT portion.

[wadeocu]

Two thoughts come to my mind looking at this rendering.  One is that I am pleased to see that the TV Martel control is present, but the display that goes between the navigator's knees is not present.  I hope a piece is provided to represent the display as an optional part.  I suspect that it is but it wouldn't be too hard to scratch one out if this is overlooked.  The other thought is what is that insert in the nose for - nose weight or structural support perhaps?

The TV Martel control and display are depicted in this photo: