New Airfix releases for 2010

[Eric Mc]

Thought you might be interested in Airfix's release schedule for 2010

New Tool

Aircraft 1:72 Scale
A01071A - Spitfire Mk1a
A03080 - Messerschmitt Bf110 C/D
A03081 - Messerschmitt Bf110 E
A03082 - North American F-86F Sabre
A03083 - North American Sabre Mk.4 Canadair
A03085 - BAe Hawk T1
A04050 - BAe Harrier GR9

Aircraft 1:48 Scale
A05117 - Spitfire MkXII
A05120 - Messerschmitt Bf109E
A05121 - BAe Hawk T1
A05122 - Messerschmitt Bf109E Tropical
A06102 - Seafire XVIIc
A08107 - Westland Lynx - Navy HAM8 / Super Lynx
A08108 - Westland Lynx - Army AM-7

Limited Edition
A11001 - Vickers Valiant - 1:72 Scale

Maritime 1:350 Scale
A03260 - Trafalgar Class Submarine



Re-issues

Aircraft 1:72 Scale
A01001 - BTK Spitfire
A01013 - Comet Racer
A02046A - Spitfire MkVb
A02048A - Messerschmitt Bf109E
A02082A - Hawker Hurricane Mk1
A03007 - Junkers Ju88
A03030A - Junkers Ju87-B
A03032 - Fairey Battle
A04011 - H.P. Hampden
A04051 - Boeing 737 (1:144 Scale)
A04052 - Boeing 727 (1:144 Scale)
A05021 - Heinkel HeIII
A06010 - B-24 Liberator

Aircraft 1:48 Scale
A05100 - Junkers Ju87-B Stuka


Aircraft 1:24 Scale
A18003 - BAe Harrier GR3


Figures 1:72 Scale

A01747 - RAF Personnel
A01748 - USAAF Personnel
A01755 - Luftwaffe Personnel


Figures 1:32 Scale

A02704 - Russian Infantry
A02709 - Australian Infantry
A02710 - British infantry Support Set
A02713 - German Mountain Troops

Space 1:144 Scale

A05172 - Vostok 1
A06172 - Saturn 1B
A11150 - Saturn V Skylab


Gift Sets

A50009 - Battle Front - 1:76 Scale
A50015 - RAF Battle of Britain Airfield Set - 1:72 Scale
A50022 - Battle of Britain 70th Anniversary Set - 1:72 Scale
A50097 - Vulcan to the Sky - 1:72 Scale
A50111 - Jaguar XKRGT3 & Aston Martin DBR9 Twin Set - 1:32 Scale

Large Starter Sets
A50098 - Eurofighter Typhoon - 1:72 Scale
A50109 - Jaguar XKRGT3 APEX Racing - 1:32 Scale
A50110 - Aston Martin DBR9 Gulf - 1:32 Scale
A50114 - BAe Hawk T1 - 1:72 Scale

Douglas Bader's Spitfire

A50030 - Supermarine Spitfire MkVa - 1:48 Scale

Royal Navy

A50021 - Trafalgar Class Submarine - 1:350 Scale
A50112 - Westland Lynx HAS.5 - 1:48 Scale
A50010 - Sea Harrier FRS1 - 1:72 Scale
A50017 - Sea Harrier FA2 - 1:72 Scale
A50113 - Sea King HAR.5 - 1:72 Scale

Quite an interesting selection - the highlight for me has to be the 1/72 Vickers Valiant. This is the first time the Valiant has ever been produced by a mainstream kit manufacturer. The only Valiant available at the moment is a very difficult kit produced by Mach II.

[Zad]

Hmm. Lots of stuff, but I can't help feeling it is VERY heavy on military aircraft. Now, that's fine because there are many many traditional modellers out there who build only military aircraft, but I had hoped that the new Airfix might have continued to diversify. It may be heretical, but just how many Spitfires will the market stand?

[Eric Mc]

The Mk Ia is a re-tooling of the existing model - which is a nice kit as it is. The 1/48 Mk V is also a re-tooling of their current Mk V.

The 1/48 Mk XII is a new tool.

By Airfix standards, this is a major programme. I'm delighted to see the 1/144 Saturn IB bacl on the list. I wonder have they modified the upper adaptor section as they did with the re-tooled Saturn V released earlier this year?

As I said previously the big news for me has to be the Valiant. I am so looking foward to this and it means that, finally, all three V-Bombers are now available as mainstream 1/72 injection moulded kits.

Military aircarft is still the bedrock of the plastic kit industry - with armoured vehicles making up the next big sector followed by cars.
Civil aircraft, apart from airliners, rarely get a look in. In particular the biz jets and general aviation sector is very poorly represented in kit form.

Edited by Eric Mc on Thursday 24th December 17:15

[Alan Alan Alan]

I think I read the Saturn is a new tool or at least re-tool. So perhaps they have.
How did you get the list early. I thought it wasnt for release until tomorrow.

Share your thoughts on the Valiant.

I think I might pick up the Hampden and Trafalgar too.

Nice Typhoon btw.


ETA- regarding civil and a bit OT but have you seen the rumours of an A-Models Brabizon?.

Edited by Alan Alan Alan on Thursday 24th December 17:23

[Eric Mc]

I hadn't hear about the Brab but the A - Models version will probably cost more than the real one did.

I heard about the Airfix releases from the Unofficial Airfix Forum - but it's now up on the Airfix site as well.

[Evangelion]

Nice to hear that the long-in-the-tooth Mk 1 Spit is finally being updated. I my throw my half-completed one in the bin and buy the new one instead.

On the subject of the Brabazon, F-RSIN did a 1/144 scale one a year or so back. A 1/72 scale one would be huge - a 230-foot wingspan is the same size as a B-36.

[Eric Mc]

The Spitfire Ia is quite an accurate rendition of the Spitfire but it is rather basic interior wise. It's other problem is that the moulds were modified during that horrible period when Airfix revised some of their tooling into what they called their "Snap Together" range (around 1980/81).
I would hope that the new rendition will feature some interior detail and maybe engraved panel lines rather than raised ones - not that there is anything terribly wrong with raised lines.

[anonymous-user]

Well I knew if I kept my resin 1/48th Lynx kits long enough someone would introduce some injection moulded versions....

[MartG]

Eric Mc said:

I wonder have they modified the upper adaptor section as they did with the re-tooled Saturn V released earlier this year?

I read somewhere that Mat Irvine had confirmed the 1B will include the new SLA, SM, and BPC. No news on whether the S-IVB stage has been modified to -200 spec as it differed in a few details from the -500 version used on the Saturn V ( I suspect it will still be the same as the S-V kit one ). I also have the same question about the Skylab S-IVB - somehow I think it will still be the same, but we can hope...( if it is the same, I'll just have to get the resin out again :-) )

The news about the Skylab came two days after I finally received the RealSpace Models Skylab shroud I ordered last July ( two got lost in the post ) - unlike the Realspace one I believe the Airfix one includes the modified rear end complete with radiator. Due out 3rd quarter I've heard

[Kaelic]

A50112 - Westland Lynx HAS.5 - 1:48 Scale

Must get myself one of them and try to put it together hehe

[jas xjr]

do you not think that the airfix range is a bit light on cars? had a quick look through the 2010 brochure the other day and only noticed two new cars. a db9 and maybe a jaguar xk, might be wrong about the jag.

is it that the model enthusiasts are more interested in planes and ships?

[Langweilig]

Airfix have re-released a 1/32 Ford Escort Mk1 and an Aston Martin DB5. But don't touch the the DB5. Rubbish mould quality.

[Curry Burns]

Luckily my Brother-in-law runs an online shop and was invited down to see the new range. On his return he handed me the book and order form

That bds already taken too much of my money ....

[Eric Mc]

jas xjr said:

do you not think that the airfix range is a bit light on cars? had a quick look through the 2010 brochure the other day and only noticed two new cars. a db9 and maybe a jaguar xk, might be wrong about the jag.

is it that the model enthusiasts are more interested in planes and ships?

Traditionally miltary aircraft kits have always been the top sellers in the plastic kit world. Most plastic kit manufacturers tend to have more aircraft in their range than anything else.

After aircraft, military vehicles are the next most popular followed by cars and other civilian vehicles.

You only have to look at the modelling shelves in W H Smiths to see how the popularity of the different categories of kit pan out across the market.

Having said all that, part of the reason why car kits are less prevelant is that model car enthusiasts often divert their modelling into other aspects of modelling different to basic plastic kit building - such as radio control model cars, die-cast collecting or 1/43 resin/white metal kits.

Up until the early 1990s, there was very little in the way of reasonably accurate die-cast scale model aircrft or armoured vehicles/ That situation has changed somewhat and now there are some very good die-cast scale models of aircraft and tanks.

[DieselGriff]

Nice to see that Airfix have confirmed the 1:48th Sea Vixen for later this year (3rd Q I believe), at £30 a pop I probably get a couple but why do they announce them as limited edition?

[Eric Mc]

Because they will be (like their 1/72 TSR2).

[DieselGriff]

My point is they don't have to be and it causes prices to go up unnecessarily and they could profit more from keeping production in-check and this would keep customers happy.IMO obviously.

[Eric Mc]

I don't think they're stupid when it comes to these matters. They have to gauge the potential demand for what are sometimes obscure subjects. No doubt plane nerds like me would jump at the chance to buy some aircraft like the Sea Vixen (although I don't build in 1/48). But casual buyers may never have heard of it. After all, they don't have a strong war record and they haven't been seen in numbers since the late 1960s/early 1970s - and then mainly in the UK.

Airfix know that the enthusiasts who always wanted a 1/48 Sea Vixen will rush out and buy the model (or maybe two or more of them) when it eventually appears. After that initial splurge, that'll really be it for maybe a decade. So, I can see why some models are released on this limited basis.

I think the sales figures for their 1/72 Nimrod have been somewhat below what they thought. There was obviously a demand there but it just wasn't as big as they had hoped.

Edited by Eric Mc on Saturday 30th January 17:50

[TvrTone]

DieselGriff said:

My point is they don't have to be and it causes prices to go up unnecessarily and they could profit more from keeping production in-check and this would keep customers happy.IMO obviously.

Making them a limited release is a good marketing move on Hornby's part. Modellers panic that they are going to miss out on a release as many did when the 1:72 TSR2 was released. As a result, Airfix get their money back quicker, instead of over 2/3 years with none limited production kits. Modellers work on the basis that if a kit is not limited edition, they can always get it tomorrow! Incidentally the Sea Vixen will almost certainly go up a series and therefore up to £35.00 when it is finally released in a few months time.

[TvrTone]

Eric Mc said:

I think the sales figures for their 1/72 Nimrod have been somewhat below what they thought. There was obviously a demand there but it just wasn't as big as they had hoped.

Not strictly true, their sales of the Nimrod were very high and I believe better than predicted, the reason for the 'glut' of Nimrods is due to issues with retaining ownership of the moulds.