steven_kerfoot

I have been saying for years about the lack of an Avro Lincoln kit. I recall one moderator in particular saying it wouldn't be a popular seller, that it was too niche, etc. yet every day I see kits from manufacturers of aircraft that never made it beyond the prototype stage, or even beyond blueprint drawing proposals. There are now entire series of tanks that weren't even actual What if...? proposals, basically just tanks and afvs that are fantasy creations, and those kits sell very well. I honestly can't fathom why the Lincoln remains the missing link on the heavy bomber chain, yet 2024 sees the second incarnation of a B-24 Liberator from Airfix. Still, I guess the belief is that British aircraft subjects don't sell, you know, apart from the Lancaster, Wellington, Vulcan, Victor, Valiant, Shackleton, Nimrod, Buccaneer, Lightning, Spitfire, Hurricane, Defiant and, as the adverts used to say, many, many more. That being the case, why no Avro Lincoln to give model builders worldwide an aircraft which has never been a 1/72 injection moulded kit? One final point, another manufacturer has taken the Academy kit and reboxed it as the B-29 in RAF service that replaced the Lincoln, the Boeing Washington. At the same time they issued the kit in USAF colours. The latter you could get hold of cheap, no problem, the Washington however sold out, now you can only find it on ebbay. Funny that.

As I said previously, the only option available is the full package, with kit and the rest for £30. However, the 2023 club membership is still available for £15, and the 2022 membership for £11.99, The question there is, do you still get the same with the 2022 as the 2023, which as far as I understand just gets you the passport and discounts, etc. rather than anything material? Weirdly, the 2023 membership order I placed does say that something has been dispatched to me, but so far nothing has shown up. Anyway, if all you want is a cheap club membership, sans calendar, kit and poster, put NCLUBAIRFIXPLUS2023 into the search on the Airfix site and it'll allow you to buy the membership at the reduced rate.

Nice to see Airfix doing what so many manufacturers do, that is use a base kits, the 1/35 Cromwell, and reissue it with new parts to build a different marque. However, of all the kits, (doubtless the new tooled kits will be nicely detailed) none are of subjects that haven't already been manufactured in that scale, (maybe with the exception of the lifeboat). So while I look forward to the 1/48 Bulldog, and am sure it will be an improvement over previous kits which are decades old, am wondering what is gained by making another 1/48 Tomahawk, another 1/72 Chinook and another 1/72 B-24 Liberator, with reissues of classic and more recent kits? I mention this because, as with the Avro Anson in 1/48, the 1/48 Gannet and some others, Airfix have shown that making a new model of a subject that hasn't been covered before in that scale works very well, bring me to my final point, and that is why not carry on with that trend? For years people have been writing here about wishing Airfix would produce an Avro Lincoln in 1/72, which no one has so far, or a 1/72 Avro Manchester, a reasonably priced Short Empire C-class flying boat, maybe even a 1/72 HP 42 Heracles? Is it that much harder to make one of those than a new B--24 Liberator, which while welcome, joins the ranks of quite a number of Liberator kits out there? I've bought the Anson, and Gannet, and they are superb, as is the Buccaneer that I have a few of. They are tributes to classic British designs, and that it is Airfix making them adds to the feeling that they are something special. The current Avro Lancaster is excellent, as is the B-17, and I'm sure the B-24 will be too, it would be great to add something new and different from every other manufacturer and it's sad not to see that coming, again, this year.

Hmm, let me see, it's 2024, there's no new Club membership for this year listed on the site and I literally spoke to someone on the phone who works on the Airfix Club part of their business this afternoon and was passing along what they said. Now, i didn't say anything about what the new kit would be, simply that the only membership so far available was the basic option which wasn't available last year, but had been in previous years. Hence my point that it was good value, was at present the only option and that it may not always be available, which those with less cash at the moment should take advantage of in case it vanishes once the 2024 membership is unveiled. Your point in adding your contribution was...? If it's simply being the guy who likes to be the one to say hey, I know something, jolly well done.

Today I spoke to a very helpful lady at Airfx with reference to a Club Passport order that fell behind in a backlog. Totally understandable, after all, it's Christmas and s on and at this time of year things get a little delayed. The reason I phoned was because my Club membership ends in a few days and who knows if I'd have had it if it lapsed. So that was all sorted, (A series 9 Dambusters Lanc on it's way thank you very much) and I naturally enquired about the 2024 membership, there so far being nothing on the site. I was told that so far nothing had been passed down to those dealing with the Club, so basically it's just a matter of checking the site for new information. However, I was told that to stay a Club member I could just buy the 2023 Red Box membership available on this site for £15, and while this won't include any special exclusive kit, it still has the passport and 10% discount on this site. For someone already a member, you then get 10% off if you purchase prior to your membership lapsing, so £13.50. I haven't always liked the Club model, (the Hawks of a few years ago a real low point for me) so this basic membership is perfect, giving the discount, which on some weekends has been up to 20%, and of course the Passport, which for me gleaned maybe five kits worth maybe £200 this year with the various Flying Hours I collected. Let's face it, for the price it is well worth it, and who knows if this basic membership will be available once word comes down that they have a band new package, with exclusive kit for 2024, because at this time last year it wasn't. Happy New Year one and all. Regards, Steven.

Hi Steve, Firstly, Happy New Year. Now a bit of detail about what I think you're asking. So, it doesn't specifically say which kits you can have for your passport and which you can't. However, the kits that are available are series 1 to series 9 kits whose serial number starts with A01 to A09. These are aircraft, ships, 1/72-76 military kits and cars. However, not the starter sets, double kit sets or in fact anything that includes paints, brushes or glue, all of which have a different sort of reference number. It also doesn't include any of the 1/35 military kits, again, they all have a reference which doesn't have A01-A09 at the beginning, ( I think the all start A13, no matter what series the are). I've never had this confirmed, but my theory as to why is this. When Airfix began selling 1/35 kits again a few years ago, the kits that kickstarted their range were licensed kits from the model manufacturer Academy. This gave Airfix an instant medium sized range of pretty good kits without having to invest heavily developing a dozen kits at once in a range they weren't sure would sell, (after all, there are a few 1/35 manufacturers already, and more seemingly by the day). But because they were licensed, essentially bought in, repackaged and with with a few bells and whistles, the cost to Airfix was fixed and not something they could absorb into the Passport scheme for Flying Hours. they'd just lose too much on them, especially since, as a large range of all new, (to Airfix) kits none of the Club members would have the Aifix kits so demand would inevitably be high, and t would basically bankrupt the scheme or mean Club membership would have to rise massively. Again, that's just a theory but it sounds right. So the top and bottom of it is, no 1/35 kits available for the Club Passports with Flying Hours, as you've been told, just kits that start off A01 to A09. Oh, and I wish it was otherwise too, but there ae always limits on offers like this, that's jus the way it goes. Anyway, hope that helps, and apologies if it was a bit long winded. Kindest regards, Steven.

I have to disagree, I think some of the prices for the kits now in the sale are the best I've seen anywhere. £20 for a 1/35 Tiger or 1/72 Lancaster, that's pretty good.

No, and this morning it is fine. Glad I asked the question, maybe it woke someone up :)

So it's nice to see Black Friday back on Airfix's site. However, I've repeatedly tried to add the BoB flight to the basket and it appears as a number in the basket but when i come to checkout it isn't there, and then when I try and pay for other items on both here and from the Corgi sale it won't put the payment through. Having tried a few browsers with the same result, looks like it's a fault with the site. Anyone else having issues? Or could someone from Airfix maybe comment or even look into this? Cheers.

Most welcome Vintage, least I, or anyone, should do out of ordinary civility and recognising when you've been wronged. All you wanted was what you were owed, and Airfix haven't even had the courtesy to respond to your post after all this time on their own forum. Their silence speaks volumes. Take care and be well, Steven.

When I joined the Airfix Club, I wrote here that it was unfair, at a time of financial hardship for lots of people, to eliminate the lower tier of club membership that came without a kit. The problem Airfix have is they have the Flying hours programme and that is one of the main reasons people join the club, I know it was with me. Yes, the 10% is useful on occasion, but I mostly buy kits on ebay and from retailers who often sell Airfix kits for less than Airfix do, even with the 10% off. I mean, one has a new Vulcan for sale at £44.99, compared to £72.49 at Airfix, who manufacture and supply those kits. Even with a 10% discount, it is way over £45, and yes that includes postage. But I digress. By reducing the price, Airfix show they got it wrong, because for the Club to exist it needs a certain number of members, if you don't get that it isn't viable. So for goodness sake, next year lets keep the lower, cheaper tier of membership and lets allow people to choose if they want the Club kit. After all, the Flying Hours programme has the cost built into the cost per kit, and if that is what they want, mercenary as it may seem, let Club members have it.

Hi Vintage, Sounds like what you lost was a company, who didn't need to set up a competition like this, not honouring their their side of the the agreement. To be clear, when you enter a competition, any competition, you do so with the aim of progressing as far along as you can. In fact, if you go into a competition, you hope to win. No one enters a raffle and hopes they don't get their ticket picked, no one participates at Crufts hoping their dog isn't picked and no, you don't go to the Olympics hoping you come fourth. Competitive modelling is just the same. For any company not to send a prize you won fair and square is frankly disgraceful, because as I said, they didn't need to set up the competition. If you do that you should have the prizes ready to send, and if something happens, it shouldn't take nearly a year to not even get partly towards what you won. The least that should happen is an apology and for them to send an equivalent prize, not something less than what was won. In fact, by way of an apology they should give you something of a greater value, as they say, as a goodwill gesture. Yes, companies are set up to make money, but if, as a promotional exercise, they set up competitions, they should be able to send out the prizes won. Not to do so is frankly a disgrace. Finally, for you to write what in my opinion is a restrained post on the Airfix member's forum detailing the fact, for a so-called moderator to respond as he did is a disgrace. You know, Airfix got it wrong, but no one from Airfix has responded here and taken responsibility, but for someone who invariably defends the company, no matter what, to take you to task for simply wanting what you are owed is not acceptable and they should resign their position. It is just another example of how not to moderate a forum online. Good luck to you Vintage, I build kits from all manner of manufacturers, there's a lot of choice out there. However, rather like you here, when a company has let me down I stop spending my money with them and choose a competitor. It might not make a huge difference, but companies need every customer they can find these days, so maybe they should do what the commit themselves to. After all, if enough people stop buying their product, well, no company has the divine right to exist. Best regards, Steven.

A few subjects that would make an ideal fit for Airfix, (and yes, stuck record that I am, some were on a similar thread to wish-list for 2023). 1; Avro Lincoln; the only RAF four engined bomber in regular service, (qualified since the epic Vickers Windsor also flew but was never put into production) not on sale by anyone and since another manufacturer has issues the Academy B29 as the RAF Washington, the two together would look superb. 2; 1/350 HMS Vanguard. The last British battleship, and one of the most handsome ships ever to sail for any navy, no one has made a detailed kit of the Vanguard, and frankly it is begging for someone to do so. 3; 1/350 HMS Hermes. The Falklands warrior, if properly developed, could be issued and reissued as various stages in it's long career, all the way back to original condition, through alterations, all the way to the way it looked when retired from Indian service. Think of the possibilities with... 4; 1/350 HMS Invincible class carriers. Yes, we had the Lusty as she appeared at the end of her service, but how about the Invincible, Ark Royal and yes, Illustrious as she was when built? Again, a base kit could serve as the starting block for all three ships, and that is essentially three kits, plus variations, for the development of one plus additional parts. 5; HMS Nelson/Rodney. Though another manufacturer has been promising these ships since as early as 2019, for whatever reason they haven't appeared. As the only WW2 RN battleships, (Royal Sovereign class aside, but wouldn't they be nice too?) not on offer by any manufacturer, this, as with all these kits, fills a gap in the market. 6; Any scale HMS Queen Elizabeth/HMS Prince of Wales carriers. Someone will do it, why not Airfix? 7; 1/35 Alvis Stalwart. Following on from the old toy Stalwart from decades ago, the Stally was an incredible truck that was available in many variations, again, several kits from one+ parts development cost. 8; Handley Page HP 42. The 1/144 kits is nice but it is far from what Aifix could do today, and with such a beautiful aircraft to work from, one of the largest bi-planes ever developed, and a true air-liner from the early days of air travel it would be a superb companion piece for a ... 9; 1/72 Short S23 C/Empire class flying boat. The diorama possibilities are almost endless, plus, on a stand or suspended, it would look incredible. If any aircraft was art deco, it was the Short Empire FB. 10; 1/24 Bristol F.2B, Hawker Fury Bi-plane and Bristol Bulldog. Cheating slightly, (I wanted this to be a top ten) I would love to see what Airfix, whose latest new 1/24 kits have been beyond incredible, could do for these WW1 and between war RAF bi-planes. Yes, they look good in 1/48, but huge scale bi-planes would let any modeller with a bit of experience produce an aircraft where the wire could be either metal or standard cotton thread and not look too thick. Included, as I've said, are subjects that either haven't been made as kits before in these scales or not for a long time. Given how obscure subjects have been made into kits by Airfix, I never imagined a Fairey Gannet in 1/48, an Avro Anson in the same scale, let alone the really nice Ferret scout car,(hopefully we'll get the Fox and others down the line) none of them are so niche as to prohibit sales. After all, don't we all look for different subjects after half a dozen Lancasters, all the marques of Spitfire and who knows how many Tiger or Sherman tanks?

Well, it was here and gone in a week or so, but even if they only sold ten that's ninety kits so I suppose it was worth it for the company. I'd genuinely have bought a flypast set if it was just one of each plane, reminds me of the huge Millennium Battle of Britain aircraft set, which wasn't just the usual trio of Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane, but also the various types of Spitfire, etc. available to the team at that time, a Dakota and all manner of planes, (I think eleven in total) together with a huge decal sheet, print of Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane that could be framed and a few booklets. Honestly, it was one of the best sets I've seen, and something very special, having a modicum of thought and effort put into it that other companies could learn from. Oh, and while it did contain some Airfix kits, it included various planes from whichever company made them. If anyone wonders what on earth I'm talking about, I checked and there is one on ebay right now, Battle of Britain Millennium Memorial Flight Collection Kit.

An interesting idea from Airfix, the King's Coronation (Flypast) Bundle. You get a lot of kits, albeit most of them the same. Nine Red Arrow Hawks, six Typhoons and six F-35B Lightning IIs, (we really need another name for our F-35s, calling them Lightnings only a few decades after the classic English Electric/BAC Lightnings is too confusing) as well as the BoB Memorial trio, (note, none of the helicopters that actually took part in the flypast, as did the Red Arrows but none of the other planes in the bundle). However, as far as I can tell, the decals included are just those from the standard kits. So while the Lanc, Spit and Hurricane can be built as individual aircraft, I think there is an option in the RA Hawk kit to build all nine aircraft with different registrations, the Typhoons and F-35Bs all have the same decals and are limited to far fewer airframes than you'd build to form the flypast, certainly fewer than six planes each. I appreciate the saving of 40% from rrp, but at £249.99, couldn't Airfix have included a decal set to allow twenty four individual aircraft as should have appeared in the flypast? After all, with the sale of each bundle they are shifting a small shed-load of three kits. Personally, I think a bundle containing one of each type of aircraft supposed to be participating on a bespoke stand would have been appreciated, and certainly more affordable than the £250 asking price of the KCF Bundle on offer now.