Airfix

[Weaver]

Airfix are re-branding their old-tool stuff as 'Vintage Classics' and are reissuing it in original-artwork boxes to differentiate it from new-tool stuff:

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/airfix-vintage-classics.html?

[zenrat]

Is it cynical of me to think that the real reason for this is because they know the interweb means they can no longer dupe the punters with new box art?

Some of that box art takes me right backs though.

[Thorvic]

Think its a very good idea, there are kits there that we grew up and were quite reasonable but far from current production standards. These are unlikely to be replaced anytime soon, and it seems a shame to let the tooling rust away in some warehouse. Now they can sell them with their own classic branding without the risk of compromising the quality of the reborn brand.

[Snowtrooper]

A good decision - when you're 10 and will rush to complete your model kit in one evening anyway, it doesn't have to be musem-quality accurate. Also, if these "Classic" kits are priced cheaper than new toolings, they will also help to lower the entry barrier to the hobby.

Never mind that inaccurate kits will do perfectly fine as whif-fodder too, it hurts far less both financially and psychologically to slice apart a €5 inaccurate blob than to butcher a €25 kit that has better details OOB than some PE and resin addons.

[Weaver]

The prices seem reasonable, but it's interesting to note that most of the subjects are armour and ships which don't have big decal sheets: a major part of the cost of a modern kit. It'll also be interesting to see the boxes: I wonder if they'll be smaller and have less printing on them to reduce costs?

[NARSES2]

Some of that box art takes me right backs though.

Especially the WWI soldiers. I'd forgotten all about the British horse artillery.

[kitnut617]

Some of that box art takes me right backs though.

Especially the WWI soldiers. I'd forgotten all about the British horse artillery.

Both my Granddads were Lieutenants in the Royal Horse Artillery during WWI (and both got gassed too) so had those Airfix sets in abundance. Started a diorama for a school project one time which would have included them but the project was to ambitious for me at the time and it didn't get finished. Also had a 'Britain's Toys' set too. 

[NARSES2]

I had a fair few Britain's sets as well, including, I seem to remember , a farm yard set ? When I was still quite young Britain's started producing in plastic, under the Herald banner to start with ?

[Weaver]

Yeah, my grandad was in the RHA in WWI and he got gassed too (mustard gas).

[AS.12]

The prices seem reasonable, but it's interesting to note that most of the subjects are armour and ships which don't have big decal sheets: a major part of the cost of a modern kit.

Interesting, I didn't realise decals were expensive to produce; I assumed after-market were pricey just because they could be.

When I'm CEO of Revfixgawa I'll commission an 'Enthusiasts Series' of the standard kits but without decals or instructions ( just get the PDF from our website ).  The boxes will be standardised and unmarked other than a sticker with the kit number.

Actually if you like that idea I'll take cash for pre-orders today..

[PR19_Kit]

When I'm CEO of Revfixgawa I'll commission an 'Enthusiasts Series' of the standard kits but without decals or instructions ( just get the PDF from our website ).  The boxes will be standardised and unmarked other than a sticker with the kit number.

While back one of the 1/144 airliner model companies did exactly that, it may have been Minicraft as they've just resurrected the idea.

The point being that there's a plethora of airline decals available, more than 10 times as many as there are different kits I reckon. It must have worked as they've just started to do it again with their MD80 kit, and Brad and I both have them.

[kitbasher]

Airfix are re-branding their old-tool stuff as 'Vintage Classics' and are reissuing it in original-artwork boxes to differentiate it from new-tool stuff:

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/shop/airfix-vintage-classics.html?

So no aircraft yet.  I suppose many have been superseded by more modern kits - not least by Airfix.
I wonder whether the Kitstarter (was that the name) initiative a year or more ago proved to be an insightful bit of market research that's led to this, or is Airfix just being honest?

Anyway, back to aircraft.  Now the vintage 1/72 kits I'd like to see back on the shelves (because they're not already in the builds or in the stash (mmm, not checked the stash list so there may be some mistakes here)) would be:
- Shorts Skyvan
- F-86D Sabre
- dH Heron
- Hawker Demon
- Fairey Rotodyne (I think I may have one)
- P-61 Black Widow (deffo whiffery material and I realise FROG P-61s are available at reason reasonable prices)
- Super Mystere
- F-80 Shooting Star
- Douglas Skyray

[PR19_Kit]

I wonder whether the Kitstarter (was that the name) initiative a year or more ago proved to be an insightful bit of market research that's led to this, or is Airfix just being honest?

I'm not sure, didn't they close down the Kitstarter event after only doing one model, the Beagle Bassett?

[Snowtrooper]

- P-61 Black Widow (deffo whiffery material and I realise FROG P-61s are available at reason reasonable prices)

Hobby Boss has just released A and B and is about to release C

[elmayerle]

Yeah, my grandad was in the RHA in WWI and he got gassed too (mustard gas).

Grandfather Mayerle was in the Infantry in France and he, too, was gassed (chlorine, IIRC).  Definitely contributed to his dying from TB around 1960.