A decent 72nd Spitfire F.XIVc highback from Airfix would suit me nicely.  There isn't a good one in 72nd.  Fujimi's is an ill fitting over engineered mess, the Academy one is a nice kit but an awful Spitfire and the Sword one is OOP.  AZ also did one, but it was a rather meh fuselage with their 18 kit, and the wings are 18 specific with none of the features on the 14e.

Eduard are doing the short nose Merlin types from later this year, the Vb is the one I'm interested in, as all the other 72nd Vbs are either v.old (Airfix, Smer/Mistercraft) or awful (Italeri, Revell, KP (which has an odd canopy and shape issues)).

I'd like a 1/35 Avis Stalwart.  I don't expect to get one though.

Quote from: zenrat on January 12, 2025, 04:31:18 AMI'd like a 1/35 Avis Stalwart.  I don't expect to get one though.

Yep!

Quote from: zenrat on January 12, 2025, 04:31:18 AMI'd like a 1/35 Avis Stalwart.  I don't expect to get one though.

Frankly, I'd like to see more logistics/support assets in 1/35.  Or conversion sets like shelters (S-250/S-788), the mobile maintenance box (SECM), etc.

I'm expecting at least a couple from Kinetic, both will certainly be in 1/48 and one is the Fiat G.91R3/4 and the other is the Atlas Cheetah C.
The Fiat was cancelled when they first posted CAD images because it had mistakes that were pointed out by folks on Facebook and Kinetic listened. The kit is listed on Scalemates for release in 2025 so, i'm hoping this time it's actually coming out.
The Cheetah C is because they've done the D and the Kfir C.10 and although the Cheetah C needs a new fuselage, the rest of the parts are already in production for the other two kits so i believe they'll end up doing it sooner or later.
Would be great to see a modern, more accurate A-7 family than the Hobbyboss kits, that intake is just weird...
I know there are resin conversion sets but i'd rather work in styrene... Hasegawa's 1/48 kit is only for the D/E variants so, no chance of an A-7A/B/P without a conversion set or either erase some panels and engrave new ones and drill holes for the two Colt cannons. I guess that the Fujimi kits would also be welcome re-editions, maybe Italeri or Hobby 2000 boxes.

Fujimi are supposed to be moving to rerelease most of their aviation back catalogue under their own label, rather than let someone reboot it.  Why let someone else make a profit on your tooling?

Quote from: The Wooksta! on January 12, 2025, 08:16:57 AMFujimi are supposed to be moving to rerelease most of their aviation back catalogue under their own label, rather than let someone reboot it.  Why let someone else make a profit on your tooling?

Oh, that's news to me... and good news they are! 
And i agree, if they're still in business, why let others profit from your product, right? I only mentioned the Italeri and Hobby 2000 boxes cause i believe they have a few of the Fujimi kits in their boxes. Italeri's 2019 1/72 Mig-21 is the Fujimi kit, same as the 2020 Hobby 2000 A-4 Skyhawk kits... Maybe something to do with distribution in Europe?

Quote from: Old Wombat on January 12, 2025, 06:39:05 AM

Quote from: zenrat on January 12, 2025, 04:31:18 AMI'd like a 1/35 Avis Stalwart.  I don't expect to get one though.

Yep!

I am obviously f**kin' psychic.  Who wants this week's lotto numbers?
 

Quote from: Beermonster58 on January 30, 2025, 12:53:45 AMWhat is "niche" anyway? What are the parameters used to determine" niche"? Surely every kit ever made is one "niche" or another?
Getting back to the Scimitar, I recall a story from another site a few years back. The Airfix rep was at Telford asking for suggestions for future kits. The word "Scimitar" was mentioned. The response apparently was an outburst of laughter .

For Airfix, anything not already on the market from half a dozen manufacturers, and which cannot be reboxed in a hundred different decal schemes, is niche. Better to do new tooling for a 1:72 scale Spitfire Mk IX, in both kiddie and expert editions and three different scales, than embark on the prototype or a floatplane Mk IX - or, Heaven forbid, a Scimitar! What I think they are really afraid of is that the East European "limited-run" folks can nowadays turn out enough to satisfy most markets, so let's not compete with them and just stick to serious mass production and eternal reissues. How the mighty are fallen!

Quote from: steelpillow on January 30, 2025, 01:12:42 AMWhat I think they are really afraid of is that the East European "limited-run" folks can nowadays turn out enough to satisfy most markets, so let's not compete with them and just stick to serious mass production and eternal reissues. How the mighty are fallen!

Whilst I wouldn't put it like that I do think you are right. Personally I think the market has settled and everybody is relatively comfortable in their place within it. Can't really think where the next set of "interlopers" come from, at least not in my lifetime 

Quote from: NARSES2 on January 30, 2025, 01:44:24 AMCan't really think where the next set of "interlopers" come from

If white-ink printers come down in cost, then decal databases would flourish and the reboxing market would die. A big "If" for a market which the printer manufacturers probably see as niche.

Quote from: steelpillow on January 30, 2025, 01:57:33 AMIf white-ink printers come down in cost, then decal databases would flourish and the reboxing market would die. A big "If" for a market which the printer manufacturers probably see as niche.

I wish! 

Quote from: PR19_Kit on January 30, 2025, 02:13:09 AM

Quote from: steelpillow on January 30, 2025, 01:57:33 AMIf white-ink printers come down in cost, then decal databases would flourish and the reboxing market would die. A big "If" for a market which the printer manufacturers probably see as niche.

I wish! 

If your hand/eye is steady enough, there are some 10-packs of 1mm white ink pens on AliExpress...

All of the "white ink" printers on the market are sublimation printers used to print heat activated transfers for fabric, ceramic mugs, glassware etc.
The machines and inks are very expensive
and not at suitable for printing decals for plastic models. Well, not unless you don't mind using an iron on your model.

Quote from: jcf on February 16, 2025, 12:05:49 PMAll of the "white ink" printers on the market are sublimation printers.

Epson have been selling their Ultrachrome white ink for their top-range inkjets for several years now. Their current model is the SureColor SC-V7000.
There is also the Ghost white toner for laser printers.

QuoteThe machines and inks are very expensive

Quite so. You have nailed the reason they would need to come down in price.