Kit-Killer

[Sgt.Squarehead]

Is there any chance of a parallel thread where we could nominate old Airfix tools that we'd like to see dead and buried once and for all.....I suspect you might generate some interest with the armour modellers.

 

To kick off I'd nominate the 1/76 Sherman......Personally I'd be embarassed to put my name on the box of this thing, it's older than I am and it really shows.

[Fighter Pilot]

I'd vote for EVERY classic Airfix kit other than The Golden Hind as it's a historic tool and the Spitfire/Seafire 47 and 1:48 Lightning.  All the others are dated, horrid junk.

[DavidJC]

Hah hah hah Fighter Pilot - I am glad someone else said it first rather than myself! To be frank I'd include almost every Airfix kit up to the 90s. I'd broadly agree with your exceptions, I can't comment on the Golden Hind. Even then, I am just starting the 1/48 Lightning and am finding some of the instructions and location guides a little vague.

 

They were good for their time, that's all we had, it's how kits were. It also relates to a discussion I kicked off on here last year some time. But for this discussion? Yeah, I'd include almost any pre-1990s Airfix kit!

[Braille Dave]

Nope- The emergency set, refuelling set and recovery set (apart from the woefully underscale Bedford OX) are still comparable with other manufacturers kits- Not as good as Airfix's QL set and the Bomber Command vehicles set, maybe, but still good. Certainly better than some of the Academy offerings.

Personally I would prefer every aircraft kit in 1:72 to be scrapped and re-introduced in 1:76- none of this 1:72 rubbish- 

[vimal_indrasoma]

Histoire & Collections' book on 'Assembly-Transformation-Painting-Weathering Focke Wulf Fw190 A/F' starts out by showing how to make a prototype Fw190V-1 by carving it out of a block of plaster ... best to avoid either extreme, I think!

[Jonathan Mock]

I'd vote for EVERY classic Airfix kit other than The Golden Hind as it's a historic tool and the Spitfire/Seafire 47 and 1:48 Lightning.  All the others are dated, horrid junk.

 

I'd contest that! There are some gems out there like the Kavov and the Kamen Sea Sprite, and the 1/24 Hurricane and Stukas can still hold their own!

 

The proportion of reissues has dropped off sharply in recent years and the bulk of the range now is mostly new stuff.

[vimal_indrasoma]

A block of plaster?

 

 

LUXURY!

 

In my day, we had to make our own plaster...out of stuff we mined ourselves...etc., etc..

Careful, nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition ...

[vimal_indrasoma]

I'd vote for EVERY classic Airfix kit other than The Golden Hind as it's a historic tool and the Spitfire/Seafire 47 and 1:48 Lightning.  All the others are dated, horrid junk.

 

I'd contest that! There are some gems out there like the Kavov and the Kamen Sea Sprite, and the 1/24 Hurricane and Stukas can still hold their own!

 

The proportion of reissues has dropped off sharply in recent years and the bulk of the range now is mostly new stuff.

I quite enjoyed the Ar196A, once I'd made the crew walk the plank, that is.

[Jonathan Mock]

Bristol Bulldog, Soptwith Pup, Avro 504K, Do 17P, B-26 Maruader... still great kits!

[Sgt.Squarehead]

The old Hs.126 was good too.....But my original post never suggested we should trash every old Airfix kit, just the ones that are truly beyond the pale.  Admittedly in the 1/76 AFV range this does mean most of 'em, but still not all.

 

The market potential for an accurate 1/72 Panther A, Sherman V, Centurion etc. is quite clear to see.....Whether Airfix choose to cash in on it is their business.

[roy_fitzsimmonds]

The Aston Martin DB5 - and they've just had the nerve to re-release it as 'new' for 2016!

[Harold Smith]

I certainly say a lot of the old Airfix moulds are past their scrap-by dates, but there are some exceptions. The Fouga Magister, Shooting Star and F-86D are all dated in some ways, but still build up nicely.

 

My personal bete noire was the old Gnat, but that's already gone, as has the 1/72nd Lightning and the Defiant.

 

The 1/72nd Viggen represented a never-to-see-service prototype standard and should probably never be issued again. The Pakwagen is an embarrasment and only good for whiffery.

[Sgt.Squarehead]

 I think the old DH.88 Comet moulds are toast:  https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/forum/dh88-best-avoided-i-think/?p=1

 

Airfix should be ashamed.

[ironsides]

A block of plaster?

 

 

LUXURY!

 

In my day, we had to make our own plaster...out of stuff we mined ourselves...etc., etc..

 

😆

[ZacYates87]

 I agree with the Sergeant - if I can only choose one mould to die, it's the DH.88 Comet. There is a real example accessible for reference to create a new kit, I get the feeling (as there are several replicas under construction/flying worldwide) that there are drawings etc available too, and Airfix seems to think the type is worthy of kitting/desired by the model-buying public judging by how often the old mould is wheeled out to unsuspecting shelves.

I remember buying the 1/72 Spitfire IX new in 2004 and being excited to build it, only to find a 1950s-era kit inside. At least Airfix took mercy on that one and released a much better Mk.IX a decade or so later. When will it be the Comet's turn?

[the F-111C dude]

i'd realy like to see some more modern and aircraft, vehicles and ships

[SunrayOne]

 I think the old DH.88 Comet moulds are toast:  https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/forum/dh88-best-avoided-i-think/?p=1

 

Airfix should be ashamed.

What he said. The DH88 Comet kit is horrendous. Possibly the worst kit still in circulation from anybody. 

[Ratch]

Possibly the worst kit still in circulation from anybody. 

You've not seen the Starfix Spitfire then

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

Possibly the worst kit still in circulation from anybody. 

You've not seen the Starfix Spitfire then

Is that the one that looks about 1/48 scale, and was tooled by someone who might have seen a photo of a spitfire once about 10 years ago from a distance. In the FAA museum at Yeovilton there is a fantastic 1/48 model of a WWII RN Carrier (I don't remember which one), which is ruined by having a squadron of these on the fightdeck.

[Oliver Hyett]

i'd realy like to see some more modern and aircraft, vehicles and ships

I really like you and everything mate but if you look at the title of this topic then yo will notice it said "Kit Killer" not "Please more and more and more modern RAAF planes"

[the F-111C dude]

i mean airfix could do a bit less from ww2

[Oliver Hyett]

i mean airfix could do a bit less from ww2

I don't want to see them downgrading the numbers of WW2 kits but yes, a few more modern kits would be good but this is the wrong thread to discuss it on.

[Ratch]

Is that the one that looks about 1/48 scale, and was tooled by someone who might have seen a photo of a spitfire once about 10 years ago from a distance.

That's the one, and there's the Grafix one that would have you put the wings on backwards 🫨

[Ratch]

Double post - please delete

[allan ford]

" I'd vote for EVERY classic Airfix kit other than The Golden Hind as it's a historic tool and the Spitfire/Seafire 47 and 1:48 Lightning.  All the others are dated, horrid junk"

 

I would certainly contest this rather ignorant remark. Agreed, there are some Airfix kits which should never see the light of day again but, there are also a number of very decent kits (albeit basic by current standards) that do not deserve to be dismissed like this.  For example, Dornier DO-17 E/F, F-80C Shooting Star, F-84 Thunderstreak, F2-H Banshee,F-86D Sabre, B-26 Marauder, Avro Lancaster (1981 issue), Fouga Magister to name but a few.. I do think however that the 1/72 TSR2 should be junked. That gave me the worst modeling experience in years!!