Airfix 2023

[wellsprop]

Oh dear, so I've been at it again and decided to list this time all the Second World War aircraft and if there are 1/48 kits available, similar to my post below...

 

 

This is only 1/48 (because it's the only scale I make haha), I'm assuming Airfix are unlikely to produce anything large in 1/48 (anything over 20m - this works out about 40 cm scale).

 

It's also a bit more difficult to work out what Airfix are likely to produce from the Second World War - after all, they produce a Spitfire Mk I, Bf 109, P-51, etc when there are many alternatives - so there's a bit more guess work.

 

RAF Fighters

• Gloster Gladiator - Roden
• Hawker Hurricane - Airfix (and others - almost all marks)
• Supermarine Spitfire - Everyone (almost all marks)
• Brewster Buffalo - Tamiya
• P-40 - Airfix
• Westland Whirlwind - Trumpeter
• Hawker Typhoon - Hasegawa
• P-51 - Everyone
• Gloster Meteor - Tamiya
• Hawker Tempest - Eduard
• P-47 - Tamiya
• De Havilland Hornet - Trumpeter

Conclusion:

Gladiator - Kitted by Airfix in 72nd, plenty of marking options and a Classic British aircraft

Typhoon - Kitted in by Airfix in 72 and 24, Classic British

 

RAF Light Bombers/Heavy Fighters

• Fairey Battle - Classic Airframes
• Boulton Paul Defiant - Airfix
• Bristol Blenheim - Airfix
• Bristol Beaufort - ICM
• Boulton Paul Defiant - Airfix
• Bristol Beaufighter - Tamiya/Revell

• De Havilland Mosquito Single Stage - Tamiya

• De Havilland Mosquito Two Stage - no-one

 

Conclusion:

Fairey Battle - need I say more?

 

RAF Transports

• Avro Anson - Airfix

• De Havilland Dragon Rapide - Armory kit on the way

• Airspeed Oxford - Special Hobby

• Douglas Dakota - Trumpeter

 

Doesn't look like we'll see anything from this list 

 

RAF Liaison

• Lysander - Eduard
• Taylorcraft Auster - Sword
• Percival Proctor - Dora Wings
• Miles Messenger

 

A few options here, however, I'd guess the only one popular enough is the Lysander

 

FAA Fighters

 

Blackburn Roc - Special Hobby

Blackburn Skua - Special Hobby

Gloster Sea Gladiator - Roden

Fairey Fulmar - Special Hobby

Grumman Wildcat/Martlet - Eduard

Hawker Sea Hurricane - Airfix

Supermarine Seafire - Airfix/Special Hobby

Vought Corsair - Tamiya

Grumman Hellcat - Eduard

 

Not much here either... possibly a Fulmar, but I wouldn't put money on it.

 

FAA Bombers

 

Fairey Swordfish - Tamiya

Fairey Albacore - Trumpeter/Special Hobby

Grumman Avenger - Hobbyboss

Fairey Barracuda - Special Hobby

Fairey Firefly - Special Hobby

 

Nope, nothing here either - I can't imagine Airfix producing an Avenger (the Hobbyboss kit isn't correct).

 

Seaplanes

 

Supermarine Walrus - Airfix

Supermarine Sea Otter - Special Hobby

Catalina - Revell

 

Nothing here either.

 

Summary

 

If we do see a 1/48 Second World War aircraft, I would guess it is most likely to be one of the following;

 

• Fairey Battle
• Gloster Gladiator
• Hawker Typhoon
• Westland Lysander

 

With a possible option of the Mosquito B/PR XVI, Airfix have scanned one and had an old tool XVI.

 

I'm going to sit down for a bit now...

 

Ben

 

 

[PattheCat]

They didn't scale down some 1/48 kits, like the Spitfire Vb, Hawker Hunter, Walrus, Vampire.

Nor scaled up the 1/72 Spitfire Vc, Gladiator, Blenheim IV, Javelin.

 

I can't believe they won't announce something at Telford.

[Rabbit Leader]

@wellsprop you might want to reassess your Whirlwind prediction a little as Trumpeter released a new tool 1/48 kit of this subject in 2014. Accuracy issues aside, it’s quite readily available so going by your assessment its probably not on Airfix’s radar for possible 1/48 subjects.
 

While we’re at it, Special Hobby also released a range of Whirlwinds in 1/72 & 1/32 within the last decade, so I’d say it’s definitely not something we’ll see from the Hornby chaps at all. 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

[wellsprop]

13 hours ago, PattheCat said:

They didn't scale down some 1/48 kits, like the Spitfire Vb, Hawker Hunter, Walrus, Vampire.

Nor scaled up the 1/72 Spitfire Vc, Gladiator, Blenheim IV, Javelin.

 

I can't believe they won't announce something at Telford.

 

Hunter, Vampire, Walrus in 72nd wouldn't surprise me.

 

11 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

@wellsprop you might want to reassess your Whirlwind prediction a little as Trumpeter released a new tool 1/48 kit of this subject in 2014. Accuracy issues aside, it’s quite readily available so going by your assessment its probably not on Airfix’s radar for possible 1/48 subjects.
 

While we’re at it, Special Hobby also released a range of Whirlwinds in 1/72 & 1/32 within the last decade, so I’d say it’s definitely not something we’ll see from the Hornby chaps at all. 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

How did I forget the Trumpeter kit?! It's literally sat on the shelf right beside my laptop! It's a really nice kit if you ask me (maybe not the most accurate...).

[Pete Robin]

Not being an active glue sniffer or scalpel wielder, can I drop a wide left fielder and then I'll retire gracefully.

How about a Blackburn Beverley? Never been an injection moulded kit as far as I know.

 

Regards,

Pete

[Rabbit Leader]

2 hours ago, Pete Robin said:

Not being an active glue sniffer or scalpel wielder, can I drop a wide left fielder and then I'll retire gracefully.

How about a Blackburn Beverley? Never been an injection moulded kit as far as I know.

I like you’re thinking Pete, however the reality is a 1/72 Beverley will never happen from Airfix. That subject is just too big and too risky for them to contemplate and at the same price as a new tool Vulcan will never move at the volume that Airfix expect. 
 

You might have better luck with a company like Valom, who have issued a wide range of British Transports of late, so you never know your luck… fingers crossed. 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Moggy]

I laugh - but I'd love an injection-moulded Beverley. With an open cargo bay please 🙃

 

Cheers, Moggy

[MrB17]

2 hours ago, Pete Robin said:

How about a Blackburn Beverley? Never been an injection moulded kit as far as I know.

Again to left field. When I painted aircraft, one of our customers owned a Sea Fury that was re engined with an R-2800 swinging a Skyraider propeller. My boss bet me I would never guess where the spinner came from. I thought hmmmm, 4 blade propeller with a Bristol Centaurus. When I said Blackburn Beverley, he was gob smacked! Us modellers tend to know our aircraft identification pretty well.

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[Paul J]

A nice new tool.in1/72:of the Chipmunk, Heron,  F.1 and F.3 LIghtning ,  Austers, metal wing Hurricane  and  a fair number from the back catalogue in their classic range of several subjects like cars ships and aircraft  for example.

 

[Rabbit Leader]

The more I think about it, I reckon a really well detailed 1/48 Westland Lysander is on the cards. It fits in well with their theme of early war British aircraft alongside the Blenheim, Walrus and soon to arrive Anson. I can see the open spatted wheels and full cockpit detail clearly as I type this… surely there’s a market for a good 1/48 (and 1/72) Lysander? 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Moggy]

9 minutes ago, Blackcat2020 said:

Well, I fully admit to not having read all nine pages😉😂. 

However, for what it's worth, the only thing I'm going to predict is prices at an even more eye watering level and, mostly beyond my ability to pay. 

The only Airfix kits I will be buying this year are the Vintage Classics F-80C and, DHC Beaver so, probably the same next year. 

What Vintage Classics would I like to see? 

Fokker F. 27

BN Islander/Defender 

F-86D Sabre

F2-H Banshee

F-84F Thunderstreak 

Super Mystere B. 2

Shorts Skyvan

Dornier DO-17E /F

Fairey Rotodyne

Ch-46 Sea Knight

F-4D Skyray

Quick analysis 🤪

 

Fokker F.27 - only serious game in town; while having some shape errors it's still a LOT better than the much more modern ESCI kit which is more like a parody of a F.27. I have 2 and intend to build them 😜

F2H Banshee - good  for its age - I have two and intend to build them

BN Islander - good and only kit I have two and intend to build them

Short Skyvan - very good and only kit of an unique subject I have two and intend to build them

Super Mystere - decent old kit (superseded by KP and Special Hobby; the Special Hobby is a jewel of a kit) I have four and have no idea of what to do with them 🤣

Dornier Do 17E /F - still the best kit for this subject. I have one and.... etc. 😆

Fairey Rotodyne - best kit of an unique subject. I wish I had one 😇

 

I have a lot of building to do. 😜

Airfix has a lot to answer for

 

Cheers, Moggy

[Admiral Puff]

As long as Airfix doesn't re-issue the F.27 as a Vintage Classic - that mould goes back to the '60s, and it shows! Far better to re-do it to the same standard as their most recent releases.

[PattheCat]

23 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

The more I think about it, I reckon a really well detailed 1/48 Westland Lysander is on the cards. It fits in well with their theme of early war British aircraft alongside the Blenheim, Walrus and soon to arrive Anson. I can see the open spatted wheels and full cockpit detail clearly as I type this… surely there’s a market for a good 1/48 (and 1/72) Lysander? 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

Tightening the purse strings lately but if I hear the slightest buzz that they have a Lizzie on the way (1/72 - 1/48 - 1/32), I'll go sell one of my kidneys. 

[IanHx]

Thinking big, a 1:144  Hercules ?

Plenty of different operators / variants.......

[Paul J]

What about thr Beech Texan2? A fair few operators for this one, Canda, NZ,  RAF, US and so on

[Pete Robin]

2 hours ago, Blackcat2020 said:

If you're interested Pete, Mikromir has a rather nice 1/144 Beverley in their range. 

I don't personally like such a small scale but, if its the only option.....! 😉😂

Would be a consideration, thank you. I wasn't aware of it.

They were built just along the road from home and a couple of rellies worked on them, along with the Buccaneers too.

Were common sights flying around when I was very young.

 

[Adam Poultney]

5 hours ago, Blackcat2020 said:

You and me both Adam!! 

Did you forget the Victor B1 as well perhaps? 😉😂

Ehh Mikromir did one in 1/144

[One 48]

On 13/10/2022 at 23:18, Rabbit Leader said:

The more I think about it, I reckon a really well detailed 1/48 Westland Lysander is on the cards. It fits in well with their theme of early war British aircraft alongside the Blenheim, Walrus and soon to arrive Anson. I can see the open spatted wheels and full cockpit detail clearly as I type this… surely there’s a market for a good 1/48 (and 1/72) Lysander? 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

Please let it be a 1/48 Lysander.

[Adam Poultney]

2 hours ago, Blackcat2020 said:

I didn't know that. Thank you. 

Totally wrong scale for me but if that's the only show in town.....! 

It's not bad either if you make a few minor corrections

 

 

[Cammer625]

Well, I am preparing a very expensive sacrifice to the Airfix gods. I have 2 * Airfix Lancaster B.II, 2 * Blackbird Lincoln Conversion and 2 * Red Roo Aussie detail sets. I’ve never done anything like this so it should be a very good sacrifice and I’m hoping it works. 

[RichG]

On 10/13/2022 at 11:18 PM, Rabbit Leader said:

The more I think about it, I reckon a really well detailed 1/48 Westland Lysander is on the cards.

Good call Dave.

 

I agree gotta be a 1/48 Lysander somewhere in Airfix's plans. Its a very good fit for their range, alongside the new Annie and the Blenheim. Army co-op/BEF, Special Duties/SOE, RCAF, Target Tug and quite a fair smattering of overseas airforce users. So plenty of options for different markings and future reboxing options.

 

Would it sell? I think it would - as a subject it has a sort of "Walrus quirkiness" about it and a design that makes for an interesting model.  

 

Rich 

Edited October 18, 2022 by RichG

[RichG]

On 10/13/2022 at 9:33 PM, Rabbit Leader said:

the reality is a 1/72 Beverley will never happen from Airfix. That subject is just too big and too risky for them to contemplate and at the same price as a new tool Vulcan will never move at the volume that Airfix expect. 

Yes, agreed. Much as I would love one personally, I have to admit it would be a relatively minority interest and unlikely to generate repeat sales with limited scope for future option releases. In a similar vein I wonder if the Handley Page Hastings might make the cut for a future Airfix project? Borderline I guess due to size, but it is a British aircraft and with its role in the Berlin Airlift and Suez it does have some history behind it.  Of all the post war RAF transport aircraft types it's the one I would most like to see. Revell did do a C-54 Skymaster in 1/72 recently; 4 engines but a bit bigger than the Haystack, so you never know... it could happen.

 

Rich 

Edited October 18, 2022 by RichG

[Adam Poultney]

On 13/10/2022 at 21:33, Rabbit Leader said:

I like you’re thinking Pete, however the reality is a 1/72 Beverley will never happen from Airfix. That subject is just too big and too risky for them to contemplate and at the same price as a new tool Vulcan will never move at the volume that Airfix expect. 

Unfortunately I think you're right. 

 

In the category of large aircraft, I think the remaining 1/72 possibilities are:

 

Handley page Halifax

Avro Lincoln

Avro Manchester 

Short stirling 

HS Nimrod retool (re-release more likely)

Vickers Warwick (outside possibility?)

B24

B29

Concorde retool

DH Comet (outside possibility)

He177

 

 

[PLC1966]

I think it is a given that a Jag is inbound at one point.  But I suspect that will be coming in as a 1/72.

Sterling and a Halifax I would have thought were also likely at one point

 

And a 1/72 Hawk following a Airfix/Fritag Partnership would be a winner.

[wellsprop]

On 13/10/2022 at 23:18, Rabbit Leader said:

The more I think about it, I reckon a really well detailed 1/48 Westland Lysander is on the cards. It fits in well with their theme of early war British aircraft alongside the Blenheim, Walrus and soon to arrive Anson. I can see the open spatted wheels and full cockpit detail clearly as I type this… surely there’s a market for a good 1/48 (and 1/72) Lysander? 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

On 16/10/2022 at 18:02, One 48 said:

 

Please let it be a 1/48 Lysander.

 

4 hours ago, RichG said:

Good call Dave.

 

I agree gotta be a 1/48 Lysander somewhere in Airfix's plans. Its a very good fit for their range, alongside the new Annie and the Blenheim. Army co-op/BEF, Special Duties/SOE, RCAF, Target Tug and quite a fair smattering of overseas airforce users. So plenty of options for different markings and future reboxing options.

 

Would it sell? I think it would - as a subject it has a sort of "Walrus quirkiness" about it and a design that makes for an interesting model.  

 

Rich 

 

Agreed, if I had to put my money on something, I'd go for a Lysander. The only option in 1/48 is Eduard/Gavia and that is difficult to get hold of.

 

As has been said above, fits in with the early war British aircraft, it's also uniquely British (like the Anson and Walrus), comes with a load of marking options and is quite an iconic aircraft in popular culture (even featuring in a few films!). Moreover, there are a number preserved, both static and airworthy, of which scans can be taken.

 

4 hours ago, Adam Poultney said:

HS Nimrod retool (re-release more likely)

 

Good call!