1. Home
  2. Scale modeling discussions
  3. Airfix kit prices

Airfix kit prices

Hi all,

Excuse me if I'm re-starting an old topic, but I have been very occcupied with work lately, so I haven't looked at this site for a few months.

I was motivated to write this because I was perusing Ebay earlier today and noticed an Airfix TSR-2 kit which had attracted 9 bids and a top bid of about AU$70!!!

I can understand that if Airfix/Heller/Humbol goes down the chute, then many of the older moulds may never see the light of day again. Many of their older subjects (for which Airfix was the only game in town for years) have now been surpassed by newer, more accurate, more detailed and better engineered model kits by other manufacturers. Even if Airfix manages to resurface, or if their assets are passed on, the older moulds may never resurface because the market just doesn't need them.

In the worst case however, I would have thought that one of the other manufacturers will pick up the moulds of some of the newer or more unusual subjects and churn them out again. It therefore seems hard to justify such a high price for such a new kit, even if it is the last boxing to have the famous Airfix logo on the lid. I know that Airfix claimed that the TSR-2 was to be a limited release, but my understanding is that the kit is not, by definition, "limited run" (ie. it is made with steel moulds).

I'm not a TSR-2 fan and I'll probably never build (or collect) one of these kits, even if they are re-released at a realistic price, but the subject provides food for thought...

Any comments?

James.

Reply to
jvenables
Loading thread data ...

My understanding is that Heller were manufacturing from Airfix moulds to supply to Airfix and went bust earlier this year. Airfix/Humbrol went in to receivership because they were starved of stock to sell and for whatever reason the Heller administrators will not release the moulds which I understand belong to Airfix or it's parent company. There is a thread on this news group which explains this better, there is some confusion as to who owns what i.e. physical versus intellectual assets.

Thus it is unlikely another manufacturer will be able to take up manufacturing for a while and rarer models will command higher prices.

I'm sure someone from the group will give a better answer if I am wrong or events have moved on.

stu

Reply to
%%stu%%

Whatever happens, I expect the Airfix moulds will resurface in some form. However, unless there is (relatively) quick wholesale takeover, with the Heller administrators releasing the tooling, it could be a long time before any of these kits are seen again. Into the 1980s some of the former Frog kits were in high demand, until ultimatly reappearing under Novo and it's successors. Of course there is no longer an iron curtain for the hardware to disappear behind, the whole world seems to move at a faster pace, but the point is valid. Shortly before Heller and Airfix went to the wall I had noticed that the ebay prices for TSR2s were running at roughly double what they'd been in the shops. How I kicked myself for not buying the whole stach that was for sale at Antics in the first few days of release..... Cheers, Bill.

Reply to
Bill Davies

...

Well, you know, some folks have to have the kit NOW. To put on their procrastination pile...

Reply to
Jack Bohn

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.