Airfix's new releases for 2010

It has been rumoured for some time that Airfix would be producing a 1/72 scale Vickers Valiant, now that has been confirmed on their website along with a few other goodies.

The Valiant will be a 'Limited Edition' kit so, depending on the quantity of the production run, it could become scarce quite quickly and it may well be worth buying a spare or two to lay down for the future. Finally, all three of the V bombers will have been kitted by a mainstream, mass production manufacturer in 1/72 scale, something we aircraft modellers have wanted since the 1960s!

The other new tooling that Airfix have announced that caught my eye were a Spitfire Mk XII in 1/48 scale - the first Griffon engined version of the Spit. No other kit manufactured has done this variant before in this scale (or any other scale that I can think of), excellent choice Airfix.

Also in the pipeline in 1/48 are a Seafire Mk XVIIc two versions of the Bf-109E and two Westland Lynx helicopters (Army and Navy).

In 1/72 scale there will be a Spitfire Mk Ia, F-86F Sabre plus Canadair Sabre Mk 4, two versions of the Bf-110 (a C/D and an E) a Hawk T.1 and a Harrier GR.9

Of course there are a number of other subjects, for instance a 1/350 scale Trafalgar Class submarine, which I think is a double first for Airfix. Unless my memory is failing me I don't think they have ever kitted a submarine before and I am pretty sure that they are new to 1/350, if you know better please let me know.

It is great to see that Airfix is now in a position to produce new kits that modellers really want. Perhaps, now that it is part of the Hornby empire, they have a marketing team who understand their customers, in the past I have often felt that they still believed that their principal market were 7 t0 14 year old boys rather than middle aged men who were of that age group back in the 1960s and 70s when Airfix was at is peak.

For more information click on this link to go to the relevant page at Airfix's website:
Airfix new for 2010

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