It's not "negativity and moaning" - Did you even watch the video? I said it was disappointing - there is still good stuff in there as I said, but it's like getting a C+ from an A grade student - you know they can do better. I've also looked at this beyond "What I would buy" - a trap most modellers fall into. Where are the kits for the 1/48th modellers, the Post-War modellers, the armour modellers?@@steveknight4090
To be honest it’s a great 72nd year but not a good 48th year which is good because last year was basically all 1/48 FAA aircraft and for me this is very good. I’m don’t know why we got a chinook, I don’t think we needed it, and the bulldog I like but it would have been better if it was a hawker biplane. My main complaint with this year is that I think we needed more vintage classics. Good video but don’t understand the whole starter set problem, their really a thing separate from the main range, like a quick build.
@@steveknight4090 Thou shall not criticize Airfix, heathen😂 The 2024 range could be wider but is all in all ok. On the other hand is the Airfix Club kits miserly.
Same kits. Different year. How about something different like a Blohm & Voss BV 238. Or a any American cargo planes of the 1960 like the Douglas C-74 Globemaster, Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter, Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, Douglas C-133 Cargomaster As you can see I like the big, forgotten planes
Had a real job listening to the video. Sounds like you're under water? Very muffled. They have some ok stuff, only real appeal to me was the Buccaneer, which I have invested in 👍
They have done a Bristol Bulldog in 1/72 scale for years. If it is of any interest, a Bristol Bulldog Mk IIa is the plane in which later Group Captain Douglas Bader lost his legs. Airfix might as well try the new decals, Hasegawa has been running that nonsense for years, but every time Hasagawa changes decals, they boost the price. I don't know if anyone else does a Messerschmitt BF 109f model. The Guards figures, that band held place of pride on my model Railroad for years, parading down the main street. They are OO scale.
I am outside the UK. You would probably call me a colonial, though we ceased to be a Colony in 1783 with the treaty of Paris. Many if my friends know the Bristol Bulldog, there is still to be found a monograph on the Bristol Bulldog. I have a 1/72nd Airfix model, so do many of my friends. I grant, it's no Gloster Gladiator. But interwar aircraft are popular here in the states, and not just the big name ones, or just ours. Just to clarify, I also work in a local hobby shop, so I do see and talk to many hobbiest. We are in Northern Massachusetts, on the New Hampshire border and we draw regular clientele to our shop from as far away as Newfoundland and New Jersey though primarily New England. We do have a customer who stops by whenever he's visiting from Ireland, and another from England. So, I have a basis for what I say.
@@MannsModelMoments I won't know yet, but with Airfix being their own distributor here in the U.S. prices have been pretty reasonable for their kits. Availability is the problem, they don't seem very good at supplying us with kits here. Also the newer kits from Airfix have sold well since they started coming out. Their smaller 1/72 scale aircraft with one decal option can still be gotten for about $10.00 the kits with options for markings have gone up to about $17.00 larger kits like the Avro Vulcan are closer to $60.00. I think the Spitfire Mk Vc tropical was $16.00 when it came out, but if you look at the kit you have options for most of the Mk V b-c aircraft in the box, just supply your own decals. Our 1/48 scale fighters from Airfix tend to be in the $25.00 to $35.00 range. Which is competitive with other companies, but the new Airfix kits can give anyone a run for their money quality wise. On a side note, I have to say one kit that really sold me on their new kits was the Swordfish Torpedo bomber, back when it came out, the build options were amazing.
I think any disappointment from me is that there are so many gaps in the market to go at: 1/48 Jaguar, 1/48 Blenheim IV, 1/72 Boston, 1/35 Centurion, a Falklands era Hermes, Jet Provost T.5, any number of RAF transport aircraft. Yes they're all British subjects but Airfix is a British company.
Airfix have fucked it up this year imo, nobody has really asked for any of the new tools, sure the liberator is nice but when people are asking for a 1/48 jag or 1/72 Halifax, it’s as though they don’t listen to what people are wanting or thinking about what will grab the headlines, people have been screaming out for a 48 Wessex but they give us a chinook in the wrong scale, 72 definitely has its place but for most I think it goes without saying 48 is the better scale, airfix need to pull it out of the bag with the surprise announcements this year. Shame
Completely agree , 1:48 scale cold war jets , ie jaguar , tornado gr1 would be a massive seller, there are already too many ww2 planes from other manufacturers available which are excellent in all scales, how many spitfires, mustangs and bf109s do we need? Revell tornado isnt great and where is there a good 48 jaguar on the market?
The Bulldog was emblematic of the 'golden era' of inter-war aviation, and the RAF, as the country's most exclusive flying club. My dad (a Glider Pilot Regiment veteran) always quoted the Bulldog as his favourite aeroplane, and I suspect he was not alone, among his peers.
The Bristol Bulldog will sell well due to its attractiveness as an aircraft. As a modeler who enjoys presenting vignettes and displays, I will certainly buy a couple. The HMS Ajax and Iron Duke are both excellent models, well moulded. I can't wait for the new rescue boat as well. Do you do mail order?
I absolutely do - as mentioned in the video description, and most of the kits around the £20 mark up come with free UK postage, and all orders over £50 are the same.
A little disappointed. Would luv to see Airfix release the RAF HAR MK3 version of the 1/48 Seaking. Think the Chinook should have been in 1/48 scale. Would really like to see a 1/24 Hawker Sea Fury..
In one way, you could say they are trying to cater for everyone interests with the variety of kits released. I wonder if they have been studying the second hand market to see the prices asked for certain kits, and which one sell. There are a lot of kits that no longer exist, would they be adventurous enough retool. But would it be worth it
Would be nice to see them equally commited to ww1/interwar/ww2,cold war/modern and helicopters rather than focusing too much on one while only giving token offerings for the other two.
When will this supposedly British company ever, ever make the HMS Ark Royal, you know, that ship that had , Phantoms, Buccaneers, Gannets etc, and earlier jets....They did the 1/700 Victorious, but is that a famous carrier, { I like the Vic though} NO. Give me the Ark Royal. Oh and while you're at it how about a re-do of the WASP Helo. I am sick to death of Spitfires and ME-109's, But the Lifeboats are welcome, as is the inter-war years Bulldog. Swift gets a tick, more Cold War stuff please. The HMS Ajax I will convert to the HMAS Sydney. Nice one.
I´m a fan of the 1/32 scale. Unfortunately Airfix has nothing to offer. Last thing I bought was the 1/32 Bamboo House for a wild park zoo situated just outside the coastal village within my giant gauge 1 diorama. Shout out to ICM, Lukgraph, Revell, Siku, Britains, NewRay, Märklin and others who keep 1/32 alive, when Airfix won´t.
Airfix has become extremely lazy, nothing really new or spectacular here. They need to up their game before the competition eats them alive. They are resting on their name and refuse to invest in new molding. There are plenty of kits they could consider. How many Spitfires, P51, 109 and 190's to we need? The B24 I the only kit of interest. Their spending more money on box art - some very bad like showing you're feature model on fire, than increasing historically available variety. I'm speaking about aircraft, maybe they are better at other categories. Plus a 1/72 kit of a fighter is not worth 40 plus pounds. I've purchased them for 6 USD . AND they are very weak in their 1/48 grouping. I'm glad I've got all the Airfix kits in my stash I need as there is nothing in their 2024 line up I'd purchase. Baed on their current growth rate they won't be in business in two years.
Before watching the video, I don’t think this year’s releases were so disappointing. I think the new tool selection is excellent, and the expanded starter range is good for the hobby as new people getting into it is essential for its sustainability. Remember also that we recently had the Me410, Sea King and Black Buck Vulcan (though that last one was a travesty of schoolboy errors). I expect we will see similar this year!
As I’m watching: Yeah I’d agree the bulldog is weird. But I think they may be banking on the rule of “good kits in a red box will sell”. See also: Walrus, Whitley.
I am thinking exactly of the Ferret, Gannet, Starter Sets etc we had last year...I don't see the equivalent "knockout" big-hitter kits here, with the exception of the Liberator...the Bulldog is interesting and the Chinook OK, but I don't think they're on the same level. I get there may be surprise releases, but you want a couple of high-impact kits to grab peoples attention and drive pre-orders early in the year.
A bit underwhelming,the B-24 and bulldog are welcome additions to the range,but compared to Airfix releases of recent years, it's really disappointing.Hopefully the "surprise"releases might be more appealing,a 1/48 Jaguar GR1 would be most welcome.
Bulldog looks very nice - unfortunately I don’t do 1:48 Liberator looks very nice - unfortunately, concentrating on British stuff Chinook looks good - unfortunately, concentrating on WWII Hampden would have been fantastic if it had been a new tool In short, there is some good stuff there but nothing for me. But where is the 2023 release Wellington, have Airfix given up on that?
The 1:76 band and guards are bizarre choices. I had a bunch of Airfix soldiers when I was a kid in the 90s, for wargaming. But they don't really involve kit building, the plastic was a nasty non-styrene, and wargamers are now spoiled for choice with nice scale miniatures. It would take some severe dedication to paint up an entire band worth of tiny 1:76 musicians and then...do what with them?
Would've like a few bigger models, a bit more in 1/48 or 1/32 - Spitfire's and BF109's must be their bread and butter I can't blame them for having something with mass appeal. B-24 loooks nice, probably the only kit I would consider buying.
A pretty dull and uninteresting selection IMO. We can only hope that the surprise drops during the year are better after 2023 was a very decent year....
Hi Alex i think the 2024 releases are very poor compared to last year only thing i might get is the B24. I am guessing they might be keeping the rest back for special release days like what they did with the seaking, i am thinking this might be the way Airfix will do releases in future more one off releases during the year and just do a range launch with new schemes and new parts releases.
Personally, I think the re-release of the 1/24th scale Mustang was all that Airfix needed to do. I remember that one from my Airfix catalogues in th 1970's and I always wanted one, but the cost of it in New Zealand at the time would have been astronomical. I was busy making glue bombs of my 1/72nd scle Airfix kits at the time, so it was a bit beyond my skill level. I'm thinking I may need to find some space in my stash closet for it now. I've got an original Messerschmitt from the same 1/24th series that my father got in the mid 70's and finally admitted that he won't be making it, so he gave it to me, along with the rest of the mid 70's stash.
I’ve got to generally agree with you Alex, underwhelming for this announcement and some bizarre releases. I like the Chinook and Liberator but I’ll wait to buy them. I’ll buy the Swift too for my “Cold War RAFG” airbase. I think the Typhoon starter kit may do well and the Shannon Lifeboat too. Maybe an Air-Sea Rescue diorama (although there is only about a 4 year in service overlap with the SeaKing ). The Guards figures. I totally agree there too despite the fact that I will buy those as I did parade with them as a “ringer” from another Regiment. Painted/Converted to Coldstreamers or Micks. But that’s a really personal thing. Too small for the average figure modeller, perhaps railway guys may want it for their layouts 🤷🏻♂️. Perhaps it was just cheaper to produce just to add something to this years releases. I’m hoping Airfix are using a bit of psychological marketing here and hoping that the regular announcements throughout the year will have folk more excited. Still hoping for a Jaguar in any scale (different nose options for RAF and French) and some larger aircraft like C-130 (although that’s a personal preference). I note too that the Railway modellers have had a generally similar reaction to the Hornby announcements. I wonder if there’s something going on behind the scenes? Take care all and happy modelling! Ian
Some strange ones, not sure who looks at the market in airfix, the market is crying out for a jaguar and halifax...liberator, looks great but hasegawa have one,and academy are re releasing one...at around £25!
Yeah, they are odd choices for sure. The Liberator is nice, but like you say, the absence of a Halifax in that space is more conspicuous than the B-24.
ICM are going to give them a run for their money. and considering the war and everything. also many more companies are coming with better kits this year
Very disappointing. Was hoping for a new HALIFAX BIII and I/II and a new tool Hampden. Happy that they have done z new B24 to complement the B17G like the B24J and B17G in the 1960s. If Airfix continues this trend they mught head for bankruptcy..
Agreed, a bit lackluster. This release the "hype" kits are a Liberator (looks good - but size will put some people off) and Chinook (how big is the helicopter market compared to planes / armour?). Compare that to the hype release kits of 2023 (Ferret Scout and Gannet) 2022 (1/24 Spitfire, Anson, Meteor, 1/48 Buccaneer and Austin K2 ambulance) the hype kits certainly seem to appeal to a more niche market. Nice to see starter sets, but personally I perfer the more detailed non starter set version. Plus also not having to pay for glue and paint which I won't use
On the whole, I was rather disappointed by the new releases announced yesterday. I am a very experienced modeller and have built any number of the types of Spitfire, Mustang, Me109, etc over the years so am at the stage of looking for something unusual but, alas, Airfix have again played it pretty safe. I can see where they are coming from and a lot of their models are designed to appeal to the older modellers like myself who grew up with Airfix and have perhaps come back to the hobby later in life and have a bit more time and discretionary income on their hands. The B24 Liberator is a good choice but again so well known and I have already built the Hasegawa offering so probably wont be going for that one. It also takes up a huge amount of display space with those wings! I have also built the Airfix 1/72 Bulldog and was like you surprised to see it in 1/48. Not a great bi-plane fan even though it is a charming looking aircraft. The Iron Duke appeals as it was one of the few ship models I built as a kid so might go for it again out of pure nostalgia. I have also pencilled the Ajax on my wish list. Am still hoping that they will come up with something a bit different later in the year like they did with the Gannet and Me 410.
I'll try the new 72 Mustang, but the kit needs more colored paint schemes, so i have to look for aftermarket decals. Can't get enough Mustangs! Still waiting for a new tool 72 Spitfire PR XIX...
I think your assessment is very fair. I have tried to think of a counter argument, but cannot! I really wanted a new B-24 and we have one, and the D-Day set is great value given inflation, but the ancient Hampden is a very lazy reissue and I think some of the range is also a bit lazy. Speculating, it might be due to a shortage of capital for new tooling as Hornby has had some inventory issues in its model railway.
Thanks - I do try to look beyond simply "Oh, it's not what I wanted", because I know many modellers have different interests, and there's not much for a large section of the modelling community here.
I like that ship modellers are getting some love with that starter set, but agree that it's a slightly niche choice. Still no new space releases. I'm not holding my breath on that one.
Agree its underwhelming only thing to hold on to is I dont see anything that Paramjit has obviously been involved in - this could be as you say a couple of stand out kits yet to be announced
Yes there is already a Eurofighter in the Airfix range, which is boxed as a starter set. The kit is not the easiest to assemble to get a good result. So a new one will go with the F-35 Airfix don't have a Bf 109F in the range afaik, and pretty sure there isn't a 109 in the new starter kits. To me it's just another bloody Messerschmitt tbh but for some reason people like the damned thing. The Bristol Bulldog was an important interwar fighter for the RAF, and a very attractive aircraft imho. I hope Airfix will produce more kits from the period. Would be nice to see a new tool Kestrel as I already have a P1127 and tbh there's not a lot in the reissues that gets me excited, which is no bad thing as I have far too many kits and far too few years left on this mortal coil. The new Lifeboat looks cool though, and I hope to see a future release of the Liberator in Coastal Command markings. y Being the 110th Anniversary of the start of WW1 this August, would like to have seen something from the Great War. A new 1/35 Heavy Tank MkIV would be good, as it was the main production variant iirc. While there are other kits of the tank, for some reason the MkIV is the one that is least available.
A mixed bag imo. The Bulldog looks good and the lifeboat is something different, but I can't get excited about yet another 109 (nothing against the 109, but it's been done to death). I can't believe anyone would pay £20 for the 1/600 HMS Iron Duke. I built this kit back in the 80s and the moulds were already old and worn out.
@@MannsModelMoments I agree. I also don't always get their choices for their 'classic kit' range, as they often seem to re release classic kits that are still easy to find in the original boxings on the second hand market.
I understand people look for what they would make in a release, but if you look a bit broader than that then this release is rather exclusive compared to prior years
If last year is anything to go by, expect some surprises as the year goes on. I'll definitely be picking up a Walrus as I missed out on it first time around.
Good analysis Alex. I already have a 1/48 Walrus, would have liked a re-released or retooled one in 1/72 to go with my RAF Rescue Launch. But this is good for those wanting a non-silver Walrus in that scale. With the Hampden, I am disappointed too that it wasn’t a new tool to challenge the Valom kit. Still hoping for a new tool Halifax in 1/72 or 1/48 later in the year. I like the new Liberator but will look for aftermarket decals. Still in two minds on the new Bulldog in 1/48, I really want a 1/72 Bulldog for my RAF interwar aircraft collection, and while it looks like a very nice kit it is facing stiff competition for my limited modelling budget from the slew of new or coming releases by rival manufacturers - such as Arma’s 12-gun Hurricane, Trumpeter’s Fulmar, Model Factory’s Corsairs in 1/48, and Border Model’s 1/32 He-III, etc. Really good to see Airfix tailoring its 2024 releases to a broad range of modellers, especially with the new ship kits. More power to them. 😊
If I look at this with my old 1/72nd scale WWII modeller hat on, it's a better release than last year, but I try to look at it from a broader spectrum. There are no new 1/35th scale releases, lifeboats are nice but aren't going to be for a lot of ship modellers, 1/48th modellers get slim pickings, modern subject modellers have very little and there's absolutely zero for the car fans. So not sure about the breadth of the release this year,
@@MannsModelMoments let’s hope Airfix has a few more surprises up its sleeve for further down the year, that will take up some of the slack in those modelling subjects that got left out of these 2024 releases. 🤞🏻
@@MannsModelMoments There were lots of complaints over the relative lack of 72nd releases last year. 2023 certainly was a bumper year for the 48ers,, so I think they compensated somewhat. Still, almost all the announcement kits are listed for the first half of the year. I suspect there will be more surprises to follow.
@@whtalt92 yeah, I get that, but in retail and modelling, absence makes the heart forget, rather than grow fonder - for example the Gannet was an A grade release slated for the end of the year to whet people's appetites - you want to lead with some big-hitters to show you're in the fight, and then the surprise announcements have greater impact....imo, anyway!
That would be super. I've just bought the 'first flight' version of CMR's K5054 - that will be my first resin kit build. I did ask the guys at Kotare whether they had any intention of using their Mk.I (Early) Spit as a basis for a K5054 but they said that was a step too far in re-engineering terms.
@@FinsburyPhil Good luck with the kit. I’ve never built a resin kit before and the thought of it scares me. If we could get K5054 in plastic I think it would be winner. I’ve got over a dozen different mark Spitfires from various manufacturers but I’d swap half of them for a new tool K5054.
@@martinmodelreviews3983 I'm only 3 builds into restarting the hobby after many, many years but I already have 22 Spitfires in the stash and 2 of those first 3 were Spits!
@@FinsburyPhil Welcome back to the hobby and have fun battling through your stash. 🤣🤣. I’ve lost count how many kits I’ve got stored in my house. It seems every time I move I end up with another load. 🙈.
The audio isn't the same as usual, true, because I needed to record on webcam to be able to get the video out in time. If you've any idea what goes into a YT video or how YT works (and you obviously don't), you wouldn't be saying "probably needs reuploading.
The corrected Cromwell is something I might get later in the year but I was really hoping for a Ferret variant . The guards band sets might be a long term investment to flip eventually. 🤔
I don't see any investment opportunity in a £6 set of figures they may well release again as they have the tooling available, sadly. I too thought a Ferret Mk I would be a good opportunity this year, but sadly not yet...
@@MannsModelMomentsLOL well considering that the last timeI saw this set was late in the 70's ,it might be worthwhile to buy a pack ,put it on the shelf and forget about it. In the late 80's I had a few inquiries about it at my part time job . The set really is a unique,niche piece. As for the Mk 1 Ferr2t ,wouldn't that require at least ,a partial interior? I was hoping for the swing fire ATGM version.
@@Chris-dz3rs It would require an interior - something that Airfix could engineer on a single sprue frame together with the open top and new MG. The Mks 3/4/5 (Swingfire) variants would technically need new suspension and larger wheels, but again all possible with the addition of another frame...but c'est la vie!
@@MannsModelMoments Having not seen all the comments, I had no idea whether it had been mentioned or not so I brought it up in case it hadn’t. Though it’s surprising they didn’t choose the Typhoon.
The Guards are best for me! I can see a parade coming on. But if they are going back to the 60s for figures, the ACW sets would be more useful. Some interesting VCs and it’s good to see the Belvedere back - might get one and finish it this time - although not doing the Graf Spee to go with Ajax is a mistake. Rather indifferent to all the other stuff, especially the 1/48 which leaves me cold. No room for 1/24 (silly scale anyway) and the last 1/35 kit I made was a Tiger in 1980. Sad the VC cars seem to have dried up, even if no Sunbeam Rapier an Austin Maxi would be fun! Airfix for me now is just a good dose of occasional nostalgia when I see the VCs hit the shops again. For new tools, it’s Rubicon that claws at my wallet. My 2p, FWIW.
I really dont understand why such negativity towards the 2024 range launch. Absolutely nothing wrong with the new tools and re-releases etc. Unfortunately there are some who want Airfix to release exactly what THEY want and then moan when it doesnt happen. Seen it on here and Facebook.
That's not at all what I'm saying here. "Disappointed" isn't the same as "this is crap". I had higher hopes of Airfix based on the releases of the last two years. This doesn't hit that high
@@chrismaxwell3244 I agree, but that's not the point of a range release - "More stuff will come later"! - it's about showcasing your releases and getting people hyped, and I'm seeing a mix of responses
@@MannsModelMoments When I first heard murmurs about a DDay collection I expected a Typhie so I was surprised and actually sort of relieved because I have the DDay resupply set (with Typhie) from last time sat in the stash.
Quite a bad take tbh, I dont know where the understanding that modelers only want to build generic well known aircraft/etc. If anything we should be happy that Airfix is actually making an interesting selection available to us and not only making models that look good on a shore shelf to dads of 14 year olds.
A good round-up/appraisal of Airfix's 2024 releases - however, the sound is VERY faint: even with my speakers turned up to the max, I had trouble hearing you. You might want to adjust your microphone settings!
Okay, fair enough; I guess I missed the mention in the video description. As you say, better to have an upload with imperfect audio than having no video at all@@MannsModelMoments
"Not particularly well known". LOL. You have to be kidding?!! By your generation mayhaps. Anyone an aviation enthusiast not living under a rock would be aware of the Bristol Bulldog. The 'it girl' of the fighter skies & premium RAF display aircraft of the early through mid 1930s airshows similar to the BAE Hawk of the RAF's Red Arrows or F-16s of the USAF Thunderbirds during its heyday preceding the Hurricane & Spitfire monoplanes until retired in 1937. And as if that weren't enough to heighten its awareness profile with the public, its fame or infamy immortalised in the film "Reach For The Sky" as the aircraft Douglas Bader was flying when he crashed suffering the injuries resulting in the amputation of his legs. "Not particularly well known" indeed! Perhaps that could be forgiven if you were American -said tongue in cheek. I'm not generally an Airfix kit buyer as I seldom do 1/72, nor even a Brit type modeller as so many of their 1/48 kits are, but this has me excited as did the 1/48 Fairy Gannet such that I'll almost certainly buy and build it. Two thumbs up from me on the Bulldog Airfix, importantly in 1/48 (1/32 would have been better). Good call/choice.✅
You realise I'm not exactly a "spring chicken" and my awareness of the aircraft as a lifelong aircraft enthusiast is minimal. Anyone younger than me (that's about 70% of the UK population) or without an interest in pre war aviation is unlikely to know ANYTHING about it. Just because your personal experience because of your age is ubiquitous - it certainly is not.
Then don't watch or give a counterpoint - why did you think the release was exciting? How does it expand their ranges and cater to a wide range if modellers?
Let me start out by saying that I am not a troll which is what I now feel like after your reply. I am a Subscriber and have generally enjoyed your content and made comments to that effect in the past. However, watching this video had me thinking that you were in a bad mood while recording the entire video. You asked for comments and I offered one. I'm sorry if it was not in tune with what you were expecting. As I have enough negativitty in my life, I'm not sure that I want to engage in any more 'conversation' with you at this point other than to say that I find the Bristol Bulldog to be a rather unusual and interesting subject. @@MannsModelMoments
@@whhsfordian Well I thank you for your sub, but you led with the video being negative, which is typical troll behaviour - but it wasn't my intention to either be negative of make you feel any particular way. I wasn't in a bad mood at all, I merely made my disappointment known and explained why. I also said there were some gems in the release, and I've at no point said it was bad, and I asked for your counterpoints and input on the release, so I feel I've reacted in a fair and balanced manner.
