Airfix production back in UK

[KeithMacdonald]

An online review:-

 

 

[Miss Prism]

16 minutes ago, bmthtrains - David said:

Having spoken to several people from Airfix about this in a professional context, I got a sense they were possibly regretting this as it’s simply shown up how much better skilled the Chinese are at tooling and injection moulding, particularly for models.

 

ISTR the Hornby - a model world programme presented the opposite narrative?

 

[1andrew1]

8 hours ago, Flying Pig said:

 

 

"Got hold of it" just before Christmas.  Hmm...

 

Exactly. Got hold of it by reading an email from CT9. 😁

 

This is the purpose of making that Spitfire kit in the UK - to generate positive stories in the press and remind punters of the Airfix brand. The marketing benefits for a few kits outweigh the savings of making the kit in India.

Edited November 15, 2022 by 1andrew1

[1andrew1]

3 hours ago, bmthtrains - David said:

Having spoken to several people from Airfix about this in a professional context, I got a sense they were possibly regretting this as it’s simply shown up how much better skilled the Chinese are at tooling and injection moulding, particularly for models. I wouldn’t be surprised if this remains a one-off.

 

David 

I agree it's likely to remain a one-off.

 

But I saw an Airfix interview which said all their moulds are tooled up in the Far East. Regarding injection moulding for Airfix, that's not done in China but primarily in India with some in South Korea.

[Flying Pig]

4 hours ago, KeithMacdonald said:

An online review:

 

How can that be a review? It's by the manufacturer.  This is a review (different kit, different scale, a bit critical..):

 

 

[Steamport Southport]

I would say "PREVIEW" rather than review.

 

But I wouldn't totally dismiss the Airfix videos as many of them are of actual builds where you can see how to build the kit. 

 

 

Jason

[peterfgf]

18 hours ago, toboldlygo said:

Just to point out that Airfix announced that the Spitfire was being produced in a the UK, quite a while ago in their regular 'Workbench' updates, now the press have got hold of it.

 

It's worth noting to for stash hunters that If the Airfix kit has the Union Flag on the  box - it's  made in the UK, from memory the 1/72nd scale  Avro Shackleton AEW, Handley Page Victor K2 and the 1.48th scale Curtis P-40 and the Quick build kits are (I think).

 

Bizarrely they stopped producing kits in the Uk, because People complained about the Plastic being too hard & brittle lol

Hard and brittle plastic is due to much filler, usually chalk.  It's a cost saving device by the manufacturer, here Airfix.  Revell kits used to be same 40-50 years ago.

Peterfgf

[50A55B]

The impression I got from other modelling sites was that people  frequently commented that Airfix plastic was too soft. I can’t remember which kit it was but a recent release got favourable comments for its harder than usual (for Airfix) plastic.

[Steamport Southport]

2 hours ago, 50A55B said:

The impression I got from other modelling sites was that people  frequently commented that Airfix plastic was too soft. I can’t remember which kit it was but a recent release got favourable comments for its harder than usual (for Airfix) plastic.

 

I've bought a few of the reissued classic kits and the plastic is very good. 

 

I just wish Dapol would use the same plastic for its kits. That really is soft.

 

 

Jason

[Fat Controller]

2 hours ago, 50A55B said:

The impression I got from other modelling sites was that people  frequently commented that Airfix plastic was too soft. I can’t remember which kit it was but a recent release got favourable comments for its harder than usual (for Airfix) plastic.

The plastic used for the miniature figures used to be awful; very difficult to get it to take paint or glue.

[andyman7]

6 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

The plastic used for the miniature figures used to be awful; very difficult to get it to take paint or glue.

Yes, for some reason the 1:76 figures were generally moulded in polythene rather than polystyrene. The instructions still 'recommended' using Airfix paint and cement even though neither worked!

[Hroth]

39 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

I've bought a few of the reissued classic kits and the plastic is very good. 

 

I just wish Dapol would use the same plastic for its kits. That really is soft.

 

 

Jason

 

Do Dapol use softer plastic in their kits to reduce wear on the tooling? The level of flash is sometimes considerable, though thats to be expected for 60yo+ tools!

 

[Steamport Southport]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

 

Do Dapol use softer plastic in their kits to reduce wear on the tooling? The level of flash is sometimes considerable, though thats to be expected for 60yo+ tools!

 

 

No idea. But they do make it clear about how it's recycled plastic so could have cost cutting as a major reason.

 

Personally if I needed something that needed strength then I would try and get the original Airfix version. Many of them are still readily available.

 

 

Jason

[didcot]

Does anyone know if the new 1/24 Spitfire kit goes together better than the old one. I gave up on it as I couldn't get the fuselage to line up and the engine was too big.

[Legend]

23 hours ago, toboldlygo said:

I only remember the Matchbox model kits in Woolies for 75p 😭

 

Youngster!  I remember Airfix kits in bags for 19p.

[hmrspaul]

13 minutes ago, Legend said:

 

Youngster!  I remember Airfix kits in bags for 19p.

Youngster! I remember Airfix kits in bags for 2 shillings. 

Paul 😇

[toboldlygo]

Looks promising, no union flag on the box.

[andyman7]

2 hours ago, didcot said:

Does anyone know if the new 1/24 Spitfire kit goes together better than the old one. I gave up on it as I couldn't get the fuselage to line up and the engine was too big.

The new ones are CAD designed and generally go together very well. Having said that, I did manage the original 1:24 Spitfire Mk1 as a teenager so it can't have been that bad

[gwrrob]

6 minutes ago, toboldlygo said:

Looks promising, no union flag on the box.

 

Are you tempted young Jedi.

[toboldlygo]

1 hour ago, andyman7 said:

 Having said that, I did manage the original 1:24 Spitfire Mk1 as a teenager so it can't have been that bad

 

So did I, g clamps and Mole grips - what fun I had...

[toboldlygo]

1 hour ago, gwrrob said:

 

Are you tempted young Jedi.

 No comment..

[ianmacc]

8 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

Do Dapol use softer plastic in their kits to reduce wear on the tooling? The level of flash is sometimes considerable, though thats to be expected for 60yo+ tools!

 

Hi. Yes that is the position of the company. 

[pete_mcfarlane]

2 hours ago, andyman7 said:

The new ones are CAD designed and generally go together very well. 

Even down to having (presumably 3D scanned from the real thing) tyres with the bulge at the bottom where the weight is sitting on them. I've been much impressed by the recent 1/72 Airfix kits I've built (Phantom/Bucc/Swift/Harrier/Vampire). 

 

Just need them to do a decent 1/72 Jaguar and Venom.......

 

[1andrew1]

3 hours ago, toboldlygo said:

Looks promising, no union flag on the box.

At 1.22, you can see the Union Flag and the text "Designed and manufactured in the UK".

[melmerby]

8 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

Personally if I needed something that needed strength then I would try and get the original Airfix version. Many of them are still readily available.

Could well be quite brittle by this time.

Some plastic kits deteriorate with age.