Quote from: zenrat on January 16, 2023, 02:57:34 AM

Quote from: Weaver on January 16, 2023, 02:50:48 AM

Quote from: zenrat on January 16, 2023, 02:45:58 AM

Quote from: Rick Lowe on January 15, 2023, 08:50:48 PM

Quote from: Nick on January 14, 2023, 08:48:05 AM

Quote from: zenrat on January 14, 2023, 03:06:24 AMIs the problem that the local distributors aren't ordering enough, or is the supply from Airfix throttled?

Don't know.  The demand is there but the shelves are empty.  Larger more distant stores seem to get stock.  Small local retailers suffer. 

Is it possible you actually just answered your own question? Use of the terms "larger" and, "small"? Big orders go to those with bigger bucks and, bigger orders?

Quote from: Beermonster58 on January 15, 2023, 11:26:33 PMLack of choice perhaps? Maybe the manufacturers took away the option from consumers, telling them that if they wanted a kit of (insert) , then it was going to be 1/48 or, not at all? (Tongue only slightly in cheek!)   I don't really have an answer to the "whatever reason". There could be many reasons.

Exactly my point earlier. If they want you buy 1/48 scale kits they can just stop making 1/72 scale ones.

And we can't MAKE them produce 1/72 scale stuff, canm we?

No, but we could boycott the 72nd ones.

Quote from: PR19_Kit on January 16, 2023, 03:43:52 AM

Quote from: Beermonster58 on January 15, 2023, 11:26:33 PMLack of choice perhaps? Maybe the manufacturers took away the option from consumers, telling them that if they wanted a kit of (insert) , then it was going to be 1/48 or, not at all? (Tongue only slightly in cheek!)   I don't really have an answer to the "whatever reason". There could be many reasons.

Exactly my point earlier. If they want you buy 1/48 scale kits they can just stop making 1/72 scale ones.

And we can't MAKE them produce 1/72 scale stuff, canm we?

Thing is, the Chinese & Japanese companies were producing 1/72 aircraft kits at the same time, in roughly the same numbers (along with a fair number of 1/35 armour kits), but much of it was Luft/Heer '46 or Napkin/Coasterwaffen stuff, or other, general, Nazi-Wunderwaffen.

Quote from: The Wooksta! on January 16, 2023, 05:45:38 AMNo, but we could boycott the 72nd ones.

A cunning plan!  Let's help show there's no demand for 1/72 aircraft so they don't have to make any more of them!!

Let's just accept it's a lean year for brand new Airfix 1/72 aircraft, encourage those who don't already have the subjects covered by the repops to buy and build the repops, wish Airfix well with their release programme, get back to enjoying our modelling and look forward to a better Airfix haul in 2024.

Quote from: kitbasher on January 16, 2023, 06:02:58 AMLet's just accept it's a lean year for brand new Airfix 1/72 aircraft, encourage those who don't already have the subjects covered by the repops to buy and build the repops, wish Airfix well with their release programme, get back to enjoying our modelling and look forward to a better Airfix haul in 2024.

Couldn't of put t better

Quote from: kitbasher on January 16, 2023, 06:02:58 AM

Quote from: The Wooksta! on January 16, 2023, 05:45:38 AMNo, but we could boycott the 72nd ones.

A cunning plan!  Let's help show there's no demand for 1/72 aircraft so they don't have to make any more of them!!

Let's just accept it's a lean year for brand new Airfix 1/72 aircraft, encourage those who don't already have the subjects covered by the repops to buy and build the repops, wish Airfix well with their release programme, get back to enjoying our modelling and look forward to a better Airfix haul in 2024.

Trouble is that doesn't work, if they offer mediocrity and uninspired releases, then we wont buy and they will judge the market is dying and put even less effort into 2024 72nd scale thus we get nowt.

I certainly will not be buying re-issues of recent kits with new decal options that have already been picked up from aftermarket sets and pay even more for it, they have been playing us short for sometime as you can see the extra effort going into the 48th kits compared with the that make do attitude in 72nd.

One thought...how many of you who wish for more new 1/72 releases are active on Airfix's social media?  I don't use the Electric Twittering Box, but I do use Facebook and Airfix's page is one of the ones I follow.  They do a lot of soliciting on there as far as the new releases people would like to see and the company seems to respond to a lot of comments. Now, I understand that the person running their social media is not the same person making decisions on new kits, but I'm guessing for a company that size the decision makers are aware of the feedback coming in.  Maybe if more people went there and made the kind of reasoned and impassioned argument seen on here for more 1/72 products someone might take notice. 

Anyway....just a thought on perhaps a way to make your frustration known in a way that makes some small difference. Or at least get an explanation for the disappointing releases. 

i had a bit of a baulk at the cost of a ferret, then i realised that a games workshop predator  is roughly the same size and around half as much again...    so nope not that expensive.
and as ive no idea how much a dyne goes for on the market, i dought its be more getting it new.   and i have decals from 1:72 stuff i got in the past.

There's an hilarious sense of entitlement in some of these comments.

Quote from: AeroplaneDriver on January 16, 2023, 09:26:23 AMOne thought...how many of you who wish for more new 1/72 releases are active on Airfix's social media?  I don't use the Electric Twittering Box, but I do use Facebook and Airfix's page is one of the ones I follow.  They do a lot of soliciting on there as far as the new releases people would like to see and the company seems to respond to a lot of comments. Now, I understand that the person running their social media is not the same person making decisions on new kits, but I'm guessing for a company that size the decision makers are aware of the feedback coming in.  Maybe if more people went there and made the kind of reasoned and impassioned argument seen on here for more 1/72 products someone might take notice. 

Anyway....just a thought on perhaps a way to make your frustration known in a way that makes some small difference. Or at least get an explanation for the disappointing releases. 

Their FB page comments can be ridiculous, but I've actually made a thing of "voting" or suggesting kits when they ask. No luck so far, though.. 

Quote from: jcf on January 16, 2023, 01:43:37 PMThere's an hilarious sense of entitlement in some of these comments.

Really? Not entirely sure you arrive at that conclusion but, it's quite hilarious how often people mistake a genuine sense of disappointment for a "sense of entitlement"!  

Quote from: Thorvic on January 16, 2023, 08:56:21 AM

Quote from: kitbasher on January 16, 2023, 06:02:58 AM

Quote from: The Wooksta! on January 16, 2023, 05:45:38 AMNo, but we could boycott the 72nd ones.

A cunning plan!  Let's help show there's no demand for 1/72 aircraft so they don't have to make any more of them!!

Let's just accept it's a lean year for brand new Airfix 1/72 aircraft, encourage those who don't already have the subjects covered by the repops to buy and build the repops, wish Airfix well with their release programme, get back to enjoying our modelling and look forward to a better Airfix haul in 2024.

Trouble is that doesn't work, if they offer mediocrity and uninspired releases, then we wont buy and they will judge the market is dying and put even less effort into 2024 72nd scale thus we get nowt.

I certainly will not be buying re-issues of recent kits with new decal options that have already been picked up from aftermarket sets and pay even more for it, they have been playing us short for sometime as you can see the extra effort going into the 48th kits compared with the that make do attitude in 72nd.

Inclined to agree with that. If Airfix  bean counters think the risk involved in alienating a significant proportion of customers is worth it then, so be it. That's their choice. If it results in overall falling sales and profits then they have none to blame but themselves.  I can only speak for myself but, Airfix has produced little of (personal) interest  in the way of new items for several years now. I'm certainly not buying retreads of recent kits (at much higher prices) of items I already have in their original guise. My choice of course. For the last two years the only Airfix kits I bought have been from the Vintage Classics range. 2023 will be the same.

Although in the past Airfix has hinted that they might make the Avro Lincoln B.2 kit more people have put this on their wishlist not only on Facebook but Instagram.

If some of you want to get an insight into what it takes to run a modern hobby company then the Yesterday channel on UK T.V. has just started the second season of its Hornby : A Model World documentary series. A fascinating insight into what it takes to run a modern hobby company from initial design, through production and eventual marketing. And it doesn't forget the all important financial side of things.

Covers all aspects of their business : Trains, Airfix and Scalextric. Well worth it