Airfix's simplified kits.

[ian_rutland]

A bit of brainstorming here . . . . Bear with me. I've been at this kit lark since my first Airfix kit, HMS Victory, in 1956.

I have bought the recently released simplified kits of the Hawk and Spitfire V. They are actually decent little kits, so I may be looking at getting the Sherman and Tiger, too. Now we have the F-35B and Spitfire set, so that's going on the list.

I have three grandchildren that are enjoying building with LEGO Tecnix and Airfix Snap Together kits. As they get older, they seem to be getting interested in making things, so these kits will just hit the spot.

What I would like to suggest to Airfix, is an ongoing range of these simplified models for kids to cut their teeth on. Some of the starter kits available now are not really suitable. If we are to see a new generation of modelers, then we need to see some kits that are simple to build, without looking naff, popular subjects, and a low price. Keeping the prices under £9.99 is a MUST. The current Airfix Red Boxes are super. They stand out on shelves. Give them good box art and a new name for the range, and away you go. Including a cardboard base in the box and a small cut out back scene would also add to the appeal. It all adds value.

Don't fill starter kit boxes with tricky builds. Keep it simple, keep the cost down, and use the box art to draw the eye.

Add ons' would be great, allowing the new modeler to build a scene. This could be a download from the Airfix Web Site. They just print them off and build them up. Another addition could be a handbook / Comic that includes info on building your models and bases, some photos, sketches and details about what they are making, and maybe an illustrated story featuring the model. Remember those Combat Picture Library books that we all bought in the 60's? There could also be On-Line pages where they could submit photos of their models sitting on their bases.

Extrapolating out on the comic theme, how about selling them as a sort of Part work in supermarkets, art shops and craft stores. Every month you buy the Magazine, which comes with a blister packed kit. Those blister packs were iconic packaging when my kids were growing up. You could see the kit inside with it's decals. The magazine would carry the features mentioned above, Tips and Tricks, Paint guides, Potted Histories, a nice sketch page, and the Graphic Novel / Comic.

The magazine would also have a card insert with a base and building printed onto it. This would serve to stiffen the package. The box art would be the Magazine cover. The rear would have the paint guide. Keep this down to £9.99 and you could have the equivalent of the old Two Bob Kits in Woolies.

A range of extras could be included to order direct. Just a flight of fancy by an old modeler. Hope you find it of interest. Feel free to contact me.

[jopres57]

Its a good idea to have some kits that don't have state of the art detail and are a bit simpler to build and less expensive. I think that's a good way to have more new releases, which given the number of kit requests in the 'wishlist' section will be well received. State of the art kits are really good but it seems like they can't be developed fast enough to give us a regular supply of new planes, vehicles and ships as in previous years. Other manufacturers seem to get away with producing good kits with fewer parts so Airfix could. Perhaps we could have more like the Vintage Classics but better moulded.

[Hurricane Boy]

Hi Ian

You make some very interesting and valid points. We need many "kit bashing" youngsters buying and building Airfix kits to maintain Airfix as a viable business. Airfix can't survive on just Ratch and Randell's impressive production rates!

I agree with you that this is the way to get there.

I have started the grandkids on the Airfix Snap Together kits. They have been well accepted. Soon I will be introducing the Starter Kits as they will soon be able to handle the glue and paint.

The new 1/72nd F-35B starter kit looks quite impressive in the recent review in Airfix Model World magazine. Bearing in mind the kit has been built by a very skilled modeler who used some aftermarket parts, the low parts count in the high 30's has yielded a very good looking model. Compare this part count to the similar sized Airfix F-4 and Buccaneer kits with 130 to 160 parts. To be fair, many of the parts on the F-4 and Buccaneer are weapons or weapons bay items which are none existent on the F-35.

The basic shape, panel lines, molding, etc are great, typical of all of the recent (last 10 years or so) Airfix releases ..... the only real challenge for youngsters will be painting the RAM panel lines.

While some on this forum have raised concern about the parts counts, I am sure that others are seeing some relief in that number and are going to have a go at it.

Cheers

Tim

[treker_ed]

The more recent F-35B have been painted in a single colour, and the RAM panels don't stand out as such. Not sure this applies to those being delivered to the RAF but certainly those currently being delivered to the USMC and USN have much reduced visibility in the paint differences of the RAM tape. It's one way to get round the need to mask and paint the different colours.

[SD45elect2000]

Hi Ian

You make some very interesting and valid points. We need many "kit bashing" youngsters buying and building Airfix kits to maintain Airfix as a viable business. Airfix can't survive on just Ratch and Randell's impressive production rates!

Tim

 

 

I do play my part.

[Ratch]

The simplified kits are targeting new modellers in particular. More so than the Starter Kit sets with acrylic paint, brush and glue included. Airfix seem to have a clear strategy, the Sprue Talk videos are quite enlightening.

[Hurricane Boy]

So the Starter Sets are the simplified kits …. Like the 26 part Sptifire Vc supplied with paints, glue and brushes

The Gift Set kits are the regular kits … say the 1/72nd Typhoon with 73parts also with paints, glue and brushes.

The Quick Build kits are the snap together kits in no particular scale no glue required and no paint needed (or wanted by the parents)

So for my grandkids, having mastered the Quick Build kits, it is on to the Starter Set Kit while the more complex Gift Set kits are a few years out.

All are very good because other than maybe a hobby knife on the Starter Sets and Gift Sets, they have all the ingredients to be completed out of the box.

[Ratch]

So the Starter Sets are the simplified kits ….

 

 

No. the simplified kits are Beginner Sets

 

 

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II 2023 

Red Arrows Hawk 2020

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc 2020

Sherman Firefly 2020

Tiger 1 2020

 

 

Then there are the normal kits that include paint & glue and are labelled Starter Sets

[Hurricane Boy]

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[Ratch]

Know the product.

[Hurricane Boy]

Yes. If you read .... it says on the box, Starter Set....not Beginner Set

At least on this side of the Atlantic.

[Adrian-352009]

They are all labelled as Starter sets on the packaging.

[Telecaster]

I've built the Hawk and the F35, and they are great little kits. The engineering is so good a lot of the parts 'click' together with no gaps.

I guess the challenge for the range is finding enough subjects that 'youngsters' would recognise and want to build, like the Red Arrows and F-35. A new Typhoon maybe?

The other thing that could be added to guides could be a 'pathway' to modeling. A bit like getting a provisional licence - you've done a few of the simplified kits, which 'intermediate' kits should you try next?

The other challenge after the starter sets is paint. There's a shop near me that sells Airfix kits, but the nearest place to me that sells Humbrol paint is about 18 miles away. So, if I was a beginner, what paints do I use on a kit where they aren't included? Lots of places sell Citadel paints, but I guess Hornby would be reluctant to offer conversion charts.

[Ratch]

I guess Hornby would be reluctant to offer conversion charts.

 

 

The Humbrol paint coversion chart (P1158) offers matches for many brands, including Gunz, Lifecolour, Revell, Tamiya, AMMO-MIG and Vallejo.