My wishlist for future new tools

[Harold Smith]

Okay I know some of these are more "commercial" than others, but these are what I'd put my hand in my pocket for:

 

PLANES

1/72nd AMX - no idea why there hasn't been a kit of this yet, but Kinetic(?) are doing a 1/48th one so it must be possible.

1/72nd Martin-Baker MB.5 - the world is full of "Luft '46" kits, some of which only ever existed as sketches and had zero chance of being built, so how about a kit of this excellent British prototype, said by some to be the best British piston-engined fighter ever designed, which was actually built and flown? It seems an ideal subject for Airfix.

1/72nd Fairey FD.2 - a British world speed record breaker which went on to help with Concorde development, yet has only ever been poorly served by the old FROG/NOVO mould.

 

ARMOUR

1/72nd or 1/76th M18 Hellcat - as far as I can tell there has NEVER been a small scale model of this good-looking vehicle. Gap in the market?

1/76th FV432 - to go with the other "forgotten era" British AFVs like the Saladin and Saracen. preferable with multiple options/boxings to cover a range of versions.

1/76th Ferret - see above for reasons. Possibly two to a box?

1/76th Stalwart - ditto.

 

SHIPS

(All either 1/600th or 1/700th - commercial call as to whether to make them fit with the existing Airfix 1/600th ranges or move to the 1/700th modern standard)

NEW TOOL Leander class frigate - the old Airfix Leander is pretty poor and this iconic British export success deserves better coverage. There are a huge number of versions due to exports and upgrades so loads of room for multiple versions/boxings/aftermarket tie-ins etc...

HMS Hermes - Invincible has been done to death, but her Falklands partner hasn't been covered at all. As obviously sellable and anything with Falklands written on it.

Ark Royal (post-war) - Britain's biggest and last (so far) conventional carriers with the Ark having a particular place in people's hearts. It might be possible to make Eagle with alternative bits too.

 

SPACECRAFT

Skylon - Thoroughly British project, in need of publicity and support ,and according to another thread hereabouts, Alan Bond is keen on the idea of an Airfix model.

Modern Thunderbirds - I know Gerry Anderson licencing issue can get complicated, but since there's a re-booted animated series now out, is there any possibility of tie-in models for the new-style craft? Since they're CGI, data would hardly be an issue.