I was tooling round the net and went to the airfix site and noticed their intention to release(or re-release) the HMS Iron Duke!!...cool!

Yes, in 1:600. She would make a sweet kit in 1:350, though...

--Karl

lol...Ill add it to my list behind the Nelson...now where did I put those plans again?

Is that the Audacious-class ironclad, the Iron Duke class battleship or the Type 23 frigate?

My guess is the WWI period vessel?

Rudi

correct-a-mundo Rudi!.I dont go for those newfangled missle thingies

Hmm...the sceptic is moving in.I don't see the point of re-releasing something like that in today's market unless you are aiming for beginners/ppl who don't know/kids.That kit is seriously bad in many ways and unless you are a full-hull devotee i would rather get the excellent resin alternative from Combrig.1/600 is not that bigger from 1/700 at the end.Maybe instead of them rushing to flood the market again with all the old ghosts, it would be better if they took their time and try to re-tool some of these 1/600 ship kits.Some of them are unique as far as noone else makes them in any scale (Warspite Faklands destroyers etc).I personally like 1/600 full -hull ,and i did went out and bought a couple ,but the kits by today standards are dreadful so i ll buy them never again.
P.S
Many years ago (6) i had a friend who told me he used to work at an Airfix factory.And he disclose to me the reason why most of Airfix kits are so bad when it comes to fit (warped).Basically they were cranking them out of the mold's so fast, that the plastic wasn't allowed enough time to cool down to its original form in the mold.

... that's when I have to say that I am glad I (hesitantly) sold my Airfix ID about a year ago. It made me enough money to buy a whole fleet of Harry's small auxilliaries.

Guido

Hi Guys

Kostas - I'm afraid that I must respectfully disagree with your sceptism. You are entiteld to your opinion and I admit that there is some truth in what you say BUT...

Airfix are, admittedly, my best-beloved BUT they do make very good basic kits. As a modeller (sorry, I don't wish to sound overly earnest, or dogmatic) that's all I need. When you consider that many are over thirty/ forty years old the (comparative) quality shines. Even 'modern' kits (IE the DML USS Juneau is a real bug bear of mine) have chronic fit problems.

Sure the fit can be a little suspect on some of their older kits (although in thirty years of modelling I've never found it overly offensive). The addition of PE also helps - but most serious modellers are gonna throw an Imperial tonne of PE at a kit anyway. As Guido states, some Airfix kits (Warspite, Iron Duke and Repulse all spring to mind) go for stupid money on eBay. I believe that all three would make worthy releases - especially the Repulse, which is curiously better than the recent Tamigawa kit. So hooray for Airfix, long may they continue to fete us with their treasures of olde. I for one will snap up a sensibly priced HMS Iron Duke (or three), with the hope that their Repulse and Warspite follow.

Cheers

Karol

PS As an aside, the olde Airfix Graff Spee recently featured in an episode of a long running soap opera (one of the characters was building it) - the character made a point of noting how old the kit was and that he'd made it as a child - fiction mirroring reality?

everyone starts somewhere

Karol-please to meet you-.Now ,firstly just because emotionally you are attached to Airfix (i am too i admit) doesnt mean that you can defend them in today's market when they releasing kits which belong to a 30 years ago age.The Repulse Warspite and I.D were good if not state of the art (Repulse for example) back then.Not now.The Repulse will be eclipsed by the new offering from Trumpeter in both scales 1350 and soon to follow 1/700 (as it happens with that company usually).The new Tamiya Repulse which you feel so bad about it-sure it has a few mistakes-is one of the best fit and in scale models released and with a bit of extra work you can have a true gem.I have built 2 of them so far.Also the price of a kit on ebay is not a proof that the majority of ppl want to see them back in the market as much ,as it shows more of a special interest to subjects that are not supported by other manufacturers and since they are OOP gain in price.I take this as an example from myself who wanted to built a Repulse 2 years ago and i had to pay some stupid money to get hold off a rare Airfix repulse on ebay.Would i have done the same thing today knowing about the current and forthcoming releases of the repulse?No.Remember high prices go for collectors items which in my mind means they wont be built actually.As a modeler my primary concern is accuracy and realism.If i have to scrach built i will but i rather invest my time in something more creative i.e painting or building a dio or add extra detail ,instead of correcting constantly something that should be there in the first place.Its one of these endless academic discussions that go well down the pub with a pint of beer or 2 , dont you think?

I think its important to keep entry level kits availabe on the shelves for entry level people...like kids ......I see so many kids playing video games ,or on the net(like I am now) and NOT building models...is a 15 yr old going to drop coin for the combrig,or the airfix?. I feel very strongly about fostering and nurturing our youth into this wonderful hobby,or quite literally you will see this "golden era"of ours collapse under the weight of indifference. Lets help entry level people get building! Rivet counting has its place,and Im as guilty as any of us. My first ship model was $35.00...my last one was $135.00........this is what Im saying..

ok Jim i ll give you a point there, but tell me this: when you have a Tamiya/Airfix/Trumpeter all in same scale or very close 1700 1/720 and all at more or less the same price which kit you would rather go for and why?and just because you are a beginner doesnt mean the kit has to suffer in terms of quality and accuracy,otherwise better off to advertise it as a toy instead of a model kit.

Hi Kostas

It is good to see others feel passionately about their kits.

However, whilst I accept some of your points I must respectfully disagree with some others.

My view is that most (if not all) OOB kits are basic, some more basic than others admittedly, but basic kits nevertheless. I would place the Tamigawa Repulse in that category (there is an added issue of price). Most of the fun (for me) is in researching and putting right what the manufacturer has gotten wrong, or chosen to omit. I've yet to come across any kit that's perfect out of the box - as I implied originally, there are many modern kits that are as/ more painful than the kits of yesteryear. Consequently, even with modern kits (many which you pay through the nose for) one ends up spendng additional time and money (in terms of AM PE etc) to either add additional detail or improve upon soft detail. Combrig kits (good but still far from perfect) are not exempt from this - I would factor an additional spend of at least £20.00/ 20 euros on top of of the price of a single Combrig kit - it's all beginning to get expensive.

Consequently, there is a simplistic accounting arguement in favour of good basic (cheap) kits. It all boils down to the individual. This particular individual likes to dabble with both modern and old kits - there ain't that much difference, they're still made of plastic and you get both good and bad examples of both. I personally think that the Airfix Repulse, Warspite and Iron Duke fall into the good category and can be made to stand up to 'modern' scrutiny with a bit of care. If it's cheap it also serves the entry level market (as Jim rightly noted) and for the multitude effected by the current economic uncertainty. It also serves those who enjoy working from a basic (but correct) starting point. That's why I'm pleased that the Iron Duke is being re-released.

I understand that I probably won't change your point of view, so I'm very happy to agree to disagree.

Stay passionate.

Cheers

Karol

I dont want Mark to get mad at me for posting a pic of something other than a ship,but Im just illustrating what can be done with a "toy"..I paid $7.00 for this kit ..P/E cost $8.00

this is the airfix kit
The current economic situation DEFINITELY plays a role also in purchasing/market growth..my wife and I BOTH got "downsized" 5 days before Christmas and my purchasing has diminished from average of $110.00 per month to a mere $20.00..

Jim nice model.For sure an experienced modeler can transform even a toy into a masterpiece put enough time and effort.However if you think that your time is less valuable from spending another 10 or 20 dollars on top (when the same subject is available) to get something that will save you all that trouble , and possibly leave you in a better starting point then i cant say much more.Its a personal choice.But would you save all the extra scratch building and half the time to achieve a similar result with a better model? Probably.

thats the great thing about this hobby ...to each his own

Thanks Jim

With regards to the beginner kit comments above - some great comments and arguments for both sides here

Here's a thought though with regards to beginner kits: should an "old" ship like this even be released as a beginner kit? If you're looking to target the youth, the future of this hobby, should you try to do so by releasing a model of a vessel that they cannot identify with, in fact a vessel which even their parents may not be able to identify with? Surely if you're targeting the youth you should concentrate your efforts on new vessels which they can see and recognise - perhaps even later serve on or did serve (or a parent served) on?

My argument is based on my own sales experiences. I worked in a hobby store for about 8 years through high school and varsity, and the kits that sold most to the younger crowd was the new stuff - new cars, new bikes, new military craft. That and the stuff with the heaviest armament.

IMO Airfix re-releasing this kit is not appealing to beginners, despite it possibly being labled/marketed as such, but rather to the nostalgic modeller, some of which replied above in favour of the kit

Rudi