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AIRFIX 2022 HIT OR MISS?


trickydicky210

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Be nice to get re-aquainted with the little Shooting Star again and as someone who never built and refuses to pay the stupid prices

asked for the Beaver looking forward to that one I would have liked to have seen a re-release of the Whirlwind fighter but I think we

might see a new tool one day and don't forget the Bird Dog and twin boomed Cessna are long due another airing.

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10 hours ago, Wez said:

1/48 F-86F-40 - very pleased to see the slatted wing version which I plan to make into a slatted wing F.4, very excited about this...

AFAIK an F86F -40 is a 6-3 wing with slats and tip extensions.  

86fd14fa3962cd84850d8cc61b67717b.jpg

 

 

Note the F.4 is not a 6-3 wing.

 

I maybe a easy enough conversion,  depending on how the parts are done. 

HTH

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29 minutes ago, stevej60 said:

Be nice to get re-aquainted with the little Shooting Star again

Coincidentally, I'm also looking forward to seeing it again, as I built one in silver as a young kid, later repainting it in black after I'd knocked all the wheels and things off during play.  I played with that kit for a few years, chipping off some of the black paint in an accidental case of early weathering. :hmmm:

 

As for the rest of it?  I'm happy enough.  Some kits I'll enjoy seeing again, some excellent new ones, and another chance for anyone that missed it to grab a Victor.  What's not to like?  We have to remember that Airfix are there to make money by producing quality kits that a great many people will buy.  They're not there to service our own peculiar needs, so when they do it's extremely fortunate.  Who'd have thought we'd have a complete set of modern tool 1:72 V-Bombers, even just a few years ago?  A Javelin?  A Sea Vixen?  New Sabres and so forth.  We're doing well, and I hope Airfix are too.  We also need to remember that the cost of everything increases year-on-year, and the more complex a model, the more expensive it is to produce.  You have to then add the other costs, some of which most of us have no clue about, even sundry things like keeping the lights on and paying staff members so they can feed their families.  It adds up.  When you compare it to the cost of other things we buy, models are still pretty good value for money.

 

Keep up the good work, Airfix. :yes:

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34 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

AFAIK an F86F -40 is a 6-3 wing with slats and tip extensions.  

86fd14fa3962cd84850d8cc61b67717b.jpg

 

 

Note the F.4 is not a 6-3 wing.

 

I maybe a easy enough conversion,  depending on how the parts are done. 

HTH

 

Thanks Troy,

 

Much discussed on the Sabre thread (which also included this graphic).

 

My plan is to reverse engineer what they did on the real aircraft with regard to adding the hard 6-3 wing to the original slatted wing e.g. detach the wing leading edge at the forward spar.  From the removed section I'll remove the 6-3 extension (which in 1/48th = 1/8" at the root, 1/16" at the tip), then re-attach the leading edge to the forward spar, fair it all in and re-scribe any lost panel lines.  I'll also need to remove the span extension and restore the wingtip ensuring the aileron is carried onto the wingtip.  Not insurmountable.

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31 minutes ago, Wez said:

My plan is to reverse engineer what they did on the real aircraft with regard to adding the hard 6-3 wing to the original slatted wing e.g. detach the wing leading edge at the forward spar.  From the removed section I'll remove the 6-3 extension (which in 1/48th = 1/8" at the root, 1/16" at the tip), then re-attach the leading edge to the forward spar, fair it all in and re-scribe any lost panel lines.  I'll also need to remove the span extension and restore the wingtip ensuring the aileron is carried onto the wingtip.  Not insurmountable.

Excellent!  Please do a WIP progress, and if you remember, tag me, I'd like to see this succeed! 

cheers

T

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I’m just disappointed that the 1/24th TSR2 that the voices in my head promised me was not announced..

 

Other than that I’m looking forward to, though my wallet isn’t, the big Spit and the Buccaneer. I might even treat myself to a Fearless for old times sake.

 

Graham

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39 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

Excellent!  Please do a WIP progress, and if you remember, tag me, I'd like to see this succeed! 

cheers

T

 

No pressure then! :D

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Typical Airfix. Total lack of attention to the details. My instructions to them clearly said 1/48 Spitfire IX and 1/24 Buccaneers. They had one job, just one job.    
 

 

2 hours ago, Mike said:

 

As for the rest of it?  I'm happy enough.  Some kits I'll enjoy seeing again, some excellent new ones, and another chance for anyone that missed it to grab a Victor.  What's not to like?  We have to remember that Airfix are there to make money by producing quality kits that a great many people will buy.  They're not there to service our own peculiar needs, so when they do it's extremely fortunate.  Who'd have thought we'd have a complete set of modern tool 1:72 V-Bombers, even just a few years ago?  A Javelin?  A Sea Vixen?  New Sabres and so forth.  We're doing well, and I hope Airfix are too.  We also need to remember that the cost of everything increases year-on-year, and the more complex a model, the more expensive it is to produce.  You have to then add the other costs, some of which most of us have no clue about, even sundry things like keeping the lights on and paying staff members so they can feed their families.  It adds up.  When you compare it to the cost of other things we buy, models are still pretty good value for money.

 

Keep up the good work, Airfix. :yes:

 

That’s very reasonable, sensible and well put Mike. Did @Julien write it for you :rofl2:

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5 hours ago, Adam Poultney said:

For me it's 60% a miss 40% a hit.

 

Main point of disappointment would have to be the lazy reissues. The Victor, He111, Blenheim and C47 are all just straight reissues of versions from 7 or 8 years ago. No changes of the decals. Particularly for the Victor if they want to put a more than 20% price hike on it, regardless of the reason, that just isn't good enough. In a £72 kit I'd like more than two schemes that have been done before to choose from (and yes I know you can get aftermarket but that's just more money to spend on an already expensive kit). I bet they haven't fixed the error in the instructions which tell you to cut off the wrong bit.

Now don't misunderstand, I love that the Victor is back in the range. I get why the price is up given the current shipping costs and other factors, but I think Airfix should give us something a little more if it's going to cost that much, adding extra decals isn't going to increase the cost of manufacture too much.

I'm very disappointed that the Victor is the Blue Steel version given that it's the 40th anniversary of the Falkands this year, I'm sure plenty would like to build the K2 that was released a few years ago in a Falkands scheme, but that's not the end of the wold, a Victor is a Victor and the variant is just my preference.

 

The increased prices are just not reflective of quality now. I can buy Eduard's 1/48 P51 for about £16 but the Airfix kit, which I believe is the inferior kit is £29. Why should I buy the Airfix one if I wanted to build a 1/48 P51? So that 1/48 P51 reissue is a miss. 

 

Reissues that are a hit with me are the Do17, Spitfire 22, late harrier (although I probably won't but one since I already have GR.1 stashed) and the Lightning. The Victor is neutral because Victors are available again but I'm not too happy about the aforementioned issues with the decals. Same for the He111. Blenheim is a miss because of the unchanged decals (I don't think they were exactly hard to find so being available again doesn't swing it). C47 is neutral, same as the Victor and He111.

 

The Buccaneer is nice but I'd a little disappointed by the lack of variety in the schemes for a £72 kit, I'd have liked to see more than the same overall ESDG with minor variations. Not too much of an issue for me because the Bucc in my scale has already been released, I have the 1/72 one and will probably buy another at some point to make into an S1. This one is neutral for me, I love that we have  a retooled 1/48 Bucc but £72 is a bit steep and not my scale. 

 

The 1/24 Spitfire is one I'll enjoy seeing finished builds of but I feel that these 1/24 kits probably mean we get less other new tools. 1/24 kits are nice enough but there are a lot of modellers who don't want them, myself included. To be honest I'd rather have seen two or three more smaller kits instead of the 1/24 Spit but at the same time the Spit did need doing. Hit for most, but neutral for me.

 

Then there's more Spitfires! The 1/48 XII is back, it's a flawed pre-lidar kit with shape issues. No thanks at £29.99. The XVIII is probably based on the recent XIV so should be nice, but I don't think I'll be getting one. That is four Spitfires in the range this year! Plus whichever ones are staying from previous years (almost certainly the 1/72 Mk.ia, 1/72 Mk.Vc and 1/48 MkV). I think one less Spitfire to make room for something else (even just a Seafire) would have been appreciated. Miss.....

 

I'm happy that we finally have a good modern (probably) accurate Meteor so I will get one but it's not something I'm overly excited about just one that I think oh that's nice might as well add one to my collection. The scheme choices are superb, three different looking options. I will probably go for the silver scheme with the blue tail. This is the only new tool I think I'll be getting this year, so hit!

 

I think £17.99 is very steep for the RNZAF Vampire starter set reissue. Didn't this used to be about £12 or something? Also with the new range of simplified starter sets now around I think they could rebrand all the regular kits in starter boxes as an "Advanced Starter Set" or something. Miss.

 

Speaking of simplified starter sets, three new car ones! I love that they expanded this range and did so with something other than just aircraft, although I'd have preferred one car, one aircraft, one tank or something. Not a big deal just happy to see the starter range expanded. Hit!

 

1/48 Anson. Well I knew Airfix were working on an Anson, probably in 1/48 due for release this year or next. Glad to see that info was accurate but honestly this isn't one I'll be getting. In 1/72 maybe, but even then Ansons aren't something I'm overly interested in. Miss.

 

Swordfish is a hit! Would like one of these and it's got some nice new schemes.

Adam, out of interest, what other schemes would you include in the Navy buccaneer release? Pretty sure the noise reduction fairing was only on all over EDSG aircraft and not earlier S.2's. I like the variation between the the two 809's 

Edited by JoshWilson
Change of ESDG to EDSG
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16 minutes ago, JoshWilson said:

Adam, out of interest, what other schemes would you include in the Navy buccaneer release? Pretty sure the noise reduction fairing was only on all over EDSG aircraft and not earlier S.2's. I like the variation between the the two 809's 

There's the early EDSG over white similar to S1s that since S2s wore which would be one I'd love to include. If there are small to moderate differences in configuration, this is a £72 1/48 kit including some of those interchangeable parts would be expected wouldn't it? 

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The small fairing in front of each intake prevents the early white schemes, having those pieces as separate parts would likely cause more pain than it's worth for many and compromise the design to cater for a relatively small amount of schemes. Although I don't disagree that it would be nice to see the earlier schemes, I think anyone that commited could shave away or ignore the bullet fairings issue. 

7 minutes ago, Adam Poultney said:

There's the early EDSG over white similar to S1s that since S2s wore which would be one I'd love to include. If there are small to moderate differences in configuration, this is a £72 1/48 kit including some of those interchangeable parts would be expected wouldn't it? 

 

Edited by JoshWilson
Grammar
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For me Airfix seem to have provided a reasonable spread with the new 1:24 Spit and various bits through the scales including the vintage classics.

 

For me the worry is as much as i want Airfix (Hornby) to thrive i fear their pricing is potentially going to be a stumbling block.  I say this with the view that i'd love new tooled Victor, Vulcan, 1:48 Bucc and the 1:72 Meteor F8.  However given prices its a no sadly, if say the Bucc was £50-55 i'd probably get 2 and the same with the V bombers.

 

Whilst this is personal choice i do wonder how many others are of the same view/decision.  This also applies to Hornby trains as my eldest took one look at the 2022 prices and declared one 1 train for him this year rather than his planned 3.

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13 minutes ago, Armadillos said:

 

For me the worry is as much as i want Airfix (Hornby) to thrive i fear their pricing is potentially going to be a stumbling block.  I say this with the view that i'd love new tooled Victor, Vulcan, 1:48 Bucc and the 1:72 Meteor F8.  However given prices its a no sadly, if say the Bucc was £50-55 i'd probably get 2 and the same with the V bombers.

 

Whilst this is personal choice i do wonder how many others are of the same view/decision.  This also applies to Hornby trains as my eldest took one look at the 2022 prices and declared one 1 train for him this year rather than his planned 3.

Yep I'm more or less walking away from Airfix from now except for subjects only they cover. A fair amount of the subjects in their range are available in a higher quality and/or at lower prices from competitors (Eduard weekend edition 1/48 kits will beat an Airfix equivalent any day at not much over half the price, Revell's Shackleton looks better than Airfix's, there are other good 1/72 Spitfire Mkia kits, a better 1/72 Bf109G6 kit from Tamiya and an E from Special Hobby (now reboxed by Eduard) although I think the Es are slightly more than Airfix's. Can we just take a second though to think about the fact that Airfix are trying to sell their Bf109G6, covered in inaccurate detail and shape issues, with panel lines deeper than the grand canyon and a cockpit that consists of nothing more than a pilot and a seat for £12!

 

Anyway.....

There's the Arma Hobby Hurricane which puts Airfix's effort to shame by comparison and yes it's a bit more but it backs that up with quality. Airfix want £47(!!!!!) for their Dambuster Lancaster which is just ludicrous! Better to just fix the flat dihedral of the cheaper Revell kit. The 1/72 Do17 costs more than ICM's 1/48 version! Might go with a Zvezda 1/72 Ju87 rather than an airfix one now, I don't particularly fancy paying 18 quid for the Airfix one. 

 

So yeah with plenty of other options out there for a good portion of their range, Airfix can consider themselves out competed.

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1 hour ago, Armadillos said:

i fear their pricing is potentially going to be a stumbling block. 

What we are talking about is the pricing of leisure activities. Friends of mien support a 1st Division (aka Division 3) football club and think nothing of driving an hour each way to the match, paying for parking and then £30 for a ticket.  To get into IWM Duxford is £22.50, and Airshows can be £40+. I also know people who think nothing o paying over £1,000 for a cruise. Unless you think I these are the only people in my social circle I also know people who are right at the other end of the scale.

 

If you compare Airfix prices to these activities I think you get value for money. For me Hornby (and other trains) ceased to give value when prices rose as you don't have the pleasure of building them and I don't know if I would run them long enough to get real value for money.

 

What does puzzle me is how Airfix allocate kits into their price ranges. There seems to be no consistency in what goes in each range.

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2 hours ago, Paul821 said:

What does puzzle me is how Airfix allocate kits into their price ranges. There seems to be no consistency in what goes in each range.

It's based on costs. How much did they spend on R&D? How much on tooling? What are the labour, overhead and material costs? What do they need to price at to recover those costs?

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Whilst I understand the excitement of the new tool kits, I have a 1/24 Spitfire, two 1/24 Harriers and three 1/48 Buccaneers in my stash already so I won't be buying the new versions as nice as they look. I like the Vintage Classic re-releases though and I can foresee some of those finding their way into my stash.

As for the ships, I find it a shame that, in this, the 40th year anniversary of the Falklands conflict, Airfix haven't re-released the Falklands Warships set especially as two Type 21s were sunk with casualties. To forget those is unforgiveable, IMHO.

On the military vehicles front, I am interested in only one kit and that was announced a year ago - the Austin K2 Ambulance which will be here quite soon....

The 1/43 E-Type has really underwhelmed me and I had hoped that following the success of the re-released Jaguar 420 and Beach Buggy that they would have re-released at least one more 1/32 kit this year. Perhaps they will in due course.

 

Overall, not a bullseye hit with me but perhaps an "outer".

Dave

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Just thought I'd do a "hit and run" post, as I haven't been logged in for a while. Anyway, and I bet you saw this coming a mile, I think this is an utterly dismal year from Airfix. A single new 1/72 kit is bad enough, but those price rises mean I'm out. IMO, Airfix are charging premium prices for a so-so product. They just make too many schoolboy errors and struggle to match the finesse of thirty-year old kits so don't represent anything like good value for money in my book. £24 for that Meteor is insane. And to anyone who is tempted to say. "Well, no one is making you buy it!" I'll just pop in a "No, but they are making me not buy it!"

 

2022 has brought the depressing reality that I am stuck with scouring eBay for the few second-hand bargains amongst the overpriced tat. I'm trying to be happy for the rest of you, but it's not easy.

 

Take care and see you in a few more months,

Mark.

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Talking of comparing apples to oranges... Airfix don't make kits for us to like or dislike, they make kits to make money. I assume Eduard's business model makes sense for them, based where they are, selling how they do (I think probably the only model kit company that hasn't had to care much about their business model is Wingnut, and look where that got them in the long run...), but what works for Eduard doesn't necessarily work for Airfix. Airfix has a completely different cost base and distribution model. However much we may deride the "bean counters", beans are why the business (and the kits, like them or not) exists, and no beans or insuffucient beans = no business. Collectively, we know more than Airfix about Mosquitos or Sabres, but Airfix know more than almost all of us about running a model kit business, and vastly more than any of us about running THEIR model kit business...

best,

M.

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24 minutes ago, lasermonkey said:

£24 for that Meteor is insane.

I was compiling a retort to @Ratch 's post above to say yes I agree with you but...

 

I then did some research. Airfix are in an international market, and as they stick to series numbers the differential between the series will remain the same. In the UK if you want a 1:72nd Meteor F8 the prince of the Special Models, MPM one is around the same. Therefore I would agree that the price is about right.

 

So overall Airfix pricing seems correct for the market,

 

What Airfix do not have (or seem to want to do) is move kits down in the price range in the light of competition. On example is the B-17 which is higher than than a 1:72nd kit from Revell or Academy. A drop from series 8 to series 7 would reduce that. The Dambuster Lanc' quoted by @Adam Poultney is another.

 

 

 

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What i don't understand is that as soon as the new releases are out then retailers like Jadlam and Jumblies are advertising them with 10% discount. I never buy from Airfix, OK I don't get the first ones but I can wait if it saves me money 

These firms still must make a profit on the kits so Airfix's profit margin must be quite high.

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