Airfix model kits back from the dead...
Discussion
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7131047.stm
Too late to make a comeback??
Will today's computer generation really be interested in spending hours making scale models of 1940's Hurricanes, Spitfires, Dorniers etc.....
Personally I think not.......Great shame...
Too late to make a comeback??
Will today's computer generation really be interested in spending hours making scale models of 1940's Hurricanes, Spitfires, Dorniers etc.....
Personally I think not.......Great shame...
Probably not.
One issue they always had is that they didn't stick with the market - Their kits were never good enough quality for the serious enthusiast who stuck with the hobby into adulthood. I can't see Hornby bothering to bring out a revamped 1:24 Spitfire with photo-etch detail sheets and of a quality as high as some of the others on the market.
One issue they always had is that they didn't stick with the market - Their kits were never good enough quality for the serious enthusiast who stuck with the hobby into adulthood. I can't see Hornby bothering to bring out a revamped 1:24 Spitfire with photo-etch detail sheets and of a quality as high as some of the others on the market.
Model kit building is going through a real renaissance at the moment. There are more model manufacturers in existence now than at any time in the industry's 60 year history. So, there is every chance that Airfix will survive and prosper under Hornby's ownership.
The problem with the media's coverage of Airfix's financial problems is that they have made massive assumptions about the causes which are absolutely incorrect. The general message coming from the media is that Airfix's "demise" is due to youngsters not buying and making kits anymore as they are more interested in computer based games.
That is NOT the reason for Airfix's most recent problems.
Airfix went "bust" before - back in 1981. The fall off of children buying models was the main reason BACK THEN.
The company was initially bought out by an American toy company called Great Mills. Great Mills never really got to grips with kit manufacturing as they didn't really understood how the market was changing. When they themselves got into trouble in 1986, they sold their Airfix division to the British paint manufacturer Humbrol. Humbrol had recently bought out the French kit manufacturer, Heller and, when they acquired Airfix, they moved the Airfix moulding machines to the Heller factory in France.
For the next twenty years Humbrol successfully produced kits under both the Heller and Airfix brands. In that period there were lots of crossover kits - where former Airfix kits appeared in Heller boxes and vise versa.
In 2005, trouble began to brew with the Heller range of kits. Being French, they had, over their 40 odd years of manufacturing, produced a whole range of rather escoteric and idiosyncratic models of obscure French aircraft.
Sales of these models declined dramatically in the 1990s and matters came to a crunch in 2005. The solution was that Heller was bought out by its French management team. However, part of the deal was that Humbrol/Airfix would leave their Airfix moulds in the French factory where they would be operated under a sub-contract arrangement by Heller and its staff.
Unfortunately, the management buyout of Heller failed to rescue the company and it went into administration in August 2006. As part of the French legal procedures of a formal administration order, the administrator closed down the Heller factory and locked all the doors, effectively trapping all the Airfix moulding machines inside.
With the exception of some Chinese moulded kits, all Airfix production came to a grinding halt. The knock on effect was that delivery, distribution, sales and cash flow all dried up in a matter of about four weeks and, by September, the Humbrol/Airfix group was on the rocks.
In early November 2006, it was announced that Hornby had nbought both Humbrol and Airfix and that production would restart as soon as the moulds could be "liberated" from the French administrator. This happened in early 2007 and Airfix have been back up and runninbg successfully ever since. They have released a few brand new kits, an RNLI Lifeboat and a lovely 1/48 scale pre-war Spitfire Mk1. In January they will be relaesing a long awaited 1/72 scale BAe Nimrod. I saw the test moulds of the Nimrod on the Airfix sytansd at Scale Model World in November and it looks a cracker.
So, Airfix is alive and well - still producing many of its classic aircraft and armour kits - and , of course, looking at marketing opportunities (as it always did) for film and TV tie-ins (anyone remember their 1/48 Scale Wallis Autogyro from "You Only Live Twice"?. And that was produced way back in 1967.
The problem with the media's coverage of Airfix's financial problems is that they have made massive assumptions about the causes which are absolutely incorrect. The general message coming from the media is that Airfix's "demise" is due to youngsters not buying and making kits anymore as they are more interested in computer based games.
That is NOT the reason for Airfix's most recent problems.
Airfix went "bust" before - back in 1981. The fall off of children buying models was the main reason BACK THEN.
The company was initially bought out by an American toy company called Great Mills. Great Mills never really got to grips with kit manufacturing as they didn't really understood how the market was changing. When they themselves got into trouble in 1986, they sold their Airfix division to the British paint manufacturer Humbrol. Humbrol had recently bought out the French kit manufacturer, Heller and, when they acquired Airfix, they moved the Airfix moulding machines to the Heller factory in France.
For the next twenty years Humbrol successfully produced kits under both the Heller and Airfix brands. In that period there were lots of crossover kits - where former Airfix kits appeared in Heller boxes and vise versa.
In 2005, trouble began to brew with the Heller range of kits. Being French, they had, over their 40 odd years of manufacturing, produced a whole range of rather escoteric and idiosyncratic models of obscure French aircraft.
Sales of these models declined dramatically in the 1990s and matters came to a crunch in 2005. The solution was that Heller was bought out by its French management team. However, part of the deal was that Humbrol/Airfix would leave their Airfix moulds in the French factory where they would be operated under a sub-contract arrangement by Heller and its staff.
Unfortunately, the management buyout of Heller failed to rescue the company and it went into administration in August 2006. As part of the French legal procedures of a formal administration order, the administrator closed down the Heller factory and locked all the doors, effectively trapping all the Airfix moulding machines inside.
With the exception of some Chinese moulded kits, all Airfix production came to a grinding halt. The knock on effect was that delivery, distribution, sales and cash flow all dried up in a matter of about four weeks and, by September, the Humbrol/Airfix group was on the rocks.
In early November 2006, it was announced that Hornby had nbought both Humbrol and Airfix and that production would restart as soon as the moulds could be "liberated" from the French administrator. This happened in early 2007 and Airfix have been back up and runninbg successfully ever since. They have released a few brand new kits, an RNLI Lifeboat and a lovely 1/48 scale pre-war Spitfire Mk1. In January they will be relaesing a long awaited 1/72 scale BAe Nimrod. I saw the test moulds of the Nimrod on the Airfix sytansd at Scale Model World in November and it looks a cracker.
So, Airfix is alive and well - still producing many of its classic aircraft and armour kits - and , of course, looking at marketing opportunities (as it always did) for film and TV tie-ins (anyone remember their 1/48 Scale Wallis Autogyro from "You Only Live Twice"?. And that was produced way back in 1967.
You'ld be amazed at the variety of glues now used in modelling.
Also, paints have come on in leaps and bounds since the 1980s with far more water based (and neutral odour) acrylic based paints now available.
I've got back into building kits over the last year or so and I know of nothing as calming or therapeutic.
And they are also educational. I have learned more about aeroplanes and their exploits from background research and reading up on aircraft I am modelling.
Also, paints have come on in leaps and bounds since the 1980s with far more water based (and neutral odour) acrylic based paints now available.
I've got back into building kits over the last year or so and I know of nothing as calming or therapeutic.
And they are also educational. I have learned more about aeroplanes and their exploits from background research and reading up on aircraft I am modelling.
Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 7th December 10:53
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Funny story.....
Years ago, when my kids were young I used to spend serious money on "00" gauge stuff, and wanted to get my youngest son aged six interested, so I thought I'd start him off with a "Thomas the tank starter set"....
I made the mistake of going to Norman Wisendens in Saddleworth, near Oldham who specialised in very expensive top end stuff, scratch built etc.....
"Hi Norman, can you fix my young 'un up with a Thomas the tank starter set, I'm looking to spend around £50"........
The look of horror on his face was a sight to see.....
..."Thomas the tank??...Thomas the tank??...We don't stock any Thomas the tank goods at the best of times!!!".......Almost threw me out........
Personally, a bit short sighted of old Norman.... You have to start somewhere......
I used to love building model aircraft and car, I had an entire ceiling full of jets. I remember when Airfix released their 'Classic Airliner' kits in the 90's and I bouth them all, the British Airways 707, Trident and Vanguard were my favourites. I wish they had been released in BOAC or BEA colours though.
I also took to modifying the kits. I loved the old 727 and had a few of them, I had the Pan Am and Lufthansa versions of the 727-200 but I always wanted a -100 series, so cut one up and made my own along with a 747 Cargo that I built.
If I had the time, I'd love to build a few more. I hope Airfix do well, next time I'm home I may buy a few kits to keep me out of trouble for a while.
I also took to modifying the kits. I loved the old 727 and had a few of them, I had the Pan Am and Lufthansa versions of the 727-200 but I always wanted a -100 series, so cut one up and made my own along with a 747 Cargo that I built.
If I had the time, I'd love to build a few more. I hope Airfix do well, next time I'm home I may buy a few kits to keep me out of trouble for a while.
No reason why they should't do well.
The airliner range mainly dated from the 1960s - when they were called "Skykings". Quite a few were re-released in 1993/94 as classsic airliners.
The Vanguard originally came out in the early 1960s in the "Red Square" BEA livery. It then disappeared for decades and only re-emerged in the 1990s release in 1970s BA colours. Unfortunately, that was not correct because BA never operated passenger Vanguards, only the windowless cargo conversion Merchantman, which were nicknamed "Guardsvans" by the BEA and BA crews.
The Trident 1 had also appeared originally in BEA Red Square colours. It was the re-released in the early 1970s in the final "Half Union Jack" BEA scheme. Finally, it emerged in 1970s BA colours - in which guise it is still available.
Airfix's original Boeing 727 model WAS a Series 100. Up until the 1970s it carried the classic TWA red/white and gold globe livery. It then re-emerged in 1970s Lufthansa marks. The model was eventually re-tooled as a Series 200 (which is a pity).
Finally, when Airfix first issued their 707, it WAS in BOAC markings. Again, in the 70s it re-emerged in a BA scheme.
The airliner range mainly dated from the 1960s - when they were called "Skykings". Quite a few were re-released in 1993/94 as classsic airliners.
The Vanguard originally came out in the early 1960s in the "Red Square" BEA livery. It then disappeared for decades and only re-emerged in the 1990s release in 1970s BA colours. Unfortunately, that was not correct because BA never operated passenger Vanguards, only the windowless cargo conversion Merchantman, which were nicknamed "Guardsvans" by the BEA and BA crews.
The Trident 1 had also appeared originally in BEA Red Square colours. It was the re-released in the early 1970s in the final "Half Union Jack" BEA scheme. Finally, it emerged in 1970s BA colours - in which guise it is still available.
Airfix's original Boeing 727 model WAS a Series 100. Up until the 1970s it carried the classic TWA red/white and gold globe livery. It then re-emerged in 1970s Lufthansa marks. The model was eventually re-tooled as a Series 200 (which is a pity).
Finally, when Airfix first issued their 707, it WAS in BOAC markings. Again, in the 70s it re-emerged in a BA scheme.
Edited by Eric Mc on Friday 7th December 12:03
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