Airfix

[Beermonster58]

....... but something like the BAC 1-11 in 1/72 scale would be appreciated.

I'm afraid that Airfix doing any large airliner in 1/72 is just wishful thinking. When I was an active member of the Airliner SIG we suggested to them that doing a Comet 4 should be fairly easy as they'd done some of the design already with the Nimrod. But they said there just wasn't the market for 1/72 airliners to warrant the outlay on the tooling.

Maybe if they marketed  a military version  with a civil variant as an option. Shouldn't be too difficult I'd think.Maybe an  RAF VC. 10 with option for a BOAC version? RAF Comet with option for a BEA version?

[Gondor]

....... but something like the BAC 1-11 in 1/72 scale would be appreciated.

I'm afraid that Airfix doing any large airliner in 1/72 is just wishful thinking. When I was an active member of the Airliner SIG we suggested to them that doing a Comet 4 should be fairly easy as they'd done some of the design already with the Nimrod. But they said there just wasn't the market for 1/72 airliners to warrant the outlay on the tooling.

Maybe if they marketed  a military version  with a civil variant as an option. Shouldn't be too difficult I'd think.Maybe an  RAF VC. 10 with option for a BOAC version? RAF Comet with option for a BEA version?

Still not enough of a market for a company like Airfix to produce.

[PR19_Kit]

....... but something like the BAC 1-11 in 1/72 scale would be appreciated.

I'm afraid that Airfix doing any large airliner in 1/72 is just wishful thinking. When I was an active member of the Airliner SIG we suggested to them that doing a Comet 4 should be fairly easy as they'd done some of the design already with the Nimrod. But they said there just wasn't the market for 1/72 airliners to warrant the outlay on the tooling.

Maybe if they marketed  a military version  with a civil variant as an option. Shouldn't be too difficult I'd think.Maybe an  RAF VC. 10 with option for a BOAC version? RAF Comet with option for a BEA version?

Still not enough of a market for a company like Airfix to produce.

Afraid so, some of the more specialised airliner model companies might do it, but they'd charge a FORTUNE as the market would be so small, and they'd have to pay for the BIG tooling somehow.

[The Wooksta!]

Erm, have you seen the actual size of a VC 10 in 72nd?  It makes a Vulcan look small.  I've got a pair of Magna ones and I have literally nowhere to store them if I ever build them.  And then there's the price tag in the unlikely event Airfix would do one.  I doubt you'd see one under a 100 notes.

No, there's more chance of me playing as striker for Sunderland AFC in the Champions League final against Newcastle.

[kitbasher]

Indeed.

I was always struck by how much bigger than a Victor the VC10 was.

On one occasion at Brize Norton I was equally struck by how much smaller than an E-3D both VC10 K2s/K3s looked.  Possibly because the VC10 sat closer to the ground than the E-3D due to the engine configuration.

Airfix has of course kitted the E-3D in 1/72 (Heller did the Boeing 707), and also Concorde.

But would a mainstream 1/72 VC10 pull in a profit?  I doubt it.  Elegant machine for sure (and I'd be very tempted) but fairly niche, tbh.

And for an aircraft with a pretty limited production run there were a fair few variants.

[PR19_Kit]

AIM did a vacform Super VC10 back in the early 80s. Spotting a built one a stand at the Bridgend Show got me to be the notional English member of the Cardiff Plastic Aeroplane Club. 

[McColm]

With 3D printers coming down in price although this can't be said for the 3D scanners it's just awaiting game for someone to scan a 1/144 airliner model and make a file of it  or a ship in a smaller scale.
I have seen videos of modellers who have scanned the models from Thunderbirds and printed them out in 1/72 scale they look very impressive, they can be fitted with lights,  sound and engines.

[Weaver]

Heads-up for anyone wanting to take advantage of my Airfix Club membership:

I'm going to let it expire on the 7th of January, then maybe renew it sometime after the 16th, depending on what's in the 2026 range and what the Club Special Edition kit is for this year.

Reason? If I renew it before the 7th, I'll get the Me 410 Club kit, which I don't want. Membership is not cheap at £35/year if you don't want the special kit and you don't buy enough to claw it back with the 10% discount.

[Beermonster58]

Well, even if 1/72 airliners are a bust,  there's sizeable and, lucrative 1/144 market out there.
One which I'm surprised Airfix hasn't made any attempt to tap into.

[scautomoton]

Well, even if 1/72 airliners are a bust,  there's sizeable and, lucrative 1/144 market out there.
One which I'm surprised Airfix hasn't made any attempt to tap into.

Or at least a recent attempt

[Beermonster58]

Well, even if 1/72 airliners are a bust,  there's sizeable and, lucrative 1/144 market out there.
One which I'm surprised Airfix hasn't made any attempt to tap into.

Or at least a recent attempt

Fair comment 🙂. Airfix's statement a few years back that they wouldn't be producing any new kits, airliners included in 1/144 was, in my opinion, very shortsighted

[PR19_Kit]

Fair comment 🙂. Airfix's statement a few years back that they wouldn't be producing any new kits, airliners included in 1/144 was, in my opinion, very shortsighted

Meanwhile Revell are raking in the 1/144 airliner market and making some REALLY good stuff.

But they STILL try and get you to glue the nosewheel legs in place before you join the two fuselage halves!   

That's SO stupid, it's a recipe for a busted leg when you do all the PSR, primer spraying and final paint, let alone decalling. I spend lots of time modifying the kits so I can add the nosewheel legs at the same time as the mainwheels, i. last!

I've mentioned this stupidity to the Revell reps at Telford year after year, but they just never take any notice, and it's not as if it's that difficult to change the design to add the leg later either.   

[The Rat]

But they STILL try and get you to glue the nosewheel legs in place before you join the two fuselage halves! 

Airfix did the same thing with their P-80, which allows it to be rotated into the nosewheel bay. But none of the other landing gear components are retractable, which makes it a wasted exercise. Maybe they did it so that you could rotate the nosewheel out of the way during the rest of the construction, but it begs the question: why do it at all? 

[Rick Lowe]

And the old 262 kit... and the Boston, IIRC 

[Beermonster58]

Fair comment 🙂. Airfix's statement a few years back that they wouldn't be producing any new kits, airliners included in 1/144 was, in my opinion, very shortsighted

Meanwhile Revell are raking in the 1/144 airliner market and making some REALLY good stuff.

But they STILL try and get you to glue the nosewheel legs in place before you join the two fuselage halves!   

That's SO stupid, it's a recipe for a busted leg when you do all the PSR, primer spraying and final paint, let alone decalling. I spend lots of time modifying the kits so I can add the nosewheel legs at the same time as the mainwheels, i. last!

I've mentioned this stupidity to the Revell reps at Telford year after year, but they just never take any notice, and it's not as if it's that difficult to change the design to add the leg later either.   

Well, I never bother priming models and , I've found that with the Revell airliners I've built, the fit is generally excellent so, no need for filler etc 😉👍.
However, I take the point. I always leave the undercarriage off till last and, It's not really that, difficult to modify the kits accordingly but, it's a nuisance easily avoided with a little kit design adjustment

While not generally a big 1/144 modeller, its a very practical scale for large aircraft and, being a practical guy, I will happily indulge for a subject that interests me.