Box Inflation

[puddingwrestler]

Isn't that a touch extreme? I think they should be crammed into one of thier own end opening boxes my self.

[NARSES2]

I think I may try and have a chat with the Revell reps on a quiet Sunday at Telford to try and find out "Why the end opening box" ?

[Weaver]

Wonder how that compares to the Airfix "kit plus paint and glue" boxes, which are an end-opening box with an open-topped tray inside them - best of both worlds?

[Maverick]

With my stash restock arriving today, I got a mix of "Top & Bottom" and "End Opening" boxes.  Perhaps the most disappointing was Italeri's Barchino motor-boat with beautful artwork, reference book, superbly presented kit but in a flimsy end opener!  Whilst I agree with Lee that it's most likely simple economics that see the end-opening boxes take their place on centre stage, I can't help but thing that, since our pockets are being regularly hammered with each year that goes by, can't manufacturers listen to the modelling public and give us this one, simple courtesy.

As for the inflation of boxes, my 'new' Airfix Islander / Defender seems a whols lot bigger than I remember the box as a young'un when I first built the kit back in the 70s.  That said however, both it and the Lysander re-issue have canopies as separately bagged elements which I think is fairly decent.  At least that's some degree of feedback being taken to heart by some of the manufactuers out there.

Weaver, the "kit plus, etc boxings" are generally tripe in my opinion, although I haven't encountered an Airfix example with tray.  Usually the paints supplied are the mose baseline colour imaginable and most hobby stores seem to think that adding the same price again is a fair chop for some 2nd rate paints and a tube of glue.

Regards,

Mav

[Geoff]

Of course it could be that all the model companies now realsie they have more chance of selling a few to Aircav if they are in bigger boxes! (Sorry Steve!)

[Weaver]

Weaver, the "kit plus, etc boxings" are generally tripe in my opinion, although I haven't encountered an Airfix example with tray.  Usually the paints supplied are the mose baseline colour imaginable and most hobby stores seem to think that adding the same price again is a fair chop for some 2nd rate paints and a tube of glue.

Oh I agree - I was simply talking about the design of the boxes, not the general marketing concept. The point is that it puts all the printing on one sheet of card, as per the end-openers, but it still has the advantages of the "tray" which is provided by the bottom half of a top-opening box.   

[NARSES2]

Of course it could be that all the model companies now realsie they have more chance of selling a few to Aircav if they are in bigger boxes! (Sorry Steve!)

Why on earth didn't I think of that, spot on Geoff 

[Aircav]

Of course it could be that all the model companies now realsie they have more chance of selling a few to Aircav if they are in bigger boxes! (Sorry Steve!)

I'll get you for that, just wait till were in Prague again 

[Maverick]

Oh I agree - I was simply talking about the design of the boxes, not the general marketing concept. The point is that it puts all the printing on one sheet of card, as per the end-openers, but it still has the advantages of the "tray" which is provided by the bottom half of a top-opening box.   

Yeah, I figured you weren't espousing the idea of the paints, etc.  I think it's fair to say that very few would. 

As I mentioned in my post, I haven't come across the system here in rural Oz, although that doesn't mean they're not about in general out here, at least in the cities.  The only 'combos' our 'local' shops tend to get are the plastic ones that have a plastic bubble wrapped around a kit box with the requisite paints, etc and a price that's usually inflated twofold at the ver least.

How does the Airfix thing go?  I mean, is is an end opener with a separate tray or is there something else involved like one homogenous sheet of card that folds a million ways to produce the tray within the box?  The latter seems like a clever idea, if that's the case.  'Twould keep the bean counters in Accounts happy with printing & cardboard costs and yet give modellers a fair chance.

Regards,

Mav

[MartG]

Is there a support group for all of the folks that feel this way about that style of boxing?  Personally, I think the person responsible for deciding on that form of box should be flogged in public and dragged about town behind a bus until all of their clothing is in tatters. 

Isn't that a touch extreme? I think they should be crammed into one of thier own end opening boxes my self.

Nah - just weld their car doors shut so they have to crawl in and out via the tailgate/boot

[Weaver]

Oh I agree - I was simply talking about the design of the boxes, not the general marketing concept. The point is that it puts all the printing on one sheet of card, as per the end-openers, but it still has the advantages of the "tray" which is provided by the bottom half of a top-opening box.   

Yeah, I figured you weren't espousing the idea of the paints, etc.  I think it's fair to say that very few would. 

As I mentioned in my post, I haven't come across the system here in rural Oz, although that doesn't mean they're not about in general out here, at least in the cities.  The only 'combos' our 'local' shops tend to get are the plastic ones that have a plastic bubble wrapped around a kit box with the requisite paints, etc and a price that's usually inflated twofold at the ver least.

How does the Airfix thing go?  I mean, is is an end opener with a separate tray or is there something else involved like one homogenous sheet of card that folds a million ways to produce the tray within the box?  The latter seems like a clever idea, if that's the case.  'Twould keep the bean counters in Accounts happy with printing & cardboard costs and yet give modellers a fair chance.

Regards,

Mav

Picture paints a thousand words and all that:


This is the kind of Airfix boxing I'm talking about. The inner tray is unprinted rough cardboard, the outer is printed on all sides. That box has THREE Me262s (but no paint/glue/brush) in it now BTW, yet isn't stupidly big.

I'm actually not opposed to the idea of all-in-one starter kits in principle, since modern kids have little patience and the "batteries not included" syndrome is very disappointing. However the reality of most of them leaves a lot to be desired since they usually have low-quality components and can't have liquid-poly for obvious H&S reasons. What I wish they'd include is a decent little booklet which admits that the kits' contents are only the basics, explains how and where they can get better gear, and includes a basic modelling tutorial.

[Weaver]

Few more pictures to illustrate the point:


The Airfix Strikemaster originally came in a box the size of the Magister kit in the picture. It now comes in one the size of the Pucara kit.



The Airfix Bird Dog originally looked as lost in a blister pack as that Camel. Now it comes in a box the same size as the Gnat one! (How disappointing is that to a kid?)



The Gnat used to come in a blister pack too. This is how lost it looks in it's current-sized box.

[Weaver]

Cheaper and ease of manufacture.  You're printing the front and back on one run (actually 4 or five due to the colour and then the lamination).  Much as we hate them, they're here to stay.

But most top-opening boxes don't have any printing on the inner/lower box, and Revell "waste" the back of their end-openers with adverts for other kits rather than info about the kit inside. Granted a top-opener still uses more cardboard (duplicated sides) and more assembly effort than an end-opener.

[Maverick]

Picture paints a thousand words and all that:

This is the kind of Airfix boxing I'm talking about. The inner tray is unprinted rough cardboard, the outer is printed on all sides. That box has THREE Me262s (but no paint/glue/brush) in it now BTW, yet isn't stupidly big.

I'm actually not opposed to the idea of all-in-one starter kits in principle, since modern kids have little patience and the "batteries not included" syndrome is very disappointing. However the reality of most of them leaves a lot to be desired since they usually have low-quality components and can't have liquid-poly for obvious H&S reasons. What I wish they'd include is a decent little booklet which admits that the kits' contents are only the basics, explains how and where they can get better gear, and includes a basic modelling tutorial.

An interesting concept, almost like a traditional "lid & tray" but with an extra side for the "lid".  I'm not 100% sure why they'd go that route, given that it seems to be both rather than an improvement over either.  If it were "lid & tray" they'd save the cardboard costs for one panel (& printing), since it's an end opener, why bother putting the tray inside?  Or is this just a case of keeping the paints, etc from bouncing around?

Definitley agree on the quality of the 'includeds' though.  I guess it's some bean-counters idea of enhancing the product to appeal to youngsters.

Regards,

Mav

[puddingwrestler]

How about opening fold back lid type boxes, such as Revell-Monogram's car models came in during the 90s (as did other kits I'm sure, but I bought the cars so I know...) They can be printed on one sheet, yet they are sturdier and easier to use and to pack...
Just a tought.