Jump to content

2022 Airfix Vintage Classics


Paul821

Recommended Posts

4 minutes ago, Colin @ Freightdog Models said:

 

Actually it might be three! Got them in the local Woolworths probably 20 years ago. They were on offer at £15 each, so I got rather carried away and bought five, at least a couple have moved on, the others are right at the back of the loft with one of the Sea Harriers. The stash is definitely too big, its full of vintage classics already!

 

I was on a day trip to Stratford a number of years ago, and found a model shop where they had all of the Airfix 1/24 fighters for 20 pounds! But I was on an outing with friends so had to walk away.

Regret!

  • Like 1
  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Matt W said:

I must admit, I always liked the Airfix 1/24 Harrier, I have built a couple including the Sea Harrier version. It seems to be good in outline though the riveting on the surface is a bit over the top. It looks good when built & I would be tempted again. It’s certainly a better shape than the re-released Revell 1/32 one which is a mix of Kestrel/Harrier prototype.

 

Revell one is pretty close to some of the P1127 (RAF) Development Batch aircraft. 

 

The big Airfix one is pretty good, it has one or two strange features and in modern terms is really, really basic. (Like @Colin @ Freightdog Models I still have a Woolworths Harrier and Sea Harrier in the stash). 

 

I'm presuming they won't include the GR3 frame in this release.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/01/2022 at 19:40, dambuster said:

Anyone able to confirm the parts count in the previous issue of the Whirlwind? The 2022 info gives a part count of 55 but none of the online data gives more than 49 or so.Are they including the parts for the wheel flotation bags from the HAR issue?

 

Peter

Am I right, is the Airfix whirlwind not particularly accurate in dimensions or shape?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Whofan said:

Am I right, is the Airfix whirlwind not particularly accurate in dimensions or shape?

Yes you're right, keep hoping that a new tool will be released, but my hopes are fading fast!

 

Saying that, @perdu is doing a cracking job with his!

 

 

Edited by 71chally
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, 71chally said:

Yes you're right, keep hoping that a new tool will be released, but my hopes are fading fast!

 

Saying that, @perdu is doing a cracking job with his!

 

 

 

Thanks.

 

I'm aware of Perdu's build, but why I was more concerned is that I have built an airfix whirlwind in Austrian air force livery, and with the re release was thinking about picking one up to re do the one I've done - which I didn't do very well.

 

However, I'm led to believe from comments elsewhere that one of the Italeri whirlwinds is a far better match in terms of mark of the whirlwind, but the big if is - if you could find one!

 

Have looked at the bay now and again, never seen one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Colin @ Freightdog Models said:

The large scale Harrier is nice to be back in the range, but I think I have two in the stash already. I surprised they have not done more on the Falklands theme, and re-issued the 1/24 Sea Harrier instead. I have two of those in the stash to, I think I need to thin the stash somewhat.

 

I'm wondering if it's because the GR.3 has been released fairly recently in a new Airfix "red box" along with the SHAR back in 2010. Being that this is the "Classics" range, I guess they have gone with the original incarnation of the kit. I think the last time the Harrier got released purely as the GR.1 was back in 1990. Agree though that a Falklands anniversary tie in would have made sense. Perhaps they still have something up their sleeves.

 

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, Whofan said:

However, I'm led to believe from comments elsewhere that one of the Italeri whirlwinds is a far better match in terms of mark of the whirlwind, but the big if is - if you could find one!

 

Have looked at the bay now and again, never seen one.

They do come up occasionally I have two each of the Revell and Italeri releases which were brought in recent times, even managed to get replacements for broken undercarriage parts from Italeri.  They are far superior, unsurprisingly given the age differential.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Wulfman said:

Why no release of the much needed Thunderstreak, maybe they are going to re- tool it along with the Yak-9 ? (no don’t vintage release that one !)

 

Wulfman

There's still plenty of time for the Thunderstreak to be re-released. It was tooled in 1974. The Vintage Classics line is only just beginning to tap into the 1970s Airfix back-catalogue.

 

As for the Yak-9 being re-tooled: I'd say there are two chances of that: Slim and none, and slim has just left the building with the new Zvezda tooling being announced.

  • Like 2
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Wulfman said:

Why no release of the much needed Thunderstreak, maybe they are going to re- tool it along with the Yak-9 ? (no don’t vintage release that one !)

 

Wulfman

If i am right in saying the P-80 is from a similar era, might they gauge sales from that to support a need for a release of the Thunderstreak? Might even lead to consideration of new tools of both if sales are good enough, something i will endeavour to assist with.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, klr said:

As for the Yak-9 being re-tooled: I'd say there are two chances of that: Slim and none, and slim has just left the building with the new Zvezda tooling being announced.

 

Yeah, back when it was originally released, I think Airfix had a pretty general view of things and their kits were perhaps intended more for kids such as me when I first bought their Yak-9. Now their plan seems much more focussed on what will sell in their home market and kit buyers are generally much more sophisticated in their expectations. Nothing wrong with that!

 

John

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Jazzie said:

If i am right in saying the P-80 is from a similar era, might they gauge sales from that to support a need for a release of the Thunderstreak? Might even lead to consideration of new tools of both if sales are good enough, something i will endeavour to assist with.

The 1/72 McDonnell F2H-1/2 Banshee is also a really good kit. It would be nice to see it rereleased. It was last issued in 1987.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/airfix-04023-5-mcdonnell-f2h-banshee--136633

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Favourite Airfix kit has to be the Douglas Dakota. I know it’s not the most accurate kit, but it certainly had some charm. Moving control surfaces, retractable landing gear and tons of rivets. I’ve built 14 of them and most are hanging from the ceiling in my grandkids rooms. I have some hanging from my ceiling in the different markings that it came with ie. USAAF C-47, Silver City, AC-47. I haven’t done any of the 3 MPC profile series yet, they are going for stupid money. It was a very enjoyable kit, now relegated to nostalgia builds. Got it for Christmas 69, along with the B-29, that was an excellent time, Eddie Allen is also hanging from my ceiling. 
Question for the Airfix historians. Did the mould get permanently changed when they released the AC-47? Also I remember seeing the small box art images on the sides of the B-24 box, showing the Silver City scheme, probably a Roy Cross painting. I have never seen an actual boxing like that. Did it ever exist?

 

Jeff

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MrB17 said:

Did the mould get permanently changed when they released the AC-47?

The standard DC-3/C-47 was not released again after the AC-47 was issued so I would guess the mold was irreversibly altered for the new version. There is zero chance Airfix would reissue their old Dakota kit now the new tooling is available.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MrB17 said:

 Also I remember seeing the small box art images on the sides of the B-24 box, showing the Silver City scheme, probably a Roy Cross painting. I have never seen an actual boxing like that. Did it ever exist?

 

Jeff

I don't remember it myself but there's a photo of an assembled kit in the Silver City markings in Arthur Ward's 1999 Airfix book.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I may be mistaken but:

retool = modifying existing tooling to add/remove parts, make corrections etc

new tool = a totally new kit

 

I've seen a few people suggest a retool for X kit when I think they may mean a new tool?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

The standard DC-3/C-47 was not released again after the AC-47 was issued so I would guess the mold was irreversibly altered for the new version. There is zero chance Airfix would reissue their old Dakota kit now the new tooling is available.

Maybe Atlantis models might be interested in the old mold. Most of the vintage aircraft models they produce probably had zero chance of ever being molded again either, by their original manufacturers. They have made repairs and a few fixes to some of the molds, but they’re still popping them out. Probably one of the last US model manufacturers that actually make them in the USA.

 

Jeff

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, AWFK10 said:

I don't remember it myself but there's a photo of an assembled kit in the Silver City markings in Arthur Ward's 1999 Airfix book.

The Silver City decals were included in the original boxing (it must have been one of the first Airfix kits to come with alternative decals) but the Cross painting wasn't used on a box top.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

The 1/72 McDonnell F2H-1/2 Banshee is also a really good kit. It would be nice to see it rereleased. It was last issued in 1987.

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/airfix-04023-5-mcdonnell-f2h-banshee--136633

Oh why did you have to remind me of that! 🥰 One of my very first and now have my fingers crossed!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, The wooksta V2.0 said:

Very happy to see the Basset back, although the three I already have mean I may not get one.  Hopefully the decal sheet is all new design, even if it's the same aircraft.

I believe it is a new sheet.

 

17 hours ago, MrB17 said:

Question for the Airfix historians. Did the mould get permanently changed when they released the AC-47? 

Yes, Palitoy did that with several kits. C-130 to AC-130 and Canberra to B-57B are another two that spring to mind.

  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The AC-47 wasn't anything to do with Palitoy - Airfix modified the mould in 1974, seven years before Palitoy took over. It wasn't the only tooling Airfix modified permanently - the Hart to the Demon and three (or possibly four) of the modern car range to custom versions come to mind.

  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Richard Humm said:

The AC-47 wasn't anything to do with Palitoy - Airfix modified the mould in 1974, seven years before Palitoy took over. It wasn't the only tooling Airfix modified permanently - the Hart to the Demon and three (or possibly four) of the modern car range to custom versions come to mind.

The Ford Capri, Lotus Cortina, Ford Zodiac, and possibly the Vauxhall Victor 2000 Estate were the kits modified into custom versions (the Victor custom was never issued). It’s a huge shame because the first three, at least, would likely be very popular today if they had remained in their original configuration. The custom versions were only ever released once for a short period of time. I assume Airfix still has the tooling, so they could be reissued.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Richard Humm said:

The AC-47 wasn't anything to do with Palitoy - Airfix modified the mould in 1974, seven years before Palitoy took over. It wasn't the only tooling Airfix modified permanently - the Hart to the Demon and three (or possibly four) of the modern car range to custom versions come to mind.

I’m don’t do many car models, however the Capri Mk.I is dear to me. And now that you mention it, the Airfix 1/32 Capri became the “Krackle Kat” Capri, and even that version goes for stupid money now. 
 

I managed to find a photo of the Airfix B-24 red stripe box, with the Dakota artwork I mentioned earlier. To bad it never made it to the box top, I think it would have been one to collect. 

2CD3FCF9-4277-43F7-93B5-535796DCFB3C

Jeff

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...