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Airfix

Started by Radish, September 01, 2007, 09:46:18 AM

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DogfighterZen

Could it be possible that some of the moulds are with other companies like Heller? The SA-330 Puma and SA-341/342 Gazelle were originally Airfix moulds that were reboxed several times by Heller so, maybe they still have those and might explain why those haven't been released again?
Those would probably be good sellers despite being 50+ year old moulds... i find it surprising that there are no modern 1/72 kits of those helicopters...
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PR19_Kit

Some of us are OLDER than their moulds anyway....................
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Beermonster58

Quote from: NARSES2 on July 23, 2024, 05:22:08 AM
Quote from: The Rat on July 22, 2024, 10:26:36 PM
Quote from: NARSES2 on July 22, 2024, 05:53:39 AMSome that do exist possibly should have been "lost" years ago as well, but that's a different story.

I think I've built all of those!  ;D  ;D  ;D

 ;D  ;D

Quote from: Beermonster58 on July 22, 2024, 09:57:28 PMThey can keep the wheely things but, certainly agree on the 54mm figures - recently managed to get the English Civil War Collection! ;)  ;D  :thumbsup:

Fond memories of those, built all of them as it was before I could afford "lead" 54mm figures. They almost certainly still hold their own now, the horses in particular were very good.

Compared very favourably to the Historex range of 54mm figures and, considerably cheaper! I've also got the Airfix Polish Lancer and, Scots Grey kicking around somewhere.
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Mossie

I would like to see the Bengal lancer particularly.
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zenrat

Quote from: Mossie on July 24, 2024, 03:56:13 AMI would like to see the Bengal lancer particularly.

I've got one of them.  Woohoo!
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Another ill conceived, lazily thought out, crudely executed and badly painted piece of half arsed what-if modelling muppetry from zenrat industries.

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The Wooksta!

I'd like the Blohm und Voss Bv 141 back. Just because.

Not classic, but the Mosquito 16 could be released as a B.35.
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NARSES2

Quote from: PR19_Kit on July 23, 2024, 02:17:35 PMSome of us are OLDER than their moulds anyway....................

Very true  ;D  ;D

Quote from: Beermonster58 on July 24, 2024, 12:05:55 AMCompared very favourably to the Historex range of 54mm figures and, considerably cheaper! I've also got the Airfix Polish Lancer and, Scots Grey kicking around somewhere.

Another name from the past. Your right they did compare very well, but Historex to some extent had cornered the market and aquired a name as being the brand for the "serious" figure modeller/painter who didn't want to go down the lead figure route. As far as I know Historex didn't go beyond the Napoleonic era ? Not sure at all as by then I'd mainly gone down the wargame scale path.
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NARSES2

Quote from: DogfighterZen on July 23, 2024, 10:03:53 AMCould it be possible that some of the moulds are with other companies like Heller? The SA-330 Puma and SA-341/342 Gazelle were originally Airfix moulds that were reboxed several times by Heller so, maybe they still have those and might explain why those haven't been released again?
Those would probably be good sellers despite being 50+ year old moulds... i find it surprising that there are no modern 1/72 kits of those helicopters...

Again I'm not sure but I think at one stage Airfix/Heller were a joint company ? No idea who the owners were. The moulds might have been part of the "divorce" settlement ?   :rolleyes:
Do not condemn the judgement of another because it differs from your own. You may both be wrong.

The Wooksta!

More likely Heller have bought them bagged from Airfix and reboxed them.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

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DogfighterZen

#7015
Quote from: NARSES2 on July 24, 2024, 06:05:46 AM
Quote from: DogfighterZen on July 23, 2024, 10:03:53 AMCould it be possible that some of the moulds are with other companies like Heller? The SA-330 Puma and SA-341/342 Gazelle were originally Airfix moulds that were reboxed several times by Heller so, maybe they still have those and might explain why those haven't been released again?
Those would probably be good sellers despite being 50+ year old moulds... i find it surprising that there are no modern 1/72 kits of those helicopters...

Again I'm not sure but I think at one stage Airfix/Heller were a joint company ? No idea who the owners were. The moulds might have been part of the "divorce" settlement ?   :rolleyes:


Quote from: The Wooksta! on July 24, 2024, 07:09:54 AMMore likely Heller have bought them bagged from Airfix and reboxed them.

Maybe, Chris...

Lee, i don't think that's the case with these, Heller even introduced new parts in both kits when they released them for the first time in 1989...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humbrol

Says here that both Airfix and Heller were under same ownership, as was Humbrol and Airfix kit production moved from Calais to the Heller factory when they were bought.
"Sticks and stones may break some bones but a 3.57's gonna blow your damn head off!!"

The Wooksta!

#7016
I was talking post 2006 split with Hornby owning the Airfix tools and the Heller ones remaining in France.

I knew that Humbrol owned both the Heller and Airfix brands (and ESCI at one point in the 80s) and Heller did the tooling for the 1989 Buccaneer S2, the 1990 Tucson and Eurofighter.
"It's basically a cure -  for not being an axe-wielding homicidal maniac. The potential market's enormous!"

"Visit Scarfolk today!"
https://scarfolk.blogspot.com/

"Dance, dance, dance, dance, dance to the radio!"

The Plan:
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Mossie

IIRC, when Heller went into administration, laws were passed in France to ensure some of Airfix's moulds stayed with Heller. I think since then, there have been negotiations to restore some of them to Airfix.
I don't think it's nice, you laughin'. You see, my mule don't like people laughin'. He gets the crazy idea you're laughin' at him. Now if you apologize, like I know you're going to, I might convince him that you really didn't mean it.

The Rat

Quote from: The Wooksta! on July 24, 2024, 05:43:58 AMI'd like the Blohm und Voss Bv 141 back. Just because.

Back in the 70s when I was still building Luftstuffe I got almost all the way on one, the only hold-up being a cracked canopy. Sent a note to Airfix for a spare, and you can guess what happened in transit.  :banghead:  Wouldn't happen now with the way they package things.
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DogfighterZen

Quote from: The Wooksta! on July 24, 2024, 08:56:50 AMI was talking post 2006 split with Hornby owning the Airfix tools and the Heller ones remaining in France.

I knew that Humbrol owned both the Heller and Airfix brands (and ESCI at one point in the 80s) and Heller did the tooling for the 1989 Buccaneer S2, the 1990 Tucson and Eurofighter.

Ok, thought you meant earlier, Lee. Still, according to Scalemates, the last time Airfix released the Puma was in 2004 and Heller's was in 2008.
The Gazelle may have a different story cause Heller's last was between 2005 and 2008 and Airfix's was in 2012 so, these two may be a perfect example of what Mossie was saying regarding some of Airfix's moulds staying in France. Maybe the Puma stayed with Heller and the Gazelle went back to Airfix after 2006.
Anyway, i think it's about time someone came out with new moulds of these two helos... Airfix would be fine but i believe Italeri or even Revell could produce good kits of these birds. Special Hobby also comes to mind.
"Sticks and stones may break some bones but a 3.57's gonna blow your damn head off!!"