Author Topic: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023  (Read 1362 times)

Offline KiwiZac

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Hi all,
One of the announcements in yesterday's 2023 range reveal by Airfix was a Vintage Classics reboxing of the company's Fokker DR.1 & Bristol F.2B kits as a Dogfight Double:
a02141v_1 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

The kit is A02141V, set for release in the northern Spring and has an RRP of £10.99. It can be found on Airfix's website here.

Offline loopyloop

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2023, 07:19:38 PM »
Dear me this old chesnut but I suppose the decals will be ok for yet another Manfred von triplane gasp >:(

Offline enathan

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2023, 09:34:43 PM »
Nice, but it would have been much more exciting if it wasn't just a reissue of the same outdated kits, with (apparently) the same markings. A re-tool in the standards of their B.E.2c/Fokker E.II would have been great.
A re-tool of the Roland C.II and Hannover CL.IIIa would be nice too...
« Last Edit: January 13, 2023, 03:23:51 AM by enathan »

Offline KiwiZac

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2023, 04:04:47 AM »
I'm still disappointed the Great War centenary was only marked by two new aircraft kits! But the BE2 has had different boxings so it must have been popular.

I'm just glad they market older kits distinct from the new: I remember seeing the DH.88 Comet in with Adam Tooby boxart and wondering how many unaware folk would think it was a new kit!

Offline Brad Cancian

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2023, 06:40:05 AM »
I agree these moulds are very old in the tooth now. Both of these moulds date back to 1957... 66 years ago...!

On the flip side, they are making it clear that this is a "Vintage Classics" kit, which should given an indication that the moulds may not be state of the art. Still, I can't help but think there may be one or two disappointed customers out there when they open the box.

I too would like to see some new releases of 1/72 WW1 kits from Airfix, but like many other manufacturers, the market isn't there. We'll need to continue to rely on companies like KP for new 1/72 WW1 releases.

Cheers,

BC

Offline WD

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #5 on: January 14, 2023, 10:58:39 AM »
You know, I know we would like to have a nice, 21st c. updating of these kits, but there's still a very strong argument, in my humble opinion only, for trotting these old things out: they're cheap, and a young modeler can tackle them without too much fuss. My son's first kits that he built on his own were Airfix Albatros D.V, Roland C.II, and Aichi D3A1 Val. Those were great, inexpensive kits for getting him introduced to the hobby, and I'd bet they'd still be good for that purpose today.

An online modeling friend mused about this on another forum, he grew up on a diet of Matchbox, Airfix, and the occasional Revell kit. They were simple, inexpensive, and he could do them on his own. As we've gotten older, and more skilled, AND have more pocket money, we've bought increasingly more difficult and expensive kits. I'm hoping Airfix producing these and all of those starter packs are going to help introduce some young folks to our hobby. My sadness is that they'll hardly ever be seen on my side of the pond.

Off my soap box now,  . . . next!!! ;)

Warren

Offline Dirigible-Al

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2023, 03:33:14 AM »
I think Warren has made a very good point. I remember shelling out about £30 for a resin 1/72 scale BE.2c a few years ago (before the Airfix offering). The Albatros D.V, Biff, Roland C.II, Hannover CL and DH.4 are all Airfix kits I have bought and consider nice kits. Only the Spad13 and (unfortunately) the Fokker DR 1 I didn't think much of but that was mainly because the Revell offering of those two was much better.
Alan.
I heard that it all started when a bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich 'cause he was hungry!

Offline RichieW

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2023, 08:40:08 AM »
Oh the horror! Nonetheless I find myself strangely drawn.

Richie

Offline enathan

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2023, 10:05:45 AM »
The B.E.2c and Fokker E.II are no longer available but the E.III issued in 2018 by today's standards costs £7.49 ($9.16) at Hannants.
It's still an Airfix kit, nothing a young modeler can't afford or tackle :)
« Last Edit: January 16, 2023, 11:56:25 AM by enathan »

Offline Stuart Malone

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2023, 03:42:02 AM »
Both of these kits have been updated, but by other companies.  The Roden Bristol is a very nice kit.  The last two or three releases they did in 1/72nd scale including the Nieuport 27 were much better than their previous kits.  And, we have the Eduard Dr.I.  Both of these are at higher price points than the Airfix kits.  If Airfix retooled their versions, they'd probably be the same price or more expensive than either the Roden or Eduard.  Also, I'm not sure they would be 'better' anyway.

Stuart

Offline pepperman42

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2023, 12:00:39 AM »
Nostalgia aint what it used to be. Since these molds paid for themselves decades ago how about putting a vintage price on them? Think this one was $1.29........ ;)

Steve

Offline Juan

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2023, 02:01:51 AM »
Nostalgia aint what it used to be. Since these molds paid for themselves decades ago how about putting a vintage price on them? Think this one was $1.29........ ;)

Steve
At today's value, including inflation, the cost should be around $12,628.87.....  :o :o :o ;) ;D

Offline Dirigible-Al

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2023, 03:16:37 AM »
I remember as a kid paying £0.21 for 1/72 scale Airfix kits. They had cardboard tops with polythene bagged contents below and hung from hooks on a display carousel.
Alan.
I heard that it all started when a bloke called Archie Duke shot an ostrich 'cause he was hungry!

Offline RichieW

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #13 on: January 19, 2023, 04:26:53 AM »
I remember as a kid paying £0.21 for 1/72 scale Airfix kits. They had cardboard tops with polythene bagged contents below and hung from hooks on a display carousel.
Alan.

I remember those days so well! My first ever model was a poly bagged Spitfire at the tender age of 6.

In the case of these old warriors I think I will leave them in the past but I am intrigued to know what could be made of them!

Richie

Offline Tim Mixon

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Re: Airfix 1/72 Biff v Dreidecker Dogfight Double (old tools) in 2023
« Reply #14 on: January 25, 2023, 12:18:46 PM »
I remember as a kid paying £0.21 for 1/72 scale Airfix kits. They had cardboard tops with polythene bagged contents below and hung from hooks on a display carousel.
Alan.

I remember those days so well! My first ever model was a poly bagged Spitfire at the tender age of 6.

In the case of these old warriors I think I will leave them in the past but I am intrigued to know what could be made of them!

Richie