Well, I have to say in all candour that (personal view only) it's another massively overhyped yet underwhelming release programme . Only 1 new 1/72 aircraft and, it's yet another boring, grey jet in a market not exactly short of F-35s. Gannet? Well, interesting choice but, I won't buy it in that scale. As for the rest of the 1/72 &1/48 aircraft, it seems Airfix has turned itself into a supplier of decals with kits attached. Sorry but, I already have most of the reissues in earlier guise so, I won't be bothering with them either.

On the bright side, the Vintage Classics  range Buffalo,Rotodyne and Great Western are very welcome as, is the 1/24 Ju -87  - provided it's at a reasonable price!
As I said, personal view only.  It's not a complete washout but,overall, very disappointing.

Now to sit back and see what the rest of the manufacturers have to offer. Could be a very cheap year!

1/72 Auster, Brewster Buffalo, Rotodyne looking forward to seeing those again 

the 1/180 Great Western would make a nice 1/144 scale gunboat with a few minor modifications 

The current F-35 is in their Quickbuild range, not really a kit.  This new one is listed in their starter set range and is a simplified kit like the Spitfire and Hawk launched last year.

It's not a bad haul to be fair.  Two new aircraft, two new armour kits and two new cars (forgot to add the McClaren earlier, sorted).

Important to note is that some of the Vintage Classics rereleases (Auster & Bond Bug) have new-tool transparencies which, if they live up to the hype, should make the kits MORE buildable than they've ever been.

Interesting that they said in the video that the 1/24th Stuka would have 'uncensored' artwork. Presumably that means the swastika on the tail, however the art they showed in the video still didn't include it. That might be down to a couple of things: the uncensored artwork just might not be ready yet, or it might be due to Youtube's automatic systems not liking swastikas. The latter seems petty, but I know Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons had a problem a few years ago: he used to put a flag in the corner of all his thumbnails and one video about a WWII German gun got blocked for it.

Fred Zenrat will be happy, even if it's not a new mould Rotodyne. 

I wonder if relentless pressure from our Forum decided them to do that?

And I LOVE the re-popped Bond Bug! The roaring sales success of the Pendle resin slot racing version may have triggered that off. I'll get a few of them, even at £11 each, just in case. 

To say I'm underwhelmed would be an overstatement.  Surely they could have been a bit more imaginative with the Mosquito markings?

Heller are rereleasing the 48th Jag at some point.

Yes, all rather underwhelming (sorry Airfix) but hope the Gannet sells well (although not my scale).  I may be tempted by an F-35 just out of curiosity; perhaps I can buy a Rotodyne so it can gather dust in the stash prior to being turned into a rotorless, extended span trash-hauler whif only to be eventually disposed of - just like the other Airfix Rotodyne I bought about 10 years ago!

Everything else I've either got in the stash, had and built or not excited about.  A sign of advancing years and disposable income, I guess.

Quote from: Gondor on January 10, 2023, 09:04:45 AMAirfix do an F-35 already, a Snap Together kit. Interestingly when you look at the Starter Set for the F-35 it says new tool but it's not in the NEW for 2023 list 

The Airfix F-35 was in the 'wannabe Lego' Quick Build range, not a snap-together kit (https://www.scalemates.com/kits/airfix-j6040-f-35b-lightning-ii--1260852).

4 new 1/43 car kits (why ?  )
1 x 48th Gannet in the early ASW version so doesn't go with Buccaneer or Sea Vixen - Could have gone AEW3 or at least do the COD version !!
35th Ferret and Austin trucks will be welcome by Brit armour builders
72nd 1 beginners F-35B basic kit, nice to finally have Airfix actually do a new in-service RAF front line kit, but no mainstream kit
Sod all new tools in 72nd just alternative versions or re-boxed kits with new decal options.
Even the Vintage kits are inconsistent not taken opportunity to do the 1/600 RN frigates, to go with Fearless and Devonshire.

Feels like new Labour pandering to minority ranges or the more vocal 48th mafia and giving the mainstream 72nd modellers sweet fanny adams   

Considering the numbers of TSR2, Phantoms, Buccaneers that I bought, they will be lucky to get the odd kit out of me again this year, feel like we are being taken for granted and short changed (just look at the difference in what they provided between the 48th and 72nd Buccaneers, they tweak the Hunter kit and add parts to do the additional variants, no new sprue to replace the vent details they missed off the Phantom or do the 70s/80s Buccaneers with Martel/ Sea Eagles.

The only new 72nd tool seen so far from the mainstream western European manufacturers to warrant a pre-order so far is the Heller Hawkeye as Airfix and  Revell have given sod all to look forward too and Italeri are so crap these days they cant even get the new tools out in 72nd - still no sign of AMX announced last year

I'll join the 'underwhelmed' gang. To my mind, such as it is, the nicest is probably the 1/48th Vampire. It's a small aircraft in real life, and the various 1/72nd ones are a bit fiddly when you get that small. I think that will be a good seller.

The positive I'm taking from this is that my wallet won't be taking a hammering. I'll get a PR16 Mossie as I've plans for one or three but that's about it.

Quote from: Thorvic on January 10, 2023, 02:19:04 PM1 x 48th Gannet in the early ASW version so doesn't go with Buccaneer or Sea Vixen - Could have gone AEW3 or at least do the COD version !!

The Gannet is an ASW 1/4 the main visible difference was the blanking over of some windows. THe difference between the ASW4 and the COD 4 was the removal of the electronics, modification of the weapons bay to carry pallets and the ability to carry baggage pods under the inner wings and a longer HF antenna. So it should be easy enough to convert and there is also the possibility that Airfix have the parts on the sprue as a future release.

Gondor

Quote from: Thorvic on January 10, 2023, 02:19:04 PMFeels like new Labour pandering to minority ranges or the more vocal 48th mafia and giving the mainstream 72nd modellers sweet fanny adams   

They've got a video up showing the 2023 Club offer, which includes a 1/72nd Meteor FR.9, and somebody left this comment:

QuoteUgh...1/72 scale....Why would anyone build such smaller planes in this scale? I can see the bigger planes like the JU52 or B-17 but a plane like this of the bf109? Way to small.....IMHO of course...

    

There are some poor benighted fools who think 1/72, the prince of scales, is "too small".  Their loss.  I .look forward to the Ferret.  Finally one that is cheap enough to buy and build - provided the price is right, of course!  The Rotodyne I particularly look forward to!  The rest?  Much of a muchness as far as I am concerned.   

Some grumpy gits on here today. 

More thumbs up for the Ferret from me.
After down sizing my house, size matters, so attractive as the Gannet may be, not for me. I am sure though there will be some very happy folks out there